# NASCAR News And Rumors Thread



## Ckg2011

*This is a place to post NASCAR news and rumors for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Grand National Series and Sprint CUP Series.*


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## Ckg2011

*The Columbus Comet Receives Myers Brothers Award​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart's reaction to being named recipient of the 2013 NMPA Myers Brothers Award was emotional and heartfelt.

"This is crazy," said the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. "What an honor. It's very humbling."

Stewart was honored by the National Motor Sports Press Association (NMPA) during Thursday's annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon at Wynn Las Vegas for a variety of reasons - as a fierce competitor, championship team owner and race track promoter.
"But he's also helped others on many occasions; quietly and without recognition," said NMPA President Kenny Bruce. "The stories of our winner's big heart have gotten around; much to his dismay, I'm sure. Trust me, they're endless."

Bruce's introductory remarks were echoed by master of ceremonies and FOX Sports broadcaster Mike Joy.

"What he does for the sport makes him one of a kind."

The NMPA Myers Brothers Award is presented in the names of pioneer NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers. Past recipients are a virtual who's-who of the industry - drivers, owners, track operators, sponsors and members of the media - and include nearly every current member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Stewart was cited for a longtime body of work - and specifically for his role in taking NASCAR back to its roots. He and his staff at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, produced the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series "Mudsummer Classic," the sanctioning body's first national points competition on a dirt surface in more than four decades.

"I'd always joked around that having a dirt race on the schedule would be really great," Stewart said.

Stewart, however, prefers to credit others - specifically NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O'Donnell and Eldora Speedway manager Roger Slack - for the ultimate success of the "Mudsummer Classic."
Stewart's 2013 season was cut short by a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident in early August. He crossed the stage on Thursday without the aid of crutches to accept his award and should be ready to battle for his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup title when the 2014 season opens with February's Daytona 500.

"It was hard sitting on the sidelines watching," he said addressing his 13 fellow drivers who competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. "It's given me a different perspective."

Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, addressed the media prior to the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon calling the just-concluded season "a good year."

"Obviously, there's some business things we've got accomplished like getting our media rights secured for the next decade," he said. "That's tremendous for the industry; great visibility. NBC is going to do a really good job (beginning in 2015)."

France pronounced the roll-out of the Gen-6 Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry successful.

"There were some fair questions and expectations - would we get that right and in '08 (with the Car of Tomorrow), we didn't," he said. "I think we changed that in a big way getting the car manufacturers, the teams and others all on the same page and we have a better racing product, which is the center of it for all of us."

The premier series' three manufacturers were named joint recipients of the 2013 Buddy Shuman Award for their role in creating race cars styled to better connect the sport with the pride of car ownership shared by millions of North American consumers.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/stewart-receives-myers-brothers-award/


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Most Popular Driver For 11th Straight Year​*





The National Motorsports Press ***'n (NMPA) announced today that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the recipient of this year's NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award.

It is the 11th consecutive year Earnhardt Jr. has been selected through a vote of the fans, breaking a tie with Bill Elliott for most consecutive awards received. Elliott continues to hold the overall mark, having been named the series' most popular driver 16 times.

"I don't really keep track of the stats or the score, but Bill was a great driver and ambassador for the sport," Earnhardt Jr. said. "He represents the sport really well to this day, as does his son Chase, who's coming up and carrying on the family name. But, I've always looked up to Bill as a driver so it's pretty neat."

More than 1 million votes were tallied for 39 eligible drivers from this year's first race to the last at the site www.MostPopularDriver.com. Fans voted once per day with Earnhardt Jr. collecting more than 700,000 votes.

The award was presented to the Hendrick Motorsports driver today during the annual NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon, a part of the season-ending Champions Week activities in Las Vegas.

The final top-10 drivers, in order of votes received were: Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Earnhardt Jr. is still honored to receive the trophy.

"We always have such great support from our fans," Earnhardt Jr. said. "They always come through every year, and this year we feel like we were giving them a lot to cheer for on the race track and paying them back for all the years they've voted for us to win this award."

The NMPA Most Popular Driver distinction has been presented every year since 1956. Initially determined by a poll among drivers taken at season's end, it was later changed to allow members of the media to determine the winner. Today, race fans from all over the world make the ultimate decision.

"We congratulate Dale Earnhardt Jr. for this record-breaking achievement," said Kenny Bruce, President of the NMPA. "This is NASCAR fans opportunity to be heard during Champions Week here in Las Vegas. On behalf of all those who voted, we thank you and are proud to continue to support the NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/earnhardt-is-most-popular-driver-again/


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Stewart Haas Racing Extend Partnership​*
ExxonMobil has strengthened its ongoing commitment to NASCAR by renewing its multi-year sponsorship with three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing. Mobil 1 will adorn the hood of Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet for 11 races in 2014, while taking a high-profile associate role in the remaining races.

"Tony and Stewart-Haas Racing have done an incredible job highlighting the value of Mobil 1 technology, so it was an easy decision to renew our 
sponsorship with one of NASCAR's top drivers and teams," said Artis Brown, global motorsports manager, Mobil 1.

"The entire ExxonMobil team is looking forward to Mobil 1 technology helping Stewart-Haas Racing remain a championship-caliber team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."

Although Stewart saw his 2013 season cut short due to a leg injury, he has been one of the most successful Sprint Cup drivers since joining NASCAR's elite series in 1999. In 2011, Stewart's debut season for Mobil 1 Racing, he won an amazing five of the 10 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the finale at Miami-Homestead Speedway, where he clinched his third Sprint Cup title. In the 2012 season, Stewart earned three wins and 12 top-five finishes while making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the eighth time since the Chase's inception in 2004. In total, Stewart has earned nine Sprint Cup victories and 43 top-ten finishes with Mobil 1 lubricant technology in the No. 14 car.

"We're very pleased to extend our multi-year technology partnership with Mobil 1," said Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. "During the past few years, Stewart-Haas Racing has seen real progress from our collaboration with Mobil 1. We've had an improvement in fuel mileage, engine efficiency and reliability, and we're confident that Mobil 1 will help us contend for another NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship."

*Additional details of the Mobil 1 and Stewart-Haas Racing deal:*

Mobil 1 will serve as the co-primary sponsor of the No. 14 Chevrolet SS with Bass Pro Shops.

Mobil 1 will also be an associate sponsor of Kurt Busch's No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet and Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet.

ExxonMobil will provide Mobil 1 lubricant technology and engineering support to Stewart-Haas Racing, including the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/mobil-1-stewart-haas-extend-partnership/


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## RelinquishedHell

Non
Athletic
Sport
Centered
Around
********


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces Changes To Hall of Fame​*
NASCAR today announced a number of changes to the selection process for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (NHOF), including a modification to driver eligibility parameters and the creation of a new award to honor significant contributions to the growth and success of the sport.

In all, six changes and updates will be made starting with the selection of the Class of 2015 - all designed to improve upon an already strong process that has led to the selection of 25 deserving inductees.

"We're very proud of how the NASCAR Hall of Fame has evolved and believe the first five classes reflect the strength of the nominating and voting procedures, with voices from every corner of our industry included in the selection process," said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR vice president and chief communications officer. "Based on feedback from voters, industry leaders, media who cover our sport and the fans, we believe the changes announced today are a strong recognition of the uniqueness of our sport and will make the overall selection process even stronger in how we honor those who have driven NASCAR to great success on and off the track."

*Following is a summary of changes:*

*Driver Eligibility:*

Currently, drivers who have competed in NASCAR for at least 10 years and been retired for three years are eligible for nomination to the NHOF. That will not change.

Moving forward, however, drivers who have competed for a minimum of 10 years and reached their 55th birthday on or before Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year are immediately eligible for the NHOF. Also, any competitor who has competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR competition by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year is automatically eligible, regardless of age.

Drivers may continue to compete after reaching any of the aforementioned milestones without compromising eligibility for nomination or induction.

*Nominating Committee Will Select Five Fewer Nominees for Enshrinement:*

Throughout its history, the NHOF Nominating Committee has selected 25 nominees each year to be discussed and voted on for NHOF enshrinement. That number will be reduced to 20 starting with the selection process for the 2015 class.

*Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:*

Beginning with the 2015 class, a new award - Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR - will be initiated to honor significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.

Potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners will remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

Five nominees will be selected by the NHOF Nominating Committee and then be voted on by the Voting Panel. To win the award, an individual must appear on at least 60 percent of the ballots and no more than one award will be presented annually. Voting for this award will occur immediately following the voting for the NHOF class and be monitored by the same independent accounting firm that oversees NHOF voting.

*Nominating Committee to Meet, Vote on 20 NHOF Nominees / Five Landmark Award Nominees:*

For the first time, the Nominating Committee will meet in person to discuss, debate and vote to create two ballots - the NHOF ballot and the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR ballot. Previously, the committee submitted nominees via mail to an independent accounting firm that tallies the nominations in order to create the final NHOF ballot.

The Nominating Committee will meet during Speedweeks at Daytona on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, and the nominees for both ballots will be announced later that day.

*Nominees To Be Recused From the Nominating / Voting Process:*

Any member of the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel who appeared on the previous year's ballot or current year's ballot will now be recused from participating in the nominating and / or voting process for as long as he / she appears on the ballot. If an individual who is currently on the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel is inducted, or is no longer included on a final ballot, he or she is immediately reinstated to active participation on the panel(s).

*Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Added To Voting Panel:*

As was already announced on Nov. 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the annual NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will be added to the following year's voting panel.

That means Jimmie Johnson, who captured his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, will be included in the selection meeting and can cast a vote for the NHOF Class of 2015 on Voting Day, Wednesday, May 21, 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/nascar-hall-of-fame-changes-announced/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fanfest 2013 Recap Video From LVMS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Is Danica Patrick's NASCAR Experiment Already A Failure?​*
Danica Patrick really should not take all the blame for her wretched rookie season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

After all, she gained her full-time ride with Stewart-Haas Racing based more on a marketing myth than on merit. What was she supposed to do? Turn down the opportunity?

Now that her first full season in Sprint Cup is in the books, however, is it too soon to admit that the Patrick stock-car experiment is already a failure?
Sadly, the answer is probably not.

There is a chance Patrick will begin to turn it around in 2014 and in seasons yet to come, but the fact is that she was rushed into NASCAR's top national touring series before she was ready. And another fact she and NASCAR and SHR may not yet be willing to admit is that she may never be a driver who does much more than very occasionally run up front, even in top-notch equipment

Patrick's rookie Cup season began with great promise. She became the first woman ever to win the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500, and followed that up with a strong showing in the Great American Race itself when she became the first woman to lead laps in NASCAR's showcase event.

In fact, Patrick was running third heading into the final lap when she got schooled by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and others with far more experience in the tricky world of restrictor-plate racing. She nonetheless earned accolades from Earnhardt after finishing eighth.

"She's going to make a lot of history all year long. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch her progress," Earnhardt told ESPN.com after the race. "Every time I've seen her in a pretty hectic situation, she always remained really calm. She's got a great level head. She's a racer. She knows what's coming. She's smart about her decisions. ... I enjoy racing with her."

Unfortunately for Patrick, the 500 proved to be the highlight of the season for her. Over the final 35 races, she never again finished in the top 10.

Her final numbers, quite honestly, were brutal. She finished 27th in the point standings-well behind her boyfriend and fellow rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-and finished on the lead lap in only 12 of 36 races overall.

Patrick spent five years driving for car owner Michael Andretti in the IndyCar Series, where she won one race on a fuel-mileage gambit but reaped far more rewards in the marketing game away from the track.

By the time Patrick made the full-time leap into NASCAR in 2012, she was unquestionably a superstar in terms of ability to bring sponsorship dollars and, NASCAR hoped, more fans to her new discipline of motorsports.

The sponsorship money from GoDaddy.com followed her. The fans did not.

Sure, she might have put a few in the seats at first. And her finish in the 500 no doubt was inspiring to some young girls around the country.

But to have a real impact, you have to have staying power and you have to be competitive on at least a semi-consistent basis. Patrick faded from the public consciousness as the season progressed and her struggles mounted. By the end of it, she was largely irrelevant in the big picture.

At one point last June, former Sprint Cup driver and current television analyst Kyle Petty stated bluntly and famously on Speed's Race Hub program that "she's not a race car driver."

*According to SportingNews.com, Petty then added:*

"Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs. She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race-car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race-car driver."

Might it have been different if her handlers hadn't rushed her to Sprint Cup after only 58 races and just one full season in the Nationwide Series? Well, that's hard to say. But it couldn't have been much worse.

Now she heads into 2014 as the driver of what clearly is the fourth car in a four-team stable at Stewart-Haas, which added drivers Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch while jettisoning Ryan Newman after last season.

Hey, last time we checked, didn't Ryan Newman win one of NASCAR's biggest races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last July? Isn't that where Patrick used to race in open-wheel cars, too? And how many wins did she register there?

Patrick is not always what she appears. In most interviews, at least since coming to NASCAR, she has been charming, funny and surprisingly honest.

She is an attractive woman who is now 31 years old. She's a marketing machine. Those are facts.

*But let's face it:* She's not that great of a race car driver (although she is, in fact, by definition one regardless of what Kyle Petty says). She wasn't that great in the IndyCar Series and she's certainly not in stock cars.

And that's not likely to change dramatically for the better anytime soon, if ever.

*Source:*
http://www.autoweek.com/article/201...?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=

*Source:*
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ascar-sprint-cup-experiment-already-a-failure


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## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Motorsports and Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr Unveil The 2014 National Guard Paint Scheme On His #88 Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Team #88 Wins Mechanix Pit Crew of The Year​*
During the championship week in Las Vegas the #88 of HMS was awarded the pit crew of the year award. All year long the #88 has been a strong team and whats more impressive was they did it with 3 rear tire changers. As the season went on they lost their starter, Joe Slingerland to a wrist injury and then David Mayo to a knee injury. In steps the 3rd string changer Steven Tautges and the team continued on with consistent stops The other members of the team are as follows.

Front Changer: Clay Robinson, Front Carrier: Kevin Harris, Jack Man: Nick Covey, Rear Changer: Joe Slingerland, David Mayo, Steven Tautges, Rear Carrier: Matt Ver Meer, Gas Man: Caleb Hurd.

_Congrats to Team #88_

*Source:*
http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20131206e


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Discusses His eBay Addiction During NASCAR After The Lap​*


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## Ckg2011

*Best of NASCAR Victory Lap​*


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Awards - Dale Earnhardt Jr​*


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Wraps Up Championship Celebration​*
Jimmie Johnson wraped up his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship celebration Friday night in Las Vegas.

For Johnson, Champion's Week has been an enjoyable one - and perhaps his best since he captured his first championship in 2006 to begin an unprecedented run of five consecutive titles.

"The streak, when it was alive, I didn't realize how much pressure we were carrying on our shoulders. We almost didn't get to enjoy the moment," he said. "We were looking ahead to see what the next year would be.

"This (year) is almost a starting over. We're just enjoying it for what it is."
Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Lowe's Chevrolet team's streak of five titles ended in 2011 and they missed the title a year ago, but the now-38-year-old Californian smiled and applauded the achievements of Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski from the audience.

The two seasons away from the head table provided some of the impetus for what Johnson calls "a kick-butt year" in which he won six races. Two victories during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ were keys to Johnson emerging victorious from a dramatic and tension-filled battle with 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Matt Kenseth.

"There's nothing more motivating than sitting down on the floor and watching the head table receive all the things through the course of the night," Johnson said. "We worked hard and came back and got it done this year."

One championship away from matching the seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles won by NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Johnson had hoped to reference some of the legends' thoughts in making Friday night's speech. He had no luck retrieving any of Petty's remarks following his sixth title. The late Earnhardt's speech in 1994 likewise wasn't helpful.

"I expected to see some life-changing thing in there I could attach to my speech; some meaningful moment or whatever," Johnson said of Earnhardt's banquet performance. "He was just as nervous as the rest of us. He was rattled, got off the stage and walked away.

"I do recognize I'm in a very unique position (that) only two other men have been in. If I can find a way to mention that tonight, that's my goal."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/johnson-wraps-up-championship-celebration/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR, Drivers To Seek Common Ground At Test Session​*
NASCAR officials, crew chiefs and drivers hope they like what they see Monday in a test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway designed to complete the 2014 rules package.

The NASCAR test, not mandatory, will attract about 25-30 cars. Among the things NASCAR is expected to test are a larger spoiler and the reduction of horsepower using a tapered spacer (which reduces air flow in the engine), similarly with what is done in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

Drivers would prefer to have ultimate horsepower and have everything put in their hands, but NASCAR is seeking any package that would create more passing for the lead.

"I'd like to see them add more mechanical group and take away aero grip and keep the horsepower, but it's a hard balance for NASCAR to do that," said three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart, who won't be testing because of a broken leg in August.

"To do that, NASCAR and Goodyear have to be exactly on the same page to do it and balance it. For NASCAR, it's a little easier for them to put more spoiler in it and take some of the horsepower away and that doesn't back Goodyear into a corner necessarily."

NASCAR tested at CMS in October and officials belieed they needed another test. NASCAR has shifted the responsibility for the technical specifications from Sprint Cup series director John Darby and vice president Robin Pemberton to a new department headed by former General Motors engineer Gene Stefanyshyn.

The goal is to have a group dedicated to looking for ways to make the racing better with another group dedicated to running the technical process and officiating on race weekends.

Stefanyshyn's group tried several things at the October test, including screens on rear bumpers to disrupt air flow and roof wickers.

"If we do the things that we're looking at, we're looking for more green flag lead changes," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. "That's what we're looking for. We're looking for tighter racing, in particular on the mile-and-a-half (tracks).

Source: Read More Here: http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...drivers-to-seek-common-ground-at-test-session


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## Ckg2011

*Mother Nature Postpones NASCAR's Charlotte Test Til Wednesday​* 






NASCAR has postponed Monday's test at Charlotte Motor Speedway until Wednesday because of rain and a forecast that calls for additional rain Tuesday.

More than 20 teams are expected to take part in the test to help set the rules for next season. The National Weather Service's forecast for Wednesday calls for mostly sunny conditions with a high of 47 degrees and light wind. The schedule will remain the same with teams allowed on the track from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

NASCAR is set to test a taller spoiler, a wicker bill on the roof, changes to the splitter and ways to slow the cars slightly. Series officials have tried a tapered spacer but also could look at taking horsepower away via the throttle body. This is a continuation of a test that officials held Oct. 14 with six teams.

"We'll be validating some of our beliefs, a prior test and other things, and I'm liking what I'm seeing,'' NASCAR Chairman Brian France said. "It's tightening up competition.''

Gene Stefanshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development, has stated that even if some ideas aren't ready for 2014, such testing could lead to their implementation in 2015.

NASCAR officials plan to run simulated races of about 40 laps to see how the cars react over a longer period of the time. The focus is to find ways to allow cars to race closer together, particularly at 1.5-mile tracks. One of NASCAR's measuring sticks is lead changes. There were an average of 21.7 lead changes at such tracks this past season but an average of 13.5 green-flag lead changes in those events.

Those scheduled to take part in Monday's session include Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne.

"If there is a way to be a part of making the racing the best it can be, I want to be a part of it,'' Edwards said. "I think NASCAR is doing the right thing. They're being open-minded about their approach. They're going to film everything, analyze it, talk to us and have meetings. I think we'll learn something for sure.''

Among those who will not test are Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, but Gordon's team will be there with Regan Smith driving the car.

This also will be a good chance for drivers with new teams to work together.

Kevin Harvick, who moves to Stewart-Haas Racing from Richard Childress Racing, said "I've never been more excited to test a racecar in my whole life. To be in the car Monday is exciting for me because of all the unknowns.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/NASCAR-Prepares-for-Important-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick's 2014 SHR Budweiser #4 Chevrolet SS​*







*Jamie McMurray's 2014 EGR Cessna #1 Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr 2014 HMS Diet Mtn Dew Chevrolet SS​*







*Marcos Ambrose 2014 RPM Twisted Tea Ford Fusion​*


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## Ckg2011

*Greg Biffle 2014 RFR 3M Ford Fusion​*







*Rumored To Be Austin Dillon's RCR 2014 Cheerios #3 Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick 2014 SHR Aspen Dental Chevrolet SS​*







*Kevin Harvick 2014 SHR Jimmy Johns Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick 2014 SHR Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet SS​*







*Kasey Kahne 2014 HMS Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Jimmie Johnson 2014 HMS Lowes Home Improvement Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Tears Up The Dirt Track On A Pink Barbie 4x4​*







Ever think you'd see Dale Earnhardt Jr. riding on a pink Barbie 4x4? I'll assume the answer is 'no'.

And that's exactly what happened when Earnhardt teamed up with Mountain Dew and thrill-seeking YouTube star Devin Graham for a 'Cardboard Rodeo' at Junior's Dirty Mo Acres in N.C. Take a look as Junior and Graham find some creative ways to get around the dirt track.






That's pretty incredible. And we assume slightly dangerous. They also put together a behind-the-scenes video to capture how it all went down.






Are Power Wheels allowed to run at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 'Mudsummer Classic' at Eldora Speedway? Well, they should be.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...barbie-4x4-yes-you-read-that-correctly-120913


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## Ckg2011

_17-year-old Erik Jones stands with is crew in victorty lane at Five Flag Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. after Chase Elliott was disqualified in post-race tech._

*Young NASCAR Stars Involved In Snowball Derby Controversy​*
The annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. is one of the most prestigious late-model races in the country. With a list of past winners which includes the likes of Donnie Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Kyle Busch, the Snowball Derby is always one of the most competitive short track races of the year.

The illegal tungsten ballast discovered in Chase Elliott's Snowball Derby car.
This year's action was no different, but the real drama began to unfold after the checkered flag flew.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular Chase Elliott dominated the race, leading 233 of the 300 laps to score his second Snowball Derby win in three years. However, Speed51.com reported track officials discovered the presence of tungsten ballast in the frame of the car during post-race technical inspection.

Clearly a violation of the Snowball Derby rule book, Elliott was disqualified and the win was given to second-place finisher Erik Jones.

The decision gave Jones his second-consecutive Snowball Derby win, becoming only the third driver in the race's 46-year history to win back-to-back races.

Both young up-and-coming drivers with a bright NASCAR future ahead of them, the announcement sent many to Twitter to congratulate Jones and offer advice to Elliott.

While the debate continues to rage whether the tungsten ballast found provided Elliott with a clear advantage in Sunday's race, there's no arguing the fact tungsten is against the rules.

In essence, tungsten is outlawed as a cost-cutting measure for teams competing on the short-track circuits. A piece of tungsten ballast is much more expensive than a piece of lead ballast of the same size. As Diandra Leslie-Pelecky points out on BuildingSpeed.org, the reasoning for the extreme price difference has to do with the rarity and difficulty of processing tungsten.

If you remember, this is not the first time Elliott entered victory lane amid controversy. The 17-year-old son of Bill Elliott scored his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race after making hard contact with Ty Dillon battling for the win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/vid...m=sharepermalink&src=v5:share:sharepermalink:

In November, Jones became the youngest winner in NASCAR history after scoring the NCWTS victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Phoenix International Raceway.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/vid...m=sharepermalink&src=v5:share:sharepermalink:

Elliott and Jones were not the only NASCAR drivers entered in the historic event, however. Matt Kenseth's son Ross finished eighth, while Landon Cassill was 11th, former NCWTS winner Cale Gale was 14th, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and former Snowball Derby winner Johanna Long was 16th, while Sprint Cup Series regular David Ragan was 28th.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...involved-in-snowball-derby-controversy-120913


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## Zeppelin

I really need Jeff Gordon to start winning again... He's been my favorite my entire life...


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## Ckg2011

Zeppelin said:


> I really need Jeff Gordon to start winning again... He's been my favorite my entire life...


 He will, Jeff is amazing driver and has a great team around him. I think he will win some races in 2014 and make the Chase. :yes

*Jeff Gordon 2014 HMS Pepsi Max Zero Calories Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

_Chad Johnston is one of three new crew cheifs at Stewart-Haas Racing. (Photo: Getty Images)​_
*Crew Chief Shuffle Gives Some New Opportunities​*
A number of Sprint Cup Series crew chiefs will step into new roles in 2014 hoping for success.

The off-season has already produced several personnel changes among high-profile teams. As soon as NASCAR finalizes next year's rule package after this week's test takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway, work will begin in earnest preparing for 2014.

Here's a look at five crew chiefs in new roles and the challenges ahead in their new positions:

*Chad Johnston*

Johnston comes to Stewart-Haas from Michael Waltrip Racing and will work with Tony Stewart. Johnston becomes Stewart's third crew chief in the last four seasons. Stewart, a three-time champion, searches for the missing ingredient that has disappeared since his magical run to the 2011 championship with the outgoing Darian Grubb. Johnston's engineering background mirrors what Grubb brought to the No. 14 team, which should be beneficial in understanding the evolving Gen-6 Sprint Cup car. But Johnston will have to deal with both Stewart returning from a physical injury and finding a comfort level with yet another new voice on the pit box.

*Rodney Childers*

Childers enjoyed great success with Michael Waltrip Racing working primarily with Mark Martin before the two departed the organization late this past season. Childers will be paired with Kevin Harvick as the two move to Stewart-Haas Racing. Both are proven winners but finding the right chemistry early will be a key to the No. 4 team getting off to a good start. While Harvick and former crew chief Gil Martin won races and challenged for championships during their tenure at Richard Childress Racing, it's no secret their relationship was strained at times. It will be interesting to see how this pair clicks at SHR.

*Daniel Knost*

SHR's third new crew chief might have the most difficult task of all. Knost also brings an engineering background to the table but has no previous crew chief experience. Added to that learning curve will be the challenge of taking on the role of working with Kurt Busch, who has a track record of being more than a little bit excited in terms of radio communication during a race. The No. 41 team is being built from the ground up and the Busch-Knost combo figures to have a lot of work ahead to get competitive quickly.

*Keith Rodden*

Continuing the parade of engineers into crew chief roles comes Rodden, who leaves Hendrick Motorsports to take the helm of Jamie McMurray's squad at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Although Rodden does not have crew chief experience, he inherits a team that showed signs of finally coming out of its doldrums last season, including an October win in Talladega. Rodden will no doubt lean heavily on working with Chris Heroy and the No. 42 EGR team, but, with rookie Kyle Larson taking over the driving duties that team, it will no doubt have to deal with growing pains of its own.

*Mike Kelley*

Team owner Jack Roush decided to get the successful Nationwide Series championship team from a couple years ago back together by reuniting Kelley with Ricky Stenhouse and the No. 17 team. The duo formed a two-time title winning powerhouse in Nationwide and their familiarity working together should pay immediate benefits at the Cup level. But there's some work for the Ford stable in whole to step up its game and become more consistently competitively in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ief-Shuffle-Gives-Some-New-Opportunities.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Champs Converge On Charlotte​*
NASCAR's top drivers throughout its regional touring and weekly series will be in the spotlight this week with a bevy of activities leading up to the awards ceremonies Friday and Saturday night.

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards will take place Friday, Dec. 13. Among those honored will be the 2013 national champion Lee Pulliam, as well as track champions from 55 tracks across the United States and Canada, state and provincial champions and top rookies.

"We've been really looking forward to this," said Lee Pulliam, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion. "A lot of hard work has gone into this year to get us to this point. Charlotte was a blast last year, and it's already started off that way this year.

"I'm just really proud of everybody's hard work and determination that's gotten us here. Getting that handshake from NASCAR President Mike Helton and receiving that coveted trophy, that's something I've always dreamed of."

On the following evening, NASCAR's touring series champions will be recognized at the traditional NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards. Set for Saturday, Dec. 14, honorees will include the champions from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, Mexico's NASCAR Toyota Series and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

"It's great - this week is always terrific," said Ander Vilarino, who won his second straight NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2013. "All the moments are very special. Just having the car in the NASCAR Hall of Fame - all the champions cars are there. And you can see Petty's car and Johnson's car and there is our car.

"And obviously the awards ceremony is the key moment - the most exciting moment of the week - when you receive that NASCAR championship ring."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-champs-converge-on-charlotte/


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## Ckg2011

*Dillon To Take #3 Back To CUP Series​*
The famed No. 3 will return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season.

Rookie driver Austin Dillon, a champion in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, will compete full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driving for his grandfather's Richard Childress Racing.

Dillon joins Paul Menard, who will drive the No. 27 Menards Chevrolet with crew chief "Slugger" Labbe, and Ryan Newman, who will drive the No. 31 Caterpillar/Quicken Loans/Wix Filters Chevrolet with crew chief Luke Lambert, as full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers under the RCR banner in 2014.

The Welcome, N.C., organization has invested significant resources in its competition and engineering departments to prepare for the 2014 season. Many of these changes were spearheaded by the additions of Dr. Eric Warren (director of competition) and Mark McCardle (director of racing operations) to the organization, along with the recent addition of Mike Coughlan (technical director).

Dillon's program will be led by crew chief Gil Martin, a 13-year veteran of the organization who led Kevin Harvick to six chase berths. Dow and General Mills' Cheerios brand will be the primary brands featured on the No. 3 Chevrolet SS throughout the season.

"My grandfather and everyone at RCR have done a great job of not pushing me too quickly into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Dillon. "I feel like I've been able to spend adequate time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series preparing for this next step in my career. I am thrilled to be making this move with partners like Dow and Cheerios, along with some long-time partners who have supported me and RCR throughout my career. I am truly grateful and looking forward to this opportunity."

The program between RCR and Dow is driven by several Dow businesses that are directly involved in R&D projects and strategic business and relationship opportunities unique to the NASCAR community.

"We see this as a great opportunity to partner with a historic team like Richard Childress Racing that is synonymous with success, integrity and championships, and a championship driver in Austin Dillon," said Joe Harlan, executive vice president of Dow. "Austin's winning passion is representative of Dow. Our employees and customers were very supportive of our debut into our partnership with RCR during 2013 and they are looking forward to continued involvement with Austin next year. Dow's technology-focused, market-driven, customer-centric organization aligns perfectly with the performance-driven values of RCR and NASCAR. We look forward to being a part of Austin's rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and continued success in NASCAR."

General Mills is entering its 17th year in NASCAR and its sixth year with RCR. Cheerios launched the @CheerThe3 communities on Facebook and Twitter so fans can access exclusive content and share their excitement around Austin and the No. 3 race team.

"With Austin Dillon's success in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, we're proud to continue our support of Austin, a proven winner and passionate driver," said Gregg Dorazio, manager of shopper marketing and motorsports for General Mills. "He shares many of the same values as the Cheerios brand and has a bright future in the sport. We're excited to join him in this next step in his career. We're also proud to continue our partnership with RCR and continue our heritage in the sport."

In addition to Dow and Cheerios, several long-time partners associated with RCR and Dillon will join him as he moves to full-time competition in the Sprint Cup Series including Realtree Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops, American Ethanol and the University of Northwestern Ohio.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dillon-to-take-no-3-back-to-cup/


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## Ckg2011

*30 Cup Cars Test At Charlotte​*
Thirty NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars took part in a test of their Gen-6 race cars Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR ran five different mock races, as well as several tuning sessions with cars completing single-car runs. The test session was intended to finalize rules packages for the 2014 season.

"We did an initial test here in October," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Vice President, Innovation and Racing Development. "We got some information. We've been very fortunate that we've actually had a huge participation. We have 30 cars out there. We're trying to exercise all this in a real-world environment."

"It is different when you have 30 cars, or 25 cars, versus the six (from October)," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR VP of Competition and Racing Development. "It was important that we come back with a field of cars like we did. It gave us a little bit of a different view of some of the answers and has put us in some different directions that we will continue to work on."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/30-cup-cars-test-at-charlotte/


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## Ckg2011

*14 Events In 7 States For K&N West​*
The 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West opens and closes with its traditional Phoenix dates, and in between tackles some tricky ovals and battles on a pair of premier road courses.

A 14-race schedule that covers seven states and includes five companion events with NASCAR's national series awaits the West portion of the top step on the NASCAR's developmental ladder.

New to the 2014 slate is a return to one of the sport's finest short-tracks in Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. The series also will visit to State Line Speedway in Post Falls, Idaho. Kern County Raceway Park has added a second date, as well.

"The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West features the stars of tomorrow competing against the top stock-car drivers in the west," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. "The 2014 calendar is an excellent mix of short tracks, national series companion events and challenging road courses to give fans an exciting season and help prepare the drivers for the next level."

*2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West Schedule​*
Feb. 27 Phoenix Int'l Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.
March 22 Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif.
May 3 Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton, Calif.
May 17 Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
May 24 Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, Calif.
June 21 Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
July, 12 State Line Speedway, Post Falls, Idaho
July 26 Colorado National Speedway, Dacono, Colo.
Aug. 1 Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
Aug. 16 Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Wash.
Aug. 30 Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, Calif.
Sept. 13 Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah
Oct. 11 All American Speedway, Roseville, Calif.
Nov. 6 Phoenix Int'l Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/14-events-in-7-states-for-kn-west/


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## Ckg2011

*Two Florida Races Among 16 K&N East Runs​*
The 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season kicks off with a Florida doubleheader and covers a combination of historic short tracks, NASCAR national series combination events and a pair of road courses.

The East portion of NASCAR's top step on its developmental ladder will cover 16 events and culminate with the finale at the "Monster Mile" at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway.

New additions to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule include the season-opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway, as well as running the road course at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Int'l on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend.

"The 2014 schedule offers fans a great opportunity to catch the sport's rising stars at their local short track as well as a number of national series weekends," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. "The calendar provides a challenging variety of tracks that will test the competitors and help prepare them to take the next step in NASCAR's progression process."

*2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Schedule​*

Feb. 16 New Smyrna Speedway, New Smyrna, Fla.
Feb. 18 Daytona Int'l Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
March 15 Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
March 22 Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C.
April 25 Richmond Int'l Raceway, Richmond, Va.
May 17 Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
May 31 Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.
June 13 Five Flags Speedway, Pensacola, Fla.
June 21 Langley Speedway, Hampton, Va.
July 11 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
July 19 Columbus Motor Speedway, Columbus, Ohio
Aug. 1 Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
Aug. 8 Watkins Glen Int'l, Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Aug. 16 Virginia Int'l Raceway, Alton, Va.
Sept. 6 Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C.
Sept. 26 Dover Int'l Speedway, Dover, Del.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/two-florida-races-among-16-kn-east-runs/


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## Ckg2011

*15 Races for 10th Southern Modified Season​*
The 2014 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour schedule has a pair of special non-points events on the slate this season to go along with its traditional calendar and some notable additions.

The Whelen Southern Modified Tour's 10th season of competition will see 15 championship points events scattered throughout the tour's familiar southeastern footprint. Added to the season-opening non-points UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway is another special event folded into the June Whelen Modified Tour visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Also new this year is second visits to Virginia short tracks - Langley Speedway and South Boston Speedway.

When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour makes its summer visit to New Hampshire, the points race on Saturday, July 12, will be preceded by a unique, invitation-only 25-lap shootout the day before that includes the Southern Tour. The race will feature a limited field and is only open to past NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour champions and race winners, along with 2013 Sunoco Rookies of the Year for both tours.

"The expanded 2014 calendar gives the passionate Modified fans additional opportunities to enjoy the stars, cars and high-speed excitement of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour at some of the most historic tracks in all of NASCAR," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series.

*2014 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Schedule​*

Feb. 18 Daytona Int'l Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
March 9 Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
March 15 Southern National Motorsports Park, Kenly, N.C.
March 29 Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
April 5 South Boston Speedway, South Boston, Va.
April 12 Langley Speedway, Hampton, Va.
April 19 Caraway Speedway Asheboro, N.C.
July 4 Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
July 11 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
Aug. 2 Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Aug. 20 Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Aug. 30 Langley Speedway, Hampton, Va.
Sept. 5 Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
Sept. 13 South Boston Speedway, South Boston, Va.
Sept. 20 Southern National Motorsports Park, Kenly, N.C.
Sept. 27 Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
Oct. 9 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/15-races-for-10th-southern-modified-season/


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## Ckg2011

*James Buescher Joins RAB Racing​*
James Buescher, the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, has left Turner Scott Motorsports for RAB Racing.

Buescher has signed a multi-year deal to compete full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Buescher is coming off his third full-time season in the NCWTS. During a breakout year in 2012, Buescher recorded his first NASCAR championship. Buescher followed up his successful four win-season in the NCWTS in 2012 with two victories in 2013. He has also recorded one NNS win, taking the checkered flag in the 2012 series' opening race at the famed Daytona International Speedway.

"My first couple of years in NASCAR have been a dream come true, and I can't thank Turner Scott Motorsports enough for the opportunity they have given me to develop my skills," said Buescher. "I am very excited to be able to take the next step in my career, and I couldn't be more thrilled about the opportunity that RAB Racing is giving me to run full time in the Nationwide Series. I am really excited to get back behind the wheel of a Toyota and I am looking forward to driving their cars next year. RAB Racing is a solid organization with great people; I can't wait to get to work with them."

Buescher will have veteran crew chief Chris Rice on top of the pitbox for the 2014 season. In 2013, Rice led the No. 99 Toyota Camry to two poles, two top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes.

"Everyone at RAB Racing is honored to have James come on board to drive our No. 99 Toyota Camry," said RAB Racing owner Robby Benton. "James has a tremendous amount of talent and experience, and we feel like he will take our program to the next level. I'm looking forward to what will likely be a very special season, not only for our team, but all of our partners as well. This is a great addition to the Toyota family, and I'm proud James saw the strength in our team to further his career."

"I have always been supportive of James and I am very proud of everything that he has accomplished while driving for our team," said Steve Turner, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports and Buescher's father-in-law. "I am excited for James and his new opportunities, and everyone at TSM would like to wish him the best in his future endeavors. I will always continue to support him and cheer him on as a member of my family, but his departure from Turner Scott Motorsports does not change the passion I have for this team. I love racing and have no plans to diminish my role as a co-owner of our organization. I am looking forward to a successful season in 2014 with a very strong lineup of drivers."

Source:
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/james-buescher-joins-rab-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*Daytona Kicks Off The 2014 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour​*
The 2014 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule features a strong lineup of traditional dates along with a pair of marquee non-points events.

The Whelen Modified Tour's 29th season will see 14 championship points events spread across four states. Added to the season-opening non-points UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway is another special event paired with the June visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

When the tour makes its summer visit to New Hampshire, the points race on Saturday, July 12, will be preceded by a unique, invitation-only 25-lap shootout the day before. The race will feature a limited field and is only open to past NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour champions and race winners, along with 2013 Sunoco Rookies of the Year for both tours.

"The passionate Modified fans take their racing very seriously," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. "This year's calendar will give those fans ample opportunity to enjoy the thunder of the Whelen Modified Tour cars along with its many stars at tremendous racing facilities."

*2014 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule​*

Feb. 18 Daytona Int'l Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
April 6 Thompson Speedway, Thompson, Conn.
April 27 Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Conn.
May 23 Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Conn.
June 21 Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn.
June 28 Riverhead Raceway, Riverhead, N.Y.
July 11 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
July 12 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
July 19 Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H.
Aug. 8 Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Conn.
Aug. 13 Thompson Speedway, Thompson, Conn.
Aug. 20 *Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Sept. 13 Riverhead Raceway, Riverhead, N.Y.
Sept. 20 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
Sept. 28 Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Conn.
Oct. 19 Thompson Int'l Speedway, Thompson, Conn.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/daytona-kicks-off-mod-tour-campaign/


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## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick 2014 SHR GoDaddy.com Chevrolet SS​*


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Honors Touring Champions*​
NASCAR's future was celebrated within the walls that houses its history Saturday evening as seven champions in NASCAR's touring series were honored at the Night of Champions Touring Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The ceremony featured the champions representing four different countries and top drivers from the regional touring series in North America and Europe, who gathered for the special year-end event.

The 2013 champions included Dylan Kwasniewski (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East), Derek Thorn (NASCAR K&N Pro Series West), Scott Steckly (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1), Rodrigo Peralta (NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series), Ander Vilariño (NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), Ryan Preece (NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and George Brunnhoelzl III (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour).

· Kwasniewski, of Las Vegas, at just 18 years of age continued his assault on the record books by becoming the first driver to capture both K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West titles.

· Thorn, of Lakeport, Calif., earned his first NASCAR championship with three wins and 12 top-five finishes in 15 starts.

· Steckly, of Milverton, Ontario, Canada, claimed his third series crown in six seasons on the power of four race wins.

· Peralta, of Querétaro, Mexico, scored his first series title in his first full season of competition.
· Vilariño, of San Sebastián, Spain, won his second championship on the strength of seven victories.

· Preece, of Berlin, Conn., at 22, became the youngest Whelen Modified Tour champion in its 29-year history.

· Brunnhoelzl, of West Babylon, N.Y., won his third straight Whelen Southern Modified Tour title and fourth in five seasons.

"The drivers who graced the stage truly reflect the depth, talent and diversity of NASCAR in the 21st century," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. "And the seven NASCAR champions who were crowned embody the strength and future promise of our sport."

Talented, young drivers have made their mark on each of the touring series and many were on hand to collect many of the awards presented.
"There are a lot of young faces here tonight that you will probably be seeing a lot more of in the future," continued Silbermann. "They are the new ambassadors of our sport - fearless and very talented on the racetrack and eager to prove their mettle."

In addition to the championship awards, each series rookie of the year was honored. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award winners were Jesse Little in the K&N Pro Series East, Dylan Lupton in the K&N Pro Series West, Cole Powell in the Whelen Modified Tour and Luke Fleming in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Top rookie performers in three international series were Alex Guenette in the Canadian Tire Series, Santiago Tovar in Mexico's Toyota Series and Yann Zimmer in the Euro Series.

The Most Popular Driver Awards for each series were also presented during the ceremony. The seven drivers honored with the prestigious award were Ben Kennedy in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Cameron Hayley of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, Guenette in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Pepe Montaño of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, Freddy Nordström from the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, Mike Stefanik from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Andy Seuss from the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Montaño and Nordström were repeat winners from a season ago.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-honors-touring-champions/


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Looking to Bounce Back​*
After a tough 2013, there's a group of Sprint Cup Series drivers looking for much better results come next season.

For a variety of reasons this past campaign turned out to be a challenge for a fair share of high profile drivers. As the calendar readies to turn to a new year, here are five hoping for brighter days ahead:

*Tony Stewart* 
Just getting back behind the wheel feeling healthy will be a major step in a positive direction for Stewart, who missed the last four months of the season nursing his broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident. All signs point to that happening and "Smoke" has guaranteed he'll be ready when the opening bell rings at Daytona. When he resumes racing he'll do so with a new crew chief in Chad Johnston, who comes over to Stewart-Haas Racing to replace Steve Addington. There will most certainly be a getting to know you period between the new tandem but there's no arguing the individual talent each possess. There will be pressure for the SHR team to get off to a strong start given the organization's overhaul and addition of Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch to the stable. There's nobody who loves a challenge better than Stewart and he'll be determined to show the world he's back and competitive.

*Denny Hamlin* 
Like Stewart, Hamlin also had physical issues last year with his back problem that was aggravated in a Fontana crash early in the year. Hamlin missed several races and fell out of Chase contention in the aftermath despite some believing he could still somehow make the playoffs. But the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 team struggled nearly the rest of the schedule after Hamlin did get back and in fact were turned into an R&D effort for the organization in hopes of helping teammates Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch win a title. But Hamlin ended the year on a more than positive note with a win in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Now the question becomes can that momentum and confidence carry over through the winter months and into 2014.

*Brad Keselowski* 
The defending Sprint Cup Series champion fought through a very disappointing follow-up season. Keselowski went the entire regular season without winning a race and missed the Chase. Although he started the campaign well with a string of top-10 finishes, trouble seemed to set in after the Penske Racing team was penalized for illegal rear-end suspensions at Texas. Keselowski finally started to come out of his funk late in the schedule and went to Victory Lane at Charlotte in October. A hot start to 2014 will go a long way in helping Keselowski to forget about his disappointing year and return to championship form.

*Carl Edwards* 
Sure he made the Chase and won a couple times in 2013, but Edwards did not live up to the lofty expectations he had for the season. Team owner Jack Roush paired Edwards up with veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig in hopes of getting the No. 99 Ford back to its former glory. While there were a number of successes, including a win at Phoenix in the second race of the season, Edwards just couldn't mount a serious charge for a championship despite joining teammate Greg Biffle in the playoff field. The Ford camp in whole is hoping for much better things across the board in the Sprint Cup Series.

*Marcos Ambrose* 
The RPM team put a lot of its eggs in the road course basket for Ambrose last season hoping he could build on his expected success at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. But Ambrose wasn't able to win at either circuit and remained winless on oval tracks as well. Ambrose missed out on any top-five finishes although there were six top 10's along the way. Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer will have a new running mate with Trent Owens now calling the shots for RPM's No. 43 ride with Aric Almriola. The duo will have some pressure to prove the entire organization can up its competitive game.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2013/12/Drivers-Looking-to-Bounce-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kennedy Joins Turner Scott For NCWTS Effort​*
Turner Scott Motorsports will field an entry for Ben Kennedy, the great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., during the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

The 21-year-old will drive a full-time championship campaign while competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors behind the wheel of the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado. Michael Shelton, who led the No. 31 team to TSM's first championship in 2012 with driver James Buescher, will continue his role atop the pit box. Kennedy made his NCWTS debut for TSM in 2013, earning a best finish of fourth at Martinsville Speedway.

Kennedy, who began his racing career on the short tracks of central Florida, has Pro-Truck championship titles at both Orlando Speedworld and New Smyrna Speedway, which he earned in 2009, followed by the Super Late Model championship at Orlando Speedworld in 2010. Kennedy made his touring series debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) in 2010. Kennedy began racing full time in the NKNPSE in 2011.

In 2012, Kennedy competed in the first NASCAR-sanctioned Euro Racecar Series event, winning the event at Tours Speedway, the first NASCAR race held on an oval in Europe. Kennedy experienced his most successful NKNPSE season to date in 2013, finishing fourth in the Driver Point Standings on the strength of two wins, one pole, three top fives and nine top 10s in addition to being crowned as the series' Most Popular Driver. Kennedy was selected for the NASCAR Next program in 2013, an initiative to spotlight the sport's up-and-coming stars. The Daytona Beach, Fla. native is also completing his Sports Management degree at the University of Florida.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity to be in Turner Scott Motorsports' No. 31 truck for 2014 and to be able to work alongside Michael Shelton and a very talented crew," said Kennedy. "It will be a great year and I hope to really learn a lot in the series and compete for wins and Rookie of the Year. It's going to be a blast to work with such great people; I can't thank everyone I've worked with in the past enough for getting me to this point in my career. A big 'thank you' to all my fans for always sticking behind me."

Turner Scott Motorsports has earned two championships in the last two seasons, beginning in 2012 with Buescher's NCWTS title. TSM captured the NKNPSE championship in 2013 with Dylan Kwasniewski behind the wheel. In 2013, TSM's Truck Series program totaled four wins, ten poles, and finished the season with all three of its full-time trucks in the top 10 for the second-consecutive season.

"We are very excited to have Ben [Kennedy] running full time for us in the Truck Series," said team co-owner Harry Scott Jr. "I believe we all have seen his potential over the last few years and we're looking forward to seeing all that he can accomplish while running for us full time. He's an impressive young man who is not only a talented racer, but also very smart and very driven. Turner Scott Motorsports has always been about developing talent for the future of our sport, and Ben is very representative of that. I know that everyone in our organization, especially the No. 31 crew, is looking forward to working with Ben and having a very successful year."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/kennedy-gets-full-time-turner-scott-ride/


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## Ckg2011

*Labonte Lands Daytona 500 Ride​*
Phoenix Racing formally announced today that Bobby Labonte will drive a second car for the team in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 23, 2014 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

The move reunites Phoenix Racing chairman emeritus, James Finch, with the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Bobby Labonte. Labonte drove for Phoenix Racing for 13 races in the No. 09 in 2010 and for one race at Michigan Int'l Speedway in 2013 in the No. 51.

"James continues to be a valuable part of our team and when he came up with the idea of running Bobby in a second car, I jumped at the opportunity to bring him back into the fold," said Harry Scott Jr., who purchased the team from Finch in 2013. "Bobby is a veteran driver that can also provide valuable insight and leadership for Phoenix Racing."

"I'm thrilled to be headed back to Daytona with Bobby Labonte," said Finch. "I thank Harry Scott for this opportunity. He knew I would have to be weaned off racing, I can't quit cold turkey."

"I am grateful and excited to return to Daytona with Phoenix Racing," said Labonte. "The Daytona 500 is obviously a special event for everyone involved in the sport. I can't wait to get back in the car for my 22nd Daytona 500."

Labonte, who will run a number of races for Phoenix Racing, has won 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in his career that started in 1991. During that time Labonte scored 115 top fives and 203 top 10s. In 1990 Labonte was named the NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. He captured the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship a year later in 1991.

The team will provide additional information in the coming weeks about which car number will be entered, the crew chief for the team and sponsors supporting the car.

*Source:*


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Delivers Sprint Cup Rules Package​*
NASCAR delivered the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package to race teams today, following collaborative development by the industry.

"It was important to get the final pieces of the rules package to teams as quickly as possible following the final tests last week," said Gene 
Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. "Throughout the process, we gained valuable data that informed many of the changes for 2014. This data will prove useful as we continue to evolve the racing product into the future."

Changes to the package include statically setting the race car ride height and eliminating the pre- and post-race front height rules and inspections. Additionally, the 2014 package includes a square leading edge on the splitter, side skirt and rear fascia adjustments and an eight-inch rear spoiler. Finally, a 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan will round out changes for 2014.

"We looked at a number of important factors when finalizing what the 2014 version of the race package will look like," Stefanyshyn said. "The Gen-6 car has been a great asset to our sport. As we continue to improve and develop the racing product, we'll rely significantly on the critical data that has been generated by the entire industry over the last several weeks. We're extremely appreciative of those efforts."

The first race featuring the new package will be at Phoenix Int'l Raceway on March 2. This package will not be utilized for restrictor-plate races, including the 2014 Daytona 500 on Feb. 23.

*Source:*


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## Ckg2011

*Monster Mile To Improve Cell Service​*
Dover Int'l Speedway and American Tower, Inc. have announced a new partnership that will see a Distributed Antenna System installed at the track prior to Dover's spring race weekend.

The DAS will improve cellular telephone service and increase capacity for all participating carriers on event weekends.

The DAS - a series of hundreds of antennas - will be installed strategically throughout the facility, including the grandstands, FanZone, Monster FunZone, Hospitality Tent Village, Victory Plaza and within Dover Downs Hotel & Casino.

The DAS will allow mobile devices to connect to one of its hundreds of antennas in the venue, an upgraded alternative to relying on the external networks of the wireless carriers, which become overburdened with a dense population concentration at the track on event weekends.

"Essentially, the DAS will enhance mobile connectivity for our fans, sponsors, media and race teams on event weekends," said Mike Tatoian, executive vice president and COO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. "With the evolution of smartphone technology, and the ability for our fans to get so much more out of their experience through channels like the NASCAR mobile app, connectivity is key while attending race weekends."

NASCAR returns to Dover International Speedway May 30-June 1, 2014 for the June 1 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the May 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the May 30 "Lucas Oil 200" NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dover-to-improve-cell-service/


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## Ckg2011

*Townley Moves To Wauters Motorsports​*
Wauters Motorsports announced Thursday that John Wes Townley will drive the No. 5 Zaxby's Toyota Tundra during the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"We are excited to have John Wes and Zaxby's join us in 2014," said team owner Richie Wauters. "He has made significant gains in his NASCAR career and we feel this is the right fit for him this season. We expect to have John Wes in the top-five in points and, hopefully, bring home some wins for Zaxby's. And we are thrilled to be back fielding Toyotas with Joe Gibbs Racing Engines."

Townley had a career year in 2013, which started with Townley winning the ARCA Racing Series opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway. In 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts last year with Red Horse Racing, Townley finished inside the top 10 seven times.

"I'm looking forward to working with a well-respected truck owner like Richie Wauters," said Townley. "He builds some of the best trucks in NASCAR. I know together we will post some top-fives and, hopefully, a few wins this season."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/townley-moves-to-wauters-motorsports/


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## Ckg2011

*New K&N East Seat For Kenzie Ruston​*
Fresh off a strong rookie campaign in the NASCAR K&N East Pro Series, 22-year old Oklahoma native Kenzie Ruston will join Ben Kennedy Racing to return to the series for the 2014 season.

Ruston twice earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race honors on her way to sixth-place finish in the 2013 NASCAR K&N East Pro Series driver championship while racing for Turner Scott Motorsports. She will look to put the lessons learned in her rookie year to good use as she takes over driving duties of the No. 96 Chevrolet from Kennedy, who is moving up to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series next year.

"Racing against them last year, I saw first-hand how strong Ben Kennedy Racing is so I am very excited about having the opportunity to compete with them next season," said Ruston. "The guys on the team have been together for a while, and you can tell that they mesh together really well. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and I'm just eager to get to work with them. I am a hands-on person and I like being in the shop and learning as much as I can about the car, so I know I will be making a lot of trips to Daytona Beach this season."

A limited schedule of 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race outings netted Kennedy a best finish of fourth at Martinsville Speedway in just his fourth start. Those promising performances earned the youngster a nod for a full-season opportunity with Turner Scott Motorsports for the 2014 season, opening a new opportunity for Ruston.

While Kennedy will no longer drive for the team that bears his name, the announcement marks a new role outside of the car for Kennedy, who is working to complete his degree in Sports Management at the University of Florida.

"I'm very excited for the entire Ben Kennedy Racing team to be able to have someone like Kenzie joining us as our driver next year," said Team Principal Ben Kennedy. "I've known Kenzie for several years now, and having raced against her, I know what she is capable of on the track. This is a very good group and everyone is looking forward to a big season with her."

"I grew up racing late models against Ben, so to get the chance to drive for his team is pretty exciting," said Ruston. "Coming back to the K&N Series for a second season, I'm really looking forward to getting the chance to race on tracks that I have experience on now. Last year, there were a lot of times that we would start practice for the weekend was the first time I was seeing the tracks. So I am excited for the whole situation, knowing the tracks, joining a good team, and getting to go race on some places that I fell in love with last year, I just can't wait."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/new-kn-east-seat-for-kenzie-ruston/


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## Ckg2011

*Scott Named MWR No. 55 Crew Chief​*
Michael Waltrip Racing announced today Billy Scott will serve as Brian Vickers' crew chief on the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

"Billy was the unanimous selection by everyone here at MWR including the crew, drivers, and ownership," said Waltrip. "We feel like engineering is one of our strongest assets and with that type of talent in house it was easy to promote from within. Billy has earned this opportunity because he has helped develop and refine the engineering tools that we use every day to make our cars faster."

Scott, 36, began racing motorcycles as a 5-year-old and stock cars when he turned 15. He worked in the truck series as a mechanic before he returned to college to obtain an engineering degree. After graduating in 2005 Scott worked at Robert Yates Racing and began as an engineer at MWR in 2008. He has served exclusively as the No. 55 team's lead engineer the last two seasons.

"I'm honored, but I also know this is a big responsibility," said Scott on the announcement. "We have very high expectations for the Aaron's Dream Machine in 2014. Brian has been incredible to work with and is a winner, so we can't wait to get 2014 started."

Scott Miller, MWR's Executive Vice President of Competition, performed crew chief duties on the No. 55 since Rodney Childers departure in August. Miller will return to overseeing all of MWR's competition effort, which includes the No. 55, Clint Bowyer's No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota and the No. 66 Toyota shared by Waltrip and Jeff Burton.

Vickers raced the No. 55 on a part-time basis for MWR in 2012 and 2013. He posted his third career victory at New Hampshire on July 14.

"I've been around Billy the last two seasons and he's demonstrated a strong knowledge of what makes these cars go fast," said Vickers. "I have a lot of faith in Billy. This is one of the strongest teams I've had and that's a great feeling heading into a new season."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/scott-named-mwr-no-55-crew-chief/


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## Ckg2011

_Jimmie Johnson won the season-opening Daytona 500 in his 400th career Cup Series start. (Photo: Getty Images)_

*2013 Road to the Sprint Cup: Part 1​*
_This is the first of a five-part series recapping the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, in which Jimmie Johnson would claim his sixth championship._

The 2013 Sprint Cup Series season started with a new racecar. The Gen-6 rolled into Daytona International Speedway after months of work from manufacturers and teams.

Several tests had given competitors a good base line to work with, but no one had actually raced it when Budweiser Speedweeks began. Most drivers were happy to have a new platform that not only looked more like street cars but had more downforce and would - presumably - put more control back in the steering wheel and gas pedal.

Even though teams were still racing to rebuild their fleets, everyone was eager for on-track action at Daytona ... especially since the new cars were expected to virtually eliminate two-car tandem drafting.

Despite some spins and crashes in practice, the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race offered pole winners from the previous season the chance to get a leg up on everyone else with extra track time. Fan voting set the starting lineup as well as strategy elements for the non-points special event.

Kevin Harvick went into the season hearing calls of "Lame Duck" after he had announced he was leaving Richard Childress Racing at season's end and going to Stewart-Haas Racing. He showed that his No. 29 RCR team would do more than simply go through the motions by winning the race for the third time.

The Budweiser Duels provided a last-chance opportunity for teams trying to make the Daytona 500 as well as a chance to gather even more data on the new car. Harvick won the first half of the doubleheader and Kyle Busch, who had crashed out of the Sprint Unlimited, claimed victory in the second race.

*DAYTONA 500*

As NASCAR's 65th season officially opened, it was Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski swapping the lead five times over the final 15 laps at "The World Center of Racing" before the five-time champion prevailed &#8230; leading the final 10 circuits to claim his second victory in "The Great American Race."

It came in Johnson's 400th career start. He led a total of 17 laps, giving team owner Rick Hendrick his 11th victory at DIS which tied Richard Petty for second place on the track's all-time list. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second, giving Hendrick Motorsports a one-two sweep.

Keselowski opened defense of his 2012 title with a fourth-place finish. Pole sitter Danica Patrick led five laps, ran in the top 10 most of the day and finished eighth.

A nine-car accident in the first 100 miles of the race sidelined Harvick, who was bidding to become the first driver in Daytona history to win the Sprint Unlimited, a qualifying race and the "500" in the same season. He finished 42nd.

Matt Kenseth led a race-high 86 laps in his official debut with Joe Gibbs Racing but retired with engine failure three-quarters of the way through the race, finishing 37th. Busch, one of Kenseth's JGR teammates, suffered the same fate and placed 34th.

*PHOENIX*

For nearly two years, Carl Edwards had been hungry for another Sprint Cup Series win and his appetiteNASCAR for victory was finally satisfied in the Desert Southwest. Edwards drove his Subway-sponsored Roush Fenway Racing Ford to the win at Phoenix International Raceway.

He led a race-high 122 laps, including the final 78, in posting his 20th career victory but first since March 6, 2011, in Las Vegas - a "diet" of 70 straight races without winning.

A late caution for Ken Schrader's crash sent the race four laps past its scheduled distance. Edwards got a big push from Keselowski on the final restart and beat Daytona 500 winner Johnson to the checkered flag by more than a full second.

Denny Hamlin finished third in his bid to win the race for the second year in a row. Keselowski placed fourth and Earnhardt completed the top five.

*LAS VEGAS*

NASCARAn extra day of testing with the new Gen-6 racecar kicked off the weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, along with a $25,000 fine for Hamlin after he was critical of the new car following the Phoenix race.

Kenseth and new crew chief Jason Ratcliff would hit it off early. Ratcliff gambled with a fuel-only pit stop late that allowed Kenseth to get out front and hold off Kasey Kahne, who led a race-high 114 laps.

Kenseth went to Victory Lane on his 41st birthday, the third time a driver had accomplished that feat. Johnson finished sixth and left Las Vegas with a five-point lead over Keselowski.

*BRISTOL*

NASCARAfter finishing second in Vegas, Kahne was determined to show his team's strength at Bristol. He waged a furious battle with Keselowski in the closing laps before claiming his first victory in "Thunder Valley."

Busch came home second and Keselowski finished third to take over the points lead. Post-race activity was spiced up by a confrontation between Hamlin and Joey Logano after the two tangled on the track. It would not be their last dust-up of the season.

*FONTANA*

The following week, the tour headed back out west to Fontana, Calif. And after winning in the Nationwide Series, Busch completed the weekend sweep at Auto Club Speedway - benefitting from contact between Hamlin and Logano as they raced each other side-by-side for the win on the final lap.

NASCARWith Hamlin and Logano sliding out of contention, Busch swept past on the high side and drove on to take the checkered flag for his 25th career Cup Series win.

Earnhardt finished second and bumped Keselowski from the top spot in the Sprint Cup Series point standings, carrying a 12-point lead over the defending champion into the annual break for the Easter holiday.

Logano wound up third. After the race, Hamlin was transported to a local hospital for what turned out to be a back injury that would sideline him for four races.

There was a post-race confrontation between Logano and Tony Stewart, who threw a punch at the Penske Racing driver before crew members stepped in to separate them. The three-time champion was upset with Logano's blocking maneuver on a late-race restart and was forced to eventually settle for a 22nd-place finish.

Busch started fourth, took his first lead just 11 laps into the event and led a race-high 125 circuits - climbing from 10th to sixth in the standings, a single point outside the top five and thirty-six behind Earnhardt.

Busch's win was the first Cup Series victory for Toyota on the two-mile Southern California oval and snapped Chevrolet's five-race Fontana winning streak.

*MARTINSVILLE*

On to Martinsville Speedway, where Johnson dominated the first half of the race and then closed the deal in the second half, rolling to his eighth victory on the Virginia half-mile.

NASCARJohnson started from the pole, led 207 of the first 221 laps and then showed the way for the final 138 circuits - beating second-place Clint Bowyer to the checkered flag by .6 seconds. Jeff Gordon and Kahne finished third and fourth, respectively, joining teammate Johnson in giving Hendrick Motorsports three of the four top finishing positions.

Johnson became the first two-time winner of 2013 and the first repeat winner in the last 10 Sprint Cup Series short-track races dating back to September 2011. His total of eight Martinsville wins left him No. 1 among active drivers and third all-time, behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Darrell 
Waltrip. The victory also lifted Johnson back into first place in the Sprint Cup Series standings, where he would stay for most of the regular season.

Earnhardt entered the weekend as the points leader but slipped to third with a 24th-place finish. Late-race contact with Patrick sent "Junior" spinning off the pace and he finished two laps down to Johnson. Mark Martin rallied from his No. 35 starting position to finish 10th as a substitute driver for Hamlin, now recovering from that back injury suffered at Auto Club Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/2013-Road-to-the-Sprint-Cup-Part-1.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Minor change - right change​*
With all the discussion and concern about what NASCAR was going to do with the 2014 rule changes, now the teams have to feel like Santa Claus came early this year. There were a lot of things that were tested last week at the NASCAR test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was all over the board, and some of them could have had huge financial ramifications for the teams.

Please remember that these teams the last couple of years have been faced with some pretty steep uphill battles when getting ready for the new season. Two years ago, our sport switched over to fuel injection. Now that was a huge change from what we had in the past. It had its own learning curve, and naturally there were some bumps in the road.

This year brought the sport another major change in the form of a whole new car. I'm not talking something somewhat minor like a new nose for the car or changes in the rear of the car. I am literally talking about a brand new car for all three manufacturers - the Generation 6 car. This was a whole new car built from scratch in a massive collaboration between NASCAR, the drivers, the owners, the teams and, most importantly, the manufacturers. Everyone worked together to blow life into this new Gen-6 car.

Just like when they made the move to fuel injection two years ago, the teams were once again faced with some pretty steep hurdles beginning with literally not enough parts and pieces. Even when heading to Daytona back in February, there was a shortage of cars. There were a lot of sleepless nights, headaches and expenses. This was another challenge that the teams overcame with flying colors.

What these teams have been put through these last two years is why I was hoping NASCAR wasn't going to do anything too dramatic to the cars for 2014. Do the cars need some tweaking? They sure do, but in the same breath, they surely don't need something dramatic or earth-shattering done to them. These owners and teams need somewhat of a break, both financially and from a work-load standpoint.

I know there was talk of a tapered-spacer like they have on the Nationwide cars. That is a major change. It literally changes everything in your engine package. When you start doing that, well, the bottom line is it's expensive to go from an open manifold like they have now to the tapered-spacer. So that was a big concern because there was a contingent that felt the cars were too fast and needed to be slowed down. I still can't buy into that. I can't wrap my brain around the thought that RACE cars are too FAST.

We've got the best race car we've ever had. We've got some of the best racing we've ever had. Also remember that we had 17 different winners this year in our 36-race season. This is the fastest car in the history of NASCAR. If you don't believe me, go look at all the track records that were set this season.

WINNING WAYS
Check out all the 2013 Sprint Cup race winners. SEE THEM ALL
I said over and over this season that the car was better than the teams were. It was true because of the learning curve the teams had to go through to find what the car liked. Some hit on it right away. It took others more time. Collectively, though, you saw as the season went on that all the teams improved on what the car liked and didn't like. There's still a lot of untapped potential there, in my mind, so that's another exciting thing to watch develop in this coming season.

So I am glad this 2014 rule package doesn't include anything too dramatic. It just wouldn't be fair to make these teams throw away all the notes and data they've collected on a car that is only a year old. Starting over is tough, so I am really happy these teams don't have to.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with minor changes. A minor tweak here or there is always welcomed. For example, going from a rounded edge to a square leading edge on the splitter is simple enough. For the life of me, I never understood the reason for the ride height rule. It always baffled me that a car could be too low after a race when they already run the nose all but dragging the track, yet after the race they wanted to slam a team with penalties and fines because the car was too low. It never made sense to me, and apparently not to someone else, because they have finally changed that rule.

Teams will no longer have to go through that aggravation next season. I know there is some concern about the spoiler change, but you have to remember that NASCAR has been through the evolution of all their cars in the past. We've had big spoilers. We've had little spoilers. We've had no spoilers, when the car of tomorrow had the wing that everyone hated.

IT ADDS UP
Where did your favorite driver finish in the 2013 final standings?
NASCAR knows that downforce is the best friend a driver can ever have. When the car will stick to the racetrack, well, then you can race people. If your car has downforce, if it's under you and stuck to the racetrack, you'll feel comfortable going into that corner with someone beside you, to make that pass and to dive off into that corner not worrying about spinning out or getting into the guy beside you. So NASCAR knows that downforce is the key to it all, and they are always going in areas to give the drivers more of it when they can.

Our sport is in the best shape its ever been. We got the best car. Goodyear is making the best tire they ever have. We have the best rules. The product we are putting on the track and the way the races are being run today is the best in the history of our sport. That's exciting for the future.

You can't keep going back to something we've already done 30 years ago. It just doesn't make sense to me. If it didn't work then, why in the world do you think it would work now? Let's just keep tweaking on the car and the rules. Just keep improving on what you already have because, again, it's the best its ever been.

So the teams now have the 2014 rules package. Don't forget, you won't see them come into play until Phoenix, which is our second race of the season. Daytona and Talladega are their own animals and have their own set of rules. I am happy for the teams and the owners. As a former car owner, I know how expensive a minor rule change can mean in the long run.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/shakeandbake
Looking for the NASCAR on FOX blog? Check out Shake and Bake.
Car owner Richard Childress had the best quote a number of years ago when NASCAR was meeting with all the owners about ways to save them money. After listening to all their proposals, Richard piped up and said, "I just don't know if I can afford for you to keep saving me money." It was classic.

We are heading towards a really great season in 2014. There are some exciting things on the horizon. Can Jimmie Johnson become only the third driver in NASCAR history to win seven championships? I am also really excited about the return of the No. 3 to the track with young Austin Dillon behind the wheel. I think that will do a lot for our sport next year.

But before we get to next year, let's take some time and enjoy the holidays. Christmas is next week and then we ring in the New Year a week after that. I hope everyone who is traveling stays safe. Please say thank you and say a prayer for all our men and women here and overseas who keep us safe.

So spend time with your family and remember what Christmas is all about. My wish for you this Christmas is you receive something this Christmas that you can't buy. Merry Christmas, everyone!

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ule-changes-to-generation-6-car-121913#!qlebC


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## Ckg2011




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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Opts Not To Reduce Horsepower In Cup Cars​*
NASCAR announced its 2014 technical regulations Tuesday, and it was notable as much for what wasn't among the changes as what will change.

NASCAR officials decided against using a tapered spacer that would have limited the air flow in the Sprint Cup engines and reduced horsepower from about 850 to at least 750 and possibly lower.

The changes that were announced are for all tracks except Daytona and Talladega, where NASCAR will continue to restrict air flow with plates and use a different aerodynamic package.

NASCAR, in looking for ways to enhance the ability of Sprint Cup cars to pass on predominately 1.5-mile and 2-mile tracks, has spent the last few months considering whether to restrict the horsepower in the way it does for the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. That option, though, wasn't advocated by many of the drivers and teams, and after a test Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR apparently didn't see enough of a difference to implement that change.

NASCAR Vice President Gene Stefanyshyn indicated that NASCAR will reconsider using the tapered spacer in 2015 but didn't feel comfortable making the change just a couple of months before the 2014 season begins.








"This is definitely something that we are entertaining for '15, but we want to take a more holistic approach to when we solve it," Stefanyshyn said. "We'd like to be able to do perhaps three things at once, and we think come up with a more robust solution that can serve us better in the longer run. So this is something I think we are going to definitely look at for '15."

Instead of reducing horsepower, NASCAR will increase front downforce by increasing the size of the radiator pan from 38 inches-by-13 inches to 43-by-13. It will increase rear downforce with an 8-inch spoiler, which is bigger than the 7.25-inch spoiler used last year but smaller than the 9-inch spoiler used during portions of the test Wednesday. The top two inches of the spoiler will be made of Lexan, which is clear and allow for better visibility.

NASCAR also will eliminate minimum front heights of the cars, which will alleviate teams manipulating shocks and springs just so they meet minimums in the tech bay only to be lower to the ground when actually racing. Teams also had relied on bump spots - pieces of rubber in the shocks - to help with the balance of the car to go faster in the turns.

NASCAR also has changed the splitter from a rounded edge to a square edge, required the side skirts to be slightly lower (4-inch ground clearance instead 4.5 to 5 inches depending on the side of the car) and also adjusted the rear fascia to be 1.375 inches higher. The cars likely could go faster with this configuration, although NASCAR will adjust the gear rule to keep the cars at a maximum of 9300-9400 rpm.

"We did play with downforce on the car, the amount, and we did play with the balance of front to rear," Stefanyshyn said. "For '15 we'll try some other things. &#8230; Now we will be having heavier springs in the front end, which will enable the teams to essentially be not running on the bump stops or having the whole vehicle totally loaded on the suspension system. We'll have some dampening between the mass of the body and the suspension which will give them more mechanical grip.

"What this should translate into is a car which feels more stable and predictable. The drivers feel very good about the car. But they do indicate that sometimes when they get into heavy traffic, the car does get a bit unpredictable and less stable. So we're hoping that this will in fact provide the drivers with more confidence in these type of very, let's say, congested environments to drive harder and be willing to pass."

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-12-17/nascar-opts-not-to-reduce-horsepower-in-cup-cars


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## Ckg2011

*2013 Road to the Sprint Cup Part 2​*
*TEXAS*

A top-five finish the week before showed that Kyle Busch would be a force to 
be reckoned with in 2013.NASCAR Texas Motor Speedway had been one of his best tracks and he used a lightning-fast pit stop late in the race to take the lead from Martin Truex Jr. and sweep the weekend ... winning both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races.

The victory came in Busch's 300th Cup Series start. Meanwhile, the Penske Racing teams of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano had pre-race technical issues that resulted in substantial fines and penalties that were assessed in the days following. Points leader Jimmie Johnson placed sixth.

*KANSAS*

Next up on the schedule was another one of those mile-and-a-half intermediate ovals ... Kansas Speedway ... where Matt Kenseth worked lapped traffic masterfully and held Kasey Kahne at bay down the stretch to claim his second victory of the season in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

NASCAR It marked the third time in as many races this season that the pole sitter had gone on to taste victory. Kenseth was in a league of his own much of the day, leading 163 of the 267 laps including the final 52.

Kahne rallied from his No. 27 starting spot to finish second, .15 seconds behind Kenseth. With a third-place finish, Johnson stretched his lead in the Sprint Cup Series standings to 37 points with Kahne now residing in second place.

Two drivers who had been inside the top five going into the weekend were outside looking in following the eighth race of the season. Busch was sidelined by an accident less than halfway through the STP 400 and finished 38th, sliding from second to seventh in the standings. Carl Edwards, fifth heading into the weekend, led twice for 19 laps but was saddled with a 17th-place finish that nudged him back from fifth to sixth in points.

*RICHMOND*

From the Midwest, it was back to NASCAR short-track racing at Richmond International Raceway ... where Kevin Harvick stormed from seventh place to first following an overtime restart to record his first victory of the season.

NASCAR With the final caution of the night for Brian Vickers' crash, Harvick steered his No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet onto pit road for four fresh tires. Race leader Jeff Burton, one of Harvick's teammates, elected to stay out but was an easy target once the green flag was displayed.

Clint Bowyer finished second with Logano third, Juan Pablo Montoya fourth and Burton holding on for fifth place. Pole sitter Kenseth led a race-high 140 laps and finished seventh. Harvick led just three circuits but came away from the Fairgrounds oval with his first Cup Series victory since November 2012.

Tony Stewart, unhappy with Kurt Busch after being shuffled from fifth to 18th following the final restart, made contact with Busch's No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet on the cool-down lap. The two had a verbal exchange outside their team haulers moments later, but nothing more came of it.

It would not be the last bit of controversy to come out of a race at Richmond this year, but "Spin-Gate" was still more than four months away. Next up for the Sprint Cup Series was a return to restrictor-plate racing at Talladega Superspeedway ...

*TALLADEGA*

... where David Ragan steered his Front Row Motorsports Ford between a pair of Sprint Cup Series champions on the final lap and - with a push from teammate David Gilliland - scored a major upset in the Aaron's 499.

NASCARRagan thundered right up the middle of the Alabama oval, passing Kenseth on his right with Johnson to his left - and charging to the checkered flag for his second career victory.

Following a rain delay that stretched past three-and-a-half hours, the long day ended with Ragan and his unheralded team shining brightly through the darkness. His only other Cup Series victory came on another restrictor-plate track, in July 2011 at Daytona International Speedway.

Gilliland finished second with Edwards, Michael Waltrip and Johnson completing the top five. The stunning finish ended a day of domination by Kenseth, who was seeking his second straight Talladega victory. At the time the red flag was displayed for rain, two-thirds of the race had been completed with Kenseth leading 101 of the 125 laps.

He quickly moved back to the point once competition resumed and led 41 of the final 67 laps before settling for eighth place. Ragan started 19th and led only four laps.

A green-white-checkered finish came out of the final caution of the race, triggered by contact between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and J.J. Yeley that resulted in a 12-car crash along the backstretch. With night falling, NASCAR alerted teams that there would be just one attempt at an overtime restart and Ragan made the most of it.

*DARLINGTON*

From Talladega, it was back under the lights at Darlington Raceway, where Kenseth finished what teammate Kyle Busch started, driving to victory in the Bojangles' Southern 500 and giving Joe Gibbs Racing a weekend sweep of the doubleheader on NASCAR's oldest superspeedway.

NASCAR Busch, who had won the Nationwide Series race 24 hours earlier, seemed to be well on his way to another victory. He led 265 of Saturday's first 354 laps. But it was Kenseth who staged a late push to the front and passed Busch with less than 13 laps remaining, driving away to a three-second margin of victory over runner-up Denny Hamlin &#8230; another one of his JGR teammates.

Busch was slowed by a deflating right-rear tire in the closing laps and had to hold on for sixth place. The win was Kenseth's third this season and the 27th of his career. It lifted him from fourth to third in the standings, 59 points behind leader Johnson heading into the annual break for All-Star Week activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Jeff Gordon finished third in his 700th career start. It was the 300th top-five finish of Gordon's career. He's just the fourth driver in the 65-year history of the sport to reach that milestone. The three others are Hall of Famers: Bobby Allison, David Pearson and Richard Petty.

*NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE*

On to All-Star Week - where Johnson saved his best for last at Charlotte Motor Speedway, charging past teammate Kahne early in the final segment of the race and making it look easy from there - claiming a record fourth All-Star Race win.

While brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch each won two of the first four segments, Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports crew got him out of the pits second - behind Kahne - on the last round of stops, which gave the five-time champion a front-row starting spot for the final 10-lap dash to the finish.

Waiting at the end of that 15-mile chase was a check for $1 million and another entry in the NASCAR record book for Johnson, whose four All-Star wins snap a three-way tie for the old mark he had shared with Gordon and Dale Earnhardt.

*CHARLOTTE*

The next weekend, it was back to business in the points race ... and in NASCAR's longest event - the Coca Cola 600 ... where "The Closer," Kevin Harvick, lived up to his nickname. He traded track position for two fresh tires during the night's final caution while race leader Kahne remained on the speedway. On the ensuing restart, Harvick quickly pulled away at the drop of the green flag and drove off to his second victory of the season, leading the final 11 laps.

Kahne, who was strong throughout NASCAR's longest event, led a race-high 161 laps but had only a second-place finish to show for the effort, falling 1.5 seconds short of Harvick at the checkered flag. Kurt Busch placed third with pole sitter Hamlin and Logano completing the top five.

NASCAR It was Harvick's second "600" victory in three years. The race was red-flagged nearly one-third of the way into its 400-lap distance after a drive rope snapped off from the apparatus supporting FOX-TV's aerial camera traveling on cables high above the speedway - injuring a number of fans, but none seriously.

The cars of Hamlin, Marcos Ambrose, race leader Kyle Busch and Mark Martin sustained varying degrees of damage as a result of impact with the nylon rope that had broken loose. Teams are not normally allowed to work on their cars during red-flag periods, but NASCAR gave crews 15 minutes to repair relevant damage as a result of the mishap.

Busch later retired from the race with engine failure and wound up 38th in the 43-car field. Edwards finished 11th and pulled to within 32 points of series leader Johnson, who finished 22nd.

*DOVER*

Next up: the year's first visit to "The Monster Mile" in Dover, where Johnson had a piece of history within reach, but it was Tony Stewart who seized the moment - passing race leader Juan Pablo Montoya NASCARless than three laps from the finish and driving away to his 48th career win.

Johnson seemed well-positioned for an eighth Cup Series victory at Dover International Speedway, which would have put him atop the track's all-time win list. But while running second to Montoya, the five-time champion jumped the final restart of the race. After Johnson pulled away from the field, he was penalized by NASCAR and forced to make a pass through the pits.

And Montoya was no match for a fast-closing Stewart, whose margin of victory was less than a second with Gordon finishing third, giving Chevrolet a one-two-three sweep.

Johnson, who finished 17th, still carried a commanding lead of 30 points with the regular season now at the halfway mark.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/2013-Road-to-the-Sprint-Cup-Part-2.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2013 Road to the Sprint Cup: Part 3​*
*POCONO*

Jimmie Johnson's hold on the potential No. 1 seed for the 2013 post-season got a little tighter in the second visit of the year to Pocono Raceway. A dominating victory in the Party in the Poconos 400 pushed his lead to 51 points with 12 races left in the regular season.

NASCAR Johnson led 128 of the 160 laps, including the final 31. He held his position at the front of the field through a pair of late-race restarts over the final 10 laps to post his 63rd career victory and third this season.

The win was Johnson's third at Pocono but his first there since he swept the track's two races in 2004. Carl Edwards led the first nine laps before yielding to Johnson, who would then lead all but 23 of the remaining 151 circuits.

Johnson's margin of victory over runner-up Greg Biffle was 1.2 seconds. Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammates, finished third with Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman riding home in fourth and fifth, respectively.

*MICHIGAN*

NASCAR teams arrived at Michigan International Speedway for the next race with heavy hearts - mourning the loss of driver Jason Leffler, who was killed in a sprint car accident in New Jersey just days before.

NASCAR On the track, it was Biffle's turn to shine. With a victory in the Quicken Loans 400, Biffle not only added to Roush Fenway Racing's winning legacy at the two-mile Irish Hills oval. He also purchased some insurance for entry into this year's Chase with a hard-earned regular-season win that put him squarely in the hunt for at least a Wild Card berth.

Biffle held the lead over the final 32 laps and when a fast-closing Johnson cut a right-front tire two laps from the finish, he exhaled and beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the checkered flag by three seconds.

It was the 13th Cup Series win at MIS for team owner Jack Roush, which tops the track's all-time list, and the second straight Michigan win for Biffle. The last driver to win two in row there was ... Biffle, victorious in August 2004 and again in June 2005.

This time, he led a race-high 48 laps and climbed from 10th to eighth in the regular-season standings, capturing the 1,000th NASCAR win for Ford Racing.

Johnson finished 28th and saw his points lead trimmed to 31 over Carl Edwards, who started from the pole and placed eighth.

It was a tough day for Hendrick Motorsports. In addition to Johnson's late-race tire trouble, Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon finished 38th and 39th, respectively, following accidents; and Earnhardt lost an engine, placing 37th.

*SONOMA*

On to the first road-course race of the season - in Sonoma, Calif. ... where Martin Truex Jr. took control in the second half and held it the rest of the way. He cruised to his second career victory, halting a winless streak that stretched back to June 2007.

NASCAR Truex led a race-high 51 laps in his No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, including the final 28, beating runner-up Gordon to the finish by more than eight seconds. Truex had last visited Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway six years ago, a winless streak of 218 races.

He started 14th, grabbed his first lead at Lap 41 and gave MWR its second straight win on the Northern California road course. Clint Bowyer was victorious in 2012 and finished fifth this time around. Edwards took third place and Kurt Busch finished fourth.

Juan Pablo Montoya was running second two laps from the finish but ran out of fuel and was forced to settle for 34th place. Regular-season points leader Johnson finished ninth and carried a 25-point advantage over second-place Edwards into the next race at Kentucky Speedway.

*KENTUCKY*

The battle in "The Bluegrass State" resulted in Matt Kenseth continuing this season's mastery of mile-and-a-half ovals. He rolled to his fourth victory of the year at Kentucky Speedway - all coming on those intermediate-sized tracks.

NASCAR Kenseth's No. 20 Dollar General crew opted for fuel only on their final pit stop, which came under caution, while race leader Johnson and others took on tires for the stretch run. On the ensuing restart, Johnson was battling for second place in a four-wide scrap with Joey Logano when he lost control and spun - triggering the 10th and final caution of the race, and forcing Johnson to settle for ninth place on a day when he led 182 of the event's 267 laps.

Johnson asserted on his team radio that as the race leader, Kenseth failed to maintain pace car speed approaching the restart zone. But Kenseth chalked Johnson's comments up to frustration and instead, applauded crew chief Jason Ratcliff's decisive call for fuel only less than 30 laps from the checkered flag.

Second-place finisher Jamie McMurray was closing fast down the stretch but fell .7 seconds short. Pole sitter Earnhardt placed 12th.

*DAYTONA*

The following week marked the annual summertime return to "The World Center of Racing," where Johnson ended his night the same way his 2013 season had begun in February: standing in Gatorade Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

Johnson kept all challengers behind him through three late-race restarts, winning for the fourth time this year and becoming the first driver to sweep both Cup Series races at Daytona since Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982.

NASCAR Johnson, who started eighth, led a race-high 94 laps including the final 31. His margin of victory over runner-up Stewart was a little more than a tenth of a second. Harvick, Bowyer and Michael Waltrip completed the top five. It was a dominant performance for Johnson, whose only misstep all night came less than five laps from the finish.

He moved inside to block the advance of Marcos Ambrose and the crash saddled Kahne with a 32nd-place finish. Ambrose remained in the race but placed only 26th.

There were six cautions, three of which came in the final 35 laps including a spin by Denny Hamlin as he approached the frontstretch tri-oval. That triggered a six-car wreck that knocked Hamlin, Gordon and AJ Allmendinger out of the race; and ended Kenseth's hopes for victory.

Pole sitter Kyle Busch led 29 of the first 32 laps but sustained body damage to the front of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in a four-car accident early in the second half of the race and was no threat to Johnson the rest of the night.

*NEW HAMPSHIRE*

The second half of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series began in New Hampshire, where the first half of the race was a "family feud" of sorts with brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch combining to lead 111 laps.

Pole sitter Brad Keselowski was also in the mix early, hoping to protect his spot in the top 10 with just eight races remaining in the regular season. And Kenseth spent time at the front of the field from his No. 12 starting spot.

But with less than 100 laps to go, and for the first time all day, a driver without the letter "K" in his name took over the race lead. Stewart led a total of 84 laps. He was out front and conserving fuel when contact between Gordon and Paul Menard brought out the 11th caution of the day. This left Stewart and Kyle Busch side-by-side on the ensuing restart.

Stewart held the top spot for the next 24 laps, but then here came Brian Vickers ... showing his muscle late. He passed Busch for second and then powered past Stewart along the frontstretch of "The Magic Mile" four laps later.

NASCAR From there, Vickers cruised to his first victory in four years - surviving one more restart that sent the race one lap past its scheduled distance. Stewart was second to Vickers as the field lined up for that final restart but ran out of fuel and was relegated to 26th in the final running order.

For Vickers, the win snapped a 75-race winless streak dating back to August 2009. He had sat out much of the 2010 season after being diagnosed with blood clots that required heart surgery to correct. Vickers ran a part-time Cup schedule in 2012 and did so again this season, sharing time with Mark Martin in the "55."

And at 71 years of age, Morgan Shepherd became the oldest driver to compete in a Cup Series race. He started 41st and that's where he finished, completing just 92 laps before parking his Bob Keselowski-owned Toyota.

*Scroll Down To See The Rest of The Article*​


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## Ckg2011

*2013 Road To The Sprint CUP: Part 3​*
*INDIANAPOLIS*

July would end with NASCAR's annual trek to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Newman and Johnson qualified on the front row at "The Brickyard" and from the outset of the Crown Royal 400, they were the class of the field.

Newman, who started from the pole, and Johnson combined to lead 118 of the race's 160 laps. It seemed inevitable that they would settle the issue between them. The race would eventually turn in Newman's favor, not on the famed 2.5-mile oval but on pit road.

NASCAR A decisive two-tire call by Matt Borland, Newman's crew chief, swung things in favor of the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing team during the final round of pit stops. Johnson, who seemed to be well on his way to a fifth Indy victory in eight years, took on four tires and then also took on the task of chasing Newman in the closing laps - without success.

Johnson spent just over 17 seconds in his pit stall getting four tires while Newman's two-tire stop lasted less than 12 seconds. Johnson was 2.5 seconds behind at the checkered flag.

With the win, Newman - an Indiana native from South Bend - put the brakes on a 49-race winless skid, extending Chevrolet's Indy winning streak to 11 dating back to 2003. Kahne and Stewart finished third and fourth, respectively - giving Chevy a sweep of the top four spots.

Despite falling short in his bid to win, Johnson opened up a 75-point lead over Bowyer with just six weeks left in the regular season. All 43 cars that started the race were running at the finish.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/2013-Road-to-the-Sprint-Cup-Part-3.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2013 Road to the Sprint Cup: Part 4​*
*POCONO*

As August opened, it was on to Pocono where it looked like Jimmie Johnson would pick up where he left off in June, when he dominated the race to claim victory.

After starting from the pole, Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led the first 33 laps and was back out front again on Lap 76 when misfortune struck. He blew a right-front tire and slammed the outside wall near the exit of the "Tunnel Turn," which is the second corner on "The Tricky Triangle." It knocked Johnson out of contention for the win.

NASCAR Kasey Kahne, one of Johnson's teammates, emerged as a strong contender as the second half of the race unfolded. He took control after a Lap 108 restart and opened a lead that grew to more than seven seconds over Jeff Gordon. The advantage was erased, however, when the eighth caution of the day for debris pulled Gordon back into the hunt.

The four-time champion capitalized on the opportunity, surging ahead after the restart. But another caution, this one at Lap 156 for Matt Kenseth's spin, bunched the field again and gave Kahne another chance at the checkered flag.

He stormed past Gordon with a bold outside move through the track's challenging Corner-2 "Tunnel Turn" ... where Johnson had his problems earlier ... and drove away for his 16th career win.

It was the third straight Hendrick Motorsports victory at Pocono and the organization's 15th overall, a track record that's six wins better than its nearest challenger. Gordon was 1.4 seconds behind Kahne at the checkered flag. Kurt Busch placed third, celebrating his 35th birthday.

Johnson salvaged a 13th-place finish and extended his points lead to 77 over Clint Bowyer with just five races remaining in the regular season.

After his ninth-place finish at Pocono, Tony Stewart headed to Iowa - where he was scheduled to compete in a sprint car race the following night. The evening of Monday, Aug. 5, turned out to be a defining date in Stewart's 2013 season - and not in a good way.

The three-time Sprint Cup Series champion suffered a broken right leg in an accident at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. It would sideline Stewart for the remainder of the season.

*WATKINS GLEN*

For the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International, road racer Max Papis was named to drive Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet. But it was another road-course ace who stole the show in the early going at The Glen.

Marcos Ambrose seemingly had the race in hand, leading 51 of the first 61 laps in his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford. But an inopportune caution in the middle of a pit stop cycle, ironically brought about by teammate Aric Almirola, dropped Ambrose back to 12th for a restart on Lap 64 of 90.

NASCAR Kyle Busch grabbed the lead when Ambrose went to pit road under yellow and showed the way the rest of the day. To make matters worse, a wreck on Lap 85 finally ended Ambrose's bid for a third straight win on the legendary New York State road course.

Busch had to survive a succession of restarts over the final 15 laps and also had to contend with a hungry Brad Keselowski over the final trip around the 2.5-mile circuit. The defending Sprint Cup Series champ remained winless, however, falling a half-second short of victory this time around.

For Busch, it was his third win of the season.

And not that there was any suspense surrounding Johnson's quest to make the post-season Chase for the 10th straight season, but the series leader clinched at least a Wild Card spot with his eighth-place finish. Papis finished 15th subbing for the injured Stewart.

*MICHIGAN*

With his post-season berth locked up, Johnson headed to the Midwest on the return trip to Michigan International Speedway, a track that's proven to be his nemesis over the years.

And the Irish Hills oval dealt him some more bad luck this time around, too. Johnson wrecked in practice Saturday of race weekend, forcing him to start a back-up car at the rear of the field for the Pure Michigan 400. But just as Johnson has done countless times before, he overcame adversity and had the Lowe's Chevrolet in the lead during a round of green-flag pit stops in the first quarter of the race.

NASCAR But shortly after that, Johnson was sidelined by engine failure and saddled with a 40th-place finish.

Pole sitter Joey Logano, who had led briefly in the early going, worked his way back into contention during the second half of the race but would have to contend down the stretch with veteran Mark Martin ... who knew he would be cutting it close on fuel.

Martin took off after a restart on Lap 178 as Logano, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick battled for second place. With Logano closing as the laps wound down, Martin finally slowed just three laps from the finish. His tank was dry.

Logano shot into the lead but still had Harvick in close pursuit. The Penske Racing driver held his ground to the finish, beating Harvick to the checkered flag by a little more than a full second and parking the No. 22 Ford squarely in the middle of the race for a Chase Wild Card berth with just three races left in the regular season.

Bowyer finished fifth and left MIS trailing Johnson by 41 points. Austin Dillon came from a lap down to finish 14th in his substitute role for the injured Stewart, who would later name Martin as his primary replacement for the balance of the season.

*BRISTOL*

The following week, it was back to short-track racing at Bristol Motor Speedway - where a familiar scenario played out: Kenseth holding off Kahne in the closing laps of a Sprint Cup Series race.

It happened at Las Vegas in March ... it happened at Kansas Speedway in April ... and it happened again under the lights in "Thunder Valley."

NASCAR Kenseth started fifth in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and was steady throughout, fending off challenges from a number of competitors including Carl Edwards, Paul Menard and Kurt Busch.

With less than 100 laps remaining, Kenseth had opened a lead over Gordon. But that evaporated when contact between Brian Vickers and Denny Hamlin ignited a massive wreck in Turns 3 and 4 that dealt serious blows to the Chase hopes of Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. - who would finish 30th and 35th, respectively.

It took nearly five minutes to clean up the track and when action resumed, Juan Pablo Montoya surged from fourth to second and took off in pursuit of Kenseth. But with a full load of fuel and fresher tires, Kahne slipped past Montoya for second, caught Kenseth and battled valiantly over the closing laps before falling short by less than .2 seconds.

The victory was Kenseth's fifth of the year and it guaranteed him at least a Wild Card spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. With a 14th-place finish, Bowyer also clinched his spot in the Chase. He remained second in the Cup standings, narrowing Johnson's lead to 18 points after Johnson broke the radiator on his No. 48 Chevrolet and placed 36th.

*ATLANTA*

As the month of August ended and September began, the Chase field was starting to take shape with teams heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the AdvoCare 500 on Labor Day Weekend.

Logano charged from his sixth-row starting spot into the lead in the first 25 laps of the race. But issues on pit road buried the No. 22 Penske Racing Ford deep in the pack. Three loose lug nuts on one stop forced Logano to return to the pit lane.

NASCAR By mid-race, Bowyer had put his No. 15 Toyota at the front of the field. But he lost an engine a short time later and with Logano rallying from his first-half woes, the lead went back to the "22."

Fast work on pit road by Kyle Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing crew got the No. 18 Toyota back on the track first during the final round of stops and Busch kept it there the rest of the night. He jumped away from the field on a late restart and led the final 36 laps, clinching a spot in the post-season Chase with his fourth victory of the year. Those 36 laps were the only ones Busch led all night in posting his 28th career victory.

He finished .7 seconds ahead of runner-up Logano, who led a race-high 78 laps and advanced from 10th to eighth in the point standings with just one week left in the regular season.

*Scroll Down To Read The Rest​*


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## Ckg2011

*RICHMOND*

For Keselowski, whose back was against the wall in his battle for a post-season berth, the Penske Racing team got the final regular-season weekend off to a good start at Richmond International Raceway by qualifying third in the "Blue Deuce."

Keselowski led 91 laps in the first half of the race and was strong during portions of the second half, as well, before fading to a 17th-place finish that would leave him 31 points short of making the post-season Chase.

As Keselowski was losing momentum, Bowyer was on the march - putting his Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota at the front of the field for a 72-lap stretch that left him well-positioned for a run at his first win of the season. But after Bowyer surrendered the lead to Kurt Busch, here came Edwards charging from his No. 26 starting spot into the lead with the laps winding down. Then, it was Ryan Newman's turn to shine as he moved into the lead.

With less than 10 laps left in the race, here came the defining moment of the night - and the season - for a number of drivers. With Bowyer's dubious spin coming off Turn 4, the fortunes of many took a dramatic turn. Newman stopped for four tires, came off pit road in fifth place and could only gain two positions in the final three-lap dash to the checkered flag.

Edwards won the race, streaking away after that late restart and beating Busch to the finish by a little more than a half-second. As for the final spots in the Chase, it looked at the time like Truex ... a teammate of Bowyer's ... was in - with Newman and Gordon out.

NASCAR Bowyer's mystifying spin at a pivotal point in the race left some to speculate as to whether he did it on purpose to aid Truex's post-season chances, though Bowyer denied any such strategy after the race. But two days later, NASCAR dropped the hammer on Michael Waltrip Racing.

The sanctioning body dismissed Truex from the 12-man Chase field and replaced him with Newman. But it wasn't just Bowyer's spin that caught NASCAR's eye. A suspiciously-timed pit stop by Vickers, Bowyer's other MWR teammate, enabled Logano to improve his position on the track, further bolstering Truex's Chase bid.

All three drivers - Bowyer, Truex and Vickers - were penalized with the loss of 50 regular-season points and their teams were docked the same amount in the car owner standings. The organization was fined $300,000 and Executive Vice President-General Manager Ty Norris was suspended indefinitely.

Four days later, with the post-season ready to launch at Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR added a 13th driver to the Chase - putting Gordon into the 10-race title series that left an unprecedented 13 competitors vying for the 2013 Sprint Cup Series championship.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/2013-Road-to-the-Sprint-Cup-Part-4.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2013 Road to the Sprint Cup: Part 5​*
*CHICAGOLAND*

Everybody was ready to just go racing in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway, but "Mother Nature" had other ideas just before the halfway point of the GEICO 400.

NASCAR Persistent rain stopped the race for about five hours. When it resumed, Joey Logano found misfortune - losing an engine after running up front most of the day. Dale Earnhardt Jr. would soon suffer a similar fate ... leaving them with finishes of 37th and 35th, respectively.

With 22 laps to go, No. 1 seed Matt Kenseth passed teammate Kyle Busch and sailed away to his sixth win of the season. Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson filled out the top five.

There were a Chicagoland record 25 lead changes among 16 drivers. Kenseth remained atop the standings, by eight points.

*NEW HAMPSHIRE*

New Hampshire Motor Speedway produced another Joe Gibbs Racing duel as Kenseth again outran teammate Kyle Busch for the victory, giving JGR its first-ever sweep of the top two spots in the first two Chase races.

Kenseth left "The Magic Mile" with a 14-point lead over Busch and an 18-point edge over Johnson.

*DOVER*

Johnson rolled into Dover International Speedway tied with Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison as the track's all-time win leader with seven victories and saw the race as an opportunity to close the gap on Kenseth ... which he did.

Johnson had a dominant car at "The Monster Mile," leading 165 of the final 170 laps. A late caution brought the leaders to pit road at Lap 371. Johnson took two tires and kept the lead, posting his fifth win of the season and trimming 10 points from his deficit.

Earnhardt, Logano, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch completed the top five. Kenseth finished seventh in his bid for a third straight victory. Johnson moved past Busch and into second place in the standings. Kevin Harvick finished sixth and took over fourth place in the Chase.

*KANSAS*

The combination of cooler temperatures, relatively new asphalt and Goodyear's new multi-zone tire made for a challenging day at Kansas Speedway. Nobody felt that more than Busch. He freely admitted to struggling at the track and the Hollywood Casino 400 was no different. After starting at the rear in a back-up car, Busch had several issues before his day ended early with an accident.

NASCAR Chase Wild Card Ryan Newman also crashed out early on a day that saw a race-record 15 caution flags.

Pole sitter Harvick got mired in traffic after one of those cautions came during an early pit sequence. But changing track conditions and adjustments through the day got the No. 29 team back into the fight and into Victory Lane for Harvick's 22nd career win, which lifted him to third in the standings.

Kenseth finished 11th to hold the Chase lead. Johnson's sixth-place finish pulled him to within three points of the top spot.

*CHARLOTTE*

Brad Keselowski had a disappointing 2013 season, failing to make the Chase in defense of his 2012 title. But at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he showed that his No. 2 Penske Racing team could still get the job done.

Keselowski drove to victory in the Bank of America 500, providing a big dose of momentum looking ahead to 2014.

Kasey Kahne finished second as Hendrick Motorsports cars led 313 of the 334 laps. But a late caution bumped Johnson from the lead on pit road and he couldn't recover from a bad restart - finishing fourth.

Kenseth came home third, adding one point to his Chase lead.

*TALLADEGA*

Most drivers describe Talladega Superspeedway as the "wild card" race in the Chase since events there often spin out of control. Despite 52 lead changes in the first 174 laps, nobody wanted to make a move too soon at the end - leaving Jamie McMurray in charge down the stretch.

The Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver led the final 15 laps, breaking a 108-race winless streak.

Johnson finished 13th to take the points lead from Kenseth, who finished only 20th.

*MARTINSVILLE*

Jeff Gordon was a last-minute addition to the post-season Chase but quietly crept into contention and arrived at Martinsville Speedway fifth in the standings, just 34 points out of the lead.

NASCAR He'd already won seven times before on the Virginia half-mile and knew a win would keep him in the hunt. The race was a typical rough-and-tumble short-track scrap with a season-high 17 cautions.

Near the end, Kenseth was in the lead and looking for his first Martinsville win. But Gordon tracked him down with 20 laps to go and collected his eighth grandfather clock.

The victory lifted Gordon to third in the standings, 27 points behind Kenseth and Johnson - who exited the weekend tied for the Chase lead.

*TEXAS*

Johnson had tested at Texas Motor Speedway and felt more than ready for the AAA Texas 500. He led a race-high 255 laps to get his sixth win of the season and take sole possession of the points lead after a pit road speeding penalty forced Kenseth to scramble for his fourth-place finish.

Gordon's late-season charge toward the top of the standings ended with a blown tire and a crash on Lap 73. Harvick finished eighth to reclaim third place in the standings entering the final two weeks of the season.

*PHOENIX*

Carl Edwards won the season's first race at Phoenix International Raceway and went into the second one looking for momentum to carry into 2014. Edwards worked his way to the front and looked to be heading for victory when he ran out of fuel less than two laps from the finish.

Harvick assumed the lead, claiming his fourth win of the season and second of the Chase. Edwards wound up 21st. Kenseth struggled with an ill-handling racecar and issues on pit road that saddled him with a 23rd-place finish.

Johnson started from the pole and finished third, taking a commanding 28-point lead into Ford Championship Weekend. The Phoenix win drew Harvick within 34 points of Johnson.

*HOMESTEAD-MIAMI*

Johnson, Kenseth and Harvick went into the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 as the only three drivers with a shot at winning the championship.

NASCAR Harvick struggled with handling issues early in the day and would finish 10th. Johnson and Kenseth tangled near the mid-point of the race, but not seriously enough to force either off the pace.

The race belonged to an unlikely victor as Denny Hamlin overcame a season of injury and disappointment to close with a win. Kenseth finished second, but it wasn't enough to close the gap on Johnson.

A ninth-place finish was enough to make the five-time champion a six-time champion. Johnson's final margin was 19 points over Kenseth.

Six titles in eight for Johnson put him within reach of the seven championships all-time leaders Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have. It also was team owner Rick Hendrick's 11th Cup Series title, breaking a tie for the top spot with Petty Enterprises.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...13/12/2013-Road-to-the-Sprint-Cup-Part-5.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2013 Year In Review​*
_Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows his best season in seven years could have been even better._

NASCAR's most popular driver took a big step forward in 2013, using a strong start and an even better finishing kick to record a fifth-place finish in points that was his best since 2006. Earnhardt was especially strong in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, where he posted an average finish of 5.6 over the final nine events of the playoff. It was an engine failure in the Chase opening at Chicagoland, though, that ultimately prevented Earnhardt from challenging Jimmie Johnson for the championship.

Wait -- Earnhardt and championship, used in the same sentence? Yes, his season was that good, and the driver of the No. 88 car is hoping to carry that momentum into 2014. There was only one thing missing this past season, and it was a trip to Victory Lane.

Goodness, he came close. Second in the Daytona 500. Second at Fontana. Second at Dover after starting from the pole. Second at Talladega and Texas. And third in the season finale at Homestead-Miami, where he led 28 laps late in the running and appeared to have the best car until Denny Hamlin snuck in for the victory.

"I enjoyed all the races in the Chase. We ran really well, were real competitive," said Earnhardt, who this year won the Most Popular Driver award for the record 11th straight time. "? I thought the Homestead thing was magic. For some reason, it just kind of lined up. I wish I could have won. I was disappointed, and still think about what I could have done, why I didn't win. I should have won. I had the best car, had the fastest car. I should have won. I don't know why I didn't win."

Earnhardt's most recent race victory was at Michigan in the summer of 2012, which means he'll carry a streak of 55 winless event weekends into the Daytona 500. But such a skid is hardly the cause of hand-wringing that it once was, given the strength the No. 88 car showed on a consistent basis throughout the 2013 campaign. What clicked? It's hard to tell. Crew chief Steve Letarte said the team had a plan to unroll better cars for the Chase, perhaps one reason for the program's performance in the playoff.

It also can't hurt that the No. 88 car is stabled at Hendrick Motorsports alongside the Johnson's team, who this year won his sixth title at NASCAR's top level. Otherwise it was just business as usual, the same people working better together and improving over time.

"I've asked Steve over and over, asked my car chief Jason (Burdette) over and over, and asked everybody on the team at least once or twice what we're doing different. They said they're not doing anything different. You know, I really don't know why. I have the same feeling, like our cars are way faster," Earnhardt said.

"We have been more competitive, I think not just as a company, I think the 88 team has really stepped it up. But each year ? we've gotten better. As a team, we've gotten better. When we first started working together, it's easy to forget about all this, but when me and Steve started working together, we were working our guts out to finish in the top 10. Each year it's kind of gotten easier to run a little better."

There were the occasional hiccups, like a trio of engine failures and then a bad alternator that derailed a promising run at Texas in the spring. But Earnhardt clearly left 2013 feeling optimistic, and knowing that race wins are key to his team taking the next step. And not just to earn the payoff of reaching Victory Lane, but also to accrue bonus points that will keep him closer to the Chase leaders once the championship hunt begins.

"We need to win some more races in the regular season to give ourselves some bonus points going into the Chase," Earnhardt said. "? Even with 10 races to go, the bonus points are a steep hill in front of you, when you're a guy sitting there eighth or 10th or 13th place in points starting the Chase off, and the guy leading the Chase field already has 15 bonus points, or whatever it is this year. That's a steep hill to climb."

And yet, if this past season was any indication, the No. 88 team is clearly on the ascent. The 22 top-10s Earnhardt accumulated in 2013 were a personal record, and there's a clear sense of optimism surrounding his program for next year. Not even the lack of a victory can dampen that.

"I expect us to continue our trajectory to get better, and I expect us to have a lot to enjoy and a lot of good fortune next year," Earnhardt said. "I'd be real surprised if things aren't as good or better than they were this past season, and I'm looking forward to that."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dale-earnhardt-jr-2013-review-155059890--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*FAS Lane & Go Green Team For 2014​*
FAS Lane Racing owner Frank Stoddard and Go Green Racing owner Archie St. Hilaire have announced that they have entered into a joint venture for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and beyond.

"Frank has a great program here at FAS Lane Racing and we believe that by combining our resources, we can take the program to the next level," said St. Hilaire. "It's been my goal to race in the Sprint Cup Series on a weekly basis and this joint venture makes the most sense for both parties."

Stoddard and St. Hilaire both recognized the increasing challenges to being competitive at the Sprint Cup level. By combining resources from both their teams, they believe the joint venture will strengthen the overall program of the No. 32 Ford.

"Archie coming on board is great for FAS Lane Racing," added Stoddard. "It's going to allow us to both work at growing and improving the overall operation of our team. The move also allows me to concentrate, along with Archie, more on the business side of the operation. I have spread myself too thin with my multiple roles over the past three seasons. We will both be able to work harder with our existing sponsors as well as the many new ones we look forward to working with.

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Terry Labonte will return to the teams No. 32 entry to compete in the season opening Daytona 500. The driver roster for the remaining races will be announced in the coming weeks.

The team also announced that they have hired veteran crew chief Dan Stillman, giving Stoddard more time to focus on the business side and assist in securing marketing and sponsorship opportunities for the team. The team will continue to operate out of the FAS Lane Racing shop in Mooresville, N.C., where they will continue to field Fords and utilize Roush/Yates engines.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/fas-lane-go-green-team-for-2014/


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## Ckg2011

*5 NASCAR Races Not to Miss​*
The new NASCAR season has much to look forward to and fans should mark their calendars for this quintet of races.

Daytona 500

The biggest race of the NASCAR season kicks off the campaign on Feb. 23rd at "The World Center of Racing." After a week's worth of practice, qualifying and preliminary events, fans will get their first chance to see the 2014 Sprint Cup Series field in action. Last year's 500 left some flat with not as much side-by-side racing on display as in the past. With teams having a year with the Gen-6 car and the addition of a slightly taller spoiler - which should provide more downforce and better handling - the hope is "The Great American Race" will live up to expectations and set the tone for the season.

Auto Club 400

The 2013 trek to Auto Club Speedway in Southern California was one for the ages and easily the best race of the season. Will lightning strike again this year? The 2-mile track's worn surface and multiple grooves should once again add up to some wild racing. As always, pit strategy and potential fuel mileage will be in the mix as well. Maybe by the time race No. 5 of the campaign rolls around, there will be a couple of drivers not exactly seeing eye to eye. One thing is for sure; the restarts at ACS are always crazy.

Mudsummer Classic

The inaugural Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway was a resounding success. Now comes the time to answer the question of whether trucks racing on dirt is a novelty or something fans want on an annual basis. My guess is the latter. Sure there was a curiosity factor in 2013 just to see if NASCAR and the drivers could pull it off. The racing was so exciting and thrilling that there's no reason to believe the same entertainment value won't be there again. Like the NHL's Winter Classic, NASCAR's yearly foray to dirt track racing should be a fan favorite for years to come.

IRWIN Tools Night Race

Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway has been in the spotlight for the last two years through Speedway Motorsports Inc. president Bruton Smith's attempt to spice up the proceedings through reconfiguration. Truth be told the physical changes to the layout haven't changed the on-track product all that much. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Bristol continues to produce tight competition and thrilling action even if the bumping and grinding that results in 20 or more cautions is gone. Today's Bristol really combines the best of both worlds - the old and new "Thunder Valley" - and the annual late summer date under the lights is still one of the schedule's crown jewels.

Ford 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway continues to be the perfect place to bring down the curtain on the NASCAR season. From a weather perspective the conditions are ideal, and there isn't another area of the country better suited to host a mid-November sporting event than South Florida. Homestead has blossomed into the best 1.5-mile track competition-wise in the sport with its progressive banking and multiple grooves. Even if NASCAR's effort to improve intermediate track racing falls flat, fans should be able to count on Homestead to create an action-packed season-ending weekend. With the championships on the line in all three top national divisions, HMS will have the chance to once again put an exclamation point on the season's story lines.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/01/Opinion-5-NASCAR-Races-Not-to-Miss.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*14 Storylines for 2014​*
_The eggnog has spoiled and some New Year's Resolutions already have been broken - hey, there's always next year, but this is a time to look ahead and not behind.

With 52 days (as of Jan. 2) until the Daytona 500, racing will be here soon. NASCAR Sprint Cup testing at Daytona International Speedway begins Jan. 9. As the season nears, here's a look at 14 story lines for the 2014 season._

*1. Crowded House*

One of the most fascinating story lines will be Stewart-Haas Racing. While some question how volatile drivers Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart can co-exist (along with Danica Patrick), the real question is how well the operation begins the season.

Adding Busch and a fourth team stretches SHR's resources. Last year, the team struggled early with Gen-6 chassis and expanding to a three-car operation. Ryan Newman was 16th, Stewart was 20th and Patrick was 30th in the points after the Coca-Cola 600. Those three combined for no wins and nine top-10 finishes in the first 12 races of last year.

Will this year be different? Not that it means much, but Harvick looked fast at the December test that had 30 teams.

Harvick can't wait for the season to begin. He tweeted on Jan. 1: "Well folks here we go! Never been more excited going into a new year personally and professionally! Waited a long time to start this ride!"

If nothing else, this team will be worth watching.

*2. Race for History*

There will be a lot of talk about whether Jimmie Johnson can win a seventh championship and tie the record shared by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. To many, there will be only one "King" and one "Intimidator."

Johnson, though, is making a name for himself. Just what to call him is the question. Some might say "Greatest Ever." If he wins a seventh title, that discussion will intensify.

*3. The Return of the No. 3 Car*

For the first time since Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in 2001, the No. 3 car returns to Cup. Austin Dillon will drive the car for his grandfather, Richard Childress. For Earnhardt fans and those who remember that February day 13 years ago, this could be viewed as the season's most significant story line.

While many accept the move, it's not unanimous. Most likely, there will come a time when seeing the No. 3 back on the track in Cup will strike fans and bring back a flood of memories.

*4. A Rookie Race*

There hasn't been much of a race for Rookie of the Year the past few seasons, but that might change with several contenders. Dillon is part of a growing rookie class that includes Kyle Larson, Michael Annett, Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt. That field could expand with Justin Allgaier expected to drive the No. 51 this season.

*5. He's Back*

A new year renews expectations for Denny Hamlin. Despite an injury-plagued 2013, he won the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He's won at least one race a year for eight consecutive seasons - the fourth-longest active streak. Stewart has scored at least one win in 15 consecutive seasons. Johnson has at least one win for 12 seasons in a row and Kyle Busch has won at least one race nine consecutive seasons.

If Joe Gibbs Racing is as strong as it was this past season - JGR won 12 of the 36 races - then Hamlin could be a factor this season.

*6. Better Racing?*

A December test at Charlotte Motor Speedway led to rule changes that NASCAR hopes will enhance the racing at 1.5-mile speedways. The 11 races at those tracks last year featured an average of 21.7 lead changes and six different winners - Joe Gibbs Racing won seven of those 11 races with Matt Kenseth winning four times, Busch twice and Hamlin once.

Will fans see tighter racing and more lead changes on the 1.5-mile tracks this year?

*7. One-Hit Wonder?*

Kurt Busch helped Furniture Row Racing become the first single-car team to make the Chase last year. Busch is now at Stewart-Haas Racing, but crew chief Todd Berrier remains. Berrier will work with Martin Truex Jr. this season. Truex brought his pit crew, helping shore up a weakness for Furniture Row Racing last season.

Can this feel-good story continue with Truex?

*8. Is This the Year?*

Dale Earnhardt Jr. went winless for the fourth time in the past five seasons but finished fifth in the 2013 points - his best finish since 2004. Is this the year Earnhardt wins multiple races (something he hasn't done since winning six races in 2004) and contends for a championship? Or is time passing him by? He turns 40 in October.

*9. New Driver-Crew Chief Pairings*

Few would have expected Kenseth and crew chief Jason Ratcliff to come so close to winning the title in their first year together. They give hope to a number new driver-crew chief pairings this season.

Kurt Busch will be paired with Daniel Knost, a former engineer at Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick will work with Rodney Childers at SHR and Stewart will be paired with Chad Johnston. Both Childers and Johnston came from Michael Waltrip Racing.

Newman will work with Luke Lambert at Richard Childress Racing. Keith Rodden left his spot as engineer for Kasey Kahne to be Jamie McMurray's crew chief at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. And Truex joins Berrier at Furniture Row Racing.

Also, Trent Owens is Aric Almirola's new crew chief at Richard Petty Motorsports. And at Roush Fenway Racing, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is reunited with crew chief Mike Kelley. They combined to win back-to-back Nationwide titles in 2011 and 2012.

*10. Jinx Continues?*

Since the Chase began in 2004, the runner-up has gone on to finish in the top five only once the following season. Some call it the second-place jinx. The average finish for the runner-up the next year is 9.3. To compare, the average finishing position for the champion the following season is 6.0.

We'll see what that means for Kenseth after he placed second to Johnson last season.

*11. Bouncing Back*

After putting two cars in the Chase in 2012, Michael Waltrip Racing struggled last season and then dealt with the aftershocks of its actions at Richmond International Raceway. Clint Bowyer returns and is joined by Brian Vickers, who is expected to be cleared to drive after missing part of last season because of blood clots. New to the team is Jeff Burton, who will drive in select races.

Can this reshaped team return to its previous success?

*12. Bouncing Back II*

Brad Keselowski became only the second driver in the Chase era to win the championship and then miss the Chase the following season. The only other to do that is Stewart, so it's not bad company. Still, there will be a good bit of focus on how well Keselowski and his team performs this season.

*13. Is This the Year II ...*

Kyle Busch, arguably one of the most talented drivers, had never finished better than fifth in the points until last year, when he placed fourth - only his second top-10 finish in the past five seasons. Are we starting to see the beginning of something special? Or will he continue to be known as a talented driver who can't win a Cup championship?

*14. Looking Ahead*

With the new TV package starting in 2015 - and NBC replacing ESPN, this would seem to be a time for changes with the schedule, the points system and maybe even the racing. This will be a key point of discussion as the calendar moves closer to 2015. Could be some interesting changes ahead.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/01/14-Storylines-for-2014.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Goodbye to Bizarre 2013​*
There was much to remember, but more to forget about the 2013 NASCAR season.

Bizarre is the only word to describe last year.

Things started so promisingly with the long-awaited introduction of the Gen-6 Sprint Cup car. After years of suffering through the at-times hideous looikng "Car of Tomorrow," NASCAR and the manufacturers landed on a stock car that truly captured the imagination of fans.

But after only a few weeks, the new car smell began to wear off the Gen-6. While the look of the Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry machines on track was new, the competitive product looked a lot like its predecessor. Track records in qualifying may have dropped like flies (no surprise since the car was much lighter than the COT), but that speed didn't necessarily translate into better racing every week.

To NASCAR's credit, an attempt to improve the racing specifically at intermediate tracks has been a major off-season initiative and the sanctioning body hopes the 2014 rules package will create better competition.

Make no mistake there were still some very exciting races in 2013 and the competition wasn't all bad by any means. There were 17 different winners across the season's 36 Sprint Cup Series races and some memorable moments along the way.

The Sprint Cup high water mark actually came in March at of all places Auto Club Speedway. The March 24th Auto Club 400 was the best of the season and featured everything a fan could ask for from a NASCAR race; four and five wide racing, pit strategy, tempers flaring, high emotions, drama and a thrilling finish summarized the day in southern California.

Unfortunately the sport was weighed down by far too many off-track problems and controversies that punctuated just how rare the Fontana race was in 2013.

The inexplicable fascination for the dating life of Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. brought TMZ-like overtones to NASCAR like never before.

NASCAR actually shot itself in the foot in only the second week of the season when Denny Hamlin was inexplicably fined $25,000 for making comments that were deemed derogatory about the Gen-6 car, when in fact he was stating what the sanctioning body itself has all but admitted - it was difficult to pass.

That incident was followed by penalties to Penske Racing at Texas and to Matt Kenseth only weeks later at Kansas that led to long, drawn out appeal processes, the second of which to Joe Gibbs Racing was greatly reduced by the panel.

Of course the biggest black eye for the sport came at the regular season Richmond finale with the Michael Waltrip Racing manipulation scandal. Before all was said and done, NASCAR's credibility was severely challenged as was the integrity of the Chase in some minds after the decision by Brian France to add Jeff Gordon to the playoff field as a 13th driver.

It will be interesting to see how much of a mark that sordid chapter in NASCAR history leaves behind. The ramifications may not be completely felt for some time, especially in light of the "100 percent rule" that was forced to be put into play in an effort to ensure teams and drivers give their all in the future.

Hopefully, the memories of close racing, a tight Sprint Cup Series point battle, the success of bringing the Truck Series on dirt to Eldora and north of the border to Canada as well as the Nationwide Series' triumphant debut at Mid-Ohio and the myriad of different faces in Victory Lane across all three of NASCAR's top divisions will also be the lasting recollections of the year.

The season ahead has more than enough storylines and promise to ramp up the anticipation level.

So long 2013. Here's to a memorable 2014 season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/01/Opinion-Goodbye-to-Bizarre-2013.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Reinstates Todd Parrott​*
NASCAR has reinstated Todd Parrott, the former crew chief of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, upon his successful completion of NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery Program.

On Oct. 17 of last season, Parrott was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy) of the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book and suspended indefinitely. Parrott was fired by Richard Petty Motorsports a few days later.

Parrott has worked for a number of top organizations throughout NASCAR during the last 15 years, including leading Dale Jarrett to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 1999 while at Robert Yates Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-reinstates-todd-parrott/


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## Ckg2011

*Start Times For Daytona Races Revealed​*
The 56th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23, NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race, will go green at 1 p.m. (TV - FOX Sports, Radio - MRN Radio, SiriusXM).

It's the fifth straight year "The Great American Race" will start at 1 p.m.
Start times for the other remaining events of Budweiser Speedweeks 2014 at Daytona Int'l Speedway are as follows:

*· The 52nd anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race, Jan. 25-26, 2:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2)

· The Lucas Oil 200 Presented By American Real MAV TV ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, Saturday, Feb. 15, 4:15 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

· The Sprint Unlimited, Saturday, Feb. 15, 8p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

· Daytona Beach Half Marathon, Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 a.m.

· Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, Sunday, Feb. 16, 1p.m. (FOX)

· UNOH Battle At The Beach, Tuesday, Feb. 18, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at 7 p.m. followed by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at approximately 8:45 p.m.

· Budweiser Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

· NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Friday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

· DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, Saturday, Feb. 22, 1:15 p.m. (ESPN)​*
Six-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who wheels the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will begin pursuit of a seventh championship in the 56th annual Daytona 500, which would tie him alongside racing legends Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt.

In 2013, Johnson became the first driver since NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at the "World Center of Racing." In this year's Daytona 500, Johnson will attempt to be the first driver since Sterling Marlin (1994-1995) to win "The Great American Race" for a second straight year.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/start-times-for-daytona-races-revealed/


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## Ckg2011

*Rusty Wallace To Drive At Daytona Test​*








_Rendering of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion that will race at this year's Daytona 500_​
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace will get back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup Car for the first time since 2005.

Team Penske and Miller Lite announced Wednesday that the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will drive the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion during Thursday's NASCAR test at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The occasion coincides with the 25th anniversary of Wallace's 1989 championship and the approaching 40th anniversary of the original Miller Lite beer.

The Hall of Fame driver and current ESPN analyst will sport a firesuit with the original Miller Lite logo during the test. This retro firesuit will also be worn by Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford team crew members during the upcoming Daytona 500. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion will also feature a commemorative white Miller Lite paint scheme for the "Great American Race".

"I am pretty pumped up about this," said Wallace. "This is a big deal, and I can't wait to get the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford up to speed - especially at Daytona. This will be my first time driving the new Gen-6 car, and I think it will give me a better perspective on how I cover the races for ESPN as an analyst. This is going to be a lot of fun, yet there is also a business 
component too. I can't thank Miller Lite, ESPN and Team Penske enough for giving me this opportunity. Man, what a fantastic way to start the year."

The last time Wallace piloted the storied No. 2 Penske machine was at the season ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 20, 2005.

"This is a terrific way to pay homage to the heritage and prestige of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford," said Keselowski. "To have Rusty Wallace, a NASCAR champion and a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, assist Miller Lite in recognizing the long association they have had with Team Penske and 
NASCAR is something special. I feel privileged to be a part of it."

Miller Lite and Team Penske began their over two decade long relationship with Rusty Wallace driving the storied No. 2 car. During his time behind the wheel of the Miller Lite machine, Wallace earned 39 victories.

"Miller Lite is proud of our heritage and partnership with Team Penske," said Ryan Reis, senior director of marketing for Miller Lite. "Having Rusty Wallace on board to celebrate the original light beer and our rich tradition with NASCAR is something our fans are excited about."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/rusty-wallace-to-drive-at-daytona-test/


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## Ckg2011

_Chevrolet took home the 2013 manufacturer championship. (NASCAR Photo)_​
*NASCAR Simplifies Manufacturer Points​*
NASCAR hopes its new points structure for manufacturers will intensify the rivalry between brands.

The series announced today that the manufacturer points system for 2014 has been restructured, simplifying it for fans, competition and the industry, while amplifying the already passionate rivalries between each auto maker.

The new points system - which applies to all three national series now mirrors the owner championship points structure. Points will be awarded to the single highest finisher for each car manufacturer in each championship event according to the finishing position awarded for each race. Specifically, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, points will be awarded as follows (43-1, plus bonus points). Points will be awarded in a similar manner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (43-4, plus bonus points) and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (43-8, plus bonus points).

Three additional bonus points will be awarded to the manufacturer that wins the race. The single highest finisher for each manufacturer will receive one additional bonus point for leading a lap, and one additional bonus point for leading the most laps.

Example: In a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, if a Toyota finishes in each of the top three positions and the winning Toyota leads the most laps, and a Chevrolet finishes in fourth position without leading a lap, Toyota will receive 48 points and Chevrolet will receive 40 points.

"We have always focused on intensifying the natural rivalries between our manufacturers - both on the race track and in the showroom," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development. "We believe aligning the points system with the owner points will create better understanding for the entire industry, and bolster interest and excitement with our fan base, which has shown intense manufacturer loyalty throughout the sport's history."

At the end of the season, if two or more manufacturers have the same number of points, the manufacturers' championship will be awarded to the manufacturer with the greatest number of first-place finishes. If there is a tie in victories, the greatest number of second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc. will break the tie. If a tie still remains, the manufacturer having the earliest win of the current season will prevail.

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season gets underway with The Sprint Unlimited on Saturday, Feb. 15 and the 56th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23, both at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/nascar-simplifies-manufacturers-points/


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## Ckg2011

*Nationwide Backs Stenhouse For 7 Cup Races*​
Nationwide Insurance has finalized its sponsorship of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with season-opening events at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Nationwide's primary sponsorship of Stenhouse in the No. 17 Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion includes seven races, while maintaining its associate sponsor status for the balance of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

"Our partnership with Ricky was an easy decision and race fans can expect to see more of him when we introduce our new season kick-off campaigns in a few weeks," said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance. "Our company has been an active NASCAR sponsor for 15 years, but fielding our first car in The Great American Race will make the 2014 season even more special for our members, agents and associates."

Stenhouse, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year and back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series champion (2011, 2012), will drive the No. 17 Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on Feb. 15 in the Sprint Unlimited, Feb. 20 in The Budweiser Duel and on Feb. 23 in the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) Int'l Speedway.

Other races include March 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, April 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, April 26 at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway and June 1 at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway.

"To be with Nationwide Insurance and reunited with my two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series championship crew chief, Mike Kelley, for seven races, will be pretty special for us," said Stenhouse. "I am thrilled Nationwide is partnering with me this year and look forward to creating something magical together again."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/nationwide-backs-stenhouse-for-7-cup-races/


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## Ckg2011

*Blaney Gets Expanded Schedule With Penske​*
Ryan Blaney's schedule with Team Penske will expand this season.
The 20-year-old son of Dave Blaney will compete in 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series races with Team Penske and will also make his debut in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, running at least two events behind the wheel of the No. 12 SKF Ford Fusion with the first coming at Kansas Speedway in May.

Blaney's first Nationwide Series start of 2014 is scheduled to come at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22. Blaney is also racing full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Brad Keselowski Racing.

"I am excited to continue my racing career with Team Penske," said Blaney, who's earned one win, two top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts behind the wheel of the No. 22 over the last two years. "I'm really looking forward to racing more in the Nationwide Series and it will be a dream come true for me to race in the Sprint Cup Series. I want to thank Roger Penske, our team sponsors and everyone at Team Penske for this opportunity and for believing in me."

"We believe Ryan is one of the most promising young drivers in NASCAR and we want to continue his growth and development with Team Penske," said team owner Roger Penske. "Ryan's win at Kentucky in the No. 22 car last year showed what he is capable of and we hope to experience many more moments in victory lane with him in the coming seasons."

Blaney joined Team Penske in 2012 and has raced in select Nationwide Series events for the organization over the last two seasons. He earned his first NNS victory when he won in the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang at Kentucky Speedway last September.

Blaney was one of four drivers to win races behind the wheel of the No. 22 Team Penske NNS car last season en route to earning the team's first Nationwide Series owner's championship.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/blaney-gets-expanded-scheduled-with-penske/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's New 2014 Knockout Qualifying Explained​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Significant Changes To NASCAR's Chase​*
The format by which the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion is crowned has changed again.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO announced a new championship format that will put greater emphasis on winning races all season long, expands the current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to 16 drivers, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format.

"We have arrived at a format that makes every race matter even more, diminishes points racing, puts a premium on winning races and concludes with a best-of-the-best, first-to-the-finish line showdown race - all of which is exactly what fans want," said France. "We have looked at a number of concepts for the last three years through fan research, models and simulations, and also maintained extensive dialogue with our drivers, teams and partners. The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be thrilling, easy to understand and help drive our sport's competition to a whole new level."

*Changes announced by France to the championship format include:​*
• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long.

• Expanding the Chase field from 12 to 16 drivers, with those drivers advancing to what now will be known as the NASCAR Chase Grid.

• The number of drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9.

• The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round.

• Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/significant-changes-to-nascars-chase/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dr. Pepper Sticking With BK Racing​*
As BK Racing embarks on its third season in NASCAR's premier level beginning in just 23 days with the 56th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 23, the team will continue its longtime partnership with Dr. Pepper aboard the renumbered No. 23 BK Racing Toyota Camry driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Alex Bowman.

"We are excited to partner with BK Racing for the third consecutive year," said Kelton Graham, vice president of sales for the Burger King account at Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. "Like Dr Pepper, the BK Racing team is one of a kind, and we look forward to celebrating with them in Victory Lane in 2014."
BK Racing renumbered the No. 93 to the No. 23 in 2014 as in honor of the 23 flavors in Dr Pepper.

The No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry will carry two different paint schemes throughout the 2014 season. For day races the car will be maroon with a single-silver offset stripe and for night races silver with a maroon single-offset stripe.

"Having Dr. Pepper sponsoring my first Sprint Cup Series ride is an honor and a privilege," said Bowman. "Being a lifelong fan of Dr. Pepper, it's really cool to represent such an iconic brand."

"Since we started BK Racing in February of 2012, I always wanted the No. 23," said team owner Ron Devine. "We feel like the relationship with Dr Pepper is very strong and this will take it to the next level."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dr-pepper-sticking-with-bk-racing/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Skittles Gets Two Races On No. 18​*
The Skittles brand - made by Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc. - will make its comeback to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as part of Mars, Inc.'s longtime partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Skittles No. 18 Camry will take the track for two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this season, piloted by NASCAR star Kyle Busch on March 2 at Phoenix Int'l Raceway and March 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
For the first time in more than 10 years, the Skittles brand will join the lineup of Mars, Inc.'s world-class sponsors at Joe Gibbs Racing including Doublemint, M&M'S and Snickers in the 2014 season.

"We're proud to bring one of America's most iconic candy brands back to NASCAR and eager to see what victories 'The Rainbow' brings this season as Kyle Busch takes the wheel of the Skittles No. 18 Camry," said John Starkey Sr., director of confections at Wm. Wrigley Co. "Sometimes 'The Rainbow' likes to mix things up and now seemed like a great time for Skittles to return to the track to have some fun."

"I am honored to help Skittles make a comeback to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Busch, driver of the No. 18 Camry. "Skittles was one of my favorite candies growing up and still is today, so I am thrilled to be driving the Skittles paint scheme this season."

Skittles first made its NASCAR debut in 1998 in partnership with MB2 Motorsports with the No. 36 Pontiac and driver Derrike Cope. In 1999, driver Ernie Irvan took the wheel of the Skittles No. 36 and Ken Schrader also drove the Skittles machine.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/skittles-gets-two-races-on-no-18/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sponsor Bolts, Burton Loses Truck Ride​*
Turner Scott Motorsports announced today that Arrowhead, the primary sponsor of the No. 4 entry driven by Jeb Burton in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has defaulted on payment to the team.

As a result of Arrowhead's unfortunate and untimely failure to make a critical payment, Turner Scott Motorsports will not be able to field Burton and the No. 4 truck full time for the 2014 season. The loss of the primary sponsor also means that the company must begin making staff reductions. It is anticipated that the reductions will affect up to 20 percent of the current TSM workforce. The company is moving as quickly as possible to give the affected employees the maximum opportunity to seek employment with other teams.

"The breakout success of Jeb Burton and the entire No. 4 team in 2013 makes these decisions especially painful," said team co-owner Harry Scott Jr.

"However, we will do everything we can to put Jeb on the racetrack with our organization going forward. He is a great talent and has a great career ahead of him. Despite this setback, Turner Scott Motorsports remains strong overall and will compete for championships in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. We are extremely proud of the talent of our workforce here at TSM, and it is very difficult for us to lose anyone within our organization. We understand the way that this affects the lives of everyone involved, and we will do our best to assist in placement elsewhere in the sport."

"Obviously, these are tough circumstances for everyone involved, not just for me, but also for my teammates who are affected," said Burton. "I am working with Turner Scott Motorsports to identify any potential opportunities for me to get on the track this year."

Turner Scott Motorsports is still preparing to compete in the 2014 season with multiple entries in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/sponsor-bolts-burton-loses-truck-ride/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's New Chase Format Explained​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Full Nationwide Slate For Kwasniewski​*
Turner Scott Motorsports has announced that Dylan Kwasniewski, the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, will run the full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule in 2014 driving the No. 31 Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet Camaro.

Kwasniewski, 18, will make his series debut in the season opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway on February 22.

"I'm thankful for Harry Scott and Steve Turner for giving me this opportunity, as well as Rockstar for moving up with us," Kwasniewski said. "The test session earlier this month at Daytona taught us a lot and it's good to enter Daytona with a level of confidence, not only for myself, but for Pat (Tryson) and all the guys. Racing in the Nationwide Series is going to present a lot of challenges and it won't be easy, but I look forward to taking it all on, learning from the other competitors and hopefully winning some races."

Kwasniewski, a native of Las Vegas, will bring Rockstar Energy Drink with him to the Nationwide Series. Rockstar Energy Drink, headquartered in Las Vegas, has partnered with Kwasniewski since 2009.

"Everyone at Rockstar is proud of the investment we have made in Dylan Kwasniewski," Jason May, executive vice president marketing for Rockstar Energy Drink stated. "He has demonstrated that he has the potential to become one of the best drivers on the planet and his transition into the NASCAR Nationwide Series at such a young age is proof of that. Rockstar is fortunate to be aligned with such a strong brand ambassador with an incredibly bright career in front of him."

Kwasniewski made his TSM debut last season and became the first driver ever to capture both the K&N East and West championships. In 14 starts, he earned six wins, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes, three poles and led 394 laps. He also was selected for the NASCAR Next program, an initiative to spotlight the sport's up-and-coming stars, for the second-consecutive year.

"Dylan is a great kid and has unbelievable talent," Harry Scott Jr. said. "Steve and I are thrilled that he is taking the next step in his career with us here at TSM. The sky is the limit for Dylan and this Rockstar team. He showed us what he's capable of last year and while he's making a big step, we know Dylan can achieve great things this year."

The Rockstar Energy Drink team will be led by veteran crew chief Pat Tryson. Tryson first joined TSM in August 2013 as crew chief for Nelson Piquet Jr. In 527 combined NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck events, he has led his teams to 10 wins, 66 top-five and 141 top-10 finishes and four poles.

Before competing in his first Nationwide Series race next month, Kwasniewski will compete in the ARCA Racing Series Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 15.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/full-nationwide-slate-for-kwasniewski/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Todd Parrott Joins Tommy Baldwin Racing​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing has hired Todd Parrott, who will serve as crew chief of the No. 36 Chevrolet SS for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season.

Parrott, a well known name in the garage, has been with multiple teams within the industry for over 20 years, making his debut as a crew chief in 1995 with Robert Yates Racing. Following in his father Buddy's footstep, who was inducted into the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, Parrott has achieved several accomplishments in NASCAR. Winning a championship in 1999 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett, Parrott has gone on to become the third most winning active crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage, with 31 wins, including two Daytona 500′s and two Brickyard 400′s.

"I'm glad to get back to the sport I love, and I've missed," said Parrott. "I'm looking forward to working with Tommy, Bono, Michael, and the driver of the No. 36. I'm hoping to try and build this team into something bigger and better. I'm humbled. I'm going to continue to do what I know how to do and just try to make racecars go fast. I'm tickled to be here."

"We at TBR are excited to take another step and grow our company with Todd Parrott," said team owner Tommy Baldwin. "He will be a great addition to the team. I think it's important for everyone in this sport to have a second chance. Todd has earned that right by handling everything as a professional, by going through the NASCAR mandated recovery process. He has two

Daytona 500 wins, and a championship, which has earned him his right in the industry, and we are proud to have him on board to help take the No. 36 to a new level."

The driver of the No. 36 Chevrolet SS for Tommy Baldwin Racing has not been announced.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/todd-parrott-joins-tommy-baldwin-racing/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reed Sorenson To Drive TBR No. 36​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) has announced that it will field the No. 36 Chevrolet SS with Reed Sorenson behind the wheel for the full 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Team owner Tommy Baldwin and newly hired crew chief Todd Parrott made the decision to bring Sorenson, the 27-year-old seasoned NASCAR driver, on board to assist in building the team and taking it to the next level.

"I will give them everything I've got to perform well," Sorenson said. "I'm confident with Todd's winning resume along with Tommy's accomplishments; it's going to lead to great things for this team. I'm thankful for TBR and all of their partners for allowing me to be their driver. I'm looking forward to helping TBR build on what they have already achieved and to help make the team better than they ever have been."

Baldwin noted that he's impressed with Sorenson's resume and feels he's the right guy for the job.

"It's cool to have Reed on board driving the No. 36. I've looked at his statistics and was really surprised at how well he's done," Baldwin said. "It's taken six years to get where we are now and the No. 36 car is only two or three years into it so, we're slowly building that and we're excited to have Reed on board with his experience at such a young age and ability to provide sound feedback to help us do that."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/reed-sorenson-to-drive-tbr-no-36/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Changes Penalty System​*
As part of its wide-ranging initiatives to transform its competition model, NASCAR today announced enhancements to its penalty structure and appeals process beginning this season.

In addition to these changes, NASCAR also announced the appointment of a Final Appeals Officer for the sport.

"NASCAR's Deterrence System is designed to help maintain the integrity and competitive balance of our sport while sending a clear message that rules violations will not be tolerated," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president of racing operations. "This is a more transparent and effective model that specifically spells out that 'X' infraction equals 'X' penalty for technical infractions.

"At the same time, we believe the Appeals process allows a fair opportunity for our NASCAR Members to be heard, and have penalty disputes resolved by an impartial, relevant group of people with the ability to handle the complexities inherent in any appeal. This system has been tailored specifically to fit the needs of our sport."

Bryan Moss, former president at Gulfstream Aerospace, has been selected as the Final Appeals Officer. Moss will hear matters on appeal from the lower three-member Appeals Panel, and serve as the last decision on penalty disputes for the sport. He replaces John Middlebrook in that position.
NASCAR's Deterrence System

NASCAR's Deterrence System is easily understood and specifically lays out exactly what disciplinary action will be taken depending on the type of technical infraction listed from warnings to six penalty levels in ascending order. Some of the Deterrence System elements include:

- The system starts with warnings (W) issued for very minor infractions, then are grouped into six levels - P1 (least significant) to P6 (most significant).

- Lower P levels list penalty options from which NASCAR may select (fines or points) while higher P levels are an all-inclusive combination of multiple penalty elements (points and fine and suspension, etc.).

- At the highest three levels of the system, if a rules infraction is discovered in post-race inspection, the one or more additional penalty elements are added on top of the standard prescribed penalty.

- Repeat offenses by the same car are addressed via a "recurrence multiplier," i.e. if a P4 penalty was received and a second P4 or higher infraction occurs in the same season, the subsequent penalty increases 50% above the normal standard.

- Suspensions are explained in greater detail.

- Behavioral infractions are still handled on case-by-case basis and are not built into the W, P1-P6 structure.

The 2014 Rule Book will explain how and why NASCAR issues penalties as well as the factors considered when determining a penalty. The Rule Book also will detail the types of infractions that fall within each level by citing examples that are included but not limited to:

- Warnings are issued instead of penalties for certain types of minor, first-time infractions.

- P1 penalties may result from multiple warnings to the same team.

- P2 penalties may include but are not limited to violations such as hollow components, expiration of certain safety certification or improper installation of a safety feature, or minor bracket and fasteners violations.

- P3 penalty options may include but are not limited to violations such as unauthorized parts, measurement failures, parts that fail their intended use, or coil spring violation.

- P4 level infractions may include but are not limited to violations such as devices that circumvent NASCAR templates and measuring equipment, or unapproved added weight .

- P5 level may include but are not limited to violations such as combustion-enhancing additives in the oil, oil filter, air filter element or devices,

systems, omissions, etc., that affect the normal airflow over the body.

- P6 level may include but are not limited to violations such as affecting the internal workings and performance of the engine, modifying the pre-certified chassis, traction control or affecting EFI or the ECU.
The National Motorsports Appeals Panel

The new Appeals process continues to provide two tiers for resolving disputes. On the first level before a three-member Appeals Panel, NASCAR has the burden of showing that a penalty violation has occurred. On the second and final level, only a NASCAR Member is allowed to appeal and they have the burden of showing the Final Appeals Officer that the panel decision was incorrect.

Some other Appeals changes include:

- Clearly identifying the procedural rights of NASCAR Members
- Detailing responsibilities of parties throughout the process
- Allowing parties the option to submit summaries on issues before the Appeals Panel

- Allowing NASCAR Members named in the penalty to be present during the entire hearing

- Appeals Administrator is not allowed to be present during panel deliberations

- Creating a clear Expedited Appeals Procedure when necessary
- Changing the name of the Appeals Panel to The National Motorsports Appeals Panel

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-changes-penalty-system/


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## Ckg2011

*50 Cent And SMS Audio Join Swan​*
Swan Racing has announced that it has partnered with SMS Audio for an exclusive two-year agreement to be an associate sponsor on the team's No. 26 and No. 30 Toyota Camrys in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

SMS Audio is an American consumer electronics manufacturer of headphones and audio products, founded by entertainer and entrepreneur Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.

"Swan Racing is very proud to partner with a growing worldwide brand like SMS Audio and to include an entrepreneur like 50 Cent as part of our team," said team owner Brandon Davis.

"The SMS Audio brand will be part of both our cars and I think our fans are going to love the product."

50 Cent serves as CEO of SMS Audio, which he founded in 2011. Created with the direct input from 50 Cent, SMS Audio has brought world-class audio products to consumers, delivering studio-mastered sound and unmatched durability and style.

"Swan Racing and its up-and-coming drivers are the perfect match for SMS Audio," said Jackson. "They are as passionate for the sport of racing as we are for our audio products, and we're confident that the music-loving NASCAR fan base is going to enjoy our headphones - whether at track or at home."
The partnership will include SMS Audio branding on both the No. 26 and No. 30 car, branding on the driver's uniforms and Swan-branded SMS Audio headphones featuring drivers Cole Whitt and Parker Kligerman. In addition, 50 Cent will be making appearances at races throughout the season, supporting the drivers and the partnership.

"I am pumped up for this partnership to say the least, as I am a huge hip-hop fan, I am a huge 50 fan and I rely on headphones to get me in the right pre-race mindset," said Parker Kligerman driver of the No. 30 Toyota Camry. "I have my headphones on anytime I am about to get on track. It's a way for me to focus and get pumped up."

"Our partnership with SMS Audio shows how Swan Racing is gaining more and more attention from top brands," said Cole Whitt driver of the No. 26 Toyota Camry. "I use headphones every day when I'm doing my workouts and video gaming, so I am definitely excited about my SMS Audio headphones and promoting them to our fans."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/50-cent-and-sms-audio-join-swan/


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## Ckg2011

*Frenchman Disdier Lands Truck Ride​*
Frenchman Michel Disdier will drive the No. 07 Green Light Racing Chevrolet Silverado in the season-opening Nextera Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Feb. 21 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Disdier is a second-generation driver who has raced throughout Europe in numerous types of vehicles for nearly 20 years. For the last ten years he has been pursuing his dream of becoming a NASCAR championship caliber driver competing on the high-speed tracks in the United States.

Disdier's first race in North America was in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series back in 2007 and since then he has made 11 starts in the ARCA Racing Series over the last six seasons with a best finish of 11th last year at Daytona.

"I have been racing for many years and it is my passion," said Disdier."Since I was a boy I have dreamed of racing in NASCAR and everything I have done since then has been directed at realizing my dream. In a few weeks my dream will come true and to describe the excitement I now feel is impossible."

SS Green Light Racing team owner Bobby Dotter brought Disdier to the NASCAR Preseason Thunder test last month where he received his NASCAR approval to race on superspeedways.

"We had a solid test several weeks back and Michel did a nice job with very limited seat time and seemed to pick-up the draft quickly," Dotter said. "He has a lot of passion for racing and we are pleased to be part of his NASCAR debut. I believe that he will do a good job for us at Daytona."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/frenchman-disdier-lands-truck-ride/


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## Ckg2011

*Myrtle Beach Backs Kentucky NW Run​*
Myrtle Beach, S.C., will be the title sponsor of the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Sept. 20 at Kentucky Speedway.

Myrtle Beach welcomes an average of 15 million annual visitors, many of whom travel from Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Myrtle Beach visitors experience true southern hospitality while enjoying 60 miles of beautiful, sandy beaches, more than 100 championship golf courses, countless family attractions, live entertainment and Carolina Coastal cuisine specializing in fresh seafood.

"We are excited to be the title sponsor of the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Nationwide Series race," said Scott Schult, executive vice president of marketing for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. "This partnership will help us expose the Visit Myrtle Beach experience to race fans throughout Kentucky, Ohio and the region. NASCAR fans and our visitors are very similar - they both love family fun and excitement. This is a great platform for creating future guests.""

The VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway will conclude a two-race weekend that begins Sept. 19 with the ARCA Racing Series Zloop 150.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/myrtle-beach-backs-kentucky-nw-run/


----------



## Ckg2011

_Ray Evernham (on the left) has left ESPN to serve as a consultant for Hendrick Motorsports. (Photo: Getty Images)_​
*Evernham Leaves ESPN for New Endeavor​*
Former crew chief Ray Evernham, who created one of NASCAR's most dominant teams in the 1990s with Jeff Gordon, will serve as a consultant to Hendrick Motorsports where he will be involved with the competition department.

Evernham made the announcement Tuesday on "SiriusXM Speedway" with hosts Dave Moody and Angie Skinner.

Evernham, who has served as a consultant for Hendrick Companies since 2011, also said that he no longer will be a part of ESPN's NASCAR broadcasts.

"Now not doing the ESPN thing will allow me to be involved in some of the management and some of the things that they're doing at (Hendrick) Motorsports,'' Evernham told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "The best way to avoid a conflict of interest is to choose one or the other. I'm excited about being able to go and being involved in the management team on the motorsports side.''

Said car owner Rick Hendrick in a statement: "Ray has a unique combination of business, racing competition and media experience. I'm excited about how he can continue to contribute to the organization in a variety of ways. We have a great friendship, and he's a valuable resource on a professional level."

Evernham told "SiriusXM Speedway" that he is not seeking to be a crew chief - something he's stated often in the past.

He admits he will be on a pit box, though, but in a different capacity.

"I'll be working with everybody at Hendrick Motorsports,'' Evernham told the show. "I've met with crew chiefs. I think I've got a good perspective as they face different challenges.

"I will be going to meetings and be involved in competition things that I've not been involved with in the past three years or so."

Evernham said he plans to attend about 15 races - nearly the same total he worked for ESPN. The network issued a statement Tuesday night about Evernham's departure: "We appreciate the contributions Ray has made to our NASCAR coverage and have enjoyed having him as part of our team. We wish him all the best."

Evernham and Gordon combined to win three championships and 47 races in the 1990s before Evernham left Hendrick Motorsports late in the 1999 season. He shepherded Dodge's return to NASCAR in 2001 as a car owner. He sold majority interest in his team in 2007 to George Gillett.

Evernham has been involved in numerous projects since. His most recent endeavor is as host of the car culture TV show "AmeriCarna" on Velocity. Hendrick is collaborating with Evernham on the show.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...PN-To-Focus-More-on-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jeb Burton Finds Ride At ThorSport​*
Jeb Burton, who recently lost his ride at Turner Scott Motorsports because of sponsorship woes, has signed with ThorSport Racing to open the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series seasons.

Burton, 21, the son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton and the fifth-place finisher in the 2013 Truck Series championship, will race ThorSport's No. 13 Toyotas in two events a week apart during Speedweeks 2014, Feb. 13-23, at Daytona International Speedway. The balance of Burton's 2014 program will be determined, in part by gaining additional sponsorship.

"The opportunity to come to ThorSport is a big deal for me, my career and my family," said Burton, who joins an organization that won 2013 championships in both NASCAR and ARCA. "It's an honor to me that Duke and Rhonda Thorson would make the call to put me in their vehicles - the best there is in both series.

"Mr. Thorson has proven his commitment to the Truck Series - he's a racer, that's what it's all about and it feels good to be here. I feel like it's a place where I can race, and win for many years."

Burton joins a driver lineup that includes 2013 Truck Series champion Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, who finished fourth in the championship, one point ahead of Burton.

"Having Jeb join the ThorSport family, without question, gives us the strongest driver lineup in the Camping World Truck Series and a talented young man that gives us an opportunity to win another championship," ThorSport vice president of corporate partnerships Matt LaNeve said. "We are actively seeking sponsorship and feel like his team, and our organization have a lot of value to any potential partner."

Burton has an impressive record in his first 27 Truck Series races - a five-race schedule in 2012 and the full slate in 2013. He won the 2013 Keystone Light season-long pole award with seven poles - including his first in his seventh career start.

Burton completed 99.4 percent of the laps he attempted in 2013. Burton won his first Truck Series race in his 12th career start, in June 2013 at Texas Motor Speedway. Last season he also made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with an eighth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway.

"I can't tell you how great it is to get this deal done in a very short amount of time," ThorSport team manager David Pepper said. "This gives us a great driver that can win both the Truck and ARCA races over the next couple weeks.

"We've had our eyes on Jeb the last few years and one thing that really stands out is how well he gets along with Matt and Johnny and the respect they have for each other. To have the opportunity to get Jeb into our ThorSport family of drivers is a great move for both parties."

Burton's first race with ThorSport, the Saturday, Feb. 15 Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real, will be driving a Toyota Camry for the team that won the 2013 ARCA drivers' and owners' championships and was a large part of Toyota winning last season's ARCA manufacturers' title, its first in that series.

The following week, Burton will jump into the No. 13 Carolina Nut Co. Toyota Tundra that pushed Sauter to the win and Crafton to ninth place before it finished 11th driven by Todd Bodine in the 2013 NextEra Energy Resources 250, which is scheduled on Friday, Feb. 21.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/jeb-burton-finds-ride-at-thorsport/


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## Ckg2011

*Toyota Supports Daytona Rising​*
The International Speedway Corp. today announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A. Inc. that will make Toyota the first Founding Partner at Daytona Int'l Speedway as part of its unprecedented $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project.

DAYTONA Rising is ISC's complete reimagining of the fan and sponsor experience at its iconic Daytona Int'l Speedway, a multi-year project encompassing the Speedway's nearly one-mile long frontstretch that, upon completion in January 2016, will create a world-class facility with premium amenities unmatched in the industry. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"When we started drafting the designs of DAYTONA Rising, we envisioned partnering with equally forward-thinking organizations like Toyota to bring forth the very best experience for our fans and guests," said ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. "Toyota has been a great partner for many years and we will continue to work together to enhance the fan experience at many of our facilities across the country."

Beginning in 2015, the 11-year agreement will provide Toyota with naming rights for one of five fan injectors. The massive, new and redesigned entry statement includes over 20,000 square feet of Toyota engagement and fan experience that vertically spans four concourse levels.

The Toyota brand will also have a presence in the new "World Center of Racing" zone, the central "neighborhood" overlooking Daytona's famed start/finish line inside the new frontstretch facility. The "World Center of Racing" zone is roughly the area of two football fields where Daytona Int'l Speedway, its partners and race fans will celebrate the history and legacy of racing at the iconic motorsports venue. Fans will be able to socialize and enjoy themselves in this area prior to, during and after a race.

Ten additional neighborhoods, each the size of a football field, will be located throughout the new frontstretch with custom bar, retail and dining areas, as well as dozens of video screens to provide fans with non-stop views of on-track action while they mingle with friends. Toyota will also have branding rights to a neighborhood near the Toyota injector.

Additionally, Toyota will serve as an official partner of "The Great American Race," the Daytona 500, and will receive official pace car rights in 2015.

"DAYTONA Rising represents our commitment to delivering engaging and innovative ways for our partners to showcase their brand," said Daytona Int'l Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "We're proud to integrate Toyota into this historic project. Our fans and guests will now enjoy more exciting, innovative and engaging experiences from the moment they enter the new facility to the time they reach their seats and beyond."

In addition to the Founding Partner status with DAYTONA Rising, Toyota also extended the following sponsorship rights at other ISC venues:

- Race entitlement sponsorship of the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series races at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway

- Pace Car rights at Auto Club Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Phoenix Int'l Raceway, Richmond Int'l Raceway and Watkins Glen Int'l for each NASCAR major event weekend, as well as Official Vehicle at Route 66 Raceway

The partnership was announced today at the Chicago Auto Show, the same location where Toyota initially revealed its plans more than 10 years ago to participate for the first time in NASCAR, as part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"This is a unique opportunity for Toyota to elevate our brand in the motorsports community, especially through the DAYTONA Rising project," said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "ISC and Daytona International Speedway will provide strong platforms to interact with our guests and most importantly, our race fans."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/toyota-supports-daytona-rising/


----------



## Ckg2011

*JR Adds Sponsors For Harvick​*
JR Motorsports has added five sponsorship partnerships that will bring Kevin Harvick's NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule to 13 races.

Headlining the partner lineup is Morton Buildings, which will sponsor Harvick at two venues - Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26) and Kansas Speedway (Oct. 4).

Based in Morton, Ill., Morton Buildings specializes in constructing high-quality, long-lasting structures ranging from farm shops, equestrian facilities, hobby buildings, garages, churches, municipal buildings, airplane hangars, custom homes, commercial structures and general storage buildings.

"We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with NASCAR, Kevin Harvick and JR Motorsports," said Brian Haraf, marketing manager for Morton Buildings Inc. "We are continually impressed with the fan base and the support from the teams and other sponsors."

Four additional partners have signed one-race sponsorships for Harvick - Great Clips at Phoenix Int'l Raceway (March 1), TaxSlayer.com at Auto Club Speedway (March 22), Tide at Richmond Int'l Raceway (April 25) and Bad Boy Buggies at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Aug. 30).

They join primaries Hunt Brothers Pizza (four races) and Armour (three races) to make up Harvick's current 13-race schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this year. JR Motorsports is working to fill out inventory for the remainder of the season with additional drivers.

"Kevin has generated a lot of interest in our racing program from new companies and our returning partners," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports. "His excitement about the upcoming season is infectious and has really lit a fire under everyone at JR Motorsports to match that intensity with all three of our teams."

Two of JR Motorsports' returning partners, Great Clips and TaxSlayer.com, are sponsoring Harvick for the first time but have larger sponsorship relationships with the company. Great Clips will carry associate placement on Chase Elliott's No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet through all of 2014, and TaxSlayer.com is a cornerstone partner and primary sponsor of Regan Smith's No. 7 Chevrolet.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/jr-adds-sponsors-for-harvick/


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## Ckg2011

*Shepherd Will Attempt To Make Daytona 500​*
Morgan Shepherd will attempt to become the oldest driver to race in the Daytona 500 when he attempts to qualify for the 56th running of the event at Daytona Int'l Speedway later this month.

Shepherd, who is 72 years old, will be driving the No. 93 Support Military Foundation Toyota in collaboration with BK Racing, Randy MacDonald and Dell Hamilton of the Support Military Foundation.

Foundation President Col Steve West, USAF and his staff have worked diligently to ensure that their Heroes Behind the Camo Experience is making a difference.

"Morgan Shepherd is a true icon in the sport of racing and driving in our honor makes us proud," West said.

Shepherd most recently partnered with Support Military Foundation to become the oldest driver to compete in a Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., last season at the age of 71. Shepherd has competed in the Daytona 500 15 times, with a career-best finish of second in 1992 while driving for the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/shepherd-will-attempt-to-make-daytona-500/


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## Ckg2011

*Cheever III Gets NASCAR Euro Series Ride​*
Eddie Cheever's racing days began as a young boy in Italy and led him to Victory Lane of the Indianapolis 500. Now his son, Eddie Cheever III, is ready to pursue his dreams.

The 20-year-old aspires to drive in the Daytona 500. And for the second-generation driver who was born and raised in Rome, Italy, the next step to fulfilling that dream is the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. The younger Cheever announced today that he will run for the Elite Division championship for Italian-based CAAL Racing in 2014.

"For European drivers, stock car racing is new and the Whelen Euro Series is the best way to start your career as a NASCAR driver," said Cheever, who comes from an open-wheel background, but looks forward to trying stock car racing for the first time in his career. "The CAAL Racing team is new to the series, but they have a lot of experience with other cars in Europe. The shop is close to my house and I look forward to working hard and driving for the team."

Cheever began racing Go-Karts at age 12. At age 15, he graduated to open-wheel competitions, racing in professional series in Italy and throughout Europe winning the 2012 Italian F3 European championship. Last December, he tested a Ferrari GT3 with the Italian team AF Corse. His goal, however, has always been to be a professional race car driver in the U.S.
And NASCAR has been his primary focus.

"I really like the NASCAR style of racing," Cheever said. "There's more action and more things a driver can do. The driver seems to have a bigger input in NASCAR than open-wheel racing. You feel like you're more in control. I like both kinds of racing, but I think the right thing for me at this point is to focus on NASCAR.

Cheever's teammate Simone Laureti will run in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series' Open Division. The season will open on April 12-13 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/cheever-iii-gets-nascar-euro-series-ride/


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## Ckg2011

*Accell Continues Support Of TBR​*
Accell Construction will return to Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) as a primary sponsor of the of the No. 7 Chevrolet SS driven by Michael Annett for six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events.

The Oklahoma-based company will continue its partnership with TBR for the fourth consecutive season commencing at Phoenix Int'l Raceway on March 2.

"Accell has been an important part of TBR's growth," said team owner Tommy Baldwin. "We are pleased to keep that relationship going."

Accell Construction owner Steve Todhunter was happy to continue the partnership with TBR.

"We are very excited to be starting our fourth year Sprint Cup Series with TBR," Todhunter said. "The 2014 season will begin with a new car number and driver for us as we welcome Michael Annett and the No. 7 team to our racing resume. We have enjoyed our racing relationship with TBR over the last three years and wish the 36 well."

"I'm looking forward to having Accell come on board the No. 7 car this season," said Annett. "Their support is a key element in bringing forward momentum to TBR."

The Accell Construction brand will adorn the No. 7 car at both events at Phoenix Int'l Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/accell-continues-support-of-tbr/


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## Ckg2011

*Tagliani Shifts To Canadian Tire Series​*
Alex Tagliani, the 2011 Indianapolis 500 polesitter, will compete full-time in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2014 in the No. 18 Team EpiPen Dodge.

"Pfizer is pleased to be entering the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series as Alex Tagliani's title sponsor," said Allen Van Der Wee, General Manager, Global Established Products Business Unit at Pfizer Canada Inc, the makers of EpiPen. "We are looking forward to partnering with Alex for a second year to raise awareness for food allergies and anaphylaxis management."

Tagliani unveiled the car that he will drive next season in Canada's premier stock‐car series today at the eighth annual Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto

Tagliani also announced the second year of the Summer of TAG (Treating Allergies with Genuine care), which will support his charity of choice, Anaphylaxis Canada, in their efforts to engage Canadians in a conversation about effective management of food allergies and what to do in the event of a reaction.

"As someone with a severe allergy to peanuts and tree nuts, I am extremely happy to once again be teaming up with Pfizer Canada and Anaphylaxis Canada to raise awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis," said Tagliani, who has one Canadian Tire Series victory on his resume. "I'm looking forward to an exciting summer of racing with the NASCAR Canadian Tire series and meeting fans right across Canada."

With the goal of getting school children actively involved with Team EpiPen, Tagliani's school visits will coincide with the launch of a Race Car Design Contest and a second edition of the Helmet Design contest. These two initiatives will give students the opportunity to see their allergy awareness message and design appear on the Canadian driver's car and helmet. The helmet with the winning design will be auctioned off at the end of the season to raise funds for Anaphylaxis Canada.

Tagliani most recently competed in the IndyCar Series, driving for Barracuda Racing in 13 events last season before being released by the team. He raced in the IndyCar season finale at California's Auto Club Speedway on Oct. 19, 2013 in place of injured driver Dario Franchitti. His best career finish in IndyCar competition was fourth on three occasions.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/tagliani-shifts-to-canadian-tire-series/


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## Ckg2011

*PIR Gains Sprint Cup Race Sponsor​*
Phoenix Int'l Raceway announced today that CNBC's "The PROFIT," the popular entrepreneurial reality series, has joined the track's team of corporate partners.

As part of the new relationship, "The PROFIT" will act as the official title sponsor for the track's March 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, now called The Profit on CNBC 500, Presented by Small Business Fueling America.

The announcement was made today on CNBC by Phoenix Int'l Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber and Marcus Lemonis, serial entrepreneur and star of CNBC's "The Profit." Steve Phelps, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, joined them for the announcement.

"We are excited to partner with Marcus and his team at 'The PROFIT' and CNBC on our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race next month," Sperber said. "Small businesses have been fueling NASCAR from its very beginning, so this partnership is a great match."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/pir-gains-spring-cup-race-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*Battle At The Beach On TV/Radio​*
The second annual UNOH Battle At The Beach Feb. 18 at Daytona Int'l Speedway will air live on television and radio.

FOX Sports 2 will broadcast the event live beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Motor Racing Network will go on the air at 6:45 p.m. with its pre-show, and the broadcast will be streamed live at MRN.com and simulcast by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

The evening kicks off with the special non-points combination event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points race follows at approximately 8:45 p.m. Both races will be 150 laps on the .37-mile oval.

Last year, popular veteran Steve Park used a little "chrome horn" to pass nine-time champion Mike Stefanik for the modified victory, while Cameron Hayley picked up his first NASCAR win in the K&N Pro Series race.

In addition to the live broadcast, the Whelen Modified race re-airs the same day, at 11 p.m., on FOX Sports 1. The K&N Pro Series East race re-airs on FOX Sports 1 on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m., following live NASCAR Sprint Cup practice from Daytona (4-5:30 p.m.) and leading into live NASCAR Sprint Cup practice beginning at 6:30 p.m.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/battle-at-the-beach-on-tvradio/


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## Ckg2011

*Mexico Toyota Series Returning To PIR​*
The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series return to Phoenix Int'l Raceway for an encore, opening its season at the one-mile oval for the second consecutive season Feb. 28.

The Toyota 120 will share the weekend with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In an historic first, the race will air LIVE on mun2 - the U.S. Hispanic cable network, a division of Telemundo Media.

Abraham Calderon won last year's wildly popular inaugural event last season - a race that marked the first NASCAR international series to hold a points race in the U.S.

"NASCAR stock car racing has really grown over the last decade in Mexico, thanks in large part to the tremendous success of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of touring & weekly racing. "Bringing the series to Phoenix, we are able to showcase to fans in the United States the exciting racing and high-level of competition of the series."

This year's race will be 120 laps, an increase in length from last year's 75-lap event. Calderon, who led the final 62 laps to pick up his first career win in that race, will be back and will be challenged by the series' rising young stars such as Daniel Suarez and Ruben Garcia Jr.

Drivers from a dozen Mexican states including Chihuahua, Jalisco, and Sinaloa as well as Mexico City, will all be chasing defending series champion Rodrigo Perralta.

"At Deportes Telemundo we are very excited to bring the most popular motorsport in the U.S. to the Hispanic audience for the first time on our cable network mun2," said Jorge Hidalgo, Telemundo Media's Executive Vice President of Network Sports. "These highly popular NASCAR properties are a perfect complement to our Deportes Telemundo offering."

The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series is in its eighth year under the NASCAR banner.

"Bringing back the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series is something that we started discussing the moment the checkered flag dropped on last year's race," said Bryan R. Sperber, president of PIR. "The drivers really wowed our fans - the racing was tremendous from start to finish. It's an important race for our track and our community, and it means a lot to have a sponsor the caliber of Toyota on board to help us put on this event."
PIR is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/mexico-toyota-series-returning-to-pir/


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## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Knows It's Time to Go​*
Clint Bowyer enters the final season of his contract with Michael Waltrip Racing hoping to return to 2012 form.

He finished second in the points that season and won three races, leading many to believe 2013 would be as strong a year. Instead, Bowyer went winless and finished seventh in the points. That step back motivates Bowyer for this season.

"I need to prove myself not only to myself and to (the media) but everybody else,'' Bowyer said. "We didn't win a race last year. That sucked.''

A free agent at the end of the season, the 34-year-old Bowyer knows this could be a key point in his career.

"Everybody wants to talk about pressure,'' Bowyer said. "It's contract time again. I've got to perform. You've got to build your brand as stout as you can. Every year people are trying to protect their rides, look for other ones or whatever the case may be. That's nerve-racking time.''

Unless NASCAR changes its policy on organizations having no more than four teams - don't hold your breath - it would seem that Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports would not be options for Bowyer.

Stewart-Haas Racing added Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick in the offseason to a stable that includes co-owner Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick. Hendrick Motorsports does not have any openings with Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. all signed through at least 2015.

Still, there are plenty of other teams. If any sponsors align with Bowyer, that could make it easier for him to move to another team - as he did in going from Richard Childress Racing to MWR before the 2012 season. Of course, Bowyer could remain at Michael Waltrip Racing where his 20 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes are more than he's had in any other two-year period in Cup.

"As far as I'm concerned, we've got a great platform, we've got great sponsors,'' Bowyer said of MWR. "I want to be here.''

Another strong season will make it easy for him to stay. Of course, a strong season will increase his value with other teams.

For now, his focus is on this season.

He could be one to watch with the new Chase format. If Bowyer makes it to Homestead-Miami Speedway with a chance to win the championship, he could be the favorite. Bowyer's average finish the past three years at that track is 4.3 - best among any of the drivers in last year's Chase.

He feels he can duplicate that success with few changes on his team. Crew chief Brian Pattie is back.

"We're exactly the way we've been since 2012,'' Bowyer said of his team. "A key to success is people and we need to keep all those people together.''

The question is when this season ends, if he'll be back with the same group at Michael Waltrip Racing or holding a new contract with another team.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/02/2014-Clint-Bowyer-Preview.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Motivated for 2014​*
The expectation is that Brad Keselowski is frothing to start the season, that failing to make the Chase last year fuels him, that his desire will overcome any obstacles, that. ... Just stop right there.

Yes, Keselowski doesn't want to repeat last season's disappointments, but to think it will push him even more this season is not realistic, he suggests. He's already focused. His motivation, one could say, is fear. Fear of running out of chances.

"As a racecar driver, you only get so many years,'' Keselowski said. "The pressure that I put on myself is knowing a career might last five years, 10 years, 15, 20, 30 if you're lucky. Every year's is another tick off that clock. We have the resources and the team to get it done. I want to make sure I get it done and don't lose a year.''

He turns 30 next week, two days before climbing into his car at Daytona International Speedway to begin his fifth full Sprint Cup season.

Keseslowski understands that lost opportunities cannot be regained. Mechanical issues, an inconsistent pit crew and Keselowski's mistakes contributed to a season that saw him become only the second reigning champion in the Chase era to miss the Chase.

"I made a couple of mistakes just trying too hard, trying to overcome different things,'' Keselowski said.

He notes moves he attempted at restrictor-plate tracks that cost him several spots. It compounded a season that saw his team struggle with overheating and fuel-pickup problems early. Add to that the two penalties that cost him enough points to miss the Chase. Ford's new nose should alleviate the overheating issues. The fuel pickup problems were fixed and changes are being made to the pit crew.

"What we need to do is execute,'' said car owner Roger Penske, who signed Keselowski and sponsor Miller Lite through 2017 last fall. "We can talk about all the other excuses we have. Right now it's all about execution. We've got good drivers, we've got sponsors, and I think we've got some great team members.''

Keselowski has a strong teammate in Joey Logano. Keselowski pushed for the team to sign Logano before the 2013 season. Logano responded by finishing eight in the points - best among Ford's drivers. More is expected and that could help Keselowski.

"He's done a great job with that program,'' Keselowski said of Logano. "He's taken it to new levels to get back on part to where it was when Kurt (Busch) was in the car. It's important for both of us that our respective teammate runs well. I think you need that depth in a team.''

That help could prove valuable after a series of changes NASCAR made in the offseason not only to the Chase format and qualifying but to cars. Keselowski said the new rules - including no ride height requirement - "makes the car drive drastically different. It's definitely a radical departure from what we've had to drive. The cars continuously get easier to drive by themselves and harder to drive in traffic.''

While that could challenge Keselowski, he's not overwhelmed by what the new rules will do to the cars. Too many other good things are going on around him.

"I feel like our team finished 2013 in the exact same spot in 2011 and set ourselves up for 2012,'' Keselowski said, noting his 2012 title season. "That gives me a lot of confidence.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/02/2014-Brad-Keseslowski-Preview.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*#98 team gets sponsor for Las Vegas​*
the #98 Chevy of Phil Parsons Racing will have sponsorship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as Ambient Edge [HVAC] will adorn the car driven by Josh Wise. See an image of the scheme on the http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2014/sprintcup/diecast/98ambient-edge-layout.jpg

*Source:*
http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20140208c


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## Ckg2011

*Ryan Truex Gets Daytona Truck Seat​*
Turner Scott Motorsports announced today that Ryan Truex will be behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway, making his second-career start for the organization.

The two-time consecutive NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion's Silverado will be sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, a leading retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor equipment.

Truex, who won the K&N Pro Series East championship in 2009 and 2010, made his Truck Series debut in 2012, running two events and earning a best finish of ninth at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. The 21-year-old Mayetta, N.J., native made his TSM debut in the 2013 event in Daytona, finishing 28th after a blown tire took him out of contention for the win with nine laps remaining.
Truex also made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2013, running three events for what is now HScott Motorsports, owned by TSM co-owner Harry Scott Jr.

"I'm really excited to be running for Turner Scott Motorsports again this year," said Truex. "Last year was a lot of fun and we had a really good truck. Unfortunately, we had a tire go out in the end, but we were making our way toward the front. I'm looking to do the same thing again this year and stay up front this time. I think it's really cool that Bass Pro Shops is coming on board again and helping me out. I appreciate that they wanted to do this again after doing this race with me last year."

Turner Scott Motorsports had a strong run in the Daytona Truck Series race last season, with all four entries securing starting spots in the top 10. Jeb Burton earned the team's best finish (fifth), followed by Miguel Paludo (seventh) and James Buescher (13th).

"I'm very excited to have Ryan back in our truck this season," said Scott. "He ran a heck of a race for us last year and was competing for the win until the very end. I'm glad that he's going to have a chance to come back and have a shot at the win that eluded him last year. I'm hoping that he and Ben [Kennedy] will work well together and that Ben will be able to learn from Ryan and his experience from last year."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/ryan-truex-gets-daytona-truck-seat/


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## Ckg2011

*Anderson's Maple Syrup Backs RCR & Scott​*
Richard Childress Racing announced today that Anderson's Maple Syrup will serve as a primary sponsor for two races this season with driver Brian Scott and the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR Nationwide Series team.

The Wisconsin-based company will serve as the primary partner on the No. 2 Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway on March 22 and Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24. In addition to the two-race primary sponsorship, Anderson's will also have an associate sponsorship presence on the No. 2 machine throughout the 2014 season.

"Our partnership with a legendary team like RCR is something Anderson's Maple Syrup is very proud of for this year," said Steve Anderson, President of Anderson's Maple Syrup. "We certainly have high expectations for Brian Scott in 2014 and know he will be a great spokesman for our family brand."

Family-owned and operated for more than 80 years, Anderson's Maple Syrup started as a hobby and has since grown into a quality business. After selling all their farming equipment in the late 1940's to dedicate themselves to the maple syrup industry, the family is one of the largest packagers of pure maple syrup in the Midwest and a top equipment dealer in the region.

"Let's just say, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day," Scott said. "And who doesn't love maple syrup? I'm really looking forward to being a part of the Anderson's Maple Syrup family and having them on board our No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro at Auto Club Speedway and for the home race in Charlotte. Nothing would be sweeter than a trip to Victory Lane."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/andersons-maple-syrup-backs-rcr-scott/


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## Ckg2011

*Richard Petty Questions Patrick's Chances of Winning​*
Richard Petty said in an interview Sunday *that the only way Danica Patrick would win a race was "if everybody else stayed home.''*

Petty's comments, made during an appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto were reported by Wheels.ca. A spokesperson for Richard Petty Motorsports said the team would have no further comment and stated that Petty was giving his opinion.

Petty also acknowledged in that same interview that Patrick has been good for NASCAR.

"If she'd have been a male, nobody would ever know if she'd showed up at a racetrack," Petty said, according to Wheels.ca. "This is a female deal that's driving her. There's nothing wrong with that, because that's good PR for me. More fans come out, people are more interested in it. She has helped to draw attention to the sport, which helps everybody in the sport."

A spokesman for Patrick said they had no comment.

Patrick likely will be asked about it Thursday during media day at Daytona International Speedway.

Last year, Kyle Petty called Patrick a "marketing machine" and "not a racecar driver.'' He made those comments on "NASCAR Race Hub" and on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

"That's where I have a problem,'' Kyle Petty said on the TV show now seen on Fox Sports 1. "Where fans have bought into the hype of the marketing, to think she's a race car driver. She can go fast, and I've seen her go fast. She drives the wheels off it when she goes fast. She's not a racecar driver. There's a difference. 'The King' (Richard Petty) always had that stupid saying, but it's true, 'Lots of drivers can drive fast, but very few drivers can race.' Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs.''

Patrick brushed off those comments from Kyle Petty last year.

"I just think it's funny how he said I can qualify and I can't race," Patrick said. "Those of you who actually watch what I do know I can't qualify for crap and in the race things go much better. It's a little bit funny. The most important thing to me is I can keep my team happy, we're going in the right direction.''

As for the criticism, Patrick said in June: "I really don't care. It's true that there are plenty of people who say bad things about me. I read them. At the end of the day, you get over that stuff and trust that you are doing a good job.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es-Danica-Patrick-Will-Win-A-NASCAR-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Seeks Stability​*
Tony Stewart is hoping his third crew chief since starting at Stewart-Haas Racing will lead him back to being consistently competitive.

Chad Johnston will call the shots for Stewart and the No. 14 Chevrolet out of the Stewart-Haas Racing stable this season. He follows Darian Grubb and Steve Addington who were Stewart's last two crew chiefs at SHR.

Throw in Greg Zipadelli, SHR's director of competition, who was Stewart's crew chief in their Joe Gibbs Racing days, and the three-time champion has had a variety of voices in his ear in recent years.

But Stewart thinks Johnston is the right man for the job and cites his track record at Michael Waltrip Racing and a recommendation from Mark Martin, who raced at MWR before joining Stewart's team as a consultant.

"Chad did some great things at MWR during his time there and Mark speaks very highly of working with him,'' Stewart said.

In addition to finding chemistry and stability with Johnston, Stewart also has the added challenge of coming back from a serious leg injury that sidelined him in August and caused him to miss the final 15 Sprint Cup races of the season.

He admits he won't be 100 percent when Speedweeks kicks off and also knows the risk of reinjuring himself. But Stewart remains undaunted.

"The reality is it could get injured again," he said. "The risk is no more than it normally would be, it's just a matter of what we have to do comfort-wise. We're trying to be proactive and think of everything we can, whether it's adding padding here and there to make it more comfortable, to protect it. We're trying to make sure we're doing things that will keep it from being aggravated or re-injured."

There's also more than simply getting back to being physically fit for Stewart once he climbs behind the wheel. But Stewart believes he's more than ready on that front.

"I've broke my hand before,'' he said. "I've broken my shoulder blade, the back of my left hip. I've had injuries, but not to this extent. That strength comes back very quickly once you get in the car. We're still doing a lot of things in therapy that's building that strength as well. 
"Driving a race car is as much mental as it is physical and on the mental side we're plenty good and ready to go."

NASCAR has cleared Stewart to return to racing Feb. 13.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Stewart-Seeks-Stability.aspx


----------



## Jeff

Ckg2011 said:


> *Richard Petty Questions Patrick's Chances of Winning​*
> Richard Petty said in an interview Sunday *that the only way Danica Patrick would win a race was "if everybody else stayed home.''*
> 
> Petty's comments, made during an appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto were reported by Wheels.ca. A spokesperson for Richard Petty Motorsports said the team would have no further comment and stated that Petty was giving his opinion.
> 
> Petty also acknowledged in that same interview that Patrick has been good for NASCAR.
> 
> "If she'd have been a male, nobody would ever know if she'd showed up at a racetrack," Petty said, according to Wheels.ca. "This is a female deal that's driving her. There's nothing wrong with that, because that's good PR for me. More fans come out, people are more interested in it. She has helped to draw attention to the sport, which helps everybody in the sport."
> 
> A spokesman for Patrick said they had no comment.
> 
> Patrick likely will be asked about it Thursday during media day at Daytona International Speedway.
> 
> Last year, Kyle Petty called Patrick a "marketing machine" and "not a racecar driver.'' He made those comments on "NASCAR Race Hub" and on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
> 
> "That's where I have a problem,'' Kyle Petty said on the TV show now seen on Fox Sports 1. "Where fans have bought into the hype of the marketing, to think she's a race car driver. She can go fast, and I've seen her go fast. She drives the wheels off it when she goes fast. She's not a racecar driver. There's a difference. 'The King' (Richard Petty) always had that stupid saying, but it's true, 'Lots of drivers can drive fast, but very few drivers can race.' Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs.''
> 
> Patrick brushed off those comments from Kyle Petty last year.
> 
> "I just think it's funny how he said I can qualify and I can't race," Patrick said. "Those of you who actually watch what I do know I can't qualify for crap and in the race things go much better. It's a little bit funny. The most important thing to me is I can keep my team happy, we're going in the right direction.''
> 
> As for the criticism, Patrick said in June: "I really don't care. It's true that there are plenty of people who say bad things about me. I read them. At the end of the day, you get over that stuff and trust that you are doing a good job.''
> 
> *Source:*
> http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es-Danica-Patrick-Will-Win-A-NASCAR-Race.aspx


I lost a lot of respect for Richard today. I've never been a Danica fan, and there's probably a lot of truth to what he said, but he shouldn't have commented on it. It was a low blow, and didn't show the kind of class you would expect from Richard Petty. If people keep piling on her I might have to start pulling for her, which I never thought I'd say.


----------



## Ckg2011

I hope she wins a Cup race this season. Winning the 500 would be amazing. :yes


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gray Gaulding Ready For The Next Step​*
Advancement is about tackling the next challenge followed by searching for another.

The next steps for Gray Gaulding, 16, are fairly cut and dried - battle for a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship in 2014 and begin the progression through NASCAR's national series ranks.

The Colonial Heights, Va., driver begins the pursuit of the former on Sunday, Feb. 16 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. Coming off a somewhat controversial NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win last November at Phoenix Int'l Raceway, Gaulding is ready to get down to business.

In that Phoenix event, the then 15-year-old Gaulding made contact with race leader Cole Custer on the final lap and went on to claim his first NASCAR touring series victory.

"Winning that final race last year was huge," said the youngest member the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport. "I know it was a little controversial, but I'm supposed to win races. The opportunity was there to win and I took it."

Last year's K&N East champion Dylan Kwasniewski has taken his game to the NASCAR Nationwide Series leaving the title up for grabs. Just five of last season's top 10 drivers including Gaulding are entered for the New Smyrna race.

"I know there are a lot of great drivers coming back and a lot of great ones coming in, but (the championship) is there for the taking," said Gaulding. "That's absolutely our goal as we enter the season."

After finishing seventh in points a season ago with three top-five and eight top-10 finishes, the youngster was pleased with the effort despite not getting a K&N East win.

"There were a couple we could've won and it's easy to look back and see the things you could've done differently," he said. "It was a pretty good year. We were in position to win races, won a pole and led laps. We'll keep marching forward."

That march will have a little different look to it in 2014. Gaulding drove a family-owned Krispy Kreme-sponsored Toyota last year in his rookie campaign. This season, he joined forces with Brennan Newberry at NTS Motorsports with the doughnut chain in tow, but now in a Chevrolet. Both Gaulding and Newberry will drive full K&N East schedules and make NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts along the way.

Gaulding stands to become the youngest driver to start a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at 16 years, 1 month, 19 days on March 29 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/gray-gaulding-ready-for-the-next-step/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wiley X Sponsoring 14 NASCAR Drivers​*
Wiley X, Inc. has announced its team of sponsored NASCAR drivers.

Among the Wiley X Pro Racing Team this year are proven champions, racing legends, perennial fan favorites and up-and-coming stars.

Among Wiley X's stable of sponsored NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Greg Biffle.
These drivers have been selected not only for their racing skills, but for their ability to serve as ambassadors for the Wiley X sunglasses brand.

Wiley X will also be sponsoring drivers Aric Almirola, Ron Hornaday Jr., Michael McDowell, Joe Nemechek, John Hunter Nemechek, David Ragan, Joey Coulter and Chad Hackenbracht.

Fifteen-year-old racing protégé Gray Gaulding, who signed with Wiley X last year, is also an important part of the team.

Wiley X is also the official sunglass of Roush Fenway Racing.

"Our company has a long history sponsoring NASCAR drivers, but we are particularly excited about this group and the racing season ahead," said Wiley X Co-Owner Myles Freeman, Jr. "We have very high expectations and look forward to supporting - and rooting for - our drivers as they compete on the NASCAR circuit and chase the Sprint Cup during 2014."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/wiley-x-sponsoring-14-nascar-drivers/


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## Ckg2011

*Sauter Gets Support From Smokey Mountain​*
Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, America's original and best-selling tobacco-free smokeless brand, will sponsor Johnny Sauter's No. 98 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra in six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, beginning with the series' second race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in March.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/sauter-gets-support-from-smokey-mountain/


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## Ckg2011

*NBC Sports Launching New NASCAR Show​*
The day after the next Daytona 500 champion is crowned, NBC Sports Network will introduce NASCAR AMERICA, a new 30-minute daily show dedicated to the nation's longstanding fascination with speed and stock car racing.

Making its debut on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 24, and returning each weekday at the same time and place, NASCAR AMERICA will cover the sport from all angles, delivering news, highlights and access to NASCAR's dynamic stars and personalities. The announcement was made today by Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN.

Each episode of NASCAR AMERICA will bring fans closer to everything that drives this American pastime with in-depth access to the drivers, crew chiefs and team owners that are integral to the sport, opinions and analysis from NASCAR's most prominent personalities, and exclusive looks inside the high-tech race shops and storied racing venues that dot the country.

"NASCAR AMERICA will engage the true racing fan in a number of ways, providing viewers with a mix of breaking news, storytelling and daily features," said Flood. "We're going to celebrate the traditions as well as the changing landscape of the sport from coast to coast with wide-ranging content that feeds America's passion for racing."

Originating from NBC Sports Group's International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., as well as a new NBC Sports' studio located in the racing hotbed of Charlotte, N.C., NASCAR AMERICA's primary host is Rick Allen. Allen, who will usher in NBC Sports' live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing as lead announcer in July 2015, will interact daily with NBC Sports motorsports reporters Marty Snider and Kelly Stavast. Snider and Stavast, both based in Charlotte, N.C., will operate on location throughout the country to deliver the latest news and features on NASCAR's drivers and race teams. NBC Sports Group's IndyCar and Formula One play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey will also serve as host of NASCAR AMERICA.

Alongside Allen in the studio will be a constant rotation of guest analysts offering fresh perspectives and insights. Guest analysts who will join NASCAR AMERICA throughout February and March include NBC Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, and crew chief Frank Stoddard. Future guest analysts, which will include former and current drivers and crew chiefs, NASCAR executives, and even prominent fans such as NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, will be announced at a later date.

"The excitement and energy that the NBC Sports team is pouring into all the great ideas and concepts for NASCAR AMERICA has me convinced that this show will be special for race fans," said Burton. "I'm looking forward to contributing to NASCAR AMERICA, and watching it as well."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nbc-sports-launching-new-nascar-show/


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## Ckg2011

*Speed Stick GEAR To Sponsor Whitt​*
Speed Stick GEAR will sponsor the No. 26 Swan Racing Toyota driven by rookie contender Cole Whitt in the Feb. 23 Daytona 500 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

To kick off the relationship, Speed Stick will film a multi-part documentary series that will chronicle the rookie's preparation and in-car experience during this year's Great American Race.

The 22-year-old Whitt is a candidate for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award and will be competing in one of the toughest rookie classes ever against Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier and others.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/speed-stick-gear-to-sponsor-no-26/








*TAYLOR: The King Speaks Out​*
Richard Petty has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. NASCAR's King with 200 victories and a North Carolina drawl is the definition of old-school cool. During a fan Q&A in Canada earlier this week, Petty started a media firestorm when he was asked if he thought female racer Danica Patrick could win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

"Only if everyone else stayed home," Petty replied, drawing laughs from the audience. Over the course of the next few days the topic was debated over social media and on sports television with people agreeing, disagreeing, making snide remarks or even condemning The King for speaking his mind.

Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, joined in on the debate saying that while he appreciates anyone who is not afraid to speak their mind like Petty, he disagrees with Petty's assertion that Patrick cannot win a race, siting restrictor-plate races as an opportunity for Patrick to win.
Here are three questions to ponder from this debate.

Should Richard Petty be labeled a sexist and a Danica Patrick hater for what he said? No. That would be a vast over-exaggeration of someone's opinion. Petty, it should be said was not a fan of Janet Guthrie's foray into stock car racing in the 1970s either. However, one needs to remember the era during which The King was raised. Take that into account and its not surprising Petty would make politically incorrect comments.

Is Richard Petty correct in his assessment of Patrick's racing ability?
Again, the answer is no. Patrick can win a Cup Series race, whether it be at Daytona or Talladega or elsewhere. With Stewart-Haas Racing equipment there is a possibility of an upset on any given week. Too many times in NASCAR racing there has been a surprise winner to simply state that she will never win. Bobby Hillin, Phil Parsons, Derrike Cope, Trevor Bayne, Lake Speed and others have scored stunning victories and there is no reason why Patrick can't be a part of this group.

Will Patrick ever be respected as a legitimate race car driver? To a lot of people Patrick is a celebrity who chooses to drive race cars. People who dislike her are quick to point out a large part of her ascension to the top rung of the sport of auto racing was based on sex appeal and marketability. Some of that is true.

What the people who dislike her choose to ignore are her performances in the Indianapolis 500. Her top five points finish and consistency in IndyCar and most of all her desire and dedication to get better at her profession.

Patrick is only in her third full year racing stock cars. As a rookie she was on par with a lot of other drivers (including Sam Hornish Jr.) who made the transition from open-wheel cars. To make a quick conclusion that Danica Patrick isn't a legitimate NASCAR driver would be a mistake as not enough time has passed to make an accurate statement in this regard.

People will continue to talk and debate this topic. As long as a female driver is in the sport, there are always going to be critics and naysayers. It is unfortunately still part of our culture although it improves every year. Here is hoping that people have a more open mind, including Richard Petty.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/opinion/columns/taylor-the-king-speaks-out/


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## Ckg2011

*Benjamin To Wheel No. 7ny Modified​*
Sixteen-year-old race car driver Kyle Benjamin will make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut in the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona Int'l Speedway Feb. 18.

Benjamin will drive the familiar No. 7ny GP Racing entry owned by Gary Putnam and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion.
RainEater Wiper Blades will adorn both the modified and Benjamin's No. 71 super late model during the 48th annual World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway Feb. 14-22.

Benjamin captured 15 victories, including two in the ARCA Series in 2013, over the last two years. His win last season at Madison (Wis.) Int'l Speedway made him the youngest winner in ARCA Series history.

"This is a really cool opportunity for me and I'm grateful that 'Bono' wants me in his car for such a high-profile event," said Benjamin. "He only puts the best all-around racers in his car, so to join that list is a privilege."

Kyle Larson drove the No. 7ny in the Battle at the Beach last year.
"Putting this car on the track is a thrill for me, and to put a talented, hungry young kid like Kyle in the car is a great reward," said Manion. "He's new to the world of modifieds, but he isn't a novice on short tracks. We expect him to contend for a win."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/benjamin-to-wheel-no-7ny-modified/


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## Ckg2011

*Patrick To Drive Turner Scott Car At Daytona​*
Danica Patrick will pilot a third Turner Scott entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Patrick, who will compete in her second full-time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be behind the wheel of the No. 30 Florida Lottery Chevrolet Camaro in the season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300.

Veteran crew chief Mike Greci will once again be calling the shots from atop the pit box.

Patrick made her TSM debut in last year's season opener and surged to an early lead before an electrical failure forced her to retire early and resulted in a 36th-place finish.

"Danica Patrick's immense popularity allows the Florida Lottery to increase awareness about our sole reason for existing - which is increasing funding for education in Florida," said Florida lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell. "In our 26 year history, Florida Lottery players have generated more than $26 billion for education programs and more than 650,000 students have attended college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. We are proud to partner with Danica and Turner Scott Motorsports and are hopeful for a successful weekend at Daytona Int'l Speedway."

"I'm really looking forward to competing in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona once again and driving the No. 30 Florida Lottery Chevrolet Camaro," said Patrick. "Turner Scott Motorsports is a great organization and I worked really well with Mike Greci and the whole team in both of the races I did with them last year. I know that I'm definitely capable of a win this year working with that group, it just comes down to making it until the end. I have to thank the Florida Lottery for coming on board; they're giving me the opportunity to run this race and to support education in the State of Florida."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...patrick-to-drive-turner-scott-car-at-daytona/


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## Ckg2011

*New Sponsor For Dale Earnhardt Jr.​*
Kelley Blue Book, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, has joined Hendrick Motorsports as a primary sponsor of the No. 88 Chevrolet SS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2014 and 2015.

The two-year agreement includes full-season associate sponsorship, which provides Kelley Blue Book prominent brand placement on the No. 88 race cars throughout the Sprint Cup schedule, and primary sponsorship of Earnhardt in one event annually. The 2014 season will be the first as a NASCAR team sponsor for Kelley Blue Book, a subsidiary of AutoTrader Group.

"Kelley Blue Book's sponsorship in NASCAR is the next step in communicating our brand strength and recognition as a vehicle valuation pioneer and leader for new-car shopping and research," said Steve Lind, vice president of operations for Kelley Blue Book. "By supporting successful race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports, coupled with NASCAR's brand equity, we will reach even more consumers with our message-providing helpful, transparent information on KBB.com to help car shoppers make the best decision possible."

Earnhardt, 39, has posted 19 career victories in Sprint Cup Series competition, including the 2004 Daytona 500. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has earned three consecutive Chase for the Sprint Cup berths and is 
NASCAR's 11-time most popular driver as voted by fans. He finished the 2013 season fifth in the championship standings with a career-best 22 top-10 finishes.

"I'm looking forward to our partnership with Kelley Blue Book," said Earnhardt, who will drive the No. 88 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet SS at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway on June 22. "As a car enthusiast and dealership owner, I've trusted them for years for vehicle valuation and information. It's exciting to work with a partner that's new to the sport, and I'm proud Kelley Blue Book will be on board with the No. 88 team for their debut season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."

Through its website, KBB.com, Kelley Blue Book is changing the way people shop for a new car. It now offers the KBB.com® Price Advisor, which features a new range-based pricing layout, including the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price, which shows the average price other customers in the same area paid for the same vehicle. Other resources include 5-Year Cost to Own data, and consumer and expert reviews and ratings.

In addition to individual consumers, Kelley Blue Book's various products and services are available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Partners include Hendrick Motorsports' sister company, Hendrick Automotive Group, which operates more than 120 automotive retail franchises across the United States.

"On the dealership side, we've worked with Kelley Blue Book for many years," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. "NASCAR is a terrific marketing platform for their products and services, and it presents new opportunities for our companies to work together. We're excited to welcome a new partner and team them with an incredible spokesperson in Dale Jr. It's a great combination with the potential to grow even more."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/new-sponsor-for-dale-earnhardt-jr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Still Working On Indy 500 Deal​*
Fla. - Add Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing and KV Racing Technology to Andretti Autosport as the IndyCar Series teams NASCAR driver Kurt Busch is talking to about competing in this year's Indianapolis 500.

Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, completed the Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May with Andretti Autosport. While he admits Andretti is the team he would like to drive for in this year's Indianapolis 500, Chevrolet would prefer he line up with a Chevrolet IndyCar Series team.

Busch, who was at NASCAR Media Day on Thursday at Daytona Int'l Speedway, confirmed the three Chevrolet teams that he is in discussion with includes Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and KV Racing Technology.

"My forecast hasn't changed from the other week when I said I was 70 percent sure that I would run the Indy 500 this year," Busch said. "I'm still confident in that forecast. If I were a weatherman I'd say bring an umbrella."

Busch still believes he could end up with Andretti Autosport at Indy but it gets complicated after that team switched from Chevrolet to Honda beginning this season. Busch drives for Stewart Haas Racing - a Chevrolet NASCAR team. Chevrolet told Busch it was their preference that he competes in the Indianapolis 500 for a Chevrolet IndyCar team.

"We're talking with Chevrolet programs; there is a Honda team in the mix and that is a hurdle we have to overcome," Busch said. "We have to do it the right way. I respect Chevrolet's involvement in the NASCAR world and that is 99 percent of the focus this year. That 1 percent I hope is not a problem.

"I heard about Andretti's switch to Honda at Fontana last October and I thought, 'How will that impact the future?' At the end of the day I have to do the right thing."

Busch admits he feels a certain amount of loyalty to team owner Michael Andretti and the two sides have invested time in each other.

"It's a matter of loyalty and I've tried to pride myself in being as loyal as I can be to a program or individual throughout my career," Busch said. "When they give you Andretti Autosport - a chance to drive an IndyCar and do your rookie test that is who you want to invest into if you are going to do a race. That is where I would lean if I were going to make a decision.

"The Andretti group with his guidance and expertise and knowledge you can't find a better name than that unless it's Roger Penske or someone like that."

Busch admits running in the Indianapolis 500 has become a challenge that he wants to conquer. And from talking to him at Daytona it's obvious that he intends to be in this year's Indianapolis 500.

"There's going to come a time where I'm going to have to say, 'If I'm ever going to do this I need to do this now,'" Busch said. "I'm excited about the opportunity and I really want to run the Indianapolis 500 this year."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/busch-still-working-on-indy-500-deal/


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## Ckg2011

*Yeley Joins Xxxtreme Motorsports Cup Team​*
Xxxtreme Motorsport announced today plans to compete full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the March 9 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

J.J. Yeley, who last year drove the No. 36 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing, has been named the driver of the No. 44 Chevrolet. Xxxtreme Motorsports last year fielded Fords for driver Scott Riggs, who qualified for six of the nine races the team entered.

"We've switched from Ford to Chevrolet and we're going out to complete full races," team owner John Cohen said. "It's a new team effort we've never shown before as far as running the full season."

Yeley was an easy decision for Cohen to hire as the two have held a great friendship since Cohen arrived in NASCAR back in late 2012. Compiling one pole, eight top 10 and two top five finishes in his short career, Yeley will pilot the team's signature No. 44 Chevrolet.

"J.J. and I have been friends since I came to NASCAR, we've always mentioned working together if we could. This opportunity came about when he mentioned he was available for this season and I knew that he was the driver to take our team to the next level. We've always said if we could do something together it would be pretty special," Cohen said. "JJ and I got together and we're going to try and do something special in 2014 and beyond."

Yeley shares Cohen's excitement for the new beginnings of Xxxtreme Motorsport.

"I am excited that we were able to work it out that we can work together. John has such a deep passion for NASCAR and wanting to be a successful part of it. The program he has in place for 2014 in impressive; the engine package, being self sufficient and still being a small team yet having the feel of a larger team. That for me is all very exciting."

Xxxtreme Motorsport debuted back in the fall of 2012 with David Reutimann at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

Walter Giles will remain the team's crew chief while a sponsor will be announced before the Sprint Cup event at PIR later this month.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/yeley-joins-xxxtreme-motorsports-cup-team/








*Unker's Supports Mike Wallace At Daytona​*
Unker's Multi-Purpose Therapeutic Products is teaming up with veteran NASCAR driver Mike Wallace and the JGL Racing team at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Unker's will be sponsoring Wallace's bright yellow No. 28 Dodge Challenger in the NASCAR Nationwide Series 2014 DRIVE4COPD 300, set to be run Feb. 22 at the Daytona Int'l Speedway.

The race will be featured on national television and radio, and Wallace's No. 28 will be all Unker's, from hood to trunk. Unker's bright, bold green, white and blue logo, plus the famous Unker's "To God Be The Glory" Prospector, will be all over the Wallace car.

"It's a big step for Unker's," said Patricia Pendleton, second-generation president and CEO of the company which manufacturers a complete line of all-natural ingredient healing and personal care products. "But can there be anything more grueling, stressful, tiring, achy, painy, stiff and sore than driving several hundred miles, hour after hour, at speeds topping 200 miles per hour? It's the perfect venue for Unker's."

"You better believe we'll have plenty of Unker's on hand for the race, too," adds Wallace. "When you do what we do throughout a race, our pit crew and our whole team needs fast acting, record setting healing and pain relief - preparing for, during and after the race. I can tell you first hand, that's what Unker's delivers."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/unkers-supports-mike-wallace-at-daytona/


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## Ckg2011

*Hornaday Lands Daytona Truck Ride​*
Turner Scott Motorsports announced today that four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. will be behind the wheel of the the No. 30 Chevrolet Silverado in the Truck Series season opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Feb. 21.

The seasoned NASCAR veteran will make his second-career start for TSM following a top-five finish in the 2013 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sponsored by Rheem Comfort Products, the 55-year-old veteran will pilot the famed red and black Rheem paint scheme in the NextEra Energy Resources 250.

A long-time competitor in NASCAR's top series, Hornaday made his Truck Series debut nearly 18 years ago and is, to date, the all-time win leader in the Truck Series with 51 wins in 355 starts.

"I'm very excited and grateful to have support from Steve Turner, Harry Scott and the entire TSM organization," said Hornaday. "We worked great together in Miami and to have the opportunity to come to Daytona to start the year off; I'm just really looking forward to it. I wouldn't have this opportunity if it weren't also for Rheem and their help. I think this is a winning combination that will give us a great chance to run up front and hopefully get a win."

"Ron Hornaday has been synonymous with competitive toughness and durability in all his days of racing. His hardnosed style and determination to win are legendary, but it's his lifetime of caring generosity shown to so many young racers who needed an encouraging word or a place to stay that makes Ron Hornaday so special. Rheem was honored to have the opportunity to provide support to ensure this Truck Series legend would be back on the track at Daytona," said Rheem Manufacturing Company President and CEO, JR Jones.

In its last visit to Daytona, Turner Scott Motorsports had a strong run in the Truck Series race, with all four entries starting in the top 10. With direction from former racer-turned-crew-chief, Shane Huffman, Hornaday completes the TSM roster for the Truck Series race at Daytona and will be running alongside teammates Ben Kennedy and Ryan Truex.

"I'm really excited about having a four-time champion in one of our trucks," said TSM co-owner Steve Turner. "Both Ron's team and our team are working diligently to get a full-time deal put together for the 2014 season. Ron will bring great knowledge to the young drivers in our fleet. We all feel like Ron is a class act, both on and off the track."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/hornaday-lands-daytona-truck-ride/








*Smoke Is Ready To Rise Again At Daytona​*
How fitting that Tony Stewart was reunited with his one true love on Valentine's Day.

The two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion returned to what he loves the most Friday at Daytona Int'l Speedway when he climbed behind the wheel of his No. 14 Chevrolet Impala SS. It was the first time Stewart was able to do that since he suffered serious leg injuries in a sprint car crash at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa on Aug. 5.

Stewart walked into the Daytona Club on Thursday for NASCAR Media Day and has a noticeable limp as his leg has healed to 65 percent according to doctors. It won't be 100 percent recovered until next year. But even in his current condition, climbing through the driver's side window on Friday evening to begin practice for Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited put a smile on his face.

For anyone that truly knows Stewart, they realize that driving a race car is the one true love for the driver from Columbus, Indiana. As he looked forward to Friday evening's practice, Stewart was asked about his emotions.

"We'll be in a pack right away; I'm not going to have time to think about it but I'll probably be grinning after we do it," Stewart said. "We got work to do because normally Shootout practice, everybody gets the majority of their work done that first run. The fact that guys don't bring backup cars for the Shootout, they won't practice a lot.

"We'll get right back to business right away and we'll think about it after the session is over."

The practice on Valentine's Day actually reminds Stewart of the anticipating a youngster feels for another holiday - Christmas Eve.

"To a certain degree it is," Stewart said. "Normally I'm thinking in days and weeks. Now I'm thinking in hours. I'm excited about it. It's been a long time since Aug. 5. Normally we're talking about the off-season. It just seems like it flies by. It's been the slowest off-season I've ever had. I'm ready to get doing something again."

Even though Stewart's leg was badly damaged in the crash and required three surgeries to repair the broken bones, damaged tissue and an infection, the modern-day version of A.J. Foyt has no apprehensions about his return to the race car.

"The great thing is everybody at our shop, especially the guy that does the interior on our car; have worked really close together," Stewart explained of the modifications to the cockpit. "We've tried to think of absolutely anything that could be a problem.

"The good thing is in the meantime with all of that our therapy has been going really well and in the last few weeks we've made huge gains. I don't know how we could be more prepared honestly than what we are right now. The perfect scenario, everything would be healed 100 percent and we wouldn't be talking about it. Bone is still about 65 percent healed right now. But as far as muscles and everything, the strength is coming much quicker than I thought it was going to be.

"Like I say, we spent a lot of time with pedal angles and everything to make it absolutely as comfortable as we can make it. I don't know what else we can do to prepare than what we've done."

Stewart does not have a backup driver for Speedweeks and is determined to be available for every practice, qualifying session and race for the Daytona 500. He expects to be back to speed quickly and put the excruciatingly long way to get back to his race car in the past.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/smoke-is-ready-to-rise-again-at-daytona/


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## Ckg2011

*Patrick Responds To The King's Criticism​*
NASCAR Speedweeks at Daytona Int'l Speedway hasn't even started and a new rivalry has surfaced between the winningest driver in NASCAR history and the most publicized driver of the current generation.

It pits a man who won the Daytona 500 seven times in his career against a driver who won the 2005 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and achieved history in the IndyCar Series in 2008.

It's Richard Petty versus Danica Patrick - King Richard against "America's Princess of Speed."

It all started earlier this week when Petty was asked at a motorsports expo in Canada when Patrick would win her first NASCAR race, the King responded, "She could win if everybody else stayed home" and that her popularity was "a female thing."

"If she had been a male nobody would ever know if she showed up at a race track," Petty said. "This is a female deal that is driving her. There is nothing wrong with that because that is good PR for me. More fans come out; people are more interested in it. She has helped to draw attention to the sport which helps everybody."

Petty has current NASCAR drivers and those comments have gone relatively unnoticed. But his opinion on Patrick quickly became the hot topic as NASCAR teams arrived at DIS to prepare for the 56th Daytona 500.

Patrick was finally able to respond to Petty's comments Thursday.
"You know, people have said things in the past, and they're going to say things in the future," said Patrick, who became the first female ever to win the Daytona 500 pole last year. "I still say the same thing: that everyone's entitled to their own opinion. People are going to judge what he said, whether they judge it well or not, and I'm just not going to."

When asked if Petty's comments motivated her, Patrick indicated she doesn't need any extra motivation.

"You can't try any harder in the car," Patrick said. "I think that's something that probably every driver would tell you when someone questions our effort level. You can't try any harder. You're doing everything you can. And maybe subconsciously there's some motivation, but I can't tell. I'm giving it my all every single time I'm getting in the car, whether I'm making a simple qualifying run or I'm in the race.

"It is what it is and, again, people are entitled to their opinions, and that's fine."

Petty is a true NASCAR icon - the winningest driver with 200 victories and a seven-time series champion. Patrick has never won a NASCAR race but is extremely popular as a cultural icon because she is the most competitive female driver in the sport and has a huge following.

She may not agree with Petty's assessment but admitted he is entitled to speak his mind.

"I mean, really it's more about my belief that everyone can have their own opinion," Patrick said. "It has nothing to do with where it comes from. The people that matter the most to me are my team, my sponsors, you know, those little three-year-old kids that run up to you and want a great big hug and say they want to grow up to be like you. That's the stuff that I really focus on."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/patrick-responds-to-the-kings-criticism/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick, Stewart Seek Four in Unlimited​*
Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart will be battling to take the lead among active drivers in Sprint Unlimited wins Saturday night.

After spending the first 13 years of his Cup Series career with Richard Childress Racing, Harvick will kick off his first season with SHR in the annual non-points race.

"Part of the reason why I came to SHR was to race alongside Tony Stewart," Harvick said. "The guy has won in everything on wheels and he's won three championships here. That's what we talked about when we started to do this deal ... that I wanted to win a championship. That's been the one thing that's eluded my trophy case and I wanted to try and figure out why. Having Tony Stewart in the car is a huge asset."

Both Harvick and Stewart have three wins in the Unlimited, joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett. Dale Earnhardt owns the most wins in the non-points event with six.

The Sprint Unlimited and Thursday night's Budweiser Duel qualifying race will give Harvick the opportunity to get better acclimated with new his team and crew chief Rodney Childers before the Daytona 500.

"We get to try and cure any gaps with communication or little issues we may have with seats or anything that didn't pop up in testing because you are not in the car that much and you don't have to make pit stops, and things like that," Harvick said. "We can work out some kinks along the way, but, all in all, we worked out a lot of those."

Tony Stewart The Unlimited will mark Stewart's first run for a trophy since being sidelined last August when he broke his right leg in a sprint car crash. Stewart got back behind the wheel for the first time in Friday's practice sessions with a new addition to the steering column suggested by Harvick.

"Harvick didn't even ask me, he just went and ordered. He runs those 'knee knockers' on the steering column," Stewart said. "He's like, 'You're running this.' He didn't leave it as an option. I showed up, it was on my car. 'You're running this.' Shows what kind of teammates I have and what friends I have. Getting in and out of the car wasn't as big a drama as what I thought. That's what my initial concern was when he told me he was putting it in there.

"It's a pad that hangs off the steering column, basically keeps your knees from going back and forth. A pad, leg brace is on the outside. This is like a leg brace on the inside. Keeps your knees from hitting the steering column."

Stewart-Haas Racing has the most cars in the Unlimited with all four running the race, including Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick. Harvick will bring some of the sponsors he had at RCR over to SHR including Jimmy John's, which will sponsor him in the Unlimited before Budweiser takes over on the No. 4 Chevrolet for the Daytona 500.

"The good news for me, is that the '29' isn't in existence anymore," Harvick said. "They all know what number it's going to be right now."









*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-and-Tony-Stewart-Seek-Four-in-Unlimited.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger: 'I'm As Happy As I've Ever Been'​*
It took more than 18 months for this day to arrive, although there were times AJ Allmendinger wondered if it would.

When Allmendinger climbed into his JTG Daugherty Chevrolet Saturday morning at Daytona International Speedway, it marked big step toward rebuilding his career - the first time he's had a full-time Sprint Cup ride since July 2012.

"It's been a crazy ride to a certain extreme,'' Allmendinger said. "To be where I'm at - not just full-time but mentally and physically&#8230; I'm as happy as I've ever been.''

Allmendinger's future appeared in doubt two years ago after NASCAR suspended him for failing a drug test. Allmendinger blamed poor judgment in accepting what he thought was an energy supplement from a friend of a friend. Instead, the pill was Aderall, an amphetamine commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Allmendinger lost his ride with Team Penske, paving the way for Joey Logano to eventually join Brad Keselowski. Even so, car owner Roger Penske didn't abandon Allmendinger.

He told Allmendinger "there are people a lot bigger than you are that have issues and have bounced back.'' Penske gave Allmendinger the chance to do so by providing him rides in select Nationwide Series and IndyCar races.

Allmendinger responded by winning two road course Nationwide races and finished seventh in the Indianapolis 500. He also ran in 18 of the 36 Cup races last year, driving for Phoenix Racing and JTG Daugherty.

His performance in a limited number of races with JTG Daughtery led to the full-time ride with the team this year, replacing Bobby Labonte.

Allmendinger said his suspension helped him refocus his priorities and led him on a path that has him feeling so good.

"You get into a bad place sometimes,'' Allmendinger said about where he was before the suspension. "It's not just one little thing. In a way, this is like starting over. But I feel like I've found a home. It's a small team but I really enjoy that.''

For as good as he's felt entering this season, he knows there will be challenges. JTG Daugherty struggled to be competitive last season, scoring one top-10 finish. The team switched from Toyota to Chevrolet in the offseason, but has joined Richard Childress Racing in a technical alliance.

Allmendinger says he's ready for any challenges this season presents.

"It's about setting our realistic expectations,'' he said. "My expectation is to go out and win every race. That isn't going to happen. But realistically, we can go out there and contend. We need to make our bad days 22nds or 24ths.''

That could be realistic. Allmendinger averaged a 20th-place finish in nine starts for the team last year. He scored the team's best finish of the season with a 10th at Watkins Glen.

"Last year was a good stepping stone to see where we were at the time and where we need to go,'' Allmendinger said. "(This year) my theme is one day at a time. We can't go out and think we are going to set the world on fire. But we have the confidence in ourselves that if we get everything right, we can compete with the best of the best. I truly believe that."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...llmendinger-Focused-With-New-Opportunity.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tonight On Fox Sports 1 NASCAR Racing Returns To The Daytona High Banks​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Problems Plague Hendrick's Chevy Engines​*
It was a day when Chevrolet drivers swept the top-five positions during Saturday's Daytona 500 practice but there was nothing positive for Chevy's highest-profile engine supplier.

Three Hendrick Engines blew up and an oil line failed on another. That created an air of concern for Doug Duchardt at Hendrick Engines as well as some of the top teams that hope to win next Sunday's 56th Daytona 500.

Two of those that suffered engine failures were two-time Brickyard 400 winner and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart as well as last year's Daytona 500 pole winner Danica Patrick.

"Data that we have been able to look at would suggest that it's something in the bottom end of the engine," said Scott Maxim, director of engine track support at Hendrick Motorsports. "Really, until we get the engines further apart to be able to more closely analyze them, I really couldn't see anything anymore than that right now.

"Moving forward, we will be alright. We will identify what we've got and we will make changes needed and I think that we will be able to make corrective action. Certainly as well for tomorrow, we will be able to look the engines over closely and make sure that we are not going into tomorrow with an issue. Then after that, we will be all good."

Duchardt is the general manager at Hendrick Motorsports and indicate the engine failures are a matter of his team "pushing the limit" to try to have the fastest engine possible for Sunday's two-lap runs during qualifications.

"Across the board we are trying to do the best we can for qualifying tomorrow for those two laps," Duchardt said. "We've worked through that process. Obviously we have been pushing the limit and we found the limit there. We feel like we understand what is happening. We will get the engines back over and tear them down from NASCAR. I think we will be able to confirm everything that is happening. The drivers have been consistent they feel like it has been something in the bottom end of the engine. We think we understand what is happening there and we will take a look at that. For tonight and for the rest of the week when we go to race we don't have any concerns with the Sprint Unlimited or as we get into the twins or the (Daytona) 500.

"I think it is just part of us trying to maximize two laps for tomorrow. So it's not a specific component issue. It's just how we go about trying to minimize going around the track for qualifying."

Another Chevrolet driver, Jamie McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing, came down pit road to abort his qualifying simulation and that was an attempt to keep his engine from blowing up.

"Once we saw some things that were happening and saw some data we knew they were on pit road getting to run again," Duchardt said. "They had started a run when Tony (Stewart) had an issue. So we wanted to get them back in take some time, look at that data, understand where they were at and make a decision. I don't think they had enough time to get back out. That is why we did that we didn't want to we just didn't want to have another issue. We wanted to be on the safe side with that. So we called Keith (Rodden) and Keith understands he has worked with us before when he was with the 5 car last year so he understands how we work and go about things so that was pretty easy."

Stewart, who on Friday returned to a race car for the first time since suffered a badly broken leg in a sprint car crash in Iowa on August 5, explained what happened to his engine during the second of two practice sessions on Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/problems-plague-hendricks-chevy-engines/


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## Ckg2011

*Denny Hamlin Wins 2014 NASCAR Sprint Unlimited​*
JGR driver Denny Hamlin wins the 2014 running of NASCAR's Sprint Unlimited. Denny Hamlin jumped out to a big lead and Penske drive Brad Keselowski blocked the rest of the cars while running in second place.

Denny Hamlin cruised to a easy win in the third segment. Hamlin also won the first two segments.

A big crash in the second segment took out most of the field including Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr Kurt Busch among others.

Dale Earnhardt Jr was taken out in the third segment by Marcos Ambrose.

*Source:*
Ckg2011


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pace Car Catches Fire​*
Even the pace car didn't last Saturday night's crash-filled Sprint Unlimited won by Denny Hamlin.

As the pace car led the field before the start of the final 20-lap segment, smoke began pouring from the back of the car and filling the vehicle. Brett Bodine, who drives the pace car, pulled off the track and stopped near a fire truck before he and a NASCAR official exited the car.

"I guess it was the batteries in the back for the lights ... because cars just don't catch on fire like that,'' Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "It was pretty weird.''

Chevrolet issued a statement Sunday morning about the incident.

"During the closing laps of the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited race, the pace car experienced a fire in the trunk area, which contains a purpose-built auxiliary electrical kit to operate the numerous caution lights during the race,'' the statement read. "The pace car driver and passenger safely exited the vehicle. An assessment is underway."

The incident brought back memories of bizarre incidents at Daytona International Speedway. Juan Pablo Montoya had a mechanical malfunction that sent his car crashing into a jet dryer in 2012 that created a fireball and burned the track.

In 1999, Joe Cooksey slammed into the back of the pace car during an ARCA race at Daytona when the pace car stopped on the track. The contact sent the pace car driver to the hospital for neck pain.

"I thought I'd seen a lot when I saw the jet dryer get hit and catch on fire,'' Kevin Harvick said. "Never a pace car.''

Said Kyle Busch: "That's crazy. It's unfortunate. What else do you say?''

Hamlin said he thought the right rear was going down on the car when the saw the smoke.

"I thought it was tire smoke until I saw flames,'' he said.

NASCAR called in a backup pace car and that took over duties of leading the field during cautions.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Car-Catches-Fire-During-Sprint-Unlimited.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Big Crash Snags Stewart and Others​*
It was not the lesson Tony Stewart wanted to have Saturday night, but he found out his repaired right leg could withstand a crash.

Stewart was among nine drivers collected in a crash on Lap 36 of the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway.

The incident started when Matt Kenseth cut down on Joey Logano, sending cars spinning and slamming into each other - including Ricky Stenhouse Jr. peeling the sheet metal off the left side of girlfriend Danica Patrick's car.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Kenseth took the blame.

"It appears that I cut off Joey and didn't leave enough room,'' Kenseth said. "I was just trying to watch both lanes and I was trying as hard as I could to help my teammate (Denny Hamlin). I thought I had a good half a car length to three-quarters of a car length and by the time I looked away from my mirror and looked back the other way, he must have got a run and got in there and didn't see him.''

Competitors had talked about the closing rate being greater this year with the larger spoiler.

"It's bumper cars at 200 miles per hour,'' said Jeff Gordon, who was collected in the crash. "The closing rate is so severe. When you lose that momentum, you get caught up in a hurry.''

Said Carl Edwards, also involved in the crash: "This race is just about aggression. It's about going out there and just keeping your foot down and racing hard and we all know that there is about a 50 percent chance that this could happen.''

Stenhouse said he didn't know he rammed into Parick's car until she told him when they were both in the infield care center.

"Just a produce of not being able to see,'' Stenhouse said. "It's tough to turn when the wheels are turned in different directions.''

Replays showed that his car seemed to accelerate before hitting Patricks. Stenhouse said he was trying to get the car out of gear before the contact.

Stewart said the side drafting also seemed to be different with the larger spoiler.

"You're going to have to work hard to pass,'' Stewart said. "It's easy to get stalled out."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Big-Crash-Snags-Stewart.aspx


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## Ckg2011

Dale Earnhardt Jr After Being Crashed By Marcos Ambrose In The Sprint Unlimited.​
*Ambrose Says He Owes Earnhardt An Apology​*
Marcos Ambrose said he would seek Dale Earnhardt Jr. to apologize for an incident that ended Earnhardt's run in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway.

The drivers were running together when they made contact to bring out the caution on Lap 67 of the 75-lap race. Earnhardt showed his displeasure by clipping the side of Ambrose's car down the backstretch after the incident.

"I was trying to help Junior there and ended up hurting him and hurting myself," said Ambrose, who finished seventh. "I was trying to push him and there was a little bit of a zig and a little bit of a zag and the next thing you know I helped him in the fence. I apologize to Junior. I'll try and find him later on if he wants to talk to me, but that's just what happens here. You've got 10 laps to go in a race that only counts to win and I'm trying to push him to the front. Unfortunately, it was just a bad day."

Earnhardt, who finished ninth, said he didn't know Ambrose was outside of him when they made contact.

"Hard racing, and I was upset with him, but I can't say really that it was his fault," Earnhardt said. "He was going to the outside and I didn't know he was up there. I thought he was staying with me because he had been pushing me down the straightaway so I thought he was kind of committed to that situation. A lot was happening right there and we just got turned around."

On the contact with Ambrose after the incident?

"He bent the steering on my car, I couldn't steer very good,'' Earnhardt said. "We were just having some fun. His car was already torn up, so I didn't hurt it any worse than it already was. It was time to go, and I know he was trying to do what he thought he needed to do, and so was I."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Jr-and-Marcos-Ambrose-Discuss-Incident.aspx


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## Ckg2011

Austin Dillon and his car owner and grandfather Richard Childress.​
*Rookie Austin Dillon Wins Pole For Daytona 500​*
RCR driver Austin Dillon wins pole for next Sunday's Daytona 500. Austin Dillon has also put the famed #3 car back on the front row. 2014 is the first time the #3 RCR car has been on the race track since 2001 with Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Furniture Row Racing driver Martin Truex Jr will start on the outside pole for the Daytona 500.

The rest of the field will be set and line up based on how they finish in Thursday's Budweiser Duel Qualifying Races. 2014 will be the first year they both of the races on Thursday will be run under the lights in prime time.

*Source:*
Ckg2011


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## Ckg2011

*Dillon Puts No. 3 On Daytona 500 Pole​*
The famed No. 3 has returned to the top of the scoring pylon at Daytona Int'l Speedway as rookie driver Austin Dillon won the pole Sunday for next week's 56th Daytona 500.

The 23-year-old grandson of team owner Richard Childress put the No. 3 Chevrolet on the pole with a fast lap of 196.019 miles per hour around the 2.5-mile Daytona Int'l Speedway.

It's the first time the No. 3 has appeared in the Daytona 500 since the late Dale Earnhardt was killed in the final turn of the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

"Everybody wants to see this number perform well and I have to stay focused," Dillon said. "You never know when you will be standing in this position again."

Dillon is the fifth Rookie of the Year candidate to win the Daytona 500 pole. It is the second year in a row a rookie has started in that position.
Martin Truex, Jr. will start on the outside of the front row after he put the Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet on the grid with a fast lap at 195.852 mph.

Those two drivers are locked into the starting position of next Sunday's Daytona 500. The remainder of the 49 drivers that qualified on Sunday will have to advance to their starting positions on the 43-car grid through Thursday night's Budweiser Duels. The remaining positions at the end of that grid will be filled by qualification speeds and provisional team owner points.

*Source:*








*Suarez Captures New Smyrna Thrill Show​*
The off-season did nothing to slow Daniel Suarez's momentum.
The Monterrey, Mexico, driver held off Cameron Hayley in a door-to-door battle of NASCAR's rising stars to win the New Smyrna 150 presented by JEGS Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway. The race was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener and the inaugural visit to the banked half-mile.

Driving for Rev Racing and NASCAR's Drive for Diversity, the 22-year-old Suarez picked up his second career victory and gave Rev Racing its 13th win since 2010.

It marked Suarez's sixth top-three finishes in eight NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races dating back to last year. And it was his second straight NASCAR touring series win; Suarez won the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series finale at Mexico City in November. Suarex is also a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young, talented drivers.

Hayley, 17, won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Company earlier in the day. But it was Suarez and Brandon Jones, 16, who led the way for most of the night. Jones led 34 laps before giving way to Suarez on lap 48 and eventually finishing third.

Ben Rhodes and Lee Pulliam rounded out the top five. It was the series' debut for Pulliam, the two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion.

A late race caution set the stage for tense closing laps. Pulliam restarted alongside Suarez, slipped up and dropped out of the top five.

That allowed Suarez to get away and Hayley to move back into second.
With four to go, Hayley muscled his way alongside Suarez. They rubbed and stayed side-by-side, with Suarez leading leading by inches to the white flag and beating Hayley to the finish by .083 seconds.

*The finish:*

Daniel Suarez, Cameron Hayley, Brandon Jones, Ben Rhodes, Lee Pulliam, Kenzie Ruston, Gray Gaulding, Mackena Bell, Brandon Gdovic, Kaz Grala, Patrick Staropoli, Matt Tifft, Brennan Newberry, Brandon McReynolds, Nick Drake, David Garborcauskas Jr., Eddie MacDonald, Jesse Little, Ronnie Bassett Jr., Brodie Kostecki, Scott Heckert, Sergio Pena, Ryan Gifford, Jay Beasley, Nathan Russell, Clint King, Austin Hill, Sam Hunt, Rusty Skewes, Jerry Dawson.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/suarez-captures-new-smyrna-thrill-show/


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## Ckg2011

*Celsius Backs Koch For Nationwide​*
Celsius Holdings has announced a partnership with NASCAR driver Blake Koch for the 2014 Nationwide Series.

"We are excited to partner with Blake Koch, who exemplifies the competitiveness, athleticism and quality of life that the Celsius brand is recognized for," stated Gerry David, CEO, Celsius Holdings.

"Our partnership with Blake, provides Celsius the opportunity to reach the millions of avid NASCAR fans with a healthy alternative to the traditional energy drinks being consumed. Blake's passion for competing is also seen off the track in his Ironman and Tri-Athlete competitions."

"I first heard about Celsius back in 2009 and have been a fan ever since," Koch said. "I am so proud to team up with Celsius, a growing brand and to promote something I truly believe in."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/celsius-backs-koch-for-nationwide/








*Preece Ready To Begin Daytona Battle​*
Reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Ryan Preece is in the business of collecting trophies. Next up on his wish list is the UNOH Battle At The Beach on Feb. 18 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Preece, from Berlin, Conn., captured his first tour title last fall. The long-sought-after championship trophy followed four triumphs during the campaign at northeastern modified strongholds Stafford Motor Speedway and Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut, and Riverhead Raceway on New York's Long Island, where he won twice.

The 23-year-old even went down south and added another bucket list trophy to his collection from North Carolina's famed Bowman Gray Stadium in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour action.

Now the calendar has turned to 2014, and Preece has a revised to-do list that starts with the "World's Center of Racing."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/preece-ready-to-begin-daytona-battle/


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## Ckg2011

Jeff Gordon (#24 ) Get's Caught Up In A Crash In The Sprint Unlimited On Saturday Night​
*Gordon Looking To Change Daytona Luck​*
There isn't much left that Jeff Gordon hasn't accomplished in his glorious NASCAR career.

His accomplishments have solidified him as one of the true legends of the sport beginning with a victory in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994.

That win in the first-ever NASCAR race at the famed Brickyard was the first of Gordon's four wins at the "World's Most Famous Race Course." Gordon would also win four NASCAR Sprint Cup titles and capture an incredible 88 Cup victories - three of those coming in the Daytona 500.

Gordon is attempting to go "Four for Four" when it comes to NASCAR's biggest prizes as the driver who spent in formative years in Pittsboro, Indiana attempts to win the Daytona 500 for the fourth time in his career.
Gordon's Daytona 500 wins came in 1997, 1999 and 2005 but since his last checkered flag in NASCAR's big race he has just one top-10 finish in the Daytona 500.

Since his 2005 victory, Gordon has finished 26th, 10th, 39th, 13th, 26th, 28th, 40th and 20th last year.

That is a trend Gordon wants to change in Sunday's 56th Daytona 500. And if the driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is able to win at Daytona it will automatically qualify him for the new 16-driver "Chase Grid" - a major change NASCAR has made in the "Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship."

Gordon has already said if he were to win another NASCAR championship he would probably retire as a driver. While some thought he may have been joking with that comment, the driver actually said it's a serious consideration.

"It's probably more serious," Gordon said. "If I win the championship this year, I've put in 20-plus great years. I do this now because I love it, because I like being competitive, and because I want another championship. I want to get a Sprint Cup championship."

I go home and I look at my trophy room. I see four trophies, championship trophies. But they say Winston Cup on them. You can name me a four-time Sprint Cup champion for technical reasons all you want, but to me I'm still not. I want that before my career's over.

"If that happened, that would be all the reasons I need to say, 'This is it, I'm done.' I could go out on a high note and start playing baseball."

Don't expect Gordon to start a new career like basketball legend Michael Jordan attempted when he initially retired from the NBA in 1993 and began a less-that-stellar effort in the Chicago White Sox minor league system before returning to the NBA.

Gordon turns 43 on Aug. 4 and while that is still considered young for a race driver one more championship would give Gordon an opportunity that all drivers want for the end of the career - to go out as a winner.

And if he were to start off the season with a win at the Daytona 500 it would be the first big step in NASCAR's season of change. Those changes include a new IndyCar-style qualification format beginning with the next race at Phoenix where all cars will be on track at the same time for the first 30-minutes in a "knockout" qualification system. In addition to that and the elimination rounds of "The Chase" which will conclude with four-drivers in a "first to the finish" championship format and a new penalty structure, there is a lot to take in for the 2014 season.

"I like the direction and changes that have been made," Gordon said. "You brought up the penalties. I think that's a structure that's needed to take place for a while now. So I think if you have something that makes sense, why wait just because you've made other changes? So go ahead and incorporate that into there. We'll adjust, we'll deal with it. It's going to take some time to work through it for NASCAR as well as for the competitors.

"The same thing with qualifying. I feel like we needed to do that a few years ago. When F1 started doing it, I was instantly a huge fan and said, Man, I wish we had this. I love that they're incorporating that.

"Then there's a few little tweaks that probably are going to need to happen with that as well. I was real happy to see them being open-minded and them recognizing some things that needed to be done and they did that."

The biggest change of all, however, will come with the points. The emphasis is now placed on victories instead of consistent finishes because that is what will get a driver in the Chase. Ideally, in simplified form, if there are 16 drivers that won a race and each driver is in the top 30 in points they are automatically in The Chase.

"The points I like it as well," Gordon said. "I think the thing that stood out to me in the conversations that I had with NASCAR that really resonated was when the driver gets out of the car and said, 'Well, you know, third place today, it was a good points day.' That just doesn't sit well with anybody, not even us. We don't want to say that. We don't want to say anything other than, 'We won.' If we didn't win, that was not a good day.

"It's win or nothing. That's the attitude you want to have.

"It's not necessarily the reality, but getting us closer to that I think is important. I think this takes us that next step towards that, how important it is to win and the intensity level that's going to be created from qualifying for all of us, crew chiefs, drivers, teams, as well as, you know, the importance of winning to get in and how important it's going to be to compete at a high level and winning throughout the Chase."

While many of these changes may not have been universally embraced by drivers or fans there is strong evidence that add all the changes together and it will attract more eyes to NASCAR races both at the track and on television.
And for those who initially complained, Gordon believes they will continue to watch.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/gordon-looking-to-change-daytona-luck/


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## Ckg2011

*Stenhouse Set for Sophomore Season​*
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has his sights set on an even better season than the one that led to last year's Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year award.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver won 2013 rookie honors as a follow-up to two straight Nationwide Series championships. But despite the performance, Stenhouse believes there's much more to accomplish as he gets ready to embark on a second full year in NASCAR's top division.

"It (2013) was disappointing but I think toward the end of the season, we got going in the right direction, qualified better, and started running up front and getting a few more top 10's," Stenhouse said of last year's effort that saw him register an average finish just a shade over 18. "We're going to take that momentum, apply it to this year and really hit it strong."

Stenhouse, who qualified ninth Sunday in Daytona 500 time trials, believes much of his improvement will come from being reunited with former Nationwide Series crew chief Mike Kelley. They won a pair of titles together and now that they're back together, there is great optimism for similar success in the Sprint Cup Series.

"There's no reintroduction time between myself and Mike," Stenhouse said. "From the time that we started running together in Nationwide in 2010, I don't think there's been a day that we haven't talked. Even last year, I talked to him every single day, we texted every day and after every race, we'd call each other."

In addition to the chemistry between driver and crew chief, Stenhouse has great confidence in the upgrade of Roush Fenway Racing equipment for the new season.

"The cars Roush Fenway is building now are going to be a step above what we had," said Stenhouse. "I'm looking forward to getting on the racetrack and seeing everything we've worked for in this off-eason merge and pay off."

Striving to improve won't be an issue for Stenhouse, who says his family is responsible for instilling a strong work ethic at an early age.

"I got mine from my dad," he said. "He made me work on my racecars, go-karts and everything growing up if I wanted to race. If I didn't put time in the shop, I didn't get to go race. He works 16-18 hours a day even now, building engines, so he works really hard and I learned from an early age that if you want something, you've got to work hard for it."

Stenhouse plans to do just that in year No. 2 of his Sprint Cup career and the possibility of running for a championship is not out of the question. The expanded Chase format will provide an opportunity to get into the playoff battle with a win in the opening 26 races of the season. From there, Stenhouse - a fan of the changes NASCAR made to the championship system - will take his chances with what he hopes will be more people watching.

"This year is gonna be a great year for us," said Stenhouse. "It's gonna be a great year for NASCAR. The fans will be engaged. I was telling somebody earlier that you always watch the Stanley Cup, it's the best of seven. I hardly ever watch hockey, but I always watch the Stanley Cup. And then obviously, like our Homestead race, a 'Game 7' - everybody watches Game 7 whether you've watched any of the games before.

"It's gonna bring a lot of people to our sport that maybe wouldn't regularly watch it. I hope they enjoy what they see, come back next year and want to watch some more. That's what I'm hoping for. We've got to go out on the racetrack and make a good show of it so everybody enjoys it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/02/Stenhouse-Set-for-Sophomore-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

Carl Edwards (99) practices the art of side drafting on Brad Keselowski during this past weekend's Sprint Unlimited. (Photo: Getty Images)​
*Rule Change Alters Strategy​*
In a season of change for NASCAR, the biggest alteration for the Daytona 500 can be measured by a ruler. A very small ruler.

NASCAR increased the rear spoiler height from 4 to 4.5 inches for Budweiser Speedweeks and it's made a difference on the track. Some drivers say the side draft seems more potent and that a car can close on one ahead quicker.

That could have been a contributing factor in the multi-car crash in last weekend's Sprint Unlimited, when Matt Kenseth came down on Joey Logano. Kenseth said he did not realize that Logano had filled the gap below him before making his move.

That's something drivers will seek to better understand when Sprint Cup practice resumes Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for Thursday night's qualifying races and Sunday's Daytona 500.

"The closing rate and the side drafting was a good bit quicker," said Ryan Newman, who finished eighth in the Sprint Unlimited. "Everything was magnified. If you got out of the draft, you lost it quicker. If you got back behind two- or three-wide, you could gain quicker."

When drivers talk about the side draft, they are referring to cars running side-by-side. The car slightly behind will move closer to the rear wheel of the car it's beside and transfer the air off its car to the back of the car it's trying to pass. With the larger rear spoiler, it can make side drafting more effective.

"With (the spoiler) being taller, it's more sensitive," Jimmie Johnson said. "You don't need to be as close. As soon as you start breaking the bumper plane (of the other car), it starts to slow that car down more. It's just more dramatic."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that side drafting, once an offensive weapon for drivers, has become more of a defensive move on the track.

"These cars get stuck beside each other where our old cars, even the COT, you would side draft a guy and that would create enough momentum to clear and that's how you used the side draft to pass," he said. "Now, we're just using the side draft to keep guys from passing. We can stall each other out so hard."

That's what happened on the final lap of the Sprint Unlimited, allowing Denny Hamlin to win. He pulled out to a large lead at the start of the final lap. Normally, that is not good in restrictor-plate racing because that can help cars behind gain momentum and use that to pass when they reach the leading car.

That didn't happen this time because of the side draft.

Brad Keselowski was alone in second but needed help to reach Hamlin. Keselowski couldn't get it because Logano and Kyle Busch ran side-by-side behind him, side drafting each other. That slowed both, allowing Keselowski to pull further away from any car that could help him catch Hamlin.

"This car is just way more sensitive to the side draft than the old car was," Busch said. "I don't know why. It just seems to be that way. There was nobody behind Brad to push him back up to Denny. (Logano) and myself were just racing each other and you can't really get away too easily in those situations."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ange-Leads-To-New-Strategies-For-Drivers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

In its first race back in the Sprint Cup Series in 13 years, the No. 3 car won the pole for the Daytona 500. (Photo: Jeff Wackerlin)​
*Adding To A Legacy​*
They cheered the car's return to the top of Daytona International Speedway's scoring pylon. It was part celebration, part catharsis.

A number that means so much to so many flew on the shoulders of a team that understands its responsibility and was guided by a youngster whose second home was the race shop.

No one ran faster than Austin Dillon and the No. 3 car Sunday. When the command is given to fire engines for next week's Daytona 500, Dillon's car will start on the pole after a lap of 196.019 mph.

Admittedly, this is not a story everyone likes. There are those who say the No. 3 should rest in peace with Dale Earnhardt. He made the number famous and no one else in NASCAR should use it, they say.

It's not their decision, though.

It is Richard Childress' decision. After receiving the Earnhardt family's approval, Childress decided to bring the number back.

That doesn't mean the move was easy for everyone.

Danny Lawrence, trackside manager for ECR Engines, admits he had "mixed emotions." He was a member of Earnhardt's crew. Lawrence helped buckle Earnhardt in each race - the last crew member to have contact with Earnhardt before Earnhardt pulled on to the track.

Lawrence performed the same task before the 2001 Daytona 500.

"It's not that I wasn't sold on it, it's just that I'm still so dedicated to Dale Earnhardt that the last time I was here (with Earnhardt) was so emotional,'' Lawrence said of Earnhardt's death after a last-lap crash in that race 13 years ago. "If anybody was going to do it, I would want it to be Austin.''

Although Dillon has used that number for years in other racing series, many view him as a caretaker of the No. 3. Same for his team. They understand.

"The No. 3 is what our company about,'' crew chief Gil Martin said. "The heritage of that No. 3 is something that we've got to protect. We don't take that job lightly.''

It was evident early. Dillon was fast in testing last month and fast this week, making him a favorite for the pole. That doesn't mean that Saturday's effort was a breeze.

Danny "Chocolate" Myers, who also was a member of Earnhardt's crew, couldn't contain his excitement listening to qualifying on the radio as he drove from North Carolina to Daytona.

"It was the longest trip of my life,'' Myers said from Victory Lane as he watched Dillon's team celebrate.

It was a long trip for the car's 23-year-old driver.

Sure, he is Childress' grandson. He still had to earn the right race paw-paw's cars.

Long before that, though, he had to pay his dues.

While Childress recalls team members pushing Dillon and his younger brother Ty around the shop on creepers, one of Dillon's earliest memories at the shop was working on a the grounds crew.

Too young to use a mower, he was given a weed trimmer and told to take care of a hill, hidden behind one of the shops at the RCR campus. Untamed monkey grass was knee-high on the youngster, who was about 12 years old at the time. He finished the job and says no one has done it since.

Sometimes it's just easier to keep a kid busy with various odd jobs.

For all that Dillon has done, including championships in the Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series, the memory that flashes before Dillon's father, Mike, is not of a racecar driver, but a kid.

One of those memories is the time Dillon helped turn a double play during a Little League World Series game.

"It made the ESPN highlights, top 10,'' Mike Dillon said. "I went home and watched that. I've still got that on tape today and I still watch it.''

More than a decade later, there's still a lot of kid in Austin Dillon. He's been racing a dirt car this week at a local track and was tired so he slept until about 12:30 p.m. Sunday and watched part of the movie "Broken City" before putting on his uniform to qualify.

Still, he's old enough for others to look up to.

Eighteen-year-old Ford Martin, son of Gil Martin, is five years younger than Dillon. They both were raised at the shop and race track.

"I look at Austin as the big brother I never had,'' Ford Martin said. "He gives me advice on life lessons."

Such as?

"Work hard,'' Ford Martin said. "Keep your word. When you set your goals on something, don't let anything get in the way of stopping you.''

Nothing stopped Dillon on Sunday.

"You never dream it being this good,'' Childress said. "It was really special to put the No. 3 up on the board. Now we've got a bigger job ahead of us.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...in-Dillon-Rides-No-3-Car-to-Daytona-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*PIR Supporting Hometown Driver McDowell​*
Phoenix Int'l Raceway will team with local driver Michael McDowell to kick off the race track's 50th anniversary in true NASCAR style with a sponsorship of McDowell's car.

PIR's 50th anniversary logo will adorn McDowell's No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford Fusion during The Profit on CNBC 500 Presented by Small Business Fueling America NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, March 2.
"Growing up in Phoenix, PIR has always held a special place in my heart," McDowell said. "To be able to play a role in celebrating the track's 50th anniversary is a tremendous honor and is something I'll always remember."
The logo will be prominently featured on the left and right rear quarter panels of the car.

"We are thrilled to be able to support Michael McDowell this year and tie in our 50th anniversary," PIR President Bryan R. Sperber said. "Having grown up here in the Valley, Michael and his family know how important PIR is to our community. To be able to support his NASCAR Sprint Cup campaign during our golden anniversary season is very exciting for us."

McDowell, a Glendale native, is in his first year with Concord, N.C.-based Leavine Family Racing and his seventh year of full-time competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The team introduced McDowell as its driver for the 2014 season on Oct. 28, 2013.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/pir-supporting-hometown-driver-mcdowell/








*Weller Secures Daytona Truck Sponsors​*
Jimmy Weller will partner with Engine Parts Plus and Genmak Geneva-Liberty Steel for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway this Friday.

It will be Weller's first start at the historic speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., and will kick off a 12-race schedule in the No. 08 Chevrolet Silverado with Mooresville, N.C.-based SS Green Light Racing.

"It means a lot to me to be able to race at Daytona Int'l Speedway," said Weller. "There is so much history at this track, and it's always an exciting race. I've never driven on a track quite this big, but anything can happen in these superspeedway races. I'm looking forward to getting on the track with our Engine Parts Plus/Genmak Geneva-Liberty Steel Chevrolet."

Weller, a second-generation racer, began his career racing modifieds and sprints on both dirt and asphalt tracks across the Northeast and Midwest. Despite sustaining critical injuries in an accident at The Dirt Track at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2004, Weller climbed back behind the wheel, but this time in a stock car. After making over 20 starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Weller transitioned to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013 where he made his debut with SS Green Light Racing. After a successful relationship last season, the group plans to run at least 12 races together throughout the 2014 season.

"We're really happy to have Jimmy back in our truck this season," said team owner Bobby Dotter. "We ran a few races together last season and he did a great job representing SS Green Light Racing both on and off the track. He brings a lot of talent and energy to our team and we're looking forward to having him in our truck this season. Jason Miller will serve as his crew chief this year-it seems like Jason, Jimmy and the team have been able to build some chemistry already, so we're excited to see what the No. 08 Engine Parts Plus/Genmak Geneva-Liberty Steel Chevrolet team is able to accomplish with an extended schedule this season."

Engine Parts Plus, who partnered with Weller in 2013, will return as co-primary on Weller's No. 08 Chevrolet Silverado for the NextEra Energy Resources 250. Joining them will be Genmak Geneva-Liberty Steel to mark the Youngstown, Ohio-based company's first venture into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Integrated Metal Products, a longtime supporter of Weller, and Maxim Racewear will also partner with the rookie driver in his debut at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

"It's been very cool to see so many great companies come together to support my effort at Daytona Int'l Speedway this season," commented Weller. "Engine Parts Plus joined us last year and I'm excited to have them back with us again at Daytona. Genmak Geneva-Liberty Steel and Integrated Metal Products have both been great supporters of mine over the years too, and I'm excited to continue representing them in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. To partner with all of them, plus Maxim Racewear-it's a great vote of confidence to know that my partners believe in me and believe in what we're doing."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/weller-secures-daytona-truck-sponsors/


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## Ckg2011

Matt Kenseth & Matt Lucas Talking It Over​
*Matt Lucas Joins RAB Racing​*
RAB Racing has announced that veteran crew chief Matt Lucas will take over the crew chief duties on the No. 29 RAB Racing Toyota Camry for the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

Lucas brings more than 16 years of racing experience to RAB Racing and won two races last season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth.

"I'm really eager to join RAB Racing for the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season," said Lucas. "The team as a whole has shown tremendous potential the last few years, and I am looking forward to helping their program grow. I'm excited to help take them to the next level and foresee many accomplishments on the horizon.

"Although I'll be switching teams, I'm still glad to be part of the Toyota racing family, and still be running Joe Gibbs Racing Engines."

"I think it goes without saying that we're honored to be able to attract someone like Matt," said RAB Racing team owner Robby Benton. "I think bringing him into the fold at RAB Racing to be paired with Chris Rice, who continues to lead our No. 99 team, will produce immediate results and be of benefit to the whole organization. We've been able to attend a couple tests over the off season and I feel Matt has adapted to our team very well. I look forward to having him lead our No. 29 effort this season."

Lucas has been atop the pit box for such drivers as Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, Michael McDowell, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Truex, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Dylan Kwasniewski. In 2012 Lucas shared the No. 18 crew chief role with Adam Stevens at JGR and helped earn the Nationwide Series owner's championship.

Before becoming a crew chief, Lucas was the race engineer for the No. 18 NNS Toyota Camry, earning the 2010 NNS Owner's championship for Joe Gibbs Racing. Lucas was also the race engineer for 2007 Nationwide Series champion Carl Edwards and also won an IRL championship in 1998 with driver Kenny Brack.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/matt-lucas-joins-rab-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*New Chase, Same Old Jimmie Johnson​*
When Jimmie Johnson won last year's Daytona 500 it set the tone for his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship under the old Chase format.

This year, NASCAR has drastically changed the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship by putting an emphasis on victories over consistency and an elimination playoff format that will culminate with the final four drivers in a "first to the finish" championship battle in the season's final race at Florida's Homestead-Miami Speedway.

After winning a NASCAR record five-straight Cup titles from 2006-2010 and making it a "Six-Pack" of Cup titles last year, the drastic changes to the Chase could be construed as a way to stop Johnson's championship dominance. But the two-time Daytona 500 winner and four-time Brickyard 400 winner doesn't believe that is the case.

"I really don't believe it in the bottom of my heart," Johnson said of that theory. "When you look at you got to win, win in the Chase, that all suits the 48 team. That's what we've done. The only catch is making sure we're buttoned up in Homestead. The couple times we've needed to be, we've had the speed and been able to go down there and be competitive.

"I don't see it as an attempt to stump the 48. I really think it's to build excitement. I felt like there would be change. We were talking about it earlier. I didn't know this would be the change. But we need to evolve. We need to change. Hopefully this is the right thing."

Johnson realizes if he wins the his third Daytona 500 on Sunday and his second Daytona 500 victory in as many seasons he would automatically be the first driver in the 16-driver field that will make up the Chase Grid.
That may change the approach that some drivers and teams will do entering Sunday's race at the 2.5-mile Daytona Int'l Speedway, but Johnson will stick to his proven formula.

"I still think the way you win a championship is the same - you've got to win races," Johnson said. "I think it builds more excitement with the fact that you've got to win the transfer, there's that elimination process that works its way down.

"It certainly will change for some people. We haven't talked about it amongst the 48 team. We've always felt, especially when the wild card program came in, if you were to win one or two races you could play for a while. As you get close to September, we always believed you had to fine tune and be done with major concept changes and really pick your package and refine it.

"In 2005 we thought we were real cute and smart and locked in early, had a big points lead, did all this experimenting and kind of lost our way and got confused when the Chase started and it backfired on us.

"We prefer to have a package and move forward at that point. But the start of the year, you just got to be open to it. If you're off, you've got to go test, you have to go work. If you're on and competitive, you can probably be a little patient and preserve your test sessions. It's going to be an ever-changing and evolving process."

While the quest to win the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup title has been altered by the new format it still plays into Johnson's favor. Since the Chase began in 2004 Johnson has won 24 of the 100 races contested in the Chase - more than twice as many as his nearest competitor in the final 10 races of the season.

Of the 10 races in the Chase, the one he has never had to win during his six Cup titles is the season's final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In most cases Johnson's lead entering the final race of the season was large enough that all he needed was a mid-pack finish to clinch.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/new-chase-same-old-jimmie-johnson/


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## Ckg2011

*Remembering a Legend​*
Chris Roy, or "Taz" as friends call him, was situated on the backstretch ready to watch his first Daytona 500.

It was 1979.

His friends told him he needed to pick a driver to cheer. He decided to go with a driver making his first start in NASCAR's biggest race. It was an easy selection. There was one driver "who was crazy." Roy liked the way this wild buck drove.

It was Dale Earnhardt.

Tuesday, Roy was back at Daytona International Speedway. He felt a need to be at the the track. That it happened to be the 13th anniversary of Earnhardt's fatal crash was a coincidence.

Even now, Roy's loyalty remains. He wore a black T-shirt with a large No. 3 on the chest in camouflage and Earnhardt's signature below it.

This year, the No. 3 is back in the Sprint Cup Series for the first time since Earnhardt last drove it. The move divides fans. Some are for its return while others say the number should never be run again. Roy is fine with seeing the car number race again.

The car number already has provided some fans a thrill.

"I had goosebumps," Roy, a Florida resident, said of watching Austin Dillon win the pole for this weekend's Daytona 500. Dillon says he's not trying to erase Earnhardt's status or the No. 3 car's place in history with driving the car for his grandfather, Richard Childress. He wants to honor Earnhardt and the number.

"The legend of Dale has lived on for a long time and is going to continue to live on forever," Dillon said. "Dale Earnhardt is not just famous because of the number. He is Dale Earnhardt. He was a hero in everybody's mind, including myself."

An anonymous fan left a vase of yellow roses with a note that read "Still Missed."

When Buddy Brown of Cleveland, Ga., walked past the nine-foot Earnhardt statue outside Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday, he pointed toward it, turned to a friend and said, "That's the man." He later adds he's fine with Dillon with the number now.

If nothing else, the debate about the No. 3 car's return has led to more conversations about Earnhardt.

"That's a positive for me because I'm proud of what he did," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., who supports the No. 3 car's return. "I'm proud of what he was able to accomplish with the number and I'm proud to talk about it again. We sort of get to celebrate not only the number coming back, but we get to celebrate the history of the number and that, obviously, involves my father."

Should Jimmie Johnson tie Richard Petty and Earnhardt for most series championships, there will be even more conversations including Earnhardt. For now, the talk is about the No. 3 car.

Tim Parker, a construction worker from Hattiesburg, Miss., admits he had "mixed feelings" about the number's return but has accepted Dillon driving it. While few drivers remain in the Cup Series who raced against Earnhardt - only 10 drivers entered this year were in Earnhardt's final race in 2001 - the new generation understands what Earnhardt and the number mean to the sport.

"You definitely relate the '3' to Dale Earnhardt and how special that was," said Kyle Larson, who was 8 years old when Earnhardt died. "I think it's a good thing that Austin's in the '3.' I think Austin is that type of, sort of throwback driver a little bit, with his cowboy hat and everything. I think he'll suit the black No. 3 pretty well."

Joey Logano, who was 10 when Earnhardt was killed, also likes the number's return.

"I think it's cool to see it out there. But I think no matter what, it's always going to be Dale's number," Logano said.

The memories of Earnhardt in that black No. 3 will remain from the victories to the beating and banging that made him a fan favorite.

"I'm happy it's back because I love Dale and any time I see something that reminds me of him, it makes me smile," said Michael Waltrip, who has two Daytona 500 wins including Earnhardt's final race. As the 50-year-old Waltrip has aged, Earnhardt's accident has taken on a different meaning.

"If I'm going into Turn 4 on the last lap of the Daytona 500 and my cars are about ready to drive off and run one-two, and you take me off this earth, I'm pretty sure I'll have a pretty big smile on my face when I leave," Waltrip said. "As I get older, smiling when you're leaving has got to be pretty cool. I know Dale was very happy with what he was looking at just before the tragedy occurred. That helps me deal with it a bit. Don't ever believe that time heals all wounds because it doesn't."

*Source:*
ww.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Remembering-the-Number-3.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*New Faces in New Places​*
Some NASCAR fans won't be able to tell the drivers without a scorecard after a flurry of offseason changes and moves.

Several drivers, crew chiefs and even sponsors have found new homes for the 2014 season that will officially debut in Sunday's 56th running of the Daytona 500.

For those not completely on the lead lap, here's a look at some of the notable team and organizational changes for Sprint Cup 2014:

*CHEVROLET*

*Chip Ganassi Racing*

Jamie McMurray returns to the No. 1 ride but with Keith Rodden as crew chief replacing the departing Kevin "Bono" Manion. Rodden, a former engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, gets his first crack on top the war wagon. McMurray welcomes Kyle Larson as a full-time teammate as he takes over the No. 42 Chevrolet from Juan Pablo Montoya. Chris Heroy returns to serve as crew chief for the highly touted rookie driver.

*Furniture Row Racing*

Martin Truex Jr. takes the wheel of the No. 78 Chevrolet from last year's Cinderella story Kurt Busch. Todd Berrier continues his role as crew chief for the team that will start the Daytona 500 from outside the front row.

*JTG Daugherty Racing*

AJ Allmendinger moves from a part time to full-time role for the team that changed manufacturers from Toyota to Chevrolet as part of its alliance with Richard Childress Racing.

*HScott Motorsports*

The former Phoenix Racing operation was purchased by Turner Scott Motorsports team co-owner Harry Scott. Justin Allgaier graduates from the Nationwide Series to run for Rookie of the Year in the No. 51 ride. Veteran crew chief Steve Addington will call the shots.

*Richard Childress Racing*

Two new drivers come to RCR led by Daytona 500 pole winner Austin Dillon, who carries the iconic No. 3 back into the Sprint Cup Series in 2014. Ryan Newman joins the fold from Stewart-Haas Racing to take the wheel of the No. 31 entry.

*Stewart-Haas Racing*

SHR underwent a huge overhaul including expanding the team to a fourth entry with Kurt Busch added to the stable in the No. 41 ride. First-time crew chief Daniel Knost has been aligned with Busch on the new team. Kevin Harvick is another newcomer piloting the No. 4 Chevy with previous Michael Waltrip Racing crew chief Rodney Childers. And Tony Stewart has a new crew chief of his own in another former MWR employee Chad Johnston.

*Tommy Baldwin Racing*

A pair of newcomers have joined TBR for the season with Michael Annett moving over from the Richard Petty Motorsports Nationwide Series program and Reed Sorenson taking the No. 36 ride. Veteran crew chiefs Kevin "Bono" Manion and Todd Parrott also joined the organization.

*FORD*

*Front Row Motorsports*

Eric McClure will join holdovers David Ragan and David Gilliland as a third entry for the Daytona 500. Additional races may be added to the No. 35 car's schedule pending sponsorship.

*Roush Fenway Racing*

Team owner Jack Roush made one significant change to his three-car Sprint Cup operation by reuniting last year's Rookie of the Year Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with his former Nationwide Series championship winning crew chief Mike Kelley.

*TOYOTA*

*BK Racing*

A pair of rookies join the two-car Camry operation with Alex Bowman and Ryan Truex taking the wheels of the No. 23 and No. 83 rides, respectively.

*Michael Waltrip Racing*

Brian Vickers will compete for a full season in the No. 55 ride with former engineer Billy Scott the crew chief. Jeff Burton will drive a limited schedule in a No. 66 entry with team co-owner Michael Waltrip also slated to make a handful of starts, including in the Daytona 500.

*Swan Racing*

Another team in the midst of a youth movement as it grows to a two-car operations. Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt will pilot the Toyota entries.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/New-Faces-in-New-Places.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*K&N Series Returning To New Smyrna In 2015​*
Less than 48 hours after New Smyrna Speedway hosted its inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, track owner Robert Hart signed the NASCAR sanction to host the series again in February of 2015.

"We couldn't have asked for a more thrilling race as our first NASCAR touring series event - the fans were on their feet for that finish," said Hart, who signed the sanction prior to Tuesday night's UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona Int'l Speedway. "It really was a no-brainer to bring the series back and make them an integral part of our season kick off."

"We know from experience that New Smyrna Speedway is a great NASCAR short track with close racing and a fan-friendly environment," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of weekly & touring series. "We were hoping that the NASCAR K&N Pro Series season opener on the high banks would add a new level of excitement for NASCAR fans, but the event ended up exceeding all our expectations."

New Smyrna, which is less than 25 minutes from Daytona Int'l Speedway, is also in its second year as a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...n-pro-series-returning-to-new-smyrna-in-2015/








*Coby Masters Daytona Modified Field​*
Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece dominated Monday night's UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona Int'l Speedway, but it was Doug Coby who celebrated in victory lane.

Preece, who led the first 147 laps from the pole, hit the spinning lapped car of David Sapienza with eight laps remaining, giving Coby the break he needed.

The contact badly bent the left-rear wheel on Preece's No. 16 and when the race resumed with three laps to go he couldn't hold the bottom groove, allowing Coby to sneak from third to the lead.

Coby led the final three circuits on the temporary three-eighths-mile track located on the backstretch at the superspeedway and earned $20,000 in his first race in the No. 2 modified.

"Daytona is big for racing. It doesn't matter what you race here to be a winner at this race track and bring it home for a brand new team in its first time out with the car," Coby said. "I tried to be as patient as I could and tried to get spots on the restarts to put myself in a position to be there at the end.

We got lucky when that caution came out. Ryan had a great car and was driving away, but this is the Battle At The Beach and there are no points.

"Jason Myers applied the chrome horn to Coby exiting the fourth turn on the final lap, but Coby held on. Myers finished second with Luke Fleming, Preece and Burt Myers rounding out the top five.

"I don't even know what to say about it," Preece said. "It is unfortunate. This is horrible. To win at Daytona would have meant a lot to me."

*The finish:*

Doug Coby, Jason Myers, Luke Fleming, Ryan Preece, Burt Myers, Tommy Barrett Jr., Cody Ware, Ron Silk, Eric Goodale, J.R. Bertuccio, Donny Lia, Patrick Emerling, Rob Fuller, David Sapienza, Justin Bonsignore, Cole Powell, Kyle Benjamin, Dalton Baldwin, A.J. Winstead, Jeremy Gerstner, Jimmy Zacharias, Jonathan Kievman, David Brigati.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/coby-masters-daytona-modified-field/


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## Ckg2011

*Suarez Goes 2-For-2 In K&N East​*
Daniel Suarez went to victory lane for the second time in three days Monday night at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Suarez dominated the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East portion of the UNOH Battle At The Beach on the temporary three-eighths-mile track on the backstretch of the superspeedway. Suarez won the season opener for the series Sunday night at New Smyrna Speedway.

A regular in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series, the native of Monterrey, 
Mexico, led 117 laps in driving the Rev Racing Toyota to the $20,000 triumph.

"I can't believe this," said Suarez, who became the first driver since Sean Caisse in 2006 to win the first two races of the K&N Pro Series East season.

"I have to thank everyone with Rev Racing and Sunoco Racing. I have no words to explain what I feel right now."

Austin Hill finished second, followed by Bill McAnally Racing teammates Brandon McReynolds and Nick Drake. NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion Lee Pulliam finished fifth.

*The finish:*

Daniel Suarez, Austin Hill, Brandon McReynolds, Nick Drake, Lee Pulliam, Kenzie Ruston, Gray Gaulding, Patrick Staropoli, Scott Heckert, Kaz Grala, Brandon Gdovic, Jesse Little, Sergio Pena, Cameron Hayley, Ben Rhodes, Jay Beasley, Mackena Bell, Brodie Kostecki, Eddie McDonald, Ryan Gifford, David Garbo Jr., Brennan Newberry, Ronnie Bassett Jr., Brandon Jones, Jerry Dawson, Cory Joyce.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/suarez-goes-2-for-2-in-kn-east/








*Salt Life Joins TriStar As Sponsor​*
Salt Life will be an associate sponsor for all four TriStar Motorsports entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

"Salt Life has been supporting me since I first started racing back on late models," said Blake Koch, TriStar Motorsports driver. "I grew up in Florida surfing and fishing almost everyday and when the brand Salt Life came out I started wearing it. It's the coolest logo I have seen and people are proud to wear it."

"We are proud to be associated with TriStar Motorsports with their rich history in NASCAR and look forward to a successful 2014 season," said Jeff Stillwell, president of Salt Life.

TriStar Motorsports opens the season Saturday at Daytona (Fla.) Int'l Speedway.

"We are excited to have Salt Life on board our TriStar Motorsports Toyota Camrys this season," said Mark Smith, owner of TriStar Motorsports. "We look forward to working with Salt Life and promoting their brand through our motorsports program during the 2014 season."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/salt-life-joins-as-tristar-sponsor/








*BK Racing & Widow Wax Ink Deal​*
Widow Wax has partnered with BK Racing for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

"We're thrilled to begin a partnership with the BK Racing team in 2014," said Justin Kuhn, founder of Widow Wax. "This level of exposure for Widow Wax is unparalleled. We appreciate Ron Devine and the entire team at BK Racing for this tremendous opportunity."

"We are excited to welcome Widow Wax to the BK Racing organization," said team owner Ron Devine. "The fine products Widow Wax offers will be used every day both in the shop and at the track."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/bk-racing-window-wax-ink-deal/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Reveals New Truck Bodies​*







NASCAR officials unveiled newly designed bodies for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race trucks that debut in Friday's NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

The redesigned bodies will now match the look of their respective showroom counterparts.

This introduction of the new truck bodies follows successful launches of race vehicles in NASCAR's other two national series - the Gen-6 car last year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the new models in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010.

The evolution of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford.​







The evolution of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford.​
"Each manufacturer has designed distinctly different trucks that they can use to promote their showroom models through their involvement with NASCAR racing," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development. "We have worked closely with all three manufacturers for the past several years, and we're excited to unveil a new truck body that will make one of NASCAR's most exciting series even better."

Extensive research and testing went into the development of the new bodies, with the goal of continued close competition while allowing specific features from each model. The new trucks have a unique design that will make it easier for fans to recognize their favorite model.

The evolution of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota.​







The evolution of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota.​
"The truck has a new look that fans can relate to with their own truck at home," said Chad Little, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series managing director. "The competitors have been happy with the new trucks in testing in January and we expect to continue to have some of the best racing in NASCAR for our fans at Daytona."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/nascar-reveals-new-truck-bodies/


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## Ckg2011

*Budweiser Duel Practice Crash​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Budweiser Duel Race #1:​*

Austin Dillon 
Greg Biffle	
Ryan Newman	
Dale Earnhardt. Jr.	
Ricky Stenhouse. Jr.	
Marcos Ambrose	
Aric Almirola	
Joey Logano	
Matt Kenseth
Kasey Kahne	
Kyle Busch	
Kevin Harvick	
Danica Patrick	
AJ Allmendinger	
Reed Sorenson	
David Gilliland	
Parker Kligerman 
Tony Stewart
Brian Vickers	
Cole Whitt 
Michael McDowell	
Josh Wise	
Joe Nemechek
Alex Bowman 
Dave Blaney​
*Budweiser Duel Race #2:​*

Martin Truex Jr.
Carl Edwards
Brad Keselowski
Jeff Gordon
Paul Menard
Brian Scott
Jimmie Johnson
Casey Mears
Michael Annett
Clint Bowyer
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Larson
Trevor Bayne
Kurt Busch
Justin Allgaier
Landon Cassill
Michael Waltrip
Eric McClure
Jamie McMurray
David Ragan
Terry Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Ryan Truex
Morgan Shepherd​
*Budweiser Duels At Daytona Tonight On Fox Sports 1 At 7:00 PM Est. *​


----------



## Ckg2011

*Massive Crash Tests Daytona Catchfence​*
The stronger redesigned catchfence at Daytona Int'l Speedway got its first serious test during a multiple-car crash during Wednesday's first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session.

The fence sustained moderate damage that ended the session after 29 minutes.

Rookie driver Parker Kligerman ended up into the fence and slid on the roof of his car halfway down the frontstretch in a crash that was triggered when Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano ran into each other exiting turn four. Logano's car turned sideways and slammed into Paul Menard. Kligerman's car lifted off the ground and bounced off Ryan Truex's hood before landing upside down.
Dave Blaney was also involved in the crash that featured no injuries but the front splitter from Kligerman's car tore through the fence and pierced through to the other side of the grandstand. No spectators were in that area for practice and there were no injuries.

Construction crews were able to repair the damaged fence, which held up much better than it did when Kyle Larson's airborne car crashing into it on the final lap of last February's NASCAR Nationwide Series race. That crash last February tore down a large portion of the fence with the engine of Larson's car ending up near the grandstands. Debris from the crash injured more than 25 people.

"I was going into (turn) three and trying to back out of the draft," Kligerman said. "We were good and we were going to quit for the day - just pack it up and wait for tomorrow or tonight. I guess from what I could see, the 22 (Joey Logano) was just being overly aggressive and it's a shame.

"He's supposed to be a veteran. You go up here to the Sprint Cup Series and it's supposed to be the best of the best and you have a guy who in practice is racing people like that - like it's the last lap of the Daytona 500, meanwhile I came out of Truck practice and we were running three or four-wide no problem. I don't quite understand that one; I'll have to talk to him about that. I'm pretty upset about how all that went down."
Logano tried to explain his side of the situation.

"We were coming off four there and the 20 (Kenseth) started making a move to go down," Logano said. "I assumed he was going to go down there. I had the run, so I was going to fill that hole and then he started to come back up and I was there. Maybe I shouldn't have been racing as hard as I was there in practice, but everybody was in a big pack they're trying to make things happen. As soon as he came back up I checked up a little bit and then the 21 (Trevor Bayne) hit me from behind and we spun out. It happens.

"That's Daytona for you. We have another good Shell/Pennzoil Ford in the trailer that they backed out and are getting through tech now so we'll get that out and make sure it's good for the Duel and get through that and we'll be fine."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/massive-crash-tests-daytona-catchfence/


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## Ckg2011

*LendingTree Backs Kligerman In Daytona 500​*
LendingTree, an online loan marketplace, will sponsor the No. 30 Swan Racing Toyota and Parker Kligerman in the Daytona 500 this Sunday at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

"The No. 30 LendingTree Toyota is ready to roll and we are looking forward to getting on track beginning with tonight's Budweiser DUEL qualifying race and then Sunday's Daytona 500," said Kligerman.

The Budweiser Duel consist of two 150 mile qualifying races held tonight at 7 p.m. ET in Daytona and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1. Kligerman, who is also a Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, will compete in the first race. LendingTree, based in Charlotte, N.C., allows borrowers to fill out one form online and receive multiple offers from different lenders who compete for their business.

"We're extremely excited to partner with Swan Racing in our first-ever involvement with NASCAR, and proud to support rookie driver Parker Kligerman at Daytona," said Doug Lebda, LendingTree's founder CEO. "LendingTree's primary focus is to empower individuals, whether that's empowering borrowers against big banks or empowering up-and-coming drivers against more established race teams."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/lendingtree-backs-kligerman-in-daytona-500/


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## Ckg2011

*American Ethanol Expands RCR Deal​*
American Ethanol is enhancing its partnership with Richard Childress Racing and driver Austin Dillon for the 2014 NASCAR season.

Beginning with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix Int'l Raceway on March 2, Dillon will race the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet SS in select races during the 2014 season.

"American Ethanol is extremely pleased to once again partner with Austin Dillon, Richard Childress and the entire RCR team to help promote a sustainable homegrown American fuel that is better for our environment, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and creates jobs right here in the U.S., while revitalizing rural economies across America and save consumers at the pump," said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.

American Ethanol, launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers ***'n along with the support of other partners, is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15. Since the program launch for the 2011 season, NASCAR drivers have run more than 5 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.

"We want to show consumers coast-to-coast there is a great alternative to imported oil and our association with NASCAR and RCR is doing that 
extremely well," said Jon Holzfaster, a Paxton, NE farmer and chairman of the National Corn Growers Association's NASCAR Advisory Committee.

"Ethanol is also responsible for bringing a rural renaissance from Main Street to the family farm."

American Ethanol will also serve as a major associate sponsor for Dillon's No. 3 Chevrolet for the full 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season joining Dow, Cheerios, Realtree Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops and the University of Northwestern Ohio.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/american-ethanol-expands-rcr-deal/


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## Ckg2011

*Sport Clips Extends Darlington Contract​*
Sport Clips Haircuts has extended its partnership agreement with Darlington Raceway to sponsor the NASCAR Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 through the 2016 season.

The agreement ensures that Sport Clips and Darlington Raceway will continue to build on an already strong foundation started in 2012. The VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 is slated to run under the lights at the track Too Tough to Tame on April 11, 2014.

"Sport Clips has been a fantastic partner and we are honored it is going to continue its relationship with Darlington Raceway for the next three years," Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said. "We are proud that this great partner views Darlington Raceway as a valuable platform to increase awareness of its national veterans-support programs. Today's announcement shows the strength of the relationship and our continued commitment to fostering meaningful lasting partnerships."

Sport Clips will continue to use its NASCAR partnership to raise awareness about the struggles many military families are facing and the VFW's mission to support active-duty military, veterans and their families.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/sport-clips-extends-darlington-contract/


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## Ckg2011

*Ryan Joins NBC Sports As Contributor​*
Amid final preparations for Monday's launch of NASCAR AMERICA on NBCSN, NBC Sports has announced that USA TODAY Sports auto racing writer Nate Ryan has joined the group's expanding roster of on-air talent.

Ryan, who will cover his ninth Daytona 500 for USA TODAY Sports on Sunday, is set to join NASCAR AMERICA host Rick Allen, fellow reporters Kelli Stavast, Marty Snider, and a rotating panel of guest analysts when the show premieres on Monday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. ET.

"Nate's work ethic, relationships throughout the sport and sharp journalistic instincts have earned him an elite position within NASCAR over the last decade," said Jeff Behnke, vice president of NASCAR Production, NBC Sports Group. "He is a terrific addition to the NBC Sports family and will add a lot to NASCAR AMERICA."

Ryan's contributions to NASCAR AMERICA will include interaction with NBCSN's new daily NASCAR show via reports from NASCAR venues nationwide and regular visits to NBC Sports' studio locations in Charlotte, N.C. and Stamford, Conn. Ryan's work will surround breaking news as well as feature stories, which melds nicely with his continuing role at USA TODAY Sports.

"The first NASCAR race I covered was also the first that I attended, and it bred an insatiable curiosity about a sport that is fueled by so many moving parts, both literally and figuratively," Ryan said. "I've tried to remain true to exploring the myriad storylines with a fresh and unique perspective, and I'm enthused and humbled to be afforded such a terrific platform with NBC Sports."

Ryan joined USA TODAY Sports in January 2006 as an auto racing writer and recently completed his 11th full season of covering the Sprint Cup Series. He has covered more than 300 races in NASCAR's premier series, beginning with the June 22, 1997 opening of California Speedway as a writer with the San Bernardino County Sun. He moved to the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch as a backup NASCAR writer in 1998 and took over the full-time beat in May 2002.

Ryan is a four-time winner of the Russ Catlin Motorsports Journalism Award of Excellence and was named a two-time writer of the year by the National Motorsports Press Association. He has held a weekly Thursday morning spot on Sirius Satellite Radio's "The Morning Drive" since 2007 and has been a regular fill-in for the hosts and other programs since 2008, co-hosting several dozen times. He was a guest panelist on ESPN's "NASCAR Now" several times from 2009-11 and was a regular weekly contributor to Fox Sports One's "Race Hub" from 2012-13. Ryan graduated from Northwestern University in June 1995 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/ryan-joins-nbc-sports-as-contributor/


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## Ckg2011

Do you agree with any of the MRN.com editorial staff picks?​
*Gas 'N' Go: Cup Title Predictions​* *Who will win the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship?​*
*MRN Staff Answer:*

*Pete Pistone:* Jimmie Johnson: Sure, there's a new format for the Chase. But that certainly doesn't mean Johnson still isn't the guy to beat for the title. The best always rises to the top in any sport and no matter how the champion is determined, in Sprint Cup racing the best remains Johnson and the "48" team. It won't be a walk in the park by any means, but Johnson will enjoy an historic seventh championship in 2014.

*Dustin Long:* Kevin Harvick: Harvick will do what Matt Kenseth nearly did last year - win the championship in his first year with a new team. The combination of Harvick, crew chief Rodney Childers and Stewart-Haas Racing is a winning combination. Childers is an underrated crew chief who will get his chance to compete for a championship and will take advantage by helping Harvick claim the crown.

*John Singler:* Kevin Harvick: Starts a new phase of his career, jumping from Richard Childress Racing to Stewart-Haas. With teammates Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart, the four-car team has a garage full of strong personalities. Along with that comes the potential for any number of distractions and disturbances. I think of those four, Harvick is best-equipped to tune it all out and focus on his racecar. I expect him to win three or four during the regular season and then shine in the new "playoff" format. His nickname is "The Closer," right?

*Jeff Wackerlin:* Denny Hamlin: Hamlin has put in his hours to get back as healthy as he can be and he does not want to be the weak link in his team. The 2014 season will be a redemption year for Hamlin after being knocked out of contention last season due to a back injury. The new format could fit right into Hamlin's hands as 12 of his 23 career wins have come on Chase tracks - including at least one in each elimination segment ... not to mention he won last year's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his second win at the track.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/02/Gas-and-Go-Title-Predictions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Nationwide Series Title Race Wide Open​*
This year's NASCAR Nationwide Series features several new drivers and teams in pursuit of the title.

Last year's champion, Austin Dillon, has moved up to run for Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year and leaves behind what should be a wide open battle for this season's crown. In addition to Dillon, several other prominent names have departed the series including such high-profile drivers as Brian Vickers, Parker Kligerman, Cole Whitt, Ryan Truex, Alex Bowman and Travis Pastrana.

But there are plenty of newcomers to fill the void including highly-touted Chase Elliott, who joins JR Motorsports for a full-time ride in the No. 9 Chevrolet. NAPA has signed on to sponsor the son of two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill Elliott in his first full season on the tour.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," said Elliott. "My family and I are still trying to believe it all. I couldn't ask to be partnered with anyone better than Dale Jr., Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller) and Mr. (Rick) Hendrick; along with all of the people at their organizations who have put in countless hours to pull this together. I'm pumped to get to work in 2014 with that first trip to Daytona and make the most of this opportunity."

Elliott will be joined by Regan Smith, who returns to the team's No. 7 car after a 2013 campaign that saw him in contention for the championship until a string of poor performances around mid-season. Smith feels he learned a lot last year that will help him stay in the title hunt this time around.

"We've got a really solid core, not only on paper (but with) what we see in the shop," said Smith, who will have Ryan Pemberton as crew chief this year. "I'm relatively new to the company but even as somebody who's watched JR Motorsports for years prior, this is the strongest it's ever been.

"It's the most excited I think any of us have ever been going into a season, about what's to come and what we're going to be capable of."

Although last year's champ has moved on, the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing entry should also be a strong contender again with a different Dillon behind the wheel. Ty moves up from the Camping World Truck Series and inherits the ride from brother Austin. The younger Dillon sees no reason why he can't continue the team's success of a year ago.

"I plan on running for the championship, for sure, right off the bat," said Dillon, who will have Brendan Gaughan and Brian Scott as teammates, "winning three or four races. I have a great team that's been in the series for a couple of years, now, and won the championship. So I know I have the guys behind me. They're going to give me great racecars.

"It's up to me to be a quick learner as a rookie, go out and achieve my goals."

Elliott Sadler wasn't able to achieve his goal of a Nationwide Series title last year with Joe Gibbs Racing. But the veteran driver returns with his No. 11 team intact and plans to make a stronger run for the title.

"It may sound corny, but I feel like we're even better than we were last year," said Sadler. "The wheels came off more than they should have and we need to find a way to eliminate some of those times, for sure. But in terms of fast cars and a solid team, we definitely have that in 2014."

JGR's potent Nationwide program will also field other part-time entries this year with Kyle Busch, who won 12 times last season, driving the No. 54 Toyota in 26 races with last year's series runner-up Sam Hornish Jr. driving the balance of the schedule. The team also plans a limited schedule for the No. 20 entry with Drew Herring and Matt Kenseth sharing time behind the wheel.

Roush Fenway Racing has a trio of entries prepped for the season led by former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, who will run for the championship in addition to his limited Sprint Cup Series schedule with Wood Brothers Racing.

"We left some on the table last year," said Bayne, who scored a win at Iowa Speedway as part of a season that saw seven top fives, 21 top tens, a pole at Daytona in February, 84 laps led, and an average finish of 11.5 over the 33-race schedule. "This entire RFR organization and the No. 6 team is dedicated to upping that performance and making a solid run for the championship."

Ryan Reed and Chris Buescher will also run the schedule as teammates to Bayne.

Other notable drivers and teams in 2014 include James Buescher, who left Turner Scott Motorsports for the RAB Racing No. 99 entry. Kyle Larson will take the TSM ride for a majority of the schedule in addition to his Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year effort at Chip Ganassi Racing. Dakoda Armstrong steps up from the Truck Series to Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Ford.

The 33-race slate kicks off with Saturday's DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway and wraps up with November's Ford Championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Nationwide Series opener at 12:45 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Nationwide-Series-Title-Race-Wide-Open.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Budweiser Duels At Daytona​*
See who will race their way into the _Great American Race_ tonight at 7:00 pm eastern on Fox Sports 1. Twin 150 mile qualifying races decide the who will be Sunday's _Daytona 500_. Who will be in and who will pack up and go home. It will be take place tonight in Prime Time under the lights on the high banks at Daytona.

*Source:*
Ckg2011


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Wins Duel No. 1, Harvick DQed​*
Matt Kenseth defeated Kevin Harvick by .022 of a seconds - about one and a half feet - in a three-wide finish that also included Kasey Kahne in an impressive finish to Thursday night's first Budweiser Duel 150 qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500.

Harvick's Chevrolet, however, failed post-race technical inspection when NASCAR officials found the track bar exceeded the maximum split (3-inches of adjustment). That means his finishing position from Thursday will be disallowed and he will have to make it into the field through qualification times posted in last Sunday's time trials or the car owner points that belonged to Ryan Newman last year when he was the driver at Stewart-Haas Racing.

Among the drivers that raced their way into the Daytona 500 field were Josh Wise, Cole Whitt and Alex Bowman. Bowman finished 15th, the final automatic transfer spot into the Daytona 500.

Harvick's Chevrolet had nudged ahead of Kenseth's Toyota coming out of the fourth turn but Kenseth went to the outside nearly brushing the SAFER Barrier to make the race-winning pass at the checkered flag.

"I had a strong Toyota Camry and Kevin is one of the best," Kenseth said. "He made the perfect move but I was able to get him at the line. This is a great way to start off 2014. I'm glad to get the win here tonight. These guys really deserve it."

Harvick thought he had timed his move perfectly but it may have been too soon.

"I had the momentum and when those guys got to me and were jammed up I had to make the move," Harvick said. "We tried to side-draft and then we nearly both lost it because I saw the 5 (Kahne) come up alongside."
Marcos Ambrose was fourth in a Ford followed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Bowman, a rookie from Tucson, Ariz., will start his first Daytona 500 on Sunday.

"We went across the start/finish line and I wasn't sure where I ended up but my crew chief told me we made it," Bowman said. "This really means a lot and it's huge for me and my family. We're in the Daytona 500. It really means a lot."

All 60 laps in the race were contested under green flag conditions, which meant the one pit stop in the race would be very important.

Many of the front half of the field came down pit road with 23 laps to go. On the next lap Earnhardt smoked his tires getting on the brakes to come down pit road and lead another group of drivers into the pits. Most of the drivers made fuel-only stops and did not change tires and the ones that made four-tire changes had plenty of ground to make up to the lead group of cars.

Earnhardt "flat-spotted" his tires entering pit road but did not change them and that caused some concern about the handling of his car. However, he was up to fifth place with just 10 laps to go and Matt Kenseth in the lead.
Kenseth remained in front with five laps to ahead of Harvick, Kahne, Logano and Marcos Ambrose.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kenseth-nips-harvick-in-duel-no-1/








*Budweiser Duel 2 Goes To Hamlin​*
Denny Hamlin gave Joe Gibbs Racing a sweep of both Budweiser Duels, driving his Toyota to victory in the second 150-mile qualifying race Thursday night for Sunday's 56th Daytona 500.

JGR teammate Matt Kenseth won the first Duel earlier in the evening.
Hamlin was first to the checkered flag in a race that finished with a massive crash behind him that saw six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson run out of gas before being clipped by Jamie McMurray. That led to a big multi-car crash that saw Clint Bowyer's car flip completely over before landing on all four wheels. Also, two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip's Toyota ran into the opening of the pit wall.

The crash was triggered when Johnson's car slowed and Jamie McMurray's car ran into the pack of his Chevrolet sending it crashing into the wall.
According to sources, Johnson was running out of fuel and that is why he slowed to cause the incident.

Hamlin finished the race as the winner just ahead of three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon's Chevrolet. Kurt Busch was third in a Chevrolet followed by Paul Menard's Chevrolet and Brian Scott's Chevrolet in a race that officially ends under caution.

Casey Mears, who had to pit on the final lap because his car was out of fuel, was able to make it into the field by being on pit road and missing the big wreck. Landon Cassill was last driver to transfer into the field based on his ninth-place finish in the race.

Brad Keselowski led a 12-car breakaway after 27 laps in the 60-lap Duel that also included Edwards, Gordon, Bowyer and Kurt Busch.

Most of the field pitted with 24 laps to go with Keselowski getting right-side tires and Gordon fuel only. Keselowski was able to get off pit road ahead of Gordon but he was nailed for exceeding pit road speed, which meant pass-through penalty taking him out of contention for the victory. What made it ironic is Keselowski had the last pit stall on pit road but passed two cars on exit.

Keselowski brought the Ford down pit road with 21 laps to go and Hamlin was the leader head of Kurt Busch and Gordon. Keselowski, however, flat-spotted his tires as he hit pit road and had a flat-tire with 20 laps left in the race.
That sent the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion dropping from first to last in the 24-car field.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/budweiser-duel-2-goes-to-hamlin/


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## Ckg2011

*Clint Bowyer Sticks The Landing​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Valvoline Teams With JR Motorsports​*
Valvoline, a leading marketer, distributor and producer of quality branded automotive and industrial products and services, has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement with JR Motorsports. The sponsorship will kick off at the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opening race at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Saturday.

The Official Lubricants Supplier of JR Motorsports beginning in 2014, the Valvoline brand will be featured as an associate sponsor of the team's Chevrolet Camaro race cars. The company will utilize drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Regan Smith and Chase Elliott to promote Valvoline premium motor oil products. In addition, JR Motorsports will use a specially designed Valvoline racing formulation in its Chevrolet racing engines.

"The Valvoline team is thrilled to serve as the technology partner to JR Motorsports," said Heidi Matheys, senior vice president of Valvoline's Do-It-Yourself channel. "This is a great opportunity to feature our innovative American brand of motor oil and extend our racing heritage and relationship with the Hendrick Motorsports family."

"We welcome this Valvoline partnership with open arms because it is an innovative American brand that has a great racing heritage and a winning motor oil race history," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports. "The Valvoline brand fits well within the fabric of our company. We have a great respect for its history in our sport and its impact in the automotive industry."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/valvoline-teams-with-jr-motorsports/


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart Haas Expands Atlas Copco Deal​*
In an expanded partnership deal with Stewart Haas Racing, Atlas Copco will serve as an associate sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS driven by Kurt Busch.

"We have enjoyed a longstanding and successful partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing," said John Brookshire, president, Atlas Copco Compressors LLC. "We are proud to be part of their team at the track and in the race shop, and we're looking forward to supporting the expanded SHR lineup in the 2014 Sprint Cup Series."

As part of the relationship, Atlas Copco is providing new compressed air equipment and installing its SmartLink monitoring technology into SHR's new 125,000 sq.-ft. state-of-the-art race shop expansion located next to the team's existing headquarters in Kannapolis, N.C. SmartLink provides 24/7 remote monitoring of the team's compressed air system to ensure continuous uptime and peak performance.

"Atlas Copco has been a consistent, committed partner since the beginning of Stewart-Haas Racing and we're proud to have them in our shop and at the track for another season," said Brett Frood, executive vice president, SHR. "Atlas Copco equipment will ensure that despite doubling our capacity, we won't have to double our energy bill. With the new energy-saving equipment, we'll see only a minimal increase, which will help keep our resources focused on putting our racecars in victory lane."

This season is the first time Atlas Copco will appear as an associate sponsor of an SHR car for the full season. Atlas Copco will appear on the B-post of Busch's No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet and on the sleeve of Busch's firesuit.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/stewart-haas-expands-deal-with-atlas-copco/


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## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick (#4) Finishing 2nd In The Budweiser Duel​*
*New Team, New Challenges For Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick has always been a driver with a fierce attitude and determination. He isn't afraid to show that on the race track that makes him a perfect fit for his new team owner, Tony Stewart.

Both are similar in their approach behind the wheel of a race car. They can be friendly rivals with other drivers off the track but don't really care if they don't make friends during a race.

So after 12 successful seasons at Richard Childress Racing that included a victory in the 2003 Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 2007 Daytona 500, Harvick is ready for the next phase of his career at Stewart Haas Racing.

The hard-edged Harvick joins fellow edgy racers Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick and Stewart at the four-car team that will capture plenty of attention this season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with Sunday's 56th Daytona 500.

Harvick is the only member of Stewart Haas Racing that has won the Daytona 500. Stewart, Busch and Patrick are all winless in the signature race on the NASCAR schedule.

He finished second in a thrilling three-wide finish at the checkered flag in Thursday night's Budweiser Duel at Daytona but his finish was disallowed after the rear track bar split did not pass post-race technical inspection.

So instead of starting fifth on Sunday Harvick will have to pedal his way from the 38th starting position in the Budweiser Chevrolet. In a race where drafting is so important, however, it really doesn't matter where a driver starts at the restrictor-plate race track because with the right strategy and drafting partner he can draft his way up to the front in the 200-mile race.
"We've had two good races this week; our cars have been fast," Harvick said. "We've been able to run up front and lead some laps and do the things we need to do.

"On Sunday we just need to do the same thing and keep it rolling for 500 miles. I think when you get more cars in the pack; it's going to be a little more intense than what it was (Thursday night). It was obviously a great finish. But I just had to go whenever the pack bunched up and decided to make a move like that. We made it just a touch too late to be able to get the last side draft by Matt there at the end. So it was a good race.

"I think we've all done a pretty good job at tearing a few things up along the way so far. I think everybody was a little bit conservative. I think obviously there were only 18 cars in the Unlimited and we tore the whole field up. I think everybody wanted to do what they had to do to get the best finish that they could. Obviously those of us running up front tried to win the race. It just didn't time out exactly perfect."

Although his finish was disallowed his performance on the race track served as a good opportunity to determine how well his car will perform in the Daytona 500. And for drivers who were already assured of a starting position in the Daytona 500 that is the value of competing in the 150-mile qualifying race because it gives them a good indication of what to expect in the big race on Sunday.

"We just had a three‑wide finish for the win," Harvick said. "I guess if you guys don't like that, we'll have to try something different.

"I think when everybody gets antsy and wants to go, you can group up and go."

After a near-three month break between the end of last season and the Speedweeks it didn't take Harvick long to get up to speed once he hit the track at Daytona. He finished fifth in the race where only eight cars were running at the finish.

"The good news is this year is that I've been in the car a fair amount as we've gone through the offseason," Harvick said. "We've probably been in the car eight or 10 days throughout the last couple of months. You just take your time. There's no reason to take too many chances as you move into 
Speedweeks. I've laid in bed sick and watched my car get wrecked and seen wrecks and been involved in wrecks. A lot of them have happened in that first practice."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/new-team-new-challenges-for-harvick/


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## Ckg2011

*Kwasniewski Nabs Daytona NNS Pole​*
It was supposed to be NASCAR's big debut of its "knockout" qualifying format on Friday but intermittent rain ended it after the initial session.
That allowed Turner Scott Motorsports to sweep the top three positions for Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300.

Rookie Dylan Kwasniewski won the pole with a fast lap at 192.078 miles per hour in a Chevrolet. Teammate Kyle Larson was next at 192.074 mph and teammate Danica Patrick rounded out the top three at 192.033 mph.

It was Kwasniewski's first pole of his Nationwide Series career and Larson's first top-10 start in three races at Daytona. Patrick had her fifth top-10 start at Daytona.

Although there were two more sessions scheduled in this new qualification format that were canceled because of rain, the fact all drivers were able to complete the initial qualification session made it an official grid.

"It's pretty surreal to be sitting here," Kwasniewski said. "Danica did a good job leading us through the pack and getting us clean through there. I hung around in the back and was able to pull through. The format was a lot of fun and for my first time at Daytona to actually get the pole it's an unexplainable feeling. I can't believe I'm sitting up here."

The Turner Scott trio worked together in the qualification session to sweep the top three positions.

"Being a rookie it's hard to make the decision which pack to go through and Danica picked her way through and got us all clean laps," Kwasniewski said. "We all three got there and now we get to start that way in the race. It's all thanks to those guys - and girls. I was not expecting this at all.

"This is an extraordinary feeling."

Larson was one of the contenders for victory in last year's Nationwide Series race but was involved in the horrific last lap crash where his car went airborne and tore down part of the fence with debris injuring spectators in the grandstands.

Since that time the fence in that area has been rebuilt and redesigned and Larson could be a contender on Saturday.

"The new qualifying was really wild especially on a superspeedway," Larson said. "It was a lot of fun. I thought we may have waited too long to get in the right pack because I thought they were going to start pulling off the track and we wouldn't get as good as a tow as we needed. We had a few hairy moments where we had to check up and get on the brakes. It was really good efforts for Turner Scott Motorsports to have three cars entered and take the top three spots in qualifying. Hopefully we can have a top-three finish in the race on Saturday."

Patrick didn't need to see the other two rounds of qualifications completed because it couldn't have worked out any better for her team.

"Well, we're 1-2-3," Patrick said. "As I team I don't think we can be any better than that. Being 1-2-3 as a team is exactly what we were shooting for."

Patrick described the strategy she tried to employ on her qualification lap with so many cars on the track at the same time.

"You didn't want to drop back too far but I was confident we could punch such a big hole that everyone could catch up," Patrick said. "We did two timed laps and the first one wasn't the greatest so we didn't really get on it until Turn 4. That lap was OK but not great. The next lap was the one where we caught the pack down the backstraight.

"We were following that pack and when we came into Turn 4 there were two cars that were too tight together. I had one little lift and got pretty close to them and we got a good pull down the frontstraight. That ended up being quick enough."

Patrick thought there was plenty of room for this format at Daytona but said on the short tracks "I can't see where this isn't going to be a total disaster."
"There are going to be tracks where a lot of drivers are mad at each other," Patrick said. "If NASCAR wanted to make it exciting for the fans they have certainly done that."

Kyle Busch qualified fourth in a Toyota at 191.620 miles per hour and JGR teammate Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five with an identical speed but Busch got the edge because he was the first to record that speed.

Rookie driver Chad Boat, the son of 1998 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Billy Boat, was the last driver to make the field and will start 40th in a Chevrolet after running a lap at 189.239 mph.

Missing the race were David Ragan, Tanner Berryhill, Chris Buescher, Willie Allen, Matt Carter, Clay Greenfield, Carl Long, Matt DiBenedetto and Carlos Contreras.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/kwasniewski-nabs-daytona-nns-pole/


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## Ckg2011

*Last Daytona 500 for Terry Labonte​*
Two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte said Sunday's Daytona 500 will be his final start in this race.

This will be Labonte's 32nd Daytona 500 start. He's never won the race but finished second in 1986, '90 and '97. Labonte will fall one start short of the record for this race. Dave Marcis started 33 Daytona 500s.

Labonte, 57, said he plans to run the remaining three restrictor-plate races and maybe a few others this season for car owner Frankie Stoddard's Go Fas Racing.

Labonte is scheduled to start 24th Sunday. He finished 12th in the second of two Budweiser Duel races Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway.

Labonte worried that he might not get another chance to run in this race after a slow pit stop when the team's fueler struggled to connect the can. That caused Labonte to lose the draft and fall outside a transfer spot.

"We were done then,'' Labonte said.

His fortune changed by avoiding the last-lap, nine-car crash. He also was helped by Casey Mears running out of fuel at the end.

"Thank goodness we made the race,'' Labonte said.

Labonte said he's certain this will be his final Daytona 500.

"I still love it,'' he said. "I've been dragging this retirement out for about seven years.''

Labonte admits he told Stoddard that last year's Daytona 500 would be his final one.

"I told him I really mean it this time,'' Labonte said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Labonte-To-Run-Daytona-500-One-Last-Time.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR CWTS At Daytona Tonight​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Daytona is on Fox Sports 1 right now. It is currently in a delay due to rain. Track dryers on the tack drying it. They hope to get the race in tonight. Radar has shown rain has moved out of the Daytona area. Looks like the Pick'Em Up Trucks will be soon flying around the high banks of Daytona.

*Source:*
Ckg2011


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch (#51) Beats Timothy Peters (#17) By Inches To Win​*
*Busch Finally Gets Daytona Truck Victory​*
Kyle Busch waited until the last possible second to make his move during Friday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway, but when he did he made it count.

Busch was running second to Timothy Peters on the last lap of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on the inside line as the field made its way through turns three and four. When the field made it to the front stretch Busch made his move, shooting to the outside line.

Peters threw a block on Busch to try and slow him down, but Busch had all the momentum he needed and was able to beat Peters to the finish line by .017 of a second. The victory is Busch's first in the Truck Series at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

"I didn't think I was going to be able to make that move," said Busch, whose previous best finish at Daytona in a Truck was second on three different occasions. "I said I was going to throw it out there and see what happens. I got kind of to his outside and I started to break the plain and then that started to slow him down and then as soon as I did (break the plain) it just drug him back."

The first half of the race was dominated by rookie Ben Kennedy, who started on the pole after qualifying was rained out earlier in the day. Kennedy led the first 52 laps of the race, but lost the lead to Busch after stalling his truck during a pit stop.

The field returned to racing with 44 laps to go and two laps later Peters showed his stuff, leading the outside line to the front of the field. He battled with Busch for the lead until taking the top spot outright with 37 laps left.
With Peters leading the way the action in the back of the pack began to pick up. Then, on lap 74, contact between Ross Chastain and Parker Kligerman ignited a 15-truck pileup that collected Darrell Wallace Jr., John Wes Townley, John King, Mason Mingus, Tyler Young and several others.

After a lengthy cleanup the field returned to racing with 18 laps left. Busch held on to the lead until the caution flag waved on lap 86 for fluid on the backstretch from Travis Kvapil's truck. That set up the final restart with 11 laps remaining.

When the green flag waved most of the field most of the field moved to the bottom lane, leaving Turner Scott Motorsports teammates Ryan Truex and Ron Hornaday Jr. on the top line by themselves. Busch held the lead on the low line, but Truex and Hornaday slowly began to inch back up to the front on the top side.

With seven laps left Peters, who was running sixth in the low line, jumped in front of Truex on the top side and began making a push towards the front. Within one lap he was up to second and challenging Busch for the lead.

With five laps left Peters got alongside Busch for the race lead, clearing him one lap later. Once out in front Peters abandoned the top side, diving back to the low line in front of Busch. Truex and Hornaday tried to build a run on the outside, but Truex could only briefly get alongside Peters before fading.

That set up the final lap battle between Busch and Peters, which ended with Busch in victory lane.

"This now makes it where I've won four (at Daytona)," said Busch, who led 25 laps during the race in his No. 51 Toyota Tundra. "I've won the ARCA race here, won the Truck race here, Nationwide and Cup. That's what was alluding me. I was trying to get a Truck win here and finally got one."

It was the eighth-straight victory for Toyota in the Truck Series at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Peters, the 2010 Truck Series winner at Daytona, said he tried his best to slow Busch's momentum on the last lap.

"It's always easy to sit here and be a Monday morning quarterback," Peters said. "Kyle caught the right push at the right time from Johnny (Sauter). I went up to try to block him but then went right back down to the bottom so I wouldn't lose second."

Sauter finished third, followed by Truex and Hornaday. Ryan Blaney, Jeb Burton, Joe Nemechek, Jimmy Weller and Germain Quiroga completed the top 10.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/busch-finally-gets-daytona-truck-victory/


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## Ckg2011

*Smith Gets Redemption At Daytona​*
One year after seeing an apparent victory end in one of the worst crashes in Daytona history, Regan Smith was finally able to see the checkered flag at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Smith used the high-line to nip Brad Keselowski by a fender and win Saturday's DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Int'l Speedway. Smith defied the odds by using the outside lane to win the race after the driver in the low lane dominated most of the event. But in the end it was the high line that was the path to victory for Smith, who defeated Keselowski by just .013 of a second.

Keselowski was in front of Kyle Busch and Smith was in the outside lane when the green flag waved for the green-white-checkered finish. Busch was boxed in behind Keselowski, who attempted to bump draft Keselowski past Smith as the field made it to the white flag.

On the final lap Smith stayed high, nudging just ahead of Keselowski on the backstretch. He was able to carry the momentum around to the front stretch and into victory lane.

Smith nearly won last year's Nationwide race that ended in the horrific crash that sent spectators to the hospital last year.

Regan Smith (7) battles Brad Keselowski (22) for the win on the closing lap of the DRIVE4COPD 300 at the Daytona Int'l Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL.

Regan Smith (7) battles Brad Keselowski (22) for the win on the closing lap of the DRIVE4COPD 300 at the Daytona Int'l Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL.

"We never lost the focus," Smith said after scoring his fourth Nationwide victory. "We've had the same focus all along. It's good to come out of the box strong like this. This is Daytona. This is tough to win here. I thought I had won last year but didn't get the win. I'm getting tongue-tied. This is exciting.
"This is Daytona; a good start to the year. After last year but happened at the start/finish line I felt terrible. I'm glad everyone came back ok. I'm glad to see the checkered flag at Daytona rather than cause the big wreck. It's going to be a big year."

Keselowski lost the race by the narrowest of margins.

"There is nothing you can really do except hold it down," Keselowski said. "You couldn't do it without a push and Regan got a better push than me. I thought the racing today with the spoiler changes is tougher than the tandem rule but it is what it is."

Trevor Bayne was third in a Ford followed by Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota drivers Kyle Busch and Elliott Sadler.

"You're playing with fire and nitrous oxide at the same time and trying not to create a big explosion at the end," Busch said. "The outside lane was very aggressive and I was stuck at the bottom. I tried to get our lane moving to open up a spot for me to go and it just didn't happen."

Earnhardt was attempting to tie his father, the late Dale Earnhardt, and Tony Stewart with a seventh Nationwide Series win at Daytona. He didn't win the race but he was the winning car owner.

"I'm just happy for Regan and this is a great boost for our company," Earnhardt said. "We are heading in the right direction and this can be a big year for us as well. We are making good changes and it will work out for everybody. I'm glad Regan and Ryan Pemberton (crew chief) are hitting it off very well. It's going to work out. This is the first time I've come down here and had three cars rolling at the end of the race."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/smith-gets-redemption-at-daytona/


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## Ckg2011

*Possible Limits for Cup Drivers​*
NASCAR is looking at potentially limiting the number of Nationwide and Camping World Truck races Sprint Cup drivers can run during a season.

The hot-button issue with fans came up again after Kyle Busch won Friday night's Truck race at Daytona International Speedway and defended his ability to run in such races.

"People don't like it,'' Busch said. "I'm stealing candy from a baby. Till the rules are changed or everybody else grows up and can beat me, then we're racing, so...

Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's vice president of racing operations addressed the matter Saturday with The Associated Press.

"We're definitely aware of the fan messaging we get,"O'Donnell said. "There's a balance, especially talking to the tracks, of having a Cup driver or two in the Trucks or Nationwide. ... We have had discussions with the race teams about ownership and should Cup drivers get points and we've looked at should they be limited in the number of races. It's something we are really studying."

Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner of JR Motorsports, said that NASCAR officials "suggested they might be looking at different things next year for this series'' in a meeting with team owners.

She said she's lobbied NASCAR to allow Cup drivers to run in other series. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick are both scheduled to run for JR Motorsports this season. Earnhardt and Kasey Kahne drove for the team in select races last season.

Saturday's Nationwide race at Daytona International Speedway included nine drivers who will race in Sunday's Daytona 500 including Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski and Busch.

"It's important to be able to have the Cup guys in our series,'' Earnhardt Miller said. "I think the young guys that are in the series like to be able to race against talent like Dale and Kevin and those guys.

"We'll just have to find the balance for what makes it work. But it's definitely part of our program and part of the leverage we use from a sponsorship standpoint.''

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, declined to discuss when series officials might implement such a policy.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/02/Possible-Limits-for-Cup-Drivers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Chases History​*
So it begins. Here near the beach the road to immortality harkens.

Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt traveled it to become cornerstones in NASCAR's version of Mt. Rushmore. David Pearson, it could be argued, is with them. The question is if they'll be joined by Jimmie Johnson - although some would say he's already there.

Johnson's quest for a record-tying seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup championship starts here at Daytona International Speedway with Sunday's Daytona 500 where he is the defending winner.

How many times do you know you have the chance to watch history? Often times such moments arrive without warning and context. Johnson's pursuit of this special title is something one can watch this season or beyond.

Some will question if Johnson deserves a place next to Petty, Earnhardt and Pearson because their titles came under a different system, but Johnson could leave little choice but to add him with an additional title or two or three.

"I feel regardless of car or points system, we'll be a threat,'' Johnson said. "It would be nice to win one, two, whatever, with the new format.''

Some are making the case that NASCAR's new system - an elimination format that ends with four drivers racing for the title in a winner-take-all event at Homestead-Miami Speedway - hinders Johnson's run to history. Doubters say that Johnson hasn't had to race for a championship at Homestead. Of course, that's forgetting 2010 when Johnson trailed Denny Hamlin entering Homestead and won a record fifth consecutive crown.

Still, there's hope for others.

"I think that (other teams) realize that they're the ones to beat, and we have to do that, but I think they also understand ... this puts everybody else in a better scenario to beat the '48' team in the end,'' said former champion Dale Jarrett, an analyst for ESPN.

"What I'm intrigued by is to see how they go about it because every time there's been a change, whether it's been in the car or whether it's been in the points, the way that we put points out there, the changes that have been made, they've adapted better than anyone else. Even when they didn't win the championship, they put themselves there. People are going to pay attention to what they're doing.''

Still, there's no guarantee that Johnson's team will get there. Teammate Jeff Gordon seemed on pace to reach seven when he won four titles in seven years, but the championships stopped after 2001.

"I always looked at seven as untouchable,'' Gordon said.

His attitude has changed based on Johnson's run of six titles in the past eight years.

"Their team is in their prime and doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon,'' Gordon said. "All the potential is certainly there. I think they'll get to seven. Will it happen this year? I don't know.''

Johnson's dominance and crew chief Chad Kanus' ingenuity have challenged other teams. Teammate Kasey Kahne and crew chief Kenny Francis spent time this offseason working a performance psychologist with Hendrick Motorsports, noting how mentally strong Johnson and Knaus are.

Whatever it takes. Johnson has won a series-high 24 Chase races. He and his team repeatedly have shown an ability to recover from challenges and succeed.

This weekend's race could be another example.

Johnson ran out of fuel coming to the checkered flag in his qualifying race Thursday, triggering a nine-car crash. Johnson's car was damaged and his team went to a backup car, meaning he'll have to start near the rear of Sunday's race.

No problem said Johnson, who is confident he can win his third Daytona 500.

"We have been very impressed and happy with the speed this third car has had,'' he said. "That was a welcome surprise to see that it was a little quicker than the car we had slated for the 500."

It shouldn't have been a surprise. Competitors and fans have seen what Johnson has done for more than a decade. It makes one wonder how far he'll go.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/02/Jimmie-Johnson-Chases-History.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Hoping For Return To Past Glory​*
It's been 10 years ago since Dale Earnhardt, Jr. scored the signature victory of his career in the 2004 Daytona 500.

That came during a period of Earnhardt's career where his then DEI racing team ruled the restrictor-plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega. His reign on those tracks was so impressive that the skeptics thought he had been given the "Golden Restrictor Plate" by NASCAR officials.

"It doesn't seem like it's been that long, but time goes by pretty fast," Earnhardt said. "It seems like these last several years have really flew by. Especially when you enjoy yourself. They seemed to grind out when you're not running too well, but last couple of year have flew by pretty fast.

"I think that you never forget exactly what that day is like. We come here every year and you get sort of, it all floods back to you as soon as you come back for SpeedWeeks each season. It's very fresh, and you're constantly reminded I think by just what goes on during SpeedWeeks how important that victory is and how much you would like to get it again. It's definitely fresh."

Those days have become part of NASCAR's lore and Earnhardt's mystique. But what followed were two long droughts in his career that led to self-doubt by the son of the late Dale Earnhardt. He remains the most popular driver in NASCAR and over the past few seasons has experienced resurgence in his career although he hasn't won a race in his last 55 starts. His last victory came at Michigan in 2012.

In 2011, he made the Chase for the first time since 2007 and has been in the final group of drivers battling it out for the championship ever since. He finished seventh in 2011, 12th in 2012 and fifth last year.
Earnhardt starts ninth in Sunday's 56th Daytona 500 in the No. 88 Chevrolet starting on the inside of the fifth row alongside Paul Menard.

"We have a good car," Earnhardt said. "This car has a ton of preparation and time put into it compared to even the backup car. Hopefully we can deliver this car to the starting grid on Sunday because I think it gives us the best opportunity to win the Daytona 500. So just sort of going through the processes this week, trying to learn what we need to learn and trying to find what we can out of the car for additional speed. We were able to do a little bit of that yesterday in practice and in the evening. But otherwise, it's been pretty uneventful."

Earnhardt has experienced an improvement at the restrictor-plate tracks recently and has finished second in the past two Daytona 500s and second in three of the last four. He is attempting to finish one spot better than that on Sunday.

"Neither one of them were a win, but that is nothing to be ashamed of," Earnhardt said. "I still feel like that we run well enough at these tracks for me to continue to come into them with confidence, and just in myself regardless of the car.

"I still feel like I do restrictor place race well, understand how the draft works rather well, and enjoy racing at them. You know, I hope that is always the case. It's a different challenge every time you come back and that makes it enjoyable. The packages may change and maybe the package doesn't change, but the dynamic weather and this track surface always changes, so the way you draft is always different no matter what."

Earlier this week, there was some wild action in Wednesday's crash-filled practice session, but Thursday night's two Budweiser Duel at Daytona qualifying races were mostly green flag affairs until the final massive crash at the end of the second race that saw Clint Bowyer's car do a complete flip before landing on its wheels.

Earnhardt is hopeful drivers will use their senses on Sunday to make it to the finish of 500 miles.

"I think just saying 500 miles changes everybody's demeanor, and everybody's approach to that race," Earnhardt said. "Those wrecks in practice definitely surprised me and surprised a lot of people and I hope it's just a product of a lot of cars just trying to get out of the draft, cars blending in, and cars put in a bad position that they could not get out of.

"I think definitely this package and the way it drafts is bringing things a lot closer together and making things where guys are racing double file more often. That is good and we need that and we definitely didn't race enough in the Daytona 500 last year&#8230;. you couldn't race because you would just go to the back and couldn't risk pulling out because you just didn't know and going to the rear was a likely result. So we really won't have that this year and won't have to worry about that because the bottom seems to be able to put together runs and that is going to make for a better race.

"We have been able to race side-by-side here forever and I think we can do it Sunday without any trouble and put on a great show."

In recent years, Earnhardt and the rest of Hendrick Motorsports have displayed an innate ability to adapt to the restrictor-plate tracks even when NASCAR changes the rules. He believes that ability to change and adapt can help on Sunday.

"I definitely try to keep an open mind and try to understand how the packages and the changes, whether it be a little bit of spoiler or opening up the plate or closing the plate up, and how that does change the draft and the way you get runs and the way the car is going to react to runs," Earnhardt explained. "And so you sort of pre-determine and pre-estimate what's going to happen out there as you're driving around the track. I feel like I do that well. And I feel like that's been a part of my success at these places. Just trying to finish off the job has been a little bit difficult in the last several years, but we've still had some good runs and have been able to maintain our good track position throughout the races. When we've gotten good cars, we've been able to put them toward the front.

"You just have to have an open mind. What you learn when you first start racing at these tracks is important, but how it works is always changing and you've got to be ready for that. You can't expect it to react at the exact same time every time you come back here. And how the car's side-draft; they side-draft, for lack of a better word, they are a little more frustrating to side-draft with now."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/earnhardt-hoping-for-return-to-past-glory/


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## Ckg2011

*Scary Truck Series Crash Friday Night​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Worst Rendition of The National Anthem Ever​*
Band Madison Rising sings the National Anthem at today's NASCAR Grand National Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona. And it will make you want to rip your ears off. Listen at your own risk.


----------



## Ckg2011

*Final Laps of Today's Nationwide Grand National Series Drive4COPD 300 At Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Crash After The Finish of The Nationwide Grand National Race At Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sunday Sunday Sunday The 56th Running of The Great American Race​*
*Daytona 500 Starting Lineup​*
Austin Dillon
Martin Truex Jr. 
Matt Kenseth
Denny Hamlin
Kasey Kahne
Jeff Gordon
Marcos Ambrose
Kurt Busch
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Paul Menard
Josh Wise
Brian Scott
Alec Almirola
Trevor Bayne
AJ Allmendinger
Kyle Larson
David Gilliland
Landon Cassill
Ryan Newman
Clint Bowyer
Tony Stewart 
Jamie McMurray 
Cole Whitt
Terry Labonte
Greg Biffle
Bobby Labonte
Danica Patrick
Casey Mears
Alex Bowman
Carl Edwards
Brian Vickers
Jimmie Johnson
Brad Keselowski
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Joey Logano
Michael Annett
Kyle Busch
Kevin Harvick
Reed Sorensen
Justin Allgaier
Parker Kligerman
Michael Waltrip
David Ragan​
*The Daytona 500 Will Be Live On Fox At 12:00 PM​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr's National Guard HMS Chevy SS​*
*Dale Earnhardt Jr Wins Epic Daytona 500​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr wins 56th running of the Daytona 500. After a six hour rain delay. The racing got back under way on the high banks of Daytona. Junior had a really strong car all day long and was up front for most of the race.

Under caution for a crash Dale Earnhardt Jr picked up some tape on his grill. During the restart Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a perfect restart and jumped back out front with two car length lead. The two lap shootout would settle it.

Dale Earnhardt Jr would hold off a charge from teammate Jeff Gordon and coming out of turn to the checkers Dale Earnhardt Jr would hold off JGR driver Denny Hamlin who finished second.

This is Dale Earnhardt Jr's second Daytona 500 Championship. As won his first in 2004 driving for DEI. Dale Earnhardt Jr now is among 11 drivers who have won the 500 more than once.

Congrat to Junior and all of the entire Team #88 crew.

*Source:*
Ckg2011


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Celebrates In Victory Lane As A Two Time Daytona 500 Champion.​*
*Earnhardt Is A Daytona 500 Winner Again!​*
In NASCAR's version of "The Longest Day" Dale Earnhardt Jr. was able to reward the large group of fans that endured a rain delay of more than six and a half hours to win Sunday night's 56th Daytona 500 in a race that ended at 11:20 p.m. Eastern Time.

It was Earnhardt's second Daytona 500 victory and came 10 years after his first in 2004.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver, who is easily NASCAR's most popular driver, defeated Denny Hamlin's Toyota in a race that ended with a massive crash behind the lead group of drivers.

"This race was car was awesome. We showed all night long how good a car we had in it's these guys right here put it together in the shop," Earnhardt said. "We were fighting off battles after battles. We got a little hookup from Jeff (Gordon) on the last restart and just took care of it from there."

This was a race that had almost everything, including some late race drama after a six-car crash in the third turn that started when the Richard Childress Racing duo of Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman made contact in the third turn. By the time it was over Justin Allgaier, Parker Kligerman, Cole Whitt and Terry Labonte were all involved in the carnage with just six laps to go. At the time of the crash, Earnhardt was in front ahead of Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards.

Earnhardt, however, had some debris off Newman's car get stuck in the opening of the grille.

It didn't matter because over the final two laps Earnhardt could not be denied.

"I didn't know if I would ever have this feeling about," Earnhardt said in victory lane. "This race car was awesome and we showed them all night long how good of a car we had. We got some help at the end from Jeff Gordon to get away on the restart.

"This is amazing. I will never take this for granted. We might be in the Chase and we can get that off our chest and we are a two-time Daytona 500 champion."

Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon's Chevrolet was third. Brad Keselowski's Ford was fourth followed by last year's Daytona 500 winner and another Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson in fifth.

"There is a lot to be disappointed about but a lot to be happy about," said Hamlin, who had no radio communication with his crew over the last 150 laps. "I didn't have the spotter to help guide me so I was winging it trying to spot all six corners by myself. It was a good run but I'm disappointed."

Keselowski had a really fast Ford and scored his second career Daytona 500 top-five finish.

"I actually thought we were going to win," Keselowski said. "I couldn't get any help from behind and that is all she wrote."

The Joe Gibbs Racing ace that entered the race two-for-two at Daytona during Speedweeks took the lead at the start of the second lap when Hamlin passed Dillon for the lead as the field broke into two packs with the lead group consisting of 26 of the 43 cars that started the race.

Kyle Larson, who had brushed the turn four wall early in the race, hit the second turn wall on lap 22 and that gave most of the field a chance to pit as Clint Bowyer was the only car to stay on the track. But one of the race favorites, Matt Kenseth, spun on pit road and completed his pit stop facing the opposite direction - a legal move by the NASCAR rulebook.

Further back on pit road, Danica Patrick went into her pit in a cockeyed angle after Marcos Ambrose turned her on pit road after 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne hit Ambrose.

Green flag racing continued on lap 27 and it was car No. 27 - Paul Menard - in the lead at the end of that lap.

Martin Truex Jr., who qualified second but started at the rear of the field after a crash in the second Budweiser Duel Thursday, was considered one of the drivers that could contend for victory. Unfortunately his Earnhardt Childress Engine blew up on lap 32 to bring out the second caution period of the race.

Earnhardt led a group of cars onto pit road on lap 34 for a pit stop along with other big names Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.

And then came the rain with all the cars brought down pit road on lap 38 when the Red Flag flew to stop the race for 6 hours, 22 minutes, 41 seconds.
After running under yellow to help dry the race track racing finally resumed on lap 46 with Kyle Busch's Toyota in front. That began a nice sequence of racing where Busch, Hamlin and Brad Keselowski took turns leading the race.

Green flag pit stops began on lap 72 with Jeff Gordon coming down pit road. 
Kasey Kahne spun exiting the pits after his stop but was able to get back up to speed. But the biggest mistake came when front-runner Kyle Busch left pit lane while the air gun was still attached. Busch was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for leaving the pits with equipment still attached to the car.








He served the penalty on lap 79 and returned to the track in 40th place and without a drafting partner was in jeopardy of getting lapped.







*Dale Earnhardt Jr Gives Team Owner Rick Hendrick A Lift To Daytona Winner Circle.​*
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/earnhardt-is-a-daytona-500-winner-again/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Wins Daytona 500​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. kicked off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a win in the Daytona 500.

Earnhardt was able to stay ahead of the field on a final restart with two laps to go to score his second career victory in "The Great American Race."

After a more than six hour rain delay after 38 laps were in the book the race turned into one of the most dramatic and thrilling in Daytona history.

Earnhardt snapped a 55-race winless streak dating back to his last victory at Michigan in June, 2012.

"This race was car was awesome. We showed all night long how good a car we had in it's these guys right here put it together in the shop," Earnhardt said. "We were fighting off battles after battles. We got a little hookup from Jeff (Gordon) on the last restart and just took care of it from there."

Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.

*Why Earnhardt Jr. Won:* Earnhardt has always been regarded as one of NASCAR's top restrictor plate racers and proved his talent again Sunday. He made his move through the draft and worked his way to the front of the field when it counted as the laps wound down. Despite picking up a piece of trash on his front grille, Earnhardt was able to outrun Keselowski and the rest of the pack to take the checkered flag with the thunderous cheers of the rain-soaked crowd cascading down from the Daytona grandstands.

*What Else Happened:* The race made it to lap 38 before heavy rains hit the track in a weather system that spawned both tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. But after a more than six-hour delay and diligent track drying efforts by NASCAR, the race resumed just before 9 p.m. ET.

With the potential of more rain on the way, teams initially began plotting possible halfway strategies when the race would be official had weather again stopped the proceedings. The combination of that threat and much more grip because of the cool night racing conditions created several stretches of intense, three-wide racing.

The night wasn't without restrictor plate racing's notorious "Big One" with a 13-car accident as well as another that caught nine other drivers. And just for good measure another group of cars got together on the closing lap heading for the checkered flag behind the leaders.

*Who Else had a Good Night:* Hamlin came up one position short of pulling off a Speedweeks sweep after his Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel victories earlier in the week. Despite losing radio communication with his team for a time, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver rallied back and was in contention for his first career Daytona 500 win. It was his best career finish in the race....Keselowski's third place finish was the best of his Daytona 500 career...Gordon scored his sixth top-five finish in 22nd Daytona 500, best finish since his last 500 win in 2005.

*Who had a Bad Night:* Tony Stewart made his official return to the Sprint Cup Series but it didn't go anywhere near as well as he'd hoped. Smoke dealt with a fuel pick-up problem earlier in the race before finally exiting when the engine expired...Clint Bowyer ended the Sprint Unlimited upside down and although his exit from the Daytona 500 was less spectacular it still stung. Bowyer was knocked out by mechanical issues to put a sour finish on his 2014 Speedweeks...A multi-car crash late in the race involved 13 cars and ended the night for Aric Almirola, Michael Waltrip, Danica Patrick and others...Austin Dillon was involved in another accident later in the race when he clipped Kyle Larson and before it was over Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Marcos Ambrose were among those also swept into the mess.

*Quote of the Day:* "I'm enjoying parts of it, but the entire experience is driving me crazy." - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Other Notables:* Austin Dillon started from the pole and despite some adventures on the track came home eighth in his Daytona 500 debut...Casey Mears scored his first top 10 finish since posting a ninth at Daytona last July...Terry Labonte finished 19th and made his 32nd Daytona 500 start, tied with Richard Petty for second all time; made his first Daytona 500 start in 1979.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/02/Earnhardt-Wins-56th-Daytona-500.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Daytona 500 After A Frantic Two-Lap Sprint To The Finish​*
*Dale Earnhardt Jr. is now a two-time Daytona 500 champion.*

Junior was leading on the rain-delayed race's final restart with two laps to go and held on for the win over Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon. It's Earnhardt's first win since Michigan in 2012.

The race began on time but 38 laps in rain began to fall, halting action for more than six hours. The race restarted just after 8:30 ET.

Oh, and thanks to the win, under NASCAR's new Chase system Junior is now essentially qualified for the their version of the playoffs.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the checkered flag as fans photograph him after winning the Daytona 500. (AP) But more on that in a moment.
The finish was not without drama, as a piece of debris - either a trash bag or a piece of tape from a damaged car - got lodged on the front of Junior's grille. He couldn't get it off. But it didn't matter.

Heck, it might have helped. A smaller grille opening can actually make these racecars go faster.

The debris certainly didn't hurt. After choosing the low side on the restart, Junior pulled ahead into Turns1 and 2 and no one was able to get alongside him. His closest pursuer was Hamlin, who made a move to his outside as the field hurtled toward the checkered flag, but the caution flag flew for a big crash behind the leaders with Junior still a few hundred yards from the stripe.

Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and others were involved in the wreck, and Busch even drove his car across the finish line in reverse to ensure that he completed every lap.

"Winning this race is the greatest feeling you can feel in this sport outside from obviously accepting the championship trophy," Junior said. "I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to feel that again. And it feels just as good, if not better than the first year because of how hard we've tried year after year, after year. Running second all them years and wondering why and what we needed to do."

Junior's first Daytona 500 win came in 2004, when he beat Tony Stewart to the checkered flag. He's finished second three of the last four seasons, including last year when Jimmie Johnson won. For Junior, it's just his second victory since 2008.

Sunday night's win came in the first race for the No. 3 car since the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the 2001 Daytona 500. Austin Dillon, the driver of the No. 3 car, started first and finished eighth, despite getting spun around in one accident and being involved in contact to spur two others.

For Junior, the win give him one thing his father never had - a second Daytona 500 victory. Earnhardt Sr. won his only Daytona 500 in 1998.

As far as the Chase, in January NASCAR announced it was expanding its playoff field to include 16 drivers. The field will include race winners and the highest ranking remaining winless drivers. Since the Chase's inception in 2004, no season has had more than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, so unless 2014 becomes an outlier, Junior's a sure bet for NASCAR's postseason.

He was also a winner in Saturday's Nationwide race. Regan Smith, the race winner, drives for JR Motorsports, Junior's team.

*Source:*
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasc...-after-a-frantic-two-lap-sprint-to-the-finish


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Daytona 500 After Rain Delay, Avoiding Multiple Crashes​*
Through rain and wrecks, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended the only drought that mattered.

NASCAR's most popular driver won the Daytona 500 for the second time, a decade after his first victory in the "Great American Race."

Earnhardt snapped a 55-race winless streak Sunday night that dated to 2012. It ended a streak of futility at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished second in three of the previous four 500s.

He radioed to his crew "this is better than the first one," as he circled the track on his cool-down lap in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Rain stopped the race about 45 minutes after it began for a delay of more than six hours. When it resumed, Earnhardt dominated at the track where his father was killed in an accident on the last lap of the 2001 race.

*Source:*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/23/dale-earnhardt-jr-daytona-500-winner-2014_n_4844661.html


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## Ckg2011

*Final Restart of The Daytona 500​*





*Dale Earnhardt Jr In Victory Lane​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr's National Guard #88 In Daytona Victory Lane​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Celebrates With The Checkered Flag.​*
*Daytona 500 win for Earnhardt Jr. is also a win for NASCAR​*
After the U.S. economy cratered in 2008, there was a meeting of racetrack presidents in Charlotte the following year, during which time the main focus of discussion was what was needed to "fix" NASCAR - the mission was to come up with fresh ideas on how to boost ticket sales and TV ratings and get fans energized about the sport again.

"That's easy," one of the track presidents piped up. "Have Junior win five or six races a year."

He, of course, was referring to Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's perennially most popular driver and the one personality who is head and shoulders above all others in moving the needle. And short of winning his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, nothing but nothing is - or could be - bigger in the NASCAR universe than Earnhardt winning a Daytona 500.

Well, let's call it the five-year-plan, because win Daytona is exactly what Earnhardt did on a bizarre Sunday night at Daytona International Speedway, outlasting a more-than-6-hour rain delay and a handful of crashes that snared nine to 12 cars each.

And when the dust settled, reaction to Earnhardt's triumph was overwhelmingly positive, in part because Earnhardt is liked and respected by most of his competitors, and in part because even his rivals know an Earnhardt victory - especially in the Daytona 500 - is very good for business. When the fans are excited, it sells tickets and drives TV ratings, and everyone in the sport benefits.

It was even more impressive when considering how disastrous the rain delay could have been to the FOX television audience, who almost certainly would have been gone for good. Instead, it turned into a primetime Sunday night bonanza for television. And on the ground, despite some horrendous weather that included tornado warnings, the grandstands at the venerable Daytona track appeared surprisingly full well into the night.

All of which had NASCAR President Mike Helton smiling afterward.

"There's been a big feel building around this season for the past few weeks that has reenergized our traditional fans and attracted the attention of new ones at the same time," Helton said. "There is no question that Dale Jr.'s performance in, and win of the Daytona 500, complements that feeling."

Earnhardt's team owner, Rick Hendrick, agreed.

"It's going to be exciting to see what their (FOX's) ratings are going to be," Hendrick said. "Dale's got a bunch of loyal fans. It's good for the sport, it's good TV, it was a great race. And it doesn't hurt to have the most popular driver win the biggest race and the Super Bowl of our sport."

Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, said he thought Earnhardt's victory was an even bigger story than the return of the No. 3 to NASCAR's top series for the first time since the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the 2001 Daytona 500.

"There is no shortage of story lines this year," said Keselowski. "It is just a matter of which one suits your fancy. Dale is a very popular driver. Is he more popular than a number? I would like to think so. I would like to think a person is more popular than a number. These days I suppose you never know. Both are important stories and both would be very rewarding for the sport."

And this season, both have happened, book-ending NASCAR's biggest week - beginning with rookie Austin Dillon earning the pole in the No.3 car, the number made famous by Earnhardt Sr.; the week ending with Earnhardt Jr.'s second Daytona 500 win.

Dale Jr. survives rain, wrecks to win second Daytona 500








"I'm glad Dale Jr. got the win - he needed that," said two-time Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth.

Naturally, Earnhardt's teammates were enthused, none more so than his crew chief, Steve Letarte, who is in his final year with Earnhardt before moving to the TV analyst's booth next year.

"If you're going to win one, this is the one you want to win. I'm glad," said Letarte. "He knew I really wanted to win this one and he drove a great race. There is nothing better I could think of in the world than to give Mr. Hendrick a 500 win in the last year."

"Dale Jr. just won the Daytona 500 to kick off 2014," added Jeff Gordon, who finished fourth Sunday night. "That is a sign that the NASCAR season is going to be a good one."

From a practical perspective, Earnhardt's victory carried with it a huge and tangible benefit: Assuming he enters the remaining 25 races in NASCAR's Sprint Cup regular season and stays in the top 30 in points, he is now locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the fourth season in a row, something he's never done in his career. And a Chase spot is worth millions in sponsor incentives and NASCAR prize money.

And while Earnhardt elated his quarter-million Twitter followers after the race in sending his first-ever tweet, Earnhardt himself was clearly the happiest of all.

"I don't know that I realize how big a deal it is," he said. "But I know I got a lot of fans that are really happy and really enjoyed what we did tonight and can't wait to go to work tomorrow to brag to all their buddies around the water cooler. Monday's going to be a fun day for a lot of people."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...?related=c53fc2af-601b-4e0f-a310-832cd9a11bbb


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Posts First Tweet​*
After telling Michael Waltrip that he would join Twitter if he won the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. kept his word by posting his first tweet at 2:32 a.m. ET.

Earnhardt has had an account - with 236,000 followers and counting - for some time, but his timeline remained empty until he posted a photo of himself with the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane after winning "The Great American Race" for the second time in his career.

"I got to get my password," Earnhardt said in the media center when asked if he would get on Twitter now after his win.

Earnhardt got that password and tweeted, "Tonight seemed like as good a night as any to join Twitter. How is everyone doin? #2XDaytona500Champ."

As of 3 a.m. Monday morning the tweet had 1,525 retweets and 1,713 favorites.

This week could be the perfect opportunity for Earnhardt to post tweets from his Daytona 500 media blitz that will kick off early this morning with the induction of his winning car in the Daytona Tickets and Tour building during the Champion's breakfast. After that, he will fly to New York City to be on the "Dan Patrick Show", Jay Mohr's radio show and "Late Night with David Letterman" on Monday. The media tour will also see Junior visit the ESPN headquarters on Tuesday to appear on a variety of programs and then Los Angeles on Wednesday for FOX Sports 1 and other appearances on local shows.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/02/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Posts-First-Tweet.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*The Son Also Rises​*
NASCAR arrived at this winter destination remembering the father.

The sport leaves town celebrating the son.

When the caravan of planes, cars and trucks escaped a snowy North Carolina nearly two weeks ago, the sport's focus centered on the return of the No. 3 car - a number that had been dormant in Sprint Cup since Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Sunday night, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove with a vigor not often seen, squeezing teammates against the wall, blocking competitors low and racing with an attitude that he was going to take more than he gave.

With side drafting sucking cars together and slowing them, it was evident this week that one needed to be leading on the final lap to have a chance to win. Haunted by three runner-up finishes in the past four Daytona 500s where he had no chance for the win, Earnhardt vowed to lead going into the last lap.

He did. Earnhardt then led the pack back to the finish line, ending the rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway nearly 10 hours after it began.

And ending a burden that had grown heavier in the 10 years since he last won a Cup restrictor-plate points race.

Walking into the media center more than an hour after his second Daytona 500 triumph, Earnhardt raised his hands and shouted.

He hadn't felt this good since his previous win in this race in 2004.

"I've been trying to tell people for 10 years what that felt like,'' he said.

He doesn't need to tell people how this victory felt because he showed them. That included his first tweet - a selfie with the Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 trophy - to nearly a quarter of a million followers who had been waiting for Earnhardt to embrace social media.

Earnhardt, though, had been focused on his performance instead of Twitter and Facebook.

Overshadowed by Joe Gibbs Racing's dominance in Daytona's preliminary events and Richard Childress Racing putting the No. 3 car on the pole, Earnhardt and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates were not considered favorites by many.

Those Hendrick cars, though, ran near the front much of the race.

"Seems like come Sunday, they pull something out that no one's ever seen,'' said third-place finisher Brad Keselowski. "They obviously were faster in the race than they had been throughout the rest of Speedweeks.''

A stronger car allowed Earnhardt to be a more forceful driver.

"That car that I drove, we got along,'' he said. "We worked as a unit.''

Credit crew chief Steve Letarte, who not only has infused Earnhardt with confidence but supplied cars that tapped Earnhardt's talent and allowed him run near the front more often.

"That car was ready to go,'' Earnhardt said. "It was just asking for everything that I was giving it. It was awesome.''

So was the show he and his foes provided. This was not an easy Daytona 500. They never are but this one had additional challenges.

After running 38 laps, rain halted the race for 6 hours, 21 minutes, turning the event into a night race. With a menacing cell of rain showers approaching, drivers displayed an intensity often saved for the final 20 laps. They ran three-wide several rows deep for a number of laps. Even when two-wide, they danced alongside each other, trying to shift the air onto their competitor's car to get a surge forward without having the same done to them.

"I hated to do some of the things I had to do,'' Earnhardt said.

That included running teammate Jeff Gordon along the wall to keep him from side drafting Earnhardt.

"That's what it took,'' he said.

Gordon understood.

"I'm excited for him,'' Gordon said on pit road after finishing fourth. "I can't wait to get down (to Victory Lane) to give him a big hug. I know what it means to Dale.''

Before Earnhardt arrived to hug each of his team members in Victory Lane, he enjoyed his ride with the checkered flag in front of the fans.

"I was having the time of my life inside that car,'' he said. "I know it wasn't, but it seems like everybody here was cheering.''

Earnhardt knew to enjoy this ride. He admits parts of his first Daytona 500 win are a blur because he didn't take the time to savor it.

Adding to this win is that all but assures him a spot in the Chase, allowing the team to take more chances for wins in the next 25 races.

"We're going for the jugular,'' Earnhardt said.

What it season this could be for Earnhardt and Letarte, who is leaving to join NBC's broadcast team next year.

"I got one last year with this guy,'' Earnhardt said of Letarte, "and we're going to make it something special.''

It already is.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/The-Son-Always-Rises.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Begins Whirlwind Media Tour​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr., fresh off his second Daytona 500 victory on Sunday at Daytona Int'l Speedway, got about one hour of sleep Sunday night.
He probably won't get much more in the coming days.

Earnhardt Jr. embarked on his week-long whirlwind media tour Monday morning after installing his No. 88 National Guard Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet inside the Daytona Int'l Speedway Ticket and Tours Building. The car will be part of the Daytona Int'l Speedway tours program and will be returned to the team at the 2015 Daytona 500, a tradition that has been in existence since 1996.

Earnhardt, crew chief Steve Letarte, team owner Rick Hendrick and the crew of the No. 88 car enjoyed a breakfast with the media and participated in interviews and pictures on Monday morning.

"I was taking pictures and doing media until about 3 a.m.," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The team was having most of the fun. When I got over there, they were out of spirits so we found some more and we just sat around and talked about how cool it was - just punching each other in the shoulder until about 4 a.m. and then I had to hang it up."

During the Champion's Breakfast, Speedway President Joie Chitwood presented all three Daytona 500 champions with their leather jackets, Hendrick with his Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 trophy and Letarte with the Cannonball Baker trophy. Chitwood and Earnhardt also unveiled the logo for next year's 57th annual Daytona 500.

The Champion's Breakfast isn't the only obligation that comes with winning "The Great American Race." Earnhardt will fly across America making stops in places such as New York City, ESPN in Bristol, Conn., and Los Angeles.
"I'm looking forward to it and I want to enjoy it," said Earnhardt, who will be appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman on Monday night. "We won a big race, we put a lot of effort into it and I'm going to make sure everybody hears about it."

"This race is such a big deal," said Letarte. "The whole thing felt pretty surreal. What races do you still celebrate the next day? You have a breakfast and keep getting trophies and jackets. I'm proud of the team we've assembled. They're a great group of guys and deserve most of the credit. They built a great race car, Dale drove a great race and we're excited."

"That was a perfect race," agreed Hendrick, who is enjoying his eighth Daytona 500 win as an owner. "That was a perfect race. Dale - I've never seen anybody drive a car (like that). He drove the wheels off the car every lap. Stevie called a perfect race, pit stops were perfect and T.J. (Majors) did an unbelievable job up there spotting. I'm so proud."

Earnhardt was asked to sum up the feeling of winning the Daytona 500 for a second time.

"This place just has a lot of great history," Earnhardt said. "It's a great race track. You drive into it and you get a special feeling you don't get anywhere else. As soon as you drive through the tunnel you know where you're at. There are some great facilities and unique tracks and places we go that I have a lot of appreciation for, but nothing like Daytona.

"Once you win it, it's like a color TV - once you watch color TV for the first time, you don't want to go back to black and white. When I won it for the first time (in 2004), I just couldn't wait to get back to victory lane."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/earnhardt-begins-whirlwind-media-tour/


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## Ckg2011

*TAYLOR: The New Earnhardt Jr.​*
Sunday was Daytona 500 race day. What NASCAR fans had been waiting months for was finally here. A calm first 38 laps were run before the rain came - lots of rain.

For NASCAR and the race fans, another headache was on hand. Mother Nature was not playing nice and an almost seven hour rain delay forced the sport's biggest event to run late into the night. During the break FOX aired the 2013 version of the Daytona 500 in which Jimmie Johnson won. Soon casual viewers were confused and were thinking they were watching the actual 2014 race.

Those in the know on social media soon began to have great fun in laughing at the misinformed crowd as we found ways to entertain ourselves during the break in the action. NASCAR drivers stuck in their motorhomes in the Daytona swamp weren't much different.

Jimmie Johnson was watching the Jungle Book with daughter Evie despite somehow also winning the event being run on television. Kyle Busch and wife Samantha were taking selfies on the pit box and Clint Bowyer was doing a hilarious Q&A on Twitter and posting pictures with septic trucks. NASCAR rain delays for you.

Missing from all the delay shenanigans and social media fun was the man who entered 2014 on a long losing streak. It had been 10 years since Dale Earnhardt Jr. had won his first Daytona 500 in 2004. Questions lingered about his winless season last year as so many fans desperately wanted their favorite driver back in victory lane. The pieces, momentum and performance were there, but never the end result.

As the field finally buckled back in to restart the Daytona 500 Earnhardt was relaxed. Driving his National Guard Chevrolet with fancy new reflective gold numbering, he soon settled into the race - a metaphor much for like he has within his personal life.

Over the past three years Earnhardt as a person has become has finally begun accepting who he is. The fans see it and the media see it and so do those around him. Some of the credit goes to Earnhardt himself while some also goes to longtime girlfriend Amy and his inner circle of friends. He is finally comfortable in his own skin and on Sunday night at Daytona Int'l Speedway the comfort level in the draft matched his newfound personal comfort.

Earnhardt was focused. The No. 88 car blasted around Daytona, blocking and holding the field at bay. The driver in the car perhaps drove the best race of his career. As chaos repeatedly happened behind him and various challengers appeared in one of the most exciting Daytona 500's of all time, Earnhardt remained the calm force-the pied piper of the field.

On this night no one could hold the lead over the No. 88. As the field rounded the final corner with the many fans still in attendance at full throat cheering Earnhardt as he crossed the line to win his second Daytona 500. NASCAR nation rejoiced.

Soon after his victory Earnhardt did something else he had previously never done. He tweeted. Posting selfies with the trophy and with his dad's famous statue outside of Daytona Int'l Speedway, Earnhardt's newer and happier approach to life showed through. He had let people inside his private life. His success was not only big for him, but big for the sport of NASCAR. Say hello to the now two-time Daytona 500 champion and to the new Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/opinion/columns/taylor-the-new-dale-jr/


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## Ckg2011

*Network TV Shows Focus on NASCAR​*
NASCAR dominated late-night TV viewing Monday with Dale Earnhardt Jr. appearing on the "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon roasting NASCAR drivers in a segment.

Earnhardt appeared with Letterman as part of Earnhardt's media tour after winning Sunday's Daytona 500.

Letterman showed clips of the race, including the final caution when Earnhardt led but had Bear Bond on the front grille of his car. Letterman asked Earnhardt if he worried his engine would overheat in those final laps.

"You would be concerned that it would overheat, but, at the time, we were really low on fuel and I was cycling the engine on and off to save the fuel,'' Earnhardt said on the show.

Letterman then asked Earnhardt about tactics saving fuel.

"You gas the car and coast up to the pace car, turn off the engine, hold the clutch in and leave it in gear, turn the power back on and let the clutch out and fire it back up when you need to go again,'' Earnhardt said. "That saves a lot of fuel.''

Letterman also asked Earnhardt about the final restart and what that was like.

"I'm very nervous,'' he said. "You don't want anybody beside you with two laps to go. I was lucky I had my teammate Jeff Gordon in third place. We had to time the restart perfectly to where he could shove me out and get me away from the second-place guy (Brad Keselowski) so the second-place guy couldn't side draft and drag me down.''

Letterman then asked Earnhardt about if he was worried Gordon might not help him.

"His first responsibility is to be a company man,'' Gordon said. "You have to buy into the teammate role at certain points and at that particular instance it was good for both us to work together.''

On the "Tonight Show,"Fallon has a running bit called "Superlatives" where he gives bogus awards to athletes based on a picture of them. Monday, he turned his focus to NASCAR drivers.

Kyle Busch was given the award "Most Likely to be Grown Up Stewie Griffin from 'Family Guy.' "

Clint Bowyer was given the award "Most Likely to Play Han Solo in an Off-Broadway Version of 'Star Wars: The Musical.' ''

Jamie McMurray was given the award "Most Likely to be Lord Voldemort Before His Botched Nose Job.''

Marcos Ambrose, Joe Nemechek, Terry Labonte, David Gilliland and Michael Waltrip also were spotlighted.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/02/Network-TV-Shows-Focus-on-NASCAR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A Bolder Earnhardt Jr​*
He drove differently. And when it was over, he even acted differently.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was bolder during and after Sunday night's Daytona 500, showing an assertiveness that has not been so evident. Unwilling to watch someone else win this race as he had so often before, Earnhardt didn't settle into position but attacked, searching for any way to be at the front in the final laps.

When he got there, he was greedy. He took every bit of pavement to keep the field behind. He blocked high and low. Even then, he wasn't sure if it would be enough.

"I come off of (Turn) 4 for the checkered and for some reason, I felt that the Gods were going to be working against me and there was going to be another lap or two to run," Earnhardt said.

There was a crash but when the caution waved, the race was over and Earnhardt became a two-time Daytona 500 winner. Then, the celebration began.

Earnhardt was giddy, but focused on what this year could mean now that he's all but assured a spot in the Chase.

"We're going for the jugular," he said of this season, his final one with crew chief Steve Letarte before Letarte moves to the broadcast booth. Monday morning, after an hour of sleep, Earnhardt remained firm.

"We ain't got far to go before we're one of the best teams, if we're not already," he said before jetting to New York to appear on various shows. "It's our time. This is our year."

One race doesn't prove anything. Drivers have won the Daytona 500 and proclaimed how it would serve as a springboard to their season. Some years it does, other years it doesn't. Based on Earnhardt's progression, how he ran last year, particularly in the Chase, this seems to be a team on the rise.

Earnhardt finished fifth in the points last year - his best result since 2006. After an engine failure in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, Earnhardt had a 5.6 average finish in the final nine races. Champion Jimmie Johnson had an average finish of 5.1 in the same span.

Earnhardt's improvement is a result, partly, of his relationship with Letarte and how Letarte has provided the equipment that helps Earnhardt succeed. There's more. Car owner Rick Hendrick says the difference in Earnhardt is stark from previous years.

"I've never seen him so happy and so loose," Hendrick said. "It's going to be the Dale Earnhardt that we all want to see. When you feel like you're at your best, that other tenth is easy to get. But when you feel like the car is not really there, or somebody blew a pit stop, or you just can't get comfortable in that setting ... it just shows up. Not many people can carry it when it's not there.

"I see that with him and I think that's very important for him. You hear him talk about it."

It's also a sign of how he's learned from teammates Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Johnson.

When Earnhardt joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, his eating habits were poor and his workout routine was worse. He didn't do everything he could to be as good a driver as possible. Hendrick notes that Earnhardt eats better, works out more and doesn't smoke as he once did.

"It's been a transformation with Dale," Hendrick said. "He is hungry. I think that edge, that determination that Jimmie and Jeff have, I think he's got that, too. You don't spend that much time debriefing with those guys and not get a little bit of that. You become a student of what you need to do.

"He's done that. That's a tremendous, tremendous change."

Now, we'll see if that change can help Earnhardt win more races and a championship.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ale-Earnhardt-Jr-Bolder-On-and-Off-Track.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Daytona Rear View Mirror​*
I guess there's a chance some fans may not have liked Sunday's Daytona 500. But I'd have to imagine they'd be in the anti-Dale Earnhardt Jr. camp.

Otherwise, it's hard to imagine a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race delivering more than this year's edition of "The Great American Race."

The race literally had it all - intrigue, drama, intensity, hard racing, sore losers, a prime time stage and at the end of the night, the sport's most popular driver clutching the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Gatorade Victory Lane.

While the opening 38 laps might not have provided much excitement, the closing 162 made up for it and then some. Once "Mother Nature" decided to unleash her wrath on Daytona International Speedway in the form of a six-hour delay for rain, storms and even a tornado in the area, things went into overdrive.

The combination of the cool evening temperatures that created much more grip for drivers to maneuver around the track and the possibility that more rain could end things just past halfway combined to produce some of the best restrictor-plate racing in recent memory.

Insane packs of cars three- and four-wide were the norm and although the dreaded "Big One" (or two or three) could not be avoided, they turned out to be footnotes to the overall race story. The win by Earnhardt and departing crew chief Steve Letarte was just what the sport needed to put some of the off-season controversy and theme of change in the rear view mirror.

"Junior" became the first driver under NASCAR's new format to qualify for the Chase, but that really was an afterthought to the whole day and night. A name that still transcends the sport, and resonates with mainstream media and fans more than any other driver (including Danica Patrick) kicked off 2014 on NASCAR's biggest stage.

It was an ending that had to make even Earnhardt's most ardent detractors take notice.

- For the second time in three years, weather forced the Daytona 500 to prime time. Depending on television ratings and audience numbers, you have to wonder if NASCAR and FOX might decide to actually schedule an evening "500" in the near future. With the majority of sport's crown jewels held under the lights like the Super Bowl, World Series and the college football national championship game, it would seem to make sense for NASCAR's most prestigious event to also move to an evening affair and a potentially larger TV audience.

- Denny Hamlin came up one spot short of sweeping Daytona after his Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel qualifying race wins. But the Joe Gibbs Racing driver definitely served notice he'll be a force to be reckoned with this year. There doesn't appear to be any lingering back issues for Hamlin fans to worry about and the No. 11 FedEx team looks pretty solid. Hamlin was chosen as a potential champion in several pre-season predictions and despite not winning Daytona, he's off to a flying start.

- There were a couple of official calls over the weekend that generated interest. The first took place in Saturday's Nationwide Series race, the first held under NASCAR's new ban on tandem drafting. While it appeared that several drivers were hooked up and touching more than the allowed bump draft at times throughout the afternoon, it wasn't until James Buescher was black-flagged that a penalty was imposed. The sanctioning body had stated both drivers in a tandem would be penalized but elected to single out Buescher as the "aggressor" on Saturday. Several drivers expressed confusion on the call, but NASCAR reiterated that it would seek feedback on how the rule was enforced before it's put into effect again this May at Talladega Superspeedway.

Kasey Kahne also was the victim of a controversial call when he was penalized for speeding on pit road while trying to avoid a spinning Michael Annett, who looped his car at the pit entrance. Kahne was clearly trying to avoid slamming into Annett's car but because he exceeded the mandated pit road speed limit, he was penalized. It's a situation that should be addressed and the circumstances of avoiding an accident considered in the future.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Daytona-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint CUP Power Rankings​*
*Driver Ratings*

Dale Earnhardt Jr. kicked off 2014 in grand fashion with a victory in the Daytona 500 and vaulted to the top of the Power Rankings:

1. *Dale Earnhardt Jr.:* He started the season in the best way possible. He led 54 laps but far from dominated the race. He chose his moves wisely and made them count. For those who still need to compare Junior to his father, try this on for size - he has two 500 wins compared to Senior's solo win in "The Great American Race."
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 133.1
*Point Standings:* 1st

2. *Denny Hamlin:* Came up only one position shy of sweeping Daytona with wins in the Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duel and the 500. But there's no doubt the Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx team and Hamlin are set to contend for wins and perhaps the championship in 2014.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 113.8
*Point Standings:* 2nd

3. *Jimmie Johnson:* The 2013 Daytona 500 and Sprint Cup Series champion had an eventful week with crashes in both the Sprint Unlimited and his Budweiser Duel. Despite being forced to a second back-up car, Johnson turned in a very solid top-five finish on Sunday.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 101.2
*Point Standings:* 5th

4. *Brad Keselowski:* He said he had the best car he's ever had at Daytona on Sunday and was a force throughout the 500. He was in contention for the checkered flag until the last lap when he got shuffled back in the pack and settled for a third-place finish.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 117.1
*Point Standings:* 3rd

5. *Jeff Gordon:* A fourth-place finish for the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion wasn't a bad way for Gordon to start the year. Looked very competitive throughout Speedweeks and appears ready to challenge for title number five.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 102.7
*Point Standings:* 4th

6. *Matt Kenseth:* Kenseth didn't lead a lap and had a couple of adventures on pit road Sunday but still managed to turn in a sixth-place effort in the Daytona 500.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 98.2
*Point Standings:* 6th

7. *Greg Biffle:* Slapped the wall early in the race but battled back to be a contender on Sunday. Put on a furious battle with Earnhardt for several laps with the two swapping the lead eight times over one single circuit. Biffle faded at the end but still kicked off the year on a positive note.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 94.1
*Point Standings:* 8th

8. *Austin Dillon:* Started his rookie season on the pole bringing the No. 3 back to NASCAR's top series. Experienced a couple of challenges during the race but ended up with a top-10 finish.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 83.4
*Point Standings:* 9th

9. *Carl Edwards:* Until the end of the race when he was wrecked, Edwards was a mainstay near the front of the field. He didn't come home with the finish to show for the effort but Edwards was impressive in the season opening race.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 87.0
*Point Standings:* 16th

10. *Kevin Harvick:* Put up a 13th-place finish in his official debut with Stewart-Haas Racing but Harvick was solid all week, despite failing post race inspection after his Budweiser Duel race. Was involved in Sunday's last-lap crash but was strong until that unfortunate ending.
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating:* 85.1
*Point Standings:* 12th

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/02/Power-Rankings-After-Daytona-500.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*James Buescher (#99)​*
*Buescher Questions NASCAR Penalty​*
James Buescher thought he was doing what was allowed. NASCAR disagreed.

Nationwide officials penalized Buescher for pushing during Saturday's Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. He was the only driver to be penalized for the rule during the race.

NASCAR informed competitors at testing last month that pushing - or tandem drafting as cars had done - would not be allowed.

Buescher, who finished 16th, said he later spoke with NASCAR officials to better understand the rule and thought he knew what was allowed in the season-opening race.

"They said if you bounce off the car in front of you, there's no call,'' Buescher said. "As far as I'm concerned, there was only bouncing, never locked the bumper.''

NASCAR saw it another way.

"We felt (Buscher) was the more aggressor in the situation, that's why (he) got the penalty,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.

A TV replay from the rear bumper of Brad Keselowski's car showed Buescher's front bumper bouncing off Keselowski's rear bumper.

Asked about that, Pemberton said: "It all depends on what lap you're looking and where you were looking at the lap. That wasn't the camera we had and I don't know where on the racetrack that was taken.''

Keselowski said he remains uncertain on what is allowed.

"I think it is safe to say racecar drivers push the limits of every rule,'' he said. "That is what we do. We push the limits of ourselves and those around us and the sanctioning body. Yeah, obviously I don't know where the limit is, but I would say NASCAR made a rule or determination that he was over it and that is what happened there."

Rookie Chase Elliott, who finished 15th, said he wasn't surprised to see a penalty for pushing in the race.

"I saw him pushing and there were other people pushing, too,'' Elliott said of Buescher. "They can't see everybody, I understand that. They made a fair call right there. They said no pushing, so no pushing.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../James-Buescher-Questions-NASCAR-Penalty.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A Year of Transition for Trucks​*
It's a year of transition as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series readies for the 2014 season.

There are more than a few familiar faces missing from the Truck Series garage this year with a number of new names ready to step in as well.

But the biggest change fans will notice immediately comes with the truck itself for the new campaign. All three manufacturers - Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota - made modifications to their body styles for the coming year in an effort to follow the lead of the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series with vehicles more closely mirroring what consumers can find in the showroom.

Last month's Preseason Thunder test session at Daytona was the first time for teams to shake down the new-style trucks and they appeared to pass with flying colors. Now, NASCAR is ready to unveil the new models as the Truck Series takes center stage Friday night at Daytona International Speedway.

"Each manufacturer has designed distinctly different trucks that they can use to promote their showroom models through their involvement with NASCAR racing," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development. "We've worked closely with all three manufacturers for the past several years and we're excited to unveil a new truck body that will make one of NASCAR's most exciting series even better."

The 22-race schedule will kick off with the annual Daytona season opener, Friday night's NextEra Energy Resources 250. Defending series champion Matt Crafton will be back to defend his crown with the ThorSport Racing team.

"We expect to be just as strong this year," said Crafton, who will have Johnny Sauter as a full-time teammate again this year with Jeb Burton in a third ThorSport ride for Daytona. "Nothing has changed in terms of personnel and resources with this No. 88 Menards team so I feel very confident that we'll again be in the mix for the championship."

Brad Keselowski Racing figures to be one of the challengers to unseat Crafton and ThorSport. Ryan Blaney and Tyler Reddick will be teammates. Blaney, who will also run a handful of Nationwide Series races for Team Penske, believes what was accomplished last year provides a solid foundation for an improved 2014 effort.

"We were in position to win four or five races and it didn't play out the way we wanted it to," Blaney said of last season. "We had parts breaking or contact with Kyle Busch in a couple of races. Going from Dodge to Ford kind of put us behind early in the year. By the end of the year, we were really strong, and could go out and win almost every race. I think we can make a really good run at a championship this year."

Kyle Busch Motorsports returns with Darrell Wallace set for a full campaign and Erik Jones splitting driving duties with team owner Busch in a second truck. Wallace, who won at Martinsville Speedway last season, has high hopes for 2014.

"This is a fresh slate for everybody," said Wallace. "The new-style Toyota looks great. I definitely learned a lot from the last year. I know what I need to do inside the seat to finish the races that I didn't and improve on the races that weren't that great."

Red Horse Racing brings back Timothy Peters for the new year, who was part of last year's championship story until a late-season fade. He'll team with German Quiroga in a pair of full-time entries.

"Things didn't go our way down the stretch last year, for sure," said Peters, who finished 10th in points despite two wins, four top fives and 11 top 10s in the 22-race schedule. "I've got a new crew chief in Marcus Richmond and with the solid organization we have, we're looking forward to this new season."

Other drivers and teams to watch in 2014 include Joey Coulter, who moves from Richard Childress Racing to GMS Racing; John Wes Townley, now a member of Wauters Motorsports; Mason Mingus, who takes over the Win-Tron Racing ride; and Ben Kennedy, now part of the Turner Scott Motorsports team.

"You need to be patient in this sport," said Kennedy, a graduate of the K&N Pro Series East. "If you take two steps ahead when you're ready to take one step, you may put yourself in a bad situation and you may end up three steps behind. I want to make sure I take the right steps and get the right amount of learning as fast as I can."

The series schedule will not include Rockingham Speedway for the first time in two years while a return to Gateway Motorsports Park outside St. Louis is set for June.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's season opener at Daytona International Speedway starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...amping-World-Truck-Series-Season-Preview.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Inks 10-Year Mexico Series Extension​*
NASCAR and CIE, the leading live entertainment company in Latin America and third biggest live entertainment promoter of the world, have reached a 10-year agreement for the Mexico-based Toyota Series to continue to operate under the NASCAR banner through the 2023 season.

"This historic announcement represents the next step in the growth of the sport and the international impact NASCAR is making," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president of racing operations. "The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series continues to be a bridge that makes NASCAR more relevant to the Hispanic community in the U.S. Along with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series gives our sport a strong and unified presence across North America and Europe."

The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series is the premier auto racing series in Mexico. It traditionally runs a 15-race schedule, and for the second year in a row will kick off the season at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. In another significant moment, Deportes Telemundo will air NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series' Toyota 120 live on mun2, a first for NASCAR and the Mexico-based series.

"This extension symbolizes the strength of our relationship with NASCAR," said Federico Alaman, managing director of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series. "I'm very proud of how far the series has come since its inception and continuing to operate under the NASCAR banner for many years to come will reinforce the high level of competition and excitement the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series brings to every event."

The 2014 season will mark the 11th overall for the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, which has been a NASCAR-sanctioned series since 2007. The inaugural year featured just one oval, while recent years have had just one or two road courses. This is emblematic of the shift the series has undergone under the NASCAR banner.

NASCAR Mexico is a partnership between NASCAR and OCESA that oversees marketing and licensing for the NASCAR and NASCAR Mexico brands in Mexico. Its marketing programs aim to increase interest in NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series events as well as NASCAR events in the U.S. that are televised in Mexico. It also seeks to attract corporate support of stock car racing from companies based in Mexico and throughout North America.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../nascar-inks-10-year-mexico-series-extension/


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## Ckg2011

*Big Crash In Daytona 500 Danica Patrick Hard Hit​*


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he doesn't mind being called 'overrated,' but the digs at his desire bugged him​*
As Dale Earnhardt Jr. basks in his second Daytona 500 victory, he doesn't forget the struggles he went through when he first joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

The move to Hendrick brought increased expectations, as he was moving to the team of (then) two-time champion Jimmie Johnson and four-time title winner Jeff Gordon.

He won his first race with the team, the exhibition Budweiser Shootout (now the Sprint Unlimited), and then in a points race at Michigan later that year. But in the following two years he finished 25th and 21st in the Sprint Cup Series points standings.

"We weren't running good," Junior said Tuesday. "We were struggling. I think people underestimated how much I care about performance. I don't think people realized how much winning mattered to me.

"When you look at the critics and you look at their comments, aside from people saying I was overrated, they would always say I didn't have killer instinct, I didn't have the stuff that I needed to drive to win a championship, I didn't want it bad enough."

He didn't let the overrated comments get to him.. The comments about his desire? Notsomuch.

"I never was bothered by being called 'overrated' because it's such a broad term," he continued. "When people really pick at your determination, your drive, your hunger, that bothered me more than anything else did, because I grew up around the sport and I love it to death. I would do anything for NASCAR. I'd do anything for the health of the sport. I'd sacrifice anything for it."

The best thing that he can do for NASCAR is win like he did Sunday night. With the No. 3 sitting on the pole for its first race back in the Cup series since Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s death and Junior's win after a six-hour rain delay, it was about the best on-track outcome for the sanctioning body that didn't involve a certain female driver in a green-colored car.

There's also no questioning the genuine emotion that Junior showed in the hours after his car crossed the finish line first. It comes from those two years of struggles during the four-year winless streak he went through. And the belief that his final year with crew chief Steve Letarte could be his best yet.

"It's such a long ways from where we are now," Junior said. "Ran so good when we first came into the sport. Then to go through that, get so far away from being competitive, then to come all the way back to where we are now, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am and thankful I am ... that Rick Hendrick didn't give up on me, that they believed in me, were trying to find ways to make the chemistry work, regardless of what anybody said, regardless of what the critics were saying, when everybody was saying I was finished, whether I was going to do anything ever again.

"I've been pretty vindicated, but I'm in a good place now. I got my priorities in better shape. I feel, like I said, we're embarking on a season that could be something really special for me. Whether we win the championship or not remains to be seen obviously. But I had one of my greatest years last year, and I think we can top that this season."

*Source:*
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasc...ays-doesn-t-mind-being-191123197--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick's Car Comes To A Rest After Slamming Hard Into The Outside Tri Oval Wall.​*
*Danica Patrick disappointed after bumpy Daytona Speedweeks​*
*F*or all that went right for Danica Patrick during Daytona Speedweeks last year, about as much went wrong for NASCAR's most popular female in 2014.

A year after rocking the NASCAR world by becoming the first woman to win the pole for the sport'€™s biggest race, Patrick struggled in qualifying -- turning only the 25th best time out of 49 drivers. This disappointment came after losing an engine in the previous day's practice, meaning Patrick would be forced to drop to the back of the grid for the Daytona 500 no matter where she ultimately finished in her Budweiser Duel qualifying race on Thursday.

The second-year fulltime Sprint Cup Series driver secured her place in the Daytona 500 by finishing 14th in her Duel from which the top 15 drivers automatically transferred into Sunday's main event.

But with the Daytona 500 came more trouble for Patrick, who ran competitively before crashing out of the race on Lap 145 when teammate Kevin Harvick moved up the track and clipped Brian Scott, triggering a crash involving nine cars -- with Patrick's No. 10 Chevrolet getting the worst of it by veering straight into the Turn 4 wall.

Photos: Big wreck takes Danica out of Daytona 500

"What the hell happened?" she vented over her team radio before exiting her wrecked vehicle.

Afterward, the Roscoe, Ill., native was more diplomatic but no less disappointed. After all, only a year earlier, she ran at or near the front for the entire race, and even had a shot to win in the closing laps. This time, she left with a 40th-place finish and a torn-up race car on a day when the highest finishing Stewart-Haas Racing driver was Harvick, in 13th.

"I think more than anything I am just upset that the GoDaddy car felt really good and it was the best car that I had all Speedweeks," Patrick said after exiting the Daytona 500 with 55 laps still remaining. "It seemed like we could catch whoever and it seemed like we could move around, make lanes and just move around and move forward at the end of the day. I felt like everything was going pretty well, so it's just upsetting, you know."

Especially after finishing eighth in the Daytona 500 as a rookie last season.

"It's a bummer, but you know that is the excitement of speedway racing that anything can happen, and it was unfortunate that I was on the short end of the accident," she said. "But that is the kind of thing that happens."

Patrick's Speedweeks began with a wreck in the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race when she suffered heavy damage to her No. 10 Chevrolet in a collision with boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -- of all people.

Stenhouse, operating with limited visibility after his hood was knocked in from involvement in a multi-car crash on Lap 36, smashed right into Patrick's mostly unscathed car as he attempted to drive away from the wreck. Both were done for the night, but Patrick wasn't upset with her boyfriend.

"He got me 18 tin cans of Godiva dark chocolate for Valentine's Day so I don't know if he's trying to butter me up or get me fat," she said. "I feel like I have probably got enough. If his hood wouldn't have been up and he hadn't had the inability to see, obviously, there would have been more frustration. It was one of those racing things."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/rough-start-danica-unable-to-repeat-speedweeks-success-022514


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## Ckg2011

*One in a million: Danica Patrick's massive Twitter following is a NASCAR first​*
*D*anica Patrick may have had a disappointing Speedweeks, but there's still no denying her starpower.

Patrick has surpassed 1,000,000 Twitter followers ... a first for a NASCAR driver. After reaching the milestone, she took some time to thank all of her fans.

*Danica Patrick tweeted out this message to her fans.*

_"Wow....Thank you fans for caring and being curious enough about me to help reach 1 million followers!!!!"_

The way things are going for Dale Earnhardt Jr., it may not be that long until he joins "Club Million" too.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ve-twitter-following-is-a-nascar-first-022514


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr On David Letterman​* *Dale Earnhardt Jr Discusses His 2014 Daytona 500 Win On The Late Show​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Racing Electronics Partners With Energizer​*
Racing Electronics has partnered with Energizer to help power the company's products.

Realizing that the key to staying on the air and ultimately keeping race fans happy, is extremely reliable power, Racing Electronics President and CEO Bruce Silver announced that RE has partnered with the most dependable name in the market -Energizer.

"Battery technology has advanced so much in the last few years, " said Racing Electronics President and CEO Bruce Silver. "And Energizer has clearly stayed out in front of it. We are thrilled to announce to our customers that Energizer's technology will power all of our products in 2014, beginning with the Daytona 500, giving them peace of mind. This kind of commitment is what keeps us the number one supplier of race communications with race fans."

Not only will Energizer batteries be the power source for all Racing Electronics products, but some fun marketing initiatives were announced as well. Race fans might just see The Energizer Bunny at select races as well as special coupons and promotions.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/racing-electronics-partners-with-energizer/


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## Ckg2011

*Under The Radar​*
There were several drivers that turned in solid but somewhat unnoticed performances in the Daytona 500.

You'll have that when a guy named Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR's biggest race.

But while Junior certainly deserved the limelight for his second career victory in "The Great American Race," there were a few others that also earned time in the spotlight.

One of those drivers was Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who started 34th but worked his way to the front of the field in short order.

Last year's Rookie of the Year also dealt with a cut tire after running over debris on lap 145, but overcame that challenge to be in the mix for the dash to the checkered flag and eventually finished seventh.

"We struggled there for awhile," Stenhouse said. "We worked our way to the front and got off a little of fuel strategy when the rain came. I knew our Nationwide Fusion was fast but it was such a log jam trying to get back to the front."

Stenhouse finished one spot ahead of Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle, who looked like his 2014 season would start off in disaster when he slapped the wall just 15 laps into the race.

After a pit stop to change tires and ensure there wasn't more damage to the right side of the 3M Ford Fusion, Biffle returned to action. He got back on the lead lap and wound up leading the race three times for eight laps.

Biffle got shuffled back in the final two-lap run to the finish but earned a more than respectable eighth-place finish.

"It was a good night," said Biffle. "They (Chevrolet) just have a tick more speed, it seems like. I could kind of hold them off, but it depends on who is pushing you, I guess. You get some fast cars lined up and you're fast, but that last restart killed me. That was it. We had a really strong car, but the No. 88 was real fast. We just couldn't hold him off."

Casey Mears and the Germain Racing organization began their new alliance with Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing in solid fashion.

Mears started the race 28th but was inside the first twenty only seven laps later. But like he did during practice earlier in the week, Mears was forced to dodge several incidents that broke out near him during the rest of the day and night.

He was lined up 16th in the final green-white-checkered finish to end the race and was able to draft his way to come home 10th.

"I'm just so happy for the guys on this GEICO team because they worked really hard during the off-season to make the conversion to Chevrolet and build the new relationship with Richard Childress Racing," Mears said. "They were logging some pretty heavy hours away from their families, so it's great to see smiles on their faces tonight.

"Each year we've gotten a lot better and I'm glad the 2014 season is off to a strong start."

But perhaps the biggest underdog story of the race was 12th-place finisher Landon Cassill. The Hillman Racing driver secured a starting berth in the "500" with his Budweiser Duel finish.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native made the most of the opportunity and dodge several accidents around him to record the impressive finish.

"Huge thank you to everyone who made this possible," said a jubilant Cassill after the race. "With a great car, we finished 12th place in the Daytona 500."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Under-The-Radar.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Makes His Own Memories at Phoenix​*
Phoenix International Raceway has rolled out a special exhibit titled "Memory Lane" as the track celebrates its 50th anniversary season in 2014. If recent history is any indication, they may be adding Kyle Busch and his No. 54 Toyota to the display for NASCAR's return trip to the desert this fall.

He swept both Nationwide Series races at PIR last season, leads all drivers with six victories on the one-mile oval and set the track qualifying record that still stands three years later. So it's easy to understand why Busch is brimming with confidence heading into Saturday's Blue Jeans Go Green 200 Presented by Cotton.

"It feels awesome," he said, gazing with pride at his gaudy Phoenix statistics. "I can't say enough about Joe Gibbs Racing. All these guys do a phenomenal job and it pays off. It's fun to go out and win in the Nationwide Series."

For Busch, the second race of the season has been "go time" in recent years. Since 2009, he's won Race No. 2 four times.

"Hopefully, we can get it done again early to set the tone for the rest of the year," Busch said. "The Daytona race went well - wish I could have gotten one right out of the gate. But we're looking forward to seeing if we can repeat at Phoenix. I think we have the car to do it."

Busch finished fourth in the season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300 last weekend at Daytona International Speedway. From a technical standpoint, crew chief Adam Stevens is confident in the team's Phoenix game plan.

"We have a good base line to start from, but I expect our final race setup to be a little different than last year," he said. "The track surface is changing quickly, which should make for a good race. I expect the second groove to open up quite a bit quicker this weekend than it has in the past.

"It's the same tire combination as last time, which is a plus for us."

In winning last fall's Nationwide Series race at PIR, Busch claimed his 12th victory of the season - starting from the pole and leading all but 31 of the 200 laps. He closed the deal by leading the final 47 trips, beating second-place Justin Allgaier by more than four seconds.

One of Busch's biggest challenges this weekend will come from Regan Smith, who carries a load of momentum to Phoenix after winning the season opener in Daytona.

"Our entire organization is still riding the excitement of Daytona," Smith said, referring not only to his No. 7 Nationwide Series crew but to team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s victory in the Daytona 500. "You want to win each and every week, but a victory at Daytona is on a whole other level.

"There's a lot to be pumped about," added Smith, who leads the NNS standings by six points over Trevor Bayne. "Still, we have to keep focused on the next race. Phoenix was a challenge for us last spring. We came back, did our homework, changed some things and left with a top five last fall."

Indeed, Smith & Co. erased the sting of an 11th-place finish in March with a fourth-place run when the Nationwide Series returned to PIR in November 2013.

Busch and Smith are among 39 drivers on the entry list for Saturday's race. Other notables include Sprint Cup Series drivers Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski who have signed on for double duty in the desert.

Nationwide Series teams will open practice at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday morning and qualify Saturday at 12:10 p.m. (ET), just hours before the green flag falls in the Blue Jeans Go Green 200 Presented by Cotton. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season's second race starting at 3:15 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Busch-Makes-His-Own-Memories-at-Phoenix.aspx


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## Ckg2011




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## Ckg2011

*What Conspiracy Theories? 500 Proved Junior Has Hendrick's Best​*
*W*hen Dale Earnhardt Jr. was at the height of his struggles with Hendrick Motorsports, one of the popular conspiracy theories was that the team did not provide him with the same caliber of equipment as it did for Jimmie Johnson.

Hendrick officials emphatically and categorically denied that charge, pointing out that each Hendrick crew chief had full and unfettered access to the setup notes from the other three cars and the same guys built the cars. And besides, Earnhardt's sponsors wanted to see the No. 88 in victory lane every bit as much as his Junior Nation fans did.

Still, if you followed Twitter and certain high-profile NASCAR message boards, there were diehard fans convinced that Earnhardt wasn't getting any of the "good" Hendrick cars. The fact that their belief was misguided did nothing to dissuade them.

Well, guess what, race fans? After winning Sunday's Daytona 500, Junior himself said he's getting the best cars Hendrick Motorsports has ever built.

"The cars that I drove in the Chase were far superior to anything I ever drove," Earnhardt said, referring to last year's fifth-place points finish, his best since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. "Even earlier in that same season, we were building new cars. We had gained a lot of information and understanding on how to improve on our cars since the beginning of the year. So, we were able to start really putting all those additional features into one vehicle."

And Sunday night, Earnhardt had high praise for his Daytona 500 car.

"There's something about the car that you sort of connect with the car," said Earnhardt. "That car that I drove tonight, we got along. You know, we worked as a unit. It just happens. ... The cars we've had in the past, I drove 'em all week down here at Speedweeks. I just didn't have that 100 percent confidence in either the car or myself or us as a unit to be able to drive it with the confidence that you need to win."

That wasn't the case in this year's Daytona 500.

"The car's everything at Daytona and Talladega," said Earnhardt. "I think I do a good job of drafting and understanding the draft, knowing what to do, when to do it, but you can't without the right car."

Then, for emphasis, Earnhardt held two fingers slightly apart.

"The difference between the right car and what I've been driving is this much, that's how close it is out there," he said. "You know it when you've got that much more. It's an obvious gut feeling you feel from the seat of your pants. That car was just ready to go, man. It was just asking for everything that I was giving it. I mean, I felt like I was just out there just beating 'em off one at a time. Man, it was awesome. Just an amazing car."

Earnhardt's boss, Rick Hendrick, knows better than anyone how much pressure was on the organization to get the No. 88 running better.

"We never gave up," Hendrick said. "I was as determined as ever. I told him (Earnhardt) that we would get it right and we would do what we set out to do, and we were not going to stop. But it's a lot of pressure. It was an awful lot of pressure. I felt like I let him down. He felt like he let me down. But we locked arms and said, 'We're going to figure it out.'"

And figure it out they have.

"It's that little magic with the car, it's also that magic with the guys here, with the team," said Hendrick of his No. 88 team. "When you hit it, it's amazing. ... They've got that magic, and these guys have that magic. I think this could be the year."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...?related=a5d4afe1-7187-4da9-9b9b-90feca3cabf0


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## Ckg2011

*Jimmie Johnson On A Victory Lap After His Win In The 2013 Daytona 500.​*
*Daytona 500 Replay During Rain Delay Confuses Everyone, Fans Congratulate 2013 Winner Jimmie Johnson​*
The rain delay that halted the 2014 Daytona 500 after just 38 laps threw a massive wrench into Fox's broadcast schedule. When it became apparent that the delay would stretch on for hours, Fox re-aired the 2013 Daytona 500. Scores of fans didn't realize that the race unfolding on their televisions had already happened, and when the replay reached its conclusion, 2013 winner Jimmie Johnson was trending nationally on Twitter.

*List of some of the Tweets from Sunday:*

_



chad white @Whitey_1010

Woo Jimmie Johnson with the win!

Click to expand...

_


> _Todd Ness @TMN150
> 
> Congratulations Jimmie Johnson.. ���� #viaUberSocial_




_



Nicholas @grobot20

Ugh, Jimmie Johnson won again?!

Click to expand...

_ Fox repeatedly tried to clarify that the race already happened, but their efforts largely went unnoticed.

_



FOX Sports ✔ @FOXSports

Reminder, it is now 2014, and you just saw @JimmieJohnson win the 2013 #Daytona500.

Today's race is still currently delayed by rain.

Click to expand...

_ Fox News even said that Jimmie Johnson won the race. Ooops.








_



Matt Henderson @MHenderson17

Well... Apparently Fox News didn't get the memo of their sister channel... #fail http://twitpic.com/dwgw2h

Click to expand...

_ _



Jimmie Johnson ✔ @JimmieJohnson

I hear I won the #Daytona500? Haha!

I also have friends confused and texting congratulations to me.

#2013Replay

Click to expand...

_ Fox News later apologized for the gaffe on Facebook.

*Source:*
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/jimmie-johnson-daytona-500-replay/


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## Ckg2011

*Confident Dale Earnhardt Jr. Now On Top of His Game​*
Rick Hendrick has seen a different Dale Earnhardt Jr. over the last six months. And he expects to see an even more different Earnhardt as the 2014 season progresses.

It's the driver he's wanted to see since Earnhardt began driving for him in 2008. Earnhardt had left Dale Earnhardt Inc., an organization eventually unable to continue racing following the death of Earnhardt's father in the 2001 Daytona 500, to Hendrick's four-car team.

"I just like to see him having fun," Hendrick said a day after Earnhardt won the 2014 Daytona 500. "When you really think about the load he carries, losing his dad, the pressure he puts on himself - if he didn't put so much pressure on himself, I wouldn't worry so much about him.

"Last year and toward the end of the year before was the first time I saw him really have fun with us, just really fun and loose and had that stride that you couldn't wait to get into the race. I'm really happy. I wish this could have come earlier but I'm thankful it's here now."

Hendrick said he hopes the Daytona 500 win has relieved some of the pressure of being the son of a seven-time Cup champion and of trying to live up to the expectations of his fans. It was Earnhardt's 20th career Cup victory but just his third since joining Hendrick.

"Knocking off some of that pressure and getting him comfortable and letting him just go out and be Dale Earnhardt Jr., I think I might see that for the first time this year," Hendrick said. "We saw it last year, but I think I'm going to see more of it this year."

It's not just the win that could have Earnhardt more relaxed this year. With a victory in the Daytona 500, Earnhardt can race somewhat relaxed for the rest of the regular season. Barring a record number of winners or a complete collapse, Earnhardt knows he will make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which was revamped this year to place more emphasis on race winners. With 16 drivers making the Chase based on wins, Earnhardt already is in prime position to make the Chase after just one race.

Earnhardt is ready for more wins, capitalizing on a strong 2013 finish (he led laps in eight of the final 10 races and had four top-fives in the final five races) as well as the awesome start to 2014.

"If everybody is telling the truth, we've won a race, we should be in (the Chase), so I'm not going to worry about it," Earnhardt said. "Now, if I got to win two of these things, I don't know if we're that worried because we're going for the jugular this year."

Crew chief Steve Letarte says that drivers who win early in the season will be able to take big gambles to win more races the rest of the regular season. Earnhardt only misses the Chase if he drops out of the top 30 in points or ranks 16th (17th if the regular-season points leader has a win) behind all race winners when ranked by wins and then points after 26 races.

"It's easy to say you can run 20th and go for a win, where if you're racing for the points, you can't afford to give up 20 points," Letarte said. "When they come out with this points system, &#8230; I don't think it changes much before you win. I don't think anybody can take any bigger chances than we already take to try to win. Once you have won one, it gives you an opportunity to really take borderline ridiculous chances."

But more that that, it's Earnhardt's confidence in his cars that takes some of the pressure off. He said he noticed a difference in his cars during the Chase last year.

"The cars that I drove in the Chase were far superior to anything I ever drove," Earnhardt said. "Even earlier in that same season, we were building new cars.

"We had gained a lot of information and understanding on how to improve on our cars. &#8230; Drivers always talk about the car being into the racetrack, getting more comfort and grip. I'd say that we have improved that tremendously."

Those around Earnhardt say there's more than the cars that have improved.

"I've never seen him so happy, so loose," Hendrick said. "&#8230; I just think it's going to be the Dale Earnhardt that we all want to see, that he's so comfortable, having such a good time. This new format is going to make a lot of difference."

Part of the different is the bond that has emerged between Letarte and Earnhardt since their pairing at the start of the 2011 season. Earnhardt went from finishing the top 20 in points in 2009-10 to three consecutive Chase appearances.

That pairing has improved his team, and Hendrick also said the fact that Earnhardt is now based in the shop that houses Jimmie Johnson's championship team has helped.

"You see him energized because all of the pieces are perfect, are right and he's confident and comfortable," Hendrick said. "We had a hard time getting to that point. It wasn't all him, it was us trying to get the right fit for him."

Earnhardt's confidence is a huge factor in his success as he has a tendency to get frustrated if he doesn't have confidence in his car or crew. He has that now.

Hendrick says Earnhardt's personal life with girlfriend Amy Reimann also is a factor, along with his relationship with Letarte and being associated with Johnson and his team.

"Dale is the kind of guy that you can't force him to do something, he's got to want to do it," Hendrick said. "Amy has helped a bunch. (He has better) eating habits, his working out, his resting, his spending time with the guys, spending time in the shop.

"It's almost like he could get by with anything before he got there. When he walks in and sees the level of competition, the level of professionalism, the level of commitment he sees from Jimmie and Jeff (Gordon), &#8230; it's been a transformation for Dale."

After one win, Johnson and Gordon wouldn't just go out and just cruise for 25 races. Earnhardt won't as well.

"I expect that we're going to have some great racecars and some great opportunities to win," Earnhardt said. "I know that we run our guts out every week. Steve and the guys give it all they got. I give it all I got.

"We did that last year and didn't win any races. We weren't trying to be consistent. We weren't trying to just gather up points. We want to win so bad because we know how important that is for our fans, how important that is to the sport, how big it would be for all the effort Rick has put into it."

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...e-girlfriend-fans-rick-hendrick-steve-letarte


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## Ckg2011

*Texas Motor Speedway Boss Eddie Gossage Calls F1 'Arrogant'​*
Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says his series and NASCAR won't be competing for the same motorsports fans in Texas when they hold races 190 miles apart in November.

Ecclestone dismissed on Wednesday any clash between the series, after the top executive at Texas Motor Speedway called F1 "arrogant" for scheduling the United States Grand Prix in Austin on the same weekend that his track hosts NASCAR in Fort Worth.

"I absolutely think it's foolish," said Eddie Gossage, the track president and general manager. "It's a shot fired by Formula One at NASCAR. I can't say I was surprised because Bernie Ecclestone does a lot of foolish things. The thing he unfortunately doesn't recognize is there is an 800-pound gorilla when it comes to major American motorsports. The 800-pound gorilla is NASCAR."

Texas Motor Speedway will host NASCAR's Texas 500 on Nov. 2, the same day F1 will hold its only race in the U.S. this year. Fort Worth is about a 3-hour drive from Austin.

While Gossage thought a stronger stance by the management at Circuit of the Americas would have prevented the scheduling issue, Ecclestone believed it was a non-issue.

"I've also spoken to the people that run the race at COTA and their position is that they believe the NASCAR crowd is a different crowd to Formula One, different people, different customers," Ecclestone said. "At the end of the day, they run a domestic series in America - we run a world championship."

F1 requires considerable logistical planning by the teams, he said.

"We've a small problem they (NASCAR) don't have - we have six jumbo jets to move around all our equipment, and we have to find the most sensible way to use them to do that," Ecclestone said. "We have to be efficient and bear in mind we may also encounter problems at an airport.

"There are issues that can occur, but (Gossage) and other people do not realize these things. The race prior to the one in the U.S. is in Russia, in Sochi. We've never been before, and we have to get out of there and into Austin. That is probably a lot easier than trying to get into Brazil, and then we have to get out of there (Sao Paulo) to go to Abu Dhabi."

Gossage said F1 could have found another weekend to race in the U.S.

"It's just not smart," he said. "There's 52 weeks in the year. But that was the only weekend that Formula One could make it work in Austin, Texas. Give me a break."

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...race-schedule-eddie-gossage-bernie-ecclestone


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## Ckg2011

*Lupton Ready To Begin 2014 K&N West Season​*
The 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Sunoco Rookie of the Year checked off each of his goals last season and starts on a new list as the 2014 season opens on Thursday in the Arizona desert.

"I went into last season wanting to win rookie of the year, finish in the top five in points and win a race," said Dylan Lupton.

The 20-year-old driver from Wilton, Calif., finished fifth in the final championship standings and collected his first victory in August at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., en route to outdistancing Giles Thornton for top-rookie honors on the circuit.

This year the goals are similar, but a little more difficult to achieve. Lupton has his sight set on winning multiple races and earning a series title beginning with the season-opening Talking Stick Resort 75 at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

"I think we have a good opportunity to win some races and get into the championship hunt, he," he said.

With a full season of experience Lupton feels much better prepared for what is to come.

"I feel 100 percent more prepared than last year," he stated. "The crew has worked really hard over the winter and we have a brand new car for the bigger tracks. We've done some testing and the cars are really fast. I think we'll have a top-three or top-five car right out of the box every time out this season."

In addition to his racing schedule Lupton is a full-time student at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte carrying a 3.5 grade point average, but his emphasis on school doesn't end there. The business major has a planned program of school visits throughout the season with the message that young people can pursue their dreams while still preparing for and attending college.

"We did a pilot visit to a school last November before the Phoenix race and it was so well received that they invited us back this year," Lupton said.

His No. 9 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford and hauler will visit Ingleside Middle School near Scottsdale, Ariz., on Friday, the day after the PIR event.

"The schedule didn't work out this time to do it before the race, but we hope to hand out some race tickets for the rest of the visits to get some people out for a great at-track experience," he said.

In three previous Phoenix outings, Lupton's best finish was a 14th-place showing in last year's kick-off event, but he plans on changing that this time.

"Phoenix and I haven't gotten along too well, so far," he stated. "With the new car I think we'll do much better and I can get some revenge on that place."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/lupton-ready-to-begin-2014-kn-west-season/


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## Ckg2011

*Conley Joins RCR's Nationwide Roster​*
Cale Conley has joined Richard Childress Racing's 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver lineup in the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro.

Conley will run a limited schedule, making his Nationwide Series debut at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in March.

"I am very grateful and anxious for the opportunity to race with Richard Childress Racing," said Conley. "My goal, at this point, is to get past these anxious feelings, do what I know best on the track and learn as much as possible from the team. Opportunities like this don't come along often, so I am going to do my best and learn as much as possible."

Conley, 21, raced full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2013 finishing with four top-fives, five top-10s and one pole award. He cut his teeth as a teenager, racing winged sprint cars on dirt and USAC midgets on pavement.

The Vienna, W.Va., native will team up with crew chief Nick Harrison, who joined RCR in 2013. Harrison's crew chief experience spreads across 131 races in NASCAR's top-three series and includes a Nationwide Series victory at Daytona Int'l Speedway in July 2012.








"We look forward to getting Cale in our car and seeing him take the next step in his career," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "He's done a good job on the K&N Series level and we're pairing him up with a solid race team. It's going to be a bit of a learning curve, so that's why the limited schedule works perfect for him and allows him to progress at a comfortable pace."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/conley-joins-rcrs-nationwide-roster/


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## Ckg2011

*New Qualifying Format An Unknown​*
What to expect when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series holds its first group qualifying session Friday at Phoenix International Raceway?

No one is sure.

Some wonder if anyone will go out when the session begins because track conditions likely will be better later in the period. Even with 30 minutes to complete a run, some worry about cars getting in the way of each other and affecting qualifying laps. While the tires typically perform better after a few laps at Phoenix, how many laps will be too many in the race for the pole?

"There is a lot that's going to go into it ,and I think we all have a lot to learn on how we want to approach it,'' Joey Logano said. "You're going to have to change your game plan as it goes because if you're sitting near that bubble spot what do you do? Do you go back out and put more heat in your motor and more laps on your tires and heat in your tires? Or do you just kind of wait it out and hopefully no one bumps you?''

Those are just some of the questions teams will have with NASCAR dramatically altering qualifying. Instead of single-car runs, there will be knockout group qualifying. Nationwide teams ran one session last weekend at Daytona International Speedway before rain ended qualifying.

This weekend, Cup and Nationwide teams will have two sessions. Teams will have 30 minutes to set a qualifying time. The fastest 12 advance to the final round. Their first-round time will not carry over. They'll have 10 minutes to post a lap to contend for the pole.

"I feel like we needed to do that a few years ago,'' Jeff Gordon said of the new format. "I was real happy to see (NASCAR) being open-minded and them recognizing some things that needed to be done and they did that.''

While most Cup drivers don't have experience with this particular type of format, AJ Allmendinger does with running some IndyCar events last year.

He says when qualifying begins at Phoenix, it could be interesting.

"You don't want to be the first guy on the race track,'' he said, noting how slick the track can be early in a session. "Everybody is going to be sitting (there) ... and going, 'OK, OK who is going to go, oh (no) there is 10 minutes to go.'

"That's what makes knockout qualifying so much fun because there are so many different strategies that you can play. At some point, you're going to roll out there and be on your lap, and some guy is going to pull out in front of you and it's going to kill you on your lap. It's going to be a lot of fun.''

NASCAR originally did not allow any adjustments except between qualifying sessions but changed that after requests from teams. NASCAR will allow teams to make change to the tape on the front grille and adjust wedge, track bar and tire pressure. Those decisions will add to what takes place in qualifying.

"Moving through those segments, you're going to see people make a quick adjustment and tune themselves right into the game or, more importantly, tune themselves right out of the game,'' Clint Bowyer said. "It's going to be cool.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hat-To-Expect-With-New-Qualifying-Format.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Driver Handicaps: Phoenix​*
*Driver Averages | Loop Data (pdf) | Driver Ratings | Past Winners*

To assist in making your fantasy racing picks, MRN.com's Jeff Wackerlin breaks down all the stats and information to help steer you toward Sunday's "The Profit" on CNBC 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

*Who's HOT at Phoenix*
• Defending race winner Carl Edwards has led the most laps (158) in the two races with the Gen-6 
car.

• Kevin Harvick, who will make his first Phoenix start with Stewart-Haas Racing, has posted the 
best average finish (7.2) in the five races on the current track configuration, including wins 
in the last two fall events.

• Denny Hamlin has finished in the top three in three of his last four starts, including a win 
in the 2012 spring race.

• Jimmie Johnson, who has four wins on the old track configuration, has the best average finish (2.5) in the two races with the Gen-6 car.

• Brad Keselowski has posted a 6.5 average finish in the last four races.

• Kyle Busch leads all drivers in laps led (289) over the last five races.

*Who to Keep an Eye On at Phoenix*

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in the top five in both Phoenix races with the Gen-6 car last season.

• Greg Biffle (10.6) and Kasey Kahne (12.0) each rank in the top 10 in average finish among drivers that have competed in all five races on Phoenix's new track configuration.

• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has posted a 14.0 average finish in two starts at Phoenix and now is back with crew chief Mike Kelley who led him to five consecutive top-10s at PIR in the Nationwide Series.

• Ryan Newman, who will be making his first Phoenix start with Richard Childress Racing, has finished in the top 10 in six of his last eight starts there.

• Jeff Gordon has posted a 5.0 average finish in the last four March races at Phoenix, including a win in the last race on the old configuration in 2011.

• Matt Kenseth finished seventh in this event last season - his first Phoenix start with Joe Gibbs Racing.

• Tony Stewart has posted a 13.0 average finish in four of the five races on Phoenix's new configuration. Stewart's new crew chief, Chad Johnston, helped lead Martin Truex Jr. - who will make his first Phoenix start with Furniture Row Racing - to two top-10s in four starts there with Michael Waltrip Racing.

• Kurt Busch, who will make his first Phoenix start with Stewart-Haas Racing, has finished in the top 10 in two of his last three starts.

*Tire Notes:* Teams will be running the same combination of left- and right-side tires they ran at Phoenix last November. Kevin Harvick won that race, driving for Richard Childress Racing, after leading a race-high 70 laps.

Be sure to check back with MRN.com for practice speeds on Friday and Saturday.

*Phoenix Qualifying Facts (Note: This will be the first 'knockout' qualifying session)*

Johnson, Kenseth, Gordon and Kyle Busch were the only drivers that placed in the top 10 in the 1st practice session in both races at Phoenix last season. Busch posted the best average position (2.5) in the two practices with Johnson (3.5), Kenseth (4.0), Hamlin (6.5) and Gordon (9.0) rounding out the top five.

For a look at all the pre-race Loop Data for Phoenix, view the "The Profit" on CNBC 500 Pre-Race Loop Data Book (pdf)

*MRN.com Staff Picks*

*Jeff Wackerlin:* Denny Hamlin
*Pete Pistone:* Denny Hamlin
*Dustin Long:* Kasey Kahne
*John Singler:* Carl Edwards

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/02/Phoenix-Driver-Handicaps.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Crew Chiefs Face Challenges​*
Daniel Knost's biggest challenge as a new crew chief isn't putting together a team, determining race-day strategy or discussing adjustments with Kurt Busch. That easy compared to what he says is his biggest challenge.

"Finding speed,'' he said, sounding more like a veteran instead of a crew chief with one Sprint Cup race as experience.

Knost isn't alone this year. He's one of four new crew chiefs among major NASCAR Sprint Cup teams. While each faced challenges at Daytona, they'll play a greater role in how their team performs beginning this weekend at Phoenix International Speedway. Teams can do more with setups and pit strategy plays a bigger role this weekend than at Daytona.

The new crew chiefs might not get any breaks at Phoenix, though. Saturday's forecast calls for rain, which could threaten both Cup practices. If both are canceled, that would give teams only one Friday practice session before racing. Not exactly the way new crew chiefs want to have their first weekend at a non-restrictor-plate track.

It wouldn't be the first time they've experienced shortened weekends. All are veterans in the sport.

Knost served as lead engineer for Ryan Newman's team last year before moving to become the crew chief for Busch at Stewart-Haas Racing. Keith Rodden, longtime engineer for Kasey Kahne, is Jamie McMurray's crew chief. Trent Owens moves from the Nationwide Series to be Aric Almirola's crew chief. Billy Scott, an engineer the past two seasons at Michael Waltrip Racing, serves as Brian Vickers' crew chief.

None had a memorable Daytona 500. McMurray finished 14th, Busch was 21st after a late-race spin that did not bring out the caution, Vickers placed 30th after he was collected in a crash, and Almirola was 39th, a wreck ending his race.

Knost will get some help atop the pit box with former crew chief Matt Borland, vice president of engineering at Stewart-Haas Racing, there to help him with calls. Knost and Borland have worked together for years and their relationship should help smooth Knost's move to crew chief.

Knost admits he might need some help with strategy early in the season.

"As far as in the race, just trying to get your head around everything that is happening, how are the cards being played and how are you going to play your cards,'' Knost said. "Quite frankly, having the guts to go for it when you're in a pinch. We made some avery aggressive calls as times last year. It's easy for me to say it, but then Matt had to have the guts to go for it. That will be the challenge in having the confidence you're making a strong play at the right time.''

Rodden knows a key challenge will be relating what McMurray says about the car and making it better. Rodden had been with Kahne and crew chief Kenny Francis most of the last decade.

Rodden said NASCAR's December test helped him learn McMurray's cadence and what he liked in his cars. That was the test where NASCAR had teams run short races to try rule changes for this season. Rodden said he left the car purposely tighter or looser to see how McMurray handled it and how he described the car.

"He explains stuff very similarly to what I've heard,'' Rodden said of McMurray.

The challenge for Owens moving up is learning how his competitors will call a race. Owens had been a crew chief in the Nationwide Series since 2006. He knew how his competitors called races and who was willing to take gambles and who wasn't. Moving to Cup, though, Owens doesn't have that knowledge.

"Learning the other crew chiefs on pit road, their strategies and their habits, it may take a little time to get a feel for how other guys call races,'' he said. "Nationwide, I was there for so long I had a feel. I'm sure that stuff will come pretty fast.''

It will have to for each because or they could fall behind quickly.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/02/New-Crew-Chiefs-Face-Big-Challenges.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowman's Journey Takes Him Back Home​*
The enormity of it all struck Alex Bowman. Jimmie Johnson was there. Dale Earnhardt Jr. over there. Jeff Gordon was over there.

"I'm actually racing with these guys now,'' Bowman recalled thinking.

That scene - before Daytona 500 driver introductions - provided a memorable moment in the 20-year-old's journey, which started at an Arizona quarter-midget track, included a hospital stay after a vicious midget crash and featured a dramatic dash to make the 500.

Along the way, Bowman's father, Sean, put a second mortgage on his home to keep his son's racing going, watched his used car dealership close under the weight of the economic slowdown and saw his collision repair business affected as well.

A week after Bowman finished 23rd in the Daytona 500, he'll compete at Phoenix International Raceway, located about 90 minutes from where Bowman grew up in Tucson, Ariz. Nearly 40 family and friends - including Bowman's 80-year-old grandmother - are expected to sit together for Sunday's race and many more will be elsewhere around the track.

"Without him, I definitely couldn't have done it,'' Bowman said of his father. "Without the rest of my family supporting the decisions ... we couldn't have done it.''

Sean Bowman had been a race fan and looked to share something with his son. Sean saw his son's fascination with cars, including a time when Bowman snagged Sean's car keys from him and jumped into the diver's seat, pretending to drive. A quarter-midget track was nearby and Sean thought racing would be a good father-son activity. He got his son a quarter-midget when Bowman was 7 years old.

It didn't take long for Bowman to win.

"When he won his first race, it was all over,'' Sean said of his son's career path. "He just got such a sense of accomplishment and pride.''

Bowman collected nine quarter-midget national championships before he moved to racing midget cars. He was the USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year in 2009. Even more seemed ahead of him until his crash the next year at the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Bowman's midget tumbled more than a dozen times, the impact cracking ribs, smashing his collarbone and breaking blood vessels in his eyes. He spent seven days in intensive care, the first three days he was unable to see because his eyes where swollen shut. When his eyes opened, his vision was blurry. Eventually, the 16-year-old's sight returned and he was ready to go racing.

Bowman, who had his arms in a sling, was told he wouldn't race for eight weeks.

"Doc, I got a race in three weeks,'' Sean recalls his son telling his doctor.

"And?'' the doctor said.

"And I want to know if I can race.

"Competitively?

"Yeah, competitively.

"Kid,'' the doctor told Bowman, "I've never driven a racecar a day in my life. I have a better chance of getting in that car and being competitive than you do.

"So, I can race but you don't think I can be competitive.''

Frustrated, the doctor told Bowman: "You'll never take the pain.''

Four weeks and two days after the accident, Bowman was back in a car.

That crash concerned Sean and he decided that his son's best path in racing was stock cars.

Bowman won two ARCA starts in 2011 and was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year. He scored four ARCA wins in 2012 and won that series' rookie of the year honors. He moved to the Nationwide Series last year, finishing 11th in the points.

A promising season ended in disappointment. Bowman, who had six top-10 finishes, was replaced for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He said he found out via the Internet.

"Not going to Homestead was pretty stressful,'' Bowman said. "You don't know if you're ever going to race a car again.''

His fortune changed with BK Racing looking for replacements for Travis Kvapil and David Reutimann. A deal was completed and Bowman suddenly found himself getting ready for the Sprint Cup Series ahead of schedule.

Things didn't go well at Speedweeks, though. He and teammate Ryan Truex were slow in qualifying. They were too far down in car owner points to have a chance for a provisional. They would have to race their way into the 500 via their Duel.

Bowman rallied on the final lap to finish 14th - the top 15 qualified for the Daytona 500. His father ran to the garage and hugged his son after Bowman climbed from the car.

"I have got to pinch myself that I'm really awake and not dreaming this,'' Sean said of the last couple of weeks for his son.

"If you drive through Tucson and look off to the side of the road, because the quarter-midget track is just off the freeway ... it seems like it was just yesterday he was racing there and now he's racing against guys that he idolized that are the best of the best, it's phenomenal. We'll feel that way all season long whether it's a good day or a bad day. It's still a good day for us.''

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of The Profit on CNBC 500 starting at 2 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...x-Bowman-Heads-to-Phoenix-For-Homecoming.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Previewing NASCAR At The Jewel In The Desert​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Expect The Unexpected In Sprint Cup Debut of Knockout Qualifying​*
*T*his weekend at Phoenix will mark the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup history that the new knockout qualifying format will be utilized. At Phoenix, you really aren't going to want anyone around you. You want to try and give yourself a good clean lap.

I think we all know what we think we are going to see. We all think we know how it is going to play out, but the reality is, until we actually experience our first one on Friday at Phoenix, then a lot of it is speculation. Personally, I can't wait, because I just think this is going to add so much to our sport and it's going to be downright awesome.

I've been lobbying NASCAR for four or five years now that our sport was clamoring for a change in qualifying. I just felt like the day of a race fan wanting to sit in the stands at the bigger tracks like Indianapolis, Michigan, Pocono, Fontana or a place the size of Talladega to watch a two- to two-and-a-half hour qualifying session are long gone. The same can be said for the fan watching a qualifying session for that long at home.

Whole new ballgame: Knockout qualifying changes everything

People simply have too many other things to do and too many other options to watch than a lengthy and, let's be honest, at times tedious, qualifying session. This new format is so much more streamlined and builds drama right up to the end.

I liken what we are going to begin doing Friday in Phoenix to what we did last year when the Gen-6 car was rolled out. The notebook of data had a lot of white pages in it and it took time to fill it up. The same goes for this new qualifying format. It's brand new and, until we get some of them under our belts, we really don'€™t know what we have.

The best way to sum it up is actually pretty simple -- expect the unexpected when it comes to this new qualifying format.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/expect-the-unexpected-in-debut-of-knockout-qualifying-022714


----------



## Ckg2011

*Junior 2014 Sprint CUP Title Run​*
*Will 500 win be catalyst for Junior title in last run with Letarte?​*
viously, we all know the initial benefits of winning the Daytona 500 as Dale Earnhardt Jr. did Sunday night. There's a really big trophy. There's an even bigger check. There's a whirlwind media tour where Dale Jr., his team and his sponsors are the solo focus. There's also the satisfaction of knowing already at the end of February, that you and your team are pretty much locked in for the Chase that starts near the end of September.

Then there are the intangibles. The first one that comes to mind is that what this will do for Dale Jr.'s confidence is immeasurable. Knowing that he won that race driving the way he did, not winning it on fuel strategy or being out front in a rain-shortened race, burns a level of confidence into Dale Jr. or any driver, for that matter. In Dale Jr.'s case, I think it was something that was sorely needed and just might be the springboard for a very special season.

When it comes to the No. 88 team as a whole, trust me: They will never look at themselves the same way ever again. Twenty-five years ago, Darrell Waltrip, myself and a great group of guys also from Hendrick Motorsports won the Daytona 500 and we, too, were never the same. I realize that Dale Jr. won his first Daytona 500 in 2004, but I promise you that Sunday's win was the biggest win of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career and surpasses both his Nationwide championships.

Everyone knows the power of Hendrick Motorsports. Their accomplishments in the sport and specifically at Daytona are well-documented. It's also common knowledge now that crew chief Steve Letarte is leaving the company at the end of the season and heading to the television side of things. Up until Sunday, he had never won a Daytona 500 as a crew chief. Now, he can mark that off his list.

I just think the combination of winning the Daytona 500, with a driver and a crew chief in their final year together, is setting the stage for what could be a really special season. Steve Letarte will be the first one to tell you that he wants nothing more than to leave Dale Jr. and the No. 88 team at the end of the season knowing that he helped them all achieve the ultimate goal -- the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

It could all happen just because of last Sunday.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-junior-title-in-last-run-with-letarte-022714


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Schedule For The Profit On CNBC 500K At P.I.R.​*
*Friday Feb 28th:* Practice @ 2:00 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Friday Feb 28th:* Qualifying @ 6:30 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Saturday March 1st:* Practice @ 11:00 Am Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Saturday March 1st:* Happy Hour Practice @ 2:00 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Sunday March 2nd:* The Profit On CNBC 500K At P.I.R. @ 3:00 PM Est On Fox.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Schedule For The Nationwide Grand National Series Blue Jeans Go Green 200 At P.I.R.​*
*Friday Feb 28th:* Practice @ 1:00 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Friday Feb 28th:* Practice @ 5:00 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Saturday March 1st:* Qualifying @ 12:00 Pm Est On Fox Sports 1.

*Saturday March 1st:* Blue Jeans Go Green 200 @ 3:30 Pm Est On ABC.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Custer Gets Redemption In Arizona​*
Cole Custer had the checkered flag in sight four months ago at Phoenix Int'l Raceway, but had to wait until Thursday night to get the win.

Custer, 16, won the Talking Stick Resort 75, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season opener in the Arizona desert. The Ladera Ranch, Calif., driver started from the pole position and first had to deal with three-time Phoenix race winner Greg Pursley and then with a hard-charging Brennan Newberry on a green-white-checkered finish.

In the November 2013 K&N Pro Series West season finale, Custer had a dominant car in leading practice, winning the pole position and leading every lap in the race - except for one. Gray Gaulding used a bump-and-run move on the white-flag lap to claim the win and send Custer spinning to a sixth-place finish.

On this night, Custer led the first 10 laps before succumbing to the pressure of Pursley. However, Custer regained the lead from Pursley, who tangled with lapped traffic on lap 28, and drove his No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts/Haas Automation Chevrolet to victory from there.

He built a lead of more than a second in the closing laps, but a late caution flag flew when Greg Rayl made contact with the-turn four wall on lap 72 to set up the overtime finish. After the final restart, Custer was able to edge a persistent Newberry at the line by .376 seconds.

Nick Drake scored a third-place finish for Bill McAnally Racing in his K&N West debut while Pursley rebounded from the early trouble to finish fourth. Two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion D.J. Kennington finished fifth.

It was Custer's first K&N West victory in just three starts. He collected a pair of K&N East wins last season in August at Iowa Speedway in Newton and in September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

Earlier in the day, Custer won the 21 Means 21 presented by Coors Brewing Company Pole Award. It was his second in the K&N Pro Series West to match the two he has in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

*The Finish:*

1. (1) Cole Custer, Ladera Ranch, Calif., Chevrolet, 80 laps, 72.000 mph.
2. ( 8 ) Brennan Newberry, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 80.
3. (7) Nick Drake, Mooresville, N.C., Toyota, 80.
4. (2) Greg Pursley, Newhall, CA, Chevrolet, 80.
5. (12) D.J. Kennington, St Thomas, Ontario, Canada, Dodge, 80.
6. (11) Dylan Lupton, Wilton, Calif., Ford, 80.
7. (13) Giles Thornton, Whitefish, Mont., Toyota, 80.
8. (9) Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, N.C., Toyota, 80.
9. (4) Brett Thompson, Jerome, Idaho, Chevrolet, 80.
10. (10) Taylor Cuzick, Tolleson, Ariz., Chevrolet, 80.
11. (1 8 ) Luis Tyrrell, Brisbane, Calif., Chevrolet, 80.
12. (16) Carlos Vieira, Atwater, Calif., Toyota, 80.
13. (20) Jaime Kryzsik, Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada, Toyota, 80.
14. (19) Thomas Martin, Auburn, Calif., Chevrolet, 80.
15. (21) Jason Fraser, Snohomish, Wash., Chevrolet, 80.
16. (23) Carl Harr, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 80.
17. (29) Rich DeLong, III, Santa Clarita, Calif., Chevrolet, 80.
18. (25) John Wood, Eagle, ID, Chevrolet, 80.
19. (6) Kelly Admiraal, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 79.
20. (17) Anthony Giannone, Colorado Springs, Colo., Toyota, 78.
21. (24) Bill Kann, Scottsdale, Ariz., Toyota, 76.
22. (27) Griffin Steinfeld, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Toyota, 76.
23. (22) Greg Rayl, Roseville, Calif., Chevrolet, 74.
24. (3) David Mayhew, Atascadero, CA, Chevrolet, 74.
25. (15) James Bickford, Napa, Calif., Ford, 64.
26. (26) Jack Sellers, Sacramento, CA, Chevrolet, 57.
27. (2 8 ) Jack Chisholm, Cranbrook, B.C., Canada, Chevrolet, 51.
28. (14) Daryl Harr, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 31.
29. (5) Gray Gaulding, Colonial Heights, Va., Chevrolet, 1, engine

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/custer-gets-redemption-in-arizona/


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## Ckg2011

*Joe Gibbs Racing Is On The Road To Phoenix​*





*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/category/nascar/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bad Brad Keselowski Wins Pole In First Ever Knockout Qualifying​*
NASCAR's first ever Knockout Qualifying has just ended and Penske driver Brad Keselowski wins pole at Phoenix International Raceway for Sunday's The Profit On CNBC 500K.







 Brad Keselowski earned the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. (HHP/Harold Hinson Photo)​
Brad Keselowski's Penske teammate Joey Logano will start on the front row next to Brad Keselowski on Sunday.

Last weeks Daytona 500 Champion Dale Earnhardt Jr will start 5th.

Failing to Qualify - Josh Wise, Landon Cassill and Dave Blaney.

Check back for more results from Qualifying. 

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Sizzling Suarez Claims Mexico Series Glory​*
Daniel Suarez continued his blazing start to the NASCAR season with a last-lap pass to win Friday's Toyota 120 for the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

Suarez, who won the opening two races for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, passed Antonio Perez in the backstretch dogleg and fending off a late charge from defending series champion Rodrigo Peralta to claim victory by .097 seconds.

With the top three all on fatigued tires, Peralta was able to slip past Perez coming out of turn four for a second-place finish.

The first half of the Toyota 120 was plagued by wrecks and caution flags, but it still got off in daring fashion as Perez dove from his position in third below polesitter Ruben Pardo in turn one, which allowed outside pole-sitter Suarez to pull into the lead.

The first caution period came on lap five as Hector Felix spun his Toyota off turn three. It was only the beginning: the yellow flag waved six times in the first half of the race. Things settled down after that with Perez showing the way, and the race went caution-free from a restart on lap 65 to the end.

Suarez was caught speeding on pit road on a lap-46 pit stop and was assessed a pass-through penalty, forcing him to roll down pit lane as the rest of the field sped past, in the process dropping from first to 12th. He clearly had the fastest car, but it became a question whether he could get around Perez as the laps ticked off.

Pardo also ran into challenges, as a handling issue sent him tumbling through the field and behind a lap at mid-race, but the 34-year-old came charging forward to claim a top-five finish.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/sizzling-suarez-claims-mexico-series-glory/


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## Ckg2011

*No Rainy Day Blues For Busch At PIR​*
The only thing that could stop Kyle Busch Saturday at Phoenix Int'l Raceway was Mother Nature.

Busch was declared the winner of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Blue Jeans Go Green 200 after a rain storm hit the track just after a caution flag on lap 165. The race was red flagged on lap 168 and NASCAR began efforts to dry the track. The track was nearly ready to go when another storm hit the area, forcing NASCAR officials to declare the event complete.

"It can rain all it wants as far as I'm concerned," said Busch shortly after the rain delay started. "This car is awesome obviously. I think we've shown that time and time again and again today, which is nice."

The victory was Busch's seventh at Phoenix in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition and his third-straight. Busch is the first driver to win three-straight Nationwide Series events at Phoenix.

Busch took command for the first time on lap five, taking the lead away from polesitter Brad Keselowski. Once out front, Busch was rarely challenged in the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He had a near three-second lead when rookie Ryan Reed crashed on lap 165 to bring out the fourth caution flag of the day.

Just as Reed crashed rain began coming down steadily at the track, forcing NASCAR to red flag the race and eventually declare it official.

Busch now has 64 Nationwide Series victories during his career. Kevin Harvick led four laps and finished second in the No. 88 Great Clips Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

Keselowski was third, followed by Kyle Larson and Matt Kenseth. Elliott Sadler, Trevor Bayne, Daytona winner Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon completed the top 10.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/no-rainy-day-blues-for-busch-at-pir/


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## Ckg2011

*PIR Knockout Pole Belongs To Keselowski​*
Team Penske appears to have figured out the new knockout qualifying system faster than everyone else in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano swept the front row for Sunday's The Profit On CNBC 500 at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. Keselowski's Alliance Truck Parts Ford was fastest at 139.384 mph, bettering Logano's fast lap of 139.265 mph.

"I think you have to have a fast car, that's the most important part either way," said Keselowski, who is now the track record holder in Sprint Cup competition at PIR. "Team Penske 1-2, that is a heck of a way to start what we think of as the regular season here at Phoenix."

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion admitted that he didn't think he had enough to beat his teammate Logano in the final session, but he somehow ended up with the pole.

"I didn't think I had the lap in me," Keselowski said. "These guys (crew) gave me a heck of a car. They must have carried me."

The pole is Keselowski's fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Jamie McMurray qualified third in his Chevrolet, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. Completing the top-12 from the final qualifying session were Greg Biffle, rookie Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin.

Only the top-12 drivers advanced from the first 30-minute session to the final 10-minute session of qualifying.

In the first 30-minute session of knockout qualifying, Logano led the way by getting around PIR in 25.86 seconds. Keselowski was second, previewing what was to come in the final session.

Most teams, once they made their initial qualifying attempts, returned to pit road to pull tape off the front grill. The cars would then return to the track and circle slowly in order to cool down the engines incase teams wanted to make a second qualifying attempt during the first session.

That method of thinking paid off for a few drivers, including Earnhardt, McMurray and Hamlin. They all bumped their way into the top-12 in the final moments of the first session during their second qualifying attempts.

Several drivers stated that they hope NASCAR will consider changing the new knockout qualifying rules to allow teams to cool the engines in the cars on pit road during qualifying sessions.

Morgan Shepherd, 72, qualified 43rd in the No. 87 Toyota and will extend his own record for oldest driver to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Failing to qualify were Josh Wise, Landon Cassill and Dave Blaney.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/pir-knockout-pole-belongs-to-keselowski/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wolfe To Miss Phoenix Race​*
Pole-sitter Brad Keselowski will be without crew chief Paul Wolfe for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race after Wolfe flew home Saturday to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.

Engineer Brian Wilson will make the calls on car adjustments in Sunday's race, while Greg Erwin, general manager of Team Penske's Nationwide program and a former crew chief, will aid in strategy calls.

Wolfe was flown back to North Carolina on Saturday by Keselowski's spotter, Joey Meier. Tab Boyd served as Keselowski's spotter when Meier left after the first Sprint Cup practice Saturday. Meier is expected to return to spot for Keselowski in Sunday's Cup race.

Keselowski admits not having Wolfe will present a challenge.

"It's definitely not going to make anything easier, but in the grand scheme of the things it's really important to him,'' Keselowski said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that nobody wants to miss. I'm happy for him and hope it all goes well.''

Without Wolfe, will Keselowski feel he has to take a larger role in strategy?

"It's definitely a different challenge,'' Keselowski said. "I think we have a very fast car and we can, hopefully, get around that.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...l-Be-Without-Crew-Chief-for-Phoenix-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Searches for Phoenix Magic​*
This desert getaway has teased and tormented Denny Hamlin through the years, but it's also seen him triumph.

So what will it be this weekend?

Already, Phoenix International Raceway - where Hamlin fought pain and raced only days after knee surgery in 2010, where his title hopes took a hit that same season in the fall and where he won in 2012 - posed a challenge.

The last time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series raced at this track in November, Joe Gibbs Racing struggled. Friday's practice was watched closely to see if JGR had improved. When the session ended, Hamlin was 29th on the speed chart, well behind teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth.

Then the reason was uncovered.

"We found some things with the car that was dramatically wrong that we kind of ran most of practice that way,'' said Hamlin, who scored his first career Cup pole in 2005 at this track. "We look after the practice and we're off by inches on our measurements so that's a big, big problem when you're trying to get precise.''

The problem found, Hamlin advanced to the final round of qualifying. He'll start 12th in Sunday's The Profit on CNBC 500.

That's kind of the way this season has been for Hamlin. He had radio issues throughout last weekend's Daytona 500 but still finished second to complete a Speedweeks that saw him win the Sprint Unlimited and his qualifying race.

Hamlin noted that his radio communication was "sketchy" at best for several laps in the 500 after the rain delay. His team could hear him, but he couldn't hear his crew or his spotter.

"I felt like it really hurt us was during that critical time with about 50 to go when you need to start making your way forward, I was in some bad situations in the middle and I almost kind of got in a couple wrecks,'' Hamlin said.

"I just went to the high line to make sure I put the wall on the right side of me and that way I only had to cover half my car - spot half the car. I just made sure that whatever mistake I was going to make was going to be closest to me so they were going to be less likely to happen. By doing that, I just put myself up there and I wasn't going anywhere. I had to take the risk late in the race. By the time we got to the end, I just ran out of laps to get to the front.''

Would he had won the race instead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. if he hadn't had his radio issues?

"If I had some more time to work over (Earnhardt), obviously it would help, but who knows?'' Hamlin said. "He had one of the top-three best cars of the weekend so it would've been very tough. We saw really a lot of guys made their charge at him and had full communication and couldn't get by him. Not sure what we could have done. Of course you always want one more lap.''

The question is if that's what Hamlin will be wishing for Sunday at Phoenix.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Hamlin-Looking-for-Phoenix-Turnaround.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Rides Confidence to Phoenix​*
A top-five Daytona 500 finish has Jeff Gordon feeling good about the start to the season heading into Phoenix.

Gordon kicked off 2014 with a solid showing in "The Great American Race" and notched a fourth-place finish. Short of winning the race, the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion could not have been happier with the Daytona effort.

"It felt amazing," Gordon said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "It seems like not just in the 500, but in the 400 as well it's just been so long since we've been able to be in position at the end to have a chance at it. Especially the way that race went down, it was a crazy race after the rain.

"I'm also still accepting of fourth because of what we've done the last nine years by not only having a top-five, but like a top-15. It's been really hard to get our season started with any momentum after coming out of Daytona so far behind. That's a great way for us to get started. I can just see a difference in the team. The team is really pumped up and excited to go to these next several races and show what we can do."

Gordon feels that along with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., the good start to the campaign will certainly be beneficial in the early part of the schedule.

He thinks Earnhardt's win, which basically punched his ticket to the Chase under the new championship system, will be especially valuable.

"There's no doubt, this sport is so much about confidence and believing in one another," he said. "We've all said that one race doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, but boy with the new points system it certainly guarantees a lot. That allows you to continue to build that confidence and just push the envelope of your setups, your pit strategy, how you're driving and with the kind of confidence he has coming from last year and now off of this race, you would think that will transfer over to the next several races.

"Now we get to the downforce tracks and if those guys perform well on these next few tracks, watch out. I think anything is possible."

Gordon enters Sunday's The Profit on CNBC 500 in search of his third career Phoenix Sprint Cup victory. His last win came in 2011 and since that trip to Victory Lane, Gordon has finishes of 34th and 19th among his last four starts.

So there's definitely room for improvement.

"I feel we have made some great improvements with how competitive we are at Phoenix and a lot of that is just confidence in how far you can push the car," said Gordon. "And the grip level has improved - it was like a razor's edge when they first repaved and reconfigured the track. It was difficult to judge where that 'edge' was.

"The last race here I thought we had a car capable of winning or finishing top three, but we had some difficulty on a late-race restart (and finished 14th). Better restarts are something I'm focusing on this year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/02/Gordon-Rides-Confidence-to-Phoenix.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Relishing Twitter​*
After the fun he's had on Twitter this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits he's wondered "why didn't I get on there earlier?''

Earnhardt didn't become active on Twitter until a few hours after winning his second Daytona 500 last weekend. He's since shared his thoughts, pictures and behind-the-scene images of his week-long media tour.

His number of followers more than doubled this week. He's up to more than 525,000 followers, closing in on teammate Jimmie Johnson, who has a little more than 550,000 followers. Johnson, who encouraged Earnhardt to join Twitter, is not surprised how well Earnhardt has fared.

"As sharp as he is, as much time as he spend in the digital world, I knew when he got involved he would love it,'' Johnson said. "He must have been watching from afar for a while. He has the lingo down. He didn't enter as a rookie in my opinion.''

Earnhardt admits that he's "still learning'' about Twitter.

"I guess the hard part is that there is so much coming at you that you miss a lot of stuff,'' Earnhardt said. "There's a lot of great information and a lot of great comments.''

He'll note that he'll be told that someone famous is following him or sent him a note and he's missed it.

Earnhardt said he enjoyed chatting with fans on Twitter while flying from New York during his media tour.

"It's been fun to interact with the fans,'' he said. "That was just kind of a spur-of-the moment idea and it was enjoyable to be able to plug in like that whenever you feel. Hopefully the fans appreciate that.''

One thing Earnhardt has learned about is "Throwback Thursday" where people post old photos on social media. Earnhardt has many pictures of his father, grandfather and others racing from years ago.

"I've got 'Throwback Thursday' for years,'' Earnhardt said. "This will be fun.''

Kevin Harvick can't wait.

"One thing I like about what Dale Jr. has is he's got all those cool pictures of his dad,'' Harvick said. "I'll look forward to Thursdays now just for the fact that I know he's going to post some really cool pictures from back in the day."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...arnhardt-Jr-Relishing-Twitter-Experience.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick Wins The Profit On CNBC 500K At Phoenix​*
Kevin Harvick dominates The Profit On CNBC 500K at Phoenix International Raceway. Harvick survived a bunch of late race restarts and challenges from Dale Earnhardt Jr who finished 2nd and both Penske drivers who finished 3rd and 4th.

This is also Kevin Harvick's first win with his new Stewart Haas Racing team. Harvick's SHR teammates did not fair so well. Tony Stewart did not have a good day. Kurt Busch blew an engine late in the race after being down a cylinder earlier. Danica Patrick was caught up in crash. An blew a tire 15 laps later.

NASCAR Sprint CUP Series returns to the track on Sunday March 9th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick Celebrates In Gatorade Victory Lane.​*
*Harvick Is Freaky Fast At Phoenix​*
New team, no problem for Kevin Harvick.
Harvick dominated Sunday's The Profit On CNBC 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Phoenix Int'l Raceway, scoring his first victory as a member of the Stewart-Haas Racing operation.

After starting 13th Harvick was on a mission, charging up through the field and into the top five by the time the first caution flag waved on lap 35 for a competition caution. He restarted fourth and slowly sliced his way to the point, taking the lead from Joey Logano on lap 74.

Once he was out front Harvick was unbeatable, only giving up the lead during pit stop cycles for the remainder of the day. He led 224 laps of the 312-lap event and beat second-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the finish line by .490 of a second.

"Oh man. This just solidifies so many things and so many decisions," said Harvick, who won in only his second start as a member of Stewart-Haas Racing. "It has been so much work. To see the time and effort that these guys have put in. But man, what a race car."

About the only thing that could slow down Harvick on Sunday was the caution flag. Between lap 247 and the end of the race, the caution flag waved four times. Each time he restarted alongside Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt, but each time he was able to get out front and pull away from the field.

The last caution flag of the day waved on lap 297 when Kurt Busch's engine expired. The race restarted on lap 304 and despite brief challenges from Earnhardt and Logano, Harvick showed no sign of slowing down.

"The 22 (Logano) was able to time the restarts there and I knew what was going to happen was he was going to take a shot down low," Harvick said when asked about the final restart. "I tried to do the best I could. Just really happy."

The victory makes Harvick the second driver to essentially assure himself a spot in the 2014 version of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, joining Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. as early championship contenders.

Earnhardt said that he was faster than Harvick at the end of the race, but ran out of laps.

"We got running side-by-side there for second and just let Kevin get out there a little bit too far," Earnhardt said. "I thought we were running him down there those last few laps but we were just too far away. A great job by Kevin and his whole team. They did a great job all weekend. They were fast.
"We ended up where I thought we should have finished. We were a little faster at the end, but they were stellar. Impressive as heck all weekend," Earnhardt said.

Logano was the only other driver besides Harvick to spend any significant time at the front of the field, leading 71 laps early in the race before Harvick took the lead. He ended up fourth.

"On the back of Kevin's car it says freaky fast," Logano said, referencing the catch phrase of Harvick's sponsor Jimmy John's. "They weren't lying."

Polesitter Brad Keselowski finished third, followed by his Team Penske teammate Logano in fourth. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were next in the running order. Ryan Newman, defending race winner Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray completed the top 10.

The race was slowed by the caution flag eight times.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/harvick-is-freaky-fast-at-phoenix/


----------



## Ckg2011

*The caution waved on Lap 172 when Patrick, Allgaier and Travis Kvapil got together. Patrick was upset on her radio about Allgaier, blaming him for the incident. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Patrick and Allgaier Talk after Race​*
Danica Patrick and Justin Allgaier had a discussion in the garage about an incident they had during The Profit on CNBC 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The caution waved on Lap 172 when Patrick, Allgaier and Travis Kvapil got together. Patrick was upset on her radio about Allgaier, blaming him for the incident.

Patrick's race got worse. A tire rub caused her left rear to deflate and she spun less than 15 laps after the first incident.

Patrick finished 36th, marking her second consecutive finish outside the top 35. She lamented on the radio to her crew during the race how they were running better than their results showed.

Afterward, she went to Allgaier's garage stall and they talked. Patrick did not talk to media afterward, but Allgaier did.

"She was just upset because she got involved in the crash that we had,'' said Allgaier, who finished 30th in a backup car after crashing during qualifying Friday. "She says she's been through this and that she felt like I needed to settle down at that point. I explained my position on why everything happened. I think she understood where I was coming from. It doesn't fix either one of our racecars. It doesn't fix either one of our days. Unfortunately, we were both having pretty decent days.''

So, how did Allgaier explain the incident to Patrick?

"I just explained the situation,'' he said. "We went into the corner and I went to the outside and I think it was her and (David Ragan) and got by both of them and was just trying to get back in line and get going. Unfortunately, the end result was what it was.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/03/Patrick-and-Allgaier-Talk.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Teams Willing to Gamble More​*
Just two races into the Sprint Cup season, NASCAR's emphasis on winning has made an impact.

Joey Logano was more aggressive on a late-race restart, and Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. was more comfortable with a fuel gamble during Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Neither worked - Kevin Harvick scored a dominating win - but it's easy to see how NASCAR's new policy of a win all but assuring a spot in the Chase could change the racing.

"It's all about the win, right?'' Logano said after his daring restart backfired.

Yes it is.

It always has been that way but now there's more incentive for drivers and teams to take risks.

Logano showed how aggressive drivers can be without crossing the line and dumping the leader.

He was third and aligned behind Harvick for the final restart with nine laps to go. Logano pushed Harvick across the start/finish line and dived to the bottom. Logano couldn't make the move work and fell to fourth.

"Third place really doesn't mean anything,'' Logano said. "Last year, you may have taken a third place and the points, but this year it's like, "hey, go for it.' ''

Harvick said he was expecting something from Logano on the final restart because of how Logano had been aggressive on previous restarts.

"You try to go into that (first) corner and prepare yourself to get hit,'' Harvick said. "You hope that doesn't sacrifice the guy on the outside of you, but you have to put yourself in a position to defend yourself to get hit. I didn't crowd him. I felt like I gave him a lane. I felt like if I could get myself into the first corner and hit the throttle, I was going to come out ahead of him just because of the fact we were able to turn sooner all day and get in the throttle sooner on the restart.''

Harvick did and pulled away to win a race he led 224 of the 312 laps.

Harvick's dominance didn't keep others from trying different strategies.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to be short on fuel after his last pit stop before all the cautions but crew chief Steve Letarte told his driver not to worry about saving fuel.

"We're here to try to win,'' Letarte told Earnhardt on the radio.

Letarte said that he would have made the call even if they didn't have the safety net of a win getting them in the Chase. But having that chip via Earnhardt's Daytona 500 win made the gamble easier to take.

"The gamble was not as nerve-racking and not as a big a gamble for us considering the circumstances,'' said Earnhardt, who finished second. "The new system definitely allowed us to be more carefree about that and not have to really think it over.''

Now Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers will have the opportunity to gamble over in the next 24 races since they have a victory.

"It allows (Childers) to stretch fuel windows and do things and do a few things,'' Harvick said. "For the guys in the shop, it allows them to really broaden their horizons. You can really get aggressive on really everything.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Allows-Drivers-and-Teams-To-Gamble-More.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bad Luck For Danica Seems To Be Becoming A Pattern​*
*W*hile the Stewart-Haas Racing team members were understandably jubilant about Kevin Harvick's dominant victory in The Profit of CNBC 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, Sunday's race was another brutal outing for Danica Patrick.

After getting crashed out of the season-opening Daytona 500, where she finished 40th, Patrick qualified 33rd at Phoenix. She had worked her way up to 24th place when she crashed with Justin Allgaier and Travis Kvapil in Turn 1 on Lap 172.

Just 13 laps after some emergency repair work from her SHR crew to her No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, a damaged left-rear fender rubbed her tire. Patrick's left-rear tire went flat and she spun out in Turn 3. After extensive repairs by her SHR crew Patrick rejoined the race four laps down and restarted in 39th. She eventually finished 36th.

"It's tough," Patrick said. "That's two weeks in a row we've had good cars and nothing to show for it. The car was good all day, we just needed track position. I'm starting to think if we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all. The GoDaddy guys built me a great car for the second week in a row. I hate it for them, and I hate it for GoDaddy. This is obviously an important race for them. Hopefully things turn around in Las Vegas."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/bad-luck-for-danica-seems-to-be-a-pattern-030214


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the points after the first two races of the season. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Earnhardt's Strong Start Continues​*
Can it get any better for Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Yes, but not by much.

After winning the Daytona 500, Earnhardt finished second Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, keeping him atop the point standings. That can only mean the momentum is building for Earnhardt heading into this weekend's race at Las Vegas, right? Well, Earnhardt is excited but cautious.

"I don't really believe in momentum that much,'' Earnhardt said. "You're a hero one week and zero the next real easy. We can blow a motor or wreck a car or do some things that can get you pretty down and beat on your confidence.

"You've just got to fight every week for that confidence. I think we show up to the race track to run well and win, but we're also fighting to keep confident and build confidence and to keep getting better. It's a struggle all the time. The carpet can get yanked out from under you at any minute. We're just going to enjoy what we're doing and hopefully we can keep it going.''

Although winner Kevin Harvick clearly had the dominant car this weekend, crew chief Steve Letarte was encouraged by the team's progress at Phoenix.

"We were a 10th- to 15th-place car on Friday, a fifth- to 10th-place car Saturday and ... a first- to third-place car on Sunday,'' Letarte said. "I'm proud of the group we brought. We didn't unload with everything that we needed, but we did a very good job of having a ... plan and sharing with our teammates. We've got a lot of brains working in the right direction.

"We're just ready to race.''

He was ready to take a chance. Letate told Earnhardt that he would be short on fuel after Earnhardt made his final pit stop on Lap 234, but Letate also told Earnhardt not to worry about it.

Letarte said he likely would have made the same call even if a win didn't all but guarantee a team a spot in the Chase. With a Chase spot likely set, it made the decision easier for both to take. Several caution laps late helped ensure that Earnhardt would make it to the finish.

The win also made it easier to take finishing second. Earnhardt placed second five times last year without winning.

"If we run second enough, we're bound to at least trip into one or two (wins)'' Earnhardt said, smiling. "I feel really good. I feel like we're coming around the corner, peaking at the right time this season to try to run for the championship.''

He's encouraged because he had one of the best cars Sunday. His runner-up finish wasn't a fluke. Earnhardt ran near the front all race.

"We aren't where (Harvick) is, but we're definitely close,'' he said. "Hopefully we can learn what we need to learn rapidly in the next several weeks so we can get up to par and win some races.

"We've just got to work hard, harder than everybody else. We got a lot of tests lined up. We didn't test much in the offseason, didn't want to burn ourselves out before the season started. That's going to help us, I think, really learn a lot more. We're already relatively competitive now. The testing should help us even more.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Brimming-With-Confidence-After-Phoenix.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Camping World is set to extend its title sponshorship of NASCAR's Truck Series. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Camping World Set to Extend Deal​*
Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World, said Sunday that his company is set to extend its title sponsorship of NASCAR's Truck Series soon.

Camping World has sponsored the Truck Series since 2009.

"In about a month we'll be announcing a significant extension to that contract,'' Lemonis said Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. "The NASCAR relationship has worked well for Camping World. We started with 35 stores and now we're up to 120 stores. As we travel the country and meet new customers in stores, they're always very appreciative of our relationship with NASCAR.''

Lemonis served as the grand marshal and honorary starter for Sunday's The Profit on CNBC 500 Sprint Cup race. He is the host of that show. The second season premiered last week.

Lemonis also said that 1-800-Car-Cash will sponsor the Truck race at Eldora Speedway the next two years. The company sponsored last year's inaugural Truck race there.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ng-World-Set-To-Extend-Title-Sponsorship.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*:Breaking News:​*
*It's Official: Busch Will Attempt Indy 500​*
It has been more than a decade since it was last completed, but this May former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch will endeavor to become only the fourth driver in history to contest the "Double" - competing in IndyCar's historic Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in the same day.

Busch will make his first career Indianapolis 500 qualifying attempt behind the wheel of an Andretti Autosport Indy car. His entry will complete a stable of five for Michael Andretti's championship winning IndyCar team. It will not be the first time Busch has driven an Andretti Autosport Indy car. In 2013 Busch completed a test day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the team and in the process passed the mandated Rookie Orientation program effectively.

"This is really to challenge myself within motorsports," Busch said. "Perhaps I am a bit of an old-school racer; a throw-back I guess. I enjoyed the era of drivers racing different cars and testing themselves in other series. It is tough to do now for a variety of factors, but when the opportunity is there, I want to do it. While NASCAR is my home, I have been fortunate to compete in Pro Stock on the NHRA circuit a number of years ago and test a V8 Supercar.

"This opportunity was a talk with Michael (Andretti) over dinner one night on 'what if?' and now it's all becoming a reality for me to drive in the Indy 500 with Andretti Autosport. It's literally a dream come true. To go to the famous Brickyard with the iconic Andretti name, it doesn't get much cooler or better than that."

If Busch qualifies for the Indianapolis 500 - and there is no guarantee he will - he will race 1,100 miles in two races, in two cities, in two totally different cars. In addition, he'll be practicing and qualifying his Andretti Autosport Indy car while also competing in three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends around Indianapolis 500 activities.

The 35-year old American will start the two week Indy 500 stretch in Indianapolis May 11, fresh from the NASCAR race in Kansas. After spending the week testing the Honda-powered Indy car, Busch will log some serious air miles traveling between Indianapolis and Charlotte so he can qualify for the 500-mile race and practice and qualify for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.

In total Busch will likely make more than ten trips between the cities - the most important and time sensitive being race day. Race day will place Busch in Indianapolis in the morning for the noon ET start time of the Indianapolis 500 before he makes the trip to Charlotte for the 6 p.m. ET green flag.

"I'm really excited to have Kurt come onboard for the Indy 500," said Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti. "He did a great job for us when he tested last year. He's obviously a natural talent and we feel he is going to take to the Indy car quickly and have a competitive month with us."

While the "Double" will be a new experience for Busch, it will actually be Andretti Autosport's second time participating in the feat. Robby Gordon (who along with John Andretti and Tony Stewart are the three previous drivers to contest the "Double") competed in both races in 2003, filling in at Indianapolis for an injured Dario Franchitti who at the time drove for Andretti Autosport.

"It's great having Tony (Stewart) as the co-owner of my NASCAR team as, in the weeks leading up to the month of May, it gives me a chance to talk with him about his personal experiences with the "Double" - to anticipate what's next and have things checked off the list so that I'm mentally and physically prepared for the challenge," Busch said. "I owe a big thanks to Tony, Gene Haas, and the partners at Stewart-Haas - including General Motors - for allowing me to fulfill this dream, to challenge myself in motorsports and to do something special in this day and age."

Busch's car number and sponsors for his Indianapolis 500 attempt were not announced.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/indy/izod-indycar/its-official-busch-will-attempt-indy-500/


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint CUP Highlights From Phoenix​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Weekend for Roush Fenway Racing​*
This weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway provides the first glimpse of how teams compare at intermediate tracks under the new rules. With 1.5-mile tracks playing such a significant role in the season and the Chase, this is a critical race.

One thing to note this weekend will be Roush Fenway Racing's performance. That organization is known for its success on 1.5-mile speedways, but the team did not win a race on that type of track last season - the first time since 1996 Roush had gone winless at 1.5-mile speedways. Roush had only one top-five finish in the five races at 1.5-mile tracks during last year's Chase.

In those five Chase races, Carl Edwards had an average finish of 15.0, which was hurt by a 37th-place finish at Texas because of a blown engine. Greg Biffle's average finish in those races was 16.2 and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s average finish was 17.8.

*Earnhardt vs. Johnson*

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s average finish in his last 11 Sprint Cup starts (dating back to last fall's race at New Hampshire) is 4.8. Jimmie Johnson's average finish during that same time is 5.2. Earnhardt has five top-10 finishes in his last six races at Las Vegas. Johnson has finished first or second in five of the last nine Vegas races.

*Quick On the Draw*

Matt Kenseth gained a total of eight positions within two laps of restarts in last weekend's race at Phoenix, best among drivers who finished on the lead lap. Kenseth gained at least one spot on seven restarts, including the race's start.

Jeff Gordon, who said before the season that he needed to be better at restarts this season, gained a total of five spots within two laps of restarts. He gained at least one position five times. Winner Kevin Harvick gained a total of four spots, but all of those happened on the race's start when he went from 13th to ninth in two laps.

*You Might Have Missed*

Casey Mears' 14th-place finish Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway was his best at a non-restrictor-plate oval race since this event a year ago. Mears had a ninth at Daytona International Speedway in July (restrictor-plate race) and was 12th at Watkins Glen International (road course) last year.

After finishing 10th at Daytona and 14th at Phoenix, Mears is 11th in the points. This also is the first year of Germain Racing's technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing.

*Pit Stops*

David Gilliland will hike more than 20 miles Tuesday and Wednesday in the Grand Canyon. He'll hike to the canyon floor, spend the night in a tent and hike out the next day ... Kurt Busch's average finish at Las Vegas, his home track, is 21.7 - his worst mark for all Cup tracks ... Parker Kligerman is the only driver to open the season with DNFs in both races ... The final green-flag stretch at Las Vegas has been less than 35 laps in seven of the last eight races there ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. also will compete in this weekend's Nationwide race at Las Vegas. It marks the second of three series starts he's scheduled to make this season. His final Nationwide start is set for April 4 in Texas.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/03/NASCAR-Notebook-Las-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Southern Modifieds Opening At Caraway​*
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will have a milestone weekend when the 2014 season takes the green flag on March 9.

The Whelen Season Opener 150 will mark the 50th all-time race for the Whelen Southern Modified Tour at the rural North Carolina oval, and will also launch the 10th season of competition for the tour.

It all began for the Whelen Southern Modified Tour on March 26, 2005 when Caraway play host to the tour's inaugural event. Nine years and 49 races later, the track and tour have forged quite a history together. No other facility has welcomed the tour more than nine times through the first nine seasons.

This week's Whelen Season Opener 150 will mark the eighth time in 10 years that the high-banked .455-mile oval has been the site of the Whelen Southern Modified Tour's opening contest. It has also hosted the finale five times, and traditionally holds a July 4 weekend event among its midseason dates.

Brian Loftin, Junior Miller and L.W. Miller were the kings of Caraway in the first four years of Whelen Southern Modified Tour action as they combined to win 17 of the first 21 events there. The subsequent five seasons have seen George Brunnhoelzl III and Andy Seuss account for 18 victories in the last 26 trips.

Jason Myers won the season opening event at Caraway Speedway and will look to continue a hot start to 2014, which included a second-place finish in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour portion of the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona Int'l Speedway last month.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/southern-modifieds-set-for-caraway-opener/


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## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Driver Martin Truex Jr​*
*Some Drivers Look to Shake Off Slow Start​*
There are a number of drivers who need to shake off slow starts with a good run in this weekend's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Although there are only two races in the books on the 2014 schedule and hardly time for panic, stumbles at both Daytona and Phoenix have already put some in a disappointing hole:

*Martin Truex Jr.* 
The promise of grabbing the outside front row starting spot in the Daytona 500 quickly faded away for the Furniture Row Racing driver. After getting caught in a Budweiser Duel accident and forced to start at the rear of the "500" field, Truex exited the race with an engine issue. Things didn't get much better last week in Phoenix. He qualified 27th and could only muster a 22nd-place finish. "Nothing worked for us today - I mean nothing," said Truex, who dropped to 35th in the Sprint Cup Series standings. "We made a number of chassis adjustments to our Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet but never could find the grip that was needed. The guys worked hard to find a combination for this track but it just didn't materialize."

*Danica Patrick* 
Unfortunately for Patrick her sophomore Sprint Cup Series season isn't looking much better than last year's freshman campaign. Patrick has been knocked out of the year's first two races by crashes and has dropped all the way to 39th in the standings heading to Las Vegas. She was running 25th last Sunday in Phoenix when she was caught up in an incident with Justin Allgaier and Travis Kvapil, a situation that went from bad to worse when she returned to the track only to cut a tire and spin 15 laps later. "All we have for luck is bad," Patrick said over her team radio.

*Kurt Busch* 
Lost in this week's news that Busch would attempt the Memorial Day weekend double and run both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 is the fact his Stewart-Haas Racing career is off to a frustrating start. Busch spun late in the Daytona 500 and was credited with a 21st place finish. Last week in Phoenix he was running relatively well until an engine problem knocked him from the race only 16 laps from the checkered flag. Busch ended up 39th and is 30th in the standings. "I'm disappointed for my guys to have an engine go down. The car was pretty good and was top 10 worthy," Busch said via Twitter after the race.

*Kyle Larson* 
The highly touted rookie has struggled in his first two outings for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014. He was involved in a pair of skirmishes at Daytona but kicked off his Phoenix weekend with an impressive eighth place qualifying effort. However, Larson fell a lap down early and battled handling issues all day finally ending up 20th. "My guys did a great job on pit road, but we got caught a lap down early in the race on one of the long green flag runs," explained Larson, who sits 28th in the Sprint Cup standings. "We battled to get position back on the lead lap, but couldn't seem to catch the caution when we needed it. Finally, with just a handful of laps to go we got the lucky dog, but just didn't have enough time to make more of a run to the front. I wish there were more laps left, as we had a really good car."

*Clint Bowyer* 
The Michael Waltrip Racing driver has had a tough time putting last season's controversy behind. Bowyer's year started when he was involved in a spectacular last lap Budweiser Duel crash that sent his No. 15 Toyota upside down before it ended. He didn't fare much better in the "500" after a mechanical issue ended his day. Phoenix wasn't terrible for Bowyer, who started 14th and was pretty much a non-factor all afternoon on his way to a 13th-place finish. "I just didn't have enough grip there on those restarts with all the cautions late in the race," Bowyer said after the race. He sits 23rd in the standings heading into race number three of the season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/Drivers-Look-to-Shake-Off-Slow-Start.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Takes Hot Hand To Vegas​*
Granted, it's early. But here's a Dale Earnhardt Jr. statistic worth noting: for the second time in his career, he has led the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points for the first two weeks of the season.

After his Daytona 500 victory and second-place finish this past Sunday at Phoenix, he's likely causing odds makers to reset his chances of winning the series championship for the first time, as the series rolls into Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Only once before has Earnhardt had this sort of start, in 2004 - his first Daytona 500 victory, followed by a fifth-place finish at North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham), which gave him two weeks' time atop the standings.

"I would have loved to have won the race &#8230; but our team is performing so well," Earnhardt said. "Got a lot of great chemistry and good communication going back and forth. Everybody's confidence is very high. Everybody's mood and morale is really high."

Las Vegas has been a so-so proposition for Earnhardt through the years, with seven top 10s but only two top fives in 14 starts. An average finish of 15.6 and a Driver Rating of 88.2, ninth-best in the series, show consistency in lieu of trips to Victory Lane. Consistency, though, takes a back seat under the new Chase format. It's all about winning; by capturing the Daytona 500 Earnhardt virtually assured himself a spot in NASCAR's "playoffs."

Somewhat lost amid the celebration of winning the 500 and nearly winning again at Phoenix is the fact that Earnhardt's resurgence actually cranked up late last season; he had eight top 10s in the 10-race Chase including three second-place finishes. That clearly set the table for this year's impressive start.

"I was wondering if we would carry on the momentum from last year, running so good in the Chase," Earnhardt said. "The performance is there for us. Hopefully we can maintain it. We go to a completely different track [this week] at Vegas, but we have a whole day Thursday [during testing] to figure it out."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/earnhardt-takes-hot-hand-to-vegas/


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Burton says he hasn't felt pangs from being out of the car this season unlike some retired drivers who told him they quit too soon. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*The Mayor Back In Saddle​*
Maybe it's too early. Maybe Jeff Burton has been too busy with his work with NBC Sports and his son's racing. Or maybe he's enjoying not having such stress.

Two races into the NASCAR Sprint Cup season - the first two held without Burton since early in the 1996 season - he admits he was fine not competing.

Instead of racing at Phoenix last weekend, Burton spent time with his family, attended his son's lacrosse game and even "worked on my hot rods for a little while.''

That relaxing pace will change this weekend. Burton makes his season debut for Michael Waltrip Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be part of a handful of races Burton will run this year.

Weekends like this can be fun again for Burton.

He admits that they hadn't been as much in recent seasons when he and his team struggled to score top-10 finishes. The pressure he placed on himself to perform was intense.

"When you race all the time, I know this sounds stupid, you're scared you're going to be sick and not be able to perform the way you need to,'' Burton told Motor Racing Network. "I felt like I had so many people depending on me. Just not having to worry about that, that's been relieving to me.

"It's so different when you're in the middle of it. You go to Daytona and you get in a wreck and you finish 34th. I don't think people realize how much that hurts you. When it happens, except for your fans ... it's just a bit of news. Having bad races hurt me more than having good races felt good. I don't think that's positive. I think you got to push the bad races away and really focus and enjoy the good races. I was having trouble doing that. Maybe it was because I had two or three bad years in a row.''

Burton can approach this weekend differently with less pressure. He equates it to when he ran Nationwide races. He wasn't running for points, just wins.

"The one thing I am concerned about is ... I don't want to get into something with somebody that is racing for points,'' Burton said. "I felt the same way when I ran Nationwide races. That's part of your responsibility as a guest in the series. That's what I feel like I am as a driver, a guest, not a regular. I feel you have to race hard, but at the same time, you have to be considerate and respectful of the people running the series.''

He also knows that he's got some work ahead since he hasn't raced yet this season, while the rest of the field competed in Daytona's Speedweeks and at Phoenix. He's not worried about getting up to speed, but focused on entering pit road, hitting his stall and being strong on restarts. It's those little things that can play a significant role in how a driver finishes.

After this weekend, Burton backs away from racing again and his focus returns to family and his new TV job.

Maybe then he'll start to miss racing?

"I felt like I was going to be OK, and I feel like in the future I'm going to be OK,'' said Burton, who has 21 career NASCAR Sprint Cup victories in 691 starts. "I am a little bit concerned about it just because in talking to some other drivers that retired, they told me that they thought they had made a mistake and they should have kept going. I don't have that feeling right now.''

It helps that he's learning about TV work in his role as an analyst on "NASCAR America" on NBC Sports Network.

"It's been fun,'' he said. "I don't walk on the set and them say, 'OK, here is what we're talking about.' I'm very much involved. I like it like that. Now you have some responsibility.

"It's been a challenge. I think I've done OK. The whole challenge for me isn't the talking about it, it's what are we going to talk about. You balance what you think is cool to talk about vs. what do the race fans want to hear you talk about.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-His-Season-Debut-This-Week-At-Las-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*"For him to have the confidence in me to get the job done if he has to head back home - that's awesome." (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Matt Crafton On Standby For Paul Menard​*
Paul Menard will have reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Matt Crafton on standby for the weekend.

Menard and his wife await the birth of their first child so Crafton, who drives the No. 88 Menards Toyota in the Truck Series, will be ready to step in if needed as the Sprint Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Sunday's Kobalt 400.

For Crafton, being on alert to step in for Menard is almost as nerve-racking as the baby watch is for Menard.

"It's tough, because you just don't know when or even if it will happen, but kind of like that backup quarterback, you have to be ready at any time," Crafton said. "Paul and I have been good friends going back to 2001. We've raced together and I actually spotted for him early in his career. For him to have the confidence in me to get the job done if he has to head back home - that's awesome."

If Menard does race this weekend, Las Vegas has been good to him recently with top-10 finishes in the last two races there.

"Las Vegas is great, it's fast and it's challenging to make your car work for the entire race," Menard said. "We have so many intermediate tracks on the schedule, but after all the time spent with Daytona and then going to the shorter track at Phoenix, I always look forward to Las Vegas with the high speed and banking."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/03/Crafton-on-Standby-for-Menard.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Coughlin Joins JGR Developmental Program​*
Cody Coughlin, the 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour late-model champion, has signed with Joe Gibbs Racing as part of JGR's developmental program.

In addition to returning to defend his JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship in 2014, Coughlin will drive a 12-race schedule for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series under the supervision of JGR beginning March 22 at Alabama's Mobile Int'l Speedway.

The Coughlin family is well known for their achievements in drag racing, with Team JEGS having collected a number of NHRA titles and championships. Cody Coughlin, the first in the family to make his mark in circle track racing, is now set for the next step in what has already been an impressive career. Coughlin will work closely with JGR on all aspects of racing, including competition as well as marketing and public relations.

"This is such an exciting day for me and my family," said Coughlin. "My family and everyone at JEGS have always had such a tremendous passion for racing and it's my hope to extend my family's success in drag racing to the circle tracks. It's hard to imagine finding a better organization to work with than Joe Gibbs Racing. They have a tremendous history of working with young drivers and giving them the best opportunity to be successful both on and off the track."

Coughlin dabbled in drag racing when he was younger, but fell in love with NASCAR as a child and made the decision to focus on circle track racing.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Cody," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "We are always interested in working with young talent and the future stars of our sport and Cody has certainly proven himself at each level of competition he has entered into. We are fortunate to have a great relationship with the Venturini's and we think racing with them in the ARCA Series is a great next step in his development."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ars/coughlin-joins-jgr-developmental-program/


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Joins Andretti AutoSport​*


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## Ckg2011

*Jeb Burton Will Race At Martinsville​*
ThorSport Racing will field a No. 13 Toyota Tundra for Jeb Burton in the March 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Martinsville is the home track for Burton, a native of Halifax, Va., and was the site a year ago of his first career Keystone Light Pole Award in the Truck Series. Burton, 21, won seven poles in 2013 and the season-long NCWTS Pole Award.

ThorSport hired Burton last month to drive at Speedweeks 2014 at Daytona Int'l Speedway. In his 28th career Truck Series start, Burton had an impressive seventh-place finish in his debut run in a ThorSport Tundra but the team is still seeking sponsorship to continue the season with Burton.

"We were really impressed with Jeb, his ability to mesh with the team and the way he worked his way through that first race and had a respectable finish, which isn't easy at Daytona," ThorSport team manager David Pepper said. "We hope we can continue to build on the excitement Jeb and our team created at Daytona because we really need to get more support to continue racing this Tundra.

"At this point, we know Jeb will be driving our No. 13 Toyota and crew chief Dennis Connor will be leading his team. We're working extra-hard to get something to put on the side of that truck."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/jeb-burton-will-race-at-martinsville/


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## Ckg2011

*Junior's New Dew: Earnhardt Jr To Debut 'Kickstart' Paint Scheme In Las Vegas​*
*D*ale Earnhardt Jr will be sporting a new Dew at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This weekend, Junior will debut a Mountain Dew Kickstart paint scheme on his No. 88 Chevy SS. Check out some more pics.

Kickstart is Mountain Dew's new energizing drink, which sounds like a perfect choice for Sin City.

And if Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson is looking to have another "Hangover" in Vegas, maybe Jr. can lend him a couple cans.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ut-kickstart-paint-scheme-in-las-vegas-030514


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Riding High After Fast Start​*
In the past few years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been both encouraged and disappointed with a runnerup finish.

Encouraged that his team was showing improvement and had run well enough to win. But disappointed that he didn't win, coming up short yet again and prolonging another long winless streak.

But last week's runnerup finish at Phoenix International Raceway had a much different feel to it.

Coming off his monumental win in the season-opening Daytona 500, the second-place finish at Phoenix was yet another step in the right direction for his surging team.

While Earnhardt obviously was a bit disappointed to finish second to Kevin Harvick, he was much more excited and encouraged by the fact that he ran up front throughout the race and continued his strong start to the season and a hot streak that began late last year. Dating back to last season, he has five straight top-five finishes and six top-fives in his last seven races, including three seconds.

Though he was no match for the dominant Harvick, he ran in the top five all day at Phoenix and clearly had the second-best car.

"I would have loved to have won the race, am a little disappointed to have come that close," he said. "But our team is performing so well. Got a lot of great chemistry and good communication going back and forth. Everybody's confidence is very high. Everybody's mood and morale is really high.

"Hopefully we can maintain that and not have any bad luck or make any mistakes and continue to keep working towards winning more races."

Earnhardt leads the points standings after the first two races for the second time in his career - he also led after two races in 2004, when he won the Daytona 500 and finished fifth at Rockingham. His latest run is starting to feel a lot like 2004, when he won a career-high six races and was in the championship hunt until the end before winding up fifth in the inaugural Chase.

He believes more wins are coming. Though he has finished second seven times over the past two seasons, the last few runnerup finishes have felt different.

"If we run second enough, we're bound to at least trip into one or two (smiling)," he said after the Phoenix race. "We ran second quite a few races in the last 10 or so races we run. I feel really good. I feel like we're coming around the corner, peaking at the right time this season to try to run for the championship."

Another encouraging sign for Earnhardt is that, like Harvick, his teams seems to have adjusted to the new aero rules quickly - at least at Phoenix.

"Seems like we aren't behind," he said. "We aren't where the 4 car (Harvick) is, but we're definitely close. Hopefully we can learn what we need to learn rapidly in the next several weeks so we can get up to par and win some races.

"There's a couple teams out there that are behind, not onto the new package and new rules. I'm glad that we're doing pretty well. The performance is there for us."

Sprint Cup teams will get an extra four hours of track time at Las Vegas during a special four-hour test session on Thursday. Earnhardt did not test much during the offseason so he is looking forward to the session and to doing more testing in the coming weeks.

"We just got to work hard, harder than everybody else," he said. "We got a lot of tests lined up.

"We didn't test much in the offseason, didn't want to burn ourselves out before the season started. That's going to help us, I think, really learn a lot more. We're already relatively competitive now. The testing should help us even more."

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...nix-results-finish-daytona-500-win-sprint-cup


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## Ckg2011

*48 Drivers Turn Laps In Vegas Test​*
Forty-eight drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series turned laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Thursday to further build upon the intermediate-track rules package that was formalized late last year.

Serving as the first official NASCAR test with the new 2014 rules package in place, the four-hour session allowed teams to prepare for Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - the series' first visit to a 1.5-mile track in 2014 - and beyond.

Included in the new intermediate track rules package are various physical changes to the car that were determined after much collaboration between NASCAR, the teams and the manufacturers.

Based in part on two lengthy test sessions at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and December, NASCAR implemented chassis and aerodynamic adjustments into the setup specifications to encourage more green-flag passing and side-by-side racing. Changes to the package include statically setting the race car ride height, a square leading edge on the splitter, side skirt and rear fascia adjustments and an eight-inch rear spoiler. A 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan rounded out changes for 2014.

Fresh off his win at Phoenix International Raceway last Sunday, Kevin Harvick was at the top of the speed charts at the conclusion of today's test session. The No. 4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet logged a total of 42 laps with a top speed of 190.148 mph.

"We were three or four tenths off (at the start of the test) and had to kind of abort on what we were doing and go a different route," said Kevin Harvick. "The next route was not as good and the third route finally wound up being good. I think those are good things that are, for us, important because it gives us direction when we go to other mile and a half race tracks so we don't have to do like we did today. We can get to what has been working for us and just go straight from there to progress that package to make it even better."

"There's a bit of a learning curve," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. "The package we put together is going to be used on all the tracks except the superspeedways, so at Phoenix we began to see a glimpse, but obviously since that's only a mile track, the speeds are a lot lower. They could probably only harvest maybe 30 to 40 percent of the capability of the package, so really this will be the first race where we get to see they can fully exploit the aerodynamic and chassis changes."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/48-drivers-turn-laps-in-vegas-test/


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## Ckg2011

*Teams Complete Vegas Test​*
Sprint Cup teams completed an important day of testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that will not only set the stage for the season, but also for the Kobalt 400 race weekend.

Sunday's 267-race will mark the first of 11 races on the schedule on 1.5-mile tracks, with five of them coming in the Chase. Teams tested the 2014 rules package a day early for a four-hour session before practice starts on Friday.

Kevin Harvick, who won three mock races when the series held a test at Charlotte Motor Speedway in December to help set the rules, topped the speed chart today with a lap of 190.148 mph. But for last week's Phoenix winner it didn't come quick as the team had to tune on the car all day.

"I think the best thing that happened today was the car didn't run very fast at the beginning," Harvick said. "We had to kind of abort on what we were doing and go a different route. The next route was not as good. The third route finally wound up being good. I think those are good things for us because it gives us direction when we go to other 1.5-mile tracks. We won't have to do like what we did today. We can get to what has been working for us and go straight from there."

Rookie Austin Dillon (189.540), Trevor Bayne (188.620), Ryan Newman (188.403) and Danica Patrick (188.245) rounded out the top five.

Rule changes for this season include eliminating the pre- and post-race front height rules and inspections. The package also contains a square leading edge on the splitter, side skirt and rear fascia adjustments and an eight-inch rear spoiler to go along with a 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan.

"There's a bit of a learning curve," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. "I think the Harvick team, the No. 4 car, they've got it figured out already, and some of the other guys are struggling.

"The package we put together is going to be used on all the tracks except the superspeedways, so at Phoenix we began to see a glimpse, but obviously since that's only a mile track, the speeds are a lot lower. They could probably only harvest maybe 30 to 40 percent of the capability of the package, so really this will be the first race where we get to see they can fully exploit the aerodynamic and the chassis changes. So we'll see what happens.

"But having said that, we can't jump too quickly and say that this is the answer because as you saw, some teams will take some time to figure it out. I think the aero piece of it, it's pretty much set. It's just a matter of getting the driver to find the limit and feeling comfortable with the aero, but the chassis, the engineers will play around with it for a while until that settles down, then the driver will begin to find the sweet spot and get comfortable. Probably it will take probably we won't have a good feeling where all this lands until we get about three under our belt, and that would be the Texas race. That's the way I'm feeling."

One of the teams that struggled today was Roush Fenway Racing. Both Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle have solid average finishes in the seven races on Vegas' current track configuration with Edwards winning two races, but the team couldn't find speed in the test. Edwards along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Biffle were 27th, 29th and 34th fastest, respectively. Last year, Roush Fenway failed to win on a 1.5-mile track.

"I think we recognized, we talked over the winter or at the end of last season that our intermediate track program really suffered and that was the flagship of Roush Fenway," Biffle said. "Our focus was, or at least mine was, let's get back on track at the intermediates and then we'll be a threat. It's painfully apparent that that's not - and today, it's a half-second, so we could find some things with the car that's not right. These cars are really, really finicky. We know that, so that speed could just come up somewhere and that's what we're hoping for."

Rookie Cole Whitt led for a portion of the afternoon as his No. 26 Swan Racing team was concentrating on qualifying trim.

"We are not locked-in on points so we've got to go," said Whitt, who wound up sixth fastest. "I think we have a decent car, plenty good to be able to get in. We had a little bit of ups and downs but it's hard to get comfortable with only two laps."

Joey Logano, who was 14th fastest, completed the most laps in the test with 113.

The caution flag was displayed twice for when Brian Vickers, who had a fast car early, scraped the wall and then for a spin by Dave Blaney.

Friday's first practice session will begin at 2 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/03/Teams-Complete-Vegas-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Regan Smith In His TaxSlayer JR Motorsports #7 Camaro​*
*Off-Season Test Music to Smith's Ears​*
It's about 1,800 miles between Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But in this week's game plan for JR Motorsports, both venues are - literally - on the same page.

Regan Smith, leading the NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings after the first two races of the season, heads into Saturday's Boyd Gaming 300 armed with the data from a very productive test session held weeks ago in the southeastern United States.

"We had a great off-season test at Nashville and a lot of those notes will be beneficial to us in Las Vegas," Smith said, referring to the 1.33-mile concrete oval in "Music City" that's been off the NASCAR schedule since 2012 but remains a popular test site. "Our entire organization learned a lot there and I'm eager to put it to work this weekend."

Smith is part of a three-car lineup that'll race under the JR Motorsports banner in Vegas. He joins rookie Chase Elliott and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who's making the second of his three scheduled starts this year in the No. 88 Chevrolet.

"Junior" finished 11th in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and Kevin Harvick drove the car to a second-place finish (behind Kyle Busch) last weekend in Phoenix.

"These guys are off to a good start," Earnhardt said of the "88" team. "I think we'll keep that going in Las Vegas. (Crew chief) Ernie (Cope) brings great cars to the track and I expect to be strong when we unload."

Speaking of expectations, Smith heads west with the goal of improving on last year's seventh-place finish at LVMS.

"We ran top-10 out there last year, but I know we can do better," he said. "That's our primary focus."

Sam Hornish Jr. won last year's race, leading 114 laps en route to just his second career victory. Elliott Sadler placed fifth and, like Smith, seeks improvement on his return to the Nevada desert.

"There was quite a bit of a learning curve for me last year with a new team, new manufacturer and just getting used to everything," said Sadler, now in his second season with Joe Gibbs Racing. "This year, everything is the same and it's been probably five, six years since I've been able to say that. It means a lot and we're going to take advantage of that as much as possible."

Sadler, who has finishes of fifth and sixth to open the season, is third in points - six behind Smith and just one behind second-place Trevor Bayne.

"Las Vegas is a fast racetrack," Sadler said. "It's very slick with some bumps in Turn 1. But it always opens up to a really good race. You can run on the bottom, the middle, the top. The oval has aged well (now in its 17th season) and has become a multi-groove racetrack that lets us put on a good show for the fans."

There are 40 drivers on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's race including Sprint Cup Series regulars Earnhardt, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski.

NNS teams will open practice in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon and qualify Saturday at 12:40 p.m. (EST). The Boyd Gaming 300, third race of the 2014 Nationwide Series, is scheduled to get the green flag some fours later.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/03/Offseason-Test-Music-to-Smiths-Ears.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Should NASCAR Already Make Tweaks To New Qualifying Format?​*
So now we have our second attempt at knockout qualifying this week. Obviously, every track is going to be different when it comes to that. For instance, Las Vegas this weekend is our first attempt to do it at a mile-and-a-half track. The other difference from last week is we won'€™t have two qualifying sessions but three.

Now the other difference we will have from Phoenix is the tire wear. The tires at Las Vegas will give up a lot more than at Phoenix. Your good runs are probably going to happen early. If you can get a good run in early, it honestly is going to be hard to get your second run to be better, simply because of the way your tires will give up.

Looking back at Phoenix qualifying and after talking to NASCAR, it is the best I have felt about a qualifying session in a really long, long time. Now I've said this before, but the days of long, drawn-out qualifying sessions are over. This is a new era in qualifying for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race and I, for one, really like it.

Now I know there were some complaints by some of the drivers that NASCAR won't allow the teams to use their cool-down machines. Actually, I like that element of it. I hope they don'€™t change that, because we all know that if you give the teams the chance to raise those hoods for the cool-down machines, well, you open the door for a lot of other things to happen.

Now, from the TV side where I am, if NASCAR had given them those cool-down machines, then we literally wouldn't have had any cars on the track in the latter part of that first session. I don't care how good a broadcaster you are, but if there aren't cars on the track, there'€™s not a whole lot to talk about.

NASCAR said they are going to let this all ride for a few weeks and then if tweaks need to be made, then they will look at it down the line. I hope they don't change a thing. This is definitely going to be different at Las Vegas. Remember, that third and final session is only five minutes and not 10 minutes. The reality is five minutes really isn't that long a period of time.

So it's something new and fresh for our sport, and I really like it. I just think it brings a new element that gets folks excited again about the qualifying procedure, and it's been a really long time since we've had that.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...e-quick-to-tweak-new-qualifying-format-030714


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Vegas Test Benefits Teams​*
Thursday at Las Vegas was testing with a difference. In the first place, it was the first test of the 2014 season with broad implications for the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. And it offered teams a chance to see how they stack up against the competition at a track other than Nashville Superspeedway.

"I think a lot of teams just really want to get out there and try everything they can and learn as much as they can at a racetrack that we actually compete," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said before the four-hour test session started at noon PT. "This stuff will translate to Charlotte, Texas and a lot of other places where we see similar loads on the left-front corner of the car."

Nashville was the testing haven for Sprint Cup teams during the offseason for one main reason. At 1.333 miles, it's the only facility on the Eastern

Seaboard with a size and configuration resembling that of the 1.5-mile tracks that are the staples of the Cup series.

Because Nashville no longer hosts races in any of NASCAR's top three national series, it's also one of the few big tracks where teams are allowed to conduct independent testing.

"Everybody is really anxious to see where they are (against the competition) after all the off-season work and study," Earnhardt said. "We got an idea at Phoenix (last week's race), but that's a unique racetrack, not really comparable to a lot of other tracks on the circuit. This will be a real good idea of exactly where each company is performance-wise.

"I know it's just four hours, and it's one day of testing, but if you can come out of here feeling really confident, then you just continue to roll in that momentum and that confidence right on through the rest of the weekend. Then you can turn it into a really good result."

Earnhardt said information from Thursday's test, which differs from typical practice sessions in that teams can use telemetry, can be useful almost immediately.

"It will help this weekend," he said. "We're definitely going out today to test what can make our car fast for Sunday (in the Kobalt 400)."
FAST THIS WEEK, TOO

In what is becoming routine in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Kevin Harvick paced Thursday's test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a lap at 190.148 mph. He was the only driver to top 190 mph in the four-hour session. Last Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, Harvick was the class of the field, leading 224 of 312 laps and winning The Profit on CNBC 500 at the 1-mile track. Harvick also topped the speed chart in both Saturday practice sessions at PIR.

Harvick's lap on Thursday was just a few ticks short of the track qualifying record of 190.456 mph set by Kasey Kahne in 2012, but the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing struggled to find speed in the early going.

"We spent a couple hours trying to get things situated and trying to get the balance of the car right," Harvick said. "We felt pretty good about after that. We changed a lot of stuff and did a lot of different things to the car. It felt like we made good headway in the end and hope we can progress on that (Friday) and make it even better."

Harvick indicated that NASCAR's new competition package for the Gen-6 car has added a degree of adjustability.

"We have a lot of things we can adjust on the cars this year, and a lot of those adjustments (are in) really sensitive spots -- the jackscrews and things are much more sensitive than they have been in the past," Harvick said. "NASCAR has given us some different things that will help us to be able to make bigger swings at the car during the race."
SHORT STROKES

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings leader Austin Dillon was second fastest in Thursday's test with a lap at 189.540 mph. Trevor Bayne was third quickest, followed by Ryan Newman and Danica Patrick. ... Brian Vickers' No. 55 Toyota smacked the wall early in the proceedings to cause the first caution. Dave Blaney brought out the second yellow with a spin off Turn 4.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/earnhardt-jr-vegas-test-benefits-020856313--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Adds Sponsors For No. 3​*
Longtime Richard Childress Racing partners Realtree and Bad Boy Buggies are joining the effort to support Austin Dillon's rookie campaign in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The two companies will partner to sponsor the No. 3 Chevrolet SS for the March 16 race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

The partnership unites Realtree, the world's leading camouflage designer, marketer, and licensor with Bad Boy Buggies, inventor of the dual-motor, fully electric 4WD vehicle, a machine that combines unparalleled off-road ability with quiet, emissions-free operation. Bad Boy Buggies vehicles are designed and manufactured by E-Z-Go, a Textron Inc. company.

"The March race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway comes at the perfect time to get race fans fired up about Spring turkey season," said Realtree Designer and President Bill Jordan. "Bristol Motor Speedway offers up some of the most exciting racing action of the season and this year, we are especially excited to partner with Bad Boy Buggies on the No. 3 Chevrolet, driven by our hunting buddy Austin Dillon for his grandfather Richard Childress."

The race will mark the first time that Bad Boy Buggies has had primary placement on a Sprint Cup Series car driven by Dillon.

"We are excited to join our longtime partner, Realtree, and RCR to support Austin Dillon in his inaugural Sprint Cup Series season," said Eric Bondy, vice president, consumer for E-Z-Go. "It's an honor to be a part of this effort, and to see the Bad Boy Buggies logo on the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet."

Dillon earned the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in 2011, the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in 2013 and is vying for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship in 2014.

"I feel honored to have the support of so many people during my rookie season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Dillon. "Both Realtree and Bad Boy Buggies are brands that I have been associated with for a long time. I feel extra motivation to do well at Bristol Motor Speedway for Bill Jordan and everyone at Realtree, and for the entire Bad Boy Buggies family."

Realtree and Bad Boy Buggies will both serve as major associate sponsors throughout the 2014 season, joining Dow, Cheerios, American Ethanol and the University of Northwestern Ohio as RCR supporters associated with the No. 3 Sprint Cup Series entry this season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/rcr-adds-sponsors-for-no-3/


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Leads Penske Qualifying Sweep​*
Two knockout qualifying sessions, two poles for Team Penske.
Joey Logano grabbed the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday afternoon. Logano's track record 27.939-second lap at 193.278 mph gave him the top spot in his No. 22 Ford over teammate Brad Keselowski.

This is the second consecutive week Team Penske has swept the front row. Keselowski won the pole last weekend at Phoenix Int'l Raceway with Logano starting alongside him in second.

"To have a Penske front row the last two weekends at two completely different race tracks, it just goes to show just how hard these guys have been working," Logano said. "When you work hard, results come. We obviously haven't won on Sunday yet, so we've got to figure out the big show."

Clint Bowyer qualified third, followed by rookie Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jamie McMurray, Aric Almirola, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. completed the top-12 fastest qualifiers.

This was the first time the new knockout qualifying system has been used at a 1.5-mile oval. At larger tracks knockout qualifying features three rounds, cutting the field down to 24 after the first round and then to 12 for the final five-minute qualifying round.

Vickers paced the opening round of qualifying, circling the 1.5-mile oval at 192.995 mph. Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dillon and Bowyer were the top five in the first session.

Among those failing to advance to the second round of qualifying were Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin and defending race winner Matt Kenseth. J.J. Yeley, Joe Nemechek, Blake Koch, Dave Blaney and Landon Cassill failed to qualify for the race.

Logano set the pace in the second qualifying session, topping the charts at 192.905 mph. Bowyer, McMurray, Truex and Keselowski followed. After leading the first round of qualifying, Vickers qualified 12th to sneak into the final round of qualifying.

Among those not advancing to the final qualifying session were Kahne, Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/logano-leads-penske-qualifying-sweep/


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## Ckg2011

*Finicky Car Keeps Teams Guessing​*
Funny how things can change so quickly. Just a day after Greg Biffle lamented his team's struggles in Thursday's test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he was among the fastest early in Friday's practice session.

Such is the case with the new rules package, which includes no ride-height restrictions, a different front splitter and a taller rear spoiler. Biffle says the cars are "super, super finicky.'' He isn't the only one to see a change or two dramatically alter the car's handling.

"You can make a change to a spring in the car and affect your ride heights and completely change the way the geometry works in the car,'' Jimmie Johnson said. "As you look at it initially, you think 'OK, this will free the car up.' You send it onto the race track ... you are plowing tight.

"It's like 'Wait a second what is going on?' You have to look three or four layers deeper to understand the way everything works together and they are like 'Oh I see, it changed ride heights, which changed this, now I see why the car is tight.' So there are more steps involved with making a decision now. I feel like communication still is key (with the crew chief), but the thought process on the pit box is more important than it's ever been because a simple change affects more things now."

Kevin Harvick noted in Thursday's test how he struggled and it wasn't until the third set of changes that he was fast. Harvick said it was beneficial to his new team to struggle just a few days after its dominating Phoenix win.

"Running really well right out of the box probably wouldn't have been the best thing in the world just for the fact that it's good for those guys to know that sometimes you've got to keep working at it,'' Harvick said. "It's good for all of us to have to work at it and communicate and do things that you are going to have to do throughout the year to overcome things.''

As teams better understand how the new rules package affects the car, they changes likely won't be as dramatic. Still, it can happen. Biffle can attest to that.

"I know one thing, two years ago I was at Michigan and I was horrible - like couldn't make a lap horrible - and we looked at Matt (Kenseth's) setup and he had a little bit different rear spring combination,'' Biffle said. "We said, 'OK, tomorrow we're gonna start with that,' and we were the fastest car both practices on Saturday and won the race with one spring change.''

Drivers say they'll better understand what these cars can do the next few weeks with races at Bristol (concrete track) and Auto Club Speedway (2-mile oval) next.

"I feel like when you get back from California you kind of have a pretty good idea where you stack up compared to your competition cause you've been on a superspeedway, you've been on a flat mile, and you've been at an intermediate like this,'' Kenseth said.

"The rules package is a fair amount different than it was last year. Obviously that's going to evolve. I think things change a lot in a year. But, I think certainly after the next few weeks you kind of get an idea of where you are, where your strong suits are and where you need to improve."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/03/Finicky-Car-Keeps-Teams-Guessing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Eyes Hot Streak in Vegas​*
Kevin Harvick is looking to follow-up his Phoenix win with a another this weekend in the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Harvick rolled into Victory Lane last week at Phoenix International Raceway in only his second career start for Stewart-Haas Racing. He led 224 laps on his way to a dominating win in The Profit on CNBC 500 as a follow-up to an ultimately disappointing start to the season when - despite having a fast car - was swept up in a last-lap crash at Daytona.

But with two races in the books, Harvick has reason for much optimism around his No. 4 team and the entire SHR organization.

"It's a huge credit to the team, the organization and everybody who has been a part of this process as we've gone through the winter and over the last couple months of last year," Harvick said of his Phoenix win. "To see the amount of change within Stewart-Haas Racing with the car, the haulers, the pit boxes, everything that has come with putting all these pieces together is really just a huge credit to these guys and all the guys who work in the shop."

In some ways, Harvick can feel a little vindication for the early-season win. There was some skepticism in the off-season about how he'd fit in at the new-look SHR organization, which added Harvick and Kurt Busch to the stable this year.

Harvick says he never had any doubt about his decision to leave Richard Childress Racing for SHR, even if there were some unknowns going into the move.

"There's been a lot of skepticism as we've gone through the off-season," Harvick admitted. "For me, I heard it, I paid attention to it during the off-season. But as we've gone through the first few weeks, you try to put yourself in your own little world.

"All in all, Gene (Haas, SHR co-owner) has given us every resource that you can imagine. Tony (Stewart) has been very supportive of whatever we wanted to do. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) has put together a group of guys who believe in what we're doing.

"You're only as good as the people you have around you. I'm honored to have driven the Jimmy John's Chevrolet into Victory Lane in Week 2. It's quite an honor to be a part of that."

Now, Harvick sets his sights on a second consecutive win in Sunday's Kobalt 400, the first 1.5-mile race of the season. He's never won at LVMS and in 13 Sprint Cup starts at the track, he has three top fives, five top-10 finishes and has led 58 laps. He does have a pair of Nationwide wins to his credit.

In order to break into the win column Sunday, Harvick will have to overcome the challenge of NASCAR's new 1.5-mile rules package, which gets its first on-track competition this weekend, as well as other changes like the new no ride-height rule. He believes both will play a factor in deciding this week's outcome.

"So it's a whole different thought process than it was last year," said Harvick. "And, as we found out at Daytona in the Sprint Unlimited, the main thing you have to pay attention to is being able to get the tires off the car on a pit stop. So, we had to adjust for that during the rest of Budweiser Speedweeks a little bit.

"I know they've worked hard on it, but things happen a lot more aggressively coming into the pit stall. Everything is hot so you've just got to make sure that's right."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/03/Hot-Harvick-Heads-to-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Nationwide Series Boyd Gaming 300 At LVMS​*
The NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series will be back on track today. It's the Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

There will be three NASCAR Sprint CUP Series drivers in the field. Dale Earnhardt Jr, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Kyle Busch wrecked his primary car in practice on Friday. He is in a backup this afternoon.

The race is set for 4:00 PM Est on ESPN 2.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Wins In Vegas​*
Brad Keselowski wins the Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski #22 Ford had alternator problems during the last stretch of the race. But had enough juice to bring it home in first place. Home town boy Kyle Busch comes home in second.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Wins Kobalt Tools 400​*
Brad Keselowski wins the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After Dale Earnhardt Jr runs out of fuel on the last lap. Dale Earnhardt Jr still finished second.

Paul Menard finishes in third place after a strong run late in the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr continues to lead the Sprint CUP Series points. Next week the Sprint CUP Series heads east to Bristol Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Completes Las Vegas Sweep​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. gambled on fuel Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but it was Brad Keselowski who hit the jackpot.

Earnhardt tried to stretch his fuel during the final run to the checkered flag during Sunday's Kobalt 400, but ran out of fuel on the backstretch on the last lap. That allowed 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski to surge into the lead and complete a weekend sweep at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"Heck of a call (by crew chief Paul Wolfe) throughout the race to get us out front and get us some track position," said Keselowski. "Clean air on these cars is so important. At the end, this car was just really fast and I'm really proud of it. I'm really proud of the team for giving me a car this fast."

The run to the finish was set up when the fourth and final caution flag of the day waved with 47 laps left at the 1.5-mile oval. Keselowski was the race leader at the time and led most of the field down pit road for fuel only stops.
Meanwhile, Earnhardt was one of three drivers who opted not to pit. Earnhardt, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin all stayed on track in an effort to try and win the race on fuel strategy.

During the restart Keselowski shot through the field, getting up to third within a lap behind Earnhardt and Edwards. Keselowski, who started second, slowly began to make up ground on both Earnhardt and Edwards. Keselowski took second away from Edwards on lap 244 and set his sights on Earnhardt.

Keselowski closed the gap quickly, getting within half a second of Earnhardt with 10 laps left. Earnhardt was able to stabilize the gap between himself and Keselowski over the next nine laps, but he still had one more lap to complete.

Unfortunately for Earnhardt, his car sputtered coming out of turn two on the white flag lap. That allowed Keselowski to take the lead down the backstretch and pull away to his first Sprint Cup victory of the 2014 season.

"We needed to put pressure on Dale and not let him get into the fuel save mode, because he was really close (on fuel)," said Keselowski, who actually bounced his Ford off the wall coming out of turn four earlier in the race.

"Locked into the Chase early. I don't have to hear that crap all year about not being in the Chase."

Despite running out of gas, Earnhardt had enough momentum to get him to the finish line in second. Earnhardt has not finished worse than second in the first three Sprint Cup events of the season.

"We weren't going to run first or second had we not stayed out on that strategy," Earnhardt said. "We knew we were a lap short and we tried to save as much as we could. We got it to about a half a lap and it ran out off of two there. We took a gamble and didn't win the race, but it still worked in our favor.

"It gave us a chance to win. It sucks to lose like that, but we can't let that be a negative. We've got to go to Bristol and try to win there. The only way to be productive is to be positive."

Paul Menard had his best finish of the young season, finishing third. Polesitter Joey Logano finished fourth, followed by Edwards in fifth. Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth completed the top 10.

The race was slowed by the caution flag four times, all for debris. Sunday's race was the fastest Sprint Cup race held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with an average speed of more than 154 mph.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/keselowski-completes-las-vegas-sweep/


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski captured his 11th victory in 164 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. (Photo: Jeff Wackerlin)​*
*Keselowski Doubles Down in Vegas​*
Brad Keselowski completed the sweep of the weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he passed Dale Earnhardt Jr., who ran out of gas, on the final lap to win Sunday's Kobalt 400.

*Race Results:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6434&StatType=Race+Results

Earnhardt gave up the top spot a half lap away from the checkered flag when his fuel mileage strategy didn't play out allowing Keselowski to race by and go on to score the victory.

The Team Penske driver also won Saturday's Nationwide Series race and was elated to make a second straight trip to Victory Lane.

"Man this Penske organization is just doing everything so well right now," Keselowski said. "Locked in the Chase early. I don't have to hear all that crap all year long about not being in the Chase."

It was Keselowski's 11th career Sprint Cup Series win.

Earnhardt, who started the year with a Daytona 500 win and followed that with a second place finish last week in Phoenix, was hoping for a second win of the season. But crew chief Steve Letarte's gamble on fuel came up short and ended that quest.

"Well I mean running out of gas that is tough, but the one thing you can't do is let it get under your skin and get under your teams skin," said Earnhardt Jr.. "We have got a good thing going, we've got to be positive. We've got to keep trying to win races. I know my fans are disappointed, but we got to stay positive. Look forward to Bristol and try to win there."

Paul Menard, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and defending race winner Matt Kenseth completed the first ten finishers.

The Sprint Cup Series now heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

*Why Keselowski Won:* The Miller Lite Ford was fast all weekend and Keselowski started outside Team Penske teammate Joey Logano on the front row. He was able to work his way to the front of the field and after a final pit stop had more than enough fuel to make it the rest of the distance. Earnhardt stayed out when the rest of the leaders pitted for fuel on lap 220. Keselowski battled Earnhardt for the top spot in the closing laps but could not make a clean pass. But after Earnhardt took the white flag as the leader, the No. 88 Chevrolet finally ran out of fuel on the backstretch allowing Keselowski to race by and take the win.

*What Else Happened:* The first race with NASCAR's new 1.5-mile track rules package produced some side-by-side racing throughout the field.

Kevin Harvick, last week's Phoenix winner, had another strong day going in the first half of the race. He was in contention for a second straight victory until forced out with a wheel hub issue 70 laps from the finish.

*Who Else had a Good Day:* Despite the last lap frustration, Earnhardt Jr. still enjoyed a good trip to Vegas. He joins Richard Petty (1969, 1974), Cale Yarborough (1977), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Jimmie Johnson (2006) as drivers to start the season with three straight top-two finishes.

Paul Menard's third was his best finish since third at Kansas in October of 2012. He left the track immediately after the race in anticipation of his wife giving birth to the couple's first child.

Fifth place Carl Edwards has top five finishes in the last four races at Las Vegas and had his best finish of 2014.

*Who had a Bad Day:* Despite Harvick's late exit with mechanical problems it was still the best effort of the Stewart-Haas Racing stable that saw Danica Patrick 21st, Kurt Busch 26th and Tony Stewart 33rd.

Rookie Parker Kligerman's tough start to the year continued with a 40th-place finish.

Casey Mears hot start to the season ended with a 28th place performance.

*Quote of the Day:* "Thanks. Got a plane to catch." - Paul Menard after the race as he departed to be with his expectant wife.

*Other Notables:* Ryan Newman scored a second straight top-10 finish with a seventh place effort...Martin Truex Jr. rebounded from two straight disappointing outings to start the year with a 14th-place finish...Austin Dillon was the highest finishing rookie driver in 16th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/03/Keselowski-Doubles-Down-in-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*"I don't want to get too down and think about the positives and be productive so we can go to Bristol and try to win there." (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Earnhardt Jr. Still Upbeat​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. came up just short of a second win this season but he's still feeling positive about his season.

Earnhardt was only a half lap away from taking another checkered flag to go along with his Daytona 500 victory Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But a gamble on fuel turned out to be just a tick off and eventually ran out of gas allowing Brad Keselowski to speed by for the win.

However, Earnhardt remained upbeat after the turn of events despite the frustrating way his day ended in Vegas.

"It's disappointing, but at the same time the good Lord has blessed me with a good team and good fortune and great opportunity, so I don't want to get too down and think about the positives and be productive so we can go to Bristol and try to win there," Earnhardt said.

After winning in Daytona, Earnhardt and crew chief Steve Letarte promised they'd take a more aggressive approach to the rest of the regular season since they were virtually assured a Chase berth under NASCAR's new championship format.

The duo showed they meant business last week in Phoenix when Earnhardt did all he could to run down eventual winner Kevin Harvick. And the new format certainly seemed to play into Sunday's decision to roll the dice on fuel strategy.

"I think everybody has seen that over the last couple of weeks, that this format has definitely allowed teams to gamble like we have," said Earnhardt.

"You know, it did pay off. Not the ultimate prize, but we did run second. We weren't going to as much as you want to win, and believe me, we were out there trying to win, you do take pride in a good performance, a good finish, and we weren't going to run in the top 5 if we hadn't have used that particular strategy, if we'd have run the same strategy as our competitors we would have probably run just inside the top 10 where we were all day."

Earnhardt is the Sprint Cup Series point leader and has now finished in the top two in the first three races of the season.

"Yeah, this is a good start for sure," said Earnhardt. "Yeah, the confidence is up there. When we first got together we'd run our guts out to run in the top 15. Then the next year we'd run our guts out to run in the top 10, and you wondered when you'd get up to fifth and start running in the top five regularly. We started doing that finally last year, and so our team just keeps stepping up this ladder.

"We were really strong at the end of the year last year. It just thrilled me to death. So this is great. Yeah, you definitely don't want to take it for granted, get used to it, but this is what we envisioned, and starting to bear some fruit."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3/Gamble-Comes-Up-Short-for-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Ready for Challenge​*
Kurt Busch knows running the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 will be a challenge, but it will also be special as he uses the journey leading up to it to help build awareness for the Armed Forces Foundation.

Busch is set to become the first driver in more than a decade to run both prestigious races on the same day after announcing earlier this week he landed a ride with Andretti Autosport for the May 25th running of the "500" and will then hustle back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the longest race on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.

It promises to be an exhausting journey for Busch, who acknowledges the logistics alone of going back-and-forth between Indianapolis and Charlotte are a challenge.

"It's an exciting moment to have these next three months lead into Memorial Day weekend and just all the different challenges that come with trying to do 1,100 miles in that one day," Busch said Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In addition to practice sessions at both tracks over the course of the two weeks, Busch will also have to make qualifying sessions in Charlotte and Indy. A new format for Indianapolis 500 qualifying will take place May 17-18, while the Sprint All-Star Race goes on in Charlotte, adding to Busch's already complicated itinerary.

But he's confident with the help of the Andretti and SHR organizations as well as Cessna, which has signed on as a logistical partner, he'll be in good hands.

"It's over 20 hours of flight time and maybe 22 hours now since they have changed their Sunday qualifying format," Busch said. "A lot of people, a lot of moving parts. Even with the announcement of IndyCar moving the finale of qualifying to Sunday those are things we just have to roll with. It's whatever it takes to make this happen and we are going to give it our best effort and I'm lining-up as many people as I can to help with it."

Busch will have to ensure his physical well being as well during the odyssey and will have a personal doctor with him throughout the process.

"The training regiment I've been on is a boot camp style martial arts infused sequence three days a week," Busch said. "I try to have Thursdays as a break, which is a travel day to most of our NASCAR events and on Friday, Saturday just long drawn out runs to try and keep the cardio going."

Of course a huge part of Busch's life these days is his work with the military and the support of troops. He and girlfriend Patricia Driscoll have dedicated their lives to the cause and are advocates of The Armed Forces Foundation.

He believes the huge patriotic backdrop surrounding both races will provide a perfect platform to recognize and salute the country's military personnel. This weekend in Vegas, Busch had a group of airmen and women from nearby Nellis Air Force base at the track and at his Saturday press conference.

"I'm driving for the military and trying to push the focus around our Memorial Day weekend to recognize our Military in a fashion that has never really been done in a platform like this," Busch said.

State Water Heaters, who will sponsor Busch in the October Charlotte Cup race, is one that will help support Busch's Memorial Day weekend efforts. The company will donate $25 for every mile he completes over the course of the potential 1,100 that day.

That could be up to $27,500 and that's to the Armed Forces Foundation," he said. "I hope that we are able to create a social buzz around everybody jumping in and wanting to donate per mile completed. It could be one penny, could $100 or whatever it maybe. We are going to jump on that with the Armed Forces Foundation staff to create more awareness as well as raise funds for our Military."

While just competing the two iconic races has already generated a stir around the racing community and the sports world, Busch is keeping expectations in check. He fully understands the level of competition he'll face in both events particularly at Indianapolis, where he's only turned laps in a single car environment.

However, should he somehow achieve the lofty goal of winning in his first Indy 500 start, Busch says he's ready to handle any additional logistical issues it would cause.

"I would love to have that problem," said Busch. "Keep in mind I have zero experience in an Indy Car and this will be the toughest challenge, especially when they drop the green flag.

"I think single car runs when I'm coming up to speed and doing qualifying runs all that should handle it self. But when they drop the green at Indianapolis and 33 cars barrel down into Turn 1 and all that dirty air and the movements of the cars and being able to digest closing rates at 220 mph versus our stock cars that average around 185 mph."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/03/Kurt-Busch-Ready-for-Challenge.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Changes Planned to Qualifying​*
NASCAR does not plan any immediate changes to the new qualifying format despite some concerns from drivers.

After Friday's Las Vegas Motor Speedway session several drivers called for the sanctioning body to modify the format in light of a second week with slower cars trying to cool engines presenting an on track obstacle.

But NASCAR will let the system play out further before making any decisions to change.

"We're going to sit for a while, field all the questions and see what happens," Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development said Saturday morning at LVMS. "It's a very small snapshot of qualifying so far.

"Other than the cars running around on the bottom and you had one or two complain that it was a close call &#8230; again, we're listening to them, but we want to take a better snapshot of it."

Teams could address the cooling issue if they simply elected not to run tape on front grilles. However, those that chose to continue that practice would run the risk of overheating but gain a huge advantage for speed.

Until any changes come drivers say they are forced to ride around the bottom of the track in an effort to cool engines, which in some minds poses a danger.

"Riding around the bottom, we've got to do it, it's the only way to keep the engine cool, but that has got to be the most dangerous thing I've ever done in racing," said Brian Vickers. "(Reed Sorenson) went by me at 170 mph faster than I was going. Had he slipped or hit me, I'd be done. It would be so bad."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/03/No-Changes-Planned-to-Qualifying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chip Ganassi Signs Dylan Kwasniewski​*
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has signed 18-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski to a developmental contract.

The Las Vegas resident made his NNS debut at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Feb. 22, 2014, after winning the pole position and finishing eighth in his first start in one of NASCAR's top-three national touring series. Kwasniewski won the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship and the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship.

Kwasniewski will be competing full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this year with Turner Scott Motorsports.

"I am extremely happy right now and thrilled to be getting this opportunity with Chip and the whole team," Kwasniewski said. "I have wanted to do nothing but race for as long as I can remember so this is a dream come true. I look forward to being part of Chip's organization and will hopefully be a key contributor to its future success."

Kwasniewski has competed in several forms of racing including IKF, STARS and SKUSA karts along with Bandoleros, Legend Cars and ASA Super Trucks before making the move to NASCAR. In 2007 he won 88 percent of the Bandolero races he entered at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and won his first championship in 2002 in the Phoenix Kart Racing ***'n Kid Kart division at the age of seven.

"This young man has impressed us from the moment we saw him," said team co-owner Chip Ganassi. "His poise, skill and determination on the race track are remarkable for someone so young. I am really looking forward to seeing him grow as a driver with each increase of competition. I think Dylan has a big future ahead of him in NASCAR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/chip-ganassi-signs-dylan-kwasniewski/


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## Ckg2011

*Seuss Controls Southern Modified Opener​*
Andy Seuss mounted his challenge to dethrone George Brunnhoelzl III for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Sunday in dominating fashion.

The 26-year-old from Hempstead, N.H., was fastest in practice, won the Coors Light Pole Award and led every lap en route to winning the Whelen Opener 150 at Caraway Speedway. He finished 1.465 seconds ahead of runner-up Brunnhoelzl.

The win was the 16th of Seuss' career and his ninth at Caraway, including his third straight. He won the tour's last two stops at the .455-mile banked oval last September.

Seuss became just the third driver to win three straight Whelen Southern Modified races at Caraway, joining LW Miller (5) and Junior Miller (3).

J.R. Bertuccio, Burt Myers and Jason Myers rounded out the top five.
Danny Bohn was sixth, followed by Brian Loftin, Luke Fleming, Thomas Stinson and rookie Joe Ryan Osborne.

*The Finish:*

Andy Seuss, George Brunnhoelzl III, J.R. Bertuccio, Burt Myers, Jason Myers, Danny Bohn, Brian Loftin, Luke Fleming, Thomas Stinson, Joe Ryan Osborne, Spencer Davis, Gary Putnam, Cody Ware, Kyle Ebersole, Bryan Dauzat, Mike Norman, Bobby Measmer Jr., Cole Powell, David Calabrese.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/seuss-controls-southern-modified-opener/


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## Ckg2011

*Highlights: NASCAR Kobalt Tools 400​*





*Victory Lane: Brad Keselowski​*





*Dale Earnhardt Jr's Reaction Post Race​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pocono Raceway Recevies State Honor​*
Pocono Raceway was honored today at a ceremony in the Rotunda of the State Capital Building in Harrisburg, Pa., for the economic impact that the Raceway provided the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2013. Governor Tom Corbett and leaders of the State Senate and House of Representatives acknowledged the $257,500,000 economic stimulus resulting from the events held at the Raceway last year.

"I am thrilled to stand here in the Capitol Rotunda and share some great news with our partners in Pennsylvania, Governor Corbett and his Administration, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and most importantly, Pennsylvania citizens. I am proud to announce that in 2013 Pocono Raceway generated $257.5M in income and created 2,752 jobs," said Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway president and CEO. "Pocono Raceway has been operating since 1968, with IndyCar races starting in 1971 and NASCAR races beginning in 1974. Racing has changed a lot since then in terms of the marketplace and what fans want and expect from each race. Fortunately, Pocono Raceway has been strategically partnering with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to ensure that our asset in Long Pond is maximized as much as possible.

"I want to thank Governor Corbett and the Pennsylvania Legislature for taking steps to ensure that not only Pocono Raceway, but Pennsylvania in general, is a great place to visit. They are making investments in infrastructure and providing for opportunities for our facility to flourish. Our fans benefit from the transportation funding package, which provides for safer roads and bridges to get to our track. Charities benefit from a change in the local option small games of chance law that allows our track to host 50/50 raffles for their causes," Igdalsky said. "Our fans also benefit from our partnerships with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Office of Tourism, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Lottery as we work to promote all that Pennsylvania has to offer to our race fans.

"I am happy about how far we've come and where we're going, and can't wait to see what else Pocono Raceway can do for Pennsylvania citizens in the coming years," concluded Igdalsky.

The economic impact analysis, prepared by East Stroudsburg University, shows exactly what Pocono Raceway means to tourism in the Pennsylvania. More than 55 percent of the fans come from out of state - some coming as far as out of country - and visit for three to five days. They fill hotels rooms, camp, fish, shop, gamble, dine and enjoy everything northeast Pennsylvania has to offer. The track generated over $15M in state tax revenue and put another $15M into the local economy.

This is in addition to generating more than $1 million in hotel tax, revenue that is earmarked to support tourism promotion and advertising statewide by the DCED and in Northeast Pennsylvania by the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

NASCAR and IndyCar officials took part in the ceremony and each acknowledged the importance of Pocono Raceway to their respective organizations. Key members of Gov. Corbett's administration, business leaders, members of the Chamber of Commerce and other dignitaries were invited guests.

Brandon Igdalsky and Nick Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway executive vice president and COO, were introduced on the Senate and House floors before the entire General Assembly. Resolutions, submitted by Senator Dave Argall and Representative Mike Carroll, stated the importance of the relationship between Pocono Raceway and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/pocono-raceway-recevies-state-honor/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Must Address Dangers In Qualifying Format​*
NASCAR would be hard-pressed to find many fans who don't prefer the drama and intrigue of the new, knockout qualifying format over the old system of single-car runs.

NASCAR has now been warned - repeatedly, by some of the biggest names in the sport. And finding an immediate solution to what Brian Vickers called ''the most dangerous thing I've ever done in racing'' should be NASCAR's only item on the agenda this week.

For two weeks in a row, drivers have complained that their engines are too hot following their qualifying runs. They can either cool the engines or gamble on not blowing the engine on the next fast lap.

Only NASCAR has prohibited teams from cooling their cars on pit road because doing so would require the use of a cooling box. Since few adjustments are allowed during qualifying rounds, the cooling box is not an option because it would require teams to open the hood of the car. Once the hoods are open, inspectors would have too difficult of a time policing pit road to make sure no adjustments are being made to the cars.

So teams figured out their own solution: Drivers are slowing their cars to a crawl and circling the track at slow speeds to cool the engines following their fast laps. It's going on at the same time as other drivers are speeding along, making their qualifying attempt.

View galleryNASCAR must address dangers in qualifying format
Jimmie Johnson drives during NASCAR Sprint Cup auto racing practice Friday, March 7, 2014, in Las Ve &#8230;
''You're going 200 mph out there, and cars that aren't even running are running about 40,'' grumbled Clint Bowyer.

Asked for his opinion, Ryan Newman simply said: ''It's not safe. That's an easy answer. It's not safe.''

Those were just two of the gripes that came out of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile track that has enough room on the apron to accommodate the slow cars while the cars whizzing by them making a qualifying run. But NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend and the 0.533-mile bullring is incredibly short on the real estate needed to accommodate cars driving at dramatically different speeds.

Vickers said there was a point during qualifying at Las Vegas Friday when he was riding slowly around the bottom of the track and Reed Sorenson sailed past him at a speed difference of 170 mph.

''We don't have impact data on 170-180 mph differential impacts,'' he said. ''If I hit someone with those speed discrepancies, that's going to be really bad for everyone.''

View galleryNASCAR must address dangers in qualifying format
Brad Keselowski drives during qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race on Frid &#8230; What more does NASCAR need to hear before officials figure out a solution? True, the system is only two weeks old and there's yet to be a serious incident.

Waiting to see how it develops over the next few weeks is a reckless gamble.

After spending much of last year working on a new rules package to improve the quality of racing at superspeedways, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development Gene Stefanyshyn warned before Sunday's first test at Las Vegas that one race would not be a true indicator of progress. Give it time, he urged, for teams to get a handle on the rules and adjust accordingly before deciding if more work was needed.

NASCAR can have all the time it needs to figure out an aero package.

Officials don't have the luxury of taking a wait-and-see approach on what competitors say is a major safety concern.

Do they wait for a major accident before they act? A driver injury? NASCAR clearly has something good on its hands with the new knockout format, and drivers have warned that something bad could happen unless a change is made. Why even take the chance?

Six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson had another suggestion, too.

At the start of qualifying, cars are being parked on pit road facing in, requiring the drivers to back out when they are ready to make their lap. It makes for a lot of activity in a very short period of time.

''That initial roll-out is very sketchy and I think we're going to start crashing cars just backing out, because you've got guys at various angles trying to back out and guys backing out before the clock strikes zero and the track is green,'' Johnson said. ''We need to clean it up a little. I think the format is awesome. It's great for the fans, it's great for the teams, but some of the logistics and flow on pit road could be addressed.''

You've been warned NASCAR. Don't wait to see if the drivers are crying wolf.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nascar-must-address-dangers-qualifying-200459685--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Reutimann Is Set To Drive The #35 Car At Bristol​*
David Reutimann will drive the #35 car for Front Row Motorsports this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. In the Food City 500 on Sunday afternoon.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Okuma Backs RCR No. 33 Nationwide Entry​*
An Okuma paint scheme car will run on the Richard Childress Racing No. 33 entry in two NASCAR Nationwide Series races in the spring of 2014.

Okuma will be on the hood of the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro during the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 on March 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, and the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 on April 11 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

The RCR No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro will be driven by Cale Conley, who is making his Nationwide Series debut at Bristol following a full-time ride in the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East where he finished with four top-fives, five top-10s and one pole award.

The paint scheme car celebrates a longstanding partnership between Okuma and RCR. Okuma CNC machines are used for precision machining of complex race car parts which are produced at the RCR/Okuma Technology Center (OTC).

"Two of our goals at Richard Childress Racing are winning races and winning championships," said Richard Childress, RCR president & CEO. "To accomplish this we must be competitive and consistent every week. Race car components, especially those for engines, are held to tolerances of less than .001 of an inch. Okuma's high technology machining centers go even further and are accurately repeatable to .00008 of an inch.

"Okuma technology, coupled with unparalleled engineering support, creates a partnership that enables RCR to achieve our high-performance goals."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/okuma-backs-rcr-no-33-nationwide-entry/


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## Ckg2011

*Black Joins SS Greenlight Truck Team​*
Florida late model racer Ray Black Jr. has joined SS Greenlight Racing for a limited schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season.
Black will make a minimum of six starts for the team beginning with the Kroger 250 at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on March 29.

Having enjoyed racing on video games, Black decided to give the real thing a try at age 14 in the Florida Mini Cup Racing ***'n (FMCRA). After a couple seasons he progressed through the asphalt ranks, racing in the Advance Auto Parts Pro Truck Series and various late model series throughout the Southeastern United States over the last six years.

Black will continue to run his Team Scuba super late model in 2014 when not competing in the SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet Silverado in the NCWTS.
"We are planning to do six NCWTS races this year. My first one is Martinsville and then we'll see what happens after that race and take it from there," said Black. "I'm sure we will have a lot more of a direction after that race and see what tracks I get approved for. We'll figure out what path we want to chase in order to get to Daytona."

Black is a life-long scuba diver and his 2014 NCWTS entries will run with support from a variety of diving related entities including ScubaLife, the CDA Technical Institute and the National Academy of Scuba Educators (NASE Worldwide.)

"If we can find some more sponsorship we will try to race more," Black said. "Right now we have six races to see what experience is best at each track to reach the ultimate goal to run full time in NASCAR."

"The entire SS Green Light Racing team is thrilled to have several up and coming young drivers sharing our No. 07 & No. 08 Silverado's this year," said SS Greenlight Racing team owner Bobby Dotter said. "Ray Black Jr. is one of the drivers we are very high on and we're looking forward to our first race together at Martinsville."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/black-joins-ss-greenlight-truck-team/


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## Ckg2011

*SEM To Sponsor No. 51 At Bristol​*
SEM Products Inc. will sponsor the HScott Motorsports No. 51 Chevrolet SS driven by Justin Allgaier in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

SEM Products Inc., whose partnership with HScott Motorsports began this season, provides adhesives, sealers and paint products to the organization. SEM Products is an employee owned company, which manufactures a wide array of automotive repair and refinishing products including materials such as adhesives, fillers and sealers; flexible coatings; custom paints; rust and corrosion solutions; trim paint and truck bed liners.

"The employee owners at SEM Products are thrilled to be on the No. 51 entry at Bristol," said Brian Joyner, SEM products business development manager. "We value our relationship with HScott Motorsports and NASCAR, and we're looking forward to watching a great race at Bristol."

Allgaier, who is running for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award this season, will be making his first career Sprint Cup start at Britsol. He has participated in 10 Nationwide Series events at BMS, earning one win and one Coors Light Pole Award.

"I'm really excited to have SEM on the car at Bristol," said Allgaier. "I enjoy short-track racing, and Bristol is one of my favorite tracks we go to all season. I've toured SEM's headquarters in Rock Hill, S.C., and learned a lot about their products over the years. I'm looking forward to putting on a good show at Bristol for everyone at SEM."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/sem-to-sponsor-no-51-at-bristol/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Third-Place Finish for Menard​*
Paul Menard came home third in Sunday's Kobalt 400 and then hurried home for the birth of his first child.

Menard's wife Jennifer is due to give birth on Tuesday and Matt Crafton was on stand by this weekend in Las Vegas in case those plans were expedited.

But Menard was able to answer the bell for Sunday's third race of the Sprint Cup Series season and went on to score his best finish since coming home third at Kansas in October of 2012.

"Yeah, just had a really solid car all day and all weekend, really," Menard said.

"We're clicking really well, we got a couple new engineers and of course (crew chief) Slugger (Labbe) is back for our fourth our fifth year working together, so a good group of guys. Our pit crew's pit stops were awesome."

Menard is feeling good about the entire Richard Childress Racing organization, which saw teammate Ryan Newman score a top-10 finish Sunday. He feels the hot start to the season is a result of the work the team has put in to get ready for 2014.

But Menard also understands the season is only three weeks old.

"Well, it's too early to tell, really," he said. "Obviously Speedweeks were really good for RCR with Austin on the pole, every single car was fast down there.

"But overall, proud of everybody. Richard has put a big investment in the off season hiring some new people, and I feel like our engineering and support staff is awesome."

As for the blessed event back home, Menard was comfortable everything was in good hands.

"Matt Crafton is my backup and he really wants to get in the car, so I told Jennifer if it's important, call Matt because he's sure as hell going to tell me," said Menard. "I didn't get the call, though, so I guess everything is good."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/03/Third-Place-Finish-for-Menard.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Notebook: Big Weekend for MWR​*
Three races into the season and Michael Waltrip Racing remains without a top-10 finish. That makes this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol critical for the organization.

The short tracks have been a boon for Michael Waltrip Racing, which has had at least one top-10 finish in the last 13 races at Bristol, Martinsville and Richmond. That streak dates back to late in the 2011 season. With two of the next three races at Bristol and Martinsville, this could be a time for Michael Waltrip Racing to break free of its early struggles.

So far the best finish by an MWR car has been 13th. Clint Bowyer finished there at Phoenix, and Brian Vickers placed there last week at Las Vegas.

Bristol, though, has been favorable to both drivers.

Brian Vickers has top-10 finishes in his last four Bristol starts. Last August's race marked the first time in four Bristol races that Clint Bowyer finished outside the top 10. He led that race until spinning after contact with a lapped car.

Bowyer enters this weekend after placing 23rd at Las Vegas. He suffered damage on a restart that forced him to pit, ruining his race.

"Well, that stinks,'' he said after the race. "My guys worked so hard and we were good all weekend.''

*QUALIFYING CONUNDRUM*

NASCAR continues to study the qualifying format after some drivers have complained about having to cool engines by driving on the track as others are qualifying.

Paul Wolfe, crew chief for Brad Keselowski, says his team will be ready if there are any changes in the coming weeks.

"I guess for myself and for our team at this point, we're just trying to be able to react to any type of change that there is and do the best job,'' Wolfe said. "As far as the '2' car over the last two weeks, there's only one instance really where we needed to go out and cool down. I think it's those guys that are right on the edge that need to make multiple runs.

"I think as we go to different tracks with different tires and things like that ... it's all going to continue to evolve. Now, the first two weeks of it, we've been at tracks where the tire, where a scuffed tire potentially has more speed than a sticker. As we get to tracks like a Texas or an Atlanta, I don't even think running a second time is an option to pick up speed. So that'll change the dynamics, as well.''

*QUICK DRAW*

Matt Kenseth was the biggest gainer on restarts among drivers who placed in the top 15 in Sunday's race at Las Vegas. He gained 13 spots within a couple of laps after restarts and the start of the race. He finished 12th.

Ryan Newman (seventh) and Martin Truex Jr. (14th) each gained six spots over the course of the race's start and the four restarts.

*PIT STOPS*

Kyle Busch has eight top-10 finishes in his last 11 Bristol Cup starts, including four wins. ... Matt Kenseth, who won last August's race, has seven top-10 finishes in his last nine starts there. ... Despite winning the 2012 night race, Bristol has not been kind to Denny Hamlin. He has finished 19th or worse in six of the last eight races there. ... Kevin Harvick has one top-10 finish in his last 10 races at Bristol. ... Tony Stewart has finished on the lead lap in less than half his Bristol starts (14 of 29).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Notebook-MWR-Looks-For-Better-Results.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Second Not Satisfying: Junior Irked With Runner-Up Finish In Vegas​*
e frustration evident in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s face after Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was proof of just how far the third-generation racer and his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team have come in the last year.

From 2007, his last year at Dale Earnhardt Inc., through six seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt won just two of 250 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races he entered. But after scoring an emotional victory in the Daytona 500 two weeks ago, Earnhardt was on the verge of winning his second race of 2014 when his engine sputtered on the backstretch of the final lap at LVMS, allowing Brad Keselowski to drive past him for the victory, while Earnhardt finished second.

It was Earnhardt's sixth consecutive top-five finish dating back to last year and his third consecutive top-two finish this season, something only four other drivers have ever done. For that matter, it was the fourth race in a row in which Earnhardt has finished ahead of the driver he shares a garage with, six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup championship winner Jimmie Johnson. But none of that mattered.

Earnhardt wanted to win and he didn't, and after the race he was clearly ticked off that he came up maybe half a gallon of fuel too short. For all the critics who during the lean years scoffed that Earnhardt didn't want to win badly enough, his face told a very different story. He wants to win, alright. And now he expects to win, too.

It's been a long, difficult journey for Earnhardt, crew chief Steve Letarte and the rest of the team, but they are finally where they want to be.

"When we first got together we'd run our guts out to run in the top 15," said Earnhardt. "Then the next year we'd run our guts out to run in the top 10, and you wondered when you'd get up to fifth and start running in the top five regularly. We started doing that finally last year, and so our team just keeps stepping up this ladder. It just makes total sense to me how that process has went, having lived it and having seen the progression."

Three weeks into the long season is way too early to draw definitive conclusions about how the remainder of the year will go, but one victory, two runner-up finishes and an average finish of 1.67 has Earnhardt optimistic.

"The sky's the limit for us," said the Sprint Cup points leader. "And if we are smart and keep our composure and don't get foolish and don't get too proud of ourselves, just keep it in perspective, we've got a great opportunity this year to be this competitive every week."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...r-irked-with-runner-up-finish-in-vegas-031014


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Updates Qualifying Rules​*
NASCAR will no longer allow cool down laps during the new knockout qualifying system that is being utilized by all three national touring divisions.

However, NASCAR will now allow teams to use one cool down unit connected through either the left side or right side hood flap/cowl flap during each qualifying session. The hood must continue to remain closed and plugging in the generator will not be allowed. Two crew members will be allowed over the wall to support the car and driver. NASCAR instituted the new knockout qualifying format for its three national series in January.

"The qualifying is new to all of us and as we have said over the past several weeks, we are looking at it from all aspects," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition and racing development. "Following discussions, both internally and with others in the garage area, we moved quickly to make a few revisions that will be effective starting with our two national series events at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. We believe this will only enhance and improve what has demonstrated to be an exciting form of qualifying for our fans, competitors and others involved with the sport. Moving forward we will continue to look at it and address anything else that we may need to as the season unfolds."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-updates-qualifying-rules/


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## Ckg2011

*Room For Improvement At Roush​*
Roush Fenway Racing has gotten off to a slow start and looks to kick things up a notch this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.

While Carl Edwards finishing fifth last week in the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a high point, overall the RFR effort has bee disappointing through the first three races of 2014.

Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came into the campaign with high hopes but so far their results have not matched the pre-season optimism.

Edwards has been the best of the bunch over the first trio of races and sits sixth in the Sprint Cup Series point standings with a top five and two top 10 finishes.

While his fifth place Las Vegas run was admirable, it came on late race pit strategy rather than raw speed. But still Edwards was pleased with finishing where he did last Sunday at LVMS.

"A fifth-place finish for our Aflac Ford," Edwards said after the race. "We probably didn't deserve to finish fifth, so I'm pretty happy with that finish. The guys did a great job with strategy.

"Overall, it was just a fun day. (Crew chief) Jimmy (Fennig) did a great job with strategy and we came home fifth."

Biffle finished 22nd in Las Vegas and continues to be mired in the early season doldrums. He's 12th in points and many thought his past 1.5-mile prowess would have led to a better Vegas run and thus a higher spot in the standings heading to Bristol.

But after last Thursday's four-hour test of NASCAR's new intermediate track rules package, Biffle was skeptical of what his car had for the rest of the weekend.

"Our focus was, or at least mine was, let's get back on track at the intermediates and then we'll be a threat," Biffle said after Thursday's test. "It's painfully apparent that that's not and today, it's a half-second (off), so we could find some things with the car that's not right.

"These cars are really, really finicky. We know that, so that speed could just come up somewhere and that's what we're hoping for."

Biffle's words were more than prophetic as he ran near mid-pack for most of the 400-mile race.

Stenhouse Jr.'s sophomore Sprint Cup Series season has been up then down. He started the year with a solid seventh place finish in the Daytona 500 and was in contention to possibly win the race in the closing laps.

But he's followed that up with finishes of 18th and 27th in Phoenix and Las Vegas as the No 17 team struggles to find the necessary components to be competitive.

His Vegas weekend, which started off with near disaster when he slid in practice and nearly collected the wall, included a costly mistake on pit road during the Kobalt 400.

"I messed up on pit-road and cost us," Stenhouse said. "My No. 17 team worked hard all weekend and we got our Zest Ford dialed in for qualifying and felt good in race trim. We were tight at the start of the race but were making the right adjustments on our No. 17 Zest Ford. I think we could have had a top-10 finish but the penalty really hurt us and we could never recover. It's early in the season so we will go on to Bristol and learn from our mistakes."

The entire team echoes Stenhouse Jr.'s sentiments as it heads to Thunder Valley. All three drivers have performed well at the .525-mile Tennessee short track during their NASCAR careers. Edwards is confident that this weekend will show what the team is capable of producing.

"Bristol has been a really great race track for me and our whole Roush Fenway group," said Edwards. "We've had a lot of fun there and we have a lot of wins in the Truck, Nationwide and Cup series.

"I think that we have got to go to Bristol and run like we ran in our previous race there. We were fast and we ended up having a little bit of mechanical trouble but we were leading the race and having a blast."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/03/Room-for-Improvement-at-Roush.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*All-Star Cast For Short Track Showdown​*
NASCAR stars Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are joining host Denny Hamlin as headliners for the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown scheduled April 24 at South Boston Speedway.

The three Joe Gibbs Racing teammates have a combined 82 NASCAR Sprint Cup series wins among them. Defending race winner Busch is the only three-time winner of the Short Track Showdown. Fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Ragan also confirmed his participation in the charity event.

Like Hamlin, another group of drivers who used South Boston Speedway as a major springboard for their entry into NASCAR will compete. Elliott Sadler, Hermie Sadler, Timothy Peters, Jeb Burton and Drew Herring are scheduled to race the 200-lap Short Track Showdown along with many of the top late model racers from the region. Elliott Sadler, Peters and Herring each won track championships at South Boston.

"The Short Track Showdown driver lineup is really coming together," said Hamlin, who hopes to recruit even more of his NASCAR counterparts to race. "Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are uber competitive and don't like to lose.

However, it may be even more of a challenge to beat Elliott and Hermie Sadler, Timothy Peters, Jeb Burton and Drew Herring as well as a heap of late model drivers who know how to get around SoBo. It may be the best racing we've seen in this series yet."

Scheduled as a weekday prelude for the weekend NASCAR races at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Speedway, the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown raises awareness and funding for the Denny Hamlin Foundation, which supports and funds Cystic Fibrosis research and new therapies in the region.

The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown began in 2008 at Southside Speedway, a local short track near Hamlin's hometown of Chesterfield, Va., before moving to Richmond Int'l Raceway in 2011 to pair up as a doubleheader with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. For its seventh year, the race moves just over 100 miles to the southeast of Richmond to South Boston Speedway, another short track with a long history in stock car racing.

"Words can't express how happy we are to have this opportunity to host the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown here at South Boston Speedway," said SoBo General Manager Cathy Rice. "This will have a real impact on our community to have NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars here competing on a short track."

For more information, visit the South Boston Speedway website at

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/all-star-cast-for-short-track-showdown/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Penske, Gibbs & JR Motorsports​*
The Team Penske No. 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series team, which won last Saturday's Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was among three teams penalized by NASCAR Wednesday afternoon.

Brad Keselowski guided the No. 22 Ford Mustang to his first victory at the 1.5-mile superspeedway, but in post-race inspection NASCAR officials found that the team had utilized a shock absorber that exceeded the maximum gas pressure. Crew chief Jeremy Bullins has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

Elliott Sadler drove his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to a 13th-place finish, but his team was cited during opening-day inspection for having weight attached to the car in an unapproved location. Chris Gayle, crew chief on Sadler's No. 11, has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. In addition, car chief Todd Brewer has also been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, the fifth-place finishing JR Motorsports Chevrolet wheeled by Chase Elliott was found to have surpassed the minimum front height requirement during post-race inspection. Crew chief Greg Ives has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/nascar-penalizes-penske-gibbs-jr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Competitors Applaud NASCAR For Change​*
Matt Kenseth was among the competitors who applauded NASCAR for allowing teams to cool their engines on pit road instead on the track while running at reduced speeds.

NASCAR announced Tuesday that teams will be allowed to cool their engines on pit road by connecting through a hood flap instead of running around the track as had been done the last couple of weeks.

"It will be a lot less stressful,'' Kenseth said Wednesday at an appearance at Martinsville Speedway. "It will be less confusing. All the cars on the race track are actually making at-speed laps and trying to improve their position and get to the next round.''

Kenseth said by not having to worry about who is slow on the track cooling their engine, it will allow drivers to focus on "getting the best lap that you can possibly get and get it ready for the next round.''

Clint Bowyer, who voiced concerns about the difference in speed between cars qualifying and those cooling engines, also was glad NASCAR changed the rule.

"We're out there running 200 miles an hour and they're running 40,'' Bowyer said of cars cooling their engines. "They couldn't get out of the way if they had to. Now that you can cool off, I can go out there and make several laps if I need to. I think it will enhance that entertainment even more.''

Jeff Gordon called NASCAR's decision a "great move" on Twitter.

Matt Puccia, crew chief for Greg Biffle, says cooling the engines on pit road will work well even without opening the hood.

"We have all the capabilities of plugging in,'' he said. "You're not going to be allowed to open the hood still, which is fine because there's not a lot you could do underneath the hood without tools. But they are going to make you run hoses and have a quick disconnect over in one of the cowl flap doors, so you have to open the cowls up and hook your cool down up, and run a remote hose over to that cowl door to be able to hook up to it."

Todd Gordon, crew chief for Joey Logano, said Team Penske was ready for any changes to the cooling that NASCAR would allow.

"I think in some way we felt that there needed to be a reaction to the cars coasting around the race track, just from a safety issue,'' he said.

Sprint Cup teams will find out how the new system works Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. Along with the changes, NASCAR is allowing each team to have two crewmembers over the pit wall during the qualifying session instead of one.

*BABY PREPARATIONS*

Matt Kenseth's wife, Katie, is due to give birth in about two weeks. It will be the couple's third girl.

After racing at Bristol this weekend, NASCAR will run at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Kenseth said that if has to leave the track, Sam Hornish Jr., would drive his Nationwide car, and Jeff Burton would be available to drive his Cup car. Hornish is set to drive seven Nationwide races that Kyle Busch won't run for Joe Gibbs Racing. Burton is running select Cup races for fellow Toyota team Michael Waltrip Racing.

Also, Paul Menard's wife, Jennifer, was due to give birth to the couple's first child earlier this week but had not as of Wednesday afternoon.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...03/Competitors-Applaud-NASCAR-For-Change.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Knows Bristol Success​*
Brad Keselowski has won two of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway, which should surprise absolutely no one.
Even if it doesn't seem immediately apparent, a closer look at statistical history shows he's an heir to this slice of success.

It's all about the No. 2 - plus a trio of top-rung drivers who through the years have combined to give Team Penske a total of 10 victories at the historic .533-mile oval with three different manufacturers - Pontiac, Dodge and Ford.

Rusty Wallace racked up seven BMS wins in the No. 2. And he had two other Bristol wins before that, driving for owner Raymond Beadle. Kurt Busch added an eighth Bristol win for Penske's No. 2, that coming after four victories driving for Jack Roush.

Keselowski brought the total to 10 with two straight trips to Bristol's victory lane, winning the 2011 night race and then the 2012 spring event. He appears primed to bring home the 11th win, after winning this past Sunday At Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He comes in second in series points, merely one behind Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The 2012 series champion who surprisingly failed to make the Chase last year some, Keselowski has almost assured himself a spot this season - the new Chase format gives the top 15 race winners automatic berths provided they attempt to qualify for each of the 26 races prior to the Chase and are in the top 30 in points. With the pressure relatively lessened, the fun has returned after the disappointment of 2013.

"I want to win Indy; that would be big [for Roger Penske]," Keselowski said. "Michigan would be a really big win. I'd take Bristol and California while I'm at it. But &#8230; we just want to get some more wins, and then obviously you've got to get on steady footing once you reach the back half of the year with your cars and team to where you're just consistent frontrunners so you can really get into those last 10 races and make some noise."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/keselowski-knows-bristol-success/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rhodes Rolls To Bristol K&N East Pole​*
Ben Rhodes had to wait until nearly the end of line to make his qualifying lap, but that didn't matter.

The 17-year-old from Louisville, Ky., earned his second straight 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Co. in Friday's qualifying for the PittLite 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Rhodes went out 37th of 38 cars and posted a lap of 16.036 seconds (119.656 mph) around the high-banked half-mile in advance of Saturday's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race.

The rookie knocked Brandon Gdovic off the provisional pole. Gdovic had a lap of 16.045 (119.589) and will start on the front row. Rookie Austin Hill qualified third at 16.059 (119.484). Cale Conley and Gray Gaulding rounded out the top five.

Kenzie Ruston was sixth, followed by Cameron Hayley, rookie Lee Pulliam, Matt Tifft and Jesse Little.

Points leader Daniel Suarez qualified 17th. Suarez won the first two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races of the season and has won the last four NASCAR touring series races he's entered, including a pair of NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series events.

The PittLite 125 is scheduled to take the green flag at 4:45 p.m. Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/rhodes-rolls-to-bristol-kn-east-pole/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Belongs to Kyle Busch​*
Kyle Busch is off to a bit of a funky start to the Sprint Cup Series season. After three races Busch finds himself 10th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings with only one top-10 finish to his credit.

But this week's trip to Bristol Motor Speedway might provide the shot in the arm Busch is looking for in 2014.

Busch has 15 wins across NASCAR's three national series at the high-banked .525-mile Tennessee track, including five Sprint Cup Series victories.

There's just something about Busch and Bristol that has clicked and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver sees no reason for that to stop this weekend.

"It's just a fun track -- a half-mile, high-banked concrete like that -- the speed you carry around there and I have the track record there," said Busch, who will run both Saturday's Nationwide Series race as well as Sunday's Food City 500. "It's certainly a crazy race track and there's not many of them out there that are like it."

Bristol has undergone several reconfigurations in recent years as track management looks to create a racing product both fans and drivers like. The current layout, which made its debut two seasons ago and has forced drivers to use a higher groove around the speedway, isn't quite as liked by Busch as its previous incarnation.

However, Busch still looks forward to racing at Bristol.

"Bristol is one of my favorite tracks," said Busch. "I certainly like the old style. I certainly like the new Bristol -- the new, new Bristol I'm not quite a fan of. Ever since the grind I haven't quite liked it as much, but that's for different drivers here or there on different days. Enjoy running around Bristol."

Although Busch's start to the year hasn't been stellar, it's hardly terrible by any means. And with the new Chase format that will see 16 drivers advance to run for the championship and a regular season win virtually guaranteeing a spot in the playoffs, Busch sees no need for panic.

"I think as long as you can get a win, I don't think it really matters as much anymore," Busch said about positions in the point standings. "If you don't get a win, then you still want to have a strong start because there still are going to be guys who make the Chase without having wins.

"For instance, my start is not terrible, I'm 10th in points, so I'm kind of already in if you look at it that way. Kurt (Busch), for instance has had a horrible start and if he wins here this weekend, then all he has to do is get himself top-30 in points and he's in. It changes everything and what everybody's strategy is and what all it's going to boil down to."

The new approach to the championship and strategies that have played out in the opening trio of races have carried an unpredictable nature into the early part of the season.

Busch believes it means truly anything can happen this weekend in "Thunder Valley."

"You never know what you will see at Bristol," Busch said with a smile. "You could have guys racing each other hard for the win and move the other out of the way just to get that win and lock themselves in."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/03/Bristol-Belongs-to-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Goodyear Announces Tests​*
Goodyear announced plans to test at six tracks between March and June.

Goodyear plans to test at Sonoma Raceway (March 25-26), Michigan International Speedway (April 8-9), Kansas Speedway (April 14), Dover International Speedway (May 6-7), Kentucky Speedway (May 20-21) and Chicagoland Speedway (June 10-11).

Teams scheduled to test at Sonoma will be those of Marcos Ambrose, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers.

Teams scheduled to test at Michigan will be those of Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Trevor Bayne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman.

All organizations will be allowed to have one team at the April 14 test at Kansas Speedway.

Teams to test at Dover will be Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and a Chevrolet team to be determined. Also, Nationwide, Camping World and K&N teams will be chosen to test.

The Kentucky test will feature teams from Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World but those have yet to be determined.

Teams also have yet to bet determined for the Chicagoland test.

"We have a multitude of goals at these upcoming tests, including keeping up with changing track surfaces and staying in tune with NASCAR and the teams on car development under the 2014 rules package," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales, in a statement. "Further expansion of our multi-zone technology will be an element for evaluation at several of these tests. As always, our primary focus will be to come out of these tests with a durable race package while giving teams the appropriate amount of grip."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/03/Goodyear-Announces-Tests.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Traffic Jam: Bristol Qualifying Will Be One Truly Congested Affair​*
*U*nder the best of circumstances, Bristol Motor Speedway will try any driver's patience.

With 43 cars crammed into just 0.533 miles of track, the fast and treacherous high-banked short track is like a rush-hour freeway with the drivers all running 120 miles per hour.

Over 500 long laps, there's almost always chaos at some point on race day at Bristol.

And thanks to NASCAR's new qualifying system, there's likely to be some fireworks during qualifying on Friday as well.

To recap, under NASCAR's revised procedures, all 46 cars attempting to make the race will be allowed on the track for a 30-minute qualifying session that begins at 4:40 p.m. ET on Friday (FOX Sports 1). The fastest 12 cars will advance to a second 10-minute session. Whoever sets the fastest time in the second session will win the pole for Sunday's Food City 500.

On Tuesday, NASCAR modified its rules to allow teams to use cool-down units on pit road to avoid cars circulating at slow speeds to reduce engine temperatures after making an all-out qualifying run. That will ease the inherent danger of having cars on the track at wildly disparate speed.

But there's nothing NASCAR can -- or should -- do to relieve the congestion drivers will face during Friday's first round of qualifying. Without question, during that first qualifying session, some drivers will get blocked or otherwise slowed by their fellow competitors, whether deliberately or unintentionally. It wouldn't even be much of a surprise to see tempers flare and sheetmetal get bent up at Bristol. The drivers know mayhem is a very real possibility.

"Qualifying has been pretty intense the last couple of weeks," said Michael Waltrip Racing driver Clint Bowyer. " ... I'm looking forward to the bullring. I like Bristol. It should be pretty hairy out there for qualifying again."

"The new qualifying format is going to be insane," said Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. "I would say, as a fan, definitely tune into that."

The crew chiefs responsible for the cars are equally aware that things might get rough on Friday.

"You've heard the old adage that Bristol is like flying fighter jets in a gymnasium, so there's not a lot of room and time for reaction," said Todd Gordon, the crew chief for the No. 22 Team Penske Ford driven by Joey Logano.

"Every week is bringing a new challenge, different style of racetrack and tire changes," said Paul Wolfe, crew chief for Brad Keselowski's No. 2 Las Vegas-winning Penske car. " ... We've just got to prepare for the best."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ualifying-will-be-one-congested-affair-031314


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cool It: NASCAR's Decision To Tweak Qualifying Was Right Move​*
*W*e head to Bristol Motor Speedway with NASCAR making a change in the qualifying procedure to allow cool-down units on pit road.

I definitely agree with this decision. The drivers and the crew chiefs had a genuine concern about the drivers trying to cool the engines down before another qualifying run without these cool-down units being allowed.

In a qualifying session, the teams really want to maximize their car's performance. So they tape up the nose to allow for maximum downforce on the front end and maximum speed. NASCAR could have very easily said there would be no tape allowed on the noses.

Had they done that, though, it would have taken away from the potential for these teams and drivers to attempt to break existing track records, because the cars are slower without the noses taped up. NASCAR announces changes to knockout qualifying rules

We all know that records, no matter what category they are in, are made to be broken. These teams are competitors. They want to break any record they can. I believe fans want to see that kind of effort from their favorite driver. So this is why this tweak to the rules was made.

The cool-down units that are out there basically can bring the engine temperature back down to normal and that allows the teams to once again put as much tape as possible on the nose of the car.

After surveying what was going on and, in the interest of safety, NASCAR has decided this week to make this change. Nobody has an advantage here. I think it was a good call. For what, 60 years now, we have been doing qualifying one way, and now in 2014 it's a brand new procedure. There's bound to be some bumps. That's to be expected. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that this will evolve.

This is all in the interest of safety and fair play across the board with the end result being a better qualifying session. So if it is good for the competitors, then it will be good for the fans in the stands and also for those watching at home.

I won't be the least bit surprised if we don't get through about half of the year to see NASCAR tweak things a little more. They aren't changing things just to simply change things. There is consideration and deliberation in all this. Again, I like this change NASCAR has made, and can't wait to see it in action at Bristol.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...to-tweak-new-qualifying-was-right-move-031314


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Repeat Winner On Tap For The World's Fastest Half Mile?​*
*I* think it would be safe to say that all three of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have come out of the box a little slow in 2014. I think it is safe to say they have some work to do. With that said, it is worth noting that since 2011 all three of their drivers have won at Bristol Motor Speedway where we are this weekend.

We all felt that Las Vegas would be a really good measuring stick for where Joe Gibbs Racing is so far. If you look at the finishing order from Sunday, you will find it ironic that Matt Kenseth finished 10th, Kyle Busch finished 11th and Denny Hamlin finished 12th. Of the three, Kyle led the most laps, staying out front for 52 of the 267 laps. Matt only led two and Denny led a single lap. I mean, it was an okay weekend for the three teams but not really what we were expecting to see from them at Las Vegas.

So they are just a little off right now. If it's an aero issue, well, we know some of that goes away this weekend at Bristol. If it is in the area of where this new no ride-height rule and all this stuff with springs that is going on right now comes into play, well, that is an area that affects the car at all the upcoming tracks.

The reality is with three races now in the books, with the exception of Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske and Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 car from Stewart-Haas Racing, everybody else, not just Joe Gibbs Racing, is behind right now with the rule package that we have. We keep telling you and it's true, it simply won't stay that way. The other teams and organizations will catch up pretty quickly to those handful of front-running cars.

Once we get through this weekend and then get through the Fontana race next weekend at the two-mile track, that will give us the five races at five completely different style tracks under our belt. Once that is complete, then we can bang the gavel a little harder on who is in good shape, this is who is really close to breaking through and then, naturally, this is who has some work to do.

I look for a great race Sunday. The competition is going to be tough at that half-mile bullring. I wouldn't be surprised to see only three-tenths of a second separating the entire field when they line up on Sunday. Bristol, Martinsville and also the road courses are the handful of tracks where you can say pretty much with certainty who will be strong and be running up front. Past that with these other tracks, my goodness, the way the competition is right now in our sport, the list of names of front-runners to watch just goes on and on.

So for this weekend, I easily would say keep your eye on the three drivers who have already won races this year -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski. All three drivers love racing at Bristol. All three are running up front and there is simply no reason to think this Sunday won't be the same. Some others to watch would naturally be Kyle Busch because of all the times he's won there. I would also keep an eye on Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano Sunday.

So basically I think we will see the same cast of characters on Sunday at Bristol that we have seen running up front in these first three races of the 2014 season.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-tap-for-the-world-s-fastest-half-mile-031414


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opening Round of Practice At Bristol​*
Opening round of Sprint CUP Series practice at Bristol Motor Speedway. An a number of drivers have found the wall. Drivers include,

#10 Danica Patrick 
#18 Kyle Busch
#16 Greg Biffle 
#51 Justin Allgaier

Patrick, Busch, Allgaier and Biffle have pulled the backup cars out of the haulers.

Source:
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Scores Bristol Sprint Cup Pole​*
Someone finally figured out a way to beat Team Penske during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series knockout qualifying.

Denny Hamlin earned his first pole of 2014 Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, securing the top spot with a 14.761-second lap around the half-mile Bristol oval. His track record lap was enough to give him the pole over Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski.

"Every new rules change we have just makes these cars go a little bit faster," said Hamlin, who completed a grand total of two laps during the entire qualifying session. "Darian (Grubb, crew chief) just made an excellent call with our adjustments and the team stepped up. We were pretty strategic in how we executed that qualifying session.

"We thought that it was going to be one and done (one lap) for us. We felt like one good effort in that final round (would be enough). Luckily we didn't have to go back out there. I don't know if we would have even made it on time."

Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth qualified third for the Food City 500, followed by Team Penske's Joey Logano. Marcos Ambrose put his Ford in fifth, followed by Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne. Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards were the other drivers involved in the final round of knockout qualifying.

Before Friday, Team Penske's Logano and Keselowski had dominated Sprint Cup knockout qualifying. They shared the front row at Phoenix Int'l Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, each earning a pole to begin the new era of qualifying in NASCAR's three national divisions.

Logano was fastest in the first 30-minute session during qualifying, leading the way with a 14.832-second lap at 129.369 mph. Gordon, Hamlin, Newman, Edwards, Busch, Johnson, Keselowski, Biffle, Ambrose, Kahne and Kenseth followed.

The first five drivers who failed to advance to the final qualifying session were Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, David Gilliland and Jamie McMurray. Failing to qualify for Sunday's race were Dave Blaney and David Reutimann.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/hamlin-scores-bristol-sprint-cup-pole/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Ponders Payback​*
Nearly 20 years later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. still thinks about the payback he never got to do.

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, talk is about bump-and-runs and wrecking one another.

That takes Earnhardt back to his first Nationwide race and the driver he still owes a payback.

Earnhardt said he owes Jason Keller, who last raced in the Nationwide Series in 2010.

The incident took place in 1996 at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Earnhardt was running seventh behind Keller (fifth) and Jeff Green (sixth).

"Jeff pushed Jason into the corner, way up into the marbles in Turn 3 and 4,'' Earnhardt said. "Jason just turned left and was trying to get back down the track and hit Jeff Green in the quarter panel and he hit me in the door as I was following through and spun me out.

"I always wanted to get Jason Keller back, but I never did. I know Jason is a great guy and I probably would have never been able to bring myself to do it. Some people you get a chance to get back and it's teed up perfectly right in front of you and you take it and then sometimes you never see them again or you're never in that position, racing for a win, or never presented the opportunity.''

Earnhardt was upset with Keller then because "I was running top 10 in my first Busch race. I was trying to make it.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Earnhardt-Jr-Owes-This-Driver-A-Payback.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Wins The NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series Drive To End Diabetes 300 At Bristol Motor Speedway​*
Kyle Busch wins in Bristol in the Nationwide Series today. Kyle Busch got a great restart late in the race and drove away from second place finisher Kyle Larson.

JR Motorsports driver Kevin Harvick finished third Penske driver Ryan Blaney finished fourth while Kyle Busch's JGR teammate Matt Kenseth Finished in fifth.

Rookie Cale Conley finished 11th in his very first NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Yet Another Bristol Win For Rowdy Busch​*
Kyle Busch held off Kyle Larson during a late-race restart before pulling away to his seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday during the Drive To Stop Diabetes 300.

The victory - his second of the 2014 Nationwide Series season - was his third-straight at Bristol in Nationwide competition.

For the first half of the race it looked as if the man to beat was going to be Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth. Kenseth took the lead from Busch on lap 30 and quickly pulled away from the field.

"We really had to change our car a lot today," Busch said in victory lane.

"Adam (Stevens, crew chief) made some really good calls on the pit box trying to get me freed up and trying to get me to where I could roll and make some speed up."

Kenseth stayed out front for 179 laps, but Busch stayed close and waited for his moment. That moment came on lap 209 when Kenseth got stuck behind lapped traffic. Busch made his move, darting by Kenseth to retake the race lead.

"Kenseth, man, he was really fast. He was lightning fast there most of the day and I was having a hard time catching him," Busch said. "I was just able to bide my time through traffic a little better than he did."

The caution flag would wave four times in the final 91 laps, giving Kenseth and other contenders like Kevin Harvick and polesitter Kyle Larson continued opportunities to catch Busch. The final caution flag of the day waved on lap 286 when Jeremy Clements bounced off the wall in turn four.

During the restart on lap 291 Larson - who finished second to Busch in this race last year in a photo finish - was able to drive from fourth to second on the outside. Larson tried to close the gap on Busch in the final laps but Busch simply drove away in the final laps to victory.

"I just tried to run hard. I know he (Larson) was running the top. He loves the top. So I knew he was going to be up there," Busch said. "It seemed like anybody who was behind me on the restart (in the outside lane) would be able to jump the two guys who were on the bottom. It seems like the bottom here is really at a disadvantage."

Larson finished second for the fifth time in Nationwide Series competition Saturday.

"My Turner Scott Motorsports guys did a great job," Larson said. "Our Cartwheel Chevy was OK to start. They worked on it and got it to roll the center better and I was able to get up by the wall where I like it and make some time back up.

"We got hurt on one of the restarts starting third and then we were lucky enough to get back to fourth before that last one (caution)," Larson said. "I thought I might have a shot at Kyle but just got up over I guess the cushion you would call it and got marbles on my tires. From there I had to fight off Kevin (Harvick) because Kyle got too far ahead."

Harvick was third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Kenseth.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/yet-another-bristol-win-for-rowdy-busch/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Matt Kenseth suggests that Team Penske has been helped by other Ford teams testing at the start of the year. (Photo: Getty Images)*​
*Kenseth Notion Questioned​*
Michael McDowell calls Matt Kenseth's suggestion that McDowell has tested for Team Penske's benefit a matter of "sour grapes.''

Kenseth raised the issue after qualifying Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway when asked about Penske's success this season. Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have started no worse than the second row in the last three races and Keselowski swept last week's Nationwide and Sprint Cup races at Las Vegas.

Kenseth pointed to McDowell and Leavine Family Racing with helping Keselowski and Logano.

"Without opening a can of worms, it's my understanding that they (Team Penske) got to do a lot of testing - I think they've been to all three tracks with their 'satellite teams' - Michael McDowell and cars like that I think in the Penske trailer,'' Kenseth said.

"I think they've gathered a lot of information at all these tracks and was really prepared when the season started. It really shows because the first three races they've been the best two cars on Friday for qualifying and they've been pretty darn good in all the races, too. We haven't really had that luxury, so we've been trying to look into that and figure out how we can get a little more track data gathered."

Leavine Family Racing, a Ford team, purchases chassis and parts from Team Penske. That's a new arrangement. Leavine Family Racing bought its cars from Roush Fenway Racing the past three years.

McDowell and Leavine Family Racing have used two of their four allotted tests at Cup tracks at Phoenix and Bristol this season. McDowell said the team tested at Phoenix because that's his home track. He also said the team tested at Bristol because a tenth of a second can be the difference between making the field and not.

"What was he really suggesting or saying that somebody had an unfair advantage?'' car owner Bob Leavine said of Kenseth. "They could go out and do what they want to do.''

McDowell noted the relationship between Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing for Toyota.

"This sport, the way it is, as fast as it is developing, you have to be aligned with a manufacturer that is working with all the teams,'' McDowell said. "The reality is there might be some sour grapes there because they haven't been able to align themselves with an organization that can help them to do some of those things like RCR, Hendrick and Stewart-Haas and all the other teams have.''

Hendrick Motorsports has a relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing. Richard Childress Racing has a technical alliance with several teams, including Furniture Row Racing and Germain Racing. Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing, has stressed one Ford among all its teams.

Allison's approach was important for Team Penske, which left Dodge for Ford after the 2012 season.

"We were on an island before,'' said Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske. "Anytime you can align yourself with more teams, there's definitely an advantage there.''

So, how much did the information from McDowell's testing help Team Penske?

"I think having Ford teams testing is a good thing,'' Geisler said. "That makes Ford stronger. Certainly having guys at the race track is never a bad thing, but it is also really difficult to take what Michael McDowell and (crew chief) Wally Rogers do and say that you're going to be able to directly bolt it into Joey's car with (crew chief) Todd Gordon and it have the same setup. Our two cars don't have exact same setup.''

*Source*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lls-Kenseth-Notion-a-Case-of-Sour-Grapes.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Looking To Join Elite Company​*
is off to the best start of his career, but the third-generation driver is keeping his early season success in perspective.

So far this season, Earnhardt has won the Daytona 500 and finished second at Phoenix and Las Vegas. If he can have similar results in Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway -- one of his favorite tracks -- Earnhardt will tie NASCAR Hall of Fame member Richard Petty as the only drivers to finish first or second in the first four Sprint Cup Series races of a given season.

"Any time you've done anything that Richard has done and you put yourself in the conversation with him to do with any statistic, it's a pretty awesome accomplishment because of everything that he has ever done, winning as many races as he has and running as many races as he has," Earnhardt said Friday morning prior to practice at the 0.533-mile Tennessee track. "He's been such a fixture in the sport still today. Yeah, that would be awesome."

Doing so will be a tall order, Earnhardt knows.

"This place here isn't going to hand you any favors or give you an inch," Earnhardt said. "So you're going to have to work hard to get -- whatever you take out of here, you're going to have to earn it."

Still, Earnhardt is red hot right now.

He has posted a career-best eight consecutive top-10 finishes, has led the Sprint Cup points standings for all three weeks of the 2014 season and his three consecutive top-five finishes have him off to the best start he's ever had in NASCAR's top division.

While Earnhardt said he's obviously pleased with the success that he and the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team have had so far in 2014, he's a realist. At Las Vegas last week, Earnhardt likely would have finished in the bottom half of the top 10 had he not gambled late in the race on track position by not pitting during the final caution flag of the race.

"We're not going to be able to turn an eighth or a fifth-place run into a second or third or first-place run every week," said Earnhardt, who was 14th in Friday's lone practice round at Bristol. "We've got to keep in perspective what happened last week. We weren't by any means running with Brad (Keselowski, race winner) and those guys up front and battling for the lead at any point in the day.

Earnhardt Jr. frustrated with second-place finish at Vegas

"So we definitely can look at that and be excited that we had a chance to win. But also we need to focus more on how we get better so we're running up front regardless of the strategy we're running and the fuel strategy we use."

Asked if his enormous popularity could help elevate the sport, Earnhardt said he didn't think so.

"To get asked about it really makes me uncomfortable because there are so many other drivers -- there's guys like Jimmie (Johnson) who have done so much and accomplished much more than I have," said Earnhardt. "And they do a lot to elevate the sport. They do a lot of things that carry the sport as well or better than I do. It's just very uncomfortable because I don't have the accolades and the hardware that a lot of these guys have, like a championship and things like that."

That said, Earnhardt does enjoy his fans.

"I'm comfortable with the popularity and things like that because I feel like that we do a lot and we have a great fan base and we do a lot to engage with them," he said. "But carrying the sport is a whole other conversation or being the face of the sport is a whole other conversation. It's a very uncomfortable position to be put in. I don't think it's realistic. All the drivers have a role in that and they are actively doing that."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ing-to-join-the-king-in-elite-category-031414


----------



## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards Wins Food City 500 At Bristol​*
Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway had a little bit of everything.

Rain delays, bizarre crashes, tire problems and a mystery caution flag with three laps left followed by even more rain allowed Carl Edwards to score his first victory of the 2014 season.

The victory by Edwards brought to an end a marathon day for NASCAR. The race was originally scheduled to start at 1 p.m., but Mother Nature had other ideas as rain kept things on hold for nearly two hours.

Racing finally began around 3 p.m. and the action was fast and furious almost from the beginning. Several drivers took turns at the front, including polesitter Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson.

The action was stopped on lap 118 when Mother Nature made its return to Bristol, forcing NASCAR to display the red flag on lap 125. NASCAR worked on the track for several hours before finally getting the race restart after a three hour and 19 minute red flag period.

Kenseth restarted with the race lead, but gave up the top spot to Kurt Busch on lap 153. Three laps later it looked like disaster struck for Kenseth. A crash in front of the leaders involving Cole Whitt and Danica Patrick forced Kenseth to slow down, which led to the lapped machine of Timmy Hill slamming into his back bumper.

The damage looked bad, but it nearly as bad as it looked for Kenseth. His Joe Gibbs Racing squad went to work under the caution period to repair his machine and keep him on the lead lap. The race returned to green flag racing with Kurt Busch leading his brother Kyle Busch.

Action remained fast and furious throughout the field, with cars going three and in some cases four wide. Soon most eyes turned to Kenseth, who was slicing and dicing his way back up through the field after restarting at the rear of the lead lap.

By lap 242 Kenseth had climbed all the way to fourth and was still climbing when the caution flag waved on lap 275 when rookie Ryan Truex crashed in turn three. Kasey Kahne held the lead during the restart, but Kenseth returned to the front of the field shortly thereafter.

Kenseth would stay at the front of the pack until a caution flag on lap 394 when Kyle Busch crashed in the middle of the field. Kevin Harvick, who at the time appeared to have the fastest car on the track, was able to beat Kenseth off pit road to take the race lead.

Harvick restarted with the lead with Edwards, who had moved into second during pit stops, chasing close behind. Kenseth's strong run back to the front came to an end on lap 408 when he got up in the marbles in one of the turns, causing him to nearly spin his Toyota out. He finally settled back into 13th.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/things-go-carls-way-in-bristol/


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Sponsor Joins RCR Nationwide Program​*
Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff will serve as a primary sponsor for five races this season with Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers Brian Scott and Brendan Gaughan.

Scott and his No. 2 team will wear the company's colors at Iowa Speedway on May 18, Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, Richmond Int'l Raceway on Sept. 6 and Kansas Speedway on Oct. 4. Gaughan and the No. 62 team will support the tobacco-free smokeless brand at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 1. In addition to the five-race primary sponsorship, Smokey Mountain will also have an associate-sponsorship presence on both the No. 2 and No. 62 Camaros throughout the 2014 season.

"Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff has been and continues to be a proud supporter of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series," said Dave Savoca, President of Smokey Mountain Chew, Inc. "Through our partnership's in NASCAR, we have seen measurable growth in our brand and want to continue that growth by tapping into the NASCAR Nationwide Series and their 32 million loyal fans. We believe that Richard Childress Racing and their duo of drivers Brian Scott and Brendan Gaughan are the perfect avenue to help increase brand awareness, drive sales and keep the Smokey Mountain name at the front of the field."

Known as America's original and best-selling, tobacco-free smokeless snuff, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff can be found in retailers across the country. Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff is notably the world's largest tobacco-free smokeless company. An industry leader and inventor, the tobacco-free and nicotine- free chew, is an option for consumers who are looking to quit or reduce their consumption.

"Smokey Mountain is really becoming a big part of the NASCAR culture with their involvement and investment bringing awareness to their various brands," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "We feel honored they have chosen to become part of our team and go racing with both Brian Scott and Brendan Gaughan. Now, it's up to us to do Smokey Mountain and their people proud with great results on the race track."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/new-sponsor-joins-rcr-nationwide-program/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Thrilled With Run​*
Tony Stewart couldn't stop smiling after Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway and understandably so.

A season-best fourth-place finish erased the sting of a slow start to the season and what looked to be a poor weekend on Friday when Stewart wasn't even among the 36 fastest qualifiers.

Those troubles went away with Stewart's first top-five finish since last year's Brickyard 400.

"I feel great, let's do it again,'' Stewart said after exiting his car. "Come to Bristol and run 500 laps here and a top five - that is just what the doctor ordered."

It didn't look like things would be that good on Friday with Stewart struggling. He was relegated to a 37th-starting spot in the 43-car field. Things improved throughout the weekend.

"It just kept getting better and better,'' Stewart said of the car. "Friday was just short of a major disaster. (Saturday), the morning session was better and then Happy Hour was even better than that.''

Each week Stewart and crew chief Chad Johnston are learning how to make the car better. Stewart is having to catch up a bit after missing the final 15 races of last season and all of preseason testing as he recovered from his broken leg suffered in a sprint car crash in August.

The injury kept him from working as closely with Johnston in the offseason, so the things they could have done then, they're having to do now. Stewart credited Johnston for making the right calls throughout the race.

Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition at Stewart-Haas Racing, said Stewart's finish was "a good kick in the butt. He ran all night and didn't complain, had fun out there.''

Zipadelli said that during the rain delay that Stewart talked about how good his car was and how much he was enjoying the race 124 laps into the event.

"It's pretty cool,'' Stewart said of the racing, which featured three-wide action throughout. "When leaders caught traffic you had to make holes. We saw that (Saturday) in the Nationwide race and knew it was probably going to be the same (Sunday). The closing rates weren't quite as big, but if people don't like the racing here tonight I don't know what they want. Unless they just want a wreck fest I thought the racing was pretty good.''

Stewart's finish was in contrast to his teammates. Danica Patrick finished 18th despite transmission woes that caused her to lose first and second gear, causing her problems on restarts and pit stops. She hit Clint Bowyer exiting her stall after the transmission problems.

Kevin Harvick led 28 laps but then had mechanical problems that sent him into the wall, ending his race with a 39th-place finish.

Kurt Busch ran well but finished 35th after clipping Kyle Busch's car and damaging it.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ony-Stewart-Thrilled-With-Bristol-Finish.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Big Day (and Night) for RPM​*
Richard Petty Motorsports drivers Aric Almirola and Marcos Ambrose both finished inside the top five in Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Almirola's third-place finish was his best career Sprint Cup Series effort and Ambrose coming home fifth gave RPM two cars in the top five for only the fourth time under the Richard Petty Motorsports banner since 2009.

Late in the race, Almirola found himself in the thick of a battle for the lead and potential victory with eventual winner Carl Edwards and runner-up Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Although he faded just a bit in the closing laps, Almirola was more than pleased with where he finished in the race that ended under the lights after a rain delay of more than three hours.

"It was a great day for us and I'm not disappointed at all with third," he said. "But when you see it, you can taste it and it's that close, you wonder what could have gone differently. If our car would have taken off a little bit better, things might have gone differently but all in all, it was a great day.

"It feels good. You want to win. I saw it right there at my fingertips on that one restart, when I raced side-by-side with Carl, but he had a lot better car than we did."

New crew chief Trent Owens made some huge adjustments on the No. 43 Ford during the course of the weekend and Almirola credited him with how well the team has performed in the early part of the season.

"When we brought Trent over, we thought he would come with some new ideas," Almirola said. "Everybody's been working hard to get our cars better and I feel like we have some really good cars right now."

Ambrose echoed Almirola's words and feels that the RPM organization is providing cars capable of competing like the duo did in Bristol. The intense racing forced Ambrose to take a very aggressive approach to what turned out to be a fifth-place performance.

"These cars go a lot faster around this track than the old-style cars and we had to really dig in," Ambrose said. "The groove went to the fence, and we had to watch ourselves there and keep adjusting the car all night. We got a bad set of tires, where they delaminated and started to cord really bad, so we lost a lap and then worked our way back up to the front."

As the Sprint Cup Series now heads to Auto Club Speedway this week for the fifth race of the season, Ambrose is 15th in the point standings with Almirola 20th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/03/Big-Day-and-Night-for-RPM.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Human Error Causes Caution Light Snafu​*
A long and bizarre day came to an unusual finish Sunday night when the caution lights were accidentally turned on from the flag stand and rain then prevented an attempt for a green-white-checkered finish.

A person in the flag stand leaned on the manual override switch, turning on the caution lights on lap 499, according to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition.

Six seconds after the lights were turned on, the flag man - seeing the lights on - waved the yellow flag, according to NASCAR's review of the finish. Pemberton said that the flag man can wave the caution flag without a call from series officials in the tower if they see a proper reason.

"We were scanning cars and spotters, and there's some of us in the tower that only heard it after the teams were talking about it because we were looking at other things around the racetrack,'' Pemberton said.

The rain then arrived before the race could be restarted, giving Carl Edwards the victory.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second but never got the chance to race his Roush Fenway Racing teammate for the win. Aric Almirola finished third.

Edwards most likely would have won the race with the lead he had had there not been a caution.

Since there was a caution for the malfunction, Stenhouse was ready to make his move on the restart.

"I was thinking that I would use the bumper if the opportunity was there,'' Stenhouse said, laughing. "If you get the win, you're in the Chase and you can let the rest take care of itself later. That's what I was really thinking if we went back to green.

"Carl seemed to be a little loose as soon as we went back green (previously). I would have ran it in there pretty hard and he knows I would have.''

Edwards said he knew what was likely coming if the race restated.

"It was going to be a battle,'' Edwards said. "The way I envision it in my mind ... probably neither one of us would have made it back to the finish line. Ricky, he was being aggressive out there all night. I knew what was coming.''

The rain prevented such dramatics.

The caution snafu did cause NASCAR to change the finishing order. NASCAR went back to when the caution lights flashed and froze the field. Pemberton said NASCAR only had to adjust three positions - placing Denny Hamlin sixth, Jeff Gordon seventh and Kasey Kahne eighth.

Pemberton said NASCAR will work to make sure the incident is not repeated.

"We learn a lot of lessons, and when we learn a lesson like this we'll go in and further investigate some things,'' he said. "As you know, all the electronics that we've had and have installed in the trailers for freeze the field and all these other things, there's still ‑ you still have to integrate into the track facilities, so there's probably some things that we needed to do to better secure that area where the manual override is on the lights.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Human-Error-Leads-To-Caution-Light-Snafu.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bristol & Food City Expand Relationship​*
On the heels of a recent five-year race entitlement extension, Bristol Motor Speedway and Food City officials today announced a new level to their partnership of more than two decades.

In addition to sponsoring the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup race and August Nationwide event at BMS, Food City now is a presenting partner of the Battle at Bristol, the college football game between the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech to be played Sept. 10, 2016 in the infield of the famed speedway.

"When we announced this game last October, Steve Smith and several members of his Food City team were front and center," said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of BMS. "Practically before the confetti stopped falling Steve said 'we want to be a part of this.' Now he and his team are the first ones on board."

Announced, appropriately enough, prior to Sunday's Food City 500 in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway, Caldwell and Smith were joined by Tennessee's Butch Jones and Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, coaches for the two programs and co-grand marshals for race.

"The footprint of the location of our stores lays right over the area of the hottest support for these two programs," said Smith, CEO of Food City. "Shoot, many of our 13,000 associates already are drawing lines in the sand with each other over bragging rights.

"This game, between these two teams at this facility, has been talked about for 17 years. If the five months since the announcement are any indication, the talk is not going to stop until September 2016 and we are thrilled to be a part of it."

The agreement between BMS and Food City fills one of the three major sponsorship opportunities for the game expected to set the all-time NCAA College Football attendance record. One other presenting sponsorship and the title sponsorship to the matchup expected to draw more than 150,000 fans, are in negotiations.

Just last month officials unveiled a five-year agreement taking Food City's sponsorship of Bristol races beyond the 25-year mark

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/bristol-food-city-expand-relationship/


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## Ckg2011

*RAB Racing Adds Nationwide Sponsor​*
RAB Racing and olloclip have formed a new partnership for the March 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Based in nearby Huntington Beach, Calif., olloclip offers innovative and easy-to-use mobile photography accessories for smartphones and mobile devices that make capturing life experiences more spontaneous, creative and fun.

The relationship between RAB Racing and olloclip was the result of a trial utilizing the olloclip 4-in-1 lens in the rigorous and demanding field of NASCAR. The results and quality of the content produced by simply utilizing the olloclip was a surprise for RAB Racing. The positive results of the trial introduced a new and unique partnership between RAB Racing and olloclip.

"The partnership with RAB Racing helps us gain greater brand visibility in the race car community - and allows us to showcase all the creative ways that racing enthusiasts can take their photography and videography further by adding an olloclip photo lens to their mobile device," said Patrick O'Neill, CEO and founder of olloclip. "We're also excited about the fantastic content the RAB Racing team will be creating with olloclip products - and look forward to sharing it with our growing community of fans worldwide."

The flagship product, the olloclip 4-in-1 photo lens, is a unique quick-connect solution for mobile devices. It features (4) lenses - fisheye, wide-angle, 10x macro and 15x macro - in one small, convenient package that fits easily in a pocket and in the palm of the hand. The olloclip connects in seconds, allowing the user to instantly and easily capture photographic images and use various photographic effects.

Created by Patrick O'Neill, the olloclip has attracted a legion of passionate users in less than two years, not to mention distribution through retail stores in the U.S. and internationally and through leading online retailers.

"Being able to partner with a new and innovative company such as olloclip is a great opportunity to not only bring a new brand into our sport, but show how NASCAR partnerships can boost sales and awareness," said car owner Robby Benton. "We look forward to representing the olloclip brand as we head back to the west coast for the event at California Speedway. Expect to see plenty of examples of what their products are capable of through all of the RAB Racing social media. We as a race team, have been impressed with the results and how many different options there are to produce content with such a compact and innovative accessory."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/rab-racing-adds-nationwide-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*NTS Motorsports Adds Chase Pistone​*
NTS Motorsports has signed Chase Pistone to compete in 14 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season in the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado.

Pistone is set to make his debut for NTS Motorsports in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on March 29. Pistone, the grandson of retired NASCAR racer "Tiger" Tom Pistone, will be testing with his No. 9 NTS Motorsports team on March 18-19 at the half-mile along with NTS teammate Gray Gaulding.

Pistone's schedule will go on to include NASCAR's return to Gateway Motorsports Park, Kentucky Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Pocono Raceway and the remainder of the 2014 NCWTS season with the exceptions of Eldora Speedway, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team will be lead by crew chief Gere Kennon.

Pistone grew up around racing the INEX Legend Cars and then late models around the Carolina's moved into what is now known as the CARS Pro Cup Series. Pistone has one career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start, which came at Martinsville in 2005. He also has one career start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2006. He also operates his own driver development organization, known as Chase Pistone Inc.

"It's pretty incredible how the circle of life is," said Pistone. "I have known Gray (Gaulding) and his father Dwayne for several years. Gray drove legend cars out of my stable and was always one to keep your eye one. I can't thank Dwayne, Bob Newberry, and all the guys at NTS for giving me this opportunity. The equipment and preparation that goes into each race vehicle at NTS is unbelievable, I can't wait to get back in the seat and learn from these guys."

"Signing Chase Pistone to drive at NTS is a momentum mover. Dwayne Gaulding, Gere Kennon, Jeff Hensley, Doug Howe and all the guys inside the shop have really turned NTS Motorsports around in 2014. They are building some of the nicest trucks in the NCWTS garage area and now to have Chase racing in 14 races this year gives them a driver with nearly a full time schedule," said Bob Newberry, owner of NTS Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/nts-motorsports-adds-chase-pistone/


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Rings Victory Bell At The #48 #88 Shop​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS, celebrated his Daytona 500 win with his Hendrick Motorsports family on Monday. Earnhardt and his teammates rang the Victory Bell in honor of the season-opening win.











































*Source:*
http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/...brates-Daytona-500-win-with-Victory-Bell/all#


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR penalized James Buscher's crew chief for an infraction during last weeknd's race at Bristol. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*NASCAR Penalizes Nationwide Team​*
NASCAR announced that it has fined crew chief Chris Rice $10,000 and placed him on probation until Dec. 31 for improperly attached weight on James Buescher's car.

The violation was discovered during last weekend's NASCAR Nationwide race at Bristol Motor Speedway when the weight fell out of Buescher's car. Buescher finished 13th.

NASCAR also placed the the team's car chief John Guerra on probation until Dec. 31. NASCAR classified the infraction as a P3 penalty.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SCAR-Fines-Crew-Chief-for-James-Buescher.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards celebrates with car owner Jack Roush after winning at Bristol last weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Notebook: Roush Resurgence?​*
Car owner Jack Roush concedes that it's "been a very long winter'' at Roush Fenway Racing.

Although the organization won three races last season, it failed to win on a 1.5-mile speedway - typically where Roush cars often are strong - and had its highest-finishing driver place ninth in the points. That led to an in-depth look in the off-season at how to improve.

"We took an evaluation, took stock of who we had - the talent and the experience - and decided we had people with the right stuff that were motivated and committed, so we stayed the course with the folks that we had even though we didn't win a championship last year,'' Roush said. "We stayed the course and added to the staffing level and were able to do some things that I wouldn't care to talk about.''

Carl Edwards gave Roush and the organization something to celebrate with his victory Sunday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, but questions remain as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Auto Club Speedway this weekend.

Roush cars have not been as strong on big tracks since Greg Biffle won at Michigan last June.

"We basically changed everything (in the off-season) and worked really hard, and that's what was so scary about struggling at Vegas because it was like, 'Hey, this is the problem we've been addressing,' '' Edwards said, referring to the Las Vegas race two weeks ago where he finished fifth but Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished outside the top 20.

"We just kind of lost the balance there, and I think we need to understand that, so there's a big glimmer of hope and some evidence that we can do it, we just have to understand a couple of things the car is doing a little bit better."

Will that transfer to this weekend's race at Auto Club Speedway, which is a two-mile oval?

"We are looking at California as a place to try some different things and hopefully tell us how we're going to perform at these big racetracks," Edwards said.

*HUSTLING*

Kyle Larson admits he was like some fans who watch NASCAR Sprint Cup racing and thought "they just ride around until the last hundred laps or whatever.''

The rookie knows better now.

"My first race at Charlotte last year in the Cup Series, I realized there's not as much give‑and‑take as I thought,'' he said. "It's all racing really hard the whole time, and it's a lot of fun.''

Larson heads to Auto Club Speedway after a career-best 10th-place finish last weekend at Bristol.

*FAST START*

Jeff Gordon finished seventh at Bristol on Sunday, giving him top-10 finishes in each of the first four races of the season. Gordon had never started the year with such a streak until this year.

*NEW STRATEGY*

Qualifying will have a different look at Auto Club Speedway. Drivers and crew chiefs note that there's a significant drop in speed the more the tires are run. Teams only will want to do one run per round to save the tires. The last couple of weeks, speeds improved the more tires ran so teams were willing to make multiple attempts in qualifying.

*PIT STOPS*

Aric Almirola scored a career-high third-place finish at Bristol last weekend. His previous career high was a fourth at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2010. ... Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of 5.7 in 19 career starts at Auto Club Speedway. ... Defending race winner Kyle Busch has finished in the top three in each of the past three races at the track and led 67 percent of the laps run in those races. ... Auto Club Speedway is the only Cup track Brad Keselowski has yet to record a top-10 finish. His best finish there is 18th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tebook-Auto-Club-Provides-Test-for-Roush.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rhodes Ready For Rebound In Greenville​*
Change is good.

That's the belief of Ben Rhodes as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East makes its 12th visit to Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Saturday for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150.

"I think adding the break and giving us four tires will make a huge difference over what we saw last September," said Rhodes.

After several drivers opted to employ a tire-saving strategy in the last series race at the South Carolina half-mile oval, NASCAR decided to add a halfway break and allow the teams four additional tires to use during the event.

"Adding the break and giving us some tires is huge," said the driver of the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet. "It changes the whole deal. Four fresh tires for the second half will make it pretty interesting."

After a disappointing day at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on March 15, Rhodes is ready to get back on the horse.

"It's just too bad we couldn't get the win (at Bristol), but we'll head to Greenville and try to get a win there," said the 17-year-old from Louisville, Ky.

Rhodes led 130 of 132 laps after starting on the pole for the second consecutive race at Bristol, but the two he didn't lead were the last two. Race winner Eddie MacDonald made contact with Rhodes in the closing laps which left the youngster with some damage to his car.

"The damage made my car too tight for the green-white checkered so I had to choose the outside for the restart" Rhodes stated. "At that point there was nothing I could do and I was a sitting duck. I got shoved up out of the groove and was just trying to hang on for a solid points day.

"It was very frustrating. I really wanted to win this for my team. They did a great job giving me a car that was fast all weekend," he continued.

In his only series start in Greenville last September, Rhodes started 19th and finished sixth.

"It's kind of a tricky place, but we did some testing there and think we found a few things and I'm looking forward to see how they work out," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/rhodes-ready-for-rebound-in-greenville/


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## Ckg2011

*Kwikset Backing Newman In Kansas​*
Kwikset, a leading brand of the Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) division of Spectrum Brands Holdings, will sponsor Richard Childress Racing and driver Ryan Newman during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway in May.

The brand will also be an associate sponsor of Newman and the No. 31 team for the remainder of the 2014 season.

"Kwikset is continuously investing in ways to connect with current and potential customers, and our ongoing partnership with RCR has been a valuable way to engage with this core audience in their daily lives," said Greg Gluchowski, president, HHI. "Our partnership with RCR and Ryan Newman gives us the opportunity to showcase our passion for safety and innovation and connect with the massive NASCAR audience this season."

Kwikset had a similar partnership with RCR in 2013 when they sponsored Jeff Burton at Daytona Int'l Speedway. This is the first year Kwikset will work with Newman, who is one of the sport's top veterans.

"We view Kwikset as a great partner and we look forward to working with them to help spread their safety and innovation message," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "Kwikset has shown they are strongly committed to NASCAR and we're thrilled we are teaming up with them again this season."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kwikset-backing-newman-in-kansas/


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## Ckg2011

*Four Races For Dollar General On No. 51​*
Dollar General will be the primary sponsor of the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for four races this season.

Owner-driver Kyle Busch will be behind the wheel for three of the events with Erik Jones driving the fourth. Dollar General will sponsor the No. 51 Toyota Tundra at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. with Kyle Busch and in the Nov. 7 race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Int'l Raceway with Erik Jones.

The reigning Truck Series Owner's champions are the defending race winners in three of the four races of these races with Kyle Busch scoring the victory in last year's race at Bristol in August and Chicagoland in September. Jones became the youngest winner in Truck Series history when he drove to victory in November at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

Busch ranks second in Truck Series history with 36 victories, including the 2014 season opener at Daytona (Fla.) Int' Speedway, and has finished first or second in 50 percent of his 116 career starts.

Jones, who debuted in the Truck Series last March, has finished inside the top 10 in all five of his career starts, including the historic win at Phoenix and a runner-up finish at Iowa Speedway in Newton last July.

Since 2010, KBM has compiled six wins and 15 top-five finishes across 28 races with Dollar General as the primary sponsor.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...rucks/four-races-for-dollar-general-on-no-51/


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## Ckg2011

Ckg2011 said:


> *Dale Earnhardt Jr Rings Victory Bell At The #48 #88 Shop​*
> Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS, celebrated his Daytona 500 win with his Hendrick Motorsports family on Monday. Earnhardt and his teammates rang the Victory Bell in honor of the season-opening win.
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> *Source:*
> http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/...brates-Daytona-500-win-with-Victory-Bell/all#


 *Update: Here Is A Video of Team #88 & The Bell​*


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Bristol Edition​*


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## Ckg2011

*Growing Pains: Kyle Larson Admits Sprint Cup Transition Tough​*
*K*yle Larson's first four races as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver have produced mixed results.

From a miserable Daytona 500 to a career-best 10th-place finish in last Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Larson is experiencing the familiar growing pains associated with being a rookie.
Not surprisingly, the 21-year-old California native has mixed feelings on what has been a challenging start to Year One in NASCAR's top series.

"We've had really fast cars all year long," said Larson, an Asian-American and graduate of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. "Just haven't really caught the right breaks to get those top 10s. I feel at Phoenix and Vegas both we had top-10 cars. I got stuck a lap down there from mistakes.

"I think with the good finish at Bristol, it's really going to hopefully turn things around, hopefully bring a lot of consistency."

Larson, tabbed by team owner Chip Ganassi to replace veteran Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet this season, began his rookie campaign on a rough note in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. After hitting the wall in the opening laps and then running off track 20 laps later, Larson saw his night ultimately end in a crash triggered by contact with fellow rookie Austin Dillon with less than 40 laps remaining in the sport's biggest race.








Larson's bad luck continued the next weekend with a costly slow pit stop in the middle of a green-flag run at Phoenix, and the youngster was hit with a pit-road speeding penalty at Las Vegas in Week Three.

But last Sunday at Bristol, Larson steered clear of trouble all around to finally record the kind of finish he believes his team has been capable of earning all season.

"Bristol was the first week of the season that was mistake-free and drama-free, I guess, we didn't have anything happen to us," said Larson, who had finished 38th, 20th, and 19th, respectively in the season's first three races. "Hopefully, we'll have more and more of those.

"After the first three weeks I realized to even get a top 15, you have to be almost perfect or have a perfect race. It's tough to come back from mistakes in this series. I learned that really quick."

Despite making his Sprint Cup debut last season with four starts late in the year, Larson concedes the transition from full-time Nationwide Series competition to full-time Sprint Cup status has been trying.

"There's a lot of adjustments," he said. "Maybe the one that stands out is trying to get your feedback right to your crew chief from Happy Hour to the race. That's something we've struggled with at Phoenix and Vegas both, were making the right adjustments on the car to start out the race good. We got behind a little bit in the beginning of both races, and it's hard to come back from those.

"Communicating well with your crew chief, even though I ran those Cup races last year, these really are the first four races I've got to work with Chris Heroy. I did some testing with him last year, but it's totally different than putting yourself in situations in races and stuff. The communication part has been a big adjustment."

Larson, however, is confident that he and his team are on the right path heading into Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway in his home state of California.

"I want to be fast each week," said Larson, a native of Elk Grove, Calif. "I feel like we have been fast each week. I felt, like, as far as the speed of the cars, where they're at, I feel like our goals are close to being met, just our finishes haven't met our expectations. But, yeah, I think as far as how the cars have been, our goals have been met there."

Of course, other than winning a race and making the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Larson's chief goal for 2014 is beating Dillon -- a former Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series champion -- for top rookie honors.

"Obviously, Austin is the favorite, I would say, for winning that (rookie) title," Larson said. "I definitely pay attention to where he's at on the speed charts or in the running motor, wherever, during the race. I don't know if he does the same with me or not.

"€œI think it's fun. I had a lot of fun racing at the end of the Bristol race on Sunday. He was quite a bit faster than I was. I was driving as hard as I could, as hard as I did the whole race, to try to stay in front of him. We ran clean and hard.

"I'm sure we're going to have a lot of good races this year with Austin. I hope it's a nice, tight battle to the end. It would mean a lot if I could win that Rookie of the Year award."

*Source"*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ansition-to-sprint-cup-series-is-tough-031814


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## Ckg2011

*JGR On A Roll at Auto Club​*
There appears to be no stopping Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide Series run at Auto Club Speedway.

The team is chasing a staggering 10th consecutive win at the track in Sunday's TreatMyClot.com 300.

Tony Stewart started JGR's dominance with a Nationwide win back in 2008. Kyle Busch has won six of the last eight races with Joey Logano taking the other two.

Busch, who comes into the weekend fresh off his Nationwide win last Saturday in Bristol when he held off Kyle Larson for the second straight year, has always considered the two-mile track one of his favorites.

"It's a really fun racetrack," said Busch, who first scored a Sprint Cup Series win at the track in 2005. "It's widened out and it's become where you can race all over it and, with the race being as long as it is, you need to take a lot of time working through traffic and being able to have a good car and all that."

That's not to say Busch doesn't find challenges racing at ACS. The track's worn out surface and weather conditions are just a couple of elements drivers will tackle this weekend.

"But sometimes it's really a hard racetrack to get ahold of, now, especially when it's hot and the sun is out," he said. "There are two completely different types of racing when you run the top versus the bottom groove. You can run from the top to the bottom, but when you run the bottom, you really feel like you're puttering around the racetrack. You feel like you aren't making up any time on the bottom.

"But when you are running the top groove, you feel like you're getting the job done. The guys who run the bottom have a little bit more patience and handle it better than the guys who are on the gas on top."

Busch, the defending race winner who swept both Nationwide and Sprint Cup ACS races last year, will have a pair of JGR teammates with him Saturday looking to help keep the organization's ACS success alive in Matt Kenseth and Elliott Sadler.

Sadler is fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings but there are four drivers ahead of him looking to derail the JGR express this weekend including Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon, Trevor Bayne and series point leader Regan Smith. He brings a one-point advantage over Bayne into the season's fifth race.

"It's been a solid start to the season with our No. 7 team," Smith said. "With the competitive nature of this bunch and the entire JRM organization, you're always looking for improvement. You have to be. So that has been a lot of our focus through these first four weeks.

"We have a lot of talent on this team, but the fact remains this is still a new team and we're still all learning each other. The good thing is we aren't lacking in effort or focus. We are unloading better and better each week. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do with our Best Foods Chevy in Fontana."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/03/JGR-on-Auto-Club-Roll.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Has Unfinished Business​*
The scars from Denny Hamlin's crash last year at Auto Club Speedway run deepest in his spirit, not his body.

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the Southern California track, so do the memories of Hamlin's last-lap battle with Joey Logano for the win and the ensuing crash that injured Hamlin and ruined his season a year ago.

"My engineer always asks me to send him three tracks that I would most like to win and maybe they'll spend a little bit more extra effort on that particular race track,'' Hamlin said. "For me, California is No. 1 simply because we never made it to the finish last year.''

Hamlin and Logano dueled side-by-side on the wide 2-mile track on the final lap last year. They touched exiting Turn 2. Hamlin nosed ahead. Logano surged. Back and forth they went as they ran into Turn 3.

"I remember going down the back straightaway watching Denny and Joey, and then Kyle coming,'' said Carl Edwards, who finished fourth in that race. "I was racing with Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. and I had to tell myself, 'Focus on your race here.' It was so entertaining.''

Hamlin and Logano hit again in Turn 4. Kyle Busch slipped by both to take the lead. Logano skated up the track and hit the wall. Hamlin's car slid and came down the banking before it slammed the inside wall head-on. Hamlin went to a local hospital. He suffered an L1 compression fracture in the impact.

The injury forced him to miss four races. He started at Talladega Superspeedway and ran 23 laps before giving away to relief driver Brian Vickers.

Missing those races and the subsequent struggles Hamlin and his team had the rest of the season caused him to miss the Chase for the first time in his Cup career.

Hamlin said in the offseason that he couldn't wait for this season to begin so he could put last year behind him. But this week provides another moment where the past will be revisited.

The incident at Auto Club Speedway happened a week after Hamlin and Logano tangled at Bristol. Logano went to Hamlin's car after that race. Logano later called Hamlin "the worst teammate I ever had.''

A year later, the emotions vary between the drivers. Logano says he considers his relationship with Hamlin "fine,'' noting how they shot a Coca-Cola Family commercial in the offseason together. Logano said they "sat in a van for about three hours, so I felt like by the end of it we all got along well.

"A year is a long time. It's over now. You're supposed to forgive and forget and that goes both ways, so we both knew what we had to do and I feel like we've moved on and we're going from there."

Hamlin is trying, but it's not easy.

"You can hold grudges all you want, but it's not going to make you any faster and it' s not going to get you any closer to a championship,'' he said.

Then a few minutes later, his attitude on the matter changes when asked about awkward moments with Logano.

"If they speak, what do you say?'' Hamlin said. "How can you express how upset you are with someone without punching them? I don't know how you do that. You just don't say anything.''

And instead focus on the weekend.

"I'll go there extra focused,'' Hamlin said. "I always put in 100 percent every weekend. There's little things that you can do as a driver, put in that extra 20-30 minutes of time debriefing and looking over tape and statistics and doing everything you can to do the best job possible.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Returns-to-Auto-Club-Speedway-Motivated.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Is Learning The Ropes​*
California native Kyle Larson is heading home.

The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be making his first start in the series in his home state in Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway.

Larson finished a career best in the most recent event at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

"It's definitely a good feeling going into the California, my home state, with a good finish at Bristol," said the driver of Chip Ganassi's No. 42. "We've had really fast cars all year long. We just haven't really caught the right breaks to get those top 10s. I feel at Phoenix and Vegas both we had top-10 cars. I got stuck a lap down there from mistakes.

"I think with the good finish at Bristol, it's really going to hopefully turn things around, hopefully bring a lot of consistency."

With one full season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series behind him, Larson has found a lot to adjust to in the Sprint Cup Series.

"There are a lot of adjustments. Maybe the one that stands out is trying to get your feedback right to your crew chief from happy hour (practice) to the race," Larson explained. "That's something we've struggled with at Phoenix and Vegas both, making the right adjustments on the car to start out the race good. We got behind a little bit in the beginning of both races and it's hard to come back from those.

"Communicating well with your crew chief, even though I ran those Cup races last year, these really are the first four races I've got to work with Chris Heroy," Larson continued. "I did some testing with him last year, but it's totally different than putting yourself in situations in races and stuff. The communication part has been a big adjustment."

Larson is continuing to race in the Nationwide Series this year and he says the extra track time is helping his performance.

"I think it helps a little bit just knowing how the track might change throughout a race," he explained. "I really think it helps for my Nationwide race running the Cup stuff. Now when I get in the Nationwide car, it feels slow. Things happen slower. I have more confidence in that. That's why I've been running really well in that car so far, too. I think it helps the Cup Series a little bit, but I think it helps the Nationwide Series a whole bunch."

The open-wheel racing graduate acknowledges he needs the extra track time.
"Chip Ganassi really wanted me to do double duty," Larson said. "I think I read a stat somewhere before the year, I've only ran 40 something stock car races in my career. I'm getting double the amount of experience in stock cars this year running both. I think it's a good thing. I think it's good for Turner Scott Motorsports to have me still over there racing."

Larson says Sprint Cup racing is more aggressive than he anticipated.
"The whole field is really aggressive in the Cup Series. The pace throughout the field is a lot quicker. It's more aggressive," he explained. "Nationwide, you get up to the top three or four, that's really when the pace quickens. But in Cup, everybody is so even, it's tough to get an edge on somebody. It's just extremely tough."

Larson is battling Austin Dillon for rookie-of-the-year honors.

"I had a lot of fun racing at the end of the Bristol race on Sunday," Larson said. "He (Dillon) was quite a bit faster than I was. I was driving as hard as I could, as hard as I did the whole race, to try to stay in front of him. We ran clean and hard.

"I'm sure we're going to have a lot of good races this year with Austin. I hope it's a nice, tight battle to the end," Larson added. "It would mean a lot if I could win that rookie-of-the-year award. Like I said, I only had 40 something stock car races in my career before I got to the Cup Series. I think it would mean a lot if I could beat guys that have a lot more experience in stock cars.

"Austin has won Nationwide rookie of the year, Truck yookie of the year and championships in both series. So if I could stop him this year and win that rookie of the year, it would be really special."

Larson is confident in the talent racing in the Sprint Cup Series.

"I think the biggest change between everything versus Cup is just the competition level. You've grown up racing winged sprint cars, I used to think the best drivers in the world were in the World of Outlaws Series," he said. "I still think they are very good, but the depth of the really good drivers in the Cup Series is really amazing. "That's what makes it really tough is there are 25 to 30 drivers out there each week that are extremely good and fast. You go to the World of Outlaws race, there might be seven or eight guys you have to beat."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/larson-is-learning-the-ropes/


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## Ckg2011

*In The Pits: NASCAR Needs To Revamp Schedule​*
Of the many things NASCAR can't control, the weather is at the top of the list.

What NASCAR can control is the schedule. After rain delayed a second Sprint Cup race in this four-week-old season, it's time to consider some tweaks.

The Daytona 500 will always be the season-opening race, and nobody is suggesting that should change. But a rain delay of nearly six hours last month pushed the bulk of the race into prime time for the second time in three years.

There's something electric about running NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl under the lights, and the race pace showed the drivers felt it, too.

So just go ahead and make the Daytona 500 a night race. It may still rain on race day, but Fox won't be forced to fill hours of programming waiting for it to clear.

NASCAR then headed west to Phoenix, extended the swing a week with a stop in Las Vegas, then headed back home. Next up on the schedule was Sunday's stop at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, once one of the most coveted tickets in NASCAR.

The track has been one of the hardest hit since the 2008 economic downturn. A streak of 55 consecutive sellouts was snapped in 2010 and attendance for the spring race has dwindled every year. Some fans blamed a 2007 track reconfiguration for ruining the racing, and there were complaints about high hotel rates.

Both reasons are valid and true. But overlooked is that Bristol's first race of the season has slowly inched up the NASCAR calendar since 2005, when it went from the sixth race of the season to the fifth stop on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.

View galleryIn The Pits: NASCAR needs to revamp schedule
Crew members cover the cars during a weather delay at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Bris &#8230;
That was OK in 2005, when NASCAR had an early off weekend and Bristol's race date was April 3. But the next year, it was moved to March and by 2011 it was the fourth race of the season.

It's meant a race date of mid- to late March, and Sunday's running was the earliest on the calendar Bristol has hosted a race since 2008. Only two were run earlier - in 1976 and 1982, when the race was held on March 14.

Track officials were not surprised when the weather fluctuated wildly all last week, hitting the mid-70s early in the week before plummeting into the 40s when NASCAR rolled into town. The forecast for Sunday's race called for 100 percent chance of rain - and the two delays added up to more than five hours, with the race finishing deep into the night, under the lights.

Bristol general manager Jerry Caldwell believes he's got a valid argument to get a different race date.

''I think the right place for us is mid- to late April, given the weather conditions around here,'' Caldwell said Monday.

Caldwell readily admits the end result was one of the most stirring spring races the track has ever hosted, one that could make a compelling argument for Bristol to hold all its Cup events at night.

But that wouldn't work with Bristol's current race date.

''The thing that people want to look at is the average temperature at the time of the green flag. OK, it might be nice at the time the race starts,'' Caldwell said. ''I encourage people to look at the nighttime temperature. You look at our fans, more than half come from the Northeast and the Midwest and a lot of them are camping either because of the lack of hotel space or because of the camaraderie. You look at the nighttime temperatures we have in March, and we are just losing so much because it is not appealing to be here and be outside.

View galleryIn The Pits: NASCAR needs to revamp schedule
Crew members cover the cars during a weather delay during the NASCAR Sprint Cup series auto race at &#8230;
''It's not about rain. You can have rain anywhere. It's about the cold at night here.''

It was cold Sunday and only a few thousand die-hards stuck it out to the finish. They were treated to a tremendous race, but one that ended under strange circumstances when the caution lights mysteriously triggered right before Carl Edwards took the white flag.

NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton later said the lights were erroneously triggered when someone - either one of two officials or a photographer - leaned on the switch.

''As the day went on, and the different scenarios of getting up and down, and they were probably pretty cold standing up there all day long, they had bundles of clothes on, so I can only sympathize with the conditions that they were trying to deal with,'' Pemberton said.

NASCAR's official process for changing race dates is through realignment, which would mean Bristol and its Speedway Motorsports Inc. ownership group would be responsible for working out a change with another venue.

''There are so many different dominoes that have to play out,'' Caldwell said. ''And NASCAR has at times pushed back and told us to work it out with Speedway Motorsports and see if there's someone to trade with. They are in challenging spot trying to please everyone.''

Indeed, lots of tracks want April race dates because the weather is generally nice. So NASCAR has a tough time juggling all the requests.

But Bristol doesn't have much to work with in terms of making a swap. There's only one SMI-owned track, Texas Motor Speedway, scheduled to host a race in April. Texas faces the same weather issues as Bristol so a swap is not possible. But Caldwell would be willing to consider racing on the open Easter weekend if it got Bristol into April, and he'd be willing to consider racing at night after the success this past weekend.

But those aren't the kind of decisions and deals that the tracks should be figuring out on their own.

NASCAR has thrown tradition out the window on the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format and on qualifying. The champion will now be decided on a never-before-used system of the first driver across the finish line in the finale.

If everything about the actual on-track product is up for review and radical change, why is the schedule itself so sacred? Why is NASCAR reluctant to revamp the schedule, change it up a little, offer some variety to the 10 Chase tracks and reward places such as Las Vegas that draw consistently well to its one race per year?

Instead, NASCAR sister company International Speedway Corp. has the season opener, the season finale, six of 10 Chase races and the cutoff race to make the Chase field.

There are solutions for Bristol, but it would require NASCAR to play the heavy. Homestead could be the fourth race of the season. The southern Florida track certainly has the weather to host in March. But that would mean someone else would have to get the finale, and since ISC won't spend the money to upgrade Phoenix and Las Vegas, an SMI-owned track, wouldn't be seriously considered, there's no clear host for a late November spectacular.

Or, NASCAR could add a few more off weekends to the schedule and try some weeknight races. Instead of Easter weekend, maybe Bristol hosts a race on a weeknight before Easter Sunday. Or on a weeknight after the series stops at Martinsville, Va., or between Darlington and Richmond.

It can be figured out by NASCAR, and politics shouldn't be part of the scheduling decisions.

It should be about what's best for the racing, what's best for the fans, and where the weather would be least likely to ruin the show.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pits-nascar-needs-revamp-schedule-214959030--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Miss Sprint CUP Hanging Up Her Fire Suit​*
*I*n just her second season as a member of the Miss Sprint Cup squad, Brooke Werner is hanging up her form-fitting fire suit. Werner made the following announcement Wednesday via Facebook:

"Hey fans, difficult decisions are always tough to communicate to people you love so much... like you guys. I recently made the hard decision to resign as Miss Sprint Cup for personal reasons (all good!) and hang up my firesuit. It's been one of the greatest times of my life and I have you all to thank for that. I'll miss you all very much but I know that you'll all be excited to meet the new Miss Sprint Cup soon!"

So - as we wait to see who'll be replacing Ms. Werner - enjoy this photo gallery of her in action. And while you do, it's perfectly fine to silently hum Sarah McLachlan's 'I Will Remember You'. We won't judge.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...g-up-her-firesuit-and-calling-it-quits-031914


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## Ckg2011

*Kasey Kahne Thinks Dale Jr. Should 'Mind His Own (Expletive) Business'​*
*B*ristol Motor Speedway brings out the best in drivers, as tempers usually flare in the confines of 'The World's Fastest Half-Mile.' It was no different on Sunday ... even between teammates.








Dale Earnhardt Jr. had some questions about Kasey Kahne. Kahne, however, had a suggestion for Junior. And Kevin Harvick wanted someone to remind the No. 10 what (expletive) team she's on.

All of this - and more - in this week's edition of NASCAR Race Hub's "Radioactive."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...should-mind-his-own-expletive-business-031914


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## Ckg2011

*Grey Gaulding​*
*Two Drivers Make First Laps At Martinsville​*
Two drivers who had never turned a lap at Martinsville Speedway felt a lot better when they left the difficult half-mile oval Wednesday afternoon.

"Zero. Absolutely zero," is how rookie driver Grey Gaulding described his Martinsville experience before a half-day test session.

The 16-year-old Gaulding will be making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut March 29. He was joined Wednesday by several other truck series drivers and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors Michael Annett and A.J. Allmendinger.

Even though Annett has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for a couple of years, the STP 500 on March 30 will mark his first Martinsville start.

"It's definitely a tough track, a very, very technical track," said Annett, who drives one of two Sprint Cup entries for Tommy Baldwin Racing. "It's so small, but there are lots of opportunities to make mistakes and one little mistake kills your whole lap. Actually it can kill more than one lap because it's a momentum place and you try to get in the groove."

When Gaulding takes the track for the Kroger 250, he will be the youngest driver to make a start in the series. But he has a seasoned veteran, Jeff Hensley, as crew chief, and that is a great equalizer the young driver said after testing.

"From the first run to the last run, I learned a ton," said Gaulding. "I think we were the quickest out of the few trucks that were here today and that's pretty cool. But it's just good to learn and get laps in. Laps are so important. Jeff Hensley has a lot of laps here and he's been able to teach me a lot today."
Both drivers felt much better about coming back to Martinsville in 10 days after Wednesday's experience.

"I definitely feel more comfortable," said Annett. "As technical and difficult as this track is, and when you only have an hour and a half before qualifying today is a real plus."

Gaulding was a bit more exuberant.

"Man, I just can't wait to come back. I'm stoked," he said.

Gaulding will be back at Martinsville Speedway Thursday for another day of testing along with several other truck series drivers including series point leader Timothy Peters, German Quiroga, Chase Pistone, John Wes Townley and Brian Silas.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../two-drivers-make-first-laps-at-martinsville/


----------



## Ckg2011

*EcoPower Backs Roush Fenway Racing​*
Safety-Kleen and its premium refined motor oil brand, EcoPower, have signed a team-wide sponsorship agreement with Roush Fenway Racing.

While EcoPower will be the official oil partner for Roush Fenway Racing, it will also be the primary sponsor for multiple races on the No. 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

"We are pleased to have EcoPower on board as our official oil partner," said team owner Jack Roush. "The partnership reflects Roush Fenway's commitment to both sustainability and using highest quality products. EcoPower protects engines and protects the environment.

"We have had great success in our race cars with re-refined oil and we look forward to continuing that success with EcoPower, while promoting environmental responsibility throughout this season and into the future."

"The environmental benefits of re-refined oils have been rigorously evaluated and proven," said Curt Knapp, Safety-Kleen executive vice president, marketing and oil re-refining sales. "Fleet operators and consumers want to be absolutely confident that the oil will protect their valuable investment. We can't think of a stronger, more authentic endorsement for EcoPower than Jack Roush using it in his race cars to achieve peak protection and performance."

EcoPower re-refined oil helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent. And it requires up to 85 percent less energy to produce than oil made from virgin crude, because it has already been refined.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/ecopower-backs-roush-fenway-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Sprint Cup Drivers In Nationwide​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Should NASCAR limit Sprint Cup drivers from participating in the Nationwide Series?*

*Answers:*

*Pete Pistone*

_There was a time when I thought so, but I've changed my stance. The short answer is no and here's why.

NASCAR has never designated the Nationwide Series as a developmental series. Teams have used it that way. Many drivers have cut their teeth in the division and moved to Cup. Even NASCAR itself touts it as a "proving ground." But the fact is the Nationwide Series, since its inception as the Busch Series in 1982 and even before that when it was known as the Late Model Sportsman Series, is simply a division NASCAR sanctions with a specific car, engine and set of rules. Any driver fitting the series' parameters should be allowed to compete.

Some fans don't want to hear it but limitations NASCAR puts on series participation have the potential for dire results. Sponsors would walk away without being able to sponsor name drivers. Organizations would go out of business without having the funding to compete. And the caliber of competition would drop dramatically.

One guy is dominating the series now in Kyle Busch - which is why I believe this topic of conversation is going strong. Mark Martin used to do the same thing back in the 1990s when he raced for Jack Roush in the potent Winn-Dixie Ford. Cup drivers have always raced in Nationwide and fans seemed to love it. The outcry now is more anti-Kyle than it is anything in my opinion.

The Series is the second most popular form of racing in the country behind Sprint Cup. NASCAR should leave things alone._

*Dustin Long*

_NASCAR needs to decide what it wants the Nationwide Series to be. If it wants it to be a developmental series, then limits should be placed on Sprint Cup drivers racing in that series. If NASCAR wants the series to be a mix, then Cup drivers should be able to compete as much as they want.

The key issue is if teams will be able to sell sponsors on lesser-name drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said that he'd like to develop talent with his JR Motorsports team, but there is a reason he runs a few races and why Kevin Harvick will run some races in those cars - because a sponsor wants those drivers. Most don't want some youngster. Chase Elliott is driving for Earnhardt's team this year but it also helps that there's a sponsor with Elliott. Without that sponsorship, Elliott likely wouldn't be running a full season or even in that car.

Brad Keselowski has said that he'd be for NASCAR allowing Cup drivers to run as much as they wanted in the Nationwide Series but those drivers couldn't race for a team with Cup backing. Maybe that's a solution_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Go-Should-Cup-Drivers-Run-in-Nationwide.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A New Direction for Efland​*
His search for money was endless and often fruitless, but that wasn't the most difficult part. It was those dawn-to-dusk days when he prepared the racecar - often with only volunteer help - loaded it and drove it to another time zone just to get to the track.

The end of those weary trips, though, were the best parts. That's when he'd get to drive the car. His quest was clear. He'd put it on business cards years earlier. "Past, Present & Future Champion" they read.

For nearly 15 years, he says, "nothing else was as important in the world as racing.''

It's what pushed him even when his first ride in the NASCAR Nationwide Series was a start-and-park opportunity. And his second. That's OK. He was 18 years old and one step away from his goal of racing in the Sprint Cup Series.

There were more early exits, but there were races he'd run to the checkered flag. He twice finished 13th in Nationwide races at Daytona International Speedway and scored top-20 rides in cars he prepared with minimal help.

His hope was that the longer he raced, the better his chances of getting a break. He saw it happen to others. Maybe he'd be next.

The break never came.

When this season started, he no longer was driving. He's now a team engineer.

At 25 years old, he is nearly too old for owners smitten with a crop of peach fuzzed drivers seemingly headed for stardom. He's not the first to leave the car for a spot on pit road and he won't be the last. As others have shown, when a driving career ends, success can be found elsewhere.

Yet, he hasn't given up on his dream of racing.

His father says he'd love to his son race again, but concedes "I don't know if he ever will.''

*FACE IN THE CROWD*

Maybe you've heard the name Danny Efland. Maybe not. If you have, you might not remember why. He rarely was in the spotlight in Nationwide races, but that doesn't mean he was trying any less than Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick or Brad Keselowski. It's just that you probably didn't see Efland on TV or notice him on the track.

He ran 63 Nationwide races over six seasons and 10 Camping World Truck Series races and never scored a top-10 finish. A lot of talented drivers never climb as high as the Irmo, S.C, native reached, but he didn't grow up dreaming of being just a Nationwide driver.

The son of a racer, Efland was prepared to drive for another underfunded team this year. Then he was approached about a job as an engineer for the No. 33 Nationwide team at Richard Childress Racing. His civil engineering degree from the University of South Carolina was meant only as a backup to his racing career, something he hoped he would not have to rely on for years.

That he didn't immediately discount the engineering job was evidence of how years of struggle had worn Efland.

"I want to better myself, and I got to a point where I wasn't bettering myself,'' he said of his driving career. "I felt like I got to a point where my learning curve had plateaued as a racecar driver, as a racer, as a crew chief, as all the positions I have filled through my career in racing.''

It's hard to get better when the focus is on just making it to the next race.

Even so, there remained a part of Efland not ready to give up on a his driving career. While Saint Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, Keselowski provides that hope for underfunded drivers.

Keselowski's career seemed stalled when his family's team folded in 2006. Then a series of events gave Keselowski a second chance and he went on to win the Cup title six years later.

Maybe Efland could be the next Keselowski. Fueled by such hope, Efland admits it was difficult to exit the car even though it was a logical move.

*FOOT IN THE DOOR*

For nearly 20 years, Efland focused on racing. He started at age 5 and soon was winning karting titles. He collected five national championships and seven state crowns before his father moved him to stock cars. He won a track title at age 13 and continued to progress, moving to various series so he could race on a variety of tracks.

It wasn't easy when he climbed the ranks but Efland wanted to race. So he worked endless hours on the cars. At times, he was driver, crew chief and mechanic. Even when he reached the Nationwide Series, he played those roles. While other drivers focused on their cars, Efland often was pushing his through the inspection line.

There were some good days. He had six top-20 finishes in 18 starts in 2012, including those Daytona runs and a 14th at Kansas Speedway. There also were tough days of not qualifying for races. Still, he persisted.

How does a driver who devotes so much energy to a goal, begin to accept that he might be better off doing something else?

Reality hits.

"This sport is not necessarily driven by talent as much as it is by money,'' Efland said. "Money buys speed. Most people know that. I'm OK with that decision-making just because of the nature of the beast. You just can't go racing without the proper finances. It's just the way it's worked out.''

Without that money, Efland could only do so much. He tried.

"Any opportunity I could find, whether it was starting or parking, racing a Truck or Nationwide car, it could have been the slowest car in the field and I would still take that opportunity to drive it,'' he said.

"It may have hurt my career just as much putting myself in those positions as it did progress it. I still saw it as opportunity. I was ... that kid wanting to get that foot in the door.''

*NEW ROLE*

All is not lost for Efland. Maybe this is the beginning of something even better. Maybe he'll eventually become a crew chief. It's worked that way for winning Sprint Cup crew chiefs Paul Wolfe and Rodney Childers.

Both raced and aspired to reach NASCAR's top level. Wolfe ran 16 Nationwide races, Childers one.

Wolfe ran a few races for Ray Evernham's team but when Evernham was unable to find additional funding, Wolfe was out of a ride in 2005. He ran a few races with another team, but by the end of the season, Wolfe knew his career would not be behind the wheel.

"It just came down to having to have an income,'' Wolfe said. "I went as long as I could on basically living on nothing. It came to a point where if I didn't go to work, I wasn't going to eat.''

Still, he wanted to race.

"It was not easy,'' Wolfe said of ending his driving career. "It's frustrating ... after that because you're still going to the racetrack, working on racecars and you feel like you can be out there doing as good as a lot of the guys out there but just not having the opportunity to do that.''

What made it easier for Wolfe, he said, was that he admits he was "probably better as a crew chief building racecars." Once he paired with Keselowski, their careers rocketed, winning Nationwide and Cup titles together.

Childers, a karting national champion, had success in at various levels. Sprint Cup driver Brian Vickers credits Childers with helping him succeed in karts.

Childers came close to other rides after his lone Nationwide start, but when he didn't get them, his frustration grew. He didn't have the money others did.

While he pursued a driving career, he was setting up for a crew chief's role even if he didn't realize it. He helped with others with their karts. When he moved to Late Models, he also served as a crew chief for another driver, meaning Childers had to prepare two cars each week.

It was all to reach NASCAR's highest levels. It was why he said he would drive more than 10 hours to a Nationwide race even though he didn't have a ride.

"Hopefully you were seen, and hopefully, somebody would talk to you" about a ride.

Childers' path turn when a friend told him he should work in the Cup garage because he was smarter than many people there.

"I kind of laughed,'' Childers said. "About six months later, I'm sitting there about broke and I decided that was probably the right thing to do.''

Childers has gone to successful crew chief career. Both he and Wolfe have already been to Victory Lane this season, Childers with Harvick at Phoenix and Wolfe with Keselowski at Las Vegas.

Maybe that's the next path for Efland.

*ALWAYS A RACER*

Each day Efland is not in a car, the odds of him returning to the Nationwide Series grow steeper. He knows that. He knows that each day younger drivers are gaining experience and looking to move through the ranks. That doesn't dim Efland's hopes of racing again.

"I haven't given up,'' Efland says, sitting in a conference room at Richard Childress Racing's Nationwide shop, not far from the office he works. "I don't think I'll ever give up.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...wide-Driver-Changes-Course-Of-His-Career.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Back Out West, NASCAR Circus In The Golden State​*
NASCAR once again is out west, this time in the Golden State of California for the Auto Club 400. After a weekend slugging it out on the half mile at Bristol Motor Speedway. Drivers in the Sprint CUP Series will be diving off into turn 1 at over 200 mph two and three wide for 200 laps around the two mile oval.

Last season JGR driver Kyle Busch won the race after race leader Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin crashed coming off turn number four. Denny Hamlin crashed hard into the inside wall and was injured during the crash.

Race coverage begins on Sunday March 23rd at 3:00 Pm Et on Fox.

The NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series also is back on the track Saturday at Auto Club Speedway. It's the TreatMyClot 300. 150 laps around the high speed oval.

Kyle Busch also won this race last season. Kyle Busch has also won 4 of the last five Nationwide Grand National Series races at Auto Club Speedway. Joey Logano being the spoiler in 2012 winning the race

Race coverage begins on Saturday March 22nd at 5:00 Pm Et on ESPN.

Practice for both series begins today in Fontana. TV coverage will be on Fox Sports 1 this afternoon. Qualifying for the Sprint CUP Series is also today while Nationwide Grand National Series is on Saturday.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Irwindale Return Next For K&N West​*
One of the pleasures in life is reuniting with an old friend.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will do just that when it rolls into Irwindale Speedway on Saturday, March 22 for the NAPA 150 for the first time since July 2011.

"We're pleased to have the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West back at Irwindale Speedway," said Doug Stokes, vice president of communications for the Irwindale Event Center. "Putting up a strong showing at Irwindale is always a good sign for any race team. This is the track that always asks the max from cars, drivers, and crews and that consistently has produced some of the most competitive races on the K&N West calendar."

The track became synonymous with the series since it opened in 1999. Irwindale hosted 21 series events over a 13-year span and the shiny crown jewel situated inside the Los Angeles market became a home track, of sorts, for the series.

Eleven different series drivers went to victory lane at the half-mile oval nestled in the San Gabriel Valley with Austin Cameron leading all drivers with five wins. Brendan Gaughan won three straight in the 2001 season and Jason Bowles claimed three wins in a row over the 2008-09 seasons. Steve Portenga won the inaugural event in 1999 and now serves as crew chief for David Mayhew.

Greg Pursley won the last K&N West race at the track en route to the series championship followed by Derek Thorn, Dylan Kwasniewski and Eric Holmes. Perhaps not coincidentally, each of those four drivers has won series titles.

In addition to the 21 K&N West events, the facility hosted the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown from 2003-11 that included several NASCAR series over the span, but always included the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and East.

Of the cars entered into the NAPA 150 only a dozen or so have experience at the track in a K&N machine with a handful of them having just one start under their belts. Pursley is the only past track winner in the field. Jack Sellers leads all drivers with 18 Irwindale starts followed by Brett Thompson with 15. Both Sellers and Thompson are expected to be on hand for the NAPA 150.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/irwindale-return-next-for-kn-west/


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## Ckg2011

*Sponsors Unite For AMS Nationwide Race​*
Great Clips Inc., the world's largest hair salon brand, will join with non-profit organization Feed The Children to sponsor the Aug. 30 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The race will be titled the Great Clips 300 Benefitting Feed The Children. The race will feature 195 laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway's legendary 1.54-mile racing surface under the lights.

"We are very excited and honored to be a part of the Great Clips 300 race," said Corey Gordon, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Feed The Children. "This partnership with Great Clips, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Feed The Children will help shine a spotlight on hunger and poverty issues in the United States, helping us further our mission that no child or family should go to bed hungry."

The Great Clips 300 Benefitting Feed The Children is nine races prior to the end of the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. That placement on the schedule is expected to raise the level of intensity for drivers seeking a series championship even more than usual.

"Great Clips is extremely proud to announce our new partner Feed the Children as we are going racing again this Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and we couldn't be happier to have the Great Clips 300 back in Atlanta," said Dave Randall, Senior Marketing Manager of Great Clips.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/sponsors-unite-for-ams-nationwide-race/


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## Ckg2011

*ROUSH Performance Parts Back Buescher​*
ROUSH Performance Parts will serve as the primary partner on the No. 60 Ford Mustang - piloted by NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) rookie Chris Buescher - for 10 races during the 2014 season.

RPP will make its debut on Buescher's Ford Mustang at Auto Club Speedway this Saturday.

"We are thrilled to have ROUSH Performance on board," said Buescher. "I have had the opportunity to drive quite a few ROUSH Stage III Mustangs and experience first-hand what RPP's line of aftermarket products add to a car's performance. They really provide maximum performance and hopefully having them on my Mustang in California can help 'supercharge' our efforts."

Created in 1995, ROUSH Performance Products combines race-proven technologies with advanced automotive engineering to continually provide customers the ultimate driving experience - the perfect combination of racecar and road car. Created as the first specialty-vehicle company to adhere to O.E. standards, RPP offers an extensive line of aftermarket performance parts and vehicles.

Buescher is a leading candidate for rookie of the year honors in NNS competition this season. The Prosper, Texas native finished 16th last weekend in his second career trip to Bristol Motor Speedway. Buescher has finished inside the top 17 in all but one of his career NNS starts.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/roush-performance-parts-back-buescher/


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## Ckg2011

*Trench Shoring Returns To Parsons' No. 98​*
Trench Shoring Company has joined Phil Parsons Racing and driver Josh Wise as the primary sponsor on Wise's No. 98 Chevrolet for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

"I'm really excited to have Trench Shoring Company on board for the race this weekend," said Wise. "We've worked with them in the past and to have them come back on board this weekend is a testament to the positive impact they saw from their first partnership experience. They do a lot of business throughout Southern California and Nevada, and I'm excited to represent them their 'home track.'"

This is Trench Shoring Company's second outing with Phil Parsons Racing this season. The Corona, Calif., based company also served as an associate sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 9.

"We've been bringing our employees to enjoy the NASCAR races at Auto Club Speedway for years now," said Kevin Malloy, president of Trench Shoring Company. "To have this opportunity to sponsor the No. 98 Chevrolet-to entertain the folks that work for us and to have a car on the track in the Sprint Cup race on Sunday is very special."

"We're really excited to have Trench Shoring Company come on board this weekend," said Phil Parsons, owner of Phil Parsons Racing. "We really enjoyed working with them at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this month, and we're honored that they joining us again at Auto Club Speedway."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/trench-shoring-returns-to-parsons-no-98/


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## Ckg2011

*Janssen Added As NASCAR Cardio Partner​*
NASCAR is teaming up with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to help race fans who are at risk for or are living with blood clots.

Janssen, the maker of XARELTO (rivaroxaban), a medicine used to treat and help prevent blood clots, is now the official cardiovascular partner of NASCAR.

"We are encouraged to see Janssen Pharmaceuticals' level of dedication to helping fans affected by blood clots," said Jim O'Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. "We welcome them to the NASCAR family, not only as an official partner but also as a race entitlement and team sponsor."

Blood clots have hit close to home for the NASCAR community. Brian Vickers, full-time driver of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, recently overcame his second episode with the condition.

Having completed his treatment with XARELTO and being cleared by his physician, Vickers is once again competing again in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I'm so grateful for all of the fans who have reached out to me to show their support," said Vickers. "When I had my first deep vein thrombosis in 2010, I did everything I could to treat it and get back to racing. It worked, but the drug I was prescribed required me to have my blood drawn a lot and avoid certain foods. Last year when I developed another clot last year my doctor prescribed me XARELTO, which didn't require me to have my blood checked regularly or change my diet."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/janssen-added-as-nascar-cardio-partner/


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## Ckg2011

*Alpha Energy Supports Martinsville Speedway​*
Alpha Energy Solutions Inc. will sponsor pole day at Martinsville Speedway for the STP 500 weekend.

Alpha Energy Solutions Pole Day is scheduled for Friday, March 28 when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will qualify for the STP 500.

Alpha Energy Solutions, based in Louisville, KY, is a commercial and industrial mechanical service provider specializing in HVAC, indoor energy solutions, building automation, chillers, boilers, electrical, equipment rental, food equipment, service, piping, plumbing, sheet metal, refrigeration and parts.

"We are excited to have such a great new partner in Alpha Energy Solutions," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "They are a perfect fit for Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR and all of our great fans."

"Alpha Energy Solutions is proud to be a part of this great weekend of racing at Martinsville Speedway, and to be the pole sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500," said Gerry Lewis, director of sales for Alpha Energy Solutions. "It takes a great car and a skilled driver to find the best path to the pole. We are looking forward to seeing who gets the Alpha Energy pole at Martinsville on the Half Mile of Mayhem."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../alpha-energy-supports-martinsville-speedway/


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## Ckg2011

*Matt Kenseth Wins Coors Light Pole​*
JGR driver Matt Kenseth wins the Coors Light pole award for Sunday's Auto Club 400 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana California. Penske Racing driver Brad Keselowski will start on the front row along side Kenseth. This is Brad Keselowski's 4th straight front row start this season.

Jimmie Johnson Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer round out the top five starting positions. Last season's winner Kyle Busch will start 14th.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Some Teams Have Tire Issues​*
Some NASCAR Sprint Cup teams have had tire problems this weekend, but Goodyear said a key issue is with the tire pressure teams are using.

Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. each are in backup cars after tire problems sent them into the wall at Auto Club Speedway. A left rear problem caused Truex to hit the wall in Saturday's first practice session, and a left front problem caused Logano to hit the wall in Saturday's final practice session. Logano previously had a left rear go down.

They're not the only drivers to have problems. Brad Keselowski had two left rear tires go flat in Saturday's final practice session, and Kurt Busch had left rear tire separate from the tread after about 20 laps. Jamie McMurray had a left rear tire issue Friday.

Greg Stucker, director of race tire sales for Goodyear, said the "common denominator" with those teams was low air pressure. Goodyear recommends a minimum air pressure of 22 pounds in the left front and 20 in the left rear.

Teams start with low tire pressures so that when the tires heat they reach the desirable level. Lower air pressure also helps the tires grip and can improve handling.

Stucker also noted that it wasn't solely air pressure that caused the issue for those teams but also their setup.

"I think everybody is just trying to be aggressive and trying to get as much grip as possible,'' Stucker said.

Logano said that was the case with his team.

"It's a combination of air pressure for sure,'' he said. "Maybe our setups aren't helping it. Maybe we're pushing it too far.''

Daniel Knost, crew chief for Busch, said that Busch also had a tire go flat before the tread issue at the end of Saturday's practice.

"It seems the speeds are up, the downforce is up here, you know the load is up and it's just working these tires a lot harder than it has in the past,'' Knost said.

"This tire falls off a ton, probably more than anywhere else, which says it's probably a soft tire and now you're going faster and loading it harder. It just won't take it.''

This is the same tire Goodyear has brought to this track since 2012.

"Let's face it, we really have a different racecar than what we did last year,'' Stucker said, noting the various rule changes. "Everybody is trying to figure out where they can land with it. The one common denominator is that it is the same tire package. I'm confident everybody will adjust.

"I think it's just a matter of people are going to have to adjust versus what they used to run because you have different conditions.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/03/Some-Teams-Have-Tire-Issues.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Debate On Race Lengths Goes Distance​*
What does a 500-mile race mean to you?

Is it a test of drivers and teams or merely a distance too long?

Questions about shortening NASCAR Sprint Cup races returned this weekend to Auto Club Speedway, a track that once hosted 500-mile events but now has a 400-mile Cup race.

The topic stirs passionate debate among fans. Some say don't change the distances because they enjoy the full experience at the track. Others want a smaller TV viewing window.

Even as some races have been shortened in recent years, a quarter of the Cup schedule features races that are 500 miles (or more).

It would seem unlikely that the Daytona 500, Southern 500 and Coca-Cola 600 would be shortened because of those race's traditional values. So that would leave only six races at 500 miles - both Texas and Talladega races, Atlanta and the fall Charlotte race.

In essence, is that what the debate is about? Is it just six out of 36 points races that has some furiously defending those races and others pleading for them to be reduced? Or do people suggest that 400-mile races need to be shortened as well? If so, when do the races become too short?

For those who have questioned the length of races, the sport has responded. Auto Club Speedway cut its 500-mile race to 400 miles in 2010. Phoenix International Raceway reduced its spring race from 600 kilometers to 500 in 2011. That same year a 400-mile race at Kentucky replaced a 500-mile race at Atlanta, and a 400-mile race at Kansas Speedway replaced a 500-mile race at Auto Club Speedway. Pocono cut both its Cup races from 500 to 400 miles in 2012.

The merits of a race, though, often aren't judged by its length but by what happens. The back-and-forth action and dramatic action at the end of last year's race at Auto Club Speedway put that race on multiple list of best races of 2013. Other lists included the spring Talladega race and the Daytona 500 as among the best races of last year - both 500-mile events.

This year's Daytona 500 might be on such a list at the end of this season. Drivers talked about the intensity on the track after the rain delay and it provided fans with action that proved thrilling.

"That has to be the hardest raced 500 ever as far as I am concerned and probably one of the best,'' said Brad Keselowski, who finished third.

A driver not winning saying the race was one of the best? How often does that happen?

Go back and look at history and some might consider among the sport's greatest races the Southern 500 Ricky Craven won in 2003 with his breathtaking battle with Kurt Busch coming to the checkered flag. That finish might not have happened had it been a shorter race.

Want something more recent? Jimmie Johnson and Keselowski engaged in a thrilling duel late in the Texas Chase race in 2012 that also had title implications.

Still, the debate rages. Some drivers were asked their feelings on the matter.

"Shortening the length of our races would be great for our sport and great for the fans,'' Ryan Newman said. "It would build the excitement sooner. And I don't think it would necessarily change the outcome, I think it would just intensify our sport."

Carl Edwards doesn't see it that way. His response is immediate and emphatic to if races should be shorter.

"No,'' he said. "Longer is better. It is supposed to be a test of man and machine. People pay good money for the tickets and ought to make an afternoon out of it. To me, I don't know, I guess some people might be jaded that come to the racetrack every week and only think about going home but for me racing, to finish a 500-miler somewhere that is special. That is what NASCAR is about to me. It is supposed to take a whole afternoon."

So, what do you say?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Shorter-NASCAR-Races-Goes-the-Distance.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gresham Lands Part-Time Truck Seat​*
GMS Racing has signed 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion Max Gresham to pilot the No. 23 AmWINS Chevrolet Silverado in five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events this year.

Gresham is coming off his first full Truck Series season, where the 20-year-old captured one top-five and four top-10 finishes.

During a breakout year in 2011, Gresham recorded four poles, two wins, nine top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 12 events en route to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship. The Milner, Ga., native has also competed in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, notching three poles, one win and eight top-10 finishes.

"I've been fortunate to have a lot of success up to this point of my career," said Gresham. "However, my first Truck Series win hasn't come yet and I really believe I have a great shot at getting to victory lane with GMS Racing. With support from Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing, the team has everything needed to succeed. Charlotte can't come fast enough so I can get behind the wheel of the No. 23 AmWINS Chevrolet."

Gresham's first Truck Series race of 2014 will come at North Carolina's Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, followed by Kentucky Speedway in June, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in August, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October and Texas Motor Speedway in November.

"Everyone at GMS Racing is excited to welcome Max Gresham to our talented driver pool," said Nic Moncher, team manager. "Max has showcased his talent at every level he has competed in and we look forward to helping him earn his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/gresham-lands-part-time-truck-seat/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson Wins TreatMyClot 300​*
*Grand Larceny In The Golden State​*
Kyle Larson Wins his first NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series race. Kyle Larson held off Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch in the final 16 laps to get the victory.

The 21 year old California native wins in his home state at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Strikes Gold In California​*
What better place for Kyle Larson to score his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory than back home in California?

Larson, who began his racing career on dirt tracks in California, survived an intense battle with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veterans Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick in the closing laps of Saturday's TreatMyClot.com 300 to earn his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory.

"I was looking at the board over there in (turns) one and two and it said five second-place finishes in the Nationwide Series," Larson said. "I didn't want to make that six."

The 21-year-old driver from Elk Grove, Calif., ran in the top 10 most of the day but wasn't a factor until the final 50 laps of the race. Larson began to make his move just past the 100 lap mark, driving up to second on lap 103.

Once in second Larson set his sights on leader Joey Logano. Driving the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang, Logano had dominated the race up to that point. He continued to lead as green flag pit stops began at lap 111. Logano pitted on lap 113, with Larson coming one lap later.

Following pit stops Logano had a two second lead over Larson, but by lap 125 Larson had caught Logano and began looking for the race lead. The two battled until lap 130 when the caution flag waved for fluid on the track.

All the leaders came down pit road under the caution period for fresh tires, with third-place Harvick taking the lead off pit road. Larson came off pit road second, followed by Logano and Busch.

"I wasn't very happy when we got that last caution. Then we came off pit road and I knew we were on the bottom (for the restart) and the bottom hadn't been doing very good," Larson said.

The field returned to racing with 15 laps left, with Larson pulling ahead of Harvick to take the lead out of turn two. Behind Larson the No. 54 Toyota of Busch began to close, moving into second as the field made it back around to the start-finish line.

"I was surprised I got to the lead," Larson said about the final restart. "We were really good the run before the last one, so I thought maybe we could get away. But the 54 (Busch) and the 5 (Harvick) were really good behind us."

From there the race was on between Larson, Harvick and Busch. Over the next several laps Busch made repeated attempts to take the lead from Larson, but he was unable to complete the pass and fell into a battle with Harvick for second.

With seven to go Busch drifted high coming out of turn four and just grazed the outside wall, but he kept his foot in the gas and continued to chase Larson with Harvick also in the hunt. Busch used a big run out of turn four with five laps left to take the race lead, but Larson was not going to be denied.

Larson used the top side of the track to get a huge run coming out of turn two, blowing by Busch to retake the race lead. The move cost Busch most of his momentum, allowing Harvick to drive by him and into second place.

Harvick took his shot at Larson on the next lap, but he also lost momentum as Larson was able to fight back on the high side to retain the race lead. Busch briefly took second back, but Harvick fought back to get second back with two laps left.

Harvick used the low side in turns three and four during the final two laps to get alongside Larson, but he was unable to complete the pass as Larson survived to pick up the victory.

"Man, it was amazing," Larson said from victory lane. "Those last 11 or 12 laps were the longest laps of my life. I get to see the 54 and the 5 racing hard behind me and they weren't getting any further back. Just hats off to all these guys (Larson's crew). They've been working their butts off all year long.

"We've been on a roll here lately in the Nationwide Series so it's nice to finally get a win," Larson said. "It means the world to finally get it here in my home state of California."

Harvick, despite finishing second, admitted he had fun during the late-race battle with Busch and Larson.

"It was a good race. My guys (crew) did good. We were off a little bit at the beginning of the race and they made some good adjustments at the end and we were able to race for a win," Harvick said. "You want to win every race. I think we all come here with the intention of winning every race, but you know that's not going to happen.

"There is a lot of good competition and you try to put yourself in a position to win. You race as hard as you can. I think if we'd gotten our butt kicked today and finished third by a straightaway it probably wouldn't have been as easy to swallow as it was racing for a win and going back and forth with these two guys and having fun," Harvick said.

Busch started 39th because his team was unable to get his car through technical inspection prior to qualifying earlier in the day. He made a big charge up through the field, eventually taking the lead on lap 42. He ended up finishing third.

"We had a fast race car, but our package just wasn't great there through the middle part of the race. We were just kind of fighting some issues with being loose," Busch said. "There at the end we wanted to make some big swings to it and we did.

We certainly got it tightened up but I was just too tight there at the end to make anything lower than the wall work. Larson, once he got up to the wall, kind of blocked me a little bit. It was a great battle there. It was a fun race going back and forth and trying to figure out who wanted to win the thing," Busch said.

Logano, who led a race-high 96 laps, finished fourth. Polesitter Elliott Sadler completed the top five.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/larson-strikes-gold-in-california/


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Breaks Through​*
The winningest driver in series history hunted him. The driver who ranks No. 3 in series wins stalked him.

Five previous times Kyle Larson finished second in a Nationwide Series race. Now, he sought to score his first career series win with two of the all-time best Nationwide drivers chasing him the final 15 laps.

There were plenty of times for Larson to make a mistake. Plenty of times to give away the win, but he didn't holding off runner-up Kevin Harvick and third-place finisher Kyle Busch to win Saturday's TreatMyClot.com 300 at Auto Club Speedway.

The 21-year-old Larson celebrated by doing by arriving first to Victory Lane, located between the track and outer pit wall, and doing doughnuts there with his car.

The joy was as much as celebration as relief. Busch and Larson traded the lead with Larson eventually holding on. Then it was Harvick's turn after he moved to second. Harvick repeatedly dove to the bottom in Turns 3 and 4 while Larson ran near the wall. They often came close together as Harvick moved up the track and Larson down it, but Harvick couldn't complete the move the pass.

Harvick wasn't surprised that Larson withstood the pressure.

"Since the first race that he's come in here, he's been competitive,'' Harvick said before looking to sixth-place finisher Chase Elliott on his left. "They just go out and drive and act like they've been here for 20 years.''

First career win and coming in his home state were special for Larson, but it's not what he'll remember most about this victory.

"Probably what means the most to me is to beat Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick who were right on my rear bumper,'' said Larson after his 38th career Nationwide start. "Didn't really think I could hold them off, especially how good Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick is really good at this track. Proud of myself for staying calm and not getting into the wall.''

Larson admits he had extra motivation those final laps. During a late caution, he saw his face on one of the video boards around the track. He glanced at it and saw it mentioned all the times he's finished second in the Nationwide Series.

"I'm not getting another one of those,'' Larson said.

When he scored the victory, he celebrated by doing doughnuts in the infield grass as he held his steering wheel out the window. He's did the celebration after winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title in 2012 at Rockingham and a Truck race there last year.

"NASCAR did have a talk with me about not doing it, but I just won my first Nationwide race and I'll do whatever I want, and if I win the Cup race, I'll probably do the same thing,'' Larson said.

It could come soon.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted after the race: "No doubt Larson wins on the cup side this year. He's (darn) good and surrounded by solid improving team.''

Jeff Gordon tweeted: "1st of many @NASCAR wins I'm sure.''

Now Larson is 64 Nationwide wins behind Busch.

Busch stated 39th in the 40-car field after he failed to make an attempt in qualifying. Busch never got the chance because his car did not pass inspection before the first round of qualifying ended. The team had an issue with the rear axle housing.

That proved merely an inconvenience to Busch who was 25th by the first lap and needed only eight laps to reach the top 10.

Joey Logano, who led a race-high 96 laps finished fourth with pole-sitter Elliott Sadler fifth.

Trevor Bayne finished ninth, while Regan Smith was 10th. They're tied with the most amount of points but Smith remains the series leader based on the tiebreaker.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/03/Kyle-Larson-Breaks-Through.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Planning Horsepower Reduction, Other Changes For 2015​*
is planning on making significant engine package changes in 2015 to extend the life of Sprint Cup powerplants and reduce horsepower. And along with engine changes, there likely will be aerodynamic and tire changes for the Cup cars in 2015 as well.

That's the word from NASCAR Vice President of Competition and Racing Development Robin Pemberton. In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com Saturday morning at Auto Club Speedway, Pemberton said the sanctioning body has had four meetings so far with representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota and race teams about how to implement those changes. No consensus has been reached yet, according to Pemberton, but discussions are ongoing in advance of making the changes for next year.

Although Pemberton declined to specify how many horsepower NASCAR is looking to cut, sources familiar with the discussions said the reduction would be in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 horsepower. Currently, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engines make about 860-900 horsepower at most tracks.

Pemberton said the decision to look at reducing engine power is not specifically geared toward trying to improve the quality of racing.

"It's as much getting more use out of engines as it is (reducing) horsepower," Pemberton told FOXSports.com. "They kind of feed off of each other. There's no guarantee horsepower may or may not do anything for the quality of racing, but it will allow us to do other things."

Discussions are still in the early stages, Pemberton said, but given the fact that there are so few engine suppliers now, they will need plenty of lead-time to make changes for next year.

As with the development of the Generation-6 car, the new engine package discussion is a highly collaborative effort.

"From our perspective, the healthy thing about this is that NASCAR is working not only with the manufacturers, but all of the engine builders," said David Wilson, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A., Toyota's racing arm in the United States. "And we have had a dialog with NASCAR for some time. Just the process itself is absolutely correct. It's refreshing. We feel as stakeholders in the sport, we have a voice."

Among the options being discussed are reduction in engine displacement and changes to throttle body size.

Sources familiar with the discussions say that Chevrolet and Toyota are pushing for a reduction to 5.0-liter engines, while the Ford camp is pushing for the use of tapered spacers, such as are used in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series engines.

Pemberton said any change in the engine package likely would necessitate other changes as well.

"It's some about economics, and there are some who think that if you knocked a little bit of horsepower out, it could put you in a position to make the racing better," said Pemberton. "But there's a lot of things that go into it. There's the mechanical grip and the tire grip and the aerodynamic grip and engine horsepower. Every one thing you change, you have to adjust everything around it to make it right. There's some sort of balance in there. So, if you do a horsepower change, there's a better than not chance that you will have to adjust aerodynamics, and that may give you the ability to adjust tires. So it's a three-legged stool. You just have to work on them all."

"It's never as easy as fixing one thing without something else changing," added TRD's Wilson. "It's a complicated dynamic no matter how you look at it."

Pemberton said advances in performance have dramatically boosted horsepower in recent years.

"It's not fully appreciated the fact that we've had the same engine for basically 25 or 30 years and it's at 850 or 860 horsepower, where it used to be 500," Pemberton said. "And we are at the same race tracks where we used to run 160 (miles per hour) we're now qualifying at 190 and running 213 going into the corners. There's been a lot of engineering and gains made across the board. Goodyear ... we have the same tire patch as when we started.

"There's been a lot of development over the years to put on good racing," said Pemberton. "And there's a belief that we need to take a set and at least kind of start over a little bit."

Reaction to the move has generally been positive.

"If it truly does potentially help the racing and then help durability on the back end, I think it's not a bad thing to do," said Pat Suhy, NASCAR Group Manager for Chevrolet Racing. "It's probably going to be a fairly extensive change, a bigger change than first imagined. As you talk to the engine builders, it impacts everything from the oil pan to the intake manifold to the exhaust headers. I'm in favor of change when it can make things better, so I'm hopeful that it can actually make things better."

"We are actively involved with NASCAR on strategic competition and business considerations and support NASCAR's efforts to work with the manufacturers to continually evolve the sport," said Jamie Allison, Director, Ford Racing.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ving-toward-horsepower-reduction-in-15-032214

_What do you think of this?_


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Wheels His Way To First NNS Victory​*





*Victory Lane: 'The longest laps of my life'​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Steals One In The Golden State​*
JGR driver Kyle Busch wins Auto Club 400 on a Green White Checkered restart. Kyle Busch took the lead off turn two and held off rookie Kyle Larson for the victory. Kyle Busch has now punched his ticket into the 2014 Chase for the Sprint CUP.

Sam Hornish Jr who was subbing for the sick Denny Hamlin in the JGR number 11 car finished 17th today.

Tires will be a huge topic of discussion starting Monday morning. As a large number drivers had tire problems. An drivers could not drive more than 25 laps on a set of tires.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Charges to the Win​*
Kyle Busch charged to his first win of the season on a green-white-checkered finish in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 win Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.

Busch held off a furious charge from Kyle Larson to score his second straight win at ACS and the 29th of his Sprint Cup Series career. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver became the fifth different winner in the season's first five races.

"Holy cow, what do you expect when you have a green-white-checkered finish and everyone comes down pit road to put on four tires," Busch said. "That's a Days of Thunder thing right there. 'What do you mean, there's two laps to go, everybody is to pit, Cole.

"I came off the fourth turn in disbelief that we won this thing, because we were mediocre all day. It was really weird for us, not a race that we're typically used to. But now there's a load off your shoulders that you can go out the rest of the season and race the way you want to."

The dramatic finish culminated a series of wild events in the race's final laps.

Jimmie Johnson looked like he was going to pull away from the field and take the checkered flag until he blew a tire only seven laps from the finish. Johnson was one of several drivers who experienced tire issues throughout the day, a situation Goodyear attributed to aggressive set-ups.

Five laps later it was Clint Bowyer who blew a tire and spun to bring out the caution. Jeff Gordon, who had inherited the lead from Johnson, pitted for tires along with several other leaders.

Landon Cassill stayed out and was in the top spot when the overtime finish started but quickly faded. Busch charged around with Larson, who came from ninth, in hot pursuit but at the finish it was the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota prevailing.

Larson settled for his career-best finish in second.

"Yeah, it's been a really good weekend," said Larson, who scored his first career Nationwide Series win on Saturday. "I guess you couldn't ask for more, but was surprised to get up there late in the race. We were probably a 12th place car for most of the day."

Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.

Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers, AJ Allmendinger, Paul Menard and Carl Edwards completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Martinsville Speedway next Sunday afternoon for the STP 500.

How Busch Won: Busch kept himself in contention late in the going even after slapping the wall earlier in the race. He put on a stellar charge to the front of the field in the closing laps and did a masterful job of holding off a hard charging Larson for the checkered flag.

  What Else Happened: There were a race record 35 lead changes throughout the race and for a second straight year the day was a wild one. Several drivers experienced tire issues to knock them from contention but Goodyear, which brought the same tire compound to ACS that was in use last year, attributed team set-ups to those that experienced problems.

  Who Else had a Good Day: Stewart-Haas Racing had two drivers in the top five with Kurt Busch and Stewart racing hard with one another in the GWC finish but coming home in the first five&#8230;..Jamie McMurray had his best finish of the season (6th) and with Larson in second it marked the first time since March of 2012 two Chip Ganassi Racing drivers ended up in the top 10&#8230;.AJ Allmendinger's eighth-place finish was his career best at ACS&#8230;..Paul Menard finished ninth after starting last because Matt Crafton qualified the No. 27 Chevy on Friday.

    Who had a Bad Day: Johnson went from a potential first win of the season to a 24th-place finish&#8230;..Aric Almirola followed up his career-best third place finish at Bristol last week with a last place finish after being involved in an incident with Brian Scott&#8230;..Kasey Kahne's roller coaster season was down with a 41st place performance&#8230;.Kevin Harvick had another fast car but was plagued by two separate tire issues to finish 36th.

Quote of the Day: "He's out there having fun because his daddy gets to pay for it." - Aric Almirola on Brian Scott

  Other Notables: Brian Vickers scored his second straight top-10 finish&#8230;..Dale Earnhardt Jr. battled back from hitting the wall and tire issues to finish 12th&#8230;.Danica Patrick also suffered a late tire issue but worked her way back to notch a 14th-place finish.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/03/Kyle-Busch-Charges-to-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tires a Hot Topic​*
Jimmie Johnson rarely speaks negatively in public settings, but he made his point shortly after he lost Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway because of a flat left front tire while leading seven laps from the scheduled finish.

"A lot of people seemed to have some issues out of their control today,'' Johnson said after placing 24th on a day where about dozen different teams had tire problems in the Auto Club 400.

Among those having tire issues were all four drivers won had won before Sunday's race - Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

A Goodyear official said it was not a tire problem but aggressive setups by teams, noting that not all had problems.

"Every left-side tire that we've seen gone down or had issues with is kind of the same characteristics as (Saturday),'' said Greg Stucker, director of race tire sales for Goodyear, about 20 laps from the finish. "The common denominator being aggressive on air pressure. You're in race conditions, so everybody is running a little bit harder. It's not surprising that you see a few more if people haven't made adjustment from where they were (Saturday).''

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, defended Goodyear.

"We'll get back and we'll look at it, but right now I think Goodyear has done a pretty good job with it,'' he said.

Johnson expected such comments.

"When anything happens, it's the teams' fault,'' Johnson said. "That's the standard response back to all of us when a tire goes down, so I guess we're all at fault this weekend.''

The tire is the same that has run at this track since 2012, but the car is different. Rule changes have increased speed and downforce, making the left-side tires work harder. Auto Club Speedway has minimal grip, so teams use low air pressures to help provide grip for cars. Goodyear recommends an air pressure of 22 pounds in the left front and 20 pounds in the left rear. Pemberton said teams were running as low as 14 pounds of air pressure.

Keselowski left frustrated after a weekend of blown tires for he and teammate Joey Logano.

"There were a lot of reasons why we blew a tire today or two or five over the weekend and the field did,'' he said after finishing 26th. "I don't know what to really say about it. As a driver you are left between the choice of driving your car to the limit and blowing a tire out or being a wuss and saving it.

"I saved it as best as I could and probably arguably was not following the 100-percent rule until the last run. That is what you had to do. It was the box we were all forced into today. I pushed it hard on the last run and I was one of at least three guys that blew a tire. It was really unfortunate. If I didn't push the car hard, I wasn't going to have a good day. It was a matter of who blew it first. I was the second one to blow it but I didn't blow a tire big enough to get a yellow."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., though, said the tire problems weren't Goodyear's fault. Earnhardt blamed the rough track.

"We were putting air in our tires because we thought maybe the tire was just not (doing well with) low air, but that wasn't the issue,'' Earnhardt said after his 12th-place finish. "We almost had one come apart again - they got the tire off before it tore up.

"Honestly, and this isn't very inexpensive, but the back straightaway is pretty rough and the tire can't handle the load it goes through on that back straightaway. It's just tearing the tire up where the sidewall and the tread are put together.

"There ain't another racetrack on the circuit besides Kentucky that has bumps like that. They're incredible, huge, huge bumps - and I think that plays a huge role in it.' They don't need to pave the racetrack - just pave the back straightaway. It's not very cheap, but I bet you we won't have any tire problems anymore.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/03/Tires-a-Hot-Topic.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Released From Hospital​*
Denny Hamlin has been released from a California hospital and will be evaluated later this week in Charlotte, according to a statement Sunday night from Joe Gibbs Racing.

No other information was provided in the release from JGR.

Hamlin missed Sunday's Auto Club 400 because of a vision problem that sent him to a local hospital for tests.

Hamlin was replaced by Sam Hornish Jr. less than an hour before the start of the race because a sinus infection that caused vision issues for Hamlin. Hornish finished 17th.

Crew chief Darian Grubb said that Hamlin's condition did not improve as the day progressed.

"The last I'd heard his vision was getting worse and the pain was getting worse,'' Grubb said. "We're just going to wait and see what happens. For him to go to the infield care center (before the race) was one thing. It must have been pretty bad. It got to where he couldn't see and having trouble with the vision in his left eye because of the pressure and everything that was going on. At that point, NASCAR did some testing and he could not follow the finger going by his eyes as he should have been. They weren't going to let him go.

"It's not just a headache. It's a lot more serious than that. He was actually losing vision his eye.''

Hamlin was at the drivers meeting two hours before the race and wore dark sunglasses in it even though it was inside.

"He held his head and said his head was hurting so bad,'' Grubb said. "He was having trouble seeing. You could tell the worry in his face, he was really upset.''

Hornish was available because he was at Auto Club Speedway as a standby driver for Matt Kenseth, whose wife is expecting to give birth soon. Hornish will drive in seven Nationwide races for Joe Gibbs Racing later this season. That's why the team was using him as a backup driver for Kenseth.

About an hour before the race started, Hornish figured his services wouldn't be needed with Kenseth, so he relaxed.

"I'll hang out for a while, watch some of the race and then listen to the rest of it in on the radio ... beat everybody to the plane,'' he said of his plans.

Hornish said he was meeting with former boss Roger Penske when he received a phone call and then a text telling him to get to the team's hauler as soon as possible.

Soon, Hornish was getting ready to compete in his first Cup race since last spring at Kansas Speedway.

He got some quick advice from teammate and eventual winner Kyle Busch and then it was time to climb in the car and start the engine.

"I asked Kyle some questions about the car and what to expect,'' Hornish said. "That gave me a little bit of a head start on a couple things that saved me some time in the first 50 laps. Throughout the next 100 laps, it was learning what I wanted out of the car. These cars have a lot of things that are really different from what they were last year. The small adjustments seemed to be making real big differences in balance, going from loose to tight.''

Early in event, Grubb told Hornish about an adjustment that could be made in the car and told Hornish what colored switch to flip for the adjustment since Hornish was unfamiliar with the car's dashboard.

"Trying to coach him with switches and things was interesting because I had to remember a lot of those things myself,'' Grubb said.

Those problems were solved.

Hornish worked his way through the field and was running near the top 10 late when he had contact with another car on the restart and lost ground.

On a day he didn't expect to be driving, Hornish finished with a top-20 result.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/03/Denny-Hamlin-Awaiting-Test-Results.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Five Truck Races For Ben Rhodes​*
Fresh off his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory Saturday night at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway, Ben Rhodes has been named the driver of the No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet for five races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season.

The 17-year-old is currently competing full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for TSM and has received three pole awards in addition to his victory last weekend at Greenville Pickens Speedway. He'll make his Truck Series debut this weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with sponsorship from Alpha Energy Solutions.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Rhodes made his TSM debut last year when he ran a partial K&N Pro Series East schedule, earning two top fives and five top 10s in seven starts.

"I'm really thankful for this opportunity," said Rhodes. "I can't thank Harry Scott and Steve Turner enough for giving me this chance to gain valuable experience behind the wheel of one of the best trucks in the Truck Series. I also appreciate the ongoing support from Alpha Energy Solutions this season and hope I can make everyone proud. I'm really excited to start off at Martinsville [Speedway] since I've got short-track racing experience and plan to carry momentum from my K&N win over to the No. 32 truck. Turner Scott Motorsports is a top-notch organization and I hope to learn a lot this year from both my Truck Series team as well as my K&N team."

Rhodes will be under the direction of three-time NCWTS championship-winning crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. throughout the five races. In 2013, Hillman directed the No. 4 truck driven by Jeb Burton and claimed one victory, seven pole awards and finished the season in fifth place in the NCWTS standings.

"Ben is a very talented and deserving driver," said TSM co-owner Harry Scott, Jr. "I've enjoyed watching him grow as a racer, as well as a young ambassador of the sport. Ben has proven to be a pleasure to work with and I look forward to his continued success within our organization."

Rhodes is scheduled to enter both Truck Series races at Martinsville, as well as events at Dover (Del.) Int'l Raceway, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Phoenix Int'l Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/five-truck-races-for-ben-rhodes/


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Fontana Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Not So Fast: No Need To Point Blame For Tire Issues In Fontana​*
*A*fter such a tremendous race last year at Auto Club Speedway and then a terrific Nationwide race on Saturday, you wondered just how the Cup race was going to measure up. I have to say it sure didn't let us down.

I hated that there were tire issues that had a bearing on the outcome of the race but, regardless of that, we just had some really hard racing all day long on Sunday. Sure, it might have been a battle for 10th place but it seemed at one point it were 15-20 drivers all fighting for that one spot. Seriously, it looked like a pack you would see at Daytona or Talladega at times.

So two years in a row tells me they have the racing just the way we like it there at Auto Club Speedway. I think once we saw that the tire failures Friday and Saturday that were confined to certain organizations, and after talking to Goodyear, I had a comfort level that it really was some of the race teams stepping across the line with some setup things.

Mixed reviews: Some blame Goodyear for Fontana tire failures

However, when you see something like 20 issues as we did on Sunday during the race, well now everybody needs to be looking at everything across the board. I don't think we can point our finger solely at Goodyear, the race track, the teams, etc. and, actually, I don't think we need to be pointing our finger at anybody. I just think collectively we all need to take a look at it.

Now, if I was dubbed the 'NASCAR King for a Day,' what would I do first to rectify this problem? I know one thing I wouldn't do and that would be to not touch that race track. We don't need to take the bumps out. We don't need to repave it. We need to leave that track surface alone. We don't need to lose what we have there.

If we go back to last year's race again, I would wager this tire was right near the edge of durability then. So I think if you spin things ahead to this year and the elimination of the ride height rule and the aggressive setup these teams were now taking, it was just too much for the current tire configuration.

Remember, too, that this car has a lot more downforce than last year's car. The corner speeds are way up. The loads this poor tire goes through, well I think we really found the edge with this tire and probably crossed it this past weekend.

Now sure, if you look at nine of the top 10 finishers Sunday, they were the ones that didn't have a tire issue. Again, I just think what was expected of the tire this year was already right at the threshold and unfortunately some teams stepped over that threshold.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...point-blame-for-tire-issues-in-fontana-032414


----------



## Ckg2011

*Party On, Ladies: Danica & Dale Jr.'s Girlfriend Celebrate Birthdays!​*
NASCAR nation celebrates the birthday of Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s girlfriend (and WAG of the Week), Amy Reimann.

The Best of Danica Patrick

We're shocked Twitter hasn't crashed after such a momentous day - the birth of two beautiful women.

They both bring a little something different to NASCAR but we're glad to have them.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...le-jr-s-girlfriend-celebrate-birthdays-032514


----------



## Ckg2011

*All Smiles: Danica Patrick Records Season-Best Finish In Fontana​*
*I*t wasn't pretty, but Danica Patrick got her best finish of the still-young NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, where she came home 14th in the Auto Club 400.

Like many of her fellow drivers, Patrick had to deal with a flat tire, specifically a left-front that went down late in the race. Still, she motored on to an encouraging top-15 finish.

"It seems like some of our most trying weekends end up with our better results, so we'll take it and we'll know that there is so much more potential for those weekends where we feel like we are running a lot better," Patrick said. "It was a steady race. My hope was that our GoDaddy/Get Found Chevrolet was close on the first run, so I knew we could make it better."

Patrick said she liked her No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet from the start of the race, which hasn't always been the case. "It is always so difficult when you start off in the beginning, and it really wasn't too bad to start off with today," Patrick said. Being close on the setup at the start of the race was an early confidence booster for Patrick.

"I think that's usually the common denominator in us having a good race is just that first run -- the car being there," said Patrick, who has moved from 39th to 27th in points on the basis of three consecutive improved finishes over the prior races. "It was, so we just made little adjustments here and there, and I don't think we were extremely fast, but we were fast enough to pick them off and move up and have a steady day. That is what we did."

And so while Patrick's race wasn't spectacular, it was good. And it was the kind of building block that she hopes will lead to a much better second full season in NASCAR's top division.

"It's nice when you get fortunate and lucky and your best running position on track happens to be the last lap, so I will take it," Patrick said.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-records-season-best-finish-in-fontana-032414


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Hoping For A Happy Anniversary​*
Hendrick Motorsports is good.

The NASCAR team is 219 wins good. Eleven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships good. Fourteen overall NASCAR national series owner championships good.

And their success has lasted three decades - with winning roots extending all the way to the site of this weekend's race, at Martinsville Speedway. In 2014, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 30th anniversary in NASCAR - and this weekend, specifically, its first win in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

On April 29, 1984 at Martinsville, Geoffrey Bodine took his No. 5 Chevrolet to victory lane for a single-car operation then known as All-Star Racing.

A year later, the team changed its name to Hendrick Motorsports. Three decades later, that tiny operation has evolved into a four-car juggernaut that has three of its drivers in the current top six in points.

No other major American professional sports organization has more championships than Hendrick Motorsports since 1984. In that time, the Los Angeles Lakers have won eight NBA championships and the Chicago Bulls have recorded six. Both the New York Yankees and Edmonton Oilers have tallied five titles apiece since '84.

This weekend, in the STP 500 at Martinsville, Hendrick Motorsports has an outstanding chance to add a bookend win to its 30-plus years in the sport. Two of its drivers - Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson - sit atop the active wins list at Martinsville, with eight apiece. Johnson won last year's spring Martinsville race, and Gordon won the fall race at the shortest race track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

They are the undisputed current "Kings of Martinsville" (although Denny Hamlin has scrapped his way into that discussion).

In 24 starts, Johnson has finished outside the top 10 only three times. He has won two of the last three races - and tallied triple-digit laps led figures in each of the last four. Gordon has finished in the top 10 in 20 of the last 22 races at Martinsville, and finished third and first in last year's two races.

Hendrick's other two drivers - Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. - likewise have enjoyed success at the Virginia short track. Kahne - who drives the No. 5 that Hendrick first took to victory lane - has finished in the top five in two of the last three Martinsville races.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/hendrick-hoping-for-a-happy-anniversary/


----------



## Ckg2011

*South Carolina Honors Darlington Raceway​*
The week of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500, April 6-13, 2014, has been named "Darlington Raceway Week, a Week Too Tough To Tame" after the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives passed a concurrent Resolution.

The famed track's 65-year history is a major reason that the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives passed the concurrent Resolution, led by state Senator Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville.

The Resolution outlines the historical significance of Darlington Raceway and addresses the role the track played in building the foundation of what has become one of the largest spectator sports in the country.

"We can't thank our state government, led by Senator Malloy, enough for passing this Resolution declaring April 6-13 as Darlington Raceway Week, a Week Too Tough To Tame in South Carolina," Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said. "Our leaders recognize the economic importance that the track and NASCAR brings to the state every year. It is an honor to host one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' most prestigious events in the Palmetto State, and in turn bring a tremendous amount of economic impact to the Pee Dee area."

Bojangles' Southern 500 race week will shift into high-gear on Wednesday, April 9, with the 10th annual Darlington Car Hauler Parade making its way from the Florence Civic Center through the Darlington Square and finishing at the track "Too Tough To Tame."

Racing action will start on Thursday, April 10 with NASCAR Nationwide Series practice from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. The track is opening the grandstands to fans for just $5.

Friday, April 11 features a full day of on-track activity scheduled including qualifying for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. The day will conclude with the Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 on Friday night at 8 p.m.

Saturday the Bojangles' Southern 500 will take the green-flag at 6:30 p.m. with NASCAR's biggest stars battling for the Johnny Mantz Bojangles' Southern 500 trophy under the lights at the track "Too Tough To Tame."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/south-carolina-honors-darlington-raceway/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Teams Wrap Sonoma Tire Test​*
Five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams completed a rain-dampened two-day Goodyear tire test at Sonoma Raceway on Wednesday.

Intermittent rain fell at the raceway both Tuesday and Wednesday, but Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford), Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota), Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), Tony Stewart (No. 14 Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet) and Brian Vickers (No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota) were able to log approximately nine hours of track time over the two days.

"Goodyear had a pretty stout tire here last year, and they want to improve on it if they can. They came here with some different compounds to try, and a good mix of teams and drivers to get feedback," said Ambrose, who started from the pole in Sonoma in 2012. "We also get a chance to set up the car up with the new technical regulations, which is helpful for the team. Ninety-five percent of the time was getting tires dialed in for Goodyear, and then the rest of the time was for us to see what we'll need when we come back."

The two-day test marked the first Goodyear Sprint Cup Series tire test of the year, and is currently the only scheduled road-course test. Goodyear worked closely with the teams and drivers to develop a durable race package while giving teams the appropriate amount of grip.

"It's always great to do some type of preparation for road racing. Typically we do it at tracks back east that are fun and give us some information, but not accurate information like the track we actually race on in Sonoma," said Gordon, who has posted five Sonoma victories. "This is definitely something that we've been looking forward to because I love the road courses, but any kind of data and information we can get before we come to the race is always beneficial."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-teams-wrap-sonoma-tire-test/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wants Denny Hamlin Health Update​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to know why there hasn't been more information about what caused Denny Hamlin to miss Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway.

Hamlin was taken to a local hospital shortly before the race with what Joe Gibbs Racing said was a sinus infection that affected his vision. But Earnhardt wondered aloud why there has been no official NASCAR statement or further explanation from Hamlin on what happened.

Hamlin has not been officially cleared for this weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway.

Earnhardt said there were questions because he'd never heard of a driver being pulled from the race shortly before the start after not being cleared to race by NASCAR.

"I'm worried the perception is bad for NASCAR and the perception is bad for Denny," Earnhardt said Tuesday. "&#8230; If Denny didn't race because his vision is blurred and he had a sinus infection, NASCAR should put out a release and say, 'This is the timeline of the events and this is why we made this choice and this is the protocol for going forward.'

"That answers everybody's questions. Don't you have questions? I have questions. We shouldn't have questions. We should all feel pretty comfortable with what happened."

Hamlin tweeted at 6:37 p.m., after Lynda Petty's death was announced: "With due respect to the Petty family i will send out a update tomorrow. Please keep their family in your thoughts tonight."

NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp told USA TODAY Sports: "Information regarding Denny Hamlin's health and medical condition should come from Denny and/or Joe Gibbs Racing. As is our policy, Denny will be allowed to return to on track competition after NASCAR receives notification that he has been medically cleared by his physicians to race."

Earnhardt, who missed two races in 2012 after suffering a second concussion in six weeks -- the first of which he hid from doctors until a crash at Talladega Superspeedway caused him further issues, said he wants NASCAR to "look great." For the health of the sport, he said, there should be more transparency about what led to Hamlin's sudden absence. Drivers, like fans, haven't been given many details about Sunday's timeline.

DALE JR.: Says he won't hide concussion again

While pre-race ceremonies were taking place, a hastily called news conference informed reporters Hamlin would be replaced by Sam Hornish Jr. due to illness.

"I think he can still drive, but he brought it up and was concerned about it and wanted to make sure it was taken care of," JGR president J.D. Gibbs said Sunday in announcing the absence. "The doctors said, 'Hey, you have to do this right away.' Hopefully it's nothing, but you have to get checked out."

Earnhardt said a statement would clear Hamlin "of any wrongdoing or pressure or rumors."

"If Denny did everything right, that's good to know," he said. "Why NASCAR did the things they did and the timeline, it would be good to know those things because the drivers are all curious and the fans are curious.

"Information is moving around and you're (hearing) conversations with your friends. It just doesn't need to be going on. We should all know what happened and know why it happened and be done with it and not have to worry about it."

Hamlin is expected to see doctors in Charlotte this week. He cannot race until he is cleared by a NASCAR-approved doctor.

If he does not qualify Friday at Martinsville or race on Sunday, he would need another medical exemption from NASCAR in order to remain eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ny-hamlin-vision-fontana-missed-race/6880957/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Gets Green Light For Martinsville​*
Denny Hamlin will return to the seat of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota Camry this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamilin, who sat out Sunday's Auto Club 400, because a sinus infection was impacting his vision, has been cleared to return to racing.

Doctors in the infield care center at Auto Club Speedway referred him to the local hospital for further evaluation, where doctors discovered a small piece of metal in Hamlin's eye. Doctors were able to remove the sliver of metal and Hamlin felt immediate improvement to his condition.

A CT Scan did not find any other complications and thus it is believed that the metal was actually the source of Hamlin's vision issues.

Hamlin was then evaluated by a doctor in the Charlotte area on Monday and was sent home to rest. He returned to the doctor Wednesday and received approval to return to competition.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/hamlin-gets-green-light-for-martinsville/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Martinsville​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Pick'em Up Trucks Return To Action​*
On Saturday March 29th the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the track. The Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

This is the first race since Daytona for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Timothy Peters is leading the points. With Johnny Sauter, Ron Hornaday Jr, Ryan Blaney and Jeb Burton rounding out the top five.

Race coverage begins at 2:30 pm on Saturday on Fox Sports 1.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Debuts Air Titan 2.0​*
The Toyota-hauled next generation of NASCAR's Air Titan, the cutting-edge track-drying technology, will make its debut today at Martinsville Speedway.

Air Titan 2.0 is a more compact, more nimble and more environmentally friendly version of its innovative predecessor - one that since its introduction in February 2013 has rescued multiple races, including this year's Daytona 500.

Air Titan 2.0 signals a major step forward in NASCAR's innovation cycle. It replaces the bulky support vehicles required by Air Titan 1.0 with a single, self-contained unit that's perched on the bed of a Toyota Tundra. By addressing the size of the power source, NASCAR now has the ability to deploy up to 21 units in Toyota Tundras at larger venues and operate more efficiently on smaller tracks.

The Air Titan 2.0 more than triples the blade capacity of the original version and deliver 2.6 times more air volume at a speed of 568 mph, while raising the air temperature by 70 degrees over ambient. With the combination of water removal and accelerated evaporation, the ultimate goal is to reduce track-drying time by 80 percent.

Air Titan 2.0 will consume nearly 80 percent less fuel and emit 80 percent less carbon dioxides. Air Titan 2.0 works in conjunction with the Eco-Infused Elgin Track Vacuum/Sweeper and existing jet dryers. In coordination with the roll out of the Air Titan 2.0, Elgin has now become the Official Sweeper of NASCAR Green.

"Developed by our engineers at the NASCAR R&D Center, Air Titan 2.0 will help us more quickly return to racing, which serves our most important mission - the enjoyment of our fans," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. "It's faster, more agile and eco-friendly. The new Air Titan creates the ultimate win-win-win for our sport, our fans and our environment."

In 2012, France challenged the NASCAR R&D Center to develop a system to significantly reduce track-drying time to enhance the fan experience. NASCAR R&D responded to France's vision and rolled out the initial Air Titan configuration during Daytona Speedweeks in 2013.

"The first phase of the Air Titan system has been an overwhelming success," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president, innovation and racing development. "Based on our experience and learning, the staff at the NASCAR R&D Center has worked tirelessly to develop Air Titan 2.0. We will continue to innovate and develop the technology to further increase its efficiency and sustainability."

Air Titan 2.0 aligns perfectly with NASCAR Green and will display its colors on the side of the Toyota Tundras and Eco-infused Elgin sweepers. Since its inception in 2008, NASCAR Green has become one of the most powerful environmental awareness platforms in the country. NASCAR has the largest recycling and tree planting programs in sports; has put more than five million miles on Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent American-made ethanol from American-grown corn; and has the largest renewable energy stadium projects in the world.

"The Air Titan 2.0 is the latest example of NASCAR making substantive changes to our operations and business practices to help reduce the environmental impact of our sport," said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR vice president of green innovation. "We welcome Elgin to the consortium of more than 20 Official NASCAR Green Partners that utilize the platform as a proving ground to validate its green technologies."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-debuts-air-titan-2-0/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR May Reduce Horsepower​*
NASCAR has another meeting scheduled in April with Sprint Cup engine builders to determine possible changes to the engine for next year, said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development.

NASCAR has talked with teams since late last year about engine changes for 2015 that would reduce horsepower.

"We're all working together to find the solution,'' Stefanyshyn told Motor Racing Network on Friday at Martinsville Speedway. "We have to make sure that the little guys, the smaller engine builders are OK with this and we don't hurt them financially. It's a balance, and we've probably got six different alternatives we're looking at. We're going to be needing to get to a decision here pretty soon.''

A decision will need to be made shortly, engine builders say, so they can construct new engines, test them and then produce those new engines for teams.

Engine builders expect NASCAR to reduce horsepower by about 100 or so for next year.

"We're working in that direction,'' Stefanyshyn said of reducing horsepower.

Speeds are up this season but that's as much because of the aerodynamic changes to the car this season.

Stefanyshyn says it's a little too early to judge the new changes but he likes what he's seen so far on the track.

"The teams will need a bit of time to figure it out, and the drivers will have to get comfortable with it, so I was thinking we need to get through Texas (next week) to kind of begin to get a feel of where we are,'' he said.

"Thus far, it seems we've made some improvement. I look at things like number of unique leaders, number of green-flag passes, number of green-flag passes for the lead and they're all moving in the right direction.''

Green-flag passes for lead are up from last season. There were 147 green-flag passes for the lead in the first five races. This season, there have been 280, according to NASCAR.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Moving-Closer-To-Possible-Engine-Changes.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*RSS Racing Nationwide Team Penalized​*
The No. 39 RSS Racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been penalized as a result of rules violations this past weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Ryan Sieg's Chevrolet exceeded the maximum rear body height allowed during post-race inspection following his 22nd-place finish in the TreatMyClot.com 300. It's a P3-level penalty.

Crew chief Kevin Starland has been fined $10,000. He and car chief Timothy Brown have been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/RSS-Racing-Nationwide-Team-Penalized.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Is In The Forecast For Saturday​*
Once again the NASCAR teams will be dueling it with the weather in this young season. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are scheduled to qualify and race tomorrow in the Kroger 250. But rain is in the forecast and has even brought practice to a stop already the Trucks happening right now.

Rain might even impact the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series race on Sunday. Rain is expected in the morning.

How will this affect the racing this weekend? Time will tell. Everyone in Martinsville will be keeping an eye on the sky and radar for the rest of the weekend.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Wins Pole For Sunday's STP 500​*
JGR driver Kyle Busch wins pole for the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. This is Kyle Busch's 14th Coors Light Pole Award at the paperclip known as Martinsville. Kyle Busch is a definite threat to win on Sunday. Especially coming off the win last week at Fontana.

Busch's teammate at JGR Denny Hamlin will start on provisional pole. Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon round out the top 5 starting positions. Danica Patrick will start 10th and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 26th. David Reutimann was the only driver that failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Truck Race Pushed To Sunday​*
NASCAR fought the good fight, but in the end Mother Nature was the winner Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.

Continued rain showers has forced NASCAR to postpone Saturday's scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250. The race will now be held Sunday afternoon following the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500, which is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Qualifying for the Kroger 250 was also rained out Saturday, giving the pole for the event to fall Martinsville winner Darrell Wallace Jr. The field was set based on combined practice times. Ryan Blaney will start second.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/martinsville-truck-race-pushed-to-sunday/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Saturday's Southern Modified Race Postponed​*
A very unfavorable forecast of continued rain throughout the day prompted NASCAR and Caraway Speedway officials to postpone Saturday's Prestoria Farms 150.

A makeup date for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour event will be determined at a later date.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour is back on the track on Saturday, April 5, at South Boston (Va.) Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/saturdays-southern-modified-race-postponed/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick Rallies For Strong Qualifying Run​*
It didn't start as a memorable day for Danica Patrick, but it finished as one. Mired in 29th after Friday's practice session, Patrick and her team had plenty of work before qualifying.

They made the right changes, as Patrick advanced to the final round of knockout qualifying for the first time this season. She'll start 10th in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway - marking her second-best Cup start behind only her 2013 Daytona 500 pole.

"Just got to expect the unexpected, right?'' Patrick said with a smile about her qualifying effort after her struggles in practice.

Patrick's run was a surprise considering her qualifying woes this season. She had not started better than 27th. She hadn't started in the top 20 since qualifying 11th at Daytona last July.

"It's definitely the most important thing that I need to work on this year - to start further up,'' Patrick said. "Hopefully, it keeps us out of trouble. I think one of the things that obviously happened the first couple of races was that when you get far enough back, you get vulnerable with going a lap down and you also then are put amongst other cars that are really trying hard to stay on the lead lap and get that one more car. It's a lot more feisty back there.

"Finding myself with a car sideways in front of me, completely blocking me is not how you finish a race. Starting further up will hopefully get away from that, but it is Martinsville and it is only a half mile, so you're going to find it I'm sure.''

Patrick is one of four drivers this season who has improved their finish in every race. She placed 40th in the Daytona 500, was 36th at Phoenix, finished 21 at Las Vegas, was 18th at Bristol and ended 14th last weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Her season started by being collected in crashes at Daytona and Phoenix. She was the top-finishing car for Stewart-Haas Racing at Las Vegas and has been steady the past two races. Last weekend's run marked the first time this season she's finished on the lead lap.

"It's funny how I was a lot faster in practice in the first few races and they didn't provide the results I would have expected,'' Patrick said. "Then, all of a sudden, I'm not very good in practices and go to backup cars and all kinds of stuff and there come some good finishes or at least better finishes.''

With the National Weather Service calling for at least an 80 percent chance of rain all day Saturday, Patrick and the rest of the Cup series might not be back on the track again until Sunday for the race. How might that impact her?

"I think having a car that was good enough to qualify in the top 10 and learning something from the direction we went for in qualifying ... will, hopefully, be a good tool for us. We obviously have track position which is critical. It's about nailing it on the race day and this place changes so much.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ca-Patrick-Scores-Top-10-Qualifying-spot.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Outlaw Wins At The Paper Clip​*
Kurt Busch wins the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Kurt Busch got into it early with Brad Keselowski. As Kurt Busch got into a pit road collision with Brad Keselowski and tore the suspension off of Keselowski Ford Fusion.

Brad Keselowski went into the garage and the team repaired the Miller Lite Ford. Brad returned to the track and when he found Kurt Busch he hit the brakes in the corner and then slammed his car into Busch's down the back straight.

Busch never stopped fighting to make the car better and late in the race passed leader Jimmie Johnson and never looked back. Kurt Busch snaps a long long long winless streak today in the STP 500. Jimmie Johnson was second. While Dale Earnhardt Jr came home in third. Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose round out the top five finishers.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Ends 83-Race Winless Drought​*
Kurt Busch is officially back.

Busch overcame an early on-track altercation with Brad Keselowski and then outraced Jimmie Johnson in the finals laps to win Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500, ending an 83-race winless streak in Sprint Cup competition.

"I didn't know if we'd be able to do it," said Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for Stewart Haas Racing. "The 48 car (Johnson) is king here."

It was truly an up and down day for the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. It started with a down when Busch was involved in a pit road incident on lap 40 with Keselowski and Kasey Kahne. The three drivers made contact, with Keselowski's Ford getting the worst of the damage.

After spending several laps in the garage, Keselowski returned to the track without his front fenders. Almost as if on cue, he fell in line ahead of Busch and the two began to rub fenders while Keselowski told Busch he was "number one" out the driver's side window.

While Busch and Keselowski were mixing it up, Johnson was doing what he usually does at Martinsville - lead laps. Johnson dominated the 500-lap event, occasionally swapping the lead with a multitude of different drivers during the day.

As the laps wound down Johnson found himself losing grip in his Chevrolet, allowing other drivers to make moves on him. Clint Bowyer was among those taking a shot at Johnson, snatching the lead away from Johnson with 51 laps left when Johnson slipped up the track in turn two.

Bowyer looked like he was pulling away from Johnson in the following laps, but fifth-place Carl Edwards went for a spin in turn two to bring out the 14th caution flag of the day.

All the lead lap cars came down pit road for fresh tires during the caution period, with Johnson beating everyone off pit road to regain the lead. He was followed by Joey Logano, Busch, Aric Almirola and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Bowyer, who entered pit road as the leader, came out of the pits in 10th after a problem changing a tire during his pit stop cost him valuable seconds.

The field returned to racing with 35 laps left and Johnson quickly returned to the front, but behind him Busch was lurking. Busch quickly dispatched second-place Logano and chased down Johnson with 30 laps left.

With 28 to go Busch made a move to the inside of Johnson, taking the lead away from the six-time Sprint Cup champion. Johnson, an eight-time Martinsville winner, wasn't going to let Busch get away however. He stayed glued to Busch's bumper and retook the lead with a bump and run with 18 laps left.

Yet Busch, whose last win came in 2011 at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway while driving for Roger Penske, was not going to be denied.

Busch stayed with Johnson, hounding him every lap through the corners as they battled lapped traffic. With 12 to go Busch got the opening he was looking for, diving inside of Johnson as they entered turn three. The move stuck and Busch was able to clear Johnson to re-take the race lead.

Johnson tried everything he could to catch Busch, but the handling on his Chevrolet SS was working against him. In the end Busch was able to beat Johnson to the checkers by .263 of a second to score his 25th career Sprint Cup victory.

"I've been on this journey for a while and every time you come to Martinsville you just kind of draw a line through it like there is no way I'll be able to challenge those Hendrick guys or be up in that top 10," Busch said from victory lane. "This Stewart Haas team gave me a car to do it. Now I need to do on Saturday's, don't even practice. Just show up and race on Sunday that way I won't dial out the car.

"It is a dream come true to have Gene Haas (Stewart Haas Racing co-owner) call you and tell you he wants you to drive, he wants to go for trophies and wins. It is an unbelievable feeling to deliver for Haas Automation."

When asked about his altercation with Keselowski, Busch quickly brushed it off. Busch was in victory lane and that incident was officially behind him, just like his 83-race winless streak.

"We won. We're not worried about any of that nonsense right now," Busch said.

Johnson said that the handling on his car had gone away in the last third of the race and he simply was unable to stay with Busch in the final laps.

"I'd been loose in the final third of the race and was hanging on there,"

Johnson said. "When he (Busch) got back by me I was hopeful that he would wear his stuff out and I'd get back by him. Then I did and I couldn't hold him off. I just started to get looser and looser and looser.

"That's all I had. I ran the rear tires off the car, flipped every switch and knob I could in there to get front brake and turn fans off to help bring my balance back. Just a little too loose there to get the win."

Earnhardt ended up third, followed by Logano and Marcos Ambrose. Matt Kenseth came back from a lap down to finish sixth ahead of Kevin Harvick, Almirola, Bowyer and Paul Menard.

The race featured a track record 33 lead changes.






*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/kurt-busch-ends-83-race-winless-drought/


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Grandfather Clock For Matt Crafton​*
Defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton survived a pair of green-white-checkered restarts to win Sunday's Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

The victory was Crafton's first at Martinsville in 25 attempts and the fourth of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career. Crafton is now a proud owner of a grandfather clock, the traditional trophy awarded by Martinsville Speedway to race winners.

"I didn't think we were going to get there on those first two runs," said Crafton alongside his ThorSport Racing Toyota in victory lane. "But that is just the way these guys never give up."

In order to win Sunday's race, which was delayed by rain on Saturday, Crafton had to hold off local hero and former Martinsville winner Timothy Peters. Peters was at the front of the field when the caution flag waved with 60 laps left for a spin by Jeb Burton in turn two.

During the caution period all of the leaders came to pit road for fresh tires, with Peters holding the lead off pit road. Crafton came off pit road second, followed by last fall's Martinsville winner Darrell Wallace Jr. in third.

The green flag waved with 53 laps left and Crafton quickly set his sights on the race lead. He made the move around Peters on lap 208 and quickly began to pull away. Unfortunately the caution flag waved with 25 laps left for a large piece of debris at the entrance to turn one.

The green flag waved with 19 laps left, but the field was unable to complete a lap as Ron Hornaday Jr. made contact with German Quiroga in turn three, sending Hornaday around.

Racing resumed again with 14 laps left and Crafton once again maintained the lead as Peters fell into a battle with Wallace over second. Peters briefly lost second to Wallace, but he quickly got the position back.

With eight laps to go the caution flag waved again because of a crash involving rookies Cole Custer, Brandon Jones and Gray Gaulding at the exit of turn two. That set up the first of a possible three green-white-checkered restarts.

Peters got a solid jump on the first green-white-checkered attempt, but Crafton was able to maintain the lead out of turn two. However behind the leaders Erik Jones got a bump from Johnny Sauter, sending Jones into the inside wall down the backstretch for yet another caution period.

Crafton once again held the lead for the second green-white-checkered restart and was able to clear Peters at the exit of turn two. Entering turn three Peters washed wide, allowing Wallace to overtake him for second as the rest of field battled for position.

With Peters out of the picture Crafton had the race in hand. A crash by John Wes Townley down the backstretch on the final lap sealed the deal as Crafton crossed under the yellow and checkered flags to pick up the victory.

"I was just trying to be smart and not overdrive (turn) one," Crafton said. "I thought I gave one away. I drove it in there and I wheel hopped and I got loose getting into one and I said uh oh, don't do that again.

"I was trying to anticipate where Timothy was going to go because he was lagging back on me so far. But like I said, it was awesome. I finally got that grandfather clock."

Peters ended up finishing eighth after contact on the final lap with his teammate Quiroga. The two exchanged a series of bumps and bangs on the cool down lap on the backstretch, which ended with the nose of Peters' track smashed in.

"First the 54 (Wallace) kind of moved us out of the way but I wouldn't expect my own teammate (Quiroga) to do it. It's Martinsville, tempers are going to flare," Peters said. "I apologize to all the guys at the shop for two teammates getting into it. German has a lot to learn.

"The fastest truck didn't win again," Peters said. Following Crafton and Wallace to the checkered flag was Ben Kennedy, who scored a career-best third-place finish. Sauter, who led a race-high 61 laps earlier in the day, finished fourth ahead of Ryan Blaney.











*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/a-grandfather-clock-for-matt-crafton/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Emotions High for Ex-Teammates​*
Brad Keselowski is done with former teammate Kurt Busch's actions on the track and said if Busch wants to fight then "tell him to come here. We'll go.''

Keselowski finished 38th after contact with Busch on pit road ruined his race. Busch went on to win Sunday's STP 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

Keselowski's frustration also was compounded by an incident with Busch at Kentucky last year that caused Keselowski to wreck.

Asked if he had lost respect for Busch over those incidents, Keselowski said: "I still do. He does awesome things for charity and he's probably the most talented racecar driver and he's also one of the dumbest.''

Sunday's incident happened as both Keselowski and Busch - teammates at Team Penske from 2009-11 - were on pit road during the Lap 40 competition caution. As Keselowski exited his pit stall, Kasey Kahne turned for his box and Keselowski and Busch had contact.

The damage sent Keselowski to the garage for repairs. He finished 31 laps off the pace.

"I started to check up, and I just barely got in the back of (Kahne) and Kurt just accelerated and drove through us, absolutely drove through us," Keselowski said after going to the garage for repairs. "I tell you what, I'm about tired of his recklessness. Kurt tore the whole suspension off the car, so it won't turn, it won't do anything.''

Busch's version was different.

"I steered right to go around Brad and he clobbers our left-side door,'' Busch said after his 25th career Sprint Cup victtory. "Accidents happen on pit road, it's congested. I's not a place to race because of all the pit crew guys down there, and I didn't think much of it.

"Once we were back out running, he targeted us, he was aiming for us. He tried to flatten to all four of my tires. That's a punk-*** move. He will get what he gets back when I decide to give it back.''

Keselowski tagged Busch's car as they ran side-by-side down the backstretch. Even after getting by, Keselowski stayed close and they raced each other as if they were running the last lap instead of having more than 400 laps left.

Busch's frustration grew and he said he would fight Keselowski after the race.

Told of that comment after the race, Keselowski said: "Tell him to come here. I'm right here. He knows where I'm at. Leave Victory Lane. We'll go.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Teammates-Brad-Keselowski-and-Kurt-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Settles for Second​*
It has become so common at Martinsville Speedway that when Jimmie Johnson passed Kurt Busch for the lead 18 laps from the finish of Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, it was easy to think that Johnson was headed for another victory.

Johnson has won at this track eight previous times. In the fall race two years ago, he passed Brad Keselowski with 15 laps left and went on to the win. Johnson passed Denny Hamlin with 16 laps to go in the spring 2009 race at this track and won, so another late-race pass for the win was no surprise.

When Johnson passed Busch for the lead Sunday, even Johnson thought he was about to give Hendrick Motorsports its 22nd win at this half-mile track.

"Man, I got back by him and I thought that we had control of the race then,'' Johnson said of passing Busch. "I felt like since I hadn't seen him through really any part of the day that he might have me on short‑run speed but he would fall off. He stayed in my mirror and found a way back by me and then got a car length or so on me and did an awesome job.''

Instead of celebrating a victory, Johnson had to settle for second place.

Busch admits that after Johnson passed, he was more motivated.

"It flashed through my mind when he passed me that I'm hungrier than he is,'' Busch said. "It was great to have raced him, and there was that respect today because we don't come from the same garage, but we do have some ties. We do have (Rick Hendrick), we do have Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and there is a little bit of that camaraderie of teammates back and forth, and you don't want to start it off on a bad foot like that.

"But that's an epic‑type battle at a short track, with a six‑time champion to go back and forth and exchange the lead, a couple taps, a couple moves, a little bit of a chess game. I was hoping I had enough rear tires to drive away from him at the end.''

Busch did. By winning Busch likely earns a spot in the Chase, while Johnson continues to search for his first victory of the season.

Since 2004, Johnson has scored his first win of the season by the sixth race seven times. He'll have to wait another week to have a chance to score his first win of this season.

"Today I couldn't have done any more,'' Johnson said. "I just got beat. You're going to have those, too, and you've got to recognize when you get beat and you've got to recognize when you make mistakes, and today we just got beat.''

Despite that, Johnson still has shown he has a strong car. He led a race-high 296 laps Sunday after leading a race-high 104 laps at Auto Club Speedway last week before a tire problem late cost him the win.

"It's nice to know our cars are good,'' Johnson said. "This track is in the Chase, so we'll come back a lot smarter and try to prevent running second again. You just learn from the situation. I'm not saying there was a mistake today, but you learn from this weekend and carry it forward. This is a brand new car and a lot of stuff to figure out, so I know in the coming months the car's setups will be a lot different, and we'll just keep evolving and try to prevent running second.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hnson-Settles-for-Second-at-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Martinsville Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Whataburger Supports Starr In Texas​*
NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and Texas native David Starr will partner with San Antonio, Texas-based Whataburger for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, on Friday, April 4.

Starr, who has 40 starts across NASCAR's top three national touring series at the 1.5-mile track, will pilot the No. 44 Whataburger Toyota Camry for TriStar Motorsports.

"I'm really excited and honored to have Whataburger as a partner for the Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway," commented Starr. "Being from Texas, I have countless memories from Whataburger. My family and I have been enjoying their burgers for as long as I can remember. Even in racing, people get excited when they come to Texas because they get to visit Whataburger. The restaurant has become a staple of their trips to Texas Motor Speedway."

The O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 will mark Whataburger's first venture into the NASCAR forum.

"Whataburger is very excited to have David Starr as a partner for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway," commented Doyle Thomas, franchise owner of several Whataburger locations in eastern Texas. "With Whataburger being a Texas-branded company, having the ability to partner with Texas driver David Starr and having everything come together at Texas Motor Speedway, is a very special opportunity for all of us."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/whataburger-supports-starr-in-texas/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Northern Modifieds Set For Opening Round​*
Each off-season brings change on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, but when the 2014 campaign begins with this week's Icebreaker 150 presented by Town Fair Tire, there will be a host of newcomers and familiar faces in different places at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

Leading the sea of change are three past champions that are now with different teams than when we last saw them in last year's Thompson World Series. The headlining transaction saw 2012 champ Doug Coby move to the No. 2 of Mike Smeriglio III Racing while 2008 titlist Ted Christopher has combined his own resources with those of Berkley Racing to return the No. 13 to the tour. Seven-time champ Mike Stefanik has reunitd with car owner Ed Marceau and will pilot a Chevrolet numbered 1 on a part-time basis.

In complementary moves, Matt Hirschman has returned to the tour for the first time since 2011 to replace Coby in the Darling Racing No. 52, and rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. supplanted Stefanik in the Our Racing No. 22. Bryon Chew also stepped out of his family's No. 88 and tabbed Woody Pitkat to fill the seat for the coming season. Consequently, the Hillbilly Racing No. 79 that Pitkat left will have rookie Spencer Davis behind the wheel for a part-time northern slate while competing full-time with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour.

At least two new teams are set to join the tour for the first time in 2014. Keith Rocco, the 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, plans to run all eight Connecticut races for car owner John Rufano in the No. 48 while Melissa Fifield will contend for top rookie honors this year in her family's No. 01.
So if you're heading to Thompson for Icebreaker weekend, print out an entry list and grab a program, and get settled in for the opening of the 30th season of Whelen Modified Tour competition.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/northern-modifieds-set-for-opening-round/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drive On: Richard Petty's Team Perseveres Through Grief​*
Last week was by all accounts a rough one for Richard Petty Motorsports.

On Tuesday, the organization co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Richard Petty suffered a major loss as Richard's wife, Lynda, passed away following a lengthy fight with cancer.

Lynda, known by many as "The Queen" or "First Lady" of NASCAR, had been married to "The King" Richard Petty since 1959, and played a vital role in her husband's driving career and the Petty family legacy.

So it was with heavy hearts that Richard Petty Motorsports drivers Aric Almirola and Marcos Ambrose, along with the members of their respective teams, arrived at Martinsville Speedway for last weekend's STP 500. As a tribute to Lynda, the cars of both Almirola and Ambrose carried a commemorative sticker in her honor, and RPM officials made the stickers available for the other Sprint Cup teams on hand, as well.

RPM also developed the Twitter hashtag #WinForMissLynda and distributed Petty blue ribbons in the Martinsville garage.

When Ambrose and Almirola finished fifth and eighth, respectively, in Sunday's STP 500 -- a race, ironically, carrying the name of Richard Petty's longtime sponsor -- it provided a lift for the entire organization on the heels of a long and painful few days.

"We've had a really tough week," said Ambrose after posting his second top-five finish in three races. "We lost Miss Lynda. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Petty family right now. We really wanted to win for them bad out there, but we'll take a top five. We're really proud of our efforts."

Equally pleased was Almirola who, in conjunction with STP's role as the race's title sponsor, was a running throwback paint scheme similar to the one carried by Richard Petty's famed No. 43 car in his final years as a driver.

"I have raced at a lot of places and every place I have raced has been very business-oriented and very corporate, if you will," said Almirola, who is in his third season with RPM. "This is the one place I have come to to drive a race car that made me feel like part of the family. That is the way they run their operation and race team. It has been a family run business since the '40s and '50s and it is still that way today. Richard comes in here and puts his arm around everybody and makes them feel like they are a part of the Petty family.

"So to lose Lynda, it certainly feels like we all lost a huge part of our family. Obviously, on my race team specifically, my crew chief, that was his aunt. Trent Owens' aunt passed away. There was a lot more to it internally than just Miss Lynda. It was a huge part of our racing family along with being Richard's wife."

NASCAR teams honor Lynda Petty at Martinsville Speedway

Now with perhaps a little extra motivation to keep the momentum going in Lynda's memory, Almirola and Ambrose are upbeat about the future of the company. Both recorded top-five finishes three weekends ago at Bristol, with Almirola third and Ambrose fifth. Martinsville was just the latest in what has been a strong last few weeks for the organization.

"Performance has picked up and that adds a lot of confidence for me as a driver to know that I have people internally in our company behind us working hard to improve our performance," Ambrose said. "It has added to what we already had in place. I think that the sentiment inside my team, the 9 team, is a feeling of as much optimism as there has ever been.

"I think we have a real scope to keep improving and have only scratched the surface. I think the path we are on is looking better and better."

Almirola shares this sentiment for his No. 43 team and the organization as a whole.
"We were doing the right things and putting the right people in place," Almirola said. "When you start doing those things, the results come -- and they are. We aren't just talking about it anymore. We talked about it all winter and now we are doing it. We told people we were doing things to increase our performance on the racetrack, and now we are walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. That gives me a lot of confidence.

"All the talking in the offseason had me fired up and ready to go but now that we have actually gotten it done on the racetrack and running better than we ever have, it makes me more confident than I have ever been going to the racetrack and getting in the race car."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...y-motorsports-perseveres-through-grief-040114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bump In The Road: Martinsville Proves Disappointing For Danica​*
Entering Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Danica Patrick had every reason to be upbeat about her prospects of a strong performance.

She qualified a season-best 10th.

Her finishes had steadily improved since the second race of the season.
And Martinsville, a .526-mile oval that many drivers find particularly challenging, was surprisingly one of Patrick's best tracks last season as a Sprint Cup Series rookie.

Unfortunately for Patrick, this Martinsville race didn't pan out as she or her No. 10 team had planned.

On a day when Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch collected his first win in six outings as a SHR driver, Patrick struggled from start to finish with an ill-handling GoDaddy Chevrolet.

In the end, Patrick limped home six laps down in 32nd -- by far her worst finish in four races. The outcome also sent Patrick sliding two positions in the points standings, from 27th to 29th.

Patrick, who had come home a season-best 14th the previous weekend at Auto Club Speedway in California, was understandably not pleased with the result at Martinsville -- a track where she finished 12th and 17th as a rookie in 2013.

"It was a disappointing day," Patrick said. "We ran so well at Martinsville last year, but we struggled all race long today. It's disappointing for everyone on the GoDaddy team. We had high hopes coming into this race based off what we accomplished last year, but we missed the setup.

"Tony (Gibson, crew chief) made changes every time we came to pit road and really hit on something around halfway. But by that point, we were already a couple of laps down."

Patrick's 10th-place qualifying run marked her best Sprint Cup starting position at a non-restrictor plate racetrack, but it didn't take long for the Roscoe, Ill., native to begin sliding through the field. With the No. 10 Chevrolet tight in the middle and loose off Martinsville's mostly flat corners, Patrick lost positions early and often once the green flag waved.

The team gambled by staying out during two late-race cautions -- on Lap 341 and Lap 412 -- in hopes of regaining laps, but the strategy backfired. Patrick had to pit under green late in the race, costing her additional laps.

"We tried staying out on a couple of the cautions to take the wave-around and get a couple of laps back," Patrick said. "It wound up biting us toward the end when we had to make a green-flag pit stop, because the tires were killed. Needless to say, it wasn't the finish we were looking for."

Next up for Patrick and the rest of the Sprint Cup Series is Sunday's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, a fast 1.5-mile track where Patrick boasts a best finish of 24th in three Cup starts.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...sville-proves-disappointing-for-danica-040114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Throttle Back: Patience Gets Dale Earnhardt Jr. Through Martinsville​*
*D*ale Earnhardt Jr moved back atop the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings with a hard-fought third-place finish behind Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson in Sunday'&#128;&#153;s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Although he did not have a dominant car -- that belonged to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson, who led 296 of 500 laps -- Earnhardt was one of nine drivers to lead at least 10 laps at the 0.526-mile Virginia paperclip of a track.

With tire wear an issue all race long for the full field, Earnhardt did what he needed to do to score a series-high fourth top-five finish of the season: He practiced patience over 500 long laps.

"You had to just discipline yourself to not use the throttle, and I think we'll have a lot of fun looking at the throttle trace on some of them runs because I was quarter throttle at the max ... even on the straightaways," said Earnhardt. "There just wasn't no point in mashing the gas any further than that."

The reason why Earnhardt and the other drivers had to feather the throttle was simple: Apply too much pedal early in the run and your rear tires would quickly wear out, especially the left rears, which is what happened to some of the competition, most notably the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth, which faded badly during the race.

"You couldn't run any harder with the wear we had on the tires," said Earnhardt. "You just couldn't afford to. You saw how the 20 car (Kenseth) and the 18 car (Busch), those guys would run real hard at the lead early in the race, and they set an example for the rest of us to watch out and be easy on that left-&#128;&#145;rear tire, and it just goes away like a snap."

And so, the best way for Earnhardt to keep moving forward was to not force the issue too much and let the race come to him, which is exactly how he played it.

NASCAR Power Rankings: Hendrick teammates lead the way

"I couldn't afford to run any harder if I wanted to be competitive on the end of these runs, and particularly we seen longer runs here than we saw today," Earnhardt said after the race. "None of the runs went past 80 laps, but typically we see a good long run in the middle of the race, and we were just ready for that."

Earnhardt credited crew chief Steve Letarte for keeping him on task during the long race.

"You can easily get yourself carried away and race a guy and forget taking care of your car and taking care of your left-&#128;&#145;rear tire," said Earnhardt. "It's easy to get swept up in the competition of things, and he (Letarte) is good at sort of cheerleading you along the way and running the show. He does a good job on top of the box."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...s-patience-to-get-through-martinsville-033114


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## Ckg2011

*Air Titan 2.0 Melts M.I.S. Snow & Ice​*
*A*ir Titan 2.0 was the talk of the town in Martinsville. But this week, Michigan International Speedway turned to an old friend for a little help.

More than 80 inches of snow has fallen at MIS this year. With the NASCAR Goodyear Tire Test rapidly approaching (April 8-9), the track rolled out a good old-fashioned jet dryer to thaw things out.






Nice job jet dryer. You've still got it.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...end-to-help-melt-away-the-snow-and-ice-040214


----------



## Ckg2011

*France Confirms Horsepower Reduction Coming To Sprint Cup Series​*
*N*ASCAR is planning on making significant engine package changes in 2015 to extend the life of Sprint Cup powerplants and reduce horsepower. And along with engine changes, there likely will be aerodynamic and tire changes for the Cup cars in 2015 as well.

That's the word from NASCAR Vice President of Competition and Racing Development Robin Pemberton, which was confirmed on Tuesday by NASCAR Chairman Brian France in an interview with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com on March 22 at Auto Club Speedway, Pemberton said the sanctioning body has had four meetings so far with representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota and race teams about how to implement those changes. No consensus has been reached yet, according to Pemberton, but discussions are ongoing in advance of making the changes for next year.

Although Pemberton declined to specify how many horsepower NASCAR is looking to cut, sources familiar with the discussions said the reduction would be in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 horsepower. Currently, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engines make about 860-900 horsepower at most tracks.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...p-series-040214?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes 12 Cup Teams Practice Time​*
Twelve NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, including those of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, will be penalized 15 minutes of practice time Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.

The penalties are for being late to qualifying inspection line last weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

*The teams penalized are:* Kyle Larson, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Landon Cassill, Cole Whitt, Michael Annett, Martin Truex Jr., Reed Sorenson, Parker Kligerman, Kenseth and Edwards.

Cup teams have 1 hour, 50 minutes of practice Friday, beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The clock on these 15-minute penalties begin when the cars are ready for practice.

The penalty for each team doesn't begin until the car is ready for practice.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...CAR-Penalizes-12-Cup-Teams-Practice-Time.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bayne Back at Texas​*
Like many NASCAR Nationwide Series venues, Texas Motor Speedway's list of race winners is topped by Kyle Busch. He has six victories on the Fort Worth oval, including a run of five straight some years ago.

But as teams head to "The Lone Star State" for Friday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300, recent history has shown some new faces in the Winner's Circle - including Roush Fenway Racing's Trevor Bayne.

In fact, the 1.5-mile TMS oval has given us six different winners in the last six Nationwide Series races. Of course, Busch has one of those &#8230; as does Bayne, who claimed his first career win in the track's 2011 fall race.

Bayne is eager for this week's return to Texas and he'll arrive as the co-leader in the point standings, sharing the top spot with Regan Smith through the first five races of the 2014 season.

"We've been steadily climbing up the points ladder," said Bayne, coming off a ninth-place finish in his last start March 22 at Auto Club Speedway. "I've had fast cars and that's starting to pay off."

Bayne and Smith have been running one-two in points since the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where Smith's victory gave him a six-point lead. Since then, Bayne has steadily whittled his deficit down &#8230; to five points, then three and then one &#8230; before pulling into a tie 12 days ago in Fontana, Calif.

"Knock on wood &#8230; we haven't had anything fall off the car and break this year," Bayne said, noting his team's early-season consistency. "When you can eliminate those kinds of things, that's what pays off with a championship in the long run."

Bayne and Smith are the only Nationwide Series regulars who've finished 10th or better in each of the season's first five races. But Bayne says his No. 6 RFR team is not resting on its laurels.

"We're definitely not satisfied with eighth-place finishes," he said. "We want to contend for wins and with that comes a little more risk. You have to try new things. You have to push the cars to the limit as a driver. We're willing to take those risks so we can battle for wins."

In addition to the tight Nationwide Series points battle with Smith, Bayne has additional motivation for success this weekend. AdvoCare, primary sponsor of his No. 6 Ford, is based in Plano, Texas - about an hour's drive from the speedway.

Bayne is one of 41 drivers on the entry list in the Nationwide Series, which is coming out of its first off-weekend of the season. And he'll be busy in the Sprint Cup Series, also, running Sunday's Duck Commander 500 for the Wood Brothers.

But the focus for Bayne will be the deadlocked Nationwide Series points battle &#8230; as it will be for Smith, too. The Junior Motorsports driver says the week off came at a good time.

"It was great to hit the 'reset button.' That's a positive thing," Smith said. "We've been clicking off top 10s since Phoenix, but we all know that isn't going to be good enough. Now is our time to regroup and refocus. The goal is to get back to running up front and winning races."

Nationwide Series teams will open practice at Texas Motor Speedway on Thursday and qualify Friday at 4:10 p.m. (ET) to set the field for that night's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Tight-Points-Race-Drives-Bayne-to-Texas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Three Truck Series Teams Penalized​*
Three teams that compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have been penalized for rules violations discovered during post-race inspection last Sunday (March 30) at Martinsville Speedway.

All three teams - the No. 31 of third-place finisher Ben Kennedy, No. 54 of runner-up Darrell Wallace Jr., and No. 98 of fourth-place finisher Johnny Sauter - have been assessed a P3 level penalty for violating Section 20B-12.5 (D) (offset front hubs found in post-race inspection) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book. As a result, each team's crew chief - Michael Shelton (No. 31) Jerry Baxter (No. 54); and Gene Wachtel (No. 9 8 ) - have been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Truck-Teams-Penalized-After-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*From left to right. Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr.​*
*JRM Plans Four-Car Nationwide Attack On Texas​*
Going "all in" is a practice typically reserved for Las Vegas. But JR Motorsports is pushing all its chips toward the center of the table for a full strength-in-numbers effort in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

For the first time in JRM's 10-year tenure on the Nationwide circuit, the Mooresville, N.C.,-based operation will field four cars in a single race, marking the feat with a four-Chevrolet lineup in Friday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The team will deploy series regulars Regan Smith (No. 7) and Chase Elliott (No. 9) with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standouts Kevin Harvick (No. 5) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88), the team's owner.

JR Motorsports has fielded a trio of entries in each of the series' first five events this season and the multicar attack has paid off. All three teams are solidly in the top 10 in the Nationwide Series' car owner standings.

"Our company has been performing really well so far this season and it's heading in a great direction," said Earnhardt, the current Sprint Cup points leader. "Knowing we are bringing four cars that all have an opportunity to win is really cool for me and shows how hard everyone at JR Motorsports is working. Hopefully we can put one of our cars in Victory Lane Friday night."

The performance so far from the team's stable of Nationwide regulars has shown up in the drivers' standings as well. Smith, helped by his victory in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, ranks in a tie for first place with Roush Fenway Racing's Trevor Bayne. Rookie phenom Elliott isn't far behind: The 18-year-old stands just eight points back in fourth place, with four top-fives already in his young five-race Nationwide career.

The series last competed March 22 at Auto Club Speedway. While Smith relished the chance to"stop and hit the reset button" over the two-week break, he said he was eager to return to the track in hopes of improving for the balance of the season.

"It certainly isn't commonplace in this sport but it was a positive for our team," Smith said of the idle weekend from the track. "We've been clicking off top-10s since Phoenix, but we all know that isn't going to be good enough. We can do much better. Now is our time to regroup and refocus. Texas is a great track where we've had some success. The goal is to get back to running up front and winning races."

Harvick, a five-time winner in the series at Texas, has finished no worse than third place in his three Nationwide starts this year. Earnhardt, who has one win in each the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series on the 1.5-mile Fort Worth track, has an 11th-place effort in the season opener and a fourth place at Vegas in his only two Nationwide events in 2014.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jrm-plans-four-car-nationwide-202400177--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Captures First Win​*
His father stood in the back of Victory Lane, enjoying it all, as his 18-year-old son celebrated his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

Bill Elliott likely will be headed to the Hall of Fame soon, the final accolade in a career that saw him win a championship and 44 races, but what his son, Chase, did had Elliott beaming.

"All the stuff I've done, there's nothing that compares to this,'' Bill Elliiott said. "The kid is awesome.''

That kid bettered a bevy of Sprint Cup drivers with Kyle Busch second, Kyle Larson third, Kevin Harvick fourth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fifth and Matt Kenseth sixth. With the victory, Elliott became the second-youngest winner in series history at 18 years, 4 months and 8 days. Joey Logano remains the youngest series winner at 18 years, 21 days in 2008.

Chase Elliott passed Harvick for the lead with 16 laps to go and pulled away for the win, punctuating it by rattling "Yes!" several times on his radio after he took the checkered flag. The vicotry also allowed Elliott to take the points lead. He has a two-point advantage on teammate Regan Smith.

Elliott wasn't the only one celebrating. The Dawsonville (Ga.) Pool Room, famous for the blasting the siren when Bill Elliott won races, posted on its Facebook page, the siren blaring for Chase Elliott shortly after his win.

"He's just years ahed of guys normally his age,'' Earnhardt said of Elliott. "It's a lot of fun to be able to work with great people, great drivers and great talent. We're fortunate to have him.''

Check back for a full report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/04/Chase-Elliott-Captures-First-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Smoke Wins Coors Light Pole Award​*
Tony Stewart has won the pole for Sunday's Sprint CUP Series at Texas Motor Speedway. This is Stewart's first pole of the 2014 season.

Another qualifying session another Penske Racing Ford on the front row. Brad Keselowski will start on the front row next to Tony Stewart. Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards round out the top five starters.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Is The Best In Texas​*
The siren at Georgia's Dawsonville Pool Room is silent no longer.
Chase Elliott, the 18-year-old son of 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, captured his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory Friday night during the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in only his sixth series start.

"I can't believe it," Elliott said after climbing from his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro in victory lane. "Just to have this opportunity is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any racer trying to make it to the top. It just means the world to me. I can't believe it man."

In order for Elliott to win Friday's race, he had to beat some of the very best NASCAR has to offer. He didn't back down from the challenge.

Kevin Harvick started on the pole and dominated the first part of the race, leading the opening 87 laps at the 1.5-mile speedway. He finally gave up the lead for the first time on lap 88 to Kyle Busch, who had charged from the rear of the field after missing qualifying earlier in the day.

Busch held the lead through a series of green-flag pit stops, but was slowed when the caution flag waved on lap 121 for a crash involving Chad Boat. Busch retained the lead during pit stops under caution, but he wouldn't stay there for long.

Elliott, who had been running in the top six most of the night, restarted fourth on lap 125. Within 10 laps Elliott had driven by Kevin Harvick and then his boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. before setting his sights on Busch. On lap 135 Elliott made his move under Busch, taking the lead for the first time.

The young rookie held the top spot for the next 20 laps, but Earnhardt slowly began to reel him in. On lap 155 Earnhardt moved past Elliott to take the lead and slowly began to pull away. Earnhardt built a comfortable lead on Elliott until the final caution flag of the day waved on lap 168 for a crash on the backstretch involving Chris Buescher and Jamie Dick.

All the lead lap cars came down pit road for their final pit stops during the caution period, with Harvick stealing the lead off pit road. He was followed by Elliott, Earnhardt, Kyle Larson and Busch.

Harvick was able to maintain the lead during the restart with 23 laps to go, but Elliott stayed glued to the bumper of his teammate. Harvick constantly changed his line over the next few laps, trying to block Elliott's momentum. Harvick's luck ran out with 16 laps left. Coming out of turn four Harvick's car appeared to bobble, allowing Elliott to drive around him on the high side to take the lead away. Once out front Elliott was untouchable, eventually driving to a 2.666-second victory over Busch.

Ironically, Elliott said he leaned heavily on Harvick to help him prepare for Friday's race at Texas Motor Speedway. It certainly paid off.

"I went to him for a lot of advice this week. He helped me out and gave me some tips that I feel like helped tonight," Elliott said. "To pass him for the lead there at the end, that's pretty crazy. I can't believe it. I really can't. This is just awesome."

Bill Elliott was on hand to watch his son score his first Nationwide victory and was just in awe of how quickly his son has taken to the Nationwide Series cars.

"I'm about speechless," said the proud father. "I keep saying, for never having been to some of these places - Vegas, California and now here at Texas - and to come out and beat the kind of guys he has beat, he has done a great job."

Larson chased Elliott and Busch home in third, followed by Harvick and Earnhardt. JR Motorsports had three cars in the top five (Elliott, Harvick and Earnhardt) with a fourth (Regan Smith) finishing seventh.











*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/chase-elliott-is-the-best-in-texas/


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## Ckg2011

*Pocono Raceway Starts Kids Club​*
Pocono Raceway has started an all-new Kids Club for fans ages 14 and under.
This membership will feature an exclusive welcome package, at-track benefits, two member-only events during the year and automatic entry into a drawing where one lucky member will be selected to wave the green flag to start one of Pocono Raceway's ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards or Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire races this season.

"One of my favorite things is the look on younger fans' faces when they watch a race live at Pocono," said Pocono Raceway President and CEO, Brandon Igdalsky. "Over the last few years, we have made a conscious effort to not only improve, but also to add to our kids-centric programs. Our annual Bowlopolis Kids Day (which takes place Saturday, June 7) has grown each year, the introduction of the official track mascot, Tricky, and his Kit Kamp was greeted with rave reviews and the creation of the Kids Club is another piece to the ever-evolving kid initiatives we are putting in motion."

After becoming a member, kids will receive a welcome bag containing their membership card, two-pocket folder, writing utensils, a Tricky the Fox hero card, stuffed Tricky animal and more. A lucky kids club member will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be the honorary starter for either the June 7 Pocono 200, July 5 Pocono Indy Lights race or the Aug. 1 ModSpace 125. Kids Club members will also receive free admission, with ticketed adult, to all Friday and Saturday race weekend events at "The Tricky Triangle."

"We hope to add more to the Kids Club, not only this year, but moving forward" said Igdalsky. "We think kids, and their parents, are really going to enjoy the benefits which come with being a Pocono Raceway Kids Club member. As a father of twin, nine year old girls, I can personally tell you the membership perks are kid approved."

For more information and to join our Kids Club, visit www.poconoraceway.com/kidsclub.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/pocono-raceway-starts-kids-club/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tire Issue Causes Kurt Busch Crash​*
Kurt Busch blew a left rear tire and crashed Friday, becoming the first driver to have such tire issues this weekend after some had predicted similar tire problems as seen two weeks ago Auto Club Speedway.

Busch said he was trying to do a 20-lap run late in Friday night's practice when he had trouble and crashed. He had run 19 laps on that set of tires. He'll go to a backup car.

"No indication, it just started to separate in the middle of the backstraightaway where the left rear has the most load,'' said Busch, who won last weekend at Martinsville Speedway. "We were just trying to ... get a gauge on our tires and it didn't make it to that 20-lap mark. Shame on us, I guess, for trying to go 20 laps in practice. We needed more rubber on the track. We tried to stretch the envelope.

"What's happening is that last outer edge, right where the sidewall attaches to the tread, you see stress.''

Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales, agreed with Busch's assessment.

"While (the tire) was heavily damaged, our initial assessment is air loss due to over-deflection in the sidewall area,'' Stucker said. "We've spoken to the team and got some preliminary information, but we need to talk with them further to get more details to help make a final determination.''

Busch said what happened in practice "is in that category" of the tire issues at Auto Club Speedway. Busch blew a tire after 17 laps during practice two weeks ago, one of several drivers who had such issues throughout the weekend. Goodyear cited low air pressure as a reason for failures teams had there.

A Goodyear official said earlier in the day he didn't anticipate any issues with the tires, particularly the left-side tires this weekend. Teams are using the same type of left-side tire that has been run at Texas since 2011. The right-side tires are new this year. They are the multi-zone tire similar to what was used last year at Atlanta and Kansas.

Busch said the tire wear had been even before the incident.

"We didn't think we had much of a problem and so we have to gauge our notes off the other Stewart-Haas cars,'' Busch said.

Goodyear was examining Busch's tire Friday night.

Also, David Ragan is going to a backup car after an incident earlier in practice where he got into the infield grass and damaged the front of his car. His incident was not tire related.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...04/Tire-Issue-Causes-Kurt-Busch-To-Crash.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Strikes NASCAR Again​*
The Duck Commander 500 NASCAR Sprint CUP Series race at Texas Motor Speedway has been postponed until Monday at 12:00 pm est. The race will be televised live on FOX.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*CUP Racing On A Monday​*
The NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Duck Commander 500 will be on FOX in a few minutes.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Joey Logano Wins Crazy Texas Race​*
Joey Logano had the car to beat all day in the second 500 mile race of the year. Logano started on the second row for a Green White Checkered restart. That saw Jeff Gordon jump into the lead. Joey fell into second place and followed Gordon down the back straight and into three and four.

Coming into the dog leg Logano pulled to the back of Gordon's Chevy and pull the trigger on the pass. Logano pulled away and took the checkered flag.

Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and rookie Kyle Larson round out the top five finishers.

Dale Earnhardt Jr was the first driver out of the race after a hard slam into the outside and fire ended his race on lap 12. Kevin Harvick's race ended on lap 28 when his engine blew up. Dave Blaney, Parker Kligerman and Kurt Busch also did not see the finish.

*Final Laps of Duck Commander 500​* 




*Logano Celebrates In Victory Lane​* 




*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Video: Dale Earnhardt Jr Hard Crash​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Youngest Darlington Winner​*
He's got the deep baritone voice and makes his car move like few others, so maybe the comparison - even if stretched - is appropriate.

"I like to call him the new Elvis.''

Understand that is Dale Earnhardt Jr. - NASCAR's most popular driver - saying that about 18-year-old Chase Elliott.

Earnhardt's comment came after Elliott's last-lap pass gave the teen his second consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series win Friday night at Darlington Raceway.

Earnhardt says just wait because Elliott isn't showing all that he can do now.

"He ain't even focusing on racing 100 percent, he's still in school,'' Earnhardt said. "Wait until he graduates, he's going to be real trouble for those boys.''

Elliott will miss his prom this weekend but than added, "I had a good date tonight, the Lady in Black. It's the best date you could ask for.''

Elliott plans to attend his high school graduation next month, flying back from Iowa Speedway and then returning to race.

By winning at Darlington, Elliott became the youngest driver at age 18 years, four months and 14 days to win two Nationwide races. He also became the youngest winner at Darlington Raceway, surpassing Brian Vickers, who was 19 years, 10 months and six days when he won in 2003.

Elliott is the fourth driver to win in his first NASCAR national start at Darlington. The others are Johnny Mantz (1950), Herb Thomas (1951) and Dick Rathmann (1952).

Elliott already is the youngest points leader. He holds a 13-point advantage on JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith.

Elliott - who will appear on Motor Racing Network's broadcast of Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 - scored the win by passing Elliott Sadler on the last lap.

Sadler got loose in Turn 2. He was in front because of a two-tire pit stop before the final restart, while Elliott had four fresh tires.

Sadler said Elliott did not hit him.

"We had been battling loose all night,'' Sadler said. "We tried to tighten it up some. Just got really loose off (Turns) 1 and 2. I almost lost it off Turn 2. Lost my momentum. Just tried to catch the car. Chase did a good job getting on the outside. Just disappointing.

"Second is a good finish, of course, but it's not what we wanted. I really wanted to win at this place. Just felt like I let one get away from us tonight.''

Said Elliott about coming off Turn 2: "He opened up the outside for me.''

Matt Kenseth placed third with Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 84 laps, finishing fourth and Joey Logano fifth.

Kyle Larson placed sixth and was followed by Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith, Trevor Bayne and Ty Dillon.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...04/Chase-Elliott-Wins-Back-to-Back-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Doubles Up at Darlington​*
Kevin Harvick became the first repeat winner of the 2014 season scoring a victory in Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Harvick passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the race's second green-white-checkered restart to pick-up the win after starting from the pole.

"This is the one race I told Rodney (Childers, crew chief) I wanted to win," said Harvick. "We were able to put it all together, but this is the Southern 500, this is as big as it gets in NASCAR racing."

Harvick becomes the first driver to win from the pole at Darlington since Dale Jarrett in 1997. He led 238 laps on his way to Victory Lane.

The season had started with seven winners in the first seven races but Harvick, who won the second event of the year at Phoenix, ended the streak with win number two Saturday.

Harvick's win more than likely guarantees him a spot to run for the championship thanks to this year's new Chase format.

"It feels great. It's allowed us with the way the points system is to go for wins and not have to worry about the bad weeks too much," he said. "Really proud for these guys and looking forward to the last 10."

Earnhardt settled for second in the final dash to the finish line.

"It's a little disappointing to come that close because I know I don't really run that well here and the opportunities to win are going to be very few compared to other tracks," said Earnhardt Jr. "It hurts a little bit to come that close because we worked so hard to try to win races. Running second is great but nobody is going to really remember that. But we're proud of it."

Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle rounded out the top five.

Johnson, who was closing on Harvick in the final laps, opted for two tires when the leaders came to pit road under caution with ten laps to go. Although Harvick was able to race back to the lead with four tires, Johnson stood by the decision.

"Yeah, just very happy to finish there in the top three," said Johnson. "I thought we had a shot at a win. I think if things stayed green after our last pit stop, we had a good chance at it, good shot at it. I'm happy with (crew chief) Chad's (Knaus) decision to go with two, and there were enough cars that took two that it gave us a little bit of a cushion, maybe enough of a cushion to make it four or five laps there."

Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman completed the first 10 finishers.

Gordon leads Kenseth by one point in the Sprint Cup Series standings.

*How Harvick Won:* Harvick had the night's dominant car but was forced to make a dramatic move around Earnhardt Jr. one lap from the finish of the G-W-C overtime to score the win. Harvick had taken four tires on what was the final trip to pit road and that was the difference to make the move around Earnhardt, Johnson and others that took two.

*What Else Happened:* Long green flag runs were the order of the night until a flurry of late race cautions threw a dramatic twist on the proceedings.

*Who Else had a Good Day:* Earnhardt Jr. was disappointed with not winning a Southern 500 but has finished in the top-three in five of the eight races this year&#8230;..Johnson scored his fifth top-10 finish of 2014&#8230;..Fifth-place Greg Biffle registered his best finish of the season&#8230;..Gordon had his sixth top-10 finish of the year.

*Who had a Bad Day:* Kasey Kahne was knocked out of the race late when he made hard contact with the outside wall&#8230;..Martin Truex Jr.'s run of bad luck continued Saturday night when he also exited the race after hitting the wall&#8230;..Joey Logano followed up his Texas victory last week with a blown engine Saturday night&#8230;.Paul Menard ended his strong of top-10 finishes with a frustrating night that ended with a crash on the backstretch.

*Quote of the Night:* "The caution came out, and then I knew those of us on two tires were probably in big trouble." - Jimmie Johnson

*Other Notables:* Kyle Busch scored his sixth career Darlington top-10 finish&#8230;..Larson has four top-10 runs in his last five starts&#8230;.fellow rookie Austin Dillon came home 11th Saturday night.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/04/Harvick-Doubles-Up-at-Darlington.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Left Wanting More​*
A career-best finish in the Southern 500 left Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanting more Saturday night.

He was headed toward a victory at what he considers one of his worst tracks when a caution forced a second attempt at a green-white-checkered. At that point, Earnhardt had little hope. He had gotten only two new tires on the previous caution - trading track position for four tires - while Harvick's team changed four tires and lost track position.

The fresher tires proved to be too much to overcome, as Kevin Harvick scored his second victory of the season. Earnhardt Jr finished second.

"Everybody was telling me I had a 15-car length and I don't want to hear about that,'' Earnhardt said of his advantage before the final caution for Kurt Busch's accident. "I'm going to hear about it all day (Sunday), "You almost won it.'

Instead, he was no match for Harvick on the final restart because Harvick had those fresher tires.

"It's a little disappointing to come that close because I know I don't really run that well here and the opportunities to win are going to be very few compared to other tracks,'' Earnhardt said. "Running second is great but nobody is going to really remember that. But we're proud of it. (The team) did a great job giving me a really good car to be able to run that well here. The car was phenomenal. Really proud of those guys' effort. ven though they know where my shortcomings are, they worked their guts out to try to get us the best.

"Sometimes if I admittedly say this isn't my best track, it's easy to sort of back off, but those guys really push the pedal and give me everything I can to give me the best chance to finish as best I can. They did that tonight. That was a great example of that.''

Earnhardt's finish ends the opening eight-race stretch of the season, as the series heads into an off-weekend for Easter.

Earnhardt Jr is fourth in the points, his last-place finish at Texas keeping him from leading the points.

Still, Earnhardt Jr and his team will have some things to ponder in the coming days before the series resumes in two weeks at Richmond International Raceway.

"I think we've really got some great performances from our team,'' he said. "We just need to look at our competition, try to understand what we're seeing and where are some areas where we can improve.

"There's some spots where we can improve and get better, but we run second at one of our worst tracks tonight, so our performance is there. We've got the cars ‑ we seem to be on the leading edge of trying to learn these new rules and trying to understand what's going on. A lot of guys middle of the pack are scrambling with their set ups. We seem to be on a path and setting a pattern with what we're doing, and it seems to be working.''

Saturday night, it was almost good enough to give Earnhardt a Southern 500 win. Instead, he'll have to take a runner-up result and move forward. Twenty-eight races remain in the season, giving him plenty of opportunities to win more races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rnhardt-Jr-Finishes-Second-At-Darlington.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Someday Darlington Race Could Return To Labor Day Weekend​*
NASCAR president Mike Helton was asked Saturday if Darlington would ever get the Labor Day weekend back. While Helton wouldn't completely rule out a return, he didn't really think it was a possibility at this time.

The track hosted racing on Labor Day weekend from 1950-2003. Darlington eventually lost one of its races and its lone date was held on Mother's Day starting in 2005. This year, the track's date was moved to April. "You never know. There were a lot of stories that came from Labor Day races here at the Southern 500.

The badge around here was based on Labor Day weekends," Helton said. "So all I could tell you is you never know. I have seen a lot of things in this sport that I was surprised by ... and that led me to believe that the future of the sport can have things happen that people say won't happen again. So you never know." Darlington president Chip Wile said he is happy with the track's date but wouldn't object to a move back to Labor Day.

"With the date change, we've actually seen an increase in some segments that NASCAR has been focused on," he said. "So we are committed to our race date, but we welcome any conversation."

*Source:*
http://www.jayski.com/news/tracks/story/_/page/darlington-raceway


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## Ckg2011

*Video: Clint Bowyer Turns Kurt Busch For No Reason​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brunnhoelzl Adds Another To His Hit List​*
George Brunnhoelzl III added another track to his résumé, claiming the Courtyard by Marriott/Pepsi 150 Saturday night at Langley Speedway. It is the 11th different track the four-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion has won at.

Brunnhoelzl led the final 67 laps after passing points leader Andy Seuss, and survived a green-white-checkered finish for his first win of the season. Twice in the previous three races this year, Brunnhoelzl finished second to Seuss. It also extended Brunnhoelzl's tour record for career wins to 21.

Seuss came home second and David Calabrese was third. Luke Fleming and Ryan Preece rounded out the top five. Seuss took the lead on lap 62 from Preece, who won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day.

Burt Myers was sixth, followed by rookies Bobby Measmer Jr. and Joe Ryan Osborne, Jason Myers and Gary Putnam.

*The Finish:*

George Brunnhoelzl III, Andy Seuss, David Calabrese, Luke Fleming, Ryan Preece, Burt Myers, Bobby Measmer Jr., Joe Ryan Osborne, Jason Myers, Gary Putnam, Spencer Davis, J.R. Bertuccio, Mike Norman, Thomas Stinson, Danny Bohn, Brian Loftin.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/brunnhoelzl-adds-another-to-his-hit-list/


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## Ckg2011

*Vilarino Gets Revenge In Spain​*
Ander Vilarino took his revenge after a difficult Saturday race by winning the second ELITE 1 race of the Valencia NASCAR Fest ahead of fellow countryman Borja Garcia and Bert Longin Sunday afternoon. This is his 14th career NASCAR win.

The two-time champion started from the pole and drove away after an early restart, but the local hero Garcia managed to keep him in sight and crossed the finish line 2.4 seconds behind him, edging a very consistent Longin, who obtained his second podium finish of the weekend.

Anthony Kumpen came home fourth leading to an all PK Carsport tie at top of the standings and marking a very strong debut for the Belgian team. Kumpen edged Frederic Gabillon by just .110 seconds in a close sprint to the finish line.

Saturday winner Yann Zimmer couldn't defend the points lead due to a late retirement in today's race.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/vilarino-gets-revenge-in-spain/


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Tale Of Two Races For SHR​*
Stewart-Haas Racing experienced both highs and lows in Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

The ultimate high came with Kevin Harvick's second win of the season. Harvick worked his way around Dale Earnhardt Jr. with one lap to go to score his second victory of the season.

Harvick led seven times for a race-high 238 to score his first career win at the historic track.

"This is one of those places that I circle every year,'' said Harvick, who led a race-high 238 laps in scoring his first win at the historic track. "Most all of us know the history of this particular racetrack and what it means to our sport. "You look at the names and pictures on that trophy that they have out there is something that's pretty phenomenal to be a part of."

Harvick said he and crew chief Rodney Childers understand the importance of winning at Darlington and both hoped they'd be able to celebrate in Victory Lane during their first year as a team at SHR.

"I told him before the year even started, if we're only going to win once this year, let's win at Darlington," he said.

Harvick's boss Tony Stewart had a run Saturday night that probably felt like a win after things started. Stewart started 23rd in the race and slowly moved his way toward the front. He got shuffled back in the second half and eventually fell a lap down to the field.

But thanks to some late luck with caution flags and pit strategy, Stewart rallied to place ninth.

"To end up ninth after where we were most of the race, we'll take it," said Stewart, who has 12 top-10s in 22 career Sprint Cup starts at Darlington. "We were stuck in traffic all night, but right at the end, we were able to make some headway and get a top-10."

The other two members of the SHR stable didn't enjoy as much success Saturday night. Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick both finished far outside the top-10.

For Busch, the night ended with a thud when he was clipped by Clint Bowyer racing in traffic down the backstretch and slid hard into the inside wall. Busch's No. 41 Chevrolet was destroyed and he exited the race with a late incident for the second week in a row, placing 31st.

Although Patrick was credited with a 22nd-place finish, the second-year Sprint Cup Series driver and crew chief Tony Gibson were actually pleased with the performance.

The duo came into Darlington looking for a finish inside the top-25.

"Tonight was such a big improvement for us from where we have been in the past at this track," said Patrick, who made her 54th career Sprint Cup start and her third at Darlington. "The guys gave me a really drivable GoDaddy Chevy, and we kept making improvements to it all night. I just needed it to turn a little better. I'm just really proud of Tony Gibson and all the guys tonight. The guys on pit road did a great job all night long, and really, it was just a good night for me and the entire team. We'll take this and look forward to the next race after a well-deserved break."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/04/SHR-Has-Mixed-Night-At-Darlington.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Andy Seuss (#11) George Brunnhoelz (#28 )​*
*Brunnhoelzl & Seuss Continue Modified Fight​*
Once teammates, and longtime checkered flag contenders, the ties that bind George Brunnhoelzl III and Andy Seuss seem to become more entangled by the week.

Six of the last eight NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races have finished with the pair atop the rundown - three of the last four to end 2013 and three of the first four to begin 2014. In all it has happened 14 times since 2009, including this past Saturday at Langley Speedway.

So who has the edge? In those 14 instances of 1-2 finishes, Seuss has the advantage 11-3. When you talk about overall wins, Brunnhoelzl maintains a 21-17 edge. Then there's the matter of the four championships for Brunnhoelzl, a category Seuss has yet to register a tally, which is the ultimate tiebreaker.

But if you go back to just those last eight races, Seuss has distinct bragging rights. Before last Saturday, Seuss was the winner in the previous five 1-2 finishes between the pair, and he could very easily have won at Langley, but Brunnhoelzl came out just ahead of Seuss in a green-white-checkered flag finish.

As the southern tour returns to Caraway Speedway for this Saturday's Bunny Hop 150, the Brunnhoelzl-Seuss matchup figures to intensify. The two have combined to win 11 of the last 14 races at the .455-mile oval, including the previous five. Seuss is currently riding a three-race winning streak at Caraway, a feat that even Brunnhoelzl hasn't accomplished in accumulating a track-record 10 wins. If Seuss is able to keep the streak alive this week, it would be fitting that his Caraway wins tally would then rise to match Brunnhoelzl's total.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/brunnhoelzl-seuss-continue-modified-fight/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Jimmie Johnson: Which Would You Ride With?​*
*D*ale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson got to make over a pair of vintage Chevrolet trucks courtesy of Valvoline.

Check out what happens when they test them out on the track.

Which driver do you think had the best burnout?






Next, it was time to squeal some tires in the "Autocross Challenge."






The final challenge was a pass on the drag strip -- which happened to be Dale Jr.'s first time.






*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...jimmie-johnson-who-would-you-ride-with-041314


----------



## Ckg2011

*HAAS Still Unsure Of F1 Entry Date And Engine Partner​*
Gene Haas has spoken at length about his F1 plans for the first time since the FIA granted him an entry.

Haas was accompanied at a press conference by Guenther Steiner, who will be team principal of the Haas Formula organization.

Haas explained that the driving force behind the team was to promote his machine tool business worldwide, with a view to doubling sales. However he also said that the plan is for the team to become a "profitable enterprise" in five years.

Intriguingly, the conference created as many questions as it answered, with Haas admitting that he doesn't yet know if the team will make its debut in 2015 or 2016. He said a final decision would be made in four weeks.

"I would like to do 2015, simply because the first year is going to be a difficult year no matter what happens," said Haas. "It's a very big challenge and part of that learning curve is just simply getting to the track and sorting out the logistics of going from race to race, and the sooner we learn that, the sooner we'll be done with that.

"It's one of those things that we're going to find out in the next few weeks, and hopefully in the next four weeks we should have an idea which year we're going to pursue."

Later he said: "2015 is too close, 2016 is too far."

What he did make clear was that, as expected, he will rely heavily on a technical partner. However, he insisted that there was still a choice to be made between Ferrari and Mercedes, despite the Italian team being the clear favorite since news of the Haas entry bid first emerged.

"It's going to take us a while to learn, and we're going to lean heavily on our technical partner to help us," he said.

Rule changes that relax the restrictions on sharing of technology mean that from 2015 Haas could buy virtually everything it needs from an existing team - and in essence would only need to own the IP of its chassis and bodywork. Haas even used the phrase "customer car" at one stage.

He also admitted that there was a good chance that Dallara would be in the mix as the supplier of the chassis, a job it did for HRT in 2010.

He also confirmed that a "campus" in Kannapolis would be the main base for the F1 team, alongside the NASCAR operation, but there would also be a facility in Europe.

"Ideally the main office will be here in Kannapolis. There may be a smaller office in Italy or Germany for assembly and disassembly of cars. It will depend upon who our technology partner ultimately is. That would be the logistics we would use. Nothing is cast in stone yet, we're going to be flexible at it, we're going to do what it takes, and we're going to be efficient at it."

Regarding drivers he said: "Ideally what we would like is to have an experienced F1 driver, probably someone who is familiar with the current engine package rules. Then going forward we would certainly like to have a young American driver, that would be the ideal situation. At the moment we haven't really narrowed it down. We've had quite a few people talk to us."

He said that his Windshear wind tunnel was one of his biggest assets, but admitted it would have to be converted to run scale models given FIA restrictions on full size running.

On the subject of potential designers, Steiner said: "We're in contact with people, but also we just got the license last week, and until you've got the license you can't employ anybody and nobody would come and work for you if they don't know if you've got a license in the future.

"The real works starts now, we need to get the people, we need to define if we start in '15 or '16, and we need to pick our partner."

The full press conference can be watched here:

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/formula-1/haas-still-unsure-of-f1-entry-date-and-engine-partner/


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Trophy For Talladega Winners​*
Winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway brings with it history, tradition, prestige and honor.

Now, it has taken on a new meaning that has a special place in everyone's heart. In support of the United States Military, Talladega Superspeedway has announced the creation of the "Freedom Trophy," which will be awarded to every winner of a Sprint Cup Series race at the 2.66-mile grand venue, beginning with the May 4 Aaron's 499.

The special trophy showcases all five branches of the United States military - Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.

Military personnel will be on hand at each Talladega Sprint Cup Series race to make the presentation of the Freedom Trophy in Victory Lane. Not only will they be in the winner's circle to award the coveted trophy, but they will also participate in pre-race ceremonies as well. Each Talladega Superspeedway race weekend, a different United States military base will be given the opportunity to present the Freedom Trophy.

The creation of Talladega Superspeedway Vice President Brian Crichton, the Freedom Trophy is an honor to all military men and women on behalf of the speedway, a patriotic entity since 1969. Crichton enlisted the assistance of Fast Forward Marketing Owner Mike Barth (Spring, Texas), who has custom designed trophies in motorsports since 1996. MTM Recognition in Oklahoma City, Okla., spearheaded the design.

"Winning a Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega just got extra special," said Talladega Chairman Grant Lynch. "With the Freedom Trophy, we pay tribute to our race winners, as well as our servicemen and women who make so many things possible for us on a daily basis."

The Freedom Trophy is five-sided, reflective of each branch of the military.

Silver aluminum panels, complete with a design of each military branch 
soldier and branch logo, are showcased, along with a star that is waterjet cut in the center. The base is black stained wood with circular discs at the bottom and top made of black acrylic, and includes the Talladega Superspeedway logo, the date of the race and the name of the base awarding the trophy.

"As a symbol of our military we thought it was fitting to start with a pentagon shaped base'" said Crichton. "The artists did a great job by bringing together all five branches of the military, incorporating the star in the center and showcasing each branch seal on the individual pillars. It is a trophy we hope every Talladega Sprint Cup winner will be proud of - that it will mean a little something extra when they display it with the rest of their trophies."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/new-trophy-for-talladega-winners/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Lucas Oil Backs Chicagoland Truck Race​*
Chicagoland Speedway has named Lucas Oil as the title sponsor of its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race scheduled for Sept. 12.

The Lucas Oil 225 will hit the track for a night race on Friday, Sept. 12, as part of a triple-header weekend to kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway.

"As a longtime supporter of motorsports, Lucas Oil is excited about the opportunity to be a part of one of NASCAR's premier race weekends in a market like Chicago," said Bob Pattison, Executive Vice President of Lucas Oil Products. "For the past 25 years, we have put a premium on delivering performance products for racers and customers and we intend to continue that this September with our partnership at Chicagoland Speedway."

The Lucas Oil 225 falls on the same day as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying and also marks Family Fun Night at the track with post-race fireworks. Tickets for the Lucas Oil 225 start at just $25 and fans receive $25 off any youth seat with the purchase of an adult admission.

"In addition to establishing itself as an industry leader, Lucas Oil has a long-standing relationship with ISC and within the sport of NASCAR, including partnerships with several of our sister tracks," said Scott Paddock, president of Chicagoland Speedway. "We're looking forward to building on that relationship in the Chicago market and delivering a thrilling Lucas Oil night race to kick off NASCAR's playoffs."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...rucks/lucas-oil-backs-chicagoland-truck-race/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Rising Project Continues​*
After a successful beginning to the 2014 motorsports event season, Daytona Int'l Speedway is now ramping up construction activities for the $400 million Daytona Rising redevelopment project.

More than 65 Volusia County-based businesses have been involved in the Daytona Rising project since its groundbreaking nearly one year ago, a number that is expected to grow as the project progresses.

The speedway and its design-builder, Barton Malow, have awarded subcontracts, sub-subcontracts and purchase orders to Volusia County firms for the following areas: demolition, fencing, metal wall panels, asphalt, grading, drywall, plumbing, lumber supply, electrical, roofing, landscaping and masonry.

"Barton Malow has created an outstanding team and we're grateful to be one of the many local partners working on this massive project," said P&S Paving Vice President Todd Phillips.

P&S Paving, an asphalt paving, heavy highway contractor serving Volusia County, is providing paving and dirt services.

"Our company has a long history working with the Speedway so we're thrilled to be part of this important project," said A. W. Baylor Versapanel-Plastering Vice President Jim Crews. "Barton Malow and DAYTONA Rising are energizing the community by providing local companies with an opportunity to work on a large-scale project for the next several years."

A. W. Baylor Versapanel-Plastering, a commercial construction firm based in Ormond Beach, Fla., is fabricating light gauge metal stud panels, installing all of the interior wall and ceiling framing as well as installing all drywall and plastering.

"We've worked with the Speedway for more than 20 years so we understand the high expectations for DAYTONA Rising," said Coleman Goodemote Construction President Charles Coleman. "Barton Malow is an outstanding partner and we look forward to helping them with this important project."
Coleman Goodemote Construction, a full-service commercial construction company based in Daytona Beach, is assisting with race-ready preparation for key Speedway events.

Several members of the Barton Malow team have relocated to the greater Daytona Beach area to establish personal partnerships with the many local firms working on the project. Len Moser, a Barton Malow vice president and Daytona Rising's project executive, moved from Gwinnett County in Georgia to Ormond Beach with his wife and two children in June 2013. Moser is impressed with the passion for the project within the community.

"From day one, our local partners have demonstrated their strong commitment to Daytona Rising," said Moser. "Their dedication is helping to transform the Speedway's vision into reality. This project is an extremely rewarding experience for me personally and professionally."

Jason McFadden, Barton Malow's director of project management, moved from Atlanta to Ponce Inlet, Fla. with his wife in October 2012. McFadden embraces the challenges associated with this once-in-a-lifetime project and has also experienced the local enthusiasm for Daytona Rising.

"The overwhelming support from the Daytona Beach community continues to inspire us on a daily basis," said McFadden. "We're proud of the progress to date and look forward to the road ahead. We have a great team in place and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to make an impact through the DAYTONA Rising project."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/daytona-rising-project-continues/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sets Touring Series TV Schedule​*
NASCAR announced today the broadcast schedule for the remainder of the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours Championship events on FOX Sports 1.

The schedule includes 28 events for NASCAR's touring series including previously aired races from Bristol Motor Speedway, Greenville Pickens Speedway, and Irwindale Speedway.

"The NASCAR K&N Pro Series features the next generation of top-level NASCAR stars competing alongside accomplished veterans and FOX Sports' coverage of the series provides a great platform to showcase these drivers," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. "The select NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events are always exciting shows and shouldn't be missed."

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West schedules are highlighted by the two combination events at Iowa Speedway in Newton, and both season finales - Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway in September for the K&N East and a November date at Phoenix Int'l Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., for the K&N West, both companion events to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Also of note is the K&N East return to New York's Watkins Glen Int'l for the first time since 2009.

The popular annual Whelen Modified/Southern Modified Tour date in August at Bristol Motor Speedway is on the slate. Additionally, both the July and September Whelen Modified Tour dates at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon are scheduled to air, as is an October trip to Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park for the tour's final race of the season.

K&N East - Fri., April 25 - Fri., May 2 @ 4:30 p.m. - Richmond Int'ernational Raceway
K&N West - Sat., May 3 - Fri., May 19 @ 1:30 p.m. - Stockton 99 Speedway
K&N East/West - Sat., May 17 - Sat., May 24 @ 8:30 a.m. - Iowa Speedway
K&N East - Sat., May 31 - Sat., June 7 @ 10:30 a.m. - Bowman Gray Stadium
K&N East - Sat., June 21 - Fri., June 27 @ Noon - Langley Speedway
K&N West - Sat., June 21 - Fri., July 4 @ 2 p.m. - Sonoma Raceway
K&N East - Fri., July 11 - Sun., July 20 @ Noon - New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Whelen Modified Tour - Sat., July 12 - Fri., July 18 @ Noon - New Hampshire Motor Speedway
K&N West - Sat., July 12 - Fri., July 25 @ 4 p.m. - StateLine Speedway
K&N East - Sat., July 19 - Sun., July 27 @ 10 a.m. - Columbus Motor Speedway
K&N West - Sat., July 26 - Sun., Aug. 3 @ 10 a.m. - Colorado National Speedway
K&N East/West - Fri., Aug. 1 - Fri., Aug. 8 @ 11 a.m. - Iowa Speedway
K&N East - Fri., Aug. 8 - Sun., Aug. 17 @ 10 a.m. - Watkins Glen Int'l
K&N West - Sat., Aug. 16 - Fri., Aug. 22 @ 10 a.m. - Evergreen Speedway
Whelen Modified/Southern Modified Tour - Wed., Aug. 20 - Sun., Aug. 31 @ Noon - Bristol Motor Speedway
K&N West - Sat., Aug. 30 - Fri., Sept. 5 @ 9:30 a.m. - Kern County Raceway Park
Whelen Modified Tour - Sat., Sept. 20 - Sat., Sept. 27 @ 10 a.m. - New Hampshire Motor Speedway
K&N East - Fri., Sept. 26 - Sat., Oct. 4 @ 10 a.m. - Dover Int'l Speedway
K&N West - Sat., Oct. 11 - Fri., Oct. 17 @ 1:30 p.m. - All American Speedway
Whelen Modified Tour - Sun., Oct. 19 - Sat., Nov. 1 @ 10 a.m. - Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
K&N West - Thurs., Nov. 6 - Sat., Nov. 16 @ Noon - Phoenix Int'l Raceway​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-sets-touring-series-tv-schedule/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Qualifying Moves To FOX​*
Qualifying for the Aaron's 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway will be shown live on FOX.

Originally scheduled to air on FOX Sports 2, the May 3 qualifying session will move to FOX, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. It will be the first time a non-Daytona qualifying session has aired on FOX.

"This move is a direct result of the double-digit ratings gains NASCAR's new knockout qualifying format is delivering every weekend," said Bill Wanger, EVP of Programming, Research & Content Strategy. "We are thrilled to be able to highlight this new format on FOX, and what more exciting place to do that than Talladega Superspeedway."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/talladega-qualifying-moves-to-fox/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Grading The Rookies​*
Some drivers in this year's Sprint Cup Series freshman class are early contenders for valedictorian. Others are hoping the professor grades on a curve.

One of the biggest crops of rookie drivers in recent history started the year in pursuit of Rookie-of-the-Year honors. Eight races into the season, the eight newcomers have all experienced ups and downs with some scoring higher than others:

*Kyle Larson

Grade: A*

There were those who felt Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates were rushing Larson's development by throwing him into the Sprint Cup Series too soon (that would be my hand waving high in the air). Larson has quieted those concerns with a stellar start. Larson has a pair of top-fives and four top-10 finishes and has helped improved the performance of the No. 42 Chevrolet over previous years.

*Austin Dillon

Grade: A*

Dillon does have the finishes to rival Larson's so far. Dillon has been steady and consistent enough to work his way into the top 10 of the series standings. He set the NASCAR world on end by putting the iconic No. 3 on the pole for the Daytona 500 but his run in the race didn't live up to the qualifying excitement.

*Justin Allgaier

Grade: B-*

The HScott Motorsports entry has shown some promise in recent weeks and Allgaier is 27th in the standings. His best finish came at Bristol when he came home 17th. He's placed in the top 25 in the last three races.

*Cole Whitt

Grade: C-*

It's been a struggle for the Swan Racing Team, which grew to a two-car operation in 2014. Whitt is the best of the tandem right now and is 33rd in the Sprint Cup Series standings. An accident in the Daytona 500 started the year on a sour note but there have been a couple of bright spots since, including an 18th-place qualifying effort at Bristol and an 18th-place finish the following week at Auto Club Speedway.

*Michael Annett

Grade: D*

The Tommy Baldwin Racing driver also began his year with a Daytona 500 accident and his Darlington night last week ended the same way. In between those races, Annett has a high water mark of a 19th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway, where he also had his best qualifying effort to date at 23rd.

*Alex Bowman

Grade: D*

Bowman experienced the thrill of making the Daytona 500 when he raced his way through his Budweiser Duel qualifying race. It's been an uphill battle for the BK Racing organization since then with Bowman's 23rd-place Daytona finish, his best performance this season.

*Parker Kligerman

Grade: D*

It's hard to find a driver who has experienced worse luck than Kligerman. He has been involved in enough crashes and incidents to last a season. His year began with a spectacular Daytona practice accident and, unfortunately, the hits have kept on coming for the other half of the Swan Racing stable. His average finish is 37.3 and it wasn't until Darlington that he was able to finish as high as 30th since placing 29th at Daytona.

*Ryan Truex

Grade D-*

The BK Racing driver has only made six starts, failing to qualify for both the Daytona 500 and Texas. He was knocked out of Bristol by an accident and his 30th-place performance at Martinsville has been Truex's best outing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/04/Grading-Sprint-Cup-Rookies.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A Bad Day At The Office​*
For all the highs racing can provide, it is the lows that often stand out to a driver. And then there are those days they can't forget no matter how much they would like.

Every driver has their story of that really bad day in the office - inside the car that is. It varies, often depending on how long one has competed. The longer they've race, the more likely they are to have an experience like six-time champion Jimmie Johnson. And it isn't pretty.

So consider this your warning if you don't have a strong stomach.

This happened years before most had heard of Johnson, back when he was teenager in the early 1990s and looking to run off-road races. He was paired with Robby Gordon's father in the Baja 500. It proved to be a memorable experience for the wrong reasons.

Let Johnson explain.

"I rode half the race in the car and discovered my serious issue with motion sickness,'' Johnson said. "I wouldn't get out of the car. Every pit stop we pulled into, the people would see that I was covered in vomit and tried to pull me out of the car, but I was so anxious to race and wanted to race, (he told them) "No, I'm staying in.'

"That was the most miserable experience I've ever had. Once I ran out of stuff to puke up, I just dry-heaved over and over and over. I was in a racecar, and I wasn't getting out.''

Before you ask, yes, Johnson was wearing a full-face helmet.

But it wasn't his.

"The best part of the story was it was Robby's brand new helmet,'' Johnson said. "My helmet wouldn't plug into the radio harness, so I wore Robby's. I felt so bad after the race I forgot to clean out the helmet or wash it and I just put it back in the helmet bag. Robby found me a few weeks later. Let's just say he wasn't happy with me.''

David Ragan can relate.

"You always remember those tough days that are physically and mentally tough on you,'' he said.

The one that remains with him was the 2007 Nationwide race at Montreal. Ragan was competing in both Sprint Cup and Nationwide that season. Cup was at Pocono and Nationwide at Montreal, so Ragan was jetting between those tracks. Looking back, he figures he didn't eat a good lunch and didn't have enough fluid in him.

That was only part of his problems.

Ragan recalls that it was "very, very hot in Montreal and very humid'' that day. His car suffered some damage early in the race that knocked the crush panels in. That allowed the exhaust to get into the car. He said he got carbon monoxide poisoning.

"I was puking inside my car,'' he said. "I was praying for that checkered flag to fall. Never been so happy at the end of the race. Very, very sick. You really can't do anything. You can't stop and get a new helmet or switch anything out.''

So why didn't he just get out of the car?

"I was still conscious, I still knew what was going on,'' he said. "It was one of those things that you're hoping it would get better, you're hoping you'll catch a caution to patch up the duct work or patch up the crush panels. You just keep fighting.''

Before you ask, Ragan said he got sick under both green and caution.

"I'm sure my lap times were all over the place,'' Ragan said.

Still, for what he went through it makes him appreciate what one other driver once did.

"Obviously, Tony (Stewart) when he got sick at Watkins Glen, I remember watching that race on TV and thinking how awesome is that he's sick and he outruns everybody,'' Ragan said. "That's a true test of what kind of guts you have.''

Stewart, saddled with stomach cramps, won at Watkins Glen in 2004. He stopped in Victory Lane, walked to a waiting golf cart and went to his motorhome, returning several minutes later to celebrate.

But not all drivers have such days.

Greg Biffle recalls the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 when the hose that blows cool air into his helmet malfunctioned before the race started.

"My frustration level was high, and it was really hot and it was a long time to breathe exhaust and burnt oil and rubber and everything else in there,'' he said.

"I don't know how I got through it. Something happened to the (cool box). It was blowing hot air, extremely hot air. One of the problems was I couldn't get the helmet hose off my helmet. I could but the helmet hose was long, and I was afraid it was going to get in the (steering) wheel. Once we pitted and they got the helmet hose off the helmet, I was much better, and I had my visor open the entire race. It was a tough race.''

Biffle overcame all that and was leading when Jimmie Johnson blew a motor to bring out the caution four laps from the scheduled finish. Instead of winning, Biffle finished 13th.

"You couldn't have scripted it to be any worse,'' he said.

Johnson or Ragan might disagree.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Reveal-Their-Worst-Days-Inside-The-Car.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*No NASCAR This Weekend​*
No racing this weekend due to the Easter holiday on Sunday. Racing will resume on April 25th with the NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series race at Richmond International Raceway. With the ToyotaCare 250.

Saturday night April 26th the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series will return to action in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Swan Racing's Future In Doubt​*
The future of Swan Racing, which fields cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for rookie drivers Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt, is very much in doubt.

The team owned by Brandon Davis released a statement Thursday indicating that they would be reevaluating the future of the two-car Toyota program. Davis purchased the team, then known as Inception Motorsports, in late 2012 and re-branded it Swan Racing.

"The team has been unable to secure the kind of sponsorship required to effectively operate the team. As a result, the team management is exploring every available option. We hope to be in position to provide a detailed update in the near future," the statement read.

Swan Racing expanded to two cars in 2014 after fielding one car full-time last season for various drivers. It has been a rough season for both teams, with Whitt ranked 33rd and Kligerman 38th in the championship standings.

At this time it is not known if Swan Racing will enter the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway on April 26.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/swan-racings-future-in-doubt/


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## Ckg2011

*Gateway Sets Truck Series Event Name​*
Officials for Gateway Motorsports Park and MAKE Motorsports announced today that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event scheduled for June 14 at the 1.25-mile venue will be known as the Drivin' for Linemen 200.

NASCAR returns to the St. Louis area on June 14 for the first time since 2010 with a race that will bring a heightened level of awareness to the Linemen of America and the electrical industry. The Linemen were slated to be recognized today by the U.S. Congress for their efforts as first responders during natural disasters. This race will pay tribute to the past, present, future and fallen Linemen.

"Gateway Motorsports Park is honored to be associated with the Fallen Linemen Organization and the International Lineman's Museum," said Curtis Francois, CEO and owner of Gateway Motorsports Park.

"With the sporadic and dangerous weather we experience here in the Midwest, our fans understand the critical role electrical linemen play in assisting other first responders in their efforts to save lives. Our goal with this event partnership is to recognize these heroes, their families, and pay tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed their lives helping others."

This is the first venture into event marketing for the Linemen industry as a whole. The No. 50 MAKE Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado is the first industry-*sponsored NASCAR Camping World Truck Series vehicle. The Drivin' for Linemen 200 expands on MAKE's vision to support all Linemen while also bringing awareness to the industry.

"The Drivin' for Linemen 200 is dedicated to the hard-*working men and women who risk their lives every day to keep America energized," said Tracy Lowe, co-*owner of MAKE Motorsports. "We want America to know how important they are in our lives, because without them, we would not have electricity in our homes or businesses and the things we take for granted wouldn't be available. We aim to remember the past with the International Linemen Museum, the present and future linemen and their safety, while honoring the Fallen Linemen Organization."

"Our partnership with the Fallen Linemen Organization supports the track's focus on celebrating American families by bringing them together for the wonderful American pastime of auto racing during the Father's Day weekend," explaind Francois.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/gateway-sets-truck-series-event-name/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's Spring Break Has Arrived​*
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has its own version of spring break and it has arrived, with the traditional Easter weekend hiatus. It's time for a bit of rest, relaxation - and examination regarding the first eight races of the 2014 season.

In case you hadn't noticed, there's a lot going on, starting with the unreal level of parity that has made predictability an outdated term. Much has been said and written about the seven different winners to start the season, a streak broken this past weekend at Darlington Raceway when Kevin Harvick became the year's first two-time winner. Overshadowed somewhat has been a concurrent revolving door, in the form of eight different Coors Light Pole winners to open the season, tied for the series' longest season-opening streak of different pole winners. Is competition better than ever? There are statistics supporting that notion:

- All three manufacturers have won races thus far, led by Chevrolet's four victories.

- An average of 12 different leaders per race, compared to 8.6 at this point last year.

- An average of 25.6 lead changes per race, compared to 17.4 in 2013.

- Total of 29,541 green flag passes, compared to 23,178 in 2013.

- Total of 346 green flag passes for the lead, compared to 181 in 2013.

- And &#8230; an average margin of victory of .588 of a second, the smallest since 2008.

In addition, it's even easier to argue that the competition has certainly received a boost in interest because of the nuances of the new championship-deciding, Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format. Race winners are virtually assured a berth in the 16-driver Chase, unless there are more than 16 different winners, whereupon the series points could be used to determine which race winners get into the "playoffs." Number of race victories, though, will be the first "tiebreaker." And don't forget about this addendum: the series points leader after 26 races - the "regular season' champion so to speak - will get in, with or without having a race victory. Less than 16 different winners? Again, we'll go to the standings to fill out the Chase field.

You want nuance? Try this. The possibility exists that a driver could be, say, second in the points come time for the Chase and not make the field, if they haven't won a race. That could be painful.

After eight races, three of the top five drivers in the series standings are winless - Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson. Those three drivers have won 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, collectively but right now they're sharing a seat that perhaps isn't really hot just yet, but definitely is getting warm. Other items of interest "after eight" &#8230;

- Two drivers with race victories aren't even in the top 16 in points, starting with Harvick who is "mired" - talk about another outdated term due to the new format - in 22nd. Harvick's Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch is 26th but he has a Martinsville victory and a likely Chase berth.

- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500, has three runner-up finishes plus one third. He has been running near the front seemingly all season - with the exception of Texas, when he ran into the grass early in the race.

- Tony Stewart, coming back from being sidelined for much of last year by injury, is winless but has four top-10 finishes in the last five races, including an incredibly strong Texas run where he was the Coors Light Pole Award winner.

- Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet, was never a factor at the Daytona 500 but had her second-best finish of the year thus far at Bristol's half-mile. Go figure.

- Team Penske has both of its drivers in the victory column, with Brad Keselowski winning at Las Vegas and Joey Logano at Texas. That's two wins on 1.5-mile tracks. There are five 1.5-mile tracks in the Chase lineup. Sounds ominous.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule resumes Saturday night April 26 at three-quarters mile Richmond International Raceway. Richmond has been called, through the years, "the perfect track" which means there's a good chance at an interesting season is about to become even more so, coming out of our spring break.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascars-spring-break-has-arrived/


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Should NASCAR Race Easter Weekend?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*None of NASCAR's three national series race on Easter weekend. Should at least one of those series race Saturday?*

*Answer*

*Pete Pistone:*

NASCAR is missing a great opportunity to showcase either the Nationwide Series or the Camping World Truck Series this Easter weekend.

It's a good idea for the Sprint Cup Series to take a breather at least a couple times a season. Teams need a break from the long grind of the schedule and quite frankly a little "absence makes the heart grow fonder" probably isn't a bad thing for the fan base. But when the top division steps aside, NASCAR needs to shine a spotlight on the other circuits.

Easter used to mean a Saturday Nationwide Series race back in the day at Hickory Motor Speedway and then later at Nashville Superspeedway. When Nashville stopped hosting races a few years ago it left a void that needs to be filled.

NASCAR should do all it can to put together an Easter weekend event next year, perhaps a Nationwide/Truck Series doubleheader (the Truck schedule needs to not have a two-month gap between the first two races of the season as well). Better yet make it a short-track double dip and really give NASCAR fans a holiday treat.

*Dustin Long:*

No way. Been there done that and not enough people came to make it viable. What's wrong with having a weekend off? People complain that the season is too long but want another race? Come on folks. Pick one or the other.

A USA Today article listed Easter as among the busier times for travel as families come together for this holiday. Obviously, more people travel for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but the point is why do you want to have a race when people are focused on other things?

What's the problem with going a weekend without racing? It only makes you appreciate it more when it returns. Besides, there will be racing every weekend between now and just before Thanksgiving. Isn't that enough?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Go-Should-NASCAR-Race-on-Easter-Weekend.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rain Halts Southern Modifieds At Caraway​*
A persistent overnight rain and forecast showers in the area has forced the postponement of Saturday's NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Bunny Hop 150 at Caraway Speedway. A makeup date for the event will be announced later.

The Whelen Southern Modified Tour heads into its annual late spring hiatus and will be back on the track next on July 4 at Caraway Speedway. Andy Seuss takes a five-point lead into the break over four-time tour champion George Brunnhoelzl III.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/rain-halts-southern-modifieds-at-caraway/


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr and Chase Elliott​*
*Call Off The Chase: Elliott Shouldn't Rush To Sprint Cup Series​*
*T*he future is bright for NASCAR with the amount of young talent we have in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series as well as those working their way up to that level. One that stands out from an already special crowd has to be Chase Elliott, son of NASCAR champion Bill Elliott.

Chase won his second consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Darlington last week. Winning two in a row as a rookie is one thing. Winning two in a row when the second one is at Darlington is on a whole other level. Not only is Chase winning in these Nationwide races, but just take a look at the folks he is beating. He is beating the Kevin Harvicks and Kyle Buschs of the world who are used to dominating and winning these races. Don't forget that both Kevin and Kyle are past Nationwide Series champions who Chase is beating.

DW: A record-breaking weekend at Darlington

Obviously, Chase's future is very bright in NASCAR and he will eventually move to the Sprint Cup level. Honestly, he will probably move sooner than later. He probably will be able to take NAPA Auto Parts with him as his sponsor since we already know they are a Sprint Cup Series-caliber sponsor. I just hope, collectively, they don't bring him into the Sprint Cup Series too fast.

We all know logistically that the walk from the Nationwide garage in the infield of most tracks to the Sprint Cup garage is about five minutes. However, the leap for a driver to go from running the full Nationwide Series schedule to running the full Sprint Cup Series schedule is wider than the Grand Canyon. Sure, there are exceptions. Kyle Larson is the most recent exception. But you have to remember that the exceptions aren'€™t the rule.

Chase Elliott is only 18 years old, and I just hope they don't push him too far too fast. Sometimes you can be guilty of moving a driver too slow. Sometimes you can be guilty of moving a driver too fast. The too slow part is hardly ever detrimental, but the too fast part definitely can be.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...liott-should-be-in-no-hurry-to-move-up-041814


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## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick (4) Kasey Kahne (5)​*
*So Close, So Far Away: Harvick and Kahne In Different Places​*
ou look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings right now, you'll see something interesting: Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne have exactly the same number of points after eight races. Yet their respective seasons couldn't be more different now.

And that underscores why the new championship program NASCAR instituted this year has been so compelling.

Harvick and Kahne each have 186 points.

But if the Chase for the Sprint Cup was to start today, Harvick would be the top seed among the 16 Chase drivers and Kahne wouldn't even qualify. That's because while Harvick has four finishes of 36th or worse this year in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, Harvick is the only Sprint Cup driver with two victories.

Kahne, on the other hand, has not finished higher than eighth in a race this season. And with NASCAR's win-and-you're-almost-certainly-in championship structure for 2014, winning races is everything and top 10s are considerably less important than they were in years past.

So even though Harvick and Kahne appear to be in a dead heat, points-wise, they couldn't be further away from each other right now.

But there's another side to that coin, as well.

Normally, if a Sprint Cup team went into the first off weekend 23rd in points, there would be deep concern and possibly even some personnel changes.

With the new points system, though, all Kahne has to do to get back on track, metaphorically speaking, is win one of the next 18 races. Just one.

A single victory in the next 18 races will pretty much guarantee Kahne a slot in the Chase, and at least a chance to contend for a title.

Certainly over the off week, Kahne's crew chief Kenny Francis and the competition department at Hendrick Motorsports will leave no stone unturned in trying to find enough performance in the No. 5 Chevrolet to win races, or at least contend for victories. And with tracks like Charlotte, Pocono and Atlanta coming up, Kahne should have ample opportunities to win.

By the same token, with two road courses in the regular season, Marcos Ambrose has an excellent chance of scoring a victory and punching his ticket to the Chase. So does a guy like David Ragan, who excels at restrictor-plate tracks and is the defending race winner at Talladega.

And certainly it's way, way too early for points leader Jeff Gordon, second-place Matt Kenseth or fifth-place Jimmie Johnson to be worried that they haven't won yet. Even 15th-place Denny Hamlin has been in a position to win a couple of times already. Don't count out Austin Dillon or Kyle Larson, either.

The bottom line here is that after eight races this season, there have been plenty of compelling stories but the field is still wide, wide open. Between now and the end of the NASCAR regular season, the intensity and the pressure will only ratchet up. And with it the fun and excitement should build, too.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-harvick-and-kahne-in-different-places-041714


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## Ckg2011

*Dillon & Larson Lead Rookie Fight​*
Austin Dillon struck first, blazing to the Coors Light Pole for the Daytona 500 in the No. 3 Chevrolet's return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.
Dillon followed up the pole with a ninth-place finish in the Daytona 500. So far, it's his only top 10 this season.

Kyle Larson took an opposite path to this first open weekend, and his recent counter punches have landed him atop the rookie standings.

Larson, who has won a race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season, opened his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year campaign with a 38th-place finish because of an accident in the Daytona 500. Then, at Phoenix and Las Vegas, Larson slogged through finishes of 20th and 19th.

But since those season-opening jitters, he has turned it on, finishing in the top 10 in three of the last four races - including a runner-up finish at Auto Club Speedway and a fifth at Texas.

Those three finishes - and the adjoining bonus points toward the rookie standings that go with them - have catapulted Larson to the top of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. He currently has 98 points - 13 ahead of Dillon.

But Dillon leads in overall points, thanks to few poor finishes (Larson has two finishes outside the top 25; Dillon has none).

Maybe the most interesting nugget of the bunch: If the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup started today - and, NASCAR confirms that it doesn't - both Dillon and Larson would be part of the Chase Grid.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dillon-larson-lead-rookie-fight/


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## Ckg2011

*Journey Continues For Robbie Reiser​*
Robbie Reiser is the first to admit he wasn't the most gifted behind the wheel of a race car, despite the records proving otherwise.

However, he had something not many had: two icons as role models. Those icons were his grandfather and his father. Both were legends on the short tracks of Wisconsin for most of the 20th century.

"I was never very talented," Robbie Reiser said. "I was just a guy that wanted to race and wanted it worse than the people around me."

That burning desire ultimately landed Reiser on top of the NASCAR world in 2003 when he helped lead fellow Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth to the then-Winston Cup Series championship as Kenseth's crew chief. Four years later, Reiser became one of the leaders at Roush Fenway Racing.

"When I was 18 years old and started racing cars, I never thought I would've gotten to the point where I am today," Reiser said. "Who envisioned a kid from Allenton, Wisconsin to run Roush Fenway Racing?

"There's more employees there than in my hometown."

Reiser will be inducted into the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame on Nov. 1. The Hall of Fame is located inside the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford, Wis.

Reiser will go into the Hall of Fame with former modified driver Bill Bohn (Bristol, Wis.), former USAC and IndyCar driver Bay Darnell (Wadsworth, Ill.), three-time modified champion Gary Dye (Mukwonago, Wis.), car owner, builder, chief mechanic of modifieds and sprint cars for more than 50 years Glenn Haddy (Mayville, Wis.), former Eastern Wisconsin limited late model champion Randy Markwardt (Sheboygan, Wis.), nine-time IRA 410 sprint car champion Joe Roe (Zion, Ill.), all-time dirt late model record holder and 12-time Hales Corners (Wis.) track champion Russ Scheffler (Waukesha, Wis.) and four-time sportsman champion at Hales Corners and the all-time point leader in that division Al Tietyen (Franklin, Wis.).

Woody Klug of Cascade, Wis., an Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car ***'n modified champion, will be inducted posthumously.

"The coolest thing about living in Wisconsin is all the tracks we get to race on," Reiser said. "The first time I ran a late model was in Kaukauna. I remember they had 75 late models and I qualified 15th.

"(Alan) Kulwicki had to race in a last-chance race to get into the feature."
Reiser will also go into the Hall of Fame and be right next to his father, John, who was inducted in 2011. John Reiser died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 67. Robbie Reiser gave the acceptance speech at the ceremony.

"A few years ago when my dad got it, I was really excited because it was the coolest thing," Robbie Reiser said.

"My dad was my hero," he added. "To stand up in front of all those people, I wish he would've been able to do it himself. I just got to watch."

Robbie Reiser won three track championships in the super late model division at Slinger Superspeedway (1990-92). He also won a mini-stocks championship at Slinger in 1983. In a three-year period during the early 1990s, Reiser won 14 track, area and regional championships.

"As an uncle, I couldn't be more proud," said Ken Reiser, Robbie's uncle.
John Reiser founded Triton Trailers, a trailer manufacturing company in the 1990s. Later, he founded Reiser Enterprises in Denver, N.C. The goal at that time for Reiser was to get his son behind the wheel of a car in NASCAR. It was a struggle.

Robbie Reiser made his NASCAR debut in the then-Busch Series in 1993 at the Milwaukee Mile. He finished 21st. Reiser never put in a full NASCAR season during his racing career (1993-97). He made 29 Busch Series starts with only one top-10 finish, and made three NASCAR truck series starts in 1996 with the Mueller brothers, Tom and Jerry. His best finish was 19th.
The Muellers were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 1997, life changed for the Reisers when they hired Kenseth to race for the team. Kenseth and Robbie Reiser were rivals on the short tracks. When Reiser asked Kenseth to race for him, Reiser admitted in 2011 it was "super weird" to award a former rival the unique opportunity of racing in NASCAR. But Reiser was happy with the decision, even if it was met with some animosity.

"He also realized what we had at stake," Reiser recalled about his dad's reaction.
The Reisers pinned all their hopes and dreams on Kenseth, who won the 1994 Slinger Nationals when he was 22.

Kenseth became a full-time then-Winston Cup driver in 2000 after he and Reiser won seven races and had 50 top-10s in their first 85 career starts in the Busch Series.

They reached the pinnacle in 2003, winning the Winston Cup championship together.

"That was special," Ken Reiser said, adding most of the people on the race team were from Wisconsin.

"It was a huge family effort," Robbie Reiser said. "It's something I wanted to do. I wasn't pressured to do it. They were really supportive of it. When I wanted to do it, they gave me 100 percent to help me."

"My dad never made racing a career," he added. "My dad did it as a hobby because he loved to do it."

Today, Reiser is the vice president of Roush Fenway Racing. He has already told his boss, Jack Roush, he wants to go to the ceremony.

"I wouldn't miss it," Reiser said. "I've already talked to Jack. I'm looking forward to it."
"I was never a kid that talented," he added. "I just wanted it so bad. I always wanted to be a part of racing. I've been very fortunate."

When Reiser does give his induction speech, he admitted it'll be far easier this time around, rather than trying to tell a group of people - friends and idols - what it was like to be John Reiser's son.

Reiser said his dad had a way of being blunt. When asked what he thought his father would tell him about his latest accomplishment, Reiser said his father would look at the negatives.
But it'd be in a good way.

"He'd tell me about all the stuff I wrecked," Reiser said with a laugh. "I was never very talented. I was just a guy that wanted to race and wanted it worse the people around me."
"I think he'd be proud of me," he added. "But in my dad's way he'd remind me of all the trouble to get there."

Until then, the focus is work and winning, which according to his uncle is nothing new.
"He's dedicated his life to racing," Ken Reiser said. "His focus was to winning."
So far, at least on the Cup side, things are going OK.

Carl Edwards is third in points and has a victory to his credit. He also has four top-10 finishes through eight races. Greg Biffle is 11th in points with three top-10 finishes.
The frustration at this early point is with Rick Stenhouse Jr.'s season.

Through eight races, the two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion is 25th in points with just two top-10 finishes through eight races.

"(Stenhouse) has not run well," Reiser said. "They finished second at Bristol, but consistently we haven't run as well as we need to."

He is optimistic.

"I'm comfortable with the program," Reiser said. "We have a real young team. They're going to get it and when they do, they'll (perform better).

"We're just trying to get the chemistry back."

On the Nationwide side, Trevor Bayne is off to a good start with six top-10 finishes in seven starts. However, there are no victories from Bayne, Chris Buescher or Ryan Reed through the first seven races of the season.

"As a whole, no one is real happy with the way we have been running," Reiser said. "Everybody expects more."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../amazing-journey-continues-for-robbie-reiser/


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## Ckg2011

*Team #88 At Work On Dale Jr's Chevy​*
*Hendrick Pit Crew Coach Leaves​*
Lance Munksgard, who had been a pit crew coach for the teams of Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. since Nov. 2011, has left to join his family's business.

Greg Morin, who has been pit crew coach for the teams of Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon, and Chris Krieg, the assistant coach to Munksgard, will oversee the pit crews for Earnhardt and Johnson until a full-time replacement is hired.

Both Earnhardt and Johnson had a chance to win at Darlington Raceway in the most recent Sprint Cup race earlier this month. Both teams made two-tire changes before the first of two attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. Earnhardt finished second with Johnson third.

Johnson took the lead off the last pit stop at Martinsville Speedway but was passed by Kurt Busch with 11 laps left in the race and finished second to Busch. Johnson held on to the lead after the final pit stop at Auto Club Speedway only to have a tire blow late while leading and cost him the win there.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Earnhardt-Jr-and-Jimmie-Johnson-Leaves.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Early Season Surprises​*
There have been a number of unexpected happenings - both good and bad - in the opening races of the NASCAR season.

*Stewart-Haas Racing Making Noise* 
There weren't many people that predicted Stewart-Haas Racing would get off to the fastest start of any Sprint Cup Series organization by winning three of the season's first eight races. But after Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in week two at Phoenix, Kurt Busch followed with a trip to Victory Lane later that month in Martinsville. Harvick's triumph in the last race at Darlington Raceway made him the first repeat winner in the series and with Tony Stewart's improvement of late things are certainly pointing in the right direction. There is the matter of Harvick's four finishes of 36th or worst, Busch exiting the last two races with late problems and Danica Patrick's so far mediocre sophomore season. But overall SHR has quieted a lot of doubters with solid performances.

*Big Names Remain Winless* 
It's hard to believe the two drivers that combined to win 13 races a year ago have so far been shutout in 2014. But defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and seven-race winner Matt Kenseth have yet to take a checkered flag. Kenseth is second in the point standings and Johnson does have five top-10 finishes. However, by this time last season the duo had already started to rack up the wins. Toss in the likes of Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon and some of NASCAR's superstars are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to break through.

*Earnhardt Jr. Riding High* 
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a great end of 2013 after blowing an engine in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway. He didn't skip a beat when the bell rang for 2014 by starting the season with a bang and a Daytona 500 win. Junior hasn't slowed down since. He's finished in the top two four times already and has six top-10 performances. While he's experienced a couple of letdowns, including an early crash at Texas, Earnhardt Jr. has the look of a driver very much in the hunt for a first career Sprint Cup title.

*Stumbling Starts* 
The Easter weekend break couldn't come at a better time for several drivers that have surprisingly started the year on a bad note. Kasey Kahne has tumbled to 23rd in the point standings thanks to three finishes outside the top 30. Martin Truex Jr. began the year on a high note with an outside front row qualifying effort for the Daytona 500. But it's been one frustrating week after another for the Furniture Row Racing team and Truex Jr. dropped to 28th in the standings without a single top 10 to his credit. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s sophomore season so far hasn't been much better than last year's rookie run and the Roush Fenway Racing driver finds himself 25th in the points.

*Youth Being Served* 
There was no doubting the potential talent of young drivers Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. But the youthful duo have already become breakout stars of the sport. Elliott has captured the attention and imagination of NASCAR fans by putting together consecutive Nationwide Series victories at Texas Motor Speedway and Darlington. The second generation driver has beaten a host of Sprint Cup regulars at their own game in both trips to Victory Lane. Larson, who is doing double duty in both the majority of Nationwide races for Turner Scott Motorsports while campaigning a full schedule for Chip Ganassi's Sprint Cup program, has been impressive in both divisions. Larson captured his first Nationwide win at Auto Club Speedway outdueling the likes of Kyle Busch, Harvick and Earnhardt Jr., and has also knocked down four top-10 finishes in the Cup Series Target Chevrolet. That's already half the number Juan Pablo Montoya had in all of 2013.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/04/Early-Season-Surprises.aspx


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## Ckg2011

Rendering of the BK Racing VooDoo BBQ & Grill Toyota​
*VooDoo BBQ & Grill Supports BK Racing​*
Race fans will once again have to keep a keener eye for the No. 83 BK Racing Toyota driven by Ryan Truex in the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The black color has been replaced with Mardi Gras colors of purple and gold for New Orleans, La., based VooDoo BBQ & Grill.

VooDoo BBQ & Grill served as the primary sponsor of the No. 83 car at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2013 and has continued as a partner and associate sponsor for 2014 until the opportunity presented itself to have them as a primary sponsor once again.

VooDoo BBQ & Grill opened its first location in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras Day 2002 and has expanded to reach 57 planned locations in six states. VooDoo serves competition-style barbecue beef, pork and chicken with unique side dishes, plus salads and sandwiches, in a clean, colorful fast-casual environment. VooDoo currently operates 18 locations in Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina. They have been the recipient of many taste and business awards, as well as charitable support of many worthwhile causes throughout the state of Louisiana.

"We're so thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase our colors under the lights and at a superspeedway," said Tony Avila, Chief Executive Officer of VooDoo BBQ & Grill. "The level of exposure for VooDoo has simply been unparalleled. We appreciate Ron Devine and the entire team at BK racing for this continued tremendous opportunity."

"VooDoo's continued partnership with BK Racing has been awesome," said team owner Ron Devine. "We look forward to having them on-board as a full primary these next two weeks and hopefully more in the future."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/voodoo-bbq-grill-supports-bk-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*Gifford Wants Another Richmond Win​*
Practice makes perfect.

Athletes in every sport say there is no better preparation than under "game" conditions. For Ryan Gifford at Richmond Int'l Raceway the process was incremental and came in three prior NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at the .75-mile oval. That experience paid off in spades a year ago in the Blue Ox 100.

"Each time there, I've learned more and more," said Gifford. "My first time there, I learned how the track transitions from day to night. My second time we had the car in position at the end, but I spun the tires on a late-race restart which kind of ruined it. And last year, we were able the put it all together."

Putting it together meant getting his first K&N Pro Series East victory. The Drive for Diversity product racing out of the Rev Racing stable had been in position to win on more than a few occasions, but one thing or another untied the bow and left the Winchester, Tenn., native wondering if it would ever happen.

In last year's race, Gifford completed a pass of Cole Custer with 23 laps to go and held off eventual runner-up Brandon Gdovic on a late restart, a place in which he came up short in 2012, to drive his No. 2 Toyota Racing Development Toyota to victory lane for the first time.

"I was super excited," Gifford said. "I was just happy to make it happen and find a way to win. We had found, I think, all of the ways not to win."

Just over a month after that initial triumph, Gifford was named to the 2013 class for NASCAR Next, which spotlights the sport's emerging stars. Later in the season Gifford got another opportunity and capitalized. In August, he made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa in a Richard Childress Racing entry and finished ninth.

This time around in the Blue Ox 100 at Richmond Gifford hopes to draw upon his experience at the track and successfully defend his victory in the Old Dominion State.

"I think my experience is an advantage," he said. "I know what it takes to win there and how best to get into position to do it.

"The Richmond track is definitely one of my favorites. It's real racy with top and bottom grooves that give us room to pass. The fans in Richmond are as good as anywhere and they'll have a good show to watch on Friday night."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/gifford-ready-for-another-richmond-win/


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Theriault Joins JR Motorsports​*
Austin Theriault will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this season, as JR Motorsports has signed him to drive three races in the No. 5 Chevrolet.

Theriault, a 20-year-old late model racer from Fort Kent, Maine, will make his debut on May 18 at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet replete with primary branding from SPY, the eyewear brand behind Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Signature 88 Collection and innovative Happy Lens technology. The upper-rear quarter-panels of the car will carry the logo of Dirty Mo Radio, the Internet home for Earnhardt Jr.-related podcasts throughout the NASCAR season.

"SPY is happy to offer continued support to the JR Motorsports team and be a part of the exciting Nationwide Series debut of Austin Theriault," said Michael Marckx, SPY CEO and president. "On the heels of our commitment to Dirty Mo Radio, this is only the beginning of the excitement SPY looks to bring to NASCAR, and we're happy to do it with JR Motorsports."

Nationwide Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 12) and Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 20) will fill out Theriault's three-race schedule.

The seat of the No. 5 is filled by multiple drivers throughout the season.
"Our company is known for putting young talent in cars and giving them a shot on one of NASCAR's biggest stages, and that is what we are giving Austin with this three-race opportunity," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports. "This keeps our No. 5 car on the track, and it gives Austin the chance to show what he's got with a lot more eyeballs taking notice."

Theriault was the 2012 Maine Vintage Race Car Association's Driver of the Year, and he made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series debut after winning "Maine Young Guns" inaugural competition in 2012. It was that same year he became a part-time developmental driver for Brad Keselowski Racing.

Theriault's Super Late Model success in 2013 included three Pro All Star Series (PASS) wins. His victories came in the Rumble in the Pines at Southern National Motorsports Park, the South Carolina Clash at Dillon Motor Speedway, and the PASS 400 Championship Race at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. His win in the South Carolina Clash came by way of a last-lap pass that resulted in the closest finish in PASS South history. Theriault finished the season with three wins and eight top-10s in 25 races.

"I am excited to be continuing my professional development with JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series," Theriault said. "I have been working hard for this opportunity, and to be associated with JR Motorsports and SPY is a dream come true."

SPY is the presenting sponsor for two of Dirty Mo Radio's weekly programs, The Monday Recap and The Dale Jr. Download. Dirty Mo Radio is housed at DaleJr.com but also available free of charge on iTunes, TuneIn Radio and other major podcasting outlets.

Through seven races, the No. 5 team ranks fourth in the Nationwide Series owner standings on the strength of five top-five finishes, led by drivers Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/austin-theriault-joins-jr-motorsports/


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## Ckg2011

*Suarez Set For Nationwide Debut With JGR​*
Daniel Suarez will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Richmond Int'l Raceway on Friday in the No. 20 Silent Circle/Telcel Toyota fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing.

Suarez is a part of the NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity program, as well as an alumnus of the NASCAR Next program. He is currently running a full season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series. He opened this season with wins at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Daytona Int'l Speedway in February, and is currently second in points following the first four races of the 2014 NASCAR K&N Series East season. He also has two wins in the first three races of the 2014 NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series season and currently leads the point standings.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to make my NASCAR Nationwide Series debut," said Suarez. "I want to thank Telcel and Silent Circle for believing in me and making this a reality. I can't wait for Friday night in Richmond."

Suarez made his K&N Pro Series debut in 2011 competing in seven of 12 races while also competing full time in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series. He returned to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East to run nine of 12 races in 2012.

His first East Series' win came last season at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway and he went on to finish the 2013 season with six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 14 races to earn third place in the final point standings.

While making his mark on the NASCAR K&N East Series, Suarez continued to run full time in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series after earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2010 with one top-five and four to-10 finishes. During the 2011 season, Suarez earned seven top-10 finishes to secure ninth place in the final point standings. He finished the 2012 season third in points with two wins and topped his success the next season finishing second in the final point standings with three wins.

"Daniel is certainly someone that has proven to have a lot of talent and we are thrilled this was able to come together and allow him to make his debut at Richmond," said J.D. Gibbs. "I think it's exciting when you look at the young talent our sport has right now and we certainly feel that Daniel is going to be part of the future for NASCAR."

It will be a busy weekend for Suarez who will pull double duty at Richmond Int'l Raceway competing in the K&N Pro Series East race immediately following the Nationwide Series race on Friday night. He will then drive back to Charlotte to board a plane to Monterrey, Mexico, to compete in the NASCAR Toyota Series, hoping to make practice on Saturday afternoon before competing in the race on Sunday afternoon.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/suarez-set-for-nationwide-debut-with-jgr/


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## Ckg2011

*MadVapes Returns To Win-Tron Racing​*
Officials from Win-Tron Racing announced Tuesday that MadVapes, one of the web's largest and most popular electronic cigarette providers since 2009, will return as the primary marketing partner for Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Mason Mingus in next month's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Headquartered in Mooresville, N.C., MadVapes is a premier provider of e-cig products, available online as well as at their nationwide retail locations.

The company partnered with Mingus and Win-Tron Racing in February at Daytona Int'l Speedway, where a strong performance was thwarted by a late race incident. However, May's running of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway offers a chance at sweet redemption at the 1.5-mile oval.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to represent MadVapes again," said Mingus, driver of the No. 35 MadVapes Toyota Tundra. "We were honored as a team to carry support from a local company in Daytona, but now to have the opportunity to further our relationship in their own surroundings is a huge honor for us. While we had a strong showing at Daytona, we didn't bring them home the rewarding finish we had hoped for. I'm looking forward at the chance of trying again at Charlotte and hope to put our No. 35 MadVapes Toyota Tundra up front."

MadVapes C.E.O. Mark Hoogendoorn offered his thoughts on the reunion. "We are very pleased to be back with Win-Tron Racing and Mason Mingus for our backyard race in Charlotte and look forward to them bringing home a strong finish," Hoogendoorn said.

Mingus, of Brentwood, Tenn., will make his NCWTS debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the fourth race of the year on Friday, May 16.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/madvapes-returns-to-win-tron-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*Notebook: Edwards' Flights And Drivers Too Fast​*
Carl Edwards admits that there have been times that he's wondered about doing a backflip after a win, but he's continued the tradition throughout his career.

He did it at Bristol earlier this season and at Richmond International Raceway - where the NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads this weekend - last September.

"I don't practice it very often, so it is always when we win a race I get about 100 yards past the finish line and start thinking about if I should do it,'' Edwards said. "When I get out of the car and see how pumped the crowd is and my guys, it makes it easy to do a backflip.''

Edwards admits that winning is different now from the first of his 22 career Cup wins, which took place in 2005 at Atlanta.

"It used to be surreal, and I couldn't believe I had won the race,'' Edwards said. "I still have to ask (spotter) Jason Hedlesky if this is really over because you don't want to think you won and have it not be the last lap. There is always a little bit of that, and, as time has gone on, I feel a little bit differently about the wins. It feels more satisfying for my guys and for all my sponsors and for everybody that puts all the work in.''

The hardest part for Edwards when he wins comes after he arrives in Victory Lane and can't exit the car immediately.

"You want to jump out and celebrate with the crew and there is all this buildup and finally the TV folks say it is OK to get out of the car,'' he said. "It is so cool when you turn and look and see all your guys and how excited they are.''

The chances of Edwards having a similar experience are better at Richmond than some of the bigger tracks.

Edwards' last three Cup wins have come at tracks 1 mile or less in length - Phoenix and Richmond in 2013 and Bristol this season. His last Cup win on a track larger than 1 mile was in 2011 at Las Vegas - 113 races ago.

*TOO FAST*

Twenty-two Cup drivers have been penalized for speeding on pit road in the season's first eight races. In some cases, they're exceeding the speed limit after exiting their stall to stay on the lead lap or hurrying to return to the pits on the next lap.

Travis Kvapil has been penalized a series-high four times for speeding on pit road this season - he was caught speeding after exiting his pit stall each time. David Ragan has been penalized three times for speeding on pit road. Kurt Busch, David Gilliland, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joe Nemechek and Reed Sorenson have each been penalized twice for the infraction.

*BIG CARROT*

Stanley, through the Ace Hardware Foundation, will donate $1 million to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals if Marcos Ambrose wins Saturday night's race at Richmond. Stanley will donate $500,000 if Ambrose finishes second and $250,000 if Ambrose finishes third.

Ambrose's best finish at Richmond is fifth in Sept. 2010.

In Ambrose's favor is that he's scored more points than any other driver this season in the first two short-track races (Bristol and Martinsville). Ambrose has scored 79 points after a pair of fifth-place finishes. Edwards is next with 78 points, followed by Ambrose's Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Aric Almirola with 77 points.

*STILL LOOKING*

Jimmie Johnson enters the ninth race of the season without a win. That is his fourth-longest streak without a win to open a season.

His longest season-opening stretch without a win came in 2003 when he went 11 races before winning. Johnson went 10 races before he won in 2012 and nine races before he won in 2002, his rookie season.

*PIT STOPS*

Clint Bowyer married his longtime girlfriend Lorra this past weekend in the Bahamas. ... Through the season's first eight races, Jeff Gordon has the best average running position at 8.8. Denny Hamlin is next at 9.9, followed by Matt Kenseth at 10.0. ... Kyle Busch has the best average finish at Richmond among active Cup drivers at 7.2, but he's placed no better than 16th in his last three races there. ... After finishing 37th at Darlington, Kasey Kahne has an average finish of 27.8 in the last four races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/51178AFA4A794E15A4DF3572580E7F5F.ashx?w=602&h=345


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## Ckg2011

*Ford Mustang Races On at 50​*
The Ford Mustang is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month and since its debut, the "pony car" has had racing in its DNA.

The Mustang has been a part of motor sports since Ford unveiled the first one on April 17, 1964, at the New York World's Fair. As part of the historic moment, Ford constructed and displayed a Mustang on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and then once again last week - with the upcoming 2015 model - to mark the 50th year.

The golden anniversary was so big that events were held this past weekend at a number of locations Mustangincluding two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tracks - Charlotte Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

With victories in a number of series such as the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the Trans-Am Series, the Mustang has gone to Victory Lane with a long list of drivers ... the most recent being in the Nationwide Series with Brad Keselowski at Las Vegas.

"My favorite Mustang story is when the Nationwide Series went to the Mustang, we went to Michigan and the Mustangs were there, and they were the first cars to have the decals on the side that made it look like the production car," Keselowski said. "That was really cool. When the Mustang came into the Nationwide Series, it beefed it up and made it look like a real racecar. It's such an iconic part of car history and racing history. To have Mustang come to the Nationwide Series and to have it look like a Mustang was a big deal."

MustangKeselowski's recent win was the 36th for the Mustang since it entered the Nationwide Series full-time in 2011. Carl Edwards, who gave the Mustang its first victory in the Nationwide Series at Texas Motor Speedway, had a Mustang as one of his first personal cars.

"The first neat car I had was a 1985 Mustang GT with a T-top and it was great," Edwards said. "We put a clutch in it. A guy named Bobby Williams, my dad and I worked on it and painted it; and my buddy, Ray Owen, helped me work on it. He was a big Mustang guy. I was, like, 19 years old. It was neat. I had a lot of fun in that car."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Edwards' Roush Fenway Racing teammate, won the first NASCAR titles for Mustang - taking back-to-back Nationwide championships in 2011 and 2012.

Mustang"One of my favorite memories is, obviously, being able to win the two Nationwide Series championships in a Mustang," Stenhouse said. "That's something I'll always remember because up to now, it's my biggest accomplishment in racing. When I was growing up, my Dad - he builds engines for a living - and a friend of his had a Mustang Mach 1. I was young, about seven or eight, so I don't remember the exact year of the car. I believe it was a 1969. He took me for a ride in it one day and we got sideways. We were staring right at the back of a big truck and at the last second he turned it, we spun around the other way and kept going. That was so much fun. I loved it. That was probably when I fell in love with the Mustang." 






Roush Fenway team owner Jack Roush has been involved with the Mustang since its beginning. Roush's love for the car started in 1964, when he purchased one after graduating from Berea College in Kentucky. Shortly after, Roush went to work for the Ford Motor Company in the Dearborn Assembly Plant, where he worked on quality problems with components that vendors were sending in. 






"As I was graduating, I went down to the local Ford dealer - who had sold his allocation - and he communicated with a dealer in Cincinnati. A month after I went to work for the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, I came back to Cincinnati and picked up my '64-and-a-half Mustang," Roush said.

While at Ford, he grew more interested in motor sports and his pursuit of going fast. Roush took that enthusiasm and kicked off his racing career in drag racing.

"When I started racing, the Mustang power train was what I used in my Falcon and then very quickly, I got into racing full-bodied Mustangs, NHRA-legal stock cars," Roush said. "From that, I went to Super Stock cars then to Pro Stock cars."

Roush's only final-round appearance as a drag racer came in the 1974 Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway driving a Gapp and Roush Mustang II. In that event, Roush posted the quickest time and fastest speed before finishing in second place. After a successful run in drag racing with a group known as "The Fastbacks" and a partnership with Wayne Gapp, Roush turned to road racing.

Mustang"Starting in 1984, we raced Mustang road-race cars," Roush said. "We raced for 16 years; competed in the 24 Hours at Daytona 10 times and won all 10 times in our class. We won 48% of the races we entered in those 16 years. The last year was celebrated with Tommy Kendall winning 10 out of 12 Trans-Am races."

The 1995 Rolex 24 victory was a special one because Roush fielded a Mustang that became famous. The car celebrated Paul Newman's movie "Nobody's Fool" and Newman was one of the four drivers that included Kendall, Mark Martin and Mike Brockman who piloted the car. The win was also special because it came as Newman was celebrating his 70th birthday.

Roush has kept the road racing dream alive by helping his son, Jack Jr., field a Mustang in the Continental Tires Series under the GRAND-AM banner before moving this season to the Pirelli World Challenge Championships with a Ford Mustang Boss 302R. The team, which was renamed Roush Road Racing last season, has scored 10 wins dating back to its first in 2009 at Miller Motorsports Park.

Mustang As part of the 50th celebration, Ford ranked the top 50 "Mustang Racing Moments" on social media and a road racing Mustang took home top honors with Parnelli Jones, who piloted a yellow Bud Moore-prepared Boss 302 to the Trans-Am title in 1970.

The Mustang has seen its share of success in the NHRA, most notably with John Force capturing 10 of his 16 championships driving a Mustang.

"I've owned a number of Mustangs over the years," Force said. "It's a great car. It can be a family car, or it can be a cruising car or a hot rod. My favorite that I have now is a 1965 red convertible '289' automatic. It's in my museum in Yorba Linda, California. I love that car and it was the first collector car I ever bought."

Von Gittin Jr. captured the first Formula Drift championship for Mustang in 2010 and his memories with the "pony car" go back to when he was six or seven years old.Mustang 






"My father was a wholesaler and he brought a 1970 Mach 1 home on his tow truck," Gittin said. "He let me sit in the driver's seat on the short trip to his shop. I remember standing on the seat and moving the wheel back and forth, making noises like I was driving it. It was the coolest thing ever, at the time. My dad was pretty awesome for letting me do that. You would probably go to jail today for letting your kid do that. I always reflect on that and wonder if that was the subconscious beginning of my love of the Ford Mustang." 






MustangDating back to 1964, when it paced the Indianapolis 500, the Mustang has led the field in a number of races ... the most recent being in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, one that was powered by a 500-horsepower Ford Racing Aluminator XS crate engine. The pace car for last season's Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was the custom Mustang GT that was featured in the movie "Need for Speed." The car was auctioned off this past weekend at Barrett-Jackson in West Palm Beach, Fla., where it brought $300,000 to benefit Henry Ford Health Systems.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/04/Ford-Mustang-Races-On-at-50.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Defending Champ Says Series Needs More Races​*
Understandably, Matt Crafton wants to race as much as possible, but that's not the only reason the defending Camping World Truck Series champion is not a fan of the long breaks between races early in the season.

"It's terrible,'' he said for the series.

While he could have been saying that for drivers, who always want to race, or fans who want to see as much racing as possible, Crafton had another reason as he talked Monday, the first of a two-day test at Charlotte Motor Speedway for ThorSport Racing, Brad Keselowski Racing, Turner Scott Motorsports and Red Horse Racing.

After the Trucks ran Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway, the series did not race again for five weeks until March 29 at Martinsville Speedway - where Crafton won. Then, the series went nearly six weeks until its next race, May 9 at Kansas Speedway.

That's part of a 22-race schedule stretching from February to November - the same number of races run since 2012.

Last season, the Trucks started on Feb. 22 at Daytona and went six weeks before the Martinsville race. That race, though, was followed by races at Rockingham (not on the schedule this year) and Kansas (moved to Mother's Day weekend in a trade with Darlington).

Crafton's disdain, though, is not personal. There's a reason he's not thrilled with the long breaks at this time of the year.

"For the teams that have sponsors, it's hard,'' he told Motor Racing Network. "At the end of the day, the owners are having to pay these guys that work on these trucks no matter what.

"If you have a sponsor and you get to to go to the racetrack and make prize money, you're getting something back out of it. When you're not going to the racetrack, you're still having to pay these guys. You have to pay these guys year-round no matter what. It's not like you can just stop paying them for the four or five weeks you have off. So they definitely, definitely need to work on our schedule and fit at least two or three more races in at the beginning of the year, get us back to at least 25 races to where we used to be.''

Johnny Sauter disagrees with his ThorSport teammate. Sauter understands the need for fewer races for the Truck series.

"A lot of this is about being able to keep a budget,'' Sauter said. "The more races you add, the more money it costs to do this and, ultimately, you need more people. I think the Truck Series has had a lot of success with the schedule it's had. I think it's good. It takes a little getting used to.''

That's something rookie Ben Kennedy is experiencing.

"It's really such a tease,'' he said of the long breaks between races. "I'm just ready to get back. You sit around and watch Nationwide and Cup races every weekend and you're just itching to get out there, especially watching Chase Elliott win and everything after racing him for a couple of years. I'm ready to get to Kansas and ready to get back to Charlotte and get into the rhythm of things.''

Joey Coulter calls the stretch between Martinsville and Kansas "tougher" than the stretch between Daytona and Martinsville "because the offseason isn't always an offseason. You're alway building a lot of things. That break after Daytona is not so bad from s shop standpoint because you really get a lot accomplished. You can spend a lot of time in the wind tunnel with your intermediate stuff, you get your short-track truck ready, you can go test. The stretch from Martinsville to Kansas is definitely rough. You've kind of got all your stuff lined up ready to go and you just got to wait.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...afton-Wants-More-Races-on-Truck-Schedule.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*ECR Partners With Convergent Science​*
ECR Engines entered into a technical partnership with Convergent Science, Inc. on Wednesday to enhance its engine performance in NASCAR competition.

Convergent Science will provide computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to study three-dimensional, multiphase moving-grid simulation of air and fuel flows through engines. The software enables optimized internal flows of air, fuel, and air/fuel mixtures through simulation.

"This is going to be a great enhancement for our engine programs,"said Richie Gilmore, chief operating officer for ECR Engines. "Convergent Science is a leader in the use of CFD software and all of our preliminary testing has yielded great results. We look forward to having them on board as we continue to improve our engine performance and durability."

"We look forward to working with one of NASCAR's premier race teams in this fast-paced environment and the opportunity to provide our expertise in CFD to assist in the enhancements of the ECR engine programs," said Rob Kaczmarek, director of sales and marketing for Convergent Science. "The ECR team, along with NASCAR, is an excellent platform to strengthen our products and services, and we look forward to winning some races with them."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/ecr-partners-with-convergent-science/


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## Ckg2011

*Safety-Kleen Renews With NASCAR​*
NASCAR announced a multi-year agreement to renew its official partnership with Safety-Kleen on Wednesday.

Safety-Kleen is among several companies renewing their commitment to NASCAR. The company will continue as the official environmental services supplier of NASCAR.

The news comes amidst NASCAR's second-annual NASCAR Race to Green initiative, which informs teams, tracks, drivers, NASCAR partners and fans about the theme of protecting and preserving the environment.

Safety-Kleen, an official NASCAR partner since 2004, provides on-site trackside support with its cleaning products and through its oil recycling and re-refining services at more than 200 NASCAR-sanctioned races a year.

"Safety-Kleen's efforts each and every race weekend have greatly contributed to NASCAR owning the largest recycling program in sports," said Norris Scott, NASCAR's vice president of partnership marketing. "Simply stated, Safety-Kleen has been a staple in our sport for years, and we are thrilled to extend our official partnership."

Safety-Kleen became a founding partner of NASCAR Green at the inception of the platform in 2008. Since entering the sport, Safety-Kleen has collected enough race-used oil to power the Empire State Building for more than an entire year. In 2013, Safety-Kleen collected and re-refined more than 200,000 gallons of NASCAR oil at tracks and team shops.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/safety-kleen-renews-with-nascar/


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## Ckg2011

*Laukes Joins TRD Board Of Directors​*
Toyota Racing Development named Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing-performance and guest experience at Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., to TRD's board of directors on Wednesday. David Wilson, TRD's president and general manager, will report directly to Laukes as a result of the change.

"This change will better align our technical racing programs directly to the marketing department and their various initiatives," said Bob Carter, TMS' senior vice president of automotive operations.

Laukes was most recently responsible for managing advertising for all Toyota cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles, as well as motorsports public relations and marketing operations. He will continue to oversee the company's motorsports activities, including strategy, research, sponsorship, advertising and merchandising activation.

"We have a great group of TRD associates in Costa Mesa (Calif.) and Salisbury (N.C.), and the entire organization does an outstanding job of working together with all our race team partners," said Laukes. "We look forward to continued success with our many motorsports activities and earning more accolades in NASCAR, NHRA and other racing series."

Since joining Toyota in 1989, Laukes has held various positions in both the Lexus and Toyota divisions. He first served as district service and parts manager for the Lexus Central Area and held a variety of additional management positions in the field. Subsequently, he held the positions of sales and production planning manager and sales administration manager at TMS headquarters in Torrance, Calif.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/laukes-joins-trd-board-of-directors/


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## Ckg2011

*Swan Racing Sold to Two New Owners​*
Swan Racing announced on Wednesday it has sold its two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to separate team owners.

Anthony Marlowe, a Swan Racing co-owner, merged his ownership of the No. 26 team into BK Racing. Cole Whitt remains behind the wheel of the No. 26 Toyota.

John Cohen, the owner of XxxTreme Motorsports, bought the No. 30 Toyota, which will compete with driver J.J. Yeley. Stephen "Bones" Lane will serve as crew chief, and be joined by several former Swan Racing crew members.

Parker Kligerman - who had been driving the No. 30 car - remains under contract with Swan Racing, which will try to find options for him to get back on track.

"I want to first thank our employees, fans, and others in the NASCAR industry for their patience and understanding over the past several days while we work out the future of Swan Racing," Swan Racing owner Brandon Davis said in a release.

"As previously stated, the team is restructuring due to a lack of additional funding. However, over the past couple weeks we worked tirelessly to find an alternative to ending operations. Fortunately, we were able to find a home for the No. 26 team and the No. 30 team, thanks to Anthony Marlowe and Jonathan Cohen respectively.

"Anthony and Jonathan are both young and ambitious NASCAR enthusiasts. It is important to keep them in the sport for the long term. I am very relieved to know that the Nos. 26 and 30 teams will be in good hands and will continue to compete the remainder of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Most importantly, most of the team members have the opportunity to continue their employment in the sport and to support their families. This was critically important to me.

"Swan Racing is exploring any and all options to keep Parker Kligerman on track throughout the season. We are encouraged by the response we have received from interested parties. Parker continues to be one of the most talented young drivers in NASCAR. He brought this racing team one of its strongest results in his first race with us, and we are certain of his success in the future."

Marlowe thanked Davis for all his work with the company.

"Looking forward, my mission is to ensure Cole Whitt races in every NASCAR Sprint Cup event this season," Marlowe said. "I am thrilled about the No. 26 team merger with my new partners at BK Racing. My friend Ron Devine and the BK Ownership group really stepped up to enable me to keep the No. 26 on the track."

Establishing a good working rapport with Davis was integral to the sale, Cohen said.

"I've always had a good relationship with Brandon and I've always said if we can help each other or work together when the time is right that we should do it," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/swan-racing-sold-to-two-new-owners/


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## Ckg2011

*Young Drivers Challenging Veterans​*
A revolution is taking place in NASCAR and, as often happens, youth leads it. A generation of young racers, atoning for their doomed brethren before them, are winning races, collecting accolades and taking seats from older drivers.

"You've got really talented guys in really, really good equipment," said Lorin Ranier, driver development consultant for Spire Sports + Entertainment, an athlete management company. "You put that combination together enough times and you'll start ringing the bell."

Or sounding the siren ... as they do at the Dawsonville (Ga.) Pool Room. They started blasting it after hometown hero Bill Elliott won NASCAR races. Now, the siren screams for son Chase. Neighbors are having to get used to the noise. Chase Elliott has won the past two Nationwide races.

"He's got a lot of talent," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said of Elliott. "Every once in a while, there are some guys that come in here and they don't know how good they are. They haven't competed against this type of competition before and drove cars this well-prepared before. But ... you see certain guys have more than others."

Elliott is only part of a revolution that has witnessed the past three Nationwide races won by drivers 21 and under; that's had a majority of the Sprint Cup races this season finish with at least one driver age 23 and under in the top five; that saw three drivers age 22 and under place in the top five in the most recent Camping World Truck Series race.

They're young. They're fast. And they seem to be multiplying.

This arguably could be the best group of young drivers in more than a decade. The last great group started with former champion Tony Stewart in 1999. He was followed by former champion Matt Kenseth and Earnhardt in 2000, former champion Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick in 2001, and six-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman in 2002.

Recent rookie classes have not been as successful. Only two of the last seven Rookies of the Year are in Cup - Joey Logano, who won the honor in 2009, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won it last year.

They'll likely be joined by more young drivers soon.

In each division, there are multiple candidates for rookie honors. Kyle Larson, 21, and Austin Dillon, 23, are the leading contenders in Cup among a class of eight. In the Nationwide Series, Elliott is the leading candidate. But he faces competition from 22-year-old Ty Dillon, 18-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski, 20-year-old Ryan Reed and others. In the Truck Series, there's 22-year-old Ben Kennedy and 18-year-old Tyler Reddick among the contenders.

There are others in those series who are not eligible for the rookie honor but still decrease the average age of a driver. The Truck Series features 20-year-old Darrell Wallace Jr., who won last fall at Martinsville Speedway; 20-year-old Ryan Blaney, who won a Nationwide race last year; and 21-year-old Jeb Burton, who won last year in his 12th career Truck start.

Oh yeah, there's also 17-year-old Erik Jones, who became the youngest Truck Series winner last year at Phoenix International Raceway. The Nationwide Series also has 23-year-old Trevor Bayne, who won the 2011 Daytona 500, and 24-year-old James Buescher, who won a Truck Series title two years ago.

Trent Owens, crew chief for Aric Almirola, has worked with Blaney and Larson and seen many of the other young drivers. He's impressed by this young group.

"It's been good to see the young guys come in and see what mature racers they are now," Owens said. "You see it out of Chase Elliott, now. It's not like years past when a guy came in as a rookie. A lot of the rookies now, they're very mature when it comes to the racetrack and race conditions."

What has helped these drivers reach this level of maturity?

It's who they raced on their way up.

Jeff Burton notes that many of these drivers competed against older drivers in other series before moving to NASCAR and that has proven valuable.

"That moves them along quicker so when they come here, they're more prepared than the previous generation was, more prepared for their age," Burton said. "At 13, Chase was running against adults in Late Models. That matters because you raise the bar. When you're doing harder things, you have to be better. It pushes you quicker."

Others might have had that same advantage years ago but didn't get the chance to show what they could do. The economic downturn a few years ago caused NASCAR teams to dump their driver development programs.

Teams now are pursuing young drivers. Although he races for JR Motorsports, Chase Elliott is a Hendrick Motorsports driver. Chip Ganassi Racing has Larson and signed Kwasniewski last month. Blaney drives in the Truck Series for Brad Keselowski's team and in select Nationwide races for Team Penske. The Dillon brothers are with Richard Childress Racing. And on it goes.

These young drivers are also in a race to replace NASCAR's ageing guard.

Each of the top-five finishers in the Southern 500 were at least 38 years old with Greg Biffle the oldest of the group at 44. Biffle is in the last year of his contract at Roush Fenway Racing and has indicated talks are progressing for an extension, which could be the final one of his career.

Earnhardt turns 40 in October and Johnson turns 39 in September. While Mark Martin showed a driver can race until they're beyond 50, not many drivers are likely to reach that milestone. Jeff Gordon, who is 42 years old, has suggested he'd retire after this season if he won a fifth championship. Even if that doesn't happen, those near 40 and over might have less than five years left in the series.

Thus, the race to replace them.

"There is some talent coming, for sure," said 23-year-old Joey Logano. "As far as advice, I don't want to give them too much because I don't want to get beat."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rivers-Triggering-A-Revolution-in-NASCAR.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Touchdown Connection​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Twitter prowess has landed an NFL quarterback to be the pace car driver for Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway.

Starting with a tweet between Earnhardt, a Washington Redskins fan, and quarterback Robert Griffin III last month, the conversation grew.

Earnhardt tweeted Dennis Bickmeier, president of Richmond International Raceway, in late March that he should invite Griffin to be the grand marshal for the race because Griffin "needs to come check @NASCAR out!''

Bickmeier suggested that Griffin could drive the pace car if he was interested.

"Great idea'' Earnhardt responded.

Earnhardt is a long-time fan of the Redskins. The team and Griffin congratulated Earnhardt after he won this year's Daytona 500. Griffin tweeted to Earnhardt "much love brother'' in his congratulatory note.

Griffin won the Heisman Trophy after the 2011 season at Baylor. Washington drafted him in the first round in 2012. He helped lead the team to the its first division title in more than a decade in 2012.

The track states that Griffin will go through pace car training before the race, spend some time with Earnhardt and also get together with former Washington coach Joe Gibbs.

The race concludes Richmond's weekend, which includes the ToyotaCare 250 Nationwide race on Friday and the Blue Ox 100 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race afterward.

Tickets for those and Saturday's Cup race remain. Tickets can be purchased online at rir.com or by calling 1-866-455-7223.

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Toyota Owners 400 from Richmond International Raceway at 6 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...RG-III-To-Be-Pace-Car-Driver-At-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace To Run Talladega​*
Darrell Wallace, Jr. is set to make his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start of the sason May 3 at Tallladega Superspeedway in the No. 20 ToyotaCare Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. This will mark the 20-year-old's fifth-career start in the series.

"We're excited to be able to provide this opportunity for Darrell in Talladega," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "He has been doing a great job in the Truck series with his KBM team and we want to make sure he continues to gain experience in our Nationwide Series cars as well."

In his previous four starts in the Nationwide Series, Wallace earned one pole (Dover) and three top-10 finishes in 2011. His worst finish in those four starts is 12th at Dover after contact on a late restart.

"It's good to be back behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series," Wallace said. "I'm excited to work with (crew chief) Kevin Kidd and all the guys on this Nationwide Series team. I know they have a good Toyota Camry and Matt (Kenseth) has been running it all season long and posted good finishes. Hopefully, we can go out there, stay out of harm's way and add to that by posting a good, strong finish at Talladega."

Wallace competes full time in the Truck series for Kyle Busch Motorsports. After two races this season, he has one second-place finish and is eighth in the point standings.

In his only start at Talladega Superspeedway during the 2013 Truck season, Wallace started 10th and was poised for a solid finish before being caught in last-lap crash exiting turn four. He was credited with a 17th-place finish.

Wallace joins Matt Kenseth and Daniel Suarez, who is set to make his series debut this weekend at Richmond International Raceway, as drivers of the No. 20 JGR Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ace-Jr-To-Make-Season-Debut-At-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kligerman Confident About Future​*
Parker Kligerman said on his podcast Thursday that he can "absolutely, 100 percent say I will be racing'' after losing his ride in Swan Racing's restructuring.

Swan Racing announced Wednesday that co-owner Anthony Marlowe had merged his ownership with BK Racing, moving Cole Whitt and the No. 26 team there. Co-owner Brandon Davis sold the No. 30 team - Kligerman's ride - to John Cohen of XxxTreme Motorsports. JJ Yeley will drive the car, leaving Kligerman without a ride with the Sprint Cup Series running this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

Kligerman said on his podcast "Kickin' it with Kligerman" that he remains under contract with Swan Racing.

"In situations like this, I always see a silver lining,'' said the 23-year-old Kligerman, who was 44th in the points. "I always see an opportunity to take it and parlay it into something bigger and better. I've done that two or three times in my career. I think this just gives me another chance to see where I can expand as a racecar driver.''

Kligerman said he's received interest to drive in NASCAR and elsewhere but has yet to decide where he'll go next.

"We have been approached by certain teams within the Cup series,'' Kligerman said.

A key, Kligerman said, is if those are the right opportunities to "moving my career forward. With that said, there are a couple of exciting opportunities outside of NASCAR. We also will be looking at those and evaluating and understanding them.''

Kligerman did not state the teams or what series outside of NASCAR he had been approached about.

As for staying in Cup, Kligerman said that isn't a necessity.

"You can jump into something right off the bat in the Cup series that is probably more about surviving,'' Kligerman said on his podcast. "I've never been one that wants to be here just for the sake of being here. I'll go do something else. At the end of the day, that's what I'm looking at, that's what I'm evaluating with my management team.

"I have my positive outlook because of my excitement of those things that are out there that have come to me.''

Kligerman's background includes open-wheel racing in the Skip Barber Series and the TR Pro Series 1600. He moved on to USAC midget racing before his climb to ARCA and, eventually, to NASCAR.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/04/Kligerman-Confident-About-Future.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Who Wins First? Kenseth or Gordon?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

Who wins first: Jeff Gordon, who is the points leader, or Matt Kenseth, who is second in the points?

*Answer*

*Pete Pistone:*

Jeff Gordon.
It's funny to write this but there's something off with Kenseth and the Joe Gibbs Racing team. That's odd to say considering Kenseth is second in the Sprint Cup Series standings only a point out of the lead and teammate Kyle Busch has won a race. However, the JGR camp isn't quite right, and until then I'm not confident in Kenseth getting to Victory Lane just yet.

On the other hand, Gordon has been knocking at the door for a win several times in the early going and it seems to be just a matter of time before he'll cross the finish line first. Restarts have been his Achilles Heel, but Gordon appears to me to have more than enough to win soon and he'll do so before Kenseth.

*Dustin Long:*

It's easy to pick Jeff Gordon since he's finished no worse than 13th this season, but I won't. I think the next few tracks set up well for Matt Kenseth, who has scored four consecutive top-10 finishes.

He's been strong on the short tracks, leading 165 laps at Bristol and finishing sixth at Martinsville. He's finished seventh or better in the last three races at Richmond, something Gordon can't say.

Then comes Talladega. Remember how strong Kenseth's teammate, Denny Hamlin, was at Daytona? Kenseth wasn't bad either, winning his duel and finishing sixth in the 500. Although he hasn't always have the finishes, he's arguably been among the best on restrictor-plate tracks the last couple of seasons. Yes, Gordon's teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., won the Daytona 500, but Gordon's last victory in a plate race came in 2007.

Then there is Kansas where Kenseth has won two of the last three races. Gordon has two top-10 finishes in the last three races there.

I'd say the odds are that Kenseth will win first.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Wins-First-Jeff-Gordon-Or-Matt-Kenseth.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 Engine Package Expected​*
NASCAR is expected to release the 2015 Sprint Cup Series engine rules package in the coming weeks.

According to a Des Moines Register report, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations Steve O'Donnell said Thursday at an Iowa Speedway event that a formal announcement outlining next year's rules would come before the May 17 Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Rather than simply a reduction of horsepower as has been speculated, NASCAR is now expected to make "significant" changes in "engines, downforce, aero and tires" according to O'Donnell.

NASCAR adjusted the aero package at 1.5-mile tracks this season in hopes of creating a more competitive product. But early returns have shown only slight changes that O'Donnell terms "better," but he added "We've still got work to do. (NASCAR CEO) Brian (France) talked about more and more lead changes. That's the end goal."

O'Donnell went on in the newspaper's report and explained how the sanctioning body envisions the final package that will be released to teams.

"If you combine the aero package with that (reduction of) horsepower (and) allow some aero changes with the engines going into the corner, drivers have to get off the gas and they're able to maneuver around a little bit more," he said. "Combine that with Goodyear and a little softer tire, now you're able to move around a little bit more."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/04/2015-Engine-Package-Expected.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Elliott Eyes Three-Peat​*
Chase Elliott shoots for his third straight Nationwide Series victory in Friday night's ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

The 18-year-old has won the division's last two races at Texas Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway, the first victories in a career that spans only seven series starts.

The streak has provided the series with a tremendous amount of energy and Elliott is enjoying his memorable performance.

"The past few weeks have been unbelievable," said Elliott, who leads the series standings by 13 over JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith heading into the weekend. "They are memories I will never forget. But there's so much racing to be done, and everybody knows that. I just have to make sure we keep our heads on straight and make sure we stay on the right track, and that's to get better every week. We need to continue to get better, because that's what our competition is doing right now."

The competition Elliott speaks of includes Smith, who began the year with a win at Daytona and has put together a series of consistent finishes since the season opener.

However, Smith believes one of the challenges he'll face this weekend is the .750-mile Richmond track itself where he has enjoyed recent success.

"I used to joke that I was a big fan of the Richmond track, it just wasn't a fan of me," said Smith. "But it's true that for whatever reason it has certainly been one of the more challenging tracks for me. It was a big step forward to run fifth there last spring with JRM. Then to follow up with a top-three last fall, that goes a long way in helping you build confidence at a tough track."

Elliott is a fan of Richmond and the track's unique layout. He's hoping that confidence will be beneficial to having another good outing on Friday night.

"If I constructed a new race track, I would make it racy but where you have to run up against the wall," Elliott explained. "It would probably be a shorter track, maybe just a little bigger than a half-mile. The biggest thing would be to make sure the surface is worn out, because that's going to put on the best show for the fans, and that's what matters."

Racing at Richmond always matters for Elliott Sadler since it's a homecoming for the Virginia native. Sadler has also enjoyed relative success at RIR over the years as well.

In 21 Nationwide Series starts at Richmond, Sadler has two top-five and eight top-10 finishes with 76 laps led. In addition, the veteran driver has 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at RIR.

"Richmond is always has a special place in my heart," said Sadler, who trails Elliott by 20 points in the series standings. "It's always great to race in front of my home state fans and family and hopefully we'll give them something to cheer about this weekend."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Nationwide Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/04/Chase-Elliott-Eyes-Three-Peat.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Scopyd Crossbows Backs Whitt's No. 26​*
Scorpyd Crossbows has joined BK Racing as a two-race primary sponsor aboard the No. 26 Toyota driven by recent addition Cole Whitt.

Scorpyd Crossbows will sponsor Whitt's No. 26 this weekend at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway and the following weekend at Talladega (Ala.)







 *Scorpyd Crossbows will sponsor the No. 26 BK Racing Toyota driven by Cole Whitt in two races.​*
Superspeedway. Scorpyd Crossbows and Reverse Draw Technology are both creations of Crossbow innovator Jim Kempf. The technology that Jim Kempf created has now lead Scorpyd Crossbows to be one of the most effective hunting tools to date.

The Scorpyd Crossbows announcement comes on the heels of Swan Racing's No. 26 Toyota team joining BK Racing as a third entry. The No. 26 Sprint Cup Series team was merged with BK Racing this week. Whitt will remain behind the wheel of the No. 26 with crew chief Randy Cox making the calls from atop the box.

"This is truly an exciting day for BK Racing," said team owner Ron Devine. "I am thrilled to continue growing our organization into a top contending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. Cole is a very talented driver and Randy as his crew chief make a great combination and I'm excited to have them both in our stable."

"We are extremely excited to be a sponsor in NASCAR and partner with BK Racing for select races in 2014," said Scorpyd Crossbows President and CEO Jim Kempf. "I have been a big fan of NASCAR ever since I was a kid, this is a dream come true, and Scorpyd Crossbows has a lot in common with the BK Racing team. Scorpyd Crossbows makes the world's fastest, highest performance crossbows, and we look forward to aligning ourselves with crossbow hunter and NASCAR driver Cole Whitt."

"I'm really excited to get on the track for BK Racing. It was a lot of work this past week with the team swap, but I'm so thankful for the opportunity that Anthony and Ron have given me. Being an avid outdoorsman, it's really cool to represent a brand like Scorpyd. I can't wait to hit the track this weekend in Richmond." commented Cole Whitt.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/scopyd-crossbows-backs-whitts-no-26/


----------



## Ckg2011

*On A Roll: Junior Looks To Continue Stellar 2014 Start At Richmond​*
*D*ale Earnhardt Jr. enters Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway fresh off a career-best Darlington Raceway finish of second-place recorded when the Sprint Cup Series last gathered two weekends ago.
Richmond, a track where Earnhardt Jr. has three victories, is one of the Hendrick Motorsports driver's favorites.

So needless to say, optimism abounds in the No. 88 team camp heading into Saturday night's 400-lap race under the lights at the Virginia short track.
"We've had a good start to the season, and I'm looking forward to getting back in the car," said Earnhardt Jr., voted NASCAR's most popular driver a record 11 consecutive years. "It was nice to have a weekend off and enjoy some time with friends, but I'm excited to get to the track and in the car for practice and see where we are at."

In 29 Sprint Cup starts at RIR, Earnhardt Jr. has one pole and 12 top-10 finishes -- including nine top fives and his three wins.

Dream come true: Fans thrilled to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 7-Eleven

Earnhardt Jr., whose last win at the three-quarter-mile facility came eight years ago with Dale Earnhardt Inc., has led a total of 494 laps and completed 99.2 percent of all laps he's attempted at the flat D-shaped track.

Earnhardt Jr. has captured all three of his Richmond wins in the track's spring event, prevailing for the first time in his rookie season of 2000 and again in the spring of 2004 and '06. Earnhardt Jr. has not broken through at RIR since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

"Hopefully, we can have a good weekend at Richmond," he said. "I've had some really good cars, and won some races here. Then I've had some unexplainable poor runs; just had cars where I couldn't get around the track."

Eight races into the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Earnhardt Jr. ranks fourth in the driver standings on the strength of his Daytona 500 win and four other top-five finishes. He trails championship leader and teammate Jeff Gordon by 26 points.

Earnhardt Jr. finished fifth in the 2013 standings, his best finish in six seasons with Hendrick Motorsports and his best finish in three seasons with crew chief Steve Letarte.

Want the lighter side of the sport? Check out the Shake and Bake NASCAR blog

"The team just continues to get better every year," said Earnhardt Jr., whose last multi-win season came in 2004 with Dale Earnhardt Inc. "We really have progressed and improved steadily in the last three or four years to where we are now performing the way we are now.

"It's been a labor of love but we look forward to trying to have more success this year, winning more races. I think we can have multiple wins this year -- for the first time in a decade."

And one track where Earnhardt Jr. has an excellent shot at winning is Richmond, where he clearly knows what it takes to get to Victory Lane.

"On Saturday, everybody's going to be hunting for the bottom line," he said. "The guys that get through the middle, can keep that left-front working that line, are going to have good runs. If you get off the bottom, it's just so slick, you can't really make any ground up there."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ontinue-stellar-2014-start-at-richmond-042414


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## Ckg2011

*Lovebirds Danica And Ricky In Year Two, But Who's Beating Who?​*
*I* know lot of people are already asking, only eight races in, if there has been any real improvement from Dancia Patrick, or is she still basically where she was last year. I actually think Danica has shown some improvement.

How much improvement?

Well, if you want to put it on a scale of 1 to 5, it might only be a 2.

Even if it's only a 2, an improvement is an improvement. I still think folks are being a little overly critical already, simply because of who she is. I would wager they aren't that overly critical on all the other second-year drivers who have come before her.

DANICA'S BEST

There's no one like Danica, both on and off the track. Check out some of our favorite photos of Danica action.
If you want to compare her to someone more current, look no further than her boyfriend, two-time Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who is also in his sophomore season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. He really hasn't performed that much better than Danica.

Sure, Ricky had a second-place finish at Bristol but, other than that, he easily hasn't performed up to anyone's expectations including his own.

Some folks are also quick to say, "Well, it's just the normal sophomore slump." Iâ&#128;&#153;ve never been a big believer in that. Sure, it's a nice little cliche that we in the media like to point to and throw out there, but I just don't buy it.

I just think you start to really see whether a driver really "gets it or not," and what is it going to take to help him or her step it up.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...lovebirds-danica-and-ricky-in-year-two-042414


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Proposes Dramatic Overhaul of NASCAR Schedule​*
Brad Keselowski is a past champion who's always got one eye on where NASCAR is headed, and over the Easter weekend, he put together a manifesto for change that's well worth consideration.

Noting that virtually every element of the NASCAR experience has changed in recent years except the schedule, Keselowski rolled up his sleeves and went to work shuffling the calendar.

Let's throw it right up here, and then analyze below:








A few things jump right out at you:

*New tracks:* Keselowski brings in two new tracks, Iowa and Road Atlanta. This brings the total number of races to 38, but the season is actually shorter. This is because of the ...

*Doubleheaders:* This is the most intriguing element of Keselowski's proposal, two races per week for 10 weeks of the year. The races would be run on Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon.

*Reshuffled dates:* Keselowski has created a "West Coast Swing" that keeps the teams out west for several weeks right after Daytona, helping on logistical fronts.

*Shortened season:* The doubleheaders shorten the season to the point that it wraps up in mid-October, and Keselowski offers up an idea that's been floated elsewhere: Las Vegas for the finale.

*Revamped All-Star Race:* Keselowski swipes a move from football here, moving the All-Star Race to the week before the championship. He offers added incentive: winner gets the pole in the season finale.

This is an outstanding thought experiment. Logistically, it would be difficult to implement because of a thousand different competing concerns, but not impossible. The greatest hurdle would almost certainly be entrenched thinking. The major problem appears to be weather: what if a Wednesday race gets rained out? That throws the entire tight schedule into disarray.

Beyond that, though, this makes some real sense. What are your thoughts, friends? Good ideas or madness?

See the full writeup at Keselowski's site.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...ic-overhaul-of-nascar-schedule-145656428.html


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## Ckg2011

*Rain Puts Larson On Richmond Pole​*
Kyle Larson got exactly what he wanted Friday afternoon.

The 21-year-old NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie earned the pole position for Saturday's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Int'l Raceway, after rain cancelled qualifying and set the field by the speeds from the first practice session.

Larson ranks 15th in Sprint Cup points with two top-five and four top-10 finishes in eight races. He posted a lap of 21.280 seconds around the three-quarter mile oval, which was more than one tenth of a second faster than second-place Brad Keselowski. Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick round out the top five for Saturday's race.

Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Truex - another rookie whose best career start was 34th - Paul Menard and Jimmie Johnson completed the top 10 in the practice session.

Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordon will start 25th. Gordon was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to not post a top-15 time in the practice session. Gordon's teammate, three-time Richmond winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., starts 13th.

Gordon isn't the only notable driver who has some ground to make up on Saturday night. Kurt Busch (21st), Greg Biffle (26th), Austin Dillon (27th), Virginia native Denny Hamlin (28th) and Danica Patrick (35th) will also start toward the rear.

Michael McDowell and Dave Blaney did not qualify.

Larson's pole, which won't go down as an official pole - thus qualifying Larson for the 2015 Sprint Unlimited - made up for his lackluster Nationwide Series qualifying result.

Brian Scott won the pole for Friday night's ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond, followed by Dylan Kwasniewski, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Trevor Bayne in the top five. Larson qualified 14th for the Nationwide race.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/rain-puts-larson-on-richmond-pole/


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Don't Want to Lose Horsepower​*
Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson are leery about possible engine changes NASCAR plans to make for next season.

Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president of racing operations, told the Des Moines Register Thursday that NASCAR informed teams this past week of the direction they're heading with the engine changes for next year. The paper reported that NASCAR hoped to announce the changes before the May 17 Sprint All-Star race. NASCAR stated Friday that no date for an announcement has been made. NASCAR also stated that series officials are expected to meet with teams and manufacturers in mid-May.

Competitors in the garage at Richmond International Raceway said they anticipated NASCAR making changes to the roller camshaft and changing the gear ratio, which would reduce RPMs, for next season. Other ideas that have been discussed are changes to the throttle body and finding ways to reduce air into the engine without using a restrictor plate.

Those in garage believe that such changes are a step toward the engines being made to run more than one race to help car owners save money. Some also believe this is a step toward a new engine, although that would be several years from happening they agree.

Changes now, though, will cost teams money and that's a concern, Harvick said.

"When you start messing with the engines, the costs go up really, really, really fast, and I believe our garage is very vulnerable at this particular point from a cost standpoint,'' he said. "I believe NASCAR in general has to keep the cost in mind.

"I understand there's a safety concern, but when you slow the cars down, the center of the corner speed is going to go up.''

That could happen because with less horsepower, drivers can stay on the throttle longer in the corners and run faster than when they had more horsepower and have to let off the gas.

"Then you are going to create another problem for Goodyear because the cars are already really fast, so you are going to have a cost problem and you are going to have a tire problem,'' Harvick said. "Good luck with that from a changing the rules stand point.''

Harvick added with a laugh: "Obviously I'm a big fan of it."

Johnson said Harvick is not alone.

"Every driver, team I've spoken to isn't up for a horsepower reduction,'' Johnson said. "We all feel that having power creates better racing. We're all trying hard as drivers, members of this sport, to say what's best for the racing. If it's a reduction in power that makes more competitive racing, I think we're all more than willing to get on board and to go down that road, but it's not a guarantee in my opinion.

"An example is Michigan a couple of weeks ago there was a tire test there and they took the power out of the (Trevor Bayne's car) and his center-of-the-corner speed almost went up 10 miles an hour faster than what an unrestricted engine was running at. I'm not sure that 8 miles an hour through the center of the corner is going to allow us to run comfortably side by side.

"Now we've just picked up a lot of speed through the center of the corner, are the tires going to hold up? Is the suspension going to hold up? I sympathize with NASCAR because there isn't an easy way to go about things. No rule change is cheap anymore.''

So, if the drivers are not for it and NASCAR moves forward, are the drivers truly being heard?

"We are listened to, but again, the goal that NASCAR has is to do what is best for the sport and not necessarily what is best for the individual group.

"The drivers wanting to keep the power or add more power we are one small group, one small piece of the puzzle. Owners have a say on extending engine life and trying to go to multiple races on an engine. I think the end result is sponsorship dollars, viewership, the inbound cash flow for our sport and our industry is the ultimate concern for NASCAR and for our sport to be healthy.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ot-Thrilled-With-Possible-Engine-Changes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Happy Harvick Scores A Late Night Win​*
Kevin Harvick wins the Toyota Owners 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

Kevin Harvick was the class of the field in Richmond tonight. After a lengthy rain delay. The field took the green flag and it was soon apparent that Harvick was the driver to beat. Harvick drove away from Chase Elliott and took the checkered flag.

Jr. Motorsports is now three for three in the NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Dominates Richmond​*
Kevin Harvick dominated, Chase Elliott followed and JR Motorsports scored its first 1-2 finish in the rain-delayed ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

Harvick led 202 of the 250 laps to earn his track-record seventh win at Richmond.

"That thing was unbelievable,'' Harvick said after crossing the finish line to record his 41st career series win.

Elliott placed second and remains the points leader. He holds a 19-point advantage on teammate Regan Smith heading into next weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Despite the points lead, Elliot was a bit frustrated.

"I need to get up on the wheel a little harder next time,'' he said. "Got to step up. When your teammate goes to Victory Lane and he beats you that's all me.''

Kyle Busch placed third with Kyle Larson fourth. Brian Scott, who dominated this race in September until Brad Keselowski passed him with 11 laps left to win, finished fifth.

"It seems like the top two were in a class of their own,'' Busch said. "It seems we were best of the rest.''

Elliott Sadler finished sixth with Chris Buescher tying his career-best at seventh., Regan Smith was eighth with Ryan Blaney ninth and James Buescher 10th.

Sadler and Smith rallied for a late incident top score top-10 finishes.

They brought out the caution with 52 laps left. Their incident came after a restart. Trevor Bayne got into the back of Smith, who made contact with Sadler.

That incident came after Dylan Kwasniewski crashed. He hit the wall after contact with Ryan Reed cut Kwasniewski's left rear, sending his car into the wall.

A long green-flag stretch in the first half of the race created tire problems for several of the contenders, forcing them to pit and chords showing on right front tires.

The right-side tires were new for Richmond. That tire is a multi-zone tread. The left sides also were new for this track. The tires were selected at a tire test in October.

"The tire is horrible,'' Busch said. "It was the wrong tire for here. Definitely not working the way anybody intended it to. I wish they would give us an hour of practice (before Saturday's Sprint Cup race) and just give us last year's tires back on it. I don't foresee that happening.''

Although Harvick had some tire issues, they came late in a run and he wasn't as bothered by the tire's performance.

"You've just got to manage it the best that you can,'' Harvick said. "I think the looser that you can run your car, the better off you're going to be, but it's still a balance because you've got to be able to get up off the corner. It's not a bad thing to have to manage the tires.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/04/Harvick-Dominates-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond Story Lines​*
RICHMOND, Va. - This has been a tough stretch for Denny Hamlin. He slid through his pit stall late in the race at Texas and was caught speeding late at Darlington.

Those two mistakes cost him a chance for a top-five finish, if not a chance for the win. Instead, he finished outside the top 10 in both races.

So it is with that in the back of his mind that Hamlin comes to his hometown track, Richmond International Raceway, for tonight's Toyota Owners 400.

A two-time winner at this track, it won't be easy to add to that total. Hamlin starts 28th.

So what's happened to Hamlin late in these recent races? Let Hamlin explain.

"I feel like I have to get everything I can on pit road to get that track position because on the racetrack we're not that strong,'' Hamlin said. "These last two weeks we're coming in to pit road getting ready to face a green-white-checkered, crew chief makes a call that I know is going to put me in the front row based off the strategy we're going to play, and I'm sitting there trying to get every little mark on my tach(ometer) I can on pit road to ensure that I'm going to get myself a chance to go for a win.

"I know if I start second row my chances are done, it's not going to happen. I've made tons of mistakes there, and I've left a lot on the table points-wise by doing that, but you just make adjustments.''

Hamlin's most recent top-10 finish came last month at Bristol when he placed sixth. The following week, he did not race at Auto Club Speedway because of metal in his eye. He's since placed no better than 13th in the last three races.

"Our cars are a little bit off right now,'' Hamlin said. "There's a lot of little pieces and parts of our car a little off, just a little bit, which really gets magnified - especially when a couple teams have hit on something. We're getting better. We're learning, every time we get to the racetrack we're learning something new.''

How Hamlin performs is just among the many story lines for tonight's race:

Tires

Goodyear has a new tire here this weekend and drivers and teams are struggling with it. Problems arose for a number of drivers in Friday night's Nationwide race, leading Kyle Busch to say afterward: "The tire is horrible. It was the wrong tire for here. Definitely not working the way anybody intended it to.''

Kevin Harvick, who won the Nationwide race, had a different view of the tire issues: "It's not a bad thing to have to manage the tires. I think the looser that you can run your car, the better off you're going to be, but it's still a balance because you've got to be able to get up off the corner and the Cup cars create a much bigger challenge off the corner than the Nationwide cars do just because of all the power.''

Said Jeff Gordon: "Goodyear changed the tire and it's not reacting at all like the old one. You can't be aggressive getting into the corner, the front tire grip is very limited. I think we kind of anticipated that coming in, but maybe not as much as we're seeing.''

Keep aware of the tires, especially if there is a long green-flag run tonight.

Points Leader

Jeff Gordon enters as the points leader, but he searches for his first victory of the season. Gordon has finished no worse than 13th this season. He'll face a challenge tonight, starting 25th. The starting lineup was based on lap times in the first practice after qualifying was rained out Friday.

"I thought we made some great strides in our race setup,'' Gordon said. "Our last couple of race runs, we were as good as anybody, so I'm encouraged about that.''

First-timer

Joey Logano has four career Sprint Cup victories, but he's never won on a short track. Could that change tonight?

Logano had the best average for 10 consecutive laps during Friday's final practice session. His average was 121.848 mph. Next was Kyle Busch, whose average was half a mile an hour slower than Logano's.

My teammate is especially strong this weekend,'' Brad Keselowski said of Logano, "and I think he will be one of the guys to beat.''

Youth Movement

Kyle Larson has impressed many this season, and he'll start on the pole for tonight's race based on how well he ran in the first practice session Friday.

"I thought in Cup practice we were a top-five car,'' Larson said. "I'm definitely excited, and I think getting the pole, even though it's in practice helps the confidence more.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/04/Richmond-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daughter Teaches Gordon About Racing​*
The smiles are genuine in the photos, a child trying something new, learning and fascinated. In one picture, her parents are nearby just as proud and not showing the nerves they might have felt.

It was family day at the racetrack, but Jeff Gordon wasn't racing last week. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was off at the time. Instead, he was watching - and coaching - 6-year-old daughter Ella drive a quarter midget for the first time.

"She scared the heck out of me the first time out there and was going a little bit faster than I wanted her to go,'' Gordon said, smiling. "We slowed her down a little bit. From that point, it was fun and comfortable.''

Still, that didn't mean it was easy on Gordon, who turned to his mom and stepfather as Ella ran laps and said: "I do know how you do it (watch a child race) It was so tough. I know what it's like to hit the wall. Also know that at that age ... that something that really scares them can be the end of it. I just wanted her to just have fun with it and enjoy it.''

Gordon got his daughter a new helmet for this. It was pink.

"She said (the new one) one smelled a lot better than the one she was wearing,'' Gordon said.

It was all in being safe and having fun.

"Honestly, we've treated it no differently than her going to gymnastics or horse back riding,'' Gordon said. "It's something that we wanted to sort of introduce her to, see how she liked it and see how she did.

"She has shown interest, but she's shown interest in a lot of things. We're just kind of wait and see. I'd like to see her get quite a few more laps before she actually goes out and races.''

While this took place, there was another interested spectator - Gordon's 3-year-old son Leo.

"He definitely liked, it,'' Gordon said. "I look forward to him getting a year or two older and see if it's something he'd like to do as well.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rdon-Gives-Him-New-Perspective-On-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Richmond Battle​*
Joey Logano came from fourth on the final restart to win his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season in Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 
at Richmond International Raceway.

Race results: http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6457&StatType=Race+Results

Check back for a full report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/04/Logano-Wins-Richmond-Battle.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Richmond Battle​*
Joey Logano came from fourth on the final restart to win his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season in Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Logano triumphed in a furious battle over the last five laps with Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski to score his fifth career win.

He joins Kevin Harvick as the only two drivers to have won more than one race this season.

"It feels great," said Logano. "I want to start winning some races in the Chase now. These cars right now are so good and (Team) Penske is doing such a great job with these cars right now. I am just the lucky guy that gets to drive these things."

Emotions boiled over after the race when Keselowski expressed his anger at Kenseth for an incident between the two in the closing laps. Then Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears were involved in a garage area scuffle with punches thrown.

"Yeah it was a wild finish," said Keselowski, who confronted Kenseth on pit road after the race. "It just came down to really a four way battle between the 2 (Keselowski), the 20 (Kenseth), the 24 (Gordon) and 22 (Logano) and we had a great car for the short runs and we got up there challenging for the lead. The 20 car ran me off the race track so I made sure to give him a bump and that was what Joey needed to win the race.

"I had a shot at winning the race and he ran me off the track," Keselowski said of Kenseth. "It was just a mind-boggling move to me. ... I thought it was uncalled for."

Gordon, Kyle Busch, Keselowski and Kenseth rounded out the top five.

"I had a blast tonight," said Gordon, who remained on top of the point standings. "Great short-track racing here at Richmond. And to have a race car like that to drive from 25th up to the front was so much fun."

AJ Allmendinger, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway for next Sunday's Aaron's 499.

*How Logano Won:* Logano got around Kenseth, Gordon and Keselowski in the intense closing laps battle and was finally able to pull away to score the victory.

*What Else Happened:* Gordon led 173 laps but got passed by Penske teammates Keselowski and then Logano as the laps wound down to the finish&#8230;.A number of drivers experienced tire problems that were attributed to set-up choice, although a representative for Goodyear said the tire manufacturer would more than likely hold a Richmond test before the series returns in September. Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Reed Sorenson were among those that dealt with tire issues.

*Who Else had a Good Day:* Kyle Busch was able to charge to the front of the field after taking four tires on the final pit stop and raced home to a third place finish&#8230;..Allmendinger scored his career best finish for JTG Daugherty Racing coming home sixth&#8230;.Martin Truex Jr. overcame the rough start he's had to the 2014 season with a 10th-place performance.

*Who had a Bad Day:* Clint Bowyer got into pole sitter Kyle Larson in Turn 1 on the very first lap and battled problems the rest of the night. Bowyer had tire issues that also included one causing a fire to break out on the right front of the No. 15 Toyota&#8230;.Ricky Stenhouse Jr. suffered a similar fate when he made contact with the wall and before driving his damaged car to pit road fire also broke out on the No. 17 Ford&#8230;..Jimmie Johnson was another driver battling tire challenges and wound up 32nd.

*Quote of the Night:* "How in the hell were we that good in practice and this bad?" - Clint Bowyer

*  Other Notables:* Friday night's Nationwide Series winner Kevin Harvick was strong early but faded to an 11th-place finish&#8230;..Kasey Kahne's 14th-place run was a strong rebound from the Hendrick Motorsports driver's Darlington disappointment&#8230;.Justin Allgaier had a late race encounter with the wall but still managed to finish 21st.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/04/Logano-Wins-Richmond-Battle.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ambrose, Mears Incident Being Investigated​*
NASCAR will investigate a post-race incident that resulted in both Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears being punched, but Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said "we don't think it was anything too severe.''

FOX caught the incident after Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The network's video shows Ambrose and Mears talking to each other when Mears shoves Ambrose. Ambrose responds with a right cross to the left side of Mears' head. Ambrose is pulled away while Mears pursues. Then Ambrose is sucker-punched by someone else.

Pemberton said that series officials did not meet with either driver after the race. Series officials met with Ambrose's crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, and Sammy Johns, director of competition at Richard Petty Motorsports. Pemberton said officials watched footage of the incident.

Pemberton said they would continue to investigate the situation. He was unaware of anything on the track that would have precipitated the confrontation. Ambrose finished 18th. Mears was 19th.

"We'll get all the footage that we can and look at it and see what happens from there,'' Pemberton said. "We've got to take our time and do everything. Sometimes there's things for us to look at that we don't have available right now, so to make any kind of statement or call on it (at this point), we'd be wasting everybody's time.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/04/Ambrose-and-Mears-Tangle.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth, Keselowski Not Happy With Each Other​*
Brad Keselowski said he had a message to deliver late in Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway, but Matt Kenseth has something for Keselowski.

The divers were not happy with each other after racing for the lead in the final laps of the Toyota Owners 400, which was won by Joey Logano.

"With three (laps to go), I would have said I was going to win it and probably would have won it had (Kenseth) not run us off the racetrack,'' Keselowski said after finishing fourth. "Every racetrack you should race for the win, but you run somebody off the racetrack to race for the win if you really aren't fast enough? Four other cars passed him. It didn't win him the race running me off the racetrack. It just cost me the win. I don't think that is very smart and that is something I'll remember.''

Keselowski got to the back of Kenseth's car and made his feelings known. Keselowski ran into the back of Kenseth's car, causing it to run up the track and allowing others to pass.

"I just felt like he needed to know what was up and that I wasn't going to put up with that,'' Keselowski said of his response to Kenseth. "He was not going to win that ... race.''

Kenseth didn't, finishing fifth.

After the race, Kenseth radioed his team, saying: "(Keselowski) just wrecked three of us back there just so you know. He's got one.''

Kenseth admitted he was racing Keselowski hard but said he was not being unfair.

"I was racing for the win,'' Kenseth said. "Yeah, I ran him off the track getting into (Turn) 3. I did not run him into the wall, I felt like I left him enough room. I didn't leave a lot of extra room ... but I'm trying to win a race. Both lanes were going. I couldn't hold them off staying on the bottom, so I tired to move to the top in front of them and hold them off, I just couldn't get it done. I don't think it was much different than anybody would have probably done with three or four to go to try to win the race.''

As for Keseowski hitting his car with four laps to go, Kenseth was not happy.

"I think you race as hard as you can to win,'' Kenseth said. "I'm not going to go to wreck somebody to win. He certainly tried to wreck me on the racetrack. I could see he was upset. I ran him up the track. I 'd probably be upset, too. We were racing as hard as we could to try to get that win.''

After the race, Keselowski tweeted: "Looking back, I needed some time after the race 2 cool off. Funny how much clearer the picture can be when emotion is removed. #Ijustwannawin.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...d-Matt-Kenseth-Not-Happy-With-Each-Other.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Memorable Night at Richmond​*
Fun, fury and flames, what else could one want from a NASCAR race?

Wait, there was more from Saturday night's frenzied, fractious, first-lap crashin', four-car battlin', fist-flyin' affair. The evening started with a famed football player starring in selfies with drivers and ended with some of those same competitors frustrated after 400 laps.

Just think it's less than five months until NASCAR returns to Richmond International Raceway.

Maybe by then we'll be able to digest all that took place on a night that saw a driver score his first short-track Sprint Cup win, another crack the top 10 for the first time this season and Goodyear focused on bringing a better tire back for the fall.

Joey Logano was fast, Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears were furious and many others flustered.

Just what short-track racing is all about.

The focus after the race wasn't on Logano's run or the thrilling racing at the end but the brouhaha between Ambrose and Mears. Exactly what led to their meeting in the garage was unclear but not the result. After a brief discussion, Mears shoved Ambrose, who responded with a right cross to Mears' face. Moments later, someone else punched Ambrose.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said officials will investigate but "we don't think it was anything too severe'' after watching video of the post-race incident.

Ambrose and Mears quickly left without comment. Mears later tweeted "Interesting end to the night.''

Had it not been for that, the talk about would have been about the finish.

Although points leader Jeff Gordon finished second, he told his team on the radio after the race "that was fun.''

Four cars battled for the lead in the final laps before a little roughhousing between Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski allowed Logano to slip by and score his second win of the season.

A season after Logano had to sweat his way into the Chase, he has no worries.

Logano said having another season with crew chief Todd Gordon is leading to the quick success.

"I think Todd really understands what I need in a racecar and what we've got to do and what we need to go fast,'' Logano said after his fifth career Cup win. "Darlington was our worst race of the year, really, to be honest with you, and we were still a very good car. We led a lot of laps. But that was the one racetrack that we really didn't have any notes to go off of, and as we come to these racetracks over and over again, we've got something to build off of.''

Many others weren't as fortunate, as tire problems struck some, including Jimmie Johnson. He remains winless this season. This is only the second time in the past decade Johnson has gone so deep into a season without a victory.

Johnson's kryptonite again proved to be tires. He had tire issues at Bristol, Auto Club Speedway (which cost him the win) and Richmond.

"Not exactly sure why we had that issue, but we did have back-to-back tire issues there,'' said Johnson, who finished 32nd. "That really just kind of put an end to our night. We didn't have anything for the win, but I thought we could run top-five."

Some others had tire problems and it led to some spectacular fires, including to Reed Sorenson's car. Sorenson stopped his burning car on pit road and was pulled from it by a member of Kasey Kahne's pit crew and a NASCAR official.

Stu Grant, general manager global race tires for Goodyear, said that it was "likely" that the tire manufacturer would test at Richmond before the September race.

"We were effective in being able to reduce the heat and improve the durability with the construction change that we made, but it looks like we've got some work to do on the wear because I don't think we made any improvement on the wear with this particular package,'' Grant said. "It looks like the operating window for being acceptable wear on he right front and unacceptable is pretty small.''

Not everyone had tire issues. AJ Allmendinger finished a season-best sixth. Crew chief Brian Burns said Allmendinger overcame a couple of slow pit stops where he was blocked by Greg Biffle to rally for the team's second top-10 finish of the season.

Martin Truex Jr., whose season has been plagued by all sorts of misfortune, finished a season-best 10th, leading Truex to explain his finish by saying: "Nothing fell out of the sky and hit us.''

But there was one major star at the track. Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, invited by friend Dale Earnhardt Jr., attended and drove the pace car at the start of the race. Before those duties, Griffin spent time visiting fans and drivers and tweeting pictures with them. Afterward, he left an autographed Redskins football for the winner, which Logano happily claimed.

On the football, Griffith wrote: "Congrats on Your Victory!!! Awesome Job!!!''

Yes, this was a three-exclamation race. At least.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Joey-Logano-Win-Caps-Wild-Richmond-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Spring Sizzler Belongs To Santos​*
No one needed to show Bobby Santos III the way to victory lane at Stafford Motor Speedway; he's a frequent visitor.

The Franklin, Mass., driver won the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 on Sunday for his 11th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory, with six of those coming at Stafford, including three of the last four Spring Sizzlers.

Santos, who started in the eighth position, took the lead from rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. on lap 115 and battled with Doug Coby, who won the 2006 and 2012 Spring Sizzlers, down the stretch to record the win. Coby looked left, right, over and under for a way around Santos in the closing laps, but had to settle for the runner-up finish.

Rowan Pennink crossed the line third followed by Woody Pitkat in the fourth spot while Justin Bonsignore rounded out the top five. The remainder of the top 10 was five-time Spring Sizzler winner Ted Christopher, Donny Lia, Timmy Solomito, Matt Hirschman and Ron Silk.

Santos, the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour champion, led a group of five drivers with top-10 finishes to own at least one tour title. The others were Coby, Christopher, Lia and Silk.

Barrett claimed his first Whelen Modified Tour pole win on Saturday and finished 11th.

NASCAR Next driver and defending tour champion Ryan Preece was looking for his first Spring Sizzler victory, but engine problems spoiled his day and he settled for a 24th-place finish.

The event had seven lead changes among five drivers which is the most in a Stafford race since there were 10 on May 1, 2010.

*The Finish:*

Bobby Santos III, Doug Coby, Rowan Pennink, Woody Pitkat, Justin Bonsignore, Ted Christopher, Donny Lia, Timmy Solomito, Matt Hirschman, Ron Silk, Tommy Barrett Jr., Patrick Emerling, Jamie Tomaino, Eric Goodale, Wade Cole, Ron Yuhas Jr., Gary McDonald, Dave Salzarulo, T.J. Zacharias, Melissa Fifield, Ken Heagy, Jimmy Zacharias, Gary Putnam, Ryan Preece, Glen Reen, Keith Rocco, Richie Pallai Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/spring-sizzler-belongs-to-santos/


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## Ckg2011

*Hard-Driving Mofo: Just Ask Him, Kyle Busch Will Tell You​*
*I*f you've followed Kyle Busch's NASCAR career, you know he's one hard-driving mofo. If you don't believe it, just ask him.

Busch, pilot of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, showed just how hard driving he really is Saturday night, when he charged from 16th to third in the final nine laps of the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

On a night when he didn't lead any laps and the three JGR cars weren't especially fast relative to the competition, Busch's banzai run was an unexpected bonus that showed both his formidable talent behind the wheel and the savvy of crew chief Dave Rogers, who gambled big when he called for four tires under the final caution.

And it resulted in Busch giving one of the early contenders for quote of the year after the race: "I just put it on kill out there and drove it like a bad mofo and come home third," said Busch of his final run.

Baby, you can drive my car: Samantha Busch digs hot wheels

In truth, Busch was as shocked as anyone with his finish.

"(I) have no idea the last 10 laps, I have absolutely no clue," Busch said. "I started 16th and finished third -- thatâ€™s about all I know. Pretty crazy with everything going on. I was shaking in my seat just because of how fast I was passing guys. I was like, 'Whoa, something is going to happen --something is going to screw up.' I was just trying to make sure I didn't end up in it. Those guys were racing hard up front and it was really cool to watch from my seat."

On the final restart on Lap 392, Busch started 16th, while up front, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and eventual race-winner Joey Logano waged an epic battle in the closing laps.

"Glad I got by and then it kind of got settled out and got too calm and let Joey (Logano) and Jeff (Gordon) just kind of stabilize and I could just run with them and that was all I had," Busch said. "Great finish for the way our day was."

Busch admitted he questioned the call by Rogers to pit late, but the four fresh Goodyears made all the difference in the end.

"Can't say enough about the gutsy call by Dave," Busch said. "And the bad-*** driving by me."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/hard-driving-mofo-just-ask-him-kyle-busch-will-tell-you-042714


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Retains The Points Lead​*
*I*n a year when winning is supposed to be everything and good points days nothing, Jeff Gordon is doing all right for himself, despite being winless at the one-quarter mark of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Gordon, the four-time series champion, finished second to Joey Logano in Saturday night's action-packed Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The runner-up finish, Gordon's second in three races, keeps him atop the Sprint Cup points standings for the third race in a row. He now leads Matt Kenseth by five points and Carl Edwards by 28.

In nine races this season, Gordon has four top-five and seven top-10 finishes, with a worst of 13th at Auto Club Speedway. That consistency --&#128;&#147; and more importantly, the consistent speed in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet -- has Gordon feeling bullish about his season so far.

"It was a great night," Gordon said. "We were having fun. Gosh, what great race cars we're bringing to the racetrack, great pit stops all night tonight. It's frustrating to not win, but also each time we run this good, it builds more confidence and momentum that we're going to get that win soon."

"IT'S FRUSTRATING TO NOT WIN, BUT ALSO EACH TIME WE RUN THIS GOOD, IT BUILDS MORE CONFIDENCE AND MOMENTUM THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT WIN SOON."
Jeff Gordon
Saturday night at Richmond, Gordon led six times for a race-high 173 laps. Gordon's car was far and away the best on long runs, but three cautions in the final 32 laps hurt his chances of winning.

Gordon was third when the track went green for the final time on Lap 392 of the 400-lap race. And for a moment, when leader Matt Kenseth and second-place Brad Keselowski started dicing in the high groove, it looked like Gordon might get that breakthrough first victory of the season. But Logano came from behind and bested everyone.

"There at the end actually I got right behind Matt on that last restart and I knew I was better than him, it's just a matter of trying to get him up off the bottom and get a run on him," Gordon said. "That was tough. And then the 2 (Keselowski) was just right there, and his car was just so good on the short runs.

"When he (Keselowski) got to the outside of me, I thought we were done, but then Matt started driving up the racetrack to block him and gave the inside to me, so now here I come back, and then Matt sort of turned down and I clipped him and didn't get a good run off of (Turn) 2, and then the 22 (Logano) came. At that point it was really just trying to battle with those guys to get the best finish that we could, and the 22 was in a great position while we were all sitting there sliding around battling it out."

Battle of Richmond: Joey Logano survives wild finish to claim victory

And so Gordon took second place and wasn't too terribly unhappy about it.

"To come home second is still a great finish," Gordon said. "Would have liked to have seen a longer run because we were really, really good after about 20 laps. That's when our car really seemed to come on."

So now it's on to Talladega Superspeedway, one of Gordon's best tracks. And as good as he's run at most of the tracks this season, it would not be surprising to see him in the win column very soon.

"As good as we're running, I definitely feel like we can win races just about anywhere that we go, and if we continue to perform like this, we are going to win," Gordon said. "That's how you win. I mean, yeah, there's sometimes when you just pick the right pit strategy. There's other times you get a good restart, and then there's times when you just go and outrun them. I'll take outrunning them more times than any because I think that's when the multiple wins are going to come."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...and-confidence-that-the-wins-will-come-042714


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## Ckg2011

*Struck A Cord: Tire Issues Plague Teams In Toyota Owners 400​*
*R*ichmond International Raceway is often known for its sparks on the track, but during Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race it was fires and tires that dominated the storylines.

Much like Friday's Nationwide Series race, teams battled severe tire wear throughout the night. Few teams were immune from the issue, as long green flag runs wore the tire to the cords in many cases.

Teams could typically go a maximum of 55 laps before the right front tires began showing cords and causing issues. Typically, when the tires began to come apart the cords would wrap around the tire assembly, brake hoses and other items under the hood, causing a fire behind the wheel well.

Cole Whitt, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. all suffered tire failure issues that led to large fires behind the right front tires.

Sorenson's fire was the largest of the night, as his entire car engulfed in flames before he was pulled out of the car on pit road by a crew member from Kasey Kahne's team.

"Seems like the rubber got to the oil lines and the brake lines and that was what was burning was the oil and the fuel," Sorenson said. "So I got out of there as quick as I could and to try and not inhale all that smoke. Definitely not what you want to be inside of."

Jimmie Johnson had a promising night ruined when he fell back with a tire issue and was forced to pit road on Lap 289. The incident was not the last for Johnson and the No. 48 team, as they would be forced back to pit road with a flat right front on Lap 368.

"Really thought we had a decent car and was going to run in the top-five, top 10 at the worst," he said. "Then we had one run where we cut a right-front and the next run another right-front. Not exactly sure why we had that issue, but we did have back-to-back tire issues there. That really just kind of put an end to our night."

For Kyle Busch, who avoided tire issues and finished the night third, the trend of corded tires was not the result of teams pushing the envelope.

"The problem is they put a harder inside edge on the right front and right rear here, and that's eventually where we ride most of the time around the racetrack on that part of the tire," Busch said. "Why they went harder on that, I'm not sure. They could have probably left the same inside edge and probably went a little softer on the outside edge of the out sides, but it's just too hard and too hard of a compound for here.

"We were all basically on ice here, it was just like having a hard tire out there," he said. "The effort that they tried to gain with the leftâ&#128;&#145;side tire softening it up, you could just take the left sides off, it didn't feel like they did anything. Really tough for all of us to, for one, keep the tires under our cars, and for putting a harder compound on the outside edge having it cord and come apart and actually it's supposed to be more durable I think was just not the right way to go obviously for Goodyear."

While his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon was immune from tire issues throughout the night, the second-place finisher explained he is "not a fan of the dual-tread zone" tire and called for more research.

"We had it at Texas. The cars just slid the front getting in the corner. It was the same case here," he said. "Just has no grip in the front getting in the corner. But I also think that we're doing a great job with this tire making our car go fast. So while I don't like the way it drives, I also think we're very competitive with it, so I'm not going to say a whole lot."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/struck-a-cord-tire-issues-plague-teams-at-richmond-042614


----------



## Ckg2011

*DW Reflects On RIR: 'Now THAT'S What I'm Talkin' About!'​*
*F*ans ask me all the time why I love short-track racing so much. Part of the answer is short tracks are where I started my career. Another part of the answer is that I was very blessed to be awfully good at short-track racing. The final part of the answer was Saturday night at Richmond.

Are you kidding me? Wow, what a race and what a finish. I sure hope you had the chance to attend the race or at least get to watch our NASCAR on FOX broadcast of it because Saturday night truly was short-track racing at its finest. There was bumping, banging, pushing and shoving both during the race and actually after it as well.

We saw some aggressive driving for 400 laps. Those 43 drivers were putting on a show for all of us. It was just non-stop action for the entire time. Then you throw in the tire issues and did you notice that every tire failure caused a fire? There's an old saying: "Kick the tires and light the fires." Well, they didn't even need to kick them for the fires to happen.

You see guys doing things on the short tracks that they literally can't do anywhere else. To me, short-track racing really shows you who can drive and who can'&#128;&#153;t. It takes finesse, skill, creativity and anticipation. It creates all the things we want to see not on in a race, but in a race car driver.

That's why I love the short tracks. It's not just put your foot to the floor and if you have a fast car you go to the front. It's not about aero and side drafting and dirty air. On a short track you have to get up on the wheel and drive hard the entire race.

It takes everything you've got to hustle one of these cars around Richmond International Raceway. Like I said earlier last week, I've always considered Richmond a hybrid-type track. It's not a superspeedway and it's not a real short, short track. It's just fast enough, big enough and wide enough that we see things there we don't see anywhere else. Saturday night was no exception.

I've been a race car driver almost my entire life. The finish of that race Saturday night is why I am a race fan for life. The way NASCAR has changed the points system and how you qualify for the Chase has changed the whole landscape of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing. Jeff Gordon, our four-time champion, told me that he'd rather have two wins and be twenty-second in the points than be the points leader, as he is, and have no wins.

That's how this whole thing has changed. That's why we're seeing the kind of racing we are seeing. That's why I get aggravated when I hear folks talking about more changes. Why in the world would you even think about making changes when we have the best racing we've ever had? For the life of me I don't understand that.

But hey, the reality is I don't run the sport, I'm just commenting on what I see and giving my two cents worth. I'll say it again, though: Right now I am seeing the best racing I have seen in our sport in years. We wanted a premium put on winning and we got it. All these drivers think about now is win, win and win again. A "&#128;&#156;good points day" just doesn't cut it anymore.

The cars are faster and handling better than they ever have. The drivers are taking advantage of that and driving harder than we've ever seen them drive. How could you ask for anything better? Every week I go home thinking it can't get any better but you know what, the very next week it does. These drivers just keep stepping it up a notch.

So now we are nine races into the season. Two drivers -- Kevin Harvick and after his win Saturday night, Joey Logano -- both know they are in the Chase. There is a lot of racing to go and 14 more Chase slots to fill. On top of all that, just look at the list of names of those who haven't won yet. The list includes Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, Biffle, Kenseth, Kahne and on and on that are still looking for their first win of 2014.

This thing is just going to keep building. The tension is going to escalate. Boy, are we fortunate. We have so much to look forward to and to be thankful for. We had it all Saturday night. We had a great race and a fight afterward. That's old school short-track racing right there.

Fight club: Tempers flare on the short track at Richmond International Raceway

My only wish is we could run a short track next Saturday night. In my blue-sky world we'd run our short track races all together. I love continuing the story and in some case the feuds on the short tracks. You all know this but the beauty of a short track is you can pay someone back for a previous transgression and in reality no one but the car gets hurt. You simply can't carry a grudge from Richmond over to Talladega on Sunday. It's simply too dangerous at 200 miles an hour.

Who knows, maybe that's something that can be looked at and addressed with a schedule change. That's a big deal to me. A schedule realignment is more important to me than worrying about making more changes on the car or changing the motors. I still beat the drum that we need to work on the schedule because that's something that needs to be fixed.

I am jacked up and ready to go to Talladega. We are going to see some absolutely amazing qualifying sessions there. Qualifying is going to look more like a race at Talladega and we've never had that before.

These drivers were all over each other Saturday night at Richmond and theyâ&#128;&#153;ll be all over each other Sunday afternoon at Talladega. The only difference is they'll be inches apart at over 200 mph. It'll be a pack. It'll be a pack of hungry hounds going around that 2.66-mile superspeedway over 200 mph.

Now we all know what that leads to. Dare I say it? The Big One!

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/dw-reflects-on-rir-now-that-s-what-i-m-talkin-about-042714


----------



## Ckg2011

*Clint Bowyer Takes Out Kyle Larson In Lap-1 Crash At Richmond​*
Kyle Larson's first experience starting on the pole for a Sprint Cup race was fun for less than a quarter of a lap.

Larson wrecked after contact with Clint Bowyer as they entered Turn 1 on the opening lap of the Toyota Owners 400 Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

Bowyer, who started third, had the inside lane and Larson attempted to cut in front of him going into the first turn. They made contact, with Larson's car spinning toward the wall.

"He came down like I wasn't even there," Bowyer told his Michael Waltrip Racing team on his in-car radio. "&#8230; I didn't mean to do that."

Larson had to pit for tires, going from first to last in a matter of seconds.

"It's really not that bad. &#8230; Stuff like this is going to happen," Larson crew chief Chris Heroy told the rookie driver.

Larson obviously wasn't happy, obviously expecting a little more give-and-take on the opening lap.

But he had 393 laps to make up the ground on the three-quarter-mile track.

Bowyer said he got "payback" for spinning Larson by having tire problems throughout the night, likely because of an aggressive camber issue. He fell out of the race after his tire and car caught on fire on Lap 160.

"I really hated that happened," Bowyer told Motor Racing Network after getting out of his car. "I really like Kyle and I'm a big fan of his. Him and the 2 (of Brad Keselowski) kind of spun their tires and I got such a big run on them and he moved up, and I was like, 'Alright, I guess I'm going to go to the bottom if he gives me the bottom.'

"Right at the last minute, he arched it in, and I just wasn't ready for him. I tried to get on the brakes and got into him."

Bowyer finished 43rd, while Larson rallied to finish 16th.

For Bowyer, he can't seem to escape controversy at Richmond, where he spun late in the race last September, triggering a series of events and charges of race manipulation that resulted in some of the biggest penalties in NASCAR history for Michael Waltrip Racing.






*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...e-larson-crash-lap-1-richmond-sprint-cup-race


----------



## Ckg2011

*More Major Changes Unlikely For NASCAR​*
NASCAR has undergone significant format modifications this season in an attempt to bolster its reach, but additional major changes are unlikely.

"More tweaks, if any at all are made, they'd be minor because we believe the current format we have is built to stand a long time," NASCAR chairman Brian France said Friday at a conference with sports editors.

NASCAR is 11 races into the 2014 Sprint Cup Series schedule under the new format, which results in a winner-take-all championship race for the first time in its history. The previous format was a 10-race playoff, in which points were given based on finish to determine a champion.

"What I was most concerned with was listening to drivers get out of the car and settling for second, fourth or fifth place," France said. "In the old format, that was a good day, arguably. With all the young drivers that we have coming, that's not the culture of competition we want to have in NASCAR. Our championship is so important. It makes a lot of money and it's obviously the most prestigious motorsports championship, we think, in the world. So understandably, they'll race to whatever format that achieves that goal."

France suggested that the changes to the championship structure has altered the way drivers race, forcing them to increase "taking risks" and being more aggressive in the pursuit of victories, as opposed to securing points.

When weighing safety, however, France didn't indicate that more changes would be likely, despite several calls from drivers to install SAFER barriers that help absorb crash impacts to any parts of racetrack walls that have concrete.

"We're going to put SAFER walls wherever it's necessary," France said. "There are parts of the track that we may determine aren't necessary for those walls. When and if we think they are, we'll obviously make sure that happens. We do add SAFER walls to the inside areas depending on if it's necessary.

"We'll do it wherever it's appropriate. Period. We already have. We've been clear about that. We don't think it's necessary, as an example, to do it on pit lane, because they're not running fast enough and it wouldn't make any sense to do that, so wherever it's appropriate, we'll do it."

Since each race track is different, there are challenges to installing SAFER walls in all places where cars are exposed to concrete. According to France, several factors determine whether or not the barriers are necessary.

"It's determined by where it is on the track," France said. "As I said and as an example, there are no SAFER barriers on pit road, even though there's obviously a crash wall. The vast majority of the speedways in the primary racing surface have SAFER barriers. There might be a gate. There might be something that's inside. Remember, you've got 18 or 19 different speedways, all configured differently, some have very abrupt inside retaining walls for the track. It might be grass, where it's just not going to be necessary to put the SAFER walls in certain places, in our view. But when we do, when it's necessary, we will."

According to France, when NASCAR mandates that a SAFER wall be installed, the respective track is responsible for the cost.

Last month, Denny Hamlin was the latest driver to speak out about the need to install more of the SAFER walls.

"Well they always seek it out," France said. "That's not anything new, one thing or another. Most of the time, we're the ones mandating safety changes and often they don't do it with all safety changes, but they don't always think that each and every one of them are entirely in the right direction, so it's not surprising from time to time that they have different views on that.

"We do listen to them - carefully."

*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/04/25/nascar-changes-unlikely-brian-france/8167449/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards' Front-Tire Changer Shows Us The Aftermath of Taking A Lugnut To The Face​*
You've got to look out for more than just cars on pit road.

Mike Lingerfelt, the front-tire changer for Carl Edwards' car, took a fliying lugnut to the mouth on Saturday night at Richmond. And as you can expect, it doesn't look too pretty.








*Twitter​*
_Mike Lingerfelt @MikeLingerfelt Follow
Not real happy about taking a lugnut to the face or the shredding tires tonight!​_
The split lip seems bad enough, but the circle imprint is what makes the photo.

The lugnuts from tires that have been recently removed from a car can find themselves underneath the new tires of a car on pit road. When a driver accelerates out of his pit box, the spinning tires shoot the lugnuts out from underneath them, pelting anyone and anything in their path. And sometimes even starting fires if the friction is severe enough to cause a spark and hit spilled fuel on the concrete.

The shredding tires reference in Lingerfelt's tweet is about the tire degradation in Saturday night's race. Tires were wearing quickly around the 0.75-mile track and many teams had right front tires that wore down to the cords or simply came apart.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...of-taking-a-lugnut-to-the-face-043016496.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Whitt Have Tire Problems And Fires​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*#5 Team Member Pulls Sorenson Out of Fiery Car​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*How To Cool Down For Qualifying​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cole Custer Conquers Richmond​*
Cole Custer made it look easy.

Sixteen-year-old Custer, of Ladera Ranch, Calif., won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East's Blue Ox 100 on Saturday at Richmond Int'l Raceway. He passed teammate and pole sitter Nick Drake on lap 49 and led the rest of the way to collect his third series win in 16 starts. A pair of wins last season came at Iowa Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts/Haas Automation Chevrolet also collected his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win in the 2014 season opener at Phoenix Int'l Raceway in February.

Points leader Ben Rhodes finished second for his fourth top-five showing in five outings this season. Drake, who won the pole position in qualifying yesterday, battled to finish third. Austin Hill crossed the line in fourth followed by Ronnie Bassett Jr. in fifth.

Cameron Hayley, Brandon Jones, Brodie Kostecki, Jeremy Burns and Jesse Little rounded out the top-10 finishers on the day.

The race was orginally scheduled to be run following the NASCAR Nationwide Series event, but a three-hour rain delay in getting that race underway pushed the Blue Ox 100 to Saturday morning.

*The Finish:*

Cole Custer, Ben Rhodes, Nick Drake, Austin Hill, Ronnie Bassett Jr., Cameron Hayley, Brandon Jones, Brodie Kostecki, Jeremy Burns, Jesse Little, Gray Gaulding, Chad Finley, Matt Tifft, Kaz Grala, Mackena Bell, David Garbo Jr., Josh Berry, Scott Heckert, Brandon Gdovic, Trey Hutchens, Lee Pulliam, Ryan Gifford, Beto Monteiro, John Salemi, Sam Hunt, Brennan Newberry, Eddie MacDonald, Jay Beasley, Michael McGuire, Sergio Pena, Akinori Ogata, Daniel Suarez, Jordan Anderson, Clint King, Kenzie Ruston, Jerry Dawson, Chuck Buchanan Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/cole-custer-conquers-richmond/


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## Ckg2011

*Indycar Driver James Hinchcliffe​*
*IndyCar Driver James Hinchcliffe Believes Kurt Busch Can Win Indianapolis 500​*
It may just be one teammate talking up the merits of another teammate, but IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe believes NASCAR driver and Indy car rookie Kurt Busch is a legitimate contender to win the Indianapolis 500 in his first-ever start there on May 25.

"He's in an Andretti Autosport car so I definitely believe he can win," Hinchliffe told PopularSpeed.com's Matt Weaver.

Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who won Sunday's IndyCar race in Birmingham, Ala., will both be Busch's teammates in the 500, and it could wind up being a great day for Andretti Autosport.

"I think we're going to be strong in the race and I think we've showed that the past couple of years," Hinchcliffe said. "(Busch is) a professional. He has more professional races under his belt than the rest of the field combined with as many races as NASCAR runs and I'm sure he's going to adapt pretty quickly."

Busch, who will undergo his first day of rookie orientation on Tuesday, is hoping to become the first driver to attempt the so-called "double" since Robby Gordon's third try at the feat in 2004.

Other drivers who have attempted 1,100 total miles across two races on two diametrically opposite types of tracks and in completely different types of race cars include John Andretti and NASCAR star Tony Stewart.

Having been friends with Busch since he won the first Sprint Cup championship in 2004, Hunter-Reay told Weaver that even if he wasn't Busch's teammate for the 500, he still would his effort in high regard.

"For Kurt to do what he's doing, it takes a lot of guts," Hunter-Reay told Weaver. "To jump out of your Cup car and hop into an Indy car and immediately hop right back into a Cup car, I respect him for that."

(Of course, if that happens, it's likely Busch won't make it to Charlotte for the green flag, given all the post-500 celebrations, trophy presentations, interviews and other commitments he'd have to take part in.)

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...-indianapolis-500/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Mears Discusses Incident With Ambrose​*
Casey Mears said on Fox Sports 1's "NASCAR Race Hub" that he and Marcos Ambrose had a "really good conversation" Monday about their confrontation after Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway.

Ambrose finished 18th with Mears 19th. After the race, they had a conversation in the garage. Mears then shoved Ambrose, who retaliated by punching Mears. Ambrose was later struck by someone else.

NASCAR is investigating the incident. Any penalties likely will be announced Tuesday.

What caused the confrontation?

"It was a few things on the track,'' Mears said on the show without being specific. "At the end of the day, none of that should ever happen, but in the heat of the moment when you get out of your racecar and it just happened to you some stuff that you didn't like, we started going at each other. Before we knew it, it escalated really quickly. For a moment there, I kind of wanted to hit him, but I thought I can't do that. So I grabbed him.''

Mears was asked on the show if things were OK with Ambrose.

"I think so, for the most part, (but) you never forget getting hit,'' Mears said.

Mears also was asked on "NASCAR Race Hub" if he expected any penalties. He said he was unsure and hoped NASCAR's action would provide guidance.

"I don't know how to distinguish what I'm able to do next time,'' Mears said. "Professionally, I want to know where that line is. It's hard to say what (NASCAR) will do.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Discusses-Incident-With-Marcos-Ambrose.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Ready For Indy-Charlotte Challenge​*
Andretti Autosport unveiled Monday the black-and-white No. 26 car that Kurt Busch seeks to race in the Indianapolis 500, and Busch will drive that car Tuesday in the first day of rookie orientation at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Busch is attempting to become the fourth driver to race in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart have done it. Stewart finished in the top 10 in both races in 1999 and 2001.

The double was last run by Robby Gordon in 2004.

"It really comes into play today, (Tuesday) at track when I sit in as a driver behind the wheel to go 220 in race trim,'' Busch said of his adventure. "It's an amazing challenge, the hard work that I've committed to with working out and training.

Rookie orientation at Indianapolis Motor Speedway consists of three phases where drivers must maintain a consistent speed within a preset range. Typically the range is 200-210 mph, 210-215 mph and then 215 and above. Once they have met those standards while being judged by observers, they are cleared to practice for the Indianapolis 500.

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner, also is scheduled to run Tuesday as he takes a refresher test at the speedway.

A second day of testing will be May 5. Busch will be allowed to run that day regardless of if he completes the rookie requirements Tuesday, an IndyCar official confirmed. Busch is scheduled to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway May 11 - the day after the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway - for practice.

Busch has not driven an IndyCar since testing with Andretti Autosport last May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch ran 83 laps with a lap circuit of 218.210 mph.

"We were quite impressed,'' car owner Michael Andretti said of Busch's performance in that test. "We started a dialogue all the way back then and it's finally become a reality. We're looking forward to great things.''

Suretone Entertainment will be Busch's sponsor.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dy-For-Indy-500-and-Coca-Cola-600-Double.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Finally Gets Good Finish​*
Martin Truex Jr. was in desperate need of a good performance and it came in Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

After starting the year on a frustrating note with a series of bad finishes punctuated with mechanical problems, crashes and bad luck, Truex Jr. finally lived up to the expectations he had going into the season at RIR.

"Nothing fell out of the sky and hit us," Truex said after scoring his best finish of the season. "We kept the air in the tires all night. We worked hard on it."

While Truex Jr. was grateful for the effort, he felt the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet was even better than what the final results may have indicated.

"I thought we had a shot at a top-five there, but the short runs were just killing us," Truex. "We just couldn't take off for the first 15 or 20 laps of a run. All those guys up there were really fast and we weren't. We had a really good car on those last couple of long runs, but we had short runs at the end. We have to figure out how to get that short run going. Those long runs toward the end, we had something for them.

"It was a good day for us."

Truex Jr. started the 400-lap race from the 22nd position and moved toward the front of the field by the halfway point. He was no worse than 11th as the race headed into the final 100 laps and eventually moved up one spot to give him his first top 10 as a member of the Denver-based organization.

"We didn't have a great car in the beginning," said Truex Jr. "We fell back once, got off, got really tight in the middle part of the race, and (crew chief) Todd (Berrier) did a really good job getting it back."

Truex Jr. was able to move up a position in the Sprint Cup Series point standings and heads to next week's race at Talladega Superspeedway 27th.

However even if the numbers still aren't very impressive, Truex Jr. thinks Saturday night's performance will be the foundation for even better things to come.

"I think the biggest thing is finally shaking bad luck," he said. "We've had good cars all year. We've had top-10 cars a lot of the races, not all of them. The team's done a good job and we have had some weird things happen. We've had a lot of tire problems, obviously, but at the end of the day, we focus on how we've been running.

"You have to take something good out of each week, no matter how bad it went, and we just keep doing that and building on it. The guys are doing a good job, so we obviously have to get a little bit better. We're chipping away at it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/04/Truex-Jr-Finally-Gets-Good-Finish.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Richmond Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Ambrose, Mears​*
NASCAR fined Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears and placed both on probation for their altercation after last weekend's race at Richmond International Raceway.

NASCAR fined Ambrose $25,000 and placed him on probation until May 28. NASCAR fined Mears $15,000 and placed him on probation until May 28.

The incident started after both were in the garage. Fox's video shows them talking before Mears shoves Ambrose, who responded by punching Mears. They were separated.

The video appeared to show another person striking Ambrose in the incident. NASCAR reviewed that, spoke to Ambrose and he confirmed that no punch was landed, thus no penalty was issued for that part of the altercation.

Mears spoke about the incident Monday on "NASCAR Race Hub" on Fox Sports 1. Asked what caused the altercation, Mears, without being specific, said: "It was a few things on the track. At the end of the day, none of that should ever happen, but in the heat of the moment when you get out of your racecar and it just happened to you some stuff that you didn't like, we started going at each other. Before we knew it, it escalated really quickly. For a moment there, I kind of wanted to hit him, but I thought I can't do that. So I grabbed him.''

Mears was asked on the show if things were OK with Ambrose.

"I think so, for the most part, (but) you never forget getting hit,'' Mears said.

Ambrose has not spoken publicly about the incident. Richard Petty Motorsports issued a statement that Ambrose would not appeal the penalties.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Announces-Penalties-to-Ambrose-And-Mears.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Passes Rookie Test At Indy​*
Kurt Busch completed each phase of his on-track test Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and is cleared to practice for next month's Indianapolis 500.

Busch is seeking to become only the fourth driver to race in the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day, joining John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart.

Busch had not driven an IndyCar since last May before Tuesday when he climbed into his black-and-white No. 26 car for Andretti Autosport. Busch completed 66 laps with a top lap of 220.844 mph.

Last May, he ran 83 laps in an Andretti Autosport car with a top lap of 218.210 mph.

Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe watched Busch run, along with former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

As part of his test, Busch was required to run laps at particular speeds, working his way to faster speeds.

He'll be allowed to return to the track May 5 for additional practice before the track opens to all competitors May 11.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Rookie-Orientation-Test-At-Indianapolis.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*KFC Backing Ragan At Talladega​*
KFC will serve as primary sponsor of defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 champion David Ragan this weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

"It's great to have KFC backing the team for the Talladega race," Ragan said. "We're excited about again contending for a Talladega win, this time in the KFC Go Cup Ford Fusion. The Go Cup is specifically designed for on-the-go consumers, and guys who race cars for a living definitely fit into that category."

Besides leading a NASCAR team respected for its growth and accomplishments in its short history, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins is also a KFC franchisee, operating restaurants in Kentucky, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

"We're thrilled to get behind David, Bob and the entire Front Row Motorsports team at Talladega," said Kevin Hochman, chief marketing officer for KFC U.S. "As we were discussing great ways to remind America about KFC's portable Go Cup for today's fast-moving consumers, we thought, 'What better way to deliver an on-the-go message than with America's fastest sport?'"

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kfc-backing-ragan-at-talladega/


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## Ckg2011

*5-Hour ENERGY Sponsors Kansas Cup Race​*
5-hour ENERGY will sponsor Kansas Speedway's inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race on May 10.

The race is officially named the 5-hour ENERGY 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF).

From May 1 through July 31, Living Essentials will donate five cents from the sale of every specially marked red, white and blue bottle of cherry-flavored 5-hour ENERGY® to SOWF, a top-rated nonprofit organization that supports the military's special operations forces and their families through college scholarships, family services, and financial stipends. The minimum guaranteed donation is $75,000.

"I'm excited to have 5-hour ENERGY join with us on our inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race," Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren said.

"I'm even prouder to know that we will be honoring the military service of so many men and women and are able to recognize the commitment they have made to our country. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides support and assistance to personnel in the U.S. Special Operations Command and I look forward to working with them and 5-hour ENERGY during our race weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/5-hour-energy-sponsors-kansas-cup-race/


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## Ckg2011

*Hunt Brothers Sponsors Harvick At CMS​*
Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor for Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Chevrolet SS for the 30th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race May 17 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

"This is our first primary sponsorship with our new racing partner, Stewart-Haas Racing," said Keith Solsvig, vice president of marketing for Hunt Brothers Pizza. "Kevin and Stewart-Haas have already had a very impressive run this year, including trips to victory lane at Phoenix and Darlington. We chose to align ourselves with this reputable team because racing fans are our consumers."

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is a non-points event with $1 million in prize money on the line. The night also includes high-stakes qualifying to set the starting lineup. A break from NASCAR's normal qualifying rules, drivers will qualify using a timed three-lap run that includes a mandatory four-tire pit stop and no pit road speed limit.

Hunt Brothers Pizza became involved in NASCAR as a team partner in 2008, when the company sponsored Haas CNC Racing, the predecessor of SHR, and aligned with NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick in 2009.

Hunt Brothers Pizza is also an associate sponsor of the No. 4 Chevrolet for the duration of the season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/hunt-brothers-to-sponsor-harvick/


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## Ckg2011

*Montoya Confirmed For Two Cup Races​*
Juan Pablo Montoya's schedule just got a bit busier.

Montoya, the driver of the No. 2 PPG Chevy for Team Penske in the Verizon IndyCar Series, announced Wednesday he'll make two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts for the team later this year. Montoya will drive the No. 12 SKF Ford on June 15 at Michigan Int'l Speedway in addition to driving the No. 12 car for the Brickyard 400 July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A sponsor for Montoya's Brickyard 400 effort is yet to be announced. Greg Erwin will be Montoya's crew chief for both races.

Montoya was a full-time Sprint Cup driver from 2007-2013, during which time he posted nine poles, two wins, 24 top-fives and a Chase for the Sprint Cup appearance in 2009. Montoya spent his entire Sprint Cup career with Ganassi Racing, for whom he also won the Indianapolis 500 in 2000.

Montoya ranks 11th in IndyCar standings after three races.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/montoya-confirmed-for-two-cup-races/


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## Ckg2011

*Great Clips Sponsors Sonoma Fast Friday​*
Great Clips will return as sponsor of Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway's Toyota/Save Mart 350 Fast Friday on June 20.

The company signed a two-year extension to continue as the title sponsor of the NASCAR practice day. Great Clips Fast Friday will feature two Sprint Cup Series practice sessions, which mark the only opportunity for drivers to fine tune their stock cars before qualifying on Saturday.

"Great Clips is more than excited to be partnering with Sonoma Raceway again this year. We have a rich history and relationship with racing, and are pleased to partner with a raceway that has such a great reputation," said Tyler Brandt, marketing manager of Great Clips, Inc.

"To cap off a great race weekend, Great Clips will also adorn the hood as the primary sponsor of Kasey Kahne's No. 5 Chevrolet SS during Sunday's race."

In addition to becoming title sponsor of Fast Friday, Great Clips continues as the official hair salon of Sonoma Raceway for the third consecutive year. Great Clips will set up mobile salons at the raceway during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Verizon IndyCar Series event weekends.

"This is a wonderful program. Great Clips has been wonderful a partner, and the haircuts at the races have been a big hit with our fans and provided a nice boost to Speedway Children's Charities," said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/great-clips-sponsors-sonoma-fast-friday/


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## Ckg2011

*Talladega Superstretch Honors Ala. Gang​*
Talladega Superspeedway announced Wednesday that the track's back straightaway will forever be known as "The Alabama Gang Superstretch," paying tribute to the original members of the Alabama Gang - racing legends Bobby and Donnie Allison and Red Farmer.

For this weekend's Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega, The Alabama Gang Superstretch name will be displayed in huge, block lettering midway down the outside retaining wall of the backstretch, which measures over 4,000 feet. The new addition to the track will "stretch" more than 200 feet.

The Allisons will serve as the grand marshals for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 ARCA race, while Farmer will be the honorary starter from atop the flag stand. The ARCA race kicks off a full day of activity, which also includes the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' all-new Coors Light group qualifying for the Aaron's 499 as well as the Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series event.

"No honor is too big for the Alabama Gang," said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch.

"What we are doing in naming The Alabama Gang Superstretch is unprecedented in our sport. During our events, from TV cameras and still photography, fans will be able to see this accolade for some of our favorite people in the world. The gang has meant so much to NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway and the state of Alabama, and this is just a small token of our appreciation."

"This place is special," Bobby Allison said. "We (The Alabama Gang) have always felt like we were a part of it."

The Alabama Gang is also represented atop The Alabama Gang Superstretch. From the exit of turn two to the entrance of turn three, fans now have additional RV options from which to view all races at Talladega Superspeedway. They include Allison Motorhome Ridge, Farmer Motorhome Overlook and Bonnett Corporate Motorhome Summit.

The Alabama Gang continues to live on today with a new generation of racers. The torch of the Allison legacy is passed from Donnie and Bobby to their grandsons Justin and Robbie. Justin Allison, with the help from his grandfather Donnie, has recently emerged on the racing scene in the ARCA Racing Series. Justin competed in the season-opening event at Daytona and was in the top-10 before being involved in an accident that broke out in front of him. He will compete in this weekend's International Motorsports Hall of Fame ARCA race at Talladega. Robbie Allison, grandson of Bobby and son of Davey, now lives in Mooresville, NC and is competing in Legends and Late Model cars, as well as Pro Champion Karts.

Another Alabama native, Grant Enfinger from Fairhope, has dominated the ARCA Series thus far, becoming only the second driver in series history to capture the checkered flag in the first three races of a season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/talladega-superstretch-honors-alabama-gang/


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## Ckg2011

*McMurray Relishes Talladega Challenge​*
Jamie McMurray wasn't sure what to think when he first visited Talladega Superspeedway.

McMurray had never driven on a restrictor-plate track until he was in his mid 20s. His first trip to Talladega for a test session left McMurray overwhelmed at the track's expansiveness, but he wasn't intimidated by it.

"I just remember going there and knowing that you could run wide open around the track, and I had never been to a track that you could do that at," McMurray said.

"It's so hard to get used to, whether it was in the late models or doing the (Camping World) Trucks, that you can run around a track and not ever let off.

"It's just hard to conceive that you could do that and that it would stick good enough. It takes a while to realize that it's real. It's so much fun to be able to run around a place like that flat out and not have to let off."

Some 14 years later, Talladega's high banks are old hat to McMurray.
Two of the 37-year-old's seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins are at Talladega, including his most recent triumph last October. McMurray also has a 2007 win at Daytona Int'l Speedway on his résumé, so restrictor-plate tracks fit McMurray's patient driving style.

Things weren't always so easy, though. McMurray finished in the top 15 only once in his first five Talladega Sprint Cup starts. He's gotten a reputation for being in the right place at the right time at the series' largest track. It came from learning not to make every aggressive move. Picking his spots has given McMurray plenty of success at Talladega.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. called McMurray one of the sport's best restrictor-plate drivers last year.

The affable Chip Ganassi Racing driver heads to Talladega for the May 3 Aaron's 499 ranked 19th in Sprint Cup points. He's led 10 laps and has two top-10s in nine starts this season.

If there's a track suitable to turn around his season, McMurray believes Talladega is as good as any for him. The repave the circuit underwent in 2006 made the track faster and more to McMurray's liking.

"It's got so much more grip than what it had before the repave," McMurray said. "When we did the plate races before, you could run like 15 laps and handling started becoming an issue, and now there's so much grip that it's a little bit different."

He's overcome the changing track conditions and some initial uneasiness to post six top-fives at Talladega. A seventh, McMurray hopes, will come in his next try.

His first reactions to Talladega, however, rarely stray from McMurray's mind.
"It's a thrilling place to go to for the first time," he said. "To run around there by yourself is exciting initially, but then when you run around and you're in the middle of a 30- or a 40‑car pack and you're right in the middle lane in the middle of the pack, that gets your attention," McMurray said.

"It certainly requires a lot of focus."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/mcmurray-relishes-talladega-challenge/


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## Ckg2011

*Gifford Returning To Nationwide Series​*
NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next driver Ryan Gifford will return to the NASCAR Nationwide Series later this month at Iowa Speedway with Biagi-DenBeste Racing after securing a ninth-place finish in his national series debut last August.

Gifford will pilot the No. 98 Carroll Shelby Engine Co. Ford on May 18 at Iowa and June 27 at Kentucky Speedway with the mikeroweWORKS Foundation as the primary sponsor.

The 25-year-old driver earned his first NASCAR win last year racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where he has raced for five seasons. He made history in 2010, becoming the first African-American to win a K&N East pole.

The upcoming Iowa start will be his first with Biagi-DenBeste.

"I'm really appreciative of all that Fred (Biagi) and Bill and Lori (DenBeste) have done for me in giving me this opportunity," Gifford said. "It takes a big leap of faith to give a rookie driver a chance like this, and I'm excited to drive the car for them. I've had a ton of laps at Iowa Speedway and I feel really confident going there."

The Winchester, Tenn., native is a current member of NASCAR Drive for Diversity, an academy-style youth development program for multicultural and female drivers, and NASCAR Next, a program rooted in identifying future stars of the sport across NASCAR's regional and touring series.

"Ryan is a great young talent," said team co-owner Fred Biagi. "He's got some impressive accomplishments on his resume already, and I think he is just getting started. We're eager to see what we can do together."

Gifford's two races in the Biagi-DenBeste Ford Mustang will promote the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, created by "Dirty Jobs" TV host Mike Rowe. The mrW Foundation promotes hard work and supports the skilled trades, primarily by awarding scholarships and providing other assistance to men and women who have illustrated both an interest and an aptitude to master a trade. mikeroweWORKS has created more than $1.6 million in education scholarships with schools around the country.

"This is probably as close as I'll ever get to going 200 miles an hour for a sustained period of time," Rowe commented. "It's also a great opportunity to promote hard work and the skilled trades. I'm flattered to be on Biagi-DenBeste Racing's hood."

"I think it's a really cool foundation," added Gifford. "It helps young guys and girls, veterans and anyone else who wants to learn a skilled trade. I can relate to having a regular job outside of racing so I am excited to represent them."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/gifford-returning-to-nationwide-series/


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## Ckg2011

*May Now Motorsports Month In N.C.​*
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory was joined by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO O. Bruton Smith and other special guests Thursday morning at Charlotte Motor Speedway to sign a decree declaring May the month of motorsports in North Carolina.

"We're creating more than 4,200 jobs through this great motorsports industry," McCrory said. "Jobs are coming back to North Carolina and traveling tourism and the motorsports industry is helping lead the way."

McCrory said when he talks to companies and manufacturers about relocating to North Carolina, he uses motorsports and NASCAR as a major selling point.
"Not only is motorsports great for traveling tourism and providing jobs, but we're using motorsports and NASCAR as a recruitment tool to bring other industries into North Carolina. In fact, it is one of my greatest selling points," McCrory said. "Guess what we're selling? We're selling the talent of NASCAR."
Petty went further, explaining the money sponsors give him at Richard Petty Motorsports usually goes right back into the state.

"People really don't understand how much money it (motorsports) brings to North Carolina," Petty said. "It is unreal. Like $6 billion. I've got sponsors, they're in New York or in California or in Tennessee or whatever, they bring money to North Carolina. When they bring it to me I've got to hire people to do different things. It just sort of goes through the process. Racing is one big draw for North Carolina."

North Carolina is home to almost every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team as well as many NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams. Countless other businesses are based in and around Charlotte, N.C., in order to be close to the motorsports industry, making North Carolina a true international hub for those involved in motorsports.

"Charlotte right now is the center of all of our racing," Petty said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/may-now-motorsports-month-in-n-c/


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## Ckg2011

*McReynolds Adjusting To Life At BMR​*
Perfect fits are hard to come by, but Brandon McReynolds and Bill McAnally Racing may be just that.

At just 22 years of age, McReynolds has experience beyond his years. The Mooresville, N.C., driver grew up around the sport at its highest levels with his father, Larry McReynolds, a veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief and now television analyst with FOX Sports on its NASCAR coverage.

The younger McReynolds also already has experience in four different NASCAR series - NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

This season, the K&N Pro Series West is home for McReynolds in the championship-winning stable at BMR.

"It's a little weird having a race shop so far away from home, but everyone at BMR has made me feel welcome and right at home," said McReynolds. "I've spent a lot of time in California here recently getting ready for this next stretch of races."

McReynolds enters that race as a member of the 2014-15 NASCAR Next class that was introduced on April 25 in Richmond, Va. The program spotlights the sport's emerging young stars and the well-spoken McReynolds is a good fit there, as well.

"It's an honor to be selected for NASCAR Next," he said. 'I'm really looking forward to backing that up with a great season."

Next up for the K&N Pro Series West is the Stockton 150 at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway. BMR picked up back-to-back Stockton wins in 2003-04 with Austin Cameron behind the wheel and Eric Holmes drove to runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2012. While the team hasn't been to Victory Lane in the last seven Stockton events, the bar is set pretty high for McReynolds in his track debut.

"We tested at Stockton a couple of weeks ago and that was my first time there," he stated. "It's pretty small and there will be lots of beating and banging. The fans will enjoy it. It's an interesting track in that you're running the outside of three and four and down on the bottom in one and two. You don't have that at a lot of small tracks."

McReynolds opened the season with an eighth-place finish at Phoenix and a fourth-place showing at Irwindale after earning his first series start from the pole, but neither he nor the team are where they need to be yet according to the driver.

"We have some great speed in the cars, but we need to work on closing the deal," he said. "It's still really early in the season and this is my first full-time season since 2009, so I'm still getting to where I need to be. I'm confident we'll get there."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/mcreynolds-adjusting-to-life-at-bmr/


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## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Ready to Move On​*
Marcos Ambrose says his altercation with Casey Mears after last Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway is in his rear view mirror.

Ambrose, fined $25,000 for landing a punch on Mears during their scuffle, accepted the penalty from NASCAR and is ready to focus on this weekend's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

"I'll take my penalties," Ambrose said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "I'm the one who swung and landed a punch. I'm happy to pay it because (a) I just want to move on and (b) I was the one that put myself in a bad position to have to do that.

"There comes a point where if you're going to get pushed around enough, you're going to stick up for yourself and it is what it is from that point on. I certainly don't want to do it again, that's for sure. There's been enough anxiety this week and enough monetary fines to really slow it down. Maybe next time, I'll think twice before swinging the arm."

After Saturday's race, Ambrose was actually on his way to talk to David Gilliland about a couple run-ins on the track that night when he passed the No. 13 team and things escalated.

"The reason why I threw such a good punch and made such a good connection was that I wasn't angry," Ambrose said. "I was just asking him, 'What are you mad at?' He was getting madder and madder because he was thinking I was playing dumb. When he started pushing me, I'm not going to be physically pushed around. I'm not going to put up with that. It takes a lot to break me but when I do, I'm going to have to let it rip and that's exactly what happened. He got to a point where he got in my personal space."

Both Ambrose and Mears have spoken since the incident following the race - in which they finished 18th and 19th, respectively.

"It was a lot of emotions running at the end of the race," Ambrose said. "It was an unfortunate set of circumstances and I think we all regret how it went down. After some reflection, if we would have had some cooler heads we would have never gotten to this point.

"We all have a lot of passion and a lot of commitment to what we're doing, and it sometimes just comes out in the wrong way. It shows you how difficult our sport is and how high the emotions are across the entire field. I'd much prefer to be fighting to finish first or second rather than 18th or 19th, but it goes to show you there are a lot of emotions going on."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Ambrose-Ready-to-Move-On.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Remembering Senna​*
He was one of the greatest. Then he was gone.

Twenty years ago today, Ayrton Senna suffered fatal head injuries in a crash while leading the San Marino Grand Prix. His death came a day after Roland Ratzenberger was killed in a crash there during Formula One qualifying.

For some NASCAR drivers, Senna's death remains poignant.

Marcos Ambrose called Senna his idol. Senna was a hero to many, winning three Formula One championships and 41 races. Only Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51) won more F1 races.

Ambrose, who was 17 at the time, recalls, watching the race when Senna died.

"I was in disbelief like everyone,'' Ambrose said. "Senna's passing feels like yesterday. One of the greatest of our generation, no doubt about it.''

After Senna's death, the Brazilian government declared three days of mourning and more than a million people reportedly lined the streets of Sao Paulo to bid farewell.

In the United States, the impact was different for many.

Brad Keselowski was 10 years old at the time but Senna's death stands out to him.

"My dad and brother used to wake up early and watch the Formula One races,'' Keselowski said. "I can remember my dad was a big Senna fan, and I can remember that he was never really a loud cheerleader type but I can remember him being more so of that than anything else I have ever seen. I just remember the somber tone in the household. My dad raced and so that brought up a lot of questions as a kid that I would ask my mom and dad.

"There was a sequence of untimely accidents at that time. I can remember that one and the death of this one driver - my dad raced in the ARCA series at the time and there was one driver I was a huge fan of outside of my dad and he had died. His name was Chris Gehrke, and I remember when he died my parents wouldn't tell me.

"We were watching TV one night and one of those memorial pictures came up. I remember that and my parents rushing me off to go take a bath, but I had already seen it. It was too late. That brought up a lot of questions when I was a kid and it was really hard for them to explain to me."

Jeff Gordon wasn't as big a Formula One fan at the time - Gordon had yet to win his first race in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and was focused on his career. Gordon has become quite a fan of that series and developed a better understanding of Senna since.

"It was certainly a big loss,'' Gordon said. "Since then, watching the races as avidly as I do, watching the documentary 'Senna,' getting more information, now you realize how a big a loss it was. This was a guy who was really in the prime of his career.''

Jimmie Johnson said that Max Papis and others have told him stories about Senna and given him a better understanding of the driver.

"His legacy still lives on and it's a beautiful thing to see the respect that he has worldwide,'' Johnson said. "It doesn't matter the discipline of motorsports, people still respect his abilities today and it's an amazing thing. And, truthfully, the documentary kind of opened up everyone's minds as to what he was as a man in and out of the car.

"I wish I'd had a chance to meet him, and certainly wish I had the chance to race against him. I know a lot of drivers who wish they could have had that opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/04/NASCAR-Drivers-Recall-Ayrton-Senna.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Will Dale Jr. Win Sunday At Talladega?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. last won a Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2004. Does he win there Sunday?

*Answer​*
*Pete Pistone:*

Dale Earnhardt Jr. certainly is adept at restrictor-plate racing and the draft despite not winning at Talladega in a decade. He's run well over the last 10 years at the track even though he hasn't found Victory Lane. Obviously his Daytona 500 win - although the two tracks are similar but still different - is proof he can still get the job done.

I'll go with my gut and say the way Earnhardt has been running this year and his prowess as a plate racer will add up to win No. 2 of the season Sunday in the Aaron's 499. But don't hold me to it.

*Dustin Long:*

It's seems hard to believe that Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn't won at Talladega since 2004. His four consecutive wins there from 2001-03 seem like they happened more recently.

Picking a winner for Talladega is like picking a name out of a hat because so many more drivers have a chance to win there. Ten drivers scored their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win at Talladega, so this is a track where an upset can happen.

Coming off his Daytona 500 win, Earnhardt will be one of the favorites even though his winning car is on display at Daytona. Expect Earnhardt to contend, but I'd keep an eye on Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski, who were both strong in the Daytona 500 and the races leading up to that event.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Will-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Win-At-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Newcomers Getting Acquainted With Talladega​*
Ryan Reed stood near the door inside the NASCAR Nationwide hauler because there was no room to sit in the lounge for the rookie meeting Thursday.

"It seems like every week the rookie meeting is getting bigger and we're running out of room,'' said the rookie for Roush Fenway Racing. "We're going to have to move to the drivers meeting room soon.''

He's not exaggerating.

Thirteen of the 42 drivers entered for Saturday's Aaron's 312 have never driven a Nationwide car at Talladega Superspeedway.

"You noticed that, too,'' said Regan Smith, who has won two of the last three Nationwide restrictor-plate races.

Those who have not run a Nationwide race at Talladega include Reed, Dakoda Armstrong, Tanner Berryhill, Ryan Blaney, Chad Boat, Chris Buescher, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Joey Gase, Dylan Kwasniewski, Tommy Joe Martins, Ryan Sieg and Darrell Wallace Jr.

While the drivers have experience running a Camping World Truck or ARCA car at this track, it's a new experience with a Nationwide car.

"I've never raced a Nationwide car on a restrictor-plate track,'' Buescher said.

He failed to qualify at Daytona in a mix of misfortune. Light rain interrupted the session when Buscher was among those running their fast lap. When the session resumed, few cars returned to the track. That meant the big pack that drivers used to draft off of wasn't there. Gone also were the speeds such a draft created, and Buescher couldn't post a fast enough time to make the race.

His focus is on this weekend, but he admits he can think of other places he'd rather be.

"This is not my style of racing,'' said Buescher, who was second-fastest to teammate Trevor Bayne in the opening practice session. "I love short-track racing. This is one of those places, Daytona left a bad taste in my mouth, we're hoping to come here and redeem ourselves. We just want to go out there and survive.''

That's the message Brian Scott had for the rookies in their meeting Thursday.

"Just told them the commonsense things,'' he said. "Just reminded them to be smart, check their mirrors, check their brakes.''

Scott sat in such meetings when he first ran at Daytona and Talladega in this series. So how did he do?

"I remember being impatient,'' Scott said. "You forget how long a race it is. You put your car in situations that there's no need to whether it's the middle of three-wide or you slide up to block somebody or get somebody that has a big run coming. The best thing to realize is how long a race it is and just let it go.''

There are other lessons. Reed used his 16 laps in Thursday's first practice session to gain experience and learn how aggressive he could be.

"We wanted to get a little aggressive and see what we had,'' said Reed, who finished 18th at Daytona. "At these plate races you can get in a pack and ride. If you want to be aggressive and see what you have, you can pull out of line, you can side draft, you can try to make runs to the front, fall back and do it again. We did a lot of that.''

One can't learn without trying.

While even veterans can make mistakes, rookies face the same difficulties without having the experience to avoid such situations. Smith said he keep tabs on some rookies.

"If you see somebody that you're not familiar with really dicing it up and doing something that's a little questionable, you might get out of the pack,'' said Smith, who won at Daytona in February. "I know I did that at Daytona a couple of times. I got in the back early on in the race and ... seeing some things I didn't like, I just opted to stay back there and cruise for a minute and wait until it thinned out a little bit.''

It worked for him then. The question is if other drivers will be as patient Saturday.

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Aaron's 312 from Talladega Superspeedway at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...xperience-at-Talladega-in-Nationwide-Car.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Risk vs. Reward: Go for Broke Or Play It Safe In 'Dega Qualifying?​*
lot of folks are really looking forward to the race before the race at Talladega. By that I mean knockout qualifying that takes place Saturday live on FOX at 1 p.m. ET. I'd like to tell you I know what's going to happen. I'd like to proclaim it's going to be the wildest qualifying session in the history of NASCAR.

The reality is none of us really know what is going to happen. I think we'll have a better understanding once we watch the practice sessions on Friday. I've heard a lot of theories that these guys are going to go out to practice as teams, like the four Hendrick cars all working together to lay down a fast lap.

I don't look for folks to run a whole lot. This is an impound race so they are going to need to take care of their cars. I think we will see very few single-car runs. The only way I think we will see any of those is if a team and driver are out there trying to find out something about their car they don't like.

I really see it as a learning curve for everyone. The reason I say that is remember we've never had knockout qualifying at a superspeedway. We didn't do this in February at Daytona where the historic Daytona 500 qualifying format was preserved. So I'm telling everyone to expect the unexpected because we really don't know.

Sprint Cup Series qualifying at Talladega to air on FOX

You hear us say it all the time, but where you qualify at a restrictor-plate race like Talladega really isn't all that important. If you think you have a chance at winning the pole, then obviously you need to go for it.

We all know, however, that during the race at Talladega or Daytona, for that matter, other than it being a nice statistic, it really doesn't matter where you start those races.

As an old crew chief, to me it's all about risk versus reward. Single car qualifying runs are gone. At Talladega it will be pack racing in practice that determines who sits on the pole. I don't want to see my car all wadded up because my driver took an unnecessary risk because he or she thought they might win the pole.

The last thing you want to have to do is roll out the backup car because you got yourself caught up in a wreck trying to win the pole for a race where it really doesn't matter where you start. That's just not very smart at all.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...oke-or-play-it-safe-in-dega-qualifying-043014


----------



## Ckg2011

*Leader of The Pack: Dale Jr. Voted First Quarter Driver of The Year​*
Off to one of the best starts of his career, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been selected as the recipient of the first quarter Driver of the Year Award 2014.

Earnhardt, who won his second Daytona 500 in February, was selected for the honor on the basis of a vote by a 17-member panel of American motorsports broadcasters and journalists.

"I'm pretty blown away that we've won the First Quarter 2014 Driver of the Year Award," said Earnhardt. "It's an honor and really humbling to be chosen. The members that vote on this award are a credible group, and it's an award that's meant a lot to different drivers. It's one that I'm proud to have been voted for."

The latest on Dale Jr.'s Daytona 500 win.

Kevin Harvick, who drives the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, and Team Penske IndyCar driver Will Power tied for second place with 80 points. Harvick had five first-place votes and Australia's Power had three. Chase Elliott scored 37 points, including one first-place vote, to finish fourth. Twenty drivers scored points in the first-quarter competition.

During the first quarter, which ended with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Earnhardt had his Daytona 500 victory, three second-place finishes and one third-place finish.

The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. won the annual Driver of the Year Award in 1987 and '94. Earnhardt Jr. is trying to become the third son to win after his father did. Al Unser Sr. (1970) and Al Unser Jr. (1990), and Mario Andretti (1967, 1978, and 1984) and Michael Andretti (1991) are the other father-son winners.

In the quarterly voting, points are awarded by the panel of journalists and broadcasters on a declining 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis. Earnhardt will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at a race weekend to be determined.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...voted-first-quarter-driver-of-the-year-050114


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## Ckg2011

*Happy Days: Kevin Harvick Has No Reason To Hold Back At Talladega​*
Kevin Harvick is in a great place right now.

Just one-quarter of the way through his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick already has two race victories and is the first driver to clinch a slot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR's season-ending, 10-race championship playoff.

Sure, there have been some struggles and hiccups along the way -- four finishes of 36th or worse in nine races so far -- but thanks to NASCAR's revised championship format, Harvick is relaxed heading into Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday's Aaron's 499.

Harvick is an excellent restrictor-plate racer, having won at both Talladega and Daytona International Speedway. And his dominating victory at historic Darlington Raceway a couple of weeks ago puts him in an elite class of drivers who have won the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500 and a Talladega race. In fact, the only other active drivers to do so are Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

Want the lighter side of the sport? Check out the Shake and Bake NASCAR blog

While winning the marquee races has been great for his career, this much is crystal clear: Harvick joined SHR because he wants to win a championship now.

"I didn't change teams to get worse," said Harvick, who spent his first 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing. "I went in with the intentions of being competitive. And you never really know how it's going to go. ... You put everything together with the intentions of trying to improve upon your situation in the past. And I think so far it's gone really well."

Harvick stressed that the team, which is led by crew chief Rodney Childers, is still getting itself established.

"Every week it's a constant evaluation of parts, pieces, people, situations," said Harvick. "We're still gathering notes like we were at Richmond this weekend for the first time as a group, an organization, with the new rules and everything."

This weekend's race, of course, is pretty much a lottery, as Talladega usually is. Anything can happen here and usually does.

"What about it?" said Harvick when queried about the 2.66-mile superspeedway. "It's Talladega. It's one of those places that you go to and you just go there and hold it on the floor and hope that you can make the right decisions throughout the day and try minimize the mistakes on pit road and just hope you miss the wrecks and are in a position to have a chance at the end. It's kind of a crapshoot."

Harvick said he's looking forward to knockout qualifying, which will take place at a Sprint Cup restrictor-plate race for the first time Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, with live coverage on FOX.

"The thing that everybody's probably the most excited about is qualifying, just to get through that and see how it goes for the first time," said Harvick. "It'll definitely be exciting as we go compared to how qualifying has gone in the past."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...as-no-reason-to-hold-back-at-talladega-050114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is A David Poised To Slay Another Goliath At Talladega This Weekend?​*
We lways tell you that tracks like Daytona and Talladega are the "great equalizers." By that we mean that because of the draft and pack racing, the playing field is more equal than ever before. A small one-car operation has just as much chance of winning as the mega-teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. Just look at the dark horse -- David Ragan -- who won at Talladega last year.

I was thinking about AJ Allmendinger's chances this weekend. Now let's be honest: He has a terrible record when it comes to Talladega. However, I talked to AJ recently and he's had some bright moments already in the nine races this season. A big part of that is his team's strategic alliance with Richard Childress Racing.

Now with the technology that has been provided them along with the engines that are being provided to them from RCR, they believe they have a really strong car. Additionally, this is the same car they had at Daytona, so they have somewhat of a proven product there.

That's somewhat a key for all these teams. If you were able to get through Daytona and come home with your car in one piece, that helps a lot in the preparation for Talladega because you worked on that same car for two weeks in Daytona. So if you have a car that's proven it has speed and drivability in it from Daytona and you bring it back here to Talladega, I think that gives you an advantage.

So if you want to look for a dark horse this weekend, AJ would be a good candidate. He's got enough experience now. He says he's evaluated where his weaknesses are when it comes to restrictor-plate racing, and he's made some changes in his driving style. Now that he knows he has a fast race car, he can be a little more cautious and a little more deliberate during the race, and that could prove very beneficial at the end.

So AJ is one I am going to be watching along with the driver I mentioned earlier, David Ragan. He's won at Daytona and Talladega. He's shown he's made great strides and is a pretty savvy racer, especially on the restrictor-plate tracks. I don't think this year should be considered any different for David. So don't for a second underestimate David's chance again this weekend, either.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/is-a-dark-horse-poised-to-deliver-another-dega-stunner-050114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Nationwide Insurance Signs With Earnhardt Jr.​*
Nationwide Insurance has signed on to be the primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 HMS Chevy. The deal is for three years starting in 2015.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Nationwide To Sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr.​*
_Here is the full story_

Nationwide Insurance will join Hendrick Motorsports in 2015 as part of a three-year partnership that will see the company sponsor the No. 88 Chevrolet SS of defending Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Nationwide Insurance will be a primary partner for 12 Sprint Cup races in 2015 and 13 events in both 2016 and 2017. The company also will be an associate-level sponsor of the No. 88 throughout all three seasons.

"The Earnhardt family has trusted Nationwide for their insurance needs for more than 35 years, and Dale Jr. has a positive impact on our brand's reputation and brings pride to Nationwide members and our associates," said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance. "Expanding that relationship to incorporate the prestigious operations at Hendrick

Motorsports and collaborating with Rick Hendrick and his team is a great fit for Nationwide Insurance."

Hendrick Motorsports will work with Nationwide Insurance to support consumer, business and employee offerings in the auto, home, life and classic car insurance and retirement categories. NASCAR fans can immediately benefit through insurance discounts offered via the free JR Nation fan club.

"Nationwide is always top of mind when you think of companies that truly leverage the power of NASCAR," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "We're proud to welcome them to the No. 88 team and grow their relationship with Dale Jr. Working together, we'll build another program that moves the needle for their business. The opportunities are endless."

"I've always enjoyed working with Nationwide and really believe in their products and services," said Earnhardt, who Nationwide Insurance has featured in national advertising since 2009. "It'll be fun to work with them in a new way, and I know everyone on the team is looking forward to the partnership. They've invested in our sport and built a strong reputation with NASCAR fans, and this opens up doors to do even more great things."

Nationwide Insurance currently sponsors the NASCAR Nationwide Series as well as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Both sponsorships end following the 2014 season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/nationwide-to-sponsor-dale-earnhardt-jr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Will Talladega See a New Winner?​*
Talladega Superspeedway has a history of producing surprises and first-time winners and that reputation could continue in Sunday's Aaron's 499.

Since Richard Brickhouse won the very first Sprint Cup race held at the 2.66-mile Alabama track back in 1969, the list of upset winners at Talladega is impressive.

Underdogs like Ron Bouchard, Bobby Hillin Jr., Lennie Pond and last year's Aaron's 499 winner David Ragan have all played the role of Cinderella at Talladega over the years.

Now with NASCAR's new Chase format, where a win virtually guarantees a spot in the Chase, the stakes are even higher for a driver to break through for a victory.

"I feel like you can't be conservative," said rookie Austin Dillon, who was in contention for a win last fall when he subbed for the injured Tony Stewart. "You have to stay up front. You have to know what the car needs to stay up front. I really like running up front in these speedway races because, I think, if you're ahead of that big pack it makes it easier to avoid the big wreck." 

That was something Dillon couldn't do in last October's race when he got swept up in a wild ride as part of a multi-car crash. However he believes he can come right back and contend for a first career Sprint Cup win on Sunday.

"Talladega is open for everybody to have a really good car like I did last year in the No. 14 car, so hopefully I can back that up in the No. 3 car and be there on the white flag-lap," said Dillon. "It's all about being there for the white-flag so you can try and win the race." 

Danica Patrick has struggled in her sophomore Sprint Cup Series season. But throughout her NASCAR career, Patrick has shown her expertise plate racing in both the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver is hoping that past experience will help her put it all together for what would be an historic win on Sunday.

"I feel like I've learned some lessons about the draft and how that unfolds at the end if you are in the right place at the right time. I think that, when we talk superspeedway racing, there's a lot of luck involved," said Patrick. "Like I said, right place at the right time - there are a lot of people who have a good chance of winning Talladega, I think. Hopefully, we are one of them at the end of the race. But, we won't know that until the end of the race."

The dynamic of most likely qualifying for the Chase with a win should add even more intrigue to Talladega. So even drivers who have tasted victory before but are winless so far this season might decide to ramp up the efforts this weekend.

But Jamie McMurray is one driver that doesn't think the added importance of winning in terms of the championship picture changes how drivers operate.

"I don't think anyone is doing anything any differently," McMurray. "If it comes down at Richmond last week or Talladega this week and you take a gamble on fuel mileage, everyone is going to do the same thing.

"I think the mentality has changed that everyone races to win every week, and I don't think that what they've done this year has made anyone try harder or do anything different, because you only can race based on the circumstances that are given for that event."

The circumstances at a typical Talladega race usually find the intensity level on the increase as the checkered flag nears. It will again be up to drivers to find the delicate balance between risk versus reward in their quest for the ultimate goal of driving into Victory Lane, regardless of the "win and your in" championship implications of the new Chase format.

"I think people take a lot of undue risks at superspeedways already so I don't know how much more that can increase," said Brian Vickers. "I think when the final laps start to click off it's going to be same old Talladega but even bigger and better."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/05/Surprise-Winner-Again-at-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Aaron's 312 Pole Goes To Hornish​*
Sam Hornish Jr. may only be competing in a handful of races this year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, but that doesn't mean he is resting on his laurels.

Hornish, making his first start of the year in the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry, scored the pole during qualifying Friday for the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. The pole is Hornish's sixth in his NASCAR Nationwide Series career and first with JGR.

His 51.268-second lap at 186.783 in the final portion of knockout qualifying led a JGR sweep of the top three positions. Elliott Sadler qualified second in the No. 11 Toyota, followed by Darrell Wallace Jr. in the No. 20 Toyota.

The three teammates ran in a pack during the final five-minute qualifying session, with Sadler leading Hornish and Wallace. With Sadler doing the pulling in the draft, Hornish was able to find enough speed to earn the pole.

"Right there at the end with that five minute session it is a game of chicken and it is (about) who has the most patience to sit there and wait," said Hornish, who is only scheduled to make seven Nationwide starts this season in the No. 54. "I'm real happy that my debut in the Monster Energy Camry worked out well. It is great to be over here at Joe Gibbs Racing.

"It definitely takes three teammates to do it today. Elliott led the way and I just kind of sat there and tried to maintain the gap between myself and Bubba (Wallace) and him (Sadler)."

Saturday's race will be Hornish's 100th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Three Ford's followed the three JGR Toyota's, with the No. 16 of Ryan Reed, the No. 43 of Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 22 of Ryan Blaney filling the next three spots. The rest of the top 12 in qualifying were Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher, James Buescher, Brian Scott, Brendan Gaughan and Landon Cassill.

Chad Boat and Derrike Cope failed to qualify for the 40-car field.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/aarons-312-pole-goes-to-hornish/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Debunks Story Of Wedding​*
It was even news to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"So we just skipped the engagement I guess, went right to the wedding,'' Earnhardt said, disbelievingly, in a report by the National Enquirer that he would marry girlfriend Amy Reimann after the season.

This marks the second time the Enquirer has stated Earnhardt and Reimann would marry. The publication reported it in 2012 as well.

This week's report, though, stated that Earnhardt would host a lavish wedding celebration at Daytona International Speedway. The Enquirer reported that the ceremony would cost $2 million and include 2,000 guests.

"I definitely would have a hard time writing that check,'' Earnhardt said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.

So, would he have a wedding at Daytona?

"No, of course not,'' Earnhardt said. "I would not force everybody to go down to Daytona for my wedding. I probably would just have it right there in the back yard, but whatever is easiest. That was funny. I read that and it was a roller coaster of an article. Pretty good."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Earnhardt-Jr-Denies-Report-About-Wedding.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Drama For Logano​*
Think about this for a moment. At this time a year ago, Joey Logano:

# Had contact with Denny Hamlin at Bristol on the track and a brief confrontation afterward.

# Lost the lead on the last lap at Auto Club Speedway in a duel with Hamlin that resulted in Hamlin crashing and being injured.

# Was confronted by Tony Stewart after that race, Stewart upset with how Logano raced him earlier.

# Watched as his car just got through inspection in time to start at Texas, leading to penalties for he and teammate Brad Keselowski and their teams.

"A lot of things stacked up against us at this point last year,'' Logano said, "but we were still fast. We were in the middle of all the drama it seemed like every week no matter what it was. That's not necessarily a good thing, but that shows how tough my team is because we fought through that and were able to get that win at Michigan and make the Chase last year after all that.

"That says something about a team right there, and now this year, so far, knock on wood, we've been able to cut out the drama and I think you see those results for some of that reason and also having another year under your belt with the team.''

Logano enters this weekend's Aaron's 499 certain he'll be in the Chase after his second victory of the season. He and Kevin Harvick are the only drivers to have won more than one race a quarter of the way through the season.

It's quite a change from all that he went through last season in his first year at Team Penske.

So far, the only issues others have had with Logano is trying to catch him. He's the only driver to make it through every round of qualifying. His five top-five finishes are tied with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for most this season. And there are those two wins.

"Obviously, the chemistry keeps building - myself and (crew chief) Todd Gordon are clicking right now and he's giving me what I need and I've been able to do my job,'' Logano said. "That's why you see those race results there - we cut out the drama, and we're able to build off a year of getting to know each other and being able to use that to our advantage.''

Logano's victories this season have come on an intermediate track (Texas) and a short track (Richmond). He had never won a Cup race on a short track before this season. He's never won a Cup race on a restrictor-plate track. Could it happen this weekend?

"It's risk versus reward,'' Logano said. "How aggressive you are to making those blocks and making sure you get those runs and pushes and sometimes it might be a small hole, but if you can make it work it pays off. There is a lot of skill that goes into winning a race like this, but it's a lot different skill than what we do every other week, and it's a lot more of a crapshoot. A lot more plays in to it here because other people determine what your future is.''

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Aaron's 499 from Talladega Superspeedway at noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/05/Joey-Logano-Happy-To-Avoid-Drama.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Talladega​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*RCR Driver Brian Scott Wins Dega Pole​*
Aarons 499 for the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series just wrapped up. Richard Childress Racing driver Brian Scott wins the Coors Light pole award for Sunday's race.

Brian was last in a line of cars as they came to the line to finish the third and final segment in knockout qualifying. Brian Scott's RCR teammate Paul Menard will start on the front row also.

Be sure to catch all the action at NASCAR's biggest track tomorrow in the Aarons 499 at Talladega.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Driver Elliott Sadler Wins Aaron's 312​*
Elliott Sadler wins the Aaron's 312 at Talladega. This is Sadler's 10th career win in the Nationwide Grand National Series. Elliott Sadler is now one point behind the series points lead.

Chris Buescher, Regan Smith, David Ragan and pole sitter Sam Hornish Jr. round out the top five finishers.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Denny Hamlin Wins Aaron's 499​*
Denny Hamlin was leading when the caution came out on the last lap of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. This is Hamlin's first win of the season and is now in the 2014 Chase For The Sprint CUP.

Greg Biffle Clint Bowyer Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger round out the top five finishers.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Prevails at Talladega​*
Denny Hamlin scored his first win of the season in Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Hamlin was ahead of the field and declared the winner of the race when caution flew for a multi-car accident on the final lap of the race.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had the top spot when the caution flew for a Carl Edwards-Ryan Newman crash with five laps to go. He held the lead on a restart with two laps to go and took the white flag just after another crash erupted. With a large piece of debris sitting on track at the start-finish line, NASCAR displayed caution and the race was over.

The win moved Hamlin to seventh in the Sprint Cup Series point standings and gave him a probable spot in the Chase.

"We really just want to win races regardless of the implications this means for the Chase," Hamlin said. "It feels food to be back in Victory Lane."

Although he won the season-opening Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, Hamlin had not won a points paying event at a restrictor plate track until Sunday.

"I'm just proud of our day today," Hamlin said. "We've come a long way. We couldn't finish 22nd at the superspeedway races for a long time.

"It feels good to come to this type of racetrack and know you can win."

Greg Biffle finished second with Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and AJ Allmendinger the top five.

"It's frustrating because the simple fact is that we both felt we had the opportunity to pounce," Bowyer said of the finish he'd hoped for teaming up with Biffle to catch the leader. "But NASCAR did the right thing. You can't put people in danger."

Paul Menard, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the first ten finishers.

The race was punctuated by a number of large crashes that saw the likes of Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and last year's Aaron's 499 winner David Ragan involved.

"Brad made a pretty bold move early, a mind-boggling move, in going in front of Danica and spun out in front of the field and got away with it," said Kenseth of Keselowski, who was six laps down after being involved in an earlier incident with Danica Patrick when he triggered a 12-car pile-up. "This time we weren't so lucky. He was driving really, really, really aggressively to try to get back up there. I'm not sure what the strategy was.

"If it was the other way around and it was anybody else except for him, we'd all be getting lectured."

Jeff Gordon leads Kenseth by three and Kyle Busch by four in the series standings with ten races in the books.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Kansas Speedway next Saturday night for the 5-Hour Energy 400.

*How Hamlin Won:* Hamlin got to the front of the field and was in front of Biffle after taking the white flag. When NASCAR decided to throw the caution for debris on the track in the aftermath of a multi-car accident on the front stretch, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was declared the winner of the race.

*What Else Happened:* The majority of the race featured three and sometimes four-wise racing, reminiscent of the season-opening restrictor plate race in Daytona. However, nearly half the field was involved in one of the several accidents that periodically broke out throughout the afternoon.

*Who Else had a Good Day:* AJ Allmendinger continued his resurgence with the JTG Daugherty team finishing fifth&#8230;..Paul Menard started from outside the front row and notched a sixth-place finish&#8230;..rookie Kyle Larson piloted the Chip Ganassi Racing entry to a top-10 performance.

*  Who had a Bad Day:* Brad Keselowski got in an early tangle with Danica Patrick when they made contact racing for position down the front stretch. While he saved the car from severe damage, he fell many laps down and was six in the hole when he bobbled while racing in the middle of the pack and triggered a 12 car accident&#8230;..Among those involved in that melee were Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, who were both competitive during the afternoon until their departure&#8230;..Matt Kenseth was also caught up in the wreck, marking the second straight week he and Keselowski were involved in an incident after last Saturday's Richmond skirmish in the closing laps and after the checkered flag flew.

  *Quote of the Day:* "Brad made a pretty bold move early. ... Mind-boggling move. And got away with it." - Matt Kenseth on an early race incident between Keselowski and Patrick.

*    Other Notables:* Toyota drivers finished in three of the first five positions&#8230;..Landon Cassill ran with the leaders and gave the upstart Hillman Racing team an 11th-place finish and his career best&#8230;..pole sitter Brian Scott was credited with a 42nd-place finish after being involved in an early crash.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/05/Hamlin-Prevails-at-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Pit Call Leaves Earnhardt Stuck In Back​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. feared he was in trouble the moment he came down pit road, giving up the lead, while many others stayed out.

He was right.

Earnhardt, who led 26 laps, then hung in the back and never got back to the front, finishing 26th in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.

His result typified the day for Hendrick Motorsports. Jimmie Johnson spun on his own and finished 23rd, and Jeff Gordon was collected in a crash and placed 39th. Kasey Kahne was the only Hendrick driver to finish in the top 10, tying his season-best of eighth place.

The key moment for Earnhardt came when the caution came out on Lap 151 for David Gilliland's blown engine. Earnhardt said that crew chief Steve Letarte told him they were about two laps short on fuel of making it to the end. Earnhardt relinquished the lead to pit. Among those who did not were winner Denny Hamlin, runner-up Greg Biffle and third-place finisher Clint Bowyer.

"We put ourselves in a bad spot in the back,'' Earnhardt said. "We were great leading the race there. We come down pit road to get fuel and them other guys were way more aggressive. I couldn't do nothing after that but drive up in there and get wrecked. I just sat there and watched the wrecks.''

He hung back and was 2.5 seconds behind the leader with less than 15 laps left and didn't get near the front.

"I knew there was going to be a wreck, and I didn't want to be in it,'' Earnhardt said of running well behind the leaders. "I wasn't confident we could get to the front. We could drive in the back of the pack and sit there and ride and get boxed in. We avoided tearing up a good car, and we'll try to go to Daytona and just do a little bit different to where we aren't pitting and giving up all that track position at the end.''

Earnhardt said he also had nowhere to go in the back.

"The outside lane didn't work very well,'' he said. "When we gave up the lead to come down pit road, I knew we weren't going to be able to get back to the front. Nobody has been able to drive from the back to the front.''

Bowyer, who finished third, did come from the back to the front with not pitting but said there was a way to race to the front. The key was that a driver needed time. That's something Earnhardt didn't have with four cautions in the last 40 laps, including three in the last 13 laps.

"Start of a run, you couldn't just blast up through them,'' Bowyer said of coming through the field. "There was no way. They were three-wide. Without trying to force the issue and going four-wide and doing something stupid ... there was no way you could do that.

"For me, you just had to wait, let them thin out, let those tires way out a little bit. It looked to me about 20, 25 laps into our run things would kind of separate out and calm down. You saw some separation in cars, then you could kind of get a run and drive your way up to the front.''

As for Johnson, he wasn't sure what caused his spin

"I'm not really sure why,'' he said. "I know I had some damage to the right rear quarter panel, and I had a great-driving racecar with no issues and then as I was coming through Turn 3, the back end just slid out from under me. So, I don't know where cars were around me and what could have created it, but it just took a big lazy slide and the back came around.''

Gordon was collected in a crash on Lap 137 that was triggered by Brad Keselowski, who was running near the front of the pack while six laps down.

"Man, we had a great car,'' said Gordon, who remains the points leader, holding a three-point advantage on Matt Kenseth.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Jr-Unable-To-Bounce-Back-After-Pit-Call.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Have Issues with Keselowski​*
Brad Keselowski didn't make friends among drivers after his accident in Saturday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Keselowski, running six laps behind the leaders, brought out the caution on Lap 138 when he spun at the front of the pack. Among those collected in the crash were Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Tony Stewart and Brian Scott.

Some had issues with Keselowski racing at the front with being so many laps behind the leaders.

"He was driving really, really, really aggressively to get back up there,'' Kenseth said of Keselowski. "I didn't realize he was that many laps down. I don't know what his strategy was but just lost control of his car in front of the field and when that happens it always collects a bunch of them.

Asked if he was bitter with the way Keselowski was racing, Kenseth said: "If it was the other way around and it was anybody else except for him, we'd all be getting lectured.''

Gordon also wasn't pleased and said that Keselowski was "driving over his head" before the incident.

"I don't know what he was doing,'' Gordon said. "Obviously thinking that was going to be the way to get his lap back. All that it did was get a bunch of other cars wrecked.''

Keselowski said he was unsure if his spin was caused by a flat tire or a tap from behind.

"I was trying to get to the front and trying to stay up there and trying ot get my lap back,'' Keselowski said. "For some reason, the car took off on me and spun out. I feel bad that we tore up a bunch of cars.''

"Certainly I wanted to get my laps back and have a shot to win at the end. The only way I was going to do that was by being really aggressive at the front of the field.''

That was the second of two incidents Keselowski had. He brought out the caution on Lap 15 when, after taking the lead, he had contact with Danica Patrick. Keselowski spun off the track and came back on it. Jamie McMurray's car was damaged in the incident.

"I'm not really sure what happened,'' Keselowski said. "I made an aggressive move to take the lead and next thing I know I was spinning. Obviously, there was some kind of contact but I don't know what happened.''

Gordon sided with Keselowski in regards to his incident with Patrick.

"Danica made a mistake early,'' Gordon said. "I don't think that was an aggressive move. I think it was just a mistake that got (Keselowski) turned. She just misjudged him.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Have-Issues-with-Keselowski-at-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*It's Mayhew In Stockton K&N Battle​*
It didn't take long for David Mayhew to get back into the groove and find victory lane.

The Atascadero, Calif., driver led nearly the last two-thirds of the race at Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday night in the Stockton 150 to pick up his fifth career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory.

Mayhew won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day and then held off a furious challenge from Greg Pursley to pick up his first win since Phoenix in March of 2012.

After Pursley, Giles Thornton, Brandon McReynolds and Thomas Martin completed the top five.

Mayhew lost the lead early in the race to Pursley, but worked his way past on Lap 53 and led the rest of the way.

Mayhew finished fifth in points in 2012, but ran just five series races in 2013 while he was winning the Late Model championship at the newly-opened Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif. Returning to the West full-time this year, Mayhew was second at Irwindale and collected the win in the season's third race.

Pursley extended his point lead to nine over McReynolds.

*The Finish:*

David Mayhew, Greg Pursley, Giles Thornton, Brandon McReynolds, Thomas Martin, Dylan Lupton, Wilton, Taylor Cuzick, Anthony Giannone, Tyler Monroe, James Bickford, John Wood, Zack Huffman, Jessica Brunelli, Josh Burdon, Jack Sellers, Rich DeLong III, Luis Tyrrell, Joey Licata.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/its-mayhew-in-stockton-kn-battle/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Aaron's 499 Sprint CUP Series Race Talladega​*
*Keselowski's Dumb Move On Danica Patrick​*





*Keselowski Again Causing Trouble​*





*Six Time Causes A Big Mess​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Aaron's 312 Nationwide Grand National Series Race Talladega​*
*Trevor Bayne Triggers Big One​*





*Ryan Blaney Causes Multi Car Wreck​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Camping World Renews NASCAR Deal​*
NASCAR reached a seven-year agreement with Camping World on Monday to remain the title sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series through 2022.

The new deal ensures that Camping World will own exclusive rights as title sponsor for a total of 14-consecutive years, equaling the longest entitlement sponsorship in the history of the national series, which is celebrating its 20th season.

The renewed partnership aligns two brands in the midst of significant growth. Since originally becoming series entitlement sponsor in 2009, Camping World has expanded its number of stores by 35 percent, resulting in the company eclipsing $3 billion in annual revenue.

"The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has one of the most consistent and durable audiences in all of sports, averaging approximately 800,000 or more television viewers per event over the past six years," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer. "Camping World's seven-year continued commitment to our sport demonstrates its confidence in our on-track product and strength of our brand loyal fan base."

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series features some of the toughest and most competitive racing in the sport. The series has helped catapult the careers of many of the sport's most popular and successful drivers, such as Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski. Currently, the series houses a young crop of stars that are talented, dynamic and diverse including Ben Kennedy, German Quiroga Jr. and Darrell Wallace Jr.

"Camping World and NASCAR are mutually invested in the growth of a national series that is celebrated for its exciting brand of racing and the most loyal fan base in the country," said Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises Chairman and CEO Marcus Lemonis. "Six years ago we felt strongly that the sponsorship would dramatically increase our customer base and it's delivered. We expect to see continued success in the coming years."

The new deal provides Camping World exclusive rights to market its Good Sam Roadside Assistance program as the official roadside assistance of NASCAR.

Additionally, the new agreement provides official NASCAR status to two growing automobile companies; CarCash as the official auto buying service of NASCAR, and AutoMatch USA, as the official pre-owned automobile retailer of NASCAR. CarCash, featured on Season 1 of CNBC's The Profit, buys used cars from individuals in return for immediate cash. AutoMatch USA, featured on Season 2 of CNBC's The Profit, specializes in the sale of foreign and domestic pre-owned cars.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/camping-world-renews-nascar-deal/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Video: Final Laps of The Aaron's 312​*





*Video: Victory Lane Celebration​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Video: Final Laps of The Aaron's 499​*





*Video: Victory Lane Celebration​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Malsam Joins Turner Scott Program​*






 *Tayler Malsam has joined Turner Scott Motorsports to race in 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season.​*
Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM) is pleased to announce that Tayler Malsam will be behind the wheel of the No. 32 Outerwall Inc. Chevrolet Silverado during 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races throughout the 2014 season, beginning at Kansas Speedway.

The 25-year-old made his NCWTS debut in 2008 and competed full time in 2009, where he garnered 10 top-10 finishes and ranked 12th in NCWTS Driver Point Standings.

A native of Seattle, Wash., Malsam began racing go-karts at the age of 16 and quickly progressed to the ARCA Racing Series, where he ran a full season as a Penske Development Driver. While competing in the NCWTS for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2010, Malsam got a midseason opportunity to advance to the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) with Braun Racing, where he ran 11 events for the now-Turner Scott Motorsports team.

Malsam embarked on his first full-time NNS season in 2012 with TriStar Motorsports and ranked 15th in the championship standings. Currently, Malsam is competing in sprint cars and will balance both racing schedules throughout the 2014 season.

"It's great to be back in the NASCAR garage and back on track with the Truck Series," said Malsam. "I can't thank Outerwall and Turner Scott Motorsports enough for their support and for giving me this opportunity. Mike (Hillman Jr.) is an accomplished crew chief and I think, together, we can get the Outerwall Chevy Silverado in victory lane this season."

Malsam will be under the direction of two-time NCWTS championship-winning crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. throughout the 12 races.

*Source:*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Making The Right Calls?​*
Expecting sanity in any sport is, quite frankly, insane.

Clouded by passion, competition and an inner drive most can't relate with, athletes - and drivers - don't always make the best decisions while competing.

Even knowing that, the actions of Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. during Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway were jarring to some.

Keselowski upset drivers when he crashed at the front of the pack while running six laps down. Earnhardt frustrated fans by hanging near the back late in the race instead of making a bold run toward the front.

Keselowski said on Twitter after the race that he would "deservingly so" catch flack for his actions, while Earnhardt tweeted that he "gambled and lost.''

What happened to both?

To understand Keselowski's decision, go back to Saturday's qualifying session. Starting positions mean little at Talladega. While drivers say passing can be challenging, 500 miles is plenty of time to make it to the front even if starting at the rear. Kasey Kahne went from 42nd to 13th in the first 10 laps of Sunday's race, and eventual winner Denny Hamlin drove from 34th to 10th in the same time.

So why did drivers risk wrecking their primary car in qualifying for a starting spot that meant little?

"Ego and pride,'' Keselowski said Saturday.

That same mixture fueled Keselowski after his early incident with Danica Patrick. The Lap 14 incident cost him six laps in repairs on pit road. Instead of running toward the back of the pack, Keselowski worked his way to the front hoping to be in position to get a lap back with a caution.

Instead, it was him.

His spin in front of the field collected 13 cars with about 50 laps left, sending Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Trevor Bayne and Brian Scott to the garage.

"I don't know what he was doing,'' Gordon said of Keselowski. "Obviously thinking that was going to be the way to get his lap back. All that it did was get a bunch of other cars wrecked.''

Kenseth said if Keselowski had been wrecked by someone running laps down at the front of the pack, "we'd all be getting lectured.''

There's no rule that says that Keselowski couldn't be running where he was despite not being on the lead lap, although Clint Bowyer said "common sense" should tell a driver he didn't belong there.

Jamie McMurray showed there was a different way of approaching things and this day it worked.

His car was damaged trying to avoid Keselowski's car in that early incident and he lost several laps for repairs. McMurray didn't push his car toward the front but was in position to get his lap back six times. That helped him finish 29th.

Keselowski, who finished 38th, conceded he was "racing really hard" to get one of his laps back before his wreck at the front of the field. One fan tweeted to Keselowski that he "shouldn't have even been up there."

Keselowski replied: "Your asking the wrong guy if you want me to give up.''

Yet, some fans wondered why Earnhardt wasn't at the front late in the race. He gave up the lead on Lap 152 to pit for fuel because he said he was told they were a couple of laps short. Several others stayed out, including Hamlin, gambling that there would be enough cautions late to make it to the end.

Earnhardt struggled to climb back toward the front. He restarted 21st with eight laps to go and a late run to the outside ended when his momentum was blocked by Josh Wise.

"It's hard to drive up through there,'' Earnhardt said. "The track is three-wide forever. You know they're going to crash, and I can't afford to wreck anymore here. So, you've just got to pick your battles. And I felt like we were better off not getting in a wreck and trying to stay back there.''

Understand that is from a driver who suffered a concussion in a crash at this track two years ago.

Simply, the risk wasn't worth the reward for Earnhardt.

"We already got a win and like I said, I've been in too many late-race wrecks,'' he said. "I didn't want to be no part of it. And there were three or four there we dodged pretty good. So, we've got a car in one piece. We'll go to Daytona. You've just got to have the strategy right to where we're up front at the end of these races and in the lead or around the top three or four there, inside the last fuel window, to have a shot at it."

Still, Earnhardt second-guessed himself a bit afterward.

Asked by a fan if he could have done anything different at the end would he, Earnhardt replied: "I would have fought it out in the pack 4 a few spots."

In the middle of competition, sometimes the answer of what to do is not easily seen.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...elowski-and-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Questioned.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*MWR Extends Bowyer's Contract​*
Michael Waltrip Racing announced today it has signed multiyear contract extensions with sponsor 5-hour Energy, driver Clint Bowyer and crew chief Brian Pattie.

The trio joined MWR in 2012 and has scored three wins and earned two Chase berths including a runner-up finish in 2012.

"This is big news for all of us," said Bowyer, an eight-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. "It creates great stability and excitement about what the next few years can bring. MWR is my racing home and continuing this relationship with 5-hour Energy was a high priority. It's time to put the paperwork in a drawer and focus on winning."

"Since the first day 5-hour Energy, Clint and Brian showed up at MWR, we have been a contender for wins and championships. I am so thankful that we get to continue and add to what we have built," said co-owner Michael Waltrip. "I am most happy for the employees of MWR who are the foundation of everything we do."

The familiar red, black and yellow brand colors of 5-hour Energy will adorn the No. 15 in 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup events each year starting in 2015. Additional primary partners on the No. 15 include PEAK and AAA Mid-Atlantic.

"We have clearly aligned ourselves with one of the most competitive and energetic drivers in racing and we felt it was really important for us to continue the equity we have built over the past three years," said Scott Henderson, president of 5-hour Energy. "We love Clint, the people at MWR and the sport of NASCAR. The extension decision was also based on our racing program's success with our sales team and all of our participating retailers."

Bowyer celebrates his 300th start Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Today's announcement also comes on the day that Bowyer announced via Twitter that he and his wife Lorra are expecting their first child.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/05/MWR-Extends-Bowyers-Contract.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick Makes Talladega History​*
Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead at Talladega Superspeedway in Sunday's Aaron's 499.

She paced the field for six laps around the 2.66-mile oval and although she was shuffled back in the pack to finish 22nd, Patrick set a record as the highest-finishing female at Talladega. Janet Guthrie had held the previous mark when she came home 29th in 1978.

"It was good out front. I wish I could have stayed there," said Patrick, who has now led 13 laps in her Sprint Cup career including seven at Daytona International Speedway.

Patrick was involved in an early-race incident Sunday when she made contact with Brad Keselowski, a controversial moment that sent the 2012 champion into a wild spin on the track apron.

Keselowski, who would later trigger a multi-car crash racing through Turn 4, explained the situation he encountered with Patrick.

"We took the lead and made a really aggressive move to take the lead, then it all kind of bottlenecked from there," said Keselowski. "I don't know if I cut somebody off or got run over, but just enough to get spun out and tear the car up."

Jeff Gordon, who was running third at the time of the accident, gave his perspective of what happened.

"Danica made a mistake," said Gordon. "I don't think that was an aggressive move. I think it was just a mistake that got (Keselowski) turned."

But Patrick was able to motor on and although she felt her Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was fast, she wasn't able to make her way to the front when it counted.

"I was in the second lane, the second car back real early on, and it felt like that line died a little bit," Patrick explained. "Then I started getting passed so I dropped back to get some clean air. I got some track position a couple times, but heating was definitely an issue. It limited me to the bottom lane because as soon as I jumped up, so did my water pressure."

Patrick was forced to settle for a finish outside the top 20 for the eighth time in 10 races this season. She heads into Saturday night's 5-hour ENERGY 400 at Kansas Speedway 29th in the Sprint Cup Series standings. Although she's still searching for her first top-10 finish of the year, Patrick remains positive about her team and the effort put forth at Talladega.

"It was good to lead some laps because it had been a while and we missed a lot of accidents," said Patrick. "The good news is that this car is going to Daytona (for the July race). The result was not necessarily a positive, but it's going to get rolled up on the truck and that is more than a lot of people can say coming from a speedway like this."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/05/Patrick-Makes-Talladega-History.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Cited For Speeding​*
Kyle Busch was issued a speeding citation on April 29, according to a report by Charlotte, N.C., TV station WSOC.

The station posted on its website a copy of the citation, which stated that Busch was going 60 mph in a 45-mph zone on N.C. Highway 73 in Denver, N.C., at 7:45 p.m. He was pulled over by a N.C. State Highway Patrol officer.

The citation stated that Busch said he thought the speed limit was 55 mph. The citation also described Busch as having a "disrespectful attitude.''

Busch faces fine of $30 with court costs of $188. He has court date for July 18.

Requests for comment were sent to Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch's representative.

This isn't the first time he's been caught speeding.

Busch was ticketed for going 128 mph in a 45-mph zone in May 2011 when he was test driving a $375,000 yellow Lexus sports car.

Busch apologized for that incident, admitting to what he called a "lack of judgment.'' Busch later pleaded no contest to reckless driving and had his driver's license suspended for 45 days and also was sentenced to one year unsupervised probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to do 30 hours of community service.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/05/Kyle-Busch-Cited-For-Speeding.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Todd Shafer Set For Truck Series Return​*
After a several year absence from NASCAR racing, veteran Ohio racer Todd Shafer will return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this Friday night at the Kansas Speedway.

Shafer is scheduled to run several races for the Bobby Dotter's SS Green Light Racing in the No. 08 entry this season, beginning with the SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway. Shafer began racing at the age of 8 and has raced in a wide variety of vehicles for nearly 30 years including micro-sprints, the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, asphalt late models, ARCA and both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

His last start in the Truck Series came at Iowa Speedway in 2012 where he was the victim of another driver's misfortune.

"I've been racing my whole life," Shafer explained. "My priorities now are my family and my business but I still enjoy getting behind the wheel especially at mile and a half speedways. We are planning to run several races with SS Green Light Racing this summer."

When he's not at the track, Shafer is busy with his business Thunder Exhaust, which manufacturers low-profile NASCAR style exhaust tips for most any vehicle. Thunder Exhaust will serve as his sponsor this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ucks/todd-shafer-set-for-truck-series-return/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vertx Joins GMS Racing​*
Vertx, a tactical and outdoor apparel brand, has joined GMS Racing as a partner for the 2014 season.

Vertx will serve as primary sponsor for driver Joey Coulter and the No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado team in this week's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.

"Teaming up with such a quality company like Vertx, is really an exciting opportunity, not only for myself, but my No. 21 team and all of GMS Racing as a whole," Coulter said. "I am excited to help kick off the partnership at Kansas this weekend in my Vertx Silverado, I have always really enjoyed racing there."

In addition, Vertx, the official tactical clothing supplier of GMS Racing," will be an associate sponsor on all GMS entries in the Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for the remainder of the 2014 season.

"We are really excited to welcome Vertx to the GMS Racing family," said Nic Moncher, GMS Racing's team manager. "Vertx prides themselves on top-performance in all aspects of their business, while not compromising the function of their products. Our team looks to do the same with every Chevrolet we bring to the racetrack, so we believe this partnership is going to be good for both companies."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/vertx-joins-gms-racing/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kasey Kahne and Crew Chief Kenny Francis​*
*NASCAR Penalizes Kahne's Crew Chief​*
NASCAR announced Tuesday that Kenny Francis, the crew chief for the No. 5 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been penalized for rules violations committed during qualifying May 3 at Talladega Superspeedway.

The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4.3(A)1-c (unapproved added weight and/or weight affixed improperly) of the 2014 rule book. As a result, Francis has been fined $25,000. The infraction was discovered in post-qualifying inspection.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/05/NASCAR-Fines-Kenny-Francis.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*'I Should Have Put On a Better Effort'​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he feels like "I let a lot of people down" with his decision to drive at the back of the pack late in Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earnhardt made the comments on his "Dirty Mo Radio" program on his website, dalejr.com.

Some fans have criticized or questioned Earnhardt's decision to ride behind the pack in the final laps instead of making an attempt to get to the front. The result was that Earnhardt, who ran near the front most of the race, finished 26th. That's his worst finish of the season when he's been running at the end.

Earnhardt said after the race that passing was difficult. He also said that he thought the pack would wreck, and "I can't afford to wreck anymore here. So you've just got to pick your battles. And I felt like we were better off not getting in a wreck and trying to stay back there.''

Earnhardt suffered a concussion in a crash at Talladega two years ago that caused him to miss two Chase races.

Earnhardt's disappointment is evident in his weary voice while speaking on "Dirty Mo Radio.''

Here's what Earnhardt said on that program:

"Hey everybody just got home from Talladega. Not a good day. Just real disappointed in obviously how we finished, disappointed in how I ran the race, disappointed in a lot of things.

"I had plenty of racecar. We got ourselves some track position and actually got into the lead and was able to really hold the lead pretty easily. I feel everything was working out like we planned, and we were going to be up there in the top five the rest of the day. Trying to win the race was going to be on our mind the rest of the deal, but we didn't feel like we could make it on fuel. We gave up the lead and a couple of them guys gambled and made it work.

"Twenty laps there there was really nowhere to go and really no point sitting in the back of it and they ended up wrecking a couple of times, but there at the end I didn't do what I needed to do, the last 10 laps of the race when I should have been up there getting a little more aggressive and finding spots and positions. I didn't do what I was supposed to do.

"I know a lot of people are disappointed. I'm disappointed that they're disappointed. I feel like I should have put on a better effort just for the people who come out there and watch us race and, obviously, my crew. I feel like I let a lot of people down, and I just have got to live with that. That's a decision I made and that's how it works.

"I've got to move on to the next race and not spend too much time worrying about it. Hate it all coming out like that, and I learned some pretty good lessons, some pretty hard lessons today. Hopefully, we won't ever have a repeat of that again.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ys-He-Should-Have-Put-On-A-Better-Effort.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Matt Kenseth Celebrating His Win Last Season​*
*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Heads To Kansas​*
The NASCAR Sprint CUP Series heads to the Kansas Speedway for the first ever night race at the 1.5 mile oval this Saturday night. It's the 5 Hour Energy 400.

- Happy Hour Practice is set for Friday at 2:30pm.

- CUP Qualifying will be held Friday 6:30pm.

- 5 Hour Energy 400 is set for 7:30pm start time.

Last season's winner Matt Kenseth heads into this Saturday's night race looking for his first win of the season. Kenseth dominated the race last season.

Kevin Harvick has won at Phoenix and Darlington so far this season. Harvick won last season at Kansas Speedway in the Fall race. Can he win this Saturday and be the first three time winner of the season? Find out Saturday night.

Dale Earnhardt Jr has said that he is "Hell bent on redemption" following a 26th place finish at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday.

Six time Sprint CUP Series Champion Jimmie Johnson is also looking for his first win of the 2014 season. Johnson hasn't won at the track since the Fall race in 2011.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Matt Crafton Celebrating His Win In 2013*​
*The Pick'em Up Trucks Back In Action​*
Friday night will see the return of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It's the SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway. This the one and only time the Truck Series will race at the Kansas Speedway this season.

Last season driver Matt Crafton won the race after holding off an attack from Joey Coulter. Crafton has a win this at the paperclip in Martinsville Va

Tune in Friday night on Fox Sports 1 to catch all the action from the Camping World Truck Series in Kansas.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Talladega Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Reschedules Modified Race​*
NASCAR and Caraway (N.C.) Speedway announced Wednesday that the previously postponed Prestoria Farms 150 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4.

The Prestoria Farms 150 was originally scheduled for March 29, but was postponed due to inclement weather.

The Whelen Southern Modified Tour was also rained out at Caraway on April 19. Despite extensive efforts by Caraway and NASCAR officials to identify an alternate date for the event, scheduling conflicts for both the track and the tour preclude rescheduling the Bunny Hop 150.

Next up for the Whelen Southern Modified Tour will be the annual Independence Day event at Caraway on July 4.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-reschedules-modified-race/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Look For Breakthrough In Kansas​*
As NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers keep winning and virtually assuring themselves spots in the revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, a number of other drivers remain winless.

And outside-looking-in is not where you want to be in 2014 and beyond.

Heading into Saturday night's 5-hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway, we are faced with the strangest of polar-opposite statistics; the five drivers sharing the all-time lead in Kansas victories all are winless thus far this season.

Stretching the strangeness: this is a most elite, power-laden lineup.The collective 0-for-10 hitters include Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle.

The first four have combined for 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. Biffle hasn't won NASCAR's biggest title but he's been close, finishing as the series' runner-up in 2005. Biffle also has won NASCAR's two other national series championships, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2000 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2002.

This story gets better, thanks to the insight provided by Loop Data statistics. The five drivers listed above have the top five Driver Ratings over the course of Kansas Speedway's brief (since 2001, 16 races total) but impactful history in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Here's that rundown: Jimmie Johnson 118.9; Matt Kenseth 109.6; Greg Biffle 106.9; Jeff Gordon 99.6; Tony Stewart 97.5.

As for which one of the five could indeed break through Saturday night, Biffle could be the smart pick. His team, Roush Fenway Racing, has won four times at Kansas Speedway, accounting for all of Ford's victories at the 1.5-mile speedway, with wins by former RFR drivers Kenseth and Mark Martin joining Biffle's two. Also, Biffle comes off an impressive second-place effort at the largest and most precarious track in the series, Talladega Superspeedway.

Biffle was asked about becoming the first three-time Kansas winner, post-race at 'Dega.

"I didn't know that stat; I'd be super-excited to win there to start with, but to be the first guy to win three there would be pretty neat. I love that race track," he said. "It sure would have been nice [at Talladega] to get a win [working] toward the Chase, but we've got some great race tracks coming up, as well. It would have been nice."

So yes, Biffle, like four other guys who know a lot about winning, looks forward to Kansas Speedway. Optimism is evident when ones talks to the six-time champion Johnson, the proverbial elephant in this winless room. Historically, Johnson excels on 1.5-mile tracks.

"I feel pretty good [about the season]," he said last week. "We've had strong runs. I think at Texas, we didn't get to go very far (because of an early-race incident) but through practice and qualifying we had a lot of people 
concerned.

We led a lot at California. Vegas went well. I feel very good about our 1.5-mile stuff. We still want to be better &#8230; but we've been in there fighting for wins."
The fight continues.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/drivers-look-for-breakthrough-in-kansas/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kansas Speedway​*
*Kansas Lottery Sticks With Kansas Speedway​*
Kansas Speedway and Kansas Lottery officials announced a multi-year renewal of their partnership, which has been in place since Kansas Speedway opened in 2001.

The partnership means the Kansas Lottery will remain the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race (Kansas Lottery 300), which returns to Kansas Speedway on Oct. 4, and the Kansas Lottery will continue as the official lottery of Kansas Speedway.

"I'm excited that we are able to continue our partnership with the Kansas Lottery," said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. "The Lottery has been a tremendous supporter of ours and their continued sponsorship of Kansas Speedway and as the entitlement partner on our NASCAR Nationwide Series race is incredible. It's going to be a great year at Kansas Speedway and I'm glad that the Kansas Lottery will be a part of it."

"The Kansas Lottery has partnered with Kansas Speedway since the beginning," said Kansas Lottery Executive Director Terry Presta. "Besides the great visibility the partnership affords us, our players really appreciate being able to win once-in-a-lifetime VIP racing experiences at Kansas Speedway in our second-chance drawings."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/kansas-lottery-extends-kansas-speedway-deal/


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Winless, But Happy​*
Jeff Gordon is in a good place right now both professionally and personally but he's still searching for his first victory of the season.

Gordon comes into this weekend's 5-Hour ENERGY on top of the Sprint Cup Series point standings thanks to a strong start to the year. Although he's not taken a checkered flag yet through the first ten races of the campaign, there's a positive vibe around Gordon these days.

"We're off to a great start," said Gordon, who has four top five and seven top-10 finishes in 2014. "Right now I'm healthy. I'm in good shape. I'm having a lot of fun. We're very competitive out there. That's taking all of my attention. Besides the time I spend with my family, that's where my focus is.

"Not really thinking of anything else other than maybe the urgency of how important it is to win this season if you're going to win the championship."

Gordon's next chance to claim a win and effectively punch his ticket into the Chase comes in Saturday night's first of two visits to Kansas Speedway. He's a two-time winner at the track, taking the first two events held at Kansas in 2001 and 2002.

But the 1.5-mile speedway is radically different these days thanks to a repaving and reconfiguration project completed two years ago. Gordon recognizes the new challenges those changes have created but is still a fan of Kansas.

"Kansas has always been one of my favorite racetracks," he said. "When they repaved it, it moved a little further down my list. It seems like every year we go there, it ages, goes through the winter, gets back to the type of Kansas that I excel at, that I really like.

"The transitions are all still there. The variable banking is always a plus. But what I'm most excited about, and this is true for every track we're going to, is how good of a race team we have right now. Everywhere we go we have competitive cars. We don't always start the weekend out that way. Some weekends we unload and we're just fast and it stays that way throughout the whole weekend, and others we've had to really work at it."

This year's new Chase format allows for the driver leading the points at the end of the regular season to make the playoff field even without having scored a win. So Gordon could still have a shot to run for the title if he can maintain the top spot over the course of the next 16 races and still not make it to Victory Lane.

However, the four-time champion is still completely focused on erasing the zero in the win column and acknowledges what a difficult proposition that presents.

"I've never seen winning be so important as it has this year," said Gordon. "It doesn't stop everybody from trying just as hard to win. We're all out there working as hard as we can to win. When you get that one win under your belt, I think that one win will get you into the Chase, two wins is for sure going to guarantee you a shot in the Chase.

"But when you get that one or two wins, it just puts you in a place where now it doesn't really matter where you're at in points, and it's just all about getting those bonus points and be the No. 1 seed going into the Chase. You can be more aggressive with everything that you do from here on out."

Gordon has mixed a combination of fast race cars and aggressiveness into the series point lead and is optimistic taking the next step - winning - is not far away.

"We have been very, very close, so that's why we're excited about those opportunities coming up that we can get a win at," said Gordon.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's 5-hour ENERGY 400 from Kansas Speedway at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/05/Jeff-Gordon-Winless-But-Happy.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Blaney Family Reunion​*
It wasn't the best of weeks last week for Ryan Blaney, but this weekend offers a new opportunity and the chance to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut.

The 20-year-old Blaney will compete in Friday night's Camping World Truck race at Kansas Speedway and is entered in a third Team Penske entry for Saturday night's Cup race.

Should he and his father, Dave, make Saturday's race, it will mark the first time since 2005 that a father has raced against his son in Cup. The last father/son duo to to run in a Cup race together was Bobby Hamilton and Bobby Hamilton Jr. at Atlanta.

Making the Cup race would ease the sting from last weekend's Nationwide race at Talladega for Ryan Blaney. That race was memorable for the wrong reasons. He was involved in a couple of incidents, including one in the final laps when as he battled eventual winner Elliott Sadler for the lead.

"I made a bad mistake at Talladega,'' Ryan Blaney said. "I was just trying to do too many things at once. Unfortunately, you mess up. That's something hard to bear. You never want to be a cause of a wreck. I got a lot of hate for it on social media.

"Leading up to this week, it is going to be such a big weekend for us I had to put that in my rearview (mirror). I tried to forget about. By Monday, I finally put it behind me. I've had a lot of drivers and even Mr. (Roger) Penske tell me that stuff happens and you've got to move on from it. I apologize for wrecking so many cars.''

While the Truck series resumes after a month off, the focus for many will be on Blaney's Cup debut and racing his father.

They've raced together once in NASCAR - at last year's Camping World Truck race at Eldora. They were teammates for Brad Keselowski Racing. Dave Blaney finished ninth, and Ryan Blaney placed 15th.

Ryan Blaney said he raced against his dad in a dirt modified race last summer and beat him at the finish.

"We were side-by-side off (Turn) 4, and we just edged him out,'' Ryan Blaney said. "It's a whole bunch of fun racing family members. It's the most competitive you'll ever run, and the hardest you'll ever race because you want to beat that person. It would be really cool to be on that list of fathers and sons to run a Cup race.''

Ryan Blaney, who is fourth in the Truck standings, is looking forward to the Cup race.

"You're just antsy for it to happen,'' he said. "Hopefully it goes well. This is where every kid wants to be who grew up watching NASCAR and watching his dad race everything. You wait your whole life for this opportunity and you definitely have to make the most of it.''

As for his goals in Saturday's 5-hour ENERGY 400?

"You hope you just to get experience and run all 400 miles and not do anything foolish,'' Ryan Blaney said. "That's the worst thing you can do as a rookie - make a huge mistake in your debut, wreck a car or have a good run going and speed on pit road and ruin your run.''

Blaney says that Keselowski and Joey Logano have helped him better understand Cup cars because they're "so different than anything we drive from a Truck to a Nationwide car. It's been big for them to help me out and be able to teach me what these things are like on pit stops and in the garage in going from the practice to the race. Hopefully, we can have a solid run, no mistakes.''

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's SFP 250 Camping World Truck Series race presented by Keystone Light from Kansas Speedway at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's 5-hour ENERGY 400 from Kansas Speedway at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ebut-Could-Allow-Him-To-Run-With-His-Dad.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Senators Question National Guard Sponsorship​*
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., questioned the Army National Guard's sponsorship in NASCAR and IndyCar during a subcommittee hearing Thursday afternoon, and the official overseeing those programs said he planned to evaluate them.

The National Guard will sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 20 Sprint Cup races this season. Military contacts are done on a yearly basis. Sen. McCaskill said that the National Guard's budget for NASCAR amounts to $32 million from a sports marketing budget of more than $56 million. The National Guard does not differentiate between what goes to the team and what goes toward activation.

No decision has been set by the National Guard for next season.

"I will be ... reviewing all these programs in the next, probably, month,'' Maj. Gen. Judd Lyons, acting director, Army National Guard, said during the hearing.

USA Today, citing data provided to it, reported that the National Guard spent $26.5 million to sponsor NASCAR racing in 2012 but failed to sign a single new soldier. An official with the National Guard Association questioned those numbers at the time but also added: "I don't think anybody has the right numbers.''

Wednesday's USA Today story also states that even though the National Guard spent $88 million in NASCAR sponsorship from 2011-13, it is unclear how many new recruits, if any, signed because of the sponsorship.

At one point during the hour-long hearing Sen. McCaskill said: "I don't understand ... how you can justify the fact that nobody is getting recruited from the NASCAR. The facts speak for themselves. the data is very clear. You're not getting recruits off NASCAR. This is data you gave us. The reason we know is this because you told us.''

Said Maj. Gen. Lyons: "I'm trying to analyze these programs for exactly the reasons that you're saying. Are they achieving the intended affect? Are they the best use of our our taxpayer dollars? Is that the right thing to be doing? These are things I'm considering as the acting director as a path forward.''

A May 2013 report by Alan Newman Research of Richmond, Va., found that 90 percent of National Guard soldiers who enlisted or re-enlisted since 2007 were exposed to the Guard through recruiting or retention materials featuring NASCAR cars and/or drivers.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also questioned the National Guard's ability to measure the effectiveness of sports sponsorship toward recruiting.

"I'm interested in evaluating these programs,'' said Maj. Gen. Lyons, who has been acting director, Army National Guard since January. "I would like to know what are good metrics to use to measure the effectiveness of sports sponsorships programs. That's what I'm focused on.''

Said Sen. Johnson: "I'm not seeing any of the briefing material here in terms of anything I can look at to evaluate the effectiveness of this."

Maj. Gen. Lyons said: "In terms of trying to tie the awareness of the Guard through these branding programs directly to an individual's decision to enlist is elusive and I share your frustration with that on how we get at that to assess the effectiveness of those two programs.''

Such questioning is not new. Military sports sponsorships have come under scrutiny in recent years in Washington.

The U.S. House of Representatives defeated an amendment to limit military sports sponsorships 281-148 in Feb. 2011 and 260-167 in July 2011. The House voted 216-202 against such legislation in 2012 and voted 289-134 against last June.

Sen. McCaskill opened Thursday's hearing by saying "I like NASCAR. This hearing is not about demonizing NASCAR or the National Guard. This hearing is simply about return on investment of federal tax dollars, whether or not federal money is being used wisely for the intended purpose and getting the result desired as a result of that investment.''

Sen. McCaskill noted that the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps no longer serve as a sponsor in NASCAR. The Air Force and National Guard remain in the sport.

Sen. McCaskill questioned why the National Guard will remain in NASCAR when the Army left the sport after the 2012 season.

"Because you guys don't have as much money as the Army to market,'' Sen. McCaskill said, "... it's interesting to me that another branch of the military with more money that finds sponsoring NASCAR is not cost effective but no one at the Guard would then look to see maybe we should look at their analysis.''

NASCAR noted that last season was the sport's best season for sponsor growth since 2007. NASCAR also notes that Camping World signed an extension to sponsor the Truck Series and that some companies - Great Clips, 5-hour ENERGY and Mars - have stated that they are receiving return on their investment in the sport.

Joyce Julius and Associates reported that through last month's Southern 500 Earnhardt had given his sponsors an estimated $45 million in TV exposure based on time those companies appeared on screen.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ons-National-Guard-Sponsorship-in-NASCAR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Kansas Speedway​*


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Speeds To Kansas Pole​*
The last time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series raced at Kansas Speedway, Kevin Harvick won the pole, led the most laps and won.

He repeated one of those accomplishments on Friday.

Harvick won the pole for Saturday's 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway, his second pole in the last four Sprint Cup races. It's also his second pole in a row at Kansas, where he won from the top spot last October.

Harvick jumped to first on the leaderboard in the waning moments of the third knockout qualifying session by edging out Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

It's the eighth pole of Harvick's career, and the sixth top-10 starting position in the last seven races for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver. His 27.799-second lap out-paced Logano by one twentieth of a second.

Carl Edwards and rookie Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Kurt Busch qualifyied sixth, followed by Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Greg Biffle.

Points leader Jeff Gordon just missed the final knockout session and will start 13th Saturday.

Several of the sport's biggest names, who are near the top of series standings, struggled in qualifying.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. rolls off 22nd Saturday, with Kyle Busch (24th), Matt Kenseth (28th) and Denny Hamlin (30th) also starting toward the rear.

Busch won the pole for Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas, but he had nothing for Harvick in Sprint Cup qualifying.

Harvick has won from the pole four times in his career, including the last three times he's started up front.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/harvick-speeds-to-kansas-pole/


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Tops Trucks at Kansas Speedway​*
Kyle Busch survived a caution-filled night to win Friday's SFP 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.

Busch outran Matt Crafton to the checkered flag to score his second win of the year after taking the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. Busch became the 14th different winner in the 14 Truck Series races held at Kansas.

It was the 37th win of his Truck Series career. Crew chief Eric Phillips set a record with his 29th NCWTS victory.

"This feels good," Busch said about winning at Kansas Speedway, which is his worst track statistically in the Sprint Cup Series. "This isn't my forte. I didn't even know how to get here (Victory Lane)."

Busch was able to get to the lead late and, thanks to a final 35-lap green-flag stretch, stayed there to score the win.

"My truck was really good on the long runs," said Busch. "I was good on the short runs, too - if I could just get away and go. But everybody was all over me all the time side-drafting and everything - making it difficult for me to get away.

"That's the fun part about truck racing. That's just what the product is and what it's all about. Hopefully, it was a good show for the fans. At the end on the long run, it really came in here with this truck and took off."

Busch chalked up the many accidents on drivers' inability to deal with the handling of their trucks.

"That's why so many guys weren't quite ready for what evil-ness they had in store tonight," Busch said.

Crafton, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Tayler Malsam rounded out the top five. Jeb Burton, German Quiroga, Ron Hornaday, Joe Nemechek and Mason Mingus completed the first 10 finishers.

The long green-flag run to the finish was in stark contrast to the bulk of the race, which included a number of incidents and crashes. One of the hardest hits came when Ryan Blaney was battling with BK Racing teammate Logano for the lead coming through the first and second turns on Lap 84. Blaney's truck spun and before the incident was over, he made huge contact with Tyler Young - destroying both trucks.

The race was slowed by nine caution flags - seven of which came in the first half of the race - for 46 laps. There were 15 lead changes among six drivers.

Crafton leads Timothy Peters by eight in the series point standings.

"I'm confident in what we have for the rest of the season," said Crafton.

The Camping World Truck Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for next Friday night's North Carolina Education Lottery 200 to kick off NASCAR's All-Star Weekend. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage, presented by Keystone Light, starting at 7 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/05/Busch-Tops-Trucks-in-Kansas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Video: Hornaday Collide Townley Spins​*





*Wild Ride For Blaney, Sauter and Young​*


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Not Worried​*
Jimmie Johnson isn't concerned about not yet having a win 10 races into the Sprint Cup Series season.

By Johnson's standards his start to the 2014 campaign has been on the sluggish side. You'll have that view for a guy who has six championships and 66 career wins.

But the reality is Johnson sits seventh in the standings coming into this weekend's 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway on the strength of three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Even with the new "win and you're in" Chase format, Johnson isn't concerned at all about missing the chance of running for title number seven.

"Until we are not locked in I mean there is nothing to worry about," Johnson said Friday at Kansas. "Where we sit in points right now we are locked in. Of course we want to win; we want to win every race we go to."

Johnson readily admits the overall performance for the 48 team has been spotty at times, but with 16 races left in the regular season and the point standings more than likely filling out the Chase field he's far from panic mode.

"Yes, there have been some poor performances," said Johnson. "We are trying to raise that. I don't think that we are where we want to be as a team right now, but we have had a few looks at wins and I know we will get a few more. We just need to capitalize on that. If not, points still matter. There is a bigger window to make the Chase today than there was last year. Last year was 12; this year it's 16. I don't think there is anything to stress out about yet."

History shows Johnson has had slow starts before, specifically in 2003 and 2005 when it took until race number twelve of the season before he finally won.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Johnson-Not-Worried.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Pleased With Hot Start​*
AJ Allmendinger is off to a solid start for JTG Daugherty and sees no reason why the team can't continue to succeed.

Allmendinger enters Saturday night's 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway 15th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings on the strength of one top-five and three top-10 finishes.

But Allmemdinger is trying to keep things in perspective as the team continues its quest to improve and contend.

"Really for me I know we are 15th in points and everybody talks about 'you are right on the edge of the Chase'. I don't even worry about it," said Allmendinger Friday at Kansas Speedway. It's just one weekend at a time."

That simplified approach and a one race at a time attitude has paid benefits according to Allmendinger.

"I think it is just we are starting to put the weekends together," he said. "We are maximizing the practice time. We are doing just good things throughout the race, whether it's pit stops or just making the right calls, and we are having fast race cars. The beginning of the year we had decent cars, but we just never put the weekend together.

"We would either struggle really bad on Friday or qualify really bad or make an uphill climb on Sunday or have to really make a lot of big changes going into Sunday and not know really what the car was going to do. I feel like the last few weekends Brian Burns (crew chief) and I we are really starting to gel and this whole team."

After several years of struggles, JTG Daugherty made some major changes prior to the 2014 season including the addition of Allmendinger as its full-time driver.

But a change in manufacturers from Toyota to Chevrolet and an alignment with Richard Childress Racing have also helped propel the No. 47 team up the Sprint Cup ladder. So far the relationship has been beneficial to both organizations.

"With the RCR alliance it's been great because Richard (Childress) for our team at least has just opened his doors," Allmendinger explained. "I mean giving us all the information we can have.

"They have given us just basically open information, engineering, set-up's, everything that we need to know what makes the cars fast. It's been great sharing and hopefully we are bringing something back to them. That has been my goal is to not just keep taking but hopefully bring something back to where they are learning and we can make everybody as a whole better."

Allmendinger refuses to let the early season success cloud the reality that the small team will still experience growing pains. But he's still enthusiastic about what's been accomplished so far and what might lie ahead.

"We are going to have our up's and down's," said Allmendinger. "We can come to Kansas this weekend we could dominate, we could struggle. It's just the way being a small team is just really trying to take it one practice session, one lap at a time.

"Obviously, it would be awesome to win this weekend, get into the All-Star race go to the Coke 600 and have a good run and keep the momentum going. But the only way we can do that is just keep building as a team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/05/Allmendinger-Pleased-With-Hot-Start.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bev Patrick Enjoying The Journey​*
Bev Patrick had taken up her customary pre-race perch near the bow of the electric-green-and-orange Chevrolet. Danica Patrick was beginning the second Speedweeks of her Sprint Cup career that February day, and her pit stall remained a confluence of the curious at Daytona International Speedway. Diminutive but determined, as is the Patrick way, the mother stood her ground in the gathering crush.

Dignitaries and officials ambled by for a nod or a handshake with Patrick's team members and her father, T.J., leaning against the No. 10 race car. In the gathering, a tall fan in a sleeveless, unbuttoned shirt was so intent on photographing the scene that he unwittingly had lowered his outstretched hands almost onto the crown of Bev's head, as if she were some sort of tripod. She turned, politely, gazing up at the man with an admonishing smile. He relented.

By the time Bev restored her gaze, her daughter had pierced the human cordon surrounding her car and, finding an envelope of open space, inhaled deeply before she began her pre-race salutations. Bev moved in, and as the overzealous man with the smartphone winced, got her hug.

Bev Patrick is too often lost in the crowd. Her willingness to allow her husband to command the stage, to opine or incite if he deems it necessary, underscores that the ardent father and his ardent daughter are very much kindred spirits, sharing temperament and enterprise as much as DNA. But Bev has been there, too, the most longtime and best fan of the multimillionaire, ubiquitous spokesperson and gender pioneer race car-driving icon who sprung from the go-kart tracks of Roscoe, Illinois, to the hallowed bricks of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to the high-banked expanse of Daytona.

Bev instilled traits and characteristics that allowed Danica to become the athlete and business force that she is today.

"She helped me more than people know,'' Danica said.

*Good bits and bad bits*

The Patricks jokingly refer to them as the good bits and the bad bits, the little traits and quirks that T.J. and Bev passed on to their daughters, Danica, 32, and Brooke, 30.

"We used to go through the good and bad bits together, which was kind of funny," said Brooke, a physical therapist at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. She gave birth to a baby girl earlier this year. "Danica got a good bit from Dad's hair. She has always had thick and pretty hair, and I got Mom's hair, which is thin and shorter. I got Dad's muscle and body type, and Danica's body type resembles Mom's more."

"She likes to cook and she likes to do normal, everyday, stay-at-home things," Bev said of her elder daughter. "That's probably me a little bit. She definitely favors her dad in a lot of her interests and talents and demeanor. She's got some of me, but she's a lot of her dad."

Perhaps Bev undersells her addition to the talent-and-demeanor equation. Granted, the spunky bar was set high in her household, but this is the same Bev Patrick who raced and wrenched on snowmobiles for her all-female team in Wisconsin three decades ago, earning the nickname "Captain Traction."

Mark Dyer, Danica's agent, said Bev is "like her daughters: really smart and really tough."

T.J. said Danica acquired Bev's "desire for fitness," cooking skills and "politically correct speaking ways or patience, whatever you call it. I don't have the patience to answer the proper way. I am too frank and to the point."

And she acquired something that ultimately became important in May 2005, when Patrick became a mainstream sensation after starting and finishing fourth and leading 19 laps as a rookie in the Indianapolis 500 -- all new standards for females. She had a chance to become not only famous, but beyond financially secure. Transcendent. And she didn't squander it.

"Danica," T.J. said, "does get her mom's business sense."

That business sense was honed keeping various family businesses solvent back in Roscoe. Bev didn't realize she was preparing for a career in multinational sports marketing and finance. There was just the glass business and the coffee shop -- neither of which grew into empires -- local staples that provided the Patricks a middle-class life, allowed them to continue to dabble in snowmobiles and afford Danica a Mustang as a high-schooler.

The eventual drain of funding Danica's increasingly expensive racing career was a lesson in austerity and decision-making, but once she advanced to IndyCar, her parents began divesting to work for her full time. Among Bev's duties were managing finances and helping T.J. with contracts that were quickly dwarfing anything she had handled in Roscoe. It was, T.J. admits, beyond them. And so, eventually, the family, with Danica at the center of the process, made a tough decision. Her parents would become just her parents again.

Five years after gladly relinquishing the increasingly weighty duties of running the Danica Patrick empire to the IMG marketing agency, Bev doesn't pine for lost responsibility or influence.

"Sure, you miss the excitement of being involved in all the activities," she said. "But it is nice when things go down and you think, 'Oh, I'm glad I didn't have to deal with that.' That's kind of the retirement thing. I'm all about it."

*Time to take it all in*

Though the Patricks' racing affections still include IndyCar -- they'll miss the inaugural road course race at IMS only because they're traveling to the Sprint Cup event at Kansas Speedway this weekend -- they enjoy NASCAR in a large part because they have the time to take it all in.

"When we first got into IndyCar, we got into it because we were involved with Danica and helping her business side and day-to-day activities,'' Bev said. "It was just so busy we didn't really enjoy the many things we could. ... Now in NASCAR, we're just Mom and Dad and spectators like everybody else, so it's very laid-back and just watching everything unfold."

The Patricks hope to attend a dozen or so races a year. It's flexible. They like that. Among those they will attend for the first time is the Coca-Cola 600, which is held the same day as the Indianapolis 500. Fully adapted to real-world speed after hopping from their daughter's rapidly accelerating train in 2009, they're happy.

And then there are the perks. There were the backstage passes for a country music show in Indianapolis featuring Eric Church and Jason Aldean -- she met him; she loved it -- and watching the show with Brooke near the soundboard even though Danica couldn't attend. There was an evening sitting next to Sara Evans' and Scott McCreery's mothers at the American Country Awards co-hosted by Danica in December, discovering their perspectives on the business side of country music and how it had affected their children.

Those mothers had watched their children attempt to apply the rules and sensibilities they'd imparted as fame and fortune forever changed their landscape. And in Bev's case, it involved watching from close range as celebrity exacted its toll of pressure, scrutiny and, at times, vitriol on a daughter who engenders strong sentiments, both positive and negative.

That said, she believes fame, which got another spark last year when Danica became the first woman to win the pole and lead laps in the Daytona 500, has been a fair trade for her daughter.

"I think so. She always says, 'I just try to stay true to myself,' " Bev said. "She says the things she believes in, backs the things she believes in. It's not going to be what everyone else thinks or believes or follows. So as long as she is true to herself and does the things she likes to do, I don't know what else you could ask for.

"She does what she loves to do in racing. She obviously makes out OK. They would say something about her if she won every race or came in last every race. I think she can let it roll off pretty well."

The they are everywhere, though not nearly as identifiable as the scores of fans brandishing Danica Patrick merchandise on race weekends. Sometimes they scowl, sometimes they boo. And sometimes, without realizing they are standing next to Bev Patrick, they bellow something a mother struggles to ignore.

"You kind of want to choke people sometimes," she said with a chuckle. "Do you really know what you're writing about or saying? You've never walked a day in her shoes.

"I find myself saying, 'Oh, what are they gonna say next?' I find myself going kind of 50-50. There's 50 percent that love her and 50 percent that hate her, and that's OK. There's 40-some other guys out there they can latch onto. You can't please everyone."

*:Continue Reading Below:​*


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## Ckg2011

*A rewarding journey*

Back in Roscoe, before Danica and Brooke had ever taken their first go-kart ride in the back of an industrial park near the glass shop, Mother's Day entailed a large family breakfast, with all the mothers and grandmothers at the Holiday Inn.

"Wherever the mothers didn't have to cook," Bev said.

The setting changes again this year to Kansas Speedway, where the Sprint Cup race will be contested on Saturday night and the family of Patrick's boyfriend and counterpart Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is scheduled to join them.

They could straggle in their motor homes in the infield until Sunday and allow Danica, an avid cook, to concoct something with a gourmet flair. They could dine in one of Kansas City's finest restaurants. And if they're feeling nostalgic, there's a Holiday Inn on East 39th Street.

Bev will probably be content either way. The journey from Roscoe to Kansas City has been winding, but ultimately rewarding. And she's most interested in enjoying the present. Her daughters have made it. That her part in raising Danica is often left on the periphery of the photograph doesn't seem to matter to her. She'll still get her hug.

"Life is good," she said. "I have no complaints."

*Source:*
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/10906808/espnw-bev-patrick-enjoying-ride-danica-mom


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## Ckg2011

*The Golden Boy Scores A Major Win In Kansas​*
Jeff Gordon score a major win in Kansas tonight. Jeff's pit crew really got the job done on the final stop to fire off a fast stop. Kevin Harvick who led the most laps closed down the lead but came up two car lengths short of another win.

Jeff Gordon who is the points leader, not only retains the lead but is now in the Chase for the 2014 Sprint CUP.

Dale Earnhardt Jr finished fifth and Danica Patrick scored a seventh place finish. Best finish of her career in the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Gets Third Kansas Win​*
Jeff Gordon proved better after the final pit stop and went on to score his first win of the season, and third at Kansas Speedway, in Saturday night's 5-Hour ENERGY 400.

Kevin Harvick had one of the strongest cars and was leading before he made his final pit stop but exited behind Gordon and couldn't get around him the rest of the race, finishing second.

"What put us in second is I just didn't get down pit road very good,'' Harvick said. "I was paying attention to the fuel pressure gauge instead of the pit lights.''

Kasey Kahne placed a season-best third with Joey Logano fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing fifth.

The first night Cup race at Kansas Speedway was delayed about 30 minutes by rain, saw a bank of backstretch lights go out and featured two multi-car crashes. It ended with Gordon, the points leader, scoring his 89th career Sprint Cup victory.

"I don't know what it is about this team, this '24' car and us here at Kansas on inaugural days, but I love this place,'' Gordon said. "What an incredible job ... by this race team. They have been giving me the best racecars all year long. I'm going to be 43 year this, but I feel like I'm 25.''

*How Gordon won:* He trailed Kevin Harvick when he entered pit road for the final time with 30 laps to go. Harvick pitted a lap later. Harvick, though, returned to the track behind Gordon and never got behind him. As others pitted, they moved up and Gordon held off Harvick for the win.

*What else happened:* It was a crazy race in the first half with cautions interrupting green-flag pit cycles a couple of times. Kevin Harvick dominated the first 100 laps but found himself at the back because he was caught by a caution after a stop and couldn't climb into the top 15 during his run until the next caution ... The race also featured two multi-car crashes. No one was injured.

*Who else had a good day:* Danica Patrick finished a caeer-best seventh. She ran as high as third at one point, passing Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart for third on the same lap with less than 100 laps to go. ... Kasey Kahne had not finished in the top five before placing third in this race. ... Joey Logano scored his fourth top-five finish in the last six races.

*Who had a bad day:* Joe Gibbs Racing had Matt Kenseth finish 10th, Kyle Busch 15th and Denny Hamlin 18th. Busch had a speeding penalty and Hamlin spun and Kenseth wasn't much of a factor. ... Kurt Busch spun twice and finished 29th. ... David Ragan was involved in an accident for the second week in a row. Ragan told his team on the radio: "Just got a little loose ... It wasn't (Ryan Truex's) fault. I was completely out of the throttle trying to hang on.'' ... David Gilliland had nowhere to go and plowed into Justin Allgaier's car on the frontstretch with about 80 laps left after Allgaier was clipped by AJ Allmendinger and shot back up the track.

*Quote of the day:* "The most rewarding part of my night was when I drove around (Jimmie Johnson) on a restart,'' Danica Patrick said.

*Other notables:* Ryan Blaney finished 27th in his Sprint Cup debut. .... Carl Edwards' sixth-place finish was his best result since his win at Bristol. ... Aric Almirola placed eighth for his first top-10 result in the last five races. ... Jimmie Johnson finished ninth and has gone winless in the first 11 races of the season, tying the longest drought to open a season in his career. ... Greg Biffle finished 16th, which marks the 83rd consecutive race he's been running at the finish, to tie Clint Bowyer's series record.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/05/Gordon-Gets-Third-Kansas-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hard Crashes at Kansas​*
Several drivers were victims of severe accidents in Saturday night's 5-Hour ENERGY 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Jamie McMurray had a solid run going until he was involved in a spectacular incident when he cut a tire and slammed the fourth turn wall.

McMurray's battered McDonald's Chevrolet came down pit road in a blaze that quickly ignited into an inferno. The track safety crew, NASCAR officials and McMurray's pit crew were all quickly on the scene to rescue the driver and extinguish the flames.

"I'm not 100 percent sure," said McMurray when asked what caused the accident. "I just entered turn three and I heard a small pop and then just lost all the steering and got into the fence and then knocked the oil lines and everything off which caused the fire. I'm not sure we didn't really have any tire issues all weekend.

"Keith (Rodden, crew chief) had been kind of reporting to me what the tires looked like after each stop and hadn't seen any really wear issues at all. I don't know if it was just a bad tire or if I ran over something. Just lost all the air and ended up crashing."

David Gilliland, Justin Allgaier and AJ Allmendinger were involved in a three car crash as the trio raced down the straightaway.

Allgaier and Gilliland caught the worst of the impact both making hard contact with the outside wall destroying their cars.

"I am okay," said Gilliland after he left the track's infield care center for examination. "I don't know what happened. It looked like the 47 (Allmendinger) and 51 (Allgaier) got together and the 51 came back up the track and I hit him and from there a lot of stuff happened.

"We are alright though. Just a little sore obviously. That is one of the hardest hits I have had in awhile. Hopefully it will be the hardest one for awhile to come too. I am find though, just ready to get on with it."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Hard-Crashes-at-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Career Best for Patrick​*
Danica Patrick finished seventh in Saturday night's 5-Hour ENERGY 400 at Kansas Speedway for the best finish in her Sprint Cup Series career.

Patrick raced in the top 10 all night and climbed as high as third. After qualifying ninth, he second straight top-10 starting effort, Patrick remained inside the first ten throughout the race.

She slid back in the late going but was able to rally back and post the seventh.

"It felt good," said Patrick. "My goal at the beginning of the race was really just to stay up in that lead group. You're going to move up, you're going to move down, but generally to average out where I was starting. I feel like we did all that.

"I'm overall proud of the team for building cars like these," she said. "This is a new car, and it was so good. I think it shows when the runs were long and I would keep coming. That just shows this is a good car."

Patrick got the crowd to cheer when she passed both Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart to take the third position. She also raced her way past Jimmie Johnson at one point.

"Honestly the most rewarding part of my night was probably when I drove around the outside of the No. 48 (Johnson) on a restart," said Patrick. "That was probably my most rewarding thing of the night. I say that with all the respect in the world. It's a big deal because he is Jimmie Johnson. Aside from that I was really just overall proud that we stayed up front all day. That was the biggest thing."

Patrick, who credited Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick for providing guidance this week, also thanks crew chief Tony Gibson for his role in giving her a competitive car this weekend.

"Gibson did a good job in making changes for the race and it was good from the get-go," said Patrick. "And I think what says even more are two things: It was really good on restarts and it was really good when it wasn't quite right, and really good on long runs.

"And I think that just goes to show that this is a new car and they built a great one. And we've got more of these coming. That's the even better news. But overall, I'm just proud for the team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Career-Best-for-Patrick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kwasniewski to Drive TSM's No. 42 Car at Standalone Nationwide Races​*
Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM) announced today that the No. 42 car of Kyle Larson would undergo a driver change at the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) standalone races this season, placing Dylan Kwasniewski behind the wheel of the No. 42 up & up™by Target car at five events. Current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) driver Chase Pistone will replace Kwasniewski at Iowa Speedway in the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro.

Kwasniewski currently drives the No. 31 Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet for TSM in the NNS and was recently announced as a Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates development driver. The 18-year-old is no stranger to Iowa Speedway and has claimed two wins, three top-fives and five top-10s at the Midwest track on his way to being a back-to-back champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, both East and West.

"I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the No. 42 car this week in Iowa and for the remaining four standalone races on the Nationwide Series schedule," said Kwasniewski. "I'm confident in all the guys at Turner Scott Motorsports, so it'll be a great learning experience. I've learned a lot from Larson this year and I hope that I can make Turner Scott Motorsports, as well as Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Target's up & up brand proud."

Pistone is also no stranger to racing. As a racecar builder of Legends Cars and Super Late Models, Pistone helps develop and field several drivers out of his North Carolina shop, Chase Pistone, Inc. The grandson of "Tiger" Tom Pistone, the 30-year-old driver has one previous NNS start and has competed in both the Pro Cup and ARCA Racing Series, where he claimed a top-10 finish in his ARCA debut at Iowa Speedway.

"I'm really excited for this opportunity," said Pistone. "Turner Scott Motorsports has some of the best equipment out there and I'm looking forward to working with the No. 31 crew this weekend. I've competed at Iowa Speedway before and we had a good finish during my first run there. I think it will be great to work with a veteran NASCAR crew chief like Pat Tyson and I'm anxious to get out there and learn."

Although the No. 31 and the No. 42 cars will undergo a driver change at these select events, the TSM crews will remain the same for each car, with Kwasniewski under the direction of crew chief Scott Zipadelli, and Pistone under the direction of Pat Tryson at Iowa Speedway.

"Turner Scott Motorsports is dedicated to bringing new talent into the series in which we compete," said TSM co-owner Harry Scott, Jr. "Dylan Kwasniewski is a great example of this and we're excited to have him in the No. 42 car while Kyle Larson fulfills his Sprint Cup Series obligations. With Dylan being a Chip Gannassi Racing development driver, it will be a great learning experience for him and an overall win-win situation for both organizations. Chase Pistone is yet another young driver that we're proud to have represent our organization. Chase had an impressive run in his Truck Series debut at Martinsville and we're excited to see his performance in Iowa."

Be sure to tune in on Sunday, May 18 as Kwasniewski and Pistone take on Iowa Speedway for the Get to Know Newton 250. Live coverage begins at 2:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN.

*Source:*
https://www.facebook.com/notes/siri...t-standalone-nationwide-races/647275308655265


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## Ckg2011

*Kahne Solid in Kansas​*
Kasey Kahne turned in a much-needed strong performance in Saturday night's 5-Hour ENERGY 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Kahne's third place finish was his first top five of the year but more importantly helped turn around a recent string of disappointing efforts.

"Yeah, it went really good for us," said Kahne, who started 17th in Saturday's first Sprint Cup Series night race at Kansas. "We had a fast Farmers Insurance Chevy throughout the race, worked our way up.

"It was still a really solid run. Nice to run up front and be able to race hard the whole night. It was good for us."

Pit strategy was a major factor in several drivers' outcomes Saturday night because of the difficulty many found passing on track. Kahne attributed crew chief Kenny Francis with helping him with track position by his decisions on pit road when caution flew.

"Yeah, I mean, I felt like it was going to be tough to pass at times tonight," explained Kahne. "If you were it was tough to pass a fast car, but if your car was perfect, you could kind of pass later on in a run or right there at the start of a run.

"It was tough, and then you just you have to pit at certain times, and you don't know when someone is going to spin. So more than anything it was just people spinning that I think got the sequence off that I saw, that I remember, so you don't know when that's going to happen, and it happened a couple times tonight."

More than anything, Kahne was pleased with the opportunity put together a complete race after suffering through several frustrating recent weeks. He credited a recent tire test as being beneficial to his Saturday night success.

"Yeah, well, our biggest deal is we've just been slow this season," said Kahne. "Really haven't been inconsistent or anything like that, we've just been slow each week. We tested here, we had that Goodyear tire test, and I felt like from that point on, we've actually had really fast cars.

"I think the Goodyear test here, for whatever reason, we were able to try some things and just look at stuff a little differently than what we had been, and it helped the 5 team, my guys, myself and Kenny and Chris, our communication together," said Kahne, who moved up to 16th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings after 11 races. "It's helped us a lot since then. I feel like that's been the key, and ever since we tested here, we've ran much better and been a lot more competitive."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Kahne-Solid-in-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Alex Tagliani, shown leading the field from the pole at Montreal in 2012, will drive two Nationwide races for Team Penske this season. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Tagliani To Run Road Courses For Penske​*
Road racer Alex Tagliani will drive the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang for Team Penske in two 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series road course races, the team announced Tuesday.

Tagliani will compete for the team in the June 21 event at Road America and Aug. 16 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The No. 22 Discount Tire Ford won at both Road America and Mid-Ohio last season with AJ Allmendinger behind the wheel.

"This is a great opportunity to get back in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car and to do it for one of the best teams in the series and one of the greatest owners the sport has ever seen - Roger Penske," Tagliani said. "I've been able to run for 'The Captain' one other time in my career in a stock car and we were so close to winning the race. This gives me two great chances to get my first Nationwide Series win. And with the team winning both of these races last year, I guess you could say the pressure is on me to get the job done this season."

A native of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Tagliani has made four Nationwide starts over the course of his racing career, which has included memorable performances in IndyCar, CART, Sports Cars, V8 Supercars and several other forms of motorsports. He made two Nationwide starts in 2009, and competed in one series race in both 2011 and 2012. In 2011, Tagliani drove the No. 12 car for Team Penske in his home race at Montreal, where he started second and finished second after leading 11 laps. In 2012, Tagliani won the pole at Montreal and finished 22nd.

Tagliani also is a former Indianapolis 500 pole winner, taking the honor in 2011. He is a former winner at Road America as he took the checkered flag in the 2004 CART Series race. Tagliani has also won in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in his career.

"I have known Alex for a long time and he has driven for our team before, so he was the ideal choice to race the Discount Tire Ford for these upcoming road course events," Penske said. "Alex is a proven winner in both open-wheel and stock car competition. He has competed for wins each of the last two times he has raced in the Nationwide Series, including with Team Penske back in 2011. I think he, (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford team will be tough to beat at both Road America and Mid-Ohio this season."

The No. 22 Discount Tire Ford team has a proven track record of success with whoever is behind the wheel. The team won 12 races last season with four different drivers en route to capturing the Nationwide Series Owner's Championship. The team has already won once this season (Brad Keselowski at Las Vegas) and has earned six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in eight races thus far in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...i-To-Drive-In-Road-Races-For-Team-Penske.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Empire Racing Partners With Grumpy's​*
Empire Racing, a team in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series, announced Monday that crew chief Mike "Grumpy" Cheek will expand his involvement with the team through Grumpy's Performance, Inc.

Team manager John Bellesfield and Excel Motorsports Services have parted ways with Empire Racing. Excel Motorsports Services was the firm managing the team. The team management firm Grumpy's Performance, Inc. will immediately take over the operation of the team.

"After five years, Empire Racing and Excel Motorsports Services have separated," Empire Racing owners Sean and John Corr said. "We would like to wish John Bellesfield all the best in his future endeavors."

Established in 2009 within the ARCA Racing Series, Empire Racing started to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012 with driver Sean Corr. With the partnership of Grumpy's Performance, Inc., the team is scheduled to field a team at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with driver Jake Crum.

"We are dedicated to making our teams ultra-competitive," John Corr said. "With the introduction of Grumpy's Performance, Inc. we know that we will continue to strive for success."

Mike and Sherry Cheek founded Grumpy's Performance, Inc. in 2006 as a driver development program. In 2013, Cheek became crew chief with Empire Racing. Cheek carries with him 38-years of experience in team management, as well as organization creation and development.

"I am very excited for the future of Empire Racing and I look forward to working with the Corr family," Cheek said. "John and Sean Corr have structured a great team with their leadership. I am eager to begin the task of securing the success for Empire Racing as well as the success of the driver development program."

The team will continue to operate out of its current facility in Mooresville with the same team and crew continuing to be an integral part of Empire Racing, a division of ERG, LLC.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/empire-racing-partners-with-grumpys/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Lofton Returning To Truck Series​*
Justin Lofton will make first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2014 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 9 Qore-24 Chevrolet Silverado for NTS Motorsports.

A successful two day test at Nashville Super Speedway led to NTS Motorsports signing Lofton to compete in three races this season, beginning with Friday's N.C. Education Lottery 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Lofton is also scheduled to race Texas Motor Speedway on June 6 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 27.

Lofton won the N.C. Education Lottery 150 at CMS in 2012, his only series victory to date. Lofton will race along side Austin Dillon in the No. 20 for NTS Motorsports this Friday.

"Justin (Lofton) did a wonderful job working with us and General Motors at Nashville last month, he is a proven veteran in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and a previous winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway," said Dwayne Gaulding, NTS Motorsports general manager and vice president of operations.

Lofton will work with crew chief Ryan McKinney.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/lofton-returning-to-truck-series/


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## Ckg2011

*Burton Lands Charlotte Nationwide Seat​*
Biagi-DenBeste Racing will have two new names on track for the May 24 History 300 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway - rising-star driver Jeb Burton and new partner Kendall-Jackson AVANT wines.

The event will be Burton's second in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car and his first in 2014. He will drive the No. 98 Kendall-Jackson AVANT Ford in a first-time partnership between Biagi-DenBeste and the California winery.

The 21-year-old driver is the son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ward Burton and nephew of Sprint Cup driver Jeff Burton. Burton has already made his own name for himself, finishing fifth in the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings while capturing his first NASCAR win and seven pole positions over the course of the season. He has one previous Nationwide Series start, an eighth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway last September.

"I'm thankful to Fred, Bill, Lori and everybody for the opportunity to come drive the No. 98 car," said Burton. "I think the racing in the Nationwide Series is really good right now, and I'm excited to be a part of it. I'm also looking forward to working with Kendall-Jackson, bringing a new sponsor into the sport and having a good run for them."

"We're thrilled to have both Jeb Burton and Kendall-Jackson AVANT with us for the first time," said team co-owner Fred Biagi. "Jeb has impressed at every level he's raced, and we're excited to put that talent behind the wheel of our Ford Mustang. And with a name like Kendall-Jackson on the car, that car is going to turn some heads."

"As part of the launch for our newest line of wines, Kendall-Jackson AVANT, we're excited to partner with Jeb Burton for this race," said John Maxwell, vice president of Marketing, Kendall-Jackson. "NASCAR is a beloved sport for many Americans and we're looking forward to building awareness with NASCAR racing fans and followers."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/burton-lands-charlotte-nationwide-seat/


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## Ckg2011

*Riggs Returns To RBR Truck At CMS​*
Scott Riggs will pilot the Ricky Benton Racing Enterprises No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors/Goodyear FleetHQ/Wynn's Ford as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series goes to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the N.C. Education Lottery 200 on May 16.

Ross Chastain drove the truck at Daytona and Martinsville. The team did not enter last week's race at Kansas Speedway.

"It's good to be behind the wheel again," said Riggs. "I am very appreciative of the opportunity that Ricky (Benton) has given me to drive the truck at Charlotte. This team has improved tremendously with the switch to Ford and bringing in (crew chief) Trip (Bruce) during the offseason. I am looking forward to a strong run."

"We have had some success with Scott behind the wheel," said Benton, "and we have made some strides with our program since he was with us last fall. He is a veteran driver and I think he will give us a good idea of where we are in the development of our program."

The No. 92 will be carrying a special decal on the hood at Charlotte honoring long-time Black's Tire and RBR employee Kenny "Ace" Bullard, who passed away on May 3 after a battle with cancer.

Bullard was well known around local short tracks in North and South Carolina. He served as southeast regional manager for Black's Tire and Auto Service for 25 years.

"Kenny has been a huge part of what we have done at RBR from the beginning," said Benton, "but more importantly, he was my best friend and part of our family. He helped train my sons, Ricky, Ryan and Jeremy when they came to work at Black's Tire."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/riggs-returns-to-rbr-truck-at-cms/


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## Ckg2011

*Crew Chief Has Lesson Plan for Patrick​*
Saturday night showed Danica Patrick what's possible. This weekend, crew chief Tony Gibson wants her to show she can do even more.

Patrick's career-high seventh-place finish at Kansas Speedway was a reason to celebrate, but that time is past and the focus turns to Friday night's Sprint Showdown and, possibly, Saturday night's Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Patrick is in the Sprint Showdown and will need to either race her way into the All-Star event or win the fan vote a second consecutive year to advance.

She enters Charlotte with renewed confidence after her strong run last weekend.

"I guarantee you we're going to work even harder now,'' Patrick said after the Kansas race. "It's not just sitting back. We're going to work harder because we love where we're at and this is what we work for. When you taste it, you don't want to let it go."

Crew chief Tony Gibson was pleased with Patrick's performance but also is looking ahead. He said one area Patrick needs to improve is passing. She ranks 21st among Sprit Cup drivers in green-flag passes this season. She is ahead of some drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski, because they've been at the front so much and had fewer opportunities to pass for position. Patrick's average running position is 25.5.

"She can go out there and cut laps all day long in practice but it was like when we got around other cars that's where we struggled on passing cars,'' Gibson said. "We could take a car that was half a second faster and catch somebody and couldn't pass. Figuring out how to pass in one of these cars and passing in an IndyCar is totally different.

"She's learned a lot of that. She's gotten better at some of that. Are we 100 percent of where we need to be? No, we're probably 60 percent of where we need to be. I think that's going to come from weekends like this weekend when she was faster than guys and caught them and she thought about how to set them up and how to pass them.''

Gibson said Tony Stewart has counseled Patrick on how to race and earn respect from competitors.

"The other night when she was faster than the guys, they just moved over,'' Gibson said. "They knew she was coming. She's got to learn how to do that. When somebody is faster than us, let them have the spot and get back in line so we don't lose so much speed. All that is just experience.''

Gibson said Patrick gained valuable experience at Kansas racing toward the front and how those drivers race.

"When you're racing in the back ... you're racing for your life, you're not really learning anything,'' Gibson said. "When you get to the top 10 or top 15, you're racing better guys. You're going to learn how to be a better racer, how to pass guys and how to do things.''

Patrick said a highlight of the Kansas race was passing Jimmie Johnson on the high side on a restart.

That's another key area Gibson is seeking improvement from Patrick. He wants her to be more aggressive on restarts. Patrick ranks 32nd in the series in fastest drivers on restarts.

It's an area teammate Kevin Harvick has talked to her about.

"As she went through the weekend, she kept her track position on the restarts,'' he said. "That's probably the biggest thing. I guess the one thing I did tell her was just to quit thinking about it and smash the gas. Sometimes your car is never going to be perfect, and you just have to take what it'll give you.''

Gibson said this weekend's races will give Patrick more chances to work on her restarts with the Sprint Showdown divided into segments. She could get some extra work if she makes the All-Star race, which also is divided into segments and features restarts.

"I don't know if we're as aggressive as we need to be,'' Gibson said of Patrick's restarts. "If you're on the high side with 10 to go on a restart or any restart and there's a high line available, if you watch Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman, those guys that are the best at it, they'll jump to the high side and hold it wide open.

"They've only got to run it wide open through one corner and they'll pass eight to 10 cars. That's the kind of things I mean to be aggressive. When you see a hole, you've got to go. You can't hesitate. I think that's what she has got to be better at. The car is the best it's going to be when it has fresh tires and full of fuel ... so use that, be more more aggressive on the early part of a run, go three-wide if you have to, go to the top if you have to, don't lift if you have to.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ca-Patrick-Looks-To-Build-Off-Kansas-Run.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Vote For Danica Patrick For The 2014 Sprint All Star Race​*
Click the link and vote for Danica Patrick to be in Saturday's NASCAR Sprint All Star Race. Voting ends Friday. http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Annett Experiences Cup Learning Curve​*
Humbling. That is the word Michael Annett used to describe his first few months in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Annett made the move up to Sprint Cup during the off-season when he joined Tommy Baldwin Racing to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet SS, replacing Dave Blaney in that ride. He one of seven drivers in a stacked rookie class this year in Sprint Cup that also includes Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon.

Previously, Annett drove in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Richard Petty Motorsports. He said getting used to the change in expectations was initially a tough pill to swallow.

"The whole season has been very humbling. I think the past two years with RPM each week we went to the race track we felt like we had a chance to win races," Annett said. "That is always your main goal as a race car driver, but you have to manage expectations and set goals you can reach. I think humbling is the best word for it."

Success has been hard to come by, but for his Tommy Baldwin Racing team little steps are just as important as big ones. While many didn't expect much from Annett and company, the team has been taking small steps towards becoming more competitive.

A perfect example is last week at Kansas Speedway. Despite being caught up in an accident not of his making early in the race, Annett was able to rebound and finish 25th. While some might call 25th a disappointing finish, Annett and TBR consider it a solid day's work.

"A top-25 is the goal," Annett said. "As a race car driver I never thought I'd get excited about finishing 25th, but to hear the tone in Bono's (Manion, crew chief) voice and just to see the guys after the race with the top-25 finish, the excitement that you get from that, it is totally different from what I'm used to. But headed to the airport and on the plane home, you get that good feeling. We went there, we had a goal and we exceeded it."

In addition to the top 25 finish at Kansas, Annett has turned in two other solid performances this year at Auto Club Speedway in California (19th) and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (16th).

"This is a totally different ballgame and a totally different world," Annett said. "But when you meet those goals that we have set out I think it is almost even more special."

Annett admitted the team has been lacking in the speed department, but said he is confident the speed will come as he learns more about the car and what it takes to go fast.

"I think the biggest thing for me is when we start races or we finish practice I think the car is handling as good as it needs to. But then you get in the race and you see a good handling car and the speed they have," Annett said. "Today, we kept hearing the phrase 'just lacking a little bit of speed' and I think we're in that same boat. We need some more speed.

"Obviously there are still just things as a rookie that I need to learn about what the feel is (to go fast). If it is to be more on the edge, to be a little freer, to let the more be happier to gain that speed. It is stuff like that that I think throughout this whole year we're going to keep learning," Annett said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/annett-experiences-cup-learning-curve/


----------



## Ckg2011

*SHR Tabs Kligerman To Back Up Busch​*
Stewart-Haas Racing tabbed Parker Kligerman to serve as the backup driver for Kurt Busch in the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS during the May 16-17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, and the May 22-25 Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

Kligerman has made 10 Sprint Cup starts, 51 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, 50 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts and 23 ARCA Racing Series starts. The 23-year-old from Westport, Conn. earned a Camping World Truck Series victory in 2012 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and has nine ARCA wins, all of which came in 2009 when he finished second in the championship standings.

SHR, the title-winning Sprint Cup team co-owned by three-time series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation - the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world - selected Kligerman in the event that Busch, who is attempting to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, is unable to practice, qualify or potentially start his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet due to a schedule conflict or logistical issue.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity and want to thank everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing for entrusting me with the Haas Automation Chevy," said Kligerman, who has competed in eight Sprint Cup races in 2014. "For these next two weeks, my sole focus is to help the No. 41 team compete at a high level, no matter how big or small my role might be."

On May 25, Busch will compete in the Indianapolis 500 before getting on a plane and traveling to North Carolina to compete in the Coca-Cola 600. Practice for the Indianapolis 500 began May 11 and continues through May 16, with qualifying May 17 and Pole Day May 18.

The May 16 practice at Indianapolis conflicts with practice for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. And Indianapolis 500 qualifying on May 17 lasts until 6 p.m. ET, which makes for a short turnaround time for Busch to be back at Charlotte in time for the 7:10 p.m. qualifying session for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

The Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. on May 25, with the Coca-Cola 600 set to get underway at 6 p.m. The Indianapolis 500 should be completed at approximately 3:30 p.m., allowing Busch two-and-a-half hours to get from Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Charlotte before the green flag waves for the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the Sprint Cup schedule.

In the event Busch does not make it back to Charlotte on time, Kligerman will start the Coca-Cola 600. Upon Busch's arrival, Kligerman will yield the seat of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet to Busch, whereupon Busch will finish the race.

"Parker and I were teammates a few years ago when we were together at Penske and his feedback was always really good," Busch said. "Plus, we're built about the same, and that's really important as we don't want to have to adjust seats or pedal positions inside the racecar. I'm confident in Parker's abilities and know that my Haas Automation Chevrolet is in good hands."

Busch is a former Sprint Cup champion and has 25 career Sprint Cup victories, the most recent of which came March 30 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The victory all but assures Busch a spot in the 16-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/shr-tabs-kligerman-to-back-up-busch/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Notebook: Allgaier's Team Skipping Showdown​*
For as much as he'll hate not being on track, Justin Allgaier said it made sense for his HScott Motorsports team to skip Friday night's Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Allgaier said accidents the past two weekends - and in three of the last four races - contributed to the team's decision to skip the non-points event.

"For us, being a small independent team, obviously, the points races are the main focus,'' said Allgaier, who is 29th in points. "With crashing a couple of weeks ago at Talladega and crashing last week at Kansas, it puts a toll on a team and this is going to allow us to really hit the reset button.''

Allgaier was collected in the crash at Kansas when AJ Allmendinger spun and clipped the rear of Allgaier's car. That sent Allgaier's car up the track where David Gilliland's car slammed into it.

Allgaier said the only injury he had from that incident was a small cut on his left elbow and bruises on his left arm.

"It's crazy to think that you crash like that, jump out, walk to the ambulance and go home and wake up the next day and not even feel like you crashed,'' Allgaier said, noting the work of the safety equipment.

*Double Duty*

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series racing this weekend, eight drivers will run in multiple events. With Cup and Truck in Charlotte, the double is easy. For those competing in the Nationwide race at Iowa, the double is a bit trickier.

Ryan Blaney is among four drivers who will compete at Charlotte and Iowa this weekend. He'll be joined by Landon Cassill, JJ Yeley and Josh Wise.

Yeley is entered in all three events. He's the only driver looking to compete in each race this weekend.

Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon and Joe Nemechek are entered in the Cup and Truck events at Charlotte.

Blaney said Keselowski's plane will take him to Iowa so he can be there for Saturday's 90-minute practice session and then qualifying.

Blaney said that no one will be in the car Friday for any of the three practices at Iowa.

Dillon ran last week's Truck race at Kansas. He said he's scheduled to drive five more Truck races after Charlotte.

"It enables me to have more background going into the (Cup) race,'' Dillon said. "Even if it's something small, I feel like you can take a little bit from anything. Also I feel like when I start the Cup race (after running Trucks) I might have just a little more fire. I'm not as lackadaisical making moves, and I'm more confident in what I'm doing if I'm running two races in a weekend.''

*Fast Time*

Rain ended practice early on Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but not before Kurt Buch reached No. 2 on the speed chart with a lap of 224.159 mph - the fastest he's gone in an IndyCar.

Busch's lap ranks third overall through three days of practice. Qualifications will be this weekend.

Busch is looking to become the fourth driver to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, joining John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart.

*Pit Stops*

Jimmie Johnson has the most All-Star victories with four, including the past two. ... Joey Logano has an average finish of 4.3 in three All-Star races, the best average among active drivers. ... Five drivers have won the All-Star race and the series title in the same year with Johnson the last to do it in 2013.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Justin-Allgaier-To-Skip-Sprint-Showdown.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Time to Recharge, Re-Evaluate​*
NASCAR All-Star Weekend provides a timely break from the regular-season schedule, giving a number of drivers the opportunity to re-evaluate things.

The regular season is nearing the halfway mark with race No. 11 in the books last Saturday night at Kansas Speedway. Things haven't gone as well as some thought they would when the bell rang at Daytona back in February:

*Clint Bowyer*

Last week was great for Bowyer ... at least leading up to Saturday night's 5-hour ENERGY 400 at his home track in Kansas City. He signed a contract extension to remain at Michael Waltrip racing for the immediate future and sponsor 5-hour inked a new deal to continue backing the No. 15 Toyota. Bowyer and his new wife also announced that the couple is expecting their first child later this year. Unfortunately, once the green flag fell in the race, there wasn't much else for Bowyer to get excited about. He struggled throughout the night and dropped to 20th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. Bowyer has managed only one top-five and three top-10 finishes this year, and is in desperate need of a strong outing very soon.

*Tony Stewart*

He showed some life in the second Kansas practice session after a dismal performance in the opening round Friday afternoon. There was a little speed in the No. 14 Chevrolet during qualifying and the race but ultimately, Stewart was never a threat to win. A pair of top fives and four top-10 finishes are what Stewart has to show for his effort in the opening 11 races this season. While his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, already have wins, Stewart is still struggling to run in the front half of the field most weeks.

*Jamie McMurray*

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver made a fiery exit from Saturday night's race in Kansas. After cutting a tire and slamming the Turn-3 wall, McMurray's Chevrolet made it to pit road on fire - triggering a scary moment that fortunately didn't end in injury. It ruined a decent night for McMurray up to that point but compounded a frustrating season that has so far netted only a pair of top-10 performances. McMurray's CGR teammate, Kyle Larson, is turning heads while crew members on the No. 1 team are scratching theirs trying to figure out how to right the ship heading into the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

Save the comparisons between Stenhouse and his girlfriend, Danica Patrick. What really matters is how the Roush Fenway Racing driver is doing in his sophomore Sprint Cup Series season after capturing Rookie of the Year honors last season. He's 25th in the standings, just about mirroring what Stenhouse was able to accomplish last year. Overall, RFR is looking for a boost and Stenhouse needs to provide it with better runs as the summer stretch unfolds.

*Martin Truex Jr.*

The Furniture Row Racing team may be the biggest disappointment of the season so far. The success of Kurt Busch and the "Cinderella Story" of a year ago has been replaced by what feels like a weekly dose of frustration, mechanical issues, crashes and bad luck. Truex had a top-10 run a couple races ago, but the No. 78 again was uncompetitive last week in Kansas. He's 26th in the point standings with only that top 10 and a Daytona 500 front-row starting spot as highlights. That's a far cry from what was being accomplished by this underdog team at this time last year.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's 30th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Racing beginning at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/05/Time-to-Recharge-Reevaluate.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Making Changes To Pit Road Officiating​*
NASCAR will use its automated pit officiating technology next season, becoming the first sport to use technology to officiate each of its events. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president of racing operations, made the announcement Wednesday at a conference in Boston.

O'Donnell spoke at Front End of Innovation, a conference bringing together industry executives, practitioners, academics and experts in innovation, product development and research and development.

"Innovation helps drive NASCAR, and it is central to the sport's evolution," O'Donnell said. "There are several examples of it improving the sport, none more recent - and impressive - than Air Titan 2.0. The next wave of NASCAR innovation is the pit road officiating technology, which will increase the overall quality of in-race officiating."

The pit road technology will employ numerous video cameras, which will be mounted to inspect and gather data - in real time - from all areas of pit road. Following O'Donnell's overview of the new system, he discussed future incarnations, including the use of the collected data to improve the fan experience while in the stands at-track or watching at home on television.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Technology-To-Officiate-Pit-Road-In-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sprint Showdown Results​*
Clint Bowyer has just won the Sprint Showdown and will be in tomorrow nights Sprint All Star Race. Bowyer won both segments on the Showdown and had the fastest car on track.

Finishing second and in the finial transfer spot was A.J. Allmendinger. Dinger will be in tomorrow nights Sprint All Star Race as well.

In a surprise vote Josh Wise has won the fan vote to get the finial spot in the All Star Race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harraka Joins TriStar For Dover​*
TriStar Motorsports has added Paulie Harraka to their driver line-up starting with the Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket at Dover Int'l Speedway on May 31.

Harraka will pilot the No. 44 Toyota Camry with the Delaware Office of Highway Safety as the primary sponsor.

Harraka is a graduate of Duke University and an alumnus of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. With four previous Nationwide Series starts, the Wayne, New Jersey native is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the No. 44 TriStar Motorsports Camry.

"Dover is about as close to home as it gets for me, so there's no better place to make my debut with TriStar Motorsports," said Harraka. "We have dedicated a lot of time to put this all together, and we want to make the most of it. I'm excited to be working with Mark, Greg and the entire team, and can't wait to hit the race track."

On board as the primary sponsor for the No. 44 Toyota Camry at Dover Int'l Speedway will be the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and their "Click It or Ticket" campaign. The OHS and the "Click It or Ticket" campaign encourages drivers and passengers to wear their seat belts at all times.

"The Office of Highway Safety is thrilled to have a new partner in traffic safety with Paulie Harraka and TriStar Motorsports," said Alison Kirk, community relations officer for OHS. "We have a great weekend lined up with Paulie and the team to bring seat belt safety education and outreach to fans at the Monster Mile. We appreciate the support that they are giving us to share the Buckle Up message in the racing community and look forward to this new partnership."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/harraka-joins-tristar-for-dover/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Paces All-Star Practice​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. found his groove late in Sprint All-Star practice on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Earnhardt's 193.562 mile-per-hour lap in the closing stages of practice put his No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet at the top of the speed chart.

The 2000 All-Star Race winner hovered around 14th for part of practice, before a final five-lap run produced the fastest time in the 85-minute session.

"There's a lot of money on the line this weekend, which is basically all we're racing for," said Earnhardt, who punched his ticket to the All-Star Race by winning the Daytona 500 in February.

"There's a lot to be learned, too. You try to pay attention to what you're doing and what you're feeling in the car, so you can use those notes for next week (in the Coca-Cola 600.) There's a lot to be learned."

Brian Vickers was second in the session, followed by Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle.

Ryan Newman, points leader Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top 10.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/earnhardt-jr-paces-all-star-practice/


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## Ckg2011

*What Else Is New​*
Kyle Busch dominates and wins tonight's N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Series points leader Matt Crafton finished second.

Tonight's race was a crash fest, including a blatant take out by Jake Crum and Ryan Ellis. Jack turned Ryan on the back straight. We will have to wait and see if NASCAR hands down any penalties on Tuesday.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Look At What Tony Stewart Did​*
With one simple, sarcastic comment, Tony Stewart joined social media and tweeted Friday evening.

"Ok so here it is,'' Stewart tweeted from his account @TonyStewart, "I'm doing my part to combat global warming because now that I'm officially tweeting, hell is freezing over!''

Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that it was indeed Stewart tweeting.

Stewart had 186,419 followers when he tweeted. Within about 25 minutes, his list of followers increased by about 7,000 as word began to spread.

Fellow drivers were quick to react to Stewart's action.

Kurt Busch tweeted: "@TonyStewart this is an epidemic like babies in the coach lot. First @DaleJr now you.''

Tweeted Brad Keselowski: @TonyStewart welcome

Earnhardt tweeted a thumbs up to Stewart's tweet and added in a second tweet: "Stick around man, you'll like ths place.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Tony-Stewart-Tweets.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Hello, Newman!' Look Who's Eighth in Points​*
NASCAR's annual break for the Sprint All-Star Race gives teams and drivers relief from the pursuit of points.

Winning is what matters most &#8230; in determining eligibility for the race and again once the green flag falls Saturday night in the 30th running of the non-points special event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

But for Richard Childress Racing's Ryan Newman, it's those Sprint Cup Series point standings that are most likely responsible for the spring in his step and the smile on his face these days.

Newman - nicknamed NASCAR's "Rocket Man" for collecting 51 poles in his career - has climbed into the top 10 through the first 11 races of the year and sits eighth at the break, just eight points behind defending Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

So much for those anticipated growing pains as Newman transitioned from Stewart-Haas Racing in 2013 to RCR for the 2014 campaign. He made it clear from Day 1 this year that he was not making the change with a chip on his shoulder.

"I have nothing to prove this year from any other year, other than achieving my goal: winning the Sprint Cup championship," Newman said during January's pre-season media tour. "There's nothing I have to prove to anybody else but myself."

Based on results from the first 11 races of the season, he's satisfied with his progress in new surroundings. Back-to-back seventh-place finishes at Phoenix and Las Vegas in early March helped Newman crack the top 10, where's he's been a fairly regular occupant in the weeks since in the No. 31 Chevrolet.

His lofty status in the standings has enabled him to exhale a bit and enjoy this weekend's All-Star Race for what it is.

"I approach it like all the other races. It's a race to win," said Newman, who won the event in 2002 en route to Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series. "It does carry a little more bragging rights to it. And there's a million bucks on the line, so I wouldn't mind earning that payday."

He earned the winner's trophy 12 years ago, passing Tony Stewart for the lead early in the final segment and then holding off a late charge from Dale Earnhardt Jr. The margin of victory was a mere 0.158 seconds. The winning payout then was $750,000.

"Regardless of the format or how the fans vote, the race provides you with a fair chance to win and that's why it's a lot of fun,""Newman said. "It's like a championship. Everyone has a chance. You just have to beat all the other guys doing it."

For Saturday night's race, there'll be 21 "other guys" to beat &#8230; or more accurately, 20 other guys and one girl. It's likely that Danica Patrick, one of the sport's most popular drivers, will be voted into the All-Star Race by the fans if she is not one of the two top finishers in the preliminary Sprint Showdown.

And Newman likes the fact that Saturday's race will be a "home game" for himself and his fellow competitors.

"That's what makes our All-Star race special," he said. "We're racing in front of the hometown crowd. Other sports travel somewhere different every year. We stay in Charlotte and it's cool to be able to do that."

Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice Friday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the 30th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Hello-Newman-Look-Whos-Eighth-in-Points.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*All-Star Story Lines​*
This is new territory for Matt Kenseth. Only one other time since 2009 has Kenseth gone this far into the season with winning a Sprint Cup points race.

Even if he wins tonight's Sprint All-Star race, his winless drought in points races won't change. Still, no race takes place in a vacuum. While it might be easy to be impatient, Kenseth says a team can't afford to do that.

"For some reason it seems like most of my wins have come early in the season, although last year they were spread out pretty good,'' Kenseth said. "You do the best you can every week and try to get the best result you can get every week and you hope that's good enough to get a win. If it's not, you finish as high as you can and move on to the next week. It's something you can't really force. I think when you start thinking about it too much and worrying about it too much and changing what you're doing then that's usually when you have more troubles."

Last season, Kenseth had three of his seven wins by this point in the season. That makes this year seem somewhat bleak even though Kenseth is second in the points and has six top-10 finishes in the last seven races.

"I don't think things are going bad,'' Kenseth said. "I think we need to be running a little bit better. Last week was a struggle, but before that I felt like we were making some progress on it.''

Tonight's race could be the perfect remedy for his team. Kenseth has seven consecutive top-10 finishes in the All-Star race.

Here are other story lines for tonight's race:

*Don't Ignore ...*

Brad Keselowski has led more laps on 1.5-mile tracks this season than every driver but teammate Joey Logano and could be a threat tonight.

Keselowski, who won at Las Vegas earlier this season, has led 151 laps on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Logano has led 215 laps on 1.5-mile tracks (Las Vegas, Texas and Kansas).

Things might only get better for Keselowski.

"I'm thrilled with my car,'' Keselowski said Friday. "It's probably the best racecar I've ever had, hands down, compared to the field based on practice time.''

Keselowski had the best average speed in a 10-lap run at 189.004. Second was Jimmie Johnson at 187.823 mph. Understand that practice was during the day in different conditions than tonight. Still, Keselowski could be one to keep aware of during the race.

*Kurt Busch*

He spent half of Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway qualifying for next weekend's Indianapolis 500 before he flew Charlotte for the All-Star race. This is a mini-double compared to what he'll attempt next week. Parker Kligerman drove Busch's Cup car in practice Friday. It will be interesting to see how Busch does Saturday night.

*Pit Road*

This could be where tonight's race is won. Teams must make a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final 10-lap segment. How cars exit pit road is how they'll be aligned for that sprint.

Track position could be critical. Jimmie Johnson exited pit road second in last year's race. He took the lead on the restart and led the final 10 laps to win. Johnson held the lead exiting pit road before the final 10-lap segment in 2012 and led the final 10 races to also win that race.

See a trend? A driver likely will need to be on the front row for the final restart to have a strong chance of winning.

"It's going to be a tough race,'' Keselowski said. "It's hard to get the Cup cars in the All-Star race to get the second and third groove going. Whoever gets the lead on the start can run the bottom and take the air away. If you can get the lead in the closing laps, unless that guy behind you is about half a second faster, you're not going to get passed.''

*Know The Rules*

The All-Star race features five segments. The first four segments are 20 laps each. The final segment is 10 laps.

All laps count in the first four segments. Only green-flag laps count in the final 10-lap segment.

The running order at end of fourth segment will be based on average finish in the first four segments. That's how they will line up behind the pace car before they go to pit road for their mandatory four-tire pit stop.

How they exit pit road is how the field will align for the final segment.

*Josh Wise*

He finished 18th in the Sprint Showdown but the Reddit/Dogecoin community rewarded him by giving him the fan vote to make tonight's race. Don't expect him to contend for the win, but just being a part of this event is a win for this low-budget team. Who knows? Maybe tonight's exposure will help Phil Parsons Racing find more sponsorship.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the 30th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/All-Star-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opportunity for Turner Scott Duo​*
A pair of Turner Scott Motorsports drivers will have their chance to make their mark in Sunday's Get to Know Newton 250 Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway.

The entry list for the first of two visits to the 7/8-mile short track this season is without an influx of Sprint Cup Series interlopers. That will provide an opportunity for Nationwide Series regulars as well as other drivers to get a shot at running in NASCAR's number two division a chance to shine.

Turner Scott Motorsports has a pair of drivers hoping to do just that with Dylan Kwasniewski and Chase Pistone set to pilot a pair of Camaros on Sunday.

Kwasniewski will move over to the No. 42 entry that Kyle Larson has piloted for the bulk of the early season. With Larson's Nationwide Series schedule scaling back to allow more time and focus in the Chip Ganassi Racing Sprint Cup Series Target No. 42, Kwasniewski gets a shot at driving the potent ride.

"I'm looking forward to getting back on the track and getting behind the wheel of the No. 42 car this weekend in Iowa," said Kwasniewski, who was involved in a crash the last time the series competed two weeks ago at Talladega. "With Larson fulfilling his Cup duties this weekend in Charlotte, it will be a great learning experience working with Scott Zipadelli and his crew."

Kwasniewski is a graduate of the K&N Pro Series and has a pair of Iowa wins to his credit in the division. He's hoping that experience will be beneficial in his Nationwide effort Sunday.

"I really enjoy short-track racing and especially running at Iowa Speedway," he said. "I've had some success there in the K&N Series, so hopefully that will help us out this weekend. Scott and the guys have worked really hard to prepare a great racecar for me this weekend and I think we have a great shot at bringing the up & up by Target Chevy home with a great finish."

Kwasniewski's teammate Pistone also has previous experience at Iowa as he readies for a first career Nationwide Series start on Sunday. He's competed in an ARCA race and made a pair of Pro Cup Series starts at the track.

"I think this opportunity will provide me with crucial experience that I can apply to my Truck Series schedule, as well as future Nationwide Series races," said Pistone. "I've had some good runs at Iowa before but this will be my first Nationwide start at the track. I'm excited to work with (crew chief) Pat Tryson and the entire TSM crew, and think that Dylan [Kwasniewski] can even teach me a thing or two about this track since he's had so much success in the past."

Pistone scored a 13th place finish in his Camping World Truck Series season debut with NTS Motorsports at Martinsville back in March. He'll compete with that team 13 more times this year and veteran crew chief Tryson was impressed with his Martinsville performance.

"Chase had a great run at Martinsville Speedway in the Truck Series and I think his previous experience at Iowa Speedway will help him tremendously," said Tryson. "I enjoy working with young talent. I think we'll all learn some things from this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/05/Opportunity-for-Turner-Duo.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stick with the Plan​*
Although 18-year-old Chase Elliott leads the Nationwide point standings and has two wins in his rookie season, co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said that Elliott should not be rushed to the Sprint Cup Series.

Elliott has impressed observers this season, scoring wins at Darlington Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway. The son of former NASCAR champion Bill Elliiott has seven top-10 finishes in the first nine races, heading into Sunday's race at Iowa Speedway. Elliott was the fastest in the first practice session Friday at Iowa.

Elliott's success with Earnhardt's JR Motorsports team has led to questions about if Elliott should move to Cup after this season.

Earnhardt said there should not be any changes to Elliott's progression despite the fast start.

"I think you set a plan from the start and you stick with it,'' Earnhardt said Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "We have like a two-year plan that he runs in the Nationwide Series. I think you've just got to stick with the plan regardless of the success he's having.

"We've got the proper commitments in line with sponsors. I think it will suite him well to relax and not have to worry about that and just follow the plan he's had in front of him since the start. He's really young. He's got a lot of time to get to the Cup level and realize that potential one day. I think he can just sit there and relax, knowing what we set out to do from the start and not really adjust.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/05/Two-Year-Plan-for-Chase-Elliott.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Nationwide Series Heads to Iowa​*
The NASCAR Nationwide Series makes the first of two visits to Iowa Speedway for this Sunday's running of the Get to Know Newton 250.

The 7/8-mile track located just East of Des Moines, Iowa has quickly become a favorite of both drivers and fans since it first opened back in 2009. Brad Keselowski won that opening race and added another victory to his resume last August.

But while Kyle Busch added his name to the Iowa win column in 2010, for the most part Nationwide Series regulars have ruled at the track. Two-time series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won three straight races while Elliott Sadler and last year's winner Trevor Bayne have also crossed the finish line first at the track.

"I'm definitely excited to be heading back to Iowa, especially with our teams' past history there," said Bayne, who took over the ride previously held by Stenhouse Jr. when he moved to the Sprint Cup Series. "The No. 6 Ford always seems to run pretty strong there, which makes me confident that we can continue to carry the torch this weekend and get back to Victory Lane."

Bayne won last year's race on the heels of getting married and has another personal incentive to win again Sunday.

"Plus, with my wife's birthday this weekend, there's a little more pressure added since we seem to run well on special occasions," he laughed. "But overall, I'm just really looking forward to getting back to Iowa and having a strong run with the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Mustang."

Series point leader Sadler had a strong run at the last event two weeks ago in Talladega. Although the 2.66-mile Alabama track is completely different than the short track in Iowa, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver does feel momentum can carry over from his most recent success.

"Words can't explain on how happy I was to win at Talladega," said Sadler. "It felt so good to get a win for my sponsor, OneMain Financial, and for Coach Joe Gibbs.

"We are all looking directly forward to this week's race at Iowa Speedway. It has definitely been a great track for us in the past, and this OneMain Financial team is looking forward to a great weekend."

But Sadler sees some challenges ahead for Sunday's race specifically in terms of track conditions. The severe and harsh midwestern winter has impacted the speedway's racing surface and definitely created much conversation among competitors.

"A big topic that you will hear this weekend is the feel of the track," said Sadler. "Iowa Speedway has always been a bumpy track and a lot of the bumps, which is where a large majority of the patches are on the lower driving lanes. Good thing for me in the past I've been successful running the higher lanes above where most of the bumps and patches are located."

Regan Smith knows all about dealing with bumps at Iowa, but not necessarily of the track surface variety. The JR Motorsports driver has had fast race cars in recent visits to Iowa, but mechanical problems, other challenges and even some plain old bad luck have added up to work against him. 
But Smith is confident with experience on his side and the way his team has been running in the early portion of the season, he can be an impact player on Sunday.

"Heading into this race last year, I didn't know what to expect," said Smith. "I had never raced at Iowa or even seen the track before so it was new for me. Now after having raced there twice last season, I can tell you it's a fantastic track.

"It's extremely racy. It's called a short track but with the speeds we carry there, it's almost like a speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/05/Nationwide-Series-Heads-to-Iowa.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Additions To Nationwide, Truck Schedules?​*
NASCAR Chairman Brian France says he could see a second Camping World Truck race on dirt and said series officials have talked about a Nationwide All-Star event.

France made those comments Thursday in an interview with the Des Moines Register.

France talked to Iowa media in anticipation of Iowa Speedway - purchased in November by NASCAR - hosting the Nationwide Series this weekend.

On the issue of a Nationwide All-Star race, France told the newspaper: "We've talked about the (Nationwide) all-star event for a long time. We just haven't found the right combination of venue or whatever.''

Asked if Iowa Speedway is in that discussion, France told the newspaper: "Yes, of course it is.''

France also was asked about the Trucks running on the dirt at Knoxville Raceway. The Trucks ran on dirt last year at Eldora Speedway in Ohio and return there July 23.

France told the newspaper "I could" see the Trucks running in Knoxville.

"I think they were successful (at Eldora) and surprised a lot of people. I thought it was good.''

France reaffirmed that NASCAR is not looking at putting a Sprint Cup race at Iowa Speedway.

"We just don't have a focus on that at all,'' France told the Des Moines Register. "Our focus is to get the facility managed in a different way.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...About-Nationwide-All-Star-Event-And-More.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Concrete Carl Wins All Star Pole Award​*
Carl Edwards wins the pole for tonight's NASCAR Sprint All Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Carl Edwards won the pole in 2013's All Star race and finished in the 10th position.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Mac Is Big Money In All Star Race​*
On NASCAR's All Star night Jamie McMurray is the one who is standing tall and is a million dollars richer.

McMurray fought and clawed his way to the lead and during the final 10 lap segment. McMurray went the outside and took the lead from pole sitter Carl Edwards. Once McMurray took the lead he set sail and drove away.

Edwards got passed by Kevin Harvick, Harvick started to eat into McMurray's lead but he ran out time and Big Mac is big money. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the sight of Jamie McMurray's very first Sprint CUP Series win. As a fill in driver for Sterling Marlin and car owner Chip Ganassi. Who Jamie now drives for.

Up next for the CUP Series is the Coke Cola 600 next Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Hornish Iowa Winner​*
Sam Hornish Jr. turned in a dominating performance to win Sunday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Get to Know Newton 250 at Iowa Speedway.

Hornish led 167 laps on his way to his third career series win and his first behind the wheel of the Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Toyota. He became the sixth different winner at Iowa Speedway and the eighth of the 2014 season.

"I knew this would be a great opportunity for me," Hornish said, who has a seven race deal this season with JGR. "I know it's seven races, but it's also seven chances to win, every time you get into the car."

Hornish started from outside the front row and quickly showed he was a force to be reckoned with by leading the early laps of the race. The day's run made him more excited for his five other opportunities this season with the team.

"It's just awesome," Hornish said. "To get out there and get in this car seven times a year, we take advantage of it. We got a pole at Talladega, finished fifth and then we did what we had to do today. 
"When it got down to the end of the race, I just drove my guts out to try and get us a lead. It was just an awesome day."

Ryan Blaney, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five.

"Just didn't' have enough there at the end, " said a dejected Blaney, who started the race from the pole. "Our car was good but just not good enough today, but proud of this Discount Tire Mustang team and every at Team Penske for the effort today."

Smith and his JR Motorsports teammate Elliott gave the team a solid day with a pair of top-five finishes.

"We were just struggling all day long for clean air," Smith said. "We had two of our (JR Motorsports) cars in the top-five. You can't be mad about that."

Elliott, who graduated from high school earlier this weekend, came into the race as the series point leader and remained there after his performance.

"We just kept having to play catch-up all day," Elliott said. "This Nationwide Series is tough. Our program needs a little work. We'll go back and work on it and get ready for next week at Charlotte."

Brian Scott, Michael McDowell, Ty Dillon, defending race winner Trevor Bayne and Landon Cassill completed the first ten finishers.

McDowell tried to steal the show with a two-tire stop when the leaders came to pit road under caution on lap 215. But fresh tires proved to be the difference and McDowell was methodically run down by Hornish, who jumped into the top spot on a lap 229 final restart.

Elliott has a two-point lead over Sadler and Smith in the standings.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.

*Final Laps of Get To Know Newton 250*​ 




*Victory Lane Celebration​* 




*Post Race Reaction​* 




*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=43&RaceID=6503&StatType=Race+Results

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/05/Hornish-Iowa-Winner.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Calls Indy Qualifying 'Hair-Raising'​*
Kurt Busch narrowly missed a chance Saturday to make a run at the pole for the Indianapolis 500 but said he's pleased with how well his week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has gone.

Busch seeks to become the fourth driver to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, joining John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart.

Busch made two qualifying attempts Saturday at Indianapolis before flying to Charlotte for the Sprint All-Star race. Busch said it took him 91 minutes from leaving the Indianapolis garage to arriving in the Charlotte garage, giving him a test run of what to expect next weekend.

The top nine qualifiers at Indy are eligible to compete for the pole Sunday. Busch was 10th on the speed chart with a four-lap average of 229.960 mph. Sunday, he must qualify again - as all the field must - to determine starting spots. Because Busch is not in the top nine, he can start no better than 10th for that race.

"It's a lot of fun to qualify into the Indianapolis 500,'' Busch said Saturday at Charlotte. "I was hoping for a little more.''

Busch spent most of the past week at Indianapolis practicing. That's key because of the limited time available to practice at Indy before the race. After Sunday, the track is open for practice Monday and then only for an hour on Friday before the 500.

"Each day is a lesson, learning what I can do to advance with the car,'' Busch said. "Andretti Autosport is a very experienced team and my inexperience will hold us at that last little bit. Each day there have been nice improvements. It's hard to know what to expect.''

Busch said running laps at 230 mph has been exciting.

"It's a hair-raising experience to put a car on edge for four laps,'' he said. "I had three what I felt were moments in the car. If I had a fourth, I might not be here.''

As for the 500 next week?

"It's anybody's race,'' he said. "We have to position ourselves for not making mistakes, stay away from mistakes on pit road and then to earn the ... respect (from competitors).''

As for Saturday's All-Star race, Busch said he would use the first 20-lap segment to "settle into the car" since has not been in it since last weekend's race at Kansas Speedway. Parker Kligerman practiced Busch's car Friday.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the 30th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/Kurt-Busch-Talks-About-Indy-Experience.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wise, Team Earn Big Payday​*
Josh Wise would have liked to have rewarded the fans who voted him into Saturday night's Sprint All-Star race, but there was only so much he could do with his car's handling.

"We were industrial-strength tight, so it was not what we hoped for by any means,'' Wise said after his 15th-place finish in his first all-star appearance "We were able to miss wrecks and stuff and finish a little better by doing that but didn't have the speed we wanted for sure.''

Wise said the wrecks, which eliminated Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle, among others, were in front of him but he didn't have too close of a call avoiding those incidents.

"I wanted to be more aggressive but our speed didn't really allow me to,'' Wise said. "There were a few restarts where I tried to be kind of aggressive and get in there but we would get so tight after three or four or five laps, it didn't leave us with much of a fighting chance.

"We definitely learned a lot for next week, so that was productive. It's always good to be in a racecar.''

This race wasn't as much about results for the underfunded Phil Parsons Racing team, though. Wise and the team collected $86,411 for their All-Star performance. Add the $26,962 the team earned in Friday night's Sprint Showdown and it made for a weekend haul of $113,373 - more than their winnings for any race this season except the Daytona 500.

"It's been great,'' Wise said of his all-star experience. "For us, it's a big deal to get this kind of exposure and attention as a smaller team. It's been a fun two months building this relationship with the Dogecoin people and everyone at Reddit. Just excited that we had this little bit of support and momentum with this. Hopefully, it can materialize into some consistent sponsorship for us so we can continue to build our program and run better.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wise-Places-15th-In-First-All-Star-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kahne Frustrated With NASCAR​*
Kasey Kahne watched $1 million slide away in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star race when he said a patch of oil sent him into the wall.

Kahne won two of the first three 20-lap segments before pancaking the wall and ruining his chances for the win in the fourth segment. Instead, he finished 14th, while Jamie McMurray won the race.

"NASCAR just didn't clean the track,'' Kahne said in the garage after the race. "They cleaned it after that session. (Ryan) Newman hit it harder than I did. I hit it right behind him. We're trying to race. These short runs, you've got to go, go, go and the track is not capable. I don't mean to point too many fingers. That's not our deal, that's their deal.''

Kahne said the oil came from the incident with Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle earlier in the fourth segment.

"They put speedy dry down and they didn't clean it off and you could also see the oil through the speedy dry,'' said Kahne, who led 20 of the race's 90 laps. "When we got up there, we're all racing two or three-wide. That's where I ended up and Newman and we shot into the wall like we hit ice. They cleaned it after the fact.''

NASCAR issued a statement in response to Kahne's comments, stating: "The caution came out and the track had oil and debris on the surface in Turn 4 onto pit road. Oil was covered up by two clean up trucks and broomed in by the same. Vacuumed up and then blown by jets. Competitors drove past the area in question twice at reduced speed under caution. No drivers or crew chiefs passed along any reservations of the restorations. NASCAR Officials in the pace car confirmed the track was ready. The race was restarted.''

His car damaged, Kahne hit the wall again at the end of the fourth segment and wasn't a factor in the final segment.

While frustrated with how his race ended, Kahne feels good about how he ran.

"We just build on what we had here,'' he said. "We had a great engine. We had a real fast car. We have another one sitting in the garage at (Hendrick Motorsports). I feel great about next week.''

He finished third last weekend at Kansas Speedway and was strong Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a track he excels.

So, have the last two weeks been a case of running well at tracks he's good at or is there something different with this team lately?

"Four weeks ago, we wouldn't have run good at either of these tracks,'' Kahne said. "We just didn't have the speed. We did some testing prior to Richmond. We ran in the top seven throughout the entire race and ended up in the back because of other things on pit road.

"We just made gains as a team, some things that I needed to feel better in the car and it's helped a lot. Everybody has stepped up a little bit at the same time. The car is definitely driving faster, better than what it was a month ago.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kasey-Kahne-Frustrated-After-Hitting-Oil.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray Wins All-Star Race​*
At the same track he scored his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win, Jamie McMurray pulled away from the field in the final segment to win Saturday night's Sprint All-Star race.

McMurray won after a spirited battle with Carl Edwards at the beginning of the final segment and cruised to a $1 million payday.

"It was three or four of the hardest laps I've ever driven,'' McMurray said.

Kevin Harvick finished second and was followed by Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Edwards.

Kurt Busch, who qualified for the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the day, finished 11th. Clint Bowyer, who won Friday's Sprint Showdown, finished seventh. Josh Wise, who won the fan vote, finished 15th.

McMurray won an aggressive race that saw three-wide racing and a few crashes, which ended the race for Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr.

McMurray adds to a resume that includes a Daytona 500 win and a Brickyard 400 win. He also scored his third career victory at Charlotte. His first victory came at this track in 2002 in his second career series start, replacing an injured Sterling Marlin.

"This is just really an awesome moment,'' McMurray said. "It's so much different than winning the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard because there are no points, and I think the mentality going into that last segment is just all or nothing. That was my thought process. I am like, I don't really care if we wreck, I don't care what happens, I'm racing for a million dollars.''

Others were not as fortunate. Kasey Kahne, who won two of the first three segments, hit the wall in the fourth segment after he said he ran over oil from an earlier incident. He finished 14th.

Kyle Busch won the opening segment, passing Edwards for the lead halfway through the 20-lap run. Busch didn't make it through the second segment. He ran into the back of Clint Bowyer's car, trigging an accident that collected Joey Logano.

"Kurt (Busch) got real bottled up on the outside and slowed down so I knew I was clear to go to the bottom and swoop down and try to get underneath Bowyer,'' Kyle Busch said. "When I did, he blocked me and I hit him and he got squirrely and then I was still under him and it hit me and turned me around the wrong way on the backstretch and got in the outside wall.''

Said Logano: "They were just crashing in front of me. I thought he was going to stay up by the wall and he started coming down. I was in the wrong spot and I couldn't get low enough quick enough as quick as he was coming down."

Gordon's race ended in the fourth segment when his car headed toward the wall in Turn 3 and slowed. Truex was behind and ran into the back of Gordon's car and Biffle hit the back of Truex's car.

"Something broke, I'm not exactly sure what,'' Gordon said. "I was just going down the backstraightaway going into Turn 3 and I just felt something in the front end give. As I got to the corner, the car went straight.''

This marks the eighth consecutive year that Gordon failed to finish in the top 10 in this race.

*How McMurray won:* Crew chief Keith Rodden didn't have McMurray pit after the second segment when most of the field did, putting McMurray in the lead. The team changed only two tires after the third segment to stay near the front and used that track position to be in position to be in a position to win.

*What else happened:* Fans saw perhaps the best one-on-one battle this season with Jamie McMurray and Carl Edwards battling for the lead at the beginning of the final segment.

*Who else had a good night:* Kevin Harvick placed second and Matt Kenseth was third, scoring his eighth consecutive top-10 finish in this race.

*Who had a bad night:* Jeff Gordon had a strong car but said he got stuck behind Denny Hamlin in the second segment and then had something break on the car in the third segment, sending him into the wall. It marked the eighth consecutive year he's failed to finish in the top 10 in this race. ... Kasey Kahne won two of the first three segments but hit the wall twice in the fourth segment, ruining his chances. He blamed oil on the track for sending him into the wall the first time.

*Quote of the day:* "Jamie did a perfect job,'' Carl Edwards said of his late-race battle with McMurray for the lead.

*Other notables:* Fan vote winner Josh Wise finished 15th, helping his underfunded team collect $113,373 for the weekend.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/05/McMurray-Wins-All-Star-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Resilient McMurray Bounces Back Again​*
He cried when he first won. He's endured droughts and self-doubt. He's celebrated at some of NASCAR's most famous races.

There's been little middle ground in Jamie McMurray's NASCAR Sprint Cup career.

Although he's never made the Chase, his win in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star race makes him one of seven drivers to score victories in the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the all-star race in their career, joining a list that includes Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon but not Tony Stewart or Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.

"I've had the absolute best moments of my career, and I've had some really tough times,'' McMurray said. "It's hard, but you just have to believe that you get in the right position.''

That seems to be back with his former boss. Chip Ganassi surprised many by signing McMurray in 2002 and then McMurray shocked the sport by winning in his second Cup start as a fill-in for injured Sterling Marlin at Charlotte.

That was McMurray's lone Cup win with the team before leaving for Roush Fenway Racing in 2006. Four seasons there produced only two wins and McMurray returned to Ganassi's stable.

Although he's won more since returning, McMurray also faced more struggles. He followed his three-win season in 2010 by finishing 27th in the points and 21st in the points the next two seasons, as Ganassi's cars were not fast. It has been a slow progression but performance improved last year and this year.

Hungry to win again, McMurray showed what he could do in a thrilling duel at the start of the final segment Saturday night with Carl Edwards.

They restarted on the front row with Edwards on the bottom lane. Edwards had his moment to take control and didn't.

"I had him cleared for a minute,'' Edwards said. "If I would have pulled in front of him in Turn 1, if I would have gone high, I think we would have won that race, but I was just so reluctant to give up the bottom.''

They nearly touched off Turn 4 and again down the frontstretch when Edwards moved slightly ahead on the bottom lane. McMurray had the avenue he needed to take the lead exiting Turn 2.

"It's three or four of the hardest laps I've ever driven in my racing career, and it's one of those memories that I hope I never forget,'' said McMurray, who collected $1,035,734 for the victory. "I have such a clear vision of those three or four laps with (Edwards) being on the inside of me, and it's what we wake up every single day and live for is to get to be put in that exact position.''

It's that type of drive McMurray has needed throughout a career that has featured peaks and valleys.

"It's really hard, I won't lie,'' McMurray said. "I feel like I'm harder on myself probably than anyone else is, and when you go through the garage and you look at drivers who are with really good teams, some of them are having bad years, and if you think that they're not doubting their ability or down on themselves, they are, because that's just the way our sport works. I think when you're not doing well, you always wonder if you're capable of competing at this level.''

How McMurray has dealt with those times had made Ganssi more fond of his driver.

"The ups and downs and the mental side of the sport can be very difficult,'' Ganassi said. "I think Jamie has shown great resilience over the years to hang in there and perform at a high level when the opportunity presents itself.''

This year also has had its challenges. While new crew chief Keith Rodden has helped make McMurray's car fast at times, McMurray hasn't always had the finishes. He has not had a top-10 finish in a points race since placing sixth at Auto Club Speedway in late March.

"I texted Keith last week, and I'm like, keep your head up ... our cars are really fast, and that's the hardest part of our sport is to have fast cars,'' McMurray said. "Good luck, bad luck, that happens, but if your cars are slow, that's hard to fix in a short amount of time, and we've had awesome cars.''

He experienced another special moment Saturday.

"It's tough when things are going bad, but I've got to live some of the greatest victories that you can have in this sport,'' he said. "It's unbelievable.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-Has-Endured-Tough-Road-To-All-Star-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*All Star Race Videos​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martin Searches For Next Chapter​*
Mark Martin sits on pit wall and looks at the Sprint Cup cars aligned before him.

In a career spanning four decades, this was a normal occurrence for Martin. Cars in line for qualifying and Martin nearby, but Friday was different.

Martin sat as a spectator. He wore a gray jacket over a polo shirt instead of driver's uniform. He wore a cap instead of a helmet.

This marked the first time he'd been to a track since Daytona testing in January when he filled in for Tony Stewart. Martin hasn't raced since last year's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway when he finished 19th and tweeted to fans "now it's time to start a new chapter.''

What that is, though, Martin still isn't sure six month after his final race.

He said he was at Charlotte Motor Speedway to "stick my toe in and see if I want to come to the racetrack some and participate in some way or fashion, or if I just want to be a fan and find something else to direct my passion to.''

While Martin - who ranks seventh with 56 Sprint Cup poles and 17th in series history with 40 wins - looks as if he could climb back into a car, he won't.

"I don't miss racing,'' he said. "I don't want to race cars anymore. I don't want to. I am a fairly driven person, and I have to find something to drive and push me, so I'm just now starting to feel my way around and see what that wants to be.''

As for what he's done lately, Martin says, he's spent time with family and living "a simple life.''

The plan had been for Martin to be a driver coach at Stewart-Haas Racing, mainly working with Danica Patrick, before Martin stepped away.

Patrick was glad to see him this past weekend.

"He's been not feeling so great throughout the beginning of the year and was intending to be around every weekend or most weekends, to sort of help out and fast-forward the learning curve and play a part as much as he could to help with that,'' Patrick said. "It's good to see him. He's obviously great around (Charlotte), so it's nice for him to come to this one.

"It's nice to have one more driver on my side who has a ton of experience that can help me, especially one that's not in the car that can see everything that's going on and hear it. Every little bit helps.''

Martin, 55, says he feels fine other than the effects of racing long before SAFER barriers, HANS devices and carbon fiber seats.

"Now I pay for it,'' he said. "Been paying for it for a long time. Everybody goes through that.''

Martin's fierce determination had him in a car despite various injuries throughout his career.

He broke his left foot and ankle when a competitor slammed into the side of his car in 1980. Told by a doctor not to race the rest of the season, Martin was back a month later to continue his quest for a third consecutive ASA title. He raced at Daytona International Speedway in July 1999 about 24 hours after breaking his left wrist, a rib and bruising a knee in a crash. He had back surgery after the 1999 season, undergoing a lumbar fusion.

The biggest challenge, he says, is keeping up with the sport even after being away only a few months.

"The sport has already changed enough,'' Martin said. "I used to know everything there was to know about it. I'm already behind.''

He acknowledges that he could catch back up - if that's what he wants to do.

"You're asking more questions than I'm prepared to answer,'' Martin said.

Suddenly, Patrick starts her car to qualify for the Sprint Showdown. The car's guttural roar is a noise Martin has heard so often from inside the vehicle. Now, he's getting used to hearing it from a distance. Patrick puts the car in gear and roars on to the track.

"I'm just kind of picking along,'' Martin said, "trying to find my niche. I'll figure out more.''

He stops. The roar grows to a crescendo.

He looks ahead as Patrick races by.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Mark-Martin-Looking-To-Fill-Next-Chapter.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'Dash 4 Cash' Returns for Sixth Season​*
Rookies and veterans alike will have money on the mind as "Dash 4 Cash" returns to the NASCAR Nationwide Series for a sixth consecutive year. Designed to highlight the unique competition between the series' regulars, "Dash 4 Cash" kicks off with its qualifier at Daytona International Speedway, concluding its four-race program with a finale at Iowa Speedway.

There will be more than just fireworks at Daytona as the track becomes the qualifier for the beginning of "Dash 4 Cash," the popular NASCAR Nationwide Series program that could result in $1 million awarded to one talented driver. Daytona determines the four eligible drivers that will then compete for one of four $100,000 payouts beginning July 12 at New Hampshire.

Following New Hampshire, the next three series races are Dash 4 Cash (D4C) events: Chicagoland Speedway (July 19), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26) and Iowa Speedway (August 2).

Last August, Brian Vickers was the highest-finishing points-eligible driver in the final D4C race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - which paid him and his fan partner, Santa Cruz, Calif., native Pam Nabors, $100,000 each.

"Everybody wants to be a part of Dash 4 Cash," said Elliott Sadler, currently second in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings. "It brings a lot of attention to each and every team that's involved in it. It is an amazing program that Nationwide Insurance has put in place for us to race. I've been very fortunate enough to win a couple of the bonuses the last couple of years and hopefully we're in the battle again."

Here's how the Dash 4 Cash (Twitter - #Dash4Cash) program works:

• The top-four finishers in the Daytona race who are eligible to receive NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points will qualify for the first D4C race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. 
• The highest finisher of those four drivers at New Hampshire - he or she does not have to win the race - will win the first $100,000 D4C award and automatically qualify for the next event at Chicago. The remaining three highest finishing points-eligible drivers at New Hampshire will qualify for the race at Chicago. 
• Those rules will apply for the remaining three events. If one driver wins the first three D4C awards and then wins the Iowa race outright, Nationwide Insurance will award the driver an additional $600,000 bonus, bringing the total payout to $1 million.

Fans can apply to be a part of the action starting tomorrow by entering the NASCAR Nationwide Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/Dash4Cash. Four lucky individuals and a guest will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the final D4C event at Iowa Speedway. The four fans will be randomly paired with the four eligible D4C drivers for that race, and the fan whose driver wins the D4C award will also go home with a check for $100,000.

"To end the program at a standalone event, which is usually all Nationwide Series drivers, at a great race track that always puts on a heck of a show says a lot for what NASCAR really is intending for the series," Sadler said. "For us, ending in Iowa seems to be the right thing to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../05/Dash-4-Cash-Returns-for-Sixth-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Canadian Tire Opener Goes To Fitzpatrick​*
Ontario - J.R. Fitzpatrick entered the weekend with a 15-race winless streak, but he'll head home having added to his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 all-time wins lead at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Fitzpatrick picked up his first win since Aug. 18, 2012, in an exciting green-white-checkered finish to the Pinty's presents the Clarington 200 on Sunday.

It was the ninth career series win for the 26-year-old out of Ayr, Ont., and fourth at the Bowmanville 2.459-mile road course. Fitzpatrick also picked up his second win in a Canadian Tire Series season-opening event. He also won the 2012 opener at CTMP.

Jeff Lapcevich challenged Fitzpatrick late in the race, but was unable to overtake the driver of the No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet, settling instead for his second-consecutive runner-up finish in a season opener at this track. It's his third top five at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and 13th overall in the series. Lapcevich was followed across the line by Robin Buck, 2013 event winner L.P. Dumoulin and two-time series champion D.J. Kennington.

Kerry Micks, Hugo Vannini, Luc Lesage, Peter Klutt and Ray Courtemanche Jr. completed the top 10 in the first of 11 events on 2014 calendar, with Vannini and Courtemanche both picking up career best finishes.

Two-time series champion Andrew Ranger collected his 13th career series pole award in qualifying for the event, but began the race from the 24th position after unapproved impound adjustments. He worked his way into the top 10 early in the race, but ignition problems ultimately derailed his afternoon. Ranger ended the day 21st on the grid, his worst finish at the track. His previous worst Canadian Tire Motorsport Park finish was sixth.

The field was slowed due to caution five times, including a red-flag for track cleanup after Noel Dowler's No. 5 machine leaked oil across several areas of the track.

*The Finish:*

J.R. Fitzpatrick, Jeff Lapcevich, Robin Buck, L.P. Dumoulin, D.J. Kennington, Kerry Micks, Hugo Vannini, Luc Lesage, Peter Klutt, Ray Courtemanche Jr., David Thorndyke, Matthew Scannell, Stefan Rzadzinski, Jocelyn Fecteau, Bob Attrell, Matt Pritiko, Joey McColm, Russ Bond, Marc-Antoine Camirand, Derek White, Andrew Ranger, Noel Dowler, Steve Mathews, Jason Hathaway, Scott Steckly, Ryan Klutt, Jason White, Anthony Simone.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/canadian-tire-opener-goes-to-fitzpatrick/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Seeks Another 600 Win​*
Matt Kenseth and Charlotte Motor Speedway share quite the past.

After all, the 1.5-mile track is where Kenseth became a star. He won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte - the 2000 Coca-Cola 600, which put him on the map for good.

He was a rookie making only his 18th Cup start when he took the checkered flag after fending off Jerry Nadeau, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Thirty wins and a Sprint Cup championship later, Charlotte is still one of Kenseth's favorite tracks, but not just because he's a past winner.

"I made my first Nationwide start here as well," Kenseth said, "so I probably have more miles and laps here than probably any other track on the circuit."
Kenseth, the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General/Home Depot Toyota, enters this year's Coca-Cola 600 with no wins this season.

A victory in the sport's longest race would give him a boost toward a Chase for the Sprint Cup berth. It would also mark the third victory of his career at Charlotte. Kesneth won the Bank of America 500 in 2011.

The Cambridge, Wisc. native has seen Charlotte undergo changes since his first start at the track, the 1996 Red Dog 300 Nationwide Series race.

"I've always really enjoyed it, especially before the repave (in 2006),"
Kenseth said. "It always had a lot of character and it's really slick with a lot of bumps. (The racing surface) is getting back to starting to be like that again right now."

Kenseth finished third in the Sprint All-Star Race on May 17. He said his Joe Gibbs Racing team needed just a bit more speed to take the All-Star Race's $1 million prize.

Kenseth hopes he'll end up two positions better when the May 25 running of the Coca-Cola 600 ends at what is Kenseth's adopted home track.

"I've always really enjoyed the track, it's a fun track and we've had some good races here," said Kenseth, a Mooresville, N.C. resident.

"I've had some bad ones as well here, but it's one of my favorite tracks, and I like it."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kenseth-seeks-another-600-win/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Video: Chase Elliott's Weekend Double​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch OK after hard practice crash at Indy (VIDEO)​*
Kurt Busch's relatively smooth preparations for the Indianapolis 500 have come to a crashing halt - literally.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET, the former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion lost the back end of his No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda in Turn 2, appeared to try and correct it, and then went hard into the outside wall during practice.

Busch's car caught on fire as he spun to the inside after impact, but the fire would go out and Busch was able to climb from the car when it came to rest on the backstretch.

Shortly after the crash, his girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, tweeted that Busch was fine. INDYCAR later confirmed that he had been checked and released from the infield care center.

At that point, Busch had been 13th-fastest in today's practice with a lap at 225.623 miles per hour. He had run at 223.433 mph on his previous lap prior to the crash.

"I was just out there in race trim finding different tows and drafting with guys - just started to settle in and get comfortable," Busch said over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway public address system.

"And it felt like, maybe I let my guard down and didn't keep track of the adjustments in the car. [I was] just trying to find that rhythm and pace myself as I would on Sunday, and I just got behind on the adjustments in the car."

Busch added that he was glad that such an incident took place now early in the week.

"The car's probably gonna have - need - an extensive rebuild," he said. "I don't know if we'll get back out today. We do have Carb Day to shake things down, get back on our horse, and give this thing a try again."

Busch qualified 12th yesterday for the '500′, which is the first part of his challenge to run both that race and the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.






*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...ice-crash-at-indy/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Speed Stick GEAR Sticks With Cole Whitt​*
Speed Stick GEAR has announced that it will continue to sponsor NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Cole Whitt in an additional six events beginning with Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Speed Stick GEAR first sponsored Whitt in the first four events of the season when Whitt was driving for Swan Racing, which later sold the No. 26 Toyota Whitt drives to BK Racing. Speed Stick GEAR launched its sponsorship of BK Racing and Whitt last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Sprint Showdown.

"I am thrilled to have Speed Stick GEAR back aboard the No. 26 for six races this season and for the rest of the season as an associate sponsor," said Whitt.

In addition to sponsoring Whitt during the Coca-Cola 600, the company will also sponsor him at Michigan Int'l Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Speed Stick GEAR will be an associate sponsor on the car for the remainder of the season.

"Speed Stick GEAR provides the No. 26 team with an anchor sponsor to help us advance our level of performance the rest of the season," said Anthony Marlowe, a co-owner of BK Racing. "I'm looking forward to seeing Cole Whitt and the No. 26 Speed Stick GEAR Toyota competing on the greatest stage in all of motorsports."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/speed-stick-gear-sticks-with-cole-whitt/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick Encouraged By Qualifying Results​*
Danica Patrick is the first to admit her second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season hasn't gone the way she'd hoped.

Her average finish hovers around 25th after 11 races. She's 27th in points.
One aspect of this season, however, shows how much Patrick has improved. She's qualified in the top 10 in three of her past six Sprint Cup starts, a higher total than six-time champion Jimmie Johnson.

Patrick posted one top-10 start - a Daytona 500 pole last year - in her first 51 races. NASCAR's new knockout qualifying format has helped Patrick become formidable during time trials.

"It's obviously something that I needed to work on," Patrick said. "You still have to have a good car, and the first top-10 (of 2014) was at Martinsville (Va. Speedway in March). We saw how I ran that day. I was absolutely terrible that day (finishing 32nd).

"It's not everything, but it definitely helps."

NASCAR's new qualifying system locks in cars from 25th-43rd after one round, 13th-24th after two rounds and then lets the 12 fastest cars race for the pole on 1.25-mile-and-longer tracks. On short tracks, the cars from 13th-43rd are exempt after one round.

It's a far cry from the old single-car qualifying runs. It's also been more successful for Patrick, one of NASCAR's biggest stars.

"I would venture to say that when knockout qualifying happens and we all get done with our first run," Patrick said, "there are a heck of a lot more times that I have been in the top 15 (than not)."

Patrick isn't the only driver to take a liking to the new format.

Her Stewart-Haas Racing team has picked it up across the board since knockout qualifying debuted in February at Phoenix (Ariz.) Int'l Raceway.

Patrick's teammate, Kevin Harvick, has two poles. Team co-owner Tony Stewart posted one at Texas Motor Speedway.








Maybe it's Patrick's turn at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where the Sprint Cup tour qualifies on Thursday for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

Patrick's seventh-place start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and her ninth-place start - and seventh-place finish - at Kansas Speedway two weeks gave her some momentum heading into Charlotte.

It didn't carry over to all-star weekend. Patrick started seventh and finished 10th in the Sprint Showdown, then lost the All-Star Race fan vote to Josh Wise.

No matter. Patrick, who fought handling issues throughout the Showdown, moved her focus to the Coca-Cola 600.

Her position on the speed charts has gotten better this year, but Patrick cautioned that there's still plenty of work to do. The 32-year-old Roscoe, Ill. native won three poles in a seven-year Verizon IndyCar Series career, so she knows how to start up front.

Knockout qualifying helps her, she said, but it's not the end-all fix she needs to move up in points.

"There are times when you find speed and you make something happen and you get in (the final qualifying round)," Patrick said. "Then there are times that you get in a good time and you go out and you go from being 11th in the first round and then you're 24th, and you're like, 'Well, that sucked.'

"If (knockout qualifying) is more interesting for the fans, that's the most important thing for our sport because we are fan-driven so much. We have to keep them entertained. At the end of the day, it's just racing, driving as fast as you can, and more of it."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/patrick-encouraged-by-qualifying-results/


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## Ckg2011

*Rough Start For Truck Rookie Young​*
Tyler Young's first full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series hasn't exactly gotten off to a good start.

Young, a 23-year-old Texas native, has failed to finish the first four races of the Truck Series season because of crashes and mechanical failures on his No. 02 Chevrolet. Crashes at Daytona Int'l Speedway, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Kansas Speedway, were followed by an engine failure at last weekend at North Carolina's Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"It has just kind of been a rough couple weeks and it has drug out to a couple of months because we have only raced a couple times there at the beginning (of the year)," Young said.

Despite all the rough luck, Young has learned a lot during the first few races of the season that he hopes he can use to his benefit later this year.

"I learned a lot at Daytona, but that is Daytona. I learned a lot at Martinsville, but that is kind of its own deal, too," Young said. "Kansas, that is probably kind of the most we can put in the bank and learn about the air and the aero package on these new trucks."

At Kansas Young was competitive, running in the top 10 for a good portion of the night before a crash not of his making derailed what could have been a promising night. The former CARS X-1R Pro Cup Series regular believes he can duplicate that run at other 1.5-mile venues.

"We learned a lot about how to pass, where to pass and what you can do to what other trucks around you and how the air effects everyone and how the truck drives so much different when you get in traffic and get in a pack," Young explained. "We'll just try to gain from that."

Running the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is big change for Young, who in the past raced only partial schedules in NASCAR while focusing on short-track competition around the Southeast. He admitted he misses the short-track lifestyle, but is now focused on climbing the NASCAR ladder.

"This is a lot different. Obviously it is fun when these guys go to short tracks. I'm really looking forward to Dover," Young said. "I think that'll be a really good time. I've never been there. I miss the short tracks and we've been trying to go play as much as we can on our off weekends.

"We've got to get better on the 1.5 miles and stuff like that and then we'll play with the short-track stuff when we can," Young said.

Young said if he has time he'd like to go back to his roots and enter a few Pro Cup events later this year, but he needs to find a little luck in NASCAR first.

"If we can get a little luck going our way and be able to have time to put them together I'd like to be able to go play with them," Young said about racing in Pro Cup. "They've got great competition and I think you can do, as long as you're doing something every week, it can't hurt."

Young and his family owned Young's Motorsports team returns to action May 30 at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ld-trucks/rough-start-for-truck-rookie-young/


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## Ckg2011

*Red Horse Shuts Down No. 7 Truck​*
Red Horse Racing announced Tuesday that the team would will suspend operations of the unfunded No. 7 entry driven by Brian Ickler in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Timothy Peters and Germán Quiroga currently rank second and third, respectively, in the series championship standings. Quiroga is the only driver in the series to have finished in the top 10 in every event of the 2014 season.

"We have been a competitive fixture for nine years in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and in order to remain so, sometimes requires difficult decisions to be made," said team owner Tom DeLoach. "Brian Ickler is a very talented driver and an upstanding young man, and we will continue to search for sponsorship opportunities for him. He did a great job for us at Red Horse Racing. Unfortunately, the funding for that team was only through the race at Charlotte (Motor Speedway).

"We are a family at Red Horse Racing, and have always prided ourselves on that. To restructure is not an easy thing to do. I am very proud of everyone who has been a part of Red Horse Racing, and we will continue to remain focused on the big picture and our goal of winning a championship title."

In four starts this season for Red Horse Racing, Ickler has a best finish of 10th at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and is currently 19th in the series championship standings.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/red-horse-shuts-down-no-7-truck/


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## Ckg2011

*Miles The Monster Outside Dover International Speedway*​
*Dover Lands Nationwide Race Sponsor​*
The Delaware Office of Highway Safety and Dover Int'l Speedway have teamed up for the Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket NASCAR Nationwide Series race, set for 2 p.m. on May 31.

Throughout the May 30-June 1, 2014 race weekend at the Monster Mile, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) will promote and educate fans on the importance of wearing a seat belt on every trip and the ramifications that come with failing to do so.

"We appreciate the continued support and partnership with Dover Int'l Speedway to promote traffic safety in Delaware," said Jana Simpler, director of OHS. "They are great partners and help us expand our messaging to reach and inform more individuals about the importance of buckling up to save lives on our roadways."

The Click It or Ticket program, now 14 years old, is a national seat belt enforcement campaign aimed at saving lives by enforcing seat belt laws and ticketing motorists who fail to buckle up. OHS conducts year-round seat belt enforcement with state and local police agencies in Delaware, which is directed toward high crash locations and scheduled during times of the year when unrestrained crashes peak.

This enforcement is coupled with several education and outreach activities throughout the state, including partnerships with schools, corporate agencies and little league organizations, as well as the "Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket" with Dover Int'l Speedway.

The enhanced partnership is an extension of an already existing relationship with the track, as OHS currently serves as the title sponsor for the Sept. 26 Drive Sober 150 presented by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race. In addition, OHS has an interactive display in the FanZone at Dover Int'l Speedway races.

On the track through the May 30-June 1, 2014 race weekend, OHS will serve as the primary sponsor on Reed Sorenson's No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Paulie Harraka's No. 44 TriStar Motorsports Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Ben Kennedy's No. 31 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"We couldn't be happier that the Office of Highway Safety has decided to promote seat belt safety as part of our Saturday NASCAR Nationwide Series event this spring," said Mike Tatoian, executive vice president and COO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. "Anytime someone gets in a car it's important that they always remember to buckle up. It's proven to save lives."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/dover-lands-nationwide-race-sponsor/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Awaiting Call From Hall of Fame​*
The five members of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame class are set to be announced Wednesday. A total of 20 names are on this year's ballot, including 15 returning from last year with five new nominees.

Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte headline the newcomers and are joined by Buddy Baker, Mike Stefanik and Robert Yates.

Red Byron, Richard Childress, Jerry Cook, Ray Fox, Rick Hendrick, Bobby Isaac, Fred Lorenzen, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, Wendell Scott, Bruton Smith, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly and Rex White comprise the returning 15 nominees.

This marks the first year the nominee list has been cut from 25 to 20, which means five names previously on the ballot did not make the cut this time - Anne B. France, Les Richter, T. Wayne Robertson, Ralph Seagraves and H. Clay Earles.

Here is the background on the 20 nominees listed alphabetically:

*Buddy Baker*- Won 19 times in NASCAR's premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500

*Red Byron* - First NASCAR premier series champion in 1949

*Richard Childress* - 11-time champion team owner in NASCAR's three national series

*Jerry Cook* - Six-time NASCAR Modified champion

*Bill Elliott* - 1988 premier series champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner and 16-time Most Popular Driver winner.

*Ray Fox* - Legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others

*Rick Hendrick* - 14-time champion team owner in NASCAR's three national series

*Bobby Isaac* - 1970 NASCAR premier series champion

*Terry Labonte* - Two-time NASCAR premier series champion

*Fred Lorenzen* - 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600

*Raymond Parks* - NASCAR's first champion car owner

*Benny Parsons* - 1973 NASCAR premier series champion

*Larry Phillips* - Only five-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion

*Wendell Scott* - NASCAR trailblazer who was the first African-American NASCAR premier series race winner and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*O. Bruton Smith* - Builder of Charlotte Motor Speedway and architect of Speedway Motorsports Inc.

Mike Stefanik - Winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

*Curtis Turner* - Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"

*Joe Weatherly* - Two-time NASCAR premier series champion

*Rex White* - 1960 NASCAR premier series champion

*Robert Yates* - Won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner

There are also five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award:

*H. Clay Earles* - Founder of Martinsville Speedway

*Anne B. France* - Helped build the sport with husband Bill France Sr. Affectionately known as "Annie B.," she is the first woman to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Raymond Parks* - NASCAR's first champion car owner

*Ralph Seagraves* - Formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

*Ken Squier* - Legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner / namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote, will announce the next Class on Wednesday. Along with the Motor Racing Network's Barney Hall and Dave Moody, MRN.com's Dustin Long is a member of the voting panel and will reveal his choices on Wednesday, but here is how the rest of our editorial staff would vote:

*Pete Pistone* - Red Byron, Raymond Parks, Fred Lorenzen, Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly

*Jeff Wackerlin* - Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Benny Parsons, Wendell Scott and Joe Weatherly

*John Singler* - Red Byron, Terry Labonte, Larry Phillips, Rick Hendrick and Joe Weatherly

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-of-Fame-Class-To-Be-Announced-Wednesday.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Montoya Focused On Indy Prizes​*
It wasn't the result he wanted, but former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya felt a change two weeks ago in IndyCar's Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

The old, hard-charging Montoya, he said, was back.

After spending six seasons in Formula One and the past seven in NASCAR Sprint Cup, Montoya is back IndyCar for the first time since 2000. Sunday, he'll look to win his second Indianapolis 500 - he won in his only start in the race in 2000.

Indy is just part of a busy stretch for him that includes a return to NASCAR. Montoya will drive a third car for Team Penske June 15 at Michigan International Speedway and July 27 at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Montoya said that car owner Roger Penske talked to him about running some Cup races after signing him to drive for his IndyCar team.

"With the cars they've got right now, it was a no-brainer,'' Montoya said during a media event Tuesday. "It's a great opportunity I have to be in real competitive cars. He hasn't won the Brickyard, and I'm pretty good there.''

Although Penske's cars have won 15 Indianapolis 500s, his lone stock-car victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came in the track's inaugural Nationwide race in 2012.

Montoya admits a stock-car win at Indianapolis "would be really special. We threw away a lot of them.''

Montoya led 116 of the first 124 laps at the Brickyard in 2009 before a pit road speeding penalty ruined his bid to be the first driver to win an Indy 500 and Brickyard 400. He led 86 laps the following year but a late pit call for four tires put him back in the field and he wrecked. He finished second in 2007 to Tony Stewart.

Montoya already has tested a Cup car at Nashville to prepare for Michigan and to get reacquainted with the vehicle.

This has been a season of adjustments for Montoya in returning to open-wheel cars. Expectations were high early, but Montoya admits that he needed time to learn the cars. He also had to acclimate to IndyCar's racing style.

"The pace of the race is so different,'' said Montoya, who finished a season-best fourth at Long Beach earlier this season. "The intensity that you get on a green-white-checkered (in NASCAR), you get in an IndyCar race from beginning to end. You've got to drive it like a green-white-checkered every freaking lap.''

IndyCar races are typically shorter than NASCAR races, which creates a greater sense of urgency for drivers.

He's also going back to his more aggressive ways, noting he had tire marks on both sides of his IndyCar after the race on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"In open-wheel, you don't share the road,'' Montoya said. "That was the weirdest thing when I went to pass somebody (for the first time) in NASCAR, they tried to stay on the outside and I just drove them off the racetrack and they got really mad.''

Montoya admitted he learned its' OK to run side-by-side in stock cars.

Eddie Cheever, an analyst on ABC's broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 expects to see a forceful Montoya in Sunday's race.

"I think you'll really see a lot of aggressive moves from Montoya early on,'' said Cheever, a former Indy 500 winner. "I think he has a good chance of winning. There's a lot of excitement when you mention the name Montoya in the pits even among the drivers.''

Montoya will start 10th in Sunday's Indianapolis 500 - two spots ahead of Kurt Busch, who is attempting to become the fourth driver to compete in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same feat. It's something Montoya said he has no interest in doing.

Montoya said he's sure there are some NASCAR drivers who would like to do what Busch is doing but says Busch's crash Monday likely closed the door for some of them.

If so, Montoya will still have a couple of opportunities to drive against his former NASCAR foes this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...500-But-Looking-Forward-To-NASCAR-Return.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*From NASA To NASCAR​*
There was no doubt racing would be a career. Dad had a team and later worked on Silver Crown cars. Raised in such an environment, the young racer once brought a remote control sprint car to school for show-and-tell. On the track, the child climbed into quarter midgets and micro midgets and was a California state champion.

"Growing up, I always wanted to be a racecar driver,'' they said.

That path changed one Saturday morning.

While watching cartoons.

As time passed, the racer headed further in a different direction. Instead of working on race engines, they graduated from college and worked on space shuttle engines for NASA. Eventually, their persistence was rewarded with a job in NASCAR at Team Penske.

It was where Andrea Mueller wanted to be.

Her story carries the same thread - minus the NASA background - of many crewmembers in NASCAR, it's just that she stands out in this male-dominated sport.

An engineer for Penske's Nationwide team, she served that role earlier this month when Ryan Blaney made his Sprint Cup debut at Kansas Speedway. While no official records are kept, Mueller is likely among the first female engineers for a Cup race.

Even so, she feels no different than anywhere else she's been.

"It's kind of funny,'' the 34-year-old Mueller said, "Growing up, most of my family is all boys. The neighborhood was all boys. Racing, it's a majority boys. College classes, 90 percent male.''

Thus, being among the few females in a setting is "normal to me,'' she said.

And so is the NASCAR life. She's been at Penske since 2007 after working four years as a NASA-contracted employee in its engine program.

But it was one day about 20 years ago that changed her direction while watching Saturday morning cartoons.

She recalls seeing a short educational interlude about an IndyCar engineer. She can't recall the person or the team, but she remembers thinking that being a race engineer would be a good career move. She was good in math and science. She understood racing. She knew where her driving career was headed.

"I was old enough to know that it would be pretty cool to be a racecar driver, but it probably wasn't going to happen,'' she said. "I thought (team engineer) would be cool and set the path of getting into college and following that route.''

She faced challenges while she pursued her mechanical engineering degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. A couple of professors encouraged her to look beyond racing. They thought she would burn out on it. They suggested she focus on something else for a job.

Even so, she kept in contact with Team Penske officials. While waiting for a job there, she worked in the space shuttle program. She soon wearied of the red tape affiliated with government regulations and sought something faster.

That opportunity wouldn't come for three more years, but when Team Penske officials called, she was ready to leave California for North Carolina. She recalls having about a week to get the team's shop before starting.

She began as a race engineer assistant and moved to various roles before becoming the race engineer for the organization's Nationwide team. She's worked with crew chief Jeremy Bullins since he arrived before the 2012 season. Bullins, a former engineer at Richard Childress Racing, taught her about being an engineer and she taught him about the Penske way of doing things.

Mueller's duties at the shop include performing various simulations to see which setup will work best. She monitors the car's behavior at the track. That continues during the race while also calculating fuel mileage and discussing options with Bullins.

"I can never ask her for an approximation,'' Bullins said of Mueller. "If I ask her a question. I'm going to get an exact answer. That's a good thing.''

Last season, Bullins, Mueller and the rest of the team celebrated 12 wins among four different drivers to capture the car owner's Nationwide title. Blaney was among those drivers who won with the team and says it is "lucky to have her.

"She's definitely done a great job coming up with new ideas. On the race weekend, she'll keep asking questions about changes. She's so specific.''

Mueller says her goal is to become a race engineer at the Cup level.

While females are playing a greater role in the sport from Danica Patrick to Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner of JR Motorsports, to Alba Colon, Chevrolet Racing's program manager for NASCAR Sprint Cup racing, Mueller accepts her unique standing but is focused on her job.

Mueller understands she can be an example, showing girls that they can choose a career path in racing.

"If there is one girl who looks at me and says ... 'I can do it' and it opens up a path, then it's all worth it,'' she said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Engineer-Climbing-Ranks-At-Team-Penske.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Superman Comes Aboard Earnhardt's Car​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. unveiled the No. 88 National Guard/Superman Chevrolet SS on Wednesday, which he will drive this weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

The Superman-themed paint scheme will pair the Army National Guard with the Superman Hall of Heroes, a new online gift-giving portal that empowers consumers to honor their personal heroes; those who have made a positive impact on their lives or the lives of others.

Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon will partner with D.C. Comics and Warner Bros. for superhero-themed paint schemes throughout the year.

Earnhardt enters the Coca-Cola 600 ranked fifth in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/superman-comes-aboard-earnhardts-car/


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## Ckg2011

*2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Announced​*
NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the 2015 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group - the sixth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history - consists of Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White. In addition, NASCAR announced that Anne B. France won the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Next year's Induction Day is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, broadcast on NBC Sports Network from Charlotte, N.C.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session in Charlotte to vote on both the induction class of 2015 and the Landmark Award. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France made the announcements this afternoon in the NASCAR Hall of Fame's "Great Hall."

Next year's class was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, which for the first time included the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion - in this case, Jimmie Johnson. The panel also included representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders and a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com - which counted for the 54th and final vote. In all, 54 votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Jerry Cook and Robert Yates). The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes.

Voting for next year's class was as follows: Bill Elliott (87%), Wendell Scott (58%), Joe Weatherly (53%), Rex White (43%) and Fred Lorenzen (30%).

The next top vote-getters were Jerry Cook, Robert Yates and Benny Parsons.

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote, in order of votes received, were Wendell Scott, Bill Elliott, Benny Parsons, Rex White and Terry Labonte.

The five inductees came from a group of 20 nominees that included, in addition to the five inductees chosen:

Buddy Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Jerry Cook, Ray Fox, Rick Hendrick, Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, O. Bruton Smith, Mike Stefanik, Curtis Turner and Robert Yates.

As was announced last December during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week, potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role.

The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award were France, H. Clay Earles, Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Ken Squier.

*Class of 2015 Inductees:*​
*Bill Elliott *
In a 37-year driving career, Bill Elliott compiled a list of accolades that put him near the top of a number of NASCAR's all-time lists. His 44 wins rank 16th all-time and his 55 poles rank eighth. But his most prestigious accomplishment came in 1988 when he won the NASCAR premier series championship with six wins, 15 top fives and 22 top 10s in 29 races. In addition, he won a record 16 Most Popular Driver Awards, in part because of his excellence on the big stage; he won the Daytona 500 twice and the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway three times.

*Fred Lorenzen*
was one of NASCAR's first true superstars even though he was a "part-time" driver, never running more than 29 of the season's 50-plus races. Lorenzen got his start in NASCAR as a mechanic with the famed Holman-Moody team in 1960, but was elevated to lead driver by the end of the year. Lorenzen won three races in only 15 starts the following season. Lorenzen's best overall season came in 1963 as he finished with six wins, 21 top fives and 23 top 10s in 29 starts. Despite missing 26 races that season, he finished third in the standings. In 1965, he won two of NASCAR's major events - the Daytona 500 and the World 600.

*Wendell Scott* 
One of NASCAR's true trailblazers, Wendell Scott was the first African-American to race fulltime in NASCAR's premier series, as well as the first to win a NASCAR premier series race. Scott posted a remarkable 147 top 10s and 495 starts during his 13-year premier series career. He won more than 100 races at local tracks before making his premier series debut, including 22 races at Southside Speedway in Richmond, Virginia, in 1959 en route to capturing both the Sportsman Division and NASCAR Virginia Sportsman championships. Part of Scott's NASCAR legacy extends to present day with NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program, the leading youth development initiative for multicultural and female drivers across the motorsport industry since 2004.

*Joe Weatherly*
won two championships (1962-63) and 25 races in NASCAR's premier series. But that's only part of his story, which is long on versatility. A decade earlier in 1952-53, he won 101 races in the NASCAR Modified division, capturing that championship in 1953. He even tried his hand in NASCAR's short-lived Convertible Division from 1956-59 winning 12 times. When he won his first NASCAR premier series championship, in 1962, he drove for legendary owner Bud Moore. When he repeated as champion a year later, he drove for nine different teams.

*Rex White* 
Consistency was the hallmark of Rex White's NASCAR career. He finished among the top five in nearly a half of his 233 races and outside the top 10 only 30 percent of the time. White was a short-track specialist in an era in which those tracks dominated the schedule. Of his 28 career wins in NASCAR's premier series, only two came on tracks longer than a mile in length. Driving his own equipment, White won six times during his 1960 championship season, posting 35 top 10s in 40 starts. He finished in the top 10 six of his nine years in the series including a runner-up finish in 1961.

*Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:​*
*Anne Bledsoe France* 
paired with her husband, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., would create what today is one of the largest and most popular sports in the world. Anne played a huge role in the family business. "Big Bill" organized and promoted races; she took care of the financial end of the business. She first served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, and when Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, served in the same roles for the International Speedway Corporation. She also managed the speedway's ticket office. France remained active in family and business life until her passing in 1992.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Articles/2014/05/Class-of-2015-Announced.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Vickers OK After Crash At Kentucky Test​*
Brian Vickers walked away from a hard crash during a Goodyear tire test at Kentucky Speedway on Wednesday.

According to his Michael Waltrip Racing team, the three-time race winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hit the wall in Turn 3. The crash was hard enough that 2012 series champion Brad Keselowski, also participating in the test, voiced concern for his fellow driver over Twitter.

Speedway officials confirmed that Vickers was OK, and MWR's No. 55 team crew chief Billy Scott reported that his driver was soon logging laps again in a backup car. During a break in testing, Vickers wrote on Twitter that it appeared his right-front wheel came apart going into Turn 3.

Prior to the accident, Vickers explained that he was driving two cars, which were set up very differently.

"?it's still a rough track, but one of them drives like a dreamboat?. The other one, I can't even see down the front," Vickers said. "I'm afraid I'm going to hit the wall. It's so rough. I can hardly see the wall going through the frontstretch because my head is bouncing back and forth between the headrests so violently."

The Sprint Cup teams of Vickers, Keselowski, and Sprint All-Star Race winner Jamie McMurray were testing tires at Kentucky on Tuesday and Wednesday to help Goodyear finalize compounds for the track's June NASCAR weekend. Testing for the NASCAR Nationwide Series are Trevor Bayne, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott, while Matt Crafton and Ben Kennedy are testing for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

*Brian Vickers Twitter*​
Brian Vickers ‏@BrianLVickers 3h

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and concern. Really hard hit. Sore but ok. Looks like the RF wheel came apart going into 3.

from Kentucky, USA

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/vickers-ok-crash-kentucky-test-184900969--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Wins First Pole of Season​*
The last two NASCAR Sprint Cup champions will start on the front row for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, and Danica Patrick won't be far behind them.

Reigning champion Jimmie Johnson won the pole Thursday with a lap of 194.911 mph. Brad Keselowski, who won the series title two years ago, starts second after a lap of 194.567. This marks the sixth time this season Keselowski has started second.

Kasey Kahne starts third with Patrick fourth and Clint Bowyer fifth. This is Patrick's best qualifying performance at a non-restrictor-plate track.

"Great day, great starting spot ... let's hope we can do more of what we did at Kansas,'' Patrick said, referring to her seventh-place finish there earlier this month.

Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth each did not get on the track before the end of the final session and will start 11th and 12th.

"I'm surprised,'' Kahne said of Harvick and Kenseth not beating the clock. "That would not go over well if we missed it.''

Said Johnson: "I'm sure there's an interesting meeting going on.''

Harvick's crew chief, Rodney Childers, apologized on Twitter for the mistake.

"We had a big miscommunication tonight and didn't get @KevinHarvick off of pit road in time to run a lap in the final qualifying session,'' Childers tweeted. "Apologies to all of the sponsors and fans. We will make sure it doesn't happen again.''

Johnson, who scored his first pole of the season, is the last driver to win this race from the pole, doing so in 2004.

He was pleased with how his team progressed during the three qualifying rounds.

"We've watched other cars get faster through qualifying sessions,'' Johnson said. "That's something the (Hendrick Motorsports) cars really haven't had a lot. We did that tonight. We're hitting on some things that should help us run faster longer.''

Three of the four Hendrick Motorsports cars made the final round with Johnson, Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10th). Jeff Gordon failed to advance from the first round and will start 27th.

"It just disappoints us,'' Gordon said of his qualifying performance. "We know our car is much better than this. These are about as challenging conditions as you can have when you have a really hot day like this and the sun goes down and it's a total guessing game. We guessed wrong. We just missed the setup. The car has plenty of speed in it, so I'm not concerned about the race.''

Carl Edwards also will start back in the pack along with his Roush Fenway Racing teammates. Edwards starts 22nd with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 23rd and Greg Biffle 24th.

"I think we all basically had the same issue,'' Edwards said. "Very frustrated from a performance standpoint. We thought after last week that this would have a real good shot at the pole. I don't quite understand what we missed, but the cars were just not real fast.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/05/Johnson-Wins-First-Pole-of-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Patrick Having Fun​*
Qualifying is becoming fun for Danica Patrick.

After often saying how much she hated it, Patrick has put together her best qualifying stretch in her career, earning the fourth starting spot for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600. It's Patrick's best start at a non-restrictor-plate track.

Patrick admits she's had to tell herself to quit badmouthing qualifying because "nothing good is going to happen when you think bad things.''

Her reward is her third consecutive top-10 starting spot for a points race.

Patrick was the fastest in the second round of qualifying Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway but fell short of the pole in the final round and will start behind Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne.

"It just feels so good to have a good qualifying (run),'' Patrick said. "I have to say that I'm a little disappointed, though, after being (fastest) in the second group. I got really tight in (Turns) 3 and 4 on my lap. I guess I'm maybe more surprised I was fourth.''

Patrick said she would have liked to have won a pole to also have earned a spot in the Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona International Speedway next February.

Patrick's performance came on a night when some drivers complained about the changing conditions and how they struggled with their car.

"I think one of the things that happens when your team gives you a really good racecar is you don't notice the track being off as much,'' she said. "It never feels super low grip. Even in the heat of the day today, I told the guys I really honestly don't feel like the grip level is all that much different than when we were here last weekend for the All-Star weekend and it was far, far cooler. That's a product of good racecars.''

The track will be closed Friday. Cup cars are back on track Saturday for two practice sessions. So what does she focus on then?

"I'm going to really put some emphasis on longer runs and moving around and feeling what it does all over the place,'' Patrick said. "It will probably be smart of us to scan some changes that we might do in the race just to anticipate where the car is going to go when we make them. Two weeks ago at Kansas, half a trackbar up or down from where we started, neither were good. It's that finicky.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ica-Patrick-Starting-To-Enjoy-Qualifying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Now a Harvick Favorite​*
Kevin Harvick's struggles at Charlotte Motor Speedway are a thing of the past and the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is shooting for his third career Coca-Cola 600 win on Sunday.

From 2002 through 2010, Harvick could finish no higher than 11th in the longest race of the Sprint Cup Series season. But that's changed and now Harvick has won two of the last three Memorial Day Weekend marathons.

"It's definitely not one of the racetracks I don't like coming to anymore, for sure," Harvick joked. "Charlotte has been a good track for me the past few years."

One of the challenges Harvick had to overcome was his mindset whenever Charlotte rolled around on the schedule. He credits a different mental attitude as a big reason why he's been much more successful lately on the 1.5-mile oval than earlier in his Sprint Cup career.

"I tried to stop having a bad attitude coming into this particular weekend and just trying to get through it," said Harvick, who led 28 laps in last year's victory. "I figured out what I needed to get better at this particular track. I watched the guys who've had success here; and I studied steering, throttle, brakes and different techniques used by the guys that were winning the races - and tried to adapt to that.

"Changing my attitude has helped the most and now, Charlotte has become like any of the other racetracks where you enjoy showing up."

Now in his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick has a chance to join an elite group of drivers if he can find his way to Victory Lane again Sunday night. Since it debuted in 1960, only eight drivers have won the grueling race three times.

"That would be phenomenal," said Harvick, who will start 11th in Sunday's race. "The Coke 600 is one of our biggest races. I've been fortunate to win it twice. You see that list of winners and the quality of drivers who've won this race, and it's still a pretty short list. So you want to keep multiplying the times that your name is put on that list of drivers and to win it for a third time would be pretty awesome."

Harvick's 2014 season has also been pretty awesome. He's won twice in his first 11 races with SHR and has been in contention for at least a couple more victories along the way. Although there have been some challenges and finishes well below 30th along the way, Harvick is more than pleased with the overall performance of the No. 4 team and his relationship with crew chief Rodney Childers.

"It's a different feeling as you go from week to week knowing your expectation is to win the race," Harvick said. "You're not going to win all the races. You're going to have things happen and you're going to be off some weekends. But the expectation when we go to the racetrack (now) is that we're going there to win the race. We're going to practice like that and try to qualify on the pole. We know we have cars capable of that."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/05/Charlotte-Now-a-Harvick-Favorite.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ganassi Racing, Target Celebrate 25 Years​*
On Sunday. Chip Ganassi Racing Teams will celebrate 25 years of partnership with Target by running special silver paint schemes on Scott Dixon's and Tony Kanaan's Target Chevrolets in the the Indianapolis 500 and on Kyle Larson's Target Chevrolet SS in the Coca-Cola 600.

CGRT has been in motorsports for 25 years, beginning with the start of the 1990 CART season, and has been in NASCAR since the 2001 season. The team currently fields two cars in the Verizon IndyCar Series and one in the NSCS.

The organization has been recognized as one of the most successful in motorsports history and has compiled historic victories in some of the most iconic races around the globe. Overall Team Target has 10 Verizon IndyCar Series championships and more than 100 victories, including four Indianapolis 500 wins, five wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and a trip to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/ganassi-racing-target-celebrate-25-years/


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## Ckg2011

*Cargill Beef Joins Stenhouse In Cup Series​*
Cargill Beef will serve as a primary partner for the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing team and driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events this season.

The pair will make its debut together at Daytona Int'l Speedway during the Coke Zero 400 on July 5.

"We are pleased to continue to grow our partnership with Roush Fenway Racing and to reunite with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.," said John Keating, president of Cargill Beef. "We recognize that NASCAR fans love beef and they have proven to be brand loyal by supporting companies that back teams within the sport.

"This makes NASCAR an ideal marketing venue for Cargill and our customers," added Keating "Beef is a perfect choice for NASCAR racing fans everywhere, including trackside grilling, and this partnership provides us the avenue to make Cargill Beef products their top choice."

Cargill previously partnered with Stenhouse and NASCAR champion crew chief Mike Kelley during the duo's back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series championships in 2011 and 2012. Cargill first joined Roush Fenway Racing during the 2010 season.

"It's only fitting that Cargill has opted to make the move up to Sprint Cup with Ricky," said team owner Jack Roush. "Cargill entered the sport in 2010 and took a chance on a young and unproven driver in Ricky. They went on to play a major role in his back-to-back Nationwide Series Championships, and we are excited to extend our relationship into the Sprint Cup Series as Ricky's career continues to grow and as his potential is further realized."

"I'm thrilled to have Cargill become a part of the No. 17 team," said Stenhouse. "They have been a great partner with Roush Fenway for the past four seasons and we had a great run with them in the Nationwide Series. It is our intention to pick up where we left off in 2012. I can't think of a better way to bring them into the Sprint Cup Series than racing for a win at Daytona on July 4th weekend - the biggest grilling weekend of the year."

In addition to serving as a primary partner with Stenhouse in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Cargill teamed with Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne in 2013 in the Nationwide Series.

"We are delighted to grow our partnership and to team up with Ricky coming off his Sprint Cup rookie-of-the-year season," stated Tammy Shaw, Cargill Beef vice president of marketing. "The enthusiasm we have experienced from our customers, employees, and race fans during our time with Roush Fenway Racing has confirmed that high quality beef products and NASCAR racing fit perfectly together. Our customers provide consumers value by promoting Cargill beef and our affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing on the NASCAR circuit has served as a clear point of differentiation. We look forward to another terrific season with Roush Fenway, Ricky and Mike and to continue to find unique ways to market our products and support our customers through NASCAR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/cargill-beef-joins-stenhouse-in-cup-series/


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## Ckg2011

*Dogecoin Back With Wise At Talladega​*
One week after voting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Josh Wise and the No. 98 Phil Parsons Racing team into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the Dogecoin and reddit communities kicked off another collective effort in support of Wise's NASCAR team.

This time the group focused on primary sponsorship for a second Sprint Cup Series race. With their fundraising goals met in less than a week, Dogecoin and reddit will again sponsor Wise's No. 98 Ford Fusion at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Oct. 19

"I can't begin to explain how awesome this partnership with Dogecoin and reddit has been for our team at Phil Parsons Racing," said Wise. "Like I said before, we're just a small team. When we were initially approached with this idea, we never expected it to get as big as it has become. We've been able to accomplish some pretty amazing things with the help of the Dogecoin and reddit communities. It means so much to us to have all that support. We're working as hard as we can, to do the best job that we possibly can, each and every week."

With widespread demand for the Dogecoin shirts worn by the Phil Parsons Racing team throughout Talladega Superspeedway and Sprint All-Star race weekends, the team agreed to not only produce similar t-shirts, but also to utilize the proceeds of the sales for another primary race sponsorship.

Needing to sell at least 5,000 t-shirts, they were able to meet their goal within just six days to confirm sponsorship for the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway later this year.

"We're really excited to expand our partnership with Dogecoin and reddit," commented team owner Phil Parsons. "With all of the support we received for the All-Star Race and the number of people asking about apparel, it made sense to have t-shirts produced and turn it into an opportunity to fund a second race. We're fortunate that Denis Pavel noticed Josh while watching the Bristol race on television. The relationship has opened some great opportunities and has helped get Phil Parsons Racing's name out."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dogecoin-back-with-wise-at-talladega/


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## Ckg2011

*PNC Forms Partnership With Ganassi​*
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. announced a new multi-year sponsorship agreement Thursday.

The agreement is the second between Ganassi and PNC, which have also had a banking relationship that goes back 25 years.

With the wide range of racing that CGRT participates in across three national touring series of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), the Verizon IndyCar Series and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSC), the agreement provides PNC with business development and client entertainment opportunities throughout the year.

The agreement will focus on the following five racing markets in 2014: Indianapolis, Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte and Richmond, Va. PNC, which has a business presence in all five regions, will use the high interest in auto racing and the CGRT relationship to offer unique events and behind-the-scenes activities to clients and prospects.

"I have always maintained that outside of the racing itself, I have always enjoyed the relationships with highly respected companies and brands," said team owner Chip Ganassi. "My relationship with PNC is certainly one of those that I am proud of. Given that we are both from Pittsburgh it makes this announcement even more special. We are happy to be deepening that relationship."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/pnc-forms-partnership-with-ganassi/


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## Ckg2011

*Support Our Troops Program Returns​*
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, exclusive tire supplier of NASCAR's three major national series, has launched its fifth annual Goodyear Gives Back charitable program benefiting the Support Our Troops organization.
To kick off the program, Goodyear will once again transform its NASCAR race tires by replacing the "Eagle" sidewall design with "Support Our Troops"

messaging on all tires used during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This effort coincides with the launch of Goodyear's charity auction at www.Goodyear.com/GivesBack, which features autographed NASCAR memorabilia, VIP race experiences and rides on the Goodyear Blimp.

Goodyear will match funds raised through the charity auction up to $50,000.

Proceeds benefit Support Our Troops, a nonprofit nationwide organization that works to bolster the morale and well-being of America's troops and their families. To-date, the Goodyear Gives Back program has provided more than $800,000 in cash and product to help troops and their families.

"Memorial Day is a time to honor those who've made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom," said Gary Melliere, Goodyear's general manager of sponsorships. "We are proud to show our support of military personnel and their families through the 'Goodyear Gives Back' program, and encourage NASCAR fans to join us in this great cause."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/support-our-troops-program-returns/


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## Ckg2011

*Trevor Bayne To Race Full Time CUP Series In 2015​*
Roush Fenway Racing announced Saturday morning that it was promoting 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne to a full-time ride in stock-car racing's top division for the 2015 season.

Bayne will drive the No. 6 car next season, which was last driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in October of 2012 at Charlotte. Mark Martin first drove the No. 6 car for Roush in 1988 and did so through the 2006 season. David Ragan then drove the No. 6 car for Roush from 2007 to 2011.

Bayne currently drives full-time for team owner Jack Roush's NASCAR Nationwide Series team and part-time on the Sprint Cup side for the Wood Brothers single-car operation, which has a technical alliance with Roush Fenway.

AdvoCare will serve as a full-time sponsor for the No. 6 car. AdvoCare currently sponsors Bayne in the Nationwide Series.

During the announcement at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday morning, Bayne said, "This is obviously the biggest news I've ever had in my life."

Bayne, 23, has 50 career Sprint Cup starts and two Nationwide victories. He currently ranks fifth in the Nationwide standings.

"To have Trevor and AdvoCare back in the No. 6 car is gonna be great," co-owner Jack Roush said during the announcement.

Roush first took root in NASCAR with a single-car team for driver Martin in 1988.

Adding Bayne that does not mean the team is planning to go to four cars for 2015. Roush said that the "plans for 2015 are still in a state of flux."

Currently, the Roush Fenway drivers in the Cup Series are Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards and second-year driver Stenhouse Jr.

Edwards has virtually clinched a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs with a victory in March at Bristol Motor Speedway, but Roush Fenway has just five top-five finishes in a combined 33 Sprint Cup starts this season. Edwards and Biffle are in the final year of their contracts. Longtime Roush engineer Chip Bolin was reported to have left the organization in mid-May.

Bayne joined Roush Fenway in October 2010 after a Nationwide Series tenure with Michael Waltrip Racing. The following February at Daytona, Bayne won NASCAR's most prestigious race in just his second Sprint Cup start, driving the Woods' famed No. 21 Ford.

Bayne's 50 Cup races have all come with the Wood Brothers. Following the Roush announcement, Wood Brothers Racing released a statement.

"Trevor Bayne will always be a part of our family. And we will always share that great Daytona 500 moment together. It's something that will always be so special for all of us," said Eddie Wood, co-owner, Wood Brothers Racing. "We will always be Trevor Bayne fans, so we are happy he is getting his shot to race for the Sprint Cup Championship. We are going to do everything in our power to get him to victory lane one more time in the #21 Fusion."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bayne-drive-full-time-cup-124500284--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Rain Postpones Stafford Modified Event​*
Severe weather forced the postponement of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour's TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway to Friday, May 30.

Despite avoiding precipitation throughout the day, the weather system ultimately brought strong thunderstorms into the region in the early evening hours. The Whelen Modified Tour was able to get practice and qualifying completed with Bobby Santos winning the Coors Light Pole Award. It was his fourth pole win in his last six tour starts at the half-mile track.

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified race was halted in progress when lightning was approaching the facility. The schedule for the May 30 make-up date has not yet been finalized. It will include a full Whelen All-American Series schedule along with the 125-lap Modified Tour feature and completion of the SK Modified contest.

Following the Stafford date, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will head to Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl on Saturday, June 21 for the Mr. Rooter 161.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/rain-postpones-stafford-modified-event/


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## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Adds Wind Creek As Event Sponsor​*
WindCreek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka have partnered with Atlanta Motor Speedway to sponsor both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying night as well as the United Sprint Car Series event scheduled for Aug. 29.

"This is a really important sponsorship for us," said Jay Dorris, president of Wind Creek Hospitality, which operates Wind Creek Wetumpka and several other properties in Alabama and Florida. "Our customers love NASCAR, the sport has deep roots in our state and we are the closest casino to Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is a natural partnership that we think will provide a lot of great entertainment."

Aug. 29 will be known as Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetkumpka Qualifying Night and the USCS event will be called the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka Sprint Car Shootout. The Sprint Car Shootout will serve as the final leg of the eight-event Road to Atlanta that includes other pavement events around the region.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/atlanta-adds-wind-creek-as-event-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Forced To Back-Up Car​*
If Kyle Busch hopes to capture his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway during Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, he'll have to do it from the rear of the field.

Busch set the fastest time of final practice early in the hour long session, but moments later his No. 18 Toyota bounced off the turn four wall, forcing his Joe Gibbs Racing team to pull out the back-up car for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600. Busch was originally scheduled to start seventh in the 400-lap event.

His fastest lap in his primary car was 188.64 mph, but the best he could do in his backup car was barely more than 185 mph.

Joey Logano had the second fastest time of the session, topping out at 188.265 mph. Danica Patrick was third fastest, followed by Greg Biffle and polesitter Jimmie Johnson. Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman completed the top 10 in final practice.

Edwards had the fastest time in the first practice of the day Saturday morning, clocking in at 192.802 mph. A.J. Allmendinger was second, followed by Truex, Johnson and Brad Keselowski.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kyle-busch-forced-to-back-up-car/


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## Ckg2011

*Don Quixote On Four Wheels​*
Look beyond the back-and-forth flights, high speeds and prestige, and what does one see with Kurt Busch's quest to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600?

A noble but unwise endeavor.

Yet, that's also the beauty of what Busch is doing.

If people only did what made sense where would we be? Does it make sense to climb Mt. Everest? No, but conquering it is a triumph of the human spirit. Did it make sense for Felix Baumgartner to break the speed of sound in a skydive? No, but he showed how far humans can strive.

Consider Busch - with his bid to race 1,100 miles on the biggest day of the year for motorsports - the Don Quixote on four wheels, making doubters see what is possible.

As Alexander the Great once said: "There is nothing impossible to him who will try.''

Busch faces quite a challenge.

He seeks to become the fourth driver to race at Indy and Charlotte in the same day, yet Busch has nowhere the experience in IndyCars that John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart did when they ran both races. Monday's crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a reminder of how difficult this task is.

Busch makes this attempt - with the blessing of Sprint Cup car owner Gene Haas - even as his Cup team struggles. Although Busch's Martinsville win all but assure him a Chase spot, he's placed 25th or worse in seven of the season's first 11 races.

While some will see these and others reasons as why Busch shouldn't be making this attempt, what Busch is doing is what sports is about.

It's that opportunity to see something that we haven't seen before - or haven't seen in years. There's a reason why people are more prone to watch sporting events live instead of on tape. We want to see the impossible as it happens. We want to share in that moment with the athlete. Years later we want to be able to say, "I remember when ...'' We want to see others do what we can only dream of doing.

"I can't wait to watch and pull for him,'' Dale Earnhardt Jr. said of Busch's run in the Indianapolis 500.

Earnhardt isn't alone. Even some who are not Busch fans likely are interested in how he'll do in this adventure. The two biggest questions Sunday will be who won the races and how did Busch do.

Busch said he hopes he can provide motorsports with a "shot in the arm,'' luring casual fans to watch his progress and see how well he fares in both races.

Watching Busch could provide the drama similar to watching someone walk on a tight rope.

This is Busch's first IndyCar race. He has to drive a high-downforce car with the precision of a surgeon. Juan Pablo Montoya noted that Busch overcorrected when his IndyCar got loose and crashed on Monday.

An IndyCar does not need as much action from the steering wheel to respond, while stock cars do. That's just among the many differences. IndyCars have various devices a driver can adjust the car in the cockpit to improve a car's handling. While fans focus on the speed - IndyCars exceeded 230 mph during practice - speed is relative. The challenge is putting a car in the right spot without losing control.

"It hasn't been overwhelming,'' Busch said of learning to drive an IndyCar, "but, at the same time, each day in the IndyCar I'm a student and I'm learning. How many times have we all told ourselves if I would have known now what I could have known then?''

Busch admits his crash, in hindsight, was a good thing. Better to learn from one's mistakes in practice than during the race and have all the effort be wasted.

Busch is learning as he races the best in IndyCar and tries to beat them in their biggest race of the year. It would be like an IndyCar driver with little experience in a stock car trying to win the Daytona 500.

"It's been fun to watch and very fun from a NASCAR standpoint to see him go over there and have speed and be competitive,'' teammate Kevin Harvick said. "That is hard to do in late model racing, in go-kart racing to go into somebody else's territory and be competitive no matter what level it is at."

We'll watch Busch as he faces challenges that practice can only prepare him so much for Sunday's race, such as the three-abreast start where he'll be on the outside of the fourth row.

"The draft and the tow are much more violent than what it is in NASCAR,'' Busch said. "The simulation of 33 cars won't happen until Sunday. I give myself a B minus right now. I still have to work through traffic, to pass cars and let others feel confident around me. I need the first half of the race to do such.

"Can we win? We have to put ourselves in position to win.''

Teammate Danica Patrick said a piece of advice she was given before her first race at Indianapolis could prove helpful to Busch.

"His challenge is just going to be keeping his head on straight and making sure he doesn't get flustered at any point and I mean just in the race,'' Patrick said.

"The first advice I ever got for the Indy 500 in 2005 was to never feel like you're out of it and never give up, anything can happen. That sure as heck is right. I stalled it on pit lane and then later in the race I had an accident that ripped my front nose off and I still came back and almost won it. Anything can happen, so you just have to stay calm.''

Anything can happen in Busch's bid to run both races and that's why we'll be watching.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Busch-Out-To-Prove-Nothing-Is-Impossible.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Jeff Gordon Suffering Back Spasms​*
Jeff Gordon has been having back spasms today and will sit out Sprint CUP final practice. If Jeff Gordon cannot race in tomorrow's Coke Cola 600. Jr. Motorsports driver Regan Smith will be the substitute driver for the number 24 Chevy.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson Celebrates His Win In Fontana Cali​*
*21 Year Old Wonder Kid Wins In Charlotte​*
Kyle Larson wins the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kyle Larson lead over 80 laps and pulled away from second place Brad Keselowski and third place Kyle Busch.

This is the first race and win for new sponsor Eneos on the #42 Chevy Camaro.

Kyle Larson will set his sights on tomorrow's Coke Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Impresses In Indy 500 Debut​*
Kurt Busch finishes sixth in his rookie debut at the Indy 500. Kurt busch drove a great race and stayed out of trouble all day. Busch dodge a couple of nasty crashes and looked very comfortable in his Andretti Autosport car.

Up next for Kurt Busch is this evenings Coke Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kurt is on a plane right now heading towards the airport to climb aboard his Stewart Haas #41 Chevy.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*It's Still Jimmie's House​*
Jimmie Johnson wins the Coke Cola 600 and is now the newest member of the Chase For The Sprint CUP. Johnson was up front all night long, never falling out of the top 15.

Johnson ran down and passed leader Matt Kenseth and drove away from Kenseth by more than a second. Kevin Harvick who had a fast car caught Kenseth as well and passed him for second place.

Up next is Miles Place, the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway. Next Sunday on Fox.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Back in Victory Lane​*
Jimmie Johnson passed Matt Kenseth with nine laps to go and went on to score his first win of the season in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Johnson broke a tie with Bobby Allison for the most wins at Charlotte when he took his seventh checkered flag at the 1.5-mile track. In the process he ended his early season drought.

"There are more people fretting about things than myself," said Johnson. "I mean what 12 races? Give me a break. Obviously it's great to win and we are very happy to win here especially in the backyard of Hendrick Motorsports, Lowe's headquarters is just up the road as well."

The six-time series champion led a race-high 165 laps after starting from the pole and beat Kevin Harvick by 1.2-seconds at the finish. Johnson is the 10th different winner in the opening twelve races of the season.

"I was happy to get by the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon) and then the No. 20 (Kenseth)," said Johnson. "I wasn't sure I was going to get by both of them, but I did and brought this baby home."

Harvick had a fast car and looked like he would contend for a third win of the season. But a loose wheel after a pit stop cost the Stewart-Haas Racing driver precious time he could not make up in the closing laps.

"Yeah. We had a fast car all night," said Harvick. "Just kind of fumbled again on pit road. Got behind, got a lap down. We needed a 700 mile race to get back to where we needed to be."

Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five.

"Got a good restart, got out front," said Kenseth. "Unfortunately didn't have enough speed to hold off Jimmie and Kevin and hang on to win."

Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Paul Menard, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski completed the first ten finishers.

Kurt Busch, who started the day with a sixth place finish in the Indy 500, had his quest to finish 1,100 miles come to an end when he was knocked out of the race with a blown engine.

"It was a tough break," Busch said. "It takes a team to run 1,100 miles, not just one individual. We just came up short. All in all, I'm very satisfied. I gave it my all."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Dover Int'l Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Johnson won:* He ran down Kenseth after a restart with 17 laps to go and after passing the Joe Gibbs Racing driver drove away to a relatively easy victory.

*  What else happened:* The marathon race featured several drivers at the front of the field throughout the 600 miles but also included fuel strategy as the race wound down. Carl Edwards appeared to be in position to win on fuel mileage until a late race caution wiped out that advantage and forced the leaders to pit road. Kenseth had the lead off pit road but could not hold off a hard-charging Johnson who drove by for the victory. Harvick passed Kenseth with two laps to go and claimed second.

*Who else had a good day:* Jamie McMurray followed up his Sprint All-Star Race win with a fifth place performance Sunday&#8230;.Jeff Gordon battled back spasms all weekend and after a two-tire pit stop late was in contention for the win but settled for a seventh place finish&#8230;&#8230;Paul Menard gave Richard Childress Racing a top-10 finish with an eighth place performance.

*Who had a bad day:* Kurt Busch wasn't able to follow his impressive sixth place finish in the Indy 500 with a good night in Charlotte when an engine failure knocked him out of the race&#8230;..his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Danica Patrick had her best non-restrictor plate qualifying effort of fourth but suffered a similar fate as Busch with a blown engine&#8230;..The Hendrick-powered car issues continued for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who also was taken out of contention with a sour engine sent him to pit road on lap 312. Earnhardt continued in the race but was not a factor from that point on.

*  Quote of the day:* "Holy smokes! This is the race where you're like, 'Oh my God, this thing is never gonna end.'" - Joey Logano

*Other notables:* Brian Vickers (sixth) scored his fourth top-10 finish in 16 career Charlotte starts&#8230;&#8230;Aric Almirola gave Richard Petty Motorsports an 11th-place finish&#8230;..Greg Biffle (21st) set a new record for running at the finish at 84 races.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/05/Jimmie-Johnson-Wins-Coca-Cola-600.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch: 'A Memory I'll Have Forever'​*
Kurt Busch finished sixth in Sunday's Indianapolis 500, avoiding two wrecks as he completed all 500 miles in his quest to run in both that race and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day.

Busch ties Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon with the highest finish in the Indy 500 for a driver running that race and the 600 in the same day. Stewart finished sixth at Indy in 2001 when he completed all 1,100 miles. Gordon finished sixth in the 2000 Indy 500 but missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600.

Ryan Hunter-Reay won Sunday's Indianapolis 500 and former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya finished fifth. Busch, making his first IndyCar start, was the highest-finishing rookie.

Busch did not leave Indianapolis Motor Speedway in time to make it to the drivers meeting for the Coca-Cola 600, forcing him to start at the rear for the race. His helicopter landed on the frontstretch infield grass at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 4:53 p.m. - 1 hour and 36 minutes after the Indianapolis 500 ended.

"I'm feeling good,'' Busch said shortly before the 600. "The energy from running the race and the adrenalin and then I have to separate and focus on what is happening now, and that's 600 miles. I'm really happy with the finish up there. The Andretti guys were incredible on leading me through that race. I love long green-flag runs in races, and of course you have to be ready at the end for restarts. All in all, I couldn't take anything more away.''

Would Busch do it again?

"I do like it enough to do it again,'' he said. "We'll see how things go tonight. I want to really get settled in with the Haas Automation Chevy and give it our best. &#8230; I have a job to do now, like I need to ignore the 500 miles I just did."

Busch ran a smooth and steady race after starting 12th. He gradually fell back to 18th and was 17th at the halfway mark. With the first half of the race under green, Busch and his Andretti Autosport team didn't have much of a chance to make adjustments on the car.

Busch climbed into the top 10 with 52 laps left in the race. He moved to ninth on pit road and climbed to eighth when Scott Dixon crashed with 33 laps left.

Dixon spun and hit the outside wall in Turn 4. Busch moved low to avoid the incident but then had to move up the track as Dixon's car came across the track.

On the ensuring restart, pole-sitter Ed Carpenter and James Hinchcliffe crashed in Turn 1. Busch already was running on the bottom and didn't have any issues getting by the crash.

Busch's biggest moment though came with about 10 laps to go when Townsend Bell, running fifth, crashed in Turn 2 and Busch, running seventh, had to take evasive action to avoid Bell's car as it came across the track. Busch had to drive well low to get by Bell's wrecked car.

The race was halted to clean the debris
Busch restarted sixth and stayed there to the finish.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Busch-Has-Busy-Day-At-Indy-And-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Gains Respect With Tough Run​*
For all that Jeff Gordon has done in his career and this season with leading the points and winning a race, he still felt he needed to earn his team's respect.

"I don't know if they necessarily think that I'm that tough,'' said Gordon, who once won a Southern 500 after puking in the car. "I think they think I'm a good racecar driver and give them good feedback. I don't know if they knew how tough I was or how committed I was to what they do.''

He showed his team Sunday withstanding back pain to finish seventh in in the Coca-Cola 600 and extend his streak of consecutive starts to 737 races, longest among active drivers.

Crew chief Chad Knaus, a member of Gordon's crew in the 1990s, said what Gordon endured Sunday will resonate with his team.

"When a crew guy sees something like that, it automatically knocks you to the next level,'' Knaus said. "That level of respect that you have for somebody when you're ingrained with them and you see the pain and the desire and what it is they put into it, you get it. I think his guys - not that they didn't respect him before - have a new appreciation of what it is he does.''

Saturday morning, there were questions of if Gordon would race in the 600. He climbed out of his car after 11 laps in Saturday morning's practice session and didn't practice in the afternoon.

"The toughest thing was getting out (Saturday), knowing the kind of pain I was in, knowing that if I stayed in (the car), I was only going to do myself more harm,'' Gordon said. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.''

Gordon admitted that he was "not very optimistic" after he awoke Sunday morning that he would race because his back was so stiff.

He felt better after receiving treatment Sunday morning and sat in his car about four hours before the race. He pushed on the brake and clutch. He turned the wheel to see how he'd feel.

"I thought I was going to be OK,'' Gordon said.

Gordon said his back "flared up" one time when he hit the brakes entering Turn 1. He fought through the pain.

"I didn't know what was going to happen after that,'' Gordon said. "It settled down. I was aching in there.''

Gordon, who has a history of back issues, said his back hurt him Thursday during qualifying. He attributes the pain to his crash in last weekend's All-Star race and the long time he was out of the car Thursday from practice to qualifying.

"I have a tendency of getting tight,'' Gordon said. "That's something I work on a lot during the week and race day, staying loose, and that's not something I work as hard on on qualifying day. That's something I'm going to have to look into.''

Gordon, who has some "slight" bulging discs in his back, said he thought that sitting in the hauler for a few hours made his back "super tight.'' Gordon said when he went to make his qualifying run in the first round Thursday, "those tense tight muscles and me pushing the brake and turning the wheel, it just flared up.''

Gordon qualified 27th.

It didn't take him long to move forward Sunday and he was in the top 10 before the 60th lap. He had one of the stronger cars throughout the race, running toward the front.

He was in the lead late after a critical pit call.

Crew chief Alan Gustafson had his team change only two tires on Gordon's final stop with 26 laps left. The move made one wonder if history would repeat. Ray Evernham's call for two tires on the final stop helped Gordon score his first career Cup win in this race 20 years ago.

"When we took the two tires and Alan said, "Drive the wheels off of it,' I knew exactly what he was saying,'' Gordon said. "That was reminiscent of what Ray told me when won this race the first time. I thought that was going to make for a pretty good story.''

Gordon liked the call considering he's already won a race and is all but assured a spot in the Chase and that he likely wouldn't have had a chance to win with four tires.

Things changed when Alex Bowman brought out the caution on Lap 379 and bunched the field. Gordon couldn't hold the field and his car got tight, costing him spots late.

Now it's on to Dover. Gordon said he's not worried about his back at that physically demanding track.

"The one thing we didn't have this weekend was time,'' he said. "Now, having some rest and being able to take it easy and do my normal therapy, I should be fine for Dover.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eff-Gordon-Endures-Back-Pain-In-Coke-600.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Causes A Mess In The 600​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brett Moffitt Set For Sprint Cup Debut​*
Jay Robinson Racing announced today Brett Moffitt will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Dover Int'l Speedway on June 1 driving the team's No. 66 Toyota.

Moffitt, 21, of Grimes, Iowa is a nine-time winner in K&N Pro Series East competition and serves as a test driver for Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and Michael Waltrip Racing.

"Brett is a very young driver with a lot of experience for his age," said team owner Jay Robinson. "If you ask around the garage, you will learn he's one of the most respected young men in the sport who just hasn't had a chance at a fulltime ride. We think he has a lot of talent and will show it at Dover."

Moffitt finished ninth in his lone Nationwide Series start in August 2012 at Iowa Speedway. He finished 14th and 17th in 2013 Camping World Truck Series races at Kentucky and Michigan.

Moffitt said a Sprint Cup debut is something he began dreaming about as a child.

"I'm honored Jay asked me to drive his car at Dover," said Moffitt. "The Monster Mile is a tough, but fun track and I can't wait to get there. I won the 2009 & 2010 K&N East races at Dover so I think I'll feel comfortable there, but Sprint Cup racing is a whole new world.

"I appreciate all support I have received from Jay Robinson, TRD and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing for making this happen. My goals are to qualify well and learn all I can during the race."

A partnership between MWR and Jay Robinson Racing allows the No. 66 to compete in all NASCAR Sprint Cup races with Joe Nemechek as the primary driver. Michael Waltrip raced the No. 66 at Daytona and Talladega while Jeff Burton raced in Las Vegas.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/brett-moffitt-set-for-sprint-cup-debut/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jeb Burton Lands Full-Time Truck Sponsor​*
Estes Express Lines will serve as primary sponsor for ThorSport Racing's No. 13 Toyota Tundra driven by Jeb Burton for the balance of the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, beginning with Friday's Lucas Oil 200 at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway.








Estes' president and CEO Rob Estes was the keynote speaker at an unveiling ceremony for the No. 13 Estes Toyota at the transportation company's Richmond, Va., headquarters.

"To have Jeb driving the No. 13 Estes Toyota in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a powerful combination and a perfect match for our company," Estes said. "First, it's safe to say that trucks - all trucks - are our passion. Second, it takes the effort of a large team of highly-skilled people at ThorSport Racing to make sure the No. 13 Tundra is prepared to race and to win, just like at Estes, where every member of our team is essential to the performance of the company as a whole.

"And finally, Jeb's job is to cross the finish line first each race and to do so safely, without injury or damage. At Estes, our job is to finish that same way with our customers, with every shipment, whether it's door-to-door or coast-to-coast, 40,000 times each day."

Estes and other company leaders expressed widespread enthusiasm for their first motorsports program in the company's 83-year history, anticipating the sponsorship will help Estes raise brand visibility to a national level, while aligning with stated company values of service, performance and family.

Burton, 21, is a second-generation stock-car racer whose father, Ward Burton won the 2002 Daytona 500 and whose uncle, Jeff Burton is a 21-race winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. With shared roots in the small towns of rural southern Virginia, the Estes and Burton families are distant relatives.

"It's an honor to be driving the No. 13 Estes Toyota," Jeb Burton said. "Each time I get behind the wheel, I'm not only representing the Burton family and ThorSport Racing, now I have the privilege of representing everyone at Estes, which means a team of almost 15,000 employees including more than 6,000 truck drivers."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/jeb-burton-lands-full-time-truck-sponsor/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Theme Park Connection, Sorenson Team Up​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing will partner with Theme Park Connection for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races starting at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway through Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this Summer.

TPC will be the primary sponsor for the No. 36 Chevrolet of Reed Sorenson on June 8 at Pocono. They will continue their partnership with TBR as an associate sponsor through the July 5, 2014 race at Daytona. The primary sponsorship will consist of a patriotic paint scheme to honor TBR's "Salute the Troops" campaign.

For more than a decade, Theme Park Connection has been America's online choice for Disney Collectibles and Movie Memorabilia. They specialize in rare and unique items found in the Parks and Attractions from around the world. Now NASCAR fans can benefit from their extensive experience in providing that one of a kind collectible, and own their favorite piece of history.

"It's great to have Theme Park Connection join Tommy Baldwin Racing and the No. 36 team," said driver of the No. 36 Reed Sorenson. "Whenever you have a sponsor that really wants to get involved with something the team is doing like our "Salute the Troops" campaign it's great. Theme Park Connection has some awesome memorabilia and I encourage everyone to check out their website to see what new items they have."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/theme-park-connection-sorenson-team-up/


----------



## Ckg2011

*iRacing Joins Forces With PPR​*
Typically recognized as an underdog in NASCAR, Phil Parsons Racing and driver Josh Wise have been able to break the stereotypical mold this year with the support of the online community.

With successful crowd sourcing efforts on reddit behind funding for three primary race sponsorships of the No. 98 Chevrolet SS and the election of Wise into the Sprint All Star race, Phil Parsons Racing has formed another internet-based partnership.

This time, the "little team that could" will partner with the world's premier motorsports racing simulation, iRacing. From May 27 through June 30, both new and current iRacing subscribers will have the opportunity to support Wise and Phil Parsons Racing through select purchases on the online racing simulation site.

"I am very excited about the partnership between iRacing and Phil Parsons Racing," commented Wise. "I have used iRacing for the past six years as a training tool for my weekly NASCAR races because of how accurate their simulation and track layouts are. It has been such an awesome year for us with so much fan support on these projects, and this is another great way for fans to not only get a 60 percent discount on their membership, but also for the proceeds to go toward helping us build our program at PPR.

"It is also great to be continuing our relationship with reddit.com and its subreddits. Reddit was the internet's best-kept secret for me until I was introduced to it earlier this year. It has been really fun to have fans so involved in our race program from the ground up, and I feel like this is another weekend where everybody can be a part of this and have fun."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/iracing-joins-forces-with-ppr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Talks Indy and Pocono​*
Kyle Larson wants to drive in the Indianapolis 500 someday, but first he has to figure out Pocono Raceway.

Larson is at Pocono today, completing the second day of a two-day test with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jamie McMurray and 10 other Sprint Cup drivers. Both Larson and McMurray are also scheduled to test next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Hendrick Motorsports.

Kurt Busch's recent attempt to run all 1,100 miles in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 has revived interest in that feat and who might be next to try it. Busch, who says he would like to do it again, finished sixth in the Indianapolis 500 and placed 40th at Charlotte when his engine blew. He fell 193.5 miles short of running the distance.

"I thought Kurt did an amazing job,'' Larson said. "I would definitely love to run the Indy 500. Hopefully in the next couple of years, I get a shot at it. Really it's up to Chip and Target. Not up to me, but I can beg as much as I want to.''

For now, the 21-year-old Larson must figure out Pocono Raceawy, a track he had not driven on before this week.

"It is definitely pretty tricky,'' he said Tuesday. "You downshift in every corner and shifting is not one of my strong suites as I missed a shift. We're changing engines and transmissions. Hopefully, I got it out of the way early and finish the test without missing anymore.''

Despite the struggles, Larson called the three-turn track fun.

"It's so different than anything we race on,'' he said. "I wish I would have got to race here before they repaved it because I'm not a big fan of repaved racetracks because I like worn out tracks.''

Larson comes into this test off an 18th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600. He has three top-10 finishes in his last six points races and says that the goal has become to finish in the top 10 each week instead of the top 15 as was the case earlier this season.

"Kyle has done a great job this year of staying out of trouble,'' McMurray said. "I think one of the hardest parts for rookies is how you race people and how they race you. He's done a good job of gaining the respect of a lot of the guys who have been around.''

Also testing today at Pocono are Michael Waltrip Racing (Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and Jeff Burton), Richard Childress Racing (Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman), Furniture Row Racing (Martin Truex Jr.), HScott Motorsports (Justin Allgaier), Tommy Baldwin Racing (Michael Annett) and Go Fas Racing (Travis Kvapil).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/05/Kyle-Larson-Talks-Indy-and-Pocono.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Still Winless​*
There are a number of top Sprint Cup Series drivers still looking for their first win of the season.

Now that Jimmie Johnson finally erased the goose egg in his win column, the attention shifts to some of the sport's most recognized names that have not yet found Victory Lane.

Although 10 different drivers have won in the season's first 12 races, it's still a stretch to think there will be more than 16 winners when the regular season ends at Richmond in September. But with 14 races left before the Chase starts, the possibility at least exists.

As the Sprint Cup Series starts its second third of the schedule this weekend in Dover, here's a look at a few drivers that have not yet been able to cross the finish line first:

*Matt Kenseth* 
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver racked up six wins in his first year with the team last season but has yet to crack into the victory column in 2014. Kenseth came close last week in Charlotte, but was passed by Johnson with nine laps to go in the Coca-Cola 600 on his way to victory. Last year, Kenseth and the JGR team were stellar on 1.5-mile tracks but this year it's been more of a struggle thanks in no small part to the new ride height rule and intermediate track rules package in play. It's hard not to imagine Kenseth picking up at least a win before playoff time.

*Kasey Kahne* 
The underachieving driver at Hendrick Motorsports showed some life at Charlotte, a track where Kahne has been strong throughout his Sprint Cup career. But the fact remains he is 17th in the point standings and has registered only one top-five finish all season. It's been a variety of reasons why Kahne hasn't been able to get to the front of the field when it counts but now that teammate Johnson has won, the heat in the Hendrick camp is squarely on the No. 5 team.

*Greg Biffle* 
The contract negotiations swirling around Roush Fenway Racing these days have to be a distraction for the organization and Biffle, who is in the final year of his deal with the team. Although he's scored a pair of top-five finishes this year, Biffle really hasn't been in position to challenge for a win in the opening dozen races of the campaign. He's made his frustration regarding the team's lack of speed known and compounded with the uncertainty regarding the future; these are more than tenuous times in the Biffle camp.

*Brian Vickers*
He scored a win at New Hampshire last year but hasn't been able to replicate the feat in 2014. But Vickers has been impressive, quietly working his way into the top 10 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings with another solid outing last week in Charlotte. Vickers seems poised to take the next step at Michael Waltrip Racing and bears watching as a potential winner in the coming weeks particularly when the series heads to Loudon in early July.

*Ryan Newman* 
Consistency has been on display with Newman during his first season with Richard Childress Racing. But four top-10 finishes and sitting tenth in the point standings is a bit misleading. The reality is Newman has suffered the same fate as the rest of his RCR teammates Austin Dillon and Paul Menard. While the trio have all run near the front of the field many times throughout the opening portion of the schedule, none have truly been in the mix for a win as of yet. Pocono, Loudon and Indianapolis - three flat tracks where RCR is usually strong - might be Newman's best chances to take a win during the summer stretch.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Still-Winless.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Back On Track Heading To Dover​*
Well, now that that's out of the way, we can resume our regularly-scheduled regimen of highlighting races on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule without talking about Jimmie Johnson being winless in 2014.

The six-time series champion became a first time 2014 winner this past Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600. Off the schneid and into the Chase.

Race winners are virtually assured of qualifying for NASCAR's "playoffs," the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season. And a Chase without Johnson? Unthinkable. And now, as if on cue, speculation has begun about a record-tying seventh championship for the driver of the No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet.

On a somewhat smaller scale, there also is speculation about the previously winless Johnson winning for the second week in a row, this weekend at Dover Int'l Speedway. This makes sense, since Johnson already is the all-time race winner at the track called the "Monster Mile," with eight victories over a relatively brief 11-year span. The first two Dover victories came in Johnson's rookie season via a season sweep; the last came in 2013's second Dover event.

After the 600, Johnson joked about his team letting people know "the 48 is awake." On second thought, he probably wasn't joking. Win six championships and a "game face" is pretty much a permanent fixture.

First things first, though. Johnson has won more times at Dover than any other track except Martinsville, where he also has eight victories. And over the next two months, he'll travel to other friendly confines: Pocono Raceway (twice), Daytona Int'l Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, having won three times at each; and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he has four victories, tied for the all-time lead with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon.

"We're off to a good start," said Johnson, a nod to his sixth-place standing in the series points. "If we can take advantage of the next few tracks that are great tracks for us, it would be great momentum. Ideally you'd love to [get hot] before the Chase gets started and carry that right into the start of the Chase. But you never know when you're going to peak and when everything's going to be just right. We'll hopefully peak at the right time."

"[Something] we have on our side - we're going to Dover, which is by far one of Jimmie's favorite race tracks," added crew chief Chad Knaus. "Then we're going to Pocono, which is one of my favorite race tracks. Doesn't hurt. So I think over the next couple of weeks we're going to be in pretty good shape."

Suddenly, "being winless" seems like so much ancient history.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/johnson-back-on-track-heading-to-dover/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Looking For Answers​*
Maybe this is the weekend things change for Martin Truex Jr.

It has to happen sometime, doesn't it?

It looked as if his fortune would improve last weekend in the Coca-Cola 600. Truex ran in the top 10 for much of the race before a mechanical issue with less than 10 laps left sent him to pit road. He lost two laps and finished 25th, continuing a frustrating season that began with a last-place finish in the Daytona 500 because of a blown engine and has had no finish better than 10th since.

Maybe this weekend's trip to Dover International Speedway can end the woes. This is one of Truex's best tracks. He won there in 2007 and has scored a top-10 finish in six of his 16 Sprint Cup starts at that track,

While the finish wasn't what he wanted last weekend in Charlotte, the performance was.

"Anytime you run good it makes you feel good,'' Truex said this week during a break in testing at Pocono Raceway. "We struggled at the All-Star race and the guys went to work during the week. Honestly, I can't remember finding that much speed in one week before. The team did a great job, so there's definitely light at the end of the tunnel.''

It's been pretty dark at times for Truex and his Furniture Row Racing team.

Truex was 10th on the final restart at Talladega but got shuffled back and finished 17th. He never was a factor at Kansas, placing 21st. Truex was caught in Jeff Gordon's crash in the All-Star race and finished 18th, but Truex was not a factor in that event.

Then came the 600 where Truex ran well until a rear drive plate broke.

"It's just frustrating,'' Truex said. "Our whole season has kind of been that way. Every time we've had a really good racecar something bad has happened.

"I feel like we've got some really good things in the works. We just need the bad luck to end soon.''

Like others, Truex said he's trying to find the right setup with the new rules package.

"That's been the biggest hurdle,'' he said. "Just trying to put my finger on exactly what I need because so many things are different than what I'm used to.''

As he searches for answers Truex has fallen to 26th in the points. Yet, with the new Chase format where a win all but assures a driver a spot in the Chase, there's still a carrot for he and his team.

"It's definitely a different mindset than it used to be,'' he said. "It used to be you're in the 20s (in points) you're like you get to halfway through the year and you start worrying about next year, you start trying new things, you start testing cars and trying to figure things.

"I feel like we've made some really big gains in the past month or so and just really haven't been able to show it.''

Maybe it happens this weekend.

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks on Sunday at noon (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Looking-To-Turn-Season-Around-At-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Kenseth Next To Win?​*
Now, it's Matt Kenseth's turn.

After winning six races a year ago, Jimmie Johnson scored his first victory of the season in last weekend's Coca-Cola 600. That leaves Kenseth, who won a series-high seven times last year, as the only driver to score at least three wins a season ago without a victory this year.

Despite that distinction, Kenseth questions if there is any more urgency on his team to win heading into Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway.

"I know, obviously, you more than likely need a win to get into the Chase, but you do the best you can every week to try to win no matter what the point standings are or no matter how that works out,'' Kenseth said Friday morning at Dover. "So, I don't think there's any more or less urgency than anything else. It's not like you can just say, 'Man, we really need a win' and you just go and get one. It doesn't really work like that."

Kenseth's situation is not unusual. This marks the third time in the last four seasons that the leading race winner from the previous season had not scored a victory by the 12th race of the following season.

The question of when Kenseth will win grows with 10 different winners in the first 12 races of the season and a new Chase format where a victory all but assures a driver a chance to race for the championship.

Kenseth enters this weekend after a season-best third-place finish in last weekend's Coca-Cola 600. He's scored seven top-10 finishes in the last eight races to remain second in the points.

He comes to a track he's had plenty of success. Kenseth has two wins at Dover and nine top-10 finishes in the last 12 races there.

With that success at this track, many people place higher expectations Kenseth and his team to win this weekend.

Johnson knows what that's like.

"I know there's been a lot of pressure and expectations put on us ... but that pressure that people might see and suspect that might be wearing on us is nothing compared to the pressure we put on ourselves as a race team,'' Johnson said. "We expect a lot out of ourselves.''

So does Kenseth and his team.

"If we could've won some of the races earlier this year we would've,'' said Kenseth, winless in his last 20 starts, dating back to last fall's race at New Hampshire. "We just haven't been quite good enough.

"I feel like my team has been doing a great job, doing a great job on pit road and really executing and great adjustments and doing all of that stuff. We've been in position to win a few races, we just haven't quite had the speed yet. So, we'll just keep working on it and hopefully keep putting together mistake-free races and putting ourselves in position and hopefully sooner or later it works out."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...h-Says-No-Extra-Urgency-Even-Without-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart: 'It's My Life'​*
Tony Stewart plans to continue driving sprint cars and won't let anyone talk him out of following his passion.

Stewart was sidelined with a broken leg last year after his early-August crash while racing a sprint car in Iowa. There's been speculation whether the three-time Sprint Cup champion would curtail his short-track open-wheel schedule in the aftermath of the accident.

However, Stewart has reiterated that he has no plans to stop sprint car racing and recently got back behind the wheel in a test session at an undisclosed location.

"It was fun," Stewart said of the test while addressing the media Friday at Dover International Speedway. "It felt good. We actually did a full-blown test. It wasn't just going out and making laps. We got a chance to run through a lot of shock stuff and setup stuff. Ready to go again."

Stewart said he's working toward getting back to being able to compete in a sprint car but will keep his future plans private.

"I'll tell you how it went," Stewart said when asked when he'd be on dirt next. "Let's put it this way. You won't know when it's coming. When I do go, nobody is going to know about it. I'm going to just slide in and do it. I want to enjoy it. I don't want it to be a cluster. Judging off how many people showed up just to talk to me about going and testing for a couple of hours, I can imagine what the group is going to be like after I run my first race."

Stewart is still surprised with how much attention his injury while racing a sprint car generated. He pointed out other drivers in the Sprint Cup Series have gotten hurt in a variety of ways and wondered why there has been so much focus on what happened to him.

"I'm smiling because I'm laughing at you guys. It's like, 'My God, I went and tested a sprint car!' " Stewart said to the assembled media behind his hauler. "I still laugh about how big a deal this has all been made. We had Cup drivers get hurt last year. One had a broken wrist, one had a broken back and nobody said anything. It was all minor news.

"I've made more news by getting hurt in a dirt car than any of these guys. It's bigger news than the guy that had the same injury I had falling off a bicycle last week. I chuckled."

Stewart also put to rest any speculation he would be pressured to give up his passion for sprint cars.

"Nope, it's my life," he said. "I'm going to live my life. It's nobody else's decision but mine. I think there are a lot worse things I could be doing with my life than what I choose to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Stewart-Its-My-Life.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Back Not Slowing Gordon Down​*
Jeff Gordon has no concerns about his ailing back this weekend at Dover International Speedway.

Gordon was forced to sit out last weekend's Coca-Cola 600 final practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway after suffering back spasms earlier in the weekend. Although he had Regan Smith standing by as a relief driver, Gordon was able to finish the entire race in fact challenging for the win late until finally settling for a seventh place finish.

While he admits that his back issues are a challenge, Gordon anticipates being able to fulfill his driving duties this weekend at the "Monster Mile."

"I wouldn't say I'm 100 percent," Gordon said Friday after practice at Dover. "I'm back closer to normal, which is just always aggravation and some discomfort. I'm still feeling some of the effects from what I went through last week.

"I felt good in the car. I didn't have any sharp pains. I just had a week of rest and normal activity, lots of ice this week."

While Gordon doesn't anticipate any problems racing this weekend at Dover, he does have to alter his preparation plan in the aftermath of what he experienced last weekend in Charlotte.

"If I don't stay loose and ice and do other things that keep me loose when I get to the race weekend, what happened could possibly occur again," he said. "So, that's the biggest thing I'm focused on; not thinking or focusing on anything else."

But despite the physical challenges, Gordon has no plans to expedite his retirement from the sport. But he admits the possibility of not having a say in the manner does exist.

"I can tell you if that happens many more times, I won't have a choice," Gordon said of his recent bout of back problems.

Gordon has a spot more than likely locked up in the Chase by virtue of his Kansas win earlier this month. He's started the 2014 season in solid fashion and has been at or near the top of the point standings nearly the entire first 12 races of the campaign.

Continuing to run well, win races and challenge for a fifth Sprint Cup championship are the move prevalent things on Gordon's mind and retirement is still further down the road despite speculation of when he may actually hang up the helmet.

"That is where my focus is," said Gordon. "But you guys feel free to ask me all the questions that you want about retirement. I don't have an answer for you. When the day comes and that decision is made I will be more than happy to share it with you."

Jeff Gordon will be featured in this week's MRN "One on One" interview during Sunday's broadcast of the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks beginning at 12 Noon (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/05/Back-Not-Slowing-Gordon-Down.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Record Run Gives Dover Pole To Keselowski​*
Brad Keselowski earned yet another front row qualifying position Friday at Dover Int'l Speedway, scoring the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400.

Keselowski established a track record during the second round of knockout qualifying, circling the one-mile concrete oval in 21.892 seconds at 164.444 mph to earn his second pole of the season in his Team Penske Ford. Kyle Busch will join him on the front row in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

This is his eighth front row start in 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races so far this year. Keselowski was the first driver to take to the track during the final round of qualifying, setting fast time in the process.

"They gave me a great car here with the Miller Lite Ford Fusion. I didn't feel like I got it all the first run. I like this group qualifying and I got another shot at it," Keselowski said. "I think we have been pretty decent and there are a lot of great cars in race trim. The 18 (Busch) looked good and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) has been strong and we have a lot to go. There is a lot left in the weekend. We have practice tomorrow and we just have to keep working."

Joey Logano qualified third to give Team Penske two cars in the first three positions. Coca-Cola 600 winner Jimmie Johnson qualified fourth, followed by top rookie qualifier Kyle Larson. The remainder of the top 12 in qualifying were Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers, Clint Bowyer, A.J. Allmendinger and Greg Biffle.

Busch paced the first qualifying session with his 21.989-second lap at 164.399 mph. He was followed by Johnson, Logano, Hamlin and Keselowski.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first car to miss advancing to the second and final qualifying round. He will start 13th.

Only 43 cars made qualifying attempts Friday at Dover Int'l Speedway, meaning they will all start Sunday's FedEx 400.






*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/record-run-gives-dover-pole-to-keselowski/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview: Sprint CUP Series At Dover​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Wins Truck Race At Dover​*
What else is new, Kyle Busch dominated today's Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway. It was crash filled race otherwise. Ryan Blaney, Johnny Sauter, Brandon Jones and Joey Coulter round out the top five finishers.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Anyone Surprised? Kyle Busch Wins​*
Kyle Busch wins today's NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series race at Dover International Speedway. Kyle dominated yesterday's Truck Series race and did the same today. He did have a little battle with Joey Logano but that was short lived.

Kyle Busch will now turn his attention to tomorrow's FedEx 400 at the Dover International Speedway. Can Kyle Busch sweep the weekend at Dover? Find out tomorrow.

Trevor Bayne, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Chase Elliott round out the top five finishers.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Stops NASCAR Modifieds Again​*
Inclement weather once again spoiled the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour's attempt to run the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Twice postponed, the race is now slated to run on Friday, June 6.

The third race of the 2014 tour schedule was originally to be contested on May 23, but rain arrived at Stafford that night following practice and qualifying, just prior to the race. In Friday's second attempt rain cut practice short, and with a forecast for continued precipitation ahead, NASCAR and Stafford reached a decision to postpone the event one more week.

Bobby Santos captured the Coors Light Pole Award for the race during qualifying on May 23. This evening at Stafford his No. 44 Tinio Racing/ImperialCars.com Chevrolet was once again the class of the field in 25 minutes of practice before the rain arrived.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/rain-stops-nascar-modifieds-again/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Ends Logano's Dover Streak​*
Kyle Busch won Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Buckle Up 200 at Dover International Speedway to deny Joey Logano's attempt to win five consecutive races at the 1-mile track.

Busch outran Trevor Bayne to the checkered flag to score his second straight Dover win of the weekend after his Camping World Truck Series victory on Friday night.

"The last 30-40 laps there I was just holding on, trying to keep those guys at bay," Busch said. "Man, lapped traffic was kind of tough, just the way they would loosen your car up when you got to them. This Monster Energy Camry was pretty awesome. I didn't think it was, but it was."

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will start second in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks in an attempt as a three-race weekend sweep, something he accomplished at Bristol in 2010.

"We'll see how it goes tomorrow," Busch. "We unloaded fast and I think we'll be alright tomorrow. We've got some good notes. Changed some things that worked. Changed some things that didn't work."

Busch scored his third win of the season and added to his all-time series victory-leading total with number 66. He led one time on Saturday for the final 124 laps.

Bayne, Logano, Matt Kenseth and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

"This team has made some really big gains this week," Bayne said. "We have been eight to 10th place every week and it kind of stinks to be that close. I will never complain about a second place finish but when you can get that close you want to keep going."

Logano started from the pole and came up two positions short of keeping his Dover winning streak alive.

"That is frustrating," Logano said. "I feel like I had the winning car but we were too loose there. We were loose that last run and couldn't pass anyone. As soon as I got close enough to a car I would lose all the air on it and get free and really couldn't get there."

Kyle Larson, Brian Scott, Ty Dillon, Elliott Sadler and Regan Smith completed the first ten finishers.

The race saw five lead changes among three different drivers, and was slowed four times by the caution flag.

Smith is the series point leader by four points with Elliott third 22 behind.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to action on Saturday, June 14 at Michigan International Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/05/Busch-Ends-Loganos-Dover-Streak.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos from today's NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series Race​*
*Chris Buescher makes an amazing save at Dover​*





*Multi-car wreck collects Conley​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon Could Retire Over Back Woes​*
Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon said Friday he will have to retire if he continues to suffer the same, excruciating back pain that he did before last weekend's Coca-Cola 600.

The 42-year-old Gordon is in no hurry to slow down. But he said he hopes he has found some solutions to the back woes that nearly forced him out of NASCAR's longest race. Gordon cut short his practice runs last week because of back spasms and there was some concern whether or not he would be able to race.

Regan Smith was on standby and Gordon needed treatment after the practice session. But he wound up in his familiar seat behind the wheel of the No. 24 and finished seventh, his ninth top-10 finish in 12 races this season.

Gordon knows consistent, shooting pain like he suffered at Charlotte Motor Speedway could drive him toward an early retirement.

"I can tell you, if that happens many more times, I won't have a choice," Gordon said Friday at Dover Motor Speedway.

Gordon had soreness Monday and Tuesday, though that didn't deviate too much from how he would feel after driving 600 grueling miles. He said his back is not at 100 percent, and probably never will be behind the wheel.

At Daytona this year, Gordon insisted he was serious about considering retirement should he win a fifth championship. He looks every bit a title contender - he has a win and holds the points lead - and gutting out Charlotte proved to his Hendrick Motorsports team "it's going to take a lot to get us down."

Gordon suffered serious issues years ago in his back, specifically his lower spine, and needed anti-inflammatory medication and workouts with a trainer to return to full strength. He drove in pain during a winless 2008 season and briefly contemplated retirement.

For all his back woes, Gordon said he never felt the stabbing pain there like he did last weekend.

Gordon said he'll make adjustments to his race weekend routine to keep his back loose to withstand hours crunched in a stock car. He needs to stay active and not sit during lengthy breaks in practice and qualifying. Gordon sat more than three hours last week between practice and qualifying, a gap that left he believed led his creaky back to a breakdown.

"Once that happened, there was nothing that was going to fix it until I had those injections on Saturday," he said.

Gordon has no standby driver at Dover. He felt fine on Friday. But once inside the No. 24, all bets are off.

"It's just something I continue to learn and push through," he said. "It's no big deal."

*Source:*
http://news.yahoo.com/nascars-jeff-gordon-could-retire-over-back-woes-212846330--spt.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Rolls to Dover​*
Jimmie Johnson carries the momentum of last week's Charlotte win into this weekend's quest for career win number nine at Dover International Speedway.

Johnson ended a 12-race winless drought in the Coca-Cola 600. With a win finally in the bank and his track record at Dover, it's not a surprise Johnson couldn't wait to get to the "Monster Mile."

"Just looking to expand on a great performance last weekend," said Johnson. "We are coming to my favorite race track and by the stats probably our best track as well. Excited to be here, look forward to getting on the racetrack and seeing how this new rules package works here.

"Over the years we have been able to adapt to a variety of generations of car and hopefully we can adapt quickly to what is needed here and what the set-up needs to be to get around the 'Monster' once again."

Johnson's Sprint Cup Series career has been filled with record-setting performances and impressive feats, including six series championships. After setting the career Charlotte win mark last week with his seventh victory and holding the victory record at Dover, Johnson cherishes the impact he's made in the sport.

"No, no, they definitely have a ton of meaning," he said. "When I look at the people that I'm tying or have the opportunity to beat for those great titles, it's the heroes of our sport and the guys that are put in the Hall of Fame. When you look at their stats and what they've done for our sport, household names, it is no small feat to tie or have the opportunity to beat these guys for races won at any track."

Johnson has started the season string but by his standards many were questioning the lack of wins until his Charlotte victory. Needless to say, Johnson found that consternation amusing.

"I think a lot of joking about the long winless streak being over. That's been the common theme among friends and social media and about," he laughed. "So, I'm just having fun with it and trying to remind myself that it's a backhanded compliment, I guess, that we have done so well as a team and been fortunate to win a lot and win often, that we put ourselves in this corner.

"So, I'm glad I don't have to answer those questions any longer and we're looking forward to winning again soon and especially later in the year, winning often."

His next shot comes in the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks, where he'll start fourth. 
Johnson's Charlotte win coupled with Dover's past success certainly has Johnson looking forward to Sunday's race.

"We expect a lot out of ourselves," said Johnson. "We feel like wins have gotten away from us this year that we weren't happy about and we also feel that there are tracks that we went to where we just had poor performances. So, the win is great, but we kind of hold ourselves to that standard and we're coming to one of our best tracks and the expectations are very high for this weekend."

Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks from Dover International Speedway at 12 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com. Tony Stewart is the defending winner. The MRN broadcast will be anchored by Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/05/Johnson-Rolls-to-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Where The Rubber Meets The Road​*
*No. 43 Crew Chief Trent Owens explains how rubber build-up affects Dover International Speedway in this edition of the Mobil 1 Auto Tech Question of the Week. For more NASCAR news, check out: http://www.NASCAR.com​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Summer of Jimmie Begins​*
Everyone was asking when Jimmie Johnson was going to win this season. Now everyone is going to be asking when is he going to stop.

Jimmie Johnson dominates the FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway. Johnson commanded the restart after restart and drove away from would be challengers of Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski.

Jimmie Johnson has now has ensured himself a spot in the 2014 Chase For The Sprint CUP with 2 wins in a row. The Sprint CUP Series now heads to the Trick Triangle in Pocono Pa.











*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Sweep Hopes End for Busch​*
Kyle Busch had his chance for a Dover International Speedway three-peat end on lap 125 of Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks.

Busch started the weekend with victories in Friday's Camping World Truck Series race and Saturday's Nationwide Series event.

He started Sunday's Sprint Cup Series finale from outside the front row and had a strong car until things went sour on lap 125.

Busch made contact with Clint Bowyer and then slammed hard into the outside wall severely damaging his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Busch was extremely angry with Bowyer and chased him under caution before finally pulling into the garage area.

He left the garage without commenting on the incident.

But the day did include one milestone for Busch who became the 15th driver in NASCAR history to lead 10,000 laps in the Sprint Cup Series.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/06/Dover-Sweep-Hopes-End-for-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Sprint CUP Series FedEx 400​*
*Multi Car Crash And First Red Flag​*





*Track Comes Apart McMurray Hits It Second Red Flag​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rhodes Is Dominant At Bowman Gray​*
Ben Rhodes turned in a dominant victory in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 Saturday night in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East action at historic Bowman Gray Stadium.

Rhodes became the first driver in four all-time races at The Stadium to win from the pole. He led all but one of the 152 circuits to emerge with his third victory of the season and extend his lead in the K&N Pro Series East championship standings.

Rhodes' triumph was not without challenges, however. He had to keep his No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet out in front through 12 caution restarts on the tight quarter-mile for the hard-earned win.

The final caution set up a green-white-checkered flag finish where Daniel Suarez beat Rhodes to the line to lead restart Lap 150, but Rhodes regained the advantage and held on for the checkers.

Suarez, who rallied from back in the pack after starting from the rear after making contact with the outside retaining wall during his qualifying run, finished as the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 runner-up and Austin Hill joined him on the Bowman Gray podium in third. Brandon Jones and Ronnie Bassett Jr. brought home the top five.

Rhodes' point lead grew to 49 over Gaulding with Suarez and Cameron Hayley in third and fourth, respectively.

Earlier in the evening Rhodes set the series' track qualifying record at Bowman Gray in recording his fourth 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing Company.

*The finish:*

1. (1) Ben Rhodes, Louisville, Ky., Chevrolet, 152 laps, 37.853 mph.
2. (20) Daniel Suarez, Monterrey, Mexico, Toyota, 152.
3. (12) Austin Hill, Winston, Ga., Ford, 152.
4. (11) Brandon Jones, Atlanta, Ga., Chevrolet, 152.
5. (4) Ronnie Bassett, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., Toyota, 152.
6. (3) Gray Gaulding, Colonial Heights, Va., Chevrolet, 152.
7. (14) Ryan Gifford, Winchester, Tenn., Toyota, 152.
8. (9) Kenzie Ruston, El Reno, Okla., Chevrolet, 152.
9. (5) Jay Beasley, Las Vegas, Nev., Toyota, 152.
10. (6) Nick Drake, Mooresville, N.C., Toyota, 152.
11. (7) Kaz Grala, Westborough, Mass., Chevrolet, 151.
12. (2) Scott Heckert, Ridgefield, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
13. (18 ) Mackena Bell, Carson City, Nev., Toyota, 149.
14. (16) Sam Hunt, Midlothian, Va., Toyota, 147.
15. (10) Brennan Newberry, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 146.
16. (13) Jesse Little, Sherrills Ford, N.C., Chevrolet, 145.
17. (19) Trey Hutchens, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 145.
18. (15) Cameron Hayley, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 122.
19. (17) John Holleman, IV, Winston-Salem, N.C., Toyota, 76, overheating.
20. (8 ) Sergio Pena, Winchester, Va., Toyota, 68, accident.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/rhodes-is-dominant-at-bowman-gray/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Steady Improvement Keeps Mears Upbeat​*
Casey Mears is four years and two car manufacturers removed from his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start with Germain Racing.

The small, Mooresville, N.C.-based operation has grown from an occasional start-and-park outfit to one averaging a top-20 finish.

Mears, however, wants more.

His average finish with Germain Racing has climbed every year: from 29th in 2010 to 28th in 2011, 27th in 2012, 24th last year and 20th this season. Better finishes - highlighted by a ninth-place run in February's Daytona 500 - aren't the only positives the Bakersfield, Calif. native takes away from the season's first 13 races.

Mears takes pride in having been with the team since its humble introduction to the sport's top series

"It's fun to be here long enough to go through that whole process," Mears told SPEED SPORT. "It makes you appreciate where you are now as an organization. We try not to look backwards a lot. We try to look forward, but when you look at how the team was run then compared to now, and the budget we have now, we've really turned a corner.

"It's cool to start seeing results from all of that hard work."

The move to Chevrolet from Ford helped Mears' No. 13 GEICO team become more formidable. A new partnership with Richard Childress Racing, Mears believes, also played a major role. The additions and adjustments would slow down most teams, but Mears' relationship with crew chief Bootie Barker made things easier.

Still, it wasn't as simple as taking out an engine and replacing it with a different brand.

"The logistics of it all was a pretty big undertaking," Mears said. "I think the transition (from Ford to Chevrolet) has been as seamless as it could be. RCR has been an open book, which has been great. We're pretty much fully integrated as far as that goes."

Germain began its Sprint Cup efforts in 2009 with Max Papis driving Toyotas. Mears took over in 2010 and the team moved to Fords .

The Chevy switch represented another step in the right direction for an organization whose biggest Sprint Cup coup is starting from the pole at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in 2012.

"Our mile-and-a-half programs have gotten better. We've seen a lot of improvement there this season," said Mears, who finished third in the Sprint Showdown race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

He just missed out on transferring to the All-Star Race.

Victory, aside from the close call in the Sprint Showdown, hasn't been attainable. Modest budgets make winning races an uphill battle for small teams, but if moving from 30th place to 20th place can happen, Mears thinks more upward movement can be made.

Not bad for a driver who grew up an open-wheel fan. Mears began his high-level racing career in the CART series, driving for Mo Nunn Racing alongside 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan.

He also made some spot starts in the Verizon IndyCar Series before moving to NASCAR full time in 2002.

Mears followed Kurt Busch's Indy-Charlotte double in May. He wound up wanting to do the same thing.

"I still feel like I have some unfinished business (in IndyCar)," Mears said.

"I'd love to have an opportunity to run the (Indianapolis) 500 with a solid piece and go there and run. If I could ever go there and do it right, I'd love to (try)."

His primary focus, however, remains improving the week-to-week performance of the No. 13 Chevrolet SS.

"We have expectations as competitors for where we want to run," Mears said. "At the end of the day, you have to look back internally and see where you're capable of running. We've brought in more talent and more knowledge to our group."

Germain added a handful of team members in the past year, which took some pressure off Barker and enabled him to focus more on setups.

Mears' job hasn't changed. He still wants to run up front and capture his first Cup win since the 2007 Coca-Cola 600.

"We've been trying to find our way," Mears said. "I'm sure once we get to the middle of the season, things will start filtering in and we'll see what works across the board. "We're in a better position than we've ever been."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/steady-improvement-keeps-mears-upbeat/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Still Winless, Now Leads Points​*
Matt Kenseth is still winless but moved into the Sprint Cup points lead after he had a good outing in Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Kenseth led 17 laps and was at the front of the field for much of the 400-lap race around the one-mile concrete oval. He eventually had to settle for third behind race winner Jimmie Johnson and second-place Brad Keselowski.

"It was good," Kenseth said of his day. "I mean, I thought the 48 (Johnson) and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) had us all day. The 24 (Jeff Gordon) at times -- all of the Hendrick cars were strong and Brad got up there at the end. We had a good top-five car. I did an awful job on that last restart. Just got spinning the tires too much and the best car won. We just need to be a little bit better."

Kenseth had a shot - albeit a long one considering his Johnson was running all day - to score his first win of the season on a late restart. But Johnson, with four fresh tires, was in control and Kenseth did not get anywhere near as good a run as the eventual winner.

"I think they're still spinning," said Kenseth of his tires. "The 48 (Johnson) spun them, and I spun them a little bit, and I was kind of in his door and I tried grabbing third early thinking that would get it to stop spinning and it didn't, and I just needed to do a better job. I needed to let off the gas and let the rear tires quit screaming so I could get rolling."

Kenseth also had his hands full with Clint Bowyer in the final laps run to the checkered flag.

"I was still trying to get it going," Kenseth said. "I think I was still spinning the tires in fourth gear, and Clint hit me, I guess trying to give me a push there and just destroyed our car. I think I destroyed it. I was glad to still finish after that."

But at the end of the day Kenseth had a strong outing and takes the Sprint Cup Series point lead into next weekend's stop at Pocono Raceway, which starts the second half of the regular season. While he admits there's ground to be made up, Kenseth is still optimistic the Joe Gibbs Racing team can make more strides as the summer stretch awaits.

"Obviously all the Hendrick and Stewart-Haas cars have been showing a ton of speed all year long, been in position to win a lot of races," Kenseth said. "We've got to figure out how to get ahead of them."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/06/Solid-Day-for-Kenseth.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Pothole Stops Dover Race​*
A chunk of Dover International Speedway's concrete asphalt surface came up during Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks causing a red flag for repairs.

Jamie McMurray hit a chunk of concrete racing through turn two on lap 155 with the impact sending him into the wall.

NASCAR red flagged the race on lap 162 and went to work to repair what turned out to be a hole 6 inches by 8 inches and 2 inches deep.

Not only did the concrete damage McMurray's splitter it also rocketed into a piece of glass in a crossover bridge at the entrance of Turn 3, which was also repaired during the red flag delay.

Kevin Harvick was at the front of the field at the time of the incident and said he had noticed there was a potential problem brewing.

"That corner had been knocked out for a while; we were actually looking at it last night," Harvick said. "I guess it finally worked its way out."

During what turned out to be a 22 minute, 22 seconds red flag, McMurray and crew chief Keith Rodden lobbied NASCAR to allow their team to make repairs from the damage.

But NASCAR, as it has done in similar situations including back in 2004 at Martinsville when a similar occurrence happened to Jeff Gordon, denied the request.

"I'm not 100% sure.," said McMurray of the incident, who went on to finish 13th. "I guess that the race track came up. And when I came off of the corner, it just felt like I hit something, obviously, heavy. Initially I thought I'd blown a tire out. When I hit it, it actually pushed the car to the right and I got into the fence a little bit. And as I slowed down, I couldn't figure out first off, why I didn't hit the fence harder, and then what happened. I didn't see anything. It just hit the front end and ripped the splitter off and it pushed the car to the right. So, I'm not real sure."

NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said officials did not notice anything askew with the track before the race began.

"We do a track walk after every race and in the morning, so at the time that had been a previous patch, but our staff, our crew didn't see anything wrong with it," Pemberton said.

As for how the situation was handled with the damage to McMurray's car, Pemberton reiterated NASCAR followed its policy.

"You may remember when we had an equipment failure, broadcast equipment failure, sometime back, and that affected the entire field of race cars, and at that time we did red flag and we did allow the teams to fix the damage that was caused by that equipment failure," he said. "But that is our normal policy, to not allow teams to work on their cars."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/06/Pothole-Stops-Dover-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gut Punch: Woman Belts Driver In Victory Lane At Legendary Short Track​*
*T*hey call it "The Madhouse" for a reason. You just never know what's going to happen at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC.

Whether it's on-track road rage ... or more on-track road rage ... there's always a chance of fireworks at the legendary short track. That was definitely the case on Saturday night.

Here's what happened. Burt Myers ended up in victory lane after winning the 100-lap modified race, but not before spinning race-leader Junior Miller ... who wasn't too happy. Neither was this woman. She decided to let Myers know ... with her fist.






We hope everything gets sorted out. Here's a look at the initial incident that set everyone off ... including Miller chasing Myers around the track after the race.






Thanks to FOX8 in High Point, NC for capturing the whole thing.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...rt-track-060214?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Clint Bowyer frustrated over late debris cautions at Dover​*
Already annoyed by having played a role in an earlier incident that took out Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer was further agitated by what he saw as an unnecessary debris caution with six laps remaining in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver had pitted for two tires under an earlier caution at Lap 361 and was homing in on Brad Keselowski for third when the debris yellow struck.

Bowyer would hang on for a fourth-place finish on the older tires, picking up his second Top-5 finish of the year. However, that didn't keep him from being frustrated.

"The [two-tire] strategy had us in the contingent to win the race, but unfortunately these cautions keep coming out," Bowyer told NASCAR.com after the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.

"We've gotta figure something out. You know, that's about five or six weeks in a row that a mysterious debris caution comes out, and then, lo-and-behold, right after they throw that - wouldn't you know it - actual debris is on the race track when they could throw it for real."

He also added that if NASCAR was going to throw such cautions late, then there should be "a rule to where everybody can know about it and strategize around it and a guy can go have a beer in the stands or something."

Bowyer quickly moved into the Top 5 in the first quarter of the race, but on Lap 124, he moved up in an apparent pass of Busch and made contact with him instead.

Busch went into the outside wall off of Turn 4 and the damage was too much for him to continue. After briefly staying on the track to possibly retaliate against Bowyer, Busch heeded crew chief Dave Rogers' pleas and went to the garage.

Bowyer also sustained damage in the incident and was knocked back to 24th after pit road repairs. Luckily for him, his car remained stout enough to move back into the Top 10 with 100 laps to go.

He would claim the lead thanks to the two-tire stop on Lap 361 but couldn't hold it against eventual winner Jimmie Johnson and his fresher tires.

Still, Bowyer held out hope that his fuel mileage would enable him to perhaps steal a win - until the yellow flew with six to go.

"I was saving a lot of fuel and [crew chief Brian] Pattie did a good job of strategizing to be there for the end and unfortunately another debris caution comes out and forces everybody to figure it out from there," he said.

"Kind of hard to strategize around these races when the facts change."

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...rustrated-over-late-debris-cautions-at-dover/


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## Ckg2011

*Joey Logano, shown in a crash at Talladega earlier this season, says he'd rather be in an accident than take a hit on an NFL field. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Logano Feels Safer In Car Than On Football Field​*
Football or auto racing? Which sport is more brutal on an athlete?

It's no comparison, says Joey Logano.

"I'm glad I'm in a racecar," Logano said Tuesday during a visit to the Detroit Lions practice facility. "These guys get hit a lot harder than a racecar does. Obviously, we take some big hits in cars, but the safety in our sport has improved a lot. Look at the seats, the helmets, the belts - it always keeps improving.

"Not that it doesn't in football, I think it does there too, but we take a hit maybe once every 15 races or so on average and these guys are taking hits on every play. I feel like my sport is a lot safer. We may look crazy going 200 miles per hour, but I would much rather hit the wall at 200 than have a 300-pound linebacker coming at me."

Lions running back Reggie Bush, who attended the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago, doesn't quite see Logano's logic.

"That's crazy," Bush said, laughing. "I don't know too many people who'd agree to that."

Logano says it's simple.

"Our hits may be pretty brutal but at the same time we have done a lot to our race cars to make them safer,'' he said. "NASCAR has a constant program of always being able to move up and test cars and crash cars and try to figure out what we can do to make them safer.

"I don't think there are as many areas in football to improve on. Obviously you have pads and helmets but you are still going to get hit. There are still going to be big guys hitting you and, obviously, when you get all the adrenaline going, those hits don't become softer.''

Even so, Bush said he respects what a driver does.

"It's a completely different sport from what we do, but it's not easy by any means,'' Bush said. "They're driving 200 miles an hour plus, and that's pretty scary when you think about it. A car crash can be life-threatening for those guys. The margin for error is probably very slim."

Logano was at the Lions practice to promote next week's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

He enters as the track record holder at 203.949 mph. That could be in jeopardy with speeds up at many tracks this season. Logano and teammate Brad Keselowski have 12 front-row starts this season between them. Both also have won with Keselowski winning at Las Vegas and Logano scoring victories at Texas and Richmond.

"So far we have come out of the gates really strong,'' Logano said. "We did a good job in the offseason to make sure we came out strong at the beginning of the season and now everybody is starting to get hold of it and our advantage is going away. We have to keep working hard to maintain that advantage we held earlier in the season and make sure we are running the same pace we are now when the Chase starts."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ld-Rather-Race-Than-Take-Hits-In-The-NFL.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bill Elliott Celebrates With His Son In Victory Lane​*
*HoF Induction Proves Meaningful To Elliott​*
Bill Elliott's list of accomplishments can officially be called a Hall of Fame résumé.

Elliott, a two-time Daytona 500 winner and the 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, was elected to the sixth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame May 21.

It's all a bit shocking for Elliott, who a few days after the announcement admitted he didn't give much thought to being voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame prior to voting day.

"I try not to think much about what goes on," Elliott said. "Being a part of the group that was selected to be nominated for the deal (Hall of Fame), you look through it and you say there are a lot of great guys there and you just try to put it into perspective of kind of where you are at and what your career was all about.

"They're all important to the sport. For them to call my name is pretty incredible," Elliott said.

Elliott needs no introduction to NASCAR fans. A 16-time winner of the Most Popular Driver Award, the Dawsonville, Ga., native captured 44 Sprint Cup victories and 55 poles during a career that spanned 37 years from 1976 to 2012. He also holds the record for fastest qualifying lap in NASCAR history at 212.809 mph at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and he won the inaugural Winston Million in 1985.

Before Elliott became "Million Dollar Bill" or "Awesome Bill From Dawsonville," he was just a kid racing cars owned by his father. He made his first Sprint Cup start in 1976 at what was then known as North Carolina Motor Speedway driving a car owned by his father George Elliott.

"It took a lot of people, a lot of parts and pieces; it took my dad giving up a lot of stuff to buy the parts and pieces that we used to do what we did," Elliott said. "If you could take that formula and try to do it again today, it would never work."

Elliott's big break came in 1982 when Harry Melling purchased the team from Elliott's father.

"He was such a visionary with what he saw in us. He saw something we didn't see," Elliott said of Melling. "He knew we had a good work ethic. He knew that we could do the job. He took a chance on us."

It took a few years, but Elliott and Melling began to gel and Elliott scored his first Sprint Cup win in the 1983 season finale at California's Riverside Int'l Raceway. From there, Elliott's career exploded. The rest, as they say, is history.

According to Elliott none of it would have happened without Melling.

"He (Harry Melling) was really the one that helped us go to the level that we went to and without him we'd have never made it," Elliott said.

These days "Awesome Bill" has turned his attention to the budding racing career of his son, Chase, who has already earned two victories in the NASCAR Nationwide Series during his rookie season with JR Motorsports.
Elliott joked that his newest nickname is "Chase's Dad."

"I think I can help him more outside the car in today's world then I can really as he gets in the car," Elliott said. "I'll give you an example. We were at a short track several years ago and I was saying, 'well this guy is running this line and that guy is running that line.' Chase goes out and he makes some laps and he's really fast and he kind of runs his own line and I just shut up.

"They have their own way of doing things. Sometimes either the way he processes stuff or the way he wants a race car to be may not be the way I see it," Elliott said. "I like to be way out of the lime light and let him be his person."

Now Elliott has something else to focus on - preparing for his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 3, 2015. The sixth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame includes Elliott, Rex White, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott and Joe Weatherly.

"It has just been an incredible journey," Elliott said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/hof-induction-proves-meaningful-to-elliott/


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## Ckg2011

*Szegedy Joins New Hampshire Mods Field​*
Rob Fuller Motorsports named 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Todd Szegedy the driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet for the New Hampshire 100 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 12.

Team owner and driver Rob Fuller made the decision shortly after testing the new LFR Chassis at Thompson Speedway last week.

Fuller is also the owner of LFR Chassis, a new company that manufactures modified and late model chassis, and this was the first test session where Fuller drove a race-ready modified chassis created by his company.

"My intention was to work the bugs out of this new chassis and when the time was right, let someone take the wheel so I could focus on the business," said Fuller. "After the test last week, I feel this chassis can win races immediately with the right people in the correct positions. My knowledge of this chassis makes my value higher on the outside of the car. With Todd driving and me making adjustments and gathering data, I feel we can win right out of the box."

Szegedy has 18 career wins and 10 pole positions in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He was named the series' Most Popular Driver in 2007 and has three career victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In addition to competing in the New Hampshire 100, Szegedy will run the No. 15 Rob Fuller Motorsports entry in the NASCAR Modified All-Star Shootout the day prior.

"I'm really excited to help Rob out with the new LFR Chassis and I'm excited to return to the tour," said Szegedy. "I definitely enjoy being able to try something new. No matter how you look at it we're going out there to win races. I'm thankful for Rob to give me the opportunity and it's an honor to be part of this from the ground up."

"I'm excited to work with 15-40 Connection as well," Szegedy continued. "I know they are featuring stories of inspirational young adult cancer survivors throughout the season and I'm looking forward to being a part of that."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/szegedy-joins-new-hampshire-mods-field/


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## Ckg2011

*Whelen To Sponsor All-Star Shootout​*
Whelen Engineering has signed on as the race entitlement sponsor for the invitation-only, special event featuring current and past champions from NASCAR's modified tours in a non-stop, 40-lap shootout at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11.

"We are extremely excited about this unique, all-out run to the checkers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway," said Whelen Engineering Vice President of Motorsports Phil Kurze. "Some of the best NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour racing has occurred at Loudon through the years, and in July fans will be able to witness two days of the most exciting, bumper-to-bumper modified racing around."

The race procedures announced for the Whelen All-Star Shootout are as follows:

• The Whelen All-Star Shootout will be a 40-lap event, which will run in two 20-lap segments.

• The field will be capped at 20 drivers, and championship points will not be awarded for the event.

• The starting lineup for the first segment will be determined by random draw; before the second segment begins, a minimum of four and maximum of ten positions in the running order will be inverted.

• After the first segment, a competition caution period will be used to re-set the field, and laps completed during the competition caution will not count toward the race total. Planned pit stops will not be allowed during the race, and there is a time limit for completion if needed.

The eligibility requirements for the Whelen All-Star Shootout have also been established:

• Current and past champions of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour are eligible for one of the 20 starting positions until all are filled.

• The 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Sunoco Rookies of the Year are allotted starting positions.

• Any remaining positions will be filled by drivers with the most race wins in NASCAR's modified tours from the start of the 2005 seasons through the race entry deadline of June 20, 2014.

• Tiebreakers and additional eligibility requirements, if necessary, are outlined in the event's Official Entry Blank.

Additionally, NASCAR announced that the Whelen All-Star Shootout will be televised by FOX Sports, with details for the telecast to be provided at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/whelen-to-sponsor-all-star-shootout/


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## Ckg2011

*Yuengling, Dillon Team Up For CWTS Race​*
Richard Childress Racing has partnered with D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. to be primary sponsor on the No. 3 Yuengling Light Lager Chevrolet Silverado with driver Austin Dillon for the Pocono Mountains 125 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway on Aug. 2.

Now celebrating its 185th year of brewing great beer, Yuengling is headquartered in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and is America's Oldest Brewery. 
Still family owned and operated today, Yuengling is available in 16 different states.

"We are proud to be represented at The Brewery's local track in our first Camping World Truck Series race," said Dick Yuengling, President & CEO, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. "We enjoy working with RCR and Ty Dillon, and as a sixth generation family business we look forward to adding Austin Dillon to our racing family."

Dillon, who competes full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, spent two years competing full-time in the Camping World Truck Series, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2010 and the series' championship in 2011.

"I spent a lot of time racing in the Truck Series so it's like a homecoming anytime I get to go race with those guys," said Dillon. "I'm truly thankful to Yuengling for the opportunity and I hope I can bring them to Victory Lane in their home state of Pennsylvania. Truck racing is some of the best racing out there and we're going to have some fun in the Poconos this August."

Yuengling currently is partnered with RCR's No. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series team and younger brother, Ty Dillon. Yuengling Light Lager is scheduled to be the primary sponsor for eight Nationwide Series races this season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...rucks/yuengling-dillon-team-up-for-cwts-race/


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## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards To Joe Gibbs Racing? Not So Fast There​*
Believe it or not, in just a few short weeks we actually are going to see the start of what we call in NASCAR our Silly Season. That's when the dominos begin to fall for 2015 when it comes to where some drivers, crew chiefs and even some sponsors will land for next year's season. This is something we see every year and it just seems like it starts earlier and earlier.

While there definitely is going to be some realignment for 2015, I honestly don't think it will be to the extent we saw at the end of 2013 leading into this season. If you stop and write down all the major teams, there simply aren't a lot of holes opening up.

I know last week there was a lot of talk and speculation that both Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards would be driving for new teams in 2015, but now I just don't think that's going to be the case for both of them. I actually think Greg will be staying now at Roush Fenway Racing. I kept hearing that there was a possible deal for him to join Michael Waltrip Racing next year but it just couldnâ&#128;&#153;t come together.

With that said, I do believe Carl Edwards will definitely be leaving Roush Fenway at the end of the season. I know there is a lot of speculation about him going to Joe Gibbs Racing which tried to put a deal together for him in 2013. That would obviously be a fourth team for Gibbs, should it happen.

However, the closer I keep my ear to the ground, the more I hear that Carl will be going to Team Penske and they will field a third team in 2015. That scenario seems to make more sense to me with Ford trying to keep Carl in the Blue Oval camp. I really do believe it's time for Carl to go out there and try something different.

If Carl does leave and Greg stays, that leaves Roush Fenway with Greg, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and their announced plans for Trevor Bayne in the return of the No. 6 car. If all that happen, who will drive the limited schedule for the Wood Brothers with Trevor moving to full-time status with Roush Fenway? Right now today, I honestly don'&#128;&#153;t know.

Outside of that, I really don'&#128;&#153;t see much moving and shaking. We already know that Steve Letarte is leaving as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief. I really donâ&#128;&#153;t have any idea who will be Dale Jr.'s new crew chief. Steve will be joining the NBC broadcasting crew.

For those of you who might have forgotten, 2015 is also a realignment of the TV partners. TNT and ESPN/ABC will be gone next year, leaving our NASCAR on FOX crew and NBC to cover our sport.

So there are still a lot of questions to be answered for where all the players land once the music stops. I still don't see anywhere near the movement we saw last year.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...st-there-060414?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Hendrick, Ganassi Teams Finish Test​*
Hendrick Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing completed their second day of testing Wednesday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

No speeds were reported, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon talked to the media.

Earnhardt noted how crew chief Steve Letarte had the team running until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on the first day of testing to better prepare for the track. New Hampshire will host a Sprint Cup race next month and the second race in the Chase in September.

"I think it says a lot that we're here testing,'' Earnhardt said. "This is an important event, an important racetrack to be competitive at. We feel like we've been real competitive here and just need a little extra to try to get that win and try to get that victory because I feel like this is one of my better tracks.

"You only get four tests to choose and the whole company has to go and we all have to agree where we're going so any of those tracks that we choose, wherever they may be, it's a company-wide initiative to improve, so I think it says a lot that we chose New Hampshire to do the test."

Earnhardt said his car was good in Tuesday's portion of the test.

Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson also tested for Hendrick both days. This was the organization's first of four tests allowed at NASCAR tracks. Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson tested for Ganassi. This was Ganassi's second test at a NASCAR track. McMurray and Larson tested last week at Pocono Raceway.

In last fall's race at New Hampshire - won by Matt Kenseth - Johnson was fourth with McMurray fifth and Earnhardt sixth. Gordon placed 15th but led 36 laps. Kahne was 37th after being involved in an accident. Larson did not run in the Cup race

Johnson came into the test after having won the past two races and Gordon said he isn't surprised with his teammate's surge.

"You can't ever count those guys out, so I don't think any of us ever did,'' Gordon said. "I think those (Charlotte and Dover) are two of their best tracks, and I think they capitalized on them and pulled off back-to-back victories and there's plenty of other good tracks for them. As well as Hendrick Motorpsorts has been running this year, I would only expect them to be one of the teams to beat week in and week out as well as for the championship."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...anassi-Teams-Complete-New-Hampshire-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick Pumped For Pocono And Upcoming Summer Slate​*
entered Sunday's race at Dover International Speedway with elevated expectations after three consecutive outings from which she and her team gleaned significant positives.

But Patrick, who had never been able to get much of a handle on The Monster Mile, remained true to her traditional Dover form.

Entering the race having never finished fewer than four laps down in three Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1-mile concrete oval, Patrick came home 23rd and bettered her career-best Dover finish by just one position while finishing four laps down just as she did in the same race one year earlier.

Preventing the Stewart-Haas Racing driver from perhaps a slightly better outcome was a drive-through penalty for speeding on pit road on Lap 322 of 400.

"It'd be interesting to see where we would have finished had we not had that penalty," Patrick said. "It didn't kill us, but it'd be interesting to see. We were pretty rough at the beginning of the race, but we got it better in the later going. Actually we're running really good laps. We'd just lost a few laps by that point and couldn't get them back. But we battled through and did OK. It's our best finish here, and I think we're getting better."

Patrick, who has shown improvements this season in several key areas -- most notably qualifying -- hopes to continue the trend this weekend as NASCAR's top series moves to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.

Pocono's 2.5-mile triangular layout -- with three distinct corners each featuring a different level of banking -- is one of the toughest to master on the entire Sprint Cup Series schedule.

Patrick knows this as well as anyone, having finished 29th and 35th here last season as a Sprint Cup Series rookie.

"Well, on Friday of the first weekend, it rained so I didn't get to run," she recalled. "So that put us in a tight box for Saturday, having two practices and then, 'Let's go race.' We were 20th or 21st and the final restart came with three laps to go, and we got shuffled back to 29th. It was pretty disappointing because we should have been much better.

"It was the same feeling I had in the second race. We were almost to 15th with about 50 to go and got in an accident and ended up 35th. So there was some good to the races but not the finishes we wanted. Hopefully, this week we'll get the better finish and have a good day."

Patrick's crew chief, Tony Gibson, has two Pocono victories -- the first coming in June 1992 as a car chief for the late Alan Kulwicki, and the second in July 1998 as a car chief for Jeff Gordon.

Patrick is optimistic that her third try at Pocono's "Tricky Triangle" will be a charm.

"It's a neat place, definitely a unique track," the Roscoe, Ill., native said. "It's still a place I don't have a ton of experience at. I know Tony Gibson has won there a couple of times and does a good job setting up the car. It's just an odd place to set the car up because the corners are so different.

"If you are really good in Turn 1, then maybe (Turn) 2 and (Turn) 3 are a little off. Or if you're good in 3, maybe 1 and 2 are different. I will say that the straightaway is enormous. There's a lot of distance between turns 3 and 1."

Patrick, who finished a career-best seventh at Kansas Speedway in May, is looking forward to the upcoming summer slate of tracks.

"I am ready for it," she said. "Pocono and Michigan are always fun and I actually really like going to New Hampshire. It's a fun stretch of races and it's nice that the weather is good. Hopefully, we can continue to run well and continue to improve. It is a long season, but the summer stretch is always fun."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...d-for-pocono-and-upcoming-summer-slate-060314


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## Ckg2011

*IMS Reveals Brickyard 400 Name Winner​*
When Green Beret John Wayne Walding attends his first NASCAR race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, he'll see a familiar name plastered around the historic race track - his own.

Walding was announced the winner of Crown Royal's annual "Your Hero's Name Here" program, which awards naming rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at IMS to a deserving American hero, during last night's live broadcast of the CMT Music Awards. As the winner, Walding's name will be incorporated into the official race title, the Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.

Walding, of Little Elm, Texas, is a highly decorated Army veteran who served for 12 years, completing tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. While overseas in 2008, Walding was involved in a fire fight during a mission to capture a high value target, during which he lost the lower part of his right leg.

After recovering from his injury, Walding was the first amputee to graduate the Special Forces Sniper School. He completed the Army 10 miler on foot and the 2009 Boston Marathon utilizing a hand cycle, within a year of the accident. Among Walding's many awards and badges are the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantry Badge. Walding was nominated for the program by his brother and lives in Little Elm with his wife Amy and their four children. He is the founder of Five Toes Custom, which employs wounded veterans in an effort to provide support and direction within their lives.

"The fact that Crown Royal cares enough to say 'thank you' for what I've done is a true validation for my sacrifice," said Walding following the unveil event. "The magnitude of those two words goes above and beyond."

On hand to take part in the program's winner reveal event for the third year in a row was country music star and reigning ACM New Artist of the Year Justin Moore. Moore presented Walding with a custom-made Gibson guitar bearing the official race logo incorporating Walding's name and thanked him for his service during the award show broadcast.

"To be able to be involved in this program's winner reveal event for the third year in a row is really special to me," said Moore. "We've had the opportunity to meet so many amazing heroes over the years and are looking forward to honoring John Wayne at the Brickyard this summer."

Walding was joined in Nashville by the other four program finalists, Tara Hulett of Albany, N.Y.; James Bailey of Pamplin, Va.; Bryce Boyer of Wanship, Utah; and Tyler Whisenhunt of Gentry, Ark. The five finalists were selected from thousands of nominations submitted to 
CrownRoyalHeroes.com, and consumers 21+ voted for the hero they thought was most deserving of the honor.

"The sacrifices that have been made by John Wayne Walding and countless heroes across the country serve as an inspiration to all of us at Crown Royal," said Abby Wise, Brand Director for Crown Royal. "We're excited to provide Walding a small token of our gratitude by renaming the NASCAR race at the famed Brickyard in his honor."

As part of the grand-prize package, Walding will take part in a VIP at-track experience that will include garage tours, pace car rides and concerts by Big Machine Label Group artists. He'll cap off the weekend by delivering the trophy bearing his name to the race winner in Victory Lane.

"We're proud to participate in Crown Royal 'Your Hero's Name Here' program for the third consecutive year," said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. "It's been an honor to welcome so many great American heroes to our events and we're anxious to host John Wayne for a great weekend of racing."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/ims-reveals-brickyard-400-name-winner/


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## Ckg2011

*Michigan Nationwide Race Gains Sponsor​*
Ollie's Bargain Outlet, one of America's largest discount retailers, has expand its relationship with NASCAR by starting a new partnership with Michigan Int'l Speedway as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on June 14. The event will be known as the Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250.

"We are excited to announce Ollie's Bargain Outlet as sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at MIS in June," track President Roger Curtis said.

"Ollie's Bargain Outlet is growing their presence in the region and this partnership provides them with a great opportunity to reach our fans and grow 'Ollie's Army,' as their loyal customers are known."

Ollie's is offering fans a $20 Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250 ticket - a 50 percent savings - for the race on June 14. Fans need to act fast as this offer is only available from June 6 until June 8 on the Ollie's Bargain Outlet website, www.ollies.us.

"Ollie's is thrilled to sponsor the June Nationwide race at Michigan International Speedway," said Ollie's Bargain Outlet President and CEO Mark Butler. "Some of our best customers are loyal NASCAR fans and we also want to share our brand with other folks who may not have discovered Ollie's yet. We're equally excited that fans will be able to purchase discount tickets this weekend to join us at the June 14th race, courtesy of Ollie's. That's our business - bringing you Good Stuff Cheap."

Ollie's Bargain Outlet is one of America's largest retailers of closeouts, excess inventory, and salvage merchandise. Known for its catch-phrase "Good Stuff Cheap," the discount retailer sells real brands at real bargain prices and the inventory is always changing, making each visit fun and exciting. Merchandise includes discontinued items, manufacturer overstocks, package changes and more. Ollie's buyers scour the world looking for great deals that they can pass along to customers.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/michigan-nationwide-race-gains-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*Moffitt Earns Second Sprint Cup Start​*
Michael Waltrip Racing announced Thursday Brett Moffitt will drive the No. 66 Let's Go Places Toyota at Michigan Int'l Speedway on June 15, marking his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.

Moffitt, a 21-year-old Iowa native, made his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in Dover last week in the No. 66 with Jay Robinson Racing, starting 18th and posting a 22nd-place finish. Jeff Burton, who was originally slated to run the Michigan race, now will be entered in the July 13 Sprint Cup Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he has won four times.

"Our No. 66 team was originally scheduled to run some new components at Michigan with Jeff, but those plans were delayed last week, causing us to debate running Michigan at all," said MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip.

"However, after the great effort we saw with Brett in his debut at Dover, we decided to move forward with Michigan, allowing Brett more seat time and to work towards his NASCAR eligibility to race on bigger tracks.

"Brett did an amazing job in Dover, not only to gain experience, but more importantly respect from the other competitors. The best part is we are now taking Jeff Burton to New Hampshire where he has a lot of success and can really impact the performance of all MWR cars."

Moffitt is a nine-time winner in K&N Pro Series East competition and has served as a test driver for MWR for the past two seasons.

"It seems like this is all happening very fast, but I feel like we have been working towards this kind of opportunity for a long time," said Moffitt. "At Dover, we set some goals and I feel like we accomplished all of them and exceeded most of them. Heading to Michigan our goals will be much of the same. I want to get comfortable and I want the greatest drivers in the world to be comfortable around me."

Burton said he looks forward to racing at New Hampshire. His four victories are the most of any driver in the 38 Sprint Cup races held at the mile oval in Loudon.

"When the testing plans for Michigan changed and the ability to run New Hampshire became available I jumped at the opportunity. This gives Brett a chance to get some well deserve race time and the ability for me to race at one of my favorite race tracks. This is a win for all of us at MWR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/moffitt-earns-second-sprint-cup-start/


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## Ckg2011

*Jones' Chance to Shine​*
Erik Jones returns behind the wheel of the potent Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 ride in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino & Resort 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Team owner Kyle Busch has driven the truck to victory in four of the five races on the 2014 schedule, most recently last Friday's Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway.

Now Jones, who turned 18 last week and is now eligible to run tracks 1.5-mile or longer, looks to continue the team's success.

"Kyle and this No. 51 team have had a lot of success on the mile-and-a-half tracks already this year, so I hope to go out and keep that streak alive," Jones said. "As a racer I always put my expectations high and I feel very confident about the truck going into Texas. I think we have a shot to run in the top five, and contend for the win."

Jones has shown his ability to win in a variety of divisions during the course of his young career including the Truck Series. In a limited schedule last year, Jones finished inside the top 10 in each of his five starts, topped by a win at Phoenix International Raceway. His November win made Jones the youngest winner in series history at 17 years, five months and nine days.

He looks to take the next step in his development with an opportunity to compete on bigger - and faster - tracks like Texas.

"Racing on my first mile-and-a-half track is something I have been looking forward too for a long time now," Jones said. "It was great that NASCAR opened up the age to 16 for the Truck Series on short tracks, but still the main goal is to get on these big tracks. That's where the bulk of the schedule is, so I think it's something that every driver looks forward to."

Jones made one start at Martinsville back in March in the No. 51 truck and had a solid day going until a late race spin relegated him to an 18th-place finish. Now he turns his attention to Friday night's opportunity and says he's fortunate to have a wealth of information and support at his disposal with a trio of veteran mentors ready to assist.

 "I sat down with Kyle, Eric Phillips (crew chief), and Rudy Fugle (engineer) last week to talk about everything that comes with prepping for a mile-and-a-half track and all the details of Texas Motor Speedway," Jones said. "They all briefed me on what to expect, and how to handle it all. I really think that's a big help as a driver, especially going to somewhere new. Kyle is always a big help every weekend when I go to a racetrack in the truck."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Camping World Truck Series from Texas, presented by Keystone Light. Air time for Friday's WinStar World Casino & Resort 400 is 8:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/06/Erik-Jones-Chance-to-Shine.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Will Sunday's race at Pocono feature a familiar 'fuelish' finish?​*
uple and maybe even three things that will be different this weekend at Pocono. We know with the new rules package for 2014 that this car will race a lot different there. I actually don't think we'll see a new track record. I think we have to look back at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year as an example.

It's a 2-mile track and we didn't set a new track record there. What we've seen a pattern of at the bigger tracks, not counting Daytona or Talladega, is that while there is more downforce on these cars, there is also more drag on the longer straightaways. I think that's why we didn't see a new record at Auto Club Speedway and it's the same reason why I believe we won'&#128;&#153;t see one at Pocono.

What we got at Auto Club Speedway was one heck of a race. I think we will have one of the better Pocono races that we've had in quite a while. The downforce that I mentioned earlier will allow these drivers and cars to race through the corners. That's going to keep the action hot and heavy Sunday.

While I don't know yet if it will actually be a factor come Sunday, a story going into this weekend is that Pocono Raceway did away with the curbing over in Turn 2 -- what we always refer to as the Tunnel Turn. There's still a lot of banking in Turn 2 but the apron they put in there is flat. The question becomes whether a driver is going to want to get down there. I sure don't know yet. That could be a slippery slope. We know it will have a lot of grip, but I just don't know if the drivers will venture to try it.

So that's a couple variables going into Sunday that we'll keep an eye on. We also know that as soon as the green flag falls Sunday, the driver, crew chief and teams immediately start thinking about fuel strategy. You can only run about 30 laps at Pocono before you need fuel. We always tell you how the teams run a road course race backward in their calculations on fuel, and it actually is the same at Pocono.

Pocono is so big that you can be running up front and come in for fuel and four tires without the worry of going a lap down. So you can do what we call "short-pit" without the fear of the leader coming back around before you exit pit road and putting you a lap down.

We have some other unknowns entering Pocono. One thing that isn't an unknown is that even on the heels of his two wins in a row, expect Jimmie Johnson to run well Sunday. I'm also curious to see how the Toyotas perform.

All five of them -- the three Joe Gibbs Racing and two Michael Waltrip Racing teams -- did show strength last week at Dover. Obviously, though, Pocono is a mile-and-a-half longer than Dover so the question becomes with the added power, will there be endurance issues with the engines?

I'm also curious to see if the Team Penske Fords of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will be strong on Sunday. So there are a lot of questions going into the race at the Tricky Triangle that we all know as Pocono Raceway and its 400-mile race Sunday.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...cono-feature-a-familiar-fuelish-finish-060614


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Pocono​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Powers to Pocono Pole​*
Denny Hamlin won the pole for Sunday's Pocono 400 after he set a new Pocono Raceway qualifying record with a lap of 49.610 seconds, 181.415 mph.

This is the ninth track qualifying record set this season, and the second by Hamlin (Bristol). Hamlin's now has 19 poles in 304 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

"It's a tough balance, but we really just made the car a lot better," Hamlin said. "Each session our balance got a little bit better and we were able to get a little bit more speed out of it. That's kind of what you want to do, play it enough in the first few rounds to get to the final round where you go all out. Good job by our FedEx Ground Toyota team. We didn't test up here, we're one of the only teams that didn't test, but it's good to at least have a good Friday."

Hamlin's previous two Pocono poles came in his rookie season of 2006. Both resulted in victories. He has four victories overall at Pocono, but none since the track was resurfaced in 2012.

"The race track is just so different, you might as well just rename the race track -- it's just not the same as it used to be," Hamlin said. "Really the setups are completely different, the way you drive it, the technique is similar, it's just you use so much more throttle than you used to. It's good to get a track record and have that number one pit stall -- that will pay dividends on Sunday. I have the best pit crew on pit road. Hopefully this lends itself to a great win on Sunday."

Kurt Busch qualified second for his fifth top-10 start of 2014 and his 17th in 26 races at Pocono.

"I was just thanking all the crew guys for putting us in position to go for the pole," Busch said. "To advance through knock-out qualifying we have gotten to the second round a lot this year. We haven't gotten into the final round much and this was a final round type car. We put ourselves in position for the pole and came away just two thousandths shy, which is cool. The car didn't feel that good, but that is the compromise that you have to make in this knock-out qualifying."

Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top five.

Defending race winner Jimmie Johnson, who is seeking his third straight win of 2014, qualified 20th.

"The driver blew Turn 2," Johnson said. "I just got too greedy down in two and lost the nose in corner exit. I knew it killed the lap. Sure enough when I came back around it was only good enough for 20th. I feel bad for my guys, but this one is one me."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pocono 400 from Long Pond, Pa., on Sunday at 12 p.m. (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/06/Hamlin-Powers-to-Pocono-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Matt Crafton Destroys The Field In Texas​*
Matt Crafton goes 61 laps one tank of fuel and just destroyed the field at the Texas Motor Speedway. Matt Crafton has an 11 point lead over second place Johnny Sauter in the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series points.

Pole sitter Justin Lofton finished second in tonight's race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Takes Texas​*
Matt Crafton put a definitive end to his 13-year/26-race winless streak at Texas Motor Speedway Friday night, steamrolling the field while stretching his fuel mileage en route to a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in the 18th annual WinStar World Casino 400.

Crafton and crew chief Carl Joiner gambled on fuel, running the final 61 laps/91.5 miles without pitting the No. 88 Slim Jim/Menards Toyota Tundra fielded by ThorSport Racing. Crafton, 37, scored his fifth truck series victory in 322 career starts and second of the season after winning on the half-mile Martinsville Speedway in March. It's the first time Crafton has won multiple races in a season.

"I asked if we could make it all the way [on fuel], and they said, 'Yeah!'" said Crafton, referring to Joiner and team general manager David Pepper. "That helped because I could slow down so much. They'd let me run for five laps and then slow down for five laps. That is the hardest thing to do for a driver. But we had the fastest truck.

"It's awesome to be able to do it in this fashion. We marched through them. We had a brand new motor package from Triad and they stepped up as well. I'm just lucky enough to drive it. We have an awesome organization. We have every tool to work with and it's so cool to be in Victory Lane in Texas."

Crafton finished second in both 2009 Texas truck series races and the spring race in 2012. Friday he led a race- and career-high 118 of 167 laps around the high-banked, 1.5-mile TMS quad-oval to finish a massive 13.302-seconds ahead of runner-up and pole-sitter Justin Lofton. Ironically, Crafton failed to lead a lap here last year while finishing fourth and 10th in the spring and fall races, respectively, on the way to his first truck series championship.

Crafton's margin of victory set a new series record at TMS, besting the previous mark of 11.817 seconds by Dennis Setzer in this event in 2004. Still, the margin failed to dampen Lofton's spirit after scoring his best TMS finish in eight starts.

"It's definitely an exciting day for me at Texas Motor Speedway," said Lofton, who was making only his second start of the season. "Sometimes a driver just clicks with a track and we had a great truck and qualified on the pole. We made adjustments throughout the race but right at the end we definitely hit on something. As soon as I left my pit box (on his final stop) we were on fuel conservation mode. I wish we could have pushed him (Crafton) to run him out of fuel. He said his truck ran out of fuel when he started his (celebratory) donuts. But we're here. Our guys did a great job calculating fuel."

Meanwhile, NASCAR veteran Joe Nemechek scored a solid third for his privateer team in the No. 8 MD Anderson Cancer Center/Smoke -N- Sear No. 8 Toyota Tundra. Sid Mauldin, owner of SWM Gun Runners located in Pampa, Texas, and partner in SWM-NEMCO Motorsports, currently is receiving treatment for stomach cancer at MD Anderson in Houston. Nemechek's unsponsored black truck carried the MD Anderson logo on its hood as a show of support for the facility.

"It's definitely big," said Nemechek, a former NASCAR Nationwide Series winner at TMS who was making his first truck series start the track. "You look at what our team is ... seven or eight guys, we're building everything. We built seven trucks so far this year and trying to get performing better."

In addition, Nemechek is sharing driving duties with his 16-year-old son, John Hunter.

"As a team we're getting better; this is our first year," the elder Nemechek said. "We've never run trucks and I can now tell my son I've got a third-place finish and he's got a sixth (at Dover International Speedway). So it's all good."

Crafton also took over the championship points lead by 11 points (232-221) over teammate Johnny Sauter, who finished seventh in his No. 98 Nextant/Curb Records Toyota after pitting for fuel under green on Lap 163.

"We were hoping to have a 1-2 finish but I couldn't be happier," said Pepper, referring to Crafton and Sauter. "We're building great trucks. It's good to have the points lead again, but there's a lot of racing to go."

Timothy Peters, who began the night with a one-point lead (185-184) over Crafton and Sauter, suffered through a miserable night that started with a cut tire that sent his No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota to pit road on Lap 8.

Down two laps early, Peters' night ended on Lap 51 when he got caught up in oil dumped by the grenading engine of German Quiroga in Turn 1 and hit the outside wall. The truck suffered extensive right-side damage, prompting Peters to head directly to the garage area for the night. Peters, who finished 24th in the 27-truck field, exited Texas fifth in points through six starts, 27 points behind Crafton.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rticles/2014/06/Matt-Crafton-Takes-Texas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Too Hot To Handle?​*
Jimmie Johnson understands LeBron James' pain all too well.

James had to leave the court in the the final minutes of Thursday's NBA Finals game because of cramps - the result of the air conditioning system in the San Antonio Spurs' arena failing and temperatures soaring to more than 90 degrees in the building.

If it was only 90 degrees in a stock car.

Temperatures have climbed to more than 130 degrees inside a car. Modern conveniences - air conditioning units and devices to blow cool air on the driver - make it easier but there are still days when the heat is nearly too much for a driver.

It happened to Johnson a few years ago at Daytona when he was skipping between his stock car and a road race car.

Johnson said he "got behind" on his hydration and then the electrical system in the road racing car failed. He was so worn out that he couldn't push the brake pedal hard enough and missed the chicane on the backstretch during the road race. It was then he came to pit road to get out of the car.

It got worse for Johnson. About an hour later while in his motorhome alone, he suffered cramps and couldn't move.

"I actually went into a full body cramp and was stranded inside my motorhome lying on the floor,'' Johnson said. "Every muscle in my body locked up. I could barely get to my phone, which was on the table. I knocked it off. I don't know if you have ever had a cramp, but try dialing a phone with everything like it is.''

He phoned teammate Jeff Gordon, parked in the motorhome beside him but Gordon didn't answer. When Gordon called back, Johnson yelled to get to his motorhome immediately.

"As he came in my bus, it took him about two or three minutes to stop laughing at me,'' Johnson said of Gordon. "Then he got me to the care center, and three IV bags later I felt like myself again.''

Matt Kenseth also knows the pain of driving a hot car. He still has a reminder of his first Nationwide race on his foot.

"(I) burned my heel the size of a 50-cent piece and that never really heals after that, so that's not a lot of fun,'' Kenseth said. "It's like getting bad frostbite, your heel's always messed up since that first one. I remember the first couple years getting the big blisters on your heels it would be so hot."

Carl Edwards said that he's found that it is about 40 degrees warmer in the car than the ambient temperature.

Edwards said the "most shocking" moment with how hot it got inside a vehicle came in his first Camping World Truck Series race.

"I remember at one point they threw the caution and I couldn't see what the caution was for and I thought I'm on fire,'' Edwards said. "It was so hot. I don't think it's ever gotten any better, you just get used to the heat.''

Consider that his Ricky Bobby moment. You know the time when Will Ferrell's character thought he was on fire in "Talladega Nights."

"That was my first Ricky Bobby moment,'' Edwards said. "At Dover, I was lifting my heels off the floor down the straightaways just because it's burning your heels. Those guys back in the day, without the fans and the ducts, those we were some men.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ld-Sit-In-A-Stock-Car-To-Experience-Heat.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Motivated to Build Team​*
AJ Allmendinger's NASCAR journey reads as if it written by Homer from the early travails at Red Bull Racing to his rise at Team Penske before a suspension and subsequent rebirth.

A man tested so often isn't afraid of challenges. He faces another in his first full season at JTG Daugherty.

"More than anything I want to carry this team on my back, I want to make it into a great team,'' Allmendinger said this week during a break in testing at Sonoma Raceway.

Allmendinger's quest is steep. Furniture Row Racing became the first single-car team to make the Chase last year. JTG Daugherty, a single-car team, has never won a race and never had a driver finish better than 18th in the points.

Allmendinger and the team are making progress.

Halfway through Sprint Cup's regular season, Allmendinger has as many top-10 finishes (three) as the organization scored the previous two seasons combined. He also is 20th in points.

"The ultimate goal is to go win and make the Chase,'' Allmendinger said. "My owner keeps letting me know this - because I'm not very patient - but this is a long-term deal.''

The commitment shown on both sides is evident. Allmendinger said he has a four-year contract with the team, which is owned by Tad and Jodi Geschickter and Brad Daugherty.

"You don't know what's going to happen in this world of NASCAR, but I could easily see this being my last team I drive for in NASCAR,'' said the 32-year-old Allmendinger, who is in his eighth season in Cup.

Allmendinger admits he feels more pressure driving for JTG Daugherty than elsewhere.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to take us to levels that we've never been at,'' he said.

Allmendinger said the team has benefitted from its technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. In three of the first 13 points races, Allmendinger was the top finisher among the RCR cars and those also a part of the alliance. He also was the top-finishing Chevrolet at Talladega, placing fifth there last month.

Allmendinger also concedes the challenges with a small team. He notes most of the cars he's run this season are not new but have been updated from last season. He said he'll have a new car for Michigan next week and likely Indianapolis next month.

He notes how they ran their Coca-Cola 600 car in the Sprint Showdown, using it to advance to the Sprint All-Star Race. The plan backfired when he crashed after contact with Brian Vickers' car.

"It put us way behind going into the 600 and we struggled throughout the course of the weekend,'' said Allmendinger, who finished 23rd in the Coca-Cola 600.

Even testing is a challenge for this team. The team had to test Tuesday and Thursday at Sonoma because the track was reserved Wednesday. Thus, Allmendinger and his team had to fly from there to Pocono to be ready when the garage opened Friday morning.

Allmendinger and his team tested Sonoma because they know that track is one of their better chances for a win. Allmendinger, whose background is in road racing, finished 10th with the team last year at Watkins Glen. He did not run at Sonoma last year, thus the test allowed Allemdinger to reacquaint with the track.

"You've still got to be at your best when it comes to your car setup and your driving,'' Allmendinger said. "Road course racing, I've always thought you could just wring a little bit more out of the car just by doing some stuff whether it's braking or how you use the curbs around or lines you choose from. That's why I enjoy it, why I feel I can come (to Sonoma) and have a shot to do well.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../AJ-Allmendinger-Motivated-To-Build-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson's Extra Homework​*
Kyle Larson has a new ride but it's not by choice.

After missing shifts in his racecar during recent tests at Pocono and Road Atlanta, Larson's team had him get a street car with a stick shift to keep practicing.

"It seems like I'm probably the worst shifter of all time in a stock car,'' Larson said after qualifying on the pole for Saturday's ARCA race at Pocono. "It's kind of embarrassing missing a lot of shifts.

"That's my biggest worry going into this weekend, making sure I don't miss any shifts. My timing is just off. I think I try to rush things too quick, and I start missing shifts.''

Larson's penalty is to drive a black Camaro SS when he's home. This isn't the first time he's driven a street car with a stick shift - which he admits is "why it is more embarrassing.''

He says the Camaro such a powerful car and he's driving it on neighborhood streets that it makes him feel self-conscious.

"I feel like one of those 16-year-old kids who just got their license, revving it up and listening to the engine pop,'' Larson said.

"I can't wait to get through all the tracks that we have to shift at a lot and get back into an automatic.''

Larson also will work on his shifting on the track. He's scheduled to attend a Bondurant driving school Tuesday and Wednesday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Team-Gives-Kyle-Larson-Shifting-Homework.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Gains Nationwide Series Backer​*
SunEnergy1 has joined Joe Gibbs Racing and will sponsor four NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season with Matt Kenseth, Sam Hornish and SunEnergy1 CEO Kenny Habul sharing the driving duties.

Hornish will pilot SunEnergy1's debut race next weekend at Michigan Int'l Speedway on June 14, while road racer Habul goes behind the wheel on the road courses of Road America and Mid-Ohio on June 21 and Aug. 16 respectively. Kenseth will handle the driving duties in Atlanta on Aug. 30.

Habul's direct involvement in this program makes this sponsorship unique.

Habul raced open wheel cars in Australia from 1997 to 2005, competing in the Australian Formula Ford Championship and including three years in the Australian Formula 3 Driver's Championship Series with Piccola Scuderia Ferrari Team in Sydney.

However Habul never forgot his childhood dreams and continued to pursue opportunities to race in NASCAR. That opportunity came on June 23, 2012 when he made his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start at Road America and earned a 16th-place finish. Habul has made six career starts, but this will be the first time he will be in a JGR built Toyota Camry.

"I'm excited for this opportunity," said Habul. "It is a great partnership for SunEnergy1 to align with Joe Gibbs Racing and drivers of the status of Hornish and Kenseth. "It is also a thrill for me personally to drive first class equipment and be part of the Gibbs family."

Hornish has already made three starts for Joe Gibbs Racing this season with a win at Iowa Speedway on May 18 and a fifth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3. Hornish has three career Nationwide Series victories along with 30 top-five and 55 top-ten finishes in 101 starts.

Kenseth will pilot the SunEnergy1 Toyota in Atlanta. In nine Nationwide Series starts thus far in 2014 he has four top-five and eight top-ten finishes.

Kenseth has 28 career victories in the series along with 129 top-five and 180 top-ten finishes in 273 career starts.

"Kenny has a tremendous passion for racing but also for his business and we were able to help him build a program to help in both areas," said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. "He has built SunEnergy1 to become a leader in solar technology and I know first-hand the effort he has put in as a driver."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/jgr-gains-new-nationwide-series-backer/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Looks Back On "My Last Straw"​*
The wording seemed strange. Could it have been just a wrong turn of a phrase? Or could it have a deeper meaning?

When asked about crew chief Steve Letarte earlier this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, in part, "I knew that when we got together, that it was kind of my last straw.''

Wait.

A last straw?

Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

While Earnhardt endured his worst seasons in 2009 and 2010 before being paired with Letarte, he remained the sport's most popular driver. That's why that phrase "last straw" was so striking. It wasn't as if Earnhardt was going to disappear in this sport, but Earnhardt worried about his future at that point.

"We couldn't find a way why me and Lance (McGrew) didn't work,'' Earnhardt said of McGrew, his crew chief from May 2009 through the 2010 season. "We could speculate and point fingers at reasons why me and Tony (Eury Jr.) didn't work out (before McGrew).

"Me and Lance, we got along. We had good guys with us. There just wasn't a reason or area you could say this is why this team isn't working.''

As Earnhardt struggled, teammate Jimmie Johnson won his fourth and fifth consecutive championships, teammate Jeff Gordon finished third in the points one year and ninth the other, and teammate Mark Martin enjoyed a renaissance, winning five races in 2009 to finish second to Johnson in the points and placing 13th in the points the following season.

Earnhardt, it seemed was headed in the wrong direction.

"I felt responsible with how we ran when I was driving for Lance,'' Earnhardt said. "I couldn't account for the performance because there was no other smoking gun.''

Then car owner Rick Hendrick decided to change driver-crew chief pairings and put Letarte, who had been with Gordon, with Earnhardt.

"If I don't run well with him, how am I going to justify the equipment I'm in, the people I'm working with?'' Earnhardt said he wondered after being paired with Letarte. "How am I going to justify being worthy of that?

"I don't know that a lot of people thought my career would come around. I believed in my myself the whole time, but I didn't know if I would get the chance to prove it. I thought a lot of people might have given up on me. People that did believe in me maybe didn't think that I would contend as well and regroup and get the right things going.

"So, yeah, when I got put with Steve ... I don't think I could have expected or be rewarded with another opportunity if me and him struggled. I believed in myself, but, man, I can't be the only one in the whole ... garage. If I failed with Steve, I couldn't blame everybody else for giving up. I felt like it was my last straw with maybe everyone else, but not with myself.''

Letarte had the perfect mentality for Earnhardt. A natural cheerleader and tireless worker, Letarte told Earnahrdt he would get the car the way Earnhardt needed and infused Earnhardt with confidence. They started strong in 2011. While they didn't win, it seemed only a matter of when as opposed to if it would happen. They broke through at Michigan, snapping a 143-race winless streak. Earnhardt ranked in the top five in points the entire 26-race regular season. While he didn't win last year, Earnhardt finished fifth in the points, scoring a career-high 22 top-10 finishes.

He opened this season - Letarte's final year before moving to NBC Sports next year - by winning the Daytona 500 and enters Sunday's race at Pocono Raceway fifth in the points.

"Luckily, it's worked out and people realize that I've got good ability and given the good opportunities I can be competitive,'' said Earnhardt, who starts eighth Sunday. "Me and Steve we've led the points off and on. We've run as good as we've ever run. I'm thrilled. I feel fortunate. I really came close to maybe not being out all together but .... those resources and talent ain't going to be there forever.''

That's something Earnhardt doesn't have to worry about now.. Instead, he can focus on winning a championship.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-About-What-He-Though-His-Last-Straw-Was.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Setting Up For The Tricky Triangle​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Breaking' News: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Interview Leads To Broken Ankle​*






 *MRN Reporter Dustin Long*​
There's no doubt NASCAR is a dangerous sport, but even covering racing can have its dangers. Unfortunately, Motor Racing Network's Dustin Long found that out the hard way.

While interviewing Dale Earnhardt Jr. Friday at Pocono, Long followed the Hendrick Motorsports driver through the NASCAR inspection area and fell off the scales.

The result? A badly broken ankle and ton of social media responses. (Warning: The image may be tough for some to view.)

Long initially just tweeted a picture of his ankle with no additional context, but Dale Jr. was quick to fill in the holes in the story.

In typical NASCAR fashion, the community came out in a big way to support Dustin and his injury.








*Dustin Long Twitter:*
_Verdict is in ... Broken ankle. Got splint for now & crutches. Won't stop me from working & covering #NASCAR 4 fans _

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Twitter:*
_[email protected] was interviewing me when he broke his ankle. He fell off @NASCAR scales. I lured him thru the area as a short cut. Feel awful._

*Dustin Long Twitter:*
_@DaleJr @NASCAR Not you fault man. Don't worry about it. Hey, if you can't win, be spectacular!!_

Former Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski could certainly relate to Long's injury. Keselowski broke his ankle during a test session in 2011 and then went out and won Pocono. Knowing what he was going through, Keselowski offered his own bit of advice.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ed-ankle-060714?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


----------



## Ckg2011

*Danica To Formula One With Gene Haas? Don't Rule It Out​*
With Danica Patrick still struggling in NASCAR, could she be headed back to open-wheel racing as one of the drivers for her boss, Gene Haas, who will launch a North Carolina-based Formula One team in 2016?

That question was posed to Haas Saturday afternoon following qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix, and while he sounded intrigued by the possibility, he also sounded as though it would be unlikely to actually happen.

Asked if Patrick would be a good candidate for the Haas Formula One team, Haas said, "I think she would. I think she would. She would bring an awful lot of viewership. I think it would be great for America. I think she would be a great candidate."

Haas then quickly added, "Whether that's going to happen or not ... that's, that's, that's ... you know I think that's kind of a long shot there, too."

Right now, Haas is building his Formula One operations in an industrial park in Kannapolis, N.C., adjacent to Stewart-Haas Racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup team he owns with three-time series champion Tony Stewart.

Haas had hoped to launch his Formula One team in 2015, but recently said he was pushing back the start to 2016.

In the Verizon IndyCar Series, Patrick posted one victory and seven top-three finishes in 115 races from 2005-11. In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, she has two top-10 finishes in 59 starts, with her best result a seventh-place run at Kansas Speedway last month.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...e-it-out-060714?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:nascaronfox


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr Wins At Pocono​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr passed Brad Keselowski late in the race to win his second race of the season.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Wins A Thriller At Pocono​*
A fast car and some good fortune helped Dale Earnhardt Jr. visit Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway on Sunday.

Only Brad Keselowski stood between Earnhardt Jr and the checkered flag as the laps wound down in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pocono 400.

Earnhardt Jr had finished second to Keselowski three times in his career. A piece of paper on Keselowski's grille, which overheated his engine, helped make sure the tally didn't reach four.

Still, it took a gutsy move in the final laps for Earnhardt Jr to grab the top spot. Keselowski tried to draft Danica Patrick to remove the paper on his grille and cool his engine in the race's closing stages. Earnhardt Jr took full advantage.

He drove inside both Keselowski and Patrick, seized the lead with five laps to go and never looked back en route to his second victory of the season and the 21st of his Sprint Cup career.

The 39-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver posted three runner-up finishes between his win in February's Daytona 500 and what was his first career win at Pocono. Earnhardt Jr's win was the fourth in a row at Pocono, all by different Hendrick drivers: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Earnhardt Jr.

Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and rookie Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

"(Keselowski) had me beat, I couldn't get to him (before his engine overheated)," Earnhardt Jr said. "It's hard to pass here. But I've lost some in some strange ways, so it feels good to win one like that. We all have to thank our team when we win, but when I talk about my team, I really mean it."

Earnhardt Jr had plenty to be thankful for on Sunday. Just when it looked like he was forced to settle for what would've been his ninth runner-up result in a year and a half, Earnhardt Jr's No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS caught a break.

He'd been passed for the win - ironically, by Keselowski - on the last lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March when Earnhardt Jr ran out of fuel. He lost the lead with less than two laps left at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway when Kevin Harvick passed him.

There was no catching Earnhardt when it mattered on Sunday. Keselowski was left to ponder what could've been had he not gotten debris on his grille, a fate worse than when Earnhardt had the same thing happen early in the race but with no consequence.

"The car was really hot, I just got a really big piece of debris on it," said Keselowski, who led a race-high 95 laps to Earnhardt's 11. "It was blowing up. We had a really good car. Dale and I were pretty equal. He made the right move."

Earnhardt Jr weaved up and down the track in the final two laps in a successful attempt to break the draft.

"He didn't want to let me by but I don't think his motor was going to make it," the Mooresville, N.C. native said.

Johnson, who was seeking his third straight win, finished sixth. Ryan Newman, series point leader Gordon, Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray completed the top 10.

Earnhardt Jr's victory assures him of a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the fourth straight year.

He leaves Pocono as the top-seeded driver, based on most points among the drivers who have two wins: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Earnhardt and Joey Logano.

"I've never won here," Earnhardt Jr said.
"This is amazing. I can mark this one off."











*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/earnhardt-wins-a-thriller-at-pocono/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Role Reversal: Earnhardt Jr. Steals Race Win At End From Keselowski​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr triumphed through a long afternoon of miscues and mayhem to win Sunday's Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway and lock himself into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Earnhardt passed an overheating Brad Keselowski with five laps to go to win his second race of the season, followed by Kurt Busch's Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and rookie Kyle Larson in a Chip Ganassi-owned Chevy.

Keselowski dominated the race, leading 95 of 160 laps, but in closing stage of the race, picked up a piece of debris on his grille that was causing the engine to overheat. When Earnhardt passed him with five laps to go, Keselowski tried to pull up to the rear of Earnhardt's car to dislodge the debris but couldn't get close enough.

Earnhardt said he had to keep Keselowski well back in the final laps. "He knew I wasn't going to do that," Earnhardt said of allowing Keselowski to close on him. "Brad definitely had the better car. I'm owning up to that, but we won the race and we're definitely going to enjoy it."

"The car wasn't going to make it," Keselowski said. "It was already starting to blow up. It was all I could do. But Dale made a heck of a move to take advantage of it and sometimes that's just how racing goes."

With the victory, Earnhardt becomes the fourth two-time winner of the season, in this, his first multiple-victory season since 2004. It also made up somewhat for a race earlier this season at Las Vegas when Earnhardt was leading and ran out of gas on the last lap, handing what seemed to be a sure victory to Keselowski.

By his own admission, Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet wasn't as fast as Keselowski's Penske Racing Ford this time. But the third-generation driver was in the right place at the right time to score his first victory at the 2.5-mile, three-turn track and the 21st of his career in 519 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts.

"He had me beat, I couldn't get to him," Earnhardt said of Keselowski. "Just real hard to pass here. But I've lost some in some strange ways, so it feels good to win one like that."

It was a bizarre afternoon at Pocono, as a number of top cars suffered problems of one sort or another.

Hamlin started from the pole, but it was the third-qualifier Keselowski who went into the lead on the opening lap.

Once in clean air Keselowski dominated the first half of the race, leading the first 56 laps until he had to pit under green for regularly scheduled service.

Following a caution for debris on Lap 73, Tony Stewart jumped into the lead on the restart, pulling his SHR teammates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch with him, as Keselowski fell to fourth.

On the next restart on Lap 84, it was Busch who briefly put his SHR Chevrolet out front over Stewart and Harvick. All told, Keselowski led 70 of the first 80 laps, but once he fell out of the lead, struggled to get back up front.

Hamlin took the lead on Lap 96, just after the three SHR drivers pitted along with Team Penske teammates Keselowski and Joey Logano. But Hamlin had to come in a couple of laps later, putting Earnhardt on the point for the first time all day.

The lead continued to shuffle while green-flag stops continued, with rookie Kyle Larson leading for the first time all season.

Finally, when all the stops had cycled through, Stewart has out front on Lap 113.

On Lap 118, the yellow waved for fluid on the track, with some drivers pitting and others opting to stay out. Stewart was too fast in four different sections on pit road, which cost him the lead and dropped him from contention.

Under caution, Keselowski was one of 12 drivers that stayed out and reassumed the lead over Earnhardt and Clint Bowyer.

The green came out on Lap 123, and six laps later, Keselowski pitted, surrendering the lead to Earnhardt, who led for three laps before pitting himself.

On Lap 135, Keselowski passed Earnhardt and Johnson to move into sixth place, with the five cars ahead of him all needing to pit again.

Then Danica Patrick bounced off the wall, bringing out a caution on Lap 138.

Keselowski held the lead on the restart, but next Kasey Kahne crashed hard with the Roush Fenway Fords of Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle suffering damage as well. It appeared as though Kahne was driven up the exit of Turn 1 and into the wall by Kyle Busch.

The race restarted with 12 laps to go, and Keselowski again made a perfect restart to drive to the lead. But he got a piece of debris on his grille, which sent the temperature of his engine soaring.

Keselowski tried first to get on Danica Patrick's bumper to dislodge the debris, but she got loose and broke his momentum, which allowed Earnhardt to catch Keselowski and pass him with five laps to go and that was it.

"When I talk about my team, I really mean it," Earnhardt said. "Them guys are a hell of a group. ... I don't have much to do tomorrow, so tonight's going to be a long one."






*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...steals-race-win-at-end-from-keselowski-060814
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...steals-race-win-at-end-from-keselowski-060814


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Pulls Away Late For 2nd Win of Season​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is having a blast again, with a shared bond with his crew, comfort in his own skin as NASCAR's most popular driver, even finding fun 140 characters at a time on Twitter.

Winning races sure has a way of easing burdens on Junior.

Earnhardt turned Brad Keselowski's trash into Victory Lane treasure, pulling away down the stretch Sunday at Pocono Raceway for his second win of the season and a secured spot in the Chase field.

He paired his first career win at Pocono with his Daytona 500 championship for his first multi-win season since 2004.

''I feel like I'm such a lucky guy to have this second opportunity again to be competitive,'' Earnhardt said.

But for as strong as he ran in the No. 88 Chevrolet, Keselowski gift-wrapped this win when he yielded the lead with five laps left in a desperate attempt to clear debris from his grille and cool his overheated engine.

Keselowski's gamble backfired - he couldn't get the draft needed from the lapped traffic to clear his car and make one final pass for the win on Earnhardt. Keselowski's No. 2 Ford still had the oomph in the engine needed to finish the race, and he had his second-straight runner-up finish.

''It was definitely a mistake because the engine made it,'' Keselowski said, rubbing his face. ''It probably shouldn't have.''

Junior shook off the rising red gauges in the No. 88 that could have had his car meet a similar fate as Keselowski.

''They were still within good reason to stand on it and give it hell,'' he said.

Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and rookie Kyle Larson completed the top five.

Earnhardt gave Hendrick Motorsports four straight wins, following Jeff Gordon at Kansas and Jimmie Johnson's victory at Charlotte and Dover. Johnson overcame a pit road accident to finish sixth.

Owner Rick Hendrick texted Earnhardt before the race to let him know he would not attend and would see him next week at Michigan. Earnhardt told him, ''I'll drink one for you after it's over.''

Earnhardt stuck to his end of the deal, spraying all types of beverages in a jubilant Victory Lane. Johnson was the first driver over to congratulate him.

I don't have much to do tomorrow,'' Earnhardt said, grinning. ''Tonight's going to be a long one.''

Earnhardt, long NASCAR's most popular driver, gave the Pocono crowd plenty of reason to go wild. He was mobbed by almost 100 fans outside the Pocono media center, screaming his name and clamoring for a picture with the winner.

He waved and ducked into a waiting car, whisked away for another party.

Maybe the fans should try tweeting at him to earn his attention.

A reluctant participant on Twitter for years, Earnhardt warmed fast to the social media site after winning Daytona. He said he underestimated the amount of fun he'd have interacting with fans. He loved the ''go get 'ems'' that dot his feed, though it's the ''haters'' that he really feeds off.

''The real short ones, like, 'You suck,' those are the best ones,'' he said, smiling. ''I just favorite them and block them. It's so much fun.''

Earnhardt's second win means he is guaranteed to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field. He won for the 29th time in 519 career Sprint Cup starts.

'When we won at Daytona, man, it made the rest of the year a lot more relaxing, a lot easier,'' he said. ''It makes it fun because you can just go to the track and just race, not worry about points.''

Junior's breakthrough was more meaningful because has come in crew chief Steve Letarte's final season. Letarte, who had a Pocono win with Gordon, has become one of Earnhardt's best friends. That tightness off the track just may have sparked the wins on the track.

''Maybe that's why him and I are such good friends, because I might be the only one in the world that doesn't wonder what it's like to be Dale Junior,'' Letarte said. ''He's a normal guy, he's a great guy, he's a great talent. I don't have any idea what it's like to be him.''

Earnhardt led three Hendrick drivers in the top 10; Gordon finished eighth.

Johnson's bid for a third straight victory was derailed when he connected on pit road with Marcos Ambrose. Coming off wins in the Coca-Cola 600 and at Dover, Johnson was fifth when he pitted under yellow. Johnson hit Ambrose and spun 180-degrees, which forced him to back into his stall for more repairs. He needed two tires, had right-front damage and dropped to 29th on the restart.

Busch posted his first top 10 since his win at Martinsville nine races ago. He salvaged a rough day for his team that saw fellow Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick drop from contention with various issues. Stewart held the lead and was in great position late to win until he was busted for speeding on pit road and was dropped to 31st. Harvick was running second when had tire trouble.

Stewart finished 13th, Harvick 14th, and SHR's Danica Patrick was 37th after she smacked the wall with 22 laps left.

All those mishaps - and one loose wrapper - all made it a race to remember for Earnhardt.

''A year or two ago, we weren't running to seize the opportunity,'' Earnhardt said, ''and now we are.''

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/earnha...pMjJwBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDQ2MV8x


----------



## Ckg2011

*First Pocono Win For Earnhardt Jr​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. notched the first Pocono Raceway win of his career Sunday, giving Hendrick Motorsports its fourth straight victory on "The Tricky Triangle."

Earnhardt passed Brad Keselowski with four laps to go and won for the second time this season after his Daytona 500 victory back in February.

Both drivers were battling rising engine temperatures due to trash on their front grilles, but Earnhardt was able to make it to the finish to notch his first win at the 2.5-mile triangular track. The last time Earnhardt had multiple wins was 2004, when he had six while driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

"Junior" inherited the top spot from Keselowski when the Team Penske driver was forced to drop back to ensure that his engine would not overheat and blow.

"That's unfortunate for him," Earnhardt said. "He had me beat. I couldn't get to him. It's real hard to pass here. I've lost some in strange ways. It feels good to win one like that. Brad definitely had the better car. I'll own up to that, but we won the race."

Keselowski was disappointed with the outcome but felt he had no choice other than to take evasive action.

"(It was) running really hot, the motor was going to blow up," Keselowski said. "I had to do something. We had a really fast car, but had a piece of debris and had to do something. I had to do some kind of move or it wasn't going to make it. I should have just run it. I didn't think it would make it, but maybe it would have."

Kurt Busch rallied from overshooting his pit stall earlier in the race to finish third with pole sitter Denny Hamlin and rookie Kyle Larson rounding out the top five.

Jimmie Johnson came back from a pit road incident with Marcos Ambrose to finish sixth with Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray rounding out the top 10.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Michigan International Speedway for next Sunday's Quicken Loans 400. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage starting at 12 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*How Earnhardt won:* Keselowski decided to drop back from the No. 1 position with four laps to go after trash on his front grille raised his engine temperatures to what the Team Penske driver felt was a dangerous level. Despite also having trash on his grille, Earnhardt was able to stay ahead of the field for the win, Hendrick Motorsports' fourth straight at Pocono. Gordon was victorious in August 2012 with Johnson and Kasey Kahne winning last season.

*What else happened:* The race featured lots of pit strategy, as is usually the case at the mammoth 2.5-mile track. But there were also several accidents and incidents over the course of the 400 miles. The biggest wreck came late when Kahne and Kyle Busch made contact that triggered a multi-car accident - also catching Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and AJ Allmendinger.

*Who else had a good day:* Despite his disappointing ending, Keselowski has finished second in the last two Sprint Cup Series races ... Kurt Busch has struggled of late but was able to come home third for his fourth top-three finish in his last six Pocono starts ... Hamlin notched his fourth top-five finish of the season ... Johnson's quest to win three straight Sprint Cup races after his Charlotte and Dover victories looked to be over after his pit road troubles with Ambrose. But the six-time champion worked his way back up to the front of the field and actually led before finishing sixth.

*Who had a bad day:* Matt Kenseth went into the weekend as the Sprint Cup Series points leader. But the Joe Gibbs Racing driver's day to contend was over early when he made contact with Jamie McMurray on a restart and severely damaged the nose of his Toyota.

*Quote of the day:* "That was my fault. Didn't realize (Ambrose) was coming in, thought he was coming out," Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, said of the pit road accident between the No. 48 and No. 9 cars.

*Other notables:* Larson scored his sixth top-10 finish of 2014 in his first career Pocono Sprint Cup Series start ... Newman has three seventh-place finishes this season ... Truex has two straight top-10 performances.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/06/First-Pocono-Win-for-Earnhardt.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Grateful Pit Road Incident Wasn't Worse​*
After seeing his chances of winning three consecutive races slide away in the waning laps, Jimmie Johnson wasn't frustrated at Pocono Raceway -- he was grateful, and not just for his sixth-place finish.
?
Grateful he missed two of Justin Allgaier's crewmen during a fateful pit stop Sunday, one that forced the six-time Sprint Cup Series champion to play catch-up for the remainder of the event. But it could have been much worse -- Johnson was exiting his stall when he made contact with the car of Marcos Ambrose, spinning the No. 48 car toward Ambrose's stall, and dangerously close to a tire changer and tire carrier servicing the No. 51 car.
?
"How I didn't hit those guys is beyond me," Johnson said after climbing out of his No. 48 car in the garage area. "I'm so thankful I didn't hit those guys. It wouldn't have been good."

Looking to win three consecutive races for a third time in his career, Johnson was fifth when a caution flew for debris 72 laps into the event. As he was exiting his stall following the ensuing two-tire pit stop, his right-front slammed into Ambrose's No. 9 car, which was coming in for service. The contact spun Johnson and did enough damage that he had to back up to return to his stall, where his crew attended to extensive repairs. Johnson emerged in 31st, and as the last car on the lead lap.

?Crew chief Chad Knaus took the blame. "Earl, if you see that 9 car spotter, tell him that was my fault," he radioed to spotter Earl Barban. "I didn't realize he was coming in; I thought he was coming out."
?
It's common for crew chiefs to spot for drivers entering and exiting the pit, since being on the pit box gives them a better vantage point than the spotter.

"Chad was spotting me out of the pit, and he took full responsibility for it," Johnson said. "He didn't know the 9 was ahead of us pulling in. He thought the 9 had left his pit box. Just confusion on pit road. I feel terrible for the 9 guys, hurting their race car and taking them out of a good day. Hurt our race car, too."
?
Ambrose would go on to finish 24th. But Johnson and his crew rallied in typical fashion, as they had done earlier in rebounding from a 20th-place starting position. Pit strategy, caution cycles and a fast car left Johnson third behind Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on a restart with 20 laps remaining, but just when it seemed the No. 48 car would make its big move -- it went backward. Johnson's car handled tighter than expected after a two-tire stop, and he lost momentum upshifting from second gear to third, and he stood seventh when Kasey Kahne crashed with 16 laps left.
?
Over the radio, there was serious discussion over whether to pit. "Do you think you can hold on?" Knaus asked. Johnson left the decision up to his crew chief, who ultimately chose to stay out. "Chad would much rather have me on the offensive with tires, but with 29 guys on the lead lap, we couldn't make that call," Johnson said afterward.
?
It proved the prudent move, given that Johnson indeed held on for sixth. The winner of the two most recent Sprint Cup Series events at Charlotte and Dover, Johnson was attempting to become the first driver to win three straight races since he did it in 2007, when he won four in a row en route to securing his second consecutive championship.
?
Instead, he watched his teammate Earnhardt celebrate in Victory Lane -- actually, the combined 48/88 shop at Hendrick Motorsports has won three in a row -- and focused on a day that could have turned our much differently.
?
"Stats and streaks are very cool. Love to keep them going," Johnson said. "But I don't lose sleep about them through the night. If we had a dominant car and were up front all day and had something stupid caught us at the end, it probably would sting a little bit more. But I'm real proud of the effort we had today and all the things we overcame."






*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/johnson-grateful-pit-road-incident-224100797--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Not Happy With Kyle Busch (Again)​*
For Kasey Kahne, his incident with Kyle Busch during Sunday's Pocono 400 was all too familiar.

"That's just Kyle being Kyle,'' Kahne said.

Kahne was frustrated after another run-in with Busch. Last year, they had incidents that caused Kahne to crash at Daytona, Talladega and Darlington.

Things seemed to be smooth this year until Sunday when Kahne and Busch got together on Lap 143. The incident led to Kahne finishing 42nd.

Kahne said he had passed Busch earlier but when he raced Ryan Newman for position, they ran side-by-side down the frontstretch. The draft allowed Busch to close on Kahne and make a move in Turn 1. Kahne was on the outside.

"He knew if he didn't clear me there, I would pass him back because I just had, so he just floored it and .. he ran me right into the wall,'' Kahne said of Busch.

"He was probably pissed off because his car was slow. He knew he needed to floor it and I would lift. I didn't lift because I knew I could pass him back down the straightaway. That's just Kyle doing his thing.''

Busch, who finished 12th, left the track without comment.

Asked if he needed to talk again with Busch, Kahne said: "He just races however he races.''

The incident continued Kahne's frustrating up-and-down season. After finishing third at Kansas last month and winning two of the first three segments in the All-Star race before crashing, he struggled in the Coca-Cola 600 and last weekend at Dover.

His team brought his Kansas chassis this weekend to Pocono, and Kahne said he felt the car was running well before his incident.

"I thought we were a top-10 car,'' Kahne said. "We had made some gains from the rest of the weekend.''

But he had nothing to show for it.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ey-Kahne-Not-Happy-With-Kyle-Busch-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Landmark Victory For Cheever In Europe​*
After scoring the pole Saturday morning, Eddie Cheever IIIled all the laps of a hard-fought ELITE 1 Saturday race, earning his first NASCAR Whelen Euro Series win, the lead in the championship standings and the first victory for an Italian driver in a NASCAR sanctioned race.

"It's an incredible weekend for us," Cheever said. "We didn't practice yesterday and this morning we made the pole. It was an hard race, but we won it and I couldn't be happier."

The 21-year old CAAL Racing driver, son of former Formula One driver Eddie Cheever, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, smartly defended his lead from the attacks brought by Frederic Gabillon and Ander Vilarino in a race that showcased how close is the competition in the European NASCAR series in perfect short-track style. Seven cars raced in the leading group and exciting door-to-door battles characterized the 25-minute race.

Gabillon and Vilarino tried to take advantage of two double file restarts - the last one coming with just two minutes to go after Romain Thievin ended up in the barriers on the way down from Druids - but they ended up second and third when the yellow flags waved again due to a contact between Freddy Nordström and Simone Monforte and the race ended behind the safety car.

Vilarino had just passed Gabillon for the second place, but the results were set per rulebook on the last green flag lap, giving second back to Gabillon.

Anthony Kumpen started seventh and drove his way up to fourth, just ahead of Borja Garcia in fifth.

Cheever won the Jerome Sarran Trophy classification ahead of Rocca and Victor Guerin. The Challenger Trophy classification went to Fabrizio Armetta.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/landmark-victory-for-cheever-in-europe/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Boucenna Tops Euro Series Race Two​*
Wilfried Boucenna drove his way up to the lead after starting from the 13th place on the grid during Saturday's NASCAR Whelen Euro Series ELITE 2 race and won his first race of the season at the Brands Hatch Circuit.

The Frenchman took the lead with a brilliant overtaking move at Paddock Hill Bend on Maxime Dumarey on lap 15 and built his advantage on the Belgian driver to more than three seconds when the yellow flag waved in the final stages of the 25 minutes race.

It all went down to a one-lap dash to the checkered flag and Boucenna was able to maintain the lead, while a slight contact in turn one behind him resulted in a three-position loss for Dumarey. Rookies Denis Dupont and Thomas Ferrando took advantage of the situation to finish second and third.

"Qualifying didn't go well for us, but I made a good start and tried to give my best to come back quickly," said Boucenna. "As soon as I got in front I tried to preserve my tires for tomorrow and on the last lap I gave it all. Hopefully we can repeat tomorrow."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/boucenna-tops-euro-series-race-two/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vilarino Conquers Brands Hatch​*
Two-time NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Champion Ander Vilarino won for the second time this season at Brands Hatch, leading every lap of the ELITE 1 Sunday Race after starting from the pole position.

Anthony Kumpen finished second and took the championship lead. It's Vilarino's 15th career win in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and the four

the on the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.

"I'm very happy for this win. I want to thank the TFT-Banco Santader team because they gave me a great car," the Spaniard said.

"It's great to win here in the U.K., in front of so many passionate fans. I definitely want to continue this way for the rest of the season."

Vilarino had a very good start but it wasn't easy for him. He had to push hard to build a 2.5-second advantage over Anthony Kumpen in the first part of the 25-minute race. The yellow flag waved with less than 8 minutes to go when William Ayer Jr. found himself in the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend.

The restart saw Vilarino maintain the lead ahead of Kumpen and Christophe Bouchut.

Vilarino took the checkered flag, followed by Kumpen and Bouchut. Garcia finished fourth while Bas Leinders had the better hand in a nail-biting battle for fifth place, edging Frederic Gabillon, Fabrizio Armetta and Nicolò Rocca.
Markus Palttala and Anthony Gandon completed the top 10.

Rocca won the Jerome Sarran Trophy ovew Gandon and Simone Monforte, while Armetta climbed the top spot of the podium in the Challenger Trophy, preceding Dominic Tiroch and Cassiano Rodrigues.

The next ELITE 1 race will take at the Tours Speedway, the half-mile oval built in downtown Tours that every year hosts the Daytona 500 of the European NASCAR Championship.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/vilarino-conquers-brands-hatch/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Boucenna Takes Another At Brands Hatch​*
Wilfried Boucenna closed in the best way in the American Speedfest at Brands Hatch, with his second consecutive win in the ELITE 2 division Sunday.
It stretched his lead in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series championship standings over his teammate Thomas Ferrando, who was second.

Boucenna started from the pole and briefly lost the lead to Luca Pirri after an early restart, but when he got back in front on lap seven, he immediately built a little cushion, while the Italian engaged a tight battle for second place with Denis Dupont, Thomas Ferrando and Salvador Tineo Arroyo. Meanwhile Marsilio Canuti came back from the last place on the grid to join the four drivers.

Ferrando took second place on lap 21 and started chasing down his teammate, while a contact between Canuti and Pirri led to a shuffle in running order and forced the CAAL Racing driver to retire with a punctured right rear tire.

Boucenna administered his margin and took the checkered flag 2 seconds ahead of the talented French rookie, who won the Rookie Cup classification.

Canuti was third but he received a drive-through - converted in a 30-second penalty after the race - for driving outside the track's limits, leaving the last step on the podium to Dumarey.

Tineo Arroyo finished fourth ahead of a consistent Philipp Lietz.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/boucenna-takes-another-at-brands-hatch/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Marks Joins TSM For Two NNS Road Races​*
Turner Scott Motorsports has announced that road-course veteran Justin Marks will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 SOL REPUBLIC Chevrolet in two NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) events at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, this season.

Marks will drive the No. 31 TSM car while primary driver, Dylan Kwasniewski, substitutes for Kyle Larson in the No. 42 car at both events.

Marks, a Northern California native, is no stranger to NASCAR, having competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, in addition to the ARCA Racing Series, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series. As owner of GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, N.C., as well as co-owner of Larson Marks Racing's 410 winged sprint car team, the 33-year-old has a passion for all things racing.

Along with the driver change for these select events, the No. 31 car will have support from new sponsors: headphone brand SOL REPUBLIC and Casamigos Tequila.

"It's always exciting to bring new sponsors into NASCAR and introduce them to the most loyal fan base in all sports," said Marks. "SOL REPUBLIC is passionate about the power of music and bringing great sound to every music fan to change the world, one listener at a time. NASCAR and music are connected at every level - we use music to focus, get pumped up and to set the atmosphere for 30,000 screaming fans. SOL REPUBLIC is the perfect vehicle and partner to help us do that."

In previous years, TSM has had much success at NNS road courses, claiming three wins at Road America, along with two top-five and two top-10 finishes there. The organization also scored one top-10 finish in the Nationwide Series' debut at Mid-Ohio last season.

"Returning to the Nationwide Series with Turner Scott Motorsports is kind of like returning home. Nearly all of my starts in the series were with Braun Racing and many of those guys are now at Turner Scott. Harry Scott Jr. and Steve Turner have done a great job proving their organization can contend for wins every week. They have great people, great equipment and display great effort every time they're on the track. I'm looking forward to being a part of that."

"The addition of Justin Marks to the Turner Scott Motorsports roster for Road America and Mid-Ohio is really exciting for our organization as a whole," said TSM co-owner Harry Scott Jr.

"Justin is an extremely talented road-course driver and we're very lucky to have him on board while Dylan Kwasniewski drives the No. 42 car for Kyle Larson. Justin, along with his two new sponsors, are an ideal fit for our organization and we look forward to seeing what the trio can do in these two races."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/marks-joins-tsm-for-two-nns-road-races/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona 500 Tickets Going On Sale​*
Tickets to NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race, the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 2014, go on sale Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Tickets for the 500, won earlier this year by Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his second career victory in "The Great American Race," start at $65.

"The Daytona 500 is the pinnacle of racing excitement, creating our sport's most memorable moments while crowning the legends of NASCAR each and every year," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III.

"In 2015, fans can enjoy all the pageantry and thrill of "The Great American Race" in person, and preview some of the new amenities as a portion of Daytona Rising will open including 40,000 new seats near Turn 1. All of Daytona Rising debuts in 2016 and the best way for fans to guarantee their spot for the grand opening is to be here next year and get on the renewal list early."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/daytona-500-tickets-going-on-sale/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Smith Determined To Stay In NNS Title Race​*
Regan Smith's season hit a high note at Michigan Int'l Speedway last June.

His win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Alliance Truck Parts 250 was Smith's second of 2013. It put him 58 points ahead of his closest competition in point standings.

As the series returns to Michigan this weekend, Smith has his sights set on doing what he didn't do last year, post-Michigan: Win races.

The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team saw a mix of misfortune and missed setups derail his championship hopes.

He's focused on making the second time the charm when racing for the Nationwide title.

"The things you can control (when bad luck happens) is making sure you don't let it slip into a bigger problem," Smith told SPEED SPORT. "There were moments last year, some in the summer and some in the fall, where I thought we got a bit desperate. If we can cut that desperation out, then we're in a lot different situation when we come to Homestead (for the season finale)."

Smith holds a four-point lead over Elliott Sadler as the circuit returns to Michigan on Saturday.

Smith's JRM teammate, Chase Elliott, is just 22 points behind.

It's shaping up to be another close championship battle, but one Smith hopes will end with the Cato, N.Y. native hoisting the trophy in November, not finishing third.

He has one win this year (at Daytona Int'l Speedway in February), but consistency is the name of Smith's game.

He's finished in the top 10 in all 12 races this season, something no other driver can say.

Not that Smith is the boastful type. He's just found ways to transform subpar runs into strong finishes.

Smith had turned lemons into lemonade before the season even began.

His engine blew in practice at Daytona, but Smith didn't let it affect his approach to the race.

"Okay, guys, we'll have a different motor, but this is still the car that's going to win the race," Smith told his team as they went to work in the garage.







*Regan Smith (7) finished 10th at the Buckle-Up 200 at Dover Int' Speedway in Dover, Del., his 12th top-10 finish in as many races this season. (HHP photo/Alan Marler)​*
He kept his word, won at Daytona and hasn't let the small things - like ill-timed caution flags - get him down.

It doesn't hurt to be a smarter driver as the championship battle unfolds.
Smith wasn't used to racing for a title when he was in contention last year. He'd spent years as a mid-pack driver in the Sprint Cup Series for Furniture Row Racing.

When Earnhardt stepped out of his car for two races due to a concussion in October 2012, Smith replaced him. He'd just lost his ride at FRR but he performed admirably, was rewarded with a ride at JRM and began working his way back up the ladder.

Some drivers believe you can't win until you've lost. Smith lost last year. He doesn't want to repeat the feeling.

"Knowing what to expect (down the stretch) is going to be great," Smith said. "Knowing how to screw it up, which we did last year, is probably a good thing too, because you learn what not to do. The experience is a good thing. I understand what situations to be wound up about, what situations to remain calm in and when I need to pull the reins back or go harder as a driver.

"I hadn't been in a points situation like that in quite some time until last year.

You can talk all day long about it to people and have people tell you what's going to happen, but until you experience it yourself, you don't really know what to do."

Elliott, the only full-time NNS driver with multiple wins, has been the series' flashiest driver. He's an 18-year-old rookie who took the sport by storm. He won two of his first seven races. Bad luck, like a mechanical failure at Charlotte Motor Speedway and a wreck at Talladega Superspeedway, knocked him out of the lead.

If he's the hare in this year's title race, Smith is more of the tortoise: He's led 55 laps, a total eclipsed by 10 other drivers.

Don't let it fool you, though. Smith is in contention when it matters. It says a lot about his team, Smith believes, when an eighth-place finish is a disappointment.

They've raised the bar.

"It's a sign of the company turning the corner," Smith said. "It's a company that puts a huge value on running up front week in and week out. We've got a lot of hard-working people, but we're never satisfied."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/smith-determined-to-stay-in-nns-title-race/


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## Ckg2011

*Reed's No. 16 Features Special Scheme At MIS​*
Ryan Reed's No. 16 American Diabetes Association Drive to Stop DiabetesSM presented by Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang will carry the ADA's Pathway to Stop Diabetes paint scheme this weekend at Michigan Int'l Speedway.








The Pathway program inspires and supports a new generation of diabetes researchers who will focus on innovative ideas that lead to discoveries in diabetes prevention and treatment, and ultimately change the face of diabetes.

The trend in research today is to invest in a specific technology or pathology. But diabetes is a complex disease with multiple challenges in discovering prevention methods, treatment options and ultimately a cure.

Pathway focuses on attracting the most creative and brilliant minds to diabetes research and then help them pursue their discoveries, in essence creating a human Pathway to transformative science.

The Pathway to Stop Diabetes paint scheme coincides with the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions. The 74th Scientific Sessions® will take place June 13-17 in San Francisco.

After Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway, Reed will head to San Francisco to take part in the Scientific Sessions, which includes the Pathway to Stop Diabetes No. 16 show car on display.

"I'm really proud to carry the Pathway to Stop Diabetes paint scheme this weekend in Michigan," said Reed. "What the American Diabetes Association and Lilly Diabetes are doing for diabetes research is extremely encouraging.

Diabetes is one of the greatest public health crises our country is facing, so to shine a light on the scientists and the research is extremely important."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/reeds-no-16-features-special-scheme-at-mis/


----------



## Ckg2011

*SHR's Mixed Bag​*
Call it a Kodak moment even in this digital age. Near the halfway point of Sunday's race at Pocono Raceway, Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick ran together in the top three.

Only one finished there - Busch placed third - but the race marked among the first times this season that SHR has had three of its four cars so close to the front at the same time.

It could be a good sign heading into this weekend's race at Michigan International Speedway.

Then again, with the way this season has gone for this organization, one almost wonders what will happen next.

No team has had as varied results as Stewart-Haas Racing this season. Harvick has been the fastest car nearly every week but also been plagued my mistakes and misfortune. Stewart has had mixed results. Busch went seven consecutive races without a top-15 finish after his Martinsville win. Danica Patrick has not placed better than 23rd since her seventh-place finish at Kansas Speedway last month.

Pocono looked as if things were changing for Stewart-Haas. Then Stewart was penalized for speeding on pit road and finished 13th. Harvick was second when he pitted for a flat left front tire and placed 14th. Patrick cut a left-front tire and hit the wall to finish 37th.

"It just hasn't been our year so far,'' said Greg Zipadelli, competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing. "It was encouraging to have all four cars have speed all weekend. We've had one or two or three, but never all of them.''

It also helped having Hendrick engines, which took six of the top 10 spots at Pocono. Zipadelli said how well his team ran, though, wasn't all just about the engines.

"I think our racecars were good,'' he said. "There was a lot of the day when they ran one-two-three. So, I feel like our team has done a good job and they've built really good cars. We've just got to figure out how to close the deal."

Harvick could have maybe five wins this season but a litany of problems have struck.

Suffered a broken left front hub while running second at Las Vegas.
Lost an oil line and then hit the wall while running fourth at Bristol.
Had a tire go down two different times while running in the top five at Auto Club Speedway.

A chain broke on the rear end at Martinsville and he still finished seventh.
Lost the lead at Kansas during the last round of green-flag stops when his car ran out of fuel.

A loose wheel forced him to pit while running second at Charlotte, putting him a lap down. He later got the lap back but not the track position.

Had a tire issue while leading at Dover and lost two laps after making the stop. And then came the flat tire at Pocono.

How does Zipadelli explain Harvick's misfortune?

"I try not to think about it too much because it gets frustrating and because I really don't think there's an answer to it,'' he said.

There could be an answer to SHR's performance this weekend. Just as the Hendrick engines were strong at Pocono, they should be as strong at Michigan. At Auto Club Speedway, a sister track to Michigan, Hendrick engines took four of the top six spots.

Another solid performance could help Busch's team.

"For each (SHR) car ... this is the point in the season where each one starts to build its own identity, and for my team, as young as we are, this is the type of finish that will help boost the confidence up,'' he said after placing third at Pocono.

"The meeting we had last week, we all had to look at one another and say, "Are you willing to step this up? Are you willing to put in the extra hours? Are you willing to go the extra mile to make this happen?' Everybody said yes, and when you cash in on a top‑five run after that, that really builds everybody's self‑esteem up, so I'm looking forward to it.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Racing-Looks-For-Better-Luck-At-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Won't Trash Decision​*
Brad Keselowski is not second-guessing his decision in the closing laps of Sunday's Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.

The team Penske driver was leading Sunday's race at the 2.5-mile track but picked up a piece of trash on his front grille. That caused the air flow to his engine to be restricted enough that water temperatures began to rise at an alarming rate.

Rather than risk blowing his engine, Keselowski gave up the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in hopes of using the turbulent air from Danica Patrick's car as a method to remove the debris and then set sail for Junior and the lead once again.

However, that strategy did not pan out as Keselowski lost enough momentum behind Patrick's car that he wasn't able to mount a charge for the top spot and settled for second.

Despite several fans and even media members criticizing the move, Keselowski stands by his gamble.

"With the information we had at the time, I felt like I made the right decision to try and do something, I just didn't execute it, so it's probably more frustration with not executing the move rather than taking the risk to make it, for me at least," he said.

"But it's hard to speak for everyone. I'm sure everyone has different feelings about it. But it was the right move. I told somebody I felt like I was playing a game of blackjack and I was sitting on 15 and the dealer had a face card. If you play by the rules, you should take a card and you should hit, and we did, and we busted. The dealer turns over his card and he was sitting on 15, as well, and so you knew he was going to bust out. That's part of it. That's the cards we play, and some of racing is always going to be chance, and you have to play it by the odds, and I lost. But that's just the way it goes."

Keselowski is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Chase field thanks to his win earlier in the year. But that didn't enter into his thought process in making the call to give up the lead to Earnhardt Jr. in hopes of removing the trash from the front of his Ford.

However, he's not sure how another driver under different circumstances would have played out the scenario.

"You know, obviously if there hadn't have been a car in front of me I wouldn't have made a move," Keselowski explained. "It's not as though I let Dale go by me, which I think some people are under the impression that's what happened, and it's not. I just made a move on a slower car to try and take the opportunity I had, and it didn't work. That was kind of what happened. I didn't let Dale go and say, hey, I'm going to try to cool off my engine. I just didn't execute the move to try and clean it off, and Dale was close enough to get by me, especially with my engine starting to let go.

"You know, in that sense I don't feel like anyone would have done anything different."

So after a couple of days to mull over the final laps at Pocono and ultimately the disappointment of finishing second, Keselowski is ready to move on. The way he sees it, dwelling on the frustration won't do much good.

"Well, you know, I think each situation is a little different," said Keselowski. "I'm not going to say that I got over it right away because that's not the case. But for me knowledge is power, and getting over something like that is knowing what I could have done better or should have done differently, and researching those things and finding that answer, and I think that's where I find the ability to move on."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/06/Keselowski-Wont-Trash-Decision.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truck Series 'Young Guns' Shine in Milwaukee​*
WEST ALLIS, Wis. - A pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series young guns came away with victories at the historic Milwaukee Mile on Sunday during ARCA Fest.

John Hunter Nemechek started the day by taking the checkered flag in the JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour JEGS 100 and then Erik Jones followed by grabbing the win in the Swiss Colony Howie Lettow Memorial 150.

Jones, who turned 18 on May 30, capped off his high school graduation weekend that began Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway and ended Sunday with a visit to A.J. Foyt Victory Lane at "The Mile."

"I never had such a fun weekend," Jones said. "Not much sleep, but it definitely paid off at the end of the day picking up the win here. It's one that's been on my bucket list for the past three years, now, since they've been running it."

After starting 10th in the race following the re-draw, Jones was able to get by Chris Weinkauf on Lap 92 and then held on through a number of caution laps and restarts.

"We had a great car all day and were able to run our race," Jones said. "It took us a while to get the lead. He (Weinkauf) was really fast and we had to work hard to get around him. We made good adjustments at the break, took new tires and the car was better than it was on the first run. When we were able to take the lead, it was just a game of managing it from there. We were the best car at that point out in the clear air."

The win was the second consecutive for Kyle Busch Motorsports after the owner-driver dominated last year's race.

"I'm sure he'll be excited that his car is 2-0 here now," Jones said. "Hopefully, we can bring it back here next year."

Both Jones and Nemechek will be in Truck Series action next weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park.

"I'm looking forward to it, for sure," Jones said. "It's a place that looks like it might fit my style and I think we can run the same package we ran at Phoenix (where he won last fall)."

Nemechek's win in the CRA race was his second consecutive dating back to Georgia's Watermelon Capital Speedway in January.

"It's a very special day," Nemechek said. "We're now two-for-two in the JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour. It definitely feels cool to win in that car. That's been fast all weekend and today, it really showed."

After making a late pit stop at the Lap 112 break, Nemechek was able to finish fourth in the Howie Lettow 150.

"We saved our tires a little bit longer than everyone else," Nemechek said. "Everyone else pitted before us. I think we would have had a shot at Erik if there wouldn't have been so many caution laps at the start of that segment. I didn't have enough laps to get by those guys. I was a little bit too tight. We over-adjusted a bit."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...uck-Series-Young-Guns-Shine-in-Milwaukee.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Return 'A No-Brainer' For Montoya​*
When it came time to discuss the idea of returning to NASCAR to make one more run at the Brickyard, it didn't take Juan Pablo Montoya very long to tell Roger Penske yes.

"We talked about it, and we both thought it was a great idea," said Montoya, a two-time winner on NASCAR's premier series. "I mean, when he mentioned it to me, with the cars they've got right now, it was a no-brainer."

Montoya stepped away from NASCAR after last season, his seventh full campaign with Chip Ganassi Racing, and returned to his open-wheel roots with Penske. But although Montoya won races on the road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen and once made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, his stock-car resume still lacks an oval-track victory. Now he'll have two chances in Penske equipment, with Michigan this weekend serving as a table-setter for another attempt at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27.

In both races he'll work as a teammate to regular Penske NASCAR pilots Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, who both have race victories to their name this season. Although Montoya never cracked the top-five at Michigan in his Sprint Cup Series career, he famously let two chances to win the Brickyard slip away -- in 2009 when he led 116 laps and dominated until a late pit-road speeding penalty, and the next year when he paced 86 until pit strategy went awry. His best finish at the Brickyard remains second in 2007, his rookie season in NASCAR.

"I think it's a great opportunity that I have to be in really competitive cars" Montoya said during a recent media event in Charlotte. "And (Penske) hasn't won the Brickyard, and I'm pretty good there."

As his track record, which includes an Indianapolis 500 victory in 2000, would attest. Although Montoya is once again a full-time open-wheel racer who is coming off a fifth-place finish in this year's Indy 500, the Colombia native and current Miami resident is well aware that he has unfinished business in a stock car on the same 2.5-mile track.

"It would be pretty special," he said of a potential Brickyard triumph. "It would be very special, because we threw away a lot of them. We were really good at that. So it would be nice."

But first comes Sunday at Michigan, where Montoya will slide behind the wheel of a stock car for the first time since his finale with Ganassi at Homestead last season. Greg Erwin, who won five Sprint Cup races with Greg Biffle at Roush Fenway Racing and finished as Nationwide Series runner-up with former Penske driver Sam Hornish Jr. last year, will work as crew chief. Montoya is not scheduled to run either Sprint Cup road course races this season, because a pit crew is not available for either event.

The Montoya that will return to the Michigan garage area Friday is a more svelte version of his former self, down 15 pounds thanks to a cycling regimen. And he's clearly pleased to be in the employ of Penske, who owns 15 Indy 500 victories as well as the 2012 Sprint Cup championship, and was an owner whom Montoya says he idolized in a previous open-wheel stint that included the defunct CART circuit and Formula One.

"I feel really good. I feel really happy," Montoya said. "I think in a way, the change was really good. I don't really want to start comparing teams or anything, but the way things are handled (at Penske) -- it's awesome. Honestly, put it this way: when you grow up racing ... you looked at Team Penske like, 'Oh my god.' Everything was perfect. ... When you step back and look at all the history and everything that I've done, to say I've raced for Roger Penske -- that's a freaking honor."

It was Montoya's long friendship with Ganassi -- with whom he won the Indy 500 in 2000 -- that led the driver to NASCAR in the first place, and sustained him through personnel shakeups and performance difficulties that followed a breakthrough victory at Sonoma his first season, and a Chase berth in his third. Results dipped sharply over his final three NASCAR seasons, which all concluded with points finishes in the 20s, and midway through the 2013 campaign it was clear Montoya's contract would not be renewed.

The Ganassi team has rebounded somewhat this season, with Jamie McMurray winning the Sprint All-Star Race (although still ranked 23rd in the standings) and rookie Kyle Larson maintaining 10th place in points in the same No. 42 car and with the same crew chief that Montoya left behind. Asked to compare his current and former programs -- which both field entries in NASCAR and IndyCar -- Montoya said the biggest difference is that all Penske cars are housed under one roof in Mooresville, North Carolina, and overseen by team president Tim Cindric. Ganassi's teams are split between Indianapolis and Concord, North Carolina.

"The Ganassi organization, it's two different (sets of) management for both organizations. I think that's the main reason one has so much success and the other one doesn't. The other one is like a heartbeat," Montoya said, referring to a vital sign that goes up and down.

"Jamie (won the All-Star Race), but next year, you don't know if they're going to get better or they're gong to run 25th. You look at Hendrick, Gibbs, Roush, Penske, all the big teams, and you know they're going to be there next year. With (Ganassi), you don't know if they're going to be back there or (over) here. They've put a lot of things in place to get more stable, but if everything was under one roof, it would be a lot better."

Even so, Montoya knew -- or thought he knew -- the Penske reputation: serious men in starched buttoned-down shirts. As his occasionally freewheeling NASCAR teammates Keselowski and Logano might attest, things on the inside proved quite different. Still, at the outset Montoya was unsure of how he and a car owned known as "the Captain" might mesh.

"You look at Penske from the outside, and it looks really serious and really strict, and I'll be honest, that was a concern of mine," he said. "I was worried they were going to be too serious of an organization, and I wasn't going to fit it. And it was completely the opposite."

He had nothing to worry about. During open-wheel weekends, he finds Penske in his command trailer -- known as "RP1" -- watching NASCAR action on television. "He watches everything," Montoya said. "And I admire him, because he really cares. He loves racing. And that is really unbelievable."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nascar-return-no-brainer-montoya-140000018--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*2015 Mustang to Pace Michigan Race​*
In a fitting tribute to the continuing 50-year celebration of the iconic pony car, the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang is about to make its pace car debut at Michigan International Speedway. A Mustang GT fastback will lead the field to the green flag for the Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race June 15.

Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Company president of The Americas, will drive the Race Red fastback equipped with 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8 engine around the track in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Built in nearby Flat Rock, Michigan, Mustang is all-new from the ground up. This sixth-generation, rear-wheel-drive car has the long hood and short rear decklid proportions of its most iconic predecessors, as well as that low, wide stance, but its design is very much 21st century, with state-of-the-art engineering and technology.

"Ford is very proud to have the 2015 Mustang GT pace the Quicken Loans 400 this Sunday," Chantel Lenard, director, U.S. Marketing, Ford Motor Company. "With its proximity to the Motor City, Michigan International Speedway is a showcase for the auto industry. To have Mustang - a brand born of racing - in this special anniversary year, leading some of the world's best drivers to the green flag, is special. We know our fans will enjoy seeing it out on the track."

Among the many new features on the 2015 Mustang GT is an independent rear suspension engineered specifically for this new platform and car. It also features an all-new state-of-the-art front suspension.

Mustang GT's 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8 engine generates more than 420 horsepower and more than 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Two other engines - a 3.7-liter V6 and 2.3-liter EcoBoost - will also be available when the car hits showrooms later this year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/06/2015-Mustang-to-Pace-Michigan-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR, MLB Collide: Dale Jr., Dodgers' Puig Chill During Delay​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr visited Great American Ball Park before Tuesday's Reds-Dodgers game for Reds Racing Night.

First pitch was delayed due to rain, but that didn't stop Dale Jr. from having a good time.

During the delay, Earnhardt hung out with fans and visited both teams' clubhouses, where he met one of the most interesting men in baseball -Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig.

The unlikely duo exchanged autographs and took a photo, which Dale Jr. posted on Twitter:







 *Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @DaleJr
Follow I traded autographs with Yasiel Puig of the @Dodgers at the @Reds game. Rain delay casual. 
8:00 PM - 10 Jun 2014​*
Apparently, Puig posted the photo on his Instagram account, referring to Earnhardt as a "great rally racer." He quickly deleted the post and replaced it with a new one, which gave Dale Jr. a more fitting nickname:

*yasielpuig ✔ @YasielPuig
Follow With Dale Earnhardt Jr., the King in Nascar. Thank you for the chance to meet you and for sharing some


http://instagr.am/p/pFbGhEjYWP/
​*
*Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @DaleJr
Follow I can't spell his name, and he thinks I'm a great rally racer. Life just kicks *** right now. Good luck @YasielPuig. Nice meeting ya.&#55357;&#56397;&#55357;&#56394;​*
*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/ohio/story...-jr-trade-autographs-during-rain-delay-061014


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## Ckg2011

*Baby steps: Stewart, Kurt Busch finally pointed in right direction​*
Even though he won once already this year, Kurt Busch has struggled with his new team, but it looks like both he and Tony Stewart, who has also struggled, are both starting to come around. Both had fast cars this past weekend at Pocono. They both led the race and Kurt came home with a great third-place finish.

Even though his pit road spending penalty ruined his chances at winning and he ended up only 13th, we've been seeing some blips from Tony that he was returning to his normal self on the track. Up until last year when Tony won at Dover, he has really struggled there. Even though he didn't win there this year, he still had a very solid weekend. Then again, this past weekend in practice, qualifying and, as I mentioned, in the race, Tony was strong.

I don't know that everyone gave Tony enough slack coming back when he did in February of this year after not even being fully recovered from his wreck in 2013. While all these other drivers were off testing anywhere and everywhere they could with the new 2014 rules package, Tony was still doing rehab on his leg. Throw on top of that, Tony has a new crew chief this year in Chad Johnston and they never really got a chance to work on their chemistry with any testing, either.

Photos: 'Studs and Duds' from an action-packed Pocono race

Obviously when you have a car in your stable that is running as well as the No. 4 car is, then you have to look at what they are doing. I know that both Tony and Chad tried to mirror what Kevin Harvick was doing, but I think they finally have realized it simply isnâ&#128;&#153;t the feel that Tony is looking for. So I think it'&#128;&#153;s been a combination of trying to get back to what Tony looks for in a race car, plus the growing communication/chemistry between a new driver/crew chief combo. I think we are starting to see it coming together for them.

This past weekend had to also be a big deal for Kurt Busch and his team.

They had a solid day two weeks ago at Dover, but honestly, it was nothing spectacular. Yes, he has won a race, but the guy has had five DNFs in the first 14 races of the season. Let me put it into perspective how the struggle has gone for Kurt and that team. Until Sundayâ&#128;&#153;s third-place finish, Kurt's 18th-place finish the week before at Dover was his best finish since he won Martinsville back on March 30.

Pocono was just what the doctor ordered for that team. They were good in practice. They just missed sitting on the pole by two one-thousandths of a second. They were good all day long at Pocono with Kurt leading five laps.

Obviously they can't be running through the halls of Stewart-Haas Racing this week ringing the bells proclaiming they have it figured out now, but they definitely will roll into Michigan this weekend with a lot more confidence than I wager they had when they rolled into Pocono.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...sch-finally-pointed-in-right-direction-061114


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## Ckg2011

*Best In-Car Audio: Joe Gibbs Not Amused By Kyle Busch's Potty Mouth​*
no secret that Rowdy loves to rant. But Kyle Busch's boss - as in Coach Joe Gibbs - wasn't too happy with his driver's demeanor in Pocono.

Also, Denny Hamlin is mad at Brad Keselowski. Tony Stewart's sorry for speeding. And after capturing the checkered flag, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ready to "par-tay."

Enjoy the best in-car audio from Pocono Raceway on another edition of NASCAR Race Hub's "Radioactive."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ty-mouth-061114?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Moves To The Irish Hills of Michigan & Gateway Motorsports Park​*
*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series* is back on the track this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. It's the Quicken Loans 400. Qualifying is set for Friday and Happy Hour Practice is set for Saturday.

*NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series* is back in action at the super fast Michigan International Speedway. The Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250 on Saturday at 1:30 pm.

*NASCAR Camping World Truck Series* is set to at Gateway Motorsports Park. It's the Drivin For Linemen 200. The race is set for 8:49 pm Saturday night.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Team Penske, SKF Expand Alliance​*
SKF has agreed to a multi-year extension with the team that will expand its technical alliance and continue its associate sponsorship of the team's entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Verizon IndyCar Series.

A Team Penske sponsor since the beginning of the 2012 season, SKF will continue to be a featured partner on the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford in the Nationwide Series and the No. 3 Hitachi Chevrolet in the Verizon IndyCar Series. SKF will also serve as a primary sponsor for both drivers Juan Pablo Montoya at Michigan International Speedway on June 15 and Ryan Blaney at Talladega Superspeedway in the Sprint Cup Series in 2014.

In addition, SKF will expand its technical support to the team as it provides both product and advanced engineering consulting and services. As speeds and downforce levels have continued to rise in racing so have the demands on critical components. Through the relationship with SKF, Team Penske has been able to push the limits of vital driveline components to reduce friction without sacrificing durability.

"SKF has proven to be an important partner of our organization since they first came on board in 2012," said Roger Penske. "That was evident during our Sprint Cup Series championship run in 2012 and again during our transition to Ford Racing in 2013. We were able to maintain the high level of performance that we expect and a big part of that is because of companies like SKF and what they bring to the table.

"With the improvement in our qualifying performances this season, it only increases the value of our partnership with SKF and expanding our development projects means even more opportunities down the road for Team Penske."

SKF has also been able to establish meaningful relationships with other Team Penske partners that have opened the lines of communication towards generating significant business-to-business opportunities.

"The focus on technology, teamwork and business excellence principles is fully aligned between our groups. We share a culture of winning which is why our partnership works so well together, both on the track and in our business-to-business relationships," said SKF Group CEO Tom Johnstone.

"Our expanded Penske technical partnership is part of a greater commitment to providing more in-depth, localized technical support and development to our North American partners."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/team-penske-skf-expand-alliance/


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## Ckg2011

*McMurray Visits Jacksonville Jaguars Practice​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jamie McMurray got a taste of life in the National Football League on Tuesday as the driver of the No. 1 McDonald's/Cessna Chevrolet SS Chevrolet participated in offseason training activities with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

McMurray and Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III were at the Jaguars training facility promoting the upcoming Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on Saturday, July 5.

McMurray and Chitwood were worked through drills during the first hour of practice at the fields adjacent to EverBank Field.

"Dale Jr. actually sent me a text last week at a test and asked me about doing fantasy football," McMurray said. "I've never done it before. This year is going to be my first time. It's nice to get down here and meet these guys and see everything they go through."

"It's all about the athletes," Chitwood said. "When you can put those together, it's a great opportunity."

Among the activities the duo performed were returning punts, catching passes alongside quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Stephen Morris and pushing the blocking sled. The Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver wore a black No. 1 jersey while Chitwood wore No. 59 signifying the first year of operation of Daytona International Speedway.

Following practice, McMurray and Chitwood spoke to the team. Chitwood presented a Jaguars-themed driver's helmet autographed by all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers and McMurray gave a crew shirt to the organization.

The grueling and hot practice was an eye opener for both McMurray and Chitwood.

"Water boy would probably be the best spot," McMurray joked about what position he could play in the NFL. "It's crazy how big all the guys are and then to see how small some of them are at the same time and they go up against each other fighting for the same piece of property."

"Speed in racing is a big deal," Chitwood said. "When you go out there and see these athletes at speed is pretty impressive. It doesn't translate on TV. When you see them out there practicing, it's amazing how fast things happen. It's definitely something that I appreciated today."

McMurray, who captured the 2010 Daytona 500 and won the Coke Zero 400 in 2007, will return to the "World Center of Racing" in a few weeks for the Independence Day holiday classic with hopes of adding another Daytona win to his resume and a spot in the Chase.

"When I look at Daytona, that's kind of a wild card race that I think a lot of guys have an opportunity to win," McMurray said. "I've won both races at Daytona in the past. I look forward to coming down here every time we race here but this year more than anything because guys are trying to get that one win to get into the Chase. Daytona is going to be a big event."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cmurray-visits-jacksonville-jaguars-practice/


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## Ckg2011

*Ruston Ready For Florida Breakthrough​*
The early-season road has been bumpy for Kenzie Ruston, but the second-year NASCAR Next driver is primed for a stretch run.

The El Reno, Okla., driver started the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season with a pair of sixth-place runs at Florida tracks - New Smyrna Speedway and Daytona Int'l Speedway - and returns to the Sunshine State for Friday's Pensacola 150 at Five Flags Speedway.

"It definitely hasn't been the start we looked for this year," said the 22-year-old Ruston. "We hope to get some momentum here and finish really strong."

The groundwork for that momentum may have been set with an eighth-place finish on May 31 at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. Her car owner, Ben Kennedy, was able to dodge all of the obstacles to win at The Stadium last season. While Ruston wasn't as fortunate this time, the top-10 finish was her first since the Daytona race.

"It hasn't been any one thing," she said. "It's been a lot of little things. We've had fast cars. I really think we could've won that Daytona race, but it just didn't work out."

Like Bowman Gray, Ruston will wheel the car that Kennedy drove to victory lane a season ago when the series made its inaugural trip to the fast half-mile Pensacola, Fla., oval. That's a two-sided coin according to Ruston.
"It adds a little bit of pressure, but it also gives the whole team a boost knowing that we've had success," Ruston said.

Ruston took over the driving duties of the No. 96 Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet after Kennedy, a NASCAR Next alumnus, went to work in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Turner Scott Motorsports. The two went head-to-head in the K&N Pro Series East last year with Kennedy, also a 22-year-old, finishing fourth in the final points standings and Ruston sixth, which was the highest finish for a female driver in the series, now in its 28th season. She also has the best race finish for a female in series history with a third-place showing at South Carolina's Greenville Pickens Speedway on April 6, 2013.

With a K&N Pro Series East race under her belt at Five Flags, Ruston will be one of about 10 drivers with that experience at the oval located just north of the Gulf Coast beaches. She also has competed in a handful of late model shows at the track, but that experience is negated by changes to the racing surface.

"You used to have to conserve a lot more, but since they ground the track it's pretty much all out every lap," she stated. "I struggled with that a little last year because it wasn't what I was used to there."

A racer at heart, Ruston enjoys the shorter tracks on the schedule with Five Flags among her favorites.

"I really like the Pensacola track a lot. I like the speed there and the banking," she said. "Some of the bigger tracks we go to it's all about the cars. I feel that (Five Flags) is more of a driver's track and I like that. It's a fantastic track to race."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/ruston-ready-for-florida-breakthrough/


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## Ckg2011

*VIDEO: NASCAR And Father's Day​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Officially A Championship Threat​*
Consider this - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is finally a contender.

Granted, he has made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup before, with some fine finishes (third once, fifth three times) in the final series championship standings. But there's something different about this year.

Considered for so long by so many as a champion-in-waiting, Earnhardt looks to be assuming the aura of a champion-on-deck.

What a road he has traveled to this spot - two victories in a season for the first time since 2004 and all but assured of making the newly expanded Chase field because of those wins. After years of spotlighted scrutiny and periodic victory droughts that left his legion of fans disappointed, Earnhardt may be ready to deliver a long-awaited, long-expected title in NASCAR's premier series - or at the very least, come awfully close to doing so.

Earnhardt's victory at Pocono Raceway this past Sunday sparked a litany of statistics that, collectively, seem hard to believe: First multi-win season in a decade; same number of wins as the previous seven seasons combined; first win at Pocono in 29 starts.

More important than any of those is this: Now with two victories, Earnhardt is guaranteed to be among the top 16 race winners - the most difficult criteria to meet in landing a spot in the Chase. As long as he finishes in the top 30 in driver points after race No. 26 and attempts to qualify for every race, he's locked into NASCAR's "playoffs."

Years ago, race victories, Chase berths and a series championship or three all were predicted to come routinely to a young man with two NASCAR Nationwide Series championships and the consummate NASCAR family heritage, the heir apparent to his late father, seven-time Sprint Cup champion Dale Earnhardt.

That once-bright future, which once was considered derailed by critics - of which there were many, despite Earnhardt's immense popularity overall - seemingly was only being delayed.

That future is now. Earnhardt could be approaching a "Sr." moment
"It's elusive, man," Earnhardt said at Pocono, regarding Sprint Cup success. "I don't worry about [being criticized] as much anymore. I'm turning 40 this year, and the 'over-rated' talk is way behind me. That used to bother me when I was younger, but when you get old you don't really care anymore about those kind of things. I feel like I'm such a lucky guy to have this second opportunity almost to be competitive again, and so I don't really worry about the detractors."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...arnhardt-officially-a-championship-contender/


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Ready For Rebound​*
Joey Logano looks to shake off last week's Pocono disappointment with a good run in Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

The Team Penske driver had a strong car last week in the Pocono 400 but not the finish to show for it after an engine expired late in the race. But he's ready to put that behind him as the Sprint Cup Series heads to the Irish Hills for the first of two visits in 2014.

Like he did at Pocono, Logano goes into the weekend at MIS with the confidence of being a former winner at the track. He won last August's Pure Michigan 400 after starting from the pole with a track qualifying record. The day was made even more special for Logano as it was his first victory as a member of Team Penske.

"It was huge," Logano recalls. "It was a big deal, for sure. I wanted to win so badly and I felt we were close a bunch of times before that. I wanted to prove to Roger, (crew chief) Todd (Gordon) and the guys on the team that they made the right decision in bringing me over here. It also proved to me that I could do it.

"And that's showed this year. We kept that confidence over the off-season and kept it going into this year. You can look back at that win and I feel a lot of this started in Michigan. Hopefully, years from now, we can say that was the first of many, many wins for Roger Penske."

Logano has carried over last year's success to solid performances in 2014 and is one of four drivers with multiple victories this year - joining Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on that list.

But Logano continues to work toward getting even better and is in the midst of a busy stretch of the summer schedule that includes testing as well as racing. That hectic calendar provides Logano with another challenge to stay focused on the matter at hand and not let it become a distraction.

"You try as hard as possible to give yourself as much down time as you can," he said. "They do a good job, as well, to try and make the travel as easy on you as possible. Thankfully, we have a couple wins under our belt. We aren't sitting there looking for wins and feeling the pressure of that. We can focus on running the best we can and learning things for the Chase.

"A lot of the busy time during the next month is testing and you can always learn something from that."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series from Michigan International Speedway. Air time for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 is 12 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/06/Logano-Ready-for-Rebound.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Can An Outlaw Wear A White Hat?​*
The beat from the rotor blades provided the opening notes for the performer's entrance. Fans pressed against each other and a fence that separated them from this stage. They craned their necks to glimpse the showman.

The helicopter's door slid open. He emerged to cheers.

Shame he couldn't hear it.

Kurt Busch - the self-proclaimed "Outlaw" - has heard cheers before, but probably not like this. The shouts, hollers and yells were laced with respect, admiration and affection. The reaction mirrors new marketing scores that show a significant jump for Busch since last fall.

While Busch couldn't hear the fans, their cheers drowned by the helicopter's blades after it landed at Charlotte Motor Speedway a short time after his sixth-place Indianapolis 500 run, he could see their excitement.

"You could see the movements in people's arms,'' Busch said. "You could see people had their hats off, and they were waving them and there was this big commotion.''

NASCAR fans were welcoming back one of their own.

If you like your coffee strong and heroes blunt, then good chance you've been a fan of Busch's for a while.

You've often been in the minority. In these pacified times where everyone must receive a participation ribbon, that Clint Eastwood-type character is rebuked instead of revered. Busch's actions led to a free fall that saw him go from driving for car owner Roger Penske to trying to rebuild his career with James Finch's underfunded single-car team.

It took two years, but Busch returned to an elite team this year, joining Stewart-Haas Racing this season and winning at Martinsville Speedway.

Busch admits he's made his mistakes - many can be found on YouTube - but his bid to run all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 last month seems to have changed how some view him.

Attempting to do something that only three men had done - none since 2004 - raising awareness for the Armed Forces Foundation and his strong run in the Indianapolis 500, shined a spotlight on Busch. He handled the attention without incident.

His scores in the Davie-Brown Index, which determines a celebrity's ability to influence brand affinity, have increased significantly since October.

His overall score jumped nearly 4.5 points to 49.21, placing him sixth among NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers (active or retired). He trails only Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart.

Busch scores increased at least three points in such key areas as awareness (increase of 5.07 points), appeal (up 4.33), influence (up 3.98) and trust (up 3.64). He ranks seventh among Cup drivers (active or retired) in awareness, trailing the same six as in his overall DBI score and Kyle Busch.

"That's a fairly substantive shift,'' said Peter Laatz, executive vice president of Repucom, a global company that measures impact and valuation of sponsorships across several sports, including NASCAR. "There's generally not huge shifts of five to 10 points.''

Laatz also said it wasn't surprising to see Busch's numbers rise since the most recent scores were collected June 5, shortly after Busch's run in both races.

Busch's effort also gained attention elsewhere. Joyce Julius and Associates, which evaluates and measures corporate sponsorships, noted that Busch had been referenced by the media 2.5 more times than Indy 500 pole-sitter Ed Carpenter in the week leading up to that race.

Busch also received public support from fellow NASCAR drivers via social media, providing more goodwill toward Busch.

"Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. threw down the gauntlet of whether you like it or not you're representing NASCAR,'' Busch said.

Busch gladly accepted that responsibility.

Does this recent surge in popularity make Busch more marketable? That has yet to be determined.

"On the sponsorship side, I think he's become more of a stable base, I think he's probably matured a little bit,'' Laatz said. "I think his DBI scores are going to show that his level of breakthrough, meaning his personality and awareness is probably the one thing that is holding him down. He's not a super-appealing guy in terms of the DBI scores ... but outside of that,the level of breakthrough and the level of endorsement qualities are all where they need to be.''

Busch knows this run might have given a new chance with fans.

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression,'' Busch said. "I wanted to make sure my first impression in IndyCar was done the best way I could.''

And with it, it seems as if he has re-introduced himself to some NASCAR fans.

After climbing from the helicopter and waving back to the fans, Busch headed toward the stage for driver's introduction before the Coca-Cola 600. When the fencing ended, people swarmed Busch, taking pictures, shaking hands and reveling in his presence.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Grows-After-Indy-500-And-Coke-600-Double.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: What Should Kahne Do About Kyle Busch?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Answer:*

*Pete Pistone:*

I've never been an advocate of drivers using their cars as weapons, and I won't change my view here. However, if Kasey Kahne truly feels he's been wronged by Kyle Busch - again - he needs to do something about it other than complaining in interviews.

Kahne has to draw a line in the sand and retaliate, whether it's a physical encounter on the race track or something more nuanced. But until he takes some kind of action his words will carry less and less meaning.

I get the idea Kahne is upset with Busch, and I'm OK with a couple of drivers not particularly liking one another. In fact, I believe it's something that is lacking and that NASCAR needs more of in a hurry. But it's come to a point where Kahne needs to put up or shut up, quite frankly, if he really wants to end his view of being pushed around by Busch.

*Dustin Long:*

Whatever Kasey Kahne does, he has to live with the consequences - whether it is retaliating, something less severe or no action at all.

He has to understand that however he reacts could impact how some other drivers race him.

Kahne, though, could have the advantage against Busch by delaying any retribution. Busch said last year, according to Kahne, that he knew Kahne was going to get him back at some point.

Maybe Kahne is holding that chance for a race Busch could be in position to win.

What should Kasey Kahne do after yet another incident with Kyle Busch on the track?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/06/Gas-N-Go-Kasey-Kahne-Vs-Kyle-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truckin' Back to Gateway​*
This weekend, the Camping World Truck Series returns to Gateway Motorsports Park for the first time since 2010.

Saturday night's Drivin' For Linemen 200 takes NASCAR back to the 1.25-mile oval just outside St. Louis. Nine drivers scheduled to compete at Gateway this weekend have previous experience on the unique facility with only one, four-time series champion Ron Hornaday, a former winner.

"Hopefully, we can build upon the fast truck we had in Texas and my previous experience at Gateway to put together another solid finish, perhaps even a win for Turner Scott Motorsports," said Hornaday, who drives the No. 30 Rheem Chevrolet. He finished sixth in his last start last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Defending series champion Matt Crafton enters the weekend with an 11-point lead over Johnny Sauter, his ThorSport Racing teammate. Crafton, who won the Texas race, also goes to Gateway with the most Truck Series experience at the track.

He has 10 career starts with one top-five finish and seven top 10s. He's hoping to make it back-to-back trips to Victory Lane after his dominating run last weekend when he led 118 of 167 laps and stretched his final fuel run 61 circuits to the checkered flag.

"They didn't tell me a lot (about his final-run fuel program)," Crafton said. "I just asked if I could make it all the way and they said, 'Yeah.' So we took off and got such a big lead, I could slow down and was able to save fuel. But that's the hardest thing to do as a racecar driver, to slow down when you want to go and win a race."

There are a number of young drivers entered in Saturday night's race to challenge veterans like Hornaday, Crafton and Sauter - including Erik Jones, fresh off his Super Late Model win at the Milwaukee Mile, and German Quiroga, who sits sixth in the series point standings. The Red Horse Racing driver has been one of the season's pleasant surprises with five top-10 finishes so far. He lost some ground in the standings last week after an engine expired at Texas.

"We're not as close to the points leader as we'd like to be after our race at Texas, but we'll keep doing what we've been doing all season - which is focusing on the big picture," said Quiroga. "Our goal is to be fighting for a championship at the end of the season, so we need to have consistent finishes each weekend and that's what we plan to do at Gateway."

Although Quiroga has no Gateway experience, he'll rely on veteran crew chief Butch Hylton for advice and expertise with his wealth of knowledge at the track.

"Even though it's a new track for me, it reminds me a lot of the tracks I raced at in the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series," he said. "Hopefully, I can apply some of that knowledge as well as my crew chief, Butch Hylton's, experience at Gateway to do well there."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Camping World Truck Series from Gateway, presented by Keystone Light. Air time for Saturday's Drivin' for Linemen 200 is 8:15 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Articles/2014/06/Truckin-Back-to-Gateway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Will Ford-friendly Michigan Bring An End To Hendrick Dominance?​*
*I*t's no cret that Hendrick Motorsports has dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season with an able assist from Stewart-Haas Racing, which gets its engines and chassis from Hendrick.

Hendrick drivers have won the last four Sprint Cup points races -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Pocono Raceway, Jimmie Johnson at Dover International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Jeff Gordon at Kansas Speedway. Add in Earnhardt's Daytona 500 victory and three more between SHR drivers Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, and the extended Hendrick armada has won eight of 14 races this season.

And, oh by the way, Jamie McMurray won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with a Hendrick engine under the hood of his Chip Ganassi-owned Chevy.
So will the Hendrick onslaught end anytime soon?

Maybe, maybe not.
But if it does, there's a good chance that someone or ones knock the Hendrick squad out of Victory Lane in each of the next two races. Michigan International Speedway, site of Sunday's Quicken Loans 400, is one of Hendrick's least successful tracks. As a team, Hendrick Motorsports has won just four of the last 25 races at the fast, 2-mile Michigan oval.

Last year in this race, all four Hendrick Chevrolets finished outside the top 25, only the third time in the team's history that has happened.

After Michigan, the Sprint Cup Series heads off to the 1.99-mile Sonoma Raceway, where Hendrick has but a single victory in the last seven years.

For whatever reason, the Chevrolet teams in general have fared poorly at MIS historically. Since 1996, Fords have won 18 races at Michigan, with Dodge winning six more from 2001-2012. Toyota, which came into the Sprint Cup Series in '07, has three victories here. Chevrolet has won only six of the last 36 races at MIS.

Fords have captured each of the last three races at MIS, with Greg Biffle the defending race winner of the Quicken Loans 400 and the winner of the Pure Michigan 400 in 2012. Joey Logano won last year's second Michigan race. All told, teams from Ford and the now-defunct Ford brand Mercury have won 46 of 89 Cup races at MIS.

For his part, Logano likes coming to Michigan, a track his boss, Roger Penske, used to own.

"Any place you win you like but Michigan is cool because it is the fastest race track we go to," said Logano, one of four drivers already locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. "I can't remember how fast the pole was last year but it was a track record of like 204 or 205 miles per hour, a really fast speed around that place. That part is really neat and it puts on a great race.

This year, with the added drag to our cars, the draft is going to be huge, kind of like a truck race."

Logano himself set the track qualifying record here last August at 203.949 miles per hour and went on to win that race from the pole. He and teammate Brad Keselowski should be fast this weekend.

For Keselowski, a Michigan native, this isn't just another race.

"There seems to be a lot more commitments that weekend than any other weekend, and there's always somebody who wants a ticket or a pass or you name it, which is -- it's good and bad at the same time," said Keselowski.

"You're glad that people care, and on the other side, you're like, 'I've got to work here at some point.' It's fun for me personally, and it makes the success rewarding.

"I think the crew guys would tell you that when we don't run well at Michigan that they probably feel it the most because I turn into a real jerk when I don't run well at Michigan because that's how important it is to me," said Keselowski. "I want to be able to showcase to my friends and family the sacrifices that they've made for me and that I make on them, whether it's missing birthday parties or weddings or what have you, that they're meaningful, and the best way I know how to do that is to win and run well."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...higan-put-an-end-to-hendrick-dominance-061214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Madness: Speeds Will Be High Again At Repaved MIS​*
*I*n the days ading up to any given NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, there's always plenty of guessing -- some educated, some not -- about what will happen that weekend: Who will win, who will run well, who will have a disappointing weekend?

But when it comes to racing at the two-mile Michigan International Speedway, there's one thing that can be said with absolute and total certainty: The speeds will be fast. Very, very fast.

The last time the Sprint Cup crowd was at MIS -- August 2013, to be precise -- Joey Logano put down a pole lap of 203.949 miles per hour, which was the ninth-fastest qualifying lap in the entire history of NASCAR. More to the point, it was fastest NASCAR qualifying lap at a non-restrictor-plate track.

MIS was repaved prior to the start of the 2012 season and the result was that speeds went through the roof, starting in June 2012 when Marcos Ambrose won the pole with a lap of 203.241 mph, a speed some nine mph faster than Ryan Newman's old track record. In fact, the four fastest poles speeds at non-plate tracks have all been set at MIS in the last four races.

"The track is really fast and has a ton of grip," said Jamie McMurray, who won the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month. "It seems that this always comes down to being a fuel-mileage race, so pit strategy will come into play on Sunday. We have had really fast cars and I hope we can continue the good finishes that we have had the last several weeks."

But the ultra high speeds have not been a hit with everyone.

"Michigan changed so much when they paved it," said Matt Kenseth, who comes into the race second in the Sprint Cup points standings, but without a race victory this year. "Before they paved it -- it was probably one of the best tracks on the circuit. You could run from the apron in (Turns) 3 and 4 all the way up against the fence and there were people just all over the place looking for grip."

That hasn't been the case for the past two seasons.

"It's really been a single lane, very treacherous, very hard to race around other cars and aero-sensitive track since they paved it," Kenseth said. "I'm hoping after another year of winter it will be better when we get there this time."

Three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart is optimistic about the racing improving this time around.

"It should be better. That first year, once it cleaned off, it seemed like the track got to be pretty good," Stewart said. "It was still a relatively one-groove track, but it got better as the weekend went on. It was even better last year and really we should see more of the same even with the higher speeds.

"Hopefully, the racetrack will continue on that path and continue to widen out," Stewart added. "It was a lot racier than I thought it would be, right off the bat, and it's just been getting better so I'm anticipating it's going to be even better when we get back on it this weekend."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/michigan-madness-speeds-will-be-high-again-at-mis-061214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Junior Leaves Ryan Newman Stranded At Airport​*
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Ryan Newman, meet Kevin McCallister, the forgotten child in "Home Alone."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., possibly still on cloud nine after picking up his second victory of the season last Sunday at Pocono Raceway and not thinking clearly, took off for Michigan International Speedway Friday morning to prepare for a busy weekend ahead. He then realized, once the plane was at approximately 40,000 feet, that he forgot one of his carry-ons: Newman.

*Dale Jr's Twitter:*

_*



Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @DaleJr
Follow

Weekend started off on wrong foot. Left @RyanJNewman at the airport. Forgot he was riding with us. Imma pay for this one.

9:09 AM - 13 Jun 2014

Click to expand...

*_ It was clear from Junior's Twitter updates he felt bad about the mistake.

*Dale Jr's Twitter:*

_*



Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @DaleJr
Follow

I'm hoping and praying that the reason @RyanJNewman isn't responding to my text are because he is at 40,000 feet. Please be at 40,000 feet.

Click to expand...

*_ When Earnhardt came in for his Friday press conference, it naturally led to questions about Newman's current location and if he'd heard from the driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet.

"No, I don't know. Is he here?," Earnhardt asked. "Let me check my phone. Oh, he did (text me). He says, 'I should've texted last night.' I still don't know where he's at."

And now, for the explanation as to how this "Home Alone"-esque situation transpired:

"This is what happened. And this is the honest truth. On Tuesday he asked me if he could take a ride to the race track, which is common for drivers to do that and we were leaving at 8:30 and that's what it said on my calendar. And then since Tuesday we've added some media to this morning and so my PR guy Mike Hoag moved take-off time to 8 o'clock and I didn't know about it, I didn't look at my calendar and when I got up this morning, I didn't look at the clock, I just got in the shower and went downstairs, drove to the airport and got on the plane. I forgot about Ryan. Even if we were taking off at 8:30 and he wasn't there, I probably would've left him. He should've texted me last night. I think he got a ride. That was unfortunate for sure, but it happens."

Newman comes into the media center for his availability later today at 1 p.m. ET, so be sure to tune in to NASCAR Press Pass to hear the Richard Childress Racing driver's side of the story.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/junior-leaves-ryan-newman-stranded-144200089--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Happy Harvick Wins Coors Light Pole Award​*
New Track Record is what Kevin Harvick heard when he crossed the start finish line during CUP Series Qualifying at Michigan International Speedway. Harvick's speed was 204.557 mph.

Last week's winner Dale Earnhardt Jr will start third in Sunday's Quicken Loans 400.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Farmers, Hendrick Extend Partnership​*
Farmers Insurance, one of the nation's largest multiline insurers, has extended its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team for three years.

As the official insurance partner of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team, Farmers Insurance will be featured as primary sponsor in 12 Sprint Cup Series races annually, including the season-opening Daytona 500, and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons.

"We are pleased to announce our continued sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 team and are excited to build on the momentum of the last three years," said Mike Linton, chief marketing officer at Farmers Insurance.

Kahne, 34, has been an integral part of supporting numerous Farmers Insurance community programs. During Teacher Appreciation Month in May, Kahne and the No. 5 team promoted the company's Thank A Million Teachers national program, which was launched at the beginning of 2014 to recognize America's educators. He also raced a special Thank A Million Teachers paint scheme and made appearances at several schools throughout the country to personally thank teachers.

"Our team takes so much pride in representing Farmers Insurance and the thousands of agents, district managers and employees around the country," Kahne said. "They have such a passion for NASCAR and the sport's fans. Whether it's thanking teachers or helping rebuild Joplin (Missouri), I'm honored to be involved with Farmers and the communities they serve. It's exciting to continue our work together."

Los Angeles-based Farmers Insurance joined the No. 5 team as a primary sponsor in April 2011.

"Our partnership with the team at Farmers has been unbelievable," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Everything that's been accomplished in just three years is extremely impressive, and they continue to seek ways to engage our fans and use the sponsorship to improve the lives of others. It's gratifying to see the impact of our two organizations working together, and we look forward to more successes in the coming years."

Many believed Farmers Insurance would not return to Hendrick Motorsports next year when it was announced Nationwide Insurance had joined the team to sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr. beginning in 2015. Apparently that was not an issue as both insurance companies will now be a part of Hendrick Motorsports next year.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/farmers-hendrick-extend-partnership/


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## Ckg2011

*Moffitt Signs Multi-Year Deal With MWR​*
Brett Moffitt will get even more opportunities to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after signing a multiyear contact with Michael Waltrip Racing.

Moffitt, who will be making his second Sprint Cup start this weekend at Michigan Int'l Speedway, will race a part-time schedule this season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. His exact schedule has not yet been determined.

"It's a really big step in my career and I'm really excited to get this going," Moffitt said. "It's a weight lifted off my back and off my shoulders as far as every year I don't really know what I'm doing so it's nice to have something done and complete that's for the next several years and it's just a lot of stress gone. It's nice to know I have something."

Ty Norris, executive vice president of business development and general manager of MWR, said the deal came together after Moffitt's impressive 22nd-place finish in his Sprint Cup debut at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway in the No. 66 Toyota.

"An opportunity came available to run him in the Cup car at Dover with our relationship with Jay Robinson Racing," Norris explained. "Brett was as good as we thought he was going to be and very, very impressive. We decided to bring him up here (Michigan) and run with a full MWR effort and just kind of see where he goes.

"In the meantime, we've decided to go ahead and put him under contract with a multiyear driver contract to try to advance his career and try to see if we can give him some opportunities to showcase his talent," Norris said.

At this point Moffitt likely won't be back in a Sprint Cup car until at least August, but Norris said he hopes to run Moffitt in four to five Sprint Cup races later this year. Jeff Burton is scheduled to drive the No. 66 in select events this season as well.

"He might run another four or five races this year at least, but it will have to be the right place at the right time with the right resources supporting it," Norris said. "He probably won't run again until at least August because at the same time Jeff Burton is going to run for us at New Hampshire and we're still trying to figure out the whole schedule of the 66."

The 21-year-old driver has worked for MWR as a test driver for some time. He raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series full time from 2009 to 2013, earning nine victories and finishing second in the championship standings twice and third three times. Two of those victories came in 2011 while he was a developmental driver for MWR.

"Considering I have one Nationwide race and two Truck races under my belt, going straight from the East Series to Cup is a big step," Moffitt said. "I feel like if you're with a really good team and a team that believes in you like Michael Waltrip Racing does with me then I think you can make that transition."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/moffitt-signs-multi-year-deal-with-mwr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*VIDEO: Sprint Cup Michigan Preview​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Five Flags Amuses Ben Rhodes​*
Rhodes is making it look easy, even when it isn't.

The 17-year-old NASCAR Next driver from Louisville, Ky., charged to the lead on lap-134 restart and went on the win the Pensacola 150 in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East action on Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.

The win was the third straight and fourth in five races for Rhodes, who is in his first full season of series competition. Rhodes, whose other finish during this stretch was a second, extended his championship points lead to 55 over second-place Gray Gaulding after eight of 16 races.

While he led all 150 laps in winning at North Carolina's Bowman Gray Stadium last time out, he needed to work harder in his first visit to the Florida half-mile.

After leading at the halfway point Friday, Rhodes surrendered the top spot to Cameron Hayley and fell to fourth. A late caution, however, gave him another shot and he made the bold move to the front past Gaulding and Hayley to claim the victory.

Brandon Jones took second from Hayley in the final laps and crossed the line .985 of a second behind Rhodes.

Hayley settled for third followed by Kenzie Ruston in fourth, who rallied from a lap down. Gaulding, who earlier in the day won his second career 21 Means 21 presented by Coors Brewing Company Pole Award, finished fifth after leading a race-high 80 laps. He immediately left for the airport to run Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Illinois' Gateway Motorsports Park.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/five-flags-amuses-ben-rhodes/


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## Ckg2011

*Rowdy Wins Coors Light Pole Award​*
Kyle Busch will be starting on pole for today's NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250 at Michigan International Speedway.

Chase Elliott will start next to Kyle Busch on the front row. Dale Earnhardt Jr will be starting in the 11th position.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Paul Menard Back in Victory Lane​*
Paul Menard returned to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the first time since 2006 on Saturday in the Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250 at Michigan International Speedway.

With four laps-to-go Menard was able to take advantage of Joey Logano's misfortune to collect his second career win in 184 starts. Menard was driving a new car with a new motor for Richard Childress Racing and scored the win in his debut working with crew chief Nick Harrison.

"I hate for anything bad to happen to Joey," Menard said. "We were better than him all day. I felt I gave it away on the last restart. I guess he had a tire go down.

"It took us about three runs yesterday to get it dialed in and after that I felt like we had the best car." 
Logano appeared to be on his to the win, but cut a right-rear tire after leading 43 laps.

"I must of run something over.," said Logano, who wound-up finishing 16th. "The 6 car was running around there with garbage flying off his car the whole last run. I don't really know why NASCAR let that car back on the race track. Sometimes you do everything right and you don't win. It's frustrating, but that's racing.

Sam Hornish Jr. spun on lap 2, but rallied back to finish second in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"It was really just something that we fought all day long," Hornish said. "I went down in the corner and didn't want to dive bomb down underneath the 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and went to the outside and as soon as I got clean air on the nose it just pinned the nose of the car and the backend came around. I thought, 'Well, that didn't really start off the way that we wanted to.'"

"We were able to work our way back up there and just didn't have enough for the '33' there at the end. Real proud to have the opportunity to come out here and run."

Dale Earnhardt finished third from the 11th starting position.

"The car wasn't as good as it was yesterday to start the race," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We worked on it and adjusted and made it a little bit better at the end but it still wasn't that great of a racecar - real good strategy and a good finish for us.

Pole winner Kyle Busch and Brian Scott rounded out the top five.

Regan Smith maintained his series points lead with a seventh-place finish. He now leads Elliott Sadler by 14 points.

The damage on the No. 6 Ford of Trevor Bayne was caused when Dylan Kwasniewski got loose in Turn 1 and collected him.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Road America on June 21.

*Final Laps​* 




*Victory Lane​* 




*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/06/Paul-Menard-Back-in-Victory-Lane.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rookie Mistake Takes Out Bayne​*
*Today's NASCAR Nationwide Ollies Bargain Outlet 250​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Driver's Technique For Saving Fuel At M.I.S.​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bubba Wins In Gateway Debut​*
Darrell Wallace Jr wins tonight's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway Motorsports Park. Wallace Jr held off lots of contenders in the late stages of the race and on the final 3 lap shootout.

This is Wallace Jr's second career NASCAR Trucks Series win. His first coming at Martinsville Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Go On Get That Monkey Off Your Back​*
Six Time wins for the first time at Michigan International Speedway. Johnson had a strong car all day and was front all day long at the bad fast Michigan International Speedway.

Second player finisher Kevin Harvick couldn't catch Jimmie Johnson and ran out of laps to do so. Last weeks winner Dale Earnhardt Jr finished in the seventh position.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ford Renews Deal With Homestead-Miami​*
Ford Motor Company extended its partnership with Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday in a multi-year deal.

Ford has been the official sponsor of Homestead-Miami Speedway since 2002.

Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer, Ford Executive Vice President and President of the Americas Joseph Hinrichs, and Director of Ford Racing Jamie Allison made the announcement.

"Ford is our longest running partner. We are incredibly proud to continue our mutually beneficial long partnership with Ford Motor Company and look forward to many thrilling moments on and around the track in the years to come," said Becherer. "

Ford is the winningest manufacturer since we started hosting NASCAR's Championships twelve years ago, and it is only fitting that their name is attached to our championship race weekend in November. History will be made and the drama will be at an all-time high this year with the new format in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship during the Ford EcoBoost 400, starting with what will likely be the most compelling qualifying session of the year on Friday night before the Ford EcoBoost 200. I can't think of a better partner to have than Ford Motor Company as we enter this new era at Homestead-Miami Speedway."

The partnership was announced at Michigan International Speedway, the racetrack that Greg Biffle gave car owner Jack Roush his 13th victory in Michigan in 2013 aboard a Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion. That victory was the 1,000th across NASCAR's three national series for Ford Motor Co., which won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race 65 years ago.

Ford Motor Company's agreement with Homestead-Miami Speedway is a five-year deal with an option to renew for an additional five years. Other details were not disclosed.

Ford will continue to introduce fans to its award-winning product line, such as F Series trucks, Mustang, Explorer and Fusion through a 20,000-square-foot display during Ford Championship Weekend Nov. 14-16. Ford also uses the official pace car program as an opportunity to showcase its latest products, and will announce the unique pace vehicle for the Ford EcoBoost 400 later this year. Among the pace vehicles in recent years include the Fusion Hybrid, the Bullit Mustang, a Ford Police Interceptor and the "hero Mustang" from the movie "Need for Speed."

"Extending this long-term sponsorship agreement with Homestead-Miami Speedway is great opportunity for Ford," said Hinrichs.

"The Ford Championship Weekend has been a very successful event for us over the past 12 years, especially the chance for the fans to take part in our interactive consumer display with our latest production cars and trucks. With the exciting changes to NASCAR's Chase playoffs this year, we know this should be a big weekend for all of us."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/ford-renews-deal-with-homestead-miami/


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Adds Michigan to Win List​*
After so much heartbreak in the past, Jimmie Johnson finally got to celebrate in Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway.

"About time guys,'' Johnson said on the radio to his team after taking the checkered flag.

Four times since 2009 Johnson has been leading or in contention to lead in the final laps at Michigan only to have something go wrong.

This time, Johnson has no such issues, scoring his first win at that track and his third victory in the last four Sprint Cup races.

The win also marks the fifth in a row for Hendrick Motorsports with Jeff Gordon's triumph at Kansas, Johnson's victories at Charlotte and Dover, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at Pocono and Johnson's victory Sunday at Michigan.

Kevin Harvick placed second with Brad Keselowski third, Paul Menard fourth and Kasey Kahne fifth.

Harvick had one of the stronger cars but pit strategy and a vibration foiled him.

"The car was fast, just wound up on the wrong side of all the strategy,'' Harvick said. "We finished second, and that's it.

Jeff Gordon finished sixth with Dale Earnhardt Jr. seventh, Kyle Larson eighth, Joey Logano ninth and Clint Bowyer 10th.

How Johnson won: Crew chief Chad Knaus made the right strategy calls and put Johnson in the right place to score the win while others had to pit late.

What else happened: Kevin Harvick led a race-high 63 laps but strategy didn't go his way and then a vibration late caused further issues. After the race, crew chief Rodney Childers said on the radio: "That's all my fault there. Sorry guys.'' ... Kyle Larson spun early in the race and rebounded to finish eighth.

Who else had a good day: Brad Keselowski finished third. He's finished second, second and third in the last three races. ... Paul Menard's fourth-place finish was his third top-10 finish in the last four races. ... Kasey Kahne came back from being collected in Brian Vickers' opening-lap incident to finish fifth, his best result since last month's Kansas race.

Who had a bad day: Brian Vickers got outside the groove on the opening lap in Turn 3 and wrecked. He finished 42nd, marking the second time in three races he's placed 42nd or worse. ... Kyle Busch was sixth on a restart on Lap 78 when his car didn't go and he headed to the garage with a hub issue. He lost 26 laps because of repairs and finished 41st. ... Roush Fenway Racing did not have any of its three cars finish better than 20th, ending a streak of 27 consecutive races with at least one RFR car placing in the top 10 there.

Quote of the day: "We're getting stronger, there's no doubt about that,'' Jimmie Johnson in Victory Lane after his third win the last four races.

Other notables: Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished seventh a week after his Pocono win. ... Juan Pablo Montoya, making his first start of the season, finished 18th. ... Justin Allgaier finished a career-high 16th. ... Denny Hamlin finished a season-worst 29th. ... Jeff Gordon was sixth, marking his sixth top-10 finish in the last eight races. ... Cars powered by Hendrick engines took six of the top eight spots.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/06/Jimmie-Johnson-Wins-At-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vickers Spins, Collects Kvapil​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hathaway Holds Off Dilley, Wins Bud 300​*
Jason Hathaway survived a ferocious battle with Mark Dilley and won the Budweiser 300 on Sunday.

Hathaway and Dilley swapped the lead six times in the inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 race at Autodrome Chaudière and battled to the end on a green-white-checkered finish before Hathaway emerged with the win.

It was the fourth career victory for the driver of the No. 3 Rockstar Energy Drink/HGC Chevrolet out of Dutton, Ontario. Dating back to last season, it was Hathaway's third triumph in his last five starts.

Dilley settled for second while Steve Mathews, who won his third career pole position earlier in the day, crossed the line in the third position. Defending and three-time series champion Scott Steckly battled back from a start toward the rear of the field to finish fourth followed by Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in fifth.

Alex Guenette, D.J. Kennington, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Noel Dowler and Jason White completed the top-10 finishers on the day.

The race was postponed to Sunday after persistent rain showers washed out all on-track activity on Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/hathaway-holds-off-dilley-wins-bud-300/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Contreras Joins TriStar For Road Courses​*
Carlos Contreras will be behind the wheel of the No. 44 TriStar Motorsports Toyota Camry for the road course races on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule this season.

He will pilot a TriStar Motorsports Camry at Road America (June 21), Watkins Glen Int'l (Aug. 9) and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Aug. 16). Contreras was recently at TriStar Motorsports to meet the team and get fitted into the road course car being built for him.

"I'm very excited to be joining TriStar Motorsports for these three races," said Contreras. "I know a little something about road courses, so I know we can do a really good job together. It is going to be fun."

38 Special Filtered Cigars, Ingersoll Rand, Voli Vodka and Global Aircraft Solutions will all join Contreras on the No. 44 Camry as he inches closer to his 100th NASCAR start.

"We are 100 percent behind Carlos and his Chase to reach his first 100 NASCAR races," said Mike Vazquez, 38 Special Filtered Cigar representative.

"The first year back for him has been more about seat time and on-track comfort, and for 38 Special, as a new sponsor, it has been mostly about getting our off- track execution going. However, we know that Carlos and TriStar Motorsports can go well beyond those expectations in these three events."

"Ingersoll Rand is proud to welcome Carlos to our racing family" said Phillip Delnick, vice president of North and Latin America sales for Power Tools at Ingersoll Rand. "As a company that prides ourselves in delivering world class performance, we know that Carlos has what it takes to deliver the same behind the wheel of the No. 44."

"TriStar Motorsports is very excited to have Carlos behind the wheel of our Camry at the road course events this season," said Mark Smith, TriStar Motorsports owner. "Carlos is a great driver on these road courses and we are happy to have him on board."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/contreras-joins-tristar-for-road-courses/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Dominance Continues​*
Hendrick Motorsports currently has the upper hand in the Sprint Cup Series as the organization took its fifth straight victory on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.

Jeff Gordon started the string with his Mother's Day weekend triumph at Kansas Speedway with Johnson going back-to-back at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the checkered flag last week at Pocono, and Johnson continued the streak with his first career Michigan win.

"I think it is obvious that Hendrick Motorsports produces fast racecars," said Johnson, who outran Kevin Harvick's Hendrick-powered ride for Stewart-Haas Racing. "They build fast engines. It doesn't matter if it is Stewart-Haas, or the Hendrick organization. We're winning a lot of races and running up front."

This is the third time Hendrick Motorsports has won at least five straight races and it came on a day when they put all four of its cars in the top seven. Also, Six of the top eight cars were running Hendrick engines.

"To keep the streak going, get five, that's great," said car owner Rick Hendrick. "This was a good race, and it just played out the way we needed it to play out, and all our cars ran well. I think we were a little off early in the year, and we've been kind of clicking here lately, and real proud of all the guys. Just a tribute to Chad (Knaus) and all the crew chiefs and drivers working hard, working together, the engine shop, chassis shop. Everybody is really putting out a lot of effort right now, and it's paying off."

Sunday's third-place finisher, Brad Keselowski, while proud of the effort by Team Penske and the Ford camp, acknowledged the Sprint Cup garage is chasing Hendrick's success.

"We all have got a little bit of work to do because it's pretty obvious that the Hendrick engines are way ahead of everyone else," Keselowski said. "Usually that's not something you catch up with in one season. As far ahead as they are right now, they're probably a full season ahead of everyone. We've got work to do to get there."

Keselowski is by no means waving a white flag or conceding the championship to Johnson or anyone else from the Hendrick stable. But he believes trying to catch the organization this year will be a large task.

"I don't really see that changing for the duration of the season," Keselowski said. "I think what you're going to find in the development cycle has been kind of found by this time in the year, and maybe there's a little bit more left on the table, but not enough to take a team that's not there to be there. That's just kind of my experience."

Clint Bowyer was the top finishing Toyota in seventh.

"It's just tough right now to compete with that horsepower they've (Hendrick) got right now," Bowyer said. "That's a pretty distinct advantage when you look at the results on that. Just incredible. That deal cycles, but it sure seems like its pretty unfair right now."

Since starting the season winless in the first 11 races, Johnson has now led a combined 480 laps and posted 2.3 average finish in his last four starts.

"I just know our cars are fast," Johnson said. "They run good. It's hard to say. The cars are all pretty equal aero-wise with what the rules are from NASCAR. But I'm not good enough to pick it out and tell you that we've got people beat in just one area. It's a team effort. Our engine shop is very strong. We've always known that. But it's hard for me to say exactly where it is."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/06/Hendrick-Dominance-Continues.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Roush Struggles at Michigan​*
Roush Fenway Racing struggled on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway - their best track on the circuit based on wins - with Greg Biffle scoring the best finish in the Quicken Loans 400 for the team, in 20th.

Biffle came into the race having won two of the last three events and Carl Edwards led all drivers in average finish at the track RFR has posted 13 wins at. But Sunday was a struggle for the organization with the addition of Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finishing 23rd and 27th, respectively. It marked the first time this season that all three drivers finished 20th or worse in one race.

"That was a big struggle," Edwards said. "It was pretty tough, but we worked hard and didn't quit. Fortunately, we have a win to get us in the Chase, but we've just got to get better as a group. That's the way it is."

Team Penske was able to run up front on Sunday with Brad Keselowski giving Ford its best finish, in third.

"I know there's a lot of stuff going on over there," Keselowski said. "It's not really fair for me to really judge anything there because I know just enough to sound like a fool. Their stuff is -- I know they would probably tell you they're not where they want to be, but I would always assume that they have something over there that we don't. I think the '99' team has been one of the strongest on pit road, and that's where we've probably been -- that's probably our weak spot as a team. There's probably something to learn there, so there's always something when you share information, and I know it's really important to Ford, and I'm sure we'll continue to do so, whether they're contending for wins or not."

Biffle is now 15th in points and has failed to finish in the top 15 in the last five races.

"It's been a little bit of a struggle for us this season," Biffle said. "The cars seem to be so sensitive to changes and to having the combination right. And when you start to put in combinations - almost like a phone number - you start mixing those numbers around and trying to figure out the right combination. It becomes very difficult. We've had a hard time chasing that down and getting it exactly how it needs to be - and on top of that we don't know how it needs to be.

"I like challenges and we have a challenge facing us right now. I think both on the competition side in Nationwide and Sprint Cup to get as competitive as the Penske cars are right now. We know we can get to that level because they have sort of the same technical equipment that we do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/06/Roush-Struggles-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Comcast Xfinity Leader To Sponsor Series​*
Comcast Xfinity has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Nationwide as series sponsor for NASCAR's No. 2 series next year, according to a report from the Sports Business Journal.

Jim O'Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer, told Sports Business Journal that NASCAR doesn't comment on discussions with current or potential sponsors and added "we're speaking to a number of companies in a number of different industries.''

Sports Business Journal reported that Comcast did not replay for comment. Xfinity is Comcast's video service.

Nationwide Insurance has sponsored the series since 2007 but will not return. Instead, Nationwide will be the primary sponsor in 12 races next season for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Sprint Cup car and 13 races each in 2016 and 2017. Nationwide will be an associate sponsor the races it is not a primary sponsor.

Sports Business Journal reports that NASCAR is seeking $12-15 million a year for title sponsorship of the series. Total cost would be more than $25 million when including media and activation commitments.

A deal with Comcast Xfinity would further tie bonds with the company. Comcast-owned NBC Sports begins a 10-year deal next season to broadcast NASCAR races.

Sports Business Journal also reported that NASCAR has met with companies in the auto aftermarket category, including Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone, to sponsor the Nationwide Series next year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Comcast-Xfinity-Leader-To-Sponsor-Series.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Another Fittipaldi Bursts On The Scene​*
From the Earnhardt family in NASCAR to the Andretti family of IndyCar racing, family traditions have long been rooted in auto racing across the world.

Now a young third-generation racer is making headlines at the Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Since the age of 4, Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time Formula 1 World Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, has been racing his way up the ranks in hopes of one day joining his grandfather as one of the best drivers of all-time.

Not only has Enzo's grandfather given the young Fittipaldi racing lessons and guidance, but so has his uncle, road course specialist Max Papis and cousin, the 1995 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, Christian Fittipaldi.

Last summer, Enzo, now 12, competed in the Bandolero Bandits division at Charlotte Motor Speedway, competing in eight of the 10 races and finishing in the top-five on three occasions. Enzo also raced in the Go-Kart US Grand Nationals in Mooresville, N.C., along with Papis, and drove to a second place finish in the Mini Max Class.

"Max gives me tips a lot in the oval and road course," Enzo said. "I appreciate all the racing advice I receive from my family."

Moving up to the Legend Car Young Lion division from go-karts and Bandoleros can be a hard adjustment for a young racer, but Enzo has made a smooth transition, winning back-to-back heat races in rounds one and two of the 2014 Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series.

"It is going to be tough, especially since I will be missing two races to compete in the Go-Karts US Grand Nationals again this summer," Enzo said. "But, I hope to reach the podium and remain in the top-10 for points at the Summer Shootout."

Almost three years ago, Enzo's father, Carlos Da Cruz, decided to move his family to Davidson, N.C. from Miami to be closer to the heart of motorsports country, while Enzo's older brother, Pietro, became the first Latin American NASCAR champion in the Limited Late Model category in 2011.

Pietro, 18, is currently dominating racing in the United Kingdom, leading the Protyre Formula Renault series having won four of the six races, a winning tradition that Enzo hopes to emulate.

"I want to race in NASCAR and Formula 1 someday," Enzo said with a grin. "I have been racing across the United States and hopefully can continue the success."

Enzo, who currently leads the GoPro Motorplex Mini Max Go-Kart Division after three rounds, will try to reach the top of the leaderboard in the faster and more challenging Legend Car Young Lions division.

"Racing in the Summer Shootout feature race is much more competitive," Da Cruz said. "The older kids have more experience, but Enzo is doing a great job."

After winning the second heat on Monday night, Enzo started the 20-lap feature race on the outside of the front row next to eventual race-winner Carson Ferguson. As is the case in many Young Lion races, things quickly got bumpy for the young Fittipaldi.

"Unfortunately in the feature race (on Monday night) I got freight-trained at the start," Enzo said. "The car was just really loose because we had oil on the tires and I dropped all the way back to ninth."

With summer storms cutting short the Legend Car races on Tuesday night, Enzo, like other racers on the track, was very loose as the wet surface brought out several cautions and pushed Enzo back to the middle of the pack.

"Enzo did very good (considering the conditions), especially that he is now racing Legends," Da Cruz said. "I think the more he is learning, the more competitive and beneficial it will be."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/another-fittipaldi-bursts-on-the-scene/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon Enters Trans Am Event​*
When Miller Racing takes to the track at Road America for round six of the Trans Am Championship, the VP Small Engine Fuels 100 Miles of Madness at Road America, the TA2 class race team will have a key addition alongside current drivers Cameron Lawrence and Mel Shaw - NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Ty Dillon.

"We're very excited to have Ty with us this weekend," said Mike Miller, owner of Miller Racing. "He's a talented driver with plenty of experience and we're proud that he has chosen Trans Am, and particularly Miller Racing and TA2 to develop his road-racing talent."

The addition of Dillon for Road America will combine the race and championship-wining program of Miller Racing with one of the Nationwide Series' brightest talents. Dillon, a former ARCA Racing Series champion, currently sits fourth in the Nationwide Series standings in his first full season in the series.

"Obviously, I've always been a proponent of the TA2 class," said Miller. "It's a great platform for road racing-the power, the speed, the cars themselves-it gives the drivers a means of showcasing their skills and taking their talent to the next level. In the end, we are incredibly privileged to have been selected to prepare a TA2 car for Ty and we welcome the opportunity to provide a means for him to continue to hone his road racing skills. TA2 cars have a very similar performance to a Nationwide car and we see this as a great opportunity for us, Trans Am, TA2 and Ty."

The NASCAR Nationwide Series and Trans Am Series will both race Saturday at the scenic 4.048-mile road course.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/road-racing/scca/ty-dillon-enters-trans-am-event/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bickford Set For K&N West Home Game​*
In professional sports, playing a home game is considered an advantage for the competitors.

For James Bickford, driver of the No. 6 Sunrise Ford in NASCAR's K&N Pro Series West, this weekend's Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway can't come soon enough. The sixteen year-old Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, currently seventh in the series championship points standings, lives just 15 minutes from the track in Napa, California.

"I couldn't be more excited about this race," Bickford said. "Sonoma presents a lot of challenges, but I'm really looking forward to it."

Saturday's race will be Bickford's first on a road course, and he expects a strong contingent of family and friends to be at the track. He will also be carrying a bit of veteran's knowledge into the event, courtesy of his cousin, four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon.

"He took me around the course in a rental car when they were here for a tire test, and told me what he does in a Sprint Cup car in every corner," Bickford said of Gordon, who has five wins at Sonoma and nine road course victories in his career, most all-time in NASCAR's premier series.

Bickford said the first three races in his inaugural K&N Pro Series West season were "a little rough," but his two most recent outings have been encouraging for him and the entire team.

"At Iowa, we had a solid fourth-place finish among the West cars, and at Kern County, we ran near the front all night and finished sixth. We are definitely headed in the right direction," Bickford said.

Bickford knows getting his first win of the season on the twisty, 1.99-mile road course won't be easy.

"There is zero room for mistakes, and you have to stay focused every single lap."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/bickford-set-for-kn-west-home-game/


----------



## Ckg2011

*JR Motorsports' Berry To Make NNS Debut​*
Josh Berry will face a new challenge on Aug. 2.

The 23-year-old Late Model driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team is set to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway.

Berry, a Hendersonville, Tenn. native, has four wins and eight poles driving the No. 88 SpeedCo Chevy at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. He won the track championship at Virginia's Motor Mile Speedway in 2012, the first title in JRM's history.

Berry will drive the No. 5 JRM Chevrolet at Iowa, but it won't be his first NASCAR touring-series start. He's competed in two K&N Pro Series East races, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Richmond Int'l Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/jr-motorsports-berry-to-make-nns-debut/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Meeting Of The Minds​*
A rich subplot is growing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that shouldn't be overlooked.

When Brad Keselowski discussed the advantage teams using Hendrick engines had, he wasn't saying anything people didn't know. What he was saying, in a way, was that it would take a different approach to beat those teams.

Strategy will be key. So will be how Keselowski drives.

Although there has been quite a battle all season among Keselowski, a few others and Hendrick-powered cars, the rivalry has grown the last few weeks.

Since Dover, Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson have finished near each other. When Johnson won at Dover, Keselowski was second. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Pocono, Keselowski was second and Johnson sixth. When Johnson won Sunday at Michigan, Keselowski was third.

He who has the most horsepower owns the most gold in NASCAR. That means that the Hendrick Motorsports drivers - Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne - along with those at Stewart-Haas Racing, can dictate a race based on their speed.

Those not as fast have to try some other plan to win.

That fits nicely for Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe, who are known to take a different approach to race strategy. At times it's worked perfectly and led to victories. Other times, their calculated gambles led to missteps. Each time, they weren't afraid to try.

Two years ago, Keselowski and Wolfe triumphed with that approach, beating Johnson and Chad Knaus for a championship in a matchup of two of the sport's top drivers and crew chiefs. While one can't dwell on the past, don't believe that title loss isn't a motivator for Johnson and Knaus.

This isn't a one-on-one matchup, though. There are many layers to this drama.

Earnhardt and crew chief Steve Letarte have been strong all season. Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson also have been near the front most of the season.

If you look solely at Keselowski, Johnson, Earnhardt and Gordon, you'll see that they have all finished in the top 10 in the same race five times. Five other times three-quarters of that group placed in the top 10 in the same race.

The point is unless someone else emerges, these could be the drivers racing for the title.

A driver who could alter the dynamic is Kevin Harvick, who has been the fastest car nearly every weekend, but he and crew chief Rodney Childers have been besieged by bad breaks, bad luck and bad timing.

If they get through these teething problems, Harvick will be a threat for the title. They still have 12 races to sort through those issues before the Chase begins.

As for Keselowski, how he reacts in the car could play a key role in what happens.

Last year he was questioned about not being physical with Kyle Busch on the last lap at Watkins Glen. Keselowski's reply was "I am unpredictable.''

When told, at the the time, he was becoming more of a "Mr. Nice Guy'', Keselowski said: "Well, then you need to stick around a little longer.''

It's that type of unpredictability he'll need on the track. Every driver has their habits. If the horsepower differential doesn't change much, Keselowski - or anyone else looking to challenge for the title - might have to take a different approach.

Watching these drivers and crew chiefs try unique strategies in the coming weeks could provide an interesting sideshow.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Building-Among-Top-Teams-and-Crew-Chiefs.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Panasonic Backing Gordon's No. 24​*
Panasonic has expanded its relationship with Hendrick Motorsports with a new multi-year agreement that includes primary sponsorship of the No. 24 team of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and current points leader Jeff Gordon.

Panasonic will be featured as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 team in two Sprint Cup races annually and as an associate-level partner in all other events. It will mark the first on-car branding for Panasonic since joining Hendrick Motorsports as a technology partner in 2007. The agreement covers the 2014, 2015 and 2016 NASCAR seasons.

Gordon's No. 24 Panasonic Chevrolet SS will debut this weekend at California's Sonoma Raceway and will again appear Aug. 31 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Panasonic's Toughbook brand will be featured on the car's quarter panels at Sonoma.

"To maximize the value of a NASCAR sponsorship, you need to partner with proven teams and drivers that exemplify your brand," said Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon have a record of excellence that is a perfect fit for Panasonic and its Toughbook brand. We've been a technology partner of Hendrick Motorsports for many years, and as our business evolves to solutions and deeper partnerships with our customers, it is an excellent time to extend our relationship from behind the scenes to the car on the track."

Panasonic will leverage the partnership to promote technology solutions and products for business. Hendrick Motorsports currently utilizes Panasonic technology throughout its Concord facility, including cameras, electronic displays, televisions, digital signage, Toughbook computers and projection units. The team also uses Panasonic's professional video products to support its in-house video production capabilities.

"Panasonic has a combination of world-class people and products," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "We use their technology across the organization, and it provides the best possible tools in every area, from competition to marketing to IT. To have them see more opportunities for their business and want to grow the relationship sends a very positive message."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/panasonic-backing-gordons-no-24/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Enters Governor's Cup Again​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Clint Bowyer has filed an entry for the upcoming Vermont Governor's Cup at Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl.

This is the second-straight year Bowyer, a eight-time Sprint Cup race winner and the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, has entered the event at the quarter-mile asphalt oval.

"I want to tackle that quarter-mile again," Bowyer said. "I didn't have enough time to figure out the fourth turn, but I learned a lot last year about it and I really want to get back there. The teams and fans were fun to be around."

The original date for the Vermont Governor's Cup was June 26, but it has been switched to July 10 to coincide with the NASCAR Sprint Cup event being held that weekend at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. June 26 will now be a regular Thursday night race program at Thunder Road.

"We are happy to make this kind of schedule change to have Clint Bowyer in attendance again. He said a year ago that he wanted to come back after a disappointing finish and my guess is that he will be ready to take on the best that Thunder Road has to offer," said Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl founder Ken Squier.

Bowyer won his heat race and started the 2013 race in 16th. He ran 132 laps before retiring.

"I really wanted to win and when I knew that was not going to happen I wanted to bring the car back to the team in one piece. Sometimes you got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them. I am hoping for a Royal Flush this year," said Bowyer.

Bowyer will be driving for the same team he drove for a year ago. Rick Green from Enosburg Falls, Vt., is the owner of RGR, which includes the ACT cars driven by Travis Stearns, Joey Becker and now Scott Dragon. The cars are constructed at Crazy Horse Racing in South Paris, Maine, and crew chief Mickey Green will bring his crew to Thunder Road again for the event.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/racing-nation/northeast/bowyer-enters-governors-cup-again/


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart Crashes In Tire Test​*
Tony Stewart was uninjured after he crashed during a tire test Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A team spokeperson said Stewart was "fine."

Indianapolis TV station WISH reported on its website that Stewart was not transported by paramedics but was in contact with NASCAR medical personnel.

Stewart hit the Turn 1 wall, according to the report. Stewart crashed after a tire went down. He was testing tires for Goodyear on Monday and Tuesday with Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch.

A three-time series champion, Stewart has won the Brickyard 400 twice.

Stewart is 16th in the points this season heading into Sunday's race Sonoma. He missed the final 15 races last season after breaking his leg in a sprint car crash last August.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Stewart-Crashes-During-Tire-Test-At-Indy.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notes: Sonoma's New Challenge​*
NASCAR's first trip to a road course this season could present some issues for Sprint Cup drivers in qualifying.

Unlike ovals where it is easy for a driver to move to the apron and get out of the way of cars qualifying, Sonoma's tight, twisting track does not offer such luxuries. That could add an extra layer of intrigue with Saturday's qualifying session.

"It's hard to get out of the way,'' said AJ Allmendinger, who tested at Sonoma earlier this month. "You can't drive off-line. There will probably be a couple of people mad at each other.''

NASCAR had group qualifying at Sonoma last year but it was different than this year's format. Last year, groups of five or six cars went out in a session at five-second intervals.

This year, teams can go out as often as they want and when they want in the two rounds of qualifying - a 30-minute session where 12 cars advance to the final round. Finding the proper spacing between cars and not catching someone after they've completed their lap could be key because drivers expect their times to slow as they get more laps on their tires.

"That is going to be interesting,'' Carl Edwards said. "There will be the potential for people to really mess up someone else's lap.''

*TOUGH CHALLENGE*

Kasey Kahne's fifth-place finish last weekend at Michigan gave the team a much-needed boost.

It was Kahne's third top-10 finish in the last 11 races.

"It's been tough mentally,'' crew chief Kenny Francis said of the team's season. "It seems like we've had so much bad luck this year and things happen like you'd never think.

"Charlotte was a perfect example. I felt we had a car that could have won the race at Charlotte and got a lap down early and somehow never could get it back over 600 miles (finishing 14th). At the end of the race, we were just kind of riding with the leaders, just sitting there and trying to stay out of their race. Felt like if we could have got up there we could have raced for the win with them.

"They say you make your own luck. We've got to do to a a little bit better job of trying to be in the right place at the right time.''

*EXTRA TRACK TIME*

Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Michael Annett and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are entered in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. They're seeking additional road course experience before Sunday's Sprint Cup race there.

*TIRE TESTING*

Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano took part in a Goodyear tire test Monday and Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"With the added downforce, added speed, we want to make sure this tire is durable enough to handle all that stress we put on it,'' Logano said during a break Tuesday. "Today is actually a really good day to test because the temperatures are hot and it's always hot when we come back here. So far, everything has gone well.

*NEW SONOMA TIRE*

Goodyear is bringing a new tire to Sonoma based off a test there March 25-26 with Marcos Ambrose, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers. Compared to what was run at Sonoma last year, the new tire features a compound change designed to give the cars more grip.

*SONOMA TIDBITS*

Jeff Gordon has the best average finish (8.2) at Sonoma in 21 races there. Clint Bowyer is next with an average finish of 9.1 in eight starts there. ... Eight of the last 11 winners at a road course started in the top six. ... The leader at halfway has won nine of the last 11 Sonoma races, including the last four.

*PIT STOPS*

Kyle Larson already has seven top-10 finishes this season. The team had eight top-10 finishes last season with Juan Pablo Montoya. ... Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski have combined to lead just more than half the 4,717 laps run this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...g-Could-Present-New-Challenges-at-Sonoma.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Peaking Too Soon: Can Hendrick Motorsports' Dominance Last?​*
*F*or the alitarian race fans among us, the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season got off to as close to a perfect start as possible, with seven different winners and five different winning teams in the first seven races.

Back then it seemed as if NASCAR's bold new overhaul to the Chase for the Sprint Cup might actually result in all 16 Chase slots being filled by 16 different race winners. For a brief instant, right-thinking people even mulled the possibility of there being more than 16 different race winners in the 26-race Sprint Cup regular season.

And then reality set in.

Over the last eight races, there have been only three new winners -- Denny Hamlin at Talladega, Jeff Gordon at Kansas and Jimmie Johnson at Charlotte. And after Johnson's victory at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports has now won five races in a row, including three of four by Johnson, the six-time series champion.

If you listened to some of the drivers' comments after Sunday's race -- and much of the chatter on social media -- it's easy to get the impression that the Hendrick armada might be so far ahead of everyone else right now that no one will be able to catch them this year.

Obviously, only time will tell whether or not that proves to be the case.

But recent history suggests that there's still an awful lot that is likely to change between now and the end of the year.

Roush Fenway Racing ended 2008 by winning three of the final four Sprint Cup races of the season and then went out and won the first two races of 2009, making for five wins in six races. Yet over the final 34 races of 2009, the team won only won one more race. And Matt Kenseth, the winner of the first two races of the '09 season, didn't even make the Chase that year.

During the 2010 season, Joe Gibbs Racing won seven of 10 races in a stretch that extended from the spring Martinsville race to the first Michigan race. Over the final 21 races of the season, the team would only win four more times.

In 2011, Tony Stewart was winless in NASCAR's regular season, when he had just three top-five finishes in 26 starts. He then proceeded to win five of the 10 Chase races to capture his third Sprint Cup championship.

Two years ago, Hendrick Motorsports won five of eight races between the first Dover race and the second Pocono, with all four Hendrick drivers finding victory lane. But it was Brad Keselowski who took the 2012 championship with Clint Bowyer second.

Last year, JGR won four of six from Las Vegas to Kansas early in the season, then won five of seven from Watkins Glen to New Hampshire, with Kenseth winning each of the first two Chase races. But he didn't win the championship.

And even earlier this year, Hendrick went nine races without winning before Jeff Gordon won in Kansas, kicking off the team's streak of victories. But while Hendrick and Johnson are unquestionable red-hot right now, what happens in May and June usually doesn't mean a whole lot come championship time.

Teams go on hot and cold streaks all the time in NASCAR. Rarely do those streaks, especially the hot ones, last for an extended period of time.
That's the good news for the competition.

The bad news is that Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and the rest of the No. 48 Hendrick team are pushing to get even better.

"The expectation is for us to go out there and perform on a weekly basis as the best team out there, and that's my expectation, and it's the expectation of all the fans and especially all you media guys because if we falter for two weeks we're washed up and we're all getting fired and everything is going crazy," Knaus told reporters at Michigan after Sunday's victory. "So if we don't do that, that's the only way to keep you guys quiet.

"But it's been a great year, and we started off a little bit slow," said Knaus. "We said coming into it that we thought it was going to be May time before we were able to hit our stride, and I think that May showed up and we started to run a little bit better, and I hope that we can continue to improve."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...an-hendrick-motorsports-dominance-last-061614


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ambrose OK With No Road Course In Chase​*
Marcos Ambrose is happy with NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup just as it is.

What Ambrose doesn't like, however, is the fact he's never qualified for NASCAR's 10-race playoff. Since he started racing full-time in Sprint Cup in 2009, the Australian hasn't finished higher than 18th in points.

A win in Sunday's Toyota SaveMart 350 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway would be the third of Ambrose's career and his first at Sonoma. It would likely punch his ticket to the win-and-you're-in Chase.

Ambrose, one of NASCAR's top road-course talents, said Wednesday that he's not upset that NASCAR has no road-course race in the Chase.

"I'm not going to second guess what NASCAR are doing," Ambrose said. "They've got a Chase format. They've built this sport up to what it is today. The idea of the Chase is to find the best driver and team for the year, and allow them to race for the championship."

He sees it from both sides, though. Ambrose, if he made the Chase, would instantly have a better shot at the title if a road-course were added. He's never won an oval race since making his NASCAR debut in 2006.

"There is an argument to say if you want to be the complete package, you have to be good on road courses as well," he said. "But I'm happy with the schedule.

"Would I like to see more road races? I think the fans need to be asked that question, not the drivers. Really, our sport is about the fans and what they like to see."

NASCAR is making a push to improve its television ratings, which have been down throughout the season compared to last year.

Weather hasn't helped matters. The Daytona 500 in February had a record six-hour rain delay, but finished the day it began. The Food City 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in March also had a lengthy delay, which caused the race - like Daytona, scheduled to finish during the day - to wrap up at night.

Delays aren't good for ratings, but exciting finishes are. Sprint Cup's two road courses, Sonoma and Watkins Glen Int'l in New York, have had some of the sport's closest last-lap battles in recent years. Ambrose sped to his second career win at Watkins Glen in 2012 after out-dueling Brad Keselowski on the final lap.

It's not out of the question to believe NASCAR could add a road course to the Chase. However, the Chase's qualifying format and its driver field has undergone significantly greater changes than the schedule itself.

Ambrose doesn't mind, but there is something else to consider.

"There's always a huge crowd at Sonoma and Watkins Glen," Ambrose said. " They seem to get good ratings on television. There is an argument there you could have more road races in the schedule. But certainly, I'm not the one promoting that. I'll just let NASCAR make their choices."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/ambrose-ok-with-no-road-course-in-chase/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tagliani Back In NASCAR At Road America​*
Alex Tagliani is back in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, at least for a weekend.

The open-wheel star currently competes in the United SportsCar Championship, but he'll be driving the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford for Penske Racing on Saturday at Road America.

Tagliani has four career NNS starts, with a best finish of second at Montreal in 2011. The Canadian won the pole in Montreal in 2012.

It was a no-brainer for him to give it another go in NASCAR.

"For some reason, I've always been attracted to running in the Nationwide Series," Tagliani said. "Every time my schedule opens up, I bring my finger all the way down to the Nationwide road-course races to see if I'm available. I've always been competitive somehow, but I told the guys that this opportunity for me is like my Indy 500. I've always been a fan of Team Penske."

Tagliani has some big shoes to fill when he climbs behind the wheel at Road America. In a one-off effort for Penske at Road America, A.J. Allmendinger drove the No. 22 Ford to Victory Lane last year. It helped him secure a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride with JTG Daugherty Racing.

While he's not looking to parlay the race into a permanent NASCAR gig, Tagliani does want to emerge from his car with the trophy waiting on him.

"I'm preparing to win and I'm doing everything in my power to win," he said. "I have a team that is helping me tremendously to achieve that, but the only thing you can do is really try to put yourself in that sort of position.

"You never count your chickens before they hatch, even though you're in a very good car and you have all the chance in the world to win the race. And I also approach the race with a lot of respect for my competitors. This is a very competitive series. The guys there are very strong and they're used to it."

If Tagliani has a leg up on most of his competitors because of his success in road-course racing in other disciplines, he didn't seem overconfident about his chances.

"Obviously, being on the road course is an advantage, but I always have great respect for the other guys I'm gonna race against," he said.

"It makes me stay on my toes and push the edge, so if we come out of there and win, that's what we came for but everybody else is trying to do the same. Just the fact that we can put ourselves in position, that's the only thing we can ask for and then we'll see how the race unfolds."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/tagliani-back-in-nascar-at-road-america/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drissi In JRR No. 66 For Sonoma​*
Tomy Drissi will drive the No. 66 Jay Robinson Racing Toyota Camry in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road course race at Sonoma Raceway.

Drissi, a former Trans Am Series champion, brings with him sponsorship from the upcoming film Hercules staring Dwayne Johnson.

"The only thing more fun than driving a Cup car is driving a Cup car at Sonoma," said Drissi. "These guys are so good. It's such a good show and really great racing. And, the fans are unbelievable. They're going to love the the Hercules car. We've gone all out on the graphics package, and I'm confident that the Jay Robison Racing crew will have a fast car right off the trailer."

T his will be Drissi's second year in row partnering with JRR at Sonoma Raceway.

"This is a very important race for our team," Jay Robinson said. "We are in a very tight points battle. I am very confident in Tomy's ability to bring home a good finish."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/drissi-in-jrr-no-66-for-sonoma/


----------



## Ckg2011

Snap Fitness has singed on to sponsor the No. 40 Hillman Racing Chevrolet SS driven by Landon Cassill in four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events this season.

Snap Fitness will make its debut on the car June 28 at Kentucky Speedway.

The company will also sponsor Hillman Racing and Cassill at Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

"NASCAR is widely popular in the U.S., and as America's fitness brand, we thought this was a great partnership between two brands that touch millions of people around the country," said Snap Fitness Founder and Lift Brands CEO Peter Taunton. "Landon is also a fitness enthusiast who embodies everything our brand promotes: hard work, positivity and determination. We look forward to working closely with him on his road to success."

Cassill has been racing professionally with NASCAR for seven years and was the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year. He is currently training for Ironman 70.3 half triathlon to be held July 20 in Racine, Wis.

"Fitness is a tremendous part of my life and I'm honored to represent the Snap Fitness brand in the NASCAR Sprint Cup," said Cassill. "I'm also looking forward to workouts at Snap Fitness as I prepare for the Ironman competition and I look forward to helping them spread their message on fitness and living a healthy lifestyle."

*Snap Fitness Backs Cassill & Hillman Racing​*
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/snap-fitness-backs-cassill-hillman-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*7-Eleven & AmeriGas Join Said For Sonoma​*
Eleven Inc. has partnered with AmeriGas as the primary sponsors on the No. 32 car owned by Go FAS Racing and driven by Boris Said in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road course race at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway on Sunday.

"I'm thrilled to be back in a car sponsored by 7-Eleven," commented Said.

"We were partners at the 2008 Sonoma race with 7-Eleven and Slurpee on the car and I am pleased to be able to continue that partnership again this year with 7-Eleven and AmeriGas. I'm looking forward to having a great weekend back on the track. I've always enjoyed Sonoma and have had some solid top-10 finishes there. I'm looking forward to adding to that number on Sunday."

Said has competed in 14 Sprint Cup races at Sonoma, earning one pole position and five top-10 finishes. In 47 career Sprint Cup Series starts, Said has earned two top-five finishes, eight top-10s and two pole positions.

A native of Carlsbad, Calif., Said continues to compete on road course races several times a year. When he isn't turning left and right, Said is managing his BMW of Murrieta dealership in California.

"AmeriGas is excited to partner with 7-Eleven for this sponsorship in Sonoma with Go FAS Racing," said Andy Patton, AmeriGas' vice president of corporate development. "This is a way to market our partnership together to NASCAR fans around the country. Fans everywhere are using our product for grilling and camping at races and 7-Eleven provides for quick and easy propane exchange."

"Ever since Boris and I started together in 2006, we have had a shot to win in Sonoma. I know with Boris in the car this weekend we will have another opportunity to compete for a win," said Frank Stoddard, owner of Go Fas Racing. "We've been working over the past few years to have 7-Eleven back with us and with the support of AmeriGas this year we were able to bring it all together. We're all looking forward to the race weekend and hopefully some great results for 7-Eleven and AmeriGas."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/7-eleven-amerigas-join-said-for-sonoma/


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## Ckg2011

*Stenhouse Returning To Silver Crown​*
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will return to the USAC Silver Crown Series when the tour visits Memphis Int'l Raceway on June 29.

The Olive Branch, Miss., native will drive a USAC Silver Crown Series car for RE Technologies.

Stenhouse is no stranger to MIR as he started racing go-karts at the tri-oval at a young age. In 2003 the up-and-coming driver was named the Memphis Motorsports Park (now MIR) Rookie of the Year. The following year, a 17-year-old Stenhouse would make his USAC debut at the famed .75-mile facility. In 55 USAC starts between National Midgets and the Silver Crown, he would amass seven wins, 19 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.

Stenhouse eventually caught the attention of NASCAR team owner Jack Roush and in 2008 Stenhouse started his career with Roush Fenway Racing. He currently drives the No. 17 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and is in his second full-time season in NASCAR's elite series.

"I am really looking forward to racing at Memphis and driving the RE Technologies car," said Stenhouse, who won the 2011 and 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series championships. "I drove for Roger Johnson and Chris Santucci early in my career and they have helped me tremendously. The last time I raced a Silver Crown Series car on asphalt was in 2006 so it should be a lot of fun. This is my home track, where I first ran a go-kart so I'm looking forward to getting back there and racing again."

Stenhouse will join 2013 USAC Silver Crown Series champion Bobby East as well as Tracy Hines, A.J. Fike, Kody Swanson and several others for the event. The last time Stenhouse competed in the Silver Crown Series was 2008 when he took fourth for car owner RE Technologies, who will field the car for him next weekend. RE Technologies has four Silver Crown victories with Stenhouse and Cameron Dodson.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/sprints-midgets/usac/stenhouse-returning-to-silver-crown/


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## Ckg2011

*Could Sprint Cup Come To Road America?​*
For Road America, all it can do is wait.

There is growing mutual interest for Road America and NASCAR to bring the Sprint Cup Series to the famed four-mile, 14-turn race course nestled in the hills of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, which opened in 1955. Unfortunately, in order for the series to return to Road America for the first time since 1956, a race won by Tim Flock, something else will have to be dropped from the schedule.

There is just no flexibility with the Cup schedule, with 38 race weekends packed into about 10 months.

"I know we're on the list," said George Bruggenthies, president and general manager at Road America, on Thursday at the Harley-Davidson Museum to promote Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville.

"Their schedule is so tight," he added. "Something will have to go away."
One thing is for certain: NASCAR is interested in bringing the Sprint Cup Series to Road America.

NASCAR visits the track annually to check on the facility. Among the things series officials evaluate are ample fan space, motor home space and track configuration, such as run-off areas. In addition, Bruggenthies speaks with NASCAR representatives regularly.

"What's also really motivating them is understanding and watching the ratings on the road course broadcast events are much higher," Bruggenthies said. "They've had some difficulty, but I think I can help move their sport."

NASCAR has always been a hit with racing fans of the upper Midwest. From 1993-2009, NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series' raced at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, just outside of Milwaukee and about an hour south of Road America. It often brought large crowds.

Management conflicts at The Mile forced NASCAR to drop the track, the nation's oldest race track, off the schedule. It's a move that still irks many race fans of the region. However, NASCAR knew the series had to stay in the upper Midwest.

Wisconsin has been long known for its high-quality short-track racers, including Dick Trickle, Matt Kenseth and Johnny Sauter, just to name a few.

Others who've raced on Wisconsin's short tracks who went to become stars include Mark Martin, Bobby Allison and Jimmie Johnson. So NASCAR knew it had to stay in the region.

When Road America came up and was added to the Nationwide schedule in 2010, it provided an unique experience for fans and race car drivers.

"I like it here," Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said in 2011. "It's nice and quiet. It's kind of laid back. This one of my favorite road courses for sure."

"I had hoped this would be one of the largest events at Road America,"

Bruggenthies said, adding it gave the track an opportunity to attract a different demographic. "Road America has always had international attention and considered one of the best road courses by all the famous drivers.

"Road America's 58 years old. I want it to last another 58 years. We have to change things and you have to do new things. We're very aggressive, but we're very changing. We keep changing the business to accommodate what fans and new fans want."

The event at Road America has grown each year, including this year where advance tickets sales are up, Bruggenthies said. Gardner Denver, the title sponsor for this year's race, is an industrial manufacturing company focusing on air and gas compressors. It is an international company with facilities in Milwaukee and Sheboygan.

Gardner Denver Industrials Group CEO Luis de Leon said the company is excited to be associated with NASCAR. The sponsorship deal for the race is a multi-year deal.

It is the fifth consecutive year the NASCAR Nationwide Series will compete at Road America. NASCAR returned to Road America in 2010, making its first appearance at the road course since 2001 in a one-time stop with the NASCAR Re/Max Series.

The inaugural race winner was Carl Edwards. The winners in the years since have been Reed Sorenson, Nelson Piquet Jr. and A.J. Allmendinger. Each year, the race has provided excitement and Road America representatives are confident it will happen again.

"It'll be a lot of fun," Bruggenthies said. "It's been demonstrated that NASCAR road racing events are very popular."

In addition to NASCAR, the track will host the Pirelli World Challenge Series and the SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series. But each year as NASCAR makes its one and only stop to the upper Midwest, race fans wonder: When will the Sprint Cup Series come to Road America.

If and when it happens, Road America is ready.

"We've been preparing for years," Bruggenthies said. "We believe we could support a Cup race."

It just has to wait.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/could-sprint-cup-come-to-road-america/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr.'s Car Graveyard​*
They inhabit the forest, providing surprises along the way. Some are easy to spot, others partially hidden by the brush. Just like deer, their numbers steadily grow.

Dirty Mo Acres, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s wooded paradise is their home. While the NASCAR Hall of Fame displays some of the sport's most successful cars, Earnhardt's land is the final resting place for cars and trucks that didn't make it to the finish line.

As you go along the path, you never know what you'll see next.

In the shade is the car Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into a jet dryer during the Daytona 500. Over there is Dennis Setzer's Nationwide car that bucked like a bull into the fence at Talladega Superspeedway as its spewed parts and pieces amid a fireball.

Look up. In the trees is a tub from one of Will Power's IndyCars. Now look over there and see the car Brad Keselowski destroyed at Road Atlanta when his brakes failed and he sailed off course into a concrete barrier, breaking his ankle.

Keselowski has numerous cars in these woods - "too many,'' he says - with many from his time driving for JR Motorsports. He's not the only Sprint Cup champion whose bad times are memorialized here. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are each represented.

Near one of Gordon's cars is one of this year's newest additions. It's Justin Allgaier's car that was destroyed in a crash with David Gilliland last month at Kansas Speedway. The shell of Gilliland's car, missing part of the trunk and all of the front, also rests in these woods.

"The way the car gets there is not ideal, but, at the same time, to know that Dale Jr. reached out and wanted that in there, that's cool to me,'' Allgaier said.

He likes how Earnhardt preserves a part of history with these mangled machines. Allgaier also appreciates having one of Gordon's Rainbow-colored DuPont cars near his.

"How cool is that?'' Allgaier said. "I can remember watching that car as a kid and just being completely enthralled by that car and what Jeff and all the guys at Hendrick Motorsports were doing at the time.''

Earnhardt never planned on being a curator of this menagerie. It's just happened, beginning with his JR Motorsports cars.

"I couldn't see throwing them away or scrapping them so we'd stick them in the woods,'' Earnhardt said.

He estimates 80 cars are scattered throughout his property with about half of them JR Motorsports cars. He's added the Sprint Cup car that he wrecked at Texas earlier this year.

Keselowski, also a son of a racer, understands Earnhardt's desire to keep wrecked cars.

"A car to me signifies so much work and so much spirit,'' Keselowski said. "A car is a product of hundreds of hours of labor. To see them get crushed or thrown away is so tragic to me. Even though it might be called a graveyard, the car lives on.''

That's what makes a trip back in the woods fun for Earnhardt and others.

"There's all kind of quirky stuff back there,'' he said. "My property manager has a weird sense of humor. He'll stick those things in some odd places. He got a truck from Brad Keselowski that he nosed into the side of the creek. It's half-buried in the creek and funny looking sticking out that like that.

"We go back there riding through there in the golf carts and my mom goes walking back there&#8230; you see something new every time."

Not seen is any of Clint Bowyer's cars, though.

"I try to make a practice of staying out of Junior's Graveyard,'' Bowyer said with a smile. "Work really hard on that. Every weekend. Focus on that one thing. Stay the hell out of Junior's Graveyard.''

It's worked so far.

For others, it means something to see their car there

"I did tell (Earnhardt) that if he got my car, I would need an open invite to come see it anytime I wanted,'' Allgaier said. "He just said 'Call me or text me.' I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't have his phone number.''

Maybe some day.

As more cars wreck, Earnhardt's collection will increase. He has plenty of land to continue his version of NASCAR's Stonehenge.

"It will be there way after I'm gone,'' Earnhardt said. "Someone will walk back there and say, 'What the hell is this doing here? And who put it here?' ''

Like Stonehenge maybe the question will go unanswered then, but it likely will be quite a sight.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Jr-Preserves-History-With-Car-Graveyard.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Ponders Payback From Stewart​*
As soon as Kyle Larson made the move, he knew there was going to be trouble with Tony Stewart.

Now, Larson isn't sure what will happen next as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runs this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, a tight track where contact is inevitable.

During a restart last weekend at Michigan International Speedway, Larson moved up and Stewart hit the back of Larson's car, triggering Stewart's ire.

"I was mirror-driving and I saw him go to the right, so I went to the right and felt him hit me," Larson said Thursday at a media luncheon with Brian Vickers and Brad Keselowski. "I was like, 'Oh, Tony is going to be (upset).' I let him by and drove around him a couple corners later.

"The caution came out and I knew what was going to happen. I knew he was going to pull up next to me and show me he wasn't happy."

Larson said Stewart gave him a one-finger salute. Larson, who came up from the sprint car ranks, was asked if he ever made Stewart angry in those cars.

"I never raced him a whole lot," Larson said. "In sprint car racing, blocking is a little more normal. I don't know if he gets as angry in that as he gets in stock cars when it comes to blocking. A guy like Tony Stewart probably respects you more if you don't back down. I'm sure we'll be around each other (this weekend) and we'll see what happens.

"I don't feel like I've done anything dirty so I'm not going to do anything to make the situation worse. I hope he doesn't."

Vickers has had a couple notable incidents with Stewart at Sonoma. In 2011, Vickers retaliated after being spun by Stewart, punting Stewart onto the tire barrier. With such experience, Vickers was asked if he had any advice for Larson.

"There's no right or wrong answer to your problem," Vickers told Larson, "but there are consequences."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/06/Larson-Ponders-Payback-From-Stewart.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Goodyear Changes Indy Tire After Stewart's Crash​*
Goodyear states that increased and sustained speed during Tony Stewart's run in a tire test this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway contributed to his right front tire going down and him crashing.

Stewart was uninjured when he hit the Turn 1 wall Tuesday, the second day of a two-day tire test that included Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman.

Logano said he didn't see Stewart's crash but heard it.

"It sounded bad,'' Logano said. "The car didn't look too pretty.''

Goodyear stated that Stewart was on lap 17 of a 20-lap run when he crashed.

"Tony was approaching the end of a very strong 20-lap run, with his lap times as much as a second faster than what has become the norm at Indianapolis at that point of a run,'' said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of racing, in a statement. "It appears that increased, sustained speed over that run generated a significant amount of heat, which eventually caused the right-front to go down. Those are the conditions we have to consider in making the right decisions for the race."

Stu Grant, Goodyear's general manager of worldwide racing, told Motor Racing Network that Stewart was using the 2013 tire combination (left and right) during the run he crashed.

Grant said Goodyear will have a different left-side tire next month at Indianapolis to address the issue Stewart experienced with his right front tire.

By making a harder left-side tire, Grant said it will help slow the car and that "will help save the right-side tire."

Grant said there won't be a change to the right-side tire for the Indy race.

"We're going to stay with the 2013 right-side tire for this year because we know that that compound rubbers in the race track,'' he said. "Wear and rubbering in that race track is a big deal as you know from 2008. We were able to run a gas (run) on the right side tires.

"We're confident that our wear is going to be OK.''

Stucker said in a statement that Indianapolis Motor Speedway presents challenges on tires.

"The thing about Indianapolis is the tough conditions the cars -- and the tires -- have to endure," Stucker said. "The surface is very abrasive, the long straightaways and short chutes are fast, cornering is tough with very little banking. Combine that with this new car package, and you've got conditions that put a lot of stress on the tires."

Goodyear also gave an update on tires it will use in future races.

Goodyear will bring the same left-side tire to Chicagoland Speedway and the multi-zone right-side tire that was run at Texas earlier this season. Teams that tested there were Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Logano and Paul Menard.

Goodyear also stated that it will use the same tire next weekend at Kentucky Speedway that it brought last year. Teams that tested there were Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers.

Goodyear has two upcoming tests. Goodyear will test July 8-9 at Richmond International Raceway and Aug. 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Details-Tire-Issue-in-Tony-Stewart-Crash.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Big Mac Wins Coors Light Pole Award​*
Jamie McMurray has won the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday's Toyota Save Mart 350 at the road course in Sonoma California.

The top 12 starters for the 16th race of the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series.






Jamie McMurray 
A.J. Allmendinger 
Kyle Larson 
Carl Edwards
Kurt Busch
Kevin Harvick 
Ryan Newman 
Brian Vickers
Paul Menard 
Joey Logano 
Danica Patrick
Casey Mears

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Gaughan With the Win​*
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - Brendan Gaughan scored his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win in Saturday's Gardner Denver 200 at Road America.

Check back for a full report.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/06/Gaughan-With-the-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Sonoma​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards Wins At Sonoma​*
Carl Edwards holds Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr to win on the road course at Sonoma.

Dale Earnhardt Jr records his first ever top ten finish at Sonoma with a hard fought third place run.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Sonoma Road Warrior​*
Carl Edwards scored his first career road course Sprint Cup Series win in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Edwards held off Jeff Gordon to win his second race of the season joining Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in notching multiple victories this year.

"Real tough. That last lap was ugly. I grew up watching Jeff Gordon do well here so to have him in my mirror is special," Edwards said.

"This team has been working very hard. The whole group has. It's very special to be a part of something like this."

The Roush Fenway Racing driver was the tenth different winner in the last ten races held at the 1.99-mile northern California road circuit. It was Edwards' 23rd career Sprint Cup Series victory.

The wins also stopped the five race-winning streak by Hendrick Motorsports.

Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., pole sitter Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard rounded out the top five.

Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer completed the first ten finishers.

Gordon is the point leader by 20 over Johnson in the Sprint Cup Series standings with Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth and Brad Keselowski the top five.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Kentucky Speedway for next Saturday night's Quaker State 400

*How Edwards won:* A two-tire pit stop helped give Edwards track position and he was able to muscle his way into the lead around Marcos Ambrose after a lap 86 restart and was able to stay in front to score the win.

*What else happened:* It was a typical rough and tumble day in Sonoma with a variety of incidents and high emotions. Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself in the middle of a couple run-ins making contact with Matt Kenseth, who slammed into a tire barrier and destroyed his car. Earnhardt also touched early race leader AJ Allmendinger triggering another incident that damaged the JTG Daugherty Racing entry.

*Who else had a good day:* Earnhardt Jr. had his best career finish at Sonoma with his third-place performance&#8230;.Fourth place McMurray has his best finish of the 2014 season&#8230;..Paul Menard had his ninth top-10 finish of the year matching a career high.

*Who had a bad day:* Allmendinger led a race-high 35 laps but wound up finishing 37th&#8230;.Kevin Harvick was involved in an incident involving McMurray and Bowyer and was credited with a 20th-place finish&#8230;.Tony Stewart was penalized for speeding on pit road for a second straight week and finished 19th&#8230;Kyle Larson had power steering issues and finished 28th&#8230;.Brad Keselowski battled an ill handling car all day and came home 22nd&#8230;Kenseth had his first Sonoma DNF in 15 starts.

*Quote of the day:* "I deserved to get spun out. Probably going to get spun out three or four more times, as bad as we are," Brad Keselowski, after early race incident with Kyle Busch

*Other notables:* Ambrose had his third top-10 finish of the year and sixth straight at Sonoma&#8230;.Biffle's ninth-place finish gave Roush Fenway Racing two drivers in the top 10&#8230;.Casey Mears survived an early race incident and drove home to a 13th-place finish.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/06/Edwards-Sonoma-Road-Warrior.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Toyota Save/Mart 350​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pit Road Issue Frustrates Harvick​*
Can it get any worse for Kevin Harvick?

It seems that ways are invented to keep him from winning even though he's had the fastest car nearly every race this season.

Sunday, Harvick's car sat on the jack waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting even though the car had been serviced. A miscommunication with the gas man cost Harvick and soon after he couldn't avoid Clint Bowyer's spinning car. The damage ruined any chance to win, and the result was a 20th-place finish for one of the race's best cars.

"Today was just another day with the fastest car,'' said Harvick, who led 23 laps. "We had a chance to win the race and kind of flubbed it up again. Just got ourselves bad track position and crashed."

Problems occurred when Harvick pitted under caution on Lap 72 of the 110-lap race at Sonoma Raceway. He entered fourth. He lost two spots, although crew chief Rodney Childers said he felt they could have gained a few positions if not for sitting in the pit stall.

"We basically sat on the jack for about three seconds waiting on fuel and we didn't need to,'' Childers said. "Bad, bad miscommunication or decision on some of the pit crew member's part.''

Harvick restarted 11th, which included trailing four cars that did not pit. He didn't crack the top 10 before Bowyer spun in Turn 11 on Lap 82. Harvick tried to dodge Bowyer's car but hit it.

Then it became a matter of trying to salvage the race.

So, what does Childers tell his crew after something like this, knowing their mistake played a role in sticking him deeper in the field?

"All in all, we got to get it together,'' Childers said. "The pit crew has worked really really hard to get their pits stops better. We got that better and now we're doing stuff like we did today to take us out of the win. Everybody keeps saying that the pit crew is messing up. The pit crew is not actually messing up. We had a great pit stop, and we just sit there on the jack, waiting for the gas man to say it was full.

"If we wouldn't have sat there and waiting, we would have beat (Jeff Gordon) off pit road and he almost won the race,'' Childers said of the race's runner-up. "We had a way, way, way better car than (Gordon) did.''

This is the 10th time this season Harvick has had problems when he's been running well. Four times this season he was either first or second when he had issues ranging from a flat tire to a loose wheel to running out of gas.

He's had other races where mechanical issues have thwarted his bid for wins.

"Even if we wouldn't have won we would have finished in the top three and, at this point, that's what we need to do,'' Childers said. "We need to keep bringing fast cars to the race track. If we can't win the race, we need to finish in the top five.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Pit-Road-Issue-Leaves-Harvick-Frustrated.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Scores Best Sonoma Finish​*
When it was over, Dale Earnhardt Jr. could joke about his career-best finish third-place finish at Sonoma Raceway.

"No telling what this car could have done with somebody driving it,'' Earnhardt Jr said on the radio to crew chief Steve Letarte after Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350.

"You did a good job,'' Letarte said.

It was the end of an eventful day for Earnhardt Jr, who had never finished better than 11th at Sonoma before Sunday, and also was involved in two incidents - including one that he admitted on Twitter leaves him with "one coming."

The finish, though, thrilled Earnhardt Jr.

"Aside from holding a trophy, this is like a win for us,'' Earnhardt said. "I've been in the top 10 in a lot of these races with two or three laps to go, but we've just never been able to finish.''

He credited his run to Letarte's strategy.

"We figured that our best opportunity to run well here would be to pit and get newer tires more often than everybody else, so having the two wins in the season, it allowed us to really kind of gamble and go ahead and get back there in the mess and have newer tires, and it paid off,'' he said. "We were able to drive up through there.''

Along the way, though, Earnhardt Jr had contact with Matt Kenseth and AJ Allmendinger in separate incidents. Earnhardt hit a curb and it sent his car into Kenseth's car, which crashed into the tire barrier on Lap 75.

"I was racing him a little hard there coming out of Turn 7,'' Earnhardt Jr said of Kenseth. "He probably had the preferred line, and I probably should have yielded to him, but I was ‑ I thought I was a little bit faster than him and didn't want to be stuck behind him.''

Said Kenseth: "I knew he (Earnhardt Jr) was on my right side. On the restart we were side-by-side, and I got him going into (Turn) 7 and left him plenty of room when we were racing side-by-side. He tapped me on my right rear and wrecked me. I don't really know what happened and it doesn't matter at this point. Unfortunately it ended our day."

After the race, Earnhardt Jr tweeted: "Take full responsibility for @mattkenseth accident. Jumped the curb beside him and landed in his door. Glad he was unhurt. I got one coming.''

Earnhardt Jr and Allmendinger made contact on the Lap 86 restart. Allmendinger then bounced off cars before Brian Vickers hit him.

"I thought I gave him enough room on the outside,'' Earnhardt Jr said of Allmendinger. "He had a lot of wheel, we're coming out of that corner and his right front poking out like that jumped the left rear of my car, and I felt it yank on the car real hard and looked in the mirror, and I thought he and about 10 other cars were wrecking. I thought the caution was coming out. I don't know how bad it was for him, but I had just got around him and we got down into that corner and I ran low protecting my line, he shot to the outside and that's his prerogative. But I thought I gave him enough room. I didn't think I ran him in the fence.''

Said Allmendinger: "It's just disappointing the way our day ended and to leave Sonoma with a car that's tore up.''

Despite those incidents, Earnhardt Jr was strong throughout the race and didn't just happen into his first top-10 finish at this track. Earnhardt was fast all weekend. He credited not testing on a road course before arriving.

"If you know what you're doing driving these cars on a road course, you can go places and test and learn, but if you're not a great road course driver, if you're just kind of run‑of‑the‑mill going over there to Road Atlanta, you're just going to work your guts out for nothing,'' Earnhardt said. "We sort of relied on our teammates a little bit that tested, and all that helped the most, really leaning on Jeff (Gordon) and those guys and what everybody learned.''

It worked for Earnhardt Jr on Sunday.

*Source:*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Road Course Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Supporting World Vision​*
Martin Truex Jr.'s No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet will have a unique paint scheme for Saturday night's NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

Truex's car for the Quaker State 400 will be fully wrapped in World Vision colors to create awareness for the Christian global humanitarian organization.

World Vision works with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

With programs in nearly 100 countries, World Vision provides emergency assistance to those affected by natural disasters and civil conflict, works with communities to develop long-term solutions to alleviate poverty and advocates on behalf of the poor.

Furniture Row Racing team owner Barney Visser has been a longtime supporter of World Vision. Visser witnessed first-hand how World Vision's disaster relief work saves lives when he accompanied aid workers in Indonesia during the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

"I have always been impressed with World Vision for its worldwide efforts during natural disasters and humanitarian work in aiding the poor and sick," said Visser. "But what I saw firsthand after the Tsunami in Bande Aceh was how truly prepared and competent World Vision workers were in one of the most horrific disasters in history. I was extremely proud of how World Vision took the lead with its disaster response team and how they executed a well-prepared emergency plan.

"World Vision has been developing systems and processes and training people for more than 60 years. They are very good at it. Everyone I meet from World Vision in the field or in a country has been people I trust.

Furniture Row Racing will be proud to showcase World Vision on the No. 78 race car and hope that more NASCAR fans take notice of this extraordinary Christian humanitarian organization," Visser said.

World Vision is also looking forward to continuing the Furniture Row partnership as a means to increase awareness about its humanitarian efforts in nearly 100 countries.

"This innovative partnership with Furniture Row Racing, one of World Vision's most loyal partners, is a unique way to raise awareness and resources to fight poverty internationally and here in the U.S.," said Morris Franklin, Director of Sports & Entertainment at World Vision U.S. "NASCAR fans have big hearts, which is why we are confident children and families will be the real winners at the Quaker State 400."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/furniture-row-supporting-world-vision/


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## Ckg2011

*Report: Home Depot Leaving NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing At Season's End​*
The Home Depot's time as a primary sponsor in NASCAR are numbered according to a report from the Sports Business Journal.

The SBJ's Tripp Mickle relays word from sources that the home improvement chain will leave the sport entirely when its contract with Joe Gibbs Racing runs out at the end of this season.

Home Depot currently serves as a main co-sponsor with Dollar General on the No. 20 JGR Toyota of former Sprint Cup champion Matt Kenseth.

Dollar General, however, has become the bigger backer of the two and is running as the No. 20′s primary sponsor for the bulk of the races this season. In those events, Home Depot's branding and orange color has usually been relegated to the car's rear bumper.

Home Depot has been part of the JGR portfolio since 1999, when it signed on to back Tony Stewart when he drove the No. 20 car. Stewart took Home Depot to two of his three Sprint Cup championships (2002, 2005) before leaving JGR following the 2008 season.

The company then ran with Joey Logano from 2009-2012, followed by Kenseth starting in 2013.

However, Dollar General announced last December it would increase its primary sponsorship of Kenseth's No. 20 to a total of 27 races in 2014, up from 17 in 2013; Home Depot had been slated to run 21 races in that role prior to this particular decision.

Now, with the SBJ report comes obvious questions. It would appear that Dollar General now has an opening to turn its involvement with the No. 20 into a season-long sponsorship - but will they choose to do so?

Then there's the matter of how this will impact JGR's possible plans for expanding to a four-car operation for 2015. Sonoma winner Carl Edwards has been linked to joining the team in that scenario, but he has stayed quiet on that subject.

Team president J.D. Gibbs said this past weekend that a final decision on JGR's expansion won't come until at least September. He also confirmed that M&M's would remain on the team's No. 18 car for Kyle Busch next year.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...ng-at-seasons-end/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Not Concerned​*
Matt Kenseth isn't worried about his season even though he's still winless after the first 16 races of the year.

Kenseth won six times in his debut season with Joe Gibbs Racing a year ago and went down to the final race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot at winning his second Sprint Cup Series title.

But so far in this campaign things have been a challenge for Kenseth and company and he enters Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway as the defending winner but remains shut out of Victory Lane in 2014.

However Kenseth is remaining calm and doesn't necessarily feel any added pressure or urgency - to a degree at least.

"Well, I mean, yes and no," said Kenseth. "I think the biggest sense of urgency probably is that we just know as an organization we need to be running better. We're not running as good as we did last year as a group. We're not leading as many laps, sitting on as many poles, winning as many races. As a group we're not doing near as much of that or running up front as much as we were last year. So we need to get that better."

Although Kenseth has had a relatively successful season in terms of consistency and finds himself fourth in the series standings despite his DNF at Sonoma last week, he understands the new Chase format's emphasis on winning.

"In this new format you really need at least a win and be up in the top 30 to really feel confident about being in the Chase," said Kenseth, who has recorded five top-five and ten top-10 finishes. "Anything can happen with different winners, so you're never sure. But if we could win every week, we would. So just to have a sense of urgency about it, it doesn't really do any good.

" We're already working as hard as we can and we're calling the races the way we need to call them to get ourselves in the best position. Pit stops have been great. I feel like we're doing everything we can do to do that, we've just going to keep trying to get our cars faster, keep trying to get in position to win more, and if you can put yourself in that spot enough times, sooner or later you'll get one."

As for that Sonoma DNF, which came after Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact with Kenseth in the Toyota/SaveMart 350 sending his Camry hard into the tire barriers with violent impact, the two have yet to discuss the incident.

"I have not heard from him actually, which I probably thought I would have," said Kenseth. "I mean, I'm sure it was just a mistake.

"Everybody fights as hard as they can for the spot for the restart and I kind of rolled outside of him there because everyone was going slow and we were kind of running through there and I had him most of the way clear, and I haven't really totally seen it. I assume he probably just jumped a curb or something and got me in the right rear."

Kenseth's focus is now on Kentucky and trying to make it two straight wins at the 1.5-mile track and recapture the intermediate speedway success that helped propel him to last year's stellar season. So far in 2014, it's been a challenge trying to find that magic.

"I think if you can get caught up or you can learn some things or get your cars faster at any track, you feel like there's hopefully a thing that you can apply, some general basic things that can work everywhere, and you can start moving forward in that direction because it seems like the guys who are running good, like I said, are running good every week," said Kenseth. "Hopefully we can start improving."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/06/Matt-Kenseth-Not-Concerned.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Menard's Soft-Spoken Success​*
Paul Menard won't boast, won't shout, heck, he might not even raise his tranquil voice about what he did Sunday. Or what he's doing this season.

While Carl Edwards celebrated his first win at a road course, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rejoiced in his first top-10 at Sonoma Raceway, Menard achieved a significant accomplishment. Actually, he reached more than one milestone.

Do you know what they were?

If you don't, it's understandable. Self-promotion is not one of Menard's cornerstones. So someone else will have to tell you.

Sunday's fifth-place finish at Sonoma marked his best result at the track. It also was the first time in his Sprint Cup career he's scored back-to-back top-five finishes - he placed fourth at Michigan the week before. And, he has nine top-10 finishes this season, equaling his career best and 20 races remain.

Oh, and there's this: Sunday's run marked the fifth time this season Menard has equaled or bettered his previous best finish at a track.

It leads to the question of if Menard will make the Chase for the first time in eight Cup seasons. He's 12th in points with 10 races left until the field is set but doesn't have a win.

Menard and crew chief Slugger Labbe are finding a combination that gives them solid finishes. Many of Menard's stronger runs this season have taken place on 1.5- or 2-mile tracks. That could be a good sign heading into Saturday night's race at Kentucky Speedway, a 1.5-mile speedway.

While the performance is a step forward for Menard and his team, there remains a gap between the top teams and his. One gauge - beyond wins and top-five finishes - is laps led. Each of the season's 10 winners have led more laps than Menard. He ranks 16th in the series in laps led with 45, which is ahead of teammates Ryan Newman (10 laps led) and Austin Dilllon (three).

Mike Dillon, vice president of competition, recently said that a focus for the organization was the need to lead more laps. The team tested at Pocono earlier this year, preparing for that track and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Richard Childress Racing also is scheduled to test next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

As the organization searches for more speed, there is something else to note about Menard's performance. He's carrying this momentum into summer.

It's not uncommon for Menard to start the season well - this year was the first time in five seasons he was not in the top 10 in points by the fourth race.

Typically, Menard has cooled after early success. This season, he was 17th in points after the fourth race with only one top-10 finish at the time.

Menard persevered with a workmanlike style.

"You show up and do your job as hard as you can,'' he said in describing his approach a couple of seasons ago.

In that manner, Menard should a favorite of the workingman. Although some will point toward his family's fortune with the Menards stores, Menard does his job, avoids the spotlight and pushes forward. As for the criticism that family money has fueled his career, Menard said after his Brickyard 400 win in 2011: "Can't change people's opinions. They're going to say what they want to say. That's fine with me.''

That's how he handles such things. He lets others talk while he focuses on what's ahead. Maybe that's why there's little to say because he has something else to focus on. Whatever he, Labbe and the team are doing, they're on pace for their best season together.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ul-Menard-Is-On-Pace-For-His-Best-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*LaJoie Preps For Truck Series Debut​*
Corey LaJoie will be behind the wheel of Ricky Benton Racing's BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors/Tim Cooksey Oil Company/Goodyear FleetHQ Ford for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on Thursday.

It will be LaJoie's first NCWTS attempt.

"Corey is a great talent," said RBR owner Ricky Benton. "He is a guy we have seen a lot of over the years in late models and I'm glad it worked out for him to be behind the wheel of the 92 truck this week."

LaJoie, the son of two-time Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie, will be pulling double duty this weekend at Kentucky, a track where he won on the ARCA Racing Series last year. The 22-year old is entered in Friday's Nationwide Series race in addition to the NCWTS event.

"I've always wanted to drive for Ricky (Benton)," said LaJoie. "He is a guy who is passionate about racing and has built a good program in the truck series."

LaJoie wasted no time falling in with the RBR team. He has been at the team's shop in Cerro Gordo helping prepare this week's truck.

"Corey has fit right in with our guys down here and hasn't been afraid to get in and do what needs to be done to get ready to go racing this week," said Benton. "We are looking for a strong run at Kentucky."

"I am extremely thankful for this opportunity," said LaJoie. "The trucks are a great series and my goal is to go to Kentucky and be competitive. We will see where is goes from there."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/lajoie-preps-for-truck-series-debut/


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## Ckg2011

*Alsco Partners With Ty Dillon At Kentucky​*
VF Imagewear, who owns Red Kap, has joined forces with Alsco, a worldwide leader in the rental of linen, uniforms, and washroom products to sponsor the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Ty Dillon for the NASCAR Nationwide Series John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 event Friday at Kentucky Speedway.








Welcome, N.C. native Dillon is the defending Camping World Truck Series winner at Kentucky Speedway, taking the checkered flag in last year's 3rd annual UNOH 225 before moving up to the Nationwide Series this season. He scored a third-place finish in 2012′s Camping World Truck Series race, indicating Kentucky Speedway is a track that suits his style.

"Everyone at RCR involved with our Nationwide Series program really values our partnership with VF Imagewear and Red Kap, and we're grateful for their support," Dillon said. "We're looking forward to having Alsco, a leader in the uniform business, on board the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro at Kentucky Speedway, a track where I've had success in the past."

"We're extremely excited for this opportunity to work with Richard Childress Racing and the No. 3 team, thanks to our partnership with VF Imagewear," said Jim Divers, Alsco's Director of Sales and Marketing. "We believe in NASCAR, it's built around a loyal fan base and those fans are also our customers.

"We value the relationships we've built in NASCAR and will continue to build them as we progress in this sport. There will be three gold standards - VF Imagewear, Alsco, and RCR - involved with one car. It doesn't get any better for everyone involved."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/alsco-partners-with-ty-dillon-at-kentucky/


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## Ckg2011

*TMS Titanium Partners With Hendrick​*
Titanium and Hendrick Motorsports have entered into a partnership as part of TMS Titanium's commitment to providing continued support in the auto racing industry.

Through the relationship, TMS will be a product sponsor of the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions for the remainder of the 2014 season and the 2015 season to come.

Through the new partnership, TMS will provide Hendrick Motorsports access to its industry-leading products and knowledge base. Titanium is a highly sought after material in the auto racing industry due to its strength, light weight and durability with outstanding heat and corrosion resistance.

"We are excited to be partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, one of the top teams in NASCAR," said James Hostetler, Senior Vice President at TMS Titanium. "They have been customers of ours for a long time, and we have been huge fans for even longer. We hope our titanium can continue to provide a competitive edge for the Hendrick Motorsports teams. TMS has a passion for racing and will continue to show its support and commitment to moving the industry forward."

Hendrick Motorsports, which currently leads the Sprint Cup Series with six race wins in 2014, utilizes titanium in the manufacturing of its race cars and engines.

"We've enjoyed a terrific relationship with TMS Titanium for many years," said Doug Duchardt, General Manager of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's exciting that they've recognized the opportunities our industry provides and see significant value in growing the relationship. The products and services offered by the TMS team directly impact the cars and engines we put on the racetrack, and we look forward to working together even more closely to build a winning program."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/tms-titanium-partners-with-hendrick/


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## Ckg2011

*Vertx Joins Forces With BK Racing​*
BK Racing and Vertx will partner for the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway on June 28.

Vertx will ride-along on the deck lid, TV panel and c-post of the No.83 Toyota Camry driven by Ryan Truex and b-post of the No.23 and No.26 Toyota Camrys of Alex Bowman and Cole Whitt. The entire BK Racing team will be outfitted in Vertx apparel throughout the weekend.

Born out of necessity, Vertx was established after a top federal agency approached a group of award-winning designers with one simple request - to develop a line of apparel bearing full tactical features and a low-profile appearance for covert application. Since hitting shelves in 2009, Vertx has evolved into a brand known for durability, fit and function, crossing over into the lifestyle of operational athletes. With performance in the forefront, Vertx delivers the best in apparel and accessories, from durable yet comfortable pants to feature-rich every day carry bags and packs.

"Vertx is excited to bring our high-performance apparel to the track," said Ginger Rohlfs, Director of Marketing for Vertx. "Our core audience of military and public safety officers knows Vertx stands for durable functionality. Now our goal is to deliver the best in comfort to those who demand more from their wear on a daily basis. Outfitting the BK Racing team is exciting for us and we are looking forward to a great future."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/vertx-joins-forces-with-bk-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR K&N West Penalizes Stenhouse Jr​*
The No. 99 team that competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has been penalized as a result of rules violations committed Saturday at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

The team was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20C-5.10.1A (unapproved modifications to the main body of the NASCAR-approved "Spec Engine" carburetor) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book.

Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular, received a reduction of 30 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver points.

Duane Knorr, the crew chief of car No. 99, has been suspended for three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West points events and fined $3,500.

Bill McAnally, owner of car No. 99, has received a reduction of 30 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West owner points.

The violations were discovered during post-race inspection on June 21 and constitute a penalty level five in the NASCAR Deterrence System.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-kn-west-penalizes-stenhouse/


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## Ckg2011

*Daytona Announces January '15 Test Dates​*
January testing at Daytona Int'l Speedway will start a week later in 2015, according to Track President Joie Chitwood.

The Roar Before The Rolex 24, the critical three-day test for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge teams, is scheduled for Jan. 9-11. The season-opening 53rd anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be on Jan. 24-25.

Preseason Thunder featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is scheduled for Jan. 15-16. The stars of NASCAR will be prepping for the prestigious season-opening 57th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22.

"A later starting date for January testing will be more convenient for both teams and fans," Chitwood said. "Both testing sessions are important opportunities for teams as they prepare for their season-opening events during Budweiser Speedweeks. It's also an exciting time for fans as they gear up for the start of the new season."

The Preseason Thunder Fan Fest, the companion event to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing, is scheduled on Thursday night, Jan. 15. Tickets for Preseason Thunder Fan Fest as well as a schedule of driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions will be available at a later date.

During the Roar Before The Rolex 24, Daytona Int'l Speedway will continue the tradition of hosting Scout Days. The one-of-a-kind event blends high-speed sports car action with two nights of camping and scouting activities. Scout Days scheduling and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/daytona-announces-jan-15-test-dates/


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Still Perfect in Trucks​*
Kyle Busch remained perfect in 2014 by taking his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of the year in Thursday's UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway.

Busch outran his Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. to the checkered flag to score his 40th career series win. It was his sixth straight victory dating back to Homestead at the end of last season and Busch's last four wins have come from the pole.

"It was a great night," Busch said. "I can't say enough about everyone here at KBM. Bubba fought his butt off there at the end to finish second you know, but can't say enough about the fans and everyone here tonight."

The UNOH 225 was Busch's first race since winning at Dover International Speedway at the end of May. Erik Jones has raced the No. 51 in three races this season, including the previous two.

Busch had to battle Wallace for the top spot after a late race restart with eight laps to go but was able to get by and set sail for the checkered flag.

The win also pushed Toyota's record-winning streak to 10.

Wallace, who won the series' last race two weeks ago at Gateway Motorsports Park, was forced to settle for second behind his boss.

"It's been a lot of fun getting back into a rhythm coming off of Texas and St. Louis and then to finish here second," Wallace said. "I try to make the most of it and it was a cool site with KBM one-two, Toyota one-two and 10th win in a row for Toyota."

Busch now sets his sights on completing the Kentucky triple with wins in Friday night's Nationwide Series race and Saturday's Quaker State 400 Sprint Cup Series race.

"My Nationwide car wasn't great yesterday, but we made whole sale changes to it and got it a lot better here for this practice tonight that happened before the Truck race," Busch said. "My chances are there and I hope it comes true. We'll see how that Monster Energy Camry is tomorrow night."

Ryan Blaney, Timothy Peters and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.

Keselowski's finish came after starting at the rear of the field for unapproved adjustments along with a penalty on lap 100 for removing equipment (wedge wrench) from his assigned pit area.

"We didn't really have anything for the '51,'" Keselowski said. "But it was a decent day and we weren't where we wanted to be in qualifying by a long ways and recovered from that and got close there at the end."

Matt Crafton, Austin Dillon, Ron Hornaday, Johnny Sauter and Ben Kennedy completed the first 10 finishers.

Sauter leads teammate and defending series champion Crafton by eight points in the series standings.

"I don't know what it was where we missed it," Crafton said. "We never gave up - we changed more stuff on this truck tonight than ever before. We made it better at the end, but we weren't even close. It was a hard fought night."

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Iowa Speedway on Friday, July 11.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/Articles/2014/06/Busch-Takes-the-Fifth.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*MacDonald Planning Sprint Cup Debut​*
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East veteran Eddie MacDonald will attempt to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut driving the No. 32 Go FAS Racing Ford at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 13.

The team will be sponsored by Blue Vase Marketing, which is located in Beverly, Mass., and owned by Michael Alden.

"I was talking with Mike (Alden) some time ago and he expressed interest in sponsoring a New England driver for the NHMS race and asked me if I knew of anyone, " said team co-owner Archie St. Hilaire. "I immediately said 'I sure do' and gave him Eddie's name. Eddie is a great driver with a lot of successful experience at this track with six wins. I love Eddie, his family, and his entire race team. They are a great bunch of people and I couldn't be happier for Eddie and our team. It will be a lot of fun and with Eddie's experience we hope to have a strong run."

"This is my dream come true," said MacDonald. "I can't thank Archie, Frank (Stoddard, team co-owner), and Mike enough for giving me this opportunity to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It has always been a goal to drive a Cup car and to do it at my home track with family, friends, and supporters from all over New England is something very special to me."

MacDonald has raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East since 2001, earning seven victories and a best finish of second in the series championship standings in 2009. He has made one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start and two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/macdonald-planning-sprint-cup-debut/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace In No. 20 NNS Entry At Daytona​*
Darrell Wallace Jr. will pilot the No. 20 Share a Coke Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Int'l Speedway on July 4.

"What an awesome couple of weeks," said Wallace. "With the win at Gateway in my Tundra to learning that I'll be in the Nationwide race at Daytona behind the wheel of the No. 20 Share a Coke Toyota Camry. Superspeedway's haven't shown the best results for me so far, but every time I've competed we have been super-fast and I know this time will be no different. I'm stoked to get back in a Nationwide Camry and hopefully we can take the positive momentum from Gateway straight into victory lane and celebrate by sharing an ice cold Coke with everyone for the Fourth of July."

The start will mark Wallace's second NNS race of the season in the No. 20 Camry. His only other start this season was at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on May 3. Wallace started the race from the third position behind Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Sam Hornish Jr. and Elliott Sadler. After running the early part of the race solidly in the top 10, an incident in turn four on lap 45 collected Wallace and resulted in a disappointing 31st-place finish.

In addition to his NNS starts this season, Wallace has seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts this year. The Truck Series most recently competed at Gateway Motorsports Park where Wallace led a race-high 85 of 160 laps on his way to earning his second-career win. Overall, he has compiled seven NCWTS starts this season with one win, two top-five finishes, three top-10 finishes, has led 119 laps and has an average start of 10.4 and average finish of 13.7.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/wallace-in-no-20-nns-entry-at-daytona/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Caterpillar & RCR Extend Partnership​*
Richard Childress Racing and Caterpillar Inc. announced Thursday the renewal of their overall partnership and sponsorship of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 31 Chevrolet team.

"I am very pleased to announce the continuation of our partnership with Caterpillar and the No. 31 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "I am very fortunate to have met and interacted with so many Cat dealers, customers and equipment operators through the past six years. I am proud to be associated with Caterpillar. As much as they love racing and our passion for it, I also share their love of Cat equipment by using it at my property.

"I am also thrilled to have Ryan Newman behind the wheel of the Caterpillar Chevy, knowing we have a chance to win just about any race in which he competes. Ryan has proven himself to be a world-class driver who can also relate to Caterpillar's dealers and customers with his Indiana roots and down-home demeanor."

The partnership between RCR and Caterpillar began in 2009 and has become a model for the activation with Caterpillar's dealers and customers throughout the NASCAR schedule. For the 2014 season, Newman took over driving duties of the Caterpillar Chevrolet SS. The Indiana native and Purdue University graduate has 456 career starts in the Sprint Cup Series with 17 wins, 93 top-five and 189 top-10 finishes.

"Cat dealers have been building relationships with customers at NASCAR events for more than 20 years.This contract renewal reaffirms our confidence in Richard Childress Racing and their commitment to excellence," said Pablo Koziner, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the Americas Distribution Services Division. "We are also excited to have Ryan Newman piloting the No. 31 car. Caterpillar is proud to have both Richard and Ryan representing the Caterpillar brand in the sport of NASCAR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/caterpillar-rcr-extend-partnership/


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## Ckg2011

*VIDEO: Sprint Cup Kentucky Preview​*





*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/media/videos/video-sprint-cup-kentucky-preview/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Sprint Cup race to be first with fewer than 43 cars in more than a decade​*
Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway will likely mark the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race without a full 43-car field in more than a decade.

Unless NASCAR officials would allow a late entry, which appears unlikely at this point, only 42 cars/drivers - according to NASCAR statisticians - will take the green flag in Saturday night's event on the 1.5-mile tri-oval in Sparta, Kentucky, roughly 35 miles from downtown Cincinnati.

"The current 43-car field in the Sprint Cup Series has evolved over the years, yet it's not necessarily a magic number," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said, according to SportingNews.com. "There are a variety of contributing factors that determine the size of the field, including the ebb and flow of the race teams. A field with less than the maximum is still very much a highly competitive field, and that's what we'll have this weekend at Kentucky Speedway."

The last time there was a field less than the traditional 43 cars was the rescheduled Sprint Cup season finale on Nov. 23, 2001, at New Hampshire International Speedway (now known as New Hampshire Motor Speedway).

The race was originally scheduled for Sept. 16, 2001, but was postponed due to the 9/11 tragedy.

Robby Gordon won that event, his first career Sprint Cup victory, and the first of three in Gordon's overall Cup career.

Ironically enough, Gordon was sponsored in that race by Lowe's, which would move to Jimmie Johnson's team in 2002 - and the rest is NASCAR history.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...ore-than-a-decade/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Gilliland to Pay Tribute to the Troops​*
David Gilliland will pay tribute to the troops next weekend at Daytona International Speedway with a special paint scheme on his No. 38 Love's Ford.

The special camouflage designed car that carries the message "We love our troops" was unveiled Thursday afternoon just outside Kentucky Speedway at a nearby Love's Travel Spot with Kentucky-based military personnel in attendance.

"With Love's commitment to the military and obviously our love for the military it just all came together," Gilliland said. "While they were working on the paint scheme everybody at Front Row was coming up with ideas and we got to see a couple different renderings and I think this one looks awesome. We are looking forward to running it next weekend at Daytona."

Gilliland has had success on the restrictor-plate tracks and is looking forward to the chance of visiting Victory Lane with the car that was signed by the troops at the event.

"It's an honor just to drive it," Gilliland said. "Then to go to a place where we have a legitimate shot of winning is even better. Now having some of our military members sign the hood and having their autographs on the car riding with me it would be extra, extra special."

The paint scheme is just one of the latest for the "NASCAR: An American Salute" program that kicked off Memorial Day weekend with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will conclude July 4th weekend at Daytona.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...d-Gilliland-to-Pay-Tribute-to-the-Troops.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Which Feat Is More Impressive?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Which is more impressive: Jeff Gordon has won at all but one of the tracks on the schedule (Kentucky) or Tony Stewart has had at least one victory in each of the past 15 seasons?*

*Answer​*
*Pete Pistone:*

Jeff Gordon winning at Kentucky to complete his victory tour at every track on the schedule would by far be the most impressive accomplishment.

Gordon joining the elite company of David Pearson, Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough as drivers who have won at every track on the tour during their era would just further cement his already Hall of Fame-worthy credentials.

What makes the achievement even more stellar is that Gordon will have done it with a couple of major variables. He'll have conquered a variety of new tracks as well as reconfigured speedways in his march toward winning at 23 different facilities. Plus Gordon would set the mark behind the wheel of several different incarnations of the Sprint Cup car up to and including the current Gen-6 model.

A Jeff Gordon win at Kentucky to complete the string would be one of the most extraordinary feats in NASCAR history.

*Dustin Long:*

I can see Pete's side and he makes good points. He also could make some of those same points for Tony Stewart's streak of 15 consecutive seasons with at least a win.

Only Richard Petty (18 consecutive seasons with a win), David Pearson (17), Ricky Rudd (16) and Rusty Wallace (16) are ahead of Stewart, who has yet to win this season.

One of the things that makes Stewart's streak impressive is that it started with his rookie season. None of the drivers ahead of him started their streak in their rookie season.

Also, Stewart is the only driver who has an active streak that has lasted so long in what is considered the sport's most competitive era. What Gordon and Stewart have done are both impressive, but I'm going with Stewart's mark as most impressive.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/06/Gas-N-Go-Which-Is-More-Impressive.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Penske Takes Two at Kentucky​*
Team Penske will field two cars in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 as they look to score their third consecutive victory at Kentucky Speedway.

It will mark the first time this season that Penske will have two cars on the track. Defending race winner Brad Keselowski already has one win at a 1.5-mile speedway (Las Vegas) this season and will be racing in all three NASCAR events this weekend.

"Kentucky traditionally has been a strong track for Team Penske and this Discount Tire team," Keselowski said. "The track itself has some personality in terms of the surface, which requires that the driver manage the tires over the course of a run. In general, this No. 22 Team Penske Ford crew is capable of contending for the win every weekend, and we fully expect to do just that this weekend. Since I am running all three races, I feel as though the additional track time will be beneficial too. On top of all that, I just seem to do well at Kentucky and anytime you go into the weekend with that mindset you do have an advantage."

Ryan Blaney, who will bring back Penske's No. 12, captured his first career Nationwide win last September at Kentucky.

"That was one of the best nights of my career, right there with winning my first Truck Series race," Blaney said. "I think it helped show people that I could get in the car that Joey (Logano) and Brad were winning races in and also be able to win races. It also was a big help in winning the Owners' Championship for the 22 team last season, which was really cool to be a part of."

The Nationwide Series got on track a day early at Kentucky as team's used their final NASCAR test date of the season on Wednesday following-up their extra track time at Iowa Speedway last month. Both Penske cars were no worse than sixth in both sessions with Paul Menard and Trevor Bayne, topping the two practices, respectively.

Although all the 1.5-mile tracks on the circuit have their own unique characteristics, Kentucky Speedway stands out for its rough surface that can not only be tough on the setups, but also on the drivers.

"That's what gives this race track such great character is the bumps here and you have to have your car going over the bumps really well," Blaney said. "That's something we have been really good at whether on the truck or Nationwide side.

"I actually got nose bleed during practice and that will say how bumpy this race track is. It's definitely one of the roughest places but that's what makes it such a unique race track."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/06/Team-Penske-Takes-Two.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*One of Brad Keselowski's Truck Crew Members Hitched A Ride At Kentucky​*
Brad Keselowski's truck needed an adjustment during a pit stop in Thursday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky. And the adjustment ended up giving one of his crew members an unexpected ride.

The track bar wrench got stuck in the back windshield of Keselowski's truck and the crew member futily tried to remove it as Keselowski pulled away.






Thankfully he let go - could you imagine the penalty for "taking a crew member down pit road and out on the race track?" - and there was no report of injury on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast. However, Keselowski had to go to the tail-end of field on the restart for taking the wrench with him out of the pit box.

Kyle Busch won the race. Keselowski was fifth.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...ers-hitched-a-ride-at-kentucky-030953392.html


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch's #51 Truck Fails Post Race Inspection​*
NCWTS post-race inspection in is complete. No. 51 was low in the front and NASCAR will address this further early next week at R&D Center.

*Source:*

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/482359542630850561


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Triumphs at Kentucky​*
Kevin Harvick took the lead on the final restart and went on to win Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Harvick held off Brad Keselowski for his 42nd career win and second at Kentucky. The win marked the 17th for JR Motorsports and the fifth of 2014, which marks the most the team has scored in one season.

"Proud of everybody at JR Motorsports for hanging in there," Harvick said. "The first half of the race wasn't exactly how you would script it to say the least. We had some handling issues and some pit stop issues, a lot of things that we were battling through. We had to figure all that out and in the end they made a great adjustment to the car and we were able to get track position and get up front."

Keselowski had the dominate car - leading 138 laps - but was penalized for being too fast exiting pit road on lap 148. He served a penalty on lap 152 and fell a lap down, but was able to get his lap back by taking a wave around on lap 159 when a caution was displayed for debris. After restarting 17th with 39 laps-to-go, Keselowski was able to rally back to score his seventh top 10 in as many starts at Kentucky.

"I did put us behind with that, but you still have to give credit to Kevin at the end there," Keselowski said. "He drove by and took the lead, so he was really good. We had a great Discount Tire Ford and I definitely put us behind and was just one spot away from catching back up."

Kyle Busch, who won last night's Camping World Truck Series race, finished third after leading laps 158 through 195 when the seventh and final caution was brought out.

"We didn't have the car to beat so shouldn't be upset with a third, but there at the end we had the opportunity to win the race and through the middle part of the race I passed the '5' (Harvick) car and just didn't have enough on the final restarts unfortunately," Busch said. "Not enough speed for the first five or so laps after a restart and then I could kind of start inching my way away a little bit. Just not enough there to hold Kevin off. He just flat drove right by me on the restart. We're all wide open so I'd say there's a problem under the hood a little bit."

The final dash to the checkered flag was set-up after Chase Elliott got loose in Turn 4 and got into Trevor Bayne. The two were able to continue on to finishes of 12th and 15th, respectively.

"Week after week I'm getting used up by people," Bayne said. "It's frustrating as can be. Chase is a great kid and a great driver, but it's the same old story. They get to my inside and just run me up the race track, packing air on their doors and wreck us. We've got the bad end of the deal three weeks in a row and I don't know what it takes to get respect around here."

Elliott Sadler finished 10th and took advantage of Regan Smith's misfortune on lap 169 - when he got into the backstretch wall while racing Ryan Reed - to take the series championship lead. Smith had a seven-point advantage coming into the night and now leaves eight points behind in third. Chase Elliott is now second, four points back.

"Yes we have the points lead and I'm happy about that because the last two weeks have killed us." Sadler said. "Michigan running second and overheating and have to pit under green with 15 laps to go, and then running fifth at Road America and have a flat tire with four laps to go and come out running 20th. So, for us to sit here right now with the points lead is pretty amazing after the last couple weeks we've had. We're going to go to Daytona and race like crazy and see what happens. That's a fun track to go and try to run up front, lead laps and go to victory lane. That's what we're going to try to do."

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Daytona International Speedway for the Subway Firecracker 250 on July 4.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/06/Kevin-Harvick-Wins-At-Kentucky.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Fastest in Kentucky​*
Team Penske dominated each of the three knockout qualifying sessions for the Quaker State 400 that ended with Brad Keselowski crushing the Kentucky Speedway track record with a fast lap of 188.791 mph.

Keselowski surpassed his teammate Joey Logano in the final session to take the No. 1 spot and give the team its third front row start of the season. The previous qualifying mark of 183.636 mph was set by Dale Earnhardt Jr. last season.

"I thought we were all gonna be a lot slower, so I was a little bit surprised by the speeds that we ran," Keselowski said. "Paul (Wolfe) did a good job working on and adjusting the car and getting it to where I wanted it and they hit what I wanted.

"We're right where we want to be, starting first is a great start but it's just that it's just a start. You still have to execute a race and by no means a guarantee of a win, so we'll want to go out there and earn that Saturday."

The Penske teammates continue to lead the series in final round apperances this season with Logano now with 14 and Keselowski with 12.

"Obviously, Team Penske we've qualified well and made the final session at every race track besides Talladega, so we're still proud that we've been able to do that at a lot of different types of race tracks," Logano said. "We've been close to getting a pole, but obviously we got one of them but we keep winning the wrong sessions. I kind of wish it was one session like it used to be because I would be in better shape right now."

Logano topped the first two sessions and attempted an additional two laps in the final to try and reclaim the top spot.

Jeff Gordon qualified third with Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick rounding out the top five.

Notables that did not advance out of the first round included Jimmie Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. They will start 25th and 29th, respectively.

Johnson, who missed moving out of round 1 for the third time this season, liked the way his car felt in race trim after he posted the best 10 consecutive lap average in final practice.

"We made a qualifying run at the end of practice and went slower than our race run so it's discouraging coming into qualifying," Johnson said. "We didn't get the lap that we needed out there and didn't transfer. But I feel actually decent about our car in race trim. We put up a great two runs in the final practice session. We just couldn't get out of our own way in Q-trim."

It appreared it was going to rain as clouds rolled in at the start of qualiying, but that was never the case. Drivers waited a few minutes for the clouds to approach before they went out on track to try and post a fast lap.

Saturday night's Quaker State 400 is scheduled for a 7:45 p.m. (ET) green flag.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/06/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-Kentucky-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Curse Continues For Smith​*





*Sieg Intentionally Spins Clements​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*How Time Flies For Logano​*
Joey Logano is hoping his 200th career Sprint Cup Series start ends with a victory in Saturday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

The Team Penske driver began his Sprint Cup career in 2008 when he took the green flag at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He went full-time in NASCAR's top division the next year and promptly scored his first win on his way to becoming the youngest Rookie of the Year in history at age 19.

Fast forward to 2014 and Logano comes to Kentucky this weekend with five Sprint Cup wins to his credit and in the middle of his best season on the tour.

"It's hard to believe that it's been 200 races already," said Logano. "It just doesn't feel like it's been that many. When you add in the Nationwide Series races and the few Truck starts I've had, I started well over 300 races in my NASCAR career.

"I've often answered the question of what I think about my career up to this point. And I will always say the same thing about it. I did start early. And did I start earlier that I should have? Was I ready? Probably not. But it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, and I would do it all again the same way."

Logano faced much criticism and scrutiny when he moved to the Cup Series as Tony Stewart's replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Although Logano faced challenging times those first seasons behind the wheel of the No. 20 car, Logano learned valuable lessons.

"I don't think I would be in the position that I am today without those early struggles,'' he said. "I'm just 24 now and I have six years of Sprint Cup Series experience under my belt. There isn't a lot of people who can say something like that.

"It's been a fun ride, so I'm pretty excited to get a chance to continue it on until 600 or 800 starts."

So far 2014 has been a fun ride for Logano and his team. He's won twice this season and has locked up a spot in the Chase.

His success this year, along with Logano's Kentucky track record, makes him a favorite in Saturday night's visit to the 1.5-mile track. He won three straight Nationwide Series races at Kentucky and was in contention to win last year's Quaker State 400 until a late race restart foiled his chances and he was forced to settle for a fourth-place finish.

The way he sees it, rattling off consecutive Kentucky wins in any division is a lofty ambition.

"We were close last year," Logano said. "But the track is so much different now than it was even when I won all those Nationwide Series races. It's a lot bumpier now. And the competition in the Sprint Cup Series is just so much better, so it would be tough. I like to think we could do it, but that's tough to go to a track and win two in a row, let alone three in a row. Especially all of them from the pole.

"You just don't see that kind of stuff in the Sprint Cup Series anymore, because the competition has gotten so tough. When there are 20 guys that can win on any given weekend, you can't expect people to go out there and win two or three races in-a-row anymore at one track."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-Holds-Special-Memories-For-Joey-Logano.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stenhouse Searching for Answers​*
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is blunt.

"We've just got to win a race,'' he said.

Stenhouse knows that he won't make the Chase via points - he's 27th in the standings heading into Saturday night's race at Kentucky Speedway. He knows the only way he'll make the Chase is with a victory. He has 10 races to do so before the Chase field is set.

The task won't be easy this weekend. Once a staple for Roush Fenway Racing, the organization had struggled at 1.5-mile tracks. Stenhouse has finished no better than 22nd in any of the four races this season on 1.5-mile tracks (Las Vegas, Texas, Kansas and Charlotte).

"I think we're missing a lot of things,'' said Stenhouse, whose last top-10 finish came seven races ago at Talladega Superspeedway. "The problem is that it's not just one thing that's we've missed it on, but everybody at the shop is working really hard. We've changed a lot. (Car owner) Jack (Roush) has put a lot of money into testing. We've gone and tested a lot. We've still got some more tests planned. I think we've missed it as a team, as a (No.) 17 team at race tracks. I've missed it as a driver when we've had decent cars.''

Stenhouse laments what might have been at Michigan earlier this month. He finished 27th at that 2-mile track.

"At Michigan, I thought we had a pretty fast car, and I got in the wall early, so I think that kind of ruined a chance there,'' Stenhouse said. "Last week we had a pretty fast car at Sonoma, which last year I was 37th the whole race. We were inside the top 10 at times, so I think at times we've got the right pieces and we've just got to put them all in our race car and make sure we don't make mistakes.

"But Jack is definitely working really hard at making sure that the pieces that we're bringing to the race track are better than they have been. We thought we had it back earlier in the season when we had a really good car that turned right off the truck at Bristol. We all had really good runs, so we're looking to bring fast race cars to the racetrack.''

Even with the struggles, Stenhouse says he's still looking to score a win, noting his runner-up finish at Bristol and top-10 finishes at Daytona and Talladega.

"Obviously, after our runs earlier this year we've got Daytona and Bristol circled,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/06/Ricky-Stenhouse-Looking-For-Answers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Looking to Seal the Deal​*
Jimmie Johnson is looking to seal the deal at Kentucky Speedway after dominating the race last season and finishing ninth.

Johnson led 182 laps in the 2013 running of the Quaker State 400, and has yet to finish worse than ninth since the Cup Series started running at the track in 2011, but has yet to cross the finish line first.

"We've been close," Johnson said. "It's just on that last run - varying mistakes have kept us from going to Victory Lane. We've had a car capable of winning; I think two of them, at least. I'm not sure about the third. So, it's just executing in that final run."

The end of last year's race saw Johnson spin in Turn 2 on a restart while running second in the closing laps of the race. After the race, Johnson was unhappy with eventual race winner Matt Kenseth, who Johnson thought broke pace car speed on the restart.

"A lot has changed since then," Johnson said. "Our restart procedure has changed and there were a lot of cat and mouse games going on through last year. That stuff has changed quite a bit now. So I'm happy with the rule changes and certainly still today, feel that the scenario and the games played there is what led to our issue down there in Turns 1 and 2."

Kentucky is one of four tracks on the schedule that Johnson has yet to win at along with Chicagoland Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Watkins Glen International.

"It would be great to go to Kentucky and win, to cross another track off our list," Johnson said. "Last weekend, we had a really great run going. I'm really proud of this team and I'm just looking forward to the upcoming tracks before the off-weekend - Kentucky, Daytona and New Hampshire."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/06/Johnson-Looking-to-Seal-the-Deal.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon's Quest for Kentucky​*
Jeff Gordon needs a win at Kentucky Speedway to have a victory at every current track on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.

Gordon has visited Victory Lane at 22 of the current 23 tracks on the tour with only the 1.5-mile Kentucky track missing from the list. Only David Pearson, Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough have completed the feat during their careers, which at the time included just 16 different speedways.

A win in Saturday night's Quaker State 400 would run the table for Gordon.

"It would be very cool," said Gordon. "Most of my energy is spent with do we have a shot at winning at this track. I feel like we have run solid here the last few times we have been here. I feel like as good as our cars are this year that this is probably the most legitimate shot that we've had of crossing that one off the list.

"It would mean a lot. It would be quite an accomplishment and it's something that I would love to say I have done."

The reality of the situation warrants mention that relatively speaking the Sprint Cup Series has a very short history at Kentucky with Saturday night's race only the fourth appearance by NASCAR's top division at the track.

But a win and achieving the accomplishment of taking a checkered flag at every track in today's Sprint Cup Series would be sweet for Gordon who has taken a liking to Kentucky.

"I am a fan," he said. "Yeah, I like it because it's a challenging race track and I like a good challenge and our cars have been good here the last few times and so if I feel like we have a shot at winning I usually like that track."

Gordon has not finished outside the top-10 in his three previous Kentucky starts including an eighth place finish in last year's race.

But like most drivers, Gordon acknowledges Kentucky's rough surface as being a challenge.

"We all like a challenge of the grip level going away, maybe a crack or a bump that you have to get over and you can use that to your advantage," said Gordon. "Just search around the race track before somebody else gets out of shape and you take advantage of that. So the corners here are great. We don't want them to repave this track, none of us do."

But while Gordon doesn't want a full repave, he wouldn't mind at least a minor adjustment to Kentucky.

"I don't want them to pave this race track," he chuckled. "I want them to pave the front straightaway. But I don't want them to pave the rest of it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/06/Jeff-Gordons-Quest-for-Kentucky.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dollar General Extends Sponsorship With JGR​*
Dollar General will expand its role as primary sponsor of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota driven by Matt Kenseth from 27 to 30 races beginning in 2015.

Dollar General chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling, JGR owner Joe Gibbs and JGR president J.D. Gibbs made the announcement Saturday at Kentucky Speedway, site of Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts.

JGR officials also announced that they had extended the contract of Kenseth for "multiple years."

"I'd say that there is no greater testimony to our sport than the fact that we're extending with Rick and his (Dollar General) team," Joe Gibbs said. "When you think about it, this is one of the best run, most successful companies in all of America.

"What this says is NASCAR works, it works for our sponsor partners. ? Probably one of the most enjoyable things for us (at JGR) is the (business-to-business) opportunities that our sport offers. Think about the other partners DG is aligned with -- we have Toyota ? Mars, Coke, FedEx, Interstate Batteries ? it's great to see the way many of them have worked with Dollar General."

Dollar General currently shares primary sponsorship of the No. 20 Toyota with Home Depot. It is expected that the big box chain will not return as a primary sponsor for 2015.

"We know who that would be," Gibbs said of sponsorship for the remaining six Cup races not to be backed by DG, "but we can't announce it. But we have a good partner for Dollar General."

The Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based retailer announced late last season that it was increasing sponsorship from 17 races to 27 for 2014.

"Last year was the second year we were with (Joe) Gibbs Racing," Dreiling said. "Obviously the combination of Joe, J.D. and Matt led to incredible results. This is very much a sport where the car has got to run up front. These three gentlemen have demonstrated that ability and that's why we continue to be involved, and look for more involvement as we move through the years."

Kenseth joined JGR before the 2013 season and won a series high seven races. He entered Saturday night's race winless on the season but fourth in points.

"It's obviously been a great fit for me," Kenseth said. "I've really enjoyed getting to know the whole DG group; it makes it extra fun when their CEO is such a huge race fan, and such a great guy as well. I'm proud to represent the brand and proud to be driving for these guys sitting next to me and happy that we will be going forward."

Home Depot, which has been affiliated with JGR since 1999, provided primary sponsorship for 11 races this season.

Former JGR driver Tony Stewart won two Sprint Cup championships with Home Depot -- in 2002 and 2005.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dollar-general-extends-sponsorship-jgr-200000308--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Saddle Up: Keys To Saturday Night's Race In The Bluegrass State​*
Much the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season has consisted of a pair of heavyweights trading metaphorical punches. And it looks like Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway will be more of the same.

Through 16 races this year, the four-car Hendrick Motorsports armada has won six times, with Team Penske's two-car fleet winning three events.

Lately, Hendrick has had the hot hand, but for this race at least, it appears the advantage may have swung back to Roger Penske's outfit.

Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano swept the front row on Friday, with Keselowski claiming the pole with a jaw-dropping track record lap of 188.791 miles per hour. That's more than 5 miles per hour faster than Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s old track record.

Considering that Kentucky is both the flattest 1.5-mile oval in NASCAR and has the oldest pavement, that speed is amazing. So is the fact that Keselowski's pole lap was 0.253 seconds faster than Logano's lap and a full 0.300 seconds better than third-qualifier Jeff Gordon.

For his part, Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, didn't seem all that impressed with qualifying on the front row for the ninth time this season.

"Qualifying is great, but at the end of the week or the start of the next week on Monday nobody talks about who qualified on the pole; they talk about who won the race, so we want to be that guy and that's the most important thing," he said.

Factoids: Both Keselowski and Logano have won on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Also, Keselowski has won a Cup race at Kentucky, while Logano won three NASCAR Nationwide Series races here, all from the pole.

Some keys to Saturday night's race:​
*Costly mistakes:* Keselowski led 138 laps in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race but threw away a an almost-certain victory when he got caught speeding on pit road. Someone will likely make a similar mistake Saturday night.

*Desperate measures:* Six of the top 12 starters -- Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard -- are winless this season. Do not be surprised if one of them makes a late-race gamble on pit strategy or track position to go for the victory. And, oh yeah, Tony Stewart starts 13th. Never count him out on a hot, slippery track.

*Junior struggling:* As well as Dale Earnhardt Jr. has run all year, he was awful on Friday, qualifying 29th and running 19th in Happy Hour. "We were slow in practice," said Earnhardt. "We've been fighting the car all day and haven't had any gains. We haven't been able to figure out what we need to do. His teammate, Jimmie Johnson, qualified 25th but at least liked his car in race trim.

*Ganassi gaining:* Again this weekend, the two Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolets have shown excellent speed. Kyle Larson will start sixth and Jamie McMurray eighth. This could be a breakthrough weekend for them.

*One and done Kentucky Speedway:* is the only Sprint Cup track where Gordon has yet to win. Given that he was the fastest of the Hendrick Chevys -- and the fastest of the non-Penske cars -- he is a legitimate threat to win. Gordon has the speed and the motivation to get it done.

*Happy time, people:* Kevin Harvick won Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, despite some struggles with his crew. Sooner or later, he's going to win his third Cup race of the season. Saturday night is as good a time as any.

*Roush's woes:* Penske and Roush Fenway Racing both campaign Fords. The two Penske Fords qualified on Row 1. None of the three Roush Fords qualified in the top 20. Brad Keselowski's pole lap was 0.696 seconds faster than that of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who qualified 21st, best among the Roush cars. Over a 267-lap race distance, that gap is the the equivalent of about seven laps. Oof.

*Hamlin's hopes:* The only Toyota driver to qualify in the top 10 was Denny Hamlin, who will start on the outside of Row 2. While the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas don't seem to have the speed of the Penske or Hendrick cars, Hamlin is someone to keep an eye on.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...t-cup-series-race-at-kentucky-speedway-062814


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## Ckg2011

*Special K Opens A Can of Kick A-- In Kentucky​*
Brad Keselowski wins the 2014 Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta Kentucky. Keselowski was hands down the best car all race long and flat out drove away from the field. Keselowski also had great restarts, especially on the starting in the outside lane.

Kyle Busch finished second, Ryan Newman third, Matt Kenseth fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr battled his way to a fifth place finish.

Next Saturday night the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series heads to the high banks of Daytona.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Powers to Kentucky Win​*
There was no catching Brad Keselowski and no holding him back when he didn't lead, as he scored a convincing win Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.

Keselowski led 199 of the 267 laps but had to rally late because a few of the leaders were on pit road when a caution came out. That put them at the front. Keselowski, who pitted after them, restarted sixth with about 50 laps to go. He passed Kyle Busch for the lead with 20 laps left and was not challenged after that, scoring his second NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the season.

Busch finished second with Ryan Newman scoring a season-best third-place effort. Matt Kenseth overcame a flat tire and placed fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. paced Hendrick Motorsports - which put all four cars in the top 10 - by placing fifth.

"Our car was awesome,'' said Keselowski, whose previous victory this season was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "The team did a great job and I'm just really thankful to have a car this good. I think this is where we need to be to have a shot at another championship.''

The victory was the 12th in Keselowski's career and marked the first time he's won a Cup race after starting on the pole. He's won three of the last eight races on 1.5-mile speedways, dating back to last season.

The only thing that slowed Keselowski was his Victory Lane celebration. He cut his hand on a champagne bottle and had to go to the infield care center. NASCAR reported that Keselowski needed four stitches on his right hand between his pinky and ring finger.

*How Keselowski won:* He simply had the best car. Even when he had to restart sixth with about 50 laps to go, he worked his way to the front and easily took the lead from Kyle Busch. This was a case of the best car winning. That gives him two wins on 1.5-mile tracks this season. With half the Chase races on 1.5-mile speedways, competitors better beware of Keselowski.

*What else happened:* Ryan Newman had his best finish of the season, placing third. He was strong and steady. He praised his pit crew for helping gain spots. He also had the horsepower to stay near the front but had nothing for Keselowski. ... Kyle Busch (second) and Matt Kenseth (fourth) gave Joe Gibbs Racing something to feel good about. After being dominant on 1.5-mile tracks last season, JGR cars have not been as strong, but Saturday night was a good showing.

*Who else had a good day:* Kasey Kahne finished eighth, as all four Hendrick Motorsports cars finished in the top 10. It's been an up-and-down season for Kahne. This was a step forward. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the Hendrick cars by placing fifth at a place he hasn't always had the best luck. This was another sign of this team's strength.

*Who had a bad day:* Denny Hamlin caused the first caution when it appeared a right front tire went down and he hit the wall hard, finishing last in the 42-car field. He's failed to finish in the top 25 in the last three races. ... Kyle Larson also hit the wall, ending his night. He finished 40th, his first DNF since the Daytona 500.

*Quote of the day:* "I really want another championship,'' race winner Brad Keselowski said.

*Other notables:* Tony Stewart placed 11th after starting at the rear because of a transmission change. ... After starting 10th, Danica Patrick finished 21st. ... Joey Logano, who ran near the front most of the race, finished ninth after having engine problems late.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/06/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-At-Kentucky.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski's Celebration Cut Short​*
Brad Keselowski's champagne celebration in Victory Lane at Kentucky Speedway ended with a trip to the infield care center.

As the team was celebrating its second win of the season, Keselowski cut his right hand when he broke a bottle of champagne, as he was shaking it, on the corner of the trophy podium. Victory Lane photos and interviews were put on hold as Keselowski was sent to get his bloody hand stitched up.

"People were spraying me and I couldn't really see all that well," Keselowski said. "It was just one of them deals.

"You know, I did the typical guy thing. It's not that bad, it's not that bad, and I shook it a couple times and there was blood flying everywhere. I thought, this is pretty bad. And then I started kind of walking through my mind, is this for real. There really wasn't a much more intelligent thought than that.

Keselowski doesn't expect the injury to hinder his driving next weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

"The last time I had stitches it was seven days or so, and we're going to Daytona, which is probably the easiest track you could ask for," Keselowski said. "No, I didn't break any bones or any of that stuff. I just put a big gash, so I don't think it'll be an issue."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/06/Keselowskis-Celebration-Cut-Short.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Season Best for Newman​*
Ryan Newman's third-place finish in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway was his best effort of the 2014 season.

Newman scored his best finish since coming home third last September at Richmond, when he was a member of Stewart-Haas Racing.

Saturday night Newman piloted his Richard Childress Racing No. 31 Chevrolet to its first top-five since Jeff Burton finished third at New Hampshire last July.

"Really just a good, solid run," Newman said. "We had some really good pit stops, gained some track positions there. Caught a little bit of a break when the caution came out when we were on pit road. I think we went from fourth to second on that deal. Just a good, solid night for the Caterpillar Chevrolet."

While Newman has been consistent in the first half of the season and stayed inside the top 10 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings in recent weeks, a run like the one he turned in at Kentucky certainly helps in the confidence department.

"It's nice for us on the '31' side to get a top five, and it's something to build on for sure," he said. "It doesn't mean we're going to go out and win the next race, but it gives us some confidence, and confidence is very powerful in our sport."

Newman's finish was the fourth top five of the season for RCR with the first three coming with Paul Menard, who finished third at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"I hope it translates," Newman said about tonight's success on an intermediate track. "And I think it will. I think we've got some stuff coming. Pocono and Indy are a couple of races that I really look forward to.

"Pocono, Indy, Michigan, even places like Charlotte now are so much wide open because the cars have still got too much downforce on them that it's very important to have good horsepower, and good horsepower will win you races. We're working on that part of it for Indy and for Pocono and for Michigan. I think we're not where we need to be, but that's why we're working on it, and we'll see if we can make those gains before those races come."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/06/Season-Best-for-Ryan-Newman.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin, Larson Exit Kentucky Early​*
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson exited the Quaker State 400 early after hitting the wall in separate incidents because of tire issues.

Both drivers had right-front tires go down with Hamlin's going first on lap 27 just before the competition caution. Hamlin started the race in the fourth position and was running third at the time of impact.

"It looks like the right-front just de-laminated and blew out," Hamlin said. "It's similar to a lot of the tire problems that we have seen through-out the year. A green race track and things like that it just couldn't make it quite long enough for us.

"I had no warning at all. The lap before was one of our better laps, the car turned really good so it wasn't like I could feel it going away."

When Hamlin got out of the car he appeared to be in pain, but said it was just a "stinger."

"When you take a hit to the right like that it shoves your foot into the gas pedal," Hamlin said. "The side of my foot hit the pedal, but by the time I got in the ambulance it went away.

"I've gotten beat up over the past couple years but this one was pretty mild."

The 42nd-place finish for Hamlin marked his worst of the season and third consecutive of 26th or worse. Hamlin, who does have a win this season, now sits 17th in the standings.

Larson's tire issue came on lap 75 ending his day in 40th place.

"This is the first time that's ever happened to me in stock car racing," Larson said. "I saw Denny blew his right front and I'd been pretty tight. But I didn't think we had any tire issues all weekend, so I was kind of shocked when he blew his right front. And then we were pretty tight on our run. I felt like I was using up my right sides; and the run up in the grey a lot trying to get the top working. I told myself to get back down just in case there would be tire problems and I guess I just used up my tires too much."

Last weekend, Larson fell two spots in the standings to 10th with his 28th-place finish at Sonoma and will now leave Kentucky in 12th.

"We were hoping for a good points day to pad our points were we are before we go to Daytona where it's a real crapshoot," Larson said. "It's disappointing to have two weekends that didn't end up very well the last couple of races. Oh, well. That's how it goes. We'll try and go to Daytona and rebound and gain some more points."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Denny-Hamlin-and-Kyle-Larson-Exit-Early.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Goodale Nabs First NASCAR Modified Triumph​*
It was happy homecoming for Eric Goodale.

The 28-year-old from Riverhead scored his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win Saturday night in the Hoosier Tire 200 at Riverhead Raceway.

Goodale powered the No. 58 GAF Roofing/RBSCorp.com Chevrolet past Ted Christopher shortly after a Lap 170 restart and led the final 25 laps en route to the victory.

Goodale's previous best finish in 77 starts was second at Riverhead last June. He also finished runner-up in the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway.

Christopher held off Matt Hirschman for second. Ryan Preece, who had won the previous three races at Riverhead, slipped by Timmy Solomito for fourth in the closing laps.

Doug Coby finished sixth, followed by Ron Silk, Tom Rogers Jr., Shawn Solomito and Bobby Santos.

John Beatty Jr., who won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day, finished 14th.

Justin Bonsginore lost the points lead after he was collected in a lap 102 spin by Glen Reen and suffered right front suspension damage. Bonsignore finished 16th. Coby took the points lead by seven over Santos (204-197). Bonsignore is one point behind Santos and two ahead of fourth-place Christopher.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/goodale-nabs-first-nascar-modified-triumph/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr's Steady Progress​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a solid run in Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway but he's not a fan of the track's roller-coaster nature.

Kentucky's rough racing surface was the topic of conversation all week long. Like many drivers, Earnhardt has a particular issue with the main straightaway.

"It sucks, man," Earnhardt Jr said after his fifth-place finish. "God almighty. It's so brutal. It's just terrible, man. And I hate it for the speedway, because they just got their date. But man, it's the most miserable thing out there. Ain't nothing about that I want to do over again. I'm glad it's over."

While Earnhardt Jr is not calling for a complete repave of the 1.5-mile track, he would like to see some attention given to the problem area across the start/finish line.

"That front straightaway, man, you can't even get your bearings," Earnhardt Jr said. "You can't focus on the line you're trying to create getting into the corner. It's pretty violent and we actually improved our car from yesterday quite a bit."

Earnhardt Jr was able to muscle his National Guard Chevrolet home to his 12th top-10 performance of the season and his second at Kentucky.

He praised the way his team responded to struggles earlier in the weekend and crew chief Steve Letarte's pit strategy.

"Yeah, I didn't have any answers for why we were struggling (Friday)," Earnhardt Jr said. "Steve and the engineers got in the hauler and talked all night long, and all day and put a great car underneath us. And the pit crew did an amazing job. Those guys were gaining spots for me every stop. Even when we were taking four tires, we were beating a lot of guys off pit road. They're just a great group and deserve a lot of credit, too.

"The National Guard Chevy was way better today; a lot more fun to drive. This place is a bit of a handful for me. I don't think I've got it figured out just yet. And I don't exactly know what I'm looking for and how I need the car to drive. So Steve and the guys did a good job in having to deal with me and trying to put a good car under me this weekend. It was a lot of fun in the race. The strategy was good on pit road. Steve's fuel strategy gained us a lot of track position."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Happy-With-Run-But-Not-Kentucky-Surface.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gaining Focus?​*
With only one more race left at a 1.5-mile speedway before the Chase - where intermediate tracks comprise half the 10-race stretch - it's easy to see who will be the key factors for the championship.

Or is it?

Brad Keselowski is focused on another title and many will place him among the favorites after his win last weekend at Kentucky Speedway - his second in five races on intermediate tracks this year.

If history is your guide to the future, you might reconsider Keselowski. Three times in the last five years, a driver had multiple wins at 1.5-mile tracks before the Chase. Each time, they did not win the title.

Keselowski and his team, though, aren't focused on the past but what's ahead.

"This is the type of performance we're going to need to be able to compete for another championship,'' crew chief Paul Wolfe said. "I feel like Team Penske has done a great job at responding to the rules changes, but there is still a lot to be learned and gained with this package, so it's important for us to continue to work hard and keep building off this momentum as we get ready to run for the championship."

Especially with how strong Hendrick Motorsports has been. Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon are set for the Chase, while Kasey Kahne tries to gain a spot in the 16-team field.

Three times this season Hendrick has placed all four of its cars in the top 10 in a race on a 1.5-mile speedway. Twice, Hendrick cars won with Jeff Gordon victorious at Kansas Speedway and Johnson winning the Coca-Cola 600.

Gordon is one of only two drivers to have scored a top-10 in each race on a 1.5-mile speedway this season.

The other driver to match Gordon's feat?

Not Johnson. Not Earnhardt. Not Joey Logano, who has four top-10s in those fives races.

The other driver is Matt Kenseth.

While the talk is how Joe Gibbs Racing, which won five of six races on 1.5-mile tracks before last year's Chase, isn't as strong on intermediate tracks this season, Kenseth is still showing what he can do.

Keep Kenseth's record in mind with this new elimination format where four drivers are cut from title contention every third race of the Chase. Yes, wins advance a driver to the next round but consistent finishes will be just as meaningful.

Might there be somebody else to consider for a title run?

Tony Stewart seemingly came from nowhere to win five Chase races, including three at 1.5-mile tracks, and capture the 2011 crown. Look closer and despite the struggles he had, Stewart finished second at Las Vegas, was eighth at Kansas and placed third at Atlanta in the final race at an intermediate track before the Chase that year. Stewart beat Carl Edwards for the crown but might Stewart's path be the way for Edwards this year?

No one would have picked Stewart to have won the title weeks before the 2011 Chase. He was 12th in points after 17 races that season. Edwards is sixth despite Roush Fenway Racing's struggles. Edwards also has three top-10 finishes on intermediate tracks this season.

While it's easy to twist numbers any way one wants, the key for teams will be the coming weeks even though the series doesn't race at a 1.5-mile track again until Labor Day weekend at Atlanta.

Horsepower and downforce are so important at those tracks. What can be learned at Indianapolis, Pocono and Michigan could prove helpful at the intermediate tracks.

"Pocono, Indy, Michigan, even places like Charlotte now are so much wide open because the cars have still got too much downforce on them that it's very important to have good horsepower, and good horsepower will win you races,'' Ryan Newman said after his season-best third-place finish at Kentucky Speedway.

"I think we're not where we need to be, but that's why we're working on it, and we'll see if we can make those gains before those races come.''

He and every other team have seven more races, starting with Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, before the series is at Atlanta. Then, what happens on the 1.5-mile tracks will play a large role in determining this year's champion.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Growing-Sharper-Or-Just-More-Confusing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Criticized For Being 'Sexy'​*
Danica Patrick on racing go-karts in her youth, the short history of women racers, and her groundbreaking win.

Danica Patrick is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, and is one of the most famous and recognized female athletes in the world. She is the only woman to ever win in the IndyCar series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman (3rd place) at the Indianapolis 500.

Growing up in Roscoe, Illinois, Patrick started go-kart racing at the age of ten, and became a world go-karting champion by her mid-teens. She left high school at the age of 16 to move to England to train for and race in the British national series, where she earned a second-place in Britain's Formula Ford Festival, the highest finish ever by an American.

After returning to the States, Patrick started driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and in 2005 she became only the fourth woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. She led the race for 19 laps, a first for any woman in racing. Patrick was subsequently named Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. She continued to make history with her first place finish at the Indy Japan 300 on April 20, 2008, becoming the first woman ever to win an Indy car race. She later placed 3rd in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was both a personal best for her at the track, and the highest finish by a woman in the event's history. Patrick holds the IRL record for most consecutive races running at the finish.

In 2010, Patrick began racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and in 2012, Patrick left the IndyCar series to compete full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports and part-time in the Sprint Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing. She continues to set records for women in racing, and remains a sought-after advertising spokesperson and model.

*Click The Link To Watch The Video​* http://www.makers.com/danica-patrick​
*Source:*
http://www.makers.com/danica-patrick


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson vs. Keselowski: NASCAR's Next Big Rivalry?​*
It's been said before, but it bears repeating: In racing as in wrasslin', hate is great.

NASCAR historically has been at its best when two or more superstars are fighting hard against each other on the track and totally ticked off at each other off it.

Think about some of the great rivalries that helped build the sport.

Petty vs. Pearson.
Waltrip vs. Yarborough. 
The Allisons vs. the world.
Earnhardt Sr vs. Gordon.

Great talents who are fierce and uncompromising rivals are in large part what elevated NASCAR to its position in the sporting world today.

And the next great rivalry could be Jimmie Johnson vs. Brad Keselowski, two championship drivers who are as different as night and day.

Johnson is polished and poised, Keselowski brash and bold.

Johnson is measured and restrained, Keselowski impulsive and unpredictable.
Johnson drives a Chevrolet, Keselowski a Ford.

It's easy for fans in both camps to pick their guy in a fight as clear-cut as this one.

Since the start of the 2012 season, Johnson was won 14 races and a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship; during the same period, Keselowski has won 8 races and a Cup title.

With Johnson leading the Sprint Cup drivers with three victories this season and Keselowski one of five two-time winners, for the second time in three years, the title fight could well come down to these two drivers and their respective teams.

That's the way it was in 2012, when Johnson faltered in the final two races of the season and Keselowski gave team owner Roger Penske his first Cup championship.

And once again, it's a clash of the Titans: Johnson looked unstoppable in winning three races out of four at Charlotte, Dover and Michigan, and then Keselowski utterly drubbed the field Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, where he won the Quaker State 400.

Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team and Keselowski's No. 2 Team Penske squad don't like each other much, a situation not likely to improve.
After his victory Saturday night, Keselowski made no bones about wanting another title and wanting it now.

"I turned 30 and I'm going through a bit of a midlife crisis," said Keselowski.

"I want to win another championship. I don't want to just win one. I think I have the team to do it, with Paul (Wolfe, crew chief) and the guys. I have the owner to do it with Roger Penske, and the urgency is now.

"I don't want to win one championship and that be it for my career," said Keselowski. "I'm not going to be happy with that. And I want to win another championship, but I don't want it to be five or ten years from now. I don't want to be a guy that contends for a championship every three or four years, I want to do it each and every year, and I know that opportunity is here, and it's present, and I want to make the most of it, and I'm not afraid to communicate that."

To do that, of course, Keselowski will have to defeat Johnson and the rest of the four-car Hendrick Motorsports armada. With the Sprint Cup Series sesson just one race short of halfway, Hendrick drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. lead the points with Keselowski behind in fourth.

Keselowski and Earnhardt are close friends; in fact, Keselowski lives in a rented house on Earnhardt's tract in North Carolina. That kind of would leans towards the natural rivalry being Johnson vs. Keselowski.

Whether the rhetoric and rancor escalate remains to be seen; what isn't in question is how fierce the competition already is between the two.

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/johnson-vs-keselowski-nascar-s-next-big-rivalry-063014


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notes: Larson Back On Dirt​*
Kyle Larson will go back to dirt track racing, confirming Tuesday he will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race July 23 at Eldora Speedway.

Larson finished second to Austin Dillon in last year's inaugural event there.

"That's definitely a race I want to win,'' said Larson, who will drive a Truck for Turner Scott Motorsports. "We were close last year, so it's nice to get to go back and give it another shot.

"Getting beat last year made me really pumped up for this year's race. I don't get to do a whole lot of dirt racing anymore, so to get back to kind of my roots makes it fun, too.''

Larson began racing sprint cars at age 14 and competed in various open-wheel series on dirt before moving to NASCAR.

He is scheduled to test on a dirt track next week.

"I'm really looking forward to when we go test,'' Larson said. "So it (will) be nice to get back in the dirt and get dirty and sweat a little bit and get mud all over my face and stuff.''

First, his focus will be on Daytona International Speedway where he'll compete in Friday night's Subway Firecracker 250 Nationwide race and Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup race.

Larson says there is a distinct difference in those two races.

"The aerodynamics and stuff make (Cup cars) hard to handle in the pack, and seems like you can change lanes a lot more and actually move forward, where in the Nationwide race is super frustrating and not very hard at all to hold your car in a straight line,'' he said. "But more than anything, it's just really frustrating (in Nationwide) because the bottom lane is so much faster. You can work the top and middle lanes and kind of move forward but you can't get to the lead, where in the Cup Series I feel like you can work any lane and get to the lead.''

*TESTING*

Richard Childress Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing each tested Tuesday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and will test there Wednesday.

It is the second of four tests teams are allowed at tracks that host Sprint Cup races. Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman and Paul Menard tested for RCR, while Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and Jeff Burton tested for MWR.

"We're excited to be able to test only a week away from the race,'' Dillon said. "I think it really gives you an advantage going into the next week because the temperature shouldn't change a whole lot.''

Also testing was Eddie MacDonald for Go Fas Racing.

*NUMBER CRUNCHING*

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finished in the top three in 10 of 29 races at Daytona International Speedway. ... Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has an average finish of 12.5 in four races at Daytona, best among active drivers. ... Tony Stewart has finished first and second in the last two July races at Daytona. ... Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski has finished in the top three in four of the last five races. ... Hendrick Motorsports has had all four of its drivers place in the top 10 in three consecutive races.

*PIT STOPS*

Richard Childress Racing announced that Torrey Galida has been promoted from chief operating officer to president. He becomes the first person other than Childress to hold that position with the organization.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NASCAR-Notebook-Kyle-Larson-Back-On-Dirt.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Kyle Busch's Team​*
NASCAR announced Tuesday that Kyle Busch Motorsports' No. 51 team, wihich won last week's Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway, has been penalized for a rules infraction discovered in post-race inspection.

The infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates Section 20B-12.8.1 (truck failed to meet post-race height requirements) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book. NASCAR fined crew chief Eric Phillips $5,000 and docked owner Kyle Busch six championship truck owner points.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Kyle-Busch-Team-For-Kentucky-Infraction.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*BetBomb, JR Motorsports Partner At NHMS​*







BetBomb.com, a free wagering site where players can bet on their favorite sports teams without risking money, will be the primary sponsor on Austin Theriault's No. 5 Chevrolet in the July 12 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

BetBomb.com allows players to bet against real spreads, lines and totals for all major sports. It is not a gambling website. It's a free wagering site built for millions of sports fans to provide them with a platform to pick games, track their statistics, compete in tournaments, and win prizes without risking money.

"We offer free social sports tournaments where users can win cash prizes playing with virtual points in all major professional sports and leagues," said BetBomb.com CEO Patrick Gray.

"We are excited to sponsor the No. 5 JRM car to promote our free social sports tournaments and games to the NASCAR audience at New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend. We are not only betting on the success of our patent-pending tournaments, but we are betting on Austin taking the checkered flag race day."

Theriault, a native of Fort Kent, Maine, will make his second career Nationwide Series start that weekend at New Hampshire. He made his debut at Iowa Speedway on May 18, to which he drove the No. 5 Chevrolet to a 15th-place finish. On June 13, he won the ARCA Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway in his first career start.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in the Nationwide Series car for JR Motorsports," said the 20-year-old Theriault.

"It's a privilege to carry BetBomb.com on board the No. 5. I appreciate them stepping up, because I think it's going to be a special weekend in New Hampshire. It's a track I'm quite familiar with, and now that I've had a little bit of seat time in the car, I feel extremely confident that we can compete for a win."

Theriault's ARCA win at Michigan made him the first driver since Alex Bowman in 2011 to win in his debut. Until then he had never raced on a track longer than a mile.

Theriault's Nationwide debut at Iowa in May was impressive as well. He raced into the top 10 after starting 17th and competed for a top-10 finishing position on a final restart.

"After watching Austin's performance in Iowa, we felt he is a driver destined for big things," said Gray. "Austin and BetBomb.com are tied into social media, and Austin represents a significant cross section of our younger demographic."

The New Hampshire race will be the second of three races for Theriault in the JR Motorsports No. 5 car. His third start will take place at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 20. The No. 5 team is a partial-schedule team that is shared between drivers Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Josh Berry and Theriault.

The No. 5 has team earned victories with Harvick at Richmond International Raceway (April 25) and Kentucky Speedway (June 27).

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/betbomb-jr-motorsports-partner-at-nhms/


----------



## Ckg2011

*BK Racing, Armed Forces Motorsports Unite​*
Through the support of NASCAR team owner Ron Devine and his BK Racing team, Armed Forces Motorsports will make a NASCAR Sprint Cup appearance at Daytona Int'l Speedway for the Fourth of July weekend race event.

The AFM logo will be featured on the hood of the No.83 Toyota Camry Sprint Cup car driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Ryan Truex.

Additionally, the car's design will focus on a "Text-to-Donate" Campaign, as well as a special wrap which will sport the logos of hip hop recording artist B Taylor's "1-Life Movement" and Warrior Gateway, AFM's outreach partner.

"The highlight of the race weekend will be AFM's "Text-to-Donate" Campaign.

Participants can text the word "AMERICA" to 501501, which will result in a $10 charge to their cell phone bill," said Brittany Ecker, Vice President and Co-Founder of Armed Forces Motorsports. "Donors will receive a text message asking for their billing zip code, and once confirmed, it will make the donation complete," said Ecker.

Proceeds raised through the "Text-to-Donate" Campaign will go to support Armed Forces Motorsports Foundations' "Veteran Resource Summit" program.

The weekend race will also serve as the official launch of the 1-Life Movement, a program centered on B Taylor's new Hip Hop single release "1 Life."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/bk-racing-armed-forces-motorsports-unite/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cope Gains Nationwide Series Sponsor​*
As part of its efforts to target a male audience with its new men's line of dietary supplements, youtheory has formed a partnership with Derrike Cope Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.








"NASCAR has long been known as a great marketing partner for companies but it was one that beauty brands haven't paid attention to on a large scale," said Nutrawise CEO Darren Rude. "Being a fan of the sport, I knew the potential that the right activation could have for us and it was an easy decision to sponsor Derrike Cope to help increase awareness about youtheory and our new men's line."

In time for Daytona Int'l Speedway this Friday, youtheory's sponsorship has already been put into effect with the lease of an improved Chevrolet R07 engine. In addition, the No. 70 Camaro driven by Derrike Cope received a new paint scheme featuring youtheory's signature "bubble" design across the car and the crew's transporter and pit boxes are wrapped with youtheory's colorful design.

"It's been a privilege to have been co-sponsored by youtheory since March and am thrilled to now feature them as the primary sponsor of the No. 70 Camaro," said Cope. "youtheory is an exciting and unique product and the CEO, his family and staff are remarkable people. After years of racing and the wear and tear of severe crashes on my body it is great to be able to take a product that rejuvenates my ligaments and tendons."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/cope-gains-nationwide-series-sponsor/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Circus Returns For The Midsummer Classic​*
This Saturday night the NASCAR Sprint CUP Series returns to the high banks of Daytona for the annual Midsummer Classic known as the Coke Zero 400.

Daytona 500 Champion Dale Earnhardt Jr will be looking to sweep the 2014 races at Daytona. While 2013 winner Jimmie Johnson looks to repeat and becomes the first driver with five wins this season.

As in we seen in February in the 500, the pack is back at Daytona. Two and three wide racing will be the order of the day.

Tune in Saturday night on TNT for all the 200 mph door banging three wide action.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Adds More SAFER Barriers​*
Daytona International Speedway has added 2,400 feet of additional SAFER barriers in time for this weekend's NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.

SAFER barriers - energy-absorbing barriers that reduce the forces in a crash that can injure drivers - have been added from Turn 4 through the tri-oval and to Turn 1.

With the addition, Daytona International Speedway has SAFER barriers on its outside wall from the entrance of Turn 3 to the exit of Turn 2.

"We're always looking at ways to enhance our safety and it is a priority for us,'' said Lenny Santiago, senior director of public relations for Daytona International Speedway. "Whenever we have an incident on track, we always take a look in consultation with NASCAR, the University of Nebraska and other experts that are a part of the Motorsports Technology Group and take their recommendations. In consultation with them, we made sure we added additional safer barriers to these areas.''

Kevin Harvick was vocal about the need for additional SAFER barriers at Daytona after being involved in a last-lap crash in the 500 and hitting an unprotected portion of the concrete wall

The track also has six new crossover gates, matching the two new crossover gates in place for February's Daytona 500.

The ramp-style gates replace the need to have a door cut into the fencing to allow fans to walk through and down a staircase to the track.

The Nationwide Series races at Daytona on Friday night with the Sprint Cup Series racing Saturday night.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/07/Daytona-Adds-More-SAFER-Barriers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Answers Fan Questions​*
Daytona 500 champ Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving anything other than a Chevrolet? Could it ever happen in NASCAR?

"I can't imagine ever doing anything else,'' Earnhardt said on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live" to a fan's question about if he would drive a make other than a Chevy in a race.

"I love the relationship I have with Chevrolet. I believe in their product. That's what I got in my garage. Among other manufacturers, I have no interest in driving a Toyota or a Ford. I couldn't even imagine it.''

Earnhardt was a guest on the show as NASCAR prepares to return to Daytona International Speedway for the first time since Earnhardt won his second Daytona 500 in February.

One fan asked Earnhardt if he knew who his crew chief for next season yet with Steve Letarte joining NBC Sports after this season.

"No, not yet,'' Earnhardt said on the show. "It's about that time to really getting down to business and start to figure all that stuff out. We haven't even really touched the topic. We're going to start to really get into those discussions that we need to have and try to get everybody's input and try to make the best decision.''

Earnhardt, who has two wins this season and is coming off a fifth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway, was asked by host Eli Gold about the protocol of talking to track management about track conditions. Earnhardt was not pleased with the bumps on the frontstretch at Kentucky Speedway.

"If I felt like that someone was oblivious to something, I think I would be motivated to talk to them one-on-one,'' Earnhardt told Gold. "I believe that in the situation we had this weekend it was pretty obvious with everybody's comments and it was pretty apparent that it was pretty severe as far as the front straightaway bumps.

"We just kind of chirped a little bit on Twitter and made a few jokes and stuff like that, and I'm thankful that I don't have to go back there for a year from now. If they get around to tuning on that track and trying to fix those bumps, I hope they can improve it. I don't think they need to go repave Kentucky.

"I just think that if they could fix the front straightaway even if they have to dig it up to pave it, that's fine. I'd rather them leave the corners as is because there's still a little bit of life left in the surface there in the corners and we kind of like the character the bumps give you in the corners. The bumps in the corners are nowhere near as big or bad as the front straightaway. There are some pretty major issues going on with that race track down the front straightaway that are going only to get worse with the way we set these cars up and the way we're beating on the race track with these racecars these days.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Jr-Answers-Fan-Questions-On-NASCR-Live.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick Set To Heat Up Daytona's Annual Summer Classic?​*
than one-and-a-half seasons of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing, Daytona International Speedway is still the high-water mark of Danica Patrick's brief stock-car career.

Last year as a rookie, Patrick stunned the racing world by winning the pole for the Daytona 500. In that race, she ran competitively all afternoon, leading five laps and taking the white flag in third place. Although she got shuffled back to eighth on the last lap, it was still a successful outing.
Patrick then followed that excellent run with a still-respectable 14th in last year's Coke Zero 400 at DIS.

Saturday night under the lights, she'll be looking to build on those efforts, as she returns to Daytona in Stewart-Haas Racing Chassis 10-758, the very same one that was underneath her for her Daytona 500 pole run last year.

But that's one of the few constants. Lots of other things have changed from a year ago.

This time out at Daytona, knockout qualifying will be in place for the first time in a Sprint Cup race here. And, of course, thanks to the no-minimum-ride-height rule, the chassis setups are very different than they were a year ago.

Patrick's familiar No. 10 SHR Chevrolet SS will have a different look this weekend, with the orange and pink colors of the Florida Lottery joining the traditional GoDaddy green, part of a two-race sponsor deal that also will include the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Without question, Patrick is optimistic that there will be speed in her car this week.

"It's the same chassis we won the pole with at Daytona last year so, hopefully, it has some of that speed," she said. "It's a good car and I like how it runs. We had the speed with it at Talladega but just couldn't do anything in the final laps."

And there is the rub at Daytona and Talladega: While it's important to have a fast race car, so much of where you finish depends on getting good drafting help.

"That's what's tough about restrictor-plate racing," said Patrick. "A lot of the time, it's out of your control. I remember asking Jimmie Johnson after he won the 2013 Daytona 500 what his plan was and he said there really wasn't any plan. It just sort of happens if you are in the right place. But, hopefully, we'll have a good car and a good plan and make it work."

That said, Patrick is very comfortable at the venerable 2.5-mile, high-banked Daytona track.

"I always like going there," said Patrick. "It's where my first stock-car start was in 2010 and I actually have a lot of experience there. I think (crew chief) Tony Gibson and the Florida Lottery/GoDaddy guys build really good cars.

They know how to go fast. At the end of the day, you just need to be in the right place at the right time. A lot of it is out of your control. But I think we'll be good and hopefully have a car that can compete and win."

*Source:*
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...eat-up-daytona-s-annual-summer-classic-070114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Menard Wrecks As New Hampshire Testing Concludes​*
Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard crumpled the left side of his No. 27 Chevrolet in a wreck at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Wednesday and eventually needed a wrecker to haul his battered car off the track.

Menard was one of five drivers taking part in a two-day test session at New Hampshire, along with RCR's Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman and Michael Waltrip Racing's Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers. He wasn't injured in the crash.

Crew chief Slugger Labbe said Menard's left rear tire went down, causing the wreck.







 













Wednesday's session was the final planned on-track time before drivers head to Daytona for this weekend's race. The series returns to the unique 1.058-mile track next week for the Camping World RV Sales 301. Menard's best finish in 14 Cup starts at the track is 12th in 2012.

Other notable story lines from the drivers at the test:

? Dillon will attempt to put the No. 3 in Victory Lane for the first time at the track.

? Vickers returns to the scene of his most recent Cup win, a 2013 triumph that led to his current status as a full-time driver for MWR.

? Bowyer has two wins at New Hampshire, both during the Chase race in the fall.

As the video below shows, testing ended early on Wednesday.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/menard-wrecks-hampshire-testing-concludes-185900878--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Finds Speed At The Right Time​*
Disgusted with how he was running early in the season, Kasey Kahne realized he needed some answers.

Kahne had to do something to turn around a year that had begun to resemble a nightmare. Missed setups, driver errors and pit-road issues had plummeted Kahne's No. 5 Chevrolet SS to outside the top 20 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points.

He met with his longtime crew chief, Kenny Francis, early in the spring. They agreed to fix what ailed Hendrick Motorsports' only underperforming team.

Kahne had few bright spots in the midst of a difficult start to the season.

Teammates Jimmie Johnson (three wins), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two) and Jeff Gordon (one) have outshone him. All three clinched a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup by the end of May.

Kahne had no such luxury. He needed to figure out why his was the only Hendrick car outside the top 10 when most races ended.

"We had to really sit down and talk about things together and get back on the same page," Kahne recalled of his meeting with Francis. "There were a lot of things we were thinking differently on the first six to seven weeks of the year. We've spent a lot more time together figuring things out, than what we had early in the year when we were maybe thinking different directions with the car and adjustments and setups for each track.

"I feel like our relationship's still really good, and because we have that we've been able to figure it out and do enough testing and things to get back on track."

Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt are first, second and third in points as the tour heads to Daytona Int'l Speedway for Saturday's Coke Zero 400. Kahne, who still hasn't won this season, just recently moved up to 15th in series standings.

All it took were three weeks of good results.

The 34-year-old Enumclaw, Wash. native is in the midst of his best string of results all year, with finishes of fifth, sixth and eighth entering Daytona.

He was one of the dominant cars in last year's Coke Zero 400 before contact with Marcos Ambrose sent him spinning out of contention. Luck wasn't on his side in February, either. He had a fast car, but a pit-road speeding penalty coupled with a spin leaving the pits kept him from contending for a race Earnhardt wound up winning.

Still, Kahne knows he can compete alongside his teammates and other contenders at Daytona. The biggest challenge is competing with them week in and week out for the rest of the season.

Had the setup ideas that members of Earnhardt's, Gordon's and Johnson's teams brought helped Kahne and Francis, things would've been easier.

Kahne, however, couldn't adjust to how the other three like their cars to handle.

"It still wasn't really just clicking with us this year using their information," he said. "We had to figure it out ourselves, and I think we've gotten a lot better since we've done that."

There's hope of a real turnaround, provided Kahne can stay out of trouble in the coming weeks.

"I think everything's starting to make sense, from what all the guys are doing and what we're doing with our cars," Kahne said, "so it's a lot better."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/kahne-finds-speed-at-the-right-time/


----------



## Ckg2011

*USG Joins DIS In Redevelopment Project​*
Daytona Int'l Speedway and USG Corporation, a leading building products company, have become "We Built Daytona" partners, joining three other companies in the expanding marketing platform as part of the unprecedented $400 million Daytona Rising redevelopment project.

USG will help put the finishing touches on the interior of the new DIS frontstretch and their USG Securock Glass-Mat Sheathing will be prominent throughout the exterior of the project. Approximately 30 acres of USG's wallboard and about 140,000 square feet of USG Ceilings panels will be installed in the new interior.

"USG is honored to be a partner in this very exciting, high profile project that is reinventing DIS just as USG is reinventing itself with a new brand, new energy, and new focus on innovation," said Greg Salah, USG General Manager, Wallboard and Surfaces. "The spirit that prevails at DIS echoes that of USG, heralded by characteristics like teamwork, competition, high performance, comebacks, and winning at the highest level."

The "We Built Daytona" platform is designed specifically for partners involved in the construction of DAYTONA Rising and enables them to showcase their involvement through a marketing presence (once their role in the project begins). Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

In addition to USG, the new partners include Sherwin-Williams, Big *** Fans, and ROSSETTI. The four companies join Kingspan, a market leader in sustainable building product technology, who became the first "We Built Daytona" partners in February. Kingspan's North American headquarters are located in DeLand, Fla.

"We're excited to welcome these partners as part of our 'We Built Daytona' platform," said DIS President Joie Chitwood III. "As leaders in their respected industries, we are proud to have the best products, and the best manufacturers and companies, featured throughout what will be the first motorsports stadium anywhere in the world."

Following construction, partners can feature products in-use at the new DIS, providing them with a real-time showroom. Additionally, partners will receive special recognition as "We Built Daytona" partners within the facility, along with brand exposure opportunities via digital display boards and corporate hospitality opportunities for entertaining guests during major events.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/usg-joins-dis-in-redevelopment-project/


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Who Could Pull Daytona Upset?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Who has the best chance of scoring an upset win Saturday night at Daytona?*

*Answer*​
*



Pete Pistone

Click to expand...

*


> There are some who might think Jamie McMurray taking the checkered flag Saturday night would not be considered an upset given McMurray's prowess as a restrictor-plate racer and the fact he won the 2010 Daytona 500. Fair enough.
> 
> But while there have certainly been strides taken forward by Chip Ganassi Racing this year by both McMurray and rookie teammate Kyle Larson, the team has not yet reached the upper echelon alongside Hendrick, Penske or Stewart-Haas.
> 
> A win by McMurray - who has one top-10 Daytona finish in his last five starts to go along with two runs outside the top 30 - would give him a spot in the Chase and further along the renaissance of the Ganassi organization.
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> Dustin Long
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> I'd take Casey Mears. His Germain Racing team has a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing and the RCR cars are fast at restrictor-plate tracks.
> 
> So Mears should have a fast car.
> 
> He finished 10th in the Daytona 500 and was 14th at Talladega this season. Mears has finished in the top 10 in his last two starts at Daytona. Only Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson have longer streaks with three consecutive top-10 finishes at Daytona.
> 
> So, if you're looking for an upset, the No. 13 with Mears might prove to be the lucky number Saturday night.
Click to expand...

 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...07/Gas-N-Go-Who-Could-Pull-Daytona-Upset.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Sweep on Smith's Mind​*
Regan Smith has his sights set on winning Friday night's Subway Firecracker 250 to give him a season sweep of Nationwide Series racing at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Smith opened the year with a win in the DRIVE4COPD 300 at the World Center of Racing, which quickly got his season off to a solid start.

From there Smith continued to excel and lead the series point standings. However, he's hit a bump in the road in recent weeks including getting caught up in a late accident last week at Kentucky Speedway, which relegated him to a 28th-place finish.

The finish dropped Smith to third in the standings and he trails leader Elliott Sadler by eight points with a four-point deficit behind JR Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott in second.

But Smith hopes a return to Daytona, the scene of his February success will be the cure for what's been ailing the No. 7 team.

"It's no secret the past two weeks have been disappointing for us," said Smith. "But in racing all you can do is move on. We have another great opportunity in front of us with Daytona and the Goody's Chevrolet this weekend. Going back there as the spring race winner really does a lot for our team in terms of positivity."

Smith will have Elliott and Kasey Kahne, who will drive the team's No. 5 entry this weekend, as teammates in the 250-mile race around the 2.5-mile track.

However, even with confidence from his season-opening win providing a positive view and hopes of a 2014 Daytona sweep, Smith is very much aware of the unpredictable nature of plate racing.

"Still, nothing is guaranteed in restrictor plate races," Smith said. "Our team has had success at both Daytona and Talladega in the past, but no matter what you've done, it's still a bit of an unknown. These types of races always are."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Nationwide Series from Daytona Int'l Speedway. Air time for Friday's Subway Firecracker 250 is 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/06/Daytona-Sweep-on-Smiths-Mind.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Seeks Redemption​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to Daytona International Speedway seeking redemption.

Not at this track but with restrictor-plate racing. And with fans.

The Daytona 500 winner settled for a 26th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway - the most recent restrictor-plate race - after his run was stalled and he fell back in the final laps.

"I've been in too many late-race wrecks,'' he said after the Talladega race in May. "I didn't want to be no part of it. So we've got a car in one piece.''

Earnhardt Jr's tone was different on his Dirty Mo Radio podcast later that week where he said he felt "like I should have put on a better effort just for the people who come to watch us race.''

Thursday, Earnhardt Jr - seeking to be only the second person in the last 30 years to sweep both Daytona races in the same season - said his Talladega performance in the final laps was "embarrassing.

"The way we ran, what I chose to do at the end of that race was just uncharacteristic of really anybody that's in the field trying to compete,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "I just got really frustrated with the way things were working out for us and lost sight of the overall big picture and what you're out there trying to do and who is all out there depending on you to do what you need to do.

"You're never too old to be taught a lesson. I definitely experienced that at Talladega this year. I think I got real selfish at Talladega. How the result affected anyone I never took into account. I was just out there thinking more about me and what I thought, what I wanted to do and how frustrated I was and forgot there was a team behind me, depending on me and a lot of fans there to see us race and show up and spend their hard-earned money. It definitely was a hard thing to go through.''

Earnhardt Jr's focus is on winning his second consecutive race at Daytona International Speedway.

He said with track position critical, he'll have to be aggressive just as he was in the 500.

"To win the race, you're really going to have to play some pretty hardcore, cut-throat racing,'' he said.

Overlooked by Earnhardt Jr's two win this season is what he's done lately. His third-place finish at Sonoma was his first top-10 at the track in 15 starts there. He followed that by placing fifth at Kentucky, a track he says he's struggled at times previously. Since last year's Chase, Earnhardt has scored 20 top-10 finishes in his last 26 races.

"That's been the tough part for me over my career is really to sustain any kind of momentum,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "We'd start off great, then have a terrible summer and maybe end well. It was never complete. It seems like this team is as good as it has ever been. Hopefully, we can maintain it.''

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup race from Daytona Int'l Speedway. Air time for Saturday's Coke Zero 400 is 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/06/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Seeks-Redemption.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Salutes: Patriotic paint schemes​*





*The Stars and Stripes gleam on NNS GarageCam​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Handling Smaller Spoilers At Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Happy 4th of July: Here Are Some Videos of The Midsummer Classic From Years Past​*
*2009 Coke Zero 400 Finish​*





*2001 Pepsi 400: Dale Jr Returns To Daytona​*





*2013 Coke Zero 400: Six Time Clean Sweeps Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gilliland Grabs Daytona Pole​*
A day after losing his wedding ring swimming in the Atlantic Ocean with his family, David Gilliland won the pole in a rain-shortened qualifying session for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Shortly after Gilliland won the pole, his wife Michelle tweeted that when she told 11-year-old daughter Taylor that he won the pole, she said: "Maybe that wedding ring was bad luck.''

Gilliland smiled after hearing that.

He said he felt something was underneath his wedding ring while in the ocean. Gilliland reached down to check and the ring popped off into the water.

"We looked for it for probably an hour-and-a-half or two hours, but it's kind of like trying to find a needle in a haystack,'' he said.

He had better luck in Friday's bizarre qualifying session where drivers seemed to spend as much time slowly driving around the track for the right time to go as going fast.

"It's kind of frustrating to try to figure it all out,'' said Joey Logano, who starts 28th. "I'm as confused as everybody else is right now.''

Not everybody.

Reed Sorenson, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, qualified second - marking his second career front row starting spot in 207 Sprint Cup starts. Landon Cassill will start a career-best third. Bobby Labonte, making his second start of the season, qualified fourth. Jimmie Johnson is fifth.

Gilliland relished his third career pole, which earns him a spot in next year's Sprint Unlimited.

"Things like this go a long ways for an organization like Front Row Motorsports,'' Gilliland said. "Obviously we put a lot in to each and every race but these races are special for us and our guys, they know. They are working every week and the biggest thing is the morale booster and I can't wait to go to the shop on Tuesday for our competition meeting and see everybody and they will all be walking a little taller. It is neat to watch."

Friday's qualifying matters to Sorenson and Cassill also.

It matters for Sorenson and Cassill as well.

Cassill finished 12th in this year's Daytona 500 and 11th at Talladega. Now this.

"We don't typically have the reputation of being fast week in and week out, but we invest everything we have into our superspeedway program. We actually have equipment for this race that is as good as anybody's.

"I just need to show the other people out there how good my car. This helps because I'm going to do the best I can to run in the top 10 all day.''

Sorenson says he'll try to do the same thing to take advantage of his track position.

Matt Kenseth starts sixth with Dale Earnhardt Jr. starting seventh.

"You have to be in the very back and try to get a big tow,'' Earnhadt said. "I ain't ever seen anything like it. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen."

Several didn't get into the right position and will start deep in the pack. Brad Keselowski starts 26th with Danica Patrick 29th, Clint Bowyer 34th, Kyle Larson 35th, Jamie McMurray 36th, Denny Hamlin 37th, Kyle Busch 39th and Kurt Busch 40th.

"It's just so crazy that everyone pulls out and doesn't go and then stops,'' McMurray said. "Everyone has the same conditions. It just doesn't feel like racing I think is the way to put it because half the time people are running 40 mph. I don't even really know what to say because it's so messed up that I can't explain it."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup race from Daytona Int'l Speedway. Air time for Saturday's Coke Zero 400 is 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/07/David-Gilliland-Grabs-Daytona-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Eyes Five in July​*
Tony Stewart would like nothing more than to add to his stellar Daytona Intetnational Speedway win total with a victory in Saturday night's Coke Zero 400.

Stewart enters the weekend as Daytona's all-time race winner among active drivers with 19 victories. While he's second on the track's career win list, he still trails the late Dale Earnhardt by 15 wins.

But Stewart's record remains one of the most remarkable in the sport and includes four trips to Victory Lane in the annual mid-summer classic Coke Zero 400.

His most recent triumph came in 2012 when he led 22 laps on his way to the win in a race that like most restrictor plate outings had its share of hurdles.

"The biggest challenge was Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle because when they hooked up, I didn't think there was anybody that could beat them," Stewart recalled. "But we were able to stay in touch with them, and I got a great restart with Kasey Kahne helping me. We just had to try to separate Matt and Greg. Once we got them pulled apart, I think Matt tried to reconnect with Greg, and we carried enough momentum to get back around in front of him and get down on that bottom line.

"I tried to back up to Matt to make sure they didn't get a huge run on us. They were coming on the outside in (turns) three and four and the last wreck happened, and we were just fortunate enough to be leading still."

Despite his Daytona success, Stewart still won't be categorized as a driver that is a fan of plate racing. He understands how much just plain old luck can play into the outcome of any race at Daytona or Talladega.

"Someone described racing on the superspeedways of being a combination of a science project and the luck of a casino, and it's exactly that way," said Stewart. "You do everything in your power to take care of the science or technology side. You do everything you can to build the fastest car. If you don't have the luck to go with it - even if you don't have any drama with getting the car touched, nothing happens to the car - if you're just in the wrong spot at the wrong time, it can take you out of the opportunity to take the best racecar in the field and win."

Stewart finds himself still winless in 2014 and after a slow start has shown signs of life in recent weeks. He's 16th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and has a couple of top-five and five top-10 finishes to his credit.

But while Stewart can possibly find a way into the Chase though the point system, a win from now until September's return to Richmond virtually locks him into a shot at running for a fourth career championship.

That could come Saturday night at Daytona but at this point Stewart won't try any desperate maneuvers in the volatile environment of plate racing.

"It's trial and error, but at the same time, it's like pulling a pin on a grenade," said Stewart. "You know through that process that if one guy makes a mistake, your car's torn up. It's just a delicate balance of how hard you go, how many things you try, and how much time you spend doing it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/07/Stewart-Eyes-Five-in-July.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sadler Studying Competition​*
Elliott Sadler says it's too early to worry about the point standings with still more than half of the NASCAR Nationwide season remaining. But that doesn't mean he's ignoring those he could be racing for a title in November.

Sadler enters tonight's Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway with the series lead but Chase Elliott is four points behind, Regan Smith is eight points back and Ty Dillon is 29 points behind. Even Brian Scott, who is 47 points behind, can't be overlooked.

Sadler has raced Smith in a points battle before but hasn't raced newcomers Elliott and Dillon for the crown, let alone raced against them that much. Sadler is learning them as they learn him.

"Chase and I have raced each other a few times so far this year and given each other plenty of room,'' Sadler said. "We were racing each other hard, side drafting and things like that, but not really putting each other in some bad situations.

"Regan and I had a few mishaps last year, we've had none this year. Rule No. 1 in racing and I don't care if you're racing in the Trucks or Nationwide or Cup, most of the guys are going to race you how you race them. It doesn't matter whether you're leading the points or not, if you give room and respect to this guy at the beginning of the race, he's going to do the same for you and vice versa."

As the season progresses, though ...

"Yeah, you're going to start racing each other harder,'' Sadler said.

His focus tonight is Daytona. He seeks his first Nationwide win at this track. He finished fifth in February and won at Talladega. Sadler is using the same car tonight that he won with at Talladega.

Sadler also notes that he's not only trying to win tonight but qualify for the Nationwide Dash 4 Cash program.

The top four series points-eligible drivers qualify for the program next week at New Hampshire. The highest finishing driver of those four at New Hampshire wins $100,000 and moves to the next round (Chicagoland Speedway). The program continues at Indianapolis and ends Aug. 2 at Iowa Speedway.

If one driver finishes the highest among the eligible drivers in the first three events and then wins the Iowa race, they'll receive a $600,000 bonus, bringing the total payout to $1 million.

The key to that will be to finish among the top four eligible drivers tonight.

"It's always a wild one,'' Sadler said. "You never know what's going to happen. It's always got a lot of cautions here at that end. You've got to be in the right line at the right time and hopefully we'll keep ourselves upfront.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lliott-Sadler-Keeping-Eye-On-Competition.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sudden Rain Causes Pileup In Nationwide Grand National Series Qualifying​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Edges Smith at Daytona​*
Kasey Kahne nipped JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith at the finish to win Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide race at Daytona International Speedway.

Kahne, who restarted eighth on the green-white-checkered restart, led only the last lap. His margin of victory was .021 seconds - the third closest finish in series history at Daytona.

"The last half a lap I had tons of momentum,'' Kahne said after his eighth career series win. "The cars in front of me moved the right direction.''

Smith, who led 47 of the 103 laps, finished second.

"Sorry you didn't win there,'' co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. radioed Smith. "You did a helluva job."

Rookie Ryan Sieg was a career-best third. Ryan Reed placed a career-high fourth. Kyle Larson was fifth.

"It was a win for us to come back to Daytona and get my career best finish,'' Sieg said.

The four drivers qualifying for next week's Nationwide Dash 4 Cash are Smith, Sieg, Reed and Jeremy Clements, who placed eighth. The top finisher among those four next week at New Hampshire will win $100,000.

Smith said he thought he was OK as he led in the middle of Turn 3 on the last lap. Then victory went away.

"For whatever reason a lot of big runs were coming off the corner tonight, my car was the same way,'' Smith said. "I figured there would be a little bit of a run there. I went up to block (Larson) and he went more to the middle of the race track. I didn't want to give him the bottom because I was afraid he was going to try and swoop back down and get inside of me. In the process of getting bogged down with him, (Kahne) he just got a huge run on the outside ... and he was able to nip us there.''

Kahne credited Sieg with following him and bumping him. Sieg said he pushed Kahne, but Kahne said Sieg was bumping him.

NASCAR does not permit Nationwide cars to push each other - and penalized Josh Wise and Landon Cassill earlier in the race for it. So why wasn't Sieg or anyone else penalized on the last lap?

"That last lap there a car will close on another car and the accordion will close up and make tight quarters (between cars),'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. "Cars moving side to side ... tells you that they're not directly connected.''

Pemberton said that with this being the final restrictor-plate race of the season, series officials will examine the policy for next year.

Smith's consolation from Friday's race was that he took the points lead from Elliott Sadler, who had to pit for a loose wheel and was collected in an incident before finishing 21st. Smith leads Sadler by 12 points.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kasey-Kahne-Edges-Regan-Smith-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Out of Gas, Stacks Up The Field​*





*Darrell Wallace Jr. Makes Great Save​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is It Time For Heat Races?​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. favors replacing the current qualifying format at Daytona and Talladega with heat races, and he might have gained converts after Friday's bizarre qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway.

Some drivers were befuddled and bothered by the what took place in the rain-shortened session, including Earnhardt and Brad Keselowski, who debated possible format changes on social media.

Earnhardt suggested two 20-lap heat races to set the field with the car that leads the most in their heat winning the pole. Keselowski wants the restrictor plates taken off and let the cars rocket around the track one at a time at speeds well more than 200 mph.

Earnhardt admitted his plan was "probably a far-fetched idea.''

The discussion was a result of what fans saw Friday in qualifying. When the session began, cars backed from their pit stalls, drove toward the end of pit road and ... stopped.

As the opening minute of the 25-minute session ticked away, cars sat on pit road waiting for others to make a move.

"At this particular track it's the waiting around and the foolishness of sitting on pit road and wanting to be last,'' Earnhardt said of displeasure with the current system. "I'd just rather go out there and have to hustle and go after it.''

Restrictor-plate qualifying is different from at other tracks because drivers want to form trains of cars and be last in line to maximize the draft and fastest lap. Thus, the waiting game to be last in line.

When one train of cars left pit road, another followed to try to catch the draft. That led to the first group circling the track at slow speeds and the second group doing the same thing in a cat-and-mouse game.

"That was pretty dumb,'' said Joey Logano, who qualified 28th.

Marcos Ambrose, who qualified 18th, also was not a fan of what happened.

"It is not what I am here to do,'' he said. "I am not here to drive around in second gear at Daytona, I am here to go 200 miles per hour.''

Not everybody was disappointed, though. Carl Edwards, who qualified 11th, called the session "fun.''

Although NASCAR likely won't change the format for Talladega since it is in the Chase, what about next year? Is it time for heat races? It's an issue NASCAR pondered before this season as it decided how to change qualifying.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said there were too many issues with having heat races. He noted that NASCAR's top three series do not use heat races with the exception of the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway.

"When you look at heat races and what may or may not take place when we have a really condensed afternoon ... you could have that where a guy blows a tire and wipes out a third of the field,'' Pemberton said. "I would say that when that was brought out (before this year) it wasn't looked at as a bad idea, it's the opportunity to put the teams in a position that they could not compete based on accidents.

"We weigh all those things. Heat races are exciting, but when you're qualifying two hours or so before the event, you may put yourself in a position to jeopardize the competitors being able to compete at a high level.''

Friday's Nationwide qualifying featured a multi-car accident when rain suddenly fell and cars could not slow in time. That happened more than four hours before the race was scheduled to begin and some teams had to go to backup cars while others used that time to fix their cars.

For as much as Earnhardt likes heat races, he knows that could be other options.

"I think they could take what we're doing and tweak it a little bit for this particular race track and Talladega, maybe shorten up the segments and force everybody to go,'' he said. "I don't know if you just ball it up and throw it in a trash just yet.''

If they do, then he wants heat races.

"Heat races are always fun,'' Earnhardt said. "You can't ever go wrong with heat races in my opinion although we got away from them for some reason. That's what they used to run in the '50s and '60s and pretty much at every race track.''

The question is if it's time to bring back heat races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Races-Be-Used-at-Daytona-And-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Story Lines​*
What a weekend it's been at Daytona International Speedway. It makes one wonder if there could be another unique outcome in tonight's Coke Zero 400.

The action started with Dakoda Armstrong winning his first career Nationwide pole. Then David Gilliland won his first Sprint Cup pole since 2007. Kasey Kahne followed that by scoring his first Nationwide win since 2007, nipping teammate Regan Smith at the finish.

So, what will happen tonight? Could there be another upset or surprise finish?

Restrictor-plate racing gives more drivers a chance and makes it easier for that unexpected finish. Three years ago, David Ragan scored his first Sprint Cup win at this track. Greg Biffle's first win came in this race in 2003. Same with John Andretti in 1997.

Fifteen drivers enter tonight's race searching for their first series win, including Gilliland, second-place starter Reed Sorenson, Danica Patrick, Aric Almirola and Kyle Larson.

Another seeking his first career win is Landon Cassill. He starts third. He finished 12th in the Daytona 500 and 11th at Talladega.

"We've got good equipment,'' Cassill said. "I just need to show the other people out there how good my car is.''

An unpredictable finish is just among the story lines for tonight's race:

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

Would you believe it if you were told that Stenhouse had the best average finish among active drivers at Daytona?

Believe it. He has an average finish of 12.5 in four starts. He's also finished in the top 10 in his last three restrictor-plate races, placing third at Talladega last fall, seventh in the Daytona 500 and 10th at Talladega in the spring.

Stenhouse said entering this weekend that he had this race circled after his recent performances on the plate tracks. Could this be the night he scores his first Cup win?

*Track Position*

The belief is that once the green flag waves at a restrictor-plate race a crew chief is not much more than a spectator because they can't have as much influence in the race.

That's not true. Pit strategy can be critical. A fuel gamble allowed Regan Smith to race for the win in Friday night's Nationwide race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. credits crew chief Steve Letarte's strategy with helping him win this year's Daytona 500.

Drivers talk about how difficult it can be to pass because it's easy to get trapped in the pack. That's where strategy comes in. Earnhardt was stuck running 10th early in the 500, but Letarte had him pit under caution just a few laps after a previous caution where the field pitted. The ploy helped Earnhardt get off cycle and get to the front where he stayed the rest of the race.

"You need to be ... putting fuel in your car as often as you can so that the last time you have to come down pit road to get in that window, you only need to put a few gallons in the car,'' Earnhardt said. " It's where most of the field is putting 12 to 22 gallons in on that stop and you are only putting in what you need, and you beat them off pit road. And there you are - in position to win.''

*Turnaround*

Denny Hamlin finished second in the Daytona 500 and won at Talladega this year, but outside the restrictor-plate races this has not been a memorable season for him.

Hamlin enters tonight's race having finished 26th or worse in the each of the past three races, including a last-place finish at Kentucky when he crashed after 27 laps.

He's a driver who could use a change of fortune and it could come in this race.

*Tony Stewart*

Winless this season, Stewart has finished second and first the past two years in this race. He's won the July Daytona race four times. He's due. He could use a win because he's not in a Chase spot at this point. Maybe tonight is his night.

*Big One*

It's bound to happen and seems as inevitable as the sun rising in the East. The question is who will be collected in the big crash and see their hopes of winning dashed.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/07/Daytona-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Coke Zero 400 Rained Out​*
NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Coke Zero 400 has been rained out. NASCAR will try to get the race in on Sunday morning starting at 11:00 am.

TNT will have the race live starting at 11:00 am and MRN will have the radio call starting at 10:45 am.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Florida Missile Wins Coke Zero 400​*
Aric Almirola wins his first CUP Series race and he does it at his home track. Almirola also has taken the historic Petty #43 car back to victory lane for the first time since 1999.

The race was suppose to run last night but mother nature had other plans. The race started at just past 11:00 am this morning and was halted a few times due to a couple of big crashes and rain. Finally mother nature hammered in the finally nail and NASCAR called the race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Almirola Scores First Win​*
Born on an Air Force base, raised two hours from Daytona International Speedway and driving a car made famous by the King with Air Force as the sponsor, there was no way Aric Almirola could lose a race riddled by rain, wracked by havoc and called early.

"I just took the (No.) 43 car to Victory Lane in Daytona,'' Aric Almirola said in Victory Lane after winning the rain-shortened Coke Zero 400.

What a way to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race for the first time.

"I couldn't have dreamed of a better place to get my first win,'' said the 30-year-old Almirola, born less than four months before team owner Richard Petty won his final Sprint Cup race in 1984.

"Of all the places I could pick to win, I would pick Daytona because I grew up two hours away,'' said Almirola, who grew up in Tampa, Fla., "I've sat in these grandstands and watched the Daytona 500. I've watched the Firecracker 400s.''

Sunday, the fans watched him.

Almirola took the lead from Kurt Busch a lap after what proved to the final restart - "I didn't do my job as the leader,'' Busch said.

Almirola, running in the high line, said he side-drafted Busch to keep them side-by-side, believing that the high line would prevail as it had throughout much of the race.

Once ahead, he relied on knowledge gleaned watching tape of Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading at restrictor-plate races and how they kept the field behind.

Almirola weaved back and forth keeping both lanes bottled as menacing storm clouds began to carry out the threat they promised with rain drops.

NASCAR sent the cars to pit road after the 112th of 160 laps and waited about an hour before showers soaked the track and called the race, giving Almirola the victory and put him in position to make the Chase as the season's 11th different winner.

Brian Vickers finished second with Kurt Busch third, Casey Mears fourth and Austin Dillon finishing a career-best fifth in a race that had a 26-car crash and a 16-car crash. No one was injured in either incident.

NASCAR announced after the race that it found an issue with the track bar split on Busch's car and was taking his car back to the R&D Center to further investigate.

Almirola's triumph returned the No. 43 car to Victory Lane for the first time in a Cup race since 1999 when John Andretti won at Martinsville Speedway for Petty.

"Today is the future,'' Petty said. "We've had so many disappointments and finally it rained on us, but it rained on us at the right time.''

*How Almirola won:* He avoided the two big accidents and put himself in the right position with strong restarts and nifty mirror driving for when the rain came to score his first career Sprint Cup win

*What else happened:* Rain, rain and more rain in a race stopped three times before it was called and declared official after 112 of 160 laps.

*Who else had a good day:* Casey Mears finished a season-best fourth. HIs previous best was a 10th in the Daytona 500. ... Rookie Austin Dillon placed a career-best fifth, topping his ninth-place finish in the Daytona 500. ... Michael McDowell was a career-best seventh, scoring his second career top-10 finish. ... Alex Bowman finished a career-best 13th, topping his previous mark of 22nd.

*Who had a bad day:* So many did in a race with a 16-car crash and 26-car crash. ... Jimmie Johnson finished a season-worst 42nd after he was collected in the first multi-car crash. ... Tony Stewart was collected in the early crash and finished 40th, ending a streak of seven consecutive top-20 finishes. ... Pole-sitter David Gilliland also was a crash victim and placed 35th.

*Quote of the day:* "I was hoping they would wait. We got lights. It's Daytona,'' said Brian Vickers about NASCAR's decision to call the race.

*Other notables:* Denny Hamlin finished sixth. He won at Talladega in the spring and was second in the Daytona 500. ... Kurt Busch placed third but remains winless in 55 Sprint Cup restrictor-plate races. ... Danica Patrick placed eighth, missing her career best by one spot.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/07/Aric-Almirola-Reigns-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Early Crash Collects Contenders​*
Ricky Stenhouse got loose and more than a third of the field - including the top six in points entering the race - got caught in a crash 20 laps into Sunday's Coke Zero 400.

Among the 16 cars collected were those of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards - the top six in points. Tony Stewart's car suffered extensive damage.

The incident started when Stenhouse, running toward the front on the outside line, got loose. He straightened the car but it was too late for others behind.

"I was heading straight and from the replay it looks the (Gordon) kind of checked up and got into the outside of (Stewart) and turned him into us,'' said Stenhouse, the only driver to finish in the top 10 in each of the last three restrictor-plate races before Sunday. "Had it saved and had it straight again and got caught in the left rear.''

The incident happened just before the competition caution, which was scheduled for Lap 20.

"It didn't make much sense when we're coming to the caution ... and something stupid,'' Stewart said. "Tore up a lot of people's cars and a lot of people's days. Get here Wednsday night and sit here all day and run 19 3/4 laps and get wrecked by somebody doing something stupid, it doesn't surprise me.''

"You'll have to ask (Stenhouse). I don't know what he's doing. Every week it's something kind of with him I love him like a little brother but it makes me nervous be around him on the race track now.''

Harvick said he had the wreck cleared "but, unfortunately with the splitters and everything on the front, the grass is what tears the cars up.''

Said Johnson: "There were just cars spinning and I got caught up in it.''

The damage to Johnson's car was too severe to repair.

Trevor Bayne said he could see trouble brewing.

"The handling did not look great on a lot of cars as hot as it is today,'' Bayne said. "I pulled to the bottom lane down the backstretch to try to get out of it. Coming off four it was too late. I was already in the middle of it.''

Others involved were: Marcos Ambrose, Danica Patrick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Michael Waltrip and AJ Allmendinger.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/07/Early-Crash-Collects-Contenders.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Goes on 'Slow Carnival Ride'​*
Calling it a slow carnival ride, Kyle Busch landed on his roof at the end of a 26-car crash during Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

No one was injured in the Lap 100 incident.

The chaos took place on the backstretch after contact toward the front of the pack turned Kasey Kahne. Cars soon blocked the track.

"I was about sixth or so and I was getting hit from behind and started spinning,'' Kahne said. "It just got me going left to right. I knew it was going to be big as far up as I was.''

Greg Biffle made contact with the back of Kahne's car before Kahne spun.

"I am just so unhappy,'' Biffle said. "I watched the replay. That is close quarters racing. David Ragan gave me a big push and then Kasey got up and went to the middle and ran into the back of (Casey Mears) and slowed way up, and I hit the back of (Kahne).

"We weren't lined up. He moved down for some reason when he hit (Mears) or something. It was just a chain reaction. You just never know when the cars slow down that quick and I had a shove from (Ragan) from behind and you can't react that fast unfortunately."

Once cars started wrecking, there were few places to go to avoid trouble.

"From where I was at all heck broke loose all at once,'' pole-sitter David Gilliland said. 
Busch drove on to the grass but his splitter dug into the grass and turned him back on to the track into traffic. 
"A bunch of the other hits were much worse than the one that toppled me over,'' Busch said after leaving the infield care center. "It was real slow. When you start going over, you get tight in the the restraints. and you hold on your restraints.''

Jamie McMurray said his car got airborne.

"I will tell you I have never had a car that's off the ground,'' he said. "It's a crazy feeling, and it's a helpless feeling to have the car do that. I was really lucky that it set back down.''

Other cars involved were: Brad Keselowski, Michael Annett, Marcos Ambrose, Danica Patrick, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, Alex Bowman, Cole Whitt, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson, Landon Cassill, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Truex, Michael McDowell, Josh Wise and Ragan.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Carnival-Ride-for-Busch-in-26-Car-Crash.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Explains Why Race Was Called​*
The day was only half over but the race was finished. NASCAR's decision to call Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at about 3 pm ET left some competitors and fans perplexed.

The decision ended NASCAR's weekend battle with showers, which caused a multi-car crash during Nationwide qualifying on Friday and forced Saturday night's Cup race to be moved to Sunday. Rain twice delayed Sunday's race before it was called after 112 of 160 laps. Aric Almirola was declared the winner.

Runner-up Brian Vickers, naturally, was disappointed.

"I was hoping they would wait,'' Vickers said. "We got lights. It's Daytona.''

With a forecast from the National Weather Service calling for the likelihood of rain until about 8 pm ET and the race past halfway - a day after it was scheduled to run - it tipped the scales for NASCAR to call the race.

"We've seen this weather pattern and felt it was the best interest of fans getting done and getting home,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "We put on 2 1/2 hours of solid racing. When you looked at what was in front of us weather-wise, we felt it was best for all concerned that the race was completed.''

Vickers wondered why a race that was scheduled to start at night ended the next afternoon without attempting to run at night.

"I know a lot of fans ... stuck around at the race track waiting to see the finish, and I was expecting them to wait a little bit longer, knowing we had lights here and it was going to be a night race anyway,'' Vickers said. "So I was a little surprised, but there were circumstances that maybe not so surprised it was called so early.''

Kurt Busch, who finished third, also wondered about NASCAR's decision.

"It seems early to call a race,'' he said. "It is Sunday already and the majority of our fans that showed up were going to use this day to travel back home. On average how far are the fans locally traveling to get back home? Is it four hours? Maybe we could have run later on today and still finish and everybody be back home and working on Monday. It's a tough cal to make.''

Pemberton said an issue was that was so much rain in Turn 3 that water was trapped behind the SAFER barrier and coming down on the track. That could have delayed a restart if the rest of the track was dry.

The later the rain persisted, the longer it would have been to dry the track because it would not have been aided by the sun.

Had the rain not stopped until about 8 pm ET, it likely would have taken at least two hours to dry the track. Thus, the race might not have restarted until after 10 pm in that scenario.

That creates a delicate balance for officials on what is best for competitors, fans, and those working at the track.

"You're always at the mercy of the weather,'' Pemberton said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...07/NASCAR-Explains-Decision-To-Call-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Petty: 'I Never Give Up'​*
The line snaked around shelves of motor oil and antifreeze, past other automotive lubricants and filters. Men in various stages of aging stood with sons, others with grandsons.

They came for someone they admired, someone who once made their days better, but someone who had fallen from the top of his sport. This was years ago, back when North Wilkesboro and Rockingham were stops on the NASCAR tour.

Back when Richard Petty raced.

It was a year before Petty's final season in 1992 and well after his last win, but they came to a Kentucky auto parts store one summer day. Why so many, even as Petty's career tailed off?

"I guess they feel sorry for me," he quipped, punctuating his words with a wide smile and those luminescent teeth.

Although the Pettys once dominated, first with Lee and then Richard, generations of fans know them more for their grace and humility than winning. Since Petty Enterprises closed in 2009, investors and partners have tried to return the Petty name to prominence - with limited success.

Sunday's victory by Aric Almirola in the rain-shortened Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway won't change the team's fortunes on its own. It will take more than one victory to do so. Then again, you can't reach two victories without first reaching one.

Petty's issues haven't been from lack of effort. Lord knows, they tried to succeed. But it was only four years ago when they faced questions about if their haulers would head to the next race because of financial issues. They've since climbed from that, and are investing in testing and trying to do the same with the future.

It would have been easy to quit at any of those down times. At least that's what some thought, but not for the Pettys, particularly Richard. Racing is all they know. It's what they do. He's compared the family to farming neighbors who tended land in Level Cross, N.C. Through good times and bad, the farmers always worked. That's how the Pettys have remained in racing.

"I don't ever give up on anything," Petty said via telephone after Sunday's win, having returned home before the race. "If you look back at the history and Petty Enterprises, all the turmoil we've been through in the last seven or eight years and all that stuff, I never gave up on the thing. So it was one of those deals that I said, 'OK, if I keep working at it long enough, we're going to overcome all this.' "

Sunday's victory was the first time since 1999 that Petty's famous No. 43 made it to Victory Lane. It was the first time the No. 43 had been in Daytona's Victory Lane since 1984, when Petty scored his 200th career victory. Almirola was three months old at the time. More than a third of the drivers in Sunday's race were born after that historic win.

While Petty wasn't in Victory Lane, family still was there. Almirola's crew chief, Trent Owens, is Petty's nephew.

"It feels like home to come back," Owens said. "It was a very comforting transition from Nationwide to Sprint Cup with the (No.) '43' car, and these guys did a really good job throughout the interview process, making sure I made the right decision. I feel like I have and I'm enjoying it. This win will be hard to top ... probably ever."

With all the talk about tying Almirola's win to Petty's past, Petty stated that "today is the future."

The past can be seen in the Petty Museum in Level Cross, but it's what the team does now that will determine its course.

"We don't sit in a hauler and think about, 'Oh man, how cool would it be to win this weekend because it's been 30 years?' " Almirola said. "Every weekend, we show up to the racetrack and think, 'What are we going to do to win the race?' That's our mindset. Whether it worked this weekend, next weekend at New Hampshire or whenever, I'm just glad we got this (No.) '43' car back to Victory Lane."

It wouldn't have happened had Petty given up years ago.

Richard Petty will join Motor Racing Network broadcaster Barney Hall as featured guests on this week's edition of NASCAR Live with host Eli Gold on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Daytona-Win-A-Sign-Of-Petty-Perseverance.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Multi-Car Cup Teams Form Alliance​*
Nine multi-car NASCAR Sprint Cup teams have formed a business association called the Race Team Alliance with Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, elected to be the chair.

Kauffman told Motor Racing Network on Monday that the group's focus is to find ways to collaborate with business decisions that can help cut costs such as with travel or insurance.

There certainly could be other bigger issues the group could address with members including Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske.

Those teams fielded 25 of the 43 cars in Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International and tied to a few other teams competing.

Kauffman said the key is working together.

"I think the priority for the (Race Team Alliance) is going to be things that Richard Childress put it as the teams need to help themselves,'' Kauffman said. "We don't have a tally yet of how many do all of us employ in total. How much do we all spend on travel? How much do we spend in parts and equipment?

"To me the key word is collaboration. People in the media, a fight is always more interesting coverage than nothing, but we're really focused on collaborating and working on things we can do. The extent that any of the stakeholders want to ring us up and discuss something, we're happy to do so. We've got plenty of stuff on our own plate. As Chip (Ganassi) said this is a long-term process, our goals for this organization is to be around for a long time.''

NASCAR issued a statement about the group Monday:

"We are aware of the alliance concept the team owners have announced, but have very few specifics on its structure or purpose. It is apparently still in development and we're still learning about the details so it would be inappropriate to comment right now. NASCAR's mission, as it has always been, is to create a fair playing field where anyone can come and compete. Our job is to support and strengthen all of the teams, large and small, across all of our series and we'll continue to do that. NASCAR is a unique community with hundreds of stakeholders. They all have a voice and always will."

Among the big topics the group could look at is the new TV contract that begins next year with Fox and NBC. The deals are for a reported $8.2 billion over 10 years. NASCAR has divides the TV money with teams and tracks. Tracks receive 65 percent of the share with teams getting 25 percent and NASCAR 10 percent.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France was asked Saturday at Daytona if changes were being looked at with the distribution of the TV money.

"We are looking at that because we start, of course, a new TV agreement beginning next year so naturally we are rethinking that a little bit, and in particular with the Nationwide teams, as well,'' he said. "But that'll be something that we will consider and we will look at to make sure that the appropriate values are where they need to be.''

Asked about changes to TV payments, Kauffman told Motor Racing Network: "I think those are excellent ideas and points, but I think where we are is kind of many, many, many miles from anything like that where we have just formed a new organization, day one, so we have a little baby that was just born. We're going to focus primarily on the things that the teams can control because we haven't even organized that yet. All those other issues are interesting issues but at some level beyond the control of the teams.''

Kauffman said that teams will vote on various issues and some votes will require three-quarter approval and others two-thirds approval and that the results are binding to the members.

"What we're trying to do is maybe more close to Formula One where there is a structured process and we can put things on the table, discuss, debate on it and vote on it and agree with it and that's the position of all the member teams,'' Kauffman said. "That could be pretty handy. Certainly you see that in a lot of other sports and other business. That's the direction we want to take it.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/07/Cup-Teams-Form-New-Business-Group.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Kurt Busch And Team​*
NASCAR penalized Kurt Busch and his team for an infraction discovered after Sunday's race at Daytona International Speedway. Busch finished third in the race.

Busch was docked 10 points, crew chief Daniel Knost fined $10,000 and Gene Haas lost 10 car owner points. The penalty drops Busch two spots to 26th in the point standings behind AJ Allmendinger and Martin Truex Jr. Busch now has 412 points.

The infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20-12 (l) (for events at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, at all times, the Delta (or difference) of the Z-height measurement between the center of the panhard bar mounting bolt located at the left truck trailing arm and the center of the panhard bar mounting bolt, located at the right rear sub-frame mounting bracket, must not exceed three inches) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book.

NASCAR announced after the race that it was taking Busch's car back to its Research and Development Center for further inspection.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../07/NASCAR-Penalizes-Kurt-Busch-And-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Notes: Who Is Feeling Heat? Who Is Getting Better?​*
Aric Almirola's win last weekend at Daytona International Speedway not only returned the No. 43 car to Victory Lane for the first time since 1999 but put the heat on the No. 3 car and Austin Dillon to make the Chase.

Almirola is the 11th different driver to win, leaving five spots available for the Chase. If there are not 16 different winners, the remaining Chase spots will be based on points.

With five spots currently available via points, Dillon holds the last spot that would advance to the Chase. Matt Kenseth leads the non-winners with 580 points. He is followed by Ryan Newman (534 points), Paul Menard (516), Clint Bowyer (509) and Austin Dillon (494).

Four drivers are within 12 points of Dillon heading into Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Greg Biffle trails by four points with Brian Vickers 10 points behind Dillon. Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne are each 12 points behind Dillon.

"You've got to be able to gain through a race,'' Dillon said after his fifth-place finish at Daytona. "You can't just maintain.''

With eight races left until the Chase field is set after Richmond, it's a good chance there will be more different winners, which would leave fewer spots for non-winning drivers. If so, Dillon will have to climb higher in the points - if he doesn't have a win - to have a chance to make the Chase.

*Getting Better*

Kurt Busch's third-place finish marked his fifth consecutive top-15 finish, a sign of a turnaround.

Busch, who joined Stewart-Haas Racing in the offseason, and rookie crew chief Daniel Knost have had their struggles this season. While they won Martinsville, Busch had six finishes of 30th or worse in the first 12 races.

The issues that slowed them previously are disappearing.

"There's some times when a driver and a crew chief hit it off and they're off to the races right away,'' Busch said. "Daniel and I have been slower to mature together in our relationship, and so we're 18 races into our first date. Now we're going into the second half of the season, and all of our first dates are done.''

It's not just their improved relationship that has led to better performances.

"It's nice that we've shown speed on all different types of tracks,'' Busch said. "I can't really pinpoint one thing other than just working through some of the aerodynamic balance changes we've made to our car since around the Charlotte race as well as we built up enough notes on what we were doing wrong to steer a different direction.''

NASCAR announced Tuesday that it had docked Busch 10 points, fined crew chief Daniel Knost $10,000 and penalized Gene Haas 10 car owner points for an infraction discovered after the race.

*Can Clinch Chase Spot*

Any driver with multiple victories who leaves New Hampshire Motor Speedway 337 points ahead of 31st in the points will clinch a spot in the Chase.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. enters the weekend with a 368-point lead on 31st in the standings and should clinch a Chase spot unless he has a bad day.

Jimmie Johnson has a 340-point lead on 31st, so if he maintains that - or loses no more than three points on 31st in the point standings, he would clinch a Chase spot.

Brad Keselowski has a 330-point lead on 31st in the point standings and could clinch a Chase spot by topping the 337-point threshold.

Points leader Jeff Gordon would clinch a spot with his second victory of the season.

*Testing*

Goodyear had six drivers testing Tuesday at Richmond International Raceway. The tire test continues Wednesday. Those testing are Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Cole Whitt, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Aric Almirola. Goodyear's next scheduled test is Aug. 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lmirola-Win-Puts-Pressure-On-This-Driver.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Whelen All-Star Shootout Lineup Revealed​*
The starting field for Friday's Whelen All-Star Shootout at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a who's who of modified racing, with a combined 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships and 132 race wins among the lineup of 20 drivers.

Mike Stefanik, the seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, leads the star-studded field that includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Ryan Newman, two-time tour titlist Donny Lia and defending champion and NASCAR Next driver Ryan Preece. The race will also feature current championship points leaders of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (Doug Coby) and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (New Hampshire native Andy Seuss).

Friday's race, a 40-lap shootout split into two 20-lap segments with a partial field inversion at the halfway mark, is set to begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. MRN.com will have a full report after the race. The race will be televised on Fox Sports 1 on Sunday, July 20 at 2 p.m. ET.

The following is the Whelen All-Star Shootout field, listed in the order they will draw for starting position:

• Mike Stefanik (Coventry, R.I.): A nine-time NASCAR touring series champion overall, he has eight NHMS wins among his record 74 career Whelen Modified Tour victories.

• Donny Lia (Jericho, N.Y.): Two-time tour titlist and 17-time race winner, he has two victories at NHMS.

• Ted Christopher (Plainville, Conn.): The 42-time race winner, including five at NHMS, earned the tour crown in 2008.

• Bobby Santos (Franklin, Mass.): The 2010 tour champion has 12 career wins.

• Todd Szegedy (Ridgefield, Conn.): The 2003 champion has 18 career wins, including last September's race at NHMS.

• Ryan Preece (Berlin, Conn.): Defending tour champion has nine Whelen Modified Tour wins.

• Doug Coby (Milford, Conn.): The 2012 champion has 10 career wins, including two wins in the last three races NHMS.

• Ron Silk (Norwalk, Conn.): The 2011 titlist has nine career victories; he won at NHMS in 2011.

• Jamie Tomaino (Howell, N.J.): The 1990 champion has three career wins and a record 574 career tour starts.

• Andy Seuss (Hampstead, N.H.): Seuss has 18 career NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour wins, including three this season.

• Ryan Newman (South Bend, Ind.): Sprint Cup driver moonlights in Whelen Modified action, where he has four wins, including two at New Hampshire.

• Chuck Hossfeld (Ransomville, N.Y.): A seven-time race winner on the tour, he's won three times at NHMS.

• Matt Hirschman (Northampton, Pa.): Has a pair of wins in his Whelen Modified Tour career.

• Rowan Pennink (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.): Has won at Riverhead and Thompson.

• JR Bertuccio (Centereach, N.Y.): Won this season's southern tour race at Southern National Motorsports Park.

• Glen Reen (Wilbraham, Mass.): The 2008 tour Sunoco Rookie of the Year and 2011 Thompson World Series winner.

• Cole Powell (Mount Brydges, Ontario): The 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

• Eric Goodale (Riverhead, N.Y.): The 2009 Sunoco Rookie of the Year recently earned his first tour win at Riverhead, his home track.

• Bryan Dauzat (Alexandria, La.): One of three drivers representing the Whelen Southern Modified Tour in this event.

• Patrick Emerling (Orchard Park, N.Y.): The 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

Following Friday's Whelen All-Star Shootout, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will also be on track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday for the Sunoco 100, which will air on Fox Sports 1 on Friday, July 18, 12 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel.../2014/07/Whelen-All-Star-Lineup-Revealed.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Daytona Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Should Chase Races Go The Distance?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Should NASCAR require that Chase races go the full distance no matter how long it takes?*

*Answer*​


> *Pete Pistone*
> 
> If there's one thing nobody has any control over it's Mother Nature. Until someone builds a domed race track it will be impossible to ensure a NASCAR race won't be impacted by the weather.
> 
> The call last week at Daytona to end early was the right one given the circumstances. The stakes will obviously be higher once the Chase rolls around, especially with the new elimination format, but I'm not sure NASCAR officials will be able to categorically say they'll wait no matter how long it may take to complete the full distance of a race.
> 
> Tracks that have lights should certainly use them, and I have no problem with waiting like what happened last year in the Chase opener at Chicagoland or even this year in the Daytona 500. But situations, elements and conditions change dramatically when it comes to the weather and even NASCAR is helpless trying to predict or control the outcome.
> 
> Take it on a case-by-case situation, do whatever possible to get as much of the full distance in as possible and the rest is simply up to Ma Nature.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> 
> It's difficult to require a race go the distance with the uncertainty weather presents and that some Chase tracks do not have lights.
> 
> What if series officials decided that a Chase race must reach the full distance? What about a race that makes it past halfway on a Sunday and is unable to be completed until a day or two later?
> 
> What about the fans? What about those who can't stay and have to leave? What about those who had watched on TV on Sunday but can't on Monday? What about tracks that have to find volunteers to return? What about local and state police who are needed?
> 
> Is it more important inconveniencing all of them to make sure a race reaches its full distance?
> 
> Are you still OK with your decision if you were that fan that had to leave the track?


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-N-Go-Should-Chase-Races-Go-The-Distance.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Are Better Days Ahead For Kahne?​*
Kasey Kahne's immediate reaction to Aric Almirola winning last weekend at Daytona?

"Dang it.''

It wasn't anything personal. Kahne texted Almirola congratulations, but Kahne knew that Almirola's win took one more spot away to make the Chase field.

While there likely won't 16 different winners when the Chase field is set after the Richmond race in September, the more winners there are, the fewer spots remain for a driver to make it on points. Almirola was the season's 11th different winner.

With eight races left until the Chase field is set, Kahne is 12 points from what would be the last transfer spot. Rookie Austin Dillon holds that position heading into this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"I'm not worried yet,'' said Kahne, who notes he's confident about all the remaining tracks before the Chase but Watkins Glen.

Still, this has been a frustrating season for Kahne. His Hendrick Motorsports teammates - Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon - have combined to win six of the season's first 18 races. To compare, Kahne has seven top-10 finishes.

Kahne has been fast but hasn't struggled to put together a complete race. He says it has been a variety of issues from communication to pit road and to on the track.

"I'm involved in every bit of that,'' Kahne said. "That's where we've struggled throughout the year. We've put together 60 percent of a race and forgot about the other 40. That's on every one of us. We've worked on that. We're making gains. We're now putting together 80 percent of the race and missing 20 and finishing in the top 10.''

He said the remaining 20 percent comes from what happens on the last pit stop to his actions on the final restarts.

"If those two things come together ... with everything else we have right now, I think we'll be perfectly fine,'' he said.

Kahne scored three consecutive top-10 finishes until he was involved in a crash last weekend at Daytona and finished 27th.

"You go to Daytona and Talladega and you're disappointed most of the time,'' said Kahne, whose last Cup win came last August at Pocono. "It's just the way that those races play out. Not a lot you can do.''

Kahne, who won the Nationwide race at Daytona, saw his Cup race there end after contact from behind with Greg Biffle. Kahne said they discussed the incident.

"He's getting pushed from behind,'' Kahne said of Biffle. "I cant go any further because (Casey) Mears is coming down, and I don't want to wreck Mears. Greg hits me because he can't slow up. Hits me in the right corner, which you can't do,and just sends me spinning. It's just that style of racing. You can't really be mad an anyone I think. Just kind of the way those races go. All the teams and drivers go into that place knowing that. You get mad once in a while if it's just a ridiculous move or something. More times than not, it looks like two cars caused it but it's a group of cars.''

Regardless of how it started, Kahne was collected. He has two months to make the Chase. No time to worry what has happened. Instead he's focused on what's ahead.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Kasey-Kahne-Looking-For-Better-Days.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Helton Says No Animosity​*
NASCAR President Mike Helton said that there is no animosity toward the nine car owners who announced the formation of the Race Team Alliance this week but he noted that "we continue to operate the way we have for the last six decades.''

Helton stressed during a five-minute session with reporters Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that NASCAR continues to have a dialogue with teams and owners.

"Part of our method of operation over the last six decades is to make decisions and we make those decisions by listening to a lot of individual stakeholders in the garage area,'' he said.

"Every car owner in (the garage) has a voice, crew members, drivers, crew chiefs. We take that input and we make what we think are the best decisions that are good for the whole sport. We'll continue to operate that way.''

The Race Team Alliance comprises Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske. Those teams fielded 25 of the 43 cars in last weekend's race at Daytona International Speedway.

Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, chairs the owner's group. He said the alliance's intention is to cut costs, noting that teams would work together to cut travel and insurance costs as examples.

Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., was outspoken in an interview Friday with USA Today about the Race Team Alliance.

"What I know about it, of course I don't like it,'' said Smith, whose company owns eight tracks, including New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I don't know anything about it that's good for what we do. I don't see anything that's going to be good for the sport. Nothing.''

Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson said the Race Team Alliance is a good thing.

"I'm excited for the teams and the opportunity that they have to work together and hopefully drive costs down and have a more clear, concise voice on a variety of aspects,'' Johnson said Friday at New Hampshire.

So, what is keeping drivers from organizing then to have a more clear, concise voice Johnson was asked.

"That opportunity is definitely there,'' Johnson said. "I don't know where others stand or feel with it. I haven't put any thought into it. I guess in some ways, Pandora's box has been opened with this topic and discussion and we'll see where it leads.

"The way I see this is everybody cares for our sport and people are trying to be more organized to help lead and direct our sport in all ways. We'll see what the future holds.''

Helton was asked Friday what he knew of the Race Team Alliance and if he considered it a union.

"You know everything we know,'' he said.

Helton said that the group told NASCAR ahead of its announcement its plans to go public.

"They've made clear their intentions are to grow the sport and make it stronger,'' Helton said. "We have respect on what they do.

"We believe the way we do our form of motorsports has worked. We continue to add assets and value to create and grow the sport, and we'll continue to do that and we'll also continue to do that with the input of as many as people as we can talk to individually. A lot of that is to limit the barrier of entry the best we can. Particularly in the garage and all of our series, to encourage people who want to be owners, or drivers or crew members to be a part of this sport.''

The Race Team Alliance's formation comes half a year before NASCAR begins its new TV contract with Fox and NBC Sports that will pay a reported $8.2 billion over the next 10 seasons.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France said last week that officials are "rethinking ... a little bit" how the TV money is distributed. Tracks receive 65 percent, teams 25 percent and NASCAR 10 percent of the TV payment.

Asked if possible changes to the distribution of TV payments is something the Race Team Alliance members are seeking, Kauffman told Motor Racing Network this week: "I think those are excellent ideas and points, but I think where we are is kind of many, many, many miles from anything like that.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Mike-Helton-Addresses-Race-Team-Alliance.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Loudon​*


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Takes New Hampshire Pole​*
LOUDON, N.H. - Kyle Busch won his second pole of the season in qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Check back for a full report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Kyle-Busch-Takes-New-Hampshire-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'Dash 4 Cash' Begins at New Hampshire​*
The top-four finishing NASCAR Nationwide Series championship contenders in last weekend's race at Daytona - Regan Smith, Ryan Sieg, Ryan Reed and Jeremy Clements - qualified to compete in the first round of Nationwide's Dash 4 Cash program at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday with an opportunity to win $100,000. Each of the four drivers that have qualified for this season's Round One of the Dash 4 Cash are first-time participants to the program.

With four newbies locked in, the cash can land in almost anyone's pockets. Smith and Clements have made three starts at NHMS each posting average finishes of 19.3 and 19.6, respectively. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders Reed and Sieg will be making their series track debuts at New Hampshire.

"Being part of the Dash 4 Cash program is really cool," Smith said. "We missed out on it last year and it was disappointing because I really wanted to be in the running for $100,000. It's exciting. Nationwide does a great job promoting our series and the Dash 4 Cash adds a whole other level. As competitors we all want to win, but this definitely puts a larger spotlight on these next four races."

The highest finisher of the four eligible drivers at New Hampshire will win the money and automatically qualify for the Dash 4 Cash at Chicagoland the following weekend. The three highest finishing NNS regulars at New Hampshire not already qualified will also get to compete for the $100,000 bonus at Chicagoland. The final two events at Indianapolis and Iowa will carry the same qualifying requirements.

If one driver wins the first three legs of the Dash 4 Cash and the Iowa race outright, Nationwide Insurance will award that driver an extra $600,000.

Four fans will be selected to win an all-expense paid trip to Iowa Speedway where they will be randomly paired with the four eligible drivers. The fan paired with the driver who wins the Dash 4 Cash at Iowa will also walk away with $100,000.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Dash-4-Cash-Begins-at-New-Hampshire.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preece Ready for Busy Schedule​*
Whelen All-Star Shootout Entry List | Sunoco 100 Entry List | Sta-Green 200 Entry List

Logging laps and gaining experience is fundamental in the development of young drivers, Ryan Preece, from Kensington, Conn., will be getting a healthy serving of experience behind the wheel this weekend.

The NASCAR Next driver will compete in the Whelen Modified All-Star Shootout at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday. He will then hustle to Stafford, Conn., to compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified Divisions race at Stafford Motor Speedway. On Saturday, he is back at NHMS to compete in the Whelen Modified Sunoco 100 followed by the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sta-Green 200, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing.

Count it. That's four events, and a potential 382 laps.

"Well, with four races, that's four opportunities to run very well," Preece said. "Right now with the Modified Tour team, we've been building up some momentum, and we've had two of our best finishes this season the past two races, so I'm hoping to use what we learned in our test and to have a strong car that can win there. I've finished third there three times, so to improve that would be really, really good. I'd be happy.

"Also going over to Stafford with our SK Modified, we're going three races this season with that, we've been real strong, and hopefully weather doesn't come in, which it doesn't seem like it will, so we'll be able to have a good strong run there. And then obviously with the Whelen Modified Tour on Saturday, running that race and trying to win it, the Nationwide car, I'd say our expectations are to run strong."

Preece won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship last season and has finished runner-up in the standings twice before that (2012 and 2009). He has made 100 starts on the NWMT posting nine wins, 43 top fives, 58 top 10s and 11 poles.

Preece will be making his first NNS start of the season for car owner Baldwin Jr. at NHMS this weekend. Like Preece, Baldwin is also from the northeast, hailing from Bellport, New York. Baldwin gave Preece the opportunity to make his series debut last season at NHMS; he started 27th and finished 24th.

"You know, we ran pretty well last year, and we were a little conservative," Preece said. "We wanted to pretty much run all the laps, and a rookie mistake on my part trying to charge into the box for the pit stop, I slid through, and then we ran out of fuel with three to go in the Lucky Dog spot. I think this year we're going to be a little bit more aggressive as far as the setup goes, and with Zach McGowan, crew chief and me, we've been real good. We've been texting back and forth looking at notes and just really trying to be prepared for this race. I'm definitely pretty excited, and I really can't thank Tommy enough for this opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...014/07/Ryan-Preece-Set-for-Busy-Schedule.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Toyota Takes Truck Winning Streak to Iowa​*
The good news for most Camping World Truck Series competitors today is that Kyle Busch won't be anywhere near Iowa Speedway this weekend.

The bad news for many of those same drivers is that a menacing fleet of Toyota trucks is bound for the Midwest oval and Friday night's American Ethanol 200 Presented by Enogen.

Toyota has won all eight of this year's races &#8230; including five with Busch behind the wheel of his No. 51 Tundra. Erik Jones gets the call this weekend with Busch some 1,300 miles away for Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series duty in Loudon, N.H.

The odds of Toyota making it nine-for-nine in 2014 are pretty good. Timothy Peters won last year's race and is back to defend in the No. 17 Red Horse Racing &#8230; Toyota. The ThorSport Racing duo of Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton sits atop the point standings and is bound for "The Magic Mile" in a pair of &#8230; you guessed it &#8230; Toyotas.

With back-to-back top-five finishes this season, Peters has climbed to third in the point standings and is eager for the return trip to Newton, Iowa.

"Finishing fourth at Kentucky Speedway (in his last start) was great for our team," Peters said. "Every weekend, we're learning a little more. We've gained some ground in the point standings and head to Iowa with a lot of momentum."

In winning last year's summer race on the seven-eighths-mile oval, Peters drove past leader Ty Dillon 27 laps from the finish and remained in front the rest of the way for his sixth career victory. Jones ran second.

"My confidence level this year is definitely stronger," said Jones, who just turned 18 in May. "I have a better feel for what I need out of the truck and am able to communicate that to the crew."

Though he is without a top-10 finish in his three starts so far this season, Jones points out that favorable circumstances and good fortune have not yet found the Kyle Busch Motorsports team with him driving.

"We've had fast trucks for all three starts but have had some unfortunate situations at the end of those races that didn't allow us to get the finishes we deserved," said Jones, whose average finish is 17th in his three starts. "I feel good going into Iowa. It's another race where I'm confident that we will unload a fast truck, go out and compete for the win."

Teammate Darrell Wallace Jr., victorious last month at Gateway Motorsports Park, rides into Iowa Speedway with three straight top-10 finishes.

"This is one of my favorite tracks," said Wallace, presently eighth in points. "I've finished in the top 10 in every one of my starts there. We're carrying momentum from the past few weeks and hopefully, we can add another mark to the win column."

There are 37 drivers on the preliminary entry list for Friday night's race. Since the Truck Series debuted at Iowa Speedway in 2009, six different drivers have won the seven races. Peters is the only one with multiple victories &#8230; both coming in a Toyota.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams will open practice Friday morning and qualify at 5:40 p.m. (ET). Motor Racing Network's live coverage of the American Ethanol 200 is presented by Keystone Light. Air time will be 8 p.m. Friday, with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...oyota-Takes-Truck-Winning-Streak-to-Iowa.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jones Iowa Winner​*
No one's ever questioned the talent Erik Jones possesses.

His luck?

That's another matter entirely.

But Friday at Iowa Speedway, both skill and good fortune finally co-existed for the 18-year-old Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, who powered to his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series triumph in the American Ethanol 200.

"Glad we could get out and command the race and bring it home," said Jones, who led 130 laps and held off a spirited charge from Brad Keselowski Racing's Ryan Blaney, who settled for second.

He brought it home in one piece, too.

Jones, who runs a 12-race schedule, was wrecked while leading late in the June 14 race at Gateway Motorsports Park outside of St. Louis.

He was running in the top five when another truck sent him spinning on a late restart in the March 29 race at Martinsville.

"You really want to try to make your mark every time you get in (the truck)," Jones said. "It's a tough industry and when you get in and you get turned around or something like that, it's just really a bummer and it kind of takes that week and you have to throw it away. When you only get so many opportunities, it makes it really hard as a young guy."

Not that he's complaining.

His turn at the wheel of the No. 51 Toyota put the truck into victory lane for the sixth time this season - and the first time when owner Kyle Busch wasn't driving.

"It was definitely fun," Jones said. "I had a lot of fun - two young guys battling hard there for the win. Pretty hungry."

It's the second time Blaney's snared a runner-up finish at Iowa Speedway this season.

He ran second to Sam Hornish Jr. in May's Get to Know Newton 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

"We're getting closer and closer to getting to victory lane," said Blaney, who owns one win at Iowa, which came in 2012. "It's just a matter of time."

That description appeared apropos to Friday's race at times, as well.

Blaney, who excelled in long runs, could reel in Jones, but couldn't stick a pass.

His best chance came with 16 laps remaining, but a side-by-side duel that went three-wide with the lapped truck of Justin Lofton didn't provide enough daylight.

"I knew that was my best opportunity to try to get by him," said Blaney, who notched his fifth top-five finish of the season. "We got really close. It almost sucked me around. Luckily we didn't wreck right there. It was tight racing, but a good race and hopefully good for the fans."

Matt Crafton earned third, with Joey Coulter and German Quiroga Jr. completing the top five.

Crafton said lapped traffic often proved to be perilous, so he was pleased with his podium finish.

"My lord, some of these guys would go from the bottom to the top and back to the bottom," said Crafton, who assumed the series points lead by two over Blaney while former leader Johnny Sauter limped in with an 18th-place finish. "It was absolutely insane, lapping some of them. I know they had their hands full, without a doubt."

That's not a problem for Jones, who battled his teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. for the lead early in the race before an ill-timed pit stop helped drop Wallace - the pole sitter - to 13th.

"He knows what he needs in a truck and he knows how to race," said Eric Phillips, Jones' crew chief. "He raced side by side with a lot of lapped cars to work through and he and Blaney raced hard all night. They didn't beat on each other or take each other out. They just raced hard and that's the sign of a true winner, or champion, in years to come."

_Note: The No. 51 truck was ruled to be too low during post-race inspection. Any possible penalties will be determined early next week by NASCAR officials._











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/07/Erik-Jones-Wins-at-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Peters Upset After Contact With Hornaday​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Almirola Goes To Backup Car​*
Six days after scoring his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory, Aric Almirola experienced the downside of the sport, crashing in practice Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

He will go to a backup car and start at the rear of the field for Sunday's race.

Almirola said a left rear tire went down and caused him to crash.

Three teams had left rear issues Friday, but a Goodyear official said those tire failures were the result of teams having the air pressure below the recommended minimum level.

Almirola was unsure what caused his problem.

"Disappointing,'' he said. "Just really frustrating because we were working on this car and getting it better and now we've got to go to a backup.''

Almirola admits the incident added to quite a week that began with his victory at Daytona International Speedway.

"I guess the term is hero to zero but we're not a zero,'' Almirola said. "We'll be fine. I'm not worried about it.''

Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the first practice session Saturday with a lap of 133.745 mph. Almirola ranked 26th before his crash at 131.583 mph.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/07/Aric-Almirola-Goes-To-Backup-Car.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Testing 1 ... 2 ... 3 ...​*
Hendrick Motorsports was here. So was Richard Childress Racing. And Chip Ganassi Racing. Don't forget about Michael Waltrip Racing, which won this event a year ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Each organization used one of its four tests allowed at tracks that host a NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

With New Hampshire holding the second race in the Chase, the move isn't surprising other than it came before this race instead of the September event.

The decision was easy for Hendrick Motorsports, which has three tests left, to come to New Hampshire last month. Hendrick only placed two of its four cars in the top 10 in either New Hampshire race last year, although Kasey Kahne was strong in the Chase race until an incident late.

"If you lock-in early, that helps your strategy and you can look more toward the end of the year,'' Johnson said of deciding which tracks to test. "But something teams also look at is where we are the weakest as an organization. Where do the four crew chiefs and drivers get the most frustrated? For Chase-related race tracks, this is one of them for us. That's why the decision was made as a group. All four drivers and crew chiefs agreed; yeah, let's go do Loudon. We need to work there.''

The New Hampshire test was the second of the year for Ganassi, MWR and RCR. All three teams tested previously at Pocono in late May.

Team Penske, though, has not used any of its four tests for Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

"We are stockpiling them because we are both in and we are going to go to the tracks we feel we need to test the most,'' Logano said. "We are still discussing that and scheduling what we need to do. It is important for us to definitely think about that and not just at the tracks that we need it the most but the timing of it.

"It is very hard for the teams to be prepared coming into a race after a test week. You kind of get in your normal rhythm of what you do during the week before the race track and when you throw a two-day test in there it gets strenuous on the guys and being prepared as a driver and crew chief and team. We did a few back-to-back tire tests a few weeks ago and it was very tough to get back at the race track and feel prepared and feel like we were ready to go.''

Yet, one driver who didn't test at New Hampshire wishes his team did.

"I feel like our short track program has been off the last couple years,'' said Denny Hamlin after winning the pole for Sunday's race. "Trust me, I was trying to talk my teammates into testing here, but they had other ideas of where they wanted to test so we jumped on that bandwagon with them and obviously have some pretty good results here just in qualifying so far for the weekend. But, trust me I would have liked to test here for sure."

Most teams are expected to test at Homestead-Miami Speedway since the championship will be determined there.

Brian Vickers, the defending winner of Sunday's race, isn't sold on the value of testing.

"I have mixed feeling about testing in general,'' he said. "If we were the only person that got to test here then I'd feel really good about it, but seeing how everyone tested here really the only difference is that the teams just spent a whole lot of money. That's pretty much the difference.

"I don't know that the outcome is going to change. Like if we all come here and test then we're all essentially probably making gains. Maybe one group makes a few more gains than the other group, but I don't know that the outcome changes a lot and I certainly don't think that the fan experience changed a lot. It's just the teams spend millions of dollars and will never see that money back."

Roush Fenway Racing is scheduled to test later this month at Michigan and that would be the team's first test. Richard Petty Motorsports and JTG Daugherty are scheduled to test later this month at Watkins Glen. It will be the third test for each team.

"Our mindset going into the year was to use all four of our tests if we have to before the Chase starts because we want to get into the Chase,'' said Aric Almirola, who is headed for the Chase after his Daytona win last weekend. "That is what it was about for us. We didn't feel it would do us any good to save a couple of our tests or one of our tests for the Chase if we didn't make it.''

Testing, though, doesn't always prove as beneficial. Rookie Austin Dillon qualified 23rd. Dillon said that they had an older version of the tire used here this weekend and said it wasn't as "soft" as the tire they tested and that impacted their setup.

"What our test helped was no help here,'' Dillon said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ill-Testing-Lead-To-Win-At-New-Hampshire.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Class of the Field​*
Brad Keselowski was the fastest in both of Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup practices. He won the pole in the morning for the Nationwide race. Then, to complete the day, he dominated the Sta-Green 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"What a ... Saturday,'' said Keselowski after leading 152 of the 200 laps.

Despite his dominance, he said the race was not as easy as it seemed.

"That was ... one of the most challenging races I've ever ran,'' Keselowski said. "Knowing that you have Kyle Busch behind you and he's just a tiny bit faster and you've got to fight through lapped cars. It seems like there was always something coming at us.''

For all Busch tried, he couldn't take the lead from Keselowski late and finished second.

"We got what we could,'' Busch said. "We felt that we'd be a solid top-five car and should be a second-place car and that's where we ended up. It would have been nice to win and steal a checkered flag.''

Either one at the front is not surprising at New Hampshire. They've combined to win the last six series races at the 1-mile track with Busch scoring four wins and Keselowski two.

Matt Kenseth placed third with Kyle Larson fourth and rookie Chris Buescher fifth with the help of a fuel gamble.

"It was a very risky move that worked out really well,'' Buescher said. "We lost a couple of those spots pretty quick but were able to hold on and maintain and actually picked up some speed being in better air and finding some other things with the car during our last adjustment. It is always a little nerve wracking but also a lot of fun."

Points leader Regan Smith finished 10th but placed higher than Ryan Reed (11th), Ryan Sieg (18th) and Jeremy Clements (20th) to win the $100,000 Nationwide Dash 4 Cash bonus. The four drivers eligible for the bonus next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway are Buescher, Sadler, Scott and Smith.

Elliiott Sadler finished sixth and gained four points on Smith in the points race despite spinning after he was hit from behind by Brian Scott, who finished seventh.

"We definitely had to fight back,'' he said. "It was a tough weekend, I'm not going to lie. We battled all weekend.''

Smith leads Sadler by eight points.

Chase Elliott placed eighth with Trevor Bayne ninth after he was hit by Dylan Kwasniewski and suffered a flat tire in the opening laps.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...07/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-at-New-Hampshire.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*What Do You Mean You Cannot Race On An Oval In Rain​*
This story didn't make big news on this side of the pond, so to speak, so we're just learning about it now.

But make no mistake about it: the ramifications could spell potential major changes on NASCAR's Sprint Cup circuit in the future.

In an ironic twist of fate, hours before NASCAR called last Sunday's rain-postponed (from last Saturday night) Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the first-ever NASCAR series oval race was contested under what was described as "torrential rain" at Tours Speedway in Tours, France.

In other words, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race went the full distance under the wet stuff, unlike the Sprint Cup race in Daytona, which was cut short 48 laps from the scheduled distance due to rain.

According to sanctioning body officials, this is the first time a NASCAR-sanctioned paved oval track race - on any level - has ever been run and completed in rain.

And in almost storybook fashion, Mathias Lauda - son of three-time Formula One champion Niki Lauda - took the checkered flag in a Chevrolet SS.

"I'm very happy for my first win in NASCAR," Lauda said, according to a Whelan Euro Series media release.

It wasn't easy for the younger Lauda. With 10 laps left in the "Michelin 75″ race, he was forced to twice pass on the outside - not the best of places to do so given the conditions - but his car held true and won by a thin margin of 0.677 seconds.

"I felt good in the rain and I got more and more confident," Lauda said in a Michelin media release. "I tried to save my tires in the first half of the race, which was a good decision because when I moved to the outside at the end I realized at once that I was faster than the guys ahead of me."

Lauda beat points leader Ander Vilarino to the checkered flag. And with the win, Lauda moved up from fifth to third place in the Euro Series standings, just 21 points behind Vilarino.

Up to last Sunday's race at Tours, only the NASCAR Nationwide Series had contested three races in rain, twice in Montreal and the most recent last month at Road America in Wisconsin, won by Brendan Gaughan.

Check out the video interview with Lauda and Vilarino, followed by a highlight reel of the rainy race:











Michelin officials bragged about the feat with a press release issued Friday, calling it a "landmark victory" in "torrential rain" on the half-mile paved Tours oval.

Phillippe Mussati, manager of Michelin's customer competition programs, was obviously rather proud of both Lauda and the job the Michelin tires on his race car did.

"The win of Mathias Lauda and his team DF1 Racing by 66 was an historic one for a number of reasons," Mussati said. "In addition to the victory itself, his Michelin P2E tires fulfilled their mission to the letter and contributed to some outstanding lap times. In the rain, the fastest laps on these tires were only 1.5 seconds short of the fastest laps posted in the dry."

The Whelen Euro Series concludes its regular season at Germany's famed Nurburgring on July 19-20.

The series' playoffs begin on Sept. 20-21 at Italy's Autodromo dell'Umbria di Magione.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...al-race-ran-under-rain-in-whelen-euro-series/


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Sweeps New Hampshire​*
Brad Keselowski became the first driver to sweep the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races in one weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when he won Sunday's Camping World RV Sales 301.

Keselowski led 135 laps and picked up his third win of the season.

The Team Penske driver looked like he would cruise to the win until Justin Allgaier's late crash that set up a green-white-checkered finish.

But when the green flag flew so did Keselowski who easily got a jump on the field and drove away for the victory.

"We've been really good here at Loudon the last few years but were unable to close out," said Keselowski, who also scored a dominating win in Saturday's Nationwide Series race. "Today, we were able to do that."

Keselowski became the 13th different driver to win in the last 13 New Hampshire races.

Keselowski's last two wins at New Hampshire and Kentucky have come in dominating fashion and the 2012 champion is hopeful his Sunday run will pay dividends during the Loudon Chase race in the fall.

"I think it is definitely good for when we come back here in September but past success doesn't guarantee future success," he said. "We have to keep working and plugging away. I am sure a lot of guys will be stronger and hopefully we will be too."

Rookie Kyle Larson finished third, with Matt Kenseth fourth and Ryan Newman fifth. 
Rounding out the top 10 were Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes off next weekend before returning to action at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 27.

*How Keselowski won:* The Team Penske driver was in a class by himself all race long and his only real challenge came in the overtime finish but he easily drove away from Kyle Busch at the drop of the green flag and went on to take the checkered flag.

*What else happened:* Track position was key as it usually is when the Sprint Cup Series competes at New Hampshire. Fuel mileage and strategy were huge factors in determining several finishing positions with some drivers and teams coming up short while others left Loudon with decent finishes.

*Who else had a good day:* Kyle Busch had a fast car much of the weekend and although disappointed had a solid second-place finish&#8230;..An earlier call for two tires by crew chief Chris Heroy gave Kyle Larson valuable track position and the rookie driver responded with a stellar third place performance&#8230;.Matt Kenseth is still winless in 2014, but he turned in a fifth-place effort on Sunday to help solidify his spot in the point standings and a run for a Chase berth.

*Who had a bad day:* Jimmie Johnson was the early victim of two flat tires with the second sending him hard into the wall and out of the race with a 42nd place finish. Johnson insisted it wasn't a choice of low air pressure by the team that caused the issue but rather a Goodyear problem&#8230;.Joey Logano rebounded from an earlier crash in the weekend to drive toward the front of the field in a backup car but was wrecked by Morgan Shepherd, who was more than 10 laps down at the time&#8230;Jeff Gordon had troubles early in the race but battled back to battle for the lead until he ran out of gas during the overtime finish.

*Quote of the day:* "I got taken out by the slowest car out there," Joey Logano, after contact with Morgan Shepherd sent him into the wall and out of the race.

*Other notables:* Ryan Newman scored his second top-five finish of the season after coming home third in Kentucky two weeks ago&#8230;.Ninth-place finisher Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had his best finish since second at Bristol in March&#8230;..Eddie MacDonald made his Sprint Cup Series debut in 35th place.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/07/Keselowski-Sweeps-New-Hampshire.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Wrecked by Shepherd​*
Joey Logano says NASCAR should require a driver's test to make sure what happened to him Sunday isn't repeated.

Logano was upset with 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd after they made contact and Logano wrecked. Logano was running second at the time, while Shepherd was about a dozen laps behind the leaders.

"I just got taken out by the slowest guy out there,'' Logano said after parking his car in the garage and placing 40th.

"He gets out of the way on the straightaway and then goes into the corner and slides right up into the lane I was in. It is just dumb that it happened. I feel like that should be stuff that shouldn't happen at this level of racing. I feel there should be a driver's test ... I guess there isn't.''

Shepherd's response to Logano's suggestion?

"It's not like Joey hadn't never had a problem and he's a lot younger then me,'' Shepherd said.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said no test is needed.

"He's been approved for decades,'' Pemberton said of Shepherd, the oldest driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. "You take a physical at the beginning of the year, you pass your physical, you pass inspection with your car, you qualify for the race and you run the event, so he met everything he needed to meet.''

Pemberton said NASCAR never warned Shepherd for running too slow. Shepherd placed 39th, finishing 27 laps behind the leaders. Pemberton saw the incident between Logano and Shepherd as "an accident. It could have happened to anybody.''

That's how Shepherd described the incident.

"He was close to me and just pulled my car around,'' said Shepherd, his burned heels resting on bags of ice at the team's hauler. "Nobody's fault. Maybe he didn't realize how wicked loose I was, that I was having to tip-toe through the corners.''

The incident unleashed a torrent of comments on social media with many saying Shepherd didn't belong on the track.

"Was I the only guy that wrecked?'' Shepherd said.

No was the response from the questioner.

"That answers that.''

Shepherd was making only his second start of the season. He finished last at Phoenix, completing 28 laps. He said he plans to race in more Cup and Nationwide races this season but doesn't know when or where.

Shepherd was driving for car owner Joe Falk on Sunday. Falk said a "benefactor" provided the money to put Shepherd in the car for this weekend.

"A small team like ours, we've got to have the money to survive to next week,'' Falk said.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...7/Joey-Logano-Wrecked-by-Morgan-Shepherd.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tire Woes Send Johnson Into Wall​*
Jimmie Johnson suffered two left rear tire failures and crashed early in Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He finished 42nd.

"I can promise you one thing,'' Johnson said, "it wasn't (because of) too low left rear tire pressure.''

Not so, said Goodyear's Greg Stucker.

"The tires failed in a manner consistent with low inflation pressure,'' Stucker said of Johnson's tire.

Denny Hamlin, who started behind Johnson noted on the radio before the race how low the air pressures seemed in Johnson's tire. Johnson suffered his left rear tire failure on Lap 8, forcing him to pit.The team changed left-side tires only.

Problems quickly returned. The left rear failed again on Johnson's car and sent him into the wall. He completed only 11 laps before his race ended.

Low air pressure in the left rear was cited as a reason for Joey Logano's crash on Friday and Aric Almirola's crash on Saturday. Goodyear stated Casey Mears and Ryan Newman had left rear tire issues on Friday because they also were below the recommended minimum levels.

Johnson's theory is that the second tire failure was a result of the first one.

"You can look at the second tire and think that maybe some damage was done from the first to cause the second one to go so quickly,'' Johnson said.

Hamlin and Grubb talked on the radio during that caution and Grubb speculated that Johnson's team didn't have enough time to change the air pressures on the left rear tire before he came in after the first flat.

Johnson called the crash a "setback" considering the team tested here before this race and lost a chance to try things in preparation for the Chase race in September at this track.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...7/Jimmie-Johnson-Crashes-After-Tire-Woes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Lilly Diabetes To Sponsor Indy NNS Race​*
Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Eli Lilly and Company announced a multi-year agreement in which Lilly will be the title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Nationwide Series race at IMS, now known as the Lilly Diabetes 250.

Scheduled for Saturday, July 26, the Lilly Diabetes 250 will be run on the famed IMS 2.5-mile oval and will take place during the Kroger Super Weekend.

Previous IMS Nationwide Series race winners include Brad Keselowski in 2012 and Kyle Busch last year.

A leader in diabetes care for more than 90 years, Lilly delivers an array of treatment options as well as a variety of programs and resources that can help people overcome the daily challenges of managing diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects approximately 382 million people worldwide and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) predicts that by 2030, that figure will grow to 592 million people.

According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 714,000 children and adults in Indiana suffer from all forms of diabetes, including type 1, type 2 and gestational.

"Diabetes is a serious problem not just in Indiana but around the world. We know the reach NASCAR has and we are honored to join our neighbors at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to sponsor this race," said Mike Mason, vice president, U.S., Lilly Diabetes. "We hope our involvement will provide the awareness that is essential to prevention and management of this disease. By working with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, we hope to get people talking about diabetes with their doctor, as well as their friends and family."

Lilly Diabetes is a sponsor of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Ryan Reed, who competes full time for Roush Fenway Racing (RFR) and has type 1 diabetes. In October 2013, RFR announced a partnership with the American Diabetes Association's Drive to Stop Diabetes and Lilly Diabetes. Reed, who was diagnosed with diabetes at age 17, drives the No. 16 American Diabetes Association Drive to Stop Diabetes Presented by Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang.

"I couldn't be more excited to compete for the first time at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Lilly Diabetes 250," Reed said. "To have the opportunity to race at the home of Lilly's corporate headquarters in Indianapolis is a great honor and something I'll never forget. I'm grateful to everyone at Lilly Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association for the opportunity to join them in promoting diabetes awareness with the hope of someday eliminating this devastating disease."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/lilly-diabetes-to-sponsor-indy-nns-race/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes No. 2 K&N East Team​*
NASCAR announced Tuesday the No. 2 team that competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East has been penalized as a result of rules violations committed July 11 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The team was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4.9 (involved in an altercation with another Competitor on pit road after the conclusion of the race) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book. The violations constitute a penalty level of behavioral in the NASCAR Deterrence System.

Ryan Gifford, driver of the No. 2, has been fined $1,000 and suspended from NASCAR until the fine is paid. He has also been placed on NASCAR probation until December 31, 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-penalizes-no-2-kn-east-team/


----------



## Ckg2011

*KBM Trucks Having Issues With Inspection​*
For the second consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, a Kyle Busch Motorsports truck won and failed post-race inspection.

Both times the Truck was too low.

NASCAR docked Busch six owner points and fined crew chief Eric Phillips for the P2 level infraction after Busch won at Kentucky last month. Erik Jones won Friday nigh's race at Iowa Speedway and his team faces a similar penalty.

"We're having the same issue that the No. 9 car (of Chase Elliott in the Nationwide Series) had earlier this year with being able to maintain heights after the race,'' Busch said.

Elliott finished fifth at Las Vegas but his car was found to be too low. NASCAR placed crew chief Greg Ives on probation until Dec. 31.

"There's a tolerance ... of a quarter inch I think you're allowed,'' Busch said of the issues with his winning Trucks. "We start at the low side of that because that's the way our setup is. The Nationwide cars, I think that tolerance is half an inch. They widened it. Guys are not having issues now because the tolerance is bigger. Our Trucks still seem to be having that issue just because the tolerance window wasn't opened up as what Nationwide is.

"We're trying to get it the best we can. It's our front end setup stuff. People know what we're running, they know what we're doing. It's just a matter of trying to get it fine tuned a little bit more where we can start higher and maybe maintain a little bit better height if they don't change the rule.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...h-Explains-Recent-Issues-With-KBM-Trucks.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes KBM Again​*
NASCAR has penalized Kyle Busch Motorsports' winning Truck a second consecutive race.

NASCAR announced Tuesday that it has docked Erik Jones 10 points, fined crew chief Eric Phillips $6,000 and penalized Kyle Busch 10 owner points after Jones' Truck was found to be too low in inspection after last weekend's Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway.

The infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20B-12.8.1 (truck failed to meet post-race height requirements) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book.

NASCAR penalized KBM for the same infraction after Busch won at Kentucky last month. NASCAR fined Phillips $5,000 and docked Busch six owner points for that infraction.

Busch explained last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway what the issue has been for his Truck team.

"There's a tolerance ... of a quarter inch I think you're allowed,'' Busch said. "We start at the low side of that because that's the way our setup is. The Nationwide cars, I think that tolerance is half an inch. They widened it. Guys are not having issues now because the tolerance is bigger. Our Trucks still seem to be having that issue just because the tolerance window wasn't opened up as what Nationwide is.

"We're trying to get it the best we can. It's our front end setup stuff. People know what we're running, they know what we're doing. It's just a matter of trying to get it fine tuned a little bit more where we can start higher and maybe maintain a little bit better height if they don't change the rule.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/07/KBM-Penalized-Again-By-NASCAR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon To Make Sprint Cup Debut Next Month​*
Ty Dillon is scheduled to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut next month at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Mike Dillon, vice president of competition at Richard Childress Racing, told Motor Racing Network.

Ty Dillon ranks fourth in the Nationwide point standings after last weekend's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He has 11 top-10 finishes in 17 starts this season.

Should the 22-year-old Dillon make the Aug. 31 Atlanta race, it also would mark his first Sprint Cup race against his brother, Austin, who is a rookie this season.

Mike Dillon says that Ty Dillon, his son, will drive the No. 33 car for Circle Sport, which is aligned with RCR, at Atlanta. Part of the reason why Ty Dillon will make his debut at Atlanta is that Richard Childress Racing is scheduled to test there next month.

"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity,'' Ty Dillon said on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live."

It won't the first time Ty Dillon has tested a Cup car. He has tested with Furniture Row Racing this season.

"He's been fast when he's gone,'' Mike Dillon said. "Feel like he'll be fine.''

Mike Dillon said the plan is for Ty Dillon to run a second Cup race later this season but where and when will depend on sponsorship.

What RCR is doing with Ty Dillon is similar to what it did with Austin Dillon's progress to Cup. Austin Dillon made his Cup debut in 2011 at Kansas when he was competing in the Truck series. That was his only Cup start of the year. He started one Cup race in 2012 during his rookie season in the Nationwide Series before running 11 Cup races in 2013 while en route to the Nationwide title.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Dillon-Set-To-Make-Cup-Debut-Next-Month.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Test 2015 Rule Proposals​*
NASCAR has scheduled a test next month at Michigan International Speedway to test possible rule changes for the 2015 season.

The test is scheduled to be held Aug. 18, the day after the Sprint Cup race there.

"We're very pleased with the competition on the track so far in 2014,'' said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development, in a statement to Motor Racing Network. "The evolution of the racing product continues as we look to 2015 and beyond.

"The test at Michigan International Speedway will be a great opportunity to gather more information, help us validate much of the great research done by engineers in our sport, and drive us one step closer to our 2015 race package."

NASCAR states that the number of teams testing hasn't been finalized. NASCAR also states that no other tests have been scheduled, although indications in the garage are that a follow-up test could take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway later in the year.

The Michigan test is similar to what NASCAR did last year in setting the rules for the 2014 season - only much earlier in the season.

Six teams tested Oct. 14 for NASCAR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Thirty teams participated in the NASCAR test Dec. 11 at Charlotte Motor Speedway that featured mock races. Series officials conducted three 30-lap mock races, a 20-lap mock race and a 15-lap mock race with different configurations to help finalize the rules package for this season. Those tests helped lead to eliminating the ride height requirement for this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Schedules-Test-For-2015-Rules-Package.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Cars Get New Look​*
Celebrating the accomplishments of those drivers who will contend for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, NASCAR has released several new elements to the paint schemes of race cars making the 16-driver Chase Grid.

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup-eligible cars will have the roof number, the front splitter / front fascia and the windshield header colored yellow, as well as have a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup logo affixed to the front-quarter panel of their race car.

As part of NASCAR's emphasis on winning races all season long, this celebratory paint scheme will be placed on a driver's car to begin the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 14. Once a driver is eliminated after one of the Chase's first three rounds, the paint scheme will be removed from the car.

These changes serve as a visible symbol of the new Chase format. In addition, the paint scheme elements will ensure that fans are able to easily identify each championship contender as NASCAR's playoffs progress.

Announced by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France in January, the new championship format expands the Chase field to 16 drivers, up from 12 in previous years, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format.

A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase, which will air exclusively on the ESPN family of networks. The number of championship drivers in contention for the championship decreases after every three Chase races, culminating with four drivers racing for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, scheduled for November 16.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ial-Paint-Scheme-Elements-For-Chase-Cars.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Who Is On NASCAR's Mount Rushmore?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Who is on your Mount Rushmore of NASCAR if you could have only one driver, one owner, one crew chief and one official?*

*Answer​*


> *Pete Pistone*
> 
> Driver - Richard Petty: "The King" will always be NASCAR's all-time Sprint Cup Series race winner and even today his name is synonymous with the sport.
> 
> Owner - Raymond Parks: The fact that the first man to field a championship winning team is not a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is one of the sport's major oversights. Without Parks, there would be none of today's contemporaries who came after his sacrifice and perseverance.
> 
> Crew Chief - Dale Inman: Arguably one of the most creative and knowledgeable minds to work with a racecar in any form of motorsports, Inman was a major component of Richard Petty's storied success.
> 
> Official - Bill France Sr.: Visionary is an understatement in describing France, who took what was nothing more than a niche group of competitors and turned it into one of the most successful sports organizations in the country.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> 
> Driver - Jimmie Johnson: Although Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more titles, Johnson was first to win five in a row and his six crowns come in sport's most competitive era.
> 
> Owner - Junior Johnson: Innovative, versatile and successful. He won as a driver and had greater success as an owner, claiming six titles and 132 races.
> 
> Crew chief - Dale Inman: One of the few men with more championships than Richard Petty. Inman has eight.
> 
> Official - Bill France Jr.: Give Bill France Sr. credit for starting the sport, but his son moved NASCAR through the tumultuous 1970s and helped it reach heights few thought possible.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/07/Gas-N-Go-NASCAR-Mount-Rushmore.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint Cup Mid-Year Review​*
_The NASCAR season is halfway done and here's a look at some of the top story lines so far during the 2014 Sprint Cup Series._

*Flexing Their Muscles*

Several teams and drivers have been strong over the course of the opening 19 races this season with Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick all scoring multiple victories.

Keselowski and Team Penske teammate Logano have combined for five wins. After missing the Chase last year, Keselowski has returned to championship form. His last two wins, at Kentucky and New Hampshire, have come in dominating fashion. Logano has been a solid contender on a nearly weekly basis and with Keselowski, he helps form a very potent one-two punch for Roger Penske's team.

Johnson has suffered from poor finishes the last two weeks but after a slow start to the year - by his standards - the six-time champion quickly became a repeat visitor to Victory Lane. Hendrick Motorsports running mate Earnhardt opened the year with a bang, winning the Daytona 500, and added a second win to his total at Pocono. Gordon, who leads the Sprint Cup standings heading into the final off-weekend of the year, scored a win at Kansas Speedway in May.

Harvick's pair of wins could easily be doubled if not for bad luck, mechanical issues and some pit strategy not working out. The first-year Stewart-Haas Racing driver and new crew chief Rodney Childers have clicked, and Harvick has rarely shown up at a race weekend without one of the fastest cars in the field.

Edwards has been the bright spot for Roush Fenway Racing, which continues to lag behind its Ford counterpart at Penske. After posting a win at Bristol back in March, Edwards added his first career road-course triumph at Sonoma in June.

*Thrill of Victory*

The season's other winners include an eclectic group of drivers from several different organizations.

Kurt Busch pulled off a thrilling Martinsville win for SHR before heading into a string of frustrating outings for the new No. 41 team. After competing in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend, Busch and the team have made some steady improvement in recent weeks.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have put marks in the win column this year despite not running as consistently as expected. And the feel-good story of the summer so far has been the iconic No. 43 rolling into Victory lane at Daytona International Speedway two weeks ago when Aric Almirola scored his first career Sprint Cup win.

*Still Winless*

Maybe even a bigger story than the winners list are the names that have been shut out of Victory Lane so far this season. Matt Kenseth, who enjoyed seven wins last year, is still seeking his first checkered flag of 2014. Although the JGR driver sits fourth in the point standings and would make the Chase field of 16 at this juncture, Kenseth remains one of the surprising developments of the campaign.

Kasey Kahne is the only Hendrick driver without a win and has endured a frustrating season so far, with only a pair of top-five performances. Michael Waltrip Racing's Clint Bowyer and teammate Brian Vickers - a winner last year - have yet to triumph this season. Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle are among other drivers accustomed to winning that have not yet this year.

*Racing Intensity*

The year started with a string of compelling races and different winners, kicked off by Earnhardt's thrilling Daytona 500 victory. For the next two months, each week featured entertaining and compelling races that saw a string of new faces in Victory Lane.

NASCAR's new Chase format, which puts more emphasis on winning, was part of the formula. But so were other ingredients like tire wear, rough race tracks, caution flags and even impending weather conditions.

Things have leveled off in recent weeks thanks in no small part to dominating performances by the likes of Keselowski and Johnson, and with 11 winners after 19 races it's a long shot at best for every one of the 16 available Chase spots to be filled by race winners. But with five more berths for the playoffs on the line, it will be an interesting seven weeks in the race to the Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/07/Sprint-Cup-Mid-Year-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jones Set for Nationwide Debut​*
Erik Jones will make his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series start in Saturday night's EnjoyIllinois.com 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Jones won his second career Camping World Truck Series race last Friday night at Iowa Speedway. The 18-year-old led a race-high 131 laps to score victory number two in just nine career starts.

Now Jones sets his sights on NASCAR's number two division with a chance to drive the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Camry in Saturday night's first of two visits this season at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland oval.

"Yeah, I'm really excited," Jones said. "It's a great opportunity for me, and I'm really excited it's with Joe Gibbs Racing, such a strong team in the Nationwide Series, and I think it'll be a great opportunity. Really looking forward to what that's going to bring and seeing how it all works out."

To say Jones is stepping into uncharted waters is an understatement. The only time he's been in a Nationwide car came during a test at Memphis.

However, Jones was pleased with how his test day in Tennessee went.

"That's the only time I've been in a Nationwide car and felt like we learned quite a bit and I definitely got acquainted with the team," he said."

Jones will be the seventh different driver to start a race in the JGR No. 20 entry. Matt Kenseth has 11 starts with Darrell Wallace Jr., Kenny Habul, Sam Hornish Jr., Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez also part of the rotisserie so far this season.

The team has been solid and produced six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes and ranks seventh in the Nationwide Series owner point standings.

But despite his limited experience, Jones is not worried about "keeping up with the Joneses" so to speak.

"I think there's definitely an expectation every time you step into a race car that's successful and always runs well, especially with the 51 truck this year," said Jones, who shares the truck ride with team owner Kyle Busch. "Kyle has been extremely dominant, and every time I get into it, it makes me feel more confident just knowing that the truck can win and we have a shot to win every weekend.

"I'm really looking forward to the start I get in the 20 car. I know it's a great team, and there are some expectations there, but at the same time they're obviously a little different for me just making my first couple starts in the Nationwide Series, but at the same time I'm wanting to go out and show them that I can do it and run well in the Nationwide Series and hopefully show that we can go out and be competitive."

Jones will continue to share the truck with Busch the rest of this season and will also make two other Nationwide Series starts in the 20 ride in 2014.

He's grateful for the opportunities that have come his way and plans to relish every shot he gets in the progression of a career that has a long road ahead.

"It's a really big step for me getting into a Nationwide car, and especially at a place like Chicagoland," said Jones. "At first I'm just going to be looking to make laps and get to the end of the race and hopefully running up in the top 10. At the end of the day we're all racecar drivers and we all want to go for the win.

"I think we'll be challenging hard to do all we can to run up front and contend, and at the end of the day I hope we'll be up there. I know we've got great equipment and a great team. I'm pretty excited to see what it's all going to bring."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Nationwide Series from Chicagoland Speedway. Air time for Saturday's EnjoyIllinois.com 300 is 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Erik-Jones-Set-for-Nationwide-Debut.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Races to Chicagoland​*
The Richard Childress Racing Nationwide Series teams look to keep moving up the series point standings with a good outing in Saturday night's EnjoyIllinois.com 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

All three of RCR's regular trio of drivers - Ty Dillon, Brian Scott and Brendan Gaughan - are inside the top 10 of the standings heading into the weekend's first of two series visits to the 1.5-mile track.

Dillon enters Chicago fourth in the standings and will pilot the same Chevrolet Camaro that he drove to a seventh-place finish at Kentucky Speedway last month.

While he'll be making his Chicagoland Nationwide debut, Dillon has a pair of Camping World Truck Series starts at the track and won an ARCA race back in 2011.

"We're going back to a 1.5-mile track, where I see our team improving greatly," Dillon said. "We raced this same Camaro a few weeks ago in Kentucky, and it was probably our strongest car yet. I'm excited to make some laps at Chicagoland, it's a great track and I was able to get into victory lane a few years ago in the ARCA race. All things are looking up for this weekend."

Like Dillon, Scott carries the same enthusiasm into the "Windy City." In seven career series starts at the track, Scott has an average finish of 9.9, including when he came home third after starting from the pole in 2011.

"Chicago has been a good race track for me in the Nationwide Series," said Scott, who is one of four drivers eligible for a $100,000 payday Saturday night thanks to the Nationwide "Dash 4 Cash" program. "I'm always excited when we go there. I'm disappointed with how we performed in Chicago last year. Chicago is one of my better 1.5-mile tracks and we have a package now at RCR where I feel like when we go back, I think we'll be really strong and really stout. It's one of my favorite race tracks."

Although Scott readily admits to always looking forward to running at Chicagoland, he's not totally sure why he runs so well at the track.

"I don't know, I've been asked that a lot," Scott said. "The way that the track is laid out, the way you can ride the high line. My strong suit seems to be typically, when the race gets going and the tires fall off, I'm able to work the high groove really well and make up a lot of time there. It's a fun place, I like going to Chicago. It's just a track I feel comfortable at and I have a lot of confidence when I go in. Sometimes, that's all it takes."

Gaughan is no slouch at Chicago either and the veteran driver has a great deal of experience at the track. He'll make his fourth Nationwide Series start Saturday night and also has three Camping World Truck Series races under his belt including a second place performance in 2012.

While Chicago is one of many 1.5-mile tracks on the schedule, Gaughan says part of its allure for him is that it is a unique layout.

"Chicago is a different 1.5-mile track than the rest because both corners are increasing radius corners, which makes it easier to drive than the other mile and half tracks," said Gaughan. "There is an arc to the back straightaway, but you still want and try to drive somewhat of a straight line."

There will be a fourth member of the RCR stable Saturday night with Cale Conley getting a start in the No. 33 Chevrolet. This will not just mark the young driver's first appearance at Chicagoland but Saturday night will be his first 1.5-mile track start.

"I have confidence in Nick (Harrison - crew chief) and our No. 33 crew," said Conley. "This team has had such a strong run over the past month and I hope I can keep that momentum alive this weekend to bring home another strong finish."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/07/RCR-Races-to-Chicagoland.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gifford Ready to Race After Fine Paid​*
Ryan Gifford said Wednesday that his fine has been paid, lifting his NASCAR suspension.

NASCAR suspended Gifford on Tuesday until he paid a $1,000 fine for an altercation with a competitor after last weekend's K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

With the fine paid, Gifford will compete in Saturday night's K&N Pro Series East at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. Gifford remains on probation until Dec. 31.

Gifford declined to talk about what he did on pit road to incur the fine and why he was upset.

"I'm kind of over it, and I'm sure he is, too,'' Gifford said.

Gifford said this has shown how one act can overshadow other things he's done.

"I feel like there's a way to prove your point,'' he said at a NASCAR Next event at GoPro Motorplex. "Maybe it wasn't the best one. At the time I felt it was the right one. I think that as we move on, we learn from it.''

*Original story is here:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-Pro-Series/News/Articles/2014/07/NASCAR-Fines-Ryan-Gifford.aspx

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...14/07/Suspension-Lifted-For-Ryan-Gifford.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*From These Beginnings Came These Racers​*
It started in different ways. For one it was playing with Matchbox cars and making car noises. For another, it was seeing a grandfather's pictures drag racing. And for one of NASCAR's hottest drivers, their interest in racing began after their parents bought a dirt go-kart from a friend.

Just as drivers come from different places, their beginnings can be varied as well.

Ben Rhodes, who leads the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings by more than a race heading into Saturday's event at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway, got his start with the dirt go-kart.

That dirt go-kart spent more time in the family garage the first couple of years the family owned it. Rhodes and his older brother ran it around the house a couple of times but it wasn't until Rhodes' older brother asked to race a go-kart that the sport became a focus.

"My dad presented me with the same opportunity,'' Rhodes said. "Do you want to do it?''

"Yeah!'' Rhodes said.

His excitement waned after that first race, though.

"I wanted to quit,'' Rhodes said. "I got run over by the leader. He ran over the top of my kart. He was pinned on top of me. I got multiple laps down my first race. I thought, this was horrible. I wanted to quit but I didn't say anything to my dad because he just bought a new go-kart. I was scared of what to tell him. So I did it for a couple of weeks and got the hang of it.''

From that the 17-year-old Rhodes has gone on to win five of the first 10 races in the K&N Pro Series East series this season. He also finished eighth in his Camping World Truck Series debut in March at Martinsville Speedway.

Truck driver Erik Jones' introduction into racing began a different way.

"It really just started from a liking of cars, 3, 4 years old just always making car noises, running around with Matchbox cars,'' said Jones, the youngest winner in Truck series history.

"My mom actually read an article about quarter midgets for kids and took it to my dad. We ended up getting a quarter midget and it's something that took off from there.''

Jones scored his second career Truck win last week at Iowa Speedway for Kyle Busch Motorsports. The 18-year-old makes his Nationwide debut this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Ryan Gifford's racing interest was sparked by his grandfather, who competed in drag racing.

Gifford, 25, wanted a junior dragster when he was 8 years old to follow his grandfather. His grandfather had other plans.

"He took me to the go-kart track because it was closer to home and I instantly fell in love with it,'' said Gifford, who competes in the K&N Pro Series East series.

Racing came naturally for 23-year-old Ryan Preece, last year's champion in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. A grandfather built modifieds, another sponsored cars and his dad raced.

"When I was about 5 years old, I got into quarter midgets and have been going ever since,'' Preece said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-Pro-Series/News/Articles/2014/07/Varied-Beginnings.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chasing The Weather​*
It is bound to happen. It could be even this year with the way rain has impacted events.

At some point, a race in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup will be shortened because of weather or some other issue. Should it happen during an elimination race, it could dramatically impact who advances and who no longer has a chance to compete for the championship.

NASCAR's rulebook states that if a race has reached halfway and cannot be completed, it is considered official.

So, should NASCAR consider altering that rule for a Chase race, particularly an elimination race? Should there be a requirement that a Chase race must be 75 percent complete to be considered official? Or should it go the distance regardless of how many days it take?

These could be key issues since two of the three elimination races - Dover and Talladega - do not have lights.

Even so, don't expect NASCAR to change its policy.

"I think our track record shows we do everything we can within reason,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "What is unreasonable is hard to determine. Everything has its challenges. Every circumstance is different. We'll do the best we can to balance all of that.''

Look back to the 2011 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Carl Edwards entered with a three-point lead on Tony Stewart for the championship. Rain slowed that race three times, including a delay of nearly 75 minutes, but it went the distance as the forecast improved in the evening. A full race gave fans a dramatic finish with Stewart beating Edwards for the title on a tie-breaker.

"I have only been doing this for 10 years or so but in my opinion NASCAR does a really good job of finishing the races when they can be finished,'' Edwards said. "I can not remember, except maybe one Truck race where I felt like it shouldn't have been canceled.''

Earlier this month at Daytona International Speedway, the race was called after 112 of 160 laps, a day after it was scheduled to have run. The event was called in the afternoon, leading some to question why officials didn't wait until longer since the track had lights. With forecast of rain until about 8 pm, it would have taken at least two hours to dry the track, putting the start no earlier than 10 pm when fans, teams and others had been at the track since the day before.

"If you have lights, it doesn't mean that you sit somewhere for 24 hours to get a race in,'' Pemberton said. "I don't think it's in the best interest of competitors and fans to be awake and to perform at high level for a 24-hour period. That's why not.''

When NASCAR called the Daytona race, Aric Almiorla was awarded the victory. Even before the rain came, competitors saw dark clouds moving closer.

"We were all racing really hard past halfway to keep our track position and stay up front because we all knew the rain was coming,'' Almirola said. "Those are the rules and how we all raced. I don't know the answer to that question or how to make it fair or not fair. I know that has been the rule and that is how we race and I won and I am excited about it."

From a purely competitive standpoint, there is the argument about finishing the race even if it takes days but that also is living in a vacuum. Any race that continues to the next day or beyond provides a burden for fans, who can't stay. There's also the challenges for the TV network to find a place to air the rest of the race because or regular programming. And there's the volunteers needed at tracks to take tickets, park cars, work in concession stands and such, along with the aid from local and state police to help with security and traffic.

Of course, the forecast will also play a role.

Every situation is different, making it difficult for NASCAR to create a rule on how to treat weather delays and when to call a race even if it is in the Chase.

"NASCAR of anybody understands the importance of letting the racing take care of itself and letting a race win or a championship happen on the race track and not due to weather,'' Jimmie Johnson said. "So, my reaction has been they've always fought hard to get the race in and to do the right thing at each moment."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...sent-NASCAR-With-Big-Challenges-In-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brian Scott On Pole For Tonight's EnjoyIllnois 300​*
Brian Scott will lead the field to green tonight along side Ty Dillon. Tonight's EnjoyIllnois 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The rest of the starting lineup for tonight's race click the link. 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6511&StatType=Starting+Lineup

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/?homepage=true


----------



## Ckg2011

*The New Elvis Wins Again​*
Chase Elliott wins in Chicagoland Speedway,

Elliott led the most laps and had a 2.5 second lead on second place finisher Trevor Bayne. This is another win for JR Motorsports. The rookie is lighting up the NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series this year.

The NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series heads to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway next Saturday.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Windy City Winner​*
Chase Elliott captured his third career NASCAR Nationwide Series win in Saturday night's EnjoyIllinois.com 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

"We had a fast race car for sure but killer pit stops and that was the key do being out front and staying there," said Elliott, who led a race-high 85 laps.

Elliott took over the series point lead with his victory, which came in his first career start at the 1.5-mile track.

"I just try to make the most of the practice laps," Elliott explained on how he learns to race at tracks where he's never competed. "The biggest thing is these guys brought me a really fast race car. 
"That's the biggest thing. That gives me time to learn the race track instead of having to work on the car and do it at the same time."

Trevor Bayne, Kyle Larson, Kasey Kahne and Ty Dillon rounded out the top five.

"I'm proud of this Roush-Fenway Racing team," Bayne said. "We've had some rough races lately, but we're trying hard and we aren't giving up."

Brian Scott finished sixth and captured the $100,000 bonus he was eligible for as part of the Nationwide Dash 4 Cash program.

"This is such a great thing for this team and the series," said Scott, who started from the pole and led 20 laps. "It's great Nationwide does this for the series and $100,000 is a lot of money for all these teams so I'm grateful for them and for this team to give me such a great car tonight."

Scott, Elliott, Bayne and Dillon are eligible for the bonus next week in Indianapolis.

Erik Jones finished seventh in his first career Nationwide Series start with Chris Buescher, Ryan Blaney and Elliott Sadler completed the top ten finishers.

Sam Hornish Jr. was an early exit from the race after completing only seven laps when an engine failure sidelined him.

"We know one thing - there's a big hole in the oil pan," a frustrated Hornish said after he was forced to start from the rear of the field from an unapproved change to the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "Our car was really good there to start off the race. We had to start at the back with a problem that we had during qualifying, but I felt like we were gonna have a really good day.

"The Monster Energy car was really awesome in practice and I felt like this was going to be a great opportunity to not only lead laps but go out and win the race. It's unfortunate that it ended so soon, and it's not what these guys or myself deserve."

Elliott leads JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith, who finished 16th Saturday night, by seven points in the standings with Elliott eight out. Dillon and Scott round out the top five in the standings.

There were 17 lead changes among 11 different drivers in a race that had three caution flags for 13 laps.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon for the Lilly Diabetes 250.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/07/Chase-Elliott-Wins-at-Chicagoland.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bayne: 'We Can't complain Too Much With That'​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notes: Will Indy Be Different?​*
Indianapolis Motor Speedway always has been a challenging place for stock cars to pass, but Joey Logano wonders if it might be a bit easier with the new setups because of the rule changes this year.

Logano was one of six drivers who took part in a Goodyear tire test last month and has an idea of what fans might see this weekend.

"I feel like the race itself will be quite a bit different,'' said Logano, whose best Indy finish came last year when he placed eighth. "You have more drag down the straightaway and it is so long that the momentum of the trailing car will change quite a bit and be faster than the leading car at the end of the straightaway.

"Whether that is enough to pull up to him and get underneath him by getting into the corner, I don't know until we get there. With two cars side-by-side, the third car will get a huge run and there will be three- and four-wide racing on restarts.

"I think that race, being one of the most special races of the year that we go to, we are going to be racing really hard on restarts and throwing caution to the wind because we want to win that thing and on restarts is the time to do it. Restarts will be nuts for that reason.''

Logano said he thinks the drag of the cars and the draft could tighten the racing.

"I think it will be harder for the leader to take off and leave, which is a good thing for Indy,'' he said. "We will have to wait and see, but that is the direction I am thinking it will go.''

Defending race winner Ryan Newman isn't convinced that the race will be much different from past years.

"I think track position is going to be as important as it always has been at Indy, if not more,'' Newman said in comments distributed by Richard Childress Racing. "Horsepower will remain at a premium. You also have to get through the corners because that dictates how you are going to run in the straightaways. To win at the Brickyard, you will need the complete package and then some."

*TESTING*

Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tested Monday and Tuesday at Michigan International Speedway.

It's the first of four tests teams are allowed at NASCAR Sprint Cup tracks. The test comes after the Roush cars failed to score a top-10 finish last month at Michigan for the first time in the past 28 races there.

"We didn't expect to come here and to perform that poorly,'' Edwards said. "We truly believed we would come here and this was going to be a track where we could turn things around. It showed us a couple of things. One, that we have things to work on. Two, that you can't rely on past performance. My average finish might be great here, but it doesn't matter now.''

Stenhouse said he thought his car was fast there in June but got into the wall and that ruined his race. Biffle said he just wasn't good.

"We were further off in (June) than Ricky and some of the other guys were,'' Biffle said. "We were probably closer to half a second off of the pace of the fast cars. I think since we have shown up here we have found three- or four-tenths of speed and I feel pretty good about that.''

*MORE TESTING*

Richard Petty Motorsports and JTG Daugherty are each scheduled to test July 28-29 at Watkins Glen International. That will be the third test for both teams this season at a Sprint Cup track, leaving each with one such test.

Unlike Sonoma - where JTG Daugherty's AJ Allmendinger tested alone - he'll share the Watkins Glen test with one of the sport's top road racers in Marcos Ambrose. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver had never finished outside the top three in a Cup race at the Glen until last year when Ambrose was eliminated by an accident.

"It's always good to have (someone), especially Marcos because you can argue the last how many years he's been the fastest guy or one of two fastest guys, but you can't get caught up in making it a race at the test,'' Allmendinger said. "At Sonoma, we showed we have good speed on the road course. We're repairing that car. Hopefully we can get there and feel it out and it feels the same.''

*PIT STOPS*

David Ragan will compete in three races this weekend, starting with a 100-lap Late Model race Friday night at Lucas Oil Raceway. He then will compete in Saturday's Nationwide race and Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... Goodyear tested tires last month. Tony Stewart crashed during the test. Others who tested were Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/NASCAR-Notes-Will-Indy-Be-Different.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*France Questions Move By Owners​*
NASCAR Chairman Brian France says he doesn't think the Race Team Alliance is necessary and that having one centralized voice of car owners is "a bad idea."

France discussed the RTA and other topics Monday on "SiriusXM Speedway" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Much of France's time on the show dealt with the Race Team Alliance, which was announced earlier this month. The alliance features nine NASCAR Sprint Cup owners, including Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, Roger Penske and Jack Roush.

Rob Kauffman, chair of the RTA and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, has stated in interviews that the alliance's goal is for car owners to find ways to work together to cut costs, noting travel and insurance expenditures.

To that, France said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: "They're smart guys, they may figure out some things that we're not aware.''

Otherwise, France isn't convinced the alliance is worthwhile, especially the RTA speaking to NASCAR on behalf of each member.

"That would probably be the worst thing we could ever do is to listen to one voice even if it were a consensus voice,'' he said. "In every decision that we have ever made that is important, the more input, the more people we heard from the better results. That will never change in the business model of NASCAR because good ideas come from all over the place. That's the strength we have.''

France repeatedly said during the interview that it would be "business as usual" for NASCAR even with the RTA's formation.

"They're entitled to approach their business in certain ways,'' France said. "We're going to respect that. But we're going to go down the road of dealing with all the team owners, not most of them, not the big ones, all of them.

Although the RTA has not expressed a desire to negotiate a different percentage of the TV package (teams receive 25 percent, tracks 65 percent and NASCAR 10 percent), France was asked on "SiriusXM Speedway" if the TV package payout could be altered.

"No,'' France said. "They're set for historical reasons and because it's the right allocation. Everybody would like to have more. The tracks would, anybody else would. That's natural. I think they've made mention that they don't have any desire to do that. We're business as usual. We're focused on building better relationships with all the teams owners all the time. We don't always get it perfect, but I think our communication is better than ever.''

France also was asked about other topics, including how close NASCAR is to finalizing the new engine package.

"We're accelerating that but it's a ways off, and we will balance, as we always do, phasing in and out certain equipment,'' he said. "Cost will be a huge deciding factor on where we end up and how fast we can go, but we've got to lower the cost to supply engines. It's too high.''

France also was asked about the 2015 schedule. He said it isn't finished but hinted at changes.

"There's not going to be a dramatic change but there may be some things that are a little different,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...07/Brian-France-Questions-Move-By-Owners.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Ready For Busy Week​*
Tony Stewart has a full plate of responsibilities this week as NASCAR visits Eldora Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Stewart will wear three hats this week, including driver, team owner and track owner.

His track obligations kick in at Eldora as the Camping World Truck Series makes its second appearance for Wednesday night's 1-800-CarCash Mudsummer Classic. Last year's first dirt race for one of NASCAR's top divisions in more than 40 years proved popular with drivers and fans.

Stewart is hoping for good things again this time around.

"It's about as close to being a proud father as I can imagine being," Stewart joked about his role running the venerable Ohio dirt track. "It's really cool. The fun part of it now is getting down to the last couple of days, and the biggest thing I worry about is this weather right now more than anything.''

The National Weather Service's forecast for Rossburg, Ohio, where the track is located, calls for a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms but any rain will be mainly between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. That could impact practice sessions during the day. Qualifying is set for 5:10 p.m. with the heat races scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the feature race at 9 p.m.

Stewart says less than 1,000 reserved seats remain for Wednesday's event and walk-up seats remain for lawn seating.

As a successful driver who ventured into team ownership, Stewart didn't envision himself getting involved in the track side of the motorsports business. But his affinity for Eldora and the timing of when the opportunity to purchase the track came about led to his newest role.

"Honestly, it was never really on my radar," said Stewart, who also is involved in ownership at other dirt tracks. "Owning the race tracks or the race teams was never part of the master plan. They were all just circumstances. Pretty much everything that I've done in my career has been an opportunity that's come up at the right time. I got a call from Earl Baltes one day, and he said, "I need you to come see me. I've got something I want to talk to you about."

"But the success of Eldora isn't at all due to what I've done with it, it's due to what Earl and Bernice Baltes had done for the first 50 years of the race track."

Once the checkered flag flies Wednesday, Stewart will test his sights on Indy and getting a win in the Brickyard 400. As an Indiana native, Stewart has always had a reverence for the famed facility but admits with his open-wheel background, he wasn't enamored with the idea of stock cars racing at the famed track.

"Honestly, I was one of them that absolutely thought it was a crime initially,'' Stewart said. "I'm a purist. I'm old school. It's always been sacred ground to me. I remember when they did the tire test there and everybody ‑ there was so much excitement after that - and that really didn't even get me to switch sides. I was actually in Illinois the day that the Brickyard ran, and when I got back and saw the replay of the race it was very evident that this was something that wasn't breaking religion, so to speak, or sacrilegious for it to be there. It really showed why NASCAR belonged there.

"But I was one of them that didn't like it at first until I actually got back and saw the replay of the race and saw how much excitement it brought. It was the month of May historically, and all of a sudden it was the month of May and August now, and you had the same historic race track and now you had two events instead of one."

Stewart will be shooting for a third win in the prestigious event but also has an opportunity to kiss the bricks as well in his team co-ownership role should one of his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates - Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch or Danica Patrick - take the checkered flag.

But first is ensuring that Wednesday night's Mudsummer Classic goes off without a hitch.

"My job is to show up and worry and get in their way," Stewart said of his waiting staff.

"I'll ... be a pain in their butt. I'll act normal, I'm sure."

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Wednesday's 1-800-CarCash MudSummer Classic at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com. MRN will provide online coverage of the qualifying races starting at 7 p.m. (ET).*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/07/Tony-Stewart-Readies-For-Big-Week.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trucks Back on Dirt​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the dirt tonight for the second annual 1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.








Six of the top 10 finishers from the inaugural race will be returning for the 150-lap event led by defending winner Austin Dillon and runner-up Kyle Larson. The field of 30 drivers will be looking to accomplish what Dillon did last season and not only win the trophy but the golden shovel to be used to scoop up a chunk of the famed speedway's dirt surface and bottle it up for a keepsake.

"Winning the Truck Series race there last year was probably one of the most memorable wins of my career," Dillon said. "The track means so much to me because of my dirt racing background. It was a lot of fun and the track did some really cool things, such as letting each member of the team scoop up a piece of dirt from the track and keep it. I also got to take my picture with Richard Petty since he was the last driver before me to win on dirt. It's cool and it means a lot."








Dillon, who will drive the No. 2 American Ethanol Chevrolet, will join his younger brother Ty as part of a two-truck effort for Richard Childress Racing. They have only competed in the Truck Series against each other a total of six times with the 2013 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway being the last.

Larson, who swept USAC's 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora in 2011, will drive the No. 32 Chevrolet for Turner Scott Motorsports, joining teammates Ron Hornaday and Ben Kennedy. (Read More on Larson)

Joey Coulter, driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet, was the top-finishing Truck Series regular last season, in fourth place. Since 2012, Coulter has also been racing Dirt Late Models in a number of events, most recently picking up the win at 311 Motor Speedway.








"Eldora Speedway is a 'wild card' in every sense of the phrase," Coulter said. "Even though most of the teams participated in the event last year, there is still a lot that can and will probably change for this year's race. One of the most fun things about racing on dirt for me is that you never know what the track is going to be like until you get there. Last year, Eldora Speedway was hard-packed, slick and a little dusty. There's a good chance those conditions will be different this year."

Ken Schrader will return to Eldora after becoming the oldest pole winner in NASCAR national series history last season at the age of 58. Schrader, who recently won at El Paso County Speedway in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified Series, will be driving the No. 52 Toyota.

NASCAR made a number of tweaks to the format this season including a random draw to determine the qualifying order and extending the qualifying races from eight to 10 laps. (See Race Format)








Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will provide online coverage of the qualifying races starting at 7 p.m. (ET) followed by race coverage at 8 p.m. that will kick off with the Last-Chance Race. Last year, Norm Benning made headlines when he drove his way into the Feature after an exciting final lap in the Last-Chance Race. This year, Benning will be driving his No. 6 Chevrolet.

Like last season, a number of teams have been testing in preparation for the Mudsummer Classic including Kyle Busch Motorsports, which has won seven of the nine races this season. The most recent series winner, Erik Jones, tested for his first start on dirt at Wythe Raceway along with KBM teammate Darrell Wallace Jr.

"It will be interesting," Jones said. "I tested one time on dirt and that's the extent of my dirt experience."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ews/Articles/2014/07/Trucks-Back-on-Dirt.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reed Proving Adversity Is Just A Word​*
When a racer is told they will never be able to race again, you instantly think that's the end of the story.

Not so for NASCAR Nationwide Series young gun Ryan Reed.

Reed, 20, is currently halfway through his rookie campaign in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing, and is coming off of a season-best fourth place finish just three races ago at the historic Daytona International Speedway. However, that is far from where the Bakersfield, California native's story begins.

Reed grew up in Bakersfield and had a passion for racing from a very young age, beginning his career at age 5 and rising to prominence after winning the US Legend Cars track championship at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (now the Irwindale Speedway) in 2009, when he was just 14 years old. After Reed won Rookie of the Year honors the following year in the Super Late Model division, becoming the youngest-ever recipient of the honor at Irwindale, the stage was set for a rapid ascent to the top levels of motorsports for the California teenager.

And then everything changed.

While he was competing in Super Late Models in 2010 and in the process of relocating to North Carolina to work with then-up-and-coming Kyle Busch Motorsports, Reed was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after noticing lack of energy, weight loss, and thirst that he couldn't quench. Though the young driver was no stranger to the kind of wear that racing can cause on the body, Ryan had a gut feeling that these symptoms were something more than just competition-based.

After the diagnosis, the words that Reed was dreading came down from doctors. The young upstart was told he would never race again.

"When the doctors told me I wasn't going to be able to race again, I think I was numb for about a second," Reed said of the earliest hospital visits. "After that though, it was all about finding information, you know, 'What can I do to be able to race again? What options do I have?' That was the mindset that I took into this, that it was beatable and I was going to do it."

Reed's mentality paid off. Through advances in insulin-reading technology and a rigorous training schedule and diet, Reed has kept his health in top shape and received clearance from NASCAR to return to the race track. After a short stint in the K&N Pro Series East in 2011 and a near-full campaign in the ARCA Racing Series in 2012 that nearly resulted in a win at Chicagoland, Reed was ready to blaze a trail where no one like him had before: NASCAR's top three series.

Read the remainder of this story provided by content partner RaceChaserOnline.com.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/reed-proving-adversity-is-just-a-word/


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## Ckg2011

*Allgaier Gains New Sponsor For Indy​*
HScott Motorsports announced today that Collision Cure Body Werks will sponsor the No. 51 Chevrolet SS driven by Justin Allgaier in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Collision Cure Body Werks is a family-owned business, with 85 teammates in five different locations across the central Indiana region. A sixth location is opening soon in Fishers, Ind. Owners Rick and Lynn Fields enjoy providing customers with outstanding service and take pride in their highly trained and passionate employees. They are proud to serve as community partners and make it a priority to give back.

"We are thrilled to be on the No. 51 car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, " said Rick Fields, owner of Collision Cure Body Werks. "This is our first time being involved in NASCAR, and we are excited for the weekend. Justin [Allgaier] represents himself well on and off of the track and we are proud to be associated with a first-class company such as HScott Motorsports."

Allgaier, who is running for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award in the NSCS this season, will be making his first career NSCS start at IMS. He has competed in two Nationwide Series events at the 2.5-mile track.

"I'm excited to have Collision Cure Body Werks on the No. 51 Chevy this weekend, " said Allgaier. "They are an Indiana-based company and I'm happy to have them on board the car for my first Sprint Cup Series start at IMS.

Indy has a lot of history and is one the biggest events of the season. I can ' t thank the Fields family and their company enough for their support this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/allgaier-gains-new-sponsor-for-indy/


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## Ckg2011

*Zing Zang Backing Sorenson & TBR​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing has signed Zing Zang Bloody Mary as a sponsor on the No. 36 Chevrolet SS driven by Reed Sorenson in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.








Zing Zang Bloody Mary will sponsor the No. 36 Chevrolet in four high-profile races this season beginning this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Zing Zang Bloody Mary will also sponsor Sorenson at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 11, Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 19 and Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 26.

The No. 36 of Sorenson will sport a bright green and black paint scheme to align with Zing Zang Bloody Mary's bright, fresh ingredients used in their flavorful mixes. Zing Zang Bloody Mary, their flagship mix, is one of the most popular Bloody Mary Mixes in North America.

"As a family-run business, we are so happy to support Reed Sorenson and be a part of such a fantastic sport and group of people," Chief Marketing Officer Katherine Roppolo said. "Our dad and founder, who passed away two years ago, was a huge racing enthusiast. He and our mother used to watch the races and would say, 'Wouldn't it be awesome if one day we had a Zing Zang car?' When we finally partnered with Tommy Baldwin and NASCAR, our mother actually cried realizing their dream had come true. We know our dad would have been so thrilled and only wish he were here to join in our excitement! We love our fans and know how much they love NASCAR and Zing Zang. We hope to spread the word about our famous Bloody Mary Mix to a new arena of fans during the 2014 NASCAR racing season."

"I am happy that we were able to create this partnership with Zing Zang," said team owner Tommy Baldwin. "I believe that it will be good for TBR, as well as the sport, and Zing Zang. We are going to give it our all this weekend at Indy, and hopefully create a partnership that will be around for a while in NASCAR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/zing-zang-backing-sorenson-tbr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace Wins at Eldora​*
Darrell Wallace Jr. held off a furious charge from Kyle Larson to win Wednesday's Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CarCash Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.

Wallace scored the third win of his career and second of 2014 to give Kyle Busch Motorsports eight victories in the season's 10 races. He also drove Toyota to its 12th straight series win dating back to the end of last season.

"That's so cool, on dirt at Eldora," Wallace said. "It's awesome here. I came into this kind of skeptical. I knew we'd run top five. I was worried about the Toyota streak, I'm not going to lie."

Although Wallace had a dominant truck, Larson did all he could to run him down in the thrilling closing laps. The young driver bounced off the wall several times trying to wrestle the lead away, and his truck was visibly beaten and battered. Larson finally made too much contact with the unforgiving wall just two laps from the finish and a broken track bar ended his night with a 26th-place finish.

"I hit the wall way too many times," Larson said. "I hit it pretty hard on that last restart and I don't know if it shoved the fender in. But every time I would get to the cushion, it would just suck me in. I feel really stupid. It sucks to lose it that way, but Darrell did a really good job."

Wallace, who won last month at Gateway Motorsports Park, led 97 of the 150 laps run around the half-mile dirt oval.

"I wish my mom was here," said Wallace. "But this is a good-luck streak. She wasn't at Martinsville and she wasn't at Gateway. She's not coming any more."

With Larson falling out, Ron Hornaday finished 5.5 seconds behind in second for his best finish of the season in his battered Chevrolet.

"We didn't have a scratch on the truck after qualifying and the heat race so I said, 'You guys better look out because it's going to be big in the main event,' " Hornaday said. "I think I hit everything here. To be a part of this Turner Scott Motorsports team is pretty cool. We're turning it around and I'm having a blast."

Ryan Blaney, Ken Schrader and Ty Dillon rounded out the top five. Dillon's finish capped what turned out to be an eventful night that included a cut tire and a confusing call by NASCAR on pit road. He was penalized a lap for fueling during a stop but was awarded the "Lucky Dog" on the Lap 112 competition caution and was able to charge back to the front of the field.

"We had a good enough truck to win," Dillon said. "We ran into a misunderstanding there with our pit stop, but we kept our chin up and kept digging. I was proud of our attitude and Danny's (Stockman) determination to win."

John Hunter Nemechek, Jeb Burton, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and defending race winner Austin Dillon completed the first 10 finishers. Wallace's KBM teammate, Erik Jones, started from the pole in his first race on dirt but was plagued by early problems including a flat tire on Lap 25 that took him from contention for the win.

Blaney took over the series lead by four points over Crafton with Sauter, Hornaday and German Quiroga completing the top five. Jones, Burton, Hornaday, Blaney and Sauter won heat races while Jon Wes Townley took the last-chance qualifying race.

The Camping World Truck Series now heads to Pocono Raceway for its next race on Saturday, Aug. 2.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Articles/2014/07/Wallace-Wins-at-Eldora.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dillon, Larson Tangle, No. 3 Penalized​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart: 'It's Definitely Feasible'​*
While he's not planning for it, Tony Stewart would love for the addition of more NASCAR Racing at Eldora Speedway.

Stewart, along with track general manager Roger Slack, talked about the possibilty during a press conference for the unvieling of the new infield building that will be added for the 2015 season.

"I'd love for the Truck Series to not be the only NASCAR that comes here," Stewart said. "If this continues to go as well as we hope it does there's no reason that the other two divisions couldn't come possibly in the future.

"I think we can make it work. If you can take the trucks and make them work here, the Cup cars and Nationwide cars aren't much of a stretch from that. So it's definitely feasible to do that."

The new building, which will begin to be constructed in October, will house the media center that will also double as an infield hospitality suite. The building will also be the site of the infield care center along with a concession stand with double lines.

"It's going to be a significant investment, but is going to be significant improvement," Slack said. "It will stay the very same height of the existing building so it will not affect the fans in the grandstands sightlines.

"We are really excited about this. This is probably the second biggest undertaking since building the suites."

Stewart said the decision to build in the infield building had no bearing on the possibilty of getting a Nationwide of Cup Series race in the future.

"This is part of the continued process of us making the commitment of improving the facility to making it bigger and better," he said.

"But we are very appreciative and very content if we only run truck races from here on out. We get the privilege to keep hosting Truck races and we are very happy doing that."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Love-to-See-More-NASCAR-Racing-at-Eldora.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Indy Can Provide Harsh Reality​*
Ghosts linger and wash over one as you pass through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway gates. From its first 500-mile race in 1911 to NASCAR's debut in 1994 to today, this 2.5-mile speedway has tested many with few conquering it.

Modern upgrades, including a new scoring pylon installed this week, can't change what this track is about.

This track remains a proving ground.

NASCAR's annual trip here this weekend is no different. Sunday's Brickyard 400 will show teams where they stand less than two months before the Chase begins.

Indianapolis' 5/8 of a mile straightaways reward horsepower. A malnourished engine will wilt under such conditions and lag well behind the leaders. Yes, track position is important at Indy, but if one doesn't have enough horsepower it won't matter.

Hendrick Motorsports engines have been the best this season, helping Hendrick, Stewart-Haas Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing to strong runs this season. The only team that has shown it can compete with those engines are the Team Penske cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano with their Roush-Yates engines.

Most engine builders target Indianapolis for updated versions, knowing how the track and competition will test their equipment. If these new engines aren't strong enough, there's still time before the Chase for upgrades. If the engines are strong, it's a sign that those groups are working in the right areas.

"The Chevrolet engine seems to be right there,'' said former champion Dale Jarrett, an analyst for ESPN. "They've got a little something on everyone.''

Particularly the Hendrick motors, which have won four of the past five races on unrestricted horsepower tracks. Jimmie Johnson won at Michigan and Charlotte. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Pocono, and Jeff Gordon won at Kansas. The one exception in that string is Keselowski's win at Kentucky where handling is as critical as horsepower because of the track's bumpy surface.

"Don't count Doug Yates out,'' Jarrett said of the man who builds Ford engines for Team Penske, Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports. "He doesn't like being second to anyone, anything. I think we've seen (Keselowski) and (Logano) be beneficiaries of that. Doug Yates always had something a little bit more when it came time for Indy.''

While Penske has been strong with Yates' motors, Roush Fenway Racing has not. Carl Edwards' two wins are at Bristol and Sonoma, tracks where horsepower is not as important. Roush failed to place a car in the top 10 at Kentucky, Michigan and Pocono last month. The Michigan race marked the first time since 2000 that Roush did not have a car finish in the top 10 there. It led the team to test there this week, but it wasn't just Michigan that Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were focused.

Biffle admits the Michigan test was a "dual-purpose test" to find speed also for Indianapolis. Biffle said that he was about half a second behind the faster cars during a Goodyear tire test last month at Indy that included Tony Stewart (Hendick engine) and Logano.

"We knew we had to find that speed,'' Biffle said. "We feel like we have found some of that speed. I feel pretty good about going to Indy now.''

Roush isn't the only organization searching for speed, though.

"I think the one organization or one group that's going to be hurting a little bit are the Toyotas,'' Jarrett said, noting Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing. "I think they've been behind. I think it's a significant amount that they're behind.''

That's a big change from last year when the Gibbs cars of Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin won eight races at 1.5-mile and larger tracks. Now, the Toyotas are trying to catch the Hendrick engines and others.

"I know that they were looking towards the Brickyard as trying to up things a little bit to try to get a little bit more power, but that's a huge gamble,'' Jarrett said of Toyota. "As we all know, anytime that you start trying to make more power, you're sacrificing a little bit of reliability somewhere along the way to make that power work.''

That's the dilemma teams could face if they can't catch the Hendrick engines this weekend.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/07/Horsepower-Will-Be-Key-At-Indy.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Hendrick Vs. Penske​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Hendrick Motorsports has six wins this year. Team Penske has five. Who wins more races before the Chase begins in September?*

*Answers​*


> *Pete Pistone*
> 
> Just by simple numbers Hendrick has twice the opportunity as its counterparts at Penske with four drivers in Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne versus Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. But math skills aside, while Penske has certainly been formidable so far, to me Hendrick is still the cream of the crop.
> 
> I expect Johnson and company to be in the thick of a run for title No. 7 with more wins in his future. The way Earnhardt looks, this is his best chance to win his first Cup championship. Gordon has been in the mix a lot this year, and although still winless, Kahne has the capability of finding Victory Lane on any given week.
> 
> Tip of the cap to Keselowski and Logano, who may get another win or two between them before Richmond, but my money's on Hendrick Motorsports to have the most victories between the two organizations.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> 
> It's hard to overcome a speed disadvantage. While Team Penske has won the past two races with unrestricted engines (Kentucky and New Hampshire), I'm going to say Hendrick Motorsports keeps its advantage in wins before the Chase because of its superior horsepower.
> 
> I also wouldn't be surprised to see Kasey Kahne, the only Hendrick driver yet to win this season, in Victory Lane before the Chase begins to add to that team's total.
> 
> While Keselowski and Logano could win again before the Chase, I think you'll see Hendrick cars also there to keep the advantage.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/07/Gas-N-Go-Hendrick-Vs-Penske.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Indianapolis*​


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Revved For Indy​*
Twenty years after his first win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 10 years after his most recent victory at the historic track, Jeff Gordon remains a favorite this weekend.

Ponder that.

How many athletes remain a threat to win two decades later? How often in NASCAR have drivers faded one decade, let alone two decades, after their first win and become non-factors? Gordon continues to evolve and thrive, entering this weekend's Brickyard 400 as the points leader and focused on another victory.

"There's no doubt I feel like this is the best chance that we've had at winning this race legitimately with the speed of the car as we've had in a very, very long time,'' said Gordon, who has scored six top-10 finishes in the last seven races at Indy.

Since winning the inaugural Brickyard 400, Gordon has married, divorced, remarried, had two children, won four championships, claimed 88 wins and watched the series go from Winston Cup to Nextel Cup to Sprint Cup.

That his four championship trophies say Winston Cup champion fuels him since he's not won a Sprint Cup title under the Chase format.

It's too early to say if this will be his year. The new Chase format likely will create some surprises with its elimination format, but based on how he's performed this year, Gordon can't be discounted.

Unlike the past two years, Gordon arrives to his adopted hometown - which proclaimed that Sunday will be "Jeff Gordon Day'' in Indianapolis - without having to worry about making the Chase. The past two seasons, Gordon has had to fight all the way to Richmond and then some to make the Chase. NASCAR added him to the Chase last year two days before it began because of the actions of Michael Waltrip Racing at Richmond.

Should Gordon claim his fourth Indianapolis victory, he'll clinch a Chase spot provided he attempts to qualify each of the races before

"We've not had maybe this strong of cars in the last few years, but we also had some really unfortunate circumstances work against us,'' said Gordon, who in the past two seasons has had possible wins derailed by contact with a teammate, mechanical issues, getting wrecked by another competitor and other issues.

"This year, our cars and our team is better and maybe that's why good things are happening for us. We're putting ourselves in good positions. I've always said you make your own luck and I think we're doing that this year because we're running up front, we're qualifying up front. We're making smart decisions.''

For all that, Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson have done this year, they've combined for only a win at Kansas in May.

"We look at our competitors and we know that we haven't won the most races and we need to win more,'' said Gordon, battling a sinus infection this weekend. "So we're taking what we've done so far and looking at the positives and how good it is, and we're enjoying that but we're also working really, really hard because we want to be the best out there. I feel like even though we're leading the points with this new point system, we've got to be better than this if we're going to win the championship.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Best-Chance-In-Recent-Years-To-Win-Indy.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Wants to Double Up (Again)​*
Back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he started his quest to run the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day, Kurt Busch says he'd like to run both races again next year.

Busch said Friday that he's yet to talk to owner Michael Andretti, who fielded a car for him at Indy this year, but expects to do so.

"I'm more than willing to jump back in and try to do a full 1,100 miles because that's the objective to try complete all 1,100 miles,'' Busch said. "It's something special. It's a target and it's only been achieved once.''

Busch, the fourth driver to compete in both races in the same day, fell about 200 miles short of completing the distance. Only Tony Stewart has run all 1,100 miles in the two races, accomplishing the feat in 2001 when he finished sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.

Busch's bid to complete all 1,100 miles ended when his stock car's engine blew at Charlotte. Although he fell short in that goal, Busch won Rookie of the Year honors at Indianapolis for his performance.

"I really enjoyed it,'' Busch said of running both events. "Afterwards it felt like it took a week or two to settle back into the Cup rhythm. But overall to have a plaque to say Rookie of the Year, Indianapolis, to qualify at 230 miles an hour for a four-lap average, that was exciting.''

"I guess there is the one regret. I should have stayed for qualifying on Saturday and tried to stay locked into that Fast 9. My objective was to be top 15. We were knocking on the door. We were third fastest when I left.''

Indy 500 qualifying was the same day as the Sprint All-Star race in Charlotte. Busch left Indy early to qualify for the All-Star race. A loose lug nut - teams are required to make a pit stop during All-Star qualifying - caused him to start at the rear. It's where he would have started had he stayed at Indy to try to be in position to win the pole and allowed Parker Kligerman to qualify his Cup car for the All-Star race before arriving for that race.

Since running both the Indy 500 and Coke 600, Busch says he's thought a lot about doing it again.

"That's been the big question,'' he said. "Every day I wake up and like, yes, let's do it again. Then there are thoughts of I finished sixth, that's pretty special. I don't know if I could achieve that result again.

"And then (Michael) Andretti will text you, Marco (Andretti) will text you. The relationships from the open-wheel side that I opened up whether it's Jimmy Vasser at KV Racing or Ed Carpenter with his race team. It's really unique to talk to a lot of the team owners and other drivers on the IndyCar side to see if it can and will happen again.''

For now, though, Busch said his focus is on his Stewart-Haas Racing team. Busch is set to make the Chase with his win at Martinsville Speedway earlier this year, but Busch ranks the lowest among the 11 race winners this season in points at 25th. He's finished inside the top 20 each of the past six races, his longest streak this season.

"When we unloaded at Pocono in June, that seemed like we were grabbing another gear and our team has found a good rhythm since then,'' Busch said. "So we're hoping to cash in on some of those set-up notes and procedures that we've been following since.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Kurt-Busch-Wants-To-Do-Double-Again.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Mum On Future​*
Will Marcos Ambrose return to Richard Petty Motorsports?

"You'll have to ask him,'' car owner Richard Petty said Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Ambrose declined to comment to an Associated Press reporter Friday when asked about his future.

The Daily Telegraph in Australia reported this week that Ambrose could return to the V8 Supercar Series next year.

"It's probably up to him as much as anything,'' Petty said of about if Ambrose will return. "He's been good for Richard Petty Motorsports. We admire what he's been doing for us. It's going to basically be a decision of what is he going to do, does he want to run all the races, part of the races, does he want to go home? That's going to be up to him.''

Ambrose, who is from Tasmania, Australia, won V8 Supercar titles in 2003 and '04, capturing 27 series wins.

With the help of Ford, Ambrose relocated to the U.S. in 2006 and competed in the Camping World Truck Series. He moved to the Nationwide Series in 2007 and won Nationwide races at Watkins Glen International from 2008-10. He first ran the full Sprint Cup season in 2009.

He's scored two career Cup wins. He won at Watkins Glen in 2011 and '12. His best Cup season came in 2012 when he finished 18th in points.

Ambrose enters this weekend 20th in points with four top-10 finishes in 19 races. His best finish is fifth, which he scored at Bristol and Martinsville.

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/07/Marcos-Ambrose-Mum-On-Future.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick: 'Time for...Chase Mode'​*
It's time. Enough of the playfulness, enough of the trial-and-error, enough of the mistakes.

"It's time for us to get into Chase mode,'' Kevin Harvick said Thursday afternoon during a Chevrolet event at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course.

Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway begins a season-ending stretch of 17 consecutive weekends of racing. Now is a time to reset goals and refocus priorities.

Harvick is ready.

After winning two of the first eight races to all but assure himself a spot in the Chase, Harvick and his team focused on collecting wins instead of points. While he hasn't won a Sprint Cup race since, he's had the strongest car most weekends only to see a litany of miscues, mechanical issues and other maladies often strike.

"We've addressed a lot of things, cleaned a lot of things up,'' Harvick said.

He enters Indy after a 30th-place finish two weeks ago at New Hampshire when he ran out of fuel on the final restart while second.

"We really hadn't had anything lose,'' Harvick said of the fuel gamble. "Knew you were going to run out of gas at Loudon, but if you pit you're going to finish 18th or 19th, maybe 10th.''

That won't be good enough in the Chase. With 16 drivers starting the Chase and four drivers eliminated every three races, such gambles could cost a team a shot at the championship. Thus, Harvick's notion of getting into Chase mode now and limiting the big gambles.

"We need to take this from here forward and make sure that ... when you're not winning, you develop that consistency, which we can do,'' Harvick said.

That's been lacking with this team, which has as many top-five finishes (five) as finishes of 30th or worse.

With the speed the team has displayed this season - Harvick ranks second in laps led at 882 - if it develops that consistency, it could be one of the key championship contenders.

Another key for Harvick is getting to Phoenix, the next-to-last race of the season. That race will determine the final spots among the four who will race for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Harvick has won three of the last four races at that track.

That's further ahead. The focus for now is on this weekend's race at Indianapolis.

"You come here wanting to win the race and we know we can win the race if we put it all together,'' said Harvick, who won at Indy in 2003. "It's just a matter of putting it all togethe

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...k-Says-It-Is-Time-To-Get-Into-Chase-Mode.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Spotlight for Nationwide Series​*
The NASCAR Nationwide Series gets another shot to race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Saturday's Lilly Diabetes 250.

For the third year, NASCAR's number two division will competed at the historic track and it's an opportunity drivers aren't taking lightly.

"The event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always a race that stands out on the Nationwide Series schedule," said Elliott Sadler, who came close to winning the race two years ago but was black flagged by NASCAR for jumping a late restart. "Winning at the Brickyard is a dream for every professional driver.

"I really enjoy competing here, however, I still have a chip on my shoulder after getting black-flagged while leading the race in 2012. I think the only way to get over the bad memories is to win this coming weekend and celebrate with my team by kissing the bricks."

Elliott is only eight points back of series leader Chase Elliott in the standings after the JR Motorsports driver scored his third win of the season last Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway.

The second-generation driver also has great regard for the Brickyard and does bring some childhood memories with him to this weekend's racing thanks to his dad, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott.

"It's one of the places I look back on, I do have memories of The Brickyard win he had, I think it was 2002," Elliott said. "That's a special race track for me. I always love going back there ever since then knowing he has been to Victory Lane. We are going to give it our best shot."

Based on the way Elliott and the JR Motorsports organization has performed this year, he has more than a good shot at following in his famous father's footsteps as an Indy winner. The team has won seven of the year's 18 races and a driver from the organization has led the standings 17 of 18 weeks.

But even with a championship in the balance and the importance of running well for the overall season goals, the prestige of Indianapolis remains a huge focal point.

"Just the word 'Indianapolis' is enough in itself," said Elliott. "It's such a prestigious place with years of racing memories. It is great to see the Nationwide Series share the weekend with the Cup guys now, and it's one date I've been looking forward to all season long."

Elliott's teammate Regan Smith, seven points behind in second place of the standings, echoes those thoughts.

"The Brickyard is such a big race for our series," said Smith. "That place is legendary. The names and the faces of those who've won there is a 'who's who' list no matter the series. It's a very important place for motorsports. It ranks up there with the prestige of Daytona and Darlington.

"You want to go there and win and showcase your team and sponsors, do everything you can to run well. It'd be a lie to say the teams don't put a little extra emphasis on that race. We work hard for all the races, but we know where Indy is on the schedule."

In addition to prestige and points, there's also some extra money on the line Saturday. Round 3 of the Nationwide Series Dash 4 Case program means Elliott along with Brian Scott, Trevor Bayne and Ty Dillon, can pick up an extra $100,000 by being the best finisher of the quartet.

Scott, who pocketed 100k last week in Chicago, is pumped for a chance to score another huge payday at Indianapolis.

"It's a great program that Nationwide Insurance does," Scott said. "It (winning Round 2) comes at a really good time. Our team has got a lot of momentum heading to Indianapolis where we finished second and almost won that race last season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Big-Spotlight-for-Nationwide-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Teams Will Need A Near-Perfect Day For Success At Indy​*
*T*his weekend far and away is the second most prestigious race in NASCAR with the running of the Brickyard 400.

Going there as a crew chief is really a challenge. Sure, it's just another race in that it pays the exact same amount of points, but the reality is it isn't just another race. This is Indianapolis Motor Speedway we are talking about and, just like getting ready for the Daytona 500, you have to pay attention to every single detail.

This race track is about horsepower. This race track is about aerodynamics. This race track is about handling. If you can tie all three of those up in a neat little bow, then you have to worry about your crew being as perfect as they can get because believe it or not, but despite the physical size of the track, pit road is really tight and narrow. Literally one little miscue on pit road could get you caught behind four or five other cars and that can really hurt you getting through traffic.

You also hope that coming back from this off-week, your driver has been able to get away to reenergize and refocus because this is a race track you have to be darn near-perfect all day if you want a chance to win. You have to be good at drafting. You have to be good at hitting your marks, because if you mess up in one corner it sets off your whole lap. Truly with the speeds we will see at Indy and the degree of difficulty racing there, it ranks right up there with anywhere we race.

Seriously, on Sunday you have to be all but perfect in the Brickyard 400. The folks who have won here in the past have had almost a perfect day. You have to put it all together all race long. Normally this race is where we see what I call the "second half of the season cars." This is where a lot of teams have taken everything they've learned up till this point and then put into these cars that will race now until the end of the season.

So I am really interested to see who steps up and makes a statement on the track about that. The Hendrick cars and the Stewart-Haas cars should be strong here. I would bet you that Hendrick and Stewart-Haas have more winners of the Brickyard 400 than any teams combined. To me they are the benchmark when we come to the Brickyard 400 and almost every year you have to go through them to win this race.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/teams-will-need-a-near-perfect-day-for-success-at-indy-072414


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## Ckg2011

*Big Brickyard Win for Ty Dillon​*
His cooling unit having long ago failed and Kyle Busch in pursuit, Ty Dillon was stuck in a furnace on four wheels doing all that he could to stay in the lead of Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"When Kyle Busch is on you, pushing you as hard as you can go - that guy doesn't mess up - so I knew I had to be perfect every lap,'' Dillon said. "That definitely takes a lot more out of you.

"If I had to pass out going into one of these corners, at least I gave it all I had.''

Dillon made to the finish, taking the checkered flag for his first series win seconds before his car's gas tank gurgled, leaving him with only enough to do half the burnout he wanted.

Shortly climbing out his car, older brother, Austin, was with him, making sure he got enough fluids and that he was OK.

"He's been my No. 1 doctor,'' Ty Dillon said of his brother.

Having his brother, father and other family members there made the win even more special for Dillon.

"I know him and Dad were on the radio cheering me on,'' Dillon said of his family. I could hear it in his voice, he (Austin) was getting nervous. (Richard Childress) came on the radio and told everybody to shut up, so he was getting nervous.''

Nothing held Dillon back this time, leaving Busch to finish second. Dillon also won a $100,000 bonus with the Nationwide Dash 4 Cash bonus and will be eligible for the bonus next weekend at Iowa Speedway.

The 22-year-old Dillon became the 11th different winner in the last 11 races. Five of those victories have been by series regulars.

Matt Kenseth finished third Saturday with Kevin Harvick fourth and Joey Logano fifth.

Busch said the final restart on Lap 77 was the key. He chose the outside lane after having issues on restarts from the inside lane in the previous two races at this track.

Dillon admits he was surprised by Busch's move.

Busch's plan backfired.

"Gave it away on the last restart in Turn 1,'' said Busch, who won this race last year. "Got in there and the car never turned. (Dillon) got the lead and it was over from there. If I could have been out front, I probably could have held him off.''

Dillon pulled away to lead the final 24 laps and become the first Nationwide driver to score his first series win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Dillon's victory means the top four in points are separated by 15 points. Chase Elliott leads with Regan Smith four points behind, Elliott Sadler 11 points off the lead and Dillon 15 back.

That mattered little to Dillon immediately after the race.

"We get to kiss the bricks, baby!'' Dillon yelled on his radio to his team after winning. "Holy cow, I love you guys.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/07/Big-Win-at-Brickyard-for-Dillon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Sweeps Brickyard Qualifying​*
This looks awfully familiar.

Kevin Harvick fast, Hendrick motors strong and Team Penske nearly as quick.

Qualifying for Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway revealed few surprises. Most of what happened Saturday has been evident throughout the season.

Harvick scored his fourth pole of the season (and 10th overall) with a track-record lap of 188.889 mph.

Harvick's Stewart-Haas Racing team gets its chassis and motors from Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick-powered cars took six of the top 11 spots Saturday. Team Penske took three of the top 11 spots, leaving only two spots among the fastest 11 not a Penske car or one powered by a Hendrick motor. Just like it has been a good part of this season.

"I was wondering what Kevin had because he had us all beat, and we've got the same stuff basically and all the data that we can tap into,'' Jeff Gordon said. "And they had the field covered.''

Gordon starts second with Brad Keselowski, who has won two of the last three races, third. Defending Indy winner Ryan Newman and Brian Vickers complete the top five.

Harvick has been fast all season and could have more than two wins had it not been for mistakes and mechanical issues. Harvick said this week that it was time to get into Chase mode for his team.

"We just have to make good decisions throughout the day and as few mistakes as possible,'' he said. "Having the first pit stall is going to take some pressure off the guys for sure, and if we get behind, I think our car is fast enough to make up for it, but the track position is definitely important.''

Keselowski said its hard to determine if others are closing the gap on the Penske cars and Hendrick-powered teams.

"We think that we have the two strongest hands with Penske and Hendrick, and certainly that's been the case to this date in the season, but you just don't know what's out there,'' Keselowski said.

"I find it hard to believe that Gibbs is going to go a whole year without having a dominant car. That's not like them. So I'm sure they're going to catch on as the season progresses and add to that mix and maybe even someone else. Maybe an MWR or an RCR, who knows.''

The top Gibbs car is Kyle Busch, who starts 12th. Teammate Matt Kenseth is 13th but Denny Hamlin qualified 27th.

One of those Hendrick-powered cars not toward the front is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who qualified 23rd.

"It was pretty pathetic,'' Earnhardt said of his qualifying performance. "Real frustrated with the way the car was and the speed we got.''

Earnhardt was fifth fastest in Saturday morning's practice session but says that time was misleading.

"We weren't good in practice,'' he said. "That lap we put down was on a cold track ... after it had rained. The lap was just perfect race track. When we went to practice later in the practice, we were real slow. Once the track changed ... we weren't very good.''

Those failing to qualify were Brett Moffitt, David Stremme and Matt Crafton. Bobby Labonte starts last for Tommy Baldwin Racing, getting the champion's provisional.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/07/Harvick-Sweeps-Brickyard-Qualifying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hometown Boy Makes Good In K&N West​*
Chris Eggleston used knowledge of his home track to his advantage against the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West regulars.

Making just his second career series start, Eggleston led a race-high 107 laps and held off the top championship contenders in the NAPA Auto Parts/Toyota 150 from Colorado National Speedway on Saturday en route to his first series victory.

The 25-year-old driver from nearby Erie, Colo., has about a dozen super late model wins in the track's NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I, and won the track's Legends Division championship last year. He made his first K&N Pro Series West start at this event in 2011 and finished 11th.

Dylan Lupton made a late charge following a lap-139 caution but couldn't overtake Eggleston. He finished .434-seconds back for his fifth top five of the season and second runner-up finish. Lupton was followed by teammate James Bickford, championship point leader Greg Pursley and Brandon McReynolds.

Thomas Martin was sixth, followed by Brett Thompson, Bill Kann, John Wood and Jairo Avila.

Coors Light Pole Award winner David Mayhew led early in the event, but was overtaken by McReynolds on lap 22. He would continue to contend for the lead until an accident on lap 81 forced him to pit road. Mayhew would return to the track just before lap 100, finishing the event in the 14th position.

Lupton was able to take a couple points off Pursley's lead, with is now 25 after eight of 14 races. McReynolds is third in points, followed by Mayhew and Bickford.

*The finish:*
Chris Eggleston, Dylan Lupton, James Bickford, Greg Pursley, Brandon McReynolds, Thomas Martin, Brett Thompson, Bill Kann, John Wood, Jairo Aavila, Jack Sellers, Rich DeLong III, Anthony Giannone, David Mayhew, Justin Funkhouser, Rich DeLong Jr., Jack Nugent.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/hometown-boy-makes-good-in-kn-west/


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## Ckg2011

*Edwards Leaving Roush Fenway, Biffle Back​*
Feeling a change could lead to better results, Carl Edwards will leave Roush Fenway Racing after this season.

The move became official when Roush Fenway Racing announced its driver lineup for next season Sunday and it didn't include Edwards. Roush announced that Greg Biffle has signed a multi-year contract extension and will remain with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.

Edwards would not say before the Brickyard 400 where he'll race next year but confirmed the deal is done. Reports have stated that Joe Gibbs Racing is where he'll go but the team had nothing to announce.

"If you look around and look at what is going on not just the in the NASCAR world but all sports, change sometimes just on its own is a good thing from a performance standpoint,'' Edwards said. "It's my decision. I didn't take it lightly.

"Opportunities sometimes present themselves and you say, 'Hey I don't want to look back and say what was that like not to take that opportunity,' ''

Edwards informed car owner Jack Roush about a month ago that he would not return after this season when his contract expires.

The 34-year-old Edwards joined Roush in 2003 and began driving in the Camping World Truck Series before moving to Cup during the 2004 season. Although he has not won a Cup title with Roush, he's finished in the top three three times, including 2011 when he lost the championship to Tony Stewart on a tie-breaker.

Edwards, who has 23 career Cup wins, entered Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway sixth in the points with two victories this season. He's the only Roush driver to win this year.

For the second time since 2012, a driver who had been at Roush Fenway Racing for several years will leave. Matt Kenseth, who driven for Roush in Cup since 1999, left after the 2012 season to join Joe Gibbs Racing.

Roush's feelings about Edwards leaving after this season?

"It's just a reality of the business we're in,'' Roush said. "I have no emotion either way on that.''

With the announcement of the driver lineup, Roush Fenway Racing also announced that Fastenal will move to be Stenhouse's primary sponsor next year. The team did not state how many races Fastenal will be the primary sponsor.

The team also did not announce a sponsor with Biffle. Those talks continue.

Biffle said he had other options but decided to remain with Roush Fenway Racing - where he's been since 1998. Roush brought Biffle to the Camping World Truck Series. Biffle won the title there in 2000 before moving to the Nationwide Series and winning the championship there in 2002.

Biffle has scored 19 career Cup wins for Roush and entered Sunday's race at Indianapolis 16th in the points with five top-10 finishes.

"We've always won races, and I feel like we can win races again,'' Biffle said. "The first half of the season hasn't been what we wanted. It's no mystery. I don't think that's a reason to jump ship and say I'm leaving because we haven't won a race or we're not performing the way we should.''

With Edwards' departure, the No. 99 won't run full time in Cup next season. Bayne is moving to the No. 6 car for Roush, bringing that number back. Biffle will remain in the No. 16, and Stenhouse will remain in the No. 17 car.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/07/Roush-Fenway-Announces-2015-Lineup.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Golden Boy Wins 5 At The BrickYard​*
Jeff Gordon wins the 2014 running of the Brickyard 400 at Indy. Becoming the first driver to win at the track 5 times. Jeff Gordon drove around Kasey Kahne on the final restart with 17 laps to got and drove away from second place finisher Kyle Busch.

20 years ago Jeff Gordon won the first ever race at Indy and now he has won it for the 5th time his historic career. Congrats to Jeff Gordon and the entire #24 HMS Team on the win. 

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Has The Drive For No. 5 At Indy​*
Jeff Gordon's "Drive for Five" is complete, at least as far as the Brickyard 400 is concerned.

The inaugural Brickyard 400 winner in 1994 became the first five-time winner of this race when he blew past Kasey Kahne on a restart with 17 laps to go and drove away to a convincing victory in Sunday's Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard. Gordon also won the NASCAR race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1998, 2001 and 2004.

The 10-year gap between wins at the Brickyard led some to wonder if the driver from Pittsboro, Ind., was ever going to win again at Indianapolis. But he was fast all weekend, started on the outside of the front row and had the only car that actually passed for the lead on the track during green flag racing.

Kahne was the leader when he pitted with 33 laps to go. One lap later, more contenders joined him including second-place Kyle Busch and others and that put Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet back in front. Gordon came in to change four tires and two cans of fuel with 31 laps to go.

After pit stops the top three drivers were far ahead of the field. Kahne led Gordon by 0.245 seconds and Kyle Busch was 2.821 seconds back. But fourth-place Matt Kenseth was 16.278 seconds out of the lead.

The caution flag flew after Ryan Truex's No. 83 blew up and could not make it back to pit lane on Lap 139. That created massive traffic down pit lane to prepare for the final dash to the checkered flag with 20 laps to go.

The green flag waved with 17 laps to go and Gordon shooting to the lead ahead of Kahne in a side-by-side restart into Turn 1. Kahne dropped back to fifth as Busch, Hamlin and Kenseth all blew past Kahne's Chevrolet.

From there, the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion drove into history.

Gordon's Chevrolet defeated Kyle Busch's Toyota as Joe Gibbs Racing swept positions 2-3-4 with Denny Hamlin third and Matt Kenseth fourth.

Kahne finished fifth.

More To Come

*Source:* 
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/gordon-has-the-drive-for-no-5-at-indy/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Drives to Five at Indy​*
Jeff Gordon scored his record fifth Brickyard 400 win Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gordon raced by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne on a restart with 17 laps to go and went on to pick-up his second win of the season.

Gordon won the first running of the event in 1994 and 20 years later found his way back in Victory Lane. The win total is the most on the 2.5-mile Indy track in any series.

"Those emotions take over. There's nothing better, especially in a big race, coming to Victory Lane with your family here," said an emotional Gordon.

Once Gordon cleared Kahne he was able to stretch his lead and took the checkered flag by a comfortable margin.

"I was trying so hard with 10 to go not to focus on the crowd," said Gordon of the closing laps. "I didn't want to think about it too much, but you can't help it."

It was the ninth Indianapolis win for team owner Rick Hendrick.

"I told him (Gordon) this morning that this is your day," said Hendrick. "He gets around this place so well. This is pretty special!"

Gordon's win was the 90th of his career and he's third on the all-time victory list.

Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth gave Joe Gibbs Racing the second through fourth finishing spots. Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Kahne, who ran out of fuel on the final lap, was sixth with Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Austin Dillon completing the first ten finishers.

"Looking back, I should have chosen the (outside lane)," Kahne said. "They pretty much let Jeff control that restart. I took off and never spun a tire and the inside had been more grip throughout the race and I started on the inside and I thought it was a great decision. But I didn't spin a tire and Jeff drove right by me before we were even got to the second (restart line)."

Gordon leads the Sprint Cup Series standings by 24 points over Earnhardt Jr. with Brad Keselowski, Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson the top five. There are six races left in the regular season to determine the 16 drivers that will make up this year's Chase field.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Pocono Raceway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Gordon won:* He came into the weekend with a fast car and led three times Sunday for a total of 40 laps. But the move of the race came on what turned out to be the final restart of the afternoon when Gordon powered around Kahne at the drop of the green flag and made his pass for the lead stick as the field roared through turn one. From there Gordon was unchallenged on his way to the record win.

*What else happened:* As expected track position and strategy were the order of the day. Several drivers were on a variety of pit cycles especially after the first round of stops and fuel conservation was a huge part of the race. Denny Hamlin had what looked to be the winning strategy erased when a caution came out and his crew failed to completely fill his tank with fuel, forcing him back to pit road.

*Who else had a good day:* The JGR organization was stellar with Busch, Hamlin and Kenseth following Gordon across the finish line. Joey Logano continued his solid season with a fifth place run. A couple of rookies also made their mark Sunday with Kyle Larson finishing seventh while Austin Dillon came home 10th.

*Who had a bad day:* Danica Patrick was running around the 15th position when a broken axle sent her to the pits and out of contention. She returned to the track later but many laps off the pace&#8230;..Trevor Bayne cut a tire and slid through the infield grass before making hard contact with the inside guardrail&#8230;Former Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard made contact with the wall after being hit by Juan Pablo Montoya and was out of contention early in the race.

*Quote of the day:* "I finally made the restart of my life today when it counted most," - Jeff Gordon on the day's last restart with 17 laps to go.

*Other notables:* Earnhardt Jr.'s ninth-place performance was his third straight top 10 at Indy and 14th of the season&#8230;..Last year's Indy winner Ryan Newman was 11th&#8230;..Carl Edwards, who confirmed he will not return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2014 after an announcement Sunday morning, came home 15th.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/07/Indy-High-Five-for-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Fifth Time's A Charm: Jeff Gordon Wins Record No. 5 At Indianapolis​*
*I*ndianapolis - A triumphant and emotional Jeff Gordon won his record-setting fifth Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard 400 Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gordon, the former Indiana resident, passed his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne on a Lap 144 restart to set a record for Brickyard 400 victories. In the process, Gordon tied German Formula One legend Michael Schumacher for the most overall race victories at the historic track, which opened in 1909.

It was the 90th career victory for Gordon, his second in 2014, and an enormously popular one with the Indiana fans.

In the closing laps, Gordon could hear the cheers of his fans.

"I was trying so hard with 10 to go not to focus on the crowd," said Gordon.

"I could see -- every once in a while I'd glance up there and see the reactions and I'd try not to let it get to me. But, man, you can't help it. It's such a big race, such an important victory, a crucial moment in the season and the championship. The emotions take over. I've got my kids here. ... There's nothing better than coming to Victory Lane, especially with your family here.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth finished second through fourth, respectively, with Joey Logano of Team Penske taking fifth. Kahne ended up sixth.

"We're proud of that," Busch said of the two-three- JGR finish. "But you certainly see a guy out there (Gordon) in front of you beating you and you

know you've got a lot of speed to gain. Those guys (Hendrick) were so fast."
"We wish it was one-two-three-, but this was the next-best thing," added Hamlin.

It was a big day for the four-time champion right from the opening laps.

Kevin Harvick started from the pole, flanked by Gordon. Harvick led the opening lap, but Gordon blew past him on Lap 2, immediately opening a good-sized lead. By Lap 10, Gordon was out front 2.534 seconds, but that was wiped out by a competition caution on Lap 22.

When the yellow came out, Joey Logano stayed out and took over the lead ahead of Kahne, Johnson and Gordon. Logano had to pit under green on Lap 32, which handed the lead to Kahne. On Lap 38, Kahne made his next stop, which turned the top spot over to rookie Kyle Larson. He, in turn, pitted, with Hamlin the next leader.

Hamlin went all the way to Lap 55 before he had to pit, which made the top five Harvick, Gordon, Kahne, Logano and Kyle Busch.

As the halfway point neared, Gordon passed Harvick on Lap 66, then seconds later, both pitted, as did Earnhardt, Kurt Busch and others. One of those who pitted was Danica Patrick, who broke a left-rear axle, bringing out the day's second caution.

Kahne snatched the lead on the restart and on Lap 80 of 160 was 1.873 seconds up on Busch, with Harvick, Gordon and Logano in hot pursuit.

Then, on Lap 96, Trevor Bayne brushed the wall, cut a right-rear tire and spun out in Turn 3 as the track went yellow again. This time, Clint Bowyer stayed out - he had pitted just seconds before the caution -- and took the lead over Kahne, Busch, Harvick and Gordon.

As he did earlier, Kahne went to the front on the restart, his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet looking strong, as Busch took second.

Gordon restarted fifth, but began picking up spots and was up to third on Lap 108 and second on Lap 113. The four-time champ was about 2.5 seconds back they, but started to run Kahne down and on Lap 125 was just 1.167 seconds in arrears.

Kahne pitted from the lead on Lap 127, Gordon going to the point until he pitted a couple of laps later.

When the pit stops cycled through on Lap 131, Kahne led Gordon by just 0.155 sec. Gordon pressured Kahne hard but couldn't get past.

Ryan Truex stalled to bring out a caution on Lap 139, setting up some interesting strategy decisions. The top seven cars stayed out, with Harvick the first to pit from eighth place.

The track went green on Lap 144, Gordon taking the lead as Kahne slipped back and Busch moved to second, ahead of his teammate Hamlin. And once out front, that was all she wrote as Gordon scored his historic victory.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ordon-wins-record-no-5-at-indianapolis-072714


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Gordon Headed For Special Year?​*
It's a question many of us will not have to face for years, yet have no problem debating when it comes to athletes.

When is it time to quit?

Jeff Gordon was "jokingly serious'' in January when he said he would retire if he won the Sprint Cup title this season. Sunday's Brickyard 400 victory - his record fifth - elevated Gordon's title-contending status because of the track's penchant for its winners going on to win the crown in the same season.

If Gordon achieves that double, it would mark the ninth time in 21 years the Brickyard winner has also won the championship that season. And it would give Gordon his fifth series title at age 43 (his birthday is Aug. 4).

The points leader for much of this season and now a two-time winner, Gordon heads to the Chase as one of the sport's top drivers so there is no need to retire now even if he won the crown.

Yet, how much longer will he go? How many more weekends will fans see Gordon guide that No. 24 car through traffic, race away from the field and collect more checkered flags? Now that he's at 90 career Cup wins, can he become only the third driver to reach 100?

He once thought he'd be done racing by the time he was 40 but that was when 40 seemed so far off one imagined there would be flying cars by that time. Instead, cars remained on the ground but his hair was tinged with gray when he reached that age.

Even as he moves closer to the end of his career, Gordon says his team and this season have "rejuvenated" him.

"I'm not thinking about anything else, in all honesty, other than going race to race in this season to try to battle for a championship,'' Gordon said.

He's also motivated by family. His children are becoming old enough to understand how good daddy is and will have memories of Victory Lane visits.

"There's nothing better, especially at one of the biggest races to have your family here,'' he said in Victory Lane.

At some point, Gordon will have to think about when his career will end. He doesn't seem to be one who will be racing when he is 50 years old as Mark Martin did in 2009, winning five races for Hendrick Motorsports that season.

Even so, Gordon wonders how he'll replace the competitive feeling racing provides.

"I think that when that day comes and I'm not driving, I'm going to have to fuel that desire being competitive in me some way, somehow, whether it means that I go drive something else just for fun or if my kids are involved or my role at Hendrick Motorsports,'' he said.

Choosing when to retire is among the toughest decisions an athlete can make. One could argue Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip went too long but did Rusty Wallace leave too soon?

Gordon seems to be one that would rather leave when he's still among the best in the sport instead leaving as he runs in the middle of the pack. With Hendrick Motorsports the sport's top team, Gordon will continue to have some of the best equipment, so the decision will be where he feels his skills are.

Now, they seem to be nearly as good as ever.

It's been 13 years since Gordon last won a series title and five years since he finished in the top five in points, but is Gordon headed for a special season? If so, how many of these seasons remain for Gordon fans to relish?

Enjoy them now.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Is-Jeff-Gordon-Headed-For-Special-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Hopeful after Indy Run​*
Somewhere within the humanity of people to his left was Jeff Gordon, celebrating his fifth Brickyard 400.

It was where Kasey Kahne thought he would be.

Instead, he walked by without fanfare. Moments earlier his crew pushed his car by after he ran out of fuel on the final lap, adding a final chapter of humility to a race Kahne thought he could win.

Kahne was not bitter. He said had a sixth-place car. He smiled as he recounted the games Gordon played with him during the final caution, pushing him and trying to get him to use more fuel. He eagerly anticipates this weekend's race at Pocono Raceway where horsepower again will be important and Kahne should be strong.

Still, it was hard not to think about the final restart 17 laps from the finish where Gordon took the lead from him.

With track position critical, whoever took the lead on the restart would likely win if there wasn't another caution.

Kahne chose the inside lane because he said there had been a little more grip throughout the race.

Perfect, thought Gordon.

"I was hoping Kasey would pick the inside,'' Gordon said. "He was loose. I knew if I could get to the outside of him, he was going to have a hard time to get on the throttle off the corner.''

First, they had to get to the line.

Kahne tried to slow the pace. Gordon, who had spun his tires earlier, wanted a faster pace to keep from repeating that. He briefly moved ahead of Kahne.

"Jeff Gordon controlled the start,'' Kahne said.

Gordon eased off the gas

"I thought I had let him go too much,'' Gordon said.

He closed the gap.

"I was just able to get to his corner as I shifted to fourth gear and able to have the best position I could ask for,'' Gordon said. "We were both really sideways.''

Said Kahne: "I thought I got back to him and beat him into (Turn) 1 and then he was just in the preferred line at that point. Looking back, I should have chosen the top (lane). I fought pretty hard. It just didn't work out.''

Said Gordon: "Out of nowhere I had the restart of my life.''

Maybe it was for the better for Kahne.

He was running fifth when he ran out of fuel on the final lap. He lost only one spot before coasting across the finish line. After Kahne got shuffled back on the restart, he saved fuel, knowing his chances of winning were gone. That allowed him to score his fourth top-10 finish in the last six races.

Kahne admits had he maintained the lead on the restart, he would not have been able to save fuel and would have run out sooner. He likely would have been the final car on the lead lap, which would have been 26th - the last spot on the lead lap. That would have cost him 20 points.

He left Indianapolis four points behind Austin Dillon for the fifth and final spot in the Chase available to non-winners at this time.

"As far as points go, that was the best we would have done, so it all worked out perfect for points,'' Kahne said.

The performance meant even more to him.

"That's the best effort the team has put out all season long by a good bit,'' Kahne said. "That's something to build on. We can still make it in.''

He has six races left to do so.

He headed toward his next challenge as he walked down pit road, while Gordon celebrated.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/07/Kahne-Hopeful-after-Indy-Run.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin's Wild Ride Ends With Questions​*
The weekend soured by a slow-moving car and their strategy foiled by a fueling foul-up, the sun came out in time for Denny Hamlin. Or so it seemed.

Much like the ever-changing weather Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so were the emotions for Hamlin and his team on a day they finished third in the Brickyard 400 but face possible penalties after an issue discovered in post-race inspection.

After struggling with the car this weekend, Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb employed what proved to be a unique strategy - running until they were low on fuel instead of short-pitting as many others did. That helped Hamlin take the lead twice for 18 laps.

The plan was spoiled when the team failed to get all the fuel in the car during a stop on Lap 90 of the 160-lap race. They failed to get five gallons in because of a fueling issue. Despite having to pit sooner than anticipated, Hamlin charged through the field to score his third consecutive top-10 finish and help put all three Joe Gibbs Racing cars in the top five with Kyle Busch second and Matt Kenseth fourth.

Hamlin was helped by the sun coming out late in the race, which made handling more critical than horsepower and slowed the pace. Just as storms hit the track after the race, the emotions for Hamlin's team changed when NASCAR announced possible issues with "several rear firewall block-off plates." NASCAR took those parts back to the R&D Center for further inspection.

Earlier in the day, Hamlin thought he might be celebrating in Victory Lane.

"We had the car to win but just didn't get it full on that stop,'' Hamlin said. "Everyone makes mistakes. I'll tell you, if we had some horsepower, we'd be pretty tough. We need some ponies to run with those guys.''

They didn't have it Friday when they were slow or Saturday in qualifying. Hamlin started 27th and bemoaned the team's woes.

"Definitely wasn't very optimistic going into the day,'' Hamlin said. "But as the pace slows down, track gets hot, we typically get good. That's when our car really took off.''

Hamlin admits all the "wacky strategy" during the race by others raised questions.

"Once I saw all these guys pitting and we were not, it was weird because I didn't want to get beat on tires,'' he said. "But the great thing was is we were running such fast lap times on old tires, we weren't giving up that time. When we put on four tires, we were just mowing through the field. Our strategy worked because our car was fast.

"Another reason the strategies all played out in so many different ways is because you had a tire that didn't wear out that much. Even though it did drop off, which is a good thing, it didn't wear out. So guys were able to stay out and change lefts or rights or four or none. Crew chiefs can do some crazy things when they have those options.''

Grubb's might have been good enough to work Sunday had it not been for the fueling issue.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../07/Hamlin-Finishes-Wild-Ride-With-Third.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR, SHR Planes Bump At Concord Airport​*
A pair of NASCAR team-chartered planes collided on the taxiway at Concord Regional Airport late Sunday night.

According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, a Joe Gibbs Racing plane bumped a parked Stewart-Haas Racing plane as teams were returning to the Charlotte area after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the wing of the JGR plane clipping the tail of the parked SHR plane.

Spokesmen for both teams confirmed that the two planes made contact on the taxiway Sunday night and no one was injured.

"Last night at Concord Regional Airport, an empty and parked SHR plane was hit by another plane as it was parking," said a representative for Stewart-Haas Racing. "The plane's wing touched the tail of the parked SHR plane. No one was hurt."

A crewmember from Matt Kenseth's No. 20 Dollar General Toyota team tweeted a photo of the incident.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jgr-shr-planes-collide-concord-151200490--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Hermie Sadler Sets Nationwide Series Return​*
Hermie Sadler, the 1993 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year and current FOX Sports 1 analyst, will return to the driver's seat for his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race since 2010 later this year.

Sadler will pilot the No. 19 Toyota Camry for TriStar Motorsports at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Aug. 22 and again on Sept. 5 at Richmond (Va.) Int'l Raceway.

The Virginia Lottery will serve as primary sponsor, with whom Sadler has been an ambassador for over 15 years. The car will promote The Virginia Lottery's "Let's Play VA" events, in which lottery players and NASCAR fans have the chance to join the No. 19 team as an honorary crew member, attend the NASCAR Awards banquet in Las Vegas as Sadler's guest.

"I am thankful to my friends at The Virginia Lottery and to Mark Smith and his staff at TriStar Motorsports for making this happen," exclaimed Sadler.

"Getting to race again on two of my favorite tracks, as well as promote some once in a lifetime opportunities from the Virginia Lottery, is exciting for me."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/hermie-sadler-sets-nationwide-series-return/


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## Ckg2011

*Maaco Adorns Gordon's Car At Pocono​*
Jeff Gordon, fresh off his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, will have a new associate sponsor on his car at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway Aug. 3.








Hendrick Motorsports announced that Maaco will be on the side of Gordon's No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS for Sprint Cup's second and final trip to Pocono this season.

Gordon enters the race as the points leader by 24 over Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won the last race at Pocono in June.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/maaco-adorns-gordons-car-at-pocono/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Joe Gibbs hints at fourth team in 2015​*
Team owner Joe Gibbs has a son named Coy, and perhaps there's a message in that, given the deft way the former NFL Super Bowl-winning coach side-stepped questions about Carl Edwards' expected move to his race team.

"We don't have anything right now to announce," Gibbs said on pit road before Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Anything that we're going to do will be coming up in the future. I'm not sure exactly what the time line is."

Gibbs did allow that his organization is making a more concerted effort this year to field a fourth team in 2015 than has been the case in the past.

"We've been (preparing for a fourth team) each and every year," Gibbs said. "But it's so hard to do that, we haven't been able to get it done. But I think we're taking a serious look at it this year."

Asked if those efforts involved signing a serious driver, Gibbs replied, "You've got to have a serious sponsor."

But he did acknowledge Edwards' star power.

"When Carl's name came up during this year ... almost everybody recognizes Carl as being somebody I think is a star," Gibbs said. "Because of that, there are a lot of teams that have tried to entice him."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/joe-gibbs-hints-fourth-team-151200119--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notes: Better Days Ahead?​*
A year ago, Martin Truex Jr. was on his way to the Chase or so he thought until a penalty at Richmond took that chance away. Nearly a year later, Truex is struggling with his new team and needs a win to qualify for a title run.

It is for drivers such as Truex that NASCAR Chairman Brian France trumpeted the new Chase format before the season. Now, a win all but gets a driver in the Chase.

Truex enters this weekend's race at Pocono Raceway 24th in the point standings for Furniture Row Racing after placing 25th last weekend at Indianapolis. Truex has scored only three top-10 finishes this year with nothing better than a sixth-place finish at Dover last month.

"It's been a tough season, to be honest,'' Truex said during a break in testing at Watkins Glen International this week. "Not a whole lot has gone right for us. We've had decent speed at times, but consistency just hasn't been there. Feel like we're still kind of searching for what we're looking for in our racecars and still trying to figure out what direction to go.

"I feel like we haven't really honed in anything yet. That's been disappointing. We've got a great bunch of guys trying really hard. One weekend can turn this thing around with the new format.''

Pocono could provide some relief. Truex finished ninth there in June.

Should Truex score a win in any of the remaining six races before the 16-team Chase field is set, he'll be in position to race for the championship.

"I think the new format is cool,'' he said. "In years past, this time of the season, if you weren't close enough to make it into the Chase, you really just kind of said, 'OK this year is over and let's start thinking about next year.' Now, it's not over. A lot can happen these next six weeks. Hopefully, we'll be able to pull one out.''

*Power Surge*

The frustration was evident after Sunday's Brickyard 400 for Denny Hamlin even after finishing third.

Shortly after the checkered flag flew, Hamlin told crew chief Darian Grubb: "If we had that horsepower, it would ... be 1-2-3.''

Instead, Jeff Gordon won - the 10th victory in 20 races for a car powered by a Hendrick Motorsports engine - with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Matt Kenseth following.

Horsepower again will be key this weekend with Pocono's long straightaways. Hendrick-powered cars took six of the top 10 spots, including the win by Dale Earnhardt Jr., at Pocono in June. Hamlin finished fourth after starting on the pole but knows it could be a challenge to repeat that.

"We're going to fight the same things,'' Hamlin said. "We're going to be slow in practice. Hopefully, we're going to race really well.

"Pocono, Michigan, all the big, fast motor racetracks are going to be the challenges for our race teams. We feel we've turned the corner on the short track stuff. Feel like we have a good package there. We showed pretty strong at Loudon. It's all coming together slowly, which is frustrating from a driver standpoint, because you want to be competitive from February to November, but it's hard to do in our sport, to stay on top like that.''

*TESTING*

JTG Daugherty (AJ Allmendinger), Richard Petty Motorsports (Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola) and Furniture Row Racing (Martin Truex Jr.) tested Monday and Tuesday at Watkins Glen International.

Austin and Ty Dillon also tested Monday but drove SCCA Trans-Am Camaros. Since they were not in the cars they will run at Watkins Glen, the session doesn't count against the team's four allowed tests at tracks hosting a Sprit Cup race.

Max Papis tutored both Dillons on the track during the test.

*Pit Stops*

Kyle Busch has finished second in three of the last four Cup races. He placed second at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis. ... Brad Keselowski will do double-duty this weekend, competing in Saturday's Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway and Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Pocono. ... Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson are both entered in Saturday's Camping World Truck race at Pocono to gain more experience at that track. ... Ryan Blaney enters the Truck race as the series points leader. It's the first time a Ford driver has led the points in that series since Rick Crawford in 2008. ... Dierks Bentley will perform a concert after the Aug. 20 Truck race at Bristol Motor Speedway. ... Fox Sports 1 analyst Hermie Sadler will drive for Tri-Star Motorsports at Bristol and Richmond. He last raced in the Nationwide Series in 2010.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Truex-Jr-Looking-To-Turn-Things-Around.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Penalizes #11 JGR Team​*
*Grubb draws six-race ban, Hamlin tumbles in standings after Indy infractions​*
_*NASCAR HITS JGR'S NO. 11 WITH 75-POINT PENALTY*_​
NASCAR handed down heavy penalties to the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 team Tuesday for infractions found in a post-race inspection after Denny Hamlin drove to a third-place finish in last Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

NASCAR stripped the team of 75 points in the series' owner championship standings and docked Hamlin 75 points in the drivers' standings. The team also suspended crew chief Darian Grubb for the next six Sprint Cup events and fined him $125,000. Car chief Wesley Sherrill was also issued a six-race suspension; both Grubb and Sherrill will be on NASCAR probation for the next six months.

The most recent penalty falls under the heading of a P5-class infraction, according to the new NASCAR deterrence system. It is the most severe punishment issued under the new penalty structure, implemented during the offseason.

The punishment moves Hamlin from 11th to 22nd in the Sprint Cup standings.

Though he missed a race earlier this season at Auto Club Speedway with an eye injury, Hamlin remains a virtual lock for a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, thanks to his regular-season victory in May at Talladega Superspeedway.

In a statement announcing the ruling, NASCAR officials said the No. 11 Toyota violated four different sections of the NASCAR rule book, three pertaining to the body of the car -- specifically the sealing and securing of all sheet metal and firewalls -- and one for "actions detrimental to stock car racing." The rule book calls for a minimum of a 50-point penalty and $75,000 fine for a P5-level infraction, but an additional 25-point deduction and $50,000 fine were assessed because the violations were discovered during post-race inspection.

A NASCAR spokesperson announced the findings of the initial post-race inspection after Sunday's Crown Royal presents the John Wayne Walding 400, saying there were "possible issues with several rear firewall block-off plates." If the block-off plates became detached during the race, it could allow air to flow from inside the car and potentially create more downforce.

After Sunday's 400-miler, officials took the No. 11 car back to the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina for further investigation. Officials also took the race-winning Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon and the JGR No. 18 Toyota of runner-up Kyle Busch back to the R&D Center for routine evaluation; no at-track issues were found on the top two finishing cars.

Link to NASCAR Deterrence System.
http://static.nascar.com/content/da...NSCS-main.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/original

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...g-denny-hamlin-penalty-post-indianapolis.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Hendrick Motorsports Names Dale Jr's Crew Chief​*
*Ives to be Earnhardt Jr's Crew Chief in 2015​*
Crew chief Greg Ives will rejoin Hendrick Motorsports following the 2014 NASCAR season to lead the No. 88 Sprint Cup Series team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Ives, 34, was race engineer for Jimmie Johnson's historic run of five consecutive Sprint Cup championships (2006-2010) with the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. He will work alongside Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, in the shop shared by the Nos. 48 and 88 Chevrolet SS teams.

"Greg was our number-one choice," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "This is a talented guy who already has a terrific rapport with Dale Jr. and is a fit with the organization. He and Chad had a lot of success together, and all of our crew chiefs think the world of him and what he's accomplished. Greg's proven that he can win races, and he has all the tools to do big things."

Since his debut as a crew chief for JR Motorsports in 2013, Ives has won five NASCAR Nationwide Series races including three this season with rookie and current points leader Chase Elliott.

"This is an incredible opportunity for me and my family," Ives said. "Dale Jr. and I have a great relationship from being in the same shop at Hendrick Motorsports and my time at JRM. We have a lot left to do this season in the Nationwide Series, but I'm excited about what's ahead and look forward to sharing some wins with JR Nation in the future. I couldn't ask for a better situation than working with one of the best drivers and teams in racing."

A native of Bark River, Michigan, and graduate of Michigan Technological University, Ives joined Hendrick Motorsports as a mechanic in 2004 before moving into an engineering role on the No. 48 team in 2006. In seven years working with Knaus, he contributed to 42 wins, 113 top-five finishes and 21 pole positions in the Sprint Cup Series.

In November 2012, Ives transitioned to JR Motorsports as crew chief for driver Regan Smith. The duo won two races and finished third in points in 2013 before Ives was named Elliott's crew chief prior to this season. JR Motorsports works closely with Hendrick Motorsports and is owned by Earnhardt in partnership with Rick Hendrick.

"I know what Greg is all about and really respect him," Earnhardt said. "He's a strong leader with a cool personality, and we're both competitors who want to win. It was important to find someone who would fit at Hendrick Motorsports and inside our shop, and he will for sure do that. We got the best guy for the job, and I look forward to working with him next year.

"From a JR Motorsports perspective, I'm extremely proud of how this worked out. Since the end of 2012, we've focused on JRM and Hendrick Motorsports working together as closely as possible and developing talented people for the next level. This is a perfect example of that happening the way we hoped it would."

Ives will take the place of current No. 88 crew chief Steve Letarte who will move into a broadcasting role with NBC Sports Group following the 2014 Sprint Cup Series season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Ives-to-be-Dale-Earnhardt-Jrs-Crew-Chief.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Explaining NASCAR's Appeal Process​*
Now that Joe Gibbs Racing intends to appeal NASCAR's penalties to Denny Hamlin and his team for violations discovered after last weekend's Brickyard 400 what happens next?

Here's what can be expected.

The team has 10 calendar days from when the penalty was issued to pay a $500 fee and send written notice for appeal to NASCAR's Appeals Administrator. Once that is done, a hearing date will be set for Joe Gibbs Racing to contest the 75-point penalty to Hamlin, six-race suspension to crew chief Darian Grubb, $125,000 fine to Grubb and other penalties after NASCAR discovered issues with "several rear firewall block-off plates" on Hamlin's third-place car.

The Appeals Administrator - George Silbermann - will select three people to be on the National Motorsports Appeals Panel from a list of 34 individuals. Among the considerations will be a person's availability, background, professional experience and knowledge.

The list of 34 includes track operators, former drivers, former mechanics, former owners, others who have been involved motorsports, and/or the automotive industry and drug-testing experts.

Because Hamlin's case involves technical issues, someone such as Robert Yates, a former car owner, could be placed on the panel as well as Buddy Parrott, a former crew chief.

Former drivers who could be asked to join the panel are Johnny Benson, Janet Guthrie, Bill Lester, Shawna Robinson, Lake Speed and Lyn St. James.

Before the hearing, Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR may present a written summary no more than two pages long, standard-sized letter paper, Times New Roman size 12 font, single spaced. The summaries must remain private. Releasing these to the public could incur a penalty.

When the hearing takes place, both sides will be in the room together. Previously, one side presented its case while the other side was not permitted in the room.

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book states that "Appeal Panelists have the sole authority to define the scope of relevant testimony, what is admissible or non-admissible, to limit or extend questioning or to seek input from others.''

Those appealing a penalty and NASCAR officials are not allowed to have legal counsel in the hearing.

In this hearing, NASCAR has the burden of proving its case. It presents its evidence first. Joe Gibbs Racing then will present its case. Both sides are given alternating opportunities for rebuttal. Members of the appeals panel also may ask questions at any time during the presentations by both sides. Once the panel has received the testimony and is satisfied that it has enough information to render a decision, it will deliberate in private.

The panel must determine if NASCAR proved there was an infraction. If so, the panel must determine if the penalty assessed is within the scope of NASCAR's guidelines. Also, the panel can uphold, increase, decrease or otherwise adjust NASCAR's penalties.

If NASCAR loses, it cannot appeal.

If, in this case, Joe Gibbs Racing loses, it can appeal to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer. That person is Bryan Moss. This is his first year in this position. His decision is final.

If the case reaches this point, the burden of proof switches to the team or individual appealing its case. Thus, the team or individual appealing gets to present its case before NASCAR. Both sides are given an opportunity for rebuttal, based on the Final Appeals Officer's discretion. The Final Appeals Officer may ask questions at any point of either side during the proceeding.

Also, the scope of each appeal is limited to the correctness of the appeal panel's decision. The Rule Book states that "any speculation as to the impact of (the Final Appeals Officer's) decision on a Member or Race Team (e.g. economic hardships, contractual obligations, etc.) is outside the scope of the FAO's authority and is not to be considered as part of the appeal.''

The Final Appeals Officer is to decide if the team or individual has proved no violation happened. If a violation is found to have occurred, the Final Appeals Officer then considers the penalty. He can uphold, increase, decrease or otherwise adjust NASCAR penalties as he sees fit.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/07/Explaining-The-Appeals-Process.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Was It Unprofessional For Roush To Reveal Edwards' Status At Indy?​*
*O*f Course one the biggest news items to come out of the Brickyard 400 was the announcement from Roush Fenway Racing that driver Carl Edwards will not be driving for the organization in 2015. Honestly, I thought to make that announcement on the morning of what I consider our third biggest race of the year -- behind the Daytona 500 and Homestead -- was very unprofessional.

There's always a method to Roush Fenway Racing's madness. We all know that they have a way of firing the first shot at someone they are offended by.

History shows us this is not the first time it has happened from that camp. If you stop and think about it, though, they had those two weeks in between the race at Loudon until the race at Indianapolis to do it, but didn't.

The reality to me is they are cutting their nose off to spite their face. Trust me, I realize the business we are in, and the NASCAR world is a very small world where secrets don't stay secrets very long. I know there comes a point of no return when you have to make this type of announcements public.

Let's face it, though: Carl Edwards is the only bullet in the Roush Fenway gun to have a chance to be a contender for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

Unfortunately, I don't think Carl will be a contender. Yes, he will be in the Chase, but the stark reality is Roush Fenway Racing is struggling week in and week out regardless of the wins Carl has. So to me, losing Carl Edwards is going to be a pretty heavy hit.

Let's be candid, their driver lineup for 2015 is weak. Veteran Greg Biffle is by far their strongest horse in the stable. In two years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Greg's teammate, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., only has a couple career top-five finishes.

Now sure, the third teammate has a Daytona 500 win under his belt, but it's the only top-five finish in his NASCAR Sprint Cup career. So to me, Greg Biffle is going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting next year, but the biggest hurdle they have to overcome is the mystery of what is hurting their performance.

I talked to Roush Fenway's Robbie Reiser at Indianapolis and he agreed that the Team Penske Fords are the perfect template of what the problem is not. That would be the engines and the Ford body because those are the same that Roush Fenway Racing has. So obviously they are missing the boat in other areas.

So to me these last 16 races of 2014 are all about figuring out what they are missing and what can get Roush Fenway Racing competitive.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-to-reveal-carl-edwards-status-at-indy-073014


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## Ckg2011

*Forecasting The Future​*
With 11 different winners this season heading into Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway, the final five Chase spots - for now - would go to non-winners. That number will shrink if more first-time winners emerge during the final six races before the Chase field is set.

So, who could go from trying to make the Chase through points to securing a spot with a win? Here's a look at which non-winners have the best chance of breaking through at each track in the coming weeks.

Understand it won't be easy. Not with the run Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson have had, or the run by Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Those five drivers have combined to win eight of the last 10 races. Yet, anything is possible and here are the non-winners to watch in the next six races.

Pocono

Kasey Kahne - Will drive the same car he led a race-high 70 laps with last weekend at Indianapolis. Kahne won this race a year ago and was second in this event two years ago. He wasn't as strong in June before contact late with Kyle Busch ended his race in 42nd. Kahne was upbeat after Indy despite finishing sixth. One of the reasons he could feel good is this is one of the tracks he could score a win before the Chase begins.

Ryan Newman - Has finished seventh of better in each of the past four races at Pocono. He's bringing a different car than what he raced in June when he placed seventh.

Tony Stewart - Led 24 laps in June but his hopes of winning all but ended with a speeding penalty on pit road. Stewart will have the same car this weekend as then.

Watkins Glen

Marcos Ambrose - No surprise here. Until he was knocked out of last year's race after contact, he had never finished worse than third at the Glen. He won there in 2011 and '12. Also, he tested at Watkins Glen in July.

AJ Allmendinger - Tested at the same time as Ambrose. Allmendinger has finished in the top 10 in each of his last three starts there, including an impressive 10th-place run last year for a JTG Daugherty team that was struggling at the time.

Clint Bowyer - Not thought of as a road racer but he did win at Sonoma in 2012 and has placed in the top 10 in his last two races at Watkins Glen.

Jamie McMurray - Often overlooked on the road courses but has had some good runs.

Michigan

Paul Menard - Finished fourth at this track in June and was ninth at Auto Club Speedway, a sister track to Michigan. The RCR cars are running better. This might be his best chance to score a win and earn a Chase spot.

Kasey Kahne - Placed fifth in June at the track, marking his third top-10 finish there in the last four races.

Kyle Larson - Has the horsepower with Hendrick engines and likes that top line around the track. He nearly won at Auto Club Speedway earlier in the year and was eighth at Michigan in June. This could be his weekend.

Greg Biffle - Four of his 19 career wins have come at this track. Only thing is Roush Fenway Racing was not very good in the June race. The team did test at Michigan recently. Could it be enough to return Biffle to Victory Lane there?

Bristol

Matt Kenseth - Has led 31 percent of the laps run in the last two races at Bristol, winning this event last August and finishing 13th in March after he was rammed by another car after the caution waved.

Marcos Ambrose - Don't think Watkins Glen is his last chance to win a race. Yes, Ambrose has not won on an oval but he's been pretty good at Bristol, placing fifth in two of the last four races there.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Finished second to teammate Carl Edwards in March. Question is was that the exception or will that become the norm for him at this track?

Tony Stewart - Has had some of his best finishes on concrete tracks this year with a fourth at Bristol in March and a seventh at Dover in June.

Atlanta

Matt Kenseth - Some consider Atlanta to be in the same category of rough tracks with Kentucky and Texas. Kenseth was fourth at Kentucky and seventh at Texas. If the trend continues, he could be toward the front. Also, he's finished in the top 10 in all five races on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

Paul Menard - Has scored three top-10 finishes in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks. Could be somebody to keep an eye on among the non-winners.

Kasey Kahne - Also has three top-10 finishes in the five races on 1.5-mile tracks. Seems to be getting faster. Another good chance to get a win.

Richmond

Matt Kenseth - Has scored more points than any other non-winner on short tracks this year and placed fifth at Richmond in the spring.

Ryan Newman - Placed in the top 10 in each of the last three September Richmond races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Forecasting-Future-For-Final-Chase-Spots.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Motivated Without Crew Chief​*
Can Denny Hamlin win this weekend at Pocono Raceway without his crew chief and car chief?

Teammate Matt Kenseth won last year's Southern 500 without crew chief Jason Ratcliff. Jimmie Johnson won twice in 2006 without Chad Knaus. Darian Grubb, then an engineer, filled in for Knaus in those races, helping Johnson win the Daytona 500 and at Auto Club Speedway. Now, it's Grubb who is suspended after NASCAR discovered issues with rear firewall block-off plates last weekend at Indianapolis.

The penalty leaves Hamlin, who has scored three consecutive top-10 finishes, looking to continue that run without Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill for the next six races. Engineer Mike Wheeler will serve as Hamlin's interim crew chief, while former car chief Chris Gillin will return to that position.

Joe Gibbs Racing plans to appeal the penalty, but has Grubb and Sherrill serving their penalties so if the team loses the appeal they'll be back for the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway. No date has been set for a hearing.

The result is that Grubb won't be a voice Hamlin will hear on his radio when he's in the car.

Grubb's absence, though, might not be a damaging as some suggest.

"It is a challenge when you go through those situations,'' Knaus said. "It's never fun being suspended. But with the way things are today with your limited amount of practice time, the limited amount of things you can change on the race car, a crew chief being at the race track probably isn't nearly as bad as it was the last time I was suspended quite honestly.

"I think Darian is going to have some opportunities to sit back and try to get focused on what he needs to do going into the Chase. Now preparation is the key. If they can get prepared before they leave North Carolina, before they get to the race track, I don't think it's going to bother them the least little bit. That is a solid team.''

Hamlin, who is coming off a third-place finish at Indianapolis, admits with the penalty, "you lose a little bit of that momentum,'' but he adds that "we were still running pretty fast last week and would have finished in the same spot. We're pretty confident we'll get through and by Chase time we'll be a contender.''

Hamlin said that he's worked with Wheeler longer than anyone on his team. Communication won't be an issue between them.

The penalty could have another impact, though.

"You use stuff like this as motivation to go out there and prove that you can run fast no matter what and you can run well,'' said Hamlin, who was 13th in Friday's practice session at Pocono. "We were on a run there last really month and a half to two months that I feel like our cars were really starting to turn the corner. So, really, I'm excited about what these next six weeks brings. We've got some great race tracks ahead of us - a lot of them which we feel like we can win.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ident-Run-Will-Continue-Minus-Crew-Chief.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Describes His Back As 'Not Great'​*
Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon says his back has not been the same since spasms forced him out of the car at Charlotte in May.

Gordon ran only 11 laps the day before the Coca-Cola 600 before exiting the car because of his ailing back. His back responded to treatment, and he drove in that race to continue his streak of consecutive starts, which is at 745 heading into Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway.

"The back, I don't think it's ever going to be the same after what happened at Charlotte,'' Gordon said Friday. "I don't know exactly what transpired there. It's not the same. I have to be much more careful. I'm just having to treat it more, ice and (electric stimulation), be more careful, more stretching.

"Is it going to flare up again? It could, but I'm just trying to be more cautious. It's not great, that's for sure.''

Gordon enters this weekend as the points leader after scoring his second win of the season last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/08/Jeff-Gordon-Discusses-His-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Report: Ryan Blaney To Drive For Wood Brothers​*
A report states that Ryan Blaney will drive for the Wood Brothers next season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and that Team Penske will form an alliance with the Woods.

The report by Motorsport.com, citing unnamed sources, stated that Blaney will run a Nationwide schedule for Team Penske next season along with select Cup races for the Wood Brothers. The Woods have an opening with Trevor Bayne moving to a full-time ride with Roush Fenway Racing next season.

The 20-year-old Blaney is leading the points in the Camping World Truck Series heading into Saturday's race at Pocono Raceway. He won this race a year ago. He also has a Nationwide victory, winning in that series last season.

Team Penske issued a statement about Blaney's future that read: "Ryan Blaney continues to do a great job with our organization and we have a plan for his progression within Team Penske. While we have had some discussions with our partners at Ford, nothing has been finalized.''

Blaney was asked about the report by Fox Sports 1 during its broadcast of Truck practice on Friday but he said his focus was on winning the Truck title.

Motorsport.com reported that an announcement could come later this month when the Cup series is at Michigan International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Ryan-Blaney-Will-Drive-For-Woods-In-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*First Career Pole for Larson​*
Kyle Larson knew what was possible and admits he got nervous. He could feel the butterflies in his stomach as he prepared for the final round of qualifying Friday at Pocono Raceway with his first career Sprint Cup pole a possibility.

What followed was one of the best laps he's run at this 2.5-mile, three-turn track. His reward was beating Joey Logano for the pole by eight-thousandths of a second.

Larson started on the pole at Richmond earlier this year but the field was set by practice speeds when qualifying was rained out so it did not officially count. There was no doubt this time, as Larson set a track record at 183.438 mph.

Logano earned his sixth front-row start this season. Teammate Brad Keselowski has nine front-row starts. Keselowski, who was dominant here in June, starts third.

"We have two fast race cars,'' Logano said. "I felt like (Kurt Busch) was one of the fastest cars also, and I thought he was going to be the guy we were going to be racing for the pole, but Kyle definitely laid down a good one because I thought my lap was (darn) near perfect and then I got beat, so it's a little frustrating, but, overall, it's a good starting spot.''

Kurt Busch is fourth and Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon starts fifth.

Larson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday Thursday, said he had not experienced butterflies in qualifying this season.

"I don't know if I knew I was going to get the pole if I didn't mess up or what, but I was definitely nervous,'' he said.

It didn't slow him.

"For whatever reason I feel like I've adapted pretty well to this track even though it's not a track where you maneuver around and can move from the bottom to the top ,'' said Larson, who has had plenty of laps at Pocono with a test session, running an ARCA car in June and driving in the Camping World Truck Series this weekend. "Seems like I've liked tough race tracks and this is one of them.''

Others did not have as good a day.

Carl Edwards slapped the wall in qualifying and will start 26th. NASCAR penalized Jimmie Johnson (17th) and Greg Biffle (25th) each for blend-line violations, leading Johnson to surmise that "I'm sure it will be a hot topic in (Sunday's) drivers meeting.''

NASCAR penalized Biffle at the beginning of the first round, and penalized Johnson as he attempted to climb back into the top 24 to advance to the second round. Both had to return to the pits before attempting another lap. Johnson advanced to the second round but went no further.

Edwards' troubles were in the opening round.

"I'm not exactly sure why it got so loose,'' he said. "The rear end just broke loose. It spun so quick I thought I was going to loop it. I just rode into the fence. Trying to get back in (the gas) as quick as I could, I bounced the front end on the access road and hopped the thing into the grass, so added insult to injury.''

Edwards said the team did not need to go to a backup car because the front end was not damaged and the right rear could be repaired.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/08/First-Career-Pole-for-Kyle-Larson.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tight Points Race Moves to Iowa​*
The Nationwide Series has quite a championship fight on its hands with this week's return to Iowa Speedway for Saturday night's U.S. Cellular 250 Presented by New Holland.

The top four drivers are separated by only 15 points as NASCAR's No. 2 division readies for a stand-alone date at the 7/8-mile oval. Rookie Chase Elliott leads JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith by four points with Elliott Sadler 11 behind and Ty Dillon, last week's Indianapolis winner, trailing by 15.

After a frustrating weekend at "The Brickyard," Elliott is hoping for a better run Saturday night.

"It'll be good to get back out to Iowa, where we ran competitively in May," said Elliott, who finished fourth in this year's first visit there. "We had a disappointing performance at Indy (12th place). You'll have your ups and downs in racing, but staying focused is the key to overall success. It's a long season and we have to stay level-headed."

Smith echoed his young teammate's sentiments after a planned strategy didn't produce the hoped-for results in Indianapolis. A change of scenery to a short track on Saturday night might be just what the doctor ordered.

"Last week, we had a ton of speed. The race strategy just didn't play out for us," said Smith. "We unloaded well and had a strong car all weekend, and I know we can do the same at Iowa - which has been a good track for our team. Short-track racing can be challenging and frustrating at times, but if things go right it's a lot of fun. Looking ahead to the two road courses coming up in August, those have become wild-card races. So a solid showing in Iowa could really go a long way over this stretch."

Sadler had a top-five finish the last time the series visited Iowa while Dillon came home eighth in his series debut at the track.

"Iowa fits my driving style because it's fast," Dillon said. "It's important that we qualify well and stay smart. We've got all the momentum in the world, right now."

That momentum also includes some extra incentive in the Nationwide "Dash4Cash" program. Dillon is one of four drivers that will be paired up with a fan in hopes of collecting another $100,000 payday. Smith, Trevor Bayne and Brian Scott are the others.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's U.S. Cellular 250 from Iowa Speedway starting at 7:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/07/Tight-Points-Race-Moves-to-Iowa.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Blaney Points to Pocono​*
Ryan Blaney carries the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points lead into his quest for a second straight Pocono Raceway win Saturday in the Pocono Mountains 150.

The Brad Keselowski Racing driver has a four-point advantage over defending series champion Matt Crafton going into the weekend's race on the 2.5-mile "Tricky Triangle." Blaney's impressive season has included eight top-10 finishes, the last six in a row. Now, he returns to Pocono - where he scored his second career series win last year.

"We had a good truck last year and it worked out in our favor," Blaney said. "Hopefully, we can have that same success and get back to Victory Lane."

Although his career is still young and experience is something Blaney continues to acquire, he is confident returning to a track where he had the ultimate success a year ago.

"It's always nice going back to tracks you've won at before," he said. "It gives you and your team extra confidence. You think you can go back there and win again."

There's a new wrinkle in this year's fourth visit by the Truck Series to Pocono: an extended race distance. An additional 25 miles (10 laps) has been tacked on and Blaney's crew chief, Chad Kendrick, believes that will make a huge difference in approach and strategy.

"Now, you're going to be right on the verge of having to pit twice," said Kendrick. "When the race was 50 laps, you could go a little more than halfway on fuel so you would usually pit between Lap 21 and 25 if the thing went green ... almost run it backwards like a road course because you won't go a lap down there. With a 60-lap race, you can't do that."

The fuel and pit strategy changes only compound the challenges of racing at Pocono, which - with its three turns - is the most unique track on the schedule. Crafton, one of only two drivers to have completed all 212 series laps run at Pocono, is a fan of the layout but also very aware of the challenge it provides.

"Even though Pocono has three distinctively different corners, and you have to compromise what you're doing to the truck to suit it all the way around the racetrack, the flattest corner is the most critical," the ThorSport Racing driver said of Turn 1. "It's really a typical oval-track corner, though you really have to have your truck working well because you carry so much speed off that long frontstretch.

"The Tunnel Turn (Turn 2) is important because you carry a lot of speed through there and it can get your attention in a hurry, especially running in traffic. But Turn 3 is the big one because you can't over-drive the corner and you can't get the truck bound up or too loose because that will cost you too much momentum getting down that long frontstretch, and over a full run that can really cost you."

Sprint Cup Series rookies Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson also will race in Saturday's event.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pocono Mountains 150 on Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Articles/2014/07/Blaney-Points-to-Pocono.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martin Back At Roush As Driver Coach​*
Mark Martin is back at Roush Fenway Racing.

Roush Fenway Racing announced Thursday that Martin is returning to the race team where he excelled behind the wheel for almost 20 years - this time as the team's driver development coach. Martin was the first driver hired by team co-owner Jack Roush when he founded his NASCAR operation in 1988.

The two went on to become one of the most successful duos in sports history, accumulating 83 NASCAR wins, four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship runner-up finishes and building Roush Fenway into the winningest team in NASCAR history.

"I'm excited to return to Roush Fenway Racing, as it feels like I'm going home to where I belong," said Martin. "I was fortunate to help build this team from the beginning and it's very humbling to be a part of Jack's team again. When Jack first hired me in 1988 we didn't talk about salary or benefits or perks, we talked about testing, tires and putting the right personnel into place to win on the track. That commitment is what stood out to me then and it's still what stands out to me today.

"Nobody does a better job at developing young talent than Jack Roush," added Martin. "Roush Fenway has an abundance of young, talented drivers and I'm looking forward to working with each of them going forward. I am very proud of what Jack and I were able to accomplish together and I am excited to expand on those accomplishments.

"I understand what it takes to succeed in this business and appreciate the hard work, dedication and focus required to compete at the highest level week in and week out," added the NASCAR legend. "We have a great crop of young drivers in Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) and Trevor (Bayne), as well as with the rookies Chris Buescher and Ryan Reed and of course the veteran leadership with Greg Biffle. It will be a key part of my job to help them develop their skills behind the wheel and get the most of their exceptional ability."

"The thing that always stood out about Mark was his unmatched drive to win," said Roush. "Mark put us on the map and I am pleased to have him as a part of our team again. Mark is not only a good friend but he's also a fierce competitor and I truly admire his passion and dedication to racing. I have no question that you will be able to see his influence on our young drivers. He understands what it takes to win and to be able to do that on a consistent basis and he'll, once again, be a great asset to have back within our organization."

Martin piloted Roush Fenway's flagship No. 6 Ford from 1988 until 2006. During that time he accumulated 35 NSCS victories. At the end of his tenure at Roush Fenway he held a record five prestigious IROC (International Race of Champions) Championships and a then record 47 NASCAR Nationwide Series wins. For his career Martin posted 96 career NASCAR victories.

After leaving Roush Fenway at the end of the 2006 season Martin raced part-time for two seasons before returning to full-time competition in 2009 at Hendrick Motorsports. He won five races in 2009 with Hendrick and finished second in the Sprint Cup standings to teammate Jimmie Johnson. He spent two more full seasons at Hendrick before joining Michael Waltrip Racing for part time schedules in 2012 and 2013. He left MWR late in 2013 to drive Tony Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet for the final part of the season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/martin-back-at-roush-as-driver-coach/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Seuss Takes Momentum To Bowman Gray​*
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will have its sixth event of the season this Saturday night at one of the most popular venues on the 2014 schedule - Bowman Gray Stadium for the Strutmasters.com 199.

Through the first five races of the season it has been almost all Andy Seuss as the Hampstead, N.H., driver has picked up three wins and enters this weekend with an 11-point lead over George Brunnhoelzl III (227-216).

While Seuss has amassed an impressive resume competing in the south full-time since 2008, the one thing he hasn't done is win at the Stadium.

In his six previous tour starts at the Stadium, Seuss has finished with five top-10 finishes, highlighted by three fifth-place showings. Seuss, known mostly for his strong performances in the second half of the season, is just one win short of equaling his career-high for victories in a season with four, set back in 2009. If Seuss can pick up the win this weekend it could be a big momentum boost heading into the stretch run of the 2014 season with three races in the month of August and seven in a row to finish the season.

Last year NASCAR Next driver and defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece came down to North Carolina and picked up his first win in the Southern Tour, winning from the pole. This year Preece is not scheduled to defend his win, opening the door for a new winner this season.

Several drivers entered this weekend who have picked up a tour win at the Stadium include Brunnhoelzl, Burt Myers, Brian Loftin, Luke Fleming and Jason Myers. Fleming is also the only driver in the history of the NWSMT to win in his first official tour start at the Stadium picking, up the surprise victory in 2009.

During the first five events of the season in the spring, Seuss rolled to a pair of Caraway wins as well as his second career win at South Boston Speedway on April 5. J.R. Bertuccio earned his first career victory on March 15 at Southern National Motorsports Park and Brunnhoelzl took the checkered flag on April 12 at Langley Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/seuss-takes-momentum-to-bowman-gray/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Relishes Every Racing Opportunity​*
No one could blame Erik Jones if he called 2014 a rousing success.

Jones has a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series ride with Kyle Busch Motorsports, spot duty in the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he's not even two months removed from graduating high school.

Sure, the 18-year-old Flint, Mich. native acknowledges his good fortune. He doesn't take it for granted, but Jones wants more. He can thank his impressive driving ability for the big breaks he's already gotten.
Jones makes the most of every opportunity thrown his way.

When he debuted in the ARCA Racing Series at 15 in 2012, he became the series' youngest driver ever. He had a knack for finishing up front in ARCA cars from the start, but he didn't land a marquee win until December 2012. Jones out-dueled Busch, now his boss, in the Snowball Derby late-model race, then parlayed the win into a ride with KBM in the No. 51 Toyota.

Things have only gone uphill since then.

Jones scored his first Truck Series win for KBM on Nov. 8, 2013, at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. He backed it up with anther victory at Iowa Speedway on July 11, and even won the pole for the series' second-ever dirt-track race at Eldora Speedway 12 days later.

Jones has extra pep in his step as the Truck Series prepares for the Pocono Mountains 150 on Saturday at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Having the fastest truck in the series - which Busch has driven to victory five times - would make any driver believe in himself. Being a winner himself doesn't hurt, either.

"It just makes me feel like the truck's a great truck, and one that can go out and win every race," Jones said. "Everybody wonders if (Busch's success in the truck) puts pressure on me, but at the end of the day, it just makes me feel more confident."

One win, one pole and 154 laps led in five Truck Series races would be a great year for most up-and-coming drivers. Jones, however, sees where he could've improved his 16th-place average finishing position. Ridding himself of bad luck would be a start.

"Our finishes haven't showed it, but I feel like I'm doing a better job and the team is doing a better job (compared to last year)," Jones said. "We've qualified great. Our average start is third. We've had fast trucks. It's just a matter of putting races together.

"There are a lot of factors that went into us not running as well as we should've (before winning a race). They always say the first win in a series is the toughest, but honestly, the first one is the toughest every year."

Jones found himself in contention to win a Nationwide race in his series debut on July 19 at Chicagoland Speedway. Driving the No. 20 Toyota Camry for JGR, Jones qualified fourth, led two laps and finished seventh. He has two more NNS races lined up this year, at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Aug. 22 and Phoenix Nov. 8.

Working with KBM teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. has given Jones a better feel for racetracks, especially those on which Jones has little experience when the Truck Series visits them.

"Our driving styles are pretty different, but I definitely go to him when I need advice and he comes to me when he needs advice," Jones said.

"It's really good to have a teammate in any series, just to have someone to go off of. When I talk to Kyle or Darrell before a race, we'll discuss lift points and braking, then we'll go and have team meetings together and figure out what they have in their setup and if it can help me."

One thing Jones hasn't figured out is his plan for next year. He's still enjoying what he has while searching for another move upward.

"We'll see what becomes of all of it. You never know," Jones said. "It could be a full-time Truck ride, which would be great. Chasing down a championship would be cool."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ucks/jones-relishes-every-racing-opportunity/


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon Ends Toyota's Streak​*
Nine months after Chevrolet last visited Victory Lane in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Austin Dillon gave the manufacturer a win in Saturday's event at Pocono Racway.

Chevrolet's victory ended Toyota's 12-race winning streak in the series. Dillon triumphed a week after younger brother Ty Dillon won the Nationwide race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"I loved watching him do that,'' Austin Dillon said. "It puts a fire back in you because you want to get to that place again, seeing him in Victory Lane, being with him in Victory Lane. It's a special place. From time to time you have to be reminded how special it is. I attribute some of what Ty did last week to running well this week. I'm jacked up and wanting to get a Cup win now.''

Austin Dillon scored his sixth career Truck win by surviving a green-white-checkered finish. The 60-lap race was extended four laps because of an incident that led NASCAR to park Tyler Reddick.

Dillon got a strong restart and pulled away for an easy win. Johnny Sauter placed second with Joey Coulter third, Clint Bowyer fourth and points leader Ryan Blaney fifth.

Blaney leads Sauter by seven points. Matt Crafton, who placed 14th, is 12 points behind Blaney. Ron Hornaday Jr., who placed seventh, is 20 points behind Blaney.

Bowyer filled in for John Wes Townley, who crashed in Friday's ARCA practice and was not cleared to compete.

Townley said he will be evaluated this week and hopes to race next week. He said when he smacked the wall with the car's right side he heard a pop in his neck.

"As soon as I said 'pop' and 'neck' it just sent red flags off and they wanted me to go and have it checked out,'' Townley said.

He was taken to an area hospital and had a CT scan. Those tests were inconclusive, according to Townley. While doctors didn't think anything was wrong, they wanted him to wait seven days before racing again. Townley said he felt fine Saturday.

Not everybody did.

Reddick and German Quiroga had a couple of incidents late in the race. NASCAR met with Reddick after sending him the garage and forcing him to miss the final four laps. Reddick finished 23rd, while Quiroga was 22nd.

The first incident happened on Lap 54 when Reddick ran under Quiroga. They made contact and it sent Reddick into the wall.

"He run me into the wall,'' Quiroga said of Reddick. "I just tried to stay off the wall. I didn't mean to spin him. He kept running me into the wall. I don't race like that.''

Said Reddick, after leaving a meeting with NASCAR: "Just a racing deal. It's very tight and technical coming off of (Turn) 2. It's very easy to get aggressive and got too much coming off there.''

They made contact again - this time Reddick was behind Quiroga - on Lap 58 and the incident collected Tyler Young.

"It again was a restart and everyone is fighting for all the positions they can get,'' Reddick said. "I was just trying to follow (Quiroga). Especially with the tires and the body damage we both had, it was very easy to overdrive. We just probably needed to all take it down a notch and we probably would have been fine.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/08/Austin-Dillon-Ends-Toyotas-Streak.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kahne Says Team Stepping Up​*
Minutes after the disappointment, Kasey Kahne looked ahead. Crew chief Kenny Francis admits it took him a couple of hours to get over the finish of last weekend's Brickyard 400.

Kahne dominated that race but fell back on the final restart and ran out of fuel coming to the finish. He placed sixth. After Kahne's crew pushed his car to the team's hauler, Kahne talked about how excited he was of the six races before the Chase.

That excitement is evident this weekend at Pocono Raceway where Kahne won the GoBowling.com 400 last year and finished second in this event two years ago. He will start Sunday's race 12th.

He also has the car he drove at Indy. That's a quick turnaround to get a car ready for another race, but Francis said that it is new with "a few differences to the chassis'' and it's the only car they have like that so they decided to bring it.

It wasn't just the car that performed well last weekend. It was the team and that Kahne excited.

"What I liked the most about the entire weekend was the team stepped up,'' Kahne said. "It was the first time of the season we have put a full race together. From me driving to them on pit road to pit calls, everything about it was right. That is something that we haven't done this year. We haven't even come close to doing that.

"It was a big weekend for all of us and we got some momentum out of it, some confidence I think on all of our parts. Hopefully, we can carry that into this weekend and especially Sunday."

Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon, whose team is based in the same building as Kahne's team, said it was encouraging to see Kahne's strength at Indy.

"The No. 5 car has had their struggles, but I was really happy to see how strong his car was last week,'' Gordon said. "I thought that we both had the cars to beat there at the race, so we all want to see them get a win and get themselves in the Chase and they certainly had a great shot at that.''

Kahne, who is winless this season, enters this weekend outside a spot for the 16-driver Chase. He trails Austin Dillon for the final transfer spot by four points. Four top-10 finishes in the last six races has Kahne trending in the right direction.

Making the Chase and contending for the championship are two distinct hurdles. While Tony Stewart went winless in 2011 before the Chase and then won five of the 10 Chase races to claim the title, such a dramatic turnaround is not as common.

Yet, Kahne said he doesn't feel his team is far off.

"The guys have worked really hard all season long,'' he said. "I've been right there with them at times watching them. Then just last week we finally put together a full race. Why did that happen? Where did that come from? It's not like we picked up speed in any of those areas.

"It was just like we all did our job the entire race, the entire day and communicated and had great attitudes and focus. I think focus is a big part of it. I feel like a team at this level of racing we could go all the way until Richmond. You make it into the Chase at Richmond and hit on your stride and the teams that are built right now could make a run.

"We could have the season we have had and make it at Richmond and then make a run for the championship. That is just my opinion, but that is the way that I look at things.''

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/08/Kasey-Kahne-Growing-More-Confident.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Special K Wins At The Speedway In The Corn Field​*
Brad Keselowski survivors a late race restart and a battle with Michael McDowell to win the NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway.

Brad Keselowski's main attacker Sam Hornish Jr who took four tires during the late race pit stop finished in the the fourth position.

Top five finisher

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Michael McDowell 
3. Trevor Bayne
4. Sam Hornish Jr 
5 Ty Dillon

*Source:*
*ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Sweeps Pocono​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the first driver to sweep Pocono Raceway since 2006 with his win in Sunday's GoBowling.com 400.

Earnhardt Jr scored his third win of the season and followed up his June victory at Pocono outrunning Kevin Harvick to the checkered flag.

Denny Hamlin was the last driver to sweep at the 2.5-mile track while Earnhardt Jr. scored his first track sweep since he turned the trick at Talladega in 2002.

It was the fifth straight Pocono win for Hendrick Motorsports.

"We definitely went home from the last race and made our car better," Earnhardt Jr. said "That's what I'm proud of this team for."

Earnhardt Jr used fuel strategy employed by crew chief Steve Letarte to get out front and then wrestled the lead away from Greg Biffle on a final restart with 14 laps to go to score the win.

"It takes a really, really smart guy to understand what to do to take those gambles," Earnhardt said of Letarte's call. "Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don't.

"We had a fast car all day. Steve's strategy was perfect at the end. I don't know if anyone knew what was going on there, but it was pretty awesome."

Harvick had an up and down day with trips into the wall and a speeding penalty on pit road but did come home second.

"This hasn't been one of my better race tracks and the cars have been fast both races here," Harvick said. "Today we were able to capitalize on it and get a good finish."

Joey Logano finished third, followed by Clint Bowyer and Biffle.

Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top ten.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Watkins Glen Int'l next Sunday for the Cheez-It 355.

*How Earnhardt Jr won:* He was in control thanks to pit strategy that got Earnhardt Jr out front in the final stage of the race. But when caution flew for AJ Allmendinger's trip into the wall, others tried to steal a win away by staying out rather than pitting including Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. Then Kurt Busch slapped the wall to bring out caution and on the day's final restart with four laps to go, Earnhardt was able to power by Biffle who had grabbed the top spot and stay ahead of Harvick at the finish line.

*What else happened:* The day featured a variety of pit strategies that started to play out early in the race and was similar in nature to last week's Brickyard 400 in Pocono. There was also a threat of rain in the area which may have ramped up the intensity level in the first half of the race, which was highlighted by tight racing throughout the field.

*Who else had a good day:* Harvick had an adventurous day that included some damage to his car as well as a pit road speeding penalty but was able to get in position for another win before settling for second&#8230;.Biffle gave Roush Fenway Racing some much-needed excitement when he led late in the race and scored a top-five finish&#8230;.Hamlin, with interim crew chief Mike Wheeler in for the suspended Darian Grubb, turned in a competitive performance and a top-10 finish.

*Who had a bad day:* About 13 drivers, who were all involved in a massive pile-up in the closing stages of the race. When the dust settled the likes of Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, Brian Vickers, Brad Keselowski, AJ Allmendinger and others were involved in the huge wreck. While nobody was injured there the amount of damaged racecars was reminiscent of a Talladega or Daytona "Big One"&#8230;&#8230;Kyle Busch had no chance to compete when he was knocked out of the race by an engine problem early&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson had two trips into the wall and finished 39th.

*Quote of the day:* "I can't believe I fell into this (No. 88) group. I'm just the lucky guy that gets to drive for them," Earnhardt Jr.

*Other notables:* Johnson's finish of 39th gave him an average finish of 34.3 over his last four races&#8230;.Rookie Kyle Larson started from the pole and came home 11th&#8230;&#8230;.Casey Mears gave Germain Racing a finish of 13th&#8230;..Justin Allgaier was involved in the day's multi-car crash but recovered to finish 16th.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Sweeps-Pocono.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pocono Belongs To Earnhardt Jr Again​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. completed a season sweep of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Pocono Raceway Sunday by winning the GoBowling.com 400.

Earnhardt came out on top of a crazy day at the 2.5-mile venue that included intense pit strategy, wild restarts, a 13-car pileup on lap 117 and a three-lap dash to the checkered flag.

"I can't believe we swept Pocono," said Earnhardt, who also won the Pocono 400 on June 8. "We definitely went home from the last race (at Pocono) and made our car better."

The moment that changed the course of the race came moments after a restart on lap 117. Jeff Gordon was the race leader at the time, but behind him Denny Hamlin got loose coming out of turn one and bounced off the wall.

That set off a chain reaction crash behind Hamlin, with Brian Vickers and Matt Kenseth coming together and crashing into the outside wall. Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., A.J. Allmendinger, Paul Menard and several others piled into the crash.

The crash required a lengthy clean up period as NASCAR cleared damaged cars from the track and several teams opted to pit for tires and gas. Some, like Earnhardt, opted instead to stay out with plans to pit just after the green flag waved again.

Earnhardt and his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team stuck to their strategy. The green flag waved on lap 127 and Earnhardt pitted five laps later for fuel, guaranteeing he would be able to make it to the checkered flag without stopping again. Several others pitted in the next few laps, giving the race lead to Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle.

The caution flag waved again on lap 139 when Allmendinger's Chevrolet hit the wall a second time, playing perfectly into Earnhardt's strategy and allowing him to close the gap on Biffle for the race lead.

When the field returned to racing on lap 144 Earnhardt was quick to act, taking second from Kevin Harvick on the restart and setting his sights on Biffle. Three laps latter Earnhardt made his move, bypassing Biffle to take the race lead for the first time all day.

Within a few laps Earnhardt built a three-second lead as Harvick passed Biffle to take second. It looked as if Earnhardt had the race in hand, but the caution flag waved with eight laps left when Kurt Busch bounced his Chevrolet off the wall twice.

That set up a three-lap dash to the checkered flag between Earnhardt and Harvick. During the restart Earnhardt and Harvick stayed side-by-side entering turn one, but Earnhardt used the outside line to perfection to clear Harvick and take the race lead.

Harvick stayed close to Earnhardt over the final laps, closing the gap in turns one and two but slipping back in in turn three. That gave Earnhardt just enough breathing room to get to the checkered flag first to complete the Pocono season sweep.

"I was just trying to hold them (Harvick) off. They were faster," said Earnhardt after his third victory of the year. "My car, I was over driving it and not rolling the center very good and Kevin was getting me in turns one and two. I just couldn't back it down. I was way over driving the car."

Earnhardt gave a lot of credit to his crew chief Steve Letarte for making the strategy call that got him near the front at the end of the race.

"We had a fast car all day," Earnhardt said. "Steve's strategy was perfect at the end. I don't know if anybody knew what was going on, but that was pretty awesome. It takes a really, really smart guy to figure out what to do and take those gambles. Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don't."

Sunday's victory by Earnhardt was the fifth-straight for Hendrick Motorsports at Pocono Raceway.

Harvick finished second despite being involved in the 13-car crash on lap 117. He said if it weren't for that and the damage sustained during the incident, he might have had a shot to catch Earnhardt.

"This hasn't been one of my best tracks," Harvick said. "I just have to thank all of my guys on this Mobil 1 Chevy for putting us in position to at least have an opportunity to pull some strategy there.

"I made a lot of mistakes today and they (the crew) made up for it with a fast race car," Harvick said.

Joey Logano finished third after leading 30 laps. Clint Bowyer and Biffle completed the top five. Jeff Gordon finished sixth after leading a race-high 63 laps. Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne completed the top 10.

Sunday was a bad day for both Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.

Johnson cut a tire early in the day and hit the wall on the front stretch, but he was able to get his lap back and work his way back into the top five.

Unfortunately Johnson wasn't done with his bad luck because he hit the wall again on lap 112 while running in the top five.

Kyle Busch didn't even get the chance to find out how good his car was. His Toyota's engine failed and the team retired on lap 23. He finished 42nd while Johnson was scored 39th.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/pocono-belongs-to-earnhardt-again/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Has Another Rough Day​*
His teammate won, but Jimmie Johnson wasn't at the finish, continuing a rough stretch for the six-time series champion.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored his third victory of the season Sunday at Pocono Raceway, Johnson was dealing with his fourth consecutive finish outside the top 10. It's only the second time since 2009 that Johnson has had such a drought. Of course, he rebounded from such a stretch last year to win the title.

Johnson hit the wall twice Sunday before finishing 39th. It's the third time in the last four races he's finished 39th or worse. He was 42nd at Daytona after being involved in a crash and placed 42nd at New Hampshire when he crashed early after his second tire issue.

His problems Sunday started early when his contact with the wall brought out the first caution on Lap 10.

"The first one, I got tight off Turn 1 and got in the fence,'' Johnson said. "It pushed the rear quarter panel into the tire and got the first flat, so my bad.''

His team recovered and he worked his way toward the front in a race that saw multiple pit strategies throughout the field.

Then trouble returned about 100 laps later when hit the Turn 2 wall, ending his race.

"On that one, I am clueless,'' Johnson said. "It didn't act like a tire went down and I am not exactly sure if it did. Normally when they go down that quick they explode and there was no explosion, the tire did not come apart, it just went straight.

"We are trying to get in there and look at it, obviously the tire is flat now from the impact. Hopefully we can get a reason why. Unfortunate with how hard we fought to get ourselves back in contention. It wasn't the best weekend but we still gave ourselves a chance at a win if not a top five today and came up a little short."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...8/Jimmie-Johnson-Has-Rough-Day-At-Pocono.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Talladega-Like Crash Strikes At Pocono​*
Denny Hamlin's car slid sideways. Smoke blanketed the track, cars ran into each other and when the wrecking stopped, Tony Stewart's car was parked atop Paul Menard's and 11 others were damaged during Sunday's race at Pocono Raceway.

"I told Tony the last time we did that was about two years ago at Talladega,'' Menard said about Stewart's car resting on top of his. "So we have got to stop doing that.''

Among those sent to the garage after the Talladega-like crash in Turn 1 were Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, Stewart and Menard.

Hamlin said he got "killed on restarts'' throughout the race that foreshadowed what would happen.

"No matter how good of a run I would get, I would try to hold my position and I would just get run over on the front straightaway,'' said Hamlin, who finished ninth. "It would put me three-wide, four-wide.''

When that happened to him on the Lap 117 restart, chaos ensued.

"I was in the middle lane, I got stuck three-wide,'' Hamlin said. "Guys getting runs and guys that can accelerate much faster than what we can, so that put me three-wide. (Clint Bowyer) was right on my door and that sucked me around. I was just hanging on at that point. I think it was just mayhem from everyone checking up from behind.''

Matt Kenseth, who finished 38th, said he had nowhere to go.

"I went to the outside ... and I got squeezed into the fence,'' he said. "Big wrecks are always frustrating when you're in it. When you're not in it. it's not as frustrating, but we've been in all the big wrecks this year. Sometimes it seems like you miss every one by just the smallest margin. Other times it seems like you're always in the wrong place at the wrong time.''

That's where Stewart ended resting atop Menard's car.

Stewart radioed his crew: "I can't drive it because my car is on top of another.''

Menard radioed his crew: "The only issue is there is a ... car on my hood.'' That was Stewart's car.

Stewart finished 36th, Menard placed 33rd.

Also collected in the incident were Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Michael Annett, Aric Almirola, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier and Carl Edwards.

"(Hamlin) just got loose in front of us and started spinning,'' said Vickers, who finished 37th. "I tried to go low to miss him and then got loose or somebody got in the back of me. One thing led to another.''

Almirola, who was 35th, also had no chance to escape trouble.

"I was trying to get low and I was following (Brad) Keselowski and everybody started to check up,'' Almirola said. "I was on the brakes as hard as I could and I got creamed from behind and pushed into the wreck.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/08/Crash-Collects-Many.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Milka Duno to Drive for RAB Racing​*
RAB Racing has signed Milka Duno to compete in select races in the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series. With the entry, Duno will become the first Hispanic female driver in history to compete in a NASCAR national series in the United States.

A successful driver who has competed in multiple racing series, Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype), in the American Le Mans Series, in the Grand American Rolex Series, and the highest finish ever by a female driver (second place) in the 24 Hours at Daytona in the now 52-year history of the race.

When she won the Rolex Series Grand Prix of Miami, she became the first woman in history to win a major international race in the USA.

In 2007, Duno was also the first Hispanic female driver in the now 103-year history of the race to qualify for and compete in the world famous Indianapolis 500. Duno competed in the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive seasons and in the IndyCar Series for four consecutive seasons, running partial schedules in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and a full schedule in 2010.

In making her transition to stock car racing and her ultimate entry into NASCAR, Duno has been competing in the ARCA Racing Series for the past three seasons. In 2011 and 2012 she competed in partial schedules and in 2013, her first full ARCA season. She finished the season seventh in the driver point standings and became the second highest finishing female driver in ARCA's 62-year history. Duno is also the first Hispanic female driver to compete in ARCA.

At Talladega Superspeedway she earned the pole and led the race, becoming the first Hispanic female driver to earn an ARCA pole. She also became only the fourth female driver in ARCA history, and the second female driver in 25 years to earn an ARCA pole at Talladega. Duno finished her 2013 ARCA season third in most laps completed and third in hard charger points.

"I'm really very excited and honored to enter into NASCAR and the Nationwide Series," said Duno. "It has always been a goal and dream of mine to compete in NASCAR and I worked very hard in ARCA to turn this goal into a reality. I always strive to challenge myself as a driver and I've been fortunate to compete in many types of racing - and while the competition is always my number one focus - I am very proud of the history that I have made as a female driver, and the Hispanic sports history as well, that has been made along the way." Added Duno, "NASCAR is the most competitive and popular racing series in the USA and I'm very proud to enter the series with RAB Racing and I look forward to competing with them in their No. 29 Toyota Camry."

Veteran crew chief Chris Rice will helm Duno's NNS effort. In 2013, Rice lead RAB Racing's No. 99 Toyota Camry to two poles, two top-five finishes, and six top-10 finishes.

"We've watched Milka develop in the ARCA Racing Series and feel she is prepared for the next step in her stock car racing career," said RAB Racing owner Robby Benton. "I think that working together with Chris Rice, Milka can find a home in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. She has a very strong fan base and we hope we can attract them to follow her in her NASCAR endeavors. Milka is very intelligent and educated and we look forward to working with her."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/08/Milka-Duno-to-Drive-for-RAB-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Enters Watkins Glen NNS Event​*
Five-time Watkins Glen Int'l race winner Marcos Ambrose will double down this weekend at the famed New York road course.

With support from STANLEY, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) will enter Ambrose in the No. 09 Stanley Racing Ford in Saturday's Nationwide Series Zippo 200. Ambrose is a three-time winner of the event, winning consecutive races from 2008-2010. Ambrose will then compete in his familiar No. 9 Stanley Racing Ford on Sunday looking for his third Sprint Cup Series win at the track.

Veteran engineer Scott McDougall will be the crew chief for Ambrose during Saturday's headliner event. The Stanley Racing Sprint Cup pit crew will also pull double duty with Ambrose and service the Nationwide Series car on Saturday.

"I love going to Watkins Glen and competing there," Ambrose said. "I am really thankful to Stanley for allowing me the opportunity to race in the Nationwide Series and giving me another opportunity to win there. We have had a good record in this race and at this track. I'd love to win again. It will also give me and my pit crew more time on the track as we hope to sweep the weekend."

Ambrose has four Nationwide Series starts at Watkins Glen and has collected three wins while starting six Sprint Cup Series races at the track and winning twice. Ambrose is known as one of the best NASCAR drivers to ever race at Watkins Glen Int'l.

Ambrose will be a teammate to Dakoda Armstrong on Saturday who will continue to race the No. 43 Winfield Ford.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/ambrose-enters-watkins-glen-nns-event/


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## Ckg2011

*One Year Later: Smoke Talks Sprint Car Return​*
When the annual Front Row Challenge sprint car race takes the green flag tonight (Aug. 4) at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, it will mark a year since three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart broke his right tibia and fibula in a crash at the half-mile oval.

Stewart, who returned to the cockpit of a sprint car with a victory July 18 at Tri-City Motor Speedway in Michigan, recently sat down with SPEED SPORT's Ralph Sheheen in an exclusive interview taped at Eldora Speedway that will air in two episodes of "SPEED SPORT Magazine" on MAVTV beginning Thursday (Aug. 7) at 8 p.m.

Stewart talked about his return to sprint car racing.

"It just felt pretty natural," said Stewart, who was not injured from his car flipping, but from the drive shaft of his car breaking and impacting his leg. "It was just like when we went to Daytona for Speedweek. The first time I got into the Cup car, it felt pretty naturally and just felt like any typical off-season. It didn't feel like I had missed anything. Even though it had been 11 and a half months with a sprint car, it didn't feel like I had been out of it that long. It just kind of felt natural again. That was probably the best part of it was that I didn't feel that I had taken a step backward. I just haven't raced as much as everyone else has this year."

Stewart said the return to sprint car racing was the latest step forward in his ongoing recovery.

"It was like when we went to Daytona, it was checking boxes off you know, getting back into a Cup car, feeling comfortable racing next to guys again, getting in a crash&#8230;just checking boxes off left and right," he explained. "Then getting back in a sprint car was checking another box off again and racing, so yeah, it was a big weight off the shoulders. I think if you can run one of those cars, you can run anything. That's about as physical of a race car as you're ever going to drive so, felt like that was really the toughest test for me, physically in the car."

The negative attention that Stewart's injuries brought to sprint car racing is something he still has trouble coming to grips with.

"It's been hard because ever since I got hurt last year, I've had a lot of time to get on the Internet and read and, people that understand and get it and know what I'm doing and know why I'm doing it, they're backing me on it," 
Stewart explained. "Then there's a group of people that are just NASCAR fans. They don't care about any other form of racing that are bad-mouthing you because you did this and got hurt.

"It doesn't matter what I'm doing or what you're doing or what they're doing, there is something that we all enjoy doing, and I don't care what you're responsible for, what your job title is," Stewart continued. "If you are not doing in your life what you love to do and what you're passionate about doing, why are we here? What is the point of living our life if we aren't going to find things we love and enjoy and are able to do it?

"So, anybody that asked me or told me that I shouldn't do this, in my opinion, was selfish - more selfish than what they were accusing me of by doing," the former USAC, IndyCar Series and IROC champion said. "You got to have something that you are passionate about. You got to have something that you are into that you love. This is what I love. It's not just dirt track racing. I love racing period. I love racing a Cup car. I loved racing Indy cars.

I've run supermodifieds, big-block modifieds, midgets, sprint cars, you name it&#8230;anything and everything.

"Racing's what I want to do. So, if wanting to race is wrong then what am I here for? Why am I doing any of this? Why do I work so hard with all the companies that I have? So I can go race? Why do I do this? I might as well get rid of the Cup teams. I might as well get rid of Eldora Speedway, why do I do it? If working that hard keeps you from doing what you're supposed to be doing then why am I doing it? Why do I have any of this?"

Stewart talked at length about the black eye he believes the sport received from the negative media attention given his injury.

"&#8230;It was like someone pulled a pin on a grenade. You realized that it just hurt more than anything that I did before that helped," Stewart said. "And sprint car racing is strong enough, the true core fans, it was going to survive but it got a black eye that it didn't deserve. The people that maybe thought, ah I might want to go see one of these, now they read it and they're like I don't want anything to do with it.

"And people see that I'm going to go run a sprint car, a sprint car to them is like the devil. It has nothing to do with cars or anything like that, many of them haven't seen what one looks like," Stewart added. "But they think just because I got hurt in it that something's wrong. And every type of race car has people get hurt in them all the time. There was just a string with Jason Leffler, Josh Burton, Kramer Williamson, myself, in a pretty short amount of time, that it got a black eye that it didn't deserve and the stuff that was being written about wasn't researched well, wasn't thought about well, it was just a big publication saying we've got to put something out about it and people scrambling to put together articles and all they could write about was the stuff they knew about, which was not enough to have a great article about it to begin with."

Positive changes have come to sprint car racing as a result of Stewart's accident and the deaths last year of sprint car racers Kramer Williamson, Josh Burton and Jason Leffler.

"Something good has come out of it," Stewart said. "C&R and Jimmy Carr (Tony Stewart Racing team manager) came up with a tether system that we run in our cars that I'm very confident with, if we would have had that last year, we wouldn't be having this conversation. We would have never had the problem. But the good news is that we've got it now. Some other companies have come up with torque tube tunnels, like a driveshaft tunnel that protect for the same thing.

"It did start a movement," he added. "Knoxville Raceway, the World of Outlaws, the All Stars all made front end tethers mandatory, so then we just took that a step further and worked on with the torque tube having two tethers from that to the rear end to keep the rear end from going back."

To see the full interview with Stewart, tune into "SPEED SPORT Magazine" Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on MAVTV.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...e-year-later-stewart-talks-sprint-car-return/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Piquet To Make First Sprint Cup Start At WGI​*
Nelson Piquet Jr. will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut on Sunday at Watkins Glen Int'l, after Piquet's name was listed as the driver of the No. 77 Worx Ford in Monday's entry list.

Piquet, the 29-year-old son of three-time Formula One World Champion Nelson Piquet Sr., hasn't made a NASCAR start this season. Piquet raced full-time in the Nationwide Series for Turner Scott Motorsports last year, and won at Road America with the team in 2012. He joined the NASCAR ranks in 2010 after spending 2008 and 2009 as a member of Renault's F-1 team.

NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney regularly drives the No. 77 car, but Humphrey Racing team owner Randy Humphrey will have Piquet behind the wheel on Sunday.

Piquet moved to the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship this season. He's the series point leader.

Forty-three cars are entered at Watkins Glen, so unless a team makes a late addition, Piquet is locked into Sunday's field.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...piquet-to-make-first-sprint-cup-start-at-wgi/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reed Pulling Double Duty At The Glen​*
In an effort to gain valuable track time in his first visit to Watkins Glen Int'l, Roush Fenway Racing's Ryan Reed will pull double duty competing in both the K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Nationwide Series races.

The driver of the No. 16 American Diabetes Association Drive to Stop Diabetes presented by Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang will also pilot the No. 99 Ford Fusion for Bill McAnally Racing in the K&N Pro Series East. This is the same team that Roush Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. raced for in the K&N Pro Series West at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway earlier this season.

"With this being my first trip to Watkins Glen, I'm thankful for the opportunity to get some extra seat time," said Reed. "I think both Drive to Stop Diabetes Fords will be fast this weekend. We ran really well at the first road course race this season, and I'm hopeful that will translate to this weekend."

Friday will be a busy day for the NNS rookie of the year competitor, as Reed will hit the track for two NNS and K&N practice sessions, as well as K&N qualifying, before that evening's race. Reed will take the green flag in his No. 99 American Diabetes Association Drive to Stop Diabetes presented by Lilly Diabetes Ford Fusion on Aug. 8 at 6:15 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/reed-pulling-double-duty-at-the-glen/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Three Race Teams​*
NASCAR has announced penalties against two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams and one NASCAR Nationwide Series team following events last weekend at Pocono Raceway and Iowa Speedway.

The No. 23 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet driven by Carl Long that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been penalized for a rules infraction that occurred during practice Aug. 1 at Iowa Speedway.

The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates sections:

- 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing;

- 20A-2.3A: Any weight added to the car must be bolted inside the body shell in an approved weight container and in a position acceptable to NASCAR officials: Weight was not properly attached and fell out during the event.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Jonas Bell has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

The No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota driven by Timothy Peters in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was cited with a P3 level penalty. The infraction was discovered during opening day inspection on July 31. The team violated the following sections of the rule book:

- 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing;

- 20B-5.10.1(6): Throttle Shafts: The combined thickness of the throttle shaft and the throttle plates (butterflies) must not be less than 0.197 inch.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Paul Richmond has been fined $7,500 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

The No. 6 Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet driven by Norm Brnning in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been penalized for a rules violation that took place during the race on Aug. 2. The infraction is a P1 level penalty and violates sections:

- 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing;

- 9-15J: Only two NASCAR-approved ½ inch drive air wrenches, with a single socket and with a hex design capable of removing or attaching one lug nut at a time, must be used to change tires/wheels during any pit stops: Improper use of a battery powered impact wrench.

The team will be penalized with loss of track time during the opening practice at Michigan Int'l Speedway Aug. 15.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/nascar-penalizes-truck-series-teams/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Gains Sprint Cup Race Sponsor​*
Oral-B has been named the title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Aug. 31 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the event will be named the Oral-B USA 500.

The Oral-B USA 500 on Aug. 31 will cap the Labor Day Weekend racing events at Atlanta Motor Speedway which include the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka Qualifying Night and Sprint Car Shootout on Aug. 29 and the Great Clips 300 to benefit Feed the Children on Aug 30. The Oral-B USA 500 is the second to last race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins. It will provide drivers one of the final two opportunities to secure a win and lock up a berth in the Chase.

Oral-B's sponsorship of the Labor Day Weekend NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is a celebration of Oral-B's commitment to supporting American Jobs.

Opened in 1958, the Oral-B Iowa City plant remains the largest toothbrush factory in the world, where more than 470 employees make 1 million manual toothbrushes every day that engineer healthier smiles.

"We are thrilled to welcome Oral-B to the Atlanta Motor Speedway family of business partners," said Ed Clark, president of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"Labor Day weekend is a great opportunity to highlight American workers and showcase an All-American brand which has remained committed to the American worker for more than 50 years."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/atlanta-gains-sprint-cup-race-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon Enters K&N Race At The Glen​*
Spraker Racing Enterprises Inc. will field an entry for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Austin Dillon during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Bully Hill Vineyards 125 at Watkins Glen Int'l on Aug. 8.

Dillon, a regular in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series driving the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS, is poised to make his first K&N start since Iowa Speedway in 2009. The 24-year-old hopes to gain some extra road course experience with the Spraker Racing team as he heads into the Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen two days later.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Austin," said Jeff Spraker, president of Spraker Racing. "We have seen Austin develop into one of NASCAR's best drivers in any series he has competed in through the years.

We're excited at the opportunity to contend for the win."

Dillon is the most recent winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Last Saturday he won the Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ies/austin-dillon-enters-kn-race-at-the-glen/


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## Ckg2011

*Bully Hill Adorns Whitt's Car At WGI​*
Coming off a solid top-25 performance at Pocono Raceway, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Cole Whitt heads into Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen Int'l with momentum and a new sponsor.

The colors of purple and yellow for Hammondsport, N.Y.-based Bully Hill Vineyards will adorn Whitt's No.26 BK Racing Toyota Camry.

Bully Hill Vineyards have served as a primary sponsor of several NASCAR teams and races over the past 15 years and continues to be a major supporter of Watkins Glen International.

Since the mid-90′s Bully Hill Vineyards have sponsored events such as the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Bully Hill Vineyards, has also sponsored several drivers including Eric Bodine, Ron Fellows, Joe Nemechek and Elliott Sadler.

"We're extremely excited to partner with BK Racing and driver Cole Whitt for the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen," said Sean King, Bully Hill Marketing Director.

"Being right in our backyard and the birthplace of our rich racing history we are thrilled to continue this experience with Cole and the BK Racing Team at the Glen this Sunday."

Bully Hill Vineyards is a winery in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region. Bully Hill Vineyards is a family-owned producer of 40 different wines, all from grapes grown in New York. Currently, Bully Hill Vineyards produces 200,000 cases of wine annually, with distribution in 30 states. Bully Hill Restaurant features a range of cuisine from seafood to smoked barbeque, freshly prepared salads, and other seasonal favorites.

"We are privileged to have Bully Hill Vineyards, a Finger Lakes Region company and New York State's second largest winery, supporting BK Racing and Cole Whitt this weekend at Watkins Glen Int'l," said Anthony Marlowe, co-owner of BK Racing. "The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team sponsorship platform has proven to be successful for the Taylor Family, and we are optimistic that we are poised to deliver a nice return on their advertising ."








*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/bully-hill-adorns-whitts-car-at-wgi/


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## Ckg2011

*Dustless Blasting, BK Racing Partner​*
For the second time in 2014, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Alex Bowman will have a different look to his No.23 BK Racing Toyota Camry.

The green and white colors of Houston-based Dustless Blasting will ride with Bowman during this weekend's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen Int'l and at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

Dustless Blasting has revolutionized the surface preparation industry. With the ability to strip all paint, primer, rust and body filler from the average car in only two hours without warping, Dustless Blasting is quickly becoming the new gold standard in surface preparation.

Dustless Blasting's anti-spark, anti-dust, and anti-static properties have also made it extremely useful in the refinery, oilfield, mining and other industries.

MMLJ Inc, the parent company of Dustless Blasting, has been manufacturing top quality abrasive blasters for over 70 years, but they say Dustless Blasting is the greatest advancement in paint stripping technology since the original sand blaster.

"We're very excited to support Alex Bowman and BK Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series." said Benny LeCompte, owner of MMLJ Inc.

"Much like Bowman, Dustless Blasting has made a monumental rise over the last few years, and has an extremely bright future ahead of it. We are excited to give our customers, many of whom are NASCAR fans, something to cheer for at the Watkins Glen International this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/dustless-blasting-bk-racing-partner/


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Takes A Tour Of Atlanta​*
Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson visited the metro Atlanta area Wednesday to promote Atlanta Motor Speedway's Oral-B USA 500 NASCAR night race weekend to the Atlanta business community and race fans.

Johnson began the day with a live interview on Headline News' Morning Express With Robin Meade. During the session, Johnson raced Meade in a 270-degree racing simulator.

Johnson, the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, was hosted at the State Capitol by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. He officially proclaimed Aug. 31, 2014, the date of the Speedway's Oral-B USA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, to be Atlanta Motor Speedway Day.

Speedway Motorsports Inc., Chairman O. Bruton Smith, SMI President and Chief Operating Officer Marcus Smith and NASCAR President Mike Helton were also in attendance at the event. The announcement was also attended by Speedway President Ed Clark along with 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees Bill Elliott and Rex White. As part of the visit, O. Bruton Smith presented Governor Deal with a commemorative Atlanta Motor Speedway helmet.

"With our NASCAR Weekend three weeks away, we greatly appreciate Jimmie Johnson and Governor Deal joining us along with the leadership from SMI, NASCAR and Hall of Fame inductees Rex White and Bill Elliott on such an important day for Atlanta Motor Speedway," Clark said. "It goes without saying that we are anticipating a tremendous event weekend with NASCAR night racing making its annual return to Atlanta."

Although Johnson is locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup by virtue of multiple race victories this season, he said that Atlanta Motor Speedway carries a high amount of importance for teams seeking momentum prior to the Chase. The Oral-B USA 500 is the next to last event before NASCAR's 10-race playoff begins.

"We've won championships without momentum starting the Chase and won with momentum. Having momentum on your side is so helpful," Johnson said. "The Chase gets so stressful. If you feel like you are digging out in the first race, it's a long ten weeks."

Following the festivities at the State Capitol, Johnson was the featured guest at Insights on Leadership networking lunch event hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta Sports Business Council. Johnson heralded NASCAR's significant impact on the Atlanta business community during a Q&A session.

Johnson wrapped up his day by interacting with fans at Dantanna's Downtown in the CNN Center. He raced in a 270-degree racing simulator on a depiction of Atlanta Motor Speedway against Kevin Grube and David Clapp of Atlanta, who posted the fastest qualifying laps on the simulator earlier in the day.

The first 25 fans to post a time quicker than Johnson's pre-established time won a free ticket to the Aug. 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"That was pretty awesome. I came down here with very little expectations, I was just going to turn a few laps and shake his hand," Grube said. "The next thing you know, I am sitting in the simulator next to a six-time NASCAR champion."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/johnson-takes-a-tour-of-atlanta/


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## Ckg2011

*National Guard Leaving NASCAR, IndyCar​*
The Army National Guard will cut ties with its NASCAR Sprint Cup and Verizon IndyCar Series partners at the end of the 2014 season due to budget constraints, the Guard announced on Wednesday.

The component has sponsored third-generation NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. since 2008, and second-generation IndyCar driver Graham Rahal since the beginning of the year.

Its motorsports sponsorships date back more than a decade.

The Guard's budget for racing sponsorship exceeded $40 million this year, the announcement said. The National Guard spent $32 million on sponsorship for Earnhardt, and $12 million for Rahal.

Earnhardt, a fan favorite and one of NASCAR's most successful drivers this season with three wins, now has a major opening for sponsorship. The announcement comes just three days after Earnhardt scored his third victory of the season at Pocono Raceway.

Nationwide Insurance signed on as Earnhardt's primary sponsor for 12 races in 2015 and 13 in 2016-17, and PepsiCo will return for an additional number of races under its Diet Mountain Dew brand.

An internal review, according to the Military Times, sparked the change in direction.







 *Graham Rahal finished second during the first race of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit, his best finish of the year. (Al Steinberg Photo)*​
"Significantly constrained resources and the likelihood of further reductions in the future call for more innovative and cost-effective ways of doing business," said Maj. Gen. Judd Lyons, acting director of the National Guard.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/national-guard-leaving-nascar-indycar/


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## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick Get's Sunglasses Deal​*
Danica Patrick will have a new line of sunglasses out soon with Revo Sunglasses. She will be the official ambassador for the brand.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pena Hitting Stride, Sets Sights On The Glen​*
As the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to Watkins Glen Int'l for the first time in five years, 21-year-old Sergio Peña looks to be hitting his stride.

After beginning the season with mixed results, three top 10s through the series' first 10 events, Peña turned in his best two performances of 2014: a victory in the JEGS 150 presented by Germain Toyota on July 19 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway, his first series victory in nearly three years, and a fourth-place finish in the Autolite Iridium XP 150 at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 1.

"I think the main thing is all my guys not giving up on me," said Peña about his recent turn-around. "Everyone's been working so hard in the shop and it was frustrating for us at the beginning of the season. It's a new group and it seems like it took some time to get everything figured out, but it I think we've got it figured out now."

With a victory and two top fives in his last two events, Peña, who drives the No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Toyota for Rev Racing as a part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, now turns his attention to the next two series events and a return to road course racing, an area in which he feels very comfortable.

"Growing up that's what I raced," said Peña about running on road courses. "I started racing go karts when I was seven and that was strictly road courses and I also ran formula cars on road courses. That's my whole entire background, I have more road course racing experience than I do oval racing experience and I thank that advantage is going to be huge with the next two races coming up at Watkins Glen and Virginia Int'l Raceway."

In three career K&N Pro Series events on road courses, the Winchester, Va., native has two top 10s at Brainerd (Minn.) Int'l Raceway and Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.

"I'm so, so excited for the next two races," continues Peña. "I'm really looking forward to these two races. I would say I'm more excited for these two races than any other ones on the schedule."

Peña, who was only 16 the last time the series visited Watkins Glen, hopes that his excitement and previous road course experience translate to success this weekend at a track he's dreamed about racing on since he first got into the sport.

"Watkins Glen is a track I've wanted to race on since I was a little kid running go karts. It's one of the tracks I'd always pick when I was playing racing video games. I know it's going to be tough to pass there, but I'm excited. Fast straightaways going into tight corners is what road course racing is all about."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../pena-hitting-stride-sets-sights-on-the-glen/


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Will Not Appeal Penalties​*
Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed Thursday that it will not appeal the penalties to Denny Hamlin, crew chief Darian Grubb and the No. 11 Sprint Cup team for infractions discovered after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

NASCAR docked Hamlin 75 points, suspended crew chief Darian Grubb six races, fined him $125,000 and placed him on probation for the next six months. NASCAR also suspended car chief Wesley Sherrill six races and placed him on probation for six months. J.D. Gibbs lost 75 car owner points.

Grubb and Sherrill both began serving their suspensions last week and will be able to return to the track at Chicagoland Speedway for the start of the Chase.

Jimmy Makar, vice president of racing operations at Joe Gibbs Racing, explained to "SiriusXM Speedway" why the team decided not to appeal the penalties after previously issuing a statement it planned to do so.

"We had made a mistake, it wasn't a purposeful mistake, obviously,'' Makar said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "There was no reason to go ahead and (appeal).''

NASCAR announced after after the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that it had issues with "several rear firewall block-off plates" on Hamlin's third-place car and that the pieces would be taken to the Research and Development Center.

NASCAR announced a couple of days later that Hamlin's car "violated numerous sections of the rule book,'' including sections related to any device or ductwork that permits air to pass from one area of the interior of the car to another or to the outside of the car. The team also a violated a section about sealing of interior sheet metal parts and a section on all firewalls being secured in place. The penalties were a P5 level, the next-to-highest level for infractions.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Gibbs-Racing-Will-Not-Appeal-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Does Gordon Or Earnhardt Have Best Shot At Title?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Who has the best chance between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon to win the title this year?*

*Answer*​


> *Pete Pistone*
> 
> Dale Earnhardt Jr. Start with the cars Junior's been driving all season. Week in and week out, the No. 88 team has given Earnhardt some of the best cars - if not the best car - of the entire Hendrick stable. Speed and horsepower are certainly shared among all four Hendrick drivers and cars, but Earnhardt has enjoyed premium set-ups and handling benefits to go with those potent ponies under the hood all season long.
> 
> But there's something nobody in the Hendrick group can match that the No. 88 team possesses - intangibles. Earnhardt's confidence has never been higher and with good reason. He's running well, he has a solid team behind him, his personal life seems to be hitting on all cylinders and he has perhaps the best crew chief in the sport right now in Steve Letarte.
> 
> Corny as it may sound, the final races for Letarte with Earnhardt before he embarks on his television career will carry some momentum and even magic that when all is said and done could result in a first career Sprint Cup title for Junior.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> 
> This has been a remarkable year for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but I think Jeff Gordon is the one who has a greater chance to win the title.
> 
> Gordon has finished outside the top 10 only three times in the last 11 races. One of those times came when he ran out of fuel while running toward the front at New Hampshire.
> 
> Yes, Earnhardt outscored Gordon 412-410 in the last 11 races, but I think about what Gordon has done in recent years. He often is much stronger in the Chase than the first 26 races. I expect a similar increase in performance when the Chase begins and that could be the difference.
> 
> After trying for more than a decade, this could be the year Gordon completes his drive for a fifth title.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...as-N-Go-Jeff-Gordon-Or-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Nationwide Begins Road-Course Double​*
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will have a pair of road-course races to tackle in the next two weeks with trips to Watkins Glen International and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The series already has one road race under its belt after a June visit to Road America. Now it faces back-to-back weekends of turning both left and right beginning Saturday with the Zippo 200 at The Glen.

"Watkins Glen has so many fast corners," explained Brendan Gaughan, who scored his first career Nationwide win at Road America earlier this year. "The 'bus stop' is basically a corner built into chaos. You have to let the car roll as hard as possible. It's a place on that course where you can't gain that much position, but you can lose a ton. Many other road courses are much more speedway-fast, motor-wise, while 'The Glen' is faster with corner speeds."

Gaughan - who will be joined by Richard Childress Racing teammates Ty Dillon, Brian Scott and Paul Menard in Saturday's race - feels that his organization is poised to have another strong run and perhaps a second straight road-course win.

"All the RCR teams are going to be very competitive," he said. "If you look at the entire package we all had at Road America, we were very strong. I'm going to go into Watkins Glen with a lot of confidence, feeling sporty. We all have positive attitudes heading into these next two weeks."

Dillon, who won two weeks ago at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and followed that with a top-five finish last Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, is locked into the tight Nationwide Series points battle. Chase Elliott leads Regan Smith by two with Dillon and Elliott Sadler only 12 behind.

That makes a good run at "The Glen" even more important to the rookie driver.

"We're really hitting our stride," said Dillon. "We were able to pick up another top five this past weekend in Iowa following the win at Indianapolis. I think this shows how we didn't give up after a slow start to the season. ECR Engines continues to give us the best motors in the sport and all the guys in the shop continue to put a lot of hours into making these racecars top-notch."

However, Dillon has limited road racing experience and has worked on getting as much track time as possible to prepare for the upcoming two-week stretch. He's hoping that will be beneficial when the green flag flies Saturday afternoon.

"I'm learning a lot, for sure," he said. "I've been getting a lot of good advice and have been able to get valuable track time at both Road America and Watkins Glen before the race weekend begins. The Trans-Am test I did last Monday with Austin (Dillon) helped with learning the corners, when to shift and where you can pick up the most speed."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Zippo 200 at The Glen starting at 1:45 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../08/Nationwide-Begins-Road-Course-Double.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Issues More Penalties During Practice​*
NASCAR continued its crack-down on drivers violating the blend line, issuing penalties during Friday's Sprint Cup and Nationwide practices at Watkins Glen International.

The issue is when drivers leave pit road and enter the track. They are required to have all four tires below the solid yellow line. They cannot blend on to the racing groove until the line becomes dotted. If they do before that, it is a penalty.

Richard Buck, Cup series director said that NASCAR had warned drivers about the issue but it continued to happen. NASCAR began penalizing drivers last weekend at Pocono Raceway by forcing them to pass through pit road before resuming practice. NASCAR penalized Greg Biffle in practice at Pocono and Jimmie Johnson in the first round of qualifying last weekend.

Friday, Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola and Michael Annett had pass-through penalties for violating the blend-line rule in the first Cup practice session. Ryan Newman was penalized in the final Cup practice session.

Among those penalized in the Nationwide Series for the same violation were Trevor Bayne and Ryan Reed.

Jeff Gordon said it's understandable that there have been some issues with the rule.

"For years we have not had that,'' he said. "This year we have it because of the new qualifying procedure. Sometimes you just forget, but to me it's about going along with those procedures during practice and your spotter reminding you when you go out and practice; where those blend lines are and what the procedure is and just getting into a rhythm of it.

"It's taken a little while to get used to it this year. Other than that I haven't had any issues.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at The Glen starting at noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...CAR-Cracks-Down-On-Blend-Line-Violations.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick Crashes Late In Final Practice​*
An apparent left front shock failure caused Danica Patrick to crash seconds before Friday's final NASCAR Sprint Cup practice ended at Watkins Glen International.

"It has been a record, horrible day,'' Patrick said after leaving the infield care center.

She was slow in the opening practice session (32nd of 43 cars) and then missed a shift that caused a vibration. The team changed engines before the final practice session.

The final session wasn't better. She was 36th among 42 cars before crashing.

"It looks like the shock broke and collapsed,'' crew chief Tony Gibson said. "She went into (Turn) 1 and said it moved more than normal. (Matt) Kenseth said the front tire started smoking and as soon as he said that she hit.''

Gibson said they will put a new engine in that car. It will be Patrick's third engine of the weekend.

The only track time that remains before the race is Saturday's qualifying session.

"We'll just treat qualifying like a practice session and run as many laps as we can,'' Gibson said.

It won't matter where Patrick qualifies. She'll start at the rear because of the previous engine change.

"If you're going to have to start at the back of the track, the strategies are all over the place on road courses, it just might push us into something that works,'' Patrick said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...a-Patrick-Crashes-Late-In-Final-Practice.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon's Sponsor Returning​*
AARP and its Drive to End Hunger program will return as a sponsor for Jeff Gordon's car next season, Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday.

Drive to End Hunger will be the primary sponsor on Gordon's car for 13 races in 2015. That's a decrease from the 23 races it will serve as the primary sponsor on his car this season. Drive to End Hunger will be an associate sponsor on the remaining races next season.

Gordon's other sponsors for next season are Axalta (10 races), Pepsi (two races) and Panasonic (two races). That leaves 11 total races open since there are a total of 38 races per season (36 points races and two non-points races).

Gordon isn't worried about filling the remaining races.

"Things are strong for us at Hendrick Motorsports right now," Gordon said between practices at Watkins Glen International. "I think the last couple of years we have all been very stressed out about sponsorships and getting those deals done. Here recently a lot of positive good things have been happening. There is more to come."

Drive to End Hunger will be on Gordon's car for next year's Daytona 500. Next year will mark Drive to End Hunter's fifth year as a primary sponsor on Gordon's car.

Drive to End Hunger, which is supported through donations, raises awareness and funds to fight hunger among adults 50 and over.

"Hunger is a hidden problem that millions of older Americans are battling silently. We are excited to keep building on the great work of these last four years to help the nearly 9 million older Americans who face the threat of hunger," said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, AARP Foundation president. "With Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick, we have committed champions behind the wheel on and off the track. Together we will make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to end the struggle that so many older Americans have with hunger."

Drive to End Hunger has donated more than 30 million meals since AARP and AARP Foundation launched it in Feb. 2011. Last year, 23 organizational sponsors and supporters joined the program.

"What's been accomplished by Drive to End Hunger in a relatively short time is absolutely inspiring," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "At the beginning, we felt the program would ultimately be judged on how many lives it impacted. There's no question it's been successful by that measure, but we still have much more to do. Our team is proud to continue the effort alongside our friends at AARP and AARP Foundation and with the incredible support of the NASCAR community."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Sponsor-Returns-For-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Reacts To National Guard's Announcement​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't express surprise Friday with the National Guard's announcement that it will end its sponsorship of his Sprint Cup team and an IndyCar team, noting "the debate in Washington for several years.

"I really don't have any details on anything,'' he said Friday at Watkins Glen International. That's between the Guard and (Hendrick Motorsports) to sort all that out. Really enjoyed working with them over the last seven years and hope to be able to continue to represent them. It's a huge honor.''

The Army National Guard stated its contacts in NASCAR and IndyCar are set to expire after this season. Hendrick Motorsports issued a statement this week saying that it has a contract in place for next season with the Guard and that it had not been approached about "potential changes.''

Military sports sponsorships have come under increased scrutiny from Congressional members in recent years. An amendment to ban such tax-payer funded sponsorships has been voted on in the U.S. House of Representatives four times since 2011. It was defeated each time. A Senate subcommittee hearing May 8 raised questions about the Army National Guard's sponsorship and its effectiveness with recruiting.

During the hearing, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told Maj. Gen. Judd H. Lyons, acting director of the Army National Guard: "I don't understand ... how you can justify the fact that nobody is getting recruited from NASCAR. The facts speak for themselves. The data is very clear. You're not getting recruits off NASCAR. This is data you gave us. The reason we know is this because you told us.''

Said Earnhardt on Friday about the National Guard's program: "I think it's been very, very effective.''

McCaskill issued a statement about the Guard's decision, saying: "I'm a NASCAR fan, and I love the National Guard-but spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on a recruitment program that signed up zero recruits, and that has been abandoned by other service branches as ineffective, just makes no sense."

The military branch will spend $32 million on its NASCAR program, which includes activation fees and other costs beyond what goes directly to the team. The Army National Guard spends $12 million on its IndyCar program.

The Army National Guard cited "significantly constrained resources and the likelihood of further reductions" as a reason for eliminating its last two sports sponsorship programs. The Army National Guard had cut sponsorship of four sports since 2012. It expects its marketing budget for fiscal 2015 to be about half of what it was in fiscal 2012.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Jr-Comments-On-National-Guard-Decision.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Wins Watkins Glen Pole​*
As Jeff Gordon talked his family Saturday morning on the phone, he had a special message for son Leo, who was celebrating his fourth birthday.

"I'm going to try to get you that pole,'' Gordon said.

Even Gordon admits he wasn't sure he could follow through but "said it anyway.''

He gave Leo that pole - Gordon's first at Watkins Glen since 2003 - with a lap of 129.466 mph.

"I really can't wait to talk to him,'' Gordon said after earning his first pole of the season.

Marcos Ambrose, who needs a win to make the Chase, starts second. Jimmie Johnson is third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. AJ Allmendinger, also needing a win to make the Chase, starts sixth. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won last weekend at Pocono, is seventh.

Beyond winning the pole on his son's birthday, the effort meant even more for Gordon, who has not been as much a factor in recent years at this track.

"Watkins Glen has kind of been a target on our radar because we've run so poorly here recently,'' Gordon said after his 75th career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole. "You start to lose confidence in what you're doing. Your team loses confidence in their car and you get off track and lost a little bit. That's the way it's been for us the last few times we've been here, the last several times.

"With the type of racecars we've been bringing to the track this year, we had hoped with all the effort we've put into it that it would pay off for us.''

Gordon said his car was fast in race trim during Friday's practice but not as fast with the qualifying setup, leaving the team "pretty concerned.'' A few changes resolved that but then came issues in qualifying.

With few places to get out of the way, cars on their qualifying lap often were approaching cars slowing after completing their lap. Gordon said his first attempt in the first round was slowed by a car that had completed its lap and was in his way. Others had issues as well. Carl Edwards was slow and it affected one of Kyle Larson's lap. Kevin Harvick ran up on Kyle Busch as Busch slowed on the course, impacting one of Harvick's lap in the first round. Harvick's spotter later said took the blame for that.

Traffic wasn't an issue in the final round and Ambrose earned his best starting spot of the season.

"I wish Jeff was a little kinder to me to let me get the pole,'' Ambrose said. "I thought we had it at the end but it wasn't enough. It was a pretty good lap though and I will take it. You have to be happy with front row starts.''

Allmendinger, a road racer who will be among those to watch Sunday, was disappointed with his qualifying effort despite starting in the top 10.

"I just never hit a lap,'' he said. "Just disappointed with myself.''

Earnhardt, who earned his best starting spot at Watkins Glen since qualifying second in 2008, had mixed emotions with his run.

"Real happy we are happy with how the car has got real good speed,'' he said. "I was real disappointed because we lost all our brakes on that last run. They cooked in between the sessions and didn't have a brake pedal on any of the straightaways and really had to do a lot of pumping on the brakes. ''

Also, week after tying his career-best finish of 16th at Pocono, Justin Allgaier earned his career-best starting spot at 15th.

"When you can drive a race car like this and you can go out there and have that much fun it's definitely a good day,'' he said.

None had it better than Gordon and his son Leo.

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at The Glen starting at noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.*

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/08/Jeff-Gordon-Wins-Watkins-Glen-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Marcos Ambrose Wins Nationwide Series Race At The Glen​*
Marcos Ambrose holds off a hard charging Kyle Busch to win the NASCAR Zippo 200 at the Glen. Penske teammates Logano and Keselowski finish third and fourth.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Sweats Out Win​*
Marcos Ambrose overcame an early spin and held off Kyle Busch to win Saturday's Zippo 200 Nationwide race at Watkins Glen International.

It's Ambrose's fourth consecutive win at the track. He won each Nationwide race at the Glen from 2008-10 before skipping the event the past three years.

Busch finished second with Joey Logano third. Pole-sitter Brad Keselowski was fourth with Matt Kenseth completing the top five. Points leader Chase Elliott was sixth.

Elliott leads Regan Smith by 12 points heading into next weekend's race at Mid-Ohio. Elliott Sadler and Ty Dillon are each 13 points behind Elliott.

Ambrose nearly didn't get a chance at victory. Busch tried to get underneath him in the inner loop on Lap 7 in the 82-lap race and they made contact. Both spun.

"I got turned right into,'' Busch said. "Somebody who doesn't care got into me.''

Ambrose saw it a different way.

"I was trying to do some ballroom dancing with Kyle Busch and we both had left feet.

"I looked up halfway down the backstraightaway and he was in line, and I'm 'OK, I know he's close.' He ducked out late and the spotter was late and I turned in because I was already committed to that line. He bumped my left fear. It wasn't intentional. I've got no malice against him. He spun, too.''

In the final laps, Busch again pressured Ambrose but couldn't get close enough to make a move.

"At the end, I was not as fast as Kyle,'' Ambrose said after his fifth career series win. "Kyle was coming fast. I had to dig deep and find something extra to keep him off.''

Said Busch of the finish: "Just driving for all it's worth trying to give it everything it's got and we were faster and we had some speed in particular areas and maybe not some in others."

Trevor Bayne finished an eventful 13th. He was involved in contact that led to the first three cautions. After the race, he radioed his team and said he would do better at Mid-Ohio.

"I tried to keep myself in a safe situation the whole race and somehow we were in the first three cautions,'' he said after the race. "I guess when you're racing around slower cars you have to give yourself a lot more room. I know the perception was really bad the first three incidents. I felt I couldn't do much about it. I felt that three cars came across our nose and I was there. It stinks that we didn't have a chance to run this race hard because the left front was knocked off (early). From there, I was so tight. I couldn't race hard.''





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/08/Marcos-Ambrose-Wins-At-Watkins-Glen.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Driver Killed In Incident With Stewart​*
The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff confirmed that Tony Stewart's sprint car struck and killed another driver during a race Saturday night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

The officer did not identify the victim, but a YouTube video of the incident showed Stewart's car striking 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr.

Stewart's spokesman Mike Arning stated early Sunday morning: "A tragic accident took place (Saturday) night during a sprint car race in which Tony Stewart was participating. Stewart was unhurt, but a fellow competitor lost his life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. We're still attempting to sort through all the details, and we appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.''

Arning's statement did not indicate if Stewart's status for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International had changed. Stewart is scheduled to start 13th.

Stewart was competing in a Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints race Saturday night about a 70-minute drive north of Watkins Glen International.

During the feature, Stewart was running underneath Ward's car in Turns 1 and 2 on the half-mile dirt track. As they raced side-by-side on lap 14 of the 25-lap race, Ward's car bounced off the wall and spun. The YouTube video shows Ward exiting his car, walking down the track and pointing toward Stewart.

A press release from the Ontario County Sheriff's office states "two racecars traveling in tandem approached as (Ward) continued down the track, gesturing to the two approaching cars. The first car served to avoid the driver out on the track. The second car, operated by Tony Stewart, struck the driver.''

The video shows the right side of Stewart's car hitting Ward, causing him to violently tumble along the track. Medical personnel arrived within seconds. Ward was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:15 p.m., about 45 minutes after the incident, according to the Ontario County Sheriff's office.

The rest of the race was canceled.

The press release from the Ontario County Sheriff's office states that Stewart "has cooperated with the investigation, which is ongoing.''

Prescott Rossi, a reporter for WROC-TV in Rochester, N.Y., tweeted that Ontario County Sherif Philip Povero said that the district attorney's office has been notified but there are no charges pending.

The track stated on its Facebook page at 1:02 a.m. (ET): "Canandaigua Motorsports Park will not have an official statement on the accident that happened in the ESS race until tomorrow. Please pray for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families.''

Jason Brown of Newark, N.Y., was at the track and told Motor Racing Network that Ontario County Sheriff officers inspected Stewart's sprint car in the pit area and remained around Stewart's hauler long after the remaining teams had left.

Ward began racing go-karts at age 4. He went on to win six track championships and about 250 features in eight years of go-kart racing.

He began driving a micro sprint in 2007, finishing second in the points. He won the championship in that division in 2008 and '09. In 2010, he began driving a 360 Sprint Car. He scored his first win in that division in 2011. He was listed as seventh in the points in the Empire Super Sprints as of July 21, the most recent standings available on the series' website. He had two top-five finishes and four top-10 results to that point.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Involved-In-Incident-In-Sprint-Car-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Regan Smith​*
*Breaking News: Stewart Not Racing​*
Breaking news just announced in a press conference at Watkins Glen International. Stewart Haas Racing Competition Director Greg Zipadelli has said that Tony Stewart will not race his number 14 Chevy into today's NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Cheez-It 355 At The Glen.

Stewart Haas Racing will put Jr Motorsports driver Regan Smith in the number 14 Chevy for today's NASCAR Sprint CUP Series race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Little Team That Could And Did​*
A.J. Allmendinger wins the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen. Holding off road course expert Marcos Ambrose through multiple restarts schooling Ambrose on each of them.

This is Allmendinger's first NASCAR Sprint CUP Series win. Also JTG Daugherty Racing and Allmendinger have now made it into the NASCAR Chase For The Sprint CUP.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Breaks Through​*
AJ Allmendinger outran Marcos Ambrose to the checkered flag to score his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International.

Allmendinger secured a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series field with the victory, which was also the first for the JTG Daugherty Racing team.

"My gosh, I can't believe we've won a NASCAR Sprint Cup race," Allmendinger said. "With this whole 47 team, [team owners] Tad Geschickter, Jody Geschickter, Brad Daugherty, all the great sponsors we have, our first Cup victory together, my first victory&#8230;I love these guys.

"I just wanted it so bad for them and this team. They work so hard. I wasn't gonna let Marcos take that from me."

Ambrose was disappointed but complimentary to his opponent in coming up short of the win.

"First of all, congratulations to AJ and the 47 team," Ambrose said. "They deserved that win. I left nothing on the table. I tried to rattle his cage and couldn't shake him. We raced fair and square to the end there. It was a tough couple laps but it was fair. We were both giving it to each other pretty hard. No harm, no foul. We just came up a little short."

Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Michigan International Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

How Allmendinger won: He was a factor throughout the day but Allmendinger was at his best in crunch time. He held off Ambrose on a number of restarts down the stretch and wrestled his way to the front of the field on the final showing of the green flag never looking back on his way to the historic victory.

What else happened: What didn't happen? There was hard racing throughout the day, as has been the case for most of the last few visits to The Glen. But there were also red flags for a pair of accidents, strategies played out and then discarded on pit road, angry drivers and wild restarts. It boiled down to the heavyweight road course ace battle between Allmendinger and Ambrose on the final restart and the race to the checkered flag produced one of the most exciting finishes of the season.

Who else had a good day: Ambrose showed his road racing prowess once again and although he and the Richard Petty Motorsports team would otherwise by proud of a second-place finish they were no doubt frustrated by the prospect of potentially losing their best shot at a Chase berth with a win&#8230;.Kyle Larson's phenomenal rookie season continued with his fourth place finish&#8230;.Greg Biffle's top-10 performance was a second straight solid outing for the No. 16 team.

Who had a bad day: Defending race winner Kyle Busch suffered damage in the first half of the race when he tried to make a pass for position and was knocked from contention&#8230;..Brad Keselowski has three straight runner-up finishes at The Glen coming into the race but brake line issues stopped the Team Penske driver from being a factor&#8230;&#8230;Jeff Gordon started from the pole and was running for the lead when a electrical connection problem sapped power from the No. 24 Chevy and ended the day&#8230;.Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell escaped injury when the were involved in a spectacular accident that also swept up others and caused a red flag for repairs&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson's run of bad luck continued when he got a piece of a late race crash that also included Tony Stewart's replacement driver Regan Smith&#8230;.Denny Hamlin clipped the barrels at the head of pit road after contact in an accident that brought out another red flag.

Quote of the day: "Now you see why we've had almost sellout crowds the last three years at Watkins Glen," Kyle Busch

Other notables: Kurt Busch scored his fifth top-five finish of the season&#8230;..Carl Edwards was the only driver to post two top-five finishes in the pair of road course races this season&#8230;..Regan Smith, who filled in for Tony Stewart, was involved in an accident and credited with a 37th-place finish.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../08/AJ-Allmendinger-Wins-at-Watkins-Glen.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Power Issue For Gordon​*





*Big Wreck Causes A Red Flag At Watkins Glen​*





*Multiple Cars Wreck Late​*





*Johnson Spins Out After Restart​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'I Tried To Rattle His Cage'​*
Marcos Ambrose leaned against his car on pit road and looked to his right. There, 150 yards away, AJ Allmendinger celebrated his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win and a spot in the Chase.

Ambrose had pointed toward this weekend for some time, knowing it was his best chance to score a victory and join teammate Aric Almirola in the Chase. Unable to outmuscle Allmendinger in the final two laps, Ambrose could only watch Allmendinger dance, hug and jump about as smoke from his doughnuts wafted skyward.

That could have been Ambrose.

"I tried to rattle his cage,'' Ambrose said, using a famous Dale Earnhardt Sr. line, "but I just couldn't shake him. It was a rough couple of laps, but it was fair.''

Ambrose smiled through it, but that only masked the pain of coming so close to sweeping the weekend after winning Saturday's Nationwide race.

"I'm pretty bummed out,'' he said.

If Ambrose looks back, he'll see different places in the final laps that if any of the had been different, he could have won.

A key point came just before the final caution. Ambrose and Allmendinger raced side-by-side down the frontstretch before Allmendinger darted ahead in Turn 1 just before the caution came out for a crash.

"We had run door-to-door up through the esses and I slid my tires through the bus stop, and I was still really hot coming into (Turns) 10 and 11, and I got wide in 11 and he got the run and the momentum,'' Ambrose said. "If the caution could have come out five seconds earlier, I would have been in the lead and it would have been a different story.''

That was important because it allowed Allmendinger to lead on the final restart, giving him the advantage.

"He was one step ahead of me,'' Ambrose said.

Allmendinger shot ahead on the restart but Ambrose soon caught him and they made contact repeatedly as they raced to the white flag. At any point, it looked as Ambrose was ready to take the lead but couldn't.

"He could have easily just wrecked me ... and drove to the win and make the Chase,'' Allmendinger said of Ambrose. "He moved me out of the way and leaned on me, and I leaned on him back.''

They continued to make contact and pushed each other as they went side-by-side, both cars banging off one another. Allmendinger began to pull away and Ambrose couldn't close on the final lap, watching one car keep him from winning and making the Chase.

"It's what racing is,'' Ambrose said. "It can be gut-wrenching and it can be just exhilarating at the same time.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Ambrose-Just-Misses-On-Watkins-Glen-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Investigation Continues​*
Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said Monday that the investigation into the fatal sprint car accident involving Tony Stewart continues. Povero stressed that there remains no evidence of criminal intent.

Kevin Ward Jr., 20, died Saturday night after he was struck by Stewart's sprint car during an Empire Super Sprints race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Stewart and Ward had been racing together when Ward's car bounced off the wall and spun. Ward exited his car and walked down the track, gesturing toward Stewart's car before being hit.

Ward's autopsy was conducted Monday by the Ontario County Coroner Kevin Henderson. The cause of death is massive blunt trauma. No other details of the autopsy are being released.

Povero said that the sheriff's office continues to seek video of the incident. He said they've reviewed two videos of the incident. The videos are from different angles.

Sheriff's officers also were back at the track on Monday re-examining the crash scene. Povero added that the sheriff's office was in contact with a representative of Stewart and that he is available for any additional interviews.

"We ... would like to see resolution as quickly as possible, but by the same token we don't want to leave any stone unturned,'' Povero said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...estigation-Continues-Into-Fatal-Accident.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Undecided On Michigan NASCAR Plans​*
Tony Stewart has not decided if to compete in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway but has canceled plans to run his sprint car until further notice, according to a team spokesperson.

"The decision to compete in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Michigan will be Tony's, and he will have as much time as he needs to make that decision,'' said Mike Arning, spokesperson for Stewart. "It is still an emotional time for all involved, Tony included. He is grieving, and grief doesn't have a timetable.''

Arning confirmed that Stewart had "some extra-curricular racing plans for this weekend, but those have been canceled and won't resume until further notice.''

Stewart was scheduled to compete in a sprint car race Saturday at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway, but the track confirmed on its website that Stewart won't be competing.

Stewart has not raced since he was involved in a fatal accident last weekend at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Stewart did not compete in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International. Regan Smith drove Stewart's car. Stewart is listed in the preliminary entry list for this weekend's Cup race at Michigan but those are sent to NASCAR days ahead of time and can be changed if needed.

Kevin Ward Jr., 20, was killed when he was hit by Stewart's car at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. The two had been racing together when Ward's car bounced off the wall and spun. He exited his car and walked down the track, gesturing toward Stewart's car before being struck. Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said in a press conference Sunday that there has been no evidence of criminal intent discovered in the on-going investigation.

Jeremie Corcoran, promoter of Canandaigua Motorsports Park posted a statement on the track's Facebook site.

"I am extremely devastated from the tragic incident that occurred at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday night as I know are many, many, others.

"First and foremost I offer my sincerest and deepest condolences to the Ward family. Kevin Ward Jr was a spirited competitor and loved by so many. This is a tremendous loss to this family and the racing family as well. I have spoken to the family and they spent prayer time at the track Sunday in the early morning hours. Godspeed #13!

"To all the fans that witnessed this incident I have you in my thoughts. This has been difficult to process and it surely is not what you come to the races for. I do ask that you hold on to your integrity and have compassion for everyone that was involved in this. I understand that we all can have opinions and have the right to express them, I just ask that you think about all the lives that have been affected over this before you speak out. So many people are affected. So many are hurting. No one deserves more pain or blame. We need unity to support all that are hurting and the sport of racing we care so much about. That is the only way for us to heal and move forward.''

Details for Ward's service have been announced. Calling hours will be from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Trainor Funeral Home in Boonville, N.Y. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday. Cards and letters can be sent to the Ward Family at 3501 Kelpytown Rd., Port Leyden,NY 13433.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-Stewart-Cancels-Sprint-Car-Appearances.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Considering Implementing New Rule​*
NASCAR officials considering new rule that would keep drivers from exiting their race cars and walking on to the race track when the track is still hot.

This comes in the wake of Sprint Car driver Kevin Ward Jr's death Saturday night in upstate NY.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin Ward Jr.'s death could prompt safety changes in NASCAR​*
Kevin Ward Jr.'s death occurred in a sprint car race, but its implications could reach Sprint Cup - not only because the fatality involved a car driven by Tony Stewart.

When NASCAR officials hold their weekly competition meeting Tuesday, it's likely they will discuss the circumstances that allowed Ward to exit his cockpit and angrily scramble down the banking to confront Stewart under a yellow flag at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.

Such expressions of frustration are common in racing, especially NASCAR. After a crash in Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen International, J.J. Yeley walked away from safety workers gathered around his crumpled car and approached the edge of traffic running under yellow so he could gesture at Trevor Bayne. In one of the more memorable flare-ups of Stewart's career, he hurled his heel pads at Kenny Irwin Jr. and tried to reach into his cockpit during yellow-flag laps after a wreck.

But Ward's death has prompted suggestions that rules are needed that keep drivers in their cars under caution until safety personnel arrive.

At least two dirt tracks in New York made changes Monday as Brewerton Speedway and Fulton Speedway announced in a website release that drivers would be required to stay in their cars during an accident. If a driver were to exit the car during a yellow, the race would be placed under a red flag, and the penalty could include a fine or suspension.

*USATODAY*
_Autopsy: Kevin Ward Jr. died of massive blunt trauma
There is precedent for deaths in other series being the impetus for immediate changes in NASCAR._

When the investigation into the death of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. -who was killed in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500 - ended, the use of the HANS (head and neck restraint device) was mandated among other safety measures, in August 2001.

When Eric Martin was killed in an ARCA crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2002, NASCAR mandated the following day that spotters must be positioned above the grandstands during practices (just as they already were required during races).

"We always have discussions to become better," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp told USA TODAY Sports. "NASCAR has a history of looking at situations, and we're not afraid to react to them."

There is an entertainment component to driver altercations, which often are used by speedways in promotions geared toward selling tickets. Among the most famous occurred in the November 2010 race at Texas Motor Speedway, where Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon got into a shoving match on the backstretch under yellow after a crash.

But Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said he would support a rule that would limit the opportunity for such fracases.

"That is just common sense to have a rule that says guys stay in your cars," Gossage told USA TODAY Sports. "Obviously safety trumps entertainment. We can joke and carry on about it, but safety, safety, safety. It's a no-brainer in that regard."

*USATODAY*
_Ripple effects for Stewart, NASCAR, sponsors could be huge_

Gossage, who has worked in the racing industry for more than 30 years, said there was a time when it wasn't common for drivers to confront each other under caution, pointing to Kurt Busch wildly motioning at Jimmy Spencer after a crash in the 2002 Brickyard 400.

"It's become one of a driver's ways to try to show up someone else," he said.

With NASCAR often marketed around drama and charged emotion - in perhaps its most famous race, the 1979 Daytona 500 ended with a fistfight between Cale Yarborough and Bobby and Donnie Allison - Gossage said there still would be room for drivers to engage in postrace garage arguments.

"You have a problem, you go discuss it," he said. "That's the place for that, not on the track. I would have said that long ago, too, before this incident Saturday night."

NASCAR officials also plan to discuss safety improvements at Watkins Glen International, which Ryan Newman criticized as antiquated after a hard wreck Sunday and complained about lack of SAFER barriers. On the advisement of NASCAR, the track made multimillion-dollar upgrades to the 2.45-mile road course after heavy impacts in the 2009 and '11 races (including the installation of some SAFER barriers).

*Source:*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: 3M Leaving Greg Biffle​*
News just out that 3M might be leaving Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle and heading to Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon for 2015.

If the news is true, this would be a major blow to RFR and Greg Biffle.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*3M Joins Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports​*
3M will join 11-time Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports beginning with the 2015 NASCAR season, when it will become a primary sponsor of driver Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 Chevrolet SS team.

The new relationship will feature 3M as a primary sponsor in 11 Sprint Cup races annually and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2015, 2016 and 2017 NASCAR seasons.

All five of 3M's business units, which comprise more than $31 billion in annual sales, will use the sponsorship in consumer promotions, product launches and business-to-business opportunities.

"At 3M, we play to win, and we push hard every day to do just that," said Jesse Singh, senior vice president, 3M Global Sales and Marketing. "With this deal, we align with champion driver Jeff Gordon and an organization at the top of its game in Hendrick Motorsports. What they do in the garage and on the track exemplifies what we're all about in our labs, plants and business teams around the world."

With more than 65 of its products used in the construction and maintenance of Sprint Cup Series race cars, 3M for decades has played a key role in the success of NASCAR teams. The company manufactures more than 80,000 different products and has been an official NASCAR partner across several categories since 1995.

The company has sponsored Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle since 2007.

"The range of 3M's business is just incredible," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's an amazingly diverse company that spends billions in research and development to continue rolling out new and innovative products. We're already using many of them throughout the organization, and when you consider the potential for both consumer and business-to-business programs connected to our sport, the possibilities are endless."

One of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, Gordon is a four-time Cup Series champion, and his 90 victories rank third on the all-time wins list. Currently second in points, he has two victories, one pole position, seven top-five finishes and 15 top-10s in 22 Sprint Cup races this season.

"Innovation is what 3M is known for," said Gordon, 43, who has a lifetime contract with Hendrick Motorsports. "We've seen that approach throughout their involvement in NASCAR, and it's a terrific fit for what we do at Hendrick Motorsports and with the No. 24 team. I'm personally excited about the opportunities and thrilled to represent a company that's so passionately supported auto racing for such a long time."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/3m-joins-gordon-hendrick-motorsports/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Townley Skipping Michigan Truck Race​*
John Wes Townley will sit out the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan Int'l Speedway this weekend after an accident at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 1.

Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and current Sprint Cup Series driver Travis Kvapil,will drive the No. 05 Zaxby's Toyota Tundra in Michigan on Saturday.

"It is really hard sitting out and watching someone else drive your truck," Townley said. "I am hoping to be back behind the wheel of the No. 05 Zaxby's truck Wednesday at Bristol."

Kvapil has two wins, three top-five and four top-10 finishes in four Camping World Truck Series starts on the two-mile Michigan race track.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-trucks/townley-skipping-michigan-truck-race/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: SHR #4 Team Penalized​*
NASCAR has penalized Stewart Haas Racing crew chief Rodney Childers #25,000.00 for unapproved weight found in the No.4 Chevy of driver Kevin Harvick, during the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen on Sunday.

No points driver or owner points were taken.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mars Renews with JGR, Busch​*
Mars announced today that it has signed new multi-year deals with Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR, further anchoring its presence in the sport. The new agreement with JGR will extend the winning partnership that has brought the No. 18 M&M's Toyota to victory lane 20 times since 2008 and continue with the popular M&M's brand as the primary paint scheme in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The renewed contract with the sanctioning body will designate Mars as the Official Chocolate of NASCAR. Mars will continue to leverage its Official status to ensure its various chocolate brands remain a race day staple for millions of racing fans.

"Mars and its iconic brands have been part of NASCAR for decades, and we're excited to keep that winning tradition going," said Roy Benin, Chief Consumer Officer at Mars Chocolate North America. "As the sport has grown throughout the years, so has our involvement in it and we're incredibly proud of the strong partnership we've forged with Joe Gibbs Racing and the league."

"From connecting with fans to engaging our retail partners and creating passion among our associates, our alliances with Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR are tremendously successful," explained William Clements, Vice President Sponsorships and Sports Marketing at Mars Chocolate North America. "We're thrilled to extend our partnerships and look forward to celebrating more wins both on and off the track."

"Mars has been a big part of the Joe Gibbs Racing family and we're excited to continue what has become a winning relationship," added Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "Mars has been such an important partner to us throughout the past six plus seasons, and to have them continue their support inspires us as a team to work even harder every day. Everyone at JGR is committed to ensuring they experience the type of success on and off the track deserving of such a great company."

"Being the M&M's driver and representing Mars on and off the track has been one of the proudest accomplishments in my racing career," said Kyle Busch, driver of the No. M&M's No. 18 Toyota for JGR. "This is great news for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and our fans, but also shows how dedicated Mars is to our sport. With this news, any trip to Victory Lane will be even sweeter."

"Mars is one of the most recognizable brands in NASCAR and is among the best-in-class marketers in all of sports," said Brent Dewar, NASCAR Chief Operating Officer. "More than two decades after entering NASCAR, Mars continues to help make race day more fun and we couldn't be more proud to see the company continue to re-invest in our sport."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/08/Mars-Renews-with-JGR-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Boston Planning Truck Debut With Venturini​*
Justin Boston will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut with Venturini Motorsports on Aug. 20 in the UNOH 200 presented by ZLOOP at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Boston, currently fifth in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship standings, will also participate in NCWTS races at Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Int'l Raceway and the series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Boston will drive the No. 25 ZLOOP Toyota Tundra in his series debut. His team owner Billy Venturini will serve as crew chief.

"We're all stoked to head to Bristol to make our series debut," Boston said. "ZLOOP is the presenting sponsor for the race so it gives us a little added excitement for the day. I feel really confident going in because as a team we've always ran well on the short tracks, especially the two high-banked half-miles the ARCA series runs on, Salem and Winchester."

Although widely known for their success in ARCA, Venturini Motorsports has competed in all three national ranks of NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series) during their storied 32-year history with owner and driver Bill Venturini and most recently in 2013 with John Wes Townley in the Nationwide Series.

"This is a great opportunity for our team to showcase our ability to compete at the next level. We're extremely excited to carry on our relationship with Justin (Boston) and his sponsor ZLOOP," said Billy Venturini, co-owner of Venturini Motorsports. "Expanding our organization's efforts into the NASCAR Truck series has been a total team effort and a chance to build our future. We're grateful to our partners for giving us the chance to achieve our goals."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/boston-planning-truck-debut-with-venturini/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Taking Over Wood Brothers No. 21​*
Wood Brothers Racing has formed a technical alliance with Team Penske and will race a partial schedule next year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with rookie Ryan Blaney.

Blaney, who has raced as a Team Penske development driver since 2012, will compete in at least 12 races for Wood Brothers Racing next season in the iconic No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion as he continues his rapid NASCAR development.

"Wood Brothers Racing is excited to align with Roger Penske and his team and we couldn't be more pleased to put Ryan Blaney in the No. 21 Ford Fusion," said Eddie and Len Wood, co-owners of Wood Brothers Racing, in a joint statement. "Ryan is a third-generation racer and one of the best young drivers out there. He has been a winner in many different kinds of cars since he started racing at a very young age and we fully expect that to continue while he is with us."

Blaney will also practice and qualify the No. 21 this weekend at Michigan Int'l Speedway while current Wood Brothers driver Trevor Bayne competes in the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Bayne will return in time to start the Sprint Cup race at the back of the field.

Blaney is the current points leader in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving the No. 29 Ford F-150 for Brad Keselowski Racing.

"I want to thank Wood Brothers Racing, Team Penske, Ford Racing and everyone at Motorcraft and Quick Lane for the opportunity to race next season in the Sprint Cup Series," Blaney said "To get a chance to race at the top level of NASCAR in such a historic car as the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion is a dream come true. I'm really looking forward to 2015."

Blaney is scheduled to make his official debut for Wood Brothers Racing in the 2015 Daytona 500. He will race for the team in events at Daytona, Las Vegas, Texas, Talladega, Charlotte, Michigan and Indianapolis, among others.

He joins an impressive list of drivers who have driven for the Wood Brothers since 1950, including team founder Glen Wood, Curtis Turner, Junior Johnson, Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Neil Bonnett, Buddy Baker, Bill Elliott and Bayne who won the Daytona 500 with the Wood Brothers in 2011. That victory gave the team the unmatched distinction of scoring at least one win in every decade for the last seven decades.

"We're confident that putting a promising driver like Ryan Blaney behind the wheel of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion, and joining forces on the technical side with Team Penske, will result in success on and off the track," said Mary Lou Quesnell, director of marketing for Ford Customer Service Division, Wood Brothers Racing's primary sponsor. "Ryan is a fine young man, and he will represent our Motorcraft and Quick Lane brands well."

In addition to driving the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion for the Wood Brothers, Blaney will drive a Team Penske Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide Series next season.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/blaney-taking-over-wood-brothers-no-21/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Heckert Carries Momentum To VIR​*
It's the right time of the season for Turner Scott Motorsports driver Scott Heckert.

The Ridgefield, Conn., native is coming off his first career victory in the Bully Hill Vineyards 125 at Watkins Glen Int'l in upstate New York, outdueling road course racing expert Andrew Ranger on a green-white-checkered restart.

Heckert next heads to Virginia Int'l Raceway in Alton, Va., for the Biscuitville 125, the 13th event on the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East calendar and the second visit to the track for the series.

"I'm really looking forward to VIR," said Heckert, who tested at the 2.25-mile road course with his Turner Scott Motorsports teammates a few weeks ago.

"I know we're fast there. I think I have a decent road course background. I know we have a fast car and [at Watkins Glen] we had the fastest car."

Heckert scored a top 10 in the series' visit to VIR last year and a top 10 in the series two road course events in 2013. TSM teammate and series points leader Ben Rhodes admits that having turned to Heckert for road course racing advice, a move that seemingly paid dividends for Rhodes who scored a third place result at Watkins Glen, his first race on a road course.

"We had a lot of people up there at the test," said Rhodes when asked about who has helped him the most when it comes to road course racing preparation. "I'd say the biggest help has been Scott. We both had our cameras at the VIR test and I watched his video and compared. We pretty much ran the same times through the technical portions but I just didn't know what I was doing wrong. After watching his video, I found out that the car had a little more brake than what I thought. He helped me out a lot doing that."

Turner Scott Motorsports now has the series last three wins on road courses, with Dylan Kwasniewski sweeping the two events at VIR and Road Atlanta in 2013. For his part, Heckert hopes that he can keep the streak alive on Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/heckert-carries-momentum-to-vir/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Skipping Michigan, Burton To Drive​*
Tony Stewart has decided not to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event this weekend at Michigan Int'l Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.

Veteran driver Jeff Burton, a winner of 21 Sprint Cup races, will pilot the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in place of Stewart.

This driver change pertains only to Michigan. Stewart's plans for upcoming Sprint Cup races have yet to be determined.

Stewart skipped last week's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Int'l after he was involved in an accident at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park that resulted in the death of 20-year-old driver Kevin Ward Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/stewart-skipping-michigan-burton-to-drive/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Make Announcement This Morning​*
NASCAR will be making announcement this morning, NASCAR is expected to talk about implementation of a new rule that will make drivers stay in their race cars until told to get out. Unless the car is on fire of course.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Announces New Rule​*
NASCAR just announced that a new has gone into effect immediately this morning and going forward with all NASCAR races.

The rule is basically that drivers must stay in their race cars unless extenuating circumstances present themselves. The drives must shut off all power and drop the window net. Drivers who are lined up behind the safety car must not weave or veer off towards cars involved in an accident.

More news to come.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Makes Change To Safety Rules​*
NASCAR has officially banned drivers from exiting their cars following on-track incidents until told to do so by safety personnel.

The rule, listed as Section 9-16, will be an addendum to the NASCAR rule book and will apply to all of its racing series, effective immediately. The rule comes on the heels of the on-track incident at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park last Saturday night resulted in the death of driver Kevin Ward Jr. after he was hit by the sprint car driven by three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart.

"Through time you have to recognize when you get a reminder or a tap on the shoulder about something that may need to be addressed," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition and racing development.

"It's not just about NASCAR, it's about all of motorsports."

The new rule reads as follows:

During an Event, if a racecar is involved in an on-track incident and/or is stopped on or near the racing surface and unable to continue to make forward progress, unless extenuating emergency conditions exist with the racecar (i.e. fire, smoke in cockpit, etc.) the driver should take the following steps:

- Shut off electrical power and, if driver is uninjured, lower window net.

- Do not loosen, disconnect or remove any driver personal safety equipment until directed to do so by safety personnel or a NASCAR/Track Official.

- After being directed to exit the racecar, the driver should proceed to either the ambulance, other vehicle, or as otherwise directed by safety personnel or a NASCAR/Track Official.

- At no time should a driver or crew member(s) approach any portion of the racing surface or apron.

- At no time should a driver or crew member(s) approach another moving vehicle.

All vehicles not involved in the incident or that are able to continue afterwards should slow down to a cautious speed as outlined in Section 10-4 (Yellow Flag), use extreme care as they approach an incident scene, and follow any directions given by safety personnel or NASCAR/Track Officials.

Cars in line behind the safety car should not weave or otherwise stray from the line in the vicinity of the incident.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nascar-makes-change-to-safety-rules/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Lightning Fast at Michigan​*
Jeff Gordon turned a lap of 206.558 mph to set a new Michigan International Speedway track record in qualifying for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

Gordon shattered the previous track record set by Kevin Harvick in June of 204.557 mph. It was the 17th track record set in 2014 and Gordon scored his second straight pole after taking the top spot at Watkins Glen last week.

"I knew that we were really strong here the last time we were here and what our team is doing right now it's just phenomenal how they continue to improve race cars and just the whole effort," said Gordon. "I'm just so proud of them. You don't go around this place like that, that fast without a really good race car.

"I'm so excited about the way our race team is performing right now."

Gordon's lap was the seventh fastest pole-winning speed in NASCAR history.

Joey Logano will start second on Sunday after notching his 18th top-10 start of 2014.

"We were able to get faster as the session went on which is just an awesome job by this team to give me cars like this every week that are so good and so fun to drive," said Logano.

"That is our seventh front row start this year, which we are very proud of don't get me wrong. It takes a lot of effort to do that but we only have one pole. That is frustrating. That means that is a lot of second place starting positions. We were close again and just weren't able to do it."

Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.

"We've had speed in the car all weekend so far and it's just great to see all the hard work by this team pay off," said Edwards.

Harvick, Paul Menard, Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. completed the first ten qualifiers.

Several top drivers will start Sunday's race from deep in the field including Jimmie Johnson, who could only muster the 30th fastest speed of the session.

"We've just had a vibration with our car; really a shake, a violent shake through the corner," said Johnson, who has finished 28th or worst in four of his last five starts. "And we've been trying to get to the bottom of it. We made it better, and it certainly went faster, but just not enough. We'll go back to the drawing board and dig-in deeper and see what's going on."

Jeff Burton, subbing for Tony Stewart, will start 27th on Sunday.

"I think tomorrow will be a whole other ball game where we can run and I can get a rhythm and I can give them a lot better information," said Burton. "Today we had a problem and we didn't get as many laps as I wanted. I feel good about where we are and I think my car is really good in (Turns) 3 and 4. And I think I've just got to get my head straight and right where I want to."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 25th and Denny Hamlin 24th.

"We're actually pretty happy with the car in qualifying trim; it was just a little bit disappointing and we'll just deal with it from there," said Earnhardt Jr.

Thirty two of the 43 drivers that participated in the practice were over 200 mph.

Sprint Cup Series teams will two practices on Saturday to dial in cars for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Jeff-Gordon-Fastest-in-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ryan Truex to Miss Michigan Race​*
Ryan Truex will miss Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 after he was diagnosed with a concussion following a crash in the second practice.

Truex, who was scheduled to start 31st, made hard impact with the outside wall coming out of Turn 2 on his eighth lap in the session. Once the saftey crews arrived, Truex was able to exit his car under his own power. Truex was transported to a local hospital where he underwent CT scans of his head, neck, chest and abdomen, which were all negative.

JJ Yeley will pilot the No. 83 Toyota Camry in Sunday's race.

Matt Crafton, who practiced and qualified Martin Truex Jr's car on Friday, was one of the options as a backup driver but decided not to.

"I won't fit in the seat," Crafton said. "It's not my seat, it's a seat insert for Ryan. I said I'm not going to take a chance, especially where ThorSport is 1 and 2 in the points."

Truex will follow the NASCAR guidelines to return to racing.

The team did not participate in the final practice session.

Updated: 2:35 p.m. (ET)






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Ryan-Truexs-Status-Uncertain-for-Sunday.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sauter Gets Michigan Win​*
Johnny Sauter scored his first career Michigan International Speedway win when he took the victory in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series Careers for Veterans 200.

Sauter used a fast truck and fuel strategy to pick up win number one of the season and took over the series point lead in the process.

It was the 10th career series win for the ThorSport Racing driver and he did it with the help of veteran crew chief Jeff Hensley, who recently joined the team.

"This is just a great, great day," Sauter said. "I can't thank the Good Lord and being blessed enough." 
Hensley was thrilled to be able to make an impact with the team in such a short period of time."

"It's huge, it really is," Hensley said. "To get this opportunity with ThorSport, it was a dream come true. It was a good career move for me to come up here and work with these guys.

"It's amazing, to win and leave here with the points lead is a big thing."

Sauter's teammate Matt Crafton had inherited the lead late in the race through a series of events that saw trouble befall pre-race favorites Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Darrell Wallace Jr. But he was forced to pit for fuel in the going to give up the top spot, although Crafton did battle back for a second-place finish to give ThorSport a 1-2 performance.

"I thought we were definitely a top-three, top-five team," Crafton said. "All in all, not a bad day."

Ron Hornaday, Jr. was third followed by Tayler Malsam and Busch, who survived a day of slapping the wall early and some fuel strategy miscalculations.

German Quiroga, Timothy Peters, Jeb Burton, Joey Coulter and Joe Nemechek completed the first 10 finishers.

Blaney and his Brad Keselowski Racing teammate started from the front row but both experience problems with broken splitters to take them from contending for the win.

So that gave Sauter the lead by nine over Crafton in the standings as the season raced just mast the midway mark of the schedule.

"We're just now past halfway (in the season)," Sauter said. This is great, this is the momentum we needed to swing it. We've had a good year, but not a great year. We've been consistent and finally got some speed this weekend."

Blaney is now third 16 behind followed by Hornaday and Wallace.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action this Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/08/Sauter-Sails-to-Michigan-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Pulls A Mid-Ohio Upset​*
Chris Buescher's car was good to the last drop on Saturday.

Buescher played the fuel-mileage game masterfully, and secured his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win in the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Buescher's No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford had to battle through lapped traffic on the final lap of the 90-lap race, but he managed to hold off Regan Smith for the victory.

"Just an awesome race," Buescher said. "Our Ford Mustang was awesome all day. We had great fuel mileage. Just an amazing, amazing trip."

Buescher had a 20-second lead before a late yellow bunched up the field. It didn't affect the outcome. Buescher was able to save enough fuel, while keeping Smith at bay.

Brian Scott finished third, followed by Chase Elliott and Alex Tagliani. Smith's runner-up effort closed him to within 10 points of JR Motorsports teammate and points leader Elliott.

He admitted he didn't have anything for Buescher unless the leader ran out of fuel.

"We broke the exhaust at some point, it started popping and I thought it was carburetor issues," Smith said. "But Chris drove a great race. He was smooth all day long. It's tough to finish second when you can see the lead right there in front of you."

Justin Marks, Elliott Sadler, Dylan Kwasniewski, Trevor Bayne and Dakoda Armstrong rounded out the top 10.











*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/buescher-pulls-a-mid-ohio-upset/


----------



## Ckg2011

*More NASCAR Nationwide Series Videos From Mid-Ohio​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Drivers React To Kevin Ward Jr., Tony Stewart Incident​*
Sorrow and disbelief were the overriding emotions Friday at Michigan International Speedway as drivers tried to grasp the events that involved Tony Stewart and resulted in the death of a fellow racer.

Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. were competing in a dirt sprint car race Aug. 9 at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park when Ward's car became disabled, necessitating a caution flag. Apparently displeased with Stewart, an on-foot Ward approached Stewart's still-moving car under caution and Stewart's right rear tire struck Ward. The 20-year-old died of massive blunt trauma, according to autopsy.

The incident is being investigated and Stewart could face criminal charges, though Ontario (N.Y.) County Sheriff Philip C. Povero said they have yet to determine "criminal intent" on Stewart's part.

"As much as I'm concerned for Tony and his well-being, the pain and sorrow that the Ward family and friends are going through," Jimmie Johnson said. "It's such a sad, sad set of circumstances."

Stewart sat out last Sunday at Watkins Glen and again elected not to race this weekend at Michigan. Stewart-Haas Racing officials said Stewart was grief-stricken and his return to NASCAR competition is undecided.

Like Stewart, Kyle Larson has a background in sprint car racing and frequently barnstorms around the country running in various grassroots events. Larson spoke fondly of seeing Stewart pull up unexpectedly at a local track and the extra jolt it gave him.

"You would see his trailer pull in the track and you would get more amped up and try a little bit harder," Larson said. "He does a lot for the sport. When he goes to sprint car races it's his place to get away and relax a little bit. I always enjoyed when he would come to the race track and still enjoyed seeing him whenever he would venture out and go back."

But not knowing the facts and never having raced at Canandaigua, Larson wouldn't comment directly on the circumstances that led to Ward's death.

"First off just thoughts and prayers still with everybody involved especially the Ward family," Larson said. "I have never raced there so I don't really have an opinion on much of anything because you don't know how the lighting is there. It's just really tough to have an opinion on it when you weren't part of it.

"Really there is only one guy that knows what happened -- or two, and one is not here anymore."

The tragedy of last weekend is the latest of several high-profile incidents that have blighted sprint car racing recently.

Last year, separate accidents took the lives of three drivers including Jason Leffler, a former NASCAR competitor. And a year ago this month, Stewart broke his leg in two places in a sprint car crash at an Iowa dirt track that sidelined him for the final 15 races of the NASCAR season.

Johnson, the defending and six-time NASCAR champion, thinks various safety measures should be enacted, including the use of spotters. Larson disagrees, and offers a different suggestion.

"Sprint car racing is awesome," Larson said. "It's some of the best racing you will ever see in your life. Over the last couple of years, with all the stuff that has gone on, sprint car racing has gotten a bad rap. I just wish ESPN and stuff could go play highlights of the Knoxville Nationals that just happened this weekend and see how good the racing was there and how it is every weekend.

"I just wish rather than it being where everybody talks about how dangerous it is and you are stupid if you run them and stuff I just wish you could see the good parts of it. ... It just sucks that it is getting the recognition that it has been getting. It's just the bad stuff and not the good stuff.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nascar-drivers-react-kevin-ward-043437658.html


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## Ckg2011

*Edwards Looks for Michigan Magic​*
Carl Edwards wants to bring Ford a good showing in the manufacturer's backyard on Sunday when he makes his last Michigan start with Roush Fenway Racing.

Michigan International Speedway has always been important to the Ford stable because of the track's close proximity to company headquarters in nearby Dearborn and Edwards hopes to play his part in making it a successful homecoming.

"This race is really important to us for a number of reasons," said Edwards, who will start Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 from the third starting spot. It's our home track as a team.

"Our first trip to Michigan this year didn't go very well. Everyone at Roush Fenway Racing has taken the initiative to dig down and work as hard as we possibly can. The guys have been working long hours. The engineers have come up with new ideas. We've tested and we're hoping to come back to Jack Roush's and Ford's backyard and perform the way we know we can this weekend."

Edwards Sprint Cup record at the two-mile track is impressive with a pair of wins, nine top-five finishes and a couple of Nationwide Series victories thrown in for good measure.

Getting around the lightning-fast two-mile oval, which saw 30 drivers exceed 200 mph in Friday's qualifying session, is no easy task.

"You are just on the gas with super high speeds," Edwards said. "The engines, everybody at Roush Yates engines has been doing a great job. The car has to be perfect. Not only does it have to handle perfectly but has to be the right distance off the racetrack. It has to be perfect.

"This is a place where there is a lot of engineering involved. As a driver you have to be ultra smooth. It is a huge corner and if you bobble or slit the stopwatch shows it."

While Edwards has two wins and will be in the Chase, the Roush organization has struggled overall this season and continues to look for improvement. Despite its long and successful track record at Michigan, the team's test in July was another example of the commitment to progress.

"Everyone at the shop has dug deep," said Edwards. "Some of the meetings I have been in - the few I have been in relative to those guys it has been pretty rough. Everybody is digging deep trying to figure out what we need to do. The change is not one thing, it is the whole group."

Speculation remains he'll land as a fourth entry for Joe Gibbs Racing next year, but in the immediate future Edwards wants to end his Roush run with a bang.

"This race is always special," said Edwards. "You guys know how proud I am to represent Ford. Right now my goal is to go represent Ford and drive as hard as I can for Jack Roush the same way I always have and to get us a championship. That would be I guess extra special to be able to do that right now."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Edwards-Michigan-Roush-Farewell.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Michigan Story Lines​*
There are several stories to follow in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

*Chase Field Filling Out* 
AJ Allmendinger became the 12th different winner last week with his Watkins Glen victory and punched his ticket to the Chase. There are four races left in the regular season and four spots left in the playoff field. A win would give any driver a spot in the Chase field but point standings will be important to fill out the balance of the line-up. Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson and Clint Bowyer right now have the final four positions through the standings with the likes of Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillon looking in.

*Roush Fenway Racing* 
Speaking of Biffle, he and the rest of the RFR organization tested at Michigan earlier this year in hopes of finding the missing competitive piece of the puzzle that has eluded the team this year. Carl Edwards qualified third for Sunday's race with Biffle 11th so speed has been evident in the weekend at least so far. It's Edwards' last race with Roush before moving on next year and he brings a sense of determination to win in manufacturer's Ford backyard.

*Johnson's Struggles* 
Jimmie Johnson starts 30th on Sunday and will have to come from deep in the field to turn around his recent slide. Johnson has finishes 28th or worse in four of his last five starts with a variety of challenges. The team says it's not worried since Johnson has gone through extended struggles before including the end of last year's regular season, which was followed by a run to a sixth championship.

*High Speeds*
Pole sitter Jeff Gordon set a new track record of 206.558 mph and hit 200.156 mph in final practice, plus set a 10 consecutive lap average of 198.195 mph. How the high speeds translate to competitive racing and tire wear will be worth watching Sunday.

*Hendrick Looking for Sweep* 
Jimmie Johnson won first Michigan race and Brad Keselowski pointed out that the Hendrick engines are a "full season ahead of everyone else." Since the June trace, Hendrick has won two races with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski has gone to Victory Lane twice.

*Harvick Mr. Runner-up* 
Kevin Harvick has three straight second place finishes at MIS and looks to move up a spot to secure win number three of 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/08/Michigan-Story-Lines.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*The Golden Boy Wins In Big D​*
Jeff Gordon passes Joey Logano on the finial restart to win the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. This is Gordon's third win of the season.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Triumphs at Michigan​*
Jeff Gordon passed Joey Logano for the lead on a restart with 17 laps to go to win Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

The victory is Gordon's third of the season and 91st of his career. Kevin Harvick finished second - his fourth consecutive runner-up finish at Michigan. Logano finished third with Paul Menard fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fifth.

The victory was Gordon's first at Michigan since June 2001, leading him to radio his crew after his burnout: "How do I get to Victory Lane?"

The key moment was the last restart. Logano was the leader but Gordon charged by on the inside.

"I had (Gordon) cleared,'' Logano said. "I should have pulled down in front of him. He got next to me, and I couldn't get away.''

Said Gordon: "I got a really good restart, and I got to his quarter panel in Turn 1 and I was able to drag him back and it allowed me to get the momentum and get by him."

How Gordon won: Jeff Gordon had arguably the best car. While his restarts have been questioned in the past, he again delivered a race-winning restart late - just as he did at Indianapolis.

What else happened: Much of the action happened on the restarts. Jeff Gordon's winning move came on the final restart. ... Kurt Busch battled Joey Logano for the lead with 23 laps to go but bounced off the wall, ending his hopes for a second win of the season. Busch finished 31st. ... Danica Patrick spun on a Lap 25 restart, collecting eight other cars.

Who else had a good day: Kevin Harvick's runner-up finish gives him four consecutive top-10 runs this season - his longest stretch of the season. ... Paul Menard's fourth-place finish matches what he did at this track in June. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fifth-place finish marks his ninth top-10 finish in the last 11 races. ... Denny Hamlin's seventh-place is his fifth top-10 finish in the last six races.

Who had a bad day: Kyle Busch hit the wall after the third lap and went to the garage, continuing a miserable stretch for him. He finished 39th. He was 42nd at Pocono two weeks ago and 40th at Watkins Glen last weekend. ... Kyle Larson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact on pit road on Lap 22 and the damage slowed Larson the rest of the race. Larson later crashed just before halfway and placed last in the 43-car field. ... Jeff Burton, driving for Tony Stewart, had electrical issues and finished 37th.

Quote of the day: "I won every single restart on the front row but the last one. It's frustrating,'' Joey Logano said.

Notables: Danica Patrick recovered from an early spin to finish 18th - her best finish since placing eighth at Daytona last month. ... Jeff Gordon's win gives Hendrick Motorsports eight wins in the last 13 races. ... Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle finished 10th. The June Michigan race snapped Roush's streak of 27 consecutive races there with at least one car in the top 10. ... AJ Allmendinger, who won last weekend at Watkins Glen, placed 13th. It's his best finish at an unrestricted track 1.5 miles or longer since placing eighth at Auto Club Speedway in March.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/08/Jeff-Gordon-Wins-At-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Looking For More​*
Joey Logano's stellar season continued Sunday with a third-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400.

Logano started from the front row and led a race-high 86 laps. He battled eventual winner Jeff Gordon for the lead in the closing laps after a couple of restarts but couldn't make a serious bid for the checkered flag.

"Took off at the beginning of the race, pretty fast, leading a lot of laps," said Logano. "Just kept tightening the car up, getting a little bit better. By the end we were able to get the car pretty much where it needed to be. Then just restart after restart after restart.

"I won every single restart I was on the front row except the last one, so here I am. It's kind of frustrating."

Logano and Gordon got into a game of cat and mouse in the final pair of restarts that drew the ire of the both the No. 24 team and NASCAR, which warned the Team Penske driver.

He got the jump again on what turned out to be the final restart, but after a side-by-side battle with Gordon for the lead, Logano was forced to settle for third.

"I had a bunch of good ones," Logano laughed about the final restarts. "The last one wasn't the greatest. I got through the gearbox good and had (Gordon) cleared. I should have pulled down in front of him and got that draft, but he got up next to me and pulled me back so hard that I couldn't get away from him. He was able to get position on me into (Turn) 1. Once he got that clean air, I knew I had one more shot. I knew I was really good into (Turn) 1 and that was his weak point.

"I drove it off there and got him wiggling a little bit ... but he was able to pull me back again off the corner and then I got loose under him trying to maintain what I had and came in third."

Logano sits fourth in the points standing but he has two wins and a spot in the Chase. While third place is nothing to be ashamed about, Logano knows the new championship format means first place is by far the most important goal.

"I said this after Pocono, finished third," said Logano. "I said, doesn't matter because wins are the only thing that matters right now. Yes, we like the momentum. That's a good thing to go into the Chase with the momentum we got. A lot of top‑five, top‑10 finishes. Moves us up in the points, but doesn't matter unless you have wins."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...8/Joey-Logano-Finishes-Third-At-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Salvages Top-10 Finish​*
Jimmie Johnson somehow managed a ninth-place finish after battling with a broken gearshift handle.

Johnson started 30th Sunday but worked his way to the lead by pittong on the day's first yellow when Kyle Busch hit the wall and not on a lap 20 competition caution.

The advantage was short lived when Johnson's gearshift lever broke and forced him back to the pits.

The first attempt to give Johnson a pair of vice grips as a means of grabbing the lever to shift didn't work and eventually more work was necessary.

"Somebody handed me some tools, and I didn't have a lot of success getting that fixed," Johnson said. "They had some contraption with a vice grip to try to figure that out, and it fell off before I even got back to pit in under caution.

"So, once I could get the wire tie busted and get the boot down, I could see what was wrong and we were able to kind of adjust from there. And (car chief) Ron Malec dove into the right-side window and we got it sorted out."

Johnson then set sail for the front of the field and after falling a lap down not only got back on the lead lap but started moving to the front.

Before scoring the top-10 finish, Johnson had a bit of a run-in with Ryan Newman for position.

"Oh, it was just normal 'Ryan Newman stuff'. Anybody who has watched this sport long enough or has been in a race car out there understands the frustration that comes along with racing Ryan," Johnson said.

But Johnson remained focused on the effort of his race team that had to step up to help stem the tide of a recent skid.

"I don't want to take away anything from what this awesome race team did," he said. "Granted, we put ourselves in a bad position with the shift lever breaking off and were able to rally back and get ourselves a good finish. It was unfortunate we didn't get any further up in the field, but we still salvaged a lot today."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...mmie-Johnson-Salvages-Top-10-At-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*More From The Pure Michigan 400​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Upset With Earnhardt Jr.​*
Denny Hamlin was not pleased with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the closing laps of Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

Hamlin finished seventh Sunday - by far the best of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable after teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth had problems early.

As the laps wound down, Hamlin raced for position with Earnhardt, which turned somewhat heated.

After the race, the two were involved in an animated discussion on pit road.

"It's just frustration from my part," Hamlin admitted. "I'm trying to fight - do everything I can - to keep up with the Hendrick engines. I'm side-drafting down the straightaway, trying to do everything I can. Not things I frown upon when I see other drivers do them.

"We're trying to do everything we can to keep our track position. He got a little upset that I was side-drafting and so he kind of crowded me up to the wall in Turn 4. I was a little disappointed, but that's part of it. You talk about it, get it worked out and move on."

For his part Earnhardt was pleased with his fifth-place finish despite his run-in with Hamlin.

"I ran him up the track a little bit early in the race," Earnhardt said. "He didn't like it too much. I've been run up the track, too. I don't like it either, but I didn't want him hanging on my quarter panel all the way down the front straightaway and end up three- or four-wide. I just wanted to get on by him because I was flying. We were hauling."

Earnhardt's day included contact with Kyle Larson on pit road early in the race.

"We got in some trouble on pit road and ended up moving the steering wheel around and bending some things up," Earnhardt said. "Hurt our car just a little bit and cost us. We had a real fast car just coming through the field real easy. Great motor and had a good day."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/08/Hamlin-Upset-With-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Michigan Rear View Mirror​*
Any planning parties to celebrate Jeff Gordon's retirement should be placed on indefinite hold.

Gordon showed there's still plenty of life left in his career with yet another stirring performance and a victory in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan Int'l Speedway. The four-time Sprint Cup Series champion notched his third win of the season and solidified his place as a legitimate title contender.

He started the weekend with an incredible qualifying lap of 206.558 mph and really never slowed down until the checkered flag flew Sunday afternoon. After his emotional Brickyard 400 win last month, Gordon has continued to knock down solid performances culminating in Sunday's Michigan triumph, a track where he last won in 2001.

Ironically, that was also the last year Gordon won the championship.

There very well could be another party in Gordon's immediate future and it won't be of the retirement variety.

Sunday's race was jam-packed with a variety of stories, drama and hard racing. A number of drivers were out of contention before the race barely got going. Kyle Busch smacked the wall early and was knocked from the impact player's list in a hurry. He soon had company in his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who was one of several unlucky victims of a multi-car accident that also swept up Danica Patrick, Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and others. Once things settled down and the fuel strategies played out, it came down to a wild restart between Gordon and Joey Logano that stretched into a number of exciting side-by-side laps for the lead before the 24 moved ahead for the win. Overall it was a pretty entertaining and compelling afternoon in the Irish Hills.

Much has been made of Jimmie Johnson's recent stretch of challenges, which continued Sunday when a handle broke from his gearshift in the first quarter of the race. But the diligent 48 team worked through the problem with a number of pit stops, repairs and teamwork and lo and behold Johnson wound up in the top-10 when the day ended. Johnson's in the Chase and his finishes from here on out in the regular season don't really matter. But don't forget Sunday's Michigan performance later on when the chips are on the line in the championship. It was quintessential Johnson and company.

The Roush Fenway Racing team had hoped for a good day Sunday at what was the team's stomping grounds back in the day. But the organization has fallen on such hard times of late a Michigan test was in order earlier this summer. There were some positives early in the weekend with speed in qualifying, but unfortunately race results weren't overly encouraging. Greg Biffle was the best of the bunch with a tenth place finish while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came home 15th. However Carl Edwards, making his final Michigan start for the team before moving on to reportedly Joe Gibbs Racing, suffered a miserable day with handling issues and other problems that added up to a 23rd-place finish.

Ten teams will stay over at Michigan for a Monday test as NASCAR looks to get a hold of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series rules package. There are a variety of combinations that will be run through during the test including aerodynamic packages, spoiler changes, softer tires, horsepower reduction and even an adjustable track bar that drivers can utilize. It promises to be the first of a series of tests planned in hopes of continuing the quest of improving the on track product.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/08/Michigan-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Tests Potential Rule Changes​*
Ten drivers are scheduled participate in a NASCAR Sprint Cup test today at Michigan International Speedway to gauge potential rule changes for next season.

The goal is to find ways to reduce the impact of aero push - where a trailing car loses ground, in part, because of aerodynamic forces. The test is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET and end after 6 p.m. ET.

Scheduled to test are: Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Danica Patrick, Paul Menard, Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and either Clint Bowyer or Brian Vickers for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development, will oversee the test. He said no other follow-up test is scheduled.

Stefanyshyn said today's plan is to run 30-lap mock races, which will be divided into two 15-lap segments. One segment will begin with cars starting single-file and the other will feature double-file starts.

Among the changes to be tested is allowing drivers to adjust the track bar inside the car instead of relying on the pit crew to do it during a stop.

"I think that anything we're able to adjust inside the car ... I think that's important,'' Greg Biffle said. "That can improve the safety, but at the same time ... being able to adjust the track bar can clearly make it more competitive.

"You can adjust over the tire run, over the fuel run. What we've got to be careful of is people fudging the rules and getting it to do other things. If it's easy to police, I like it."

Michigan winner Jeff Gordon is intrigued about being able to adjust the track bar, especially in traffic.

"The balance changes so much that we're trying to figure out how we can adjust that balance when we get behind cars and then to help passing and make the races more exciting and more competitive than they already are,'' he said. "And that's a step toward that. So, that would be great.

"I'd love to know how much adjustment you're going to get. I always go back to adjustments that I used to have in open-wheel cars, and I used to dial myself right out of being competitive. So, I want to make sure they don't allow me to have too much adjustment or if they do, I'm going to make sure the team tells me how far I can go with it."

Other areas that NASCAR will focus on in this test include using dive planes (aerodynamic plates) on both sides under the front bumper to help balance the car with a bigger spoiler, a 9-inch spoiler to increase drag and a lower rear differential gear to reduce acceleration.

Such changes have been studied on computers and tested in a wind tunnel. Now, comes the chance to test with multiple cars on the track.

"We have hunches, we have data we've looked at from five different ways,'' Stefanyshyn said. "We think we're on the right track.''

NASCAR also will test at three different power levels - the current 850 horsepower, 800 horsepower and 750 horsepower.

NASCAR will simulate those reductions, but Stefanyshyn said how NASCAR would get to those levels via a rule change has not been determined.

"We have so much power that any little advantage or disadvantage is amplified quickly and significantly,'' he said.

Stefanyshyn also said that series officials would spend the latter portion of the test working on low downforce ideas that some drivers have proposed. The cars would have about 30 percent less downforce. To handle the changes, Goodyear has brought a higher grip tire for that part of the test.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SCAR-Testing-Potential-2015-Rule-Changes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Michigan Test Progressing​*
NASCAR officials spent Monday testing different configurations on Sprint Cup cars to reduce the impact of aerodynamics and determine next year's rules package.

Ten drivers took part in the test at Michigan International Speedway.

"I'm glad that we're doing it,'' Kasey Kahne said during a break in testing Monday.

Kahne said any improvements could help the racing. He noted how well his car felt alone on the track. That changed when the cars aligned for a mock race.

"We got in pack with new tires,'' he said. "It went green, and I followed a car into Turn 1 and my front end would not turn getting into the corner.''

Kahne's dilemma shows what NASCAR is trying to correct. When a trailing car can't turn as well because of aero push, then the driver has to get off the gas. At a track like Michigan - Jeff Gordon won the pole there with a lap of 206.558 mph last weekend - getting off the gas costs a significant amount of track position.

Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR's vice president of innovation and racing development, said the emphasis of the test is on intermediate tracks. He does not plan to have a second test, so NASCAR can get the new rules to teams next month. That will allow teams to begin building cars for next season.

Monday morning, NASCAR had teams test a rear differential gear change and followed that with a session that featured a different aerodynamics package before a lunch break. NASCAR planned six sessions Monday. The drivers ran a 15-lap mock race with a single-file start and a 15-lap mock race with a double-file start in each session

NASCAR used dive planes (aerodynamic plates) on both sides under the front bumper to help balance the car with a bigger spoiler, a 9-inch spoiler to increase drag and a lower rear differential gear to reduce acceleration. NASCAR also tested a way for drivers to adjust the track bar inside the car instead of relying on the pit crew to do it during a stop.

"The areo package will knock a bit of a speed off the end of the straightaway because we have a bit more drag on the car,'' Stefanyshyn said. "I think taking some speed off is the direction we're headed. The amount, we will wait to see what the information shows us.''

NASCAR also tested at three different power levels - the current 850 horsepower, 800 horsepower and 750 horsepower. Stefanyshyn said teams used a restrictor-plate to get to those levels because it was the simplest way to do so for the test.

Paul Menard said on MRN's "Motorsports Monday" show that NASCAR was "making big swings" at changes and that the test was "going well.''

Stefanyshyn said three reasons dictated why Michigan was chosen. Series officials wanted to test in August to give them time to study the results before getting the rules to teams. NASCAR didn't want to test at a track that the Cup series still had to race, and series officials wanted to test a day after a race because it all the equipment was in place.

Taking part in the test were Kahne, Menard, Danica Patrick, Matt Kenseth, Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NASCAR-Studying-Options-At-Michigan-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Cope to Be Elliott's Crew Chief in 2015​*
JR Motorsports announced Monday that Ernie Cope will transition from the No. 5 team to Chase Elliott's No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team at the conclusion of this season.

Cope will take over for Greg Ives, who will be Steve Letarte's successor on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ives and Cope will finish out the year in their respective roles. Ives and Elliott currently lead the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings by 10 points over teammate Regan Smith with 11 races to go.

"It became clear rather quickly that the absolute best option for Chase and the NAPA team next year is already in this building," general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said. "Ernie builds fast cars, has a good rapport with Chase, and is familiar with the inner-workings of our company. Hopefully that will create a seamless transition at the end of the year, and the No. 9 team will continue its championship form right into 2015."

A veteran from Spanaway, Wash., Cope has more than 12 years experience as a NASCAR crew chief. He joined JR Motorsports prior to 2014 to spearhead its part-time team driven primarily by Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Three of Cope's 12 career victories have come this year, as Harvick drove to wins at Richmond and Kentucky, and Kahne was victorious at Daytona. Harvick has been the driver in 10 of Cope's 12 wins starting in 2009.

"Kevin and I have enjoyed a lot of success, and we're not done yet," Cope said. "There is a lot of racing left this year, but in putting the pieces together for 2015, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to compete the full race schedule. I've been able to do that only once, and that was in 2011 with Elliott Sadler when we finished second in the championship. I'd like another shot at it, and Chase Elliott is an extremely talented race car driver."

A crew chief for the No. 5 team in 2015 is not yet determined. Earnhardt Miller said the company will conduct a thorough search and take as much time as necessary to find the best candidate.

"Pairing Kevin Harvick and Dale Jr. with the best crew chief possible is extremely important to us, and we're prepared to take as much time as needed to fill that position,"she said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Be-Crew-Chief-For-Chase-Elliott-In-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Press Conference This Morning​*
Joe Gibbs Racing will be holding a press conference at 10:00 am this morning. They are expected to announce that Carl Edwards will be the fourth driver on the team. It is also expected that JGR will announce Edwards will be driving the #19 Toyota with Arris, communication technology company sponsoring the car for about half the season.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*It's Official, Concrete Carl To JGR​*
Edwards will drive the JGR #19 ARRIS Toyota full time in 2015.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Will Join JGR In 2015​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announces today that drivers Carl Edwards and Daniel Suarez will join the organization in 2015 to compete full time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series respectively.

In addition, ARRIS Group, Inc. will sponsor Edwards in the No. 19 Toyota Camry for 17 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with JGR expanding its operations to include a fourth team. ARRIS also will support Suarez in a multi-year program, starting with the 2015 NASCAR Nationwide Series, as well as a partial schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

JGR also announces that it has launched a diversity initiative with Escuderia TELMEX with support from ARRIS to provide developmental opportunities to deserving Mexican and Latin American candidates in the NASCAR Toyota Series in Mexico and other racing series under the JGR umbrella.

"This is one of the biggest days in Joe Gibbs Racing's history," said Joe Gibbs, founder and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "To be able to bring a driver the caliber of Carl Edwards on board to launch our fourth team is just a thrill. But we also have the opportunity to announce a new partner in ARRIS that will not only sponsor Carl, but also share a vision with Carlos Slim Domit and Escuderia TELMEX to develop Mexican and Latin American drivers in NASCAR. We are excited to have Daniel Suarez as part of that program and look forward to watching his development in the NASCAR Nationwide Series next season."

A Missouri native, Edwards is currently eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings with two wins, five top-five and nine top-10 finishes thus far this season. Over the course of his 11-year career, he has won a total of 23 races with 106 top-five and 182 top-10 finishes. In addition to his 23 Sprint Cup Series wins, he has also compiled 38 wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and won the championship in 2007. His highest finish in the Sprint Cup Series season was in 2011 when he was runner-up to Tony Stewart based on a tiebreaker.

Suarez is currently competing full time for Escuderia TELMEX in the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, where he leads that series, and also competes in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Rev Racing Team in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He has four wins and six top-five finishes in 10 starts in the NASCAR Toyota Series and has added two wins, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes this season in 12 K&N Pro Series starts. Suarez made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with JGR earlier this season at Richmond International Raceway with a 19th-place finish.

"Having the opportunity to run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing is like a dream come true," said Suarez. "Everyone knows how successful they have been in the Nationwide Series and I can't thank ARRIS enough for supporting me next season. It's also exciting to be part of this initiative with Carlos because I know his passion for racing and his desire to provide opportunities to others like me."

ARRIS is a worldwide leader in broadband and video delivery technology. The company's solutions bring entertainment and communications to millions of people around the world.

"We're proud to join Joe Gibbs Racing - an icon in the world of motorsports - and sponsor two of the best drivers in the business: Carl Edwards and Daniel Suarez. We believe this is a great match: ARRIS broadband technology delivers fast entertainment to your home, and Joe Gibbs Racing delivers the same experience on the racetrack," said Bob Stanzione, Chairman and CEO, ARRIS. "We're excited to collaborate with Carlos Slim Domit, one of our top customers, to bring our shared passion for diversity to the sport on an international stage. As ARRIS continues to grow, we're proud to take an increasingly visible role in cultivating the community, diversity, and performance that reflect our global brand."

Carlos Slim Domit is Chairman of the Board for Grupo Carso and co-founder of Escuderia TELMEX along with Jimmy Morales. As part of Escuderia TELMEX's international program, he has partnered with Joe Gibbs Racing to aid in their diversity program with the continued focus of developing Mexican and Latin American drivers in NASCAR.

"I am very excited to have Escuderia TELMEX as a partner with Joe Gibbs Racing and ARRIS," said Carlos Slim Domit. "They are great teams with whom we share strong values with a passion to win. Over the past 12 years we have worked very hard together with NASCAR in the development of a racing series and building a strong ladder system for our drivers. Having the opportunity for Daniel Suarez to demonstrate his talent to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is very rewarding and encouraging to us all."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...08/Carl-Edwards-To-Drive-For-JGR-In-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking Down JGR's Announcements​*
As Carl Edwards walked on to the stage Tuesday morning at Joe Gibbs Racing, he shouted "surprise!" to the media.

Hardly.

Still, there was much to be gleaned from Joe Gibbs Racing's announcement that Edwards would drive a fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup team for the organization next year. And, there remained some questions.

Here's a look at the details of Edwards joining JGR, the organization's other announcement and what all this means.

*What are the details on Carl Edwards' ride?*

He will drive a No. 19 Toyota Camry beginning next year for JGR. Arris Group, Inc., will be the primary sponsor for 17 races.

*What about the remaining races? Who will be the sponsor?*

Joe Gibbs said that most of the remaining primary sponsorships have been sold. Announcements will come later.

*Why is Edwards going to JGR?*

Asked if Roush Fenway Racing had hit a ceiling, Edwards said: "I don't think so. We really could find something, go on a tear. We could hit on something and win five races in the Chase and dominate. So, no I don't feel like we've hit a ceiling.''

*So why leave Roush Fenway Racing for JGR? Edwards said:*

"Sometimes you've got to shake things up, you've got to do things differently. I've done this for 10 years, I plan to do it for a lot longer. When an opportunity like this comes up and all the pieces come together this perfectly, for me, I didn't want to look back and wonder what that would have been like. I want to take the opportunity and go see what I can make of it.''

*What about working with Matt Kenseth, his former teammate at Roush?*

They once had issues. Edwards said of being a teammate: "One of my goals in coming here is to ... be a really, really good teammate to these guys. I have learned a lot about how to be a teammate. I, admittedly, was not the best teammate at the beginning of my career. I had a lot of the 'every-man-for-himself attitude' and wanting to prove myself regardless of any damage to any relationships. I didn't think of it as a real team atmosphere. I've learned a lot over the years. I really value my teammates now. From my perspective, I'm going to do everything I can to be the best teammate I can ... so that overall we can be better.''

*Who will be Edwards' crew chief? What will his role be in that determination?*

No decision has been announced, and Edwards says he doesn't want to have much involvement in the process. "This organization has done a great job of putting people together and having success. I don't know enough of what goes on here. Whatever they decide, I will gladly participate.''

*What else did JGR announce Tuesday?*

Joe Gibbs Racing also announced that Daniel Suarez will have a full ride in the Nationwide Series with the organization next year and run a partial schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series. Arris Group, Inc., will sponsor Suarez in the Nationwide, Truck, and the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series. JGR also announced a diversity initiative with Escuderia Telemex with support from Arris to provide developmental opportunities to Mexican and Latin American candidates.

*OK, so what is this Arris Group, Inc. and why did the company decide to join NASCAR?*

Bob Stanzione, Chairman and CEO of Arris, asked those at the press conference to raise their hand if they had heard of Arris Group. Few did. Arris Group, Inc., states it is a worldwide leader in broadband and video delivery technology. "We felt we needed to get our name out there,'' he said. "You may have our product in your home and not know it because often times our logo is on the bottom of the product and not on the front.''

*With Suarez running a full Nationwide schedule next season, what does that mean for the rest of JGR's Nationwide program, particularly Elliott Sadler and Darrell Wallace Jr.?*

Joe Gibbs addressed this situation, saying: "Right now, a lot of that is still in the process of being worked out. We're in the middle of going back and visiting with all of our sponsors. We love that series. We've run as many as four cars, and that is a possibility for us, but we definitely will have a strong contingent and we're working through all those things right now.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ing-Down-Key-Issues-In-JGR-Announcements.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Jeff Burton Back In The SHR No.14 At Bristol​*
Jeff Burton will once again drive the Stewart Haas Racing No.14 Chevy in place of Tony Stewart who is sitting out for the third straight week.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Suarez Signs Nationwide Deal With JGR​*
Up-and-coming stock car driver Daniel Suarez will drive a full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing next season.

In addition, ARRIS Group, Inc. will support Suarez in a multi-year program, starting with the 2015 NASCAR Nationwide Series, as well as a partial schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

JGR also announces that it has launched a diversity initiative with Escuderia TELMEX with support from ARRIS to provide developmental opportunities to deserving Mexican and Latin American candidates in the NASCAR Toyota Series in Mexico and other racing series under the JGR umbrella.

Suarez is currently competing full time for Escuderia TELMEX in the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, where he leads that series, and also competes in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Rev Racing Team in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

He has four wins and six top-five finishes in 10 starts in the NASCAR Toyota Series and has added two wins, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes this season in 12 K&N Pro Series starts. Suarez made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with JGR earlier this season at Richmond International Raceway with a 19th-place finish.

"Having the opportunity to run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing is like a dream come true," said Suarez. "Everyone knows how successful they have been in the Nationwide Series and I can't thank ARRIS enough for supporting me next season. It's also exciting to be part of this initiative with Carlos because I know his passion for racing and his desire to provide opportunities to others like me."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/suarez-signs-nationwide-deal-with-jgr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Most Amazing ... Race'​*
With the zeal of a carnival barker, Denny Hamlin proclaims less downforce on the cars will improve the racing.

He believes it because he saw it Monday at Michigan International Speedway during NASCAR's test to determine the 2015 rules package.

At the end of the day-long test session, NASCAR tried a concept suggested by some drivers and reduced each car's downforce about 30 percent.

"It was like the most amazing nine-car race for the first couple of laps,'' said Hamlin, who watched that mock race as his team prepared his car for a later session with less downforce.

"It was crazy to see them out there with their hands full. We have star drivers in this sport for a reason because they're the best drivers. They're with great cars and great car owners, but I felt like we were heading in a direction where you just put anybody up front at the end of these races and any car, mediocre to a decent car, they were going to win the race. Now I believe your star drivers are going to show back up again with this package.''

Hamlin noted that teams had about 20 minutes to put a setup on the car for that portion of the test before taking part in a mock race. He'd like more time.

"I challenge NASCAR to give us a day with that and see what we can do,'' he said. "I'm really excited.''

Hamlin estimated a 40 mph difference from the end of the straightaways to the middle of the corners because drivers had to let off the accelerator in the corners.

For all of Hamlin's excitement, NASCAR has not made any decisions on what direction it will go for next year's rules package. Series officials will spend time examining data collected from the test.

Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development, said before the test that the goal was "to try to raise the level of the product, the competition.''

Hamlin's teammate, Kyle Busch, likes less downforce but is more cautious about that approach.

"It lends itself to more separation (between cars),'' Busch said. "The better drivers are going to better succeed. Sometimes that leads to separating the field. With the package we have now, I think it does bring the backmarkers up a little bit more because it is a little bit easier to drive.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Hamlin-High-On-Low-Downforce-Approach.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pick'em Up Trucks In Thunder Valley​*
It's the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. 200 laps around the fast high banked half mile.

Kyle Busch will be racing tonight and is on the pole, Cole Custer will start along side Busch on the front row.

Pre-Race starts at 8:00 pm tonight on FS1

Green Flag at 8:46 Pm on FS1

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Rain Rain Go Away​*
Lightning and down pouring rain right now at the Bristol Motor Speedway. No word yet from NASCAR on whether or not they will cancel and race tomorrow.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Special K Wins Rain Delayed NCWTS Race​*
Brad Keselowski wins rain delayed Truck Series race at Bristol, Keselowski held off KBM driver Darrell Wallace Jr to win his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. This is also Keselowski's first win as a Truck Series team owner.

Ron Hornaday Jr was third.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Scores First Truck Win, Fails Post-Race Inspection​*
Brad Keselowski walked into the media center, clutching the trophy he had pursued for a decade in a quest that had sent him on heart-breaking lows.

He has tried to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race since 2004. Along the way, Keselowski lost his ride with his family's team in 2006 when it went bankrupt after sponsorship fizzled. Even as he emerged as one of the sport's best drivers, winning the 2012 Sprint Cup championship, he couldn't score a Truck win. Five times he finished second.

Until Thursday morning.

Keselowski finally joined his father, Bob, as a Truck series winner - an accomplishment not shared by any other father-son duo in series history. Bob Keselowski celebrated his son's feat by texting him "good deal."

NASCAR announced that Keselowski's Truck and that of third-place finisher Ron Hornaday Jr., and eighth-place finisher Cole Custer were cited for having their rear spoiler too high. Any penalties will be announced next week.

Keselowski's father won in the Truck series in 1997 at Richmond. Keselowski, who was 13 years old at the time, had followed the family throughout that summer to tracks but wasn't in Victory Lane with his dad that night because school started that week.

"I was not very nice to my teachers that next day because I was mad in school for having to be there and missing out (on the win),'' Brad Keselowski said.

He admits he used to watch that race repeatedly, enjoying his father's win but wishing he could have been there.

"The success and the failure at this level, it hurts more,'' Keselowski said. "It affects you more personally than it does at the Cup level. You wouldn't think it would with the fame, the money and the notoriety and the Cup series being so much higher. When you add the element of being an owner and having control, it hits you more personal because there are no excuses.

"For me, it's much deeper than that, having the family ties to this sport. Having my mom and dad being a part of this series. I can remember to this day, my dad was racing in ARCA in 1994, I remember him coming back, saying 'I'm done with that. I'm going to run in this thing called the Truck series.' I was 10 years old and had no idea what he was talking about.

"I finally got to watch him on TV on a regular basis, which was always great for me personally. He was on the cusp of really breaking through when he got hurt as a driver. I know that was painful for him and somewhat painful for me as a kid to see my dad go through that. Then as owner, see that cycle to where we had successful team and lost sponsorships in the early 2000s and never really recovered. As kind of a last-ditch effort, I got my opportunity to drive ... as the team was essentially about to go under. That's been so much of the journey.''

So, it is with all of that Keselowski carried with him when he climbed into his Ford for Thursday's rain-delayed UNOH 200. The race marked the 25th time Keselowski and Kyle Busch had raced against each other in this series. Busch had won 12 of the previous 24 encounters and finished ahead of Keselowski 21 times.

They were clearly the best, but Busch's hopes of winning ended when a right rear went flat and he slapped the wall with less than 25 laps to go.

Then, it was up to Busch's teammate, Darrell Wallace Jr., to challenge Keselowski. Lapped traffic closed the gap and gave Wallace a chance with three laps left.

"I would have had to wreck him to get by,'' Wallace said.

He didn't do it because he said "I respect (Keselowski).''

Wallace admits had he wrecked Keselowski, "I might have got some cheers, but I think I would have gotten more boos if I had gone in there and wrecked him. I race everybody with respect, at least I try to.''

Wallace finished second with Ron Hornaday Jr. third, followed by Matt Crafton and points leader Johnny Sauter.

With that, Keselowski had his coveted Truck win.

After he exited the media center, Keselowski walked toward his Truck team parked on pit road near Turn 1.

He carried the trophy with him.

After all he had been through, he wasn't letting go of this trophy.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/08/Keselowski-Scores-First-Truck-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ryan Truex Cleared to Return​*
Ryan Truex, driver of the No. 83 Toyota, has been medically cleared to return to racing after missing last weekend's race due to a concussion.

Truex was involved in a single-car crash during last Saturday's opening practice at Michigan International Speedway when he hit the Turn 2 wall. JJ Yeley substituted for Truex and finished 30th in last Sunday's race.

Truex followed NASCAR's guidelines to return to racing and has been cleared to race in the IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"Happy to be back to it this weekend," Truex tweeted. "Concussions are definitely nothing to mess with, thanks to everyone @NASCAR for helping me thru it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/08/Ryan-Truex-Cleared-to-Return.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Time Is Running Out​*
Less than a month before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, Jeff Gordon seems unbeatable, Jimmie Johnson fallible and Kevin Harvick a contender again.

Of course, that's the beauty of the Chase. It doesn't matter what one does before - three races remain until the 16-driver field is finalized - only what one does in it.

With eliminations and a one-race shootout for the championship, no one is quite sure what to expect. Except maybe chaos.

Since there won't be 16 different winners after Richmond, there's the possibility a driver who doesn't win a race could claim the title. Or a driver outside the top 10 in points by Richmond could capture the championship.

If a poll picking the champion happened now, Gordon likely would be among the favorites, if not the favorite, with recent victories at Indianapolis and Michigan. Both are horsepower tracks where aerodynamics also matter - key items that can transfer to the five 1.5-mile tracks in the Chase. But there are concerns.

New Hampshire, the second Chase race, looms for Hendrick Motorsports, which was not as strong there in July despite testing at the 1-mile oval. Gordon was at the front when he ran out of fuel late and finished 26th. Those fuel issues masked how he and his teammates could not match winner Brad Keselowski.

That also was the race Jimmie Johnson had two tire issues - Goodyear stated it was because the tires were under the minimum recommended air pressure - and crashed to finish 42nd.

Hendrick teams are scheduled to test Aug. 26-27 at Martinsville Speedway and some of what is found there could help the team at New Hampshire.

Johnson's team has had its struggles lately, finishing 28th or worse in four of the last six races. Much of that is related to accidents and not all of his doing. So, should this be a concern? In the four races before last year's Chase, Johnson placed no better than 28th and went on to win his sixth title.

The expectation is that once the Chase starts, Johnson's team will again take its place among the best on the track, but if there's a stumble in this new elimination system, Johnson's bid to repeat could vanish.

If not a Hendrick driver - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is headed for one of the best seasons of his career - Harvick could challenge for the crown.

He is starting to put together strong results. His runner-up finish at Michigan marked his fourth consecutive top-10 result of the season, his longest stretch this year.

"The main focus for our team has been consistency heading into the Chase to make sure we can scramble and do the things we've done over the last month,'' Harvick said. "When you have a solid day, finish it off. Those are the things we've been able to do.''

The question is if the team is past its mistakes. Issues again arose two weeks ago at Watkins Glen when Harvick had to pit early because of ballast bags had not been removed before the race. If such details continue to be missed, it's doubtful Harvick could win the title.

Then again, Harvick has shown the type of speed all season to win. In theory, he only would need to be error-free in four of the 10 races to win the title since a win advances a driver to the next round. Win in each of the first three rounds and Harvick would be set to make a title run in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Yet, there are others to worry about.

Joey Logano placed third last weekend at Michigan and has finished no worse than sixth in each of the last four races.

Despite the disappointment of losing the lead on the final restart at Michigan, Logano said the race meant more in other ways, showing "that we can win a championship. That's the message I want to put out there. I want to put out for my team that we're strong enough to do that. I think we showed that.''

He's placed in the top five in four of the eight tracks that will host a Chase race this season.

Keselowski, Logano's teammate, hit the wall and still finished eighth at Michigan. He has been strong throughout the season. With crew chief Paul Wolfe, Keselowski always will be a threat.

But what about the Toyotas? They don't seem to have the horsepower that other engines are producing.

David Wilson, president and general manager at Toyota Racing Development, says help is coming. TRD produces engines for Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

"We're bringing some new stuff to the race track between now and the Chase,'' he said.

Drivers and teams have three races to get ready before the Chase begins. Then, let the games begin.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rep-For-Fine-Tune-Up-Before-Chase-Begins.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Scott Seeks Bristol Breakthrough​*
Brian Scott will continue his quest to win his first career Nationwide Series race in Friday night's Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Richard Childress Racing driver enters the weekend fifth in the series standings after a third-place finish last Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The top-five run didn't come easy, by any means. Scott was leading the race until an encounter with another car knocked him off track, which kicked grass up onto his grille.  The engine began to overheat, so Scott was forced to duck into the pits for service.

He then put on a furious drive to get back to the front and when the checkered flag flew, there was Scott in third place.

It wasn't the first time he's had what appeared to be the car to beat, only to have challenges keep him from Victory Lane. But he's hoping things will change this week at Bristol, where he knows the challenge is great.

"Yeah, there isn't much of a straightaway to catch your breath," Scott explained. "That seems to make Bristol more challenging. You're on the straightaways for a second and the corners for a couple seconds. It doesn't give your body much of a break. You're constantly entering and exiting corners."

In terms of a preferred line around Bristol, Scott says he's forced to run as high as he can get up to the wall.

"You've got to go to the top to keep momentum up," Scott said. "It's frustrating when you're faster than somebody, you're trying to make it stick on the bottom and get the runs that you need to pass. The top is where you want to be at Bristol."

Scott will make his 11th career Nationwide Series start in "Thunder Valley" on Friday night and has had some success, including three top-10 finishes. He's also made three Camping World Truck Series starts at the Tennessee half-mile.

Friday night's race will also present a change in conditions from when the series made its first 2014 visit to Bristol back in March, when the race was run in daylight and Scott finished 14th.

"The grip level changes. It seems like the groove changes a little bit, too," Scott said. "Tire wear is different. Everywhere we've been this year, that was probably our worst performance. I felt like we weren't where we needed to be. So this weekend, we'll be trying new things."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/08/Scott-Seeks-Bristol-Breakthrough.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Loss of 3M Sponsorship Eased For Biffle By Return of Ortho​*
*J*ust weeks after losing 3M to Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing announced Ortho would return to the organization to serve as an anchor partner on Greg Biffle's No. 16 Ford.

The Ortho colors will make their debut on Biffle's No. 16 Ford next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and appear on the car for two more races before the end of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, before becoming an anchor partner for the 2015 season.

"I am thrilled to have Ortho on board," said Biffle. "I spend a great deal of time outside and do a lot of work on my home myself, and I understand how important their products can be. They have a great history and it will be an honor to have a brand of their stature and reputation on our No. 16 Ford Fusion moving forward."

Ortho's parent company, Scotts Miracle-Gro, was a partner of Roush Fenway Racing from 2005 until 2011, scoring 12 wins and 14 poles across all three of NASCAR's top divisions.

"Roush Fenway Racing, Greg Biffle and the No. 16 Ford are a natural partner for Ortho," said Mike Sutterer, who is vice president of Ortho and Regional Marketing. "Like Ortho, Greg and Roush Fenway Racing have a long history of success, including being number one. We feel Greg and his crew will enable us to engage with fans and highlight our brand. Needless to say, our entire team is excited to see the new car on the starting grid and in victory lane."

Roush Fenway Racing president Steve Newmark would not go into the details of the partnership, but said Ortho would be on the No. 16 for roughly half of the races during the 2015 season.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ip-eased-for-biffle-by-return-of-ortho-082214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Still a Busch Favorite​*
Kurt Busch is hoping to return to his Bristol Motor Speedway winning ways in Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has five career Sprint Cup wins at the Tennessee half-mile including three straight a decade ago. Although his last trip to Victory Lane came back in 2006, Busch still calls Bristol one of his favorites and believes he can add to his career victory total come Saturday night.

"Bristol is one of those tracks that I get a little extra pumped up for," said Busch. "That feeling gets a little stronger when you're talking about the night race at Bristol. There's something special about that. I knew it before I ever made it to the big-league level of the Sprint Cup Series. The first time I was able to experience the night race as a competitor is almost indescribable.

"It's a place that gives you a big adrenaline rush. You can feel the energy around the track from the competitors and the fans. There's nothing quite like it."

While it took some time for Busch to find the handle around the 0.533-mile track, once he did he was nearly unbeatable. He made his Sprint Cup Series Bristol debut in 2001 with finishes of 25th and 42nd but started a run of success the following season that led to seven straight top-10 finishes - including four victories.

Busch believes he and the track are a perfect fit.

"Ever since they polished the outside groove, you have to wait for it to come in," he said. "When it does, it's fast up there. So I expect a lot of the fast cars to be up there on the high side. One of the important tasks of the weekend is getting the splitter control set properly if we want to be better than we were in the spring."

That spring outing Busch refers too was a frustrating day that ended with a 35th-place finish. So while his overall performance at Bristol has been good, Busch - like most drivers - is not immune to challenges, especially in recent years after the track went through a series of reconfigurations.

"The most challenging aspect is getting into those long, green-flag runs," Busch explained. "It's about being able to settle into a steady groove and making the best lap times you can. It's tough because that place is so fast for a short track and you can get dizzy pretty quickly. It's a physical track, but it's also mentally taxing and you have to be on your game when it comes to the concentration required to run well."

Busch won at Martinsville Speedway back in the spring and has already locked up a spot in the post-season Chase field. But with four spots still remaining to be filled, he's convinced that those drivers trying to find their way in will add spice to Saturday night's race.

"The short tracks - Richmond, Martinsville and Bristol - lead to opportunities for others that haven't been on the cutting edge of the setups this year," Busch said. "So you could easily see a surprise winner coming out of Bristol."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/08/Bristol-Still-a-Busch-Favorite.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol's Spring Date Moving​*
NASCAR announced Friday that the spring Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway has been moved to April 19, 2015. That is a month later in the schedule than this season.

NASCAR would not release any other information about the 2015 schedule on Friday. The schedules for NASCAR's top series will be announced at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

"We are certainly excited about our 2015 race weekend,'' said Jerry Caldwell, general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/08/Bristol-Announces-Date-Change.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Bristol Pole Winner​*
Kevin Harvick won his fifth pole of the season in qualifying for Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Harvick won the pole with a lap of 131.362 mph that bettered Denny Hamlin's pole lap in the spring. Points leader Jeff Gordon starts second with Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano completing the top five.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Kevin-Harvick-Wins-Bristol-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rowdy On Pole For The Food City 300​*
Tonight the green flag will wave for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This race is longer than the Spring race.

Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award with a lap of 15.385 seconds at 124.719 mph.

The green flag is approximately 7:43 pm tonight.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Best at Bristol​*
Ryan Blaney was trying to remain second.

Instead he won.

Blaney took the lead from Kyle Busch on a restart with six laps to go to win Friday night's rain-delayed Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Blaney's first act in Victory Lane, though, was to apologize for wrecking Kyle Larson late in the race before celebrating his second career Nationwide victory.

It appeared as if Busch would score his fourth consecutive victory at this track before the final restart.

"Honestly, I was just thinking of trying to stay in second there when we were restarting on the bottom inside of him,'' Blaney said. "It happened so fast when we got the lead."

Busch, who led 161 of the 300 laps, got a bad restart. He was upset about how Regan Smith got into the back of his car, lifting the rear tires and slowing Busch's restart. That allowed Blaney, who was second to take the lead.

Busch, said he didn't immediately take off when he entered the restart zone. As the leader he can choose when to go in that zone.

"I didn't want to go and everybody behind me was trying to go,'' Busch said. "I'm trying to wait for (Blaney) to stop so then I can go by the single red mark on the wall (the end of the restart). It's stupid. NASCAR doesn't police it, so everybody keeps jacking around on it. One of these I'm just going to lock all four down and stack the whole field up.''

Asked how many laps he would have needed to have passed Blaney, Busch said: "I don't know that I could. It's a single-lane racetrack, you can't ... pass here. It's pathetic.''

Chase Elliott overcome early handling problems to finish third and has a 13-point lead on JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith heading into next weekend's race at Atlanta. It was quite a finish for Elliott, who hit the wall about five laps in and struggled with his car's handling early.

"I'm just happy we got to the end,'' Elliott said. "There were a lot of opportunities where I thought our night was over.''

Ty Dillon placed fourth and Smith was fifth in race delayed an hour by rain. Dillon and Smith had an animated discussion on pit road after the race.

"I'm racing for points,'' Dillon said. "So, I'm trying to get all I can. I was driving as hard as I can. We're trying to win this championship. I'm sorry that he's upset, but it's Bristol.''

Others didn't have it as well.

Elliott Sadler's luck soured with about 120 laps to go when Timmy Hill crashed and came down the track. Sadler, who entered the race third in the points, couldn't avoid Hill's car and clipped it, damaging the right front of Sadler's car. Sadler's night got worse when he hit the wall about 40 laps later. He caused another caution before going behind the wall. Sadler finished 29th. He fell to fourth in the points. Dillon moved to third.

Blaney and Larson made contact as Blaney tried to get under Larson for fourth with 19 laps left. The contact caused Larson to spin down the backstretch and his teammate, Dylan Kwasniewski, clipped Larson's car.

"I'm sorry,'' Blaney said on the radio. "It just got loose as I was trying to slide him. It's not like I meant to put him in the fence.''

Said Larson, who finished 26th: "(Blaney) was faster than I was for sure. I thought he was going to chase me to the top. I know Ryan is a good kid. It's frustrating. Ryan is a good driver, a good person. It will be all good.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/08/Ryan-Blaney-Wins-at-Bristol.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Food City 300​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Angered By How Late Restart Unfolded​*
Kyle Busch, dominant for most of the night in Friday's Food City 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, lost the lead on a late restart, and then lost the race when he couldn't track down eventual winner Ryan Blaney.

"I don't know that I could've," Busch said of catching Blaney. "It's a single-lane race track. You can't (expletive) pass here. It's pathetic."

Busch, riding a three-race win streak at BMS, led twice for 161 of the race's 300 laps. But when the green flag dropped for the final time, for a seven-lap shootout, Blaney's No. 22 Ford (Team Penske) shot into the lead and never looked back.

"The leader is at the biggest disadvantage on restarts," said Busch. "I know when I want to go but everybody else is pushing me. My rear tires aren't on the ground and you can't go anywhere."

Blaney, he said, was "running faster than me by the first double-yellow stripe and I didn't go because I didn't want to go; but everybody behind me is trying to go because they're following (Blaney)."

Series director Wayne Auton said officials didn't see anything that they felt that was out of line on the restarts, including the final one that ultimately decided the race.

Auton said officials spoke with Adam Stevens, crew chief for the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota team following the race.

"We saw the (restart) and made a no-call and that was the right call," Auton said.

"It's stupid," Busch said. "NASCAR doesn't police it so everybody keeps jacking around on it and you know one of these days I'm just going to lock all four down and stack the whole field up.

"You're supposed to be nose-to-nose front line &#8230; together and when the leader picks up the pace then everybody picks up the pace, nose to nose."

Blaney, Busch, Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon and Regan Smith were first through fifth.

"That last restart, Kyle's been going really late close to the second (restart) line. I was indecisive if he was going to go early because he's gone late every single restart, or if he was going to keep doing the same thing," Blaney said.

"He ended up going really late, and then we got to the second mark and he didn't go, so I went. I heard he said after the race that the 7 car (of Regan Smith) jacked him up, so we were able to get away and make a few good laps there in front of him."

Busch had chosen the outside lane for the restart, with Blaney on the inside. Smith was behind Busch while Elliott trailed Blaney.

Elliott wasn't aware of contact between Smith and Busch, and said everyone was dealing with tire spin on the restarts.

"I think when (Kyle) initially go on the gas he got 'em spinning," he said. "Ryan didn't spin his tires as bad, kind of gave (Kyle) a chance to get back going &#8230; and at that point (Ryan) took off. No harm, no foul in my opinion. I thought it was just a restart that one guy spun his tires and the other guy capitalized."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kyle-busch-angered-restart-unfolded-034500144--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Story Lines​*
The gladiator style of racing some fans have longed for at Bristol Motor Speedway could be back.

Drivers say that the top groove is significantly faster than the lower grove and that could create issues passing. With most running the same lane, a driver might have to root a competitor of the way to get by.

"You get up there and it's hard to get by guys,'' said Jeff Gordon, who won last weekend's race at Michigan and starts tonight's race beside pole-sitter Kevin Harvick.

"But it, in some ways, might bring back some of the excitement that the fans really like because it's really hard to pass up there. So, in order to pass, you're either going to have to slide-job the guy or run into the guy, or girl. You're going to have to be super aggressive on restarts, and I think it's going to create some sparks and some tempers flaring and plenty of action.''

The top groove, though, also is fraught with peril because it's so easy to lose grip and slap the wall as many did in Sprint Cup qualifying and the Nationwide race Friday.

"We're going to have to find a way to be able to run up there all day and not hit the wall and not make mistakes, and somehow have your car good enough to be able to pass,'' said Joey Logano, who enters the Irwin Tools Night Race with four consecutive top-10 finishes.

"That's going be the tough part. You're taking a big gamble to pass the car in front of you because if you don't make it work, you're getting freight-trained pretty far back in a hurry. So you've got to be able to kind of know where the cars are around you, look far enough ahead to see where the lapped cars are, and then you make that move when you feel you can definitely do it because if you don't, you're going to lose two or three spots instead of gaining that one.''

The top groove is just among the many story lines in tonight's race.

*Chase Pressure*

Only three races remain until the 16-driver Chase is set. Twelve drivers have won races, leaving the final four spots - for now - to non-winners with the most points.

Greg Biffle holds that final transfer spot heading into tonight's race. He has a nine-point lead on Kasey Kahne, a 22-point lead on Austin Dillon and a 24-point lead on Kyle Larson.

So, how much will those drivers gamble tonight?

"You take chances and passes and all the things you can do, but at the same time we know we're on that bubble in points,'' said Biffle, who starts eighth. "I feel it's going to take a win still to get in this thing, and that's what we're going for.''

Dillon, who starts 26th, says there is no reason to hold back.

"Being a rookie, I don't have much to lose,'' he said. "I think that if we have three solid races, we are going to give ourselves that opportunity.''

Among those still seeking their first win of the season are Marcos Ambrose (starts 10th), Ryan Newman (11th), Kasey Kahne (12th), Clint Bowyer (14th), Brian Vickers (15th) and Matt Kenseth (16th).

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

If only things would have gone a little differently in March when Stenhouse finished second to teammate Carl Edwards. The caution lights inadvertently turned on, creating what would have been a green-white-checkered finish before rain ended the race with Stenhouse trailing Edwards.

Had Stenhouse won, he'd be headed toward the Chase. Instead, he needs to win to get in.

"I think about it a lot,'' Stenhouse said of that race. "I'm looking forward to getting back on track, and, hopefully, getting close to the same result, if not just one better.''

He starts tonight's race 21st.

*Tempers*

Bristol often brings out the anger in drivers. Five hundred laps, tight quarters and so much at stake. Contact will be made. Fenders will be crumpled. Feelings will be bruised.

The key for drivers is to maintain composure throughout all of that, push the anger aside and focus on what is at hand. Some will and some won't.

*Weather*

The National Weather Service is calling for a 40 percent chance of rain tonight. Wednesday night's Camping World Truck race was postponed to Thursday morning because of rain. The start of Friday's Nationwide race was delayed an hour by rain. Saturday's Cup race could be impacted as well.

*Kyle Larson*

He's taken to Bristol regardless what he drives and nearly won in his first career start at this track, placing second in a Nationwide race in March 2013.

Larson slid during qualifying, slapping the outside wall with the right rear and the inside wall with the left front. The car was repaired, but he'll start tonight's race 40th. Needing a win to make the Chase, his task became more difficult with that incident.

"It's frustrating because we had a really, really good (car) in practice with definitely top five speed,'' he said. "Now I don't know what we have."

Keep an eye on him. He could surprise.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/08/Bristol-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crunch Time: Several Drivers Carry Major Pressure Into Bristol Race​*
*S*everal NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers face extra pressure entering Saturday's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

With three races left in the regular season, only 12 drivers have locked up spots in the 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup. That means three opportunities for drivers who haven't gone to Victory Lane to get a win and in turn secure a berth in NASCAR's playoff.

If no first-time winner emerges in the upcoming trio of races, however, the final four Chase spots will go to the four highest points drivers who don't have a win.

Currently, those four drivers are Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle. Well-within striking distance of Biffle are Kasey Kahne (-9), Austin Dillon (-22) and Kyle Larson (-24).

It seems unlikely, based on the 20-point gap from Larson back to the next driver, Marcos Ambrose, that anyone behind Larson will make the Chase based on points.

Recent trends also suggest that Bowyer, who sits 12 points ahead of Biffle, is a fairly safe bet if the last four Chase positions are set based on points.

All this means four drivers are in all likelihood essentially racing for one final playoff spot, assuming that drivers who have already won this season capture the next three races.

Bristol, a fast, high-banked .533-mile oval where things can go wrong in a hurry, is perhaps the best opportunity in the final three regular-season races for a driver outside the Chase to move in -- or at least make a significant dent toward that end.

"I think that we have three solid races we are going to give ourselves that opportunity," Dillon, who along with Larson is looking to reach the Chase as a Sprint Cup rookie, said on Friday at Bristol. "Atlanta, I'm really looking forward to that (next) weekend. We tested there. This is a good track, too. I enjoy this track. I've ran well here the last three or four times I've been here. I just hope we can find what we found the last few times, and that is a good car during the race under race conditions. I haven't had a ton of speed here leading up to that point. ... We will see how it goes."

Dillon and Larson are looking to become the first rookie to make the Chase since Denny Hamlin in 2006.

"I hope we can put our Dow Chevrolet in the Chase, and I think you will see some really good tracks for us during that time," said Dillon, the grandson of team owner Richard Childress. "If I could hit the reset button as a rookie right now, there are so many more things I would do differently up to this point. It would be nice to have that, but you don't so you go out and try to finish the season strong. Moving forward next year, I wouldn't want to be in this situation. Hopefully, we have a win or are farther up in points."

Biffle, while in a better position than Dillon, is keenly aware that he is on the Chase bubble, and that given the small points spread back to his closest pursuers, even a mediocre finish at Bristol could ultimately be the difference between making or not making the 16-driver Chase Grid.

"Certainly all Bristol races are rough, so to speak, and this is a tough place -- a really, really tough place -- and I think we come in here, you've got to really be on offense and defense," Biffle said. "You come in here and run as hard as you can. We're here to win and we feel like we run in the top 10 about every time we're at Bristol and that's the position you need to be in in order to put yourself in a position to win. That's what the 99 team (teammate Carl Edwards) did in the spring. We ran in that position and they got track position and were able to pull out a win, so that's important and that's what we're gonna be trying to do.

"At the same time, everybody wants to finish the race. You take chances and passes and all the things you can do, but at the same time we know we're on that bubble in points. I feel it's gonna take a win still to get in this thing, and that's what we're going for."

Kahne, the driver with the best mathematical chance of catching Biffle, won last year's spring race at Bristol and finished a close second to Kenseth in the fall race at Thunder Valley.

Needless to say, the Hendrick Motorsports driver sees a huge opportunity to make up ground on Saturday night.

"Every time we race at Bristol, I look forward to it," Kahne said. "We've ran really well here for a while now. We've gone back to a tire that we ran on in 2013 that seemed to really suit us pretty well. Didn't like the tire we had earlier in the year here, near as much.

"The falloff and things were much different than what they had been, so I'm excited about what we've got this weekend and really looking forward to it. It's a track we can definitely run up front at."

Larson, meanwhile, faces perhaps the tallest order of all on Saturday night after wrecking his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the opening round of Friday qualifying.

After suffering damage to his car, Larson was able to get back on track, but he'll start 40th on the 43-car grid.

"We were really good in practice," said the rookie driver, who paced the first of Friday's two practices. "I just got loose through the corner and thought I could save it, and probably should have just bailed. We got the wall. ...

Normally we would have practice the next day, but on Saturday night races we don't, so we kind of have to guess on everything and hope it's good."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...carry-major-pressure-into-bristol-race-082314


----------



## Ckg2011

*Irwin Tools Night Race At Bristol Motor Speedway​*
*Pre-Race* - 7:00 Pm on ABC.

*Green Flag*- 7:43 Pm on ABC.​
*About Bristol Motor Speedway:*

Track Length: .533 Mile (500 laps = 266.5 miles)

Race Length: 500 Laps (1), 500 Laps (2)

Grandstand Seating Capacity: 160,000

Banking: Turns vary from 24 to 28 degrees, frontstretch varies from

5 to 9 degrees, backstretch varies from 4-8 degrees

Frontstretch: 650 feet Backstretch: 650 feet​
*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sliced Bread Wins The Night Race At Bristol​*
It's Bristol Baby!!! and Joey Logano scores the win in the Irwin Tools, Joey Logano caught and passed Matt Kenseth and then held off Teammate Brad Keselowski to cross the finish line first.

This is Logano's third win this season.

Team Penske sweeps the weekend at Bristol with a win by Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski in the Truck Series race, A win in the Nationwide Grand National Series race Friday night by Penske driver Ryan Blaney, an of course Logano wins the Night race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Bristol Battle​*
Joey Logano scored his third Sprint Cup Series win of the season when he took the checkered flag in Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Logano had three career wins coming into the season and after the 24th race of 2014 he matched that total with a victory in the annual summer classic at Bristol.

"It's awesome," Logano said in Victory Lane. "I've never won more than one race in a season, and now I've won three."

He held off a last ditch charge by Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski to prevail on Saturday night.

Logano worked his way past Matt Kenseth with 45 laps to go and went on to take the checkered flag. He joins three other drivers in the three victory club this season; Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.

Keselowski, Kenseth, Johnson and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five.

"Joey just ran a great race and we were really strong in that midsection and &#8230; we got it back a little bit on that last run," Keselowski said.

"Our car was just about equal to Joey's but he just had better track position than on us."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard and Greg Biffle completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway nest Sunday night.

*How Logano won:* He led 76 laps and ran near the front of the field all night long. But he showed strength when it mattered most as the race near its conclusion and Logano battled with Kenseth for the top spot before finally muscling around for the lead with 45 laps left and set sail for the checkered flag.

*What else happened:* It was a competitive night with a lot of two and three wide racing and a number of drivers were in contention to win at some point. Jamie McMurray led a career-high 148 laps and looked like he was going to score his first win of the season and in turn punch a ticket to the Chase until a late race caution. When yellow flew on lap 431, McMurray and others pitted while Kenseth stayed out to inherit the lead and the Chip Ganassi Racing driver could not rally back to challenge for the lead and finished eighth.

*Who else had a good day:* Kenseth, while still winless this season, had a strong night and a good finish that added to his stranglehold on a Chase spot through the points system&#8230;.Despite two pit road speeding penalties Jimmie Johnson rebounded for a top-five finish&#8230;..Kurt Busch came back from his exit last week at Michigan via a trip into the wall with a fifth place performance&#8230;..Ricky Stenhouse, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle all put Roush Fenway Racing inside the top 10.

*Who had a bad day:* Several drivers were victims of a number of multi-car accidents Saturday night including Kyle Busch, who was clipped in the rear bumper by Clint Bowyer on lap 125, in the aftermath of Kyle Larson and Brian Vickers getting together. The incident also collected Aric Almirola&#8230;..Denny Hamlin had the race lead on lap 161 when Kevin Harvick made contact with his car and sent the Joe Gibbs Racing driver sliding into the inside retaining wall. Hamlin bounced off the wall and back out onto the racetrack directly in the path of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who made hard contact. Hamlin was furious with Harvick and tossed his HANS device at the passing No. 4 car to the roar of the crowd&#8230;.Danica Patrick had a rough night made rougher when Alex Bowman turned her around racing through Turn 1&#8230;.Marcos Ambrose, who had hoped to be a contender Saturday night, had mechanical problems early and fell several laps down.

*Quote of the night:* "He thinks he knows everything,'' Denny Hamlin of Kevin Harvick.

*Notables:* Paul Menard followed up his top-five Michigan finish with a top-10 run Saturday night in Bristol&#8230;..Kyle Larson had early trouble when he got caught up in an on track incident but rebounded for a 12th place finish&#8230;.AJ Allmendinger's strong performance after his Watkins Glen win continued with a 14th-place effort&#8230;..Jeff Burton filled in for Tony Stewart for a second straight week and came home 15th.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/08/Joey-Logano-Wins-Bristol-Battle.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rogers, Kyle Busch Have Meeting After Race​*
Was it simply heat-of-the-moment comments after a frustrating night or signs of a rift between Kyle Busch and crew chief Dave Rogers?

Late in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway this was the radio exchange between the Busch and Rogers:

"I need a whole new right front suspension, a whole new right front suspension,'' Busch radioed Rogers. "I will be behind the wall in about two (expletive) laps."

Rogers responded: "Park it behind the truck and take your whiny little *** to the bus.''

After the race, Rogers explained the situation to Fox Sports 1.

"Just a frustrating race,'' Rogers said. "Tempers flare at Bristol. The bottom line is we've had really fast racecars the last four or five races and we've just come up short. The whole team is all frustrated.

"Kyle was trying to communicate to me what was wrong with the car. I couldn't hear. It just led to more frustration. We came back here to the truck and had a great talk. You look at things like this as a negative and negatives create positives if you look at them the right way. We got to air things out and had a great talk. I think we're going to be better going forward.''

Car owner Joe Gibbs did not express concern about the radio conversation between Rogers and Busch. It was a tough night for the team. Busch was penalized for speeding on pit road and collected in a crash that ended any chances to win before the race had reached 140 laps.

"I think it was just one of those things where it heated up,'' Gibbs said. "I think they handled it the right way, they went and had a good discussion.''

"I think it was typical thing that happens in sports. Guys get heated. They had a frustrating night and had a real good car and thought they had a chance to win it. So, it all adds up. Then you have a situation like that. I'm kind of used to it. It does happen. They just talked it over.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Rogers-Has-Strong-Message-For-Kyle-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Not Happy With Harvick​*
It turned out to be a wasted throw.

Kevin Harvick never saw Denny Hamlin toss his HANS device at Harvick's car for wrecking him during Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Harvick didn't know about Hamlin's heave until after the race. Harvick admitted the contact was his fault.

"I just lost the front end, honestly,'' Harvick said after finishing 11th. "That thing would take off on the bottom, and I just misjudged the slide and just ran right into the side of him. Totally my fault.''

Harvick slid into the rear of Hamlin's car as they raced for the lead on Lap 161. Hamlin's car slid down the track, bounced off the inside wall and hit Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car. Hamlin finished 40th.

"He thinks he knows everything,'' Hamlin said of Harvick. "I wish I had some kind of car left to show him the favor back. We're not even halfway. It's just a misjudgment. He's a good driver. He knows better. He made a mistake.

"I thought for sure after the first couple of runs we were going to win the race. We were really fast. These are the racetracks we have to capitalize on. With what we've got, these are the tracks we can get wins and get the momentum going for the Chase. This is still not going to stop our momentum because we ran strong.''

Earnhardt, who finished 39th, said he had no chance to avoid Hamlin.

"I couldn't see what happened to Denny, but he got turned around or something and was coming up the track,'' Earnhardt said. "There was a lot of smoke so I couldn't really judge the speed of his car to know whether I needed to be going up there and go around him on the top. I had to make that choice. I just went ahead and went to the top and ended up getting into him. It wasn't too hard of a hit just did a lot of damage and tore the lower (control arm) off the left-front. ''

While both were done early, Harvick still had his chance for a strong finish until a pit road penalty on Lap 432 ruined his chances for winning.

"I figured if I could get down pit road that time, I had the first pit stall, and thought we had a chance to get off pit road first if I could maximize everything on pit road. I just got a little too much.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/08/Early-Troubles-for-JGR-Duo.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowman Apologizes To Patrick​*
Alex Bowman apologized to Danica Patrick for wrecking her during Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway but understands that "Danica Nation is probably going to hate me now.''

Bowman got into the back of Patrick and caused her to spin on Lap 263. Although she didn't hit the wall, she lost two laps. It was part of a rough night for Patrick, who battled an ill-handling car and finished 27th.

Bowman said he tried to avoid Patrick but couldn't.

"It looked like somebody slid up a couple of cars in front of her and they all checked up,'' said Bowman, who finished 32nd. " I was just too deep not to run into her. I was on the brakes as hard as I could.

"I went over and talked to her (after the race). Definitely didn't mean to wreck her. Hate that Danica Nation is probably going to hate me now. It was unintentional. I hope she knows that. There was no reason to wreck her. We weren't even on the same lap. I apologized.''

Later in the race, Patrick ran up on Bowman and expressed her displeasure at the time.

Afterward, Patrick was ready to move on.

"I think were fine,'' she said. "He's just got to know that when you do that and you don't leave room for error and you hit me and take me out, I'm right there. As soon as I find you again I'm going to let you know I'm not happy. We're fine. If he does it again, worse things will happen. That's all.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Patrick-And-Alex-Bowman-Discuss-Incident.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bristol Rear View Mirror​*
I'm not sure if this is the "new" Bristol, the "new new" Bristol or some reasonable facsimile of the "old" Bristol Motor Speedway. But whatever it is, it's pretty good.

Saturday night's IRWIN Tools Night Race had the feel that has for whatever reason been missing in recent years. There was an electricity in the air and butts in nearly every seat of the massive racing coliseum on what turned out to be a pleasant Tennessee summer night.

The 500-lap grind had a little of everything including side-by-side racing, crumpled fenders, bent sheet metal and bruised emotions. Denny Hamlin made a new Bristol highlight reel with his HANS device toss toward Kevin Harvick, much to the delight of the crowd. Crosswords between several drivers were also hurled through the August air.

While the intensity of the racing was high most of the night there was a let down in the drama department once Jamie McMurray, who needs a win as his entre to the Chase, fell back in the pack leaving only those with playoff tickets already punched to battle for the victory.

But Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth sliced and diced for the top spot in the closing laps before "Sliced Bread" took his third checkered flag of the season.

Racing at Bristol will probably never please everyone any longer. But Saturday night's race should have at least won over the majority.

*-*The struggles of Roush Fenway Racing have been well documented this season but this week brought some much-welcomed good news. Greg Biffle introduced his new sponsor for next year when ORTHO was announced as a backer for half the races on the 16 car. Things kept going well for the team in Saturday night's race when Biffle, Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. all finished inside the top-10. There's still work to be done for sure but for a few days at least things were looking up for RFR.

*-*Kyle Busch came into the weekend with hopes of adding to his 16 career Bristol win total and perhaps sweeping the three-race weekend. But he left Saturday night with serious questions about the cohesiveness of the No. 18 Sprint Cup team. Busch was involved in an early accident and also endured a pit road speeding penalty to erase any hopes of winning the main event. But things went from bad to worse for Busch, who angrily left his car on pit road when he exited the race with a handful of laps remaining despite crew chief Dave Rogers instructing him to do otherwise. "Park it behind the truck and take your whiny little *** to the bus," Rogers said over the team radio. Busch's frustration is understandable given the circumstances that came his way, but the behavior should raise more than a few concerns about the team's ability to compete for a title. Simply said, Busch and Rogers need to find a way to harness the emotional outbursts before they can be seriously considered championship material.

*-*The remarkable thing about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s season goes beyond the three victories but add in the 88 team's incredibly resiliency as well. Earnhardt got caught up as an innocent bystander in a lap 161 accident that saw leader Denny Hamlin get clipped by Kevin Harvick, slide into the inside pit wall and back out to the track directly in front of Earnhardt. "I couldn't see what happened to Denny, but he got turned around or something and was coming up the track," Earnhardt said. "There was a lot of smoke so I couldn't really judge the speed of his car to know whether I needed to be going up there and go around him on the top. I had to make that choice. I just went ahead and went to the top and ended up getting into him." Earnhardt tried to return more than 100 laps down after repairs but finally gave up and didn't finish a race for only the second time this season.

*-*NASCAR will announce the 2015 schedules for all three top divisions this Tuesday but a piece of the puzzle was announced over the weekend. Bristol will move its spring date basically back a month and April 19th is the new date for the Tennessee short track. From a weather perspective, while there are no guarantees, that should make it certainly a better opportunity for Mother Nature to provide better conditions than recent years. (Read More)

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/08/Bristol-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Hopefuls Running Out of Time​*
The race to make this year's Chase has become increasingly more difficult for a number of drivers with just two races left in the regular season.

Twelve drivers with race wins are in the playoff field. Four more spots will be filled through the point standings and after Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol, those seem to be pretty secure.

Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle currently have those berths with a healthy advantage over those trailing in the standings. Kyle Larson trails by 26 points while Kasey Kahne is now 33 behind.

A win in either of the final two races of the regular season in Atlanta or Richmond gets any non-victorious driver into the Chase. But obviously, time is running out.

Several drivers have to look at Bristol as a missed opportunity - including Kahne, who went into last weekend only nine points out of a Chase berth. He led a good portion of the 500-lap race. However, a loose wheel and other maladies added up to a 35th-place finish for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Kyle Larson had an eventful night, as well, that saw him involved in an early-race incident. But the Chip Ganassi Racing rookie charged back to a respectable 12th-place finish.

"That is the hardest I've ever raced," said Larson, "especially having to do it for 500 laps. That was pretty wild. I guess I'm happy with a 12th. That's probably about as good as we were."

But "pretty good" isn't going to cut it in terms of making the championship round. Larson now finds himself in a large hole points-wise and believes winning might be his best - if not only - route into the Chase.

"We're quite a ways behind Biffle," said Larson. "We'll keep trying hard and we are consistently around fifth to 10th place. Atlanta is a fun track. I hope we can go there, get a win and stop worrying about points."

Other drivers in the same boat as Larson are Kahne, Austin Dillon and Paul Menard.

But there is always the chance of an upset winner finding their way to Victory Lane over the next two weeks. As long as a driver attempts to qualify for every race and remains in the top 30 in points, as the new Chase criteria mandates, "win and you're in" still exists for the likes of Jamie McMurray, Marcos Ambrose, Brian Vickers and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stay tuned because the Chase field may not be set in stone just yet.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/08/Chase-Hopefuls-Running-Out-of-Time.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Testing Schedule Picks Up​*
Seven organizations are testing this week at tracks that will host a Chase for the Sprint Cup race, starting a push toward the championship.

Meanwhile, two organizations - representing five Chase drivers - have yet to use any of their four tests allowed at tracks that host Cup races.

Testing today and Tuesday at Chicagoland Speedway - the opening race in the Chase next month - are Stewart-Haas Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing.

Stewart-Haas Racing stated that Tony Stewart's team is not testing at Chicagoland Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports tests Tuesday and Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway.

Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing have saved their four tests for the end of the season. Both will use their first test Sept. 2-3 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They'll be joined by JTG Daugherty.

Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano - who have each scored three wins this season - also are scheduled to test at Texas, Martinsville and Homestead. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth are also scheduled to test Phoenix, Homestead and one other track to be determined.

Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske, admits the decisions on which tracks to choose were "hotly contested" within the organization.

Geisler said the organization selected Charlotte because it has "been a little hit and miss" there.

"I'd say the track we're best at are kind of Kentucky, Texas and Chicago,'' he said. "The Kansas and Charlotte (tracks) are maybe a little weaker, so we want to try to shore up that side of it.''

Although Penske isn't going to Kansas, it can still get testing information from there. Leavine Family Racing, a Ford team with Michael McDowell, is testing today and Tuesday at Kansas Speedway. The team gets chassis and parts from Team Penske. As a Ford team, information from Leavine's test can be analyzed by Penske officials.

Although Geisler said Texas is a good track for the organization, that's still one the team will test instead of Phoenix where Kevin Harvick dominated in March, while Keselowski was third and Logano fourth.

"We feel like Texas is a place we need to win,'' Geisler said. "We feel like that's our best opportunity to capitalize on winning. If your car is good enough, you can race to the front.''

Geisler also noted that since the Phoenix race is shorter than the Texas race, it's more difficult to make it back toward the front. Thus, the decision to test at Texas instead.

Geisler said that the team will test Martinsville because it needs to match the Hendrick Motorsports cars there. Another key is that is the first race in the third round of the Chase. Whoever wins that race will be among the four to race for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and can begin focusing on that event instead worrying as much about Texas and Phoenix.

Here's a look at confirmed testing dates in the coming weeks.

*Aug. 25-26

Kansas Speedway*

Leavine Family Racing

*Aug. 26-27

Martinsville Speedway*

Hendrick Motorsports

*Sept. 2-3

New Hampshire Motor Speedway*

Stewart-Haas Racing

Leavine Family Racing

Front Row Motorsports

*Sept. 2-3

Charlotte Motor Speedway*

Team Penske

JTG Daugherty

Joe Gibbs Racing

*Sept. 22-23

Texas Motor Speedway*

Team Penske

Roush Fenway Racing

*Oct. 7-8

Martinsville Speedway*

Chip Ganassi Racing

*Oct. 13-14

Martinsville Speedway*

Team Penske

Germain Racing

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/08/Testing-Schedule-Picks-Up.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart-Ward Investigation 'Finishing Up' But No Timetable For Completion​*
*T*he Ontario County (N.Y.) Police Department is in the final stages of its investigation into the death of Kevin Ward Jr., but there is no timetable yet for its completion, a department spokesperson told FOXSports.com Monday morning.

Officer Nathaniel Ross, the OCPD's Senior Communications Officer, said Monday morning that the police are "finishing up" the Ward investigation.

Asked if there was a timetable for when it would be completed and when the findings would be made public, Ross said, "Not that I'm aware of."

Ward, 20, died Aug. 9 after being struck by Stewart's sprint car at an Empire Super Sprints Series race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Upstate New York. Ward was racing Stewart when he crashed into an outside wall.

After he crashed, Ward got out of his car and onto the track, gesturing at Stewart as he came around under caution. Stewart's right-rear tire struck Ward, who died en route to the hospital. The Ontario County coroner ruled that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma.

The investigation will determine whether or not Stewart will face any criminal charges. Regardless of the outcome of the police findings, Stewart potentially could face civil liability.

Stewart has not spoken publicly about the crash, although the day after it happened, Stewart and SHR issued the following statement: "There aren't words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. It's a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I've decided not to participate in today's race at Watkins Glen. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy."

The latest on Tony Stewart

Since the crash, Stewart has missed the last three Sprint Cup races and team officials have described him as distraught over the incident.

"It's been an emotional week for him (Stewart)," said SHR executive vice president Brett Frood during an Aug. 15 press conference. "He's grieving. Anytime someone is lost, especially at a racetrack, it's tragic. It was a tragic accident, and he's dealing with quite a bit of grief."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ing-up-but-no-timetable-for-completion-082514


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Announce '15 Schedule Tuesday On FS1's Race Hub​*
*NASCAR TO ANNOUNCE 2015 RACE SCHEDULE TUESDAY ON FOX SPORTS 1'S NASCAR RACE HUB*

*T**his just in.*

NASCAR formally announces its 2015 race and broadcast schedules on a special edition of FOX Sports 1's NASCAR Race Hub on Tuesday, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. ET. In 2015, the NASCAR on FOX broadcast season includes the first 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races, as well as the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited, the Budweiser Duel At Daytona and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

For the first time ever, NASCAR on FOX adds NASCAR Nationwide Series races, delivering the first 14 events of the season on FOX Sports 1 Live, full-season coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues on FOX Sports 1 All races on FOX Sports 1 also are available through FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content.

NASCAR Race Hub airs Monday through Thursday at 5 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. For more information on the show, please visit http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/racehub.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...edule-tuesday-on-fs1-s-nascar-race-hub-082214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon To Make Sprint Cup Debut​*
Ty Dillon will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the No. 33 Realtree/Rheem Chevrolet SS for Circle Sport Racing.

Dillon, who is competing full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season in the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro, will have Nick Harrison as his crew chief for Sunday's Oral-B USA 500.

"It's going to be a pretty special moment when I make those first laps this weekend, one that I won't forget," said Dillon, the 22-year-old, Welcome, N.C. native. "I've been fortunate enough in my racing career to have great opportunities like this one. I'm looking forward to racing the No. 33 Realtree/Rheem Chevrolet under the lights on Labor Day weekend."

Dillon is no stranger to the 1.5-mile speedway. He won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at AMS in 2012 in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado. He also participated in the Cup Series test there on Aug. 5-6.

Dillon is currently third in the Nationwide Series driver point standings with 10 races remaining.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/ty-dillon-to-make-sprint-cup-debut/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Truck Teams​*
Three teams that compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - the No. 00, 19, and 30 - have been penalized for post-race infractions committed following the Aug. 21 race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The infraction for all three teams is a P2 level penalty as outlined in Section 12-4.1 of the rule book and violates sections:

12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing;
20B-12.8.1 Truck failed to meet post-race height requirements
As a result of this violation, crew chiefs Joel Shear (No. 00); Doug Randolph (No. 19); and Doug George (No. 30) have each been fined $5,000.

Each team has also been penalized with the loss of 10 championship driver and 10 championship owner points. This includes drivers Cole Custer (No. 00) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 30) along with owners Gene Haas (No. 00), Brad Keselowski (No. 19), and Steve Turner (No. 30).

The penalty drops Hornaday from third to fourth in the driver standings. He trails series leader Johnny Sauter by 27 points now.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...izes-Truck-Teams-For-Bristol-Infractions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Southern 500 Tradition Returns​*
*2015 Schedules:*

*Sprint Cup Series:* http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Schedule.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&YearID=44

*Nationwide Grand National Series:* http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/Schedule.aspx?SubSeriesID=2&YearID=44

*Camping World Truck Series:* http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Camping-World-Trucks/Schedule.aspx?SubSeriesID=3&YearID=44​
With NASCAR's official release of its 2015 schedule today, the sanctioning body has returned a piece of "yesterday" to the Sprint Cup Series by sliding the Southern 500 back into its traditional Labor Day weekend slot.

From 1950 through 2003, the race became a late-summer staple of the motor sports calendar. It was moved to November in 2004 and dropped from the schedule the following year when Darlington went to a single race with a spring date.

Today's announcement brings a big smile to the face of Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile.

"The Southern 500 was run on Labor Day for 53 years and it became a cornerstone of the NASCAR schedule," Wile said. "Now, we're going back to it and we're really excited with our new date."

The 2015 Bojangles' Southern 500 will be run on Sunday, Sept. 6.

"This is a direct result of the tireless efforts of Darlington Raceway, International Speedway Corporation (parent company of Motor Racing Network and Darlington) and NASCAR," Wile continued. "It's a great example of all the stakeholders getting together and figuring out what's best for the industry."

The historical significance of Tuesday's announcement was foremost in Wile's mind when he spoke to Motor Racing Network.

"We're the Wrigley Field of NASCAR," he said. "There's so much heritage and history associated with this racetrack. The new date fits right in with what we're trying to accomplish. This is an added element that will take us to the next level."

Earlier this year, Darlington Raceway unveiled a marketing/promotional platform that celebrates its rich history, and will help steer NASCAR's oldest superspeedway into 2015 and beyond.

"The Bojangles' Southern 500 finally is back on Labor Day (weekend)," Wile beamed. "Everyone at the racetrack and in our city is so excited about that."

The repositioning of Darlington's annual NASCAR date is among a handful of changes to the Sprint Cup schedule. Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has held the Labor Day Weekend spot since 2010, will now host the year's second points-paying race following the season-opening Daytona 500.

The series will then head west for the next three weeks with stops at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., before opening the short-track portion of the schedule at Martinsville Speedway.

Since 2012, Kentucky Speedway's annual Sprint Cup Series weekend has preceded the tour's summer return to Daytona International Speedway. But for 2015, Daytona goes first - with the Coke Zero 400 shifting from its familiar Saturday night spot to Sunday, July 5.

As previously announced last week, Bristol's spring Nationwide-Sprint Cup Series doubleheader is moving from mid-March to April 18-19.

In addition to the Sprint Cup Series slate, NASCAR also announced Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series schedules for 2015. The NNS season will open at Daytona International Speedway in February and end at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November; and will once again include three road-course events at Mid-Ohio, Road America and Watkins Glen International.

In the Camping World Truck Series, a race has been added to Atlanta's weekend on Saturday, Feb. 28. Mid-week dates at Eldora Speedway in July and Bristol Motor Speedway in August are back.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will kick off its 46th year on the air with exclusive radio coverage of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway starting Feb. 14 and culminating with the 57th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22.

The network will air 27 Sprint Cup Series races including the season-opening Sprint Unlimited non-points special event at Daytona and the annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will once again open in September at Chicagoland Speedway and conclude in South Florida on Sunday, Nov. 22. MRN will broadcast seven of the final 10 races including the season finale in Homestead, where NASCAR's 67th champion will be crowned.

The 2015 Nationwide Series schedule looks much the same as the current one, with Motor Racing Network airing 21 of the races. One-third of those will come on weekends when the network is broadcasting from two separate venues: mid-May and early August at Iowa Speedway, twice in June from Michigan International Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, mid-August at Mid-Ohio, and dates later in the season at Road America and Dover.

All 23 Camping World Truck Series races will air on MRN in 2015, including 13 in primetime. The season starts Friday night, Feb. 20, at Daytona and will include the series' third trip to Eldora Speedway, the half-mile dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio, on Wednesday, July 22.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/08/NASCAR-Releases-2015-Schedule.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Summer of '14: Sizzle and Fizzle​*
When Sunday's Oral-B USA 500 takes the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway, it will mark the unofficial end to the summer stretch which kicked off at Charlotte's Coca-Cola 600 back in May.

During that 14-race span, several drivers took major steps forward and enjoyed a successful run. On the other hand, as Bananarama so aptly sang, it was a "Cruel Summer" for others:

*Jeff Gordon*

It's been a throwback summer for Gordon, who's running like he did during his golden days in NASCAR. A pair of wins at Indianapolis and Michigan International Speedway have highlighted Gordon's warm-weather stretch, which saw him rattle off four straight top 10s in June and surge to the top of the Sprint Cup Series point standings.

*Joey Logano*

Sure, the stats show Logano had a pair of 40th-place finishes during his summer of 2014. But throw those out the window. The bigger picture shows Logano solidifying himself as a legitimate championship contender by basically being in the picture on a weekly basis and adding win No. 3 to his season total last week in Bristol. Logano is riding a hot streak of five straight top-10 finishes into Atlanta.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*

His win in the season-opening Daytona 500 was just the beginning of what has arguably been his best year in Sprint Cup. The summer didn't start very well, with a 19th at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend. But "Junior" was in the top 10 the following six weeks including a trip to Victory Lane at Pocono. Not to be outdone, he took another Pocono checkered flag when the series returned in August and is set up to make a strong run at a first-ever Cup title.

*Jimmie Johnson*

To say Johnson's summer has not been a "day at the beach" is an understatement. It started strong with three wins in the first four races of the stretch - and victories at Charlotte, Dover and Michigan. But things went sour in a hurry for Johnson, including a streak that saw two straight 42nd-place performances with a 39th and 28th thrown in for good measure over a five-race period. Johnson finally snapped the string with a ninth at Michigan, but even that didn't come easy with a broken shifter providing a huge challenge. He's had down cycles before and has always bounced back, which is something Johnson & Co. are banking on when the Chase kicks off at Chicagoland Speedway.

*Kyle Busch*

The summer of 2014 could be a defining career moment for Busch, who has plummeted to 17th in the Sprint Cup Series standings. He's managed only four top-10 finishes since Memorial Day weekend and has four performances of 40th or worst in the same period. Since coming home second behind Gordon at Indianapolis, Busch's record shows runs of 42nd, 40th, 39th and 36th. Last week's blow-up with crew chief Dave Rogers at Bristol has only compounded the woes for the No. 18 team. Despite team owner Joe Gibbs chalking it up to frustration, the underlying current of dissatisfaction makes it hard to consider Busch a contender for the title this season.

*Marcos Ambrose*

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver faced three make-or-break races in his quest to grab a Chase berth and came up short every time. The road-racing ace finished a distant eighth at Sonoma to end the month of June and went to the next road course on the schedule at Watkins Glen as the clear favorite. But his battle to the finish line with AJ Allmendinger ended up in a second-place run and he wasn't able to punch his ticket to the post-season. Ambrose looked at Bristol, where he's always run well, as another shot. But a track-bar problem early knocked him from contention. With rumors swirling of his departure from RPM and NASCAR for a return to his native Australia to run V-8 Super Cars, it looks as if Ambrose is ready to ride off into the sunset.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/08/Summer-of-14-Draws-to-a-Close.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Why is Hendrick Testing At Martinsville?​*
There is a symmetry with Hendrick Motorsports' test schedule this season even if it wasn't planned that way.

Three of its four tests at Cup tracks will take place at flat tracks - New Hampshire, Martinsville and Phoenix.

Today, Hendrick teams complete their two-day Martinsville test.

Hendrick's choices are interesting since half the Chase races are at 1.5-mile tracks and the organization is saving only one test for such a track, Homestead-Miami Speedway.

While Hendrick's cars have been strong on 1.5-mile tracks - the organization has two wins and placed all four cars in the top 10 in three of the five races on such tracks - five organizations tested this week at Chicagoland Speedway and more are scheduled to test at other 1.5-mile tracks in the Chase.

Testing at Martinsville might seem odd for Hendrick since its cars have won three of the last four races there and Jimmie Johnson finished second with Dale Earnhardt Jr. third there in March. One of the reasons why Team Penske planned to test at Martinsville was to break Hendrick's stranglehold there.

Jeff Gordon, who won at Martinsville last fall, said he's glad to test there.

"We just recognized that we had some struggles the last time we were here and the tire wear was a big issue,'' Gordon said. "We felt we need to get and we need to come test.''

Johnson said a majority of the Hendrick teams wanted to test Martinsville, noting it had been some time since the organization tested there and gathered data.

"We're not reinventing the wheel while we're here but are learning a lot,'' he said.

Hendrick teams have learned their share on flat tracks this year.

"As far as I know there's no thought process of we need to be better at flat tracks,'' Gordon said. "But I will say we've been awful strong on the bigger, high-speed tracks. I'm glad we're going to be able to test at Homestead.''

As for testing at Phoenix, Gordon says that track hasn't been the best for him since it was repaved. He also notes that Phoenix has proved to be "crucial race in the Chase in the past.''

A blown tire at Phoenix in 2012 cost Johnson the points lead heading into Homestead. Brad Keselowski benefitted from Johnson's woes and went on to win the title.

Matt Kenseth entered Phoenix last year trailing Johnson by seven points but saw his title hopes all but end with an ill-handling car. Johnson left Phoenix with a 28-point lead on Kenseth en route to a sixth championship.

With the new Chase format, Phoenix will finalize the four drivers who will race for the championship the following week at Homestead.

As for 1.5-mile tracks, this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway could feature more of the same success for Hendrick. How much that helps for the Chase, though, is debatable.

"Although it's getting more and more like Homestead, the surface down at Homestead is not as abrasive, but as slick ... so we might be able to take a little bit from Atlanta to what we apply at Homestead,'' Gordon said.

"Whoever has got the best aero package and ... setup together for the mile-and-halves more than likely will run good at Atlanta this weekend, but it is unique and different. The wheel spin and how you manage the tires and slide the car around, sometimes that can play a bigger factor in that mile-and-a-half that you don't see play out as in as many as the mile-and-a-halves.''

"I'm anxious to see how the Penske cars are there, they've been strong and they've been tough to beat.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Hendrick-Test-Plan-Features-Flat-Tracks.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TSM Decision Leaves Hornaday Without Ride​*
Turner Scott Motorsports suspended Ron Hornaday Jr.'s Camping World Truck Series operation on Wednesday, Motor Racing Network confirmed.

The decision does not affect Turner Scott Motorsport's Nationwide operation or HScott Motorsports' Sprint Cup team. The move comes two years after Turner Scott Motorsports won the Truck title with James Buescher.

Ben Kennedy and Cameron Hayley will drive this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for Turner Scott Motorsports.

The decision by Turner Scott Motorrsports leaves Hornaday, who is fourth in the point standings, without a ride at this time. Hornaday has 10 top-10 finishes in 13 races this season.

Harry Scott Jr., co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports issued a statement Wednesday night:

"Turner Scott Motorsports remains in operation and will compete in this weekend's NASCAR events. TSM's NASCAR Nationwide Series race teams represented by the No. 42 driven by Kyle Larson and the No. 31 driven by Dylan Kwasniewski will complete this weekend as scheduled at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"The No. 31 driven by Ben Kennedy and the No. 32 driven by Cameron Hayley in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will compete as scheduled at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this coming Sunday.

"My investment company, a co-owner of TSM, will continue to do all that it can to keep the team moving forward with or without our business partner Steve Turner. To all TSM employees, sponsors, partners and fans I pledge we will continue to do what we can to keep the teams racing hard each and every week of the season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...er-Scott-Motorsports-Suspends-Operations.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Tony Stewart To Race This Weekend​*
This just in Tony Stewart will return to racing this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. SHR will hold a press conference tomorrow at 1:00 pm.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Owner Harry Scott Threatens To Sue Steve Turner Over Management of Team​*
Scott, according to documents obtained by Sporting News, filed a notice of suit Wednesday in North Carolina Superior Court by asking for an extension of time to file a complaint against Turner. He has 20 days to file the suit.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Scott said Turner Scott Motorsports would field two NASCAR trucks and two Nationwide Series cars at events this weekend. The truck of Ron Hornaday, fourth in the standings, will not compete.

The extension of time alleges that Turner has allowed the team's funds to be depleted and left debts unpaid, that Turner did not fund the entries as he was obligated to that "he unilaterally chose to operate through TSM," and that Turner misapplied the sponsorship funds and revenues of the Nationwide and truck teams. It states that Scott will ask for the appointment of a receiver to run the team to allow it to continue operations.

Scott became a partner with Turner in December 2012 in what was then Turner Motorsports. Last year, Scott bought Phoenix Racing to form HScott Motorsports, which fields a Sprint Cup car for Justin Allgaier.

"My investment company, a co-owner of TSM, will continue to do all that it can to keep the team moving forward with or without our business partner Steve Turner," Scott said in a statement Wednesday. "To all TSM employees, sponsors, partners and fans I pledge we will continue to do what we can to keep the teams racing hard each and every week of the season."

Turner did not respond to an email requesting comment.

TSM fields Nationwide cars for Kyle Larson and Dylan Kwasniewski. It has fielded three trucks, one for Hornaday, one for Ben Kennedy (son of NASCAR Vice Chairwoman Lesa France Kennedy) and one that has had multiple drivers depending on sponsorship. Cameron Hayley and Kennedy will compete this weekend in Canada.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...-series?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


----------



## Ckg2011

*On Their Own​*
When time is measured in tenths of a second, years can seem eternal.

Such is the plight for many young NASCAR drivers, who comprise one of the strongest classes of new talent in the sport's history. While car owners have renewed their interest in fuzzy-faced, fast phenoms, seats in the Sprint Cup level are limited with many veterans racing beyond their 40th birthday.

This creates a driver logjam. Without proper funding, some racers will see their path to NASCAR's top levels blocked even though they arguably have the talent to succeed. It's not a new issue. It's just that there are so many drivers battling for so few spots.

"There's an awesome new wave of kids coming up, and I'm hoping that the guys that I grew with, my heroes, call it quits sooner than some of the other guys have and open up those seats,'' said 22-year-old Cale Conley, who has driven in select Nationwide races for Richard Childress Racing this season.

As the number of talented teenagers flow into the sport, drivers in their mid 20s can be overlooked.

"There's internal pressure behind my brain saying, 'This is what you want to do, this is your dream, this is your one shot. You've got to produce now before it's too late,' '' Conley said.

Many others know such thoughts. They are young enough to have their life ahead of them but possibly too old to have a chance for a top ride.

*Getting Younger*

Had Jimmie Johnson come up at this time, fans might never know his name. He didn't make his Sprint Cup debut until he was 26 years old. That's almost ancient today. Twenty percent of last week's Cup field at Bristol was age 26 or under.

It would have been difficult for a driver like Johnson - who had only one Nationwide win - to climb to Cup if he faced the talent in the Nationwide Series now. Eighteen-year-old Chase Elliott leads the points. Ty Dillon, 22 years old, is third in the standings. Twenty-year-old Ryan Blaney, who led the Truck standings earlier this season, won last weekend's Nationwide race at Bristol.

Elliott appears headed for some Cup races next year, Dillon is set to make his Cup debut this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Blaney will drive in about a dozen Cup races for the Wood Brothers next year.

They are just among several drivers gaining notice. Former Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne, who is 23 years old, will run a full Cup schedule next year for Roush Fenway Racing.

There are many others seeking a chance at a Cup ride from 19-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski to 18-year-old Erik Jones, the youngest Truck series winner last year at age 17, to 16-year-old Cole Custer, who started on the front row for last weekend's Truck race at Bristol and finished eighth.

They make the path to the Cup even more difficult for those who only a few years ago were in their position.

Max GreshamMax Gresham, 21, won the K&N Pro Series East title in 2011 as a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Now? Last weekend's Bristol race was his third series start this season. He finished 12th, placing behind younger drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. (age 20), John Hunter Nemechek (17), Ben Rhodes (17) and Custer.

Where did Gresham's path turn? After winning the K&N title, Gresham said Joe Gibbs Racing offered him a few Nationwide races, including road course events. Gresham weighed that against an offer to run a larger number of Truck races for team owner Joe Dennette. The Truck deal lasted eight races. Gresham never finished better than 18th. He missed five races before picking up another ride but never scored a top-10 finish that season.

"Looking back on it now, I think I would have stayed with Gibbs and only run a couple of races,'' Gresham said. "As a lot of people realize in this sport, it's not how many races you run. If you run four races and run up front, you make a bigger impression than running 15 races in 20th.''

He remains hopeful he didn't miss his chance to impress owners. It's hard to stand out when younger drivers finish ahead of him.

*In Search of Money*

Matt DiBenedetto's family moved from California to North Carolina to help foster his budding racing career when he was 13 years old. He became the youngest winner at Bristol at age 16 when he won a UARA-Stars series race there in 2008 and signed a development deal with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2009.

DiBenedetto ran seven Nationwide races for JGR in 2009-10 with a best finish of ninth.

It was at that time teams began feeling the pinch from the recession - sponsor contracts had protected them for a couple of years but that changed when it was time to renew deals at lower rates. Teams had to make cuts. Driver development programs all but vanished.

Matt DiBenedetto"I kind of came in right at perfectly the wrong time,'' said DiBenedetto, who is 23 years old. "I was starting to get an opportunity and it got cut short.''

Since he could provide little funding, DiBenedetto did whatever he could to stay in the sport. That meant start-and-park rides. Then again, he was at the track each week.

"Really, you had to start back at the bottom,'' DiBenedetto said. "You really got to just be committed to doing whatever you've got to do even if it is something you don't want to.''

He failed to qualify at Daytona this season and didn't run more than eight laps in any of the next eight races. He did enough to earn a recent promotion Nationwide owner Curtis Key's top team. Now DiBenedetto runs the entire race. He placed 13th at Mid-Ohio earlier this month and 19th at Bristol.

DiBenedetto isn't just competing against drivers on the track in the Nationwide Series, though, but every driver looking for money. That includes someone like Custer, the 16-year-old son of Stewart-Haas Racing executive Joe Custer. Cole Custer has backing from Gene Haas but also searches for more money.

"It's hard,'' Cole Custer said. "We've been trying to find sponsors and we've been trying for a while.''

Corey LaJoie, who is 22 years old been touted by some as among the best young drivers, can relate to Custer. LaJoie is a development driver for Richard Petty Motorsports, but the team has been unable to find sponsorship for him. Last week's Bristol Truck race was his second in the series this year. He's run only one Nationwide race this year.

*What's Next?*

"You tell me,'' he said after finishing 10th at Bristol. "You probably hear more stuff than I do. I know the Pettys are working hard. It's just hard to find that money right now. If I keep running like this now and then in the one-offs I do, then I think somebody will jump on board.''

*The Quest*

For every Kyle Larson, who nearly won a Cup race this year before his 22nd birthday, there are many more drivers aspiring to be him. Same for Austin Dillon. Or Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, who each made their Cup debuts at age 18.

Logano, 24, looks around at all the young drivers trying to join him in the Cup series and smiles.

"I think, 'Boy, I'm getting old,' '' he said. "It's funny because a lot of them look like they're 13 instead of 16, but I guess I was like that at one point, too. It's kind of fun to watch that and how good they've been doing. A lot of them have gone really fast.''

But will they get where they hope to go? Or will they be marooned in another series or in a low-budget ride thinking if only they had a chance to show what they could do. By then, few will likely notice. There are more young drivers coming.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Logjam-Slows-Path-For-Many-Young-Racers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Speaks to Media​*
His voice soft, Tony Stewart read a statement Friday afternoon that expressed sorrow, pain and a message to the family of Kevin Ward Jr., who died after being struck by Stewart's sprint car during a race Aug. 9.

Stewart's statement lasted 2 minutes, 30 seconds and marked his first public comments since the accident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Stewart left the press conference at Atlanta Motor Speedway, taking no questions as an investigation continues into the accident.

"This has been one of the toughest tragedies that I've ever had to deal with both professionally and personally,'' Stewart said in a labored voice. "This is something that will definitely affect my life forever. This is a sadness and a pain that I hope no one ever has to experience in their life.

"That being said, I know that the pain and mourning that Kevin Ward's family and friends are experiencing is something that I can't possibly imagine. I want Kevin's father, Kevin Sr., his mother, Pam, and his sisters, Christi, Kayla and Katelyn to know that every day I'm thinking about them and praying for them.''

Stewart struck and killing Kevin Ward Jr. during an Empire Super Sprints race Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. The two had been racing together when Ward's car bounced off the wall and spun. Ward exited his car and walked down the track, gesturing toward Stewart's car before he was hit.

An investigation by by the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department continues. The office sent a statement Friday that the investigation would "continue for at least another two weeks.'' Sheriff Philip Povero said two weeks ago that there had been no evidence of criminal intent at the time.

This weekend marks the first time Stewart will race since that incident. He skipped NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol. Regan Smith filled in for Stewart at Watkins Glen and Jeff Burton did so at Michigan and Bristol.

"I've taken the last couple of weeks off out of respect for Kevin and his family and also to cope with the accident,'' said Stewart, who sent flowers and a card to the family for Ward's service. "It's given me the time to think about life and how easy it is to take it for granted. I miss my team, my teammates and I miss being back in the racecar. I think being back in the car this week with my racing family will help me get through this difficult time.''

Teammate Kevin Harvick said: "I'm glad to see my friend and be able to talk to him and be able to support him through probably what will end up being the hardest situation he's ever had to go through in his whole life.''

Brett Frood, executive vice president of Stewart-Haas Racing, supported Stewart's return to racing, calling it part of Stewart's "healing process.''

"Tony is ready to be in the racecar,'' Frood said. "He wouldn't be here if he wasn't.''

Frood also said that healing process will include time with Ward's family.

"I do know it will be very important, it's important to Tony, to spend time with the family,'' Frood said. "I do believe that will happen in the appropriate time.''

Stewart also thanked those who have supported him.

"The racing community is a large family, as you guys knows, and everyone is saddened with this tragedy,'' Stewart said. "I want to thank all my friends and family for their support through this tough, emotional time and the support from the NASCAR community, my partners, all of our employees has been overwhelming.

Stewart ended his statement by saying he could not answer any questions because of the ongoing investigation.

"Emotionally I'm not sure if I could answer them anyway,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/08/Stewart-Speaks-to-Media.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Eligible For Chase​*
NASCAR President Mike Helton said Tony Stewart would be granted a waver to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup should Stewart win this weekend at Atlanta or next weekend at Richmond.

A driver can earn a spot in the 16-team Chase by winning a race provided they are in the top 30 in driver points and they attempt to qualify for each event. Stewart did not attempt to qualify the past two weekends at Michigan and Bristol and would not have been eligible without a waver. Stewart is too far back to make the Chase via points.

Helton also explained that series officials relied on "third-party experts to assure us that a NASCAR driver or a NASCAR member is ready to return. All those forms of process were met and we cleared him.''

Asked if those were psychological professionals, Helton would only say: "the ones that were relevant to these circumstances.

"I think particularly those of us that follow this sport every weekend know that driver's healing processes are unique, but they are racecar drivers, and a lot of times getting back in a racecar is something they shoot to do as quickly as they can.

"Once Tony decided to come back, we then had to go through the policies and the procedures and the steps that we've historically built over time to make the absolute most correct decision we could make under the circumstances we were handed.

As Helton spoke, the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department announced that the investigation into the Aug. 9 incident between Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. at Canandaigua Motorsports Park would "continue for at least another two weeks.''

Helton was asked how NASCAR weighed that an investigation was ongoing in clearing Stewart to return to racing.

"We made our decisions based on the circumstances we've got currently,'' Helton said. "And I think most everyone in this room understands at NASCAR, our effort, our scope of responsibility and authority is limited to the NASCAR community.

"We take the current circumstances that we are dealt with and make what we hope to be the best absolute conclusion. That's what we're talking about today, is the current set of circumstances and our reaction to them.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/08/NASCAR-Grants-Stewart-Chase-Waiver.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick: 'Happy To Have My Friend Back'​*
Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick both say they are excited to see teammate Tony Stewart back at the track this weekend for the first time since Stewart was involved in a fatal sprint car accident Aug. 9.

"I'm just happy to have my friend back, to talk to him, hug him and support him,'' Harvick said Friday morning at Atlanta Motor Speedway after driving breast cancer survivors around the track in a pink Chevrolet pace car.

This weekend marks the first time Stewart will race since he struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. A police investigation continues, but Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff Philp Povero said two weeks ago that there was no evidence of criminal intent at the time.

Stewart skipped NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol. Regan Smith filled in for Stewart at Watkins Glen and Jeff Burton did so at Michigan and Bristol.

Stewart will speak to the media at 1 pm ET. at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick said it will be good for Stewart to be back.

"I know for him that will be great medicine to have some type of normal activity in his life again that he hasn't been able to have,'' Harvick said. "I can't wait to see him.

"I don't think he'd be here if he didn't feel he was ready. He's got a lot of great people around him and a lot of support.''

Patrick said Friday morning she had not yet seen Stewart.

"I heard from him last weekend, telling me good luck,'' said Patrick, who also gave breast cancer survivors pace car rides Friday. "It was good to hear from him. It will be good to have him back. We'll be all on board to help him with whatever he needs.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Patrick-Happy-To-Have-Tony-Stewart-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NATIONWIDE TO SPONSOR NO. 88 AT RICHMOND​*
*Primary Sponsor For 2015 Getting A Jump On Relationship​*
Nationwide Insurance will serve as a primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015. The company is getting a head start on its new role with Hendrick Motorsports next week in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway, where it will adorn Junior's No. 88 Chevrolet.

The race weekend will allow Nationwide to preview the future paint scheme, and Hendrick Motorsports said fans can get a sneak peek at the new design over social media channels on Sept. 3. At 1 p.m. that day, the new nation-wide88 Twitter account -- which will provide updates on Junior and his No. 88 team -- will tweet a preview.

"Dale is having a season to remember, and Nationwide is excited to launch our new long-term relationship as a primary sponsor this season as he pursues the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship," said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer at Nationwide, in a team release. "We think fans will like the new look of the No. 88 car when they see it hit the track next week in Richmond."

Earnhardt, who has three career Sprint Cup wins at the 0.75-mile oval, worked with Nationwide on the design of his car. Richmond will be the only 2014 event with this paint scheme.

"I've worked with Nationwide for years, but never as a primary sponsor," Earnhardt said. "Having them on board with Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 88 team is a big opportunity, and I really appreciate them inviting me to help design the car. I'm excited for the fans to see it and look forward to kicking off the relationship at one of my favorite race tracks."

Earnhardt heads into this weekend's Atlanta race (Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) with three wins this season, and he's second in both the driver standings and in the Chase Grid. Earnhardt's 11 top-fives this year lead the series.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...earnhardt-jr-sponsor-richmond-nationwide.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ryan Blaney Riding High Into Truck Series Race In Canada​*
*T*o be certain, these are good times for Ryan Blaney

Two weeks ago, the 20-year-old son of Sprint Cup veteran Dave Blaney was named the part-time driver of the Wood Brothers' fabled No. 21 car for the 2015 Sprint Cup season.

Last weekend, Blaney challenged and beat Kyle Busch in the final laps of the Nationwide Series race at Bristol -- a track where Busch, the all-time Nationwide wins leader, has been virtually unstoppable at times throughout his career.

Meanwhile, Blaney remains in the thick of the championship hunt in the Camping World Truck Series, where he is in his second year as a full-time competitor for Brad Keselowski Racing.

Entering Sunday's truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Canada, Blaney is third in the standings and trails championship leader Johnny Sauter by 24 points.

As if Blaney needed any extra incentive, his truck owner -- 2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski -- delivered Brad Keselowski Racing's first truck win of the season last Thursday at Bristol, where a Ford visited a truck series Victory Lane for the first time all season.

Based on his owner's breakthrough win for BKR last time out, one might assume Blaney would be carrying extra confidence into this weekend's race on the Canadian road course.

The second-generation NASCAR driver insists that's not really the case, however.

"It doesn't really give me any extra confidence," Blaney said in an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com. "We've had fast trucks all year and just haven't been able to quite close them out, so confidence has always been there on the truck team of knowing that we could win races this year. It's just to finally break through that first win of 2014 with the truck team, it's good to know that, 'OK, we finally got in Victory Lane this year in the truck series,' and maybe that will take a little pressure off all the guys."

While his boss' win doesn't change his mindset, Blaney does consider beating Busch in the Nationwide Series a major shot in the arm. Blaney passed the veteran Busch on a restart with six laps remaining at Bristol and held on for his second career Nationwide Series win.

"It means a lot, with all the success he's had at Bristol no matter what series it's been in," said Blaney, who is running a part-time Nationwide Series schedule for Team Penske, for whom he is a development driver. "It was cool to kind of go head-to-head with him and be able to race him for the win and fortunately come out ahead of him. As young driver, that's someone you look up to. Kyle's been in it a long time and is someone who you always watch because he's been so dominant in the truck series and Nationwide, and in the Cup series he's been really good.

"So it was very cool to be able to race him hard like that. Your confidence level really goes through the roof when you get a chance and you beat a driver like that. It definitely means a lot."

While his truck and Nationwide plans are yet to be determined for next season, Blaney is thrilled about the opportunity to go Sprint Cup Series racing for the Wood Brothers -- the sport's oldest continuously operating team. Blaney is replacing Trevor Bayne, who is joining Roush Fenway Racing's Sprint Cup program.

"I'm really excited to be in the Wood Brothers car next year for a handful of races," Blaney said. "I think it's going to be great with the new Penske alliance that we've got. I think that's really going to give that team what they need to kind of rise above everything and start being a very competitive team again. It's been great to get to know Leonard (Wood, veteran team member) and Eddie and Len (Wood, team co-owners). It's been very special to see the history there and just get to hear their stories. It's very cool, so I'm really looking forward to it as far as running with the Wood Brothers, and I'll still be with Team Penske and hopefully BKR a little bit, so I'm going to be doing a lot of racing next year and I think it's going to be great. I'm very fortunate to be able to run a lot of races with good teams."

Right now, Blaney's primary focus is this weekend's road-course race at a venue where he qualified second and ran well last season before running into trouble.

"I'm going with better knowledge of the racetrack and everything like that, so I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "We had a great truck last year and unfortunately broke about halfway through the race and were just limping around there to the finish, and I think we have an even better piece going back this year. Hopefully, we stay out of trouble and stay up front."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ping-world-truck-series-race-in-canada-082814


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## Ckg2011

*Freaky Fast Harvick Wins Pole​*
Stewart HAAS Racing driver Kevin Harvick wins the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday night's Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon Ready To Race Brother In Cup​*
Even though he qualified 29th Friday, Ty Dillon couldn't stop smiling. The speed, the thrill and experience provided an Adrenaline rush that left him wanting more.

He'll get that chance Sunday when he makes his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup start, joining Jeff Gordon and Martin Truex Jr., among others, who made their series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It also comes at a track where Dillon won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck race in 2012.

For Dillon, this continues the path his older brother Austin followed on the way to the Cup Series under the supervision of their grandfather, Richard Childress.

Ty Dillon's previous success at Atlanta made this among the tracks the Childress looked at for him to run a Cup car this season.

"We didn't really talk about it very much during most of the season, and then things kind of came together,'' Dillon said. "Here recently we got the sponsorship to make things happen. So it all started off with me and him; he had a plan to run me in a Cup race. We sat down and picked a few tracks, and this was one of them.''

As Dillon looks ahead to his Cup debut, he also is focused on a Nationwide title. He entered Saturday's race third in the standings, 17 points behind fellow rookie Chase Elliott.

Dillon doesn't see the Cup race as a distraction toward his Nationwide title hopes.

"I think it's only going to be a positive for my Nationwide program to be in the Cup race this year,'' said Dillon, who has four top-five finishes in the last six Nationwide races. "It will slow everything down for me.

"The way our Nationwide team is performing right now I think we have a great opportunity of winning a race and really piling on some points for this championship.''

With making his Cup debut, he'll get a chance to race against Austin.

"We're always cheering for each other and pushing each other to be the best,'' Ty Dillon said. "Because of our competitive edge, we want to have more wins than the other one or more championships or more top fives or whatever else. We're always going to compete whether it's seeing who can get out of the car first, who can get in the car first, racing to the car on our feet - we're going to compete.''

Sunday, they'll get to do so in a Sprint Cup race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../08/Ty-Dillon-Ready-For-Sprint-Cup-Debut.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Take A Ride With Jeff Gordon​*
Even with driving schools and ride-along programs at tracks, it's hard to get a true feel of what it's like to race in NASCAR.

Jeff Gordon might be able to help you.

With Tony Stewart's return to racing this weekend for the first time since he was involved in fatal sprint car accident Aug. 9, there's been a lot of talk about how once inside a car drivers can isolate themselves from everything else. Thus, the notion racing can be therapeutic for drivers.

How is that so?

Let Gordon explain.

"The only thing I know how to compare is if you have ever played a really intense video game,'' said Gordon, who will make his 750th consecutive Sprint Cup start Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "When you are doing something that you are so focused on that nothing else is coming into your mind. Even if you are feeling pain sometimes you don't even feel pain because the focus is so strong. It's sort of that mind over matter thing where when you are in there you are doing something that you enjoy doing. It's also very challenging, so your brain is on full overload of the senses that come along with driving that racecar especially here in Atlanta.

"Here in Atlanta the track is challenging, it's abrasive, the tire grip goes away fast. You are driving that car just about every second on the straightaways, obviously you can relax a little bit, but those straightaways go by fast and those are big corners and you have your hands full all the way through the corner. To me it's about once you get into that car you are not thinking of anything else other than driving that car and sometimes we all need something like that in life that puts us into that mode.

"That is why I'm not a big video game player, but when I do play video games, most of the time, it's just to get my mind off of other things. I find that it's the closest thing to that as possible. That is why I think it is great therapy to be in that race car."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/08/Go-Inside-Jeff-Gordon-Car.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TSM Owners File Court Papers Against Each Other​*
The co-owners of Turner Scott Motorsports are arguing through legal documents with Steve Turner suing Harry Scott Jr. in a Texas court, and Scott filing a notice of complaint in a North Carolina court.

While the owners of NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck teams quarrel, Ron Hornaday Jr., fourth in the standings, is left without a Truck ride this weekend. The organization's other drivers - Dylan Kwasniewski and Kyle Larson in Nationwide and Ben Kennedy and Cameron Hayley in Trucks - are racing this weekend.

Turner's lawsuit states that he and his co-plaintiffs seek more than $3 million from Scott. Turner's lawsuit also seeks dismissal of Scott in Turner Scott Motorsports. Scott bought 40 percent of the team from Turner in 2012.

Court documents allege that Scott's company agreed that a $2 million debt was to be paid to Turner and his affiliates but it has not been paid.

Turner's lawsuit also alleges that many company decisions require approval from both Turner and Scott but that "Scott has refused to approve actions that are necessary and material to the business, leaving the (team) unable to operate.''

Court documents state that Turner and others have been forced to lend money to the team to keep it from defaulting to third-party vendors.

The Sporting News reported that Scott filed a notice of a suit Wednesday. Scott has 20 days to file a suit against Turner, according to the report.

Scott's notice, according to The Sporting News, alleges that Turner has allowed the team's funds to be depleted, debts have gone unpaid and Turner did not fund entries as he was obligated to do so. Scott's notice, according to the report, alleges that Turner misapplied sponsorship funds and revenues.

In a statement Wednesday, Scott said: "My investment company, a co-owner of TSM, will continue to do all that it can to keep the team moving forward with or without our business partner Steve Turner. To all TSM employees, sponsors, partners and fans I pledge we will continue to do what we can to keep the teams racing hard each and every week of the season.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rsports-Owners-Argue-Via-Legal-Documents.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Alex Tagliani On Truck Series Pole​*
Alex Tagliani will start tomorrow's NASCAR Camping Truck Series Chevorlet Silverado 250 on pole. Gray Gaulding will start next Tagliani on the front row.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Dominates at Atlanta​*
Kevin Harvick dominated Saturday night's Great Clips 300 Benefitting Feed the Children to score his second consecutive Nationwide victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The 195-lap race featured one lead change - the fewest ever on a 1.5-mile track in series history - and two cautions (both for debris). Harvick took the lead on Lap 37 and never relinquished it to earn his third victory of the season and 43rd in his career.

"The car was flawless,'' Harvick said. "Tonight was a lot like last year. Just had a really good racecar.''

Crew chief Ernie Cope said he asked Harvick if everything was OK with the car Friday night after practice and Harvick told him "I'm going to smash them.''

Joey Logano placed second.

"I just ran out of time,'' Logano said. "I wish there were five or seven more laps and I could have got to him and tried to do something with him. We were catching him two or three tenths a lap there at the end and having some fun with it, but it was too little too late.

Kyle Larson was third with Kyle Busch and rookie Chase Elliott competing the top five.

Elliott slid through his pit box on the final pit stop, costing him positions. He apologized to his crew afterward and said he made an "unacceptable mistake."

Even so, Elliott stretched his lead on teammate Regan Smith, who was sixth. Elliott leads Smith by 15 points heading to next week's race at Richmond International Raceway.

"It was a fight,'' Smith said of his race. "We weren't where we wanted to be early on. We adjusted on the car all night long and finally got it to my liking at the end.''

Ty Dillon, third in the point standings, finished ninth. He fell to 35 points behind Elliott in the standings.

"Disappointing for sure,'' Dillon said of his race. "Drive up through the field, probably had a top-two or three car. That last restart got a little too tight and got to racing (Matt Kenseth) for too long. Neither one us gave an inch. It ended up hurting both our nights.

"He's obviously racing hard. I'm going for the points. It's the same thing. I'm racing (Sunday's Sprint Cup race) and he's racing to get into the Chase. You would hope there is some mutual respect there, but obviously there isn't.''

Busch said he struggled with his car throughout the race.

"Just not a very good race car at all around this race track,'' Busch said. "We definitely missed on grip.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/08/Harvick-Dominates-at-Atlanta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Wins Truck Series Thriller​*
Ryan Blaney edged German Quiroga in a thrilling finish to win Sunday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevy Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Blaney and Quiroga put on a furious battle for the lead in the closing laps of the race around the twisting road circuit setting up a classic final run to the checkered flag. Blaney held the top spot while Quiroga moved alongside several time with the lead up for grabs until the duo raced to the finish line with Blaney ahead by 0.05-seconds.

"I noticed since that last restart he'd get huge tows down the backstretch," Blaney explained of the battle with Quiroga. "I was protecting the best I could. He was able to get to my left side. I didn't think he could stay out there, but I got really, really loose underneath him there in the corner.

"Old school, short-track racing crossover move I guess worked on him. That was really cool. That was awesome racing German. We've had our problems, but it was nice to go out there and race clean with the guy and put on a great finish for the fans. If that's not good racing, I don't know what it, because it was a blast inside the car."

The win was Blaney's third of his career and was the second straight for BK Racing, after team owner Brad Keselowski won last week at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was Blaney's first-ever road course victory and he became the eighth different winner of the season.

Quiroga tied his best career finish at Gateway back in June with another second place performance.

"I hope it was fun for everybody watching on TV," said Quiroga after climbing from the truck. "I don't think for my team and for me, we were just trying to win this race. Everybody at the shop did a fantastic job. Everybody at Red Horse, the built me a winning truck and we just came home second.

"It hurts, you know. We've come close so many times. I just can't believe it. We just have to keep on trying. 
Hopefully we can get a win soon. I really want it. I'm really trying hard."

Erik Jones, Gray Gaulding and Andrew Ranger rounded out the top five.

Matt Crafton, Brennan Newberry, Johnny Sauter, Cole Custer and Timothy Peters completed the first ten finishers.

Blaney's teammate, road racing ace Alex Tagliani, suffered a disappointing day. After starting upfront and running for the top spot in the first half of the race, Tagliani was involved in an incident after making contact with Cole Custer and then wound up spinning out on his own in traffic and could not get back in the hunt.

"We had a stuck throttle all day, and fortunately, the guys put a little bar for the return throttle and I was able to manage and lift it on my own," said Tagliani, who finished 16th. "But when you're driving, it's one thing. And when you race other people, I got caught going into Turn 5A and the throttle got hanging. I got in at like, 4000 rpm, and by the time I realized to pull it myself, I touched [Custer] and I'm sorry about that. 
"Then I got it to first gear and the engine was revving too high, and I just lost the rear."

Sauter still leads his ThorSport Racing teammate Crafton in the standings now by seven points with Blaney 13 behind.

The Camping World Truck Series returns to action on Friday night, September 12 at Chicagoland Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/08/Blaney-Wins-Truck-Series-Thriller.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Clinches with Atlanta Win​*
Kasey Kahne won his first race of the season and grabbed a spot in the Chase Sunday night in the Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kahne had to fight back in the second overtime finish and pass Matt Kenseth to go on and score his 17th career victory and first since Pocono in August of 2013.

It was Kahne's third career Atlanta victory.

"Yeah, man, it took a lot," said Kahne. "We were all over the place during the race but the guys stayed with me and worked hard. On those restarts - I didn't know what would happen because I had great restarts all night and I struggle with restarts a lot. That's big, because that is one of the things you have to be good at and it worked really well tonight."

Kahne became the season's 13th different winner and was relieved to secure his Chase spot with the victory.

"Yeah, we are locked in and I hate it comes down to this Atlanta or Richmond just about every year for me," said Kahne. "Sometimes we are in, sometimes we are out. But thankful that now at HMS I have been in all three years now."

Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

"Those last two laps were really intense," Kenseth said. "Things are looking up. I'm looking forward to the next 11."

Kenseth's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Hamlin was in the hunt for the win during the night but forced to settle for third.

"I couldn't capitalize, couldn't get the restarts and couldn't accelerate," Hamlin said. "We just came up short. Third is about the place car we had tonight."

Danica Patrick, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola and Greg Biffle completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winds up the regular season next Saturday night with the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Int'l Raceway.

*How Kahne won:* He powered his way past Matt Kenseth during a second green-white-checkered restart and held on for the win. Kahne earlier had what appeared to be a comfortable advantage and looked like he would cruise to Victory Lane but a caution for Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. tangling erased the lead. Fortunately for the Hendrick Motorsports driver he was able to get back to the front when it counted again.

*What else happened:* Harvick was the dominant car of the night and led 195 laps. He appeared to have a sweep of Atlanta in hand after his Saturday night Nationwide Series win. But a late race turn of events that included a couple of cautions and G-W-C finishes proved to be Harvick's undoing, who finally got sucked into a multi-car wreck and finished 19th.

*Who else had a good day:* Kahne and Kenseth secured Chase spots with their finishes Sunday night leaving only two spots left in the 16-driver field&#8230;Kenseth's runner-up finish was his best performance of the season&#8230;.Sixth-place Danica Patrick scored her career-best Sprint Cup finish.

*Who had a bad day:* Kevin Harvick dominated the race but got shuffled back in a pair of late race restarts and finally was swept up in a crash at the second green-white-checkered attempt&#8230;..Tony Stewart started the weekend with an emotional press conference Friday afternoon as he returned to the track after a three week absence in the aftermath of the sprint car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. After a strong qualifying effort and start to the race Stewart made an early exit after a pair of trips into the wall the second of which sending him to the garage area with a DNF&#8230;Clint Bowyer's Chase hopes took a hit when he broke a shifter and had transmission problems early on&#8230;.Jeff Gordon was knocked out of contention early when a cut tire sent him into the wall with damage&#8230;Marcos Ambrose blew an engine and was out of the race on lap 90.

*Quote of the night:* "Whoa, I almost hit a cat. A cat just ran right in front of me,'' Kevin Harvick, but it was actually a squirrel.

*Notables:* Third-place Hamlin has finished in the top-10 in six of his last eight races&#8230;.Johnson has turned around his fortunes with three consecutive top-10 performances&#8230;.Ty Dillon made his Sprint Cup Series debut with a 25th-place finish.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/08/Kahne-Cashes-in-at-Atlanta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Squirrel Squeaks Past Leaders In Atlanta​*





*Eventful Night Comes To An End For Stewart​*





*Leaders Stack Up On Late Race Restart​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Not Happy With Kyle Busch​*
Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch played bumper cars on the track and then had a discussion in the garage after Sunday's race.

Truex declined comment. There were not comments available from Busch.

With two laps to go, Truex smacked the wall after he was hit from behind by Busch. Truex then slammed on the brakes to slow Busch, who ran into the back of Truex's car. Truex's car then hit Busch's as Busch drove by.

After the race, Truex, who finished 23rd, parked his car behind Busch's car in the garage. Truex then went to the window of Busch's car and had a discussion with Busch as Busch remained seated in the car. After that discussion ended, Truex had a discussion with Busch's crew chief Dave Rogers that continued as Busch, who finished 16th, exited the car and walked away.

"They're hard-nosed competitors, and they don't cut each other much slack,'' Rogers said. "I talked to Kyle about what happened. He said he was expecting Martin to go in on the bottom, and Kyle was banzaing on the top and trying got get the pass. Martin surprised him by going up top, and Kyle said he got to the brake but he got to the brake too late.''

As for what Truex said?

"He came over and said his peace and asked why Kyle got in the back of him,'' Rogers said. "Martin didn't say or do anything wrong there. He kept it peaceful. He said what was on his mind, and I think that is accepted. It didn't get out of control. Kyle tried to explain what happened and I think they agreed to disagree tonight but they'll probably talk later this week and figure it out.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...And-Kyle-Busch-Not-Happy-With-Each-Other.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick Rallies For Career-Best Finish​*
Danica Patrick twice came back from being a lap down to score a career-high sixth-place finish Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

She nearly scored the best finish by a female driver in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Sara Christian holds the record with a fifth-place finish Oct. 2, 1949 at Heidelberg (Pa.) Raceway. Patrick's run Sunday matched Janet Guthrie's best finish in a Cup race, achieved at Bristol on Aug. 28, 1977. Patrick's previous career best finish was seventh in May at Kansas Speedway.

"I was hoping for a top-five but sixth place is definitely something to be happy about,'' Patrick said.

She was just as pleased not to have her race derailed as has happened this season.

"Since that solid run like this at Kansas, honestly we've been so much faster and qualified much better, it's just where something fails or I make a mistake or there's an accident,'' Patrick said. "There were so many things that kept putting us out of contention and wrecking our weekends. This weekend, we din't have that. We fought hard at the beginning.

It didn't look as if she would achieve a top-10 finish early in the race. She fell a lap down twice in the first 118 laps with teammate Kevin Harvick setting a blistering pace.

"It's very hard to start 27th and not be perfect - the car was definitely too tight in the beginning - and not have Kevin Harvick catch you,'' Patrick said. "He's just so fast around here.''

But Patrick came back and once she got her lap back a second time, she stayed on the lead lap the rest of the night and progressed through the field.

"I had one run where I felt like I was playing a video game out there,'' Patrick said. "I was just driving around the top side of everybody. It was a little more human-like after that. The guys had a really awesome stop that last time so I could restart seventh and get out of all that mess on the frontstraight.''

The finish gives Patrick hope she can carry that momentum into this weekend's race at Richmond International Raceway.

"I have sucked at Richmond every time so I sure hope I can run well at Richmond now,'' she said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ick-Scores-Career-Best-Sprint-Cup-Finish.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Joe Gibbs Racing Has Lightning-Quick Pits Stops In Atlanta​*
*W*hile Kevin Harvick No.4 Chevrolet was the class of the field for much of Sunday's Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Joe Gibbs Racing pit crews were certainly in a league of their own throughout the race.

Denny Hamlin's No. 11 team was especially strong, performing 11-second pit stops every time their driver came to pit road. While no one seemed to be able to get by Harvick on the track, Hamlin's pit crew successfully gave him the lead multiple times throughout the night.

The team's fastest stop of the night came at Lap 174, when the pit crew changed four tires and added two cans of fuel in an astonishing 11.0 seconds.

For Matt Kenseth, his fast pit crew was key, but so was his pit selection.

Taking the first stall at the entrance of pit road, Kenseth was able to make gains getting into his stall, while his crew was able to gain him spots with their quick work.

Another thing that helped the JGR teams beat the competition on pit road is a reportedly new generation air gun being utilized by the teams as of late.

Though few details are known about the new air guns at this point, their advantage was clear Sunday night.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-quick-pits-stops-all-night-in-atlanta-090114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Overcomes Late Drama To Make Chase​*
As his race, season and hopes of making the Chase yo-yoed Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, somehow, someway Kasey Kahne remained calm.

All week he told himself and others that he needed to win Atlanta to make the Chase.

"It was all that I could think about,'' said Kahne, whose last NASCAR Sprint Cup win before Sunday came in August 2013 at Pocono. "I knew Atlanta was a better opportunity for myself to win than Richmond.''

On a night when Kevin Harvick radioed that he nearly hit a cat (it proved to be a squirrel), Tony Stewart's return to racing ended early and Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch carried their on-track dispute to the garage, Kahne emerged as the season's 13th different winner - but only after a heart-stopping finish.

While relief and excitement washed over Kahne in Victory Lane, Clint Bowyer walked away in near silence. Bowyer's Chase hopes dimmed after a shifter broke and his team needed 22 laps to make repairs. He finished 38th.

Bowyer heads to Richmond this week needing to race his way into the Chase, but that track has not been pleasant for him recently. He finished last there in April and faced the wrath of some fans a year ago for the Michael Waltrip Racing controversy that cost Truex a spot in the Chase and led to Jeff Gordon being added to the field.

Fourteen drivers have clinched Chase spots heading to Richmond. Ryan Newman (747 points) is in position to take one of the two remaining Chase spots. Greg Biffle (728) holds what is the final transfer position. Bowyer trails Biffle by 23 points with Kyle Larson trailing Biffle by 24 points.

Even with Bowyer's struggles Sunday, he held the final Chase spot when Kahne lost the lead on pit road after the Truex-Busch incident.

Truex and Busch made contact two laps from the scheduled finish and continued to bounce off each other on purpose. Truex went to Busch's car in the garage after the race to discuss the matter with Busch and crew chief Dave Rogers.

Had it not been for that incident, Kahne would have cruised to the win. The caution jeopardized Kahne's hopes scoring a win and making the Chase.

"I was pretty mad at Kyle Busch, I can tell you that,'' said Kahne's crew chief, Kenny Francis.

His mood changed even though Kahne restarted fifth after the leaders pitted.

"When I saw two cars drive by on two tires, I thought that was the best thing that could ever happen right there,'' Francis said. "That put us in a perfect position because I knew that the restart would be way more chaotic.''

It was.

Matt Kenseth and Paul Menard, who each took only two tires, started on the front row. Menard's slow restart created a bottleneck that led to contact and collected Harvick. The caution forced a second attempt at a green-white-checkered. Kahne restarted third.

"I just kept telling myself, do not spin the tires,'' Kahne said. "Just take your time on the throttle. If you do that, you're going to have a great opportunity.

"The acceleration of my car and everything was perfect.''

Kahne took the lead from Kenseth and led the final two laps to win and claim a Chase spot. That knocked Bowyer out of a Chase position and left Larson questioning his hopes.

"So happy for Kasey,'' Larson said, "but that pretty much ends our Chase hopes. Unless we win.''

While the pressure builds for those not in the Chase, Kahne won't have to sweat Richmond.

"It's been a rough year for us,'' Francis said. "We have had a lot of good cars and it just seems like nothing goes our way. When things don't go your way, you lose some confidence and you get a little dejected. It kind of goes downhill sometimes.

"Winning this race in such dramatic fashion and getting in the Chase ... that is just a huge relief.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Rise-And-Fall-In-Final-Laps-At-Atlanta.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Final Chance To Make The Chase​*
This much is known for the Chase - 14 drivers have clinched spots. That's the 13 different winners this season and Matt Kenseth. That leaves two spots left to be filled Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

Here's a look at the Chase clinch scenarios for the drivers eligible for those final two spots:

If there is a repeat winner, three winless drivers would make the Chase - one of which would be Kenseth. If there is a new winner, two winless drivers would make the Chase - one would be Kenseth (if Kenseth is not the new winner).

Any current winless driver who wins at Richmond, and is in the top 30 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver points standings, clinches a spot in the Chase.

Only Ryan Newman controls his own destiny, no matter who wins at Richmond. If there is a repeat 2014 winner (or a Kenseth victory), Newman is guaranteed a spot in the Chase if he finishes 41st or better; or 42nd with at least one lap led; or 43rd and the most laps led. If there is a new winner (that is not Kenseth), Newman is guaranteed a Chase spot with a finish of 18th or better; 19th and at least one lap led; or 20th and the most laps led.

Greg Biffle controls his own destiny if there is a repeat winner. If there is a repeat 2014 winner (or if Kenseth or Newman win), Biffle is guaranteed a spot in the Chase if he finishes 22nd or better; or 23rd with at least one lap led; or 24th and the most laps led. If there is a new winner (that is not Kenseth or Newman), Biffle needs to out-point Newman by 19 points and stay ahead of Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson.

Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson are the only other two drivers who can clinch a spot in the Chase without a victory.

The following drivers can only make the Chase with a win at Richmond (and a top-30 spot in the standings): Paul Menard, Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers, Marcos Ambrose, Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Danica Patrick, Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett, David Gilliland, David Ragan and Cole Whitt.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/08/Examining-Chase-Clinching-Scenarios.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TSM Shuts Down No. 30 Truck Team​*
Turner Scott Motorsports announced Tuesday that it is shutting down the No. 30 Camping World Truck Series team of Ron Hornaday Jr., and laying off 18 employees.

"The decision to lay-off any employee is painful and we realize the affects it has on their lives," said Harry Scott, Jr., whose investment firm is a co-owner of TSM. "However, the decisions made by TSM today are necessary and the responsible steps for all of TSM to ensure our commitment to our employees, partners and fans to be as competitive as possible."

Turner Scott Motorsports will continue to field entries in the Truck and Nationwide Series. Dylan Kwasniewski and Kyle Larson will drive the team's Nationwide entries this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. The Truck series is off this weekend.

Hornaday's team did not compete last weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Cameron Hayley finished 10th, and Ben Kennedy was 15th in the team's other Trucks.

Tuesday's announcement comes as co-owners Steve Turner and Harry Scott Jr. have filed legal documents against each other. Turner has filed a lawsuit against Scott in a Texas court, while Scott has filed a notice of complaint in a North Carolina court. The Sporting News first reported the legal action.

Turner's lawsuit states that he and his co-plaintiffs seek more than $3 million from Scott. Turner's lawsuit also seeks dismissal of Scott in Turner Scott Motorsports. Scott bought 40 percent of the team from Turner in 2012. Court documents allege that Scott's company agreed that a $2 million debt was to be paid to Turner and his affiliates but it has not been paid.

Scott's notice, according to The Sporting News, alleges that Turner has allowed the team's funds to be depleted, debts have gone unpaid and Turner did not fund entries as he was obligated to do so. Scott's notice, according to the report, alleges that Turner misapplied sponsorship funds and revenues.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tt-Motorsports-Shuts-Down-One-Truck-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*XFINITY Named New Series Sponsor​*
NASCAR and Comcast announced today a historic agreement that will make Comcast's XFINITY brand the title sponsor of what is now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series through 2024. The 10-year term matches the longest single agreement around title sponsorship of any NASCAR national series in history, and is the longest entitlement sponsorship agreement in this series' history.

Beginning January 1, 2015, the property will be known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series. XFINITY will become only the third title sponsor in series history following Anheuser-Busch (26 years) and Nationwide Insurance (seven years). The agreement also makes XFINITY an Official NASCAR Partner in the multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) and broadband ISP categories.

The announcement was made during an event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame - where the sport's history is celebrated every day - and was the first series entitlement sponsorship ever announced at the venue.

XFINITY is Comcast's residential service brand and is the nation's largest video and high-speed Internet provider. The company has increased Internet speeds for existing customers 13 times in 12 years and recently introduced XFINITY on the X1 Entertainment Operating System. The company also offers XFINITY On Demand, the most robust video on demand platform in the world. Comcast serves business and residential customers in 39 states and Washington, D.C.

"We're proud to welcome XFINITY to the NASCAR community as title sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the next decade," said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman & CEO. "NASCAR and XFINITY are each leader brands with much in common. Both are focused on innovation and have products built for speed. Together, we will work to take this series to new heights and elevate one of the most unique and powerful partnerships in all of sports."

What will soon be known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series is the property where names are made and is like nothing else in major pro sports. It features the most talented young drivers regularly competing side-by-side against NASCAR's biggest and brightest stars.

"Technology lives at the heart of NASCAR, just as it does for XFINITY," said Dave Watson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Comcast Cable. "NASCAR provides an exciting environment in which to showcase our video and Internet products and we look forward to further enhancing the fan experience at home, at the track and on the go for years to come."

The series also has a large, highly engaged and technology-connected television audience. It races in some of the nation's largest markets - from Chicago to Los Angeles to Miami - and at the sport's biggest and most iconic tracks - from Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, to Talladega Superspeedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

According to NASCAR Fan Engagement Tracker 2013 (commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna), NASCAR fans spend an average of four-and-a-half hours each week watching NASCAR on television and an additional two-and-a-half-hours each week following the sport on digital platforms.

XFINITY is among the premier sponsors in sports today and a robust sponsorship activation program is part of the new agreement with NASCAR, with aggressive planning already underway.

Comcast's involvement with NASCAR is expanding rapidly. In addition to the NASCAR XFINITY Series announced today, Comcast's NBC Sports unit will begin broadcasting NASCAR race events in July 2015.

After a successful seven-year run as series entitlement sponsor, Nationwide Insurance pivoted its marketing programs to become a NASCAR team sponsor next season. Nationwide also is the official auto, home, life and business insurance partner of NASCAR.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/08/Xfinity-Named-New-Series-Sponsor.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Name Change a Time for More Changes?​*
A new points system, a new way to watch the sport, maybe even a new series as you know it.

The possibilities seemed endless Wednesday with all the talk about innovation after NASCAR announced Xfinity would become the title sponsor of the Nationwide Series beginning Jan. 1 through 2024.

Just what fans will see in the coming years is uncertain. NASCAR and Xfinity officials were short on details.

NASCAR President Mike Helton, noting the rapid growth in technology, said almost with a gleam in his eye: "Just imagine what the next 10 years are going to be like.''

So, let's imagine what the Nationwide Series, which will be known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series starting Jan. 1 through at least 2024, could be like. Just remember that Chase Elliott won't even be 30 years old yet when the contract ends.

Could there be a new points system? Or maybe the question is should there be?

"They're going to have some fresh thinking on what this series can become,'' NASCAR Chairman Brian France said about Xfinity and the series format. "We're going to listen to that. At the same time we're going to balance, as we always do, our institutional knowledge about what works and doesn't work.''

This marks the 11th year for the Chase in all its incarnations in the Sprint Cup Series, while the Nationwide title continues to be based on points accumulated all season. The past two years, the Nationwide points lead was six points or less with two races to go.

Is that a system that needs changing?

Maybe so, depending on how NASCAR wants to showcase the Xfinity Series. For now, series officials tout the sport's younger drivers with Elliott, Ty Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Dylan Kwasniewski, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chris Buescher, Ryan Reed and other youngsters competing next year.

With the focus on youth, could that mean limiting Sprint Cup drivers in the Xfinity Series?

"I'm sure there will be format ideas that come over time that we'll be interested in looking at because the net of it is, Xfinity and NASCAR want to make this series ... bigger and better,'' France said.

What fans will see on the track will be as important as how fans view the sport. Xfinity is the nation's largest video and high-speed Internet provider.

That could mean more ways to watch a race, whether on TV, tablet or in person. The challenge is for tracks to meet the standards fans expect their mobile devices to deliver when at the event.

"All our track promoters are making huge investments in connectivity,'' said Brent Dewar, NASCAR Chief Operating Officer.

So, what will fans at home see?

Xfinity is part of the Comcast family. Comcast owns NBC Universal. NBC and NBC Sports Network will air NASCAR races beginning next year.

Comcast is seeking FCC approval to merge with Time Warner. That would help Comcast, which is not available in 11 states and some Southern cities that typically draw the highest TV ratings for Sprint Cup races.

"The viewership experience ... is going to be very different,'' said Peter Intermaggio, Comcast SVP of marketing communications.

Exactly how so remains to be seen.

Will Comcast, some fans wonder, carry Fox Sports 2 since it will likely have some NASCAR programming early next season?

"I would just say that we're looking at programming relationships all the time and that's something that we're continuing to study,'' Intermaggio said.

That's fine but next year's Xfinity season-opening race Feb. 21, at Daytona is less than six months away.

"I think we'll be ready for Daytona,'' Intermaggio said.

The question is if NASCAR is ready to make changes with the opportunities Xfinity present.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...R-Make-Big-Changes-To-New-Xfinity-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Do The Math: Your NASCAR Chase Scenarios Heading To Richmond​*
*T*he NASCAR Sprint CUP Series rolls into Richmond International Raceway this weekend with 14 of 16 drivers already locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400, the 26th and final race of the Sprint Cup regular season, will decide who the last two Chase participants will be.

In theory, 19 drivers can still race their way into the Chase. The reality is more like a handful have a real shot of qualifying for NASCAR's 10-race, season-ending, playoff round.

Here's the Chase lineup so far:

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have three victories each.

Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick are both two-time winners.

Drivers who made it into the Chase by winning once are AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne.

Matt Kenseth is locked into the Chase on points.

Per NASCAR, here are the scenarios for the 19 drivers who still have a chance to make the Chase at Richmond:

If there is a repeat winner at RIR, Kenseth and two other winless drivers would make the Chase. If there is a first-time 2014 winner, Kenseth and one other winless driver would make the Chase.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one 'fly' guy ... just ask his girlfriend

Any currently winless driver who wins at Richmond, and is in the top 30 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver points standings, would get a spot in the Chase.

Only Ryan Newman controls his own destiny Saturday night.

If there is a repeat 2014 winner, or if Kenseth wins, Newman is guaranteed a spot in the Chase if he finishes 41st or better; or 42nd with at least one lap led; or 43rd and the most laps led. If there is a new winner other than Kenseth, Newman is guaranteed a Chase spot with a finish of 18th or better; 19th and at least one lap led; or 20th and the most laps led.

Barring an awful night, Newman looks to be in good shape.

Greg Biffle controls his own destiny if there is a repeat winner. If there is a repeat 2014 winner -- or if Kenseth or Newman wins -- Biffle is guaranteed a spot in the Chase if he finishes 22nd or better; or 23rd with at least one lap led; or 24th and the most laps led. If there is a new winner other than Kenseth or Newman, Biffle needs to out-point Newman by 19 points and stay ahead of Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson.

Studs 'N' Duds: Which drivers heated up 'Hotlanta,' and who cooled off?

Bowyer and Larson are the only other two drivers who can race their way into the Chase on points. Bowyer is 23 points behind Biffle, while Larson is 24 back.

Drivers who can only make the Chase with a win at Richmond are: Paul Menard, Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers, Marcos Ambrose, Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Danica Patrick, Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett, David Gilliland, David Ragan and Cole Whitt.

Of those 15, only Stewart has won at Richmond before. In fact, Stewart has three victories here.

In the first 10 editions of the Chase, four times drivers have raced their way in at Richmond: Jeremy Mayfield in 2004, Newman in '05, Kahne in '06 and Vickers in '09. Jeff Gordon was added as a 13th driver last year, as well.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ar-chase-scenarios-heading-to-richmond-090314


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr's New Look #88 Chevy SS​*
Hendrick Motorsports and Nationwide Insurance unveiled the new livery for Dale Earnhardt Jr's No.88 Chevy SS. This is the paint scheme that Earnhardt Jr will drive in this Saturday's night Sprint CUP Series race at Richmond International Raceway and during the 2015 Sprint CUP Series season.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Nationwide Expands Sponsorship of Earnhardt Jr​*
Nationwide has expanded its three-year relationship with Hendrick Motorsports to become the majority sponsor of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Chevrolet team beginning with the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Nationwide, which in May announced it would join Hendrick Motorsports as a corporate partner, will increase its primary sponsorship of Earnhardt to 21 Sprint Cup events, including the Daytona 500, for each of the next three seasons. The revised agreement provides Nationwide with nine additional primary races in 2015 and eight additional primary races in both 2016 and 2017.

"We're thrilled to be deepening our partnership with the Hendrick Motorsports team," said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer at Nationwide. "We look forward to seeing Nationwide on the No. 88 for NASCAR's biggest races over the next three seasons."

Nationwide is making an early debut as Earnhardt's primary sponsor during this weekend's Sprint Cup event at Richmond International Raceway where it is previewing thecar's 2015 paint scheme.

"That Nationwide has already elected to grow the sponsorship sends a clear message about the opportunities they see and how well our teams are working together," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's quickly become a strong relationship, and we're committed to building on that foundation and delivering results in every facet of the program."

Earnhardt, 39, is a two-time Nationwide Series champion and has 22 career points-paying Sprint Cup victories. NASCAR's 11-time most popular driver, he has won three races in 2014, including his second career Daytona 500, and currently sits second in the standings. He recently clinched a fourth consecutive appearance in the championship-deciding Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which will begin following Richmond.

"I know the people at Nationwide extremely well and truly appreciate how invested they are in our team and our sport," said Earnhardt, whose family has been insured by Nationwide for more than 35 years and who has been featured in its national advertising since 2009. "It's extremely gratifying that they recognize so much value in the partnership and want to do more. Having this kind of support and seeing so many positive things happening around the team feels really good."

The following is a team statement from Hendrick Motorsports regarding its continuing relationship with the Army National Guard, current sponsor of Earnhardt Jr.

"Representing the National Guard and its Citizen Soldiers is an extraordinary honor and source of pride for our entire organization. Communication is ongoing with regard to the future of the sponsorship, which is contracted through the 2015 season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nds-Sponsorship-Of-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Car.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Recalls His Wild Flip​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had some wild rides in his racing career but one of his wildest happened not on a racetrack but a North Carolina highway on Christmas morning years ago.

Earnhardt Jr, who is debuting Nationwide Insurance as the sponsor of his car this weekend at Richmond, and his family have had Nationwide as its insurance provider for decades. Earnhardt shared a story Friday about a time the insurance came in handy.

"My favorite truck was the 88-S-10 that I had when I was 16,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "It was black and silver, two-door with the Tahoe package and a seek button on the radio, which was the cool part. I had that truck for two years. When I graduated high school, my dad thought it was a great idea to get me another truck. It was a full-size, extended cab, two-tone brown with no carpet. I thought it was a hideous vehicle. I thought it was a little bit of a hint that life is getting ready to get harder when you get out of school and this here is your work truck.

"So I didn't like that truck too much. I didn't treat it very well. I eventually traded it in once I thought I got what was a decent job. I traded it in and got a red extended cab 91 S-10. I financed it for five years, had $100 payment.

"I had it about three months and flipped it on Christmas morning driving to Mamaw's for a family reunion. There was a little snow off the road but not on the road. I had gotten a little Walkman CD player for my sister with a tape adapter and I was messing with that and drove (the truck) off the road and hit a driveway culvert and just flipped over six or seven times.

"It totaled the truck. Some people drove by and helped me out and I called my dad on their cell phone. He was at Mamaw's. I said, 'I flipped my truck, I need for you to come get me.' I wasn't about four miles from the farm on Highway 3, so he drove to the farm and got the rollback. When he got there, the state patrolman got there. Me and Dad loaded the truck up. Patrolman said, 'If you all are good, I'm good.' We took the truck home. I got some pretty good insurance on it and got me another truck.

"I don't think anything survived. Luckily, I didn't get hurt. It was a pretty nasty spill. Keep your eyes on the road.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/09/A-Wild-Ride-For-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Darlington, Bojangles' Extend Partnership Through 2019​*
Darlington Raceway and Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits have announced a five-year extension of their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race entitlement partnership.

Sponsorship of the Bojangles' Southern 500, which began in 2012, will continue to bring two iconic southern brands together through the 2019 season.

"This says a great deal about the strong year-round partnership Darlington Raceway and Bojangles' have enjoyed," said Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile. "Both Darlington Raceway and Bojangles' continue to see tremendous value through this partnership. We're honored to extend our working relationship with them through the 2019 season."

"Like Darlington, Bojangles' has deep roots in the South and prides (itself) on a tradition of bringing people together, especially over Labor Day Weekend," said Bojangles' President and CEO Clifton Rutledge. "We look forward to helping create an unforgettable experience for years to come, an experience where the taste of Bojangles' traditional southern recipes serves as the perfect complement to the sights and sounds of the legendary 'Lady in Black'. We thank Darlington Raceway, ISC (International Speedway Corporation) and NASCAR for making this possible."

It was recently announced that the Bojangles' Southern 500 is returning to its traditional Labor Day weekend spot on the NASCAR schedule in 2015. Next year's race date will be Sunday, Sept. 6.

"Our Labor Day weekend race was a cornerstone of the NASCAR schedule for 53 years," Wile said. "With our event returning to our historic weekend in 2015, we have some exciting things in store that celebrate our past while continuing to look toward the future. We're proud of what we have built with Bojangles'."

Since the original agreement in 2012, Bojangles' has opened more than 100 company and franchise-operated restaurants throughout the southeastern United States and now has more than 600 locations.

The company's menu items will be served at Darlington Raceway and three other ISC-owned tracks: Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Richmond International Raceway.

Darlington Raceway and Bojangles' have enjoyed a year-round partnership which has touched a variety of community initiatives that both entities support including the Darlington Marathon, coming up on Sept. 26-27; the track's Speed & Feed BBQ Cook-Off and Car Show, held annually in November; the Bojangles' Golf Outing benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association; along with donated items to Darlington-area food banks.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ojangles-Extend-Partnership-Through-2019.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pressure Builds for Those Seeking Chase Spot​*
Clint Bowyer can't afford to look back to last week or even last year. The focus is on Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway, his final chance to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

As Bowyer enters the Federated Auto Parts 400, he arrives as a former track winner, but the memory for some is of his spin late in last year's race. That triggered a series of events that resulted in NASCAR penalizing Michael Waltrip Racing and adding Jeff Gordon to the Chase.

"You never want to create a storm in any sport or for anybody,'' Bowyer said Friday. "Any of your peers, your friends, your family, anybody. Hell, for yourself. Do you think I wanted to be in the middle of all of that mess?''

He faces a different predicament this weekend. He fell out of a transfer spot to the Chase after his gear shifter broke during last week's Atlanta race and he finished 38th.

"Desperation has definitely settled in,'' Bowyer said. "You have to go out there and race as hard as you can. The good news is our hot rod is pretty fast. When we started here in practice, I was out of control and the car was way off and I was thinking that we're not even going to have a fighting chance at this.

"There was a little bit of new life after first practice and then what I saw in qualifying trim ... this is the first time in a long time that we've had some good speed out of the race car. Pretty optimistic about running well.''

To make the Chase, Bowyer either has to win or be ahead of Ryan Newman or Greg Biffle in points after the race. Bowyer trails Newman by 42 points and Biffle by 23 points. The most a driver can make on another in the race is 47 points.

This is a familiar position for Newman, who nearly laughs at his situation.

"The irony to me is that it seems like that no matter what the format is, I still end up being that guy that is either in or out of the bubble,'' Newman said Friday. "If you moved the championship points system around in different years, I would have been really good a couple of years.''

Greg Biffle holds the final transfer spot. While Richmond is not his best track - one top-10 finish in his last 15 starts there - he feels confident heading into Saturday's race.

"These last five weeks have really turned our season around and put us in position to be in the Chase,'' said Biffle, who has scored five consecutive top-10 finishes.

"I think we've proved the last five weeks how far we have come. I would love to win this race, but I would rather win at Chicago or Loudon or Dover and already be in the Chase and accumulate wins toward the championship. It is pretty simple mathematics for us. We've got a good car, probably the best car I have had in the last two or three years here which is a great confidence builder for us.''

The pressure that they feel is something Kasey Kahne experienced - until winning last weekend at Atlanta to secure a Chase spot.

"I feel like about a month ago, I started feeling (pressure) a little bit more,'' Kahne said. "It was a huge relief (to make the Chase).''

While Bowyer feels the pressure, he tries to put it in perspective.

"Obviously, being a part of that Chase or not being a part of that Chase is one of the biggest things in my life, but there's at least three more years that you're going to have to put up with me in this sport and this isn't the last,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/09/Pressure-Builds-At-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Almirola Adds Nationwide Races​*
Aric Almirola will pilot the Biagi-DenBeste No. 98 Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series races at Chicagoland Speedway Sept. 13 and Dover International Speedway Sept. 27.
Smithfield will adorn the No. 98 Ford Mustang for both events. As Almirola and the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Sprint Cup Series team competes for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Almirola hopes the extra track time will prove beneficial for the Sprint Cup Series races at both tracks and propel the team through the first round to advance into the Contender round.

Almirola, who scored his first Sprint Cup Series win earlier this year and qualified for his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, is no stranger to the Nationwide Series with 74 starts in the series and found success at both tracks. In his three starts at Chicagoland Speedway, he scored two fourth-place finishes. He also has three starts at Dover International Speedway where he tallied three top-15 finishes and a best finish of ninth in the Sprint Cup Series, along with a Truck Series win in 2010.

"I'm excited to return to the Nationwide Series at Chicago and Dover," said Almirola. "Our team is really focused on getting to the Contender round in the Chase, and I think running the Nationwide races for two of the three race in the first round will really help us. To have Smithfield, Medallion Financial, Opus Global and Petty's Garage step up and let us race those weekends is really special. We'll be there to learn as much as we can for the Cup races, but I also want to win. Win for the Biagi-DenBeste team and for myself. I'm just grateful for the opportunity and can't wait to compete at Chicago and Dover."

"We're happy to have Aric come on board for two races this year," said Fred Biagi Co-Owner of Biagi-DenBeste Racing. "We've run nine races so far this year with various drivers and scored a season-best finish of fourth. We are pleased to add Aric to the list of drivers of the No. 98 this year and hope that with his experience in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series we continue the trend of Top-Five finishes."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ric-Almirola-To-Run-Two-Nationwide-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Teammates at the Top​*
JR Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Regan Smith are beginning to pull away from the rest of the field in the Nationwide Series championship race.

Elliott has a 15-point advantage over Smith heading into Friday night's Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. But the rest of the top five is losing ground behind the two front-runners.

Ty Dillon is now 35 points behind Elliott with Elliott Sadler 48 out and Brian Scott trailing by 54. But with more than two months of racing left on the 2014 calendar, neither of the top two is paying too much attention to the point standings just yet.

The matter at hand is the .75-mile Richmond oval. Universally lauded among drivers as one of the best facilities on the circuit, it hasn't taken long for Elliott to take a liking to the track in this, his rookie season.

"It's a racetrack with a lot of character," said Elliott, who finished second to teammate Kevin Harvick at Richmond back in April. "The races there always are a good show for the fans. The track is short, abrasive and quick.

"Richmond hasn't been paved in quite some time, so that allows us to have some fun out there. It's when you repave a track surface that takes away from the side-by-side racing that fans want to see. I love short-track racing under the lights. I've been looking forward to this one for a long time."

Although Elliott was forced to watch the back bumper of Harvick most of the night in the spring, including him taking the checkered flag, the experience didn't dampen his enthusiasm for a return trip.

"Knowing how well we ran in April, and how our team left with some really good race notes, has me optimistic for our return," Elliott said.

Smith shares that optimism and with good reason. His history at Richmond is stellar during his JR Motorsports career with two top fives and three top-10 finishes in five starts.

"Anytime you run well at a racetrack, you look forward to going back," admitted Smith. "That's the case with Richmond. We have a great opportunity to gain some points on the competition."

As for the championship run, with nine races to go Smith understands that the clock is ticking ... even if there are still lots of laps to be run. He also sees the steady season Elliott has going and the difficulty in trying to catch him for the title.

"We're going to have to be on our game to run with our teammate in the '9,' " said Smith. "Those guys are strong every week. Still, I have a lot of confidence in our group and we're up to the challenge. This very well could be a championship battle that goes all the way down to the last race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/09/Teammates-at-the-Top.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Wins Richmond Pole​*
Brad Keselowski scored his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole at Richmond International Raceway on Friday. It also marked his fourth pole of the season and 11th front-row starting spot this year.

"It's a great start to the wekeend but still got a long ways to go,'' Keselowski said after his seventh career pole. "We worked a lot on our car. I can really say I'm excited and I feel like we have a shot to win.''

Jeff Gordon will start next to Keselowski when the green flag waves Saturday night for the Federated Auto Parts 400. Gordon's effort is his fourth front-row starting spot in the last five races - the only blip a ninth-place starting spot last week at Atlanta.

"Brad put down a really good lap,'' Gordon said. "You've got to give credit to those guys. My teams did an awesome job. It was tough conditions. To be up here on the front row, that's certainly a great effort. The car wasbetter than the driver was today. Jimmie Johnson qualified third with Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano completing the top five.

Clint Bowyer, who is fighting for one of the two Chase spots, qualified sixth. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who needs to win to make the Chase, is seventh, with Kyle Larson, also battling for a Chase spot, is eighth. Ryan Newman, who holds one of the final two transfer spots to the Chase for the Sprint Cup, starts 12th. Greg Biffle, who holds the final transfer spot forthe Chase, starts 17th.

Danica Patrick will start 13th. She had never started better than 30th at Richmond in a Cup car. She was bumped out of the top 12 in the first round late and made a run as time expired but it wasn't fast enough to advance to the final round.

David Ragan will start 42nd after his car never passed inspection before the 30-minute first round ended.

"I looked forward to qualifying,'' Ragan said. "For whatever reason, things couldn't get lined up over the NASCAR scales.''

Clay Rogers failed to qualify.

*Qualifying Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...erated-Auto-Parts-400-Qualifying-Results.aspx

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/09/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-Richmond-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Crushes Field at Richmond​*
It was an historic whipping.

Drivers had led every lap to win Nationwide races in the past but those races were never more than 200 laps. Friday night, Kyle Busch led all 250 laps to win the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

"You never really think you're going to be that good,'' Busch said.

It marked the second time Busch has led every lap in a Nationwide race. He first did it in Feb. 2011 at Phoenix International Raceway.

"I think (Busch's team) got better from this spring,'' said runner-up Chase Elliott. "Now it's up to us to get better."

NASCAR announced after the race that it was taking the rear gear from Busch's car back to the R&D Center for further evaluation.

Kevin Harvick placed third. He and Elliott challenged Busch on restarts in the second half of the race but couldn't pass Busch.

"Those restarts got a little tricky,'' Busch said after his fifth Nationwide win at Richmond. "They made it interesting."

Busch's car was faster for at least the first part of a run. Then Harvick would begin to close.

"It took about 30 laps,'' Harvick said of when he could begin to catch Busch. "Just didn't have a chance after the last caution came out. I think we would have caught him if the caution doesn't come out.''

Busch pulled away on a restart with less than 20 laps to go and cruised to his series-high fourth win of the season and 67th of his Nationwide career.

Elliott extended his points lead to 19 on teammate Regan Smith, who placed sixth. Elliott's advantage on Smith ties the largest gap this year between first and second in the points. Ty Dillon is third in the season standings, 42 points behind Elliott.

Ryan Blaney placed fourth with Brian Scott fifth. After Smith was Dakoda Armstrong, Elliott Sadler, Dillon and Chris Buescher.

"We were looking for grip all night and just didn't really quite have what (Busch) had,'' said Blaney, who has placed in the top 10 in all 10 career short-track starts in the series. "I thought in the beginning we were okay but the track went away from us a little bit there.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../09/Kyle-Busch-Crushes-Field-At-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Grabs No. 1 Seed​*
Brad Keselowski secured the number one seed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a dominating fourth win of the season in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Keselowski was basically unstoppable Saturday night leading 383 laps including the last 274 circuits on his way to a 14th career Sprint Cup Series win.

"What a night," said Keselowski. "Part of me, I pulled into victory lane and I pinched myself once to make sure I wasn't dreaming. These are nights you don't forget as a driver and you live for. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion was just flying, and this is I'm couldn't ask for a better way to enter the Chase than to win and take the first seed. We're ready. We want to run for another Cup. We really feel like this team has it."

Jeff Gordon finished second, Clint Bowyer third, Jamie McMurray fourth and Kevin Harvick fifth.

Bowyer had a solid night but was not able to race his way into the Chase field.

"You know, it's definitely frustrating not making that Chase, but like I said, when you do make the Chase, you want it to be for a championship, not just ride around in it," said a disappointed Bowyer.

Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Aric Almirola completed the first 10 finishers.

Newman's finish and Greg Biffle's 19th-place run were good enough to take the final two spots in the 16 driver field that will run for this year's Sprint Cup Series championship.

After the race Johnson was helped from his car and taken to the infield care center where he was treated for extreme dehydration.

The race was slowed by one bizarre caution flag late in the race when a fan climbed to the top of the catch fence heading into the first turn. He was apprehended and escorted off the premises by security.

The first race of the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins next Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway with the MyAFibStory.com 400.

*How Keselowski won:* He started from the pole and despite Kevin Harvick leading a handful of laps Keselowski's fate was never in doubt. He was in command once he got back in front and never looked back on his way to victory number four of the year and the top spot in the Chase.

*What else happened:* Not much. The race didn't include any of the side-by-side racing or contact that is expected in short track racing and the last race of the regular season. Keselowski's domination coupled with many drivers trying to figure out Goodyear's tire compound that was used this weekend added up to an overall quiet night.

*Who else had a good day:* Definitely Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle, who both locked up the final two spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field of 16 drivers. Neither driver had a particularly eventful night but was good enough to secure their place in the playoffs.

*Who had a bad day:* Clint Bowyer drove hard but came up short trying to get inside the first 16 and secure a Chase spot but although he finished third was not able to unseat Biffle for the last spot&#8230;.Jamie McMurray had to win to get into the Chase and had a solid night but fifth place was the best the Chip Ganassi Racing driver could deliver&#8230;Matt Kenseth made contact with the wall early in the race and limped to a 41st place finish.

*Quote of the night: *"We still have some hiccups on pit road that aren't very good that we have to address. I don't know what our plans our on that," Kevin Harvick.

*Notables:* Kurt Busch kept his recent streak of solid performances going with a seventh place effort&#8230;.Aric Almirola set himself up for his first Chase appearance with a tenth-place run&#8230;..Tony Stewart's second race back in the series ended up in a 15th place finish.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-At-Richmond.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Crazy Shirtless Fan Causes Caution​*
A shirtless man and presumably drunk man climbed the catch fence during Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint CUP Series race at Richmond International Raceway, causing NASCAR to wave the yellow flag so security officials could get the man down.

the unidentified fan was arrested by Henrico County police and charged with disorderly conduct.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Biffle Secures Final Chase Spot​*
It wasn't easy but when the race ended, Greg Biffle secured the final spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"I'll tell you what,'' Biffle said after finishing 19th, "when you're that far off, it's the hardest thing to drive. It's the toughest thing I've ever had to do in my life.

"At the beginning of the race, we were a lot better than we were at the end. We kept losing the handle and kept trying to adjust on it. We weren't getting anywhere. I just drove all I had ... to bring it home where I did.''

Biffle spent much of the second half of the race trying to stay in the top 20 and keep his spot in the Chase.

Said Biffle's teammate, Carl Edwards: "I know Greg ... said that was the toughest thing he's ever done and I'm telling you it had to be because we were struggling. We just missed the setup.''

Biffle beat Bowyer for the last Chase spot by seven points. Biffle, who has struggled throughout the season, can look at the five consecutive top-10 finishes he scored before Saturday's race at Richmond with giving him a chance to make the Chase.

Ryan Newman didn't have it as challenging as Biffle in making the Chase in his first season at Richard Childress Racing.

"We've shown a lot of consistency, and I think that can pay off at times with the exception of Homestead,'' Newman said after finishing ninth. "So if we make it that far, we'll hopefully have some improvements and a little bit of everything.

"The guys are doing a good job of having better pit stops. ECR is doing a much better job on the engine side. Everybody has stepped up, and it's time to step up even more now.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...le-And-Ryan-Newman-Hold-On-To-Make-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer, Others Fail to Make Chase​*
Five laps from the finish of Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway, Clint Bowyer asked his team on the radio if he was going to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

There was no response.

The answer became evident when the checkered flag waved. Bowyer would not be in the Chase. Bowyer finished seven points behind Greg Biffle for the final transfer spot.

Entering the the race both Ryan Newman and Biffle held the final two transfer spots. They kept those spots, as Bowyer, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray and others could not win or score enough points to surpass either.

"I didn't have anything for them,'' Bowyer said on the radio to his team after finishing third to winner Brad Keselowski and runner-up Jeff Gordon.

"You did all you could,'' crew chief Brian Pattie said.

Bowyer's woes were not new Saturday.

"That's kind of been everybody's problem this year (Keselowski and Gordon) seem to have the ball rolling for sure,'' Bowyer said.

"It's not over. Ten races left ... we need a win. If we keep running like we did tonight, we'll get it.''

But Bowyer also understands work remains for his team.

"If you make the Chase you want to compete for a championship,'' he said. "Truth be told, we're not there right now.''

The challenge for Bowyer, though, was that for as good as his car was, he struggled with the front end and couldn't challenge the top two drivers on a night when he needed to do so.

Unable to score a win and earn a Chase spot, Bowyer needed Biffle to have a poor night. While Biffle struggled, his 19th-place finish was enough to keep Bowyer out of the Chase.

Larson entered the race a point behind Bowyer but couldn't mount a strong enough challenge to earn a Chase spot.

Larson struggled with his car's handling throughout.

"Terrible,'' Larson said on the radio to his team about 100 laps into the race. "I'm pretty tight in the center and then I snap loose on exit. I guess we went the wrong way (on changes).''

The car got better. He went from 12th to eighth shortly after a restart before he lost the handling and began losing positions. From there, he spent much of the night trying to crack the top 10. He finished 11th.

McMurray, Larson's teammate, needed to win to make the Chase and worked his way toward the front, running fourth with less than 100 laps to go but he could not climb any higher and placed fourth.

"We had a fast car,'' McMurray said. "Had a good night. I thought there were times when we maybe had a chance to get up and contend for the win, but after the third or fourth stop we just weren't able to make the car better.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...er-And-Others-Cannot-Race-Way-Into-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Suffers Dehydration​*
Jimmie Johnson was treated for dehydration after Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver was helped from his car after finishing eighth in the 400-lap race and laid down while his crew handed him fluids and wet towels.

Medical attention was called for and crew members picked up a weak Johnson after he fell backwards. Johnson was then taken to the track's infield care center where NASCAR announced he was treated for dehydration.

"Just got dehydrated in the car," Johnson explained. "Not exactly sure what led to it we will have to dig in and see what happened. I started cramping when I got out of the race car. Then when I was cramping I was trying to stand-up because I was fine when I sat down then I would stand-up I would get dizzy. When I would sit back down I would start to cramp again. Just really dehydrated. Ended up with five liters of IV in me. I was definitely dry."

Johnson said he has been feeling fine all week and didn't have any signs of illness going into the race.

"No, I haven't been sick," he said. "I had a light week of training as well because I had planned on competing in my triathlon tomorrow morning. Well rested, nutrition and all that was there. It is really bizarre that I got hit as hard as I did tonight with dehydration. I will have to dig in and see what happened."

The race was held in hot and humid conditions on Saturday night.

"I know there were a couple times when I felt like I was cramping a little bit as well," said Jeff Gordon. "They were long green-flag runs and it's really hard to do (stay hydrated)."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/09/Jimmie-Johnson-Suffers-Dehydration.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Focused on Second Title​*
Brad Keselowski will always carry the title of champion and it likely will be enough for him to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame someday, but has he truly had a Hall of Fame career so far?

Keselowski noted earlier this year that he does not have any "marquee race wins'' among his 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup victories. There's no Daytona 500. No Southern 500. No Coca-Cola 600. No Brickyard 400.

The son of a racer, Keselowski has seen both sides of the sport from Victory Lane to his family's team going bankrupt. Even though he's only 30 years old and should have plenty of time to collect more trophies, he knows the sport's fickleness. Don't wait to get what can be taken now could be his motto.

That's why his 2012 championship means so much, why it hurt him that he failed to make last year's Chase for the Sprint Cup aand why it's so important to be back in it - and as the No. 1 seed.

"I think last year was a bit of a kick in the butt,'' Keselowski said Saturday night after his win at Richmond. "It's not what you want, but it was enough to really push you and find another level. We did a great job in 2012, but in the sports world you have to keep progressing and everyone else progressed and we didn't.''

It's led Keselowski to repeatedly note that he's "committed" to winning a second Cup title and become the 16th driver in series history to win multiple crowns.

Keselowski, crew chief Paul Wolfe and their team rebounded to win a series-high four races this year. They've been fast throughout the year but haven't always turned that into more wins. The challenge has been stringing together strong finishes. He's not scored more than four consecutive top-10 finishes this season. Jimmie Johnson has had seven consecutive top 10s this season, and Keselowski's teammate, Joey Logano, has scored five top 10s in a row.

"There's been some races over the summer months where I feel like we didn't put all the pieces together,'' Wolfe said. "We had some other dominating performances, but we had races where we felt like we had a shot to win and we made mistakes or didn't put all the pieces together right.

"Last week I told Brad ... it was going to be important that we have the speed in our cars, but we have to be able to execute.''

In Keselowski's favor is that the Chase's second race is at New Hampshire. He led a race-high 138 laps in his win in July, which came a day after he won the Nationwide race. HIs Richmond win portends the likelihood that he'll be strong again at New Hampshire. With a victory advancing a driver to the next round, that could be an easy way to move on.

Keselowski knows past success won't guarantee future performances.

"It seems like everybody seems to find another level when it comes time for the Chase,'' he said. "There could be somebody out there sleeping. I think the Gibbs cars have been performing really well, at least at Atlanta and the weeks prior to that. They could certainly be an issue and a threat as well.''

Against Keselowski could be history. No top seed entering the Chase has won the championship since Johnson in 2007. Three times the No. 1 seed has finished second, including last year when Matt Kenseth lost the title to Johnson by 19 points.

Car owner Roger Penske doesn't worry about history. He likes what he sees now.

"He's been outstanding,'' Penske said of Keselowski. "I give him a lot of credit because he's pushing the team, he's pushing Paul. He and Joey together, they're working each other, trying to find the speed in the cars.''

And trying to find a championship. For Keselowski, it would further validate his standing in the sport.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...elowski-Ready-For-Chance-At-Second-Title.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Drivers Coming to City Near You​*
Before they race, the 16 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will span the country - and beyond - Wednesday taking part in media activities to promote the Chase.

The Chase drivers will go to all 10 Chase track markets and six other locations. This marks the first time that NASCAR has taken Chase drivers outside the United States with visits to Toronto (Jeff Gordon) and Mexico City (Carl Edwards).

A few drivers will be on TV on Wednesday. Here is that schedule:

Kevin Harvick will be at ESPN and on SportsCenter between 9:35-9:55 a.m. ET, 11:35-11:55 am ET and 1:40-1:55 pm ET. Also scheduled to be on ESPN's SportsCenter from other locations are Kyle Busch (2:40 p.m. ET), and Jeff Gordon (5:40 pm ET).

Jimmie Johnson will on a variety of shows in New York City. He'll be on "The Today Show'' at 8:30 a.m. ET, "Live with Kelly and Michael'' at 9:30 a.m. ET, CNBC's "Power Lunch'' at 1:30 pm. ET and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' at 11:30 p.m. ET

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will go to Los Angeles and be on "Jimmy Kimmel Live'' at 11:30 p.m. ET.

You can follow each driver on Twitter throughout the day using #NASCAR and #MyChaseNation .

*Here's a list of what cities or track markets drivers are going:*

Los Angeles - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Mexico City - Carl Edwards

San Antonio - Kurt Busch

Toronto - Jeff Gordon

New York City - Jimmie Johnson

ESPN - Kevin Harvick

Chicago - Kyle Busch

New Hampshire - Kasey Kahne

Dover - Greg Biffle

Kansas - AJ Allmendinger

Charlotte - Brad Keselowski

Talladega - Joey Logano

Martinsville - Ryan Newman

Texas - Matt Kenseth

Phoenix - Denny Hamlin

Homestead-Miami - Aric Almirola

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Travel-The-Country-And-Beyond-Wednesday.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*16 Dreams, 1 Trophy​*
Sixteen drivers. Ten tracks. One champion. The revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup features a new way of crowning the champion and several questions about the coming race for the title.

Here's a look at 16 key story lines for the Chase.

*1. One Last Time ...*

This marks the final Chase for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Steve Letarte, and the combination of Carl Edwards and crew chief Jimmy Fennig.

Letarte moves to NBC Sports after this season. Fennig is expected to move into a new position at Roush Fenway Racing with Edwards going to Joe Gibbs Racing next season.

Letarte and Earnhardt have combined to win three races this season, including the Daytona 500. Edwards and Fennig have won twice this season.

With as strong as Earnhardt has been this season, many are expecting him to be among the four drivers racing for the championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Last year and the year before when we went into the Chase, I thought our performance really improved,'' Earnhardt said. "I'm hoping we can do the same thing this year, and hopefully that will be enough to get the job done.''

*2. Double-A *

That would be as in Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger. Both are marking their first appearance in the Chase. Almirola earned his spot with a victory at Daytona in July. Allmendinger's win at Watkins Glen in August made him a title contender.

Both are with smaller teams - Allmendinger is with the only single-car operation to make the Chase - so expectations might not be as high as for others. Could Almirola or Allmendinger be the Cinderella of this Chase? If not, the experience could help both teams return to the Chase next year.

*3. Better Than Third?*

Three times in the last four years Kevin Harvick has placed third in the points. If he does it again, it will mean he made it all the way to the championship battle at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He's had one of the fastest cars - if not the fastest - most of the season. The question has been the team. Mistakes and mechanical issues have slowed this group at times. Although he's won twice, it's easy to look back and think about several other races he could have won but didn't. Will that continue in the Chase, or will this team reach its potential and claim a title?

*4. No Better Than Fourth*

For all the talent Kyle Busch has and all the resources Joe Gibbs Racing has, the two have not combined to finish better than fourth at the end of the season. That came last year and saw a key turning point for Busch.

He acknowledged last year that he had not been as strong mentally in the Chase in previous seasons.

Busch faces a couple of key challenges this season. He and his team have been off the latter part of the season and the frustration level has increased. Can the team get through this?

Also, can Busch get past his demons at Kansas Speedway? He has one top-10 finish in his last 11 starts there. He has more finishes of 30th or worse (five) than he has top-10 finishes there (two) in his Cup career.

*5. Sweet Home Chicago*

While Sprint Cup drivers vacationed on an off weekend in late July, Kasey Kahne was the only Chase competitor to participate in the Nationwide race at Chicagoland Speedway. Even though several Cup teams recently tested at the track, the race experience could help Kahne.

"I felt like we had a really good time and learned a lot about the track and the tire,'' Kahne said. "Hopefully we can use some of that to help us when we get there. Chicago is a cool track, and I like a lot. There will be lots of racing going on; you can move around a lot. It's all about momentum and where you're at. Right now I feel like we have momentum as a team and hopefully we can ... take it with us to Chicago."

*6. Under The Radar?*

The question was posed to Ryan Newman last weekend at Richmond about not being in the forefront of all the title talk since has not won a race this season.

Newman's response?

"It's all depends how well defined your radar is,'' he said. "We have been fairly consistent. Your radar or somebody else's might be different. The guys have been doing a really good job of providing the good cars that are holding together, and that keeps us in that position.

"We've had issues like every other team, whether it's a tire problem or a pit stop of something like that, but we've kept ourselves in contention. This has been a great opportunity for us.''

*7. #Se7en*

It's the hashtag Jimmie Johnson has used this season on Twitter. Just think about this ... in a little more than two months, he could tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven career Cup titles.

"I don't think I'll feel the pressure to try to tie our two greats in our sport until it's right there in front of me,'' Johnson said. "Right now, it's just the championship. If I get to Homestead and have a chance and I'm one of the four, as much as I want to push that out of my mind that I'm racing for history, it will be there and I won't be able to hide from it at that point."

*8. A Different Mindset*

A year ago, Matt Kenseth entered the Chase for the Sprint Cup with five victories - he would go on to win twice more before finishing second in the points to Jimmie Johnson.

This year, Kenseth is winless.

While he's shown signs of gaining speed and having a chance to win, Kenseth admits his mindset is different from last year.

"I think about (the Chase) a little differently because last year we went into the Chase and had a lot of confidence that as long as we had even luck I felt like we could really outrun everybody or be right next to outrunning everybody," Kenseth said at Richmond. "At the end of the day, it wasn't true because we got outrun by (Johnson). We got beat on performance. We didn't get beat on bad luck necessarily.

"This year I don't feel like that right now. We haven't had the speed the first 25 weeks to outrun everybody even on our best days. We've been in position to win a few races if cautions would have not came out or things would have fell our way or whatever. We put ourselves in that spot a few times, but we haven't been nearly as strong as we were last year at this time. I guess you don't really change your approach, you go out and race as hard as you can and try to finish the best you can and do all that stuff. I realize where we're at today we need to not have any problems and we need to be perfect.''

*9. Not To Be Forgotten*

There are five former champions in this year's field. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski come to mind quickly because they've won so much this season. Matt Kenseth is another former champion who might be quickly recalled because there's been a lot of talk about him not winning this year.

But don't forget about Kurt Busch, a former champion. His Martinsville win in the spring earned his Chase spot. While this has not been a strong year - remember he's working with a first-year crew chief in Daniel Knost and a new team - this isn't a team to be ignored.

"I'm glad we had the summer months to run through, and once we got to the first Pocono, it seemed like we were rolling after that, great, strong top fives,'' Busch said. "I wrecked the car at Michigan going for the win a few weeks back, but if we would've run that race out, finished top five, that would've been three top fives in a row. That's what it takes to be a championship‑contending team.''

*Scroll down to see the rest of the article.*​


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## Ckg2011

*10. A Possible Surprise?*

Denny Hamlin and others in the Toyota camp have talked about how other teams have more power. Even so, Hamlin has shown well on the bigger tracks lately, placing third at Atlanta (1.5-mile track), seventh at Michigan (2-mile), ninth at Pocono (2.5-mile) and third at Indianapolis (2.5-mile).

Might he be a sleeper in this Chase?

"Our strength is on pit road, our strength is in our mechanics and our drivers and team members," Hamlin said. "I think all the pieces of the puzzle are together as far as personnel is concerned. It's uncharacteristic to see Kyle (Busch), myself and Matt (Kenseth) running average like we are. It just means we have to get faster. That is the piece of the puzzle that we're missing is we need a little faster cars."

*11. Eleven Front-Row Starts*

Yes, it's not where you start but where you finish, but a good starting spot still can play a key role in one's result.

Brad Keselowski has started on the front row in 11 of the season's first 26 races. That's put him in a position to be considered among the title favorites. Two of his three wins this season came after he started on the front row. Four of his seven career poles have come this year

So, what's changed with his qualifying effort? A fast car helps but there's more.

"The format is certainly helpful,'' Keselowski said. "It certainly feels more representative of what it takes to be successful in a race week on the race track and in a race pace than what it was in the past, where it seemed to be more of a, 'Hey, just go out there and banzai it and if the car is good, it's good and it sticks and if it is not, you don't.' I think with this format you have to be much more calculated, you have to think ahead a lot more and you're rewarded for that.''

*12. The Right Time?*

It's easy to forget that Jeff Gordon was 24 years old when he won his first Cup title in 1995.

Joey Logano could match that.

Logano is 24 as he enters this Chase. He does so with the best chance of his young career after scoring three wins this season for Team Penske. He also carries momentum. Logano has scored six top-10 finishes in his last seven races, including a win at Bristol.

"We are ready to go,'' Logano said after the Richmond race.

*13. A Long Drought*

Jeff Gordon's last championship came in 2001. Thirteen years later, he's considered among the favorites to win this year's title. His team has improved this summer, scoring wins at Indianapolis and Michigan. He's coming off a second-place finish at Richmond. That won't necessarily help him for tracks in the Chase, but he's talked lately about building momentum for the final 10 races of the season and how important he believes it can be.

Might his Richmond finish and recent wins help push him toward a fifth career title? Maybe this is Gordon's year.

*14. Penske Vs. Hendrick*

For all the uncertainty about this Chase, might it come down to what we've seen this year? Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports have combined to win 17 of the first 26 races of the season (65.4 percent).

Those teams have combined to win the last four races - Jeff Gordon at Michigan, Joey Logano at Bristol, Kasey Kahne at Atlanta and Brad Keselowski at Richmond.

Also, Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports have combined to win at five of the eight tracks that will host Chase races: Logano won at Texas, Gordon won at Kansas, Keselowski won at New Hampshire and Jimmie Johnson won at Charlotte and Dover.

*15. Talladega*

Perhaps the most anticipated race in the Chase before the season finale at Homestead, which will determine the champion.

Talladega Superspeedway hosts the final race in the Contender Round and will play a key role in whittling the Chase field from 12 to eight drivers. With the chances of getting caught in someone else's accident, one mistake could dramatically alter the standings and determine who advances and who does not.

*16. Last But Not Least*

Greg Biffle earned the final Chase spot after placing 19th at Richmond. The team has struggled much of the season but scored five consecutive top-10 finishes before Richmond. The key in the Chase is the same as they say about the NCAA Tournament - survive and advance. If Biffle's team does that, who knows how far it can go?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/09/Sixteen-Chase-Story-Lines.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint CUP Championship Trophy​*
*2014 Chase For The Sprint CUP​*
Sunday will kick off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Chase For The Sprint CUP. 16 drivers will compete in 10 races with 4 elimination rounds after every third race the bottom 4 drivers will be eliminated.

*1. Chicagoland Speedway: 
2. New Hampshire Speedway: 
3. Dover International Speedway:* *First Elimination Round*

*Bottom four drivers 13th through 16th eliminated.*

*4. Kansas Speedway:
5. Charlotte Motor Speedway:
6. Talladega Superspeedway:* *Second Elimination Round.*

*Next Bottom 4 driver eliminated 12th through 9th.*

*7. Martinsville Speedway: 
8. Texas Motor Speedway:
9. Phoenix International Raceway:* *Third Elimination Round*

*Next Bottom 4 drivers eliminated 8th through 5th.*

*10. Homestead Miami Speedway:* *Championship Round.*

*The 4 drivers left will race head to head at Homestead/Miami Speedway in a winner take all for the Championship. Which ever driver finishes in front of the other three will win the Championship regardless if the driver wins the race.*

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Team Discovers Why Johnson Was Dehydrated​*
Defending champion Jimmie Johnson says his team found "an issue'' with the cooling system for his helmet and that caused him to become dehydrated last weekend at Richmond.

After finishing eighth, Johnson began to suffer cramps after exiting the car. When he sat, he began to cramp. When he stood, he got dizzy. Eventually, he was placed on the ground and then taken by cart to the infield care center where he received five liters of IV.

Johnson said his team discovered the cooling system was blowing warm air into his helmet.

"It's nice to have a good idea as to what went wrong and why I got so hot in the race car,'' Johnson said Tuesday. "It's a newer system that we've implemented, so we're just going back to our old faithful system that's worked for years and years. We should have the problem rectified.

"I'm always looking at different ways to adjust my routine and nutrition going into a race and coming out of a race. I really felt like everything was in line (at Richmond) and still do after reviewing everything. Now after finding the helmet cooling issue, I'm confident in my plan going into races. We found the issue.''

Johnson said he's ready to begin the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He'll take part in media activities Wednesday in New York City with appearances on several TV shows, including "The Today Show" and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.''

"I feel much better,'' Johnson said. "I attended the triathlon that my foundation put on Sunday morning and then headed down to Charleston for a buddy's wedding.

"I'm excited to get started with the Chase and head to New York to do all the appearances that I have up there and make my way to Chicagoland for more appearances and media on Thursday. I'm hoping to get started this weekend in Chicago with a win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...on-Says-Team-Found-Why-He-Was-Dehydrated.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick, Stewart Switch Pit Crews​*
Long frustrated with his pit crew this season, Kevin Harvick will get a new, championship-winning unit, Stewart-Haas Racing announced Tuesday.

Tony Stewart's pit crew - which helped him win the 2011 title - will service Harvick's team beginning this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The group that serviced Harvick's team moves to Stewart's car.

"It really comes down to just what was the best shot for winning the championship for the company'' crew chief Rodney Childers told Motor Racing Network.

The move comes after Harvick voiced displeasure about his pit crew last weekend at Richmond International Raceway, saying "I can't fix them, but it's probably the biggest thing that we have to fix in order to contend for the championship.''

Instead of a group that was brought together this season, Harvick gets a unit that understands the pressure running for the championship.

"I feel bad in many ways,'' Childers said of Harvick's former pit crew, "that a lot of the public seems to always think they do a bad job. A lot of times it's a call that I've made or something on the car or lug nuts falling off or something like that. Our '4' team has done a good job this quarter. They actually have a little better average this quarter than the '14' guys do. All in all, it comes down to the experience and consistency.''

Harvick's new pit crew features front tire changer Ira Jo Hussey, front tire carrier Todd Drakulich, rear tire changer Daniel Smith, rear tire carrier Mike Morneau and jackman Mike Casto. Harvick's gasman, Anthony Cardamone, remains.

The biggest challenge, Childers said, will come with those behind the wall who help the pit crew.

"It really comes down to the behind-the-wall help, the guys that roll the tires and catch the tires and pull the hoses,'' Childers said. "All those smaller things make a big difference in what's going on. That's the stuff that has to get practiced this week. They practiced earlier (Tuesday) and did a really good job.''

Another area that could be an issue is a new pit crew having to adjust to how Harvick enters his pit stall. Not every driver enters their box the same way and any delay could cost positions on the track.

"I think it's something they won't struggle with,'' Childers said told Motor Racing Network. "Kevin has always been good about getting into the box. He doesn't come in there with all four wheels sliding. He comes in there fairly easy, nice and straight.

"One thing that can really mess the pit crews up is if it looks like he's getting ready to stop and then, all of a sudden, he lets off the brake pedal and rolls forward about 3 more feet and the jackman has to completely reset and the (tire) changers have to reset. Kevin has done it for a long time. He understands what's the right way of doing things.''

With the switch, Stewart's pit crew now features front tire changer Bryan Jacobsen, front tire carrier Brett Morrell, rear tire changer Jonathan Sherman, rear tire carrier Josh Sobecki and jackman Getty Cavitt Jr. Gasman Justin White remains.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Gets-Pit-Crew-From-Teammate-Tony-Stewart.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Miles to Miami: Chicago​*
For The 16 Challengers about to embark on a road that will ultimately lead to a championship for one, the countdown starts Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway with 3,595.48 "Miles2Miami."

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opens with the MyAFibStory.com 400 and will conclude Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. There will be 400.5 fewer "Miles2Miami" come Sunday evening as the Challenger Round of the revamped post-season format begins.

"We're ready. We want to run for another Cup," said Brad Keselowski, who secured the No. 1 seed with a series-leading four wins - including a dominating performance in the regular-season finale last weekend at Richmond International Raceway. "There isn't a better way to enter the Chase. Team Penske is clicking."

Keselowski is seeking his second Sprint Cup Series championship in three years and is joined in the post-season by teammate Joey Logano, the No. 5 seed.

"We're ready to go, man!" said Logano, who notched three wins during the regular season. "We have a shot at a championship this year and I'm excited about that, looking forward to seeing how this plays out and what the strategies will be for other cars. We'll run it hard and see what happens."

Eight different Sprint Cup Series organizations are represented by the 16 drivers in the post-season field. Hendrick Motorsports leads the way with all four of its competitors in the 10-race title hunt.

"I'm so proud of our team's effort and excited for these next 10 weeks," said Jeff Gordon, the regular-season points leader and No. 2 seed in the Chase. "All in all, we are a solid, consistent team that knows how to win. You can't ask for more than that. Now, if we can make ourselves a little bit better at some of these places, watch out!"

Gordon is already pretty good at the three tracks that make up the Challenger Round - Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire and Dover. The four-time champion has eight Cup Series wins across those three facilities - including a 2006 victory on the mile-and-a-half Joliet, Ill., oval that will host the Chase opener on Sunday.

Of the 10 tracks in the Chase, half of them are 1.5-mile intermediate ovals - leaving Jimmie Johnson chomping at the bit to get started.

"Chicagoland Speedway is a great track for us so we're excited to lead off with that," said Johnson, who's not yet won in Joliet but has consistently run strong since debuting there in 2002. "I've been so close to winning. My personal goal - and our team's goal - is to win there for (crew chief) Chad (Knaus)" &#8230;

&#8230; Whose hometown is Rockford, Ill. - some 100 miles northwest of Chicagoland Speedway.

"The focus is on starting the Chase on the right foot and getting a win so we can transfer," Johnson continued, noting the revised format that guarantees any Chase driver advancement into the Contender Round with a victory in any one of the first three races. "Short of that, we want to run in the top five again to cover the points side of it."

Johnson, seeking a record-tying seventh Cup Series championship, finished fifth in last year's Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway. A fourth-place finish the following week in New Hampshire and a win at Dover started Johnson well on his way to his sixth title.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/09/Counting-Down-the-Miles2Miami.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Predicting the Chase​*
Jimmie Johnson chases history. Jeff Gordon renews his quest. Kevin Harvick joins 10 other drivers searching for their first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

Sixteen drivers enter a frontier that is the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Never before has the championship been decided this way - with eliminations and four drivers racing for the title in the final race. This is a Lewis & Clark adventure where teams aren't sure what will happen.

In NASCAR's bid to mimic the excitement of the NCAA basketball tournament, this Chase likely will have an upset or two just as happens in "March Madness.''

So, don't expect each of the top four seeds - Brad Keselowski, Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson - to make the Chase. With eliminations every three races, one mistake could keep a team from advancing.

As the Chase begins this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, here's a forecast for the following 10 races and who will raise the championship trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Challenger Round

Race 1: Chicagoland Speedway*

Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske have won all six races this season on 1.5-mile tracks. A year ago, Matt Kenseth won at Kansas Speedway, which is similar to Chicagoland Speedway and then opened the Chase with a victory there. Jeff Gordon won at Kansas this year. Expect Gordon to contend for the win, but the victory will go to Kevin Harvick just days after a pit crew switch.

*Race 2: New Hampshire Motor Speedway*

Brad Keselowski dominated at this track in July and there's no reason to think he won't do it again. If he's beat, it might be by his teammate Joey Logano, who should follow a strong Chicago run with a top-five performance here. Keep an eye on Ryan Newman and Joe Gibbs Racing, which placed all three cars in the top 10 in July.

*Race 3: Dover International Speedway*

An elimination race. This race will mark the end of the Chase for Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger and Greg Biffle. So who wins the race? Matt Kenseth joked that one can pencil in Jimmie Johnson. He's won there nine times in 25 starts (36 percent). Don't bother writing Johnson's name in pencil. Put it down in pen.

*Contender Round

Race 4: Kansas Speedway*

A dangerous track for Chase competitors because trouble can lurk anywhere. It has had at least one accident involving a minimum four cars in each of the last four races there. Two- and three-car incidents also are not uncommon. There's a reason why Brad Keselowkski says this round could be about survival with this race and Talladega. Joey Logano advances with the win.

*Race 5: Charlotte Motor Speedway*

Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to Victory Lane for the first time since his win at Pocono in August. He holds off a challenge from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne.

*Race 6: Talladega Superspeedway*

Non-Chase drivers Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart have combined to win five of the last six Chase races at this track. Expect a non-Chase driver to follow suit and don't be surprised if it's not McMurray, Bowyer or Stewart. This race also is an elimination race. Saying goodbye to the Chase will be Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.

*Eliminator Round*

*Race 7: Martinsville Speedway*

Jeff Gordon becomes the first driver to advance to Homestead by winning this race. The drive for five remains alive.

*Race 8: Texas Motor Speedway*

Jeff Gordon goes 2-for-2 in this round by scoring the win at Texas, meaning two drivers will advance to Homestead via points.

*Race 9: Phoenix International Raceway*

Kevin Harvick dominated at this track at the beginning of the season and he'll still be strong at this track. He'll win to advance to Homestead. Advancing by points will be Team Penske's Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Eliminated after this round: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth.

*Championship Round

Race 10: Homestead-Miami Speedway*

Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski will race for the championship.

In a year where Team Penske won the IndyCar crown, car owner Roger Penske also will celebrate a Cup title with Joey Logano delivering him the championship.

*Motor Racing Network -* "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Predicting-The-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Media Day Recap​*
All 16 drivers in this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup gathered in downtown Chicago for this year's edition of Chase Media Day.

Prominent on everyone's mind was the new format for this year's championship, which begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway with the MyAFibStory.com 400, the first of three races that comprise the Challenger Round. At the end of the first three races the four drivers lowest in the Chase standings will drop from contention so getting off to a good start at Chicagoland is a major goal.

"You don't want to start out in a hole like we did last year," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., who suffered an engine failure in last year's Chase opener. "This new format is really going to be intense and we want to get off to a strong start and build on the solid regular season we put together."

The new format, which breaks the Chase into three rounds before sending the final four drivers remaining in the championship hunt to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to decide the title, means long-term planning is a luxury drivers cannot afford.

"Race-by-race," said Joey Logano when asked what his approach to the Chase is coming into Chicago. "I think that is how you have to do it. At least I think so. We will see if I am right or wrong but I think that is how you have to do it. I think you have to look at your points and how you can get to the next round after each race."

Preparation has gone into high gear for all teams heading into the Chase but Kevin Harvick's team has captured headlines with the decision to swap his pit crew with the group that pitted teammate Tony Stewart's car all season.

Harvick had been critical of his pit road support many times during the season and said the decision to make a move was one the organization had contemplated for some time.

"Everybody talked about it and just felt like this was the right thing to do for now with the opportunity we have and give those guys a little time to still hopefully get Tony to victory lane and be competitive and be in the same environment and do all the same things," Harvick said.

"To race for a championship, as an organization you want to put your best foot forward. There are some tough decisions that have to be made. You hope that you don't have to make those decisions, but this is a business, and you do have to make some hard decisions sometimes."

Carl Edwards made the decision to leave Roush Fenway Racing at season's end and he'll join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015. After winning two times in the regular season, Edwards will join teammate Greg Biffle in trying to deliver team owner Jack Roush another Sprint Cup crown.

"We know that when Homestead's over, that's it, this chapter will be closed," Edwards said. "In a way, it's kind of neat to see everybody rally around and want to go do this when it's our last shot at it."

The Roush team in whole has struggled this year and although Edwards scored a pair of wins, overall it's been a disappointing campaign more often than not.

However Edwards still believes there are positives within the No. 99 team to give him a shot at the crown.

"I think there's three reasons our team could do well," Edwards said. "The first one is our pit crew is very solid, we're very good, I don't think we'll make mistakes, we can beat people there.

"Jimmy Fennig is as good or better than any crew chief that's ever been on top of the box with calling the race, so I think we will get the best finishes possible. I believe my experience in the Chase, the things I've gone through, I think that I'm going to be able to do a really good job of not making mistakes on the racetrack. Those are the three reasons why I think we're going to be good."

Kyle Busch is looking for something good to happen after a string of tough finishes to end the regular season. Disappointment reached a boiling point last month at Bristol when Busch exited the race and got into a heated exchange with crew chief Dave Rogers.

But Busch said the incident was nothing more than the product of frustration and the team has moved on ready to challenge for a championship.

"Things are fine," said Busch. "Things were fine at Atlanta, things were fine at Richmond.

"Everyone's at zero now. You want to be running better, you want to be winning those last two or three races before going into the Chase, but I don't know that anybody's ever really done that in a row, and then they go into the Chase and carry that momentum through. This is just sort of like going to Daytona. It's a fresh start to the year, and you just try to work it out."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Chase-Media-Day-Recap.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Investigation Into Fatal Sprint Car Crash Complete​*
The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Office announced Thursday that it has completed its investigation into the Aug. 9 sprint car accident between Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. that killed Ward.

"The entire thorough investigation, including a forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police Laboratory in Albany, has been submitted to the Office of the Ontario County District Attorney for review,'' Sheriff Philip Povero said in a statement. "The District Attorney's Office, which has been meeting throughout the investigative process with members of the Sheriff's Office, will make a statement late next week advising what action will be taken regarding the investigation.''

The sheriff's office also stated that it and the district attorney's office will not honor media requests for comment at this time.

Stewart hit Ward during a sprint car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Ward and Stewart had been racing together before Ward's car bounced off the wall. Ward exited his car, walked down the track and gestured toward Stewart's car before he was struck.

"This has been one of the toughest tragedies that I've ever had to deal with both professionally and personally,'' Stewart said in a prepared statement he read Aug. 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This is something that will definitely affect my life forever. This is a sadness and a pain that I hope no one ever has to experience in their life.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nvestigation-Into-Fatal-Sprint-Car-Crash.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sauter Takes Points Lead to Chicagoland​*
Johnny Sauter has made the top five of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings his home this season and currently holds the No. 1 spot, leading ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton by seven points.

The driver of the No. 98 Toyota is the only competitor who's held a spot in the top five throughout the 2014 season, which rolls on this weekend with Friday night's Lucas Oil 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Don't plan on Sauter falling from his perch atop the standings anytime soon, if at all. He has a combined average finish of 9.2 at seven of the remaining eight tracks. He has yet to make a start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"We've been quick there in the past and our stuff is usually pretty good on the intermediate tracks," Sauter said of the 1.5-mile Joliet, Ill., oval. "I've liked the track from the first time I got on it. I won my first Nationwide Series race there in 2002, so I'm looking forward to getting back there this weekend."

Sauter is chasing his first Truck Series title. His previous high championship finishes were a runner-up showing in 2011 and third place in 2010. Last season, Sauter finished fourth with a career-high three wins.

Trailing Sauter and Crafton in the standings are Ryan Blaney, Darrell Wallace Jr. and German Quiroga. Sauter has just one win this season - last month at Michigan International Speedway - but has failed to finish in the top 10 only twice in 14 races. He's been consistent at Chicagoland Speedway, too, with four top 10s in his five starts including a 10th-place finish last fall.

Sprint Cup Series drivers Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch are busy preparing for the post-season Chase but are also keeping a sharp eye on the Truck Series owner standings. Brad Keselowski Racing's No. 29 Ford, driven by Blaney, currently ranks third in owner points. Kyle Busch Motorsports' No. 51 and No. 54 Toyotas are fourth and fifth, respectively - both within 40 points of Sauter's front-running ThorSport entry.

Blaney won the most recent Truck Series race, Aug. 31 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, and sits third in the standings - six points behind Crafton and 13 back from Sauter. He finished third last year in his only Chicagoland Speedway start, behind Keselowski and race winner Busch.

"Running the Nationwide Series race there this summer really helped me out," Blaney said, referring to the July 19 EnjoyIllinois.com 300 in which he finished ninth. "The track changed a lot from day to night and it was good to get a race under our belt to know where the track is going to go. It gave me a good idea of what I need in practice to be good in this race."

As is usually the case when Busch competes in the Truck Series, he'll be favored to win when he climbs behind the wheel of his No. 51 Tundra on Friday night. He's won three of his four starts at Chicagoland Speedway and is batting .714 in the series this season with five wins in his seven starts.

Busch will be busy Thursday with Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Media Day, so 18-year-old Erik Jones will drive in both practice sessions - with Busch back in the truck for qualifying Friday afternoon.

"It'll be a bit of a challenge in the early stages of the race, getting a feel for the handling," Busch notes. "But the fact that Erik and I have done this before will be a big help in making the transition a smooth one - for us and the team."

Busch says this year's new "knockout" qualifying format will also help in providing a seamless shift from one driver to the other.

"With the old procedure, you had just one lap, maybe two, on the track by yourself," Busch said. "Assuming that we can advance to the final round, we'll get at least three laps and maybe a few more. On these mile-and-a-half tracks, you're going to get a draft off a truck in front of you."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Camping World Truck Series race, presented by Keystone Light, starting at 8 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Sauter-Takes-Points-Lead-to-Chicagoland.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Embraces Underdog Role​*
A.J. Allmendinger is having the time of his life, he is locked in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and excited to compete for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

"Being tagged as the underdog, the pressure is off of our team, we are ready to have fun and compete for a championship," said Allmendinger.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins this weekend in Chicago and Championship hopeful Allmendinger visited Kansas City in the Chase Across North America event today to promote the fourth race in the Chase, the Hollywood Casino 400, October 5 at Kansas Speedway.

The first stops on Allmendinger's trip were local radio and TV outlets to talk about his strategy going into the 2014 Chase.

Next stop was Hy-Vee, the Official Grocer and Tailgate Pit Stop of Kansas Speedway, to meet with fans and decorate cookies with his official Chase hashtag, #DingerNation .

Allmendinger, who is currently 13th in the Chase standings, says he likes his chances in the Chase with the new format, "I think each week, each race track and just being competitive, being in the mix is what is important to us. You want to get the best finish possible and if there is an opportunity to win you are going to try to win it to get to the next round."

Tickets races are currently on sale for the Oct. 3, 2014, ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the Oct. 4, 2014, Kansas Lottery 300 (NASCAR Nationwide Series) and the Oct. 5, 2014, Hollywood Casino 400, the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Tickets can be purchased by calling 866-460-RACE (7223) or by logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com.

Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages.
Fans can follow Kansas Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kansasspeedway or follow us on Twitter (@kansasspeedway).

*Source:*
http://www.racinboys.com/2014/09/11/allmendinger-embraces-underdog-role/


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## Ckg2011

*Ditech To Be Associate Sponsor For Harvick​*
Ditech Mortgage Corp ("ditech"), one of the mortgage industry's best-known brands, will partner with Stewart-Haas Racing in a multi-year agreement announced on Wednesday.

ditech will serve as an associate sponsor of Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's team beginning with the
Sept. 12-14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. ditech will appear on the C-post of the No. 4 Chevrolet and on the chest of Harvick's firesuit.

"At ditech, we're all NASCAR fans," said Patti Cook, President of DT Holdings, parent company of ditech. "NASCAR is part of the fabric of America and so is ditech's goal of securing home ownership for as many Americans as possible.

Everyone - from our employees to our customers - can't wait to cheer on Kevin's amazing team on the racetrack."

ditech employs three sales channels for its mortgage and refinance loans: direct-to-consumer, through a team of home-loan specialists who are easily accessible by phone and online; retail, via loan specialists located throughout the United States; and the correspondent market, by partnering with more than 600 financial institutions. The company offers a full range of home mortgage products for both purchase and refinance, including fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, jumbo loans and FHA loans.

"What ditech stands for are the same things I stand for," said Harvick, a winner of 25 Sprint Cup races, including NASCAR's crown-jewel events: the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. "Anyone who knows me knows that I'm pretty direct, and that I expect people to be treated fairly and honestly. It's how I operate, and it's how we all operate at Stewart-Haas Racing. Our expertise is in racing, and ditech's is in the mortgage industry. Together, we make a powerful team that delivers on and off the racetrack."

"While Kevin and Stewart-Haas Racing pursue victories on the racetrack, ditech is relentless in our pursuit of securing the American Dream," said Rich Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at ditech. "We and our customers are excited to partner with such an admired brand, and all of us look forward to many victories ahead."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...r/ditech-to-be-associate-sponsor-for-harvick/


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## paris744

You're Doing An Awesome Job On Your Sports Threads. Keep It Up Sweetheart. :heart:heart


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## AussiePea

Yeah I do appreciate this thread, it's how I keep informed on what's happening in the nascar world.


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## Ckg2011

Thanks, glad I can help you stay informed.


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## Ckg2011

*Chicago Truck Race Postponed​*
Rain forced the postponement of Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Rain showers and mist engulfed the speedway early Friday afternoon and did not dissipate as the evening progressed so officials decided to postpone the race until Saturday.

The rescheduled event will now go green Saturday evening at approximately 7:19 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Nationwide Series will compete earlier in the day Saturday afternoon.

Qualifying for the race was also rained out so the starting lineup was determined by practice speeds which puts series point leader Johnny Sauter on the pole.

Brennan Newberry, Jeb Burton, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.

Darrell Wallace Jr., Kyle Busch, German Quiroga, Matt Crafton and Timothy Peters complete the first 10 starters. Busch will have to start at the rear of the field because Erik Jones practiced the No. 51 truck on Thursday.

A field of 32 trucks will compete in the eighth annual Lucas Oil 225.

Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of Saturday's race, presented by Keystone Light, starting at 6:45 p.m. ET, with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/09/Chicago-Truck-Race-Rained-Out.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chicago Qualifying Rained Out​*
Rain washed out qualifying for the opening race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Friday and the lineup for Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 will be set by the first practice speeds.

Kyle Busch had the fastest lap in the day's practice session of 191.442 mph so will start Sunday's race from the pole.

"Practice for us went pretty well," Busch said. "It started out slow, but the guys did a real nice job on the M&M's Camry today to get us to where we needed to be. Everybody back at the shop is building some great stuff and TRD making some improvements for the Chase here this weekend and whatnot. Having a good time there in practice means a lot, but there's obviously a lot of things that need to happen in the race this weekend for us and getting off to a good start and being able to carry that into the next 10 weeks."

Ryan Newman will be outside row one after his lap of 191.042 mph was second fastest in practice.

Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and defending race winner Kyle Busch rounds out the top five.

"I hope this is a sign of things to come," said Edwards after his practice run earlier in the day. "This is the Chase and it is time to step it up. I think you are going to see the best out of everyone. The best they can put together using the things everyone has learned throughout the year."

Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Paul Menard and Kyle Larson complete the first ten starters.

Other starting spots for drivers in the field of 16 running for the championship include Kevin Harvick (12th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (13th), Kurt Busch (14th), AJ Allmendinger (17th), Kasey Kahne (19th), Greg Biffle (20th), Aric Almirola (23rd), Denny Hamlin (24th), Brad Keselowski (25th) and Joey Logano (28th).

Saturday's weather forecast is for cool temperatures and clear skies. Sprint Cup teams will have a pair of practice sessions.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Starting Lineup:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6448&StatType=Starting+Lineup

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/09/Chicago-Qualifying-Rained-Out.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

[







*Kenseth Eyes Solid Start​*
Matt Kenseth is looking to get his Chase off to a good start with a good run as the defending winner of Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The first race of the Challenger Round in the newly formatted Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is set to go on the 1.5-mile oval and Kenseth likes his chances at kicking things off in a positive direction.

"We had a strong start last year. This is a great racetrack. I love coming here and it's the closest track to where I grew up," said the Wisconsin native.

Kenseth won seven times last season but went through the 2014 regular season winless. However, he relied on what has been his calling card throughout Kenseth's NASCAR career to earn a spot in the Chase: consistent finishes.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had 10 top-five finishes and 16 top 10's during the 26 races that led up to the Chase. He comes into the Challenger Round seeded 14th. Kenseth is approaching the playoffs no differently than he has gone into every race of the year.

"It doesn't change at all for me," he said. "For some, maybe it does. But it's the first race of the Chase and I'm glad to be in it. The reward has always been there for winning ever since I started racing. The best reward is to win, the least reward is to finish last. We show up with the mindset of trying to win and if we don't have the car for that on Sunday, we do the best we can to finish as well as we can ... go on to the next week and do the same thing."

Kenseth and his JGR teammates, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, have all struggled with finding the necessary speed this year to compete with the powerhouses at Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske. Toyota and JGR officials have indicated that more power and improved equipment will roll out now for the Chase. But Kenseth knows he and his team will need to do their part to take advantage of opportunities by being as mistake-free as possible.

"Besides the 16 guys in the Chase, there are (other) good cars out there that you're going to have to beat, as well," Kenseth said. "The competition is so tough that you have to get all you can get every week. You never want to make that mistake, get in an accident, a pit road (violation) or whatever the case may be."

While Kenseth feels his competition for a championship is formidable across the board, he does think there is one driver who - if he were to be eliminated early in the Chase - might make things a bit more interesting. That would be six-time Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson.

"If something happened and they got eliminated, you'd feel like it's a little bit more open," Kenseth said. "They're able to step up and when the pressure is on every year, when it really counts, they pull through and win the championship more often than not."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Kenseth-Eyes-Solid-Start.aspx


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## Ckg2011

[







*Grubb Returns For Chase​*
After spending the last six weekends watching NASCAR Sprint Cup races on TV, Darian Grubb is glad to be back at the track.

Grubb's six-week suspension ended last weekend, allowing him to return to Denny Hamlin's pit box for the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It was kind of a pain not to be there just because you can't actually physically see what is going on with the racecar,'' Grubb told Motor Racing Network. "You get the TV coverage and see some of what's happening and you see a little bit more about what your competition is doing, but keeping up with the performance of your own car and what Denny needed in the car himself was a little bit harder.''

While Grubb offered his team advice from afar, challenges remained with not being at the track on race day.

"Specifically things like tire wear and physically being able to look at the tires and be able to check for the wear and the graining and the wear patterns,'' Grubb said. "All I got would be maybe a snapshot picture or the wear numbers from inspection after the run. That's kind of the nuances you miss.''

Grubb was disciplined after Hamlin's third-place car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway failed post-race inspection. NASCAR found rear wheel panels that weren't sealed, the oil cover box wasn't sealed and a shifter boot cover that also allowed air to pass through. Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill both were suspended as part of the penalties.

Grubb said that a "27-cent part ... came loose. It was a nut plate that is used as an aircraft fastener, and it didn't have enough torque on it and backed off and came loose. It's something that we've taken out of the cars.''

Hamlin said he's glad to have Grubb back for the Chase.

"He's been working probably more hours that he's been away from the track than he has when he comes on the road,'' Hamlin said. "We've been preparing for this Chase for a really long time. At Joe Gibbs Racing we've won all the regular-season races before and been the favorites and not won it. We have a little bit different approach this year. We're trying to time this thing correctly and hopefully we have.''

Grubb returns as Hamlin has made some progress in recent weeks, particularly on the larger tracks.

While questions remain about how Toyota's horsepower compares to other engines, Hamlin has scored top-10 finishes in each of the last four races on tracks 1.5-mile or larger.

"I think we've gotten better in every aspect,'' Grubb said. "Our aero department ... has gotten a lot of downforce and working really hard at tuneability and us being able to have the tools we want in the racecar. Our chassis group has worked really hard. The engine group and partners at (Toyota Racing Development) have worked really hard at developing more horsepower and more reliability.

"It's tough now. You have to have every single element in place to go to the race track and be competitive.''

Grubb knows, serving as the crew chief for Tony Stewart when Stewart won five races during the Chase to claim the 2011 series crown.

"The only thing that being a former champion gives me is a little bit of confidence that I have been able to do it and regardless of circumstances you can work your way forward,'' Grubb said. "That's just kind of used as a motivation tool for myself and the other guys to push them to say that we can do this. It's still going to be that hard, tough grind.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Behind-Him-Now-That-He-Is-Back-At-Track.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*What Makes Earnhardt Nervous? Not the Chase​*
A championship battle? Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits that's pressure, but it doesn't make him as anxious as an impending birthday or appearances on network TV shows.

Before this Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ends, Earnhardt - among the favorites to win the title - will turn 40 years old.

That might not seem possible to some who remember those videos of the shaggy-haired kid watching his father race years ago or the youngster with the platinum blond hair who was trying to discover who he was as many watched.

Older, wiser and fair to say happier, Earnhardt has a greater appreciation for his place in the sport and his chance to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

It's turning 40 that he's having an issue with.

"Real nervous,'' he said of hitting the milestone age Oct. 10. "I don't want to grow up. I feel physically and mentally 10 years younger than that. I guess that is a good thing. I'm still enjoying what I do, still had the best time driving racecars this year. The passion is still there.''

That passion has helped him win three races this season - equaling his win total the previous eight seasons - and giving him what he admits is one of his best chances to win a Sprint Cup crown.

"I take it more seriously now and really appreciate the situation I'm in,'' Earnhardt said. "You do the details, you do the extra little things that really matter in the whole picture as a driver. When you lose that passion, you lose that drive, you stop doing those little things. That's when you start to see the performance drop. I could go another 10 years.''

With cars like he's had this year, that's an easy decision. After opening the season with a Daytona 500 win, Earnhardt has been fast in races much of this season. His 11 top-five finishes are more than he had last season. The one challenge he's faced has been qualifying. He had started no better than 20th in the four races leading into this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. His average starting spot in the regular season was 16.4. He was 13th quick in Friday's practice.

Even so, Earnhardt notes that his team has improved during the Chase. His title hopes all but ended last year at Chicagoland Speedway when he finished 35th after an engine failure. He went on to score eight top-10 finishes in the remaining nine races.

He backed that effort with his strong run this season.

"I feel real confident this year because we've won some races,'' Earnhardt said. "I knew in years past that we were a good team and we could sit there in third, second or first in the points throughout the regular season, but we weren't going to win the championship if we couldn't win (races).

"This year we were able to go out there and win some races and show that we can.''

With that success - and his popularity - NASCAR sent him to Los Angeles earlier this week to promote the Chase on various shows, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Earnhardt admits he's nervous before such appearances.

"It's out my element,'' he said. "There were people in the audience who were literally there because were on the show. I just don't think about those things just going 'Man, I'm walking into a room where I don't know anybody and I don't belong there,' but as soon as you step into the room, you're like "This is great.' I totally get it wrong every time.

"I've been like that for years. Sadly, I don't think I'll ever change. I just like to drive cars. This wasn't a part of the dream, Kimmel and all this stuff. That's way bigger than I was thinking back when I was starting. I don't know if I'll ever get comfortable with that.''

Maybe the title of champion will help overcome those concerns.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...More-Anxious-About-Turning-40-Than-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

[







*Wait Over For Crew Chiefs​*
Rodney Childers has awaited this opportunity for years. Luke Lambert has been here before but in a different role.

They are not alone. Nearly a third of the 16 teams vying for the Sprint Cup championship have crew chiefs who have never been in the Chase in their current role. Joining Childers (crew chief for Kevin Harvick) and Lambert (Ryan Newman) as Chase rookies are Daniel Knost (Kurt Busch), Trent Owens (Aric Almirola) and Brian Burns (AJ Allmendinger).

For Childers, it was a long wait to this point - and not just this season. Harvick won the season's second race to all but assure himself a spot in the Chase. That gave Childers 24 races to prepare his team for a title run.

What's 24 races when Childers has been waiting years. He and David Reutimann challenged for a Chase spot in 2009 until some struggles late in the regular season kept them out of it. In 2012, Childers didn't get the chance for the drivers title since he worked with Mark Martin, Brian Vickers and Michael Waltirp at Michael Waltrip Racing. Childers, though, nearly got the car in the owner's Chase until a couple of poor finishes shortly before the Chase field was set.

Now he's made it in his first year with Harvick and at Stewart-Haas Racing.

So, how will being in the Chase affect his decisions on pit road?

"I think the biggest thing is worrying about your consistency and making smart calls - not ones that are out on a limb hoping you can win a race,'' Childers said.

"We've got to do what we've been doing. We've got to take fast cars to the race track, and we've got to try to be the fastest in practice and try to lead the most laps and we need to follow through at the end of these races.''

That hasn't always been the case for Harvick's team this season. Mechanical issues and mistakes have kept Harvick from winning more than two races.

The issues on pit road were addressed this week when Stewart-Haas Racing announced that Tony Stewart's pit crew - minus the gasman - would service Harvick's car the rest of the season. Harvick's crew will work on Stewart's car. After the season, they'll switch back to their regular teams.

Another challenge for Childers - and the other crew chiefs and teams - could be managing emotions during the Chase. With four drivers eliminated after every third race, pressure will intensify and a poor finish will weigh heavier on teams. Teams will face more pressure than they've likely experienced in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway when four teams race for the crown.

"The championship this year will be harder to win than probably anyone has ever seen,'' Childers said. "To keep your composure in the last race with four guys and all you've got to do is outrun the other three is going to be way stressful for everybody.''

Lambert knows the pressure and also knows what it's like to lead the Chase. He's been in the Chase three times as an engineer at Richard Childress Racing. He was with Jeff Burton's team when Burton led the Chase for four races until a blown engine at Martinsville all but ended Burton's chances for a title.

Lambert said that experience - along with being Elliott Sadler's crew chief during a run for the Nationwide title in 2012 - will help in this Chase.

"The one thing that stands out to me when you're operating in that situation where you are carrying the points lead, you've just got to take everything one step at a time and one decision at a time and not let yourself become overwhelmed with the gravity that one of the decisions could potentially carry,'' Lambert said.

So, he'll try to keep it simple in this Chase.

"We don't have to beat 12 cars (in the first round),'' he said. "We have to beat four. I feel like if we execute, we'll knock those four out. I'm not worried about beating (No. 1 seed Brad Keselowski). I'm just worried about trying to get to the next round. Once we get to the next round, then we'll handle that situation. Now, if we were to find ourselves to have a really bad race ... we would find ourselves in a situation where we would have to take risks.''

While the goal is the same for Childers and Lambert, how they go about it could be different. Childers has made Harvick's car one of the fastest all season. Lambert has not had that benefit with Newman but they've still found some success even with being among the last drivers to make the Chase. While Newman has had only two top-five finishes, he's placed between seventh and 13th in half the races this season.

"The one thing that I do feel like has always been rewarded in the Chase is consistency,'' Lambert said. "To me, this new format, even though it ultimately rewards wins by transferring you (to the next round) still rewards consistency. There's always going to be guys getting transferred on points. Solid consistency is ultimately going to be rewarded.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Crew-Chiefs-Prep-For-Their-First-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

[







*Earnhardt Jr's 'Problem' ... Two Contenders, One Title​*
For the first time, Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be facing a problem most NASCAR Nationwide Series team owners would love to have. His two cars are battling for the title in the final weeks of the season.

But Earnhardt Jr knows his biggest task will be trying to keep his organization from becoming a house divided because only one of his drivers can bring home the title. Which one?

Regan Smith, second in the series standings, has eight races left to catch rookie teammate Chase Elliott, who carries a 19-point lead into Saturday's Jimmy John's Freaky Fast 300 Powered by Coca-Cola at Chicagoland Speedway. Ty Dillon is third, 42 points off the pace, with Elliott Sadler and Brian Scott completing the top five.

Smith leads the series in top-10 finishes with 21. Arguably, this has been his best season with an average finish of 8.5 and a season-to-date driver rating of 99.5.

Unfortunately for Smith, Elliott's stronghold on the points lead has been unrelenting since the series made its first 2014 visit to Chicagoland Speedway back in July. In that race, Elliott led 85 laps on his way to his third win of the season. He's totaled 12 top fives and 19 top 10s in 25 starts. Elliott's average finish this season is 8.2 and his year-to-date driver rating is 109.4 - second only to Kyle Busch (127.4).

"A lot of pride comes from seeing those two guys doing so well," Earnhardt said. "It's hard to watch them have to battle over the points lead. You pull for both of them and you'd like to see both of them win it, but there is some other competition out there. By no means is it a two-car race. It's a big honor for us as a company. It gives us a lot of confidence."

If either JR Motorsports driver can bring home the Nationwide Series championship this season, it will be the first title for the organization. JR Motorsports' best points finish to date is third, three times - with Brad Keselowski in 2008 and 2009, and Smith last season.

With his victory at Chicagoland Speedway in July, Elliott is now bidding to become the first driver to record a season sweep on the 1.5-mile Joliet, Ill., oval since the track went to two races annually in 2011. In that race two months ago, Elliott grabbed his final lead of the night 24 laps from the finish and kept the No. 9 Chevrolet in front the rest of the way. The margin of victory over Trevor Bayne was nearly two seconds with Kyle Larson, Kasey Kahne and rookie Ty Dillon completing the top five.

Elliott's win moved him past both Smith and Sadler in taking over the top spot in the Nationwide Series point standings and he's been there ever since.

"We had a great run there in July," Elliott said. "But the more I look back on that night, I can see a bunch of things we can improve on. Hopefully, we'll do that and put on a good show for the fans."

Saturday's race will feature four Sprint Cup Series drivers who are participating in this year's Chase: Busch, Aric Almirola, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. Busch is the defending winner and is also coming off a dominating performance last weekend at Richmond International Raceway, where he led every lap en route to his 67th career win.

In winning last fall's race at Chicagoland Speedway, Busch started from the pole and led all but five of the 200 laps on the way to his 10th victory of the season. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished 1.6 seconds ahead of runner-up Joey Logano.

"We figured it out right last year," Busch said. "Our intermediate program is competitive and hopefully, we can have a strong run. We still have an owner's championship to win, so we want to keep chipping away at those points."

The No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota enters the weekend trailing Team Penske's No. 22 Ford by 18 points in the car owner standings. Ryan Blaney is behind the wheel of the "22" car for Saturday's race.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Jimmy John's Freaky Fast 300 Powered by Coca-Cola starting at 3 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nhardts-Problem-Two-Contenders-One-Title.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*VIDEO: Sprint Cup Chase Opener Preview​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Marcos Ambrose To Leave Richard Petty Motorsports At Season's End​*
Richard Petty Motorsports announced Saturday morning at Chicagoland Speedway that Marcos Ambrose will not return to the organization's No. 9 Ford next season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Ambrose, a two-time champion of Australia's V8 Supercar Series, has been widely speculated over the past few months to be considering a move back to Australia next year to possibly return to the V8 Supercar Series in a car fielded by legendary NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Roger Penske.

Ambrose joined RPM in 2011 and has a pair of Sprint Cup victories, which both came on the road course at Watkins Glen in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Ambrose missed this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, and is 23rd in the standings entering Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway.

"Marcos will always be a part of our extended racing family," said seven-time Sprint Cup champion Richard Petty, the co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports.

"He came over to the United States with his family and dedicated his time here to giving it the best he had each week. I couldn't ask anything more from Marcos and his commitment on and off the track to our race team and our partners.

"Away from the track, he's a family person first. That's something I respect, and we'll miss Marcos, (wife) Sonja and their children."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...hard-petty-motorsports-at-season-s-end-091314


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Delivers Chicago Win​*
Kevin Harvick took the lead late in the race and drove away to victory in Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Jimmy John's Freaky Fast 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Driving the Jimmy John's sponsored Chevrolet, Harvick took advantage of late pit strategy to help put him in position to lead the final 40 laps en route to his fourth win of the season. It was the ninth of the year for JR Motorsports.

The decision for two tires under caution on lap 153 got Harvick the track position ahead of the dominate car of Kyle Busch, who elected to take four tires. Harvick restarted fifth - the first with two tires - and quickly drove to the lead.

"Ernie Cope and his call on pit road is what won us this race today," said Harvick, who scored his 44th career win. "It's been a lot of fun winning races and running up front.

"To win the Freaky Fast 300 with all the Jimmy John's folks here is pretty cool."

Busch led 141 laps on the day but was forced to settle for third after coming back from 16th on the lap 160 restart.

"I had a really fast car and we knew we had to come down and get tires, but obviously four was the wrong call and put us behind," Busch said. "I fought my butt off to try to get back, but the best I could do was third.

"Our pit call -- but it is what it is. Sucks to not be in victory lane where we should be. You know what, this Monster Energy Camry was fast today and deserved to win -- but can't get through traffic."

Kyle Larson, Busch, Ryan Blaney and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top five.

"Getting the right rear in the wall might have been the biggest thing to tighten it up all day," said Blaney, who made contact with the fourth turn wall. "We tried everything to tighten it up and made little gains but not a lot. (Crew chief) Jeremy Bullins did a great job of adjusting to it and being able to hang with this car all day even though it isn't what we wanted. We want to be in victory lane but when the day started like that I would have taken a fourth and it is good to see the resilience of this team and being able to come home with a decent finish."

Nationwide points leader Chase Elliott finished 10th, losing points to JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith, who finished eighth. Elliott now leads Smith by 18 points.

The first ten finishers were Elliott Sadler, Ty Dillon, Smith, pole sitter Brian Scott and Elliott.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Kentucky Speedway next Saturday night.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/09/Harvick-Delivers-Chicago-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Videos: Jimmy John's Freaky Fast 300​*
*Brendan Gaughan Makes A Great Save​*





*Kyle Busch: 'We Did What We Thought Was Right'​*


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Blasts Through Chicago Field​*
Kyle Busch used a fast truck to battle from the back of the field, and a pit road speeding penalty, to score the win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.

After being forced to start at the rear because he missed Thursday's practice sessions, which ultimately set the starting lineup, Busch completed 58 green flag passes en route to his sixth win of the season.

"I knew we had a good truck," Busch said. "I was just trying to pace myself there early. I knew what I had and when I had that pit road penalty and got stuck behind then I could try to charge back through harder. The truck was good and got back to the front there."

Busch came up shy of completing a sweep of the day after finishing third in the Nationwide race earlier. Overall, Busch combined to lead 207 laps, with a race-high 66 in the truck race. His pit road speeding penalty came on lap 32.

"This doesn't make our loss earlier any sweeter," said Busch, who will start from the pole in Sunday's Sprint Cup race. "We could have had two and could have been going for three tomorrow. Come up short and we'll just have to fight and maybe get two of the three. Imagine that, I think I've done that probably plenty of times, two of the three."

Tonight was the first time Busch was in the truck this weekend after rain cancelled qualifying and postponed the race until tonight. Erik Jones practiced the No. 51 Toyota while Busch was attending to Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup media duties downtown Chicago.

"Can't say enough about all these guys at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) and the pit crew was great tonight," Busch said. "Erik Jones, appreciate him being here and piloting this thing for me while I was gone and I didn't screw it up, so that's a start."

Matt Crafton finished second and took over the points lead from his teammate Johnny Sauter, who finished 14th following a pit road speeding penalty on lap 108.

"I'm tired of finishing second to him (Kyle Busch)," Crafton said. "We fired off right there and I was on the splitter really bad. We made some adjustments. Then I could fire off really good on the first two runs, then I would get loose and tight -- maybe a little bit too much on that short run there. And, it slowly came to me. But, that 51 truck was very fast."

Austin Dillon, rookie Tyler Reddick and Jeb Burton rounded out the top five. Reddick's finish was a carrer best.

Dillon's No. 20 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet was found to be too low in the front in post-race inspection.

Crafton leads Sauter by five points with Ryan Blaney (-16), Darrell Wallace Jr. (-35) and German Quiroga (-59) rounding out the top five.

Wallace came back to finish sixth after he had a right-front tire go down on lap 101 while running fifth sending him to pit road under green. Wallace, along with his teammate Busch, were two of 11 drivers that took the wave around on lap 117.

Blaney lost a cylinder in his No. 29 Ford and finished 12th, the first truck a lap down.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be back in action next Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/09/Kyle-Busch-Wins-At-Chicagoland.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ebersole Scores South Boston Win​*
There must be something about Virginia that brings out the best in Kyle Ebersole.

The Hummelstown, Pa., driver held off a late charge by Andy Seuss to win the South Boston 150 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour event at South Boston Speedway. It was the second career victory for Ebersole. His first came last season at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.

Seuss made several attempts in his quest for a season sweep at South Boston, but was forced to settle for second. He was followed across the line by George Brunnhoelzl III, Burt Myers and J.R. Bertuccio.

Ebersole and Seuss had fans standing the final 10 laps, as the duo raced in a pack of lapped traffic.

"I was really nervous late in the race as I knew everyone had fresher tires than me but we were able to hold on and get the win," Ebersole said. "That was a lot of fun."

Pole-winner Danny Bohn, rookie Spencer Davis, Jason Myers, Joe Ryan Osborne, and Thomas Stinson rounded out the top-10 finishers.

The race was slowed three times by caution with one multi-car incident.

NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Rex White served as the Grand Marshall and honorary starter of the race.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour next heads to Southern National Motorsports Park on Sept. 20.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...14/09/Kyle-Ebersole-Wins-At-South-Boston.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chicago Story Lines​*
There are a number of stories to follow in Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The start to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup takes place at the 1.5-mile track for the fourth year but with a brand new format. The first race of the three events Challenger Round has put added pressure on the field of 16 drivers in this year's expanded Chase Grid hoping to get off to a good start.

"We certainly don't want to start this year like we did last season," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., who suffered a blown engine in the 2013 Chicagoland Chase opener. "This new format is going to make every race that much more important and getting off to a fast start will be beneficial for sure."

Joey Logano, another victim of engine problems last year at Chicagoland, certainly echoes Earnhardt's sentiment.

"I feel like we are on a good roll of momentum coming into this year's Chase and I don't want to lose that unfortunately like we did last year," said Logano, who joins Team Penske partner Brad Keselowski in the playoffs. "We plan on getting this thing off to a good start and taking everything one race at a time."

*Earnhardt Remains Confident* 
Despite ending his regular season with a pair of finishes outside the top 10 at Atlanta and Richmond, Earnhardt Jr. still believes his team has what it takes to compete for the championship. Crew chief Steve Letarte enters his final 10 races working with Earnhardt before heading to the NBC television booth next season and there are no doubt some intangibles in terms of motivation around the No. 88 team. Earnhardt knows his team can win and looks forward to doing just that in the Chase.

"I feel real confident this season because we've won some races this year," Earnhardt said. "I just knew in years past that we were a good team and we could sit there in third, second, first in points throughout the regular season, but we weren't going to win the championship if we couldn't win. This year we were able to go out there and win some races and show that we can do that, so after all these years we've been able to get to that level of competing for wins." See Also: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chase Preview Video

*Johnson Chases History* 
Jimmie Johnson has a chance to tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt as a seven-time Sprint Cup Series champion with another title this year. Johnson won three times in the regular season but suffered through a stretch of disappointing finishes in late summer. Johnson points to past years when he entered the Chase on a downward trend but turned things around in the playoffs. He remains upbeat about his chances to do that again this year but is not thinking about tying Petty and Earnhardt for the record. See Also: Jimmie Johnson Chase Preview Video

*Happy Days for Harvick?* 
Kevin Harvick, who won yesterday's Nationwide race, heads into the Chase with what many believe is his best chance to win a Sprint Cup Series championship since he started at NASCAR's top level in 2001. Those chances may have gotten better with the decision this by Stewart-Haas Racing to swap the pit crews between Harvick''s No. 4 team and the squad of Tony Stewart's No. 14. Harvick has been vocal about what he perceived to be the lack of necessary pit road support to compete for more wins and a title since the start of the season and now it's been addressed to head into the playoffs. Harvick has led the most laps at 1.5-mile tracks this year and won the first two Cup races held at Chicagoland back in 2001 and 2002.

*Grubb Back in Action* 
Denny Hamlin gets his regular crew chief back to call the shots on the FedEx No. 11 team with Darian Grubb ending his suspension. Grubb was ushered aside after an infraction was found on Hamlin's car after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in late July. But as for Grubb's long-term future with Hamlin, there's much speculation about a crew shake up at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 with the addition of Carl Edwards as a fourth driver to the stable. But Grubb is not concerning himself with that just yet.

"No, we're still working on a lot of things and concentrating on winning a championship for Joe Gibbs Racing in the FedEx Toyota right now," he said.

*Non-Chasers Look to Make Their Mark* 
While there are 16 drivers gunning for a championship, there are 27 others hoping to steal the spotlight Sunday by winning the MyAFibStory.com 400. Several drivers feel they have a chance to spoil the Chase party with a trip to Victory Lane. Clint Bowyer, who just missed the cut to make the playoffs, is one of those looking to make an impact and feels he also has some unfinished business in 2014.

"I do believe that we can win a race, frustrate these guys at the end," said Bowyer. "There's a lot of guys, one in particular in that Chase that I had a run-in with, what was it, three weeks ago? Things like that aren't forgotten."

Tony Stewart, who has been in the center of controversy since the tragic sprint car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. a month ago, is hoping to avoid the first winless Sprint Cup season of his career.

And the Chip Ganassi Racing duo of rookie Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray have also had good years and feel a win in the final 10 races of the campaign is not out of reach.

"We won the All-Star Race obviously but winning a points race is definitely a priority for us in 2014," said McMurray. "I think we can pull it off and why not at Chicagoland?"

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Chicago-Story-Lines.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Draws First Blood​*
Brad Keselowski wins the first race of the 2014 Chase for the Sprint CUP. Brad Keselowski will be the first Chase drive to advance to the next round of the Chase.

Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson finish second and third in the race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Strikes First​*
Brad Keselowski shot between Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick after the final restart to take the lead and pulled away to win Sunday's opening Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway.

"I am not really sure what to say,'' Keselowski said after scoring his second consecutive victory of the season. "I don't really know what happened. I just know we got to the lead.''

The victory - Keselowski's fifth of the season - advances him to the Contender Round.

Chase drivers took eight of the top 10 spots. Jeff Gordon finished second. Larson, who is not in the Chase, placed third. Joey Logano finished fourth as his engine blew on the final lap after debris caused it to overheat. Kevin Harvick, in his first race with his new pit crew, finished fifth.

One Chase driver faces a challenge after Sunday. Aric Almirola was sixth when his engine blew. He placed 41st - worst among the 16 Chase drivers. Every other Chase driver finished 23rd or better.

"Heartbroken I think is the easiest way to describe it,'' Almirola said of his feelings.

*How Keselowski won:* He started 25th and then had to overcome issues on pit road before he went three-wide with the race-winning move. Keselowski pitted a second time under caution with about 80 laps to go for a loose wheel, falling from second to 16th. He worked his way back with a fast car and some pit strategy from crew chief Paul Wolfe to be in position to win the race.

*What else happened:* Kevin Harvick had one of the strongest cars but couldn't finish it to score the win. He placed fifth. ... Kyle Larson was in position to score his first career Sprint Cup win but couldn't hold off Keselowski and placed third. Larson was the highest non-Chase driver in the finish. At one point, Ryan Newman was third laps down but made those up to finish 15th.

*Who else had a good day:* Jeff Gordon placed second. He was strong most of the race. ... Joey Logano was fortunate there was not a green-white-checkered finish after blowing his engine on the last lap. A tear-off from another car blew on the grille of Logano's car, causing the engine to overheat. ... Kurt Busch rallied from a pit road penalty and contact with his brother, Kyle, on a late restart to finish eighth.

*Who had a bad day:* Aric Almirola's chances of advancing to the next round took a hit when his engine blew and he placed 41st. ... Greg Biffle was never competitive and finished 23rd - worse among the Chase drivers who finished the race.

*Quote of the day:* "I talked with Ricky afterward and we're fine,'' Danica Patrick said about making contact with boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse late in Sunday's race.

*Notables:* With Brad Keselowski's win, Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports continued their streak. They're combined to win all seven races on 1.5-mile tracks this season. ... The opening Chase race has been won by a Chase driver every year. ... This marked the fourth time this season Kevin Harvick has led the most laps and not won. He's done it at Chicagoland, Atlanta, Michigan (in June) and Kansas.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/09/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-At-Chicago.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rookie Larson Crashes Chicagoland Chase Party, Finishes Third​*
*R*ookie Kyle Larson barely missed out on being a member of the 16-driver Chase field last week at Richmond International Raceway, but Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway he tried to spoil the Chase party.

Starting 42nd on the field after a practice crash on Saturday, Larson wasted no time working his way through the field in the opening stages of the MyAFibStory.com 400.

Taking two tires on a pit stop on Lap 68, Larson was able to jump into the top five for the first time. For the rest of the race, Larson was a threat for the win as he worked his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet on the high side of the track.

In the closing stages of the race, Larson was in the thick of a drama-filled race for the lead with Chase drivers Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon.
Racing side-by-side with Harvick for the lead after a restart with 18 laps to go, Larson was on the high side when Keselowski slipped through the middle of their battle to take the lead and drive away to the win.

As Keselowski put distance on the field, Larson's battles were far from over. In the closing laps, Larson and four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon raced hard lap after lap for the second spot, as Larson's car flirted with the outside wall around each corner.

When Larson tagged the wall in Turn 2, Gordon was able to take the advantage and drive away with the second spot.
Finishing third, Larson was the highest finishing non-Chase driver in the field.

After their hard-fought battle, the veteran Gordon came up to Larson on pit road to give some advice to the young rookie.

"He was pretty proud of me," Larson said of his conversation with Gordon. "I'm sure there were some things I could have done differently on that restart, he was telling me. I'll definitely know for next time."

Gordon said he was very impressed with Larson's effort.

"I was having a pretty good time watching him and Kevin go at it there in front of me," Gordon said. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I thought for sure there was going to be a wreck. That's just two guys that are wheeling it.

"Just really proud of Kyle Larson. What a great effort. Such a young talent. I really wanted to see him win that race, because I like him, but I didn't want to see those other guys win either."

Leading a total of 20 laps, Larson was as close to his first career Sprint Cup Series win as he has been to date.

"Man, I was so close," he said. "I didn't need that caution there. I was cruising out front and then we got that yellow and I had to battle Harvick really hard there and that allowed Brad to get by both of us. That really ended our shot at a win there. We had one more shot on that last restart there, but just didn't have enough for Brad. He was really good on the bottom. He was about the only car I thought that could get around the bottom all race long.

"I had a lot of fun gripping the wall," he said. "I ran inches off it the whole race, and finally got into it there battling Jeff. Had a really good Target Chevy.

For a backup car, that was amazing. This just really shows how tough our team is and how hard they work at the shop preparing great primary cars and backup cars. Just hate that we came up short."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/rookie-kyle-larson-crashes-the-chicagoland-chase-party-091414


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## Ckg2011

*Fourth Not So Fun For Logano At Chicagoland​*
*J*oey Logano finished a quiet fourth in Sunday's Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway.

As far as the Team Penske driver is concerned, it was a little too quiet.

While Logano was happy to come home in the top five on a day when he hovered around 10th place for much of the afternoon, the Connecticut native wasn't thrilled with the overall speed of his No. 22 Ford Fusion.

"I'm pleased with the finish; I'm not pleased with our performance this weekend," Logano told FOXSports.com on pit road immediately after the race.

"We never were fast at any point this whole weekend. We were always slow.

We battled hard and made the most out of it â€" that's for sure. If you'd have told me we'd finish top five after the first run of this thing, I wouldn't have believed you."

When the caution flag waved with 23 laps to go for a Clint Bowyer collision with the Turn 2 wall, Logano was running 12th. While the top eight cars stayed out under caution, Logano and others from ninth on back elected to hit pit road for tires â€" and the decision to take fresh rubber appeared to help Logano in moving forward several positions once the race restarted with 18 laps to go.

Following another caution â€" this one, oddly enough, for a collision between lovebirds Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. â€" Logano lined up sixth for the final restart with six laps left, and managed to pick off two more spots before the checkered flag waved.

"It was a decent finish after what we went through, but we've gotta find more," Logano said. "We've got to figure out how to go faster. That's not good enough. We've got to figure out how to go a little faster to beat these guys."

Logano, who arrived at Chicagoland three points behind his championship-leading teammate Brad Keselowski, now sits 10 points behind Keselowski â€" Sunday's winner â€" but moved up two positions to third in the standings.

"We've just got to learn from our mistakes and figure out where we missed it this weekend, why we didn't have any speed, and go from there," Logano said. "We're complaining that we didn't run good â€" we still finished fourth, so we'll take that, but we've just got to find something somewhere."

Logano was admittedly a bit mystified as to why teammate Keselowski's car, which led three times for a total of 62 laps, was so superior to the No. 22 Penske machine.

"I don't know," Logano said. "If I knew, I wouldn't tell you, and if I knew, my car would be just as fast, too."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...or-joey-logano-at-chicagoland-speedway-091414


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## Ckg2011

*Stenhouse Jr., Patrick Hit Each Other, Wall​*
With 10 laps to go in the MyAFibStory.com 400, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his girlfriend, Danica Patrick, made contact and both got into the Turn 4 wall.

Stenhouse Jr., Patrick and Tony Stewart were running three-wide when Stenhouse got into Patrick's left rear quarterpanel, bringing out the sixth caution of the race on Lap 257.

"The 17 hit me," Patrick said on her radio as she and Stenhouse Jr. came to pit road. Stenhouse Jr. finished 17th, and Patrick finished 19th, the last car on the lead lap.

"I heard my spotter (Brandon Benesch) say that the 14 (Stewart) was below me on track, and I didn't know the 17 (Stenhouse Jr.) was there on the high side of the track," Patrick said. "My spotter took the blame on that one. I just didn't know Ricky was up there, and I obviously don't want to hit his car or anyone else with 10 laps to go.

"I talked with Ricky afterward and we're fine. It's just a tough deal. We finished 19th even with the damage so it was a decent run. We just had a tight car all day."

The caution benefitted Chase driver Ryan Newman, who returned to the lead lap as the beneficiary of the free pass.






*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/stenhouse-jr-patrick-hit-other-210000534--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Heartbreak for Almirola​*
Aric Almirola saw a potential top-10 finish to open the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup go up in smoke.

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver came into Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway as a championship long shot. But Almirola was determined to turn in a Cinderella story and nearly pulled it off.

After starting 23rd, he methodically worked his way to the front of the field and as the race reached its halfway mark was just outside the top 10. Almirola progressed and had his sights set on the leaders until his dream literally blew up while running sixth when his engine expired on lap 230.

"The motor just let go," said Almirola. "My hat goes off to (crew chief) Trent Owens and all the guys on the Eckrich team . Our Ford Fusion was really fast and it just wasn't meant to be today. Doug (Yates) builds awesome horsepower for us every week. We rarely have any engine issues at all. It happened, but we had a lot of horsepower while it lasted.

"It was running really strong. There was no indication that was going to happen."

Almirola nearly fell a lap down to the field on lap 99 but narrowly escaped that fate when caution flew. He credited adjustments on the subsequent pit stop to helping him drive to the front.

"Trent Owens made a lot of good adjustments on the pit stops," he said. "We work really well together. One thing I love about Trent is when I start complaining about the racecar from the drop of the green flag he goes to work on it and he makes great adjustments."

Almirola punched his Chase ticket with his first career Sprint Cup win at Daytona back in July. However, he struggled for good finishes during the summer stretch before putting together back-to-back top-10 finishes to end the regular season in Atlanta and Richmond. Those performances had Almirola thinking positive heading into his first Chase.

"We had a lot of momentum on our side," Almirola said. "We know what we are capable of and we know that we are capable of running in the top 10. Everyone else might not think that. The rest of the world thinks we are underdogs and we gladly accept that underdog tag. What we showed today and what we showed this past two weeks is exactly what we are capable of."

So while Almirola's start to the Chase got off on a sour note, neither he nor his team plan to give up hope by any means for the rest of the Challenger Round.

"We are going to go to Loudon with our heads held high and try and rebound from this," Almirola said. "You never know. Anything is possible. "We have to win. There is no other option."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Heartbreak-for-Almirola.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Rallies After New Pit Crew Leaves Him With A Loose Wheel​*
*A* costly pit stop for a loose wheel couldn't keep Kevin Harvick from rallying to a top-five finish in Sunday's opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver had a chance to leave Chicagoland Speedway with much more than his fifth-place finish, however. For a while, it appeared he was going leave with a trophy.

In his first race since swapping pit crews with Tony Stewart's team in an effort to eliminate mistakes on pit road, Harvick fell all the way to 21st after being forced to come to pit road a second time under the race's first caution. But Harvick then needed only about 50 laps to make his way into the top five.

The charge continued from there as Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet passed Brad Keselowski for the lead on Lap 151 of 267, and built an advantage of more than one second over Keselowski by the 100-to-go mark.

Harvick held the top spot for 77 consecutive laps before rookie Kyle Larson snatched the lead away on Lap 228 just before a cycle of green flag pit stops.

Harvick and Larson went on to trade the lead multiple times, and were in the midst of a fierce contest for the top spot following a Lap 250 restart, when Brad Keselowski blew past both to lead the final 16 laps and score the win.

Harvick, one of 16 championship-eligible drivers, faded in the closing laps, but had nothing but positive words about his battle with Larson -- who went on to finish third and was the highest-finishing driver not in the Chase.

"The No. 42 (Larson) was better than us," Harvick said. "He passed us the run before and was able to get track position and restart on the bottom. On the restarts, for whatever reason, I was tight those last several restarts up on exit, so I had to kind of go into defensive mode.

"Obviously, Kyle wants to win a race and that's how you're supposed to race and everybody was going after it pretty hard. It was a fun day. I'm proud of all my guys on my Jimmy John's Chevrolet for the job that they did, and it's a solid start to the Chase."

Larson, a rookie driver making his first Sprint Cup start at Chicagoland, was glad to avoid contact with the veteran Harvick.

"As long as we didn't touch, I thought it was all going to be OK, and I left him plenty of room when we'd get down to the corners, and I would side-draft and stuff down the straightaways, but I wasn't hitting him or anything, so I think the way I was racing was OK," Larson said. "I don't know if he thought the same thing, but I had a lot of fun, and when he was there on my outside, I felt like he was doing the same thing, so I thought we raced hard but clean."

Sprint Cup rookie Kyle Larson crashes the Chicagoland Chase party, finishes third

Asked by a reporter if he had any hard feelings for Larson after their intense duel, Harvick turned terse.

"Naw, man," he said. "That's a dumb question."

Harvick, who led three times for a race-high 79 laps, moved up two spots to fourth in the standings and is only 12 points behind Chicagoland winner and championship leader Keselowski heading to New Hampshire for the second of three races that make up the Chase Challenger Round.

"It was a fun race," Harvick said. "Our car wasn't quite as good on the restarts on the used tires as it was on new tires, so I got kind of taken advantage of there a little bit at the end, as I was just trying to battle to hang on. But everybody did a great job on our Jimmy John's Chevrolet, and we'll just keep fighting."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...pit-crew-leaves-him-with-a-loose-wheel-091414


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chicago Rear View Mirror​*
The outcome might have been the same but getting there was a lot different.

Brad Keselowski kicked off the Chase opener with a win at Chicagoland Speedway on the heels of turning in one of the most dominating performances in recent history last week on his way to Victory Lane at Richmond.

But Keselowski had to fight his way to win number five of the season through a series of wild restarts before finally pulling away to a somewhat comfortable win.

Things were anything but in the comfort zone most afternoon for the 16 drivers who started the day as Chase participants. The rough Chicagoland racing surface provided several options and grooves for two and sometimes three wide racing, particularly on restarts when four wide was also in vogue.

Keselowski said he felt more confident coming into this Chase than he was back in 2012 when he won the championship. That was evident this weekend when despite battling to find speed early in practice, the No. 2 team made up ground in a hurry and was able to strike first in the title race.

Thanks to the new Chase format, Keselowski has advanced to the Contenders Round meaning the next two races at New Hampshire and Dover don't really matter in the big picture.

But winning still does matter and Keselowski is doing more of it than anybody these days.

Many predict (myself included) a non-Chase driver will win one of the final races of the season and that could easily be Kyle Larson after yet another stirring performance Sunday. The rookie driver started at the back of the field after going to a back-up car from practice issues but was quickly at the front of the pack and a factor. Larson led late and was locked in a tremendous battle with Kevin Harvick for the top spot after a late restart and then Jeff Gordon for second place before finally coming home third. Larson has been impressive all year long and the freshman is definitely improving with age.

Harvick finished fifth in a day that had its share of ups and downs. After the celebrated swap of pit crews between Harvick's old No. 4 team and Tony Stewart's group, trouble struck on an early trip to pit road. A loose wheel sent Harvick back to his pit stall for another set of tires but it turned out not to be a fatal mistake. Subsequent stops were solid as has been the case most all season Harvick had one of the fastest cars in the race. Overall, it was a solid day for Harvick and surely his pit road support team will sleep well tonight knowing they have one race under their belts.

Maybe not sleeping very well however are the four drivers now at the bottom of the standings, who need to move up in the next two weeks or risk being knocked out of the Chase after Dover. Aric Almirola is on that last despite having a day when he raced up to the fifth position but was sidelined by a blown engine. Carl Edwards, AJ Allmendinger and Greg Biffle all had finishes low enough to dropped them into the danger zone.

The Chicagoland weekend got off to a rough start weather-wise with rain knocking out Friday night's scheduled Camping World Truck Series race. Thankfully Mother Nature improved and Saturday's rescheduled Nationwide-Truck Series doubleheader went off without a hitch and Sunday's main even was held under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. A solid crowd came out on Sunday and with the Chicago baseball season basically over and the Bears playing Sunday night, NASCAR was the headline event on the Chicago sports landscape.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Chicago-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*'I Did What I Felt Was Right'​*
Hunter Masling faced a dilemma. What he would decide to do in less than a second could impact hundreds and alter how Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway ended.

Keep quiet and maybe things would be OK.

Or admit a mistake that could cost Brad Keselowski a chance to win.

Those were Masling's options.

No one else knew what he faced.

In a Blur

Masling stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 175 pounds. Only a few years ago the Louisiana native weighed 210 pounds and was the center of his high school football team. Since there's little college demand for a small center, Masling turned his focus to racing.

He got his first go-kart when he was 5 years old. His family could only take his racing so far. Still, he liked working on cars and moved to North Carolina to attend UTI's NASCAR Technical Institute. Each day on the way to class, he passed a school that trained pit crew members.

"I wonder if I'd be any good at that,'' Masling said to himself. "It looks fun.''

He tried it. Team Penske hired him as a tire changer for Keselowski's Camping World Truck team in Aug. 2011. Masling remained there through 2012 before he was farmed to BK Racing and worked as a tire changer on the No. 93 Sprint Cup car. He started this season with Leavine Family Racing's Cup team and remained with Keselowski's Truck crew.

Three races into this year, Team Penske promoted Masling to the No. 22 Nationwide car. The 24-year-old joined Keselowski's Sprint Cup pit crew at Dover three months ago.

"It's happened fast,'' Masling said. "It's been an interesting, wild ride."

He couldn't imagine what was to come.

Trouble

Keselowski entered Chicagoland Speedway's pit road in second place as the caution waved on Lap 182 of the 267-lap race Sunday.

The pit stop seemed normal. Masling removed all five lug nuts on the right front tire and tightened all five on the new tire before running to the left side of the car.

He removed the five lug nuts without issue. Even after the new tire was put in place nothing seemed wrong. Masling hit the top lug nut, tightening it. He did the same to the next one. Two down, three to go.

Then trouble.

Masling lost his balance and his upper body leaned forward. It threw off his motion. He missed the third lug nut. He recovered to tighten the fourth lug nut but missed the fifth lug nut. Masling tried to hit the fifth lug nut again but the jack dropped and Keselowski sped away.

"I only got three lug nuts on the wheel, and I'm pretty sure two of them are only tight,'' Masling thought to himself.

Thus, the dilemma.

He could have walked away to "hide behind the pit box or go stand by the water cooler and cross my fingers and say a prayer ... and hope that it was good.''

Some might have done that. Maybe the caution flag would wave again soon and Keselowski could return to pit road. Maybe the lug nuts would hold for a fuel run without issue.

Or maybe the wheel would cause Keselowski to lose control in front of the field and take out other Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders. That might put Keselowski and others at jeopardy of advancing to the next round, dramatically impacting the Chase.

Masling didn't hesitate.

He rose and turned toward crew chief Paul Wolfe on the pit box.

"I had to swallow my pride,'' Masling said.

He told Wolfe he didn't think the left wheel was tight.

"It was a call I didn't want to make and hope I never have to make again,'' Masling said. "At that moment, I was just thinking what would be better for the team."

Keselowski returned to the pit stall and the team changed tires. As Keselowski moved through the field, Masling tried to move on. His teammates offered support and encouragement.

Masling knew there was no time to pout. There would be at least one more pit stop before the end of the race. This time Masling had no issues, and the crew had one of its best stops of race, servicing Keselowski's car in 11.9 seconds.

Keselowski then made his charge. He drove between Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson to take the lead with 16 laps to go and went on to win. The victory, Keselowski's fifth of the season, advanced him to the next round in the Chase.

"The real winner is the young man that changes the tire, put his hand up and said, 'Hey, I screwed up, the wheel might be loose,' '' car owner Roger Penske said. "Paul had the guts to say on the radio, 'We're not going to go out and run to find out, we're coming in now.' ''

After the race, Masling spoke to Wolfe.

"I'm sorry I had to put you in that position, but I did what I felt was right,'' Masling said.

"Don't worry about it,'' Wolfe told Masling. "You made the right call. Good job.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rad-Keselowski-Crew-Member-Was-Easy-Call.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mistakes, Bad Luck Leave Many Feeling Blue​*
Sunday's opener in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is why competitors are anxious about a one-race shootout for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Because it is so easy to lose the title.

Chase drivers suffered through NASCAR's version of the "12 Days of Christmas" at Chicagoland Speedway with a potpourri of problems: Four teams punished, three loose wheels, two blown engines and a car slides through its pit stall.

Get to Homestead where four drivers will vie for the title and any of those issues could curtail a season's worth of work in seconds.

That's been the case in the past - if Kurt Busch's wheel doesn't roll on to the track as he ducks on pit road in 2004 he likely doesn't win the inaugural Chase, or if Tony Stewart doesn't overcome hitting debris that damaged his grille, he doesn't win the 2011 crown - but with four drivers competing for the championship, any mistake or misfortune might doom a team's title hopes.

There were enough mistakes in Sunday's race that Brad Keselowski overcame a loose wheel and won.

"That was something that we all thought was awful at the time, but I guess it worked out,'' he said of the issue that forced him to pit a second time 85 laps from the finish and dropped him from second to 16th. "From there we just fought, just climbed and clawed.''

Crew chief Paul Wolfe also altered his strategy and the ploy worked, helping Keselowski score his second consecutive win and advance to the next round.

Others were not as fortunate in a race where one wondered what would happen next to Chase drivers. Consider:

Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman had loose wheels. 
Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch spun entering pit road.
Kyle Busch overshot his pit stall and had to back up, costing him eight positions.

Kasey Kahne, penalized for speeding on pit road once all season, was caught speeding twice Sunday.

Kahne and Kyle Busch hit on pit road, damaging both cars.

AJ Allmendinger's car suffered a broken shifter lever.

Jimmie Johnson lost three spots on pit road during on stop when the team's rear tire changer and carrier tangled, throwing the stop's timing off.

Aric Almirola blew an engine while running sixth.

Joey Logano blew his engine on the last lap after a tear-off from another car blocked his front grille and overheated the engine. He finished fourth.

Carl Edwards suffered a flat tire.

Keselowski's car was dented on the right side when he and Kyle Larson made contact while swerving to clean their tires before the final restart.

That's what can be so maddening about any race is how something obscure - cars hitting each other while cleaning their tires under caution? - can determine a team's chances for the championship.

While some will decry this new Chase format, this puts NASCAR in line with other sports. The Super Bowl seems to do well even though the best team doesn't always win that game. The NCAA men's basketball championship game once was decided in the final seconds by a player throwing the ball to the wrong team. The seventh game of a World Series turned on a fielding error in extra innings.

Mistakes will happen. Mistakes likely will cost someone a championship.

Offsetting the harshness of the season finale is the benefit of this new Chase format. Favorite Jimmie Johnson finished 12th at Chicagoland. He only needs to outscore four Chase drivers in the first three races to advance to the next round. Then the points are reset.

If this was last year's format - where he won the title with an average finish of 5.1 - Johnson could not afford another finish outside the top 10 and hope to win the title. Now, he or any other Chase driver could score three finishes outside the top 10 and advance to the next round.

"I feel like for all the talk and all the different strategies and how everything is laid out and everything like that ... since the beginning of time when they counted points, the strategy is really simple to try to get to the championship,'' Kenseth said.

Once there, who knows what will happen.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cago-Race-And-Could-Do-Same-At-Homestead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick 'Takes the Fifth'​*
Kevin Harvick has begun his 2014 Chase with a fifth-place finish in Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

"It's a solid start," said Harvick, who had won the previous day's Nationwide Series race on the Joliet, Ill., oval.

Harvick took the green flag Sunday in the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup from the 12th starting spot after qualifying was rained out and the lineup set by Friday's practice speeds. It was evident early that he had a fast racecar and he quickly made a run toward the front of the field.

By the time the day's first caution flew at Lap 68, Harvick had already made his way up to fourth place. But he was forced to return to pit road and change tires again when a loose wheel was found on his No. 4 Chevrolet.

Before the Chase began, Stewart-Haas Racing announced a change in pit crews between Harvick's team and the squad working on Tony Stewart's No. 14 entry. Harvick had voiced his concerns about mistakes on pit road during the regular season. The issue was addressed with the swap in personnel on the eve of the playoffs.

Although the new crew didn't get off to the best start, Harvick didn't experience any challenges the rest of the day and continued his march to the front of the field, grabbing his first lead at Lap 151. He stayed there for the following 77 circuits before being passed by rookie Kyle Larson.

After another caution, Harvick and Larson lined up side-by-side for a restart, waging a furious battle for the lead over the next few laps. Harvick eventually slipped behind and when the checkered flag flew, he was credited with a top-five finish.

"The No. 42 (Larson) was better than us," said Harvick. "He passed us the run before, was able to get track position and restart on the bottom. On the restarts, for whatever reason, I was tight on exit so I had to go into defensive mode. Kyle wants to win and that's how you're supposed to race. Everybody was going after it pretty hard."

The top-five finish left Harvick in fourth place in the Chase standings, 12 points behind leader Brad Keselowski heading into Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 in New Hampshire.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Harvick-Takes-the-Fifth.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Road Manager Accuses Brad Keselowski's Team of Cheating​*
_A manager for Dale Earnhardt Jr. insinuated on Twitter that Brad Keselowski's winning car in Sunday's race was illegal._​
Was there something amiss with Brad Keselowski's car that may have aided him in winning Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway, the first event in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup?

Mike Hoag, the road manager for Dale Earnhardt Jr., seemed to think so, posting a series of since-deleted tweets remarking that very observation. Jenna Fryer retweeted one:








It is important to note that NASCAR officials found no violations on the No. 2 car during post-race inspection. NASCAR has taken the car back to its research center for further evaluation, as the sanctioning body does each week.

Keselowski later responded with a tweet directed at Hoag.








In the winner's post-race media session, crew chief Paul Wolfe was asked about the alleged disparities on the right side of the No. 2 car. Wolfe said he didn't know of damage, and if any had occurred he surmised it likely came during transition from the racing surface to the apron.

"When you go down on the flat, a lot of times that will cause a little bit of damage," Wolfe said. "That could have been what you were seeing there."

Keselowski scored a series-best four victories during the regular season, earning the No. 1 playoff seed. Chicagoland was the first of 10 Chases that will determine the Sprint Cup champion.

If any infractions are found on Keselowski's race-winning car, NASCAR would announce any penalties Tuesday.

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2014...ting-tweets-brad-keselowski-dale-earnhardt-jr


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## Ckg2011

*LaJoie To Make Cup Debut​*
Corey Lajoie will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Randy Humphrey Racing.

LaJoie's debut will come less than a week before his 23rd birthday. It marks the first time in a Cup car for the son of two-time Nationwide champions Randy LaJoie. With 43 cars entered at New Hampshire, Corey LaJoie is guaranteed a starting spot.

"It's definitely a big leap from what I've been doing,'' LaJoie told Motor Racing Network. "It's more often than not that the drivers invest with the team and bring the money and sponsors. To find a team investing in drivers is few and far between.''

LaJoie is a development driver for Richard Petty Motorsports but the team has not found sponsorship to run him. LaJoie has run one Nationwide race this season, placing 21st at Kentucky, and twice in the Camping World Truck Series, finishing 15th at Kentucky and 21st at Bristol.

"I've got to make my own path,'' said LaJoie, who was nipped by Kyle Larson for the win in a K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire two years ago. "Maybe start from the bottom and work my way up. I thought I would be in this point four years ago, but God's plans are always going to prevail and you've got to go along with it and trust that it is the right one.''

LaJoie is unsure of his plans beyond this week. If things go well, he could be in line for rides with Randy Humphrey Racing at Kansas, Charlotte and Texas. He's also looking for possible Nationwide rides at Kansas and Charlotte.

"It does seem like some things are opening up,'' LaJoie said of other rides. "Maybe this RHR deal will grow up to something bigger. If I get a good solid run ... and bring it home in one piece who knows what will happen.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...aJoie-To-Make-Cup-Debut-At-New-Hampshire.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Case Going To A Grand Jury​*
A grand jury will decide if Tony Stewart will face charges in the August 9 death of Kevin Ward.
The Ontario County (N.Y.) District Attorney's office announced Tuesday it is sending the evidence from Ward's death to a grand jury, which will decide whether or not to file charges against Stewart.

Stewart and Ward were racing together at Canandaigua Motorsports Park (N.Y.) in a sprint car race on Aug. 9. After Ward hit the wall, he exited his car and went down the track to angrily confront Stewart. Stewart's car struck and killed Ward.

The Ontario County Sheriff's Department had investigated the matter for approximately a month. Last week it announced it had sent the evidence from the investigation to the district attorney. According to the Associated Press, District Attorney Michael Tantillo "could have determined there was not enough evidence to support charges and dropped the case."

Here is the full statement from Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo:



> _Over the past several weeks I have reviewed with members of the Ontario County Sheriff's Department their investigation, as it progressed, in the Tony Stewart matter. Recently that office concluded its work and forwarded the complete case file to me. Upon my review of all of the information contained in the entire investigation, I have made the determination that it would be appropriate to submit the evidence to a grand jury, for their determination as to what action should be taken in this matter. Accordingly, the evidence developed in the investigation will be presented to an Ontario County grand jury in the near future.
> As grand jury proceedings in New York State are strictly confidential by law, I am unable to state when the matter will be scheduled, other than to state that I intend to present the matter in the near future. Similarly, because of the confidential nature of these proceedings, I cannot state who will be called as witnesses, or what any witness's expected testimony will be. When the presentation has been completed and a determination has been made, I will advise the public and the media at that time of the results.
> 
> Michael Tantillo
> Ontario County District Attorney_


 Stewart, who missed three races following the incident, issued a statement a short time after the district attorney's announcement.

"I respect the time and effort spent by both the Ontario County District Attorney and the Sheriff's Office in investigating this tragic accident," said Stewart, who is expected to compete in this weekend's Sprint Cup race in New Hampshire. "I look forward to this process being completed, and I will continue to provide my full cooperation."

NASCAR released its own statement that read, in part, "We will monitor this process and stay in close contact with Stewart-Haas Racing. It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment on this case so we will continue to respect the process and authorities involved."

When Stewart, a three time Sprint Cup champion and 48-time winner in NASCAR's elite series, returned to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta, he gave an almost three-minute statement on the matter. He has not taken questions about the incident and will likely not do so until the grand jury process is completed.

A video of the incident was posted to YouTube in the hours following the accident and the OCSD previously said it had a second video. In its statement last week, the OCSD had said it had obtained enhanced video, though we don't know which video it pertains to.

While the sprint car race was not sanctioned by NASCAR, the sanctioning body announced less than a week after Ward's death that all drivers must stay in their vehicles after accidents until emergency personnel arrive.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...vin-ward-s-death-to-grand-jury-190142297.html


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## Ckg2011

*Joe Gibbs Racing Names Primary Sponsors For Edwards, Kenseth​*
*J*oe Gibbs Racing announced Wednesday morning that the Stanley security provider brand and DeWalt power tools will join the organization as primary sponsors for drivers Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth in 2015, respectively.

Stanley, which has been a primary sponsor of Marcos Ambrose at Richard Petty Motorsports since 2011, will be the primary sponsor for 12 races on Edwards' No. 19 Toyota, while DeWalt will be the primary sponsor for six races on Kenseth's No. 20 Toyota.

In addition, Stanley will have associate branding on Kyle Busch's No. 18 Toyota throughout the 2015 season, as well as on the No. 19 and No. 20 cars when not already serving as the primary sponsor. Other Stanley Black & Decker brands, including Mac Tools and BLACK+DECKER, will continue to be part of JGR's NASCAR program.

"We are thrilled to announcea new partnership for Joe Gibbs Racing with both Stanley and DeWalt," said team owner and founder Joe Gibbs. "They have a great history in our sport. We've had a partnership with Mac Tools that dates back to our first days here at JGR. It's an honor that they chose to come on board and support both Carl and Matt."

Kenseth has a long history with DeWalt, having carried the sponsor to his first Sprint Cup victory in the 2000 Coca-Cola 600 with Roush Fenway Racing.

DeWalt was also Kenseth's primary sponsor in 2003, when he won his first and only championship with Roush Fenway.

Kenseth joined Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2013 season, finishing second in the standings and winning seven races. Edwards, a former teammate of Kenseth's at Roush Fenway, is leaving Roush at the end of this season to join JGR. Both drivers are among the 16 participants in this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"It is a special feeling to have the opportunity to partner with DeWalt again,"

Kenseth said. "I have so many tremendous memories with them, and I'm looking forward to representing their brand again and creating new memories."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...sponsors-for-carl-edwards-matt-kenseth-091714


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fed Up With Lack Of Speed In Practice Sessions​*
*D*espite going four consecutive races without a top-10 finish for the first time this season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't overly worried about the speed in his No. 88 Chevrolets on race days.

Practice sessions are an altogether different matter.
After running in the top five for much of Sunday's Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway before fading in the final laps and finishing 11th, Earnhardt Jr. wasn't particularly upset about failing to post a stronger result.

No, the real burr under his saddle was how poorly his No. 88 car performed leading up to Sunday.

In the three practices prior to race time, Earnhardt Jr. was 13th, ninth and 26th fastest, respectively.

"We had such an awful practice," NASCAR's most popular driver said of Saturday's final tune-up for Sunday's race. "I don't know why we can't practice like we race. We never can. Every week we practice awful compared to the speed I see the competitive cars run. We're a tenth, two tenths off, and in the race we're fine, competitive. That's a hell of a thing to have to go through, but mentally for the team, it's exhausting. I don't know another crew that could take it on the chin like they do.

"They put up with whatever the damn problem is in practice, and we keep working and we make good race cars on Sunday, so that was what I thought about when we were out there running fourth and fifth. I was like, 'Yeah, this is the way this team does.'"

Crew chief Steve Letarte downplayed the notion that Earnhardt Jr.'s practice speeds are a real reason for concern.

"There's certain tracks that practice gives us an issue, but they pay points on Sunday," Letarte said. "They don't pay points on Saturday."

Starting 13th at Chicagoland after rain washed out qualifying and set the grid based on speeds from Friday's lone practice, Earnhardt Jr. was fifth by Lap 85, third by Lap 112 and was running fourth at the halfway point of the 267-lap affair.

Earnhardt Jr. lined up fifth on a restart with 18 laps to go but had slipped to ninth when the final caution flag flew with nine laps remaining. After the final restart with six laps to go, Earnhardt Jr. lost two more positions and was forced to settle for 11th in the final rundown.

"It's frustrating that I didn't do things different at the end to sort of save a few spots and finish in the top 10 like we should have, but at the same time, I would have taken 11th (today) as bad as (Saturday) was," Earnhardt Jr. said. "An average of 12th place will make this (next Chase) round, so we're on track. I didn't think it was going to be as good as it was today."

Earnhardt Jr. stood by Letarte's decision not to bring the No. 88 car to pit road for tires under either of the two cautions that came out in the final 22 laps -- even though several drivers who did stop ultimately passed Earnhardt Jr.

"I felt like we could get the job done," Earnhardt Jr. said. "After about two laps, they evened out, and the 20 (Matt Kenseth), I think we could have got back by him in about five more laps or so, but they took off for a couple laps and we started on the bottom and just never got my momentum going and had a little trouble giving up a couple spots there on those first two laps. That's when they sort of got a strike with those tires, and then they sort of evened out after a couple laps.

"I thought it was a good call. You can't take a gamble, and we'd been running in the top five all day, and we fell back to ninth or whatever on the last restart because I didn't do my job. You can't come in and take tires and restart 13th on the inside line and be screwed again. If you get those tires, you need that outside restart line, and you can't be guaranteed that. So I like the call."

Letarte likewise blamed Earnhardt Jr.'s position on the restarts -- not worn rubber -- for the late fade.

"I think we'd have been fine if we'd have maybe restarted on the top or got off the bottom in (turns) 1 and 2," Letarte said. "You're better asking the driver, probably, than me, but he didn't think tires were meaning a whole lot. I don't think it was tires, because there was guys that didn't have tires that got by us. It's just circumstances. Restarts, they're hairy, they're crazy, and we just weren't in the right lines and didn't get the best starts."

While Earnhardt Jr. and Letarte certainly hoped to finish better at Chicagoland, the two are confident they are in a good position to reach the Chase Contender Round that will include 12 of the 16 drivers in the Challenger Round.

Heading into Sunday's race at New Hampshire, Earnhardt Jr. is fifth in the standings -- 13 points ahead of Ryan Newman, the first of four drivers not in position to advance. The strategy for the No. 88 bunch is to not take any unnecessary risks.

"All you can do in these first three is lose the championship," Letarte said of the races in the Challenger Round. "You can't win one."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ar-sprint-cup-series-practice-sessions-091614


----------



## Ckg2011

*NTS Motorsports penalized for infraction on Austin Dillon truck​*
third-place finish in last Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway now carries an asterisk.

NASCAR announced Wendesday afternoon that Dillon's No. 20 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet failed to meet post-race body height/ground clearance requirements of the 2014 NASCAR rule book during post-race inspection.

The infraction represents a P2 level penalty on NASCAR's six-tier penalty deterrence system.

Dillon, a Sprint Cup rookie making select truck starts this season, trailed only race winner Kyle Busch and reigning truck champion Matt Crafton at the checkered flag of a race that was originally scheduled for Friday night but was delayed a day by rain.

Since No. 20 crew chief Chris Rice was already under probation through the end of the year from a P3 level penalty that occurred during the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Bristol on March 15, NASCAR used the applicable Recurrence Multiplier -- as outlined in the rule book -- when assessing the severity of the penalty. As a result, Rice has been fined $7,500 and suspended from NASCAR through Sept. 24. His NASCAR probation remains intact through Dec. 31.

Bob Newberry, owner of the No. 20 truck, has been penalized with the loss of 10 truck owner points.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...on-truck-091714?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr's Road Manager Resigns After Cheating Allegation​*
Mike Hoag has resigned his position as road manager for Dale Earnhardt Jr., after accusing Brad Keselowski's Miller Lite Ford team of cheating in Sunday afternoon's race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Late in Sunday's race, Hoag tweeted "Anyone else see how much Keselowski's right side skirt was flared out? They cheated it up a bit on that stop. Caught ya."

Keselowski responded in kind later that evening, tweeting, "Ever heard of glass houses?"

Hoag announced his departure from the team yesterday, tweeting, "It's with a heavy heart, but I will no longer be with Dale Jr or JRM. It's been a fun ride, enjoyed every moment, on to something new. This was my decision, no one else's."

NASCAR found no issues with Keselowski's winning Ford in post-race inspection. JR Motorsports has not commented on Hoag's departure.

*Source:*
http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/2014/09/earnhardts-road-manager-resigns-after.html


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Taps Josh Berry For Second Nationwide Race​*
*J*R Motorsports Late Model driver Josh Berry, who made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last month, will get his second shot behind the wheel of the No. 5 JRM Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series 2014 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 15.

JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller, sister of team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., made the announcement on Wednesday.

Ragu, a partner of JR Motorsports since 2011, will be the primary sponsor on Berry's car at Homestead.

Berry, an avid online racer from Hendersonville, Tenn., met Earnhardt Jr.

through an online racing league in 2007. The two competed regularly on iRacing.com before striking up a friendship that led Earnhardt Jr. to offer Berry a ride with JR Motorsports' Late Model program in April 2010.

"I'm very thankful that Ragu came on board and that everybody at JRM has worked so hard to make this happen," Berry said. "Just like when I first started driving the Late Model, it started with one race. If one race went good, it went to two. Now we're at two (in the Nationwide Series). If this goes well, hopefully we can do more. That's definitely what I want to do."

Last weekend, Berry won his second Late Model track championship and first at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. Berry earned the team's first track championship at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., in 2012.

The 23-year-old made his Nationwide Series debut on Aug. 2 at Iowa Speedway in JR Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet, finishing 12th after starting 10th.

"My approach to Homestead will be the same as it was at Iowa," Berry said.

"These guys gave me a lot of video of in-car footage, and I'm going to watch that. I'm going to study as much as I can, talk to as many people as I can -- Dale (Earnhardt Jr.), Kevin (Harvick), Regan (Smith) and Chase (Elliott). I'll probably annoy everybody, but I'm going to do all I can to prepare myself."

The No. 5 JRM team has competed on a part-time basis this season with drivers Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Austin Theriault. Led by Harvick's four wins, the team boasts five victories in 21 starts.

*Source:* 
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ide-race-091714?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Partners with Stanley and Dewalt​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that it has entered partnership with world-leading tool and security provider STANLEY and professional power tool provider DEWALT beginning in 2015.

STANLEY will partner with JGR as the primary sponsor for 12 races on the No. 19 Toyota driven by Carl Edwards beginning in 2015, while DEWALT will serve as the primary sponsor for six races on the No. 20 Toyota driven by Matt Kenseth. In addition, STANLEY will have associate branding on the No. 18 Toyota throughout the 2015 season, as well as on both the No. 19 and No. 20 Toyotas when not already serving as the primary sponsor. Other Stanley Black & Decker brands, including Mac Tools, BLACK and DECKER, and more, will continue to be a part of the NASCAR program with JGR.

"We are thrilled to announce a new partnership for Joe Gibbs Racing with both STANLEY and DEWALT," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "They have a great history in our sport. We've had a partnership with Mac Tools that dates back to our first days here at JGR. It's an honor that they chose to come on board and support both Carl and Matt."

Edwards is currently battling in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship. He has two wins, six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes thus far this season. Over the course of his 11-year career, he has won a total of 23 races with 107 top-five and 184 top-10 finishes. In addition to his 23 Sprint Cup Series wins, he has also compiled 38 wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and won the championship in 2007. His highest finish in the Sprint Cup Series season was in 2011 when he was runner-up to Tony Stewart based on a tiebreaker.

"STANLEY is excited to partner with Joe Gibbs Racing and join Carl Edwards as he embarks on a new chapter in his career," said Scott Bannell, VP of Stanley Black & Decker Corporate Brand Marketing. "We believe he will be a fantastic representative on and off the track for us and we're looking forward to the 2015 season."

Kenseth is currently 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings following the opening race of the Chase this past weekend in Chicago. For the season he has nine top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. The 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion has a long history with DEWALT, winning his first ever Cup Series race in a DEWALT car in 2000 and capturing Rookie of the Year honors that same season. Over the course his career, Kenseth has won a total of 31 races with 147 top-five and 263 top-10 finishes.

"It is a special feeling to have the opportunity to partner with DEWALT again," said Matt Kenseth, "I have so many tremendous memories with them and I'm looking forward to representing their brand again and creating new memories."

"We could not be happier to partner with Matt Kenseth again and to associate the DEWALT brand with Joe Gibbs Racing," said Frank Mannarino, President of DEWALT. "Matt embodies many of the same characteristics as DEWALT with tremendous strength, toughness and dependability, and based on previous experience, we know he will be a great representative of our brand."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../09/JGR-Partners-with-Stanley-and-Dewalt.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Already In the Danger Zone​*
It didn't take long for a number of drivers to stumble in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and find themselves in trouble.

Poor finishes, lackluster performances, mechanical issues, mistakes and bad luck were on full display last Sunday in the MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. As a result, this week's second race of the Challenger Round at New Hampshire Motor Speedway has even more pressure for some drivers hoping to advance:

*Aric Almirola*

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver was less than 40 laps away from potentially a top 10 or even a top-five finish at Chicagoland. That is, until the engine of the No. 43 let go on Lap 230 and the underdog story went out in a puff of smoke. To add insult to injury, it was the first time in 99 races with RPM that Almirola suffered a blown engine. The end result dropped him into the basement of the Chase standings heading to Loudon, where he's struggled during his Sprint Cup career including a 23rd-place finish back in July.

*A.J. Allmendinger*

The clock didn't officially strike midnight for another Cinderella story, but it certainly moved into the 11 O'clock hour for Allmendinger. The only time the JTG/Daugherty Racing driver was inside the top 20 Sunday was at the drop of the green flag when he started 17th. Handling issues plagued the No. 47 team all day and Allmendinger has to right the ship in a hurry at New Hampshire, where he's only notched one top-10 finish in 11 career starts. He was 18th in July.

*Greg Biffle*

It seemed like Biffle was a lap down Sunday before the fans got settled into their seats. After starting 20th, he ended up two laps down in 23rd and the struggles that have been nearly overwhelming for the entire Roush Fenway Racing team this season continued. There are wins at both New Hampshire and Dover on Biffle's resume, but you have to go back six seasons to find the last time he took a checkered flag at either track. His July visit to Loudon resulted in a 13th-place performance.

*Carl Edwards*

He caught a break when qualifying was rained out and the starting lineup was based on practice speeds, which put Edwards inside Row 2 for the start. However, that turned out to be the highlight of his day. By Lap 50, Edwards was already out of the top 10 and he suffered a flat tire later in the race to add to his challenges. He finished 20th. Although Edwards doesn't have a win at New Hampshire, he wasn't terrible in the summer race when he finished 15th. He'll need to up that this weekend in order to fend off elimination from Chase contention.

*Ryan Newman*

He certainly deserves an "Atta boy!" for the effort his Richard Childress Racing team put in Sunday, rallying from early troubles and going several laps down to come home with a decent finish, 15th. But Newman is in the bottom four of the Chase standings heading to Loudon, where he finished fifth back in July.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/09/Already-In-the-Danger-Zone.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's Tom Hanks​*
A statue on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s property features Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks, sitting on a park bench in his off-white linen suit and blue plaid shirt. It was a birthday gift from Earnhardt's sister because Hanks is one of his favorite actors.

One of the world's most recognizable actors, Hanks' reputation appeals to fans and marketers in a way few do. In that sense, one could consider Earnhardt the Tom Hanks of NASCAR.

Earnhardt's value to sponsors grows in what is one of his most successful NASCAR Sprint Cup season in years. He's passed Danica Patrick in awareness and appeal in one index, increased mentions of his sponsors more than 100 percent from last year, and his video for eBay Motors ranks among the most viewed videos posted on eBay's YouTube channel within the last year.

The reigning 11-time National Motorsports Press Association's Most Popular Driver always has been good for sponsors, but as he chases his first NASCAR Sprint Cup title, this might be among his best years.

Matt Fleming, director of the Celebrity DBI, which measures a celebrity's ability to influence brand affinity and consumer purchase, likens Earnhardt to Hanks. Fleming notes that Hanks' Celebrity DBI scores are constantly high, getting a bump when he's been newsworthy. Fleming sees the same with Earnhardt.

"For someone like him to have the awareness scores that he does ... 76 percent and still have high appeal scores is a strong testament,'' Fleming said, noting that just because people know someone doesn't mean they always like them..

Earnhardt's score is not just among NASCAR fans. The Celebrity DBI index measures responses from the general population about celebrities, entertainers and athletes.

Earnhardt's awareness score of 76.48 puts him in a category with singer Bono, NFL quarterback Tom Brady, former golfer Arnold Palmer and Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron. Earnhardt ranks above Patrick, who scored 75.20, putting her in a class with Major League Baseball player Derek Jeter and actress Emma Watson.

Earnhardt's appeal score of 72.59 puts him in a group with singer Ciara and actor Jamie Foxx. Earnhardt also rates higher than Patrick in this category. Patrick's score of 72.43 puts her in a group that includes actress Mindy Kaling and actor Tom Hardy.

Patrick, who has starred in a record 13 Super Bowl ads, ranked higher than Earnhardt in both categories a year ago.

"(Earnhardt) is the guy out of anyone, even more so than Danica, although it's a small margin, that even the general consumer is going to know,'' Fleming said.

Earnhardt's three victories, including a Daytona 500 win this season, have helped raise his profile to general consumers. He enters this weekend's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway fifth in the points.

"When he wins, it's getting more coverage than when a guy like Matt Kenseth may win or Brad Keselowski,'' Fleming said. "When (Earnhardt) wins, the sports media make a big deal about it and it's more talked about.''

That translates to Earnhardt's sponsors.

On-screen time for Earnhardt's sponsors during a race broadcast is up about 40 percent from last year, according to Eric Wright, president, director of research for Joyce Julius & Associates, which measures and evaluates corporate sponsorships. That means a company's logo on Earnhardt's car or uniform or any team member's uniform is visible on TV.

Sponsor mentions are up 115 percent for Earnhardt's backers. That comes from Earnhardt naming his sponsors or broadcasters saying them during the TV race broadcast.

Only Jimmie Johnson has been interviewed more often during TV race broadcasts than Earnhardt this season (39 interviews to 36), but Earnhardt's interview time of 39 minutes, 52 seconds, is more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon (35 minutes, 57 seconds of interview time) and Johnson (31:49) are the only drivers whose TV race broadcast interview time is within 10 minutes of Earnhardt's total.

With greater success this season, there's more demand to talk to Earnhardt before and after races.

"There's no denying how he's a real boon for the sponsors,'' Wright said.

eBay Motors understands that after forming a partnership with Earnhardt earlier this year. The relationship was forged by Earnhardt's use of eBay and the decision to have Earnhardt promote eBay Motors, which states it has the world's largest supply of auto parts with more than 46 million parts for sale. The deal was announced in late May, and a video was quickly done.

Earnhardt's video for eBay Motors debuted three months ago and has been viewed more than 70,000 times on eBay's YouTube channel.

"It speaks to the engagement that we have with our customers at eBay Motors,'' said Bryan Murphy, vice president and general manager of eBay Motors, of the video viewership. "It also speaks to the power Dale Jr. has. You put those two things together, you're going to get a lot of hits. We're really pleased. It has really been a successful campaign, not just for eBay Motors but for eBay overall.''

With more time to prepare for next year, Murphy said they're examining ways to further leverage eBay Motors' relationship with Earnhardt.

"You can't do much better than this,'' Murphy said of partnering with Earnhardt.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ale-Earnhardt-Jr-The-Tom-Hanks-Of-NASCAR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Things To Know About Grand Jury Hearing Tony Stewart Case​*
Everyone wants a prediction on what will happen in the grand jury room in Ontario County (N.Y.) when the Tony Stewart case is brought before it.

But this isn't sports, and it's not as if there is a lot of past history of similar cases to compare to this one.

Not only is it difficult to predict what jurors will do, the only person who knows what evidence and witnesses will be brought before the grand jury is the county prosecutor himself.

The Stewart case is like none other in recent memory. It is rare for a racecar driver to get out of his racecar during a race, approach another car on foot and be struck and killed, which is what happened when 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. approached Stewart's car Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

Here are some things to know about a grand jury in New York (primarily from the New York Grand Jury Handbook) and what will happen next:

- Grand jury proceedings are confidential. So we do not know when it is meeting unless a witness speaks publicly. The testimony is only witnessed by the grand jury, the prosecutor and other court personnel, including a stenographer. Any witness can speak publicly after giving testimony.

- The prosecutor, Michael Tantillo, did not have to let anyone know he was taking the case to the grand jury. There is no way of knowing how successful the prosecutor is when going to the grand jury, because in order to protect those investigated but never indicted, there is no public record of the grand jury proceedings. This is a rare case in the sense that everyone knows Stewart was under investigation so there is no confidentiality to worry about in the prosecutor announcing that he is taking it to the grand jury.

The grand jury consists of 23 people, of which 16 must be present for all testimony. All it takes is for 12 (a majority) to agree for a final decision. The grand jury does not determine whether Stewart is guilty. It only determines if there is legally sufficient evidence of a crime and whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the accused person committed that crime.

- The prosecutor must present to the grand jury what charge he wants the grand jury to deliver so he can prosecute. The prosecutor then presents evidence to back up his case. The prosecutor could have decided on his own that no charges were warranted. But if the prosecutor believes felony charges are warranted, he must get an indictment from a grand jury.

- The grand jury will decide at the end of testimony - which can take a day or as long as several weeks, depending on the availability of witnesses - whether to indict on that charge, indict on a lesser charge or not indict at all. If there is no indictment, the prosecutor cannot bring it back to the grand jury unless the prosecutor gets permission from a judge. The case can go in front of the grand jury at most two times.

- There is no judge during a grand jury. The only time a judge is used is to answer grand jurors' questions.

- The prosecutor chooses the initial witnesses and evidence presented. There is no cross examination.

- The members of the grand jury can ask questions. The questions often go through the prosecutor to make sure they are relevant and legally proper. The grand jury can also direct the prosecutor to call a witness a second time and can even ask the prosecutor to subpoena a witness to clarify information. Stewart also can suggest witnesses, but it is up to the grand jury to decide whether it wants to hear from any of those witnesses. If the grand jury asks for a witness that the prosecutor believes is not in the public interest, the prosecutor can ask a judge to make a final determination if the witness will be called to testify.

- Stewart, as the defendant, has a right in New York to appear before the grand jury (and he has the right to not appear). His attorney can be present and advise Stewart but cannot object to questions.

- The prosecutor in this case, Michael Tantillo, was elected in 2013 for his seventh consecutive four-year term. He ran unopposed.

- Ward is not from Ontario County. He lived about about 140 miles away.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...vidence-testimony-prosecutor-kevin-ward-death


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## Ckg2011

*Should NASCAR Suspend Tony Stewart?​*
With the NFL under siege for having three star players facing discipline for violent crimes and for its handling of those cases, NASCAR faces its own interesting dilemma.

Should it suspend Tony Stewart now that his case in the death of sprint-car driver Kevin Ward Jr. has been sent to a grand jury?

And should it suspend Stewart if he is indicted and charged with contributing to Ward's death?

How it answers those questions and responds to Stewart's fate will determine whether or not NASCAR winds up in the same mess that the NFL is trying to clean up.

The NFL and three of its teams have been embroiled in controversy over their reactions to the cases involving Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy.

Rice was suspended indefinitely and released by the Ravens for domestic abuse after a video showed him punching his fiancee. The NFL at first suspended Rice for just two games - which led to widespread outrage - and then reversed course and suspended him indefinitely after video of the incident went public.

Peterson has been charged with child abuse for whipping his 4-year-old son with a switch. He was deactivated for a game by the Minnesota Vikings, reinstated, and then suspended by being placed on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission, which bans him from all team activities until his case is resolved.

Greg Hardy of the Panthers was deactivated for last week's game and placed on the same exempt list after being charged and found guilty of domestic abuse for beating up his girlfriend.

Those cases of violent behavior have created a firestorm of controversy for the NFL, casting the league in a terrible light and putting it under extreme public pressure to clean up its act when it comes to handling such cases and disciplining players for being involved in violent crimes.

Now Stewart faces the possibility of being indicted and charged for his role in the death of Ward, a 20-year-old driver who was killed on Aug. 9 when he was struck by Stewart's sprint car in a race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York. If a grand jury concludes that Stewart's actions contributed to Ward's death, he could be charged with criminal negligence or second-degree manslaughter.

For the past month, the general consensus and public opinion has been that the accident was just that - a horrible accident. Ward walked out onto the track and was approaching Stewart's car under caution when he was struck and killed. The question is whether Stewart saw him and how he reacted, and whether or not he did not enough to avoid hitting him.

Aside from Ward's family and friends and supporters, most believed that Stewart was not at fault and should not face any criminal charges. Even the authorities investigating the case seemed to be advancing that theory and perception early on, emphasizing that it had no evidence to suggest that Stewart did anything to warrant criminal charges or blame for the fatal accident.

But now there is at least a bit of doubt.

The fact that the Ontario (N.Y.) County District Attorney has sent the case to a grand jury seems to indicate that some evidence has emerged that might indicate that Stewart may have been at fault. A grand jury will review that evidence and decide whether or not to indict Stewart.

So knowing that the case has taken a much more serious turn, should NASCAR have suspended Stewart until the grand jury reaches a conclusion?

The sanctioning body announced Tuesday that Stewart can continue to race and that it will continue to monitor the case.

Given what the NFL is going through and the public and corporate scrutiny it is facing, it would not have been surprising had NASCAR taken the high road and safe route and simply suspended Stewart until the case is resolved. There are many who believe that NASCAR should have suspended Stewart from the outset, or at least until the district attorney decided whether or not to pursue charges.

Instead NASCAR allowed Stewart to make his own decision. Stewart skipped three Sprint Cup races while dealing with the tragedy and while the incident was being investigated. He returned Aug. 31 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and has competed in the last three races. He will continue to race this weekend as the grand jury prepares to hear his case.

NASCAR certainly has the right to suspend Stewart under its broad behavioral policy and vague "actions detrimental to the sport" clause.

But it typically yields to the authorities before making any bold reactions to legal issues. It has not suspended drivers for DUI cases and even chose not to suspend Travis Kvapil last year for a domestic violence charge.

The Stewart case, of course, is potentially far more serious.

Should NASCAR have suspended him once the case was sent to the grand jury?

Probably not.

There is one major difference between Stewart's case and those involving Rice, Peterson and Hardy: So far, Stewart has not been charged with any crime, and there is no certainty that he will be.

While it would have been easy for NASCAR to bow to public pressure and suspend Stewart, it is doing the right thing by giving Stewart the benefit of the doubt and letting due process play out.

As much as NASCAR likes to follow the NFL and chase the nation's No. 1 sports league, it is wise not to get caught up in the current drama and public outrage.

If Stewart is indicted and charged, then that's a different matter.

Then NASCAR will have a very difficult decision to make.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...d-death-accident-nfl-ray-rice-adrian-peterson


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## Ckg2011

*Unbeatable Brad? Keselowski In Enviable Spot With Nine To Go​*
*I* know that a lot of race fans are looking at Brad Keselowski and thinking the engraver should go ahead and start putting his name on the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion's trophy. Sure, he may look unstoppable right now, but we are only one race into this year's Chase, and if you look back over the course of the season, you actually will see a pattern.

That pattern that I'm talking about is certain drivers getting hot and then not.

Jimmie Johnson is a classic example of that. Back in late May and early June, Jimmie broke out of his slump and got on a roll. Remember how up until that point all the talk was, "Will Jimmie win a race?" Then after he got on a roll, it was, "There goes Jimmie for his seventh championship."

Funny thing, though -- it hasn't happened. If you remember, Jimmie and his team got cold. That's what I think we've seen this season more than ever in the past is drivers get on a hot streak and then cool right back down.

Jeff Gordon had his streak for a while where folks said this was Jeff's year and not Jimmie's.

I actually agree with what Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. He said there really isn't any clear-cut favorite this season. Drivers just get hot for a certain amount of time and then cool right back down with someone else taking their place. With the way the new Chase format is set up for this year, you may be good in the first round, but that is not a guarantee you will be good in the next round.

For whatever reason, it seems to fall to timing plus being as consistent as possible like a Matt Kenseth, for example. Here's a guy who didn't have a regular season win this year, but he's stayed close to all the others and made his way into the Chase. He has just as much a chance to win this championship right now as the others do.

So I don't want to give a tip of the hat to Brad Keselowski. Yes, he is definitely making a statement he is the best driver with the best race car out there right now. The key there is right now. He's now guaranteed a spot in the next round, but that doesn't mean he won't go ice cold and not make it to the third round.

One win in the Chase does not guarantee you a championship. Go back and look at 2013 if you don't believe me. After the first two races, we thought it was going to be Kenseth's year for sure. The problem was someone forgot to tell Johnson that, because when the checkered flag fell in November at Homestead, it was Jimmie being crowned our champion for a sixth time; not Matt.

The bottom line in what I am trying to say is, to quote the late great Jerry Reed -- "We've got a long ways to go and a short time to get there."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...owski-in-enviable-spot-with-nine-to-go-091814


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## Ckg2011

*Next Two Races Should Say Much About Johnson's Shot At No. 7​*
*I* know there are a lot of questions being asked about whether No. 48 fans should be worried. Just look at the numbers -- they speak a lot.

Since Jimmie Johnson won the Michigan race in June, he's only garnered two top-five finishes. The other negative indicator is Jimmie really hasn't been leading very many laps.

We all kind of figured that after he was solidly in the Chase, they might have been working on some things to try once in the Chase. I kind of figured Chicago was going to be a real indicator of where the No. 48 really was.

After all the practices in Chicago, I really thought the two best race cars in the garage were the No. 48 and the No. 2 of Brad Keselowski.

Obviously, the No. 2 didn't let me down in my thoughts. Unfortunately, the No. 48 car truly did let me down. I know they had the hiccup on the pit stop, but you know what, Kevin Harvick also had a hiccup on pit road, but had a good enough car to recover, so you can't really blame it on that.

I really believe these next two races are critical and will tell us a lot about the No. 48. Jimmie has a total of 12 wins at our next two tracks. There have been three wins at Loudon and then nine wins at Dover. So you really have to say that Dover will be the real measuring stick.

So what I might say to a real diehard Jimmie Johnson fan is that yes, you might be tossing and turning a little bit at night right now, but don't panic just yet.

Let's just wait and watch these next two weeks.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ch-about-jimmie-johnson-s-shot-at-no-7-091714


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## Ckg2011

*Hornaday Back On Track With NTS​*
Ron Hornaday Jr. is set to return to action with NTS Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series later this month.

Hornaday has been out of action since late August when Turner Scott Motorsports shut down the No. 30 truck Hornaday had been driving. At the time Hornaday was fourth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings.

Rheem Manufacturing Company will sponsor the four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion in two races with NTS Motorsports. The No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the classic red and black Rheem paint scheme for the Sept. 27 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 31.

Hornaday's return has been made possible through a cooperative effort between Rheem and NTS Motorsports, who will supply the Chevrolet Silverado trucks and crew for the races, along with technical support provided by Richard Childress Racing. Hornaday drove for NTS Motorsports during most of the 2013 season.

"At this late stage of the season, Rheem is fortunate to have found a quality organization like NTS Motorsports that was able to arrange for the caliber of race trucks and personnel that Ron Hornaday deserves and that gives him a solid chance to visit Victory Lane this season. Everyone involved in this effort is looking forward to getting Ron back where he belongs," said Ed Raniszeski, managing director, Rheem Motorsports.

"NTS Motorsports has had a long standing relationship with Ron Hornaday" said Bob Newberry, owner of NTS Motorsports. "Hornaday is a proven four-time champion and I'm glad we have the opportunity to work with him again."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/camping-world-trucks/hornaday-back-on-track-with-nts/


----------



## Ckg2011

*RPM Plans To Remain A Two-Car Team​*
Richard Petty Motorsports will continue to be a two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup organization and will compete weekly with the No. 9 and No. 43 teams in 2015, the team announced on Wednesday.

The organization will also return current manufacturer partner Ford Racing and subsequently will continue its services contract with Roush Fenway Racing and Roush Yates Engines to supply new Ford Fusion chassis and Ford horsepower for both teams.

Twisted Tea Brewing Company will continue their primary sponsorship of the No. 9 team in 2015 as the RPM marketing and new business team continues various discussions with several companies to replace Stanley and Black & Decker, which departed for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"First, we want to wish Stanley Black & Decker the best," commented Brian Moffitt, President and CEO of Richard Petty Motorsports. "Their commitment and support has been a critical component to the success of RPM. As with all good partnerships, we are proud that the Stanley and RPM partnership has benefitted both companies. We are grateful for their support and they will always be a part of our family."

"Today, we are excited to build new partnerships on the No. 9 team. We have a vision that our ownership group and sponsors support and believe in. We have built upon that vision in two short years to become championship eligible. It's that belief that will help us support the No. 9 team. One partner that has supported us is Ford Racing who will again be our manufacturer partner as we continue our relationship that has helped us become a Chase organization."

"We're proud of our relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports and feel they have done a great job and are competitive every weekend as evident by making the Chase this season," said Jamie Allison, the director of Ford Racing.

"Both the No. 9 and No. 43 teams have shown strength throughout this season and we expect that will only continue next season and beyond."

Marcos Ambrose, who has driven the No. 9 car since 2011, will not return to RPM in 2015. Aric Almirola, in his first Chase for the Sprint Cup appearance, is slated to drive the No. 43 Ford in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/rpm-plans-to-remain-a-two-car-team/


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## Ckg2011

*Bickford Is K&N West's Top Rookie​*
James Bickford went from a 25th-place finish in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut to winning his first career race, and now he's the series' top rookie.

The 16-year-old Napa, Calif., native clinched the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title with two races remaining in K&N West competition. Bickford holds a 32-point advantage over Rich DeLong III with events at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and Phoenix Int'l Raceway remaining.

Bickford, driving the No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford, began the 2014 season with a tough outing at Phoenix and a 15th-place finish at Califonia's Irwindale Speedway through the first two events. He finished 10th in the season's third event at California's Stockton 99 Speedway and from there would go on to post seven top fives and nine top 10s in his next 10 events, including his first career win at State Line Speedway in Post Falls, Idaho, on July 12.

Bickford is the third consecutive driver and fifth overall to earn the rookie title driving for car owner Bob Bruncati, who is known for providing an opportunity for young drivers to showcase their talent in the series. He joins current teammate Dylan Lupton (2013), Austin Dyne (2012), Luis Martinez Jr. (2010) Jason Bowles (2007) as drivers who have garnered the top rookie owners for Bruncati.

Past drivers to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honor in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West include Derrike Cope, Chad Little, Bill Sedgwick, Rick Carelli, David Gilliland and Dylan Kwasniewski.

Bickford will be honored for his Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/bickford-is-kn-wests-top-rookie/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Loudon​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Cruises To Another Pole​*
LOUDON, N.H. - Brad Keselowski turned a record lap of 140.598 mph to win the pole for Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This marks Keselowski's fifth pole of the season.

Jamie McMurray will start second with Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch completing the top five.

Check back for more info.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...d-Keselowski-Captures-New-Hampshire-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*
Almirola Looking Ahead, Not Back​*
LOUDON, N.H. - Aric Almirola is not letting last week's disappointment in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway get him down.

Almirola looked like he was headed to a possible top-five finish last Sunday until an engine failure less than 40 laps from the finish ended his day. Instead of coming to this weekend's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway near the top of the Challenger Round standings, Almirola is dead last in the 16 driver field.

But the Richard Petty Motorsports driver's spirit is far from dead and Almirola truly believes his team can rebound in the next two weeks to advance to the Contender Round after Dover.

"There's really no good way to deal with that," Almirola said Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "The only thing we can do is forget about it, come to New Hampshire and try and rebound. We've got a really good race team.

"We don't have anything to hang our heads about. I'm really proud of my race team for rising to the occasion."

Almirola earned his way into the Chase with a first career Sprint Cup Series win at Daytona back in July. He entered the playoffs in many minds as a long shot at best given the strength of championship contenders like Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and other multiple race winners from the regular season.

But Almirola says the No. 43 team has embraced that underdog role, which has helped put some of what happened last week at Chicagoland in perspective.

"I think a lot of people in the media tagged us as underdogs and I was perfectly fine with that because we were, but we showed up at Chicago and we showed up ready to race this Chase," said Almirola. "We were gonna get off to a good start and it didn't happen, so we'll have to come here to Loudon and try and score max points, whatever that is, and we'll go to Dover and do the same and see what happens.

"Hopefully, we can transfer to the next round because I feel like we're extremely capable of racing with the Jimmie Johnsons and Jeff Gordons and those guys. We proved that at Chicago and we proved that the last few weeks coming off top-10s at Atlanta and Richmond."

So Almirola comes to the second race of the Chase 52 points behind leader Brad Keselowski. But more importantly he has to find a way to leapfrog the four drivers ahead of him - Greg Biffle, AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards - to get out of the danger zone and into the top twelve, which will advance to round two after next week's race in Dover.

The odds may have gotten longer but Almirola is not about to go down without a fight.

"We've dug ourselves a big hole and we've got a couple weeks to try and dig ourselves back out," he said. "Even if we don't transfer to the next round, at the end of the day we're still racing to try and be fifth in points by the time we get to Homestead. So we've got a lot to race for no matter what the circumstances are."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/09/Almirola-Looking-Ahead-Not-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Carries Momentum to Granite State​*
LOUDON, N.H. - Top-10 finishes in the Chase opener by each of Joe Gibbs Racing's three drivers has the organization feeling good about its chances this week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Matt Kenseth arrives as the defending race winner. His focus is solely on this weekend.

"Ever since the beginning of time when they counted points, the strategy is really simple,'' he said. "To try to get to the championship, you go out with the idea of trying to win. If you can't win on a given day, then you want to finish as high as you can no matter what happens.''

Hamlin's average finish of 9.4 in the last 10 races at New Hampshire is the best among active drivers with more than one career start at New Hampshire.

Hamlin last won there in 2012 and likes where the track fits as part of the Challenger Round in the Chase.

"You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself, but I believe that as soon as I saw this grid ... I was like, 'Wow, this is tailor made for us,'" he said.

"I think that if we can make it to Homestead and have a shot, we go from being the extreme underdogs going into this probably to the favorite being that we've won there over the last couple years. You have to get there first and you can't look that far ahead. You have to be consistent I believe these first two rounds and get yourself in position for those last four races."

Kyle Busch has three consecutive runner-up finishes at New Hampshire. He's placed second to Brian Vickers, Kenseth and Brad Keselowski and is ready to take a step forward at the challenging 1-mile oval.

"It's a tough place to pass and can be really aggravating at times," he said. "You want to be able to pass that guy in front of you because you know that you are faster than them, but the way the air works and it being one groove, it makes it tough."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cing-Trio-Looks-Forward-To-New-Hampshire.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Scott, Bayne Wishin' For A Win​*
Kentucky Speedway is hosting the last of six "stand-alone" races on the 2014 Nationwide Series schedule with Saturday night's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300.

In a competitive season that's seen 15 different winners in 26 races, it's no surprise that five of the 15 were first-time series winners: Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Brendan Gaughan, Ty Dillon and Chris Buescher. Who's next? Six of the top eight drivers in the point standings have a win this season. The two who don't are Brian Scott and Trevor Bayne.

Richard Childress Racing's Scott sits fifth in the standings with three poles, five top fives, 16 top 10s and a career-best average finish of 9.9. Scott is on the verge of breaking through and getting his first win. His season-to-date Driver Rating is 100.2, also a career-best through 26 races. Scott has made seven starts at Kentucky with a best finish of eighth earlier this season.

Roush Fenway Racing's Bayne might be going full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season, but by no means does he want to end this year without a win. Bayne is sixth in the standings with one pole, five top fives, 17 top 10s and an average finish of 10.7. His season-to-date Driver Rating of 92.1 is the second-best in his career through 26 races. Bayne has made six starts at Kentucky, posting a best finish of 11th in 2011.

In Kentucky Speedway's 16 previous NNS races, five were won by first-time winners: David Gilliland in 2006, Stephen Leicht (2007), Joey Logano (2008), Austin Dillon (2012) and Ryan Blaney last year.

With the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in full swing, many of the competitors that normally pull double duty are taking the weekend off, opening up some valuable seat time. The driver probably chomping at the bit the most to get back behind the wheel is Sam Hornish Jr. He'll drive the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Kyle Busch's stead. Hornish has made four starts at Kentucky with one pole, two top fives and an average finish of 5.2. He ran second (to Austin Dillon) in this event in 2012.

Michael McDowell will make his series debut for Team Penske this weekend in the No. 22 Ford, which swept both races at Kentucky last season - bringing Ryan Blaney his first career victory.

"We know Michael is a talented guy," said crew chief Jeremy Bullins. "Together, we can come out of Kentucky with a strong result."

JR Motorsports teammates Elliott and Regan Smith are running one-two, respectively, in the point standings with seven races remaining. Elliott's lead is 18 points.

"I've been eyeing this date for a while because we had a terrible run the first time we raced at Kentucky this year," said Elliott, looking back on his 12th-place finish June 27. "We have priorities in place with only seven races left. There isn't any room for error and I know we will be ready."

The Nationwide Series owner standings are also showing a two-car race with Team Penske's No. 22 Ford leading Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 54 Toyota by 15 points.

Nationwide Series teams will open practice at Kentucky Speedway on Friday afternoon and qualify Saturday at 4:10 p.m. (ET), some three-and-a-half hours before the green flag falls on the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/09/Scott-Bayne-Wishin-for-Wins.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jimmie Johnson: 'We're Working Our Guts Out' To Find More Speed​*
*J*immy Johnson isn't persuaded his No. 48 team is running well enough to win the 2014 Sprint Cup championship, tying Johnson with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most titles in NASCAR's top series.

Johnson, however, doesn't believe the performance gap between himself and the drivers who are in championship form is too great to overcome this season.

With nine races to go, the reigning and six-time Sprint Cup champion is in a three-way tie with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for sixth in the 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup field.

Johnson opened the Chase with an unspectacular 12th-place finish last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, where Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon finished 1-2 to further cement their already legitimate claim as title favorites. Also in the top five were Joey Logano (fourth) and Kevin Harvick (fifth) -- two other drivers widely regarded as title threats.

Not surprisingly, Johnson describes the current mood around the No. 48 shop as "not the best."

"Truth be told, you look at the No. 4 (Harvick) and look at the No. 2 (Keselowski) and you look at the No. 24 (Gordon) consistently over the year, those guys have been there," Johnson said on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "It's a new rules package. Believe me, we're working our guts out to find the speed and to be that dominant car. But truthfully, we're not the dominant car right now. We're a good car.

"We still have nine weeks to get our act together. Especially the way this Chase lays out, if we continue to get the most out of our good car and have a great car at Homestead (in the final race), if we're in that position, then we can get seven (championships)."

While Johnson appears poised to be among the dozen men who will advance from the Chase Challenger Round to the Contender Round, which consists of playoff races No. 4-6, the Hendrick Motorsports driver fully concedes there are improvements to be made if he wants to score his seventh championship in nine seasons.

"We hold ourselves to a higher and expect to operate at a higher level,"

Johnson said. "But it's the same that we've probably had through the majority of the year, where we've been good. We had a small window of being great. But in any competitive sport, if you're not great, it's hard to have a ray of sunshine shining through in certain areas.

So we're realists.

"As the No. 48 and in the culture of Hendrick Motorsports, we expect a lot out of ourselves, let alone what any outside pressure would be. And we're not where we want to be. But again, with this format of the Chase, there's time."

Since winning at Michigan in mid-June, Johnson and his Chad Knaus-led team have gone 12 races without a trip to Victory Lane. Over that stretch, Johnson has led just 28 laps and recorded a best finish of fourth -- twice.

It has truly been an odd season for the recently turned 39-year-old who after going winless in the first 11 races, ripped off three victories in four outings. But since the last of those triumphs, the veteran wheelman has come up empty.

"Last year we had a really poor summer and got off to a great start in the Chase and heated up and went from headlines saying, 'What's wrong with the No. 48?' to 'Here we go again; I knew it,'" Johnson said. "I wish I could explain why teams are good and bad and why it's so hard to be consistent all year long. But last year, even though we had a tough end of the regular season, we were in position to win a lot of races. And we did win a bunch during the course of the year.

"We've had one hot spot in the middle of the year this year and we've kind of been lukewarm on the other sides. I'm hoping we heat up. I'm hoping we get to that hot spot again."

It could help that three upcoming tracks -- Dover, Charlotte and Martinsville -- are places where Johnson either leads all active drivers in wins or is tied for most wins among active drivers.

"It's awesome to have tracks that you love and tracks that you've had success at in the Chase," Johnson said. "I feel like seven or eight of them have been historically awesome tracks for us. That part is great. Stats are nice to look at, but you've got to live in the present. So just because we've been good at those tracks before doesn't guarantee us anything going back.

"It makes the week leading into it feel a little bit better. It gives us some talking points and places to look at and focus on, but we still have to show up there and get the job done."

*Source:*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Late Changes To New Hampshire Entry List Leave Ryan Truex Out Of A Ride​*
Three changes have been made to the entry list this morning.

It's very rare to see a change of drivers on the Friday morning of a race weekend. It's even more rare to see three.

BK Racing went into this race with Alex Bowman in the No. 23, Ryan Truex in the No. 83, and Travis Kvapil in the No. 93. Travis Kvapil has now been moved over to the No. 83 as Truex has been pulled from the car for unconfirmed reasons, but it's rumored that there was a dispute of sorts between the driver and team.

Clay Rogers, who failed to make his Sprint Cup debut in two previous attempts this year, will takeover the wheel of the No. 93.

Also, there's been an interesting change in the No. 66 car, which is shared between Michael Waltrip Racing and Jay Robinson this year. Joe Nemechek has been replaced with Mike Wallace, who will be making his first Sprint Cup start since 2009.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...re-entry-list-leave-ryan-truex-out-of-a-ride/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Still Searching​*
Jimmie Johnson knows there's still work to be done for him to challenge for a seventh Sprint Cup Series championship.

Although Johnson won three times in the regular season he's not had the usual dominance that has come to be expected from the six-time champion. The No. 48 team went through a period of summer doldrums after rattling off his trio of victories right after Memorial Day weekend. Although there has been improvement Johnson is still searching for better performance.

"We're hopeful to heat up and find some more speed and be more of a more dominant car, especially as this Chase wears on," Johnson said as he prepares for Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I'm looking forward to this track, and certainly next weekend; my favorite race track and probably my best track on the circuit. So, we're just plugging along."

However while Johnson is "plugging along," others have gotten hot including Brad Keselowski, who is nearly on fire after winning two straight races and grabbing the pole in New Hampshire.

Johnson recognizes there's ground to be made up in order to get on par with the likes of not just Keselowski but also other competitors.

"Truth be told, you look at the No. 4 (Harvick) and look at the No. 2 (Keselowski) and you look at the No. 24 (Gordon) consistently over the year, those guys have been there," Johnson said. "Believe me, we're working our guts out to find the speed and to be that dominant car. But truthfully, we're not the dominant car right now."

After his 12th place finish in last week's Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, Johnson comes to Loudon eighth in the standings. He's s former winner at the track and with Dover looming next week, past history would point to Johnson as being someone in the mix to win both weeks.

But Johnson doesn't necessarily subscribe to the notion of past success being a true indicator of the future.

"It's awesome to have tracks that you love and tracks that you've had success at in the Chase," Johnson said. "I feel like seven or eight of them have been historically awesome tracks for us. That part is great.

"Stats are nice to look at, but you've got to live in the present. So just because we've been good at those tracks before doesn't guarantee us anything going back."

So the question remains whether Johnson's roller coaster season will head further up this week or if there's another drop right around the corner. The only thing Johnson is sure of is trying to figure out how to continually maintain success remains a difficult task.

"I wish I could explain why teams are good and bad and why it's so hard to be consistent all year long," said Johnson. "But, last year, even though we had a tough end of the regular season, we were in position to win a lot of races.

"And we did win a bunch during the course of the year. We've had one hot spot in the middle of the year this year and we've kind of been lukewarm on the other sides. I'm hoping we heat up. I'm hoping we get to that hot spot again."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/09/Jimmie-Johnson-Still-Searching.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*ThorSport Teammates On Top​*
The NASCAR Camping World truck Series championship is shaping up to be a two-way battle between ThorSport Racing teammates Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton.

Crafton has a five-point advantage over Sauter heading into Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Although Ryan Blaney is lurking only 16 behind in third, the ThorSport duo would like nothing better than to settle the title battle between themselves.

"We want to win another championship," said defending titlist Crafton. "If we have to beat Johnny to do it, so be it."

Sauter had the top spot heading into last week's stop at Chicagoland Speedway but a 14th place finish knocked him from the perch.

He has three Truck Series starts at Loudon in his career and has a pair of top-five finishes among them so Sauter feels good about his chances in this Saturday's UNOH 175.

"New Hampshire is an awesome place to race - it's short track racing at its best, and I'm a short track racing kind of guy," said Sauter. "We use a lot of brakes and wear out the tires, and anyone that knows me, knows I love the tires falling off and sliding and banging."

NASCAR's number three division has competed in New Hampshire since 2011 but Sauter says things have not changed much in terms of having a good performance and potentially winning.

"The key to success there is a good handling truck first and foremost," he said. "The turns are tight and you have to drive it in straight and point it through to the center, and you need to lay the power down to get down the long straightaways. It's always a challenge to find the right balance.]

"If you have a truck that handles through the corners and get that forward bite on exit you will have a chance to win. I've always run well there in the trucks, even Nationwide and Cup, so I'm stoked to get back there this weekend."

The driver sitting third in the standings is hoping to break up the ThorSport party this weekend and in the title fight. Ryan Blaney trails Crafton by 16 points coming into the weekend and although the Brad Keselowski Racing driver has never competed in a Truck Series race at New Hampshire he feels he'll have something for the Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to going to Loudon for the first time," said Blaney. "I know we have some good ideas to get our flat, short track program a little better. It's kind of getting back to the Truck Series roots going to a shorter, flat track. We're going to see a lot of good racing there. Hopefully we can be a little bit better at Loudon than we've been on flat racetracks."

*Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race, presented by Keystone Light, from New Hampshire Motor Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com. *

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/09/ThorSport-Teammates-On-Top.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*CUSTER BECOMES YOUNGEST WINNER IN TRUCK SERIES​*
*Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender gets first Camping World Truck win in seventh start​*
Sixteen-year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie Cole Custer became the youngest winner in the series' history at 16 years, 7 months and 28 days by taking the UNOH 175 on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Custer, who led LOUDON, N.H.-Cole Custer had his Sweet 16 and his coming-out party on the same afternoon.

On a restart with four laps left in Saturday's UNOH 175 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Custer surged to the front past Matt Crafton, who spun his tires approaching the start/finish line.

Darrell Wallace Jr. drove hard to the inside entering Turn 1, passing Crafton for second and challenging Custer for the lead. But with four fresh tires to Wallace's two, Custer prevailed in Turn 3 and pulled away to become the youngest winner in NASCAR national series history at 16 years, 7 months, 28 days.

As he climbed from his No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet, Custer confessed to a surreal feeling.

"I've been coming to these races since I was really young," Custer said. "I've looked up to this series and everybody who races in this series, and I couldn't even imagine racing here and even winning a race. I can't even explain how amazing this is."

Custer, the polesitter, got his first NCWTS win in his seventh start in the series. It was also the first victory of the season for Turner Scott Motorsports.

Even though Custer led 144 of the first 147 laps, a pit-road decision by crew chief Joe Shear Jr. complicated the equation-but ultimately proved decisive.

When Custer came to the pits from the lead under caution on Lap 147 of 175, Shear opted to change four tires. Erik Jones stayed out under the yellow-the second of the race-and five other drivers, including Crafton and Wallace, beat Custer out of the pits with two-tire calls, dropping Custer to seventh for a restart on Lap 153.

"I was really worried," Custer confessed. "It was so hard to pass, even lappers."

But a race that had gone 101 laps without a caution-a record to start a Truck Series race at New Hampshire-saw three yellows in the final 20 laps, allowing Custer to gain positions. By the final restart on lap 172, he had worked his way to second and took the green from the front row, to the inside of Crafton.

"I couldn't believe we got through all of those guys," Custer said. "The air affected it so much. We had some great restarts, which helped us a lot. ... I can't believe it's happening right now."

Crafton started the race from the rear of the field after failing to post a qualifying time because of an electrical problem in the No. 88 Toyota. Though the defending series champion charged through the field, finished third and extended his series lead to seven points over ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter, who ran fourth, the positives in the run were of little consolation to Crafton.

"Started at the back, drove to the front, got beat at the end," was Crafton's terse assessment of his performance. "I spun the tires and couldn't get it in fourth gear, to be totally honest. Once I spun the tires, I was screwed right there.

"Then I couldn't get it in gear, and everybody had a run on me. My bad."

Notes: John Hunter Nemechek finished a career-best fifth. ... Ryan Blaney, third in points, spun after contact from Tim Peters' Toyota to cause the fourth caution on Lap 160. Blaney finished 10th and dropped 24 points behind Crafton in the series standings. ...

Tyler Reddick (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie. ... There were five lead changes among three drivers. All told, Custer led 148 laps; Crafton was out front for 20 circuits; and seventh-place finisher Jones led seven laps.











*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...esults-truck-race-new-hampshire-unoh-175.html


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## Ckg2011

*Blaney Makes Great Save​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gaughan Gets Kentucky Win​*
Brendan Gaughan capitalized on the opportunity to utilize the high line on the final restart of Saturday night's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway to win his second NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season.

Gaughan, with a three-wide pass, powered around leaders Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon in the closing laps and cleared his competition in Turn 1, allowing him to cruise to an eight-tenths of a second lead over Richard Childress Racing teammate Brian Scott.

"I love my restarts," said Gaughan in Victory Lane. "It was an awesome restart. Shane (Wilson, crew chief) kept telling me that lap times were great when everyone did two and we did four (tires), so it took us a while to get back (towards the lead) there, but four Goodyear tires in the end were the difference."

On the final restart of the night, Dillon and Elliott battled extremely hard for the win, but they forgot about the guy behind them on four tires. Gaughan with a head of steam used momentum to clear his competition with six laps to go and cruised to his second career NNS win, and first on an oval. He also won June's road course race at Road America.

Richard Childress Racing swept the top-three finishing positions with Brian Scott second and Dillon finishing third after a dominating performance.

Gaughan, 39, credited his Earnhardt Childress Racing engine and transmission for assisting him in his triumph over the much younger Elliott (18) and Dillon (22).

"There are great race teams and great young race car drivers, but the old dog still has something left," said Gaughan.

Scott on the verge of netting his first career Nationwide victory, settled for his best performance of the season after restarting sixth.

"I thought it was the right call to take four tires at the end," Scott said. "I restarted sixth and got a good restart and got up to fourth and I thought we were going to win this race. But, unfortunately, we didn't get any long runs and our Shore Lodge Camaro was a little too tight."

Dillon, who led 155 laps, said, "I'm sick for my guys. Our Bass Pros Chevy was top-notch, it's a good thing for confidence to lead all those laps, but this hurts for sure."

Dillon's dominance would be challenged on Lap 171 when Cody Ware lost an engine. The fifth caution flag of the night proved to be a significant break for the leaders, as they avoided green flag pit stops. On pit road, Dillon exercised a two-tire stop with fuel with Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell and Elliott Sadler also vying for the same strategy.

Racing resumed with Chase Elliott making a valiant effort to overtake the lead from Dillon. He was able to nip ahead of Dillon's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, when Eric McClure crashed in Turn 4.

With 19 laps to go, Elliott fended off a challenge from Dillon on the initial restart, but his opportunity to stretch his lead would be short lived, after Regan Smith made contact with Sam Hornish Jr. on Lap 184, sending him hard into the Turn 1 wall.

A flawless restart from Elliott allowed the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro to escape the hungry pack behind him. Again, Elliott's gap would be diminished by yet another caution for debris on Lap 190 - which would prove the difference in the race.

Leaving Kentucky, fourth place finisher Elliott holds a 20-point cushion over JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith in the championship standings with six races remaining.

Next up for the NASCAR Nationwide Series is a trip to Dover (Del.) International Speedway for the running of the Dover 200 on Saturday, September 27. Joey Logano is the defending champion.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Brendan-Gaughan-Wins-at-Kentucky.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hornish Jr Wrecks After Contact With Smith​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Hampshire Story Lines​*
There are a number of stories in play heading into Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the second race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*Keselowski On a Roll* 
Brad Keselowski is on the hottest streak of the season and is seeking his third straight win on Sunday. Keselowski ended the regular season with a win at Richmond and started the Chase with a trip to Victory Lane at Chicagoland Speedway. He's already earned a berth in the Contenders Round but Keselowski has vowed to keep running hard for more wins. He won the pole and led two of the three practices over the weekend. Keselowski dominated last July's trip to Loudon and is definitely the driver to beat on Sunday.

*Bottom's Up* 
The drivers at the bottom of the Chase standings only have two races to get into the top twelve or their championship dreams are over. Aric Almirola, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and AJ Allmendinger need good days on Sunday after getting their Chases off to a rough start last week in Chicago. The quartet doesn't have the best New Hampshire performances on their recent resumes so digging out of the hole will be a tough challenge on Sunday.

*Hendrick Looking for Improvement* 
While Jeff Gordon had a solid day in Chicago, the rest of the Hendrick Motorsports stable was mediocre by their standards. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne all finished outside the top-10 and so far this weekend at New Hampshire none are tearing things up at the "Magic Mile." Earnhardt has gone toward the mediocre side in recent weeks and Kahne's win at Atlanta Labor Day weekend was the aberration in what has been a middle of the road season at best. As for Johnson, the world has been waiting for the No. 48 team to kick it into gear since June.

*Winners Streak at 13* 
There have been 13 different faces in Victory Lane over the last 13 Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. That ties the "Magic Mile" with Texas Motor Speedway for the all-time streak without a repeat winner. The odds of that continuing today are much shorter given the prowess of Brad Keselowski so far this weekend, who won last July's stop in Loudon. On the other hand there are a number of drivers that have also looked strong since hitting the track including Jeff Gordon, a former New Hampshire winner but you have to go back to 1998 for his last victory.

*Chase Party Poopers* 
Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray were the only two non-Chase drivers in last week's top-10 at Chicagoland Speedway. The duo has been solid in New Hampshire and many look at either the No. 1 or No. 42 cars as potential winners Sunday to take the spotlight away from the title contenders. Clint Bowyer, a former New Hampshire winner, is also still looking for his first trip to Victory Lane this season. Bowyer's Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Brian Vickers, also a previous Loudon winner, may also be in the picture on Sunday and starts 12th.

*Mistakes, Miscues and Mayhem* 
Last week's Chase opener featured a number of drivers and teams making mistakes, some of which proved costly. From spinning out coming to pit road to botched pit stops with missing lug nuts, problems were plentiful in the Windy City. Those issues need to be kept to a minimum this week at New Hampshire, where laps click off in a hurry and an extra trip to pit road or a penalty can be devastating.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/09/New-Hampshire-Story-Lines.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Triumphs At New Hampshire​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6466&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano went from third to first on a restart with 27 laps to go and went on to win Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, joining Penske teammate Brad Keselowski in the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Logano, who benefited from a four-tire change 53 laps from the finish, earned his fourth victory of the season. The triumph completed a sweep for Team Penske at New Hampshire with Keselowski having won there in July.

While Logano celebrated, several title contenders were could not overcome numerous problems. Four drivers will be eliminated from the 16-team Chase next weekend at Dover International Speedway. Among those

Four drivers will be eliminated from the 16-team Chase next weekend at Dover International Speedway.

Ryan Newman holds the final transfer spot with 2,055 points (tied with Kasey Kahne). Hamlin and Greg Biffle are each six points behind Newman. Kurt Busch is eight points behind Newman. Aric Almirola is 10 points behind Newman.

*How Logano won:* The key moment for Logano came when he pitted for four tires while running sixth. He admitted after the race he thought the call cost him a chance to win. He restarted 16th but worked his way through the field with his fresher tires.

*What else happened:* Yellow fever. Fifteen cautions slowed the race and even forced the race to go beyond its scheduled distance. Thirteen of the cautions happened in the last 133 laps.

*Who else had a good day:* A week after finishing third at Chicagoland Speedway, Kyle Larson placed second at New Hampshire to tie his career-best result. ... Kevin Harvick was solid all day and finished third, putting him in a good spot to advance to the next round after next weekend's race at Dover. Chase driver AJ Allmendinger's 13th-place finish tied for his best finish in the last six races.

*Who had a bad day:* Joe Gibbs Racing. Consider what happened to its three cars. Denny Hamlin had fueling issues that put him behind and then was collected in a crash. Kyle Busch ran into the back of his teammate Matt Kenseth after Kenseth checked up on a restart. And, Kenseth spun late after contact with Paul Menard late. ... Greg Biffle was never competitive He fell two laps down but did get both back. Still, he has some work to do to advance to the next round next week. ... Kasey Kahne also was not a factor. ... Jeff Gordon hit the wall with about 10 laps left, costing him several spots.

*Quote of the day:* "We suck at this. We are so bad,'' Denny Hamlin on radio after a mechanical issues caused fueling problems. Crew chief Darian Grubb responded on the radio: "I don't need you doing that. Keep your mouth shut until we get it fixed.''

*Notables:* Chip Ganassi Racing's surge continues. In the last four races, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson have each finished 12th or better. Sunday marked the second consecutive race both drivers placed in the top 10. ... Corey LaJoie finished 41st in his Sprint Cup debut. ... Clay Rogers placed 43rd in his Cup debut.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Joey-Logano-Scores-New-Hampshire-Victory.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Disastrous Day for Hamlin​*
Denny Hamlin couldn't have had a worse day than the one he experienced in Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Hamlin started the second race of the Chase from the fourth position but that was among the few highlight of his day.

He raced his way into the lead but was forced to pit road for a mechanical issue that restricted the fuel flow in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Hamlin was frustrated by the problem and after venting was reprimanded by crew chief Darian Grubb over the team's radio.

"Keep your mouth shut until we get it fixed," Grubb barked to Hamlin.

Hamlin was able to get back on track after the fuel probe problem was addressed.

"I don't think it was anyone's fault - I don't think," said Hamlin. But we couldn't get fuel into it from the get go. Don't know where that's coming from, what it's all about - you just can't have any mistakes in this three race Chase deal. We went from looking pretty and probably going to coast our way to the next round to a long shot at best.

"It's frustrating but what can you do about it?"

But even after repairs were made to the fuel probe and he fell several laps behind, Hamlin's woes were not over.

He got swept up in a three car incident with David Ragan and Martin Truex Jr. racing through Turn 2 and suffered severe damage that sent Hamlin to the garage.

Although he was able to return to the track, Hamlin wound up finishing 37th and 38 laps behind eventual race winner Joey Logano.

"It's so frustrating because you know on performance you deserve to move on," said Hamlin of his day. "We would have had a great shot to move on and really make some noise here in these last eight races. In this three race section, you just can't have one bad week. Not right now. So you've got to be flawless - you've got to be at your best these last 10."

So now Hamlin goes to Dover needing a good day to fend off being eliminated at the end of the Challenger round as one of the bottom four in the point standings. Although he had a solid run in the June visit to the track, Dover not been one of his best.

"You just try to do the best you can to get the best finish and hope for some help," said Hamlin.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/09/Disastrous-Day-for-Hamlin.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch And Kahne Wreck Off Turn 2​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Challenging Day For Some Chasers​*
Sunday's second race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at New Hampshire Motor Speedway proved to be a handful for some championship hopeful drivers.

Although eight Chase drivers delivered top-10 finishes in the Sylvania 300, the afternoon in Loudon was a challenge for nearly the entire roster of title contenders.

The biggest hit of the day went to Denny Hamlin, who first suffered a fuel pick-up issue and later was caught in a multi-car accident. He eventually was credited with a 37th-place finish and finds himself in a precarious spot to get out of the bottom four next week in Dover or risk elimination.

It wasn't a picnic for Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates either. Kyle Busch was collected in a wreck on lap 188 that also included fellow Chaser Kasey Kahne. Busch's M&M's Toyota suffered severe damage but several trips to pit road for repairs resulted in the No. 18 getting back into contention. After a series of late cautions and restarts, Busch salvaged an eighth-place finish.

"That's a day that would do you good in the old format, just being able to salvage on ," Busch said of his Chase chances. "But with this format, I'm not sure it matters."

Matt Kenseth was not immune to problems. After some near misses with other incidents, Kenseth was in an accident with Paul Menard late in the race. Kenseth fell back to 26th and was only able to make up five more spots to finish 21st.

"It's always frustrating when you get in a wreck, especially if you don't feel like you had much or anything to do with it and get a bad finish," said Kenseth.

Kurt Busch had to come back to pit road after an early stop for a loose wheel. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, who spun on pit road last week in Chicago, had bigger problems later when he cut a tire and slammed the Turn 3 wall on Lap 221. Busch finished 36th.

Jeff Gordon was also a victim of a cut tire and trip into the wall. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was fast early but came to pit road for a series of stops late under caution hoping to find better handling. That search came to an abrupt end when he slammed the wall.

"The problem is you just can't have things like that happen," said Gordon, now seventh in the points standing. "We have a strong enough team. We went from being very comfortable going into next week's race to now not being very comfortable. We just have to go and perform and try to make sure things like this don't happen."

The woes for Roush Fenway Racing continued with both Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards suffering through non-competitive days. Biffle's 16th-place finish didn't help his cause to climb in the standings and fend off possible elimination next week, but Edwards, who finished behind his teammate, tried to remain positive.

"It was a pretty tough day," Edwards said. "We're still eighth in points, which is good. Now we've just got to go to Dover and survive and do a good job to make it to the next round while still working on our cars.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Challenging-Day-for-Some-Chasers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Questions Restarts​*
Kevin Harvick wasn't a fan of some late restarts by Sylvania 300 race winner Joey Logano.

Logano got the jump on Harvick in a series of restarts over the closing laps of Sunday's race. Harvick had to settle for a third-place finish behind Logano and Kyle Larson but had some questions about the restart procedures.

"I thought it was pretty clear; on two stripes and one stripe, you start in between those two spots," Harvick said about the lines painted on the wall that mark the restart zone. "It was pretty evident he was a car length or two car lengths starting before that. It was like nobody was watching upstairs.

"Maybe I just need to be more aggressive on my restarts and start sooner than the double lines."

Restarts aside, Harvick was still pleased with the performance he turned in Sunday where he led 104 laps.

"You have to be aggressive," Harvick said. "This place is tough to be aggressive on. We wound up with a ton of restarts, different strategies.

"I thought at one point we were going to win the race, then the next thing I know (Keselowski) is in the left rear quarter panel, I'm out of the groove. It was hard racing. I enjoyed it. Hopefully we can keep running like we're running."

If Harvick can turn in another run like he has at Chicagoland and New Hampshire next week in Dover he'll easily advance to the Contenders Round and the next stage of the Chase.

He sits third in the Sprint Cup Series standings behind Logano and Keselowski and feels good about his chances in the final race of the opening round.

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Kevin-Harvick-Questions-Restarts.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Disaster Averted: Dale Jr. Rallies To Likely Ensure Chase Advancement​*
*S*unday's Sylvania 300 a New Hampshire Motor Speedway had all the makings of a disaster for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Instead, NASCAR's most popular driver rallied to a ninth-place finish -- and all but guaranteed himself a spot in the 12-driver Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

After restarting sixth on Lap 112 of what ultimately became a 303-lap race, Earnhardt Jr. suffered a major setback when his No. 88 Chevrolet headed to pit road on Lap 120 with a loose wheel.

Following his green-flag pit stop, Earnhardt Jr. returned to the track in 24th-place, one lap down to the leaders.

After missing out on the Lucky Dog when caution flags waved on Lap 171 and Lap 181, Earnhardt Jr. was finally in position to snare the free pass when the caution flag waved on Lap 189 for a multi-car incident involving Chase drivers Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman, along with Jamie McMurray.

Finally back on the lead lap, Earnhardt Jr. restarted 21st on Lap 193 and began moving forward in a hurry.

"I like the way we worked all day," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We had to put on some real old tires there. We ran out of tires, so that last set of tires we put on had some practice laps on them. We still hung in there and had some good restarts.

" ... I'm proud of my team. You're going to have mistakes. I'm going to make mistakes, but nobody really got on anybody (and) everybody sort of regrouped and we finished out the day."

The Hendrick Motorsports driver climbed as high as seventh before losing two spots on the final green-white-checkered restart.

"Everybody gets on my *** about them restarts; we had some pretty good ones today," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The last one wasn't too good, but I was on the inside slipping around. We had fun, and I'm glad we were able to rebound. That was pretty dramatic there for a while."

Earnhardt Jr. leaves New Hampshire tied with Kyle Busch for fifth place among the 16 Chase drivers with one race remaining before the championship field is whittled to 12 drivers.

Perhaps more importantly, Earnhardt Jr. has a comfortable 28-point buffer on 13th-place Denny Hamlin, the first of four drivers who as things currently stand wouldn't advance from the Chase Challenger Round to the Chase Contender Round.

*Source:
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...to-all-but-guarantee-chase-advancement-092114*


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## Ckg2011

*Beyond the Smoke: What Chase has Revealed​*
Two races into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and what have we learned?

More than you thought.

And less than you thought.

With three rounds and eight races remaining, one has to be careful in reading too much from the first two races. Still, there are some things to ponder.

*Give Team Penske The Trophy Now?*

No. While Team Penske has won the opening two Chase races, three in a row and four of the last five, that does not mean that either Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano will cruise to the title.

While they'll advance to the next round with their victories, there's no guarantees beyond that with the points reset for each round.

Let's not overreact on what the first two races show.

New Hampshire has not been a great track for Hendrick Motorsports, which tested there earlier this season. Jimmie Johnson placed fifth Sunday with Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the only other Hendrick driver to place in the top 10. Earnhardt was ninth. No Hendrick car was a true threat to win at New Hampshire.

This week should be different with the series heading to Dover International Speedway.

Dover has been a good track for Hendrick - Johnson has won the past two races there, Jeff Gordon has three top-five finishes in his last four starts there, and Earnhardt has three consecutive top-10s at that track. Only Kasey Kahne has struggled there among the quartet. He does not have a top-10 finish in his last four Dover starts.

Three of the four Hendrick drivers most likely will advance and they've been strong at some of the upcoming tracks.

There's also Kevin Harvick, who placed third at New Hampshire. With Kansas, Charlotte and Talladega in the next round, Harvick could be in good shape to advance. He placed second to Gordon at Kansas in May and was second to Johnson a couple of weeks later at Charlotte.

So, no, the Penske cars are not just racing each other for the title.

*Still, Did You Notice ...*

One thing that has been impressive about the Penske performance is how both Keselowski and Logano have rallied from setbacks.

At Chicagoland, Keselowski was second entering pit road with about 85 laps to go but had to return because of a loose left front wheel. He restarted 16th and went on to win. He passed cars that also had changed four tires during that caution, a sign of how strong his car was.

At New Hampshire, Logano pitted a little more than 50 laps from the finish, giving up sixth place. He took four tires and restarted 16th. Logano had fresher tires than those he was pursuing, so that helped. Still, he had to have a strong enough car to climb back to the front and win.

When people talk about how difficult it is to pass, it makes what Keselowski and Logano did the past two weeks stand out more. That's something to keep in mind as the Chase progresses.

*Say What?*

Sunday, it was crew chief Darian Grubb telling Denny Hamlin to be quiet on the radio after Hamlin complained about the fueling issues. That would prove to be the start of what was a bad day.

The radio rebuttal came about a month after crew chief Dave Rogers scolded Kyle Busch on the radio at Bristol for his attitude.

It's no wonder that car owner Joe Gibbs said last week that there will be different driver-crew chief pairings next year. Gibbs would not reveal the changes.

Even with all that, there was a telling moment after Sunday's race. Busch finished eighth to salvage a day that saw his car damaged after an incident with teammate Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. While Busch still could fail to advance to the next round of the Chase, he's in much better shape than it appeared he would be after the contact.

"That's what championships are made of,'' Rogers said on the radio after the race. "You've got to dig down some days. You've got to get dirty and make it happen. You did that. All you men in the pits, you did that. I'm proud of everyone on this race team. Good job.''

*Mistakes*

With each of the first three rounds only three races, mistakes and misfortune will play a key role in who advances. It shouldn't be surprising. Mistakes have always thinned the field of title contenders. With 16 teams vying for the championship, there are more teams that can have problems, so it's more noticeable.

Mistakes and misfortune have already played a role in this Chase. A blown engine at Chicagoland has Aric Almirola facing an uphill climb. A fueling issue and a crash at New Hampshire has Denny Hamlin needing to race his way into the top 12 this weekend. A spin entering pit road at Chicagoland and a loose wheel at New Hampshire has put pressure on Kurt Busch and his team to have a clean race at Dover to advance.

One thing to be aware of at Dover is how tricky pit road can be there. Entering pit road can be tough. In last year's Chase race there, Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed pit road while leading. He finished second. Also, it's not uncommon for NASCAR to penalize drivers for speeding on pit road there. Hamlin was among the drivers caught speeding on pit road there in June.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/09/What-The-Chase-Has-Revealed.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rear View Mirror​*
Last week's exciting Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway turned out to be just an appetizer for what was to follow Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The second race in the Challenger Round turned into a rock 'em, sock 'em affair reminiscent of a Saturday night at the local short track - or maybe county fair demolition derby.

There were a season-high 15 caution flags and enough twists and turns to fill a library of mystery novels.

Nearly ever driver in the Chase field of 16 experienced some kind of challenge ranging from mechanical problems, pit road mistakes, crashes or just plain bad luck.

When it all settled down there was a Team Penske car sitting in Victory Lane for the third consecutive week with Joey Logano following Brad Keselowski's wins at Richmond and Chicagoland Speedway.

Based on Keselowski's stirring performance Sunday, there's no reason to believe both teams won't be impact players at Dover.

But if the "Monster Mile" comes anywhere close to what the first two races of the opening round have delivered, race fans will be in for a feast in the First State a week from today.

For a second straight week, the Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray was impressive. Larson followed up his third-place run last week at Chicagoland Speedway with a runner-up performance at New Hampshire, while McMurray took his front row starting spot to a fourth-place finish. The teammates were the only non-Chase drivers in the top 10 and continue to turn heads in what has been a stellar campaign for the organization.

The mayhem of Sunday helped a few others not in the championship picture come away from decent days including Brian Vickers, who was at one point leading the race but faded and finished 10th. Rookie Austin Dillon had contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who in turn got into and spun Ricky Stenhouse Jr., but the Richard Childress Racing pilot came back for an 11th-place run. And Martin Truex Jr. fell two laps down early in the race but mounted a comeback performance to place 12th.

Saturday's Camping World Truck Series return to New Hampshire for the first time since 2011 proved to be an eventful affair. Although the first half of the race wasn't very memorable, that changed in the final stages with a series of late restarts, contact between trucks and frayed emotions. When the dust settled, Cole Custer became the youngest driver to win a NASCAR national series event at the tender age of 16.

NASCAR is expected to unveil the 2015 Sprint Cup Series rules package possibly as early as this week.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/09/New-Hampshire-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Is Earnhardt Jr's Cooling Or About To Pounce?​*
Has Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s magic ended? A season that began with so much hope and continued through the summer now seems to have cooled with the weather.

Sunday's ninth-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway marked only Earnhardt Jr's second top-10 finish in the last seven races.

So what's happened to this season's Daytona 500 champion? Should those title hopes be abandoned two races into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup?

Hardly.

"I know everybody is looking at us like we are falling off a little bit,'' Earnhardt Jr said at New Hampshire. "But Chicago hadn't been a great track for us, and New Hampshire hadn't either. Dover has. So I will be surprised if we don't go down there and be competitive.''

OK, but what to take from Earnhardt Jr's performance so far in the Chase? He heads to Dover sixth in the standings, 22 points ahead of the last transfer spot.

Earnhardt Jr's team has some work to do.

While the Penske cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have been strong in the Chase so far, the Hendrick cars have not been able to match them.

That could change soon. Dover, Kansas and Charlotte are the next three tracks and Hendrick cars won at each place earlier this year. Jimmie Johnson won at Dover in June (Earnhardt was ninth), Jeff Gordon won at Kansas in May (Earnhardt was fifth) and Johnson won at Charlotte in May (Earnhardt was 19th because of mechanical issues).

Another issue has been where Earnhardt Jr has finished so far in the Chase. He has an average finish of 10th in the first two Chase races.

Nobody is going to win the title in this opening round, which ends this weekend at Dover. Teams have talked about needing to average a top-10 or as low as a top-15 finish to advance. In that sense, Earnhardt is doing what is needed at this point.

An encouraging sign for Earnhardt Jr fans could be in qualifying. In six of the nine races before the Chase, he started 20th or worse. He qualified 13th at Chicagoland Speedway and was 11th at New Hampshire - he started 28th there in July.

Earnhardt Jr also noted his restarts at New Hampshire.

"Everybody gets on my (rear) about them restarts,'' he said. "We had some pretty good ones (at New Hampshire). The last one wasn't too good, but I was on the inside slipping around. We had fun, and I'm glad we were able to rebound.''

Earnhardt Jr's race nearly turned when he had to pit on Lap 119 for a loose right front wheel. That dropped him from seventh to 25th and put him a lap down. He got his lap back on Lap 190 and worked his way to a top-10 finish.

"That was good,'' crew chief Steve Letarte radioed Earnhardt after the race. "That was a way to avoid a disaster. It could have been worse. We all stuck together. That's what we need to do.''

Said Earnhardt Jr: "I was a little worried. That was a good way to work.''

Now the focus shifts to Dover where Earnhardt has scored three top-10 finishes in his last four starts there. He was leading there last year in the Chase when he missed pit road and finished second.

"I look forward to going and having a good car,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "Probably will be a struggle in practice. We don't practice well there. I just have to keep that in mind while we are out there practicing and not get too distraught because we race pretty well there."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Is-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Cooling-Off.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*The Road To The Championship Runs Through Team Penske​*
*W*e know that we still have Talladega and Martinsville to race at in this year's Chase that will be difference makers in who our champion might turn out to be, but when it is all said and done, I think we are going to look back at Sunday's race at Loudon and say, "wow what a chain of events that ended up being."

I say that because we headed into last Sunday's race with two or three drivers that already were done for the 2014 Chase after Chicago unless they could win at Loudon or Dover. Now, we leave New Hampshire and are headed to Dover with nine drivers separated by only 18 points.

Obviously we only have two drivers that are locked into the next round and they both come from Team Penske. Of course I am talking about Brad Keselowski, who won at Chicago, and Joey Logano, who one Sunday at Loudon.

The reality is after those two, we don't have anyone of the 14 remaining drivers who is remotely eliminated.

In fact, go to our 16th-place Chase driver, Aric Almirola, as a perfect example.

His motor blew up in Chicago and he finished 41st. Yet after a great run Sunday with a much-needed sixth-place finish, Aric is only 10 points out of the cut-off spot of 12th. Ten points really isn't a lot, folks, so that is certainly going to make for an interesting Dover race this Sunday.

At Loudon we sort of had a mixed bag of results from our Chase contenders.

While we had seven Chase drivers finish in the top 10, we also had five Chase drivers who finished outside the top 20. To me, the biggest thing was well over half of our Chase drivers either had issues or mistakes, and several relied heavily on getting the free pass during the race to get back on the lead lap.

In fact, both Greg Biffle and A.J. Allmendinger got the free pass twice.
We have said all year long that if you are going to win this championship that you were either going to have to go through Hendrick Motorsports or Team Penske. Now as hot as they are, plus both Team Penske drivers winning the first two Chase races, they are certainly sending a message that the championship goes through them.

The other amazing thing is that it's just the two of them at Team Penske. They aren't a four- or even three-car operation. They are only the No. 2 and No. 22.

Now they have won nine of our 28 races so far and, even more impressive, they have won four of the last five races run.

So even though there are still eight races to go, Team Penske is making a strong statement that if you want that 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, well you are going to have to go through Team Penske to do it.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/the-road-to-the-championship-runs-through-team-penske-092214


----------



## Ckg2011

*ANALYSIS: Mission Accomplished? Chase Format Already Showing Results​*
*O*ver the past 10 years or so, NASCAR has changed and evolved as the sanctioning body did its best to keep up with public interest, top-notch competition and the ever-changing realm of safety.

Not every change worked. Not every fan initiative put butts in the seats and or made viewers tune into the races on a weekly basis. In fact, many of the changes initiated over the last decade pushed people away and alienated the old school fan.

However, it appears NASCAR has hit a home run with their latest change, the newly remolded Chase for the Sprint Cup.

When announced at the beginning of the season, there were many skeptics. Was adding four more drivers to the Chase field too many? What was the point of elimination races when drivers would be eliminated on their own after a few bad finishes? Why would the championship be determined in a winner-takes-all season-ending race at Homestead?

Well, after the first two races of the Chase, it appears clear the changes made to the format have helped create some of the most intense and competitive racing to date.

Sunday's race at New Hampshire saw nearly every Chase driver face adversity and challenges throughout the day, yet in the end many of those with damage or pit road problems fought and clawed their way back to the salvage the day.

Pit road strategy, restarts, side-by-side racing. All of it has stepped up in its level of intensity over the past two weeks, and with one race left before four drivers are eliminated from Chase contention, that will only ramp up even more at Dover.

Team Penske has shown that winning races is ultimately the best way to secure a spot in the next round, but as Kevin Harvick pointed out Friday in Loudon, points racing is still alive and well in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"I think the whole winning thing is really overrated," said Harvick. "Obviously you want to win. You want to win every week and you show up to try to win, but you can't take any unnecessary chances and that is kind of the box that the point system puts you in. It's good and bad."

Harvick made that clear on Sunday as he battled hard, but did not push the limits on the late-race restarts at NHMS. Sitting just behind Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano in the Chase standings, going for the win was more risky than settling for a top five and having a solid points day.

However, for those drivers fourth on back in the Chase standings, next weekend's race at Dover International Speedway is a make-or-break race. While some will still be trying to win their way in, they will also have to be mindful on the points as they run throughout the day, knowing who they have to beat and by how many spots.

At a track deemed the 'Monster Mile,' the intensity, hard racing, pit strategy and bad performances will be magnified to a level unseen yet this season.

Dover is a track known to tear up cars, end Chase hopes and put the best equipment, crew chiefs and drivers to the ultimate test.

The elimination aspect of Sunday's race at Dover will be present throughout the entire weekend, starting with Friday's practice and qualifying, Saturday's two practice sessions, and finally the 400 miles on Sunday.

With the levels of stress elevating for the Chase competitors, the true winners in all of this are the race fans.

While there is still plenty of racing left before a champion is crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway, if the first two races of the Chase are any indication, NASCAR's decision to alter the playoff format during the off-season was one of the best in quite some time.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...d-chase-format-already-showing-results-092214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Among Those Testing In Texas​*
Less than 24 hours after his impressive victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Team Penske driver Joey Logano turned his focus to Texas Motor Speedway, site of an all-important two-day test session beginning Monday.

Logano, along with Team Penske teammate and current Sprint Cup Series points leader Brad Keselowski, were joined by Roush Fenway Racing drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the test session. With the intensity of the Chase for the Sprint Cup and the first round of eliminations on the horizon, teams looked at both the present and the future - focusing on this weekend's race at Dover International Speedway while making preparations for the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway.

"That's how we got to do it," Logano said of his Team Penske crew. "We have got to keep fighting hard until the end of this Chase. This was planned before we went to Loudon (N.H). (It is) great we were able to get the win, but we flew down here last night - got here around midnight and got ready for the test today."

Logano and the Team Penske organization have remained on a roll since capturing a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last month. The organization has won four of the previous five races, including the first two races to start the Chase. Keselowski kicked off the Chase with a victory at Chicagoland Speedway followed by Logano's victory last weekend at his home track of New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"When you win at what you think is your worst racetrack and you go there and win, you feel like you can win about anywhere after that," Logano said. "We're hitting our stride at the right time. Both Team Penske cars are running really fast right now and we've just got to keep going and pushing hard throughout the rest of this Chase. It's a long eight weeks left and a lot of things could happen."

Despite already securing a spot in the next round of the Chase, Logano is not ready to take his eyes off the final race of the Challenger round at Dover.

For him, it's about maintaining the level of success for eight more races.

"We're always looking ahead," Logano said. "We're here in Texas looking at Texas coming ahead. At the same time, we're thinking about Dover coming up this next weekend. We still want to go up there and have a shot at winning it.

The fact that we're in the next round doesn't make us just say, 'We're taking an off weekend this week and focusing on the next one.' We need to keep that momentum going. We want to go out there and win races. We want to keep this wave rolling as long as we can. So that means we just keep doing what we've been doing all year, focus on one track at a time, get prepared for it and execute the plan when we get there."

For Roush Fenway Racing, the test offered up an opportunity for the organization's two championship hopefuls - Edwards and Biffle - to reclaim confidence and find the speed necessary to advance to the next round of the Chase.

Edwards will look to lock himself into the Contender round of the Chase with a strong performance this weekend at Dover. Edwards remains on the bubble in advancing to the Contender round, currently sitting ninth in the standings.

Edwards, in his final season with Roush Fenway Racing, understands the intensity of the Chase will reach another level on Sunday as four drivers will be eliminated from championship contention.

"This is it. This is basically your championship," Edwards said. "If you make a mistake or you don't do something that you should have, you don't want to be thinking about that for the next seven weeks and the whole offseason.

"This race is going to be insane. You saw at Loudon how pressure-packed it was and how many folks were pushing it and making mistakes. Dover, you add 30 or 40 miles per hour and a bunch of banking and double the pressure, it's going to be crazy. We've discussed it. We know what we have to do, we just have to go over there and get every spot we can."

Biffle, who has started the Chase with finishes of 23rd and 16th, is battling to make his way into the next round. He currently finds himself 14th in the standings, just six points outside the top 12 cutoff.

Despite the drastically different layouts between Dover and Texas Motor Speedway, the test session is important for Biffle and his Roush Fenway Racing team to find speed and setups that will help propel them into the Contender round of the Chase.

"It is critical and that is why we are here testing," Biffle said of the test. "Trying to figure out our program for these mile-and-a-halves and a lot of times when you find speed at these places that transfers to shorter tracks as well. We are working hard to try and find some speed."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/logano-among-those-testing-in-texas/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Now Streaming Full Races On Their YouTube Channel​*
NASCAR will now be streaming Chase races on their YouTube Channel for everyone to check out if you missed it or want to watch it again.

*Chase Race #1 Chicagoland Speedway​*





*Chase Race #2 New Hampshire Motor Speedway​*





*Source:*
*Ckg125*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Driver Birthday Today​*
Happy birthday to the driver of the JR Motorsports #7 Camaro Regan Smith. Regan Smith turns 31 today.

*2014 Season Stats:*

SERIES - Nationwide Grand National Series

RANK - 2nd In Series Points

STARTS - 27

WINS - 1

POLES - 0

TOP 5 - 7

TOP 10 - 23

LAPS LED - 110

MONEY - $869,324.00

POINTS - 972​
*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Announces Rule Changes For 2015​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will have less horsepower, be banned from testing and could run in the rain on road courses next season.

Those are among several changes NASCAR announced Tuesday for the 2015 season.

"The overall goal from the package is to continue the best racing possible for our fans," said Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR. "It sets us up to continue to improve the racing."

*The Changes Include:​*
Reducing the horsepower in Cup cars from 850 to 725 via a tapered spacer.

Eliminating all testing (other than Goodyear Tire tests) for all series at any track. Should NASCAR catch any team testing other than at a Goodyear test, it will be a P6-Level penalty.

Having rain tires available so Cup teams can run in the rain at Watkins Glen International and Sonoma Raceway next year, if needed.

Reducing the rear spoiler from 7.25 to six inches.

Lowering the differential gear ratio for a target of 9,000 RPM.

Allowing drivers to adjust the track bar from within the car.

Roller valve lifters replacing flat valve lifters.

Mandating a 38-inch-wide radiator pan.

Dropping minimum car weight 50 pounds via ballast reduction, dropping cars to 3,250 pounds without a driver.

Modifying group qualifying.

Introducing group qualifying to set the Daytona 500 front row.

Automating pit road officiating for races.

Reducing Horsepower and Downforce

The horsepower reduction was expected. Momentum for reducing the rear spoiler came after the Aug. 18 test at Michigan International Speedway, when 10 drivers tested that configuration and many voiced their approval of a smaller rear spoiler.

"I've been to every aero test over the last two years that NASCAR has implemented and that was the first thing that I actually saw truly move the needle," Denny Hamlin said a day after the test about the smaller rear spoiler, "not only from inside the cockpit. I actually missed the first (mock) race that had the low aero and it was the most amazing nine-car race for the first couple of laps. It was crazy to see them with their hands full."

O'Donnell said reducing the rear spoiler two inches cuts about 300 pounds of downforce from the rear of the car.

"I'm a firm believer that less downforce is going to be better as far as our ability to pass other racecars," said Matt Kenseth, who took part in the Michigan test. "I was encouraged by (the test). It opened the track up. Instead of being a one-groove track, it turned into at least a three-groove track."

O'Donnell said that cutting horsepower and downforce will reduce speeds, particularly on the straightaways. He estimated the changes could reduce straightaway speeds about five mph. He called it "the most logical choice" to reduce horsepower with a tapered spacer since that's used with Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series engines.

O'Donnell said series officials are focused on a new engine, but it won't be introduced in 2015.

*Testing Ban*​
Teams in all of NASCAR's national series will be barred from testing anywhere other than at Goodyear Tire tests beginning the day after the Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This year, Cup teams could test at four tracks that hosted Cup races. Should NASCAR catch a Cup team illegally testing, the team could face the loss of 150 driver and owner points, a fine between $150,000-$200,000 and the crew chief being suspended six races, along with other penalties.

Also, there will not be a pre-season test in January at Daytona International Speedway as has been done in past years.

"Testing is a huge cost factor for the race teams," O'Donnell said. "When we went out to the teams about what may be the best process for us, it became apparent this was an area we could really help the teams from a cost-savings standpoint, to ban testing."

O'Donnell said that Goodyear tests likely would include more teams. Goodyear has scheduled a test next month at Auto Club Speedway. Teams will be using the 2015 package there.

*Qualifying Changes*​
Qualifying also will be a bit different. This year, the group format has been divided by whether tracks were 1.25 miles in length. Next year, short tracks and intermediate tracks will have the same three-round format. The difference is that the first round will be shortened from 25 minutes to 15 minutes.

"As we looked at each of the sessions, particularly the first session, there was a longer window," O'Donnell said. "There was definitely some downtime there. We talked to a number of folks in the industry and thought that this was the best way to go, not only for the fans in the stands and people watching on television. We wanted to shorten that first session and make sure we deliver the most entertaining form of qualifying and, obviously, the most fair."

Next year's Daytona 500 also will feature group qualifying. That will set the front row for the 500 and the order for the qualifying races later in the week.

*Racing In The Rain*​
NASCAR also announced that rain tires will be used for road courses next year. Teams will be required to have mandatory wipers, defogger and a rear flashing rain light installed for race weekend.

"Looking at where we've been with our other series, we felt like the timing was right. Goodyear has stepped up and the teams are ready," O'Donnell said. "Our fan base has certainly asked for this, but we wanted to make sure we were ready to deliver. All those came together and we felt like 2015 was the right time to launch that. We hope it never rains but if it does, we'll be prepared."

*Officiating*​
NASCAR will begin its automated officiating program with the 2015 Daytona 500. NASCAR will use several cameras to monitor potential infractions on pit road instead of having series officials over the wall. Now, series officials will be behind the wall and there won't be an official in every pit box.

One change is that previously, NASCAR has penalized teams for a loose lug nut or lug nuts. Now, the onus will be more on teams. If they feel they have an issue, it will be up to them to pit - as a number of teams have done in the first two races of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*2016 Rules*​
O'Donnell said testing will continue and plans will turn toward the 2016 rules package. O'Donnell said it is a goal to have those rules announced June 1, 2015, if not by the Sprint All-Star race in May 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/09/2015-Rules-Package-Announced.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Man Dies After Crash At Kentucky Speedway​*
Rusty Wallace's racing organization is trying to determine what caused the death of an Indiana man at a fan driving event bearing the former NASCAR driver's name.

Stephen Cox of Decatur, Indiana, died Sunday at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center from injuries sustained in a Sept. 14 accident during the Rusty Wallace Driving Experience at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Cox was 30.

RWRE spokesman Bill Coady did not provide details Tuesday about the accident or say whether Cox was the driver or passenger in the stock car during the event. Wallace was not at the track when the accident occurred.

Wallace's son and Rusty Wallace Inc. vice president, Greg, emailed a statement from the company to The Associated Press that said, ''Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. Cox. We have been in contact with the management of RWRE - a licensee of RWI - to ascertain the facts and understand exactly what happened.''

Coady said Cox's death was the first fatality in the four-year existence of RWRE, which is based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and operates at 60 locations in the United States and Canada.

Cox's death was first reported by the Kentucky Enquirer.

RWRE is among several companies bearing names of famous drivers that offer one-day fantasy-type driving experiences to the public in ''condensed'' NASCAR vehicles featuring manual transmissions. An advanced package in a Nationwide Series car is available, as are ride-along options.

Coady said that Wallace, a Hall of Famer and an ESPN race analyst, shows up at the experience ''on occasion.''

RWRE's prices range from a $169, five-lap entry-level package on a short layout up to $1,099 for 20 laps on a superspeedway. Classroom and on-track instruction is provided depending on the package, and a driver's license is required.

Participants must have their own health insurance and are responsible for damage to the cars. RWRE offers a $60 optional plan that limits individual costs to $1,000 and says that ''due to the quality of the training and cars, damage is rare.''

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/man-dies-crash-kentucky-speedway-195603613.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*2015 Rule Changes Will Create Challenges For Some​*
NASCAR's decision to reduce horsepower and downforce for next season will keep teams, engine builders and Goodyear busy in the coming months.

NASCAR announced Tuesday that it will reduce horsepower in a Sprint Cup engine from 850 to 725. NASCAR also is cutting the rear spoiler on a Cup car from 7.25 to 6 inches and banning team-initiated testing. Teams will be allowed to take part in Goodyear tire tests.

Although expected, the horsepower change creates a significant amount of work for engine builders, according to Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines.

"The one thing to remember is when you reduce horsepower, every horsepower makes a bigger difference,'' Yates told Motor Racing Network. "I think we'll be chasing one horsepower gains harder than we have in a while.''

The horsepower will be reduced by a tapered spacer, which limits airflow to the engine. Yates called this a "good cost-effective" way to cut horsepower based on ideas proposed. Cup engines will be about 75 horsepower more than a Nationwide engine after the change.

Along with limiting horsepower, NASCAR will reduce the top limit of RPM from 9,500 to 9,000 and replace flat valve lifters with roller valve lifters. While engines can be tested on dynamometers, Yates admits the ban with on-track testing provides another challenge.

"Without going to a race track and with a new aero package and the new horsepower package, can we actually hit that 9,000 RPM target successfully out of the box?'' Yates said. "That's what keeps engines builders up at night. If we miss either high or low on that RPM band, that's what's really concerning.''

Miss either way and that could impact a car's performance.

With the move to the roller valve lifters, NASCAR heads toward using engines more than one race. It's not to that point yet, Yates said.

"These races we run, these engines are stressed,'' Yates said. "Could we make them two-race engines? Sure, but there's a lot of development that will need to go into doing that. I think we have to weigh it out. Is it wise for us to try to make this a two-race engine or wait for the future NASCAR engine and try to do the same thing?''

The rule changes announced also impact Goodyear but Greg Stucker, director of race tires sales, told Motor Racing Network that he doesn't see the change as a big one for the tire supplier.

Stucker said the downforce reduction will get next year's car close to the level of the Gen-6 car when it was debuted last season.

"What we'll try to make sure we understand is the combination of things, the downforce, the horsepower and we've also got 50 pounds of weight (removed from the car),'' Stucker said. "What does that mean for our speeds entering the corner and also mid-corner? Is it going to reduce the loads? If it reduces the load, does it extend the duration when we're operating at peak load? Right now, it looks like it's probably a fairly minimal impact as we go into 2015.''

Goodyear will get its first look at the 2015 configuration at a tire test next month at Auto Club Speedway. Stucker said the test was scheduled in part because of the tire issues many teams had at that track earlier this season and because of the new rules package. About five teams are expected to test.

With testing banned, Goodyear tire tests could include more cars. Stucker said there might some cases where Goodyear doesn't need or want an inordinate amount of cars because that could impact the test results.

Another change is that NASCAR will run Cup cars in the rain at Watkins Glen International and Sonoma Raceway next year if needed.

Rain tires have been run at Montreal and Road America previously in the Nationwide Series.

Stucker said Goodyear plans to test at its facility in San Angelo, Texas, in the offseason. Goodyear can create a wet road course there "to make sure we've got the right package.''

Stucker said Goodyear used that facility with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2008 to develop the rain tires for the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series.

With all the changes taking place for next season, Brian Vickers says he's looking forward to next year.

"Overall, I like the 2015 rules package,'' Vickers said. "Reducing the downforce should make the driver a greater part of the success equation. We can debate whether NASCAR should have gone further, but it is a step in the right direction.

"Our racing has been good this year, and I think these rules will make the racing even better for 2015 and beyond. I love the part about racing in the rain on road courses. I know we can't do it on ovals, but there is no reason we shouldn't be running in the rain with rain tires.

"I'm confident Goodyear will give us a good product. Our racing on road courses is the best in the world and can't imagine the show we'll put on in the rain.''

Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson also likes the changes.

"I feel like in time we're really going to make these cars hard to drive,'' he said. "Hopefully we get a tire on the car that wears out. We've all discussed and talked about we need more comers and goers and more passing and more side-by-side action. I think a as group NASCAR owners and drivers have spent more time in conversation working on 2015 plans and beyond than ever. Hopefully the product really transfers to the track.'

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...09/2015-Rule-Changes-Will-Keep-Many-Busy.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Grand Jury Hearing Stewart's Case​*
The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports that an Ontario County (N.Y.) grand jury has begun hearing the case involving Tony Stewart.

The grand jury will determine if Stewart should be charged for the death of Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

Ward died after he was stuck by Stewart's car. Ward had been racing with Stewart when Ward crashed. Ward exited his car and walked down the track, appearing to gesture toward Stewart's car before he was struck.

The newspaper reported Tuesday that Chuck Hebing, who was driving in that race, confirmed that he was called to testify about the accident but declined to discuss the matter.

While grand jury proceedings are secret, witnesses can confirm if they were called and discuss their testimony.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo stated last week that he would take Stewart's case to a grand jury "in the near future,'' stating that based on a review of the evidence it "would be appropriate to submit the evidence to a grand jury.''

There is no timetable for the grand jury to make a decision.

A grand jury can indict an individual based on the evidence presented, moving the matter to trial. The grand jury also can vote to dismiss the charges. Or, the grand jury may direct the prosecutor to file a lesser charge against a person charged.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../09/Grand-Jury-Hearing-Tony-Stewart-Case.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon And Yuengling Beer Team Up​*
Ty Dillon on Twitter just announced that his Grand National RCR number 3 Chevy will carry Yuengling Beer in 2015. Yuengling will also be on the his number 33 RCR Chevy CUP car with Ty Dillon for both races at Pocono Raceway next season.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Burton On Stand By For Bowyer This Weekend​*
Jeff Burton will be on stand by for Clint Bowyer this weekend at Dover International Speedway, Clint Bowyer's wife is expecting the couple's first baby. If Bowyer needs to leave, then Burton will step into the MWR number 15 Toyota.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*One Person Isn't Buying The Chase Elliott Hype​*
Since he began making appearances in NASCAR's national series, Chase Elliott has steadily gained the admiration of fans. Son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott, Chase made his first starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series surrounded by others' high expectations. After finishing last season with seven top-10s, five top-fives and one win in nine starts, it was clear those expectations were warranted.

Now the points leader in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Elliott is poised to make history. Should he win the championship, he'll be the series' youngest winner ever at 18, as well as the only rookie to have earned the title. But there's one person who isn't yet accepting the hype of Chase Elliott: the driver himself.

"I don't really think anybody knows that," Elliott said when asked about the NASCAR community's belief that he's the next big thing in the sport. "It's not for me to judge and I'm not going to. So I look to do my best every week, or what I think is my best -- give it my best effort and beyond that, it's kind of out of my hands. We're hoping we can have a good rest of the season, and it's way too early to be talking about that stuff."

Yet with each strong performance Elliott adds to his statistics, the talk continues. Earlier this season, Jeff Gordon even joined in.

"I mean this kid is phenomenal. He is just a sponge," Gordon said of Elliott at Watkins Glen International. "You just introduce him to new things and he just excels at it."

That ability to succeed even in new environments has made Chase the top title contender his first full season in a NASCAR national series, 20 points ahead of second-place driver Regan Smith. Nearly all of the tracks that the series has visited this year were new to Elliott, yet his record belies that fact. His three-win mark is the highest among series regulars, as are his 13 top-fives.

Even though Elliott won't concede that he has a good chance of winning the championship, he remains confident in his ability to earn solid finishes leading up to the championship -- an end-of-year stretch that includes several tracks he has never driven at, like Kansas Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. He approaches the unknown with a shrug-it-off attitude, trusting that experience doesn't always lead to a solid finish.

"I don't have one place circled that we're worried about more than any other," Elliott said of the remaining weeks on the calendar. "We kind of put the same amount of emphasis on each race track, and when you show up at a place, you have just as good of a chance to have a bad weekend at a place that you've been to 10 times as you do when you've been there once."

Kentucky Speedway, where the Nationwide Series competed in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 this past weekend, was one such track that Elliott had visited a time before. He finished 12th in his first attempt, but led 20 laps in Saturday night's race, battling Ty Dillon for the lead before the two rookies found themselves behind Nationwide Series veterans Brendan Gaughan and Brian Scott.

"All in all, it was disappointing to be leading there at the final 10 laps and not get a win, but we had a chance," Elliott said. "That's the kind of stuff you need to do on a night that you are not perfect, is to give yourself a chance. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the job done -- but we did have a shot."

That ability to take a car he wasn't happy with and drive it to the front of the pack is exactly what has turned so many heads in the NASCAR world. But Elliott remains focused, as ever, on simply doing his best without thinking of where his best may take him.

"A lot of racing -- a lot of stuff can happen in a lap and we don't want to get ahead of ourselves ... think that's the last thing you need to do," he said. "So we're focused on just a race at a time, and we'll see where it all unfolds."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/one-person-isnt-buying-chase-elliott-hype-120000230--nascar.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News In Stewart/Ward Jr Investigation​*
Report coming out is that the Grand Jury has completed it's investigation of the Stewart/Ward Jr accident. An announcement is expected at 3:00 pm et today.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Tony Stewart Cleared By Grand Jury​*
Tony Stewart has been cleared by a Grand Jury of any wrong doing in the death of Kevin Ward Jr.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Grand Jury Clears Stewart​*
A grand jury voted not to charge Tony Stewart for the death of Kevin Ward Jr.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced the decision Wednesday afternoon.

He issued the following statement:

"This week an Ontario County grand jury has been meeting to hear testimony and review evidence gathered in the Tony Stewart matter, relating to the death of Kevin Ward at the Canandaigua Motor Speedway on August 9, 2014. The grand jury has completed its investigation.

"During the course of the grand jury presentation, approximately two dozen witnesses testified. These included a number of race car drivers, racetrack employees and volunteers, two accident reconstruction experts, medical personnel, and a number of police officers. In addition, the grand jury reviewed a number of photographs and video recordings, as well as other documentary evidence. After listening to and questioning all of the witnesses, and reviewing all of the evidence, the grand jury has determined that there is no basis to charge Tony Stewart with any crimes; his case was "No-Billed" by the grand jury.''

Tony Stewart issued a statement shortly after that announcement:

"This has been the toughest and most emotional experience of my life, and it will stay with me forever. I'm very grateful for all the support I've received and continue to receive.

"I respect everything the District Attorney and Sheriff's Office did to thoroughly investigate this tragic accident. While the process was long and emotionally difficult, it allowed for all the facts of the accident to be identified and known.

"While much of the attention has been on me, it's important to remember a young man lost his life. Kevin Ward Jr.'s family and friends will always be in my thoughts and prayers."

Stewart struck and killed Ward during a sprint car race Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Stewart and Ward were racing together when Ward bounced off the wall. Ward exited his car and walked down the track. He gestured toward Stewart's car before he was struck. The Ontario County Coroner listed Ward's cause of death as massive blunt trauma

The Ontario County Sheriff's Office announced Sept. 11 that it had ended its investigation. In the opening days of the investigation, Sheriff Philip Povero had stated that no evidence of criminal intent had been found.

Tantillo announced Sept. 16 that he would take the case to a grand jury, stating: "I have made the determination that it would be appropriate to submit the evidence to a grand jury, for their determination as to what action should be taken in this matter.''

A New York grand jury features 23 people. Twelve are needed for an indictment.

Stewart sat out Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol. He returned at Atlanta, reading a statement without taking any questions.

"This has been one of the toughest tragedies that I've ever had to deal with both professionally and personally,'' Stewart said Aug. 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This is something that will definitely affect my life forever. This is a sadness and a pain that I hope no one ever has to experience in their life.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ces-Decision-Regarding-Tony-Stewart-Case.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Down ... But Not Out​*
The four drivers at the bottom of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings aren't necessarily the four that will be eliminated from title contention after this week's race in Dover.

When the checkered flag flew in the post-season opener at Chicagoland Speedway 10 days ago, the quartet at the bottom was seemingly buried far enough down that it appeared many hopes were already over. But by the time last Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 in New Hampshire ended, there was new life for some.

As the final race of the Challenger Round - Sunday's AAA 400 - sets up, these are the drivers that need to have a strong performance while also getting a little help in the form of a bad finish for a few others:

*Aric Almirola*

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver's world got a little brighter in Loudon after his disastrous open to the Chase with a blown engine at Chicagoland. Almirola is still in the basement of the 16-driver Chase Grid. But he gained points on the transfer spot and is only 10 away from the safety zone after a sixth-place New Hampshire effort. Now comes Dover, where things will be challenging based on past history at "The Monster Mile." Almirola has only one top 10 in five career starts.

*Denny Hamlin*

The one-two punch of a fuel-probe issue and an accident added up to deliver Hamlin a 37th-place New Hampshire finish. That dropped him from sixth to 13th in the standings, in great danger of not advancing to the second round. Dover has not been one of Hamlin's favorite places during his Sprint Cup career and with good reason. He's winless in 17 starts with just three top-five finishes. It promises to be a sleepless night on Saturday for Hamlin.

*Kurt Busch*

A 36th-place outing in Loudon saw Busch tumble to 15th in the standings. A cut tire sent him into the wall and he'll go to Dover racing for his playoff life. The Stewart-Haas Racing pilot has a lot of Dover experience in his Sprint Cup career including a victory. But that was one in 28 starts and in June, he finished 18th.

*Greg Biffle*

The Roush Fenway Racing driver had a second Chase race much like his first. Biffle fell back in the pack early and was never in contention to win last Sunday, although he did move back to the middle of the field for a 16th-place finish. His place in the standings remains buried in 14th. On the bright side, Biffle has performed well at Dover over the years with a pair of wins on his resume. But he's had only a pair of top-10 finishes in his last 10 starts.

*Kasey Kahne*

He's tied with Ryan Newman for the last transfer spot into the Contender Round, but Kahne still hasn't shown much since winning at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend to secure his spot in the Chase. He started the post-season with a 13th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway and was 23rd Sunday in New Hampshire. Recent starts at Dover have also not been very impressive with a 13th his best run over Kahne's last four starts.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Backs-Against-the-Wall.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Contract Extension for Logano​*
Team Penske has signed Joey Logano to a contract extension to keep the driver in the fold for the foreseeable future.

The new deal will keep Logano - a four-time winner in the Sprint Cup Series in 2014 - behind the wheel of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford as well as the team's No. 22 Mustang in the Nationwide Series.

"Joey Logano has been everything we hoped he would be both as a driver, and as a representative of our organization and for our partners," said Roger Penske. "He continues to put points on the board, and the continuity and chemistry he's developed within the team has been terrific. We believe he can be a leader and championship-level driver for years to come."

Logano came to the Penske organization in 2013 and is currently enjoying his best Sprint Cup Series season with four wins and a spot in the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Logano has produced seven Cup Series wins and 21 Nationwide Series victories in his career, which began at Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Middletown, Conn., driver has earned a spot in his second-consecutive post-season Chase. His four Cup wins this year - at Texas, Richmond International Raceway, Bristol and New Hampshire - reflect a single-season career high.

"I'm fortunate and excited to be part of Team Penske," said Logano, currently ranked second in the Chase standings after his victory last weekend in New Hampshire. "Mr. Penske gives us everything we need to keep our eye on the prize, and compete for wins and championships. That's clear by the number of wins we have across the board this year. And I think our best years are in front of us, for sure."

Logano entered this year's Chase as the No. 5 seed and has climbed to second in the standings, a single point behind teammate Brad Keselowski entering Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/09/Contract-Extension-for-Logano.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Pit Road Full of Pitfalls for Chase Drivers​*
Denny Hamlin can only hope he was not forecasting his fate two weeks ago when he hinted what could happen at Dover International Speedway.

"I think the biggest thing you're going to see is somebody eliminate themselves on pit road,'' Hamlin said.

With the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field cut from 16 to 12 after Dover this weekend, one mistake could cost a team a chance to advance to the next round.

"I think you've got to be little more conservative for those 40 seconds (in total time) that you're on pit road,'' Hamlin said. "Make sure you don't make any mistakes. Tell the pit crew the same thing.''

Hamlin's comments might have been as much a message to himself. He's been caught speeding on pit road at Dover in each of the past two races there and missed entering pit road another time last year. His penalty in June dropped him from sixth to 26th less than 75 laps into the race. He recovered and finished fifth that day. Last September, he couldn't recover and finished 20th.

A similar finish likely won't allow Hamlin to advance to the Contender Round. He enters this weekend six points behind Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman, who occupy the final two transfer spots.

Hamlin isn't the only driver to feel angst and anxiety about pit road, particularly at Dover.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed pit road there a year ago while leading and later was held up entering pit road by a slower car. Earnhardt finished second. Carl Edwards and Newman were caught speeding on pit road in the June 2013 race with Hamlin. Kasey Kahne's crew missed a lug nut that forced him to pit under green, giving up seventh. He finished 15th in that Sept. 2012 race. Kevin Harvick entered pit road third but missed his pit box and had to back up in the June 2012 event. He fell to 18th and went on to finish second.

Many more also have had their troubles on Dover's pit road, including Jimmie Johnson, who has been caught speeding, and Matt Kenseth, who crashed entering pit road years ago.

Earnhardt, who has not been penalized for speeding on pit road this year, has a simple philosophy that keeps him from trouble.

"There's a risk vs. reward thing going on there where to me it's not worth it,'' he said. "I don't typically get very aggressive. I try to do everything to that limit.

"I'll start the race out on a quite a conservative manner. As we get further into the race, my aggression on pit road (increases), trying to get to the first timing line and then trying to run the lights all the way through pit road ... to give ourselves the best chance to gain spots on pit road.

"It used to be real important to beat every guy you could off pit road. Now some of these restarts with the double-file (lineup) are so line sensitive. You need to be on the inside for this particular track or only the outside for this particular track that you almost don't find the risk worth the reward.

"You might work your (rear) off to beat this guy, beat one person off pit road, and end up putting yourself in the worst line. I've always felt like when you're trying to get greedy is when you tend to stub your toe.''

A sound idea but Earnhardt's teammate Jeff Gordon looks at his approach to pit road differently.

"For us, it's about maximizing that opportunity,'' Gordon said. "When you hit pit road, you want to be right within the speed limit. You want to get into your pit box as fast as you can but not overshoot it. You want to give your team an opportunity to have the best pit stop they can have.

"Track position is so important. We're really focused on what's happening on pit road and understanding it's getting harder and harder to pass on the track, so you've got to get those positions wherever you can.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ary-Of-Trouble-That-Can-Lurk-On-Pit-Road.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart: 'This Was 100 Percent An Accident'​*
Tony Stewart doesn't blame Kevin Ward Jr.'s family for what they said after a grand jury refused to charge him in their son's death, but he told The Associated Press that "this was 100 percent an accident.''

Stewart's comments mark the first time he's talked publicly about the incident other than a brief statement last month at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Upon the advice of legal counsel, Stewart would not describe to the AP what happened in the Aug. 9 incident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park where he struck and killed Ward. After racing beside Stewart, Ward crashed. Ward then exited his car and walked down the track, gesturing toward Stewart's car before he was hit.

"I know 100 percent in my heart and in my mind that I did not do anything wrong,'' Stewart told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Thursday.

A 23-member Ontario County (N.Y.) grand jury declined to charge Stewart with either second-degree manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide Wednesday. The jury needed less than an hour to decide.

District Attorney Michael Tantillo revealed that toxicology levels indicated that Ward was under the influence of marijuana "enough to impair judgment'' at the time of the accident.

Tantillo also noted that a key element for the grand jury proved to be how Ward reacted. Tantillo said the "fact that Kevin Ward was observed running basically down two-thirds of the track ... in the middle of other cars that were still racing played a big, big factor in their decision.''

After the grand jury's decision, Ward's mother, Pam, issued a statement on behalf of the family:

"Our son got out of his car during caution while the race was suspended. All the other vehicles were reducing speed and not accelerating, except for Tony Stewart, who intentionally tried to intimidate Kevin by accelerating and sliding his car toward him, causing the tragedy.

"The focus should be on the actions of Mr. Stewart and not my son.

"This matter is not at rest and we will pursue all remedies in fairness to Kevin.''

Stewart told the AP on Thursday that "I guess the end result is I don't blame them for anything they say.''

Stewart also said dealing with his grief has been difficult. He told the AP that he needed professional help to cope with the situation.

The Associated Press stated that there were days Stewart could not get out of bed or that it was a chore to take a shower. He didn't care about racing for a time and didn't want to talk to anyone while secluded in his Indiana home for three weeks after the accident.

"You sit there and you wrack your brain, you try to analyze 'Why did this happen?'" Stewart told The Associated Press. "I made myself miserable just trying to make sense of it ... I just couldn't function. I've never been in a position where I just couldn't function."

The AP reported that Stewart returned to his motorhome at Watkins Glen at 2 a.m. the night of the crash. He intended to compete in that day's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. When he awoke, he knew he was not in a condition to race.

"You race hurt, you race sick and that's the way racers have always been," Stewart told the AP. "You say you can go do what you need to do, and then it becomes very clear that you can't."

Regan Smith was summoned from North Carolina to drive for Stewart in that race. Stewart watched the closing laps of the race from his Indiana home only because he wanted to see the late-race battle for a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Stewart told the AP he watched half of the Michigan race he skipped (Jeff Burton drove for him). Stewart said practice and qualifying sessions didn't interest him even though he had three other cars within his organization competing.

It wasn't until Bristol that Stewart was interested in watching a race.

"It just wasn't important to me,'' he said.

Even now, Stewart says it's difficult to leave his Indiana or North Carolina homes.

"You are part of something so tragic and so unthinkable, it's hard to face anybody," he said. "It was hard to wrap my arms around this, and it still is. I haven't been a part of society for more than six weeks. You are scared to be around anybody, you are embarrassed to be around anybody because of what happened.

"There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about it. And it will be like that all your life. You are never going to forget about it. You are never going to not see it happen all over again. It's going to be a part of me forever."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nt-With-Ward-Was-100-Percent-An-Accident.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Driver Handicaps: Dover​*
To assist in making your fantasy racing picks, MRN.com's Pete Pistone helps steer you toward Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

Who's HOT at Dover

*Jimmie Johnson:* Sure, his Chase is off to - by Johnson's standards - a mediocre start. But his fifth place last week at New Hampshire wasn't as horrible as some are making it out to be. Dover has been Johnson's playground throughout his Sprint Cup career. He leads all drivers with nine victories, and he'll shoot for his third straight win and fourth over his last six starts on Sunday.

*Matt Kenseth:* The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is not too shabby at "The Monster Mile," either. He had a couple hiccups in 2012 and 2013, but Kenseth is usually pretty strong at Dover and was third back in June.

*Jeff Gordon:* Back when DuPont was his main primary sponsor, Dover was like a home game for Gordon. He's excelled there and has a 9.4 average finish in his last 10 Dover starts including three top-five finishes in the last three years.

*Kevin Harvick:* No reason to believe Harvick will slow down this weekend since he's been fast virtually every race in 2014. He struggled to a 17th-place finish in June but has an average Dover finish of 10.0 dating back to the 2009 season.

*Kyle Busch:* Throw out the 42nd on Busch's Dover resume from earlier this year. Since he won in 2010, Busch has only finished outside the top 10 twice.

Who's NOT

*Jamie McMurray:* If he's going to continue the run of stealing the spotlight from Chasers in the post-season, McMurray will have to up his Dover game come Sunday. He's failed to crack the top 10 in his last 10 starts there.

*Ryan Newman:* The Richard Childress Racing driver will be racing for his Chase life on Sunday and had a 31st-place finish at Dover in June. Newman has an 18.6 average finish in his last 10 starts.

*Kasey Kahne:* He's in the same boat, Chase-wise, as Newman with a similar challenge ahead at Dover. Kahne was 19th in June and his last 10 outings have resulted in an average finish of 17.5.

*Danica Patrick:* Has never finished better than in the 20's over four career Dover starts, including 23rd in June.

*Greg Biffle:* You have to go back a ways to see when Biffle was good at Dover on a regular basis. He has one top-10 finish in his last eight starts.

Who to Keep an Eye On at Dover

*Clint Bowyer:* Can he steal some Chase thunder this weekend? With seven straight top-10 finishes, including a fourth in June, Bowyer has a good shot.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.:* A year ago, Earnhardt battled teammate Johnson for the win and settled for second. He was ninth in June.

*Carl Edwards:* "Concrete Carl" needs to return this weekend to keep Edwards' Chase hopes alive and fend off elimination. He was 14th in the first trip to Dover this season.

*Denny Hamlin:* Certainly not one of Hamlin's best tracks and he needs to rise up Sunday to stay in the Chase. The good news is that he finished fifth in June.

*Brad Keselowski:* Nothing to lose and has everything lined up to simply go for a win. Keselowski has three top-five finishes in his last four starts, including a win and one second-place finish.

*MRN.com Staff Picks for Second Place
(we all like Jimmie Johnson to win)*

Pete Pistone: Kevin Harvick 
Dustin Long: Jeff Gordon
John Singler: Kyle Larson
Jeff Wackerlin: Denny Hamlin

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Driver-Handicaps-Dover.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Miles to Miami: Dover​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway carries NASCAR teams to Dover International Speedway, with 2,877.58 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's AAA 400 on "The Monster Mile" is the final race of the Challenger Round. The 16-driver Chase Grid will be trimmed to the top 12 when the checkered flag falls. Points will be reset and those dozen title hopefuls will open the Contender Round on Oct. 5 at Kansas Speedway.

Team Penske has been the talk of the title Chase so far. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have won the first two races, securing spots in the next round.

"We're in a good place right now," said Keselowski, who entered the post-season as the No. 1 seed and has remained atop the standings through the first two weeks. "For the Dover race earlier this year, we qualified up front but came up a little short with a second-place finish. But we've won there before and we're more than capable of winning again."

Keselowski won this race two years ago en route to the 2012 Sprint Cup Series championship.

As for Logano, not only is he coming off his fourth win of the season - last weekend at New Hampshire. He's armed with a new contract extension that'll keep him in the Team Penske camp for years to come as he seeks his first Dover win in the Cup Series.

"I've always run pretty well there, in Nationwide and Cup," said Logano, who has four Nationwide Series wins on the one-mile concrete oval. "I've got a bunch of little 'Monster' trophies, but I want the big trophy this time around."

Jimmie Johnson goes into the weekend fourth in the Chase standings, 17 points behind Keselowski. He's the all-time leader in Cup Series wins at Dover with nine, including the last two. With another victory Sunday, the six-time champion would become the first driver to win three in a row at Dover since Jeff Gordon in 1995 and 1996.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Miles-to-Miami-Dover.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'Monster' Awaits Nationwide Series​*
Dover International Speedway promises to deliver another tough challenge to Nationwide Series drivers in Saturday's Dover 200.

The one-mile concrete oval earned its nickname "The Monster Mile" over the years for a reason. Drivers know they have to respect the track as much as their fellow competitors.

"Dover is its own animal," said Regan Smith, who trails his JR Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott by 20 points for the lead in the series standings. "It's one of my favorite tracks. It's unique in the fact that there isn't really another track to compare it to. Bristol is the closest thing, but it's much bigger than that. It's fast, narrow and everything happens so quickly there. You've got to be on your guard for all 200 laps."

Richard Childress Racing's Brian Scott has had success at Dover including a Camping World Truck Series win in 2009. But Scott is among those drivers who understand the key to racing there is to never let down your guard.

"It really is a monster of a race track that gets your blood pumping and your grip on the steering wheel tight, and fatigues your body," Scott said. "It's a lot of fun to drive a racecar there, to drop off in the corners, use almost no brake, throttle back up before you get to the center and climb the hill on exit. Then, you have about one second to catch your breath and you're doing it again. It's Bristol on steroids, for sure. It's concrete so it provides its own unique challenges, being that it's a different track surface than the asphalt we are accustomed to."

Scott and the RCR stable will arrive at Dover after a stellar outing last Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, where all three drivers finished one-two-three led by Brendan Gaughan's second career win. Scott was second with Ty Dillon, who led a race-high 155 laps, third. The third-generation driver is looking to build on the momentum of that run and improve his finishing position by two spots on Saturday.

"We had a Chevrolet strong enough to win in Kentucky," said Dillon, who is third behind Elliott and Smith in the point standings. "Dover is a track I like. It's fast and makes for some good racing. We tested there earlier this season and also finished top 10 in the spring, so we've got a pretty good notebook to work from."

Elliott may have the points lead, but he's not sure about his Dover notebook.

"Dover is a place where I haven't been very pleased with my performance," said Elliott. "So hopefully this Saturday, I can step it up."

As for the point standings and trying to win his first career Nationwide Series championship, it may sound cliché but Elliott is taking each race one at a time.

"Six races is a long time so we have to be prepared mentally and physically for the long haul," he said. "Besides Phoenix, this is our last one-mile track. The four otheres are 1.5-mile tracks. I like them all."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Nationwide Series from Dover International Speedway on Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Monster-Awaits-Nationwide-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Recent Run Has McMurray Looking Toward 2015​*
If only things had gone a little better, what might have been for Jamie McMurray. Just don't ask McMurray.

"I don't live my life on what ifs,'' he said.

Maybe so, but it's easy for others to wonder based on how McMurray and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyle Larson have excelled in the opening two races of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup even though neither qualified to race for the title.

McMurray has scored three consecutive top-10 finishes and four such results in the last five races. Larson has back-to-back top-five finishes in the Chase and has placed 12th or better in each of the last five races.

"Our group has run extremely well all year long, and the last few weeks it has been showcased more,'' McMurray said Friday at Dover International Speedway.

He already is looking forward to next year and says the rule changes announced this week shouldn't slow his team.

"The part that I am most encouraged about our season is in 2010 when we won the (Daytona) 500, the Brickyard (400), Charlotte and (then-teammate Juan Pablo Montoya won) Watkins Glen, I think there were a lot of unknowns of, why,'' McMurray said. "They really hadn't changed a lot from 2009 and 2010 was just a really good year for us. Some of it had to do with the engines, as I think the ECR engines were the best at that time. But there were a lot of unknowns at our shop of, 'Why are we running so much better?'

"When I look at this year, everything has scienced out. The reasons are from lots of testing and the simulation program, our wind tunnel testing - everything is known why it's better, and why we are running better. So that is awesome leading into next year, because we know why. And they know the areas that they need to work on to make the cars better.

"As far as the rules changes for next year, even though it's a couple of inches on the spoiler and on the radiator pan, I don't think that is going to change who is running well and who is not. It's really going to be just about getting the balance of the car back. So I am really not concerned about that because we know why we are running so much better this year versus last year and the year before."

McMurray's success also has come in his first year with crew chief Keith Rodden, who had been an engineer for several years with Kasey Kahne. The working relationship between McMurray and Rodden has grown.

"My favorite part of Keith is that he has an answer to every question,'' McMurray said. "I think that he is already thinking about things before I am. Being a first-year crew chief there are a lot of obstacles that I don't think you realize when you become a crew chief that come up, where when you are the engineer that is on the crew chief's hands. Keith has done an amazing job as a first year crew chief. I only sense that getting better."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...couraged-By-Recent-Run-And-Looking-Ahead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Support Stewart, Remember Ward​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson both said Friday that they've worried about Tony Stewart but also are thinking about the family of Kevin Ward Jr.

A grand jury decided Wednesday not to charge Stewart in the death of Ward, who was killed when he was struck by Stewart's car during a sprint car race Aug. 9.

Earnhardt was asked if there was s sense of relief that Stewart would be not be charged.

"I feel a sadness in my heart for the Ward family,'' Earnhardt said at Dover International Speedway. "At the same time, you get something in the pit of your stomach, this fear for Tony at what he's having to deal with.

"At the same time, you never really forget that somebody was killed. There's a family with a hole in their heart and they've got to figure out a way to live out the rest of their lives with this always on their mind. It will have a huge effect on both sides for so many years.''

Said Johnson: "First and foremost, I don't want to ignore that it was a massive tragedy that took place. From a friend perspective and worrying about Tony, understanding what he's gone through and how tough that it has been on him, I'm sure there's some type of relief that it's kind of done in that respect.

"It's such a tragedy to have these details come out and people potentially forming sides. There's just no good in that. It's just been a terrible accident. We need to pay respect to Kevin Ward Jr. and just kind of, I don't know you go on, but move forward.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rivers-Support-Stewart-And-Remember-Ward.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Quicken Loans Extends RCR Sponsorship​*
Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation's second-largest retail mortgage lender, will return as a sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's Sprint Cup Series efforts in 2015.

The company will serve as a primary sponsor of Ryan Newman's No. 31 Chevrolet in selected races. The 2015 season will mark the fourth year that Quicken Loans has partnered with Newman.

"We're looking forward to continuing this strong partnership," said Jay Farner, president and chief marketing officer. "In the meantime, we'll be cheering on Ryan and his team as they make a run in this year's Chase."

"Quicken Loans has been a loyal partner for several years, like family to me," Newman said. "As I continue to push forward in the Chase, it gives me increased confidence to know I have partners and friends standing with me - not only this year but beyond."

"Quicken Loans has been a tremendous addition to the RCR family," said Richard Childress, chairman and chief executive officer. "We're excited to be so closely aligned with a partner that values collaboration, technology and speed as much as we do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...09/Quicken-Loans-Extends-RCR-Sponsorship.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Grabs Dover Pole​*
Denny Hamlin finds himself in a good spot even as he tries to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kasey Kahne continues to search for that speed that will turn him into a strong title contender. And Kevin Harvick keeps collecting poles.

Harvick scored his seventh pole of the season Friday - he had only six in his career before this year - at Dover International Speedway.

"It's been an amazing year for everybody,'' Harvick said of his team. "They just do a great job in preparing the racecars and put a lot of effort into qualifying and it's translated into a lot of good finishes.''

Kyle Busch starts second with Hamlin third, tying for his best starting spot in the last 14 races. Kasey Kahne, who is tied with Ryan Newman in points for the last transfer spot, starts 12th. Newman starts 20th.

Hamlin, the first driver outside a transfer spot, enters Sunday's race six points behind Kahne and Newman.

"This is the most important race of my career,'' Hamlin said.

More important than when he raced for the championship in 2010 at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

"That's over with,'' Hamlin said. "This is the most important race now because it is in the present. If we're going to live to race another day, we've got to to get past this weekend. If not, we become somewhat irrelevant.''

Kahne said he keeps searching for speed in his bid to make it to the Contender Round.

"I feel if we could just hit on something, carry it with us, and jump from being a 10th-15th-place car right into a top-five car, it's all here,'' Kahne said. "We just have to hit on something. I feel good at where we're at. It's been a little pressure to make the Chase and a little bit this weekend.''

Harvick's pole-winning lap of 162.933 mph was humbling.

Brad Keselowski, who starts fourth, went out in the final round before Harvick and briefly held the pole.

"I think I left a little bit out there,'' Keselowski said on the radio to crew chief Paul Wolfe.

After Harvick posted his lap, Keselowski radioed Wolfe: "I don't think I left that much out there.''

Seven of the 16 Chase drivers made it to the final round and will start in the top 12.

AJ Allmendinger has the worst starting spot among the Chase drivers at 28th. Greg Biffle, who is trying to race his way into the next round, is 27th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts 25th.

"It sucked,'' Allmendinger said of his qualifying performance. "We are just not fast enough.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Harvick-Grabs-Dover-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dover High Five For Busch​*
Kyle Busch led the final 101 laps Saturday to score his 68th career NASCAR Nationwide victory and sweep the series races at Dover International Speedway this year.

Busch took the lead from Joey Logano on pit road during a caution and withstood any challenge to earn his fifth victory of the season. He also scored his fifth series win at Dover, the most of any driver.

"I don't know that we had the best car, but we probably had the best overall effort today with the good pit stops and Kyle's effort behind the wheel in keeping us informed which way the track was going,'' said crew chief Adam Stevens.

Said Busch: "We were able ... to get out out front and set sail from there. It was nice to put together a solid day today and hopefully it will carry into (Sunday's Sprint Cup race).''

Logano placed second. Points leader Chase Elliott recovered from an early incident to place third. Chris Buescher was fourth with Elliott Sadler fifth.

Elliott led early and was ahead when he was collected in an incident involving two cars he was about to lap.

Tanner Berryhill and Kevin Swindell made contact on Lap 40 as Elliott closed to lap them. Elliott bounced off the Turn 4 wall and ran into the back of Swindell's car.

"I made a mistake following those two cars too close,'' Elliott said.

Elliott needed an extra pit stop for repairs and restarted 24th. His recovery allowed him to extend his points lead on JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith, who was eighth, to 26 points. That's the largest lead of the season heading into next week's race at Kansas Speedway.

Kyle Larson finished sixth despite being penalized twice. He was penalized for removing equipment when he dragged his gas man and the gas can out of his pit box on his first pit stop. Larson was caught speeding on pit road in a later stop.

Last week's winner, Brendan Gaughan, suffered a mechanical issue that sent him to the garage in the first 10 laps. He lost seven laps for repairs. He finished 28th, finishing nine laps behind the leaders.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/09/Dover-High-Five-for-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Experience Could Help Logano In Title Run​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. jokes that with the intensity building in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, "we are all going to be drinking Mylanta before it's over with. If we don't all have holes in our guts by the end of this thing, I will be surprised."

Joey Logano has felt pressure - two years ago he wondered if his career would be over just a few years past his teenage days. Wondering about if one will have a job can steel a person to any other pressure. Still, is Logano ready to win a championship?

At age 24, he would become the third-youngest champion in series history if he won the title.

That's a bit deceiving, though. It's not like Logano is a newbie. This is his sixth full season. Sunday marks his 212th career Cup start - more than teammate Brad Keselowski (189 starts).

Logano, who signed a multi-year contract extension this week, is in the right situation. Team Penske has been among the best teams this season. Logano and Keselowski have combined to win nine races, only one shy of the four-member Hendrick Motorsports armada of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Earnhardt.

Logano and his team also have grown together. He had to learn them, and they had to learn what he needed with the car. This is the type of success Keselowski envisioned when he pushed for Penske to hire Logano before last season.

Still, can Logano handle the pressure of a championship race? He's not faced this in Cup.

"I feel like my head is in the right spot,'' said Logano, who qualified 16th for Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway. "I feel like we've been attacking these weekends in the right way. I know I can't do it on my own, and I know I have the guys behind me that have the same attitude as me and want it just as bad as me, and that's why I feel we have a good shot at it.''

The early success by Logano and Keselowski means only that they're advancing to the next round. The championship won't be determined until November.

"We've got to keep our heads down and keep booking along with it,'' Logano said.

Former teammate Denny Hamlin says he sees a different driver in Logano than the one who was at Joe Gibbs Racing.

"When he moved over to Penske and felt more comfortable in his role, I think he got better,'' Hamlin said. "Obviously, their cars are extremely fast right now. Joey is a part of that. In my opinion, when he went over there is when Team Penske stepped up. I consider Joey at that same level that I consider Brad as a championship threat.''

Logano faced steep challenges when he moved to Cup at age 18 at Joe Gibbs Racing. He was thrust in the spotlight as Tony Stewart's replacement. His promise of greatness was evident at times but not consistently enough. When Joe Gibbs Racing had the chance to get Matt Kenseth and could not find sponsorship for a fourth team, Logano was let go.

"It was like, 'Oh boy, what am I gonna do?' '' Logano said. "Am I going to race the rest of my life? What's Plan B?' And all of a sudden I'm sitting in a good position.''

In less than two months could he be the sport's newest champion?

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/09/Joey-Logano-Primed-For-Title-Run.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Testing Ban Favored But Questions Remain​*
Competitors favor the reduction in downforce and have some questions about the cutback in horsepower, but they have the most to say about NASCAR's decision to ban testing after this season.

The test ban was among several changes for 2015 that NASCAR announced this week. Unlike previous bans, this one will prohibit teams from testing at any track or facility. Should NASCAR catch a Cup team illegally testing, the team could face the loss of 150 driver and owner points, a fine between $150,000-$200,000 and the crew chief being suspended six races, along with other penalties. Teams will be able to take part in Goodyear tire tests without penalty.

Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, applauds the change.

"This is what teams were hoping for,'' he said. "Easing up on the testing a bit helps, so that's a positive, probably to the tune of a seven-figure savings for a team like MWR.''

The natural reaction is if a team saves more than $1 million because of the testing ban, it will just spend that money elsewhere. So is it really a savings?

"That's like some kind of NASCAR folklore,'' Kauffman said. "People repeat it to me, but no team owners do.

"If you're electricity bill was half, are you going to spend double on cable or might you save the money. Why is the racing any different from any other business?''

While the testing ban saves teams money, it could create challenges for drivers trying to adjust to a new feel in the car. Or to drivers changing teams or rookies.

Jamie McMurray participated in last month's NASCAR test at Michigan where drivers ran with less downforce and horsepower in various configurations. He says the cars feel different.

"It's not going to feel as secure or as comfortable, but we have to create off-throttle time,'' McMurray said. "Michigan is the best example. When you go to Michigan and you only let off the gas for one second in each corner, the guy behind you just has no chance of passing you. It's hard. So when you remove downforce, it not only creates off-throttle time, but braking. All the sudden you had to use the brakes because you were sliding up the race track. It was a lot different racing than we had even in the last race and when we added more downforce.''

Carl Edwards has been a vocal proponent of less downforce. He'd like to see more downforce removed. But he'll face a challenge next season, telling a new crew chief and team what he needs from the car with his move to Joe Gibbs Racing. Typically, drivers joining new teams test in the offseason to get acclimated to their team. Then they also had the Daytona test in January to refine that.

The testing ban begins the day after the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and there will be no testing in Daytona before the Daytona 500.

"At the end of the day I think the no testing is a great move,'' Edwards said. "It's all the same for everyone. If we test a ton or if we test none. There will be a little bit of difference in my situation just because I won't get an opportunity to work with those guys, but we'll work all that out. Especially with the format the way the championship is now, I don't feel like that should be too much trouble to get going even if it takes us a race or two.''

The ban could be challenging for rookie drivers. Ty Dillon tested at Atlanta before making his Cup debut last month. He won't have that opportunity next year when he's scheduled to run a Cup race at Pocono.

Although Hendrick Motorsports has not announced any Cup plans for Chase Elliott, should he run any Cup races next year, he'll face the challenge of not being able to test. He isn't worried.

"I think the best experience is running races,'' Elliott said. "If the opportunity does come along, I think it would be phenomenal for sure. I think you're going to learn the most racing, running laps throughout a long race like they have.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...itors-Have-Much-To-Say-About-Testing-Ban.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vegas Jackpot For Jones​*
He isn't old enough to gamble, but Erik Jones played his cards right on Saturday night and won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rhino Linings 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Jones, 18, the youngest winner in NASCAR Truck Series history, made a late-race pass on his Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. with 13 laps to go, earning his second victory in nine starts this season.

"It was a blast," said Jones, who recovered from an early race hiccup on pit road to win in his debut at Las Vegas. "I learned a ton. To get a win on a mile-and-a-half that's awesome. It drove so good at the end, I couldn't ask for any more than this. I wanted to win out here so bad, I had this marked down as one I was looking forward to. This is really surreal for me right now."

Jones, who notched KBM's 10th NCWTS win of 2014 credited crew chief Eric Phillips with the right adjustments on the final stop that earned him his third-career victory in 14 NCWTS starts.

"It was perfect," he added. "We were way, way too loose in traffic before it, but we had a strong Tundra. It was a perfect adjustment. We made a big swing at it, it just worked out."

For Wallace Jr., after a dominant performance, took the defeat as a huge bust.

"Just got beat, flat out," said Wallace Jr., after recording his fifth runner-up performance of the season. "Congrats to the 51 (Jones), hate that it's not the 54. We need a win. (It's) frustrating, I hate finishing second so bad. Thanks to my guys though. I thought it was ours. Another KBM dominance for sure. We'll go onto Talladega and try to finish one spot better."

Ryan Blaney recorded his second Keystone Light Pole of the season and led the field to green, but Wallace Jr. used momentum to make the pass for the lead on Lap 1.

Blaney, though, reclaimed the top-spot for six laps on Lap 2, before Wallace Jr. retook control on Lap 8 and led for 10 laps, when German Quiroga made a move on the second restart of the night. His Red Horse Racing teammate Timothy Peters flexed his muscles, taking the lead on Lap 19, before Jones muscled ahead for five laps, until the scheduled competition caution on Lap 30.

When the leaders hit pit road, Jones barely overshot his pit stall, which cost him the lead, allowing Peters to put his No. 17 Toyota Tundra back on the point.

Peters controlled the field for 17 laps, before Wallace Jr. muscled back around him on Lap 51. The fourth and final caution of the race waived on Lap 57 for an accident in Turn 4, which sent the leaders to pit road.

Peters' crew won the race off pit lane, but Wallace Jr. soared ahead on the restart, which set the tone for the second half of the event, until green flag pit stops began on Lap 105.

Wallace Jr. cycled back through to the lead on Lap 114, but Jones already on the prowl caught him, making the move on the frontstretch on Lap 133, sealing his triumph.

With five races remaining, the NCWTS will take a three-week break before returning to action at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Saturday, October 18.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/09/Vegas-Jackpot-for-Erik-Jones.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Back At Dover​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6442&StatType=Race+Results

Jeff Gordon scored his first victory at Dover International Speedway since 2001 when he took the checkered flag in Sunday's AAA 400, the final race in the Challenger Round for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Gordon and Kasey Kahne, who rallied back from being four laps down to take the final transfer spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, were in the spotlight on Sunday.

Gordon wrestled the lead away from Brad Keselowski on lap 306 and went on to score the relatively easy victory on Sunday.

"I knew we could compete with the 2 car [Keselowski]," Gordon said. "The 2 was really good on short runs but we could run them down. He made us work for it there at the end&#8230;He got to me and I was really, really tight in traffic there at the end, so I didn't know if we were gonna pull it off."

It was Gordon's fourth win of the season and fifth win at Dover. Gordon now has 92 career Sprint Cup Series victories.

Kevin Harvick had the dominant car of the day leading 223 laps before a cut tire sent him to pit road and out of contention. He was ultimately able to get back to finish 13th, but his exit from contending for a win opened the door for Gordon to take advantage.

"I don't know what happened to Kevin Harvick," Gordon said. "That was unfortunate for him. He was the class of the field. ... I was really tight in traffic there at the end. I didn't know if we were going to pull it off."

Harvick was understandably disappointed.

"We can beat every car on the race track. We just need some good luck," Harvick adds. "We'll win races and have a shot at the championship."

Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch completed the first 10 finishers.

Kahne had to fight back from early adversity and four laps down to get back into the Chase picture and was able to edge Kurt Busch for the final spot.

"I had to push hard," Kahne said. "I'm glad NASCAR just let us go and let us race for it. It was pretty interesting, but I'm glad we made it. We had to fight hard, and I think we had a Top-2 or 3 car today - just didn't get to show it."

AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola were the four drivers eliminated from The Chase Grid.

Keselowski, Joey Logano, Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Gordon, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Kahne all move on to the Contender Round. All 12 drivers will start with 3,000 points.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Kansas Speedway next Sunday to kick off the Contender Round with the Hollywood Casino 400.

*How Gordon won:* He got around Brad Keselowski inside 100 laps to go and really never looked back on his way to the win. Gordon had a fast car most of the weekend but methodically worked his way to the front and put himself in position to pounce for the top spot and made it work.

*What else happened:* Not much. Dominant cars ruled the day with Harvick jumping out to a commanding lead before cutting a tire. Keselowski looked strong on the middle part of the race until Gordon was able to get by for the win. There was some drama jockeying for position in terms of getting into the Chase but Sunday's visit to Dover was much tamer than last week's craziness in New Hampshire.

*Who else had a good day:* Kahne for sure being able to fend off Chase elimination&#8230;&#8230;Johnson wasn't able to add a 10th Dover win to his resume but he came home with a solid third place effort&#8230;..Logano remained strong with yet another top-five run in fourth&#8230;..Larson continued his very strong run through the Chase portion of the schedule with a sixth place finish.

*Who had a bad day:* Certainly the four drivers that were knocked out the Chase suffered the worse days in Dover. Almirola had made a furious charge back last week at New Hampshire to rebound from his Chicagoland heartbreak but could not get things going on Sunday. Biffle's woes of being uncompetitive most all season continued in Dover to end his hopes. Allmendinger was similarly behind pretty much all day long. And Kurt Busch danced on the razor's edge of being in and out of the playoffs but finally could not make up the spots needed to move on.

*Quote of the day:* "Just handing out early Christmas presents to people winning races that we should be winning," Kevin Harvick.

*Notables:* Larson scored his 14th top-10 finish of the season, which was his fourth in the last five race&#8230;..Truex Jr.'s seventh-place performance was his first top 10 since Pocono in June&#8230;.Tony Stewart finished 14th on Sunday.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/09/Jeff-Gordon-Back-at-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Rallies To Advance​*
A caution flag away from seeing his title hopes end, Kasey Kahne rallied from four laps down to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Sunday.

Kahne's 20th-place finish ended a vexing day and allowed him to nip AJ Allmendinger by two points for the final transfer spot to the Contender Round.

"I think the points system is great, but I can't believe the pressure and the stress it applies on these teams and the drivers,'' Kahne said.

It didn't look as if Kahne would advance after having to pit on Lap 160 under green because of a loose wheel while running 12th. That put him off-sequence. Already down two laps, he had to pit under green about 80 laps later. That briefly put him down four laps before the rest of the field pitted.

"A lot of things were going through my head,'' Kahne said of finding himself down four laps.

Only one thought was in crew chief Kenny Francis' mind: "If a yellow comes out right then ... you're done.''

Car owner Rick Hendrick admitted he had "written it off" that Kahne would not advance in the Chase at that point.

Kahne regained two laps when the rest of the field pitted a few laps later. He used a wave-around on the final caution on Lap 255 to get back to one lap down. There he stayed the rest of the race.

"I knew my only shot was to race as hard as I could,'' Kahne said. "I asked Kenny, 'I wonder who I need to pass to get that lap back? Actually, I know. I need to pass every car in front of me.' ''

Kahne gained positions as Kurt Busch faltered late and Allmendinger could not move up. Kahne beat Busch by six points. Busch lost six positions - six points - in the final 100 laps when his car's handling went away.

Kahne said he had a fast car but the early problems left him stuck in the back and held him back.

Kahne's woes stemmed from a loose wheel. It's an issue he's had before.

"We had a couple of loose ones at Bristol,'' Kahne said. "I tried staying out and I ended up hurting the studs. You can only stay out so long on these fast, banked tracks.''

This time he pitted.

After the issue, Kahne had a message for his pit crew.

"I just told them if you guys want to go further, it's time to step up,'' he said. "It's time to put our best stuff out there. I know they want to. They'll work hard this week. I'm going to work hard and we're going to be prepared when we get to Kansas and hopefully we can keep moving on."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kasey-Kahne-Rallies-To-Advance-In-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Analysis: 'The Closer' Harvick Needs To Start Living Up To His Nickname​*
*T*hey call Kevin Harvick "The Closer."

The moniker, one of two commonly attached to the driver also known as "Happy," is well-deserved.

Harvick has a long and lucrative history of starting out races a bit slow, only to seemingly come out of nowhere, stick a knife in his competition and wind up in Victory Lane.

How many times has the Bakersfield, Calif., native done this throughout his lengthy run in NASCAR's top series?

Enough to lose count. And certainly enough to earn his nickname.

But in a sport where they say a driver is only as good as his last race, no driver is entitled to the same moniker forever. (Unless, of course, you were "The Intimidator," but that's a story for another time).

In a truly ironic paradox that few could have anticipated, Harvick's single biggest struggle -- and only real struggle -- in 2014 hasn't been running near the front, winning poles or leading laps.

Harvick's chief shortcoming has been that which has traditionally been his greatest strength -- turning fast cars into trophies.

Translation: For the first time in many years, Harvick has been unable to close the deal.

How bad has it been?

Consider the following little nuggets: Harvick has led a season-high 1,592 laps, while the next best driver in laps led -- Brad Keselowski -- has been out front for 1,496 laps.

Harvick has two wins -- both early in the season. Keselowski has five.
So does all the blame for Harvick's failure to close the deal fall on the driver?
Certainly not. In fact, on more occasions than not, a mechanical issue or issue on pit road not of Harvick's making, has been his undoing.

Such was the case once again in Sunday's AAA at Dover, where Harvick led 223 of the race's first 252 laps and appeared to be toying with the competition before his day started coming unraveled -- first with a broken shock and later by a left-front tire failure that ultimately damaged the splitter on the No. 4 Chevy, which was never same after multiple pit stops for repairs.

Instead of celebrating in Victory Lane, Harvick finished an unlucky 13th, and was understandably far from pleased to come up short once again.

"It's just crazy luck," Harvick said. "It's just unbelievable that it can happen. The shock broke first and we could beat them on three shocks, but we couldn't beat them on three tires."

Crew chief Rodney Childers, who joined Harvick this season in moving to Stewart-Haas Racing, was equally downtrodden.

"It's a freak issue," said Childers, noting that Harvick had the same problem with a lug nut in the June Dover race -- only then it was on the other side of the car. "Lug nut bounces off the chest of the changer and goes back in the hole. I don't know how you can fix that unless you have someone to sit there and catch them."

Crazy luck. Freak issues. Yep, Harvick has endured more than his share of both this year, to be certain.

But a team can only make excuses for so long. Eventually someone has to step up and do something to ensure the mistakes don't keep happening.

Unfortunately for Harvick, swapping pit crews with teammate and team owner Tony Stewart just before the Chase has done little to alleviate his recurring misfortune.

Not that it's all gloom and doom for "The Closer," though. He is one of a dozen drivers advancing to the Chase Contender Round that commences next weekend at Kansas Speedway. Seven events remain to be run before this year's championship is decided.

Harvick still has time to preserve his nickname -- by closing out the 2014 season the way he used to close out races.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...eds-to-start-living-up-to-his-nickname-092814


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Marks End of Chase For Four Drivers​*
It will be easier when time passes for Kurt Busch and crew chief Daniel Knost to see what they achieved this season, but the sting of being eliminated from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup was prevalent Sunday.

Busch apologized to his team for not advancing. Knost hung his head in the garage, staring at a car that didn't go fast enough.

Busch fought an ill-handling steed and placed 18th at Dover International Speedway - falling two points shy of advancing to the Contender Round. AJ Allmendinger, Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola also failed to advance.

That Busch made the Chase is an achievement since it was only about a year ago that Stewart-Haas Racing started making preparations for a fourth car. Crew members had to be hired, a crew chief found and orders made for more equipment.

That didn't matter Sunday.

"You can't expect to advance running 18th,'' Busch said, leaning against his silver car that commemorated his 500th career Sprint Cup start. "Got to have better lap times. It's hard to put the car up on your back and run it. I just chalk it up to me not getting the job done. It's all my fault that we didn't advance.''

Busch said he thought they were in good shape with about 100 laps to go - he was running 12th - but the car's handling worsened. Knost said they had been battling a tight condition all weekend.

It wasn't just this week that held Busch back, though.

"We didn't have the lap times week after week to push that elite eight,'' he said. "We were just hoping to get past the first round. That's not a shot at winning the championship.''

Busch discovered how unforgiving these three-race rounds can be.

He lost a right front tire and hit the wall last week at New Hampshire. The result was a 36th-place finish that left Busch and his team facing elimination.

"One little mistake from last week will haunt me and that was a tire rub that we got,'' Busch said. "Sometimes you get tire rubs and they go away. Sometimes you get tire rubs and there's no smoke, which we had no smoke. That was a difference maker.''

For Allmendinger, there wasn't one moment in the first three races but just an overall issue of not being fast enough. His 22nd-place finish at Chicagoland and 13th-place finish at New Hampshire left him in danger of not advancing.

Sunday, he struggled with his car all race, falling a lap down on Lap 45. He got his lap back on Lap 76 but again went a lap down on Lap 236 and never got it back. Allmendinger placed 23rd.

"We didn't give up,'' he said. "It was an awful day, but I have to thank my whole team. My pit crew kept giving me good stops. We kept throwing the kitchen sink at it every stop. My crew chief, Brian Burns, did everything he could to keep trying to make it better. We just missed it all weekend. It's disappointing to miss it by two points, but we didn't deserve to be in it with the run that we had.

"I'm not going to take a moral victory out of it to miss it by two points, it's disappointing, but we know we are making steps in the right direction. We beat some good cars, but we have seven races to go. Just because we didn't make it doesn't mean our season is over with. We have to keep working and get better.''

Biffle, who finished 21st, struggled most of the race and never was a factor.

"This is the way it's gone all season,'' he said. "We're just searching for speed and struggled all day. We've worked hard trying to fix our problems, but it just hasn't come together yet. It's frustrating because part of you wants to just pull it and put it in the garage and the other half is racing as hard as you can to get in the Chase. It's pretty frustrating. I've won races my whole career, but to be struggling like this all year is disappointing at best."

Almirola fell a lap down on Lap 44 and never recovered. He once lost the free pass position four laps before a caution waved. He finished 28th.

"It just didn't work out for us,'' Almirola said. "I hate it. We picked a bad day to run the way we did and we can't blame anybody but ourselves. My car didn't have any grip. You can't go fast without grip. I'm sure we'll be able to look past this another day, but right now it's pretty disappointing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...over-Marks-End-Of-Chase-For-Four-Drivers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Trouble Lurking For Chase Contenders?​*
Alice could have never imagined what she would see when she went down that rabbit hole. The Cheshire Cat's mischievous grin, the Mad Hatter's tea party and the villainous Queen of Hearts were among the spectacles.

NASCAR fans could be taking a similar eye-popping journey this weekend with the start of the 12-driver Contender Round at Kansas Speedway.

While the dominance of Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports continues - the teams have combined to win all three races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and 17 of the last 21 races overall - be careful of falling into the trap that they are the only ones racing for a crown.

The points reset, giving all 12 drivers the same amount (3,000) entering the next three-race stretch.

Thus, it doesn't matter that Jeff Gordon won Sunday's race at Dover. It doesn't matter that Joey Logano scored top-five finishes in each of the first three Chase races. It doesn't matter that Kevin Harvick again found a way to lose a race he dominated.

A new round means new opportunities and new challenges.

"I predict there will be one of the top guys, one of ours, one of Penske's, one of somebody's, that will have a problem ... and it'll cost them a chance to move on,'' car owner Rick Hendrick said.

He nearly saw it Sunday when a loose wheel nearly eliminated Kasey Kahne.

Other than eliminating four drivers - AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle - the question is what did Sunday's race prove? There aren't any tracks left on the schedule similar to Dover. So, it's not like a tremendous amount from Sunday will transfer to another Chase race. Other than feeling good and padding stats, one could argue that winning last weekend means little.

"I think it makes a statement in one sense of what type of a team we are, how hard we fight, how you never count us out,'' Gordon said. "I think that it makes a statement that we're a team to beat for this championship.''

Maybe, but those statements were being uttered before the Chase about Gordon's team.

"It legitimizes it to the next level in my opinion,'' he said. "I think for us itself, it just gives us confidence and even more momentum to say, 'OK, we're in the heat of the battle, this is the crucial moment of this season of when it matters most; what are we capable of when that pressure is on like that?' ''

Gordon proved to be the next guy to win a race Kevin Harvick dominated. An issue on pit road doomed Harvick. Three weeks after his pit crew was replaced by teammate Tony Stewart's unit, a lug nut proved to be Harvick's downfall. He said a lug nut fell between the wheel and brake rotor and knocked the inner valve stem out, causing a flat left front tire. Despite leading 223 laps, Harvick finished 13th.

"Just handing out early Christmas presents to people for winning races that we should be winning,'' Harvick said.

In the previous format, such a mistake could prove costly to his title hopes. Not this time. Harvick had strong enough runs in the opening two rounds that he had cushion and this issue didn't knock him out of contention.

With this new system, Harvick doesn't need to be on for 10 races. In theory, he only needs to be strong for four races with wins advancing drivers to the next round. If he can get through this round, the next round features Phoenix International Raceway -where he's won three of the last four races.

The new format also gives Joe Gibbs Racing hope. All three of its cars advanced but none finished the opening round in the top five in points.

"It just all starts over again, so you've got to obviously minimize your bad days again and you can't have finishes like we had last week,'' Denny Hamlin said, referring to his 37th-place finish at New Hampshire after an accident. "This is going to be a great comeback story if we can keep going."

And for others, it could be quite a tale - one they may not want to recall.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ting-Chase-Adds-New-Element-To-Title-Run.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dover Rear View Mirror​*
The annual fall trip to Dover has been part of the Chase schedule since the system's inception back in 2004. But the anticipation level was never as high as it was this year when the AAA 400 rolled around.

Thanks to NASCAR's new format for this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dover carried a whole new meaning this season. As the final race of the opening Challenger Round, the bottom four in the Chase standings would be eliminated when the checkered flag flew in the First State.

After last week's wild and wooly stop in New Hampshire, there was no telling what might happen over the course of 400 laps at the "Monster Mile."

It appeared the heightened stakes resonated with local media coverage in and around the Dover area, which includes the Philadelphia and Washington metro areas. That's not an easy task during the football frenzy of the NFL season by any means.

There was also an uptick at the box office according to track management and Sunday's crowd, while not a sellout in the massive stadium, looked healthier than recent fall Dover races and certainly last June's race.

Many old school fans are still not completely enamored with the new and hopefully improved Chase. Others are holding out judgment until the full 10 races play out. Fair points on both sides.

But early on there does seem to be a new energy around NASCAR's version of the playoffs and this weekend's end of round one brought an increased vibe to Dover. That's a good thing.

The Contender Round begins next week in Kansas and runs through Charlotte and Talladega. I'd wager that trio of tracks also gets the ante upped as the remaining dozen drivers try to survive to the next round.

Sunday's race looked a lot like recent Richmond regular season finales with most drivers trying to protect what they had and play prevent defense rather than push the envelope and risk losing precious spots and points. The battle to stay out of the bottom four changed several times in the final handful of laps primarily between Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne but for the most part hanging on to what they had seemed to be the approach of the dozen drivers that will now move on to the next round. However, that philosophy may not exactly work out at the next cut-off race in Talladega.

The comeback story of the day and maybe the year belonged to Kasey Kahne. 
The Hendrick Motorsports driver's Chase chances were all but dead and buried when he fell four laps down at one point after a series of mishaps and bad breaks. But miraculously Kahne and the No. 5 team rallied back to get back into the picture and when the checkered flag flew they were on to the next round. There's still plenty of room for improvement for Kahne to be considered a serious championship contender but the performance on Sunday is certainly to be commended.

Kevin Harvick's day was eerily similar to the last race at Dover back in June. As he did then Harvick had a dominant car and looked like he'd threaten for the win until a cut tire ended those aspirations. This season has been punctuated by the same theme on nearly a weekly basis for Harvick - a fast car but some kind of challenge in the way of mechanical problems, bad luck or pit road miscues. He made it to the next round but has to find a way to minimize the issues in order to have a shot at the title.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Dover-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Normal Will Never Be The Same For Stewart​*
*Press Conference Transcript:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Tony-Stewart-Press-Conference-Transcript.aspx

Tony Stewart knows that normal will never again be the same. A life consumed by racing relies on the sport for solace even as it gives Stewart his greatest pain.

Speaking to reporters for about 40 minutes Monday at Stewart-Haas Racing, Stewart spoke of his mourning for Kevin Ward Jr., his "hurt" by comments he read after the accident and that he never considered retiring.

Stewart did not talk about the Aug. 9 accident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park that claimed the 20-year-old Ward's life other than to say that he had viewed video of it and reaffirmed that it was an accident. A grand jury declined to charge Stewart for the incident last week.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say there was a sense of relief,'' Stewart said of the grand jury's decision, "but that was very short lived. At the same time it went back to the fact that we lost Kevin, we lost a young driver who had a lot of talent.''

The Ward family issued a statement after the grand jury's decision, saying: "This matter is not at rest and we will pursue all remedies in fairness to Kevin.''

A solemn Stewart said he does not need to talk to the Ward family to have closure, but that he wanted to make himself available to them at some point.

Stewart also said that he continues to receive professional help. Asked if the Stewart that so many know - combative, gregarious and a prankster - will ever return, he said he was unsure.

"This is a process that is day-to-day,'' Stewart said. "Before the accident happened, a day would fly by. Now, a day seems likes two to three days. It feels like the batteries are running low on a clock.

"I honestly think that every day it will get better, it will get easier. I think it will for Kevin's family as well. I think time heals. I don't know if it will ever be normal again. We'll find a place to settle in to and do the best we can. Whether I ever get back to that or not, hopefully after this, somehow, I will be a better person. That's all I can hope for.''

Since the accident, reaction has varied. Some blame Stewart. Others blamed Ward for exiting his car.

Stewart admits he "was hurt by some of the things I read.

"But then I looked at who they were from, and it's people that never met me, never spent time with me, don't know me, and they're making a judgment off of either what was presented or what the facts were that they had, and they were people that didn't like me to begin with and it didn't matter what the facts were.''

"To me it's worthless to pick sides. A young man lost his life, and I don't care what side you're on, it doesn't change that. His family's in mourning. I'm in mourning. My family is in mourning. Picking sides isn't solving or fixing anything. It's a waste of time to pick sides.''

Asked about the revelation that Ward had marijuana in his system at the time of the accident, Stewart said it didn't matter.

"A young driver lost his life,'' he said. "No matter what was said, it was a tragic accident. I know in my heart that it was 100 percent an accident.''

Stewart said looking back that he would have never left Watkins Glen that night to race his sprint car.

"I go run those cars to have a good time and that's all I wanted to do that night,'' Stewart said. "I wanted to go have fun. I had just spent the week at Knoxville, and it gives you the edge and desire to want to go race. It wasn't a big paying race for Sprint Car standards. I just wanted to go run my Sprint Car for a night. I do it to have fun, and it didn't end up being fun that night.''

Stewart reaffirmed that he doesn't know if or when he'll race a sprint car again. Walking away from auto racing, though, was never an option.

"That would take the life out of me,'' he said.

Stewart said that sponsors have "been very supportive through this whole process. I can't speak what the future will be for them.''

Stewart sat out three races before returning at Atlanta. He was struck by the fan reaction there.

Recalling the moment, Stewart made one of his rare quips during Monday's news conference. He said he thought the loud cheers were because he went out instead of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

When he realized the applause was for him, Stewart said: "It was very overwhelming. I'm glad I had sunglasses on. It was probably the most flattering, humbling part of my career to walk out to that reception.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/09/Tony-Stewart-Meets-the-Media.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notes: Can Kyle Busch Avoid Kansas Woes?​*
It's back again to tempt and torment. For all that he's tried, Kansas Speedway remains Kyle Busch's Waterloo.

Can he avoid another disappointment this weekend or will this track again hurt his title hopes?

Heading into Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, Busch has had one top-10 finish at Kansas since 2007. He's failed to finish three of the last four races there, eliminated by accidents. Kansas is the only current Cup track that Busch has not scored a top-five result.

A poor finish this weekend would make Busch's quest to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup more difficult. For all his success at Charlotte in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series - he has 14 wins in those two series - he's never won a Cup race there. Thus, he could enter Talladega, the final race of the Contender Round, needing a strong result to advance.

Busch said the key to getting through this round is "solid finishes. I think if you finish in the top 10 in each of those those races, you're certainly going to advance. I think there are a lot of unknowns with the day race at Kansas. We didn't see as many as cautions with the night race earlier this year at Kansas, but the day race, I think, is going to be a lot slicker. So you're going to see, I think, more cautions with that.''

Will Busch be among those cautions?

*Forbes 400*

John Menard, father of driver Paul Menard, ranks 59th on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people Americans with a net worth of $7.9 billion. His wealth comes from his role as president and CEO of Menards. He is ahead of such people as filmmaker George Lucas ($4.3 billion) and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones ($4.2 billion).

Ranking 302nd on the list is Jim France, chairman of the board of International Speedway Corp. His worth is listed at $2.1 billion. He ranks ahead of Bob Parsons, founder of GoDaddy and Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.

The list featured those with a net worth of $1.55 billion and up. Bill Gates is No. 1 with a net worth of $81 billion.

*New Fencing*

Dover International Speedway announced Tuesday that it will install a new catch fence for next season. It will be in place for its NASCAR weekend in May.

The new fence will be 21 feet tall. The current fence is 15 feet tall. Smith Fence, a Florida-based contractor that has performed similar installations at other NASCAR tracks, will install this fence.

*Domination*

Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske have combined to win 17 of the last 21 Sprint Cup races. The only races they didn't win were the two restrictor-plate races (Daytona in July and Talladega in May) and the two road course races.

Hendrick and Penske drivers also have won all seven races on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Four of the remaining seven races, including Sunday's race at Kansas, are at such tracks.

*Suspension*

NASCAR announced Tuesday that William Coralline, a crew member in the Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended for violating the Substance Abuse Policy.

*Pit Stops*

Jimmie Johnson failed to lead a lap last weekend at Dover. He had led at least a lap in 14 consecutive Dover races before Sunday. ... The top five in points scored on a 1.5-mile track this season: 1. Jeff Gordon (271 points); 2. Joey Logano (268); 3. Matt Kenseth (266); 4. Kasey Kahne (255); 5. Kyle Busch (250). ... Kevin Harvick has led the most laps in each of the first three Chase races but has won none of them. ... Harvick's chassis at Kansas has been run three times this season, finishing second each time. ... Kyle Larson has placed in the top 12 in 10 of the last 11 races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ASCAR-Notes-Kyle-Busch-Faces-Kansas-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*LaJoie To Run Four Nationwide Races​*
Richard Petty Motorsports and Biagi-DenBenste Racing announced today they will partner to enter Corey LaJoie in four of the final five NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season. LaJoie will pilot the No. 98 Medallion Financial Ford owned by Biagi-DenBenste Racing in the events at Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.
LaJoie is a development driver for RPM. He has one win in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Series, five wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and three wins in the ARCA Racing Series. The son of former Nationwide champion Randy LaJoie, Corey has five starts in NASCAR's three national series with a Top-10 finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series earlier this year at Bristol. The four events this year in the Nationwide Series will give him his most starts in the Nationwide Series.

"I have to thank both RPM and Biagi-DenBenste Racing for giving me the opportunity to put four races together in the Nationwide Series," said LaJoie. "This is a very good car with good people supporting it. They are a proven team that is capable of finishing in the Top-Five. These races will be another great opportunity to advance my learning curve on the bigger tracks and with cars with more horsepower."

Biagi-DenBeste Racing has made 11 starts with a best finish of fourth scored by David Ragan. RPM driver Aric Amirola has most recently raced the car at Chicagoland and Dover LaJoie has one start with the team this season and finished 15th at the Kentucky Speedway in only his second Nationwide Series start.

"Corey has shown that he learns very quickly on the track," said Fred Biagi Co-Owner of Biagi-DenBeste Racing. "We feel that we can compete in the top 10 and top five in these four races with Corey and that's our goal."

LaJoie's first race will be this Saturday in the Kansas Lottery 300 at the Kansas Speedway. The race will be televised live on Motor Racing Network and ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m. ET

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...orey-LaJoie-To-Run-Four-Nationwide-Races.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fines Crew Chief​*
The No. 74 team of Mike Harmon that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been penalized for a rules infraction committed during a Sept. 26 practice at Dover International Speedway.

The infraction is a P3 level penalty as outlined in Section 12-4.3 of the rule book and violates sections:

*12-1:* Actions detrimental to stock car racing:

*20A-2.3A:* Added car weight. Weight not properly attached. Weight fell out during the event:

As a result of this violation, crew chief Gary Ritter has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/09/NASCAR-Penalizes-Crew-Chief.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Full Race - 2014 AAA 400 At Dover​*
*Chase Race #3​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Suspends NNS Crewman​*
William Coralline, a crew member in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR on Tuesday for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy.

On Sept. 24, Coralline was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy) of the 2014 NASCAR Rule Book.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/nascar-suspends-nns-crew-member/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Unveils D4D Combine Field​*
 Twenty multicultural and female race car drivers from the U.S., Canada and Latin America will participate in the 11th annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine Oct. 13-15 to earn a spot in the 2015 NASCAR D4D class.

The NASCAR D4D Combine - held at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., for the fourth consecutive year - has been the proving ground for several current NASCAR national series drivers, including NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Kyle Larson, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series three-time race winner Darrell Wallace Jr. and NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series driver Daniel Suarez, who earned a full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series ride with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2015.

"The NASCAR Drive for Diversity program has seen significant success in recent years with several standout drivers who have consistently exceled and put on their best performance on the race track," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR vice president of racing operations. "It is important for us to provide development opportunities for young female and diverse drivers who have the talent, but may lack the resources or guidance to find an entry point in our sport."

Under the leadership of Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing and CEO of U.S. Track & Field, NASCAR D4D has evolved to an academy-style development program which will compete under one umbrella in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Rev Racing provides drivers with equipment, mentoring and competition experience throughout the season.

"This year's Combine applicant pool was among the strongest the program has seen, and we continue to see that year over year," said Siegel. "The program's visibility and reputation for developing young, female and diverse drivers with talent and growth potential has increased across the board, and we are seeing steady recognition and support from key stakeholders across the motorsports industry."
Suarez, a rising star in the U.S. and Mexico, is the third and most recent NASCAR D4D driver to transition into one of NASCAR's three national series after competing in full seasons in Mexico's NASCAR Toyota Series and the NKPSE. Several drivers are attempting to follow in his footsteps, including 18-year-old Ruben Garcia Jr., a member of the NASCAR Next class.

Also returning to defend their spot in the program are current NWAAS drivers Devon Amos and Paige Decker. Current Rev Racing drivers in the NASCAR K&N East Sergio Peña and Jay Beasley also are under consideration to return to the team in 2015, but will not compete at the Combine.

The drivers will be individually evaluated on at-track performance, including their instinctive positioning at different places on the track, proficiency and comfort level in providing in-car feedback to the crew chief, overall speed and the ability to shift during assessments.

*Drive for Diversity combine list:​*
Name - Age - Hometown
Devon Amos - 23 - Rio Rancho, N.M.
Jairo Avila - 19 - Alhambra, Calif.
Amber Balcaen - 22 - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Nicole Behar - 16 - Otis Orchards, Wash.
Collin Cabre - 20 - Thonotosassa, Fla.
Abraham Calderon - 25 - Monterrey, Mexico
Madeline Crane - 16 - Meansville, Ga.
Claire Decker - 19 - Eagle River, Wis.
Paige Decker - 21 - Eagle River, Wis.
Natalie Decker - 16 - Eagle River, Wis.
Juan Esteban Garcia Duarte - 17 - Bogota, Colombia
Ruben Garcia Jr. - 18 - Naucalpan, Mexico
Ryan Glenski - 21 - Mooresville, N.C.
Ali Kern - 21 - Fremont, Ohio
Katlynn Leer - 15 - Moulton, Iowa
Michael Lira - 17 - Port Orange, Fla.
Hannah Newhouse - 17 - Twin Falls, Idaho
Emily Packard - 17 - East Montpelier, Vt.
Kenzie Ruston - 22 - Mooresville, N.C.
Dylan Smith - 22 - Concord, Vt.​
*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-unveils-d4d-combine-field/


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## Ckg2011

*Best of The Rest​*
Twelve drivers have moved on to the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but there are others that could make some noise in the season's final seven races.

The top five with perhaps the best shot to do so include:

*Kyle Larson*

The rookie phenom has turned things up in the last few weeks and nearly stole the Chase thunder since the playoffs started at Chicagoland Speedway. Larson had yet another top-10 finish last weekend at Dover and has the benefit of going back to several tracks for the second time through the end of the schedule. Larson has scored the third most points of any driver since the Chase began and appears more than ready to kick down the door to his first Sprint Cup Series Victory Lane.

*Aric Almirola*

His championship dream came to an end when he was knocked out of the Chase at Dover. Almirola's season, which included his first career Sprint Cup win at Daytona in July, can still be even more successful. The No. 43 car has run very well since late summer and there are several tracks left on the schedule where Almirola excelled earlier in the year, including top-10 finishes at Kansas and Martinsville.

*Jamie McMurray*

Like Larson, his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, McMurray has been solid of late despite an off day at Dover and a 22nd-place finish. He already has an All-Star Race victory on his resume at Charlotte in May and should be in the mix for next week's return visit to the 1.5-mile track.

*Tony Stewart*

The tragedy of his accident with Kevin Ward Jr. will be part of Stewart's life forever. However he's doing what he can to move forward with his life since being exonerated of any criminal charges. It's no secret that the Stewart-Haas Racing organization in whole sans Kevin Harvick has been somewhat mediocre and that Stewart struggled on track prior to the Aug. 9 sprint car accident. But there was some reason for optimism last week at Dover when Stewart finished 14th. It's not out of the realm of possibility to see Stewart in the mix for wins at places like Talladega and Homestead.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

The Roush Fenway Racing struggles have been well documented all season long and Stenhouse Jr,'s sophomore season hasn't been much better than his rookie campaign. He's notched a top-five and five top-10s but is only 16 points ahead of fellow second-year driver (and girlfriend) Danica Patrick in the standings. Although winning a race might still be a stretch for the No. 17 team, at the very least Stenhouse has some incentive to be the series' sophomore of the year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/09/Best-Of-The-Rest.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Smith Returning To JR Motorsports​*
Regan Smith will be returning to JR Motorsports next season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced Wednesday on Twitter.

"@ReganSmith and @JRMotorsports just finished the paperwork that keeps him in the 7 car for 2015. Couldn't be more pleased about this," Earnhardt tweeted.

Smith responded: "@DaleJr @JRMotorsports can't wait! Looking forward to 2015, and a strong finish to 2014!''

The 31-year-old Smith is in his second season at JR Motorsports. He finished third in the Nationwide points last year and is second in the points heading into this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway. He trails teammate Chase Elliott by 26 points with five races left in the season.

Smith has scored three victories with the organization, including a win in this year's season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...mith-Returning-To-JR-Motorsports-In-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Best Formula For Advancing In Chase Contender Round?​*
*Q*uite frankly, I think we saw some drivers playing it safe in the first round of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase. They did just enough to make sure they were in the top 12 in points to be able to advance. That might have been a successful strategy in the first round, but it won't work in this second round as the pressure continues to increase tenfold.

I was talking with Brad Keselowski and he said the easiest way to contain that pressure is to win. That is what he did in the first race of the Chase. He told me that really took all the pressure off he and the team because they knew with that win they were automatically locked into the next round.

The reality is all the drivers remaining in the Chase know what the formula is. It is to win. If you do that then you automatically advance. The hard question for these remaining 12 teams is who is good enough to take advantage of that opportunity. Remember, we only have three more races -- Kansas, Charlotte and Talladega -- before four more teams are eliminated.

This weekend, just like any weekend, the key will be unloading at Kansas with a fast race car and then being able to challenge for a really good qualifying position. If they can do that, then it sets the table for doing what you need to do. Kevin Harvick has been leading the way in that. He unloads fast. He qualifies up front. He's been leading a lot of laps and racking up a lot of bonus points despite not being able to win yet in the Chase.

He basically dictated strategy to the other teams. It sent a clear message to the other teams that they had to find speed in their car to try and keep up with that No. 4 car. If they ever can figure out how to get rid of the demons that plague that team, and quit beating themselves, I'm just telling you that the competition is going to be in a lot of trouble.

Last Sunday at Dover, I was disappointed in the way that Jimmie Johnson ran. I expected him, especially since he had won there nine times, to run a lot better. I expected him to run like his teammate, Jeff Gordon who won the race, but unfortunately he didn't. The opportunity for Jimmie was there when Kevin had problems after dominating that race, but it was Jeff who stepped up and showed the muscle, not Jimmie.

For guys like Ryan Newman who advanced on points and not by winning, well, that isn't going to be good enough in this next round. You are going to have to go out and win or at the very minimum finish in the top five these next three races to have any hope of advancing to Round No. 3.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ng-in-the-nascar-chase-contender-round-100114


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## Ckg2011

*Running A Little Behind​*
Never has Jimmie Johnson gone through a stretch like the last six weeks in his NASCAR Sprint Cup career.

You know five top-10 finishes in six races.

Actually, that's not it. Something's missing, though. Have you noticed?

Johnson isn't leading races.

He enters the Contender Round having failed to lead a lap in the last six races. He's led only twice for 27 laps in the last three months (13 races).

"I'm definitely aware of it,'' Johnson said. "I try not to put more pressure on myself than I need to. I'm just really focused on finding speed for our cars. We seem to find little gains here and there. It would be nice to find a big chunk.''

Even with those issues, his competitors remain leery, knowing how Johnson often gets stronger as the Chase progresses.

"I think that whole team hasn't changed, so I think they're probably pretty good,'' said Joey Logano, who scored a win and had the best average finish (3.0) in the previous round. "You really keep an eye on him. It's not like he's been running bad.''

Logano's right. Johnson finished third last weekend at Dover. That followed a fifth-place finish at New Hampshire.

Still, it's one thing to run near the leaders and another to be that leader.

"We're not in the dominant position that we want to be in,'' Johnson said. "We're getting stronger, we're getting better, but we're not where we want to be just yet. This championship format is a little more forgiving and we have a little more time to find the speed.''

With the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, the first round wasn't as much about winning as it was about not making mistakes. Kasey Kahne was the final driver to transfer, doing so with an average finish of 18.7.

So Johnson not leading laps could be viewed as not a big issue. Then again, the drivers who won in the opening round were Brad Keselowski, Logano and Jeff Gordon. They've had among the best cars all year.

Johnson hasn't.

So, is Johnson merely points racing until he finds the missing speed?

"We are points racing for sure,'' he said. "Where we screwed up in the summer is we didn't finish where we were running. In some instances we were looking for a home run and struck out at the plate ... and didn't have a good day. Other times, we had some bad luck.

"Through the summer, we just didn't collect many points. We can't do that. If we can't win a race to transfer, we better make sure we're covering the points side of things and transfer. I feel very confident we can get to Homestead.''

As Kahne showed last week at Dover, every point matters, beating AJ Allmendinger for the final transfer spot by two points. By not leading laps, Johnson is losing bonus points that could prove helpful when the Chase field is cut to eight after Talladega later this month.

Since Johnson hasn't been able to get to the front, why not use Gordon's setup? Gordon has won three of the last 10 races and finished runner-up two other times.

"Naturally, you would just copy (Gordon) and do what they're doing and you would have it, but it doesn't work that way,'' Johnson said. "For a lot of years, we had great stuff working on our side and people were saying (to Gordon) why don't you copy (Johnson's setup). I remember watching them try to do it, but with styles of driving being so different and crew chiefs and all the little things that go into, you can't just take what somebody has on paper and put in a car ... and it work.''

Until he and crew chief Chad Knaus find a solution, they'll trail cars instead of lead them.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Jimmie-Johnson-Faced-A-Streak-LIke-This.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Labbe Moving To R&D, Alexander To Crew Chief​*
Richard Childress Racing has named Slugger Labbe to a leading role in their research and development efforts, which will be effective following the NASCAR race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway later this month. Justin Alexander, currently a race engineer on the No. 27 Menards Chevrolet team, will take over the crew chief role with Paul Menard as the driver.

Alexander, 33, is a native of Charlotte and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University.

He started his NASCAR career at Hendrick Motorsports as the shock specialist for the No. 24 and No. 48 teams in 2003, became lead engineer on the No. 48 team in 2005, moved to a R&D engineer in 2006 and then was named lead engineer for the No. 24 team in 2009.

During his tenure there, Alexander was part of five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. He joined RCR in January of this year.

"I appreciate the opportunity RCR is giving me to lead the No. 27 team and Paul," Alexander said. "Working with Slugger has been a valuable learning experience and I appreciate him helping me make the transition into this new role.

"I'm really excited to work with Paul and all the guys on this Menards team. Paul is a talented driver and I'm looking forward to what this team can accomplish in 2015."

Labbe has been with RCR since 2010 as crew chief for Menard. Together, they earned a victory in the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 13 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes.

A native of Saco, Maine, Labbe has been in NASCAR since 1986 and in the crew chief capacity since 1998. During that time, Labbe worked at Robert Yates Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. It was at DEI when Labbe led Michael Waltrip to the 2003 Daytona 500 victory.

"I'm looking forward to slowing down in my NASCAR career a little bit and spending more time with my family," Labbe said. "This is a good move for RCR, Paul and the No. 27 team and I'm going to be there to help Justin with the upcoming transition.

"With NASCAR's new rules for 2015, this is a unique opportunity for me to help RCR grow and be successful by helping out with their R&D efforts."

Menard, the 34-year old native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin is currently 20th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points standings.

"Slugger is a great leader and will be a huge asset in making RCR stronger in his new role with the team," he said. "I am looking forward to working with Justin. Throughout this season, he has shown the qualities and potential to be a great crew chief."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...R-Announces-Personnel-Changes-to-27-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Scott Looks For Great Finish​*
Brian Scott seems to be on the verge of his first career Nationwide Series victory and hopes it can come Saturday in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

The Richard Childress Racing driver enters Saturday's race at the 1.5-mile track fourth in the series standings trailing the JR Motorsports tandem of Chase Elliott and Regan Smith as well his RCR teammate Ty Dillon. But the point standings don't tell the entire story of how Scott's season has gone.

He has won three pole positions and already collected six top-five and 18 top-10 finishes while running at, or near, the front of the pack nearly on a weekly basis.

He was second two weeks ago to fellow RCR pilot Brendan Gaughan at Kentucky Speedway and came home seventh last Saturday at Dover.

Now he comes to Kansas where he's made five Nationwide starts as well as a couple Camping World Truck Series starts.

Since the track was repaved and reconfigured a few years ago, Scott has a hard time trying to figure out how to approach Kansas Speedway.

"Kansas is strange, I'm not really sure what I feel about Kansas," Scott said. "I am hoping that another year has wore the surface out. I'm hoping that the groove gets a little wider; I'm hoping we can have a Goodyear tire that falls of a little bit so we can really go out there as competitors and race.

"With the new surface and the flat track Kansas is, it seems like in the past our races have been one grooved. It's been a track position race where you don't take four tires, you get fuel only or you get right sides, and you just try to get that track position to get up front. If you do, it makes it difficult for cars to pass you. Or on the other hand, if you have a really fast car and you fall back it makes it difficult to pass cars that are worse than you."

The Truck Series was the companion event when the Sprint Cup Series competed at Kansas on Mother's Day weekend. The single trip a year by the Nationwide Series makes figuring out Kansas even more difficult for Scott to predict what will happen.

"Since the Nationwide Series only goes there once a year, the surfaces change a lot and Goodyear likes to change up our combination of tires that we go to certain race tracks with," he said.

Nationwide Series teams will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Sprint Cup teams ran in May and will again this weekend.

Scott has been in the groove most of the year and looks to kick it up another notch and Saturday for a first-ever trip to a Nationwide Series Victory Lane.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/09/Brian-Scott-Looks-for-Great-Finish.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Rides Momentum To Kansas​*
Joey Logano is looking to keep a hot hand to start the Contender Round in Sunday's Hollywood casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Logano ended the opening Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup only four points behind Team Penske running mate Brad Keselowski for the top spot in the standings. He scored three top-five finishes in the first three post-season races including a win at New Hampshire.

That adds up to a Chase-best average finish of 3.0 to end the first round.

"We have to keep doing what we're doing," said Logano. "I'm proud to know we're the only team in the entire series that got top fives in the first three races of the Chase, and we have the best average finish. Brad and his team had the second-best average finish. That says a lot about Team Penske."

However, Logano is quick to point out that what's happened in the past really doesn't have an impact on what lies ahead thanks to this new Chase format. He and the eleven other drivers still in the title hunt are dead-even in the standings coming into Sunday's race. Everyone had their points reset to 3,000 after Dover.

So looking ahead and not behind is the best approach for Logano.

"There are still seven races left and a lot of stuff can change," he said. "We're focused on one race at a time and this weekend, that's Kansas. After that, we will focus on Charlotte and after that, Talladega. We can't look too far ahead because that's what will take you out of this.

"Momentum is confidence. We have confidence in not just myself but the road crew, the pit crew ... everyone is feeling good about what we've done. Last week, we didn't have the strongest car. But we executed and got a nice, solid top five out of it. That's what we have to do in this round - get some top fives and get into the next one. Hopefully, we'll get a win in these first two races and not have to worry about Talladega."

Logano has made 10 career Cup Series starts in Kansas and has two top-five finishes. Those came in his last two starts - fourth place in both last year's Hollywood Casino 400 and this season's first visit to Kansas Speedway back in May.

A deeper look at the numbers also brings encouraging news for Logano fans. In the year's seven previous races on 1.5-mile tracks, he has an average finish of 6.9 - trailing only Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth, by the slimmest of margins. Logano's also led 252 laps on similar-sized tracks, third-most of The 12 Contenders.

Add that all up and it's no reason why Logano believes the best way to move forward is to keep doing exactly what the No. 22 team has been doing this season.

"No reason to reinvent the wheel," Logano said. "We can make a few tweaks here and there, and that's what you need to do to stay competitive. We'd like to win Kansas or Charlotte so we don't need to worry about Talladega ... and be locked into the next round."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/10/Logano-Rides-Momentum-to-Kansas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Smith Returning To JR Motorsports​*
Regan Smith will be returning to JR Motorsports next season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced Wednesday on Twitter.

"@ReganSmith and @JRMotorsports just finished the paperwork that keeps him in the 7 car for 2015. Couldn't be more pleased about this," Earnhardt tweeted.

Smith responded: "@DaleJr @JRMotorsports can't wait! Looking forward to 2015, and a strong finish to 2014!''

The 31-year-old Smith is in his second season at JR Motorsports. He finished third in the Nationwide points last year and is second in the points heading into this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway. He trails teammate Chase Elliott by 26 points with five races left in the season.

Smith has scored three victories with the organization, including a win in this year's season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...mith-Returning-To-JR-Motorsports-In-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Cat And-Mouse Game? Johnson Admits He's Not Showing Full Hand​*
In six NASCAR Sprint Cup championship seasons, Jimmie Johnson has occasionally showed moments of great vulnerability, giving his competitors hope that there might be a proverbial ***** in the armor of the driver and his vaunted No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team.

More times than not, however, Johnson has been the one sticking a knife in the competition when it came time to buckle down and run for a championship.

So to assume that Johnson -- who last won at Michigan on June 15 and has led a total of just 28 laps in the past 14 races -- isn't a serious threat for the 2014 Sprint Cup title is at best risky and at worst downright naive.

No, Johnson and his Chad Knaus-led bunch haven't looked as strong as teammate Jeff Gordon, Stewart-Haas Racing's Kevin Harvick and Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano for most of the season, despite winning three out of four races from late May to mid-June.

In three Chase for the Sprint Cup races held so far, Johnson has posted solid but modest results -- 12th at Chicagoland, fifth at New Hampshire and third last weekend at Dover.

But with seven races to go and all 12 remaining championship contenders' point totals reset to 3,000, Johnson is very much in the hunt for a seventh championship, which would tie him with Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for the most all time in NASCAR's top series.

In other words, ignore Johnson at your own risk. Keselowski, who raced him for the championship in 2012, knows better.

"The 48 team is a group that you never want to write off, for sure," said Keselowski, who leads the Sprint Cup Series with a season-high five victories. "Right now they're performing well -- he finished third at Dover (last weekend). I don't know what's going on behind the scenes of their team to really have a great answer for where they're at, so we'll all just lay it on the line on the racetrack and see what happens."

Though Johnson hasn't exactly laid it all on the line and done all he could to run up front and win the first three Chase races -- or the races leading up to the Chase -- when he was already guaranteed a playoff berth.

And that fact, as much as anything Johnson has accomplished in the past, makes him particularly dangerous with the Chase Contender Round set to kick off Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

"We are points racing, for sure," Johnson said. "Through the summer we just didn't collect many points, and we can't do that. And if we can't win a race right now to transfer (to the next Chase round), we better make sure that we're covering the points side of things and are going to transfer."

Despite conceding that he could use some additional speed in his No. 48 Chevrolets, Johnson fully expects to be among the four drivers who will fight for the title in next month's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway
"I feel very confident that we can get to Homestead," Johnson said. "We've been like a third- to fifth-place car. That's OK. That's acceptable right now, but we know we need to get to Victory Lane. We want to get to Victory Lane, and I feel like with the tracks we have out in front of us, there's some really good chances for us."

Even if he's not ready to go for broke just yet.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-admits-he-s-not-showing-his-full-hand-100314


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## Ckg2011

*Eight Is Great For Harvick​*
*Race Lineup*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6467&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Kevin Harvick won his eighth pole of the season Friday by turning quick time for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Harvick's lap of 197.621 mph topped the speed charts in the third and final round for his third straight Sprint Cup Series pole at Kansas Speedway. It was his 14th career pole.

His lap of 197.773 mph in the second round was a new track record, the 20th of the season.

Harvick comes into Sunday's race hoping to continue his season of strong runs but minimizing the bad luck and problems that have kept him from winning more than the two victories he has this season.

"I'm just really proud of everybody on our Budweiser team," said Harvick. "We've been dealt some bad luck throughout the year, but it hasn't fazed them in continuing to work on the cars and the speed. The first three weeks we have led a bunch of laps and qualified well. Last week had them covered and a valve stem got knocked off by a lugnut.

"Keep doing the things that you are doing and that luck will all come full circle and as long as the cars continue to be fast that stuff all comes back to you. Hopefully it peaks at the right time."

Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola, Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top five.

"I'm pretty happy to be in the top five, that's better than where we started in May," said Gordon, who won the season's first race at Kansas.

Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne completed the first ten qualifiers.

"Sixth isn't bad; we were 17th in practice, but we have to keep working on it," said Keselowski. "This is probably our weakest track in Chase."

Jimmie Johnson will have to dig out of a hole on Sunday after spinning out in the first of Friday's three qualifying segments. Johnson didn't make contact with the wall during the spin on the backstretch but took his car directly to the garage and will start 32nd in the race.

Other Chase drivers in Sunday's field include Carl Edwards (12th), Ryan Newman (17th), Denny Hamlin (25th) and Matt Kenseth (27th).

Sprint Cup teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday to dial there cars in for Sunday's race, which is the first event of the Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Hollywood casino 400 from Kansas Speedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/10/Eight-is-Great-for-Harvick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Captures Kansas Win​*
Kyle Busch scored his sixth Nationwide Series win of the season when he took the checkered flag in Saturday's Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

Busch led twice for 34 laps including the final 21 to score his second win at Kansas and his second straight victory after taking the checkered flag last week at Dover International Speedway.

Busch now looks to complete the weekend sweep with a win in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400.

"You learn enough here," Busch said. "There was a bit of some moving around today, trying to run bottom, trying to run top, seeing where the different lines were in traffic and stuff like that. 
"I feel like our Cup car is okay, and if we can get out of here with a top-10 day tomorrow, that'd be pretty good."

As for track conditions for Sunday's race Busch had a prediction.

"The track will snot up tomorrow," Busch said with a grin.

The victory was the 69th career series win for Busch and the 30th for crew chief Adam Stevens.

Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Paul Menard and pole sitter Ty Dillon rounded out the top five.

Harvick led the most laps at 47 but for the 12th time in 14 races at Kansas the driver out front the most failed to win.

"We had a strong car but the track early on was treacherous for sure," said Harvick, who will start from the pole in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. "There were a couple different grooves out there but it was also slick so all in all just didn't have enough at the end to stay out front."

Blaney started outside the front row and was ahead for 33 laps Saturday.

"I was just a little bit too free there that last bit," said Blaney, who tried to run down the leader in the closing laps but wound up sliding back. "We should have just tightened up a little more. The track was cooling off and getting a little bit looser. We just didn't adjust enough. That is partially my fault. I didn't want to adjust as much as (crew chief) Jeremy (Bullins) wanted to."

Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott and Chase Elliott completed the first 10 finishers.

Elliott was able to increase his lead in the series standings over JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith, who had a miserable day. It started with a crash in qualifying and he was forced to the rear of the field in a backup car.

After several trips to pit road under the numerous early race cautions to work on the car's handling, Smith did make his way toward the front of the field. But he broke a sway bar late in the going to end any hopes of a solid finish and he wound up finishing 22nd.

That allowed Elliott to increase his lead in the standings to 38 over Smith with Dillon now 40 behind.

The race was slowed by nine cautions for 22 laps. There were 16 lead changes among ten different drivers.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway next Friday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/09/Kyle-Busch-Captures-Kansas-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: NASCAR Nationwide Kansas Lottery 300​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Accentuates The Positive​*
Kevin Harvick hopes for a change of luck to go along with the fast cars and impressive performances he's had for the bulk of the 2014 season.

Harvick has won twice this season and made his way into the Challenger Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship after a solid opening three races of the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Harvick a series of bad luck, mechanical failures, pit road miscues and other maladies have gotten in the way of a season that could have even more success.

"It's been just a phenomenal year," Harvick said after winning his eighth pole of the season Friday at Kansas Speedway. "We have had some bad luck, but these guys continue to focus on the thing that they need to focus on and that is bringing fast cars. They are staying focused one practice at a time, one lap at a time and they are grinding away through the tests and the things that you have to do this time of year. That bad luck can't stay with us forever."

His latest run in with bad luck came last week in Dover when Harvick suffered a cut tire while leading the AAA 400. Rather than a possible third win of the year, he was forced to rally back for a 13th place finish in the final race of the opening Chase round.

However rather than dwell on the negative, Harvick chooses to focus on what lies ahead.

"You keep leading laps and qualifying well, you are going to win races," he said. "I have been in this deal before where it seems like everything is not going your way, but usually you are running bad too. Like I tell them, the problems we have are a lot better than the problems we don't have. We will just keep at it."

While good luck has been in short supply so far this year, there is one thing Harvick does not lack - confidence. Despite the many challenges he's faced, Harvick believes the No. 4 team is a potential impact player on a weekly basis and this Sunday's race at Kansas is no different.

"I truly feel like we can win at every style race track at any point," said Harvick. "It's just a matter of everything going right. I have that kind of confidence in the race team that no matter where we go you don't think about how you are going to run.

"You know you are going to have cars that are capable of running well and if they don't you adjust on it and they always figure it out. Confidence is just a beautiful thing. Everybody has that and hasn't been deterred by the situations that we have been dealt."

Numbers back up Harvick's level of confidence. Of the twelve drivers left in the Chase picture heading into the Contender Round, Harvick has led the most laps on 1.5-mile tracks like Kansas with 517. He also has four career wins at the three tracks that comprise this round.

His Kansas stats are also impressive led by the third straight pole he won on Friday and his win in last year's edition of the Hollywood Casino 400.

It's no wonder with all that's pointing in the right direction, Harvick refuses to let the disappointments get him down.

"As you run well and you continue to overcome circumstances you just become more confident in what you are doing," he said. I have 100 percent confidence in what I'm doing and having fun with it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...0/Kevin-Harvick-Accentuates-The-Positive.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kansas Story Lines​*
There are a number of story lines to follow in today's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

*Harvick Looks for Better Luck* 
You can't argue with the performance of Kevin Harvick this year. Basically from the start of the season, Harvick has had one of if not the fastest cars of the race weekend. However in terms of bad luck, Harvick has also been the leader on what has seemed like a weekly basis. He cut a tire last week while leading at Dover to keep him from adding to his win total which stands at two. But the Stewart-Haas Racing driver continues to remain positive and starts from the pole on Sunday. The question remains will Lady Luck finally smile down on the No. 4 car.

*Early Challenge for Johnson*
Jimmie Johnson hasn't led a lap since August but he easily got into the second round of the Chase with a third place finish last week in Dover. But by his standards, it's still been a very un-Johnson like stretch and it won't get any easier Sunday. Johnson spun out during qualifying on Friday and will start 32nd in the field. He considered the string of tracks in the Contender Round of the Chase to be some of his best but Johnson will have his work cut out in the early going.

*Tough Track Conditions* 
Harvick called racing at Kansas this weekend treacherous and so far the 1.5-mile track has lived up to that description. Windy and cold conditions caused havoc in Friday's practice session as well as qualifying. Saturday's Nationwide Series race also saw several spins and accidents caused by drivers fighting the challenging surface. Temperatures will be higher on Sunday and the wind is forecasted to be much tamer than in recent days. But since it was repaved and reconfigured two years ago, Kansas has proven to be more than a handful for drivers.

*Kahne Moves On* 
Kasey Kahne has squeezed his way through the Chase so far and is part of the Contender Round after a Herculean effort last week in Dover when he came from several laps down to make the cut. He won at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend to get into the Chase at the very last minute as well so it's been a pressure-packed several weeks for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. He's hoping to get the second round of the Chase off to a more relaxing start with a good day at Kansas.

*Non-Chasers in the Mix* 
Several drivers not running for the title have started to flex their muscles led by Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Kyle Larson, who has challenged for victories in recent weeks. He'll start 18th on Sunday but many in the garage are pointing to the No. 42 as one of the fastest cars on the grid. Aric Almirola missed moving on to the Contender Round but qualified third for Sunday's race after a solid day last week in Dover. Tony Stewart had a 14th place finish in Dover and showed some speed in qualifying with a ninth place starting spot the reward. And Greg Biffle is another driver that was knocked from the Chase grid after Dover but he too has shown speed this weekend in Kansas and will start 11th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/Kansas-Story-Lines.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Kansas​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins, Moves On In Chase​*
Joey Logano scored his fifth win of the season Sunday, capturing the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway to advance to the Eliminator Round.

Logano won on a wild day that saw title contenders Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson each hit the wall and finish outside the top 35 in the opening race of the Contender Round.

"What a crazy race.''

That was Logano saying that from Victory Lane.

Said Earnhardt: "We just have to go to the next race and try to win."

Logano doesn't have to worry about the implications of the next two races since he's guaranteed to be among the eight drivers racing for a spot at Homestead beginning in the next round.

"It makes Talladega a lot easier, that is for sure,'' said Logano, who led a race-high 122 laps. "To know we are onto the next round we can focus on a few more races coming up and we will keep trying to capitalize like we are doing."

Johnson (40th), Earnhardt (39th) and Keselowski (36th) won't have it so easy.

"The easiest approach is to go to Charlotte and win,'' Keselowski said. "The bad side of this Chase is we took a big points lead in here and gave it all back to zero. The good side of it is that you can still win your way out of it, and we have two really good tracks for us ahead. If we can just win at one of them, we will be fine. Maybe if we have two really good finishes we will be fine. That is the good side."

*How Logano won:* Simply, he had the best car. Logano had an average finish of 3.0 in the first three races of the Chase and only made that average better with the victory. He avoided tire issues and had strong restarts to win again.

*What else happened:* Who would have predicted that the four Chase drivers with the fewest points entering Saturday's race at Charlotte would be Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne? Their struggles will add only more drama the next two weeks.

*Who else had a good day:* Kyle Larson said before this round he would like to win at Kansas and Charlotte so that no Chase drivers had a victory going into Talladega. He nearly accomplished half of that goal, placing second. It's his second runner-up finish in the last three races. ... Carl Edwards placed fifth, his third top-five finish in the last nine races.

*Who had a bad day:* Hendrick Motorspots. Jimmie Johnson finished 40th after he was hit from behind by Greg Biffle and crashed on Lap 85. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tire go down and crashed on Lap 122 while leading. He placed 39th. ... Kasey Kahne hit the wall late and finished 22nd. ... Team Penske's Brad Keselowski slammed the wall on Lap 160 after right front tire issues while running fifth and had to go to the garage for repairs. He finished 36th.

*Quote of the day:* "It was just Russian roulette and it was our turn,'' Brad Keselowski said of the tire problem that caused him to crash.

*Notables:* Martin Truex Jr. finished a season-best fourth place. It gives him back-to-back top-10 finishes for only the second time this season. Sunday's result also was his best finish since last year's season finale at Homestead. ... Ryan Newman's sixth-place finish was his best since July. It's also his best Kansas finish since winning there in 2003. ... Austin Dillon's eighth-place result marks his best since placing fifth at Daytona in July. ... Paul Menard was ninth, marking his 12th top-10 of the season - a career high. ... Sunday marked the first time all three Richard Childress Racing cars finished in the top 10 in the same race.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/10/Joey-Logano-Wins-At-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Day for Johnson, Earnhardt Jr.​*
The first race in the Contender Round for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup did not turn out the way Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. expected.

Both drivers found themselves in the garage area early in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway with heavy damage on their racecars.

Johnson was the first sent to the garage after he crashed into the inside backstretch wall following contact from Greg Biffle racing out of Turn 2. He was able to climb from his battered Chevrolet, which had to be towed to the garage. Once the car arrived his No. 48 team was there ready to go to work on the car to get Johnson back out.

"Just got tagged in the left-rear," Johnson said. "I was cruising along the top, thought everything was fine, and then found myself sideways down the back straightaway."

The weekend didn't start so good for Johnson as he spun in qualifying and started 32nd. He was making steady progress in the race and was running 22nd at the time of incident that also involved Justin Allgaier and Josh Wise.

"The top 10 was definitely within reach," Johnson said. "I think a top five would have been in our cards. Just listen to lap times and watching myself catch the big group of cars in front of me I felt like we would have been a top 10 or top five."

Earnhardt Jr. was driving the same car he swept Pocono with this season and it showed no signs of slowing down. Earnhardt was able to get up front for 45 laps and was leading when a tire went down and he hit the wall on lap 122.

"I was going into Turn 3 and the surface of the tire unwound all the way across the surface," said Earnhardt Jr, who was shooting for his third straight top 10 at Kansas. "And I don't know - just the whole surface of the tire unwound like a string. It just came off the tire and it popped off the corner. I felt it coming apart through the corner and the surface of the tire is gone. Man, that was a great race car. We hadn't been running very good the last several weeks."

Like Earnhardt, Team Penske's Brad Keselowski also took a hit in the Chase standings when he had a tire go down on lap 160 while running fifth.

"We started the race with a full green run and the tires really looked nice all the way up and down pit road," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "But you know as races like the evolve people start making adjustments, they start running different lines. Obviously we had a couple right fronts that did go down on the 88 and the 2 and we are trying to understand what was different about those. Obviously we'll talk to the teams further."

Both Earnhardt and Johnson were able to return to the track to finish 39th and 40th, respectively.

Heading into the final two races of the Contender Round Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. have combined for 14 wins at those tracks. Johnson has won seven times at Charlotte and twice at Talladega while all of Earnhardt's wins have come at Talladega.

"Yeah, the points - it's going to hurt," Earnhardt said. "It is what it is. We just have to go to the next race and try to win."
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Day-for-Johnson-and-Earnhardt-at-Kansas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Takes A Hit​*
While his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano won Sunday at Kansas, Brad Keselowski suffered through a frustrating day.

Keselowski started his Miller Lite Ford from the sixth starting spot and actually was able to lead a couple of laps while running strong in the early going.

But disaster struck on lap 160 while he was running fifth when a tire failure sent him into the wall and to the garage with considerable damage.

"It's a game of Russian roulette and it was our turn at the gun and Dale Jr.'s turn at the gun earlier," said Keselowski, referring to Earnhardt Jr.'s earlier encounter with the wall after suffering a tire problem.

Keselowski did return to the track and finished 36th in the final rundown. But after the race he said he wasn't completely surprised by the tire challenges some drivers had on Sunday.

"We've seen signs of this for three seasons racing here," said Keselowski. "Aerodynamics in racing today has gotten out of control. The specs for tires aren't designed to handle that&#8230;.you can point fingers at that either way, there's no margin. When you have no margin small variables are gonna get someone and like I said it was just our day at the gun."

Officials from Goodyear, which brought the same tire combination as was run in May at Kansas, provided their perspective of the situation.

"We started the race with a full green run and the tires really looked nice all the way up and down pit road," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "But you know as races like the evolve people start making adjustments, they start running different lines. Obviously we had a couple right fronts that did go down on the 88 and the 2 and we are trying to understand what was different about those. Obviously we'll talk to the teams further."

So after starting the opening round with a win and coming into the Contender Round with momentum, Keselowski now has been forced into catch-up mode and is 39 points behind Logano for the lead.

"The easiest approach is just to go to Charlotte and win I guess," he said. "The bad side of this Chase is we took a big points lead here and gave it all back to zero. The good side of it is that you can still win your way out of it and we have two really good tracks for us ahead so if we can just win at one of them we'll be fine and maybe if we have two really good finishes we'll be fine so that's the good side of it."

When asked why he returned to the race more than 40 laps behind, Keselowski had a simple answer.

"Three points," he said. "Hopefully we can win one of the next two races and those three points don't matter but it could come down to one point at Talladega and if it does my guys deserve a lot of credit for getting us back out."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/10/Brad-Keselowski-Takes-a-Hit.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Scores A Familiar Finish​*
Kyle Larson was back in the mix for his first career Sprint Cup Series win in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Larson started 18th Sunday but didn't waste time marching toward the front of the field. Once he made it to the lead pack, he kept the Target Chevrolet there for good and pressured eventual winner Joey Logano late.

Ultimately, Logano pulled away and left Larson to take second place - his third runner-up result.

"Another second and can't be too disappointed with it," Larson said. "The wins will be coming, so I just have to be patient, and with every time I am in the top three, it's just going to make the wins feel that much better. We have been really fast lately, so hopefully we can start clicking off some wins."

Larson felt he had a car capable of winning and potentially getting by Logano as the checkered flag neared.

"I don't know if he was better than us, and I don't know if we were better than him," Larson said of his battle to catch Logano for the lead. "I thought we were pretty equal and were running about the same laps there on the last run.

"I was hoping I would get a run on him in traffic, and all the lappers were giving us the top, so it kind of made it kind of easy for him to run the top."

Although he missed out on a playoff spot, Larson has been on fire since the Chase began at Chicagoland Speedway. He's finished third, second, sixth and second in the last four weeks.

Still Larson laments that he came up short of his objective to run for a championship.

"I definitely feel like I've been running a lot better than what I thought I would to start the season, but I thought I would make the Chase, too," he said. "A little bit disappointed there, but I've been finishing better than I thought I would have, so happy about that. But just missed that one goal that we had before the season started."

Larson appears headed to claim the Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He was the top finishing freshman Sunday for the 21st time this season.

"I hope I can pull it off,'' he said. "I don't see why I wouldn't. It would be a great award for me."

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race: Kansas Speedway Edition​* 




*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/Kyle-Larson-Finishes-Second-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Gets Best Finish of Season​*
"Awesome job guys, let's keep it going and win Charlotte," said Martin Truex Jr. to his crew following his fourth-place finish in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

The final result was Truex's best finish of the season as the Furniture Row Racing driver continued his recent hot streak. His previous best finish of the season was sixth at the June Dover race.

Since the Chase playoffs began four races ago, Truex has an average finish of 9.25. During this four-race span, he has had finishes of 14th (Chicago), 12th (New Hampshire), 7th (Dover) and 4th (Kansas).

The fourth-place Kansas finish was the second best result among non-Chase drivers. Kyle Larson, also a non-Chase participant, finished second.

"A lot of effort and a lot of patience have gone into our resurgence," said Truex. "Everything seems to be clicking much better right now and I look forward to taking advantage of what we have learned and trying to get a win. As I said last week, we're also getting ready for 2015 and right now we're seeing the improvement that will be necessary to be a Chase player next season."

Truex's performance in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet was nearly flawless in the 267-lap race at the 1.5-mile oval. He started 15th and reached the top-10 on Lap 35. He stayed in the top-10 for the remainder of the race.

He also ran a good number of laps in the top-five, including the final 27 circuits.

"It was just a good consistent effort," noted Truex. "We were tight for a while, but Todd (crew chief Berrier) made good adjustments and the over-the-wall crew was spot on again. Just an all around team effort today."

Truex added, "I felt good about the Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevy all weekend. Honestly, the guys have done a very nice job on the Furniture Row team bringing good race cars the last few weeks. They have been working really hard to get this program turned around. It's nice to get some good results. They really deserve it - they've been working hard for it. Just hope we can keep these good runs going the rest of the year and hopefully be able to come out of the box strong next year. That is what we are planning on."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/10/Truex-Gets-Best-Finish-of-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Third Is A Win For Kyle Busch​*
*I just didn't get champagne and a trophy'​*
*R*ace-winner Joey Logano was all smiles after winning Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, but third-place finisher Kyle Busch might have been even happier than Logano and runner-up Kyle Larson were.

Kansas Speedway looks like an ordinary 1.5-mile track but to Busch the track might as well have been paved with Kryptonite.

Coming into Sunday's race, Kansas was the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series track where Busch hadn't scored a top-five finish. His average finish here was 22.71, worst of any track on the Sprint Cup circuit. And prior to Sunday, three of Busch's last four Kansas races ended in DNFs.
No wonder he was thrilled to finish third.

"I won today," Busch said after his third-place finish. "I just didn't get champagne and a trophy."

Indeed.

The day was doubly huge for Busch because championship contenders Jimmie Johnson (40th), Dale Earnhardt (39th) and Brad Keselowski (36th) all had miserable days. In NASCAR's new Chase format, four of the 16 Chase drivers were eliminated after last week's race and another four will be eliminated after Talladega two weeks from today.

Busch's third-place finish means he's now second in points to Kansas winner Logano and in great shape to advance to the semifinal round of the Chase after Talladega.

Survive and advance. That's what the sport is all about now.

Sunday at Kansas, several contenders had major tire issues. Busch didn't and finished third. He knows the opposite could happen next week at Charlotte or in two weeks at Talladega.

"Racing is a fickle business," said Busch. "I can go next week and have the same issues. We can have something other than what they had happen to us and put us in a bad spot. We just don't need that. We just need to go next week, have a good week at Charlotte, finish top 10, top five if we can, and take a win, sure, but first things first; let's get to finishing top five and racing these guys for wins and then we'll go start shooting for wins.

"Like I said, another solid week will put us in a good position going to Talladega where guys that had a bad week this week and if they have a good week next week they're still going to be behind us and leaves our situation better come Talladega."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...just-didn-t-get-champagne-and-a-trophy-100514


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Report Claims Hornish Jr To Drive RPM #9 Car​*
*Report: Sam Hornish Jr. to drive No. 9 car next season for RPM​*
With Marcos Ambrose leaving NASCAR at the end of the season, an empty seat awaits the No. 9 car for Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM).

Speculation in the garage is that part-time Nationwide Series driver Sam Hornish Jr. will take over for Ambrose starting next season. MRN.com's Pete Pistone has given credence to those rumors.

Hornish has run in 8 Nationwide races so far this season, with an impressive stat line: one win, three top 5's, and four top 10's. He last ran a full-time Cup schedule in 2010 for Team Penske, with a high finish of 10th (New Hampshire).

Before NASCAR, Hornish ran in the IndyCar Series where we was a three-time champion, and winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500.

*Source:*
http://www.thescore.com/nascar/news/597403


----------



## Ckg2011

*Biffle Explains Contact With Johnson​*
Greg Biffle says he's not sure why he got into Jimmie Johnson, causing the six-time champion to crash in Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway, but he is not surprised that Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tire problem during the race.

Biffle made contact with Johnson on Lap 85. Johnson lost 68 laps for repairs. He finished 40th, jeopardizing his chances of advancing to the next round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"I don't know if (Johnson) got slowed up a little bit coming off the corner,'' Biffle said Monday at an appearance promoting this weekend's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "We were coming off the corner two-, three-, four-wide. My car started to lose the nose a little bit, started to slide up the race track.

"It looked like (Johnson) had good momentum off the corner. It looked like I was going to be able to move in behind him. I don't know if he got slowed up any from the cars in front of him or I tried to move over too early and caught his left rear. You're going to have that contact when you're back there two-, three-wide scrambling on a restart. We just got together.''

Biffle, who finished 15th, also talked about how tire issues plagued title contenders Brad Keselowski and Earnhardt, causing both to finish worse than 35th.

"The reality is you can set your car up to be as aggressive as you want,'' Biffle said. "We saw cars that had a lot of speed have tire issues. There's probably a reason behind that. They're pushing the envelope, getting the most out of the tire and aggressive on camber and other things.

"We've seen (Earnhardt) blow tires. I think I've see him lose more tires, right front, than a lot of people. It must be the way he drives his car, the way they have their setups. He tends to be a little harder on right fronts than a lot of cars. (Keselowski) was surprising. I guess he had tire fail. Everybody racing as hard as they are, you're going to have those issues.''

Earnhardt's crew chief, Steve Letarte, said Monday on "The Morning Drive'' on Sirius XM Satellite Radio that he didn't believe the car's setup caused their tire failure.

"I think the diagnosis is pretty simple,'' Letarte said on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. "We had a tire that couldn't hold up to the speed of being the leader. It's easier or at least consoling on Monday if you can go into the team and and say we should have pitted this differently or ran a setup different or this is what broke on the car. Unfortunately, we're going to have go in this Monday and tell them if I could go back and do it all over again I don't know what I would do different.

"You kind of batter your brain all night long thinking what you could do differently.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Discusses-Incident-With-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Yellow Brick Road​*
Welcome to Overreaction Theatre. A place most often visited by NFL and college football fans where one game a week leaves plenty of time to agonize, lament, and complain about the weekend's events.

NASCAR fans have their version of this but it's nothing like what has struck this week with title favorites Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the bottom of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings after Sunday's woes at Kansas Speedway.

What happened to each showed the flaw, some will say, with the Chase - that a contender's result can be impacted by a tire issue, another competitor's mistake or some other problem. Of course, those same issues were prevalent in previous Chases.

Sunday, Johnson wrecked after he was hit by Greg Biffle and finished 40th. In 2009, Johnson wrecked after contact with Sam Hornish Jr. at Texas in the Chase and finished 38th. Johnson still won the championship that year - although he needed four wins to offset that poor finish.

With this new format, Johnson, Keselowski and Earnhardt have a better chance of contending for the title despite all three finishing outside the top 35 at Kansas. The series heads to Charlotte this weekend and Talladega next weekend before four more Chase drivers are eliminated. Score a victory at either track and what happened at Kansas means little.

Johnson won at Charlotte in May and Keselowski won at Charlotte a year ago. If either repeats those performances, they'll advance to the Eliminator Round and be among the final eight challenging for a championship.

Winning at Charlotte also was on the mind of Earnhardt and crew chief Steve Letarte immediately after the Kansas race.

"Great car guys. Great pit stops. We'll go to Charlotte and get us a win there,'' Letarte said on the radio to Earnhardt, who finished 39th after a tire went down and sent him into the wall.

"We got to win,'' Earnhardt responded. "We're going to have to give it our best (shot) next weekend. You all did awesome this weekend. That's what we need to do next weekend to give ourselves a chance so let's be ready.

"We'll go run good next week, try to get us a win,'' Letarte said. "Run real good either way. Still got to go to two more. Lot of opportunity for other people to trip up.''

They'll need such help. All 12 of the remaining Chase drivers finished 22nd or better at Charlotte in May, meaning it could be hard to gain many points the rest of the Chase field if that repeats Saturday night.

Then comes Talladeaga where anything is possible. Five of the remaining Chase drivers placed 30th or worse there in May after being involved in accidents. A big swing of points could take place there.

While these drivers face this challenge, one of the drivers who benefits the most from this new format isn't a fan of his advantage.

Ryan Newman said last week that he didn't think it was fair that he started this round with the same number of points as the other 11 Chase drivers despite not having won a race this season.

The point was made to Newman that this format is similar to any other playoff or tournament format. It doesn't matter what one has done before. It's win and advance.

"We're not other sports,'' said Newman, who is fourth in the standings after his sixth-place finish at Kansas. "You can't lose that fact. We're still not other sports. This isn't stick-and-ball. This has nothing to do with anything like that. I struggle to compare ourselves to other sports. We've made a really good living on being ourselves and we can't lose that sight.''

So is this format losing that sight?

"I don't think it's losing it,'' Newman said.

It could help gain attention for the sport. What would get more discussion: Johnson, Keselowski or Earnhardt winning at Kansas or all three having trouble and facing challenges to make the Chase?

The hype all week will be about these drivers and what they face the next two weeks.

While Newman might not like comparisons to other sports, the deficit Johnson, Keselowski and Earnhardt face is akin to a team being down 2-0 in a seven-game series heading to its home stadium for the next contest. Yes, they're in a hole, but they can recover.

The question is if Johnson, Keselowski and Earnhardt will overcome this challenge or be overcome by it.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...oes-Not-End-Of-Road-For-Title-Contenders.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Waiting Game: Larson Knows First Sprint Cup Win Around The Corner​*
*A*s a rookie Kyle Larson continues to knock on the door of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race victory, it's clear that sooner or later he will kick it down entirely.

Larson, pilot of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet, finished second to Joey Logano in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, the second time in the last three races he's been the race runner-up and his third top-five finish in the first four races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

During the Chase, Larson has amassed an average finish of 3.25, which trails only Logano's remarkable 2.50 average.

Of course, there is one big difference between the two young bucks: Logano is racing for a championship and Larson isn't, because the rookie went winless during the 26-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season.

Still, it's been a fantastic season for Larson, who is a virtual lock to win Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors. Larson is now 17th in points, tops among the non-Chase drivers.

Sunday at Kansas, Larson had another excellent outing, applying late-race pressure to Logano, crossing the finish line just 0.479 seconds behind the winner. The combination of lapped traffic and the dreaded aero push made getting by Logano at the end impossible.

"It was a good race," said Larson, who now has eight top-five and 15 top-10 finished on the year. "I thought me and Joey (Logano) were dead even there at the end. It was hard for me to gain on him. We would go within a hundredth of each other it seemed like on every lap. I was able to close on him at one point, but just couldn't do anything."

Larson said the disparity in speed in the two racing lines made his task difficult in the closing laps.

"The bottom was a lot slower than the top, so I had to kind of follow him and hope he made a mistake," Larson said of Logano. "He almost made one mistake there with seven (laps) to go and then he got back into rhythm."

Still, it was another outstanding race and another indication that the first Sprint Cup race victory that Larson covets is not far away.

"Good finish," said Larson. "We'll get some wins here soon hopefully before the end of the year, and I think once we get one, we should be up here more often as a winner."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...first-sprint-cup-win-around-the-corner-100614


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ditech Mortgage Corp Increases Involvement With Stewart-Haas Racing​*
*D*itech Mortgage Corp ("ditech"), one of the mortgage industry's best-known brands, has significantly increased its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.








ditech will expand its associate sponsorship of Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 team to include a two-race primary sponsorship. While the two races where ditech will adorn Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet have not been determined, the look of the No. 4 ditech Chevrolet has been confirmed.

This afternoon on FOX Sports 1's RaceHub, Harvick and ditech Chief Marketing Officer Rich Smith unveiled the blue No. 4 ditech Chevrolet and formally announced the increased partnership with SHR.

"We are thrilled to expand our sponsorship with Kevin for two primary races in 2015," Smith said. "It's well known that NASCAR fans are steadfast in their support of team sponsors, and the surge in interest and awareness of the ditech brand is proof of that loyalty. Kevin continues to be a top performer in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and we look forward to seeing all that he and the No. 4 team can do this year and in the years to come."

On Sept. 10, ditech announced an associate sponsorship of Harvick and SHR's No. 4 team. Since then, ditech has experienced a surge in brand interest, and it prompted the company to augment its associate sponsorship with two races as a primary sponsor.

"We're very proud to be able to deliver for ditech in such a short period of time," said Harvick, one of only 12 drivers still in contention for the Sprint Cup championship with just six races remaining. "We're here to win -- for us, for ditech and for ditech's customers -- and come next year, we'll have two opportunities to do it in a blue No. 4 ditech Chevy."

Harvick has won 25 Sprint Cup races, including NASCAR's crown-jewel events:

the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. He has earned two victories already this season, along with a series-leading eight poles. He is currently sixth in the championship standings.

Headquartered in Fort Washington, Penn., ditech's overarching goal is to change the experience of securing a mortgage. The company views itself not as being in the mortgage business, but rather as being in the business of helping Americans reach their dream of homeownership. It routinely employs NICE as a four-letter word, translating to:

-- No double-talk
-- Integrity
-- Customer satisfaction
-- Expertise

ditech employs three sales channels for its mortgage and refinance loans: direct-to-consumer, through a team of home-loan specialists who are easily accessible by phone and online; retail, via loan specialists located throughout the United States; and the correspondent market, by partnering with more than 600 financial institutions.

The company offers a full range of home mortgage products for both purchase and refinance, including fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, jumbo loans and FHA loans.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...s-involvement-with-stewart-haas-racing-100614


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sam Hornish Jr. Expected To Replace Marcos Ambrose In 2015​*
*O*fficials from Richard Petty Motorsports have called a press conference for Wednesday morning when it is expected that Sam Hornish Jr. will be named next year's driver of the No. 9 RPM Ford being vacated at season's end by Marcos Ambrose.

Speaking in an email to FOXSports.com on Tuesday afternoon, a Richard Petty Motorsports spokesman would neither confirm nor deny Hornish's appointment to RPM but said, "We will make an announcement about the future of our No. 9 program tomorrow at 11 a.m."

Hornish, a three-time IndyCar champion, has made at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup start every year since 2007 and made his lone Cup appearance of 2014 at Fontana in March when he subbed for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota.

After finishing runner-up to Austin Dillon in the 2013 Nationwide Series standings, Hornish was left without a ride at Penske Racing and moved into a part-time Nationwide role with Joe Gibbs Racing this season.

In eight starts for JGR, Hornish scored a win at Iowa Speedway, four top-five finishes and poles at Talladega and Mid-Ohio.

The 35-year-old native of Defiance, Ohio, has three top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 131 Sprint Cup starts.

Ambrose, who joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2011 and has won two races for the company, announced last month that he is moving back to his native Australia next year to rejoin the V8 Supercars Championship, where he is a two-time champion.

Coincidentally, Ambrose will compete for Hornish's former NASCAR team owner Roger Penske, whose organization has formed a partnership with Dick Johnson Racing -- the longest-established racing team in Australia -- to establish DJR Team Penske.

Asked after news of his departure broke at Chicagoland Speedway last month who is successor might be in the No. 9 Sprint Cup Series car, Ambrose revealed no insight.

"I've got no idea who they're going to choose; I'm sure they're going to choose wisely," Ambrose said. "If they ask my opinion, I'll give it to them, but that's not my world."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...orsports-100714?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:nascaronfox


----------



## Ckg2011

*Notes: What If Champion Had 1 or 0 Wins?​*
What if Kasey Kahne rallied to win the championship? Or Ryan Newman. Or Matt Kenseth? Or Kyle Busch? You know, drivers with no wins or one win this season.

Would it be a travesty? Or a remarkable accomplishment worth remembering?

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup makes upsets more likely. Just like in other sports where a 10-loss North Carolina State team won the 1983 NCAA men's basketball national title, the Miami Marlins won the World Series twice despite not winning their division and the New York Giants, a wildcard team, beat a previously undefeated New England Patriots squad for the Super Bowl in 2008

Are those championship sullied because the best teams supposedly didn't win the titles? Not by many. Instead, Cinderella is revered.

What if it happened in NASCAR?

Kahne could be a remarkable Cinderella NASCAR champion.

Should Kahne, who is sitting outside a transfer spot in the Contender Round, rally and go on to win the crown, he would likely have the fewest top-five and top-10 finishes since the early days of the sport. Kahne enters Saturday's race at Charlotte with three top-five finishes and 10 top-10 results this season.

Could Kahne truly view himself as a champion if he won the title after a season like this?

Yes.

"To pull that off, we'd have to find a little bit of speed from where we're at, we'd have to put together clean races to beat all those guys and to beat them at Homestead as well, that would be a pretty legit playoff champion,'' Kahne said.

His comment came before last weekend's race at Kansas Speedway where troubles hounded him and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates. Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson join Team Penske's Brad Keselowski outside a transfer spot with two races left in this round.

It's not been an easy run to even get to this point for Kahne. He won at Atlanta to earn a Chase spot - his only top-10 finish in the last nine races. He nearly failed to advance to the Contender Round at Dover, rallying after a loose wheel left him four laps down at one point. Now, he again faces another challenge just to advance after his 22nd-place finish at Kansas.

"I feel like the pressure has kind of been on us each round, and it's going to be again in Talladega, I imagine,'' Kahne said Tuesday at an event promoting Saturday's Charlotte race. "It's just the way it's going to be all the way to the end unless you can pick off a win.

"We just have to be ready for it and try to look at it, enjoy it the best we can and push really hard. So far we've been able to advance, but we haven't really finished any races great yet and we still have been advancing. If we start finishing where we're running, we're going to have a strong, strong shot at it.''

Kahne might not be the only Cinderealla champion.

Busch has one win this season and 13 top-10 finishes. Should he finish in the top 10 in the remaining six races and win the title, he'd be only the third champion since 1972 to have fewer than 20 top-10 finishes, joining Tony Stewart in 2011 (19 top 10s) and Alan Kulwicki in 1992 (17 top 10s). Newman and Kenseth are both looking for their first victory of the season. No NASCAR champion has ever gone winless. Kenseth won the 2003 crown with one victory, the final year before the Chase.

What if he or Newman won the crown without a victory?

It likely wouldn't matter to them. Would it matter to you?

*Turnaround*

Ryan Newman's sixth-place finish at Kansas continues his streak of strong runs and puts him fourth in the points heading into Saturday night's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Newman and crew chief Luke Lambert have combined to score four top-10 finishes in the last six races. It's their best stretch of the season.

The key to the turnaround?

"The engine side has gotten better,'' Newman said. "It was one of our weakest points about midseason and they've worked really hard to play catchup. I feel that we're not going to be best with respect to that going into each and every weekend, but if you tie everythying together in our organization, we can be the best.

"Everybody has done a really good job working with the cars. Me and Luke, we still have not touched on every part of the racecar together. One of the things that comes to mind is our shock program. They've got a unique way of working with shocks at RCR that I'm really not used to.

"It's kind of a global method within the organization. Instead of a team method that I've been used to for the last 15 years. The '3' car might put that shock on. When we put that shock on, it's the same shock. They don't really vary it a whole lot. It's like shoes having in your closest. If I've got the same size as you, I'll put your shoes on. It's just a different way of doing things. We haven't fine-tuned a lot of things this year because I'm getting used to that program.'''

*Changes*

Derrick Finley, competition director for Front Row Motorsports, begins serving as interim crew chief for David Ragan's team this weekend with former crew chief Jay Guy moving to David Gilliland's team.

This weekend marks Slugger Labbe's final weekend as crew chief for Paul Menard. Labbe moves to a role in research and development for Richard Childress Racing. Race engineer Justin Alexander will take over the crew chief duties.

Alexander, 33, started his NASCAR career as a shock specialist at Hendrick Motorsports for the teams of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in 2003. He became the lead engineer on Johnson's team in 2005, moved to an R&D engineer role in 2006 and was the lead engineer for Gordon's team in 2009. He joined Richard Childress Racing in 2009.

*Pit Stops*

Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson tested Tuesday and Martinsville Speedway. Both are scheduled to return to the track Wednesday to complete the team's two-day test.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...f-A-Driver-Won-Title-With-One-Or-No-Wins.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hello, Future: Bayne To Make Roush Fenway Cup Debut At Charlotte​*
en NASCAR showed up at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Roush Fenway Racing announced that Trevor Bayne would join the organization in a full-time Sprint Cup Series entry in 2015.

Headed back Charlotte for this Saturday night's Bank of America 500, Bayne is in the news again -- this time because he's making his Sprint Cup debut with RFR this weekend.

Bayne, who is running the full Nationwide Series schedule for RFR this season in addition to his part-time Cup ride with the Wood Brothers, is listed as driver of the No. 6 RFR Ford on the entry list released by NASCAR for Saturday night's Cup race. Veteran RFR crew chief Bob Osborne will call the shots atop Bayne's pit box at Charlotte.

Bayne, however, is not locked into the field for Saturday night's race and must make the show based on time during Thursday night's three-round qualifying session.

It is not known if Bayne will enter more Cup events for the organization this season, but this one comes as no surprise, since team president Steve Newmark indicated in May that RFR would look to get Bayne in a Cup car before the end of 2014.

Bayne has competed for Roush Fenway in the Nationwide Series in a combination of part-time and full-time roles since late 2010 while racing part time for the Wood Brothers in the Sprint Cup Series since 2011.

Bayne's current Nationwide Series sponsor, AdvoCare, is moving with him to the Sprint Cup Series and will be aboard the No. 6 on Saturday night and for the entire 2015 season.

"I am very excited to be behind the wheel of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion this weekend," said Bayne. "The No. 6 is such a legendary number to both the sport and this company. To be able to say that I am one of a handful of drivers to race this number in the Cup series is a huge honor. I can't wait to get to Charlotte."

The No. 6, campaigned by veteran Mark Martin at RFR from 1988-2006 and later raced by David Ragan, has not been used regularly in the Sprint Cup Series the past few seasons.

It was announced in late July that Martin, whose driving days appear to be over, has rejoined RFR as a driver development coach and will work with Bayne and others next season.

"I'm both excited and humbled to be a part of bringing the No. 6 back to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Bayne in May after being introduced as the team's newest Sprint Cup driver. "And to be able to make that move with AdvoCare makes it that much more special. They are a true partner that aligns with my foundation and core values in every way. I know the history of the No. 6 and what it means to Jack (Roush) and the entire Roush Fenway organization and our goal is to continue to add to its rich legacy in the sport."

Bayne's Cup debut with RFR will come almost four years after becoming the sport's youngest Daytona 500 winner at 20 years and 1 day old. Bayne's victory in the 2011 edition of the sport's biggest race came with the Wood Brothers, in just his second career Sprint Cup start.

Bayne is obviously eager to take the next step in his career, having waited longer than expected for a full-time Sprint Cup Series opportunity following his historic Daytona 500 triumph.

"We've been through a lot of ups-and-downs, but (RFR co-owner Jack Roush) and his organization from day one has said our goal was to get to Sprint Cup," Bayne said in May. "We always wondered when that day was gonna be. There were times when it felt like things were moving really fast and times where we had to really bite down and be patient."

Bayne is one of four RFR drivers entered for Saturday night's race, but will be one of just three RFR Cup drivers next year when Carl Edwards leaves the company for Joe Gibbs Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...way-racing-at-charlotte-motor-speedway-100714


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## Ckg2011

*Seuss Has Sights Set On First Championship​*
Andy Seuss enters Thursday night's Southern Slam 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with two numbers in mind: four, as in securing his fourth race win of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season, and one, as he looks to earn his first Tour championship.

Statistically, Seuss will have some noteworthy figures to share during his championship season, but there will be one number that might possibly outshine all of them: 160,000.

That's the estimated number of miles his mom and dad, Bobbi and Steve Seuss - have traveled to support their son's participation in the tour since his first start in 2006.

Seuss is originally from Hampstead, N.H., and although he lives in North Carolina now full-time, his parents still make the estimated 1,700-mile roundtrip to each race.

"I have never really thought about it but that number is pretty crazy if you think about it for a moment," Seuss said. "I really appreciate the support of my parents and brother, Stevie, and sister Shelly."

Seuss enters Thursday night's season finale with a 17-point advantage over George Brunnhoelzl III and needs to finish 12th or better to win his first NASCAR championship.

Burt Myers, the only two-time winner of the Southern Slam 150, is third in the points but he and Brunnhoelzl both suffered blows to their championship hopes last week with Myers recording a DNF caused by mechanical issues and Brunnhoelzl involved in a late-race accident at Caraway Speedway.

Both drivers will need to win the race and have Seuss finish back in the field to have a chance a securing another title.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regular Ryan Preece returns to the tour for the third time this season. The defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion started from the pole in last year's event at Charlotte.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/seuss-has-sights-set-on-first-championship/


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## Ckg2011

*Letarte Has Unfinished Business At CMS​*
Nobody could ever accuse Steve Letarte of being a late bloomer.

In 1996, when most 16-year-olds were serving up burgers at a local fast food joint, Letarte was already working full time for Hendrick Motorsports. A year later he was a tire specialist, then a mechanic and by 2002, at the ripe old age of 22, he was a car chief.

By 25, Letarte had secured the position of crew chief for four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon. And six races into that job he earned his very first win as a crew chief, at Martinsville Speedway.

Now, in his 20th year with Hendrick Motorsports, Letarte is in the midst of his fourth season as crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is winding down one of his best seasons ever. Letarte, now considered one of the premier crew chiefs in the garage, just may be engineering what would be his - and Earnhardt's - first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship season.

And if that happens, it would also be Letarte's last title because at the end of the season he will make a significant career change, moving into the broadcast booth for NBC Sports, NASCAR's new television partner.

To say the move caught most in the racing world off guard is an understatement. At age 35, Letarte had many great years ahead of him, working for the best team in racing and with NASCAR's most popular driver.

But for him, it just seemed the prime time to make a significant change in his life.

"In my mind, I saw myself doing this for many years," he said. "I've been part of Hendrick since I was 16 and at that time my career was my priority. I guess when you look at it; I've always done things early. I started in racing young, I had kids early, so why not semi-retire from racing and move into a second career?"

With the decision to move into television made, Letarte still has plenty he'd like to achieve before giving up his crew chief duties, and winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship is at the top of the list. But that's no different than any other year.

"The goal, every year, is to win a championship, without a doubt," he said. "I've never won one as a crew chief but I have been part of teams that have won some. That is the peak in any sport, to win the championship.

"Right now, I'm just looking at the next race and I honestly never think ahead."
He has, however, tried to envision what it would feel like to hoist the 2014 champion's trophy.

"To be honest, I can't really fathom it," he said. "I know how exciting it was to win Daytona this year and I think it would be something like that to win a championship, even better I guess. Really though, I can't even dream what it would be like."

He does, however, know what winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway means and how significant it would be for him and Earnhardt to do it at the Bank of America 500. While Earnhardt has won a NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at the 1.5-mile track, he has yet to score a points victory.

"That would be so great," said Letarte. "Charlotte is a unique place. I drive by it every day going to work. There's extra pride in the hometown race and to win this one, because of where it is in the Chase, it could propel you to the championship.

Letarte has won at Charlotte Motor Speedway, grabbing the checkered flag for the October race back in 2007 with Gordon. That memory is still one of his favorites.

"I remember standing in victory lane that there was a huge sense of accomplishment," he said. "I mean, it's the center of the racing community.

There's prestige with Daytona and Indianapolis but we drive by Charlotte Motor Speedway every day and you want to have success there.

"That was seven years ago and I still remember how we won it, all the pit calls we made, the setup in the car. So yeah, it was a special win at a special track."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/letarte-has-unfinished-business-at-cms/


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## Ckg2011

*Sam Hornish Jr. Joins Richard Petty Motorsports For 2015 Season​*
Richard Petty Motorsports made what was widely expected official on Wednesday morning, naming Sam Hornish Jr. driver of RPM's No. 9 Sprint Cup Series car beginning in 2015.

Hornish replaces Marcos Ambrose, who joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2011 but announced last month that he is moving back to his native Australia next year to rejoin the V8 Supercars Championship, where he is a two-time champion.

"I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to be able to join a team like Richard Petty Motorsports," Hornish, who has made at least one Sprint Cup start every year since 2007, said following Wednesday morning's announcement.

"It really means a lot to me. I look at my racing career, and I've been very blessed to work with some icons in motorsports and to have the opportunity to work for 'The King' (Richard Petty) now after coming off of a year where I had a part‑time job working for The Coach (Joe Gibbs) and then 'The Captain' (Roger Penske) in the past.

"I feel like having the opportunity (at RPM) is great for me, and above and beyond, to be able to drive for Richard Petty now is just awesome."

Hornish's agreement with RPM is a multi-year deal. Drew Blickensderfer, the crew chief for Ambrose since late 2012, will remain in his position and serve as crew chief for Hornish.

"Sam is a really good fit for RPM and will be a great addition to the team,"

Richard Petty said. "He's a family man who fits well with our core values, and he will be a great ambassador for our partners. Sam's also proven that he can win races and compete for a championship. He came into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a steep learning curve from open-wheel racing, but has shown in the Nationwide Series that he is a winner. We feel that he can get the No. 9 team to Victory Lane and compete in the Chase for us."

Twisted Tea will be a primary sponsor on Hornish's No. 9 Ford Fusion for a few races, but RPM is still seeking new sponsors to replace DeWalt and Stanley, which are both leaving at the end of the year and joining Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2015 season.

"I think Sam's demeanor fits really well with what we are here at Richard Petty Motorsports, and he's going to be a great addition to our family," said Sammy Johns, Richard Petty Motorsports' director of operations.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ish-jr-joins-richard-petty-motorsports-100814


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Goodyear To Blame For Kansas Speedway Tire Debacle?​*
It's impossible to be perfect, to always get everything right and never fail at all.

To listen to Goodyear officials, the company never, ever comes up short at the race track.

It sure sounded like Goodyear thought it was off the hook on Sunday after a tire problem caused Dale Earnhardt Jr. to hit the wall while leading at Kansas Speedway. Then Brad Keselowski suffered a similar fate, and Kasey Kahne also thought an issue with his tires sent him into the wall.

It dropped all three drivers into the bottom of the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, in serious jeopardy of elimination from the championship race in two weeks.

So what happened? Goodyear director of racing Greg Stucker didn't have a definitive answer during Sunday's race but sure seemed to be pointing the finger at the race teams.

''We're trying to figure out exactly what the issue is with the teams. Obviously, a race like this in the Chase, everybody is kind of up on the wheel and really pushing the envelope,'' said Stucker, who hinted that ''adjustments'' made as the race progressed led to issues that didn't exist during the first green-flag run.

Once again, we are led to believe this was not a Goodyear issue, but a problem with teams pushing the limits of their tires in an effort to capitalize in an important Chase race. Really? In a race where the risk was far greater than any expected reward?

Shame on Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske if they were so aggressive that their drivers are now in danger of not advancing to the third round of the Chase. And poor Kevin Harvick, who took note of his rivals' problems and feared he was next when his car suddenly struggled to turn as he was running third with a shot at the win. Harvick made an unscheduled pit stop - forfeiting any chance at victory - to get the tires off his car before they completely derailed his season.

Only he was wrong, the problem wasn't with his tires, and his paranoia led to an unsatisfying 12th-place finish. But, hey, Harvick got off easy. Kahne finished 22nd, Earnhardt was 39th and Keselowski 36th in a race won by teammate Joey Logano.

Drivers are very careful not to disparage Goodyear, NASCAR's exclusive tire provider. Much ado was made earlier this season when Jimmie Johnson crew chief Chad Knaus sarcastically quipped on the team radio that tire problems at Bristol were surely ''something we did. I'm sure it's our fault.''

It forced Johnson into a meeting with Goodyear officials where the tire manufacturer and the driver privately agreed to disagree on the cause of his failure.

It put Johnson in no mood to be politically correct come New Hampshire in July, when two tire problems in the first 11 laps of the race ended his day.

''I'm expecting people to quickly point back at the team and say it's our fault,'' the six-time and defending NASCAR champion said that day.

Enough is finally enough. Yes, Goodyear must deal with repaved race tracks and changing rules, but it's implausible to believe Goodyear is never to blame (the company did accept fault for the 2008 debacle at Indianapolis).

What's closer to the truth is that Goodyear's tire development, at times, is simply not acceptable for the top motorsports series in the United States.

You'd be hard pressed to remember the last time a Firestone tire failed in an IndyCar race, and the drivers and teams consistently applaud the tiremaker for building strong compounds that everyone firmly believes to be safe.

But in NASCAR, a car slamming into a wall at 190 mph after a tire problem is a weekly occurrence that nobody seems to think is a problem. Why? Because Goodyear is the only player in the game and nobody wants to upset the apple cart.

The time to tip it over is overdue. Everyone understands that Goodyear can't be 100 percent infallible but it's the manufacturer's responsibility to get it right, for the sake of the show, the safety of the competitors and for the championship race currently underway.

Goodyear has zero competition in NASCAR and no rival tiremaker pushing them to be better. That's on NASCAR, which is quite content with one official partner and has no problem protecting the tiremaker by generally agreeing that teams went too far when a tire fails.

It turned Sunday into what Keselowski described as a game of Russian roulette with the tires. The most dominant driver of the first round of the Chase said his Penske team did not have an aggressive setup, did not make in-race adjustments and simply blew a right front tire because ''it was our turn at the gun.'' Earnhardt was a little more transparent when he said the tread on his Goodyear simply ''unwound like a string'' until the tire popped.

The new Chase format that eliminates four drivers every three races exposes Goodyear to scrutiny like never before. One bad tire can wipe out an entire season, and Goodyear better hope it doesn't happen in the season finale.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/is-goodyear-to-blame-for-kansas-tire-problems-100614


----------



## Ckg2011

*What Pressure? Rookie Larson Just Happy To Be Hunting Wins​*
*L*ooking for a driver capable of stealing some thunder from those in the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the final six races?

No need to look very far.

He has a clear target -- both literally and figuratively.

That driver, of course, is rookie standout Kyle Larson, who drives the No. 42 Target-sponsored Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing and is targeting his first career victory in the Sprint Cup Series.

After entering NASCAR's top division as a hot commodity, Larson has seen his stock grow even more this season and particularly since the Chase began on Sept. 14 at Chicagoland Speedway.

In that race, Larson, who missed the Chase but was in the hunt for a playoff slot right through the final event of the regular season, finished an impressive third after leading 20 laps and waging a fierce battle for the lead with Kevin Harvick in the closing laps.

In the three races that have followed, Larson has finished second at New Hamshire, sixth at Dover and second last Sunday at Kansas. And, oh yeah, Larson finished runner-up in March at Auto Club Speedway, too. That's better than most of the drivers in the Chase. And it's especially not bad for a 22-year-old rookie who had made a grand total of four Sprint Cup Series starts before this season.

Larson, though, isn't content just continuing to run up front. He wants to take home a trophy.

Saturday night's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of at least three races on tap before year's end where Larson feels he has at least a decent chance to leave with the hardware.

"Which race do I think I'll get my first win at? I think any mile-€'and-a-€'half that's left in the schedule, so Charlotte, Texas or Homestead probably are the three where I'll have the best shot," Larson said on this week's NASCAR teleconference.

"I hope I can get a win at any of these next coming tracks, but I'd say those are the highest chances for me to win. I'll go into those races with extra confidence and hopefully get it done. Hopefully, I can close one of these races out."

While Larson is understandably hungry for his first win in NASCAR's top series, the youngster can only be so disappointed when he considers how strong his cars have been in recent outings.

"It is a little bit frustrating to come that close and not get wins, but it's also nice to see yourself running in the top three with everybody that's in the Cup field," said Larson, the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate to score a full-time ride in NASCAR's top series. "It's amazingly tough. It's really exciting but a little bit frustrating at the same time, but I still definitely leave in a good mood.

"It would be kind of weird to leave the racetrack in a bad mood for finishing second."

Plus, even if Larson doesn't go to Victory Lane as a rookie, he's already done more than he expected.

What pressure? Rookie Larson just happy to be hunting wins

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...n-just-happy-to-be-contending-for-wins-100814


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Wins Coors Light Pole At Charlotte​*
Lining up second to Busch is Chase contender Gordon. Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Qualifying Award at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday for Saturday's Bank of America 500.

This is the Chase contender's third pole of 2014 and his second at the North Carolina track.

Lining up second to Busch on the front row on Saturday will be Chase competitor Jeff Gordon.

Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman round out the top-five starters.

Stewart, Paul Menard, Brian Vickers, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle were the only non-Chase drivers in the final round of qualifying.

Kurt Busch set a record for fastest speed on a 1.5-mile track at 198.771 mph in the second round. The SHR driver eventually qualified 11th.

Chase drivers that did not advance to the final round were Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

Tune in on Saturday, Oct. 11 as the Sprint Cup Series takes the track for the second race of the Chase Contender Round at 7:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ABC.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...qualifying-award-charlotte-recap-results.html


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## Ckg2011

*Pressure On For Chase Drivers Needing A Win​*
They've combined to win more than a third of the races this season, collected seven of the past eight championships and might not advance to the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

After issues last weekend, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. need to win either Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway or next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway ... or hope that somehow enough bad luck befalls their counterparts to advance to the Eliminator Round.

Johnson is 27 points out of the final transfer spot - held by Jeff Gordon - with Earnhardt 25 points back and Keselowski 22 points behind Gordon. Kasey Kahne is the fourth driver outside a transfer spot. He's eight points behind Gordon.

"I can't worry about them,'' Earnhardt said Thursday of former champions Johnson and Keselowski. "I can't say what are my odds and what are Jimmie's and what are Brad's. I just have to go try to win this race. I know that is what they have to do. I've got to just kind of throw them into the mix with every other driver out there because it's really not a matter of who is going to climb out of the hole. It's just who is going to show up Saturday night and win the race.

"You can't really go into Talladega with the same confidence because it's such a lottery there on how in the hell you are going to finish. I want to make it happen now. I feel like I've got a better chance today, this week than I do in Talladega even with the success we've had there.''

Tire problems plagued Earnhardt and Keselowski last weekend at Kansas, while Johnson crashed after being hit from behind by Greg Biffle, putting each into this situation.

Johnson, though, has not had the look of a title contender lately. He's failed to lead to lead a lap in the last seven races. He's led only 27 laps in the last 14 races, dating back to June.

"We are just not where we want to be,'' Johnson said. "Bottom line. We're working very hard to get there. This sport is not forgiving. What you have accomplished in the past doesn't buy you a (darn) thing for the present.

"You have to go out there and earn it, and make the most of it. We've been a third- to fifth-place car, and we can finish there and run there, but we haven't been a dominant car.''

The benefit for Johnson, Earnhardt, Kahne and Keselowski is that Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske have combined to win every race on a 1.5-mile track - which Charlotte Motor Speedway is - this season. Penske has five wins and Hendrick has three wins.

"I know we can find that last stone and flip it over where the speed is at and what's holding us up,'' said Johnson, who has four top-five finishes in the last seven races. "We're eagerly waiting for that moment in time to happen.''

Keselowski's teammate, Joey Logano, kept that 1.5-mile streak going by winning last weekend at Kansas. So how can he help Keselowski this weekend?

"We're going to do what we normally do,'' Logano said. "We normally go out there and try to help each other. As a two-car team, we've got to work very tight together to make sure both our cars are fast. I feel like that's something we applied to Team Penske a long time ago.''

Logano knows that it won't be as easy during the race.

"There's only so much you can do on the race track to help your teammate,'' said Logano, who is tied with Keselowski with a series-high five wins. "My goal is still to win. I might be greedy, but I want to win.''

For all the pressure this weekend presents, Earnhardt says he's ready for the challenge.

"I have been winless at Charlotte in a points-paying race since I started my career, so it's bound to happen sooner or later,'' he said of winning. "I always win at the weirdest times in the oddest circumstances. So I feel like everything is lining up and feel real good about this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Trio-In-Trouble-Heading-To-Charlotte.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dillon Looks To Close The Gap​*
Ty Dillon has finished in the top 10 in the last eight races on 1.5-mile tracks and with three of those left on the schedule, he's looking to close the gap in the Nationwide Series points race.

The Richard Childress Racing driver enters Friday night's Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina trailing leader Chase Elliott by 40 points. Thanks to a couple strong runs in the last two 1.5-mile races, at Kentucky Speedway and Kansas Speedway, Dillon feels good heading to CMS.

"We were able to run up front a little bit, around the top five, and had a strong balance the entire day," Dillon said after his fifth-place run last week in Kansas City. "We just made a few small mistakes, which were the difference, but we had a good points day overall."

Points have come this year after runs like the one in Kansas - to the tune of 22 top 10s and six top-five finishes. Dillon's attention now shifts to his "home track" in Charlotte, where he'll make his second career Nationwide Series start. He has two top-10 showings there in the Camping World Truck Series and feels that experience - in addition to the prowess of the RCR organization in the closing stages of the season - will add up to a solid night come Friday.

"It plays to our advantage," said Dillon, who started his racing career in Charlotte as a Bandolero and Legends driver. "Our 1.5-mile program has been stellar this entire season. We've been able to knock off some top-five finishes, our teammate Brendan (Gaughan) got a victory in Kentucky and we're confident in our program."

Gaughan, who has a pair of wins this year, concurs.

"Tracks like Charlotte are the ones I'm looking forward to returning to," said Gaughan, whose most recent win came last month in Kentucky.

Charlotte, Texas and Homestead are all 1.5-mile tracks that remain on the 2014 schedule. Dillon believes that if his team continues to run as it has in recent weeks, his first career win may be right around the corner ... as well as a late surge to tighten the points battle.

"If we stay focused on what we've been doing these past few weeks, a win is inevitable," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/10/Dillon-Looks-to-Close-the-Gap.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Wins At Charlotte​*
Brad Keselowski shot past a youngster to tie a Hall of Famer.

Keselowski passed teammate Ryan Blaney for the lead with 14 laps to go Friday to score his 31st career NASCAR Nationwide victory, tying Hall of Famer Jack Ingram for fifth on the all-time series wins list.

That was only part of an adventuresome race for Keselowski and the rest of the field.

He had a tire go down and hit the wall a quarter of the way through the race. He wasn't the only one to have tire problems. The race also featured an 11-car crash at the start, saw Chase Elliott extend his points lead when his closest competitors had problems, and Kyle Larson pull off a thrilling four-wide pass on a restart.

Keselowski earned his fourth victory of the season despite his early struggles.

"It was a night of adversity,'' he said.

With other drivers having tire issues early in the race, could it occur in Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway? If so, then what?

"The only thing I know to prevent the tire issues is to slow down,'' Keselowski said. "That doesn't seem like a very good plan. That's very frustrating and makes you feel like you're backed into a corner. We're all racers. We want to go as fast as we can.''

With the potential of rain before Saturday night's race, Cup drivers could face a track washed of all the rubber collected from the past two days.

"The margins are so small that anything could trip it off, to cause a whole sequence of issues,'' Keselowski said of the tires. "The margins are too small. It's just a reality.''

Kyle Busch placed second in Friday's race with Matt Kenseth third. Blaney finished fourth and Larson completed the top five. Elliott finished eighth. He has a 42-point lead on JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith - the largest lead of the season - with three races left.

Ty Dillon, who entered the race third in the points, had a tire problem early and then was involved in a six-car crash after he made it four-wide. He finished 30th and fell to fifth in points.

"I get the wave around ... and it's hard with these guys that are four and five laps down that start eighth and ninth - they can't get out of the way quick enough,'' Dillon said. "We're not in a position where I can just be patient and lose 10 spots because a guy is holding up a line. I'm going to be a guy who pushes the limits no matter what. Pushed a little far tonight.''

Eric McClure, among those in the crash, later tweeted: "If it makes those guys feel better to blame me ... that's cool. But we are racing, too. Always race respectful and we normally aren't in those positions but you'll have that at times.''

Smith also had his problems. He cut left rear tire at the start of the race that dropped him back in the field after starting 22nd. Then he fought his car's handling. He finished 11th.

Larson had the move of the race late, charging to a top-five finish with his four-wide move.

"We had a really bad pit stop, I think we went in fourth and came out 12th,'' Larson said. "I was really frustrated. I knew a lot of the guys were on two tires in front of me and they wouldn't go all the way to the wall, so I just tried to go where they weren't. It was pretty fun from my seat. I can't wait to go watch it on TV.''

The race started with an 11-car accident triggered when cars got jumbled coming to the green flag. Jeffrey Earnhardt, JJ Yeley, Will Kimmel, Tanner Berryhill and Matt DiBenedetto were eliminated in the incident.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-at-Charlotte.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Videos: Driver For The Cure 300​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Advances With Charlotte Win​*
Kevin Harvick moved on to the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with his win in Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Harvick survived a late restart with two laps to go and held on to win his third race of the season and an automatic transfer into the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

"Oh, we came here and tested thinking that this was going to be the hardest round to get through because of Talladega," Harvick said. "There's so much that you can't control there. We wanted to try to control the things that we could control.

"We felt like Kansas and here (Charlotte) were playing to our strengths; and just see where it fell after that once we get to the next round. So I'm really proud of everybody at SHR. I'm really proud of all my guys on this team. I just can't thank everybody enough."

Harvick led six times for a total of 162 laps including the final 17.

Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and pole sitter Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

"I'm really proud of that finish, really proud of that effort," Gordon said. " ... Kevin was tough. I knew he was going to be tough once he got out there."

Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne completed the first ten finishers.

The Sprint Cup Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway next Sunday for the GEICO 500.

Heading into Talladega, the four drivers outside the top eight transfer spots are Kenseth (-1), Keselowski (-19), Johnson (-26) and Earnhardt (-26).

How Harvick won: Harvick once again had a fast car and ran near the front of the field most of the night. He was able to survive a pit road miscue when an air gun malfunction happened on lap 97. But after that hiccup, Harvick got back to the lead group and held off the pack on the final restart to score his first win since Darlington in April.

What else happened: The race had nothing on what happened after the checkered flag flew. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski battled and made contact on the final lap several times, an altercation that boiled over on the cool down lap. Keselowski tried to spin Hamlin and then he hit Matt Kenseth on pit road. That triggered Tony Stewart to back into Keselowski and then the fireworks spilled into the garage when Kenseth ran from behind to grab Keselowski sparking crewmembers to also get into the pushing and shoving act.

Who else had a good day: Gordon had his four top-two finish in his last six races&#8230;..McMurray notched his fifth top-five performance of 2014 while his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Larson finished in the top-six for the fifth straight race&#8230;.Kyle Busch has finished in the top 10 in all five Chase races.

Who had a bad day: Dale Earnhardt Jr. battled a broken shifter and finished 20th&#8230;..Jimmie Johnson struggled again and was credited with a 17th&#8230;.Paul Menard blew an engine to finish 42nd in crew chief Slugger Labbe's final race as crew chief&#8230;.Brian Vickers also suffered a blown engine&#8230;.Danica Patrick was running in the top 10 until Joey Logano made contact and sent her into the wall and to a 22nd-place finish

Quote of the day: "Obviously there's some built up animosity towards Brad. I better hold the rest of my thoughts," Jeff Gordon

Notables: Keselowski was sixth on the final restart but wound up 16th in the final standings&#8230;.Rookies Austin Dillon and Justin Allgaier were 13th and 15th, respectively&#8230;.Martin Truex Jr. followed his top-five finish last week in Kansas 14th Saturday night.

*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6468&YearID=43&StatType=Race+Results











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/10/Charlotte-Win-for-Harvick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr Looks Toward Talladega​*
It's pretty simple for Dale Earnhardt Jr. If he doesn't win next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, his chances for the championship likely will be over.

A broken gear shift handle and ill-handling car conspired against Earnhardt on Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished 20th - worst among the remaining Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers.

Earnhardt heads to Talladega 26 points out of the final transfer spot. Even with Talladega's potential to cause problems for many drivers, that gap could be too much for Earnhardt to overcome. Thus, his only chance to advance to the Eliminator Round could be to win.

"We can do it,'' Earnhardt said after exiting his car Saturday. "We have won there a lot of time.''

While Earnhardt has five wins at Talladega, he last won there a decade ago.

"I know what we need to do,'' Earnhardt said. "We will just have to build a fast car and hope that we don't have any gremlins and try to go out there and win it.''

Earnhardt's race began to unravel when his gear shift handle broke in the car - a problem teammate Jimmie Johnson had at Michigan in August.

"The vibration broke the shifter in half and it just wasn't a good night,'' Earnhardt said. "The car just wasn't handling well and the vibration was really giving us a lot of problems. We had it in practice, but we still couldn't fix it. So, I don't know."

Earnhardt was ninth at the time of the issue. He pitted on Lap 138 before pit road was open and couldn't get it repaired. Two more stops during that caution period didn't solve the issue. Earnhardt had to restart at the tail end of the field for pitting too soon and speeding on pit road. That put him 23rd.

Shortly after the restart, he told Letarte: "Really weird driving. Real loose feeling.''

"The vibration issue was causing a lot of balance issues, and grip issues,'' Earnhardt said after the race. "But, we had a good enough car to run in the top 10. This isn't what we need to do. I don't know. We've had some phantom vibrations throughout the year and not really had those until the last year and a half, or two years. So it is hard to say.''

Earnhardt fell a lap down after a cycle of green-flag pit stops around Lap 190. He finished a lap down.

Now, it's on to Talladega and Earnhardt knows what he has to do.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Focused-on-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tempers Flare After Charlotte Race​*
Matt Kenseth tried to tackle Brad Keselowski in the garage, upset about contact between the two after Saturday night's race.

It was one of two incidents involving Keselowski after the race. Denny Hamlin, who finished ninth, threw a towel at Keselowski in disgust for their on-track incident.

"He's just out of control,'' Hamlin said of Keselowski. "He's desperate.''

Keselowski called it "car wars" with the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers and said "those guys can dish it out, but they can't take it.''

Keselowski and Kenseth made contact on a late restart that put Kenseth into the wall. Keselowski, who finished 16th, said Kenseth later retaliated.

"When the last yellow came out, he got the wave around and when he came by, he swung by my car and tore the whole right front off of it,'' Keselowski said of Kenseth. "We restarted fifth with no right front on it and fell back to 16th and ruined our day.

"For some reason after the race, (Hamlin) stopped in front of me and tried to pick a fight. I don't know what that was about. He swung and hit at my car. I figure if we're going to play car wars under the yellow and after the race, I'm going to play, too. Those guys can dish it out, but they can't take it. I gave it back to them and they want to fight.''

Kenseth was upset after the race when he said on his radio that Keselowski hit his car on the cool-down lap.

"(Keselowski) wrecked (Hamlin) and then he just wrecked me,'' Kenseth radioed his crew after the race.

Kenseth, who finished 19th, responded by running toward Keselowski in the garage and knocking him into the side of a hauler. Team members joined the scrum. ESPN's cameras caught the scuffle and Keselowski could be heard yelling "You hit me under yellow!" repeatedly as Kenseth was pulled away by Keselowski's crew chief Paul Wolfe.

"I had my HANS off and my seat belts off and everything,'' Kenseth said afterward. "(Keselowski) clobbered me at 50 (mph). If you want to talk about it as a man, try do that, but to try and wreck someone on the race track, come down pit road with other cars and people standing around with seat belts off and drive in the side of me. It's inexcusable. He is a champion. He is supposed to know better than that. It's just - I don't know. I don't have anything else to say.''

Said race winner Kevin Harvick: "When you see Matt Kenseth mad enough to fight, you know that this is intense because that's way out of character for him.''

NASCAR called Keselowski into the hauler after the race. Jesse Sanders, a member of Kenseth's team, who was involved in the fight, also went to the hauler. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff accompanied Sanders as a representative of the team.

Hamlin admitted he brake-checked Keselowski on the cool-down lap. Tensions escalated in the garage afterward.

Asked what is likely to happen next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway in the final race of the Contender Round, Hamlin said of Keselowski: "My guess is he'll probably try to wreck everyone because it's his only shot. So he'll just be out of control like normal.''
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/10/Tempers-Flare-After-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Imagine What's Next​*
Saturday's Bank of America 500 was less a race than a study of the human psyche.

With title favorites feeling the pressure to climb into a transfer spot for the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, emotions boiled on the radio, the track and in the garage.

"It's only going to intensify from here on out,'' Jeff Gordon said.

And it's only halfway through the Chase.

Imagine what's next.

Never have drivers faced this type of format to win the championship with eliminations after three races and the points resetting. One bad finish increases the pressure to win to advance.

Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kasey Kahne felt that heat entering Saturday's race because they were all outside a transfer spot - with one more race before the Chase field of 12 is trimmed to eight.

Kahne moved into eighth by one point on Matt Kenseth, while Keselowski, Johnson and Earnhardt remain at the bottom of the standings.

The frustration for many was evident throughout the event.

Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus sounded on the radio at one point as if they might need another milk-and-cookies meeting.

Keselowski and Kenseth played bumper cars during and after the race. Denny Hamlin joined them.

When Keselowski ricocheted off Kenseth's car into Tony Stewart's on pit road, the situation devolved into a county fair demolition derby. Stewart smoked his tires as he backed into Keselowski's car in retaliation.

"It's inexcusable,'' Kenseth said of Keselowski's actions on pit road. "He is a champion. He is supposed to know better.''

The hits kept coming for Keselowski. Hamlin was restrained from going after Keselowski in the garage, but no one stopped Kenseth from trying to tackle Keselowski.

A Green Bay Packers fan, Kesneth pursued like a linebacker but his tackling form was not textbook. He went too high. Kenseth only knocked Keselowski against the side of a hauler before Keselowski's crew chief, Paul Wolfe, pulled him away.

"He's just out of control,'' Hamlin said of Keselowski.

Keselowski retorted: "Those guys can dish it out, but they can't take it. I gave it back to them and they want to fight.''

And before all of that, there nearly was Danica Patrick vs. Joey Logano. Patrick talked on the radio about retaliating against Logano - who advanced to the Eliminator Round based on his Kansas win last week - for his contact causing her to wreck.

It'd be easy to say it was all a typical Saturday night ... but it's doubtful most local short tracks have this much chaos most nights.

And now Talladega is next where four title contenders will be eliminated.

"It's going to be so crazy with everybody in the offensive frame of mind like everybody was tonight that they might have to move the seats back a few rows,'' said race winner Kevin Harvick. "It'll be one hell of a race to watch.''

Then comes Martinsville, a good chance to exact revenge.

As the intensity builds in the Chase, the tempers will flare, fenders will bend and title hopes will break. What happened Saturday and how drivers responded could only be the beginning.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Was-Charlotte-The-Start-Of-Something-Big.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick On Charlotte Post-Race Fracas: NASCAR Loves It​*
*C*oncord North Carolina As Kevin Harvick was doing celebratory burnouts after winning Saturday night's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a more riveting post-race activity was taking place behind him.

After a hard-fought night on the track, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin tried to fight Brad Keselowski off the track. Contact after the race on the race track and on pit road led to fisticuffs and emotions typically not seen from the likes of Kenseth.

Yet after the race, opinions differed among their fellow competitors on what was to blame for the post-race excitement.

Race runner-up Jeff Gordon pointed to Keselowski and his past run-ins with Hamlin and Kenseth, while race winner Kevin Harvick explained the new Chase format has made things so intense, this is the result

"He must have been pretty mad. I think Matt is a pretty calm and collected guy," said Gordon. "Over the years he and I have had our incidents but that was because I was mad. I don't think he was mad at me.

I can't remember.

I wrecked him one time and I don't remember him being mad at me that much.

And he's never come and tried to put a headlock on me. We usually talk it out.

"Obviously there was some built-up animosity towards Brad," he said. "I'd better hold the rest of my thoughts back to myself."

While NASCAR was collecting information and sorting out details for potential penalties, Harvick explained he was behind the initial contact between Keselowski and Kenseth on the restart with 70 laps to go.

"When you see Matt Kenseth mad enough to fight, you know that this is intense because that's way out of character for him," said Harvick. "But I was right behind that moment and lost two or three spots going into Turn 1, as well, when Brad basically took a right and shoved him into the fence."

But Harvick said there was more to the emotion than just hard racing amongst competitors.

"I think that every moment matters in this Chase, and Matt Kenseth knew that that one particular moment could have been the end of his Chase," he said.

"That's the bottom line. That's how intense this whole Chase is. I didn't see what happened between the 2 (Keselowski) and the 11 (Denny Hamlin), but I saw the 2 hang a right and just stuff the 20 in the fence, and we all checked up, and the 20 hit the fence and I have no idea where he finished."

With eliminations potentially ending your title hopes every three races, Harvick believes the new Chase format is creating more intensity on -- and off --€" the track.

"When you see that emotion out of Matt Kenseth, you know that NASCAR has done the right thing to this Chase because everybody is on offense and gouging for every single position that you can get every lap," he said.

Now, does Harvick think NASCAR will take away points from any of those involved in the post-race incidents?

"You're crazy. They love it," he said of the sanctioning body. "They were fighting afterwards. That's what it's all about. No way. In the car you make a decision, you see somebody coming, you block him, you shove him in the fence and you try to -- you suffer the circumstances as you go forward. You know, I would say if the 2 goes forward, 20 wrecks him, no doubt."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...lotte-post-race-fracas-nascar-loves-it-101214


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## Ckg2011

*Toyota Reveals 2015 Camry​*
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and TRD, U.S.A. today introduced the new 2015 Toyota Camry racecar that will compete in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition beginning next season.

With the announcement of the 2015 Camry race car, Toyota becomes the first manufacturer in the series to update the NASCAR 'Gen-6' model -- which was initially introduced in 2012 for competition beginning during the 2013 season. In addition, a redesigned Camry will also be used in next year's NASCAR Xfinity Series, currently the Nationwide Series.

The 2015 Camry racecar marks the culmination of a redesign to provide the vehicle with a more unique identity -- and a look similar to the 2015 production Camry that was introduced earlier this year. TRD worked together with Calty Design, part of Toyota's global network design team, to update the on-track Camry and incorporate design elements from the new 2015 production Camry into the racecar.

"We're thrilled to finally be able to show off our new 2015 Camry race car -- becoming the first manufacturer to update the 'Gen-6' model that was introduced before the start of the 2013 season," said Ed Laukes, TMS vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience. "We anticipate that fans will appreciate the development behind this bold Camry design -- both on the race track and the showroom floor. Fans will have the chance to get an up close look at our new 2015 Camry in our NASCAR activation and fan engagement activities."

The boldest change to the new 2015 NSCS Camry is the aggressive front end and grill area, which looks exactly like its production counterpart. In addition, the new Camry boasts an all new, sleek hood and nose, along with a new tail of the car. A distinct change in the quarter windows also adds to the sleeker look.

"A lot of hard work has gone into redesigning the 2015 Camry race car for NASCAR competition," said David Wilson, TRD's president and general manager. "It was a challenging process balancing performance and design, but working closely with Calty Design, NASCAR and our race team partners, we were able to develop a racecar that looks similar to its production counterpart -- and provide a performance upgrade on the race track."

For 12 straight years, and 16 of the past 17 years, the Camry has been the best-selling car in America. Built at Toyota manufacturing facilities in Georgetown, Ky. and Lafayette, Ind., the Camry has been named the 'Most American Car' by Cars.com's American-Made Index for four consecutive years.

In an effort to create more distinct and stock vehicles for the race track, NASCAR worked together with the three series manufacturers prior to the 2013 season to determine what areas were either 'locked in' or 'open' for unique design. NASCAR along with the manufacturers have also worked together to allow for updates to each manufacturer's design -- with Toyota being the first manufacturer to work through that update process.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/Toyota-Reveals-2015-Camry-Racecar.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ganassi Duo Continues Roll​*
Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray are ending the season in impressive fashion.

The duo turned in top-10 finishes in Saturday night's Bank of America 500 and were the only two non-Chase drivers to come home inside the first 10.

McMurray started the night from the 18th spot but worked his way to the front of the field in short order. While he was only able to lead one lap, McMurray followed race winner Kevin Harvick and runner-up Jeff Gordon across the finish line for third. It was McMurray's best performance of the season.

"We've been good all year," said McMurray, who won the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte back in May. "I don't know that we've put the finishes together, but our McDonald's Monopoly Chevy was really good tonight. I looked up at one point and I was in second and Kyle was catching me in third.

"I give a lot of credit to all the guys in the shop and the engine department and everything that goes into getting our cars here. We struggled in practice but they did a great job of putting the right set-up in it and then adjusting all night long. It was a good night for the whole group."

Larson notched a sixth-place finish on Saturday and has put together a string of five straight top-10 runs. The rookie has 16 top-10 efforts to his credit, the same number as Chase contenders Harvick and Brad Keselowski.

"I thought we had a good night, and the Target Chevy was really good," Larson said after Saturday night's race. "All weekend I was really confident with my car, and thought we were going to be fast, even though we didn't show a lot of speed in practice. After the top lane opened up, I was able to get to the front and lead a few laps before I got into the wall and damaged the car a bit, which affected the handling.

"Even though we lost some spots, we got lucky with the late caution and I was able to pick up some spots at the end to get the sixth-place finish. These recent races just go to show what a great job the team is doing at the track and at the shop."

There are five races left on the schedule and Larson appears closer than ever to scoring his first career Sprint Cup Series win. Although the expectations have risen considerably since he started his freshman campaign in Daytona, Larson is taking everything in stride and trying not to put any extra pressure on himself as the season winds down.

"It feels great," he said. "I get asked the question every week if this is the weekend you're going to get the win, and I don't know the answer to that ever, but I hope the win is coming soon."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/10/Ganassi-Duo-Continues-Roll.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Video Catches Brad Keselowski's Garage Burnout After Charlotte Race​*
Much of the post-race excitement after Saturday night's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was caught on camera as Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart tangled with Brad Keselowski on the cool down lap after the race.

However, one thing many cameras missed was Keselowski and Hamlin driving through the NASCAR garage area as crew members, officials, media and fans scurried around. Yet camera crews were on hand in the Sprint Cup garage and were able to capture the potentially dangerous situation.

After their incident on the track, Hamlin followed Keselowski into the garage, but instead of driving around the stalls to his hauler, Keselowski drove his No. 2 Ford through the garage stalls with Hamlin in hot pursuit.

Despite crew members and NASCAR officials very close to the cars, Keselowski lit up the tires and did a small burnout through the garage stalls, leaving tire marks behind -- something NASCAR officials Robin Pemberton and John Darby reportedly took pictures of after their meeting with Keselowski.go

Any fines or penalties stemming from Saturday night's post-race incidents are expected to be released early this week, as NASCAR continues to gather data, video and information about the incident.

"As always, we'll look at everything and we'll continue to gather the facts and the tapes, the video and things of that nature," Pemberton said after the incident. "We'll tall to other people that were around.

We'll work on that and more than likely we'll come up with something on Tuesday."

*Link to watch video.* 
http://www.foxsports.com/video?vid=341411907789

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-s-garage-burnout-after-charlotte-race-101314


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## Ckg2011

*'It's Dega. Stuff Happens.'​*
The wording is different from driver to driver, but the sentiment is the same. Sometimes, the words are accompanied by a shoulder shrug. Other times, it is a head shake or roll of the eyes.

"It's Dega,'' Jimmie Johnson said in May after he was collected in a 14-car crash there. "Stuff happens.''

That phrase - or something like it - hangs over the track like the smell of burning firewood from the hundreds of campsites. Many drivers likely will repeat Johnson's refrain or something similar this weekend.

Rarely has a Talladega race been so anticipated. It has been discussed, debated and dissected since January when NASCAR announced the new Chase format and Talladega would be a race where the field of title contenders would be thinned.

Among those who might be cut include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Johnson and combatants Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski, who tangled on the track and off last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"I think Talladega is going to be pretty crazy,'' said Earnhardt, who is last among the 12 remaining Chase drivers and most likely needs to win to advance to the Eliminator Round.

"I expect guys are going to have to take some pretty big chances to continue to move on.''

Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick will have no such worries. Their wins in the Contender Round move them to NASCAR's version of the Elite Eight.

Harvick joked after his win at Charlotte that he would park his car and watch the action at Talladega.

"It's going to be crazy, offensive racing,'' Harvick said. "It's going to be fun to watch.''

Kasey Kahne enters holding the final transfer spot by one point on Kenseth. Keselowski trails Kahne by 19 points with Johnson and Earnhardt each 26 points back.

Kahne had to fight his way into this round at Dover, the first race that cut the Chase field. He beat AJ Allmendinger for the final transfer spot there by two points.

Common sense might suggest that Kahne and others run toward the back to avoid being collected in a crash early in the race, but Kahne admits that might not be his best strategy.

"(The) best luck that I've had at restrictor-plate tracks is just racing and racing all day,'' said Kahne, who was eighth there in May. "I've waited in the back before and never made it back to the front. I don't think I'm going to be making these decisions. It will be more of a team/company type deal that we look at and just try to see what is best for all of us."

Kenseth could be among those running toward the front. He has the best average running position and second-best driver rating at Talladega in the series. Kenseth has run nearly two-thirds of the laps at Talladega in the top 15 in the last 19 races there.

One driver who could face a challenge is Ryan Newman. He's finished 30th or worse in five of the last 10 Talladega races. He has a 21-point advantage on Kenseth.

A driver who would seem to have an advantage this weekend is Denny Hamlin. He won at Talladega in May and has not finished worse than sixth in a restrictor-plate race this season.

Hamlin says he doesn't have an advantage, though.

"Any superspeedway accomplishment or bad finishes that you've had at superspeedways in the past really doesn't apply,'' said Hamlin, who is 17 points ahead of Kenseth. "Short of this year where we haven't finished worse than (sixth) in any superspeedway race, we went through eight years of my career finishing about 20th in every one.

"So it's just law of averages. It all catches up to you eventually. It will be interesting to see how Talladega plays out from the guys that have a good lead going into the last race, whether they're going to maybe try to hang back. Then you'll have a group that's going to want to be aggressive and lead laps, so it will be very interesting to see how the final Chase cutoff race for this round plays out.''

And what drivers might be saying after it is finished.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ths-Of-Discussion-Talladega-Week-Is-Here.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Talladega Revives Frustration Kenseth Had For Keselowski​*
His actions during and after Saturday night's race questioned, Brad Keselowski heads to Talladega Superspeedway seeking a win to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The last time the series raced there in May, competitors - including Matt Kenseth - criticized Keselowski's driving.

That adds a layer to a situation that turned physical Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway when Kenseth tried to tackle Keselowski after the race. Keseneth was upset with Keselowski for hitting his car on pit road after the checkered flag. That followed contact between the two during a late-race restart and a retaliation from Kenseth during a caution.

Kenseth's teammate, Denny Hamlin, also was upset with Keselowski. Hamlin had to be restrained in the garage after an incident on the final restart and contact after the race.

NASCAR is investigating the post-race incidents.

Keselowski is 10th in the standings, 19 points behind Kasey Kahne for the final transfer spot to the Eliminator Round. The Chase field will be cut from 12 to eight drivers after the Talladega race.

Hamlin was asked what he expected from Keselowski this weekend at Talladega:

"My guess is that he will probably try to wreck everyone - that's his only shot,'' Hamlin said. "He'll just be out of control like normal."

That's how some drivers felt Keselowski raced at Talladega in May. Keselowski spun after contact with Danica Patrick 15 laps into that race. Keselowski lost six laps as his team made repairs.

When Keselowski returned, he ran near the front of the field at times before he was involved in a crash that involved 13 other cars, including Kenseth.

"He was driving really, really, really aggressively to get back up there,'' Kenseth said of Keselowski that day. "I don't know what his strategy was, but he just lost control of his car in front of the field and when that happens it always collects a bunch of them.

Asked if he was bitter with the way Keselowski was racing, Kenseth said: "If it was the other way around and it was anybody else except for him, we'd all be getting lectured.''

Jeff Gordon also was critical of how Keselowski raced at Talladega at May.

"I had seen him for several laps driving over his head being pretty aggressive,'' Gordon said that day.

Jimmie Johnson also was collected in the crash.

"I wasn't so thrilled that a car six laps down crashed the field, that aspect of it,'' Johnson said that day. "But I get it. You're trying to get your laps back. But I didn't have any big run-in with him except for unfortunately being caught up in that wreck."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Kenseth-Had-For-Brad-Keselowski-In-May.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Needing a Win, Earnhardt Jr Gears Up For 'Dega​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been fast for the past two races in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup, but Lady Luck has avoided him on both occasions.

Earnhardt Jr led 45 laps at Kansas Speedway before a blown tire sent Earnhardt Jr's No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet SS into the wall. The 39th-place finish Earnhardt had could very well have been avoided were it not for the unexpected tire failure. He had speed in Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, too.

The Mooresville, N.C. driver led three times for four laps and spent most of the early going in the top five before a broken shifter doomed Earnhardt's chances of a good finish. He lost first and second gear for a large portion of the race when the shifter broke due to a vibration. Earnhardt wasn't able to regain track position and wound up 20th.

As a result, the task is simple for Earnhardt Jr's No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team when the Sprint Cup tour heads to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Sunday: Win the GEICO 500, and he's still in the Chase. Anything less and his title hopes will likely end in the Contender round.

Earnhardt Jr's three wins this season make this year his best ever at Hendrick Motorsports, so elimination in the second round of the Chase would be a surprise. His second career Daytona 500 victory and a season sweep at Pocono Raceway gave Earnhardt plenty of optimism entering the Chase.

He's still been fast, but misfortunes have plagued his team for nearly two months. Earnhardt had 11 top-fives - the most he's ever had in a season since joining Hendrick in 2008 - and 16 top-10s in the first 23 races of the season.

Since then, a mixture of bad luck and missed opportunities left Earnhardt with only one top-10 finish - at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September - and four top-15s in his last eight starts.

It's not been for a lack of effort, Earnhardt said at Charlotte. With the 40-year-old driver's focus heading to Talladega - where his five wins rank third in track history - all eyes will be on taking the checkered flag first.

Steve Letarte, Earnhardt Jr's crew chief since the beginning of the 2011 season, also has added incentive to win at Talladega. In addition to extending the team's stay in the Chase, Letarte is retiring from the pit box after this season to join NBC Sports as an announcer. This is his final shot at a title.

The two worked well on Saturday to diagnose Earnhardt's gearshift issues. While the results haven't been there in recent weeks, Letarte said his communication with Earnhardt is very strong and the team is upbeat.

"That helps us understand goals and it helps us go through the battles in the races," he said.

Earnhardt Jr's biggest battle this year will be on Sunday. His last win at Talladega came in 2004 as a driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr Inc., so it's been a while since he triumphed at the track. However, Earnhardt's Daytona 500 victory in February was his first since 2004.

The objective at Talladega will be to end another 10-year dry spell in a race which Earnhardt Jr finished second last year.

"I know what we need to do," Earnhardt Jr said. "We will just have to build a fast car and hope that we don't have any gremlins and try to go out there and win it."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/needing-a-win-earnhardt-gears-up-for-dega/


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver Of The Race: Charlotte​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Faces Tough Calls On Issuing Penalties​*
Chairman Brian France has always been very clear about the action he wants to see in races.

He loved the 2011 season finale when Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards waged a white-knuckle battle for both the race win and the championship, and France was captivated in March 2013 by the intensity of the closing laps at Fontana. Feuding drivers Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano wouldn't give an inch as they raced for the win and ended up wrecking each other, and Kyle Busch squeezed through to steal a victory.

For good measure, Stewart tried to confront Logano on pit road after the race to add another layer of excitement to an already thrilling finish.

Those are the races talked about on Mondays, the ones that garner mainstream media attention. Fans remember Juan Pablo Montoya hitting a jet dryer and triggering a massive fireball during the Daytona 500 far longer than they can recall that Matt Kenseth actually won that 2012 season opener.

That puts NASCAR in a very tough position as series officials spent Monday reviewing video and data from several post-race skirmishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR must decide what, if any, punishments are warranted for a sequence of events that has captivated its fan base.

Brad Keselowski, Hamlin and Kenseth - three championship contenders - were all involved in some sort of fracas after the checkered flag fell Saturday night. Keselowski firmly believed Hamlin and Kenseth both had it coming when he first tried to spin Hamlin on the cool-down lap, then hit Kenseth's car on pit road.

Hamlin admitted to being angry with Keselowski over the way he raced Hamlin over the final two laps, and he brake-checked him to send his message. Keselowski tried to spin him in retaliation but missed, then headed to pit road to deal with Kenseth.

Upset over damage he believed Kenseth had done to his car under yellow with six laps remaining, Keselowski hit Kenseth, which led one of them to run into unwitting victim Tony Stewart.

Both drivers were livid - Stewart backed his car up and into Keselowski's as payback - and Kenseth hustled into the garage to exact his own justice.

Only Kenseth had to get in line: Hamlin followed Keselowski, and the two cars weaved through a crowded garage area until coming to a stop. Hamlin had to be restrained by crew members from getting to Keselowski when both drivers climbed from their cars.

Keselowski then headed between the Team Penske haulers toward a side door, but was jumped from behind by Kenseth. The melee was quickly broken up, but the visuals of drivers losing their cool became the immediate headline of the race.

Never mind that Kevin Harvick won to earn an automatic berth into the third round of the Chase, or that Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a mechanical problem to put his season on the ropes, or that Jimmie Johnson had an in-race verbal spat with his crew chief. Heck, even Danica Patrick's threat to intentionally wreck Logano was forgotten.

All of it fell to the wayside once drivers started slamming their cars into each other and the always mild-mannered Kenseth had to be peeled off a rival driver.

It should be noted that when second-place finisher Jeff Gordon entered the media center for his post-race obligations, the first words out of his mouth were, ''That was awesome!'' If there was any doubt he was referring to the post-race fireworks, he threw his arms up in the air in triumph and yelled, ''Kenseth!''

He and rookie Kyle Larson then stood under a television and watched - with great delight - the replays of all the skirmishes. Out in the garage, various industry members crowded around a portable monitor to get their own view.

So what is NASCAR to do? Precedent is to fine everybody involved, just as Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears were for fighting in the garage earlier this year, or Harvick was fined for a pit-road confrontation in 2011 or Kurt Busch in 2012. In Busch's case, he was fined $50,000 for dangerous driving on pit road.

Keselowski could be found guilty of the same crime, and both he and Hamlin could be taken to task for weaving their cars through a dark and crowded garage area after the race. Kenseth could get slapped on the hand for jumping Keselowski between the haulers.

Monetary punishments mean little to drivers at their level, and it won't hurt their championship chances. As is, Kenseth and Keselowski both need to win Sunday at Talladega to avoid Chase elimination, and that won't change even if NASCAR docks points for Saturday night. A points penalty would hurt Hamlin, who sits in seventh in the 12-driver field headed into a race in which the bottom four will be dropped from the Chase.

More important, though, is the message NASCAR sends through its actions. Penalties are a deterrent to the drivers to show the emotion that the fans are eating up right now. They can't act out or settle scores if they'll be punished every time they do so. But if NASCAR looks the other way, it's openly embracing behavior that some could argue is too dangerous.

It's a no-win situation for NASCAR at a time when France is getting exactly what he's always wanted.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nascar-faces-tough-calls-issuing-penalties-194803937--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Full Race - 2014 Bank of America 500 At Charlotte​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fines Keselowski, Stewart​*
NASCAR fined Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart but did not penalize Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin for actions Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR fined Keselowski $50,000 and placed him on probation for four races. Stewart was fined $25,000 and placed on probation four races.

NASCAR cited both for behavior penalties - for being involved in a post-race incident.

"These penalties are about maintaining a safe environment following the race," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president, competition and racing development. "We knew that the new Chase format was likely going to raise the intensity level and we want our drivers to continue to be themselves. However, the safety of our drivers, crew members, officials, and workers is paramount and we will react when that safety could be compromised."

Trouble started on a restart about 60 laps from the finish. Kenseth tried to pass Keselowski on the outside for the lead but Keselowski moved up. That forced Kenseth into the wall.

During an ensuing caution, Kenseth clipped the right front of Keselowski's car, damaging it, according to Keselowski.

On the final restart with two laps to go, Hamlin said Keselowski hit him. After the race, Keselowski said Hamlin stopped in front of him, causing Keslowski to slide. Keselowski then drove toward Kenseth's car, hitting it on pit road and bouncing into Tony Stewart's car. Stewart backed his car into the front of Keselowski's, damaging both cars.

In the garage, Keselowski and Hamlin briefly parked in stalls next to each other before Keselowski revved his engine and took off, leaving skid marks. Hamlin followed, exited his car and had to be restrained by his team.

As Keselowski walked away, Kenseth ran from behind and knocked him into the side of a hauler. Keselowski's crew chief, Paul Wolfe, pulled Kenseth away, as the crews pushed and shoved.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/NASCAR-Issues-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Automotive Technology Series: Freescale Wide Open Award​*


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin's Jackman Has Successful Surgery​*
Nate Bolling, the jackman on the No. 11 FedEx Sprint Cup Series race team, had successful surgery on a torn right triceps this morning and is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2015 Daytona 500.

Bolling suffered a torn triceps on the second pit stop Saturday night during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The surgery was performed by Dr. Patrick Connor of OrthoCarolina.

JGR backup jackman Kenneth Purcell filled in Saturday night for Bolling and will serve as the jackman for the No. 11 FedEx team for the remainder of the season. Purcell is a veteran in the sport and was part of four championship seasons with the No. 48 team.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ate-Bolling-Has-Surgery-for-Torn-Triceps.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*DIS Installs Highest Piece of Steel​*
Daytona International Speedway held a topping out ceremony today to install the highest piece of steel associated with its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project and celebrate the halfway point in the project. Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swoope and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director Jesse Panuccio were in attendance for the important milestone.

As part of the event, members of the France family signed and unveiled a special commemorative plaque that was placed at the center of the steel beam (previously signed by the project's construction team). International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy also spoke about the significance of the DAYTONA Rising project.

"Daytona International Speedway is a special place and we're honored to continue its legacy through the DAYTONA Rising project," said France Kennedy. "We're literally building history and creating an unprecedented motorsports experience. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been for my grandfather to turn his vision into reality when he built the Speedway more than 50 years ago."

Utilizing special DAYTONA Rising whistles, Barton Malow (design-builder for DAYTONA Rising) joined International Speedway Corporation employees as well as Daytona International Speedway employees and longtime ticket holders for a ceremonial command to raise the steel beam. To honor construction traditions, a tree was attached to the beam along with a massive American flag, Florida's state flag as well as flags honoring Daytona International Speedway and Barton Malow.

"Today was a great opportunity to celebrate our collective accomplishments to date," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "We've enjoyed the journey thus far and look forward to continuing the momentum during the months ahead."

*DAYTONA Rising Construction Statistics At The Halfway Point:*
• Surpassed one million man-hours 
• Installed 89 percent of the total steel 
• Poured more than 105 million pounds of concrete 
• Installed 26 escalators and 4 elevators








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Speedway-Installs-Highest-Piece-of-Steel.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Biggest Chase Surprises​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*What has been the biggest surprise in the Chase so far?*



> *Answer*
> 
> *Pete Pistone*
> Carl Edwards, by far, has been the biggest surprise of the Chase. In fact I predicted Edwards wouldn't make it out of the first round (which he has gleefully reminded me of on at least two occasions).
> 
> Sure he won twice in the regular season to earn his spot in the Chase, but the rest of the time was spent around mid-pack more often than not. Edwards and the rest of the Roush Fenway Racing stable have been playing catch-up to the powerhouses at Hendrick, Penske and even Gibbs most of the year. When the playoffs started, I expected that to continue.
> 
> While Edwards hasn't set the Chase on fire, he's been consistent enough to stay alive. Coupled with the problems of others, Edwards needs to finish 18th or better Sunday at Talladega to move into the Eliminator Round.
> 
> I sure didn't see that coming and in his farewell season with Roush, Edwards continues to be a major surprise.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> I'm most surprised by Kyle Busch's performance. He's talented enough to compete for a championship, but the consistency he's shown - starting and finishing in the top 10 in each of the first five Chase races - was not evident earlier this season.
> 
> Busch's success is a sign of improvement on Toyota's behalf, but his run also comes amid reports that this is his last season with crew chief Dave Rogers. So, with all that swirling, Busch continues to run well and had his biggest surprise at Kansas - a track that has tormented him - when he finished third. The next question is if he'll continue to surprise in this Chase.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/10/Gas-N-Go-Surprises-In-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 Sponsorships Set for Many Teams​*
Some top NASCAR Sprint Cup teams have sold their primary sponsorships for all of next season, but space remains on the cars of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer four months before the 2015 season begins.

Among the teams that have sold all their primary sponsorship for next year are Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin.

"It's certainly not easy finding a sponsor, but there was an abundant amount of interest in our sport and in our team,'' said Dave Alpern, chief marketing officer at Joe Gibbs Racing, which expands to four cars next season.

Steve Newmark, president of Roush Fenway Racing, says that the three-car organization has fewer primary sponsorship openings then it did at this time a year ago. Ben Schlosser, chief marketing officer at Richard Childress Racing, says that his three-car organization also is ahead in selling sponsorships, noting some companies were willing to start negotiations earlier.

"I think the climate is getting better,'' Newmark said. "It's not where we need to be, but I think the whole sport is doing a better job of marketing.''

Newmark credits more collaboration with NASCAR compared to when he arrived at Roush four years ago. Newmark also said that the team has made many changes to better serve sponsors.

That's a key ingredient for many teams and it offsets the potential for a smaller TV audience next season with the departure of ESPN, which is in 95.3 million homes.

Twenty of next season's 36 points races will be on either Fox Sports 1 or NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) with the remaining races on FOX and NBC. Fox Sports 1 is in 85.2 million homes. NBCSN is carried in 85 million homes.

"We all shared that same fear of trying to develop young cable networks,'' said Ty Norris, executive vice president of business development for Michael Waltrip Racing.

"(But) we just left a meeting Friday morning with NBC executives. I walked out of there ready to run through a wall. These guys are so motivated to utilize the platforms that are already there to promote NASCAR. They are heavily invested to make sure the viewership is up to maintain their advertising rates. Their goal and their edict is to build the audience for everyone - for NASCAR, for themselves, for the teams. I feel much better after listening to the direction they're going.''

Other team officials who attended the meeting echoed Norris' comments.

With five races left in this season, here's a look at where sponsorship stands for in 2015 some of the sport's top teams.

*Hendrick Motorsports*

Jeff Gordon's car is sold out. Drive to End Hunger will be the primary sponsor for 13 races with 3M the primary for 11 races. The remaining races will feature Panasonic, PepsiCo and Axalta.

Jimmie Johnson's car is sold out with Lowe's and its brands.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car has 11 races yet to be sold. He'll have Nationwide as a primary sponsor for 21 races, PepsiCo for five races and Kelley Blue Book for one. Nationwide originally was scheduled to be the primary sponsor for 12 races but added nine races after The National Guard announced it would not return next season.

Kasey Kahne's car has 10 races yet to be sold. He'll have Farmers Insurance on for 12 races, Great Clips for 10, Time Warner Cable for five and PepsiCo for one.

*Team Penske*

Joey Logano's car is sold out. Shell-Pennzoil will be on the car for 32 races (it will be on the car for 33 races this year). The American Automobile Association (AAA) will be on the car for three races and AutoTrader for one.

Brad Keselowski's car will have Miller Lite back along with Alliance Truck Parts and Detroit Genuine Parts. An announcement is expected soon on another sponsor that will help fill out next season's sponsorship.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*

Primary sponsorship on Matt Kensth's car is sold out with Dollar General on the car for 30 races next year (up from 27 this year) and DeWalt taking the other six points races.

Kyle Busch's car also is sold out with primary sponsorship from the Mars brands and Interstate Batteries. Denny Hamlin's car is sold out with primary sponsorships from FedEx and Sport Clips.

Carl Edwards joins the team next season and has a few races left on his car. Arris, a new sponsor to the sport, will be the primary sponsor for 17 races with Stanley on the car for 12 races. Dave Alpern, JGR's chief marketing officer, says four races are about to be sold, which would leave three races left. That gives JGR the opportunity to allow a company to try the Sprint Cup series in a limited role and without spending too much money.

"What's neat about (Edwards') car is that you have a technology company (Arris) and a tried-and-true brand in Stanley partnered together,'' Alpern said.

*Stewart-Haas Racing*

A team official said that the team's sponsors are back next season.

Kevin Harvick's car again will feature Budweiser and Jimmy John's as primary sponsors for a majority of the races. The team recently announced that DiTech Mortgage Company will serve as a primary sponsor for two races next year.

Tony Stewart's car will have Mobil 1, Bass Pro Shops and Code 3 on the car with GoDaddy and Aspen Dental on Danica Patrick's car next year. Kurt Busch's car again will have Haas Automation and State Water Heaters.

*Roush Fenway Racing*

While Steve Nemark, president of Roush Fenway Racing, says that the organization has sold more primary sponsorship at this time than a year ago, there are still some races left for two of the team's three cars.

The team previously announced that Ortho will be a sponsor on Greg Biffle's car next season. The team has yet to announce a pending agreement with another company. That deal will leave about no more than eight races left on Biffle's car for next season.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be sponsored by Fastenal, Zest and Fifth Third, among others. Newmark said about eight races remain to fill Stenhouse's car for next season.

Trevor Bayne joins the team next season and will have Advocare as his primary sponsor the car for the races in 2015.

*Continue Reading Below​*


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## Ckg2011

*Richard Childress Racing*

Quicken Loans and Caterpillar return to Ryan Newman's team next season. Ben Schlosser, chief marketing officer at Richard Childress Racing, said that they are "still working through a couple of pieces, but it's in pretty good shape'' with Newman's car.

Dow and American Ethanol are among the companies back on Austin Dillon's car with more renewals expected to be announced soon. With those deals in place, Schlosser said they have "a pretty small amount" left to fill on Dillon's car.

Paul Menard again will be sponsored by Menards and its vendor partners next season.

*Chip Ganassi Racing*

The organization celebrated its 25th year with Target this season and that relationship will continue next year on Kyle Larson's car. Target and its brands will be the primary sponsor on Larson's car for all of next season.

McDonald's and Cessna will return to Jamie McMurray's team. Steve Lauletta, president of Chip Ganassi Racing, said both companies are increasing their number of races as a primary sponsor but declined to say how many races for each. Already this season, the two companies have been the primary sponsor or co-primary sponsor in 29 races, including non-points events.

"If you ask me, with the reach of this sport, with the business-to-business opportunities of this sport, with the consumer passion of this sport, almost every company could do something, it's just being creative enough to find out what the something is,'' Lauletta said.

*JTG Daugherty Racing*

Car owners Tad and Jodi Geschickter and Brad Daugherty will again have a variety of companies serving as the primary sponsor on AJ Allmendinger's car next season.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, whose brands include Scott, Kleenex and Huggies, among others, will be a primary sponsor for eight races. Clorox and Kingsford will be a primary sponsor for nine races. Bush's Baked Beans will be a primary sponsor for eight races. Southeastern Mills has two races,as does Charter Communications, and House-Autry Mills for one race. Tad Geschickter says the team is in negotiations with a company for five races.

He said being in the Chase this year provided added value for the organization. Since the team didn't earn a spot in the Chase until Allmendinger's win at Watkins Glen two months ago, he said it's hard to tell if there was a bump because some deals were already done or talks underway.

*Richard Petty Motorsports*

Brian Moffitt, chief executive officer for Richard Petty Motorsports, says that Smithfield and STP will be back on Aric Almirola's car next season, leaving a couple of open races on that car.

On the car Sam Hornish Jr. will drive next season, the team has only announced that Twisted Tea will be back. Moffitt said they hope to be able to announce a sponsor for that car in about two weeks. Once that deal is complete, Moffitt said the team will have half the races unsold for that car.

"We're looking in good shape,'' he said. "We're having a lot of discussions. Now that we were able to announce Sam (as the team's new driver), that should help us lock in some of this sponsorship.''

Moffitt said that having Almirola in the Chase "opened up a lot more doors for us. Any time you're performing like that and you're being talked about it just continues to show that we've been improving all year.''

*Michael Waltrip Racing*

Clint Bowyer's car again will have 5-hour Energy next season. Ty Norris, executive vice president of business development for Michael Waltrip Racing, said that 5-hour Energy will be on the car for 24 races. Peak will the primary sponsor for three races and AAA Insurance will be back for two races. That leaves some races remaining on that car.

"We need to get the car filled,'' Norris said. "It puts a lot of pressures in other areas to not have those full. I would hope we would be able to get something done in the next few months before we hit Daytona.''

Among the races open on Bowyer's car are Atlanta (second race of the year), Indianapolis and the Texas race in the Chase - races that can provide a higher profile than others because of their place on the schedule, market size or location in the Chase.

Brian Vickers' car is sold with Aaron's back for all the races next season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015-Sponsorships-In-Place-For-Many-Teams.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Talladega​*


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## Ckg2011

*Miles To Miami: Talladega​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway takes The 12 Contenders to Talladega Superspeedway this week, with 1,576.08 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday afternoon's GEICO 500 is the final race of the Contender Round. When the checkered flag falls, four more drivers will be dropped from title contention - with the eight remaining competitors advancing to the Eliminator Round.

The four currently at the bottom of the Chase standings entering the weekend are Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... drivers with a grand total of eight championships and 10 Talladega race wins among them.

To say there is a sense of urgency in that group is to state the obvious.

"Talladega is going to be a moving target since it depends on what everyone has for a game plan," said Kenseth, who trails eighth-place Kasey Kahne by a single point in the scrap for that final transfer spot into the next round of the Chase. "There's so much that is unpredictable and out of our control there. The further we get into the Chase, it's apparent how important good, consistent finishes are in order to advance."

With just one top-five finish in his last five starts, Kenseth is looking for more consistency for the stretch run - though he has advanced from his No. 14 seed on the Chase Grid to his current spot in ninth place. Kenseth won the fall race at Talladega in 2012.

The hurdle Keselowski must clear is much higher than Kenseth's. He's 19 points below the eighth-place cutoff and knows a third career Talladega win is just what his Team Penske crew needs.

"Talladega is a big place and we need to have a big weekend," Keselowski said, wary of the 2.66-mile oval. "We have our work cut out for us. This team will give it their all as will I, and that's all we can do."

Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion, was the No. 1 seed going into this year's Chase and won the post-season opener at Chicagoland Speedway. But his finishes since then have been seventh, second, 36th and 16th.

Earnhardt and Johnson - seeded third and fourth, respectively, on the Chase Grid - presently share last place in the standings. They're 26 points below the eighth-place cutoff and staring squarely at the prospect of elimination.

"We didn't get the finish we needed in Charlotte and it's forced us into the position of having to win this weekend at Talladega," Johnson said, looking back at his 17th-place showing in the Bank of America 500. "Our speedway program at Hendrick Motorsports is top-notch. I can't control the rest of the field, though, and we're going to need some luck."

Johnson is a two-time winner at Talladega with both victories coming in the track's spring race, in 2006 and 2011.

For Earnhardt, the Talladega game plan is as simple as it is for Johnson, his Hendrick teammate.

"Go out there and win at Talladega," said "Junior," who's done just that on five previous occasions. "We can do it. We have a fast car, we're hoping we don't have any gremlins, and we'll try to go out there and win the race."

In contrast to the pressure that's on Kenseth, Keselowski, Johnson and Earnhardt, there's comparative calm in the camps of Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick. They've assured themselves of a spot in the Eliminator Round by virtue of recent victories at Kansas Speedway and Charlotte, respectively.

"Everyone would like to be in the position we're in," said Logano, who sits atop the point standings. "We don't have to worry about riding around and staying out of the big wreck. We can get up there and go for the win. But I also want to get a good finish out of it. We have five straight top fives to start the Chase and I'd love to make it six."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's GEICO 500 from Talladega Superspeedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/Miles-to-Miami-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Is This Gordon's Year?​*
Talladega Superspeedway doesn't care if a driver is a rookie or a veteran, a champion or backmarker. All are treated equally. They are teased and tormented, celebrated and cursed.

For all that Jeff Gordon has accomplished in his 22-year NASCAR Sprint Cup career, he knows it doesn't matter Sunday.

"If it's your destiny to move past into the (Eliminator) round, if it's your destiny to have a top-five (finish) at Talladega and it's meant to be, it will happen to you,'' he said. "If it's not going to happen ... .''

That's Talladega. It gives and takes.

Gordon is sixth in the points heading into Sunday's Geico 500 and in position to be among the eight to transfer to the next round. He holds an 18-point lead on ninth-place Matt Kenseth. Normally that would be a comfortable margin but not at Talladega where multi-car crashes collect stars and hopefuls without regard to their rank.

This weekend continues Gordon's quest for a fifth series title. This is his best chance since 2007, a turnaround for an athlete who is over 40 years old and one who's visits to Victory Lane had grown more infrequent until this season. Gordon is in this position because of a growing relationship with crew chief Alan Gustafson and rule changes that have helped make Gordon more comfortable in the car.

He's become, in a way, the Gordon of old, something friend and former crew chief Ray Evernham said was important for him so his children could see the aura of Jeff Gordon.

With four wins this season, it's easy to forget that Gordon won seven races the previous six seasons combined. A number of drivers would take such a record, but for a driver who averaged more than five wins a season from 1994-2007, the past few years had felt almost like a drought.

Gordon's struggles can be tied with the previous car, once dubbed the Car of Tomorrow, now called a Gen-5 car. It was used in some races in 2007 and the entire season beginning in 2008.

"Things started to change, tires, car aerodynamics and it just didn't suit him,'' said Evernham, who won three championships with Gordon in the 1990s. "I think the language he was trying to communicate wasn't working either.

"This new car and the new heights and the balance suits (Gordon). More importantly, I think he's got someone who speaks his language. I really think Alan is the perfect guy for him now. Alan knows how to talk with him, and he knows how to take the information that Jeff is giving him and use the tools that they use today and make the cars the way Jeff wants them.''

Gordon, in his fourth season with Gustafson, saw the change early in the season with the car and what he could do with it.

Gordon says he thought he had the best car at Auto Club Speedway - the season's fifth race. He led 23 laps before tire issues plagued him as they did many that day. Although he finished 13th, Gordon had a good feeling about what happened before the tire problems.

"I felt like at that moment we were on to something,'' Gordon said. "We progressed down a path where we actually made things better. Then we went to Kansas (in May) and won. I think that was sort of that moment where we were thinking, 'Alright we have fast race cars and we can win races.' Last year when we had fast race cars we didn't really close very well. This year we are closing really well.''

He won at Kansas and Dover because his car was strong on long runs late. Gordon won at Indianapolis and Michigan after strong restarts.

"I like to be good on the long runs, it's something that we work on as a team and me personally,'' Gordon said. "Yet, there are times when you have to step it up and be better on the short runs. and sometimes that just comes down to your (restart) line. You've got to be super aggressive and push the limits, but you've also got to bring the car back in one piece. It seems like my style and things we work on seem to benefit on the long runs and that has got us some wins.''

Gordon has this success beyond an age he once thought he'd be racing. A younger version of the driver didn't think he'd be racing at age 40. Gordon is 43. Age impacts drivers differently. Mark Martin won five races and finished second in the points in 2009 at age 50. Others have had less success closer to 40.

Age, Gordon insists, didn't impact his struggles in recent years.

"To me, when you have all the right ingredients,'' he said. "I think that as long as you still have that aggressiveness in you, as long as the car is performing and the team is there, I think the experience can actually be very beneficial. That is what has happened for me this year. Certainly a little bit of added downforce hasn't hurt us at all.

"Our cars have been really good. I'm able to be a little bit more aggressive, but most of our cars are just extremely competitive and it's built my confidence. When I drive down in the corner hard it sticks ... it makes you more confident in what you are doing and you are more aggressive on the restarts and on qualifying laps.''

It's helped him stop time, taking him back to a period when he was among the dominant drivers.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...This-Year-Jeff-Gordon-Scores-Fifth-Title.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Waltrip Has Unique Weekend Plans​*
A two-time Daytona 500 winner, Michael Waltrip is now recognized as a dancer.

At least in airports.

Waltrip, though, doesn't claim to be a dancer even though he continues to advance in ABC's "Dancing with the Stars'' show. That's led to a unique double this weekend where Waltrip will drive in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway and fly to Los Angeles afterward for Monday night's show.

That schedule will keep him busy this weekend. He sandwiched five hours of dance practice around driving and TV duties Friday. He'll repeat the schedule Saturday before driving in Sunday's Geico 500.

"I'm still not comfortable calling what I do dancing,'' said Waltrip, who was 15th in the first practice session Friday and didn't run in the second session.

He's still had a fun on the show.

"I had the best time last week doing my disco, and I was so proud of it until those four judges spoke,'' Waltrip said. "One of them said, and I quote, 'It was entertaining ... but I'm tired of being entertained.' What the heck?''

Even so, Waltrip is gaining notoriety.

"I was walking through the LA airport and this lady, who happened to be older, and her husband, I literally saw them just stop and just point at me,'' Waltrip said. "She said, 'You're that dancer. We love that show and we vote for you. Don't worry about what those judges say, just dance and have fun because that's what we enjoy watching.' ''

The question is how much longer Waltrip will remain. He had the lowest score last week in an episode where the professional dancers switched celebrity partners. Waltrip will be back with his regular dance partner, Emma Slater. Waltrip said they will dance an Argentine Tango.

"It's quite a lot different from the disco,'' Waltrip said. "It's really romantic and sexy.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/Michael-Waltrip-Has-Unique-Double.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kenseth: 'I Don't Regret My Actions'​*
Matt Kenseth says that he doesn't regret confronting Brad Keselowski after last weekend's race, and that Keselowski's claim that Kenseth severely damaged his car is "greatly exaggerated.''

Keselowski's response?

"We're both entitled to our opinions,'' he said.

Both drivers spoke Friday at Talladega Superspeedway, a week after their skirmish in the garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Last weekend's episode was the third between the drivers this season. They've had issues at Richmond and Talladega earlier this year.

Kenseth's anger last weekend came with about 60 laps left when he attempted to pass Keselowski for the lead after a restart.

"Brad clearly saw me roll outside of him, and he hung a right on purpose and ran right me into the wall and ruined my night and possibly took us out of Chase contention,'' said Kenseth, who is outside a transfer spot heading into Sunday's race.

Keselowski, who likely needs a win to advance to the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, admits he was racing aggressively.

"You definitely see you race more aggressively when you have as much on the line as you do now,'' Keselowski said. "You're a lot less worried about friends and enemies.''

Kenseth retaliated under a late caution. Keselowski said after the race that Kenseth "tore the right front of the car off.''

Kenseth said that wasn't the case. He said he swerved at Keselowski's car.

They weren't the only ones angry. Denny Hamlin was upset with Keselowski because he said Keselowski hit him on the final restart. Hamlin responded by brake-checking Keselowski on the cool-down lap.

Afterward, Keselowski ran up to Kenseth's car, hitting it and bouncing into Tony Stewart's car on pit road. Stewart responded by backing into Keselowski's car.

"To come down afterwards and have your (seat belts) off and your (window) net down and pull those high school stunts, playing car wars, after the race is absolutely unacceptable,'' said Kenseth, who admits he regularly begins unbuckling when he's on pit road after the race.

Kenseth responded by running to Keselowski in the garage and scuffling with him between haulers.

"I don't regret my actions,'' Kenseth said. "I'm not proud of them or happy about them. I don't know if I would do anything differently.''

NASCAR fined Keselowski $50,000 and placed him on probation for four races. NASCAR also fined Stewart $25,000 and also gave him a four-race probation. Kenseth and Hamlin were not penalized.

Keselowski called it "unfortunate" that Stewart was involved.

Kenseth and Keselowski had issues at Richmond in the spring when Keselowski brake-checked Kenesth on the cool-down lap in retaliation for how Kenseth drove him late in the race. Keselowski also walked to Kenseth's car after the race on pit road and pointed at Kenseth before walking away.

Kenseth was among the drivers critical of Keselowski's driving at Talladega in May after Keselowski, who was six laps down at the time, was involved in an accident toward the front of the pack.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Does-Not-Regret-What-He-Did-At-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Admits Frustrations High​*
The radio communication wasn't uncommon during a race. It's just that four-lettered words and fits of frustration are not often heard between Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus.

Yet, they had an R-rated exchange during last weekend's race at Charlotte, which continued a disappointing Chase for both. Bad luck and a bad finish have Johnson all but needing a win to advance to the next round.

"Frustration is high, for sure,'' Johnson said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. "Chad and I, in our relationship, have had peaks and valleys. We've had times where there has been plenty of frustration on the radio. But who we are and what we are as a team and the way our relationship works &#8230; things are still as they have always been.

"It isn't fun, and I'm sure people hear plenty of colorful things from drivers and crew chiefs during the course of a race. Last weekend, there was plenty of color on our channel. It just comes with the territory. We're not happy with where we're at, and I don't know why we would be.''

Johnson enters Sunday's race 26 points out of the last transfer spot to the Eliminator Round.

Problems started at Kansas Speedway when he wrecked after being hit from behind by Greg Biffle. Johnson finished 40th. He was running in the top 10 at Charlotte until a late pit stop and finished 17th.

Even if Johnson hadn't been wrecked at Kansas or pitted late, it's not likely he would have won either race. Johnson has not shown the dominance he's known for in the Chase. He's failed to lead a lap in the last eight races - the longest drought of his career. He's failed to lead a lap in 13 of the last 15 laps, a stretch that is nearly four months long.

Should he fail to advance to the next round, he could be in jeopardy of finishing outside the top 10 for the first time in his career.

"I know it's easy for some to react quickly and say 'It's as worse they've been and things are so bad,' '' Johnson said. "We've been here before, and we don't like it. No one likes it. We'll keep working hard to get out of it, and past history shows that we do. I think we were in a good position to finish well last weekend, although I don't know if that would have changed much. Granted, it would give us a much better position on just a great finish here; we could have gone for a top-five and opened our window to transfer. We'll take our lumps and go. That's all we can do."

So, how will Johnson attack Sunday's race?

"I've put a lot of time and thought into my approach for this weekend,'' said Johnson, who has one top-10 finish in his last six Talladega races. "There really isn't a clear vision for how to make it work. Racing for it can get you in trouble. Riding can get you in trouble.

"If you ride at some point, you have to go to the front. With this rules package, it's much more difficult to get track position. It seems like with maybe three pits stops to go, you need to have control of the race and maintain it - or at least be in first or second to be at the head of the line and give yourself a chance to win. So I don't know&#8230; I really don't. Maybe being cautious early will buy us some time and keep us on the road. From the halfway point of the race on, you have to fight for track position if you want to win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Johnson-Admits-Frustration-Running-High.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hail Mary Time for Keselowski​*
Brad Keselowski needs a big day Sunday in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway or he'll be eliminated from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Keselowski comes into the final race of the Contender Round in the bottom four of the standings. He is 50 points behind Team Penske teammate and series leader Joey Logano but more importantly 19 from Kasey Kahne, who currently holds the eighth and final transfer spot into the Eliminator Round.

Keselowski has struggled the last two weeks to put him into the tight spot he faces at Talladega. A blown tire at Kansas sent him into the wall and to a 36th-place finish. Last week in Charlotte Keselowski came home 16th on a night that was compounded by a celebrated post race altercation with Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart that resulted in a $50,000 fine and four-race probation.

The 2012 series champion doesn't mince any words when he says what's on the line this weekend.

"Talladega is a big place, and we need to have a big weekend," he said. "We have our work cut out for us. I know this team is going to give it their all as will I, and that's all we can do."

Keselowski has had past success at the 2.66-mile track and earned his first career Sprint Cup Series win there back in 2009. He also won during his championship season as well.

"There have been some big moments at Talladega," he said. "My first Cup Series victory definitely stands out in my mind, and then winning there again in 2012 was a significant part of the No. 2 team earning the championship that year. This weekend is going to be interesting for sure."

Despite the critical nature of Sunday's race, crew chief Paul Wolfe hasn't changed his game plan going into the final restrictor plate race of the season.

"We approach it just like we do every week," said Wolfe. "Team Penske's superspeedway cars are top notch. When we unload at the track most of what we can control has already been accomplished. Qualifying is going to be different again this race and that will be interesting.

"After that, we will see how the race plays out and do what we can to be there at the end. We are more than capable of winning and we'll do our utmost to make that happen."

Drafting help is a vital component to Talladega success and Keselowski will have a pair of teammates this weekend in Logano and Ryan Blaney, who will pilot the organization's No. 12 entry.

Logano has already locked up a spot in the next round of the Chase thanks to his Kansas win and plans to do whatever he can to assist Keselowski in joining him with a good day in Talladega.

"You can do more at these tracks to help out other drivers, be it your teammate or someone else, because of the draft," Logano explained. "It's easy to get in a line and get with a fast car and help push them to the front of the field or have someone help push you.

"So of course, if there is an opportunity to work with Brad and both of our cars are fast, we will work together to get to the front. Any team cars that are in a good position will try and help their other teammates get up to the front. We always work together at these tracks anyway."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/10/Hail-Mary-Time-for-Keselowski.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Truck Race Wide Open​*
There's no shortage of potential winners for Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

The tour's ninth visit to the 2.66-mile oval promises to be another in a series of unpredictable races at the Alabama speed plant. Johnny Sauter, who won last year's race, will have a tough time repeating thanks to a long list of potent competitors led by ThorSport Racing teammate and series points leader Matt Crafton.

He takes a 19-point lead over Sauter into the weekend and likens restrictor-plate racing to playing the lottery. That said, Crafton still likes the chances for his number to come up on Saturday.

"At a mile-and-a-half track, a driver can make a difference. But at a place like Talladega, it's what it is," said Crafton, who will make his ninth career Talladega Truck Series start on Saturday. "You're just waiting for someone to make a mistake that you're going to get caught up in - you have zero control. Racing at Talladega is like going out and buying a lottery ticket. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. There's just no telling, but you've got to play the game.

"We've got to keep doing what we've been doing, which is racing to win each and every week; being aggressive when we can be but above all, being smart."

Timothy Peters believes the smart move for success on Saturday will be running at the front of the field as much as possible. While other drivers employ a prevent defense-style of racing at Talladega, opting to hang around at the back of the pack until the checkered flag nears, Peters has the opposite view.

"The key to this race will be running up front and trying to stay out of trouble," said the Red Horse Racing driver. "Anything can happen at superspeedway races so it's a bit of a wild-card weekend. We had a great finish at Daytona and hopefully, we can have another great result.

"I feel confident going to Talladega. We're taking the same chassis that we finished second with at Daytona earlier this season. It's fast, so I feel good about it."

Sauter, Crafton and Peters bring the veteran's perspective into the weekend. But there are others without the experience of that trio. Erik Jones is on that list. The young driver will make his superspeedway debut behind the wheel of the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota.

In fact, Jones will pilot the same ride that team owner Busch drove to Victory Lane in the Daytona season opener. In terms of preparing for his first-ever shot at a superspeedway, Jones says that's a tall order.

"There isn't a whole lot you can do to prepare. It'll be a lot different than anything I've ever experienced in racing," said Jones, who has two wins this season on shorter tracks. "I plan to sit down with Kyle, like I do before every race, and see what words of wisdom he can pass along ... what I need to be looking for, if he has any tips and tricks that can help me get around the place. I'll watch last year's race and see if there's anything I can pick out from how things played out."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), presented by Keystone Light, with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Talladega-Truck-Race-Wide-Open.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Peters Powers To Talladega Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6489&YearID=43&StatType=Race+Results

Timothy Peters scored his first win of the season taking the lead on the last lap of Saturday's Fred's 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Tayler Malsam finished a career-best second. Spencer Gallagher placed a career-best third. Tyler Reddick tied his career best by placing fourth after overcoming two pit road speeding penalties. Ryan Blaney was fifth.

Matt Crafton placed 14th after being penalized for push drafting when Joe Nemechek pushed him at one point. Crafton remains the points leader, holding a 16-point lead on Blaney.

Crafton's teammate, Johnny Sauter, entered the race second in the points but fell to fourth after a blown engine. Sauter finished a season-worst 31st and is 36 points behind Crafton.

Erik Jones placed sixth and was followed by Chris Fontaine, John Wes Townley, Darrell Wallace Jr., and Joe Nemechek.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...0/Timothy-Peters-Powers-to-Talladega-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: NASCAR CWTS Fred's Super Dollar 250​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vickers Takes Talladega Pole​*
*Qualifying Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ics/2014/10/GEICO-500-Qualifying-Results.aspx

Brian Vickers took the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. But Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Justin Allgaier were among those who failed to qualify.

Stenhouse and Allgaier were victims of four part-time teams qualifying in the top 24 and several Chase drivers needing provisionals. That left no provisionals for Stenhouse and Allgaier.

"What a qualifying session or whatever you want to call that,'' Stenhouse tweeted Saturday night. "Obviously didn't turn out the way wanted it to or expected. Grew up racing & there was always a chance of not making the race, just don't think about half the Chase drivers needing provisionals too. I missed races throughout the years & man is it tough to watch the A main. (Sunday) will be no different watching the race.''

Said Allgaier's car owner, Harry Scott Jr.: "Obviously, we are disappointed at HScott Motorsports for all of our partners that we did not qualify for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. However, we are a strong team and are coming off of a great finish from last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We will continue to show our strength throughout the season and appreciate the support from all of our sponsors."

Stenhouse and Allgaier were in a group that did not make it to the start/finish line for their fast lap before the session ended. Their previous laps were not fast enough to make the field.

"I thought being the last car in line would be beneficial for us,'' Stenhouse said. "We had Jeff Gordon leading the pack there I thought we would have a good shot at putting a good lap in, but my spotter was telling me, 'Hey, you have 30 seconds to get across the start-finish line' as we were entering Turn 3.

"I don't guess (Gordon's spotter) was giving him a lot of information. He kept slowing the pack down, and we didn't get a good lap and never got across the start-finish line in time. My spotter was giving me the information I needed, and I wish (Gordon's spotter) would have been doing the same."

Following Gordon were Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Allgaier and Stenhouse. Gordon, Larson, Busch and Logano earned provisionals.

"The plan was shot before the plan started,'' Gordon said. "I messed up ultimately. I just mistimed getting to the line. The whole group was going so slow, I knew I had to have a gap. When I came across the line, I thought I had enough to be able to complete that lap and get one more, which was the only way we were going to be to make it (to the second round), but we came up short. It's a mess out there. It's not easy.''

That problem was compounded for Stenhouse and Allgaier with part-time teams in the top 24. Those drivers are Ryan Blaney (fourth), Michael McDowell (sixth), Trevor Bayne (16th) and Mike Wallace (23rd).

Drivers needing provisionals - which are based on car owner points - are Tony Stewart (37th), Denny Hamlin (38th), Kevin Harvick (39th), Logano (40th), Busch (41st), Larson (42nd) and Gordon (43rd).

Also, going to the rear before the race will be Matt Kenseth (engine change) and Brad Keselowski (alternator).

At the front, it will be Vickers, who earned his first pole of the season and 12th of his career.

"I thought that coming to three (laps) to go that we literally no shot,'' said Vickers, who scored his first career Sprint Cup victory at this track in 2006. "We were way back. Like a half a straightaway behind the whole field and they all checked up and gave me a chance and gave me a run.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/10/Brian-Vickers-Takes-Talladega-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Nemechek Fails Post Qualifying Inspection​*
Joe Nemechek's number 29 car has failed post qualifying inspection, as a result Nemechek has been DQ'ed from Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Super Speedway.

Reed Sorenson who thought he would be watching Sunday's race on television will now be racing in the Geico 500 as he will move up and make the 43 car field now that Nemechek's car has been DQ'ed.

Also Matt Kenseth will start in the rear on Sunday due to an engine change on the number 20 JGR Toyota. Brad Keselowski will join him after the team on the number 2 Penske Ford had to change an alternator.

*Source*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Labonte Set For One Final Ride​*
Two-time champion Terry Labonte jokes that this is only the third time he's announced his retirement, but he's serious. This is it.

Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be Labonte's final race, ending a Sprint Cup career that began in 1978 and will lead to a place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame one day.

Labonte's 890th series start Sunday leave him behind only Richard Petty (1,185) and Ricky Rudd (906) on the all-time Cup list. Labonte starts ninth.

He ends a career that includes titles in 1984 and 1996 but was known as much for his steely determination and smooth driving.

Yet for all his 22 wins, he might be remembered as much for the race he didn't win. It was the 1999 Bristol night race when Dale Earnhardt meant to "rattle his cage" but instead spun Labonte out of the lead on the final lap.

Of the races he won, though, Labonte said his most memorable came at Texas in 1999.

"That's the first time I think I ever noticed a crowd,'' he said Saturday. "I was passing Dale Jarrett. I ran him down and passed him with less than 10 laps to go, and I saw the whole place stand up. I had never noticed the crowd actually stand up at the track, and I thought to myself, 'Oh man, I better not screw this up because I think there are 200,000 people pulling for me and they're going to be mad if I don't win this thing.' ''

Darlington Raceway also has played a significant role in Labonte's career. He scored his first win there in 1980 and his last Cup victory in 2003. He also made his first series start there.

In that era, rookies had to attend a meeting, pass an on-track test and could not qualify on the first day. The video shown in the rookie meeting was intimidating.

"The guy that starred in that video was the guy that drove the car I was driving the year before,'' Labonte said. "So everything he did wrong they pointed out in that video. I sat right there and thought, 'The thing to do is not make next year's video. Don't make all the highlights of the things not to do.' ''

He finished fourth in the race.

"Bobby Allison and Donnie Allison came over and congratulated me, and I thought that was the coolest thing,'' Labonte said. "I will never forget that.''

As the 57-year-old Labonte prepares for his final ride, he says he'll still be around the track some with a marketing company he owns.

"You'll probably see me around every now and then, but not a whole lot,'' he said.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Terry-Labonte-Set-For-One-Final-Ride.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr: 'We Got Nothing to Lose'​*
A season that began with a stirring Daytona 500 victory, featured two more wins and carried Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s greatest hope for a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship in years, faces a dissatisfying conclusion for his fans if Earnhardt likely doesn't win Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Barring something unpredictable - and it is Talladega after all - Earnhardt won't advance to the Eliminator Round on the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup if he fails to win. That would mean another year without a championship.

Facing one of the most pressure-filled races of his carer, what will Earnhardt do to mentally prepare?

"Nothing,'' Earnhardt said. "I've been racing here a long time. I got it. I'm just going to get my suit on, get in the car. Ain't much to it. You just get in there and do it.''

Earnhardt also knows it's not that simple.

This year's rules package makes it more challenging to move through the field, requiring drivers to fight for the lead earlier in the race. Earnhardt also isn't the only driver facing Chase elimination. Former champions Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth are outside the final transfer spot. The Chase field will be cut from 12 to eight after Sunday's race. Those dynamics could alter how aggressive the race is.

"I think that due to a few of us needing a win, you're going to see a handful of guys who are eager to be doing something and ... proactive in moving toward the front the entire race,'' Earnhardt said Saturday. "That just might be enough to pull along another handful of guys to get in the middle of that and move forward as well.

"I think, judging by what we saw at Charlotte at the end of the race and the emotion we saw, you're definitely going to have that inside of all of these racecars or at least several of them. That's going to trigger guys to making moves and trigger guys to do things with a little bit more urgency than you typically would at one of these races.''

Earnhardt and his team will take more chances Sunday. Earnhardt and Johnson both are 26 points out of the final transfer spot.

"We need to be in the front,'' Earnhardt said. "We need to actually be controlling the restarts at the end of the race, being able to choose the inside or outside line. The leader is not impossible to pass, but he really has the upper hand. I feel we can fend off pretty much most challenges that we're presented with.

"We'll probably have to gamble on fuel. To get that advantage on 42 other cars, you're going to have to be willing to risk more in regards to fuel mileage. We're willing to do that. We've got nothing to lose.''

Earnhardt last won at Talladega in 2004, but his last Daytona win came in 2004 before winning this year. Since his last Talladega victory, he's had six top-10 finishes in the 19 races at this track since.

Everything Earnhardt does will be about winning Sunday.

"I'll be out there trying to think about what I need to do to get the next position or what I need to do to try to be near the lead,'' Earnhardt said. "I need to be in the lead. I need to be toward the front every lap so that we're there at the end of the race. We're not just going to magically pull something out of our hat that nobody else has at the end of the race on pit road. We've got to be there all race long. Knowing I've got to win will be in the back of my mind of every lap the entire race. It will be different. I don't think I've ever been in that situation before. I don't think any driver ever has where it is win or nothing.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ardt-Jr-Has-Tough-Challenge-At-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Story Lines​*
There has never been a day like this in NASCAR's history.

Three former champions and the sport's most popular driver face elimination from title contention. The only way some of them might advance in NASCAR's new Chase format is to win at a track where nearly every driver has an equal chance. Yet, any moment can lead to multi-car crash that could dramatically alter the championship race.

Drivers will have to balance aggression with common sense in today's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The closer they get to the finish, the less polite they will be.

"At the end of a race, it doesn't matter if (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) or my mom or anybody (is leading) - I have to win,'' Jimmie Johnson said. " My quest to win a seventh championship is the thing I'm most concerned about.''

Johnson, along with former champions Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth are outside a transfer spot to the Eliminator Round. So is Johnson's teammate, Earnhardt.

Johnson and Earnhardt are 26 points out of the final transfer spot. Keselowski is 19 points behind. Kenseth trails Kasey Kahne, who holds the final transfer spot, by one point. Johnson, Earnhardt and Keselowski likely need to win to advance.

"Talladega isn't a place you want to go to knowing you have to win,'' Keselowski said. "This bracket was the heartbreak bracket for a reason because you don't control your own destiny for two of the three races.''

Eight drivers will advance to the next round. Four will see their championship hopes end. Only Joey Logano, who won at Kansas, and Kevin Harvick, who won last week at Charlotte, are set to advance. The other six spots are to be determined. Should one of the remaining 10 Chase drivers win today, they'll automatically advance to the next round.

"I am not preparing to fail, but I am proud of what we have done this year,'' Keselowski said. "If we don't win the championship because of this round, I am not going to go home and cry in my milk. We have a lot to be proud of, led a lot of laps, won races and won poles. It is almost a career year. There is a lot to take away from it, but I am not giving up on it either.''

Who advances to the next round of the Chase is just among the story lines today.

*The Big One*

It lurks, always there, always near. Danger is all around with 43 cars running together so close. One mistake can lead to chaos and several cars crashing. Who is collected and who avoids the inevitable incident could determine who will still race for a championship after today.

How to avoid the accident is a dilemma for every driver.

"I've had a car lying on top of me and finished third; I've landed on top of a car and not finished,'' Ryan Newman said. "I've had a little bit of everything happen to me.''

*The Final Lap*

Six of the last nine races at Talladega have ended with a last-lap pass for the victory. Just as important is what happens on the final lap for the Chase drivers still racing.

"If you get a run, and pull out, and nobody goes with you, you're going to lose 10 or 20 spots,'' Earnhardt said.

If that happens, it could cost a Chase driver to transfer to the next round.

*The Side Draft*

When a car starts to pull alongside another, they'll move in closer to the rear quarter panel of the leading car to pull them back. It's an aerodynamic trick drivers know. Of course, once they start to pull ahead, the other car does it to them.

"The side draft here with these new bodies on these cars, is really strong, so you can just really sit there and kind of hold a guy at bay,'' Earnhardt said. "And they can do that, vice-versa, as well, when they're beside you.

"That's something I don't really like about this package. But everybody deals with it. You sort of get stuck to each other and can't really get away until somebody decides to push somebody through.''

*Non-Chase Drivers*

Five of the last six years the fall Talladega race has been won by a driver who is not in this year's Chase. Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurray have two wins each during that spell, and Tony Stewart has the other.

Might today be the chance for a non-Chase driver to score the win?

*Denny Hamlin*

No driver has scored more points in restrictor-plate races this season than Hamlin, who won at Talladega in May. Could he sweep the Talladega races?

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/Talladega-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Scores Must Win​*
Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag in Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway to move on to the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Keselowski needed a win in the final race of the Contender Round in order to keep his championship hopes alive and he delivered in dramatic fashion.

The Team Penske driver was able to outrun the field to the finish line in the second green-white-checkered finish of the day and punched his ticket to the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

"I can't believe it," Keselowski said. "Talladega is such a wild card and to be able to win here you have to catch breaks and make your own breaks, a little of both. I can't believe we won at Talladega. This race is the scariest of the three in the bracket. To be able to win here is really a privilege, it really is."

It was Keselowski's series-leading sixth win of the season and third Talladega triumph.

Keselowski was in the middle of controversy last week in Charlotte with Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart, behavior that resulted in a $50,000 NASCAR fine and four race probation. His win Sunday was redemption.

"The right way (to advance) wasn't last week, so that makes today more special," he said. "... I'm not real proud of last week, I'm proud of today."

He led five times for 12 laps including the final circuit.

Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Landon Cassill and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.

Travis Kvapil, Kurt Busch, Marcos Ambrose, Kevin Harvick and Casey Mears completed the first 10 finishers.

Eight drivers move on to the Eliminator Round without four that were knocked out on Sunday; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Martinsville Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

How Keselowski won: He got ahead on the final lap of the green-white-checkered finish and with some unexpected help from last week's Charlotte combatant Kenseth outran the field to the checkered flag.

What else happened: The expected drama of the final race in the Contender Round taking place at Talladega played itself out over the course of the 500-mile race. While the first half of the race was calm by restrictor plate standards, the second 250 miles saw tensions rise and the intensity level follow suit. Three and four-wide racing were the order of the day and drivers jockeyed for position hoping to get to Victory Lane while also either protecting their spots in the standings or trying to get into the Chase.

Who else had a good day: Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick were the only two other drivers that had secured spots in the next round of the Chase so in addition to Keselowski, five others celebrated making it through. Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon all had good enough days in Talladega to stay in the championship picture as it moves on to Martinsville&#8230;Danica Patrick displayed her restrictor plate-racing prowess again leading late in the race for seven laps.

Who had a bad day: Kyle Busch had his stellar start to the Chase of top-10 finishes in all five races leading into Talladega go out the window when he was swept up in a multiple car accident just past halfway. Although the Joe Gibbs Racing team got Busch back on track, he wasn't able to make up enough spots to salvage a Chase spot. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in the same position of Keselowski needing a win to control his own destiny and stay in the Chase. He lead a number of laps and ran upfront but like Busch was also involved in a crash this time in the late going to end his title run. His teammate Jimmie Johnson, also in a must win situation, couldn't get to Victory Lane in the late race shuffle while another Hendrick Motorsports teammate also got booted out of the Chase when the final standings were decided.

Quote of the day: "Do you realize you just pushed Brad Keselowski to a win? Karma's a @#%#!, isn't it?" Clint Bowyer to Matt Kenseth

Notables: Clint Bowyer finished third for the third time this season, his best performances of the year&#8230;..Landon Cassill had a career-best fourth-place finish&#8230;.Sixth-place Travis Kvapil scored his best finish since he came home in the same spot at Talladega in 2008.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/10/Brad-Keselowski-Scores-Must-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Geico 500​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Ryan Newman's Car Fails Post Race Inspection​*
Newman slips into Eliminator Round of Chase, fails post-race inspection

Richard Childress Racing's Ryan Newman scored just his third top-five finish of the season Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, and it was enough to move him to the next round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Newman took the final green-white-checkered restart from the inside of the front row and challenged Brad Keselowski for the lead in the final laps of the race, taking the white flag side-by-side with the No. 2 Ford.

However, a well-timed block by Keselowski in the middle of Turn 1 and 2 on the white flag lap stalled Newman's charge to the front and the driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet crossed the line in the fifth spot.

Despite the clean finish, Newman expected some of the animosity from last week's race in Charlotte to boil over.

"I didn't know what was going to happen because there were a lot of guys who had some pent-up frustrations from last week," said Newman. "It ended up being a clean finish from what I saw there. We had a good Caterpillar Chevrolet. I caught a break on pit road there when that caution came out; it really gave us the lead. By the way everything lined up we ended up as a fifth-place car."

That fifth-place finish -- along with a sixth at Kansas Speedway and seventh at Charlotte Motor Speedway -- helped propel Newman into the Eliminator 8.

In his first season with Richard Childress Racing, Newman has used consistency to earn a spot in the Chase and to advance through the first two rounds. However, Newman has yet to score his first victory of the season, and he looks to change that over the next three races in the Eliminator Round.

"I think to me the next three races are the ones that are the most important to win," he said. "We have been knocking on the door here the last three. We will keep digging. I don't know how to answer any questions on that last restart. I don't know if I could have done anything better.

I obviously could have done things worse, but just the way things line up (I was) happy to stay in the top five there in the last couple of laps."

After the race, NASCAR determined Newman's car was too low in the rear on both sides of the car. NASCAR announced they would take the car back to the R&D Center in Concord, N.C. for further evaluation. Any penalties are likely to be announced on Tuesday.

Based on previous penalties, Newman could likely lose 15 points as a result of the issue. Given the fact he finished the day 27 points ahead of Kasey Kahne, the potential penalty should not jeopardize Newman's apparent advancement into the next round of the Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...nd-of-chase-fails-post-race-inspection-101914


----------



## Ckg2011

*Not This Year​*
Jimmie Johnson's quest for history will have to wait. Kyle Busch's hope for a first series crown was denied. Same for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

All four drivers were eliminated after Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway, marking the end of the title hunt for three of Hendrick Motorsports' four teams.

Johnson's exit marks only the second time in the last nine years he will not have a chance to win the title at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gone also is a chance this season to tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven career Sprint Cup titles.

"Just didn't get the golden ticket to go to the next round,'' Johnson said on pit road afterward.

Johnson and Earnhardt knew they all but needed to win Sunday to advance - same as Brad Keselowski, who did. Johnson led a race-high 81 laps and Earnhardt led 31, but it wasn't enough. Earnhardt was collected in a late crash and finished 31st. Johnson got shuffled back and couldn't recover, placing 24th.

"That's the best plate race I've ever seen him run,'' Keselowski said of Johnson.

Even so, Johnson couldn't overcome the lack of help late.

On the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, Johnson restarted fourth behind Keselowski.

"I was in a weird position because I was behind (Keselowski),'' Johnson said. "If I pushed him to the win, he moves on and I don't. I tried to get to his outside. As I got to his outside and looked up, I had no friends in the mirror. If I knew we were going to have a second green-white-checkered, I would have stayed in line and that would have shuffled the order ... and maybe had another shot at it.''

Instead, without any help, he fell back and wasn't a factor again. Everything he tried went against him and he fell outside the top 20.

Johnson was one of the few who had a shot late, though.

Earnhardt was hit from behind in the final laps and the damage ended his last hopes of advancing.

"You need to be up front,'' Earnhardt said. "You need to be in the top four the last few restarts. Those are the guys that have a shot at it. You know you're not going to pass 10 or 12 cars there in six or seven laps. We tried. It just didn't work out

"We will just go try to win some more races before the year is out. That is all we have left."

Kahne finished 12th but it also wasn't enough. He fell four points shy of taking the final transfer spot. Kahne had made this round by two points at Dover on AJ Allmendinger.

"Basically the restart before, they all checked up in front of me so I went high to get momentum and that didn't work,'' Kahne said. "I don't know why that didn't work, but it didn't. Anyways, I'm in 20th and got back to 12th. It was tough if you weren't in the top few spots.''

Busch never got that chance. He was collected in a 10-car crash shortly past halfway. His car suffered extensive damage, and it took his team about 45 minutes to repair the car and was so many laps behind he was managed to only pass three cars to finish 40th.

Busch walked away without commenting but crew chief Dave Rogers said: "Something happened out of our control and took us out of the Chase. That's part of the sport. We all knew it coming into Talladega. We're the unfortunate victims this time.

"It doesn't matter if you're first or 40th, if someone is going to run you over from behind, they're going to run you over from behind.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dega-Marks-End-Of-Chase-For-Four-Drivers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cassill Scores Career-Best Finish​*
While Landon Cassill's fourth-place finish Sunday was a career high, it was not new territory for he and his team.

In May, Cassill battled for the lead with two laps left before finishing 11th - his career high until Sunday.

This time, Cassill was ninth on the final restart and worked his way to fourth.

Cassill tucked behind Matt Kenseth and rode the bottom line toward the front in the final two laps. On the last lap, winner Brad Keselowski moved down to that line to get a push and the bottom lane surged. The top lane was broken with Ryan Newman alone in Turn 4 before a pack could catch him.

With the bottom line moving, Cassill charged to third. Cassill darted to the outside in the trioval but got no help and fell back to fourth at the finish.

"We wanted to win this race,'' Cassill said. "We came here to win it. My team deserves it. We don't have a lot to work with. But what we do work with, we set out to run good at these four superspeedway races, and we proved that this year. Fourth place is just amazing."

Later, Cassill tweeted: "I want to be clear about something. My team built these cars themselves in OUR shop. We didn't buy these cars from anyone. They work 7 days a week, and put everything they know about racing into these four (superspeedway) races. Nobody deserves a top 5 more than them.''

Others celebrated Cassill's accomplishment.

"I'm a @landoncassill fan,'' Michael Waltrip tweeted. "So happy to see he and Mike Hillman have a great day. Way to go buddy!''

Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president, tweeted: "Great job today! @landoncassill.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Landon-Cassill-Scores-Career-Best-Finish.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Overcomes 'Nerve-Racking' Finish​*
Jeff Gordon had put himself in position to easily advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and maybe even win Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Then the caution came out and ruined his hopes.

Suddenly, he was in danger of being eliminated from title contention.

In or out? Gordon wasn't sure until the checkered flag flew.

He was in after finishing 26th. Gordon beat Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne for the final transfer spot by three points. With Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. also eliminated, Gordon is the only Hendrick driver with a shot to win this year's championship.

"Those last couple of laps were some of the most nerve-racking laps of my life, so I'm glad they're over,'' Gordon said.

Gordon had stretched his fuel and had yet to pit when the caution waved on Lap 176 for a spin by Kyle Larson after he exited pit road.

"We had a great strategy,'' Gordon said. "Unfortunately the caution hit us at the absolute worst time and put us behind there.''

With the caution, Gordon pitted and was 20th on the restart. His chances of winning were all but over then. He fell to 23rd before the final restart.

"We fought hard that last restart,'' Gordon said. "The inside lane just didn't go anywhere. I was just sitting there going backward and couldn't do a thing. I'm just glad we made it.

"I'm just mentally drained right now. It's always tough racing here at Talladega trying to put yourself in position to win. But when you have that much on the line and you know that your championship hopes are right there in that final moment, it's nerve racking.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Takes-Final-Transfer-Spot-At-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Assists Keselowski At Talladega​*
Last week, Matt Kenseth shoved Brad Keselowski off the track.

Sunday, Kenseth did it on the track and helped keep Keselowski's title hopes alive.

Keselowski called it funny. Clint Bowyer called it karma. Others might say it's just racing at Talladega Superspeedway where one doesn't always get to choose their drafting partner and sometimes the drivers working together are not the best of friends.

A week after Kenseth - mild-mannered Kenseth of all people - charged Keselowski in the garage, he was helping him. Kenseth admits it wasn't by choice. It was more selfishness because that was the best way for Kenseth to also advance to the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Kenseth wanted to follow Kevin Harvick but his push gave Harvick the burst of speed to move up the track. Kenseth couldn't follow and was left on the bottom line.

"When it comes down to the end of the race at Talladega, it's not like you can be, 'All right, I'm going to do that,'" Kenseth said after his runner-up finish. "You have to do what's best for your best finish.''

What was best proved to be running behind Keselowski's back bumper.

"Not knowing the exact points, knowing we had to finish in front (Kasey Kahne), especially if (Keselowski) won, I knew my path to the best finish was going to be at the bottom there,'' Kenseth said.

With Landon Cassill pushing him, Kenseth led the bottom lane at the start of the final lap. The line surged. As the field raced down the backstretch, Keselowski cut down in front of Kenseth to block the line's surge.

"If it would have been a little farther down the straightaway, I think I would have had enough speed to get under Brad and might have had a shot for the win,'' said Kenseth, who is winless this season. "But he went all the way across the track and just had enough room to get down in front of me.''

Keselowski led a train on the bottom lane with Kenseth pushing him. Ryan Newman ran in the middle lane but didn't have any help with the field stacked three-wide behind him.

Kenseth's push launched Keselowski, giving him the advantage he carried back to the finish line and a also a spot in the Eliminator Round.

"It was funny how this racing world works out,'' Keselowski said after his season-best sixth win of the season.

"I don't know why it seems like every week where there's either a fight in the garage or a mishap or something like that happens, those two cars and people end up together, whether it was our cars were parked together in the garage area, or on the race track for the win in the closing laps at Talladega. I don't know why that happens.

"I didn't feel uncomfortable in the least bit. It just so happened to be that Matt was leading his lane, and his lane had the best run at the end. I came down and blocked it. That was enough to seal our fate as a winner, seal his fate as second.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Pushes-Brad-Keselowski-to-Talladega-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Coby Captures Second Championship​*
It was the worst finish of the season for Doug Coby. But in the end, it didn't matter, as the Milford, Connecticut driver lifted the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour trophy for the second time in three seasons Sunday.

The 35-year-old finished 17th and two laps down in the season finale Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. The race was won by defending tour champion Ryan Preece.

It was Coby and the No. 2 Dunleavy's Repair/HEX Performance/Fox Shocks Chevrolet team, though, who earned the big trophy on the strength of an outstanding season that included a win and nine top fives in 13 races. Coby, who finished second in points to Preece last year, kicked off 2014 with a win in the non-points UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway.

Donny Lia finished as the runner-up behind Preece Sunday, followed by Rowan Pennink, Ron Silk and Justin Bonsignore.

Matt Hirschman, Spencer Davis, Eric Goodale, Max Zachem and 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Timmy Solomito rounded out the top 10.

Preece led twice for a race-high 137 laps, including the final 73. A late caution pushed the race to 151 laps.

It was Preece's first win at Thompson after four runner-up finishes at the .625-mile banked oval. Earlier in the day, Preece wrapped up the track's NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Sunoco Modified Division championship.

Ted Christopher, the 2008 tour champion, entered the event as the closest challenger to Coby. Christopher, however, was involved in a wreck and finished 10 laps down in 20th.

With his win, Preece jumped up to finish second in points - 22 behind Coby. Bonsignore finished third, five points back of Preece, while Silk and Christopher completed the top five. Second through fifth were separated by nine points.

The Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart will air on FOX Sports 1 on Nov. 1 at 10 a.m.

Coby will be honored for his championship season along with NASCAR's other touring series champions on Saturday, Dec. 12 at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards in the Grand Ballroom of the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&RaceID=6716&YearID=43&StatType=Race+Results

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...014/09/Coby-Captures-Second-Championship.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2014 Geico 500 At Talladega​*





*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Dega Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opening Chase Round At Talladega A Better Option​*
A Talladega elimination race was something either to get excited about or frustrated with when the new Chase for the Sprint Cup format was announced.

It sure was exciting for Brad Keselowski. It was a relief for about five other drivers. It was frustrating for many.

Talladega belongs in the Chase. But as an elimination race in the second round? It still leaves a little bit of a bad taste in the mouth, especially for fans whose drivers were eliminated.

It could be argued that Talladega was true to the sport, that those who advanced and those who went home were not known until the end of the race. But the dynamic of Talladega makes it so much better as an opening race of a Chase elimination round rather than the end of one.

It is just a shame that Kyle Busch couldn't have been in a big hole and at least have a chance to rally his way back with a win at Kansas or Charlotte. He tried to play the consistency card in the first two races and lost. Just imagine what both of those races might have looked like if he was going for broke. It would have been like Keselowski on Sunday, but better.

With a handful of drivers lagging in the back because they knew they just had to finish 15th-25th, those drivers would have more incentive to race throughout the event at Talladega if it opened a round. Busch learned that being back there can still have its issues as he got hit from behind while trying to slow down for a wreck.

There also was speculation of whether Joey Logano was blocking to help Keselowski on those final laps. NASCAR's 100 percent rule, instituted last year, requires drivers to try to get the best finish possible. NASCAR says that drafting is an acceptable move, and there is no rule against blocking. Among the list of unacceptable actions are "directing a driver to give up a position to the benefit of another driver," according to the list handed out last year after the Michael Waltrip Racing race-manipulation scandal.

With the nature of restrictor-plate racing requiring a push and a block to often help someone else as well as the driver himself, it's impossible to tell whether each and every move is above board. And with a win automatically getting a driver to the next round, Kansas victor Logano didn't need to win.

As Roger Penske bluntly put it when asked to clarify what he told of Logano in light of the rules: "It's pretty simple. With the structure of the Chase, he was already committed into the next round. So we sat down, we and Brad and even (Ryan) Blaney and said, 'Whatever you can do today to get the 2 car (of Keselowski) in the winner's circle, that's what you need to do.' I think he obeyed orders pretty well."

It doesn't do anything for the sport to have Logano in that position and questions about his intentions, valid or not, as part of the storyline. Sure, a non-Chase driver might help a teammate or someone as part of an alliance, but there would be incentive for that driver to win as well for a season highlight. Logano had little incentive except for a trophy and a little bit of cash.

NASCAR can avoid that just by making Talladega the start of a round of the Chase.

A Chase opener at Talladega actually could be pretty awesome. Media events in Atlanta the day before it starts. Then the drama of Talladega with the chance of one of the drivers who just slips into the Chase earning a win and a berth to the next round. And there would be a good chance of a great driver being put in a hole, but with the ability to come back to make it into the top-12 in points that would be needed to advance. Plus, highlights of Talladega are often shown on sports shows no matter the time of year, which means the start of the Chase would get a big publicity boost.

Talladega as an elimination race had drama. But when another driver is often at the mercy of needing help (and we're not even touching on the frustrations over the qualifying format), it's better to open a Chase round there than to finish one.

*Source:* 
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...h-wreck?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Is Exactly What NASCAR Needs Right Now​*
Brad Keselowski is exactly what NASCAR needs right now.

You will have a reaction to that statement. You will either nod in agreement or spit in disgust, and both reactions prove the same point. For every complaint about NASCAR - the drivers have no personality, the races are too boring, the rules are too confusing - Keselowski is your answer. You don't have to like him, but you have to respect him. You have to pay attention to him, and how many drivers can claim that?

Take, for instance, Sunday's race at Talladega. Fans love this race, but the guys who strap themselves into the cars absolutely loathe it. There's no rhyme nor reason to why things happen the way they do here, no one strategy that you can guarantee will even put you in position to win, to say nothing of taking the checkered flag.

Yet here was Keselowski, needing a victory to move on in this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, a victory to keep a five-win season from being nothing but a year of failed potential. He'd won here twice before, and both times he did what was thought impossible: in 2009, he outdueled veteran Carl Edwards, leaving Edwards pinwheeling into the fence behind him, and in 2012, he beat Kyle Busch head-to-head at a time when no one thought a lone driver could outrun a pack.

On Sunday, he faced equally long odds, and yet he played the race like a chess match, working his way into position and using help from unexpected quarters to win on a day with absolutely no margin for error.

That's the thing about Keselowski. He's doing what certain other drivers - you know their names - used to do: he'll beat you, he'll piss you off, then he'll beat you again.

He's driven Matt Kenseth, the guy who makes Eeyore look twitchy, into a fighting rage. He's gotten Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart, former champions all, mad enough to break out the disapproving language ... or, in Stewart's case, the disapproving rear bumper. And the story of his ongoing relationship with Denny Hamlin runs like an "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoon.

Over the last four seasons, his 14 wins are second only to Johnson's 16. But while Johnson is measured, always saying the right thing at the right time, Keselowski talks like he's pulling in hot to a greased pit stall ... he makes his point, but every once in awhile he'll slide right on past it and get himself into trouble.

Depending on your perspective, he's either aggravating or exhilarating, a savior or a sonofa*****. But no matter what, you can't ignore him. He's responsible for two of the greatest NASCAR TV moments of recent years: his exuberant Miller Lite-fueled championship interview at Homestead in 2012, and his WWE-style throwdown with Kenseth last week at Charlotte. For a sport teetering on relegation to niche status, that's the kind of publicity a hundred sponsors can't buy.

But a driver who's nothing more than a walking promo doesn't last long. Keselowski also owns six victories this year, and can lay claim to one of the finest on-track moves of this generation, if not ever: his daring pass of Kevin Harvick at Chicago this year to start the Chase. That was the kind of all-or-nothing, old-school, mash-it-and-go kind of move that Earnhardt, Petty, or Pearson would have admired had he done it to them ... and then they'd do their best to rattle his cage next time around.

Keselowski might ride the momentum of this victory straight on through to a second championship at Homestead, or he may find himself once again on the outs in just three weeks. Either way, he'll be one to watch all the way until his season's done ... and that's exactly the kind of must-see driver NASCAR needs right now.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...ly-what-nascar-needs-right-now-001449687.html


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Makes Announcement On No. 31 Car​*
NASCAR just announced that the No. 31 RCR Chevy driven by Ryan Newman has cleared inspection and no penalty will be handed out. NASCAR officials say that race damage is what caused Newman's car to be found too low in post race inspection falling Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Be Careful What You Wish For​*
If 'winning is everything,' odd that two drivers with six wins are out, two with no wins are in...

Well, that was a weird, tense Talladega race. Actually, they are all tense, but that's usually because we are waiting on The Big One. This time, we were waiting on the NASCAR accountants to figure out whose season was effectively over, who would live to Chase another day.

But the GEICO 500 delivered what NASCAR wanted, right? For us to worry more about the championship than the race itself? Hasn't that been the point of all these changes in the points system?

But I have to think the multiple scenarios NASCAR executives plotted pre-season likely did not include losing three of the four Hendrick cars in one fell swoop, plus the at-least always-interesting Kyle Busch. Especially since Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kasey Kahne had competitive, contending seasons, though certainly Kahne pulled a rabbit out of the hat for his last-minute win.

We expected one-shot drivers like Aric Almirola and A.J. Allmendinger to get in the Chase, and promptly be eliminated, but in this format, which supposedly is all about winning, Johnson and Earnhardt have won six races, which is six more than Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth, who remain in contention.

Nobody gets everything

Of course, even NASCAR doesn't always get what it wants. The NFL and Major League Baseball, as well as the TV networks that carry the games, will tell you in private that they would always prefer a World Series or a Super Bowl featuring a New York vs. Los Angeles team, because those are the two most important markets. If they have to settle for Phoenix or Green Bay or St. Louis, so be it.

Certainly NASCAR would prefer to we go to the Homestead-Miami finale with, say, Earnhardt, Johnson, Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart as the Final Four, because that quartet would conceivably pull the biggest ratings. But they could end up with Kenseth and Newman - who could still be winless this season by then - and maybe Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. Is that going to move the needle?

NASCAR is good at gerrymandering the sport to draw the most attention, but they conceived this plan, and they'll have to live by it, but there are some big names, and big sponsors, suddenly relegated to also-ran status that may not be pleased.

If it sounds like I don't like the new format, that's not entirely true: I think it's pretty interesting. But to me, a championship in automobile racing is won over a season, by the whole team. At the end of 2014, I know NASCAR will crown a champion, but to me, there will always be a mental asterisk by that name that means, "Finished best of four cars at Homestead-Miami Speedway." And not, "Whipped all comers over a brutal 10-month season."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-be-careful-what-you-wish-for


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Kurt Busch's New 2015 Paint Scheme Unveiled​*
Kurt Busch's No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing will have a slightly different look in 2015. See the below image, released today by the team, for a glimpse:

A heavier amount of red comes onto the car that had been primarily black in 2014, this Busch's first season with SHR.

Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart's primary paint schemes for 2014 have also been released. They are below:















Note the release dates of each of these images. Stewart's came out two weeks ago, Wednesday, October 8, with Harvick's the following Wednesday October 15 and Busch's today, Wednesday, October 22.

There's some anticipation about how Danica Patrick's car may look in 2015 with her contract with GoDaddy up for renewal.

Assuming they do, there's a good chance we could see her 2015 livery next Wednesday.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...t-scheme-unveiled/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*SHR Swaps Teams​*
Stewart-Haas Racing will swap crew chiefs and road crews between its Nos. 10 and 41 teams beginning with the AAA Texas 500 race weekend Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Crew chief Tony Gibson will move from the No. 10 GoDaddy team of Danica Patrick to the No. 41 Haas Automation team of Kurt Busch. Crew chief Daniel Knost will move from the No. 41 team to serve as the interim crew chief for Patrick and the No. 10 team. The road crews assembled by each crew chief will also make the swap. However, the pit crews for each respective team will not be moved.

"We made this change to evaluate our program and to get a head start on 2015," said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, Stewart-Haas Racing. "With the ban on testing next year, the last three races of this season take on even greater importance. For Tony Gibson and Kurt, they'll get three races together that will provide direction for next year. And for Daniel Knost and Danica, this is an opportunity for them develop a rapport that could potentially continue into 2015."

This weekend's Sprint Cup event at Martinsville Speedway will be the last for Gibson with Patrick and Knost with Busch.

In 70 Sprint Cup races with Patrick dating back to the last two races of the 2012 season, Gibson helped deliver her first career pole in the 2013 Daytona 500 and her best career finish of sixth earned on Aug. 31, 2014 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In 32 Sprint Cup races with Busch, all of which took place in 2014, Knost helped him make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for a second straight season and the eighth time in his career. Knost, a first-year crew chief with a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech, directed Busch to six top-five and nine top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win when the series raced at Martinsville in March.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/SHR-Swaps-Teams.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Takes Blame For Incident With Patrick​*
Danica Patrick wanted vengeance.

Joey Logano says all is good.

Whether that's the case could become evident this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, the first chance for Patrick to retaliate - if she so decides - against Logano for an incident between them earlier this month at Charlotte.

After contact between the two cars wrecked Patrick, the team gave her permission to retaliate. She noted on the radio during the Charlotte race how doing so at that time wouldn't impact Logano since he was guaranteed a spot in the Eliminator Round, which begins at Martinsville.

This weekend marks a prime chance for drivers to retaliate. The slower speeds at Martinsville's half-mile track make it more acceptable in the garage for paybacks as opposed to a high-speed track like Talladega.

With Logano trying to be among the final four drivers to advance to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway next month, he's talked with Patrick.

Logano took responsibility for the incident at Charlotte.

"She got cleared,'' Logano said Tuesday of the accident. "I was just right there on the edge of it. It was one of those points where we both were very aggressive. I probably should have gave at that point and I didn't.

"I drove into the corner wanting the spot, too. When two people want the same thing sometimes it just doesn't work. I told her in all honesty I probably should have backed on in that situation. Moving on.''

Logano has won a race in each of the first two rounds of the Chase. Of the three races in this round, he won at Texas earlier this season and finished fourth at Martinsville and Phoenix. Logano has won a career-high five races this season.

Should there be any retaliation, it could impact Logano's chances of advancing.

"Obviously, our relations with other drivers on track are always a concern,'' said Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske. "When you get in a situation where you're talking about wrecking somebody ... it's always frustrating it has to get to that point. Obviously, we hope that those two can work out whatever went on. We'll see.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Charlotte-Incident-With-Danica-Patrick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Cheez-It To Sponsor Biffle In 2015​*
Roush Fenway Racing has signed a multi-year partnership with Kellogg Company's Cheez-It brand to serve as a primary sponsor on Greg Biffle's No. 16 Sprint Cup Series Ford beginning in 2015.








Kellogg has a history of success with RFR over the last five years, including Carl Edwards' victory earlier this season at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"I could not be more excited to represent Cheez-It snacks," Biffle said. "The Cheez-It cars have always looked really good on the track and they're going to look even better with the No. 16 on the side."

"Roush Fenway is a great partner, helping us share the excitement of NASCAR racing with fans across the country," said Melissa Pawlowicz, senior director of Integrated Promotions for Kellogg Company. "Greg Biffle is a great driver who will be a tremendous representative for our products."

Biffle, a two-time NASCAR champion in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, is a perennial Cup Series title contender - having qualified for the post-season Chase in six of the last seven seasons.

"We've enjoyed a great relationship with Cheez-It and Kellogg for several years," said Roush Fenway Racing President Steve Newmark. "We're pleased to continue that partnership with Greg and the No. 16 team. They are a truly iconic brand and a wonderful ambassador for our sport. They will be a great fit with Greg, and we look forward to rolling out fun and exciting marketing initiatives with them in the coming years."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/10/Cheez-It-to-Sponsor-Biffle-in-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Analyzing The Eliminator Round​*
Joey Logano has been the star of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup so far and all eyes will be on him as the Eliminator Round kicks off.

Logano has posted two wins and a stellar 4.2 average finish in the first six races of the Chase and leads The Eliminator 8 to Martinsville Speedway for Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

The Sprint Cup Series has already visited the tracks in this round earlier this spring and Logano is the only one of the eight drivers that finished in the top five in all three races at Martinsville, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. He led 39 laps in the spring at Martinsville en route to a fourth-place finish and would like nothing more than to lock in his spot in Championship Round right out of the gate with his sixth win of the season.

"First and foremost, we want to win this weekend to lock us into the next round of competition and race for the championship in Homestead," Logano said. "It would also be pretty cool to win one of those grandfather clocks, one of the coolest 'trophies' in all of motor sports. It's not an easy race to win. There's a lot of beating and banging that goes on and you can get caught up in someone else's mess. That's a big part of short-track racing."

Logano tested at Martinsville earlier this month with teammate Brad Keselowski, who advanced into the Eliminator Round by virtue of his win last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

"That race galvanized us. There's an extra bit of confidence and belief in what we are capable of as a team," said Paul Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford for Keselowski. "It's hard to describe, but you can see it and feel it when you're there. With that and the data we took away from our recent test, we should be alright this weekend."

Keselowski is the only one of the eight drivers that has not captured a win at the next three tracks.

Richard Childress Racing's Ryan Newman, who also tested at Martinsville, still is in search of his first win of the season, which would come at the most important time of the year.

"Winning one of these next three races is the most important win you could have - just to give yourself the best shot at Homestead," Newman said.

Logano won at Texas in April and leads The Eliminator 8 with a 5.9 average finish in the nine races at 1.5-mile tracks this season. Like Martinsville, Logano and Keselowski tested at the Fort Worth track along with Carl Edwards, who ranks fourth among the eight drivers in wins (five) at the three tracks coming up.

Kevin Harvick won the last race at a 1.5-mile track, in Charlotte, and leads all drivers by far with 740 laps laps led at those types of ovals. Harvick also dominated the Phoenix race in the spring, leading 224 laps on his way to the checkered flag.

"The 1.5-mile tracks have kind of been our bread and butter," Harvick said. "Phoenix has been good every time we've been there. It's really just trying to get to Martinsville and we've accomplished that. Now, we have to figure out how we can get the best finish we can out of each racetrack. If you had to pick one that we've had the most success at, Phoenix would be it - hands down. But our 1.5-mile stuff has been our bread and butter this year so Texas should be good, too."

Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in career wins at the three tracks in the Eliminator Round with 11, his last coming at Martinsville in 2013. He tested there in August.

"As far as Chase tracks, Martinsville stands out for us," Gordon said. "It's a track where we've had great success over the years, so I hope we have a strong start to this Eliminator Round."

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth have combined for 10 wins at the next three tracks. Hamlin leads with seven, including four at Martinsville. Both Hamlin and Kenseth recently tested at Phoenix.

"This round has three tracks our team has had a lot of success at over the years, starting with Martinsville," Hamlin said. "We didn't have a great race there in the spring, but we've made some gains on our short-track program; and I'm confident we can go there and compete for the win this weekend. Winning on Sunday is our ultimate goal. That would be great to put ourselves in position to battle for the championship at Homestead."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Analyzing-the-Eliminator-Round.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Who Will Advance?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

Which four drivers will advance from the Eliminator Round?

Answer​


> *Pete Pistone*
> 
> Not surprisingly the same four at the top of this week's edition of our MRN.com Power Rankings.
> 
> Brad Keselowski has enough speed, momentum and intangibles to carry him into the championship race at Homestead. He and crew chief Paul Wolfe have recaptured the chemistry that took them to the 2012 title.
> 
> Joey Logano is having a breakout year, and there's no reason to believe he'll slow any time soon. Behind Keselowski and Wolfe, the Logano-Todd Gordon combo might be the best in the garage.
> 
> Kevin Harvick appears to have shaken the bad luck that has followed the team this year. Harvick continues to have the best shot at a Sprint Cup title in his career.
> 
> There's one bullet left in the Hendrick Motorsports chamber and it's Jeff Gordon. The next three tracks align well well for the four-time champion.
> 
> *Dustin Long:*
> 
> The same four I picked before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup began - Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon.
> 
> They are the best teams and have shown the most speed. Unless something drastic happens, they'll be the ones racing for the championship next month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/10/Gas-N-Go-Which-Four-Will-Advance.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Full Speed Ahead for Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick made it through the Contender Round with a win and now looks to do the same thing during the three-race Eliminator Round that kicks off Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Harvick's victory in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway meant the pressure was off during last week's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver would love to employ that same strategy in the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and has a good chance of doing so based on past history at the trio of tracks that lie ahead.

Martinsville is followed by Texas Motor Speedway and then Phoenix International Raceway, all places where Harvick has enjoyed success.

"These next three races line up really well for us," Harvick said. "We've been fortunate to have won at Martinsville before and we ran really well there the first race (this year). The 1.5-mile tracks have been our bread and butter, and Phoenix has been good pretty much every single time we've been there.

"First, it was just trying to get to Martinsville and we've accomplished that. Now, we have to focus on getting the best finish we can out of each racetrack. If I'd have to pick one that we've been most successful at, it would be Phoenix - hands down. But our 1.5-mile stuff has been our bread and butter this year, so that should be good, and Martinsville has been good to us in the past."

Looking inside the numbers provides reasons for Harvick's optimism. He has wins at two of the next three tracks on the schedule, with an average finish of 13.8. But as this new Chase format has proven, almost anything can happen and what is usually expected sometimes has a way of getting turned upside down.

Harvick believes the next round will be no different.

"We've all proven that we can pretty much make all the races into a wild-card race," Harvick said. "I don't think anybody predicted Kansas being as crazy as it was. Chicago, with all the penalties and everything that happened, was pretty crazy as well. Charlotte got out of control with everything that happened after the race.

"Martinsville is probably the place that a lot of things could even up in terms of the rivalries that have been created with guys in the Chase and out of the Chase. We're on a pretty good path to having a clean slate as far as things have gone this season so hopefully, we can make it through Martinsville because I think that's the one that'll be the craziest."

Crazier than last week's pressure-filled Talladega round? Even though the heat was off for Harvick at Talladega, he still thinks there are a few hard feelings out there that could surface Sunday over the course of 500 laps around the tight Martinsville half-mile.

"Everybody is unhappy at this particular stage of the year because the intensity level is so high," he said. "Whether a moment is good or bad, it could have been the moment where you win or lose the championship. You see that intensity, which showed through pretty heavily at Charlotte.

"You just have to approach it as whatever you must do to get the best finish for your team is what you have to do at this particular point. The goal is to get to Homestead and we have three races to do that."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 from Martinsville Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Kevin-Harvick-Full-Speed-Ahead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Wurth Returns to Sponsor Keselowski​*
Team Penske has reached a multi-year extension agreement with the Wurth Group to continue as a key partner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Under the terms of the new agreement, Wurth will be a primary sponsor of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion for three 2015 NSCS races and Wurth will once again serve as an associate sponsor for the balance of the season on the No. 2 Ford.

After initially joining forces for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, Wurth and Team Penske took their partnership to a new level this year with Wurth stepping up as a primary sponsor of the No. 2 Ford driven by 2012 NSCS champion Brad Keselowski for select races. A leading supplier of high-quality automotive and industrial parts, cabinet supplies and fasteners that includes more than 40,000 customers across the nation, The Wurth Group will continue to support Keselowski and the No. 2 Team Penske Ford team moving forward.

"We are proud of the relationship that Team Penske has built with Wurth over the last three seasons," said Roger Penske. "Wurth has experienced great success with our teams and we will work with them to build on our accomplishments with Brad and the No. 2 Ford."

The Wurth Group first became involved in NASCAR racing through its partnership with Team Penske, but the company has been involved in motorsports since 1982, serving as a partner in both the DTM and Formula One racing series.

"Our business has enjoyed the association with Team Penske," said Robert Stolz, CEO of Wurth Line North America. "From our events at the race track to our products used in the team's state-of-the-art racing facility - Wurth has been truly integrated with Team Penske and our partnership has exceeded expectations. We look forward to growing our business and the relationship even further over the coming years."

The No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion has produced a pair of top-two finishes among four starts in 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition and Keselowski continues the pursuit of his second series championship in the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup with a series-leading six victories.

"It has been great to have Wurth on board the No. 2 Ford this year," said Keselowski. "One of the things that stands out about our relationship with Wurth is that not only do I see their name and colors on our cars - I see their products being put to good use in our race shop. I think that says a lot about our relationship and they have been a big part of our success this season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Sponsor-Penske-Car-For-Brad-Keselowski.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Looking For Martinsville Repeat​*
Several drivers are hoping for a return to Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway in Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200.

Topping the list is the defending race winner Darrell Wallace Jr., who scored his first career series victory last year and became the first African American to win a NASCAR National Series race since Wendell Scott in 1963.








To commemorate Scott's induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame next January, Wallace will carry a special number and tribute paint scheme honoring Scott's No. 34.

"I'm really excited to run the No. 34 Toyota Tundra this weekend at Martinsville to honor Wendell Scott's Hall of Fame induction, as well as honor the entire Scott family," said Wallace, who also won earlier this year at Gateway Int'l Raceway. Martinsville is a track I have run well on and will always be special to me since I got my first win there last year.

"Anytime you mention Martinsville, I get excited. Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) and the guys have worked really hard to give me the best Toyota Tundra, and I know if we unload with the same speed we have the last few races, we will be just fine. It's time to get us another win and another Grandfather clock."

Wallace ran well when the Truck Series competed at Martinsville back in the spring, starting on the pole after qualifying was rained out and leading 34 laps before finishing second to Matt Crafton.

He's looking to improve one position on Saturday.

"We should have had a couple more before this," Wallace said. "It's going to be an exciting weekend -- we know we're fast. If we unload with what we've had in the past few races then we'll be okay."

Wallace will have his hands full with a number of competitors also with sights on a repeat Martinsville win including home state driver Timothy Peters. The Virginian scored his first win of the season last week in Talladega and comes into the weekend on a roll in hopes of adding another win at the track to his 2009 triumph.

"Our team has great momentum going to Martinsville after taking home the win at Talladega," said Peters, who will make his 18th career Martinsville series start. "I'm so excited to go back to a track where I have so much history, and to race there with Marcus (Richmond) as my crew chief means so much. He and I have a long history together at Martinsville, and hopefully we can take home that checkered flag again this weekend."

Johnny Sauter echoes those sentiments. The ThorSport Racing driver has a couple of Martinsville wins to his credit and is in need of a good day to get back into the championship picture.

Engine problems last week in Talladega dropped Sauter to fourth in the standings with only four races left in the season.

His teammate Crafton, who won at Martinsville in the spring, leads the points by 16 over Ryan Blaney with Wallace third 28 back and Sauter trailing by 36 markers.

Sauter has made 13 Martinsville Truck Series starts in his career but admits the track was not always one of his favorites.

"Having won a couple races there in the last two years has changed my opinion of it," said Sauter. "There was a long time there when I was always fast; I just couldn't get the finishes. I think I changed the way I drive just a little bit, trying to take care of my stuff, trying to get speed without forcing it.

"Having said all that, I love that race track. It's a fun place to race - it's short-track racing at its best. In fact, I don't know anyone who doesn't like going there. It's what most of us grew up doing, and we don't get to do a lot of that now, so I think it's fun."

No doubt it would be even more fun with a third checkered flag Saturday afternoon.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), presented by Keystone Light, with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/10/Looking-for-Martinsville-Repeat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Helps Medical Center Raise Concussion Awareness​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. knew immediately something was wrong during a 2012 crash at Talladega, where his car was hit hard from behind.

He was asked on his radio if he was OK, and it was clear Earnhardt was not.
''I don't know. I mean, I don't know how many of them hits like that I can take,'' NASCAR's most popular driver told his crew.

He recounts the crash in his personal story of his own battle with a concussion in a video made for the Sports Medicine Concussion Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. UPMC on Wednesday launched the website ReThinkConcussions.com to detail treatments.

Featured on the site are Earnhardt and baseball catcher David Ross, who were both treated at UPMC by Dr. Micky Collins, the clinical and executive director of the Concussion Program. Collins is considered one of the leading experts in athlete concussions.

Earnhardt's issues began in late August 2012 when he crashed during a test at Kansas. He knew something was wrong with his head, but continued to drive for the next several weeks. The accident at Talladega led to a second concussion - one he couldn't ignore.

''As soon as I got out of the car, I was like, 'Something is wrong with my head again,''' Earnhardt says in the video. ''I was really moody, very angry, I couldn't go anywhere where people were. I was very scared.''

He was forced out of his car for two races and sought treatment from Collins at UPMC. Earnhardt's situation also led NASCAR to require baseline concussion tests for all drivers this season.

Drivers were urged to get an ImPACT test before the 2013 season as NASCAR worked to implement the rule on baseline testing.

A 30-second version of Earnhardt's video will air nationally during the upcoming NASCAR races at Martinsville and Homestead. It will also be shown regionally during the World Series and evening news broadcasts.

Ross' video details how he suffered a concussion when he was struck in the helmet with a foul ball in 2013. Later that same day, at his son's birthday party, he said he felt ''foggy and seasick'' and his wife noted he wasn't engaged and had an empty look in his eyes.

Ross said he took a few days off, but his performance was off when he returned to the playing field.

''If you don't know what a concussion is and what you're looking for, you are just going to keep trying to trick yourself,'' Ross said.

It came to a head when he was cut off by another driver in traffic and was unable to control his temper. Scared of his behavior, Ross's wife said she'd tell doctors if he did not. It led him to treatment at UPMC. His video will be aired regionally.

Other pro athletes who will be featured in the ReThinkConcussions.com initiative include quarterback Brady Quinn, second baseman Brian Roberts and Tyler Hansbrough of the NBA.

''An important reality is this: concussion is treatable if managed properly,'' said Collins. ''That should be the conversation now instead of the near-hysteria.

People should think of concussions as a treatable injury in the right hands, not some untreatable condition that causes you to retreat to a dark room.''

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...wareness-102214?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Martinsville​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray Martinsville Pole Winner​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6470&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Jamie McMurray earned the top spot in qualifying for Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

McMurray's lap of 99.905 mph in the second of the day's two sessions gave him his 11th career pole and second this season. It was also the Chip Ganassi Racing driver's second career Martinsville pole.

"Great start to our weekend for our McDonald's Chevrolet," said McMurray. "We tested here and I thought we had a really good test. Keith (Rodden, crew chief) and Josh (Sell, Engineer) just did a really good job adjusting on the car.

"It's amazing you can go quicker your second time out. For years we came here to these places and ran slower. That was a good lap."

Logano will start outside the front row in Sunday's first race of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch completed the first ten qualifiers.

A pair of Chase drivers missed the cut to make it into the top twelve and qualifying and move into the day's second session to determine the pole. Defending race winner Jeff Gordon will start 13th and Kevin Harvick has a 33rd place starting position for Sunday's race.

"I thought that first lap would be enough to sneak our way in there and then we could make some adjustments," Gordon said. "But I don't mind starting 13th. It's not a bad place to start; you just want that really good pit stall. So we'll definitely suffer with the pit stall a little bit, but we can still win it from there. Our car's really good."

Harvick has his worst non-restrictor plate track starting spot of the season.

"We just missed it today," Harvick. "We were way too loose. &#8230; We have to get better and be ready to go on Sunday."

All 43 cars that qualified Sunday will take the green flag Sunday afternoon.

Sprint Cup Series drivers will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/McMurray-Martinsville-Pole-Winner.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ripe For Retribution?​*
At what point should drivers in the Chase be treated differently? Or should they always be treated like every other driver when it comes to retribution?

Such is the conundrum heading into Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway.

The historic track's tight quarters make contact inevitable, but is it acceptable for a non-Chase driver to pay back a Chase driver at this point in the season?

In one sense, this isn't a new problem regardless of the points structure. But with only three races between eliminations, any poor finish can impact a Chase driver's championship hopes. So, should the remaining eight title contenders be considered untouchable in the Eliminator Round?

"I think that part of the risk you take when you do something wrong on purpose is that some day you might get that back,'' Matt Kenseth said. "Obviously, if it makes somebody mad enough, they're going to try to figure out how to do that when it hurts the most. That's kind of human nature.''

Kenseth knows.

He entered the 2011 Martinsville Chase race 14 points behind Carl Edwards in the standings. Late in the race, Kenseth spun Brian Vickers after repeated contact. Kenseth later cut a tire and finished 31st. Then at Phoenix - with Kenseth's title hopes dim - Vickers repaid Kenseth by wrecking him.

One thing that keeps such incidents between non-Chase and Chase drivers from regularly happening is that the non-Chase driver might be in the Chase another year. A payback there could cost them a chance for the title. Yes, drivers can hold back on paybacks waiting for the right time.

Jimmie Johnson, who was eliminated from title contention last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, says the "chances are low" that the cars of all eight remaining Chase drivers leave Martinsville unscathed.

"Things do carry over,'' Johnson said. "You can put them away, but if you're back racing with that individual and they use you up a time or two, then you remember and you don't push the brakes as hard or you get in the gas a little earlier than you should have. Those moments seem to surface on short tracks. There's always the chance for that.''

So, does that make it OK to wreck a Chase driver for an earlier transgression?

"I think from a non-Chaser's standpoint, I think you probably look at it as the Chaser's responsibility to race that guy he wants to be raced,'' Kevin Harvick said.

Danica Patrick had permission from her team to pay back Joey Logano at Charlotte after contact between the two wrecked Patrick. She didn't. Logano said this week that he talked to Patrick and took the blame for the incident.

Others also have had run-ins with drivers.

Asked if Brad Keselowski also could face some retribution for incidents this year, Harvick said: "I don't want to get into the middle of his problems. He's definitely got some problems.

"I was run into in Loudon and that's the only thing in my head. He's racing hard. We're all racing for what we want and that's a championship. Sometimes we're going to run into each other.''

Harvick says that retribution doesn't have to come in the form of wrecking someone, though.

"I'm sure that the non-Chase guys and gals, gals for sure, know that they can make life harder than they need just literally passing people,'' Harvick said. "You don't even really need to wreck somebody.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 from Martinsville Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Drivers-Face-Retribution-At-Martinsville.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson In Rare Position​*
This is an unusual position for six-time champion Jimmie Johnson. Four races left in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and he's not eligible to win the title after being eliminated last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

"I can say that leaving Kansas and Charlotte ... that was when I came to grips with not being a championship contender,'' said Johnson, who finished 40th at Kansas after being hit by Greg Biffle and wrecking, and placing 17th at Charlotte. "You get to Talladega and you're rolling the dice there anyway with the restrictor-plate racing. It's an all-or-nothing thing, so it put me in an easy position to relax.

"But it wasn't fun leaving Kansas or Charlotte. It was relatively dark and not a lot of sunlight floating around. I truly believe that those moments make you stronger and make you dig deeper. It's great medicine. I don't want to be in this position. But it's great medicine to sit and watch this championship unfold. It's going to motivate me, Chad (Knaus, crew chief) and the team. We'll come back next year and be ready to roll.''

Johnson admits he took risks to try to win Talladega and advance to the Eliminator Round - as Brad Keselowski did - but it didn't work out.

"It's so hard to look in your mirror for 95 percent of the lap and block people,'' said Johnson, who led a race-high 84 laps before falling back in the final laps and finishing 24th.

"It's just not in my wiring, and I don't think it's really in many. I was more aggressive in the car in blocking, defending and holding on to control of a lane more than I can remember.''

Johnson's focus turns to wins and preparing for next season. It begins at Martinsville Speedway where he has won eight times, including two of the last four races at the historic half-mile track.

"The mindset is simple,'' Johnson said. "We want to close out the year well and finish as high as we can in points. We want to win races. That's what we're here for.

"At the same time, this does open up an opportunity for us to work on '15 from a personnel standpoint and even from a 2015 test plan. Obviously testing is gone next year, so anything we can do to work on the 2015 package will suit us well. We're not slowing down any. These last four weeks are going to be about as busy as any as we're getting geared up for 2015."

As he looks ahead, Johnson knows there could be a day he's not working with Kanus.

"That day is out there,'' Johnson said. "I think a crew chief's lifespan is much shorter than a driver's. They live in dog years and drivers can carry on much longer. I've been accused of being loyal to a fault in the past, that's me. I have no plans or desires to make a change. When Chad decides he's had enough of being the guy on the box, it will be his decision to step down.

"I want to see it go as long as it can. We're honest with each other and know each other well enough to work through the bad times. We're like family, and we fight like family. We can call each other out on that stuff, and you only hear a piece of it on the radio. There is plenty more that goes on behind closed doors and in meetings. It's more of a timeframe of when Chad says, 'I've put in my time here as crew chief and I need to slow down a little bit.' "

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 from Martinsville Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/10/Jimmie-Johnson-In-Rare-Position.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth, Newman Vie For Title Despite Being Winless​*
Could it really happen? Could a driver without a win capture the NASCAR Sprint Cup title?

It's never been done before in NASCAR history. Yet, four races from the season's end, title contenders Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman both remain winless heading into Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway.

"We'll just keep digging,'' said Newman, in his first season at Richard Childress Racing. "Don't really care what other people think if we should be here or shouldn't be. Fact is we are.''

Newman earned his spot in the Eliminator Round with consistent runs. He was sixth at Kansas, seventh at Charlotte and fifth at Talladega. His average finish of 6.0 in that round was better than every other Chase driver except Joey Logano, who had an average finish 5.3 in those races - which included a victory.

Even so, few expected Newman to among the final eight. He had only 10 top-10 finishes in the first 26 races of the season. He's already had four in the first six Chase races. His Talladega run was only his third top-five finish of the season.

"Our pit stops have gotten better,'' Newman said of his Chase success. "Everybody has done a little better job. I think I've picked it up a little on pit road. Everything adds up. They've given me good cars.''

His competitors have noticed even if most people have not.

"Ryan Newman is kind of quiet and has the ability to really sneak in unnoticed and gobble this thing up,'' said former champion Brad Keselowski.

Newman is confident about the upcoming races.

"We get back to some of these race tacks a second time that's our chance to show our ability of what we've learned from the first experience together as a team,'' he said.

While Kenseth is in a similar position as Newman in terms of victories this season, Kenseth has been close to winning. He's finished second twice, including last weekend at Talladega, and third three other times.

Would it be bad if he won the title without winning a race?

"Who am I to decide what is good or bad?'' Kenseth said. "Obviously, if we could we'd have 30 wins. Bottom line is only one guy is going to win and 42 aren't each and every week. We had shots to win earlier this year and couldn't pull it off. We've been kind of warm and cold. We haven't been hot like we were last year. We've been warm more than cold.''

Kenseth said the pressure to win doesn't increase as the season ends, though.

"I think we approach it as keep doing what we'e been doing but try to do it better because we've doing our best every week,'' he said. "Obviously, the results we've had, especially the last two out of the three weeks, those aren't going to be good enough to get into the last four.''

Maybe this weekend is when the drought ends. He finished second in this race a year ago for Joe Gibbs Racing and sixth in the spring, marking only the second time in his career he's had back-to-back top-10 finishes at Martinsville.

"Last year, Matt finished ahead of us and historically this hasn't been a Matt Kenseth track, so I was as shocked as anyone to see him finish ahead of me in that race,'' Jimmie Johnson said.

Said Kenseth: "I have definitely run much better here since I got to JGR than I used to run here. That was a big boost for me.''

Maybe it will help propel him to a championship.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 from Martinsville Speedway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...wman-Vie-For-Title-Despite-Being-Winless.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace Wins Again At Martinsville​*
Darrell Wallace Jr. went four-wide to take the lead with 13 laps left, passing Johnny Sauter while also getting by a lapped truck and fending off a challenge from German Quiroga, to win Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck race at Martinsville Speedway.

"That was exciting,'' Wallace said of his fourth career Truck win and second at Martinsville. "Always got to add excitement to the races we're in. I felt last year was special, but this definitely beats it.''

Wallace, driving a Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck with a special paint scheme honoring NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Wendell Scott, led a race-high 97 of the 200 laps. Wallace even used Scott's number this weekend (34) instead of his regular number on the Truck.

Wallace's career average finish at Martinsville in four career starts now is 2.0. The victory was Wallace's third of the season and 11th of the year for KBM. The organization has won each of the last four fall Martinsville Truck races.

Timothy Peters finished second a week after his Talladega win. Points leader Matt Crafton was third with Erik Jones fourth and Ryan Blaney fifth.

Sauter, who placed seventh, was upset after the race. He ran into the back of Peters' Truck on pit road and had to be restrained as he and Peters had a discussion afterward.

"Future of NASCAR looks bright,'' Sauter told Motor Racing Network after the race. "What a disgrace of a race.''

Said Peters: "It's Martinsville. Tempers are going to flare.''

Matt Tifft finished eighth in his first career series start. He was one of six drivers making their series debut Saturday. The others were: Enrique Contreras (20th), Camden Murphy (21st), Cody Erickson (23rd), Austin Hill (26th) and Wendell Chavous (27th).

Crafton holds an 18-point lead on Blaney in the season standings with three races left in the season. Wallace is third in the standings, 22 points behind Crafton.

"For me that's good but I'm focused on Texas now,'' Wallace of next week's race.

*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6490&YearID=43&StatType=Race+Results





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ll-Wallace-Jr-Wins-Again-At-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Masters Martinsville​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6470&StatType=Race+Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was knocked out of the Chase last week but he came back to win Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. held off Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon to score his fourth win of the season and first of his career at Martinsville.

It's the most victories Earnhardt Jr. has scored in a season since he won six for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. back in 2004.

Earnhardt Jr. took four tires on the final pit stop under caution and was able to pass Tony Stewart for the lead with only three laps remaining and stayed in front of Gordon to take the checkered flag.

"Oh, man, been trying to win here for so many years," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Real emotional win. I can't believe we won here. We're going to drink a lot of beer tonight.

"It's a real emotional win. This team on pit road was great and Steve (Letarte, crew chief) and the guys did a real good job all day. They gave me a great shot at it there with the call at the end to take tires. I can't believe we won here. This means so much to all of us. It's just real emotional."

Gordon, who is still in the championship picture, is now on top of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship standings after one race of the Eliminator Round with his second place performance.

"Really good finish," Gordon, who led a race-best 130 of 500 laps, said. "Those last couple laps were just wild."

Ryan Newman is also still in the thick of the title fight despite not yet winning a race and finished third Sunday.

Stewart and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, AJ Allmendinger and David Ragan completed the first ten finishers.

Several of the eight drivers in the championship fight had issues Sunday including Kevin Harvick, who made contact with Matt Kenseth and slammed hard into the wall damaging his car.

Harvick is last in the Chase standings with Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Hamlin all in the bottom four with two races left in the round.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Earnhardt Jr won:* The call for four tires by crew chief Steve Letarte sealed the deal once the race went green for the handful of laps that were left after NASCAR red flagged the race when Kyle Larson and Marcos Ambrose crashed in Turns 3 and 4. Earnhardt was able to easily move by Stewart on the inside in short order and cruised to the finish line for the victory.

*What else happened:* It was a typical Martinsville day with tight racing, lots of contact and some drivers loosing their cool. Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers were involved in several incidents spinning one another before NASCAR officials finally intervened to end their shenanigans. There were other issues that took out several top drivers who had a chance of winning the race or were in the championship fight.

*Who else had a good day:* Newman's third-place finish was his fifth straight top 10 of the season but only his fourth top five of the year. But the Richard Childress Racing driver is right near the top of the Chase standings&#8230;.Tony Stewart's fourth-place finish matched his season-best performance at Bristol back in March&#8230;..David Ragan had his first top-10 finish since October of 2013.

*Who had a bad day:* Harvick leads the list when he was a victim of Kenseth wheel hopping racing through the corner and knocked into the wall severely damaging his car. He returned to action but was credited with a 33rd-place finish, his worst of the year since 39th at Daytona in July&#8230;.Brad Keselowski struggled early but worked his way into the top-five at one point. But he broke a transmission on the front stretch to trigger a multi-car accident that swept up Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Danica Patrick and others before it was over. Keselowski finished 31st&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson's tough season continued when he had mechanical problems and an on-track incident add up to hand him a 32nd-place finish&#8230;.Kurt Busch had time in the lead but suffered engine problems while under caution that started a fire under the hood of the No. 41 car and ended his day.

*Quote of the day:* "I grew up in a house with a Grandfather clock in it from this place. I always wanted one," Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Notables:* Allmendinger ran as high as sixth before finishing ninth Sunday&#8230;. Austin Dillon was the highest-finishing rookie with a 12th-place finish&#8230;.Pole-sitter Jamie McMurray led early but faded to finish 16th.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Earnhardt-Masters-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Tradition Unlike Any Other​*
Tradition dictates that at least one Victory Lane photo features every Hendrick Motorsports team member wearing their hat backward.

It's a tribute to car owner Rick Hendrick's playful son, Ricky, who died with nine others in a plane crash en route to Martinsville Speedway 10 years ago. The former racer and heir of Hendrick Motorsports repeatedly frustrated his father by wearing his hat backward. Call it a generational gap with the starched shirt era or just simple youth rebellion, but it gnawed at Hendrick.

"Man, what are you doing?'' Jimmie Johnson recalled Hendrick often saying to Ricky about his backward hat. "That's unprofessional. You're a professional. Turn your hat around straight like me.''

Now, the father does like the son.

It started a week after a Hendrick Motorsports plane overshot a fog-shrouded landing strip, circled for another attempt and crashed into Bull Mountain in Virginia. In one moment, Rick Hendrick lost his son, brother, two nieces and close friends.

"It will never be the same,'' Hendrick said six months after the accident, grasping a pillow tucked under his arm as he talked that day.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. thought he could relate to Hendrick's pain having lost his father in the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt admits he was wrong.

"Losing my dad was difficult,'' Earnhardt said. "I can't imagine that loss that he went through, his family went through, the whole organization. All those people at one time. It just has to be unbelievable to have to deal with that.''

The week after the plane crash, Johnson won at Atlanta for Hendrick Motorsports. He was handed a phone in Victory Lane. Hendrick was on the line.

He had a request.

"Turn my hat around to honor Ricky,'' Johnson recalled that day.

Ten years later, as the sun descended on a brilliant fall day that felt more like early summer - without the humidity - Hendrick stood next to Dale Earnhardt Jr., surrounded by Earnhardt's team, in Victory Lane at Martinsville.

Each wore their hat backward.

Earnhardt understood the significance of Sunday's win to Hendrick without his boss saying a word.

"I could feel how important it was to him (in) his embrace,'' Earnhardt said. "You just know there's a genuine hug and there's a hug. His was the real deal.''

Martinsville Speedway, though, represents more than extreme pain and sadness for Hendrick and his family. As anything emotional, it is complex relationship.

A Virginia native, Hendrick used to go with his dad to the track and watch 1960 champion Rex White, one of Hendrick's favorite drivers.

"Being from Virginia, we like to think this is our home track,'' Hendrick said earlier this year.

It was fitting that Hendrick's first career win as a car owner came at this track in 1984 with Geoff Bodine as driver and Harry Hyde as crew chief. The win came shortly before Hendrick planned to shut down his team because of lack of sponsorship.

"I feel like that this will give Rick Hendrick the push that he needs to go the whole season,'' Hyde told Motor Racing Network after that win.

It did more than that. It started a series of events that helped Hendrick become the sport's preeminent owner with a record 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup championships and the only car owner to win five consecutive series titles.

Sunday, that journey took him to a stage facing a bank of photographers and adoring crowd. When the time came, all the team members turned their hat around for Hendrick and smiled.

Hendrick pointed to the sky.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nlike-Any-Other-For-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Frustrating Day​*
Kevin Harvick was a victim of circumstance. Brad Keselowski was slowed by a mechanical failure. Carl Edwards just didn't have a good day.

Although the issues varied, all three left Martinsville Speedway frustrated.

Harvick finished 33rd after suffering damage when Matt Kenseth slid into him.

"He won't win this championship,'' Harvick said of Kenseth. "If we don't, he won't."

Harvick had to go to the garage for repairs and is 33 points behind series leader Jeff Gordon with two races to go before the eight Chase drivers are cut to four for the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Keselowski suffered a mechanical failure late and lost 28 laps for repairs. He's 31 points behind Gordon. Edwards placed 20th, but struggled to stay on the lead lap. He is 20 points out of the lead.

"This kind of puts us in a position now where we're going to need to win,'' Keselowski said.

Unless the other five Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have problems at either Texas or Phoenix, it's not likely that Harvick, Keselowski and Edwards will be able to advance via points.

Harvick started 33rd after problems in qualifying Friday. He avoided Alex Bowman's early spin, overcame early handling problems and worked his way through the field. Harvick climbed into the top 10 just past the 100-lap mark in the 500-lap race.

Then came problems shortly before halfway. Kenseth's car wheel-hopped and he slid up the track into Harvick. The contact sent Harvick into the wall and then to the garage.

When Harvick returned, he brake-checked Kenseth to show his displeasure.

"I totally understand how he feels,'' Kenseth said of Harvick. "He knows it's a mistake, but it doesn't help him. He got taken out of the race for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.''

Keselowski nearly did as well. Keselowski's car suffered minor damage shortly before Harvick's bad luck.

Brian Vickers repaid Kasey Kahne for an earlier incident, but when Vickers spun Kahne, his car hit Keselowski's. Keselowski continued. His race turned with less than 65 laps left when his car suddenly slowed, causing a pile-up. Keselowski said he was unsure what broke in the car.

Instead, he was more focused on what was ahead.

"We've got two more opportunities to advance to the championship round,'' Keselowski said. "Phoenix and Texas are both good tracks for us. (Texas) is very similar to Kentucky.''

Keselowski dominated at Kentucky earlier this year.

Earlier this week, Harvick said he was confident about Texas and Phoenix. He's won three of the last four races there.

Edwards admits he missed an opportunity Sunday. Although he hasn't had the success this year as Harvick and Keselowski at the next two races, he shares a similar mindset.

"We'll go to Texas and go for the win,'' Edwards said. "We'll go to Phoenix and go for the win there and that's all we can do."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Contenders-Leave-Martinsville-Frustrated.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Rallies, Finishes Fourth​*
Tony Stewart continues to search for his first win of the season, but it was hard for him to be disappointed with his fourth-place finish Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Stewart led in the final laps - not pitting when the leaders did - until Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed him four laps to go during the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500. Still, Stewart's finish tied his best result of the season and snapped a 10-race streak without a top-10 finish.

Stewart was fourth when an incident between Kyle Larson and Marcos Ambrose brought out the final caution on Lap 490. Earnhardt led and pitted. As did Jeff Gordon, who was second, and Clint Bowyer, who was third. Stewart did not. David Ragan, who went on to finish 10th, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who went on to place 15th, also did not pit. No one else stayed out.

"I don't think it was a gamble by any means,'' said Stewart, who also finished fourth at Bristol in the spring. "I think if we were in that position 100 times over that is same call we would do. It felt like it was the right thing for this team.

"I thought we gave ourselves the best shot to race for the win. I don't think if we would have restarted fifth of the guys that pitted we could have raced through those guys to get where we were. If three or four more lead lap cars stayed out and gambled like we did, it may have put enough cars in between us to make it pay off. I thought the risk versus reward was worth it for sure.

"You want to be leading the race and have a shot at it. It wasn't like we were a 25th-place car and stayed out and got fourth out of it. We were (fourth) before that caution and still gained a spot. So I look at it as a gain still."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Ties-Season-Best-Finish-At-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Overcomes Mistake to Finish Second​*
Let's get one thing clear.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not going to let teammate Jeff Gordon by for the win to advance to the championship round.

And Jeff Gordon would have moved his teammate out of the way to get that win had he got close enough to Earnhardt's rear bumper Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

"There's no doubt in my mind,'' Gordon said after his runner-up finish in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500. "Everybody who is out there racing has to weigh risk versus reward. For me, to win this race, it's worth taking a lot of risk, even if you upset your teammate.''

With Earnhardt out of title contention, his victory means that at least two Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will advance to the title round via points. Gordon's finish puts him first in points standing with two races left in the Eliminator Round.

Ryan Newman is next in the standings, trailing Gordon by three points with Joey Logano four points out of the lead heading to next week's race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon scored the best finish among the eight Chase drivers despite being caught speeding on pit road on Lap 191 in the 500-lap race.

"Big mistake on my part,'' Gordon radioed his team. "I apologize.''

Gordon has a setting for the proper pit road speed under first gear and for second gear. He had his setting for second gear when he was actually in first gear.

"I looked up and Jamie (McMurray) was way behind me,'' Gordon said. "I knew right then I was speeding.''

The penalty dropped Gordon from first to 30th.

"You know how to drive back there,'' crew chief Alan Gustafson radioed Gordon. "We've got 300 laps to get it back.''

Shortly after the restart, Gordon nearly faced calamity. David Ragan spun. Gordon squeezed by Ragan's car without suffering any contact.

Gordon moved through the field, returning to the top 10 within 50 laps. He led twice afterward but had to settle for second place.

He knows that's no guarantee for making it to Homestead and a chance to win a fifth series title.

"Anything can happen,'' Gordon said. "That's why you want that win so badly. I like our chances at the next two tracks. They're good tracks for us. Thank God none of them are Talladega.

"We got to go race. We got to race hard. We got to be smart, and we got to go for it hard. That's the toughest thing about this thing, you got to go for it. You got to put everything out on the edge. If you go too far over the edge, you might be out. There's a very fine line there.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rcomes-Speeding-Penalty-To-Finish-Second.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Martinsville Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Consistent Newman Rolls On​*
Ryan Newman remains a major player in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title picture thanks to another consistent finish Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

The Richard Childress Racing driver may still be winless this season but his repeated finishes near the front of the field have kept him in the title race. He came home third behind race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 and when the dust settled after the checkered flag flew Newman is second in the standings only three points out of the top spot.

Earnhardt's win means at least two Chase eligible drivers will make it to the Homestead-Miami Speedway finale based on points, which could be a huge benefit for Newman and company.

"It's played to our advantage the entire time as far as not having a win, not having bonus points," said Newman, who has methodically charted his course in every round of the Chase. "Even if you're 8 of 12 or 16, you're still getting caught up, making free points that they're giving you to be tied to the next bracket.

"It's been to our advantage the whole entire time. But that doesn't mean it's going to be from the drop of the green in Texas or from the drop of the green in Homestead. &#8230;.It has played to our advantage mathematically, no doubt. We were the 16th seed coming in without a win. We've not won yet. We were tied for the lead in the points with four races to go. So mathematically it has played to my advantage - as others, but probably mine mostly."

Newman's day at Martinsville had its challenges. He battled with an ill-handling car most of the day and also had to overcome a pit road speeding violation to score the third place finish.

"We struggled a little bit with the balance all day long, being really, really tight, like really, really tight," said Newman. "The guys did a good job of adjusting it. Kept getting it better and better. Still never really got it right. But the strategy of two tires there at the end worked out good for us. Right number of laps with the guys that stayed out, kept the guys behind us that had four tires."

Now it's on to race number two of the Eliminator Round next Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. But his finish at Martinsville and spot in the Chase standings won't change the approach Newman and his team have this weekend in the Lone Star State.

"To me it's just another race," said Newman. "We came here to do what we needed to do. We're going to go to Texas to do what we need to do. That's a lot easier said than done. To me, it's just another race. It's an entirely different race than what we had today at Martinsville. Phoenix will be the same.

"But you have to approach it for what it is. If the outfield wall is a hundred foot closer, you don't have to hit the ball as far. If you have a really good car at Texas, it makes it that much easier."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/10/Consistent-Newman-Rolls-On.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Plea Deal: Ex-NASCAR driver charged In Police Chase​*
A former NASCAR driver accused of leading police on a 150-mph chase through parts of Nevada, Arizona and Utah last year is expected to take a plea deal Tuesday.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers arrested 35-year-old Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker in January 2013 near St. George to end a chase that began in Nevada and crossed into Arizona before reaching Utah. They reported finding methamphetamine, marijuana and vodka in the car.

Walker has pleaded not guilty to the DUI and drug charges filed in Utah. A hearing has been set for Tuesday morning in St. George to discuss a plea deal on the table.

Walker competed in 28 NASCAR races before the association suspended him in 2007 for violating its drug policy.

*Source:*
http://www.standard.net/State/2014/10/28/Plea-deal-for-ex-NASCAR-driver-charged-in-chase.html


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## Ckg2011

*Where They Stand: Breaking Down The Eliminator Round​*
*J*ust one race into the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and already three drivers are in precarious points holes.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is no longer in the championship mix, won at Martinsivlle Speedway on Sunday, with his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon taking over the points lead by virtue of his runner-up finish at the Virginia short track.

Gordon has 4,044 points and the next four drivers behind him are within single digits of the lead: Ryan Newman (-3) is second, followed by Joey Logano (-4), Matt Kenseth (-5) and Denny Hamlin (-7).

Then it's a precipitous drop to Carl Edwards (-20), Brad Keselowski (-31) and Kevin Harvick (-33).

After the Phoenix race in two weeks, the top four drivers will advance to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the best finisher of the four will be crowned champion.

To be one of the final four, Chase-eligible drivers must either win one of the next two races or be one of the top drivers in points. Because Martinsville winner Earnhardt isn't one of the eight Eliminator Round drivers, that means at least two drivers will advance on points and no more than two will advance by virtue of winning at Texas or Phoenix.

Depending on what happens in the next two races, either two, three or four drivers will advance on points. The scenarios are as follows:

-- No Chase drivers win at Texas or Phoenix: Top four drivers advance on points.

A Chase driver wins at either Texas or Phoenix: Top three drivers advance on points, one on a race victory.

-- Chase drivers wins both Texas and Phoenix: Top two drivers advance on points, two on race victories.

Already, the pressure in on.

At first blush, the points deficit for Edwards, Keselowski and Harvick would appear to be daunting. But that doesn't mean those three are out of it by any means.

Following the first race of the Challenger Round, Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Edwards and Newman were all at least 25 points behind then-leader Keselowski, yet all four advanced to the Contender Round without winning a race.

After the opening race of the Contender Round, Keselowski was 39 points back, but raced his way in with a victory at Talladega Superspeedway.
Of course, this time around will be tougher.

In the Challenger Round, 12 drivers advanced to the next round.

In the Contender Round, eight drivers advanced to the next round.

In the Eliminator Round, only four will advance.

The clearest path to a seat in the Championship Round remains winning one of the next two races. But points are still important, too. So while Edwards, Keselowski and Harvick might take big risks to find Victory Lane in the next two races, the top five might be much more conservative in strategy hoping to race their way in on points.

Either way, it's going to be an interesting two weeks ahead.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...he-eliminator-round-after-martinsville-102714


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## Ckg2011

*Pressure Building On Chase Drivers​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says the pressure on competitors is evident seven weeks into this new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format.

"It's really got guys scratching their heads and curious and worried before races,'' Earnhardt said during a break in testing Tuesday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "There's guys that can go out there and perform well under those circumstances and then there's guys that can spaz out and have a terrible day and sort of spiral out of control.''

Two races remain in the Eliminator Round. Earnhardt's victory last week at Martinsville Speedway kept any of the eight eligible Chase drivers from clinching a spot in next month's championship race at Homestead. That means at least two of the finalists will advance via points.

With so much at stake at Homestead, seven of the eight remaining title contenders are testing there Tuesday and Wednesday. The exception is Ryan Newman since Richard Childress Racing has used all four of its allotted tests at tracks hosting Cup races.

While Jeff Gordon leads the standings, other title contenders had bad days at Martinsville and face steep challenges to advance. Kevin Harvick finished 33rd after Matt Kenseth spun into his car and sent it into the wall. A mechanical issue caused Brad Keselowski to finish 31st.

Harvick and Keselowski most likely need to win to have a chance at the title.

It's the same position Keselowski was in the previous round. He advanced with his Talladega victory.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride,'' Keselowski said at Homestead. "We've had poor finishes followed up by wins followed up by poor finishes.

"This format really lends itself to inconsistency. I don't want to be consistent. I want to be the guy that can get hot any given weekend and can own a race.''

Although Gordon leads the points, he feels similar pressure to Keselowski, Harvick. In this system, no one is safe. Kyle Busch entered Talladega second in the points, was collected in a crash and failed to advance to this round, seeing his title hopes end despite scoring top-10 finishes in the first five races in the Chase.

"I think there's an urgency to step up your game,'' Gordon said during a break in testing at Homestead. "Each round offers something unique and different because the tracks are different. Then you reset (the points) and when you reset like that, the intensity just starts all over again.''

Joey Logano said he's scheduled to run in the Nationwide race at Homestead and that could help him deal with the pressure should he advance to the final four at Homestead.

"If you think of the pressure coming into a race where you think you've got a shot at winning the championship, you're mind is going to be going 100 miles an hour and it might be good to have a little race that gets your mind off the big one,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/Drivers-Feeling-Pressure-Of-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Notebook: Busy Test Schedule​*
Nearly every driver eligible for the championship is testing today and Wednesday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of the season finale.

Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, Roush Fenway Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing are there with each of their teams.

Ryan Newman is the only driver among the eight left competing for the championship not at the test. Richard Childress Racing already has used all four tests teams are allowed at tracks that host NASCAR Sprint Cup races.

This test will have different meanings for different teams.

Jimmy Makar, senior vice president of racing operations at Joe Gibbs Racing, said that Kyle Busch likely will spend one day focused on this year's race and the other day testing the 2015 configuration since he's no longer eligible for the title. Makar said that Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth will do little testing with the 2015 package since they remain in contention for the title.

NASCAR will ban testing after this season - other than Goodyear tire tests - so teams are spending some time on 2015 setups at this test.

"The little bit we've done so far, the aero change is minimal as far as needing to adjust the car,'' Makar said. "As far as setups go, they'll change a little bit. Some of these places where have any kind of significant braking where we rely on the engine to slow the car down ... they'll be less of that because the gear ratios are changing too.''

Those will be among things teams will have to work through for next season.

Team Penske has both Joey Logano and Brad Keselowksi in title contention, so the team will spend little time with the 2015 rules package. They can take information from other Ford teams that have tested that setup.

With 16 teams testing at Homestead, it can provide a clue as to who could be fast. Of course, all those other teams can see what the fast cars are doing.

That doesn't worry Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske.

"The more realistic the track gets the better as far as in trying to learn valuable information,'' Geisler said. "If you feel like you're the team that can make better decisions, then having the track more like it's going to race is better for you.''

*Tire Testing*

Four teams also are taking part in a Goodyear tire test today and Wednesday at Auto Club Speedway.

Testing are Trevor Bayne, Brian Vickers, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. They'll testing with the 2015 rules package on their cars.

It won't be the final tire test of the year.

There's a tire test scheduled in December at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Goodyear officials also are considering a Las Vegas test but the question is if everything can be done to test after the season and still have enough time to make new tires, if needed, for the March race there.

Goodyear's Stu Grant, general manager of worldwide racing, says that the rule changes for next year reduce downforce on the car and will allow the manufacturer to work in other areas of the tire.

"We're looking forward to the 2015 rules ... because it allows us to maybe do something a little more on the tire package for improved grip and handling instead as opposed to just trying to make sure you handled the load and the speed and so on,'' he said.

Grant said there won't be a new tire for Atlanta, which has moved to the second race of the season.

"It's such an abrasive racetrack, we've had to go to that zone tread, to get a good combination of durability, grip and tire wear,'' Grant said. "It took us so long to arrive at that setup that we're going to stick with that setup and race that in 2015 with the new rules. If we need to make a chage after that, we will. We will stick with that setup because it's a proven setup for grip, durability and wear.''

*Pressure*

Brad Keselowski said after his 31st-place finish last weekend at Martinsville that "this kind of puts us in a position now where we're going to need to win.''

It's not new for Keselowski, who faced the same situation in the previous round. He had to win at Talladega to advance to this round.

"It's been tough, but it builds character and makes us stronger,'' Keselowski said of his situation. "With this format, we're by no means out.''

The challenge for Keselowski, though, is that he's never won a Cup race at Texas or Phoenix, the remaining races in this round.

Keselowski nearly changed that at Texas in April. He led 85 laps but finished 15th because of a speeding penalty on the last pit stop with seven laps left.

*Pit Stops*

Three times a Chase driver has scored a top-five finish after a penalty for speeding on pit road. Kyle Busch placed third at Kansas, Jeff Gordon was second at Martinsville and Ryan Newman was third at Martinsville. ... Kyle Busch is entered in the Camping World Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup races this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. It's the 10th time in his career he's entered all three series in the same weekend. ... Six of the last seven Cup winners at Texas started in the top five. ... The final green-flag stretch has been 16 laps or less in the three of the last four Texas races. ... Joey Logano has a series-best 5.9 average finish in the nine races on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Notebook-Teams-Busy-Testing-This-Week.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2014 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 At Martinsville​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NBC Adds Krista Voda​*
NBC Sports Group announced today that Krista Voda has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as host of NBC Sports' upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series pre- and post-race coverage, beginning in 2015. Her on-air duties will also include regular appearances as host of NASCAR AMERICA on NBCSN, as well as a range of assignments across NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. The announcement was made today by Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN.

"Krista is a talented host that has established a strong connection with NASCAR viewers over the course of an already impressive career," said Flood. "Her passion for the sport and comprehensive grasp of its stars, personalities and history will provide for an engaging and informative race day experience for the fans."

Krista's résumé is among the strongest in NASCAR broadcasting. When she joins NBC Sports in 2015, it will mark her 14th continuous year covering the sport on network television. She is the current host of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pre-race show for Fox Sports, and was the first female to ever host NASCAR's Daytona Duels, as well as the NASCAR All-Star Race in Charlotte. She recently concluded her eighth season as a pit reporter for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage on Fox and has hosted or co-hosted every NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, many NASCAR Awards Banquets, and several Fox Sports studio shows. Outside of motorsports, Krista has an impressive breadth of experience, including NFL sideline reporting, and on-air contributions to numerous major sporting events, including postseason MLB broadcasts, Bowl Championship Series coverage, the Kentucky Derby, multiple NCAA men's basketball tournaments and the PGA Championship.

"This role is a dream opportunity for me and I'm honored to be a part of NBC's return to NASCAR," said Voda. "We say it often, but it's true: NASCAR is more than a sport, it's a community. I've been blessed, for many years, to stand alongside colleagues who I also consider dear friends. I'm looking forward to this new chapter and the chance to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for storytelling."

On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content, beginning in 2015.

With this partnership, NBC's 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes a designation as the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, when the elite national series races through its final 10 events of the season. The Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group's 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group's 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.

NASCAR AMERICA premiered in February, following Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Daytona 500 victory and NBC Sports Group's multi-platform coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. The weekday 30-minute news and highlights program is hosted primarily by NASCAR on NBC lead race announcer Rick Allen and features regular appearances by NBC Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast and Nate Ryan, as well as guest analysts such as Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, Wally Dallenbach and Frank Stoddard.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/10/NBC-Sports-Group-Adds-Krista-Voda.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Letarte: 'Winning is Better Than Losing'​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win last week at Martinsville was sure better than the alternative according to crew chief Steve Letarte.

Although Earnhardt was knocked out of the Chase after Talladega the drive to succeed remains strong within the No. 88 team. Letarte had one message for his crew when they came into Martinsville last week even though their championship hopes had disappeared.

"It's simple," Letarte said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive" this week. "And this is going to sound funny, but this is the quote we all talked about in Martinsville and this is our new mantra and it's winning is better than losing. If you're gonna go and you're gonna spend the time and money and effort&#8230;.do it right or don't do it at all.

"Winning is better than losing, that's what we figured it out and there's three more to go and our goal is to win all three."

Remaining positive is a trademark of Letarte's personality and will no doubt be in strong supply as he winds down his career as Earnhardt's crew chief before making the move into the NBC broadcast booth in 2015.

But one thing Letarte won't do is play the game of "what if?" He makes no excuses for the 88 team not performing to the level needed to remain in the championship picture and despite Earnhardt's Martinsville win, Letarte isn't wondering what might have been.

"No, not at all," said Letarte. "In my opinion I thank NASCAR for the new Chase. We went to Charlotte and Talladega with an opportunity to advance in the Chase. If it was the chance last year at Kansas when we blew a tire, we were eliminated. That's how I look at it.

"We blew an engine last year at Chicago, put together probably the nine best races we could put together. We had a hope and a prayer making fourth in points. Leaving Homestead, I think we got the fifth."

The new Chase format formalized eliminations this year and has forced drivers to perform under intense circumstances each round of the playoffs. Earnhardt wasn't able to do that and Letarte for one will not cry unfair.

"I look at it as the opposite," he said. "They established a platform and opportunity. When we left Kansas as deflated as we felt, we could go to Charlotte, make our own destiny, our own opportunity, our own chances, and we didn't do that. We faltered when we needed to run the best.

"There's no excuses. I think that is how a team gets better, when you don't make excuses. We were eliminated because we didn't perform as well as we needed to to stay in the Chase."

Earnhardt and Letarte have visited Victory Lane four times this season and there are three more opportunities to add to that total in Texas, Phoenix and Homestead. The sting of not running for a Sprint Cup Series title has been tempered some by the thrill of seeing the No. 88 taking the checkered flag like Sunday at Martinsville.

It's a feeling Letarte loves and hopes to experience more of before the final lap of 2014 is run.

"It was a great day," Letarte said after Sunday's win. "A hard-fought day. Beating and banging all throughout the field. I think we saw more catastrophic style crashes. You see a lot of sliding around here, but today we saw more serious crashes than we have ever seen.

"That is what the sport has created. It's stressful. It's high pressure. It's what we want. It was exciting to come out on top."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...10/Letarte-Winning-Is-Better-Than-Losing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*South Point Extends Sponsorship​*
Richard Childress Racing and South Point Hotel & Casino announced the renewal of their partnership for the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season with driver Brendan Gaughan.

"The South Point Hotel & Casino is pleased to return as primary sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season." said Michael Gaughan, owner of the South Point Hotel & Casino. "Watching Brendan and the RCR team in victory lane this season has been a lot of fun for South Point and the Gaughan family. We are looking forward to more great accomplishments next season."

South Point Hotel & Casino's partnership with Richard Childress Racing began in 2012 with Gaughan running a limited Nationwide Series schedule and eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. The partnership continued in 2013 with a full time Camping World Truck Series schedule where the team finished seventh in the driver championship point standings. South Point Hotel & Casino made the full time move to the Nationwide Series for the 2014 season.

"Returning to victory lane this season has been a big morale booster for not only me but for my team as well," said Brendan Gaughan. "For the remainder of the year we will continue to learn and find things that work to get us a leg up on the competition for next season. I can't wait for next year with the No. 62 RCR team and to contend for the XFINITY Series championship."

The Las Vegas-native collected his first career Nationwide win at Road America in June, which was only the third time in NASCAR history a race has been run in the rain. This victory came after he made 98 Nationwide Series starts. Gaughan won again at Kentucky Speedway in September. With three races left this season, the 39-year-old driver leads the Nationwide Series regulars with most green flag passes (1,813), earning two top-five and six top-10 finishes with 54 laps led.

Gaughan's two wins add to RCR's 2014 Nationwide Series overall accomplishments, which include four victories and four pole awards.

"Michael, Brendan and the entire Gaughan family have been great to work with, and I am very pleased we can continue our winning ways with them next season," said Richard Childress, chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "Brendan is an asset to RCR and his wins this year show what hard work and dedication can achieve."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ends-Sponsorship-Of-Brendan-Gaughan-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Denny Downer: Hamlin Blames Martinsville Finish On Slower Cars​*
*I*n a race where more than one of his fellow drivers in the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup experienced major issues, Denny Hamlin had a golden opportunity to capitalize on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Competing at one of his best tracks and a place where he arrived as a four-time winner, Hamlin started fifth, led 68 laps and spent virtually the entire afternoon in the top five.

But following a pit stop for tires when the caution flag waved for an accident involving Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Larson, Hamlin lined up sixth -- and on the outside -- on the final restart with five laps to go.

Boxed in behind several slower cars, including three that didn't stop under the last caution, Hamlin faded to finish eighth -- not a bad result, but far less than what could have been.

"It's hard because you've got guys that go laps down in the course of the race and get enough lucky dogs and then 50 laps on their tires and they want to stay out," a clearly frustrated Hamlin said. "Just bottlenecks the field up, and we all got the short end of last restart stick again. Just sucked at the end, and we can't finish where we're running. We're running better than what we're finishing."

Hamlin also voiced his displeasure with the late caution, which jumbled up the running order and led to a number of different strategies that otherwise wouldn't have been in play.

"I'm just looking at the guys that finished in front of us, and I had them beat all day," said Hamlin, a native of Chesterfield, Va. "It's just with that last restart -- NASCAR fans have been so spoiled with all these late restarts, and it's great for the fans to watch and it's exciting, but just wish these races could play out. Tracks like Martinsville you're not going to get long green-flag runs. Just disappointed that we finished eighth.

"It could have gone the other way as well, but we were just fighting to get back around those guys that had stayed out. Tough day, and I thought we had a race-winning car there in the middle part of the race, but as soon as the track got shaded, we lost the handle a little bit."

Contact on pit road with Jeff Gordon, who restarted one position behind Hamlin but went on to finish second, didn't cause any real damage to Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota at the end. Hamlin believed his issue on the final restart was simply a matter of poor track position and being in the non-preferred outside line.

"It didn't affect us at all," Hamlin said of the collision with Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet. "What affected us were the guys that stayed out that had no shot of doing anything but holding the field up -- that hurt us the most."

Given his history at Martinsville and the fact that his team had tested extensively in preparation for Sunday's race, Hamlin harbored legitimate hopes of a win, which would have punched his ticket into the championship round at Homestead-Miami Speedway where four drivers will fight for the Sprint Cup championship in a winner-take-all season finale on Nov. 16.

Instead, Hamlin left Martinsville fifth in the standings -- seven points behind championship leader Gordon, and two points in arrears of fourth-place Matt Kenseth, who holds the final transfer spot for Homestead.

While Hamlin is a past winner at Texas Motor Speedway -- the site of this weekend's race -- and at Phoenix where the final race of the Eliminator Round will be held, Martinsville was likely Hamlin's best opportunity in the Eliminator Round to win and automatically advance.

Hamlin isn't giving up on being one of the final four drivers, however -- especially given that last Sunday's victory by non-Chaser Dale Earnhardt Jr. means that at least two drivers will make the final round based on points, and not wins.

"We can still do it," Hamlin said. "Now we know at least two guys are going to make it on points, but we still have to be solid and still have to do everything we can to show we can be part of the final four. Today was a good race for that. Just didn't finish as well as we needed."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...e-speedway-finish-on-slower-cars-ahead-102814


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Sadler To RFR & OneMain Financial In '15​*
OneMain Financial announced today that it will be the primary sponsor of the Roush Fenway Racing No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang driven by Elliott Sadler in the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). This sponsorship reunites the two organizations as OneMain Financial (previously known as CitiFinancial) sponsored Roush Fenway entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series from 2008 to 2010.

"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Elliott Sadler in the NASCAR Xfinity Series," said Mary McDowell, President and CEO of OneMain Financial. "Both on and off the track, the OneMain Racing program helps us build connections with our customers, employees and communities. The teamwork displayed by our race team mirrors the commitment our employees have to each other and to building personal loan solutions for each customer's unique needs. We are especially excited to field the Roush Fenway 'OneMain Financial 1' Ford to represent our brand this year!"

The 2015 season will mark OneMain Financial's 12th season in NASCAR, and the company's return to a full-season sponsorship, serving as primary sponsor for all 33 races for the No. 1 Ford Mustang in the NXS.

Sadler, a NASCAR veteran, will continue his relationship with OneMain Financial as he competes for a championship in the 2015 season. Sadler has 260 Nationwide Series starts to his credit, earning 10 wins, 16 pole awards, 61 top-five and 128 top-10 finishes. During the previous three full seasons, Sadler finished fourth in 2013, and second in 2012 and 2011. He was also voted the 2011 Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. In 2010, Sadler became the 21st driver to win a race in each of NASCAR's national series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series).

"It is an honor to remain with OneMain Financial next year," said Sadler. "Their commitment to teamwork and excellence carries throughout the organization and extends to the racing program. I'm thrilled for the opportunity to race under the OneMain Financial banner and team up with Roush Fenway Racing to compete for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2015."

"It's great to have OneMain Financial back on board," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "They are a first-class organization from top to bottom, a leader in their field and one of the most respected organizations in their industry. We enjoyed a great partnership in the past, and we look forward to reigniting that relationship moving forward next season.

"We are also very excited about what Elliott Sadler brings to our driver lineup," added Newmark. "He is a seasoned veteran and a winner on the track. He brings a reputation as a fierce competitor and I know that our entire organization, and particularly his Roush Fenway teammates in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chris Buescher and Ryan Reed, will benefit from his experience next season."

*Source:*
http://onemainracing.com/news_103114.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman Has Message for Fans Questioning A Winless Champ​*
While it might bother some fans to witness a winless champion, Ryan Newman won't fret about your anguish should he do just that.

"The (championship) trophy doesn't have the number of wins underneath it,'' Newman said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.

He's right.

Still, every NASCAR Sprint Cup champion has won at least one race that season. With three races left in this season, Newman remains in contention for the title. He also remains winless - along with Matt Kenseth. Thus, the possibility that half the four drivers vying for the crown in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway could be winless.

That matters little to Newman.

It also matters little that him that 14 Sprint Cup drivers have more top-five finishes than he does (four). Or that 21 drivers have led more laps than he has this season. He's led 41 laps out of 9,621 run heading into Sunday's race.

"It's not the typical equation where performance is equating to a championship run, but at the same time, this points system is a little different this year,'' Newman said. "Our consistency has been our strength. Our consistency has been basically fifth to 11th. It's been very difficult to lead laps. We're riding the wave that is presented to us, and we're having fun with it.''

So, what has Newman done to be among the final 8 and enter this weekend's race second in the points?

He's getting better the second time at a track.

It's taken Newman some time adjust to his new team at Richard Childress Racing and for crew chief Luke Lambert and the team to adjust to what he needs. Newman is finishing an average of five positions better the second time he goes to a track this season. His finishing position has improved the second time at Bristol, Martinsville, Talladega, Kansas, Charlotte and Michigan this season.

That performance has helped him score more points than all but one driver in the first seven races of the Chase. Joey Logano has scored 288 points in the Chase. Newman is next at 249, ahead of Jeff Gordon (245 points), Kevin Harvick (245) and non-Chase driver Kyle Larson (244).

Newman knows what he's done isn't enough.

"We have to step it up,'' Newman said. "We've done that the last few weeks. It's shown. Pit road, myself as well as the pit crew guys ... everybody is stepping it up a little bit.

"In the end, you still don't have to win a race to win the championship.''

No, you just have to get to Homestead and finish higher than the other three title contenders that day.

If Newman is among the final four at Homestead, does he feel as if his team is good enough to win?

"Without a doubt,'' he said. "We've gotten strong as the year has gone. Our last few races are nice. We wouldn't be here if we weren't a contender for a championship.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hased-By-Specter-Of-Winless-Championship.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Faces Texas-Sized Challenge​*
Kevin Harvick makes his 500th career Sprint Cup Series start in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 and hopes it ends with a trip to Victory Lane.

Harvick has scored 26 wins during his career in NASCAR's top division but none would be more important than if No. 27 comes this weekend. A victory at Texas would give Harvick a berth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a chance to run for the title.

"Well, it ranks pretty high right now, just for the fact that I've never been to Victory Lane on the Cup side," Harvick said of where Texas rates on his list of favorite tracks. "I've won a ton of races there in the Nationwide and Truck series as a driver and an owner.

"We had a really, really fast car there in the spring and had a crazy, freak motor problem. Our mile-and-a-half stuff has really been our bread and butter this year, so I'm looking forward to getting back there and trying to get to Victory Lane."

His Eliminator Round got off to a rocky start last week in Martinsville when Harvick was caught in an incident with Matt Kenseth and forced to wheel his battered car home to a 33rd-place finish.

The turn of events dropped Harvick into the basement of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings. He comes to Texas 33 points behind leader Jeff Gordon and 28 out of what is now the final transfer spot.

"It's definitely not the way you wanted it to all play out," Harvick said. "But that's the great part about this format. You've got two more weeks and two race tracks we can win on. Everybody was so worried about us starting in the back and we wrecked at the front. Unfortunate."

Harvick will make his 24th career Cup start at Texas on Sunday and says the importance of the weekend will really begin Friday afternoon.

"Qualifying is definitely very important on the mile-and-a-half race tracks," said Harvick, who has a series-high eight poles this season. "Texas is one of those places where track position is so important to keep the handling on your car. There is never a dull moment because you're trying to drive the car to the edge every lap. You're trying to make the car go as fast as you can.

"When you're in traffic, it's harder to drive the car than it is when you're out there by yourself for the fact that it takes downforce off of the car and it feels like the car is lifting out of the race track. It's definitely a challenge every lap."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Kevin-Harvick-Focused-On-Texas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Notebook: Is Future Dawning Now?​*
While eight drivers race for a championship, it's easy to overlook the performance of two drivers who soon could join them in the Chase next year.

Rookies Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon are the only non-Chase drivers who rank in the top 10 in points scored since the Chase began at Chicagoland Speedway.

Larson ranks fifth with 244 points in the first seven races of the Chase. Dillon ranks 10th with 212 points in that span.

Larson ranks ahead of current Chase drivers Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin. Larson and Dillon each has scored more points than current Chase driver Carl Edwards. They've both also scored more points than Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won last weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Dillon has shown steady improvement this season. He's finished better the second time at New Hampshire, Kansas, Charlotte, Talladega and Martinsville than in his first visit. Among the six Chase tracks that drivers have visited for a second time this year (Dover is the other), Dillon has gained 18 spots compared to his finishes at those tracks earlier this season. His biggest improvement came at Kansas when he gained 11 spots in the fall compared to where he finished there in May.

Larson has gained a total of 17 spots at those tracks compared to his first visit earlier this season. He finished better the second time at New Hampshire, Dover, Kansas and Charlotte. He finished 12 spots better at Charlotte this month than he did there in May. He even gained a spot at New Hampshire, placing second in the Chase. He was eight spots worse at Talladega and three spots worse at Martinsville this fall compared to earlier in the season.

Joey Logano has scored the most points in the Chase so far with 288 points. He's followed by Ryan Newman (249 points), Jeff Gordon (245), Kevin Harvick (245) and Larson (244).

Matt Kenseth is sixth with 235 points. He's followed by Kyle Busch (227), Brad Keselowski (226), Denny Hamlin (215) and Dillon (212).

Carl Edwards is 11th with 208 points. He leads Jamie McMurray (200), AJ Allmendinger (195), Martin Truex Jr. (193) and Earnhardt (187).

Defending champion Jimmie Johnson is tied for 17th in points scored during the Chase with Clint Bowyer at 177.

*Pimp My Ride*

Here's a look at the chassis that will be used this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway by the eight drivers remaining in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Jeff Gordon - Will be making his third start in the Chase with this chassis. Finished second at Chicagoland and Charlotte with it. He led 26 laps at Chicagoland and 74 laps at Charlotte with that chassis.

Ryan Newman - A new chassis that has not been raced.

Joey Logano - Making his third start with this chassis. He won Bristol with it in August, leading 76 laps. Chassis finished ninth, leading 29 laps, in its debut at Michigan in June.

Matt Kenseth - Joe Gibbs Racing does not reveal information on chassis its drivers use.

Denny Hamlin - Joe Gibbs Racing does not reveal information on chassis its drivers use.

Carl Edwards - This will be third start with this chassis. Finished fifth at Kansas in most recent run. Debuted at Michigan in August. Edwards qualified fifth but struggled with the car's handling in the race and placed 23rd.

Brad Keselowski - Third start for this chassis. Finished second at Bristol in August to teammate Joey Logano. Chassis made its debut at Michigan in June, placing third.

Kevin Harvick - Fourth start for this chassis this season. Won at Charlotte in most recent outing, leading 162 laps. Won pole and led 195 laps at Atlanta before it was collected in a late-race crash and finished 19th. Won pole and finished eighth at Indianapolis in its debut.

*Tire Test*

Goodyear completed a two-day tire test Wednesday at Auto Club Speedway. Brian Vickers, Kyle Larson, Trevor Bayne and Martin Truex Jr. participated. They each ran with the 2015 rules package.

"It was good to get some time behind the wheel of the 2015 Camry,'' Vickers said. "We brought a lot of engineers from (Michael Waltrip Racing) and Toyota Racing Development to Fontana to work on the car.

"It might not be as fun as racing, but testing is where we learn what the Goodyear tires, our car and engine like and don't like. I enjoy the science behind testing. With the reduction in testing planned for next season, days like this are very valuable."

*Homestead Inspections*

NASCAR confirms that it has begun pre-event inspections of the cars the eight title contenders will use in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This is a normal procedure before the season finale. Some teams will take their Homestead cars to the NASCAR R&D Center next week because they're using them this weekend at Texas.

All eight cars will be inspected beforehand since the final four won't be determined until after the Phoenix race.

NASCAR will do a full post-race inspection at Homestead and can take the cars back to the R&D Center if any further issues arise.

*Earnings Reports*

In a conference call with analysts this week, Speedway Motorsports Inc. stated it expects its TV revenue for next season will be $217 million. SMI, which owns such tracks as Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, anticipates its TV revenues will increase 3 percent to 5 percent during the 10-year contract with TV partners Fox and NBC.

SMI also reported that its admissions revenues declined in the third quarter of this year because of lower attendance.

Dover Motorsports reported this week that 15 percent of its fans for the Cup race at Dover last month were first-time visitors. That matched their results from the track's race in June.

Dover also reported that its admissions revenues were off about 9 percent, citing the "continued economic challenges facing our typical race fan.''

*Pit Stops*

Danica Patrick and Kurt Busch will work with new crew chiefs this weekend. Tony Gibson is with Busch, while Daniel Knost is with Patrick. Gibson will be Busch's crew chief next year, while Knost is listed as an interim crew chief for Patrick for the final three races of the season. ... IndyCar released its 2015 season Thursday. IndyCar's season ends Aug. 30 at Sonoma Raceway. The Sprint Cup Series will run 12 more races after that date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Notes-Future-Dawning-Now-During-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Do You Want To See Wrecks?​*
Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson says he's seen a change in the attitude of fans toward what they want to see in a race.

"It's hard to say all but the majority want to see wrecks,'' Johnson said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. "They want to see arguments. They want to see pushing and shoving after the race, bump-and-runs, the physical side. The raw emotion is what the majority are after.

"I'm careful not to say all, and I know my timelines will blow up here with fans that don't want to see that, but I think they're in the minority. I just feel that the world has changed, the way people view anything and everything. No one has the special sauce. We're all trying to learn and understand what it is.

"When a few drivers make a fool out of themselves, there always seems to be a good spike in ratings.''

The topic came up after Johnson talked about the Chase and how he's tried to curtail his thoughts about the way the champion will be crowned this season.

"It has seemed bizarre since the onset,'' Johnson said of the new Chase format. "I, though, feel that I need to take a different approach and think of it differently and think of what is good for the sport.

"We have different opinions. When certain tracks listen to drivers on what we think makes good racing, you go from a two-race sellout venue at Bristol to now only one.

"This is really being put back in the fans' hands. At the end of the day, if there are people tuning in and watching and we're creating the drama and sponsorship is in support, then it is what we need to do. I made that conscious decision when Brian France called me and told me where things were going this year.

"I understand that from an economic standpoint, tracks, NASCAR and the race teams for sure are in a bind. We're in a tough situation. We need to make some change. This is the decision they made and we've certainly seen the drama. It seems like attendance is going in the right way, ad buys are going in the right way, teen viewership is up. Is that we all as racers think should happen, and is it the best way to go about, falling back on the history of the sport, in determining a champion? No. But we have to pay attention to who is in the stands in my opinion.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/What-Do-NASCAR-Fans-Want.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Lagasse Lands RCR Ride For Finale​*
Richard Childress Racing will have Scott Lagasse Jr. driving the No. 33 Alert Today Florida/Boy Scouts of America Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 15 with Nick Harrison as crew chief.








"I'm honored for the opportunity to drive the RCR No. 33 Chevrolet," Lagasse said. "Mr. Childress runs a first class organization, from his team all the way down to the equipment he provides for them. Everyone at TeamSLR is excited to work with Mr. Childress, Nick and all the guys over at RCR. We're looking forward to seeing all the Boy Scouts at the race cheering us on and also delivering the Alert Today Florida pedestrian and bicycle safety message.

"I am a cyclist, as are many NASCAR drivers. It's important for everyone to remember traffic laws were designed to keep everyone safe, especially more vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists. So while you're driving to work to school or even to the speedway, watch for us. Cyclists have a right to be there too, so please share the road and help keep us safe."

Lagasse will pair with the Florida Department of Transportation in their "Alert Today Alive Tomorrow" initiative. The campaign helps raise awareness that safety doesn't happen by accident, reminding everyone on the roadways to pay attention while following the rules of the road. The Boy Scouts of America will also ride along as a sponsor for the 200-lap event.

Lagasse will be making his third Nationwide Series start at Homestead-Miami.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...asse-Jr-Lands-Ride-with-RCR-at-Homestead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Texas​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Speeds to Texas Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6433&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Matt Kenseth scored his second pole of the season and first at Texas Motor Speedway, while Tony Stewart recorded the first 200-mph lap at a 1.5-mile track in NASCAR Sprint Cup history Friday night.

"It's crazy fast,'' Kenseth said. "It's amazing that you can go around there with that much throttle in a Cup car.''

Kenseth, who is in title contention as he seeks his first victory of the season, won the pole with a lap of 199.299 mph. Points leader Jeff Gordon is second after a lap of 199.291 mph.

Jimmie Johnson (198.983 mph) starts third. He's followed by Kurt Busch (198.910) and Chase driver Kevin Harvick (198.836).

Stewart had a lap of 200.111 mph in the second of three rounds of qualifying. In the final round, he went 198.508 mph and starts sixth.

"We hit it the second round, and I missed it in the third round, my fault,'' Stewart said. "To be the first to run 200 mph average on a 1.5-mile is pretty cool."

Other Chase drivers who made it to the final round of qualifying were: Ryan Newman (starts seventh), Joey Logano (10th) and Carl Edwards (11th).

Brad Keselowski was the lone Chase driver who failed to advance to the second round of qualifying. He'll start 26th. It's only the fourth time this season that he's started outside the top 20.

"If you have a great car, it works its way out,'' Keselowski said of starting deep in the field. "I am concerned with making sure we have a great car for Sunday's race."

Chase driver Denny Hamlin qualified 20th. He and Keselowski are the only Chase drivers who did not qualify in the top 15.

Earlier in the day, Kenseth spoke to Harvick about their incident last week at Martinsville. Harvick said after that race that if he can't win the title, Kenseth won't. Kenseth's car wheel-hopped and moved up the track, knocking Harvick into the wall. Harvick finished 33rd and likely needs to win either of the next two races to have a shot at the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I don't blame him for feeling the way he felt at Martinsville,'' Kenseth said. "I think the one thing that will probably make him feel any better is if he wins Sunday or next Sunday and is leading the points going into Homestead, and, honestly, that's the only way I'll feel any better about it either. I have been feeling rotten all week about it. I still feel rotten about it, and there's really nothing I can do to fix it. I felt I needed to have at least a conversation with him.''

Asked if he thought things were good with Harvick, Kenseth said: "As far as what's going to happen in the future, who knows? We've raced each other good for a real long time. Nobody knows what a man is thinking. I'll race him the way I've always raced him.''

*



*
*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/10/Matt-Kenseth-Claims-Texas-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Texas A Treat for Busch​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=43&RaceID=6491&StatType=Race+Results

There were no tricks, just treats on Halloween night for Kyle Busch as he captured the win in the WinStar World Casino & Resort 350 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Busch's win was his seventh of the season and secured the Manufacturer's Title for Toyota. It was win number 42 in Busch's Truck Series career.

Busch charged from the ninth position to second place in the closing laps after a pit stop under caution for an incident involving John Wes Townley and Tayler Malsam.

But as he closed in on German Quiroga for the lead Johnny Sauter spun through the front stretch grass to bring out another caution and set up a green-white-checkered finish.

When the green reappeared Busch got around Quiroga, who fell back in the field and eventually spun hard into the outside wall to again bring out the yellow to end the race.

"It's pretty awesome to be in Victory Lane, but I feel really, really bad for Bubba Wallace," Busch said of his teammate who exited the race with engine issues earlier in the race. "He was doing everything right tonight. He was really, really fast. Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) and those guys did a great job getting that thing fast, like our Toyota Care Tundra was.

"It's a shame to see the motor let go. Can't say enough about everyone from Toyota, Toyota Care, TRD, this is our manufacturer championship tonight, winning it for Toyota."

Busch led five times for 80 laps but was a little anxious about getting to the front when he restarted ninth after pitting.

"When I saw four trucks out there I only counted four, then all a sudden the 15 (Mason Mingus) popped up and that made it five," said Busch. "When I counted four that would put us eighth on the outside, but then the 15 was there and I was ninth on the inside. I thought the 17 (Peters) was in the catbird seat there. I figured he had the perfect strategy, two tires, going to be on the outside, get through those guys and get to the front.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to get to him, but I got there and that caution came out and got us side-by-side for the restart with the 77 (Quiroga). Just sort of set sail there and held it wide open for the last two laps and the truck was pretty fast."

Jeb Burton, Timothy Peters, Tyler Reddick and Matt Crafton rounded out the top five.

Joey Coulter, Max Gresham, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Blaney and Cameron Hayley completed the first ten finishers.

There were some fireworks after the checkered flag flew when Sauter confronted his ThorSport Racing teammate Burton angry about the earlier incident that sent him spinning.

"Right there with Johnny, the 23 (Gresham) you can see him, he's sideways and I barely touched," said Burton watching a replay of the incident. "I didn't mean to touch him. That's the last thing I want to do is to wreck my teammate. He was trying to dodge the 23 and I was right there and stuff happens fast, man. He knows damn well I don't race like that and that's the last thing I wanted to do."

Crafton increased his series point lead to 23 over Blaney with Wallace Jr. dropping 43 behind.

"We had the second-to-last restart and got four-wide on the top side and one of the trucks below was right below me and decided to drive me up into the fence," said Crafton, who had to scramble to gain positions in the late going. "It was either wreck and lose a bunch of points and do something stupid, and I just had to lift. That cost us a bunch, a bunch of spots. We didn't have enough time at the end."

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Phoenix Int'l Raceway next Friday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Articles/2014/10/Texas-a-Treat-for-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Focused On Texas​*
Jeff Gordon's quest for a fifth career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title continues in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon has a three-point advantage after one race in the Eliminator Round of the Chase but is focused on one thing on Sunday in Texas.

"To me, our focus is about going out there and winning the race," said Gordon. We're not really thinking about anything else other than doing that.

"Whether we win or not, there is definitely added pressure than what we've seen in the past. But I think if we just execute and do our jobs the way we are capable of, then that will take a lot of the pressure off."

Gordon last won a title in 2001 and has experienced a renaissance season this year with championship implications from nearly the start of the season.

"Well, I knew earlier in the year at California that we had a car capable of winning the race," he said. "And even though we didn't win it, I knew that we had a fast race car. Luckily we've been able to follow that up since then with fast racecars. But once we took the points lead and were able to maintain it for several weeks, I knew that we had a team that was special.

"Then you follow that up with a Brickyard 400 win. I think ever since we won the Brickyard 400, I think this team has had the confidence and been on the mission to know that we could get it done this year."

Although it's been more than a decade since his last title, Gordon's desire to hoist another championship trophy is very much alive.

"I'm extremely hungry," said Gordon. "What I'm hungry the most about is just knowing that I've got a great car and a great team that's capable of winning this championship. And being in the position we're in, and knowing that Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) had never a championship. He came close with Mark Martin. And how hard he works and how good this team is. Not winning a championship since 2001 and never under this format. All those things are just motivation."

Gordon is the lone survivor of the Hendrick Motorsports quartet that made it into the Chase. But all of his teammates including Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson were eliminated two weeks ago at Talladega.

Even though Johnson will now have to wait another year in his quest for a record-tying seventh title, Gordon says that doesn't impact his approach to his championship aspirations.

"That does not play a factor for me," said Gordon. "It's really just taking advantage of the opportunity that I see in front of us, and we've got a great opportunity. It is not really even about No. 5.

"It's not about keeping somebody else from winning their first, or their seventh. It's really just all about us trying to go out there and do what I think we are capable of doing. If we do that, the end result should be something very, very special."

So with two races left in this round and in position to make it to the Homestead-Miami Speedway championship race, Gordon has become a favorite to win the title according to some odds makers.

Although that's not something Gordon is putting very much stock into at least for now.

"Yeah, I don't know how you make odds with what I'm seeing out there right now," he said. "But I feel good and I'm excited and only time will tell what kind of position we are in."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eff-Gordon-Focused-on-one-Thing-at-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Staying On Offensive​*
There's no holding back for Joey Logano. Well, not unless it's the prudent thing to do, he admits.

Still, Logano says he can't change anything. He's raced aggressively all season and needs to do that during the final two races of the Eliminator Round.

"We put ourselves in the offensive mode no matter what the situation was,'' Logano said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. "That's the mode we should stay in because that's what's been working.''

It did in April when a four-tire pit stop helped Logano win at Texas. He went from fourth to first in the final two laps, passing cars that had changed only two tires.

An offensive strategy also proved big last weekend at Martinsville with what Logano called a "gutsy" call by crew chief Todd Gordon. Logano came in for four tires on the final stop. He restarted 13th with five laps left. He finished fifth - his sixth top-five finish in seven Chase races.

"We build our cars to be aggressive and be able to put cars in a tough spot,'' said Logano, who had to do just that at Martinsville.

He also knows there are times to be less aggressive.

"It is not worth completely ruining your day and going for a win when you have a solid second- or third-place finish, you take that,'' he said. "If the opportunity is there and you weigh out the consequences ... you go for that win if you can.''

Logano knows there are few guarantees with this Chase. Kyle Busch was second in the standings with a 26-point cushion to advance to this round entering Talladega. His title hopes ended after he was collected in a crash.

"Watching what happened to (Busch) I don't think you can feel comfortable unless you have a win under your belt,'' Logano said.

"You feel the pressure. It is there for everyone. I feel like I am doing a good job handling it, and I think my whole team is.''

They should be ready for this weekend after their strong run earlier this year. And, they recently tested at Texas with teammate Brad Keselowski.

Even as both Team Penske drivers race for a spot in the season finale at Homestead, it won't change how they operate. Logano and Keselowski have combined to win 11 of 33 Cup races this year. They've also combined for 30 top-five finishes and 38 top-10 results.

"I feel like that is our strength at Team Penske, that we work very well together,'' said Logano, who has an average finish of 4.9 in the last 14 races. "Not just the drivers, the whole team. We can't afford to stop doing that. We aren't going to bail on being teammates at this point in the season.''

They worked together earlier this week during a test at Homestead and it proved helpful.

"I think we found a couple things,'' Logano said."I think it is key to have a car that can go from the top to the bottom there. We focused on being fast on the long runs, whether on the bottom or the top, which is a challenge there for sure.

"When you run the wall there you are right up against it. It is a lot of fun to do and be able to run that long of a race up against it and not touch it will take amazing concentration along with everything else going on in that race. Having a fast car is a big deal, but I think everyone executing and not letting pressure get to you will make you the guy to win a championship.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/10/Joey-Logano-Staying-On-Offensive.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Title Time For Hamlin?​*
Denny Hamlin feels like he's in good shape to battle for his first career Sprint Cup Series championship.

Hamlin goes into Sunday's AAA Texas 500 fifth in the standings after one race of the Eliminator Round. He's seven points behind Jeff Gordon for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup lead but more importantly, Hamlin trails Matt Kenseth by just two points for the fourth and final transfer spot into the Homestead-Miami Speedway championship finale.

Hamlin's eighth-place finish last weekend at Martinsville Speedway was good enough to keep him in the middle of the title picture.

"We're in a decent spot," Hamlin said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway, "not a great spot. Last week, we let one slip away; still had a decent showing and now, we go to a track where we ran well in the spring. Even though the finish doesn't show it, we led some laps and were pretty competitive.

"All these tracks have been good for us. We've got to keep grinding away, getting good finishes every week and when you can, try to take advantage and get a win."

A victory either in Texas or the following week at Phoenix International Raceway would give Hamlin an automatic transfer to run for the crown at Homestead. Short of finding Victory Lane, Hamlin has an idea of where he'd like to finish to stay in contention for the championship.

"I would go into Phoenix comfortable if I ran top three at Texas," he said. "If not, of course a win. A top three this weekend would be good for us knowing we could go to Phoenix, have an eighth- or ninth-place day and make it on points. But who knows? If it's one of these 'Chasers' that wins the race, you continue to eliminate more and more on points. I would be satisfied with a top-three day and we could move on from there."

Hamlin has had to "move on" from coming so close to winning the championship back in 2010. He went into the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix in a tight battle with Jimmie Johnson for the title. A fuel-mileage miscalculation cost Hamlin dearly at PIR that day and he wound up losing the championship by 39 points.

The format this year is much different, with the new Chase elimination system and the title going to the driver among the four eligible at Homestead who scores the best finish. However, if Hamlin does make it that far, he'll have a different mindset than the last time he came close to winning the title.

"It was a lot different then," he said. "Now, I think you have to go with the mentality of having to win that final race to be a champion. Every team has that aspiration when they leave the shop every week, but some know it's more realistic than others. If you're part of The Championship 4, you have to know you can win if you want to win a championship.

"We've gotten so far in this year's Chase that the expectations aren't set as high as they were in 2010. We had won so many races that year that everyone expected us to go out there and win. Now, we're on that 'house money' thing where people aren't expecting us to be here. Everywhere we go from here out is a bonus. I feel like we've had an off-year with our team and our cars, not nearly as stellar as it was in 2010. So if we can somehow pull off an upset this year, it will be way more gratifying than if we had won in 2010 - where we dominated and won all those races."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/10/Title-Time-for-Hamlin.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Gives JGR Win No. 100​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6525&YearID=43&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch moved one step closer to a weekend sweep at Texas Motor Speedway by winning Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide race.

The victory came a day after Busch rallied to win the Camping World Truck Series race. He'll go for the sweep in Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

"I think it would be real special, especially at another venue,'' said Busch, who won all three events at Bristol in Aug. 2010. "I would certainly cherish it as much as the first, if not just as much. You don't get very many opportunities to capitalize on all three.''

Busch scored his seventh victory of the season and 70th of his career after a spirited duel with Joey Logano, who finished second. Of the race's 13 lead changes, seven were between Busch and Logano.

"Kyle and I have raced great with each other since I started my career and we were teammates,'' Logano said. "It is kind of cool to still be able to race like we did before, race each other hard but clean. It is a lot of fun racing like that. I would rather beat him though.''

Said Busch: "We had a good time racing one another.''

Busch's win also was his seventh at the track in the series and marked the 100th career Nationwide win for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Ryan Blaney placed third - earning his sixth consecutive top-four finish - with Chase Elliott fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth.

Elliott has a 48-point lead on JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith for the series title with two races left.

"I'll be the first one to admit we really struggled,'' Elliott said. "For us to go from that to be able to battle inside the top five I can't thank my guys enough for not giving up on me and (crew chief) Greg (Ives) making the right adjustments.''

Even so, the 18-year-old Elliott could clinch the championship next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

"It would mean the world to me,'' Elliott said of winning the title next weekend. "We'd still like to have another win or two before the year is out. That's our main goal.''

Clint Bowyer finished ninth in relief of an ailing Elliott Sadler, who exited the car nine laps into the 200-lap race. Sadler was suffering from a stomach virus.

"Well you never want to get in, especially since Elliott has done a lot for me in my career and been a good friend over the years,'' Bowyer said. "I hate to see him sick like that. He was looking pretty rough.''

Trevor Bayne crashed while leading on Lap 49 and finished 36th. The car shot up the track and slammed the wall.

"I have never had a car so dominant, especially at the Nationwide level,'' Bayne said. "It was easy today for the time we were on the race track.

Austin Dillon finished seventh in his first series start of the season.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kyle-Busch-Moves-Closer-To-Weekend-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Takes Texas Thriller​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6433&StatType=Race+Results

Jimmie Johnson scored his third straight win in the fall race at Texas Motor Speedway in a wild turn of events in the final laps of the AAA Texas 500.

Johnson was able to survive a pair of green-white-checkered finishes to score his fourth win of the season and become the second straight driver out of championship contention to drive to Victory Lane.

But after the checkered flag flew is when the real fireworks started as a huge brawl erupted on pit road when Jeff Gordon confronted Brad Keselowski after the two made contact on the track in the closing laps.

Kevin Harvick was involved in the melee as well and after he pushed Keselowski from behind the skirmish was ignited with several crewmembers becoming involved. When it was over both Gordon and Keselowski were bloodied and still angry.

"We're racing for the win," said Keselowski of the on track contact. "[Wasn't trying] to wreck him, just racing hard. He left a hole and you know, everything you watch in racing, you leave a hole, you're supposed to go for it. It closed back up and we made contact.

"I don't want to ruin anyone's day. I want to win the race and that was our opportunity. Just didn't come together."

Gordon had an opposing view.

"I spun the tires a little bit but I got a pretty decent start and we went down into one and I just wanted to get to the outside of the 48 [Johnson] and out of nowhere, I got slammed by the 2 and it cut my left rear tire," he said.

"He's just a dips-. The way he races, I don't know how he's ever won a championship. And I'm just sick and tired of him. That's why everybody's fighting him and running him down."

At the finish it was Johnson scoring his third straight win at the Texas fall race.

"It's a testament to this team and the fact that we'll never give up," said Johnson. "We'll always keep fighting and keep trying to make our cars better. We're not in the Chase and not where we want to be - fighting for the championship."

Harvick, Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin completed the first 10 finishers.

Joey Logano and Hamlin are tied for Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship point lead with Ryan Newman and Gordon the top four. Only one race remains in the Eliminator Round as the series now heads to Phoenix Int'l Raceway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Johnson won:* He was strong all day and led nine times for 191 laps. But in crunch time is where Johnson was the best as he wrestled the lead away in the final restart after Gordon chose the outside line and was able to stay in front to score the win.

*What else happened:* The first three quarters of the race were pretty tame but that certainly wasn't the case at the end. Multiple incidents and cautions for debris tightened up the field causing intense restarts and passing for position at the front of the field. Then all heck broke lose in the overtime finish before everything boiled over to pit road and the brawl.

*Who else had a good day:* Logano looked like he was headed for a bad day when he had a loose wheel after a late race pit stop and spun out. But he was able to rally to a 12th place finish to get a piece of the point lead with Hamlin, who finished 10th. Newman's 15th place finish was good enough to keep him in the upper half of the standings along with Gordon.

*Who had a bad day:* Gordon appeared headed for Victory Lane until Clint Bowyer hit the wall to bring out caution and set up the overtime finish. When the smoke cleared after his contact with Keselowski, Gordon had a 29th place finish&#8230;.Matt Kenseth had multiple issues that eventually added up to a 25th place finish.

*Quote of the day:* "I just told Brad he needed to get in there and fight his own fight," Kevin Harvick

*Notables:* Jamie McMurray scored his sixth top-five finish of the season including four in the last eight&#8230;.Kyle Larson had his 17th top-10 finish of 2014&#8230;.Carl Edwards rallied back from two laps down to finish ninth.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/11/Jimmie-Johnson-Takes-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon, Keselowski Scrap After Race​*
Their faces bloodied, their cars battered and their eyes blazing, Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski starred in a Western-style melee at the end of Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon, upset that contact with Keselowski's car cost him a chance at win late - and earn a spot in the final four in the title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway - vowed vengeance on the radio after the incident and confronted Keselowski in the pits afterward.

What followed was a fracas as both crews tussled. Gordon, who had a cut lip, told ESPN that Keselowsi has "got to pay the consequences.''

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, said series officials would review film of the incident on pit road to determine if any penalties will be issued. Keselowski is on probation for an earlier incident in the Chase.

As for what happened on the track between Keselowski and Gordon, Pemberton said: "I think it was hard racing. This is a contact sport, and you look at what drivers are trying to do. We had a couple of shots at a green-white-checkered finish and everybody was going for it. Nobody was leaving anything behind that's for sure.''

Keselowski defended his bold move on a late restart.

"I'm doing everything I can to win this championship, racing at 100 percent,'' said Keselowski,who finished third. "That's something I'm not going to be ashamed for. If I was out there wrecking guys to do it, that would be one thing. But I think a little bit of rubbing was probably how this sport was created, probably how it should move forward.

"I've been through these scrummages before and I'll probably go through them in the future. That's OK. I can take it. I'll patch up my lip and go on.''

On the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, Gordon led and restarted on the outside with Johnson below him. Keselowski restarted third on the inside of the second row.

After the restart, Gordon moved up. That created a hole between Gordon and Johnson. Keselowski surged toward it but Gordon moved back down and the cars made contact.

"We were sitting there on a little bit older tires,'' Gordon said. "I spun the tires a little bit but got a pretty decent start. We went down into Turn 1 and I just wanted to get on the outside of the (Johnson) and out of nowhere I just got slammed by (Keselowski) and it cut my left-rear tire. The way he races, I don't know how he's ever won a championship and I'm just sick and tired. That's why everyone is fighting him and running him down.''

Gordon spun shortly afterward because of a cut tire from the contact and finished 29th.

"The kid is just doing stuff way over his head,'' Gordon said of Keselowski. "That's just uncalled for. You're racing for a win and a championship. You don't go slam someone and cut their left-rear tire. If that's what it takes, then no problem. We can do the same thing to him."

After the race, Gordon parked his car beside Keselowski's on pit road and went to approach Keselowski. Two of Keselowski's team members stood between them. Kevin Harvick came from behind and pushed Keselowski toward Gordon.

"If you're going to drive like that, you better be willing to fight,'' Harvick said he told Keselowski. "He was going to stand behind his guys. Jeff Gordon deserved to at least have a face-to-face conversation with him. I wasn't standing up for anybody. (Keselowski) just ran over (Gordon). He was standing back behind all his guys, not wanting to defend what he did. I said, 'You're the problem, get in your own fight.' ''

The series heads next to Phoenix International Raceway where the final four for Homestead will be set. Only 18 points separate the eight drivers remaining in title contention and at least three will advance via points.

"We are just going to take this fire that's inside of us and this momentum ... and win that race,'' said Gordon, who holds what would be the final transfer spot for the title race at Homestead.

This marks the second post-race incident Keselowski has had in this Chase. Matt Kenseth tried to tackle him in the garage after last month's Charlotte race for what happened on the track and on pit road.

Keselowski knows he could face some sort of retaliation at Phoenix.

"Will those guys race me hard or harder than others?'' Keselowski said. "Absolutely, I'm certain they will. But that's just part of it. I can't fault them for that. I just feel like I have to go for the gap if it's there, and I have to race the way I race or I won't even be in NASCAR. I'd rather have enemies in NASCAR than have friends and be sitting at home.''

Whatever happens won't surprise Harvick.

"There's no rules right now,'' he said.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/Jeff-Gordon-Angry-With-Brad-Keselowski.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski's Roots Pushed Him To Aggressive Move​*
Never forget your roots. It's a mantra Brad Keselowski carries with him each day, along with guilt.

Call him a punk, call him hard-headed or call him over his head - as Jeff Gordon did after Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway - but understand this about Keselowski: His fear of failure pushes him to be aggressive.

It led him to shoot a gap between Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for the lead late in the race. Keselowski's car and Gordon's car hit. The contact cut Gordon's tire and caused him to spin.

Gordon vowed revenge on the radio. After the race, his path to Keselowski was blocked by two of Keselowski's crew. Kevin Harvick came from behind and pushed Keselowski toward Gordon, triggering a melee among both teams. Keselowski and Gordon emerged with cuts on their face.

After they were separated, Gordon questioned Keselowski's driving, how Keselowski won a title and many other things.

Keselowski said he was doing what it took to try to win.

"There was a gap,'' he said. "It closed up. By the time it closed up, I was committed, and I stayed in it. That almost won me the race. It hurt somebody else's day. That's a shame. But the reality is there was a gap.

"You know, I'm not Dale Earnhardt or (Ayrton) Senna. I read how they raced, how great they were for this sport. They would sit here and tell you they would go for that same gap. I'm not them, but I'm inspired by that, and I'm going to race that way.''

Indeed, the best drivers are the hungriest. That's why Keselowski won a title in 2012. And the lack of it is a reason why he didn't make the Chase the following year.

To understand that, you have to understand Keselowski.

The third-generation racer carried a briefcase to the track when he was 12 years old,helping his father's race team. He was his dad's engineer at age 14. Racing was the family business. Keselowski's father, Bob, recalled having only one job outside of racing - he worked at a car dealership for two months so to buy tires to compete at Daytona International Speedway in 1971.

Keselowski then began driving. He moved up to his family's Truck team in 2004, ran a full season in 2005 and the first two races of 2006 before it shut down because of lack of sponsorship.

Keselowski had no control about a sponsor not coming through but that's not how he saw the end of his family's team. His parents had to sell their shop and all their equipment. It still wasn't enough.

"That's as low as it gets,'' Keselowski once said.

His mother told me in 2012 that her son "pulled us out of bankruptcy by himself. He paid all of that to the tune of six-digit numbers.''

Without that, she admits they likely would have lost their home.

That's just part of the fire inside Keselowski, who has felt guilty about his family's team misfortunes.

Keselowski is among the few drivers among his generation to get a Sprint Cup ride without significant financial backing. While his family's team provided a starting point, he rose after it shut its doors the old way - by his performance on the track.

That desire pushes him today.

"The only way for a guy like me to break through is to drive the way I've drove over the last four or five years,'' he said Sunday night.

He admits he lost that in 2013 when he became only the second reigning series champion to miss the Chase.

"I got away from being as aggressive as I was in 2012 and this year,'' Keselowski said of that season. "That's not acceptable to me. I'm here to win races for Roger Penske and for my team. That means when there's a gap, I have to take it. If it requires a tiny bit of rubbing, that's OK. It's not anything I don't expect on the other side. Plenty of times where I got rubbed. It will go both ways.

"We'll go through these battles. I've gone through them before and come out stronger. But what I'm not going to do is back down. I'm not going to get in the spot where I was in 2013 where, I tried to be exactly what they all wanted me to be, because what they want me to be is a loser, and I'm not here to lose, I'm here to win.

"That means I'm going to have to drive my car, harder, stronger, faster than everybody out there. That's what I feel like I did today.''

It's how he drove when he raced for his family. It's how he drove after the team failed. It's how he got a ride in the Nationwide Series and how he carried that to Cup and then to the 2012 title.

Keselowski has talked often about wanting a second title, joining the elite group of multi-time champions. Even if he gets there, it won't be enough. He'll want more. If not for himself, for his family to help make amends for something he couldn't prevent years ago.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/11/Why-Brad-Keselowski-Shot-The-Gap.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Points Battle Tightens​*
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings became tighter after Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

No driver has earned an automatic berth in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway by winning one of the first two races in the Eliminator Round. So at least three spots in the Championship Four will be earned by drivers through the point system.

Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin are deadlocked at the top of the standings heading into next week's final race of the round at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

Logano was in contention for a much better finish than his eventual 12th until a tire came off because of lug nuts not being glued on properly.

"We were able to salvage something decent out of tonight," said Logano. "We were a top five car and possibly a winning car if scenarios played out right. I don't know what happened with the glue on the pit stop and I haven't gotten the full story yet but we had a hell of a time trying to put rear tires on the car.

"I am proud of everyone that kept their heads down and kept digging. That isn't the way we wanted to do it, that is for sure."

Hamlin had a somewhat similar take as Logano's in that his team made the best of a not perfect situation.

"We had a bad car," said Hamlin who finished 10th. "We made the best of it. Other guys made mistakes. We weren't really that good. Luckily other guys had problems. That's what happened."

Ryan Newman remained in the title picture even though he wasn't as consistent as he has been throughout the Chase. Newman fought a tire rub among other things and came home 15th Sunday.

"We just got our quarter panel knocked in," said Newman, only two points out of the lead. "They went three and four wide there and put me in the middle of it. There wasn't a whole lot of respect out there. We saw that before, during, and after the race.

"We're just happy the guys have done a good job of fighting back."

Jeff Gordon, who appeared headed for a win Sunday until the late race turn of events literally turned things upside down starting with on track contact with Brad Keselowski, is still in the first four but only a single point ahead of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.

"We are just going to take this fire that's inside of us and this momentum, we are going to take to Phoenix and win that race," Gordon said emphatically on Sunday.

Kenseth, who finished 25th Sunday after a multitude of problems late, has the same mindset at Gordon as far as next week in Phoenix is concerned.

"It's the same," he said. "Obviously, today was a disaster as far as where we finished and how at the end of the race I couldn't pass cars that got lapped earlier in the race -- by the end of the race. So, it was a poor performance on the scoreboard. Just the same approach going to Phoenix. Just go there and try to do the best job we can."

Edwards found himself two laps down at one point on Sunday but battled back to finish ninth. He remains in the championship picture and keeps surviving as he's done throughout the Chase.

"It was a great night when for a while it didn't look like it was going to be," said Edwards. "We get to move on to Phoenix now and we will know what we have to do there. We will take it. My guys didn't quit and I know they won't quit and we are going to go next week and go for this thing."

The bottom two left in the standings are Keselowski and Kevin Harvick, who are only five and six points out of the final transfer spot, respectively.

"We fought all day and put ourselves in position to win," said Harvick, who finished second. "A lot happened at the end of this race, and we were able to put ourselves back in the hunt."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/Points-Battle-Tightens.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Texas Rear View Mirror​*
The first three quarters of Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway won't make many NASCAR highlight reels. But the last 100 laps more than made up for it.

The second race of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be remembered as another intense affair the new title system has produced. No holds barred racing, wild pit strategies and eventually emotions reaching the boiling point were all again on display.

Love it or hate it, the new Chase format has delivered exactly what NASCAR officials intended when it was announced. Intensity and consequences every week of the playoff schedule has definitely created excitement.

When Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon made contact on the wild last restart on Sunday it was another example of just how far drivers will now go to win a race. Under the old format, the risk completely outweighed the reward. But both Keselowski and Gordon know how important a win is under the current system, which would have guaranteed either a spot to run for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

I have no problem with anything that happened on the track and saw it as nothing more than hard and daring racing.

However, the brawl that erupted on pit road with crewmembers from several teams involved after it was ignited by Kevin Harvick, Gordon and Keselowski is over the line. NASCAR has to find a way to reign in some of that extra-curricular activity without extracting the raw emotions drivers are displaying.

It all sets up next week's final race of the round at Phoenix. Trying to predict what might happen is futile.

Just what NASCAR had hoped for when the new Chase was created.

_The Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson once again was in the top-10 Sunday. Both drivers continue to impress as the season winds down and team co-owners Ganassi and Felix Sabates deserve a great deal of credit for rebuilding an organization that had fallen on hard times.

Kyle Busch came up short in his bid for a Texas sweep. Busch won Friday's Camping World Truck Series race and then came back to prevail in Saturday's Nationwide Series event. But he wasn't in contention in Sunday's main event AAA Texas 500 and had any hopes of a good finish end when a tire came apart just past lap 200. But Busch came roaring back and somehow managed an impressive fourth place finish. Although he was knocked out of the Chase at Talladega and expressed his disappointment in Texas, don't expect Busch to phone in the rest of the season by any means.

It was definitely a tale of two teams at Stewart-Haas Racing with the swap of personnel between Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick. Busch had a decent day with new crew chief Tony Gibson calling the shots and ended up eighth. But Patrick struggled all race long first forced to start at the rear of the field after a transmission change and finally coming home 36th. It will be interesting to see if the engineering background of Daniel Knost will be the right fit for Patrick in the ling haul or if SHR management decides to bring in yet another crew chief to work on the No. 10 car in 2015.

Texas faced off against Formula One on Sunday, which competed at the Circuit of Americas in Austin in this year's United States Grand Prix. The head-to-head battle won't happen next year when the F1 race is slated a week earlier than the Texas Sprint Cup race. But the scheduling in 2014 added to an already busy sports weekend in the area with the Cowboys also home on Sunday afternoon._

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/Texas-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's Newest Buzzword: #harvicking [/URL]​*
Kevin Harvick's shove of Brad Keselowski not only stirred a melee between Keselowski and Jeff Gordon Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, but it created a new phrase on social media.

#harvicking [/URL] .

That's the act of pushing someone from behind.

Many shared unique depictions of #harvicking [/URL] on Twitter, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. He posted a picture from the movie "Napoleon Dynamite" where one character pushes another. One fan posted a video of a cat #harvicking [/URL] another cat.

Brett Griffin, spotter for Clint Bowyer tweeted "I've seen several sucker punches in my day but never a sucker push. #harvicking [/URL] ''

Mike Davis, who oversees communications at JR Motorsports, tweeted an exaggerated picture of a person pushing another from behind and wrote: "That it took less than 12 hours for #harvicking [/URL] to become a thing makes me optimistic for the human race.''

Issues started when Keselowski tried to run between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for the lead late in Sunday's race. Gordon and Keselowski made contact, which cut Gordon's tire and caused him to spin.

After the race, Gordon approached Keselowski but two crew members from Keselowski's team stood between them. Gordon shouted toward Keselowski about the incident. Keselowski eventually turned away before Harvick came from behind and shoved him toward Gordon. That triggered the scuffle between the drivers and their teams.

"If you're going to race like that, you're going to have to man up at some point,'' Harvick said, explaining his actions. "I mean, he's done it several times. Can't just turn around and let everybody fight all the time without you in there. Have to stand up for your actions at some point yourself.''

Keselowski didn't appreciate Harvick's shove.

"I came here to race, not fight,'' Keselowski said. "If I wanted to be a fighter, I would have joined the UFC or have a management team like (Harvick) does. I came here to race, 100 percent. That's what I did today.

"The only thing I wouldn't be proud of is if I went and started fights or jumped in fights. I wouldn't be proud of that. I came here to race 100 percent. The people that want to see fights are not true race fans. They need to watch UFC.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Media-Celebrates-Harvicking-After-Shove.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Penske Issues Statement​*
Team Penske owner Roger Penske issued a statement following the post-race actions from Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

"The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has provided great excitement and intense competition. Brad Keselowski is a champion who competes to win in every race, which is what I expect of him. While the actions by others following the race in Texas were unfortunate, Brad has my 100 percent support as we now move on to Phoenix for the next stage of the NASCAR championship." -- Roger Penske

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/11/Statement-from-Roger-Penske.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Will Phoenix Have Repeat of Texas Scuffle?​*
Sunday had everything Jimmie Johnson said NASCAR fans want.

"They want to see arguments, they want to see pushing and shoving after the race,'' he said Friday. "The raw emotion is what the majority are after.''

Two days after those comments, Brad Keselowski tried to split Johnson and Jeff Gordon for the lead late in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, triggering a series of events that led to a brawl on pit road and one of Gordon's crew punching Keselowski in the jaw. Both Keselowski and Gordon emerged from the scrap with cuts on their face.

While fans debate who is to blame and find their best examples of the meme #Harvicking (Kevin Harvick pushed Keselowski toward Gordon on pit road to enflame the situation), questions arise from the second such melee in the past three weeks.

Is it good for the sport that video of Sunday's post-race melee ceaselessly plays on TV and online? That headlines were of the fight instead of who won? That there's a good chance this might not be the last such incident of the season?

NASCAR's new Chase for the Sprint Cup format has increased the intensity exponentially, but at what point do series officials need to play sheriff? Or are such brouhaha's a small price for the added attention NASCAR receives while competing against the NFL?

"The system is breeding this,'' said Johnson, who was eliminated from title contention two weeks ago. "It was by design. I think (NASCAR Chairman) Brian France sat back and looked long and hard at this and was hopeful that these moments would happen.''

Said Joey Logano: "That stress level is up for each race for sure for everybody. It is just a matter of how you deal with it. It is about the same for everyone, whether you use it as a good thing or if it destroys you.''

When Matt Kenseth tackled Keselowski after last month's Charlotte race, Kenseth was not penalized mainly because he did not throw a punch. Instead, Keselowski and Tony Stewart were fined and placed on probation for contact on pit road after the race.

Expect NASCAR to penalize Gordon's crew member who punched Keselowski, but beyond that, series officials might do little else.

How series officials react could set the tone for this weekend's race at Phoenix International Raceway - where the four drivers who will race for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be determined.

At least three of the spots will be based on points. With the eight remaining Chase drivers separated by 18 points, who makes the title race could fluctuate in the final laps.

Considering the track's history, that could make for quite a finish. Three of the last four Phoenix races have had a caution within the final 15 laps, which could create another on-track issue that spills into the pits or garage after the race.

"Those double-file restarts at Phoenix are extremely intense and wild and crazy and a lot of things can happen,'' Gordon said. "There is no lead safe enough because Phoenix to me can definitely be a wild card. It's not a Talladega wild card. You still have some control over what is going on, but there' plenty of things that can happen there that can take you out of contention."

Imagine if there's a green-white-checkered restart and a driver needs to win or gain another position to compete for the championship at Homestead.

Remember what Gordon said he would have done to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. if he caught him in the final laps at Martinsville two weeks ago?

"I would have moved him for sure,'' Gordon said then. "There's no doubt in my mind. Everybody who is out there racing has to weigh risk versus reward. For me, to win this race, it's worth taking a lot of risk, even if you upset your teammate.

"I think everybody out there that's not in the Chase understands that if that guy can win that race and put himself in Homestead for the championship, you can pretty much guarantee that you're going to get the bumper or get slammed or something.''

If that happens, will there be another scuffle among drivers and teams? Will that only reinforce the image some have of NASCAR? Or does it not matter as long as you the fan are entertained?

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com_

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...l-Phoenix-Have-A-Repeat-Of-Texas-Scuffle.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Crew Members, Crew Chiefs​*
NASCAR has assessed penalties to crew members from the No. 5 and No. 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams for their involvement in post-race incidents on Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, the crew chiefs from those two teams also have been penalized.

Jeremy Fuller, a crew member with the No. 5 team along with Dwayne Doucette and Jason Ingle, crew members with the No. 24 team, each have been fined $25,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. All three were found to be in violation of:

• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing

• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty - involved in a post-race physical altercation with a driver on pit road

Dean Mozingo, a crew member with the No. 24 team, has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. He was found to be in violation of: 
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing

• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty - involved in a post-race physical altercation with another crew member on pit road

Kenny Francis, crew chief of the No. 5 team, and Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 team, have each been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. They were found to be in violation of:

• Section 9-4A: Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members

• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing

• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty

While the intensity and emotions are high as we continue through the final rounds of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the actions that we saw from several crew members Sunday following the race at Texas are unacceptable," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president/competition and racing development. "We reviewed the content that was available to us of the post-race incident along pit road, and identified several crew members who crossed the line with their actions, specifically punching others."

"We therefore have penalized four crew members as well as their crew chiefs, as they ultimately are responsible for members of their team per the NASCAR rulebook," Pemberton continued. "A NASCAR championship is at stake, but we can't allow behavior that crosses the line to go unchecked, particularly when it puts others in harm's way."

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...t-texas-fight-keselowski-gordon-harvick.html#


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## Ckg2011

*Is Keselowski Hurting Himself?​*
Denny Hamlin says it will be hard for Brad Keselowski to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship because so many drivers dislike him.

Hamlin and Keselowski are among eight Chase contenders vying to run for the championship next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

While Hamlin acknowledges Keselowski has a strong enough car to win the title, whether Keselowski even gets there might depend on others this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

"I think that the challenge a lot of drivers probably have right now with Brad is there's no remorse,'' Hamlin said. "He has the right to feel the way that he feels. But when there's no accountability ... they're going to be upset with you. You always have to just watch your mirror. And that's a tough way to race.''

Asked if Keselowski - who has had two post-race scuffles with competitors in the last month - is the most disliked driver in the garage, Hamlin said: "There's a lot of animosity. And that's all that you can really say.''

Hamlin was held back by his crew while upset with Keselowski after the Charlotte race. Matt Kenseth tried to tackle Keselowski in the garage after that race. Jeff Gordon and Keselowski emerged with cuts on their face after their scuffle included several crew members from both teams last week at Texas. Gordon was upset with an aggressive move Keselowski made in the final laps that led to contact and caused a tire to go down on Gordon's car.

Keselowski has stated that he's not concerned with making friends in the garage.

"My number one goal in racing was never to be the most popular driver,'' Keselowski said before the Eliminator Round began last month. "It's a goal that I have, but it's not a priority. My goal is to win races and achieve the highest level of success on the race track as possible.''

Keselowski's focus is on a second title. Only 16 drivers have won multiple Cup titles in series history.

"To do that in this setting, you're going to have to ruffle some feathers and not everybody is going to like you, whether that is teams, drivers or fans,'' Keselowski said. "I'm comfortable with that.''

Still, Hamlin says, there's a way to go about things. Hamlin said Keselowski doesn't need to apologize but needs to acknowledge a fellow competitor when they're upset with him.

"To blow someone off and think that the world revolves around you - you just escalate that person's feelings against you times 10,'' Hamlin said. "So sometimes you just have to just face the music. If you're in something, just listen to what the other person has to say and you may not always agree.

"I've made so many mistakes, it's silly. But I've learned from them. I feel like I've gotten the respect of my competitors because of that. That goes a long way. I can guarantee you this: If it comes down to the end of the race and someone can help me or they can help Brad and I've got the respect of that person, they're going to help me over Brad.''

"You've just gotta have some kind of friends out there in some kind of way. Even Dale Earnhardt had Dave Marcis. He had him there when he needed him, to block when he needed him. Even when Dale didn't have many friends, he had some allies out there.''

Hamlin said he learned his lesson in 2007 at Dover when he crashed Kyle Petty and himself. Hamlin ran into the back of Petty's car shortly after the halfway point in that Chase race. In the garage, Petty pulled down Hamlin's window net. After an exchange of words, Petty slapped the visor down on Hamlin's helmet.

They later talked privately.

"(Petty) says, 'Look, you don't know how many other drivers text me or called me and said I'm glad you did that to that punk, he has no respect for anyone else,' '' Hamlin said. "Immediately I was like, 'Wait a minute, no other driver's like me?' That's not something I want. I want to be someone who people look up to, other drivers.''

"If you ask me do you want a championship trophy or do you want the respect of your peers, I will take the respect from my peers because that trophy they can't put in my casket.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ys-Brad-Keselowski-Needs-To-Show-Respect.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Phillips Headed To JGR​*
Eric Phillips will leave Kyle Busch Motorsports at season's end for a position with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015.

Phillips has served as crew chief for the KBM No. 51 Camping World Truck this season and helped guide Kyle Busch to his seventh victory of the season last Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

However, his career with KBM will come to a conclusion after the final two races of the year.

"I'm gonna be moving on, I'm gonna go to JGR at the end of the year," Phillips said on SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Monday afternoon. "I can't talk about what all's going to take place there but I'm excited about that. Obviously it's a big deal to leave KBM, but I'm looking forward to what JGR brings next year.

"Excited about it and a little bothered by it. I put a lot of work into KBM, there wasn't anything here when I started so the last five years have been a lot of effort to get the company to the achievement we've had over the last five years."

Phillips, who is the all-time crew chief win leader in NCWTS history with 36, expects a formal announcement of both KBM's 2015 plans as well as his assignment with JGR to come within a few days.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Articles/2014/11/Phillips-Headed-to-JGR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Unveils New K&N Pro Series Car​*
NASCAR President Mike Helton and a trio of drivers unveiled the new K&N Pro Series racecar on Tuesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which this week hosts the automotive industry's largest annual event.

Kyle Larson, Ben Kennedy and Ben Rhodes assisted Helton with the announcement at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show - which attracts more than 100,000 auto industry executives, buyers, influencers and car enthusiasts each year.

The K&N Pro Series, with East and West divisions, has grown into NASCAR's top developmental tour. Larson, a leading contender for Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2014, won the 2012 K&N East championship. Kennedy is currently leading the rookie standings in the Camping World Truck Series and is a team owner in the K&N East Series, where Rhodes won this year's championship.

The new K&N Pro Series body is made from a state-of-the-art composite laminate blend and was developed in partnership with Five Star Race Car Bodies, a long-term NASCAR contingency sponsor.

"This represents a major win for teams, fans and the racing industry," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR's senior vice president of racing operations. "This will give our emerging talent the opportunity to gain more valuable, relevant racing experience. Our fans and industry partners will appreciate the car's similarity in appearance to both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars and street models."

The new body's modular design allows teams to easily install and repair damaged panels, and is expected to cut labor costs associated with body maintenance by up to 50 percent. It's eligible for competition in 2015 and is mandated as the only approved body for the series starting in 2017.

It will be available in all three manufacturer models: Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry. The final season for steel bodies is 2015 and the current one-piece composite body will be phased out after the 2016 season. The new body will also be eligible for competition in the ARCA Racing Series beginning next year.

"This body is at the forefront of modern advanced composites, utilizing technological advances in material laminates and manufacturing processes," said Carl Schultz, president and chief executive officer of Five Star Race Car Bodies.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P.../11/NASCAR-Unveils-New-KN-Pro-Series-Car.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*What A Difference A Year Makes​*
Let's take a trip back in time to roughly 365 days ago in the NASCAR world. The AAA Texas 500 was in the books and there were two races left to determine the 2013 Sprint Cup Series champion.

Jimmie Johnson dominated the race in "The Lone Star State" and the title race was headed to Phoenix International Raceway with the Hendrick Motorsports driver ahead of Matt Kenseth by 19 points. The duo had separated itself from the rest of the pack. Kevin Harvick was the closest, 34 points out of the lead, while Kyle Busch trailed by 55 and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a distant 56 back.

The two championship contenders were speaking with high regard for one another while sharing photos of kids and families on their smartphones. Now, bring the DeLorean back to today and take a look around at the current Chase and championship landscape. Simply put, things could not be any more different.

Eight drivers are separated by only 18 points from top to bottom heading into Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at PIR. Nobody has punched their ticket to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway and only four of The Eliminator 8 will leave Phoenix with a shot at winning the Sprint Cup trophy.

Oh ... and the only photos being shared are of drivers with fat lips and bloodied faces. This is definitely not your father's Chase.

"Yeah, it stresses you out, I promise you that," said Joey Logano, who - even after experiencing tire problems in Texas - somehow finds himself tied with Denny Hamlin for the points lead. "Every time you get comfortable for a couple races - we've been fortunate to have a win in each round - then you get those and it's like you can relax for a race or two, and just do your thing.

"Now, that stress level is up because you can't get too far ahead in three races or feel comfortable enough that you are locked in. That stress level is up for each race, for everybody. It's just a matter of how you deal with it. It's the same for everyone, whether you use it as a good thing or if it destroys you."

Drivers are dealing with the added pressure in their own way.

"I medicate myself," joked Ryan Newman, only two points behind Logano and Hamlin in the championship standings. "I'm having fun with these guys. Yeah, there's intensity out there. But that's different than pressure, to me. I've always said that pressure is what explodes things. There's no reason to put unneeded or unwanted pressure on anything you want to perform well."

The clock is ticking. The vice is tightening. Unlike the previous format, when the points were simply added up over the course of the 10 races that made up the Chase, the consequences every week of the new elimination format has upped the intensity level and yes, the stress.

"Everybody is desperate," said Brad Keselowski. "The points are very, very, very close. Anybody can have a bad day and be out of it. That's the reality."

That's the new reality. Last year's Chase was so 2013.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/11/What-a-Difference-a-Year-Makes.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Roush Fenway Adds McArdle And Kidd​*
Roush Fenway Racing has announced the hiring of two industry veterans to senior positions in its competition group. Mark McArdle will oversee engineering for the organization's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams.

Kevin Kidd will serve as NSCS team manager, supervising at-track operations beginning next season for an organization that has placed multiple cars in the 'Chase' in all 10 seasons of the format's existence.

"I'm confident that having Mark and Kevin in these two key positions will make our organization even stronger next season," said team co-owner Jack Roush. "Mark has a pedigree in racing that spans multiple platforms and speaks for itself in terms of results. He has a reputation not only for success, but as a great manager and motivator.

"Kevin is recognized in the garage as one of the brightest minds in our sport," added Roush. "He has acquired invaluable experience working with both veteran and young drivers, and will be a great asset to our Sprint Cup program week in and week out at the race track. We look forward to bringing both Mark and Kevin on board and welcoming them into the fold."

McArdle, a successful veteran of IndyCar and NASCAR racing, has been named engineering director and will directly oversee Roush Fenway's engineering efforts. A renowned engine builder, McArdle boasts three victories in the famed Indianapolis 500 with Penske Racing in 1991, 1993 and 1994, having worked with a litany of open-wheel legends including Ricky Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti.

McArdle has spent the last 15 years working in NASCAR, having served in high-level positions with Roush Yates Engines, Evernham Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing and most recently as director of racing operation at Richard Childress Racing.

"Roush Fenway Racing has a tradition and history of success like none other in motorsports, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it," said McArdle. "I've always had a very deep respect for Jack Roush and his entire organization, and know that the expectation for him, his drivers, teams and sponsors is to win races and championships at every level. I look forward to becoming part of that winning tradition, and to continuing it in 2015 and beyond."

Kevin Kidd has been named NSCS team manager. He will join Roush Fenway after having served as the crew chief for the No. 20 NASCAR Nationwide Series team at Joe Gibbs Racing since 2010. During that time he guided his teams to nearly 90 top-10 finishes in 167 starts with veteran drivers such as Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, as well as a host of developmental drivers.

"Roush Fenway is a perennial 'Chase' contender with three extremely talented drivers in the 2015 line-up," said Kidd. "All of the right resources are in position to place all three of those drivers into the 'Chase' next season, and that will be our goal. I've had a great deal of experience working with both veterans and younger drivers, and this organization has a great mix of that with Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne. I look forward to the opportunity to work with each of them, their teams and everyone at Roush Fenway."

Kidd will move into his new role at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...try-Veterans-Mark-McArdle-and-Kevin-Kidd.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Notebook: France 'Fine' With Winless Champ​*
A winless champion? It could happen in the first year of a new Chase format where winning is stressed.

What does NASCAR Chairman Brian France say about Matt Kenseth or Ryan Newman - both winless this year - winning the Sprint Cup title next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

"We'd be fine,'' France said Tuesday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. "That could happen in any format that we have. Any one. You pick any format that we've had in the past or may try in the future, we may be in that situation. You can have teams in other sports with losing records in the regular season win the Super Bowl or the World Series. That happens. To some people it doesn't feel right. It's a balanced format, and that's exactly the way it should be.

"Points matter a lot, and they mattered coming out of Talladega. They mattered in the first segment. They're certainly going to matter on Sunday. On the other hand, we thought the points, it was too much about points racing (previously) and wins should mean more. I think we've struck the right balance. We like what we see, and it's elevating the racing and that's our No. 1 goal.''

Heading into this weekend's race at Phoenix International Raceway, no Chase driver has advanced to race for the championship. The previous two races of the Eliminator Round were won by drivers knocked out of title contention earlier.

Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin have the same number of points with Logano holding the top spot via the tiebreaker. Newman is third, two points behind the leaders. Jeff Gordon is fourth.

If none of the eight Chase-eligible drivers win Phoenix, the top four in points will run for the title at Homestead. If one of the eight wins Phoenix, the three highest in points will advance to the championship race.

*Erase A Memory*

It does little good for a competitor to spend much time in the past. There's nothing that can be done about it. The only advantage is to correct the problems and never repeat the mistakes.

Matt Kenseth returns to Phoenix in contention for a championship and seeking to avoid last year's miscues.

He was in this position last year until a dreadful weekend capped by a Keystone Kops-like pit stop all but ended his title hopes.

Kenseth had one of his worst days of the season in this Phoenix race a year ago, finishing 23rd. He struggled with his car's handling all weekend and then a poor pit stop added to the disappointment.

On Lap 164, Ratcliffe was indecisive on if to change two or four tires. The result was after changing the right-side tires, the pit crew stood around the car. When the call for four tires was made, the crew had to back Kenseth's car because it was on an air hose. Kenseth left Phoenix 28 points behind Jimmie Johnson that day.

The team will look for a much better effort this weekend. Kenseth finished 12th at Phoenix in March. Joe Gibbs Racing tested there last month.

Kenseth comes to Phoenix after finishing 25th last week at Texas. What's his mindset going into Phoenix?

"It's the same,'' he said. "Obviously, (Sunday) was a disaster as far as where we finished and how at the end of the race I couldn't pass cars that got lapped earlier in the race. So, it was a poor performance on the scoreboard. Just the same approach going to Phoenix. Just go there and try to do the best job we can."

*Staying Together*

Crew chief Chad Knaus dispelled any talk that he won't be with Jimmie Johnson next season.

"I don't foresee a change with the '48' car from a driver or crew chief standpoint in the near future,'' Knaus said after Johnson's win at Texas last weekend. "I don't foresee that happening.''

*Number Crunching*

Seven of the last 11 Phoenix races were won by a driver snapping a winless drought of at least 44 races. Drivers with similar winless droughts include Ryan Newman (50 races), Greg Biffle (55), Tony Stewart (57) and Clint Bowyer (75). ... The final green flag stretch has been 25 laps or less in each of the last four races at Phoenix. ... Kevin Harvick has three wins and a second-place finish in his last five Phoenix starts. ... Brad Keselowski has finished sixth or better in four of the last five Phoenix races. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. has three consecutive top-five finishes at Phoenix.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Notebook-Brian-France-On-A-Winless-Champ.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Watkins Glen Int'l Set To Repave​*
Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup announced Wednesday that the historic track will conduct a repaving project in the summer of 2015. It is the first time the track will be repaved since 1998.

The repave will begin with "The Boot" in July, followed by the short course immediately following the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend in August. The repave is slated for completion in advance of the 2016 race season.

"This is a significant project for Watkins Glen International, our competitors, fans and track rental customers," Printup stated. "The repave is a tremendous undertaking and next summer is the right time to begin this historic project and prepare The Glen for the future."

Asphalt specialists and engineers conducted a thorough evaluation of The Glen's entire circuit and recommended the current timeline. Further details and project specifics will be released at a later date.

As a result of the repave, the Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver will take place July 24-26. Information regarding renewals and ticket sales will be shared with customers in the coming weeks.

Fans will be able to witness the project from the Fans R1st Viewing Area in the Argetsinger Grandstand. That area will continue to be free and open to the public through the end of October. Fans will also be able to follow the progress of the project via Facebook, Twitter and www.TheGlen.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Glen-International-Set-to-Repave-in-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Frustrated With Keselowski​*
Jeff Gordon says Brad Keselowski's move late in last week's race surprised him because he "never imagined somebody would actually think that was a realistic move.''

Gordon, though, was more upset by Keselowski's indifference after the race on pit road when Gordon confronted him.

"I have no issue with a guy being aggressive and making a bold move,'' Gordon said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "If you win the race and the guy that you slammed finishes third or fourth, I'll be the first one to stand up and say that was awesome and that was a great move.

"But when you don't win the race and you've ruined the person's day, then there are consequences you are going to have to deal with it. How you handle yourself after that is a part of that. To me, if you're going to compare to the greats of the sport that have been aggressive over the years, you also have to compare how they handled themselves in those situations afterwards. The ones that I've had to deal with, they know how to not make enemies. They might not have a lot of friends out there, but they also don't have a lot of enemies.''

Gordon said he and Keselowski had not talked since last week's incident as of Friday afternoon. How will Gordon race Keselowski this weekend with both trying to make the final four to compete for the championship next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

"I race people the way they race me,'' Gordon said. "If I'm in a situation that I feel like I can make a bold move that I think is going to help me win the race and he stands in the way, then I'm going to do the same thing that he did to me last week. The difference is that if the same results happen, how I'm going to deal with it afterwards and face him on that.''

Gordon led on a late restart with teammate Jimmie Johnson beside him. Keselowski restarted on the bottom of the second row.

Gordon said he slightly spun his tires.

"I didn't get a terrible restart, but because I didn't have somebody pushing me, our line just didn't go as good as that inside lane,'' Gordon said. "That gap kind of opened up because my focus is on getting a good run through the top of (Turns) 1 and 2 and trying to get by Jimmie like I did the run before that. Never imagined somebody would actually think that is a realistic move. Was there a big enough gap? Yeah for a very split second. Did I think it was worth doing? No, I wouldn't have done that because I think I would have known what the results would be.''

The cars hits and Gordon cut a tire and spun. With teams pulling out side skirts, could that have caused Gordon's flat and cost him the win?

"That's a good question,'' Gordon said. "Certainly debatable. You don't know....the tailpipes stick out too. And as hard as the impact was, it's possible that the tailpipes may have done it. But it doesn't help that those skirts and the whole fender, everything is being pulled out on the pit stops the way they are.

"It is definitely getting a little bit out of control. NASCAR is probably looking at it as 'OK, we have two races left. Let's address that next year.' I don't think they are really in a position to address that right now.

"I still feel like the outside (on the restart) was the right place. I think the only thing I would have done different was to just try to get a little bit better restart. Knowing what I know now, would I have hedged to the inside a little bit more to run a tighter line? Yes, I guess so.''

Four Hendrick Motorsports team members - including three from Gordon's team - were suspended for throwing punches in the post-race fight. Gordon said that could impact his team.

"In some ways it's highly motivating because those guys are as passionate about what we have had this year as a team,'' Gordon said. "They are sending me text messages, 'Go get this thing done this weekend' and 'Do this for us.'

"Those guys were there to protect me. I believe 100 percent that they weren't there to fight. They weren't there to go after a driver. They were there to make sure I was safe. The only regret I have is that it got them involved and got them in this situation to be suspended.

"It's going to affect us because it is a change. You want those guys in there, they are the best and that is why they are in that position. It's going to make us have to step up our game."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ith-What-Brad-Keselowski-Did-After-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Learns Life Lesson​*
Kevin Harvick doesn't mind the controversy he triggered when he shoved Brad Keselowski after last weekend's race at Texas, but Harvick knows one day he will have to explain his actions to his son. That, he finds sobering.

Harvick spoke for the first time publicly Friday since his push ignited a melee between Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and their crews. NASCAR suspended and fined four Hendrick Motorsports crew members for throwing punches and fined two Hendrick crew chiefs for the actions of their team. No drivers were penalized.

Gordon was upset with a move Keselowski made in the final laps to try to take the lead. Their cars made contact, causing Gordon's tire to go down and him to spin. Gordon confronted Keselowski on pit road after the race.

Keselowski turned away from Gordon when Harvick came from behind and pushed Keselowski toward Gordon. Chaos ensued.

"I have no problem with the way Brad races,'' Harvick said at Phoenix International Racway. "I think he races hard. That's what we're all supposed to do. The problem I have is I have been in that situation before and had him turn his back on me and just walk off. I don't think that's the appropriate way to handle those types of situations. It just kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and I reacted. I didn't really realize it was going to ignite that.

"It just kind of rubs me the wrong way when you ... just turn your back on situations and walk off and mumble your way off. In those situations, even if you're going to get yelled at, you need to handle it like it needs to be handled.''

Harvick said Matt Kenseth properly handled their situation. Kenseth's car wheel-hopped at Martinsville and got into Harvick's car, forcing into the wall. A week later, Kenseth approached Harvick in the Texas garage.

"I have a lot of respect for Matt and what he does on the race track,'' Harvick said. "You leave the track and you talk about things and you figure out what went wrong and how to handle things moving forward. There is just never that opportunity really presented with Brad, and I think that is what frustrates me.''

Harvick's shove also turned into a meme on social media as fans created #Harvicking . Harvick admits that bothered him.

"I'd rather not have the hashtag named after me to be honest with you,'' Harvick said. "The competitor in me loves the controversy and loves the situations that it puts your competitors in. The dad in you doesn't really enjoy the hashtag and doesn't really enjoy the circumstances of the situation.''

So does Harvick regret shoving Keselowski?

"I never look back on something as a regret,'' Harvick said. "I think you look back on them as lessons. Things happen and you have to react. Obviously, as you look at the situation, you could have handled it differently. You take it as a life lesson and move on.

"In the end, it's really not the perception you want to send. I look at it from my son's standpoint. That's my new measuring stick of how I react to something. In the end, you're going to make mistakes and you're going to do things wrong and figure them out and move forward.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/11/Harvick-Learns-Life-Lesson.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dave Blaney Moving On To Sprint Cars​*
Dave Blaney says he doesn't plan on running any more NASCAR races and will focus on racing sprint cars.

Blaney made the comments Thursday to Pennlive.com as he prepared to compete in this weekend's Bad Boy Buggies World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Blaney, the father of Camping World Truck Series driver Ryan Blaney, has driven in seven NASCAR Sprint Cup races this season with a best finish of 26th at Pocono in August. He's made 473 career Cup starts with a best finish of third at Darlington Raceway in 2003. Blaney won two poles, leading the field at Rockingham in 2003 and New Hampshire in 2007.

"I don't plan on running any NASCAR at the moment,'' Blaney told Pennlive.com. "I'm not in any position to get any kind of ride that is going to be competitive, but I will go to a lot of races to watch Ryan. So by no means will (sprint cars) be full time, but it could be a lot more than this year.''

Pennlive.com reported that Blaney has run about 25 sprint car races this season and that could increase to 50 or more races next year.

"I could even see a 60-race schedule if things line up perfect,'' Blaney told Pennlive.com. "I could also see 15 as well, but we will see.''

Blaney won the 1995 World of Outlaws championship and was series runner-up in 1993, '94, '96 and '97. He won the Knoxville Nationals in 1997.

"I love being around these things, driving the cars, working on them and being a part of these races,'' Blaney told Pennlive.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ocusing-On-Sprint-Cars-Instead-Of-NASCAR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Returning To Roots​*
Car owner Chip Ganassi will allow Kyle Larson to run in sprint and midget races after the NASCAR Sprint Cup season ends, the team announced.

It will mark the first time Larson has competed on dirt since last year's Chili Bowl Nationals.

Larson, who raced on dirt early in his career, will drive a midget car Nov. 26-27 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway in the 74th running of the Turkey NIght Grand Prix. He'll race for Keith Kunz Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian.

Larson will drive a winged sprint car at the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. Those races will be Jan. 2-3, 6, 9-10. Larson will drive for Larson Marks Racing, the Mooresville, N.C., sprint car team he co-owns.

Larson will complete his offseason dirt racing Jan. 12-17 at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. He will drive for Keith Kunz Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian.

"When I first met Kyle, there was no doubt about his passion for sprint car racing,'' car owner Chip Ganassi said in a statement. "I know he loves to race just about anything, and I'm happy he has the opportunity to run some dirt races over the offseason. His results on dirt tracks and fan base speak for themselves, and I've been pleased to see him bring some of that success and excitement to our NASCAR team this year."

Said Larson in a statement from the team: "I'm really looking forward to getting back to a few dirt tracks during the offseason. As most people know, dirt racing is where I started my career, and while I always wanted to drive in the Sprint Cup Series, I really appreciate the opportunity to be back racing on dirt. Being able to once again participate in the Chili Bowl, and have another chance to win the feature, is something I'm really looking forward to."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kyle-Larson-To-Race-On-Dirt-In-Offseason.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dover Police Investigating Kurt Busch​*
Police are investigating an allegation by Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend, who claims the former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion smashed her head against a wall multiple times.

The Associated Press reported that Patricia Driscoll, Busch's former girlfriend, alleged the incident took place in a motorhome at Dover International Speedway in late September. The allegation was presented Wednesday.

"At this time, the department is still investigating the victim's claims and will not have any further comment on this matter in order to preserve the integrity of the case,'' Dover Police said in a statement.

The Associated Press reported that Driscoll filed court documents Wednesday asking a judge to order Busch to stay away from her. She also asked that Busch undergo a psychiatric evaluation and be evaluated by a certified domestic abuse treatment agency.

The documents filed by Driscoll state that Busch was upset Sept. 26 after a poor performance in qualifying. The couple had broken up a week before.

"He was verbally abusive to her and said he wished he had a gun so that he could kill himself,'' the Associated Press reported the court documents stating.

Driscoll said Busch called her names and accused her of "having spies everywhere and having a camera on the bus to watch him.'' The Associated Press reported that court documents state that Busch then jumped up, grabbed her face and smashed her head three times against the wall next to the bed. Driscoll said she pushed Busch away and ran from the bedroom, going to a nearby bus to put an ice pack on her head and neck.

The Associated Press reported that a hearing is scheduled Dec. 2.

Busch's attorney, Rusty Hardin, disputed Driscoll's claims

"The Dover Police Department has been informed that Mr. Busch will fully cooperate with their investigation, and he expects to be vindicated when the entire truth of the situation comes to light. This allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship, and Mr. Busch vehemently denies her allegations in every respect.

"At this time, we intend to have no further comment in the media out of respect for the Dover Police Department's desire to conduct a thorough investigation without a media circus.''

The Sporting News reported that Busch declined to comment at Phoenix International Raceway through his spokesman.

Hardin represented NFL player Adrian Peterson, who entered a no-contest plea this week to a reduced charge of misdemeanor reckless assault in Texas for injuring his 4-year-old son while whipping him with a tree branch in May. Hardin also represented former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens when Clemens fought allegations of performance-enhancing substance abuse.

NASCAR stated it was investigating the matter: "NASCAR is aware of the investigation involving driver Kurt Busch. We recognize the seriousness of this matter and are actively gathering information from all parties, including law enforcement authorities and Stewart-Haas Racing. It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment further on this matter until we have more information.''

Busch's team, Stewart-Haas Racing, issued a statement from spokesperson Mike Arning: "This is an allegation Stewart-Haas Racing takes very seriously, but we're still gathering all of the facts and are not in a position to comment in greater detail.''

Busch and Driscoll, president of the Armed Forces Foundation, met in 2011 and he began to serve as a spokesperson and ambassador for the foundation. The Armed Forces Foundation announced it was cutting ties with Busch.

Pat LaFrieda, chairman of the board of the Armed Forces Foundation issued a statement: "I want to, first and foremost, express the direct support from the Board of Directors of the Armed Forces Foundation to Ms. Driscoll. For more than a decade, Ms. Driscoll has been a tireless worker and advocate for our nation's service members, veterans, and military families. The Foundation will continue working to support service members, veterans, and military families and we ask that Ms. Driscoll's privacy be respected.

"Given the serious nature of the allegations, the Foundation has suspended its association with Mr. Busch.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...11/Dover-Police-Investigating-Kurt-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2014 AAA Texas 500​*





*Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Texas Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Phoenix​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Pole To Hamlin​*
*Starting Lineup*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6452&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Denny Hamlin started his Phoenix weekend in the best possible way by winning the pole for Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500.

Hamlin comes into Sunday's final race of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship tied with Joey Logano in the standings. The top four after Sunday's race qualify to run for the title next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is happy he'll start that quest at the front of the field after his lap of 142.113 mph.

"We showed up today and had decent speed in race trim, not great speed but decent speed," said Hamlin after his third pole of the season. "But we didn't show decent speed in qualifying and it just shows today that it's possible. We've got it in our car. We just gotta get for 312 laps now."

Brad Keselowski will start outside the front row.

"Kevin (Harvick) probably has a 10th on everyone," Kez says. "We probably have a second or third place car."

Harvick, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

"You're either going to hit a walk off, or you're just going to race next weekend," said Harvick, who is last in the Chase standings and 18 points out of the lead.

Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Brian Vickers and Kurt Busch completed the first ten qualifiers.

Six of the eight Chase drivers will start inside the first 10 with the other two Carl Edwards in 13th and Ryan Newman in 20th.

Clay Rogers is the only driver to miss the starting lineup.

Sprint Cup Series drivers will have a pair of practice sessions on Sunday.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/11/Denny-Hamlin-Wins-Phoenix-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jones Wins Record 13th For KBM​*
Erik Jones was declared the winner when a power outage ended Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 early.

The second of two power outages of the night in Phoenix's West Valley forced NASCAR officials to call the race 24 laps from its scheduled finish and Jones won his second straight Phoenix race.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, who announced yesterday he would run full-time for the team in 2015, led 114 laps on his way to Victory Lane.

"It's pretty cool to pick up another win at Phoenix," Jones said. "Definitely a great way to top off the year for me in this truck. Just a good way to start off the 2015 season."

It was the 18-year-old driver's third win of the season and the 13th by KBM, a season team victory record for the series.

"I can't thank this team enough for the opportunity they've' given me and the trucks we have," said Jones. "It's so much fun to drive these trucks when I get the chance and this is such a great way to get things rolling for me for next year."

Matt Crafton finished second and increased his lead in the series point standings to 25 over Ryan Blaney. Crafton can become the first-ever back-to-back champion by finishing 21st or better next week in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It's a damn shame the lights went out because it was going to be exciting on that restart," said Crafton after the race was called.

Cole Custer, Blaney and Ben Rhodes rounded out the top five.

Darrell Wallace Jr., John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Dillon, Johnny Sauter and Tyler Reddick completed the first ten finishers.

The race was delayed nearly 90-minutes because of a power outage that impacted the area around Phoenix International Raceway. There were no other power issues until 24 laps from the finish when the lights went out again prompting NASCAR to call the race because of safety concerns.

Phoenix International Raceway issued the following statement regarding the power outages:

"We are extremely disappointed that tonight's race was delayed and ultimately shortened by failures in the local power grid. We want to thank the devoted race fans who stayed throughout the race, however PIR and NASCAR both agreed that it was in the best interest of the drivers to call an end to the race after the second power outage, as safety of the competitors is paramount. While we appreciate the efforts of APS and its repair crews to restore service as quickly as possible, having to end the race prematurely is not the experience that our fans expect and deserve."

The 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season comes to a close next Friday night with the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/11/Jones-Lights-Out-at-Phoenix.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: NCWTS From P.I.R.​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Wins NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship​*
Chase Elliott is a NASCAR champion.

Driving for JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team, Elliott finished fifth on Saturday. In 2014, his first full year in the Nationwide Series, Elliott has won three races and has 26 top 10s in 32 races. He's the youngest champion in Nationwide Series history.

His first win came at Texas in the spring and he won the next race at Darlington. His third win came at Chicago in the summer. Chase and Bill are the fifth father-son combination to each win NASCAR titles.








Elliott, who is signed as a developmental driver for Hendrick Motorsports, will stay in what will be the Xfinity Series in 2015. Hendrick has all four cars filled in the Sprint Cup Series for 2015 in Junior, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne.

However, Elliott will have a new crew chief next year. His crew chief Greg Ives is moving to atop Junior's pit box for the 2015 season. Junior's current crew chief, Steve Letarte, is moving to the broadcast booth for NBC Sports next year.

The race at Phoenix was won by Brad Keselowski on a last-lap pass of Kyle Busch. The pass was set up by a green-white-checker restart due to a questionable caution for Alex Bowman's car being out of fuel.

Bowman's car slowed on the penultimate lap and he had plenty of momentum to make it to pit road safely, but NASCAR threw the caution flag as Busch, who had a very comfortable lead, was not far from the white flag. Had the caution come out after Busch had started his final lap, the race would have been over.
















*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...nationwide-series-championship-234200299.html


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Triumphs On Last Lap​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=43&RaceID=6526&StatType=Race+Results

Brad Keselowski passed Kyle Busch on the last lap to win Saturday's DAV 200 Honoring American's Veterans, while Chase Elliott clinched the Nationwide title to become the youngest series champion.

Keselowski denied Busch his fourth consecutive series triumph at Phoenix International Raceway and eighth win at the track. Keselowski led nine laps, while Busch led 187.

"I can't believe it,'' Keselowski said after his 32nd career series victory and fifth of the season.

Elliott shared similar feelings after he won the series title by finishing fifth.

"I don't even know what to say!'' Elliott said on the radio to his team.

Busch was headed for the win when NASCAR called a caution for Alex Bowman, who was out of fuel and slow on the track. The set a green-white-checkered finish.

"Pretty pathetic NASCAR throws these Kyle Busch cautions,'' Busch said after the race. "It's old and aggravating for us in this Nationwide Series, but, hey, it's their prerogative, it's their series and they get to do what they want to. I've just got to settle for second and miss our opportunity on an owner's championship this year.''

With the victory, Keselowski helped the No. 22 Team Penske crew move closer to the owner's title on Busch's No. 54 team. The No. 22 Team Penske car needs only to finish 24th or better to clinch the owner's crown next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Joey Logano is scheduled to drive that car at Homestead.

Keselowski took advantage on the final restart. He got underneath Busch on the last lap and pulled away for the win. Busch finished second.

"My car wouldn't quite turn on the restarts as good as it needed to,'' Busch said. "We were a little bit better after we got a couple of laps going. Brad got his car to bend in the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4 and got underneath me and got by me.''

Keselowski expressed surprise he was able to take the win from Busch on the final lap.

"I thought Kyle was really, really good,'' Keselowski said. "If you would have told me that we were going to pass him on the last restart, I probably would not have thought that was going to be the case.

"I tried everything I could in Turn 1, but I just couldn't keep pace with him. I don't know what happened in (Turns) 3 and 4, but I was able to get beside him off of (Turn) 4 and it was a drag race. We were able to get in front and it was just bringing it home.''

It marked the fourth time Keselowski has won a Nationwide race with a last-lap pass and the second time he's done it to Busch.

Elliott Sadler placed third with Ty Dillon fourth and Elliott completing the top five.

This marked Sadler's best finish since his win at Talladega in May.

"It was a good run for us,'' Sadler said."I just wish I'd have done a better job in practice to get my car to roll through the center a little better.''

Erik Jones, who won Friday's Camping World Truck Series race, finished sixth.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...owski-Wins-At-Phoenix-With-Last-Lap-Pass.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Dominates At The Jewel In The Desert​*
Clutch Phoenix Win by Harvick:

Kevin Harvick won Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and will have a shot to race for the Sprint Cup championship.

Harvick dominated the afternoon to score his fourth Phoenix win in the last five races and will move on to next Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a chance to win his first career title.

It was Harvick's fourth win of the season and he led three times for 264 laps, including the final 187.

"I guess that it's what it feels like to hit a walk off in extra innings," said Harvick.

"I could tell that we were probably have to win, because everybody was running up at the front of the pack that we were racing against. And that's really the goal every time we come to Phoenix for me personally, and this team."

Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman also made the cut and will join Harvick as part of the Championship Four.

Newman made a daring move inside Kyle Larson in the final corner with the two making contact before the Richard Childress Racing driver was able to gain the position that put him into the title race.

"I just gave it my all," Newman said. "I wasn't proud of it but did what I had to to get to this next round. That little boy has got a lot of things coming in this sport and he used me up like that in a truck at Eldora a couple years ago. From my standpoint, I call it even but I think if he was in my position, he'd have done the same thing."

Jeff Gordon finished one point outside the cut line with Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards also missing out.

Gordon, Kenseth, Keselowski and Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Logano, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Marcos Ambrose completed the first 10 finishers.

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship will be decided next week in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*How Harvick won:* He basically kicked the field in the butt from the drop of the green flag.

*What else happened:* The battle to make it into the four eligible to run for the title next week in Homestead created intense racing and several gut wrenching scenarios throughout the afternoon. The Chase line-up changed on a nearly lap-by-lap basis. There were a number of drivers that at one point appeared assured to move on only to have that wiped out laps later and vice versa.

*Who else had a good day:* Hamlin started from the pole and after cutting a tire early had to battle back for a fifth place finish that was good enough to punch his ticket to the championship round&#8230;..Logano had a similar day with a fast car early but a pit road miscue and damage from an on-track incident put his title hopes in jeopardy. He too was able to get back to the front of the field and finished sixth&#8230;.Newman had to turn in the biggest clutch performance when he was passed on track late and lost enough positions to get knocked out of the playoff picture. But he turned in a dramatic and aggressive move to get inside Larson in the final corner and despite making contact was able to drive away and cross the finish line 11th, good enough to transfer to Homestead-Miami.

*Who had a bad day:* Newman's daring move clipped Gordon from the championship race and Hendrick Motorsports now does not have a chance at winning the title after starting the Chase with four drivers&#8230;..Keselowski had a strong car and ran upfront but was not able to replicate his dramatic Talladega win in the last round and advance to the championship race&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson couldn't follow up his Texas win last week with a good day. He battled a variety of problems and finally hit the wall and was out with a 39th-place finish.

*Quote of the day:*"He did the same thing to me in a Truck race for a $9,000 to win," Ryan Newman on contact with Kyle Larson on the final corner of the race.

*Notables:* The day's 12 caution flags was a new track record&#8230;.Martin Truex Jr.'s end of season success continued with a 12th-place finish&#8230;..Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer were involved in a late race crash and were credited with finished of 34th and 40th, respectively.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/11/Clutch-Win-by-Harvick-in-Phoenix.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman's Bump Puts Him in Title Round​*
There was no moral dilemma or consideration of ethics as Ryan Newman dived low in Turn 3 on the final lap of Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Needing to gain one spot - owned by rookie Kyle Larson - to have a chance to race for the championship next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Newman took his Chevrolet to the limit and beyond.

He skated up the track, hit Larson's car broadside and slipped underneath as Larson darted toward the wall. Newman got the spot and finished 11th.

Newman will race for a championship.

Dirty tactics?

Unfair ploy?

Or simply racing in this Chase?

"I think if Kyle Larson was in my shoes, he'd have done the exact same thing,'' said Newman, who could become the first winless Sprint Cup champion in NASCAR history. "I didn't take him out. He still finished the race (placing 13th). I think in a day or two he'll understand, if he doesn't now.

"It's hard to rationalize that, but like I said, I did what I had to do and tried to keep it as clean as I possibly could. I don't like racing that way, but there's a lot on the line here, and we'll keep digging.''

After the race, Jeff Burton noted the conflict each driver faces in this new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format where competitors are eliminated every third race.

"This format will put every drivers 'code' into question,'' Burton tweeted. "It requires, in the right situation he or she do what they normally wouldn't.''

Newman justified his move with what was at stake and how Larson ran him in a Camping World Truck Series race two years ago at Eldora Speedway.

"He used me up on multiple restarts and ... used me as a wall and a cushion to drive around,'' Newman said Sunday of Larson in that race. "We had fun doing it, don't get me wrong, and today was really no retaliation for that, but to me in my mind it was the fact that he can't be too mad after the way he raced me in a truck at Eldora two years ago.

"You've got to do what you've got to do, and that's really what it's all about. I told you the first thing, I wasn't proud of what I had to do, but I did it the best way that I possibly could.''

Motor Racing Network sent a request to the public relations representatives for Larson's team seeking comment about the incident. MRN was awaiting a response.

Asked why Newman still counted that old incident, he said: "There is no statute of limitations on anything. A driver never forgets. Jimmy Spencer coined the phrase, but really, a driver never does forget. I don't think me doing what I did, whether it was Kyle Larson or (Marcos) Ambrose or (Greg) Biffle or whoever was right there around me, I would have been the same thing. That's just my rationale to justify it in my head.''

Newman's move bumped Jeff Gordon, who finished second, out of the final four. Gordon was philosophical when asked if was acceptable that he was eliminated by a driver knocking another out of the way.

"It was acceptable last week, it's acceptable this week,'' Gordon said. "I mean, don't think that that's not going to come back to you. I could have taken out (winner Kevin) Harvick, too, to make it in, but I didn't.''

Newman's contact created an uproar also because it gives a winless driver a chance to win the title.

"It doesn't matter to me,'' he said of critics. "I mean, in the end it really doesn't matter. The fastest car may not win, the best car on a restart may not win. You just never know. It could come right down to fuel mileage and three of the four of us could be coasting on the last lap. You just never know. We're in this hunt. I'm proud of all my guys, and today was a lot of hard work, and in the end, the last lap was fun. But everything before that was pretty stressful.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Contact-Sends-Ryan-Newman-To-Title-Round.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Not This Year​*
Brad Keselowski won six races this year but won't race for a championship.

Jeff Gordon won four races and finished second Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway but won't race for a championship.

While those two have combined to win more than a quarter of the races this season, they can only watch as Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Ryan race for the championship next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"This is the most interest we've had in this sport in a long time, so obviously it's been good,'' Gordon said of the new Chase format. "I feel like the only disappointing thing or the only thing I don't like right now is the fact that I'm not in it next week.''

Joining Gordon and Keselowski as failing to advance Sunday were Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.

Gordon finished one point behind Newman for the final transfer spot. Newman gained that position after bumping his way past Kyle Larson on the last lap to finish 11th.

"I really thought second would get it done, but obviously it didn't,'' Gordon said. "We did everything that we could other than have a faster race car than Kevin. That was near impossible. But yeah, it's disappointing. It makes last week that much even tougher to swallow, but that's all right, we put in a great effort at Martinsville, great effort here, and it just wasn't enough.''

Gordon was in position to win last weekend at Texas when contact with Keselowski in the final laps cut Gordon's tire and caused him to spin. Instead of top-five finish at the least, Gordon placed 29th and those lost points proved to be too much to overcome Sunday.

"It's tough to swallow that two second‑place finishes and staring down a potential win or at least top five last week that we didn't get it done,'' said Gordon, whose last championship was in 2001. "I was looking forward to this round for a long time. I felt like this was a round where we could really shine, and we did. But it still wasn't enough.''

It also wasn't for Keselowski, who won twice in the Chase. After finishing fourth, Keselowski radioed his team: "Gave it all I had man. Really did.''

Said crew chief Paul Wolfe: "We had a great car today. Proud of that. Unfortunate of what happened at Martinsville. We know we're a strong team. We'll keep digging here and go win next week.''

A mechanical failure caused Keselowski to finish 31st at Martinsville. He all but needed a win after that to advance

"I'm obviously a little disappointed," Keselowski said. "I'm not disappointed with the effort, just disappointed it didn't work out. We just couldn't overcome the Martinsville hurdle. We had a decent day, but we needed a win to overcome the week we had at Martinsville where we broke the gear. We just weren't quite fast enough to pull that off the last two weeks and that's what it was going to take.

"It doesn't feel good to have won the most races and not being in it at Homestead, but it still feels like it has been a great season, winning six races.''

Kenseth's third-place finish left him three points out of the final transfer spot.

"We exceeded our expectations here,'' Kenseth said of his best Phoenix finish since 2007. "It was great run for us, and I'm proud of the guys for being third. I wish we would have made it in, but last week was disastrous, so it was fun being here with a shot - just wish we could have come through.''

Edwards struggled most of the weekend and during the race, faltering late to finish 15th.

"We tried every trick that we could,'' he said. "We just didn't have a lot of speed all weekend. The car actually drove pretty decently at the end. We just didn't have enough speed."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eselowski-Among-Those-Failing-To-Advance.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mission Accomplished For Hamlin, Logano​*
Both had at times stressful days but both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin left Phoenix International Raceway with a chance to run for the Sprint Cup championship.

Logano and Hamlin along with race winner Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman all advance to next week's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for a shot at the crown.

"There are a lot of emotions, believe me," said Logano, who had an up and down day that ended up with a sixth place finish and a spot in the Championship 4.

Logano had a fast car but his first challenge came when a fuel can became lodged in the Shell/Pennzoil Ford as he left his stall for service. He was penalized for equipment leaving his pit stall and Logano dropped back deep in the field.

It got worse as the day went on eventually including dropping a lap behind the field before later picking up damage on his car when he got a piece of an on track incident between Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer.

But Logano was proud of the way his team stood behind him and was able to drive back to the front of the field to get the win that kept his title hopes alive.

"When those situations happen you try to stay calm, but it was just so hard to do because there's so much on the line," said Logano. "I wasn't mad at anybody, I was just frustrated trying to get up through the field and trying to pass cars. When you're doing that you wear your car out so much that we ended up going down a lap. We missed the lucky dog by one and then got our lucky dog. Then we got crashed when the 18 was spinning out and then I was able to recover for a sixth-place finish after all that."

As for who he believes has the edge in the championship race, Logano's answer is not surprising.

"I say we do. Everybody has the same amount of points it's all about how good your team is and I feel like I've got the best team," he said.

Logano will probably get an argument from Hamlin on that assessment. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had a similar up and down day that included an early flat tires and a struggle with an ill handling racecar before he was somehow able to finish fifth and punch his ticket to Homestead.

"What a crazy day," said Hamlin. "You just think about everything that went on and you're like, 'It's just not meant to be.' Then you have to just keep fighting and keep fighting.

Hamlin was quick to point out despite the challenges he was able to keep his wits while dealing with the pressure.

"There was no panic simply because I knew that we were going to do whatever we were going to do and make it or not we were going to give our best effort and we had an issue on pit road and to show the perseverance that we did to come back definitely says a lot," said Hamlin.

Like Logano, Hamlin likes his chances next week in south Florida.

"I told you all before the Chase started that I feel better about winning Homestead than Martinsville and after the test we had there two weeks ago I still believe that," said Hamlin. "I'm ready to go."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ssion-Accomplished-for-Logano-and-Hamlin.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Rear View Mirror​*
For the second time in four races a driver fought his way out of a major hole to keep their championship hopes alive. Brad Keselowski did it in Talladega and Kevin Harvick returned the favor Sunday in Phoenix.

Both wins were dramatic. But Harvick's means a chance to run for a Sprint Cup title next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

It's exactly the kinds of scenarios NASCAR had hoped for when the new Chase for the Sprint Cup was introduced back in January.

Eight drivers had a shot to make it into the Championship 4 Sunday at Phoenix and at one point of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 a single point separated them all.

Of course nothing matters until the checkered flag flies. And when it did Harvick was the first across the finish line with three others - Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman able to join him next week at the Homestead-Miami title run.

It's impossible to argue this format has created more twists and turns than perhaps the previous three Chases combined. The Gold Standard season finale still remains the epic battle between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards that ended deadlocked back in 2011, with Stewart winning the crown in a tiebreaker.

Next week's race is uncharted territory. All four drivers enter Homestead even and whoever is ahead of the other three when the race ends is the champion.

It is impossible to have any idea how it will turn out. But then the way this Chase has unfolded, why should the final race of the season be any different.

Ryan Newman's move on Kyle Larson in the final corner has as expected sparked a great deal of discussion whether it was "fair or foul." Like Brad Keselowski's attempt to shoot the gap last week at Texas, it was the act of a driver trying to do all he could to get a position and advance, which the last time I checked was their job. Newman didn't "dump" Larson in my view because he got alongside the rookie driver and didn't turn him from behind or the left rear quarter panel. Aggressive driving is to be expected in the closing laps of a race especially with the magnitude of what that spot meant for Newman.

The four drivers that made it to the Homestead title race mean there will be a first-time Sprint Cup Series champion crowned when the checkered flag flies next Sunday. Some of NASCAR's biggest stars are not in that mix with the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon knocked out along the way. But the excitement of a new name to be engraved on the Sprint Cup trophy along with the unknown of how the first-ever "winner takes all" finale will play out promises a very intriguing night ahead in south Florida.

Not to be lost in the championship discussion from Phoenix are three performances from drivers outside the Chase picture that wound up in the top 10. Kurt Busch, who has had a controversial week after the story about alleged domestic abuse from his former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll broke last week, was strong throughout the day and finished seventh. Greg Biffle's 2014 season has been mostly forgettable but he came home ninth. And in his next to last start before leaving NASCAR for his native Australia, Marcos Ambrose drove to a 10th-place finish on Sunday.

Chase Elliott put himself in the NASCAR record book as the youngest National Series champion when he clinched the Nationwide Series title Saturday afternoon. The 18-year-old second generation driver celebrated the accomplishment with his mom and dad Cindy and Bill at his side in what was a special moment for the sport. Elliott's future is about as bright as any young driver's in recent memory. Although many fans want Elliott's career accelerated to the Sprint Cup Series next year, team owner Rick Hendrick reinforced the plan to keep him in NASCAR's number two division again next year. But in 2016, Hendrick will have an interesting decision to make to bring Elliott into his four-car Cup stable.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/Phoenix-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Looking For More: New Dale Jr. Crew Chief Says Best Is Yet To Come​*
*G*reg Ives, the next crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., hopes to continue the success NASCAR's most popular driver has enjoyed over four seasons with Steve Letarte calling the shots.

In fact, 35-year-old Ives wants to achieve things his predecessor didn't as the crew chief on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

"The goal is not to be Steve; the goal is to be better in that position, and Steve's going to be a big part of that," Ives told FOXSports.com in an exclusive interview on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "We've already discussed and talked about how certain things have been working, and stuff like that.

Not to take anything away from Steve, but Steve is in a position where he wants the team to progress and continue the success that they had this year, and he's been nothing but supportive. We're going to enjoy the ride, I believe."

Letarte, who announced before the 2014 season that he would be leaving Hendrick Motorsports at year's end to take a job with NBC Sports, has won five races with Earnhardt in nearly four seasons together. Four of those victories, including the Daytona 500, have come this year.

Earnhardt Jr. made the Chase for the Sprint Cup in each of his seasons with Letarte, but has finished no better than fifth in points. This season, Earnhardt Jr. won multiple races for the first time since 2004 but failed to advance beyond 12-driver Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

A native of Bark River, Mich., and graduate of Michigan Technological University, Ives joined Hendrick Motorsports as a mechanic in 2004 before moving into an engineering role on the No. 48 team of Jimmie Johnson in 2006. In seven years working under crew chief Chad Knaus, Ives contributed to 42 wins, 113 top-five finishes and 21 pole positions in the Sprint Cup Series.
In November 2012, Ives transitioned to JR Motorsports -- owned by Earnhardt Jr. in partnership with Rick Hendrick and Earnhardt's sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller -- as crew chief for driver Regan Smith.

The duo won two races and finished third in points in 2013 before Ives was named Chase Elliott's crew chief prior to this season.

Elliott, an 18-year-old rookie who has three wins this season under Ives' guidance, arrived in Phoenix with an opportunity to clinch the Nationwide Series title in Saturday's Nationwide Series race, and in the process become the youngest champion in one of NASCAR's major series.

"I have my own style," Ives said. "I've worked under Chad Knaus, Robbie Loomis, Steve Letarte -- I've worked for him. My style is going to be different. Hopefully, with Steve's support, it's going to be better because I'll be able to lean on him and hopefully bring a side of my personality that Dale enjoys."

Ives recently joined Letarte and Earnhardt Jr. during a test at Homestead-Miami Speedway where the goal was not only to prepare for the 2014 season finale, but also to give Ives and Earnhardt Jr. a chance to work together ahead of next season, when all testing will be banned.

"It's just something that we were able to do together," Ives said. "I had the weekend off, so I was able to take some time just to get on the radio, let him hear my voice and talk to him a little bit. It wasn't anything that was a super-big deal time-wise or away from my schedule, but it was one of those things that just allowed ourselves to get one more step, one more step closer.

Dale, as a team owner (for JR Motorsports), obviously knows the importance of what we have going on here in the Nationwide Series side. It was more of a formality just kind of letting people understand how I operate, and for me to be able to see the crew in action."

Much like Letarte felt upon first being paired with Earnhardt Jr. in 2011, Ives is undaunted by the extra scrutiny that inevitably comes with being the crew chief for the sport's most popular driver.

"I don't look at a race car. I don't look at a driver. I don't look at anybody any different than I look at myself," he said. "I don't care who's in the race car.

I don't care if it's Dale Jr. -- the most popular driver -- or Chase Elliott or Regan Smith. I'm there to do one thing and that's put the best car underneath them and the best race team for them. Obviously, I want to have a good, quick start and that's going to be easier (with the Homestead test), but the one thing it can't do is build complacency.

"I feel like they have a great team, and hopefully I'll come in as a leader that they want to rally around and make sure we do whatever it takes to get off to the right step. I know the couple times I've worked with Dale recently and in the past, he's 100 percent all the time, so we'll just have to see how things work out."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...jr-crew-chief-says-best-is-yet-to-come-110814


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## Ckg2011

*New Format Has Drivers Up On The Wheel​*
NASCAR's most physical Chase heads toward the finish line with one of the biggest questions not who will win the title but how much contact will officials allow.

Beating, banging and blocking helped determine who advanced to next weekend's championship round at Homestead-Miami Speedway and who did not.

Ryan Newman's last-lap banzai move Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway moved Kyle Larson out of the way and allowed Newman to take the final transfer spot, eliminating Jeff Gordon from championship contention.

"I wasn't proud of what I had to do, but I did it the best way that I possibly could,'' Newman said.

Was Newman's move acceptable?

"It was acceptable last week, it's acceptable this week,'' said Gordon, victimized by contact, directly or indirectly, the past two weeks.

Gordon led late at Texas when Brad Keselowski tried to charge through a gap. They hit. The contact cut Gordon's tire and caused him to spin.

Earlier in the Chase, Keselowski blocked Matt Kenseth toward the end of the Charlotte race, causing Kenseth to slap the wall and hurt his chances to win.

"This format has just created that,'' Kevin Harvick said after his Phoenix win. "You have to do things that you normally wouldn't do, and in the end you have to try to make something happen for your team. You try to put yourself in a position to where you can be on the best defensive side of that to try to make it out of the corner without getting wrecked.''

NASCAR has not penalized any title contender for how they've raced in the Chase. In each case, drivers were aggressive. That's what NASCAR sought when it altered the Chase format in January.

"It's a contact sport,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president, when the revamped Chase was announced. "Guys will compete at a high level and some will be more aggressive than others, and we understand that. That's acceptable.''

"We're going to regulate just like we have. It's going to be more work on us. We understand that. But in 2013 and before, those same opportunities existed then.''

As NASCAR heads toward more contact, drivers will try to figure out what is allowable.

It's not only Cup drivers who are watching but those who want to be in Cup someday. What happens in NASCAR's top series trickles down to Late Models, modifieds, Legend Cars and elsewhere.

Drivers say it doesn't take much talent to knock someone out of the way to gain a position or win a race. The true talent, they say, is to do that without making contact.

Yet, is that the message out there? Or is the message to be even more aggressive?

Younger drivers are watching NASCAR and will adjust their driving style to how the sport's top racers compete. The sport changes with each generation. Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson noted this past weekend how drivers are more aggressive now then when he came into the sport.

Johnson said the way drivers used to allow others by if they weren't as fast at that point in the race is a "dying art.''

"I think each year it just keeps getting more intense,'' Johnson said. "Then again, by design, NASCAR when they put this format in place this is what they were hoping for. They wanted guys trying to shoot the gap on a green-white-checkered restart. If there is a scrum afterwards on pit road then that is part of the deal. It's all by design and I guess it is working."

For how long?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Chase-Format-Has-Drivers-Up-On-The-Wheel.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Comments On Newman's Move​*
Kyle Larson called Ryan Newman's last-lap actions Sunday "a little upsetting" but said he understood Newman's desperation and "can't fault him for being aggressive there.''

Needing to pass Larson to secure the final spot in the championship round, Newman dive-bombed the rookie on the last lap at Phoenix International Raceway. Newman's car slid up the track and hit Larson's car, sending it toward the wall. That allowed Newman by, giving him a shot at the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. By advancing, Newman eliminated Jeff Gordon from title contention.

"Coming to the finish, there were a lot of cars racing really hard,'' Larson said in a statement provided to Motor Racing Network by Chip Ganassi Racing. "I knew (Newman) was right around me and knew he needed to gain some spots to keep from getting eliminated from the Chase.

"It's a little upsetting he pushed me up to the wall, but I completely understand the situation he was in and can't fault him for being aggressive there. I think a lot of drivers out here would have done something similar if they were in that position."

Newman said after the race: "I wasn't proud of what I had to do, but I did it the best way that I possibly could.''

Newman, who finished 11th, defended his actions, noting that Larson managed to finish, placing 13th.

"Kyle was right on (Marcos Ambrose') rear bumper and when he went into Turn 3, I think he slipped just a little bit, and I just went down to the bottom no matter what,'' Newman said. "I figured if I'm going to try this I'm going to try it and see if it works, and it worked.

"I think if Kyle Larson was in my shoes, he'd have done the exact same thing. I didn't take him out. He still finished the race. I think in a day or two he'll understand, if he doesn't now.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Larson-Comments-On-Move-By-Ryan-Newman.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wins Part of The Equation​*
The driver with the most wins over the course of the season does not always win the Sprint Cup Series championship.

Certainly that information is a blow to detractors of the new Chase system that finds the likes of Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. unable to win the title despite finding Victory Lane multiple times this season.

Keselowski's six wins will at least tie for the most this year with Team Penske teammate Joey Logano at five the only other driver with a shot at the half dozen.

But it's nothing new to have the man hoisting the Sprint Cup trophy not also at the top of the season win list.

In fact over the last 10 years the Sprint Cup champion did not lead the series in victories six times:

2013 
Champion: Jimmie Johnson 
Win Leader: Matt Kenseth (7)

2010 
Champion: Jimmie Johnson 
Win Leader: Denny Hamlin ( 8 )

2008 
Champion: Jimmie Johnson 
Win Leader: Carl Edwards (9)

2006 
Champion: Jimmie Johnson 
Win Leader: Kasey Kahne (6)

2005 
Champion: Tony Stewart 
Win Leader: Greg Biffle (6)

2004 
Champion: Kurt Busch 
Win Leader: Jimmie Johnson ( 8 )

There are other examples of the same thing happening throughout NASCAR's history.

The 2002 season saw Tony Stewart win the title with three victories while Matt Kenseth won five times and finished a distant eighth in the standings.

Future Hall of Famer Terry Labonte's second title came in 1996 when he took only two checkered flags while Jeff Gordon put up double digits with 10 wins but still finished second in the championship.

What about the epic 1992 championship that is heralded as one of the best in the history of NASCAR and came down to the wire at Atlanta Motor Speedway? Alan Kuwicki won the dramatic title with a pair of wins to his credit while both Davey Allison and Harry Gant each notched five.

NASCAR's new Chase did put more of an emphasis on winning this year. Victories in the regular season automatically transferred drivers to the Chase field. Wins in each round of the Chase advanced drivers to the next round, as both Keselowski and Kevin Harvick demonstrated.

While it's true winning is everything to drivers on a weekly basis and has been an important element to this season's competition, it's never been the only thing to determine a champion.

That concept dates back all the way to the sport's inception.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/11/Wins-Part-of-the-Equation.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*ParkerStore Reunites With Kyle Larson​*







Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, announced Monday that Kyle Larson will reunite with former sponsor ParkerStore for a multi-year, multi-series partnership.

The partnership will begin with the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event of the season, the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, Nov. 14.

After originally partnering with Larson when he raced midget cars in California, ParkerStore will be the primary sponsor of the No. 42 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Turner Scott Motorsports entry driven by Larson at Homestead and will be on board the No. 42 NASCAR XFINTIY Series entry in 2015.

ParkerStore will serve as a primary and associate sponsor for Larson in a number of races throughout the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

"We're looking forward to rejoining our partnership with Kyle and his team," says Brad Fischer, director of Global Retail Operations at Parker. "Kyle has a bright future in NASCAR and we're happy to be on board."

"I am really excited to be reuniting with ParkerStore," said Larson. "To be able to team up again with a sponsor from back in my midget racing days is really cool. I think we'll make a great team. I'm really looking forward to working with them on and off of the racetrack.

I feel like I have some unfinished business at Homestead in the [NASCAR Camping World] Truck Series, so I can't wait to get there and see what we can do."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/parkerstore-reunites-with-kyle-larson/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Quicken 500 At Phoenix​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Need for Grubb To Update Resume​*
This time, crew chief Darian Grubb only has to focus on winning a championship instead of worrying about where he'll be working.

Three years ago, Grubb helped Tony Stewart win the NASCAR Sprint Cup title even though he had been told during the Chase he would be not be back with the team after the season.

Grubb moved to Joe Gibbs Racing after that season to be Denny Hamlin's crew chief. They've been together since and will compete for the championship this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

What Grubb is doing next year is unsettled. Car owner Joe Gibbs said during the Chase that there would be changes to driver-crew chief pairings for next season but nothing has been announced.

Even with uncertainty, Grubb is certain about one thing.

"I'm going to be here (at JGR) next year,'' he said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. "We have had some talks internally about what next year's plans are, but there's nothing that's ready to be announced. I'm sure winning a championship with the team and stuff might have some bearing on some of those discussions.

"I'm not updating any résumés or anything like that. We know we all have jobs. There's security. We all know for a fact that we're going to be working together within this organization, so we're going to go out and try to finish the business at hand first no matter what happens and try to win that trophy at Homestead.''

Joe Gibbs Racing is expanding to four teams next season with the addition of Carl Edwards. No crew chief has been announced for him. The current driver-crew chief pairings at JGR are Hamlin and Grubb, Jason Ratcliff and Matt Kenseth and Dave Rogers with Kyle Busch.

Hamlin is the lone JGR driver in the final after overcoming a flat tire and rallying from a lap down twice last weekend to finish fifth at Phoenix International Raceway. He'll race Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman for the crown.

"We had some pretty big problems at Phoenix and he didn't get out of control,'' Grubb said of Hamlin. "We made sure we managed the situation and we were able to race our way back up and get a top five and make our way into the Championship Round.''

Of the four crew chiefs going for the championship, Grubb is the only one who has won a title. He's also the only one who has won at Homestead. He won with Stewart in 2011 and Hamlin last year.

"It at least gives all my guys the confidence that they know that we can at least make it through that,'' Grubb said of his success at the track. "No matter what the race throws at us, we should be able to adapt and make sure we can do what we have to do to perform.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Ford Ecoboost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-One-Worry-In-Title-Race-Unlike-In-2011.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Notebook: One Last Time For Fennig​*
As NASCAR prepares to crown its Sprint Cup champion this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it also marks the end of an era for two crew chiefs.

Jimmy Fennig, one of only five crew chiefs to win a Sprint Cup championship in the Chase era, will leave his post after this weekend's race. Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., heads to the NBC booth after Sunday.

Fennig's 40 Cup victories rank second among active crew chiefs. Only Chad Knaus has more with 68. The low-key Fennig has more Cup wins than the four crew chiefs vying for the championship this weekend have combined (34 wins).

Among Fennig's victories are two in the Daytona 500. Fennig won with Bobby Allison in 1988 - when Allison finished ahead of son Davey - and with Matt Kenseth in 2012. Fennig's championship came in 2004, the inaugural year of the Chase, with Kurt Busch.

"Racing is what makes him tick and the competition,'' Kenseth said of Fennig. "It's hard to argue that Jimmy isn't one of the best crew chiefs in the garage. There's not many people that have been in the sport as long as he has and remained relevant and competitive as long as he has.

"I'll never forget when we won the Daytona 500 in 2012 and he was smiling and said, 'The last time I was here was 25 years ago with Bobby Allison - that was the last time I won the Daytona 500.' When you think about that and all the changes that this sport has had with technology and the cars and engineering and all that stuff compared to where we started, it really says something about somebody that's still that competitive today."

Said Edwards, who has had Fennig as his crew chief the past two seasons: "I don't know how much formal education in any engineering Jimmy Fennig has, but if there is a problem, he can solve it - period.

"Jimmy somehow finds more time in the day and finds a way to work harder than almost anybody I've ever met. He cares as much or more about winning than anyone I've ever been around, so to me Jimmy has been a huge positive influence on me and my driving and he's a friend.''

*Dubious Distinction*

After winning a series-high seven races last year, Matt Kenseth is on the verge of going winless this year. It would be one of the greatest turnarounds in series history.

Only Carl Edwards' falloff would be greater. Edwards won a series-high nine races in 2008 and then went winless the following season.

If Kenseth does not win this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he would become only the eighth driver in series history to win at least five races one season and go winless the following year (while running the full schedule).

Others on that list are Jeff Gordon (six wins in 2007, zero in 2008), Kasey Kahne (six wins in 2006, zero in 2007), Mark Martin (five wins in 2009, zero in 2010), Bill Elliott (five wins in 1992, zero in 1993), Dale Earnhardt (five wins in 1980, zero in 1981) and Richard Petty (five wins in 1978, zero in 1977).

Of those drivers, two are in the Hall of Fame (Earnhardt and Petty) and one will be inducted in the next class (Elliott).

*On The Line*

A number of marks and streaks are on the line this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Tony Stewart looks for his first victory of the season. He's won at least one race every year he's been in Sprint Cup (15 seasons). His streak is tied for fifth in series history. Richard Petty won at least one race a record 18 consecutive seasons (1960-77).

Other drivers who won at least one points race last year and are still looking for their first points win this season are: Brian Vickers, David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray and Martin Truex Jr.

There have been 13 different winners this season. That would be the fewest winners in a season since 2010.

Richard Childress Racing is seeking its first Cup championship since 1994. If Ryan Newman delivers a title to the organization, it would be the largest gap in series history between championships for a team. The longest drought between championships for an organization is four years for Hendrick Motorpsorts between Jeff Gordon's 2001 title and Jimmie Johnson's crown in 2006.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Ford Ecoboost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/11/NASCAR-Notebook-A-Farewell.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pursley Goes Out A Champion​*
Facing off with some of the best young talent in NASCAR, Greg Pursley out-ran them all.

The 46-year-old from Newhall, California, driver finished ninth in Thursday night's Casino Arizona 100 at Phoenix International Raceway, to put the finishing touches on his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship. And, perhaps, his career.

In the media center after the race, Pursley said that's it for him.

"As of right now, I guess I'm retired," said Pursley, who now lives in Parker, Arizona. "I'm very happy to go out as the champion on top."

Rookie Nick Drake, 18, won the race from the pole and held off a pair of 16-year-olds, Gray Gaulding and Cole Custer. A green-white-checkered finish extended the race to 103 laps. Jesse Little and Dylan Lupton rounded out the top five.

It was Drake's first NASCAR K&N Pro Series victory in his 18th career start. He finished 10th in the championship standings in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season. He became the fourth driver to win this season in Bill McAnally Racing's No. 99, following Patrick Staropoli (California's Irwindale Speedway), Chris Eggleston (Colorado National Speedway) & Christian PaHud (California's All American Speedway).

Gaulding, Custer, Little and Drake are all part of the NASCAR Next program, an industry initiative designed to spotlight the sport's rising stars.

"It's been a lot of fun racing these kids," Pursley said. "The more seat time they get, the better they get. I've tried my best to help them out, I've gave them advice, they've come to me. I'm going to miss all of them, too. To be able to race these kids and race them side-by-side, especially for the championship, that's a pretty good deal to have.

"The K&N Series is pretty strong right now, both in the East and the West. Like I said, there's a lot of young kids out there right now, a lot of young talent that's coming up, that you're going to see a lot of great racing here in the future."

But Thursday night -- and the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season -- belonged to the series veteran who has put together an incredible four-year run.

Pursley has collected 17 wins in 58 races in the span, winning two championships and finishing second (2012) and third (2013) in the other two years.

He also won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship title in 2004 driving in the Late Model Division at California's Irwindale Speedway.

Pursley's 2014 season included two wins, 12 top fives and 13 top 10s in 14 races in the No. 26 GPM/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford. He took over the points lead following the season's second race and never relinquinshed it. He also gave car owner Gene Price wins third championship in four years. In addition to Pursley's two titles, Price won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title with Dylan Kwasniewski in 2012.

Pursley finished with a 17-point margin over runner-up Lupton. David Mayhew was another 20 points back and edged Brandon McReynolds by two points for third. James Bickford, who had already clinched the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, finished fifth.

Mayhew was sixth in the Casino Arizona 100, followed by DJ Kennington, John Borneman III, Pursley and Jamie Krzysik.

The Casino Arizona 100 will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.

Pursley will be honored for his championship season along with NASCAR's other touring series champions on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards in the Grand Ballroom of the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-Pro-Series/News/Articles/2014/11/Pursley-Goes-Out-a-Champion.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*ESPN Races Toward Finish Line​*
"Get it right and you'll stand the test of time

"Get it wrong and it spells disaster.''

That's how ESPN described winning the Brickyard 400 when it returned to air NASCAR races in 2007, but the same could be said about how fans will look upon the network's time with this sport.

As this chapter of ESPN and NASCAR closes, will the worldwide leader's coverage the past eight seasons be viewed with the same fondness many hold for Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett? Admittedly, there will be plenty of time to ponder that notion because Sunday marks ESPN's final Sprint Cup race until at least 2025.

Starting next season, Fox and Fox Sports 1, along with NBC and NBCSN will broadcast Sprint Cup races through 2024.

That doesn't mean ESPN will stop covering the sport.

"I can assure those asking the question and all fans out there that we're going to continue to cover NASCAR across all our news and information platforms in a very significant way,'' said Rich Feinberg ESPN vice president, motorsports production. "We don't have rights agreements with many different sports out there, but SportsCenter has an obligation to their fans to cover all sports.

"I can tell you I personally have already been involved in our planning for coverage for the Daytona 500 in 2015. I don't think you'll see much of a change. We obviously won't be doing the races, but in terms of serving the interests of fans with our news and information coverage, we're full steam ahead.''

Still, for NASCAR fans, they will have to watch other channels to see some of their favorite announcers or different programming to see Motor Racing Network alums Allen Bestwick and Dr. Jerry Punch, who have each been a part of broadcasting the sport since the 1980s.

Punch began at MRN in 1980 before joining ESPN in 1984. Bestwick joined MRN in 1986 as a turn announcer before becoming the radio network's play-by-play announcer from 1988-2000, joining Barney Hall in the booth.

ESPN, NASCARAsked to pick a favorite memory of his time covering NASCAR, Punch pauses briefly. He notes through his broadcasting roles he has interviewed all but five NASCAR Sprint Cup champions.

"But I have to say, Alan Kulwicki's championship win in that final race when he pulled into victory lane in 1992 in Atlanta ... and Richard Petty's last race, that's one of those moments I'll never forget,'' Punch said.

"Alan driving the Underbird, the young man who came from Wisconsin with, as we said back in those days, a pickup truck and a pocketful of dreams and chased his dream and became a NASCAR champion with very few resources.

"It was a day in which Davey Allison could have won it. Bill Elliott could have won it. Either one of those would have been great stories, but Kulwicki wins it and then we do the interview. (Then) I interview Richard. I caught myself because he gets out of the car, and for the first time I saw tears in his eyes and going down his cheek, and they were on my cheeks because I realized how special that moment was. It just doesn't get much better than that.''

Bestwick notes that he'll face new challenges in his career after the checkered flag falls Sunday evening at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"What will next year be like?'' Bestwick said. "It'll be different. My life has been centered around daily involvement with this sport since 1986. It will be very different.

"But at the same time, the opportunities that ESPN has afforded me and the events that I'm going to get to be involved in and get to be around are exciting. They're a big deal to me. They're going to be fun. I'm going to have a chance to be involved in and around the British Open at St. Andrews next summer. How could you not be excited about that?

"I'm a (NASCAR) fan. I'll always be paying attention, and I'll always be watching, but it'll be different, and obviously the thing that I'll miss the most are the friends that I've made along the way.''

As ESPN nears the end of its time broadcasting NASCAR races, soon all that will be left will be to say farewell. How will Bestwick choose his final words on the broadcast?

"Homestead is about crowning a champion, and it's about whatever it is that we see unfold on the race track that night, and that's going to be the focus of our telecast,'' said Bestwick, who shares the booth with former champions Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. "It's not about us, it's about the champion.

"If you were to ask me for an overriding thought, it's for people to know how much we appreciate their sharing their time with us watching these races, hoping that they've enjoyed what we do, and hoping that they know how much heart and soul we all put into it and how much fun that we've had.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/11/Homestead-Marks-End-Of-Era-For-ESPN.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Letarte Ready For Farewell​*
Steve Letarte will crew chief his last race for Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway before heading off to a career in broadcasting.

When the checkered flag flies in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400, Letarte will hang up his headset and end his him time at Hendrick Motorsports that began when he was just a teenager.

He worked his way up through the ranks at the organization and as crew chief for Jeff Gordon from 2005 through 2010, won six races - guiding Gordon to second in points in 2007 and third in 2009.

Letarte was paired up with Earnhardt in 2011 and was able to get NASCAR's perennial Most Popular Driver competitive after years of mediocrity. Earnhardt ended a 143-race winless streak with a Michigan win in 2012 after finishing fifth in the Sprint Cup Series standings the year before.

Earnhardt and Letarte started this year with a bang, winning the Daytona 500, and were poised to make a serious run at the championship and did, winning two more times in the regular season before the Chase began in September. But the dreams of a storybook ending to Letarte's crew chief life ended in the Contender Round of the new Chase format and Earnhardt was knocked from title contention.

He won two weeks ago at Martinsville Speedway in one of the more passionate wins in recent years and now, Letarte prepares himself for what will surely be more emotion in Sunday's farewell run at Homestead.

"There's a lot going through my mind," Letarte said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive" program. "I don't think I can hardly believe it yet. It's unique. I'm sure it will start to become real this week and I'll probably get most of my stuff out of my office this week before we leave for Homestead. I think it's the only fair thing to do so when the season's over it's not personal, it's business. Greg Ives (Earnhardt's new crew chief) needs to get into that office and get going, and he's excited to do that so I'm sure it's going to be an emotional week, to say the least.

"But we're going to try, and I don't know how successful we're going to be at this, to make it business as usual. We're going to go down there ... we tested, and it's a track that Dale runs well at and we run well at - especially at the top, so we're going down there and try to make the last race together a win. That's our goal."

While most believe Letarte will make a strong transition to the broadcast booth, and he's looking forward to the opportunity to start a new chapter of life, his final day on top of the pit box promises to be one filled with bittersweet emotions.

"I'm looking forward to it," Letarte said. "I'm torn, right now. It's my final race as a crew chief and that's emotional, it's disappointing. At the same time, the buzz about starting to get creative for next year, we're starting to get to that point - of what's next.

"I'm ready. I'm not disappointed in my decision. It just becomes a little harder when it comes to the finish and that's what this weekend's gonna be."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/11/Steve-Letarte-Ready-for-Farewell.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race P.I.R. Edition​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Inside Access With Miss Sprint Cup: It's A Wrap​*
*Join Miss Sprint CUP As She Helps Wrap Kyle Busch's #18 Toyota​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*2014 Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Round​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Triple Play For Team Penske?​*
NASCAR team owner Roger Penske is in a unique position heading into Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

For the first time in history, Penske has the opportunity to become the car owner of the championship drivers in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the Verizon IndyCar Series, as well as the team owner of the championship NASCAR Nationwide Series car.

It not a done deal, certainly, but if it happens it would be quite a trifecta even by Penske's lofty standards. A hugely successful industrialist with a string of automobile and automotive-related businesses, Penske, 77, is estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of $1.1 billion.

Team Penske driver Will Power has long since clinched the IndyCar driver's title and Joey Logano is one of four drivers who will race heads up for the Sprint Cup title in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This year, Penske has won 11 Cup races, the most in a single season in team history.

On the Nationwide side, Penske's No. 22 Ford Mustang holds a solid lead of 29 points over the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Asked what winning all three titles would mean for him, Penske credited his team.

"There's no question if you're putting yourself in that position has to be (because of) the teammates and the people sitting up here on the stage day in and day out," said Penske. "It would be a great thing for Team Penske. I've been in this business a long time, but when you look at the number of wins this year I think it's our best year looking at today."

Penske said driver Brad Keselowski encouraged him to build the team by promoting crew chiefs internally, which Penske said strengthened the organization.

"(Crew chiefs) Jeremy Bullins, Todd Gordon, Paul Wolfe, they all came up through this program, so if we did nothing else, and I think that was Brad's equation that he brought to the team here a number of years ago," said Penske. "I said let's bring these guys up so they know us.

I guess we know the devil and you know how these guys will work with together and I think we build a much more solid team that way, rather than trying to go out and grab somebody from another team. This is a well-built team with a strong foundation and obviously a world-class driver."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/triple-play-for-team-penske-111214


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Enlivens Press Conference​*
Kevin Harvick needled Joey Logano and avoided eye contact with his championship foes, seeking to jumpstart a tranquil press conference Wednesday night.

"The first day of racing for a championship is today,'' Harvick said shortly after his stage show.

While the other three drivers seemed relaxed - Logano swiveled in his chair on a stage as all four sat together - Harvick was focused. He looked into the audience. Only once did he glance at his competitors during the 20-minute session.

Harvick will race Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. What attention Harvick paid them was directed toward Logano, the only driver among the quartet with more wins than Harivck this season.

When asked about joking with Logano about how Logano got in his way late in the Talladega race to keep him from challenging for the win, Harvick interrupted the question.

"He knows I'm not joking,'' said Harvick, seated next to Logano.

Never looking at Logano, Harvick then said: "Karma catches up with you. I'm a firm believer in karma. At some point it comes full circle.''

Harvick's attention flattered Logano.

"It's means they're nervous about you,'' Logano said afterward.

When the session on stage ended, Logano got up, turned toward Harvick, smiled, and patted his foe on the shoulder.

"Nice,'' Logano told Harvick.

Then they walked off stage.

"I think it's fun,'' said Logano, enjoying the hoopla around his quest for his first series crown.

OK, it couldn't match Tony Stewart's baiting of Carl Edwards in 2011 at this press conference, which included the following exchange:

"I'd wreck my mom to win a championship,'' Stewart said. "I'll wreck your mom to win a championship. I respect (Edwards) as a driver, but this isn't about friendships this weekend.''

"Did you say something?'' Edwards responded

"Yeah, you can come visit my trophy in the room at Vegas when you come out there,'' Stewart said.

"He's got the talking part figured out,'' Edwards said of Stewart. "Problem is, you haven't led the points yet this year, have you?''

"They say there's talkers and doers,'' Stewart retorted. "I've done this twice.''

Wednesday, Stewart was backstage as Harvick poked at Logano, but Stewart missed the exchange.

"I was kind of anxious to hear it myself,'' Stewart said.

He knows what Harvick was seeking to do.

"I think it's a lot of fun, and it was a lot of fun messing with Carl when we were up here three years ago,'' Stewart said. "I'm sure that Kevin had fun with the rest of them. But when it comes to getting in the car, it's down to business as usual.''

Harvick was ready Wednesday.

"As soon as I got off the plane today, it's like a switch flipped,'' Harvick said. "You're focused on what you have to do.''

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Ford Ecoboost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nlivens-Title-Contender-Press-Conference.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Who Will Be Champion?​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Who will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship?*​
*Answer​*
*Pete Pistone*
By now maybe I should accept the fact that trying to predict anything in this Chase format is pretty much impossible. I can tell you I have only one of the quartet racing for the title at Homestead in my Championship Four bracket grid - Joey Logano.

But with all due respect to JoLo, I'm going with the guy who has been strong all year long and pretty much red hot in the Chase - Kevin Harvick. I'm not even going to bother looking at Harvick's past stats at Homestead or average finishes against his three title contenders. More than ever, this season has proven past performance is not a very good way to predict future success in most cases.

So I'll just go with my gut as well as the hot hand and predict Kevin Harvick as the 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion.

*Dustin Long* 
My pick before the Chase was Joey Logano and it remains him.

I like how strong he's been on the 1.5-mile tracks this season, winning at Texas and Kansas. In 10 races on such tracks this season, he has a 6.5 average finish - better than Ryan Newman (10.2 average finish), Kevin Harvick (13.3) and Denny Hamlin (14.2).

I like how Logano responded to challenges he faced last weekend at Phoenix, falling a lap down before coming back to finish sixth. He also faced adversity at Texas, overcoming a late spin to finish 12th.

Logano's greatness was predicted before he arrived in Sprint Cup. Now is his time.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/11/Gas-N-Go-Who-Will-Be-The-Champion.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski: 'I'm Not Going To Stand For It'​*
Former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keseloswski says he faces a double standard among his peers about his driving style but that won't change how he races.

Keselowski was criticized two weeks ago for his move to take the lead late at Texas Motor Speedway. Keselowski tried to dart between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson but that led to contact with Jeff Gordon. The impact cut Gordon's tire, causing him to spin and lose any chance to win. Gordon and Kevin Harvick criticized Keselowsk's tactic afterward, although both toned down their remarks a week later.

Last weekend, Ryan Newman's door-slamming move against Kyle Larson to earn the final transfer spot to the Championship Round was met by less resistance in the Cup garage.

Keselowski was asked about the double standard.

"I think we all see that,'' Keselowski said Thursday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I can sweat that or I can sit here and point out that I'm still the youngest one of the guys that has won a championship in the last decade, which kind of makes me the newest guy in the circle and I'm a threat to those that are established in this sport.

"I understand and accept that. They're going to try to put a double standard on me to hold us back. I'm not going stand for it. I'm going to continue to do the things I do knowing that will put me in a position to continue to be a threat for many years to come.''

The 30-year-old Keselowski, who has won a series-high six races this season, was eliminated from title contention last weekend at Phoenix. His teammate, Joey Logano, is racing Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman for the championship this weekend.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Keselowski-Says-He-Faces-Double-Standard.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*An Emotional Reward​*
When it was over, when the hours, days, weeks and months of work ended with Kevin Harvick headed to the Championship Round, only then could crew chief Rodney Childers relax.

And then he cried.

Not just a few tears, but bury-your-head-in-your-hands tears of relief.

Few could understand what it took to give Harvick a chance for the Sprint Cup championship. Quite frankly, it often looked easy. Harvick had the fastest car all season - when he wasn't slowed by miscues and malfunctions. Shoot, Harvick was fast in the Charlotte test last December, showing signs that his new steed at Stewart-Haas Racing would be among the best.

It wasn't quite that simple, though, for this new group.

"The guys on this race team and what we went through at the beginning of the year to get it going, there's not too many people that would have went through that, and I really expected people to work a couple months and realize how bad it was and turn around and walk out the door,'' Childers said.

"We had parts and pieces that had never, ever been raced before. We built race cars that had never been tested before. When we started the season, we didn't have a single chassis, a single radiator, a single oil cooler, rear end housing, oil lines, fuel lines - there was non of that stuff that had ever been raced before. Everything that they had raced here at Stewart‑Haas before, we didn't use any of it.''

It showed.

While fast, Harvick didn't have the results early in the season.

A broken left wheel hub ended his race at Las Vegas early, relegating him to 41st. A broken oil line the following week left him with a 39th-place finish at Bristol. Two flat rear tires saddled him with a 36th-place result the next weekend at Auto Club Speedway. An engine failure two weeks later resulted in a 42nd-place finish at Texas in the spring.

Seven races into the season, Harvick was 26th in the points.

"I kind of expected us to have those kinds of problems until we got it all figured out,'' Childers said. "But the hard times were building all those race cars and getting that truck and trailer here and outfitting that entire thing and building, that pit box and building the toolboxes. We didn't have a single jack stand. We didn't have a bench for the shop. We didn't have anything. And every bit of that had to be made.''

Those early problems created concerns, but Harvick's fast cars made it easier to work through those issues.

"I think when your cars have been as fast as ours have, you just figure out how you can keep a good attitude about things and figure out how to fix those problems,'' Harvick said. "You can tear it down a lot easier than you can put together what we had. We had a lot of problems but speed wasn't one of them.

"For the team, it was really good just to have to go through those things and learn about the character of each other and how each other was going to react.''

The cars got better but the team still had issues on pit road. Harvick's pit crew could be spectacular on one stop and slow on the next. That wasn't good enough.

A few days before the Chase began, Harvick got Tony Stewart's pit crew - a unit that helped Stewart win the 2011 championship by claiming the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It wasn't Kevin's decision, actually, it was everybody's decision,'' Childers said of the pit crew change. "I think going into that deal, we all knew that we needed to do something. We couldn't just let it keep playing out.''

Now, Harvick and Childers are one race from each winning their first championship.

"I've wanted to be part of something like that for a long time,'' the 38-year-old Childers said. "I've wanted to race for a championship, and I've never really had that opportunity.''

Now he does.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/An-Emotional-Reward.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A Champion's Wish​*
This is for Thelma for believing, John Paul for sharing and Sal for supporting. This also is for Greg for being there and George for his dedication.

A new Sprint Cup champion will be crowned Sunday evening at Homestead-Miami Speedway and while the champion will be surrounded by friends and family in a celebration that will last into the early morning hours, most will be missing someone.

It's enough to make a driver nearly cry.

Denny Hamlin's eyes redden and begin to well at the question.

Who do you wish could be there when you celebrate your championship?

Hamlin starts to speak and stops. He tries again and can't.

Finally, he speaks.

"There's two people, really, that were my biggest supporters,'' Hamlin said haltingly.

One was his grandma, Thelma Clark.

"She couldn't see,'' Hamlin said. "She always would have her head right next to the TV so she could hear how her grandson was doing.''

Thelma died in 2009 at age 91, just a few days before Hamlin scored an emotional victory at Pocono. Even now, a part of her rides with Hamlin in every race - and will again Sunday.

He carries her key chain in his car.

"She always said when you need something, you always pray to St. Jude and he'll deliver,'' Hamlin said of the patron saint of desperate causes. "It's always come through. She was a huge influence. I just wish she could be here.''

Hamlin also wishes George Conner was still alive. Conner was the best friend of Hamlin's dad.

Hamlin admits Conner was "like a second-father figure for me. He traveled to the short tracks with us and really was a huge influence. We'd go hunting together. We'd go racing together. That's just what we did.

"One of the biggest regrets of my life was I didn't get to make his funeral,'' Hamlin said.

Instead, Hamlin was in Las Vegas competing in a Camping World Truck race in 2004, trying to make it in NASCAR.

Still, a part of Hamlin at the service.

Conner was buried wearing one of Hamlin's racing T-shirts.

Joey Logano also has a special person he wishes could join him if he wins the championship - his late grandfather Sal.

"When I started racing, he was a not a race fan,'' Logano said.

"By the end he was a huge race fan. He was an old Italian guy, "What's this racing stuff?' By the end, he loved it.''

Kevin Harvick admits his celebration will be missing one special person - the man who permitted Harvick to marry his daughter. John Paul Linville, father of Harvick's wife DeLana, passed away in 2005 from cancer. Harvick says he wishes his father-in-law could be there Sunday.

"For us, he's just been so much a part of our life,'' Harvick said. "He would be pretty proud to be a part of it.''

Ryan Newman takes a different approach with his response. The person he wishes most to be there - will be there Sunday.

His father, Greg. The man who encouraged Newman's racing career.

"If that does happen,'' Newman said of winning the championship, "that will be the most important and best hug I could ever give him in my life.''

It's a hug Hamlin, Logano and Harvick can only wish they could give.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/A-Wish-From-A-Champion.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Miles To Miami: Homestead​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend ends at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with no more "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sixteen drivers were placed on the Chase Grid two months ago. Four remain for the Championship Round, which will be played out in Sunday's season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 in South Florida.

Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick will race for the title - each seeking his first Sprint Cup Series crown, which will go to the top-finishing driver from that group.

Hamlin, the No. 9 seed on the Chase Grid, is the only one of the four remaining title contenders with a Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In fact, he's won twice - in 2009 and again last year.

"I feel optimistic," said Hamlin, who accumulated the most points (112) in the recently-completed Eliminator Round. "We had a great test there two weeks ago. No one saw our win coming in 2013 and we were a lot less competitive than we are now, yet we popped up and won that race."

Hamlin led the final 24 laps in posting his lone win of 2013 and the 23rd of his career. His only victory this season came on May 4 at Talladega Superspeedway, which qualified him for a spot in the 16-driver post-season field. Another win Sunday would make Hamlin the first driver with back-to-back victories at Homestead-Miami Speedway since Greg Biffle in 2006.

"It's a track that suits me, for some reason," said Hamlin, whose best previous championship finish is second (to Jimmie Johnson) in 2010. "It's wide, tires wear out and if your car is working well, you can make up spots. Track position is not crazy-critical. I love this opportunity. We're on house money, now, so let's go have fun."

Logano - the No. 5 seed - has been the most consistent of The Championship 4 this post-season, winning a race in each of the first two rounds and finishing outside the top 10 just twice in nine starts.

"This team has been strong all year and we deserve to be in the 'Final Four' competing for this championship," said Logano, whose total of five wins this season is second only to teammate Brad Keselowski's six. "It would have been a shame not to race for the title after the year we've had."

Logano's best previous championship finish is eighth in 2013, which was his first season at Team Penske. He placed eighth in last year's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Newman began the Chase as the lowest seed in the 16-driver field but climbed into contention with a run of five straight top-10 finishes, including third place at Martinsville Speedway at the end of October.

"We've been fighting very hard all year long," said Newman, who is still winless this season. "We did what we had to do to get to this position."

Indeed, he needed a bold last-lap pass of rookie Kyle Larson last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway to secure his spot in the Championship Round - ending the title aspirations of four-time champ Jeff Gordon.

"We flew under the radar and turned in solid performances to earn one of the four positions," Newman said. "We dug in and moved on."

Newman's best previous championship finish is sixth, three times - in 2002, 2003 and 2005 &#8230; all while driving for team owner Roger Penske. He finished 17th in last year's season finale.

And in Harvick, we save the "fast" for "last." He punched his ticket to the Championship Round with a dominating victory last weekend in Phoenix, his fourth win of the year to go with a series-high eight poles.

"This is all about winning a championship. That's what we all show up for," said Harvick, who's finished third in points in three of the last four years while driving for Richard Childress. He's wrapping up his inaugural season at Stewart-Haas Racing.

"I've been fortunate to have won all the marquee races, Nationwide (Series) championships, Truck championships as an owner, able to achieve a lot of things," Harvick said. "That Cup trophy is the one thing that's eluded us. I want to check that off the list."

In last year's season-ending race at Homestead, Harvick finished 10th.

Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice on Friday at 12:30 p.m. (ET) and qualify later in the day to set the 43-car field for Sunday's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/Miles-to-Miami-Homestead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Still Not Done​*
With the deep, husky voice, and mature way he handles racing's pressures, it's easy to forget Chase Elliott is 18 years old.

Until he gets near junk food.

"We had to start taking away the junk food out of the cabinets,'' crew chief Greg Ives said of the team's Nationwide hauler. "Had to get on the truck driver a little bit and try to get some of the chocolate (out). I don't even know what he was eating, but I know he was eating a lot.''

So, yes, in this revolution of youth in the sport, Elliott can be a Nationwide champion and a kid at the same time.

Yet, even after clinching his title last week at Phoenix International Raceway, he hasn't had a big celebration. His focus is on winning Saturday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Then he'll have some fun ... preparing to race again. His offseason plans include competing in the Dec. 7 Snowball Derby Late Model race, which he won in 2011.

Maybe then he'll find time to celebrate becoming the youngest champion in series history. Then again, there's always the next race.

"When it comes to the racetrack, when it comes to his professionalism, (he's) not even close to being an 18‑year‑old kid,'' Ives said of Elliott.

That also struck car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"I just felt like really he was a turnkey guy right when he got into the carr,'' Earnhardt said of Elliott. "There was no adjustments or no advice. Nothing really needed to be done as far as molding the guy. And the way that him and Greg have been able to work together has been so good for both of them and their futures. So it just is sort of working as it was designed from the word go, and it's been a real ease trying to get through the season.

"Chase is going to be around for a very long time, and it's been a pleasure working with him thus far.''

In a season that features three wins, including a victory at Darlington Raceway in his first series start there, it is a race that Elliott lost that he views as key to his growth.

It happened two weeks ago at Texas.

"We went back and started off the race really bad and struggled to run 13th all year and at the end we had a car that was capable of running down the leaders a little bit and we were right there with them,'' Elliott said of his fourth-place finish in that race. "I think it says a lot about Greg and the fight that everybody had. Being able to drive up through the field like that, I felt like that was one of our most successful races of the season.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ott-Focused-On-Finishing-Season-With-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Truck Championship On The Line​*
The 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title will be decided between Matt Crafton and Ryan Blaney in Friday's Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Crafton comes into the last race of the season with a 25-point advantage over Blaney and needs to finish only 21st to become the first back-to-back champion in series history.

But Crafton isn't getting swept up in any potential history in the making.

"We're not going to talk about that," he said in Thursday's championship media session. "It's something I haven't thought about, something I don't really put a lot of thought into."

"Me and Junior (crew chief Carl Joiner) at the beginning of the year, we talked, and we went into this year a little bit different mindset, see how many laps we can lead. Like I said, we do that every year, but at the same time, let's not worry about points. Let's not points race. I said, at Homestead let's see where we end up, and that's what we've done every race this year, and that's all we're doing."

Don't confuse Crafton's hesitance for talking about a second possible title as an indictment of the series. On the contrary, Crafton would be proud of winning another title in what he believes is one of the top series in all of motorsports.

"The series itself, I say it each and every week, I truly believe it is the best racing in NASCAR," he said. "I mean, I always compare it to, like I said, if anybody watches NFL, the college football, and you always see the better games in the college football. Like I said, that's one of the ways I consider the Truck Series. Just like I said, it's a step up to get to the Cup Series, but I truly believe it's great, great racing."

Blaney's NASCAR future is bright as he continues his career in the Truck Series as well as Nationwide and next year Sprint Cup Series racing for the Wood Brothers. Somehow winning a NCWTS title would definitely be another solid achievement on an already impressive resume.

"I think it would be pretty big," said Blaney. "Even though, if we don't win the Championship, it's been a good year for us. It's been great to be able to work with Brad Keselowski Racing again and even be in contention for it.

"For all Brad's done with me, the best thing I can do is to try to win a Championship for him, and Chad and everyone at the race shop has done a great job putting us in the spots where hopefully we can even be in contention."

Blaney's hope will need some bad luck to strike his championship combatant. He'll need to basically win the race and hope something prevents Crafton from finishing at least 21st, something he's been able to do in all but a pair of races this season.

But Blaney insists he won't worry about what Crafton does Friday night.

"We just got to do the best we can, try to win the race," he said. "That's all we can do. We've got to focus on us."

Crafton echoes that sentiment and will only focus on what he can do behind the wheel and let the chips fall where they may.

"Like I said, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it wasn't meant to be," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/11/Truck-Championship-on-the-Line.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Cha-Cha-Changes Ahead For NASCAR Drivers, Teams, Sponsors​*
*A*s is the case every year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the end of the season brings with it the end of a number of long-term relationships after the running of Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Here are some of the more significant transitions:

*CARL EDWARDS LEAVING ROUSH FENWAY RACING* - Talk about a long-term breakup, Edwards made his first Sprint Cup in August 2004 at Michigan International Speedway. All 372 of Edwards' career Cup starts have been driving Jack Roush's Fords. Three years ago, Edwards tied Tony Stewart for the series championship but lost it on a tiebreaker. Citing a need to see how other teams operate before he retires, Edwards will move to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, where he'll be reunited with his former Roush teammate, Matt Kenseth, who's been very successful in his new location.

*STEVE LETARTE LEAVING HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS* - After starting his career cutting the grass at Ray Evernham's house, Letarte has been a crew chief at Hendrick since the final 10 races of 2005, when he took over the job with Jeff Gordon. Since 2011, he's been Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief. And while the relationship with Earnhardt took some time to click, it produced four victories this season, the most for Letarte since Gordon won six races in 2007. Next year, Letarte moves to the television booth as an analyst.

*TREVOR BAYNE LEAVING WOOD BROTHERS RACING* - People forget, but Bayne's victory in the 2011 Daytona 500 wasn't just one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history, it was one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Bayne won NASCAR's biggest race in just his second start, which came one day after his 20th birthday. And he did it driving for Wood Brothers Racing, a part-time team that hadn't won in nearly a decade. There have been ups and downs along the way, including health issues, but Bayne is set to drive full-time for Roush Fenway Racing next year. He'll be replaced at the Wood Brothers by Ryan Blaney.

*CREW CHIEF CHANGES AT JGR* - If Denny Hamlin somehow wins the Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday, Darian Grubb will become what almost surely be the only two-time, lame-duck crew chief in history. In 2011, when he worked at Stewart-Haas Racing, Grubb was told he would not return as Stewart's crew chief, then Stewart won five of the 10 Chase races, which gave Stewart his third title. Expect Grubb to stay at Joe Gibbs Racing next year, perhaps as crew chief for Carl Edwards and the team's new fourth car. Kyle Busch's crew chief, Dave Rogers, is likely to move into management, with Adam Stevens moving up from JGR's NASCAR Nationwide Series operation to take over Busch's car.

*MARCOS AMBROSE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA* - One of the most likable drivers on the circuit, Ambrose has two Sprint Cup victories and five more in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. A two-time champion in the road-racing based Australian V-8 Supercar Series, Ambrose was never able to land a ride with a championship-caliber team here. That won't be a problem next year, when he'll pilot a Roger Penske-owned V-8 Supercar.

*ELLIOTT SADLER LEAVING JGR* - For the past two seasons, Sadler has enjoyed success - although not championships - campaigning Toyotas for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series. Next year, he and sponsor One Main Financial move to Roush Fenway Racing in a homecoming of sorts. Sadler used to drive for the powerhouse Robert Yates Ford team, and has remained friends with Yates' son, Doug, who runs the Ford engine operation.

*JIMMY FENNIG RETIRING* - For the past 29 years, Fennig has been one of the stalwarts of the Sprint Cup ranks. Fennig won the 1988 Daytona 500 as Bobby Allison's crew chief, and the 2004 championship working with Kurt Busch. Fennig is a classic, old-school racer who successfully survived the transition from seat-of-the-pants management to the more engineering-based racing found today.

*NATIONWIDE MOVING TO CUP* - Since 2008, Nationwide has served as the title sponsor of NASCAR's No. 2 stock-car racing series. Next year, it will remain in NASCAR, serving as primary sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets for 21 races in a deal that runs through 2017. Nationwide will replace the National Guard on the No. 88, and Comcast's Xfinity brand will replace Nationwide as the series sponsor.

*ESPN AND TURNER LEAVING NASCAR* - After an eight-year relationship, ESPN and Turner Sports decided not to redo their respective deals as NASCAR television partners. Instead, the FOX family of channels will add races next year and beyond, while NBC Sports will pick the bulk of the ESPN/TNT races.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/cha-cha-changes-ahead-for-nascar-drivers-teams-sponsors-111314


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## Ckg2011

*Denny Hamlin In Search Of Redemption​*
In 2010 Denny Hamlin entered the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in prime position to earn his first series championship as the point leader.

Things didn't go his way. After starting 37th, he finished 14th, handing the championship to Jimmie Johnson.

Four years later, Hamlin returns to the 1.5-mile speedway with another opportunity to win the Sprint Cup championship. This time around he is taking a more relaxed approach to the season finale.

"I didn't do anything that night (before the race), didn't want anyone coming in - just wanted to focus on what I needed to do, but that wasn't what got me to that point," explained Hamlin. "It was being myself and having my friends and family around - playing cards before driver intros, whatever it took to loosen me up. That's what I did for 35 races and I changed that for one race and it won't be the case this time around. Just racing much looser and having fun with this moment. You never know, especially with this type of format. Live it up and have some fun."

Hamlin's season started strong, but quickly turned sour.

He won the Sprint Unlimited and one of the Budweiser Duels before finishing second in the Daytona 500 at Daytona Int'l Speedway. His momentum was derailed when he was forced to miss the fifth race of the season at California's Auto Club Speedway with an eye injury.

He returned to action the following week at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, but his momentum was gone. He finished the next four races outside the top 10, but a victory at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on May 4 locked him into the Chase and gave him the breathing room he and his team needed to improve its overall performance.

It worked out perfectly as the Darian Grubb-led Joe Gibbs Racing team is in position to race for the championship on Sunday at Homestead. The team tested at Homestead, where Hamlin is the defending race winner, in preparation for Sunday's race and Hamlin believes he has what it takes to win it all.

"Our Homestead test was as good as it could possibly be. What's crazy about that is I told them that I ran the first run in the car and Dave Rogers (teammate Kyle Busch's crew chief) said, 'Well, I read your run log last year and you said in happy hour that we're going to win the race and I thought you were crazy because we hadn't shown that kind of speed all year, we went out there and won the race.' I said after the first run of the test that it feels like a race winner, so we'll see how it goes."

Perhaps with a fast car and a little bit of luck, Hamlin can finally put the 2010 season out of his mind and celebrate a Sprint Cup championship.

Win or lose, Hamlin said he is focusing on having fun. He hopes that way the championship takes care of itself.

"In 2010, I just was so different because of the expectations of that season were so high and everyone thought we were a shoe-in and I thought we were a shoe-in, I let the moment overtake me," Hamlin said. "This time around, I just feel like we survived and we kept surviving and now we have a shot at it.

"To me, there is no place to go but up. We missed a race earlier this year in California. We'd be 17th in points or something and we've had a lot of bad things happen, but now we're on even ground to win a championship.

I'm ecstatic to be here and I'm going to treat this weekend like it's my birthday weekend and go have fun. This is what I dreamed about, but win lose or draw, it's not going to define me one way or the other."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/denny-hamlin-in-search-of-redemption/


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## Ckg2011

*Ambrose Brings NASCAR Career To A Close​*
Marcos Ambrose will bring his NASCAR career to a close Sunday when the checkered flag flies in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

Ambrose will head back to his native Australia to continue racing in the V8 Supercars Championship, which he was champion in 2003 and 2004 before pursuing NASCAR.

He landed a Camping World Truck Series ride in 2006 and worked his way up the ladder to NASCAR's top series with forays at JTG Daugherty Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports, where he's been since 2011.

But after his 227th Sprint Cup Series start on Sunday, Ambrose is ready to head back home.

"I leave on the Monday after Homestead," Ambrose said. "I'm going to go down and get some work done and then I'll come back on the 10th of December and just finish off the packing. I'll pick the kids up after they finish the school term, and we're going to fly back for good on the 18th."

There are still a few loose ends for Ambrose before the move including the sale of his current home in North Carolina.

"It's for lease or sale if anybody wants a nice five-bedroom house in Concord," Ambrose said. "Give me a call. Everything is pretty much on the market. I've been whittling down any assets I've had over the last six months, and I'm still working towards that goal. I want to be fully out of America in the next year or so, and hopefully we'll be able to sell the house and get everything moved."

But Ambrose would like to also put the finishing touches on his NASCAR resume and has one last shot in Sunday's season finale.

He's has some success, not surprisingly on road courses given his background and talent. There have been Nationwide Series victories for Ambrose as well as a pair of Sprint Cup wins, both coming at Watkins Glen International in 2011 and 2012.

Although he wishes there could have been more success, Ambrose is still proud of the accomplishments over his nine-year NASCAR tenure.

"It's been great," said Ambrose. "I've got some unfinished business in NASCAR, which I wish I could have ticked the box on. Obviously, winning a race on the ovals is tough. I wanted to make the Chase and we came close, but couldn't quite make it. So there are some pieces to the puzzle that I'm missing, but in general I'm just thrilled to have experienced it and my family to enjoy what America is.

"We've learned a lot and I've learned a lot. I've become a better person overall for it, a better dad, and a better racecar driver, so it's been a great experience for us. It's really toughened me up a lot, and it's been fun."

High on Ambrose's list of memories will be his relationship with RPM co-owner Richard Petty. He's made 134 starts for the team and remembers fondly sharing Victory Lane with "The King" at The Glen.

"To get to know the Petty family personally and to experience Victory Lane with Richard was just incredible," Ambrose said. "Winning a race is great, but sharing it with 'The King' was pretty special."

But it all comes to a close in South Florida on Sunday, where Ambrose would love to see that first oval track win cap his career. While he's focused on taking care of the business of the season's last race weekend, Ambrose knows there will be emotions to deal with as well.

"I'm sure it's going to have a bittersweet feeling to it, but I've got a lot to look forward to and a lot of good friends and people to say goodbye to," he said. "It's been fun the last few weeks, but I want to try and run as good as I can ... and leave on the right note and leave showing that I had really good pace and that I left with my 'A' game on."

As for a return to NASCAR, Ambrose believes this will close that chapter of his life.

"I get asked that a lot, but I really don't have any plans to come back at this point," said Ambrose.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/11/Ambrose-Ending-NASCAR-Career.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Lawmaker Calls For Kurt Busch Suspension​*
A Congressional lawmaker is calling for NASCAR to suspend Kurt Busch until the domestic abuse accusation against him is resolved.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif) sent a letter Friday to NASCAR President Mike Helton and Stewart-Haas Racing owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, requesting that Busch not compete in this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I am disappointed to see that NASCAR and Stewart-Haas Racing have not taken any action,'' Speier wrote. "Your response to these serious allegations has been totally inadequate.''

NASCAR Chairman Brian France responded Friday, saying: "We'll stay the course and let the investigation be completed and we'll react. We ought to have a process that gets to the bottom of the facts before anybody does anything.''

Dover (Del.) Police confirmed Nov. 7 that it is investigating a domestic assault allegation against Busch.

The Associated Press reported that Busch's ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, alleged that Busch smashed her head against a wall in a motorhome multiple times Sept. 26 at Dover International Speedway.

The Associated Press reported that documents filed by Driscoll claim that Busch was upset by a poor performance in qualifying. Driscoll claimed that Busch called her names and accused her of "having spies everywhere and having a camera on the bus to watch him. The AP reported court documents as stating that Busch then jumped up, grabbed her face and smashed her head three times against the wall next to the bed.

Busch's attorney, Rusty Hardin disputed Driscoll's claims last week, saying that "this allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship and Mr. Busch vehemently denies any allegations in every respect.''

Speier also took issue that NASCAR did not suspend Travis Kvapil after he faced misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and assault after an Oct. 8, 2013, incident at his home. Court documents stated that Kvapil pulled his wife by her hair into a bedroom and struck her in the head when she attempted to get away.

Kvapil pleaded guilty to the charges as part of an agreement that dismiss the case after he completes two years of probation.

Speier wrote: "I urge you to ... adopt a policy going forward in all domestic violence cases to suspend drivers until criminal proceedings end or there is clear lackof evidence.''

Speier previously sent letters to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners of the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers requesting that players facing investigation for similar allegations be suspended.

Rep. Speier wrote Goodell on Sept. 25 that "the NFL should not allow players to play while under investigation or appealing a conviction until a preponderance of evidence determines their guilt or innocence. ... Allowing individuals to continue to play during an investigation sends a signals to players that coaches and owners do not take these offenses seriously.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Calls-for-NASCAR-to-Suspend-Kurt-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*France Suggests Chase Will Remain Same​*
The possibility of NASCAR's first winless Sprint Cup champion isn't enough to sway Chairman Brian France to change the Chase format.

In a 30-minute session Friday with reporters, France talked about a variety of topics, including Brad Keselowski, TV ratings and post-race scrums.

Sunday's season finale features four drivers racing for the championship in the new Chase format. Ryan Newman, who is winless this season, is competing against Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin for the crown. Whoever finishes the highest among those four Sunday will be the champion.

Asked if he anticipated any changes to next year's Chase format, France said "very modest ...to zero.''

France said there isn't a reason to change the format because "it's exceeded what I had hoped for.

"I think depending on what happens on Sunday, it has a chance to be one of the most successful seasons in NASCAR history. I don't think there's any doubt about the level of competition that is up, which has our fans excited, and it has the interest level of the sport as a result of that higher. That's precisely what we want to achieve.''

Here's what France said on other topics:

Justifying a winless champion when winning was emphasized as a reason for the new Chase format:

"The best team will win on Sunday. What I mean, though, is any format (plan) that we've ever had always has the possibility that somebody might win the championship without winning an event. We don't think that takes it out of balance frankly.

"I think that wanting to win events has taken on an undeniable importance. At the same time, there ought to be room for teams that do it every week and can be consistent. And by the way, if you get through those three rounds, and I don't care how you do it frankly, but if you get into the finale on Sunday and then you beat those three teams ... that will be an achievement for anybody. We'll be delighted if Ryan Newman and Richard Childress are able to pull it off. I think he's the underdog at this point, but they kind of like that, so we'll see how it plays.''

On his take of Keselowski, who has sparked fans with his driving and comments:

"I think he's doing exactly what he should be doing. I've told him that. Everybody has got a right to have their own style of driving out there. If you go back to any of the great ones - Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace - they faced a similar discussion from time to time as they started to have success on the track, as some of those drivers believed a little bit more contact was necessary sometimes, and they were young and they were getting some words about that.

"But if you go through NASCAR's history, that's what we're about. I say it all the time: Late in a race, we expect ‑ there are limits and lines - but we expect tight, tight racing that sometimes will have some contact. It's in our DNA. I think he's doing a great job of being aggressive.''

On the TV ratings up the past two races but down for for many others in the Chase.

"We look at interest level. It will still take a fair amount of time, in my view, to fully have this format, and the important moments like Talladega being an example, although those ratings came ‑ they weren't quite as off as originally reported but almost flat. We might have expected that the ratings would even be higher, and there's lots of reasons and so on. One of them is that when it comes to what is a transfer race, who does it affect and all that, it's just going to take some time for this format, especially with the casual fans, for whom it's second nature to go, 'Oh, yeah, that's a transfer race, these guys are in good shape, these drivers aren't' and so on. That's going to take time.''

On if France thinks it's good for the sport to have post-race scuffles:

"We don't think what happened in Texas, crew members getting into a fist fight, is a good thing for NASCAR, no. We realize that emotions sometimes will get you there, and we reacted very harshly if you look at the scope of those penalties, and we should have. Anybody in our situation is always worried about escalation. Maybe one thing isn't as bad, but if things were to unfold.

"The bottom line is we want the drivers to be able to express just like they've always done. We don't have dugouts or locker rooms per se. We often have drivers park and everything else very close to one another, and that's part of the fabric of NASCAR, that after a race or before, drivers will -- it's not unusual for them to express themselves and have a heated conversation between them. We're not going to change that. But now crew members and others who join in, that's a different discussion, and like I said, we dealt with that.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...That-Chase-Will-Not-Be-Changed-Next-Year.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Carries New Approach Into Title Race​*
He returned from knee surgery sooner than anyone expected. He couldn't afford to sit out. A poor start had left him deep in the points. He also didn't want to give up on his team.

Denny Hamlin won a week after the surgery. Then he kept winning, scoring eight victories by the time he arrived at Homestead-Miami Speedway - with the points lead - for the 2010 season finale.

A weekend away from his first series title, Hamlin's hopes and dreams painstakingly faded. It was cruel how it happened. It wasn't just one moment that ended his championship quest but a series of missteps and misfortune that conspired against him.

"I let the moment overtake me,'' Hamlin said.

While Jimmie Johnson celebrated a record fifth consecutive title that night, Hamlin had to dissect and rehash his inglorious race. After about 20 minutes in the media center, he was allowed to go. As he left the building, preparing to slip into the darkness of night and the offseason, he turned to car owner Joe Gibbs.

"I cost us that championship,'' Hamlin said.

Four years later, Hamlin is back. Not to make amends - he can't change what's happened - but prove he can be a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. He does so with a different attitude.

Hamlin will race Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman for the title Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Whoever finishes best among those four will feel the weight of no longer being a champion lifted and the tickle of confetti falling on them.

As Hamlin prepares for this task, he is reminded of his 2010 failure.

Gibbs distinctly remembers the night Hamlin lost the title.

"That did wear on him, and I think it affected him probably for a quite a while,'' Gibbs said.

Hamlin and his team struggled the next season, finishing outside the top 10 in seven of the first eight races in 2011. He was as low as 21st in the points before rallying to make the Chase but was never a factor in it.

He bounced back in 2012, finishing sixth in the points and steered toward 2013 as his chance to collect the championship but he never got the chance. Racing Logano for the lead on the last lap at Auto Club Speedway, both cars made contact and wrecked. Hamlin slammed head-on into an inside wall and suffered an L1 compression fracture. He missed four races. He struggled upon his return.

This season has had its ups and downs. An eye injury forced Hamlin to miss the race at Auto Club Speedway. He won at Talladega Superspeedway in May but struggled with to build speed throughout afterward and labored in the points. That win qualified him for the Chase and he's been steady, scoring five top-10 finishes in the last six races.

"We've done really, really well within our team to keep moving on,'' Hamlin said. "We got here because we didn't make the mistakes that all the other fast guys did. That gives us an opportunity to go out there and put it all on the line.''

He's enjoying this experience better than in 2010. His biggest change is his approach from then.

"I didn't do anything at night, I locked myself in the motorhome, didn't want anyone coming in, just wanted to focus on what I needed to do but that wasn't what got me to that point,'' he said of his pre-championship race routine. "It wasn't being myself, having my friends and family around, playing cards before drive intros, whatever it took to loosen me up. That's what I did for 35 races. I changed that for one race and that won't be the case this time around.''

A new approach gives him a fresh look at this Chase.

"It is exciting, but it's not going to overwhelm me,'' Hamlin said. "It's not going to define my career. I feel like I've grown so much as a person over the last few years. I see a bigger perspective in my life than having to sell my soul to go win a Cup championship.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lin-Carries-New-Approach-Into-Title-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Gives Hendrick Motorsports its 200th Pole​*
*Starting Linup*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=43&RaceID=6471&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Jeff Gordon gave Hendrick Motorsports its 200th pole when he claimed the top spot for the season finale Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

It was Gordon's 77th career pole, his third of 2014, and first at Homestead-Miami.

"I'm really excited about the pole. I don't know that I've ever been on the pole here and to get the 200th for Hendrick is cool," said Gordon.

"I think the way we are looking at this weekend is we want to close out the season the absolute best we can. It has been a tremendous season. The No. 24 team has been incredible this year. We are disappointed that we aren't in this thing for the championship, but that's not going to stop us from trying to go out to win the pole and win the race."

Kurt Busch will start outside the front row with Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski in row two.

"It was great to get a read off of Tony Gibson (crew chief) and all of the guys on this No. 41 Haas Automation Chevy," said Busch. "That was our third attempt together and almost got the pole. We have got a really good read on one another."

Kevin Harvick has the best spot of the Championship 4 drivers hoping to win the Sprint Cup title Sunday in fifth position.

"This is going to be a race that you are going to go through some changing conditions," said Harvick of the 400 miles that wait on Sunday. "Today was really about trying to get a solid starting spot. And we were able to do that with my Budweiser team. Just really proud of my guys. We had a really good day today. Just got to keep doing what we have to do and see where it all falls on Sunday."

Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and two other title contenders Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are next on the grid with Martin Truex Jr. completing the top ten starters.

"Last year I knew we were going to win the race. And this year it feels equally as good," said Hamlin, who is a two-time Homestead winner.

The final championship contender Ryan Newman will start 21st on Sunday.

"A buddy of mine once said it isn't where you start, it is where you stop. We have got half of them beat to start; we'll keep digging with the Caterpillar Chevrolet. We just struggled there a little bit.," Newman said of his qualifying effort.

Keselowski set a track qualifying record in the second of the day's three sessions with a lap of 181.238 mph.

Sprint Cup drivers will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Jeff-Gordon-Gets-Hendrick-200th-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Race 10 of The Chase Homestead Miami Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace Wins Season Finale​*
Darrell Wallace Jr celebrated a victory and Matt Crafton celebrated history in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck season finale.

Wallace scored his fourth victory of the season, holding off runner-up Kyle Larson in a thrilling duel in the final laps.

Crafton finished ninth to become the first driver in series history to win back-to-back series championships.

Kyle Busch finished fourth to give Kyle Busch Motorsports its second consecutive owner's championship and third in the past five years. The team won 14 of the 22 races this season. Toyota scored 18 wins in the series. Ben Kennedy, who finished 17th, was selected as the rookie of the year.

Busch and Wallace did nose-to-nose burnouts to mark their accomplishments.

"That was on the fly,'' Busch said. "I was wondering where he was going. I'll have to see what it looked like on TV. From where I was sitting, I thought it was pretty cool.''

The celebration was extra special for Wallace.

"We beat the boss, finally,'' he said with a smile about Busch.

Larson, who finished second after leading a race-high 96 laps, tried to do everything he could to take the lead. He admits he thought about making a desperate move as Ryan Newman did to him in last week's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

"I figured that would be definitely the wrong thing to do, especially in a Truck race where I'm just kind of out there to have fun, and Bubba is going out there to try and gain points or whatever and get another win,'' Larson said. "I had a finish like that a couple years ago at the Battle of the Beach and beat myself up about it, regretted it a little bit, so I definitely wasn't going to do that again, but I was going to try to run in there hard underneath him.''

Said Wallace about those closing laps: "Battling two Kyles, the Cup stars, it was tough. I kept a cool head and was able to come up on top.''

That's how he approaches this offseason since he doesn't know what he'll do next season. Joe Gibbs Racing is looking for sponsorship to put in him in what will be called the Xfinity Series next year or some Truck races.

"We're working hard with Coach (Joe Gibbs) and JGR,'' Wallace said.

Rallying back in the second half of the season, Timothy Peters finished third Friday.

"I wish the second half of the season was the beginning, and who knows, maybe we could have given Matt and Ryan a run for their money tonight,'' he said.

Ryan Blaney finished fifth. He finished second in the points standing to Crafton.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/11/Darrell-Wallace-Wins-Truck-Finale.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Claims Second Crown​*
Winless his first seven seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Matt Crafton made history Friday night with his second consecutive series title.

"Greatest feeling without a doubt,'' Crafton said after his ninth-place finish in Friday's Ford EcoBoost 200 secured the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The accomplishment, though, was something Crafton didn't talk about leading up to the season finale.

"The only time I thought about it was when the media talked about it,'' Crafton said. "Nobody else talked about it, nobody on the crew. I made a promise to (crew chief Carl Joiner Jr.) that we were going to lead more laps and win more races. We led a ton more laps and we won two races and definitely had the capability to win more if we didn't have the bad luck we did in the middle part of the season.

"There has not been one sleepless night (thinking about another title). I woke up at 4:05 this morning and that was the only time I work up in the last seven or eight months and worried about points and then I went back to sleep in the next 15-20 minutes.''

The 38-year-old Crafton entered with a comfortable points lead and needed only to avoid trouble to become the fourth multi-time series champion.

"I'm not going to lie, tonight's race for me was not much fun, having to sit there and riding around because I knew the Truck was a lot better but I couldn't put myself in any bad positions,'' Crafton said. "I couldn't take any chances of getting torn up. I know that there was a lot of good side-by-side racing by everybody else. It was tough not get to get in the middle of it.

"Last year we lost the owner's title because I was trying to drive from the back to the front after a bad pit stop and got wrecked. So I learned something last year.''

Crafton beat Ryan Blaney for the title by 21 points. Blaney finished fifth despite driving with a broken shifter.

While he wouldn't talk about a second title, Crafton wasn't too bothered to talk about a three-pete.

"I feel very good about going into 2015 and maybe making it three in a row,'' he said. "There's no doubt that we can.''











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Matt-Crafton-Wins-Second-Title-In-A-Row.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Videos: Trucks Series Finally​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*KBM Adds Two New Drivers​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced Friday the additions of Justin Boston and Matt Tifft to the team's driver lineup for the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Boston will run a full-time schedule competing for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, while Tifft will run a six-race schedule and share the driving duties behind the wheel of his Tundra with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver Daniel Suarez competing for the Truck Series Owner's Championship.

Boston completed his second full-time season in the ARCA Racing Series in 2014, finishing fifth in the championship standings and collecting wins at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May and Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in August. In addition to his two wins, he collected three poles, 241 laps led, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.6 across 20 starts this year. Overall in two seasons of ARCA action, the Maryland native has posted two wins, five poles, 15 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes across 41 starts and finished inside the top-five in the championship standings both years.

The 25-year-old also made two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2014, finishing ninth in his series debut at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and following it up with a 12th-place finish at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. He made one Truck Series start this season, but was relegated to a 30th-place finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway getting caught up in a late-race accident.

"Being able to drive full time in the Camping World Truck Series next season is definitely a big step in my career, and I can't thank everyone at KBM enough for this opportunity," Boston said. "KBM builds really fast Toyota Tundras and I know that I'm going to be in a position to win races next year - as a driver that's all you can ask for. I was only able to make one Truck Series start this year, - so there are going to be some learning curves - but I'm confident that my experience running full-time in the ARCA Series the last two seasons has helped me prepare for the challenge."

Tifft has made 12 ARCA Racing Series starts the last two seasons, registering six top-five and eight top-10 finishes. The Ohio native registered a career-best runner-up finish in this year's September event at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. In addition to his time in the ARCA Racing Series, the 18-year-old has competed in the NASCAR K&N East and West Series, posting one top-five and nine top-10 finishes across 24 starts.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte freshman has competed in two of the last three Truck Series races this season, including an eighth-place finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in September, and is entered in the series finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway this weekend.

"The opportunity to drive Toyota Tundras for Kyle Busch Motorsports in six Camping World Truck Series races next season is one that I'm extremely proud of being provided with," Tifft said. "KBM is such a well-respected team in the Truck Series and I'm excited to be able to go out next year and prove what I can do behind the wheel of top-notch equipment. I'm confident that this part-time schedule will allow me to showcase my abilities as I work towards securing a full-time opportunity for 2016."

"Adding these two talented young drivers to the driver lineup at KBM next season gives us the opportunity to compete for the Rookie of the Year honors with Justin, a Driver's Championship with Erik (Jones) and the Owner's Championship sharing a truck between Matt, myself and Daniel," Busch said. "Justin was able to pick up a couple ARCA wins this season and had solid runs in his starts for JGR in the Nationwide Series. Matt knocked on the door of victory a couple times in the ARCA Series while running a part-time schedule and had a nice run in his Truck Series debut at Martinsville last month. We're looking forward to seeing both of them behind the wheel of our Tundras next year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rticles/2014/11/KBM-Adds-Two-New-Drivers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Wins Season Finally Chase Elliott Crowned Champion​*
Chase Elliott Your 2014/2015 NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series Champion​
Chase Elliott is the youngest driver to win a major NASCAR National Touring Series title.

Matt Kenseth survived a bunch of late race cautions and an all out assaults from Kyle Larson Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney to win the Ford EcoBoost 300. The final NASCAR Nationwide Grand National Series race of the year at Homestead Miami Speedway.

This also marks the final race for long time series sponsor Nationwide Insurance. Next year the series will be named the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Wins Nationwide Finale​*
Matt Kenseth prevailed in a green-white-checkered finish to win Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series season finale Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kenseth was able to stay ahead of the field in the overtime finish to score the win, which was the final race with Nationwide as the series sponsor. Next season's NASCAR's number two division will be known as the XFINITY Series.

It was Kenseth's first win of the season.

"It's been a long time since I've won a race in anything," Kenseth said. "Kyle (Larson) got around me on the second-to-last restart and when he chose the bottom there and I had Kyle (Busch) behind me, I knew we had a shot again, I just had to do a better job than I did the time before. Luckily, we got that last chance to redeem ourselves."

While Kenseth was celebrating in Victory Lane, Chase Elliott was officially crowned as the 2014 Nationwide Series champion which he secured last week in Phoenix. Elliott finished 17th on Saturday night.

"This is a huge accomplishment for our whole team," said Elliott. "There's a lot of names and great people who helped me.

"It means the world to me, not just to myself, but this is a huge accomplishment for our whole team. The last week allowed me to sit back and think of not only all the great people that made it possible this year, but there's a lot of names, smart people and great racers that have helped me get to this point that have allowed me to stand here tonight."

Elliott was also officially named Rookie of the Year. He become the first rookie in history win a NASCAR National Series championship.

Elliott's JR Motorsports team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrated the championship and the accomplishment of his young driver.

"We're very proud of Chase and the whole team," Earnhardt said. "They did a great job. Everybody that has ever worked at JR Motorsports ought to be real proud to have helped us get to where we are today."

Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five.

Busch ended the season with seven wins in 26 starts and 25 top-four finishes.

"You know we've come up short just a little bit last year by one point, a little bit more than that this year, but, shoot, besides winning more races, finishing every single race in the top four besides the speedway race, I don't know what else I could have done," who only finished outside the first four at the July Daytona race.

"We did our part and we had some great races, and we did have a successful year, so nothing to hang our hats about, but there's one other guy or team out there that was a little bit better than us."

Larson was disappointed he came up short of winning after another strong showing Saturday.

"Almost had second, but Kyle was able to squeeze around me," Larson said. "I probably could have shut the door on him, but we weren't going to win, so there was no point in maybe tearing up two cars. Disappointed, super disappointed. Really close to a win today."

Regan Smith, Ty Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Elliott Sadler and Brian Scott completed the first ten finishers.

Team Penske was able to win the 2014 Car Owner Championship while Chevrolet captured the Manufacturers Championship for the season.

Kenseth became the 16th different winner of the season.
















*Chase Elliott In Victory Lane​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/11/Kenseth-Wins-Nationwide-Finale.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Concerns For Newman​*
Ryan Newman isn't worried about either potentially winning the Sprint Cup title without a win or his starting spot for Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400.

The Richard Childress Racing driver qualified 21st for the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway that will decide the Sprint Cup Series championship. It's well behind where the other three title contenders will start with Kevin Harvick fifth, Denny Hamlin eighth and Joey Logano ninth.

However Newman isn't losing any sleep over where he'll take the green flag in pursuit of his first career Sprint Cup championship.

"We start 21st with the CAT Chevrolet and I don't think that's the end of our day, but my comment after qualifying was we beat half of them today, and we've got 267 laps to beat the other half on Sunday," he said on Friday.

Newman also isn't showing much concern for what many believe are long odds in beating Harvick, Hamlin and Logano for the crown. He's put together a consistent enough season to date to perform well enough when necessary and advance into the Championship Four event of the Chase.

The old adage of first having to be "in it to win it" applies to Newman's approach on Sunday.

"Just the opportunity," Newman said when asked why he believes there's a shot to prevail in the championship battle. "I mean, we've got good equipment, good cars, good people. Our pit stops have gotten better. It's going to be a crazy race, I think. It's going to be some really crazy restarts, but I don't think your starting position defines who's going to finish there."

Newman's appearance in the title race has generated a great deal of discussion about the possibility of a winless champion. He's led just 41 laps in the first 35 races of the year and finished in the top-five only four times.

But while some cry foul that performance has gotten him to this point despite NASCAR's insistence the new Chase format put more of an emphasis on winning, Newman could not care less.

"I don't really pay any attention to it," said Newman. "I'm not really so worried about what somebody thinks of me, and if I'm a 'sleeper' or an 'underdog' or the odd man out, or whatever you want to call me. I'm having fun and that's what it's supposed to be about. 
"We're just doing our job," he added. "We've kept ourselves in the hunt. We're doing our job and having fun doing it. I don't let the emotions side of it carry any real weight."

Newman's crew chief Luke Lambert echoes Newman's sentiments about doing his job and focusing on what lies ahead. He enters Sunday's race completely fixated on the 31 team and not concerned about his championship rivals.

"I don't think that early in the race it will be very important for us to focus on what the other teams are doing because even if, say, the other three competitors are all struggling a bit on the very first run of the race, you can be assured that they're all going to do things to make their car better and be improving what they are working with, and we need to be doing the same thing, whether we start out better or worse than them, because you just can't let your guard down," Lambert said earlier this week.

So on the eve of arguably the biggest race of their careers, driver and crew chief share the same even keel approach to taking care of business. While their overall numbers might not be eye popping, they're god enough to have a shot at the Sprint Cup crown.

"The mathematics have definitely worked in our favor," Newman said. "It's not the typical equation that you have where performance is equal to a championship run. Our consistency has been our strength, and our consistency has been not in the top three. Our consistency has been basically fifth to 11th more often than not, and it's been very difficult to lead laps for us.

"We've gone into every race with the intention of winning it and leading the most laps and winning the pole and everything else that goes along with it. We just haven't been as successful as some of these other guys. But our consistency has been there, so we just have to be there at the end."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/No-Concerns-for-Newman.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Proving He's 'Legit'​*
Growing up can be difficult enough in the shadows. Try it in public where every action or reaction can be questioned, every mistake scrutinized and every move publicized.

We've watched Joey Logano for nearly a decade, beginning when Mark Martin first raved about this young driver and predicted great things. Then Logano was tagged with the nickname "Sliced Bread" as in the best thing since. And on it went.

The expectations, though, proved unrealistic. When the championships and wins didn't come, the question became if Logano was a sign of false advertising - more was promised than delivered.

Logano persevered. Now he prospers. The driver still viewed as the young guy comes into Sunday's EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on the cusp of his first Sprint Cup championship. To claim the crown, though, he'll have to beat Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman.

If there is such a thing as a favorite in a one-race shootout, Logano could fill the role based on his five wins this season and strong run throughout the Chase (5.3 average finish)

The smile and easy-going manner that has been a staple of Logano's run toward the title this season disappeared in those early years in Cup.

"My whole career racing was easy,'' Logano said. "When you're the best one out there, it's easy. When you get to the level that you're not the best one out there and get to the best of the best, all of a sudden you've got to take a step back and say, 'Where am I the worst and where do I start working on this stuff?' It's been quite a few years of a process, not saying I'm done with it. It's been an adventure so far.''

Logano also had to figure out where he was going to race. Promoted to replace Tony Stewart at age 18 after Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano was looking for a ride in 2012. Joe Gibbs Racing was adding Matt Kenseth but didn't have funding for a fourth team, thus Logano was the one without a ride.

"At that point I was about out,'' Logano said. "I was about going to be out of this deal.''

Team Penske had an opening after AJ Allmendinger lost his ride in 2012 for a failed drug test. Keselowski championed Logano to team owner Roger Penske. Logano rewarded his team by making the Chase last year and is on the cusp on his first title, which would make him the third-youngest champion in series history.

"I think the biggest thing is when Joey walked in here to start over, I think he walked in with confidence and knew what he needed in a racecar and knew that this was his opportunity and his race team, and he's owned that,'' crew chief Todd Gordon said. "I think through the last two years you've seen an evolution of that.

"I think he's matured, as well. He's 24 years old now, and he's been in the Cup Series for six years. He's got a lot of bangs and bruises, but he understands the business and what it takes for us to be successful together. I think the communication side is phenomenal, and his mental aptitude of dealing with stress and keeping a level head, I think that helps this whole race team, and it's done wonders for us.''

That confidence was evident before this season began when Logano proclaimed that he had a "legit shot" to win the championship this season even though he had never finished better than eighth in the points.

"Realistically making the Chase would have been a great year,'' Logano said before the season. "Now I feel like we're there. We made the Chase. I've done that. What's the next step? That's the championship. That's why I feel I have a legit shot of doing it this year. I may be a darkhorse, but I feel more legit than I've ever been.''

He's proved it this season. Can he prove it Sunday?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/11/Joey-Logano-On-Cusp-Of-First-Title.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Former Champs Offer Ways To Change Chase​*
Although the reformatted Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has yet to crown its first champion, two former champions offered suggestions this weekend they'd like NASCAR to consider.

Dale Jarrett says he would like to see a requirement that the champion must have at least a win. Jeff Gordon says that the Chase drivers should have their own points system.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France hinted this weekend that changes to the format are not likely next year, although he did leave that possibility slightly open.

Gordon suggests a separate points system for the Chase drivers.

"I think it's a good system, number one,'' Gordon said of the current format. "I like how important it is to win, how that moves you from one round to the next. I would say that the one thing that I thought about ‑ and this would not have moved me to the final round, but I think it's the right thing to do ‑ and that's you have a separate points system just for the 16 and then the 12 and then the eight.

"I just think there's so many factors with all the other competitors out there that you should be racing those guys. You should be racing them in points, not necessarily racing them and all the other competitors out there. I think you've earned that right.

"That just allows you to kind of throw out one of those bad races. I think you've still got to be consistent, winning is still going to get you through, but it allows you to race those guys, not necessarily go race everybody else.''

Jarrett, who won the 1999 series title, says he'd like to see a win count for the championship.

That's been debated since last week when Ryan Newman made it to Sunday's Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway despite not having a victory this season. Newman could become the first winless champion in series history.

That wouldn't be possible with Jarrett's idea.

"My solution to the situation and we'll use this year ... the only way (Ryan Newman) could become the champion is if he wins this race,'' said Jarrett, an analyst on ESPN's broadcast. "Otherwise, the other three are the ones racing for the championship.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Former-Champs-Offer-Ways-To-Change-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bayne's Run With Wood Brothers Comes To End At Homestead​*
When Trevor Bayne takes the checkered flag in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it will mark the end of his tenure with the famed Wood Brothers Racing organization.

Brought in to drive the famous No. 21 Ford on a part-time basis at the end of the 2010 season, Bayne shocked the world by driving to the 2011 Daytona 500 victory in dramatic fashion in just his second career start with the team.

The victory gave the Wood Brothers their first trip back to Daytona's Victory Lane since David Pearson accomplished the feat in 1976, and put Bayne in the same company as Pearson, Tiny Lund, Cale Yarborough and A.J. Foyt.

Yet when Sunday's race comes to a conclusion, so will the Bayne-Wood Brothers connection. After running a limited schedule for the past four years, Bayne will move to Roush Fenway Racing to drive the No. 6 Ford full-time for the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season.

"We've had a good run with Trevor," said Wood Brothers Racing chief operating officer and co-owner Len Wood. "He won the Daytona 500 in his second race out for us. It's hard to top that, and it still is.

"We've all known for several months that this was going to happen," he added. "It was always our job to get him ready to run when Roush got him a full-time deal, and that's what happened. It will be bittersweet, but I think we're both looking forward to next year -- him with running the full schedule and us doing our alignment with Team Penske and Ryan Blaney."

Bayne also called the end of the partnership bittersweet, saying the weekend's races are truly closing a big chapter of his career as he moves on from both the Wood Brothers and driving full-time in the Nationwide Series.

"Normally when you get done with the season you're ready for the offseason, you're looking ahead to next year, but you know you kind of got the same guys, the same cars, but this really is a closed chapter at the end of this season," said Bayne. "It's very bittersweet, because I can't wait to drive for Jack (Roush) in that 6 car and for Advocare next season, but to end our era with the Wood Brothers car, that's a hard one to swallow.

"Driving for those guys has been a ton of fun. I couldn't ask for anything better, but the opportunity to drive full-time (in Cup) is kind of better."

Both driver and team owner said they each learned a lot from one another throughout their time together.

"Those guys have been huge for me," said Bayne. "Just for my confidence and the fact they believed in me to drive their race car.

That's a huge step just for them to hire me to drive that thing four years ago. It's gone by fast, but they're like family. The way they handle themselves in business and take care of people, that's just what you want to do."

For the Wood Brothers, Bayne showed that their cars had speed and could be competitive with the right driver behind the wheel.

"He's got speed, which shows that our car will run fast," Len Wood said. "Obviously when you run faster you're on the edge more, and sometimes that doesn't work out. We've been competitive pretty much everywhere we've been.

We didn't miss a race, because we were always on the edge of having to get in every week. He did a very good job of that, like the pressure never got to him."
Next season, that role shifts from Bayne to second-generation driver Ryan Blaney.

Len Wood said the team has yet to work too much on next season's partnership with Team Penske and Blaney, as it came together just before the start of the Chase.

"We haven't really gotten into the competition side of it yet, but Blaney has done really good with winning a couple of Truck races and a couple of Nationwide races, and hopefully he can win a couple of Cup races," Wood said.

The Wood Brothers remain committed to running a limited schedule, as they have for years, as they try to make the most with their limited funds -- something Len Wood hopes the Team Penske partnership may also help.

"We make the limited schedule work, but we're always looking for additional races," he said. "Maybe, hopefully with Team Penske working with us as well we find four or eight more races. We could run them all, it's just we don't want to do the wrong thing and take our money, split it up and run poorly.

That wouldn't be good."

Although their time together has come to an end with Sunday's race, Bayne is not ruling out an eventual return to the team that gave him his Sprint Cup Series start.

"Just to have the opportunity to have driven that car is huge," said Bayne. "You never know, one day when I'm old and ready to go back out, maybe I'll do it part-time for the Wood Brothers. So, you never know what's going to happen, and hopefully I'm driving for Jack for a long time, but it could go full circle one day."

*Trevor Bayne Wins 2011 Daytona 500 In The Legendary Wood Brothers #21 Ford​*





*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-brothers-comes-to-an-end-at-homestead-111614


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick Wins 2014 NASCAR Sprint CUP​*
Kevin Harvick fought off Ryan Newman and drove away to win the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway and his first NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Championship.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Winner And Champion​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=43&RaceID=6471&StatType=Race+Results

Kevin Harvick held off Ryan Newman to win the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the 2014 Sprint Cup Series championship.

Harvick was in front of the field when the green flag flew after a late caution with only three laps remaining and was able to outrun fellow championship contender Newman to capture the title.

"I was just holding the pedal down and hoping for the best,'' Harvick said.

"This new format has been so stressful. I'm going to go sleep for a week.''

Harvick won his first Cup title in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing. He adds the championship trophy to a case that includes two Coca-Cola 600s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and two Nationwide championships.

Newman, who was able to advance to the title race without winning a race, was proud of the effort despite coming up short.

"We didn't have quite enough," Newman said. "That's disappointing, but like I said, it was an awesome team effort, and I think, again, this is a great racetrack to have a race like this, and I thought there was some amazing passing, and we don't get that at every racetrack."

Brad Keselowski was third with Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray rounding out the top five.

Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon completed the first 10 finishers.

Gordon had the lead but came to pit road on lap 256 for fresh tires giving up the top spot. He was unable to charge his way back to the front on the new rubber and wound up in the tenth spot.

Harvick won the title by one point over Newman with Hamlin six out and Logano 15 behind.

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet will be held in Las Vegas on Friday, December 5th.

*How Harvick won:* Harvick was fast early in the race but slipped back during long green flag runs until the sun set and the track conditions changed. Harvick's car seemed to handle better under the cooler temperatures but what turned out to be the last trip down pit road with 19 laps left for four tires proved to be the decision to win the race. Harvick was able to work his way to the top spot from sixth and when caution waved for debris late he found himself as the leader and in control. When green reappeared, Harvick beat Newman into turn one and was able to maintain the advantage for the remainder of the race to cross the finish line first.

*What else happened:* All day long the four championship contenders were at the front of the field battling for position. A flurry of late race cautions bunched the field up and provided the opportunity for some different pit strategies but Harvick's decision to take four tires proved to be the difference as he was able to power his way back to the front of the pack and stayed there when the checkered flag flew.

*Who else had a good day:* Despite coming up one spot short of a championship performance, Newman was impressive in his second place effort. He came from a 21st starting position to move inside the top-10 in relatively short order and once he was in the lead pack stayed there to challenge for the win and title&#8230;..Menard's fourth place run was his fifth top-five of the season and gave Richard Childress Racing a pair of drivers in the first five finishers&#8230;..McMurray had his seventh top-five finish of the season.

*Who had a bad day:* A pair of championship contenders saw their chances evaporate for different reasons. Hamlin did not pit with 19 laps to go and turned out to be no challenge for the drivers with fresher tires and faded back in the field as the laps wound down. "That was 100 percent my fault there,'' crew chief Darian Grubb radioed Hamlin after the race. "We should have had that thing.'...Logano had a disastrous last stop when his car fell off the jack while the team was changing tires. That ended his challenge and he was credited with a 16th-place finish...Kyle Busch had what he first thought was a broken driveshaft but after repairs came back on track to complete only 246 of the 267 laps and finished 39th...Greg Biffle had an encounter with the wall and finished 41st...Trevor Bayne's final start for the Wood Brothers ended up in a 42nd-place effort...And Tony Stewart's streak of winning at least one race in 15 seasons came to an end when he had mechanical problems and was credited with last place.

*Quote of the day:* "It's disappointing don't get me wrong, but there's no point in being a sore loser," Ryan Newman.

*Notables:* Matt Kenseth ended the year winless after leading the series with seven victories a year ago&#8230;..Larson's 13th-place finish was good enough to lock up the Rookie of the Year crown&#8230;..Dale Earnhardt Jr. rallied back from an early race flat tire to finish 14th in crew chief Steve Letarte's final race.
















*source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2014/11/Harvick-Winner-and-Champion.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Follows Road To Happiness​*
Kevin Harvick's entire racing career was a build up for winning the Sprint Cup Series crown.

Harvick reached the pinnacle of the sport when he won Sunday night's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and in the process claimed his first career Cup crown.

For the veteran racer it was the ultimate payoff to a lifetime of pursuing his dream to become the most elite driver in the sport.

"I think as you go back in time and you just really think about everything that's led up to this point, this is what we race for," Harvick said as he sat in his champagne and beer soaked driver's uniform in the Homestead-Miami media center. "You show up to race for the Sprint Cup championship trophy, and to be able to come here in our first year with (team co-owner) Gene (Haas) and Tony (Stewart) and (crew chief) Rodney (Childers) and all these guys on the team, you really have been able to experience something that you don't get to experience very often."

Harvick's Cup career was under the microscope from the second he was thrust into the spotlight to fill Dale Earnhardt's ride after his death in the 2001 Daytona 500. But he made a name for himself with the Richard Childress Racing organization where he won 23 times in the Sprint Cup Series.

However, Harvick's relationship with RCR ended with an opportunity to join Stewart and Haas this year in their new organization and part of the allure for making the move was simply because of the challenge.

"You get to be a part of something from the beginning, and for me that was what I was looking for, to be a part of something that you could build from day one, and you felt like you knew everything that was going on for the most part," he said.

Harvick was also looking for not simply a career challenge but a change in his life. Being a husband and father was motivation for finding a situation that could be rewarding both personally and professionally.

"I needed to be excited about going to work, and this just gave me an opportunity to race with one of my good friends," Harvick said of the decision to join Stewart. "I'd known Kurt (Busch) and Danica (Patrick), and be a part of building something, and that just it really changed my life in a new direction.

"And really my son (Keelan) started that just in evaluation of Delana and I looking at things and saying, what's going to make us happy? Because in the end if you're not happy, nothing is going to work like it should."

Harvick's relationship with Childers has worked better than some expected. Although there were some rough patches with the 4 team this year, which prompted a swap of pit crews with Stewart's group once the Chase started, the connection between driver and crew chief was a strength that ultimately carried the organization to the Sprint Cup title.

"I was nervous the first time I went to his house was probably the first deal," Childers said of the initial union with Harvick. "You know, we had always raced against each other, and I knew him as one of the best drivers in the garage that wanted to win every week and was emotional at times and this and that. You know, Kevin calls it that we dated for a year, but we really did.

"I mean, like after six months of talking like every other day and text messaging every day and all, like there wasn't a bit of that going into the season. I mean, going into that first test in December, there's never been any of that. It's just been believing in each other and believing in our team."

That belief helped lead Childers, Harvick and company to the promised land and the 2014 Sprint Cup championship. It may have seemed like an unlikely achievement to some when the year began, but the eighth month journey ended with the sport's ultimate success.

And along the way Harvick learned a thing or two about himself, his life and finding something more.

"I don't think I've ever been happier in my whole life than I have been this year just for the fact from a personal standpoint, from a professional standpoint, and you see all the things that you have around you, and you're lucky," Harvick said. "I'm pretty lucky to be able to do what I used to pay to do for a hobby. You show up and you're having fun doing it, and it's like a hobby, honestly. I have no idea how much money I make or what I do.

"I love showing up to work. I love coming to the racetrack and love what I do. And it's been a long, long time since I can sit up here and honestly tell you that I love the experience of everything that's been around me, and it just makes it fun."

*source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/11/Harvick-Follows-Road-to-Happiness.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman Saves Best For Last​*
Ryan Newman's best wasn't good enough Sunday.

It took all season for Newman to record his best finish of the year, but his second-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway left him just short of his first championship.

In a season that stretched from February to November and covered 13,927 miles, the difference between being a champion and not proved to be half a second - the margin of victory for Kevin Harvick over Newman.

"We came back for the entire season to make our best finish our last finish," Newman said after his fifth top-five finish of the season. "It is disappointing, don't get me wrong, but there's no point in being a sore loser. It's some motivation, some momentum for the off-season to get started for Daytona, and just look forward to the opportunity for next year."

Newman, who started 21st, ran a steady race and needed less than 60 laps to climb into the top 10. A two-tire call by crew chief Luke Lambert on Lap 249 put Newman in a position to win the race. Newman restarted third. He moved to second on the following caution when Jeff Gordon vacated the lead to pit. Harvick soon got by, but another caution gave Newman a chance at Harvick and the title.

A week ago, Newman had bounced off Kyle Larson to take 11th place on the final lap to gain the final transfer spot into Sunday's Championship Round. Did Newman consider doing the same thing this time?

"I just got down underneath him and he was close enough to me, took some of the air away from me," Newman said of Harvick. "I could have kept it wide open and washed up into him, and it wasn't the right move. It wasn't what I would have wanted him to do to me.

"If we were close enough on the last lap it might have been a different game, but I wasn't. I slipped off of Turn 4 coming to the white (flag) and at that point, it was pretty much over. I really was hoping he would slip a tire, blow a motor, something like that, that was our only hope. All those things go through your mind. But I had a pretty good run, cut down to the bottom and just ran out of racetrack, ran out of room, and he had the air, he had the line.

"It was fun from my standpoint to come from where we came from this year. We started the season in Daytona getting spun out in the last five laps to being the runner‑up for the championship. It was a good rebound for us."






*source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/11/Newman-Saves-Best-for-Last.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Late Issues Foil Logano's Title Hopes​*
A brilliant Chase faded into heartbreaking disappointment for Joey Logano.

On the cusp of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship - which would have come a month before his wedding - Logano lost it all with a series of miscues and mistakes in the final 85 laps, leaving him with a 16th-place finish. It was his worst result in a Chase that saw Logano open with five consecutive top-five finishes.

"We just didn't execute from every angle it seems like,'' said Logano, who was seeking to be the third-youngest series champ at age 24. "I got the wall a little bit early in the race, and we lost the shape of our car and we lost a little bit of track position before that. Was able to recover towards the end of the race to where we were all in line, and we came down pit road, and I just had a mistake on pit road and went all the way to the tail end of the lead lap there, trying to fight back there with 15 to go.

"Unfortunately, a great season like that makes this overall finish fourth because of one mistake, but that's what the rules are. We understand that. This team did a great job of consistently being fast. In the previous years that would have been perfect. But coming into this race and the way the points go, it doesn't pay any more obviously.''

Trouble started when Logano hit the wall on Lap 182 while running second. The damage affected his car's handling and he soon lost his spot to eventual race winner Kevin Harvick.

A caution on Lap 195 gave his team a chance to make repairs. He fell from fifth to 10th because of the extra time to fix his car's fenders.

Logano worked his way to fifth by Lap 216 but lost time on pit road on Lap 222 when a lug nut was dropped. Logano restarted 11th. He managed only to climb back to eighth before his title hopes all but ended.

His car fell off the jack as the crew was changing left-side tires on Lap 249. The slow stop dropped Logano to 21st.

"We're all trying really hard, we're all trying to go as fast as we can,'' Logano said. "It's like everyone running the wall out there going as fast as you can. Sometimes you make a mistake, and we knew coming into this race you can't afford to make one mistake and put yourself behind. We just made a couple tonight which put us back. Obviously our pit crew has done a good job this year. I'm not putting them down over one thing. It just was bad timing on one of them.''

Yet, a season that included a career-high five wins and a career-best fourth-place finish in the points, didn't seem as satisfying.






*source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Issues-Foil-Title-Hopes-For-Joey-Logano.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin's Hopes Fall Short​*
Denny Hamlin again left Homestead-Miami Speedway without the championship he covets, but it wasn't from lack of speed or effort.

Instead, pit strategy doomed Hamlin Sunday. A decision by crew chief Darian Grubb not to pit with 19 laps remaining left Hamlin on older tires while most of the field - including his three championship foes - finished the race on fresher tires.

While the strategy might have worked, cautions afterward allowed Kevin Harvick to close the gap and eventually pass on his way to his first championship.

"We were sitting ducks," Hamlin said after his seventh-place finish. Grubb originally called Hamlin to pit on that fateful caution before deciding to have him stay out. Hamlin questioned the call.

"I don't know," Hamlin said on the radio. "I thought we could have beat them on pit road."

Cautions afterward proved to be too much to overcome. Hamlin couldn't hold off the field or stay within the top five.

After the race, Grubb radioed Hamlin and said, "That was 100 percent my fault there. We should have had that thing."

Said Hamlin after the race: "I thought our car really came into its own as soon as it went dark and I thought we had the best car. We just struggled with restart speed, kind of the theme of the year. We don't have the all-out speed that those (other) guys have and with that, it put me in some tough spots on restarts.

"I gave up a position to Harvick there with 20-some laps to go, Darian tried to make a call to make that back up and leave us out there on tires. We were able to jump out and get the lead, a decent lead, and the cautions didn't go our way. That's all you could ask. We had a car that was capable of winning. We know that. Our effort was 100 percent. It's just that the breaks didn't quite work out for us."

*source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/Hamlins-Hopes-Fall-Short.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson Wins RoTY​*
*Runs Away With the Sprint Cup Honor​*
If you could sum up Kyle Larson's rookie season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with one word, it might just be "almost."

The driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Chevrolet was a threat for the win on multiple occasions, finishing the highest in the season standings than any other driver not to qualify for the 16-driver Chase field, and earning the 2014 Rookie of the Year title.

Entering the season, many had pegged Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon as the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year honor. Dillon was the defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, put the famed No. 3 Chevrolet on the pole for the Daytona 500, and had both hype and expectations surrounding him.

However, once the season got underway it was clear Larson was head and shoulders ahead of the other rookies in his class.

"It's pretty special to me to win Rookie of the Year," Larson said after his 13th-place finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I would say 80 maybe 90 percent of the people out there didn't think we would be the Rookie of the Year at the end of the season and I don't blame them. Just happy with how this season has gone. I want to thank all my guys for making it so fun for me this season."

Despite not making the Chase, the 22-year-old driver scored some of the highest points during the final 10-race stretch of the season. The former dirt track racer was especially a threat on the 1.5-mile tracks, often using the high line to contend for wins. However, Larson was unable to score his first career Sprint Cup Series victory in his rookie campaign, instead scoring three runner-up finishes, eight top fives and 17 top 10s.

"I wish we could have gotten our win this season, but we challenged for a handful of them so that is pretty awesome," he said. "To win Rookie of the Year feels great."

Larson had a strong of strong runs though the long summer stretch of the season, climbing the ladder in the point standings and contending for a spot in the Chase field.

What ultimately ruined his chances at competing for the title was a blown tire that sent him hard into the outside wall at Michigan International Speedway in August. The blown tire led to a 43rd-place finish and dropped the rookie contender from 10th to 14th in the standings.

Although he missed out on making the Chase in his rookie campaign, Larson was pleased with his overall efforts during his first season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I think just being competitive and challenging for top-fives and top-10s most every week has been really good," he said Sunday in Homestead. "There are a lot of moments that stand out, a lot of heartbreak moments as well. We will come back next season peel the rookie stripes off and try and go out there and win a race and get into the Chase and do what Kevin Harvick did tonight."

*source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...on-runs-away-with-the-sprint-cup-honor-111714


----------



## Ckg2011

*Florida DoT To Sponsor XFINITY Opener​*
The Florida Department of Transportation will serve as the title sponsor of the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.








The 120-lap, 300-mile race will be known as the Alert Today Florida 300.
The partnership will increase the visibility of the safety campaign - Alert Today Alive Tomorrow - which is designed to raise public awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety in the state of Florida.

"We're excited about forming this partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety," Daytona Int'l Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "Daytona International Speedway provides an excellent platform to assist the FDOT in spreading the important message of roadway safety."

In addition to the entitlement, FDOT is partnering with Florida native Scott Lagasse Jr., who will drive the No. 33 Alert Today Alive Tomorrow Boy Scouts of America car in the event.

"Pedestrian and bicycle safety are my highest priorities," FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad said. "Alert Today Alive Tomorrow is a multi-pronged approach that includes education, engineering, enforcement and emergency response that is improving safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists in Florida."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/florida-dot-to-sponsor-xfinity-opener/


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch: 'We Need to Have An Affiliation'​*
Kyle Busch says that Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing need to work more closely together if they are to compete against the Hendrick Motorsports-Stewart Haas Racing conglomeration and other teams next season.

While Busch's teammate, Denny Hamlin, raced for the championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, there was a disparity in victories among the Toyota teams and others, including Stewart-Haas Racing, which won the championship with Kevin Harvick.

"We have four cars going next year and in reality we should have six, no ifs, ands, or buts,'' Busch said Monday, alluding to the addition of Carl Edwards to JGR, which gives that organization four teams, and MWR's two teams. "We need to have as much as we can have.''

Busch views Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing as one eight-car entity. Stewart-Haas Racing receives chassis and engines from Hendrick Motorsports and shares information.

"We need to have an affiliation,'' Busch said during a luncheon before Monday night's Nationwide and Camping World Truck banquet. "It would be nice if MWR ... made us all eight. It would be better for all of us. There's a couple of reasons that we're fighting internally why we're not mingling with those guys quite yet, but hopefully that gets resolved here soon.''

Busch described the information shared between Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing as "informal. It's like ... "Hey we're running these four springs and bars and shocks,' but in reality what's your pivots, what's this, what's that, what's everything else?''

Busch said that aero information from a wind tunnel is shared among the two teams but other areas of information doesn't transfer as well. Busch noted that the two teams have different chassis simulation programs.

"You've got to work from one thing,'' said Busch, who finished 10th in the points. "Everybody has got to decide what we're all going to use. Are we going to use JGR or MWR chassis? Are we going to use JGR or MWR bodies? Are we going to use JGR or MWR chassis simulations? What are we going to use? Then we just need to go with it and be done with it.''

Busch said he'd prefer that the organizations use Gibbs chassis.

"I think we could probably learn a couple of things from their chassis group,'' Busch said of MWR. "I like our body group, but we need to learn from their body group, too. I think they have some things that maybe we don't have.''

Toyota drivers combined to win two races this year with Busch and Hamlin each winning one, while teammate Matt Kenseth and MWR's Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers each were winless.

"We've fallen short of our expectations leading up to the Chase,'' said David Wilson, president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development USA, this past weekend. "We've been just a little bit behind, but enough so that it's kept us out of victory lane as much as we became accustomed to.''

Wilson said he saw progress in the Chase even though Toyota did not win any of those 10 races.

"Our engines are much better, our cars are much better,'' he said.

The two wins for Joe Gibbs Racing marked its fewest since 2004. This year marked the second time in the last six years that Michael Waltrip Racing did not win a race.

Hendrick Motorsports scored 13 wins with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each winning four times and Kasey Kahne winning once. Stewart-Haas Racing had six wins with Harvick winning five times and Kurt Busch once.

Harvick won the championship with crew chief Rodney Childers, who came to the team from Micheal Waltrip Racing after last season. Chad Johnston, crew chief for Tony Stewart, also arrived after last year from MWR.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...alls-for-Affiliation-Between-JGR-and-MWR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*A Rewarding Chase​*
For all that he did in pursuit of a title only 29 other men have known, racing his car by and around traffic as if a cabbie with a pregnant passenger, there was one thing Kevin Harvick could not do Sunday.

No matter how much he cajoled, how softly he whispered or how sternly he suggested an early bed time, Harvick couldn't get his 2-year-old son Keelan to say "We win.''

That might have been the only thing wrong with Sunday night's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where tension was a constant companion.

Those perspiring hands in the sellout crowd? They were not from Florida's humidity. The breathlessness fans at home experienced? That was not from rotten eggs buried in the fridge. Those prayers? They were not for warmer temperatures - although it would be appreciated in some parts of the country.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France wanted his Chase to provide a Game 7 championship moment. Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman obliged. They chased each other like children chasing the wind.

Even Newman, the winless driver some said would prove that the reformatted system needed to be overhauled, did his part. He was in position late to win after pit strategy put an anchor on Hamlin's car and gravity shoved Logano's car off its jack.

Aligned beside Harvick on the final restart with three laps to go, thoughts of last weekend's finish at Phoenix International Raceway flashed. Newman muscled his way by Kyle Larson on the final corner to secure the last transfer spot to the Championship Round. What would Newman do with a title at stake?

Newman admits he thought about another bump-and-run but he wasn't close enough on the final lap to truly consider it.

Still, if there would have been contact, it would have seemed almost natural in this Chase where intensity, anxiety and anger gave the season's final 10 races a bigger boost than any shot of espresso.

All one has to remember is that Matt Kenseth - Matt Kenseth! - tried to tackle Brad Keselowski after last month's race at Charlotte. Jeff Gordon and Keselowski were slightly bloodied in a brouhaha at Texas.

Fans seemed intrigued by the racing and antics, as TV ratings improved for the two races before the Homestead finale (ratings for that race will be released Tuesday).

Still, some followers will suggest the Chase was contrived and didn't deliver the best drivers racing for the crown. They'll note that Brad Keselowski, who had a series-high six races wasn't in the Championship Round or other drivers who had more wins than Hamlin and Newman. Such fans will ask where the emphasis on winning is.

It was there. Had Keselowski not won at Talladega Superspeedway, he would not have advanced to the third round. Had Harvick not won at Phoenix, he would not have advanced to the Championship Round.

It was a level of pressure few drivers had experienced.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the pressure "intense" throughout the Chase.

"Once you got knocked out,'' he said, "it was like you're on vacation.''

Each week was a new set of highs and lows. Those elimination races could be the toughest.

Gordon said he was in "disbelief" for at least 24 hours after Phoenix that "we did everything so right and didn't make it.'' He admitted had he won Sunday's race it would "make it hurt a little bit more in some ways because we could have won the championship if we were here.''

Gordon led a race-high 161 laps but a decision not to pit put him out of sequence and forced him to vacate the lead with 15 laps left for tires. That set the showdown among Harvick, Newman and Hamlin.

NASCAR had the finish it sought. This would not be a year where one driver only had to finish in the top 15 or so to clinch the title. The title contenders would have to race for the win as they battled for a championship.

When the checkered flag flew, Harvick felt as much relief as excitement.

"This new format has been stressful,'' he said.

Then it was time to celebrate. As he stood with his family in Victory Lane for pictures, Harvick did get his son to raise his index finger in the No. 1 sign. There's always next year to get his son to say "we win'' - provided Harvick can make it through this sweat-inducing obstacle course NASCAR has created for its championship.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/11/A-Rewarding-Chase.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mobil 1 Driver of The Race Championship Edition​*


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## Ckg2011

*Borland Gets New Role At SHR, Haas F1​*
Veteran motorsports engineer Matt Borland has been named vice president of technology for Haas F1 Team and Stewart-Haas Racing. In this role, Borland will serve as a liaison between the two organizations - Haas F1 Team in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Haas F1 Team will make its Formula One debut in 2016, becoming the first American-led Formula One team in 30 years. Stewart-Haas Racing is a four-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with drivers Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Stewart-Haas Racing debuted in 2009 and won the 2011 Sprint Cup championship with Stewart and the 2014 Sprint Cup championship with Harvick.

Borland will oversee the transfer of Formula One technology to Stewart-Haas Racing while providing Haas F1 Team with deep engineering resources. Concurrently, Borland will serve as a gatekeeper, ensuring the privacy of proprietary information respective to each team.

"With his knowledge and work ethic, Matt has helped build Stewart-Haas Racing into the team it is today, and as we build Haas F1 Team and prepare it for 2016, his expertise has already proven to be incredibly useful," said Joe Custer, chief operating officer, Haas F1 Team and executive vice president, Stewart-Haas Racing. "Matt's talent as an engineer and manager are augmented by a sterling reputation that is beyond reproach. He is well suited for this dual role that will ultimately lead to the betterment of Haas F1 Team and Stewart-Haas Racing."

Borland joined Haas CNC Racing, the precursor to Stewart-Haas Racing, in May 2007. He has served in numerous capacities, including crew chief, competition director, technical director and, most recently, vice president of engineering, where he oversaw all of the team's technical initiatives and research and development projects.

Borland came to Haas CNC Racing with significant NASCAR experience, first with Team Penske from the end of the 1999 season through 2006 and then with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007. Prior to coming to NASCAR, Borland was the race engineer for driver Mark Blundell at PacWest Racing in Champ Car and before that, Borland was at Pi Research, a well-known engineering organization specializing in motorsports.

"I'm an engineer at heart, so I'm always interested in building things," said Borland, who in 1994 earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University (formerly the General Motors Institute). "It's been very satisfying to help build Stewart-Haas Racing from a two-car team to a four-car team that's always capable of winning championships. Now I have the best of both worlds, as I can continue to help improve Stewart-Haas Racing while building Haas F1 Team. We work smart and efficiently at Stewart-Haas Racing, and there are best practices we can apply to Haas F1 Team. Eventually, both organizations will make each other better, and I'm proud to be a part of it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...amed-Vice-President-of-Technology-at-SHR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gustafson: 'It was A Mistake I Made'​*
Crew chief Alan Gustafson said his mistake late in Sunday's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway cost Jeff Gordon a chance to win.

Gustafson discussed his late-race strategy Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive.''

Gustafson told Gordon not pit during a caution 19 laps from the finish. The move kept Gordon first but with most of the field taking tires, it left him at a disadvantage. During the next caution a few laps later, Gordon pitted from second to get four new tires. He didn't have time to recover. Gordon finished 10th despite leading a race-high 161 laps.

So what happened?

"Really, the error was made, I stayed out when the majority of the field pitted and that put us in a bad situation,'' Gustafson said of the caution 19 laps from the finish. "Jeff felt like (on the following caution) we weren't in a very good position to succeed, so we made a decision to come pit.

"Really the first stop, when us and Denny (Hamlin) and ... a few other cars stayed out, that was the one that really hurt us. That's on me. It was a mistake I made. I tried to keep the track position. I felt like that was going to be the highest percentage decision and it ended up not being. That put us behind unfortunately. I think we had the best car. The team deserved to win the race. It was a bad decision from my part and I'm going to learn from it.

"It would be really easy for me to make a lot of excuses and say, 'Hey there's a lot of circumstances that play into it - and there are and it is a very tough thing to do - but that's my job and in that situation I feel like I didn't do it to the best of my capabilities.''

Gustafson also discussed on "The Morning Drive" his disappointment of not advancing from the Eliminator Round to the Championship Round. Gordon missed transferring to the championship race by one point.

"I'm still not at piece at what happened in that final segment (of the Chase),'' Gustafson said. "I don't think we got by any stretch of the imagination what we deserved. That's something that I'm just going to try to work through in the offseason and get to a point to accept it and use it as motivation moving forward.

"I know in my heart this is a championship-caliber team, and we deserve the opportunity to race for that championship. Unfortunately, we didn't get to do it. I'm not saying that in a spiteful way, I'm using it as ... a way to stay motivated to push through this offseason and come out next year better than ever.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Mistake-Cost-Jeff-Gordon-Chance-At-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Discount Tire, Team Penske Extend Pact​*
Team Penske announced Tuesday that it has reached a multi-year extension with Discount Tire, the world's largest tire and wheel retailer, to continue as a key marketing partner with the team.

Discount Tire will remain a primary sponsor of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang for at least 24 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and serve as an associate sponsor for both the No. 2 and No. 22 Ford Fusions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"We are happy to be extending our relationship with Team Penske into 2015 and beyond," said Michael Zuieback, President of Discount Tire. "They've been a loyal ambassador of the Discount Tire brand since we began our relationship with them in 2010. The entire team, from Roger Penske to Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and everyone that is a part of the No. 22 crew, exemplifies performance and professionalism. We're looking forward to many more years of success together both on and off the track."

A long-time NASCAR supporter, Discount Tire established a successful relationship with Team Penske after joining forces for the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season. That year, the No. 22 Discount Tire team earned a series-record 26 top-five finishes en route to the NNS Championship with Brad Keselowski, which gave Roger Penske his first NASCAR title as a team owner.

In 2013, Discount Tire and Team Penske continued their success together, earning the NNS Owners' Championship and 12 wins with four different drivers, including Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and A.J. Allmendinger.

The production continued this season with the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford team once again claiming the 2014 NNS Owners' Championship with Keselowski, Logano, Blaney, Alex Tagliani and Michael McDowell sharing driving duties.

"The on-track success that we have shared with Discount Tire has been remarkable over the last few years," said team owner Roger Penske. "Discount Tire has been an important part of our championship runs as a key sponsor of the No. 22 team in 2014 as well as our other title-winning seasons in 2010 and 2013. Away from the track, they have been great partners with the Team Penske organization and they have developed important relationships with several of our other partners. Discount Tire represents a perfect example of how companies can utilize the sport of NASCAR both on and off the track to achieve success."

Since 2010, Discount Tire has won 27 races with Team Penske as the primary or co-primary sponsor on the No. 22 NNS Ford Mustang. In 2014 alone, the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang won six races, finished in the top five in 25 of 33 events and captured 10 pole positions. The No. 22 team wrapped up its second consecutive series Owners' Championship on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/discount-tire-team-penske-extend-pact/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Championship Round Race #10​*
*2014 Ford EcoBoost 400 At Homestead Miami Speedway​*


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## Ckg2011

*Despite 2014 Success, Changes Coming At JRM​*
In addition to Elliott, Smith will also have new crew chief in 2015

DORAL, Fla. -- JR Motorsports just completed its most successful season, with drivers Chase Elliott and Regan Smith finishing 1-2 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

But changes are ahead for the 10-year-old organization founded by Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and capably run by Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner of the team as well as the vice president and business manager of the organization.

Ryan Pemberton, who as served in the dual role of competition director and crew chief for the No. 7 Chevrolet team fielded for Smith, will return to the singular role of competition director. Greg Ives, who guided Elliott and the No. 9 team to the championship, is moving to Hendrick Motorsports to replace Steve Letarte atop the pit box for Earnhardt in the Sprint Cup Series.

Ives will be replaced by Ernie Cope, a veteran crew chief that has overseen the third team, the No. 5, at JRM that has featured several drivers, including Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and 2014 Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel.

That leaves a need for a crew chief for Smith as well someone for the No. 5 entry (which will be the No. 88 entry next season in the XFINITY Series), something Earnhardt said has been addressed and will be announced likely as soon as week's end.

"Ryan has been the competition director (at JRM) for years," Earnhardt said Monday evening. "He sort of did me a (favor) last year by dropping down and filling a hole for us when Greg moved over to Chase.

"This is something we've been working on for several months. He's going back to competition director (only) role. I think he's got a lot of strengths to be able to fill the role a little better without having to be a crew chief at the same time. It's been a distraction for him. I need him in the competition director's role and that's where he wants to be.

"We're bringing in someone for the No. 5; we've moved Ernie over to the No. 9, and going to bring a new guy for the No. 7 (of Smith)."

Elliott, the talented 18-year-old from Dawsonville, Georgia, captured the series championship as well as Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, accomplishments for which he was recognized here Monday evening during the annual Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series awards ceremony. He was also named the series' most popular driver.

The son of 1988 NASCAR premier series champion Bill Elliott, the younger Elliott won three times, scoring his first series win at Texas Motor Speedway in April and following that up with a win a week later at Darlington Raceway. He also won at Chicago and ended the season with 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

Smith, third in points in 2013, won the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and also finished the season with 26 top-10 results for a career-best points finish.

"To ask (Pemberton) to do two jobs is a lot to ask of anybody at this level," said Smith. "We're going to make some adjustments there and carry on into 2015."

Otherwise, he said, his No. 7 group should have few changes in personnel for '15.

"You know some people move during the offseason and decide they want to do some different things or something like that," Smith said, "but what I know as of right now it should look very similar."

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/despite-2014-success-changes-coming-jrm-145700526--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Rodden To Crew Chief For Kahne​*
In preparation for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and revised rules that affect race car development and on-track testing, Hendrick Motorsports has named Kenny Francis to the new position of vehicle technical director and Keith Rodden as crew chief of the No. 5 team of driver Kasey Kahne. The roles take effect immediately.

Francis, 44, will oversee organization-wide car design and development with day-to-day management of Hendrick Motorsports' chassis, body, research and development, on-track testing, vehicle engineering and simulation programs. Reporting to general manager Doug Duchardt, he will serve as the primary liaison between Hendrick Motorsports' crew chiefs and its vehicle group.

Rodden will return to Hendrick Motorsports where he worked alongside Francis in 2012 and 2013 while the lead engineer for Kahne and the No. 5 team. For 2014, he was named crew chief for the No. 1 team at Chip Ganassi Racing where he won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, earned two pole positions and helped driver Jamie McMurray set a career-best season in laps led.

"This is a great opportunity for both guys, and it will strengthen our overall organization," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "With the new rules for next year, it's more important than ever to have a strong vehicle development program. Unifying those efforts for the first time under Kenny's guidance will be critical to our success. It plays to his experience as a leader, innovative engineer and race-winning crew chief. He's just tailor-made for it.

"Keith is one of the most talented young crew chiefs in the garage. He already knows our culture and works extremely well with our people. The relationships and familiarity he has with Kenny, Kasey and the No. 5 team will make it easy to hit the ground running. We talk a lot about 'fit factor,' and this definitely falls into that category. He's the right fit."

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Francis holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Florida. Known as one of the most innovative minds in the NASCAR garage, he worked as a team director, engineer and fabricator before posting 17 wins as a Sprint Cup crew chief. Francis has led Kahne's efforts since the final race of 2005, earning 16 race wins and five Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths. The pair joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2012.

"When it was clear there was a need for this role, I was very intrigued and felt it would be a great challenge," Francis said. "It encompasses areas I'm passionate about, and I know we can make a difference for our teams, especially with the new rules for next year. There are a lot of reasons why it feels right at this point in my career, and I'm looking forward to contributing in a new way."

Rodden, 33, has enjoyed a long relationship with Kahne, having worked with the driver as a team engineer from 2004 until 2013. After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in mechanical engineering, his motor sports career began in 2003 with owner Andy Petree. Rodden in 2004 joined Evernham Motorsports to support Kahne's NASCAR XFINITY Series effort before moving in 2006 to the No. 9 Sprint Cup team, which began an eight-year stint under the tutelage of Francis.

"Opportunities like this don't come around often," said Rodden, who grew up in Denver, North Carolina. "The people at Hendrick Motorsports are like my family, especially in the 5/24 shop. I expect we'll have great chemistry right off the bat, which should make for a smooth transition. I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running with the No. 5 team and everyone who supports us. There's no better resource than Kenny, so I hope he's ready for some late-night phone calls."

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 34, has earned at least one victory each season while securing three consecutive Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career wins in NASCAR's top division, including five in three full seasons with the No. 5 team.

"I'm so grateful to Kenny and happy for him and his family," Kahne said. "He's one of my biggest supporters and best friends, and I'm excited about his new role. It's going to give all four Hendrick Motorsports teams the best possible opportunity to win races and compete for championships.

"Bringing Keith back is big for us. We spent 10 years together, so we have a very strong overall relationship and understanding of how to communicate. There's a great friendship and a lot of mutual respect, but at the same time I know he's really going to push me. I trust Mr. Hendrick to put the right people in the right places to make us successful, and I know these decisions will do that."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Motorsports-Realigns-No-5-Team-Personnel.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*McCall Named McMurray's Crew Chief​*
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced that Matt McCall has been named crew chief for Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 team. McCall, who replaces Keith Rodden, will assume the role effective immediately to prepare for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

McCall joins CGRFS from Richard Childress Racing where he most recently has been the race engineer for the No. 31 Chevrolet that made it to the Championship round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, ultimately finishing the season second in the championship point standings.

"We are very pleased to add a crew chief like Matt to what we feel is a team and program that is certainly on the rise and feel that he can take it to the next level," said owner Chip Ganassi. "Matt brings a lot to the table that we are thrilled to have. He has been a successful race engineer for the No. 31 team and has the added experience of being a driver, which we feel will add to his success in leading the No. 1 team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will mesh very well with Jamie and the whole team. We couldn't be happier."

McCall is also a former driver who has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series. In fact, racing has been in his blood from an early age as he began racing go-karts at age nine and eventually joined the World Karting Association Dirt Series where he would ultimately win the honor of Grand National Champion. He would also go on to race in Super Sport events as well.

"I am very excited to join the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team," McCall said. "This organization is one that everyone in the garage has taken notice of in 2014 and I am just looking forward to the opportunity to make them even better. We have a group of very talented people building and driving the race cars here and I can't wait to get started."

The Denver, NC native graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a major in mechanical engineering. The 33-year-old McCall is also passionate about fitness and holds a third-degree black belt in karate.

McMurray will begin his 13th full-time season in the Cup Series in 2015. The 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 Winner added another big win to his resume this year with a victory in the 2014 Sprint All-Star race. In nearly 450 career Cup starts he has accumulated seven wins, 11 poles, 121 top-10 and 52 top-five finishes.

"I am really looking forward to 2015 and beginning to work with Matt," McMurray said. "As a team, I think we will carry a lot of momentum into Daytona and the hiring of Matt will continue to move the program forward."

McMurray's former crew chief Rodden is expected to return to Hendrick Motorsports where he worked prior to joining CGRFS.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/11/McCall-Named-McMurrays-Crew-Chief.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Childers Savoring First Championship​*
When Stewart-Haas Racing set off to build a fourth Sprint Cup team, it had one man in mind to lead the operation - Rodney Childers.

That decision, which was made after co-owner Tony Stewart visited Childers, helped transform the No. 4 team into Sprint Cup champions less than one year after taking to the track for the first time.

"I wasn't even going to take the job until Tony got in his airplane and flew to Concord to meet me, then he got back on his plane and went back to Indiana," Childers said. "On my drive home, I said, 'If anybody is willing to - No. 1 - do that for me and spend that kind of money for me, they're going to look after me.' He looked me in the eyes that night and said, 'We're going to do this.' To be able to bring a championship home for every single employee at Stewart-Haas Racing is amazing."







 Childers scored his first Cup championship in his 10th full-time season and his first with Kevin Harvick, in a year that saw them record five wins and a series-leading eight poles. After a long night of celebration in Homestead, Fla., Childers arrived back home at 4 a.m. on Monday and has been back at the shop with the guys, and busy meeting all of his media obligations.

"I haven't had a whole lot of sleep, for sure," Childers said on MRN.com's "Motorsports Monday." "I'm still trying to soak it in. It still seems that it's not real and it was all a dream. It's been a fun 24 hours, to say the least ... really, just a fun year in general. I'm happy to be a part of something so special. To have a shot at the title is one thing, but to actually win it is something not many get the opportunity to do."

The Childers-led team was fast right out of the gate going back to their first test with the new rules package last December at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Along with the eight poles, Harvick led a series-best 2,137 laps - becoming just the third Cup driver since 2000 to lead more than 2,000 laps in a single season.

"He's put people around him who believe in what he does and in turn, it's become everybody believing in what we do," Harvick said. "When you can keep inserting the word 'we,' you can do a lot more. That's the biggest thing I've learned through the years as a team owner. You can buy all the fancy stuff and do all the great things but if you don't have the right people, you're dead in the water."

Childers made his decision to leave Michael Waltrip Racing for Stewart-Haas in August 2013, which ultimately led to his early departure from MWR. The move allowed him to start planning for SHR's newest team.

"I had plenty of time to sit home and think about a lot of things, about how this was all going to play out with this new rules package and stuff," Childers said. "It gave me time to order parts, pieces and stuff."

As Childers looked ahead to his new venture, one of the people that influenced him the most while he wasn't on top of the pit box for the final few months of the 2013 season was Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Kenny Francis. Since SHR was formed in 2009, the team has shared an alliance with Hendrick, where Francis calls the shots for Kasey Kahne.

"Kenny and I have been best friends for a long time and for me to come from a different organization, he gave me everything he had and said, 'These are the chassis we run, these are the spindles we run, this is the geometry we run, these are the four shocks we run ... so on and so forth," Childers said. "A lot of the credit has to go to Kenny. Then, you've got to take all that stuff and build it into the new rules package. That part was fun for me. When everybody was out racing those last few weeks, I was sitting there with my computer burning up and smoke coming out of it, working on all this new stuff. It was definitely an advantage."

But everything wasn't perfect in the beginning for Childers and his new team.

"Our first few weeks here were bad," Childers said. "We didn't have what we needed. We were trying to get parts and pieces in. The parts room was completely overwhelmed. It wasn't a whole lot of fun for anybody. But everybody kept their heads down and kept digging. I don't know if we really had goals. We never sat down and listed them, or anything like that. But everybody on the team, in every meeting we had, always talked about getting through the hard times and it would be worth it in the end. We all came here because we wanted to win a championship. All those talks throughout the year kept everybody motivated. It's amazing to be able to pull it off."







 The beer/champagne/confetti-covered race- and championship-winning car arrived at SHR on Monday. It was one Childers utilized many times this season, with its best finish coming in the Sprint All-Star Race. Chassis No. 850 was the same one the team used in a two-day test at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month. But after Saturday's practice session, it had Childers second-guessing himself on that choice of racecar.

"We could never get it going exactly right," Childers said. "I was mad at myself at the end of the day Saturday. I thought I had brought the wrong car. We'd raced that car a couple times and it hadn't done too well. But on the other hand, it had done pretty well a couple times. We ended up putting a new body on it, getting it ready to go to Homestead and I thought that just doing all that would be fine. But it didn't want to cooperate all weekend. We made a lot of changes to it going into the race. I'm thankful that the car was OK all race. We had to adjust on it a lot, but it was good enough to be up there and stay in contention."

With the championship on the line, Childers made a call for four tires on the final pit stop of the season, which pushed Harvick back in the running order. But when the green flag flew on the restart, it came back down to believing in one another and Childers knew he had the right guy behind the wheel.

"Once we got lined up in 14th, I thought I had made the wrong decision, let my team down and had given the whole year away," Childers said. "We've got a guy that sits in that seat and when it comes time to do what he needs to do, he digs his heels in and makes it happen. The same thing happened at Darlington. He believes in me and I believe in him, and we're going to make the best of it. Whether it was going to be the right thing or not, he was going to do his best. That's all you can ask of him."

Even though the team will take the next few days to let the championship soak in, it's back to business as usual in preparing for the 2015 season.

"There are going to be a lot of rule changes within the bodies, and how they're going to mandate and control that stuff," Childers said. "Every team in that garage is probably going to have to re-body every car they've got. It's a lot of work, but it's normally the same stuff we do every year anyway. You cut the bodies off, you take them down to a bare chassis and blast them. You start over and when you go to the Daytona 500, you try to take the best piece you can. We've started on some of our speedway stuff. We've had one car in the wind tunnel the last few weeks. It was not good, so it's going to get the body cut back off and we'll start over on it."

Childers will get a quick break in for Champion's Week in Las Vegas next month, when he'll be honored as the title-winning crew chief during the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards on Dec. 5.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ney-Childers-Savoring-First-Championship.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR All Access: Harvick's Championship Restart​*





*NASCAR All Access: Championship #4 Final Pit Stops​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson's Thrilling Ride​*
Introducing Kyle Larson is not an easy task. The name is simple, and he's easy-going enough, but the problem is what to call him. Is he the next great driver? The future superstar of NASCAR? The next Jeff Gordon? Or something else?

In only his third year of racing stock cars, Larson thrilled with his rim-riding, amazed in his duels with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch at Auto Club Speedway and made many look more at him like a young Gordon with that wisp of a mustache this past month.

All those accolades heaped upon Larson before this season proved worthy. Although he didn't win a Sprint Cup race, he finished second three times and had 17 top-10s to earn Rookie of the Year honors. He joins a fraternity that includes fellow Rookies of the Year: Richard Petty (1959), David Pearson (1960), Dale Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1984), Gordon (1993), Tony Stewart (1999), Matt Kenseth (2000) and Harvick (2001) among others.

"It's nice to see a lot of people who have won Rookie of the Year have gone on to win NASCAR Sprint Cup championships,'' Larson said. "I hope I'm another one of those guys that can do that. I feel like I'm with a great team that could win championships if we get ourselves in the Chase.''

Larson said winning the award was special because there were doubters before the season. It was easy to question his move to Cup because of his relative inexperience in stock cars and the strength of Chip Ganassi Racing.

The 22-year-old Larson proved quickly he could run at the front, nearly winning Nationwide and Cup races on back-to-back days in March at Auto Club Speedway.

He also finished second at New Hampshire and Kansas during the Chase. Those results were in a five-race stretch where Larson finished no worse than sixth. After he finished last at Michigan in August because of an accident, Larson scored seven top-10 finishes in the final 13 races. Only twice in that stretch did he place worse than 13th.

So how did Larson grade his season?

"It's tough to put a grade on it, maybe a 'B' I guess,'' he said. "Maybe an 'A' minus at some places, but overall probably a 'B'. I think we have challenged for a handful of wins, and I think a lot of the other veteran drivers have had their eye on me all season long and thought I have done a good job. I would say it has been pretty successful other than missing the Chase.''

Gordon was high on Larson before the season and continued to praise the young driver during the season.

"I think Kyle Larson is the future of this sport in so many ways,'' Gordon said late in the season. "If Ganassi can continue to step up their program, and he gets that experience of one year under his belt, I think Kyle can certainly step up there and certainly be a factor.''

Because Larson missed the Chase, he could not finish any higher than 17th in the points. That's where he placed, finishing 74 points ahead of teammate Jamie McMurray, who was 18th in points.

Although he didn't make it to the Chase, Larson said he felt he made steady progress.

"I think my patience has gotten better throughout the year,'' he said. "Everything I grew up racing was 30- or 40-lap features. In the Nationwide stuff you have to learn more patience there and Cup races are almost twice as long as those. You have to get better at that.

"The place where I feel like I need to get a lot better, if I want to contend for more wins and championships are definitely on the short tracks. Martinsville, Richmond. I felt pretty good at Phoenix last week, but Martinsville and Richmond are probably my two worst tracks. I felt like I was decent on the road courses during the races and stuff but the short track stuff is where I struggled the most."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/11/Kyle-Larson-Thrills-In-Rookie-Year.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Meets With Dover Police​*
Kurt Busch and his attorneys met Tuesday with Dover (Del.) Police investigating an allegation that he assaulted his ex-girlfriend, a police spokesman confirmed to Motor Racing Network.

Patricia Driscoll reported an incident to police Nov. 5 that involved Busch. Driscoll alleged Busch smashed her head three times against a wall in his motorhome Sept. 26 at Dover International Speedway, days after they broke up.

Busch's attorney has said that Busch denied the incident.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that an attorney for Busch said Busch was cooperative with police in the meeting and continues to deny the allegations. Cpt. Mark Hoffman, public information officer for the Dover Police, told Motor Racing Network that no decision has been made on whether to file charges.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France said last week that the sanctioning body would not react until the police investigation is completed.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/11/Kurt-Busch-Meets-With-Dover-Police.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kahne Signs Extension With Hendrick Motorsports​*
Hendrick Motorsports and Kasey Kahne have agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep the driver with the No. 5 Chevrolet SS team through the end of the 2018 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

"It's extremely gratifying to work with a driver like Kasey," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "I think the world of him both as a driver with championship-level talent and an overall terrific young man. Our whole organization has a great deal of respect for how hard he works, the professionalism he displays with our partners and the way he carries himself every day. We're committed to winning races and competing for titles with him for many years to come."

Kahne, 34, originally signed with Hendrick Motorsports in April 2010 and officially joined the team's four-car stable for the 2012 season. Over the past three years (2012-14), he ranks among the top-10 drivers in Sprint Cup wins (five), pole positions (four), top-five finishes (26) and laps led (1,177). The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career wins in NASCAR's top division.

"I've found a home at Hendrick Motorsports," said Kahne, who since 2012 has earned at least one victory each season while securing three consecutive Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths. "We have incredible people and partners supporting us, and I couldn't be more excited about the direction we're headed as a team and a company. It's the right place for me, and I'm looking forward to being here for a long time."

Kahne's contract with Hendrick Motorsports was set to expire following the 2015 NASCAR season.

Hendrick Motorsports also announced that LiftMaster will join the organization and be a sponsor of Kahne and his team. LiftMaster will be a primary sponsor in three races - Coca-Cola 600, Kentucky and fall Kansas Speedway race - and an associate sponsor in the remaining races. The contract goes through the 2017 season.

Kasey Kahne's Lift Master No.5 HMS Chevy​ 






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tract-Exension-With-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Whirlwind Week For Harvick​*
It's been fast and furious for Kevin Harvick since he was crowned 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.








Harvick won last Sunday night's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and clinched his first career Sprint Cup Series title with the win. Nearly immediately Harvick was then thrust into a flurry of activities and several appearances on national media outlets across the country including "Late Night with David Letterman," "Live with Kelly and Michael" and ESPN's "Sportscenter."

While he's certainly not complaining about the hectic schedule, Harvick has had a tough time picking out a special moment or two, at least so far, since he took the checkered flag Sunday night.

"It's all been such a whirlwind, it's hard to really focus on one particular thing," said Harvick. "I think as we got done with the race, some of the really some of the neatest moments were - probably the neatest moment for me - first off, was being able to see my wife and son immediately after I got out of the car and celebrate with them in Victory Lane.








"But some of the coolest moments probably came on that particular night when my son, after we got done with the car, he didn't really care about anything that was going on, but it was just watching him run up and down the racetrack and sitting up against the wall with him and really throwing rocks down to the bottom because that was really what he cared about at that particular point was throwing the rocks and rubber to the bottom of the racetrack. Just those little moments like that, and through the week he got his first fishing pole, so that was pretty cool to be able to share some of those moments."

As for dealing with the many new media responsibilities in the aftermath of the title, Harvick has taken it in stride. Throughout his career, Harvick has been a driver that has for the most part embraced opportunities to deal with the press and he sees the added activities this week in the aftermath of his title as just part of the job.

"Well, I've always been very much a part of the media and appearances and things that we plan on a weekly basis and have a fairly good handle on where my mental frame of mind is leading into the weekends of the races," he said. "My promise to everybody around me was you guys work with me up until we get to Homestead, and if we win the championship, I'll do whatever you guys want me to do.

"I'm at the mercy of everybody around me right now and enjoying being a part of what we've accomplished here and letting them kind of run with what they think is best for me personally and our sponsors and Stewart Haas Racing and getting everything that we need."

Although it's only been a handful of days, Harvick is the face of NASCAR as the sport's latest champion. The intensity of the new Chase format brought added attention to the sport and as a by-product means Harvick potentially faces more attention than some recent champs.

It's a job he does not take lightly and Harvick understands the importance of what it means to be a representative and ambassador for NASCAR.

"I think there's a definite responsibility that comes with the champion and doing the things that you need to do to help grow the sport," said Harvick. "Obviously there will be a lot of people looking for your opinion, and you all know that I have opinions on how things should go and what is best. So I think for me, it's very simple; you be honest, you do just like we would do on a personal level. We'll try to do everything that we need to do to help grow the sport, grow our sponsors, and as always, always push everybody around us to try to do things that are unique and different from what they've done in the past to try to make things better.

"I think as you look at the last couple of years in our sport and you look at the owners and the drivers and the communication between NASCAR and those groups, I think you have to see the results of everything that has come out of the meetings and things that have happened over the past few years. I think the sport is in a better spot than it was. We will all have that constant communication, and I definitely as champion want to do my part and do it as well as possible."

*Video:* Harvick delivers the Top 10 tips for becoming an auto racing champion on the "Late Show with David Letterman."​





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/11/Whirlwind-Week-for-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Unveils Touring Series MPDs​*
The fans have spoken, and they have selected a pair of series champions as well as a pair of repeat award winners in balloting for the NASCAR regional touring series' 2014 Most Popular Driver Awards.

The Most Popular Driver Award winners for 2014 are:

Ben Rhodes (Louisville, Ky.), NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Brandon McReynolds (Mooresville, N.C.), NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

J.R. Fitzpatrick (Ayr, Ont.), NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.

Rodrigo Marban (Mexico City), NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series.

Freddy Nordstrom (London), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

Melissa Fifield (Wakefield, N.H.), NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Andy Seuss (Hampstead, N.H.), NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.

First-time award winners from the group include Rhodes, McReynolds, Marban and Fifield while Nordstrom and Seuss retained their popular status from last year's balloting.

Rhodes, the 2014 champion of the K&N Pro Series East, garnered the most votes of any driver in 2014, 450 more than Marban of the Mexico Toyota Series. K&N Pro Series East drivers also received the most collective votes of any series, 2,133 more than the Mexico Toyota Series.

The closest race was in the Canadian Tire Series where championship runner-up Fitzpatrick edged Alex Tagliani by just 48 votes. Fitzpatrick was also the Most Popular Driver in the series' inaugural 2007 season.

McReynolds captured 42-percent of the K&N Pro Series West vote for the largest individual share of any series while the largest margin of victory came in the Mexico Toyota Series where Marban outdistanced the nearest competition by 1,226 votes.

Fifield, a rookie in 2014, made history as the first female competitor to take home the Most Popular Driver Award in 30 years of Whelen Modified Tour competition.

Nordstrom and the Whelen Southern Modified Tour titlist Seuss now have the most career awards among the 2014 selectees with three apiece. Nordstrom's have come in successive fashion while Seuss previously won in 2009 and 2013.

The Most Popular Driver Award winners will be recognized as part of the NASCAR Touring Series Awards on Dec. 13 in the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-unveils-touring-series-mpds/


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## Ckg2011

*Whither Thou Goest Young Elliott?​*
Chase Elliott will be in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016 but where he'll race is still up in the air.

The 2014 Nationwide Series champion is part of Hendrick Motorsports and is planning to again run for JR Motorsports next year in pursuit of back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY titles. The plan is to then move to Cup the following season.

However the current line-up at Hendrick Motorsports appears to be blocking Elliott's path to join that stable.

The announcement of Kasey Kahne's three-year contract extension Thursday fills the No. 5 car's seat through 2018. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s deal to remain in the No. 88 runs through 2017. Jimmie Johnson's contract is through 2015 but its hard to see him elsewhere, Jeff Gordon said recently that retirement is "not on his radar."

So that would appear to leave team owner Rick Hendrick with another "no room at the inn" scenario - a phrase he used several years back when Earnhardt was coming onto the free agent market - once Elliott is ready to move into a full ride in NASCAR's top division.

In the short term, Elliott is set for the 2015 XFINITY Series in the JR Motorsports NAPA Camaro in addition to making a handful of Cup starts according to Hendrick General Manager Doug Duchardt.

"He's going to run Nationwide again next year and we've announced we're gonna run some Cup races with him in 2015, and I would expect that Kenny (Francis) is going to crew chief those races for him and I think that's going to be a fun aspect of next year and see how Chase does with that," Duchardt said Thursday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

"So we'll take a look and see how things are going in '15 and see what the right steps are in the future, but right now we're just going to take a look at 2015 and see how things are progressing."

Douchardt added that the benefit of having Elliott in the organization's pipeline as a coveted young talent does not mean decisions need to be rushed.

"I'm a huge baseball fan, it's like having this prospect in Triple A that's batting .380 and when is he going to come up to the big club and run. But we'll work on that and see where that all heads.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Motorsports-Find-Room-For-Chase-Elliott.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fines Stenhouse's Crew Chief​*
The Roush Fenway Racing team of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been penalized for a rules infraction discovered during pre-qualifying inspection Nov. 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR announced Thursday.

This infraction is a P3 level penalty which is outlined in Section 12-4.3 of the 2014 NASCAR rule book:

Violations resulting in P3 penalties tend to fall between serious and intermediate in nature. While they might include general "categories" of infractions similar to those in P4 (e.g. unauthorized parts; failing to meet specs; etc.), they tend to pertain more to secondary componentry or systems; modifications of lessor significance; go/no-go measurement failures of an intermediate nature.

This infraction violates Sections:

12-1 - Actions detrimental to stock car racing;

20-12 - Suspension: All front end and rear suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension/drive line component beyond normal rotation or suspension/drive line travel.

As a result of these violations, crew chief Mike Kelley has been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation for six months starting Jan. 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015. Additionally, car chief Patrick Magee has also been placed on NASCAR probation for six months starting Jan. 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Fines-Crew-Chief-For-Ricky-Stenhouse-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr: 'We Just Wanted to Race'​*
It started the way most teams begin. Friends and family wanted to go racing. Of course, this was a little different. Among the team's owners were Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley.

While this would be no ordinary team, it's beginnings mirrored those of many, whether they started in NASCAR or a local short track. Success was limited. Money grew tight.

"We just wanted to race,'' Earnhardt said. "We didn't have the resources to compete with the guys up front, but we were just trying to get out there and be a part of it.''

With help from car owner Rick Hendrick, who became a part owner, JR Motorsports began to move forward, building toward this season where Chase Elliott won the Nationwide driver's title - the organization's first series crown.

"Kelley and Dale have worked so hard to build that company,'' Hendrick said. "The success it has had this year with all the wins, and developing people like (crew chief) Greg Ives, giving him a shot and now coming to the Cup Series to be Dale's crew chief, it's paying tremendous dividends to our company. I'm really, really proud of these guys for ... putting all of the time, money, and effort into building the company.''

It has been quite a decade for Earnhardt and his sister. They admit there have been times where they wondered what they were doing.

"It's a labor of love,'' said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who oversees a company with 120 employees. "We don't do it because we're padding our pockets. We do it because we give opportunities to people like Chase Elliott and Josh Berry and Regan Smith and Aric Almirola and Brad Keselowski and the crew chiefs that have come through. That's the vision Dale had when he started JR Motorsports, and we're continuing to keep that up.''

The plan was to begin racing in the Nationwide Series in 2007. When the U.S. Navy came along as a sponsor, it moved the team's timetable up. The team ran its first full season in 2006.

It wouldn't be until 2008 it won its first race with Mark Martin (Brad Keselowski and Ron Fellows also won for the team that season). That's also when financial issues threatened the company's health.

"We were several million in the hole at that point,'' Earnhardt Miller said.

With Hendrick's backing, the team persevered. Keselowski won six races in two seasons before moving to Roger Penske's organization.

JR Motorsports struggled to return to Victory Lane after Keselowski's departure, winning twice in the next three seasons with a variety of drivers from Kelly Bires to Almirola and from Josh Wise to Smith. The goal was to bring along young drivers but in those tough economic times, sponsors were more interested in Cup drivers. Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, and Earnhardt ran in select races for the team.

As the economy improved, the organization has looked at young talent more. Berry drove two races this season and could compete in more races in the future.

Still, there's a key factor when selecting drivers for the team - money.

"One of the most important things for our team always is ... the dollar,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "How much equipment we tear up every week and where we can finish in the points. So we need a guy that is fast and doesn't tear up a lot of cars. We need to finish in the top three in points to help ourselves break even.''

This season's success - Elliott and Smith finished 1-2 in the driver standings - could help the company's future.

"I know the phone has been ringing a lot more often, especially due to the success we've had,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "Hopefully, more partners want to get involved with what we're doing, and I think the success on the race track and performance on the race track is always reflective of that.''

The team returns Elliott and Smith and will run a third car in select races. Harvick will run some races, Earnhardt a few and Kahne also could do so as well.

"We've got three great, full teams,'' Earnhardt Jr said. "I remember the years when we would contemplate whether we were going to a one-car team or not in the off-season. You just work one year at a time in this series. I like that challenge, as tough as it can be at times. It's almost a part of the enjoyment when you succeed at doing it.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Earnhrdt-Lead-To-JR-Motorsports-Success.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Parting Shot​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick's 2015 GoDaddy Chevy SS​*
'Tis the season for new paint schemes.

On Thursday, GoDaddy released a rendering of the 2015 paint scheme for Danica Patrick's No. 10 Chevrolet SS.

A little less orange and a little more black than the 2014 version. For the sake of comparison, here's Patrick's primary GoDaddy paint scheme from this season.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ases-danica-patricks-2015-paint-scheme-112014


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## Ckg2011

*What Kind of Impact Will Rule Changes Have On 2015 Season?​*
all know that changes are coming down the pike for Sprint Cup Series teams in the 2015 season. Included will be changes to the car as well as changes to the engine package.

When you combine those two changes, plus the no-testing rule that NASCAR has implemented, we really have a lot of unknowns heading our way when we head to Daytona in February.

The reality there is that, as we all know, Daytona isn't a real measuring stick, because the restrictor-plate tracks like there and at Talladega have their own set of specific rules.

Despite winning four races this past season, Jimmie Johnson will be the first one to tell you that the No. 48 never found what they needed to be consistent in 2014 with that rules package. The question then becomes how quickly they and others can get their arms around the new 2015 rules package.

You have to assume that when this new rules package pulls a little downforce away, it will put things more in the direction of where we were in 2013.

Unfortunately, it's just way too early to tell how this will affect things, plus we know there are more changes headed our way.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-have-on-2015-sprint-cup-series-season-112214


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## Ckg2011

*Townley & Athenian Switching To Chevy​*
Athenian Motorsports will field a Chevrolet Camaro full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and a Chevrolet Silverado in all 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events in 2015 with engines provided by Hendrick Motorsports.

Georgia native John Wes Townley will compete full-time for Athenian in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and run a partial schedule in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. A search is underway to find a driver with sponsorship who will pilot the No. 25 Camaro in the remaining Xfinity Series events.

"I can't wait to get to Daytona in February," said Townley, who is expected to run between 18 to 21 races in 2015 for Athenian in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. "I had a chance at the end of the 2014 season to work with my new crew chiefs. I think that time together is going to pay off big-time for us at the beginning of the new season."

Veteran crew chiefs Mike Ford and Michael Shelton will continue to call the shots for Athenian. Ford, a multiple-race winner in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, will return to lead the XFINITY Series team. Michael Shelton, who guided James Buescher to a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title, will direct Townley's 2015 effort in the Truck Series.

Athenian Motorsports will call Concord, N.C., home beginning in January. The second-year organization will take possession of the 43,000 square foot facility adjacent to the Concord Regional Airport that had previously been the home to Richard Petty Motorsports.

"Between the all-star lineup of talent we have put together, the new facility we'll be working out next year and the fact that we will have access to the horsepower from the same company that produced the engines for this year's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series champions, I'm confident the pieces are in place for John Wes to have a breakthrough season in 2015," said Athenian Motorsports vice president of operations Mike Hamlin.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/townley-athenian-switching-to-chevy/


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## Ckg2011

*'Fresh From Florida' Re-Signs With RPM​*
The marketing arm of Richard Petty Motorsports announced today the extension of their relationship with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. RPM will continue to develop and execute a fully-integrated motorsports marketing campaign in 2015 for "Fresh From Florida," a marketing, advertising and promotional campaign focused on building awareness and sales of fresh seafood, produce and other Florida products.

The "Fresh From Florida" campaign includes various marketing elements centered around motorsports including race promotion, team sponsorship, track sponsorship, marketing services, public relations, experiential marketing and retail partnerships along with traditional and digital media. The platform will be executed across the state of Florida and throughout the Southeast at motorsports events including NASCAR, IMSA and events at iconic motorsports venues.

In 2015, "Fresh From Florida" will again partner with RPM and Tampa area native Aric Almirola as the primary brand ambassador via events in two NASCAR series. "Fresh From Florida" will be featured on the famed No. 43 Sprint Cup car at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March and Talladega Superspeedway in May and have associate placement at Martinsville Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway. They will also support Almirola in both NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Daytona International Speedway.

RPM will place media assets and procure at-track relationships at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Sebring International Raceway with the presenting sponsorship of the Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring. In addition, RPM will build strategic activation programs throughout the Southeastern United States in partnership with key Fresh From Florida retail partners.

"We saw great success with the 'Fresh From Florida' motorsports campaign last year after developing a complete media, retail, event marketing and motorsports event plan which impacted millions of consumers throughout Florida and the Southeast," said Mike Hargrave, Chief Marketing Officer, Richard Petty Motorsports. "This partnership proved fruitful for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by delivering a message regarding the superior quality of Florida products. Through this program the vast motorsports fan base is better educated when purchasing fresh seafood, produce and other products produced in the state of Florida. We look forward to supporting and executing this program in 2015."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Re-Signs-with-Richard-Petty-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon To Run XFINITY Races​*
Two-time NASCAR Champion Austin Dillon will return to the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Rheem Manufacturing Company as primary sponsor on Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 Chevrolet for a majority of the 2015 season.

Dillon, the 2013 XFINITY Series Champion, will drive the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet under the RCR banner during the 2015 season while maintaining a full schedule in RCR's No. 3 Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is a two-time XFINITY Series race winner, 10-time pole winner and holds the record for most consecutive poles in series history.

"Rheem is pleased to continue our long association with Richard Childress and his legendary racing organization," said JR Jones, Rheem President and CEO. "We are looking forward to working with RCR and Austin Dillon again in 2015. Austin has won championships in both the Camping World Truck and XFINITY Series and we are confident he will put Rheem back in the winner's circle again in 2015. As a longtime sponsor in NASCAR, Rheem has been proud to be a part of racing's history and we look forward to being a part of its future."

Rheem Manufacturing Company has a long history of success with RCR having participated as a primary or associate sponsor since 2007 in various NASCAR series. Rheem has been the official heating, cooling and water heating provider to RCR for more than eight years and was the co-primary sponsor with Realtree of Ty Dillon's Sprint Cup Series debut this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"Rheem has a long tradition of reliability and quality in their industry with close to 90 years in the business," said Dillon. "My family has a long tradition in NASCAR and we also have a tradition of reliability and performance. I enjoy racing in the XFINITY Series and will be proud to represent Rheem while contending for wins on Saturday afternoons in 2015."

RCR also provided race trucks and ECR power to support Rheem-sponsored drivers and entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series fielded by various teams in 2014.

"The association with Rheem has been a great one for all of us at RCR," said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "Rheem's focus on providing their customers with reliable and innovative comfort solutions is similar to how RCR likes to approach our business. We both represent quality, durability and overall performance. Rheem's longstanding support of RCR and our sport are appreciated by everyone on our team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/11/Austin-Dillon-to-Run-Xfinity-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Front Row Denies Driver Change​*
A BK Racing co-owner told Motor Racing Network on Wednesday he's "98.5 percent certain" Cole Whitt will leave the team for Front Row Motorsports.

Anthony Marlowe tweeted congratulations to Whitt late Tuesday night for landing the No. 34 ride at Front Row Motorsports but conceded to MRN on Wednesday that he might have been wrong on the car number, saying it could be the No. 35 car - a car that ran only four races for Front Row this past season.

"I can only believe what I believe and what our team believes and ... what we've heard,'' Marlowe said of his notion that Whitt will join Front Row Motorsports for the 2015 season. "It's been word around the garage for the last 45 days.''

Shari Spiewak, a spokesperson for Front Row Motorsports, told MRN that there are "no expected changes with the 34 car" for next season.

David Ragan drove the No. 34 car this past season, finishing 32nd in points. It marked his third year with Front Row Motorsports. Spiewak said the team anticipates Ragan returning.

"The team is working on getting its 2015 plans finalized and, hopefully, should be able to have everything buttoned up in a few weeks,'' Spiewak told MRN.

Marlowe isn't surprised by Front Row Motorsports' reaction.

"I don't think Front Row has much of a choice but to say what they said pursuant to certain agreements,'' Marlowe said. "Time will tell. Am I 100 percent certain? No. Am I 98.5 percent certain (Whitt is) going to FRM? Yes.

"On one hand, I'm happy for him. When people move on to bigger and better things, it's like 'wow, we just lost a talented person.' I like when people go and succeed. If there is an opportunity there for him to move up the field or make more money or whatever it is ... I wish him the best.

"Both BK Racing and I were very committed to Cole. We definitely hoped to keep him. Are we surprised? If you would have asked us two months ago? Yes. With the noise in the last 45 days, no we're not. I wish he would have called me and told me himself instead of me hearing about it from other team owners or employees in the industry.''

Whitt drove the No. 26 car for BK Racing last season after starting the year with Swan Racing. Marlowe tweeted in April it was his mission to ensure that Whitt drove in every Cup race this past season after Swan Racing announced a restructuring and quit fielding cars.

Marlowe was a co-owner with Swan Racing and merged the No. 26 team with BK Racing. Whitt finished 31st in points, running every race. His best finish was 15th at Talladega during the Chase.

Whitt's car field 31st in car owner points for BK Racing. Front Row Motorsports' No. 38 car of David Gilliland was 30th in car owner points, while the No. 34 car with Ragan finished 32nd in the car owner standings.

Marlowe says that BK Racing plans to again run three cars in 2015 and possibly a fourth car at times.

Ian Moye, a spokesperson for BK Racing, said that the team has not announced any of its drivers for next season. Whitt, JJ Yeley and Alex Bowman finished the season with the team in 2014.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ont-Row-Motorsports-Denies-Driver-Change.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hillman To Lead Scott's RCR No. 2​*
Richard Childress Racing has hired Mike Hillman Jr. to crew chief their No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro team with driver Brian Scott in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Hillman, 36, comes to RCR with 20 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories and two series championships with driver Todd Bodine in 2006 and 2010. Through 235 NCWTS starts he has also earned 93 top-five and 132 top-10 finishes, including 17 pole awards.

The Lockport, N.Y., native joins RCR and the No. 2 Chevrolet team effective immediately.

"This is a great opportunity for a guy like me to become part of RCR and the No. 2 Chevrolet team," Hillman said. "When we first talked about this position, I knew this was something I wanted to do and RCR is known for their storied success at every level in NASCAR.

"Brian Scott is a talented driver who is coming off the best season of his career. He and I share the same goals - wanting to win multiple races and ultimately the XFINITY Series championship. With the team they already have in place, I am confident we will achieve our goals."

This will be Scott's third year with RCR in the XFINITY Series. During that time, the 26-year-old driver has earned four pole awards, nine top-five and 36 top-10 finishes. He's coming off his best season with a final driver points standing of fourth place.

"I look forward to building on what we have achieved the past two seasons with RCR," Scott said. "Mike Hillman Jr. is an excellent addition to our No. 2 Chevrolet team and has a proven track record of success and experience.

I am more than confident he will take our team to victory lane and race for a championship.

"We already have a great nucleus of people on our team and our XFINITY program is strong from top-to-bottom. With the momentum we had at the end of this past season, I feel confident about our 2015 hopes."

Hillman will report to Dr. Eric Warren, Director of Competition, for RCR.

"When we started our search for a new crew chief on the No. 2 team, the name that kept coming up the most was Mike Hillman Jr.," Warren said. "He has a proven track record and everything he's worked and team he's led has been fast. We welcome him aboard and look forward to him, Brian and the rest of the team taking what they did this year to the next level."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/hillman-to-lead-scotts-rcr-no-2/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona's Battle At The Beach Is No More​*
The popular UNOH Battle At the Beach short-track races along Daytona Int'l Speedway's backstretch will not return in 2015, the track announced on Wednesday.

"After much consideration, Daytona Int'l Speedway will not host any future UNOH Battle At The Beach events," track president Joie Chitwood III said. "For the past two years, the UNOH Battle At the Beach has produced thrilling racing on our backstretch.

It was necessary for us to make this difficult decision given that we will open 40,000 new seats during Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 as part of the Daytona Rising redevelopment project and will remove the backstretch grandstands prior to 2016 racing season.

"We are pleased to see the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series will remain in Central Florida during Budweiser Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway and encourage fans to attend those exciting races.

The University of Northwestern Ohio has been a great partner in supporting the Battle At The Beach and we look forward to continuing to work with them to grow our relationship."

NASCAR Vice President of Regional and Touring Series George Silbermann also released a statement on the sport's behalf.

"The UNOH Battle at the Beach provided NASCAR's stars of tomorrow an excellent opportunity to participate at The World Center of Racing, but it isn't feasible to continue the event given the progress with the Daytona Rising project," he said.

"Fortunately, nearby New Smyrna Speedway is excited to bring the K&N Pro Series East back for the season opener again this year in addition to its week-long slate of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action; NASCAR fans will still have plenty of opportunities to see exciting short-track action in the Daytona area again this February."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/daytonas-battle-at-the-beach-is-no-more/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vegas Set for Champion's Week​*
After a season filled with exciting racing fueled by the revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, NASCAR will return to Las Vegas in December for its annual postseason celebration - this edition with first-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick as the guest of honor.

NASCAR dignitaries, Hollywood stars and race fans will convene for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week, Dec. 2 through Dec. 5, for an exciting lineup featuring new consumer activations, fan-favorite events and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. Once again, NASCAR headquarters will be anchored at Wynn Las Vegas, a premier resort destination in Las Vegas.

Among the fan-friendly and interactive events this year will be Champion's Week Live at The LINQ Promenade, a new open-air fan hub located in the shadow of the 550-foot tall High Roller experience, offering an assortment of new activities. Returning will be the fan-favorite NASCAR Victory Lap parade, which provides fans with up-close views of Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers in their race cars beginning at Miracle Mile Shops and ending at The LINQ.

Another notable event on the schedule is the annual NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon, where drivers and teams collect a number of year-end awards and accolades. In addition, NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Coca-Cola and Sprint, will feature an interactive Q&A where Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers share their biggest moments of the season, followed by an event-closing performance by Republic Nashville artist Cassadee Pope.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week will culminate with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards, where this year's Chase drivers will be recognized for their accomplishments on stage before a star-studded audience comprised of teams, owners, celebrities and fans. FOX Sports 1 will provide coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards beginning at 9 p.m. ET. Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will begin coverage at 8 p.m. ET.

Following is a rundown of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week activities; all times are Pacific time unless otherwise noted.

*Tuesday, Dec. 2* 
• *NASCAR Live:* Eli Gold will sit down for an hour with 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick to discuss his season, the new Chase format and what winning the championship means. NASCAR Live will air from inside the Race and Sports Book at Wynn Las Vegas from 4 - 5 p.m. on Motor Racing Network. This event is free to the public and fans in attendance will have a chance to participate in the live broadcast.

*Tuesday - Wednesday, Dec. 2 - 3* 
• *2014 NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum:* The 15th annual NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum, presented by SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal, is the motorsports industry's most comprehensive business forum. Once again, the event will be held at Aria Resort & Casino.

*Wednesday - Friday, Dec. 3 - 5*
• *Pit Pass Check-In:* Beginning Wednesday, Dec. 3, fans can pick up a Pit Pass at NASCAR fan headquarters, Champion's Week Live at The LINQ Promenade, and start checking in at various locations around the city where NASCAR partners will feature displays, including show cars. Running from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. each day, check-in locations include Tropicana (Ford), Treasure Island (Daytona International Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway), Paris Las Vegas (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) Caesars Palace (Chevrolet), Lagasse Stadium at The Palazzo (Toyota), and Excalibur (Mechanix Wear).

*Wednesday - Friday, Dec. 3 - 5* 
• *Champion's Week Live at The LINQ Promenade:* The center of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week experience will be at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip - Champion's Week Live at The LINQ Promenade, the ultimate NASCAR fan headquarters. Open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. each day, fans can purchase Chase merchandise at the NASCAR Superstore, get their photo taken with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy, and view Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver cars on display.

*Wednesday, Dec. 3* 
• *Fanfest Presented by Las Vegas Motor Speedway:* Held at the Fremont Street Experience, the sixth annual LVMS Fanfest will begin at 2 p.m. This event is free to the public and will consist of a red carpet walk by the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers, followed by a special "game show format" event. Select fans may be chosen to participate in an onstage game with the drivers with the chance to win two tickets to the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards held two nights later at Wynn Las Vegas.

*Thursday, Dec. 4* 
• *NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon:* The annual awards luncheon and industry gathering will take place from 11 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. in the Encore Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas, where several team and individual awards will be presented.

• *NASCAR Victory Lap:* The green flag on the Victory Lap will fly at 3:30 p.m. when the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers parade down Las Vegas Boulevard in their race cars. NASCAR Victory Lap will start in front of the Miracle Mile Shops and finish at The LINQ Promenade. Fans will once again have the unique opportunity to experience the excitement of NASCAR with two burnout sections and viewing areas along the route.

• *NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford, Coca-Cola and Sprint:* Another highly-anticipated event is NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford, Coca-Cola and Sprint, which will be held from 5 - 6:30 p.m. at The Pearl Theater inside Palms Casino Resort. Featuring the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers and a performance by country artist Cassadee Pope.

*Friday, Dec. 5* 
• *2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards:* This black-tie celebration will be held at Wynn Las Vegas, where the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver and owner and the other Chase drivers will be honored. Motor Racing Network will begin coverage at 8 p.m. ET. FOX Sports 1 will air the show live beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

• *Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Reveal:* The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award will be given to one dedicated NASCAR fan who has made a profound impact on children in his or her community. The NASCAR Foundation will announce the national award winner during this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. Fans can cast their vote for the 2014 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award winner by visiting www.NASCAR.com/award before 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 4.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Las-Vegas-Set-for-NASCAR-Champions-Week.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Address Side Skirt Issue​*
NASCAR executive holds court in impromptu Twitter chat

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season wound down, the flaring out of side skirts gained more attention both on television and in the garage, despite it being within the rules.

The sanctioning body plans to address the issue, NASCAR Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell shared via Twitter on Tuesday evening as he responded to a fan question.








Yanking the side skirts in front of the rear wheels during pit stops was perceived to provide an aerodynamic benefit as a makeshift fender flare.

The practice became more commonplace in the second half of the season as teams attempted to improve airflow over the rear of the car. NASCAR officials did not regulate the practice.

In the impromptu Twitter chat, O'Donnell also shared about how many Goodyear tire tests he expected in 2015, as well which track on the circuit is his favorite.








*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...ule-change-steve-o-donnell-twitter-chat.html#


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski: Truck Team Lost $1 Million In 2014​*
Brad Keselowski's truck team didn't turn a profit in 2014.

The 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion said Tuesday that his Camping World Truck Series team lost $1 million in 2014. Brad Keselowski Racing fielded two trucks in 2014, one for Ryan Blaney and another driven primarily by Tyler Reddick and was also driven by Joey Logano and Keselowski.

Keselowski made the remarks at the Sports Business Journal Motorsports Marketing forum in Las Vegas ahead of Friday's Sprint Cup Series banquet.



> _"It's really simple, you've got to cut costs and raise more revenue,'' he told Motor Racing Network. "It's easier said than done. It's all hands on deck to make that happen. I worry all the time about it.
> 
> "I sat in meetings before I came here this week talking about it, trying to decide where we're at, what's acceptable for a loss. I'd like to be able to pay every one of my employees 60-70 grand a year with full benefits ... but if the business goes sour because of that that's not really going to work.
> 
> "I'd love to be able to have my Trucks in the wind tunnel every week, and I'd love to be able to have a bunch of things for competition that it's going to take, but it would just run the business broke.
> 
> "I'm not interested in being involved in the Truck Series if I don't feel like we can be competitive. My breaking point is two areas - it's going broke and not being competitive. We have to walk that line every day with every decision we make.''_


 It's not the first time Keselowski has mentioned the fact that his team isn't profitable. In July, on ESPN's Marty and McGee podcast, Keselowski also talked about his truck team's numbers and mentioned the $1 million loss.

Keselowski's teams finished third and sixth in the owner's points standings in 2014. And his comments are continued cause for concern in the long-term health of the Truck Series

An easy solution, on the surface anyway, would be for Keselowski to run more races himself. As a Cup champion, he is easily marketable, and, logically, more valuable to sponsors. But Keselowski said he's limiting himself to three races in 2015.

The limit, while a noble endeavor and something not to be quibbled with, makes it a tough proposition to make money. When combined with prize money, the sponsorship revenue for a less-known driver clearly doesn't match up to the costs required to field a competitive team. And for people who love racing and winning, it's a tough dilemma. What's more important, winning or breaking even?

Keselowski, like Kyle Busch, is in a great position relative to others because of his financial ability from his NASCAR career. Others, especially those trying to break into NASCAR, simply don't have the assets required to be able to lose money while attempting to run competitively.

But even for wealthy Cup drivers, it's not a good long-term strategy.

Something has to change in the Truck Series, but what will it be? Truck counts dwindled in 2014 and will likely stay at the same levels in 2015. There's a distinct competitive imbalance as 24 trucks competed in all 22 races last season and 9 of them finished more than 300 points behind the No. 51 truck, which owned the title.

Can NASCAR implement cost-limiting procedures above and beyond the limitations of pit crew members? We don't profess to have the fix, but common sense knows that for the long-term health of the series, there needs to be viable ways to be successful both on the track and financially.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...k-team-lost--1-million-in-2014-153717681.html


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Has 4th Surgery On Right Leg​*
Tony Stewart has undergone a fourth surgery on the leg he broke last year during a sprint car race in Iowa.

Related Stories

Stewart broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg during the Aug. 5, 2013, crash and underwent two surgeries immediately after the accident, including one to insert a metal rod inside the tibia.

A third surgery last year was to close a wound on his shin. Stewart spokesman Mike Arning called Monday's surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina, the equivalent of routine maintenance.

Arning said Stewart will be on crutches in Las Vegas, where he will attend an industry-wide luncheon on Thursday and the season-ending awards ceremony that will fete Harvick.

Harvick won his first career championship in his first season driving for SHR, the team co-owned by Stewart. It was Stewart who lured Harvick to SHR with the promise he could win a championship driving for his good friend.

Because of the surgery, Stewart will defer team owner duties to co-owner Gene Haas. SHR will have Haas sit with Harvick at the head table and handle speaking duties, while Stewart planned to sit in the audience.

The three-time NASCAR champion missed the final 15 races of last season before returning to competition in February. He walked with a noticeable limp all season, but insisted his leg felt at its best when he was in the car. Still, his performance was below-par and his 15-year winning streak ended at last month's season finale. Stewart finished 25th in the final standings and missed the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship for the second consecutive year, third time since its 2004 inception.

Stewart sat out three races this year following the Aug. 9 accident in which Kevin Ward Jr. was killed when he was struck by Stewart's sprint car during a dirt track race in New York.

He was a shell of his former self following his return and struggled to get his performance up to par. But, he still managed to celebrate after the finale when Harvick gave Stewart-Haas Racing its second title in four years. Stewart has now won two championships as a car owner, with his 2011 title as driver/owner the first for SHR.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tony-stewart-4th-surgery-leg-181811983--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Names Pearn Crew Chief​*
Furniture Row Racing announced Wednesday that Cole Pearn has been promoted from lead race engineer to crew chief of the No. 78 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Pearn, 32, replaces Todd Berrier, who has been offered a key position to remain at Furniture Row Racing.

Joe Garone, Furniture Row Racing's general manager, said the team has also made new hires to strengthen the engineering staff.

"In an effort to continue to move the team forward we feel the personnel changes and new additions will yield positive results on the race track," said Garone. "Cole has played a vital role in our growth. The well-rounded skill sets that be brings to the table in his new position as crew chief will he instrumental in our commitment to once again become a Chase participant. As a former racer and an experienced engineer, Cole has a thorough understanding of what it takes to bring us to that level."

Pearn initially joined Furniture Row Racing from Richard Childress Racing at the start of the 2010 season. He led Furniture Row's race-engineering staff through mid-year of 2011. He returned to the Denver-based team as the lead race engineer in the middle of 2012.

A native of London, Ontario, Pearn competed as a racer in what is now known as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. He also raced late models and was a three-time Canadian national go-kart champion.

Pearn is a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/furniture-row-names-pearn-crew-chief/


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## Ckg2011

*FOX, NBC Collaborate On NASCAR Promotion​*
On the heels of one of the most exciting NASCAR seasons in recent memory, the award-winning marketing teams at FOX Sports and NBC Sports have co-created an adrenaline-charged on-air promotion that is set to unfold on multiple network platforms.

The announcement was made Wednesday as part of a panel featuring NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus and FOX Sports President, COO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks at the 2014 Sports Business Journal Motorsports Marketing Forum in Las Vegas.

Overseen by NBC Sports Group's CMO John Miller and Robert Gottlieb, EVP of Marketing, FOX Sports, the collaboration is designed to promote the 2015 season and further the momentum NASCAR has been enjoying since the thrilling conclusion of the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

In February, the green flag waves over a new 10-year broadcasting partnership in which FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1 handle the Daytona 500 and first half of the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series seasons, before turning over the keys to NBC and NBCSN for the seasons' second half and the reinvigorated Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It's no secret that we compete rather fiercely in most other areas of our business, but given all of the excitement surrounding the sport, we felt the time was right to come together and celebrate our new broadcast partnership," said Miller. "Our collective competitive spirit yielded a piece that turned out extremely well, and we're looking forward to future collaborations as we build on NASCAR's momentum."

"This approach simply makes sense," Gottlieb added. "The new distribution of NASCAR programming across FOX and NBC lends itself to a co-branded effort. We're excited to tell NASCAR Nation about how great the 2015 season is going to be. Having FOX carry the first half, and having NBC carry the second half, is a clean and simple schedule that lets fans know where to go each weekend to get the NASCAR action they love."

"As we crown a first-time Champion and celebrate what has been an exciting year for NASCAR in 2014, it's great to see that NBC and FOX have already created a spirit of collaboration and synergy that will propel the sport forward," said Brent Dewar, NASCAR's chief operating officer. "Two of the world's largest media companies collaborating on NASCAR-themed creative months before a new season begins demonstrates the level of commitment the industry and our fans can expect from NASCAR and our television broadcast partners in 2015 and beyond."

On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015.

The NASCAR on FOX relationship opened with the 2001 Daytona 500, adding the full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule in 2003 and, as part of the most recent television agreement, additional Sprint Cup races and 14 XFINITY Series events beginning in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/fox-nbc-collaborate-on-nascar-promotion/


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Enjoying New Role​*
Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick says NASCAR's new Chase format is "probably the best thing that has happened to our sport in a decade.''

Harvick made the comment Tuesday at the Motorsports Marketing Forum sponsored by Street Smith's SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal at the Aria Resort. Harvick also said that the Chase format pushed drivers to new levels and that he's beginning to understand the responsibility of the being a champion.

He's also enjoying some of the benefits.

In a whirlwind tour that has taken Harvick to the top of the Empire State Building, and appearances on "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," since winning the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month, Harvick said his favorite experience was visiting his Bakersfield, Calif., high school Monday.

"To go back and take the trophy and put it in front of those kids and make them realize their dreams ... (that) they can achieve them no matter rich, poor or in between,'' was special Harvick said.

"That to me was the most impactful thing. The TV shows ... and all that stuff is great, but if we can influence those kids, those 960 kids that were sitting in that gymnasium than we've done something and made a difference.''

Harvick won his first Cup title by winning the final two races of the season. His victory at Phoenix International Raceway in the season's penultimate race put him in the title event at Homestead. He won the crown by by finishing half a second ahead of title contender Ryan Newman for the win.

That championship race sparked the sport. TV ratings increased for two of the final three races.

"You could feel the energy, you could feel the change and you could feel the excitement of everything that happened throughout the year,'' Harvick said. "The aggressive style of racing ramped up because everybody was willing to take chances. People like to watch that.''

Harvick also isn't afraid to take chances. He had been with Richard Childress Racing since 2001 before leaving to join Stewart-Haas Racing before this season. He had a new team, new crew chief, new crew members and new cars.

"I love taking chances,'' Harvick said. "It's always fun to see how far you can push something to make it better. Sometimes you can't be scared to fail. You're going to make decisions and you're going to have them go wrong sometimes. In the end, making those bold decisions and trying to move things forward to progress in the right direction is going to make you more successful.''

More than a new title or trophy, Harvick carries something else as a new series champion. A new responsibility.

"Everybody has reminded me that you have a responsibility as a champion to represent the sport well and I take that seriously and want to do everything that we can to build the sport,'' he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...12/Kevin-Harvick-Relishing-Champion-Tour.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JR Motorsports Announces Crew Chiefs​*
JR Motorsports announced the additions of Dave Elenz and Jason Burdett to its 2015 crew chief lineup on Wednesday. The two newcomers join veteran Ernie Cope to complete the crew chief roster that JR Motorsports will take into the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

Elenz will serve as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s, Kevin Harvick's, and Kasey Kahne's crew chief on the multi-driver No. 88 team (formerly the No. 5/88 team).

Burdett will serve as Regan Smith's crew chief on the No. 7 Taxslayer.com team, allowing Ryan Pemberton to return to his original post as the company's director of competition. Both Elenz and Burdett come to JR Motorsports by way of Hendrick Motorsports.

Cope begins his second season at JR Motorsports but will transition to the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team and spearhead Chase Elliott's defense of his 2014 XFINITY Series championship. The upcoming season will be Cope's 13th as a crew chief. Despite his 14 career victories, this will mark only the second time Cope has been paired with a full-time driver to compete for a championship.

"This group gives us an exciting mix of proven experience, future potential, and new opportunities for everyone involved," said Earnhardt Jr., owner of JR Motorsports. "Ernie is one of the best crew chiefs in the business, and yet he's rarely had the opportunity to compete for a championship. Now he gets that chance with Chase Elliott.

"Bringing in Dave Elenz and Jason Burdett gives us the opportunity to call up some of the best talent at Hendrick Motorsports and give them a shot at taking the next step in their careers. That is the sort of foundation on which we built this company, and I'm excited to continue that with two individuals who I feel will have successful careers as crew chiefs in this sport."

Previously an engineer on both the No. 88 and No. 48 teams at Hendrick Motorsports, Elenz is a native of Gaylord, Mich., and graduate of Clemson University. He joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 as engineer on Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 team after stints at Jasper Racing (2001-02), Ginn Racing (2003-07) and Red Bull Racing (2009-11). Elenz spent one year on the No. 88 team before becoming an engineer on Jimmie Johnson's championship-winning team in 2013.

"I'm really excited to have the opportunity to work with JR Motorsports," Elenz said. "They've had a lot of success in recent years. I look forward to learning from those successes. To be able to work with the talented drivers we have in the 88 car next year is pretty unbelievable. I know we'll be competing for wins each and every week with those drivers."

Burdett is a native of Arkport, N.Y. His 17-year NASCAR career includes eight seasons as a car chief at Hendrick Motorsports for Johnson (2002), Jeff Gordon (2008-10) and Earnhardt Jr. (2011-14).

Burdett played an integral role in Earnhardt Jr.'s four-win 2014 season, in which the team earned a Daytona 500 victory, a Pocono sweep, and a long-awaited Martinsville win.

"There is a lot of excitement surrounding JR Motorsports right now and I'm thankful to be part of it," Burdett said. "I'm grateful to Kelley, Dale Jr. and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports who I've learned from over the years. Being able to take this next step with JR Motorsports is a privilege. I'm looking forward to working with Regan and the entire group next year."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/nationwide/jr-motorsports-unveils-crew-chief-lineup/


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Changes Pair Former Rivals​*
The man who helped deny Carl Edwards a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship three years ago now will try to help his old foe win a title.

Thursday's announcement by Joe Gibbs Racing that it was switching crew chiefs among some of its Cup drivers unites former rivals Darian Grubb and Edwards.

In 2011, Grubb was Tony Stewart's crew chief, helping Stewart beat Edwards for the title. Stewart won five races in the Chase, including the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the crown. Grubb guided Stewart to the crown despite knowing about halfway through the Chase he would not be back with the team after that season.

A couple of weeks after losing the title, Edwards sought Grubb in Las Vegas a day before the awards banquet.

"I wanted to see what he was like,'' Edwards said after Thursday's Myers Brothers Awards Lunch at Encore. "What kind of guy knows he's not going to have a job at the end of the year and steps up his performance like that and keeps his focus? I think that takes a very special guy. Tony and I talked about it. Everyone recognizes how special it was for him to do that.''

Grubb moved to Joe Gibbs Racing after that season and paired with Denny Hamlin. While Hamlin made it to the title round in the new Chase format this season, Grubb and Hamlin never had the constant success many envisioned. After winning five races together in 2012, their title hopes ended early the following season when Hamlin was injured and missed four races. Since that point, Hamlin has won only two races. Also during that time, Joe Gibbs Racing has struggled. The organization won two races this past season - its fewest wins in a season since 2004.

Those struggles - along with Edwards' arrival - made this right time for JGR to examine its driver and crew chief lineup. Matt Kenseth is the team's only driver back with the same crew chief, Jason Ratcliff. Dave Rogers moves from Kyle Busch to be with Hamlin. Adam Stevens moves from JGR's Xfinity team to be Busch's crew chief.

Edwards will get to learn more about Grubb when they take part in a Goodyear tire test Tuesday and Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They'll be joined by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sam Hornish Jr. and Paul Menard.

"To be able to work with Darian is really special for me,'' Edwards said. "I saw firsthand how tough he is in 2011. He was flawless on the box. I know how bad he wants it. He's like Bob Osborne (Edwards' crew chief in 2011). That relationship was very good. To be able to work with Darian, I think, it's an opportunity to learn.''

And win, he hopes.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vals-Paired-Together-At-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TV Executives Discuss 2015 Season​*
The upcoming season marks a new era for NASCAR fans with how they will watch the sport. ESPN no longer broadcasts races. NBC and NBCSN will along with Fox and Fox Sports 1.

NBCSN and Fox Sports 1 are in about 10 million fewer homes than ESPN. They will air 19 of the 36 Sprint Cup points races. The other Cup races will be on Fox and NBC, which have a greater reach than ESPN.

Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group, and Eric Shanks, Fox Sports President, spoke about their plans for the 2015 season Wednesday at Sports Business Journal's Motorsports Marketing Forum.

What they say matters. Their companies will pay a reported $8.2 billion to broadcast NASCAR races through 2024.

They discussed having races on their smaller cable channels, live streaming, announcers, what fans will see and more. Here's what they said.

What will be different in 2015?

*Shanks (Fox):* "Coming back this year is the gyro cam, which we kind of stole from Moto GP. (It) shows the banking in a lot of superspeedways. We continually try to get more microphones in the cars, putting cameras in new places. We're working with the R&D Center at NASCAR with that. We're going to have a new graphics package this year.

*Lazarus (NBC):* "We will have a new look and a new feel. We think we've assembled a terrific group of talent. There will be more announcements on that later. We'll continue to innovate as well.''

What are you online streaming plans for 2015?

*Lazarus (NBC):* "We will stream every race, every practice, every run for the pole at NBC Sports Live Extra through the authenticated app.

*Shanks (Fox):* (Confirmed they would do same via Fox Sports Go app).

How do you make decisions on announcers?

*Shanks (Fox):* "This is a sport where the longevity of the athletes is probably beyond any other sport that we cover. Guys don't retire. Guys don't come out, so the opportunity to grab entertaining, informative personalities is not there. I believe we have for the past 15 years had the most exciting, most entertaining announcers out there.''

About having races on Fox Sports 1 and NBCSN, which are not in as many homes as ESPN:

*Shanks:* "We both believe in sports to build businesses. We shouldn't shy away from the fact clearly yeah, we want to build to Fox Sports 1 and (Lazarus) wants to build NBC Sports Network, so we invest in writing a bigger check to any sports property to be able to build those businesses. We want to build more distribution.''

How do you go against NFL games late in the NASCAR season to attract fans?

*Lazarus (NBC):* "There's room for both. There are a lot of rating points out there every weekend. We have to make people aware of where the races are in a consistent marketing message and a quality produced environment. We think we'll take what is the core that has been following the sport for the last number of years and continue to grow it. There's a lot of competition. It's not just football. There are a lot of young males watching other programming as well.''

What changes do you hope will be made to the sport going forward?

*Lazarus (NBC):* "When Brian (France) and the team told us they were going to try (the new Chase format) this year before the new contract, I was disappointed. I was "Let's start it with the new contract, I want to be a part of that.' In hindsight, I think they made exactly the right call to seed it for a year coming into the new contract. When we get to Daytona everyone is going to know what to expect. In terms of new ideas, keeping the racing competitive, keeping it exciting.''

*Shanks (Fox):* "We need to generate new fans. We need that competition on the track every week. I think we're set up to do that with both the scheduling, playoff format and the fact that the package for the new car is, hopefully, going to provide that competitive racing. The drivers are the stars. Very few people buy T-shirts with a crew chief's name on it. We need these drivers to stand out, and we need them to be the absolute stars of winning and losing a race.''

The fighting that took place, was that good for TV?

*Shanks (FOX):* "Of course.''

*Lazarus (NBC):* "It builds tension and excitement and viewers want to see that.

*Shanks (FOX):* "You don't want the sport to lose credibility, but other than that ... as long as it is within the bounds of competition and the sport stays credible, then absolutely.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ox-and-NBC-Executives-Discuss-2015-Plans.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Unveils Crew Chief Lineup​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced 2015 crew chief assignments for each of its seven NASCAR teams on Wednesday.

*Sprint Cup Series:*

Jason Ratcliff, No 20 Toyota driven by Matt Kenseth
Dave Rogers, No. 11 - Denny Hamlin
Darian Grubb, No. 19 - Carl Edwards
Adam Stevens, No. 18 - Kyle Busch

*XFINITY Series:*

Eric Phillips, No. 18 Toyota driven by Daniel Suarez
Chris Gayle, No. 54 - multiple drivers to be named
Mike Wheeler, No. 20 - multiple drivers to be named

"After the expansion of our Sprint Cup Series operations to four teams next year with the addition of Carl Edwards, we evaluated each of our teams and made decisions we feel are best for our organization long-term," said Team President J.D. Gibbs.

"Like Jason and Dave previously, Adam (Stevens) has clearly proven that he is ready to move into the Cup Series. His familiarity with Kyle (Busch) provides the opportunity for us to make that move now. Pairing Dave (Rogers) with Denny (Hamlin) and Darian (Grubb) with Carl (Edwards) will also make each team stronger. Jason (Ratcliff) and Matt (Kenseth) came together quickly and we felt it was in the best interests of the '20' team to keep it as is."

Stevens enters the Sprint Cup Series after spending the previous four years as a crew chief in JGR's Nationwide Series program - where he was a part of 31 wins, 73 top fives and 95 top-10 finishes in 124 starts.

"The XFINITY (formerly Nationwide) Series has been very important to us," Gibbs continued, "not only from a driver development standpoint but also in the development of crew chiefs and other team members that eventually make their way into our Cup programs. Mike Wheeler has been a vital part of our success with Denny (Hamlin) on the Cup side. It's a similar transition to the one we made with Chris Gayle a couple years ago. Chris will remain with us but move over to the No. 54 Toyota with Kyle."

Wheeler has been with JGR since December 2002 and served as race engineer on the No. 11 Cup team since its formation in 2005. He will now serve as crew chief on the No. 20 XFINITY team that will run a full season with multiple drivers. Gayle, who has served as the crew chief on JGR's No. 11 Nationwide Series team the previous two seasons and was an engineer on the No. 18 Sprint Cup Series team prior to that, will now lead the organization's No. 54 XFINITY Series team.

Eric Phillips joins JGR from Kyle Busch Motorsports, where he served as crew chief for the No. 51 team that won the 2014 Camping World Truck Series owners championship.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/12/JGR-Unveils-Crew-Chief-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Oh, The Stories Drivers Tell​*
They cracked on each other whether it was Kevin Harvick's hair or Brad Keselowski's lack of friends. They shared stories about their first job from Matt Kenseth sizing mink hides to Kurt Busch working as a plumber. They marveled at how carefree Kyle Busch was noting his happiness at receiving fewer boos than Keselowski when introduced at NASCAR's After the Lap program at The Palms.

The 16 Chase drivers got together Thursday for some fun, telling stories and poking fun at one another. There were many funny moments - from AJ Allmendinger telling a story about a female fan so excited that he was going to be Kasey Kahne's teammate years ago to Denny Hamlin recalling the time Tony Stewart lectured him early in his career for how he was driving.

One of the more interesting stories came from Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he raced in a NASCAR exhibition event in Japan in 1998. The story involved his father, stolen tires and a flying shoe.

Here's how Earnhardt told it:

"I was driving the Coke car and Dad was driving the Coke car. I thought I was a lot better than I really was. We were coming off of Turn 4 I think and it's just like eight laps to go and I've got some new tires and I'm trying to get everything I can. I passed him and I run him into the wall. We both kind of hooked fenders and it almost wrecked me and then he pushed me all the way down the straightaway. I ended up finishing in front of him.

"We had these trailers where we're changing clothes (after the race). Me and him were sharing this big trailer, and I walked in there. He's sitting down taking his shoes off, and I sit down. I was really happy. First Cup race. I had my head down taking my shoes off and he threw a shoe at me. He didn't say a word at me the whole time I walked in there. He threw a shoe at me and it must have been going 100 miles an hour. He hit the wall behind me and knocked a hole in the wall. He was pissed.

"We had stole a set of tires from his pit stall in the middle of the race. We stole them out of their pit, put them on our car, passed him and ran him into the wall and he was pissed about that. We didn't sit next to each other on that 13-and-a-half hour ride home.''

Hamlin shared a story about his "Welcome to NASCAR moment." It involved JJ Yeley and Stewart.

"It was Lap 8 at Chicago and me and JJ Yeley were running door-to-door and side-drafting and Tony Stewart came up to us in the garage and grabbed both of us by the neck and said 'You guys are ... idiots. You guys are absolutely stupid. This is not the Nationwide Series. You guys are about to wreck.' He just called us all kinds of names. I immediately was like, 'OK, I'm sorry sir.'

"It was kind of funny because before he went off on a rant he went off on his owns stats, 'This is two championships and 26 race wins talking, you guys are idiots.' ''

There were several other funny moments. Drivers picked on Jeff Gordon's age. Many noted how they were Gordon fans when they were younger, including Kyle Busch.

Busch told a story about how car owner Rick Hendrick sat Busch and Gordon down when they both were at Hendrick Motorsports for how they raced each other one time. Gordon said he didn't recall that, leading Busch to say: "He doesn't remember testing the Pepsi car either and I walked up to him and said, 'Hey, I'm Kyle Busch and I'm going to kick your *** in a few years, will you sign this?' ''

Gordon didn't recall that moment.

One story Gordon recalled, though, was the time Earnhardt helped him get out of a ticket.

It was after Earnhardt had joined Hendrick Motorsports and Gordon was talking to him on the phone as he drove. Suddenly, Gordon saw a police car behind flashing its lights. Gordon pulled over.

"The (officer) was 'license and registration,' '' Gordon said.

Then Gordon had a question for the officer.

"Are you a Dale Jr. fan?'' Gordon said. "I knew the way he looked at me he was definitely not a Jeff Gordon fan. I've seen that look before. So I handed the phone (to the officer).''

Earnhardt talked to the officer, who then told Gordon "have a nice day.''

"It's a true story,'' Earnhardt said.

Others also had their fun. Kurt Busch poked fun at Keselowski for looking at his phone while they were on stage.

"I'm on the phone with my girlfriend, who sent me a picture of her in her bra,'' Keselowski said. "Priorities.''

Greg Biffle said: "That's not the first time you've seen it, is it?''

"Definitely not the first,'' Keselowski said. "I'm not complaining. I've got a great girl. I don't want to ruin it. I'm pretty good at ruining it, so I'm not going to say anything more.''

That led Hamlin to reply: "It's the last good relationship he's got.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Poke-Fun-At-Each-Other-At-After-The-Lap.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt 'Emotional' About Award​*
The moment caught Dale Earnhardt Jr. off guard. A man known to bear his soul, revealed even more of himself Thursday after being presented the Myers Brothers Award at the NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon at the Encore.

"It's really emotional,'' Earnhardt said of being called on stage to be honored for his contributions to the NASCAR. "I felt like I was going to fall apart talking about it.

"I couldn't figure out if I was nervous or excited. Once I got up there I felt I was running 100 miles an hour, I was so excited and happy. I had as much fun delivering and giving that speech as I've had any other speech. I really enjoyed conveying my appreciation because it's so genuine.''

The award, voted on by the more than 200 media members of the National Motorsports Press Association, is named for NASCAR pioneers Billy and Bobby Myers and has been presented since 1958. Former winners include Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart along with Motor Racing Network and MRN announcer Barney Hall. Finalists this year were Sprint, Nationwide and ESPN.

Afterward, Earnhardt was asked how proud his father would have been.

"I can't even imagine,'' Earnhardt said smiling. "He probably would have derailed the whole thing.''

Earnhardt then impersonated his father and what he might have said: "He don't deserve that! Not yet! Don't give that to him! He's only 40.''

Earnhardt couldn't stop smiling.

His contributions to the sport include JR Motorsports, which has served as a pipeline for young drivers and crew members to move to the Sprint Cup Series, and his 235 appearances for Make-A-Wish Foundation - a total that ranks among the top five among professional athletes.

"I did a lot of Make-A-Wish meet and greets early in the my career and I got to understand exactly how powerful that experience is,'' Earnhardt said."You get to learn more and more about Make-A-Wish and you get to understand all these opportunities and the list of the things they can do. 'We'll take you here, we'll take you there, whatever you want to do.' For those kids to pass on all the things that I know are available and come to the race track to meet me is unbelievable.''

Earnhardt's excitement was evident a few minutes after walking off stage when Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson congratulated him.

"That's awesome,'' Johnson said.

"Isn't that cool?'' Earnhardt said.

"That's so cool,'' Johnson said.

"I couldn't believe it,'' Earnhardt said. "I'm blown away.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...onor-Catches-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Off-Guard.aspx

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes Fans Along For A Ride​*


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## Ckg2011

*Could Change Be Coming?​*
NASCAR is discussing how to determine the XFINITY and Camping World Truck champions this coming season.

Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, declined to say Wednesday to Motor Racing Network what the format will be for those two series this coming season.

"We look at every championship every year,'' O'Donnell said after speaking at Sports Business Journal's Motorsports Marketing Forum at Aria Resort. "I can't tell you if it's going to change. We're still looking at it.''

Although NASCAR is examining the issue, it does not mean that a change is coming. Still, NASCAR is pleased with the results of the new Chase format, which created a buzz with its eliminations and one-race championship battle at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We think we hit a home run,'' O'Donnell said about the Chase during his presentation. "We are really excited with how it came out.

"I think one of the biggest assets of the Chase is the dialogue around the number of teams, which means more sponsors are being talked about, more drivers. If you take that same mentality, why wouldn't we want 10 or 12 drivers being talked about in the XFINITY Series, 10 or 12 drivers being talked about Camping World? I'm not saying we're there yet, but there is some dialogue going on about what we could do in the future.''

O'Donnell also addressed other topics during his speech, including shortening races and if another series other than the Camping World Trucks could run at Eldora Speedway.

O'Donnell said series officials continue to study race lengths.

"If cars are three- and four-wide at Talladega for three hours, I've never heard one fan say shorten that race,'' O'Donnell said. "If we get the product right, we wouldn't be talking about race lengths for the most part. Having said that, you look at the sweet spot now for sports is two and a half to three hours. We're getting closer to that three-hour mark, but there are races we will continue to look at.''

Twenty-one of the 36 points races last season lasted more than 3 hours with the longest races the Coca-Cola 600 (4 hours, 7 minutes), Atlanta (3:55), the Southern 500 (3:53), the Texas Chase race (3:52) and the spring Texas race (3:48 ).

The shortest race was the rain-shortened Daytona race in July. It went 2 hours, 9 minutes. The shortest race that went the full distance was Watkins Glen at 2:26.

O'Donnell also was asked about running another series at Eldora.

"I think for now we're really happy with the Trucks right now at Eldora,'' O'Donnell said. "I like the fact that people are talking about Eldora and are looking forward to it. Wouldn't rule out maybe another Truck race down the road on dirt.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cussing-Possible-Changes-To-Championship.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Donny Lia Lands New Modified Tour Seat​*
Donny Lia and Mark Sypher have joined forces to contest the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the No. 8 Chevrolet.

Lia, the 2007 and 2009 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, is looking forward to this new opportunity. In late October it was announced that the two-time champion would be parting ways with Mystic Missile Racing, which he had raced for since 2007.

"I'm really excited about this new challenge," said Lia. "I want to thank Mark for his interest in partnering with me and for the opportunity to drive his cars. We're really creating a new team from the ground up and it's exciting to have this fresh start."

Sypher, who has been a NWMT team owner for nine years, is excited about the opportunity to combine resources with Lia and build a championship contending team in 2015.

"Joining forces with Donny is going to put us in a great position for 2015," said Sypher. "I do want to note that I wish Glenn Reen the best in his next opportunity. He's a hard working individual and did a great job with what we had. This decision primarily is based on combining resources with Donny to create a better race team and contend for a championship this year."

Lia, who has 17 wins in the touring series, will pilot a LFR Chassis in 2015.

"I really think we'll have a championship winning team right out of the gate," continued Lia. "We've got good cars, good motors and some good people. I'll have a few guys coming back from my #18 days, which I'm really excited about. There's no reason why we couldn't compete for wins right away."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/donny-lia-lands-new-modified-tour-seat/


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## Ckg2011

*Rachel Rupert Ready To Pass The Miss Coors Light Torch In 2015​*
*F*or the last four seasons when a NASCAR Sprint Cup or Nationwide Series driver won a pole in qualifying, there has been a familiar face waiting in the wings to celebrate the accomplishment.

Introduced on Sept. 19, 2010, Miss Coors Light Rachel Rupert has been a staple in NASCAR as she presents the Coors Light Pole Award to participating drivers and teams. Initially selected from a group of more than 100 women who applied for the role, Rupert earned the spot due in large part to her love and knowledge of racing, as well as her bubbly personality.

Since taking on the role in 2010, Rupert has traveled the NASCAR schedule, presenting trophies, making appearances at multiple locations around the track, and hosting guests throughout the weekend.

Yet as the 2014 season came to a close, so did Rupert's full-time tenure as Miss Coors Light, as her successor was to be introduced Thursday during Sprint Cup Champion's Week activities in Las Vegas, Nev.

The selection process for the next Miss Coors Light began midway through the 2014 season. With hundreds of women applying once again, the group was narrowed down to a "six pack" of candidates, with a fan vote playing a role in deciding the ultimate winner.

While 2014 was Rupert's final full season as Miss Coors Light, she is returning for select races in 2015 to help the new Miss Coors Light adjust to the role and get used to the demands of the role.

Taking a step back before leaving the role completely, Rupert is eager to pass on the brand she helped build from the beginning.

"The best part about this job is that it has been way more than I ever thought it would be," Rupert told FOXSports.com. "To watch this program grow and to be a part of it from the very beginning and pass it off now, no one will ever be able to do that but me. So that's pretty special."

A veteran of the job, Rupert provided some much-needed advice to the group of candidates, ranging from how to pack, what to expect when traveling, and how to adjust to being thrown into the tight-nit NASCAR community.

"I told a lot of them that were trying out that the most important thing is to stay committed to the role, and just remember when you come into this sport you have to earn your respect," she said. "Make sure people know what you're here to do. Always be nice to the race fans, it's very important. The biggest one is how to prepare for the commitment level, because you're going to miss weddings, you're going to miss all kinds of stuff."

While she has been able to travel the country, meet celebrities, and become a prominent figure in her own right, Rupert says the best part of being Miss Coors Light has been becoming part of the NASCAR family.

"Being able to be a part of this family now, that I call NASCAR, is really special," she said. "I think I'm seeing it more and more, and I just get chills thinking about it. Now that everyone knows I'm leaving, everyone's saying, 'We're going to miss you,' and I realize this really is my home away from home and my family away from home.

"Some of these crew guys are like my dads or my brothers, that part has been pretty special. I think that's hard to do if you're around for just a year. It's something you build over time, so I feel like I'm part of this now for a long time."

By passing the torch and stepping out of the limelight, Rupert believes she can walk away from her role proud of what she and the team around her did to build the brand from where it was in 2010 to where it is now.

"This program is something I can be proud of," she said. "I'm proud to pass it on to somebody and know that I started that in a way. I'll be proud to see her.

I'm definitely going to be her biggest fan, but also be her biggest critic."

Rupert jokes she will spend the majority of her newfound free time sleeping and resting, but in seriousness plans to focus on family, friends, and doing things around the house she has been unable to do with her travel schedule. Yet she would also like to stay involved in the sport.

"If I can stay a part of the sport, I would like to," she said. "The biggest thing I'm focused on right now is family life. I'm ready to get married. I'm ready to have kids. I'm focused on that part, but if I can find a way to stay a part of the sport and not travel every week that would be ideal."

A long-time NASCAR fan and now member of the NASCAR family, Rupert does not plan on staying away from the track completely after moving on from her role as Miss Coors Light. Engaged to FUEL Sports Management senior director of driver manager Austin Peyton, Rupert will still be around the NASCAR community of which she has grown to be a part.

"I don't think I can stay away for too long," she said. "I'll probably travel and come to some of the bigger races. There are some markets that I'm really going to miss too that I'll want to come and visit them. I always want to watch the races if I'm not here, so I'm definitely going to be watching from home."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ass-the-miss-coors-light-torch-in-2015-120414


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Ben Rhodes To Drive For JRM In The #88 Car​*
JR Motorsports announced today that Ben Rhodes, the reigning K&N Pro Series East champion, will drive 10 NASCAR XFINITY Series races in the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2015. The 17-year-old Rhodes joins an all-star lineup of drivers for the No. 88 team that includes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne in select races. Alpha Energy Solutions will sponsor the Rhodes-driven races.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Rhodes won the K&N Pro Series East championship as a rookie. With the title he also claimed Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and the series' most popular driver award. His mammoth 2014 included five wins, 11 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. Rhodes also competed four times in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning one top-five and three top-10 finishes.

"Ben is one of the rising talents in NASCAR," JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said. "As a company, JRM takes pride in cultivating young drivers, and together with Alpha Energy Solutions, we're thrilled to give Ben a platform to further develop his skills at the next level. I'm excited to see what this coming year will bring for him and the 88 team."

Alpha Energy Solutions, Inc. is a commercial and industrial mechanical service provider with multiple specialties. It is one of the largest self-performing service providers in the Midwest. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Alpha Energy Solutions provides building management services to commercial and industrial customers. With more than 200 service technicians located throughout Kentucky and surrounding states, Alpha delivers exceptional service.

"I'm thrilled to be joining one of the top teams in NASCAR for the 2015 season," Rhodes said. "It's been my goal to compete in NASCAR's top tiers, and this is a tremendous opportunity with JR Motorsports and Alpha Energy Solutions to race in the XFINITY Series. I couldn't think of a better group of people to surround myself with to continue my growth in the sport. I am looking forward to working with crew chief Dave Elenz, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet with Dale Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne, as well as sharing the track with my teammates Chase Elliott and Regan Smith."

The No. 88 team will compete in the full 33-race XFINITY Series schedule in 2015. Rhodes' complete schedule in the No. 88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet includes races at Iowa Speedway (May 17), Chicagoland Speedway (June 20), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 18 ), a second event at Iowa Speedway (Aug. 1), Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8 ), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Aug. 15), Road America (Aug. 29), Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 26), Dover International Speedway (Oct. 3) and the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 21).

The No. 88 team is the only JR Motorsports team in which multiple drivers will pilot the car throughout the season. It was announced Tuesday that former Hendrick Motorsports engineer Dave Elenz will serve as the team's crew chief.

*Source:*
http://www.jrmracing.com/news/2014/12/05/ben-rhodes-to-join-all-star-lineup-in-jrms-no-88-chevrolet


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## Ckg2011

*And The Most Popular Driver Award Goes Too...​*
On Thursday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. received the prestigious Myers Brothers Award from the National Motorsports Press Association.

A day later, he added yet another trophy to his case.

For the 12th consecutive year, NASCAR Sprint Cup fans voted Earnhardt the sport's most popular driver.

"I want to thank the National Motorsports Press Assocation and Sprint," 
Earnhardt said in accepting the Sprint NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, noting that it was fun to watch his Twitter timeline to see fans announcing that they had voted for him.

"I'd get up in the morning and my timeline is just full of these fans," Earnhardt noted. "That was probably the most humbling experience to see these people putting that effort in."

The award is determined solely by fan voting, and Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne were also among the top 10 vote-getters.

Earnhardt was presented with the award at the black-tie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Friday evening.

It marks the longest streak of consecutive Most Popular Driver wins, just ahead of Bill Elliott's 10 in a row. Elliott won the award a total of 16 times, so Earnhardt is still a few behind the NASCAR Hall of Famer, but his fans continue to help his cause.

"To be able to connect to the fans like that this year and see their efforts, this is for them," Earnhardt said.

This year's award came after one of Earnhardt's best seasons of his entire career.

His four wins and 12 top-five finishes were his best totals since 2004, and he cracked the 20-top-10s plateau for the third consecutive season. That, along with the fact that it was No. 88 crew chief Steve Letarte's final year with Hendrick Motorsports, combined to make 2014 a season to remember for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

"I can't thank you guys enough for what y'all do," Earnhardt said of his fans. "When we had our bad weeks, y'all picked us back up, and when we won, we all celebrated together. So, thank you guys."

*Source:*
http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/...ed-Most-Popular-Driver-for-12th-straight-year


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Celebrates Its Champions​*
His tuxedo was missing a button. The reward of being, as Kevin Harvick called it, a "jungle gym'' for 2-year-old son, Keelan, who also wore a tux.

Then during Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards show, Dale Earnhardt Jr. texted Harvick and told him to straighten his tie.

The disheveled state seemed only natural for Harvick, whose first-year team had that appearances at times this season before going on to win five races and the championship.

When it was Harvick's time to speak at the Wynn, he was as fast and efficient as his car. Harvick's speech lasted less than seven minutes, but he used it to thank not only his teams but car owner Richard Childress for giving him his start and finished it with a chant he and his team did late in the season.

Harvick would yell: "I believe.''

And his crew would respond: "We will win.''

By winning the final two races of the season - including the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway - Harvick earned a seat at the head table and more than $12 million in winnings this season to be split with the team. The amount included $4.8 million for winning the championship.

It was quite a journey to this point for Harvick, who completed his 14th Cup season this year.

"I owe a lot to Richard Childress,'' Harvick said in his speech. "He believed in a punk kid from California enough to give me a ride and then he had the faith to bring me to Cup during an incredibly emotional time for him, RCR and our sport. We did a lot together, and I'm not up here tonight without you Richard, so thank you.''

Harvick admitted leaving Childress for Stewart-Haas Racing was not easy.

"I have to admit that I was scared to death,'' Harvick said. "I tried to play it cool, but it was a pivotal moment in my career. I was venturing outside my comfort zone, and I had to make it work. Tony (Stewart), I consider you one of my best friends. You promised me if I came to Stewart-Haas Racing, we would win a championship. You are a man of your word.''

Now, Harvick, crew chief Rodney Childers and the rest of the team begin to look toward 2015. Childers admits he has plenty of work to do.

"This time last year while all of this was going on, I was sitting there (at the shop) working from five in the morning until 10 at night,'' Childers said. "Somebody else has been doing that this week. Next week I've got to make up for that.''

Asked if he felt guilty, Childers smiled and said: "No.''

Harvick says he looks forward to not only defending his title but representing the sport.

Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson is confident Harvick will represent the sport well.

"He has seen the sport from a lot of different angles,'' Johnson said. "When he speaks people really do listen. It doesn't matter if it's the fan base or all of us inside the garage area. He just has a great perspective from being an owner all those years and being a tough competitor. He has a voice people listen to.''

Harvick says his passion is simple.

"I love what I do and I'm fortunate to be able to drive cars for a living and call it my job,'' he said. "I love my job and I love this sport, I'm looking forward to hopefully representing it well.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Celebrates-Championship-By-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Lack of Sponsorship Has Darrell Wallace Jr. In Career Limbo​*
A year ago Darrell Wallace Jr. became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national touring division race in nearly 50 years. That victory came during Wallace's rookie season in the Camping World Truck Series and he followed that with four wins in 2014.

With five career wins in just two seasons, the future of the 21-year-old charismatic driver from Mobile, Ala.. should be bright. Ideally, Wallace would return to the Truck Series to pursue a championship or continue his climb up the NASCAR ladder by moving to the rebranded Xfinity Series (formerly Nationwide Series) full-time.

Neither of those scenarios, however, is likely to occur. Wallace, instead, finds himself in limbo due to a lack of sponsorship; an all-too-familiar predicament facing many young drivers.

Wallace's current team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, doesn't have the funding needed to run him full-time in trucks. And Joe Gibbs Racing, who Wallace is contracted to, doesn't have the sponsorship needed to have him compete in every Xfinity race.

Team owner Joe Gibbs has stated he's building a "big program" for Wallace next season. Although not official, the plan in 2015 is for Wallace to run select Xfinity events with JGR, with the possibility of additional Truck Series races.

Considering the promise he's shown, running a partial schedule would seem to be a step back in Wallace's growth. But the economic reality being what it is, without sponsorship Wallace is just the latest young driver to experience the quandary of having the required talent just without the necessary funds.

Despite the uncertain future, Wallace isn't dejected. His plan is to take advantage of whatever opportunity does come his way and capitalize -- be it a full-time ride or something partial.

"It's getting people looking, and that's what we have to do," Wallace said. "We have to get people knowing who I am and wanting to be a part of this organization. I don't spend too much time thinking about that.

"In this day and age it's so hard to get the right sponsorship and to get full-time stuff. As racers we just want to race, no matter what it is. I'll take what I can get. I can only go out there and continue to run up front, lead laps and win races."

Wallace's plight is shared by close friend Ryan Blaney, another young talent who's proved deserving of something more permanent, but is likely to run a piecemeal of races in 2015.

Blaney finished runner-up in the 2014 Truck Series championship driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. Additionally, Blaney impressed in limited Nationwide appearances, placing in the top 10 in 13-of-14 starts, including winning the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

But like Wallace, Blaney's 2015 schedule is still not completely finalized. The only thing certain is Blaney, 20, will run a minimum of 12 Sprint Cup races with Wood Brothers Racing and likely one-third of the Xfinity schedule for Team Penske. Beyond that, it's a question mark.

"I'm going to be racing a lot next year and fortunate to be in great cars, so I can't worry about it too much," Blaney said.

The long-term growth of any sport is dependent on the continued development and ascension of new stars. And any list of the NASCAR's rising up-and-comers would certainly include Wallace and Blaney. So what can be done to assure young talent is properly cycled toward the upper levels of NASCAR?

There are no clear-cut, definitive solutions. Strong proponents of providing chances for young drivers, Keselowski and Busch have done just that by fielding multiple Truck Series entries despite incurring great expense. (Keselowski said his team lost $1 million in 2014 in a Motor Racing Network interview Tuesday.)

Unfortunately, the business model of being a team owner in either the Xfinity or Truck Series appears irreparable with costs continuing to soar and revenue streams not matching the expenditures. And that's even when drivers such as Wallace and Blaney deliver high-level results pointing toward future stardom.

"If he's not the most marketable driver in the Truck Series, then I don't know who else would be," said Busch of Wallace. "He's fun. He's engaging. He's witty.

"He loves to do anything you want him to do -- he's a PR dream. We were unsuccessful at selling the guy. His agency was unsuccessful in selling him. JGR has been unsuccessful in selling him. We have three or four sales forces trying to sell Darrell Wallace and we can't. I don't know if it is because of the series or what, but we struck out and I feel really bad for that."

Which means Wallace -- and to a lesser degree, Blaney -- will continue to reside in limbo for the foreseeable future despite proving worthy of greater opportunities.

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2014...arrell-wallace-jr-kyle-busch-joe-gibbs-racing


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shows Off New Nationwide Insurance Helmet​*
*E*arlier this year, Nationwide Insurance announced it was making the move to the Sprint Cup Series as the primary sponsor for fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. after sponsoring NASCAR's second-tier series since 2008.

The insurance company originally planned on being the primary sponsor on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for 12 races in 2015, but expanded that commitment to 21 races in early September.

Changing sponsors means new paint schemes, new driving suits - and a new helmet. Earnhardt Jr. took to his Twitter account on Friday afternoon to show off the new Nationwide Insurance headgear he will sport during the 2015 season.

Designed by Nick Pastura, the new helmet is similar to those worn by Earnhardt Jr. in the past and prominently features skulls from front to back, while also showing off the Nationwide Insurance logo.








*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ws-off-new-nationwide-insurance-helmet-120514


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## Ckg2011

*It Will Be Shocking If Larson Doesn't Win, Contend For Title In '15​*
*I* think one of the most pleasant surprises we all experienced this year had to be Kyle Larson.

This young man did everything but win a race in his rookie season. He finished second three times in 2014. I don't think you ever will have to question whether Kyle Larson is giving you 100 percent at all times. He showed that in spades and it didn't matter if it was practice, qualifying or the race.

He, like all the other drivers, will have the X-factor of the rule changes during the off-season to deal with next season. As you know, NASCAR is going to take away some downforce plus reduce the horsepower in the Sprint Cup cars.

Regardless of that, I will be totally blown away if come mid-September 2015 with the Chase just starting if we aren't talking about the number of races Kyle has won in 2015 and what a contender he will be for the championship.

I think he is in a great situation at Chip Ganassi Racing with a great teammate in Jamie McMurray. I think they learn and feed off each other.

Now that they, along with Kyle and his crew chief, will have a second year together, well, the sky is the limit for this young man. I look for him and that team to be competitive from the drop of the green flag at Daytona next year.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-t-win-races-contend-for-title-in-2015-120614


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## Ckg2011

*Party's Over​*
The parties are over. And so are the hangovers. A week of appearances, parties and meetings have ended for NASCAR. While champion Kevin Harvick garnered most of the attention the past week, there was much to take in these last few days.

A driver talked of paying back a competitor, another called for a schedule change and another said how the sport should grow. Those were among the things you might have missed during this busy week for the sport.

*Payback coming?*

There was plenty of talk this past week about the contact between Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon at Texas last month and the fight on pit road afterward.

With the drivers often at events together, Gordon was asked what it was like spending time with Keselowski this week.

"I'm not staying away from him,'' Gordon said. "I can't say that we've had any deep conversations. It doesn't do you any good to make any enemies trying to win a championship.

"My philosophy has always been I race people the way that they race me. I understand how to race Brad in the future. You always hope with an incident like that that is so important, you hope that you get a chance to pay back somebody for that one day. I don't know if that will happen or not.''

*Schedule change?*

Kyle Larson was asked during the Sports Business Journal's Motorsports Marketing Forum this week what he would do if he ran NASCAR. His idea could present some challenges but there could be some merit and shouldn't be routinely discounted.

Larson's idea?

"We have all these tracks kind of close together and maybe we could do a Speedweek where you start in Martinsville and run on Sunday and then you race Charlotte on Wednesday and then you finish it at Darlington later in the weekend,'' Larson said, harkening back to his open-wheel days on dirt.

"We had a lots of Speedweeks and Sprint Week was one in Indiana where they raced seven nights in nine days. The fans have a blast traveling from each track to the next one. I think those three tracks would be great to have NASCAR do a Speedweek.''

Interesting concept.

*More Manufacturers*

Brad Keselowski said during the Sports Business Journal's Motorsports Marketing Forum that NASCAR needs more manufacturers to join Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.

"When I was first getting started - I remember this very vividly - when Toyota entered the sport how they really upped the ante for all the manufactures and increased the spend from Ford Chevrolet and Dodge,'' Keselowski said. "Looking forward ... I think one of our keys is bringing in a fourth manufacturer or more.''

Keselowski notes the how the manufacturers have ties to tracks, how they could provide more advertising and promotion for the sport and help the teams.

"Gosh, we need all the help we can get there,'' said Keselowski, who noted that his Camping World Truck team lost $1 million this past season despite the organization winning twice and Ryan Blaney finishing second in the points.

Brent Dewar, chief operating officer for NASCAR said that there's "nothing imminent" with a new manufacturer coming to Sprint Cup.

*Danica's crew chief*

The late-season crew chief swap among Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick seems to have worked well for Busch but not Patrick.

Busch got Patrick's crew chief, Tony Gibson, for the final three races and finished no worse than 11th in those events.

"It was great to get back to an old-school crew chief,'' Busch said. "Real refreshing. (Gibson) understands the car and is able to finesse it in a way to where you're not relying so much on simulation as well as the engineering side of things.''

Patrick got Busch's crew chief, Daniel Knost, who has an engineering background. Patrick finished no better than 18th in her three races with Knost.

*So who will be Patrick's crew chief in 2015?*

"We honestly thought that Daniel is a good choice for Danica, he's very technical, he's very smart, he's been an engineer for a number of years,'' car owner Gene Haas said. "Now that he has one year as a crew chief, we believe that he has the potential to help her improve. Now what Danica feels is really what Danica wants. We're here to give Danica what she feels comfortable with. We'll see how that all plays out. We have a few months to work on that.''

*A title that almost wasn't*

Crew chief Rodney Childers has talked about how tough it was to decide to leave Michael Waltrip Racing to join Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing before this season. Friday night, Childers shed a bit more light into how often he wavered on where he would be this season.

After a meeting at Harvick's house in July 2013, Childers sent his wife a message that he would take the job. Then that weekend, Childers helped Brian Vickers win at New Hampshire.

"So I'm standing in Victory Lane and I send her a message I can't do that (leave for Harvick's team),'' Childers said. "I can't turn around and leave this. I've worked so hard for this for three years to get this team to where it is and get these cars to where they are.

"(Deciding what to do) was a struggle every week. I would wake up one day and feel one way, and I would wake up another day and feel another way. It comes down to what is your best chance to win a championship. That's why you do this. If you can't do that there's no point in spending the time away from your kids and your family.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/12/Las-Vegas-Postscript.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*From Left to Right - Kyle Busch, Darrell Wallace Jr and Joe Gibbs​*
*Report: Wallace Seeks Release From JGR​*
Darrell Wallace Jr. is seeking to be released from his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing so he can drive elsewhere, according to a report inThe Charlotte Observer.

The 21-year-old Wallace is coming off a career-best four-win year in the Camping World Truck Series that saw him place third in the points. Wallace also ran two Nationwide races for Joe Gibbs Racing.

After winning last month's Truck season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Wallace said he was unsure where he would race. JGR has been unable to secure sponsorship for him in the Xfinity Series for this coming season.

"I wish things were finalized,'' Wallace said after his Homestead win. "We're continuing to work hard to find out future plans for me.

"In this day and age, it's so hard to get the right sponsorship and to get full‑time stuff. Racers, we just want to race, no matter what it is, if it's boxcars or in the Sprint Cup Series. We want to race, and I'll take what I can get.''

The Charlotte Observer reported that a Joe Gibbs Racing spokesman declined to comment on the report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wallace-Jr-Asking-To-Be-Released-By-JGR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Nemechek Wins Snowball Derby​*
John Hunter Nemechek won the 47th running of the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.

Nemechek used a three-wide pass late in the race to get by Erik Jones and Augie Grill to take his first checkered flag in his third attempt in the Snowball Derby. His previous best finish was fifth, in 2013.

"We definitely had a good car and made the right adjustments all day and when we got up towards the front we figured out that we had a very good race car." said Nemechek, who led a total of 68 laps.

"It's an amazing feeling to be able to win the Snowball Derby and have a bunch of our family here - I'm pretty much speechless."

Nemechek's win ended Jones' consecutive win streak in the event at two. Jones rebounded from a spin earlier when something broke on the car on lap 220. After pitting, Jones was able to stay on the lead lap and then on the last caution with five laps to go he stayed out, along with Grill, when the leaders pitted. After Nemechek passed the pair, Jones' day ended with a 27th-place finish when he and Grill crashed in Turn 2. Grill was able to continue to an eighth-place finish.

The victory also came with little sleep for Nemecheck as he raced and finished second in Saturday's Snowflake 100, which turned out to be a late night/early morning event due to lengthy rain delays.

Prior to this weekend, Nemechek had recorded four wins this year in his Pro Late Model Series Chevrolet, most recently winning the All-American 400 at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on November 1. The Snowball Derby marked his first Super Late Model win.

Dalton Sargeant, Derek Thorn, pole winner Hunter Robbins and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top five in the race that went 323 laps.

NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and 2011 Derby winner Chase Elliott led 44 laps and finished 29th after his car sustained damage following contact while trying to avoid Jones' spin with 80 scheduled laps to go.

Johanna Long, who won in 2010, led 59 laps from the second starting position and finished 17th.

Nemechek competed in a limited-schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year and earned six top-10 finishes, including a top-five run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in 10 starts. Plans for 2015 include a similar Late Model program as well as returning to his No. 8 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports entry in Truck Series action. At age 17, Nemechek is restricted to running on tracks 1.25-miles or less and the road course. Turning 18 on June 11, he will finish out the remainder of the Truck schedule beginning with Kentucky Speedway on July 9, 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/12/Nemechek-Wins-Snowball-Derby.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Darrell Wallace Jr. Released By JGR​*
Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed Monday morning that it has released Darrell Wallace Jr. from his contract, as Wallace requested, so he can drive elsewhere.

The 21-year-old Wallace is coming off a career-best four-win year in the Camping World Truck Series that saw him place third in the points. Wallace also ran two Nationwide races for Joe Gibbs Racing.

After winning last month's Truck season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Wallace said he was unsure where he would race. JGR was unable to secure sponsorship for him in the Xfinity Series for this coming season.

"I wish things were finalized,'' Wallace said after his Homestead win. "We're continuing to work hard to find out future plans for me.

"In this day and age, it's so hard to get the right sponsorship and to get full‑time stuff. Racers, we just want to race, no matter what it is, if it's boxcars or in the Sprint Cup Series. We want to race, and I'll take what I can get.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wallace-Jr-Asking-To-Be-Released-By-JGR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Thunderbirds Returning For Daytona 500​*
For the fifth straight year, the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will provide the flyover for the 57th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener on Sunday, Feb. 22.

The Thunderbirds, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will fly their signature "Delta" formation over the "World Center of Racing" during the finale of the national anthem for "The Great American Race."

The Thunderbirds have visited Daytona International Speedway to perform the flyover for the DAYTONA 500 for the past five years. In addition, the Thunderbirds also provided the flyover in 2008 for the historic 50th running of the Daytona 500.

"The flyover by the Thunderbirds is a signature moment in the pre-race festivities for the Daytona 500," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We're proud and honored to be able to host this elite flying team and the thousands of race fans and the millions more watching on FOX Sports are looking forward to seeing them soar over Daytona International Speedway."

"We have a long-standing relationship with the Daytona 500," said LtCol Greg Moseley, the squadron's commander and lead pilot. "We're grateful to the Speedway for allowing us to share the Air Force story with race fans."

The Thunderbirds feature six F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Air Force's premier multi-role fighter aircraft. Assigned to Air Combat Command, the squadron is composed of 12 officers and more than 100 enlisted Airmen serving in about 30 Air Force job specialties.

Since the unit's inception in 1953, more than 350 million people in all 50 states and more than 60 countries have witnessed the distinctive red, white and blue jets in thousands of official aerial demonstrations.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Thunderbirds-Returning-for-Daytona-500.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Unapologetic​*
If you're waiting on an apology from Brad Keselowski, don't hold your breath.

That's not to say he is perfect and unapologetic. He's made mistakes but says what appears to be his fault isn't always the case, so why apologize for it in those cases?

Take last month's race at Texas for instance.

Keselowski's move to split Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon for the lead resulted in contact with Gordon's car. That caused one of Gordon's tires to go down, costing him a chance to win the race and possibly run for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gordon was furious and sought to Keselowski on pit road after the race.

Some drivers questioned Keselowski turning his back to Gordon shortly after Gordon reached him. Kevin Harvick pushed Keselowski toward Gordon, inciting a melee.

While some wanted Keselowski to apologize - not NASCAR Chairman Brian France, who said of the driver: "I think he's doing exactly what he should be doing'' - Keselowski said he won't take the blame for someone else's mistake.

"I hate it when other guys have bad days,'' Keselowski said. "When it happens, sometimes it comes down to accountability. I try to make it a point whenever I make an aggressive move or one is made upon me that that person has an opportunity to come away clean.

"If that person either does not take it or doesn't succeed at it, then I don't feel any fault or blame and don't see any need to apologize. As to the scenarios that have happened this year that others think I need to apologize for or have made it a point to say so through the media, they've been incidents where, quite honestly, they've made mistakes and they're unwilling to recognize them and I do not feel the need to apologize for someone else's mistake.

"I guess maybe they want me to apologize for putting them in a scenario where they made a mistake, but they had an opportunity to not make it and they did. I feel no sympathy for someone who makes their own mistake other than I don't wish it upon them.''

Gordon said, looking back, he doesn't know what he would do differently in the Texas race.

Keselowski said the move he made to try to take the lead was one that had been made on him.

"I'm out there to do the best I can for my team and in doing so, much as others do to me, you have to put other drivers in risky positions and then put it in their hands where their fate will take them,'' he said. "That happens to me countless time.

"The same move that I had put on Jeff was the same move that Kasey Kahne made to win the race at Atlanta and the same move that Paul Menard made on me a restart prior. I can quite honestly say those two gave me the idea to make that move. In both scenarios, their move was successful because the other driver that was put in the risky position recognized and reacted and saved themselves.

"In this case, that isn't what happen. In that sense, no I don't feel bad. The opportunity was there for other individuals to get out of it scott free and they didn't capitalize on it. I hate that it ruined their day, but I don't feel bad for making the move. I have no need and feel no desire to apologize for laying it all out on the line trying to win a race.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ill-Not-Apologize-For-Mistakes-By-Others.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tire Test Sends Drivers Back To Work​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards will get the chance to work with their new crew chiefs today and Wednesday during a Goodyear tire test at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The test is open the public. The test goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Also testing will be Sam Hornish Jr., who returns to the Cup series with Richard Petty Motorsports, and Paul Menard for Richard Childress Racing.

With all testing - other than Goodyear tire testing - banned this is an important session for these teams.

This marks Edwards' first time in a car with Joe Gibbs Racing. It's also his first chance to work with crew chief Darian Grubb.

"I'm really grateful to my teammates because they basically gave us that test,'' Edwards said of new teammates Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch. "I thought that was really nice of them because they know that Darian and I need to work a little bit together. I've got a new seat in the car that I've never run. I've obviously never run that car, and I've never worked with these guys. For me to be able to do this test, that's huge. It will let us prepare for the season a lot better instead of just going to Daytona and winging it.''

Earnhardt will get his first chance to work with new crew chief Greg Ives, who replaces NBC-bound Steve Letarate.

"Not knowing what the testing schedule was going to be, I was excited to take the opportunity as soon as we could to work together,'' Earnhardt said. "We can't pass up a situation like that to be able to go to the racetrack.

"Greg is a go after it kind of a guy. I'm following his lead. I'm wanting him to hold me accountable, get me to the racetrack, and let's get to work.Tell me what I need to do and I'll be there. That's how I'm going to approach it. The same way I did with Steve. I'm going to try to impress Greg with my work ethic.''

Earnhardt also will get to work with his new car chief, Travis Mack. He was with Chase Elliott's Nationwide championship team but moves to Earnhardt's team with former car chief Jason Burdett becoming Regan Smith's crew chief at JR Motorsports.

Goodyear also has a test scheduled in Las Vegas in mid-January. Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth say they both will be among those at that test.

The Charlotte and Las Vegas tire tests are the only ones scheduled before the start of the season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tures-Carl-Edwards-and-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon Set For Daytona 500 Debut​*
Richard Childress Racing will continue a long-standing partnership with General Mills when NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ty Dillon makes his Daytona 500 debut driving the No. 33 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet for Circle Sport Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener on February 22, 2015 at Daytona International Speedway.

"We are fortunate to have a great partner like General Mills giving me the opportunity to race in one of the most prestigious events in all of sports," Dillon said. "Not only has General Mills been a long-time supporter of RCR but also my family, partnering with Austin (Dillon) for the 2013 Daytona 500 and this past season. I can't thank General Mills and Kroger enough for being part of this race."

General Mills continued its six-year partnership in 2014, helping to bring back the legendary No. 3 to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. The Minneapolis-based company's Honey Nut Cheerios brand, America's Favorite Cereal, was featured on the hood of the No. 33 Chevrolet in 2013 with older brother and current RCR driver, Austin Dillon made his career-debut in the Daytona 500. Now, younger brother Ty Dillon will make his Daytona 500 debut with Cheerios and Kroger.

"We are proud to support Ty Dillon as he makes his Daytona 500 debut," said Brian Kittelson, director of Shopper Marketing and Motorsports at General Mills. "We have been an active sponsor within NASCAR for many years and look forward to joining Kroger in another season opener at Daytona."

RCR is a two-time winner of The Great American Race. The legendary Dale Earnhardt earned RCR's first Harley J. Earl trophy in 1998 and Kevin Harvick won it in 2007.

"The Daytona 500 is a major step in Ty's career and it's terrific to have General Mills as a big part of this monumental race," said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "General Mills has such a great history in NASCAR and we are proud to feature the Cheerios colors on Ty's race car for the Daytona 500 and the millions of NASCAR fans who will be watching. We hope to bring Cheerios a victory."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Sponsor-Ty-Dillon-for-2015-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rule Changes Could Create Rowdier Restarts​*
NASCAR's rock'em-sock'em restarts could get more physical this year.

And that could lead to additional antics after the race.

Former champion Kurt Busch says that NASCAR's reduction of horsepower and downforce might have its biggest impact on restarts.

"None of us are excited about losing power,'' Busch said. "It's going to be tighter on restarts. The first four cars, possibly even six, are going to be stacked on top of each other. We saw at Texas what restarts can do to agitate people, and I think restarts are going to be tougher this year.''

Seven of the 10 Chase races this past season had a caution within the final 10 laps of the event - five Chase races had a caution within the final five laps.

It was a late caution at Texas that bunched the field, leading Brad Keselowski to try to run between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon for the lead. Keselowski and Gordon made contact, cutting Gordon's tire and causing him to spin. Gordon confronted Keselowski after the race, leading to a melee on pit road that resulted in four Hendrick Motorsports crew members being suspended.

Yet, just how these cars will handle on a restart and in traffic won't be known until the start of the season with all testing - except Goodyear tire tests - banned. Goodyear is testing at Charlotte this week and will test at Las Vegas in January. That's it. Some teams tested the rule changes late in the season at Phoenix and Homestead before the testing ban began.

"Hopefully, it will make it easier to pass in traffic,'' Matt Kenseth said of the changes.

While the downforce change isn't as much as some drivers prefer, it still could have an impact in 2015.

"I hope it changes the balance of power a little bit,'' said Carl Edwards, who moves to Joe Gibbs Racing.

His new teammate, Denny Hamlin, thinks the changes could be significant enough to alter the the order of the best teams.

Hamlin said the new rules will emphasize driver-crew chief relationships more "because you can take a car that's not as fast in practice and out-handle guys. That's what low downforce does.''

Hamlin is among the new driver-crew chief pairings this coming season now that's he working with Dave Rogers. Other drivers with new crew chiefs include Edwards (Darian Grubb), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Greg Ives), Kyle Busch (Adam Stevens) and Jamie McMurray (Matt McCall).

Jimmie Johnson struggled with the rule changes this past season, yet still won four races. He feels the new changes can only help him.

"The downforce component to the rule change is something that I'm excited for, and I think a lot of drivers are - even the drivers that like a more stuck, tight race car,'' he said. "We want to create off-throttle time. if you polled all the drivers. that's what were really looking forward to. We want soft tires on the cars and the challenges they bring.

"Until we slow the cars down through the corners, we just can't get there. Some change for next year is good. I think it will shuffle the deck some and allow us to kind of catch up some and get back into this.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hanges-Could-Have-Big-Impact-On-Restarts.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: SMI Removing Sizable Number of Seats At Charlotte, Atlanta​*
The economic issues of recent years have had an impact on NASCAR attendance, and so, multiple tracks on the circuit have reduced their seating capacity to help ease maintenance costs and avoid being criticized for less-than-normal crowds.

You can now add Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks Charlotte Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway to that list. SMI announced today that 41,000 seats will be removed at Charlotte, while 17,000 seats will be removed at Atlanta.

Charlotte currently hosts two Sprint Cup weekends, one featuring the Coca-Cola 600 in May and another featuring a 500-mile Chase race in October. Atlanta has one Cup weekend, which has been moved to the week after the season-opening Daytona 500.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SMI called the removed seats "low demand" and anticipates using the areas for "premium hospitality, advertising, and other facility purposes."

The publicly traded SMI also noted that removal of the seats, which should be complete by the first half of 2015, was expected to "result in a fourth quarter 2014 non-cash, pre-tax charge for accelerated depreciation of approximately $23 million."

It looks like the removal process at Charlotte (which involves seats in Turn 2 and the backstretch) has already begun.

Richard Childress Racing director of research and development Slugger Labbe tweeted this shot to Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass from today's Goodyear tire test at CMS:








*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...charlotte-atlanta/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*What Are The Odds? NASCAR Title Favorites For 2015​*
It's never too early to start looking ahead to the 2015 NASCAR season.

The biggest question? Will Kevin Harvick repeat as Sprint Cup Series champion? Oddsmaker Bovada Sportsbook thinks "Happy" has a good shot ... but not as good as two perennial favorites from Hendrick Motorsports.

According to Bovada, Jimmie Johnson is a 5/1 favorite to capture his 7th NASCAR title. Four-time champion Jeff Gordon and reigning champ Harvick are close behind at 6/1.

Here are the rest of the top ten contenders:

Brad Keselowski: 7/1

Joey Logano: 8/1

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 10/1

Matt Kenseth: 10/1

Carl Edwards: 12/1

Kyle Busch: 12/1

Denny Hamlin 12/1​
The website provides odds for 21 drivers in all. The longest shot on the board? That would be AJ Allmendinger at 200/1.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...e-odds-nascar-title-favorites-for-2015-120814


----------



## Ckg2011

*Junior's New 2015 Kelley Blue Book HMS Chevy​*
*H*endrick Motorsports revealed Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s 2015 Kelley Blue Book paint scheme on Tuesday with some behind-the-scenes pics from the official photo shoot.

In 2014, Earnhardt ran this mostly white Kelley Blue Book paint scheme at Sonoma Raceway in June and at Phoenix International Raceway in November.

Looks like we can expect a bluer version in '15.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...t-scheme-120914?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Bobby Labonte To Race For GoFAS​*
GoFAS Racing announced that former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte will pilot the No. 32 C&J Energy Services Ford Fusion in 2015. The Corpus Christi, Tex. native will run the four Superspeedway events with support from Texas based C&J Energy Services.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to go racing next season with GoFAS Racing and C&J," Labonte said. "The people at C&J are good friends of our family, and like me, have a passion for the sport. I want to thank them, along with Frank and Archie for allowing me the opportunity to take over where my brother left off."

"I am so proud to have C&J Energy Services back with us for a fifth season," said Frank Stoddard. "With the addition of Bobby to our partnership with C&J Energy Services, I am confident we can continue to build our team. We had an outstanding finish in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last July with Terry, and we look forward to continuing those strong results with Bobby. We have a busy offseason to get ready for 2015, but everyone is excited about what the season holds for us."

With older brother Terry Labonte retiring after the fall event at Talladega Superspeedway where he qualified ninth, it was a natural fit to put the 2000 NSCS champion behind the wheel.

"It's great to have a champion like Bobby Labonte on board for 2015." Said team co-owner Archie St. Hilaire. "Our guys are really busy at the shop preparing two fast superspeedway cars, and we can't wait for Daytona."

In 2015, The C&J Energy Services colors will appear during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, May 3 at Talladega Superspeedway, July 5 at Daytona International Speedway, and October 25 at Talladega Superspeedway.

"C&J is very excited about our continued relationship with GoFAS Racing." Said CEO Josh Comstock. "We are very fortunate to have Bobby Labonte behind the wheel for the 2015 plate races. Like C&J, Bobby, the champion he is, prides himself on always striving for excellence and finding ways to continually improve. Together, we see 2015 as a great opportunity and look forward to further success, on and off the track."

Frank Stoddard, owner of FAS Lane racing, and Archie St. Hilaire, owner of Go Green Racing, will continue their joint venture for 2015 and beyond. The formation of GoFAS Racing is in its second season. The team will continue to compete with horsepower from Roush Yates Engines.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Bobby-Labonte-to-Race-for-GoFas-in-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hornish Home For The Holidays​*
Sam Hornish Jr. has kicked off his holiday season by participating in the annual "Stocks-For-Tots" fundraiser and testing his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Hornish continued to jump-start his return to the Sprint Cup Series on Tuesday, the opening of a two-day Goodyear Tire test. He then headed to the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., to sign autographs at "Stocks-For-Tots," an event that helps raise money for and deliver toys to children in need.

"It's one of the things I look forward to every year," Hornish said of the holiday fundraiser. "I love coming out and what they are able to do for the area. It's a great way to start off the Christmas season."

While Hornish has already had some previous seat time with RPM, being on the track at CMS was important since all NASCAR testing has been banned with the exception of tire tests. Hornish last raced in the Cup Series full-time in 2010 and has only made two starts since the introduction of the Gen-6 car in 2013.

"I tested a couple times last year," Hornish noted. "To go to a place like Charlotte, where it's 42 degrees and overcast, there was a lot of speed and the cars are a lot different than they were a couple years ago. That's going to take a little bit of getting used to."

Since Hornish ran only a part-time schedule in the Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2014, he had the opportunity to spend some time with RPM testing at Nashville and New Smyrna before the season ended. Most importantly, those tests gave Hornish the chance to work with his new teammate, Aric Almirola.

"We've already got a list of things we're starting to work on to move everything forward," Hornish said. "One of the great things about the testing we've done so far is that Aric was there, too. We both got to drive the car, see what we liked and didn't like. That's a good thing because if you get two guys that are like-minded as far as what they're wanting out of the car, you can push the ball forward together."

Before moving into 2015 with his new team, Hornish will get to spend time at home with his family for the holidays. He's already been doing projects with his daughters and putting up the Christmas lights on the house - tweeting out a photo with the hashtag "ClarkGriswoldStyle" in reference to his favorite holiday movie, "Christmas Vacation."

"I love this time of year," Hornish said. "They talked me into putting up lights. We're going to do a gingerbread house and some other stuff."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/12/Hornish-Home-for-the-Holidays.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Most Disappointing Drivers In 2014​*
Several drivers were no doubt happy to see the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season come to an end. A year that began with hope and optimism turned out to be a big letdown for these five:

*Tony Stewart*
His personal life was thrown into a shambles in the aftermath of the sprint car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. in New York State in August. But there was a lot more Stewart had to deal with in 2014 including his recovery from a broken leg suffered the previous summer, which necessitated a fourth surgery just last week. Stewart's on-track performance was mediocre at best and certainly not up to the lofty standards he's set throughout his NASCAR career. His streak of winning at least one race a year since 1999 came to an end. All Stewart has to show for his efforts behind the wheel in 2014 are three top fives and seven top-10 finishes ... adding up to 25th place in the Sprint Cup Series standings. His lone bright spot was celebrating Kevin Harvick's Sprint Cup title as co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. 2014 Race-by-Race Results

*Clint Bowyer* 
Whether it was a hangover from the 2013 Richmond "Spingate" scandal, lack of speed, bad luck or a combination of all three, Bowyer's 2014 was forgettable. He was in the mix to possibly sneak into the Chase through the point system but failed in that attempt. Even if he had been part of the field, it's hard to believe Bowyer would have made much of an impact based on his regular-season performance. He went winless and was only able to muster five top-five finishes, winding up 19th in the final standings. Michael Waltrip Racing has its work cut out to bring Bowyer back to the competitive level he enjoyed only a couple years ago. 2014 Race-by-Race Results

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.* 
The Roush Fenway Racing driver's sophomore season wasn't much better than his rookie year. Stenhouse finished 27th in the final standings and notched just one top-five finish. He also missed a race after failing to qualify in October at Talladega Superspeedway. Much of Stenhouse's struggles can be attributed to the overall challenges at Roush Fenway Racing and the team has since taken measures to address those shortcomings. Still, the heat will be on Stenhouse and crew chief Mike Kelley in 2015 to show more of the brilliance that once brought the duo back-to-back Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series championships. 2014 Race-by-Race Results

*Danica Patrick* 
Patrick didn't improve much - if at all - from her freshman campaign and wound up 28th in the final Sprint Cup Series standings. There wasn't much to cheer about in 2014 with the exception of a strong run at Kansas Speedway in May, and her ability to race at the front of the field in restrictor-plate events at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The honeymoon has ended for Patrick in her NASCAR career and she will be under a great deal of scrutiny to improve her performance in 2015. Patrick will have to do with a crew chief other than Tony Gibson, who was moved to teammate Kurt Busch's organization. It remains to be seen whether interim boss Daniel Knost is the long-term answer. 2014 Race-by-Race Results

*Martin Truex Jr.* 
There was nothing close to the 2013 performance Kurt Busch had in Furniture Row Racing's No. 78 for Truex & Co. in 2014. Outside of a front-row starting spot for the Daytona 500, Truex wasn't much of a factor this year. One top five and five top-10 finishes were all he could put on the stat sheet. The result was 24th place in the final standings. New crew chief Cole Pearn was brought in to replace Todd Berrier as the team searches to regain the magic it had two years ago. 2014 Race-by-Race Results

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/12/Most-Disappointing-Drivers-in-2014.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Teams Complete Charlotte Test​*
Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams completed a two-day Goodyear tire test at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Sam Hornish Jr., Carl Edwards, Paul Menard and Dale Earnhardt Jr. took part in the test session that featured not only the 2015 rules, but also an initial look at the 2016 package.

Goodyear's Director of Racing Greg Stucker outlined what was trying to be accomplished during the session.

"The goals of this test are two-fold," said Stucker. "First, we need to confirm our 2015 recommendation and see how this package performs on this type of speedway, Second, we're getting an initial look at the 2016 rules package. This is similar to what we were able to do at Fontana in October.

"Things seem to be going well, and we'll pour through the data back in Akron and make some determinations about what we see."

The session gave the quartet of teams a first on track look at the less horsepower and reduction of downforce package NASCAR has implemented. The time at Charlotte also gave some teams with new driver-crew chief combinations an opportunity to work together.

"This test is extremely valuable for us, especially since we're working with a new driver," said Drew Blickensderfer, who will team up with Hornish at Richard Petty Motorsports. "We've been testing the 2015 rules package, and this sets us up for the first part of the season and helps us set up our simulation software. This is huge for us."

Earnhardt Jr., who is now paired with last year's Nationwide Series championship winner Greg Ives, also saw the time together this week as valuable.

"It's still early to project a lot as far as communications are concerned," said Earnhardt. "I'm definitely focusing as hard as I can to give him the best opportunity and the best environment possible. I'm going to try to make his job as easy as possible and give him all the feedback I can.

"Typically when we come to a test, we have a list of all the things we want to try. We're not doing that traditional type of testing this week because we have a lot of things to go through for Goodyear's agenda, so we're not into Greg's ideas yet. It's still good to come to the track early and not show up to Atlanta (for first non-restrictor plate race of 2015) so raw."

As for how the cars behaved with the tire combinations Goodyear experimented with at the test in conjunction with the new rules package reviews and perspectives were mixed.

"I think the higher change in rear downforce compared to front downforce has made this a freer race car," said Blickensderfer. "This downforce package makes this car more similar to an Xfinity Series car. The corner speeds seem to be up a bit, but the straightaway speeds are down, with the reduced horsepower.

"The biggest challenge for teams, if you didn't have a competitive package last year, is to find a baseline with the new rules. You can figure some things out, and you might try some things that take you further away from it if you're not careful."

Earnhardt Jr. recognized the same slower corner speeds as Blickensderfer but doesn't think the competitive product will be much different than what was on track in 2014.

"I think the racing will be identical," said Earnhardt. "The 2015 package feels a lot like last year's. The corner speeds feel similar, so the racing should be similar, and I like that because we had a good year in '14."

As for the sneak peek at what NASCAR plans for the 2016 rules package, the next evolution of the eventual goal was well received by one prominent driver.

"This is what we need to be working on, and I applaud NASCAR for doing it," said carl Edwards, who was able to work with new Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Darian Grubb for the first time this week. "This is more like what the car felt like 10 years ago, and I like that. When you take the downforce out, you have to lift off the throttle and slide the car through the corner. It produces turn when you have to lift off the throttle, and that's where racing happens."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/12/Teams-Complete-Charlotte-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Undergoes Foot Surgery​*
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, had successful surgery on his left foot this morning. Busch is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2015 NASCAR season in February.

The scheduled offseason surgery was performed to relieve a recurring source of inflammation in his left foot. The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dergoes-Scheduled-Offseason-Foot-Surgery.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Biggest Surprises of 2014​*
There were plenty of surprise performances in NASCAR that many didn't expect when the 2014 season kicked off in Daytona. Here's a look at five drivers across NASCAR's top three divisions that made their mark and took the sport by surprise.

*Ryan Newman*
When he signed with Richard Childress Racing after being released from Stewart-Haas, it wasn't with a lot of fanfare. The veteran driver was replacing Jeff Burton, who is headed to the television booth, and RCR was not a consensus pre-season pick to challenge for a Sprint Cup Series championship. But Newman turned in one of his best career performances and came within a half-second of winning the crown, finishing second to Kevin Harvick in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Consistency was Newman's ticket to success. Paired with crew chief Luke Lambert, he ascended into the upper echelon of the series in 2014.

*Kyle Larson*
The question was never, "Would Larson make it at NASCAR's top level?" but "When?" Team owners Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates took a gamble by throwing the young driver into the deep end of the pool and into the Target Chevrolet. It paid off handsomely. Suddenly, a team that struggled for years in the waning tenure of Juan Pablo Montoya's NASCAR career became a force. The No. 42 Chevrolet was in the mix for wins and top fives in what - at times - seemed like a weekly occurrence. Although Larson missed making the Chase in his Rookie-of-the-Year season, he made a major impact in the 10-race championship schedule ... nearly stealing the spotlight several times in a bid for his first career Cup win. Even those who predicted that Larson would be good when he got a shot at NASCAR's top division didn't see a season like this coming.

*AJ Allmendinger*
It looked like his NASCAR career was over when he failed a drug test and subsequently lost his ride with Team Penske in 2012. But Allmendinger took the necessary steps to get his personal and professional life back in order, and made the most of the opportunity to drive for JTG/Daugherty Racing. The single-car effort, helped by an alliance with Richard Childress Racing, came to life in 2014 with Allmendinger scoring the team's first Sprint Cup win in thrilling fashion at Watkins Glen International. The underdog team was part of the post-season Chase and even though he made an early exit from the title hunt, Allmendinger solidified himself and the team as more than capable of competing with the sport's elite.

*Chase Elliott*
This second-generation driver found himself in similar territory as Larson. Full of talent and promise, it was just a matter of time for Elliott to get a chance to shine at NASCAR's top levels. Almost immediately, he showed the world he was more than qualified to compete in the sport's No. 2 division. His No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was a fixture at the front of the field all season long. He scored three wins and outdrove several veteran Sprint Cup drivers on many occasions en route to becoming the youngest national champion in NASCAR history with a Nationwide Series title at age 18.

*Darrell Wallace Jr.*
He broke through in 2013 with his first career win, capturing a Camping World Truck Series victory at Martinsville Speedway. Wallace became a force in 2014, adding four wins and battling two-time champion Matt Crafton for the Truck Series title. His potent No. 54 Toyota finished inside the top five on nine occasions with a total of 14 top-10 finishes. Wallace wound up third in the final standings. He then asked for - and received - his release from Joe Gibbs Racing in hopes of pursuing a full-time XFINITY Series ride in 2015. He may be headed to Roush Fenway Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/12/Biggest-Surprises-of-2014.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Grubb Good With Edwards​*
The new relationship between Carl Edwards and crew chief Darian Grubb is already off to a solid start.

Grubb was paired up with newcomer Edwards in the new Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 entry after nearly leading Denny Hamlin to last year's Sprint Cup Series championship. The duo got a jump start on working with one another the last two days during the Goodyear tire test at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"It's new, it's fresh and it's been a lot of fun the last few days," Grubb said Thursday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

One of the keys to any successful driver-crew chief pairing is the chemistry and although Grubb has only been working with Edwards for a short period of time he feels like there is already a connection.

"It's been good," said Grubb. "We've been chatting off and on for a while now getting to learn each pother's personalities, reminiscing about 2011 and beating him and I can of razz him about that. It's been good, it's a new relationship."

Adding to some of the challenge is the fact Edwards is very much the new kid on the block at JGR and is beginning the next phase of his NASCAR career competing somewhere other than Roush Fenway Racing.

"For him never being anywhere but Roush before it's all new thoughts, concepts, people, everything," explained Grubb. "It's interesting to go through that with someone, he's kind of like a kid in a candy store he doesn't know what questions he wants to ask yet - he's just so eager and ready to go it's kind of fun to sit and talk and discuss things with him."

Most new driver-crew chief marriages take some time to develop but Grubb believes it will be an expedited process. He plans on being on the same page with his new driver pretty much from the opening bell of the 2015 season.

"That's all pretty much gonna be for the Unlimited area at Daytona and by the time we get to the 500 we're gonna get this all ironed out and we're gonna go win that thing," Grubb said.

Since testing will be done on a much more limited and controlled basis thanks to NASCAR's new policy any time spent at the track is beneficial. Edwards felt the two days at Charlotte will go a long way to building his relationship with Grubb and vice versa.

"It's really important to see how he does things and see how these guys work," Edwards said Wednesday at the test's conclusion "We're part of a good group, and Darian is a good racer. This is real exciting for us."

While his man behind the wheel is different as is the car number, Grubb has much of his former team that worked with Denny Hamlin on board for the new No. 19 effort. He's confident that continuity will also pay dividends and is excited to lead the re-tooled team into 2015.

"It's a lot of fun, we're still the same group except for two new faces, we're pretty tight knit and we're ready to go already," said Grubb.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/12/Darian-Grubb-Good-With-Carl-Edwards.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*DAYTONA Rising Reaches Construction Milestone​*
DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million redevelopment project at Daytona International Speedway, reached a major milestone this week when - for the first time since the project broke ground in July 2013 - the on-site daily construction worker count exceeded 1,000.

Construction of DAYTONA Rising is cited in ManpowerGroup's Employment Outlook Survey as a primary reason the Deltona, Fla., MSA (Daytona Beach included) ranks third nationwide for growth in 2015.

On Wednesday, 1,002 workers were on site at "The World Center of Racing," helping create the nation's first true motor sports stadium. The average daily worker count has been steadily rising this fall.

"This is another significant, important milestone in the project," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "Construction workers are moving at full speed on DAYTONA Rising to ensure that all the amenities within the facility are ready for the 2015 racing season."

After achieving significant construction milestones during the past year, including installation of the highest piece of steel in October, Daytona International Speedway is busy preparing for 2015 Budweiser Speedweeks in February.

Fans can get an early preview of DAYTONA Rising next month during the 53rd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 24-25 and during Budweiser Speedweeks starting in mid-February. Approximately 40,000 new seats will be available along with two of the five injectors/entrances, new concessions, several of the neighborhoods or social areas and the new vertical transportation. The stadium will officially open in 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NA-Rising-Reaches-Construction-Milestone.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Sets Testing Policy​*
A revamped Sprint Cup Series testing policy will be in play for the 2015 season.

According to NASCAR.com the sanctioning body and Goodyear will team up for 13 one day "open" test sessions during the calendar year as part of the new testing plan for the series.

As outlined in the 2015 rule book, the NASCAR National Series Unified Testing policy breaks down the schedule into three types of tests including NASCAR-approved tire manufacturer tests, NASCAR tests and Open Team tests.

Last year the policy allowed each Sprint Cup Series organization four open tests at tracks that hosted Sprint Cup Series events. Teams were also allowed as many other open tests at non-NASCAR sanctioned facilities.

But NASCAR announced this year it would eliminate private testing as a means of cost efficiency to the organizations.

"I think we've got a system here that can breathe and evolve as the industry requires," Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president innovation and racing development, told NASCAR.com. "I think we've got enough flexibility to manage this. It's all in the electronic rule book now so everybody can understand it, the schedules will be there so hopefully we can also communicate very, very well with everybody."

Four teams will take part in each of the Goodyear tire tests with the spot in the 2015 owners' point standings determining their position.

Teams will have an open day of testing after the majority of the Goodyear tests including the Thursday of the March Atlanta weekend prior to the second race of the season after the Daytona 500.

The open test schedule following Goodyear tests includes:

Charlotte (March 11), Richmond (April 8 ), Kentucky (April 15), Indianapolis (April 29), Dover (May 13), Darlington (June 11), Chicagoland (July 15), Bristol (July 30), Homestead (Aug. 26), Kansas (Sept. 16), Phoenix (Oct. 14) and Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 29)

There will be additional Goodyear tests in Las Vegas next January and the Monday and Tuesday after the Atlanta race with no open sessions following either.

Each organization will be allowed one driver at each open test, and if the driver is part of the Goodyear test they must also represent the team in the organization's open test. All open tests will be open to media and spectators.

Should a team be found to be outside the testing ban NASCAR will hand out a P6 penalty the most severe in the rule book.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/12/NASCAR-Sets-Testing-Policy.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TriStar Motorsports Adds Conley​*
TriStar Motorsports announced the addition of Cale Conley to its driver lineup for the 2015 season. The 22-year-old, West Virginia native will run the full 33-race 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule for TriStar Motorsports.

Starting at the age of five, Conley worked his way through go-karts, quarter midgets and open wheeled USAC Kenyon midgets. Conley collected multiple poles and feature wins throughout the Midwest before transitioning into sprint cars competing with the World of Outlaws and All Star series at the age of 16.

"I am looking forward to working with people that are excited to work with me and help me mature as a driver and competitor in this series," said Conley. "I am grateful to Mark Smith and TriStar Motorsports for being willing to take a chance with me and let me race weekend after weekend after weekend, so I can get one step closer to my ultimate dream of being a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion."

Conley made his NASCAR debut in the K&N East Series in 2011 and captured his first win in 2012 at Columbus Motor Speedway. In 2013, Conley competed full-time in the K&N East Series, scoring four top-5's, five top-10's and one pole. After competing in NASCAR's K&N series, Conley moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2014 and competed in 11 races for Richard Childress Racing with one 6th place finish at Kentucky Speedway and five top-15 finishes.

"TriStar Motorsports is proud to field a Toyota Camry for a rising star in NASCAR," said Mark Smith, TriStar Motorsports team owner. "With Cale's drive and passion for NASCAR, I know that we will have a successful 2015 season with him behind the wheel."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/TriStar-Motorsports-Adds-Cale-Conley.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ganassi Partners With Scott In XFINITY Series​*
Chip Ganassi and Harry Scott Jr. announced today that they have joined forces to field a one-car NASCAR XFINITY Series entry beginning in 2015. The entry will be run from the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team shop in Concord, NC and will race under the team name, HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi.

The HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro entry will feature a driver lineup combination of at least 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson, along with 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series rookie Dylan Kwasniewski. Mike Shiplett, a former crew chief and car chief with Richard Petty Motorsports, Turner Scott Motorsports and Gillett Evernham Motorsports has been tabbed as the crew chief of the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro.

"The HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi partnership formalizes a relationship that has been in the making for a couple of years," Scott said. "This is a first step of a partnership that will further develop drivers and provide even more excitement in the NASCAR XFINITY Series."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...si-Partners-with-Scott-in-XFINITY-Series.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*KBM Crew Chief Lineup Set​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced Thursday that veteran crew chief Jerry Baxter will move over to call the shots on the team's No. 51 entry in the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The organization will be going after its third straight owners championship for the No. 51 Toyota with driving duties to be shared among Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez and Matt Tifft. KBM also announced that Shannon Rursch will serve as crew chief for rookie Justin Boston in the No. 54 Tundra. Ryan "Rudy" Fugle was previously introduced as the crew chief for Erik Jones' full-time campaign in the No. 4 entry.

Baxter joined KBM at the beginning of 2013, serving as crew chief for Darrell Wallace Jr. on the "54" the last two seasons. They totaled five wins, three poles, 963 laps led, 14 top fives and 26 top-10 finishes in 44 starts. The California native will be one of six inductees into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2015.

"Jerry came to KBM with a history of success working with young drivers and Darrell thrived under his tutelage the last two seasons," said Busch. "Now, he'll get the chance to mentor Daniel (Suarez) and Matt (Tifft) - two more young guys with a lot of potential. And with Eric's (Phillips) departure, he and Rudy will have added responsibility on the competition side."

"I'm looking forward to continuing to run up front and challenge for wins with Daniel, Matt and Kyle next year," Baxter said. "Kyle puts a lot into this team - not just as an owner but as a driver and a teammate."

Rursch comes to KBM from Turner Scott Motorsports, where he most recently served as crew chief for the No. 31 team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. He's a 2004 graduate of the NASCAR Technical Institute and upon his promotion in July, became the first alumnus of the school to be named a crew chief in one of NASCAR's top three divisions. The 10-year veteran of the sport got his start as a mechanic at Sadler Racing in 2004; and then served as a car chief at Evernham Motorsports, Phoenix Racing and Robby Gordon Motorsports before moving to the same position at Turner Scott in 2010.

"Shannon is highly praised among peers in the garage and before being promoted to crew chief last season, he had gained valuable experience as a car chief for several seasons working alongside some very smart people," said Busch, whose organization set a single-season Truck Series record for wins with 14 in 2014. "While we had a very successful 2014 season, we know the rest of the Truck Series will be gunning for us next year. In order to remain on top, we need to improve our equipment and have a forward-thinking approach."

"I'm eager to come in and learn what's made them so successful, and hopefully bring a few things to the table," Rursch said. "I don't see any reason why Justin (Boston) can't go out, win some races and be a leading contender for Rookie of the Year with the equipment we have in place and the resources available to us from Toyota."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/12/KBM-Crew-Chief-Lineup-Set.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Eyes Continued Success In 2015​*
Could a new crew chief spark Dale Earnhardt Jr. to an even better season next year?

Each of the past three seasons has featured a new driver-crew chief combination winning at least five races and one such pairing winning the championship.

Earnhardt, coming off arguably his best season since 2004, will have Greg Ives as his new crew chief with Steve Letarte moving to NBC as an analyst. If they can match the success of recent new pairings, Earnhardt could be headed toward his best Sprint Cup season.

Consider the success some new pairings have had in recent years:

Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers won the championship, and five races this past season.

Matt Kenseth and Jason Ratcliff won a series-high seven races in 2013 and finished second in the points.

Denny Hamlin and Darian Grubb won five races (tying a series high) in 2012 and placed sixth in the points.

After a four-win season this past year - which included the Daytona 500 - Earnhardt expects a better season even if this will be Ives' first year as a Cup crew chief.

"Greg can step in and bring in a lot of things Steve didn't offer," Earnhardt said. "Steve is not an engineer. Steve is more of a people manager. He did an awesome job, but Greg has got other attributes that are strong.

"He can a bring a lot of new ideas to the team. We're going to be as strong as we possibly could be on the engineering front and that's where a lot of the speed in the car comes from. I don't know how long it'll take me and him to get on the same page. It may happen overnight, it might take a month. You see it happen differently for everybody. As the season goes on, we'll be as strong as we were this year - if not stronger."

Ives comes to Earnhardt's team with a championship pedigree. He was an engineer for crew chief Chad Knaus when Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive championships. Ives guided Chase Elliott to the Nationwide title this past year for JR Motorsports.

Earnhardt admits he's curious to see what kind of car Ives gives him for the restrictor-plate tracks. Earnhardt also says he wants to see how his cars are "going to feel and drive at particular racetracks. Every time you get behind the wheel of someone else's cars, they all have these nuances."

Ives understands the challenges of moving to the Cup Series and being a crew chief there for the first time.

"I've prepared myself well to do this, going from a driver like Chase to Dale," Ives said. "The best thing for me is (that) I don't think about who drives my cars. I think about what I have to do to give them the best cars."

He also also has certain expectations with his drivers.

"No matter how long you're in the sport, you've got to treat these drivers like you have to hold their hands," Ives said. "If you want something out of any driver, you have to tell them. If I want something out of my car car chief, you have to have that conversation. I'm going to be more or less focused and concerned about getting what I want out of the drivers no matter what experience level they are."

That could be what helps Earnhardt to a season unlike any other he's experienced in Cup.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Earnhardt-Eyes-Continued-Success-in-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kahne Enters Winter Heat At Cocopah​*
NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne is giving sprint car fans a rare gift soon after the holidays.

Kahne has confirmed that he will compete throughout the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway on Jan. 2-3, Jan. 6 and Jan. 9-10. Kahne will pilot the Kasey Kahne Racing No. 9 sprint car sponsored by Great Clips.

"It means a lot to sprint car racing to have a guy like Kasey Kahne involved," Cocopah Speedway Director of Operations Greg Burgess said. "To have him backing the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown is a big deal and we can't wait to see him back in a sprint car for five nights."

Kahne drove sprint cars in the Northwest before heading East in the early 2000s. He quickly caught attention in NASCAR and has been a star within the top series for more than a decade. During that time he has also competed in select sprint car events around the country.

More than 50 additional drivers will join Kahne at the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown, which pays $12,000 to win and $1,000 to start each weekend feature - Jan. 2-3 and Jan. 9-10 - and $5,000 to win on Jan. 6. There is also a points fund for the top five in overall points from the five-race event.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...int-cars/kahne-enters-winter-heat-at-cocopah/


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Falls Short In Race Of Champions​*
Stewart-Haas Racing Sprint Cup Series driver Kurt Busch, and fellow Americans Ryan Hunter-Reay and Robby Gordon were all eliminated in the quarterfinals of Sunday's Race Of Champions at Bushy Park on the island of Barbados.

David Coulthard, a 13-time race winner in Formula One, bested the 15 other drivers assembled from around the world - beating Mercedes F1 official reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein in the best-of-three Grand Final.

Head-to-head competition took place in identical cars on a purpose-built parallel track. Coulthard had been in the Race Of Champions Grand Final once before, losing to rally legend Sébastien Loeb at Wembley Stadium in 2008.

Sunday's quarterfinals proved to be the undoing for all three U.S. drivers. FIA European F3 champion Esteban Ocon defeated Hunter-Reay, the 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner. Six-time V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup topped Busch and Wehrlein withstood the challenge of Gordon, a seven-time off-road champion.

Sunday's program opened with the 16 drivers split into four groups of four, battling for the right to line up in the knockout stages. Coulthard began in dominant fashion, taking three wins out of three in Group A.

Busch was the dominant driver in Group B, also going a perfect three-for-three. Gordon stormed through Group C with all three wins and Hunter-Reay came away from Group D with a perfect record. But they were all sidelined in the next round of competition.

In Saturday's team event, American drivers also came up short in the ROC Nations Cup competition. Team Scotland topped Group B with five wins out of six, three for Coulthard and two for Susie Wolff. Team Barbados joined them in the semifinals, knocking out Team USA (Busch and Hunter-Reay) on fastest lap time after both finished with three wins.

Hunter-Reay took two victories and Busch one, but it was not enough to move on. Team Americas - with former Cup Series driver Gordon - also was eliminated despite his two wins in Stadium Super Trucks.

Team Nordic's Tom Kristensen, a Le Mans legend, and Petter Solberg, FIA World Rallycross champion, were victorious - beating Team Scotland in the final. First, Kristensen defeated Wolff, the Williams Formula One official test driver. Then Coulthard was victorious against Solberg to take it to the decider. Kristensen came out on top, winning the final heat after Coulthard spun off at the final corner.

Host Team Barbados (with drivers Dane Skeete and Rhett Watson) delighted the home fans in its Nations Cup debut, knocking out Team USA and making it through to the semifinals before being beaten by Team Scotland. In the other semifinal, Team Nordic beat the Team France pair of Romain Grosjean and Esteban Ocon by two heats to one.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Busch-Falls-Short-in-Race-Of-Champions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Todd Parrott Joins RCR​*
Richard Childress Racing has hired industry veteran and championship-winning crew chief Todd Parrott as its competition director for the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Parrott has 20 years of experience as a crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series - where he has 31 race wins. His drivers finished fifth or better in the final point standings six times including a championship for Dale Jarrett in 1999.

"I've known Richard Childress for many years and our families go back a long time," Parrott said. "They have a solid program. It's now up to me to take the ball and run with it for next year."

Parrott, 50, is a native of Charlotte, N.C., and followed in the footsteps of his father - Buddy Parrott, who won 49 races as a Cup Series crew chief.

"I worked with Todd Parrott for several years at a prior team, and I've never met a more passionate person when it comes to working hard and winning races," said RCR Director of Competition Dr. Eric Warren, to whom Parrott will report. "Todd is organized, and has great instincts about how to get performance out of both cars and teams. He's a proven winner with championship talent"

In the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series, Parrott will oversee a four-car operation for drivers Austin and Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan and Brian Scott.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Nationwide/News/Articles/2014/12/Todd-Parrott-Joins-RCR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Touring Drivers Honored On Night of Champions​*
The culmination of a season-long, career-defining journey to NASCAR glory came Saturday night for seven drivers.

Abraham Calderón summed it up best on stage during the NASCAR Touring Series Night of Champions Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center.

"This championship was a dream a few years ago," said the 26-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, driver who won the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series title. "It was hard. But now that it's real, it's better than I could ever imagine."

The evening concluded with all seven drivers on stage together: Calderón, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion Anthony Kumpen, Canadian Tire Series champion L.P. Dumoulin, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby, Whelen Southern Modified Tour champ Andy Seuss, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Greg Pursley and K&N Pro Series East titleholder Ben Rhodes.

NASCAR President Mike Helton handed out the championship rings and presented the championship trophies.

"Tonight, the past, the present and future converge," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of regional touring and weekly racing. "The past is celebrated through the storied history of many of these series. The present is represented by a mixture of seasoned veterans winning another championship and young guns winning their first. And most importantly, the future ... drivers recognized on this stage the past few years are already having a huge impact in NASCAR's three national series. Given the talent here tonight, that trend will definitely continue."

Coby and Pursley each won their second touring series titles in 2014 while the five others are all first-time winners. For Pursley, the championship was the crowning achievement on a long and storied career that also included a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national title and 20 K&N Pro Series West wins in 99 starts.

Rhodes joined current Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano, Ryan Truex and Kyle Larson in winning the K&N Pro Series East championship and Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the same season. Kumpen, who has an impressive sports car resume, won the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series title in his first season driving stock cars.

"For a European race driver, a NASCAR championship seemed like an impossible goal," said Kumpen, who won his championship by one point over two-time champ Ander Vilarino.

Rhodes clinched his crown with a race remaining in the season. Seuss, Coby and Pursley all staked themselves to early-season leads and held off their challengers. Dumoulin used a stretch of five consecutive podium finishes in the summer months to lock up his top spot.

The seven champions combined for 14 wins, 67 top fives and 86 top 10s in 95 races.

"Everybody knows that most championship stories have a bump along the way," said Coby, who became just the fifth different driver in 30 years of the Whelen Modified Tour to earn multiple championships. "We just did our thing and took care of business at each race. My team was resilient and refused to flinch under pressure. That's what defined our season and that is what makes them champions."

Said Seuss: "One fact I'll always point to about this championship is that we completed every lap but one. That's a testament to the team we have working on this car in the shop and at the track."

The championship car owners and crew chiefs were also recognized Saturday night, and each series Rookie of the Year was honored: Rhodes, James Bickford in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, Tommy Solomito in the Whelen Modified Tour and Spencer Davis in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Top rookie performers in the three international series were Matthew Scannell in the Canadian Tire Series, Mario Dominguez in Mexico's NASCAR Toyota Series and Eddie Cheever III in the Whelen Euro Series.

Most Popular Driver Awards for each series were also presented, voted on by the fans through NASCAR.com: Rhodes winning in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Seuss (Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Brandon McReynolds (NASCAR K&N Pro Series West), J.R. Fitzpatrick (Canadian Tire Series), Rodrigo Marban (NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series), Freddy Nordström (Whelen Euro Series) and Melissa Fifield (Whelen Modified Tour).

The top 10 drivers and car owners from each of NASCAR's touring series also were recognized during Saturday night's gala.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ng-Drivers-Honored-on-Night-of-Champions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Funniest Media Center Moments of 2014​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vickers To Miss Start of Season​*
Michael Waltrip Racing driver Brian Vickers will not be available to race during the early part of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season due to health issues.

In 58 races driving MWR's No. 55 Aaron's Toyota, Vickers scored eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. He won the July race at New Hampshire in 2013 and captured the pole at Talladega in October 2014. The 2003 Nationwide champion owns three victories and 12 poles in 316 career Sprint Cup starts.

"Brian has been a part of the MWR family since 2012 and our thoughts today are with Brian, his wife Sarah and the Vickers family," said MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman. "As a race team, MWR has plenty to consider and we will confer with our partners, including Aaron's and Toyota. As this is fresh news, we will adjust our future plans as more information becomes available."

Vickers issued the following statement:

"First, I want to thank everyone for their sincere support. I have faced obstacles before and it has made victory that much sweeter and I know that will be the case again.

"My previous experiences have given me a very keen understanding of my body. Late last week I knew something wasn't right, so I went to the hospital to be checked out. Following several tests, it was discovered that my body was rejecting an artificial patch that was inserted in 2010 to fix a hole in my heart. Saturday, I had to have corrective surgery to repair the hole and now I am beginning the recovery process. I will need plenty of time, rest and rehab but this temporary setback will not stop me from pursuing my dream of becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...12/Brian-Vickers-to-Miss-Start-of-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*McCall Preparing For Next Step​*
Maybe it was a college course, one of those junior- or senior-level courses. Or it could have been a high school class. Or even a big project at work.

Remember all that reading you had to do? It seemed endless.

Such is Matt McCall's world.

The new crew chief for Jamie McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing is studying team notes from last season to better understand what McMurray liked in a car and what didn't work. Of course, that's along with learning how things operate at Ganassi, remembering everyone's name and building a team to make next year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Understand that a race weekend often will have four or five team members providing notes that McCall is reading. Multiply that by 38 total races - remember this team won the Sprint All-Star race last year - and McCall has been kept busy learning the team's nuances.

"It's substantial information,'' McCall said. "That's really what I've been trying to do. Read through that stuff and sort of get a mental note of tracks that they're really good at or struggled at or didn't run as good and try to see if anything stands out. Their database is a lot of information.

"The biggest thing is to learn, basically, what (McMurray's) approach is for each event. Does he run practice like he's going to run in the race or does he run it way different than in the race? It seems like the pickier he gets, the better the car is.''

McCall, a former driver who once was in Robert Yates Racing's development driver program, had been an engineer at Richard Childress Racing since 2010, starting in the Camping World Truck Series. He was an engineer with Ryan Newman this past season, helping Newman nearly win the Sprint Cup title.

"Matt was a big part of our team because he's very smart and has driver experience, which is something that .. is very valid and a very big part of understanding and communicating with the driver,'' Newman said. "He was a big part of our strength and our performance.''

McCall continues a trend of crew chiefs with racing experience. Two of the last four Sprint Cup titles were won by competitors whose crew chiefs had previously raced. Paul Wolfe, a former driver, helped Brad Keselowski to the 2012 title, and Rodney Childers, a former driver, helped Kevin Harvick win this past season's crown.

"I definitely don't think it hurts at all,'' McCall said of a crew chief with racing experience. "I think it's definitely an advantage on the side of the relationship you can build with the driver is beyond just talking setup stuff. You can talk actual stuff you feel in the car.''

McCall, who raced against Childers in go-karts when they were younger, continues to drive on those rare off weekends. He won a Late Model race this past season. McCall is a former two-time UARA champ and won a series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

McCall's focus is on getting McMurray in the Chase.

Just like a coach, crew chiefs are known to use a phrase to establish the attitude they want from their team. McCall has repeated two words to his team since joining the organization.

"Respect and discipline is something I push very hard, and I think that comes from the martial arts side,'' said McCall, who is a third-degree black belt in karate and whose family owns a karate school in Denver, N.C.

"That's something that I've implemented since the first day I met most of the guys.''

He doesn't view his role as making major alterations to McMurray's team.

"Their structure is very good and the way they have stuff has been running very smooth,'' McCall said. "I think it's more stuff that needs to be polished. I don't think there's any rebuilding process.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/12/Matt-McCall-Ready-for-Next-Step.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allen Named President of Auto Club Speedway​*
International Speedway Corporation announced it has named Dave Allen President of Auto Club Speedway effective immediately. Allen accepts the role from his most recent position as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ACS.

Allen replaces Gillian Zucker who was recently named President of Business Operations for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

Allen, 41, a 17-year veteran in the sports marketing industry, will report to ISC President, John R. Saunders and will be responsible for all operations of Auto Club Speedway and Auto Club Dragway.

"Dave is a proven leader with a strong background and knowledge of the motorsports industry, the Inland Empire/L.A. markets and Auto Club Speedway," said Saunders. "He brings experience and strong leadership skills needed to help continue to position Auto Club Speedway and motorsports for growth in Southern California."

"I'm so excited to lead this incredible group of professionals here at Auto Club Speedway," said Allen. "Southern California is known for its strong car culture and racing history and I look forward to building on those traditions with the help of our staff and amazing fans."

Allen joined Penske Motorsports at previously-named California Speedway in April of 1999 after spending one year at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca. From 2002-2006, Allen served as Senior Director of Sales and Marketing. He was named Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2006 with oversight of all sponsorship, hospitality, suite and consumer sales. In 2008 Allen, along with former track president Gillian Zucker, completed the Speedway's groundbreaking naming rights partnership with Auto Club of Southern California.

Allen, his wife and three children reside in Upland, CA.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ve-Allen-President-of-Auto-Club-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint Unlimited Field Expanded​*
Coming off an exciting 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale, NASCAR announced today all 16 Chase drivers will be eligible to compete in the 2015 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway. The 75-lap, non-points race will once again kick off the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing season Saturday, Feb. 14 and will feature an expanded field of drivers based on new eligibility requirements.

A minimum of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are eligible to participate in the Sprint Unlimited at DIS. In addition to the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup participants, the field also will include 2014 Pole Award winners, as well as former Sprint Unlimited race winners and Daytona 500 pole winners who competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full time in 2014. Any remaining spots will be filled by drivers highest in 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship points who are not already eligible.

"The 2015 Sprint Unlimited has potential to be one of the most competitive ever," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell. "With more drivers eligible, the intensity level increases for our fans and competitors, making for a compelling start to the 2015 season."

*The 2015 eligible participants include:*

• Kyle Busch (2014 pole winner) 
• Austin Dillon (2014 pole winner) 
• Jeff Gordon (2014 pole winner) 
• David Gilliland (2014 pole winner) 
• Denny Hamlin (2014 pole winner) 
• Kevin Harvick (2014 pole winner) 
• Jimmie Johnson (2014 pole winner) 
• Matt Kenseth (2014 pole winner) 
• Brad Keselowski (2014 pole winner) 
• Kyle Larson (2014 pole winner) 
• Joey Logano (2014 pole winner) 
• Jamie McMurray (2014 pole winner) 
• Brian Scott (2014 pole winner) 
• Tony Stewart (2014 pole winner) 
• Brian Vickers* (2014 pole winner) 
• Kurt Busch (former Sprint Unlimited winner) 
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (former Sprint Unlimited winner) 
• Carl Edwards (former Daytona 500 pole winner) 
• Danica Patrick (former Daytona 500 pole winner) 
• Greg Biffle (former Daytona 500 pole winner) 
• Martin Truex Jr. (former Daytona 500 pole winner) 
• Ryan Newman (2014 Chase driver) 
• AJ Allmendinger (2014 Chase driver) 
• Kasey Kahne (2014 Chase driver) 
• Aric Almirola (2014 Chase driver)​
(* - Michael Waltrip Racing today announced that Brian Vickers will not be available to race during the early part of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season due to health issues.)

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/12/Sprint-Unlimited-Field-Expanded.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gone But Not Forgotten​*
There are a number of tracks no longer on the NASCAR landscape that created many memorable moments during their existence.

Since the sport's inception all three of NASCAR's top divisions have competed at a variety of venues literally from coast to coast as well as north and south of the border. Although in some cases the facilities have completely disappeared these five made their mark in their NASCAR days:








*North Wilkesboro Speedway* 
The North Carolina short track was on the NASCAR scene from the very start and hosted the eighth and final race of the inaugural 1949 NASCAr season. It remained a fixture on the schedule until its untimely demise in 1996 when Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith purchased the facility and harvested its dates to New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway respectively. New ownership brought the beloved facility back to life in 2010 but a handful of regional touring series races were not enough to keep North Wilkesboro alive. Jeff Gordon will go down as the final NASCAR race winner at Wilkesboro in 1996 while Richard Petty set the mark of 15 career wins at the .625-mile track.








*Texas World Speedway* 
Long before Texas Motor Speedway opened its gates in 1997, NASCAR had a major presence in the Lone Star State out in College Station at Texas World Speedway. The two-mile superspeedway was built in 1969 and was considered the sister track of Michigan Int'l Speedway featuring a similar length and layout. However TWS had steeper banking than its counterpart in the Irish Hills and speeds for both stock cars and open wheel cars climbed because of it. Bobby Isaac won the first NASCAR race in 1969 when he took the checkered flag in the Texas 500 while Richard Petty was victorious three times in the eight races held at the track. The facility fell into disrepair in the early 1980's forcing NASCAR to discontinue sanctioning races at the facility.








*Riverside Int'l Raceway* 
One of the world's most famous road course venues residing in southern California for years and Riverside was a major part of the NASCAR world. Many years the season would start at Riverside in mid-January and then end in November as the finale. Eddie Gray won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race at the twisting road circuit in 1958 and the list of Riverside winners reads like a "Who's Who" of motorsports; Dan Gurney, Richard Petty, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Allison, Mark Donohue, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace were some of the names that took NASCAR checkered flags. In all 37 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were held at Riverside with Wallace the final winner when he was victorious in the 1988 Budweiser 400.

*Ontario Motor Speedway* 
Although it didn't have anywhere near the life span of its southern California cousin Riverside, Ontario made its mark on the NASCAR world in a relatively short period of time. Billed as the "Indianapolis of the West," Ontario was a replica of the famed 2.5-mile Brickyard and featured the same distinct square-shaped layout. The track came to life in 1970 hosting the USAC Championship Car California 500 and was the scene of more open wheel racing until NASCAR made its debut in 1971 with A.J. Foyt taking the checkered flag in a 1969 Mercury. "Super Tex" would repeat in the event the following season with Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Neil Bonnett and Benny Parsons following him to Victory Lane. Eventually the track was shuttered when attendance dipped dramatically and 1980 was the final year for racing. Several years later Auto Club Speedway was built in nearby Fontana in nearly the shadows of what was at one time a Taj Mahal of auto racing.

*Flemington Speedway* 
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has a colorful history of competing at some of the most unique tracks in auto racing and Flemington was certainly one of them. The New Jersey facility was originally a horse racing track and was created as a four-cornered dirt oval. Auto racing became a staple and in 1990 the track was paved and hosting weekly as well as regional tours including the modifieds. When what was then known as the Craftsman Truck Series was born in 1995, Flemington found a spot on the schedule and that summer Ron Hornaday put his name in the record books as the first winner. As if the basically circled layout wasn't unique enough, Flemington also had the distinction of using Styrofoam blocks against the walls to lessen the impact of crashes, in many ways a predecessor of today's SAFER barrier. While the system worked it also created the memorable scene of Styrofoam snow showers when a truck made contact with the barrier. The Truck Series held four races at Flemington and the track finally was shut down in 2002.

We'll take a look at five more memorable tracks in a later edition of "Gone But Not Forgotten."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/12/Gone-But-Not-Forgotten.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Sprint To Depart As Title Sponsor of CUP Series​*
News breaking today that Sprint will end it's sponsorship of NASCAR's top series after the 2016 season, NASCAR will have a new title sponsor starting with the 2017 season.

No details yet on who will replace Sprint as the new title sponsor for the CUP Series.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sprint To Conclude NASCAR Partnership​*
Citing a need to focus more directly on its core business priorities, Sprint announced it has informed NASCAR it will not extend the title sponsorship of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after the current agreement expires at the end of the 2016 season.

"We are proud of our association with NASCAR's top series but have made the decision not to extend our sponsorship beyond the next two years," said Steve Gaffney, vice president-Marketing, Sprint. "As we look to the future, Sprint is focused on investing in maintaining a competitive edge and providing consumers with the best value in wireless.

"Sprint has long benefitted from the unprecedented level of brand integration available in NASCAR, and the passionate fan base that is the most loyal in sports. Without question, the NASCAR sponsorship property has been a valuable investment for us and will be for our successor."

Since the partnership began in 2004, Sprint has worked closely with NASCAR to bring many fan-friendly innovations to life, including the introduction of the FanView next generation scanner (2005), the creation of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile wireless application (2008 ) and the debut of Miss Sprint Cup (2007), an ambassador program that now has more than 1.5 million social media followers. The constant evolution of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race pre-race show and the improvements to the Sprint Vision trackside programming also highlight Sprint's portfolio of fan enhancements.

"We genuinely appreciate the fans, teams, drivers, tracks and media who have been so supportive and welcoming to us during these many race seasons," said Gaffney. "We look forward to our remaining time as sponsor of the Sprint Cup Series and eventually assisting with the transition to NASCAR's next title partner."

The sponsorship extends back to 2004 when Nextel signed a 10-year partnership with NASCAR for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The name changed to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2008 as a result of the Nextel/Sprint corporate merger. At the conclusion of the first 10 years, Sprint extended the partnership an additional three years, taking the contract through the end of the 2016 season.

Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer issued the following statement:

"NASCAR and Sprint have enjoyed a long and productive partnership that has returned significant value to both parties. We understand significant changes within Sprint and the highly competitive business environment it is in has led to a decision not to extend its Cup Series entitlement position following the 2016 season. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is a very unique, premium sports marketing platform with strong momentum, so we are very confident of moving forward in 2017 with an outstanding new partner. In the meantime, we look forward to Sprint's partnership on the best racing series in the world for the next two seasons."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Conclude-NASCAR-Partnership-after-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Testimony Begins In Busch Case​*
A hearing on a protection-from-abuse petition filed by Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend began Tuesday in a Delaware courtroom.

The Associated Press reported that Patricia Driscoll testified in Kent County Family Court that Busch choked her and smashed her head into a wall this past September at Dover International Speedway. During emotional testimony, a sobbing Driscoll caused the judge to order a break before continuing later in the afternoon.

Attorneys for Busch have denied the allegations outlined in court documents filed by Driscoll, who is asking for a judge's order to keep the driver away from her and prevent him from contacting her.

Driscoll is also asking that Busch undergo a psychiatric examination and be evaluated by a certified domestic violence treatment agency. The Wilmington (Del.) News-Journal reported that during Tuesday's testimony, Driscoll broke down while describing Busch's assault, saying "It scared me because he just snapped."

The hearing was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but was postponed while Busch was out of the country competing in the Race Of Champions on the island of Barbados.

Driscoll was the only witness Tuesday on the opening day of the hearing, which will resume Wednesday morning.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2014/12/Testimony-Begins-in-Busch-Case.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stenhouse Enters 'Battle At The Center'​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will return to his short-track, open-wheel roots Saturday to race in the fifth annual Great Clips Battle at the Center presented by K & N Filers on the one-sixth Mini-Magic Mile at the Southern Illinois Center on the grounds of the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fair.

It will be the second Battle of the Center, a non-points all-star-type event organized by the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series. The 27-year-old from Olive Branch, Miss., finished second at Du Quoin to Casey Shuman in 2010.

Stenhouse will drive for Bryan Clauson Racing to prepare him for the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla., held from Jan. 12-17. Stenhouse finished ninth in the championship feature in 2012, but failed to make it out of the B feature last year.

"We're always trying to get him up here for the Battle at the Center to get him in the car and get him in the car before Tulsa (Chili Bowl) and hit the ground running," Clauson said. "He needs to get the rust off in a midget. This year, his schedule allowed him to do it."

Stenhouse drove sprint cars in his native Mississippi before Tony Stewart hired him in drive for his USAC teams in 2007.

Stenhouse had five Honda USAC National Midget victories and to USAC National Sprint Car wins that season and it led to opportunities in stock cars in 2008.

Stenhouse became NASCAR's Nationwide champion in 2011 and 2012 with Roush Fenway Racing, which promoted him to its Sprint Cup operation the next season. He was NASCAR's Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2013 and spent another full season in Cup with Roush Fenway in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...idgets/stenhouse-enters-battle-at-the-center/


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Hearing Continues​*
Kurt Busch took the stand Wednesday during the second day of a protection order hearing.

Busch provided testimony in Kent County (Del.) Family Court in day two of the hearing involving a protection order filed by his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.

The Wilmington News-Journal reported Busch called allegations by Driscoll that he smashed her head into a wall a "fabrication." Driscoll had filed court documents alleging Busch smashed her head three times against the wall of his motorhome last September at Dover Int'l Speedway.

Dover police are still investigating the incident and Busch and his attorneys have denied all allegations.

According to Busch's Wednesday testimony he said Driscoll and her son Houston came to his motorhome on the night of September 26th. He repeatedly told her to leave, but Driscoll continued to bring her son in from another room demanding Busch tell him the relationship between the couple was over.

After several attempts asking her to leave, Busch said he cupped her cheeks in his hands and while looking her in the eye said "you need to leave," which he said was the fifth request for her departure.

Busch added he was trying to diffuse the situation and that he was naked at the time of the encounter.

"It needs to be described because of the fabrication we listened to yesterday," Busch said of the detailed nature of his testimony.

Driscoll added in Wednesday's session that there was another incident with Busch in the summer of 2012 but that she did not report it to the police.

The Associated Press reported Driscoll testified she became concerned about Busch after the couple fought following a race in New Hampshire, one week before the Dover incident. She said Busch was drinking and struggling with depression and that he became violent after the New Hampshire race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2014/12/Kurt-Busch-Hearing-Continues.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Busy With Offseason Projects​*
Older, wiser and more mature, Dale Earnhardt Jr. can spend his offseason working on a project he's wanted to do for years but his sister wouldn't let him.

Build a treehouse.

With no races or tests - other than tire tests - NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have a little more free time before they return to Daytona International Speedway in February. While Earnhardt works on his treehouse, one driver will try to finish a model, another will prepare for a baby and another will do what his wife wants.

Earnhardt's treehouse is not a crude structure you'd imagine children playing inside. Inspired by the Animal Planet TV show "Treehouse Masters,'' which has featured such elaborate designs as a multi-bedroom treehouse with plumbing and electricity to one-room lofts, Earnhardt and others are building one on his property.

"When I first bought this piece of property and I got this house I was like I don't want to party in the basement like I did in Club E when we lived across from DEI,'' Earnhardt said.

"I don't want to worry ... about my house getting messed up. I wanted to build something where I can hang out with my friends. The first idea was a treehouse and my sister said we would fall out it and we couldn't do it. I took her advice and we built the Western town. I'm 40 and I think I'm mature enough (now) not to fall out of a treehouse and we're going to build it.''

Earnhardt said the project was started about two months ago and still has a few more months of work.

"I can't wait to show it,'' Earnhardt said.

While he works on that, Kyle Busch prepares for his first child. Wife Samantha is due to deliver a baby boy in May.

The couple is busy preparing the nursery.

"We pretty much know that we better get it all somewhat done before we leave for Daytona because once you leave for Daytona you're gone two weeks, Yeah, you have Atlanta (the season's second race) but then you're gone for a month with the West Coast swing. Right after that, it's about a month and the baby shows up.''

Busch said the family is anxiously awaiting the child's birth.

"It's the first grandson,'' he said. "I'm sure it will be spoiled to death.''

Jeff Gordon's offseason project is a continuation of one he's been working on - building a model of Ayrton Senna's McLaren Formula One car.

"I hope that it gets done,'' Gordon said. "It not, it will be another project for next year. As I go further into the project ... my progress has slowed greatly. There's 70 boxes I would say. I'm around the halfway point. Maybe I took on a little more than I can handle.''

For Ryan Newman, he'll also be busy.

"Working on some of my old cars, going hunting, going snowmobiling, spending time with the family,'' he said.

He's rebuilding a '36 Ford three-window coupe. He's been working on it with his father and others.

Jimmie Johnson will spend his offseason doing what his wife wants.

"I got all the things that I can do on my own, but like any married guy, the way I would complete something versus the way my wife would want it completed is a little different,'' Johnson said of his honey-do list. "I have a long list still that I need her guidance and approval on and I have a feeling that January is going to be full of those things.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rivers-Staying-Busy-During-the-Offseason.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson And McMurray To Run Rolex 24​*
Seven-time IMSA Champions and five-time Rolex 24 At Daytona Winners Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today the fielding of two Prototypes for the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona, featuring eight drivers that represent some of the best talent the motor racing world has to offer.

Veteran Scott Pruett and new teammate Joey Hand will unite with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams' Verizon IndyCar Series racewinner Charlie Kimball and CGRT development driver Sage Karam to form the lineup in the No. 01 Ford EcoBoost/Target Riley, while CGRT Verizon IndyCar Series Champions and Indianapolis 500 Winners Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan join CGRFS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series reigning Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson and Cup Series race winner Jamie McMurray in the No. 02 Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley.

The 2015 CGRFS Rolex 24 At Daytona driver roster is an impressive group of international racing champions representing two Indianapolis 500 titles (Dixon-2008, Kanaan-2013), a Daytona 500 (McMurray-2010), four Verizon IndyCar Series Championships (Dixon-2003, 2008, 2013 and Kanaan-2004), seven Prototype Championships (Pruett-2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), and four Rookie of the Year honors in their respective series (Kanaan-1999, Dixon-2001, McMurray-2003, Larson-2014). The group brings with them 144 total wins.

*NOTES OF INTEREST:*

• Rolex 24 Run: CGRFS has the greatest stretch in Rolex 24 At Daytona history highlighted by five wins and two second-place finishes from 2006-2013. The team also has seven championships (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 ) and 44 race wins to their credit since their introduction to sports car racing in 2004. Chip Ganassi and co-owner Felix Sabates are the only team owners in history to win three-straight Rolex 24 At Daytona events (2006-2008 ).

• Scott Pruett: Pruett is tied for the all-time record with five Rolex 24 At Daytona wins (1994, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013) and joins Hurley Haywood as the lone five-time Rolex 24 At Daytona Winners. He is the first American to score 12 major sports car championships - his closest competitor is the late Peter Gregg who has seven to his credit, and his previous titles include two IMSA GTO Titles (1986, 1988 ), one IMSA GT Endurance (1986) and three Trans-Am Championships (1987, 1994, 2003). Pruett continues to extend his record as the all-time leader in IMSA wins with 59 victories.

• Joey Hand: Hand, widely considered one of the best road racers in the world, returns in a full-time capacity after helping CGRFS win the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona with Pruett in his first of three appearances with the team (2011-2013 Rolex 24 At Daytonas). Hand led the most laps in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona, leading 116 of the No. 01 car's race-leading 231 laps. He led the race six times overall en route to the team's fourth win in the sports car classic.

• Scott Dixon: Dixon has been a permanent fixture at CGRT for 13 years and has been on the Rolex 24 At Daytona roster for CGRFS since the team's inception in 2004. The three-time Verizon IndyCar Series Champion (2003, 2008, 2013) and 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner was a part of the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona winning team for CGRFS and placed second in 2011. Dixon holds the distinction of being the winningest active Indy car driver with 35 victories, which ranks him in a tie for fifth on the all-time list with Bobby Unser.

• Tony Kanaan: The 2013 Indianapolis 500 Winner, 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and 17-time race winner, Tony Kanaan, joined CGRT for his first season with the team in 2014. Kanaan is the all-time Indy car leader in consecutive starts with 233 consecutive starts dating back to the Portland race in 2001. He has 118 top-five finishes, tying him for ninth on the all-time list with Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves. In 2004, he became the first driver to complete every possible lap in a season en route to winning the championship. The 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona will mark Kanaan's second race with CGRFS after competing with the team in 2014.

• Kyle Larson: The 2014 NSCS Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson will join CGRFS for the second time at the Rolex 24 At Daytona after competing last year alongside teammates Dixon, Kanaan, and Dario Franchitti. As a NSCS rookie, Larson had 36 starts, seven top- five finishes, 14 top-10 finishes, two pole awards, and led a total of 48 laps.

• Jamie McMurray: McMurray has competed in the Rolex 24 At Daytona six times with CGRFS (2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) and had his best finish in 2011 with a second-place result. The 2003 NSCS Rookie of the Year has been a full-time fixture in NASCAR's top division for 12 years with 438 career starts resulting in seven wins, 52 top-five finishes, and 121 top-10 finishes. McMurray is only one of three drivers to have won the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in a single season (2010).

• Charlie Kimball: Verizon IndyCar Series racewinner Charlie Kimball will make his second appearance at the Rolex 24 At Daytona after being part of the winning team in 2013. Kimball made his debut in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2011 with Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing and collected his first win in 2013 at Mid-Ohio. Throughout Kimball's four-year career with CGRT, he has 68 starts, one win, four podiums, eight top-five and 28 top-10 finishes.

• Sage Karam: The 2013 Indy Lights Champion Sage Karam joined CGRT in 2014 as a development driver and made his debut with the team at the 2014 Rolex Daytona 24 At Daytona. He joined CGRFS again at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Six Hours of the Glen, and the Brickyard Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he helped the team move from a sixth-place start to a second-place finish. Karam ran his first-ever Indianapolis 500 in 2014 and finished higher than any other CGRT driver in ninth after starting 31st.

• Partnership Lineup: All of CGRT's drivers and primary partners (Target, Ford, McDonald's, Cessna, Novo Nordisk and NTT DATA) will be represented across the No. 01 Ford EcoBoost/Target Riley and the No. 02 Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley to form an All-Star lineup both in the car and on the car.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/12/Larson-and-McMurray-to-Run-Rolex-24.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Best Primary Paint Scheme​*
Post Your Favorite at MRN's Facebook Page.

The pits are open and the MRN.com editorial staff answers this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

Which primary paint scheme is your all-time favorite?

MRN Staff	
*Answer​*


> *Pete Pistone (@PPistone)*
> David Pearson and the Holman Moody No. 17. Simple, elegant and every bit iconic as any paint scheme in the history of the sport. It represented the Golden Era of NASCAR in the best possible way.
> 
> *Dustin Long (@Dustinlong)*
> You can't beat Bobby Allison's 1988 Daytona 500-winning ride: The gold-and-white Miller High Life car. The gold stood out, the red lettering added to the paint scheme and the car was fast. It was a great combination. To me, there has been no better paint scheme in NASCAR history.
> 
> *John Singler (JohnSingler2)*
> As a Michigan State graduate and avid fan of all Spartan sports, my favorite colors are &#8230; quite naturally &#8230; green and white. That translates to NASCAR for me, as well, since my favorite paint scheme of all-time is the "green and white" Quaker State design run by team owner Kenny Bernstein in the 1980s and '90s. That big "Q" logo was clean and uncluttered, and just popped off the hood of the car no matter where it was running on the track and regardless of it's positioning in the camera frame on telecasts. It was clearly visible from everywhere and easily identifiable, which was great for both the sponsor and the team's fans.
> 
> *Jeff Wackerlin (@JWackerlin)*
> While it's hard not to pick Richard Petty's STP Day-Glo red and Petty Blue car, my all-time favorite has always been Davey Allison's No. 28 Texaco/Havoline Ford. The iconic design went to an all-black paint scheme in 1990 with a larger Texaco Star on the hood, which made it stand out on the track. Then in 1991 the car stood out more with Day-Glo numbers and yellow stripes at the bottom of the car, along with yellow lettering for Havoline. It was a simple and sharp looking car.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Best-Standard-Paint-Scheme-of-All-Time.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2014 Paint Scheme Review: Part 2​*
Motor Racing Network takes a look back at some of the different paint schemes from the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Part two completes a countdown of car numbers 99-1.

*CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY:*
http://www.mrn.com/Media-Center/Photos.aspx?q=2014 Paint Schemes

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2014/12/2014-Paint-Schemes-Part-2.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Darrell Bubba Wallace Jr. & Kyle Busch​*
*Roush Fenway Signs Bubba Wallace​*
Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Bubba Wallace will drive the No. 6 Ford Mustang for the team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series next season. The signing pairs NASCAR's winningest XFINITY Series team with a young driver widely regarded as one of the most talented up-and-coming competitors in NASCAR. The 21-year-old Wallace has posted five wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, including four trips to Victory Lane in 2014.

"I've had a remarkable journey over the last few years thanks to people who have put me in a position to win the races that I have," said Wallace. "When I first joined the sport, many said I would never compete with the real drivers. Now, as I join the winningest team in NASCAR history, I take that as a responsibility to add more wins to the team's legacy and help tear down the barriers for the next generation of NASCAR drivers."

"We are very excited to bring Bubba Wallace into the Roush Fenway fold," said team president Steve Newmark. "He is viewed in industry circles as one of the brightest young drivers and I feel that we are very fortunate to be able to bring him on board. He has a charismatic personality and at the same time has exhibited the ability to win on the race track. We are looking forward to getting him in our race cars next season."

In 2013 with his victory at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace became the first African American driver to win in one of NASCAR's three national series since 1963. He has competed in six career XFINITY races, earning four top-10 finishes and a pole at Dover International Speedway.

"We are certainly pleased to have Bubba Wallace come on board," said team co-owner Jack Roush. "He is certainly a great young talent and I feel it will be mutually beneficial for us to be able to put him into a team environment with a veteran driver like Elliott (Sadler) and the young guys Chris Buescher and Ryan Reed. We have had a great deal of history in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and we are happy to have Bubba as the latest piece of that rich legacy."

"We're thrilled to have Bubba Wallace be part of our Ford Mustang racing efforts," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "His winning performances since becoming part of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program have certainly made him one of the drivers in the sport to watch in the future, and we think he can bring a lot to Roush Fenway and Ford, both on and off the track."

Wallace's racing career started in 2004 when he began competing in Jr. Sportsman Champ Karts. He finished his first season second overall in points at the Carolina Asphalt Racing Winter Series. He moved to Bandoleros in 2005 and won an amazing 35 of the 48 races and posted 40 top-five finishes. He became the first driver to win five races in a single week. In addition, he competed against much older competition in the Outlaw Division and won all but one race in 2005.

Wallace moved up to Legends in 2006 and completed a phenomenal rookie season with 11 wins, 27 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes in 38 total starts. He started racing Late Models in 2007, competing in the final five races of the UARA Touring series.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...014/12/Wallace-Joins-Roush-Fenway-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Menards Renews With RCR's XFINITY Program​*
Menards will continue its partnership with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, positioning the third-largest home improvement store in the United States as a primary sponsor for select races on RCR's No. 33 Chevrolet entry with drivers Paul Menard and Brandon Jones in 2015. 
Menards has played a pivotal role in RCR's NXS campaign since 2012.

"Sponsoring the No. 33 RCR team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series with drivers Paul Menard and Brandon Jones behind the wheel in 2015 is something we look forward to," said Jeff Abbott, Menards Promotions Manager. "This partnership is special to us and we are ready for another successful XFINITY Series campaign."

Menard will drive the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Camaro for select events in 2015, while maintaining a full-time schedule in the No. 27 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry for RCR. The Eau Claire, Wis.-native is a two-time XFINITY Series race winner with five pole awards, 31 top-five and 81 top-10 finishes.

As previously announced, Jones, a 17-year-old driver hailing from Atlanta, Ga., joins the RCR stable for a number of NXS events.

"Menards has become a key supporter of our XFINITY Series program through the past few years and I look forward to an even better future with them," said Richard Childress, CEO and Chairman of Richard Childress Racing. "John Menard has vast experience in motorsports and business and I have leaned on him for advice during our partnership. I can't thank him enough for being there.

"John, Paul Menard, all of the Menards team members and their vendor-partners have been very supportive of the RCR program. Menards strong customer service values, combined with their family culture, fit well with our culture here at RCR. I look forward to Brandon joining Paul as drivers for the Menards' program in 2015."

Menards has a long, successful history as a racing sponsor dating back to the 1970's which includes one of NASCAR's crown jewels, the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with driver Paul Menard. A family-owned company started in 1960 and headquartered in Eau Claire, Wis., Menards has 287 retail store locations throughout the Midwest.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ds-to-Continue-with-RCRs-XFINITY-Program.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kennedy Joins Red Horse Racing​*
Red Horse Racing announced today that 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Ben Kennedy will join the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team to drive the No. 11 Toyota Tundra.

"I am very excited to return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2015 and to be driving for Red Horse Racing," Kennedy said. "The team has a solid foundation in the Camping World Truck Series, celebrating their 10th year in 2015. It will be an honor to drive the No. 11 Toyota Tundra, the winningest number in NASCAR history."

Red Horse Racing team owner Tom DeLoach commented, "We are thrilled to have Ben (Kennedy) join us at Red Horse Racing. Ben is a very talented young driver, and I think he is going to fit right into our Red Horse family. We consider ourselves one team with multiple trucks, and I expect to see a lot of success from this organization in 2015."

Kennedy began his racing career in quarter-midgets, later graduating to full-sized stock trucks on the short tracks of central Florida. The Daytona Beach native won Pro-Truck championship titles in 2009, and followed with a Super Late Model championship and Rookie of the Year honors in 2010. Kennedy entered the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011. In 2012, he made history winning the first NASCAR-sanctioned Euro Racecar Series oval track event at Tours Speedway in France. In 2013, Kennedy finished fourth in the K&N Pro Series East championship point standings with two wins, one pole award, three top-five and nine top-10 finishes, and was crowned the series' Most Popular Driver. He entered full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition in 2014, starting on the pole for the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, one top-five and seven top-10 finishes, and claiming Rookie of the Year honors.

Founded in 2005, Red Horse Racing will kick off its 10th year of Camping World Truck Series competition in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...14/12/Ben-Kennedy-Joins-Red-Horse-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 K&N Schedules Released​*
NASCAR announced today the 2015 schedules for its top developmental regional touring series, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

The coast-to-coast 2015 slate features a combined 27 dates in 17 different states, highlighted by nine NASCAR national series companion weekends and four new events.

"The NASCAR K&N Pro Series has become the premiere training ground for our sport, and the diversity of the 2015 schedules will provide great challenges for the next generation of drivers," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president for regional and touring series. "We are ecstatic that Motordrome Speedway has joined the K&N Pro Series East schedule and that Meridian, Shasta and Tucson Speedways have come on board to showcase the K&N Pro Series West."

Motordrome is a banked asphalt oval located in Smithton, Pennsylvania. The Aug. 15 event will be the half-mile's inaugural K&N Pro Series East race, and the first visit for the series to the Keystone State since 2012.

For the K&N Pro Series West, the three new events will harken back to the series' rich history. A May 2 date at Tucson will be the series' first at the famed .375-mile Arizona oval since 2001. The K&N West will also return to Shasta, a .333-mile oval in Anderson, California, for the first time since 1993 while the Sept. 5 race at Meridian will be just the second visit in series history to the quarter-mile track located in Meridian, Idaho.

All told, the K&N Pro Series East has 14 dates at 13 different tracks in 11 states. In addition to the inaugural Motordrome event, the rest of the schedule includes:

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend companion events at Bristol Motor Speedway (April 18 ), Richmond International Raceway (April 24), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 17), Watkins Glen International (Aug. 7) and Dover International Speedway (season finale, Oct. 2).

• Stand-alone short track dates at New Smyrna Speedway (season opener, Feb. 15), Greenville Pickens Speedway (April 4), Bowman Gray Stadium (May 30), Langley Speedway (June 20) and Columbus Motor Speedway (July 4).

• Road course races at Watkins Glen International and Virginia International Raceway (Aug. 29).

Iowa Speedway also returns with its two K&N Pro Series East-West combination races as part of NASCAR XFINITY Series companion weekends on May 16 and July 31.

The K&N Pro Series West has a total of 13 dates across six states and 12 tracks. In addition to the two Iowa combo races and the three new dates, the remaining calendar includes:

• Sprint Cup Series weekend companion dates at Sonoma Raceway (June 27) and Phoenix International Raceway (season finale, Nov. 12).

• Short track stand-alone dates at Kern County Raceway Park (season opener, March 28 ), Irwindale Speedway (April 11), Stateline Speedway (July 11), Evergreen Speedway (Aug. 15), Colorado National Speedway (Aug. 22) and All American Speedway (Oct. 17).

The 2014 K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West seasons concluded with Ben Rhodes and Greg Pursley the respective series' titlists. Their accomplishments were recognized as part of the NASCAR Touring Series Night of Champions this past Saturday in the Charlotte (North Carolina) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*2015 K&N Pro Series East Series Schedule​*







*2015 K&N Pro Series West Series Schedule​*







*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-Pro-Series/News/Articles/2014/12/2015-KN-Schedule-Released.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Suspends Truck Crew Member​*
Marshal Faust, a crew member in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body's Substance Abuse Policy.

On Dec. 12, 2014, Faust was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy) of the 2014 NASCAR Rule Book.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...d-trucks/nascar-suspends-truck-crew-member-2/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Senica Lands Part-Time K&N East Ride​*
Team Stange Racing will campaign the No. 47 Ford Fusion in select NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events for professional wrestler turned race car driver Mike Senica.








Senica will make his first start for the team at the season opening event at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Feb. 15.

Senica first sat behind the wheel of a race car in 1991, and has been involved with the professional auto racing circuit for 20 years. His direct involvement began when Senica was a senior in college in Daytona Beach, Fla. He earned his SCCA regional license and competed in local races throughout central Florida.

"What I like about Mike is that he is a promoter. He understands all the areas of racing from a driver perspective to marketing and promotion.

He is determined, committed and never gives up," said John Stange, Team Stange Racing co-owner. "That says a lot about the driver you want in your car. Mike is the guy that is quietly building his racing career race by race strategically and carefully and making sure he is taking very good care of the sponsors at the same time."

"John Stange and I met for the first time through a mutual friend and started talking Indy car racing of the past and what his team was going to be doing in NASCAR racing in 2015," Senica said. "I then said to myself this guy gets it and I need to work with him. My sponsors need to work with him. John understands what it takes to support and develop a relationship with a sponsor, as well as building a strong race team with great people starting from his marketing to his performance department."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/senica-lands-part-time-kn-east-ride/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kid Rock To Headline Daytona 500 Pre-Show​*
Multi-platinum award-winning American rock star Kid Rock will perform during the Daytona 500 Budweiser Pre-Race Show, the prelude to the 57th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Kid Rock will perform several of his hits, including his brand new single "First Kiss," on pit road at Daytona Int'l Speedway prior to the start of the Daytona 500, the season-opening event of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. All race fans that purchase a Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access pass for the Daytona 500 can enjoy Kid Rock's Daytona 500 Budweiser Pre-Race Show up close, along with driver introductions.

"We're thrilled to have Kid Rock entertain the thousands of race fans in attendance and the millions more watching on FOX," Daytona Int'l Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "Kid Rock is an avid NASCAR fan and will provide race fans with a spectacular performance leading up to the start of the much anticipated Daytona 500."

In addition to his concert, a special ticket package designed around Kid Rock has been created that includes a Daytona 500 grandstand ticket, Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access and VIP area access to Kid Rock's performance. Packages start at $169. Fans who have already purchased Daytona 500 tickets can add Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access along with VIP area access for just $104.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/kid-rock-to-headline-daytona-500-pre-show/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tatoian Named New Dover President​*
Dover Int'l Speedway announced Friday the promotion of Michael Tatoian to the position of president, effective. Jan. 2, 2015.

Tatoian retains his position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of parent company Dover Motorsports Inc. Tatoian will continue to report to Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc.

"Mike joined us eight years ago and immediately immersed himself into the operations and culture of our team while earning the respect of both his co-workers and those outside the company as well," said McGlynn. "Mike is a valuable and popular contributor to our efforts here and Dover International Speedway will benefit from his leadership for many years to come."

Tatoian has worked to bring additional events to the Dover Int'l Speedway schedule, including the popular Firefly Music Festival and the new Big Barrel Country Music Festival. Held on the Speedway's property since 2012, Firefly Music Festival is a four day event attracting 80,000 fans per day, and in three years has become one of the fastest growing, most successful music festival of all time according to various industry sources. Big Barrel Country Music Festival, announced just yesterday, Dec. 18, 2014, will bring some of the biggest names in country music to The Woodlands at Dover Int'l Speedway for the three day event, June 26-28, 2015.

Tatoian has more than 25 years of experience in professional sports ownership, management and operations. Prior to joining Dover Motorsports, Inc., Tatoian served as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Victory Sports Group LLC. In his role there, he oversaw the development and management of professional sports organizations, including minor league baseball, minor league hockey and arena football. Tatoian also previously served as Chief Operating Officer of United Sports Ventures Inc., an umbrella sports company that owned and operated eight minor league teams.

Tatoian currently serves at the Chairman of the Advisory Council for USO Delaware and previously served as an Honorary Commander at the Dover Air Force Base. He is also a nominee for the Fisher House Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Service Award, a national award that recognizes an individual who has contributed extensively to the support and welfare of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/tatoian-named-new-dover-president/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Like Orange? You'll Love Carl Edwards' No. 19 Arris Car​*
Carl Edwards' jump to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 will feature telecommunications equipment company Arris, which has never been in the sport and doesn't have a major brand name.

During JGR's announcement in August, the latter was touched on by the company's CEO, who asked the media to raise their hands if they'd ever heard of Arris. He counted "maybe four hands."

But that will certainly change next year. Arris will serve as Edwards' primary sponsor on the No. 19 Toyota Camry for 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races. It will also support Mexican pilot Daniel Suarez in the XFINITY Series and limited Camping World Truck Series events.

And as of today, we now know what Edwards' Arris machine will look like. Earlier on Twitter, the company teased close-ups of the car before revealing the full look:





























We're tempted to call this the "Orange Crush" look, but that's been overused in sports already. "Orange Rush" seems more fitting.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...oull-love-carl-edwards-no-19-arris-car-photo/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Guys And Gears: 2014 Drivers of The Year​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Bullins Named Crew Chief For Blaney​*
Wood Brothers Racing announced today that Jeremy Bullins will rejoin the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion team next season to serve as the crew chief for Ryan Blaney in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, beginning with the 2015 Daytona 500. Bullins returns to the Wood Brothers organization following a successful three-year tenure with Team Penske's No. 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series team that produced 21 wins and two consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series Owners' Championships.

Bullins first worked with the Wood Brothers in 1999 on the Pro Cup and Late Model cars driven by Jon Wood. In 2000, Bullins became race engineer for the iconic No. 21 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, a position he held until June of 2002. Bullins moved on to work with ST Motorsports, Robert Yates Racing and Richard Childress Racing, where he helped drivers Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer claim a total of nine Sprint Cup Series victories as a race engineer.

A native of Walnut Cove, NC, Bullins joined Team Penske in 2012 to serve as the crew chief for the No. 22 car in the Nationwide Series, earning three wins in his first full season at the helm. In 2013, Bullins led the team to 12 wins with four different drivers and the team's first Nationwide Series Owners' Championship. The No. 22 Ford team won the Owners' Title again this season behind six series victories. In total, Bullins earned 21 wins, 14 poles, 57 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes in 99 starts with the No. 22 Team Penske Nationwide Series program.

"This is a great opportunity for me at this point in my career to move to a great organization with a solid driver, while still getting the chance to work with the people that I've come to know and respect at Team Penske," said Bullins. "Everyone in the sport knows about the Wood Brothers and recognizes that No. 21. To get a chance to work for Eddie and Len and the entire organization and to have Ryan behind the wheel, is pretty much everything I could have asked for."

Eddie Wood, co-owner of the No. 21 Ford Fusion, said he's looking forward to resuming his working relationship with Bullins, who studied mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University before joining the Wood Brothers.

"I feel like he's coming home," said Eddie Wood. "He worked with us when we were still at our shop in Virginia and he was just getting started in NASCAR. Now he's a proven winner. It's an honor to have him back with us. We're anxious for him to get his first Sprint Cup victory, as a crew chief, which will be No. 99 for us."

Bullins joins the No. 21 Wood Brothers team at the same time Blaney makes the transition as the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team begins its alliance with Team Penske. Bullins and Blaney worked together through all three years of Bullins' tenure at Team Penske. The duo produced two Nationwide Series wins along with eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in Blaney's 19 starts driving the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang.

Len Wood, who owns the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team with his brother Eddie, believes that bringing Bullins on board will pay immediate dividends.

"Jeremy coming over from Team Penske to help us out will help in the transition from our past alliance to our new alliance with Team Penske," said Len Wood. "Because he's worked with Ryan in the past, and knows the Team Penske system, Jeremy should be able to get Ryan on the right track and running competitively right out of the box, without a long development period."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ers-Racing-As-Crew-Chief-For-Ryan-Blaney.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon Marries Girlfriend Haley Carey In True NASCAR Style​*
chard Childress Racing's Ty Dillon married girlfriend Haley Carey Saturday night and celebrated in true NASCAR style.

After their ceremony at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, N.C., the newlywed couple headed to the reception in Dillon's No. 3 RCR Xfinity Series car.

The special day brought out many inside the RCR, including Chocalate Myers, Brian Scott, and of course Dillon's grandfather and team owner Richard Childress.

Best of luck to the new couple.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...riend-haley-carey-in-true-nascar-style-122114


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ex-NASCAR Racer Pleads Guilty In Hgh-Speed Chase​*
A former NASCAR driver who led police on a 150 mph chase through three states pleaded guilty Tuesday under a deal that spares him any prison time.

Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker, 35, entered the plea in a St. George court to felony counts of failure to stop for an officer and possession of a controlled substance, the Spectrum report (http://bit.ly/1sUzdkY).

The Hermosa Beach, California, man also pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors: impaired driving, possession of drug paraphernalia and having an open container of alcohol in the car.

Walker said in court he's in a much better place than when Utah Highway Patrol troopers arrested him in January 2013 after a chase that began in Nevada and crossed into Arizona before reaching Utah.

The pursuit followed a winding road that goes through the Virgin River Gorge. Nobody was hurt.

Police reported finding methamphetamine, marijuana and vodka in the car.

Walker appeared in court in a black suit with a short haircut - a stark contrast to his mug shot from the day of his arrest, when he had dreadlocks and wore an untucked shirt.

''I just want to thank everybody who helped me out,'' Walker said. He apologized to everyone who was on the road during the chase and said he's doing everything he can to be healthy ''so this never happens again.''

Walker competed in 28 NASCAR races before the stock car racing association suspended him in 2007 for violating its drug policy.

He is expected to get probation when he is sentenced Feb. 23, said his attorney, Trevor Terry.

''Prison is for folks that show the judge that they don't deserve a break, that they can't be safe out of jail,'' Terry told The Associated Press. ''Tyler is obviously not in that category.''

Walker had issues with alcohol and meth use but is getting treatment and working in the family company, Terry said.

Doctors also have discovered that Walker has some brain damage from his many crashes during his racing days that might have contributed to some of his problems, the lawyer said. He's also receiving treatment and therapy to help with that.

''He's not saying that meth use is an acceptable way to cope with that, but that's what happened,'' Terry said.

---

Information from: The Spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ex-nascar-racer-pleads-guilty-high-speed-chase-185552551--spt.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Holiday Plans in High Gear​*
A number of NASCAR drivers have their Christmas plans in place as the holiday season hits overdrive.

From buying presents to spending time with family and friends some of NASCAR's biggest names are ready to celebrate the season.

"I'm not a shopper, I'm the worst," admitted Carl Edwards. "So I'll generally gather things up during the year&#8230;I can't go out shopping at one time and look for gifts. I just have to get things for people when I find them and kind of squirrel them away and give it to them.

"To me Christmas is a time to see people and spend time with that I don't get to spend time during the season. You know how it is, we're out on the road and we're all over the place so the holidays it's good just to see folks and spend time in normal life."

Brad Keselowski shares Edwards' stress over shopping and readily admits it's not always his strong suit.

"I feel like when I put my heart into it I'm really good," said Keselowski. "It's really difficult for me to put the full focus in to be successful. "You know I try to listen and observe through the course of the year for the people I'm going to buy a gift for and then kind of act upon that during the offseason. "

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a shopping approach that many people use in this day and age.

"I do a lot of online shopping, buy a lot of stuff on eBay," said Earnhardt. "I basically find something throughout the year that I like that's a nick nack guy's gift, I buy a dozen or a couple of dozen of those and give them to my buddies. It might be a book I read, or a shoehorn or something silly but something to let hem know that I value their friendship."

Earnhardt's family shopping and gift choices have taken a dramatic turn recently in the aftermath of his relationship with girlfriend Amy Reimann.

"With my family I tend to let Amy help me with my mom's and sister's gifts and vice versa because they definitely know a lot about each other and what they want," he explained.

"You know ever since me and Amy started dating I've enjoyed that experience a whole lot more. Before me and Amy were together I really didn't enjoy shopping or buying gifts or wrapping presents and the exchange, I didn't go after it you know and now Amy's really opened me up to a whole lot of things&#8230;the whole Christmas experience has gotten a lot more enjoyable with her."

For drivers that are also parents, Christmas and the holiday season takes on an even bigger meaning.

"You know these days it's all about the kids," said Jeff Gordon. "As the kids get older especially like last year and I know this year is going to be exciting for them is just seeing them up on Christmas morning and wake us up and go downstairs and open presents.

"It's just that joy and happiness in their life and (wife) Ingrid takes Christmas very seriously, she starts decorating early, we've got Elves on the Shelves all kinds of Christmas goodies around so very festive from the music the lights the Christmas tress&#8230;it's fun around our house at Christmas."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/12/Holiday-Plans-in-High-Gear.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Holiday Survival Guide For Race Fans​*
The bustle of the holiday season helps distract from the issue, but as many prepare to be with friends and family around a dinner table or Christmas tree, it's still about two months before the NASCAR Sprint Cup season starts.

That can seem like forever.

Don't worry. MRN's Dustin Long can help with the race fan's survival guide to the holidays. Consider these tips on what to do and not do.

1. Don't imitate your favorite driver's Victory Lane celebration and spray your drink bottle on your family - at least until after everyone has opened their presents and it's clear you came out the big winner.

2. Take a selfie with your trophy (favorite gift).

3. When you set out holiday decorations, consult a spotter. They'll tell you if your arrangement is out of shape.

4. It's OK to imagine the church service like a driver's meeting, just understand that the prayer likely will come in the middle of the session instead of the end.

5. Since there's often someone new to holiday family gatherings, introduce them in front of everyone and then family members can cheer or boo them just as is done in driver introductions.

6. Take a family picture in front of a car - just like the pictures drivers have with VIPs before a race.

7. If a family member overloads their plate that's a P3 penalty. If they overload their plate with desserts, it's a P5 penalty, leading to loss of food privileges and they must walk the dog.

8. It's acceptable to fly a paper airplane over the dinner table after the family prayer. Unless you are a government employee.

9. It's acceptable to high-five everyone at the table after the family prayer (just as pit crews do after pre-race ceremonies). Even government employees can take part in this.

10. While it might be OK to Keselowski family members if they step out of the food line, #Harvicking them is crossing the line.

11. Do the holiday feast like qualifying. You have 25 minutes to clean your plate before going for seconds. After going through the line again, you have 10 minutes to clean your plate before going for desserts.

12. Remember, there is a post-meal inspection and any person over the weight limit will be penalized - having to clean the kitchen.

13. If family conversations start to wane, say who you think is the greatest driver in NASCAR history and let the debate flow.

14. Another topic to discuss - what is the best NASCAR-themed name for a pet.

15. Feel like you're being shortchanged on gifts, no problem. Just call Chase rules. Reset the presents so everyone has an equal amount before opening the rest. Feel free to eliminate some family members so you can get more presents.

16. If children are scuffling over a present, just go with NASCAR rules. No penalty for pushing and shoving.

17. It's OK to dress your family in the same outfit - that way you will match just like a pit crew.

18. You know those flared side skirts on cars this season? Replicate that by pulling out a pair of bell-bottom jeans to wear to your family gathering. Tell everyone it improves your aerodynamics, allowing you to get to the food quicker.

19. Just as there is a pit road speed limit, there is a limit on your partying.

20. When the meal is complete, presents opened and folks ready to leave, don't forget to be like a driver - and thank everyone.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2014/12/Race-Fans-Holiday-Survival-Guide.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gone But Not Forgotten: Part 2​*
Our second installment remembering famed race tracks that are no longer part of the NASCAR scene.

In the initial feature North Wilkesboro, Ontario, Riverside, Texas World and Fleming made the list. Here's a look back at five other special tracks that made their mark in the NASCAR world.

*Nazareth Speedway*
As unique layouts go Nazareth was near the top of the list. The five turn track located in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania was born as a dirt track in 1910 before undergoing a transformation and repaving in 1987, when it debuted at slightly less than a mile in length. 





 Nazareth was the scene of many open wheel races on both its dirt and asphalt incarnations with NASCAR also playing a prominent role in track history. Both the NASCAR Busch (now XFINITY) Series and Camping World Truck Series competed for years at Nazareth as did the Whelen Modified Tour. Rick Mast won the inaugural Busch race in 1988 with Martin Truex Jr. taking the final appearance by the series in 2004. The Truck Series debuted in 1996 with a Jack Sprague win with Greg Biffle won the last race held for the series in 2001. The track stopped holding major events shortly thereafter and by 2004 ceased operation.

*I-70 Speedway* 
A high-banked half-mile track in Odesssa, Missouri just outside Kansas City, I-70 was one of the most legendary short tracks in the country. Late model stock car racing was king at I-70 with some of the sport's top stars competing at the track over the years including Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Larry Phillips. The Camping World Truck Series found its way to the track and produced some of the most memorable short track racing in series history with Mike Skinner winning the inaugural race in 1995. In all the series competed at I-70 five times and the track fell on hard times before finally shutting down in 2009.

*Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway* 
The mile -ong PPIR track sits in Fountain, Colorado and had a strong run on the NASCAR schedule for many years. Both the Busch (now XFINITY) Series and Camping World Truck Series debuted at Pikes Peak in 1998. Matt Kenseth won the first of what would a total of eight Busch Series races at the track. Ron Hornaday Jr. was victorious in the Truck Series race that same year. NASCAR's K&N Pro Series West also competed at Pikes Peak for many seasons with the likes of Michael Waltrip and Kevin Harvick finding Victory Lane. The track ceased operations for some time but has been brought back to life in recent years as a home for driving schools and training.

*Chicago Motor Speedway* 
NASCAR's history of racing in the "Windy City" dates back to Solider Field in the 1950s. Today the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois hosts all three of 





NASCAR's top series every year including theMRN Chase for the Sprint Cup opener. But a now defunct track just outside the city limits in Cicero also played host to NASCAR racing when Chicago Motor Speedway was alive and well. The one-mile speedway was built on the grounds of the former Sportsman's Park horse racing track and current team owner Chip Ganassi was part of the ownership group. In addition to a CART race, CMS also was on the Camping World Truck Series schedule for two years. Joe Ruttman won the first race in 2000 and Scott Riggs the following year. Attendance fell dramatically in a short period of time and when Chicagoland Speedway opened its gates in 2001, its neighbor track to the north closed its gates.

*Louisville Motor Speedway*
Another unique short track from the early days of the Camping World Truck Series, Louisville was located in the Bluegrass State. The track first opened in 1988 as weekly venue with regional touring events also on its schedule. The Truck Series made its debut in 1995 and ran there until the 1999 season. Louisville was three-cornered track and almost a smaller version of Pocono Raceway. It featured elevation changes as well and although it was only 3/8-mile in length, some drivers felt it drove like a road course. The track's fate was sealed when Kentucky Speedway opened in nearby Sparta and Louisville is now the site of an industrial park.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/12/Gone-But-Not-Forgotten-Part-2.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Whelen Backs Garbo's K&N East Effort​*
When Marsh Racing and longtime team sponsor Whelen Engineering Company, Inc. got the opportunity to put together a race team for 2015, they looked closely at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Ted Marsh, owner of Marsh Racing, began searching for not only a championship-caliber driver, but someone he felt could also effectively represent the Whelen brand.

"It's been a while since the Whelen No. 31 has been part of the K&N Pro Series"

The name of David Garbo Jr. was consistently at the top of his list and he ultimately went to Whelen Vice President of Motorsports, Phil Kurze, with his recommendation. "It's been a while since the Whelen No. 31 has been part of the K&N Pro Series," said Kurze. "With the talented David Garbo, Jr. as our pilot we are looking forward to a lot of excitement and great racing in a very competitive field."

Marsh commented, "He's a remarkable young man. We don't know how he does it all so effectively at just 18 years old. He's a national racing champion, a college freshman, a licensed private plane pilot, and he has an established charitable organization. We feel not only is he a talented and committed racer, but also someone who represents the future of the sport. We're quite impressed."

When asked about his reaction to being chosen to represent such an illustrious brand as Whelen, Garbo'ss response was, "I'm so pumped.

This company has been a part of racing for more than 20 years and the fact that they recognize my potential and my dedication to racing is the greatest compliment I could ever imagine. My family, friends and fans are so encouraging to me on a daily basis, and I know I can deliver the substance that Whelen is looking for."

Garbo earned National and Connecticut State Championships in US Legends Cars in 2011 while running late model stock cars part-time with Marcos Ambrose Motor Sports. In 2013 he won prestigious late model races, including the Bobby Isaac Classic, and ranked 23rd in the nation in the Whelen All American Series out of thousands of drivers. He was also the highest-ranking rookie driving for Jamie Yelton's Fat Head Racing. In 2014 he ran a part-time schedule in the K&N Pro Series East with a best finish of seventh in his debut at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Outside the cockpit Garbo has a passion to help students with learning difficulties. He established a charitable organization, The David Garbo Jr. Fund, (which is subsidized by 100 percent of his race earnings - more than $50,000 to date) to aid other student athletes with learning differences.

This passion was fueled in part due to his own learning disabilities, which he overcame to become an honors student at the Forman School in Connecticut.

That achievement helped him gain acceptance to High Point University for 2015.

Garbo is represented by Mark Borchetta of The Borchetta Group and Big Machine Motorsports, a division of Country Music's most prominent record label, Big Machine Records. As the record label for Taylor Swift, the imprint is owned by Mark's brother, Scott Borchetta. Big Machine is a strong supporter of motorsports - currently with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams including Kyle Larson and Tony Kanaan.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/whelen-backs-garbos-kn-east-effort/


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## Ckg2011

*Performance of The Year​*
The MRN.com editorial staff each puts in their selection for performance of the year based off the series covered at MRN.com.



> *MRN Staff	Answer​*
> *Pete Pistone*
> Kevin Harvick's back was literally against the wall in the final race of the Eliminator Round at Phoenix International Raceway. He fell into a hole at the start of the round in Martinsville and was on the brink of championship elimination. But he turned in a dominating clutch performance leading 264 laps on his way to another Phoenix victory and arguably one of the biggest in his career as it sent Harvick to Homestead-Miami with a shot at the title.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> This was the year Jeff Gordon returned to prominence. He was a threat to win most weekends and fast all season long. This was not a 43-year but one who seemed to be in his 20s. Gordon's four wins were his most in a season since 2007. Had it not been for Brad Keselowski's aggressive move at Texas, Gordon could have been racing for his fifth title at Homestead and might have gotten it. This was a championship-type performance that just didn't end in a title.
> 
> *John Singler*
> Joey Logano &#8230; OK, forget those pit stops in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. From the start of Speedweeks in February through the first three rounds of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Logano was "Mr. Clutch," getting a win when he needed it, leading laps when the situation called for it and - yes - his Team Penske pit crew cranking out amazing pit stops at crunch time when races were hanging in the balance. Logano and the No. 22 team were money &#8230; from February through November, on superspeedways and short tracks, and &#8230; yes &#8230; on all of those precious mile-and-a-half ovals, too.
> 
> *Jeff Wackerlin*
> AJ Allmendinger's breakthrough win at Watkins Glen International gets my vote for performance of the year. Allmendinger, who led a race-high 30 laps, had a thrilling duel with Marcos Ambrose in the closing laps and went on to hold off Ambrose to take his first Cup win, and first for JTG Daugherty Racing. The win also placed the single-car operation in the Chase for the first time. It was one of the best Victory Lane celebrations of the year.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/12/Performance-of-the-Year.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Race of The Year​*
The MRN.com editorial staff each puts in their selection for race of the year based off the series' covered at MRN.com.



> *MRN Staff Answer​*
> *Pete Pistone*
> Sure the after race fireworks got a lot of attention and NASCAR was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight thanks to the brawl that erupted on pit road. But the 500-mile grind at Texas proved to be a pivotal race in the championship picture punctuated by Brad Keselowski's daring move on a late restart that ended up costing Jeff Gordon a chance to win as well as moving on the Chase. The intensity of the new Chase format was never more evident than at that November night in the Lone Star State.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> The rain-delayed Daytona 500 provided an intensity not often seen throughout a restrictor-plate race and rewarded many fans who patiently waited through the six-hour-plus delay with a Dale Earnhardt Jr. victory. Other races had their drama and exciting moments but the Daytona 500 showed fans how intense the action would be. Those final laps were among the most exciting all season.
> 
> *John Singler*
> Phoenix in the fall &#8230; NASCAR wanted high drama and frayed nerves when they redesigned the Chase format and that's just what they got at Phoenix International Raceway for the next-to-last race of the season. It went down to the final corner of the final lap before we knew who the four drivers would be to race for a championship the following weekend. Jeff Gordon was in and Ryan Newman was out &#8230; but then, in the blink of an eye &#8230; Ryan Newman was in and Jeff Gordon was out - thanks to Newman's deft dismissal of Kyle Larson in Turn 4 as they raced for 11th place. I can't recall the last time I watched a Sprint Cup Series race from start to finish, but I did on that day.
> 
> *Jeff Wackerlin*
> Since Homestead-Miami Speedway was reconfigured it has put on some exciting races. Now throw in the new Chase for the Sprint Cup format and it all adds up to my pick for the Race of the Year. Seeing all four championship contenders (at times you could throw a blanket over the four cars they were so close) - in the hunt the entire race, along with some late-race strategy, made for the perfect formula for a thrilling race and a great way to cap off another great season.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/12/Race-of-the-Year.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: NASCAR Dream Team​*
The pits are open again and, MRN.com's Pete Pistone and Dustin Long each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."



> *MRN Staff Answer​*
> *Pete Pistone*
> A trio featuring Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott is the absolute "Dream Team" and one built for years to come. The two veterans that anchor the squad are still relatively young by NASCAR standards and with their current teams remaining intact will be forces for wins and championships in the immediate future. Larson and Elliott are the future of NASCAR and in a short period of time have proven they can compete at the top levels of the sport. Oh and all four will provide tremendous opportunities for sponsorship, the lifeblood of big time stock car racing.
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> My dream team would feature Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. While there are many good drivers (and champions) left off my list, I'm leaning more toward youth with Larson and Elliott. I want some fire with Busch. Gordon provides the veteran leadership in his final years in the sport. This is a team built to be strong now and dominate for years to come.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2014/12/Gas-N-Go-NASCAR-Dream-Team.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Wood Brothers Full Time? Not Out of The Question​*
Owner Eddie Wood: 'Eventually we can get back full time'

As Wood Brothers Racing begins its 65th year with Ford Motor Company, owner Eddie Wood says "It's not out of the question at all" that the team could go back to racing full time.

Wood, a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive" on Tuesday, said the team's new alliance with a fellow Ford organization may mean more races for a group that has at least one NASCAR win in each of the last seven decades.

"With this move over to Team Penske, there's a lot of people looking for extra races to get us back to the track more," Wood said. "I think if we have some success and just keep doing what we're doing, I think eventually we can get back full time."

From 1985 to 2008, the Wood Brothers ran at least 28 races a season in NASCAR's premier series, and Wood said that's how he was raised in the sport.

"When I started racing, we raced every race, every week," Wood said. "It was like that for years. Now that you've cut back a little bit, there is a life, but if you're us, your life is really at the race track so that's just the way it is."

Trevor Bayne, the driver of the No. 21 car over the last four years and the winner of the 2011 Daytona 500, has moved to a full-time ride at Roush Fenway Racing. Ryan Blaney has moved up to a part-time schedule in the No. 21 with his XFINITY Series crew chief Jeremy Bullins.

Wood discussed how the team comes up with its current part-time schedule.

"What we did is we get with our friends up at Motorcraft and Quick Lane and decide where they need us to go," Wood said. "Obviously the superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega), we've had some success there so there's four of them.

"You're going to race at Michigan because that's home for Ford Motor Company. Then you're going to race Indy, and we're going to race Charlotte and Texas. The big areas for Ford Motor Company."

In addition to his SiriusXM NASCAR Radio appearance, Wood, whose father Glen and uncle Leonard are NASCAR Hall of Famers as shade-tree mechanics, had to deal with an emergency at home that required innovation and some mechanical work.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...hers-racing-full-time-sprint-cup-series.html#


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## Ckg2011

*Breakthrough Driver of The Year​*
The MRN.com editorial staff each puts in their selection for breakthrough driver of the year based off the series covered at MRN.com.



> *MRN Staff Answer​*
> *Pete Pistone*
> Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyle Larson turned in one heck of a freshman season to win the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honor. Many questioned Ganassi's decision to replace Juan Pablo Montoya with Larson but he quickly silenced those critics with a veteran like presence behind the wheel from nearly the start of the season. Although he came up short in making the Chase, Larson was a major player during the playoff schedule and nearly stole the spotlight with a couple of wins. The future is about as bright as it's been for any young driver in recent years..
> 
> *Dustin Long*
> Victory Lane was not a new destination for Darrell Wallace Jr. but he spent more time there in 2014. After winning once in 2013, Wallace scored four wins this past season, winning at Gateway, Eldora, Martinsville and Homestead. He also finished second five times, meaning he placed either first or second in 40 percent of the Camping World Truck Series races.
> 
> *John Singler*
> Chase Elliott started the 2014 season in relative anonymity. Oh, sure, he had top-notch equipment at JR Motorsports and a savvy crew behind him. But veteran teammate Regan Smith seemed to be a more credible pick to win a championship. But we heard the loud thunderclap and watched the lightning strike in the spring, when this young man won back-to-back races at Texas and Darlington &#8230; Texas and Darlington! &#8230; He led the point standings throughout the second half of the season and made it look easy down the stretch in winning the Nationwide Series title.
> 
> *Jeff Wackerlin*
> Rico Abreu scored his first World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win at Thunderbowl Raceway in March in a season that saw him take 24 checkered flags in a number of open wheel cars. Abreu, who was the 2014 USAC Indiana Midget Week Champion, captured the USAC Nationals Midget Championship and recently went to Victory Lane outside the United States for the 25th time this year at New Zealand's Western Springs Speedway.


 *Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2014/12/Breakthrough-Driver-of-the-Year.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Driver of The Year​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick is the 2014 MRN.com Driver of the Year.

The editorial staff at MRN.com considered drivers from across the racing world covered by the website and Harvick was the choice for this year's honor.

In his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick captured the revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title in dramatic fashion - winning the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It really hasn't sunk in," Harvick said after taking the crown with his victory at Homestead. "Right now, you're just trying to represent the sport, your team and your sponsors; doing everything you need to do and doing it as well as possible for everybody involved."

Harvick's accomplishment capped a season that saw the veteran driver experience a number of peaks and valleys before ultimately winning the title. Paired with crew chief Rodney Childers in his move to SHR that ended his tenure at Richard Childress Racing, the duo proved to be formidable right from the start.

The No. 4 Chevrolet had speed all year and it didn't take long for Harvick to experience success, winning the second race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway. He dominated, leading 224 laps on his way to bringing the new team its first trip to Gatorade Victory Lane.

"For Stewart-Haas Racing to add an extra team, bring in a bunch of new guys, a new driver ... Rodney Childers has done a phenomenal job of putting this team together," Harvick said. "These guys all want to win. That's why they came here."

That jubilation was tempered over the next few weeks when a trend began to emerge that Harvick battled for the bulk of the campaign. Despite having fast and competitive cars on a weekly basis, mechanical issues and bad luck kept Harvick from collecting more checkered flags.

It wasn't until mid-April's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway that Harvick was able to shake off the frustration and win again.

"This is the one race I told Rodney (Childers) I wanted to win," Harvick said after a green-white-checkered finish. "We put it all together. This is the Southern 500. It's as big as it gets in NASCAR."

Harvick went the rest of the regular season without winning and entered the Chase in September as the No. 6 seed. He cruised through the opening round with finishes of 5th, 3rd and 13th; and punctuated the second round with a win in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

But Harvick started the Eliminator Round with a 33rd-place finish at Martinsville Speedway after being involved in a crash with Matt Kenseth. Even though he rebounded with second place (behind Jimmie Johnson) the next week at Texas, Harvick faced championship elimination as the series headed to Phoenix.

But as it was in the spring, Harvick was the class of the field. He led 264 laps to score the clutch win and advance to The Championship 4 in Homestead.

"I guess that's what it feels like to hit a walk-off (home run) in extra innings," said Harvick, foreshadowing what was to come in the title race.

Harvick outran title contenders Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano to win the race and - in the process - his first Sprint Cup championship ... adding a championship trophy to a case that includes two Coca-Cola 600s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and two Nationwide Series championships.

"As you go back in time and think about everything that's led to this point, this is what we race for," Harvick said as he sat in his champagne-and-beer-soaked driver's uniform in the Homestead-Miami media center. "You show up to race for the Sprint Cup championship. To come here in our first year with (team co-owners) Gene (Haas) and Tony (Stewart), Rodney (Childers) and all these guys on the team, you've experienced something you don't get to experience very often."

Harvick's entire Sprint Cup career was spent with Richard Childress racing until his decision to join SHR after the 2013 season. As he was honored during the Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet in Las Vegas, Harvick reflected on his time with Childress.

"I owe a lot to Richard Childress,'' Harvick said in his speech. "He believed in a punk kid from California enough to give me a ride and then he had the faith to bring me to Cup during an incredibly emotional time for him, RCR and our sport. We did a lot together, and I'm not up here tonight without you Richard, so thank you.''

Harvick admitted leaving Childress for Stewart-Haas Racing was not easy.

"I have to admit that I was scared to death,'' Harvick said. "I tried to play it cool, but it was a pivotal moment in my career. I was venturing outside my comfort zone, and I had to make it work. Tony (Stewart), I consider you one of my best friends. You promised me if I came to Stewart-Haas Racing, we would win a championship. You are a man of your word.''

Childers wasn't 100 percent sure about the opportunity to join the fledgling team early in the interview process.

"I wasn't even going to take the job until Tony got in his airplane, flew to Concord (N.C.) to meet me, then he got back on his plane and went back to Indiana," Childers said. "On my drive home, I said, 'If anybody is willing to - No. 1 - do that for me and spend that kind of money for me, they're going to look after me.' He looked me in the eyes that night and said, 'We're going to do this.' To be able to bring a championship home for every single employee at Stewart-Haas Racing is amazing."

The tale of the tape for Harvick shows a season with five wins, 14 top fives and 20 top-10 finishes to go along with eight poles and - of course - the Sprint Cup Series championship.

Other drivers that received consideration in the voting were Nationwide Series champion Chase Elliott, back-to-back Camping World Truck Series champ Matt Crafton and World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title winner Donny Schatz.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...RN-2014-Driver-of-the-Year-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Top 10 NASCAR Stories of 2014​*
The MRN.com staff presents the top 10 stories of the 2014 NASCAR season.

From the start of the year at Daytona to the season finale weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the past year proved to be an eventful one. There were more than a number of stories that impacted the sport both on and off the track and here are the 10 biggest as determined by the editorial staff at MRN.com:

*New Chase Format* 
It was controversial when NASCAR announced it back in January but even those opposed to the radical system had to be impressed with the first year results. The emphasis was clearly back on winning as the sanctioning body had hoped when the plan was unveiled and in both the regular season as well as during the ten race elimination playoffs getting to Victory Lane was the goal. There were several "Game 7 moments" throughout the year including in the Chase with the inaugural "Championship Four" Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead an instant classic.

*Kevin Harvick Wins Sprint Cup Championship* 
In his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick enjoyed his best season by winning NASCAR's ultimate prize. Many doubted whether a first year driver and crew chief combination like Harvick and Rodney Childers could succeed as quickly as they did but they proved any doubters wrong with a stellar title campaign that saw the crown secured in dramatic fashion at Homestead.

*Tony Stewart-Kevin Ward Jr. Tragedy*
The accident during a sprint car race at Canandaigua Speedway in upstate New York made national headlines. Stewart and the sport of auto racing were embroiled in controversy for weeks and months following the tragic incident that took Ward's life after he got out of his car under caution and was struck by the passing Stewart. There was no indictment for Stewart as decided by a Grand Jury but the lingering impact of the tragedy will no doubt last a lifetime for everyone involved in the accident.

*Brad Keselowski vs. The World* 
The Team Penske driver seemed to be on the Public Enemy No. 1 list for a lot of folks this past season including fellow drivers, crew chiefs and fans. Keselowski's no holds barred approach more than ruffled a few feathers and he was involved in a number of controversial on track incidents more notably at Charlotte and Texas during the Chase. But the former series champion remained unbothered by the negative perception from some and vowed to remain true to himself in achieving the goals of winning races and titles.

*Chase Elliott Wins Nationwide Title* 
Most everyone believed the second generation driver would be good but maybe not as good as fast as Elliott was in 2014. He took the Nationwide Series championship in relatively easy fashion and had it locked up one race before the season ended. Elliott helped take JR Motorsports to the top of the series' pecking order and will return for another shot at the crown in 2015 while the world plots his inevitable ascension to the Sprint Cup Series.

*Steve Letarte Leaves Dale Earnhardt Jr.* 
The crew chief days are over for Letarte who announced at the beginning of the year he would pursue a career in television broadcasting for NBC starting in 2015. The final season working with Earnhardt Jr. kicked off with a bang at the Daytona 500 and although there were some lulls in performance during the long season, the campaign was one of Junior's best career performances. He didn't win a championship but four wins and more importantly a renewed confidence will be the legacy Letarte leaves behind.

*Matt Crafton Goes Back-to-Back* 
No driver had won consecutive Camping World Truck Series titles until Crafton turned the trick in 2014. The ThorSport Racing driver bristled when the possibility of the accomplishment was mentioned, but was able to make history with a strong run in the season finale at Homestead and lock up the crown.

*Penske vs. Hendrick* 
The two organizations dominated the 2014 Sprint Cup Series season with Roger Penske's team going toe to toe with Rick Hendrick's stable as well as the four alliances he has with Stewart-Haas Racing. Keselowski and Joey Logano combined for 11 wins on the Penske side of the battle while there were 19 triumphs for the Hendrick troops. That left only six wins for the rest of the garage.

*Carl Edwards Bolts Ford for Toyota* 
Only a few years ago Edwards was the face of Ford after the manufacturer stepped to the plate to help keep the driver at Roush Fenway Racing. But when 2014 came to a close it ended Edwards' relationship with both Ford and Roush as he signed a deal to follow former teammate Matt Kenseth to Joe Gibbs Racing. After years as the face of Ford's NASCAR initiatives Edwards will now represent Toyota as he seeks his first Cup title.

*Marcos Ambrose Ends NASCAR Career* 
The popular Australian made his mark on NASCAR despite not having as much success as some predicted. Ambrose was a force on road courses winning both Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races during his NASCAR tenure but was never able to win on an oval track. Still his infectious personality made his a fan favorite and Ambrose will be missed as he returns to his native Australia.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2014/12/Top-10-Stories-of-2014.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Richard Childress​*
*Court Rules Against RCR In Lawsuit vs. McMurray's New Crew Chief​*
A North Carolina court has ruled against Richard Childress Racing in its attempt to block former RCR engineer Matthew McCall from going to work as Jamie McMurray's crew chief on the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

According to a report at Courthousenews.com, RCR sought to block McCall's move, citing a 12-month non-compete clause in his contract should he resign.

The website wrote, "RCR sued McCall in Davidson County, N.C., in November for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. It moved on Dec. 3 for a temporary restraining order to keep McCall from working for Ganassi or another competitor."

But the request for a restraining order was denied.

"Plaintiff has not shown, at this time, a likelihood of success on its claim that by accepting a crew chief position with Ganassi, Defendant has become employed in a 'capacity identical or similar to that in which he participated while employed by (plaintiff) and therefore has breached the employment contract,'" Judge Louis Bledsoe III ruled, adding that there was no evidence of misappropriation of trade secrets.

McCall, 33, is a native of Denver, N.C. In addition to his garage work, he was driven in five races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and two more in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is also a third-degree black belt in karate.

In 2014, McCall was the race engineer on the No. 31 RCR Chevrolet, which Ryan Newman drove to a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

"Matt brings a lot to the table that we are thrilled to have," team owner Chip Ganassi said on Nov. 18 when the team announced McCall's hiring. "He has been a successful race engineer for the No. 31 team and has the added experience of being a driver, which we feel will add to his success in leading the No. 1 team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will mesh very well with Jamie and the whole team. We couldn't be happier."

"This organization is one that everyone in the garage has taken notice of in 2014, and I am just looking forward to the opportunity to make them even better," McCall said. "We have a group of very talented people building and driving the race cars here and I can't wait to get started."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...lawsuit-vs-jamie-mcmurray-s-crew-chief-010115


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Eury Jr. To Help Head Up New Driver Development Program​*
Tony Eury Jr., the cousin of and former crew chief for driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has joined the driver development program of LFR Chassis of Mooresville, N.C.

The company made the announcement on Friday that it has formed a driver development program, touting in a media release that Eury Jr. and the three others who will form the core of the program have earned in their careers a combined 700 race wins and over three dozen series championships.

In addition to Eury Jr., Rob Fuller, owner of LFR Chassis, will help build the program along with veteran driver, crew chief and car builder Jeff Fultz and veteran NASCAR Whelen Modified champion Ryan Stone.

Fuller has served in the past as a driver, engineer and pit-crew member for many teams, including NASCAR's Team Penske and Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

Fultz has a total of more than 250 race wins and 10 championships in various series in his career. He's a three-time champion and the all-time wins leader in the NASCAR All Pro Series.

Stone is a championship-winning crew chief, driver and car chief on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Eury Jr. will serve as competition director for the new LFR Chassis driver development program. He spent more than 20 years as a NASCAR crew chief, car chief and mechanic for teams such as Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports.

In addition to working with his famous cousin, Eury Jr. also served as Danica Patrick's crew chief in the then-Nationwide Series when Patrick first made the switch from IndyCars to stock cars and drove for JR Motorsports. Eury Jr. once owned a piece of JR Motorsports along with Earnhardt Jr. and Earnhardt Jr.'s sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller.

"With the experience level of our coaches and quality of equipment, we are taking a huge variable out of the developmental stages of a driver's progression," Fuller said in a statement.

"We have all wished at some point of our career to have the best equipment and most knowledgeable crew so we can test our driving ability, and all that is under one roof.

"We have worked closely with the NASCAR community throughout our 20-plus-year careers, and know what it takes to succeed in this ultra-competitive sport."

Fultz also said that the plan is for the company to offer a varied array of services to aspiring drivers, with something for relative beginners as well as for others with more experience who are looking to further their careers.

The plan is to identify drivers with great potential and help them maximize that potential, with the goal being to eventually help place them with established NASCAR teams on various levels over time.

"What will be great about our program is that we will have entry level to pro level classes available," Fuller said. "Some drivers might only drive a few races while others will continue through a few seasons. All this depends on the talent level shown throughout the year. We expect this to be a high-profile driver development program within the industry in a short amount of time."

The group also will offer marketing, communications and public relations support, as well as social media, interview skills training, media coaching and sponsorship services led by veteran NASCAR public relations professional Nealie Stufflet.

Fuller said that two drivers already have been signed and that the full team of development drivers will be announced shortly after the entire roster is finalized.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...head-up-new-driver-development-program-010315


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson Wins Saturday Night Winter Heat Showdown Sprint Car Feature​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson went to Victory Lane Saturday night in the Winter Heat Showdown sprint car feature at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. The victory came on the second of a five-night series of events at the 3/8-mile dirt track.

Larson took the lead from pole sitter Aaron Reutzel after he suffered a mechanical issue. It was not smooth sailing after that, however. Larson had to battle with sprint car veterans Stevie Smith and Danny Lasoski for the victory.

The win came in Larson's second winged sprint car start since 2013. Luckily, his new son Owen was able to watch his father score the win from the comfort of his N.C. home.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...howdown-sprint-car-feature-kasey-kahne-010415


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## Ckg2011

*Eric McClure Full Time Xfinity Series In 2015​*
Team McClure Inc. & JGL Racing announced today a partnership that will place Eric McClure in a JGL Toyota Camry for the full 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Reynolds Consumer Products marks a tenth consecutive season as a series team partner and will serve as primary sponsor on the No. 24 entry for a minimum of 25 events. The relationship with McClure continues the longest active driver/sponsor combination in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and one of the longest current partnerships in the overall industry.

JGL Racing, with owner James Whitener and General Manager Gregg Mixon, made its debut during the 2014 season-opening event at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The freshman team featured various driver combinations throughout the season for its two-car operation and, collectively, scored one top-five, two top-10, and three top-15 finishes. Moreover, they finished the season 22nd and 28th in the NASCAR Owners' Point standings. In 2015, JGL Racing will continue its two-car operation and compete under the Toyota Racing banner. Jay Guy, a 28-year NASCAR veteran, has joined JLG Racing and will serve as crew chief of the No. 24 team. Guy brings vast knowledge and race-winning experience to the team from his time leading teams in both the Xfinity and Sprint Cup Series.

McClure, a Chilhowie, Virginia native, will be beginning his 13th season of NXS competition, piloting the No. 24 Camry in all 33 scheduled events. In 12 seasons, the veteran driver has 254 starts to his credit and he has scored a top finish of eighth. Despite not competing in a full season since 2011, McClure has placed in the top 20 in driver standings in each of the past three seasons, with a best finish of 16th (2012).

RCP will feature its well-known Reynolds Wrap® and Hefty® brands on the No. 24 entry throughout the season, with the first scheduled race being the series' first event at Daytona Int'l Speedway on February 21, 2015. RCP's remaining races and additional program details will be announced at a later date.

Eric McClure, driver of No. 24 Hefty®/Reynolds Wrap® Camry Quotes: "I am humbled as we begin our tenth season of partnership with Hefty® and Reynolds Wrap®. I am proud of the longevity and continued success of the relationship and it's an honor to continue to represent these well-respected, household brands."

"It's a privilege to compete at this level of motorsports, and to have the opportunity to return to full-time competition is truly a blessing. I'm excited about the new partnership with JGL Racing. They are an organization comprised of experienced individuals sharing a deep-rooted competitive spirit. I could not be more excited about the upcoming season."

James Whitener, Co-Owner of JGL Racing Quotes: "JGL Racing is honored to have Eric (McClure), Hefty®, and Reynolds Wrap® come on board with us for the 2015 NASCAR season. Eric's a talented driver who's had success on and off the race track over the course of his career, and it's exciting to add another veteran driver and national brands to our organization. We look forward to continuing to build on the things accomplished in 2014 and growing our team together."

*Source:*
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/...-2015.html?soid=1119659331615&aid=icS5FCPFHKk


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## Ckg2011

*RFR Announces Crew Chief Lineup​*
Roush Fenway Racing has announced its 2015 crew chief lineup. The lineup features the return of Bob Osborne atop the pit box as the crew chief of Trevor Bayne and the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford, which makes its return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Osborne served as a crew chief for Roush Fenway from 2004 until 2012, leading teams to 18 wins, 86 top-five finishes and 142 top-10 finishes, before moving over to assist with the team's engineering efforts.

Greg Biffle's No. 16 Ortho Ford will again be headed up by Matt Puccia, who has led Biffle to 'Chase' appearances in each of his three full seasons at the helm. The No. 17 Fastenal team will be led by Nick Sandler, who spent the last four seasons working as the head engineer for the No. 99 team under Jimmy Fennig. Mike Kelley, who served as the team's crew chief last season will make the shift to car chief in 2015. Kelley and Stenhouse Jr. have a long history, with the pair teaming for back-to-back championships in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2011 and 2012.

"We are excited about our 2015 crew chief lineup," said team co-owner Jack Roush. "Much like our driver lineup, our crew chief assembly features a quality mix of veteran leadership and youthful insight. We feel this lineup, combined with the addition of Kevin Kidd to oversee our Sprint Cup efforts, is a big step forward in the direction of placing our teams up front and contending week-in and week-out.

"Bob Osborne is a proven commodity, as evidenced by his 18 wins as a Sprint Cup crew chief," added Roush. "He will bring a strong veteran presence to the No. 6 AdvoCare team, as Trevor Bayne makes the transition to full-time Sprint Cup racing.

"We have seen proven results with Matt Puccia and Greg Biffle and we will look to continue to build on that moving into 2015," added Roush. "And we are excited about the elevation of Nick Sandler to crew chief on the No. 17. Nick has a strong engineering background with the company and his time working hand-in-hand with Jimmy Fennig over the past few seasons will prove invaluable as he takes the helm of the No. 17.

"We are also excited to have Mike Kelley continue with the No. 17 team as the car chief," said Roush. "Mike has been an integral part of Ricky's success and in addition to his championships in the NXS, has championship experience as a car chief in the NSCS."

In addition, Roush Fenway has named legendary crew chief Jimmy Fennig as research and development coordinator. Fennig, who most recently served as crew chief on the No. 99 Sprint Cup Team amassed 36 career wins as a crew chief and helped lead the organization to its second NSCS Championship in 2004 and the team's historic 300th win in the 2012 Daytona 500. He will now play an integral role in the direction of the team's car builds.

"I am personally excited to have Jimmy in this new role," said Roush. "Jimmy's experience is unparalleled in our sport and I anticipate his input in this new role will have a major influence in a positive direction across the board with all of our team's going forward."

On the NASCAR XFINITY Series front, Phil Gould will lead the No. 1 One Main Financial team in 2015. Gould previously worked with Brian Scott the last two seasons, guiding the No. 2 team to a fourth-place finish in the final standings last season. Both Seth Barbour and Scott Graves will return atop the boxes of the No. 16 and No. 60 NXS teams. Chad Norris, who served as crew chief for No. 6 NXS team last season, will sit atop the pit box for Bubba Wallace.

"We are pleased to have Phil Gould join the team along with Elliott (Sadler) and the No. 1 One Main Financial team," said Roush. "In addition, with a year of working together under their belts, we will look forward to the continued progress of Seth Barbour with Ryan Reed and of course the team of Scott Graves and Chris Buescher. In addition, teaming a veteran crew chief like Chad Norris, with a young talented driver like Bubba Wallace should yield exciting results."

*Sprint Cup Series* 
No. 6 AdvoCare Ford with driver Trevor Bayne - Bob Osborne 
No. 16 Ortho Ford with driver Greg Biffle - Matt Puccia 
No. 17 Fastenal Ford with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Nick Sandler

*XFINITY Series* 
No. 1 One Main Financial Ford with driver Elliot Sadler - Phil Gould 
No. 6 Roush Ford with driver Bubba Wallace - Chad Norris 
No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford with driver Ryan Reed - Seth Barbour 
No. 60 Roush Performance Ford with driver Chris Buescher - Scott Graves

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Racing-Announces-2015-Crew-Chief-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Knost to Remain Patrick's Crew Chief​*
Daniel Knost will remain Danica Patrick's crew chief this season, according to a team spokesperson who told Motor Racing Network on Monday that Knost's "interim tag has been dropped.''

Knost paired with Patrick for the final three races of last season after starting the year with Kurt Busch. When the change was made, Stewart-Haas Racing officials designated Knost as an interim crew chief for Patrick.

Patrick finished no better than 18th in those three races with Knost, an engineer who had not been a crew chief until last season.

Patrick spoke to AL.com Sunday while serving as grand marshal for the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and discussed Knost.

Asked about her crew chief's status, Patrick said: "We (she and Knost) worked together a little bit at the end of last season. I think that was a really good thing to do in preparation for 2015. Everybody at Stewart-Haas has been working very hard to make sure that every team is as good from top to bottom as possible, and we'll probably have some changes for next year within the team, but it's like I said, you never know what you can have until you dare to try something different. Daniel is a very smart guy and I'm excited to see what we can do.''

Knost helped Busch win at Martinsville Speedway last year to make the Chase. In 33 races together, Busch had one win, six top-five finishes and nine top-10 results.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-To-Remain-Crew-Chief-For-Danica-Patrick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dover Police Completes Investigation of Kurt Busch​*
The Dover Police Department has completed its investigation of Kurt Busch and forwarded its findings to the Kent County Attorney General's office, Dover Police confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

Dover Police announced Nov. 7 they were investigating an allegation of domestic abuse involving Busch. Patricia Driscoll, Busch's ex-girlfriend, reported the incident Nov. 5. The incident allegedly took place at Dover International Speedway in September.

Dover Police issued the following statement Tuesday: "The Dover Police Department completed the investigation of Kurt Busch a few weeks ago and has since forwarded their findings along with all evidence and statements to the Kent County Attorney General's Office. Their office will review the findings of investigation and make a decision whether Mr. Busch will be charged or not.''

Driscoll also has sought an order of protection from a Delaware court. That case is ongoing and is scheduled to resume Monday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Complete-Investigation-Into-Kurt-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stories to Watch in 2015​*
The new year brings a number of interesting stories that will develop in the NASCAR world in 2015.

*New Chase - Year 2*

It'll be hard to top the inaugural edition of the new elimination-style Chase format that produced so much drama and intensity last season. The revised system created drama down to the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the emphasis on winning became evident in the initial part of the regular season. Now that teams have been through the structure of the championship once, it will be interesting to see what plans and strategies will be implemented after the experience of Year 1.

*Sprint Cup Series Rule Changes*

There will be less horsepower and downforce for Sprint Cup cars this year after NASCAR's decision to change the rules package in hopes of making the competition even better than it was this past season. Early response from testing is positive and in theory, slowing cars down should up the opportunity for more passing and side-by-side racing. It will most likely take until late spring to get a full read on just how much of an impact the new rules will make.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*

The organization added a fourth driver in Carl Edwards and shuffled its crew chief lineup during the off-season. Edwards is paired with Darian Grubb. Dave Rogers moves over to work with Denny Hamlin while Kyle Busch gets long-time XFINITY Series crew chief Adam Stevens in a promotion. Only the Matt Kenseth-Jason Ratcliff pairing remains intact.

*Earnhardt Jr's New Crew Chief*

NASCAR's most popular driver begins the new year without Steve Letarte as crew chief. Greg Ives takes over calling the shots after helping guide Chase Elliott to last year's Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series title. The two have a working relationship at JR Motorsports and appear to be comfortable together. However, the bar has been set pretty high after arguably Earnhardt's best Cup season in a decade.

*Tony Stewart*

It's an understatement to call 2014 Stewart's most forgettable year. His involvement in the sprint car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. will leave an impact on Stewart's life forever. Unfortunately, "Smoke" also had a Sprint Cup season he'd like to forget and there's a great deal of work needed for improvement. While he watched teammate Kevin Harvick gel with new crew chief Rodney Childers to win a championship, the jury's still out if the Stewart-Chad Johnston pairing has the same potential for success. What Stewart needs is a strong start to the season as a confidence builder for both driver and crew chief.

*Danica Patrick*

Her contract with Stewart-Haas Racing ends after the 2015 season. While it doesn't appear imminent she'd leave the organization, Patrick's third full Sprint Cup Series season will be one filled with scrutiny. There were small signs of improvement last year but nothing that would imply that Patrick is ready to challenge for wins on a regular basis outside of restrictor-plate races in Daytona and Talladega. She doesn't have Tony Gibson as crew chief any longer and whether interim boss Daniel Knost is the long-term solution remains to be seen. Making the Chase is most likely beyond her reach, but Patrick needs to improve from her 28th-place finish in the standings last season.

*New TV Deal*

NASCAR's latest television package kicks in this season with NBC joining FOX to share broadcasting rights. Ratings edged up in the final races of the 2014 Chase, which was an encouraging sign. There will likely be some growing pains as the NBC Sports Network and FOX Sports 1 - both young networks that carry smaller distribution than ESPN on the cable side - grow their audiences. But the feeling of cooperation between the two partners to work together to enhance NASCAR's exposure has already generated a great deal of optimism for the future.

*Replacing Sprint*

There are two more years left on the contract that gives Sprint the title rights to the Cup Series. NASCAR has until the start of 2017 to find a replacement. Early indications are that a number of companies covet the property and while it won't be a walk in the park, most believe NASCAR will find a suitable company to sponsor its No. 1 series. The coming year will see a great deal of negotiation and speculation on just who that partner will be.

*XFINITY Series*

Speaking of title sponsors, XFINITY takes over from Nationwide to back NASCAR's No. 2 division. Chase Elliott returns in hopes of becoming a back-to-back series champion. Series regulars held their own against Sprint Cup Series interlopers last year. There is a feeling that more Cup drivers will compete in the XFINITY Series this year since the two cars are more similar thanks to rule changes.

*Camping World Truck Series*

Matt Crafton is the only driver to win consecutive NCWTS championships and has a solid shot at a three-peat. ThorSport Racing again appears to be strong with Crafton and teammate Johnny Sauter. As usual in NASCAR's No. 3 series, there will be a number of new faces in new places including Ben Kennedy with Red Horse Racing and young Justin Boston running a full season for the potent Kyle Busch Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Stories-to-Watch-in-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gone But Not Forgotten NASCAR Tracks: Part 3​*
Our third installment in a look back at tracks that made their mark in the NASCAR world but our no longer part of the scene.







 *Lakewood Speedway* 
NASCAR racing in the state of Georgia has a rich history and Lakewood is part of the Peach State's legacy. The one-mile dirt oval was originally built as a horse racing venue in 1917. Stock cars competed at the track as well around the unique layout that circled a lake in the infield. In 1951 Tim Flock won the first NASCAR Grand National event held at Lakewood with Herb Thomas, Buck Baker, Curtis Turner, Junior Johnson and Johnny Beauchamp also tasting victory over the years. Lee Petty won the final Grand National race held at Lakewood in 1959 but only after protesting his son Richard who had crossed the finish line first. Over the years NASCAR's Convertible Series and Late Model Sportsman Series also competed at Lakewood, which officially closed in 1979.

*Milwaukee Mile* 
The legendary Wisconsin track holds the distinction as the oldest operating track in the world hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903 with the exception of during the World War II years. Housed at the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds "The Mile" has seen some of the sport's most famous names competed at the historic facility. NASCAR made its first foray to Milwaukee in 1984 when the then Busch Series competed in a race won by Sam Ard. The series came back in 1985 but it did not return again until the 1993 season when Steve Grissom was victorious. The Camping World Truck Series began racing at Milwaukee in its debut season with Mike Skinner winning in 1995. Both divisions competed annually at Milwaukee until promotional issues ended NASCAR's involvement at the track, which is still in operation and hosts an IndyCar Series weekend.







 *Heartland Park Topeka* 
When the Kansas venue opened its gates in 1989 it was the first brand new auto racing facility built in the United States in 20 years. The multi-purpose facility included a drag strip and twisting road course that hosted the Camping World Truck Series for five years starting in 1995 when Ron Hornaday was victorious. The race was also memorable as the field included team owner Rick Hendrick, who started 16th and finished 23rd that afternoon. Mike Skinner, Joe Ruttman, Stacy Compton and Mike Bliss all took checkered flags at Heartland Park in the series' run at the track. Sports car and drag racing continue today at Heartland Park.

*Volusia County Speedway* 
The popular central Florida short track played host to the then NASCAR Busch Series for four seasons. Rob Moroso won the debut event held in 1989 with Tommy Houston, Kenny Wallace and Steve Grissom also putting their names in the record book as winners. The Barberville, Florida facility is now known as Volusia Speedway Park and operates as a dirt track hosting Sprint Car, Late Model and Modified racing every February during Speedweeks.

*Memphis Motorsports Park* 
Just south of Memphis in Millington, Tennessee sits what began its life at Memphis Motorsports Park. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and road course but was expanded in 1998 with a ¾-mile paved oval track. Memphis was a regular stop on both the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. The Truck Series raced at Memphis from 1998 through 2009 with Ron Hornaday winning the inaugural event as well as the final two races held at the track, Jeff Green took the Xfinity Series debut in 1999 and Brad Keselowski was victorious in the last series race a decade later. The venue is now known at Memphis Int'l Raceway and hosts a variety of racing on the drag strip, road course, large oval and a new dirt short track that was added.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/01/Gone-But-Not-Forgotten-Part-3.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson In His Target #42 CUP Car​*
*Busy January for Larson​*
Already with a win under his belt, Kyle Larson is starting 2015 with a busy schedule of racing in January.

He started the new year with a trip to Victory Lane on the second night of the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz., this past Saturday driving the No. 42 Plan B Sales car for Larson Marks Racing.

"I'm still excited that I won that race," Larson said Tuesday on MRN.com's "Winged Nation." "When I watch the video, it was a pretty crazy feature. It was great to be back in a sprint car. It's been over a year."

Last night, Larson appeared to be on his way to a second straight win in his third - and final - night of competition in the five-race event when the right-rear tire went down while leading. Larson, who rallied back to finish seventh, will miss the final two nights of the Showdown this weekend while taking part in the "Roar Before the 24" IMSA test session at Daytona International Speedway.

The season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 24-25 will kick off the second year of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship and marks Larson's second entry in the twice-around-the-clock classic. He finished 15th overall with teammates Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Marino Franchitti in 2014. The No. 02 Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley was leading the Rolex 24 At Daytona at both the six hour and 12 hour mark, until it was forced to retire when the floor separated from the chassis. This season, Larson will co-drive with Dixon, Kanaan and Jamie McMurray - his Cup Series teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing.

"I'll get re-acclimated to the Daytona Prototype cars and doing driver swaps," said Larson. "That's probably the biggest thing we practice. It wasn't as much fun as I thought it was going to be last year. It was really tough, different than what I had ever done. I wasn't the best driver on the team so I was nervous about crashing and ruining everybody's shot at a win. Hopefully this year, I'll be a little more relaxed and able to do a better job."

After testing the No. 02 car, Larson will head to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the prestigious Chili Bowl Midget Nationals - his final dirt race of the offseason. Larson has driven in the annual indoor classic seven times with a best feature finish of third place in 2012. This year, he'll drive the Cartwheel by Target-sponsored car for Keith Kunz Motorsports With Curb-Agajanian.

Larson's thrilling win in Arizona to kick off his year came against some of sprint car's greatest, including Danny Lasoski and Stevie Smith. They've combined for 157 wins in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

"It's amazing," Larson said of the two sprint car legends. "They've won hundreds of races, have a lot more experience than I do and almost beat me. Just to beat those guys, not having been in a sprint car for a long time, feels good."

The checkered flag was Larson's first since becoming a father. His girlfriend, Katelyn Sweet, gave birth to a son ... Owen Miyata ... on Dec. 22.

"He sleeps all the time," Larson said. "We have to wake him up to feed him. He's been lucky for me, so far. Maybe he'll (bring) luck in the Sprint Cup Series and we can get some wins there, too."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../01/Busy-Month-of-Racing-for-Kyle-Larson.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*France Answers Fan Questions​*
NASCAR Chairman Brian France discussed shorter races, midweek events and the new Chase during his appearance Tuesday night on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live.''

France appeared on the show with host Eli Gold and took questions from fans, discussing a variety of subjects.

Asked about shorter races, France said: "We think that shorter races in general makes sense. Sometimes a specific venue or a track believes differently, and they have their own fan base and research that says, 'Hey we like a 500-mile race on this particular weekend' or in the case of Charlotte a 600-mile event. Generally speaking, we're very open to working with the tracks and the local markets &#8230; to shorten races whenever it's possible and we will continue to do that.''

One notion that has been discussed in recent years has been the idea of a midweek NASCAR Sprint Cup race. France talked more of the challenges of such events than any possible advantages.

He said no track operators want to trade a weekend race for a midweek event.

"The other challenge that we have, we don't have home teams, we rely on 80,000-100,000 or even more to make a weekend out of something and drive on average 200-plus miles and often stay more than two days and often bring their families,'' France said. "When you start doing that &#8230; those kinds of opportunities to draw people to these big venues, these big speedways becomes more difficult.''

As to the idea of a road course in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, France said neither of the two road courses on the circuit are willing to trade their dates. France said that officials are not opposed to it but doesn't see it happening soon.

While the Chase provided some memorable moments, not all fans were happy with the format that saw drivers eliminated every third race. France said any changes to the Chase would have to keep the format simple.

"We will be open-minded, but we want to balance making sure that whatever format we have that everybody understands it,'' France said.

"Even if it can make it better, if it makes it a little more complicated, then it doesn't really matter if it makes better because it's too difficult for people to understand. What we have today is a very, very understandable format.''

France also discussed how the sport will react to domestic violence issues. Dover Police stated Tuesday that it has completed its investigation of an alleged domestic violence complaint against Kurt Busch and forwarded its findings to prosecutors who will determine if to charge Busch.

"What leagues might have done in the past won't be acceptable in the future and we will be no exception there,'' France said. "We will have a strong and bright line and if that is crossed, you can expect us to be very, very aggressive with dealing with that. I know we have Kurt Busch as an example who is going through his allegation. We will watch that carefully and see what happens.

"What we wouldn't do is try to get out in front a set of facts that hasn't been determined by the court system. We will be careful in letting a fair process take place (before reacting).''

France also said there is no specific timeline on when officials will sign a company to replace Sprint as series sponsor. Sprint's sponsorship goes through the 2016 season.

"You want to be careful and you want to be selective and make a really good decision because that's the critical partner that we have,'' France said. "So it isn't just even about financially getting everything right, it's really about who is going to be in that position and is going to utilize the rights that are granted, which are enormous, really, really well.''

France also was asked by a fan about ringing tracks with SAFER barriers.

"I'm in favor of SAFER barriers wherever they need to be,'' France said. "If that's the whole racetrack, that's fine. If it's just to put them when there's no impact, that doesn't make a lot of sense to us. That's how we view it. It's always under review. We typically do add quite a bit of SAFER barriers depending on what venue every year.''

Another fan asked France how series officials determine when to penalize drivers for their comments.

"We try to give the most latitude of any other sport in terms of what our drivers and our other participants can say and do,'' France said. "Where we take objection is when there &#8230; (are comments) derogatory toward the racing product. When that happens, we have to draw a line.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rman-Brian-France-Discusses-Sport-On-MRN.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Armstrong Returning To RPM​*
Richard Petty Motorsports announced Tuesdsay that Dakoda Armstrong and sponsor WinField have renewed their partnership for the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

Armstrong returns for his second season with the team after accumulating three top-10 finishes and the pole at Daytona in July. Armstrong finished 13th in the point standings. He'll look to improve that position during his second season with the team. Helping him do that will be Frankie Kerr who will take over the crew chief responsibilities.

Kerr most recently worked for Front Row Motorsports as a crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In his nine years calling the shots for teams in NASCAR's top series, he's earned eight top-fives, 17 top-10 finishes and one pole in 217 starts. This will be Kerr's first full season working in the Xfinity Series.

Former Xfinity series Crew Chief Philippe Lopez has been promoted to Operations Manager for the organization.

"I'm excited to continue racing for The King," said Armstrong. "Philippe (Lopez) and I had a good relationship, and I feel like I learned a lot in my rookie season with the No. 43 team. I'm looking forward to continuing that growth into my second season. Now with Frankie (Kerr) coming on board I think we'll be able to get our communication more in sync. We both come from an open-wheel background and he can relate the open-wheel style of driving to the stock cars."

WinField will return to the No. 43 Xfinity Ford for the second consecutive year. The agricultural company will be on the No. 43 car for 23 races this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Armstrong-and-WinField-Returning-to-RPM.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*How Jeff Gordon's Car Number Nearly Became No. 46​*
What might have been? All those No. 24 tattoos vowing allegiance to Jeff Gordon would have never decorated torsos, arms and legs. Those No. 24 diecast cars would have never been made. And a losing streak of epic proportions would have continued.

Yes, Jeff Gordon's car number was to have been No. 46.

You know that if you saw the jaw-dropping tweet from Ray Evernham, Gordon's former crew chief, that showed two pictures of Rainbow-colored race cars with the No. 46 on the door instead of the No. 24. But that is only part of the story.

You likely haven't heard the whole story of how one of NASCAR's greatest drivers nearly had a number that has had little significance throughout sports.

Until now.

Gordon joined Hendrick Motorsports in 1992 and the plan was to run the No. 46. Hendrick used that number for one race in 1989 and another in 1990 with Greg Sacks driving a car to film racing scenes for "Days of Thunder.'' Cole Trickle (played by Tom Cruise) drove the No. 46 car in the movie.

An issue arose when John Bickford, Gordon's stepfather, looked into trademarking the No. 46. Bickford sought to create a licensing program around Gordon but discovered that Paramount Pictures had secured the licensing rights for that number for toys, apparel and other souvenirs affiliated with the movie - released two years before Gordon's series debut.

Bickford told Hendrick Motorsports officials that they would have to change the number to something other than 46.

But to what?

"They went through a series of numbers available from NASCAR, presented those numbers to Rick (Hendrick) and Jeff,'' Bickford said told Motor Racing Network. "What our thinking was we wanted a number that had no real historical connection to anything, certainly wasn't going to have any licensing problems. The No. 24 sat there and it had no significant relevance to the industry.''

The No. 24 had never won a race in NASCAR's top series.

0-for-NASCAR history.

Richard Petty once drove the No. 24 in 1959 at Fayetteville, N.C., and couldn't even place in the top 10. Bobby Allison finished outside the top 10 in more races with the No. 24 than he scored top-10 finishes with it. Curtis Turner lasted 19 laps in his one race with the number in 1966 before his engine expired.

The No. 24 had no baggage of success. It was the perfect number for a driver who would change the sport and show car owners the value of hiring drivers with sprint car backgrounds and those in their early 20s.

The next issue was the paint scheme. The Rainbow theme was there but Evernham said that the middle of the car was black not blue. That's how artist Sam Bass originally drew the car.

Bickford recalls that DuPont officials wanted more than just drawings to see how the car looked, so the team painted a couple of cars and kept them locked behind closed doors since Gordon's debut had not been announced. Photographs of the car were sent to DuPont and then company officials came to Hendrick Motorsports to inspect the car.

The blue that replaced the black was created just for Gordon's car, Bickford said. It wasn't until later that the color was made available to the public.

"What DuPont was trying to present was that they were a company of color,'' Bickford said. "The initiative given to Sam was to create color. That's where that rainbow stripe came from, a series of colors promoting the DuPont name.''

That leads to the photographs of a No. 46 Rainbow-colored car Evernham posted this week. It came from a fan. Evernham admits he forgot about the number and the story behind it until seeing the pictures.

"It brought back a lot of memories,'' Evernham told Motor Racing Network. "When we did that original '24' car team, it was pretty amazing. I remember building the building at the same time we were building cars. I remember heading out of the shop going 'Do you know how to get here? No. Do you know how to get there?' We didn't have the cellphones and the GPS and all that craziness. A lot of the tracks we had never been to from Hendrick Motorsports.''

The car in the photos is not Gordon's car. It is a Talladega car the team prepared for Buddy Baker during the 1993 season as payback for the help he had provided Gordon and the team.

In a sign of fate, Baker's No. 46 car failed to make the race. While the No. 46 car has won 11 races in NASCAR's top series, it has not been to Victory Lane since 1962. The car number enters this season on a 52-year losing streak.

Had it not been for "Days of Thunder,'' the No. 46 could have been one of the NASCAR's iconic numbers.

What would it have been like to have been the crew chief of the No. 46 car instead of the No. 24 car?

Evernham said it might have been poetic.

"I always tell everybody, 'Look, I learned how to be a crew chief by watching 'Days of Thunder,' '' he said. "It would have been perfect. I could have been the real Harry Hogge, and Jeff could have been Cole Trickle because we used to quote things from that movie all the time like 'You can pass on the outside,' and 'I gave you perfectly matched tires.'

"I think everybody is so used to to seeing the '24' it's like second nature. It wouldn't have mattered what number was on the car with the career Jeff has had and continues to have. Any number he used would have been a household name.''

Still, the idea of the No. 46 inked on somebody or fans shouting for the 46 doesn't seem right. It's too jarring. Maybe the best thing from that movie was not what appeared on the screen but what fans saw on the track - a No. 24 car.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...w-Jeff-Gordon-Nearly-Drove-Number-46-Car.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Burns Back At JTG Daugherty​*
Brian Burns made it official this week by signing a contract to continue his journey at JTG Daugherty Racing as crew chief for driver AJ Allmendinger and the No. 47 Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I'm happy to be back on board as crew chief and I've really enjoyed working with everyone at JTG Daugherty Racing," Burns said. "Last season, I was able to get to know AJ both personally and professionally and I feel like the relationship we have formed is great. Chemistry is vitally important to have between the driver, crew chief and team and we have all gotten to know each other more. I feel like great things are in store for us this season."

Allmendinger and JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter feel the same about Burns return.

"I am really happy to have Brian back as my crew chief," Allmendinger said. "As the year went on, he kept growing and getting better as a leader and as the crew chief to the No. 47 Chevrolet SS team. He was a huge part in bringing myself and the team its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory and I can't wait to build on that heading into the 2015 season. I wouldn't want any other guy to work with than Brian to help take our team to the next level."

"I think continuity in a driver and crew chief relationship is important," Geschickter said. "AJ and Brian came a long way toward learning how to communicate with each other in 2014. I feel confident that progress will continue in 2015. We also learned a lot about how to best use the resources from our technical alliance with RCR (Richard Childress Racing). I'm glad that we can build on what we did in 2014 rather than being forced to start over in both areas."

The 38-year-old led the single-car operation to their first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen International on August 10, 2014, which clinched a coveted spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"Actually, last year was a rebuilding year for us and to run as well as we did at times, win a race and make the Chase shows what an organization of our size is capable of doing," Burns said.

In addition to a win and clinching a Chase berth, the team earned their highest points finish (13th) under Burns' direction since their series debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Australian driver Marcos Ambrose on July 27, 2008.

"I guess it is with extreme pride to be able to do that and it makes you realize that the group of people we have in here are top-notch employees that are really experienced," Burns said. "Their wealth of knowledge will help take us to the next level. Being able to do the things we did last year is just a testament to the group of people we have here. It's all about the people."

Burns, a Purdue University mechanical engineer graduate and former Indiana Army National Guard Sergeant (E-5), enters his third full-time season at the helm and is focused on having a more consistent year.

"Our focus this year is being consistent," Burns said. "We struggled with that last season. I don't know if many people realize it, but this is the first year we haven't had to do something major to prepare for the season like changing manufacturers or joining an alliance and getting in new equipment. When you have to do something big like that, it clouds getting things prepped and ready. Now, we have the opportunity to go through everything and fine tune things instead of having to start from scratch like we have before. It should really help us with consistency so we can have the opportunity to finish even stronger in the points. I'm looking forward to starting the new season and seeing what this year has in store for us and all of our great sponsors."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/01/Brian-Burns-Back-at-JTG-Daugherty.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Car '15' Carries History into 2015​*
To commemorate the new year of 2015, here's a look at some of the drivers that drove No. 15 during their NASCAR Sprint Cup careers:

*Bobby Allison* 
The NASCAR Hall of Famer has the most wins behind the wheel of a No. 15 Cup car, with 14 victories. Fellow Hall of Fame inductee Bud Moore owned the car and Allison drove it from 1978-80. He made 92 starts in the "15," notching 44 top fives and 62 top-10 finishes while leading a whopping 3,862 laps.

*Ricky Rudd*
Another driver in the Bud Moore stable was Rudd, who started 116 races in the No. 15 and found Victory Lane six times. He drove for Moore from 1984-87 ... leading 1,925 laps, and scoring 41 top fives and 61 top-10 finishes.

*Buddy Baker* 
The second-generation driver also had a solid career in Moore's No. 15 entry. Baker won five times in 99 starts from 1974-77, racking up 46 top fives and 59 top-10 finishes while leading 2,205 laps.

*Michael Waltrip*
There were four Cup Series wins for Waltrip during his career with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. when he carried the No. 15 on the side of his racecar. They all came on restrictor-plate tracks: three at Daytona International Speedway and one at Talladega Superspeedway. Waltrip won the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500s while adding a July race win at DIS in 2002. Waltrip made 183 starts in the No. 15, scoring 20 top fives and 41 top-10 finishes.

*Dale Earnhardt Sr.* 
Several drivers who wheeled the No. 15 are tied with three victories each including Earnhardt, another in the long line of accomplished Bud Moore drivers. Earnhardt Sr. made 60 starts over two seasons in Moore's No. 15 entry, notching 16 top fives and 26 top-10 finishes.

*Clint Bowyer*
The current Michael Waltrip Racing driver has three wins behind the wheel of the No. 15 in 108 career starts. Bowyer's record with MWR shows 25 top fives and 57 top-10 finishes, with his last win coming at Charlotte in 2013.

*Benny Parsons*
He spent one season driving for Moore in 1981, posting three wins in 31 starts with ten top fives and 12 top-10 finishes while leading 537 laps. Parsons finished 10th in the final point standings.

*Geoff Bodine*
Bodine spent 1992 and part of the 1993 season driving the No. 15 Ford for Moore. He won twice in '92 and added another victory the following year. In all, Bodine made 52 starts driving that car number with nine top fives and 19 top-10 finishes.

Other drivers of note who piloted the No. 15 include Morgan Shepherd, who scored the third of his four career Cup Series wins driving for Moore in 1990; Tim Flock, the first driver to win with the number when he was triumphant at Road America in 1956; Royce Haggerty, Lake Speed, Dick Trickle, Wally Dallenbach Jr., Bobby Isaac, Donnie Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Rex White, Curtis Turner and David Pearson.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/01/Car-15-Carries-History-into-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ryan Newman's New CAT Design Plays Well In Peoria​*
Old-time NASCAR fans might remember back in 1969, aide John Ehrlichman said of one of then-President Richard Nixon's policies, "Don't worry, it'll play in Peoria."

When Richard Childress unveiled the new look of Ryan Newman's No. 31 Caterpillar-sponsored 2015 Chevrolet SS, the debut Wednesday was held at the CAT Visitors Center in Peoria, Illinois.

And it certainly indeed did play well in Peoria.

Several dozen CAT employees and race fans braved below-freezing temperatures and sharp wind to turn out for the event. It was also the first time that Newman saw the new look on his car.

The best way to describe the new graphics is a refreshed look of the traditional CAT logo, but with more black, white and gold in the overall look.

"I think it's cool looking," Newman told WMBD Radio (see video). "It obviously has a lot of black, but there's a lot of history with black and RCR. But it does represent the Caterpillar colors well.

"This is my first trip to Peoria to see some of these things. But at the same time, seeing the car for the first time in person vs. seeing it on paper is two different things. It is nice to see and we'll try to do our best to get it into victory lane this year."






*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...ys-well-in-peoria/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preece Ready To Attack Atlantic City​*
The entire equation of the NAPA Know How Racing Weekend inside Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall changed dramatically this past week with confirmation of the entry of Ryan Preece into the three-quarter midget field.

The two-day race program is set for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30-31, 2015 and is the latest event under the promotional endeavors of Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP).

Preece, 24, will be looking for redemption after a disappointing 2014 Atlantic City race. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standout takes his indoor three-quarter midget racing every bit as seriously as he does his NASCAR pursuits.

"We have a good car," Preece said. "And we're making it better. The car had a violent hop here last year which was a problem which we had to diagnose. Then we blew the engine up in practice.

Far from being discouraged, Preece and company rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

"There are a lot little things we've identified and have fixed," Preece allowed.

Preece did run the car one more time indoors last year, in February, 2014 at the inaugural Battle Of Trenton, and won one of the Twin Twenties features on the set-up night for the Battle Of Trenton.

Preece's team is a collaborative effort. Fellow Connecticut residents Mike Murphy and Doug Dunleavy own the car itself while Preece and his father own the engine.

With the three-quarter midget entry list approaching a record 100 cars, Preece's car will have to be good. All told, as many as 200 entrants in the three classes of competition will test the concrete floor of Boardwalk Hall.

To score a three-quarter midget feature win, Preece will need to outrun a talented, experienced bunch of rivals including Jimmy Blewett, Anthony Sesely, Erick Rudolph, Ted Christopher, and Andy Jankowiak Rudolph, Christopher and Jankowiak were winners in the most recent LSMP races last month inside Trenton's Sun National Bank Center and are likely contenders for ultimate victory in Atlantic City.

Other top three-quarter midget entrants include NEMA Champion Randy Cabral, Can-Am three-quarter midget champion Mack DeMan and Ryan Flores, who was a competitive runner-up in Trenton in December.

Flores, a Joey Logano NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew member and formerly a New Jersey resident, was making his debut in three-quarter midget racing in a brand new Mark Lafler built car.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...midgets/preece-ready-to-attack-atlantic-city/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Speedway Gives Back​*
Martinsville Speedway proved once again in 2014 it has a mighty big heart when it comes to its neighbors.

In 2014, Martinsville Speedway gave more than three-quarters of a million dollars to the Martinsville and Henry County area, either in cash and ticket contributions, in-kind donations, free use of the facility, fundraising activities or staff hours worked at different community events at the track.

"It has always been a big part of our philosophy here to give back to the community in every way we can," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "Every member of our staff lives in this community; they are vested in what happens here and want to do everything we can to make it better."

The largest and most visible is the annual Fourth of July Celebration event the speedway has hosted for 16 years. It is a free-to-the-public community party with nationally-known musical acts, carnival rides and fireworks. Many area businesses support the show with financial donations and the speedway promotes it as if it were a race, the track's entire staff spending days working on the show.

Area food banks also benefitted from Celebration 2014 with a canned food drive spearheaded by the United Way of Henry County and Martinsville.

While race weekends are big money-makers for area businesses, they also provide a boost for local fire and rescue units and other non-profits.

Area volunteer fire departments and rescue squads were awarded over $25,000 for their race-weekend work during 2014.

Americrown, International Speedway Corp.'s food service division, paid out almost $100,000 to area non-profits for staffing concession stands during 2014 race events at Martinsville Speedway.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Martinsville and Henry County and the Charity League of Martinsville and Henry County were big beneficiaries of fundraising opportunities with the track in 2014, as was the Grace Network.

The speedway was also the main sponsor of the Boys and Girls Clubs Blue Ridge Duck Race 5000. The Charity League held their first Touch-A-Truck event in the infield of the track in 2014.

The speedway made a donation last summer to help send dozens of Martinsville-Henry County children to 4-H Summer Camp.

The 18th Annual Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive was a huge success, raising more than $13,000 and over 200 toys for the Grace Network to distribute to area children at Christmas.

The speedway worked with many non-profits, governmental and community agencies to host fundraisers, meetings and training events in 2014.

The Piedmont Criminal Justice Academy held two four-day training session at the track in 2014, utilizing the facility's many roads for traffic stop instruction. The kick-off for the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program was held at the track along with a Chamber After Hours function.

As has been the tradition for the past decade, the Martinsville High School After-Prom Party was held in the track's infield. The Martinsville High School Band was awarded a substantial donation again in 2014 for its performances of the National Anthem prior to the two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.

The Martinsville and Henry County chapter of Raceway Ministries received a contribution for their efforts in providing ADA shuttle service during the speedway's events.

The speedway opened its grandstands to fans at no charge for about a dozen days of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series testing, which is always popular with local race fans.

Also in 2014 there were numerous tours from both local and out-of-town groups, visits by schools and civic groups.

Martinsville Speedway's 2015 calendar already has three solid weekends of racing booked. It won't be long before it will be filling with dozens of non-racing, but equally important and valuable community events.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Charitable-Impact-Topped-750000-In-2014.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Start Times Finalized for Speedweeks​*
The 57th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22, NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race, will start at 1 p.m. It's the sixth straight year "The Great American Race" will have a start time of 1 p.m.

Start times for the other remaining events of Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 at Daytona International Speedway are as follows:

• The 53rd anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race, Jan. 24-25, 2:10 p.m.

• The Lucas Oil 200 Presented By American Real MAV TV ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, Saturday, Feb. 14, 4:15 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

• The Sprint Unlimited, Saturday, Feb. 14, 8:15 p.m. (MRN, FOX)

• Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, Sunday, Feb. 15, 1:30 p.m. (MRN, FOX)

• Budweiser Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. (MRN, FOX Sports 1)

• NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Friday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m. (MRN, FOX Sports 1)

• Alert Today Florida 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race, Saturday, Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. (MRN, FOX Sports 1)

In this year's Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be seeking his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory. The last driver to win back-to-back Daytona 500s was Sterling Marlin back in 1994-95.

Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 will also provide fans with a sneak peek of Daytona Rising, the $400 million frontstretch redevelopment. Approximately 40,000 new seats will be available on the west side of the stadium, from Turn 1 toward the center of the track. Fans in these wider more comfortable seats will enjoy many of the new amenities being created by Daytona Rising.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...zed-For-Budweiser-Speedweeks-2015-Events.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Strange Bedfellows: CorvetteParts.net To Sponsor Go Green Racing Ford​*
SCAR is a sponsor-driven sport, and when searching for funding, teams often have to partner with strange bedfellows.

That has happened once again as Go Green Racing's No. 32 Ford will be sponsored by CorvetteParts.net for part of the 2015 Sprint Cup season.

In a case of irony, the Go Green Racing Ford Fusion features a large Corvette logo, just above Ford's iconic blue oval.

TJ Keen, owner of Keen Parts, provided a sneak peek at the 2015 paint scheme on Twitter.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/550360146497765376
This is not the first time CorvetteParts.net has been a primary sponsor for Go Green Racing. Travis Kvapil drove the No. 32 CorvetteParts.com Ford multiple times during the 2015 season.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...een-racing-ford-2015-sprint-cup-series-010915


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals Kelley Blue Book Paint Scheme​*
*T*he 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season is fast approaching, and paint scheme reveals seem to be happening regularly as teams prepare for the upcoming year.

Fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to his personal Twitter account on Thursday to reveal his Kelley Blue Book paint scheme that will be run during the upcoming race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.








This will mark the third time Earnhardt Jr. has partnered up with Kelley Blue Book in the Sprint Cup Series.

The duo partnered up for the 2014 Sprint Cup race at Sonoma Raceway, where Earnhardt Jr. finished third, as well as at Phoenix International Raceway, where he finished eighth.

While Earnhardt Jr. gave his fans a look at the new Atlanta paint scheme, Hendrick Motorsports also let fans know his Nationwide hauler is nearly complete and ready for the road to Daytona.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...s-kelley-blue-book-paint-scheme-reveal-010915


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## Ckg2011

*Scott Zipadelli Joins Red Horse​*
Red Horse Racing announced that veteran crew chief Scott Zipadelli has joined the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series organization and will lead the No. 11 Toyota Tundra team in 2015.

"Red Horse Racing is a well-respected organization that has had a lot of success in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and I am very excited to be a part of it," said Zipadelli. "Ben (Kennedy) is a talented driver and I have high expectations for him and the No. 11 team. He had an outstanding rookie season, and our goal this year is to win races and put ourselves in position to contend for the 2015 championship."

Team owner Tom DeLoach commented, "We are very happy to have Scott Zipadelli join the Red Horse Racing family. He is a great addition to our leadership here. I have set the bar high for this group in 2015, and expect great things."

It was announced in December that Ben Kennedy, the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year, would pilot the No. 11 machine for Red Horse Racing.

"Scott Zipadelli has great experience on top of the pit box and brings a lot to the program," added Kennedy. "I am really looking forward to working with him and can't wait to unload our No. 11 Toyota Tundra at Daytona (International Speedway) in February."

Zipadelli first assumed the role of crew chief in 2007 and since then has led 17 drivers to three wins, 32 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes, and two pole awards in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The Berlin, Connecticut native is coming off of the most successful season of his career. Under Zipadelli's leadership Kyle Larson made two visits to Victory Lane, earned one pole position and recorded an average finishing position of 8.4 in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/01/Scott-Zipadelli-Joins-Red-Horse.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Five Could Surprise in 2015​*
Pete Pistone takes a look at five drivers that have a chance to become surprise stories in the coming NASCAR season.

Predicting surprises in any sport is a risky proposition. Upsets and underdogs are sometimes very far off the radar when a season begins, which is part of their beauty.

Not many saw the likes of AJ Allmendinger or Aric Almirola making the Chase last year but both got into the playoffs with surprising as well as dramatic wins during the regular season.

So who will be this year's NASCAR Cinderella stories? These five have a shot:

*Jamie McMurray* 
His Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammate Kyle Larson got most of the attention last year in his Rookie of the Year campaign but McMurray also wasn't too shabby. He won the Sprint All-Star Race in May and was in contention for a couple other point race victories but was ultimately shutout. He ended up 18th in the final standings with seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. The foundation is there for McMurray to take it to the next level this season but the question will be how quickly new crew chief Matt McCalll makes in the transition as the departed Keith Rodden's replacement.

*Austin Dillon* 
The Richard Childress Racing driver had a pretty solid freshman Sprint Cup year that was overshadowed by the performance on Larson. There are no personnel changes to the No. 3 team and a year under his belt working with veteran crew chief Gil Martin should prove beneficial to Dillon's progress. He will definitely be in the mix for a potential win at Daytona and Talladega in the regular season, which would punch his ticket to a Chase berth.

*Sam Hornish Jr.* 
The former open wheel star gets another shot at a full-time Sprint Cup Series ride when he takes over the No. 9 entry at Richard Petty Motorsports replacing Marcos Ambrose. With the Australian road racing ace behind the wheel, the team was always a threat to win at Sonoma and Watkins Glen but was never able to pull off an oval track win. Hornish will be a threat on the road courses as well but his oval track experience and expertise has a chance to get RPM a win to mirror what teammate Almirola accomplished last season.

*Chris Buescher*
The Roush Fenway Racing driver broke into the win column last year with a victory at Mid-Ohio and was quite impressive for the organization in a season that didn't have too many bright spots. He returns as part of RFR's expanded four car XFINITY Series stable in 2015 and many believe is on the brink of being a breakout future star of the sport. Buescher will benefit from the addition of a veteran presence like Elliott Sadler to the Roush effort but his progress will greatly depend on how far along the organization has improved from the 2014 disappointment.

*Erik Jones* 
He's already proven in a limited time his talent and now Jones gets a shot at a full-time Camping World Truck Series ride with the potent Kyle Busch Motorsports organization. As the line-up for this year's Truck Series comes together, Jones should be right in the middle of the title fight and has an excellent chance at challenging back-to-back champ Matt Crafton for the crown this year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/01/Five-Could-Surprise-in-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: JR Motorsports Expands Into Truck Series​*
JR Motorsports will expand into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for 10 races in 2015 with driver Cole Custer, general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller announced today. Custer, who turns 17 this month, became the youngest winner in NASCAR national touring series history last year with a truck series victory in only his seventh start. He and the No. 00 Chevrolet Silverado team will receive primary sponsorship from Haas Automation Inc., the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America.

"This is a new and exciting venture for us," said Earnhardt Miller. "We have come a long way since racing street stocks in 2002, and we are constantly evolving. Expanding into the truck series on a part-time basis is furthering our growth. Bringing in a talent like Cole and a great partner like Haas Automation is a great way to do that. I'm proud of the direction we're heading."

Haas Automation has sponsored Custer for four years. The company was founded in 1983 by industrialist Gene Haas, and it manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers in the company's one million square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California. Distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets, Haas Automation provides the industry's best sales, service and support while offering unparalleled cost-to-performance value.

"I've watched Cole develop as a driver and young man for several years," said Haas. "Last year Cole successfully represented Haas Automation, bringing attention to machine tool buyers following the truck series by winning poles and races. When presented the opportunity to sponsor the championship team of JR Motorsports with Cole as the driver, I simply said yes. I have complete confidence in Dale Jr., Kelley, and Cole's ability to take Haas Automation to victory lane."

Custer is a native of Ladera Ranch, California. He surged onto the scene in 2014 with a NCWTS win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in only his seventh start, becoming the youngest driver in NASCAR national touring series history to win a race. Earlier in the year he became the youngest to win a pole, as he took the honor at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois.

"I'm so excited to get this season started," said Custer. "With all that JR Motorsports has accomplished over the past few years, we know we have everything needed to go win races and compete. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity with a better organization. I really want to thank Haas Automation, along with Kelley and Dale Jr. for putting this deal together."

Custer's trucks will be based out of a JR Motorsports satellite shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Joe Shear, Jr., will serve as the team's crew chief. Shear Jr. was Custer's crew chief in 2014 when they competed in nine truck races with one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes with two poles. Shear Jr. is a nine-time winner in the Camping World Truck Series.

Custer's 10-race NCWTS schedule includes races at Martinsville Speedway (March 28 ), Dover International Speedway (May 29), Gateway Motorsports Park (June 13), Iowa Speedway (June 19), Eldora Speedway (July 22), Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 19), Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Aug. 30), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 26), Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 31) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13).

In addition to NCWTS competition, JR Motorsports will field cars in select NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA events in 2015 as part of Custer's development. Specifics to Custer's schedule in those two series will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-into-NASCAR-Camping-World-Truck-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Takes Stand​*
Kurt Busch repeatedly denied allegations made by his former girlfriend Monday afternoon during the third day of a protective order hearing filed against him in Kent County (Del.). Court, according to the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal.

Busch's ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, seeks the order that would bar Busch from contacting her.

Busch said on the stand that he thinks Driscoll is a trained assassin, according to News Journal reporter Jon Offredo, who reported Busch's comments in a series of tweets. Driscoll is a consultant to Frontline Defense Systems, which specializes in hardware and software components to solve specific problems in the intelligence collection and operational support arenas, according to its web site.

Offredo tweeted that Busch said while on the stand that he still thinks Driscoll is a trained assassin, who kills/has killed drug lords. When asked how he thought he'd fare in an altercation with her, Busch said "I knew she could take me down at any moment,'' according to Offredo. The News Journal also reported that several people testified that Driscoll claimed she was a trained assassin who had killed people. Busch said Driscoll claimed that Jessica Chastain's character in the movie "Zero Dark Thirty'' was partially based on her and other females working in counterintelligence and defense, according to the newspaper.

The hearing is separate from a Dover Police investigation into an allegation that Busch assaulted Driscoll on Sept. 26 in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway.

Busch and Driscoll each testified during the first two days of the hearing in December.

Monday, Nick Terry, a chaplain for Motor Racing Outreach, was on the stand. The Associated Press reported that Terry said he saw Driscoll after the alleged incident. Terry testified that Driscoll told him that Busch grabbed her by the neck and pushed her up against the wall, according to the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal. The paper also reported that Driscoll asked Terry and his wife to look for marks or redness on her neck but they found none.

The Wilmington (Del.) News Journal reported that Terry's account differed from Driscoll's account. The newspaper reported that Driscoll alleged that Busch slammed her head against the wall three times.

Terry said he saw no redness or marks on Driscoll that night. Terry initially declined requests by Busch's attorneys to testify because he did not want to take sides in the dispute, according to the newspaper. Terry said in court that he changed his mind after being shown excerpts from testimony by Driscoll telling the court that Busch's attorneys had threatened and tried to bribe Terry. He said that was not true, according to the the News Journal.

Shortly after Terry began to testify, the judge ordered a recess because Busch's attorneys may have improperly shared Driscoll's previous testimony with Terry.

The morning session resumed with Busch's personal assistant, Kristy Cloutier, testifying. She had doubts about Driscoll's claims because she didn't believe Busch would hurt someone intentionally, according to the News Journal.

Cloutier characterized the relationship between Busch and Driscoll as like a puppet and puppeteer with Driscoll as the puppeteer, according to the News Journal.

Busch and his attorneys have denied Driscoll's allegations and say she is a jilted ex-lover intent on destroying the driver's reputation.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France said Jan 6 on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live" that series officials will react to the Busch case after the court system.

"What leagues might have done in the past won't be acceptable in the future and we will be no exception there,'' France said. "We will have a strong and bright line and if that is crossed, you can expect us to be very, very aggressive with dealing with that. I know we have Kurt Busch as an example who is going through his allegation. We will watch that carefully and see what happens.

"What we wouldn't do is try to get out in front a set of facts that hasn't been determined by the courts system. We will be careful in letting a fair process take place (before reacting).''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/01/Kurt-Busch-Hearing-Continues.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Drivers Prepare For Rolex 24​*
There will once again be a distinctive NASCAR flavor to this year's running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The prestigious twice-around-the-clock endurance race is set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 24-25, on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course. Several teams tuned up this past weekend in the annual "Roar Before the 24" test session as preparations continue for the season-opening round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

There were 53 entries in the IMSA garage for the three-day session including NASCAR drivers AJ Allmendinger, who is driving for Michael Shank Racing; and Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray, Sprint Cup Series teammates at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Allmendinger has already visited Victory Lane in the Rolex 24, winning the race in 2012 with MSR.

"This is the type of racecar I've always wanted to drive," Allmendinger said. "They just look beautiful as a racecar and anybody you talk to that's sat in one of them raves about how much fun they are to drive."

Despite his past experience, Allmendinger acknowledged that there is a learning curve this time around.

"I never sat on the right side of a racecar," he said. "That's the first thing that threw me off. Everything you've learned - how you judge racecars, where you place your car ... it's just a little bit different from where you sit in the car. It's nuances like that which only come with laps, getting in the car, figuring out each lap and where you need to place the car."

McMurray and Larson are again part of the potent Ganassi lineup that includes IndyCar stars Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan. Dixon was second-fastest on Day 1 of the Daytona test in the No. 02 Target Ford EcoBoost/Riley.

So far, McMurray feels right at home with his teammates.

"We have a good group of guys. It's fun sharing the car with them," McMurray said. "But it's also fun going to dinner, eating lunch together and catching up on what's going on in everyone's life."

Getting back behind the wheel has been enjoyable for McMurray.

"It's nice to be back in a racecar," he said. "We race so often (during the season) that the month and a half we get off seems like you haven't been in a car forever. So I'm excited just to get back behind the wheel and race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/01/NASCAR-Drivers-Prepare-for-Rolex-24.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day Returns​*
For the second straight year, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will open its doors for free for NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day.

On Saturday, Jan. 31, fans will have free access to the Hall for a full day of activities, including autographs and Q&A sessions with current drivers and NASCAR Hall of Famers. Fans will be admitted into the Hall on a first-come, first-served basis in lieu of needing a ticket.

However, tickets to the below autograph sessions, highlighted by 12-time Sprint NMPA Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott, must be secured in advance. Vouchers for these autograph sessions will be available for free on NASCARHall.com starting at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 17. Each fan can secure up to two autograph session vouchers.

Session One (9:30 a.m.) Kyle Larson, Brendan Gaughan, Tyler Reddick

Session Two (10:30 a.m.) Reed Sorenson, Ryan Reed, Ben Kennedy

Session Three (11:30 a.m.) Michael Annett, Chris Buescher, Timothy Peters

Session Four (12:30 p.m.) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brian Scott, Tyler Young

Session Five (2 p.m.) Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Erik Jones

Session Six (3 p.m.) AJ Allmendinger, Regan Smith, Jennifer Jo Cobb

Session Seven (4 p.m.) Aric Almirola, Chase Elliott, Matt Crafton

In addition, up-and-coming stars of the NASCAR NEXT program and NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees Bill Elliott and Rex White will participate in Q&A's and autographs throughout the day. Advance vouchers are not required for these sessions.

Fans in attendance will be among the first to see a series of new exhibits and facility upgrades. Artifacts from all five Class of 2015 inductees will be on display in the Hall of Honor, an exhibit that opens Jan. 30. Fans can also relive the 2014 NASCAR season with updated Memorable Moments and Champions displays.

Immediately following NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will close for a special members-only Junior Johnson Midnight Moon Sign & Shine. The event will feature a private Q&A and autograph session with Junior Johnson and other NASCAR Hall of Famers, and a free tasting at the Midnight Moon moonshine bar. Fans purchasing NASCAR Hall of Fame memberships at NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will have access to the event.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Of-Fame-Fan-Appreciation-Day-January-31.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Patrick & SHR Gain Support From TaxACT​*
TaxACT, a leader in affordable tax preparation solutions, has partnered with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to sponsor the No. 10 team and driver Danica Patrick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.








TaxACT will serve as the co-primary sponsor with GoDaddy during the Feb. 14 Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona Int'l Speedway. For the remainder of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona, which includes Daytona 500 Qualifying Feb. 15, the Budweiser Duel Feb. 19 and the 57th Daytona 500 Feb. 22, TaxACT will be seen on the C-post of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS.

During the heart of tax season, TaxACT will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 10 team and Patrick during the March 27-29 race weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

"The speed, passion and determination that embodies NASCAR aligns with our approach to business, and when Stewart-Haas Racing brought the opportunity for TaxACT to partner with Danica Patrick, we jumped at it," said JoAnn Kintzel, president, TaxACT.

"TaxACT's sponsorship of our race team will span the height of tax season for most people," Patrick said. "It's a great way to promote a terrific product."

TaxACT, which makes doing your taxes anywhere, anytime, fast, easy and affordable, was formed in 1998. Web savvy, independent and motivated to succeed on their own terms, customers choose TaxACT products and services to save money, empower themselves and, ultimately, get ahead.

"I always give credit to my team on the racetrack, but in this case it was off the track where my team shined," said Patrick, pole winner for the 2013 Daytona 500. "Stewart-Haas Racing approached TaxACT after cross-referencing the company and its culture with NASCAR fans. It was an ideal fit."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/patrick-shr-gain-support-from-taxact/


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## Ckg2011

*Mingus Back With Billy Boat Motorsports​*
Twenty-year-old Mason Mingus will follow up his rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with a return to the No. 15 Chevrolet Silverado of Billy Boat Motorsports for the 2015 season. He'll enter the 23-race campaign with the continuing support of 811, a new crew chief and momentum generated in the final races of the 2014 season.

The Brentwood, Tenn., native finished 11th in the NCWTS championship last year, earning one top-10 and six top-15 finishes in a campaign that included 16 races with Win-Tron Racing and the final six races with BBM, owned by former open-wheel racer Billy Boat.

Mingus will return to the No. 15 BBM team with a new crew chief in Dennis Connor. The 34-year NASCAR veteran has three NCWTS championships to his credit and has worked with drivers including Tim Richmond, Jack Sprague and, most recently, Johnny Sauter.

"Running the last six races of the season with Billy Boat Motorsports last year was a good opportunity," Mingus said. "Billy Boat is a successful racer and a great businessman. I definitely saw a lot of potential within those six races, and even improvement in that short amount of time. I think they've got a lot of great guys on board, and I think our trucks are going to be solid equipment.

"I'm also excited to work with Dennis Connor. I worked with him for a couple races last year, and I felt like we got along and communicated well. He has a lot of success in the Truck Series and throughout his entire career. I think having his notebook and his experience in the series will help me with my learning curve."

The underground damage prevention phone line 811 will return as a year-long associate sponsor with Mingus' racing program. The 811 line encourages homeowners and professional excavators to "Call Before You Dig" to prevent damaging underground utility lines while working on digging projects.

"811 has been on board with me since I started racing," Mingus said. "My dad owns a construction company and they call 811 every day. So, I've grown up knowing about the industry and being involved with it, and I can relate to the message they're trying to get out. Having 811 involved with our race program has been a perfect fit and I look forward to continuing it in 2015."

Boat is looking forward to having Mingus back for a full season.

"Billy Boat Motorpsorts is proud to have Mason back with our team for 2015," the team owner said. "Our goal as a team is to compete at a high level in the NCWTS. I know Mason has the talent to run at the front in the series, and we are working hard to build new trucks and build our team in order to give him that opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Mingus-Back-with-Billy-Boat-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brandon Jones Returns To GMS​*
Brandon Jones will drive GMS Racing's No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for 16 races. Jones joins Spencer Gallagher as part of the driver lineup for the 2015 season.

Jones' season with the Statesville, N.C., team kicks off at Martinsville Speedway in March with veteran crew chief Shane Huffman calling the shots for No. 33 Chevrolet team. The duo previously worked together last season.

"I'm happy to be back with GMS Racing for the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season," Jones said. "We ran well in my two previous starts with the team, and GMS Racing had strong runs throughout the 2014 season.

"Having the opportunity to run with GMS Racing is an awesome opportunity. I cannot wait to continue my development with the team."

The Atlanta, Ga., native made his debut with GMS Racing in October 2014, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway. In his second start with GMS Racing, Jones led the three-truck contingent with a 12th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway.

"To be able to bring Brandon Jones on is just a thrill, and we are very excited for what he brings to our driver lineup," Nic Moncher, GMS Racing team manager, said. "We look forward to watching his development in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season as he embarks on the next step in his career."

Jones made five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2014 and posted his career-best finish of fourth at Dover International Speedway. Aside from his truck racing duties last season, Jones competed full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, capturing his first series victory at Iowa Speedway and finished the season fourth in the championship point standings on the strength of 11 top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.

In addition, Jones made three ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards starts in 2014. In his first two consecutive series starts, Jones was victorious at Winchester Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway. In his third start in the series, Jones finished third at Madison International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/01/Brandon-Jones-Joins-GMS-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ren Sues Kyle Busch Motorsports​*
Rick Ren, a former competition director and general manager at Kyle Busch Motorsports, is suing the team for $390,000, according to a Sporting News report.

Ren filed the lawsuit last month in North Carolina Superior Court in Statesville, N.C., Sporting News reported. The lawsuit alleges that Ren and his consulting company are owed a $35,000 bonus from 2012 and $355,000 in commission from two sponsorships he landed for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Ren stated in the lawsuit his contract stipulated that he receive 10 percent commission on any sponsorship he secured for Kyle Busch Motorsports, according to the Sporting News report. He claims he was responsible for $3 million in sponsorship for Parker Kligerman from Central Kentucky Angus Sales to drive in the Nationwide Series in 2013, and $550,000 in sponsorship for Brian Scott from Sabala Whitetail for select Camping World Truck races in 2012.

KBM's attorney Adam Ross told Sporting News that the team owes Ren nothing.

Ross said the original contract Ren refers to in his lawsuit was amended with a new compensation structure.

"There are multiple other reasons why my client is certain that it owes no money at all and we will vigorously defend what my client believes to be a frivolous lawsuit,'' Ross told Sporting News.

Ren was released from the organization in 2013 when it eliminated its Nationwide program.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../01/Rick-Ren-Sues-Kyle-Busch-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gilliland, Love's Return To Front Row​*
David Gilliland will return to Front Row Motorsports in 2015, and his No. 38 Ford will carry the colors of Love's Travel Stops for an expanded 18 races. The extended partnership will once again anchor Love's as Gilliland's principal sponsor for the season and will return the familiar yellow, red and black scheme to the No. 38 Ford for half of the 2015 points races.

The 2015 Sprint Cup season will mark Gilliland's 10th year in NASCAR's top series and sixth with the Statesville, N.C.-based race team. The 38-year-old driver earned Front Row's first pole position in 2014, owns Front Row's highest-ever points finish (26th in 2013) and has been a consistent threat for the team on superspeedways, road courses and short tracks. Gilliland and the Love's Travel Stops Ford famously pushed teammate David Ragan to a Front Row 1-2 finish at Talladega Superspeedway in 2013 for the team's first victory.

Love's Travel Stops enters its third year as a partner with the team, having progressively grown its commitment with each season. The 18-race program will include events such as the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, both races at Texas Motor Speedway, and road-course races at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

"I am beyond excited about Love's commitment to our program and to growing it each year," Gilliland said. "What I'm most proud of is the simple fact that it's working. Our program does exactly what a NASCAR partnership is supposed to do. It's been hugely successful, for us and for them. I can't wait to see what we can do as a team this year."

The Oklahoma City, Okla.-based Love's Travel Stops is family-owned and operated with more than 330 locations in 40 states. During the 50 years they have shared the road with drivers, Love's has grown to become one of America's favorite travel stops offering clean, modern facilities stocked with fuel, food and supplies for travelers.

"This partnership enables Love's to build closer relationships with our customers and highlight the Fast, Clean, Friendly service we're known for," said Dave Frankenfield, director of marketing for Love's. "Gilliland is a great ambassador for Love's, often stopping at our locations throughout the country during his personal travels. The engagement he values with his fans and our customers makes this relationship strong."

"I'm really proud of how our relationship has grown with Love's Travel Stops," said team owner Bob Jenkins. "It's a great success story of a company coming to the sport and partnering with the race team that can best deliver exactly what they're looking for. The partnership has grown each year, and we look forward to it growing even more in the years to come."

The Love's Travel Stops Ford will hit the track in February for Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500 will kick off the Sprint Cup Series points championship on Feb. 22, with the qualifying duels run on Feb. 19.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...d-Loves-Travel-Stops-Return-to-Front-Row.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Former Employee Sues Michael Waltrip Racing​*
A former tire changer is suing Michael Waltrip Racing, claiming the team "blacklisted" him by falsely accusing him of stealing a pit gun, according to The Charlotte Observer.

The newspaper reported that Brandon Hopkins is suing the team in Mecklenburg County (N.C.) Superior Court.

Hopkins contends that MWR's action cost him an unpaid internship with another NASCAR Sprint Cup team and paid work with a Camping World Truck Series team. A spokesman for Michael Waltrip Racing told the Observer that the team doesn't comment on litigation matters.

Hopkins was injured while changing tires for Clint Bowyer's team Sept. 2013 at Chicagoland Speedway. Hopkins completed his work on the right side and was running in front of the car when Bowyer exited, hitting Hopkins, according to the Observer. Hopkins felt pain in his shoulder. He went to rehab but that failed to stop the pain. He was sent to a doctor in March 2014 for a cortisone shot but that didn't alleviate the pain, the Observer reported the lawsuit stating. He eventually had surgery Aug. 7, 2014.

He was cleared to return to work in late October but MWR officials, according to the Observer's report, told teams that later retained Hopkins that he had stolen a pit gun.

Before the surgery, Hopkins mistakenly brought a pit gun home, thinking it was his personal pit gun, according to the lawsuit. The Observer quoted the lawsuit: "Although this was a feasible and true explanation, MWR instead deduced that Brandon had suddenly become a thief.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...er-Employee-Suing-Michael-Waltrip-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Racing Sets Driver Lineup​*
Brad Keselowski Racing announces its team lineup in the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The organization will field two full-time entries in the 23-race series. Cooper Standard returns as primary sponsor of the No. 29 Ford F-150, while Broken Bow Records and Cequent Performance (through its Draw-Tite, Reese and Bulldog brands) will share primary sponsorship of the No. 19 truck.

"I feel extremely fortunate to have Cooper Standard, Broken Bow Records and Cequent Performance partner with Brad Keselowski Racing again in 2015," team owner Brad Keselowski said. "Together we are a team in every sense of the word and I'm looking forward to a successful season."

Tyler Reddick, 18, will compete full-time in the No. 19 Ford F-150. Reddick made 16 starts in 2014, winning two pole positons and scoring nine top 10 finishes. His season was highlighted by three fourth-place finishes - Chicagoland (Joliet, Ill.) Speedway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and the fall event at Texas Motor Speedway. Doug Randolph will return as the team's crew chief.

"The way we closed out the 2014 season was quite a statement for us as a team," Reddick said. "We were able to do some really good things toward the end of the year. It was a great way to end the season and keep the momentum rolling into 2015 as we compete for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. It's great to work with everyone at Cequent and Broken Bow Records again this coming season. I can't wait to get started."

The No. 29 Ford F-150 will compete full-time for an owner's championship with primary sponsorship from Cooper Standard and the company's Careers For Veterans program. The entry will feature a rotation among four different drivers, highlighted by Keselowski, 2014 series runner-up Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Sprint Cup star Joey Logano and up-and-coming young talent Austin Theriault. Chad Kendrick returns as crew chief for the all-star lineup.

The move is a homecoming for Theriault, 20, who spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons with Brad Keselowski Racing as part of the team's driver development program, running a partial schedule in the Southern Super Late Model Series plus working full-time in the team's shop. The native of Fort Kent, Maine, is scheduled to compete in 13 of the series' 23 races.

"I'm really, really excited to be coming back to BKR," Theriault said. "I'm coming back to where I started as a part of the late model development program. It's huge for me to be behind the wheel of the Cooper Standard Ford F-150. I'm looking forward to sharing this truck and soaking up as much information as I can from them and being a better driver. BKR is so strong and to be a part of this organization is a humbling opportunity for me."

Keselowski said having Reddick and Theriault on the team's driver roster accomplishes his goal of creating opportunities for young drivers to show their talent with a competitive race team.

"One of the things I wanted to do at BKR is give talented young drivers an opportunity,'' Keselowski said. "Both Tyler and Austin are perfect examples of what I'm trying to accomplish. We saw a lot of improvement with Tyler in 2014. He really stepped up his game during the second half of the season, and I certainly think he can compete for wins and challenge for a championship in 2015. Austin was part of our driver development program so for him to have an opportunity to drive for us in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is pretty special."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Keselowski-Racing-Finalizes-2015-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Worker Accused of Stealing Suits From RCR, Trying To Sell Them On EBay​*
An employee of Richard Childress Racing is accused of stealing racing fire suits from the organization and trying to sell them online.

Kenneth Lane Wilkes, 65, allegedly stole a driver's suit and three crew member suits, and then tried to peddle them on eBay. Davidson County (N.C.) Sheriff David Grice told The Dispatch of Lexington, N.C., that the total value of the stolen items was $6,000. Grice told The Dispatch the suits were not marked with a particular driver or team. The alleged offenses took place in mid-December.

Wilkes was charged with one count of felony larceny by employee. He was released Friday on $10,000 unsecured bond. He's scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 14.

It's not clear what Wilkes' role with the team is or if he's still with RCR. An RCR spokesman declined to comment to The Dispatch. Wilkes was not available for comment, according to The Dispatch.

*Source:* 
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...accused-stealing-fire-suits-sell-them-on-ebay


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## Ckg2011

*These Drivers Would Delight NASCAR Fans With Win In 2015​*
NASCAR fans are unlike most other sports fans in the sense that they don't root for one particular team.

They pull for drivers, and sometimes more than one. Those drivers have teams, they have crews and sponsors, and they represent a specific auto manufacturer. But, in most cases, it is the driver that fans really pull for.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, for instance, aren't necessarily pulling for Hendrick Motorsports. In fact, many of them don't like Earnhardt teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. It's Earnhardt that they pull for, and he just happens to drive a Hendrick Chevy. If he should leave for another team, their allegiance likely would go with him.

But there are some drivers that, in certain situations, almost all NASCAR fans like to see win.

They like to see some win because they are widely popular - or their fathers were. Or because they're good guys - or girls. Or maybe because they get really emotional after a victory or do something really cool or different.

Maybe they're a first-time winner, or someone who has raced a long time without winning.

So who are the drivers most fans want to see win?

Here's a look some that would excite fans by reaching victory lane this season.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...-dale-earnhardt-jr-danica-patrick-tony-stewar


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## Ckg2011

*Gone But Not Forgotten: Part 4​*
The next installment in our series focusing on race tracks no longer on the NASCAR landscape.

*Solider Field*
The historic Chicago stadium on the shores of Lake Michigan is primarily known as the home of the NFL's Bears. But Solider Field has a long legacy in the auto racing world as well and at one time hosted weekly stock car racing under the auspices of promoter Andy Granatelli. His "Hurricane Racing Association," which also competed around the Chicagoland area. Weekly racing at Solider Field was held on half-mile track that circled the football field and regularly drew crowds in excess of 40-50,000 fans with one event jamming nearly 100,000 people into the venue. NASCAR came to town to compete at Solider Field holding both Grand National and Convertible Division races at the track. Fireball Roberts took the 1956 Grand National race with "Tiger" Tom Pistone, Curtis Turner and Glen Wood victorious in Convertible events held from 1956-1957.







 *Trenton Speedway* 
New Jersey was home to the Trenton Speedway, which held its first race on September 24, 1900. The fairgrounds track started as a one-mile dirt oval and was paved in 1957. Trenton remained an oval at that size until it expanded to 1 1.5-mile layout that featured a "kidney bean" design with a 20 degree right hand dogleg on the backstretch. Open wheel racing was a staple at Trenton but NASCAR also made its mark at the track. The Grand National Series competed eight times at the track with Fireball Roberts winning in 1958. "Tiger" Tom Pistone, Richard Petty, Lee Roy Yarbrough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison were also victorious in a race that became known as the Northern 300 and part of a summer schedule swing that took the series into the northeastern portion of the United States. Trenton was also home to several prestigious modified races during its history including the Race of Champions held from 1972 through 1976.







 *Mesa Marin Raceway* 
One of the west coast's most famous short tracks was located in Bakersfield, California. Mesa Marin Raceway opened its gates in 1977 and was owned and operated by Marion Collins. The high-banked half-mile track hosted weekly racing as well as special events including the NASCAR Winston West Series, Southwest Tour and even open wheel racing. But Mesa Marin was most famous for its role in the development of the Camping World Truck Series. Originally known as the NASCAR Super Truck Series, the concept got its start at Mesa Marin before it debuted in 1995. Eight races were held at the track with Ron Hornaday and Mike Skinner winning the two in the 1995 season. Dennis Setzer was victorious in what turned out to be the series' final appearance in 2003 and the track was sold to a local housing developer after the 2005 season. Recently the Collins family has resurrected short track racing in the region with the opening of nearby Kern County Raceway Park.

*Portland Speedway* 
Another historic short track racing venue was located in the Pacific northwest where Portland Speedway operated from 1924 through 2001. The track began as a 5/8-mile clay oval and was transformed into a paved half-mile layout in 1946. Open wheel racing made its home at Portland and NASCAR came to town in 1984. Weekly racing and the Winston West Series were regular events at Portland as was the Camping World Truck Series, which ran four times at the track. Mike Skinner, Ron Hornaday, Rich Bickle and Stacy Compton were the quartet of winners. Other notable winners during Portland's existence were Bobby Allison, Hershel McGriff, Derrike Cope, Chad Little, Ken Schrader and Rick Carelli. The track remained in operation as a paved track through the summer of 2000 and then was converted to a clay surface that hosted World of Outlaws Sprint Cars for two seasons before closing for good after the 2001 campaign.







 *Walt Disney World Speedway* 
The track located just outside the famed Magic Kingdom was built in 1995 by IMS Events Inc., a subsidiary of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The unique layout was a three-turn tri-oval and was created primarily to host the season-opening Indy Racing League Indy 200, which kicked off the year in January. In 1997, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was added to the track schedule also in January and two races were held. Joe Ruttman took the checkered flag in the 1997 debut with Ron Hornaday winning the following season. The final professional racing season at Walt Disney World Speedway was in 2000 with an Indy Racing League-USAC Silver Crown card before what was known as "The Mickyard" shifted into its present day business model as a host for the Richard Petty Driving Experience and the Indy Racing Experience for fans.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/01/Gone-But-Not-Forgotten-Part-4.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Martin (Left) talking with Danica Patrick​*
*Martin Back In Racing​*
Mark Martin has found a way to stay involved in racing. He's partnering with Scott Bloomquist in a Dirt Late Model team that will include Jared Landers this season.

Mark Martin Automotive will be among the sponsors for Landers' car for the Lucas Oil Late Model Series.

"At this stage of my career, I could not ask for a better opportunity than to team with Scott," said Landers. "I'm really looking forward to hitting the dirt with our triple 7 machine this season and with the guidance and tutelage from a master like Scott Bloomquist, we are looking for great things in the coming months."

Bloomquist, who recently announced a new partnership with Mike Reece, of Reece Monuments, as his primary sponsor for 2015, will serve as a teammate to Landers with both teams sharing additional sponsorship provided by Mark Martin Automotive Group of Batesville, AR. Bloomquist boasts over 550 feature wins, having won 36 percent of his 1,411 starts.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to team Jared up with Scott Bloomquist this season," Martin said. "Scott is the master of racing dirt models and anytime you can team with someone of that caliber, you can rest assured it will have a great impact on your program."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Martin-Partners-In-Dirt-Late-Model-Team.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Driscoll Counters Busch's Claims She's An Assassin​*
Patricia Driscoll, ex-girlfriend of Kurt Busch, issued a statement Wednesday countering Busch's claim that she is an assassin.

Busch and Driscoll have been in Kent County (Del.) Court on a protective order hearing Driscoll seeks against Busch after he allegedly abused her in his motorhome in September at Dover International Speedway. Summations are due in two weeks and a ruling will be made then.

Busch testified this week that he believes Driscoll is an assassin and once returned in a blood-splattered gown, according to The Associated Press.

"Everybody on the outside can tell me I'm crazy, but I lived on the inside and saw it firsthand," Busch said when his attorney, Rusty Hardin, questioned why he still believed Driscoll is a hired killer, according to the AP.

Busch testified that Driscoll - a consultant with a security company - repeatedly asserted to be an assassin and claimed her work on missions across the Central and South America and Africa. He stated one example of when she left a hotel room in El Paso, Texas, in camouflage but returned wearing a trench coat over an evening gown that had blood on it, according to the AP. The testimony came a day after Busch said she told him she was a mercenary and showed pictures of bodies with gunshot wounds.

Driscoll countered those statements Wednesday in a statement first reported by Yahoo's! Jay Busbee.

"Over the past 7 years I have worked on a movie script with producers about a female CIA operative and her work on classified missions for the U.S.,'' Driscoll's statement read. "The script was bought by a couple different production companies. Over the years many people have heard the many variations the script has taken each time it was purchased by another studio.

"Mr. Busch has seen and given commentary to me on the latest script because some of the stories he told on the stand are straight from the script. Mr. Busch's statements in court serve to confirm my belief that he needs professional counseling to deal with his alcoholism and issues of depression. Since day one I have stood by my statements that my motive was not greed but in fact concern for the man I loved.

"I have previously shared my concerns for Mr. Busch's mental state since the onset of this case only to be dismissed by his legal team. Perhaps now his family and those around him recognize his fragile state and will provide him the mental health care and support he needs. He clearly believes fiction is reality and that's all the more reason he needs help."

Dover Police submitted its investigation to the attorney general's office, which has not announced if it will seek charges against Busch.

Driscoll claims that she went to Busch's motorhome at Dover after receiving distraught texts from him even though they had recently broken up. Driscoll claims Busch slammed her head three times against the wall. Busch has denied that, saying he asked her several times to leave his motorhome and cupped her cheeks in his hands and said she needed to leave.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Counters-Busch-Claims-She-Is-An-Assassin.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Edwards Brings New Level of Excitement​*
When the new year turns and the Daytona 500 approaches, there's a word drivers commonly refer to: "excited."

But as Carl Edwards gears up for his next start in "The Great American Race," he brings a new level of excitement as he begins the next chapter of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career. After competing for the past 11 years with Roush Fenway Racing, Edwards is set to start his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing driving the No. 19 Toyota.

"In my first Daytona 500, I was really excited to be a part of it. But I don't ever remember being more excited than this," Edwards said. "It's an opportunity to work with new teammates, start fresh and prove myself to a new group of people. I feel pressure I haven't felt for a long time. I was very comfortable where I was and so I'm anxious, excited and nervous all at once. This '500' should be a lot of fun."








Edwards was in Chicago on Wednesday as part of the "Road to the Daytona 500 Tour" that will have Cup drivers in 11 different cities leading up to the season opener Feb. 22 at Daytona International Speedway. Edwards met with FOX-TV and Comcast Sports, among others, before heading to the United Center where he spoke with the Motor Racing Network prior to the Washington Wizards-Chicago Bulls NBA game. After the first quarter, Edwards helped award a Daytona 500 trip to Rodney Vincent, who won a race on the court against two others while wearing an inflatable "Benny the Bull" (Bulls Mascot) suit.

"This is only my second NBA game so for me, this is a lot of fun," Edwards said. "I got my picture with the Michael Jordan statue. I was a Jordan fan like the rest of the world in the '90s. To be here and see this firsthand is very cool."

Even with the no-testing rules this year, Edwards' trip to Chicago was just part of his busy off-season.

"We did a Subway commercial with Jay Glazer and Coach (Joe) Gibbs," Edwards said, referring to one of his sponsors. "I don't think I can talk much about that, yet, but I think people are really going to like it. We did all our photo shoots with Sport Clips, ARRIS and Stanley. We still have a bunch of stuff like that going on."








ARRIS will kick off the season on the No. 19 Toyota while it was announced today that Sport Clips will be on the car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 19 and at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8.

Edwards will be back at a full-time four-car operation for the first time since 2011 and has been reunited with former RFR teammate Matt Kenseth.

"The opportunity to work with Matt again is huge," Edwards said. "He's a champion, and a guy I look up to and think a lot of. He's a big part of my move to JGR. I basically get a second chance to start as a teammate with Matt, which I think is a great opportunity for me." (Listen-Podtrax)

The off-season also has given Edwards time to get to know new teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin before heading to Daytona for Budweiser Speedweeks.

"Kyle and Denny are as talented as anyone that's ever driven these racecars," Edwards said. "We've had a couple meetings. It's amazing what those guys know. Their ability to talk about what's going on is great, so that's a good opportunity for me."

Edwards was one of the few drivers who got to test at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month before the holidays, giving him the opportunity to work with crew chief Darian Grubb and his new team. Grubb helped lead Tony Stewart to the Sprint Cup Series championship in 2011 that saw Edwards lose in a title tiebreaker. Grubb also helped steer Hamlin into the Championship 4 last season in the first year of the new Chase format.

"I get to work with the '11' team from last year. Darian and all the guys are first-class," Edwards said. "They're here to race. They have a good time and it's neat to be with a group that has that much fun. I've been fortunate to be with some really great guys in my career and these guys are a lot of fun. Hopefully, it all adds up to a championship-level performance."

In Kenseth's first season at JGR (2013), he won seven races. Edwards feels he can do the same, if not more, in 2015.

"My expectation is to perform at a high level," Edwards said. "My hope is that we go win the championship and win a bunch of races. I know what it's like to win nine races in a season. I know what it's like to challenge for a championship. I know what it takes - you have to be perfect, you have to have a crew chief like Darian. I can't make any mistakes as a driver. We have to have a really great pit crew."

The move to Joe Gibbs Racing also gives Edwards the opportunity to make a possible return to the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

"My focus is 100 percent on the Cup Series," Edwards said. "But if there's an XFINITY race I can run that I think can help me for the Cup Series, or one that's just a lot of fun ... like if they went back to Gateway or some of the road courses. But I want to focus on winning in the Cup car. If we get a win early in the season, right out of the gate, then I might run some XFINITY races just for fun."

Although he has a few projects outside of racing - like farming and working on getting a tractor-trailer going - to help keep him occupied in the off-season, Edwards' level of excitement will continue to build through each of the 30 days remaining until Budweiser Speedweeks open in Daytona.

"Literally, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. I'm really excited to go racing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...evel-of-Excitement-with-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sport Clips Expands Partnership With JGR​*
Joe Gibbs Racing and Sport Clips Haircuts announced the race and driver lineup for the 2015 season Thursday after signing a multi-year contract extension. Sport Clips will increase their sponsorship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and continue to have a presence in the newly named XFINITY Series.

Denny Hamlin will remain a key driver for Sport Clips, piloting the No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry for two Sprint Cup Series races during the 2015 season at Auto Club Speedway on March 22 and at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 6.

In addition, Hamlin will return to the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the Sport Clips-sponsored Help A Hero 200 night race at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 5. In its fourth year to partner with Darlington Raceway, the national haircut franchise will use the race to increase awareness and support for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" program which provides scholarships to active-duty military and veterans who are pursuing a college degree or vocational certification. To date, Sport Clips and the VFW have granted more than $866,000 in scholarships since beginning the program in 2013.

New to the Sport Clips program for the 2015 season will be veteran driver Carl Edwards. Entering his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Edwards will carry the Sport Clips banner for two Sprint Cup Series races this season starting with the July 19 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and again for the November 8 race at Texas Motor Speedway.

"When Denny began driving for Sport Clips, we had a few more than 700 locations open at the time, and we now have more than 1,300 locations in the U.S. and Canada - a milestone we were proud to reach at the end of 2014. We are pleased to have Denny, and now Carl, along for the ride in 2015," said Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sport Clips. "Joe Gibbs Racing and its drivers have been excellent ambassadors for our brand over the years. We look forward to having an exciting and successful race season!"

The 2015 season will mark the seventh season that Sport Clips has been a part of the Joe Gibbs Racing family of partners.

2015 NASCAR SCHEDULE

Sprint Cup Series

March 22: Auto Club Speedway - Denny Hamlin

July 19: New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Carl Edwards

September 6: Darlington Raceway - Denny Hamlin

November 8: Texas Motor Speedway - Carl Edwards

XFINITY Series

September 5: Darlington Raceway - Denny Hamlin

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...xpands-Partnership-With-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Childress 'Rises' To the Occasion At Daytona​*
To officially activate the new vertical transportation associated with its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project, Daytona International Speedway held the first-ever "Escalator Duel" on Wednesday.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon and team owner Richard Childress raced to the top of the new 150-foot grandstand using stairs and escalators, respectively. Childress easily captured the win.

As part of their race to the top, Dillon and Childress completed a series of "pit stops" related to the Speedway's new amenities. After beginning the race near the entrance, they navigated three concourse levels by filling soft-sided insulated coolers with Coke Zero beverages and a hot dog from an Americrown concession stand, picking up a Daytona 500 souvenir shirt from a merchandise stand and collecting a restroom pass.

Fans will have an opportunity to preview some of these amenities next month during Budweiser Speedweeks including 40,000 new seats, two of the five injectors/entrances, several of the neighborhoods or social areas and the new escalators. The DAYTONA Rising project is expected to be fully completed by January 2016.

"Vertical transportation is a critical part of the DAYTONA Rising project," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "Our fans will now have a more convenient way to navigate the facility and preview some of the new amenities."

Childress and Dillon attended Wednesday's DAYTONA Rising "Escalator Duel" as part of the Road to the Daytona 500 Tour, a cross-country media campaign featuring multiple Sprint Cup drivers visiting 11 different cities to promote the 57th annual Daytona 500 that will be run on Sunday, Feb. 22.

"That was fun," Childress said. "Daytona is a special place for me and everyone at Richard Childress Racing. The DAYTONA Rising project will ensure that both long-time and new fans enjoy 'The World Center of Racing' for many years to come."

"The new escalators are awesome," Dillon said. "It was great to get a firsthand look at this massive project. Several Dow Business Solutions products (one of Dillon's sponsors) are being used in the construction so I feel a personal tie to the project."

The Speedway recently finalized race-ready preparation for Budweiser Speedweeks including the installation of temporary Americrown kitchens and miscellaneous trailers, placement of more than 4,000 feet of construction fencing and temporary lighting.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 starting at 12 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ildress-Rises-To-the-Occasion-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sophomore Slump A Myth?​*
A driver's second season in the Sprint Cup Series can sometimes be challenging but it's not always the case.

You've heard of the dreaded "Sophomore Slump," the phenomenon in sports that finds stellar rookie campaigns followed by athletes falling on their faces. While it's not always a quantifiable set of circumstances that causes some of these disappointing year two performances from time to time they do happen.

But maybe not as much as some would believe in the NASCAR world.

A look back at the comparisons between the first and second seasons of some of Sprint Cup Series racing's top stars show sometimes the effort actually improves during a sophomore campaign or at the least remains fairly consistent:

*Tony Stewart* 
1999 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 3 
Top Fives: 12 
Top-10s: 21

Sophomore season: 6 wins, 12 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes

*Matt Kenseth* 
2000 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 1 
Top Fives: 4 
Top-10s: 11

Sophomore season: 0 wins, four top-fives and nine top-10 finishes

*Kevin Harvick* 
2001 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 2 
Top Fives: 6 
Top-10s: 16

Sophomore season: 1 wins, five top-five, eight top-10 finishes

*Ryan Newman* 
2002 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 1 
Top Fives: 14 
Top-10s: 22

Sophomore season: 8 wins, 17 top-five, 22 top-10 finishes

*Jamie McMurray* 
2003 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 0 
Top Fives: 5 
Top-10s: 13

Sophomore season: 0 wins, nine top-five, 23 top-1o finishes

*Kasey Kahne* 
2004 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 0 
Top Fives: 14 
Top-10s: 14

Sophomore season: 1 win, five top-five, eight top-10 finishes

*Kyle Busch* 
2005 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 2 
Top Fives: 9 
Top-10s: 13

Sophomore season: 1 win, ten top-five, 18 top-10 finishes

*Denny Hamlin* 
2006 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 2 
Top Fives: 8 
Top-10s: 20

Sophomore season: 1 win, 12 top-five, 18 top-10 finishes

*Juan Pablo Montoya* 
2007 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 1 
Top Fives: 3 
Top-10s: 3

Sophomore season: 0 wins, 2 top-five, three top-10 finishes

*Joey Logano* 
2009 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 1 
Top Fives: 3 
Top-10s: 7

Sophomore season: 0 wins, seven top-five, 16 top-10 finishes

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.* 
2013 Rookie of the Year 
Wins: 0 
Top Fives: 1 
Top-10s: 3

Sophomore season: 0 wins, one top-five, five top-10 finishes

Overall most of the Rookie of the Year drivers over the last decade that came back for full second seasons performed at or above their freshman campaigns.

The NASCAR "Sophomore Slump" is a myth.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Sophomore-Slump-a-Myth.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Kurt Busch's Ex-Girlfriend Really A Trained Assassin?​*
almost seems comical or, at the very least, something out of a bad action movie. A government-trained killing machine was dating a NASCAR champion, who, in open court, testified that his ex-girlfriend, "could take me down at any moment, because she is a badass," according to the Associated Press.

Fiction, however, it is not, at least according to Kurt Busch. Busch believes Patricia Driscoll, the ex-girlfriend who alleges he assaulted her in his motorhome this past September, was actually a hired assassin who has taken down baddies around the globe.

Among the examples Busch provided was a trip the couple made to El Paso, Texas, which saw Driscoll leave their hotel in combat fatigues and return later wearing a trench coat over a blood-stained evening gown. Busch also said Driscoll showed him pictures of bullet-ridden bodies, which she claimed to be responsible for their demise.

"The whole point of this and the evidence is not whether she is or isn't (an assassin), but that she portrayed that to Kurt and she did a lot of things during the relationship that made him believe her," Rusty Hardin, Busch's attorney, told SB Nation in a phone interview.

"She represented herself (as an assassin) to Kurt and Kurt believed her and still does."

Driscoll refuted those claims in a statement Wednesday, saying what many people joked about -- Busch's testimony and allegations that Driscoll was some kind of globe-trotting mercenary -- was in fact, lifted from a fictional movie script Driscoll hoped to turn into a film.

"Over the past 7 years I have worked on a movie script with producers about a female CIA operative and her work on classified missions for the U.S.,'' Driscoll said. "The script was bought by a couple different production companies. Over the years many people have heard the many variations the script has taken each time it was purchased by another studio.

"Mr. Busch has seen and given commentary to me on the latest script because some of the stories he told on the stand are straight from the script. Mr. Busch's statements in court serve to confirm my belief that he needs professional counseling to deal with his alcoholism and issues of depression. Since day one I have stood by my statements that my motive was not greed but in fact concern for the man I loved.

"I have previously shared my concerns for Mr. Busch's mental state since the onset of this case only to be dismissed by his legal team. Perhaps now his family and those around him recognize his fragile state and will provide him the mental health care and support he needs. He clearly believes fiction is reality and that's all the more reason he needs help."

But as ludicrous as it may sound, and despite Driscoll's denials, there is evidence to suggest that Busch's assertion of Driscoll being a trained assassin may have some validity.

Driscoll is the Chief Executive Officer of Frontline Defense Systems, a defense contracting company, which according to its website is a "customized services company specifically designed to support the U.S. Govt. and commercial companies engaged in the Global War on Terror." And on the company's website Driscoll's areas of expertise are spotlighted.








No, there is nothing overt about Driscoll being an assassin, though reading between the lines, it isn't farfetched to see how a connection could be made.

And then there is Pocket Commando, a video Driscoll created and starred in with the intent of landing a reality show. In the nearly six-minute production Driscoll, who dubs herself "Commando Mommy," is seen shooting myriad firearms and her close relationship with the U.S. armed forces is prominently featured.

"There's a lot of sensitive things that I work on," Driscoll said. "Most of them you're never going to see."

If Driscoll is indeed an assassin it would seem she missed the all important lesson on how to remain covert. Then again, maybe not blowing one's cover is not really a concern when you're an expert on the use of knives and poison, as Busch testified.

The great unknown and what's hard to fathom is why Driscoll would go to great means to concoct an elaborate ruse? It's a question which confounds Busch's attorney.

"She was telling these kinds of things to people before she even knew Kurt and she was telling these kinds things -- at least as far back as 2008 -- to people who would have testified," Hardin said." And when she replayed these things she would be very believable in the way that she replayed them -- she would show pictures of people she had killed, she would show them scars that she says she got from a drug lord she later killed, she would show them photos of dead people.

"To some people she claimed that her people were the ones who captured Saddam Hussein. To Kurt, she said she was there when (Hussein) was captured."

During the protective order hearing, Hardin was prepared to disprove Driscoll's assertion of being a government hired-gun had circumstances dictated. Among the witnesses Hardin was prepared to call was Driscoll's second ex-husband, Geoffrey Hermanstorfer, a former member of the U.S. Army who would have explained how Driscoll would have been privy to information that she could have used to pass herself off as an assassin.

"She has paraded herself as having very close relationships with the military and the intelligence community," Hardin said. "Whether she really had those relationships or not, or really did the things she claimed, it makes her so bizarre that it should call into question anyone believing her."

And yet Busch testified he believed Driscoll's exploits.

"Everyone on the outside can tell me I'm crazy, but I lived it on the inside," Busch said, according to the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal. "Sorry I'm the last one to the party."

Maybe Busch is wrong. Maybe he's gullible. Either way, the events of the last couple of days have weaved a fascinating tale full of intrigue, suspense and depending on whose version you believe, complete fabrication. In other words, it's the quintessential spy novel, which if not already, will likely soon be a Hollywood movie.

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/1/14/7549997/kurt-busch-patricia-driscoll-ex-girlfriend-assassin


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Driver Cole Whitt & Speed Stick Join Front Row Motorsports In 2015​*
Up-and-coming driver Cole Whitt will expand the Front Row Motorsports racing stable to three full-time cars in 2015, piloting the No. 35 Ford with support from Speed Stick® for 10 races, including the season-opening Daytona 500. Randy Cox will also join the Front Row team to continue his relationship with Whitt as crew chief.

Cole Whitt
The 23-year-old Whitt will enter his second full-time Sprint Cup Series season after progressively climbing the NASCAR racing ranks of the Nationwide, Camping World Truck and K&N series. The Alpine, Calif., native made his transition to stock cars after an early career in open-wheel racing, which included a 2008 USAC National Midget championship.

"I'm really excited and grateful for the opportunity to go racing with Front Row Motorsports and continue my relationship with Speed Stick®," Whitt said. "Bob Jenkins is a smart businessman and has grown his team the right way over the years, and I'm really looking forward to being a part of that growth. The 2014 season was great for me as a driver. We had some important personal victories and some areas where we'll want to improve."

Speed Stick® is also on board to support Whitt during his sophomore season. Speed Stick®, known for its line of high-performing antiperspirants and deodorants, previously sponsored Whitt during his rookie year and connected with fans by documenting the driver's first race at the Daytona 500 through a unique, online video series.

"I feel honored to have the support of a great sponsor like Speed Stick® and I look to building on last year's successes," said Whitt. "The Speed Stick® brand is all about giving guys the confidence to step up, particularly in the most stressful situations. It has your back when you need it most. I can't think of a better partner for a young driver like myself."

Additional Speed Stick® brand sponsored races this year will include high-profile events such as the Talladega Superspeedway race in May, the 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Bristol Motor Speedway Night Race.

"Cole Whitt continues to embody the traits that we champion at Speed Stick®," said Bill Van de Graaf, Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Personal Care, Colgate-Palmolive. "In his first year, he impressed fans, teammates and adversaries by continuously stepping up in high-pressure situations. The Speed Stick® brand is excited to be at Cole's side as he reaches for new heights."

Cox will continue his crew chief relationship with Whitt in 2015 after leading the young driver's Sprint Cup campaign with BK Racing in 2014. Cox has previously worked with drivers such as Brian Vickers, Kenny Wallace and David Stremme.

"This is an exciting time for Front Row Motorsports," said team owner Bob Jenkins. "Adding Cole Whitt to our program, along with the support of the Speed Stick® team, is another big step in our growth as a young team. We're going to have a diverse mix of experience with our drivers, which, I think, is going to be a big benefit for everyone."

Whitt and the No. 35 Speed Stick® brand Ford team will make their first appearance on track in February for Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500 will kick off the Sprint Cup Series points championship on Feb. 22, with the qualifying duels run on Feb. 19.

*Source:*
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=760858433963618


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tracks Offer New Fan Amenities​*
Along with new paint schemes and new drivers in new places, NASCAR fans will find a few things new when they head to the track in the coming weeks.

Just as the season starts in Daytona so, too, will the changes at Daytona International Speedway.

The track is in the midst of its DAYTONA Rising project that will revolutionize the fan experience. The project is set to be completed before next year's Daytona 500.

The track will have 40,000 new seats at Budweiser Speedweeks this year along with two of the five injectors/entrances set and several escalators to make it easier for fans to get to their seats.

"I'm so excited for our fans,'' said Austin Dillon, who recently got an up-close look at the construction project. "It really truly puts Daytona as one of the best tracks to come and visit. You've got to come and visit.''

Among the other changes at Daytona is improved wireless. Wi-Fi will be offered in the track's neighborhoods. Fans also will enjoy wider seats, new restrooms and concession areas.

Daytona is not the only track in the early portion of the Sprint Cup season that will have some new things for fans this season.

Atlanta, which has moved to the second race of the season, is putting in a camping pavilion, which will be located in its Legends Campground. It is open to all campers and includes a fire pit with seating. It is being designed with the idea of having local entertainment perform there while providing a place for campers to congregate.

Auto Club Speedway is offering a promotion for fans to ride the Metrolink train to the track for its Sprint Cup race on March 22 for free. After the limited number of free tickets are depleted, fans can purchase discounted $19 tickets. Rides must sign up online at www.autoclubspeedway.com/metrolink. The track stops at a specially constructed station just off the backstretch at the track. Passengers can board a free tram that will take them to the entrance gate.

Martinsville Speedway will feature new restrooms at the concourse level in Turn 2. This completes a project of upgrading the restroom facilities around the track. The track also has started the "My Martinsville" fan-reward program. Benefits include access to quick-entry gates, a question-and-answer session on Saturday of race weekend with Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell and others to be announced, hot laps around the track and opportunity to win gifts on race weekends.

Richmond International Raceway has implemented Richmond Nation, which rewards season ticket holders who renew for both races at the same time with rewards throughout the year.

Texas Motor Speedway will have an upgraded app that will allow fans to better navigate the facility and receive information during race weekends. Also, an upgraded wireless system is scheduled to go live for the track's April race weekend.

Talladega Superspeedway is offering an "Unrestricted" VIP pass that will give fans special access on race weekends. The track also plans to have its "Big One on the Blvd" party back again this year after its success last year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...arious-Fan-Amenities-Early-In-The-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Explaining New Pit Road Camera System​*
Confused about how NASCAR is going to use cameras to monitor pit road instead of having officials standing just a few feet away from the cars?

No problem. You've got questions and we've got answers about NASCAR's new pit road technology that will debut next month at Daytona International Speedway.

So ask away.

Q: How many cameras will there be and where will they be located?

A: There will be 45 HD cameras. They'll be placed on the grandstand side of the track across from pit road. At some tracks, NASCAR will need to build mounts to place the cameras.

Q: What happens if a camera fails?

A: Each camera is focused on two pit stalls so there is an overlap in case there's a failure. Also, should a camera fail, NASCAR can replace the camera, which weighs about five pounds.

Q: What about the officials on pit road?

A: Last season NASCAR had about 24 officials on pit road for 43 stalls for Sprint Cup events. With the camera system, NASCAR will reduce its number 10 officials on pit road. Those officials will remain behind the pit wall. They'll each be responsible for about four pit stalls and roam those areas.

Q: Wait a minute. If the camera can show the right-side of the car, what about the left side? How are officials going to determine if a team has missing or loose lug nuts like they could last year with an official standing there?

A: Previously, NASCAR penalized teams for missing or loose lug nuts. That will not happen this season. The responsibility will be on the team. So, if a team misses lug nuts or some are loose, the driver likely will report a vibration. Then it's up to the team to decide if it is worth returning to pit road to check the issue or gamble and stay on the track.

Q: What will officials be looking for with these cameras in terms of violations?

A: The same things as last year. It's just that they'll have a better way of detecting penalties.








Q: So explain how this system works.

A. There will be eight NASCAR officials in a trailer monitoring pit road. When a pit stop happens, the video will randomly be sent to one of those officials (or whoever is available if other officials are watching other pit stops). The system will detect possible penalties and highlight them on a computer screen for a series official to confirm or remove.

Q: Fine, but what happens when say 30 or more cars are coming down pit road, how are officials going to monitor all those stops?

A: While the eight officials monitor stops on their video screens, the other pit stops are put in queue. Any stops that the system detects has a possible penalty are moved to the front of the queue to be viewed as soon as an official is available.

Q: Can a NASCAR official overrule the camera system?

A: Yes. Say the system catches a car driving through more than three pit stalls on the way to its pit stall. The system will note the possible penalty, but a series official watching the video could see that the car had to drive through an extra pit stall to avoid an incident on pit road. In that case there would not be a penalty. Another example would be if a car goes over the line in its pit stall. The computer will see that as a potential penalty. It also can tell if the car has been moved back into its stall. It's then up to the official to see if any work was done on the car while it was out of the box. If so, it's a penalty. If not, the official does not call a penalty.

Q: What might be a disadvantage for teams with this new system?

A: Think about the example of a car going over the edge of its pit stall. In years past, there would be a NASCAR official waiving for the team to move the car back. That won't be there, so it will be up to the team to make sure the car has not gone over the line before starting its work.

Q: Will these cameras increase or decrease the number of penalties called on pit road?

A: Expect penalties to increase at least early in the year as teams adjust to the new system. NASCAR officials said they saw a significant increase in penalties that would have been called when they were testing this system during last year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. NASCAR brought in crew chiefs and pit coaches in December to show them the issues. The infractions caught the most were competitors driving through more than three pit stalls either entering or exiting their pit stall and crew members going over the wall too soon.

Q: How can this system tell if a crew member is over the wall too soon?

A: If an official has a question, he can review the pit stop frame by frame and zoom in to a particular area. If it's too close to tell, series officials are instructed to not call the penalty.








Q: Will this system extend a caution?

A: "Through our testing &#8230; we never really had times when we had to extend it, but that being said, it will happen I'm sure,'' said Shawn Rogers, managing director, planning and business operations for NASCAR. "If we had to add a lap at a Martinsville or a Bristol to make sure we've got the all clear from all violations communicated and served and had a chance to serve under the correct flag status, we would. It will happen, but it will be the exception rather than the rule.''

Q: Will I be able to see these infractions once NASCAR makes the call?

A: It is NASCAR's intention to provide the video to the TV broadcaster and to have the video boards display it for fans at the track. There are some things that still need to be refined, but series officials said they hoped everything would be in place early in the season if not at the beginning.

Q: Will this system be in place for every race of each of NASCAR's top three series?

A: No. The system will be used for every Sprint Cup event and every other NASCAR series running with the Cup series that weekend. Standalone events - such as the Camping World Truck race at Eldora, XFINITY races at Iowa and such - will not have this system. NASCAR will monitor pit road infractions with series officials.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...estions-About-New-Pit-Road-Camera-System.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Car Brings Big Money​*
Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham's final race-winning stock car sold for $500,000 at auction on Friday night at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, to benefit the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation.

The car reached $450,000 and then hit a half million when Gordon sweetened the deal by adding his Pepsi uniform and autographed helmet.

In 1999, Gordon and Evernham teamed up in the NASCAR Busch (now XFINITY) Series to run six races, Gordon as driver and Evernham as crew chief. Gordon won at Phoenix International Raceway in their final race together under the Gordon/Evernham Motorsports banner.

"Jeff has kept it all these years," Evernham said. "We won with it in '99. I think he won another race with it in 2000. It was absolutely the last car he and I ever worked on together."

Both Gordon and Evernham were in attendance to watch the car go across the auction block. Evernham, who currently hosts "AmeriCarna" on Velocity, was also part of the Barrett-Jackson broadcast with the auction moving over to that channel this week. One of the upcoming episodes of "AmeriCarna" will feature the restoration and sale of the No. 24 Chevrolet.

"Being that I was involved in building the car and it's a racecar, it was a pretty quick turnaround for us," Evernham said about the restoration of the No. 24 Pepsi-sponsored car. "And we know a guy named Rick Hendrick who had a lot of parts and pieces lying around. We hit him for a little help, so it made it pretty easy."

With the restoration of the No. 24 in the rear-view mirror, Evernham is now working on two Indy car projects.

"We're trying to get one of them done for the Indianapolis 500. It's Dan Gurney's 1969 Eagle," Evernham notes. "That's the car Dan finished second in (to Mario Andretti) in 1969. But it's also the last Indy car Dan ever won with (Sears Point, 1970). They're honoring Dan Gurney for the Indy 500 this year and we hope to have that car done to be part of that celebration.

"The other car we're working on ... doing the research, and gathering parts and pieces ... is Mario Andretti's rookie Indy car from 1965. He won the USAC championship in 1965 and 1966 with this car. We have the frame, and a lot of parts and pieces, so we're doing all the research and documentation; trying to find the rest of the stuff to put this car together."

Season 2 of "AmeriCarna" is set to debut Feb. 17 on Velocity. Along with the Gordon car, one of the shows will be Elvis Presley-themed and it's one that Dale Earnhardt Jr. helped Evernham with.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Pepsi-Car-Brings-Big-Money-for-Charity.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards: Tony Stewart Is The Worst Athlete In NASCAR​*
Carl Edwards takes pride in being among the fittest athletes in NASCAR. He does it for himself, even though he admits you don't necessarily have to be an athlete to do well in stock car driving.

"Everybody talks about it, are drivers athletes?" Edwards said during an interview taping this week for 120Sports.com. "You don't have to be an athlete. You don't have to be in any sort of physical shape.

"But there are days where it really pays off and it really helps."

When asked who are the best athletes in NASCAR, Edwards included himself, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson.

"We all work really hard," Edwards said. "But (fellow NASCAR driver) Josh Wise actually either has done or is doing an Iron Man triathlon and he's very competitive. This guy is a world-class athlete."

Host Mike Kim then had to ask Edwards who the worst athlete in NASCAR is.

Cousin Carl didn't even hesitate with his answer as his face broke into a big smile.

"That's obviously Tony Stewart, he's the worst," Edwards laughed. "We give Tony a lot of trouble.

"He must be the toughest guy in the world because he does nothing for his fitness and he's able to just go out there and do a great job. He's a tough guy."

You know, Carl, if a diet of Burger King, Oreos (let's not forget the immortal "soda cookies") and Schlitz beer work for Tony and he's still able to be tough, he may be on to something there.

After all, that diet has "powered" Tony to three Sprint Cup championships in his career.

Check out the videos below that - uh, hem - deal with Tony's "diet."

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...athlete-in-nascar/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon Unveils New Drive To End Hunger Paint Scheme​*





*J*eff Gordon unveiled his 2015 No. 24 AARP Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS on Thursday.

Gordon says the new paint scheme takes on a "bolder, more aggressive tone" than the 2014 version. Check it out.








Hendrick Motosports posted a full photo gallery of the new scheme on the organization's website. CLICK HERE to take a look.

For comparison, here's the 2014 AARP Drive to End Hunger paint scheme.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...o-24-chevrolet-ss-hendrick-motorsports-011515


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## Ckg2011

*No Quit In Them: Future Looks Promising For Wood Brothers​*
e of the new alliances that came about during the offseason was the Wood Brothers striking a deal with Team Penske. The famous No. 21 will be piloted by Ryan Blaney and his crew chief will be Jeremy Bullins.

Unfortunately, Roush Fenway Racing, which the Woods were previously aligned with all those years, has been struggling of late, so I think this is a very positive move for the Wood Brothers.

Ryan and Jeremy already have a history together running the Nationwide car last year, so this new alliance I believe will give them a chance for the Wood Brothers to really be better. Let's face it: One thing that will never change is that it's extremely hard for a driver, crew chief, pit crew, etc. to run the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on a limited basis.

The Wood Brothers are one of the few teams left trying to do it. I applaud them for doing it, though. They are only racing with how far their sponsorship will take them. While they aren't over-extending themselves, it's still an uphill climb to run a limited schedule.

Now back in the day when NASCAR Hall of Famers David Pearson and Cale Yarborough did it because they wanted to cut back from the weekly grind, it was a somewhat easier scenario.

Like you hear us say all the time, though, that was then and this is now. This isn't the same NASCAR as 30 years ago when David and Cale were doing it.

So it's just a lot harder for any team and driver today than ever before.

The benefit of an alliance with a powerhouse like Team Penske will definitely make the challenges the Wood Brothers face that much easier in a lot of areas.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ing-for-wood-brothers-with-ryan-blaney-011615


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace Goes Off On Olbermann In Radio Interview​*
As part of his op-ed yesterday on how this NASCAR off-season has veered into the bizarre, my colleague, Tony DiZinno, brought up the recent Twitter scrap between big-name sports commentator Keith Olbermann and six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson - a scrap that began with Olbermann spouting off on the Kurt Busch/Patricia Driscoll saga.

The details of the Olbermann/Johnson exchange are in the link above, so I won't rehash.

But Johnson isn't the only Cup champ that has jumped in. Yesterday on Phoenix's Fox Sports 910 AM, 1989 champ and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace put in his two cents on the matter and on Olbermann's belief that racing isn't a sport.

He didn't hold back.

"I don't pay any attention to Olbermann. He doesn't know anything about our sport," Wallace said. "Our sport's the most popular form of motorsport in the world. There's no doubt about that, you can't argue it. You get in a car, you run 200 mph sweating your brains out. You lose anywhere between 10 to 12 pounds in a race - that's what I used to do - I mean it's physical.

"We're not trying to say we're stick and ball guys, by all means. But to try and belittle the drivers and say it's not tough or something is not correct. Because every NFL guy or any basketball player, anybody like that, they're in shock and awe when it comes to NASCAR and what it takes to run these cars in the Daytona 500 or Bristol or anywhere - two inches apart, running 200 mph, for 500 miles, three and a half hours.

"They don't talk any crap on it."

Wallace then said anti-NASCAR negativity in some corners of the American sports media is a constant obstacle that must be fought. Later in the interview, he returned to Olbermann.

"I'd love to have Olbermann in a car one time and run his *** around the track and see what he says then," he said.

One of the radio hosts then proclaims that Olbermann could "kiss [his] ***." To which Wallace replied: "He can kiss my ***, too, how's that?"

While any Formula One fan may beg to differ on Wallace's assertion of NASCAR being the most popular motorsport in the world, he otherwise puts up an OK defense. Racing does take a lot out of you physically and mentally, and you'd figure a lot of athletes in the 'Big Four' sports (Detroit Lions back Reggie Bush, being one example) have respect for racing.

However, it would appear that Olbermann's mind is made up. He closed his tweets on the subject with the following on Friday:








All you can do is shrug and go back to my colleague's op-ed and its central point: We really need to get some cars on the track, so we can focus on that.

The first practice at Daytona Speedweeks is in 27 days.

*Listen Here:*
http://www.foxsports910.com/onair/t...listen-nascar-hall-of-famer-crushes-13159692/

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...n-radio-interview/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keith Olbermann Continues Assault On Fans, Compares NASCAR Stars To Cab Drivers​*
ESPN's Keith Olbermann continued to bash NASCAR and insulting its fans on Sunday, comparing NASCAR drivers to New York City cab drivers.















Olbermann irked NASCAR fans this week with his sartical commentary on the Kurt Busch-Patricia Driscoll legal battle and for making fun of Jeff Gordon for racing a tricycle. NASCAR fans called out Olbermann for calling Kurt Busch Kyle (his brother) in a tweet, and for calling Driscoll Busch's wife. That set off a bevy of angry tweets from NASCAR fans and ignited Olbermann's Twitter rants.

Six-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson called out Olbermann, tweeting that he should just "go away." Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace then said on a Arizona radio show that Olbermann could "kiss my a--." Wallace's comment sparked this tweet from Olbermann Saturday night:








Olbermann tweeted Saturday that he does not hate all motorsports, just NASCAR.








You wonder if Olbermann could get away with his attack on NASCAR fans if ESPN's NASCAR TV contract had not expired following the 2014 season. The network had televised NASCAR races for most of the past 30 years.

ESPN NASCAR reporter Marty Smith defended Olbermann Sunday, to which Olbermann replied:








*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...-rusty-wallace-comment-kurt-busch-jeff-gordon


----------



## Ckg2011

*Thiering Set For Full Season In 2015​*
*Will Contend For Rookie Of The Year With CBRT​*
Canada's Best Racing Team announced today that it has signed Alberta late model standout Eric Thiering for the 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season.

Thiering, from Sherwood Park, has captured the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series provincial title in Alberta six of the past seven seasons from her home track Edmonton International Raceway, including the last four in a row.

OFFICIAL TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT

The 24-year-old made her Canadian Tire Series debut in 2014 with five starts for Dave Jacombs Racing and posted an average finish of 12th with a best result of eighth at Ontario's Barrie Speedway. She was the top-finishing rookie in three of those five appearances.

Thiering will run as as a teammate to Joey McColm, who is coming off the best season of his career with CBRT with an eighth place finish in the final 2014 standings.

"This is an opportunity for me to continue improving as a racer, while striving for new achievements, such as rookie of the year," Thiering said. "The 2015 season is going to be a wild ride and I can't wait to see all of my fans and supporters at the track!"

Thiering will open her pursuit of the Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year Award in the series' opener on May 17 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park near Bowmanville, Ont.

*Source:*
http://hometracks.nascar.com/ncats_release_011915_Erica-Thiering_Set_For_Full_Season_In_2015


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Abreu To Race In NASCAR K&N Pro Series​*
HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks announced today that USAC National Midget champion and open wheel standout, Rico Abreu, will join the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East team in 2015.

Abreu, 22, competed in more than 100 open-wheel races in 2014 in the United States and New Zealand. He posted 26 wins across 410 winged and non-winged sprint car, 360 winged sprints, and USAC midget competition in which he also won the national championship. Abreu most recently won the 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals last weekend.

"Joining HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks is a great opportunity for me," Abreu said. "As a full-time open-wheel driver on dirt, I'm aware that there will be a learning curve for me this season. Knowing that Harry (Scott) and Justin (Marks) have faith in me to be successful in stock cars is a great confidence boost. I'm up for the challenge and look forward to learning from my teammates and making the most out of this season."

Abreu joins teammates William Byron, JJ Haley, Scott Heckert and Dalton Sargeant to complete the roster for the newly-formed HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks five-car team. Abreu, a native of Rutherford, Calif., will compete in all 14 series events and continue to race in open wheel events across the country.

"Rico has remarkable talent and is a great fit for this organization," said co-owner Harry Scott Jr. "The addition of Rico to our stout lineup of drivers raises our level of excitement even higher going into the 2015 season."

Marks, also a co-owner of World of Outlaws sprint car team Larson Marks Racing has followed Abreu's dirt track career closely.

"Rico is a driver that has already proven to himself on so many levels in his young career," said Marks. "I can't wait to see what Rico and his fellow teammates accomplish this year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East."

Abreu's No. 98 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East entry will be led by veteran K&N crew chief Mardy Lindley. Lindley has amassed five-career victories in three seasons, along with the 2013 K&N title with driver Dylan Kwasniewski.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season gets underway on February 15 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. Abreu will kick-start his experience in stock cars and on pavement by competing in the Pete Orr Memorial Super Late Model event also at New Smyrna Speedway this Saturday, February 24.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...s/2014/12/Abreu-to-Race-in-KN-Pro-Series.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Complete Critical Test at Las Vegas​*
Monday's Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway took on added importance for drivers Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski because of a slew of rules changes put in place this year by NASCAR.

Kenseth and Keselowski were joined by fellow Sprint Cup Series drivers Kurt Busch and AJ Allmendinger for the one-day test on the 1.5-mile LVMS speedway. Although all Cup drivers will have to adjust to a number of changes this season, including a reduction in horsepower and a modified aero package, the biggest change will be NASCAR's ban on all private testing in 2015.

"I think any track time you get is really important with the new testing rules, banning all off-season testing, which I think we all like, but you've really got to take advantage of the tests when you get them and try to gather as much information as you can - hopefully useful information that you can use down the road," Kenseth said. "For us, we didn't run particularly well last year and we've got a new nose on the Camry this year and new rules changes and aero package and all that stuff, so we're just trying to get it sorted out and try to find a baseline and hopefully find something that drives good so we've got something decent when we come back here (March 6-8 )."

Keselowski, the defending winner of both the Kobalt 400 Sprint Cup Series race and the Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said he agreed with Kenseth.

"More so than the changes to the car, the testing ban makes every test you do have that much more critical because you have so much less," Keselowski said. "In that light, a lot of what testing is isn't always developing the car, but you're developing your people, developing your techniques. We added two or three more people to our team so we're trying to develop them and get them up to speed, so it's really a great time for us as a team to have a test."

Paul Wolfe, Keselowski's crew chief, said the lone test before the teams head to Daytona for the season was a productive one for Team Penske, but didn't answer all of his questions.

"It was a very important test for us," Wolfe said. "I feel like Goodyear got what they needed and hopefully we can come back here and have a good race. It's still hard to tell (how the changes will impact us). It'll take some different style tracks and different style tires because that's one of the big factors for us in how our car handles. There are certain tracks and tire combinations that favor us and that we run really well with and there are others where you could say we're not as strong. It's hard to say, just based off this one test, if we feel like we're where we need to be."

Even though Keselowski and Kenseth are coming off vastly different seasons, both said it is important to have a good test at Las Vegas to set them up for a successful start to the 2015 season. Keselowski won a series-best six races in 2014 but finished fifth in points after struggling in the Chase and Kenseth finished seventh in points without a victory in 2014.

"(Last year) was pretty much everything you could ask for out of a season - other than winning the Sprint Cup championship," Keselowski said. "We were right there and that's certainly something we're proud of, but we can't look back; we've got to look forward. We've got a massive challenge in front of us to try to have a year as successful as we did in 2014 and be even more successful to run for a championship (in 2015). In that light, we have to keep looking forward and keep developing and that's why we're here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway today, to develop our cars, develop our team to hopefully be the best."

Kenseth said that success on an intermediate track such as Las Vegas can carry over to the rest of the season.

"Las Vegas is one of the early races and &#8230; you want to run good that first month or two at all those different racetracks and then you kind of look at your program and see where you're at," he said. "It's important to come here and run good; I think if you run good here and you start off the year decent, it certainly should apply to the rest of the intermediate tracks."

The 2015 NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway kicks off on Friday, March 6 with Stratosphere Pole Day and Sprint Cup Series qualifying. The Boyd Gaming 300 XFINITY Series race will be held Saturday, March 7, and the Kobalt 400 Sprint Cup Series race will cap the weekend on Sunday, March 8.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Take-Part-in-Important-Test-at-Las-Vegas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chris Buescher Brings Momentum​*
Chris Buescher is looking to carry the momentum he built in the second half of last year into his sophomore season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2015.

After posting seven top 10s in the final 12 races of 2014, including his first career win at Mid-Ohio, Buescher and crew chief Scott Graves are back in the No. 60 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing.

"I was bummed out that the year ended when it did," Buescher said. "We were just coming into our own. We exceeded our expectations in the second half and have some good ideas on where we can improve to be a championship contender in 2015."

Although his rookie season did not start the way he wanted it to, when he failed to qualify at Daytona International Speedway in the debut of NASCAR's new qualifying format, Buescher came back to finish seventh in the final standings with 14 top 10s overall.

"It hurt, no doubt," Buescher said of missing the season opener at Daytona. "We had some time to reflect. I'm not a big fan of watching races I know I should be in. That was a tough weekend, but it made us stronger. The team dug in and worked hard. We did a great job coming back ... seventh in points, that's incredible after missing a race."

This year, Buescher and Ryan Reed will have new teammates with Darrell Wallace Jr. and Elliott Sadler joining RFR in the off-season.

"That's going to help us," Buescher said, "having Elliott Sadler on board. He's already shown that he has a lot of input. He's a good driver and a good guy. We're looking forward to having him and "Bubba" Wallace on board."

Not only will Buescher have his teammates on the XFINITY side, he'll also be able to get advice from RFR Sprint Cup drivers Greg Biffle, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - who Buescher went to for advice a lot last season.

"Even with how young Ricky is and how new (to the Cup Series) he still is, he's fresh out of the XFINITY Series," Buescher said. "He's an incredible driver and easy to talk to. He's helped me a lot the past two years in understanding the characteristics of the racecars in the switch from ARCA, where I was running, to the XFINITY Series."

With a full season under his belt, Buescher is eyeing a big year for the No. 60 team.

"I fully expect to get several wins and be a contender for the championship," Buescher said. "Roush Fenway is making big gains in our cars and our equipment. I've learned a lot the past couple years as a driver and we should be very competitive this season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/01/Chris-Buescher-Brings-Momentum.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*BREAKING NEWS: Annett To HScott Motorsports In 2015​*
Michael Annett is set for a change of venue in 2015.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Annett and his Pilot/Flying J sponsorship will jump from Tommy Baldwin Racing to the HScott Motorsports stable in 2015, running the entire 36-race championship schedule as a teammate to Justin Allgaier.

The 23-year old Annett finished 33rd in championship points at the wheel of TBR's No. 7 Chevrolet last season; his rookie year of Sprint Cup Series competition. The team managed a top finish of 16th at Talladega Superspeedway in May.

Annett declined to comment on the move when contacted earlier today, but sources close to the situation say he will race as a teammate to Allgaier and the No. 51 Brandt Chevrolet, making HScott Motorsports a two-car operation for the first time in their brief Sprint Cup Series history.

HScott Motorsports spokesman Ramsey Poston responded to a request for comment today, saying, "There is nothing to report on at this time."

*Source:*
http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/2015/01/breaking-news-annett-to-hscott.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Can 2015 Match Last Year's Drama?​*
What is the overarching story heading into the 2015 NASCAR season?

Every year has its own flavor and pre-season anticipation. Next week's annual Media Tour in Charlotte, N.C., will whet the appetite for fans who are anxiously awaiting the first on-track events of Budweiser Speedweeks in Daytona less than a month away.

NASCAR's new testing policy has kept most teams hunkered down at home base with the exception of Monday's Goodyear session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that saw Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, AJ Allmendinger and Kurt Busch put the new Sprint Cup Series rules package through its paces. But for the most part, it's been a quiet time in the NASCAR world this winter - leaving plenty of time to ponder what the coming campaign will bring.

The new rules and their impact on the racing product will be a story to watch. The many personnel changes of drivers and crew chiefs will also be interesting to follow. But at this point, the story that best describes what's on deck for NASCAR this season is what does the sport do for an encore?

Last year could not have played out better for NASCAR, starting with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s popular Daytona 500 win and ending with the dramatic climax to the new Chase format in the Homestead season finale. On a near-weekly basis, the sought-after "water cooler" moments came fast and furious with fans buzzing on Monday mornings about what had happened on (and sometimes off) the track.

Even those who were the most skeptical of the radical Chase system that incorporated knockout, elimination-style rounds of three-race increments had to admit that the intensity level was sky-high throughout the playoffs. Now comes the hard part: following such a stellar season.

Several drivers and crew chiefs have opined that the second time through the revised Chase will give them the opportunity to apply knowledge gleaned from the experience of last year.

"As the driver who scored more points than anyone in the Chase (yet didn't win the title), it's hard to say you're in love with it," said Joey Logano. "But I do think it was good for the sport. It was a great experience. I had fun with it and learned a lot for the next time I get to compete for a championship ... how I can do a few things differently and learn from my mistakes."

Carl Edwards won twice in the 2014 regular season to qualify for the playoff race and went farther in the championship season then many predicted. He admitted it was an uneasy feeling heading into an unknown with so many potential challenges and variables.

"Until you see all the chaos, see everything happen, and how people do well and how people fail, I don't think we quite understand it," Edwards said of being in the middle of what turned out to be an eventful and somewhat crazy 2014 Chase.

The memories of last year are becoming more distant as the new campaign approaches. However, the anticipation of another unforgettable season that will match or perhaps exceed the previous one is ramping up.

The new story begins only a handful of weeks away at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/01/Can-2015-Match-Last-Years-Drama.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wood Bros. Recognized as Longest-Active NASCAR Team​*
Wood Brothers Racing has become something of a common face in NASCAR and its rich history has now been rewarded with an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The wood Brothers' consistent attendance year in and year out has possibly gone unnoticed by some, so one member of the family set out to make sure the team's founding fathers got the recognition they finally deserve for their perseverance.

Jon Wood, third-generation member of the team and a former Wood Brothers Racing driver, grew up with a fascination for a very peculiar book. That book came to his elementary school once a year when the bookmobile would roll into town.

"From the beginning, I've been fascinated with the Guinness Book of World Records," Wood said. "I remember thinking that one day, I would figure out a way to do something worthy of being in that book. I think that's just part of a child's fairy tale-like thought process."

Wood, now 33, isn't alone in this fascination. The Guinness Book itself holds a world record as the best-selling copyrighted book of all time. It's also one of the most pilfered books from public libraries in the United States. Recently, while clearing the crawl space of his house in preparation for some repairs, Wood was rummaging through an accumulation of junk destined for the dumpster. He came across a 50th-anniversary edition of the Guinness Book.

Since he'd been working on a logo for his team's upcoming 65th anniversary in NASCAR, it occurred to Wood that his childhood dream was not as far-fetched as it seemed back in his days in elementary school.

His family's racing team, founded in 1950 by his grandfather (Glen Wood), is generally considered NASCAR's longest active team. The Wood Brothers have fielded cars every year since 1950 and while other established teams have come and gone, the Woods have maintained the same ownership to the present day. That fact, however, has never been officially recognized and Wood wanted to do something about it.

"This is a huge accomplishment when you take a step back and really digest it," he said. "To be able to say that you've had that level of consistency is outstanding."

All that was missing, Wood said, was a statement - in print - in a publication that wouldn't be challenged which read: "Wood Brothers Racing is the longest-active NASCAR team."

He immediately got on the Guinness World Records website and submitted an application for a record claim.

"Very quickly, I got a response from their sports records coordinator and he was highly interested in helping with this claim," Wood said.

The next step was finding a way to substantiate the record. For that, he turned to Buz McKim, historian at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. McKim quickly verified the Woods' record and, as they say, the rest is history.

For Jon Wood, getting his family's accomplishment documented in the Guinness Book of World Records makes the achievement more meaningful.

"I realize that when it comes to that book, the first thought in some people's minds are some of the wacky, crazy records like one for the most sneezes in one minute or something like that," he said. "But on the flip side ... whether it's a record of a silly nature or serious ones, like land-speed records, there is only one global authority and that's the Guinness Book of World Records. My goal was to both validate the claim that Wood Brothers Racing is the longest active team in NASCAR, and also honor my grandfather and his brother Leonard for what I believe to be an astounding accomplishment."

Wood's grandfather, Glen - team founder and family patriarch, shares the same view when asked what special place this record holds.

"This is pretty big for us," Glen Wood said. "It's a big deal to us and I'm sure a big deal to Ford. Without their support from Day 1, there's no way we would be where we are today. We've come a long way since the days under a beech tree. We've had ups and we've had downs so when we get recognition like this, it makes it all the more meaningful.

"Getting this documented brings feelings of accomplishment that are shared by members of three generations of Woods, each of whom has played a role in the team's longevity. That includes Jon himself, who's worn several hats over the years."

"While I've had a minimal role in helping to keep the team going for all of these years, I did drive for them for a short period of time," Jon Wood said. "Today, my sister and I work side-by-side with my dad, Len, and Kim; dealing with all the day-to-day goings-on. That adds to the feeling of involvement. It's unique that the makeup of the entire front office is all family. We are the true definition of a family business and when something like this happens, we all feel a huge sense of gratification."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Recognized-as-Longest-Active-NASCAR-Team.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vickers Medically Cleared, Returns March 8​*
Doctors have medically cleared Brian Vickers to return to full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition in early March, three months after corrective heart surgery.

Vickers will make his season debut in the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota on March 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. MWR co-founder Michael Waltrip will drive the car in the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 22. A substitute driver has yet to be named for the March 1 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"The doctors gave me a clean bill of health and said I will be better than before," said Vickers, 31, whose health issues interrupted his racing seasons in 2010 and again in 2013. "The advancements in modern medicine and surgical procedures are amazing. I have to thank my doctors at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and Carolinas Medical Center for their extraordinary care. I have literally put my life in their hands twice and I cannot begin to express my level of gratitude.

"I was not feeling well in December, so I went to see Dr. William Downey in Charlotte (N.C.) He discovered that my body was rejecting a patch that was surgically placed over a hole in my heart a few years ago. He and Dr. R. Mark Stiegel immediately went to work on correcting the problem. I also want to thank the great counsel along the way by Dr. Jerry Petty, Dr. Robert Heyer and my hematologist - Dr. Stephan Moll from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who is the founder of www.clotconnect.org.

"Now, all of my focus is on getting ready so when I return, we're prepared to win races and the championship."

A statement from NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell read as follows:

"With the clearance from his physicians, Brian Vickers has satisfied all necessary NASCAR requirements to resume racing on March 5. Further, NASCAR has reviewed the circumstances surrounding his situation and has determined that he will maintain Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility despite neither entering nor attempting to qualify in the first two championship events, provided he meets all other necessary eligibility requirements."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ickers-Medically-Cleared-Returns-March-8.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick, Stewart Pit Crews Stay​*
Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart will start the season with the same pit crews they had last year after the Stewart-Haas Racing swap.

The organization confirmed Wednesday the late-season exchange of pit crews between the No. 4 and No. 14 teams would remain intact for 2015.

Stewart addressed the decision during a visit earlier this week to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

"There really wasn't that much difference in terms of their times on paper, it was within a tenth of a second. We just felt like that chemistry worked really well," Stewart told NASCAR.com.

The swap originally happened at the end of last year's regular season and helped propel Harvick to three wins during the Chase including the final two at Phoenix Int'l Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway that led to his first career Sprint Cup Series title.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/01/Harvick-and-Stewart-Pit-Crews-Stay.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Fanatics to Operate At-Track Merchandise​*
NASCAR, NASCAR Team Properties and Fanatics jointly announced today a 10-year agreement for the sport's at-track merchandise business that will deliver fans an enhanced, experiential shopping environment. As part of the agreement, Fanatics has acquired certain exclusive rights from NASCAR and NTP that will make the company the primary retailer of NASCAR, team and driver merchandise at all 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends.

Fanatics, the market leader for officially licensed sports merchandise, powers the e-stores for hundreds of the top sports leagues, teams and schools, including a long history running NASCAR's e-commerce business. The NASCAR at-track deal expands Fanatics' growing in-venue partnerships.

The new trackside retail model will be phased in at NASCAR events over the course of 2015. It will evolve from using solely haulers for each specific team or driver to displaying all merchandise in a climate-controlled superstore retail environment supported by, in instances, smaller satellite retail touch points around the track. The new model will have the following enhanced benefits and added options for fans:

• Ability to offer the largest at-track selection of NASCAR merchandise ever 
• Selection to include a major expansion of women's and kids' items 
• A more functional way to browse, shop and interact with merchandise 
• Separate stores within the footprint for teams, drivers, memorabilia and collectibles 
• Dedicated area for driver appearances 
• An interactive customization center where fans can create their own personal NASCAR gear

Fanatics Apparel, the company's manufacturing and customization division, will also produce merchandise to complement the already extensive product line that will be offered by authorized licensees.

"A merchandise center will provide a more personal, organized, comfortable and convenient shopping environment for our fans," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "Partnering with an industry leader in Fanatics allows us to offer a comprehensive and seamless shopping experience for our fans - whether it is in-venue, online or on mobile devices."

The new trackside retail model will utilize the latest innovations and initiatives in retail promotional design. According to a study conducted by Experian Marketing Services (Simmons National Consumer Survey, Fall Full Year 2013), NASCAR fans are at least 20 percent more likely than non-fans to notice various types of promotions while shopping, including: video monitor displays, signs on merchandise racks or shelves, and advertising on the floor - among others.

"Fanatics is extremely excited to partner with NASCAR and NASCAR Team Properties to greatly expand their at-track retail presence," said Ross Tannenbaum, president of Fanatics Authentic. "We have taken the time to listen to what the fans, teams, drivers and NASCAR were asking for and look forward to using our market-leading scale, technology and production capabilities to deliver an improved and entertaining shopping experience for years to come."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Fanatics-to-Operate-At-Track-Merchandise.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gallagher To Run Full Series In Trucks​*
Spencer Gallagher will compete in all 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events in 2015 with GMS Racing.

He'll drive the No. 23 Chevrolet alongside teammate Brandon Jones, with sponsorship from Allegiant Travel.

Gallagher, 25, has started 12 Truck Series races over the past two seasons with a best finish of third last fall at Talladega Superspeedway. Crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz will help guide Gallagher into his first full season.

"We made a lot of progress throughout 2014," Gallaher said. "Brandon (Jones) and I have the equipment and personnel behind us to go race for wins."

In addition to nine Truck Series starts in 2014, Gallagher made 11 starts in the ARCA Racing Series - where he won the season finale at Kansas Speedway.

"Spencer Gallagher is going to be someone to keep an eye on in 2015", said Nic Moncher, GMS Racing team manager. "We've all watched him progress over the last few years. He brings a certain level of enthusiasm to the garage area that is infectious. It's a great benefit for our team to have him in one of our trucks."

_The 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will open Friday, Feb. 20, at Daytona International Speedway. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 starting at 7 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/Gallagher-To-Run-Full-Series-in-Trucks.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hornaday Signs With The Motorsports Group​*
Ron Hornaday will make his return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015 with The Motorsports Group.

The four-time Camping World Truck Series champion will pilot the team's No. 30 Chevrolet beginning with the season-opening Daytona 500.








In addition to his Truck Series titles and 51 wins in the series, Hornaday has won four races in the XFINITY Series.

"I am happy to be signing on with Curtis Key and the entire TMG organization for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season," Hornaday said. "This team has been working really hard during the offseason to get cars ready for Daytona and the rest of the season. I'm hoping to bring some guidance and racing knowledge to this start up Cup team."

Hornaday has made 45 Sprint Cup Series starts in his career including the 2001 full season when he drove for car owner A.J. Foyt.

"We are glad to have Ron Hornaday come on board with The Motorsports Group," said team owner Key. Ron has been involved in the NASCAR industry for over 20 years now. His experience and knowledge of the industry is exactly what we need this first year in the Sprint Cup Series."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ornaday-Signs-With-The-Motorsports-Group.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Jeff Gordon Announces 2015 Is Final Full Time Season​*
Big breaking news, Hendrick Motorsports driver and four time NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Champion Jeff Gordon announces that 2015 is his final full time season in NASCAR's top series.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon To Run Final Full-Time Season In 2015​*
Jeff Gordon announced Thursday that 2015 would be his final full-time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Gordon has piloted the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 entry since November of 1992 and will complete his 23rd and last full year in 2015.

"As a race car driver, much of what I've done throughout my life has been based on following my instincts and trying to make good decisions," Gordon said. "I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and I've decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship. I won't use the 'R-word' because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and there's always the possibility I'll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that."

While Gordon won't be behind the wheel of the iconic ride in a full-time capacity after the year he expects to remain a part of the motorsports landscape.

"I don't foresee a day when I'll ever step away from racing," said Gordon. I'm a fan of all forms of motor sports, but particularly NASCAR. We have a tremendous product, and I'm passionate about the business and its future success. As an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports, I'm a partner with Rick (Hendrick) and will remain heavily involved with the company for many years to come. It means so much to have the chance to continue working with the owner who took a chance on me and the incredible team that's stood behind me every step of the way."

Gordon was 24 when he won his first championship in 1995 and was a dominant figure in the sport for much of that decade adding titles in 1997, 1998 and 2001.

He was in contention for an elusive fifth crown last year when he was not able to advance to the Championship Four title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Gordon has accumulated 92 Sprint Cup Series wins and his third on the all-time list behind only NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105).

He's a three-time Daytona 500 winner and won his fifth Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last July. Gordon is the sport's winningest road course driver with nine victories, stands alone as the all-time leader with 12 restrictor plate wins and has won at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit with the exception of Kentucky Speedway.

As for his immediate future, Gordon has not yet decided what path he'll take but has several options to consider.

"Racing has provided a tremendous amount of opportunity that's been extraordinarily rewarding and fulfilling in my life," he said. "The work we're doing with the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation will continue to be extremely important to me. Outside the race car, my passion is pediatric cancer research, and my efforts will remain focused there when I'm no longer driving.

"I'll explore opportunities for the next phase of my career, but my primary focus now and throughout 2015 will be my performance in the No. 24 Chevrolet. I'm going to pour everything I have into this season and look forward to the challenge of competing for one last championship. To everyone at NASCAR, my teammates, sponsors, competitors, friends, family, members of the media and especially our incredible fans, all I can say is thank you."

Team owner Rick Hendrick tried to put into words what Gordon's career has meant to his organization as well as the sport.

"There's simply no way to quantify Jeff's impact," said Hendrick. "He's one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed. There's been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properly express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. I'm so grateful for everything he's done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners."

Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2016 team alignment at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...on-to-Run-Final-Full-Time-Season-in-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon: 'This is the Right Time'​*
Jeff Gordon is at peace with his decision to step away from a full-time driving career after the 2015 season.

The iconic driver announced on Thursday after 23 seasons with Hendrick Motorsports he would hang up his helmet in a full-time capacity when the checkered flag flies this November in the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale.

During a national media conference Gordon said while the decision was certainly not easy it was one he made last season after much consideration.

"Yeah, this is certainly something that I've been thinking about for years," Gordon said. "Rick (Hendrick) and I have talked about for a number of years. You're always trying to, when you get to this point in your career and you've done as much as we've done as a team, trying to figure out when that right time to step away is. I always said I wanted to step away on my own terms if possible, and I want to be competitive out there, and I hoped that I could do that all the way through my final year.

"This is the right time. I think it really became clear about halfway through last season that it was definitely going to be. Rick kept talking me into going longer and longer and longer. And I kept saying no, I think this is the year. I think this is the year. Finally about halfway through last year I said, no. This is it, Boss, and we agreed and the timing was good for me, good for Hendrick and other opportunities that are out in front of us."

Hendrick gave a young Gordon the opportunity to compete at NASCAR's highest level and reaped the benefits of that gamble to the tune of 92 wins and four Sprint Cup Series championships. While he supports Gordon's decision, he admits it will be hard to accept once the reality of what lies ahead at the end of this season rolls around.

"Well, it's going to be surely awkward and strange when I walk in the garage area and I don't see Jeff sitting in the 24 car," Hendrick said. "But at the same time, I'm looking at it like, man, that's a year away. So I want to go out and win the championship with him this year and have the kind of season we had last year.

"So it's bittersweet, but I'm just kind of putting off that he's not going to be in the car because he's going to be in a car for another year. But I think he said it all. He wanted to do it on his terms. He's just meant so much to me, the sport, the drivers, young guys owe him so much. He broke a lot of barriers to help people get into the sport, and he's just been an icon in our sport. So I'm anxious to see the next chapter after we win the championship this year."

Gordon was careful not to use the word retirement in his discussion of the decision to not drive again in a full-time capacity. He didn't completely close the door on possibly driving again perhaps in other forms of racing outside NASCAR but even if that doesn't happen, Gordon does not plan to be sitting around by any means.

"Well, the way I see myself in the world is that retirement means you go off to a beach somewhere and sit in a rocking chair on the front porch and drink your coffee and pet your dog," Gordon joked. "That's not me. I plan on working. I'm going to be working I'm actually going to have to get a real job now. So when I think of retirement, I just don't think that that's what I'm doing.

"I want to leave myself open, as well, to be able to get in a car. It doesn't have to be a Cup car. It could be an [XFINITY] car. It could be a truck. It could be a prototype for Le Mans or the Rolex. It might not be any of those things. Heck, I was just out in the desert driving buggies and I maybe want to do the Baja 1000. I don't plan on doing any racing, but I know I'm not going to be retiring because I have a lot on my plate already that we have plans for, and we'll be talking about in the future. And I'm excited about that. I really am."

Gordon will have one more shot at winning what has been an elusive fifth championship since he claimed his last back in 2001. He came close last year but wasn't able to cap what was still a stellar season and in many ways a reminder of Gordon's glory days of old.

So he's ready for season No. 23, which kicks off with the Daytona 500 in less than a month. The thought of the schedule getting ready to kick in shortly and the grind of the season ahead helped Gordon keep his emotions in check on what turned out to be an historic day in the sport's history with his announcement.

"Today is an emotional day," Gordon said. "I had to tell my daughter this this morning when I was explaining to her that I was going to be telling the team and people this and talking about it, and she saw me get very emotional when I was telling her. And I saw a look that I'd never seen in her eye before where she had never seen me like that, and I had to explain to her. Because most kids see when tears are flowing, it's sadness, and it wasn't for me. It was pride.

"I'm just very proud of what I've done and what I've accomplished and what goals were set early in my career or as a young kid and how I've been able to get this far. Yeah, I'm a little sad that there is going to be a day when I step out of the car and it will be the last time. But I knew that that day was going to come at some time, and I think this is the right time."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Right-Time-to-Make-2015-Last-Full-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Reaction To Gordon Announcement​*
Jeff Gordon's decision to step away as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver at the end of the season triggered a title wave of reaction from around the sport.

*Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer*

"Jeff Gordon transcends NASCAR and will be celebrated as one of the greatest drivers to ever race. We have all enjoyed watching his legend grow for more than two decades, and will continue to do so during his final full-time season. His prolonged excellence and unmatched class continue to earn him the admiration of fans across the globe. Today's announcement is a bittersweet one. I'll miss his competitive fire on a weekly basis, but I am also happy for Jeff and his family as they start a new chapter. On behalf of the entire NASCAR family, I thank Jeff for his years of dedication and genuine love for this sport, and wish him the very best in his final season."

*Lesa France Kennedy, International Speedway Corporation CEO*

"Jeff Gordon's significance to our sport cannot be overstated. He is an incredible competitor, and a favorite of millions of fans. His contributions throughout his career to NASCAR have elevated our sport's popularity worldwide. On behalf of the France family and ISC, I thank him for those contributions and wish him the best as he embarks on this next chapter of his career - and his life. We all look forward to watching him take the green flag for his last full-time season, beginning with the DAYTONA 500."

*Darrell Waltrip, NASCAR on FOX and NASCAR Hall of Fame member*

"Jeff's accomplishments off the track are impressive, but his numbers on the track are unbelievable. I call him the 'GOAT' - the Greatest of All Time. I believe he is the greatest NASCAR driver there has ever been. What he has done outside the sport has grown the sport's popularity immensely. I give Jeff a tremendous amount of credit for the youth movement in NASCAR. A lot of people think NASCAR started in 1992, because that's when he came on the scene and brought in a new, young audience because he appealed to the 18-35-year-old demographic. We didn't really have a driver at the time who could do that.

"While he has nothing left to prove to the rest of us, Jeff probably has some personal goals in 2015. He'd like to win 100 races, but he knows that might be a stretch. It's hard to win four in a season, let alone eight. And of course, he'd like to another championship. A part-time Jeff Gordon behind the wheel isn't a bad thing, either. When I was at the end of my career, there were some tracks I still enjoyed competing on - and even would today. Jeff has stayed with Rick his entire career and has been committed to that organization. Their relationship has paid huge dividends. Jeff has driven the same number with the same team for his entire career, a continuity that reminds me a lot of the Petty era."

*Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President*

"I think with the announcement of 2015 being Jeff Gordon's last full-time year behind the wheel, we all need to stop and say 'thank you Jeff'. His contributions to this sport are so numerous it would be a blanket 'thank you' for everything.

"Primarily he helped to take NASCAR to another level. He was a young kid from the Midwest with a lot of potential, coming in here in 1993, starting his career when our "King" was winding his up. He arrived on the scene at a perfect time.

"I looked at his stats here at Martinsville and was truly shocked. I knew he was good here but not until I saw his record did I realize just how good he is here. Forty-four starts, eight wins, 35 top 10s, 28 top 5s, no DNFs and out of the 44 starts he led in 34 of them. That is an amazing record.

"Jeff Gordon is a class act and I wish him the best this year as well as whatever the future holds for him."

*Matthew Becherer, President Homestead-Miami Speedway*

"Jeff Gordon is a great champion and a tremendous ambassador for NASCAR. He is truly a class act who played an integral role in helping to broaden the appeal of our sport. Jeff has always had a large fan-following at our race, and we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments prior to the Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 22 as he concludes his full-time Sprint Cup Series career at Homestead-Miami Speedway."

*Eddie Gossage, Texas Motor Speedway President*

I've known Jeff since he was a teenager with a really bad mustache. It has been thrilling to watch him develop from a promising Busch Series driver into perhaps the greatest professional our sport has ever seen. Jeff showed last season that he still has a burning desire to win races and championships. You won't find a finer professional, person or charitable athlete. We have been fortunate to be associated with him for all of these years. I'm sure all fans, even of the other drivers, will want to show their appreciation to Jeff this year."

*Larry McReynolds, NASCAR on FOX*

"I applaud the fact Jeff is going out on top and won't be out there just riding around and making laps to finish out his career. We all know Jeff Gordon well enough to know he wants to win more races and maybe another Daytona 500 and another Brickyard 400. As close as he came last year in the championship, he wants to be a player in the championship when we get to Homestead this year.

"Jeff Gordon is a superstar who nearly singlehandedly changed the personality and perception of a race car driver in NASCAR. Before he came along, the perception was more about the good old Southeastern boy wearing blue jeans, big belt buckles and boots. But he created a new buzz in our sport because he looked like he stepped off the cover of a GQ magazine. Dale Earnhardt was a huge watershed in our sport because he showed everyone that while NASCAR is what he does on the track, it's also a big business because people wanted to buy his merchandise. Then Jeff Gordon came along and created a new mark as far as the perception of what a driver is."

*Chris Powell, Las Vegas Motor Speedway President*

"While I'm happy for Jeff on making this decision about his future, I also recognize that the sport of NASCAR racing will be losing one of the most talented and dynamic drivers in its rich history. Jeff Gordon has displayed championship qualities not only on the race track, but also in life. All of us at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he once claimed a million-dollar bonus from Winston, salute Jeff and his stellar career. He's a champion in every sense of the word."

*Mark Reuss, General Motors Executive Vice President*

"Jeff Gordon is an incredible competitor, leader and ambassador for Chevrolet and motorsports. He has contributed so much - not only on the track with his 92 wins and four championships, but also away from the track as a businessman, with the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, and more importantly, as a husband and father. He is a champion, and he has been a great friend. We are proud of our relationship with Jeff, and, just like all of his fans, we look forward to watching him compete for one more championship. We wish Jeff and his family - Ingrid, Ella and Leo - all of the best."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/01/Reaction-to-Gordon-Announcement.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon: What They're Saying​*
Earlier today Jeff Gordon announced the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season would be his last as a full-time competitor.

SPEED SPORT took to Twitter to track the reaction from Gordon's competitors and other motorsports personalities about his announcement. Here's a sampling of what they are saying:

*@RayEvernham (Ray Evernham):* Congrats bud @JeffGordonWeb, looking forward to seeing you kick butt one more time. Looking forward to 2015.

*@DaleJr (Dale Earnhardt Jr.):* Hard to imagine this is @JeffGordonWeb last full season. Tons of respect for him and what he's accomplished thus far. A total professional.

*@ClintBowyer (Clint Bowyer):* I've had a lot of good times with 
@JeffGordonWeb and one (bad) one. Weird to think just like all the greats that soon he won't be here!

*@DanicaPatrick (Danica Patrick):* Crazy to hear that @JeffGordonWeb is retiring! What an amazing career! Glad I got to race with him!

*@AJDinger (A.J. Allmendinger):* I feel so lucky to say I have raced against my idol and favorite driver growing up @JeffGordonWeb&#8230;ready for one more year against you.

*@KyleBusch (Kyle Busch):* @JeffGordonWeb was really my childhood hero. Really going to cherish racing against him in his final season.

*@TrBraden (Travis Braden):* Well, the price of tickets just went up for every #NASCAR race this season! #JeffGordon

*@Scott34Heckert (Scott Heckert):* Absolutely crazy news that @JeffGordonWeb is retiring after this year. Huge respect for him and I wish he'd be around longer!

*@ryanellisracing (Ryan Ellis):* My dream was always to race against 
@TonyStewart and @JeffGordonWeb one day. Gotta hope to get a Cup weekend this year to make it happen!

*@SHANNON_MAC (Shannon McIntosh):* Can't believe it. #JeffGordon

*@maxpapis (Max Papis):* To @JeffGordonWeb THANKS for all you did, do and will do for the sport #NASCAR

*@BenKennedy31 (Ben Kennedy):* Woah, big news about @JeffGordonWeb. I know who I'm placing my bets on for this championship.

*@TheMasonRacin (Mason Mitchell):* My idol and why I got started is in his last full-time season this year. Thank you @JeffGordonWeb for allowing me to have a dream.

*@HermieSadler (Hermie Sadler):* @JeffGordonWeb has done more to grow the sport of @NasCAR than many will ever know. He opened our sport up to many new fans along the way!

*@mikejoy500 (Mike Joy):* Like Ned Jarrett, Jeff Gordon plans to step away at top of his game. Great guy, fantastic career; approaching end of an era. #NASCAR

*@DavidStremme (David Stremme):* What @JeffGordonWeb has done for our sport cannot be compared to anything. Thank you Jeff.

*@CaleConley (Cale Conley):* He has set the pace as an ultimate competitor, a mentor, an American icon and a hero. Enjoy YOUR year @JeffGordonWeb!

*@CameronNHayley (Cameron Hayley):* Tough day to see a great like 
@JeffGordonWeb announce this year is his last year. Always been my favorite driver since day one.

*@NapaRonCapps (Ron Capps):* Wow, @JeffGordonWeb's final season&#8230;Been a great ambassador & there is no doubt you helped take racing to places it may never have gone.

*@JamesBuescher (James Buescher):* Thanks for all the advice over the years 
@JeffGordonWeb, one of my heroes growing up. Best of luck in 2015!

*@AndyLally (Andy Lally):* Astonished by passing time. I remember 
@JeffGordonWeb leading his first Twin 125 in '93. It was an honor to race on the same track as him.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/jeff-gordon-what-theyre-saying/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Jeff Gordon's 3M Car For 2015 Revealed (VIDEO)​*
This season, 3M is joining Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports as part of a three-year deal that will have the company be a primary sponsor of Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet for 11 races.

As part of their new partnership, 3M has been releasing a series of videos this week that have Gordon reacting to several bizarre ideas for its 2015 paint scheme.

Today, the last clip has been uploaded with Gordon finally seeing the real scheme - a slick, silver/red/white number - and expressing some relief after what he saw earlier.





















In 2015, the 3M colors will be seen on Gordon's No. 24 at Atlanta, Las Vegas, Bristol (spring), Kansas (spring and Chase), Dover (spring), Indianapolis, Darlington, Richmond (fall), Charlotte (Chase), and Talladega (Chase).

Gordon announced yesterday that the 2015 season would be his final full year of competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. For full coverage on his decision, head over here.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...15-revealed-video/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Tony Stewart Tweets Offer To Have Jeff Gordon Race At 2016 Mudsummer Classic​*
Jeff Gordon may have announced that 2015 will be his final full Sprint Cup season. But the four-time Cup champ also has said that he may possibly choose to compete in other series.

"I want to leave myself open, as well, to be able to get in a car," Gordon said in a NASCAR teleconference on Thursday. "It doesn't have to be a Cup car. It could be an [XFINITY] car. It could be a truck. It could be a prototype for Le Mans or the Rolex. It might not be any of those things - heck, I was just out in the desert driving buggies and I maybe want to do the Baja 1000."

With that in mind, three-time Cup champ and Eldora Speedway owner Tony Stewart has tweeted an offer for Gordon to compete in the 2016 running of the Mudsummer Classic - which takes place at Eldora and has arguably become the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' signature event.








The 'Norm' that Stewart speaks of is veteran driver Norm Benning, who thrilled NASCAR fans in 2013 with his run into the Mudsummer Classic's main event from the last chance qualifier.

Stewart ultimately bought Benning's Eldora LCQ truck, which is seen getting a re-numbering to Gordon's famous No. 24 in the photo above.

Still, we figure Gordon would have a new truck if he were to accept such an offer - which isn't as crazy as it seems if you know of Gordon's early career on dirt in sprint cars.

Gordon won back-to-back USAC titles in 1990 (Midget) and 1991 (Silver Crown); during that 1991 season, he also won at Eldora's prestigious 4-Crown Nationals event in a midget. More recently, Gordon has competed at Eldora as part of its former all-star charity race, the Prelude to the Dream.

It also bears noting that Gordon has never competed in a Truck Series event. To check off that box in such a popular race - and with no pressure at all since his Cup days will be over - may be something that appeals to him.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...mudsummer-classic/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Motorsports Responds To Rick Ren Lawsuit​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports has responded to the recent lawsuit filed by former team competition director Rick Ren according to a report from Bob Pockrass of the Sporting News.

Pockrass writes that as part of KBM's response to the suit in North Carolina Superior Court, a contract with Ren was filed. The contract says Ren was paid $300,000 his first year (2010), then $325,000 his second year (2011).

On top of that, he got guaranteed bonuses for both of those years and a 10 percent cut on all sponsorships he got for the team.

Following two years under the original deal, Ren signed an extension that paid him $242,500 per year in 2012 and 2013, with a potential $75,000 in bonuses.

KBM released Ren following the 2013 season after the team was forced to shut down its NASCAR XFINITY Series program due to lack of funds. KBM has continued with its program in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Ren alleges that he and his consulting firm are owed $35,000 in bonus money and another $355,000 in commissions from landing a pair of sponsorships for the team - one in 2013 worth $3 million for driver Parker Kligerman and another in 2012 worth $550,000 for driver Brian Scott.

However, per Pockrass, KBM says in its response that Kligerman and Scott got the funding themselves - and all Ren did was take the initial phone calls and then close the deals.

The team also says that those phone calls do not fall under a contract stipulation that says Ren must "procure" the sponsorship to get the commissions.

As for the bonus $35,000, KBM says that's not applicable due to the bonus structure of Ren's revised contract that went into effect at the start of the 2012 season.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...sch-motorsports-responds-to-rick-ren-lawsuit/


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## Ckg2011

*MRN Bolsters Cup Coverage With ****, Wallace And Gold​*
Motor Racing Network - launching its 46th year on the air - has announced the addition of former Miss Sprint Cup Kim **** and the return of veteran voice Eli Gold to its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series lineup for the 2015 season, which also will feature Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace.

****'s duties will include reports from pit road during the network's Cup Series qualifying shows, and interaction with fans via social media and on the air during MRN's race coverage. Gold was a vital cog in the network's formative years and is one of its most recognizable talents after more than three decades on the air. He will host MRN's pre-race and post-race coverage of the Sprint Cup Series, and provide in-race updates. **** will join Gold as a contributor to the pre-race show.

Wallace, the 1989 Cup Series champion, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in February 2013. He'll bring a driver's perspective to MRN programming in 2015 with a presence during select race broadcasts and on weekly network shows, and provide commentary and content at MRN.com.

"The addition of Kim **** and the return of Eli Gold to our Sprint Cup Series lineup bolsters a roster of broadcast and racing professionals who will continue to produce quality content as we head into our 46th year as 'The Voice of NASCAR,' " said MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. "We welcome Rusty Wallace to MRN and the International Speedway Corporation family, and look forward to having him at many of our venues throughout the 2015 season. As the broadcasting landscape changes and the digital platform continues to evolve, Motor Racing Network will navigate this ever-changing terrain with the best team in motor sports."

****, a Florida native, spent four seasons (2011-2014) as Miss Sprint Cup and is one of only 11 ladies to fill that role. She appeared at more events than any other Miss Sprint Cup in the history of the program. **** helped activate the series sponsor's strategic plan through social media, broadcast channels and trackside events. Her background includes marketing and public relations experience with Charlotte, N.C.-based agencies in the years preceding her stint with Sprint.

**** is a graduate of the University of Miami and earned a Master's Degree in Communication from the University of Alabama in 2007.

Gold also has ties to the Crimson Tide as the radio voice of Alabama football. But to NASCAR fans, he's best known for his work on the Motor Racing Network. Since 1984, Gold has hosted "NASCAR Live" each Tuesday evening and will continue to do so as a complement to his new assignment in the Sprint Cup Series.

Motor Racing Network's 2015 event broadcast schedule will begin Friday, Jan. 30, with exclusive radio coverage of the sixth annual NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony from Charlotte. Air time will be 7 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

****'s debut will follow with MRN's coverage of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, which will begin Feb. 13 and culminate with the 57th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22. Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle will anchor Motor Racing Network's broadcast of "The Great American Race" starting at 12 p.m., also with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rs-Cup-Lineup-With-****-Wallace-and-Gold.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Motorsports HoF Reveals 27th Class​*
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America announced its 27th class of inductees today at Daytona Int'l Speedway, a list of legends representing a variety of racing disciplines.

Ricky Carmichael, Walker Evans, Warren Johnson, Tommy Kendall, Mark Martin, Duke Nalon, and Lloyd Ruby will be inducted Thursday, June 18 at Detroit's historic Fillmore Theater.

"This year's class truly reflects the wide range of American motorsports - which has always been the foundation for our facility," said Ron Watson, president of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. "These gentlemen achieved success on two wheels and four, on dirt and pavement, on every kind of track - plus off the road entirely."

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is racing's Cooperstown, memorializing achievement in all forms of motorized competition. Over the years, 216 motorsports luminaries have been inducted. The 99-person nominating panel itself reads like a "who's who" of racing, with stars such as Mario Andretti, Don Garlits, Craig Breedlove and Richard Petty involved in the process.

Friday's announcement was made in the Daytona Int'l Speedway media center as part of the Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend, with domestic and international media in attendance.

"I am overwhelmed by the news that I'm getting into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, especially with this 2015 class of inductees," said Martin, who retired from NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition last year. "I have a lot of respect for each [of the other inductees]."

Kendall, along with Carmichael, was present for Friday's announcement.

"A lot of the names on this year's hall of fame are heroes of mine," said Kendall, one of America's greatest sports car racers. "[Being on the same list] doesn't really compute. I've been lucky to have good things happen during my career. To be mentioned with names like that &#8230; at the end of the day it's nice to be recognized for the work you did."

"I am honored and humbled to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America," said Carmichael. "As a kid growing up racing dirt bikes I never would have thought something like this was possible for me. To be in the company of some of the greatest names in motorsports is surreal. As you look at all of the great athletes and people that are in the Hall of Fame, it is hard for me to believe that I will be included among names like Ward, Hannah, Earnhardt, Petty or Garlits. This recognition is truly an honor."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/lifestyle/motorsports-hof-reveals-27th-class/


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## Ckg2011

*Which Sprint Cup Team Most Needs To Start Strong In 2015?​*
*W*ith only a month to go before the running of the Daytona 500, fans have been emailing and tweeting asking who I think really has to come out of the gates fast this season. The obvious answer I can give them is, quite simply, everybody.

They all need a quick start. From Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who finished 27th last year, to Kasey Kahne who finished 15th in the points, all the way up to our champion Kevin Harvick -- they all need a fast start to the 2015 season.

Now if you want me to zero in on one team or one organization that really, really needs to come out of the gates strong, then my pick has to be Roush Fenway Racing. They've made a ton of changes over there.

The only driver to win for them last year, Carl Edwards, is gone to the Toyota camp of Joe Gibbs Racing. They have two very young drivers in Stenhouse and Trevor Bayne paired with veteran Greg Biffle now.

We know the Fords are very competitive and fast by what we witnessed from Team Penske last year. There's just something that Roush Fenway Racing is missing. So across their organization from the drivers to the sponsors, they really need to turn things around in 2015. Probably No. 2 on my list that also really has to turn things around in 2015 is Michael Waltrip Racing.

As we keep reminding you, the X-factor that not only Roush Fenway or MWR, but every team is dealing with, is the new rules package for 2015. Again, it doesn't affect the teams at Daytona, but we'll get to see how it plays out the very next weekend at Atlanta.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...eam-most-needs-to-start-strong-in-2015-012215


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## Ckg2011

*Danica To Answer Kids' Questions At NASCAR Hall of Fame​*
*D*anica Patrick is making her first ever public appearance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, this Sunday afternoon.

That's certainly good news for fans of the GoDaddy-sponsored driver.

The even better news?

You can bring the kids along. In fact, it's a kid-centered event.

Beginning at 1 p.m. ET Sunday in the "Great Hall" section of the NHoF, Patrick will hold a special Q&A session with children of various ages, as part of a special announcement.

To cap it off, the first 100 children through the door will be able to get their pictures taken with Patrick, and all children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...-kids-questions-at-nascar-hall-of-fame-012315


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## Ckg2011

*Next In Line? Chase Elliott Poised To Succeed Legendary Jeff Gordon​*
*W*hen Kasey Kahne signed a three-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports last November, it immediately raised eyebrows because it meant the team had five drivers under contract for 2016 -- Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott -- but only four available NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars, the maximum allowed by the sanctioning body.

After Gordon's announcement Thursday that 2015 will be his last full Sprint Cup season, the numbers for 2016 suddenly make much more sense.

During Gordon's teleconference Thursday afternoon, team owner Rick Hendrick stopped short of saying Elliott would replace Gordon next year, but that's certainly the conventional wisdom.

"Oh, we're just kind of looking at what's down the road a little bit later," said Hendrick. "We're going to kind of focus on Jeff and what he's accomplished, and then at a later time we'll kind of focus on who is going to be in the car."
Despite what he said publicly, you can bet Hendrick has the succession plan for Gordon firmly in place.

Elliott last year became the youngest champion in any of NASCAR's three national touring series when he won the Xfinity Series title as an 18-year-old rookie driving for the Hendrick-affiliated JR Motorsports team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of these guys here sitting beside me (Earnhardt and Earnhardt Miller) and Chase Elliott because he is so much better than I even dreamed he could be, his maturity, and what his mom and dad have done to prepare him," Hendrick said at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the season finale. "He is wise way beyond his years. I'm super-thrilled about that."

Elliott is already scheduled to run a handful of Sprint Cup races this year with Kenny Francis, Kahne's former crew chief, on top of the pit box.

Hendrick general manager Doug Duchardt said after the Kahne announcement that the team will use this year to evaluate Elliott's progress.

"We'll take a look and see how things are going in '15 and see what are the right steps in the future," Duchardt said.

By all indications, the "right steps in the future" will see Elliott as the fourth Hendrick Sprint Cup driver in 2016, but until it becomes official, the future remains to be seen.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ed-jeff-gordon-at-hendrick-motorsports-012315


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Illustrated: Dake Jr. Back Where He Belongs​*
*Junior's comeback season brought out the best of old and new​*
The announcement of NASCAR's new points system dominated the preseason in 2014, and headlocks and brawls and go-for-broke racing dominated the end. But in between, the best story was the return of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The sport's biggest star turned in the most important season of his career. After a solid but winless 2013, his slide from the top of NASCAR's mountain had ended, and he needed to race his way back to the top. He did and then some.

He won the wildest Daytona 500 anybody has ever seen, he won at Pocono twice, and he drove away to the checkered flag at Martinsville while everybody behind him beat-and-banged on each other. His four wins equaled his total from the previous nine seasons combined. He was nearly as entertaining off the track, as he joined Twitter and turned 140 characters into an art form.

But more than the wins and the tweeting, Earnhardt's season thrilled Junior Nation because it signaled the return of the confident Dale Earnhardt Jr. In 2014, he lived and breathed the exuberance that first made him so popular and then disappeared when his career went into the toilet.

Few public figures, in sports or anywhere else, are as transparent as Dale Jr. He opens his mouth and the truth comes out. If his mouth doesn't betray his true feelings, his body language does. He couldn't fake it if he tried. So even more important than the results is the manner in which he achieved them -- with a strutting, head-up, eyes forward, let's-do-this bravado, as opposed to the Dale Jr. who sulked around the garage from 2007-2011, looking at his feet, sure his car would stink before he even got in it. He lost his swagger and believed he would never find it again.

And so he wallowed, year after frustrating year.

Everyone had brilliant ideas about how to fix him except him. For Earnhardt, the difference between wanting to and doing is the difference between doubt and confidence, and for years he didn't believe in himself or in his cars. He looked at his race car and saw a plodding tank, and he looked in the mirror and saw a driver who couldn't drive it fast if it were a rocket ship. He fumbled through seasons like a man looking for clothes in a dark closet. He had no idea what he was pulling out, and he was stuck wearing it regardless.

He tumbled to 25th in 2009 and 21st in 2010 and even those miserable stats only hint at how far he had fallen in his own head, from title contender to also-ran. He wondered if his career as a competitive driver was over.

And then an amazing thing happened.

Team owner Rick Hendrick gave him Steve Letarte as a crew chief before the 2011 season. Letarte arrived on Earnhardt Jr.'s porch an hour or so after getting the job. He had just finished a winless season as Jeff Gordon's crew chief and wasn't overflowing with confidence either. Each needed to look the other in the eye and size him up. Are you going to take me back to where I belong?

As Letarte entered Dale Jr.'s house, he immediately put his new driver at ease and started putting him back together again. Before they ever went to the track together, Letarte insisted on rules nobody had ever been able to enforce with Junior. Letarte told him to show up before practice to talk about the car and to stay afterward until Letarte didn't need him anymore.

It sounded like drudgery to Junior. And the results were slow to come, at first. He hit everything but the scoring pylon that year in Speedweeks. Then he was slow after that. Before a race in Las Vegas, his confidence still shot, Junior forced himself to stay and listen to and talk with Letarte and the engineers.

The next day, the car was as fast as any he had driven in years.

From then through 2013, hints of the old Earnhardt came back. His average finish improved dramatically; it was a career best 10.9 in 2012, a far cry from his career worst in 2009 (23.2). But he visited Victory Lane just once in that stretch, in 2012.

In 2013, only a blown engine in the first Chase race kept him out of title contention. He couldn't wait to start the 2014 season and immediately showed why. He drove a brilliant Daytona 500, passing high and low and early and late and with speed and cunning.

He spent most of the rest of the season at or near the top of the leaderboard. For the first time since 2004, he had a legit title chance. Those hopes evaporated with back-to-back finishes of 39th at Kansas and 20th at Charlotte in the 30th and 31st races of the season. He wound up eighth in points. But to measure him only by where he finished in points is to miss the point entirely.

The way to measure the new (and getting older) Dale Jr. is against the old (and forever younger) Dale Jr. and the one in the middle. He no longer resembles the one in the middle. The new and old have a lot in common, and the key difference is this one has confidence based on wisdom and experience rather than the ignorance of youth.

The highlight of Earnhardt's season came after his win at Martinsville. A win there yields an iconic grandfather clock trophy, which Earnhardt had coveted for as long as he could remember. For his Hendrick Motorsports team, it came within days of the 10-year anniversary of a Hendrick Motorsports team plane crash that killed 10 people, including Hendrick's brother, son and two nieces.

Earnhardt climbed from his car in Victory Lane and unleashed an utterly captivating stream-of-consciousness interview soaked through with joy. He was out of breath when he started talking. Not from driving, he said, from celebrating.

He bounced from the bucket-list delight of winning a clock to heartfelt empathy of the magnitude of winning at that place on that day.

"I lost my daddy a long time ago and I know how hard that is," Junior said. "I can't imagine losing the magnitude of people Rick lost. My heart goes out to him during this weekend. And I love that his cars are good here and give him a victory. And this honors them."

He talked afterward about putting the clock right by the front door of his house so everybody who came over would see it. When it chimes, it heralds a great win that capped an unforgettable comeback season.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...ted-dale-earnhardt-jr-2014-season-review.html


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## Ckg2011

*Larson And McMurray Get Rolex 24 Win​*
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray scored their first win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, teamming with IndyCar drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.

Dixon drove the No. 02 Ford EcoBoost DP in the final stint and took the checkered flag, on the 740th lap, by 2.267 seconds over Sebastien Bourdais in what came down to a seven-minute, 30-second sprint to the finish.

"You know, you're out there, we're watching Scott Dixon for the last three hours there drive, and you know, the focus is on Dixon and the focus was on what's going on on track," Ganassi said. "It takes a team of people. It takes a team of drivers, a team of great drivers to be paired with McMurray and Larson and Kanaan, to pair those guys with Dixon, that was a great grouping, but again, Mike (Hull) picked the grouping, not me, and he picked the grouping of drivers."

McMurray, who raced in his seventh Rolex 24, joined AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. His previous best finish came in 2011, second.

"I saw Chip walk in here just a second ago, and I told him after the race was over, I'm like, we have got to share some of the most special memories of my life together, some of the greatest days, with the exception of getting married and having kids, I've shared with Chip Ganassi and Felix," McMurray said. "It's been great. Victory Lane at Daytona has been very special for us with the Daytona 500, and this is a big deal for me because these cars are so much different than what Kyle and I typically drive."

Larson's win came in his second start, and it followed up victories already this season in the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway and the opening qualifying night of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla.

"I never thought I would have the chance to race this race growing up," Larson said. "Everything I did was on oval tracks, and my goal was to make it to NASCAR. I never thought about racing a sports car. Being teamed up with Chip, you have all these different avenues you can hopefully get the opportunity to run, and thanks to him for picking me to get on this 02.

"Yeah, it feels great. It's a long race, and I thought I did a good job last night and then got to do a quick stint earlier today, and then Scott was in it for the last three and a half hours, which was amazing. We all had tons of confidence in Scott, and he pulled it out for us. It was a really, really good day for us."

The Rolex 24 win was the second for the No. 02 car (2006) and it gave the team the overall record for most Rolex 24 At Daytona wins in the 53-year history of the race (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015) - recently tied with Brumos Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rson-and-Jamie-McMurray-Get-Rolex-24-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon To TV Booth​*
Jeff Gordon will add television analyst to his resume this year as part of the NASCAR on FOX new line-up.

Last week on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive," Gordon said he'd "entertain" working in TV after his final full-time Sprint Cup Series season in 2015.

He'll get a chance sooner rather than later after FOX unveiled its NASCAR telecast plans for the coming season.

Gordon along with Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski will be analysts on NASCAR XFINITY Series broadcasts as the network broadcasts the first 14 races of the season, 12 on FOX Sports 1 and two on FOX. They will be joined in the booth by play-by-play host Adam Alexander, analyst Michael Waltrip and reporter Vince Welch.

Alexander, along with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series play-by-play announcer Mike Joy and Brian Till will fill in for Steve Byrnes on NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races until Byrnes returns from his medical leave of absence to join analysts Waltrip and Phil Parsons and reporters Hermie Sadler and Kaitlyn Vincie. FOX Sports 1 will televise 22 of the 23 races with the Talladega event on FOX.

Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds begin their 15th season in the Sprint Cup Series booth as FOX NASCAR kicks off its first year of a new 10-year rights agreement. Returning reporter Matt Yocum as well as newcomers Jamie Little and Chris Neville will patrol pit road with the three also working on XFINITY events. FOX expands its schedule from 13 to 16 races with 10 on FOX and six on FOX Sports 1. Chris Myers and the Waltrip brothers return to the Hollywood Hotel for the pre-race show.

"NASCAR Raceday" will be back at the track before every Sprint Cup Series race with Danielle Trotta hosting during the first half of the season with McReynolds and Kenny Wallace while John Roberts will be back for the second half of the season. Vincie, and FOX Sports 1 newcomers Alan Cavanna and Andrew Doud will report alongside FOX NASCAR's pit reporters.

Trotta will host "NASCAR Raceday - XFINITY" before every XFINITY Series race with McReynolds and Wallace offering analysis and Little, Neville, Welch and Yocum reporting. Roberts will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pre-race show, "The Setup," with two-time champion Todd Bodine.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Jeff-Gordon-to-TV-Booth.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Media Tour Ready To Roll​*
The 2015 edition of the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour unofficially kicks off the season this week.

The 33rd renewal of the annual event is hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway and brings more than 250 media members from literally around the globe to the hub of NASCAR.

Drivers, crew chiefs, team owners and NASCAR officials will all meet with the battalion of reporters to provide a preview of the upcoming campaign.

"This four-day event provides media outlets across the country and around the world with newsworthy content as fans gear up for the 2015 NASCAR season," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. "It's always interesting to see new faces in new places and I'm always as excited as our fans to hear what the drivers and owners have to say about the upcoming NASCAR season. Our sport has a lot of momentum from 2014 as we roll into a new year."

What started more than three decades ago from rather humbling beginnings has grown into a large event with a great deal of importance.

Until last year the tour was a combination of presentations in a centralized meeting space as well as visits to a variety of race team headquarters around the Charlotte area. Last year the format changed to bring everything together in one location and provide the assembled media a better opportunity to gather information.

This year's tour begins with NASCAR Chief Executive Officer Brian France delivering his annual state of the sport address. Last year France unveiled the radical new Chase system, which generated a tremendous amount of buzz and discussion for the remainder of the tour.

Other sessions on this week's schedule include presentations from Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, Michael Waltrip Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing and Hendrick Motorsports among others.

The MRN.com team will provide extensive coverage of the 33rd NASCAR Sprint Media Tour all week long including feature stories, breaking news, audio, video and photos.

The green flag is ready to fly on the 2015 season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Media-Tour-Ready-To-Roll.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rico Abreu Finishes 13th In First Stock Car Start​*
The past week has certainly been a whirlwind for 22-year-old Rico Abreu.
One week ago he became the talk of the racing world when he scored the victory in the 29th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.

Just days after his Chili Bowl victory, Abreu was awarded a full-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East ride with HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, his first venture into stock car racing.

Abreu, who is 4-foot-4 and about 95 pounds, is a seasoned open-wheel sprint and midget car driver, competing in over 100 events last year, winning 26 races and the USAC midget national championship.

"It's just so cool to have the feeling that people really believe in you and would like to see you achieve," Abreu said earlier in the week. "Then let alone winning the Chili Bowl and all the prestigious races I got to win last year.

"I think a lot of people believe in me, and it gives me a lot of confidence and humbles me. So I'm glad that people can really see who I am and they don't judge me for what I look like or why I'm doing it. I'm doing it because I'm a racer and I love the sport."

Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway Abreu made his first NASCAR start, competing in the Pete Orr 100 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race.

Starting 23rd out of 25 cars, Abreu pulled behind the wall and fell out of the race after 87 of the scheduled 100 laps with a mechanical issue.

Despite retiring early, Abreu still finished the race in the 13th position after preliminary race winner Dalton Sargeant and William Byron were disqualified due to violations discovered in post-race technical inspection. Bobby Good was eventually declared the winner.

For Abreu, though, Saturday night's NASCAR debut was not about going out and starting off with a win, it was more about gaining experience in a stock car and racing on asphalt.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/rico-abreu-chili-bowl-winner-makes-first-nascar-start-012515


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## Ckg2011

*BRANDT Back On Allgaier's No. 51​*
Brandt, a leading agriculture retailer and manufacturer of agricultural specialty products, will return as a primary sponsor of the No. 51 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet SS driven by Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

BRANDT will be the primary sponsor for 21 races over the 2015 season.

The 2015 season was BRANDT's second year in NASCAR's top series and fifth year as a primary sponsor with driver Allgaier and team owner Harry Scott Jr. in a NASCAR national series.

"The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series brings awareness to our brand beyond traditional marketing efforts and serves as a platform to conduct business in a unique atmosphere," said Rick Brandt, president & CEO of BRANDT. "NASCAR enables us to connect and engage with our grower customers and distribution partners in ways that are otherwise impossible."

"I am very happy to have BRANDT back aboard the No. 51 in 2015," said team owner Scott. "This will be our fifth year partnering with the folks at BRANDT, and the second year for HScott Motorsports in the Cup Series. We learned a lot as a team in 2014 and I am excited for what 2015 will bring for Justin, Crew Chief Steve Addington and everyone at HScott Motorsports and BRANDT."

The sponsorship marks the fifth year that BRANDT has supported Riverton, Ill., native Allgaier.

"I am thrilled that the BRANDT Professional Agriculture brand will be the primary sponsor of the No. 51," said Allgaier. "I'm looking forward to my second season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, thanks to BRANDT. They are a great partner and I'm looking forward to our continued success together.

"Justin has been a great ambassador for BRANDT both on and off the track," said Brandt. "The agriculture industry knows and respects Justin as a person and a driver. He really understands our business and how we can grow it through NASCAR."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/brandt-back-on-allgaiers-no-51/


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## Ckg2011

*Fronius USA Joins Viva Motorsports​*
Viva Motorsports has announced a new partnership with Fronius USA for the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Season.








Fronius USA will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 55 Chevrolet Camaro for multiple races this season, beginning in Daytona. In addition to running the Fronius USA colors, Viva Motorsports has been outfitted with the latest welding technology from Fronius.

"We are very proud to be a part of NASCAR," says Wolfgang Niedrist, CEO of Fronius USA. "This is a new and exciting time for our company. It shows our commitment to the US market. Fronius USA supports Viva Motorsports."

Viva ended the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series season 25th in owner's points. Crew chief Mark Setzer and crew are busy preparing the No. 55 Fronius USA Camaro for the first superspeedway race of 2015.

"We are thrilled to have Fronius USA on board for the upcoming season, they are an outstanding company with outstanding products. We are excited to grow with them throughout 2015 and into the future," said team owner Jamie Dick.

A driver announcement for the No. 55 Chevy Camaro will be released at a later date.

*Source:*
http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/2015/01/fronius-usa-joins-viva-motorsports.html


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## Ckg2011

*Erik Jones Gets Sponsor For part-time Xfinity Series With JGR​*
*J*oe Gibbs Racing announced Monday that longtime partner GameStop will sponsor Erik Jones for 10 races in the No. 20 JGR Toyota Camry in the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. This season will mark GameStop's eighth with JGR.

Matt Kenseth drove the No. 20 GameStop Toyota in 2013 and 2014, finishing his two-year stint with a win in last year's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kenseth hands the reins over to 18-year-old Jones, whose first race in the seat will be the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona.

Jones, who joined fellow driver Kyle Busch in taking Kyle Busch Motorsports' No. 51 team to the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title, is running a fulltime truck schedule in 2015 for KBM, in addition to his part-time Xfinity Series duties with JGR.

"As a gamer, I've always followed the cars GameStop puts on the track each year," Jones said. "It's so cool that they change their paint scheme for every race, and they've featured many of my favorite games. It's exciting to have the opportunity to combine my love for gaming with my career as a NASCAR driver. I know we'll be competitive each week with the GameStop Toyota, and I'm confident we'll be able to get us a win, or a few, this season."

The 2015 season will actually mark the second season that Jones has appeared for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series. The Byron, Mich.-native wheeled the No. 20 Toyota in three races in 2014, and represented GameStop at Phoenix International Raceway in November where he started third and finished sixth. Jones' three Xfinity starts in 2014 earned him an average start of 4.3 and average finish of 7.0.

"We're thrilled to have Erik Jones back in the No. 20 Camry this season in the Xfinity Series," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "Erik is a great addition to our program and will be a great representative of GameStop."

Mike Wheeler will call the shots for the No. 20 GameStop Camry team this year when he will serve as a crew chief for the first time. Wheeler has been with JGR since December 2002 and had been the race engineer on Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Sprint Cup team since the team's formation in 2005.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-series-schedule-with-joe-gibbs-racing-012615


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## Ckg2011

*Kenzie Ruston​*
*NASCAR Announces 2015 Drive For Diversity Roster​*
*A*s the 33rd annual Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off Monday, NASCAR announced the 2015 Drive for Diversity roster.

Since its inception, NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program has worked to help women and minority drivers break into the upper echelon of the sport by providing them with solid equipment, valuable track time and coaching both on and off the track.

Graduates of the program include 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year and 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona winner Kyle Larson, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. and NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Daniel Suarez.

"Taking steps to find and develop young female and multicultural athletes who could represent the future of NASCAR is at the core of our organization's 
mission," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.

"We were impressed by the talent displayed at the Combine (in October 2014), and are eager to help this group develop their strengths on and off the track."

The roster consists of six young drivers, four of whom are new to the Drive for Diversity program for the 2015 season.

*The 2015 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class includes:*

*Devon Amos:* Returning to the team, the 23-year-old Rio Rancho, N.M., native will make the jump to the K&N Pro Series East after two full seasons in the Whelen All-American Series.

*Jay Beasley:* Finishing 13th overall and sixth in a loaded Sunoco Rookie of the Year field in the K&N Pro Series East last season, the 23-year-old from Las Vegas, Nev., will return for a second season, aiming to best his rookie campaign.

*Collin Cabre:* After an impressive NASCAR D4D Combine performance, the 21-year-old Thonotosassa, Fla., native will compete in the K&N Pro Series East in his first year with Rev Racing. Cabre has spent the past five years racing asphalt and dirt sprint cars.

*Natalie Decker:* A 17-year-old newcomer to the Rev Racing roster from Eagle River, Wis., Decker collected feature wins in a Limited Late Model and Super Late Model, as well as earning Rookie and Sportsman of the Year honors in ARCA SCAG Midwest Truck Tour. She will compete in the Whelen All-American Series in 2015.

*Kenzie Ruston:* Entering her third season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and first with Rev Racing, the 22-year-old El Reno, Okla., native is also a member of NASCAR Next, an industry initiative to identify tomorrow's stars, 
Ruston broke her own record in 2014 as the highest finishing female driver in the K&N Pro Series East with a runner-up finish at Iowa Speedway on her way to finishing ninth in points.

*Dylan Smith:* The 22-year-old from Randolph, Vt., earned a spot with Rev Racing in the Whelen All-American Series after competing in his own Late Model last year. The Stewart-Haas Racing employee ran 15 races and finished 38th in the Whelen All-American Series Division I national standings.

As part of the Drive for Diversity program, Max Siegel's Rev Racing will field four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East teams and two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series cars.

"This year's class is already hard at work preparing for the upcoming season," said Siegel. "In addition to their required physical training, shop work and professional development, we have added several new elements to what we feel is the premiere driver development program in the sport.

"Rev Racing is very proud to have played a significant part in the development of National series drivers and D4D graduates Darrell Wallace Jr., Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez," he added. "They have paved the way and set a high standard of excellence for our current class to strive for."

The Drive for Diversity program is not just limited to those behind the wheel, however. Through it's diversity efforts, NASCAR also has a pit crew development program for women and multicultural athletes.

In 2014, more than 30 graduates of the program worked on full-time pit crews with organizations that included Roush Fenway Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/nascar-announces-2015-drive-for-diversity-roster-012615


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR No Changes For Chase In 2015​*
*N*ASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said Monday afternoon that the format for the new Chase for the Sprint Cup will be unchanged for 2015.

France, speaking at the kickoff event for the 2015 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom, said the sanctioning body is coming off "perhaps its best Chase ever" and is carrying a lot of momentum into the season.

Last year was the first time NASCAR used the expanded format for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with a field of 16 drivers and a winner-take-all elimination format in the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

One change this year will occur on pit road, where NASCAR will use a series of 46 high-definition cameras to detect violations such as too many crew members over the pit wall or pitting outside the box. The cameras feed into computers, with NASCAR officials inside a trailer able to approve or override penalties the cameras detect.

The cameras will also feed data to NASCAR's broadcast partners, race teams and fans.

"We think it's a game-changer," said NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...o-the-chase-for-the-sprint-cup-in-2015-012615


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## Ckg2011

*Danica To Kids On Life As Female Driver: 'I Don't Think About It'​*
*D*anica Patrick arrived 10 minutes late Sunday afternoon for her first scheduled public appearance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

At least she had a good excuse.

Joining her on stage for the opening moments of an event where she answered kids' questions in an open-microphone Q&A was none other than Dallas Stenhouse, the 10-month-old Siberian Husky that she and racer boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. call their own.

This was the first time Dallas has accompanied Patrick to such a fan event, although the affable blue-eyed canine is often seen near Patrick's No. 10 Chevy on Sprint Cup race weekends.

On this Sunday afternoon, the presence of a dog proved to be the perfect icebreaker, as dozens of kids immediately clamored to pet Patrick's furry friend.

"I think I underestimated how overwhelming it can be when there's like 20 kids trying to touch her nose," Patrick said just after posing for a photo with each of the first 100 children -- including one who arrived at 6:30 a.m. -- at Sunday's 1 p.m. event. "I think if 20 people tried to touch my nose, I might try and like get away from it, too. She was a cute little sort of entry to the day, but she made her way back to the car where she's sleeping really peacefully right where the pedals are. That's where she likes to sleep. Even during my race (weekends) actually, she sleeps right underneath the driver's seat, right by the pedals. That's her spot."

After introducing her young listeners to Dallas, Patrick joined NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director Winston Kelley in announcing the formation of the all-new NASCAR Hall of Fame Kids Club, formally dubbed "Rookie Racers."

From there, it was on to the Q&A portion in which Patrick fielded her young listeners' questions.

The first one drew laughter from everyone in the room, including Patrick.

"Do you get mad when your boyfriend wrecks you?" a girl named Katie asked, eagerly awaiting an answer.

"Did you come up with that question yourself? ... Oh, dads," said Patrick, who has tangled more than once with Stenhouse on the track since the two became full-time Sprint Cup drivers in 2013. "Yes, I have been mad before. I have been mad before, but we talk about it, and then we get over it and we don't go to bed mad. Or we're just not going to bed. Sometimes we don't mean to. They're just accidents."

Patrick later reminisced about the opening question, which she clearly found amusing.

"I thought it was adorable the first question was if I get mad when my boyfriend crashes me on the racetrack," she said. "That was too insightful of a question -- I feel like it might have come from mom or dad. I blame dad. Sorry. I generalized on that one, but all the kids had really cute questions. I smile through all of my events that I have to do. I am happy to be where I am and have the people follow me that I do, but it's just like extra happy when it's kids. They're so excited to meet you and their hugs are so pure and their questions are so pure."

*Among the other questions Patrick tackled:*

• *What's it like being a race car driver?*

("It's mostly really fun," Patrick said. "It's a lot of work at times, too. My office is very hot sometimes. It gets like to over 130 degrees in my office -- that's my race car.")

• *If it wasn't for racing, what career would you have chosen?*

("I have no idea," Patrick said. "I started racing when I was 10. But before I raced I wanted to be a singer, a veterinarian, but then when I was 10, I started racing and then I thought I would go to college for engineering so that I could learn how to work on my race car. I really didn't have to think about anything after that. My dreams came true, because I always kept in mind that I wanted to be a race car driver.")

• *How does it feel being the Sprint Cup Series' only female racer?*

On the final query, the driver about to embark on her third full season at Stewart-Haas Racing didn't hesitate.

"To put it simply," Patrick said, "I don't think about it. I don't look at myself as being any different. I'm just a race car driver like they are."

The formal portion of the event ended with Patrick initiating a "group hug" with all the children, who sat in a kids-12-and-under-only-area at the foot of the stage.

Patrick -- who has a young niece, but no children of her own -- seemed right at home interacting with the kids, whose excitement to be in her presence was palpable from the moment she entered the room.

"I have definitely spent a lot of time lately with my niece, but I think it's really come a lot from spending time at the racetrack with kids and just seeing them in autograph lines or seeing them around the track," she said. "I'm also trying to break them (in) if they're shy or they don't want to come over. I always try and make them soften up and get excited to meet me. So it always starts off with the really good questions like, 'What's your favorite color?' and, 'How old are you?' because they know those answers, so you can get them to talk to you that way. So I like spending time with them, and I've learned it really from being at the racetrack."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...p-series-driver-i-don-t-think-about-it-012515


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Says Toyota Teams Are "Idiots" By Not Working Close Together​*
Kyle Busch admits he's frustrated that Toyota partners Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing do not work as closely together as other teams do.

Busch felt the same way after last year and says he hasn't seen any improvement between the teams with the season-opening Daytona 500 less than a month away.

"I'm very vocal about it because I feel like we're idiots by not continuing to work in the right direction in order to put our companies together and do the right things for Toyota and for all of us collectively,'' Busch said Monday during the NASCAR Sprint Cup media tour. "It just makes me mad every day they say that nothing has progressed.

"Nothing has happened to where Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing are going to work collectively together as in-depthly as Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are.''

Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have combined to win the past two Cup titles and three of the last four with Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas) last year, Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick) in 2013, and Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas) in 2011.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing combined to win only two races last year. Busch won at Auto Club Speedway and teammate Denny Hamlin won at Talladega.

"Yes, we came 12 laps from winning a championship, (but) it was a terrible year,'' David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development, told MotorSportsTalk. "It was a bad year. It was completely unsatisfactory. We underperformed as a team. That's Toyota and our team partners. That for us was certainly something that gave us some additional fuel to say, 'Guys we need to be better than this, we have to be better than this.' ''

So, shouldn't the Toyota teams be working more closely together after such a year?

"We would like there to be better collaboration between our organizations, but we don't feel like we can force it either,'' Wilson said. "There is so much trust and confidence required to make that work well that if you force it, you could send it off the rails prematurely.''

Wilson said that the teams are working together in some ways. He noted their preparation for restrictor-plate races and that the teams went to the wind tunnel together last year.

"There are a lot of things that are happening in the background,'' Wilson said. "There's not a lot that has been up front, but make no mistake there's been a tremendous amount of conversation, discussion, collaboration happening in the background that most people aren't aware of.''

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...ng-close-together/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Brett Moffitt To Sub For Brian Vickers At A.M.S.​*
*Michael Waltrip Racing turns to 22-year-old in relief role​*
Brett Moffitt, who made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2014, will drive the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 1 as Brian Vickers recuperates from offseason heart surgery.

Owner Michael Waltrip made the announcement on Tuesday during his team's stop Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom.

"He was the driver that everybody at Michael Waltrip Racing wanted to be in that car at Atlanta," Waltrip said. "They believe in him."

In seven starts in the No. 66 car, the 22-year-old from Grimes, Iowa's best start and finish came in his debut on June 1 at Dover International Speedway when he began the race in 18th and finished 22nd.

Waltrip will drive the No. 55 in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 as he attempts to win his third Great American Race.

Despite missing the first two races of the season, Vickers received NASCAR's blessing to run for the Sprint Cup Series championship. He will return to his ride at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the third race of the year on March 8.

Last month, doctors discovered Vickers' body rejected a patch that was placed over a hole in his heart. They corrected the problem and gave him clearance to race just three months after the corrective heart surgery.

"They took my heart out and replaced it with a lion heart," Vickers joked on Tuesday.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...-substitute-driver-atlanta-brett-moffitt.html


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Police Flared Side Skirts​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will no longer be allowed to alter their car's side skirts during an event, a practice that became widespread during the 2014 season.

At the NASCAR State of the Sport to kick off the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body will bring cars back down pit road if officials see that the side skirts have been manipulated during a pit stop in the race.

O'Donnell said it would police flared skirts "by any means possible," including use of the new pit road technology that will make its debut during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition and racing development said the practice was allowed to continue last season because officials "didn't want to change how we were policing things in the middle of the Chase.

"We knew at the end of the year there was work to do on our part in how we policed it in 2015," he said.

"We'll do that with our pit road cameras, we'll do that with our video replay system and we'll do that with our officials on pit road."

For 2015, NASCAR will police pit road through the use of 45 cameras (located on the grandstand side of the track) that will feed video back to a central location. Software written into the system will alert officials to any potential violations. There will also be 10 officials roaming pit road to monitor pit stops.

If it is determined that a team has altered the side skirt, Pemberton said the team will be required to correct the issue at that time.

"If we somebody physically pulling it out, or doing something to make it come out, we'll react. We'll make them fix it (during the race)," he said.

The pieces, officially known as vertical rocker panel extensions, are located along the bottom of the car's body between the front and rear tires. They help seal the area between the bottom of the car's chassis and the track surface, limiting airflow underneath the vehicle.

Unlike the thin sheet metal that covers most of the car, the pieces are made of hard plastic, which limits damage when they come into contact with the surface of the track.

However, one short section of the right-side piece, located between the exhaust area and the rear tire, is constructed of metal to withstand heat from the car's exhaust.

And it's that piece that drew the interest of officials as teams began to pull out or "flare" the metal portion in an attempt to improve downforce as the car traveled through the turns. The greater the pressure generated, the better the car moves through the corner, allowing the driver to maintain speed.

Not all teams were flaring the pieces last season, but those that did typically would make the adjustment during an early pit stop.

NASCAR allowed the practice to continue as the season progressed, but said on several occasions it was something that would be addressed after the completion of the 2014 season.

Teams haven't said how much is gained from such an adjustment. There has, however, been talk about possible problems the move creates for other drivers.

Flat tires following contact sidelined at least two Chase contenders late in the year, and both were asked if the flared side skirts were at least partly to blame.

"I would assume it was something like that," Team Penske driver Joey Logano said of contact at Texas between his Ford and that of Richard Petty Motorsports driver Marcos Ambrose. "Obviously, the consequences of that (flaring) is that is you touch each other &#8230; you can get a flat tire, but that's part of it. We all know it. We can see it.

"We know if we touch each other we'll have an issue because of everyone being so aggressive in that department. But that's the name of the game right now."

In the same race, contact between Logano's teammate, Brad Keselowski, and Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon resulted in a flat tire on the No. 24 Chevrolet. It also set the stage for post-race fireworks involving Gordon, Keselowski and various crewmen.

Gordon said whether his flat tire was caused by Keselowski's flared side skirt or something else was "certainly debatable."

"You don't know. The &#8230; tailpipes stick out, too," Gordon said, "and as hard as the impact was, it's possible that the tailpipes may have done it."

Still, he said, such body alterations aren't helping the situation in such instances.

"It is definitely getting a little bit out of control," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2015/1/26/nascar-flared-skirt-ruling-for-2015.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Looking For A Fresh Start​*
Tony Stewart is looking for a fresh start in 2015 after enduring a pair of trying years both personally and professionally.

Stewart suffered a severe leg injury in a sprint car crash in August 2013 that has necessitated several surgeries since. And then, there was the sprint car accident in August of last year that took the life of fellow driver Kevin Ward Jr.

"I'm not happy about the last two years of my life, by any means," Stewart said Tuesday during NASCAR's pre-season Media Tour.

Physically, Stewart looked well - saying he was working on getting fit as he prepared for the season. A fourth surgery was recently completed on the broken leg he suffered in the 2013 sprint car crash in Iowa. "Smoke" believes he's fully back on the road to recovery.

"Even after the surgery on December first, this is the best I've felt since the accident two years ago," said Stewart, who was quick to point out that his dedication to physical fitness does have its limits. "Are you kidding? When have you ever heard of me having an exercise program? That's why we wear black clothes, to make me look slimmer."

On track, there's plenty of work for Stewart to do in order to improve a performance that's slipped dramatically. As a team co-owner, he enjoyed watching Kevin Harvick bring Stewart-Haas Racing a Sprint Cup Series title last year. Stewart the driver battled through a disappointing season that ended his streak of winning at least one race a year since becoming a Cup Series regular in 1999.

Compounding the task of upping the performance for his team is the new Sprint Cup Series rules package featuring less horsepower and lower downforce. Trying to get a handle on the rules has been made even tougher with NASCAR's decision to limit off-season testing.

But Stewart is not concerned with those challenges, nor is he making excuses.

"I have no idea if it's going to feel better or worse," Stewart said of his racecars. "But I go back to all the years we've raced so many different types of cars. You were always having to adapt to it, anyway. So I don't think this is going to be any different. It's a matter of finding that feel we want in the car right away."

For Stewart, the best medicine may have been simply getting away from the sport for a while when the final checkered flag flew at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November.

"From a personal side, it's the best thing I could have done," said Stewart. "It's made my desire stronger than ever. The last two years have given me more drive to get back to the form my fans are used to. It's the best-prepared I've been for a season in a long time."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/Tony-Stewart-Looking-for-a-Fresh-Start.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Remains Focused​*
Kurt Busch isn't letting his off-track spat with ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll interfere with his preparation for the 2015 season.

During Tuesday's session at NASCAR's pre-season Media Tour, Busch reiterated that he is fully invested in improving his performance from a year ago, and that his legal battles with Driscoll will not interfere with those plans.

"My focus is on the Haas Automation Chevy and what it takes to be fast on the racetrack," said Busch. "That's been my job all along - to go out there, get those big trophies and put them up on the mantle."

Busch is grateful for the support he's received professionally and personally during the contentious - and, at times, bizarre - legal proceedings with Driscoll. They're awaiting a decision from a Kent County (Del.) court hearing on a protective order Driscoll seeks against Busch after he allegedly abused her in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway in September of last year.

"Family and friends, teammates here at Stewart-Haas have all been very supportive," Busch said. "It's nice to know that people can understand actual specifics (of the case) and (see) truth in this environment.

"They know the truth. They know who I am, and our focus is to race cars and be fast when we show up at the track. Not a lot of people on the inside read what's on the outside."

While Busch admits to enduring a stressful off-season, he's grateful for the reinforcement he's received from those he cares for most.

"Everybody goes through bumps in the road," Busch said. "Family is the best group of people to lean on. We can all stand there and put our arms around one another. Sponsors have been very supportive - mainly Gene Haas, Haas Automation and all the different groups at Stewart-Haas Racing. It's a great group of people who all understand the situation."

Until a decision is revealed, Busch insists that there is nothing more to do than prepare for the season ahead. As a member of a high-profile team like SHR - alongside teammates Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Kevin Harvick ... who have had their share of controversies as well as successes on and off the track, Busch knows the spotlight will always be bright.

"You battle those preconceived notions that will be a distraction," Busch said. "The four of us want to compete, we want to win. Different stages of success were achieved last year on our team. All four drivers pushed one another and it was great to see that Kevin (Harvick) became the front-runner, and that all of us supported him and gave all that we could to help that "4" car win the championship."

The quest to repeat as champion begins in a little more than two weeks at Daytona International Speedway. That's where Busch's interests are clearly focused and not on anything else, including allegations from Driscoll that Busch suffered from alcohol abuse and depression.

"We're all just focused on the season ahead and racing hard," Busch said Tuesday. "It would be difficult to have those symptoms and race at the top levels ... finish sixth in the Indy 500 and things like that. My right hand was on the bible and I swore under oath to tell the truth."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/01/Kurt-Busch-Remains-Focused.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Still Upset With Gordon​*
Clint Bowyer is not over his incident with Jeff Gordon at Phoenix International Raceway from three seasons ago.

Bowyer was asked Tuesday, as part of this year's pre-season NASCAR Media Tour, about Gordon's decision to hang up his helmet as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver after this season. While he acknowledged Gordon's contributions to the sport, Bowyer makes no bones about the fact that he's still upset with what transpired between them at PIR.

The fateful incident happened in November 2012, igniting a brawl in the garage area after Gordon and Bowyer tangled on the track and Gordon retaliated. It ended with Gordon being docked 25 points and each driver not exactly enamored with the other.

"You're never good with somebody when it got that ugly," Bowyer said. "We had a lot of fun together. Jeff and I hit it off right off the bat, and probably away from the track at banquets and things like that. We really enjoyed one another's company on a couple off-season boating trips.

"It's kind of like a divorce. You may appreciate them from time to time but at the end of the day, you don't like 'em anymore."

Bowyer may still hold a grudge as he competes against Gordon but joked that there could be a change coming down the road after his recent text message to the four-time champion which read:

"Looking forward to having fun again with you in 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/01/Bowyer-Still-Upset-With-Gordon.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Vickers Surprised By Early Return​*
Brian Vickers is glad to be getting back behind the wheel and pleasantly surprised as how fast his recovery has gone.

Vickers underwent corrective heart surgery three months ago and recalled the news he would need a procedure to repair a hole that had developed.

"It was a pretty traumatic event obviously, going through that. It was definitely the worst of all the medical issues I've had to face," said Vickers during Tuesday's Michael Waltrip Racing session on the NASCAR Media Tour.

But his road to recovery has gone well and Vickers received clearance to get back to competition in the third race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Team co-owner Michael Waltrip will fill in for the Daytona 500 and young Brett Moffitt takes the wheel at Atlanta.

The news he'd be able to return to the No. 55 in early March was welcomed to say the least.

"I think it took all of us, including myself, by surprise when I went back for my last checkup and everything looked great and ahead of schedule, and they said, 'You'll be clear for Vegas,'" Vickers said. "I said, 'Are you sure? Shouldn't we make this for Phoenix or Fontana?' 'Nah, nah, you're good.'"

Although he's on the fast track to racing again it has by no means been an easy road back for Vickers. 
He recalled his first visit to the MWR facility for the team's annual Christmas party, which included a trip up a flight of stairs.

"It took me 15 minutes to catch my breath, and when we were leaving, [Waltrip] was like, 'You wanna take the elevator?,'" Vickers said. "I'm like, 'We could have done that on the way up!'"

He has steadily improved and been able to complete an exercise regime that has paid dividends to returning to action much faster than he had anticipated. 
"It wasn't like I was pushing them to get in the car early," said Vickers. "I really, really wanted to make sure. As everyone kind of insisted, health comes first and in this decision-making process, it very much did. 
"But that's when they felt very comfortable with me being back in that race car and I can tell you, I can't be more excited at being back in that race car."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Brian-Vickers-Surprised-By-Early-Return.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*HScott Expands To Two Full-Time Teams​*
HScott Motorsports enters the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a new look as it expands to two cars. Justin Allgaier will return to the No. 51 BRANDT Chevrolet while Michael Annett joins the team and will drive a Chevrolet adorned by longtime anchor partner Pilot Flying J.

"The addition of a second team increases HScott's overall ability to better utilize its resources at track and at the shop to be even more competitive," said team owner Harry Scott Jr. "I'm proud to have seen Justin truly mature as a NSCS driver last year, and I can't wait to see what he does this year. Like Justin, Michael is coming off his rookie year following six years of competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Michael is a quality driver with a great future at HScott Motorsports. These drivers compliment one another and will make great teammates."

In his impressive rookie season, Allgaier posted 10 top-20 finishes, including 17th at Bristol; 16th at Michigan and Pocono; and 15th-place finishes at Charlotte and Homestead to conclude the 2014 season.

"This is as excited as I've been for a new season, I can't wait to get to Daytona and fire the engines," said Allgaier. "I'm looking forward to carrying the momentum from the end of last season over to this year. Michael is a great addition to our organization and I'm glad to have a teammate to compete with each week."

BRANDT Professional Agriculture, a leading agriculture retailer and manufacturer of agricultural specialty products, returns as the primary sponsor of the No. 51 Chevrolet for 21 races, beginning with the Daytona 500 on February 22. Auto-Owners Insurance will also be the primary partner on the No. 51 for three races.

"Justin and the No. 51 team continue to be a great source of pride for BRANDT employees and customers, and we are all looking forward to a great 2015 season," said BRANDT President and CEO Rick Brandt.

Annett competed in all 36 points races during his 2014 rookie NSCS campaign and posted several top-20 finishes, including 19th at Fontana, 16th at Talladega and 18th at Kentucky. From 2008 through 2013, Annett competed full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he started 163 races and earned seven top-five and 34 top-10 finishes. Prior to his NASCAR career, Annett competed in the ARCA Racing Series in 2007 and 2008, winning races at Talladega and Daytona.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to drive for HScott Motorsports," said Annett. "I am impressed with the way Harry is building his NASCAR teams. Harry and competition director Steve Addington have a long-term vision and I'm honored to be part of it. I'm also looking forward to having Justin as a teammate."

Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel retail centers, will be a primary partner on Annett's car. Other partners include Cypress Associates, Inc., Allstate Peterbilt Group and Northland Oil.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...xpands-to-Two-Full-Time-Sprint-Cup-Teams.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*GameStop Continues With JGR​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that longtime partner GameStop will sponsor Erik Jones for 10 races in the No. 20 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. This season will mark GameStop's eighth season partnering with the Joe Gibbs Racing organization.

Matt Kenseth piloted the No. 20 GameStop Toyota in 2013 and 2014, finishing his two-year stint with a win at the season finale XFINITY Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kenseth now hands the reins over to 18-year-old Jones who will drive the No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry for 10 races this season, starting with the XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

"As a gamer, I've always followed the cars GameStop puts on the track each year," Jones said. "It's so cool that they change their paint scheme for every race, and they've featured many of my favorite games. It's exciting to have the opportunity to combine my love for gaming with my career as a NASCAR driver. I know we'll be competitive each week with the GameStop Toyota, and I'm confident we'll be able to get us a win, or a few, this season."

The 2015 season will mark the second season that Jones has competed in the XFINITY Series with Joe Gibbs Racing. The Byron, Mich.-native wheeled the No. 20 Toyota in three races in 2014, and represented GameStop at Phoenix International Raceway in November where he started third and locked in a sixth-place finish. Jones' three XFINITY starts in 2014 earned him an average start of 4.3 and average finish of 7.0.

"We welcome the opportunity to have Erik driving for us this season," said Bob Puzon, senior vice president of merchandising for GameStop. "We've never shied away from talented young drivers like Erik. He has a winning track record in the truck series, and we believe he will continue his trips to Victory Lane in our car this year. We also think Erik will be a great brand ambassador for us, because he clearly represents our core customer. He is an avid gamer and has been a GameStop shopper for quite a while."

"We're thrilled to have Erik Jones back in the No. 20 Camry this season in the XFINITY Series," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "Erik is a great addition to our program and will be a great representative of GameStop. We also have Mike Wheeler stepping up to lead the No. 20 Toyota team as crew chief. It will be exciting to watch those two together as they run up front and contend for wins each time Erik is in the No. 20 Camry."

Mike Wheeler assumes the role of crew chief for the No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry team this year, his first season as crew chief. Wheeler has been with JGR since December 2002 and served as the race engineer on the No. 11 Cup team since the team's formation in 2005.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tinues-Partnership-with-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Crew Members Reinstated By NASCAR​*
*N*ASCAR has reinstated Kelly Johnson, a crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, upon his successful completion of NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery Program.

On Nov. 18, 2014, Johnson -- who at the time was listed as a jackman for the No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing team -- was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy) of the NASCAR Rule Book.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...uspended-for-substance-abuse-violation-012715


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch (left) Kyle Busch (Right)​*
*Kyle Busch Annoyed By Being Mistaken For Older Brother Kurt​*
*K*yle Busch said Monday he has not gotten involved in his older brother's personal issues and is disappointed he has been mistaken for Kurt in coverage of assault allegations against the 2004 NASCAR champion.

Kurt Busch spent four days over the last two months in a Delaware courtroom as part of a hearing regarding an ex-girlfriend's request for a no-contact order. Patricia Driscoll alleged Busch assaulted her in September during an argument at Dover International Speedway.

''Haven't spoken to him, don't know nothing, trying to stay away from it all and let him handle his business,'' Kyle Busch said.

But he's been dragged into it as the case drew national attention earlier this month when Kurt Busch testified he believes Driscoll is a trained assassin. In several instances, Kyle has been wrongly identified as the NASCAR driver involved.

''I think it's stupid. I think people need to do a little bit more background before they write names or say names if they don't know what the heck they are talking about,'' he said. ''It's not that hard to differentiate between two people that have the same last name. I think people need to do a better job and not be so slackish.''

Busch said the mistaken identity has not been an issue with longtime sponsor M&M's, but he wasn't sure if that would change if he is continually linked to his brother's legal issues. A court ruling on Driscoll's request for a no-contact order is expected any day, and the Delaware Attorney General's office has not decided if Kurt Busch will be charged with assault.

''It hasn't been bothersome from a sponsorship standpoint, yet, that I know of,'' Kyle Busch said. ''I know it could be if it continues to keep going, but it's the wrong brother. But I think the relationship I have with the Mars family is far beyond that, hopefully.''

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-mistaken-for-older-brother-kurt-busch-012615


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## Ckg2011

*Expanded Schedule For Wood Brothers​*
Wood Brothers Racing and driver Ryan Blaney announced Wednesday that they would run an 18-race Sprint Cup Series schedule in 2015.

The team originally planned on only 12 races with Blaney piloting its No. 21 Ford, but additional sponsorship has enabled them to expand their schedule. The season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 will kick off the campaign as Blaney and the "21" team look to replicate Trevor Bayne's 2011 victory in "The Great American Race."

Kentucky, New Hampshire, Bristol, Darlington Raceway, Chicagoland Speedway and Charlotte have been tacked on to the original 12 races planned for the team.

"Our normal commitment is with Ford Motor Company and Motorcraft Quick Lane brands, and we're going to run our 12 races like we've been doing for the last few years," explained team co-owner Eddie Wood. "We'll run the speedways and the fast 1.5-mile tracks. We've been working really hard on our new alliance with Team Penske."

Blaney - who split time last year between Team Penske's Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series program and Brad Keselowski Racing's Camping World Truck Series team - is looking forward to taking the next step in his career with the storied Wood Brothers, recently recognized by the Guinness Book of World Record as NASCAR's longest-active team.

"All we care about is racing," Blaney said Wednesday during the NASCAR Media Tour. "That's going to benefit us. Now, we have this alliance with Team Penske that'll help us take the next step. We're happy to bring the Wood Brothers along with us."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22, starting at 12 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/01/Expanded-Schedule-for-Wood-Brothers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano 'Rings' In The New Year​*
Joey Logano may have lost a wedding ring on his honeymoon last month, but he's still optimistic about what lies ahead in the 2015 season.

During Wednesday's Team Penske presentation on the NASCAR Media Tour, Logano explained how he had a somewhat stressful time celebrating his off-season wedding.

"I lost the first one (ring)," Logano said. "We were kayaking in Costa Rica. We went down this little waterfall and flipped. I was excited that I didn't have to go to the hospital in Costa Rica and I thought that was great. About 30 minutes later, the adrenaline wore off. I looked and it was, 'Huh, my ring is gone!' Now, it's floating around down there somewhere."

The good news is that there's already a replacement on Logano's finger.

"I'm on my second ring already, but I've got the same girl so that part is great," he joked.

Logano's not kidding about putting together a season even better than the one he had last year, when he won five races and made it to The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We came awfully close to winning the championship," said Logano. "It's something to be proud of, for sure. It's an amazing opportunity to be there at Homestead and have a shot at a championship. We can take a lot out of that experience. Hopefully, we'll be in the same boat again this year only a lot more prepared in knowing what we're getting ourselves into."

One of the elements Logano sees that will lead to more success in 2015 is the continuity within not just his No. 22 team but throughout the entire Penske organization. Not upsetting that chemistry in the off-season has added to Logano's optimism for the coming year.

"It's key that all of us are at the same level, and that goes across all of Team Penske," Logano said. "We work well together. Brad (Keselowski) was just talking about how close the two teams are. That's very important. It's a big deal for us to be fast on the racetrack and we've shown how important that is."

Logano believes tightening the relationship he has with Keselowski and their respective crews will further strengthen what is already a successful operation.

"Brad and I work on our relationship and doing things together away from the track," Logano said. "That's important when you're in the heat of the game and things are going on. That camaraderie throughout Team Penske and on the '22' car has been a key to our success."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Logano-Rings-In-New-Year.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sam Hornish Jr., Version 2.0​*
Sam Hornish Jr. is ready to embark on his second tour of being a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.

Hornish takes over the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford this year after the departure of Marcos Ambrose, who returned to his native Australia at the end of the 2014 campaign. Hornish, a former open-wheel standout, has made 131 career Cup Series starts - primarily at Team Penske, where he ran three full seasons from 2008-2010.

But he was only able to notch three top-five finishes in what was a disappointing jump from Indy cars to stock cars. He's spent much of the last four years looking to jump-start his career. After dabbling in television and the XFINITY Series, Hornish is determined to make the most of his second chance at NASCAR's top level.

"It's different than when I did it the last time," Hornish said of his return to the Cup Series. "We've got a lot to look forward to."

Hornish has had more time to "look forward" to things than he may have liked given the new testing policy limiting teams from getting on the track during the off-season. While he drives for Richard Petty, the words of Tom Petty might better apply to Hornish's situation because waiting has been the hardest thing to do.

"The toughest part about this is having the opportunity to come to Richard Petty Motorsports and then thinking about it for four months or so before we actually get to go out and race," Hornish said Wednesday during the NASCAR Media Tour. "We've only gotten three tests in so far, but one of the main benefits has been (teammate) Aric Almirola and me jumping back and forth in the cars to see what each of us likes."

The benefit of not just having a teammate in Almirola but the similarity of what each driver is looking for in their car's handling is not lost on Hornish.

"We want similar things out of the racecar," said Hornish. "When we get to the track, hopefully we'll be able to cover twice as much ground as far as finding which direction to head and how to make our cars better each weekend."

The unusually long off-season, thanks to the limited testing policy, hasn't dampened the enthusiasm and optimism Hornish has for the 2015 season. The evolution of RPM into a more competitive organization is something he's excited to be part of entering the next phase of his career.

"It's great to see how excited people in the shop are about being there and what the possibilities are," Hornish said. "The only thing we're lacking is that we still need to sit down and set out a map of what we're gonna feel comfortable with throughout the year - what our goals are, how we evaluate ourselves and how to get where we want to go."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/01/Sam-Hornish-Version-2-0.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Roush Fenway Ready To Rebound​*
Roush Fenway Racing is hoping for brighter days in 2015 after a disappointing season last year.

Team owner Jack Roush made a number of significant changes across both his Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series lineups that he believes will pay dividends.

"I dismiss the notion that Roush Fenway was broken," Roush said Wednesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "We won races and made the Chase. What we've done going forward is to build on what we believe is still a very solid foundation."

The RFR Sprint Cup lineup has been revamped with the departure of Carl Edwards to Joe Gibbs Racing and features a younger look. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. returns as does Greg Biffle. They're joined by 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, who was elevated from the organization's XFINITY Series program.

"Roush Fenway Racing is turning a corner and hopefully, we turn it pretty fast so we can contend for wins this year," said Bayne.

Biffle becomes the veteran leader and is ready to turn the page on what was a frustrating season for him and the No. 16 team in 2014.

"This off-season, with no testing, we've really agonized over it. But it's been a turning point for Roush Fenway," Biffle said. "It gave us the opportunity to step back and look at where we made the wrong turn in the road.

"When you're racing every week, testing and doing all these things, you're looking at the problem down low. It wasn't until we got up higher and looked at the landscape that we decided we made some wrong decisions - possibly over a year ago - on the direction with our cars. We've corrected those things."

Stenhouse will have a new crew chief, as will Bayne - who is now paired with Bob Osborne, who returns after an absence for health reasons. Nick Sandler is calling the shots on Stenhouse's No. 17 entry. On Wednesday during the pre-season NASCAR Media Tour, the two-time XFINITY Series champion was eager to talk about his optimism for the year. He opened his remarks by taking a page from Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's playbook.

"I'm just here so I won't get fined," Stenhouse joked.

All kidding aside, Stenhouse has a positive vibe heading into his third full-time Sprint Cup Series campaign and working with Sandler.

"Nick learned a lot from Jimmy Fennig and Mike (former crew chief Michael Kelley) is still a big part of our team," Stenhouse said. "That was really important to me, having him stick around. He sets a good example for the crew guys, who look up to him. Everybody in the shop appreciates his dedication."

The Daytona 500 is 3 1/2 weeks away and the Roush Fenway camp is expecting better things in 2015.

"The glass is definitely more than half-full," Roush said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/01/Roush-Fenway-Ready-to-Rebound.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart: 'I'm Going Back To Being Me Again​*
Feeling the best he's felt in two years, Tony Stewart's life has returned to some form of normalcy after consecutive seasons of professional and personal hell.

When Stewart and members of the team he co-owns, Stewart-Haas Racing, met with the media Tuesday as part of NASCAR's media tour, it was as if he had taken a step back via a time machine. Sitting alongside Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick and defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick, Stewart was laughing, smiling and confident. Emotions which were in short supply the past 18 months. He even appeared to be thinner.

"Are you kidding?" Stewart said. "When have you ever heard of me having an exercise program? That's why (SHR) wears black clothes -- to make me look slimmer."

What Stewart won't contest is that he's ready for the 2015 season to roll. The gruesome broken leg he suffered in the summer of 2013 continues to heal and his limp is far less pronounced than it was at the end of last season following a fourth surgery in December. He will have a fifth -- and he says hopefully, final -- operation at the end of this season to remove a titanium rod attached to the bone.

And Stewart continues to move past his involvement in an accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. last August during a sprint car race in upstate New York. A grand jury would exonerate Stewart of any wrongdoing, but the events took a great toll. In the immediate aftermath Stewart missed three Cup races and sought counseling.

"I'm ready to put the last two years behind me and never look back," Stewart said. "I'm not talking about it, I'm not thinking about it. I'm going back to being me again."

If Stewart is to be himself again that would presumably include a return to Victory Lane, something he failed to do a season ago, snapping his 15-year streak of winning at least once. Improved health and more familiarity with a car that was radically different than he was accustomed to should also help.

The three-time Cup champion is also encouraged by the improvement he's seen in crew chief Chad Johnston, who took over the No. 14 team prior to last season. Stewart and Johnston struggled to develop a rapport, an issue compounded by Stewart's health and later being absent following the Ward tragedy.

But Stewart says Johnston became more confident towards the end of 2014 in his pit and strategy calls. And in the offseason Johnston revamped the 14 crew, hiring a new car chief and two engineers.

"I've never questioned who I am and what I do," Stewart said. "We've had two rough years that I don't think I'd wish that on anybody. Deep down inside I know who I am as a person and I know who I am as a driver and that's what I want to get back to.

"That's what makes the start of the 2015 season so exciting to me -- flipping the page."

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/1/28/7928101/tony-stewart-2015-season-preview-health


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## Ckg2011

*Johanna Long To Run Part Time Xfinity And Truck Series In 2015​*
After being sidelined in 2014, promising young driver Johanna Long will be back on the track in 2015.

Long will compete in an unspecified number of both NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series events this season for new team Mike Affarano Motorsports.

The team announced the news on Wednesday.

Long, 22, of Pensacola, Fla., has 43 career starts in the Xfinity Series, with her last season being 2013, when she competed in 20 of 33 races. She was the youngest female driver to ever compete in the Xfinity Series when she broke into that class in 2012.

She also has 24 starts in the Truck series.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to race this season with Mike Affarano Motorsports," Long said in a team media release. "In a time when drivers are pressured to bring sponsorship money to teams in order to race, it was great to have my phone ring and be approached because of my talent."

Long and MAM will both make their debut in the unsponsored No. 03 Xfinity Series Chevrolet on Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway.

MAM is based in Salisbury, N.C., about 40 miles north of Charlotte, and will be competing with cars purchased from the former Turner Scott Motorsports.

"We are thrilled to have Johanna behind the wheel for 2015," Affarano said. "She has such drive and determination that will represent our team well on and off the track, and we know she's great with attracting sponsors and fans.

"We're looking forward to growing and progressing as a company together this season."

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...-new-team-in-2015/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Could Danica Patrick Leave Stewart-Haas Racing?​*
The NASCAR star (at least in the celebrity sense) is wrapping up her current contract with the Stewart-Haas Racing team in 2015 and there are some rumors that she may be ready to move on.

Team owner Gene Haas said this about Danica's future to Fox Sports:

"We'd love to see Danica come back," he said. "She's a big draw. We want to see Danica succeed as much as anybody does. I think NASCAR wants to see her succeed, so there's an awful lot of vested interested in having succeed in this man's sport, and we've very fortunate to have someone like Danica here. I think she just brings a lot of attention to not only NASCAR but SHR and the whole racing venue."

The former IndyCar driver has 82 starts in NASCAR and will have a new crew chief during the upcoming season. The season-opening Daytona 500 is Sunday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. on Fox.

*Source:*
http://charlotte.suntimes.com/clt-sports/7/93/48718/danica-patrick-stewart-haas/


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## Ckg2011

*Twisted Tea Renews Deal With RPM​*
The Twisted Tea Brewing Company will return to the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford for two primary races in the 2015 season with new driver Sam Hornish Jr.

Twisted Tea's return to the No. 9 Ford will be highlighted in NASCAR's most iconic event, the 57th Daytona 500. Twisted Tea joins RPM at the famous track where it has a history of 12 wins, most recently in July of 2014.

The prominent yellow and blue design will also be featured during the Coke Zero 400 on July 5, also at the Daytona Int'l Speedway. Along with the two current primary races, Twisted Tea will be a season-long associate sponsor on the No. 9 Ford.

"We are proud to continue our relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports and Sam Hornish Jr. throughout 2015," said Robert Vail, member of the Twisted Tea team. "This has been a great partnership for us and we can't think of a better way to kick off our year than at the Daytona 500. This is a world class event and we're teaming up with a world class crew and driver. There is no better time to enjoy Twisted Tea than at Daytona's biggest event, or cheering on the drivers while watching the race at home."

Hornish will kick off his first season with RPM in the Twisted Tea No. 9 Ford at Daytona where he has seven previous starts. The winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500, Hornish is looking to join legends A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only two drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.

"Daytona will be a career moment for me," commented Hornish Jr. "It's my first race driving for Richard Petty, it's the Daytona 500 and I'll once again have an opportunity to join heroes of motorsports if we win. It's an amazing opportunity and I can't wait to do it with Twisted Tea who will also support us throughout 2015. They are such a fun, cool partner and to be able to celebrate with them in Victory Lane would certainly be a highlight of my career."

The team also announced that R-M Automotive Finishes will continue its 25-year partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/twisted-tea-renews-deal-with-rpm/


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## Ckg2011

*McAnally Expanding K&N Series Program​*
Bill McAnally Racing has announced plans to expand its lineup for 2015 as it builds on its success in the East and West divisions of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and celebrates a special anniversary.

BMR, which scored six wins and five poles last year, is looking to add to that mark in 2015 as the team commemorates the 25th year of its partnership with NAPA AUTO PARTS.

"This will be a very special year for everyone at BMR as we honor our 25th anniversary with NAPA Auto Parts," said BMR President Bill McAnally. "NAPA has contributed so much and been such a big part of BMR's success through the years. We want to reward NAPA and all our partners with our best year ever."
As a five-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, BMR expanded last year into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East - becoming the only team to race full time in both the East and West divisions.
"We're looking forward to our second year of competing in the K&N West and K&N East," McAnally said. "I'm confident the teams will build on their successes from 2014."

BMR is expanding its program this year in the K&N West, meanwhile, to feature two full-time teams - with Brandon McReynolds back behind the wheel of the No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota for a second season and Chris Eggleston driving the No. 99 NAPA Filters/ H2O Fire Protection Toyota in his rookie season in the series.

BMR's focus in the K&N East will have Nick Drake back in the No. 15 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota. Cole Custer will return to run select events in the East and West divisions for BMR in 2015, driving the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts/HAAS Automation entry.

In his first full season of competing in the K&N West last year, McReynolds won the Most Popular Driver Award and was named to the NASCAR Next program, which spotlights NASCAR's rising stars. The 23-year-old from Mooresville, N.C., finished fourth in the championship standings. He garnered two poles and put together a string of nine consecutive top-five finishes. He is the son of television race analyst and former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Larry McReynolds.

"We have some unfinished business with Brandon in the K&N West," McAnally said. "We're looking forward to capitalizing on his consistent performance last year."

McReynolds offered a similar perspective on the season.

"I'm definitely excited after last year," he said. "It was kind of an up and down year, although our finishes were always respectable. I think we established a good foundation to build on, as I go forward into my second year at BMR.

"Speed obviously wasn't a problem all year in the NAPA Toyota," McReynolds said. "It was just a matter of closing the deal. Looking forward to this year, I know we're really going to push hard on being perfect with our preparation and try to excel and take advantage of our windows of opportunity on the race track."

Drake, also of Mooresville, capped off his rookie season in the K&N East by winning the K&N West season finale at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. The 19-year-old, who made the transition last year from racing open-wheel sprint cars on dirt to competing in stock cars, captured attention early by winning the pole in the K&N East race at Richmond (Virginia) International Raceway.

"We look for Nick's big win at Phoenix last November to serve as a momentum builder as we head into the 2015 season," McAnally said. "As a rookie, he displayed great potential throughout the year and we anticipate his success to continue."

In addition to his win, Drake finished second overall in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race at Iowa Speedway last May.

"We obviously ended the way we wanted to last year with our NAPA Toyota," Drake said of his win at Phoenix. "So we know we can win races. Hopefully, we can start right where we left off."

"I think it should be a really good year for BMR," he said. "Nothing's new to me anymore. We're going back to all the same tracks that we went to last year."
Drake acknowledged that his finishes in 2014 did not always reflect his performance in some of the races.

"We ran way better than we finished in some events last year," he said. "We had an opportunity to win a couple of races that slipped away from us. Some of it was out of our control. If we can get some luck on our side, hopefully we can run for this championship."

Eggleston - making just his second series start, his first with BMR - grabbed the headlines last year by winning the K&N West race at his home track, Colorado National Speedway. The 25-year-old from nearby Erie is a graduate of Colorado State University.

"We're very excited to have Chris coming on board full time for 2015," McAnally said. "He captured a lot of attention with his win at Colorado last year and we expect to see his talent continue to develop as he becomes a regular in the series."

Eggleston was one of four first-time winners in BMR's No. 99 entry last season.

Drake was also in the No. 99 when he won at Phoenix. In addition, Patrick Staropoli drove the No. 99 to his first win at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway and Christian PaHud scored a win in the No. 99 in his series debut at All American Speedway in Roseville, California. During the season, the BMR entry will carry a special logo to commemorate the team's 25th anniversary with NAPA and its associates.

"I'm super excited and very thankful to be working with such a great team as Bill McAnally Racing," said Eggleston. "I'm thankful that we were able to put something together with NAPA Filters, NAPA Batteries and NAPA AutoCare Centers.

"This is a dream come true," he continued. "I thought it was a dream come true just to run that one race last year at Colorado in front of a hometown crowd and for us to come out of there with a victory. To put something together for the full season this year, gives us a momentum swing.

"I'm also excited to be able to work with Brandon," Eggleston said. "I think he's a great driver. I'm looking forward to working with him and learning from him.

I think between the (car No.) 16 and (car No.) 99 that we can rack up a bunch of wins this year and hopefully be one-two in the championship at the end of the year."
Custer, 17, of Ladera Ranch, Calif., had a record-setting season in 2014.

Also a member of the NASCAR Next program, Custer won the K&N West season opener at Phoenix and followed that up with a K&N East win at Richmond in April. His racing resume includes nine events in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where with a victory at New Hampshire in September he became the youngest winner in NASCAR national series history at the age of 16.

"After all of his success last year, we look for more great things to come from Cole in 2015," McAnally said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/mcanally-expanding-kn-series-program/


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott To Race Select CUP Series Races In '15​*
Chase Elliott will race in select NASCAR Sprint CUP Series races in 2015 with Hendrick Motorsports in the number 25 Chevy SS, NAPA will sponsor the car and Chase Elliott in five CUP races, the first of which is rumored to be the second race of the season in Atlanta Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Chase Elliott Will Replace Gordon In #24 In 2016​*
*I*n what is probably the least surprising news of the week, Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday morning that Chase Elliott will replace Jeff Gordon in the team's iconic No. 24 Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car, starting in 2016.

Gordon said last week that this will be his final full-time Cup season.

Alan Gustafon, crew chief of the No. 24 for Gordon, will remain in that position when Elliott takes over. Gustafson has 19 race victories, 18 poles, 98 top-fives and 165 top-10s as a Cup crew chief.

The Hendrick team has a 3 p.m. press conference scheduled from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. The event will be streamed live on FOXSports.com.

Elliott, who last year became the youngest NASCAR Touring Series champion in history, will run five Cup races this year in the No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy with Kenny Francis as his crew chief. Elliott will race March 29 at Martinsville Speedway, April 25 at Richmond International Raceway, May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway.

"Chase brings the kind of intangibles that make him the total package as a driver," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick in a new release issued Thursday morning. "Not only is he a special talent inside the race car, but there's a natural combination of competitiveness, work ethic and smarts that you rarely see. Chase's personality and demeanor make him popular with fans, teammates and sponsors. He's a great fit for our organization on many levels, and we feel he and Alan will be a successful combination. There's a lot to be excited about."

Elliott is the first driver in NASCAR history to win a championship and rookie of the year honors in the same season, and was voted by fans as the most popular NXS driver.

Hendrick Motorsports will announce sponsorship for Elliott's 2016 Sprint Cup season at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/jeff-gordon-chase-elliott-hendrick-motorsports-2016-012915


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## Ckg2011

*Sabates Guarantees Chase Spots​*
Chip Ganassi Racing co-owner Felix Sabates has guaranteed that both Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray will make the post-season Chase in 2015.

The flamboyant Sabates took to the podium Thursday during NASCAR's pre-season Media Tour and predicted that his two-car team would secure a pair of Chase berths this season.

"I've never guaranteed anybody anything in all the years I've been in racing," Sabates said. "But I'll guarantee you that both of these guys will be in the Chase."

For his part, Ganassi wouldn't go as far as his partner did but praised McMurray and the young Larson.

"Kyle Larson's development is nothing short of amazing," Ganassi said. "I want to thank all the people who told us we were bringing him along too fast last year. Thank you for that. It was great to see him win Rookie of the Year. We look for bigger and better things out of him in 2015."

Larson, fresh off a victory in last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, nearly notched his first Sprint Cup Series win last year and missed a post-season berth by just 16 points.

However, as successful as the first-year driver was a year ago, he admits there's room for improvement.

"Hopefully, 2015 goes a lot better than last year did for me," said Larson, who placed 17th in the final point standings. "I'd like to get a couple wins, make the Chase and go for the championship. We can do that."

McMurray, who is paired with new crew chief Matt McCall after Keith Rodden returned to Hendrick Motorsports to work with Kasey Kahne, believes the team can accomplish much more this year than it did in 2014.

"We have everything we need to compete and win races," said McMurray. "Matt has that racer's mentality and we've jelled early. We need to translate that communication and connection to the racetrack. This is the best chance I've had to succeed at a high level during my entire Sprint Cup career."

Ganassi added his usual candor to Thursday's presentation, saying it was "unacceptable" that the team missed out on NASCAR's playoffs last year. McMurray won the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway but wasn't able to take a regular-season victory and earn a Chase spot, falling 47 points short.

Larson took the challenge from Sabates head-on and echoed that bold prediction.

"We're capable of being a top-10 car each week, winning at least two races, making the Chase and going for the championship," Larson said. "Those are realistic goals. I would guarantee it, too. I'm with Felix!"

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/01/Sabates-Guarantees-Chase-Spots.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon Sets Sights On Victory Lane​*
Austin Dillon was pleased with how he fared in his rookie season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but he wants a lot more out of year two.

Dillon won the pole for last year's Daytona 500 and was a contender in both events at Daytona Int'l Speedway. He was also in position to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup through late summer, before Dillon faded from a Chase spot. He didn't win a race in the final 10 events, either.

A victory is Goal No. 1 for the 2015 campaign, Dillon said on Thursday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. He and his Richard Childress Racing team aren't going to settle for second if there's a chance to win a race and make the Chase.

"This year, I think we've got to start getting crazier," Dillon said. "I think we've got to make things happen. What I mean by that is that we need to be a part of the Chase. We need to be a part of the chaos at the end of the year and you want to put more pressure on yourself.

"Having that rookie year and the experience has allowed us to go out and compete and really start making a name for our team, our group and our crew. That's what this year is about, really about stepping out and going after it more than that first year."

The 24-year-old North Carolina native scored one top-five finish - a fifth at Daytona in July - and four top-10s in his rookie campaign.

The expectations from his grandfather, team owner Richard Childress, are higher.

"Austin and Paul (Menard) were right there with a couple of races to go to make the Chase," Childress said Thursday. "This year, we know we've got to win races to make the Chase."

Dillon had the benefit of testing last year, something he won't be able to lean on as much in 2015. A NASCAR-imposted testing ban means teams can only test at NASCAR- or Goodyear-sanctioned sessions.

Not that Dillon minds. He's an easygoing driver who believes his team is good enough to win, even without extra practice in a car that has less horsepower (an 850-to-725-hp change in 2015).

"The testing ban, I think it's helpful for the fact we're saving our teams money," Dillon said. "We're also doing a lot of tests for Goodyear. There's still a lot of tests we'll be involved with. Simulation is going to be more important, and I think RCR has done a great job of focusing on that point. Hopefully we can take that and use it to our advantage as far as simulation goes.








"It was good having a year where we did test, being a rookie last year. You just have to really look back on those years when you're testing and look at what helped and what didn't help. Some of the worst tracks we had were the places we had to test at. Some of the places we came in 'cold turkey,' we were better. I don't know if that's lack of experience or what, but I don't think a lack of testing will hurt our team as much as it will others."

Dillon's initial foray into Sprint Cup competition coincided with the return of the iconic No. 3 to the Sprint Cup Series. Being the first driver to pilot the famous car since the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. passed away in 2001 brought lots of pressure to Dillon and his team.

All eyes were on them at Daytona, and things really didn't slow down for much of the season. As a result, Dillon said they didn't take a lot of chances. Part of the objective last year was to earn respect.

This year, it's about earning trophies and a Chase berth.

"I think people know how we approached last year," Dillon said. "We did it right. Now, it's time to go fast."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/austin-dillon-sets-sights-on-victory-lane/


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## Ckg2011

*NHMS Executive Gappens Arrested​*
Jerry Gappens, the executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, is facing a misdemeanor charge after being arrested last week in New Hampshire.

Gappens has been charged indecent exposure and lewdness after police say they found him engaging in sexual activity with a woman inside a car.

His attorney later released a statement addressing the charges.

"Mr. Gappens acknowledges using poor judgment that has resulted in a misdemeanor charge that is both embarrassing and devastating to him and his family, and for that, he sincerely apologizes," the statement read. "He regrets his actions. While he made a bad decision, he did not, in my opinion, engage in conduct that violates the referenced statute or any other criminal law. Mr. Gappens cooperated fully with the police, and we hope to have this difficult situation resolved soon."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/nhms-executive-gappens-arrested/


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart Not Thinking Retirement​*
ving competed in NASCAR's Cup Series since 1993, Jeff Gordon's decision to retire represents a changing of the guard of sorts, as one of the sport's most accomplished and respected drivers has elected to walk away at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

Gordon's pending retirement has led some to wonder who will be the next superstar to retire. But two drivers fans don't have to worry about leaving soon are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, both of whom adamantly dismissed the idea that their careers were close to being over.

At the age of 40, just three years younger than Gordon, Earnhardt begrudgingly concedes he can no longer eat pizza and chicken wings with the same fervor and must maintain a balanced diet. But despite conceding that he must now work out, Earnhardt feels 10 years younger and is enjoying himself too much to stop driving.

Earnhardt's zeal comes from a rejuvenated 2014 campaign that saw him win four races, including the Daytona 500, and emerge as a serious championship contender. And unlike Gordon, Earnhardt is healthy and doesn't have a young family at home.

"Last year I felt like a kid," Earnhardt said Thursday at NASCAR's Media Tour. "I had the same feeling I would have when I would drive down at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) in my Late Model. We were on top of the world having so much fun, and that freedom came back in the past couple years to just enjoy it and release the pressure and just really have fun driving cars and that's made me really think that I can do this a lot longer than I'd imagined.

"I don't have any back issues and I don't have any kids on the way, so I don't have any factors."

So when will Earnhardt know it's time to retire? Mostly it's about competitiveness and remaining healthy. If neither becomes an issue, NASCAR's most popular driver could see himself competing for another 10 years.

"I think I'll stop racing when my health is an issue or I don't feel like I'm in a competitive car or I feel like that I've lost a step," Earnhardt said. "Like a cornerback or wide receiver loses his step as they get into their mid-30s or get older, if I start to feel like I'm not carrying my weight out on the racetrack, I think that you'll have to take a look at yourself.

"You don't want to waste anybody's time out there. You don't want the team carrying you on the racetrack out there. I feel like this past year we had some really good success and I feel like that I'm getting better in some areas as a driver each year, and my health's been great. I've really had the most fun that I've had in a long time in consecutive years."

Similarly, Stewart isn't thinking about retiring, even though his health has been an issue recently and he's the same age as Gordon.

Two years ago, the three-time Cup champion broke his left leg in two places, an injury that forced Stewart to miss the remainder of the 2013 season and hampered him last year. (Stewart went winless for the first time in his 15-year career.)

But with his leg continuing to improve, Stewart sees no reason to stop driving. And the factors that contributed to Gordon's decision (kids and a family) aren't applicable to Stewart, who is single and describes himself as being married to racing.

"I haven't even thought about (retiring) to be honest," Stewart said. "You have to remember Jeff got a much earlier start in (NASCAR) than I did. ... I mean, drivers have got different agendas. Jeff's got a family and two kids, I don't. I own race tracks, he doesn't."

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015...nhardt-jr-tony-stewart-jeff-gordon-retirement


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Hall of Fame Adds Five​*
A quintet of legendary drivers with distinct styles and contributions to stock car racing were inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday night in Charlotte, N.C.

Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White comprised the sixth class to be enshrined since the Hall opened in 2010.

Throughout his career, Elliott was a fan favorite with a record 16 NASCAR Most Popular Driver Awards. "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville" notched 44 wins (16th in NASCAR history) and 55 poles (eighth), but his most prestigious accomplishment came when he won the 1988 Cup Series championship. Elliott always excelled on the biggest of stages, winning the Daytona 500 twice and the Southern 500 three times.

"One thing I look at out here today is one common bond with all these racers," Elliott said. "It's hard work and dedication. For me to be standing up here is just incredible."

Lorenzen was one of the sport's first true superstars even though he never ran more than 29 of the season's 50-plus races in any of his years on the circuit. The Elmhurst, Ill., native won 26 races from 1961-67. Lorenzen's best single season came in 1963 - when he finished with six wins, 21 top fives and 23 top 10s in 29 starts. The victor of the 1965 Daytona 500 and World 600, Lorenzen boasts the fifth-highest career winning percentage (16.86) in NASCAR history.

"Dad always said, 'The sky is the limit and don't let anyone tell you otherwise,' " said Lorenzen's son, Chris, who spoke on his father's behalf. "That's been dad's most important saying in life and he certainly lived by it. He also believed that people made their own luck. It just doesn't fall upon people."

Scott was the first African-American to race full-time in NASCAR's premier series, known today as the Sprint Cup Series. He posted 147 top 10s in 495 starts at the sport's top level, including one victory. Scott finished in the top 10 in points four times.

He won more than 100 races at local short tracks before making his Cup series debut, including 22 at Southside Speedway in Richmond, Va., in 1959 en route to capturing both the Sportsman Division and NASCAR Virginia Sportsman championships.

"The legacy of Wendell Scott depicts him as one of the great vanguards of the sport," said Franklin Scott, the late driver's son who accepted the induction. "Daddy was a man of great honor. He didn't let his circumstances define who he was."

Weatherly claimed consecutive Cup series championships in 1962 and 1963, and won 25 career races before his untimely death in January 1964 at Riverside (Calif.) Raceway. Known as the "Clown Prince of Racing" due to his jovial personality, Weatherly displayed impressive versatility beyond his Cup Series dominance. A decade earlier in 1952 and '53, he won 101 races in the NASCAR Modified division, capturing that championship in 1953. Weatherly even tried his hand in NASCAR's short-lived Convertible Division from 1956-59, winning 12 times.

"He loved his family and he was very generous, but I am sure there are many memories the fans could share as well, maybe ones of the practical jokes he enjoyed playing on fellow drivers," said Joy Barbee, Weatherly's niece. "He definitely had a sense of humor, loved a good laugh and loved to have a good time. He always had a big smile on his face. He was a character to be around and definitely lived up to the title given him - the 'Clown Prince of Racing.' "

White was one of the greatest short-track racers ever and consistency was his trademark. He finished among the top five in nearly half of his 233 races and outside the top 10 only 30 percent of the time. Of white's 28 career wins in NASCAR's top series, only two came on tracks longer than a mile in length. Driving his own equipment, White won six times during his 1960 championship season, posting 35 top 10s in 40 starts. He finished in the top 10 six of his nine years in the series, including a runner-up finish in 1961 to champion and fellow Hall of Fame driver Ned Jarrett.

"Words can't express how honored I am to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame along with the other members, especially my 2015 fellow inductees," White said. "No driver wins a championship by himself and nobody enters the Hall of Fame alone. I am the symbol of a team effort."

Each of the five inductees had a presenter who officially welcomed him into the hall. It was Ray Evernham for Elliott, Amanda Gardstrom (daughter) with Lorenzen, Wendell Scott Jr. for his father, Bud Moore for Weatherly and James Hylton with White.

Active drivers introduced each inductee during Friday night's program: Kasey Kahne with Elliott, Tony Stewart with Lorenzen, Jeff Gordon for Scott, Brad Keselowski for Weatherly and reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick with White.

In addition to the five inductees enshrined, Anne B. France was awarded the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. France - with her husband, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. - helped create what today is one of the largest, most popular sports in the world. "Big Bill" organized and promoted races while Mrs. France managed the financial end of the business.

She first served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR. When Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, she served in the same roles for International Speedway Corporation, which is today the parent company of Motor Racing Network. Mrs. France also managed the speedway's ticket office. She remained active in family and business life until her passing in 1992.

Long-time Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reporter Tom Higgins was honored as the third recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. He was the first beat writer to cover every race on the NASCAR schedule, a role he held from 1980 until his retirement in 1997.

Higgins started his journalism career in 1957 at the weekly Canton (N.C.) Enterprise, where he covered racing for the first time. He joined the sports staff at The Observer in 1964 as an outdoors writer and soon began covering stock car racing as well. Higgins has continued to write motor sports nostalgia columns for the newspaper and its website ThatsRacin.com since his retirement.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2014/01/NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame-Adds-Five.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Media Tour Rear View Mirror​*
The 33rd edition of the pre-season NASCAR Media Tour has taken the checkered flag and here's a look at a few of the major takeaways.

Nearly 250 media members descended on the Charlotte, N.C., area for the four-day event. Drivers, crew chiefs, team owners, NASCAR officials, sponsors, manufacturers and pretty much anyone connected to the industry were on hand to take part. While there wasn't much news that broke during the week, there were several stories that hit the mark:

*NASCAR's "Circle of Life"*

One week after Jeff Gordon announced his decision to step away as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver at the end of the season came the introduction of 19-year-old Chase Elliott as the one to take the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016. This was never a matter of "if" but "when." Gordon has driven that car since 1992. This is a perfect way to merge the conclusion of Gordon's career with the start of Elliott's, and provides Hendrick with yet another chance to develop a NASCAR star.

*No Pressure*

Maybe Rick Hendrick was joking during his media availability, but he has rather high expectations for Gordon's final full year. "Mr. Gordon has to win 14 races and a championship to go out in style. That's his mission," said Hendrick. Perhaps there was some tongue-in-cheek sarcasm to the comment. But make no mistake, Hendrick and Gordon both expect the performance of last year to carry into this "farewell" season. And Gordon isn't the only driver feeling pressure from his owner. Felix Sabates flat-out guaranteed that both Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson would make the Chase this year. The always-quotable Sabates made that proclamation when he took the microphone during Chip Ganassi Racing's presentation on Thursday.

*Kyle Being Kyle*

The optimism at Joe Gibbs Racing for the new season as a four-car stable, with the addition of Carl Edwards, is sky-high and rightfully so. JGR put all three teams into the Chase a year ago and nearly won the title with Denny Hamlin. With Edwards and crew chief Darian Grubb working together, the expansion to a fourth team is expected to strengthen the organization. However, Kyle Busch had a couple observations that didn't go unnoticed ... particularly when he was asked about manufacturer Toyota and all Sprint Cup Series teams working better together.

"I'm very vocal about it because I feel like we're idiots by not continuing to work in the right direction in order to put our companies together, and do the right things for Toyota and for all of us collectively," said Busch. "It makes me mad every day they say that nothing has progressed."

Busch also wasn't happy with the No. 18 team's approach last year after making the Chase with a win early in the season at Auto Club Speedway. "You have to attack this year differently than what's happened in years past, based off the information we learned last year through the Chase and everything that happened," Busch said. "Take my win at California. If Kyle Larson would have pushed the issue a little more and won that race, it would have knocked us out of the Chase the way things fell and Larson would have been in. You have to look at every single week as your shot to get into the Chase. There isn't necessarily 'next week.' Oh, there is. But if you don't get it or make it happen within the next - however many - weeks before the Chase starts, then essentially you've not given yourself the opportunity to make the Chase."

*All About That Chase*

The only "Chase" that was in the spotlight during this year's Media Tour was Elliott. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France opened the week with his annual State of the Sport Address and announced there would be no changes to the championship format, which proved to be so successful a year ago. That was, no doubt, music to many fans' ears after witnessing the excitement and drama that was generated in the first year of the new system.

*Sneak Peek?*

And while Sprint Cup Series teams work to get their arms around the new rules package for this season, NASCAR officials are hard at work on 2016 specs - when reportedly more downforce will be taken away. In an effort to get a look at those proposed changes under competitive conditions, NBC Sports.com reported that this year's Sprint All-Star Race might employ some of the 2016 rules. The idea has merit and might be the perfect way to start assembling the rule book for next season while adding a needed dash of spice to the annual non-points special event.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/01/Media-Tour-Rear-View-Mirror.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Alex Bowman Joins Tommy Baldwin Racing For 2015 Sprint Cup​*
*T*ommy Baldwin Racing has announced that Alex Bowman will drive the team's No. 7 Chevrolet SS in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Bowman, 21, spent his rookie season of 2014 with BK Racing where competed in all 36 races and scored a best finish of 13th in the July race at Daytona International Speedway.

"Alex is the future of TBR, and he will be a great representative of our team," said owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. "He is a young driver who displayed a great talent in both the Xfinity and Sprint Cup Series the past few years. We are pleased to give Alex the opportunity to further showcase his skills behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet this season."

No primary sponsor or crew chief was named for Bowman, but a team press released indicated that more news about Bowman's plans will be forthcoming within the next week.

"I'm looking forward to working with TBR and the entire No. 7 team," said Bowman. "With Tommy's experience and his drive to run competitively, I feel like we can run well this year."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...dwin-racing-for-2015-sprint-cup-season-013015


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Prefers Old Chase Format To New One​*
*A* truly strange and unexpected thing happened during the final day of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour when Jimmie Johnson was asked how he felt about racing for a record-tying seventh Sprint Cup championship in 2015.

It was pointed out to Johnson that on a day when his quest for title No. 7 should be a focus of much preseason attention, he was flying under the radar with the day's earlier news that Chase Elliott has been named teammate Jeff Gordon's successor in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy beginning in 2016.

"The championship seems so far away," Johnson said. "I had a shot at it last year and that opportunity came and went. It hasn't even been on my mind."

That's a surprising statement coming from a guy who won five consecutive championships from 2006-10, earned a sixth title in 2013 and was in the hunt for a seventh championship for much of last season.

Johnson later offered a simple, yet fascinating explanation as to why he isn't so concerned -- at this point -- about the championship in 2015.

All six of Johnson's titles have come under the pre-2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup format where the champion was crowned based on total points accumulated over the final 10 races.

Last season, when NASCAR debuted its new elimination-style Chase format featuring three, three-race rounds followed by a one race, winner-take-all championship finale, Johnson finished a career-worst 11th in the standings after being eliminated in the Contender Round where the group of championship-eligible drivers was trimmed from 12 drivers to eight.

With the new format in place for a second year, Johnson sees no need to get too worked up about his bid to tie Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt as the sport's only seven-time champions.

"Honestly, it's because of the format," the Hendrick Motorsports driver told FOXSports.com. "You can dominate the regular season. You can win the first round of (the Chase) . . . what's the first goofy name of the whole thing?

What's the second goofy name? . . . and not be one of the final four at the whatever round. I'm just trying to manage my frustration throughout the course of the year.

"Why the hell start worrying now about something that's so different in how you get there? So with that in mind, the real pressure's to win a race. If you can win two, you're guaranteed in (the Chase). When you look at the year and think, 'OK, first off, I've got to walk before I run, I'm going to win two races and then think about the championship,' it just takes a ton of pressure off of you. There's no sense at looking at the end result, at Daytona -- and it's just because of the format. Now, if it was the old Winston Cup-style points system, absolutely, every race counted and it was a different environment."

When NASCAR announced last January its plans to overhaul the Chase and implement the elimination system, Johnson was initially optimistic about the how the change would affect his No. 48 team -- which is historically at its best down the season's homestretch.

"When I look at this format on paper, especially how the 10 races break down, we usually win a race in the year, we usually win at certain tracks and those tracks all give me an opportunity to transfer through the rounds when I look at my strongest tracks," Johnson said. "So the first blush when I was told about this in the fall of '13 going into the '14 season was I thought, 'Man, this is going to fit the 48 great.' I don't think we did our job as a team last year and I think that's where we got beat."

But from a selfish standpoint, Johnson still can't help but prefer the old Chase format.

"I would be foolish to like any other format than the one in which I've won six championships in," he said. "I'll be honest. Call a spade a spade."

Johnson believes that while the new Chase format doesn't suit his personal preference, it is best for the sport as a whole. And that's what he insists he cares about the most.

"I entered this new phase of the playoff system thinking I want full grandstands, I want sponsorship revenue where it was in the '90s. I want our sport to thrive and be strong," Johnson said. "I've seen stats recently that show me that this format boosted ratings, boosted attendance, (created) a lot of hype, a lot of excitement.

"I'm putting on the what's-best-for-the-sport hat. And if this is better for the sport, I'm in. I want out sport to succeed. But again, I won six championships with a different format, so I'd much rather see it go back to that."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-the-old-chase-format-over-the-new-one-013015


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## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon: Chase Elliott Is 'Right Guy' To Keep Driving No. 24​*
Even though it would be a fitting testament to his illustrious legacy as a NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon told team owner Rick Hendrick that he did not want the No. 24 retired after his upcoming final season.

"Rick wanted to retire that number for maybe one year or a certain period of time - you never know what NASCAR allows," Gordon told Bob Pockrass of SportingNews.com. "He definitely threw that idea out to me, and I said, 'No.'

"I love the No. 24. I want to see the 24 go on to do great things. I did say if Chase was really adamant or (his dad) Bill and Chase and (his mom) Cindy all felt like that another number was more suited, that I was open to it. But I think our fans want to see the 24 continue on with the right person and be successful with the right guy, and he's the right guy."

When it was confirmed earlier this week that Chase Elliott would replace Gordon in 2016, numerous reports surfaced wondering what car number Elliott would drive.

Some believed Elliott would drive No. 9, which is identified most with his father Bill, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday. It is also the number on the car Chase drove to last season's Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series championship.

To do so, however, Hendrick Motorsports would have to ask the current holder of the No. 9, Richard Petty Motorsports, to give up that number.

There's recent precedent: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. left Dale Earnhardt Inc. and moved to Hendrick Motorsports, the latter had to petition Robert Yates Racing to acquire the No. 88 for Earnhardt.

Other speculation centered on No. 25, which is not currently in use but still assigned by NASCAR to Hendrick Motorsports, or perhaps No. 94, which Elliott drove in the Camping World Truck Series, and which his father drove in his short time as a Sprint Cup team owner.

But when Gordon told Chase Elliott that he wanted him to continue the legacy of the No. 24, the 19-year-old Elliott jumped at the chance.

"Having the honor to drive the 24 is something that a racer can only dream of," Elliott told Pockrass. "That is such an iconic number, it's a legendary number and for Jeff to tell me that he wants me to drive the 24, that right there is plenty enough for me to be on-board with it.

"He asked me if I was OK with that. If we were shaking hands, I'd have ripped his arm off. That is an opportunity that nobody would turn down. For him to tell me that he wanted me to do that and asked if it was OK with me? Absolutely."

NASCAR has never retired a car number in any of its three major series: Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series.

"The 24 has been such a part of our DNA at Hendrick Motorsports, we needed to carry it on for the fans, for Jeff's fans and our fans," team owner Rick Hendrick said. "That was the decision, and I left it up to Jeff."

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...eep-driving-no-24/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Front Row Motorsports​*
Front Row Motorsports is hoping "bigger" means "better" as it expands from two cars to three for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

FRM recently announced the addition of Cole Whitt to drive the No. 35 Ford with sponsorship from Speed Stick in 10 races starting with the season-opening Daytona 500. David Gilliland and David Ragan have wheeled the team's No. 38 and No. 34 entries, respectively, since 2012.

Whitt, 23, tied Michael Annett for fourth place in last year's Rookie-of-the-Year standings and finished 31st overall in Cup Series points. He began the 2014 season with Swan Racing, which later merged with BK Racing. Crew chief Randy Cox has also made the move to Front Row to remain with Whitt.

"(Team owner) Bob Jenkins is a smart businessman and is growing his team the right way. I'm looking forward to being a part of that growth," said Whitt, a Californian who's made his transition to stock cars after starting in open-wheel racing. Whitt won the 2008 USAC National Midget championship. "2014 was great for me as a driver. We had some important personal victories and some areas where we'll want to improve."

Whitt was part of a strong rookie class of drivers in the 2014 Sprint Cup Series that included Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and Justin Allgaier. His best finish in 36 starts was 15th in the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway.

"This is an exciting time for Front Row Motorsports," Jenkins said. "Adding Cole Whitt is another big step in our growth as a young team. We're going to have a diverse mix of experience with our drivers, which is going to benefit everyone."

Gilliland, 38 and also a California native, is returning with sponsorship from Love's Travel Stops in 18 of the 36 point races. Veteran crew chief Donnie Wingo has joined the "38" team to work with Gilliland, who is entering his 10th season in the Sprint Cup Series. Just as Ragan delivered the team's first race win in 2013, Gilliland notched its first pole in 2014. He earned the No. 1 starting spot for the July race at Daytona International Speedway, finishing 35th in the Coke Zero 400.

Gilliland placed 30th in the final 2014 standings. The best finish in his 36 starts was 17th in the August race at Pocono. He owns FRM's highest-ever points finish (26th in 2013) and has been a versatile threat on superspeedways, road courses and short tracks. It was Gilliland who pushed Ragan to victory in a one-two finish for the Statesville, N.C.-based team in May 2013 at Talladega.

"I am beyond excited," Gilliland said entering the new season. "I can't wait to see what we do as a team this year."

After that 2013 season which saw him deliver Front Row's first Cup Series win, Ragan struggled in 2014 - tying Annett for 32nd place in the final point standings. He did have the team's best finish of the year, 10th in the fall race at Martinsville Speedway.

Like Gilliland, Ragan is entering his 10th year of competition in the Sprint Cup Series. He's on schedule to make his 300th career start on May 3 at Talladega.

This is the first of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Monday, we'll take a look at Furniture Row Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/02/Team-Preview-Front-Row-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Settles Lawsuit With McCall Over Move To Ganassi​*
Richard Childress Racing has settled its lawsuit with former engineer Matt McCall, who left the organization after the 2014 season to crew chief at Chip Ganassi Racing.

RCR had sued McCall in North Carolina Superior Court in December, and lost its request for a temporary restraining order to keep McCall from working as crew chief for driver Jamie McMurray and from using RCR trade secrets.

McCall had been the lead engineer for Ryan Newman, who finished second in the 2014 standings.

The two sides were scheduled to return to the courtroom Feb. 10 (three days before the garage opens in Daytona), but a settlement was confirmed by RCR in a statement released to Sporting News:

"Richard Childress Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing have reached an agreement pursuant to which Mathew McCall will remain the crew chief for Ganassi's No. 1 Sprint Cup team," the statement said. "Both organizations believe it is important for NASCAR teams to work together to honor and protect their respective proprietary and trade secret technologies, as well as one another's contractual commitments.

"The terms of the settlement are designed to further that objective. The remaining terms of the agreement shall remain confidential."

The settlement was not a surprise. The hearing scheduled for Feb. 10 was for another RCR injunction attempt to keep McCall from working at Ganassi, but it had been canceled Wednesday after both sides had indicated in filings Jan. 16 that they were close to a settlement.

On Thursday, McCall confirmed that he did not expect the case to continue.

"It's over with and we've moved on," McCall said. "It's nice for it to be behind us and over with.

"I don't think anything was unsettling (as far as making the transition). We sort of knew everything that was going on. Now that we've moved on, (that) we don't have to talk about it anymore is the easiest thing."

McCall was under a three-year contract at RCR through 2015, but he left for Ganassi when he got offered the crew-chief position, a job he argued was not in a "capacity identical or similar to" his job at RCR and therefore did not violate the non-compete clause in his contract.

RCR argued that crew chiefs and engineers work hand-in-hand as a single unit.

McCall argued that not only the job responsibilities were different, but there was also a significant salary difference. His salary was $115,000 for 2013 (his exact 2014 salary is not listed in his contract), not including potential race-day pay plus incentives. According to the judge's ruling on the restraining order last month, McCall's evidence (some filed under seal and thus not made public) indicated that his job as a Ganassi crew chief is three times his team engineer salary.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...racing-matt-mccall-settles-lawsuit-crew-chief


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Issues Several Rule Updates For Coming Season​*
NASCAR issued a bulletin Monday with updated rules for the coming season for Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.

Among the updates:

Only drivers who are licensed and approved for competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be eligible to participate in a NASCAR-approved tire test.

The March 2-3 NASCAR tire test at Atlanta has been canceled. That was to have been held Monday and Tuesday after the Atlanta race and just before the Cup series begins its three-week West Coast swing. Teams that were to have taken part in that test: Richard Childress Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

NASCAR clarified that should a vehicle pit out of its assigned stall and the crew begins to remove the tire(s), the crew must reinstall the tire(s) before moving the car back into its assigned stall to avoid a penalty. This is for Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.

Any crew member interfering with another crew's pit stop, causing the other team to incur a penalty or not, may incur a penalty. This is for each of the three national series.

Additional crew member(s), assigned to servicing the car or not, who purposely assist from an adjacent pit box on the work service side of pit road may be counted toward the limit of seven crew members over the wall. This is for each of the three national series.

NASCAR clarified the refueling procedure. Refueling can begin once the car is stopped in its assigned pit stall. The fueler may continue to refuel the car as it departs and crosses the front line of the pit box provided any equipment used and/or the fueler do not cross over the front or the side line of the pit box.

Also, fueling cans or any other equipment must not be tossed or thrown over the pit service wall at any time. This is for each of the three national series.

NASCAR lists violating the private team test ban as a P6 penalty for all three series.

NASCAR mandates that the switch for the driver-adjustable track bar motor in Cup be located on the dash panel with the other accessory switches on the steering wheel or on the left or right side of the seat or seat leg extensions.

NASCAR clarified that added ballast must be in block form using minimum five-pound blocks. NASCAR clarified that the added weight must be in blocks.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...for-coming-season/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Xfinity: Jeffrey Earnhardt Moves To Viva Motorsports​*
Jeffrey Earnhardt has a new ride for the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. A team release is below:

-

Viva Motorsports has signed Jeffrey Earnhardt to be behind the wheel of the No. 55 Fronius USA Chevrolet starting with the Alert Today 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Earnhardt brings with him a wealth of experience for a young driver, having previously competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Rolex Series Grand-Am Sports Car Series and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2009.

Jeffrey Earnhardt, a fourth generation driver carries the Earnhardt legacy into the next step of his career. The grandson of legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. is quickly approaching his 100th start in the NASCAR ranks. Earnhardt looks forward to reaching that milestone and many more while driving a Viva Motorsports racecar.

"I am extremely excited and humbled for the opportunity to drive for Viva Motorsports. After becoming friends last season, I knew Viva Motorsports was where I wanted to be," said Earnhardt. "What Jamie (Dick) has done with Viva Motorsports is incredible. What a lot of people don't know is Jamie is only 25 years old. He started with a couple cars and has built it into an awesome team! I can't say it enough how excited I am to be apart of this. Daytona can't get here fast enough. I also want to thank Fronius USA for coming on board. I'm not the best welder, but what better way to learn then with the best welders in the world."

Viva Motorsports team owner, Jamie Dick, is also enthusiastic about the new partnership with Earnhardt and Fronius USA, "Jeffrey is a great talent and he will bring a lot to our team on and off the racetrack. With Viva Motorsports equipment, Fronius USA support, and Jeffrey behind the wheel, we will be a force to be reckoned with when the season kicks off."

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...-viva-motorsports/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Furniture Row Racing​*
The 2015 season will mark Furniture Row Racing's 10th anniversary in NASCAR, with Martin Truex Jr. back behind the wheel of the No. 78 Chevrolet.

The single-car team - based in Denver, Colo. - ran its first Cup Series race in 2005. Truex joined the organization for the 2014 season after four years at Michael Waltrip Racing and is anxious to get started on what he hopes will be a memorable year.

"The team has a better feel for what I like in the racecar and who I am as a person," Truex said. "I expect that to get stronger this year."

The No. 78 team had high expectations in 2014 after making the post-season Chase the year before with Kurt Busch driving. But Truex saw his winless streak stretch to 56 races and finished 24th in the final standings, missing a berth in the Chase by more than 150 points.

Despite that disappointment, there was cause for optimism from the closing weeks of the campaign.

"It was getting better," said Truex, who notched a season-best fourth-place finish in the fall race at Kansas Speedway and beat his season-long average finish of 20.2 in each of the final three races of the year. "We were starting to figure things out, see where we were making our mistakes and where we went wrong, so to speak."

Just as the No. 78 team grew into a more cohesive unit down the stretch, FRR's working relationship with Richard childress Racing also was strengthened.

"As the year went on, especially toward the end, we started performing better and were able to share some of our information with them," Truex said. "Those guys were not feelin' like we were just taking, taking, taking and not giving anything back. It started to feel good and work well."

Truex sees great value in his team's technical alliance with RCR.

"Being a single-car team is tough, but having a year here under my belt now makes it a whole lot easier," Truex said. "And my good friend Ryan Newman is over there, so that's also helped the communication flow."

Truex has a new crew chief in 2015. Cole Pearn has been promoted from lead race engineer, replacing Todd Berrier.

"Cole has played a vital role in our growth," said General Manager Joe Garone. "The well-rounded skill sets he brings to the table in his new position will be instrumental in our commitment to once again become a Chase participant. As a former racer and an experienced engineer, he has a thorough understanding of what it takes to bring us to that level."

Pearn joined Furniture Row Racing in 2010 after a stint at RCR.

"The ownership is 100 percent committed to fielding a competitive team on a weekly basis," Pearn said. "We have the resources to be a Chase contender."

And Truex says his No. 78 Chevrolet has taken a liking to NASCAR's 2015 rules package that features reductions in downforce and horsepower.

"From testing at the end of last year, I was pleased with the speed we had and the feel of our car," Truex said. "The new rules are a good change for us and hopefully, we'll be able to take that and run."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Tuesday, we'll take a look at Michael Waltrip Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/02/Team-Preview-Furniture-Row-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger's Car Owner Explains Why Team Will Skip Sprint Unlimited​*
AJ Allmendinger will not compete in next weekend's Sprint Unlimited because his team was unable to find sponsorship for the exhibition event.

JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter told MotorsportsTalk that NASCAR's late decision to include all 16 Chase drivers in the Sprint Unlimited left his organization with little time to find a sponsor.

NASCAR announced Dec. 15 it was expanding the field for the Feb. 14 non-points race.

"It was nowhere on our radar until they changed the rules on it,'' Geschickter said Monday of competing in the Sprint Unlimited. "If we had won a pole during the season and knew we were in it, I'm sure we would have been well prepared for it. We appreciate being grandfathered in, but, obviously, have to manage our resources to deliver the best year-end points finish we can for our sponsors.''

Allmendinger finished 13th in the points for the team last year, earning a Chase bid with his win at Watkins Glen.

Geschickter said he's not worried about missing additional track time at Daytona International Speedway by skipping the race. JTG Daugherty enters its second year as part of an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and will be able to get information and notes from other RCR alliance cars in that race.

Geschickter says the team has three superspeedway cars ready for the season.

"Obviously, if you go tear one up before the season starts, that's a big hit to a budget,'' Geschickter said.

As for sponsorship this season, Geschickter says the team has only three races to sell. Those races are in the second half of the year.

Also, a Richard Childress Racing spokesperson confirmed that Brian Scott will not compete in the 75-lap Sprint Unlimited. Scott was eligible by winning the pole at Talladega last spring.

Brian Vickers also was eligible but will not compete in the exhibition race. He will miss the first two races of the season as he completes his recovery from offseason corrective heart surgery.

NASCAR stated in December that the Sprint Unlimited would have a minimum 25 cars. The event is open to all Chase drivers from last season, pole winners from last year, former Sprint Unlimited winners, and former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full time in 2014. If any of the 25 spots remain, then those highest in the points not yet eligible would qualify.

NASCAR confirmed that the top four drivers not automatically in the Sprint Unlimited but who would be eligible if others fell out: Clint Bowyer (19th in points last year), Paul Menard (21st), Casey Mears (26th) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (27th).

A spokesperson for Michael Waltrip Racing confirmed that Bowyer would compete in the event. A spokesperson for RCR confirmed that Menard would race in the Sprint Unlimited.

*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...-sprint-unlimited/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*18,000 People Eith Celiac Disease Are Angry At Nick Offerman's NASCAR Commercial​*
Nearly 18,000 people have signed a petition to protest a commercial promoting NBC Sports' coverage of NASCAR that aired during the Super Bowl.

The ad, which stars "Parks and Recreation" actor Nick Offerman, riled the feathers of many in the gluten-free community and those living with Celiac disease.

The commercial, which channels the actor's deadpan Ron Swanson persona, features this line in its narration: "When our idea of danger is eating gluten, there's trouble afoot."

The Change.org petition, started by a petitioner under the screen-name Gluten Dude, states:

NBC is running a Super Bowl ad that makes fun of those who are gluten-free. It implies that we're soft ... we're weak ... we're part of America's problem. When all we're trying to do is manage our disease. Celiac can be a true pain. The media is not helping and this petition is get NBC to see the light of day.

I think about all of the gluten-free children getting bullied for being "different," when all they want to do is feel better and fit in. I think about all of the people who have gotten sick at restaurants because the kitchen and/or the staff do not take us seriously. I think about all of those walking around undiagnosed and suffering because they only listen to what is in the media. I think about all of the people in the past who have died prematurely when going gluten-free MAY have been their saving grace.

According to an update from Gluten Dude, NBC has agreed to remove the reference from the 60-second version of ad. However, it looks like the line will remain - for now at least - in the 30 second and 2-minute-long versions.

Here's the commercial in its entirety:






*Source:*
http://www.businessinsider.com/1800...ck-offermans-awesome-nascar-commercial-2015-2


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## Ckg2011

*Travis Pastrana​*
*Not Everyone Can Do This​*
Success in other forms of auto racing doesn't always translate to making it in the NASCAR world.

History holds the shattered dreams of those who came into big-time stock car racing with sterling resumes in other forms of motor sports only to flame out in NASCAR. Last month's announcement that open-wheel short-track standout Rico Abreu will embark on a NASCAR career that will begin with a K&N Pro Series East ride was met with excitement and anticipation. No less a talent than 2014 Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson has high praise for Abreu, as do other respected names in the industry.

However, it has brought to mind some names that were established figures in other forms of racing that didn't last long at stock car racing's top levels:

*Travis Pastrana*

The action sports star burst onto the NASCAR scene for Roush Fenway Racing in what was then known as the Nationwide Series. A huge star with an enormous following, Pastrana's decision to try stock car racing was seen as a tremendous boost in the effort to attract the coveted younger fan base. Unfortunately for Pastrana, the learning curve was as steep as some of the jumps he navigated during an X-Games career. The result was a lot of bent sheet metal and mangled racecars. Pastrana had an outgoing personality and his drive to make it in NASCAR was never questioned. But a lack of progress ... and funding ... ended his dream, and sent him back to the world of action sports where he continues to excel.

*Steve Kinser*

"The King of the Outlaws" made an attempt at a NASCAR career that turned out to be rather brief. Kinser was a well-established star in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series but was persuaded to dip his toe into stock car racing's waters with a Cup Series team owned by NHRA drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein. The Quaker State-sponsored car took to the track for the 1995 season, but Kinser only drove in five races with disastrous results. His best finish was 27th and he averaged 35th in five starts. Kinser returned to sprint car racing, where he is still a force.

*Dario Franchitti*

An influx of IndyCar Series drivers into NASCAR became a trend in the late 2000's and Franchitti announced in October 2007 he would move to stock cars. Franchitti joined Chip Ganassi Racing, replacing David Stremme in the No. 40 Dodge. But he made his first NASCAR start in a Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway and finished 33rd after being plagued by mechanical problems. Franchitti also suffered a severe ankle injury in a hard crash during a Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series race at Talladega Superspeedway that sidelined him for several weeks. Eventually, the No. 40 team was shut down due to a lack of sponsorship and Franchitti returned to prominence in the Indy car world.

*Kimi Raikkonen*

The worlds of Formula One and NASCAR collided when Raikkonen decided to give stock car racing a shot. In 2007, he was the highest-paid driver in F-1 when he signed a contract with Ferrari. But Raikkonen found himself without a ride for 2011 and was signed by Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series. He made his debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway with an impressive 15th-place finish and also competed at the track in a Nationwide Series race the next week, coming home 27th. The experiment didn't last much longer. There was no funding and no more NASCAR for Raikkonen, who went back to compete in both Formula One and the World Rally Championship.

*Ricky Carmichael*

The "Greatest of All-Time" in motorcycle racing tried his hand at a NASCAR career. The wildly popular Carmichael attracted a huge following of younger fans to his stock car racing venture, which began with a driver development contract at Ginn Racing. The organization later merged with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and veteran driver Mark Martin assisted with the tutelage of Carmichael. His NASCAR journey took him to Ken Schrader Racing in Late Model and K&N Pro Series ranks, and then to Kevin Harvick, Inc. in the Truck Series. Carmichael landed at Turner Motorsports and claimed his first Truck Series pole at Atlanta in 2011. But when sponsor Monster Energy left Carmichael for Kyle Busch Motorsports, it ended his NASCAR career as he was left without a ride.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/02/The-Next-Big-Thing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dillons To Run Six Races For GMS​*
GMS Racing's No. 33 Chevrolet team will run all 23 events of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The organization will compete for the owners championship with a rotation of Austin and Ty Dillon, and Brandon Jones behind the wheel. Shane Huffman will serve as crew chief, marking his first full season with the team after moving up from the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Jones is slated to compete in 17 of the 23 races, returning to the No. 33 team after debuting there in October 2014. The Dillon brothers will each drive in three races this season.

"We have a great driver lineup planned," Huffman said of the No. 33 team's rotation. "They have a lot of talent to bring to the table and I know we'll be able to run up front every weekend with these guys behind the wheel."

In addition to the No. 33 entry, GMS Racing will field a second full-time truck to be driven by Spencer Gallagher, with Jeff Stankiewicz the crew chief.

The 2015 Camping World Truck Series will open Feb. 21 with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Dillons-to-Run-Six-Truck-Races-for-GMS.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Starr Lands Multi-Year Deal With TriStar​*
TriStar Motorsports announced Tuesday that it has signed veteran driver David Starr to a three-year deal in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Starr returns to the seat of the No. 44 Toyota with primary sponsorship -- also signed through 2017 -- from Zachry Group, a San Antonio-based construction and engineering firm. The team said it intends to contest the entire 33-race schedule starting in 2015.

"Words cannot express how excited I am to partner up with Zachry Group for the next three seasons in the NASCAR XFINITY Series," Starr said in a release provided by the team. "It will be an honor and privilege to represent a company with such integrity and commitment to their customers, employees and communities where we work."

Starr drove in 14 XFINITY Series races last year -- all but one with the Mark Smith-owned team -- with a best finish of ninth place at Talladega Superspeedway in May. The native Texan is also a four-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he has 317 starts.

The XFINITY Series is scheduled to open Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway with the Alert Today Florida 300 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1).

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...-series-tristar-motorsports-zachry-group.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bliss Joins Go FAS Racing​*
Mike Bliss has joined Bobby Labonte and Boris Said as drivers of the No. 32 Go FAS Racing Ford for select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in 2015.

He will will make his first appearance for the team in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 1.

"With top-tier teams expanding, our best strategy is to fill our seat with veterans who have performed well in the past," said team owner Archie St. Hilaire. "This helps ensure that we maintain a healthy standing in the points as the season progresses. Mike Bliss has proven time and time again that he can be competitive in the Sprint Cup Series while bringing the car home in one piece, which is crucial for a small organization like ours."

Bliss, the 2002 Camping World Truck Series champion, has made 169 Cup Series starts and is a two-time winner in the XFINITY Series.

"I'm thankful for the opportunity," Bliss said. "I'm looking forward to achieving some good finishes that will help solidify the team's position in the point standings."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/02/Bliss-Joins-Go-FAS-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Michael Waltrip Racing​*
Michael Waltrip Racing is looking to improve on last year's performance, when the team failed to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Neither Clint Bowyer nor Brian Vickers qualified for the post-season playoffs last season as MWR went winless. Bowyer came close to making the Chase, falling seven points short which left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I'm an optimist, but I'm also a realist," Bowyer said last year after missing the cut. "Right now, we don't have a realistic shot of winning the championship against the competition we're running against."

The team made headlines during the off-season and it wasn't just because of co-owner Waltrip's appearance on "Dancing With the Stars." Vickers was involved in yet another health scare, undergoing surgery to repair a hole in his heart. The good news is that Vickers is on the road to recovery and will return to competition in the third race of the season at Las Vegas.

"Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," Vickers said during NASCAR's annual Media Days. "I'm still kicking. It was a traumatic event, definitely the worst of all the medical issues I've had to face."

Brett Moffitt will fill the seat of the No. 55 Toyota for the second race of the year at Atlanta Motor Speedway while Waltrip will drive in the season-opening Daytona 500.

"Not a lot of people have gone through what that young man has gone through," Waltrip said. "His determination and desire to be a champion in the Sprint Cup series motivates our whole team."

Bowyer has his own motivation ... to simply be better than he was a year ago.

"There's no reason to sugar-coat it. We sucked," he said. "I haven't won in two years and this is a big year for me. I need to prove myself and I need to prove our race team. We've got to get back to those winning ways and running up front."

Bowyer, whose winless streak has grown to 77, is not down on his team or organization in any way. He has complete faith in crew chief Brian Pattie and the entire operation, confident that things will be much different in 2015.

"This organization can do it," Bowyer said. "We've proven that. We've had some setbacks. My team got the most out of what they had last year. They did a great job of getting the most speed out of that racecar that they possibly could."

Waltrip concurs and is excited about what lies ahead.

"It feels different," Waltrip said, "it truly does. People are more energetic. There are more meetings among the fabricators, engineers and crew chiefs. We're just starting to set up our first 2015 cars and have a good feeling about where they're at, aerodynamically and structurally."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Wednesday, we'll take a look at Chip Ganassi Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/02/Team-Preview-Michael-Waltrip-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch's Attorneys: Patricia Driscoll Repeatedly Lied Under Oath​*
*A*ttorneys for NASCAR driver Kurt Busch are accusing his ex-girlfriend of lying repeatedly on the witness stand during a court hearing in Delaware regarding her request for a no-contact order.

Patricia Driscoll claims Busch assaulted her in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway last September. She says she still fears for her safety.

Busch and his attorneys deny the allegations and have tried to portray Driscoll as a scorned woman out to destroy his career.

In final written arguments submitted this week, Busch's attorneys say that Driscoll repeatedly lied in court and that she should not be granted a no-contact order.

Driscoll's attorney says Driscoll has proven that Busch abused her and that she still fears him.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...der-oath-020415?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:nascaronfox


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## Ckg2011

*Five Pre-Season Questions​*
The green flag is about to fly on the 2015 NASCAR season and there are significant questions to be answered.

*What will be the impact of the new Sprint Cup Series rule changes?*

This has been at the top of the list of questions since NASCAR announced the rules package. The best answer still appears to be "stay tuned," even after last month's Goodyear Tire test in Las Vegas. Four drivers (Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, AJ Allmendinger and Kurt Busch) took part, but there were no major revelations - at least publicly. The consensus among several drivers and crew chiefs is that the reduction of horsepower and downforce will equate to a looser racecar, which could be music to the ears of those that weren't comfortable with the previous car's tighter tendencies. "If you like a looser racecar, this will be for you," Joey Logano said recently on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Teams will have to rely on simulation to continue dialing in the new package, thanks to the new testing policy with no on-track activity on a 1.5-mile oval until Atlanta race weekend at the end of the month, which will include a day of open testing on Thursday, Feb. 26.

*How will off-track issues impact Kurt Busch's on-track performance?*

Busch is embroiled in a nasty battle with ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll that became national and international news during the recent hearing in Kent County (Del.) Court. Driscoll is seeking a protective order from Busch and a decision is not expected for at least another week. The proceedings brought to light allegations that Driscoll was a paid assassin who went on covert missions. Driscoll countered that Busch was confusing fact and fiction from a movie script she had shown him, and that the driver was suffering from mental and alcohol abuse. This is all a precursor to any charges Busch may face from Driscoll's allegation that he abused her in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway last September. At this time, Busch faces no punishment from NASCAR, though CEO Brian France was firm in stating that the sanctioning body would act swiftly if criminal charges of domestic violence are leveled against Busch. The circumstances put him in a tenuous situation as he readies for a new season where improvement in the No. 41 team's on-track performance is needed. Busch has declined to comment on the situation, but there's no doubt he'll be in the media spotlight and under public scrutiny for a while.

*Will Joe Gibbs Racing excel as a four-car operation?*

JGR put all three of its cars in the Chase last year and nearly won the Sprint Cup championship with Denny Hamlin. But that didn't stop an off-season makeover that included a major shuffling of driver-crew chief pairings and the addition of a fourth team with driver Carl Edwards. The former Roush Fenway Racing pilot will work with Darian Grubb and on paper, that pairing has the look of being able to compete for wins and a title almost immediately. Whether Edwards will be able to match Matt Kenseth's first year at JGR, when he jumped from Roush and scored seven wins, remains to be seen. Team owner Joe Gibbs and President J.D. Gibbs have preached patience when asked about the possibility of expanding from a three- to four-car stable for years. Now, the time has come to see if JGR has strengthened itself with the addition.

*Is Roush Fenway Racing ready to rebound?*

The departure of Edwards has sparked a new era for Jack Roush's team, which experienced one of its most disappointing campaigns a year ago. Greg Biffle remains as the veteran anchor of a three-car squad that includes third-year driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne. A plethora of personnel changes - including Stenhouse's new crew chief, Nick Sandler, and the return of Bob Osborne to call the shots for Bayne - has the team hoping for better days. Finding speed and closing the gap on fellow Ford organization Team Penske has to be the No. 1 priority for RFR to become more competitive.

*Where is Michael Waltrip Racing headed?*

MWR missed the Chase last year, and saw Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers go winless. Like RFR, this team is ready to hit the reset button but must do it without Vickers for the first two races of the season as he recovers from a heart issue. Michael Waltrip and Brett Moffitt will fill in at Daytona and Atlanta, respectively. MWR needs to find speed and must get more from its engine department. This could be a pivotal year for the organization, which reeled last year in the aftermath of the 2013 "Spingate" controversy at Richmond. An early win in the regular season and a spot in the Chase will go a long way toward getting MWR back on track.

*Source*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/02/Five-Off-Season-Questions.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gilliland Gets Double Duty In Daytona​*
Ricky Benton Racing Enterprises will have Sprint Cup Series driver David Gilliland behind the wheel of its No. 92 Ford in the Camping World Truck Series opener later this month at Daytona.

Gilliland, who drives for Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series, has just three previous starts in the Truck Series - the last one coming in 2009.

"I have some friends at Roush-Yates Motors," Gilliland said of RBR's engine supplier. "They put me in contact with Ricky (Benton) when they found out he was looking for someone to drive his truck. With me running a full-time season with Front Row in Cup, it was important that any opportunity in any other series be with a Ford team."

Said Benton: "We're fortunate to get someone with David's experience for Daytona. Everyone goes into (that race) with a lot of optimism and high expectations. I believe in my heart that we can win with the combination we've put together."

For Gilliland and Benton, there are no concrete plans for 2015 beyond the season opener.

"But I'm not ruling anything out," Gilliland said. "We're going to run Daytona and see how it goes."

Mike Hester is returning to the No. 92 team as crew chief for the 2015 season.

"We're taking the same truck to Daytona that we ran last year," Hester said, referencing Ross Chastain's 30th-place finish after he started eighth. He ran in the top five before a mid-race crash ended the team's night.

"We spent the winter working on all of our trucks," Hester said. "We've found some speed and I can't wait to see what David (Gilliland) can do behind the wheel at Daytona."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/Gilliland-Gets-Double-Duty-in-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kvapil, Robinson Team Up For Daytona​*
NASCAR team owner Jay Robinson will make his Camping World Truck Series debut with former champion Travis Kvapil behind the wheel in two weeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Following the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 20, Robinson will put champion dirt racer Wendell Chavous in the truck to run the remaining 22 races in a bid for Rookie of the Year. Sponsorship for the No. 94 Chevrolet will come from Vydox.

Robinson, whose first career start as an owner came in 2000 with 2014 Sprint Cup champion crew chief Rodney Childers behind the wheel of a Busch Series car, claims more than 700 NASCAR national-series starts as an owner - but all in NASCAR's top two series, never in trucks.

"Wendell Chavous made his Truck Series debut last year and had the support to go racing in 2015," Robinson said. "So we elected to start the season at Daytona with Travis, and then Wendell is going to run the race at Atlanta and - hopefully - finish the season. He's approved to run Daytona but being a new team, and he's never raced there, we wanted to run some other tracks before going to the next superspeedway race."

Kvapil, 38, is the 2003 Truck Series champion. He has 147 career starts and nine wins, including two at Michigan International Speedway, and a pair of runner-up finishes at Daytona in 2003-2004. He'll wheel a chassis that was Ryan Sieg's back-up truck in 2014.

Chavous, 29, made his Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway last fall in Mike Harmon's Chevrolet, finishing 27th. He's a native of Hephzibah, Ga., with three dirt-track championships in two states and nearly 40 feature wins over the last four seasons.

Kvapil's Silverado will be tuned by veteran crew chief John Monsam, who has victories in three different NASCAR series including nine Truck Series wins with Ron Hornaday, Mike Bliss, Rick Carelli, Dennis Setzer and Jon Wood.

Monsam cut his racing teeth with NASCAR Modifieds in his native New England, scoring victories on his home turf with drivers such as ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven and Tom Bolles before moving south - where he's worked for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Roush Fenway Racing and Wood Brothers Racing.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 20 starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/02/Kvapil-Robinson-Team-Up-for-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hornaday Lands Daytona 500 Sponsor​*
Smokey Mountain Chew Inc., the world's largest tobacco-free smokeless company, announced today they have reunited with four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. for the 57th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.








Hornaday, who recently signed with The Motorsports Group for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season, will pilot the No. 30 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet SS in NASCAR's biggest race of the season.

"Once we learned that Ron (Hornaday, Jr.) was signed by The Motorsports Group to drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, we jumped on the opportunity to support him again," said Dave Savoca, president of Smokey Mountain Chew, Inc. "Smokey Mountain has sponsored Ron in the past, and he did a great job being an ambassador for our brand. The opportunity to partner with him for the most prestigious race of the season is just an added bonus. Ron is a champion, both on and off the track, and it's an honor for us to have him back behind the wheel of the green Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet again."

Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, who partnered with Hornaday for two seasons in the NCWTS in 2012 and 2013, will adorn the No. 30 Chevrolet SS as the Palmdale, Calif., native attempts to make his 46th Sprint Cup start, and only his second at Daytona.

"It's an honor to have Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff back onboard with me in 2015," said Hornaday. "Dave (Savoca) and everyone at Smokey Mountain have always been huge supporters of mine and even after our partnership ended in 2013, we continued to stay in touch. To be able to represent their brand as I attempt to make the Daytona 500 is a dream come true for not only Smokey Mountain as a brand, but for me as a driver."

"When Smokey Mountain signed on to sponsor my Chevrolet Silverado in the Truck Series in 2012, they were just getting their feet wet in NASCAR,"

continued Hornaday. "Through this sport they have been able to grow their brand and expand their partnerships in NASCAR, and I look forward to being the driver that represents them for their first Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona in February."

Hornaday, who has an impressive 55 combined National Series wins in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NCWTS, made his first Daytona 500 start in 2001 when he finished 17th, but hasn't made a NSCS start since 2003. Although the veteran will be required to qualify into the 200-lap/500-mile event on time through pole qualifying and the Budweiser Duel 150 race, the four-time champion feels confident he will make the 43-car field.

"Everyone at TMG has been working so hard during the offseason to get ready for 2015," said Hornaday. "I know it's a long shot, but I feel confident in what Curtis (Key, owner) has put together. I honestly feel like we have a solid shot at making this race. It takes partners like Smokey Mountain to make this work and I'm going to give it everything I've got."

In addition to the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona Int'l Speedway, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches will also adorn Hornaday's No. 30 Chevrolet SS in the NSCS at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Sunday, May 3.

*Source*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/hornaday-lands-daytona-500-sponsor/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Boston, KBM Link Up With BitPay At Daytona​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced Wednesday that BitPay will be the primary brand featured on Justin Boston's No. 54 Toyota Tundra in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Feb. 20.








BitPay is the world's leading bitcoin payment processor which enables businesses to accept bitcoin payments. Its signature blue and white logo will adorn Boston's Tundra for the season-opening event.

Bitcoin is a digital currency that has recently been making headlines. It is the fastest and most secure payment method in the world. Businesses such as Microsoft, Newegg, WordPress and Tiger Direct are some of the 50,000 businesses accepting bitcoin payments through BitPay's platform.

The financial technology company has chosen to enter NASCAR with KBM and Boston.

This will be the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start for Boston with KBM, and his second career start in the series. He will be competing for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award this season.

"I couldn't be more excited about having this opportunity to represent the BitPay brand on and off the track," said Boston. "BitPay is a global leader in bitcoin payment processing and they are at the forefront of shaping how we all spend money in everyday life."

"NASCAR is watched by millions of people all over the world," said Stephanie Wargo, Vice President of Marketing for BitPay. "Through this exposure and working with Justin and KBM, we hope to help raise awareness about the bitcoin technology and our company's platform."

Boston completed his second full-time season in the ARCA Racing Series in 2014, finishing fifth in the championship standings and collecting wins at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May and Madison (Wis.) Int'l Speedway in August.

The 25-year-old also made two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2014, finishing ninth in his series debut at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and following it up with a 12th-place finish at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway.

The 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season kicks off Friday evening, Feb. 20 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

*Source*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ks/boston-kbm-link-up-with-bitpay-at-daytona/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Unveils Regional Tour TV Details​*
NASCAR and NBC Sports Group announced Tuesday an unprecedented broadcast line-up of NASCAR's popular regional touring series, with a 39-race telecast schedule for racing's premiere grassroots series as their landmark partnership begins this season.

NBCSN's slate features all 25 K&N Pro Series races between the top developmental series, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. The coming season will also see triple the television exposure from previous years for the stars and cars of the exciting Whelen Modified Tours, NASCAR's only open-wheeled division, which competes at historic short tracks from New Hampshire to North Carolina. A total of 14 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour events are included on this season's schedule.

"This represents a big step forward for all four of our U.S. tours and reinforces NBC Sports Group's commitment to these important NASCAR developmental series," said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president for regional and touring series.

"We're excited to begin our partnership's racing coverage with the up and coming stars of NASCAR," said Mike Perman, Vice President of Programming, NBC Sports Group. "NASCAR's Regional Touring Series gives NBCSN a great way to kick off our racing action and compelling stories that will unfold throughout the year."

NBCSN's inaugural touring series event is the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season-opener at famed Florida short-track New Smyrna Speedway. The New Smyrna 150 will be contested on Feb. 15 and will air four days later on Feb. 19 on NBCSN.

All 39 races are scheduled to be presented by NBCSN in one-hour shows the week following the event.

NASCAR also announced that the K&N Pro Series East event at Richmond Int'l Raceway, originally scheduled for Apr. 24, has been moved to the fall NASCAR weekend at "America's Premier Short Track" and will open the weekend racing schedule on Thursday, Sep. 10. The race will air on NBCSN on Sept. 16.

"Working with our partners at the track and competition officials, we determined that moving the K&N Pro Series East event at Richmond to the fall date made sense for everyone involved," Silbermann said. "This fills what was previously a month-long gap before the series finale, something I know the competitors will appreciate."

*Source*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-unveils-regional-tour-tv-details/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Richard Petty Motorsports​*
Richard Petty Motorsports plans to build on the success of a year ago with a new driver lineup in 2015.

RPM made the Chase last season thanks to Aric Almirola's July win at Daytona International Speedway and the driver of the iconic No. 43 Ford surprised some with a strong run in the opening race of the post-season. Almirola returns with a new teammate in Sam Hornish Jr., who takes the wheel of the No. 9 ride after the departure of Marcos Ambrose.

The revamped team plans to challenge for wins and Chase berths this season.

"We added 35 new employees," said Director of Competition Sammy Johns, "and have a great working relationship with Roush Fenway Racing on the engineering side. This model has shown that you can win championships with it. There are other organizations out there working under these types of models. We got a taste of victory last year and a taste of the Chase. We'll build on that and take it forward."

Almirola's win at Daytona was the first of his Cup career. While many expected him to be an afterthought once the Chase began, he did not go quietly. An engine problem in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway erased what seemed likely to be a top-five finish. Almirola rebounded with strong runs the next two weeks but could not stave off elimination.

He believes the foundation was laid last year and the addition of Hornish will lead to even better things.

"2015 is going to be a break-out year for us," said Almirola, who again will be paired with crew chief Trent Owens. "I couldn't be more proud of where Richard Petty Motorsports is today compared to where it was three years ago when I started. We're ready to go."

For Hornish, this marks a second shot at a full-time Sprint Cup Series ride. He started his NASCAR career with Team Penske before moving on to a series of fill-in roles, XFINITY Series rides and opportunites as a television analyst. Now, he returns to NASCAR's top division and plans to make the most of it.

"It's great to go to the shop now and see how excited people are," said Hornish, who's paired with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer. "I'm happy about going back to the Cup Series full-time. We've got a lot to look forward to.

"We still need to sit down and set our goals, figuring out how we're gonna evaluate ourselves and get where we want to go."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Friday, we'll take a look at JTG/Daugherty Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Team-Preview-Richard-Petty-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*MRN Expands Schedule, Adds Allmendinger For 'Unlimited'​*
Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will provide unprecedented radio coverage of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway this year as NASCAR kicks off its 67th season.

MRN is adding more than 14 hours of Sprint Cup Series practice to its Speedweeks schedule, which opens Friday, Feb. 13. Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle are returning to once again anchor Motor Racing Network's coverage throughout the 2015 season.

The network's expanded Speedweeks slate is just the start of a high-horsepower schedule that will feature broadcast coverage of all Cup Series practice sessions from each of the International Speedway Corporation-owned tracks as well as Dover, Pocono and Charlotte Motor Speedway during All-Star weekend - 15 facilities in all.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, Motor Racing Network will air the ARCA Racing Series Lucas Oil 200 from Daytona. After that, MRN will welcome JTG/Daugherty Racing Cup Series driver AJ Allmendinger, a qualifier for the post-season Chase in 2014, to the broadcast booth for the Sprint Unlimited. He'll join Moore and Striegle for the call of the season-opening non-points special event starting at 7 p.m. (ET).

There'll be 10 straight days of coverage from "The World Center of Racing" culminating with the 57th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22. Air time will be 12 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com.

In addition to NSCS practice coverage in 2015, MRN will broadcast Cup Series qualifying from the same 15 venues and - yes - the network's award-winning race coverage that recently netted seven NMPA awards for broadcast excellence in 2014.

"This all adds up to something special in 2015," said Motor Racing Network President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. "We have the best team in motor sports and the best fans in all of sports. We're confident that we can continue to deliver quality programming and at the same time, give those loyal fans and listeners unprecedented access to race weekend with blanket coverage of practice, qualifying and the races."

MRN, launching its 46th year on the air, welcomes back veterans Moore and Striegle to anchor its race-day coverage throughout the season. Turn Announcers Mike Bagley, Dave Moody and Kyle Rickey are back with pit reports from Alex Hayden, Steve Post and Winston Kelley, who also is the executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Motor Racing Network recently announced the addition of former Miss Sprint Cup Kim **** and the return of veteran voice Eli Gold to its Sprint Cup Series lineup, which also will feature Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace.

****'s duties will include reports from pit road during the network's Cup Series qualifying shows, and interaction with fans via social media and on the air during MRN's race coverage. Gold was a vital cog in the network's formative years and is one of its most recognizable talents after more than three decades on the air. He will host MRN's pre-race and post-race coverage of the Sprint Cup Series, and provide in-race updates. **** will join Gold as a contributor to the pre-race show.

Wallace, the 1989 Cup Series champion, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in February 2013. He'll bring a driver's perspective to MRN programming with a presence during select race broadcasts and on weekly network shows, and provide commentary and content at www.MRN.com.

In addition to exclusive radio coverage of 25 Sprint Cup Series race weekends this year, MRN will broadcast 21 XFINITY Series events and all 23 races in the Camping World Truck Series. The network's 2015 slate will once again conclude in December with live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series Awards in Las Vegas.

*Motor Racing Network - 2015 Budweiser Speedweeks Schedule
(All times ET)*

*Friday, Feb. 13* / NSCS Practice, 5 p.m.

*Saturday, Feb. 14* / NSCS Practice, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. ... ARCA Lucas Oil 200, 4 p.m. ... Sprint Unlimited, 7 p.m.

*Sunday, Feb. 15* / Daytona 500 Qualifying, 1:30 p.m.

*Monday, Feb. 16* / Daytona Rising: "Elevating Legends," 7 p.m.

*Tuesday, Feb. 17* / "NASCAR Live" from the Ocean Deck in Daytona Beach, Fla., 7 p.m.

*Wednesday, Feb. 18* / NSCS Practice, 2 p.m. ... "MRN 360" from the Ocean Deck in Daytona Beach, 7 p.m.

*Thursday, Feb. 19* / NSCS Practice, 12 p.m. ... Budweiser Duel Daytona 500 Qualifying Races, 6 p.m.

*Friday, Feb. 20* / NSCS Practice, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ... NextEra Energy Resources 250 NCWTS Race, 7 p.m.

*Saturday, Feb. 21* / NSCS Practice, 10:30 a.m. ... Alert Today Florida 300 NXS Race, 3 p.m.

*Sunday, Feb. 22* / 57th Daytona 500, 12 p.m.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Schedule-Adds-Allmendinger-for-Unlimited.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sprint Unlimited Format Set​*
NASCAR has announced that next week's season-opening 75-lap Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway will be split into two segments.

A competition caution at Lap 25 of the non-points special event will separate the segments. New this year, select fans will be paired with each crew chief for a random drawing to determine starting and pit-road positions. These drawings will take place on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Florida Departmant of Transportation Main Stage inside the Sprint FANZONE beginning at 3:30 p.m. (ET).

"Anticipation for the start of the season is at an all-time high among fans and drivers," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell. "Fans have a unique opportunity to participate in key elements of the event, making this year's Sprint Unlimited even more exciting."

The field of 25 Sprint Cup Series drivers will include 2014 pole winners, former Sprint Unlimited race winners and Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2014, and all 16 Chase drivers from 2014.

If an eligible driver does not enter the race, the open position will be filled based on the 2014 point standings. Those first five provisional drivers are Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Marcos Ambrose, Casey Mears and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening Sprint Unlimited on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/02/Sprint-Unlimited-Format-Set.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*GEICO 500 Returns to Talladega Superspeedway​*
The GEICO 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway will roar back into action the weekend of May 1-3.

It will be the featured event of a racing weekend that includes the Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, May 2, and the ARCA Racing Series International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 on May 1.

"GEICO is an incredible partner which continues to show its support of our facility with tremendous activation to promote both the GEICO 500 and Talladega Superspeedway. We can't wait for the first weekend in May!" said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch.

"We're excited to have a great partner like Talladega Superspeedway and the opportunity to sponsor the GEICO 500," said Ted Ward, the company's Vice President. "NASCAR is a great market for our customers and the (race) attracts over a hundred thousand passionate fans from all across the country."

Last year's spring Cup Series race on the 2.66-mile oval proved to be pivotal in qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Denny Hamlin claimed the checkered flag and a spot in the post-season title battle, in which he finished third.

This year's GEICO 500 will be the 10th event of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" will have live coverage on Sunday, May 3, starting at 12 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...O-500-Returns-to-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: JTG/Daugherty Racing​*
JTG/Daugherty Racing, one of last year's surprise teams, is hoping for even better things in 2015.

The organization celebrated its first Sprint Cup Series win in August 2014 when AJ Allmendinger took the checkered flag at Watkins Glen International. That punched his ticket into the Chase and the team had a shot at running for the championship.

Allmendinger's Cinderella story ran out of gas early in the post-season, but the performance has not diminshed the team's enthusiasm heading into the new campaign.

"We have work to do, but there's no reason to believe we can't improve on what we accomplished last year," said team co-owner Brad Daugherty. "I expect us to be better and if there's pressure on us because of what we did last year, bring it on. We welcome it."

Allmendinger's win came on a road course, and there's no reason to believe he won't be strong again both at The Glen and in Sonoma, Calif. But Allmendinger believes there's more to the No. 47 team than simply being a threat to win twice a year.

"Our short-track package is good," he said. "The mile-and-a-halfs are where we've got to work. We didn't qualify very well at a lot of races. That's what we've got to focus on, making those Fridays better."

Finding more consistency is a goal. According to crew chief Brian Burns, running well on a weekly basis will take the heat off the team when the two road-course races roll around - giving Allmendinger & Co. a better opportunity to make a return appearance in the playoffs.

"Even if we make the Chase, I'd like to know that we would have made the Chase just based on points as well," Burns said. "So consistency is going to be our big focus. Hopefully, we can win the road courses. But overall, we want to be stronger than we were last year."

JTG/Daugherty's alliance with Richard Childress Racing generated benefits in its first year and the continued partnership is another reason for the team to be optimistic heading into 2015.

"Last season, we spent all year trying to catch up and we did the RCR alliance so late," Allmendinger said. "To get that victory was enormous, and there's so much confidence for my team and myself to be able to do that together. But we weren't as consistent as we wanted to be. During those summer months, we got behind. The win helped and the last seven races, we started heading in the right direction.

"We're much further ahead now compared to this time last year. If we do the right thing, we can make some noise. The first seven races can dictate our season. We'll be ready to go."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Saturday, we'll take a look at Roush Fenway Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/02/Team-Preview-JTG-Daugherty-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mark Martin No Longer A Roush Fenway Driver Development Coach​*
*N*ASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Mark Martin, who was hired last July as a driver development coach for Roush Fenway Racing, is no longer with the organization.

Asked Friday on Twitter if he would be working with RFR's crop of young drivers in the upcoming season, Martin responded, simply, "No."

Martin, who drove for Roush Fenway from 1988-2006 -- the vast majority of his Sprint Cup career -- said at the time of his hiring as a driver development coach that he was happy to be reuniting with the organization where he earned 35 of his 40 career Sprint Cup wins.

"I'm excited to return to Roush Fenway Racing, as it feels like I'm going home to where I belong," Martin said at the time. "I was fortunate to help build this team from the beginning, and it's very humbling to be a part of Jack's (co-owner Jack Roush) team again. When Jack first hired me in 1988, we didn't talk about salary or benefits or perks; we talked about testing, tires and putting the right personnel into place to win on the track. That commitment is what stood out to me then and it's still what stands out to me today."

Following his driving days with RFR, Martin competed on a part-time basis for Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. before going full-time Sprint Cup racing from 2009-2011 with Hendrick Motorsports, where he picked his final five wins.

The five-time championship runner-up returned to part-time competition in 2012 driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, and made his final start in the 2013 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he subbed for injured Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy.

It was announced in mid-January that Martin, 56, has joined forces with late model dirt-racing legend Scott Bloomquist to field two entries in the Lucas Oil Late Model Championship in 2015.

Bloomquist and up-and-coming driver Jared Landers will drive the two team cars, respectively, with both carrying sponsorship from Batesville, Ark.-based Mark Martin Automotive Group.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...fenway-racing-driver-development-coach-020615


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## Ckg2011

*KFC To Sponsor David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports In Daytona 500​*
*F*ront Row Motorsports announced Friday morning David Ragan will carry the KFC colors on his No. 34 Ford during the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

This marks the second time KFC and Ragan have partnered on a superspeedway. During last year's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, Ragan carried the KFC colors and also had a KFC Go Cup full of chicken inside his car. Ragan was caught up in a late-race incident and finished 35th.

"It's great to have KFC back on our No. 34 for another superspeedway race," 
said Ragan.

"We had fun with the partnership last year, we got them lots of attention running up front, and we look forward to doing that again in Daytona. It is a great feeling to be backed by such an iconic American brand like KFC, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary of cooking the world's best-tasting chicken."

For KFC U.S. chief marketing officer Kevin Hochman, the partnership with Front Row Motorsports is a way to show thanks to the NASCAR fans who also enjoy their chicken.

"KFC is proud to partner with David Ragan again this year and support his team in the Daytona 500," said Hochman. "Many NASCAR fans know that there's nothing better than a bucket of our Original Recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken to enjoy watching the race, and this is our way of saluting them."

In addition to owning Front Row Motorsports, Bob Jenkins is also a KFC franchisee and is hoping to carry Colonel Sanders to Victory Lane on Sunday, Feb. 22.

"I'm always very proud when a partner wants to come back to the racetrack with us," said Jenkins. "It proves that we were successful and we can build on that success. Last year, we had people talking for days about how David was racing with a Go Cup in his car. This time we'll plan on people talking about us eating KFC Original Recipe chicken in Victory Lane."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...nsor-david-ragan-front-row-motorsports-020615


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Jr., Keselowski Lash Out At Las Vegas Motor Speedway​*
*R*emember that nailbiting finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last March when Dale Earnhardt Jr. tried to stretch his fuel to the finish but ran out on the final lap and handed the win to Brad Keselowski?

Well, the public relations folks at LVMS undoubtedly haven't forgotten -- and they're using last season's late-race drama involving the two elite drivers to promote the Sprint Cup Series' return to the 1.5-mile track for the Kobalt 400 on March 8.

Earlier this week, a question on the track's official Twitter account asked fans a simple question in light of last year's Junior/Keselowski duel.







 *Las Vegas Speedway ✔ @LVMotorSpeedway
Follow
Who do you think is the better NASCAR driver? Favorite for #LVMS's defending champion, @Keselowski, or RT for @daleJr 
9:18 PM - 4 Feb 2015*​
It turns out, however, that neither driver took too kindly to the query; nor did they hesitate to make their feelings known.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @daleJr
[email protected] @keselowski dumb &#55357;&#56398;

Brad Keselowski ✔ @keselowski Follow
@daleJr @LVMotorSpeedway "interns"
10:20 PM - 4 Feb 2015*​
So while Earnhardt and Keselowski are rivals on the track, the two longtime friends obviously don't mind sticking together in their view of certain musings on social media.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...i-lash-out-at-las-vegas-motor-speedway-020615


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Return To Rainbow Colors? Jeff Gordon Suggests It's Possible​*
*S*ince announcing two weeks ago that 2015 would be his last full season in NASCAR's top series, Jeff Gordon has become the focus of much fanfare and attention.

That continued on Friday when the four-time Sprint Cup champion told a fan on Twitter that he hasn't ruled out the possibility of resurrecting the famous rainbow colors on his No. 24 car at least one more time.

Gordon carried the enormously popular rainbow paint scheme on his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from 1993-2000, winning three championships over that stretch with his "Rainbow Warriors" led by now-legendary crew chief Ray Evernham.

So will Gordon campaign the rainbow colors again?

DuPont -- Gordon's primary sponsor during his years with the rainbow paint scheme -- was re-branded in 2013 as Axalta, which remains a primary sponsor on the No. 24 car. That means Axalta could theoretically work with Hendrick Motorsports to bring back the classic rainbow hue for one or more races of Gordon and the sponsor's choosing.

The bottom line? Stay tuned.

There could be a few more surprises coming from the No. 24 camp before Gordon hands over the wheel to young Chase Elliott in 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ck-motorsports-rainbow-colors-possible-020615


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## Ckg2011

*Eldora Tickets Go On Sale Monday​*
The renewals were strong for Eldora's "Big Four" races and at 10 a.m. (EST) on Monday, Feb 9 fans can purchase tickets, suites and select campsites for all 25 racing events at the legendary half-mile dirt oval.

All orders can be placed at www.EldoraSpeedway.com, by phone at 937-338-3815 or at the box office at the race track.

Since early December, the ticketing department has been filling orders for the time-honored major events; 21st annual Dirt Late Model Dream presented by Ferris Mowers (June 4-6), 32nd annual Kings Royal (July 17-18 ), third annual 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (July 22) and 45th annual World 100 (Sept. 10-11-12) at a record pace. That tempo will pick up starting at 10 a.m., on Monday, as tickets for the balance of the highly-anticipated season become available, with no increase in pricing from 2014.

As always, online is the best and easiest way to order tickets for all events.

"We always want fans to take advantage of the proven TicketForce-prepared design for easy and quick purchasing." said Tess Thwaits, ticket manager and the granddaughter of Eldora founders Earl and Berneice Baltes.

"The TicketForce system has been in place for several years and has demonstrated its ability to process a huge volume of orders simultaneously while being extremely user-friendly. We know that some fans prefer to call in, so we will have a full staff of agents in-house and ready to answer the box office hotline of 937-338-3815 beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday and through our regular business hours. Also the speedway box office will be open for walk-in orders."

Parity of competition, regardless of division or sanctioning body, became the buzz word in 2014 and that has prompted an unprecedented interest among race fans coming into 2015.

"Our renewals for our four Major Events have been very strong," said Eldora General Manager Roger Slack. "Now everyone can order those tickets, but also for all of our other special event weekends. From the May 8 and 9 World of Outlaws and USAC National Sprint "#LetsRaceTwo " Doubleheader to our largest fireworks shows in Eldora history at our Family Fun Nights on May 16 and Aug. 16. There really is something for everyone."

Special events hosting the premier series in dirt racing make up the full race schedule. Fans will witness the stars of the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models and Modifieds, the United States Auto Club's (USAC) Silver Crown, National Sprint Car Series and National Midget Car Series, the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions and the United States Hot Rod Association's (US Hot Rod) Monster Jam series. Also, Eldora's Modified and Stock divisions will be contesting their season championship from April through October.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/racing-nation/midwest/eldora-tickets-go-on-sale-monday/


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Roush Fenway Racing​*
There's a new energy at Roush Fenway Racing as the organization looks to rebound from a disappointing 2014 season.

Despite Carl Edwards winning two races and making the Chase, last year was not one to remember for the storied team. Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. struggled and went winless while overall, the entire RFR stable searched for answers to regain competitiveness.

Edwards has departed for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Trevor Bayne was elevated from the team's XFINITY Series program to join Biffle and Stenhouse in the Cup lineup. There have been several other personnel changes including the return of crew chief Bob Osborne, who's working with Bayne, and the promotion of engineer Nick Sandler to call the shots for Stenhouse.

Officials hope the shakeup will be instrumental in returning to a more competitive 2015, although team owner Roush doesn't believe the wheel needs to be reinvented.

"The glass is definitely more than half-full," Roush said. "The hole in our performance was in the mile-and-a-half and two-mile racetracks, which had typically been our strengths. I characterize our changes as tweaks rather than revolutionary changes. I've never been more excited about a lineup of drivers."

Biffle acknowledges that there's room for improvement after a season that was one of his most challenging.

"Last year was tough," Biffle said. "This off-eason, with no testing, we've agonized over it. But it's been a turning point for Roush Fenway. It gave us the opportunity to step back and look at where we made the wrong turn in the road.

"When you're racing every week, testing and doing all those things, you're looking at the problem down low. It wasn't until we got up higher and looked at the landscape that we realized we made some wrong decisions - possibly over a year ago - on the direction with our cars. We've found some things we've done wrong and have righted those."

Stenhouse enters his third full-time Sprint Cup Series season after a pair of average years. He believes the appointment of Sandler as his crew chief will be one of several changes to advance the performance of the No. 17 team.

"Nick learned a lot from (former crew chiefs) Jimmy Fennig and Mike Kelley, and Mike is still a big part of our team," Stenhouse said. "That was really important to me, having him stick around. He sets a good example for the crew guys, who look up to him. Everybody in the shop appreciates his dedication."

As for Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner finally gets a shot at a full-time Sprint Cup Series ride after spending the last several years in the XFINITY Series. The decision to align Osborne, who was successful working with Edwards before stepping away from the sport for health reasons, is one that Bayne embraces.

"Having Bob, who is so knowledgeable and such a veteran presence, is going to be great for me and this entire team," said Bayne. "He's already made some major improvements in communication around the entire organization and it's got me pumped up about what lies ahead."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13. Sunday, we'll take a look at Hendrick Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/Team-Preview-Roush-Fenway-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sauter Lands Daytona Ride​*
Johnny Sauter will attempt to qualify the No. 83 Toyota for BK Racing for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Sauter will be sponsored by Dustless Blasting, which will return to BK Racing in 2015 for the second season and will be a primary sponsor for at least four races, including the Daytona 500. In addition to the '500', Dustless Blasting will also be on the No. 83 Toyota at both Talladega Superspeedway races and at Daytona in July.

"We are very comfortable with our chances to race our No. 83 Dustless Blasting Camry into the Daytona 500 with Johnny behind the wheel. He has a lot of experience running upfront, a veteran in the sport and a loyal Toyota Racing driver," said Ron Devine, owner of BK Racing. "Regardless of the outcome of the Budweiser Duels, we look forward to working with Johnny on a select race schedule in 2015."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have exclusive radio coverage of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22, starting at 12 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Signs-with-BK-Racing-for-the-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Team Wins Stewart-Haas Racing Pit Crew Competition​*
*W*ith Daytona Speedweeks kicking off in one week, the Stewart-Haas Racing pit crews took part in a friendly in-house competition to see which of the four teams had the fastest stops.

The four teams competed head-to-head for the fastest stop of the day and the best average time of their four stops. In the end, it was Kevin Harvick's championship crew that came out on top of the crews of Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...ewart-haas-racing-pit-crew-competition-020715


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Will Race Nationwide Colors In Sprint Unlimited​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that he will be sporting the Nationwide sponsorship on his No.88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy SS next Saturday night in the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Day NASCAR Changed Forever​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Hendrick Motorsports​*
Hendrick Motorsports, the perennial NASCAR powerhouse, is looking to return to championship form in 2015.

The organization put all four of its cars in last year's post-season Chase but fell short of winning the title. That disappointment has the entire organization chomping at the bit to regain the crown this season.

"Last year, there was a great deal of success on track," said team owner Rick Hendrick. "We didn't reach the ultimate goal - winning the championship - so that has us hungry as we go into the new season."

The year will be the last as a full-time driver for Jeff Gordon, who came close to winning title No. 5 last year before being knocked out in the Eliminator Round. Hendrick expects the future Hall of Famer to go out on a high note.

"We've got a lot to do," Hendrick said, tongue-in-cheek. "Mr. Gordon has to win 14 races and a championship to go out in style. That's his mission."

Gordon took the challenge in stride but believes he'll be able to run as competitively this year as he did in 2014.

"I don't know where he keeps coming up with these numbers. They continue to grow every conversation we have," Gordon joked. "So I have to top everything I've ever done before in my final season? Got it.

"You can be late in your career, still go out there, get it done and be competitive. It's motivated me to be that much better this year and to go out on top."

Defending XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott will take over Gordon's ride full-time in 2016 and will make five Cup Series starts this year to prepare.

Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson had what was considered a "down year" in 2014 despite winning four races. Johnson wasn't a factor in the Chase and plans to change that this time around.

"I'm not happy with the way we finished the '14 season and neither is the "48" team," Johnson said. "We've worked hard in the off-season and made some changes to get us where we need to be."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also had multiple wins last year, including a victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 and a sweep of the two races at Pocono. But his performance fell off during the Chase. "Junior" is hoping to build on what success he did have last year and will do so with new crew chief Greg Ives, who has replaced Steve Letarte. Ives helped guide Elliott to the 2014 XFINITY Series championship before moving up to the Cup Series.

Kasey Kahne also has a new crew chief in Keith Rodden, who returns to the Hendrick fold after spending a year working with Jamie McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing. Kenny Francis has moved into a new role within the organization. Kahne has a relationship with Rodden he believes will blossom in their new partnership.

"I've worked with him for years," Kahne said. "He was my engineer in 2004, so we've worked together for a long time and have a great relationship. We're friends."

Even with the winds of change blowing through Hendrick Motorsports, optimism is high for a successful year ahead.

"We've jelled better than I've seen us do in a long, long time," said Hendrick. "However, the proof is in the pudding. We won 13 races last year. The engine shop had a phenomenal season, chassis shop too, but we didn't get the big prize. So that just makes us hungry to go get it again."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks on Friday at Daytona International Speedway. Monday, we'll take a look at Team Penske.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/02/Team-Preview-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Preview: Team Penske​*
The potent duo of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano returns in 2015, hoping to bring Team Penske another Sprint Cup Series championship.

They combined to win 11 times last season, with Logano going down to the wire in The Championship 4 of the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Ultimately, a trophy wasn't in the cards. But the organization was proud of the effort.

"Great wins, tough racing and both cars in the Chase," said team owner Roger Penske. "It was a great year for Team Penske and our partners at Ford."

Keselowski was in the middle of many controversies last year, including a pair of post-race scuffles at Charlotte and Texas. But the 2012 champion makes no apologies for what some believe is an overly aggressive driving style. He doesn't plan to change anytime soon.

"Time will dictate who and what I am, and how I race," said Keselowski, who won six times last season. "That was the second time in five years we've been in Cup that we won more races than anyone else. That's a pretty good batting average. We drew a lot of attention for wins and other stuff, but that's all part of the roller coaster that makes the season so much fun. There are all kinds of passion, defined in all different ways."

The way Keselowski sees it, he's paid to do whatever it takes to win races and - ultimately - a championship.

"I made guys mad racing for the win. It wasn't racing for 20th," said Keselowski. "You get in a wreck and a fight racing for 20th, that doesn't make (ESPN's) SportsCenter. You get in a wreck and a fight with a previous champion while racing for a championship, going for a win, you're probably doing the right things. In some ways, it's kind of a compliment. Most people might not see it that way, but I do."

Logano enjoyed his break-out Sprint Cup Series season, fulfilling the promise so many had for the young driver when he first came into the sport. There were five trips to Victory Lane for the No. 22 Ford and Logano was an impact player for many other possible wins.

"I'm proud of what we did and the experience we gained," said Logano. "If we get put in that situation again, we'll know what to expect, how we might need to prepare differently or how to be a little more efficient with our time. Those are some of the things we took away from the experience. We'll be stronger because of it. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything."

The bond between Logano and crew chief Todd Gordon is strong, and there are high hopes for 2015 after what the pair accomplished last season.

"We've got to take it one step at a time," said Logano. "Goal No. 1 is getting to the Chase and getting to Homestead. Goal No. 2 is winning the championship. You have to take it one step at a time."

In addition to Keselowski and Logano, Team Penske will have a third driver for 18 races this year in Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers. The two organizations have formed an alliance which Penske believes will be of great benefit.

"Teamwork paid off last year," he said. "It's going to be the foundation for us in 2015. Let's not change something that's not broken."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks on Friday at Daytona International Speedway. Tuesday, we'll take a look at Joe Gibbs Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/02/Season-Preview-Team-Penske.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Reser's Back With Kenseth & JGR​*
Reser's Fine Foods and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Monday that Reser's Fine Foods will return in 2015 to sponsor Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Reser's Fine Foods will appear on JGR's No. 20 Toyota five times during the 2015 season, starting with the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 28.

"Sponsoring NASCAR continues to give us the opportunity to engage with our consumers," said Brenda Killingsworth, trade marketing manager for Reser's. "From sampling product on the track, to creative promotions in retail stores across the country, our partnership with JGR provides a tremendous marketing platform to support our business."

In 2014, Matt Kenseth earned one win, 10 top-five, and 15 top-ten finishes in the series. Kenseth will return in 2015 to pilot the Reser's Toyota for five races and will be paired with Michael Wheeler, who makes his debut in the role of crew chief after several years as an engineer on JGR's No. 11 Sprint Cup Series team. Kenseth raced in NASCAR's XFINITY Series in 2013 for 16 starts, in what many viewed as a transition year with a new race team for the veteran driver.

In 2013, Kenseth and his Reser's team earned two victories, including Reser's first win as a primary sponsor at Kansas Speedway, seven top-five, and 14 top-ten finishes during the season.

"I'm excited to work with Reser's again this year," said Matt Kenseth, "It has been a lot of fun representing their deli salad and baked side dish brands over the last few seasons, and I'm happy to know that we'll be working together again. We were able to grab them a big win along the way, but I'd like to add to that total for them this year."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/xfinity-series/resers-back-with-kenseth-jgr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Jeb Burton Goes From Unemployed To CUP Ride With BK Racing​*
*J*eb Burton, the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, will drive the No. 26 Sprint Cup car for BK Racing this season, according to a report in USA Today.

In a rather amazing turn of events for the 22-year-old Burton, he reportedly received a call from BK Racing just 11 days after he seemingly was out of a ride for 2015 when planned sponsorship for his Camping World Truck Series team fell through.

"It was very stressful for my family and I not knowing if I was going to be able to race this year," Jeb Burton told USA Today on Sunday. "BK Racing gave me a call and gave me a great opportunity to where I want to be in the Cup Series. It's going to be a building process for sure -- starting now."

Burton, who also is the nephew of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver-turned-broadcaster Jeff Burton, is considered one of the sport's up-and-coming young drivers.

And even though he doesn't have much experience above the Truck Series level, BK Racing wanted to find a young driver who would agree to stay with them "for the next few years," according to the report.

BK Racing employed two rookie drivers last year in Alex Bowman and Cole Whitt, but both drivers left the organization for other teams after the season.

BK Racing co-owner Anthony Marlowe told USA Today it was important to find a replacement driver who "has more raw talent than Cole Whitt," as well as one who would agree to a multi-year deal so the organization knows he will be around for a while.

Burton ran two full seasons in the Truck Series, finishing fifth and eighth, respectively, in the standings. He has made only two career starts in what is now the Xfinity Series and has never been in a Cup race. His first Cup race will now be in the 2015 Daytona 500 -- a race his father won in 2002 -- in just two weeks on Feb. 22.

According to USA Today, the formal announcement of Burton joining BK Racing will take place Monday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Sponsors for his car reportedly include Dr. Pepper and Maxim magazine's fantasy sports app.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...oyment-line-to-cup-ride-with-bk-racing-020815


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Calls Out NASCAR, Harvick Agrees​*
Aside from being a three-time NASCAR champion, Tony Stewart has also become known as one of the sports most outspoken drivers. Stewart is never afraid to speak his mind especially if he feels strongly about a certain topic. This past week Stewart was a guest on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio and the topic of qualifying came up in relation to the Daytona 500.

Stewart was forthcoming with his feelings on the new qualifying format especially as it pertains to restrictor-plate tracks.

_To be perfectly honest, I am not a big fan of that.

It's exciting to watch, but the thing that most don't realize is that, first of all, you're trying to be the last guy to come out. Once those guys in the back get that run and make that first lap, the last thing they want to do is go ahead and run that next lap full throttle and give the guys they just passed the same opportunity. So what you have is guys dumping out of the throttle and closing rates that are not good at all. You can't hardly see through the guy in front of you. If somebody does something three or four cars up there and your spotter can't tell you about, it has a lot of potential to be, you know, bad._

Stewart went on to further his stance that he does love the new format but just not at Daytona and Talladega.

_It's qualifying. We have enough trouble wrecking cars at restrictor-plate tracks as it is. I do like the idea that it's traditional as far as locking in the front row. I think that is something that is important. I think there's ways that maybe in the future NASCAR could do it a little different.

I think all in all the whole qualifying format for the year was awesome. I thought that was one of the best changes and one of the easiest changes NASCAR had to make. It was a really, really good decision on their part. It brings a lot of excitement on Friday; I'm just not crazy about it at Daytona and Talladega._

Stewart-Haas teammate and defending NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick was also on hand and he whole-heartedly agreed with Stewart's sentiments. Harvick himself acknowledged that the format is "tough" at tracks like Daytona and Talladega but it's "unbelievable at all of the other tracks." Stewart and Harvick most likely share the same belief as many other drivers in the garage area given the negative vibe that surrounded qualifying at restrictor-plate tracks in 2014.

What do you think of the new qualifying format when it comes to restrictor-plate tracks? Do you agree with Stewart and Harvick? Be sure to let us know by commenting below or reaching out to us via social media.

*Source:*
http://beyondtheflag.com/2015/02/07/tony-stewart-calls-nascar-harvick-agrees/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Daniel Hemric Gets Truck Series Ride​*
Short track ace Daniel Hemric gets a full time NASCAR Truck Series ride with NTS Motorsports.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*​
*NASCAR: Entry List Set For Sprint Unlimited; David Gilliland Out, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in​*
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the fourth driver to be added to Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited to fill the 25-car field.

Stenhouse is in the race after David Gilliland's team withdrew. A spokesperson for Front Row Motorsports said the team did not have sponsorship for the event and elected to skip it.

Others who were eligible to compete in the 75-lap exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway but won't are Brian Scott, Brian Vickers and AJ Allmendinger.

Replacing them are Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Casey Mears and Stenhouse.

NASCAR announced in December it was expanding the Sprint Unlimited field to 25 teams. The event is open to all 16 Chase teams from the previous season along with pole winners from last year, former Unlimited winners and former Daytona 500 winners. Any remaining spots go to the highest remaining drivers in points.

*2015 SPRINT UNLIMITED AT DAYTONA
Entry List*​
1-Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing/McDonalds)
2-Brad Keselowski (Team Penske/Miller Lite)
3-Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing/Dow Chemical)
4-Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing/Jimmy John's + Budweiser)
5-Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports/Great Clips)
10-Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing/GoDaddy)
11-Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing/FedEx Express)
13-Casey Mears (Germain Racing/GEICO)
14-Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing/Mobil 1 + Bass Pro Shops)
15-Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing/5-Hour Energy)
16-Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing/Ortho)
17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing/Fastenal)
18-Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing/M&Ms)
19-Carl Edwards (Joe Gibbs Racing/Arris)
20-Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing/Dollar General)
22-Joey Logano (Team Penske/Shell-Pennzoil)
24-Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports/AARP Drive to End Hunger)
27-Paul Menard (Richard Childress Racing/Peak-Menards)
31-Ryan Newman (Richard Childress Racing/Caterpillar)
41-Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing/Haas Automation)
42-Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing/Target)
43-Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports/Smithfield)
48-Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports/Lowe's)
78-Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing/Furniture Row)
88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports/Nationwide Insurance)​
*Source:*
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.co...y-stenhouse-jr-in/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Joe Gibbs Racing​*
The addition of a fourth team and driver Carl Edwards has Joe Gibbs Racing thinking big for 2015.

After putting all three of its cars in the Chase a year ago, the expanded JGR organization is hoping the combination of Edwards and crew chief Darian Grubb will add another chapter to its success story.

"Now, you've got to make it work," said team owner Joe Gibbs. "We'll find out if we can win races. There is a score being kept."

Edwards starts the next phase of his NASCAR career after a long tenure with Roush Fenway Racing, joining former teammate Matt Kenseth.

"It's something new and different," Edwards said. "In life, you've got to have those things. This is an opportunity to shake things up, have some fun and - hopefully - win championships."

In 2014, Kenseth's second season at JGR wasn't as successful as his first ... when he won seven races. Although he made the Chase last year, Kenseth is hoping to get back to being more competitive while welcoming Edwards to the fold.

"I hope Carl finishes right behind me every week and that we win all those races," said Kenseth, who will again have crew chief Jason Ratcliff calling the shots. "My hope is that all four of us go out and win some races, and that the final four cars in Homestead are the four JGR cars."

Denny Hamlin came close to winning last year's title with Grubb as his crew chief. A late-race pit call in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway cost him a shot at the crown. This year, Hamlin has Dave Rogers on the pit box and is determined to follow in the footsteps of some of the sport's biggest stars.

"What I've tried to do over the last few years is study the great drivers and figure out what they're doing better than I am, and work on those things," Hamlin said.

The final piece of the JGR crew chief carousel finds Adam Stevens elevated from the XFINITY Series to work with Kyle Busch's Sprint Cup effort. The two were a formidable pair in NASCAR's No. 2 circuit and hope to bring that same level of performance to Cup.

"Kyle and I have a history of building communication with some success behind us," said Stevens. "The cool thing about him and I is that we look at racecars the same way. His feedback meshed well with how I think racecars work. It's added up to quite a few wins. We'll see if we can carry some of that into the Cup Series."

The outspoken Busch is excited about working with Stevens this year and making a run at the championship. However, he remains adamant that the best way for his team and JGR to succeed overall is to better align with other Toyota organizations like Michael Waltrip Racing.

"We're idiots by not continuing to work in the right direction in order to put our companies together, and do the right things for Toyota and all of us collectively," Busch said. "It makes me mad every day they say that nothing has progressed. Nothing has happened to where Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing are going to work together as well as - say - Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports do."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks on Friday at Daytona International Speedway. Wednesday, we'll take a look at Richard Childress Racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Team-Preview-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JR Motorsports Secures New Sponsor​*
JR Motorsports announced Tuesday the addition of Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup to its 2015 partner lineup in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Made and marketed by the same Wisconsin family since 1928, Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup will be featured as primary sponsor of Regan Smith's No. 7 Chevrolet in races at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 18 ).

"Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup is, like JR Motorsports, a family company," said JRM co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller. "We share a lot of the same values and that makes for an ideal partnership in the XFINITY Series. We are proud to carry Anderson's colors in 2015 as Regan and the No. 7 team compete for the series title."

In addition to its primary placement, Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup will also be an associate sponsor for five races throughout the season, beginning next month at Auto Club Speedway (March 21). Events at Richmond Int'l Raceway (April 24), Talladega Superspeedway (May 2), Road America (Aug. 29) and Chicagoland (Sept. 19) will follow.

"The Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup family is very pleased to be working with Regan Smith, and the rest of the championship-contending team at JR Motorsports," said Steve Anderson, president of Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup. "We look forward to seeing our sweet ride on track soon and hopefully in victory lane."

Entering his third season with JRM, Smith is poised for another title run. His stellar 2014 season in XFINITY Series competition included a second-place finish in championship points, one win, seven top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/xfinity-series/jr-motorsports-secures-new-sponsor/


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Gaughan Gets Full Time CUP Series Ride​*
Brendon Gaughan will drive full time for Premium Motorsports starting at the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Brendon will drive the Premium Motorsports No.62 car in the NASCAR CUP Series, Brendon will continue to drive full time for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Richard Childress Racing​*
Richard Childress Racing has its sights set on participating once again in The Championship 4, as it did last year with Ryan Newman.

He came within a half-second of taking the Sprint Cup Series title in 2014 when he finished second to Kevin Harvick in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Now, the organization is looking to mount another challenge for the crown with all three of its entries.

"We were 50 yards short of the championship, but that's history and we're looking at the future," said team owner Richard Childress. "We've got good momentum with Ryan and Luke (crew chief Luke Lambert) doing what they did. Austin (Dillon) and Paul (Menard) were right there up until the last couple of races (before) the Chase. Our goal is to go out and win races."

RCR did not win any last year. But despite being shut out of Victory Lane, Newman advanced to The Championship 4 through consistency. He's ready to improve in the coming year and is better prepared for the intensity that came with competing for the crown in last year's new version of the post-season Chase.

"I saw potential for it but didn't think it was going to explode the way it did," Newman said of the new format. "We all saw gun powder laying on the floor. But we didn't know who was going to light it, when it was going to ignite and how much it was going to go off. Every bit of it went off and then some.

"Every part of the Chase was interesting - from Matt Kenseth wanting to throw a punch to us racing our way in and other guys getting beat out. Every aspect of it showed the growth and potential we have for our sport."

Menard will work with crew chief Justin Alexander after "Slugger" Labbe stepped away for a role in RCR's research and development department. Now that the two have some time working together, Menard's comfort level is strong.

"What's nice about Justin's engineering mentality is that it's a clear 'Yes' or 'No,' so he gets to the point and that's how we work it," Menard said. "We don't mince words. We've had some success in the restrictor-plate races and while I'm not a fan of those, we run pretty well there and have good cars.

"The intermediate tracks - high-speed mile, mile-and-a-half and two-mile ovals - are our strong suits, our bread and butter. Short tracks are probably our weakness and that's where we hope to get better."

Dillon returns for his sophomore Sprint Cup campaign, again paired with veteran crew chief Gil Martin. while Kyle Larson took Rookie-of-the-Year honors to somewhat overshadow his 2014 performance, Dillon believes there's much to build on.

"The experience we gained last year, where we finished a lot of races, was big for our team," Dillon said. "Hopefully, we can capitalize on what we've learned and you'll see us up front more."

This is part of a series previewing the 2015 NASCAR season, which kicks off with the opening of Budweiser Speedweeks on Friday at Daytona International Speedway. In Thursday's final installment, we'll take a look at Stewart-Haas Racing as 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick begins defense of his title.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/Team-Preview-Richard-Childress-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Back In Truck Series​*
NTS Motorsports has announced a driver lineup for the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series that features former champion James Buescher and rookie Daniel Hemric.

Buescher, who won the series title in 2012, will run a select number of races in the No. 31 Chevrolet with sponsorship from GunBroker.com and Great Clips. He competed in the Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series in 2014, finishing 10th in points.

Hemric, champion of the 2013 Southern Super Late Model Series, will drive the No. 14 Silverado in a full-season bid for Rookie of the Year. He'll be sponsored by California Clean Power for the first two races of the season, in Daytona and Atlanta. The crew chief will be Ryan McKinney.

The organization also has added veteran team manager and West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame inductee Rick Carelli to serve as general manager. Chris Rice maintains his post as the team's director of competition and will pull double duty as crew chief on the No. 31 entry.

Joining Buescher and Hemric will be Gray Gaulding and Scott Lagasse, Jr., who'll share time behind the wheel of a third NTS entry that will run a limited schedule in 2015 under the supervision of crew chief Doug Howe. Lagasse is slated to drive in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 20 at Daytona International Speedway.

In addition to a partial Truck Series schedule, Gaulding will compete for NTS Motorsports full-time in the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Buescher-Back-in-Truck-Series.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*ThorSport Adds Hayley To 2015 Lineup​*
ThorSport Racing has signed Cameron Hayley to drive its No. 13 Toyota in the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Hayley, 18, will run the full season and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

"It's always been a dream of mine to run in one of NASCAR's top three series," he said. "I got my feet wet last year running a few races, but to drive full-time this year is a chance to live out that dream."

"I'll make the move to Sandusky later this year so I can be in the shop every day, helping the guys and getting to know these trucks. I want to take full advantage of everything ThorSport Racing has to offer, soaking everything in this season. Duke and Rhonda Thorson have built a championship-winning team with great resources and equipment. It's an honor to be part of their organization."

In 2011, Hayley became the youngest driver ever to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He was later named as one of "NASCAR's Next," a select group of the sport's rising stars chosen by the sanctioning body.

In 2014, Hayley competed full-time in the K&N Pro Series East - collecting one pole and leading 247 laps en route to seven top fives and nine top-10 finishes. He made three starts in the Camping World Truck Series with a best finish of sixth in New Hampshire.

"Cameron has seen success at an early age and been a great student of the sport," said team owner Duke Thorson. "He has a wealth of natural talent, a great personality and we believe he's the complete package. By making the move to Sandusky, he's proven that he's fully vested in this team and the opportunity he's been given. Being at the shop every day, learning these trucks and building a foundation with his team is what will set him apart from the competition."

Hayley's 2015 rookie campaign will be led by veteran crew chief Jeff Hensley. As the longest-tenured team in the Truck Series, ThorSport Racing will kick off its 20th season with a lineup that also includes Johnny Sauter and two-time reigning series champion Matt Crafton.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../02/ThorSport-Adds-Hayley-to-2015-Lineup.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Three Underdogs Who Could Win The Sprint Unlimited​*
*W*hen the NASCAR Sprint Cups Series fires up for the season-opening Sprint Unlimited Saturday night (FOX, 8 p.m. ET) at Daytona International Speedway, it's no surprise who the favorites will be.

Defending series champion Kevin Harvick is a three-time unlimited winner, as is his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart, while Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon are two-time event winners.
Look for the usual suspects up front when the flag drops under the lights at Daytona.

But with a 25-car field, there are several drivers below the radar to look out for as well.

Here are three drivers who could make some big noise on Saturday night:

*JAMIE MCMURRAY* -- Always a big-event threat, Jamie Mac has won the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Sprint All-Star Race and the fall Charlotte race. He's also extremely good at restrictor-plate tracks, where he's won twice at Daytona and twice at Talladega. Do not be surprised if McMurray and second-year teammate Kyle Larson hook up at the end, with one of the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolets pushing the other to victory.

*AUSTIN DILLON* -- Ever since the halcyon days of the late Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress Racing has had strong cars at restrictor-plate tracks. As a rookie in 2014, Dillon won the pole for the Daytona 500 and finished ninth. He followed that up with a top-five finish in the July Daytona race. And he finished in the top 15 in both Talladega races as well. Just imagine the noise if the black No. 3 could win again at Daytona. The house would be rocking.

*CLINT BOWYER* -- Two of Bowyer's eight career Sprint Cup race victories have come at Talladega, and he had two top-three finishes there last year, as well as a top 10 in the July Daytona race. After a disappointing 2014 season, Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota have redoubled their efforts to get back up front. A victory in the first race of the year would be a great way to start.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ytona-international-speedway-underdogs-021015


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## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Challenges Media​*
Clint Bowyer believes some media has perpetuated the belief he is still at odds with Jeff Gordon.

The duo's celebrated incident at Phoenix Int'l Raceway two years ago has continued to generate conversation in 2015. The topic came up during the NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte two weeks ago. And Bowyer shared his feelings.

But Bowyer isn't a fan of what he believes was a twisting of his words and intention by some media members.

"That's what pisses me off, I'm gonna point fingers, all you media people," Bowyer said Thursday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "I said a bunch of stuff about him and I said way more good things than I did bad but here's the problem. You guys don't get a click, you don't get a listen unless you post exactly that quote that was negative or whatever. And that's what I don't like.

"That's what's not good about me and my personality. I'm gonna tell you a lot of things and I'm gonna ramble on&#8230;you guys took the smallest fraction of what I said to make your story and that's what not's fair."

Bowyer reiterated his admiration for Gordon and that while the Phoenix incident was emotional, it didn't completely tarnish his perspective of the future Hall of Famer.

"Some of the best times I've had with any driver was with Jeff," said Bowyer. "When I came on to the scene we had a lot of fun, I've had as much fun at things like the banquet and some things like that with him as I've had with anybody. I think everybody can attest to that&#8230;and (I) have a crazy amount of respect for him.

"That's why what happened was such a frustrating thing for both of us because we did enjoy each other, we talked a lot. We had a lot of fun together, you don't have that with a lot of drivers. There's your teammates and then there's a few guys at driver intros or something that you'll always kinda bag on for a little bit and then you go on."

But the scene of Bowyer at Phoenix running from his damaged racecar after the tangle with Gordon down pit road into the garage area is still one of the most memorable moments in recent NASCAR history.

Bowyer had an explanation for what happened.

"Anger is an incredible thing," he said. "You'll do dumb things when you're mad like run - I don't even like running and I ran so damn far by the time I got there I was probably gonna get my butt whooped anyway."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Clint-Bowyer-Challenges-Media.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Plan In Place For Kurt Busch​*
Stewart-Haas Racing has a plan ready should Kurt Busch's legal issues keep him from driving for any period of time.

Busch and ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll have been involved in an ongoing legal battle stemming from a incident that took place at Dover Int'l Speedway last September. Driscoll is seeking a protective order from Busch after alleging he physically assaulted her including slamming her head into the wall of his motorhome.

A police investigation into the incident was completed in late December and the results given to the Delaware attorney general. There has not yet been a decision made on any criminal charges.

A decision on the protective order is expected soon.

Should Busch face any time away from NASCAR, team co-owner Tony Stewart said Thursday at Daytona 500 Media Day there are provisions in place for the No. 41 entry.

"We do, but we're kind of waiting to see what happens," Stewart said. "I'm very hopeful we won't have to worry about it. I feel bad that he's in that situation right now, that they're both in that situation. We have to be smart, and we have to have a plan in place if it doesn't work out for whatever reason." 

Stewart did not provide any additional information on what course the team would take should Busch be sidelined for any length of time. But he did share he did not think the case would drag on this long.

"No, not at all," Stewart said. "Not at all. It's definitely been a surprise for us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Contingency-Plan-in-Place-for-Kurt-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Learned From Struggles​*
Jimmie Johnson took a lot from last year's disappointing season he hopes will lead to a better 2015 performance.

Johnson won four times and made the Chase but was nowhere near the dominating force he's been throughout his six Sprint Cup Series championship career.

But the Hendrick Motorsports driver believes there were some things learned through last year's adversity that can make the upcoming season a whole lot better.

"Yeah, kind of what happens, when you're struggling, you almost have a shotgun approach, and you're trying to hit a wide pattern and see what brings speed," Johnson explained Thursday during NASCAR Media Day. "When you unload off the truck and you're fast, you get much more into like a rifle scenario and you're very precise with the changes you make, and there's a lot of speed in the details.

"Sometimes you can recover if you unload slow and you get in the game and can be close and have a shot at winning, but in most cases you're an adjustment or two behind all weekend, and you just never get there, and then that's the hard part."

On the flip side Johnson understands that when there's momentum within a team and a positive direction, things have a way of working out on a weekly basis.

"When things are going your way and you can have that very crisp approach and sharp approach to how you're going to handle a weekend, things flow so much easier than showing up, unloading, blowing all of the components off the car, springs, control arms, put it all back together, now you just lost 45 minutes, your practice is condensed, hit the track, make 10 laps, wow, that didn't work, blow it apart again. It's just tough to have that shotgun approach every weekend."

Johnson enters the new season with another chance at tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the all-time championship record of seven. While never an easy task, winning the title once let alone in competitive seasons has become even more difficult with the new Chase format according to Johnson.

"Yeah, I think that it's going to be tougher," said Johnson. "It definitely is more of a just give guys a chance, and good teams, good drivers, people that are all championship worthy teams, you rerack and give four people an equal opportunity at Homestead, it's going to be tough to get it right.

"You'd better hope Homestead is your best track."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/Jimmie-Johnson-Learned-From-Struggles.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Qualifying Concerns Patrick​*
Put Danica Patrick on the list of drivers not completely enamored with the new group qualifying procedure for this year's Daytona 500.

For the first time the front row for "The Great American Race" will be determined by group qualifying rather than solo car runs, which has been the case since 1959.

Patrick points to previous restrictor plate tracks where the format has been used a reason why she's skeptical about this Sunday.

"Yeah, I am worried about qualifying," Patrick said during Thursday's NASCAR Media Day. "It didn't go well at Talladega, and I don't see how it's going to go any different here at Daytona, especially since at Talladega they saw how little time we had left in the five minute session, and they waited even longer.

"You'd have thought they would have just gotten a big group and just hauled butt and all been faster than most of us in the first group, but they didn't. I don't have any reason to think it's going to be a lot different other than maybe people will be a lot more encouraged to work together and to stick with the plan. Other than that, luck of the draw."

Patrick believes more than ever teammates are going to have to work with one another and making deals with drivers imperative to catching the right moment of the draft.

But agreeing to work with one another and actually executing a plan are two different things.

"For speedway situations in qualifying like that, it's always the effort to find people to go and draft with and figure it out," said Patrick. "It's just a matter of how many people follow through with it and actually do it. That's what I'm saying. I'm just like, maybe people will stick with the plan a little bit more."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/02/Daytona-Qualifying-Concerns-Patrick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Updates Rule Book​*
As the 2015 season is about to begin NASCAR announced several additional rules modifications.

Teams received a bulletin detailing changes in a number of areas including qualifying procedures, mechanical and body adjustments and other modifications.

Among the changes from the bulletin:

*9.3.1. QUALIFYING PROCEDURES f.* All vehicles must remain in the lower lane of the racetrack while accelerating to an appropriate speed before merging into traffic.   g. Any Competitor that intentionally impedes or interferes with another competitor's qualifying attempt, or otherwise engages in any unsafe act while on the racing surface (including pit road) during a Qualifying attempt, may be subject to disciplinary action by NASCAR in order to protect the safety and integrity of the Qualifying procedures. Such action by NASCAR may include, but is not limited to disallowing such competitor's posted qualifying speed(s) and/or removing the vehicle from any additional qualifying round(s) for this Event.  

*10.7.1. RACE VIOLATIONS c.* Unapproved vehicle/mechanical adjustment(s), modifications, or failures will not be permitted during an Event.  d. Examples of unapproved vehicle/mechanical adjustments(s) or modifications include, but are not limited to the following body/vehicle components as determined by NASCAR XYZ Series Managing Director in his/her sole judgment: (Examples listed)  e. Failure(s) include, but are not limited to, any of the above components detaching, deforming, moving, loosening, breaking and/or otherwise failing to maintain their shape, integrity and intended function, unless attributable, in NASCAR's judgment, to race contact or the normal demands of racing (i.e. cracked splitter).  

*10.7.1.1. ASSESSMENT OF UNAPPROVED VEHICLE/MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT(S), MODIFICATION(S), OR FAILURE(S) PENALTY a.* When the observed vehicle is determined to have an unapproved mechanical adjustment(s), modification, or failure(s) by the NASCAR XYZ Series Managing Director, a directive is given to the Crew Chief for his/her vehicle to report to their assigned pit stall to perform a satisfactory repair to all applicable components before the vehicle will be released back into competition. All repairs must be satisfactory to the NASCAR Officials.  b. When the satisfactory repair is completed during a yellow flag / caution condition the vehicle must restart the race with all other penalty vehicles in respective order, take the green flag on the race track and then serve a green flag pass-thru penalty.  c. When the satisfactory repair(s) penalty is assessed under a green flag condition in the Event, the vehicle must report to their assigned pit stall until all components are repaired. When the NASCAR Official determines all repairs are satisfactory, he/she will release the vehicle back to competition.  d. If any crew member(s) is observed/involved in the cause of the unapproved vehicle/mechanical adjustment(s), modification or failure(s), whether to the team's vehicle or to another competitor's vehicle, then that member and the team is subject to a written warning (and any resulting Penalty, if applicable) per Section 12.5.3.1 Warnings and P1 Penalty Options, as determined by the NASCAR XYZ Series Managing Director.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/02/NASCAR-Updates-Rule-Book.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Menards Extends Sponsorship With Crafton​*
Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, Matt Crafton, and primary sponsor, Menards, announced today they have renewed their partnership for the 2015 NCWTS season. The extended partnership with Menards in 2015 will mark the 11th consecutive season that Crafton will drive the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra.

The Tulare, California native has scored all five of his career NCWTS wins and two consecutive championships piloting the iconic day-glow Menards Toyota Tundra and enters the 2015 NCWTS season aiming to make it three in a row. Joining Menards on the No. 88 will be vendor partners Damp Raid, Fisher Nuts, Hormel Pepperoni, Slim Jim, Chi-Chi's, Great Lakes Flooring, Rip It Energy, IDEAL Door, and FVP.

"To be able to continue our partnership with Menards for the 2015 season is incredible," said Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra. "We've been together at ThorSport Racing since 2005, and it speaks to the longevity of everyone involved. In this era, long running partnerships are rare, and incredibly valuable. It shows how committed ThorSport Racing is to the NCWTS, and how committed Menards and their partners are to our No. 88 team."

Crafton, who won the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series championship in 2000, made his first start with ThorSport Racing/Menards in the NCWTS season finale in the same year, beginning the series' longest running driver-team relationship. Crafton has since become a staple in the NCWTS, winning two titles and finishing in the top-10 in the standings in 10 of the last 11 seasons.

"Over the last couple years, we've seen the No. 88 team step up and compete at the highest level," said team owner, Duke Thorson. "Our relationship with Menards and their vendor partners is the cornerstone of this program, and we've been thrilled to deliver two championships to them in the last two seasons." 
"It's important to the success of ThorSport Racing to keep Matt (Crafton) and the No. 88 Menards team together, and renewing our partnership shows the value the NCWTS and our race program offers our partners year after year. Going into 2015, we're honored to represent Menards, and their partners both on and off the track."

Menards, a Midwest home-improvement store chain with a long history in racing, has three stock-car championships; one in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards with driver Frank Kimmel in the ThorSport Racing No. 44 Toyota (2013), and two NCWTS driver's championships with Matt Crafton (2013 & 2014).

"We're excited to continue our longstanding relationship with Matt Crafton and ThorSport Racing for the 2015 NCWTS season," said Jeff Abbott, Menards Promotion Manager/Spokesperson. "We appreciate the efforts of ThorSport Racing and our vendor partners over the years and look forward to another great season. Matt is a championship driver and has always been a great ambassador for Menards."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...onsorship-with-Matt-Crafton-at-ThorSport.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Davey Allison In 1991​*
*Davey Allison's Son To Try Stock Cars​*
Robbie Allison, the son of Davey Allison and grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Bobby Allison, is set for his first stock-car season in 2015.








Allison plans to compete at both Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway and Lonesome Pine Raceway in the Street Stock division. Allison has competed the last two seasons in the Allison Legacy Series and TaG karts. This season, however, marks the 23-year-old's first season behind the wheel of a stock-car.

"I was very surprised at how comfortable the full body car was compared to the smaller cars I have raced," Allison said on the transition.

Allison made the trip to Southwest Virginia's Lonesome Pine Raceway on Wednesday to test in preparation for the upcoming season. After nearly six hours behind the wheel, Allison is ready to race.

"I'm very excited about the upcoming season," remarked Allison between test runs. "Duke (Bare) and Tony (Vance) gave me great feedback about the cars."

As for goals this season, Allison just wants to settle in and learn in a Street Stock before moving to a Late Model Stock next season.

"My goals for this season are to learn as much as I can and have a good season at Lonesome Pine (Raceway) and Kingsport (Speedway)."

Allison's grandfather, Bobby Allison, was also on hand to watch his grandson turn laps around the banked 0.375-mile oval. The 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion was well pleased with his grandson's performance in his first time in a stock-car.

"I'm pleased with (Robbie's) performance in the test and I'm looking forward to his next step," said Allison. "I'm eternally grateful to the folks of Kingsport Speedway and Lonesome Pine Raceway."

"We're very excited to have Robbie Allison make his stock-car racing debut with us this season," said Karen Tunnell, general manager. "We look forward to watching him make his way through the ranks and wish him all the best."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/racing-nation/southeast/davey-allisons-son-to-try-stock-cars/


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## Ckg2011

*Convoluted New Daytona 500 Qualifying Format Baffles Drivers​*
ile the rules package for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars remains unchanged for Daytona Speedweeks this year, the qualifying format for the Daytona 500 is revised, and drivers are anxious about how it will play out.

In years past, Sunday's qualifying (FOX, 1:30 p.m. ET) session set the front row for the Daytona 500 via single-car runs. Every car entered in the race got two laps to set a qualifying time running alone on the track.

Once again, Sunday's session will determine only the front row for the Daytona 500. The final field will be set next Thursday in the Budweiser Duel qualifying races.

This year, though, cars will qualify in groups, as they did at Talladega last fall.
The field will be divided into two groups based on a random draw for the first of three rounds of qualifying -- odd numbers in the first group, even in the second group.

The first round will be five minutes, with the fastest 24 cars advancing to Round 2. After a 10-minute break, the five-minute second round takes place, with the fastest 12 cars advancing to Round 3. After a seven-minute break, the top-two qualifiers will be determined in Round 3, which will also be five minutes.

"There's going to be a lot of strategy," said Paul Menard of Richard Childress Racing. "There's going to be a lot of balls-to-the-wall laps on both Sunday for qualifying, and for the Duels. It's going to be interesting. There's going to be a lot of cars down here and it's going to be tough to make the field for a lot of them."

Thursday morning, NASCAR issued a technical bulletin with some subtle tweaks to the format in an attempt to alleviate some of the concerns that were raised at Talladega last fall.

"We've defined the qualifying for all events, but for superspeedways -- obviously, for here," said Richard Buck, NASCAR's managing director of the Sprint Cup Series, in an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com. "Track specific, the rules are going to be in place for the egress and ingress. Pit exit, the blend line's going to be in place, pit road speed and the commitment line.

"Furthermore, we've defined the getting up to speed," said Buck. "The cars must get up to speed in an acceptable manner and once they get to an acceptable speed, they can join the pack. But they must not impede anybody's lap. At any time, they cannot do an unsafe act to impede anybody's lap."
Buck said fairness was a big part of the concern.

"The overview of it is, we want an equitable and equal playing field for everybody to qualify," said Buck. "It's going to be a judgment call, but at any point we see anything that's unsafe, we'll make the call. And we can do anything from take the lap time away to park the car for the rest of the qualifying session."

The new procedures are especially important at Daytona, where 49 cars are entered for the 43-car field.

And drivers are interested in seeing how the group qualifying will work here.

"Yeah, I'm worried about qualifying," said Danica Patrick. "It didn't go well at Talladega, and I don't see how it's going to go any different here at Daytona."
"I'm concerned about it," added Sam Hornish Jr. "But a lot of other people are, too."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...rmat-baffles-sprint-cup-series-drivers-021215


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint Unlimited Opens Season​*
After a long off-season, Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited will finally throw the green flag on the 2015 campaign.

The annual non-points special event will see 25 drivers take part in the unique race that will be split into segments of 25 and 50 laps. Anticipation is high for drivers to get back on the track, especially with new rules in place that have limited any testing since the 2014 season ended.

"It'll be good to get back on track," said Joey Logano. "You always want to knock the rust off. It's been hard to do any of that this winter since we weren't able to test."

Pole winners from last season are included in this year's Sprint Unlimited field. That means the man who led to field to the green in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500 will get his first shot in this event. Austin Dillon is pumped.

"It's cool to know that I won the pole last year for the Daytona 500 and one of the rewards is to always be able to race in this prestigious race," he said. "I can't wait. I've watched so many of them growing up."

Greg Biffle echoes the benefits of being in the Unlimited in the aftermath of the testing ban. There have been a number of changes at Roush Fenway Racing over the winter as the team looks to improve on last year's disappointing performance. Biffle will be making his ninth appearance in the race and believes the Sprint Unlimited is a good gauge for the Daytona 500.

"Being in the Sprint Unlimited is even more important now since there's no testing," he said. "It's a great opportunity to get on the track and see what you've got, a warm-up to how the following week will go."

The race also will give some new driver-crew chief combinations a chance to work together including Denny Hamlin and Dave Rogers, who are paired up at Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin is the defending race winner and ready to begin 2015 with another victory.

"It's a short race and there's not much you can change on the car," Hamlin said. "It'll take some getting used to, having a different voice on the radio. Our team had a lot of success in Daytona last year and on restrictor-plate tracks as a whole so hopefully, we can continue that. It's up to us to work together, remain patient, try to stay clean to have a chance at the end. It would be great to kick off another season in Victory Lane at Daytona."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening Sprint Unlimited non-points special event from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/02/Sprint-Unlimited-Kicks-Off-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Paul Menard On Pole For Sprint Unlimited​*
Paul Menard will lead the field to green in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited.

The driver of the No. 27 got the first starting spot in a random draw held Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. Fans paired up with the crew chiefs of the 25 drivers participating in the race conducted the draw.

Here's the entire starting lineup for the 75-lap race, which is divided into a 25-lap segment and a 50-lap segment. The race telecast begins at 8 p.m. on Fox.

1. Paul Menard
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Joey Logano
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Kyle Busch
6. Austin Dillon
7. Greg Biffle
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Jeff Gordon12. Ryan Newman
13. Kurt Busch
14. Kyle Busch
15. Danica Patrick
16. Matt Kenseth
17. Jimmie Johnson
18. Clint Bowyer
19. Aric Almirola
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21. Jamie McMurray
22. Tony Stewart
23. Casey Mears
24. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
25. Kyle Larson

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...d-on-pole-for-sprint-unlimited-210731602.html


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## Ckg2011

*The Finish: The 1979 Daytona 500​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Thompson Earns Historic ARCA Pole​*
ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards veteran Mark Thompson became the oldest polesitter in Daytona Int'l Speedway history Friday and will start up front for Saturday's Lucas Oil 200 presented by AutoZone.

Thompson, 63, won his first Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell in 17 years, topping the charts with a lap of 187.336 mph during group qualifying.

"Winning the pole at Daytona is a big deal," Thompson said. "It's special. There's probably not a place I'd rather win the pole than here."

Thompson went out in the fourth group out of seven and wheeled to the top of the charts in his No. 11 Phoenix Air-Ken Schrader Racing Toyota. Cody Coughlin, in the No. 55 JEGS Toyota, will start second and Tom Hessert, in the No. 77 Barbera's Autoland Dodge, third.

Thompson won three previous Menards Pole Awards, all at Michigan Int'l Speedway - two in 1996 and one in 1997. He surpassed Vern Slagh to become the oldest ARCA Racing Series pole winner at Daytona, track communications officials confirming that Thompson is the oldest pole winner ever in a major racing event at the facility.

"I was not a big fan of group qualifying before, but obviously I am now a fan," Thompson said. "It's interesting for the fans. It worked out for us. I'm very pleased. I just went out there and found some holes and went fast."

Brett Hudson qualified fourth in his Brett Hudson Motorsports Dodge and Clay Campbell fifth in the Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet.

Daniel Suarez, in the ARRIS Toyota, is sixth, with Blake Jones in the No. 22 Uncle Ray's Potato Chips-Carolina Nut Dodge qualifying seventh. Will Kimmel, in the Vogtland Springs-Americanmuscle.com-Accel Ford, was eighth. The top-10 also includes Sean Corr in the No. 48 Empire Racing-Hylton Motorsports Ford in ninth and Leilani Munter in the No. 66 Energy Freedom Toyota rounding out the top-10.

Venturini Motorsports put three cars in the top 10 - Coughlin, Suarez and Munter. A fourth Venturini entry, Frank Kimmel, in the No. 25 Ansell-Menards Toyota, qualified in the 11th spot.

"We had a lot of issues in practice under the hood and didn't have any expectations except hoping to have a top 10," Coughlin said. "With those expectations, to be able to come away with a front row start, especially my first time here, is exciting. It's good for morale. It's good to put your head on the pillow at night with the second starting position."

Hessert and Jones are both from the Cunningham Motorsports stable of cars.
"You never know what's going to happen in the race, but it's good to start third," Hessert said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/thompson-earns-historic-arca-pole/


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## Ckg2011

*Unlimited Future for Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick begins his pursuit of a second straight Sprint Cup Series championship with a tune-up in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited and he's one confident driver.

Harvick is a three-time winner of the annual event that precedes the official start of the season with his most recent coming in 2013.

After his stellar first year at Stewart-Haas Racing that culminated in Harvick's first career Cup title, he's anxious to prove he's much more than a one hit wonder beginning with the Unlimited.

"Well, you always have to improve," said Harvick. "The day that you think you're good enough is the day you're not going to stay as competitive as you want to be. We have to go through every piece of our team and our cars, myself and (crew chief) Rodney Childers. "You have to figure out how to get better. Everybody else right now is trying to get what we have, and that's that championship trophy."

While Harvick believes the quest for improvement is never ending, he insists there's no stress coming into the season trying to replicate what was accomplished a year ago. In fact, Harvick feels he's about as content about a coming year as he's ever been in his career.

"There's way less pressure," said Harvick. "Coming into this situation last year I was pretty nervous. It may not have shown through, but there are so many questions in your head about a very comfortable situation. I didn't want to be comfortable. I wanted to experience what we experienced last year.

"Sometimes you have to make some bold or hard decisions in order to make things like this happen. I'm as comfortable as I've ever been."

Don't mistake Harvick's somewhat calm demeanor as a lack of desire or effort. If anything he says there's an even sharper focus this coming year in the aftermath of last year's title.

"You don't want to fail after you've succeeded," said Harvick. "For me, you know, probably look back on it and say maybe you didn't take the time to enjoy it enough. For me, I don't want to send the perception to anybody that we're not as focused as we were last year. So you almost work harder to hide the feelings and the things that you've accomplished from 2014 because you really want to focus on 2015 to be able to accomplish those goals again."

With a winter of no track time thanks to NASCAR's new testing ban, Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited takes on a new light since it will be one of the first times drivers really get a chance to get behind the wheel after Friday's practice sessions.

There are a plethora of rules changes for the new season in terms of horsepower and aerodynamic modifications but none of those apply to the superspeedway racing at Daytona and Talladega.

But that doesn't mean there won't be challenges once Harvick and his fellow competitors take to "The World Center of Racing" 2.66-mile superspeedway.

"There's always something to gain when you can get on track and it's a good way to get a handle and a feel of what your car can do and what you might be able to do to make it better," said Harvick. "It's a fun race, we've won it before and it's a great way to start the season. Of course the best way to start the year would be in Victory Lane after it's over."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening Sprint Unlimited non-points special event from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/02/Unlimited-Future-for-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Black-Flagged For Not Weighing In At Daytona​*
*T*ony Stewart opened Speedweeks with a weighty - and heated - issue.

Stewart was visibly upset Friday as he stormed through the garage after getting black flagged for failing to step on a scale before getting behind the wheel.

Stewart was one of 25 drivers practicing for Saturday night's exhibition Sprint Unlimited, but one of just three who didn't weigh in before the session started.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch also had to return to the scale after getting in their cars.

Stewart didn't heed the initial call.

NASCAR eventually flagged Stewart, ordering him back to the garage to get weighed. But he refused, and when he did finally park his car after his practice run ended, Stewart and crew chief Chad Johnston were called to the NASCAR hauler for what likely was a stern lecture about following the rules.

They emerged 10 minutes later, and Stewart headed straight for the scale.

Stewart refused to answer questions about what happened on the track and in the hauler, but was overheard telling teammate Kevin Harvick's crew that he was called in because he didn't weigh in and didn't heed the black flag.

Each driver is required to step on the scale so the minimum car weights can be calculated. Heavier drivers, like Stewart, can have slightly lighter cars.








Stewart's spotter, Bob Jeffrey, weighed in on Twitter, posting "In my 35+yrs that was a 1st."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ssue-at-daytona-international-speedway-021315


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is There A Clear Favorite To Win The Sprint Unlimited?​*
*O*n Saturday night the green flag falls on our first race of the season, the Sprint Unlimited. While it's not a points race, there are still bragging rights, money and naturally a trophy that these drivers want to win.

In addition to all that, with the no-testing policy this past offseason, teams in Saturday night's race will get a clearer picture of how they stack up against the competition for next Sunday's Daytona 500.

I think my three top picks for Saturday night would be Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. These are all guys who have won this race before and have the knack for knowing where to be and when to be there to win.

They've don't it more times than a lot of the other drivers in the field, and I think it definitely gives them an edge.

Also remember that the rules haven't changed from last year when it comes to the restrictor-plate tracks, so that experience these three have will be to their advantage. Now the wild card on Saturday night could be the team that has an advantage under the hood.

All teams work on their restrictor-plate motors year-round to simply find a quarter of a horsepower. If there is someone who has found a way to generate one and a quarter horsepower, then that is huge and they'll be the team to beat.

You just don't really know who has exactly what until the green flag waves Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...aytona-international-speedway-favorite-021315


----------



## Ckg2011

*Grant Enfinger Wins Back To Back Slick Mist 200's​*
The ARCA Racing Series kicked off it's annual season opener at Daytona International Speedway today, Grant Enfinger held off Daniel Suarez to win back to back ARCA Racing Series Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Day For Daytona Qualifying​*
It's a whole new ballgame on Sunday as for the first time group qualifying will be used to set the front row for the Daytona 500.

No longer will drivers take two solo laps around the mammoth 2.5-mile speedway with the fastest of the pair the determining their position on the grid. As was the case last year at every race but the Daytona 500, group qualifying will be in play for the "Great American Race."

Sunday's first round is divided into two groups after a random draw was held to split the entry field in half. Odd numbers will qualify in the first group with even numbers in the second and the fastest 24 combined from both five-minute sessions moving on to round two.

The second round is also five minutes and will whittle the field down to a dozen that then transfer to the last five-minute session. The fastest two will make up the front row for next Sunday's Daytona 500 with Thursday's Budweiser Duel 150-mile races determining deciding the rest of the starting lineup.

The new format has many drivers worried about what to expect on Sunday.

"Yeah, I'm worried about qualifying," said Danica Patrick. "It didn't go well at Talladega, and I don't see how it's going to go any different here at Daytona."

Patrick's reference to Talladega was in response to last fall's race where some drivers missed the race because they waited to long to go out on track and missed turning an official lap.

Jimmie Johnson is cognizant of a similar situation happening at Daytona and says it's top of mind.

"You definitely have a plan," said Johnson. "You want to be the last car in a big group, so whenever that group rolls, you want to be towards the end, and everybody knows that, so it's going to be very interesting, and I think we saw that at Talladega, where people were playing the waiting game and left pit road without enough time to even come back and take the green.

"It's kind of down to a countdown now. You know what time you need to leave pit road and take that chance and roll, and at the same time, if you're worried about your car like we are, we don't want to race the backup car, we want the 500 car to be the car. We know we've got to race on Thursday, so if you're not in position to get the front row, you might choose to be a little smarter and not push the envelope and worry about going racing. "

Brad Keselowski also has reservations about the format but is taking the approach that it's the same for everyone and not spending too much time worrying about what might be.

"I am not the biggest fan of it but nobody asked me when they were making that decision," said Keselowski. "At the end of the day as a competitor you like to see success be quantified by the talent of the team or the driver. You accept to some extent that luck is a factor. When those ratios or percentages as I was discussing earlier get out of balance, we all kind of look in the mirror and ask ourselves what we are doing here. That qualifying format itself lends itself to more of a luck percentage than I think we really appreciate as drivers."

Keselowski's Team Penske teammate Joey Logano has given a great deal of thought to the format and formulating a plan for Sunday afternoon. But he too understands the risk of something going wrong.

"We have to figure out a little bit more about how long it is going to take us to get to the start finish line, what speed, all of that stuff," said Logano. "There is data we have to collect throughout practice and try to understand what is the cut off point so we don't get in trouble like Talladega. We need to take all that into consideration while we put our group together and talk about it and try to go out there and lay down a good one."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Daytona 500 Qualifying from Daytona International Speedway on Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/02/New-Day-for-Daytona-Qualifying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Survives Sprint Unlimited​*
Matt Kenseth outran Martin Truex Jr. to win Saturday night's rough and tumble Sprint Unlimited at Daytona Inernational Speedway.

Kenseth kept his Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota ahead of a hard charging Truex Jr. at the checkered flag to score his first win in over a year and kick off the 2015 NASCAR season in Victory Lane.

"It's great to win at Daytona anytime," Kenseth said. "We had a good car and Martin was strong down the stretch there but we were able to hold him off and that's a great way to start of the year for sure.

Truex Jr. started last year with an outside Daytona 500 starting spot but had a disappointing overall season. His run Saturday night was the shot in the arm he needed.

"Most fun I've had in a race car since 2013," Truex Jr. said.

It was Kenseth's first win in nine Sprint Unlimited starts and he became the 21st different winner of the race. Kenseth scored his eighth career Daytona win with his last trip to Victory Lane coming in last year's Budweiser Duel.

Truex Jr., Carl Edwards, Casey Mears and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick completed the first ten finishers.

However, the night was punctuated by several crashes that took out 13 of the 25 car starting field and necessitated two red flags.








The biggest incident occurred just before the schedule break before the 25th lap was turned when Greg Biffle made contact with Jamie McMurray on the front stretch triggering a massive incident that swept up 14 cars before it was over.

Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard and Jimmie Johnson were among those caught in the accident.

Biffle was behind McMurray and claimed the No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet was loose before they made contact.

"Well, it was when he had my back tires off the ground," McMurray said of Biffle's assessment. "It's hard to hang to. He was helping me, and it happened two or three times before. It is just part of it. When you get a big run like that you have to get to the guy and start pushing because if you don't, you lose all of your momentum."

Other drivers tried to explain what happened.

"I couldn't really see I was towards the back and I was kind of waiting for something to happen," Johnson said. "Once it did I was slowing down and then the track was dirty and it was hard to not lock the brakes. I would lock them and release then I would lock them and I just couldn't really get slowed down enough."

There was another red flag late for a crash again involving Biffle that included Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, destroying all three cars in the process.








Earlier in the race the first driver to exit the race because of an accident was Brad Keselowski, who got crowded by Kyle Larson racing down the frontstretch. The Miller Lite Ford slide through the infield grass before making hard contact with the outside retaining wall.

"The car is tore up so we are out but it was fast, so that was good," Keselowski said.

The race was the first to utilize NASCAR's new technology enhanced pit road officiating procedures and several teams were penalized by the system. McMurray was penalized on the first trip down pit road under caution on lap 23 for too many crew members over the wall while Ryan Newman was pegged for driving through three stalls on the way to his pit.

Others that received penalties on Saturday night included Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Matt-Kenseth-Survives-Sprint-Unlimited.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick, Logano Exchange Heated Words​*
Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick made contact in the closing laps of Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited that led to some heated wars after the checkered flag flew.

The two touched as they raced through turn four, which sparked more fireworks after Matt Kenseth crossed the finish line to win.

They rammed into each other's car on the cool down lap and then confronted one another once the exited their machines.

Logano was yanked back by a crew member after the heated exchange and the duo finally separated.

"That is Kevin just being an instigator just like everywhere else," Logano said. "It is a new year and the same stuff. I was trying to help really, to be honest with you, we had a run and I was pushing.

"I was trying to help. He just doesn't understand I was trying to help. I understand his frustration but I was trying to help out and get to the front and try to win this thing. There are no points or anything like that so you go for the win."

Logano had no other explanation for why what happened infuriated Harvick as much as it did.

"It is the same thing he is every other time he talks to someone," Logano said. "It is the same old crap, no big deal."

Harvick gave his explanation of what he saw happen on track and why he didn't appreciate Logano's move.

"He just drove us straight in the fence," Harvick said. "Everybody is trying to be aggressive, but you still have to know when and where you can do things. You can't just drive somebody in the fence.

"I have had a few issues with him on the speedways. You can't just take your head off and detach it and throw it on the floor board and not use your brain. It's an all-star race, but you still have to have some common sense."

Harvick believes how the incident carries forward is up to Logano.

"No, like I told him last year that kind of stuff catches up with you," Harvick said. "It caught up with him last year and you can only do things like that so long before it catches up with you."

There was a third person upset with the situation and it was Danica Patrick, who yelled at Logano while he was speaking to reporters. However, Logano was not sure why Patrick was bent out of shape.

"I don't know," Logano said. "I am confused. I don't know what going on right now. I am really confused about everything."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ange-Heated-Words-after-Sprint-Unlimited.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*2015 Sprint Unlimited Crashes​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Criticizes Qualifying Format​*
Clint Bowyer is not a fan of the new Daytona 500 group qualifying format after being involved in a multi-car crash on Sunday.

Bowyer tangled with Reed Sorenson racing through Turn 1 in the opening session of Sunday's qualifying and was involved in an incident that before it was over included Bobby Labonte, J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver climbed from his battered race car and had some choice words for Sorenson on track before continuing his tirade when he returned to the garage area.

"I wasn't behind the 44 (Sorenson)," Bowyer explained. "He came flying around, come up on the apron, jumps in front of me, then runs over the 51 (Justin Allgaier), stacks us all up and then I run into him. It's idiotic to be out here doing this anyway. There's no sense in being able to try to put on some cute show for whatever the hell this is. Then you have a guy out there doing this in desperation."

Part of Bowyer's frustration and sympathy were for the team members who built the cars during the off-season.

"There's no reason to be out here," Bowyer said of the incident with Sorenson. "These guys have spent six months working on these cars busting their butts on these cars.

"But it ain't his fault. It's NASCAR's fault for putting us out in the middle of this crap for nothing."

Bowyer feels the more traditional single file qualifying, which had been used since the first Daytona 500 in 1959, is a better was of setting the field.

"We used to come down here and worry about who would set on the front pole in the biggest race of the year," Bowyer said. "Now all we do is come down here and worry about how a start and park like this out of desperation is going to knock us out of the Daytona 500."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yer-Criticizes-Daytona-Qualifying-Format.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Wins Daytona 500 Pole​*
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Jeff Gordon won the pole for the Daytona 500 Sunday in the first group qualifying session for "The Great American Race."

Gordon had the fastest lap in the third and final session to cap an unusual day of qualifying and will start what will be his final Daytona 500 from the best possible position.

"This year, the driver finally gets to play a role," Gordon said of the new format. "With a fast race car and coordination with myself and (crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) and the spotter, that was nerve-wracking. I didn't think we'd wait that long. I thought we'd go sooner than that.

"That feels good. That's awesome. That's one of the most gratifying poles I've had, not just because it's my final Daytona. You have to play that chess match, and I played it really well."

Gordon's speed was 201.393 mph and he'll make his second Daytona 500 pole start adding to his 1999 number one position. He earned his 78th career Sprint Cup pole. Gordon has an all-time record of earning at least one pole in 23 consecutive seasons.

Gordon was just ahead of teammate Jimmie Johnson on the speed charts to make it an all Hendrick front row.

Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. completed the top 10.

Earnhardt Jr. and Hamlin had their qualifying times disallowed after failing post race inspection. Earnhardt was found to be too low in the left front while Hamlin's splitter measurement was off. They will start 25th and 24th, respectively, in their Budweiser Duel races.

In all the top five cars in the final session topped 200 mph, but the fastest lap of the day belonged to Aric Almirola at 202.370 mph in the opening round.

The day had its share of bizarreness and excitement as drivers tried to maneuver through the group qualifying challenge. The first session was broken into two groups based on a random draw with the fastest combined 24 moving on to round two.

But the opening session was marred by a multi-car crash that was triggered when Clint Bower and Reed Sorenson made contact and Bobby Labonte, JJ Yeley and Denny Hamlin getting a piece of the incident.

Bowyer was incensed over the accident while Sorenson, who was trying to make the race with the upstart Team Xtreme Racing team.

"We don't have a backup car as of now," Sorenson explained. "As you can see, I was just trying to block. That's what got Matt Kenseth to win last night. I was doing everything I could to stay in front of Clint. Pretty obvious what I was trying to do. I didn't mean to wreck anybody or anything like that.

"Just a product of this qualifying, trying to get that one lap. I didn't want it to end that way, that's for sure. I apologize to all the guys. Try to get a car here and try to get in the race on Thursday."

Only the front row for next Sunday's race is set with the remainder of the Daytona 500 starting line-up to be determined by Thursday's Budweiser Duel 150-mile races.

Drivers that are locked into the 500 are Gordon and Johnson on the front row, Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Edwards and McMurray (time), Tony Stewart (past champion's provisional), Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kenseth (points provisional)

Teams will take the next two days off and return to Daytona on Wednesday for the practice.

*Qualifying Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/02/Daytona-500-Qualifying-Results.aspx






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/02/Jeff-Gordon-Wins-Daytona-500-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin Fail Inspection​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin failed post-qualifying inspection on Sunday and will start at the tail end of their respective Budweiser Duel races on Thursday.

Earnhardt, who was 10th in the final qualifying rundown, was found too be too low on the left front of his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. The infraction will send him to the 25th starting position in the first 150-mile qualifying race.

"Failed post tech after qualifying. 1/8 low left front. That's a shame. The boys will figure out why. Makes the Duels a lot more interesting," tweeted Earnhardt.

Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota had a track bar found to be 3-3/4 inches, beyond the maximum three inches allowed by the rule book.

Hamlin's sent out a tweet as well following the announcement that read "Crash damage - it was the wreck I say! LOL."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ardt-Jr-and-Denny-Hamlin-Fail-Inspection.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Starting Lineups For Budweiser Duels At Daytona​*
Here are the starting lineups for Thursday's Budweiser Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.

The lineups were determined by Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday.

The field for the Daytona 500 will be determined primarily from finishing results from the two Duels, with the back of the field filled out by qualifying speed and 2014 owner points.

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, the pole-sitters for the Duels, are locked into the front-row starting spots for the Daytona 500.

Teams will return for practice on Wednesday. The Duels begin at 7 p.m. ET Thursday, with TV coverage on Fox Sports 1.

*Budweiser Duel No. 1​*
1. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
4. Ty Dillon, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
6. Johnny Sauter, No. 83 BK Racing Toyota
7. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
8. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
9. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
10. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
11. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 BK Racing Toyota
12. Paul Menard, No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
14. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
15. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
16. Casey Mears, No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet
17. Michael Annett, No. 46 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
19. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford
20. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
21. Justin Marks, No. 29 RAB Racing Toyota
22. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Front Row Motorsports Ford
23. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Hillman Racing Chevrolet
24. Ron Hornaday Jr., No. 30 Key Motorsports Chevrolet
25. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 195.080​
Note: Earnhardt was placed in 25th after his car failed inspection on Sunday.

*Budweiser Duel No. 2​*
1. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
4. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
6. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
9. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
10. Michael Waltrip, No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
11. Bobby Labonte, No. 32 GoFAS Racing Ford
12. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
13. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
14. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
15. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
16. Brian Scott, No. 62 Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet
17. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet
18. David Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
19. Jeb Burton, No. 26 BK Racing Toyota
20. Reed Sorenson, No. 44 Team Xxxpress Racing Chevrolet
21. David Ragan, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
22. Josh Wise, No. 98 Phil Parsons Racing Ford
23. Mike Wallace, No. 66 Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet
24. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota​
Note: Hamlin was placed in 25th after his car failed inspection on Sunday.

*Source:*
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...aytona-500-2015-dale-earnhardt-jr-jeff-gordon


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## Ckg2011

*2015 NASCAR Sprint Unlimited​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hill Keeps On Rolling​*
*Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&RaceID=6851&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

The off-season did nothing to slow down Austin Hill.

The 20-year-old picked up right where he left off last year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, leading every lap Sunday in winning the Hart To Heart 150 Breast Cancer Foundation 150 at New Smyrna Speedway.

"To be able to sit on the pole and spend all 150 laps in the lead is really special for me," said Hill, who picked up the victory in the new K&N Pro Series chassis which was unveiled in the offseason. "I can't thank these guys enough, we're a family owned racing team, we're just trying to make it here. To be able to win with Ron Otto as my crew chief for the first time was amazing. We worked really well together."

Hill finished 2014 with back-to-back wins at Greenville (South Carolina) Pickens Speedway and Dover International Speedway. And he kicked off his pursuit of a NASCAR championship with a dominating performance on the .48-mile high-banked oval just south of the "World Center of Racing," Daytona International Speedway.

The NASCAR Next driver won his first career 21 Means 21 Pole Award and then survived a challenge on a green-white-checkered from rookie Dalton Sargeant to earn the win. The race ended under a yellow-checkered following an accident on the white-flag lap.

"I was getting worried on the restarts, five laps was about when my car would really start to get up and really go," Hill said. "So about five laps I would have to hold them off and then it would finally get going."

Sargeant, making his first series start, settled for second while Gaulding closed late to take third.

"It was just a car length off of first, so it's a bit disappointing," said Sargeant, who started ninth after an engine change in the morning. "But overall for my first race in the K&N Pro Series East, we had a really good run.

"It was intense for sure. This track is really tough if you're starting on the bottom. You get pinched down and you spin the tires a little bit, it's really hard to get the momentum rolling and get up on the outside to pass the guy. You definitely either have to make a dive-bomb attempt or have to be rolling around the outside pretty fast. But overall it was a good night."

Said Gaulding: "I knew I was where I needed to be being on the high side. I wasn't going to give up. It was just so tight out there and I just had to do everything I could to get my car to turn. Being able to finish third is a really good way for us to finish the night. I hate to lose more than anybody, but some nights you have to take finishes like this."

Scott Heckert and Kyle Benjamin were fourth and fifth, respectively. Sargeant and Benjamin, as well as sixth-place Dillon Bassett and seventh-place William Byron are Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders.

Nick Drake, Sergio Pena and Kenzie Ruston rounded out the top 10.

It was the fourth career win for Hill, who also won at Dover in 2013.

"I got to thank Robert Yates Engines, they give me awesome engines every week," Hill said. "Every time we hit the track I know we have plenty of power. I can't thank my dad enough, without him I wouldn't be where I am today. Hopefully we can get this championship, we are on a good streak right now so hopefully we can keep it going."

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to the track at Greenville on April 4.

The Hart To Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 150 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ill-Keeps-on-Rolling-with-New-Smyrna-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Better Days for Truex Jr.​*
The start of Martin Truex Jr.'s season has already been better than much of what came last year.

The Furniture Row Racing driver struggled in 2014 and the team worked hard in the off-season to right an organization that only two years ago made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Some of that work has already paid dividends as Truex finished second to Matt Kenseth in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited.

"It was a lot of fun," Truex said, "the most fun I've had in a racecar in quite some time, in probably about a year-and-a-half."

Saturday night, Truex had something he hasn't had for quite some time: a fast racecar. While there has been a myriad of mechanical issues and bad luck that have plagued the No. 78 team, the lack of speed has also been a big challenge. At least for now, those ills appear to have been cured.

"Last year was tough," Truex said, "so it's been fun to come to the racetrack. If we have cars like that every week, that's a dream come true for me. I can't thank the guys on our team enough, all the guys that stuck behind me and worked hard."

One of the off-season changes implemented by the team was the appointment of Cole Pearn as crew chief, replacing Todd Berrier. He brings both an engineering and racing pedigree to his new job and so far, Truex is impressed with the effort and results.

"Cole did the last couple races last year so we got our feet wet as far as him calling the races, getting accustomed to all that stuff," Truex said. "It was flawless. He did a great job and so far, it's going well. I know it's Daytona and it's a little bit easier here. The real test will be when we get to places like Atlanta. So far, he's done a great job of preparing all the racecars and preparing the team."

The odds of everything going flawlessly the rest of the season are low for Truex - or any driver, for that matter. But after being down for so long, there's cause for optimism again at Furniture Row.

"There are a lot of things we can build on as a team," Truex said. "But at the end of the day, it's all about winning."

Truex made it to the final round of Sunday's group qualifying and will start fifth in the second half of Thursday's Budweiser Duel.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/02/Better-Days-for-Martin-Truex-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Ordered To Stay Away From Driscoll​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor Kurt Busch has been ordered by a Kent County (Del.) Family Court to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.

The directive was issues on Monday by Commissioner David W. Jones, stating that Busch "has committed an act or repeated acts of domestic violence" against Driscoll.

The order, effective for one year, requires that Busch stay 100 yards away from Driscoll at all times. The only exception is at NASCAR races, where his job as a driver may require him to be closer. He is also not allowed to contact her for any reason. Busch will also be evaluated for mental health problems as part of the order.

No ruling has been made by Kent County officials regarding charging Busch with a crime as a result of an incident that took place at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway inside Busch's motorhome on Sept. 26 of last year. Driscoll has claimed that Busch grabbed her and smashed her head against a wall inside his motorhome. Busch denies the allegations, stating he cupped her cheeks but never smashed her head against the wall.

Busch testified in January that he believes Driscoll to be a trained assassin. Driscoll, the CEO of a defense contracting firm, has since denied these allegations.

Stewart Haas Racing officials have indicated that the team has a contingency plan in place should Busch be charged with a crime and be forced to miss Sunday's Daytona 500.

NASCAR later issued a statement saying they would await the full findings by county officials before making any decision about Busch's participation in NASCAR.

"NASCAR has been closely following the civil proceedings in Kent County (Del.) Family Court regarding driver Kurt Busch and therefore is aware of the court order issued today. We now await the full findings of the Commissioner and any actions by the Attorney General of Delaware related to the allegations against Busch," the statement read. "As we stated earlier, NASCAR fully recognizes the serious nature of this specific situation and the broader issue of domestic violence. We will continue to gather information and monitor this situation very closely, and we expect our members to conduct themselves properly."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/busch-ordered-to-stay-away-from-driscoll/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona 500: Who's Already In​*
*How The Daytona 500 Field Is Set*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/How-the-Daytona-500-Field-is-Set.aspx

Qualifying is over and the Budweiser Duel races have yet to be run but as of now here's who has already earned a spot in the Daytona 500.

The list and the circumstances are subject to change depending on the outcome of Thursday's twin 150-mile races, however these drivers can rest assured they have a starting spot in this year's edition of "The Great American Race."

*Front Row* 
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have no doubt been smiling since Sunday's group qualifying session ended knowing they will lead the field to green in the 500. Gordon scored his second career Daytona 500 pole and will be flanked by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson. The only thing that can be a fly in either's ointment would be if something happened to force an engine change or back-up car, in which they'd still be guaranteed a starting berth but forced to start at the rear of the field.

*In On Speed* 
When the checkered flag flies on Thursday's second Duel, positions 3 through 32 in the Daytona 500 will be determined by the finishing positions of both races. Moving on to the 33rd through 36th spots, those will come from the next four fastest speeds turned in Sunday's qualifying session. They belong to Aric Almirola (202.370 mph). Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (202.334 mph), Carl Edwards (202.315 mph) and Jamie McMurray (202.241 mph). Any of the quartet can move up the grid if they finish higher in their respective Duel race.

*In On Points* 
Provisionals based on last year's Sprint Cup owner points and those not yet locked into the race fill the 37th through 42nd starting berths. As of now Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth are in those spots. Gordon would have been in that mix but since he has won the pole the provisional goes to the next in line, which is Kenseth.

*Champion's Provisional* 
The most recent champion will fill the 43rd and final starting spot and that would be Tony Stewart, the 2011 Sprint Cup Series titlist.

*Must Race In* 
That leaves six drivers with only one option to make "The Great American Race" and that is to finish high enough in their Budweiser Duel to race their way to a berth. That group is Ryan Blaney, David Ragan, Michael Annett, Justin Marks, Ron Hornaday and Reed Sorenson, who tore up his primary car in group qualifying after his crash with Clint Bowyer but will have a back-up car in Daytona in time for Thursday's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/02/Daytona-500-Whos-Already-In.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rejuvenated Edwards Ready For The 500​*
After finishing third in the Sprint Unlimited and posting the third-fastest time in Sunday's group qualifying for the Daytona 500 qualifications the "Carl Edwards Rejuvenation Tour" has officially begun.

"I'm going to get T‑shirts made to say that," Edwards said after guaranteeing himself a starting position in next Sunday's 57th Daytona 500 - his first race with Joe Gibbs Racing. "I've had more fun this week. I did a thing with Darrell Waltrip Sunday morning. We talked about it. It's a new challenge. I feel like I'm starting over. Jack Roush brought me down here 12 years ago or something for my first truck race. I had all the anxiety and nerves. I feel that way right now.

"This is fun for me. I hope the result is good. For now, I'm really enjoying the process."

When team owner Joe Gibbs created a fourth team after signing Edwards last season he knew the talented driver would have to earn his way into the starting lineup for the Daytona 500. That meant the pressure was on Edwards to be fast enough in Sunday's group qualifying that he could lock in to one of the few starting positions based on speed.

The next step in Daytona's convoluted qualifying procedure is Thursday's Budweiser Daytona Duels - two 150-mile qualifying races that will determine the order of the starting grid.

"I was a little nervous to say the least," Edwards said. "We had not really talked about it much publicly. There were a lot of meetings and a lot of anxiety over the fact that we could possibly miss the Daytona 500. I think we've had four or five meetings trying to come up with a strategy for qualifying.

"To have the third fastest time of the day, I believe we are locked into the show, which is huge to say the least. With ARRIS coming on board in such a huge way, Stanley, it was going to be really tough to explain to them if we had trouble in the qualifiers.

"Now we can go out, be aggressive, have fun, try to start up front."

Without any team owner points and having to qualify on speed Edwards was able to accept the challenge by using speed and strategy to already get locked in to the starting lineup. Thursday night's race will determine where he starts.

"With this qualifying format, if you look at how everything came together, I think the realization or the understanding that this is how we were going to qualify, that's the point at which we all went, 'Whoa, this could go extremely bad,'" Edwards admitted. "From then on it's been, I mean, just a total mess of anxiety trying to figure out. It's a bunch of 'if thens.'

"If we would have qualified poorly or had a wreck Sunday, the qualifying race would have been different. If there was weather, what do we do? There were so many variables. This is all put to rest now, but, man, that was not fun to think about."

Edwards showed a cool head in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited as he avoided the mayhem to bring his Toyota to the checkered flag in one piece with a great finish.

"I would say I was a little more aggressive Saturday night just because I wanted to make sure I could get everything I could out of the car, find the edges of the box," he said. "I was cautious at the beginning. We avoided a couple of those wrecks. Towards the end I wanted to make sure I gave it everything I could. There's nothing better than starting out fast. Hopefully we can continue to do that.

"Since we are locked in then I can be more aggressive because I want to start up front in that 500. Now I can be more aggressive, not worrying about getting in a wreck, we'll still be in the show.

"Those qualifiers are going to be insane. If you're not locked in, it's so hard out there, I don't know how to explain it, and it's so hard sometimes.

"There's half of you screaming, 'Just go for it.' The other half says, 'Moron, slow down.'"

Edwards had an impressive career at Roush Fenway Racing but it was apparent last season that it was time to move on. He had a chance to move over to JGR and team up with Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.

Kenseth used to be his teammate at Roush Fenway; all three drivers have at one time or another had various issues with Edwards.

Now, they are happy teammates and the expectations are high for Edwards at JGR.

"So far my expectations, everyone at JGR and Toyota, everyone, they've exceeded my expectations," Edwards said. "It's been very good. We haven't raced a lot. I'm sure we'll have rough times just like everyone does. So far it's been great.

"I think the buildup of this team, the way everything is put together, the group of guys they put on that 19 car, I could not be happier with it. I'm having a good time."

Except for a test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year, Edwards has had limited time to work with crew chief Darian Grubb. NASCAR banned off-season testing so last Friday's Sprint Unlimited practice was important as well as the Sprint Unlimited race.

Edwards can enter Thursday's Duel as another opportunity to gain more experience with the team for the big race on Sunday.

"To me, racing is my livelihood," he said. "It's what I do. I have to go perform.

Honestly, it's been very stressful, a little bit scary at times with all of the new things. I feel like every time in the car I feel a little more comfortable - just the procedure for starting the car, the procedure for cooling the engine, the belts, the seat. Everything is different. The way Darian talks on the radio.

"Saturday night, we did a pit stop. He said, 'Dig, dig, dig.' I'm like, 'Who is he talking to?' I'm used to, 'Go, go, go.' I sat there like an idiot. Those things keep me awake at night.

"Every time I get in the car I get better. We'll balance things and I'll get better."

The next step in Edwards "Rejuvenation Tour" will be under the lights at Daytona in his Duel and it's an opportunity to continue to build his relationship with Grubb and his new crew.

"There are some things like the communication between Darian and I that I think we can work on," Edwards said. "The pit stops are going to be important. Not only is it a new pit crew to me but it's a new group working together. We talked about that a little bit Saturday night. We didn't get much opportunity to mess around with pit stops.

"As you know, the last pit stop can be huge in the Daytona 500. It will give us a chance with less pressure to work on all those things.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/rejuvenated-edwards-ready-for-the-500/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Whelen Modified Tours Add Contingencies​*
NASCAR and Hoosier Racing Tire, the exclusive tire supplier for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours, announced Tuesday an exciting new awards program that is sure to be a hit among the teams in both tours.

The Hoosier Lap Leader Award, Hoosier Fastest Lap Award, and Hoosier Most Improved Award will be presented at each event for both Modified tours throughout the season, with additional mid-year and year-end awards increasing the prize pool for eligible teams.

"There is no more passionate racing community than the teams, drivers, and fans associated with our Modified tours," said Brad Moran, NASCAR's managing director, touring series. "Our partners share that same passion, and these new awards further cement the position of the Whelen Modified and Southern Modified Tours as the premier short-track, open-wheeled racing league in North America."

NASCAR and Hoosier Racing Tire recently reached an agreement for Hoosier to continue as the exclusive tire supplier for NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour through 2019.

All three awards will be for each event in both tours. In the Whelen Modified Tour, the mid-year bonus for each award will be presented after the July 18 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

In the Whelen Southern Modified Tour, mid-year awards will be presented after the July 4 race at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, North Carolina.

· The Hoosier Lap Leader Award goes to the eligible car owner whose driver leads the most laps in each event. The mid-year and season end awards will be presented to the eligible car owner whose driver has led the most laps at those points in the season.

· The Hoosier Fastest Lap Award will be presented to the eligible car owner whose driver scores the fastest lap time in each event, with the mid-year bonus going to the owner whose driver has won the most per event awards. The season end award goes to the eligible owner whose driver wins the most per event awards during the course of the season.

· Eligible owners can win the Hoosier Most Improved Award if their driver improves the most positions during the course of each race. The mid-year award will go to the owner whose drivers secures the most per event awards, with the season end award presented to the owner whose driver wins the most per event awards for the season.

The Whelen Modified Tour kicks off the 2015 season with the Icebreaker 150 on April 12 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, Conn. The race will air on NBCSN on April 17. The Whelen Southern Modified Tour opens the season on March 14 at Caraway Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/whelen-modified-tours-add-contingencies/


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## Ckg2011

*3 Reasons Danica Can Nab Career Win No. 1 In The Daytona 500​*
th the Dayona 500 drawing closer, Danica Patrick is preparing for what she hopes will be her third appearance in the crown jewel of all NASCAR events.

While the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is not yet guaranteed a starting spot in the 43-car field, the odds are strongly in favor of her making the show -- and then being a factor in Sunday's 200-lap main event.

Here are three reasons why Patrick can nab her first career Sprint Cup Series victory in Sunday's 57th installment of The Great American Race.

*1. PAST DAYTONA SUCCESS*
Patrick has four career top-10 finishes in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. Two have come at Daytona.

The first came at the 2013 Daytona 500, where Patrick made history by becoming the first woman to win the pole for the sport's biggest race. Then, the rookie driver made history in the race, by becoming the first woman to lead NASCAR's most prestigious event.

She went on to finish an impressive eighth -- and later matched that result in last July's showdown at The World Center of Racing.

Understandably, there is no track where Patrick is more comfortable or confident than the 2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval in Central Florida.

And certainly there is no race she wants to win more than the Daytona 500.

Given her past success at Daytona, does she anticipate this race more than any other on the entire schedule?

"It's sure one of them, but I think it also has to do with the fact that it's the biggest race of the year," said Patrick, who made her Sprint Cup Series debut at the 2012 Daytona 500. "Anything can happen at Daytona, so it makes it an exciting race, but it also can be frustrating, too, and I think that's why it's probably exciting for every driver to go to Daytona on some level because, I guess, I equate it to almost like the Indy 500. It's so long that there are a lot of cycles that could have put you in the right place to win the race."

*2. DAYTONA LOVES CINDERELLAS*
Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500, in particular, have produced some of NASCAR's biggest upsets and greatest Cinderella stories through the years.

Remember in 1990 when unheralded Derrike Cope took advantage of a Dale Earnhardt mishap to grab the win after snatching the lead from The Intimidator going into the race's final turn?

Or who can forget Trevor Bayne -- at the tender age of 20 and making only his second career Sprint Cup Series start -- taking the fabled Wood Brothers team to Victory Lane in the 2011 Daytona 500?

A more recent surprise came just last season when rookie Austin Dillon captured the pole for the 500 -- a year after Patrick did the same as a Sprint Cup rookie.

Simply put, the Daytona 500 has a rich history of producing surprises and storylines that Hollywood's best couldn't script.

A Danica win on Sunday would certainly fall into that category.

*3. PLATES, PLATES*
Four times each season there's a race that literally just about anyone in the 43-car field can win. Those races are the two races at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, respectively, where horsepower-choking restrictor plates keep drivers bunched in tight packs from the drop of the green flag until the checkered flag waves.

Forget experience, forget equipment. It pretty much all goes out the window at Daytona and Talladega, where it's more about getting the right push from the right drafting partner at the right time than having the best car or being the best driver.

With the plates being the great equalizer, it's always possible for someone like Patrick -- whose open-wheel background still puts her behind the curve at most tracks -- to sneak in and steal a victory.

Case in point: In two seasons as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Patrick has led a total of 20 laps. All 20 have come at Daytona or Talladega.

No wonder she believes she has a legitimate shot to win the Daytona 500.

"I feel like Daytona is one of those races that, given the right flow through the pack, you could be the one up front to win the race," Patrick said.

"I'm sure there are a lot of people who get excited about going there but also get a little bit, I don't know, uncomfortable. I doubt people are scared, but you could equally fail and not have a great race. You could be running great and finish 20th. That's just what happens at Daytona."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...n-score-career-win-no-1-in-daytona-500-021715


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Tweaks Daytona Qualifying​*
In light of the Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR announced adjustments for the upcoming qualifying sessions for the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Instead of two, the qualifying field will be split up into four groups for the opening round and will have two-and-a-half minutes (instead of five) for each to qualify. There will be a 3 minute break in-between each group and the grouping for Round 1 will be set by a random draw.








Also, NASCAR will now stage the cars, or trucks, in a single-file line on pit road before the clock starts. Once the driver pulls the car, or truck, out of line they must leave pit road.

"We continue to work in collaboration with the industry to implement the most exciting and competitive qualifying format, especially as it relates to superspeedways," NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said. "As a result, we have made a few adjustments to the format for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series events later this week at Daytona."

NASCAR will continue to review the qualifying format for future superspeedway events.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/NASCAR-Tweaks-Daytona-Qualifying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Daytona Remains Prestigious​*
They don't call it "The Great American Race" for nothing.

Since 1959, NASCAR has held its biggest race of the year at Daytona International Speedway. While it didn't always begin the season, the "500" has always been and always will be the biggest race in the stock car world.

When "Big Bill" France opened the gates of his masterpiece for that 1959 race, he moved NASCAR from a niche sport to a national spectacle in one fell swoop. Suddenly, a bunch of outlaws that were corralled by France when he created NASCAR in 1949 weren't performing in the back room any longer - or, in this case, on the sands of the beach about 10 miles to the east.

They were on the main stage, transformed from stock car racing's lounge singers to Sinatra in the blink of an eye.

There were years when the NASCAR schedule did not begin at Daytona. Trips to Southern California and historic Riverside Raceway preceded the annual winter pilgrimage to Florida. But since 1982, the Daytona 500 has ushered in a brand new NASCAR season with the sport's biggest and best-known race.

There are other crown jewels on the Sprint Cup Series schedule, to be sure. The Bojangles' Southern 500, affectionately known as "The granddaddy of them all" since Darlington Raceway opened in 1950, has a rich tradition that rightfully returns to its Labor Day weekend home this year.

The Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR's longest race, is a grueling test of man and machine that's been a Memorial Day weekend staple in Charlotte, N.C., since the early 1960s. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a storied history and winning the Brickyard 400 there remains high on every driver's list of career goals.

With the new post-season Chase format, The Championship 4 season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway has added significance. The champion is crowned in South Florida in the winner-take-all system, so there's a new level of prestige to that race.

Although Kevin Harvick delivered the ultimate "walk-off" last year in the inaugural season of the revamped Chase format, winning the race at Homestead won't always mean taking home the championship trophy. There may be years when the driver celebrating in Victory Lane is not hoisting the Sprint Cup trophy.

The spotlight will now shine brightly on Homestead-Miami Speedway, to be sure, with the season's final race elevated in importance.

But nothing beats the Daytona 500 as NASCAR's premier race. Cars, drivers, teams, engines and even the rules change, but the aura of the Daytona 500 will always be something to savor.

Even if, in 50 years, "Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr." wins the 2065 edition of the Daytona 500 in an electric car ... or even one that flies, he will - like the many drivers before him - always be known as a winner of "The Great American Race."

It is the most prestigious race in NASCAR.

_The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/02/Opinion-Daytona-Remains-Prestigious.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Back-Up Car For Patrick​*
Danica Patrick will go to a back-up car after being involved in a four-car accident in practice Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway.

Patrick, Denny Hamlin, Michael Annett and Jeb Burton were all involved in the accident with Patrick's car taking the brunt of the damage.

"I guess I'll take the blame, but I was going through the middle and in practice you can't make those aggressive moves, you want to protect your car," Hamlin said. "I went through the middle and it was really wide but it closed as soon as I got beside her, the lane closed and it knocked me into the 26."

Patrick gave her view of what happened.

"Riding along and it turned," Patrick said. "It's the nature of pack racing...That's the gamble. Makes it exciting and frustrating."

Annett and Burton will also go to back-up cars.






*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/02/Back-Up-Car-For-Danica-Patrick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*What Pressure? Greg Ives Embraces Life As Dale Earnhardt Jr. Crew Chief​*
This is a big week for Greg Ives. In terms of his professional career, it's safe to say the 35-year-old native of Bark River, Mich., has probably never had a bigger one.

This week, Ives is experiencing his first real taste of the spotlight that comes with being the crew chief for NASCAR's perennially most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Appointed by team owner Rick Hendrick to replace Steve Letarte atop the No. 88 pit box for the 2015 season, Ives is not only adjusting to a position that is one of the most pressure packed in all of NASCAR; he also has the unenviable task of succeeding a crew chief widely considered responsible for bringing Earnhardt's career back from the dead over the past four seasons.

Shortly after Letarte announced in early 2014 his plans to leave Hendrick Motorsports and Earnhardt at season's end for an opportunity to enter the broadcast booth at NBC Sports, it became vividly clear to practically everyone involved -- most importantly, Rick Hendrick, Earnhardt and Letarte himself -- that Ives was the man for the job.

An engineering graduate of Michigan Technological University, Ives had joined Hendrick Motorsports as a mechanic in 2004 and later became the lead engineer on Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 team where he worked with crew chief Chad Knaus to help Johnson win a record five consecutive Sprint Cup championships from 2006-2010.

Ives transitioned out of Hendrick in November 2012 to become the crew chief for NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Regan Smith the following season at JR Motorsports, the company that Earnhardt co-owns in partnership with Rick Hendrick. Over two full seasons as a JR Motorsports crew chief, Ives guided Smith to a third-place points finish and then led rookie Chase Elliott to a three-win season capped by a championship.

So when the time came to name a replacement for Letarte at Hendrick, the decision wasn't particularly difficult.

"Greg was our No. 1 choice," Hendrick said. "This is a talented guy who already has a terrific rapport with Dale Jr. and is a fit with the organization. He and Chad had a lot of success together, and all of our crew chiefs think the world of him and what he's accomplished. Greg's proven that he can win races, and he has all the tools to do big things."

While Ives has a more head-down, quiet, engineer-type personality that he admits is much different from the ultra-gregarious, fast-talking Letarte, the two men share at least one important trait.

Just as Letarte never seemed fazed by the inevitably intense scrutiny and extra demands of being the crew chief for the sport's now 12-time most popular driver, Ives likewise shows no signs of letting the pressure get to him.

"I think he's got a tough mental attitude," Earnhardt said. "I think that he focuses real hard on his work, and I don't think he really will be too affected by anything on the outside. It will be interesting â&#128;&#145;â&#128;&#145; I just look forward to getting in there and seeing how we communicate. ... I feel like we're kind of starting from scratch here at Daytona and trying to build that communication and trust and starting to understand how we can talk and communicate and work together. That's going to be real important for us."

As for all the extra attention that comes with making pit calls for a driver whose popularity even transcends the sport, Ives doesn't plan on being bothered by any of it. That's just not his personality.

"If you go into the job thinking that your driver puts more pressure on you than another, then you are not really focused on the job at hand," he said.

"The job I interviewed for when I started racing at 5 years old was winning races. It didn't matter if I was in the car, my brother, my nephew and now these big famous names like Regan Smith, Chase, Jimmie and Dale. My focus is not on who is driving my cars, but how they perform when they do it."

Ives, of course, would like nothing better than to begin his first season with Earnhardt the way Letarte began his last one -- celebrating in Victory Lane at the Daytona 500.

"To be able to that two years in a row for him is something that would be great for him as a driver, for Mr. Hendrick as his team owner and for me as his crew chief," Ives said.

But more importantly than that, Ives wants to help Earnhardt ascend NASCAR's highest mountain by finally winning a Sprint Cup Series championship while time still remains to do it. At age 40, Earnhardt likely has fewer driving days ahead of him than he does behind him. Cognizant of this, Ives believes there's no time to relax and ease into their relationship.

"It just means that I've got to stay aggressive," he said. "I've got to stay true to the roots that got me where I am right now. That's the conversation we had in the offseason. My job is to be aggressive, to get you out of your comfort zone, to make you do things that you're not wanting to necessarily do all the time, or have feels that you never felt before (with the car). That's my job to make that happen."

At the same time, Ives doesn't want to get so focused on the big picture that he loses sight of his primary responsibility: making Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet go fast.

"As far as his career, I don't focus on that," Ives said. "I focus on what we can do today to make our cars better for tomorrow, and the more I try to look forward to Homestead or four years from now, I'm just going to miss out on opportunities to make things happen for me now."

Ives has considered the very real possibility that he could be Earnhardt's last crew chief in NASCAR's top series, however.

"I'm looking forward to being his last crew chief and him retiring after four championships," Ives said.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...s-life-as-dale-earnhardt-jr-crew-chief-021815


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Sr. Remembered​*
Fourteen years ago today NASCAR lost the Intimidator Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. winning the 1998 Daytona 500 finally.






*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Takes First Duel​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6754&StatType=Race+Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the checkered flag in the first Budweiser Duel at Daytona International Speedway.

Earnhardt held off Daytona 500 pole-sitter Jeff Gordon to score the victory in the opening 150-mile race of the night.

"TJ Majors deserves a ton of credit," Earnhardt said as he gave credit to hit spotter during the Victory Lane celebration. "Gave me the information I needed to make the moves I needed.

"We have such a strong car and that showed tonight for sure. Just always great to win at Daytona and looking forward to getting to Sunday and trying to get another Daytona 500 win."

The win was the first for Earnhardt with new crew chief Greg Ives, who took over from Steve Letarte on the No. 88 car this season.

"It's going to give him some confidence," Earnhardt said. "They should be real proud of the car they built. When you come down here, you have to drive the thing a little bit but you depend on the car so much. The car is a bigger part of the equation."

Joey Logano, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top five.

Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Landon Cassill and Cole Whitt completed the first 10 finishers.

Several drivers that needed good finishes to secure a spot in Sunday's Daytona 500 did just that in the first Duel race: Cassill, Whitt, Michael McDowell (12th), JJ Yeley (13th), Michael Annett (14th) and Ty Dillon (16th).

"It means so much," said Dillon, who battled a broken shifter in the closing laps of the race. "It's hard to explain. I've been coming here since I was a kid watching my grandfather's cars race."

Two drivers failed to make the 500: Ron Hornaday and Justin Marks.

The first race featured some fireworks and challenges for drivers including Casey Mears, who exited on lap 17 with a blown engine.

AJ Allmendinger made contact with Johnny Sauter as the duo raced down the front stretch on lap 28. Sauter slid through the infield grass while Allmendinger exited the race with a battered car.

"I was just riding along, minding my own business, and the 47 (Allmendinger) just got us there in the left rear quarter panel," Sauter said. "It's just a bummer deal. It's unfortunate. We'll just see what plays out and see if we can get through."

Allmedinger took the blame for the frustrating incident.

"Just disappointed," Allmendinger said. "We were fast. It was fun running up front. I just got stuck in the middle there. I don't know if I moved up there and got the 83 (Sauter) or what happened. If I did, it's my fault. I was trying to stay out of trouble, and I got put in the middle. I was trying to bail out of the middle. I don't want to be there. If I got the 83; that's my bad. That's the way this racing is."

It was also an early departure from the race for Trevor Bayne, who made contact with Kyle Larson when he lost control racing through turn three before driving hard into the outside retaining wall.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/02/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Takes-First-Duel.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Second Duel to Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson stayed ahead of the field to win Thursday's second Budweiser Duel at Daytona International Speedway.

Johnson joined his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a winner of Thursday's twin 150-mile races that determined the starting line-up for Sunday's Daytona 500.

"It's a special night," said Johnson. "What a race car. That car is mad first. I'm stoked for my teammate (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) to win the first duel. We won the second, and Jeff (Gordon) and I have the front row locked down. It's been an awesome week for all our Hendrick Motorsports cars."

Kyle Busch, who led early Thursday but was penalized for speeding on pit road, came back to finish second.

Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top five.

Ryan Blaney, Reed Sorenson, Mike Wallace, Justin Allgaier and Danica Patrick completed the top ten finishers.

Patrick's tenth place finish capped a dramatic night for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver who appeared knocked out of the Daytona 500 field when she was involved in an accident with Denny Hamlin.

Patrick's crew was able to get her car repaired after the incident and she drove up to the top-10 in the overtime finish to secure her spot in "The Great American Race."

Patrick and Hamlin were engaged in a heated and emotional conversation on pit road following the race and had very different views about what transpired.

"I have no explanation for that," Patrick said. "I am confident other cars get very close and things like that don't happen.

"Done thousands of miles of this speedway racing now and I haven't found that to be a problem. So I just think that he's wrong. I think that he's too close. I think that he's taking the air and getting it off the spoiler, and he's not squared up either. That's also part of the problem. I don't know. Maybe he likes my left rear."

She wasn't the only driver to race her way into the field. David Ragan was involved in an early accident and his chances to make the race looked bleak. But the Front Row Motorsports team was able to get his Ford back on track and he was able to move up in the running order far enough that when the checkered flag flew he was in Sunday's race.

Blaney, Wallace and Allgaier also were able to punch their ticket into Sunday's race.

A number of drivers had their dreams of making the 500 end after accidents including Jeb Burton, Alex Bowman and Brian Scott.

Josh Wise had problems with his car just after the command to start engines was given and was pushed to the garage before the green flag even flew.

Sprint Cup Series teams will now have a pair of practice sessions on Friday to dial in their cars for the Daytona 500.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Second-Budweiser-Duel-to-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick And Hamlin Tangle​*
Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin got together in Thursday's second Budweiser Duel race to spark an emotional confrontation between the two drivers.

The nightcap of the 150-mile qualifying race doubleheader was winding down as Patrick made a furious charge to secure a finishing position high enough to secure a berth in the Daytona 500.

Patrick's car spun with Hamlin behind her and it triggered a multi-car accident.

While Patrick was able to get back on track after repairs and eventually finish 10th to make the Daytona 500, she was not happy with the turn of events and a tangle with Hamlin for a second day in a row.

"Denny wrecked me again," Patrick said on her in car radio communication.

The two confronted each other on pit road for a lengthy and emotional looking conversation afterward before Patrick visited the track's media center to share her thoughts.

"It feels like the back gets lifted up and comes around," Patrick described. "It didn't feel quite as dramatic yesterday in practice. But the same sort of thing.

"Yesterday when he went to pull down low, it just pulled my bumper around, but it tracked around, I was loose. Then it spun and wrecked, we go on to the next car. The same thing. Something similar happens tonight where I look in my rearview mirror and he's tight up behind me. I can see he's staggered to my left rear, the car gets really light and spins around. Same thing."

As for what Hamlin said to her on pit road, Patrick summed things up briefly.

"When we had a little chat afterwards, he told me my car was too loose, so...that was his explanation for why the car spun," she said.

Hamlin gave his perspective of what happened.

"I was just trying to get - push her - and get close, but I didn't - no contact made her spin," he explained. "I just said, 'You've got to tighten her car up.' I can't predict who has a loose setup or not. I mean, we're superspeedway racing. I treat her as equal as anyone on the racetrack. She deserves her spot here, but you have to be able to run close to somebody on a superspeedway."

Patrick's team co-owner Tony Stewart came to join to the duo on pit road while they were discussing the incident after the race.

"I've got a great relationship with both of them (Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart)," Hamlin said. "Danica is one of my better friends in this garage and Tony is too. They know I've got no intentions with those guys. That whole team - I've got a great relationship with them. Trust me, I'm sitting there shaking my head when she spun out, but there's nothing you can do."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Danica-Patrick-and-Denny-Hamlin-Tangle.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Underdogs Race Into 500​*
A number of drivers needed to race their way into the Daytona 500 in Thursday's Budweiser Duel and accomplished the goal.

In the opening 150-mile qualifying race JJ Yeley, Michael Annett, Cole Whitt, Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon all finished well enough to punch their ticket to "The Great American Race."

Cassill's ninth-place performance got the Mike Hillman owned organization into the biggest race of the season.

"It's extremely emotional," Cassill said. "My team works really hard on our superspeedway cars. I've talked to a lot of you guys over the last years. You've seen our performances at superspeedways. It's really where we put all of our resources.

"It's exciting at the rest of the races, but when you come to the Daytona 500, we have to race our way in. It's our second year in a row doing that. I'm extremely proud of it."

McDowell's 12th-place finish secured a spot in the 500 for the upstart Leavine Family Racing team and provides a huge shot in the arm at the start of the season.

"It's such a huge race," McDowell said. "It's hard to put in perspective what this means to a race team, especially a small race team like this. For us, this is a big deal. This is as big as winning the Daytona 500, just getting into it because of what it means for our partners and what it means for our race team."

The day's second race also had its share of Cinderella stories. Ryan Blaney will make his first career Daytona 500 start after bringing the Wood Brothers Ford home in a transfer spot.

"It's just cool to be with the Wood Brothers and say we're racing Sunday," Blaney said. "I try not to get too worked up before races. I tried to play it cool before I sat in the car. Then you get nervous during pace laps. It's just kind of nice to have all that go away."

On Sunday Reed Sorenson was in a controversial accident with Clint Bowyer during group qualifying for the Daytona 500. His Team Xtreme Racing group had to scramble to get a back-up car together in Charlotte and down to Daytona.

They were successful in doing so and Sorenson drove the car home to a seventh-place finish Thursday night to move into the 500.

"I'm real proud of these guys," Sorenson said. "Monday morning, we didn't know if it would be possible to pull it off. But we did. I'm extremely happy for all the guys back in Charlotte that worked on this car and all the work these guys had to do when they got here.

"They had a lot left and did an awesome job putting it together. It's a big deal for a team like this to make the Daytona 500. I'm proud of everyone, and now we can have fun. We have nothing to lose in the race and we're gonna give it all we've got."

Justin Allgaier and Mike Wallace also had finishes in race number two that were good enough to get them into Sunday's big event.

But maybe the biggest comeback story belonged to David Ragan, who had his points from last year given to new teammate Cole Whitt and was forced to race to a Daytona 500 starting berth.

Ragan was involved in an early race incident in Thursday night's second race when he was clipped and slid into the inside retaining wall collecting damage to the rear of his car.

But the No. 34 team persevered and Ragan somehow found himself high enough in the finishing order to move on to Sunday.

"I can't describe the emotions that went through that 60 lap race," Ragan said. "Early on I didn't think that we were going to have an opportunity to get on the lead lap. I didn't know how our car was going to handle because it had damage.

"It felt like a win. This is a great feeling just to get to the Daytona 500 because I know we can work on our car and have a good strategy and run well in the 500. We could have a chance to win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/02/Underdogs-Race-Into-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*2015 Budweiser Duel Crashes​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Appeals Ruling​*
Kurt Busch is appealing the protective order ruling granted earlier this week to his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.

Busch legal team filed a motion on Thursday in Kent County (Del.) Family Court to reopen the case that led to the protective order that was issued against him earlier this week.

Busch attorney Rusty Hardin filed documents claiming personal acquaintances have come forward since the ruling that strengthens their perjury claims during Driscoll's testimony.

The team also claim Driscoll's "media onslaught of the last 48 hours" in conjunction with Daytona 500 events this week during Speedweeks proves she's intent on "ruining the career and reputation of the man who left her."

There is also a petition filed with the Attorney General to open a witness-tampering case against Driscoll.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/02/Kurt-Busch-Appeals-Ruling.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*2015 Daytona 500 Starting Lineup​*
*T*he Budweiser Duels are over and the field has been set for the 57th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Here's a full rundown of the 43-car starting grid for The Great American Race, which begins Sunday at noon ET on FOX.








*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/daytona-500-starting-lineup-021915


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kurt Busch Suspended By NASCAR​*
NASCAR has indefinitely suspended Kurt Busch after a Kent County (Del.) Family Court commissioner issued his opinion linking the driver to domestic violence acts that were allegedly committed by Busch against his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.

  The incident took place last September in Dover, Delaware and Driscoll was granted a protective order against Busch earlier this week. Although Busch has not been charged with any criminal behavior, NASCAR suspended Busch on Friday with the Daytona 500 scheduled two days away.

  Sources report XFINITY Series driver Regan Smith is expected to replace Busch in Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 41 Chevrolet in Sunday's race.

NASCAR issued a statement on Friday that read:

"Given the serious nature of the findings and the conclusions made by the Commissioner of the Family Court of the State of Delaware. NASCAR has indefinitely suspended driver Kurt Busch, effective immediately. He will not be allowed to race nor participate in any NASCAR activities until further notice

"Kurt Busch and the Stewart-Haas Racing team are fully aware of our position and why this decision was made. We will continue to respect the process and timetable of the authorities involved."

Early Friday evening NASCAR Vice President Steve O'Donnell addressed the media at Daytona Int'l Speedway and said Busch has the right to appeal and if so the sanctioning body would expedite that process.

"NASCAR has made it very clear to our entire membership and the broader industry that any actions of abuse will not be tolerated in the industry," O'Donnell said. "I want to make it clear that any inference that there is a culture or tolerance for this type of behavior is patently false."

Joe Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing executive vice president, released a statement regarding the situation:

"We understand NASCAR's position regarding Kurt Busch and accept their decision. We are in the midst of finalizing our plans for the Daytona 500 and we will announce those details as soon as we're ready."

Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President of Motorsports and Performance Vehicles, also issued a statement suspending the manufacturer's association with Busch:

"Chevrolet has suspended its relationship with Kurt Busch indefinitely. We will continue to monitor the events surrounding Mr. Busch and are prepared to take additional action if necessary."

The order from Kent County (Del.) Family Court commissioner David Jones found "by a preponderance of the evidence" that Busch committed an act of domestic violence against Driscoll. Among the descriptions in the text of the written opinion is that Jones believed Busch "manually strangled" Driscoll in the incident that took place in his motorhome last September. Jones believed there was "substantial likelihood" Busch could commit similar future actions.

However, Driscoll provided "false testimony" during the December and January hearings according to the commissioner. But Jones believed there was enough independent evidence to support Driscoll's claim.

The incident has been investigated by Dover (Del.) Police Department and those findings were sent to the Delaware Attorney General. There has yet to be a decision on any criminal charges to be filed against Busch.

The episode is the latest chapter in Busch's controversial career.

Most recently he was by NASCAR for one race in 2012 for threatening reporter Bob Pockrass after a then-Nationwide Series race at Dover.

In 2011 he lost his ride with Team Penske when he was fined $50,000 for directing a profanity and using an obscene gesture at ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Roush Fenway Racing also fired Busch in November of 2005 after he was charged in an alcohol-related incident during the Phoenix Int'l Raceway weekend.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Busch-Indefinitely-Suspended-by-NASCAR.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Reddick Wins Trucks Opener​*
Tyler Reddick scored his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win Friday night in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

It was the 19-year-old Reddick's breakthrough win in his 18th career series start. Reddick led five times for 46 laps, including the final 33, to become the fourth driver to score his first series win at Daytona.

"Man that was so much fun and such a thrill to win here in Daytona," Reddick said after giving Brad Keselowski Racing the victory. "Can't say enough about this team and the opportunity to drive these trucks. What a great way to start the year standing here in Victory Lane at Daytona."

Erik Jones made a power move as the field raced to the checkered flag and was able to score a second place finish for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

"It's unfortunate to finish second any day," Jones said. "But it's a good run for us. We just wanted to come in here and have a good day, solid day to start off the year. Didn't want to get caught up in anything. Accomplished that goal thoroughly."

Scott Lagasse Jr., Austin Theriault and Ray Black rounded out the top five.

"Thought we would have a shot at it," Lagasse said. "I knew we had a really good piece. NTS built a great truck and brought it, have been a lot of fun to work with. Thought we had one there. Had him backed up, had a run. When I pulled out, the nose beat in, it kind of stalled out. Definitely happy, though."

David Gilliland, , Bryan Silas, Matt Crafton, Daniel Suarez and Johnny Sauter completed the first 10 finishers.

The race included a pair of multi-truck accidents that wound up knocking out ten competitors.

On lap 14 Austin Hill has a tire go down and triggered a chain reaction accident behind him that swept up Donnie Neuenberger, Ben Kennedy, Joe Nemechek, Justin Boston and others.

Lap 49 saw another melee break out this time when Kennedy was slow at the top of the track in turn three and the field behind him stacked up. John Wes Townley took a huge hit from several trucks and went hard into the outside retaining wall with Cameron Hayley, Daniel Hemric, James Buescher and Sauter all piling into the accident.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Saturday, February 28th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-NextEra-Energy-Resources-250-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reed Races to First Win​*
Ryan Reed scored his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory in Saturday's Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway.

Reed made a daring move to the inside of Brad Keselowski racing through turn three to take the lead and held on to give team owner Jack Roush his first XFINITY Series win at Daytona.

Reed won in his 40th career series start.

"This is just unbelievable," said a jubilant Reed. "To win here at Daytona and for it to be my first career win in this series is just an incredible dream. I can't say enough about Jack Roush and this whole team for giving me this opportunity. We just won Daytona!"

It turned out to be a 1-2 finish for Roush Fenway Racing as Chris Buescher followed Reed across the finish line by 0.089 seconds.

"Just trying to stay out of trouble, there was a lot of it," Buescher said. "We barely got out of it. I think we ended up, me and Ty (Dillon), at one point getting through one of those last ones. It was a melee, a lot of torn up equipment.

"Just happy we could get out of it. Happy for Ryan to get his first win.

Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon and then Keselowski rounded out the top five.

David Starr, Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain and Dale Earnhardt Jr. completed the first ten finishers.

The race had a number of multi-car crashes including one late in the race that sent Kyle Busch to a local hospital for evaluation. Busch made contact with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Eric Jones triggering a chain reaction accident that collected Kyle Larson and others.

Busch's car slid through the infield grass and made hard contact with the inside wall. Safety crew were on the scene quickly as Busch climbed from his car but he was placed on a stretcher and treated for a right leg injury. He was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Also involved in the crash were Chase Elliott, Jones, Elliott Sadler, Bubba Wallace and Brendan Gaughan.

Defending race winner Regan Smith was the centerpiece of an earlier multi-car accident that broke out on the front stretch and necessitated a 24 minutes and 45 seconds red flag.

Larson made contact with rookie Daniel Suarez, who was two laps down at the time, and the pack stacked up behind them with 12 cars getting involved in the accident before it was over.

Smith's car rolled over and was hit several times before finally coming to rest in the infield grass. The JR Motorsports driver actually tried to refire his car and drive away but could not finally climbing from his battered machine.

"I saw the 18 (Suarez) wrecking and then wrecking again and then wrecking a third time, and there really was nowhere I could go," Smith said. "I was low as I can get right there and he saved it, saved it, saved it and I knew I was in trouble.

" ... I do know he was two laps down and in that situation you are not going to get up there and get a Lucky Dog or anything so it probably would have been cool to hang out in the back and let us stay up there and race the way we were racing. We'll talk to him and see what the deal was."

Others that were tallied up in the incident included Elliott, Austin Dillon, Gaughan, Jeff Green, Chad Boat, John Wes Townley, Justin Marks, Ryan Sieg and David Starr.

There were 24 lead changes among nine different drivers. In addition to the two red flags there were four cautions for 17 laps.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/02/Ryan-Reed-Races-to-First-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kyle Busch Out of Daytona 500​*
Kyle Busch will miss the Daytona 500 after suffering a leg injury in an accident during Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch was treated trackside following the incident and then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and further treatment.

He was reported to be awake and alert but Joe Gibbs Racing announced early Saturday night he would not start Sunday's Daytona 500.

A replacement driver has not yet been named.

Stay with MRN.com for more details on this story as it develops.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Kyle-Busch-Out-of-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Appeal Denied​*
NASCAR upheld its indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch after an appeals hearing Saturday afternoon.

A three-member panel upheld NASCAR's decision to suspend the driver in the aftermath of a ruling by Kent County (Delaware) Commissioner David Jones "it is more likely than not" that Busch "committed an act of abuse" against former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll during a dispute on Sept. 26, 2014, at Dover International Speedway.

The panel consisted of the following three individuals; Paul Brooks, Lyn St. James, Kevin Whitaker. Representing NASCAR was Jim Cassidy, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations.

Busch has the right to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Officer, Mr. Bryan Moss. That will take place this evening at the International Motorsports Center in Daytona.

"In the end we are confident that Kurt will be vindicated and he will be back racing," said Busch attorney Rusty Hardin in a statement.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/02/Kurt-Busch-Appeal-Denied.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Super Sub Smith​*
Regan Smith once again has gotten the call to fill-in for a Sprint Cup Series team.

The JR Motorsports XFINITY Series driver has been tabbed by Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet in the Daytona 500 in place of the suspended Kurt Busch.

"I'd say anytime you have a chance to hop in a car that's fast and more than capable of winning races, you always have an opportunity to showcase your talent," Smith said Saturday in the Daytona Int'l Speedway media center. "You have to think that way. I absolutely think we have a shot to win this race."

It will mark Smith's third high-profile sub assignment in recent years. He took the wheel for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2012 when he was sidelined with a concussion. Last year Smith filled in for Tony Stewart when he stepped away in the aftermath of his involvement in the sprint car crash that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr.

Now Smith gets the call to slide in for Busch, who was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR on Friday dues to allegations of domestic violence in his case with ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.

"I don't think anybody wants to be in the scenario where you have to sub under circumstances, whatever they may be," Smith said. "That said, if it happens, you want to make the most of that opportunity.

"A lot of people have had their hands on that race car, have worked hard on that race car and they deserve to still have the opportunity to go out and win that race, and that's what we're going to try to do."

Smith suddenly has a double duty weekend as he adds "The Great American Race" to his weekend schedule that also includes his quest for a second straight XFINITY Series season-opening victory in Saturday's Florida Alert Today 300.

"There are different things to worry about with the Cup car as compared to the Xfinity car," said Smith, who returns with Chase Elliott as a full-time XFINITY Series driver for JR Motorsports again in 2015. "It might take 15 to 20 laps to understand where (the cars) jump sideways. The situations should be similar, outside of that, and I anticipate it being relatively seamless."

Just to complicate matters even more, Smith is on baby watch as his wife is expecting literally any minute.

"I asked her to keep her legs crossed as long as she can if she goes into labor," Smith said. "We'll do what we can."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Set-to-Sub-for-Kurt-Busch-in-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Daytona To Add SAFER Barriers​*
Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR committed to adding more SAFER Barriers in the aftermath of Kyle Busch's injury in Saturday's XFINITY Series season opener.

Track president Joie Chitwood and NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell held a press conference Saturday night and addressed the accident that sent Busch to a local hospital with a leg injury that will keep him out of Sunday's Daytona 500.

"We have to fix this right now,'' Chitwood said. "Finances don't come into play. We're going to get this fixed.

"The Daytona International Speedway did not live up to its responsibility today. We should have had a SAFER barrier there today, we did not. We're going to fix that. We're going to fix that right now."

Busch slide through the infield grass and into an inside turn one wall that does not have a SAFER Barrier. Chitwood said crews would work overnight to install tire packs to protect that wall for Sunday's Daytona 500.

"We've got the team out tonight," Chitwood explained. "We're going to install tire packs along that 850 foot linear square feet of wall, so we're ready to go racing tomorrow. Following that, the Daytona International Speedway is going to install SAFER barrier on every inch at this property. This is not going to happen again. We're going to live up to our responsibility. We're going to fix this and it starts right now."

O'Donnell added NASCAR's responsibility in the matter and vowed to work closely with Daytona on the addition of more SAFER Barriers.

"As Joie said, from our perspective, what happened tonight should not have happened," O'Donnell said. "That's on us. We're going to fix it. We're going to fix it immediately. I think you heard from Joie where we stand from Daytona.

"I think we all know that racing is an inherently dangerous sport, but our priority is safety and we'll continue to put things in place that make this sport as safe as possible."

O'Donnell added NASCAR is in constant communication with other tracks on the installation of SAFER Barriers.

"We always have those conversations with the racetracks," he said. "The racetracks know that and work together with us on the SAFER barrier recommendations.

"What we've said here tonight is we will accelerate those talks with the tracks. We want this sport to be as safe as possible for not only our drivers, but everyone who participates in the sport and the race fans as well."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Daytona-to-Add-SAFER-Barriers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Matt Crafton Will Drive JGR No.18 Toyota​*
Just announced by Joe Gibbs Racing that Truck Series driver Matt Crafton will drive Kyle Busch's No.18 Crispy M&M's Toyota in tomorrow's Daytona 500.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kurt Busch's Second Appeal Denied​*
Kurt Busch will not drive in Sunday's Daytona 500. The question is when will he drive in NASCAR again.

Bryan Moss, the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, refused to overturn NASCAR's suspension of Busch on Saturday night. Moss' decision is final and cannot be appealed within NASCAR's jurisdiction.

"We are unhappy with the latest decision to deny our re-appeal, but we will continue to exhaust every procedural and legal remedy we have available to us until Kurt Busch is vindicated,'' Busch's attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement. "Along the way we intend to continue to call attention to the facts and witnesses that will shed light on Ms. Driscoll's true character, motivations and history.

There is no prescribed program to return from such a suspension, leaving questions of if and when Busch, the 2004 series champion, will be allowed to race again in NASCAR.

Regan Smith will drive Busch's car in Sunday's Daytona 500. Smith will start at the rear because of the driver change. Stewart-Haas Racing has not made an announcement on who will drive the car after this weekend.

Earlier Saturday, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel denied Busch's request to rescind his suspension. Serving on the three-member panel were former NASCAR executive Paul Brooks, former driver Lyn St. James, and Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway owner Kevin Whitaker. NASCAR no longer reveals the panel's vote total.

NASCAR indefinitely suspended Busch on Friday, a few hours after a Kent County (Del.) Family Court Commissioner concluded that "it is more likely than not'' that Busch committed an act of domestic abuse against his ex-girlfriend in September.

NASCAR ruled Busch was in violation of:

Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing.

Section 12.8: Behavior Penalty

The Behavior Penalty states that those in NASCAR have certain responsibilities and obligations. Those include: "Correct and proper conduct, both on and off the race track." NASCAR also notes in its Rule Book that "a Member's actions can reflect upon the sport as a whole and on other NASCAR members."

Busch's ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, sought a protective order, alleging that Busch slammed her head against the wall in his motor home three times last September at Dover International Speedway.

Commissioner David Jones wrote Friday that "it is more likely than not that on September 26, 2014, (Busch) committed an act of abuse against (Driscoll) by manually strangling (Driscoll) with his left hand on her throat, while placing his right hand against her chin and face, causing her head to forcefully strike the interior wall of (Busch)'s motor home, thereby recklessly causing physical injury to (Driscoll) and recklessly placing (Driscoll) in reasonable apprehension of physical injury.''

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/21/breaking-news-kurt-buschs-second-appeal-denied/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Undergoes Successful Surgery​*
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, underwent successful surgery tonight to repair a compound fracture to his lower right leg suffered earlier today during the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch is resting comfortable and will remain hospitalized for observation.

There will be no additional updates tonight.

Joe Gibbs Racing owner Joe Gibbs is scheduled to address the media at 9:20 a.m. in the media center at Daytona International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kyle-Busch-Undergoes-Successful-Surgery.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*XFINITY Series Off To Roaring Start In Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Joey Logano Wins Daytona 500​*
Joey Logano wins first ever Daytona 500 on a late race Green White Checker restart.

The race officially ended under caution due Austin Dillon hitting and turning Jeff Gordon and causing a big multiple car crash on the back straight, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and third in today's race.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*








*Connect With Daytona 500 Winner​*
NASCAR fans can connect with the winner of Sunday's Daytona 500 by calling Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live" on Monday afternoon.

The winner of "The Great American Race" will join Eli Gold at 1 p.m. (ET) on Monday, Feb. 23. Fans can participate by calling 1-800-2NASCAR (262-7227). The segment will air during Tuesday night's broadcast of "NASCAR Live" from 7-8 p.m.

They also can connect via Twitter at #askMRN or by sending questions to the "NASCAR Live" link at [email protected].

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/02/Connect-With-Daytona-500-Winner.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Daytona 500​*
Joey Logano scored his first career Daytona 500 victory Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.

Logano was ahead of the field in an overtime finish when caution came out on the white flag lap and he was declared the winner of the 57th running of "The Great American Race."

"What an amazing moment," Logano said. "Wow. To win this race is just amazing. I have the best team on pit road for sure. These guys are awesome. My spotter did a great job giving me the information I need to get our front and stay out front before that last caution and be able to have a good restart there at the end.

"That feeling of winning the Daytona 500, I can't explain how cool this is. I said in an interview that this was our worst racetrack last year and we worked really hard to figure out how we could get better at it and all the hard work got us the win today. It feels just like the way you dream it. This is better than Disney World in here!"

It was Logano's ninth career Sprint Cup Series win and team owner Roger Penske's second Daytona 500 victory.

Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick was on Logano's bumper when the race ended and settled for second.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was strong all day but was shuffled back in the field in the overtime and was not able to challenge for the lead, did race his way back to a third-place finish.

Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.

Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Logano won:* The Team Penske driver was able to get away from the field on an overtime restart and watched in his rear view mirror while the field tried in vein to catch him. Logano was racing through turn three with Harvick right on his tail but when a multi-car accident broke out behind the leaders NASCAR threw the caution flag effectively ending the race and Logano had his first career 500 victory.

*What else happened:* The race was rather clean by recent Budweiser Speedweeks standards and featured much more three and sometimes four wide racing than the multi-car accidents that punctuated Friday night's Truck Series race and Saturday's XFINITY Series opener. Once the halfway mark was reach the intensity level ratcheted up and with 30 laps to go a tight pack of three-wide rows raced lap after lap until Justin Allgaier's accident brought out the last caution to set up the overtime finish.

*Who else had a good day:* Mears was nearly out of the Daytona 500 on Thursday when he blew an engine in his Budweiser Duel qualifying race. But he was able to secure a berth in the race after all and parlayed that opportunity into a sixth place finish on Sunday&#8230;..Martin Truex Jr. was strong all week and again on Sunday at one point running in the second place in the closing laps. He slid back in the overtime finish but was able to come home with a seventh place performance&#8230;.Roush Fenway Racing finished 1-2 in Saturday's XFINITY Series race and Greg Biffle got the team's Sprint Cup effort off on a solid foot with a 10th-place finish.

*Who had a bad day:* Tony Stewart is now 0 for 17 in Daytona 500s after he was involved in a lap 42 accident with Matt Kenseth, Ryan Blaney and Michael Waltrip. Stewart's Chevy slammed the wall and broke a steering spindle and he went to the garage for repairs effectively ending his day at Daytona&#8230;.Brad Keselowski was running 13th when he had an engine let go to knock him out of the race and give the Team Penske driver his third DNF in six career Daytona 500 starts&#8230;&#8230;Ryan Blaney's first start in "The Great American Race" didn't end well when he also had an engine let loose on lap 175.

*Quote of the day:* "I'll take the blame for that one. 100% my fault. It started getting tighter, but we didn't have a problem elsewhere," Tony Stewart on his early race accident.

*Notables:* David Gilliland gave Front Row Motorsports an 11th place finish&#8230;..Sam Hornish Jr. made his debut with Richard Petty Motorsports and finished 12th&#8230;..Michael Annett began his HScott Motorsports career with a 13th-place performance.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/02/Joey-Logano-Wins-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart's Daytona Woes Continue​*
Tony Stewart's start to the 2015 season started on a sour note with an early crash in the Daytona 500.

Stewart made contact with Ryan Blaney in an incident that also included Matt Kenseth and Michael Waltrip racing off Turn 4 on lap 42. Stewart's Chevrolet made heavy contact with the outside wall and broke a steering spindle in the process.

Although he made it to pit road Stewart was forced behind the wall for more repairs ending his chance to win the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career.

Stewart's record in "The Great American Race" is now 0 for 17, despite being the active leader in Daytona victories across all series.

"Just my fault, I let it get away from me,'' Stewart said. "We were fine as long as we were two-wide, and then when it got three-wide that particular lap, it got away from me. I got out of the gas and couldn't even get the front end caught up. I'm not sure if Ryan wasn't there that I still wasn't going to hit the fence.''

As for the disappointment of yet another Daytona 500 ending is frustration, Stewart kept things in perspective.

"Just part of it," Stewart said. "It's not what we had planned. We stuck with the plan from the start of the race and that was to stay up front as much as we could. We knew the first two runs of the race we were probably going to have to adjust to the car. I just didn't make it far enough to the second run to adjust it there.''






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/02/Tony-Stewarts-Daytona-Woes-Continue.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Decision Sinks Earnhardt Jr.​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was upset about missing an opportunity to win Sunday's Daytona 500.

Earnhardt had one of the day's strongest cars and ran near the front of the field most of the afternoon.

But the Hendrick Motorsports driver took the blame for what he called a mistake on a late race restart that cost him a chance at winning a second straight Daytona 500.

"I made a mistake on the restart with 20 to go, didn't do what I needed to do," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Got shuffled to the middle there. Had a fast car, was able to get some spots back. Get a good finish. Pretty happy about that.

"You don't get cars that good too often. You like to try to capitalize. A little disappointed."

Earnhardt was still in the mix on what turned out to be the final restart in overtime before another caution on the white flag lap ended the race. But he simply ran out of time to get back to the front and challenge eventual winner Joey Logano for the checkered flag.

"I was in eighth, I think. I didn't have nothing going on," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The outside line got going really good. It was going good enough that you didn't want to disrupt that by going outside of the guy in front of you. We needed to kind of get clear of that bottom lane before we got racing.

Once we got clear, we sort of strung out. Just not enough laps to form anything. I think even if Kevin (Harvick) backed up, I don't know whether I would have stayed with him or whether Denny (Hamlin) would have stayed with me. You never know what decision you would have made."

Unfortunately for Earnhardt Jr. he wasn't able to replicate the thrilling Daytona win of a year ago that immediately put him into the Chase.

But rallying back to a third place finish wasn't all bad and Earnhardt was philosophical about the turn of events that kept him from taking a shot at Sunday's win.

"You just never know what you're going to do," Earnhardt Jr. said. "You got to try to win the race. We didn't get time to make a run. I wasn't in a good position to think about winning, but we were going to do what we could."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/Decision-Sinks-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Surprising Mears Finishes Sixth​*
Casey Mears enjoyed a storybook ending to his Speedweeks with a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500.

On Thursday, it looked like Mears would miss this year's edition of the "500" when he had an engine blow in the Budweiser Duel. Mears and crew chief Bootie Barker sweated out the second 150-mile race's finish and were still able to earn a berth in Sunday's main event.

"There were some nervous moments, to be sure," Mears said of Thursday night. "But then, we were born again when we got back in and suddenly, it was new life that we wanted to take advantage of on Sunday."

Mears did just that. He drafted his way to the front pack when it counted and stayed out of trouble during the race to give him a shot at the solid finish.

"There were a lot of moments," Mears said. "We were sideways a lot. The middle seemed to work really well for us, but it was also the sketchiest place to be as far as handling goes. We would get sideways and slide a lot. There were a couple of times I got real loose, but I was able to hang onto it and finish it out."

There were several laps of three-wide racing on display throughout the day but especially in the final 30 laps as the checkered flag neared. Mears found himself in the middle of three lanes of racing, a position he says was more than stressful.

"It's not comfortable," Mears said. "There's a difference in being comfortable and actually liking it. I like it because I feel like I can dictate a little more what the car does. I think if I'm in the outside lane, I'm kind of stuck to one thing. If I'm on the bottom, I'm stuck to one thing.

"But if I'm in the middle, it gives me the option to make my car do different things and makes it a little bit easier. It's not really the safest place to be or the easiest place to be, but it definitely works well for us."

The performance was the shot in the arm the one-car Germain Racing organization had hoped for to kick off 2015. Mears has shown strength before in superspeedway racing and is looking forward to taking Sunday's momentum forward into the balance of the season.

"It was a really solid day," Mears said. "We've run up front at a lot of these things, now, or towards the front. We're getting a little bit greedier. We definitely want to win one of these races. I think our standards are getting a lot higher. From going from possibly not being in the show to finishing sixth is definitely a good way to start the season."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/02/Surprising-Mears-Finishes-Sixth.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Disappointing Last '500' for Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon's final Daytona 500 looked promising until ending with a crash on the backstretch.

Gordon started from the pole in what will be his last appearance in "The Great American Race" as he plans to end his full-time Sprint Cup driving career at season's end.

In the first half of the race, Gordon was the class of the field and was ahead when the field hit lap 100 of the 200 circuit chase.

But it was a different story in the closing laps of the overtime finish when Gordon got caught in mid-pack and was swept up in the final accident that wound up ending the race.

"Believe it or not I actually got a good run with Kasey Kahne up the middle," explained Gordon of the final green-white-checkered restart. "It was hairy. I knew there was high potential of a wreck. I was just following him through that hole and was just holding on tight to get through the corner."

"I saw where I had a pretty good amount of momentum coming. I think we maybe could have gotten a top-five out of it. Then they started wrecking, or somebody hit me. I don't know."

Gordon pointed to the draft and working with the right - or in his case wrong - line to what ultimately ended his day.

"It just depends on who is pushing, how you are pushing," Gordon said. "Sometimes if you push too hard you actually stall the momentum because the cars start getting out of shape. If you take five cars and they all go at the same time, you take five cars and their kind of domino effect then the ones on the outside are going to prevail. It wasn't an inside/outside lane thing to me, it was just how the guys restarted."

Despite leading a race-high 87 laps, Gordon's final Daytona 500 ended with a 33rd place finish. But somehow Gordon was still smiling after the checkered flag flew on Sunday.

"For some reason I'm still smiling and enjoying every moment of it," said Gordon. "Obviously, I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half. What an amazing car we had.

"It is disappointing because things were going so well, especially that first half. That first half was amazing. I was enjoying that moment very, very much. Just being out front. Being in control of the race. I felt like we were just doing everything perfectly. The car was amazing. I knew it was going to be crucial to maintain that track position. That one restart I chose the outside and that line just didn't go. From that point on, we were just playing catch up."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Disappointing-Last-500-for-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Super-Subs: Smith, Crafton Survive Surprise Daytona 500 Starts​*
r the first time since 2000, the Daytona 500 was run without a Busch brother in the field. On Friday, 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR, while Kyle Busch suffered a broken leg in Saturday's Xfinity Series race.

After NASCAR's decision, Xfinity Series regular Regan Smith was tapped to drive Kurt's No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Late Saturday evening, Joe Gibbs Racing named two-time defending Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton as the replacement driver for Kyle, who remained in the hospital on Sunday.

While Smith has 172 Sprint Cup Series starts and a win in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Crafton would be making his first career start in the series, in the year's biggest race.

From the drop of the green flag, the two drivers and teams had differing agendas. Smith wasted no time racing up into the pack, while Crafton -&#128;&#147; as planned -&#128;&#147; raced in the back of the pack trying to get acclimated to the feel of the Sprint Cup car and the draft.

However, as the race surpassed the halfway point, Crafton made his way through the field, climbing as high as 15th.

As the intensity picked up in the closing laps, both drivers ran in middle of the three-wide pack jockeying for position.

When Justin Allgaier wrecked in the tri-oval and brought out a six-minute, 42-second red flag, Crafton was 18th and Smith brought the car to pit road for tires once the race went back under caution, allowing him to be in position to miss the last-lap wreck.

As Team Penske's Joey Logano took the checkered flag, Smith crossed the line 16th and Crafton was 19th.

After the race, Smith was disappointed the results were not better and the team could not get the car to handle to his liking.

"We worked on that car from start to finish and we just couldn't get it where it was turning for me," Smith told FOXSports.com. "I just anticipated a better day. Frustrated that we didn't get up there and contend for leading some laps and make a little better show of it. So that's disappointing, but obviously just running this race is a big deal. I'd rather be racing than sitting at home."

Despite Smith's disappointment, crew chief Tony Gibson was pleased with how well his substitute driver performed given the circumstances.

"I think he did awesome. We kept the car clean all day and stayed out of trouble, that was our game plan," said Gibson. "To get no drafting laps in the car at all, and to jump in that thing, the guys did awesome. They put a seat in last night. I can't thank Regan enough. He did a great job keeping the car out of the fence and nice and clean so we could have a good finish."

With an uncertain situation surrounding Kurt's status in the sport, Gibson said a solid finish in the season-opening race is essential to keep the team up in the (owners) standings.

"For us, and the road we're traveling down right now, we want to log as many points as we can get so that we can have that cushion there and when Kurt comes back we'll be ready to roll," he said. "We'll just take it one race at a time, one day at a time. When (Stewart-Haas Racing officials) come down and tell me who's driving it each week that's what we'll do. We'll approach it as if Kurt's driving it each week and adjust on it as best we can."

Gibson admitted Kurt's suspension late into Daytona Speedweeks was tough on the crew, but he stepped up and helped re-motivate his team.

"It's hard to keep morale up, but that's my job," he said. "To be that guy and keep everyone swinging and that's my plan."

Finishing 16th in his first career Sprint Cup Series start, Crafton was pleased the team was able to stick to their plan and get a solid result out of the day.
"All in all, not a bad day," Crafton told FOXSports.com. "I definitely thought we would have had a shot at a top 10 for sure."

With many drivers battling a tight car throughout the 203-lap event, Crafton said getting adjusted to handling of a Sprint Cup car was the biggest adjustment he faced inside the car. Not participating in any practice sessions, he described the race as "pretty gnarly" but added, "that's what we get paid to do -&#128;&#147; drive race cars and figure it out quick."

Crafton continued: "The handling goes away so much in these things compared to what we did in the trucks, and we race at night in the trucks," he said. "It was so, so much different. It was a learning curve all day."

A difficult situation for Joe Gibbs Racing, team owner Joe Gibbs gathered his four drivers before the start of the race to keep them focused on working as a unit and go for a win.

"Joe grabbed us all by the collar right before we went out, told us we go to work together and do whatever we can to get a win," fourth-place finisher Denny Hamlin said. "But, it's a tough situation to try to throw Matt into. Obviously his first start in the Daytona 500. I'm sure his truck hasn't had handling issues like these cars did today."

Neither organization has officially named substitute drivers for next weekend's Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-crafton-smith-survive-surprise-starts-022215


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## Ckg2011

*Time's Up: Kevin Harvick Runs Out of Laps In His Pursuit of Logano​*
Kevin Harvick's quest for back-to-back NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships began in solid fashion in Sunday's Daytona 500, a race in which he was a contender throughout but came on particularly strong at the end before finishing second to Joey Logano.

Lined up three rows back in sixth for a green-white-checkered restart, Harvick quickly knifed his way to the runner-up position, but ran out of time trying to catch Logano when a last-lap wreck brought out the caution and froze the field before the leaders reached Turn 4.

"It's definitely disappointing," said Harvick's 2014 championship-winning crew chief, Rodney Childers. "It's probably the most disappointed I've ever been with finishing second, but overall I'm happy for my team, and everybody has done an awesome job over the winter."

If the race had remained green, did Harvick believe his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy could pass Logano's stout No. 22 Team Penske Ford? The reigning Sprint Cup Series champion was getting a solid tow from a line led by fellow Chevy driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Toyota's Denny Hamlin when the yellow flag ended the race prematurely.

"Coming to the white, you never know what's going to happen," said Harvick, who notched his first and only Daytona 500 win in 2007, while competing for Richard Childress Racing. "Obviously everything is shuffled out to where these two guys were nose to tail behind me.

Maybe I should have backed up a little bit harder.

But I didn't want to back up so much that they drove right by me. I wanted to try to time it so I could have them to my bumper, have a good run coming off of (Turn) 4 and have a shot.

"That didn't pan out. Didn't even have a chance to try to time it out."
Childers lamented his driver not having a shot at Logano coming to the checkered flag.

"We had one of the fastest cars down here the whole time, as far as 500 cars, and we tried to just be patient and wait till the end and then show what we had, but it's definitely disappointing with the caution coming out," Childers said. "I thought we were in the catbird seat and were going to be able to make something happen off of (Turn) 4. You don't get too many opportunities to try to win the Daytona 500, and to be that close ... But overall it was good for our team and great to get a good start to the season, and it just shows that this team is ready to come back and do the same thing we did last year."

Harvick won five races last season -- including the winner-take-all finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- en route to his first Sprint Cup Series title in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing.

His performance at Daytona, though just one race, was a commendable start to his pursuit of Championship No. 2.

"Definitely, for us it was a good, solid day to start the season," Harvick said. "Obviously you want to try to win the race. But sometimes you're just happy to keep rolling and going out of here and head to Atlanta with a solid day.

"Really proud of my team and how they handled the week, adjusted on the car, did everything they needed to do and came out of here with a solid day."

Harvick admitted being glad to put Daytona Speedweeks -- which formally kicked off Feb. 12 with NASCAR Media Day -- in the rearview mirror.

"I'm ready to go to Atlanta," he said. "It seems like we've been here for a month. I'm glad today is over. I'm relieved for my team that we had a good, solid finish, a good start to the season.

"I'm excited about, you know, (about) everything that we do on our mile-'and-€'a-€'half (track) stuff. I'm looking forward to going to Atlanta. That's really what it's all about, is trying to win a race to get yourself positioned in the Chase and being able to try to win more races if you can do that early enough."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...s-out-of-laps-in-his-pursuit-of-logano-022215


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Begins Whirlwind Week​*
Newly crowned DAYTONA 500 champion Joey Logano was off-and-running again Monday morning.

It started early with the annual Champion's Breakfast in the Bill France Room at Daytona International Speedway, where Logano was presented with the traditional champion's jacket. He also was surprised with a new first-year presentation for DAYTONA 500 champions: a steel-and-gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch.

The timepiece will come in handy. Logano has a jam-packed schedule of media activities this week, including appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight and the TODAY show Tuesday,plus a trip to ESPN's studios in Bristol, Conn.

"I didn't sleep much [last night], that's for sure," Logano said. "I didn't go to sleep, really. My mind just kept thinking about the whole race, how it all played out. I just kept reliving the moment over and over again. It's amazing ... the DAYTONA 500. It's something that's very special. And now, I'm excited about the [media] adventure that's ahead of me."

At Monday morning's breakfast, Logano, crew chief Todd Gordon and car owner Roger Penske spoke with media prior to another tradition being renewed: installing the DAYTONA 500 winning car - in this instance the yellow-and-red No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford - inside the Speedway Ticket and Tours Building. The car will be part of the Speedway tours program and will be returned to the team at the 2016 DAYTONA 500, a tradition that began in 1996.

During the Champion's Breakfast, DIS President Joie Chitwood III presented champion's jackets to Logano, Gordon and Penske; the Harley J. Earl DAYTONA 500 trophy to Penske; and the Cannonball Baker trophy to Gordon. Chitwood and Logano also unveiled the logo for next year's 58th annual DAYTONA 500.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will return for a special Sunday night edition of the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on July 5. On the evening of July 4, the NASCAR XFINITY Series returns for the Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola. Click Here for ticket information.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Begins-Whirlwind-Daytona-500-Media-Tour.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Smith Back In No.41 Car At Atlanta​*
Stewart-Haas Racing has named Regan Smith interim driver of its No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend Feb. 26-March 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Smith will begin driving the No. 41 car during the open test session on Thursday. The race on Sunday will be Smith's seventh Sprint Cup start at Atlanta. His most recent Sprint Cup start at the 1.54-mile oval was on Sept. 2, 2012 when he finished 14th.

Atlanta will be Smith's second race in the No. 41 car. He drove the Haas Automation Chevrolet to a 16th-place finish last Sunday in the Daytona 500. Smith already had some history with Stewart-Haas Racing prior to Daytona. He subbed for Tony Stewart in the team's No. 14 car last August at Watkins Glen International.

Smith was the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year and won the 2011 Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. He is a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and finished second in the 2014 championship standings. Smith, 31, is from Cato, New York.

An interim driver for the No. 41 team at next weekend's Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and subsequent races has not been determined.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/Regan-Smith-Back-in-41-Car-at-Atlanta.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stephen Smith Thinks Kurt Busch's Case Is Being Ignored Because He's White​*
Kurt Busch became the first driver to be suspended from NASCAR for domestic assault last week, but the response to his suspension has been quiet compared to last year's uproar over the NFL's treatment of Ray Rice's domestic violence case.

ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith said that he believes the relative lack of interest in Busch's case is partially due to his race. "I want to highlight something &#8230; that black folks, myself included, have lamented for many, many years," Smith said on ESPN's First Take before listing a handful of cases of prominent black NFL players receiving what he implied was more attention than Busch for domestic violence allegations. "Where's the public outcry? Where's the story circulating for days upon days upon days at a time?"






Smith acknowledged that the NFL is more popular than NASCAR racing, but still felt a racial bias was at play.

"It's the level of fervor that comes into play when one of these black athletes are put out there front and center for alleged transgressions," he said. "I think it should be the same across the board and there should be a healthy uproar no matter what, and I just didn't get the sense that this existed here with Kurt Busch."

While it's true that the response to Busch has been more muted than the response to Rice, there are several reasonable explanations other than race. First, as Smith's fellow commentator Skip Bayless noted in the video, the reaction to Ray Rice's case only really reached a boiling point when video was released of the attack. While the Rice tape shouldn't have been necessary to create the backlash that it did, that's how it played out, and one could probably point to a bias in favor of athletes to explain this fact.

Still, it's true that, as Smith notes, black athletes are often unfairly tarnished as "thugs" for behavior that is not even comparable to what Busch is alleged to have done.

"It seems to be highlighted when black folks get themselves in trouble, but when other people get themselves in trouble, we don't hear the same kind of noise," he said. "Then black folks who have never committed any kind of domestic violence whatsoever get painted with a negative brush because of how they sound."

The larger bias that has prevented Busch from becoming a bigger story, however, is probably the cultural bias of mainly East Coast national journalists against NASCAR racing. The sport is more popular in Midwest and the South, particularly among older and whiter audiences. Coastal journalists who don't follow the sport, don't know it well, and don't identify with its audiences are less likely to make a big deal out of any NASCAR story, even one as bizarre as Busch's. The fact that it's easier to identify Ray Rice as an important NFL star worth covering than it is to identify Busch as one, and that NASCAR is much less popular than the NFL, is likely the greater bias that has kept the Busch story from blowing up nationally.

*Source:*
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...ar_driver_kurt_busch_s_domestic_violence.html


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Spending Third Night In Hospital, Is 'Resting Comfortably'​*
Kyle Busch will spend a third night at Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach, where he is recovering from leg and foot injuries, according to a team spokesman at Joe Gibbs Racing, who said Busch is "resting comfortably."

Meanwhile, no decision about who will drive the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway has been made, although NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Erik Jones has emerged as the favorite. Matt Crafton, the two-time and defending Truck Series champion, drove Busch's car to an 18th-place finish in Sunday's Daytona 500.

Busch suffered a compound fracture of the lower right leg and a broken left foot in Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Afterward, doctors at Halifax performed surgery on Busch's right leg Saturday night. Team owner Joe Gibbs said Busch's left foot will be examined later this week, once the driver returns to Charlotte.

Gibbs said Sunday that he did not know how long Busch would be sidelined.
"I think what will happen there is the doctors, after they have a chance to look at his foot and everything and we get it all squared away, I think they will give us a good opinion," Gibbs said.

Gibbs said he talked with Busch, who told him he's eager to return as soon as possible.

"I know our emphasis is getting him back as quick as we can," said Gibbs. "I know that's what Kyle will be wanting to do, and we'll have everybody working with him and for him in rehab and everything else to get him back as quick as we can in the car."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ries-wreck-daytona-resting-comfortably-022315


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kyle Busch Released From Daytona Hospital​*
JGR driver Kyle Busch has been released from the hospital in Daytona where he has been since Saturday when he was involved in a very scary crash at Daytona International Speedway during the closing laps of Alert Florida 300 Xfinity Series race.

Kyle will head home to North Carolina and receive further treatment for his broken leg and injured foot.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan To Fill In For Kyle Busch​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that David Ragan will fill in for Kyle Busch behind the wheel of the No. 18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch, who sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg in an accident during Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway, was released this morning from Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. and transferred to a hospital near his home in Charlotte, N.C. for further treatment.

It is expected that Ragan will pilot the No. 18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota for at least the next several weeks. Ragan's current race team Front Row Motorsports and sponsor CSX accommodated the move by Ragan and Ragan is expected to return to the team later this season.

Ragan has run eight full seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 291 career starts. The 29-year-old Georgia native has two career wins, including most recently at Talladega Superspeedway in May of 2013.

In addition, JGR announced that Erik Jones will pilot the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend in Atlanta. An announcement on who will drive the Monster Energy Camry following Atlanta will be made at a later date.

Jones is currently running a full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports and a partial schedule for JGR in the No. 20 NASCAR XFINITY Series Camry.

"We appreciate being able to work with Front Row Motorsports and CSX for David's (Ragan) availability," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "We are fortunate to be able to have someone of David's caliber behind the wheel while Kyle recovers. Erik is a big part of our future at JGR and we will be increasing his schedule in the XFINITY Series beginning this weekend in Atlanta and seeking the earliest opportunity to provide him Cup experience. We appreciate all the support we have received from the NASCAR community including our fans and we look forward to getting Kyle back in the car as soon as possible."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/David-Ragan-to-Fill-in-for-Kyle-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Motor Speedway Adding More Protective Barriers Ahead of Sunday's Race​*
the wake of Kyle Busch's accident during Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and NASCAR officials met on Monday to review the facility's existing SAFER barriers and other walls. It was determined after the review that the speedway "will add a number of additions to its existing barrier system."

According to a statement released early Tuesday morning, "the protective wall at the exit of Turn 1 will be extended, and a tire barrier will be added along the inside wall of Turn 4" to help increase the safety of the competitors.

This effort will add a total of 130 linear feet of additional protective barrier and will be completed before this weekend's events. According to Dustin Bixby, director of marketing and promotion at AMS, the additional barriers that will be in place for this weekend's events will include tire packs and jersey barriers.

Scott Cooper, a Speedway Motorsports, Inc. spokesperson, told FOXSports.com the tire packs were being shipped to AMS from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday. The track will send three flat-bed tractor-trailer trucks with 74 tire packs, with each tire pack containing 15 tires. In all, CMS will ship over 1,100 tires to AMS to be installed before Thursday.

"Further review regarding future installation of additional SAFER barriers at the facility will take place following Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500," the release stated. "Atlanta Motor Speedway is dedicated to providing the safest possible facility for its fans and drivers."

After Busch suffered a compound fracture in his lower right leg and a mid-foot break in his left foot, DIS president Joie Chitwood III vowed to add SAFER barriers to "every inch" of the facility, while NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell took responsibility for the incident.

"As promised, we expedited a review of potential safety advancements at each of our racing venues," O'Donnell said in a statement provided to FOX Sports Tuesday morning. "We're pleased with the additional safety enhancements Atlanta Motor Speedway will be making leading into our events this weekend. As we've stated, NASCAR and its track partners remain steadfastly committed to safety."

In addition to Atlanta and Daytona, Talladega Superspeedway and Kentucky Speedway are also adding more SAFER barriers, according to multiple reports.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...busch-adding-more-ahead-of-sunday-race-022415


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Undergoes Surgery On Left Foot​*
Kyle Busch underwent successful surgery this afternoon on his left foot, which was injured in an accident during last Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

The surgery, which was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina, was his second since the accident. His first surgery, to repair a compound fracture to his lower right leg, was performed at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was transferred to a hospital near his home in Charlotte, N.C. yesterday.

Busch is resting comfortably and will remain hospitalized for observation.

No specific timetable has been announced for Busch's return to the race track. It is expected that David Ragan will pilot the No. 18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota for at least the next several weeks. Ragan's current race team Front Row Motorsports and sponsor CSX accommodated the move by Ragan and Ragan is expected to return to the team later this season.








*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ndergoes-Successful-Surgery-On-Left-Foot.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Will Ragan Win With JGR?​*
The pits are open again, and MRN's Pete Pistone and Dave Moody each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Will David Ragan Win a Race as Kyle Busch's Replacement with Joe Gibbs Racing?

Answer*​
*Pete Pistone @PPistone* 
It's a pretty tall order to ask any driver to step into the role Ragan's being tossed into and expect them to win. Ragan has won before, in fact a couple of times, so we know he's capable of finding Victory Lane. There's no question the ride he's moving to for the interim is potent as the JGR No. 18 Toyota is among the cream of the Sprint Cup Series garage. However, I find it difficult to imagine Ragan immediately competing at the level of being in position to win races in such a short period. He'll do a solid job and keep the JGR team moving forward as long as he fills in, but I don't foresee a victory in Ragan's JGR tenure.

*Dave Moody @DGodfatherMoody* 
It all depends on the length of his run in the No. 18 Toyota. If Kyle Busch is sidelined for four months or more -- as we hear he may be -- Ragan should have sufficient time to mesh with his new JGR team, become comfortable in his new surroundings and make a run or two at Victory Lane. It is unreasonable, though, to expect him to join a new operation and win immediately. Joe and JD Gibbs will give David everything he needs to compete, but the one thing they cannot guarantee is time. Ragan is a formidable talent and has matured as a driver in his tenure with Front Row Motorsports. I won't be surprised if he makes some serious noise with JGR, and if the cards come right, he could find himself in the Winner's Circle.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/Gas-N-Go-Will-Ragan-Win-with-JGR.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Test Brings Mixed Reaction​*
The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package got its first true on track workout Thursday during an open test day at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

After 2,375 laps and 3,657.5 miles of testing there were several different views from drivers around the garage area.

Since NASCAR implemented a no testing policy for the off-season, teams have spent the winter months using simulation and in-house computer data trying to figure out what impact the new rules package will have this year.

Among the changes for the coming season include a cut in horsepower from 850 to 725 through the implementation of a tapered spacer. Also engine RPM will be restricted through a change in rear end gearing. There have also been aerodynamic modifications to give cars less down force than in recent seasons.

"Today was really a day for teams to get back on the track," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Vice President of Innovation and Technical Development. "We have the new package with the power optimization and the changes to the aero package&#8230;..we've put in safety features into the vehicle.

"It gives them a chance to get the drivers comfortable with the new safety devices. So it's really a time for them to get comfortable with the package dial in their car. But of a cold day today but we'll talk to them, get their feedback but so far everything seems to be going quite well."

Despite the changes at least early on some drivers did not feel anything significantly different about the way the cars handled during Thursday's test.

"I really didn't notice anything," Kyle Larson said. "I thought it still came up to speed pretty well. Maybe it doesn't carry to the end of the straightaway as hard as what it did before, but we have less down force too, it still feels fast. Maybe once we get to like a Michigan or a track where we will probably run even more wide open now we will notice more. I really didn't notice much difference between this year versus last year."

Veteran Carl Edwards, who made his debut with Joe Gibbs Racing last week in the Daytona 500, did notice some differences during the test but nothing that dramatic.

"The car feels great," Edwards said. "I'm still getting used to the seat and the wheel in the right position and getting my steering box the right speed and all that stuff, but it feels good. The new package is a little bit different - it feels like we have more on throttle time. We're not out of the throttle as much, so I have to get used to that a little here - it changes the way you drive this place being on the throttle a little more.

"It also looks like we're being real hard on tires right now, so we'll have to manage that and watch how that goes in this second session. Everything seems pretty good."

Not everyone was impressed with the changes including Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart.

Stewart is not a fan in the horsepower reduction at least after Thursday's track time.

"Ah it just feels like a Nationwide (XFINITY) car or a truck power-wise," Stewart said. "I feel like they took way too much power away but that's just me."

Another new wrinkle in the rules package is the addition of an adjustable track bar from inside the cockpit. Drivers now have the ability to make changes to the cars handling through either a dial on the dashboard or in some cases a switch on the steering wheel.

However, there isn't a general consensus as of yet on how the new accessibility will benefit drivers.

"So far when I played with it, I just thought it affected my exit at the corner," Larson said. "I just gotta learn that stuff and how far you can go with it. I think that'll be a really neat tool that we get to use as drivers."

Edwards thinks the opportunity for drivers to make their own track bar adjustments might be more of a negative.

"To be honest with you, I think that's going to be an opportunity for us drivers to screw ourselves up more than it is to help us," Edwards said. "I ended up playing with it for a few laps and then put it right back where it was, because it wasn't doing exactly what I wanted it to do.

"My switch is on my steering wheel, which I want it to be easy to get to. The one thing I'm nervous about is inadvertently laying on it during the race. That could be disastrous. The other thing that makes me nervous is the switch sticking or something and have your track bar go all the way to one end or the other, so I probably will not mess with mine too much."

Stewart doesn't believe the in-car track bar adjustment is necessary.

"I don't know why thought the need why we needed to have that," he said. "For a series that's trying to create more passing the last thing you want to do is give the drivers the ability to make their cars better during a run."

Keselowski also isn't completely enamored with the new technology available.

"It's not really going to do that much," Keselowski said. "It sounds really good, but there's not a lot there.

"I have it to where I can't even look at it to be honest. I think they don't want me dialing the car out."

Teams will have to remove the data acquisition and telemetry allowed during Thursday's open test to begin the regular Atlanta weekend schedule, which begins Friday with practice.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ta-Sprint-Cup-Test-Brings-Mixed-Reaction.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Tracks Highlight Return of 'Dash 4 Cash'​*
Three new tracks headline the "Dash 4 Cash" program as it returns for the seventh consecutive year, and first as part of the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Dover International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway will debut as part of the program, while Indianapolis Motor Speedway will return in 2015.

Designed to highlight the unique competition between championship-eligible NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers, the highly recognizable program will potentially result in $1 million awarded to one talented driver.

"We're excited that XFINITY has brought the 'Dash 4 Cash' program back and the reason is clear - the format has generated incredible intensity, making it popular for both competitors and fans," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "Since its inception, 'Dash 4 Cash' has brought increased notoriety to the drivers, teams and participating tracks in the NASCAR XFINITY Series."

There will be more than just home track bragging rights on the line at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. For the first time, the track will host the "Dash 4 Cash" qualifier, which will determine the four eligible drivers that will then compete for one of four $100,000 payouts.

Following Charlotte, the four Dash 4 Cash (D4C) events will include: Dover (May 30), Indianapolis (July 25), Bristol (August 21) and Darlington (September 5).

Last season, Trevor Bayne was the highest-finishing points-eligible driver in the final D4C race at Iowa Speedway- which paid him and his fan partner, Henry, Ill., native James Dennis, $100,000 each.

"We know how important the Dash 4 Cash program has been in the past to these NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers, as well as the fans," said Matt Lederer, Comcast senior director, sports marketing. "Everyone at Comcast is thrilled for the opportunity to help continue this tradition and be a part of the program this season. We hope Dash 4 Cash continues to enhance the excitement for the fans by bringing out the tenacity of these drivers as they put on a great show to get to victory lane."

Here's how the Dash 4 Cash (Twitter - #Dash4Cash ) program works:

• The top-four finishers in the Charlotte race who are eligible to receive NASCAR XFINITY Series championship driver points will qualify for the first D4C race at Dover. 
• The highest finisher of those four drivers at Dover - he or she does not have to win the race - will win the first $100,000 D4C award and automatically qualify for the next event at Indianapolis. The remaining three highest finishing points-eligible drivers at Dover will qualify for the race at Indianapolis. 
• Those rules will apply for the remaining three events. If one driver wins the first three D4C awards and then wins the Darlington race outright, XFINITY will award the driver an additional $600,000 bonus, bringing the total payout to $1 million.

Fans can apply to be a part of the action by entering the NASCAR XFINITY Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/Dash4Cash or by visiting the XFINITY Zone throughout the season. Four lucky individuals and a guest will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the final D4C event at Darlington Raceway. The four fans will be randomly paired with the four eligible D4C drivers for that race, and the fan whose driver wins the D4C award will also go home with a check for $100,000.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...urn-Of-NASCAR-XFINITY-Series-Dash-4-Cash.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Jumps Into Double Duty​*
As Erik Jones was focusing on his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 18-year-old driver's schedule suddenly got twice as busy as he now draws double duty for the second weekend of the season.

He was already entered to drive the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in Saturday's Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series race. Then earlier this week, it was confirmed that Jones also will climb behind the wheel of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry for Saturday's XFINITY Series event as Kyle Busch continues to recover from injuries suffered five days ago in Daytona.

"Our thoughts are with Kyle, wishing him a speedy recovery," Jones said. "The '54' team has a proven program and I look forward to learning from them with Chris (crew chief Chris Gayle) this weekend. I'm sure whatever I take away there will help me in the Truck Series race. More time on this track is better for me."

Busch sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg and broke his left foot in an accident near the end of the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway. He remains hospitalized in Charlotte, N.C., and will be sidelined for at least the next several weeks.

Between the Hisense 250 XFINITY Series race and the Camping World Truck Series event that will follow, Jones has signed on for some 450 miles of competition Saturday on the fast, abrasive 1.54-mile oval.

"With the speeds you reach at Atlanta and it being a mile-and-a-half, it's hard on the tires," Jones said. "Last year in the Truck Series, I got my first taste of racing on the intermediate ovals and it was a pretty big learning curve at Texas. But by the time we got to Las Vegas, I had a much better handle on it."

Indeed, Jones finished 11th in June 2014 at Texas Motor Speedway. Three months later, he was standing in Victory Lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"I feel confident going into this weekend, even though we start with the XFINITY Series," Jones said. "JGR has had a lot of success on these types of tracks and I'm looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the competition."

The competition will include seven Sprint Cup Series drivers who are signed up for double duty at AMS, also competing in Saturday's XFINITY Series race: 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, Sam Hornish Junior, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson, Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano, Paul Menard and JJ Yeley.

Harvick will be chasing his third straight XFINITY Series win in Atlanta while Jones hopes to secure Toyota's very first series victory on the Hampton, Ga., oval. He opened his 2015 season last weekend by also running in both the Truck Series race, where he finished second to Tyler Reddick; and the XFINITY Series event, where he ran 18th.

The weekend schedule at Atlant Motor Speedway will open Friday morning with XFINITY Series practice. Qualifying in both the XFINITY and Camping world Truck Series will be held Saturday morning.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday starting at 5 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/02/Jones-Jumps-Into-Double-Duty.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No. 20 and No. 29 Truck Teams Penalized​*
The No. 20 and No. 29 teams that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have been penalized for rules infractions discovered during post-race inspection Feb. 20 at Daytona International Speedway.

These infractions are P2 level penalties which are outlined in Section 12.5.3.2 of the 2015 NASCAR Rule Book.

The infractions violate Sections:

12-1 - Actions detrimental to stock car racing

20.14.5 - Jack Screws: Monoball(s), excessive taper, bevels, or other devices on the end(s) of the front and rear jack screws will not be permitted

20.14.5.2 - Rear Jack Screws: Rear jack screws must have a minimum 0.875 inch flat surface, perpendicular to the rear jack screw, for attachment of the rear upper coil spring mounts

As a result of these violations crew chiefs Doug Howe (No. 20) and Chad Kendrick (No. 29) have been fined $2,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through the end of the calendar year. Both teams have also been docked 10 Championship Driver and Owner Points (No. 20 - Scott Lagasse Jr. and Robert Newberry; No. 29 - Austin Theriault and Brad Keselowski).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...mping-World-Truck-Series-Teams-Penalized.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Return For Trucks​*
After a two-year hiatus, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Saturday's Hyundai Construction 200.

Ty Dillon, the 2013 series runner-up is the only previous winner returning for the Hyundai Construction 200 and is also the latest driver to capture a victory at the track (8/31/12). The Truck Series has not raced at Atlanta in March since 2010 when Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag from the fourth starting spot.

*ReddickULOUS* 
Tyler Reddick launched his 2015 season with flair, leading a race-high 46 laps to win the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway for his first NASCAR national series victory. It was just the 18th start for the 19-year-old Californian, who will run a full schedule this season for Brad Keselowski Racing.

Following the race, Reddick received about 150 text messages in a 20-minute span, an occurrence he described as "unreal."

Reddick will continue to chase his goal of a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship by competing in Saturday's race.

*Crafton Returns to Truck After Sprint Cup Series Debut* 
Fresh off his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut - an 18th-place Daytona 500 finish as a sub for Kyle Busch - Matt Crafton will transition back to his No. 88 Toyota Tundra from the No. 18 Toyota Camry.

Crafton began his quest for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series "three-peat" with a strong eighth-place finish in the Daytona opener before flying back to the "World Center of Racing" from North Carolina to drive for his injured friend/NCWTS counterpart.

"There's nothing like getting a phone call at 7 o'clock at night, saying you're going to race in the Daytona 500 tomorrow, are you ready? 'Oh I'm absolutely ready, I've been waiting for this my whole life,'" Crafton said.

Fun fact: Crafton was a groomsman at Busch's wedding.

*Jones Tries To Continue KBM Dominance At 1.5-Mile Tracks *
Kyle Busch Motorsports reigned supreme at 1.5-mile tracks in 2014, winning seven of the eight races of that distance on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series slate.

Erik Jones, who took the checkered flag at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas race last fall, will attempt to carry KBM's 1.5-mile dominance to 2015 at Atlanta. The 18-year-old No. 4 Toyota Tundra driver is coming off a runner-up finish in the season opener at Daytona in only his second superspeedway start and has his sights set on a championship run.

Also competing for KBM this weekend are Daniel Suarez and Justin Boston. Suarez and Boston finished ninth and 29th, respectively, last Friday at Daytona.

*Georgia On My Mind* 
Red Horse Racing Owner Tom DeLoach, a Peach State native and Georgia Tech graduate, brings his team back to his home for the second race of its 11th season.

The 30-year veteran of Mobil Oil Corporation, who retired in 2000 as its president of global midstream, fell in love with racing while serving as the coordinator of Mobil's motorsports program. Upon retiring, DeLoach served as a partner and later a consultant with Team Penske's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. Interested in team ownership, he bought into CleanLine Motorsports in 2005 and changed its name to Red Horse Racing.

Behind drivers, such as Timothy Peters, Todd Bodine, David Starr and Parker Kligerman, RHR has compiled 13 wins, 86 top fives, 181 top 10s and 11 poles since DeLoach began the organization. Its highest championship finish was a second-place showing by its Peters-powered No. 11 truck in 2012.

Other NCWTS figures making their Georgia homecoming this weekend include drivers: John Wes Townley (Watkinsville), Korbin Forrister (Cedartown), Ryan Sieg (Tucker), Garrett Smithley (Peachtree City) and Wendell Chavous (Hephzibah).

*Robust Rookie Race* 
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has long been a proving ground for young drivers to test their talents against grizzled veterans. This season is no exception.

Eleven drivers are in contention for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year.

In only the first race of the season, three of the top five drivers at Daytona were Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates: Erik jones (second), Austin Theriault (fourth) and Ray Black Jr. (fifth).

Fellow rookies Korbin Forrister (12th at Daytona), Spencer Gallagher (21st), Daniel Hemric (26) and Justin Boston (29th) will attempt to catch up to the pack at Atlanta.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series race from Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday at 5 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/02/Atlanta-Return-for-Trucks.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Denny Hamlin's Motorhome Sustains Cosmetic Damage In Bizarre Incident​*
There were no incidents Thursday on the first day of Sprint Cup testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but a driver's vehicle has been struck at the 1.5-mile oval.

Denny Hamlin's motorhome was hit in the parking lot for NASCAR driver and owner motorhomes in the track infield. According to a photo tweeted by crew chief Rodney Childers, an SUV went through a fence and made contact with Hamlin's bus.

Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark said it was an accident in which a vehicle rolled down a hill and through the fence.








*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...sustains-cosmetic-damage-in-bizarre-incident/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hauler Containing Travis Kvapil's Sprint Cup Car Allegedly Stolen​*
Team Xtreme has withdrawn from Sunday's race at Atlanta after the No. 44 car Travis Kvapil was scheduled to drive was allegedly stolen from the parking lot of a hotel overnight Thursday.

The team said the car was in a hauler attached to the back of a truck.








It's the only car the team has prepared for the race, which is why it withdrew. In parts of four seasons, the team has made 16 Sprint Cup Series starts.








*From USA Today:*



> _"Sometimes what happens when thieves see trailers, they might just assume there's something in the trailer they can go off and sell," Morrow Police Sgt. Larry Oglesby told USA TODAY Sports. "Sometimes when things like this occur, they will drop off the items in a parking lot somewhere -- like a Walmart parking lot -- once they realize what they have."
> 
> "They'll open it up and say, 'Oh my God, this is not what we thought it was. Let's get out of here.' And they'll take off and leave it sitting there. We're hoping that will be the situation so he can get back to his races this weekend, because they drove quite a distance to participate."_


 The team qualified for the Daytona 500 last week after scrambling to prepare a backup car because of a qualifying crash. Reed Sorenson drove the car in the 500 and crashed with Clint Bowyer in qualifying. The team got Sorenson's backup to Daytona in time for the Duels and he raced his way into the Daytona 500. Sorenson's 32nd in the 500 is the team's highest-ever finish.

According to Cohen, the team's owner, the team is planning to be at Atlanta.

This episode may bring back memories of the last NASCAR hauler-stealing escapade, which happened in 2013. Jennifer Jo Cobb alleged that Mike Harmon, a fellow driver and team owner, stole her hauler. The hauler was part of a dispute involving the ownership of assets between Cobb and a former business and romantic partner, David Novak. While Cobb won a judgment in state court involving the incident, she asked for the criminal charges against Novak and Harmon to be dropped.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...print-cup-car-allegedly-stolen-162445205.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Atlanta Pole​*
Joey Logano followed his Daytona 500 victory by winning the pole for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Logano's lap of 194.683 mph earned him the number one starting position for Sunday's second race of the Sprint Cup Series season.

"This is such a great way to follow Daytona," Logano said. "This team has a lot of momentum and we definitely want to keep it going."

It was Logano's ninth career pole with his last coming at Las Vegas in March of 2014. Logano earned his first pole at Atlanta in what will be his ninth career start on Sunday.

Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne completed the top-10 qualifiers.

The first round of Friday's group qualifying session was a bizarre scene as several top drivers were not able to get their cars through inspection in time to compete. Among the 13 that failed to turn an official lap were Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon who voiced his concern for the turn of events.

"When you have this many teams having issues going through, there's something wrong with this system or something wrong with the amount of time they allotted to get through," said Gordon. "There's no way with this many good cars and talented people that they can't figure out how to get these cars through inspection. These guys are too smart and yeah, we're pushing limits, but there's something wrong here.

"I'm embarrassed for our series now that this just happened. I'm really upset for my sponsor 3M that just came on this weekend when we didn't get a chance to qualify. We're just fortunate that (we make the race). I know there's a lot of teams that aren't going to be that fortunate. I hate it for these guys that work so hard. &#8230; This is an embarrassment for all of us."

Kenseth was equally frustrated.

Yeah, we're pushing limits, but there's something wrong here." Kenseth said. "I'm embarrassed for our series right now that this just happened. And I'm really upset for my sponsor 3M that just came on this weekend. We didn't get a chance to even qualify. I'm assuming we're not going home because of points for last year, but I know there's a lot of teams out here that aren't going to be that fortunate. I hate it for these guys that worked so hard. We were excited about qualifying today. I felt like we had a great shot at being up front. This is just absolutely ridiculous."

Even Logano had challenges getting through the inspection line.

"I think you've got to be able to have the opportunity to go through there twice," Logano said.

Four drivers failed to qualify for Sunday's race: Mike Wallace, Reed Sorenson, Michael Annett and Matt DiBenedetto.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have one final practice session on Saturday morning.

*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6755&StatType=Starting+Lineup






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Joey-Logano-Wins-Atlanta-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Xtreme Missing Cup Car Found​*
Police recovered the missing NASCAR Sprint Cup car of Team Xtreme early Saturday morning.

The team announced via Twitter that Gwinnett County (Ga.) police recovered the stolen vehicle. "So Happy to have 'old faithful' back. Favorite race car" read the Tweet.

Unfortunately, the reunion came to late for the team to compete in this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the entry for driver Travis Kvapil was withdrawn on Friday.

"While this is obviously a setback for this weekend, our plans remain to compete in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season," team owner John Cohen said on Friday when the car was discovered stolen.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/02/Team-Xtreme-Finds-Missing-Car.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Confident Larson Set For Atlanta​*
Kyle Larson has his sights set on Sprint Cup Series career victory number one this weekend in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

The Chip Ganassi Racing sophomore driver was impressive last season in his Rookie of the Year campaign. He came close to scoring a Sprint Cup win but wasn't able to seal the deal before the year ended.

He comes into 2015 with more experience to go along with raw talent and many believe Larson can break down the door to Victory Lane on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"Yeah, I don't know," Larson said Thursday at AMS. "I would like to win anywhere. This is our next race so I would definitely like to win. I enjoy the 1.5-mile tracks the best, but (Kevin) Harvick is really good here. He will probably be the one to beat."

Larson was strong when the Sprint Cup Series last raced at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend. He started third and finished eighth that Sunday evening.

After finishing 17th in the final standings, Larson and crew chief Chris Heroy are looking for even better things in their second full season working together. Although things got off to a rocky start in the season-opening Daytona 500, Larson is still confident going forward and was actually excited by the prospect of racing again so quickly at Atlanta and to get into the routine of the season.

"I think it's not too much of a grind for me because when I was 18, 19 years old I was racing 120 races a year; cruising up and down the road going to the next sprint car track," Larson said. "At least with our schedule we get to go home every week. And we get to sleep in our second home here at the race track. It's not too bad at all.

"I enjoy racing as much as I can. I wish our off-season was shorter. Not too much of a grind unless you are not running well out on the track. Just make sure you have fun each week and enjoy racing and never think of it as a job and it will be fun."

Larson and teammate Jamie McMurray kicked off the Atlanta weekend in strong fashion during Thursday's open test session. As teams put the new 2015 Sprint Cup rules packages through its paces, the duo was very fast especially in the opening session.

Larson believes that foundation will provide something to build on as the weekend progresses, one he ultimately hopes will end in taking Sunday's checkered flag.

"We were all pretty anxious to get out there I think," Larson said of the test day. "This is really what I feel like is the start of our season because this is the majority of the size race tracks we run on. I was excited to get out there, first car out. The track had a lot of grip at first, so that is why Jamie and I are both up there I think. It was fast. I felt like the car really didn't drive much different here than how it did with the old rules package. This track is pretty tough to run on anyway. The characteristics between the way the cars handled were about the same.

"That is good, nice that Chip Ganassi Racing is one-two after this first test. I hope we can carry this speed on throughout the rest of the weekend and rest of the year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/02/Confident-Larson-Set-For-Atlanta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Pole For Hisense 250​*
Joey Logano wins pole for today's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Logano becomes the first driver to win Xfinity and CUP Series pole awards at the same track on the same weekend.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Cry Foul Over Atlanta Qualifying Debacle​*
*N*ASCAR's technical inspection drew the ire of many drivers and crew chiefs Friday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, when 13 of the 47 cars entered in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 failed to make it out of inspection in time to post a qualifying lap.

Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson -- four drivers who have combined to win 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships -- were among those failed to get out of tech.

At least Joey Logano was happy. Last week's Daytona 500 winner claimed the pole in Atlanta, qualifying at 194.883 miles per hour in his Team Penske Ford. It was Logano's ninth pole in 221 career starts.

Logano was followed by the reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick, who turned a lap of 193.792 mph in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

Jamie McMurray was next in a Chip Ganassi Chevy, followed by the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.

With time running out before the 5:45 p.m. ET scheduled start of the first round of qualifying and most of the cars still waiting on tech, NASCAR delayed the start of the session by 15 minutes, but it wasn't enough for the entire field to make it through.

"There is something wrong with this system, or there is something wrong with the time on the clock to get through," said four-time champion Gordon.

"There's no way this many good cars, talented people, that they can't figure out how to get these cars through inspection. These guys are too smart. Yeah, we're pushing limits, but there's something wrong here.

"I'm embarrassed," said Gordon. "I'm embarrassed for this series right now that this just happened. ... This is just absolutely ridiculous."

For many, the details from NASCAR were few and far between, most simply saying they had issues in tech and were forced to go through the line again.

Kenseth pointed out with so many cars failing NASCAR's technical inspection, it is hard to believe the teams were at fault.

"When I walked up 10 minutes before qualifying was scheduled to start there were only 14 cars on pit road, so I have a hard time believing it was the teams," said Kenseth. "They should really figure out how to get everyone through tech before qualifying starts, first of all. But if they can't do that they probably should have postponed qualifying until they could get everyone through tech."

Johnson blamed the allotted time NASCAR gives teams to get the cars through the inspection line after practice.

"I would say one of the largest factors is we have an hour less time this year to get the cars through tech, and an hour would have gotten everybody through," Johnson told FOXSports.com. "The other piece of it is, only 15 of the 49 cars made it through (tech) on the first trip. We all shared the same issue."

The issue the teams faced was getting through the laser level that measures the cars. While NASCAR has reduced the number of officials on site each weekend, Johnson does not believe that contributed to the issue.

"The machine takes 80 to 90 seconds for each car to go through that machine," he said. "When you have 49 cars, it's just a time factor."

Team owner and driver Stewart spent nearly 20 minutes in the NASCAR inspection area talking with officials. After the session, Stewart and Johnson both took to Twitter to express their frustration with the situation.

Meanwhile, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director Richard Buck said the sanctioning body did its best to provide a level playing field for everyone, but teams were "pushing the limits" in the search for more mechanical grip.

"That's their job. It's their job to push it to the very limit," said Buck. "Our job is to treat everybody fairly and give everybody an opportunity to go through that inspection room, but their responsibility is to come through there right, but to the very limit. I think that's what you saw today, was everybody pushing the limits."

Despite the logjam as qualifying officially started, Buck said all cars had made it through NASCAR technical inspection, at least once, 17 minutes before the drop of the green flag for Round One. The 13 cars that didn't make qualifying attempts all had issues, according to Buck.

"We treat everyone the same," he said. "There were cars that came through two, and even cars that came through three times, so everybody got a fair shot at going through there in a timely manner."

Buck said NASCAR would "look at the process and try to understand it," but also said it was on the teams to arrive at technical inspection with the proper and legal setup in the car.

"We'll look at it, as we always do, with a fine microscope, and get input from the teams and if, down the road we have to and see the need, we'll make an adjustment," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-motor-speedway-sprint-cup-series-pole-022715


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Again At Atlanta​*
Kevin Harvick scored his fourth career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in Saturday's Hisense 250.

The win made Harvick the all-time leading series race winner at the Georgia track and was his third straight.

Harvick's 45th career victory ranks him third on the series' all-time win list.

Harvick dominated Saturday's second race of the 2015 season and led 101 of the 163 laps on his way to giving JR Motorsports another trip to Victory Lane.

"That pit stop is what won this race," Harvick said of his last trip down pit road. "Joey probably had a little bit better car in the second half of the run, and it really played out for us there at the end as we were able to have that short run and take off."

Joey Logano, who starts on the pole for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta, finished second.

"It's racing, we did everything we can do," said Logano, who has finished second the last two XFINITY Series starts at Atlanta. "As a team, we tried our hardest."

"I'm gonna keep running this XFINITY race until I win here. I keep running it every year and I finish second every year. I'm so close. So, I'm gonna keep doing it until I get it."

Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

"I was proud of our run," Dillon said. "We battled from 17th to third, and when you get all the way up to the front, your car starts to handle a little bit different with the clean air. You're definitely in the throttle a ton more. With all the circumstances, maybe with a couple of more restarts, we could've raced with them a little bit harder. But it is what it is."

Paul Menard, Brian Scott, Matt Kenseth, Regan Smith and Kyle Larson completed the first 10 finishers.

Erik Jones, substituting for the injured Kyle Busch, finished 13th in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota.

"It was just a long day overall with a lot of factors that went into it - really just started too tight," Jones explained. "The Monster Energy Camry was good at the end. I just wish we could have been on the lead lap and in contention, so just unfortunate the way it worked out. I wish we could have been up there."

Buescher and Dillon are tied for the lead in the XFINITY Series point standings.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/02/Kevin-Harvick-Wins-Hisense-250.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Cruises To Atlanta Win​*
Matt Crafton cruised to the win in Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The two-time defending series champion led two times for 85 laps, including the final 72, en route to a margin of victory of 8.8 seconds.

"They kept trying to slow me down, and I slowed down at some points, and then right there at the end I just tried to make a statement and show them how fast this Menards Toyota Tundra was," Crafton said.

The win was Crafton's sixth of his career and first at Atlanta.

"This is my favorite race track by far," Crafton said. "You search and you move around so much - now that I have this win, it's an amazing feeling."

Ty Dillon, who won in the series' last trip to Atlanta in 2012, finished second after coming home third earlier in the day in the XFINITY Series race.

"Maybe I should of ran tomorrow," Dillon said. "But I had a great day. Two good clean runs with two good fast racecars."

Pole winner Ben Kennedy finished third after battling Daniel Suarez at the end of the race to match his career best finish.

"We had a great run out there and we were really good on the long runs," Kennedy said. "The first couple laps around, it took us a little while to get going and ended up a little on the tight side there. I really learned a lot this weekend and a lot about Atlanta. I've never been here before and never seen the place. It was really cool coming here without any real past experience and being able to learn this race track."

Suarez finished a career-best fourth and Daytona winner Tyler Reddick rebounded from a speeding penalty to round out the top five.

"The night was filled with a lot of mistakes on my part," Reddick said. "It really stinks to come here with such a fast vehicle and only finish fifth with it. The driver just gave a lot of track position away on pit road. It's early in the season and hopefully I can learn from that."

Johnny Sauter, Erik Jones, James Buescher, Timothy Peters and Joe Nemechek completed the top-10 finishers.

Earlier in the day, Brad Keselowski was originally awarded the pole, but had to start 10th when it was determined he did not start his lap prior to the time expiring in qualifying. In the race, Keselowski was penalized on Lap 41 for driving through too many pit boxes and could only battle back to a 15th-place finish, one lap down.

Reddick now leads the standings by two points over Crafton as the series gets ready to head to Martinsville Speedway on March 28.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Hyundai-Construction-Equipment-200-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Atlanta Story Lines​*
Several stories will be worth watching in Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

*Weather Worries* 
Rain is in the forecast for Sunday around the Atlanta area and the day kicked off cold and wet conditions at AMS. The forecast calls for the percentage of rain to drop as the day rolls on and the track is equipped with lights. NASCAR has called for a competition caution at lap 25 for teams to check tire wear since Mother Nature washed away all the rubber that went down on track since the extended weekend began last Thursday.

*New Rules in Play* 
After an off-season with no testing thanks to NASCAR's new policy the much-discussed new Sprint Cup rules package gets its first on track performance. Less horsepower and reduced down force are highlights of the new-look rules, which teams put through its paces during last Thursday's open test session at Atlanta. So far feedback has been mixed with some drivers not finding much difference while others lament the lack of horsepower and throttle response. One thing is certain, speeds have not dropped at all based on practice and qualifying speeds.

*Logano Rolling* 
Fresh off his Daytona 500 victory Joey Logano leads the field to green Sunday after winning the pole for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Logano and crew chief Todd Gordon have said with the 500 win in their pocket and a spot in the Chase already wrapped up, the pressure is off for the rest of the regular season and winning races is all they're concentrating on for the next 25 weeks.

*From the Back* 
There are a host of Sprint Cup stars starting Sunday's race from the rear of the field for various reasons. Some like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson are there because of Friday's bizarre group qualifying session when they missed taking a lap because their cars were hung up in the NASCAR inspection line. Kevin Harvick was to have started outside the front row and had the fastest lap in Saturday's final practice session until he blew an engine and is now forced to the rear. The opening laps should be exciting watching some very fast cars slice their way through the field racing to the front.

*Pinch Hitters in Spotlight* 
David Ragan makes his first start as the injured Kyle Busch's replacement in the Joe Gibbs Racing M&M's Toyota. The veteran moves over from Front Row Motorsports for what's expected to be about two month stint before rookie Eric Jones takes the wheel Mother's Day weekend in Kansas. Regan Smith makes his second start in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevy as Kurt Busch continues his indefinite NASCAR suspension.

*Ride Swap* 
Michael Annett missed the race in qualifying but will still take the green flag Sunday thanks to H Scott Motorsports working out a deal with the ride that was to be driven by Brian Scott. Annett will start the No. 33 Joe Falk-owned from the 32nd start position.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Atlanta-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Back In Victory Lane​*
Jimmie Johnson scored his 71st career Sprint Cup Series win Sunday in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Johnson dominated the second half of Sunday's race to pick up his first win since taking the checkered flag at Texas Motor Speedway last November.

He led six times for 92 laps, including the final 21, to win for the fourth time in his career at AMS.

Johnson was excited about the win since earlier in the weekend he wasn't completely enamored with his car.

"It says a lot of good things," Johnson said. "I'm just so excited that the guys could understand. We have new guys. So, this new team could understand what I was complaining about and things I didn't like about my race car. We thought we were a top 10 car last night."

Because his car could not get through tech inspection on time Johnson didn't make a qualifying lap on Friday and was forced to start from the rear of the field. But that wasn't a challenge as he worked his way to the front in short order and eventually into the lead for the win.

"We had a great race car, and unfortunately the way qualifying went yesterday, we didn't have a didn't have a good pit stall pick and it took us a long time to get in front of the No. 19 (Carl Edwards)," Johnson explained. "Once we did that we were able to utilize our awesome pit crew; get the stops done and race for the win and get the job done today. Just very, very thankful."

Kevin Harvick, who won Saturday's XFINITY Series race, finished second after also coming from the back of the pack because he blew an engine in final practice.

"&#8230;.I had one bad restart there where I spun the tires on the outside and we just never recovered from that one and then we got behind the No. 55 (Brett Moffitt) when he was kind of shooting for the moon there to go on the restart and he just didn't go," Harvick said. "And then we got passed again. But all in all, it was a great day. I've got to thank everybody on this car for everything they do."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

Martin Truex Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Moffitt, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman completed the first 10 finishers.

The start of the race was delayed by rain for nearly an hour but once the green flag flew there were no more weather delays.

The Sprint Cup Series now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for next Sunday's Kobalt 400.

*How Johnson won:* It was evident Johnson had a good car at the start of the race as he was able to make his way to the front from his starting spot deep in the field. Crew chief Chad Knaus made several adjustments on pit road to make the No. 48 better and Johnson was able to pull away from the field on the final restart with 13 laps to go and cruise to a 1.803-second win over Harvick.

*What else happened:* Harvick looked like the class of the field and dominated the first half of the race after taking the top spot from pole sitter Joey Logano. Pit strategies began to come into play in the late going particularly after a spate of late race cautions that bunched up the field.

*Who else had a good day:* Harvick was disappointed with second but has two runner-up finishes to start 2015&#8230;..Earnhardt Jr. is also off to a solid beginning in the new year with two consecutive third place performances&#8230;.Logano followed his Daytona 500 win with a fourth-place effort&#8230;.Moffitt filling in for Brian Vickers in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 turned in an impressive eighth-place finish&#8230;..Newman survived a late-race accident to finish 10th, even with a damaged car.

*Who had a bad day:* Jeff Gordon is two-for-two in getting involved in accidents to start 2015 after he was caught in a multi-car crash Sunday in the aftermath of his disappointing Daytona 500 late race wreck. Gordon along with Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Newman were all part of the melee. Gordon got the worst of it when he pounded the inside wall on the backstretch&#8230;..Another multi-car accident brought out the red flag with 20 laps to go when Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Clint Bowyer and others all were involved racing through Turns 1 and 2&#8230;..the Roush Fenway Racing stable in whole had a miserable day with Biffle in 25th the best of the bunch&#8230;.Tony Stewart followed his Daytona 500 struggles with more frustration Sunday finishing 30th and never being a factor all race long.

*Quote of the day:* "The racing that we've got in our industry right now is the best racing in the world&#8230;period." - Chad Knaus

*Notables:* Allmendinger's seventh was his best finish since winning at Watkins Glen last August&#8230;.Truex Jr. already has two top-10 finishes and only posted five all of last year&#8230;.David Ragan's first start for the injured Kyle Busch ended in 18th&#8230;.Regan Smith was 17th in his second start for the suspended Kurt Busch&#8230;.Time of the race was 3 hours and 49 minutes.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Johnson-Wins-Folds-of-Honor-QuikTrip-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Another Top 10 For Truex Jr.​*
Martin Truex Jr. notched his second consecutive top-10 finish, placing sixth in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The result followed an eighth-place finish in last week's season-opening Daytona 500.

Truex moved into fifth place in driver points, the highest standing position for a Furniture Row Racing driver in the team's 10-year history.

Outside of a few minor hiccups during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Truex, driving the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet, ran a smooth and calculated race during the 325 laps at the 1.54-mile oval. His alert driving skill came into play when he twice avoided being clipped in a major multicar accident on Lap 259.

"It's a game of inches and sometimes it goes in your favor and sometimes not," Truex said. "Today it went our way when that crash happened. We had a really good car on the long runs and on every restart it just seemed like we kept getting in the wrong lane. We had guys wrecking in front of us and getting loose in front of us and spinning their tires. We had to pass a lot of cars all day. It seemed like it was the same guys all day long."

Truex added, "It was another good weekend. I just really wanted a top-five. I wasn't really quite as good as those guys on the short run. And in dirty air I needed a little bit longer runs to be able to kind of pick and choose my lanes where I needed to be. All in all what can I say? All the guys at Furniture Row Racing are doing a great job. This beats where we were last year at this time by about 30 spots. Excited about what everybody is doing and really pumped to get the rest of the year going."

After the first two races of 2014 -- his first season with Furniture Row Racing -- Truex had finishes of 43rd and 22nd. and was 35th in points.

"We have a good group of guys working really hard," stated Truex. "We had a good plan going into the off-season of knowing what we had to do to turn the program around. Hats off to Cole Pearn (crew chief) and Joe Garone (general manager) and everybody that's been pushing all the buttons and making the right decisions over the winter. It's fun to drive race cars that are fast and running good again. Hopefully we can continue to build on the momentum, build on this team and keep getting better. Our over-the-wall crew also had another good day. A great team effort."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/Another-Top-10-for-Martin-Truex-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. And Ives Communicating Well​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes the communication and chemistry he has with new crew chief Greg Ives is off to a solid beginning.

Earnhardt came home third in Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and has started 2015 with a pair of strong finishes.

It was Junior's first top-five at AMS since 2008 and he's opened the new campaign with consecutive third-place performances.

While Earnhardt Jr. had a strong car all weekend he credited Ives and his crew's work on pit road as reasons for the solid outing Sunday in Atlanta.

"Happy with the car," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Happy with Greg. Greg is great at communicating. Our communication is natural, feels good. He's a pretty decent cheerleader, too, for myself, the team. Man, he's going to be something else for a while around that garage. I'm glad to be able to work with him there."

Earnhardt's crew gave him solid work on pit road that he credited with adding to what turned out to be a bright performance on a rather gloomy looking day in Atlanta.

"The guys were great on pit road," Earnhardt said. "We've got a lot of new guys on the over the wall crew and they did an awesome job. They were steady and consistent and gained a few spots here and there. It was a great day. I'm just really happy to run good here."

Sunday's race was the first to be run with the new Sprint Cup Series rules package. Bu the lesser horsepower and lower down force didn't make much of an impact on Earnhardt Jr. over the course of Sunday's 500 miles.

"This car is the same ole car, man," Earnhardt Jr. said. "They didn't....the rules changed a little bit, but they drive the same and actually qualified faster than we did last year. These things...it is a good race car. The rules aren't going to be that big of a deal."

What was most impressive to Earnhardt Jr. was how his car got better as the weekend went on. After Thursday's open test session to give teams a chance to shake down the new rules package, Earnhardt wasn't particularly excited about the way his car was driving.

But that improved as the race drew nearer and Earnhardt believes it bodes well for how his team will progress in coming weeks and the way Ives is leading the organization.

"We struggled a little bit Thursday but we got better and better each day," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Our communication is really, really good. He is doing a great job cheerleading this whole team. I am real proud of the effort the whole crew did, man. To start off like this and get some traction and have a couple of good runs is giving us some confidence and it is helping Greg out a ton."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ardt-Jr-and-Greg-Ives-Communicating-Well.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Start For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon's farewell Sprint Cup Series season hasn't gotten off to the best start after he was involved in another accident Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last week Gordon's final Daytona 500 was marred by a late-race crash that wiped out any chance of having a good finish despite starting from the pole and leading the most laps.

Unfortunately, Gordon suffered a similar fate Sunday in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 when he was swept up in an accident on the backstretch.

Denny Hamlin spun on lap 257 and in the aftermath Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and finally Gordon all were victims of the crash.

Gordon's damaged car slid down the track and made heavy contact with the inside wall.

"I saw the 11 get sideways," Gordon said. "I guess he clipped the No. 1 (McMurray). I was along for the ride. 31 (Newman) came around. Sent me down. Wouldn't be so bad, except I found the one spot there's no SAFER barrier. I can't believe it. Hopefully soon, that'll get fixed."

Hamlin gave his view of the incident.

"I was right on the 19 (Carl Edwards) entering (turn one)," Hamlin said. "He checked up. If I didn't move to the right, I'd spin him out and run right in the back of him. That put me on the back of the 4 (Kevin Harvick) and sucked me around. Shame for all these cars."

Gordon now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week with two DNFs on his record to start 2015. The Hendrick Motorsports driver may be down but he insists he's not out.

"We weren't having a great day, I thought we would be better than that," Gordon said. "We were struggling but I'm proud of the way we were fighting through. We had gotten ourselves into the top 10 right there. We might have had a shot at a top-five but we won't know now. It's unfortunate way to start the season. We just have to dig ourselves out of this hole."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/03/Tough-Start-For-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Accident Causes Red Flag​*
A multi-car accident late in Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 brought out the red flag with 20 laps-to-go.

Eight drivers were involved in the crash that began when Greg Biffle and Joe Nemechek made contact racing through Turns 1 and 2.

When it ended Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson all ended up involved.

NASCAR was forced to red flag the race for 9 minutes to clean up the amount of debris that was created in the incident.

"I don't know how he got me there in the left rear, that was messed up," Nemechek said about Biffle over his in car radio.

Stenhouse Jr.'s car was nearly destroyed in the impact he took from being hit multiple times. He was able to climb out of his battered machine uninjured.

"I think the 16 (Biffle) and 34 (Nemechek) got together, something up front there," Stenhouse Jr. said. "I was committed to the top and got in the brakes and got in the back of the 15 (Bowyer), which was down on power I guess. And then a lot of smoke and somebody was in front of me as I was still on the brake and went ahead and ended our day."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/03/Accident-Causes-Red-Flag-at-Atlanta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Applies For Reinstatement​*
Kurt Busch has agreed to NASCAR's terms and begun his quest for reinstatement from the indefinite suspension he received Feb. 20.

NASCAR has acknowledged that Busch informed the sanctioning body he would go through the process and follow the guidelines for reinstatement laid out late last week. There is no timetable for Busch to complete the program, of which terms and conditions have not been revealed.

NASCAR suspended Busch in the aftermath of Kent County (Del.) Family Court Commissioner David Jones' release of findings that Busch committed an act of domestic violence against ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. The alleged incident took place in Busch's motorhome in September 2014 at Dover International Speedway.

Jones' written statements from the protective-order case hearing indicated that there was evidence which showed that Busch made contact with Driscoll's neck, chin and face - causing her to hit her head against the wall of the motorhome.

Busch lost both of his appeals, initially to a three-member board and then to NASCAR Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

Regan Smith has driven the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the first two races of the season, finishing 16th and 17th, and will do so again next weekend in Las Vegas.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/Kurt-Busch-Applies-for-Reinstatement.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Impressive Day For Moffitt​*
Brett Moffitt's fill-in role for Brian Vickers resulted in a stellar performance Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The short-track standout from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East piloted the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota to an eighth-place finish in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Opportunity knocked for Moffitt and he definitely answered.

"This is truly amazing," Moffitt said after only his eighth career Sprint Cup Series start. "We showed good speed all weekend, just couldn't bust off a quick lap on fresh tires and we kept adjusting on the car during the race. I learned how to be more aggressive on restarts and use other people's air to my benefit. I learned a lot."

In terms of the lessons Moffitt learned on Sunday, he says it was a collection of several things that added up to a fruitful day.

"We can all go fast in a car by ourselves, but then it's racing around 42 other guys and keeping the car under control," Moffitt said. "Atlanta has a lot of tire fall-off. Being able to go for the majority of a run - 40, 50 laps - and still be good at the end paid off."

Vickers is due back in the car for next weekend's race in Las Vegas. MWR officials hope it's a permanent return from the heart and health issues he's battled recently. But that means the future is uncertain for Moffitt. He doesn't have anything lined up for 2015 in terms of a regular ride in any of NASCAR's top three national divisions.

But his effort Sunday may have solidified Moffitt's stature as a more-than-capable substitute driver should a Sprint Cup Series seat become available. His run in the No. 55 is over, but Moffitt made a lasting impression.

"I wish I could be in the car more often," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/03/Impressive-Day-for-Moffitt.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Said Back In The Saddle​*
Joe Gibbs Racing has added Boris Said to its group of drivers to fill-in for Kyle Busch in the XFINITY Series.

Denny Hamlin (Full Story) and Erik Jones (Full Story) are also part of the rotation to fill the seat vacated by the injured Busch. On Tuesday JGR confirmed the addition of Said to its plans.

The 52-year old veteran will pilot seven XFINITY Series events with the No. 54 team including Talladega Superspeedway on May 2, Iowa Speedway on May 17 and August 1, Chicagoland Speedway on June 20, Mid Ohio Sportscar Course on August 15, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on August 29 and Kentucky Speedway on September 26.

Said has competed in 137 events across NASCAR's top three divisions, on all types of racetracks. Additionally Said has recorded time in the K&N East/West Series, ARCA, V8 Supercars, Grand-Am Sports Car, American Le Mans, Tudor United Sports Car and other exhibition series races. Said has experienced on-track time with various team owners and with all of NASCAR's manufacturer partners including Toyota Racing in 2010. In the XFINITY Series Said has registered 23 races and one victory earned in 2010 at the Montreal, Canada event.

"We hate this for Kyle (Busch) obviously and I think everyone is focused on getting him back healthy," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "We can't thank Monster Energy and all of our partners enough for working with us while Kyle is recovering and certainly it is nice to have Denny (Hamlin) and Erik (Jones) ready to fill in. We're also excited that Boris (Said) will have the opportunity to drive the car for seven races in 2015."

"We are excited to be able to have talent like Denny (Hamlin), Erik (Jones) and road racing guru Boris Said to come in and back up Kyle in tough times. Of course we miss Kyle and wish he was out there for us, but we have full confidence in all our guys," states Vice President of Sports Marketing for Monster Energy Mitch Covington.

Jones, who finished 13th at Atlanta this past weekend in the No. 54 Toyota, will next race at Phoenix International Raceway on March 14 and subsequently April 24 at Richmond International Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ake-XFINITY-Starts-with-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Are You Ready Kids? SpongeBob Squarepants 400 Coming To Kansas​*
*W*ho lives in a pineapple under the sea ... and is entitlement sponsor for the May 9 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway?

SpongeBob Squarepants!

On Monday, Nickleodeon announced that the animiated pop culture icon will be in the spotlight for the SpongeBob Squarepants 400 (on FOX Sports 1).

"I'm excited to partner with Nickelodeon for the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 on May 9," said Patrick Warren, Kansas Speedway President. "This is a great opportunity for us to engage SpongeBob fans of all ages to racing with a great partner."

This isn't SpongeBob's first foray into NASCAR. In 2004, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...nsas-speedway-nascar-sprint-cup-series-030215


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## Ckg2011

*Comcast To Sponsor Edwards​*
Comcast announced today it will join Carl Edwards and the No. 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing as primary sponsor for four races in 2015.








The partnership will kick off at the KOBALT 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8, with Comcast Business as the primary paint scheme for Edwards' Toyota Camry, marking the first major sponsorship deal in NASCAR for Comcast's business services unit that provides data, Internet, TV and other communication services to organizations of all sizes. Comcast Business will also be featured at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 19. The four-race partnership will round out with XFINITY, the company's residential brand for Internet, TV and other communication services, taking over as primary paint scheme for the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, and Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on November 1.

"We're excited about this partnership with Comcast as they continue to grow in the sport, and I've had a great time so far working with them in preparation for Las Vegas," said Edwards, who will have ARRIS on board his No. 19 Toyota seventeen times during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season.

"I'm excited to continue to build the relationship with them this year and hopefully we can put them into victory lane."

Edwards, a 12-year veteran of NASCAR's top-tier series, has 23 wins to his credit; five of which came at tracks where the Missouri native will carry the Comcast Business colors this season.

"We could not be more excited to partner with Carl Edwards and Joe Gibbs Racing as a sponsor of the No. 19 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Matt Lederer, Senior Director of Sports Marketing for Comcast. "Carl's success on the track and his affinity for technology off the track makes him a great ambassador for Comcast. We are confident he will do an outstanding job representing our organization as well as our customers, and we can't wait to kick off this relationship at Las Vegas."

In 2015 Comcast joined the NASCAR family as its XFINITY brand became the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series, formerly the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the Official Entertainment Provider of NASCAR. Comcast and NASCAR announced the agreement in September 2014 to make XFINITY the third title sponsor in the storied 30+ year history of the series.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/03/Comcast-to-Sponsor-Carl-Edwards.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Three Up, Three Down​*
The 2015 NASCAR season is only two weeks old, so there's no need for drivers and teams to either panic or celebrate just yet.

We all know Daytona is ... well, Daytona. What happens during Budweiser Speedweeks really doesn't have much of a bearing on the weeks that immediately follow.

The race in Atlanta had a couple unique elements in both the new Sprint Cup Series rules package employed for the first time and the incredibly worn-out track surface of AMS. It's hard to extrapolate much from week No. 2, given those two factors.

While there's reason for a number of drivers to feel good about the way their seasons have started and an equal group already disappointed about 2015, I would not draw too many conclusions about what may lie ahead.

That said, here's a quick look at the "good" and the "bad," with maybe a little "ugly" thrown in for good measure:

*Going Up*

*Kevin Harvick:* The reigning Sprint Cup Series champion hasn't missed a beat since the first green flag of 2015 flew. Harvick has been fast off the hauler in both Daytona and Atlanta, a theme that was prevalent through most of his championship campaign. He's not finished worse than second in his last five races and there are no signs Harvick will slow down any time soon. And there's harmony on pit road with the No. 4 team's crew after last year's personnel changes.

*Joey Logano:* It would be understandable if Logano suffered a bit of a letdown in Atlanta after his Daytona 500 win. But he not only followed that up with a pole-winning effort, Logano led a good portion of Sunday's race before fading - though still posting a top-five finish. Bottom line with Logano is a lot like what's going on in the Harvick camp. The excellence of last year has seamlessly carried into 2015.

*Jimmie Johnson:* The six-time Sprint Cup Series champion went winless for the first three months of last year and set off a chorus of, "what's wrong with the '48?' " from NASCAR fans. Johnson won't have to endure those doubts this season after winning in race No. 2 of 2015. His Atlanta victory was vintage Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus as they made an already-fast car better with adjustments to the changing conditions throughout the race, and in the end powered to the checkered flag.

*Going Down*

*Jeff Gordon:* Starting his final full-time Sprint Cup Series season with two straight crashes is definitely not what Gordon imagined heading into 2015. His Daytona 500 accident ended a day that started from the pole and saw Gordon lead the most laps, only to get swept up in a last-lap melee. Gordon's Atlanta crash came around the midway point in a race that saw the No. 24 Chevrolet struggle to find speed and get to the front of the field. So Gordon arrives in Las Vegas with two DNFs on his record.

*Tony Stewart:* Like Gordon, Stewart's Daytona 500 was marred by an accident - except his came early in the race rather than late. "Smoke" suffered the same fate in Atlanta as part of a multi-car accident late in the race that brought out a red flag for cleanup. Prior to his involvement in Atlanta's "Big One," Stewart was as uncompetitive as anyone in the field, falling multiple laps down to the leader just past the halfway mark. Stewart has the same general trend as teammate Harvick, but at opposite ends of the spectrum. Both are performing the same way they did last year. But in Stewart's case, that's not a good thing.

*Greg Biffle:* Roush Fenway Racing made many adjustments and personnel moves during the winter months in hopes of bringing the organization back to being competitive. But while 2015 hasn't been a disaster, the numbers are eerily similar to last year's frustrating performance. Biffle, and teammates Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne continue to struggle. They were all a lap down in short order at Atlanta. Biffle's frustrations were compounded when he, too, was a participant in the multi-car accident that set up the race's final restart.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Three-Up-Three-Down.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Early Returns​*
here's no consensus on how the new Sprint Cup Series rules package played out Sunday in Atlanta ... plus other notes from the NASCAR world ...

The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 was the first time teams had the opportunity to employ the much-discussed 2015 rules package. Less horsepower, lower downforce and a change in rear gearing are elements of the new rules as NASCAR seeks to improve the 1.5-mile racing product.

Sunday's race was a typical Atlanta affair and when the checkered flag flew, there was a variety of opinion on just how large an impact the new rules package had on the competition.

"I have to learn how these cars drive, now," AJ Allmendinger said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "It's going to take some time getting used to it. Atlanta - because of the worn-out surface and cool temperatures - didn't give us the best gauge. But I like the direction we're headed in with this package."

Reaction to the adjustable track bar that drivers now have at their disposal also was varied.

"I don't think that's going to be that big of a deal," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "I wasn't too worried about it. We can adjust the car on pit road. It might work a little better at some other tracks, particularly the ones that have a ton of grip where you can tweak it a little bit here and there, feel the balance change. At a place like Atlanta, moving it didn't seem to make a big difference."

Drivers get their second crack at the changes this weekend when they roll into the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

*Moffitt On the Mind*

Brett Moffitt turned a lot of heads with his top-10 finish as Brian Vickers' sub in the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. Unfortunately for the young driver, he's a man without a ride with Vickers due back in Vegas. But Moffitt got a strong vote of encouragement from team co-owner Rob Kaufman, who issued a statement which read as follows:

"We're proud of how the entire No. 55 team has performed while Brian Vickers was recovering from his December surgery. The race in Atlanta showcased the progress of the entire organization as well as a promising young driver in Brett Moffitt, who's been in the MWR system the past couple of years and we're enthusiastic about his potential. Brett is under a multi-year agreement. MWR would love to get back to a three-car team and grow with him. Before this past weekend, we felt his name should be mentioned as part of the impressive crop of young drivers coming into the sport and the Atlanta result validated that. While we work toward a fully supported in-house program, it is MWR's desire that Brett get more quality opportunities in either of NASCAR's top divisions and we will work diligently to make that happen."

*Vegas Entries*

Speaking of Las Vegas, site of Sunday's Kobalt 400, there are 48 teams on the preliminary entry list vying for one of the 43 starting spots in the season's third race. This will be the final race of the season that will use 2014 owner points as a way of filling provisional starting spots 37-42. Current standings will be used starting next week at Phoenix International Raceway. Among those who need to be in the top 36 on the speed chart in Friday's qualifying session are Carl Edwards and Ryan Blaney. After last week's qualifying session that saw 13 drivers fail to turn a lap in Round 1 after their cars were hung up in inspection, there may be some nervous crew chiefs that set their clocks a little earlier come Friday afternoon.

*Xtreme Back On Track*

One of the 48 Las Vegas entries belongs to Team Xtreme Racing and will be driven by Travis Kvapil. The bizarre case of the team's racecar and transporter being stolen last week in Georgia, forcing them to withdraw from the Atlanta race, continues. Local police have zeroed in on a possible suspect.

"I have a person of interest I've spoken to and am setting up an interview with him," Detective Sgt. Larry Oglesby told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/03/NASCAR-Notebook-Early-Returns.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Moffitt to Drive No. 34 For Front Row​*
Twenty-two-year-old up-and-coming driver Brett Moffitt will pilot Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 Ford Fusion for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. The young driver, who finished eighth in Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will drive the No. 34 Shaw's Southern Belle Seafood Ford this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He will also be behind the wheel of the No. 34 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 15 and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on March 22.

The Grimes, Iowa, native fills the seat temporarily vacated by Front Row Motorsports veteran David Ragan, who is subbing for the injured Kyle Busch in the No. 18 car. Moffitt turned heads in Sunday's 500-mile race in Atlanta, earning a top-10 finish in just his eighth Sprint Cup Series start.

The young driver is a nine-time winner in K&N Pro Series East competition and currently serves as a test driver for Toyota Racing Development and Michael Waltrip Racing. He made starts in the NASCAR XFINITY (2012) and Camping World Truck (2013) series before making his Sprint Cup Series debut last June at Dover International Speedway.

Sunday's Kobalt 400 will be Moffitt's ninth Sprint Cup Series start and his second of 2015.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to run some races for Front Row," Moffitt said. "After last weekend, I'm obviously eager to get back into a car and keep racing. I'm grateful to Bob Jenkins and his team for giving me the chance to do that. I'll do my best to get some good finishes for them. I'm also thankful that Michael Waltrip Racing is allowing me to pursue this opportunity. I think it's going to benefit everyone in the end."

Team owner Bob Jenkins believes Moffitt brings valuable experience -- plus an eagerness to continue learning -- to the No. 34 team.

"We know Brett doesn't have a ton of Sprint Cup experience, but he's got a lot of hours behind the wheel in testing time, and he was certainly impressive Sunday in Atlanta," Jenkins said. "For only his eighth start, he showed a lot of poise, patience and maturity that you don't often see in drivers that age."

Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner Rob Kauffman is supportive of the arrangement.

"As we anticipated, there has been heightened interest for Brett Moffitt's services after his solid performance last weekend in Atlanta," Kauffman said. "While he is committed to MWR, we are happy for him to gain further valuable experience and help Bob Jenkins, Jerry Freeze and the team at Front Row Motorsports over the next few races. Bob and Front Row were very gracious with our Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing after Kyle Busch's unfortunate injuries by allowing David Ragan to vacate the No. 34 to drive the No. 18. We will continue to work on future opportunities for Brett."

Shaw's Southern Belle Seafood joins Moffitt as a first-time partner with Front Row Motorsports for the Las Vegas event. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based, "Made in the USA" premium seafood company makes award-winning crab cakes and stuffed crabs, sold in fine supermarkets across the country. The Shaw family has owned and operated the business, using recipes from original Southern Belle "Mama Shaw," since 1934.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...or-Front-Row-Motorsports-for-Three-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Las Vegas Challenge Ahead​*
Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway promises to be a demanding race for both man and machine.

The 1.5-mile track is the same length as last week's venue in Atlanta, but there's not much more similarity. While each track has developed what drivers like to call "character," Vegas does not chew up tires like the worn out surface of AMS.

"They're pretty similar in how the bumps are on the track and are both pretty rough tracks," Paul Menard said. "Vegas is not nearly as abrasive but it does have some fall off with the tires. We definitely take away some things from Atlanta to Vegas but they're pretty different tracks in some aspects. They're both fast mile-and-a-half tracks so qualifying is going to be balls to the wall and the race is going to be pretty crazy."

The now infamous bumps around Las Vegas provide both drivers negotiating them at high speed and crew chiefs trying to set their cars up to deal with challenges. Throw in the high speeds that are expected this weekend and 400 miles won't be anything like a walk down the strip.

"The track surface at Vegas has gotten really rough over the last four or five years," Matt Kenseth said. "I think that getting through the bumps there, especially in turn one, and being able to carry a lot of speed is important. Being able to get through those bumps fast, keeping your car turning, and being stable are the keys to a successful day at Vegas lately.

"The hardest things about Vegas are those bumps honestly. Turns 3 and 4 are pretty smooth so you can get your balance to work well there, but getting through the bumps in turns one and two fast enough, while still keeping a decent platform and keeping the tires on the ground is a bit of a challenge."

This will be the second race utilizing the new Sprint Cup Series rules that feature lower horsepower and less down force among other things. Although they did not appear to make a huge impact last week in Atlanta, it's important for teams to get a handle on things as quickly as possible with the bulk of the schedule competing on 1.5-mile tracks like Las Vegas.

"Everybody likes going to Vegas, it's a fun race track and a fun place," Carl Edwards said. "It's another mile-and-a-half and that's the bread and butter - the mile-and-a-halves are the tracks that you have to run well at. It will give us an opportunity to keep building on what we've been working on with our new team. I've had a bunch of success there and I really like that track. Hopefully we can turn all of that into a win."

However, because no two speedways are exactly similar even if they have the same measurement around, dialing in the new rules package and performing at a high level at every 1.5-mile track.

"You hope that if your car is good on a mile-and-a-half that you can take it to the next one and be just as good," said AJ Allmendinger, who turned in an impressive top-10 finish last week in Atlanta. "However, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway are two totally different racetracks. From the top view, you would say 'Oh, same racetrack, same setup,' but Vegas - although it's starting to get a little more bumps in it - still has a ton of grip in it and doesn't use up tires much.

"Vegas over the last couple of years has become difficult. It is the most typical racetrack on a Friday/Saturday where it has a ton of grip. Whether it is from the desert sun, the sand/grit that gets over the track just sitting there Sunday morning, when they drop the green flag you are sideways. The track is just slick. It does not have a lot of grip. Really, it is a tough place."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/03/Las-Vegas-Challenge-Ahead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: No Charges In Kurt Busch Case​*
Kurt Busch will not face criminal charges with the Delaware Department of Justice citing insufficient evidence.

The Delaware Department of Justice issued a statement saying they reviewed Patricia Driscoll's - Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend - complaint made of an alleged act of domestic violence involving Busch in Dover in September.

"The Delaware Department of Justice has carefully reviewed the complaint made of an alleged act of domestic violence involving Kurt Busch in Dover on September 26, 2014, which was reported to the Dover Police Department on November 5, 2014 and investigated. After a thorough consideration of all the available information about the case, it is determined that the admissible evidence and available witnesses would likely be insufficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Busch committed a crime during the September 26th incident. Likelihood of meeting that high burden of proof is the standard for prosecutors in bringing a case. For this reason, the Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges in this case," read the statement.

Busch issued a statement in response to the decision:

"I am grateful that the prosecutors in Delaware listened, carefully considered the evidence, and after a thorough investigation decided to not file criminal charges against me. I wish to thank my family, friends, fans, and race team who stood by me throughout this nightmare with their unwavering support. Thanks also goes to my legal team for making sure that the truth got out and was fully provided to the prosecutors. As I have said from the beginning, I did not commit domestic abuse. I look forward to being back in racing as soon as possible and moving on with my life."

NASCAR suspended Busch in the aftermath of Kent County (Del.) Family Court Commissioner David Jones' release of findings that Busch committed an act of domestic violence against Driscoll. The alleged incident took place in Busch's motorhome at Dover International Speedway.

Jones' written statements from the protective-order case hearing indicated that he believed there was evidence, which showed that Busch made contact with Driscoll's neck, chin and face - causing her to hit her head against the wall of the motorhome.

Busch lost both of his appeals, initially to a three-member board and then to NASCAR Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

Busch will remain on suspension by NASCAR, but today's announcement by the Delaware Department of Justice removed a major block in his road to a possible reinstatement. (Read: NASCAR Statement)

In a statement provided by her publicist, Driscoll responded to Thursday's turn of events:

"While I respect the process, I am disappointed that full justice was not served here. My family and I take a measure of solace in the Order of Protection From Abuse granted by commissioner Jones, who ruled my account of the facts was the most credible. At great risk to my personal and professional reputation, I have spoken candidly, at length, and on the record, to a variety of outlets in an effort to correct the distortions and sensationalism that have unfortunately marked the coverage of this painful time in my family's life. I would urge anyone covering this case to stick to the well-established facts. Giving further air to baseless and discredited accusations about me does a disservice to the public and reduces a serious matter for law enforcement into tabloid gossip. In all future developments in this case, I will continue to stand up for my integrity and for justice. But for now, I am focused on my family, my friends, and my important and gratifying work with the Armed Forces Foundation."

Busch has already agreed to NASCAR's terms and begun his quest for reinstatement from the indefinite suspension he received Feb. 20.

NASCAR has acknowledged that Busch informed the sanctioning body he would go through the process and follow the guidelines for reinstatement laid out late last week.

Regan Smith has driven the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the first two races of the season, finishing 16th and 17th, respectively.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/03/No-Charges-in-Kurt-Busch-Case.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Answers Busch Suspension Questions​*
NASCAR provided more detail on why Kurt Busch remains suspended despite not being charged with any criminal charges by the Delaware Department of Justice.

David Higdon, NASCAR vice president of Integrated Marketing Communications, answered several questions about the latest turn of events in the Busch case when he was a guest on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive" Friday.

Although Busch will not face criminal charges in a domestic abuse case with his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll, he will continue the indefinite suspension NASCAR handed down two weeks ago.

Higdon explained that decision was in response to the findings of commissioner David Russell in the aftermath of a family court hearing in which Driscoll was given protective custody.

"Our actions were based on what we heard from the Commissioner in the family court of the state of Delaware," Higdon said. "At the time, we knew there was a chance that the Attorney General could go one way or the other. Our terms and conditions made it very clear that he needed to understand that additional findings in criminal court may affect his eligibility for reinstatement.

"As the Department of Justice was very clear in their statement, they determined that admissible evidence and available witnesses would likely be inefficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed a crime. They are very clear on that, just as the Commissioner in the family court was very clear that they were satisfied with the evidence that was presented at the trial that there was a case here.''

As in any case regarding a suspension, NASCAR looks at each case on an individual basis and despite the fact Busch has had several transgressions throughout his career including fines and penalties from the sanctioning body Higdon said the current situation's circumstances were the main reason for the decision to suspend the driver.

"We will look at every situation and take what the experts are telling us," Higdon said. "When you have a legitimate court in Delaware making a statement like they did, I think it would have been ridiculous for us to not act in that case. We had been very patient over three months. We were being dragged through lot of mud during that period, but we also felt that it was only fair to the driver that the facts come through. When they ultimately did come though this court in Delaware, we had to act. At the same time, the impact of yesterday certainly will factor in since the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges certainly is something that is removing a significant impediment to his reinstatement.''

Busch is not the first driver to be involved in a domestic violence case but he is the only one to be suspended. Travis Kvapil was charged with and pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge but in 2014 was only placed on probation by NASCAR.

Higdon addressed why the difference in action between the two cases.

"We learned a lot," he said. "I think (NASCAR Chairman and CEO) Brian France has been very clear. If we had to do that over again, we probably would have done it differently. There's no doubt that our knowledge and experience in this case with domestic violence and what we've seen in the world at large has had an impact. We said moving forward that the standard was going to be higher.

"We watched the NFL. We began actually talking to experts in that area when the NFL was going through that. We proactively made sure that we understood the issue. We learned about it long before we actually had the situation with Kurt Busch. We had already begun down the path to if we have a situation related to domestic violence we would definitely react differently than with Travis Kvapil.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Answers-Kurt-Busch-Suspension-Questions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Suspension Remains​*
Kurt Busch will remain on indefinite suspension by NASCAR despite today's announcement that the Delaware Department of Justice wouldn't press criminal charges against the driver regarding an allegation of domestic assault.

NASCAR released a statement late Thursday addressing the situation:

"NASCAR is aware of the Delaware Department of Justice announcement today regarding driver Kurt Busch. As we disclosed Monday, he has accepted the terms and conditions of a reinstatement program and is actively participating in the program. Kurt Busch's eligibility for reinstatement will continue to be governed by that program and the NASCAR Rule Book, though the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges certainly removes a significant impediment to his reinstatement."

Regan Smith will fill in again for Busch this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/03/Kurt-Busch-Suspension-Remains.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Takes Hot Hand To Vegas​*
Kevin Harvick brings a hot streak at 1.5-mile speedways to Las Vegas that he hopes will turn into a big payday in Sunday's Kobalt 400.

The odds favor Harvick. He has two wins, an average finish of 1.5 and a combined 334 laps led in the last four races at 1.5-mile tracks dating back to Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2014. Last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Harvick led 116 laps and finished second in the first race of the year at an intermediate-sized track.

"Right now, you want to win as early as you can," Harvick said. "The first two weeks have gone really well. To win at a racetrack (where) we haven't won before would be something. We're all looking forward to the challenge."

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of six tracks on the schedule where Harvick has yet to win. Last year in his track debut with Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick was in contention until a broken left-front wheel hub and he was only able to complete 237 of the 267 laps.

A trip to Victory Lane in the Cup Series in "Sin City" would add to a list of his accomplishments at the speedway that includes one NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win and two victories in the XFINITY Series.

"The biggest memory is probably from 1998, when we won the championship in the Winston West Series (now K&N West)," Harvick said. "That was neat. We've won races in the XFINITY Series there, but never a win on Sunday."

The last time Harvick was in Vegas, he was honored as the 2014 Sprint Cup champion with wife DeLana and son Keelan. With a busy schedule of consecutive West Coast races at Las Vegas, Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway, DeLana and Keelan will be keeping a close eye on the Vegas race from home.

"This will probably be the first year DeLana hasn't gone," Harvick said. "Usually, we eat at the same restaurant and we go to the same places. But with the West Coast swing the way it is this year, they're going to stay home.

"We'll fly back and forth because we have to test (at Charlotte) on Wednesday. Vegas has been a good racetrack for me. It's still a place where I have a lot of family and friends, and people I enjoy. It's a busy weekend but all-in-all, it's still a fun place."

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...03/Kevin-Harvick-Takes-Hot-Hand-to-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Penske And MillerCoors Celebrate 25 Years​*
Team Penske and long-time partner MillerCoors will embark on their 25th year of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition together in 2015. They will celebrate the partnership throughout the season with promotions and special paint schemes. The two elite brands began their current NASCAR relationship at the outset of the 1991 NSCS season and the No. 2 Miller Lite look has become a racing icon ever since.

To kick off the celebration of the 25th anniversary of primary sponsorship on the No. 2 Ford Fusion, Team Penske and Miller Lite have created a commemorative 25th anniversary logo that will be displayed on the hood of the Miller Lite Ford Fusion at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend and run on the TV panel of the Ford Fusion for each Miller Lite sponosred race in 2015.

"It has been a privilege to race in NASCAR for the past 25 years with MillerCoors as a partner," said Roger Penske. "Success in racing is based on having the right people and the right partners. MillerCoors is a company that shares those values with us, and it has shown in what we have been able to accomplish together over the last quarter century. Together we have won many races and brought home a championship. I am grateful for all that Miller has done for our team, and I look forward to our continued success."

Miller Lite and Team Penske will use the milestone occasion to involve fans as they will have the opportunity to vote on three different itinerations for the Miller Lite "Blue Deuce," now affectionately dubbed the "Blanco Deuce." The winning paint scheme will appear in the All-Star race at Charlotte in May.

The anniversary will also be marked throughout the season with two additional significant paint schemes. First, the No. 2 will feature the iconic black and gold Miller Genuine Draft scheme for the Michigan race in August and then feature the red and white Miller High Life design that was featured in 1980s for the return to Darlington on Labor Day weekend.

"Penske has been a great partner throughout the decades in driving the success of our brand, our drivers and the fan experience," said Andy England, Chief Marketing Officer. "We're honored and proud to be a part of such a long-standing, victory-filled relationship."

Over the course of its 25-year campaign with Team Penske, the No. 2 car has represented multiple beers in the Miller family and had several special paint schemes with different drivers. Starting in 1991, Rusty Wallace carried the torch for 15 years, amassing a remarkable 37 victories for the Miller Genuine Draft, Miller and Miller Lite brands. The No. 2 Miller Lite Blue Deuce saw action from 2006 to 2010 with Kurt Busch, who notched eight victories during his term.

In 2011, Brad Keselowski assumed command of the No. 2 Miller Lite car and, just one year later, took it to the pinnacle of stock car racing - the NSCS championship - marking a first for both Team Penske and MillerCoors. In the time since, Keselowski has continued to build upon the brand's excellence and the team's heritage by accruing 15 victories, seven poles, and 49 top-five finishes.

"It is remarkable that Team Penske and Miller have been racing together for 25 years," said Keselowski. "It is definitely an honor for me to be able to drive a car that has such a rich and storied tradition of excellence. I look forward to continuing that tradition and will do my best to keep the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford at the front."

The partnership between Team Penske and MillerCoors actually spans more than 30 years, dating back to the organization's IndyCar program as well as sponsorship of race tracks formerly owned by Penske Corporation, making it one of the most enduring and strongest sponsor-team relationships in all of sports.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...illerCoors-Celebrate-25-Year-Partnership.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Staying Great In The '88'​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is hoping to follow Kevin Harvick's success in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Harvick drove it to a dominating win last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his third straight XFINITY Series victory at the Hampton, Ga., track. Now, team co-owner Earnhardt gets his shot in Saturday's Boyd Gaming 300.

"Last week, Dave (crew chief Dave Elenz) and the guys showed how strong we are on mile-and-a-half tracks by getting that win with Kevin," Earnhardt said. "The '88' team has a lot of new guys this year, so I was impressed at how quickly they've jelled."

Las Vegas is where JR Motorsports got its first XFINITY Series win in 2008, when Mark Martin took the checkered flag. The organization has racked up 22 victories heading into Saturday's race and has turned into a series powerhouse.

Earnhardt has five straight top-five finishes on mile-and-a-half tracks, stretching back to Texas in April 2013. Overall, the organization has six wins, 21 top fives, 40 top-10 finishes and three poles in 53 starts on intermediate ovals. JR Motorsports led 735 laps on tracks ranging from one to two miles in length.

Earnhardt hopes to keep the momentum going.

"I enjoy running my own cars on these intermediate tracks, like Vegas," he said. "I can get a firsthand idea of (how) our program stacks up against everyone else."

There's a good chance Earnhardt will have to battle teammates Chase Elliott and Regan Smith for the win on Saturday afternoon. Smith scored one of his 26 top 10s of 2014 at LVMS and is ready to improve on that 10th-place finish.

"Las Vegas has been a great track for me and for JR Motorsports," Smith said. "It's the perfect place for us to keep momentum going our way."

Smith will once again be doing double duty in Las Vegas, also filling in for the suspended Kurt Busch in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400. After a tough start to the XFINITY Series season, including a spectacular rollover accident at Daytona, Smith says things are headed in the right direction.

"We were really good at Daytona to open the season and last week at Atlanta, we had a great plan that never developed the way we expected it to," Smith said. "Third time out, I'm confident we'll be strong."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/03/Staying-Great-in-the-88.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Las Vegas Preview Show​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Rolls To First Vegas Pole​*
Jeff Gordon won his first pole in 18 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he took the top spot for Sunday's Kobalt 400 with a track record lap.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver rocketed around the 1.5-mile track with a lap of 194.679 mph to grab his 79th career pole.

It was Gordon's second pole of the season after he earned the number one position for the Daytona 500. He has now won a pole at every track on the Sprint Cup schedule except Kansas and Kentucky.

"It was real close," said Gordon of his qualifying lap in the final of the day's three sessions. "There was a lot of wide-open throttle there. It was fun. What an awesome 3M Chevrolet. What a turnaround from last week.

"I'm just so proud of this team and keeping their heads up. Last week was a tough one, and this is a great, great way to start out weekend here in Las Vegas."

Last week's Atlanta pole winner Joey Logano will start outside the front row.

"We were so close," Logano said. "We had a good Pennzoil Platinum Ford. It has some speed in it which is cool. The last couple weeks this thing has had some speed and getting the pole here last year was cool and we were so close this time."

Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

"Really really happy man, just two weeks in a row we have done great on the 1.5-miles," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I hope it is a sign of things to come. Definitely going to help us race better being able to qualify better. We have been hurting ourselves real bad over the last couple of years not qualifying well making it difficult in them races."

Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Reed Sorenson, Mike Bliss, Travis Kvapil, Mike Wallace and Matt DiBenedetto failed to qualify for the race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have two practices on Saturday.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Wins-First-Las-Vegas-Motor-Speedway-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman Eyes More Consistency​*
Ryan Newman is shooting for another solid finish in Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Like he did last year to make his way to the Championship Four race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and nearly with the Sprint Cup title, Newman has entered 2015 hoping to replicate that success.

He got off to a bad start in the Daytona 500 when he was caught up in an accident but bounced back last week with a top-10 finish in Atlanta.

But just because Atlanta and Las Vegas measure the same around, Newman says there is a difference.

"If you look at them from an aerial map they look like they are sister tracks," Newman said Friday at LVMS. "They kind of are, but they are so much different. The aggregate is so much different, the tire is different and there are just so many parts of it that are different. That makes the cars drive different and therefore the racing is a little different."

However, one similarity between AMS and LVMS is that the track surface has developed character over the years. Vegas may not be as worn out as the rough Atlanta surface, but the hot desert sun has done its part to add a unique element to the racing.

"It's a fast race track; it's got a lot of character," Newman said. "I'm kind of curious to see&#8230;just looking at the asphalt it has definitely lightened up so hopefully that lends itself to better racing.

"I understand that the Goodyear tire that we are going to have here is the Talladega rights that lay some more rubber. I don't think we have ever really got a chance to fully use this race track to its full capability and I hope that another year on it will give us that opportunity."

Newman has three top-10 finishes at Las Vegas over his last four starts at the track with a seventh place run last year. It's a track he enjoys racing on but that has a number of challenges and things don't always translate from one year to another

"No, I mean we use the apron a little bit in (Turns) 3 and 4 at times," said Newman. "But you can only do it when your car is a certain balance. It's a challenge. It's a track position racetrack it always has been. There is just only so much room. The flatter a racetrack is the more aero makes an important aspect of the grip. You have to go where the guy in front of you is not."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/03/Ryan-Newman-Eyes-More-Consistency.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon, Ragan Forced To Backup Cars​*
Jeff Gordon and David Ragan will go to backup cars following the final practice session for Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Damage to both cars will force both drivers to start at the rear of the field for the 267-lap race.

Gordon was scheduled to start from the pole and Ragan, who is filling in for Kyle Busch in the No. 18 Toyota, was slated to start 13th.

After practice Gordon tweeted: "Just when you think everything is starting to go your way 10 spins in front of u & ruins ur day & the @3MRacing @teamChevy."

Gordon was 14th and Ragan, who hit the wall late in the session, was 22nd in the final practice before the damage. Gordon was also seventh in best 10 consecutive lap average.

The car Gordon will pilot on Sunday raced at Chicago, Charlotte and Texas last season.

Jimmie Johnson, who won last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, swept both practices sessions today.

Kyle Larson posted the best 10 consecutive lap average in final practice.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...gan-Forced-to-Backup-Cars-for-Kobalt-400.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dillon Dominates At Las Vegas​*
Austin Dillon led 183 of 200 laps and held off a hard charging Ryan Blaney to win Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dillon drove his Richard Childress Racing to his first career series win in Vegas and dominated by leading 183 laps on the day.

"It feels great, this is a big confidence booster for me," said Dillon, who started from the pole and was fastest in both weekend practice sessions. "Our guys worked hard on this car all weekend and it was super fast and you just don't want to give anything away like that.

"Ryan Blaney made me earn it. He was catching me at three-tenths a lap and I started wondering what I did wrong. It's fun but I'm glad he pushed me like that at the end.

Dillon edged Blaney who battled him hard in the closing laps but was forced to settle for second.

"We had a shot at it in the last lap, slipped a bit, wasn't able to get to his side and unfortunately hit the fence on turn four coming to the checkered flag," said Blaney, who made contact with the wall in his last ditch effort to get by Dillon.

Regan Smith, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

"We had a good car all day, we just got jammed up at the start of the race and had a bad pit stop right after that that put us back to 15th," said Smith, who will drive again for Kurt Busch in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400.

"We were able to chip away with it and get the runs we needed. We'll take it."

Erik Jones crashed hard on lap 173 after Blaney got the Joe Gibbs Racing driver loose racing for position.

"I hate to see a race car torn up," Blaney said of the accident. "I hope he knows I feel bad about it."

The race got off to a horrible start for Brian Scott, who took the green flag from outside the front row but had an engine blow almost immediately. The field narrowly avoided a major pile-up behind Scott.

"Second engine problem of the weekend," Scott said. "I don't know what happened. "We have to figure out why two engines blew this weekend and why we had an engine issue last week in Atlanta."

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Phoenix Int'l Raceway next Saturday afternoon for the Axalta Faster, Tougher, Brighter 200.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/Austin-Dillon-Dominates-at-Las-Vegas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*200 & Counting: Brad Keselowski To Make Milestone Career Start​*
*W*hen Brad Keselowski straps into his No. 2 Team Penske Ford for Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway it will mark his 200th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.

The 31-year-old driver has certainly had a wild start to his Sprint Cup career, earning victories, a championship and polarizing both fellow drivers and fans along the way.

The Rochester Hills, Mich., native attempted to make his Sprint Cup debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2008 driving for team owner Rick Hendrick, but failed to qualify for the event. That first start would come on Nov. 2, 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Driving the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Keselowski started 37th and finished 19th, one spot ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In 2009, Keselowski attempted to make 17 starts, qualifying for 15 total races with Hendrick Motorsports, James Finch's Phoenix Racing and Team Penske.

On April 26, 2009, Keselowski scored his first Sprint Cup Series victory in controversial fashion at Talladega Superspeedway. The win came in just his sixth career start.

Running in a tandem with Carl Edwards on the final lap, Keselowski made a move for the lead under Edwards coming through the tri-oval. As Keselowski made the move, Edwards threw a block and was turned around. The contact lifted Edwards' car off the ground and up the track into Ryan Newman, before slamming into the catchfence.

During the 2012 season, Keselowski would record five wins, 13 top fives and 23 top 10s en route to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

In 2014, the Team Penske driver earned a series-high six wins and contended for the title until being elminated from the Chase, ending the year fifth in points. Throughout the season he caught flak from fellow drivers for his aggressive driving style, and was involved in post-race scrums with Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon.

Throughout his first 199 starts, Keselowski has a total of 16 wins, 50 top fives, 80 top 10s and eight Coors Light Pole Awards. Keselowski is slated to start 11th in Sunday's race at Las Vegas.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ay-makes-200th-career-sprint-cup-start-030715


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Hits Vegas Jackpot​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6756&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Kevin Harvick scored his first win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the 29th of his Sprint Cup Series career, in Sunday's Kobalt 400.

Harvick came from the 18th starting spot and was able to drive to the front of the field to pick-up his first win of the season.

"It's so cool to win here in Las Vegas and start this West Coast swing off this way is pretty awesome," said California native Harvick . "Just to be in front of all these fans I've raced in front of since about the mid-'90's. It's pretty special to win here."

There was some drama in the closing laps as Harvick radioed his crew he felt a vibration but was able to make it to the checkered flag.

"It got to be a handful there at the end," Harvick said. "For whatever reason we got really, really loose the last run. Tires started vibrating and we were just kind of hanging on. Glad the race is over at that particular point for our own good."

Harvick has now finished first or second in his last six starts dating back to the 2014 season.

Martin Truex Jr. was second followed by Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin.

AJ Allmendinger, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Phoenix International Raceway for next Sunday's Camping World 500.

How Harvick won: A call for four tires on the day's final trip to pit road proved to be the key to cement the race for Harvick. He was able to easily drive around Earnhardt Jr. after the two tire call for the 88 team and then cruised ahead of the field when pit stops completely cycled around and went on to score the victory. Harvick led 142 of 267 laps.

What else happened: The day featured a lot of pit road circumstances that impacted the race including speeding penalties for Joey Logano, a tire coming out of Brad Keselowski's pit stall and Tony Stewart's team being penalized for an uncontrolled tire. On track several drivers showed some early speed including Logano and Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon, who started from the rear of the field in a backup car after winning the pole. Gordon drove to the front of the field in relatively short order but his bad luck continued when he got caught up in a skirmish behind Jeb Burton.

Who else had a good day: Truex Jr. has opened up the season with three straight solid performances including Sunday's second place effort, his best performance since Sonoma in 2013&#8230;&#8230;Newman was closing on the top two in the final laps but still turned in an impressive third-place finish&#8230;.Allmendinger followed his seventh-place run in Atlanta last week with a sixth in Las Vegas&#8230;..Keselowski wasn't able to defend his Las Vegas win of a year ago but battled back from an early race vibration to knock down a seventh-place run.

Who had a bad day: Gordon's problems came in the aftermath of Jimmie Johnson blowing a tire and slamming the wall, which caused Burton to check up and get drilled by Gordon. Johnson's woes weren't over as he experienced another tire issue laps later after he returned to the track. That finally knocked Johnson out for a 41st-place finish. Kasey Kahne had a strong car but was involved in an accident with Carl Edwards after the two touched racing off Turn 4 and Kahne slammed the wall. Obviously frustrated Kahne hit Edwards causing him to spin in Turn 2.

Quote of the day: "It's completely my fault," Carl Edwards after accident with Kasey Kahne.

Notables: Harvick is the seventh different winner in the last seven Cup races at LVMS&#8230;.Four drivers have top-10 finishes in all three races this season (Harvick, Truex Jr., Earnhardt Jr. and Logano)&#8230;..Brian Scott scored a career-best 13th-place finish&#8230;&#8230;Brian Vickers was 15th in his return to the No. 55 Toyota.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vin-Harvick-Wins-Kobalt-400-at-Las-Vegas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Takes Blame​*
Carl Edwards took the heat for Sunday's accident that sent Kasey Kahne into the wall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Edwards and Kahne were side-by-side racing for position off Turn 4 with less than 75 laps left in the race when they made contact. Kahne's car slammed the outside wall and the duo sped down the front stretch.

When they made it to the first turn Kahne appeared to come down on Edwards to make enough contact that sent the Joe Gibbs Racing driver around into the infield.

While Edwards sat in his car as it was being repaired in the garage he took complete responsibility for triggering the incident.

"I was just racing as hard as I can," said Edwards. "It's completely my fault, Kasey did a good job. I just got sucked up into him there off of four and tore up the right side a little bit and got loose into Turn 1 and that was it. ... That's definitely my fault. I feel bad for Kasey."

Kahne continued on in the race and finished 17th but was obviously disappointed in what might have been on Sunday.

But he did discuss the incident with Edwards when the race ended.

"He just talked to me," Kahne said. "He just stayed in the gas. We just needed a full another car worth of racing room there, and just plowed us into the wall. That was discouraging.

"We basically needed a full car width more there in order to make it. He just never lifted and run me just right into the wall and ruined his day as well. He just apologized for that. It's disappointing, nothing we can do now, but we did have a great car."

Overall Kahne was down but not out after Sunday's race. Despite not getting the finish he had hoped for with such a strong car earlier in the race, Kahne is looking at the positives that came in Las Vegas.

"We had a really good Time Warner Cable Chevy and felt like on the last 20 laps of a race run, we were the best car," Kahne said. "Before that, Harvick definitely had us covered.

"It would have been a lot of fun to at least try to race him there at the end. See if we could catch him. It would have been interesting. He was really, really good and won today. But I feel like we had the second best car and we were really close."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/615B05EDB7EF4404B887E1C2EE8E18BC.ashx?w=602&h=345


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger On a Roll​*
Prior to this season, AJ Allmendinger had yet to score a top 10 on a 1.5-mile track since joining JTG Daugherty Racing.

Now, he has two in as many starts in 2015.

Allmendinger finished sixth in Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to follow his seventh-place run last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and place him fifth in the Sprint Cup Series standings.

JTG Daugherty now has 24 career top 10s with three different drivers behind the wheel. Allmendinger, who won at Watkins Glen International last year, has scored eight of them. His Vegas finish doubled the amount the team had scored at 1.5-mile tracks with Marcos Ambrose scoring the only previous one in 2010 at Atlanta.

"It's probably one of the best races we have ever had," Allmendinger said of Sunday's finish. "Watkins Glen is what it is. But when you look at the effort and everything on a 1.5-mile track ... good (pit) stops, kept up with the racetrack all day. I'm proud, more than anything; feeling like this is probably one of our best races - something we can build off of."

Allmendinger was one of four drivers who participated in the Goodyear Tire test at Las Vegas and finished best among the group that tested in January. Along with the test, Allmendinger credited the alliance with Richard Childress Racing in helping him score his first top-15 finish at LVMS.

"This has never been my favorite racetrack," Allmendinger said. "We tested here. That helped a little bit, but we started off during the weekend and kept picking away at it. Each session, we got a little bit better. The No. 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) and No. 31 (Ryan Newman) were really fast. We stole from them a little bit going into the final practice. That really helped us."

The finish was the perfect medicine for Allmendinger, who was feeling under the weather.

"I definitely wasn't 100 percent but (Saturday), I was awful," Allmendinger said. "Friday night, I wasn't feeling really well. I thought I was just tired and then it turned bad, and all of a sudden everything on my body ached. I went to the infield care center so I've got to thank them a lot because they gave me some stuff and some recommendations to make me a whole lot better because if we had to race last night, I don't know if I could have. I was in bed from 2 o'clock in the afternoon until I went to sleep, barely able to move.

"It hit me pretty quick, and they gave me the right recommendation and antibiotics to feel better. I wasn't great today, but way better than yesterday."

JTG Daugherty and Allmendinger join Furniture Row Racing and Truex as single-car operations in the top five in points after three races this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lmendinger-Scores-Second-Straight-Top-10.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Better Days For Truex Jr.​*
Last year's disappointing season is just a memory for Martin Truex Jr. after his hot start to 2015.

Truex Jr. posted his best finish since his win at Sonoma in 2013 when he came home second behind Kevin Harvick in Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was his third straight top-10 finish and the first top-five since October of last season.

"What can I say? It is fun to run up front," Truex Jr. said. "It is fun to drive cars that are fast. I feel like we can keep chipping away at it, getting a little better each week and hopefully by the end of the year, we will have some wins under our belt."

Last year's struggles behind the wheel were compounded by Truex Jr. dealing with the health issues of girlfriend Sherry Pollex as she battled cancer. The news in that department has gotten much better with Pollex in remission and Truex Jr. is obviously grateful.

"I can't put it into words, honestly," he said. "I'm just really proud of everyone. I'm obviously very proud of Sherry and what she's been through and everything I've learned from her to be a better person."

On Sunday Truex Jr. capped a weekend that saw speed in the Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Chevrolet from the first practice session. Although he gave it a valiant effort, Truex Jr. wasn't sure he had enough to run down Harvick even if there were more laps left to be run.

"He was getting bigger in my mirror, but I believe he was playing with everybody," Truex Jr. said. "He was just really, really strong. I was proud that we fought the way we did. We were off a bit at the start of the race, and got better throughout the day. At the end of the day we were the best that we were all day."

Since aligning with Richard Childress Racing, Furniture Row has seen an improvement in its performance. There were challenges last year but this season is demonstrating the partnership's benefits.

So Truex Jr. now takes Furniture Row Racing's highest position in the points to Phoenix next week as he enters the Camping World 500 fourth in the standings. The start to the year and Sunday's stellar effort has given the veteran driver a giant boost in the optimism department.

"But I've just got to thank everyone at Furniture Row and ECR engines and everybody back at the shop for all their help," said Truex Jr. "It's just a solid weekend.

"We'll keep working and we'll get better and hopefully this is a sign of things to come."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...in-Truex-Jr-Finishes-Second-at-Las-Vegas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt: 'I Want to Win!'​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is proud of his solid start to the season but wants to find a way to get to Victory Lane.

Earnhardt finished fourth in Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has begun the 2015 season with finishes of third, third and fourth. That's not a bad way to enter a brand new campaign, but he's searching for more.

"Second, fifth, fourth ... whatever. It doesn't matter if you don't win," Earnhardt said Sunday after his Las Vegas finish.

He won the Daytona 500 to start last season and followed that with a string of solid runs similar to how this year has kicked off. But he's still not impressed.

"Sounds a little bit less than we did last year. I think we were first, second and second. So we have to step it up a little bit," joked Earnhardt, who didn't score his first win of the year Sunday. But it wasn't for lack of trying. While he had a fast racecar, crew chief Greg Ives decided to try a two-tire pit strategy late in the race in hopes of holding off eventual winner Kevin Harvick, who took four tires.

Although the plan didn't pan out, Earnhardt is OK with the decision.

"We didn't put lefts (tires) on it and made it a gamble," he said. "I like to gamble. I liked the call. I love being aggressive. We were going to drive up there and pass that No. 4 (Harvick). So we had to take a chance."

Things got compounded in the run to the checkered flag when Earnhardt's car lost its handling.

"I got really loose," he said. "I had a bad vibration on that last run and I was really, really loose. We'd been running the track bar pretty much even the whole race and at the end, I had it down three inches on the right side trying to save my butt. Maybe it was worn-out lefts, I don't know. The left-side (tires) is new and a little softer compound. Maybe we just took it a little bit too far."

So after three races Earnhardt has shown he has the competitiveness to run well and finish near the front of the field. But there's more on the table and he's willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of victory.

"Last year, we ran second and almost won the race, by luck," Earnhardt said. "We sit around and run 10th, eighth place all day last year and weren't a very good car. This year, our cars are racing up there. So we think we've got the cars better than we had last year. Hendrick, overall, has great speed. The engine department is doing awesome and we're going to get one. I want to win! We're going to get there."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/03/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Wants-to-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Luck In Las Vegas​*
Several drivers could not find a hot hand in Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Bad luck was on display for a number of front-runners that were pre-race favorites to content for a win in the third race of the season.

Jeff Gordon might be the poster child for the unlucky in 2015 considering the way his farewell season has begun.

After crashing in both the Daytona 500 and last week's race in Atlanta, Gordon's Las Vegas weekend started with a pole-winning run. However things quickly went sour on Saturday when Gordon got caught up in a crash with Danica Patrick and was forced to start Sunday's race from the rear of the field.

However, Gordon was able to methodically work his way to the front of the pack and put himself into contention until disaster struck yet again.

On lap 172 Gordon got into the rear end of Jeb Burton, who checked up when Jimmie Johnson's blown tire sent him into the first turn wall. The contact caused enough damage that Gordon was effectively done for the day.

"I guess Jimmie blew a right front tire," Gordon said. "I was right behind Jeb getting ready to make a move on him. I wasn't sure if I was going to go inside or outside, but all of a sudden he started checking up and I thought he was doing it to let me go by him and I didn't realize until right at that moment when my spotter said something to me that Jimmie was having a problem; and I ran into the back of him."

Although he marched on to finish the race and 18th-place performance was not what Gordon had in mind earlier in what looked like a promising weekend.

"Man, we were coming," said Gordon. "We had one weird set of tires. We drove up there right at the beginning and the car was amazing on rails," he said. "The next set of tires, the thing was just terrible loose. So we made an adjustment and then the car went back to being tight. So, I don't know what happened there, but that got us off a little bit. But it was a great effort. I just can't believe the way these days are going."

Johnson may have had the only car capable of beating eventual race winner Kevin Harvick on Sunday. Last week's Atlanta winner was fast early and was out front for 45 laps on Sunday. But he was KO'd by not just the tire issue on lap 172 but another one later when he was able to return on track.

"Yeah, the first one, they said the bead blew on it," Johnson said. "We don't have any brake temp here, so I don't know what could have caused that. That's kind of a freak deal. The second one, it went soft. So there could have been some damage that caused it or some rub or something like that, and it went soft going into Turn 3 and I hit the wall, unfortunately."

At the end of the day a frustrated Johnson was credited with a 41st-place finish.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "We certainly had an awesome race car. I wish we could have won this Kobalt race in this Kobalt car, but we'll come back next week."

Ragan's second weekend driving the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 for the injured Kyle Busch kicked off with a thud with a Saturday crash in practice as well. He too was forced to take the green flag from the back of the field and was able to only take home a 22nd-place finish.

"It was certainly unfortunate to just get behind from the get go and our M&M's Crispy team made some really good adjustments early on and we helped the Camry a tremendous amount," Ragan said. "But when you're that far behind the eight ball to start, it's tough to beat everyone. Proud of the adjustments and proud of the effort everybody put in.

"We've still got to put a whole weekend together. We've got good speed, a good team and a good crew and it's just some of the small things that we've got to get behind us. Certainly a mistake on my part Saturday evening - it cost us a little bit, but we learned a few things and can't wait to talk and learn about Phoenix and get ready for Phoenix."













*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Vegas-for-Jeff-Gordon-and-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski, Allgaier Teams Penalized For Las Vegas Rule Infractions​*
The teams of Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski and HScott Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier have been penalized for unrelated infractions discovered this past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NASCAR announced late Tuesday.

Allgaier's crew chief, Steve Addington, has been fined $25,000, and the No. 51 team has been levied a P3 level penalty after the car's ballast was observed falling off during Sunday's Kobalt 400. The car also did not meet NASCAR's post-race minimum weight requirements.

Keselowski's No. 2 team was hit with a P2 level penalty -- a result of the car's right and left rear quarter panel wheel openings being modified after qualifying inspection on March 6. As a result, crew chief Paul Wolfe has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.
Neither team was docked points.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...d-las-vegas-motor-speedway-infractions-031015


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Lifts Kurt Busch Suspension​*
NASCAR announced the indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch has been lifted immediately.

Busch is eligible to return to NASCAR racing under indefinite probation subject to additional mandatory requirements that include but are not limited to participation in a treatment program and full compliance with any judicial requirements placed upon him.

NASCAR also granted a waiver to Busch, who will be eligible for the Chase despite missing three races.

Busch would have zero championship points to date after missing the Daytona 500 and the two most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, if he should win a race and remain inside the top 30 of the standings Busch would claim a Chase berth.

"As we stated last week, the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges removed a significant impediment to Kurt Busch's return to full status as a NASCAR member," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. "We therefore have decided to move him to indefinite probation and waive the Chase requirement. He has fully complied with our reinstatement program during his suspension and the health care expert who conducted his evaluation recommended his immediate return.

"We have made it very clear to Kurt Busch our expectations for him moving forward, which includes participation in a treatment program and full compliance with all judicial requirements as a result of his off-track behavior."

Busch will return to action this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Regan Smith filled in for Busch in the No. 41 Chevrolet in the opening trio of races.

Stewart-Haas Racing executive vice president Joe Custer released a statement regarding the driver's reinstatement:

"We appreciate the steps Kurt Busch has made while following NASCAR's process for reinstatement. He has taken this path seriously, which allowed him to return to our race team. With his reinstatement and the conclusion by the Delaware Attorney General to not file charges, our focus is on the future."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/NASCAR-Lifts-Kurt-Busch-Suspension.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pushing The Panic Button​*
There may only be three races in the books this season, but several teams are already looking for answers to turn around bad starts.

Sure, three races aren't much of a sample size; and Daytona, Atlanta and Las Vegas aren't the only examples of every kind of track on the Sprint Cup schedule. However, a month into the racing calendar without enjoying much - if any - success can cause sleepless nights and nervous stomachs around team headquarters.

Things aren't as bleak for these poor starters as they were back in the days when being inside the top 10 or 12 in the point standings punched your ticket to the post-season. The new "win-and-you're-in" system means there are 23 weeks left for teams to cure their ills by finding Victory Lane.

But as the series descends on "The Valley of the Sun" for the first of two visits to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, these drivers are in dire need of something good to happen in the CampingWorld.com 500:

*Tony Stewart*

There are many theories as to why the three-time Sprint Cup Series champion continues to flail around 34th in the standings. Whatever is ailing Stewart must get fixed in a hurry. He's started the year with crashes at Daytona and Atlanta, and an uncompetitive outing at Las Vegas. The frustration has to be compounded by the fact that Kevin Harvick, one of Stewart's teammates, continues to excel after winning the championship last season. Stewart & Co. have to throw the proverbial "everything but the kitchen sink" at whatever's been ailing the No. 14 Chevrolet ... and do it in a hurry.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

The trials and tribulations of Roush Fenway Racing have been well-documented, and the organization is performing about as well to start this year as it did in 2014. Veteran Greg Biffle has been the best of the stable and sits 11th in the standings heading to Phoenix. But his two colleagues, Stenhouse and Trevor Bayne, have struggled. Stenhouse has sunk to 32nd in the standings with finishes of 29th, 36th and 29th. Those performances are even worse than the disappointing runs the former XFINITY Series champion put on the board in last year's dismal season.

*Austin Dillon*

The Richard Childress Racing driver's sophomore season is off to a middle-of-the-pack start. Dillon is still looking for his first top 10, with 14th in the Daytona 500 his high-water mark so far. Ryan Newman has been the best of the RCR bunch this year and the single-car teams with alliances to the organization - Furniture Row Racing, JTG/Daugherty and Germain Racing - have outperformed those at the core of the "Mother Ship."

*Sam Hornish Jr.*

Expectations were that Hornish would take the No. 9 ride at Richard Petty Motorsports from only being a threat at road-course races when Marcos Ambrose was behind the wheel to a more competitive level overall. So far, it's been a struggle for Hornish in his second stint on a full-time Sprint Cup ride. His average finish in the first three races of the year is 19th and he was 24th last time out at Las Vegas. There's a lot of room for Hornish to elevate his performance.

*Clint Bowyer*

The three drivers that have wheeled Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 55 Toyota - Waltrip, Brett Moffitt and Brian Vickers, who returned as its full-time driver last week in Las Vegas - has outperformed Bowyer in the team's No. 15 Camry. Things got off to a promising start with a seventh-place Daytona 500 finish but have fallen quickly in the last two outings with finishes outside the top 20. This is a pivotal year for MWR as the organization plots its course for the future and a strong effort by Bowyer, now winless now in his last 80 starts, is paramount.

_The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Pushing-the-Panic-Button.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Unveils Safety Initiatives​*
Following the completion of the February race events, Daytona Int'l Speedway, working closely with NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation (ISC), performed an extensive review of the facility and developed a significant plan for additional safety initiatives.

Prior to the July NASCAR weekend, the following safety initiatives will be completed:

• Additional 20,000 square feet of asphalt in turn one

• Realignment of a portion of the inside retaining wall from infield road course exit to

• Installation of SAFER barrier (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) on realigned retaining wall and existing retaining wall in turn one

• Installation of SAFER barrier on retaining wall at pit road exit

• Installation of SAFER barrier between the exit of turn four to pit road entry
"In addition, based on material availability and timing, we will install SAFER barrier on the outside backstretch wall and will complete as much as possible prior to the July NASCAR weekend. Following the July races, we will complete any remaining installation of SAFER barrier on the outside backstretch wall, and continue to install SAFER barrier on the remaining areas of the property. We will provide additional updates regarding our safety initiatives as circumstances warrant. The safety of the competitors and our fans is our top priority."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/daytona-unveils-safety-initiatives/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Tests Benefit Sprint Cup Teams​*
NASCAR Sprint Cup teams had a wide range of discussion topics after a two-day test session concluded on Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Eleven teams sent one driver each to Wednesday's open test, which was sanctioned by NASCAR. Tuesday's private, Goodyear-sanctioned session examined aero packages and tire settings for 2016, while teams mostly worked on 2015 chassis and tires on Wednesday.

Among those present were defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick from Stewart-Haas Racing, Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports), Joey Logano (Team Penske), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports).

Adjustments in Sprint Cup chassis this season - including tapered spacers, a driver-adjustable track bar and a reduction in horsepower from 850 to 725 - meant teams have been hard at work early in the season, trying to find the perfect balance for their cars.

"Just being able to try things and look at the data acquisition and see exactly what it did (is important)," said Kahne's crew chief, Keith Rodden. "When I run tests, I try to make big changes. I don't try to 'Happy Hour' it and run fast. I don't really care what we're running (Wednesday), but it happened to be pretty good.

"We're trying to make big-picture changes, do things to the car and see how it impacts it differently."

Rodden told SPEED SPORT that the longest run Kahne made on Wednesday was in the 30-lap range, just enough to accurately judge a set of tires.

The test sessions gave teams and drivers a look at heavier tire fall-off with the 2016 package, NASCAR spokesman Gene Stefanyshyn said. He hopes the packages for 2016 will be finalized by the mid 2015.

The Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte on May 18 will be raced using 2016 settings.

Rodden said the tire wear under the 2016 package was considerably greater than in past packages. Nine laps into a run, Kahne lost three-quarters of a second due to tire fall-off. His fastest lap time, though, was the same as when he ran using 2015 settings.

"That was really exciting," Rodden said. "Kasey got out of the car and he was really, really pleased that you could run fast and you had fall-off and you're lifting. Initially, we didn't change the gear ratio, so we still had (high) RPMs down the straightaway.

"It was a lot of fun. We ended up having a little bit of a mini-match race between the No. 5, the No. 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) and the No. 43 (Almirola). I think all the drivers were very complimentary of it. I'm not sure what the next steps are, but it was very promising from that aspect."

One aspect of the 2016 setups impressed Almirola more than any other.
"We were about nine, 10 mph slower in the middle of the corner, and in that aspect, I like that," he said. "Drivers are wanting to go slower in the corner. Not slower than our competition, but slower in general, because that helps Goodyear bring a tire that lives longer.

"Those center-of-the-corner speeds (since the Gen 6 chassis first raced in 2013), when they're really high like we've seen, that puts a lot of load in the tires and it creates a lot of heat in the tires. That makes it a nightmare for Goodyear to make a tire to live through that. So if we can go down this road with our rules package and continue to get the center-of-the-corner speeds down, to where we have to entirely let off the gas and use some brake, it will open up a big window for Goodyear to bring a more softer tire that has more grip, wears out and is durable as well."

Making a run with the 2016 rules package produced a slicker feel to the car, Almirola added. Warm temperatures that reached 80 degrees - making runs more similar to what they'll be in May's Coca-Cola 600 - didn't hurt, either.

"It slipped and slid around the race track a little bit more, which I was perfectly fine with," Almirola said. "It has the potential to put on a really good race. I guess we'll find out soon enough."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...car/charlotte-tests-benefit-sprint-cup-teams/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cornett-Ching To Run Full ARCA Slate​*
Sarah Cornett-Ching will contest the full ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards this year.

The news came just two weeks after Cornett-Ching made her ARCA racing debut at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

"We are excited to move full speed ahead with Sarah," said RACE 101 owner Tony Blanchard. "When we announced in Daytona that we would run multiple races with her we didn't believe the full season was an option due to funding.

"The right opportunity developed, and we are ready to tackle the full schedule. We know Sarah is poised to progress in professional motorsports.

She did a great job at Daytona, and she has only improved since then, spending many hours learning about and working on the cars. She is the complete package.

Cornett-Ching left a successful career in Western Canada as a journeyman welder to chase her dreams south of the border, but even the tenacious young racer didn't foresee things progressing this quickly.

"Daytona was a great experience, and we came back to North Carolina and started working on the equipment," said the 23-year-old from Summerland, British Columbia. "The original plan was to race next at Talladega in May."

The RACE 101 team quickly adjusted its schedule to meet deadlines, and a race car was prepared to test in Mobile, Ala., where the next race is scheduled for this weekend. Cornett-Ching has balanced her time between PR activities with PitStopsforHope.org and helping in the shop with fabrication and assembly.

When it came time to get back behind the wheel, Cornett-Ching tested well on the tricky half-mile oval.

"It's been a long time since I've worked with a driver who is this hands-on with the equipment," said Blanchard. "It motivates the crew to have a driver working as hard as they do to make things happen. There is enormous energy in the shop lately."

The full ARCA schedule includes 20 races on tracks ranging from short tracks similar to where Cornett-Ching cut her teeth in British Columbia to superspeedways, dirt tracks, and road courses where she has no experience.

Blanchard knows the learning curve will be steep.

"Sarah is ready for the challenge," said Blanchard. "The team has been to these race tracks, and everyone here is as determined as she is to support her success."

"Racing is all about challenges," said Cornett-Ching. "What happens at the race track is a small part of what goes into the sport. The challenge begins at the race shop, and in meeting rooms, and the most important thing is that I am always learning. I'm ready to learn, and I'm ready to do everything it takes to be a great racer."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ck-cars/cornett-ching-to-run-full-arca-slate/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix International Raceway May Add SAFER Barrier After Race​*
*A*fter announcing plans last week to install a new tire pack barrier along the interior Turn 4 wall in advance of this weekend's Sprint Cup Series race, Phoenix International Raceway is reportedly considering replacing the tire pack with a permanent SAFER barrier.

A decision on the proposed change won't come until after Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500, the Arizona Republic reports.

Track president Bryan Sperber announced last week that PIR was adding the tire packs, which will reside near the entrance to pit road, in the wake of two crashes involving two of the sport's biggest stars -- Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon -- in the first two race weekends of the 2015 season.

Both Busch (Daytona) and Gordon (Atlanta) had hard collisions with concrete walls unprotected by a SAFER barrier.

A third driver, Erik Jones, later collided with an unprotected wall in last Saturday's XFINITY Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

While Gordon and Jones were uninjured in their respective incidents, Busch suffered a compound fracture of his lower-right leg and a mid-foot fracture when his No. 54 Toyota barrelled head-first into an unprotected wall in the XFINITY season opener at Daytona on Feb. 21. He has not raced since.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...r-barrier-after-sprint-cup-series-race-031015


----------



## Ckg2011

*Can Anyone Stop Harvick At Phoenix?​*
Forty-two drivers will be looking to stop Kevin Harvick's recent tear this weekend that includes his attempt to become the only driver to win four consecutive races at Phoenix International Raceway.

Only eight times across multiple tracks has someone won four straight races at one facility, with Jimmie Johnson last accomplishing the feat at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2004-2005. Johnson came close to the achievement at Phoenix but finished fourth in his fourth attempt, in this race in 2007.

Ever since PIR was repaved and reconfigured, Harvick has dominated. He is the only multiple winner in that span and has led over twice as many laps (661) than the second-ranked driver - Kyle Busch, who will not race in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

"The reconfiguration has definitely worked out better for us than I thought it would because when they first did it, I thought we had really figured out what we needed to do on the old surface and then they changed it," Harvick said. "We picked right up and almost went better than we did on the old surface. It's one of those things where you figure out a couple little things that help you, and I know the feeling I want in my car - in practice and in the race. If we can achieve that then usually, we're competitive. It's interesting how you find those places where you know what you want to feel and it just works."

Harvick's win last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marked his sixth consecutive finish of either first or second, tying Jeff Gordon's 1996 streak. This weekend, Harvick will look to add his name to the record book by taking sole possession of second on that list. Richard Petty holds the all-time mark of 11, in 1975.

Last year at Phoenix, Harvick blistered the field in his first two track starts with Stewart-Haas Racing. He combined to lead 488 laps and posted an average running position of less than two in both races. Even with the past success, he knows things can be different this time around with the new rules package.

"You can't be scared to come to the racetrack with something different because it evolves so much," Harvick said. "You see constant trends and we already see new trends with this particular rules package, and things we have had to adjust from a lot of the stuff we had last year. At Vegas, with last year's stuff on Friday, we were out to lunch. We had to adapt to things we did to the car at Atlanta and things we learned in the test at Atlanta. We were better on Saturday."

Martin Truex Jr., who finished second in Las Vegas, knows it will be a tall order to beat Harvick but is optimistic as his team is coming off three consecutive top-10s to start the season.

"It's going to take a lot to beat him at Phoenix," Truex said. "His track record there is really good and with what they did there last year, they have a lot to build off of. But my guys feel good about what they've got and if they feel good, I feel good. We've got a great vibe right now and hopefully, we can keep that going."

Besides Harvick, Joey Logano is the only driver that's combined to lead more than 100 laps (121) in the last three races at Phoenix.

"The last few years in Phoenix, we've had a second- or third-place car," Logano said. "We've been good, we just haven't been great."

Two of Harvick's last three Phoenix wins have come from a top-10 starting position. Logano and his teammate, Brad Keselowski, lead all drivers with 29 final-round appearances each since "Knockout" qualifying came into play last year. Keselowski is the defending pole winner and finished in the top five in both races last season.

Jeff Gordon has been strong in qualifying this season but has yet to have the results he would like at the checkered flag. This weekend, Gordon will return in the same car he finished second with at Phoenix last November as he eyes his third win at the track and first on the new configuration.

"While we haven't had the finishes we were hoping for so far in 2015, the No. 24 team has given me fast racecars each weekend," Gordon said. "Hopefully, we'll have another fast car this weekend and a great finish to go with it."

Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne are the only drivers besides Harvick that have posted victories on Phoenix's new configuration. Sunday's race will mark Kahne's 400th career and consecutive start while Edwards' will be his first at PIR with Joe Gibbs Racing.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will air live coverage of Sprint Cup Series practices, qualifying and Sunday's race this weekend from Phoenix International Raceway - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN app. The first broadcast will be the opening practice session Friday at 3 p.m. (ET)._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Record-at-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch: 'I Can't Wait To Get To The Track'​*
Kurt Busch spoke with the media for the first time since his suspension was lifted by NASCAR on Wednesday. Busch will return behind the wheel for the first time in a points-paying race this season on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

*KURT BUSCH:* It means the world to me to be back in the car. It's been a tough situation the last few months, and I've gone through this with confidence knowing that I know the truth and that I never did any of the things that I was accused of. It was a complete fabrication.

But it's unfortunate that my personal life crossed over and affected my business life, but I can't wait to get to the track, to see my team, to shake their hands and say thanks for the support, and to go out there and make my first lap this weekend.

*Q. I'm wondering if you still plan to pursue an appeal of the family court's decision, and is that important to you as other such stops are important to make sure you clear your name in every way possible?*

*KURT BUSCH:* What's happened so far in court, there's been no winners. Everybody has lost on that portion of it.

I have my attorneys handling the pending appeals, and I'll leave that to them. My focus is with the race team, with Gene Haas and everybody at Haas Automation to get our Chevy into victory lane and to continue moving forward.

*Q. I'm wondering during the last few weeks what you felt you were fighting for, and maybe the answer is all of the above, if you were fighting for your reputation, your innocence, or your career?*

*KURT BUSCH:* Well, I understand why NASCAR needed to take the action that it did. This is a very serious issue. I mean, the way that NASCAR reacted, it was different than what we had been told all along. They were more focused on the criminal side, as were we, but the commissioner's ruling was not necessarily what was the important factor here. The important factor is that what I was accused of was a complete fabrication, and I never wavered through this whole process because of the confidence in the truth, and I had the support from Gene Haas and everybody at SHR, and that's where my focus has been. It's been on the racing side of it, and I never lost that confidence and that drive, and so it's a humbling experience, but it's made me more focused and determined.

*Q. Kurt, you talked about kind of regaining your reputation. Will you still keep "Outlaw" above the door to your car? Do you still kind of go with that outlaw persona? Does that have to change or is that still who you are?*

*KURT BUSCH:* You know, my focus is the race car. My reputation has always been what I've done behind the wheel, and it's moments that I hope to battle and put out on the track like I did with Ricky Craven in the closest finish in the history of NASCAR, it's to focus on the wins at the tracks that I haven't won on or to deliver for Gene Haas on the trophies that he signed me on for that he wants in his trophy room.

My reputation will iron itself out in whichever way that it is, but my focus is the race car, and as I move forward, I'm putting my signature above the door of the car, and I'm proud to have my signature on the side of a car that Gene Haas has and to carry his name into victory lane.

*Q. You've missed the first three races of the year, obviously, but you've still mathematically got a very good chance at making the Chase. What do you have to do to make that happen?*

*KURT BUSCH:* It's working with the great group of people at Stewart Haas Racing. Kevin Harvick is a winner already this year. Him and Rodney Childers have gone above and beyond what we all expected them to do here, and with Tony Gibson, he has that team in place, and we proved that at the end of last year with our top finishes of the year those last three races.

I hope to start off this year in that same pattern, and my start is a little late. It's at Phoenix. So I'm looking forward to it. I believe I've got cars that are capable of winning races, now I've just got to go out there and do my job.

*Q. I'm curious if you can give any details about what NASCAR and the outside expert that they summoned to put you through the paces here required of you, and secondly, what's been the hardest part about this whole thing for you?*

*KURT BUSCH:* You know, I'm appreciative of the process, of the road to recovery. To me it's a roadmap that they laid out that I am respecting. It's created such a good foundation to utilize moving forward that I wish I would have done it sooner. And the hardest part about all of this has been sitting out watching the 41 car go around the racetrack, especially at the Daytona 500. Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks, and Las Vegas is my hometown track. It's been torture sitting out of the car.

*Q. What did you learn being out of the race car, because difficult times teach everybody something. As you sat out of the car and went through all of this for a very long time, what did you learn being out of the car? What did you learn during this time period? And will it be hard to race the way that you race with all attention on you as you move forward?*

*KURT BUSCH:* You know what I learned, the best thing is or what I have been to deal with and what's been the hardest is out of the race car. Being in that race car is a privilege, and it's a feeling that you can't describe when you go out there for practice each and every weekend. You drive down into the corner, the car sticks, you stand on the gas, and you drive out of the corner, it's an experience that not a lot of people get to do, and I get a chance to race against the best in the world in NASCAR.

Talking with Brian France and going through this road, he told me, he says, don't change. Don't be the person that's different in the car, but be a different person outside of the car, and so Brian said, go be yourself in that car. That's what we really love. We love Kurt Busch behind the wheel. Go out there, use that passion, go for those wins, and that's my focus is to be humble through this whole process but let actions speak louder than words.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-First-Time-Since-Suspension-was-Lifted.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Phoenix​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Eyes Phoenix Rebound​*
In recent years, Kevin Harvick has marshalled a parade to Victory Lane at Phoenix International Raceway that's been virtually uninterrupted.

Since November 2012, the only other driver to win a Sprint Cup Series race on the one-mile desert oval is Carl Edwards - who has headed west again confident he can beat the defending series champion in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

Edwards is a two-time winner in "The Valley of the Sun," most recently in March 2013. He's among dozens of Sprint Cup drivers at PIR serious about putting the brakes on Harvick's early-season run of success that's carried the 2014 champ to the top of the 2015 point standings.

"Phoenix is one of my favorite tracks," said Edwards, who needs a good weekend to climb out of a deep hole he's dug for himself through the first three weeks of the season. He's 23rd in the standings with a best finish of 12th two weeks ago in Atlanta and placed 42nd last weekend in Las Vegas.

So a return trip to Arizona is just what the doctor ordered for Edwards and his new team at Joe Gibbs Racing. In fact, it was in the fourth race of last season where Edwards notched his first victory of the year, that coming at Bristol. Race No. 4 this year falls in Phoenix.

"I like the way the track is laid out and the challenges that poses," said Edwards, in his first year behind the wheel of the No. 19 JGR Toyota after 11 seasons at Roush Fenway Racing. "I'm looking at Phoenix as an opportunity for us to go and get a win."

Victories at PIR have been a rarity for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. The only two belong to Tony Stewart in 1999 and Denny Hamlin in March 2012. Harvick has more race wins there by himself ... six ... than all but two NASCAR organizations: Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway - whose seven wins at PIR include Edwards' victories in 2010 and 2013.

Edwards was 13th among 45 drivers in Friday's opening practice with a speed of 137.678 mph. Joey Logano set the pace with a quick lap of 138.771 mph. Brad Keselowski was second and Kasey Kahne was third, also posting the fastest 10-lap average. Harvick and Hamlin completed the top five.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 from Phoenix International Raceway starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...arl-Edwards-Hopes-to-Slow-Harvicks-March.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger To Start In The Back​*
AJ Allmendinger will have to start at the rear of the field in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway following an engine change after the second practice.

Allmendinger completed 17 laps and was 25th in the session, but didn't like the temperature reading in his No. 47 Chevrolet.

"They saw something they didn't like," Allmendinger said. "What has been awesome about this whole ECR package is this is the first time I've has something like this happen in over a year. The guys are working hard. They will fix it. More importantly we have just got to make the Kingsford Chevy better. We are not very good right now."

Thanks to the alliance with Richard Childress Racing, the JTG Daugherty Racing team was able to get help from multiple teams to get the ECR engine swapped out.

Allmendinger, who is coming off two consecutive top 10s on the season, was scheduled to start 22nd.

"We didn't qualify as well as we wanted to anyway, so we decided to take the opportunity to change it now and eliminate any doubts," said Brian Burns, crew chief of the No. 47 Chevrolet. "We have a good race car and ECR Engines have been awesome all year. We are just taking some precautionary measures to make sure we are good to go to the end."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...the-Back-in-Camping-World-500-at-Phoenix.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*First Phoenix Pole For Harvick​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6757&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Kevin Harvick has been accustomed to winning races at Phoenix International Raceway on Sundays, but on Friday he won his first pole at the 1-mile oval in qualifying for the CampingWorld.com 500.

Harvick's lap of 25.577 seconds, 140.751 mph not only gave him his first top spot at PIR, but the best pit selection as he goes after his fourth consecutive win at the track.

"This is a pretty special place," said Harvick, who also paced Round 2. "I didn't actually know that we hadn't been on pole here, but to get that first pole with these guys and celebrate anything that we hadn't done or have done - every week is just a new adventure and it's pretty special to be a part of a group of guys like this."

The pole was the 15th of Harvick's career and his ninth since "Knockout" qualifying was implemented one year ago at Phoenix. Harvick has won the last three Phoenix races from an average starting position of 8.3 and his previous best start, of second, came in 2006 when he went on to win his second of six career races at the desert oval.

For the second straight season in this race, Joey Logano will start from the second position. Logano, who has qualified in the top four in his last four Phoenix starts, turned a lap of 140.543 mph on his second circuit in the final round.

"I'm never happy with second, but we definitely had a fast car. Not as fast as the '4' car. He's still got speed here that's for sure," Logano said. "Overall, we have been front row that past three weeks so that's something to be proud of."

Jamie McMurray will start third after qualifying in the top six in all three rounds. McMurray's final lap of 140.422 mph helped him equal his best start of the season.

"I thought we did everything perfect," McMurray said. "We only ran one lap each time trying to save the tires. The tire that Goodyear brought has a little more falloff than what we've had in the past here. So we were trying to just run one lap."

Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.

Defending event pole winner Brad Keselowski will start sixth for his best start of the season.

Carl Edwards ran the most laps in the final session with three to qualify seventh. Edwards is the only other driver besides Harvick that has won at Phoenix in the last five races.

"The car is good - the car was better than I was there," Edwards said. "I think we out-thought ourselves a little bit that last run. We should have been a little better, but overall very proud of the guys. Everybody worked really hard today and we were not that fast when we started the day so we progressed all day and real happy with it."

Kurt Busch will make his first points-paying start of the season from the eighth position.

"It's always a little different going out there for your first lap of the year and just getting back into the sequence will be the challenge - and to do it as quickly as possible," Busch said. "It all felt normal today. And to be in the top 10 is a great start. But there's all those little things that you have to apply and to learn and to feel with the car now just because it's a different rules package."

Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson completed the top 12. Kahne was third and second, respectively, in the opening two rounds.

Gordon made it into the final round as the clock approached zero and bumped David Ragan out to a 13th starting position. Ragan, who is subbing for the injured Kyle Busch was the fastest driver in Round 1 with a lap of 138.878 mph.

"I'm certainly disappointed," Ragan said. "You never want to be that last guy not to transfer to the last round. It's just one of those things where if I had it to do all over again I might would adjust what I'm doing and try to make a little more adjustment on the car."

Jimmie Johnson, who has one pole on Phoenix's new configuration, qualified 20th.

"We just unfortunately didn't have the pace today," Johnson said. "We were a little puzzled by that. We will go to work and figure out what to do tomorrow. We knew we didn't have a shot at the pole, but we thought we could get to the third round. A little disappointed we didn't."

Denny Hamlin, the 2012 race winner, tied Martin Truex Jr. for the 24th fastest lap in Round 1, but did not advance based on points position. He will start 25th.

"It's disappointing," Hamlin said. "We don't have a 25th-place car, we're way better than that. We just missed it our first run and we were going to make a second run...we just didn't leave our FedEx Camry team enough time."

Tomorrow, Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of both Sprint Cup Series practice sessions, with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rld-500-at-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Ends Drought In Phoenix​*
Joey Logano scored his first NASCAR XFINITY Series win since 2013 on Saturday after a dominating performance in the Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

After running only 10 races last season, Logano's win came in his second start in 2015 when he led 176 of the 200 laps in Saturday's race driving the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford.

"It's so great to get Discount Tire in Victory Lane where this is their home area," Logano said. "I have been driving this car for a few years but hadn't got Discount Tire in Victory Lane with me driving so that was a big deal."

Logano took right-side tires only on his final pit stop and then held off Matt Kenseth in traffic for his 22nd career win.

"I was able to take off faster on restarts and to be able to get a nice lead," Logano said. "His car was looser than mine and that's why I was able to get a lead. Then once we would start running a few laps I would get tight and he would start catching up to me. I was better than him in lap traffic and that's where I was able to make up a little bit of time."

Kenseth's runner-up finish was his 11th consecutive start at Phoenix with a top-10 result.

"I just didn't catch him," said Kenseth, who led two times for 14 laps. "I felt like we were better on the long run, but I fired off that last run real slow and he got in front of me."

Kevin Harvick, who dominated in his last outing in the No. 88 Chevrolet at Atlanta, finished third.

Last week's winner Austin Dillon finished fourth and Erik Jones rounded out the top five.

Ty Dillon was the top finishing XFINITY regular in sixth to extend his points lead to 14 over Chris Buescher, who finished 14th.

The race was slowed four times for 26 laps and was completed in 1 hour, 49 minutes and 57 seconds.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Auto Club Speedway for next Saturday's DRIVE4CLOTS.com 300.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lta-200-at-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Stays Hot In Phoenix​*
Kevin Harvick won for the fourth straight time at Phoenix International Raceway when he took the checkered flag in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

Harvick scored his second win of the year after his triumph at Las Vegas last weekend and now has seven victories at PIR, which leads all drivers.

He started from the pole and dominated on his way to Victory Lane.

Harvick has now finished first or second in his last seven starts dating back to last year.

"This is a really special place of all these West Coast race for us to win," Harvick said. "I want to thank everybody who helps us on this car and everybody at SHR for uh, man. These things are incredible and really fun to drive.

"It's almost scary how well things are going. You don't want to talk about it too much because you want it to keep going. But I'm just really proud of these guys on this team and everything that they do."

Jamie McMurray gave Harvick a run for the money on a late restart but had to settle for second.

Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch, who returned from his three-race suspension, rounded out the top five.

Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson completed the top five.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Auto Club Speedway next Sunday afternoon for the Auto Club 400.

*How Harvick won:* He was dominant all weekend long and led a race-high 225 laps on Sunday but he did have a challenge late. On the final restart with 15 laps left Jamie McMurray was able to slide ahead of Harvick as the dup raced through turns one and two and grabbed the top spot. But it was short-lived as Harvick powered by McMurray in short order to take back the lead and drove away to his second win of the season.

*What else happened:* There was some hard racing most afternoon throughout the field and solid performances from several drivers that just couldn't close the gap on Harvick. Pit road also was a busy place with speeding penalties as well as a few calls for too many men over the wall along the way.

*Who else had a good day:* McMurray had gotten the year off to a decent start but was very strong on Sunday to come home with his second place finish&#8230;.Newman scored his second straight third-place performance&#8230;Kurt Busch was in the spotlight as he made his return to competition after the three race NASCAR suspension and was very impressive. Busch was challenging for the top spot late but a decision to pit for tires under a late caution dropped him back to 10th. However, he was able to race back for a fifth-place finish.

*Who had a bad day:* Brian Vickers got hit from behind by Jimmie Johnson on lap one and hit the wall severely damaging his No. 55 MWR Toyota. Vickers' hopes of following his impressive 15th-place performance last week in his Las Vegas return with another good day were over in a hurry&#8230;.Sam Hornish Jr. cut a tire and slammed the wall and ended any thoughts of the Richard Petty Motorsports driver ending his early season funk&#8230;.Dale Earnhardt Jr. was also the victim of a tire failure and as he tried to get back to the front after a pit road speeding penalty his day was over with a hard hit into the first turn wall. Good year confirmed a melted bead is what caused Earnhardt's issue and he was credited with his first DNF since Bristol last August&#8230;Tony Stewart had worked his way up near the top 10 through a combination of pit strategy and aggressive driving. But the 2015 woes for Stewart continued when he first spun out racing Justin Allgaier in Turn 4 and hit the wall. He returned to the track but blew a tire and slammed the frontstretch retaining wall to end his day.

*Quote of the day:* "What happened to clear high?" - Brian Vickers to his spotter after his early race contact with first Jimmie Johnson and then the wall.

*Notables:* Truex Jr. had five top-10 finishes all last year and has started 2015 with four straight&#8230;..Gordon's ninth-place performance was his best finish of the year&#8230;.Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was 11th for his best finish since sixth at Bristol last August&#8230;Stewart has finished 30th or worse in five straight races, the worst streak of his career.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...arvick-Wins-Camping-World-500-at-Phoenix.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Back With Solid Run​*
Kurt Busch returned from his three-race suspension and turned in an impressive performance in the Camping World.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Busch made his first points-paying start of the season in Sunday's race and after qualifying well stayed near the front of the field most all afternoon.

He was even challenging Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and eventual race winner Kevin Harvick for the top spot in the late going.

A decision to pit for four tires on a late pit stop dropped Busch back to 10th, but he was still able to drive to the front and notch the fifth-place performance.

After weeks and months of controversy, Busch was relieved to be back behind the wheel of a racecar and appreciative of the effort his team put forth on Sunday.

"It means I've got a strong team," Busch said. "And personally it's great to get back to them and produce a result like this on our first day back. It's a quality car. Haas Automation and (team co-owner) Gene Haas and everybody that's there; I went over and visited the headquarters this week and I can't thank them enough for believing in me.

"We had a great day. To run up there and almost lead a lap; I was just too loose on restarts and couldn't quite capitalize on some of those positions that I needed to gain early in a run."

Busch admitted earlier in the weekend to feeling a little nervous but the embrace he received in the garage area soon relieved that. As he starts his journey back, Busch was happy to get Phoenix in the rear view mirror.

"It's nice to check it off the box," said Busch. "It's a long season. I knew I'd be back. NASCAR gave me a template with the road to recovery. I accepted it as soon as possible and worked as diligently as I could with it.

"As we move forward, it now feels great to have this weekend done. Now we go to Fontana. The 41 car, it's got a top five finish already this year."

Busch received a waiver from NASCAR and despite missing three races is still eligible for the Chase. A win and remaining inside the top 30 in the point standings would give Busch a shot to run for this year's championship.

But for now Busch is taking things on a much smaller scale and was just pleased his return to action ended so well on Sunday.

"It was a pleasure to drive the car today," Busch said." Lots of emotion, but I had to keep those in check.

"We're not going to think about points. Gene Haas has got me under contract to go win races, and that's what I want to do. We'll see how the points play out. But right now we're here to win some races. First step was to get our feet back underneath us, then we'll go for those wins."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...urt-Busch-Back-with-Solid-Run-at-Phoenix.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Penske Seeking More Speed​*
Teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano combined to lead 87 laps en route to top-10 finishes in the CampingWorld.com 500, but both came away looking for more speed in their Team Penske Fords.

Keselowski started sixth and finished in the same spot after his run in the desert.

While he was disappointed he couldn't have had a better finish, Keselowski was all right with the overall effort.

"I thought we were about a third of fourth place car and got shuffled to finish where we did," said Keselowski. "It was a great effort. We have to keep working to find more speed. There are a lot of Chevy's up there and we need to get our Fords running a tiny bit better. I feel like it was kind of a decent, nonchalant day."

Keselowski did his best to keep pace with race winner Kevin Harvick and others on Sunday but it was a losing effort.

"We didn't really have the speed we needed to run with the 4 (Harvick) and '41' (Kurt Busch)," Keselowski said. "Everybody was on a different strategy it seemed and it didn't quite pan out for us to get the third or fourth we deserved but we ran really well. We just have to find some more speed. That is the common theme to keep up with the '4' car and even the '41' this week."

Finding more speed was also Logano's challenge for the weekend. He started outside the front row and ran upfront early but once he faded back it was difficult to make up ground.

"Getting a top 10 is great but we want to win some more," said Logano. "We just didn't quite have the speed. We had speed in the beginning of the race and made some adjustments and got better and then the track changed and we couldn't keep up with it. We couldn't fix the car no matter what we tried we were going the wrong way."

Crew chief Todd Gordon tried some late race strategy on a four-tire pit stop in hopes of giving Logano an opportunity to run down the leaders.

Although that didn't pan out, Logano applauded the effort.

"That is not quite where we wanted to be there at the end," Logano said. "Todd made a gutsy call there at the end to put four on it and we were back to 16th there with 12 to go and really at that point he was leaving it up to me to be aggressive and we were able to pass a lot of cars to get up to eighth."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...f-Top-10s-in-CampingWorld-500-at-Phoenix.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*McMurray Second Guesses Restart​*
Jamie McMurray battled his way to a tough runner-up finish behind Kevin Harvick in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver scored his best finish since his win at Talladega in October of 2013.

"We just had a really good weekend," McMurray said. "Every practice our car was quick. We qualified well. Just had, you know, a mistake free day and really executed the race perfectly."

McMurray was actually able to wrestle the lead away from Harvick on the late race restart if only for a few seconds. He edged ahead as the duo raced through Turns 1 and 2 but did not have enough to hold off the hard charging Harvick by the time they finished the lap.

McMurray would like to have had another shot at the situation.

"Honestly, when I went through one and two I felt like I totally missed the corner and I was waiting to hear, 'Three wide, you're in the middle,'" McMurray said of his spotter. "I heard, Clear. I wish I would have moved up immediately. He had momentum on the outside.

"I didn't feel like I was clear. The cars are kind of like what we have at Daytona. When you're clear of someone or when someone gets to your quarter panel, you can feel it bog the car down. I didn't feel like I was clear. Hindsight, I would have listened to my spotter a little bit and just moved up."

But McMurray was quick to point out how strong Harvick was Sunday and has been all year as he topped his cap to the reigning Sprint Cup champ.

"I think we've seen it in other sports," McMurray said of Harvick's domination. "I remember the days when Jeff Gordon won 13 races in a year in '97, '98. I remember watching every week. It was incredible.

"I think our sport is much tougher now to do that in. We talked about it, the team guys talked about it at the Charlotte test on Wednesday. I remember when the 4 car unloaded at the Charlotte test last year in January, first lap on the track he was literally the fastest car. For a year it's been that way. "

With teammate Kyle Larson also finishing inside the top 10 Sunday, McMurray is optimistic about the fortunes of the entire organization and particularly pleased with the performance of the No. 1 team and his crew chief.

"I'm really happy with second," McMurray said. "It would be nice to be in Victory Lane and know you were locked into the Chase the way the point format works.

"As a group, our whole organization, the 1 car team, Matt McCall, really awesome cars. Matt did a great job calling the race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...03/Jamie-McMurray-Second-Guesses-Restart.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Car Destroyed After Blowing A Tire At PIR​*
The fifth caution of Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway came on Lap 181 of 312 and collected fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Struggling with the handling of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Earnhardt Jr. had a right rear tire failure, sending his car into the outside wall in Turn 2.

Running 21st at the time, Earnhardt Jr. was initially able to drive the car from the incident, but a fire in the right rear wheel assembly forced him to climb from the car at the entrance to pit road.

"We had been really, really loose today and just wore the right rear tire out and blew the right rear tire out," said Earnhardt Jr. "We'll try to get it fixed up and get back out there."

The team was unable to make further repairs and Earnhardt Jr. was officially listed as being out of the race, ending a string of three-straight top-five finishes to start the 2015 season.

A Goodyear spokesman said that a melted bead on the tire, likely caused by excessive brake heat, led to the tire failure.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...troyed-after-blowing-a-tire-at-phoenix-031515


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## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Winners And Losers​*
Pete Pistone takes a look at some of the drivers that shined bright in the "Valley of the Sun" and some that did not in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

*Winners*

*Kevin Harvick* 
As no brainers go this is one for the ages. Harvick led 224 laps, won his second straight race of the season, fourth straight at Phoenix International Raceway and has finishes either first or second in his last seven outings. Average finish so far in 2015 for Harvick is a tidy 1.5 by the way.

*Jamie McMurray* 
The Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver said he might have done things differently in terms of the final restart when he was able to slide ahead of Harvick for just a few seconds before relinquishing the lead. Unless McMurray was willing to rough up Harvick and potentially take him out with contact there was no stopping the No. 4 on Sunday. McMurray's second-place effort was a very solid performance.

*Ryan Newman* 
Lots of talk about how Harvick and company has picked up where they left off last season and the same can be said for Newman. He's doing exactly what got him to the Championship Four finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year with a string of consistent finishes. Actually, Newman seems a little stronger than he did in 2014 and has knocked down a pair of third-place finishes in a row.

*Kurt Busch* 
Whatever circumstances and situations that have surrounded Kurt Busch in his career including his most recent issues that led to a NASCAR suspension his talent has never been questioned. That was certainly on display Sunday when Busch wheeled the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing ride home to a fifth-place finish and looked very competitive in his first official outing of the year.

*Martin Truex Jr.* 
He set a record for Furniture Row Racing with a fourth straight top-10 finish Sunday and Truex Jr. is already within one of last year's total of five. What's been impressive about the hot start for the No. 78 team is Truex Jr. has performed well at several different styles of tracks - superspeedways, intermediate and short ovals.

*Losers *

* Tony Stewart* 
There were some flashes of the Stewart of old on Sunday when he aggressively passed some cars on track while also taking advantage of pit strategy to knock on the door of a possible top-10 finish. But that all unraveled in a pair of incidents that sent Stewart to his career-worst fifth straight finish of 30th and beyond. There were also flashes of the old Stewart when he skipped talking to the media after suffering through another dismal outing.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.* 
After a great opening three races of the year Earnhardt Jr. suffered his first DNF since last August when a tire failure sent him crashing into the wall. It was the first challenge Earnhardt has faced with new crew chief Greg Ives and it will be interesting to see how the team rebounds this week in Fontana.

*Sam Hornish Jr.* 
Another tire failure victim, Hornish Jr. has not lit the series on fire since his full-time return began at Daytona. The Richard Petty Motorsports team continues to search for more speed but can at least take solace in the fact they're not alone certainly in the Ford camp outside Team Penske.

*Denny Hamlin* 
There was a time when Hamlin was one of the pre-race Phoenix favorites. But since the ill-fated strategy at Phoenix that cost him a shot at the 2010 championship the desert track has not been kind to Hamlin. He wad completely out of sync on Sunday and understandably not a happy camper afterwards in terms of Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota's struggles.

*Greg Biffle* 
More tough times for the Roush Fenway Racing bunch that had a somewhat bright spot in the 12th-place finish of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. But Biffle had his hands full all afternoon on Sunday and came away from Phoenix with a 27th-place performance.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/03/Phoenix-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Making Qualifying Change​*
NASCAR will implement a change in procedure to qualifying beginning this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Drivers will no longer back out of their pit stalls when qualifying begins. The new rule will be in place for all three of NASCAR's top divisions and both the XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series will employ the change this weekend at ACS.

The change came at the request of the drivers who were concerned about the congestion on pit road when cars were backed out of pit stalls at the start of qualifying.

"We're looking at not backing in the cars any more," said Steve O'Donnell on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "We did that initially working everybody, with you guys and TV partners in terms of access to the drivers. As we've gone through it we've learned some different things so we won't have the cars backed in. We'll send a memo out to the teams this week where we'll tweak it.

"As with anything you keep learning if we can make it better and we will and this is just another slight adjustment as we head into California."

Cars will be parked in their pit stall with the nose pointing toward the track at the start of this weekend's qualifying sessions. When a driver returns to pit road they will then back into each stall.

One exception is at Martinsville Speedway where Sprint Cup cars will leave from their garage stall for qualifying since Camping World Truck teams use pit road as the work area.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/03/NASCAR-Making-Qualifying-Change.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jamie Dick Diagnosed With Diabetes​*
Jamie Dick, an owner-driver in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, has been diagnosed with new onset diabetes.

Immediately after finishing 28th in Saturday's Axalta 200 at Phoenix International Raceway, Dick was taken to the trackside care center after complaining of dizziness and fatigue. He was admitted to West Valley Hospital for further tests, which led to the diagnosis.

Dick was released Sunday, and has returned to the Charlotte (N.C.) area where evaluation and treatment will continue.

"I would like to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time," Dick said. "It was quite a surprise to hear the diagnosis, but the response from the NASCAR and PIR medical staffs was outstanding. The support from the racing community, my Viva Motorsports team and the fans has been overwhelming. Now, I need to learn about this disease and do whatever it takes to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible."

Jeffrey Earnhardt will drive the No. 55 Chevrolet in this weekend's race at Auto Club Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/Jamie-Dick-Diagnosed-with-Diabetes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Finds No Wrongdoing With Phoenix Tires of Kevin Harvick And Joey Logano​*
NASCAR confirmed it found nothing out of the ordinary with the tires used by Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

The tires were seized during Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 in what was described as a "regularly scheduled audit" by NASCAR executive vice president chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell.

"We've done it in the past," O'Donnell told SiriusXM's "The Morning Drive" during a Monday interview. "It's something we check working with Goodyear, making sure the tires supplied are where we want them to be. It's just another area of the car. We don't expect to find anything; it's just something we like to do every once in a while."

NASCAR normally examines tires at its R&D Center in Concord, N.C., but those from Logano and Harvick were checked at a remote site with NASCAR haulers on the road in the midst of a three-race swing through Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix and Auto Club Speedway.

The decision to confiscate the tires for examination was made independent of Goodyear and unrelated to durability. The tire supplier occasionally keeps tires for further examination (such as with tire failures on the cars of Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. last October at Kansas Speedway).

NASCAR has a history of confiscating tires from dominant teams in its premier series. When Jeff Gordon notched 13 victories on the way to his third championship in 1998, the No. 24 Chevrolet's tires were examined (and determined to be fine) by NASCAR after cries of foul play by rival team owner Jack Roush.

Harvick won Sunday at Phoenix, extending a streak of seven consecutive top-two finishes that dates to his first championship last season.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...oenix-tires-of-kevin-harvick-and-joey-logano/


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## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick Threatens To Kick Male Driver In Cherries​*
nica Patrick has a long history of confronting other drivers when they do something to upset her. Just last month she grabbed Denny Hamlin on pit road following an accident between the two in a Daytona 500 qualifying race.

The most recent incident involving Patrick came after Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway where according to Alex Bowman, Patrick threatened to kick him in a very sensitive area. Apparently Patrick was angered how hard Bowman, multiple laps down, had raced her and expressed that frustration in the garage post-race.

Bowman shared the exchange on Twitter, even acknowledging he made a mistake in not knowing Patrick was the same lap as the leaders. But Patrick was having none of his apology and when pressed for details on what transpired, Bowman explained.








*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/3/16/8226151/danica-patrick-alex-bowman-kick


----------



## Ckg2011

*Judge Denies Motion To Reopen Kurt Busch Protective Order Case​*
A Kent County (Del.) Family Court commissioner denied a motion by Kurt Busch's attorneys to reopen a protective order hearing Tuesday.

Busch's legal team was seeking a new hearing as additional witnesses and evidence emerged contradicting the testimony of Patricia Driscoll, Busch's ex-girlfriend, who alleges he assaulted her in his motor home last September. Commissioner David Jones, who also issued the initial order Feb. 16, declined saying the new evidence wasn't substantial enough to reopen the no-contact order.

"The court finds that the witnesses' statements add little, if any, evidentiary value regarding that issue to the respondent's trial testimony," Jones wrote in the ruling.

In granting Driscoll a protection order last month, Jones determined Busch committed an act of domestic violence when he placed his left hand on Driscoll's throat while using his right hand to grab her face and smash her head three times against a bedroom wall. The incident occurred at Dover International Speedway, the location of that weekend's NASCAR race. Busch and Driscoll had broken up the week prior.

Busch has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called Driscoll's account of events a "fabrication." The Delaware attorney general's office declined to criminally charge Busch on March 5, citing a lack of evidence.

Following Jones' initial ruling Busch was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR. The suspension was lifted March 11 after Busch agreed to meet NASCAR's terms for reinstatement.

While suspended, Busch missed three races including the Daytona 500. Stewart-Haas Racing named Regan Smith to fill-in during Busch's absence. In his first race back, Busch finished fifth Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Because Jones declined to reopen the case, Busch can now proceed with an appeal of the ruling as planned. In court testimony and public comments, Busch's attorney's have portrayed Driscoll as a scorned lover set on destroying his career.

"I have my attorneys handling the pending appeals," Busch said. "I'll leave that to them."

Driscoll said in a statement Tuesday she supported Jones' decision to not reopen the case.

"The protection from abuse order gave me a sense of safety, and I'm greatly relieved that the court reaffirmed my account and upheld it," Driscoll said.

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/3/17/8237769/kurt-busch-protective-order-ex-girlfriend-


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Soldiers On​*
Tony Stewart is not letting a tough start to the season cause him to lose his focus for Sunday's Auto Club 400.

It's been well-documented just how hard Stewart has struggled in the early going of 2015. He's only compiled 32 points in four races and sits 36th in the Sprint Cup Series standings heading into this weekend's final race of the western swing.

By comparison, Kurt Busch - one of Stewart's teammates - already has 39 points after competing in only one race following a three-week NASCAR suspension. But Stewart looks at the long schedule ahead as nothing but opportunity to improve, and the next shot comes Sunday at the two-mile Auto Club Speedway.

He's a two-time winner at the track, most recently in 2012.

"It boiled down to Denny Hamlin and me," Stewart said, recalling that race - which was shortened by rain. "We had, at different times, the fastest cars on the track. I was really happy with my car. We had a car (with) a lot of adjustability built into it for later in the day. From the drop of the green flag through the course of the race, we had a dominant car.

"Denny had spots where he was the fastest. He had room to gain and closed that ground. They were en route to do that when the rain came, but it was really going to be down to the two of us for the rest of the day regardless of the weather."

Auto Club's calling card is the wide-open spaces the track offers drivers to find multiple grooves.

"It's nice knowing that as a driver, you can help yourself out and you're not relying so much on the car," Stewart said. "Regardless of what everyone else is doing, you can find a way to help yourself out. The place is so wide, you can move around and earn your money.

"As far as when to start trying different grooves, from the drop of the green flag you do it because what works for one part of the race may not work at another point. If you're slower than the pace you need to be running, you're going to move up the racetrack and find a place that helps balance your racecar."

Stewart has watched teammate Kevin Harvick roll to two straight wins in defense of his 2014 championship. Now, the owner-driver hopes it will be his turn this weekend to shake off the early-season doldrums and get the No. 14 Chevrolet on track.

"If a guy gets going and gets his car balanced at Auto Club Speedway, he'll tend to run away," Stewart said. "That track is fast, flat and momentum is so important there. If a guy is off just a little, he's off a lot. You end up racing the racetrack instead of each other."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Auto Club 400 from Auto Club Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Tony-Stewart-Soldiers-On.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Dominance Reigns​*
The theme permeating the early portion of the NASCAR schedule is one of domination.

Kevin Harvick has obviously been the poster child. The defending Sprint Cup Series champion is currently on a remarkable run that included his second win of the season last week at Phoenix International Raceway.

While others have wrestled with the new Sprint Cup Series rules package of less horsepower and lower down force among other changes, Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers have literally picked up where they left off in last year's title run.

Harvick's string of finishing first or second has reached seven consecutive races and put him in the rarified air of "The King" Richard Petty, who was the last driver to accomplish that feat back in 1975.

Harvick isn't just winning races; he's crushing the field on his way to Victory Lane. He led 142 of 267 laps in his Las Vegas Motor Speedway win and wrestled the top spot away from Brad Keselowski to pace the final 15 circuits.

Last Sunday's Phoenix victory included a late race challenge from Jamie McMurray on the final restart, but Harvick brushed that aside in relative short order to lead the final 17 laps of his 224 total out front.

But Harvick hasn't been alone in controlling races on his way to the Victory Lane this year.

Jimmie Johnson enjoyed 92 laps in front of the field during his Atlanta win to kick off the month. Although that wasn't the most laps led that day (second place Harvick had that honor with 116), the six-time champion spent a huge portion of the 500 miles ahead of the pack.

There's been a similar pattern in the XFINITY Series with Harvick leading 101 laps on his way to winning at Atlanta, Austin Dillon ahead 183 in his Vegas victory and Joey Logano out front 176 circuits last Saturday at PIR.

Even the Camping World Truck Series has gotten into the act when two-time champion Matt Crafton dominated in his Atlanta win pacing 85 of 130 laps.

As they say though the numbers don't always tell the whole story. Harvick's two Cup wins featured challenges along the way including in the late going after restarts. Dillon's Vegas triumph came after a closing laps battle for the ages with Ryan Blaney before the Richard Childress Racing driver could celebrate in Victory Lane.

But it's still been an impressive display of drivers and teams flexing their muscles in the early going.

However, the odds are it won't last for long. The garage areas of NASCAR's top three divisions are filled with too many good teams and talented drivers for that to happen.

There is also an abundance of smart crew chiefs, engineers and team personnel that will find a way to improve and narrow the gap in competition. It always happens.

For now Harvick and company don't appear to have an Achilles Heel of any kind and the litany of issues that kept the No. 4 team from succeeding at this time last year are nowhere in sight. Mechanical issues, pit road miscues and bad luck - all of which conspired to keep Harvick from winning more often this time a year ago despite having fast and dominant race cars on a near weekly basis - just don't seem to exist.

But there's a long way to go in a season that is still in its infancy. Every team searches for the kind of excellence Harvick and some others have displayed in the first month of NASCAR 2015.

They all also know it can suddenly disappear at any time.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Opinion-Dominance-Reigns.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Dew: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Unveils 'DEWshine' Paint Scheme​*
*D*ale Earnhardt Jr. will debut a new Dew paint scheme at Bristol Motor Speedway.

On Monday, Junior unveiled his No. 88 DEWshine Chevrolet SS during an event in Nashville, that also included a performance from the band Old Crow Medicine Show. Check it out.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...in-dew-dewshine-bristol-motor-speedway-031915


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Fontana​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Vickers Sidelined​*
Brett Moffitt will drive Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 55 Toyota in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

The team's regular driver Brian Vickers informed MWR he has experienced a reoccurrence of blood clots, which will require the 31-year-old driver to begin taking blood-thinning medication and he is not able to race while on the medicine.

"First and foremost our thoughts are with Brian and his family," said MWR founder and co-owner Michael Waltrip. "He isn't just our race car driver, he is our friend and we know the NASCAR community will continue to rally around Brian. We are fortunate to have Brett Moffitt in our system and marveled at his great drive in Atlanta three weeks ago, so we know he can get the job done in the No. 55 this weekend. As this news is very fresh and the situation is very fluid, we can only plan for this weekend at this point."

Vickers missed the season's first two races recovering from December heart surgery. He finished 15th at Las Vegas and 41st at Phoenix.

"Thankfully, because I recognized the signs and symptoms, the doctors caught this early and I'm going to be ok. I had finished my treatment for the clot I had in my leg back in 2013 and I haven't needed to be on a blood thinner for a clot in my leg or lung since," said Vickers. "Now I won't be able to race because I'll need to be back on a blood thinner. I'm going to follow doctor's orders and do everything I need to do to get well."

"Believe it or not, it's Blood Clot Awareness Month and I was supposed to be at the track this weekend doing some work with my partners at Janssen focused on getting the word out. I'm disappointed I can't be there but if there is a silver lining in all of this, hopefully what's happened to me will help to raise awareness on this important health issue," said Vickers.

In 60 races driving MWR's No. 55 Toyota, Vickers scored eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. He won the July race at New Hampshire in 2013 and captured the pole at Talladega in October 2014. The 2003 Nationwide champion owns three victories and 12 poles in 318 career Sprint Cup starts.

Moffitt, 22, of Grimes, Iowa, finished eighth at Atlanta on March 1 driving the No. 55. He has also raced twice for Front Row Racing in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/Brian-Vickers-Sidelined-at-Auto-Club.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Waltrip Unsure of Vickers' Return​*
Michael Waltrip isn't sure when Brian Vickers will be medically cleared to resume his driving duties in the No. 55 Toyota.

Vickers was forced to step out of the ride for Sunday's Auto Club 400 because of a blood clot reoccurrence. Brett Moffitt will fill in as he did at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the second week of the season.

But Waltrip wouldn't speculate on when Vickers might return from his latest health setback.

"He's in the care of his doctors and expects to be able to operate normally today," Waltrip said Friday at Auto Club Speedway. "That's really all the information I have today on what his current state is, other than he feels really good and he's really sad."

While there is no timetable, Waltrip was optimistic that Vickers would overcome the obstacle and will at some point take back his ride.

"I just know his heart and passion and he would not say that, so therefore, I will not say that," Waltrip said. "I guarantee he would tell you he'll be back in a couple weeks or months, whatever decision comes from his doctors.

"I expect him to overcome this. It's obviously a setback for our team and Brian, but we're just glad he's okay, learning more and coming up with a plan."

Moffitt was to have driven the Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford this weekend but was called back to MWR Friday morning in the aftermath of the Vickers situation.

He drove home to a top-10 finish at Atlanta earlier this month and Waltrip had no qualms about pressing him into service again this weekend given the circumstances.

"There's no issues at all getting Brett into the car," Waltrip said. "He's never run a lap here. That'll be fun to watch. He's certainly overachieved for us at Atlanta.

"I love his heart and spirit and am glad he'll be able to step in for Brian."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...l-Waltrip-Unsure-Of-Brian-Vickers-Return.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Looking Ahead​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't dwelling on last week's disappointing in Phoenix but rather is optimistic about Sunday's Auto Club 400.

Earnhardt had a tire problem on lap 182 of last week's CampingWorld.com 500 at PIR that sent him into the wall and out of the race. It was the first true adversity of the season for Earnhardt, who had come to PIR with a string of top-five performances to start 2015.

Instead he wound up with his first DNF since August of last season.

However Earnhardt has already put the incident behind him.

"We didn't run that well in Phoenix," Earnhardt said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "So I'm gonna put that in the past and we're going to try to go out to Fontana and have a good run."

Earnhardt credits his relationship with new crew chief Greg Ives as one of the main reasons he has his sights set on Fontana and not looking back at Phoenix.

"The sooner I can talk to Greg my crew chief about that particular race the sooner I can put it behind me," he said. "When you walk away from a run like that and you don't communicate you carry around a lot of question, you carry around a lot of questions, you carry around a lot of disappointment and frustration. So the best thing to do it to get with Greg and talk to him as much as you can over the next couple days going over everything we did and understand how you can learn from it maybe when you go back to Phoenix you can run much better and learn from any mistakes you might have made.

"That makes you feel better, you talk about the next week about you talk about what we're doing to rebound and how we're gonna go to Fontana and be strong. You get to all the kind of things that get you fired up and get you excited about the next event so that you can forget about the past."

His current perspective is different for Earnhardt than how he used to deal with such adversity.

"I used to have such a hard time with that if we'd run bad I'd carry it all the way til the next Sunday to the next event before I could get in the car and make another run at it," he admitted. "But it's gotten better the older I got."

Earnhardt hopes to get things back in a positive direction in Sunday's Auto Club 400. The two-mile southern California track has undergone a metamorphosis in recent years and has produced much better racing because of the change.

"The only thing that's changed at that place is the surface," said Earnhardt. "You can look at everything else you know people, general managers &#8230;the only thing that's changed about that race is the surface. And as its worn and gotten aged we've really been able to make more of a race out of it. And that's just the truth.

"You got to look at all these tracks that we've repaved and you're just sit there and waiting and waiting and waiting for that asphalt to age so we can move around and run different grooves that's what happened over there in Fontana. We're all over that track trying to find speed. You got guys running on the bottom you've got guys running in the second and third and fourth lanes right against the fence."

It's because of those multiple lanes, several different options for drivers and the track's rough surface that Earnhardt has high hopes for a competitive and entertaining race on Sunday.

"So it really puts on a show and when you can move around like that we're not stuck behind each other in everybody's dirty air," he said. "We can actually move out from behind people and get clean air and have an opportunity to get beside somebody and make a pass. So I think that's why that track has gotten better."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Auto Club 400 from Auto Club Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...t-Jr-Looking-Ahead-to-Auto-Club-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Wins Auto Club 400 Pole​*
Kurt Busch wins pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana California. Last weeks winner Kevin Harvick will start second on Sunday.

Busch scored his first pole since Darlington of 2013 and will line-up next to teammate Kevin Harvick to lead the field to green in Sunday's fifth race of the 2015 season.

"This is huge for Gene Haas," said Busch, who returned from a three race NASCAR suspension last week and finished fifth in Phoenix. "That is what I wanted to start the interview with is thank you Gene for believing in me.

"This is my job. Come to the track, drive the car and put it up on the pole and go for wins. That is what Gene has told me to do from the get go and I'm glad I have this chance to go back out there and live up to why he hired me. It feels good. The guys were just spot on all day with all the adjustments. The car started off so fast and it is all due to the work back at the shop."

It marks the second time SHR teammates have started on the front row with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman turning the trick in July of 2011.

Busch turned a lap of 185.142 mph to earn his first pole of the season and 17th career.

"I just wanted to focus on the car and my lap and the line that I needed to run," Busch said. "I felt confident with the cars ability to have that speed. You just don't have to over think it. Luckily I was able to pull that off and not over think it and deliver for me team."

Harvick will shoot for a third straight Sprint Cup Series win on Sunday from the number two starting spot.

"Hopefully, we can keep it up this week," Harvick said. "I didn't get to run where I wanted to run there were three cars on the apron down there where I wanted to be that had finished their lap. I had to kind of abort going down the backstretch and ran through the middle of the track. All-in-all the guys did a great job and it is still a good starting spot for us."

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and David Ragan will start from row two.

Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer completed the first 10 starters.

Other notable drivers in the field include Jimmie Johnson (14th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17th) and Tony Stewart (20th).

It was a rough qualifying effort for Roush Fenway Racing with none of the three drivers able to get past the first round.

"It's been a challenging year and a half for us," Biffle said after qualifying 29th. "This weekend is no different than normal. &#8230; That's just not acceptable for how good of a team we are. We're dying a slow death."

Brett Moffitt, filling in for Brian Vickers who was sidelined because of a blood clot problem that reoccurred, qualified 30th.

"We're struggling here," said Moffitt, who made contact with the wall Friday afternoon. "We need to find some speed."

Chris Buescher, who will make his Sprint Cup debut as Moffitt's replacement at Front Row Motorsports, will start 33rd.

Reed Sorenson and Travis Kvapil failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

MRN will have live coverage of Saturday's two Sprint Cup Series practice sessions with the first coming at 11:30 a.m. (ET).






*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Cruises To California Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6768&StatType=Race+Results

Kevin Harvick turned in another dominating win in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series DRIVE4CLOTS.com 300 at Auto Club Speedway.

Harvick led 100 of the day's 150 laps to take the checkered flag by 3.3-seconds over second place Brendan Gaughan.

It was Harvick's second win of the season and 46th of his XFINITY Series career. Harvick won for the first time in his series career at Auto Club Speedway.

"I'm just a lucky guy to be piloting really fast cars," said Harvick, who shoots for his third straight Sprint Cup Series win on Sunday. "Everything is clicking right now. You just have to keep riding the wave."

Gaughan, pole sitter Erik Jones, Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five.

"Anytime you're in the top 5 in this series, you're doing something right. I love the fact that I'm pissed off about being second," Gaughan said after his first second place finish since 2009. "I love my restarts. Our restarts got us there.

"I don't care if I finished fifth, I just wanted a shot at it. Because I know I'm pretty darn good on restarts."

Jones recorded his best career finish in third.

"We had a good car," said the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. "The 88 (Kevin Harvick) has just been so fast and the 22 (Brad Keselowski), but nothing to take away from our day. Running third, that's great. Improved from last week and got better and just keep moving forward and getting our Camrys better.

"We're really close. We're right on the verge. I wish we could get that last little piece to get that speed that the guys that are winning races have. Looking forward to the next two weeks and getting back after and trying again."

Brian Scott, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Regan Smith and Elliott Sadler completed the first ten finishers.

"We still have a lot of work to do," Sadler said. "The guys are working hard, but we need this two weeks off to kind of regroup and get some things together before we go to Texas and Bristol and all.

"The guys are making improvements as a team and it's starting to show on the race track. We've just got to keep digging and keep our heads down and hope we get some better finishes ahead."

Ty Dillon finished 13th and maintains the series point lead by five over Buescher.

"That's more than I expected out of this Fastenal Ford Mustang today," said Buescher, who will make his Sprint Cup Series debut in Sunday's Auto Club 400. "These guys worked really hard this weekend and made a ton of changes, so I'm really proud of them."

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now takes two weeks off before returning to action on Friday night, April 10 at Texas Motor Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kevin-Harvick-Cruises-to-California-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Biffle, Roush Searching For Answers​*
Greg Biffle and team owner Jack Roush continue to be frustrated by their lack of competitiveness in the early going of 2015.

None of the Roush Fenway Racing trio made it out of the first round in Friday's qualifying session and Biffle's level of disappointing boiled over.

"It's been a challenging year and a half for us," Biffle said after qualifying 29th. "This weekend is no different than normal. &#8230; That's just not acceptable for how good of a team we are. We're dying a slow death."

Biffle made contact with the wall earlier in the day but did not blame that for the lack of qualifying performance.

"No it certainly didn't," he told Motor Racing Network. "What has something to do with it is the car wont drive, won't turn and just doesn't have the grip the other race cars do. Our fastest car there is 27th - so we've got 27th, 29th and 35th or something so. We're missing something you know Roush Fenway what we need for speed in our cars. You know we'll just continue to work on it."

Roush attributed the team's latest struggles to the challenge that is Auto Club Speedway

"This race track's a challenge, you know it's rough and we tried to bring forward the things we learned in Atlanta and Las Vegas and it looks like they don't apply here," Roush told Motor Racing Network.

Things did improve some what during Saturday's practice sessions with Biffle topping out at 14th on the speed chart in the day's final round but Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was 23rd and Trevor Bayne 33rd.

The problems for the Roush organization date back to last year and there were changes made in the off-season to address the situation. While Biffle is still not pleased with the results of that labor he remains hopeful there will be benefits ahead.

"Some of it's obvious, some of it isn't," Biffle said. "You walk down pit road to get into your car and our front splitter looks like it's higher than everyone else's. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or chassis guy to figure out other guys' got stuff going to get their cars lower to the ground and that creates a lot of speed. We're really aero racing now so the cars need to be right down on the race track, hold that attitude, hold that platform&#8230;.that's what creates speed in the corners and down the straightaway. We're just unable to do that right now and that's what we've really been focused on.

"I felt like we were on to something in Vegas. You know we ran pretty decent there and we've kind of lost that at Phoenix and here so we'll go back, look at what we did and try to get our car better."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...fle-and-Jack-Roush-Searching-For-Answers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Shoots For West Coast Sweep​*
Kevin Harvick has his sights set on sweeping the three-race West Coast swing with a win in Sunday's Auto Club 400.

Harvick has been victorious in the first two races of NASCAR's trip to the West Coast taking checkered flags at Las Vegas and Phoenix. A win Sunday ay Auto Club Speedway would give him the trifecta.

However, despite the fact Harvick has now finished first or second in the last seven Sprint Cup Series races dating back to last year there was never any discussion about running the table out West.

"We never talk about stuff like that," said Harvick, who will start outside the front row Sunday next to teammate Kurt Busch. "We just talk about what we think the air pressure and speeds. We don't talk about things we've done. We always talk about the things we do wrong and we talk about the things we need to do differently.

"It's never really anything about last week. It's always about next week and the things we have to do to try to be prepared when we come to the racetrack."

Harvick's streak has come while his SHR teammates have struggled. Until Busch's return from suspension last week and subsequent fifth place Phoenix finish, it's been a rough start to the season for Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Busch's fill-in Regan Smith.

Busch's team has reportedly used the same set-up of Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet although the reigning series champion isn't sure.

"I haven't looked at a set-up in weeks," laughed Harvick. "I can't even tell you what springs, shocks, sway bars; I have no idea to be honest with you. We settled-in on what we thought our package was about halfway through last year and those guys fine-tune it to loose or tight. If we're off, we'll stop and regroup. But I haven't looked in anybody else's set-up in a long time."

You can't blame Harvick for not worrying about what other drivers are using in terms of set-ups considering how well he's been running. Crew chief Rodney Childers continues to give Harvick competitive and fast cars every week and the duo are on a record-setting successful roll.

However, with that success comes expectations. Childers has no problem with dealing with any such pressure.

"I think at this point everybody just expects you to keep winning," Childers said. "That's what makes it hard on all of us. Yeah, I feel like we've got a team that can do that. We have a driver who can do that. We have the resources to do that. The more you win, the more you expect out of yourself and the more pressure you put on yourself."

As for the secret to that success? Harvick isn't 100 percent sure that it's any one thing but rather a collective effort he hopes will lead to a third straight victory Sunday afternoon.

"I think that just comes down to the guys on my race team and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing for just bringing really good cars to the racetrack," Harvick said. "Particularly the No. 4 team and being able to capitalize and manage the weekends, races, and keeping the cars together, as well as doing all the things it takes to just make laps and keep yourself in contention.

"Just really proud of everybody on my team for everything they have done. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling. We will try to ride the wave as long as we can."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Auto Club 400 from Auto Club Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...evin-Harvick-Shoots-for-West-Coast-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Exclusive: Furniture Row Racing Looks To Add Sponsors, Second Car​*
Ever since its formation in 2005, Furniture Row Racing has been a self-sponsored team, with the name of owner Barney Visser's business on the fenders of the team's black No. 78 Chevrolet. But that could be about to change.

In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com, team General Manager Joe Garone said the team is actively looking for a primary sponsor for next year, with the eventual goal of becoming a multi-car team.

"I think there's a misconception that we're sponsored and we're really not," Garone told FOXSports.com. "Our owner owns a company that sponsors the car, but we really would like to find a partner to come on board with us to be a part of the program. I think it will enhance our team and make it more competitive."

So far this season, Furniture Row has been plenty competitive, with driver Martin Truex Jr. third in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings on the strength of four consecutive top 10s to open the season.

Asked if Furniture Row wants to become a multi-car team, Garone said, "Ultimately, absolutely. We'd like to bring some sponsorship on the 78 car and then, obviously, full sponsorship on a second program."

Garone said the Denver-based team would benefit from having a second car.

"Again, it's purely for competitive reasons," said Garone. "It would enhance the product that we get on the track, and more relationships, more combined IQ, honestly."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...id=579693383507013632&adbpl=tw&adbpr=22199141


----------



## Ckg2011

*Last Lap Win For Keselowski​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6758&StatType=Race+Results

Brad Keselowski passed Kurt Busch on the final lap of an overtime finish to win Sunday's Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

Keselowski was able to work his way around Busch in the second attempt at a green-white-checkered finish to score his first win of the season.

It was the Team Penske driver's 17th career Sprint Cup Series win.

"Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, they both did a hell of a job and both had great cars the whole weekend and probably had the field covered on speed, but my guys never gave up, put us in position and we were able to close it out at the end," Keselowski said.

Harvick got around Busch as well as finished behind Keselowski to snap his two race-winning streak. But the defending Sprint Cup Series champion has now finished first or second in his last eight races dating back to the 2014 season.

"Just really proud of everybody on my team," Harvick said. "We fought through a day of track position. Pit crew had a little bit of trouble at the beginning of the race. They rebounded, got us out in the lead. That's the great part about an experienced group like that: they come back, fire off, forget what happened last week. That's what this team is made of."

Busch, who came back from a three-race suspension to finish fifth last week in Phoenix, was forced to settle for third.

Paul Menard and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Martinsville Speedway for next Sunday's STP 500.

*How Keselowski won:* A power move around the potent Busch, who had started from the pole and was strong all day, turned out to be the tonic for Keselowski to score his first win of 2015. While Greg Biffle crashed on the front stretch, the duo battled for the lead through turns one and two. Biffle was able to pull away so NASCAR kept the green flag in the air and Keselowski got by Busch and was able to hold him off to the finish line.

*What else happened:* Restarts were the key on Sunday with wild racing that was at times four and five wide when the green flag reappeared. Harvick and Busch were fast all weekend long and ran 1-2 for a lot of the 400-mile affair while Denny Hamlin and the Toyota bunch finally found some speed and were able to stay in the hunt until problems late.

*Who else had a good day:* Earnhardt Jr. scored his fourth top-10 finish in the season's first five races&#8230;.Aric Almirola had a solid day for Richard Petty Motorsports with an 11th place effort&#8230;.Carl Edwards was the best finishing Toyota driver in 13th.

*Who had a bad day:* Several drivers had some tough luck Sunday including Sam Hornish Jr., who was clipped by Trevor Bayne and then hit the wall on the backstretch&#8230;..AJ Allmendinger was plagued by engine issues early in the race and had to settle for 34th&#8230;.Denny Hamlin had a fast car and was leading late but a penalty for an uncontrolled tire during a pit stop dropped him deep in the field and he wound up finishing 28th&#8230;.Matt Kenseth was another Joe Gibbs Racing driver who was fast and led laps. But Kenseth broke a rear axle exiting his pit stall and finished 31st.

*Quote of the day:* "We didn't need that extra yellow at the end. I just got out-muscled by Keselowski," Kurt Busch

*Notables:* Three drivers have finished in the top-10 in all five races this season; Harvick, Logano and Truex Jr....Justin Allgaier's 12th-place finish was his career best in 44 starts&#8230;.Tony Stewart had his best finish of the season in 14th&#8230;.Chris Buescher came home 20th in his first career Sprint Cup Series start.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-Auto-Club-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Confronts Martin Truex Jr., Posts Season-Best Finish​*
An angry Tony Stewart confronted Martin Truex Jr. on pit road following Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway.

Stewart was upset because Truex cut across nose of the No.14 with 36 laps remaining, putting a hole in Stewart's car that required repairs. At the time of the incident, Truex was racing Aric Almirola hard and Stewart felt he was unjustifiably being swept into someone else's spat.

"There is a big hole underneath all of that," Stewart said. "It just so happens that the right-rear of (Truex's) car is all tore to hell. He had a problem with (Almirola) and when he got done drafting with him he drive across the racetrack into us. It's just stupid."

A USA Today reporter captured a snippet of the exchange.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/579782788846657537
Stewart said he wasn't directly mad at Truex, just the situation itself. The Auto Club 400 was one of the few times this season he showed much competitiveness and the damage he felt cost him a potential top-10 finish.

"I don't have a problem with it, I just didn't want my car tore up," Stewart said. "(Truex) had a problem with somebody else and I'm the one who paid the price for it.

"I wasn't delusional that we were going to win the race or anything, but if he has a problem with somebody else and he has his hand out the window changing three lanes. Then, drives back across and punches a hole in my nose. He is like, 'Well you could have lifted.' We are in the middle of the backstretch, why is it my responsibility to lift because he is arguing with somebody else? It's just stupid. Same stuff we always deal with kids."

Because of the damaged incurred, Stewart and crew chief Chad Johnston gambled on track position late instead of getting fresh tires. The call jumped Stewart to second on the first of what would be two green-white-checkered restarts -- albeit on much worn tires.

Once the race resumed Stewart quickly fell back to finish a season-best 14th. Entering ACS, his best result on the year was a 30th at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Truex placed eighth, his fifth consecutive top-10.

"I'm happy, we are gaining on it," Stewart said. "We were getting to where we were sniffing the edge of the top 10 anyway all day. We are gaining on it a little chunk at a time. We didn't need to get it all today, but this is a big gain for us."

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015...fontana-tony-stewart-martin-truex-jr#comments


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Short of West Coast Sweep​*
Kevin Harvick came up one spot short of sweeping NASCAR's Western Swing when he finished second in Sunday's Auto Club 400.

Harvick could not run down race winner Brad Keselowski in the second green-white-checkered finish of the afternoon and was forced to settle for the runner-up spot.

Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch had battled for the top spot a great deal during the day. Busch had the lead on what turned out to be the day's final lap but could not hold off a hard-charging Keselowski for the win.

"I hate that the 41 (Busch) wasn't able to hold on for the win there," Harvick said. "I would have loved to see those guys get their first win."

Although he didn't add a win to his Las Vegas and Phoenix triumphs the two weeks prior, Harvick did keep his streak of finishing first or second alive. It's now been eight straight races for Harvick in the top two dating back to last season. Richard Petty has the record of eleven consecutive.

Harvick didn't make it to Victory Lane but he wasn't at all upset with his day in southern California.

"I'm not disappointed at all," Harvick said. "I'm just glad to be a part of such a good race there. I'm really happy that all the fans got to come out and see a great finish to a great day. I'm just really proud of everybody on our Jimmy John's/Budweiser team.

"You could have flipped a coin as to what the right strategy there was at the end with tires. Just proud of Rodney Childers (crew chief) and the pit crew and everybody for just having a solid day."

The late race decision to pit for two or four tires did scramble things up in the overtime. Harvick took two while Keselowski four but there was no second-guessing the decision.

"Well Rodney he has a lot of information up there and there were so many cars on the lead lap that you just didn't want to get buried in there," Harvick said. "Because if you get buried in the middle of the field and you don't get a good restart you are just going to have a tough time making up ground.

"We won the championship because of a pit call and didn't win a race today. I don't think it was because of a pit call, just dumb luck and how many time we had to restart. All-in-all just really proud of everybody."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kevin-Harvick-Short-of-West-Coast-Sweep.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Frustrating Finish For Hamlin, Kenseth​*
Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth had strong runs Sunday in the Auto Club 400 but neither had the finish to show for the effort.

Hamlin ran up front throughout the afternoon, leading 56 laps, and after a disappointing run last week at Phoenix International Raceway it looked like he would be in contention for a possible win Sunday.

But that changed when the No. 11 team was penalized for an uncontrolled tire on a pit stop and Hamlin was buried in the field and he never was able to fight back to the lead pack. An engine issue at the end of the race topped off a good day gone bad for Hamlin's return to Auto Club Speedway, one year after missing this race due to an eye injury.

"You just can't come back from that," Hamlin said. "There's nobody in the field with a fast enough car to come back from any penalties. We had one at the inopportune time and it just led to a bad finish and we blew up at the end."

Crew chief Dave Rogers argued with NASCAR officials when the call was made and had a tough time swallowing the decision.

"It's a tough deal," said Rogers, who watched Hamlin finish 28th. "I have to go back and watch the film. I saw it on TV and certainly the right front (tire) rolled away and out of our box a little bit. In years past, that would be a common sense rule and the tie goes to the runner. That's what NASCAR emphasized this off-season when we expressed our concerns over this system - black or white, ball or strike type of a deal.

"NASCAR assured us that they would use common sense and things wouldn't change and I can certainly tell you that last year that wouldn't have been called so that's a frustration. I don't know if it's me getting used to a new system or NASCAR pushing harder for the ball or strike and the tie is not going to go to the runner. I don't know, it's frustrating."

Kenseth also had a frustrating day but for a different reason. He led 43 laps in Sunday's race and had fast pit stops all day until lap 186 when a trip down pit road proved to be disastrous when he broke a rear axle leaving his pit stall.

"An axle breaking is either a faulty part or not the right part or not the gear ratio or - there's usually a reason," said Kenseth, who was credited with a 31st-place finish. "We busted one last year - somebody did, one of our cars - and I don't know that we ever figured out why and then we just broke another one, so it's certainly something you've got to get a handle on. You can't break parts. Nobody breaks parts anymore, so you can't afford to do it obviously."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Hamlin-and-Matt-Kenseth-in-Auto-Club-400.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Strong Again​*
Kurt Busch turned in a second straight impressive performance with his third-place finish in Sunday's Auto Club 400.

One week after finishing fifth in his return from a three-race suspension, Busch was a powerhouse at Auto Club Speedway all weekend. He won the pole and led all the weekend's practice sessions before finally settling for third in Sunday's race.

Busch was upfront most of the 400-mile race around the two-mile track and actually had the lead as the field took the white flag in the day's second overtime.

However, Brad Keselowski was able to work his way past Busch for the lead on the backstretch and stayed out front on his way to the checkered flag.

Busch's Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick got by for second and Busch crossed the finish line in third.

"It was a solid day," Busch said. "I don't know what we could have done different. We just got pinned in by the yellows and the sequence at the end on which tires we needed to have to optimize how many laps were left. We had two tires; Keselowski had four. We didn't need that extra yellow at the end and I just got out muscled by Keselowski."

Busch was still pleased overall with the strength of his team and how well things have gone since his return to the series. Despite the strategy on pit road and the way caution flags fell, Busch is still proud of the performance on Sunday.

"We had a great Haas Automation Chevy all day," said Busch, who is 28th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings after running only two races. "It was fantastic to drive and the way that everybody chipped in on building the car, the pit sequence we just got hung out on the yellows at the end.

"When do you pit to put four tires on, when do you pit to put two tires on? That last restart I just didn't get the job done. Brad out muscled us with four tires."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ng-Third-Place-Run-at-Auto-Club-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Addresses Cautions​*
NASCAR officials explained the rationale for the series of caution flags late in Sunday's Auto Club 400.

A pair of debris caution flags impacted the closing stages of Sunday's race that was eventually won by Brad Keselowski in the second green-white-checkered overtime finish.

Sprint Cup Series Director Richard Buck explained the sanctioning body's protocol for displaying caution for debris on the track.

"It's a process during the race," Buck said. "It's pretty consistent. The driver will call it in, then we'll check with our turn spotters. That's heard over the radio, whatever the race control is, with a one or ten, so the teams know in case there is a piece of debris they need to know about for safety reasons. Then we'll confirm it. We've got the pit open and the pit closed folks that are close to that area. We have the caution car. We have spotters on the backstretch and on the entrance to turn three.

"We'll go through our process quickly and make sure that we have a confirmation that there is debris, if we can identify the debris, where it's at, if it's anywhere in the racing groove."

The caution that waved on lap 198 to forced the scheduled 200-lap race into overtime was for a piece of debris in turn one.

"That piece should come back on one of the cleanup trucks because they go out there now. But it was reported multiple times as a piece of metal," Buck explained.

"Safety's number one. If there's any question whatsoever, we'll throw the caution. We want to identify it first, obviously, because there was a lot of paper flying around today, a lot of, you know, paper trash and plastic bags and those kind of things which circulate. But we got definite confirmation on it that it was debris, actually that it was metal. It looked like a piece of metal."

As for the decision to allow the leaders to race back to the start-finish line after Greg Biffle crashed on the front stretch on the final lap, Busch said that's a judgment call that isn't taken lightly.

"We always make our best effort to let it race back," Buck said. "We had well over a mile. The leaders were coming off of two. We have multiple people in the tower watching multiple things. We're all communicating very quickly and at a high level.

"We could see the cars coming off of two. We were watching the frontstretch. Biffle got it started back up, got it turned around and headed off. We have two folks in the flag stand that were right there on top of it, so we had a bird's eye view from their perspective that there was no debris there and we could let it come back and come back to a natural finish."

While some fans were upset the turn of events impacted the finish of their favorite driver, Buck reiterated the sanctioning body doesn't care who is leading or may win a race in the course of officiating an event.

"You know, we don't have any favorites," Buck said. "We try to keep every emotion out of it. Safety's number one. We have over a hundred years worth of experience in the tower with Mike Helton, Robin Pemberton, David Hoots, myself.

"Between us we work very closely in a very dynamic way to identify the situation and look for the solution to it, then that solution is backed up by multiple layers. So we feel very, very confident about our actions."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SCAR-Addresses-Cautions-in-Auto-Club-400.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Takes Out Frustration On David Ragan In Early Laps At Fontana​*
Just 22 laps into Sunday's Auto Club 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon took out some frustration on Kyle Busch fill-in David Ragan.

Battling with Ragan for the seventh spot in the race's early laps, Gordon got several great runs on Ragan down the back straightaway, only to have Ragan's No. 18 Toyota take away the run in the corner and pull away as the two cars exited the turn.

Growing agitated with Ragan, Gordon drove hard into the corner on Lap 22, putting the nose of his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet just behind the left rear quarter panel of Ragan's Joe Gibbs Racing car.
While Gordon did not make contact with Ragan, the Hendrick Motorsports driver's frustration level had been rising in the laps leading up to the spin.

"Let him know it's the bumper," Gordon said over his in-car radio just prior to the incident. "I tried it the easy way; now it's going to be the hard way for him."
Gordon eventually took the air off Ragan's machine and sent it sliding down the banking, bringing out the first caution of the day. There was no damage to either car, but Ragan was later penalized for pitting too soon.

When the race restarted on Lap 27, Gordon was seventh, while Ragan was 42nd, one lap down to the race leaders.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...eedway-sprint-cup-series-auto-club-400-032215


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## Ckg2011

*Auto Club Winners And Losers​*
Those who gained and others who lost on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Brad Keselowski*

It's not how, but how many in Keselowski's case. His first win of the season may have come by only leading a lap, but it was the most important one. Keselowski seemed to come out of nowhere on the final restart to muscle past Kurt Busch on the last lap and drive to Victory Lane as well as a berth in the post-season Chase.

*Kevin Harvick*

It wasn't a "win," per se, but Harvick was solid again in the Auto Club 400 - coming within an eyelash of a third straight win and a sweep of the western swing. His streak of finishing first or second is now at eight with no end in sight.

*Kurt Busch*

Two races back from suspension and Busch is at the top of his game. He nearly ran the table at Auto Club Speedway - winning the pole, leading all practices heading into the race and then coming within a lap of victory.

*Martin Truex Jr.*

There were tense moments, when he drew the ire of Tony Stewart early in the race, but Truex brought home another stellar finish. He keeps rewriting the Furniture Row Racing record book with a top-10 performance in every race so far this season.

*Aric Almirola*

Finally, someone outside Team Penske gave the Ford contingent something to smile about on Sunday. Almirola drove the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford to an 11th-place finish.

*LOSERS​*
*Denny Hamlin*

A week after suffering through a frustrating day in Phoenix, Hamlin was suddenly competitive again at Auto Club Speedway. But despite leading 56 laps, there's no high finish to show for the performance. A violation on pit road mired Hamlin deep in the field and he never recovered.

*Matt Kenseth*

A similar saga for Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate ... fast car and 43 laps led. But pit road doomed Kenseth, as well, when he broke an axle leaving his stall after a late stop and could do no better than 31st.

*AJ Allmendinger*

No top 10 for Allmendinger and JTG/Daugherty Racing this week. The No. 47 Chevrolet was doomed nearly from the drop of the green flag as Allmendinger battled engine problems all day and finished 34th.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*

Got crossed up on the backstretch when the spotter told Hornish he was clear only to make contact with Trevor Bayne and then the wall. The opening five races at Richard Petty Motorsports haven't gone much better than Hornish's first Sprint Cup Series go-around with Team Penske.

*Clint Bowyer*

A 30th-place finish is not what Michael Waltrip Racing needs out of the senior member of its team, especially with Brian Vickers now out for three months with more health issues. The only time Bowyer was visible this weekend was during his stint in the TV booth for Saturday's XFINITY Series race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/03/Auto-Club-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Green Flag Endings A Priority​*
NASCAR reiterated the desire for races to end under green flag conditions if at all possible.

Sunday's Auto Club 400 finish had many fans questioning the decision to allow the field to race back to the finish line after Greg Biffle had spun and hit the wall on the frontstretch.

NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell explained the decision to not display yellow and end the race.

"I want to be clear,'' O'Donnell said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "If we can race back and we don't believe we're putting the competitor in harm's way, we're going to do that, but we'll always err on the side of safety.''

The circumstances and situation were different in Fontana than they were at the finish of this year's Daytona 500 according to O'Donnell. NASCAR waved the caution flag on the final lap of this year's 500 when Kyle Larson was involved in a crash on the backstretch.

"We have to look at the incident and the safety of the drivers first and foremost,'' said O'Donnell. "When we looked at that incident and Kyle Larson hitting the wall at a high rate of speed, we felt we needed to dispatch the safety equipment immediately. That was despite where we were in the race. We needed to do that.

"If that were the case in Daytona where Kyle may have just glanced the wall and drove off, we would have raced back. What you saw (at Auto Club Speedway) was one of those instances where a driver was able to get set and race off in time where we knew we had some time to make the decision. The decision was made to let them come back to the checkered flag.''

O'Donnell also addressed NASCAR's judgment on displaying caution flags for debris on the race track.

"The process of calling any caution involves multiple people," he explained. "We'll obviously scan the drivers and spotters, and if we hear anything, we've got corner workers, we've got folks on the flag stand. We'll survey all of those folks once we hear that there may be something on the track. If it's not moving, we'll confirm that that piece is not moving and we'll assume, candidly, that it's metal. If it's in the groove, obviously, that becomes a safety issue, we're going to throw the caution each and every time when that happens.

"If someone would have run over that and it affected a tire and that driver had an incident, we'd be hearing it on the other end as well. That's something we've got to deal with it. That's our job to make the call. We will always err on the side of safety if we see something out there and can't confirm that it's moving or not. When it's not moving, in most cases, it is a piece of metal or something heavy that is going to affect the racecar.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/03/Green-Flag-Endings-a-Priority.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Labbe Suspension Among NASCAR Penalties​*
NASCAR has suspended Sprint Cup Series crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe of Circle Sport Racing and penalized five XFINITY Series crew members for rule violations last weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Three infractions were found on Brian Scott's No. 33 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet during opening-day inspection March 20. A mounting bolt was improperly installed for a trailing arm, which also had a sleeve that was not drawn to specifications. And the mounting-bracket adapter for that trailing arm had been improperly machined to improve the aerodynamics of Scott's racecar.

The violations constitute a P4-level penalty. Labbe has been fined $50,000, suspended for the next three races and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Car owner Joe Falk was docked 25 championship points. Scott finished 27th in Sunday's Auto Club 400.

In the XFINITY Series, NASCAR issued Behavioral Penalties to five crew members who work on Blake Koch's No. 8 TriStar Motorsports team. They were involved in a pre-race incident March 21 and failed to comply with a directive from track security personnel.

Mark Armstrong has been fined $1,500 and suspended until April 21. He also was placed on probation until Dec. 31 along with Tyler Bullard, Nathaniel House, Jeremy Howard and Ryan Mulder.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Labbe-Suspension-Among-NASCAR-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Double Duty For Logano​*
Joey Logano is set to run in both the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the No. 22 Team Penske Sprint Cup Ford, Logano will make his first Truck Series start of the season in Saturday's Kroger 250. He'll drive an entry from teammate Brad Keselowski's stable.

"We had strong trucks last year and I'm certain everyone at Brad Keselowski Racing has worked hard to make them even better this season," said Logano, who made two Truck Series starts for the team last year with a best finish of third at Kansas Speedway. In six career series starts, Logano has three top fives but has yet to find Victory Lane.

He hopes to change that on Saturday, when there'll be even more to be gained.

"This is the first time I've competed in a short-track race in the Truck Series," Logano said. "I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun. Plus, I think I can learn something for the Cup race."

It's not often you hear drivers saying that competing in a Truck Series race will help their Sprint Cup efforts at the same track. But because of the new Cup rules, with less horsepower and different throttle response, Logano thinks there's a great deal to learn in Saturday's 250-lap affair.

"Taking away horsepower is going to bring us more toward the Truck Series and the horsepower they've got," Logano said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "That will help me as a driver, to understand how the race is going to play out. It's going to be a big difference there. Maybe at the other tracks, it wasn't as much. California is such a big racetrack. We have less drag, and it wasn't much different because your top speed was similar. At Martinsville, drag doesn't really mean anything because you're only going ... what, 120 miles per hour at the end of the straightaway?

"Before, we always complained about not having enough power so when you take another 120 horsepower away, we're gonna be screaming for more. It definitely will play the race differently."

Although Logano has never driven in a short-track Truck Series race before, crew chief Chad Kendrick isn't concerned about his ability to bring home a solid finish on Saturday.

"Joey got in one of our trucks two years ago at Little Rock (test track in Rockingham, N.C.) when we were testing for Martinsville so we have some data on him," Kendrick said. "He was smooth. We led laps in both Martinsville races last year and thought we were a couple small changes away from having a shot at winning. We've implemented those changes and we're ready to go. Joey has a ton of laps at Martinsville, so I'm sure he'll adjust very quickly."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/03/Martinsville-Double-Duty-for-Logano.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Pressure's On MWR​*
The challenges continue to mount for Michael Waltrip Racing this season.

This was already a pivotal year for MWR. The team went winless in 2014 and for a second straight year, missed the post-season Chase. The disappointing campaign came on the heels of the Richmond scandal in September 2013, that dismantled the organization from a three- to a two-car team.

Clint Bowyer last visited Victory Lane in October 2012 while Brian Vickers was victorious at New Hampshire in the summer of 2013. Since then, MWR has a big goose egg in the win column. So there was a lot on the line when the calendar turned to 2015 and MWR was full of optimism as the season was set to begin.

"It feels different. It truly does," Bowyer said during January's pre-season media days. "People are more energetic. There are more meetings among fabricators, engineers and crew chiefs. Everybody's working hard. I haven't won in two years and this is a big year for me. I need to prove myself and prove our race team."

Unfortunately for Bowyer and the rest of the organization, that early-season hope has taken a direct hit to the chin.

Bowyer has mustered only one top-10 finish - at Daytona - in the first five races. Since Budweiser Speedweeks, Bowyer has finished 24th, 21st, 24th and 30th.

Vickers started the year recovering from corrective heart surgery and missed the first two races of the year. He returned to run Atlanta and Phoenix but announced last week that he'd be forced to the sidelines again for recurring blood clots, which first forced him out of the sport in 2010 and again in 2013.

Brett Moffitt has replaced Vickers, at least for the short term. But the turn of events has compounded an already-dicey situation.

While the health and well-being of Vickers is first and foremost, the stark reality remains that his racing career is very much in doubt. Even if Vickers returns, he'll carry the stigma of an oft-injured or health-challenged athlete. How long will it last?

That unknown makes the task of selling and signing sponsors even more tenuous.

Sure, having a co-owner with the outgoing personality and marketing ability of Michael Waltrip is an advantage. But this is still very much a performance-based business and MWR has not delivered in that regard for some time.

Waltrip's appearances on FOX race telecasts and "Dancing With the Stars" are no substitute for his race team actually being competitive and delivering exposure for sponsors on the track. The best cure for what's ailing the team is to show more competitiveness.

Bowyer has to find the speed to have a regular impact on the outcome of races, more than he's shown the last two years. Moffitt, or whoever keeps that seat warm for the possible return of Vickers, needs to show marked improvement over the hit-and-miss efforts the "55" car has turned in so far in 2015.

It's not a stretch to believe the very future of the organization depends on it.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/03/Opinion-Pressures-On-MWR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Martinsville​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Retro Ride For Almirola​*
Aric Almirola will sport the iconic colors of STP this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as he looks to continue his best start to a Sprint Cup Series season.

The driver of the No. 43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports currently sits 10th in the standings heading into the sixth race of the year. Almirola's previous best at this point in the season since joining the team full-time in 2012 was 16th in 2013.

"It's been a solid group of races so far," Almirola said on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live" earlier this week. "I screwed up and probably cost us a 10th- to 15th-place finish at Vegas by speeding on pit road. Besides that, we've had a good start to the season."

After making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup last season, Almirola is once again paired with crew chief Trent Owens. He knows there's still work to be done to find more speed in his cars but likes what he sees so far from the operation that moved from Concord, N.C., to Mooresville, N.C., at the end of last season.

"We're still lacking some of the raw speed we need to compete for wins, but I couldn't be more proud of Trent (Owens) and everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports," Almirola said. "Moving shops in the off-season and having a lot of uncertainty, we still had high hopes. To kick off the year the way we have has been encouraging."

On Sunday, Almirola will look to continue the success his team owner had driving the STP colors during a career that led to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Petty holds the record for most wins at Martinsville, 15, with five of them coming with STP as the primary sponsor. John Andretti was the last driver to put the Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red colors in Victory Lane at Martinsville, in 1999.

"Every time you see that retro STP paint scheme, it gives you goose bumps," Almirola said. "You get excited reliving the history of that paint scheme, and all the wins and championships. It brings it all back to life. The opportunity to drive this car is special and gets me fired up. And of all places to go do it ... at Martinsville, where 'The King' won 15 times!"

Last year, Almirola drove the STP car from his 20th starting position to an eighth-place finish in the STP 500. With this year's reduction in horsepower, Almirola thinks it will be a little different in maneuvering around the tight paper clip-shaped oval. But the key will remain preserving the brakes.

"We'll be driving a little deeper into the corners, having less gear to slow the cars down," Almirola said. "So there's a premium on brakes. We'll have to make sure we have all good stuff, good cooling and everything we need to make the brakes live. When we run 500 laps at Martinsville, we're pressing the brake (pedal) as hard as we can a thousand times over the course of three hours. That puts a lot of stress on the brakes, but I have all the faith in the world in my guys that we will have brakes on the car that'll last all day."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...th-the-Iconic-STP-Colors-at-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. A Martinsville Fan​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ranks Martinsville Speedway high on his list of favorite tracks.

The winner of last fall's race at the .526-mile Virginia oval generally enjoys all racing at the smaller speedways on the NASCAR calendar. However, things didn't start out smoothly in his Martinsville career.

"I've done better on short tracks than any other tracks," Earnhardt said Friday at Martinsville. "The first time I came here, I hit everything, even the pace car. After my first race here, it looked like it was going to be quite a challenge to sort it out and understand what I needed to do.

"Then, me and Tony Jr. and Tony (Eury) Sr. came up here and tested. We hit on some stuff and were really good for a long time. It's been one of my favorite tracks ever since. I love the action and I love the short-track mentality."

Earnhardt will make his 31st career Sprint Cup Martinsville start in Sunday's STP 500. His win last October was the first by an Earnhardt at Martinsville since his father, Dale Sr., took the checkered flag in 1995.

As he readies for this weekend and a possible second straight trip to Victory Lane, Earnhardt sized up what he thinks are the keys to success.

"The secret is to have a good car - one that has good drive off (the corners) and rolls through the center real nice," Earnhardt said. "You've got to take care of the tires, try to keep the rear tires on it off the corner. That's important for the long runs. It took several races to understand what you need here to do well."

Earnhardt has always been a student of the sport and has a deep respect for NASCAR history. Martinsville is a charter member of the Sprint Cup Series and its rich tradition, including the iconic grandfather-clock "trophy" that goes to race winners, is all the more reason Earnhardt enjoys racing at the track.

"It was one of the racetracks I always could come to, even when we were in school, with it being such a short trip from home," he said. "It's one of the few tracks that I always got to go to as a young kid. You could get right up on the action, man - right against the fence down there in the corner and see the guys coming through there in practice. You could see the balance of the cars and what they were dealing with.

"It's a fun place to be, even as a kid. That clock makes it even more special and more desirable, I guess, because of the uniqueness of that trophy."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/03/Earnhardt-a-Martinsville-Fan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Rolls Into Martinsville​*
Kurt Busch is riding a hot streak into Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has two consecutive top-five finishes to his credit as the Sprint Cup Series moves to the Virginia short track this weekend.

Busch was suspended three races by NASCAR to open the season but since his return has posted finishes of fifth and third respectively at Phoenix and Auto Club Speedway. He's the defending winner of the STP 500 and carries a great deal of optimism into Sunday's race.

However, Busch is quick to point out there are challenges in play that will make this year's return to Martinsville different.

"Every race is a new race," said Busch. "This year, with the new rules package, I don't think we'll see much of a difference with the decreased downforce, but the horsepower being down will allow for plenty of traction on corner exit. We're always trying to challenge ourselves on how much we can push down into the racetrack to gain traction.

"Now, with less horsepower, it's going to be easier. It'll open up a new can of worms for something else to pop up. There are a lot of new variables heading into Martinsville this year, from the adjustable trackbar to the different tires. It's by no means anywhere similar to last year."

Wwhile there will be some new things to deal with this weekend there are other things about Martinsville that remain constant.

"To me, the toughest part of Martinsville is that you just never have a moment to breathe," Busch explained. "You have to be on your game nonstop for 500 laps because somebody's on you, or you are on top of somebody the whole time, and there's just no room for error."

Prior to his win last year, you had to go back to 2004 to find Busch's best Martinsville finish of fifth. The .525-mile track has always been a tough place for the 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion and Busch believes one of the keys to continuing his success of a year ago will simply be maintaining his spot on track.

"Track position is everything, everywhere, but at Martinsville it is just so easy to lose it," Busch said. "It doesn't take much to find yourself going backward, whether it's a situation with someone bumping you out of the way or you get too high on the track and up in the marbles. Then, deal with what that does to the tires and, boom, next thing you know, you may have had a 10th-place car and now you are 18th.

"It's a goal all day to work your way forward and then just to have smooth pit stops to carry you through those midpoints of the race. Then, at the end, when everything is on the line, you have to be aggressive and you can't be afraid to use the fenders on people to get that solid finish."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/Kurt-Busch-Rolls-Into-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*STP Sending Kids To Camp​*
Richard Petty Motorsports and sponsor STP have a special guest in attendance this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Gavin Grubbs, a 13-year-old from Arkansas who is battling muscular dystrophy, is representing the Victory Junction Gang Camp as a "special correspondent" with the opportunity to interview some of the top names in the sport.

"My main responsibility is to represent disabled people, disabled kids and Victory Junction," Grubbs said. "I'm honored to do this. "Everybody, whether they're disabled or not, should have opportunities like this - to meet all these great people in this sport."

STP, celebrating 43 years with Petty, also is in its 10th year of involvement with the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Aric Almirola, who will drive the No. 43 STP car in Sunday's race, announced that Grubbs and eight other kids will attend the camp as guests of STP with all expenses paid.

"It takes people and sponsors like STP - that care about more than just putting stickers on a racecar and letting it go around the track - getting involved in the community and getting involved in people's lives to really make a difference. While it's great to drive the '43' car here with STP colors on it at Martinsville, it's even more special to have Gavin and the others with me who are going to Victory Junction Gang Camp because of STP."

Some of the people Grubbs is looking forward to interviewing are Almirola, Danica Patrick and NASCAR President Mike Helton. As for the No. 1 question Grubbs wants to ask Patrick?

"If she would be interested in dating a younger man than Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.)," he said.

For the past five years, Grubbs has been friends with Joey Logano. He met him through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Ever since then, they've stayed in contact with each other. In fact, Grubbs was one of Logano's groomsmen in his wedding during the recent off-season.

Besides getting the chance to meet some of the stars of the sport, Grubbs shared what else is so special about being at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.

"The history and the hot dogs," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ansas-Teen-Tastes-Martinsville-Tradition.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tire Tampering In Spotlight​*
NASCAR continues to investigate the possibility of some teams tampering with tires to gain a competitive advantage.

Last weekend, tires from the cars of Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch along with race winner Brad Keselowski were taken from Auto Club Speedway for further inspection. They've been sent to a third party.

"I just found out about that this morning when I got here," Jeff Gordon said. "I didn't know that it was going to the level that it's gone to.

"It's very interesting to me that NASCAR is investigating this further. I look forward to seeing what comes out of it. To me, if they find a way to stop that if it's really going on, I get excited about our chances because I know we're not doing it so it will close the gap for us to whoever may be doing it."

One week earlier, Joey Logano and Phoenix race winner Harvick had tires from their cars taken by NASCAR after the race.

While it's not completely out of the ordinary for the sanctioning body to audit tires from time to time, there've been recent rumors in the garage area of teams possibly doctoring the rubber to gain an advantage. The subject was in the spotlight Friday at Martinsville Speedway.

"It's hard to speculate and that's all I could do," said Alan Gustafson, Jeff Gordon's crew chief. "In my experience, there's a lot of smoke around that. There is a lot of talk, a lot of dialogue and there are a lot of rumors. It's obvious that some people think something is going on and is NASCAR reacting to that? Or do they feel uncomfortable with what's going on? I don't know that answer, but I do think it's something in the forefront of a lot of people's minds."

There is speculation that some teams may have drilled tiny pin holes into some tires to cause what is known as "bleeding," a practice which would prevent a reduction in speed as pressure builds during a tire run. NASCAR met with teams Friday morning to remind everyone about the severe ramifications if such a practice were to be found.

"NASCAR is trying to make sure we're all on a level playing field and if anybody is violating that, they will pay the price, which they reminded us this morning is stiff," Gustafson said. "That's all I know. Anything beyond that is speculation, besides the fact it's a hot topic."

"I'm busy on Sundays and don't have a lot of friends in the garage, so I don't talk too much," said Chad Knaus, Jimmie Johnson's crew chief. "I don't know what's going on, I really don't. I know I sent (Sprint Cup Series Director) Richard Buck a text and said, 'Hey, man. Can we poke holes in our tires? Is that OK?' He sent me a text back and said, 'Absolutely not!' "

NASCAR announced this week that there would be a reduction of tire sets available to teams in the coming weeks beginning at Martinsville, with the allotment reduced from 11 to 10. That decision has been met with varied reactions.

"From a financial standpoint, it's great. We all need to save money," Knaus said. "From a competitor's standpoint, I hate it. For instance, we're in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, we come around off of Turn 4 on the first lap and get pushed up into the fence. Caution comes out shortly thereafter, we come down and have to change tires. That's one set of tires gone in one lap. If you're at a track like here, at Martinsville, you get crashed, you have to come in and change tires. That goes on and on and on. Before you know it, you're out of tires."

Gustafson is on board since the mandate is all-inclusive.

"For me, I have mixed emotions on it," he said. "As long as everybody has the same amount, that's fair. But it does put you in a tough situation if you have some unfortunate circumstances like Chad is referring to and you get behind a set of tires. For a puncture, damage or whatever it is, that can (eliminate) your opportunity to have a good finish. It can significantly hinder you. There are a lot of those circumstantial things in our sport that make our jobs a little tougher."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/03/Tire-Tampering-In-Spotlight.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trucks Back On Track At Martinsville​*
After a month-long break in the schedule, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action Saturday with the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

Tyler Reddick opened the year with a win at Daytona and two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton came back eight days later with a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Now, the trucks are ready for race No. 3 on the tight Martinsville half-mile.

"Last year when we won, we didn't start the race off great. In fact, we were terrible," said Crafton, who scored his first career Martinsville win in last year's race. "The truck was really tight from the center of the corner off. We made a couple adjustments after the first two runs and finally got going. These guys never gave up. You can't give up at Martinsville. You have to muscle for everything you get."

Crafton has 26 career Martinsville starts, more than any other driver in Saturday's field. Johnny Sauter, his ThorSport Racing teammate, has gone to Victory Lane there twice.

"Having won a couple races has changed my opinion of Martinsville," Sauter said. "For a long time, I was always fast but couldn't get the finishes. I changed the way I drive a little, trying to take care of my stuff and get speed without forcing it.

"I love that racetrack. It's a fun place, short-track racing at its best. I don't know anyone who doesn't like going there. It's what most of us grew up doing and we don't get to do a lot of that now."

While veterans like Crafton, Sauter and Timothy Peters have a great deal of Martinsville experience, there are a host of young drivers ready to do battle Saturday who don't have anywhere near the familiarity with the .525-mile oval.

Reddick, Erik Jones, Ben Kennedy and Cameron Hayley are a few of the names on that list along with Cole Custer, who will make his first start of the year in a JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The defending XFINITY Series championship team makes its first foray into the Truck Series Saturday as part of a 10-race program this year with Custer behind the wheel.

At the age of 16, he put his name in the record book twice last year by first becoming the youngest pole winner in a NASCAR national series - at Gateway Motorsports Park in June. He followed that by leading 148 of 175 laps at New Hampshire in September to become the youngest race winner in one of NASCAR's top national series.

Custer shoots for career win No. 2 on Saturday.

"Our goal is to pick up where we left off last year," Custer said. "Martinsville is a place where we've shown speed before and we can run fast again. It's still a learning experience for me. Managing traffic there will be a challenge. That's something I'll be focused on."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../03/Trucks-Back-On-Track-At-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins First Martinsville Pole​*
Joey Logano won his first Martinsville Speedway pole, and the 10th of his career, in qualifying for Sunday's STP 500.

One year after setting the track record in the first round of qualifying, Logano was able to go out and win the pole after posting a lap of 98.461 mph on his fourth of six laps in the third and final round.

"I joked because this is the first time you run laps in qualifying. Usually you have one lap so you only have to hold your breath for one," Logano said. "I ran six and I told Todd (Gordon) I can't hold my breath any more than that so that's the fastest I can go."

It marked Logano's 10th career pole and second of the season to join eight-time Jeff Gordon as the only other repeat pole winner this year.

Ryan Newman, who was fastest in the second round, qualified second for his best start of the year.

"I wish we could have been just a tick quicker and gotten that pole, but nevertheless this is the best starting spot we've had and it's obviously a great place to have a good starting spot," Newman said. "Pit selection is important and close. I'm just proud of the guys and we'll see what we can do with it on Sunday."

Martin Truex Jr. continued his hot start to the year by scoring his best qualifying effort of the season. Truex Jr. has yet to finish worse than eighth in a race in 2015.

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who each have eight Martinsville race wins, will start fourth and fifth, respectively.

"We're excited about our race car," Johnson said. "It's been real fast. It's no shock. I'm not the best qualifier that's out there. I do much better in a race situation. So, to have the car here starting in the top five with this much speed on Friday is awesome."

Tony Stewart, who is still seeking his first top 10 of the season, qualified sixth for his best start of the year.

"We got a great start to the weekend here," Stewart said. "I mean this place is so tough. Qualifying is half the battle here if you can just get a good pit spot and get a decent starting spot to where you do not have to beat the thing to death trying to get to the front, that is half the battle."

Matt Kenseth paced the opening session and was able to advance to the final round to post the best starting position among the Toyotas, in seventh.

"We were okay the first run - the balance was pretty good and we were a little loose," Kenseth said. "Then we just could never really get it any better on older tires. On new tires it was pretty good and had a real good lap there. Then we just could never get it like that again."

Chase Elliott will make his Sprint Cup debut in the No. 25 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports from the 27th starting position.

"It's definitely a big relief for us," Elliott said. "We're excited. It's weird being excited about qualifying, wherever we qualified, 27th, but we're in the show, our first Sprint Cup Series race with NAPA on board. We're excited for Sunday."

Defending race winner Kurt Busch failed to advance out of the first round. He will start 26th.

"The Haas Automation Chevrolet was tight on corner exit," Busch said. "It was like the rear end was planted too well. We made some adjustments and went back out for a second attempt, but we weren't able to improve and advance. We've got two practice sessions tomorrow to get it ready for the race on Sunday."

The qualifying session was held under overcast skies and was pushed back to a 6:10 p.m. (ET) start after rain delayed both Camping World Truck Series and Cup practice.

Teams will get in two practice sessions tomorrow and both can be heard on the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Joey-Logano-Wins-First-Martinsville-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott: 'This is Definitely Special'​*
Chase Elliott is set to make his much-anticipated Sprint Cup Series debut in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

The 19-year-old son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott will strap in behind the wheel of the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the first of five planned races this year before moving into a full-time Cup ride in 2016.

Elliott has been driving everything from Late Models to an XFINITY Series car on nearly a weekly basis during his ascension through the sport's ranks but Sunday's start will be something much different.

"No, this is definitely special,"said Elliott, who will start 27th in the STP 500. "For me, this is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Going to the race track and watching my dad running these races for a number of years, it's very odd to be showing up here and not be coming to watch him. So, this is definitely a weird-feeling weekend, more than anything else, right now. It's definitely exciting."

Although he's made two Camping World Truck Series starts at the tight Virginia short track, Elliott took his first competitive Sprint Cup laps around the track this weekend. But Elliott had a wealth of information at his disposal with his Hendrick Motorsports teammates, including eight-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon.

That's helpful for sure, but won't lessen the challenge that lies ahead.

"This is a tough race track, especially without testing," Gordon said. "I kind of love it because he's being challenged in a big way, and I think he's very capable of living up to that.

"With a Hendrick car, his talents and our setups, I have all the faith in the world that under normal circumstances that he'd shine this weekend. But it's certainly going to be a steep learning curve."

Most agree with Gordon in that Elliott will take some time as he learns the nuances of driving in NASCAR's top division. Another of his teammates believes once that happens he'll be a force to be beckoned with in the series.

"He has also drove Cup cars before in testing for us," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., Elliott's Hendrick teammate and XFINITY Series team owner. "It's not like it's going to be a new animal to him. I expect him to have fun. He is going to be a handful. He is going to be up there running with us and racing for positions and I expect him to be a great teammate and a lot of fun to work with."

As for goals in his five starts this season, Elliott is very much taking things one race at a time beginning Sunday in Martinsville.

"To have an opportunity to go run five races doesn't seem like a lot, but at the end of the day it really is, if you can get in all five, and make those laps," Elliott explained. "You've got to take it one at a time, first off. You just want to put together 500 solid laps on Sunday and try to run all the laps and hope we can have a good day."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the STP 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway on Sunday at 12 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the new MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...to-Make-Sprint-Cup-Debut-at-Martinsville.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Taken To Hospital After Fainting​*
Kyle Larson was taken to a hospital as a precaution after fainting during an autograph session at Martinsville Speedway.

FOX Sports' Alan Cavanna first reported the news, tweeting, "The team says Larson was alert and awake on the way to the hospital, and they expect him to be OK."

Larson qualified seventh for Sunday's STP 500 and was fourth quickest in best 10 consecutive lap average in Saturday's opening practice session.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-After-Autograph-Session-at-Martinsville.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Scores First Truck Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6825&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano made a three-wide dive to the lead on a green-white-checkered restart to score his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

Logano, who led a race-high 150 laps from the pole, drove to the inside of Matt Crafton and Erik Jones in Turn 1 and went on to become the 26th driver to win in a race in all three of NASCAR's national series.

"I had this F-150 hooked up and I drove her off into the corner," Logano said. "It's really cool to win here at Martinsville. You see the clock out here and it means so much."

The win was the second of the season for Ford and Brad Keselowski Racing following Tyler Reddick's win at Daytona International Speedway. The victory also marked the manufacturer's first at Martinsville since Ricky Craven won in 2005.

The race saw a lot of contact in the end among the leaders - Logano, Crafton and Cole Custer, including the one that sent the race into overtime when race leader Custer spun out on lap 249 after a payback from Crafton.

"I felt like the first half of the race I raced everybody clean," said Crafton, who finished second after leading 100 laps. "The 29 (Joey Logano), I passed him earlier and didn't put a mark on him and whenever he got back to me later on, he was beating my bumper off. Inside of 10 (laps) to go, I said that it was every man for himself at that point. I wasn't going to wreck him, but I was definitely going to put a bumper to him here and there, but I definitely wasn't going to wreck him. Then the 00 (Cole Custer) just came in there and pile drove us both. It's racing."

Custer, who was making his debut with JR Motorsports, found himself in the lead after battling back from two pit road penalties, but finished 16th after the contact and a trip to pit road for repairs and tires.

"Once I caught them they were racing so hard I got a little bit in too deep into (Turn) 1 and punted both of them," Custer said. "I knew he was going to come back for me though and he did it respectfully."

Jones came home third and talked about the wild finish.

"He (Joey Logano) had to do what he had to do to win," Jones said. "I wish I could have raced the 88 (Matt Crafton) for it, I was looking forward to having a shot at it. Figured he (Logano) was probably going to do that. Thankfully it worked out and we were able to drop in third. The tires are just killed on this thing and we got too loose the last run. Good day overall for us in our Toyota Tundra and just hopefully we can go on to Kansas and pick up a win for this season. Feel pretty good about it."

Johnny Sauter, Reddick, Daniel Suarez, James Buescher, John Wes Townley, Matt Tift and Justin Boston completed the top 10.

Crafton now leads the Camping World Truck standings as the series takes a month off before returning to action on May 8 at Kansas Speedway.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Wins-Kroger-250-at-Martinsville-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson To Miss Martinsville Race​*
Regan Smith will replace Kyle Larson in today's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Yesterday afternoon Larson was taken to Martinsville Memorial Hospital as a precaution after fainting during an autograph session. Although he felt completely fine, Larson was sent to Charlotte for additional testing with a neurologist at Carolina's Medical Center in Charlotte.

"Although all tests came back negative and Larson feels completely fine, the doctors felt he should be held for more testing today," the team said in a statement.

Larson is 18th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and was slated to start seventh in Sunday's first short track race of the season.

Despite missing the race, Larson's Chase eligibility remains intact since he qualified for the event.

Smith gets another substitute shot after filling in for three races earlier this year for the suspended Kurt Busch. The JR Motorsports XFINITY Series driver will make his 176th career Sprint Cup start on Sunday.

"I got wind that something was going on last night and we had a plan in effect if for some reason Kyle couldn't race today," Smith said. "I didn't know anything until this morning when I woke up."

The plan included Smith going over to the race shop last night to get a seat fitted.

"It was strictly to go get fitted for it as a 911 so if we had to do something this morning," Smith said. "Whenever the team found out, I don't know when they found out anything, I'm going to assume probably either early this morning or late last night. Then obviously we put that plan into effect."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...03/Kyle-Larson-to-Miss-Martinsville-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Five for Hamlin At Martinsville​*
Denny Hamlin held off Brad Keselowski to score his fifth career Martinsville Speedway Sprint Cup Series win in Sunday's STP 500.

It was Hamlin's first win since his victory at Talladega last May and the first win for Toyota in 2015.

Hamlin's last Martinsville win came in 2010.

"We just weren't going to be denied today," Hamlin said. "Hat's off to Brad. He had an option and he took the latter (not to crash Hamlin). I thank him for that."

Keselowski, who won last week's race at Auto Club Speedway, was able to get to Hamlin's bumper but never made enough contact to move him out of the way for the lead.

"I don't know. I mean, morals in racing are pretty subjective," Keselowski said when asked about whether he decided not to race too aggressively. "I just felt like I raced him the way I wanted to be raced. I guess that is what it is."

Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and David Ragan rounded out the top five with Joe Gibbs Racing place three drivers in the first five.

Martin Truex Jr., Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes the Easter weekend off before returning to action at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday night, April 11.

*How Hamlin won:* Hamlin led four times for 91 laps but had to come back from a penalty for an uncontrolled tire during a pit stop on lap 165. A four-tire pit stop put Hamlin fifth on a lap 467 restart but he was able to drive to the front in relatively short order. He wrestled the top spot away on lap 474 and was able to hold off the furious charge by Keselowski in the closing laps for the victory.

*What else happened:*The race featured typical Martinsville action and tight quarters racing. But it also produced 16 cautions for 112 laps.

*Who else had a good day:* Keselowski had his best career finish at Martinsville in second&#8230;.Kenseth scored his best run of the year and has finished in the top 10 in his last four Martinsville starts&#8230;..Ragan had his first top-five finish since winning Talladega in May of 2013&#8230;.Patrick scored her fifth career top-10 finish and the second-best performance of her Sprint Cup career.

*Who had a bad day:* Jeff Gordon looked like he was on his way to Martinsville career win number nine as he was leading late but penalized for speeding on pit road to take him from contention&#8230;..Chase Elliott made his Sprint Cup Series debut with a bang, but not the good kind. Elliott made contact with other cars before lap 100 went on the board and subsequently spent time in the garage area for a number of repairs before finally getting a 38th-place finish&#8230;..Jimmie Johnson's quest for a ninth Martinsville win was buried early with a day full of on track contact, pit road troubles and a bad handling race car&#8230;.Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s hope for a second-straight Martinsville win after his victory last fall was plagued by first a broken shifter and then getting caught up in a multi-car accident&#8230;.AJ Allmendinger's strong start to the season hit another speed bump Sunday with engine issues and a 43rd-place finish.

*Quote of the day:* "We need these ego boosts every now and again," Danica Patrick after her seventh-place finish.

*Notables:* Truex, Jr. notched his sixth straight top-10 finish the longest streak in his career&#8230;.Harvick's eighth-place finish ended his run of finishing first or second at eight races&#8230;.Regan Smith finished 16th substituting for Kyle Larson.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ins-the-STP-500-at-Martinsville-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Day For Earnhardt​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. soldiered through a tough day in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Earnhardt was aiming to notch a second consecutive Martinsville win after his victory last October at the short track. But those aspirations went away before the race could reach its halfway point. A vibration, a broken shifter and finally a crash on Lap 227 took "Junior" out of contention.

"You gotta be toward the front and out of trouble," Earnhardt said. "We weren't there. We were in the back and it's high-risk back there. It bit us today."

Earnhardt blamed the vibration he picked up as the reason for breaking his shifter in the rough-and-tumble conditions at Martinsville, leading to a 36th-place finish.

"The vibration was so bad, it broke the shifter off," he explained, "right at the top of the transmission. It's swinging up there like a tuning fork. We finally got another shifter on it and we didn't know if that was going to hold up."

The shifter held up longer than the rest of Earnhardt's car, when he collided with Paul Menard in a multi-car accident in Turn 1 on Lap 227.

"I don't know why they stopped down there in the corner," Earnhardt said. "I didn't know they were stopping. Somebody checked up, we didn't see it, didn't have time, whatever. I knocked the radiator out of it. I didn't have a chance at getting it stopped."

Despite the disappointment, Earnhardt has not lost his affinity for Martinsville or short-track racing, in general. He also hasn't lost any confidence in his race team to bounce back from adversity.

"Short-track racing is pretty aggressive, but I'm fine with that," Earnhardt. "I was having a blast, happy that our car was good. You can't do anything about bad finishes like this. You just have to learn from everything that happened to us today and come back here a little stronger next time.

"We will have better days. We have good speed in our cars. We don't need to be too worried, don't need to panic ... just get through the weekend and get back to the racetrack as soon as we can."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/03/Tough-Day-for-Dale-Earnhardt-Junior.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Penalty Ends Gordon's Hope​*
Jeff Gordon's shot at a ninth Martinsville Speedway win was wiped out by a pit road speeding penalty.

Gordon had worked his way into the lead on lap 442 and started to stretch his advantage slightly over the field.

But on lap 462 Gordon was penalized for speeding when he entered pit road and got sent back to 21st on the ensuing restart that came on lap 467.

While he was able to climb his way through the field he was only able to get as high as ninth when the checkered flag flew.

"Oh, my gosh. I'm so disappointed in myself," Gordon said after the race. "I know I was pushing the limit. I didn't think I had done anything different than I had all day long when I was behind other guys, so, we've got to look at that. I'm very, very disappointed."

Although he wasn't that strong early in the race, Gordon improved as the laps piled up and by the second half had one of the fastest cars on the track.

That made the disappointing end to his bid for Victory Lane even more difficult to swallow.

"I felt like we finally got the car, got ourselves in a position to win that race," Gordon said. "It was a struggle. We were really battling with tire wear and the car getting really loose with our AXALTA Chevrolet. I thought (race winner) Denny (Hamlin) had the best car, but I thought with our track position there at the end, we had a shot at it.

"I'm so disappointed. I don't even know what to say right now. Of course, then the car is the absolute best it had been all day when I drove up from the back."

Despite the bitter ending to the afternoon, Gordon was able to tie his season-best finish of ninth. He also set the all-time Martinsville record of running at the finish of all 45 career starts Gordon's made at the track.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Gordons-Hope-in-STP-500-at-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick's Streak Ends​*
Kevin Harvick saw his string of finishing first or second come to an end Sunday in the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Harvick had finished in the top two in his last eight races dating back to last season's championship run. But even though he was out front for a great deal on Sunday, Harvick watched Denny Hamlin win while he finished eighth.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver led eight times for a race-high 154 laps but it wasn't enough to challenge for the win.

The combination of a car that lost its handling and a late-race restart the caught Harvick in the outside lane combined to keep him back in the top 10 rather than near the lead.

He was on the outside when green flew for a restart with 61 laps remaining in the race and could not get back in line before losing several spots.

He was kicked back as far as 10th before finally being able to move up a couple of positions before the checkered flag flew.

"I just got hung on the outside and couldn't get back down," Harvick said. "By the time I got down I was 10th or 11th. It still was a good day. Everybody did a good job, just lost track position at the wrong time."

The finish keeps Richard Petty on top of the consecutive top-two finish list with eleven consecutive in the 1975 season.

Ironically Petty's streak also came to an end at Martinsville.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...evin-Harvick-Streak-Ends-at-Martinsville.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Good Weekend For Logano​*
Joey Logano capped a solid weekend in Martinsville with a third-place finish in Sunday's STP 500.

Logano began the trip to Martinsville by winning both the pole for the Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 as well as the STP 500.

He scored his first career Truck Series short win when he took the checkered flag in Saturday's race.

His day on Sunday had its challenges but he was able to get back to third-place and had a bird's eye view of the battle for the win between Denny Hamlin and Logano's Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski.

Logano knew he didn't have enough to get by the front duo but admitted he wouldn't have minded the pair to rough each other up.

"I was hoping so," Logano laughed. "That was my only shot at it once they got pretty far away. That was the only shot I had."

But Logano knew he didn't have enough to power past the leaders despite doing a masterful job of coming back from an early race spin when he got involved in an incident with Michael Annett.

"Our car just wasn't as fast as those guys," said Logano, who led five times for 108 laps. "We had a decent race car and we recovered from the spin halfway through the race and we worked our way back and slowly but surely got ourselves back in the top three.

"We didn't have enough long run speed. I could hang with him a little bit, but it takes everything I've got to go their speed and then my stuff just wears out on that last run. I gave it all I had from lap one until the end of it and just burned it up and lost too much steam."

Logano also looked at the bright side of gaining knowledge for when the Sprint Cup Series returns to Martinsville in October during the Chase.

"The track seems to change a lot from the spring to the fall, but, directionally, I think there are things we can improve on still," he said. "We're only good for a certain amount of time, and we just need to make our cars a little faster for a longer time."

The Daytona 500 winner is still off to a good start in 2015 and can head into the Easter break with a solid Martinsville weekend in the rear view mirror.

"Overall, it was still a great weekend with a couple poles and a truck win and an awesome third-place finish here, so overall it was a good weekend," Logano said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Weekend-with-Third-Place-Run-in-STP-500.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Patrick Delivers Strong Run​*
Danica Patrick turned in an impressive performance in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Patrick wheeled her Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet home to a seventh-place finish in the season's first short-track race of the year. It marked her fifth career top 10 to tie Janet Guthrie for most by a female in the Cup Series.

After a struggling start to the day, Patrick was pleased of the effort the entire team put forth to help her get back into contention and make a drive into the top 10.

"I'm proud of everyone for not giving up and for keeping their head in the game, and the pit crew did a good job," Patrick said. "They were frustrated last weekend after making a mistake on the last stop, and it's team effort, you know. I'm going to make mistakes at the very end, too. I'm not going to lie, I was glad there was not a yellow at the very end coming to the white. I was glad for that."

Patrick avoided potential disaster when she nearly got swept up in an accident racing off Turn 4 when Paul Menard spun in front of her and a pack of cars. She was able to swerve out of the way with a precision move that saved her car from significant damage.

"It's all a matter of luck, too," Patrick added. "I could have got drilled from the back and hit into the car. I could have swerved to the right and had somebody clip my right rear and spun, somebody could have been out there.

"Crashes are about observing where you're at and making a good decision about where to go, but they're also about luck. I got lucky that there was nothing in my way to get around that one. That would have probably wrecked my day."

Patrick and crew chief Daniel Knost have started to gel since they were paired together at the end of last season. She's encouraged with how their relationship has progressed and the chemistry that is building.

"I feel like we have a very good I feel like we have a very good business relationship," Patrick said. "We laugh and hang out and make jokes, and yet I feel like it's very matter of fact, the things that are going right and wrong when we go through our weekend. I feel like there's not a lot of emotion or nobody feels like it's personal as we go. It's really just about making it better."

Part of the progress has been the team's ability to get to the track and not be as far off as in the past. Patrick believes not having to play catch up is a huge advantage.

"We're not starting off and rolling off and being 36th on the board and trying to figure it out," she explained. "We roll off and generally our problem is not where we start but where we go. We've got to make it better, and that also is in the same thread of the race. We've got to make it better.

"I think that we're on our way, and we're learning what changes I feel and the best way to communicate."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vers-Strong-Run-at-Martinsville-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Elliott Has Tough Sprint Cup Debut​*





*Smith Spin Causes Chain Reaction​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Winners And Losers​*
There was much to be celebrated as well as forgotten for some drivers in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

*Winners​*
*Denny Hamlin*
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was finally able to get Toyota back in Victory Lane after more than a year. Hamlin's mastery of Martinsville was again evident as he had to drive from deep in the field after a penalty on pit road and was still able to hold off Brad Keselowski for the win in the closing laps, career victory No. 5 at the track.

*Joey Logano*
Pretty good weekend at Martinsville for Logano. He won poles for both the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series races to start things off. Logano followed with his first career Truck Series win in his first short-track start Saturday. Then he capped it all off with a third-place performance in the STP 500.

*David Ragan*
The fill-in role for Kyle Busch has had its challenges for Ragan, who finally showed he was capable of running up front on Sunday. Ragan wheeled the No. 18 JGR Toyota to a fifth-place finish and suddenly, there's more talk about the possibility of a win coming before he relinquishes the steering wheel.

*Danica Patrick*
A seventh-place finish was her fifth career top 10 in 88 starts, tying her with Janet Guthrie as the most for a woman in the Sprint Cup Series. Patrick passed a number of drivers on her way to the front of the field, and demonstrated some nifty skills behind the wheel when she avoided a spinning Paul Menard and averted potential disaster.

*Aric Almirola*
Quietly, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver has been knocking down decent finishes to start the season. Another came Sunday in Martinsville, when Almirola steered the sweet-looking STP-sponsored No. 43 home to a 12th-place finish.

*Losers​*
*Jeff Gordon*
He looked like he was well on the way to career Martinsville win No. 9 on Sunday until a speeding penalty on pit road dashed those hopes. He took full blame for the mistake and was able to drive back to at least a top-10 finish, but it was a disappointing afternoon with what might have been for Gordon.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
Was responsible for three caution flags by himself with a trio of spins and suffered through another miserable day. Sadly, that's been a reccurring theme for not just Stenhouse but the entire Roush Fenway Racing organization in 2015.

*Chase Elliott*
His Sprint Cup Series debut turned out to be a bust. Elliott was never able to make much of an impact with early-race trouble on track that led to mechanical problems and garage time. It added up to a forgettable beginning to his Cup career with a 38th-place finish.

*Jimmie Johnson*
You have to dig back in the history books to find a worse Martinsville day for Johnson than the one he experienced Sunday. After qualifying fifth, Johnson was plagued by a poor-handling racecar and other assorted ailments that dropped him like a rock in the running order. There's a reason a fat 35th-place finish is next to Johnson's name after his latest Martinsville effort.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Unlike Johnson, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Earnhardt at least was competitive - for a while, anyway. But a vibration in the No. 88 Chevrolet contributed to a broken shifter, which then led to Earnhardt getting involved in a multi-car crash. He continued driving, though many laps down, and limped home to a 36th-place finish.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Martinsville-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Qualifying Format Updated For Talladega, Daytona​*
NASCAR today unveiled modifications to the qualifying format at superspeedways across all three national series. The updated format will take effect at Talladega Superspeedway for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next month.

Qualifying for May's Talladega Superspeedway races, as well as the July events at Daytona International Speedway, will consist of the following:

• Two rounds of qualifying, with the top-12 posted lap speeds advancing to the second round 
• Race vehicles taking one, timed lap in each round of qualifying 
• Each race vehicle will be released in a predetermined timed interval as determined by NASCAR, with the sanctioning body reserving the right to have more than one vehicle engaging in qualifying runs at the same time 
• Qualifying order for the first round will be determined by a random draw; final round qualifying order is determined by slowest to fastest speeds from the first round 
• A 10-minute break will occur between the first qualifying round and the final round 
• Upon completion of the first qualifying round, the field will be set with positions 13 and beyond determined from first round qualifying speed 
• The 12 fastest vehicles from the first round will have their speeds reset for the final round with starting positions 1-12 determined by the fastest laps in the final round 
• NASCAR will impound race vehicles following each qualifying lap; vehicles advancing to the final round will be allowed to adjust tape and utilize a cool-down unit during the 10-minute break only

The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be at Talladega Superspeedway May 1-3.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will utilize the format for the first time when the series returns to Talladega Superspeedway with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in October.

Qualifying procedures for the 2016 Daytona 500 will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Format-Updated-for-Talladega-and-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Released From Hospital​*
Kyle Larson has been released from the hospital after undergoing tests in the aftermath of a fainting spell last Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates issued a statement on Tuesday updating the status of the driver:

"After extensive testing and observation over the last few days, Kyle Larson was released from the hospital last night and has finished up final tests today. He is currently waiting for final doctor recommendations in order to clear him to return to all NASCAR related activities."

Larson missed Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway and was replaced by Regan Smith, who finished 16th.

*Source*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/03/Kyle-Larson-Released-from-Hospital.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Newman's Team Penalized Big For Tire Tampering​*
NASCAR penalized Ryan Newman and crew chief Luke Lambert for using modified tires during the Auto Club 400.

Lambert has been fined a total of $125,000 ($75,000 plus $50,000), suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship races, plus any non-championship races or special events which might occur during that time period, and been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. James Bender, team tire technician, and Philip Surgen, team engineer, have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship races, plus any non-championship races or special events which might occur during that time period, and been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

Newman and car owner Richard Childress each have been penalized with the loss of 75 (50 plus 25) championship driver and championship car owner points.

"NASCAR takes very seriously its responsibility to govern and regulate the rules of the sport in order to ensure competitive balance," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. "We've been very clear that any modifications to race vehicle tires is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated."

NASCAR confiscated tires after races in Phoenix and Auto Club as part of what the sanctioning body called an "audit."

But last week there were allegations around the Sprint Cup Series garage in Martinsville that some teams were drilling small holes into tires referred to as "bleeding," a practice which would prevent a reduction in speed as pressure builds during a tire run. NASCAR met with teams last Friday morning in Martinsville to remind everyone about the severe ramifications if such a practice were to be found.

The penalties handed down on Tuesday were P5 infractions, only one below the most severe in the sport.

Torrey Galida, President of Richard Childress Racing, issued a statement regarding tire penalties:

"We understand the seriousness of the penalty. In fact, RCR has been one of the most outspoken opponents against 'tire bleeding' since the rumors began to surface last season. Once NASCAR provides us with the specific details of the infraction we will conduct a further internal investigation, and evaluate our options for an appeal."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Newman-Penalized-For-Tire-Modification.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Brighter Days For JGR And Toyota​*
Things have been much better on the performance front in recent weeks for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.

After a disappointing start to the season, both the organization and the manufacturer have come alive the last two race weekends at Auto Club Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.

Although the finishes don't tell the whole story there was speed to be found at ACS with Matt Kenseth, David Ragan and Denny Hamlin all qualifying well for the Auto Club 400. A variety of issues during the race added up to Ragan's 18th-place finish as the best of the bunch.

That changed at Martinsville when early weekend speed led to solid performances with Hamlin winning while Kenseth and Ragan knocked down top-five finishes.

The Martinsville effort couldn't have come at a more opportune time for JGR as a whole.

"We had the longest competition meeting I've ever been a part of this past weekend," Hamlin said after his Martinsville victory. "(Team owner) Joe (Gibbs) raised his voice, which doesn't happen very often, told us to get off our tails and go to work, and we all did it, and great result for this race team.

"Sometimes you need a leader like that to kind of put things in perspective. Not that people weren't working hard, but it just takes that extra 10 percent out of everyone to get to that next level, and I'm very proud of the speed that we've shown with our 11 team so far this year."

Gibbs hasn't been shy when talking about the disappointment his team has felt after its struggling start. But he was confident in the resources and personnel at JGR to have faith things would rebound.

"I think we have our competition meetings on Tuesday and everybody kind of shares what they feel, and I think ours was a long one, and I think everybody kind of -- everybody is frustrated and kind of expressed their feelings," Gibbs said of the most recent team meeting prior to Martinsville. "But I will say this: We've kind of charted a course for us to work on, and everybody there, Todd (Berrier) and all the guys in back, our technical people and everybody, Jimmy Makar, everybody has set out a plan, and we're after it. But I think Denny, he said it best: You don't get many of these, and we're going to enjoy this one."

How long the upswing will last is of course the key question. Texas rolls around next on the calendar and the fast 1.5-mile track is a place where horsepower and speed are necessary elements for success.

But after showing promise in Fontana and experiencing a stellar day at Martinsville, there is much confidence and optimism around the organization going forward.

"We're just not used to not having success, and especially with the resources that we have," said Hamlin. "Boss man over here expects a lot from us and we expect to be in victory lane and be up front.

"Sometimes you need a leader like that to kind of put things in perspective. Not that people weren't working hard, but it just takes that extra 10 percent out of everyone to get to that next level, and I'm very proud of the speed that we've shown with our 11 team so far this year. We've run top five every single week except for Phoenix, and we're going to work on that. We're excited. We're excited about what we've got going on and what's to come for us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ter-Days-For-Joe-Gibbs-Racing-and-Toyota.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Racing On Easter Weekend?​*
The pits are open again, and MRN's Pete Pistone and Alex Hayden each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Should NASCAR race on Easter Weekend?*

*Answer*​
*Pete Pistone*
There was a time when a then Busch (now XFINITY) Series race was a staple of the Easter holiday schedule while the Sprint Cup Series took the weekend off. I fondly remember Hickory Speedway as the site of many of those events, which later migrated to Nashville. The upside is that NASCAR's number two series got the spotlight and it did bring a great deal of attention to the division. But times have changed and in a sport that lasts as long as the NASCAR season, does stretching from basically Valentine's Day through Thanksgiving, down time for the participants, crew members, team personnel, track operators and others that work inside the industry should be embraced. No racing on Easter weekend, let's enjoy the holiday withy family and friends.

*Alex Hayden @ThealexHayden* 
I'm all for racing on Easter weekend. While I'm all for an off-weekend, this holiday weekend isn't it and here's why. First of all it's a built in three day weekend for the majority of Americans. That in itself will allow for more flexibility for folks to travel to an event without having to take a vacation day. Furthermore, racing on Easter weekend creates an opportunity for families or friends to start a tradition of going to the racetrack each and every year. Most people spend the holiday with their family or friends anyway so why not give people a destination? I understand the meaning of Easter. That's why a Saturday night race would be ideal. There was a time when racing on Mother's Day was never an option until recently. Now a Saturday night NASCAR race is a part of a lot of people's Mother's Day tradition. I believe the same would be embraced on Easter weekend. NASCAR is about families and being together. So is Easter.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/04/Gas-N-Go-Racing-on-Easter-Weekend.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Danica's Dilemma​*
Danica Patrick continues to be one of the most polarizing figures in NASCAR.

Look up Danica Patrick in the dictionary and I'm pretty sure it reads, "darned if she does, darned if she doesn't."

That's obviously an exaggeration, but I think you get the point. Patrick is one of those sports figures that moves the needle one way or the other. There's no middle ground when it comes to discussing Patrick. People are either for her or against her.

I understand the reaction and Patrick has generated much of it by her career choices. She decided to market herself in what many consider risqué ways and pushed the envelope of some folks' comfort level.

She's perfectly within her rights to use whatever means Patrick felt would promote her name and brand. She remains one of the highest-ranking celebrities of any kind in terms of recognition and awareness, so she must be doing something right.

However, all of this would not exist without Patrick's day job of driving a racecar. Judging her by what she does behind the wheel and not in front of a camera or microphone is the bottom line for thousands of fans.

Patrick's most recent outing should be deemed a success. She finished seventh in Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway and showed several flashes of promise along the way. Patrick didn't gain spots simply on pit strategy or while others ahead of her either ran out of fuel or were sidelined by attrition.

Patrick raced her way into the top 10 and passed several name drivers on her way. The run gave her five career top-10 finishes and tied Janet Guthrie for the most ever compiled by a female driver. But before anyone readies Patrick's Hall-of-Fame speech, there are some other items that should be noted in the name of fairness.

Patrick tied Guthrie in her 88th career Sprint Cup Series start. Guthrie made only 33. The seventh-place performance was Patrick's highest finish since her career-best sixth-place effort at Atlanta last Labor Day weekend. She followed that race with a string of efforts no better than 16th in the 11 races that ended 2014.

This year, Patrick's best outing prior to Martinsville was again at Atlanta in early March, when she finished 16th. Now with that context, the biggest question is what Patrick can do going forward. Those looking at the glass half-full will point to Patrick's relationship with crew Daniel Knost, which appears to be jelling.

They worked together at the end of last year when veteran crew chief Tony Gibson was moved over at Stewart-Haas Racing and paired with Kurt Busch. Patrick and Knost seem to be speaking the same language.

"We have a good business relationship," Patrick said after Sunday's race. "We laugh, hang out and make jokes; and yet, I feel like it's very matter-of-fact ... the things going right and wrong when we go through our weekend. There's not a lot of emotion and nobody feels like it's personal. It's about making it better.

"It's hard because (in) this sport, we spend so much time together and everything we do we put our heart into. It's everything we've got and so when things don't go right, it can feel personal. We've got to make it better. We're on our way. We're learning what changes I feel and the best way to communicate."

Now those in the glass-half-empty brigade are, no doubt, rolling their eyes because Patrick has said a version at least some of those same words about Tony Eury Jr., Tony Eury Sr. and Gibson - her three previous NASCAR crew chiefs.

Patrick has the Easter weekend to bask in the success of Martinsville. Her supporters will revel in the extra time to celebrate the accomplishment. Patrick's detractors now get a few more days to thumb their noses at the result, seeing it as an aberration.

And then, the arguments for and against Danica will start anew next week at Texas Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/04/Opinion-Danica-Patricks-Dilemma.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR To Appeal Penalties​*
Richard Childress Racing will appeal NASCAR penalties handed down earlier this week, for unapproved tire modifications to Ryan Newman's No. 31 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet.

NASCAR has confirmed that RCR filed a request for appeal Thursday. A date and time for the three-person panel to convene has not been announced.

The team was handed P5-level penalties on Tuesday after tire modifications were found on Newman's car following the March 22nd race at Auto Club Speedway. Newman and team owner Childress were each docked 75 championship points. Crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $125,000. Lambert, tire technician James Bender and engineer Philip Surgen were suspended for seven races and placed on probation through Dec. 31.

NASCAR did grant RCR's request to have the suspensions and fines deferred while the appeal is pending. That would allow the three team members to work during the April 11 race at Texas Motor Speedway if the appeal has not yet been heard.

However, a request to have the point penalties to Newman and Childress deferred was denied.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ard-Childress-Racing-to-Appeal-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Cleared To Race​*
Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Larson has been medically cleared to return to competition after missing Sunday's STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates issued a statement Thursday which read as follows:

"Following a thorough review of all the test results by his attending physicians and in conjunction with the medical staff from NASCAR, Kyle Larson has been medically cleared to return to all NASCAR-related activities beginning at Texas Motor Speedway next weekend, April 10-11."

Larson suffered a fainting spell last Saturday during an autograph session at his merchandise trailer at Martinsville Speedway. He was taken to the trackside care center and later sent to a local hospital.

Larson was subsequently admitted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., for a battery of tests and released Monday night. The sophomore Sprint Cup Series driver addressed the media in a national teleconference Thursday afternoon and said all tests from his hospital stay came back negative.

"The only test I didn't have was a math test," Larson joked, adding that he feels fine and the incident from last weekend remains a mystery.

"One of the first things they thought was dehydration, so they ran tons of tests on me just to make sure nothing else was wrong," Larson explained. "It all circled back to just being dehydrated.

"Anytime you're in a hospital, you get nervous, but I was confident everything was fine and that's how it turned out in the end. I've just got to make sure I hydrate myself throughout the day better than I did that day."

Through the entire ordeal, Larson said he remained confident about his recovery and being able to return to his driving career.

"I stayed positive," he said, "never thought anything was wrong with me because I felt fine while I was sitting in the hospital. I was just looking forward to the last test they had to run so I could get out of there.

"I was never nervous about it being the end of my career, being out for a while or (something) like that. I had it set in my mind that I was okay."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/04/Kyle-Larson-Cleared-to-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Greenville-Pickens Next For K&N East​*
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East takes center stage this Easter weekend with a trip to historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

Saturday night's Whitaker 150 is the series' second race of the 2015 season and the 14th visit to the South Carolina short track.

Greenville-Pickens has played a large role in NASCAR's history since it opened in 1946 as a dirt track. It was paved in 1970 and hosted 29 Cup Series races from 1951 through 1971 as well as the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Convertible Series, Whelen Southern Modified Tour and the K&N Pro Series East.

Over the years, young drivers have had a chance to shine at GPS and with eight rookies in Saturday night's field, that opportunity exists again. Rico Abreu is on that list, with the open-wheel standout making his transition to stock cars.

"The test we had at Greenville was huge for us. It allowed me to learn the line you need to run on the racetrack," Abreu said. "Greenville is difficult because the asphalt is so old. You only have one lane to run, but we got our car really good during the test session. (Crew chief) Mardy Lindley has run a ton of laps and has a lot of history at Greenville. He's taught me a lot.

"I need to get more comfortable in the car. This (will be) only my second K&N start, so it's going to be another learning curve for all of us. I've got a great crew that's helped me get better every time I'm in the car."

Gray Gaulding will make his debut with Precision Performance Motorsports, driving the No. 12 Toyota. That move provides an opportunity for Daniel Hemric, who takes over Gaulding's prior ride at NTS Motorsports.

"This wasn't a race on my original schedule for this year but I'm excited about every chance to get behind the wheel, especially at a short track," Hemric said. "I've got a pretty good record at Greenville-Pickens, so I'm a little nervous to go back. Anything short of a win would break my streak. The goal every weekend is to win, so I'm going to be disappointed with anything short of a victory."

There are only two former Greenville winners in Saturday's race, Sergio Pena and defending winner Austin Hill - who also won this year's season opener in February at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. Dating back to the end of the 2014 season, Hill has now won three straight in the K&N East.

But he isn't the only driver headed to Greenville-Pickens after winning his last outing. Dalton Sargeant won last week's K&N Pro Series West season opener and the 17-year-old is anxious to make it two in a row.

"We had a great test at Greenville a couple weeks ago and got the car dialed," Sargeant said of his No. 51 Chevrolet. "We have a great shot to contend for victory. The field is stout and I think it's going to be a great show."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...-Next-for-NASCAR-K-and-N-Pro-Series-East.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: 2015 Has Already Featured Enough Drama To Make Heads Spin​*
*J*ust six races into the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and already there have been enough surprises and plot twists to make this one of the most interesting campaigns in years.

Call it the good, the bad and the ugly. There's already been lots of all three. To wit:

*The good:* Kevin Harvick has followed up his championship season with two victories, three runner-up finishes and six top 10s in six races. That's an average finish of 2.33. And, oh yeah, he's led 37 percent of the laps run so far this season. Those are Richard Petty-type numbers.

*The bad:* Kyle Busch has not raced since breaking his lower right leg and left foot in a crash in the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona. There is still no timetable for his return.

*The ugly:* Of the 1,816 laps run so far this season, Roush Fenway Racing has led just two, both by Greg Biffle in the Daytona 500. In their 18 combined starts, teammates Biffle, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse have combined for one top-10 finish.

*The good:* Martin Truex Jr. has exorcised the demons of his hellish 2014 season and has opened the year with a career-high six consecutive top-10 finishes in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet.

*The bad:* Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is 32nd in points with two DNFs and no top-10 finishes.

*The ugly:* Kurt Busch was suspended for three races by NASCAR for alleged domestic violence then quickly reinstated when the state of Delaware said he wouldn't face criminal charges.

*The good:* Both Team Penske drivers have won races and are all but locked into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Joey Logano won the Daytona 500, while Brad Keselowski led only the final lap to win at Auto Club Speedway.

*The bad:* Engine trouble two weeks in a row has dropped AJ Allmendinger all the way from fifth to 20th in points, a huge disappointment after a strong start.

*The ugly:* In half the races this year, Jeff Gordon got caught in someone else's crash. And a pit-road speeding penalty probably cost him a victory at Martinsville, a place where he has won eight times.

*The good:* Denny Hamlin is pretty much assured of a spot in the Chase after winning his fifth race at Martinsville and delivering the first win for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota in nearly a year.

*The bad:* New JGR driver Carl Edwards was expected to be really strong out of the box. But by Edwards' own admission, he's been pressing too hard. He has yet to finish a race inside the top 10 this season.

*The ugly:* A recurrence of blood clots has forced Brian Vickers to the sidelines for a minimum of three months and maybe longer. In addition, Kyle Larson missed the Martinsville race after fainting during an autograph session.

*The good:* Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened the year with three consecutive top-five finishes, for an average finish of 3.33.

*The bad:* Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s average finish in the most recent three races is 28.33, including a 43rd at Phoenix and 36th at Martinsville.

*The ugly:* Ryan Newman, crew chief Luke Lambert and the rest of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team got socked hard by NASCAR for alleged tire violations at Auto Club Speedway. The team plans to appeal.

*The good:* They haven't put up gaudy numbers, but consistent finishes have landed Kasey Kahne in the top five in points, and Paul Menard and Aric Almirola in the top 10.

*The bad:* While his Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Almirola is 10th in points, Sam Hornish Jr. is struggling way back in 31st.

*The ugly:* After winning in the second race of the year at Atlanta, Jimmie Johnson has a best finish in the next four races of ninth -- recorded at Auto Club Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...rdon-2015-sprint-cup-series-storylines-040315


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## Ckg2011

*Top Five Stories So Far In 2015​*
The Sprint Cup Series season is only six races old but there are already some interesting trends developing in NASCAR this season.

*Drivers Missing In Action* 
Four high-profile drivers have already been sidelined for a variety of reasons over the opening half dozen races of the year. Kurt Busch sat out three races as he served a NASCAR suspension. His brother Kyle hasn't made a Sprint Cup Series start in the aftermath of the leg and foot injury he suffered in the Daytona XFINITY Series opener. Brian Vickers will be out for at least three months after a reoccurrence of blood clots. And last week Kyle Larson missed Martinsville after suffering fainting spell the night before now being blamed on dehydration. The issue has provided opportunities for drivers like Regan Smith, David Ragan, Brett Moffitt and Chris Buescher as replacements but it's put a number of race teams in tight spots.

*Harvick Still Going Strong*
Kevin Harvick didn't skip a beat after winning last year's Sprint Cup Series championship. He roared into 2015 as strong as he was at the end of the title run and until his eighth place finish at Martinsville had a string of first and seconds adding up to eight straight. Harvick will certainly rack up multiple victories prior to the start of the Chase and although winning back to back titles in the new elimination format will be tough once the playoffs roll around, there's no question the Stewart-Haas Racing driver will be in the hunt.

*Single Car Surprises *
There's an argument to be made that JTG Daugherty, Furniture Row Racing and Germain Racing aren't true solo car operations because each has an alliance with Richard Childress Racing. While the support, data and information the teams enjoy because of their partnership can't be denied, their on track performance still can't be overlooked. Martin Truex Jr. has given Furniture Row six straight top-10 finishes to start the year and has more than he had all of last year. Until a recent string of engine-related challenges AJ Allmendinger has been a steady presence inside the first 10 for JTG Daugherty. Casey Mears started the year with a bang in the Daytona 500 for Germain Racing and continues to impress. Perhaps these teams aren't completely independent any longer but their results should not be down played.

*Cheaters Never Win* 
The huge penalty NASCAR hit Ryan Newman and RCR with last week because of tire manipulation at Auto Club Speedway showed the sanctioning body does not take such transgressions lightly. It's a well known fact the "holy trinity" of tires, fuel and engine are areas never to be tampered with and NASCAR has always reacted strongly when they are. RCR has every right to appeal the P5 penalty and will do so most likely later this week. However it's hard to imagine under what scenario the punishment could be lifted or even altered. If the appeal is upheld, Newman and the No. 31 team can still make the Chase by being in the top thirty of the point standings and winning a regular season race. But their path for a return trip to the playoffs will be much more difficult and whether they like it or not, the team will be under a great deal of scrutiny.

*Sputtering Starts *
Two teams that can not afford another bad season have found 2015 to be a challenge. Roush Fenway Racing continues to try and find a formula for more competitiveness. Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne have struggled at pretty much every race so far this year. Biffle's frustration boiled over a few weeks ago when after he poor qualifying effort he proclaimed the organization was "Dying a slow death." Things haven't been much better for Michael Waltrip Racing, a situation compounded by the news Vickers would be out of the No. 55 Toyota until most likely mid-summer. Rookie Moffitt is doing a serviceable job but it's unfair to think the young driver can elevate the team's performance in short order. Veteran teammate Clint Bowyer finally showed a little life at Martinsville but still has not won a race in two seasons.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/04/Top-Five-Stories-So-Far-in-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Texas a 'Dream Come True' for Poole​*
Brennan Poole will begin a stretch of races behind the wheel of the No. 42 DC Solar Chevrolet in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at a track he grew up watching races and competing at.

Poole heads back to his home state to make his third career XFINITY Series start driving for HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi. Friday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 will be a dream come true for Poole as he competed in several different types of racecars on the property at Texas Motor Speedway, but never around the 1.5-mile high-banked track.

"It's going to be pretty cool to finally be able to drive around that place," said Poole, who grew up in Houston. "I remember being a little kid and racing Legend Cars there and running the quarter-mile and looking up at the track and seeing all the stands and dreaming of the day I could have the opportunity to be out there. It's kind of a dream come true in a sense since I grew up racing there so much.

"I was there for the first race ever. I think I was nine years old. I'm going to be full of emotions getting there to run that race. It's really exciting. My family is going to be there and a lot of fans that I have had over there years that have come and supported me."

The Texas race will mark the first of a five-consecutive race stretch for Poole after the team announced his schedule would expand from 15 to 17 events. Poole finished in the top 10 in his XFINITY Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last month.

"I'm really looking forward to being able to continue building off everything that we have been working on together," said Poole, who had both Iowa races added to his schedule on Monday. "I've had so much to learn so fast. I think I may have made nine starts in the last 12 months in a racecar period. I'm behind on seat time a bunch so I'm trying to learn as much as I can."

Poole has been able to lean on Ganassi Sprint Cup teammates Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson for help this season. Larson also pilots the No. 42 XFINITY Series car, finishing in the top 10 in all three of his starts this season.

"Jamie McMurray has been awesome," Poole said. "I really feel like I'm connected with Jamie so talking to him as been really helpful and he's taught me a lot in the short time we have been able to talk through two races. Kyle also, Kyle is great. He's closer to my age and he's just a fun guy and really talented and has a lot of great insight."

Poole won 96 times in Legend Cars racing in the south and then transitioned to dirt where he won seven times, including the Texas World Dirt Track Championship. Poole also raced in the ARCA Series, winning six times before landing the XFINITY Series ride.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...exas-a-Dream-Come-True-for-Brennan-Poole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Chase Or No Chase?​*
Six races into the 2015 season, several drivers have turned in performances that beg the question of whether or not they'll be in this year's Chase.

Sure, there's a long way to go - 20 races, to be exact - before the regular season comes to a close at Richmond in September and the Chase lineup is set. But after a half-dozen races, here are a half-dozen names that warrant examination of their championship aspirations.

*Jeff Gordon*

Things got off to a rocky start for Gordon's farewell full-time Sprint Cup Series season. There was speed and competitiveness, to be sure, but also crashes and mechanical failures. He's righted the ship in recent weeks with three straight top-10 finishes, although Gordon could have easily already punched his Chase ticket if not for the pit-road speeding penalty at Martinsville that more than likely robbed him of a ninth win at the track. I predicted Gordon would match his four wins of a year ago before this season started and I'll stand by that. Look for the "24" car to be an impact player during this next stretch of races.

*VERDICT:* Chase

*Ryan Newman*

If the NASCAR penalty for modification of tires at Auto Club Speedway sticks, Newman has quite the mountain to climb in the standings. The 75-point hit he took as part of the P5 penalty dropped the Richard Childress Racing driver from sixth to 26th and made his already-challenging path to the Chase more difficult. The fact remains that a win erases Newman's deficit, as he will have no problem staying inside the top 30 of the standings. But the No. 31 team has not won since July 2013. There are a lot of ifs in that scenario for Newman to make another run at the championship.

*VERDICT:* No Chase

*Clint Bowyer*

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver sits 18th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings heading to Texas Motor Speedway. But after scoring a top-10 finish in the Daytona 500, Bowyer has fallen right back to the mediocre performances that marred last season. His 13th-place finish last time out at Martinsville Speedway was at least a glimmer of hope. Bowyer is too good a racecar driver to have this slump continue, but the MWR organization has to find a way to ramp things up or fear another season of being shut out of the "playoffs."

*VERDICT:* Chase

*Kurt Busch*

He sat out the first three races of the season during his NASCAR suspension, but Busch has returned with a vengeance. He nearly won at Auto Club Speedway and had a strong run in his season debut the week before at Phoenix International Raceway. In only three races, Busch is 24th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and ahead of several top drivers that have run the entire schedule. He should make at least one trip to Victory Lane before September rolls around.

*VERDICT:* Chase

*AJ Allmendinger*

One of last year's "Cinderella" stories, Allmendinger started the year looking to prove that JTG/Daugherty Racing was not a one-trick road-course pony after their win at Watkins Glen a year ago earned a Chase berth. He was strong to kick off the season and impressive, to be sure. But a string of three straight poor finishes, thanks in no small part to engine woes, have dropped Allmendinger to 19th in the standings. There's still a possibility Allmendinger can find a way into the post-season through consistency, but he'll probably have a better chance replicating the win when he'll be one of the drivers to beat at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. But is winning for a second straight year too much to expect?

*VERDICT:* No Chase

*Tony Stewart*

The trials and tribulations of Stewart have been well-documented over the last two years. But six races into 2015, "Smoke" is still trying to find the right combination to return to the competitive form that's marked his Sprint Cup career. He's buried in the standings, in 32nd place and still looking for his first top-10 finish of the year. If some of the magic that's carried teammate Kevin Harvick to last year's title and such a strong start this season can be bottled, Stewart would no doubt buy a case of the stuff.

*VERDICT:* No Chase

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...se-Or-No-Chase-for-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 All-Star Race Format Announced​*
Showcasing the sport's top talent, NASCAR announced changes for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race that will elevate the excitement of this annual classic. Race coverage is set for 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 16 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, live on the Motor Racing Network.

The field will include race winners from the 2014 and 2015 seasons, as well as all former NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions who are full-time competitors - all of whom will compete for the $1 million prize awarded to the winner. Prior to this change, former NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions were eligible only if they accomplished the feat within the previous 10 seasons.

In addition, the five-segment race will increase by a total of 20 laps, with the first four segments each scheduled for 25 laps as compared to 20 in recent years. With the final 10-lap shootout, the race now totals 110 laps.

"These updates were made to ensure that our fans have every opportunity to see the best drivers in one of our crown jewel events and give them even more on-track action," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "Expanding this field and adding laps delivers that to our fans, raising the competition level and ensuring that this race continues to be the biggest all-star event in all of sports."

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will have a minimum field of 20 drivers. There are currently 17 drivers eligible, with three additional spots available. Two of those are reserved for the segment winners from the two 20-lap Sprint Showdown segments beginning at 7 p.m. ET, Friday, May 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The final spot belongs to the Sprint Fan Vote winner; voting at www.NASCAR.com/sprintfanvote and the NASCAR MOBILE application closes at 7 p.m. ET on May 15. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote will be announced in Victory Lane following the conclusion of the Sprint Showdown.

Drivers in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will compete in cars that conform to all 2015 rules. The race format will consist of a total of five segments: four 25-lap segments, with the average finish of the first four segments determining the order cars will enter pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop following the fourth segment. Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment. The order of the cars returning to the track following the mandatory pit stop determines the starting order for a final winner-take-all 10-lap segment.

All laps will count in segments one through four. In the fifth and final segment, only green flag laps will be counted. There will be optional pit stops during the breaks following each of the first three segments, with the field set by the pit stop/stay out positioning during the five caution laps.

The following drivers are eligible to compete in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth (2004 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winner), Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray (2014 winner), Ryan Newman (2002 winner), Tony Stewart (2009 winner).

This will be the 31st running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. McMurray is the defending race winner.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Sprint-All-Star-Race-Format-Announced.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Teams Complete Richmond Test​*
A number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams were busy at Richmond International Raceway on Wednesday with a test session.

The test, which was delayed by rain, followed-up Tuesday's Goodyear Tire test at the track.

Brad Keselowski represented Team Penske in the test after a successful season last year at RIR. Keselowski combined to lead 497 laps in 2014 at the .75-mile track, including a win in the September race.

"I feel like we were a very good car both races, but we had some weaknesses to work on, and we know that, and that's what we are here to do," Keselowski said.

Austin Dillon tested for Richard Childress Racing and will look to improve his best Richmond finish of 20th later this month.

"There's no real track like Richmond," Dillon said. "The stuff we do today to the car won't overlay to many of the tracks we go to this year. We'll do our best to try and find a few things just for here."

The list of participating drivers included AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr.

"It's just always good to be able to come to tracks like Richmond and learn some stuff," Allmendinger said. "We went to Vegas at the beginning of the year and did the tire test and that helped us there for the Vegas race. Hopefully, we can do the same here."

Tickets for the April 25 Toyota Owners 400, as well as the 2015 ToyotaCare 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Friday are on sale now. Click here or call 866-455-7223 to purchase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Sprint-Cup-Teams-Complete-Richmond-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Statement On Appeal of Penalties​*
Statement from Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, on appeal of NASCAR penalties:

"Our appeal is scheduled for Thursday, April 16. We feel confident we have a very compelling case to present to the appeals panel. We strongly believe in the intent of the rules and the integrity of our own teams while following those same rules. Out of respect for the appeal process, we will have no further comments until after the hearing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Statement-on-Appeal-of-NASCAR-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Seeks Success In Texas​*
Hendrick Motorsports should be in the mix to win Saturday night's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The team's four drivers have all enjoyed success on the 1.5-mile oval during their Sprint Cup careers and each believes he'll compete for victory this weekend. Jimmie Johnson is the only four-time winner in track history and is the most recent Texas victor, taking the checkered flag in last November's Chase race. The six-time series champion finds Texas to be both enjoyable and challenging.

"Texas is a lot of fun to drive," Johnson said. "I like how the track has evolved, the bumps and the wear on the tires. That puts it back into the teams' hands, to have a drivable racecar. Being able to comfortably stay on the throttle is important, and it's not an easy thing to do.

"You have to focus on the aero package even though you want to soften things up on the car for mechanical grip to make it drive smoother. The hardest part to figure out is long green-flag runs."

Johnson's three teammates - Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne - have all won once in their Texas careers. Gordon's victory came in 2009 and ended several years of frustration for him at TMS. Gordon goes into Saturday night's race looking for his first win of the season, hoping the track's similarity to an earlier stop on the schedule will help him find Victory Lane.

"Texas is my kind of track," Gordon said. "It's fast with a lot of grip, but it falls off and you have to search for a line. It reminds me of Atlanta and, believe it or not, the setups are not that far off from Atlanta."

Earnhardt will always see Texas as a special place. It was the site of his first career Sprint Cup Series win. He makes his 26th TMS start Saturday night and considers the track one of his favorites.

"We've had a lot of good runs there," Earnhardt said. "The surface is wide and gives you a lot of options as a driver, to find speed and a good balance. It's a fun track."

Then there's Kahne, who went to Victory Lane at Texas in April 2006. Ten of Kahne's 17 career Sprint Cup wins have come on intermediate ovals like Texas and he's hoping the improvement his team has been making this season will continue Saturday night.

"It starts with people, being more of a team, working better together understanding and supporting each other," Kahne said of his team jelling as a unit. "We have a strong group of guys. We're capable of running well and winning races, so having this better attitude has been beneficial so far this year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...drick-Motorsports-Seeks-Success-in-Texas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Maxwell House To Sponsor Bowyer, Waltrip​*
Michael Waltrip Racing and Maxwell House today announced a partnership which names the iconic coffee maker as primary racing sponsor for five Sprint Cup races during the 2015 season and the prestigious Daytona 500 in February 2016. The 10-month agreement officially kicks off on Aug. 2 with the Pennsylvania 400 at the Pocono Raceway.

"Maxwell House is a well-respected brand and on behalf of our sport, I'd like to welcome them back to NASCAR," said Clint Bowyer, who will race Saturday evening in the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. "We pride ourselves on taking care of our sponsors at Michael Waltrip Racing, and we're certainly going to do our best for them - both on and off the track."

Bowyer will drive the No. 15 Maxwell House Toyota at Watkins Glen International, Pocono Raceway, Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in the second half of the 2015 season. Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, will carry the Maxwell House colors at Talladega Superspeedway in October and in the 2016 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Maxwell House is no stranger to the racing circuit, having partnered with some of the most well-known drivers in professional racing between 1989 and 2003, including Michael Waltrip. During a press conference this morning at Texas Motor Speedway, the companies jointly unveiled the new Maxwell House Toyota Camry car design, to be fielded by Michael Waltrip Racing.

"Racing fans share a lot of the same qualities as Maxwell House coffee drinkers, including their loyalty to and passion for their favorite brands and sporting events," said Chris McClement, Senior Director, Maxwell House. "With its excellent reputation and powerful drivers, Michael Waltrip Racing is the perfect partner to help us rev up our brand and bring coffee that is 'Good to the Last Drop' to racing enthusiasts nationwide."

Michael Waltrip Racing, co-owned by Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman, began fielding fulltime Sprint Cup entries as the flagship team for Toyota Racing Development in 2007. They own seven Sprint Cup victories, more than 70 top-five finishes and earned berths in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2012 and 2013.

"It makes me proud to wear the Maxwell House colors again," said Waltrip, who drove a Maxwell House branded car in 1989. "I am really looking forward to racing at Talladega this fall, but everyone knows how special the Daytona 500 is to me, and I want to thank Maxwell House for letting me compete in my 29th Great American Race. Clint and I are going to do everything we can to get the Maxwell House Toyota Camry in victory lane for them."

Other elements of the sponsorship will include special appearances by the Michael Waltrip Racing team, exclusive behind-the-scenes access for select fans, special in-season and grocery store promotions and sampling at select races. Maxwell House is also an associate sponsor of the remaining Sprint Cup races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Sponsor-Clint-Bowyer-and-Michael-Waltrip.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Larson Learns From Experience​*
Kyle Larson is making some changes in his lifestyle after the episode that kept him from racing at Martinsville Speedway.

The sophomore Sprint Cup Series driver fainted on the Saturday before the STP 500 during an autograph session at Martinsville. He was taken to a local hospital and then to a Charlotte hospital for evaluation, and wound up missing the sixth race of the season.

After a battery of tests, Larson was released two days later and diagnosed with dehydration as the reason for the incident. As a result, Larson has vowed to change his diet and eating habits to avoid similar reactions.

"It stinks when you come here to Texas, they have Fuzzy's Tacos that are really good and you can't go over there and eat them," Larson said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. "I hate breakfast so I've got to find some things I like to eat in the morning and make sure I drink enough fluids.

"I take decent care of myself. That morning was a little different because I overslept and had to rush out to the car, but we should be good."

It was a sobering experience for Larson to sit in a hospital bed rather than behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. But he's grateful it will only be limited to one event.

"It's never good when you have to miss a race," Larson said. "But it was good to get all those tests run to know I'm 100 percent healthy and just had a bad morning. Missing one race sucks, but at least it wasn't more than just one."

Larson did his best to make lemonade out of lemons. While Regan Smith was driving his car at Martinsville, Larson tried to learn some things from afar that would help him when he got back on the job.

"I was still able to learn some things by sitting in the hospital bed watching the race," Larson said. "Martinsville is where I struggle the most on our tour. I watched the good guys because I'm never around the good guys during the race at Martinsville.

"The cameras are on them a lot so I can see what they're doing, listen to radio communications and things like that."

Larson has had an average start to the year, especially by the standards he set in last season's run to Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He's not panicking, by any means, but understands there's room for improvement he hopes will begin with Saturday night's Duck Commander 500.

"Our team is about where we were when we ended last season," he said. "We still have some work to do to be able to contend each week. We're getting close. Both me and Jamie (teammate Jamie McMurray) have to have better luck at the end of the race and we should be back up there challenging for wins."

So with his ordeal hopefully behind him for good, Larson is looking ahead and is perhaps a little wiser than he was two weeks ago.

"I learned from here on out to make sure I drink enough fluids, and try to eat breakfast in the mornings," Larson said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/04/Kyle-Larson-Learns-From-Experience.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Rolling Along​*
Martin Truex Jr. brings a string of early-season successes into Saturday night's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Furniture Row Racing driver has finished in the top 10 in all six races thus far, and joins Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano as the only drivers able to accomplish that feat. It's the most consecutive top-10 finishes in Furniture Row's history and Truex is loving every moment.

"It's momentum and satisfaction from all the hard work," Truex said. "The important part for us is to keep our eyes on the prize and not settle for what we have, keep working hard to close the gap."

Truex's Texas weekend got off to a good start when he led Friday's opening practice session with a lap of 191.096 mph.

"We had good take-off speed," he said. "We need to work on the long run a little bit."

The No. 78 team did just that in final practice and wound up 13th in average speed for 10 consecutive laps.

Truex enters Saturday night's seventh race of the season third in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. He's been strong at the year's first two 1.5-mile tracks with finishes of sixth in Atlanta and second at Las Vegas. But Truex is proud of the fact the team has performed well at a variety of different layouts in the opening stretch of the campaign.

"What makes this even better is that we've run well at different types of tracks - superspeedway, intermediate and a short track," Truex said.

While he's yet to post a Texas top 10 while with Furniture Row, Truex does have a solid record there. He scored eight top 10s before joining Furniture Row, including a runner-up performance as a member of Michael Waltrip Racing in 2013.

It all adds up to Texas being one of Truex's favorite tracks and a place he believes the successful run to kick off the year can continue.

"If I could pick a track to extend a positive streak, Texas Motor Speedway would be high on the list," Truex said. "It's one of my favorite tracks on the circuit. It has a lot of speed, a lot of banking and the tires wear out. I enjoy all those characteristics.

"A couple years ago, I nearly had the race locked but didn't get out of the pits quick enough and had to settle for second (behind Kyle Busch)."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...on-Top-10-Streak-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Wins Texas Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6761&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Kurt Busch won his second pole of the season in qualifying for Saturday night's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Check back for a full report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ck-Commander-500-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Returns To Texas​*
Chase Elliott has his sights set on a repeat victory in Friday night's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion is still searching for his first win of 2015 and thinks there's no better place than to score that victory than TMS, where he took his first career series triumph a year ago.

"It was an unbelievable night last season," Elliott said. "It meant the world to me I was able to share the moment with my mom and dad."

The JR Motorsports driver comes into Friday night's race third in the series standings trailing leader Ty Dillon by 15 points. Although Elliott is still winless in the opening five races of the year, he's still optimistic about what lies ahead.

"Definitely excited about getting back on the track this weekend and building on what we've accomplished so far this season," Elliott said. "We have a long way to go, but I can't wait for Texas."

Elliott's JR Motorsports boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a say on how the young driver fares this weekend. Earnhardt climbs behind the wheel of the team's No. 88 Camaro and will make his eighth career series start at Texas.

Earnhardt's been successful in NASCAR's number two division in the "Lone Star State" and has one win, three top-five and five top-10 finishes to his credit.

"I'm looking forward to getting to Texas in the XFINITY car again," Earnhardt said. "It's a big race for JR Motorsports with Goody's on my car for the first time. They are a loyal supporter of mine and what we have going on at JRM. We need to go out and perform well for them and I expect to do that Friday night. Our company, as a whole, has run really well at Texas the last few years. Obviously with Chase (Elliott) getting his first win last year being the highlight."

Earnhardt will be racing for the win and is not concerned about points. However, that's not the case for Dillon, who brings a slim five point lead over Chris Buescher into Texas.

Dillon has made three Texas starts in his XFINITY Series career at the track and notched one top five. The young driver considers the track a favorite and points to veteran crew chief Danny Stockman, who will work his 104th series race this weekend, as a potential secret weapon.

"I really enjoy racing at this track, mainly because it's fast," Dillon said. "You can really carry a lot of speed off the corners and make passes almost anywhere on the race track. We've brought great racecars here in the past that have raced up front and I expect that this weekend.

"I think for our team, we'll need to unload well for the practice sessions on Thursday and get us a good starting spot for the race. I know Danny is pretty familiar with Texas Motor Speedway and will bring a lot of good knowledge for the race on Friday night."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/04/Chase-Elliott-Returns-To-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Scores First XFINITY Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6771&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Erik Jones picked up his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series win Friday night in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Jones became the second driver this season to win for the first time in the series following Ryan Reed's victory at Daytona.

It was the second time an 18-year-old driver won the April Texas race with last year's series champion Chase Elliott victorious in 2014.

Jones' win at 18, 10 months and 11 days, makes him the fourth youngest winner in series history behind Joey Logano, Elliott and Casey Atwood.

Jones led six times for 79 laps including the final 50 to score the win holding off Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the checkered flag.

"I don't even know what to say right now," an excited Jones said. "It's surreal! That confidence has been something that I've never doubted in myself. I've always believed in myself as I've grown up. Sitting here in victory lane at Texas in the XFINITY Series - it's amazing, just amazing. We beat Cup guys tonight."

Jones had his hands full on the final restart with 26 laps to go with Keselowski and Earnhardt. He was able to use the bottom groove to get around the duo for good and drove to the win.

"Man, that's one I can't wait to go back and watch," Jones said. "That was so much fun. That was two guys giving 100 percent and giving it all they got, saving nothing. That's what it's all about. That's how you're supposed to race and hopefully the fans enjoyed it. Man, we put on a great show, I was having fun - one of the most fun times I've had in the race car by far."

Keselowski had to start from the rear of the field after a his team changed a fuel pump after qualifying and put on an impressive charge to the front.

"Erik had a great car and did a great job," said Keselowski. "We ran wide open side-by-side for about two laps in a row and eventually he cleared me. That was good racing."

Earnhardt matched his best series finish in a JR Motorsports entry for the sixth time in his career with a third place performance.

"I couldn't go when we needed to go," said Earnhardt. "The car was just real loose all night. We made great adjustments Dave (Elenz, crew chief) and the guys helped the car quite a bit. We needed green-flag pit stops my car was real fast on green flag stops.

"Good job to Gibbs and Erik and all those guys. I thought Brad had the best car, but right when it counted Erik took off and drove a great race all night. I knew he was good, now everyone else knows."

Regan Smith and Austin Dillon rounded out the top five.

Darrell Wallace Jr., Denny Hamlin, Elliott, Chris Buescher and Brian Scott completed the top ten finishers.

There 15 lead changes among eight different drivers, with six caution flags.

Ty Dillon finished 12th and maintained the series point lead by two over Buescher.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next Saturday.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Win-in-OReilly-Auto-Parts-300-at-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 Conley Blows A Tire​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Takes Texas Again​*
Jimmie Johnson scored his fifth win at Texas Motor Speedway, and second consecutive, when he took the checkered flag in Saturday night's Duck Commander 500.

Johnson made a late race pass for the lead and made it stick the rest of the way as he added to his TMS win total as the track's all-time winningest driver.

"A great, great racecar," Johnson said in Victory Lane. "We kept plugging away at it all race. The off week was good for us, gave us a chance to reboot, relax and get back in the swing of things."

It was Johnson's 72nd career Sprint Cup Series win.

Kevin Harvick was able to win the battle for second over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"I'm not disappointed at all," Harvick said of his second place finish, which featured a slap of the outside wall racing for position. "Racing for wins is what we're here to do, and just really proud of everybody, and when you can get out there and race like that and come home with stripes down the side of it, everybody is out there hopefully enjoying the show with everybody racing as hard as they did tonight."

Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.

Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards completed the first 10 finishers.

Harvick leads Logano by 26 points in the Sprint Cup standings.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

How Johnson won: The six-time series champion made the winning move on what turned out to be the race's final restart with 20 laps to go when het got by McMurray and Harvick to go from third to first in one lap's time. That was all he needed and Johnson pulled away for the win as Harvick and Earnhardt Jr. battled behind him.

What else happened: It was a pretty typical 500-mile race on a 1.5-mile track with the field doing their best to make up ground on restarts, which produced some wild and wide racing. A number of drivers had to fight through adversity with loose wheels because lugnuts weren't completely tightened including Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Clint Bowyer and others. But there were no on track incidents because of the issue.

Who else had a good day: Harvick has finished in the top two in nine of his last ten starts dating back to last season&#8230;..McMurray notched his third top-10 finish in his last four races&#8230;..Gordon's seventh was his best performance of 2015&#8230;.Truex Jr. has finished in the top-10 of every race this season.

Who had a bad day: Paul Menard was running well and looked as if he'd score a top-10 finish until an engine let go late and he wound up credited with 41st&#8230;..HScott Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Michael Annett had tough nights both making contact with the wall and finishing 39th and 40th, respectively&#8230;.Kyle Larson's return to the series after missing Martinsville because of dehydration ended with 25th-place finish after a penalty for driving through too many pit boxes when the team gambled for two tires on the last pit stop.

Quote of the day: "We are right on their heels." - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Notables: Ryan Newman started from the rear of the field after an engine change and came back to finish 12th&#8230;.David Ragan drove the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota home to a 13th-place finish&#8230;.All three Roush Fenway Racing drivers - Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle and Trevor Bayne - finished inside the top 20.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ck-Commander-500-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gamble Gives Gordon Best Finish​*
Jeff Gordon's seventh-place finish in the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway was his best effort of the season.

After starting the year with frustration and disappointment, Gordon has turned things around of late and now has four straight top-10 finishes.

It wasn't easy by any means Saturday night, but Gordon was proud of the effort by his entire team.

"We struggled," Gordon admitted. "Early on we weren't great. We made some adjustments. We got some decent track position; I thought we were going to be pretty good. (Dale Earnhardt) Junior got to the outside of me on a restart. Our car just wasn't very good right there. I really struggled and we fell back and never regained it."

Gordon credited crew chief Alan Gustafson with helping make the night better than it might have been with a late-race pit strategy call on lap 310.

"Yeah that was a great gamble, great call by Alan and we saw early some guys take two tires and made it work for a short period of time," Gordon said. "I don't know we just struggled tonight. I'm not really sure where we are missing it. I just had my hands full. We were not able to get the balance just right.

Despite the challenges Gordon was able to move up to 13th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings with the finish. He's slowly making his way out of the hole that Gordon dropped into with the rough start to the season.

Gordon is encouraged by the fact his Hendrick Motorsports colleagues have shown speed as well as by the never give up attitude of the No. 24 team.

"Obviously our teammates have it worked out because all of them were fast and obviously we have got some work to do and I have got to figure this package out," he said.

"But we didn't give up. I'm proud of that. We made it good at one point and then we got off and then we had to kind of start over and got it pretty good there at the end."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eff-Gordon-his-Best-Finish-of-the-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Penske Duo Battles Back​*
Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski scored a couple of hard fought top-five finishes in the Duck Commander 500.

Logano was able to score a fourth place finish after Kevin Harvick made contact with him in the closing laps battle to the checkered flag.

After the race's final restart, Logano was in the mix at the front of the field to decide the race and Harvick got into the No. 22 Ford.

Logano was able to hold on to his car and keep it off the wall before getting back in the gas and eventually driving to the fourth place performance.

"We recovered decent and I felt like at the beginning of the race and to the middle of the race we starting falling off, but we made some good adjustments and started getting some speed back in the car," Logano said. "We were all the way back to 11th at one point and got back to almost a winning car. We just needed a little bit more speed, but it's fun. We were racing hard and doing everything we could do."

Despite the contact and past experiences, Logano had no issues with Harvick.

"It's the end of the race," he said. "I blocked him and he got into me. I get it. Early in the race that's not acceptable. End of the race we're racing for the win. I'd do the same thing."

Keselowski's eventful night included an excursion down pit road when he missed the commitment cone on his way in for service.

"I was trying to make my mind up and chose poorly," Keselowski said of the violation and subsequent penalty.

However, he was able to work his way back to the front of the field and methodically got into position to eventually come home with the top-five effort.

"It was an up-and-down night," he said. "We led some laps early, faded in the middle and then found a little bit at the end and charged hard to get back up to fifth. I think we were a second or third-place car there at the end. It's hard to say, but it was up and down. We just have to keep working and find a little more speed.

"We had a really strong car. It's just that the 4 (Harvick, the 48 (race winner Jimmie Johnson) and at times the 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) was just a little bit stronger than both Joey and I. We did everything we could. We threw everything we could at them and just weren't close enough speed-wise to get what we wanted out of it, but it was still a great day for the Miller Lite Ford and a lot to be proud of."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-in-the-Top-Five-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Continues Top-10 Run​*
Martin Truex Jr. continued his top-10 run in every race this season with a ninth-place effort in the Duck Commander 500.

The Furniture Row Racing pushed the team record for consecutive finishes inside the top 10 to seven with his performance Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

The night wasn't perfect by any means for Truex Jr., but when the checkered flag flew he was once again near the front of the field.

"It was a hard-fought night, for sure," Truex Jr. said. "We fought the car. We fought track position a lot and had a little trouble on pit road a few times. That hurt us a bit. At the end we had to start doing some strategy stuff to get our track position back and probably gave up a few spots doing it.

"It was still a top 10, so all in all, it was a good night for us. We're just missing a little bit of something. The guys are working real hard. We just need to find a little bit of speed to run with those guys."

Crew chief Cole Pearn threw the dice on a late race pit stop and called for two tires. Truex Jr. had no problem with the decision to gamble as the checkered flag drew nearer.

"I think it was based on track position," he said. "We had a bad pit stop right before that and lost it all. I think it was the right call. We may have gained two or three spots the other way; we may have lost two or three the other way. So, I'm not real sure. But we're taking some gambles and they've been paying off."

After a struggle in 2014, Truex Jr. continues to be one of the most surprising drivers of the season. While he still believes there's work to be done, Truex Jr. is pleased with the effort and the results so far.

"All in all it's been good," he said. "There are a few cars out there we can't run with right now. So, we just need to try to get some speed and keep being consistent."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../04/Martin-Truex-Jr-Continues-Top-10-Run.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Overcomes Adversity​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had many challenges on his way to finishing third in the Duck Commander 500.

Loose lug nuts and a torrid battle in the closing laps added up to a tough night for Earnhardt Jr. but ultimately a solid finish.

"Oh, man. It was a long one," an exhausted Earnhardt Jr. said after the 500 miles at Texas Motor Speedway. "You know, this race is real long.

"It's a long race, and you get mentally prepared for it because it's pretty tough. It feels almost like the 600 in some ways. It's a slick old track, and the pace slows down. You work your guts out in there driving that car around there because the track is so slick, so it's a very physical race, and I had a blast."

Early on things didn't go well for Earnhardt when he experienced a vibration thanks to lug nuts that weren't properly tightened after a pit stop. But he was able to nurse the car around the track long enough before getting back to pit road to rectify the situation.

"We had a couple lug nuts that didn't get on the left rear on the first stop, so we had to come back down," Earnhardt Jr. explained. "That was real good on our guys to make that call.

"We got back down pit road and got that sorted out, got back up there to 10th again, somewhere around there, and I don't remember what happened next. But it just seemed like everything was going against us, and we were having trouble sort of beginning our race and getting into a rhythm, and we had to pass a lot of cars tonight. But once we finally got the track position, I thought we were a top five car for sure."

Indeed Earnhardt Jr. was able to get into the top five as the race wound down. He had a shot at the lead and was involved in a heated battle with eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick in the closing laps.

"I had Harvick cleared off of two," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I should have pulled out in front of him, but I didn't and if I'd have pulled in front of him, I don't know if he would have went to the inside or just pushed me down the straightaway. I think I was fast enough and a little bit better than him and Jimmie right then at that moment just for about 10 laps, and if I could have got him behind me and I don't know how their cars would have reacted to the dirty air. Maybe I could have gotten by that 1 pretty quickly and won the race.

"No matter if you come third, second, you come close, you always think there was something you should have done different. That's one that's going to bug me for a few hours."

Even with a bit of a bitter taste in his mouth from the way Saturday night's race wound up, Earnhardt Jr. is still very optimistic about the direction his team is headed.

"Our cars are really good," he said. "Our motors are amazing. I'll be honest, I mean, I've been a lot more competitive over the last couple years. We've got a lot of great people working at that organization, but my resurgence or whatever you want to call it is mainly due to how good the cars are, how fast the cars are, how well prepared we are, how much work we do.

"But I'm glad I'm where I'm at. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else because it doesn't look like them other cars are much fun to drive."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vercomes-Adversity-in-Duck-Commander-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Regrets For Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick's second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway included contact with Joey Logano that the defending series champion isn't losing any sleep over.

Harvick hit Logano as the duo battled for position in the closing laps of Saturday night's Duck Commander 500. The impact shot Logano up the track and allowed Harvick to take the position and eventually drive to a second-place finish behind race winner Jimmie Johnson.

Harvick made no apologies for his move on the track and chalked it up to simply hard racing and drivers trying to protect their spot.

"Yeah, it's fine," Harvick said. "Like the 22 (Logano), you knock them out of the way, and that's the chance you take when you block."

It was Harvick's sixth top-two finish in the season's first seven races. He now has 10 straight top-10 finishes dating back to last November's Texas race.

The defending Sprint Cup champion started second but passed teammate Kurt Busch on the first lap to take the lead, which he held for the first 33 laps of the race. Harvick maintained his position toward the front of the field and led nine times for 96 laps en route to his sixth top-five and seventh top-10 finish of the season. In 24 previous Sprint Cup starts at Texas, Harvick had led a combined eight laps prior to Saturday.

He had a shot at making a run for another win in the race's last restart with 20 laps to go. But after battling with Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Harvick wasn't able to run down Johnson who was ahead by 1.107-seconds at the checkered flag.

"I just got behind there, and Jimmie was fast for those last couple laps and got around us," said Harvick, who also finished second at Texas in November 2014. "I got loose coming off four and I got in the wall and just was trying to hang on to where I needed to be. I just have to thank everybody on my Budweiser/Jimmy John's team for all that they have done, and we just raced as hard as we could and it was a lot of fun."

He may have come up just short of a third 2015 win but Harvick was still proud of the effort and the way his team keeps competing at a high level.

"That's just what we come to do is to try to be competitive every week, and we hadn't put it together at this particular racetrack, but with this team and this group of guys, we've led a bunch of laps the last three times that we've raced here and finished second twice," Harvick said. "Maybe we'll just save the first place finish for the Chase race. Hopefully that'll come sooner rather than later, but they're doing a great job.

"There's nothing at all to hang your head about. There's no way you're going to win them all, that's for sure."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-For-Kevin-Harvick-in-Duck-Commander-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Eggleston's Late Move Pays Off​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6867&StatType=Race+Results

Chris Eggleston continued Bill McAnally Racing's dominance at Irwindale Speedway.

The 26-year-old from Erie, Colorado, took the lead from Ryan Partridge with six laps remaining in the King Taco Catering/NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Toyota Saturday night en route to his second career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory.

Eggleston's No. 99 NAPA Filters/H2OFire Protection Toyota gave BMR its 10th win among six drivers at the progressive-banked half-mile in Southern California.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Nicole Behar finished second to set the mark for highest finishing female in series history. The previous best was third-place runs by Sarah Fisher, who did it twice -- most recently in 2005 at Kyle, Texas.

Fellow rookie Dalton Sargeant finished third. Sargeant, who is running for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title, won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Company earlier in the day.

Rookies Gracin Raz and Ryan Partridge rounded out the top five.

David Mayhew was sixth, followed by Noah Gragson, Brett Thompson, Alex Schutte and Johnny White. Gragson, Schutt and White are also rookies.

The race featured 10 lead changes among four drivers. Eggleston led for a race-high 102 laps. But he lost the lead on Lap 124 to Partridge, a two-time champion in Irwindale's NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late model division.

A late-race caution set up Eggleston's winning move on the Lap 144 restart. Sargeant followed Eggleston into second in a bid for his second straight series win but couldn't close the ground. Sargeant lost the runner-up spot to Behar on the final lap.

It was BMR's second straight win at Irwindale, following Patrick Staropoli's win last year. Eggleston's previous win came at his home track, Colorado National Speedway, last July. He was making his seventh career series start.

The King Taco Catering/NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Toyota will air on NBCSN on Thursday, April 16.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West heads next to Arizona's Tucson Speedway for the Wildcat 150 on Saturday, May 2.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ris-Eggleston-Wins-at-Irwindale-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Coby Wins Icebreaker​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&RaceID=6852&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

After a bitter winter marked by record-setting snowfall, the sunny skies and near-70 degree temperatures at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Sunday were celebrated by fans in the packed grandstands.

The only thing better than the weather in northeastern Connecticut was the racing.

Reigning tour champion Doug Coby displayed the consistent dominance that led to last season's title, leading 127 of 150 laps in the 41st Annual Icebreaker 150 to capture the checkered flag in the season-opening NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event.

The win was Coby's second in 43 career Thompson starts and first in the Icebreaker. Driving the No. 2 Dunleavy's Repair/HEX Performance Chevrolet, Coby started from the pole and stayed in the front of the 35-car field to avoid trouble in a race marked by 10 cautions and two red flags.

Woody Pitkat tied his career best Icebreaker finish with a second place effort in the No. 88 Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet, overcoming an oil leak discovered during the second red flag period that sent him to the rear of the field after having too many crew members over the wall to make repairs.

Bobby Santos, winner of the 2010 Icebreaker and season championship, powered the No. 44 Curb Records/Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley Chevrolet to third place after getting to a race-high second with 11 laps remaining.

Ted Christopher wasn't able to add to his collection of four Icebreaker trophies, but did get his 46th top-10 finish in 85 career Whelen Modified Tour starts at Thompson. Ryan Preece, who won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Sunoco Modified 75 earlier Sunday, earned his first top five finish with his new team in the No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine Chevrolet.

Timmy Solomito, Eric Goodale, Donny Lia, Ron Silk and Todd Szegedy rounded out the top ten.

The race featured two leaders - Coby and Silk - and two lead changes.

Justin Bonsignore, last year's Icebreaker 150 winner, went to pit road during the second caution period with his engine misfiring, then was involved in a Lap 74 spin with Brandon Oltra and Anthony Nocella. He settled for a 27th place finish, 22 laps down.

Spencer Davis, who completed the "modified double" after a 14th place finish in last night's NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at Langley Speedway in Virginia, just missed a top-10, finishing 12th in the No. 79 Hillbilly Racing/Coors 21 Means 21 Pontiac after starting at the rear of the field due to the driver change.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action on April 26 at Connecticut's Stafford Motor Speedway for the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200.

NBCSN's coverage of The Icebreaker 150 will air on Friday at a time to be determined.

*Source:*http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...oug-Coby-Wins-Icebreaker-150-at-Thompson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Nature Blast Steps Up With RPM & Hornish​*
Expanding their relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), Nature Blast announced Monday they are taking their partnership to the next level.

The cleaning supply company will serve as the primary sponsor for the No. 9 Ford and driver Sam Hornish Jr. during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on April 19.

Nature Blast is a cutting-edge company that produces cleaning products for home and professional use, all of which are made in America and eco-friendly.

All Nature Blast products adorn the ECO logo as certified green products, which address the environmental, safety and health concerns facing today's households by offering products with low toxicity and VOC's, readily bio-degradable in ready to use formulas. The company was an associate sponsor of Hornish and the No. 9 team during the Daytona 500 and witnessed the power of RPM and Hornish.

"To be a part of the Daytona 500 with Richard Petty Motorsports made us realize what their organization can do to help ours," said Crystal Brewster of Nature Blast. "The possibilities that RPM and NASCAR can offer us can't be found anywhere else. We're proud to have Sam and the No. 9 team represent Nature Blast in Bristol and can't wait for NASCAR fans all over to learn about our environmentally friendly cleaning products."

Hornish, a father of three children, appreciates working with a company that offers safe products.

"For parents, like my wife and me, Nature Blast offers great cleaning products which are safe for our children to be around," said Hornish. "That's important and I trust them. I'm looking forward to having them back at the track in Bristol, and hopefully we can celebrate a good finish when it's all said and done."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ascar/nature-blast-steps-up-with-rpm-hornish/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Texas Winners And Losers​*
There were many ups and downs in Saturday night's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Kevin Harvick*
Make it six out of seven races this season that Harvick has finished either first or second. He had a shot at win No. 3 but after a struggle with Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. down the stretch, Harvick settled for the runner-up spot behind Jimmie Johnson.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Survived what could have been a disastrous early pit stop, when untightened lugnuts caused a vibration. Earnhardt returned to rectify the situation before it got worse and was in the mix in the late going ... finally falling in line behind Johnson and Harvick to finish third.

*Jamie McMurray*
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver keeps ramping up the string of consistent finishes and did it again Saturday night in Texas. He led late after a call for two tires, but eventually fell back to a sixth-place finish.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
The story of Truex and Furniture Row Racing's resurgence added another chapter in Texas with a seventh consecutive top-10. A late call for two tires on the final trip to pit road didn't completely pan out for crew chief Cole Pearn, but Truex soldiered on for a ninth-place finish.

*Carl Edwards*
A top 10 may not sound like much for an accomplished driver like Edwards and a powerhouse team in Joe Gibbs Racing. But it was big in Texas. Edwards was looking for something positive to build on and he got it. Now, let's see what they do with it in the coming weeks.

*LOSERS​*
*Paul Menard*
A water hose popped on Menard's Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet late in the race, robbing him of at least a top 10 and potentially a top-five finish.

*Kyle Larson*
Not much to cheer about in his return to the Sprint Cup Series after missing Martinsville due to dehydration. The good news is that Larson has received a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, his 25th-place finish, after being penalized for going through too many pit boxes on the last pit stop, Saturday night was not what the doctor ordered.

*Tony Stewart*
There were a few flashes of competiveness from Stewart but when the checkered flag flew, he was 24th. Seven races into this season, Stewart is mired in 32nd place in the point standings.

*Clint Bowyer*
There are serious questions around Bowyer and Michael Waltrip Racing these days. Another mediocre night ended up in a 22nd-place finish as the entire organization continues to search for answers.

*Ryan Blaney*
There was nothing Blaney could do about an engine expiring on the Wood Brothers Ford. High hopes of a good finish ended with a 42nd-place showing after he completed just 71 laps.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Texas-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sneak Peek At New Digital Dashboard​*
Jamie McMurray provided a glimpse of NASCAR's new high tech dashboard during a test at Kentucky Speedway.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver sent out a series of Tweets on Monday while taking part in a Goodyear tire test that gave a couple views of what the new dashboard might look like when it's implemented.

The dashboard has the ability to monitor a variety of data including lap times and tire pressure as well as keeping drivers informed on other items during pit stops.

NASCAR has stated at some point the information gathered through the new system would be available to fans and offer an interactive way to monitor a car's performance.

In fact NASCAR rule book states the a digital dash display "may be used at all Events after August 5, 2015. Digital dash display use will not be permitted before August 5, 1015. Effective January 1, 2016, a digital dash display must be used at all Events."

NASCAR's Steve O'Donnell addressed the new dashboard and its timeline during his weekly appearance on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive" on Monday.

"That is the ultimate goal, is to get as much information as we can - first and foremost to the drivers and crew chiefs that they can see and react to - but ultimately to the fans," O'Donnell said. "So if you're sitting at the race track, and you're on your device, we want you to essentially be in Denny Hamlin's car and be able to see what he is seeing and react to it.

"It's evolving, and it's something that we think can be a real game changer for the sport in terms of us showcasing technology. There's also some proprietary information. We want to make sure we keep that with the teams from a competitive standpoint, but some really cool stuff potentially coming for '16 and I think the fans will ultimately enjoy what they see."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ives-Sneak-Peek-at-New-Digital-Dashboard.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Recalls Crash, Updates Recovery​*
During a Wednesday press conference at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch went into detail about his February crash at Daytona and updated his recovery from the injuries he suffered.

It's the first time Busch has spoken to the media since the accident that left him sidelined from racing after suffering a compound fracture of the lower right leg and a mid-foot fracture in his left foot.

Busch said it was the hardest hit he's ever taken in NASCAR competition, stating that he left the racing surface going 176 mph and then slowed to 90 mph in the grass when he impacted the inside wall at 90 G's. As soon as he made contact, he knew his right leg was broken. Busch tried to use his left foot to exit the car but ended up having to use his heel because of the pain in his foot.

"I was bracing for the hit and telling myself, 'Oh no, it's not slowing down. This is going to hurt!' and I'm also saying, 'Pull your legs back when you get close enough to the wall,' " Busch said. "But sometimes, your mind doesn't necessarily overpower your physical abilities.

"Once I hit the grass, that was brace mode. I tucked, put my hands in tight and braced for the hit. I totally forgot about my legs. I left my left foot on the brake pedal and my right foot was just kind of floating."

Busch's helmet and chest hit the steering wheel on impact, hard enough to leave a mark on the helmet.

"I was awake the whole time," he said, "but there was a moment where everything compressed back and I compressed forward. When I came through the seat, into the seatbelts and into the restraints, all the air in my body escaped."

Busch took blame for the accident, which started when he was trying to push teammate Erik Jones through a gap.

"From the beginning, the wreck was essentially all my fault," Busch said. "I was being greedy, trying to win the race. Just a freak deal."

Since Busch was able to exit the car under his own power, NASCAR took it back just the way it was after the accident for analysis at the NASCAR R&D Center. Recently, Busch had the opportunity to go see the damaged racecar.

"I've seen cars wrecked but as far as compression of the racecar, there was a lot there and a lot to learn for myself, the engineers at Joe Gibbs Racing and at NASCAR," Busch said. "They're still working through it. I got a good chance to see what it looked like and how many safety innovations NASCAR has come up with through the years to keep me here today."

Busch says he can move his ankle 80 percent and has made strides with his knee, which was the most painful, in physical therapy. He has surgeries planned in the off-season in December to get the plates and screws taken out of his left foot. There is no timetable for his return to competition.

"First and foremost, I have to please my doctors," Busch said. "It's week-by-week. It's what I can show them and what I can do."

When he's cleared to get back in a racecar, Busch will test a Late Model a couple times due to NASCAR's no-testing policy. Busch has yet to compete with the new 2015 downforce package in the Sprint Cup Series.

He began the press conference by thanking his wife Samantha, who is set to deliver their first child - a boy - next month.

"All that she's gone through since the crash and everything," Busch said. "With the overnight stays in hospitals, traveling from hospital to hospital on airplanes and whatever else, and finally being home ... all the while being pregnant. That's a huge task for anybody to go through. She's my rock and I couldn't have asked her for anything more through this time.

"If there is a silver lining to this, it's been great that she and I have been able to spend a lot of time at home and getting things ... well, her getting things prepped and prepared for the arrival of our child here soon."

The second that the doctors let Samantha in to see Kyle following the crash, he had one thing on his mind.

"Literally I walked into the room and there was a bone sticking out of his leg and he was like is the baby OK?" she said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...a-Crash-and-Gives-Update-on-his-Recovery.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan Hopes For More Magic​*
David Ragan has his sights set on another strong short-track effort this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Ragan came home with a top-five finish in the first Sprint Cup Series short-track race of the season at Martinsville Speedway. He's hoping for a similar performance in Sunday's Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes at the .533-mile Tennessee oval.

"I'm chomping at the bit to get to Bristol, especially with how we ran the first short-track race a few weeks ago at Martinsville," Ragan said. "The racetrack has aged well since they ground the top. You've got some guys who can really make their cars run well on the bottom groove and you've got guys running around the top.

"It's one of the best short tracks we go to. Some guys want to see the older Bristol come back but from a racer's point of view, I've had a blast the last couple races there."

Ragan's best Bristol finish came in 2013, when he placed 12th in the annual summer night race. Sunday will mark his 17th career series start at BMS, which has undergone several modifications in recent years. Those changes have altered the way Ragan and other drivers approach the short track.

"Bristol has changed a little the last couple of races there," Ragan said. "The guys who can run the bottom can make the passes and win the race. But there's still grip up top, so you see a lot of guys running up there. But you've got to pass on the bottom.

"Your car has to withstand a lot at Bristol. Our team builds our cars a little tougher for short tracks. There's heavier-duty bracing in some of the sheet metal we use to support the body panels. They put in a little extra armor to handle bumper tags, restarts and fender-to-fender matches you might encounter."

Ragan took the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota for the injured Kyle Busch back in early March. While there have been ups and downs, he believes that overall, the team is starting to come together and each week has shown improvement. Ragan's hoping things will jell even more on Sunday.

"We've under-performed the last four or five races outside of Martinsville," he said. "A lot of it's been mistakes on my part and on the team's behalf, but we've had good speed and we've had top-10 cars. We hadn't had a complete weekend until Martinsville. There, finally, we put together a good race where we weren't very good Friday and Saturday of that weekend.

"Then at Texas, we had a better car than our finish indicated (13th). We were better on long runs but had too many cautions in the last 100 laps to make up any ground. We learn from each weekend and try to do things better going forward."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es-for-More-Short-Track-Magic-at-Bristol.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Block Party​*
The topic of blocking in auto racing has been widely discussed since the beginning of the sport.

The minute the world's second racecar was built, there's no doubt that drivers began talking about - and, more than likely, complaining about - blocking. This season's first debate came up last weekend in the closing laps at Texas Motor Speedway, when Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano were involved in their latest disagreement.

Harvick believed Logano was impeding his progress (a diplomatic way of saying he was blocking) and decided to do something about it ... in the way of contact to the rear bumper of the Team Penske driver's Ford.

The impact sent Logano out of the groove and allowed Harvick to race by for what turned out to be a second-place finish behind Jimmie Johnson. But Harvick made his point very clear afterward that he is not, and has never been, a fan of blocking.

"He blocked and I knocked him out of the way," was Harvick's cut-and-dried explanation. "I'm tired of him blocking."

Logano was quite diplomatic in his response to the situation, which wasn't the first time he and Harvick have disagreed both on and off the racetrack.

"I felt that if he got by me, I wouldn't have the opportunity to get back by him," Logano said. "It's the end of the race, I blocked him and I get it. Early in the race, it's not acceptable. At the end of the race, we're running for the win. I'd do the same thing."

There are other drivers who absolutely abhor what they feel is blocking including Tony Stewart, who's been one of the most vocal on the subject. Stewart's wrath has been aimed at many drivers on both oval tracks and road courses, and he's made it clear that he won't stand for the practice.

"If they block, they're going to get dumped," Stewart said during one celebrated rant toward Brian Vickers at Sonoma in 2011. "It's real simple. I don't blame him for dumping us back. But I don't race guys that way. I never have. If guys want to block, then they're going to be wrecked every time.

"Until NASCAR makes a rule against it, I'm going to dump them every time for it."

NASCAR doesn't enforce a blocking rule except at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, if a driver forces another below the yellow "out-of-bounds" line.

And while other forms of auto racing do police and penalize blocking, most notably open-wheel circuits IndyCar and Formula One, NASCAR does not plan on following suit. Nor should it.

I've never understood the uproar over blocking and why some drivers get so upset. The idea of racing is to finish ahead of everyone on the track and keeping cars behind you is the only way to accomplish that goal.

Moving over in polite fashion because the car behind you is faster, rather than fighting for the spot in every possible manner, is contrary to the spirit of "racing."

Sure, there's danger involved. But the last time I checked, that was one of the attractions of the sport. Drivers know contact, like the kind Harvick made with Logano last Saturday night, is a by-product of the exercise.

Fans should embrace it when it happens and not be outraged that a perceived slower car is holding up a faster one.

Races pay to finish as high in the final rundown as possible.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/04/Opinion-Block-Party.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Circle Sport Penalties Reduced​*
The National Motorsports Appeals Panel has amended penalties assessed to the Circle Sport Racing Sprint Cup Series team last month.

On March 25, NASCAR suspended crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe after three infractions were found on Brian Scott's No. 33 Chevrolet during opening-day inspection five days earlier at Auto Club Speedway.

A mounting bolt was improperly installed for a trailing arm, which also had a sleeve that was not drawn to specifications. And the mounting-bracket adapter for that trailing arm had been improperly machined, which improved the aerodynamics of Scott's racecar. Labbe was fined $50,000, suspended for three races and placed on probation through Dec. 31.

Car owner Joe Falk was docked 25 championship points.

The three-member Panel announced Tuesday that just one of the three infractions constituted a clear violation of the rules, that being the improperly machined aluminum mounting-bracket adapter, and that the two other infractions were subject to interpretation.

As a result, Labbe's fine was reduced to $20,000 and Falk's penalty was trimmed to just 10 points. The three-race suspension was upheld for Labbe, who's already sat out two of those races. He remains on probation through Dec. 31.

"The process was very fair," Falk said in a statement. "We agree the part should have been presented to the (NASCAR) R&D Center. We're satisfied with the outcome and we won't appeal further."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...04/Circle-Sport-Racing-Penalties-Reduced.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton To Compete In TORC Opener​*
Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton will trade in his regular truck for a high-flying, short-course off-road machine at the 2015 TORC opener at Texas Motor Speedway April 24-25.

Crafton will race the Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit truck, sponsored by KMC Wheels and AMSOIL, when he joins the PRO 4WD field for the Roundup in Texas race. His appearance is part of a special series of TORC events surrounding the upcoming Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit.

"To drive the Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit PRO 4WD truck for Chris Kyle is an absolute honor," said Crafton. "I watched the American Sniper movie about a month ago and it was just amazing and I'm grateful for the opportunity to support his family in raising funds for a cause Chris cared so much about."

Kyle was a decorated U.S. Navy SEAL and the subject of the Oscar nominated film American Sniper. He died in 2013. This year's benefit, organized by his family, is the second held in his memory.

TORC and its partners have pledged to support the Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit, which is raising funds for the Guardian for Heroes Foundation - a charity that supports veterans with disabilities, Gold Star families and those suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"We count many active and retired military members among our teams and fans," said BJ Birtwell, president of TORC: The Off-Road Championship Presented by AMSOIL. "To have an opportunity to celebrate and support this charity and the legacy of an American hero like Chris Kyle is humbling to all of us."

In addition to the celebrity race entry, Chris' father Wayne Kyle will be the Grand Marshal for the race. There will also be a Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit booth at the track where fans can donate to the foundation. Entry to the race is offered at $5 for active and retired military personnel who present a valid military ID at the ticket window.

"It's an honor for the Kyle Family - Deby and myself, our son Jeff, and daughter-in-law Amy - to partner with TORC to carry on Chris's legacy and be true to his motto: 'It's our duty to serve those who serve us,'" said Wayne Kyle.

Crafton, the most recent NASCAR Truck Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway, is no stranger to the TORC series, having earned a podium in his first career start when he drove a PRO 2WD truck at Chicagoland Speedway in 2012.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/offroad/torc-offroad/crafton-to-compete-in-torc-opener/


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## Ckg2011

*'Michael Waltrip' Leaves Six Voicemails For Hamlin After Taco Mishap​*
The bonds of friendship were tested after Waltrip dropped a taco on the No. 11






*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...michael-waltrip-taco-incident-nascarcasm.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Wants His Groove Back​*
Matt Kenseth is still searching for the formula that led to seven Sprint Cup Series victories in 2013.

Kenseth's first year at Joe Gibbs Racing two seasons ago turned into one of the veteran's career best. However while Kenseth did make the Chase last year and went the entire campaign winless.

So far in 2015 Kenseth is still searching for a return to Victory Lane. He comes to Bristol Motor Speedway for Sunday's Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes twelfth in the series point standings and hoping for an uptick in performance from the entire Joe Gibbs Racing team.

"I feel like it a little bit of a moving target," Kenseth said Friday at Bristol. "It's funny how that changes week to week. At Fontana, Denny (Hamlin) ran really, really well and thought if we wouldn't have got that caution with 15 (laps) to go or whatever, felt like we were in a good situation to win. We were leading and had enough gas and could hold off the 4 (Kevin Harvick) and the 41 (Kurt Busch). Then we went to Martinsville and all our cars would have been in the top-five if Carl (Edwards) wouldn't have had flat tires and some bad luck.

"I felt like things were getting better there and qualifying at the mile-and-a-halves had been really good before last weekend, but then we go to Texas and none of us qualify well and really none of us raced very well. I felt like we were gaining on it and last week felt like a step back and I really today can't tell you why, I really don't know why."

Kenseth remains optimistic about the overall effort of the JGR squad and believes the team has an opportunity to fare well this weekend at Bristol.

"I feel like we're gaining on it a little bit and certainly Bristol is very unique so I'm hoping we can all come out here and run decent," he said. "The last couple years it's been a pretty decent track for us overall."

Kenseth has won before at Bristol but that was a few reconfigurations ago. The .533-mile short track is a different place today than it was even a year ago, which makes it a challenge to figure out.

But Kenseth like many other drivers still considers Bristol a favorite.

"It's changed a lot over the years," Kenseth said. "It should be a little bit different with the spring race being later, although the forecast on Sunday might change that a little bit. Typically here the spring race is a lot different than the fall race. The groove ends up being a little lower and the track doesn't take as much rubber and all those things.

"With this temperature, I think it's going to be more similar to the fall race so you have to be able to handle really good on the top and decent in the middle to be able to make some passes. The groove usually gets stuck right up on the top and it's really, really fast. There's always a lot going on here so it's a fun track."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/04/Matt-Kenseth-Wants-His-Groove-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR To Make Final Appeal​*
Richard Childress Racing will make a final appeal to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer regarding the penalty assessed to Ryan Newman's team.

RCR filed the necessary paperwork on Friday and will have the case presented to Bryan Moss for a final hearing.

On Thursday the National Motorsports Appeal Panel reduced the points penalties from 75 to 50 for Newman and team owner Richard Childress while lowering crew chief Luke Lambert's fine from $125,000 to $75,000. However, all other punishments attached to the P5 penalty for the tire modifications found in Newman's tires at Auto Club Speedway stuck including the six points-paying race suspension for Lambert.

Now that a final appeal has been granted, those fines and suspensions have been deferred until a final conclusion in the case meaning Lambert would be able to work this weekend's race in Bristol. Todd Parrott, who was called into action late Thursday, is currently the interim crew chief.

Saturday's first practice session is slated to start at 8:30 a.m. (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rd-Childress-Racing-To-Make-Final-Appeal.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Improving Patrick Heads to Bristol​*
Danica Patrick looks to continue her recent upward trend in Sunday's Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has started to put together a string of better performances that have shown marked improvement over last year's effort. She goes into Bristol 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings with an average finish of 18.9 over the first seven races of the season, an improvement of eight spots from a year ago.

Patrick was 18th in last year's spring race at the .533-mile track.

"The last time we were here, it was hard to pass," she said. "But that's why the bottom becomes important. If you get stuck there or if you start on the bottom on a restart, if your car is turning you can make that work.

"Qualifying is going to be important, so I'm going to do a lot more qualifying runs during practice - as many as possible before qualifying in the afternoon. I've liked Bristol since the first time I went there."

The tight quarters Patrick describes more often than not lead to contact with some rough-and-tumble moments. She's okay with that.

"I don't mind some beating and banging out there, pushing your way around," Patrick said. "Its the nature of short tracks when you're running really close to one another. You put 43 cars on a track the size of Bristol and you're filling up a lot of the track. The short tracks are conducive to close racing since aerodynamics don't come into play quite as much."

Considering Patrick's open-wheel career before she moved to NASCAR, her performance at Bristol has been remarkable. There isn't anything that closely resembles the high-banked Tennessee half-mile in the Indy car world, but Patrick took to Bristol quite well when she first began her stock-car tenure.

She came home with a top-10 finish in 2012 and says the entire experience of racing at Bristol is one she now looks forward to.

"I remember when I first set foot on that track," Patrick said. "I looked out and you're standing on the straightaway, but it sure seems like a corner. It's a very cool track and a spectacle for the fans. That's always the one where everyone says, 'I want to come see a Bristol race.' It's always entertaining for the fans and hopefully, we can put on another good show for them."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Patrick-Heads-to-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Captures Bristol Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6751&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Matt Kenseth earned the top spot for the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Kenseth turned a lap of 128.632 mph take his first pole of the 2015 season. It was the 14th of his Sprint Cup Series career.

"I got it all that first lap," Kenseth said. "Good job. That was about as good as we were going to get&#8230;it was the best we could do with what we got. It was our best lap of the day."

Kenseth started from the pole when he won at Bristol in August of 2005.

Brad Keselowski mad a late lap in the day's final session to take the number two starting spot and will flank Kenseth to the green flag on Sunday.

"It's still very, very early in the weekend and the track is really not indicative of what we're gonna have to race, so as it continues to change you'll see some comers and goers from what we saw today," Keselowski explained. "Either way, we're reasonably happy with our day to qualify second. You get that close and it seems to sting a little bit more because it didn't take much to find the next place, but it could be worse and we're thankful for a decent starting spot and hopefully a great spot on pit road to help us all day on Sunday."

Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five with Joe Gibbs Racing drivers taking three of those positions.

Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Several top drivers failed to advance into the final round of qualifying including Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will start 13th, and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon (23rd).

"We will be very good this weekend," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We love racing here, love this race track. We just have to improve how the car drives. We have decent speed there and that is a good result for us in qualifying especially at this track."

There were notables not advancing out of round one as well with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (25th), Danica Patrick (26th), Jimmie Johnson (28th), Greg Biffle (37th) and Clint Bowyer (39th) among that group.

Brendan Gaughan and Ron Hornaday Jr. did not qualify for the race.

Sprint Cup drivers will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday to dial their cars in for the eighth race of the season.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/04/Matt-Kenseth-Captures-Bristol-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*XFINITY Series Thunders Into Bristol​*
The NASCAR XFINITY Series is set to do battle at Bristol Motor Speedway in Saturday's Drive to Stop Diabetes 300.

The .533-mile Tennessee oval is both a favorite of drivers and a tough challenge. Saturday's race will feature an interesting group of veterans and young talent mixing it up for 300 laps.

Erik Jones is the most recent series winner, taking his first career victory last weekend in Texas. He's made one series start at BMS, qualifying sixth and finishing eighth.

"Bristol's more like the tracks I grew up running," said Jones, who cut his teeth at such legendary high-banked ovals like Salem and Winchester Speedways in Indiana. "It's going to be interesting to see where our program stands on the short-track side of things. We've been strong the last few weeks and should be able to carry that momentum right into Bristol."

Series leader Ty Dillon is searching for some of that momentum to increase his lead in the standings, which is only two points over Chris Buescher. Dillon has started a combined five races in "Thunder Valley" between the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. He finished fourth last August in the XFINITY Series event and says Bristol is one of his favorite stops.

"I credit my dirt-track racing days to my success at Bristol Motor Speedway," Dillon said. "It's super-fast with many different areas to race. That bump-and-grind type of racing is what I'm used to and grew up doing."

There's another young driver in the field that would love to celebrate in Victory Lane for a special reason. Ryan Reed, who won the season-opening race at Daytona in February, was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes at age 17. The Roush Fenway Racing driver would like nothing more than to take the checkered flag in a race with a title sponsor so close his heart.

"I'm grateful for everything Lilly Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association are doing to spread awareness of the disease, and am so glad I can help them do this through racing," Reed said. "Their efforts at Bristol this weekend are especially important because of the high rates of diabetes in Tennessee."

Leading the veterans who will challenge Bristol this weekend is reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. He's got loads of experience and has had much success at BMS, and sees no reason why that can't continue come Saturday.

"Bristol is one of those places you circle on your schedule each year," said Harvick, who will drive the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The car's sponsor, Hunt Brothers Pizza, is based in Tennessee.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ies-Thunders-into-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ross Kenseth To Drive For JGR At Chicago​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that Ross Kenseth will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the No. 20 Toyota Camry at Chicagoland Speedway on June 20. Dollar General will proudly partner with Kenseth for his first NASCAR National Series career start.

"This is an exciting time for us," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, "We've got several young, talented drivers in our stable, and now we have the chance to add Ross Kenseth to that list. Ross has been working hard and showing that he is ready for this next step. We're excited that he will be doing that in the No. 20 car with our partner Dollar General."

Dollar General joined JGR in 2012 with sponsorship in NASCAR's top two series. Since joining the organization, Dollar General has been a part of 14 visits to Victory Lane between the NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series.

"We're excited to expand our partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and return to the XFINITY Series with Ross (Kenseth) as he makes his series debut," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chairman and chief executive officer, "We've been fortunate to work with great drivers over the years and have success across all three of NASCAR's top series. We know Ross will do a great job and represent the Dollar General brand well."

In addition to making his XFINITY Series debut this season, 21-year-old Kenseth will also compete in a limited Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and late-model racing schedule.

"I am really thankful for the opportunity JGR and Dollar General have given me and I am excited to make my first XFINITY Series start," said Ross Kenseth, "I couldn't have asked to be in a better situation. Having Dollar General support me for my first start means a lot to me. JGR and Dollar General are used to running up front and competing for wins, and hopefully I can catch on quickly."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...to-Drive-for-Joe-Gibbs-Racing-at-Chicago.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Dominates At Bristol​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6773&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano rolled to a dominating victory in Saturday's Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 X-FINITY Series race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Logano led every lap in his No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, notching his second win of the season. Rookie Daniel Suarez finished second with Chris Buescher, Erik Jones and Ty Dillon completing the top five. It was an early birthday present for Team Penske crew chief Greg Erwin, who turns 45 on Sunday.

Logano jumped into the top spot at the drop of the green flag and never looked back on his way to career XFINITY Series win No. 23. He's the 19th driver in series history to lead every lap of a race. The 300 laps led Saturday is the most ever in XFINITY Series history.

"I've never led every single lap in a race before," Logano said. "This is fun, amazing. You're waiting for something to go wrong. It's such a fast car. All those late cautions, you're like, 'Where am I going to blow this thing?' What a perfect day!

"The whole time, I was so nervous that something would happen. It's such a fun thing to win at Bristol. It's Bristol! Any time you win here, it's neat."

Buescher was pleased with third place, knowing how hard it was to beat Logano.

"That was a really fast racecar, by far the best we've ever been here," said Buescher. "We needed a little bit. It was so hard to pass. On that high side, you get up there and can't do much on the bottom. We were stuck there at the end."

Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Brian Scott, Brendan Gaughan and Elliott Sadler took positions 6-10. Harvick had to work his way through the field after he was caught speeding on pit road on Lap 174. While he had a fast car, Harvick was not able to challenge for the win and had to settle for the top-10 finish.

The race had eight caution flags for 48 laps with one lead change - the opening lap when Logano took the top spot. There was one red flag when JJ Yeley crashed and the front splitter of his Toyota became wedged underneath the Turn-3 wall. It took crews a little under 15 minutes to make the necessary repairs.

Dillon and Buescher are now tied for the series points lead with Elliott third, 12 behind. The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Richmond International Raceway next Friday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...gano-Dominates-at-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Up For Bristol Challenge​*
Kevin Harvick is aiming for an 11th straight top-10 finish in Sunday's Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Since last November's race at Texas Motor Speedway Harvick has not been outside the first 10 finishers, including finishing second or better in nine of the last 10 races.

But that streak will be tested at Bristol where Harvick does not have a top-10 Sprint Cup Series race finish in his last seven starts.

"Well, Bristol is a lot different than it used to be," said Harvick, who will start fourth in Sunday's race. "The fast way around the racetrack it up against the wall now, so it becomes a little bit harder to pass. They're also making some changes to the soft walls on the straightaways, so I think that's going to make the bottom even harder to run.

"We'll see what the weekend brings and try to keep track position as we go through the day to run up against the wall."

Harvick does have nine top-five finishes and 12 top-10s at the Tennessee short track and won the 2005 spring race.

He points out there are definitely differences racing at Bristol in the spring versus the annual summer night race.

"It's usually a lot cooler, so in the spring you don't fight a lot of the same things that you fight in the fall," he said. "Obviously we have different rules this year, so I think we're going to have to adjust to that, as well. I think it will be a lot like it is everywhere else in terms of the new rules - you're just going to have a lot more throttle time through the corner, which at Bristol sounds hard to believe, but you're going to have more throttle time through the corners."

Harvick already has two wins in the season's first seven races and has secured a spot in the Chase and an opportunity to defend his championship. As for the successful string he's on, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver says he's simply just doing his job and enjoying every minute.

"I look at it as we're doing stuff that I've never experienced before," he said. "It's a much different feeling than having to figure out how to win a race, come from behind or whatever the case may be. It's a much different way that you have to manage expectations, manage the race and manage the weekend. It's a different approach because you know we have speed in our cars and we have people doing their jobs and performing at a very high level. The guys on the shop floor, the pit crew and the guys on the pit box - everybody is performing at such a high level.

"The guys on the shop floor, the pit crew and the guys on the pit box - everybody is performing at such a high level. You almost respect it more now just for the fact that you went through all of those years of scrounging to do what you do to get the results that you wanted to and we were fortunate to have good results. But it was just a different path, I guess you could say. You just keep your head down and keep working just for the fact that you've seen it the other way."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...4/Kevin-Harvick-Up-For-Bristol-Challenge.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Story Lines​*
The season's second short-track race of the season comes on a track that may be similar in size to the previous stop at Martinsville Speedway but is very much different.

Bristol's high banks and concrete surface around the .533-mile Tennessee short track provides drivers with a challenge unlike any other on the schedule.

"I just love short-track racing," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "If you look over the statistics of my career, I've performed best at the short tracks. Bristol is also one of those race tracks I loved to go to as a kid. There were places on the circuit you looked forward to, but Bristol was always on top of the list. There is just no other track like it."

*Weather Or Not* 
It appears Mother Nature will add to the Bristol challenges on Sunday. The National Weather Service has predicted anywhere between a 90 and 100 percent of rain and thundershowers all day long. The foreboding forecast and possibility of a shortened race might play a huge part in crew chiefs calling for different strategies with an eye to the sky. Bristol has lights and NASCAR officials will no doubt everything possible to get Sunday's scheduled 500-laps in the books.

"We will make every effort to accomplish the full day of events on the same day as scheduled, and if needed, we'll turn on the lights. Come on out and join us for a great day at the track," said Jerry Caldwell, general manager, Bristol Motor Speedway.

*Band Back Together* 
Richard Childress Racing's decision to take the P5 penalty NASCAR assessed for modified tires found on Ryan Newman's car at Auto Club Speedway to a final appeal means team suspensions will be deferred. So until the final appeal is heard crew chief Luke Lambert can work in the No. 31 pit and not serve the six race suspension handed down in the penalty.

*Kenseth From The Top* 
Matt Kenseth has not won since 2013 but he'll bring the field to green Sunday from the pole. Kenseth won at Bristol from the top spot before and considers the track one of his favorites. Bristol has traits of Midwest short tracks where Kenseth cut his late model teeth such as Wisconsin's Slinger Super Speedway and Madison International Speedway. The former Sprint Cup champ should be a definite factor for win number one of 2015 Sunday.

*Ragan On Radar* 
David Ragan has done a solid job filling in for the injured Kyle Busch in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota. He brought home a top five finish for the team at the last short track race in Martinsville and has high hopes of another stellar performance Sunday. Ragan will start 11th in the field and the clock may be running on just how long he'll stay in the car before returning to Front Row Motorsports. The evolution of Erik Jones may see the young driver get a shot at a Sprint Cup Series start in the ride in the next few weeks.

*MWR Struggles* 
There has been a great deal of conversation this year about what's wrong with Roush Fenway Racing and Tony Stewart after disappointing starts to the season by both. But Michael Waltrip Racing also belongs in that category and Clint Bowyer and Brett Moffitt have their work cut out for them Sunday. Bowyer is buried back in the 39th starting position while Moffitt will come from the 24th spot. One of the two needs to bring home a decent day for the beleaguered organization that has to be reaching for the panic button.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...0-in-Support-of-Steve-Byrnes-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Back In Victory Lane​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6751&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Kenseth endured rain delays and a long day of wild racing to win Sunday's Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Kenseth had to finally fight off the field in a green-white-checkered finish that stretched the race to 511 laps, the longest in Bristol history. He wound up leading the final 34 laps to score his first win since 2013 and the 32nd of his Sprint Cup career.

"I'm glad we were able to finish this tonight and we had the car to stay ahead at the end," Kenseth said. "It was a crazy night for sure but it feels good to be back here in Victory Lane.

Jimmie Johnson came back from an early race accident to finish second as a follow-up to his win at Texas Motor Speedway last week.

"It was a wild night, but I've just got to thank my crew for all the hard work," Johnson said. "We rallied back and got us second. We maybe had a shot at the win, but just thrilled to get such a great finish here at really one of the tougher tracks for me as a driver. Very stoked to be here. The Chevy was fast."

Jeff Gordon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.

Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier, Danica Patrick and Austin Dillon completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Richmond International Raceway for next Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400.

*How Kenseth won:* Kenseth looked to be in control of the race as the laps wound down until a string of challenges popped up near the end. A late crash brought out caution and set up a dash to the checkered flag that was then halted by a brief rain delay. Once the track was dried Kenseth set up for a two-lap dash in overtime on lap 509 and got a great restart and advantage to hold off the field on his way to the checkered flag.

*What else happened:* It was one of the strangest races in the long history of Bristol. Several weather challenges delayed the race and caused red flags including nearly a four hour wait just past the 20th lap. The racing also featured bizarre moments and many wrecks along the way including to several contenders and front runners.

*Who else had a good day:* Johnson miraculously recovered from the accident for the runner-up finish&#8230;..Gordon fell three laps down at one point with a wheel vibration but rallied back to finish third&#8230;.Stenhouse Jr. had a second-place finish in this race a year ago and came back with a fourth this season&#8230;..Stewart's rough season got a ray of hope with his top-10 performance.

*Who had a bad day:* Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano tangled with each other on lap 19 and both drivers suffered significant damage in the altercation. They both returned to action but were out of contention before the race really got started&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson triggered a multi-car accident when he got impatient with the slower car of Jeb Burton and the subsequent contact caught up David Ragan and Kevin Harvick in the crash. But Johnson was somehow able to recover and finish second. "When you race back there with the squirrels, sometimes you find the nut," Ragan said. "As soon as my spotter said 'They're wrecking,' I was into the No. 48."&#8230;.Dale Earnhardt Jr. fell several laps back early with a loose wheel issue&#8230;.Martin Truex Jr. saw his string of consecutive top-10 finishes end with first a loose wheel and later a trip into the wall&#8230;Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch were in contention for the win late in the race but they were part of a huge crash racing through turns one and two and both knocked out.

*Quote of the day:* "I guess I will just have to watch Game of Thrones tomorrow night," Kasey Kahne

*Notables:* Harvick (38th), Logano (40th) and Truex Jr. (29th) all saw their streaks of consecutive top 10 finishes in every race this season come to an end&#8230;..Partrick scored her second top-10 finish of the year&#8230;.Allgaier had his career best finish in eighth.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...seth-Ends-Drought-with-Food-City-500-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Solid Night For Stenhouse Jr.​*
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. turned in the best performance of his season with a fourth-place finish in the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver came home second in the race a year ago and returned to the top five this season in the long and wild night of racing.

"It was great for us," said Stenhouse Jr. "We always look forward to coming to Bristol. It's been a great track for us so far in my Sprint Cup career."

Stenhouse has struggled early this year after enduring a disappointing season a year ago. The two-time XFINITY Series champion was pleased to be able to content on Sunday and sees reason for optimism moving ahead.

"We still lack a little bit to go up and lead laps, but here at Bristol I don't think we're far off, but we still have to work on our front ends some more and get our Fords turning a little bit better, but tonight was a lot of fun," he said. "I always enjoy running up next to the wall and those late-race restarts we were able to gain some spots and just a good night of racing.

"I wish we could get it figured out a little bit better everywhere else, but it's not for a lack of effort. Everybody is working really hard and we just have to keep our heads down and dig."

Stenhouse is hoping to now bring some momentum into the next stretch of the schedule starting with next weekend's second consecutive short track stop at Richmond International Raceway.

"Richmond will be a test for us as bad as we were there last year, but Talladega and Kansas are good race tracks for us," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting to Kansas. We've led laps there and led laps late and cautions caught us off, so those are the next two that I'm really looking forward to getting to.

"Richmond was a struggle for us last year, so hopefully we have made some gains at that, but we still have to get our front ends a little bit better."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ouse-Jr-Finishes-Fourth-in-Food-City-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Penske Teammates Collide Early​*
Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano were involved in an accident in the very early stages of Sunday's rain-delayed Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes.

NASCAR started the race after a little more than an hour rain delay but things quickly turned into disaster for the Penske pair.

Keselowski bobbled trying to get around the car of Alex Bowman on just lap 19 and was collected by Logano in short order. Both cars were severely damaged and to add insult to injury the skies opened just moments later and the race was put under red flag.

"It's been raining since we started the race; it was a really light sprinkle, the track was barely dry, the car just took off on me," Keselowski said. "I'd like to blame the rain. Usually when a car gets that far sideway, and it's out of nowhere, there's a reason behind it. I really hate I tore up my teammate in the process. It's really a bummer. I felt like I had a normal line, and it just moved crazy sideways."

Logano explained what he saw unfold in front of him.

"It happened quick, obviously," he said. "You think you get early in this race and kind of want to settle in and just starting to get the top worked in a little bit there and Brad just got loose underneath that lapped car. You start checking up and it looked like he was gonna have it saved and he checked up more than I expected and the next thing you know I'm in the back of him and we're both headed towards the fence."

Whether the wet conditions and rainy weather had anything to do with the incident was a topic of conversation but Keselowski understood the circumstances.

"I hate racing in the rain, but I understand the position that NASCAR is in," he said. "They want to get the race going and this is one of those days where it's gonna just keep raining off and on and we're trying to get as many laps in at a time as we can to give the fans the best race possible, but we're racing in the rain to do it and that's what happens."

Logano and Keselowski fell to 42nd and 43rd, respectively, in the running order at the red flag.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ey-Logano-Collide-Early-in-Food-City-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*More Action From The Food City 500 At Bristol Motor Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Winners And Losers​*
It was a long day's journey into night for drivers in Sunday's Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*

Was the big winner Sunday. He ended his 51-race winless drought by getting to Victory Lane for the first time since 2013. In doing so, Kenseth cemented the confidence of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team as well as the entire organization that now has two drivers virtually locked into the Chase.

*Jimmie Johnson*

Somehow, Johnson found his way back to finish second behind Kenseth after what looked to be another disastrous short-track outing - much like what he experienced last month at Martinsville Speedway. Johnson got a little impatient with rookie Jeb Burton and made contact with the young driver to trigger a multi-car wreck. But the six-time champion came away none the worse for wear and made his way back through the field to score the improbable runner-up finish.

*Jeff Gordon*

In the same vein as his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson, Gordon put together a remarkable run to finish third. Loose wheels and vibrations early in the race knocked him from the lead lap. However, Gordon made up the lost ground and when the checkered flag flew, his second-to-last race at Bristol ended on a positive note.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*

Much-maligned Roush Fenway Racing got a needed boost with Stenhouse's fourth-place run. It came on the heels of his second-place finish there a year ago. Clearly, Bristol is a place where Stenhouse excels and he'll be looking forward to his return to "Thunder Valley" in August.

*Justin Allgaier*

The unheralded HScott Motorsports team has seen Allgaier turn in some impressive runs in the early going of the 2015 season ... none better than Allgaier's career-best eighth-place finish Sunday at Bristol.

*LOSERS​*
*Joey Logano*

Any hopes of following Saturday's dominating XFINITY Series performance were wiped out when Logano tangled with Team Penske running mate Brad Keselowski on Lap 19. That made what would turn out to be a long day even longer.

*Brad Keselowski*

... See Joey Logano description above ...

*Kevin Harvick*

The defending Sprint Cup Series champion's red-hot start to the season got derailed when Harvick was caught up in a multi-car accident. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver could not slow down fast enough to avoid a melee that had broken out in Turn 3. He slammed into the side of David Ragan's car, falling out of contention for a third win of the season.

*Martin Truex Jr.*

Truex's streak of seven straight top-10 finishes to start the year ended thanks to a loose wheel and subsequent slide into the outside wall. Adding insult to injury, crew chief Cole Pearn was summoned to the NASCAR trailer after the race - during which Truex reported seeing debris when there was none, clearly trying to get a caution after discovering his loose wheel and vibration.

*Carl Edwards*

It looked like Edwards was going to make it two consecutive spring Bristol wins and score his first career victory for Joe Gibbs Racing ... until he was wiped out of competition in a late crash with Kurt Busch. Edwards was saddled with a 24th-place finish on what looked like a much more promising day.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ristol-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Danica Patrick Sets NASCAR Women's Record For Top-10 Finishes​*
*D*anica Patrick didn't win at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, but her ninth place finish was record-breaking nonetheless.

Patrick's sixth career top-10 finish in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series gives her the most ever by a female driver.

Janet Guthrie, the previous record holder, had five top-10 finishes in 33 career starts. Patrick, who became a full-time driver in 2013, matched that number in March before breaking the record Sunday at the Food City 500, though she's made 90 starts.

"We came out of here with a top 10. I got to tell you I did not think -- I was hoping for a top 20 after our weekend. We were like 30 something in practice," Patrick said, according to NASCAR.com. "Lucked out in qualifying and got 26th, which like I said lucked out. It was a struggle of a weekend, but by all means you take these weekends."

Patrick sits in 13th place in the Sprint Cup standings with 19 races left in the season, not including the All-Star race, before top 16 drivers begin the Chase for the Cup in elimination-style playoffs for the title.

"I'm proud of everybody for keeping their heads up and staying positive and these are the things that happen when you work together as a team," Patrick said. "Just keep at it. We had some luck on our side and I really feel like that positivity feeds into getting some luck and being at the right place at the right time."

Patrick is scheduled to race in the Toyota Owners 400 this Saturday at Richmond International Raceway in Virginia.

*Source:*
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sport...car-record-top10-finishes-20150420-story.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Second Straight Short Track Awaits​*
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits a short track for the second consecutive weekend with a trip to Richmond International Raceway on tap.

Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 comes less than a week after the series competed at Bristol Motor Speedway in last Sunday's Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes. The .75-mile Richmond oval is a bit different from Bristol's high banks but, like most short tracks, is high on the list of driver favorites.

"It's unique and one of the hardest to make your car do what you want it to do," Truex said. "It's a typical short track: tight in the middle of the corner and loose off. The last couple years, it seems like tire wear was an issue.

"If your car is fast on the short run, it seems like you can almost get lapped on a long run. It's hard to find the right balance at Richmond. The big question is how much do you work on the short run and how much do you work on the long run? It's a challenging weekend."

What adds to both the challenge and charm of Richmond is the aging track surface. As the asphalt wears out, many drivers believe the racing improves.

"It's one of my favorite tracks because the surface is so worn out," Jamie McMurray said. "When you get 50 or 60 laps on your tires, it's all you can do to give it half-throttle on the exit of the corners. If your car is working better than others, it's easy to pass. The most important thing is to not overdrive the corners. There's such a (big) difference from stickers to old tires that it's easy to overdrive on old tires."

Sprint Cup Series points leader and defending champion Kevin Harvick has three career Richmond victories. However, his last came in 2013 and the Stewart-Haas Racing driver didn't fare particularly well in last year's two races - won by Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

"We didn't run as well as we wanted to last year at Richmond," Harvick said. "As we go back, we're shooting to do a little bit better and trying some different things. It's been a very good racetrack for me in the past and I like the short, flat tracks."

There are those who are not quite as enamored with Richmond as some of their colleagues are. This group faces Saturday night's 400 laps with a bit more trepidation, including a six-time series champion.

"We've struggled at Richmond lately," Jimmie Johnson said. "Last fall, we got a top 10 out of it. But for some reason, we haven't been able to get a handle on it. I hope the momentum we've had for the past few weeks will help. Richmond has been a source of frustration as of late. It's a tough little track, with great racing for sure."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Toyota Owners 400 from Richmond International Raceway starting at 6 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/04/Second-Straight-Short-Track-Awaits.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Questions And Answers​*
There are several intriguing situations developing as the 2015 season rolls on. Here's my best shot at answering some of the more compelling queries.

*Will the RCR P5 Penalty Deter Teams From Cheating?*

No. There isn't a system in the world that will stop teams from trying to find a competitive advantage outside the rule book. The gray areas are much more clearly defined today and crew chiefs must use every ounce of ingenuity they can muster. However, messing with the "Holy Trinity" of engine, fuel and tires has always been beyond the gray area and considered flat-out cheating, which is why RCR's tire manipulation is still so curious to me. What's compounded the issue is the continued assertion by some that breaking the rules is a necessary part of NASCAR and that it should be embraced. As long as that culture is championed and flourishes, the harder it is for this sport to be viewed as legitimate outside the NASCAR arena. With that said, growth and building a new audience is impossible.

*Will Roush Fenway Racing Return to Prominence?*

It's impossible to pinpoint what's been ailing Jack Roush's organization in recent years. More than likely, there isn't one particular item to point the finger at. The team made several behind-the-scenes moves in the off-season, hoping to shore up the lackluster results. So far, there hasn't been much reason for optimism although last week's top-five finish by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and a decent run by Greg Biffle at Bristol provided a glimmer of hope, I guess. RFR's bread and butter has always been the intermediate-track program. There's a string of such tracks coming up on the schedule that will provide a better chance for the team to show whether or not it's making progress.

*What's Wrong With Tony Stewart?*

The last two years were considered the worst in Stewart's life. It's an understandable stance given the circumstances the three-time Sprint Cup Series champion faced in 2013 and 2014. He came into this season looking refreshed and hoping for a new start. Unfortunately, things aren't much better than they were last year for "Smoke" in the early going. There's a little life in recent weeks and a sixth-place Bristol performance had to feel very good for the No. 14 team. But while teammates Kevin Harvick and - now - Kurt Busch run well every week, it's hit-and-miss for Stewart. Everything from his mental state to Stewart's physical fitness have spawned questions about what's ailing him. While I can't dismiss either theory, my gut tells me it's more about not having competitive racecars at his disposal than the speculation that Stewart can no longer drive.

*What Is Michael Waltrip Racing's Future?*

This is a tough one and if performance alone dictates where MWR goes from here it's not a pretty picture. The organization is already dealing with the loss of one of its primary drivers in Brian Vickers, who will be sidelined with health issues for some time. Rookie Brett Moffitt continues to learn on the job, which is difficult for anyone let alone a young talent trying to perform in sub-competitive equipment. The same challenge holds for veteran Clint Bowyer, who - much like Stewart, in my view - can still drive a racecar competitively if given the chance. Michael Waltrip Racing is a lot like Roush Fenway Racing in that the clock is ticking on just what's ailing the on-track performance.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/04/Opinion-Questions-and-Answers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Smithfield Backs Almirola For RIR XFINITY Go​*
Aric Almirola and Smithfield Foods will team up with Biagi DenBeste Racing for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond Int'l Raceway April 24.

Almirola will pilot the No. 98 Smithfield Ford in his third NXS race this season at Smithfield's home track. He is slotted to race five more XFINITY races in the No. 98 Biagi DenBeste Racing Ford.

Almirola raced the No. 98 Ford at Daytona Int'l Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year, where he scored two Top-11 finishes. Almirola has five career starts at Richmond in the NXS and an average finish of 16.4, with a highest finish of seventh.

"I'm really excited to run the XFINITY race in Richmond," said Almirola. "It's a hometown race for Smithfield, so we'll have a lot of people cheering us on. It's also a night race which always has added excitement. I've had some success there in the past, so hopefully, we'll be fueled by bacon all the way to the Winner's Circle."

Located just down the road from Richmond, Smithfield considers Richmond Int'l Raceway its "home track." Founded in Smithfield, Virginia in 1936, the now-global food company is a leading provider of high-quality pork products such as ham, bacon, ribs, sausage, and pork chops. The Virginia-based company will also adorn the hood of the No. 43 Ford with Almirola in Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series race.

"We're thrilled to have added exposure at our home track, Richmond International Raceway," said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield Senior Director of Corporate Communications. "We're looking forward to a shot at Victory Lane two nights in a row. We'll have a lot of guests at the track this weekend and can't wait for them to experience all the excitement."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...smithfield-backs-almirola-for-rir-xfinity-go/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Not Looking Back​*
Joey Logano won't dwell on last week's early-race accident with teammate Brad Keselowski at Bristol.

The Team Penske teammates had their day in the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes pretty much end when the collided on lap 18. Keselowski bobbled and collected Logano, who had nowhere to go.

While both returned to the track after the day's lengthy rain delay and subsequent repairs, there was no chance to compete for a win.

However, Logano has already put the incident behind him and is focused on trying to get a second straight victory in the Toyota Owners 400 Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

There are no lingering feelings of disappointment or ill will between the teammates.

"Everything is fine," Logano said Friday at Richmond. "Brad and I talked about it. It is not like - he obviously didn't mean to do it. It hurt both our days, not just mine."

Although it was no doubt a frustrating turn of events, Logano said the team simply decided to try and make the best of the unfortunate situation.

"It was a tough day but we were able to take something out of the weekend," he said. "I think the damage repair the team did was really good and we showed we had a really fast car afterwards. That makes it more frustrating when you can go run with these guys but you don't wanna be that guy racing with them when you are 50 laps down. You don't want to make enemies out there.

"The practice the guys got fixing the car, we didn't have to do that because we have the win already but we get practice for if that comes up and we have to do that. That was good practice to repair cars and get back out there as quick as we can."

As for his chances this week to score a second victory of the season to go along with his Daytona 500 win, Logano says there's room for improvement but plans to be in the mix.

"It isn't bad," he said of his car. "I don't feel like it is as good as where we were last year in the spring here but I feel like we have got some decent speed in our car&#8230;."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/04/Joey-Logano-Not-Looking-Back.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Says Tire Wear Key​*
Kyle Larson sees tire wear playing a big part in this weekend's racing at Richmond International Raceway.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver took part in a test session at the .75-mile track recently and saw tires wear out a great deal as more laps were run.

"It's always significant at Richmond," Larson said Friday morning. "It was probably 2-2½ seconds fall-off with not even a full (tire) run."

However, Larson enjoys racing at tracks with seasoned surfaces like Richmond and looks forward to the challenges ahead this weekend.

"It gets extremely slick off both ends of the track," he explained, "especially in the Cup car. You won't even be wide-open by the time you get to the flag stand. You're pedaling it quite a ways. Then, off (Turn) 2, the banking falls off quickly and it's easy to lose your car there. But this track is fun because the tires fall off so much."

Although Larson has some experience in both XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series racing at Richmond, it's not as deep as some others. But having some experience is better than none at all and Larson is looking to that as a benefit.

"For veteran drivers, it helps them - even in practice," Larson said. "They understand what they need to do to the racecar to make it good throughout a run. I'm good here on short runs and not good on long runs. That's something I need to work on for Richmond and get better at."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/04/Kyle-Larson-Says-Tire-Wear-Key.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan On MWR Radar​*
Michael Waltrip Racing is pursuing the possibility of putting David Ragan into its No. 55 entry.

Ragan has filled in for the injured Kyle Busch since early March and driven the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He started the season with Front Row Motorsports and joined JGR in a pinch-hitting role that appears to be coming to an end.

Ragan has confirmed that he'll be in the "18" through next weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway. There's speculation that 18-year-old Erik Jones, who made his Sprint Cup debut filling in for Denny Hamlin last weekend at Bristol, might take the wheel beginning at Kansas Speedway.

It was assumed that Ragan would return to Front Row after his JGR stint, but now comes word that Michael Waltrip Racing may put him in the "55." Brian Vickers is out for an unspecified time due to a reccurrence of blood clots. Waltrip and Brett Moffitt have driven in his place. When, or even if, Vickers can come back remains a question.

"We're making plans now and wanted a long-term solution for the situation by this point, but we just haven't been able to put all the pieces together yet," Waltrip told The Associated Press. "He (Vickers) certainly wants to be back, but he's on (blood) thinners. Until he comes up with a long-term solution to that, that challenges us in answering whether he'll be back."

With Ragan available soon and him being a potential Chase participant, currently 18th in points, MWR may have found its solution.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...id-Ragan-on-Michael-Waltrip-Racing-Radar.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Considering Busch Waiver​*
It appears NASCAR is leaning toward granting Kyle Busch an exemption to keep him eligible to qualify for the post-season Chase.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said, "It was more likely than not," that Busch would be granted a waiver upon his return from injuries he sustained during a crash in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

"Depends on when he comes back, of course," France said Thursday while meeting with a group of sports editors in New York City. "But more likely than not, we're going to try to figure out how to accommodate him, which is the beauty of our playoff system."

Busch said last week that he's planning to return to competition this season after breaking his leg and suffering other injuries in the February crash. There's no timetable in place, but Busch talked about the July Cup Series race at Daytona as a potential spot for his return.

While NASCAR has granted exemptions to other drivers - including Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch - they both missed three races each. If Busch comes back at Daytona, he will have missed 16 regular-season races.

The criteria of winning a race and staying among the top 30 in the Sprint Cup Series point standings would likely stay in place should Busch be granted the exemption. Based on France's tone in his comments Thursday, the sanctioning body is comfortable with allowing a driver to potentially contend for a championship despite missing more than half of the regular season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/04/NASCAR-Considering-Busch-Waiver.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Heart Surgery Sidelines Mike Wallace​*
Mike Wallace will step aside from his XFINITY Series schedule while recovering from recent heart surgery, with brother Kenny filling in next week at Talladega Superspeedway.

The 56-year-old Wallace experienced heart pain last week and underwent triple bypass surgery, and is now recovering.

"This isn't what the plan was," Wallace said. "I felt a little chest pain last week so I went to the doctor and the next thing I know, I'm going in for surgery. My dad had heart surgery about 35 years ago, so I thought I was being proactive and taking all of the necessary precautions. This just goes to show that you never know and there are a lot of people walking around in the same situation.

"No matter how healthy we think we are, no one can be careful enough when it comes to our health. So everyone needs to go get checked out."

Next Saturday's Winn-Dixie 300 at Talladega will find Kenny Wallace behind the wheel of the No. 26 JGL Racing Toyota.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../04/Heart-Surgery-Sidelines-Mike-Wallace.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond XFINITY Series Story Lines​*
There are many stories to follow in Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway, which can be heard live on the Motor Racing Network starting at 7 p.m. (ET).

*Buescher, Dillon Tied*
Seven races into the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season and Roush Fenway Racing's Chris Buescher and Richard Childress Racing's Ty Dillon are tied atop the points standings at 258 points each. The tie-breaker rule - best finish - officially give Buescher the points lead, thanks to his runner-up finish at Daytona. Dillon's best finish is third, at both Daytona and Atlanta.

Buescher's third-place finish this past weekend at Bristol was his fourth top five and fifth top 10 of the season. In the season-to-date Loop Data, Buescher ranks third in Average Running Position (8.958 ), third in Driver Rating (100.5), and third in Percentage of Laps Run on the Lead Lap (94.3%). His average finish this season is 7.3 - tied with Dillon as the best among the NXS championship contenders.

And he's done it while running double duty, starting the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. He'll skip the NSCS at Richmond this weekend, choosing to solely concentrate on the NXS event - and championship.

Buescher has made three starts at Richmond International Raceway posting two top 10s and an average finish of 11.3. Buescher finished seventh in the Spring Richmond event last season.

Dillon's consistent performance this season has him contending for a title; in seven starts he has posted three top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 7.3. Dillon's season-to-date Loop Data further explains his 2015 success; he is ranked sixth in Driver Rating (97.3), fourth in Average Running Position (9.133) and first in Percentage of Laps Run on the Lead Lap (98.2%).

Dillon could bounce back to his series point leading ways at Richmond. Dillon has made four series starts at RIR posting two 10s and an average finish of 11.5. He finished ninth at Richmond last fall.

*Sunoco Rookie Daniel Suarez Showcasing His Skills Early* 
The spotlight has turned and focused on Monterrey, Mexico native and Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Daniel Suárez following his runner-up finish this past weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Suárez's success should come as no surprise; he is a graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and a 'NASCAR Next' alum.

The 23 year old has posted one top five, two top 10s and an average finish of 15.3 in seven starts this season. Suárez has consistently improved as the season has progressed; his season-to-date Loop Data has him ranked 11th in Driver Rating (82.9), 11th in Average Running Position (14.277) and 10th in Laps Run in the Top 15 (69.8% of his laps run).

Suarez is currently 10th in the overall NASCAR XFINITY Series driver championship standings, three points behind ninth-place Brian Scott and 56 points back Chris Buescher in the series lead.

Suarez is also second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, four points behind the standings leader Darrell Wallace Jr.

Suarez made his series career debut at Richmond in this event last season; he started 12th and finished 19th.

*Youth Brigade Keeps Pounding The Drum Atop The Championship Standings* 
Since the third race of the season (Las Vegas), the NASCAR XFINITY Series top five in the championship standings has an average age of 21.2. Over the last six weeks the next generation of drivers has proven they belong and this weekend at Richmond you should expect nothing but a great show Friday night in the ToyotaCare 250 on FOX Sports 1 at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

*Below are the top-five in points and their age:* 
1. Chris Buescher (22 years old) 
2. Ty Dillon (23) 
3. Chase Elliott (19) 
4. Darrell Wallace Jr. (21) 
5. Ryan Reed (21)

*Penske's No. 22 Team Looks Unbeatable At Times:* 
Untouchable.

That's exactly what Joey Logano was in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway when he led all three hundred laps en route to the win and the third perfect driver rating (150.0) performance of his career and second of 2015 (Dover-2012 and Phoenix, Bristol-2014).

In three series start in 2015, Logano has posted two wins, three top fives, two poles and an average finish of an astounding 1.3.

Roger Penske's No. 22 now leads the NASCAR XFINITY Series car owner championship standings by 20 points over the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team. Penske is hunting for his third consecutive career NXS owner title with a driver lineup that touts Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.

Logano will be back in the No. 22 Ford this weekend at Richmond where he has made four series starts posting three top 10s and average finish of 9.3.

*Virginia Natives:* Sadler, Hamlin, McClure, Gdovic and Sellers Are Happy To Be Home 
The Commonwealth of Virginia is the home to some of NASCAR's most talented drivers, and this weekend the local fans will have the chance to cheer for five drivers entered in the ToyotaCare 250 that have their home state recorded as Virginia - Elliott Sadler, Denny Hamlin, Eric McClure, Brandon Gdovic and Peyton Sellers.

Sadler, currently sixth in series championship points, hails from Emporia, Virginia and has posted two top 10s and average finish of 13.3 in his first seven starts of 2015. Sadler has made 23 starts - the most of his career at a single track -at Richmond International Raceway posting two top fives and 10 top 10s. Though he has yet to win at RIR he has an average finish of 14.5.

Friday night will be Hamlin's fifth series start of the season. The Chesterfield, Virginia native has made 13 starts at Richmond in his career, posting two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s, two poles and an average finish of 11.2. Both of his series wins were during the spring races (2008, 2011) at RIR.

McClure, currently 20th in the series standings, is from Chilhowie, Virginia. McClure has started all seven races this season and has posted one top-20 finish. His average finish in 2015 is 26.6. McClure has made 13 starts at Richmond with an average finish of 31.2.

Brandon Gdovic, from Yorktown, Virginia, will be in the No. 55 Viva Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Gdovic made his NASCAR national series debut two weeks ago at Texas where he started 29th and finished 26th. This weekend at Richmond, Gdovic will attempt to make his second start and series track debut.

Sellers calls Danville, Virginia home. Sellers joined newly formed Obaika Racing at Phoenix earlier this season and has since started the last four races, posting an average finish of 31.8. Sellers has one series start at Richmond (2009); he started 12th and finished 19th.

*NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.:*
Reed's Extra Passenger: Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed will have a special dedication to Eli Hopkins, American Diabetes Association Youth Ambassador, during Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond. The No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford will carry Hopkins' name above the passenger-side window in dedication to Hopkins for all the great work done in the name American Diabetes Association. Hopkins was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of seven.

*Johanna Long Returns:* Pensacola, Fla., native Johanna Long will attempt to make her first start this season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Long has 41 series career starts to her name, posting an average finish of 23.5. Long has made four series starts at Richmond posting an average finish of 21.5.

*Big Names On Tap For Double Duty:* 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott will be making his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this weekend. Elliott will be joined by Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Landon Cassill, Brendan Gaughan, JJ Yeley, Jeff Green, Joey Gase and Austin Dillon in pulling double duty this weekend competing in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series races at Richmond.

*Milestones Watch:* Jeremy Clements will attempt to post his 175th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at RIR. Clements (174) is tied with Justin Allgaier for 68th on the NXS all-time starts list. &#8230; Brendan Gaughan will attempt to make his 125th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at RIR. Gaughan (124) is tied with Terry Labonte for 100th on the all-time NXS starts list. &#8230; Joey Logano can tie Tommy Houston (24) for ninth on the NXS all-time wins with a victory this weekend at RIR. Logano (23 wins) is currently tied with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 10th on the all-time NXS wins list. &#8230; Kevin Harvick will attempt to post his 175th NASCAR XFINITY Series top-five finish. If he can accomplish the feat he will tie Kyle Busch (175) for first on the NXS all-time top-five finishes list.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/04/Richmond-XFINITY-Series-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond Pole Belongs To Logano​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6763&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Defending race winner Joey Logano won the pole for Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Logano's lap of 127.071 mph in the final round of Friday's qualifying session put him in the number one starting spot for Saturday's ninth race of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season.

"The guys did a great job getting us faster today," Logano said. "It is fun because you go out and run all these laps and that lap didn't even actually feel that good because you have seven or eight laps on your tires and the car is sliding around a lot so it is funny that the pole sitting car is sliding all over the place but everyone is on old tires out there."

It was Logano's series-leading third pole of the season and first career at Richmond.

Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, AJ Allmendinger and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Hamlin, who was forced out of last week's rain delayed race at Bristol Motor Speedway with neck and back spasms, proclaimed a full recovery.

"I'm 100 percent fore sure," the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said.

Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray and David Ragan completed the first ten qualifiers.

"I would have liked the pole but I am definitely happy for Joey to see him get it," Keselowski said of his teammate being on the pole. "It is nice for Team Penske and great for Ford. If you can't get a pole you want it to be your teammate so I am happy that he was able to get it done."

Other notables in the field include Tony Stewart (13th), Chase Elliott who will make his second career Sprint Cup Series start (16th), Danica Patrick (21st) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (26th).

It was a horrible showing for two Hendrick Motorsports teammates with Jimmie Johnson in 36th and Kasey Kahne 40th. For Johnson it was the first time in his career that he failed to make the top 24 in qualifying in consecutive weeks.

"I'm really puzzled," said Johnson. "We had such a great car in practice."

Jeb Burton and Brendan Gaughan failed to qualify for the race.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wins-Toyota-Owners-400-Pole-at-Richmond.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Dominates At Richmond​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6775&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Denny Hamlin won Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway in dominating fashion, leading 248 of 250 laps to give Toyota its 100th series win.

"This is a big weekend," said Hamlin. "100th XFINITY win for Toyota, that's big one. I was able to get the 100th Cup win &#8230; a few years ago for JGR , so this is a big weekend for everyone.

"Toyota has been such a big part of Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR and they've propelled this team to what it is and I'm proud to get 100 for them."

It was Hamlin's first XFINITY Series victory since he won at Richmond in 2011.

Joey Logano could only settle for the second spot and knew he had nothing for Hamlin.

"Start the whole weekend over maybe? He was just so fast," Logano said when asked how he could have beaten Hamlin. "We had nothing for him. We had a second place Discount Tire Ford Mustang and that is right where we finished. We knew he was fast in practice and it transferred right over. I know what it is like to be on the other end of the butt whooping and it isn't as much fun from this side."

Regan Smith, Erik Jones and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

Daniel Suarez, Brian Scott, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon and Landon Cassill completed the first ten finishers.

The race had a scary moment on lap 110 when a large fire erupted on pit road.

Three crew members were injured including two from Brendan Gaughan's team rear-tire changer Anthony O'Brien and gas man Josh Wittman. One member of Eric McClure's team Clifford Turner was also burned in the incident and taken to a local hospital as well.

Safety workers and fire fighters were immediately on the scene to douse the flames and attend to the injured crew members. Gaughan's crew chief Shane Wilson said the fire was caused by a malfunction in the fueling mechanism.

Ty Dillon has an eight point lead in the series standings.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway next Saturday afternoon.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-Hamlin-Wins-ToyotaCare-250-at-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*​*
The second straight short-track race of the Sprint Cup Series season is set Saturday night and the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

However, for the second straight week Mother Nature may have a different plan.

There is rain in the forecast in and around the Richmond area. NASCAR officials did a magnificent job waiting through last Sunday's weather challenges at Bristol Motor Speedway and managed to get the entire race distance - and 11 laps of overtime - in the books. So every possible effort will be made to do the same on Saturday.








*Penske Power*
Last week was a disaster for Team Penske when teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski collided on lap 18 of the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and were both taken out of contention for a win. The duo claim there is no hangover or animosity going forward and Logano came back to win the pole for tonight's race while Keselowski qualified in the top 10. The pair combined to win both Richmond races a year ago and will look to make it three straight for team owner Roger Penske.

*Hendrick Woes* 
Things aren't looking as bright for the Hendrick Motorsports stable so far this weekend at least for a pair of its stars. Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne had miserable qualifying efforts in Friday's session and both start near the rear of the field in 36th and 40th respectively. It marks the second straight week for Johnson to not make it out of the first round in qualifying, although he did rebound for a second place finish in Bristol. Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chase Elliott - making his second career Sprint Cup Series start - round out the five driver attack for Hendrick.

*Musical Chairs* 
You can't tell the drivers without a scorecard these days and there appears to be even more changes on the horizon. Michael Waltrip Racing is reportedly in discussions with David Ragan to bring him on board as driver of the No. 55 Toyota, vacated by regular driver Brian Vickers and his latest bout of health issues. Young Brett Moffitt is again in the car this weekend while team owner Waltrip will pilot the entry next Sunday at Talladega. Ragan is expected to take the wheel at Kansas and leave the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing ride, where he has relieved the injured Kyle Busch since March. Ragan sits 18th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and could be a valuable commodity in the race to make the Chase for the Waltrip team. Once Ragan leaves JGR, Erik Jones is expected to become a full-time Cup driver in addition to his Camping World and XFINITY Series duties.

*Stewart Feeling Better* 
Tony Stewart has positive vibes these days after a few flashes of success in recent weeks. Stewart has struggled in the year's early going but after last week's top-10 run at Bristol, Smoke is optimistic about what lies ahead. "It's gaining momentum," Stewart said about adapting to the new 2015 Sprint Cup Series rules package. "I didn't think it would be this hard to adapt to a different package. I'm so used to driving cars with low downforce and high horsepower, and it seems like we have a bunch of down-force and they keep taking horsepower." While teammates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch have shown speed Stewart reminded everyone that using a "plug and play" set-up doesn't work across the board for all drivers. "It doesn't matter how fast that setup is, if you don't get comfortable as a driver in it, you're not going to make it go fast," Stewart said. "We're still trying to find things that they have figured out that are making them successful and figuring out how to adapt them to what I like."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/04/Richmond-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Toyota Owners 400 Rained Out Tonight​*
NASCAR has postponed tonight's NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Toyota Owners 400 til tomorrow at 1:00 pm est due to pouring rain and storms over the area.

The race will be shown on FOX and can be heard on MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ercoli Delivers First Euro Series Triumph​*
First NASCAR Whelen Euro Series win in the first race of his new team. This is what Gianmarco Ercoli accomplished Saturday at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Ercoli came out on top of a tight battle with Stienes Longin in Saturday's ELITE 2 class race. The Italian reached victory lane for the first time in his 11th race.

"Very good race today, with lots of overtakes and great battles on track," said Ercoli. "At the end we had to work really hard in every corner to win. It's great to win immediately. We have to work a lot, but this is the best way to begin."

Ercoli started from the pole, but he had to surrender early to Longin, who made two splendid moves in less than two laps to take the lead. Longin's lead lasted until lap 10, when the son of Bert Longin made a mistake, went wide and was overtaken by Ercoli, who then successfully managed to close all the doors until the end, when the two were separated by a mere .3 of a second.

Philipp Lietz won a spectacular battle with Thomas Ferrando for third place, while 20-year-old rookie Nicki Petersen completed the top five.

Florian Renauer was involved in an incident with Martin Van Hove during a battle for third in the early stages that resulted in a drivethrough penalty for the Belgian and in retirement for the Austrian.

Santiago Canizares made his NASCAR debut among his fans in Valencia, posting a solid 17th place finish.

Longin was the Rookie Cup leader ahead of Nicki Petersen, who finished fifth, and Guillaume Deflandre, who ended up 10th. Erick De Doncker won the Legend Trophy classification in front of Leonard Vernet and Didier Bec.

Debutant Salvo Morales brought home the Gentleman Trophy thanks to his ninth place ahead of Simone Laureti and Jerry De Weerdt.

The Lady Cup is led by Carole Perrin, who finished ELITE 2 race in the 11th position and took advantage of Francesca Linossi's retirement due to an off track excursion.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/ercoli-delivers-first-euro-series-triumph/


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## Ckg2011

*Cheever Scores A Valencia Victory​*
Eddie Cheever III picked up from where he left in last year's finals and won the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season opener Saturday at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, edging two-time champion Ander Vilarino and pole sitter Nicolò Rocca in a tight finish.

It was Cheever's fourth career win.

"Winning has always a special taste and I'm very excited to start the season with a win. The team was incredible and the car perfect," said Cheever. "When I saw Vilarino behind me I pushed even harder to keep him at bay. Tomorrow I'll try to do the same: winning is the only plan."

Borja Garcia battled hard in his home race and came in fourth. Defending champion Anthony Kumpen lost several positions at the start and fall to the 18th place, but put on a great comeback to end up fifthunder the checkered flag after passing Domenico Schiattarella with three laps to go.

A frantic start brought immediately out the safety car to recover the cars of Luke Wright's and Simone Monforte.

Cheever took advantage of the double file restart on lap three to take the first place from Rocca and lead all the last 13 laps of the race. It wasn't easy though, because initially Rocca put pressure on him before surrendering to a charging Vilarino.

The Spaniard had the better hand first on Garcia and then on Rocca, but couldn't make a move on Cheever, ending up second by seven tenths of a second for his 30th career top-five.

Florian Renauer and Philipp Lietz were seventh and eight. Twenty-three-year-old newcomer Alon Day crossed the finish line fifth, but was penalized for a contact in the first lap and was classified ninth. Hugo Bec completed the top-10.

Cheever also led the Junior "Jerome Sarran" Trophy over Rocca, while the Challenger Trophy Classification was won by Roberto Benedetti thanks to his 11th place, just in front of Trophy rival Erick De Doncker.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/cheever-scores-a-valencia-victory/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond All Kurt Busch​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6763&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Kurt Busch led 291 laps on his way to a commanding victory in Sunday's rain-delayed Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Busch scored his 26th career Sprint Cup Series victory and first since his Martinsville win in April of 2014.

It was an emotional win for Busch, who was suspended for three races this year by NASCAR in the aftermath of his involvement in a domestic abuse case.

"It's an incredible feeling," said Busch. "It's a total team effort. And the way that everything came together just seemed like we were building and building and building towards a great finish like this. And I have this opportunity because of Gene Haas and everybody that's part of our family at Stewart-Haas.

"It's an unbelievable feeling when you pull deep from within and you go through troubles and you know, when you're accused of something and things go sideways, your personal life doesn't need to affect your business life."

He led a 1-2 finish for Stewart-Haas Racing as Kevin Harvick followed Busch across the finish line to come home second despite battling a broken track bar.

Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. completed the first ten finishers.

Harvick has a 33-point lead over Logano in the standings.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway for next Sunday's Geico 500.

How Busch Won: Domination. Busch was by far the class of the field and completely overwhelmed the field once he was able to wrestle the lead away from Logano just after a competition caution flew on lap 50. He survived a flurry of late race caution flags but had tremendous restarts to never put his lead in jeopardy.

What Else Happened: There were some drivers that struggled to find handling during the race that wound up taking place in the daytime after Saturday night's rain out. Set-ups and adjustments were needed by a number of drivers with many pre-race favorites struggling to find the speed to challenge Busch's prominence.

Who Else Had a Good Day: Johnson started 36th after a poor qualifying effort but was able to get back to the front battling brake problems along the way and posted an impressive third place finish&#8230;..McMurray led only four laps but was very impressive especially during long green flag runs and finished fourth&#8230;..Like his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kahne also qualified poorly but drove from the 40th starting position to come home sixth&#8230;.Clint Bowyer ended a string of struggling starts with a ninth-place finish.

Who Had a Bad Day: Tony Stewart had crept into the top 10 and appeared to be headed for a decent finish but got caught in a late race restart incident when he made contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and spun in the pack. Compounding the problem was Stewart's car would not re-fire and had to be towed back to the garage area ending his day with a 41st-place finish&#8230;.Danica Patrick was involved in several incidents including being spun by contact from Clint Bowyer on pit road. She finished 25th&#8230;.Brad Keselowski was upfront until he lost a cylinder and began to fall back until he took the checkered flag in 17th&#8230;.Denny Hamlin could not follow his Friday night XFINITY Series dominance Sunday with a poor handling car and a 22nd-place finish.

Quote of the day: "I just drive," Kevin Harvick, when asked if the complete domination by race winners in recent weeks is a problem.

Notables: Gordon's eighth-place performance was his sixth straight top-10 finish&#8230;..Truex Jr.'s top 10 was his eighth of the season and three more than he had all last year&#8230;..Chase Elliott finished 16th in his second career Sprint Cup Series start.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/04/Kurt-Busch-Wins-Toyota-Owners-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mixed Results For Toyota At Richmond​*
Sunday's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway was an up-and-down affair for members of the Toyota stable.

While Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer were able to drive their Camrys home to top-10 finishes, other drivers in the manufacturer's camp didn't fare very well.

Carl Edwards (19th), Denny Hamlin (22nd) and David Ragan (23rd) all struggled through-out the afternoon.

However, even the pair that fared the best felt there was room for improvement.

"It was better for some than others," Kenseth said of the day. "For us overall, it was pretty good. We had some runs that were really, really good, some runs were off. Didn't have the best restart positioning there at the end and got what we could out of it."

Bowyer was a bit more optimistic after his best outing since Daytona.

"It was okay," he said. "We clearly need to be better. Hell, after the start of the season we've had, it's starting to feel like a little bit of momentum and we've just got to keep digging."

On the other end of the spectrum was Hamlin, who after dominating the field in Friday night's XFINITY Series race win was nowhere to be found when the green flag flew on Sunday's Cup race.

Crew chief Dave Rogers thought things went in the wrong direction after Friday's practice and qualifying session.

"Just we missed it," Rogers said. "Made a few adjustments this morning or yesterday morning and obviously went the wrong way. Just got the car way too tight in the center, had to knock out too much speed to get it to change directions and then couldn't leave the corner either, so we went the wrong way there. We had a good car a couple days ago, but not so good today."

Ragan, who will reportedly make one more start in the JGR No. 18 entry before moving to Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 55 to team with Bowyer, had the same feel about his weekend as Rogers' assessment.

"I felt like we were pretty solid on Friday and obviously a lot has changed since Friday - track conditions and weather - but when they dropped the green flag we just weren't as good," Ragan said.

"At the end of the day, we just didn't start that good and we really worked hard at it. Yeah, disappointed at one of the 18's best tracks and one of my favorite tracks. That was a disappointing day to get. Hopefully, we learn from it and these guys can be a little better here in September."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../04/Mixed-Results-For-Toyota-at-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. Collide​*
Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact on a late-race restart with one coming out much worse than the other.

That would be Stewart.

On a lap 361 late race restart Earnhardt and Stewart were bunched in a tight pack of cars as the field charged through the first turn. There was contact and while Earnhardt drove away, Stewart's car spun around and narrowly avoided sliding into the wall.

Unfortunately things got uglier for Stewart when his car would not fire back up and safety officials were forced to tow it back to the garage area.

A clearly upset Stewart declined comment after he came from his mandatory trip to the infield care center. He walked to the Stewart-Haas Racing hauler and angrily threw his helmet inside.

Earnhardt was asked about the incident after the race ended but didn't shed any additional light on the subject.

"I don't know," Earnhardt Jr. said. "You'll have to ask him. He hit me in the left rear quarter panel. I was trying to clear the No. 51 (Justin Allgaier) on the outside of me, so I was as high as I could go. So, you'll just have to ask him."

Earnhardt went on to say he felt at least some of the blame belonged to Stewart.

"Well, it's never his fault," Earnhardt said. "I was doing everything I needed to do. I didn't drive under, I didn't drive into him, I didn't move my line at all. He's gotta take a little ownership in what happened there."

Earnhardt was able to drive to a 14th-place finish while Stewart was credited with 41st.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...arnhardt-Jr-Collide-in-Toyota-Owners-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Danica's Day: Patrick Spends Much of It Trying To Stay Out of Trouble​*
Danica Patrick's effort to earn back-to-back top-10 finishes took a turn for the worse early Sunday in the Toyota Owners 400, as her day was full of drama before the race hit the 150-lap mark at Richmond International Raceway.

Starting from the 21st spot, Patrick was running under Justin Allgaier when Casey Mears had a run from behind and hit her No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the left rear on Lap 5.

The contact sent Patrick's car sliding down the track and back into Mears' right front, allowing her to save the car and avoid a caution flag.

The incident forced Patrick to check up, dropping her deeper in the field and putting her in danger of going a lap down before the competition caution on Lap 50.

Racing hard to stay on the lead lap, Patrick subsequently had a heated battle with Roush Fenway Racing's Trevor Bayne for multiple laps before the caution was finally thrown. The two bumped and banged lap after lap, with Patrick eventually getting the advantage.

Patrick also had a close call on Lap 127 when Aric Almirola grew impatient behind the lapped car of Joey Gase. Almirola got into the back of Gase's No. 32 Ford exiting Turn 2, sending Gase down the track right in front of Patrick, who narrowly missed making contact in her No. 10 Chevy.

After avoiding all that trouble on the track, Patrick found more of it on pit road when she brought her car in for the second time of the day. Entering her pit stall, Patrick was hit in the left rear quarter panel as Clint Bowyer's No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. The contact sent her sliding sideways into her pit stall, where the crew went to work servicing the car.

By Lap 155, Patrick was running 25th out of 43 cars and remained on the lead lap. The driver of the No. 10 Chevrolet conitnued to battle inside the top 25, finishing the day 21st.

"The race really didn't go our way today," Patrick said. "We struggled with accidents both on track and on pit road that didn't do us any favors. Our team had to dig in and get everything we could out of our GoDaddy Chevrolet. When you have days like this, you just have to be proud of your team for sticking with it and coming out with a top-25 finish."

Patrick finished ninth at Bristol Motor Speedway in the previous week's race, earning her second top-10 finish in three outings after earlier finishing seventh at Martinsville Speedway.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ends-day-trying-to-stay-out-of-trouble-042615


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pitkat Claims Spring Sizzler Victory​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&YearID=44&RaceID=6981&StatType=Race+Results

Woody Pitkat completed a picture perfect homecoming Sunday afternoon.

The 35-year-old Stafford, Connecticut, driver powered to the victory in the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200, the traditional season-opening event for Stafford Motor Speedway. In the process, the driver of the No. 88 Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet became the first hometown driver to win the prestigious NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event.

It was Pitkat's third career tour win. He scored his first career win last year in the August event at Stafford before following it up with a win a month later at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"To have a car that's that good - and it's been that good sine I've been with these guys - it's just unreal," Pitkat said. "I never thought at 16 years old racing a DARE Stock that one day I'd come here and win a tour race, especially the Spring Sizzler with how big it is."

Sunday, Pitkat led the last 40 laps after muscling his way past Todd Szegedy through the bottom of Turn 3. It was the last of 11 lead changes.

Szegedy held onto the runner-up spot, followed by Ryan Preece. Preece won the Coors Light Pole Award in Saturday's qualifying, just edging Pitkat for the top spot. Preece led four times for a race-high 69 laps, while Pitkat led 49.

Eric Goodale and Donny Lia were fourth and fifth, respectively, in Sunday's race.

"I would say that Woody just won the race of his life," said Szegedy. "To win at his home track, to win the Spring Sizzler, that has to be amazing. He's mastered this track and he's come a long way."

Doug Coby, Rowan Pennink, Patrick Emerling, Jamie Tomaino and Sunoco Rookie of the Race Brandon Bock rounded out the top 10.

Pitkat assumed the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points lead for the first time in his career, three points ahead of Coby and seven over Preece. Szegedy and Goodale are both 12 points behind Pitkat.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to the track Saturday, May 30 with the Mr. Rooter 161 at Connecticut's New London-Waterford Speedbowl.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...zzler-Victory-at-Stafford-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond Winners And Losers​*
It took a little longer than planned for Sunday's rain-delayed Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway to determine the weekend's winners and losers.

*WINNERS​*
*Kurt Busch*
He's won before in the Sprint Cup Series, 25 times prior to his trip to Victory Lane on Sunday at Richmond. But it's hard not to argue that Sunday's triumph might have been the biggest of his career. The embattled driver put his personal issues in the rear-view mirror as best as possible since his return from a three-race suspension earlier this year. He's been a factor every week since coming back and put it all together for a dominating triumph in Richmond.

*Jimmie Johnson*
His weekend started off near the disaster zone with a poor qualifying effort that put Johnson at the rear of the field. His journey to the front was plagued by some brake issues, but Johnson was still able to charge back and come home third. As he did a week ago in Bristol, when an early-race accident appeared to ruin his day, Johnson miraculously turned his day around in Richmond.

*Jamie McMurray*
You get the feeling the Chip Ganassi Racing driver is destined to take a checkered flag this year. Not every week of the season has McMurray been a contender, but he's shown speed and enough competitiveness to be a factor more often than not. McMurray was impressive Sunday, running near the front of the field for much of the afternoon before settling for fourth place.

*Kasey Kahne*
The most up-and-down of the Hendrick Motorsports brigade so far this season, Kahne's Toyota Owners 400 started on a negative note. He qualified poorly and was forced to dig out of a hole from the 40th starting spot. Dig he did, and Kahne climbed up the running order until he wound up with a sixth-place finish.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
When the Furniture Row Racing driver's consecutive top-10 streak to start the year came to a close last week in Bristol, some wondered if Truex would be able to get back to his impressive ways. Those questions were answered in pretty short order when Truex stayed at the front of the field on Sunday before bringing home top-10 finish No. 9 of the season.

*LOSERS​*
*Tony Stewart*
Any glimmer of hope that Stewart was fighting his way out of the dismal start to the season ended with a controversial thud in Richmond. He was inside the top 10 at one point, but a tangle after contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned his day upside down. Stewart left Richmond battered, mad and angry after a 41st-place finish.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*
The 2015 season might have reached the point of panic for Hornish and the Richard Petty Motorsports team in Richmond. The No. 9 car was missing in action all weekend and after starting 29th, Hornish finished a dismal 35th.

*Danica Patrick*
She's not sponsored by Target but there appeared to be a definite bull's-eye on Patrick's Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet on Sunday. An on-track altercation with Casey Mears started Patrick's day that also featured a spinout on pit road after contact with Clint Bowyer and a bitter 25th-place performance.

*David Ragan*
It appears that his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing will end after this week's trip to Talladega Superspeedway. Ragan was not competitive in his second-to-last start in the No. 18 Toyota, battling handling issues all day and finishing 23rd.

*Denny Hamlin*
Roller coasters at nearby King's Dominion amusement park don't have as many highs and lows as Hamlin's Richmond weekend. He trounced the field in Friday night's XFINITY Series race only to follow up with an uncompetitive effort in Sunday's main event that ended in 22nd place.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...International-Raceway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan Moving To MWR​*
Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that David Ragan will drive the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine for the remainder of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, beginning May 9 at Kansas Speedway.

Brian Vickers had planned to race the Toyota fulltime in 2015, but heart surgery in December forced the Thomasville, N.C., native to miss the first two races of the season. Vickers returned at Las Vegas on March 7, but was sidelined two weeks later by recurring blood clots in his lungs. No timetable has been set for his return.

Michael Waltrip, who drove the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota in the Daytona 500, will compete this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Brett Moffitt owns six starts in the No. 55 this year, with a career-best eighth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.

Ragan is 19th in NASCAR Sprint Cup driver points earned largely by racing the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing as the substitute for the injured Kyle Busch.

"Life has thrown a lot at MWR the first part of this racing season, but our team has stood tall and worked through it," said Waltrip. "Our original plans for the No. 55 team have been challenged since December and we felt it was important for our employees and our sponsors to solidify the remainder of the 2015 season. The opportunity to bring David Ragan into the team is incredible for a number of reasons. He will bring experience, consistency and a lot of confidence based on how he has been running with our Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing. He also puts the No. 55 team and Aaron's right back into the Chase for the Sprint Cup contention, which is a very positive turn of events for that team.

"There is absolutely no question about Brian Vickers' ability, but there remains a question of his availability. We are going to remain very close with Brian while he works on his plan to return. We have told him that MWR is here when he has a clear picture about what the future holds, but we don't need to add any timeline pressures. He is working with a lot of medical advisors and once he has established his plan, we will sit down and discuss next steps.

"I'm really proud of the incredible job Brett Moffitt has done for us in the 55. He has been a big part of this organization for the last couple of years and he will continue in that role. With the limited number of starts Brett has in this industry, he has proven that he has the talent to be a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and we are still committed to helping him get that opportunity."

The 29-year-old Ragan, who celebrates his 300th Sprint Cup start at Talladega this weekend, said he eagerly awaits driving for his new team.

"The only way I can repay all the people I have to thank for making this happen is to go out and win races and get MWR, Aaron's and Toyota in the Chase," said the Unadilla, Ga. native who owns two career Sprint Cup victories. "It's going to be awesome knowing when I climb in the No. 55 at Kansas that car will be mine the rest of the season. I look forward to working with (teammate) Clint Bowyer, the crew and shop employees at MWR. It's tough what's happened to them this year but I hope I can come in and make 2015 something special."

Prior to JGR, Ragan raced for Front Row Motorsports since 2012.

"We are grateful to David Ragan for his contributions to the growth of Front Row Motorsports and his commitment to our partners over the past three years," said Bob Jenkins, FRM owner. "He led us on our first trip to Victory Lane, and that's a moment we'll never forget. We wish him the best with his new team.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cing-Toyota-for-Remainder-of-2015-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crash Sparks Debate: Tony Stewart vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.​*
A late-race tangle had both Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. heated following Sunday's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.






The crash with 40 laps remaining put a noticeable tire mark on Earnhardt's car and sent Stewart spinning. Earnhardt finished the race at 14th while Stewart dropped all the way back to 41st.

Stewart puts blame on Dale Jr. for causing crash, but didn't stick around to comment after Sunday's race. SB Nation reported Stewart radioed "F***ing Dale Jr.," to his team before chucking his helmet into the team's hauler.

Earnhardt's take on the matter:

_"Well, it's never his fault," Earnhardt said. "I was doing everything I needed to do. I didn't drive under, I didn't drive into him, I didn't move my line at all. He's gotta take a little ownership in what happened there."_

Social media was equally split on who was to blame for the crash. Some rushed to defend Dale Jr. while others sympathized with Stewart.

*Stewart:*










*Junior:*








*Source:*
http://charlotte.suntimes.com/clt-sports/7/93/86474/tony-stewart-earnhardt-jr/


----------



## Ckg2011

*GoDaddy Dropping Danica Patrick's Car Sponsorship​*
GoDaddy won't be returning to sponsor Danica Patrick's car next season.
The company announced Tuesday it isending its primary sponsorship of Patrick's Sprint Cup Series ride. She has been sponsored by GoDaddy for the entirety of her Sprint Cup Series career.

The company would still like to sign Patrick to a personal services contract, and a spokesperson said it was looking to expand its international brand. NASCAR is much more popular in the United States than it is in other parts of the world.

*From USA Today:*

_"We love Danica and all she does to empower and inspire people, especially women, which is why we are working to keep her in the GoDaddy family," GoDaddy chief marketing officer Phil Bienert said. "We have the utmost respect for Stewart-Haas Racing, and they've been phenomenal partners. In fact, NASCAR has been a tremendous domestic platform to help us achieve an 81 percent aided brand awareness domestically, but at this stage, we need a range of marketing assets that reach a more globally-diverse set of customers."_

The news also comes as Patrick is in the final year of her contract at Stewart-Haas Racing. Both Patrick and team officials have expressed optimism that she'll sign an extension with the team, however finding funding is now also necessary to keep Patrick with the team, as GoDaddy was one of the four-car team's biggest sponsors.

Patrick's teammate Kurt Busch, Sunday's race winner at Richmond, is sponsored by team co-owner Gene Haas' automation company.

GoDaddy has been with Patrick since her IndyCar days. After she was sponsored by Motorola and Boost Mobile, GoDaddy signed on with Patrick and Andretti Autosport in 2010. When she made her transition to NASCAR in 2012, the company went with her.

"I'm sad. I'm a little surprised and I'm sad," Patrick told the AP. "But to say I didn't imagine this was not a scenario would be a lie. It's bittersweet. It's going to be really weird to think I won't drive the bright green, can't-miss-it car next year."

It's also leveraged Patrick's popularity via advertising. Patrick had appeared in 13-straight Super Bowl ads for the company, though her 2015 Super Bowl commercial for the company was pulled after negative feedback.

After finishing 25th at Richmond, Patrick is 16th in the points standings.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...nica-patrick-s-car-sponsorship-134649273.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Four Sprint CUP Series Teams Lose Practice Time At Talladega​*
Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will each be docked 15 minutes of practice time when cars hit the track this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, according to the sanctioning body.

The loss of track time is a result of infractions and/or delays that occurred last weekend at the opening practice for this weekend's GEICO 500 is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET on Friday.

The Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 team with driver Aric Almirola was late for qualifying inspection, resulting in the loss of practice time.

The Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick and the BK Racing No. 83 Toyota with driver Matt DiBenedetto were late for pre-race inspection.

The Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 7 Chevrolet with driver Alex Bowman failed qualifying inspection more than three times. In addition to the loss of 15 minutes of practice time, the team will also receive a written warning.

Also, the cars of Josh Wise (Phil Parsons Racing) and Joey Gase (Go FAS Racing) failed qualifying inspection twice. As a result, both teams will receive written warnings.

Sprint Cup teams were notified last week that beginning with the Richmond race weekend, failure to pass qualifying and pre-race inspection during two consecutive race weekends would result in written warnings; a third failure would result in a warning in addition to the loss of 15 minutes of practice time.

NASCAR officials have docked teams practice time in the past for being late in the inspection line and similar issues.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/content/nasca...alties-harvick-almirola-bowman-wise-gase.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Unveils Baja Blast All-Star Car​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his Hendrick Motorsports team on Wednesday revealed Earnhardt's No. 88 Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevrolet SS that he'll drive in the Sprint All-Star Race on May 16 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The car features a look unlike any that Earnhardt has ever driven: An aqua-and-black paint scheme, which was first unveiled to the public through Snapchat.

Any fans who tweeted out the fully revealed car using the hashtag #BajaBlast88 were entered to win one of 10 Mountain Dew Baja Blast bottles signed by Earnhardt, who also joined in the fun on social media.








*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ar/earnhardt-unveils-baja-blast-all-star-car/


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon To Drive Indy 500 Pace Car​*
Five-time Brickyard 400 winner and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon will drive a Corvette Z06 pace car for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 mile race, May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

It is the 13th time a Corvette has served as the official pace car, dating to 1978, and the 26th time a Chevrolet has led the pack for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Corvette has served as the pace car more than any other vehicle in the race's history.

Gordon, who grew up in nearby Pittsboro, Ind., is no stranger to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 1994 he won the inaugural Brickyard 400 - the first-ever NASCAR race at the Brickyard, and has visited the winner's circle there four more times. That makes him one of only two five-time winners at Indy in any series. Michael Schumacher won five Formula One races there.

"It's great to have Jeff Gordon serve as this year's pace car driver," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. "He is a true champion who has earned the respect and admiration of competitors and race fans alike. It will be very special to have Jeff lead the Indy 500 field to the green flag, behind the wheel of the most powerful and capable production car ever from Chevrolet - on a day he'll also be competing in the Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race at Charlotte Motor Speedway."

With 650 supercharged horsepower, a seven-speed manual transmission and a track-capable chassis system, Gordon will have no trouble keeping in front of the race field in the production-spec Corvette Z06. Featuring an Arctic White exterior and Adrenaline Red interior, only its unique Indy graphics package and safety strobe lights distinguish it from other production models.

"Indy is hallowed ground for racers like me and I couldn't be more thrilled to drive the Corvette Z06 pace car around the track that helped drive my success over the years," Gordon said. "The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most celebrated races of the year and an event I always dreamed of racing while growing up in California and in nearby Pittsboro. I've won five NASCAR races at IMS and the track will always be a special place for me, so to be able to participate in such a historic day will be something I remember for the rest of my life."

Like Gordon, Chevrolet has a long, shared heritage with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the year of the inaugural 500-mile race, and the Chevrolet brothers - company co-founder Louis, Arthur and Gaston - all competed in early Indy 500 races. Arthur Chevrolet competed in the 1911 race and Gaston Chevrolet won it in 1920.

"Jeff is a great choice to lead this year's starting 33 drivers in Indianapolis 500 to the green flag," said J. Douglas Boles, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Jeff has such a strong connection to the state of Indiana and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his appearance in the Corvette Z06 pace car reinforces Chevrolet's important place in the past, present and future of the Indianapolis 500 as well. We also look forward to seeing him back here on July 26, to see if he can make it six wins for the Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard."

"Jeff Gordon is a NASCAR legend, an icon of global motorsports and has a special history of success racing at The Brickyard in Indianapolis and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. "This is a unique honor for him to be recognized in this way by our partners at Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The day certainly will be another special one in the storied history that Jeff already has written at Indianapolis and Charlotte."

*About the Corvette Z06* 
The Z06 rejoined the Corvette lineup for 2015 as the most capable model in the iconic car's 62-year history. It stretches the performance envelope for Corvette with unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce - and it is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel.

The new LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm - making the 2015 Corvette Z06 the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of the most powerful production cars available in the United States. With the available Z07 package, its capability enables:

• 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.95 seconds with the eight-speed automatic and 3.2 seconds with the seven-speed manual transmission 
• Quarter-mile times of 10.95 seconds at 127 mph with the eight-speed and 11.2 seconds at 127 mph with the seven-speed transmission a 
• Lateral acceleration of 1.2 g 
• 60-0 mph braking in only 99.6 feet - the best of any production car tested by General Motors.

The Z07 package adds adjustable front and rear aero components for unprecedented aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip, and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to greater handling through reduced un-sprung weight.

The Z06 also offers an all-new, industry-leading Performance Data Recorder that enables users to record high-definition video, with telemetry overlays, of their driving experiences on and off the track.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-to-Drive-Corvette-Z06-Indy-500-Pace-Car.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Talladega​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Set For New 'Dega Qualifying Format​*
A new qualifying format will set the fields this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and drivers like the change.

It's a hybrid of group knockout qualifying and the old single-car format, which can be heard live Saturday at MRN.com starting at 1 p.m. (ET).

Rather than the pack qualifying that led to bizarre scenes of drivers sitting on pit road waiting until the last second to go on track to get a fast lap in the draft as well as several multi-car crashes, cars will be sent on track for one timed lap.

NASCAR officials will release cars on track at varying intervals to expedite the process.

There will be two rounds with the top-12 fastest speeds advancing drivers to the final round.

Drivers have nearly universally embraced the decision.

"I feel really good about what it has evolved into," Kevin Harvick said Friday at Talladega. "I think all the competitors feel that way. I think the guys in the garage feel that way. We were tearing up a lot of racecars in qualifying. I think when you look at the format and how much better it has made qualifying at all the other venues, it's hard not to just really try to make our current format work at the downforce races and try to make that work here. But it just didn't work; running last to be first just didn't make sense in a lot of our heads.

"I think the sped up single car process with one lap hopefully it makes as much sense as everybody thinks it's going to. And make the process that much better. I think there have been a lot of things that have changed, but I think our qualifying change has been week-in and week-out probably one of the better changes that we have had in our sport in a while. I think when you look at the adjustment and the time everybody has put in; I hope it evolves to that on this weekend as well."

Danica Patrick echoed her Stewart-Haas Racing teammate's sentiments.

"I'm relieved, for sure," she said. I think that it's got to be a relief for the teams, too; for a lot of teams, anyway.

"I think more than anything, for teams like Stewart-Haas and big teams that have fast car on the speedway, it's an opportunity to display their talents and their abilities as car builders and the positions that they've earned at great teams. Us drivers get lucky enough to drive them, but on the other hand, we've also earned our spots, too. So, it's just more of a relief than anything that it's traditional and, well, generally traditional."

While the decision to implement group qualifying was done to create a more entertaining package and speed up the process, which took nearly three-plus hours at plate tracks like Talladega and Daytona, a return to the former tradition is not being viewed as a bad thing.

"It seems like we were taking a lot of unnecessary risks and situations were happening when race cars were being tore up in qualifying and that doesn't need to be the case at a place like Talladega," Brian Scott said. "Talladega and Daytona claim enough race cars as it is so you don't want to add another event in the weekend that's going to tear up more race cars."

Last fall's Talladega qualifying featured some drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. missing the race when the strategy of waiting until the last possible second to turn a lap of record backfired.

Patrick said that made the announcement to the new format that much sweeter.

"Ricky and I looked at each other this morning and we go, 'I'm so glad the qualifying has changed.' It just was, I feel, like a very unnecessary stress for everybody," she said of her significant other. "The amount of conversations and meeting with drivers and I felt like I was on 'Survivor' and trying to make alliances and finding out the best thing to do was to not have any and just be the one that tags onto the group, because nobody really cared if it was just one car.

"But, when a group of five saw you, you're like oh, I can't have all five of those going faster. So, apparently I wouldn't have made it on 'Survivor' then because I was trying to make too many alliances."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's GEICO 500 from Talladega Superspeedway starting at 12 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../New-Qualifying-Format-Set-for-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Draft Set At Talladega​*
The NFL won't be the only one drafting this weekend as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers get in on the action at Talladega Superspeedway.

While pro football holds its annual collegiate player draft in Chicago, the 2.66-mile Alabama speed plant will be providing its own drafting thrills in Sunday's GEICO 500.

It's one of the most unique styles of racing that happens all season long simply put, as the legendary Barney Hall would say prior to any Talladega broadcast "They don't race anywhere else in the world like they race here at Talladega."

"Restrictor-plate racing is a white-knuckle experience where we race in big packs while trying to avoid the 'big one' - the big wreck that collects a lot of race cars," Jeff Gordon said. "It's hectic. It's physical. It's mental."

The mental side to racing at Talladega plays a huge part in what transpires over the course of a 500-mile race. Several strategies are put into play with a 200 mph chess game always in play.

Drivers have to be focused from the drop of the green flag.

"Talladega Superspeedway is one of those races where mentally you are just hoping to get through it and finish because anything can happen," AJ Allmendinger said. "You try to put yourself in the best position possible. There's no real perfect way for strategy to miss the big one.

"I think the best thing you can do as a driver is just go out there, have a fast race car and stay up front all race and hope luck is on your side. Being up front, you can miss some of the wrecks and get all your sponsors and manufacturer some TV time. So, that's my deal, is to run up front at Talladega."

While the decision to stay in the back of the pack hoping to avoid trouble before making a move to the front late in the race is possible, other drivers agree with Allmendinger. The best thing to do at Talladega is run upfront and try to stay there all afternoon.

"I feel like you can't be conservative," Austin Dillon said. "You have to stay up front. You have to know what the car needs to stay up front. I really like running up front in these speedway races because, I think, if you're ahead of that big pack it makes it easier to avoid the big wreck."

Talladega has given drivers a unique challenge since the track first opened its gates in 1969. It's the longest and fastest oval track on the schedule and trying to figure out a guaranteed winning strategy is next to impossible.

"1. Don't get in a wreck 2. Have a fast car 3. Beat everyone around the track," Clint Bowyer joked. "There's so much that goes into a good run at Talladega. You have to have a fast car, first and foremost. But you have to put it in the right situation. Even if you don't have the fastest car, if you have the fastest car behind you, you can still win the race. There's a lot of chess going on. There's a lot of situational awareness-knowing where you're at, putting yourself in that situation.

"There's so many things that go into staying out of that wreck. Holy cow! Don't cause the darn wreck. That's the number one thing you have to worry about. Where there is a wreck at Talladega it's big and you darn sure don't want to be the guy who caused it. It's a fun place. And if you're enjoying yourself at any racetrack you are going to have success."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's GEICO 500 from Talladega Superspeedway starting at 12 Noon p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/04/NASCAR-Draft-Set-at-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Puts Jones In The '18'​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced Thursday that Erik Jones will fill in for Kyle Busch in the No. 18 Sprint Cup Series Toyota starting May 9 at Kansas Speedway.

The SpongeBob SquarePants 400 will mark the first official Cup Series start for the 18-year-old Jones.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to make my Sprint Cup debut for Joe Gibbs Racing," Jones said. "We're going to try to manage our expectations. If we can go out and get a top-15 finish and gain some experience, that would be a great day for us."

Jones currently runs full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports and a partial schedule for JGR in the XFINITY Series. With three races complete in the Truck Series, Jones sits third in the standings - six points behind leader Matt Crafton.

Jones has made his mark in the XFINITY Series this year with a victory and three poles in eight races.

While next week's race at Kansas Speedway will mark Jones' first official Cup Series start, he made laps in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on April 19 at Bristol after Denny Hamlin was unable to continue the race following an extended rain delay. Jones finished 26th.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Gibbs-Racing-Puts-Erik-Jones-In-the-18.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patrick 'Happy' At Stewart-Haas​*
Danica Patrick will be looking for a new sponsor next year but hopes to remain with her current team, Stewart-Haas Racing.

GoDaddy announced earlier this week that the company has decided to cease its NASCAR involvement, including sponsorship of Patrick's Sprint Cup car. It will end a sponsorship arrangement between GoDaddy and Patrick that started in the IndyCar Series and carried through to both her NASCAR XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series careers.

While the company is exploring opportunities to continue working with Patrick in a personal services relationship, she will no longer carry GoDaddy's logo and colors on her racecars.

"It's bittersweet," Patrick said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway as she readies for Sunday's GEICO 500. "I look at pictures of me in the suit and pictures of the car, and can't believe it won't be the green GoDaddy car anymore. But on the other hand, my relationship with GoDaddy will continue. It's just going to look a little different."

The good news, if there is any in a major company ending its sponsorship, is that Patrick has ample opportunity to find a replacement for 2016.

"It's good that GoDaddy gave us time to find someone else," she said, "either someone new or one of my great partners who wants to step up."

The announcement sparked immediate speculation regarding Patrick's future with SHR. She's in the final year of her current contract and is enjoying her best season to date through the first nine races of 2015. Patrick enters the Talladega weekend 16th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings with two top-10 finishes.

While Patrick could wind up on the open market and land with another team, she'd prefer to remain in the SHR stable in 2016 and beyond.

"I'm happy at Stewart-Haas," Patrick said. "They're working hard to find someone for the new primary (sponsor) position. We're moving forward with all those intentions, but I guess it is - on some level - open season in a lot of areas.

"Never say never, of course, but I'm happy where I am right now."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ica-Patrick-Happy-at-Stewart-Haas-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*RCR Crew Member Released From Hospital​*
One of the two Richard Childress Racing crew members injured it a pit road fire during Friday's XFINITY Series race at Richmond was released from the hospital.

RCR confirmed that Josh Wittman, gas man for Brendan Gaughan's team, was released Saturday. The team issued a statement giving a complete update that read:

"Following last night's pit road incident at Richmond International Raceway, Richard Childress Racing pit crew member (gas man) Josh Wittman of the No. 62 XFINITY Series team has been released from a Richmond, VA-based hospital after overnight observation. Thanks to quick action that was taken by the Richmond International Raceway fire crew and NASCAR medical staff.

Rear tire changer Anthony O'Brien remains under the care of physicians at the local hospital for further evaluation and is in good condition. The Sparco safety equipment, including the crew members' firesuits, did its job in protecting them.

We thank the NASCAR community for their continued support."

The fire was ignited during a pit stop by Gaughan when a spark from a lug nut made contact with fuel.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...acing-Crew-Member-Released-from-Hospital.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Talladega Streak On The Line​*
There have been nine different winners in the last nine NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, which hosts Saturday's Winn-Dixie 300.

Several drivers could run the string to 10 including one veteran making a return to the series. Boris Said climbs behind the wheel of the potent No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

The 52-year-old veteran will make the first of seven scheduled starts this season and is looking forward to the opportunity.

"I've known about this since right before Christmas," Said explained. "I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to race for a top team in my 29th year of racing. It's one of the best presents I ever got. Imagine the feeling of getting a great Christmas present and then having to wait until May to play with it!"

Said has one career XFINITY Series victory, on the road course in Montreal in 2010. Although he's one of the sport's best road racers, Said believes he'll have something to show on the high banks of the 2.66-mile Alabama oval come Saturday.

"The team is used to running up front and going for the win," Said notes. "We'll have to tone down the expectations for the ovals, but I'm hoping to run in the top 10 throughout the day. Talladega is wild and you never know what could happen."

The list of other drivers looking for their first Talladega victory includes defending series champion Chase Elliott. Things didn't go well for the second-generation driver in this race a year ago, when he finished 19th. He's hoping to rectify that.

"It's tough to plan for a race like this since there's so much uncertainty," said Elliott, who goes into the weekend just eight points behind series leader Ty Dillon. "We were in contention last year late but got caught up in a wreck. Going into this Saturday's race, I have more confidence knowing I've been in a late-race situation there."

A victory by Dillon would also extend the Talladega streak to 10 different winners in 10 races. He'll be making his fifth career NASCAR start at Talladega.

"This week is all about getting mentally prepared to race on a superspeedway for 300 miles," Dillon said. "It's mentally and physically draining, but I love it. I've got the best spotter on the roof in Billy O'Dea."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Winn-Dixie 300 from Talladega Superspeedway starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lladega-Superspeedway-Streak-On-the-Line.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Race To Support Pediatric Cancer Awareness​*
Ben Kennedy and his Red Horse Racing team have put together a campaign to help raise money in support of pediatric cancer awareness that will culminate with him driving a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed truck at Kansas Speedway in the May 8 Toyota Tundra 250.

The fundraiser came about for a number of reasons but it was ultimately a package of adult one-piece SpongeBob pajamas, and two posts between Kennedy and crew chief Scott Zipadelli on Twitter that set the wheels in motion.

"We have a SpongeBob onesie Nickelodeon provided us," Kennedy said. "If we get to $10,000 by the Kansas race, Scott Zippadelli said he would wear it during the race weekend. Our goal is $10,000 right now and we're about 10 percent of the way there. We still have a little bit of work to do and a little bit of time on our hands. It all goes to a great cause. There are some really cool perks tied into the campaign, as well, where fans will have the opportunity to get different things from my racing career." (Audio)

The fundraiser also hits close to the team and to the Kansas area, where Kennedy recently visited the University of Kansas Hospital to meet some kids that are going through treatment for cancer.

"One of the members on our team ... their daughter has pediatric cancer and didn't have a very high survival rate for the type of cancer she got. She survived from it," Kennedy said. "It was a culmination of everything going on and it inspired us to put this campaign together through social media." (Audio)

Kennedy will have some special visitors at Kansas Speedway.

"We're going to have some of the kids who are fighting pediatric cancer out to the racetrack," he said. "Some are really big fans of NASCAR and never had the opportunity to go to a race."

On April 18, it was announced that Kennedy's No. 11 Local Motors Toyota would feature SpongeBob and a cast of characters from the show with a special paint scheme. The Toyota Tundra 250 will be run the evening before Nickelodeon and SpongeBob will be the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race - the SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

"It's awesome to have SpongeBob SquarePants on the hood and his cast of characters around him," Kennedy said. "It's cool to partner with Nickelodeon and SpongeBob, as well. I've been a big fan of SpongeBob growing up. I remember watching the very first TV shows that came out. It's cool to actually see him on the truck."

To donate to Kennedy's "Race to Support Pediatric Cancer" campaign, CLICK HERE or visit @BenKennedy11 on Twitter or @Benkennedy on Instagram.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Funds-and-Awareness-for-Pediatric-Cancer.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan Hopes For Strong JGR Finish​*
David Ragan is hoping to finish his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing on a good note in Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Ragan will finish his fill-in duties for the injured Kyle Busch in this weekend's second restrictor-plate race of the season. Starting next week at Kansas Speedway, he'll move over to drive the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 Toyota where he'll be replacing Brian Vickers, who is sidelined by a reoccurrence of blood clots.

Ragan started the year at Front Row Motorsports and moved to JGR in March when Busch was knocked out of the ride due to the injuries suffered in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona. In eight races with JGR, Ragan has posted one top 10 (fifth at Martinsville) and a 20.1 average finish.

"It's been a good run for me for these guys and I think the last race in the '18' car it's important to try to end on a good note," Ragan said. "The last couple weeks have been kind of rough, so it's going to be important to try to run well and get a good finish and just have some fun."

JGR opted to put young Erik Jones in the car next week at Kansas. However, Ragan is grateful for the opportunity the team presented him with this early season.

"Ultimately, I always knew that this was just going to be a couple of months - a three-month deal - until Kyle gets back and for me the big picture is the entire season and finishing the season and having a real chance at being competitive going forward and having a shot to make the Chase," said Ragan, who enters Sunday's race 19th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings.

"Ultimately, I hope Kyle is going well and ready to return soon. I know Erik will do a great job. He's a young kid with a great career in front of him and I was there 10 years ago and he deserves a chance and I'm very fortunate that timing was in my favor to have another seat to go and fill and it all worked out."

Ragan will move to MWR next weekend with a great deal of optimism about what he might be able to accomplish yet this season in the No. 55 car.

"Our expectations are every high," Ragan said. "I think that Clint (Bowyer) has been a little hit and miss the first part of the season just trying to understand the new rules package and those cars to get up to speed, but at the end of the day Michael Waltrip Racing has all the tools and resources that Joe Gibbs Racing has or that Hendrick (Motorsports) or Stewart-Haas (Racing) has and there's no reason for us not to be able to win a race and have a shot at making the Chase. Certainly, that is our goal going forward."

But before Ragan joins his third different team this year, there is the matter of Sunday's GEICO 500, a race he won two years ago as a member of Front Row.

"Any track you can come back to that you've won at before is a great feeling," he said. "You always relive some of those memories driving through the tunnel and the security guards give you a little extra courtesy if you don't have a parking pass or something - they'll let you in a little easier - but, yeah, it's great coming back to Talladega."

Ragan is fully aware of the unpredictable nature racing at Talladega provides. He's going into the race with a strategy and approach he hopes will pan out despite so much being out of a driver's control.

"You certainly don't want to do anything foolish and jeopardize tearing up your race car and you don't want to finish 20th when you could finish third of fourth, but you definitely are very aggressive and all you can think about is winning those final five or six laps if you're in contention," Ragan said.

"It's my job to try to just be in contention there at the end - try to do what we have to do the first 450 miles to be in contention those final few laps."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Gibbs-Racing-On-a-Good-Note-at-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Wins 80th Career Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6764&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Jeff Gordon won his 80th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole in qualifying for Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Gordon, who went out last in the second and final round because he paced the opening session, posted a lap of 49.160 seconds, 194.793 mph for his fourth Talladega pole.

The pole also marked Gordon's second straight on a restrictor-plate track and he did it in NASCAR's updated single-car format for the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Gordon, who led a race-high 87 laps in the season-opening Daytona 500, started out front in that race after taking the top spot in the former group format.

"I am so proud of this pole because we got the pole in Daytona, but it was a totally different format," Gordon said. "I knew the car was fast there. For this team to bring another car, a different car here, and all the hard work from the engine shop and what they do with the bodies, and chassis and prep."

Gordon's pole led a qualifying charge by Hendrick Motorsports, which placed all four of its cars in the top five with Kasey Kahne in second, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in fourth and Jimmie Johnson in fifth.

"The Hendrick cars are really strong, and the engines are running great," Kahne said. "Our Farmers Insurance Chevy was fast right there. I told Jeff I was coming to the front row. I knew I wouldn't beat him because he is really quick, but I knew we could get up to second. I was really happy with that. It is a good starting spot. Hopefully tomorrow we stay out of trouble and we are there at the end and have a shot."

Ryan Blaney broke up the Hendrick qualifying stranglehold by taking the third spot in his fourth start of the season driving for the Wood Brothers with a lap of 193.611 mph.

"We've got pretty good speed in our Ford and it's just nice to be back with this Wood Brothers team," Blaney said. "I've definitely been itching to get back to the track and it's cool to finally be back here and have a good car, too. This team really needs a good finish. After having a good car at Texas and blowing up early that really kind of brought us down, so we'll try to run all the laps tomorrow and see if we can pick this team up a little bit before Charlotte."

Tony Stewart, Paul Menard, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears and Sam Hornish Jr. completed the top 12, respectively.

Defending race winner Denny Hamlin, who qualified 17th, liked the updated format but thought he could of had more in his run.

"I think it's good. It goes faster," Hamlin said. "Definitely rewards the guys that worked hard in the shop. I think that we're a little faster than what we usually are, but definitely disappointed. I thought we would have made it to the final round, but some of our teammates did, some of them didn't. It's just all on what you've got, but I think we'll be okay in the race."

Michael McDowell and Jeb Burton failed to qualify for the race.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's GEICO 500 from Talladega Superspeedway starting at 12 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...00-Qualifying-at-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Ends Talladega Streak​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6780&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano became the first repeat XFINITY Series winner at Talladega Superspeedway in the last 10 races when he claimed Saturday's Winn-Dixie 300.

The streak of nine consecutive different winners came to an end when Logano held off a furious pack of cars to take the checkered flag over Brian Scott. It marked Logano's third win of the season and his second at Talladega (2012).

"It's such a fast Discount Tire Ford," Logano said in Victory Lane. "I'm still trying to catch my breath, but it's so intense out there and you're looking at everything in the mirror the whole time, so it was cool to get this thing to Victory Lane."

Logano, who also won the season-opening Daytona 500 in the Sprint Cup Series, credited his spotter Tab Boyd for guiding him to the win.

"We spent a lot of time before Daytona to figure out these superspeedways and we watched some more footage before we came down here just trying to understand the differences between Talladega and Daytona and it's just so cool," Logano said.

Scott led two times for 10 laps on his way to the runner-up finish, which marked his first top five in six races at Talladega.

Pole winner Austin Dillon came home third.

JJ Yeley, who drafted with Scott, and Joey Gase, who drafted with Dillon, each brought home top fives for the under-funded Gregg Mixon and Jimmy Means-owned teams, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

"It was an incredible day," Gase said. "It was a long weekend. We only got 30 minutes of practice. We had nothing but problems. We qualified 39th and we ended up fifth after getting in a wreck and had no water in the motor."

Chris Buescher, Elliott Sadler, Ty Dillon, Regan Smith and Aric Almirola rounded out the top 10.

The race featured six caution flags and four multi-car accidents with the biggest coming on lap 74 when different agendas were going on when a big pack of cars tried to pit. The end result collected 10 cars forcing the race to be red flagged for seven minutes, 56 seconds.

Kenny Wallace was one of the drivers that was collected in the incident. He was driving the No. 26 Toyota for his brother Mike, who is recovering from recent triple bypass surgery.

"We knew what was going on about the lap before they said that the leaders were going to pit," Wallace said. "I thought the whole field can't pit at one time they are all going to wreck, and they did. Once again, the whole field can't pit. You can't say it's one person's fault, but you have to split that stuff up."

Two crew members of Almirola's No. 98 team were taken to the Infield Care Center after Brendan Gaughan's car made contact with the pit wall as cars were scattering. One crew member was released and the other was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

"I'm mad at myself I should of saved that on pit road, I felt," Gaughan said. "Pit road is slicker than the racetrack and I just couldn't save it."

As for the start of the incident...

"It's just guys don't pay attention here," Gaughan said. "You know they are pitting. Their hands are waving, we've seen them. The spotters are telling us. We kind of know who is pitting...They can't figure it out and the South Point Chevy just got collected as an innocent victim in the wreck."

Ty Dillon, who was involved in two of the big multi-car crashes with the last one coming on lap 99, rebounded to finish eighth. He maintains his series points lead by nine over Buescher.

It was a tough day for defending series champion Chase Elliott. He finished 37th after hitting the wall when a tire went down because he flat-spotted the tires coming to pit road on a previous stop. Elliott knew he had flat-spotted the tires, but since his stall was only seven spots in from the entrance the team couldn't call an audible in time for the call of left-side tires only.

"I flat-spotted the right front and ran a few laps after that," Elliott said. "It tore apart and it doesn't turn when that happens. I hate it, I had a good car today. I was really happy with the way the car was driving. It drafted really well. My mistake on flat-spotting it. I wish I had spoken up and said to come back and fix the two rights. It would of been a lot more minimal than this."

NASCAR announced that they will be taking the rear jack bolts from the No. 98 Ford back to the R&D center for further evaluation.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Iowa Speedway on May 17.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...inn-Dixie-300-at-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No. 48 Brad Smith After Hitting No. 98 Austin Wayne Self​*
*ARCA Driver Has Surgery On Both Ankles After Talladega Crash​*
*His car hit an interior wall SAFER barrier and he climbed out under his own power​*
ARCA driver Brad Smith underwent surgery for injuries to both ankles Friday night after a nasty accident during the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Late in Friday's race, as Austin Wayne Self's car spun out and skidded up the 2.66-mile trioval, Smith stayed in the gas to try and drive through. But he hit Self's car instead, resulting in an apparent stuck throttle that sent him careening toward an inside wall.

Smith's car got air from a drainage ditch and crushed the SAFER barrier-protected wall nearly head on, then rocketed back onto the track. It caught fire, but Smith was able to guide it back down onto the apron.






After several minutes, Smith was able to get out of the car with help from safety crews and limped to a stretcher.

He was airlifted to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham, rolled to an awaiting helicopter while wearing an oxygen mask. He remained hospitalized in stable condition as of Saturday morning with his ankle injuries (there was also a laceration on his left ankle). Smith is awake and alert, according to ARCA.

Self was evaluated at the infield care center and released.

"I guess I lost it a little bit," Self said. "It was obviously my fault."

Smith, 46, has been racing on the ARCA circuit since 1988. In four races this season before Friday, his best finish was 15th at Mobile International Speedway. He is a native of Shelby Township, Mich.

Talladega is NASCAR's largest, fastest track.

The crash was eerily reminiscent of the one that involved Kyle Busch in the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 21. But Busch's car, which also hit an interior wall, went into an uncovered concrete wall. Busch suffered a broken leg and foot and remains sidelined.

After Busch's crash, drivers demanded tracks reevaluate where SAFER barriers were lacking and cover all walls.

DIS president Joie Chitwood III and NASCAR apologized for not having that wall covered and Chitwood pledged to have the remaining uncovered walls upfitted with SAFER barriers by the time NASCAR returned for the July 4 racing weekend.

While Talladega did add some walls before this racing weekend, the wall where Smith hit already was covered.

Dean Sicking, who led the team that invented the SAFER barrier technology, told USA TODAY Sports this week he was ''very, very happy'' with the success of the technology, first used at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002.

*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...fer-barrier-talladega-superspeedway/26739875/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Six Pack For Dale Jr.​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6764&StatType=Race+Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored his sixth win at Talladega Superspeedway in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500.

Earnhardt outran his teammate Jimmie Johnson to score his first win of the season and first at Talladega since 2004. The win also tied him with Jeff Gordon for most victories by an active driver at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Earnhardt became the eighth winner in the season's first 10 races and earned a spot in this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship field.

He had to deal with a piece of debris on his grille that was raising water temperatures in his engine as well as Johnson in his rear view mirror.

"I didn't know what he had up his sleeve," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Maybe they got busy behind him and he couldn't form a charge. We had a real strong car. I didn't know if the engine was going to last. I had faith in it that it would because we build fast cars and they are tough."

The win proved to be an emotional one for Earnhardt Jr.

"Just real emotional man," he said. "Everything is just so good for me now. My personal life. My racing. The team I am with. I don't know why. I don't feel like I deserve it. I just feel overcome with a lot of emotion. It has been a long time since I won here. I've run so good here, and not to win here in so many races has bothered me."

Johnson was followed across the finish line by Paul Menard, Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr.

Sam Hornish Jr., Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Josh Wise completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Kansas Speedway for next Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

How Earnhardt Jr. Won: He led a race-high 67 laps and paced the top spot in the closing laps when the drivers behind didn't make a move until the last lap. Hendrick teammate Johnson dropped down out of the single-file group behind but Earnhardt continued on his way to the checkered flag.

What Else Happened: The race had its share of thrilling three and sometimes four wide moments but also included a couple of multi-car incidents. The first was on lap 47 and 15 cars were ultimately involved and the second came on the final lap when Carl Edwards spun in Turn 2 and scattered the field. NASCAR allowed the race to end under green since none of the cars behind the leaders made contact with the wall and Earnhardt was able to outrun everyone to the finish.

Who Else Had a Good Day: Menard's third-place effort was his best finish since coming home in the same position at Las Vegas&#8230;..Hornish Jr. scored his first top-10 of 2015 and best finish since Watkins Glen in 2012 when he was fifth&#8230;..Wise had his career best finish in his 113th start, his previous best was 19th at Talladega in 2013.

Who Had a Bad Day: Brian Scott and Michael Waltrip were the first victims of the day. Scott blew an engine and Waltrip had nowhere to go but hard into the side of the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet&#8230;.That was a minor incident by comparison to what broke out on lap 47 when Trevor Bayne's spin triggered a 15-car melee that swept up Kyle Larson, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Danica Patrick and Joey Logano among others&#8230;..Jeff Gordon was ahead of the field and a threat to win in the late going but was penalized for entering pit road too fast and was not able to mount another challenge after getting dropped to the rear of the field.

Quote of the day: "I haven't won here in a long time. It was my daddy's birthday a couple days ago," Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Notables: Cole Whitt's 13th-place finish was the best of his career&#8230;.JJ Yeley rallied from being down laps to finish 14th

_Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be taking over @ NASCAR on Twitter use the hashtag #ASKDALEJR_











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ins-GEICO-500-at-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Daughter Inspires Ives​*
Greg Ives enjoyed his first career win as a Sprint Cup Series crew chief despite a family emergency back home.

Ives' eight-year-old daughter broke her arm in a playground accident over the weekend and the Sprint Cup rookie crew chief was torn on whether to stay at Talladega or head home to his ailing child.

But the decision to stay was made a lot easier by his daughter's attitude.

"Yeah, I was actually just talking to my daughter," Ives said when he met the media after helping guide Dale Earnhardt Jr. to victory in the GEICO 500. "She's being discharged from the hospital right now. She had a very significant break to her right arm, right above her elbow, had to get three pins last night.

"Dale offered to fly me home, that it would be okay if I missed the race. She's my biggest fan, my biggest critic as well. I asked her if she wanted me to come home. She said no, it was my job to go out there and try to win the race. That's the only thing that's going to satisfy her."

With his family emotions to deal with, Ives also had to focus on trying to win his first Cup race as a crew chief. Mission accomplished as Earnhardt Jr. led 67 laps on his way to his sixth career Talladega win on Sunday.

"As far as being emotional, yeah, of course, it's my first win as a Cup crew chief, first win thinking about things that are more than just racecars, whether it's my daughter, whether it's my mom, all those sorts of things," he said. "That's going to weigh on you.

"You work hard to get to a point to be in Victory Lane no matter where it is, what it is. That all gathers up in one lap or one race, you're going to have that."

Ives' approach to his job is to try and keep as much of an even keel as possible and not get swept up in the emotional ebbs and flows of a race.

"Like I said, try to stay as level as possible," he said. "Yeah, there's excitement inside me, there's excitement that we got this win, but I was pretty happy."

No doubt so is his daughter, who has proven to be both an inspiration as well as her dad's biggest fan.

"Like I said, after Richmond when we didn't perform as well as we did, she told me I need to give Dale better racecars because he can't win with one like that," Ives said.

"She's pretty tough on me for an eight year old. That's good. That's what we need. We need self assurance that we're doing the right thing, but at times we also need a kick in the butt."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/05/Daughter-Inspires-Greg-Ives.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mistake Hurts Gordon Again​*
A pit road speeding penalty again cost Jeff Gordon a potential shot at a win Sunday in Talladega.

Gordon led 47 laps in the GEICO 500 but only has a 31st-place finish to show for his effort.

He was penalized for speeding entering pit road when caution came out for Austin Dillon's engine failure. NASCAR officials had Gordon exceeding the speed limit in the first two sections of pit road.

Gordon was 31st on the subsequent restart with 26 laps to go and was able to make it into the top-10 but that was as far as he would move up before getting caught up in a last lap accident.

"I was up in the booth yesterday talking about this - man you have to get to pit road without locking up the tires up and not speeding," Gordon said of his time in the FOX television booth for Saturday's XFINITY Series race. "I thought I was plenty conservative there but the tires were worn out and I just carried too much speed to pit road and kind of locked the tires up I was just speeding. I couldn't get the car slowed down.

"But, yes, after that issue on my part, then we were just in the back and trying to make our way to the front. We did a pretty good job making some spots up and we were going to see what happened that last lap. Then they started wrecking we avoided one of them, but couldn't avoid the second one."

It was the second time this season Gordon had a pit road speeding penalty derail his day. He was leading on March 29th at Martinsville when he was pegged for going too fast entering the pits and couldn't recover.

So for the second time this season, Gordon had a fast car at a restrictor-plate track with not much to show for the day. He started the year leading 87 laps in the Daytona 500 only to be caught in a late crash.

Sunday's it was déjà vu at Talladega.

"We had a strong car today," Gordon said. "I feel like we could have been in the top 10 for sure. We had a really good run at the end."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ake-Hurts-Jeff-Gordon-Again-in-GEICO-500.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Career Best Finish for Blaney​*
Ryan Blaney piloted the Wood Brothers Ford home to a fourth-place finish in Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

It was the young driver's best career Sprint Cup Series finish and capped an impressive effort.

Blaney qualified third for the season's second restrictor plate race and stayed in the hunt for Victory Lane throughout the entire afternoon.

"It was a good day. We had a fast car and a good starting spot," Blaney said.

"We had a good car. We were pretty loose early and (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins did a great job of tightening us up a good bit."

The adjustments to his car helped Blaney come back to the lead pack after dropping back in the field several times. But drafting help at Talladega is imperative and Blaney had some growing pains in that experience on Sunday.

"&#8230;.you've got to go through that rookie deal in the beginning, even the middle of the race nobody wants to go with you," Blaney explained. "Luckily, about three-quarters of the way through the race we made a couple strong moves and guys went with us, and I think that helped put us in position later in the race for guys sticking with us."

Blaney was right in the middle of the drivers trying to find a way past leader and eventual race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the closing laps. However he could not find a suitable drafting partner - or two - willing to make a move as the laps wound down.

"It was tough at the end because they were all single file for a long time," Blaney said. "It was hard to get a run. I saw the 11 coming and I just didn't react fast enough, and that really would only have worked if we got by the 88 and the 48. I don't think we could have got by them. They would have just pulled down and blocked us, so it was a good day."

Again Blaney chalked up some of the experience to his freshman status.

"The yellow stripes back there don't help out at all, but hopefully this helps us out for the next Daytona," he said.

Blaney won't have another shot to drive the famed No. 21 until the end of the month, but takes a great deal of optimism with him after the career day in Talladega.

"At least we finished one after having a couple blown motors," he said. "It's good to get a good finish with these guys and we're really excited to go to Charlotte."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...inishes-Fourth-in-GEICO-500-at-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 NASCAR Geico 500 Videos​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reports of Kyle Busch's Imminent Return Prove To Be Untrue​*
*R*eports of Kyle Busch's return to the cockpit of his race car turned out to be premature.

Busch, who has been sidelined since a harrowing crash in the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February, was rumored to be returning to the cockpit in a late model race this coming weekend.

There's only one problem: The stories about Busch's return proved to be untrue.

In fact, Busch took to Twitter to state that he won't run any races before getting back behind the wheel of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I will NOT b racing this wked," Busch Tweeted Monday morning. "When I return it will b 2 my M&M's Toyota 4 JGR. OFFICIAL release will come from KBM or JGR."

Busch met with the media last month and said there is no timetable for his return.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has said the sanctioning body will grant Busch a waiver allowing him to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup if he wins a race and finishes in the top 30 in driver points in the Cup regular season.

Obviously, the longer Busch is out, the harder it will be for him to crack the top 30 and the fewer chances he will have to win a race.








*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-of-imminent-return-prove-to-be-untrue-050415


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## Ckg2011

*Carl Edwards upset With Fellow Drivers For Failing To Slow During Spin​*
Things were shaping up well for Carl Edwards at the end of Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, but it all went awry on the final lap.

And while he was not pleased about that, what really upset him was that he didn't believe his fellow competitors slowed their cars behind him once they saw him sideways in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Just as the field finally broke the single-file freight train and diced it up for the win, Edwards was turned in Turn 1, sending his car sliding across the track, down on the apron and back up the banking.

Finishing the day 32nd, Edwards was more upset with his competition than the poor finish.

"I was really frustrated that you could spin out for a quarter-mile over there and there's still people going by wide open," Edwards said. "NASCAR does a great job making these cars safe and these tracks safe that the biggest cause of injury is going to be one of us not checking up when there's a guy sideways.
"I've got my door sideways to the field and the 51 car (Justin Allgaier), I think it was, went by 160 miles an hour, 180 miles an hour," he said. "That's not the way I try to race."

After Sunday's incident, he said he plans to talk to his fellow competitors about the issue.

"We're all out here and we're human beings. When you've got a guy wrecking, you can't just lay into his door," Edwards said. "It's pretty dangerous. I can do all this complaining and nobody ran into me, but whew, it's tough."

Edwards said when the field started wrecking on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500 he got off the throttle and lost a lot of positions just to ensure he did not hit another car.

"Generally when someone's spinning in front of you, you slow down a little bit so if you do hit them you don't break their legs or hurt them," he said. "I don't want to rant too much about it, but I was frustrated with that."

He was not the only driver frustrated with the incident at the end of the race. Matt Kenseth, Edwards' JGR teammate, had to slow to avoid the sliding No. 19 Toyota and was expecting the caution to fly.

"I had to lift so I didn't send Carl to the hospital," Kenseth said. "I'm just dumbfounded that NASCAR didn't throw a caution. We were driving past wrecked cars for half a lap at 180 mph -- it was a crazy ending."

Despite the frustrations, Edwards was pleased with the team's overall performance Sunday afternoon.

"This was probably the best restrictor plate race that I've ever run," he said. "I felt like we did a good job, Darian (Grubb, crew chief) did a great job, my pit crew was really good. At the end we really just got spun out. I know everybody's trying really hard and that's what this racing produces."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...fellow-drivers-for-failing-to-check-up-050315


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Green-Flag Finishes The Goal​*
Ending races under green-flag conditions remains high on NASCAR's priority list.

Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway saw a last-lap crash break out behind the lead pack when Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and others got together in Turns 1 and 2.

However NASCAR opted to not display the caution flag and allowed the race to play out under green-flag conditions with Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking the win. Earlier this week, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell explained the decision on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

"It's going to be a judgment call," O'Donnell said. "We've stated that we're going to make every effort to try to finish under green-flag conditions. That's what the fans want to see. Obviously, we've got to be mindful of what's occurring on the racetrack. It's a split-second decision.

"(At Talladega) If you look at the circumstances that played out with Carl, when we initially saw him get loose he was down on the apron. As we made that quick decision, it was, 'OK, he's clear. We can go.' Just as you make that call, his car slides up across the track. That's something you don't want to see ... green- or yellow-flag conditions. But at the time, if we would have thrown the yellow then it's too late because he's already up and across the track. We elected to let it play out. We certainly didn't like to see how Carl came across the track but ultimately, we were able to come back under green-flag conditions."

*Gordon Honored for Charitable Work*

Jeff Gordon will be honored for his philanthropic efforts May 20 at the 35th annual Speedway Children's Charities Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, N.C.

"I'm proud to be honored at this gala," Gordon said. "Speedway Children's Charities has done so much great work over the years, and the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation has partnered with them many times to impact kids battling cancer and children in need. I appreciate their recognition at this event and look forward to working with them in the years to come."

Proceeds from the event go to the grant program of Speedway Children's Charities' Charlotte Chapter. SCC, a nonprofit organization, was founded by Bruton Smith in 1982 and has raised more than $42 million.

*Kyle Busch's Road to Recovery*

There's still no timetable for Kyle Busch's return to NASCAR competition. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver continues to recover from injuries suffered in a crash during the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February. Busch recently tested a Late Model car but is not planning to race any time soon, as has been speculated.

It was rumored that Busch would take part in an event at North Carolina's Hickory Motor Speedway this coming weekend, which the driver quickly shot down on social media. Erik Jones will drive the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Notebook-Green-Flag-Finishes-the-Goal.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Talladega Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway was impactful for a number of drivers and teams.

*WINNERS​*
*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
"Junior Nation" is still celebrating Earnhardt's win, which was his sixth at Talladega. He spoke eloquently and emotionally about the victory, which meant a great deal to him both personally and professionally.

*Ryan Blaney*
The young driver gave the Wood Brothers a solid effort and came home with a career-best fourth-place finish. Blaney has taken some heat for not trying to get past Earnhardt for the lead and possible win, but the lack of drafting partners made his decision to stay in line a smart one.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
The Furniture Row Racing driver had his top-10 streak broken a few weeks ago but has quickly recovered with a pair of impressive performances. One of those came Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, when Truex stayed in the lead pack most of the day and came home with a fifth-place finish.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*
It's been a rough start to the year for Hornish Jr. and the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports team. But there was a ray of sunshine at Talladega, where Hornish drafted with the leaders and parlayed that effort to a season-best sixth-place finish.

*Josh Wise*
The "David vs. Goliath" story is always a great one to tell at Talladega. His top-10 finish was the best among the unheralded drivers and teams.

*LOSERS*​
*Kyle Larson*
Is there a "Sophomore Slump?" Last year's Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year is having a tough follow-up effort in 2015. Larson got swept up in the 15-car accident on Lap 47, which ended his day early in Talladega.

*Trevor Bayne*
The Roush Fenway Racing organization is in the midst of a brutal start to the campaign and Bayne has - unfortunately - been the poster boy for that disappointment more often than not. He spun on Lap 47 Sunday to trigger a multi-car wreck and wound up 41st.

*Michael Waltrip*
His pre-race television "Grid Walk" was the highlight (or lowlight, depending on your point of view) of Waltrip's day. The strategy of riding at the rear of the field backfired when Brian Scott's blown engine caused him to spin directly into the path of Waltrip's No. 55 Toyota, ending the owner-driver's shot at an upset win.

*Carl Edwards*
His disappointing first season at Joe Gibbs Racing continued at Talladega. Edwards couldn't get anyone to draft with him and make a move to the front in the late going. Then, he spun on the last lap and was involved in the controversial accident after which NASCAR decided not to display the yellow flag to end the race. Edwards wasn't pleased with the decision.

*Jeff Gordon*
For the second time this season, Gordon's mistake of speeding on pit road may have cost him a victory. He was pegged at Martinsville back on March 29 to end his bid for a win there. Sunday, it happened again and although Gordon tried his best to race back to the front, he could only break into the top 10 before getting caught in the last-lap accident.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lladega-Superspeedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Newman Goes Truckin' At Kansas​*
Ryan Newman, runner-up to Kevin Harvick in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, will drive the No. 8 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet in Friday's Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.

Newman has five previous starts in the Truck Series. Friday night's Toyota Tundra 250 will be his first since 2013, when he finished third at Eldora Speedway.

"I see this as an opportunity to help a fellow Chevrolet team and John Hunter Nemechek, a driver I believe has a future in NASCAR," said Newman, who'll see double duty in Kansas City behind the wheel of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

Gere Kennon will serve as crew chief for Newman's return to the Truck Series. His No. 8 Silverado will feature the Rescue Ranch, a North Carolina-based facility that promotes respect for all animals. In 2012, Newman and his wife - Krissie - founded the 87-acre ranch which supports agricultural, environmental and wildlife conservation initiatives.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Toyota Tundra 250 from Kansas Speedway beginning at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/05/Ryan-Newman-Goes-Truckin-at-Kansas.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'NASCAR Next' Unveils More Future Stars​*
On Tuesday morning, in a building that honors the sport's history, NASCAR introduced some of the brightest future stars who may someday be enshrined in its Hall of Fame.

Twelve drivers were formally announced as the newest "NASCAR Next" class during a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It's a group of up-and-coming talent that joins the industry program aimed at spotlighting stock car racing's emerging stars.

Four of the five K&N Pro Series race winners in 2015 are 21 years old or younger. Championship point leaders in both the East and West divisions are just 17. And another 17-year-old driver just became the highest-finishing female in the 61-year-history of the K&N Pro Series West.

It's fitting that as fans celebrate Jeff Gordon's final full year of competition, NASCAR's ranks are filled with young drivers battling to one day fill that void.

"NASCAR's investment in talent development is clearly visible every race weekend," said Jill Gregory, NASCAR's senior vice president for industry services. "Alumni and current members of the NASCAR Next program are achieving success at the sport's highest level. We're confident this class will build upon that record of excellence for many seasons to come."

The collective career résumé of NASCAR Next alumni is impressive - highlighted by Chase Elliott's 2014 XFINITY Series championship; Kyle Larson being named 2014 Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year; and Cole Custer's Camping world Truck Series victory at New Hampshire last fall, making him the youngest winner in the history of NASCAR national series.

Of the 28 drivers previously selected for this program, 21 have raced in one of NASCAR's three national series (Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Trucks), and 11 are competing full-time there in 2015.

The team was assembled through an evaluation process that included input from industry executives and veteran racers. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, have tangible and expressed goals of eventually competing in the Sprint Cup Series, and must demonstrate the potential to reach that goal.

Each NASCAR Next driver must be competing in a touring or weekly series - K&N Pro Series East or West, the Whelen Modified or Southern Modified Tour, Canadian Tire Series Presented by Mobil 1, NASCAR Mexico Series, Whelen Euro Series or the Whelen All-American Series. XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series competitors also are eligible provided they're not slated to run a full season in their respective series.

*The NASCAR Next members for 2015-16 are:​*
*Rico Abreu (23 from Rutherford, Calif., Twitter: @Rico_Abreu)* - A 2014 USAC national champion and winner of the 2015 Chili Bowl, he has two top-10 finishes in three K&N Pro Series East starts in this, his first season racing stock cars.

*Nicole Behar (17 from Otis Orchards, Wash., @NicoleBehar33)* - Tied the series record for highest finish by a female driver in just her fifth K&N West start with a second-place finish at Irwindale. She has top 10s in three of her five series starts.

*Kyle Benjamin (17 from Easley, S.C., @kylebenjamin71)* - This Roush Fenway Racing developmental driver earned his first K&N Pro Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway and is the youngest race winner in ARCA history.

*James Bickford (17 from Napa, Calif., @BICkford_James)* - The 2014 K&N West Sunoco Rookie of the Year earned his first win at State Line Speedway last season and finished fifth in the 2014 championship standings.

*William Byron (17 from Charlotte, N.C., @WilliamByron)* - With a win at Greenville Pickens Speedway and three top-10 finishes, he sits atop the 2015 K&N East point standings.

*Cole Custer (17 from Ladera Ranch, Calif., @Colecuster00)* - Holds records for youngest pole winner and race winner in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR's touring series, and led late in the Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season.

*Ruben Garcia Jr. (19 from Mexico City, Mexico, @rubengarcia4)* - The runner-up in last season's NASCAR Mexico Series championship standings, he had one win and 10 top-10 finishes there while also competing in three XFINITY Series races.

*Austin Hill (21 from Winston, Ga., @_AustinHill)* - Had three consecutive K&N East wins, in the final two races of 2014 and the 2015 season opener at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, where he captured his first pole award and led every lap.

*Jesse Little (18 from Sherrill's Ford, N.C., @Jesselittle97)* - Had a win at New Hampshire, four top fives and 10 top-10 finishes in 2014 to place fourth in the season standings. Won the pole at Bristol in his 2015 K&N East debut.

*Dylan Lupton (21 from Wilton, Calif., @LuptonDylan)* - Was the 2014 K&N West championship runner-up with a win at Kern County Speedway and registered 14 top-10 finishes. Made his XFINITY Series debut at Phoenix in March.

*John Hunter Nemechek (17 from Mooresville, N.C., @JHNemechek)* - Earned six top-10 finishes in 10 Camping World Truck Series starts in 2014, and won the prestigious Snowball Derby Late Model race at Five Flags Speedway in December.

*Dalton Sargeant (17 from Boca Raton, Fla., @DaltonSargeant)* - Has a win at Kern County Raceway Park in the K&N West this season, with four top-five finishes in five combined East and West starts. He leads the Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year standings in both divisions.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...05/NASCAR-Next-Unveils-More-Future-Stars.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick Going Retro At 'The Lady In Black'​*
With the NASCAR Hall of Fame serving as an appropriate backdrop, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick unveiled the gold-and-black No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS that he will race in the Sept. 6 Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

The retro-themed, commemorative paint scheme mimics the first can Budweiser produced, which was gold and featured an eagle flying through the Anheuser-Busch stylized "A" with five stars above and below the winged crest. Below the eagle, Budweiser is spelled out in block letters with "Lager Beer" in script.

The design is part of an overall throwback weekend at one of NASCAR's oldest venues. Built in 1949 by Harold Brasington, Darlington has hosted Sprint Cup races since 1950, and last year Harvick won the 65th running of the iconic Southern 500 - one of the crown-jewel races on the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule.

"It's great that Darlington is embracing its rich tradition with the Southern 500's return to Labor Day weekend," said Harvick, who currently leads the Sprint Cup Series championship standings. "Budweiser saw this as an excellent opportunity to celebrate its own history by racing the colors and design from the first can Budweiser ever made. It's a sharp-looking car and the No. 4 team is ready to get back to Darlington's victory lane."

"At Budweiser we are known for celebrating great times, and there have been a lot of great times through the years at Darlington Raceway - none more so than last year when Kevin took the Budweiser Chevy to victory lane in the Southern 500," said Corey Christanell, director of sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch. "Being able to celebrate Darlington's rich heritage is something we're proud to do with Kevin, the No. 4 Budweiser team and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing."

The very first Southern 500 at Darlington took place on Labor Day in 1950 courtesy of a deal made between Brasington and NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. More than 80 entrants showed up for the inaugural Southern 500 with Johnny Mantz successfully maneuvering his black Plymouth around the egg-shapped 1.366-mile oval to take the win.

"Darlington has played such an integral role in the history of our sport, and the Southern 500 is one of the most storied and celebrated events in all of racing," said Mike Verlander, vice president of sales and marketing, SHR. "With Kevin and the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's team returning to Darlington as both the reigning race winners and Sprint Cup champions, it made a lot of sense for us to get involved. We - along with all of our partners at SHR - are proud to be able to celebrate the history of our sport in an impactful manner."

Paint schemes for the full stable of SHR drivers will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the Southern 500.

*Source:*
Harvick Going Retro At 'The Lady In Black'


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Penalties Upheld​*
The penalties assessed to Richard Childress Racing for the manipulation of tires at Auto Club Speedway were upheld on Wednesday after a final appeal hearing.

National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss heard RCR's appeal during a nine-hour deliberation.

The final decision upheld the 50-point driver and owner penalties that were amended from the original assessment by the three-member appeals panel. Crew chief Luke Lambert and two other crew members will be suspended for the next six weeks. Todd Parrott will step in to crew chief for Newman in lambert's absence beginning this week at Kansas Speedway.

A $75,000 fine and probation for the crew members until the end of the season were also upheld.

RCR received the P5 penalty when tires were found to be manipulated on Newman's car during the March Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. The penalty is the second-stiffest under NASCAR's deterrence system.

Moss, the former Gulfstream Aerospace executive, has only heard two appeals in his new position. The Newman ruling was upheld as was the Kurt Busch suspension in February.

Newman remains 14th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings.

Richard Childress issued a statement regarding the final appeal:

"We do not agree with the final appeal ruling. We feel we had a compelling case and still fell we were in the right and the facts presented today would have proved that. We do appreciate the opportunity to be heard.

"We stand behind our suspended team members and look forward to their return. We will now move on and continue or goals of winning races and making the Chase for the Champion."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ichard-Childress-Racing-Penalties-Upheld.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NAPA To Sponsor Elliott In 2016​*
NAPA Auto Parts will grow its relationship with 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports in 2016 when it becomes the majority sponsor of driver Chase Elliott and his No. 24 Chevrolet team. The news was announced Tuesday evening in Las Vegas during the NAPA EXPO, which is attended by more than 17,000 store owners, managers and dealers.

The expanded partnership will feature NAPA Auto Parts as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 team in 24 Sprint Cup races annually, including the season-opening Daytona 500, and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons.

"This is a very exciting time for the NAPA Family," said Gaylord Spencer, senior vice president of marketing for NAPA Auto Parts. "Chase continues to represent our brand in a terrific way, and we couldn't be more pleased to take our association with him to the next level. We look forward to working with Chase, the No. 24 team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports."

NAPA was the full-season primary sponsor during Elliott's historic 2014 XFINITY Series campaign when he became NASCAR's youngest-ever national series champion while earning rookie of the year and most popular driver honors. In 2015, NAPA remains the sole primary sponsor for Elliott's second full NXS season with JR Motorsports along with the driver's Sprint Cup debut schedule, which includes five points-paying races with Hendrick Motorsports.

"We have an incredible opportunity with NAPA, both on and off the track," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Our organizations work extremely well together and share many of the same values. The program already has a ton of positive momentum, and we want to carry that into 2016 with great performance in all areas of the business. We take a lot of pride in the relationship and are committed to making a big impact for NAPA."

It was announced in January that Elliott, 19, will join Hendrick Motorsports as a full-time Sprint Cup driver in 2016. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native currently is third in the 2015 NXS standings with seven top-10 finishes in nine races. In 51 combined NXS and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, he has recorded four wins, 25 top-five finishes and 40 top-10s.

"I'm so fortunate to work with a company like NAPA," said Elliott, who will compete for Sprint Cup rookie of the year honors in 2016. "They've been behind me 100 percent, and I never take that support for granted. Continuing the relationship means a lot, and I know the entire team is focused on making it as successful as possible. It's going to be a lot of fun."

In 2015, Elliott and his No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts team have competed in Sprint Cup events at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. Along with the recently added Sprint Showdown on May 15, he will be entered in points-paying races May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway.

Additional sponsorship for Elliott's 2016 Sprint Cup season will be announced at a later date.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...05/NAPA-to-sponsor-Chase-Elliott-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes No. 40 XFINITY Team​*
The No. 40 team that competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series has been penalized for a rule infraction discovered during pre-race inspection May 2 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates the following Sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:

12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
20.17.2.1: Overall vehicle weight

B. Any and all ballast added to the vehicle must be bolted inside an added ballast container, inside the main frame rails, and/or inside the front sway bar mounting tube.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Kevyn Rebolledo has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Additionally, driver/owner Derek White has been docked 15 NASCAR XFINITY Championship driver and car owner points.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/xfinity-series/nascar-penalizes-no-40-xfinity-team/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Driving No. 00 JRM Truck At Charlotte​*
Kasey Kahne has been selected to pilot the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet in the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 15, JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller announced Wednesday.

A veteran driver with 29 victories across NASCAR's top-three series, Kahne will make his first NCWTS start since winning at Rockingham Speedway in 2012. The Charlotte event also complements the 10-race schedule the No. 00 Haas Automation team will run with its primary driver, 17-year-old Cole Custer, announced earlier this year.

"Getting Kasey behind the wheel of the No. 00 is going to be a true asset for the team and Cole," said Earnhardt Miller. "With Cole's age, he's not eligible to compete on some of the bigger tracks, so we had to limit the schedule based on that fact. This opportunity to have Kasey in the truck will help the team evaluate our program on an intermediate track. And Kasey's stats in that series really speak to his talent."

In five NCWTS starts, Kahne has won four of them (two at Darlington Raceway and one each at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Rockingham Speedway) and never finished worse than second. Along with an average finish of 1.2, he has led 307 of 686 career laps.

"I'm looking forward to running the truck race at Charlotte for JR Motorsports," said Kahne. "They had a fast truck in the Martinsville race and have a great program going over there. Thanks to Kelley, Dale Jr. and Gene Haas for putting this deal together. I haven't been in a truck race in a long time, but I always enjoy racing in that series."

Custer, the youngest race winner in NASCAR national touring series history, made JRM's NCWTS debut earlier this year at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He will return to the seat of the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet for the May 29 race at Dover (Del.) Int'l Speedway and in eight other NCWTS events in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/kahne-driving-no-00-jrm-truck-at-charlotte/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Optimistic RPM Heads To Kansas​*
Richard Petty Motorsports heads to Kansas Speedway with high hopes after a week of personnel changes.

RPM brought in veteran crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion to work with Sam Hornish Jr. on the No. 9 Ford. He replaces Drew Blickensderfer and will try to get the underperforming Hornish headed in the right direction.

"We had a big change this week with Kevin coming aboard and we'll have a lot of work to do in Kansas just getting to know each other's styles," said Hornish, who makes his seventh career Kansas Sprint Cup start Saturday night. "While we're doing a lot with the tools we've been given, we're expanding that toolbox a little bit. Kevin can bring different ideas to the table and this is his first week to learn about us as a race team."

Hornish also has seven Indy car starts at Kansas Speedway with one win. He's hoping that experience and new energy in the team will combine for a successful night.

"Since they repaved the track, I've had a harder time at Kansas," Hornish said. "In the fall race last year, the line started to move around quite a bit and that will help me throughout this weekend. Kansas is one of those places where I always seem to run fast, but something happens to prevent us from getting the finish we deserve."

Aric Almirola, Hornish's teammate, has had better luck at Kansas during his Sprint Cup career. In fact, it's his best track on the circuit statistically.

In six Sprint Cup Series starts, Almirola has three top-10 finishes - including eighth place in each of the last two spring races. He has two top-five and three top-10 starts, and has led 69 laps at the track, the most of any track on the schedule.

"We always seem to be fast right off the truck," Almirola said. "We had an engine issue last year and a tire issue in 2012, when we had a shot at the win. You can move around a lot at Kansas now that the track is aging. That will help us throughout the race as the track changes into the night.

"We've been working hard on our intermediate-track program. We seem to get close to where we need to be in the race but have to get better off the truck. We have a good shot at doing that this weekend."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 from Kansas Speedway starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

NASCAR Sprint Cup, Aric Almirola, Sam Hornish Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tty-Motorsports-Heads-to-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Set For Official Cup Debut​*
Erik Jones is ready to jump behind the wheel of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

The 18-year-old will make his first official Sprint Cup Series start this weekend as the latest replacement for the injured Kyle Busch.

Jones had no experience at Kansas until he took part in Thursday's Camping World Truck Series practice session but is ready to tackle the Sprint Cup assignment on Saturday.

"It will be fun," Jones said Friday morning at Kansas. "It's a cool race track and this is my first time here and being on track yesterday was my first time on the track. It's a pretty neat track."

Although this will be the first official start for Jones, he does have Sprint Cup experience albeit in a relief role. Jones stepped in for Denny Hamlin at Bristol when neck and back spasms didn't allow him to continue racing after a lengthy rain delay.

Jones was rushed to the track and literally sat inside the car only minutes before the race resumed.

But he believes that whole situation provided a foundation that will help this weekend.

"Obviously, that was a tough situation to be put in and I felt like if we could have started farther up front and not all the way at the back that we could have possibly finished a little better than we did," he said. I felt pretty comfortable in the car by the end of the day, which was nice especially at Bristol - that's a place that I've never really felt 100 percent like I've got that place figured out. To feel that comfortable in the car there made me feel pretty confident about this weekend."

Jones also admits the rushed situation he was thrown into at Bristol didn't allow much time for anxiousness. While he's not overly concerned about being nervous this weekend he understands a certain amount of butterflies in his stomach is to be expected.

"There is a little bit more nerves going into the race weekend," Jones said. "I'm not feeling them right now. I'm excited about practice right now honestly and just getting on the track and I'm sure as the race comes around and as we get closer to the start time I'll be a little bit nervous about getting the green flag and going out and making laps. Right now, feel pretty calm, but there's definitely more time to think about it."

Jones will do double duty competing in Friday night's Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 as he tries to win the championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports. As to his future with the JGR Cup operations, Jones has nothing on his schedule for now beyond Kansas.

"Honestly, we haven't really thought much past this weekend," he said. "We're all hoping Kyle can come back, I know he's ready to come back. Right now, it's just Kansas and going out and seeing what we can do this weekend."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 from Kansas Speedway starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Jones-Set-for-Official-Sprint-Cup-Debut.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Fire Damages Levine Racing Shop​*
Officials from Levine Family racing confirmed an early Friday morning fire at the team's headquarters.

The organization runs a single-car Sprint Cup Series effort with driver Michael McDowell. While the No. 95 team is in Kansas preparing for the weekend's SpongeBob SquarePants 400, other cars at the shop were reportedly damaged in the fire.

A fire broke out at the North Carolina shop and it wasn't until 8:30 a.m. ET before local firefighters were able to get the blaze under control.

The team updated the situation via a statement sent late Friday morning:

"We can confirm there was a fire at our Concord, NC shop. Luckily no one was injured. We are working with the fire department and local officials to determine what happened. We've heard from the fire department there was significant damage to the back of the race shop. As you can imagine, we are still working to assess the full situation."

WSOC-TV spoke with the fire marshal that did not know how the fire started but that four racecars in the building were destroyed and there was extensive damage to an 8,000-square foot section of the shop.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/05/Fire-Damages-Levine-Racing-Shop.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Rules Don't Suit Bowyer​*
The 2015 Sprint Cup Series rules package hasn't quite captured the imagination of Clint Bowyer.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver addressed his concerns with the ramifications of the new rules that were instituted for the 2015 season Friday morning at Kansas Speedway.

Bowyer believes the reduction of horsepower and aerodynamic changes have sent the competition in the wrong direction.

"It's kind of exactly opposite of what all the drivers were asking for and hoping for," Bowyer said.

"They're (NASCAR) constantly working to improve the package that the race fan sees as a whole. It is a little bit disappointing and in my opinion you need more off-throttle time to create a racing environment on the racetrack. If you're wide open and you're not lifting, I don't know how you're going to get around that car in front of you when they're doing the same."

Bowyer comes to his home track in Kansas looking for his first win and an overall improvement in performance. Although he hasn't embraced the change in the rulebook, he isn't using it as an excuse.

"That being said, you have to make the most of out of tracks like this," Bowyer said of the 1.5-mile Kansas track. "You have to have fast equipment, a fast race car and ultimately a lot of horsepower under the hood.

"You don't have to have the fastest car, but it certainly makes it a lot easier when you do have the fastest car when you're in an environment where the corner speeds are so high."

Bowyer is 17th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings coming into Kansas. He's finished in the top-10 twice but overall has struggled since running well at the season-opening Daytona 500.

Of particular concern to Bowyer and the MWR organization is the team's performance at intermediate tracks like Kansas.

"Anytime you're in any kind of competition you're trying to better yourself until you're the best and then you're still trying to better yourself," Bowyer said. "We know we're behind so this is definitely the area we've been working on. We've been working very hard in the wind tunnel and trying to find some aero advantages, some gains that we feel like we're behind on the aero side of it. Then the engine guys have been working hard on trying to make some gains under the hood as well because we know we're behind there too.

"Those are the two big hitters on a fast mile-and-a-half race track like this and when you're behind in both of them it makes it pretty hard. They have, they've made gains in both and I'm looking forward to getting on the race track and hopefully reaping the benefits of their hard work."

Bowyer is determined to get to Victory Lane and turn around his fortunes. It would be even sweeter if it happened Saturday night at his home track in front of family and friends.

"You always have that pressure and when you go home it's that much more because all your friends will start calling last Thursday - 'Are you ready to win Kansas? We're going to be there Tuesday, are you ready?' It would be awesome to win here," Bowyer said.

"We're going to need a hospital if we win here."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 from Kansas Speedway starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/05/New-Rules-Dont-Suit-Clint-Bowyer.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Layoff Over For Truck Series​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finally returns to action in Friday night's Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway.

The series has been idle since racing March 28 at Martinsville Speedway. Only three races have been run so far in 2015 and the return to the track has many drivers jumping for joy.

"It's been an eternity since we've been on the track, but I always look forward to going back to Kansas," said series points leader Matt Crafton.

He's the only driver entered that's raced in all 14 previous races on the 1.5-mile oval. While it's changed some over the years, Crafton says Kansas Speedway has always been a challenge.

"It's tricky," he said. "It's tough to get off Turn 4, get your stuff handling well in Turns 1 and 2, and then be that good in Turn 4. Getting overall balance is the key. I expect the track to have lost some grip since the repave."

Johnny Sauter, Crafton's ThorSport Racing teammate, hasn't been sitting idle during the break in the schedule. He won a Late Model race last weekend in his native Wisconsin and hopes to carry that momentum with him to Kansas City.

"Intermediate tracks like Kansas have been good for us," said Sauter, fifth in the series standings. "We ran well there last year, qualified third and ran inside the top five until we had to pit for a loose lugnut - which put us back mid-pack. Ultimately, we were involved in a wreck."

Timothy Peters also stayed busy in a Late Model during the down time, victorious in the Denny Hamlin Short-Track Showdown at South Boston Speedway. He'll make his seventh career Kansas start Friday night, and has one top five and a couple top-10 finishes to his credit.

Peters had a rough time in last year's race and looks to get off to a better start Friday.

"We got into a little trouble on the first lap and still ended up with a good finish, which shows you how strong our truck was," Peters said. "I'm ready to get back at it and start climbing out of the hole we're in. We're down in the points and have to get back where we belong."

Erik Jones will be busy this weekend, driving both the Kyle Busch Motorsports entry in the Truck Series race and then making his first Sprint Cup Series start in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The young driver has been busy this season in the XFINITY Series but is ready to get back to his full-time job this weekend.

"With long breaks early in the Truck Series schedule, it's hard to remember we're running for a championship over there," Jones said. "But every time I slide through the window of my Tundra, that goal easily comes back to mind.

"I'm able to swap mentalities among all the different vehicles I've been racing fairly easily. The extra seat time in the other series is beneficial in helping achieve the goal that everyone on this No. 4 team set at the beginning of the season - bringing home KBM's first-ever driver's championship."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Toyota Tundra 250 from Kansas Speedway starting at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Trucks-Back-in-Action-at-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Kansas Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman Moving On From Penalty​*
Ryan Newman has no choice but to put the failed final appeal of his team's penalty for tire manipulation in the rear-view mirror.

National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss upheld the penalties assessed to Richard Childress Racing for the manipulation of tires on the No. 31 car at Auto Club Speedway in March.

Newman did not agree with the final ruling but won't dwell on the outcome.

"I'm disappointed," Newman said Friday at Kansas Speedway. "I don't believe at all in the outcome but in the end, it doesn't really matter. We've got to be focused on this weekend and the Chase. It's as simple as that. It's all behind us and we'll go on."

That said, Newman reiterated that he still believes his team did nothing wrong.

"That's why we feel we had a compelling case to win and I'll leave it at that," he said.

The three-member National Motorsports Appeals Panel amended the original penalties on April 16, but RCR requested a final appeal that was not heard until this past Wednesday. Newman did his best to keep his attention where it was needed during the process.

"My focus has always been at the track," he said. "That changes a little bit without having Luke (crew chief Luke Lambert) and a couple other guys here. But we've established a good 'B' team we have a lot of confidence in. The racecar is going to be just as competitive as it ever has been and we have guys at the shop paying more attention than they ever have. So it's 'business as usual.' "

Todd Parrott steps in as interim crew chief for Lambert, who begins his seven-race suspension this weekend that will include next weekend's Sprint All-Star Race. Newman is confident in the replacement team RCR has put together.

"That's what makes a championship team, having back-up plans," Newman said. "Whether it's a member of a pit crew that gets injured, a crew chief that gets suspended or any kind of situation, they always must have a back-up plan."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yan-Newman-Moving-On-From-NASCAR-Penalty.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*For Dale Earnhardt Jr., It's All About Winning​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never been more determined to get to Victory Lane.

That message came through loud and clear after he scored an emotional victory last weekend in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt hammered it home again Friday morning at Kansas Speedway and how important it was for him to take the checkered flag.

"So much relief to know that we're locked into the Chase, which is very important," Earnhardt said.

The pressure to win has never been greater, given the huge weight and importance of making the post-season Chase. Now, Earnhardt says he can take a breath and focus on racing - and winning - with much less anxiety, beginning with Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

"You come into this race, and the one after that, and the one after that with so much less stress," he said. "You get back to core values, enjoying racing and driving. You don't have to worry about points. You don't have to worry about when you're going to win and answer questions about when you're going to win. You don't have a speck of doubt within the team. You can just go race and have fun."

For Earnhardt, that philosophy is a return to the roots of the sport and how he started. When "Junior" first started pursuing a career in racing, there was a fun factor to go along with the desire for success.

It's a luxury that is not afforded in the high-stakes game of the Sprint Cup Series.

"We used to go race at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) every weekend," Earnhardt explained. "We didn't care whether we won the track championship or not. We just loved racing and couldn't wait for our 100-lap feature. The whole process ... getting there, sizing your tires, getting the car ready and qualifying ... was so much fun."

Now, with a notch in the 2015 win column, Earnhardt has recaptured that magic feeling of the past.

"You can get right back down to the core of it," he said, "going through the whole weekend just enjoying yourself. The pressure of the points, winning, expectations, all that stuff can zap the enjoyment out of it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Its-All-About-Winning.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Wins Coor's Light Pole Award​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6767&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Joey Logano took his fourth pole of the season Friday in qualifying for the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Logano turned a lap of 192.397 mph to take the top spot for Saturday night's race. He became the youngest driver to win a pole in track history at 24 years, 11 months, 8 days.

"We just kind of swung for the fence in the last round and the car drove awesome," said Logano, who won his 12th career pole. "It's not very often you get a car that's just perfect.

"I came off Turn 4 and I didn't know how to go faster than that. &#8230; It was a great run, our fourth pole of the season. We just need to rack up some more wins."

Logano will shoot for his second straight Kansas win after taking last October's race at the track.

Kasey Kahne will start outside the front row.

"We had our best speed in our last run so that was what we were looking for," said Kahne, who turned a lap of 191.911 mph. "We've been getting better every week I think and that improvement will hopefully carry here to Kansas tomorrow night. We have a fast car and I'm excited."

Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

"I just couldn't quite find the speed in the last round," Truex Jr. said. "So, the guys did a good job and we have a good starting spot for tomorrow night. This track has been good to me and hopefully we can do better than we've been doing. It's been good."

Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson completed the first ten qualifiers.

"We just got a little better speed in our car and this racetrack has been pretty good for us," said Biffle, who became the first Roush Fenway Racing driver to make a final round of qualifying this season. "We barely made the first round and barely made the second and then I just drove it - over drove it. I just said I was going to go for it."

Erik Jones will make his first official Sprint Cup Series start from the 12th starting spot.

Other notables in the field include Tony Stewart (16th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17th), Jimmie Johnson (19th) and Danica Patrick (27th).

"It would make our life so much easier starting up front and having a good pit stall pick," Johnson said. "Middle of the pack&#8230;&#8230;we will fire our way through there and grind it out like we always do and try and I am sure get a great finish out of it. But we know we need to get better on Fridays."

Brendan Gaughan failed to qualify for Saturday night's race.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 from Kansas Speedway starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says His Camping World Truck Series Debut Will Have To Wait​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that he "probably won't run" a Camping World Truck Series race this season for JR Motorsports but might next year.

The team announced this week that Kasey Kahne would drive its truck May 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, leading to questions of if Earnhardt might make his Camping World Truck Series debut later this season.

"I probably won't run the Trucks this year,'' Earnhardt said Friday morning at Kansas Speedway. "If I run Trucks, I want to run Martinsville and it will probably be next year if I run. I love Martinsville. I watched the Truck race there this year in the pit stall and just wanted to be out there. It just looks like a lot of fun.''

JR Motorsports started a Truck team this season. Cole Custer made his season debut with the team at Martinsville in March, placing 16th. Custer, who is 17 years old, is scheduled to compete in 10 series races this season.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...g-world-truck-series-debut-will-have-to-wait/


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## Ckg2011

*Sen. John McCain Cites National Guard's Former Sponsorship of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Team As Wasteful​*
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) highlights the National Guard's since discontinued sponsorship of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team in a report titled "America's Most Wasted.''

McCain's office published the report Thursday, stating it spotlights "wasteful spending.

"It is the duty of every elected official to oversee government spending, cut-out duplication, and eliminate waste - a duty that must not be shirked at taxpayers' expense,'' McCain wrote in the opening of the report.

"I believe the America's Most Wasted reports can serve as a wake-up call to Congress and help the American people demand an end to wasteful government spending once and for all.''

The National Guard announced Aug. 6, 2014, that it would not sponsor Earnhardt's team or Graham Rahal's IndyCar team because of "significantly constrained resources and the likelihood of further reductions.'' McCain's report stated that the National Guard spent a total of $32.2 million with the sponsorship of Earnhardt's team and $12.7 million with the sponsorship of Rahal's team.

McCain is no stranger to NASCAR. He was the honorary starter for the 2007 Coca-Cola 600, attended a Cup race at New Hampshire in Sept. 2008 while campaigning for President and served as grand marshal for the fall Phoenix race in 2009.

McCain's report also stated that the National Guard spent an additional $4.2 million on deals with teams in the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, along with the Tiger Woods Deutsche Bank Professional Golf Association Championship and the Alaskan Iron Dog snowmobile race.

You can read McCain's full report here.
http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public...-bdddb5c819f6/americas-most-wasted-report.pdf

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ship-of-dale-earnhardt-jr-s-team-as-wasteful/


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## Ckg2011

*Crafton's Kansas Win A Gas​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6827&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Crafton watched Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick run out of gas and went on to win Friday's Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway.

Crafton became the first repeat winner in the 15 Truck Series races held at Kansas and did so in dramatic fashion.

Jones had dominated the race and looked well on his way to a convincing victory. But his Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota ran out of fuel with six laps to go and Jones was forced to pit road, where to add insult to injury he was penalized for speeding.

That handed the lead to Reddick, who was in a back-up truck after crashing his primary mount in a qualifying accident with Brad Keselowski Racing teammate Austin Theriault. But Reddick too ran out of fuel and Crafton got around Daniel Suarez, who also had his tank run dry, for position before driving to the checkered flag.

"They told me we weren't going to make it, but we had great horsepower," said Crafton, who led three times for six laps including the final two. "It was not the winning truck. We were definitely second-place truck."

It was Crafton's second win of the season and seventh of his career.

"I said when we took the checkered flag, `We'd rather be lucky than good sometimes," Crafton said. "You have to be close enough to sneak one out once in a while. I've lost them in things like this, so every once in a while, you steal one, I don't feel too bad about it."

Ryan Newman finished second, followed by Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters and Cameron Hayley.

Newman, who was driving Joe Nemechek's truck in the race was penalized for an uncontrolled tire during a pit stop and had to race his way from the rear of the field for the runner-up finish.

"The tire deal hurt us, no doubt," Newman said. "You know, I was giving it my all. It took me 35 or 40 laps to get aggressive with the truck and that was too long."

Suarez finished sixth, followed by Justin Boston, Scott Lagasse Jr., Mason Mingus and Daniel Hemric.

Jones set a record by leading 151 laps, the most in series history on a 1.5-mile track. But he was forced to settle for 11th place.

"Man, it just sucks," Jones said. "We had by far the best track. We were up to an 11 second lead at one point. It's just so terrible for these guys when we bring that fast of a truck and we can't bring the win home.

"Being eight laps short, I don't know how the 88 (Crafton) made it. It's just too bad."

Crafton has a 17-point lead over Reddick in the series standings with Jones 18 behind.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway next Friday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/05/Matt-Craftons-Kansas-Win-A-Gas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kansas Story Lines​*
The Sprint Cup Series heads under the lights for Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

It's the 11th race of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season and a number of name drivers have yet to visit Victory Lane.

Defending race champion Jeff Gordon tops the list and the three-time Kansas winner has his sights set on putting a notch in the win column on Saturday night.

"This has been a great track for us ever since we started coming here and winning the first two races here," Gordon said. "I've always enjoyed this race track. It's suited my driving style. The transitions are kind of forgiving and well-laid out. With the repave, I'm always concerned with how competitive we're going to be on a track where we've been so competitive when things change. But I think we proved last year that we can still be very competitive here.

"So this year we're certainly optimistic about coming back here with how well we ran here last year that we can repeat that performance. We're certainly excited about the weekend."

*Homecoming For Bowyer*
Clint Bowyer grew up just outside Kansas Speedway in nearby Emporia and has been trying to get a home track win since moving into NASCAR's top division. He's another of the drivers still looking to pick up a victory and punch their ticket into the Chase and Bowyer knows how much sweeter that accomplishment would be if it happened in front of his hometown fans and family.

"This track, it would mean a great deal to win at this place. Right now, it's so funny as you go through your career, in any sport there's times where you know damn well that you're really close to wins and there's other times when you couldn't be any farther away from that feeling," Bowyer said. "Certainly, this year has tested a little bit of both of those. I've watched these guys work so hard on this car and bring a new car with a lot of potential and a lot of momentum and hard work put into it." (Read More)

*Official Debut For Jones* 
It's already been a big weekend for young Erik Jones, who officially makes his first career Sprint Cup Series start Saturday night. Jones filled in for Denny Hamlin at Bristol last month but now gets a chance to drive the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as the latest replacement for the injured Kyle Busch. Jones nearly won Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race before running out of fuel in the closing laps. Earlier in the day he qualified well enough in the Sprint Cup car to start 12th in tonight's race.

"It's going to be interesting racing against those guys," Jones said of his Sprint Cup competitors. "I've raced against so many guys that I watched on TV growing up for so long and all the guys I looked up to. It will be a pretty cool experience and hope I can learn from them. I know I learned a lot at Bristol just running that race and just sitting in. Excited at what I can learn this weekend." (Read More)

*Newman Team Moves On*
Ryan Newman will be without crew chief Luke Lambert Saturday night, who begins his six race suspension in the aftermath of the tire manipulation penalty the team was assessed at Auto Club Speedway. Richard Childress Racing lost its final appeal of the case this week and has no choice but to put the incident behind and work through the loss of points and personnel.

"My focus has always been at the track," said Newman, who will have veteran Todd Parrott serving as crew chief. "That changes a little bit without having Luke and a couple other guys here. But we've established a good 'B' team we have a lot of confidence in. The racecar is going to be just as competitive as it ever has been and we have guys at the shop paying more attention than they ever have. So it's 'business as usual.' " (Read More)

*Eye To The Sky*
Another week and more rain in the forecast. After long delays in Bristol and a day postponement in Richmond, NASCAR faces the possibility of more wet weather Saturday night. The forecast calls for scattered showers and thunderstorms around the Kansas City area but officials are hopeful an official race can be completed. Several teams are already planning for the potential of a shortened race, which may lead to different strategies and added intensity should there be a race to beat impending weather.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 from Kansas Speedway starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Kansas-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Captures Kansas Win​*
Jimmie Johnson outran Kevin Harvick to score his third win of the season in Saturday's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Johnson earned his 73rd career win and set a NASCAR record with a 22nd win on a 1.5-mile track. He tied his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon for the all-time Kansas win mark at three.

"It was a long hard night of racing and fighting for track position," Johnson said. "Once we got up front, we were able to hang on for the final eight or nine laps, whatever it was."

Johnson and Harvick were followed across the finish line by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Harvick and pole sitter Joey Logano, who came back from a couple of pit road miscues.

Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Newman rounded out the top ten finishers.

Truex Jr. led a race-high 95 laps but had to pit for fuel on the final caution of the night with twelve laps to go and could not get back to the point.

"I hate fuel mileage racing," Truex said. "Because of that, I've never come out once in my career on the right side of one of these deals. &#8230; We're going to get one. We just need to keep digging."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for next Saturday night's running of the Sprint All-Star Race.

*How Johnson Won:* His night almost started with disaster when Johnson made a huge save trying to avoid a spinning car. After dodging that bullet he moved his way to the front of the field and inherited the lead on the final caution flag of the night when others went to pit road for tires and or fuel. Johnson stayed out and was able to outmuscle Harvick and Earnhardt Jr. when the green flag flew with six laps to go and went on to score the win.

*What Else Happened:* The race was red flagged for rain after 98 laps were run when a heavy rain storm hit the track. After a two hour and 16 minute delay the track was dried and racing resumed.

*Who Else Had a Good Day:* Earnhardt Jr. followed his Talladega win a week ago with a solid third place effort&#8230;.Kenseth rebounded from an earlier spin to finish sixth&#8230;.Newman had a top-10 finish with interim crew chief Todd Parrott filling in for the suspended Luke Lambert.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Tony Stewart (again) had a frustrating night that went completely wrong when he checked up to miss a spinning Matt Kenseth on the backstretch and got rear-ended by Brett Moffitt, who apologized but Smoke was not interested&#8230;&#8230;David Ragan's debut with Michael Waltrip Racing ended in surreal fashion when he spun his SpongeBob SquarePants Toyota through the infield and got stuck right on top of a giant graphic of the cartoon character in the infield grass&#8230;..Erik Jones was impressive in his first official Sprint Cup Series start and running with the lead pack until with 73 laps to go he spun the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota out and into the wall&#8230;Denny Hamlin received some damage on contact after a late restart and after pitting for new tires had more issues when he spun and hit the wall.

*Quote of the day:* "We'll just run it until I blow it up and crash it," a frustrated Tony Stewart after receiving damage in an accident with Brett Moffitt.

*Notables:* Harvick scored his seventh straight top-two finish on a 1.5-mile track to tie the record for the most consecutive top twos (Bobby Allison - 1971-1972)&#8230;.Sam Hornish Jr. finished 16th with new crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Johnson-Wins-SpongeBob-SquarePants-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Critical of Cautions​*
Denny Hamlin was not happy with how NASCAR displayed the caution flag after he crashed Saturday night in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Hamlin had a tough night in the rain-delayed race that started when he made contact racing with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and others on a restart. He had a tire go down after the damage was done to his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and had to come to pit road.

"We got in an incident with the 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and the 9 (Sam Hornish Jr.) - we were in the middle of them and the 88 came up and squeezed me into the 9," Hamlin explained. "We cut a tire and then came in and changed those, but we didn't change lefts. I told Dave (Rogers, crew chief) that I thought the right sides were the only ones hurt. He didn't see the left side damage and we had a tire run and blew a left rear."

But Hamlin's issues weren't over. He got back on track but only laps later found himself in trouble again when he crashed. The reaction from NASCAR officials drew Hamlin's ire.

"Then we wrecked, but we wrecked off of turn four and the caution wasn't thrown until I nearly stopped in turn one," he said. "Just unbelievably disappointed with how long it took for that caution to come out because I was sitting dead in the middle of the race track and everyone is coming full bore because their spotters are telling them that the track is green. We've got to be a little more up on the switch on that one."

It's the second week in a row a JGR driver has shown displeasure regarding caution flags. Last week at Talladega Carl Edwards was involved in a last lap accident and upset NASCAR did not display caution and let the race finish under green flag conditions, which Edwards felt put him in a dangerous situation.

The frustrated Hamlin also felt there was danger in what transpired during his incident Saturday night.

"I keep spinning out, I keep hitting the wall and I can't figure out why everyone is still coming at 200 and I look and the green light is still on," Hamlin said. "They didn't throw a caution until seven seconds after I wrecked. Luckily nobody hit us. They'll continue to monitor the situation, I'm guessing is what they'll say."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/05/Denny-Hamlin-Critical-of-Cautions.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Learns In Debut​*
Erik Jones may have finished 40th in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Saturday night but he made a positive impression.

Jones filled in for the injured Kyle Busch at Kansas Speedway and led a lap in what was his official Sprint Cup Series debut.

He kept the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota near the front of the field until disaster struck on lap 196 when he spun racing out of turn four and made hard contact with the wall.

"I just lost it and it's too bad, I had such a good night going," Jones said. "We had a fast M&M's Camry and it's just a matter of trying to get a little better on my end and figuring out where the limit is. Unfortunately, we found it there and we'll try to get a little better and see if we can get another shot in this thing."

Jones doesn't know if he'll be back in the ride as the team awaits the return of Busch from the injuries he sustained in the season opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona.

But the 18-year-old driver is ready for another shot at the Sprint Cup Series and took a lot from his experience Saturday night even if it did have a premature ending.

"I learned a lot about racing in traffic and racing with these guys and how the air works," he said. "Unfortunately, I wish I could have finished it out, but I felt like we definitely had a top-10 car. It's just a shame that we couldn't get the result. Not a bad night overall, I learned a lot and we'll get a little better and try again.

"I learned a lot about racing up front and racing with these guys. It's definitely nice to be as fast as we were and we had a great M&M's Camry, but I just got loose off (turn) four and lost it. All my fault, guess I have to go back and figure it out. You know, we had a good night before that. Something to take from it. I'm ready to do another one -- I hope I get another shot."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...05/Erik-Jones-Learns-in-Sprint-Cup-Debut.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Disappointed In Finish​*
Martin Truex Jr. appeared headed for his first win of the season but got caught short in the fuel mileage game.

Truex Jr. led 95 laps in Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway a track where he has excelled during his Sprint Cup Series career. The Furniture Row Racing driver only led 32 laps all of last season.

But the complexion of the race changed dramatically when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. crashed with 12 laps to go and Truex Jr. was forced to pit because he was running short on fuel.

Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon stayed out and Truex Jr. restarted fifth.

When the green reappeared Truex Jr. simply could not keep up with the leaders and faded at the finish to come home ninth.

"Yeah, definitely not the finish we wanted, obviously, but proud of the guys for the weekend we had, just had good speed all weekend, brought a brand new car here and just proud of that," Truex Jr. said. "It's kind of disappointing, but at the same time proud of the way we ran, and I think it's something we can build off of.

If he had to do it over again Truex Jr. would have made a different choice.

"We should have either stayed out or took new tires," he said. "We probably did the worst thing you could have done there with just staying out and getting gas only, because we ended up being the last guy with no tires. Everybody else behind us had two and they ate us up on the restart. If we'd have taken two, we probably would have come out sixth, been in a pretty good position."

But Truex Jr. isn't pointing the finger at crew chief Cole Pearn for the decision that was made. The dup have gelled this year and if anything Truex Jr. says this will be a learning experience.

"Hindsight is 20/20," said Truex Jr. "He's done a great job this year of calling races, like I said, and I just want to make sure that he doesn't get his confidence down, because he's been so good at it. Live and learn. He'll learn from tonight and get better next time around, and he's doing a great job."

Truex Jr. is second in the Sprint Cup Series point standings and has finished in the top-10 in ten of the season's first eleven races. He feels his team is getting close to finding Victory Lane.

"Yeah, obviously I think we're getting closer," he said. "We ran second at Vegas. But we didn't quite have the speed compared to especially Kevin (Harvick) there as we did this weekend. I felt like we were more competitive this weekend than we've been. We've been a consistent top 5 to top 10 car. I felt like tonight we kind of gained a big step in speed, and hopefully that's something that will continue."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ruex-Jr-Disappointed-in-Finish-at-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Signs Five Year Deal​*
Today during a NASCAR media availability at Kansas Speedway, AJ Allmendinger revealed to media members that he has signed an extension to his driver agreement with JTG Daugherty Racing that will make him the driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet SS for at least through the 2020 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race season.

"I have always said I have a verbal lifetime contract with JTG Daugherty Racing, but I want to announce today that I have officially signed a contract for a five year deal," Allmendinger said. "It's pretty cool to me because I love it here and love the family atmosphere Jodi (Geschickter), Tad (Geschickter) and Brad (Daugherty) have established. Not only do we have a family bond, we have a healthy future with some of the biggest and best brands in the business."

This announcement follows The Kroger Company's news of sponsoring the team for multiple years starting with 17 races this season and 24 in 2016. Kroger is one of many great partners of JTG Daugherty Racing, such as, Better Than Bouillon, BUSH'S Beans, Charter Spectrum, Clorox, Core Power, Freightliner, Glad, Hidden Valley, House-Autry, Hungry Jack, Kingsford, SCOTT Products and Shore Lunch.

"Sponsorship is the lifeblood of teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and it's awesome to see companies take their programs to the next level and activate like Kroger and our longstanding partners are doing," Allmendinger said. "I know there was big news about a sponsor leaving recently, but look at the sponsors coming back to our team and taking their program to the next level. It's pretty awesome to see our team thriving and I love our sponsors. They allow me to do what I love to do. I know Tad has busted his butt to put all of this together and he has the business model figured out."

JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter added, "AJ has done a tremendous job for our team and for our sponsor partners. More importantly, he is family. We have all decided that he is our guy and that we are going to work together to build this racing organization to deliver results on the track and in the marketplace."

Allmendinger competed in nine races for JTG Daugherty Racing in 2013. In his first full season the next year, he delivered the team's first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory and Chase berth.

"It's a day I will never forget," said Allmendinger about his win at Watkins Glen International (8/10/14). "I dreamed about that moment and I'm not going to ever forget it. It was just a dream come true."

Heading into race 11 of the season at Kansas Speedway, Allmendinger has one victory, two pole awards, seven top-five and 37 top-10 finishes.

"We just want to leave Kansas Speedway with a solid finish," Allmendinger said. "We've had some bad luck, but we hope that's all behind us now. We've got a lot of good momentum off the track right now with our sponsors and that's pretty exciting. We're focused on building momentum on track and selling some cases. It's a great time for us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Signs-Five-Year-Deal-with-JTG-Daugherty.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Continues His Mile And A Half Dominance​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Angry With Brett Moffitt After Accordion-Effect Collision​*
An innocent spin by Matt Kenseth on Lap 129 of Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway turned into a multi-car incident when Brett Moffitt drove into the back of three-time champion Tony Stewart.

Kenseth was running in the top 10 when the rear of his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota came around at the exit of Turn 2. While Kenseth was able to save the car and avoid further damage, Stewart was not as lucky.

Running at the back of the pack, Stewart was hit in the right rear quarter panel when Moffitt did not slow down in time and hit the outside wall.

Moffitt's contact with the wall sent him down into Stewart's right rear. The contact sent Stewart's right front into the outside wall, causing significant damage to the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

After the contact, Stewart was upset with the young driver over the team's radio.

Each driver involved in the incident was able to continue when the race restarted on Lap 135. Stewart finished 39th, Moffitt 34th and Kenseth sixth. Jimmie Johnson held off Kevin Harvick for the win.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-brett-moffitt-wreck-sprint-cup-series-050915


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kansas Winners and Losers​*
Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway was a good night for some drivers and not so good for others.

*WINNERS​*
*Jimmie Johnson*
He didn't have the fastest car, by any means, but that didn't stop Johnson from finding a way to get win No. 3 of the season. He made some incredible saves along the way and helped crew chief Chad Knaus make the decision to stay out rather than pit on the last caution flag of the race. It added up to Johnson's 73rd career victory and he moved to within three of tying the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. on the all-time list.

*Kevin Harvick*
Kansas was the eighth time in the season's first 11 races that Harvick has finished either first or second. He tried his best to score what would have been his third win of the year but could not find a way around Johnson in the closing laps. Still, the defending Sprint Cup Series champ's string of success is remarkable.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
His Talladega win gave him a berth in the Chase and allowed Earnhardt to simply concentrate on winning races from here on out through the end of the regular season. He talked earlier in the weekend about having the pressure off, and being able to focus on what he called "the core of racing" and trying to win. Didn't have enough Saturday night, but it was a solid third-place performance.

*Joey Logano*
Easily passed the most cars on the track simply because he was sent to the rear of the field not once, but twice for miscues on pit road. Logano's team was first penalized for having men over the wall too soon and then, after fighting his way back toward the front, he came to pit road when it wasn't open during a caution period. Still, Logano fought back to somehow finish fifth.

*Greg Biffle*
Sure, 12th place is nothing to write home about most weeks. But for Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing, Saturday's finish was big. Biffle was the first Roush driver to make it to the final round of qualifying and followed that with a decent run. It's going to take a number of steps to get Jack Roush's organization back to respectability and Biffle took one in Kansas.

*LOSERS​*
*Martin Truex Jr.*
Had the dominant car and led 95 laps, 63 more than he had all of last season. But the decision to pit for fuel only on the final caution flag bit Truex and crew chief Cole Pearn, who only have a ninth-place finish to show for what could have easily been a much better night.

*Tony Stewart*
If something is going to go wrong for anybody, it's going to be Stewart. He got hit from behind by Brett Moffitt while checking up to avoid a spinning Matt Kenseth. What was a mediocre night got decidedly worse with Stewart finishing 39th.

*Denny Hamlin*
A cut tire and then another accident sums up the night for Hamlin, who had harsh words for NASCAR officials because he felt the caution wasn't displayed in a timely manner while he sat sideways on the track.

*Michael Waltrip Racing*
It was another tough weekend. The "homecoming" for Kansas native Clint Bowyer was a sour one when he spun after contact from Ricky Stenhouse Jr., causing him to slide through Turns 3 and 4. David Ragan, Bowyer's new teammate, had a disappointing debut in the No. 55 Toyota with a slide through the infield grass only to come to a stop in the mud from showers that soaked the track earlier.

*'Mother Nature'*
It was the fifth time in this relatively young season that weather impacted the racing. This time, a thunderstorm red-flagged the race for two hours and 16 minutes, causing the finish to end shortly after midnight, local time ... a crummy way for

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/05/Kansas-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rules Still A Hot Topic​*
The 2015 Sprint Cup Series rules package continues to be a point of discussion in the garage area.

This year's introduction of a package featuring less horsepower through the use of a tapered spacer and a change in aerodynamics has generated much debate as to whether it's helped or hurt competition. Several drivers - including three-time race winner Jimmie Johnson - have voiced a critical view of the new rules, specifically the high corner speeds being generated.

"If something fails at the wrong point in time right now, you're going to hurt somebody," Johnson said over the weekend at Kansas Speedway, before his victory in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400. "That risk is there at these mile-and-a-half tracks, with how fast we're going. Hopefully we don't have that situation and hopefully, the soft walls and all of our (other) stuff does its job. Depending on the track, we're eight to 14 miles an hour faster through the center of the corner. It's big."

Carl Edwards, a long-time proponent of less aerodynamic downforce, believes the rules should be headed more in that direction.

"To have the best racing, we need to be running an extremely different package," Edwards said. "I absolutely believe center-of-the-corner speeds are way too high. Our sport is based on guys manhandling the cars and being able to run close. We've gone farther and farther away from that because of all the knowledge, engineering and the dependence on 'aero.' "

Last summer at Michigan International Speedway and twice at Charlotte, NASCAR tested a potential 2016 rules package that reportedly had less downforce than the current guidelines. Many drivers, including Edwards, liked that package very much.

At one point, there was consideration given to using the 2016 rules in this week's Sprint All-Star Race. But that idea was scrubbed. Whether or not NASCAR moves toward the proposed package next year or not remains in question, with talks continuing on several fronts.

"We're still having discussions with everybody - teams, tracks certainly, drivers and Goodyear," NASCAR Vice President Steve O'Donnell said Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "All that's going on behind the scenes, where we continue to discuss it and look towards 2016. No decisions have been made yet, but a lot of dialogue is going on."

O'Donnell is confident that teams will know well in advance of next year what the 2016 plan will be, whether there are changes or the current rules package remains intact.

"It's important to go back," O'Donnell explained. "We announced the 2015 rules package earlier than we ever have last year, in September. So really, there's nothing unusual about anything that's going on this year. We've targeted August 1 to get the rules package out. We're ahead of where we've ever been in terms of dialogue with the industry and with the teams, understanding that we want to put plans in place earlier and earlier each year.

"But it's also something you don't want to change just for the sake of change. So all of these things are being evaluated. Discussions are ongoing. Testing is ongoing. We're still on target (with) the date we talked about, even with the media prior to the year. So again, we're looking at a lot of different factors."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Rules-Still-a-Hot-Topic.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Back For All-Star Race​*
Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch has received medical clearance to return to competition beginning with Saturday's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

He'll drive the No. 18 M&Ms/Red Nose Day Toyota.

Busch was injured Feb. 21 in a late-race accident during the NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, which caused him to miss the first 11 Sprint Cup Series races of the year.

Matt Crafton, David Ragan and Erik Jones drove the "18" in Busch's absence.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race beginning at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/05/Kyle-Busch-Back-for-All-Star-Race.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kennedy, Zipadelli Raise $20,000 For Pediatric Cancer Awareness​*
It all started with a tweet. Ben Kennedy, driver of the No. 11 Local Motors Toyota Tundra, and crew chief Scott Zipadelli raised $20,000 for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation last weekend at Kansas Speedway. This Wednesday, Kennedy and Zipadelli will attend the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Catwalk for a Cause and present the check.

Kennedy was in Kansas on April 21 to promote last weekend's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, and was given a SpongeBob SquarePants adult onesie pajama set. He playfully tweeted at Zipadelli that he'd found his uniform for the weekend, as it closely matched Kennedy's Bikini-Bottom-themed fire suit.

Zipadelli responded via Twitter with a challenge of his own; if Kennedy could raise $10,000 in support of pediatric cancer awareness and research, Zipadelli would wear the onesie pajamas during the Kansas race.

"Pediatric cancer awareness means a lot to me since my daughter was diagnosed with cancer three years ago," said Zipadelli. "Anytime I can use what I do for a living to try bring awareness, I try to make it happen. It's pretty cool, and more so, really amazing. The coolest thing was after all the people had donated more than $10,000, Nickelodeon was so gracious and impressed that they donated as well."

Kennedy had visited a children's hospital in Kansas earlier in the day and spent time with several pediatric cancer patients, and the cause touched him as well. And, race car drivers are nothing, if not competitive, so Kennedy accepted the challenge.

The 23-year-old Daytona Beach, Fla., native immediately set up a fundraising page online and connected with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation to contribute any funds raised to their mission of helping children with cancer.

"I thought the challenge was a great way to bring awareness to a good cause and to have a little fun with our paint scheme for the weekend," said Kennedy. "It's unbelievable that we were able to raise $20,000 and I'm thankful to everyone that donated or helped us get the word out."

In just 11 days, thanks to industry social media and media support, Kennedy raised more than 80 percent of the goal, but was still short funds on the day of the race. However, Kansas Speedway stepped in with the remaining funds and met the goal.

Kennedy's Toyota Tundra carried all of the characters from popular children's cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants last weekend in conjunction with the entitlement sponsorship of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, and when Nickelodeon executives heard about the challenge and the money raised, they decided to match the amount, bringing the total donation to $20,000.

Zipadelli did indeed wear the onesie for the race, however, Kennedy's night was cut short when debris on the grille caused the truck to overheat.

Even though the goal has been reached, those interested can still donate to the cause until May 15, by visiting the fundraiser page at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/7ywQ5/tw/04kHne

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Pediatric-Cancer-Awareness-and-Research.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Grants Waiver To Kyle Busch​*
Driver granted waiver from having to compete in all championship events​
NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch will remain eligible to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Busch will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by meeting all requirements of eligibility excluding Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which requires a driver to start all Championship Events of the current season.

NASCAR made the decision after the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota received the appropriate medical clearance documentation to immediately return to NASCAR racing. To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch will need to be within the top 30 of the Championship point standings after race No. 26, and meet all other stated requirements within the NASCAR Rule Book.

"On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, it's great to have Kyle Busch back racing," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "Our decision to grant Kyle a waiver that allows him to continue running for a championship is one we discussed extensively. The spirit of the rule never was designed to punish drivers who are unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances such as recovering from a racing accident.

"We wish Kyle the best of luck in the balance of the season, and look forward to his return to the car this week for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway."

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...official-release-kyle-busch-chase-waiver.html


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: No Chase For Busch​*
Kyle Busch returns to NASCAR competition this weekend and that's a good thing. Love him or hate him, Busch brings an air of electricity to the sport that is unmatched.

He's a phenomenal driving talent that also happens to be the proverbial "straw that stirs the drink," something this current campaign could use a dose of to ramp up the energy level. However, Busch should not be eligible to compete for this year's Sprint Cup Series championship.

Last month, NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France indicated that the sanctioning body was seriously considering granting Busch a medical exemption for the time he's been away after breaking his leg and foot in a crash during the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona.

"More likely than not, we're going to try to figure out how to accommodate him, which is the beauty of our playoff system," France said while addressing a group of sports editors.

NASCAR has granted Chase waivers in the past to Tony Stewart, who missed three races last season in the aftermath of the Kevin Ward Jr. tragedy, and Kurt Busch this season after he was suspended for three races. For the record - and to answer those labeling me as anti-Kyle Busch, I felt in both of those cases that it was too much time away to still be eligible for the title.

Allowing Busch an opportunity to compete for the crown compromises the integrity of the regular season. He'll have missed 11 races, or 42 percent of the 26 races that comprise the regular-season schedule.

By comparison, missing 42 percent of other sports' regular-season schedules equates to seven games in the NFL (16 total), 35 in the NBA and NHL (82 total), and 69 in Major League Baseball (162 total).

Can you imagine a Super Bowl champ, Stanley Cup winner, NBA Finals titlist or World Series champion only playing just barely half the season?

The argument that other team sports can compete for the playoffs and championships despite losing star players to injury doesn't hold any water. In NASCAR, the driver IS the team. The Chase is based on the performance of individual drivers, not on what points or accomplishments are compiled by the overall team during the course of the season.

What Matt Crafton, David Ragan and Erik Jones did during Busch's absence as fill-in drivers has absolutely no bearing on making the Chase because the championship system is about specific drivers.

It's admirable that NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway both accepted blame for not having a SAFER barrier installed in the area where Busch made contact and suffered his injuries in February's crash. France's comments last month indicated that was part of the consideration to grant Busch the medical exemption.

"What happened to him was on us," said France. "We'll balance a lot of things at that point when we have to make a decision, but we're inclined to want to figure that out, for sure."

However, even with SAFER barriers in place, there are no absolute guarantees that a driver won't be injured in an accident. Earlier this month, ARCA driver Brad Smith suffered a broken ankle when he crashed at Talladega Superspeedway and hit a wall protected by a SAFER barrier. It's hard to assume what might happen in any scenario.

Busch himself took some blame for his involvement in the XFINITY Series race accident, as well, because he was doing what competitive drivers do.

"From the beginning, the wreck was essentially all my fault," Busch said. "I was being greedy, trying to win the race."

It may sound callous, but auto racing is an inherently dangerous sport. Drivers know they take a risk every time they strap into their cars. While safety initiatives should always be at the forefront and NASCAR - as well as speedways - continue to work and make strides in that direction, there is no way to completely safeguard a driver from injuries.

They are a part of sports. Sometimes, those injuries can be the difference between winning a championship or just coming back to try again the following season.

It's unfortunate that Busch suffered such a serious injury this year. But the cold, hard truth is that Busch's title hopes were over in that February accident that caused him to be sidelined for 11 races.

It's good news that Busch is coming back and he'll have a chance to make an on-track impact the rest of the season. But a shot at the championship needs to wait until next year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...for-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-for-Kyle-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Moffitt Named Primary Driver of No. 34​*
Front Row Motorsports will keep 22-year-old Brett Moffitt behind the wheel of its No. 34 Ford Fusion. The team has named the Grimes, Iowa, native as the primary driver of its No. 34 entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including multiple races with primary sponsorship from CSX and its "Play It Safe" initiative.

The arrangement will provide consistency behind the wheel of the No. 34, whose seat was filled by multiple drivers over the past 10 races. Moffitt has already driven the No. 34 for three races this season, including Saturday at Kansas Speedway.

Front Row Motorsports had initially filled the seat vacated by David Ragan on a week-to-week basis while the Sprint Cup veteran filled in for an injured Kyle Busch in the No. 18 car. Now that Ragan has moved to the No. 55 of Michael Waltrip Racing for the remainder of the 2015 season, Front Row is grateful to have the full-time availability of the up-and-comer Moffitt.

"I am excited for the opportunity to be in a Sprint Cup car on a weekly basis," Moffitt said. "The most important thing for me at this point of my career is seat time, going to some of these tracks that are new to me, and racing around 42 other drivers in race conditions. And the more time I spend in the 34 car and with this team, the more competitive we'll get. And I think that consistency will lead to some good finishes."

"We're glad to be able to move forward knowing who is going to be in the car on a consistent basis," said team owner Bob Jenkins. "Brett's already got some great experience under his belt, and I think having the same driver-crew chief team working together regularly will bring some stability to our No. 34 team and help Brett with his development as well."

The arrangement provides CSX another young driver to help deliver its railroad safety message to the targeted audience of 18- to 34-year-old males. Moffitt and the No. 34 team will promote the familiar "Play It Safe" message at multiple Sprint Cup races, including the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 24.

"We're excited to have such a promising new driver who, at 22, fits squarely in the demographic of drivers and pedestrians we're trying to reach with our important safety message," said John Claybrooks, CSX Director of Brand, Digital Media & Marketing Communications. "Brett brings renewed dynamism and competitive energy to the program."

Moffitt, a 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, has 16 Sprint Cup career starts with a top finish of eighth earlier this season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tt-Moffitt-Named-Primary-Driver-of-No-34.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: AllStar Race​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*All-Star Debut For Almirola​*
Aric Almirola's first career Sprint Cup Series win last season landed him a spot in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

When Almirola drove the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports entry into Victory Lane at last year's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, he accomplished two goals. He made last year's Chase field and now has a shot at $1 million in Saturday night's 31st running of the All-Star Race.

"It's such a cool event and should be fun to race for a million dollars with no points repercussions," Almirola said.

He's 11th in the series point standings after 11 races and has turned in a solid, if not spectacular, opening stretch of the season. The chance to run on the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval offers an opportunity to learn some things going forward while at the same time, taking a break from the pressure of the championship season.

"We've been consistent at the intermediate tracks this year but are working hard to get to the next level," Almirola said. "We've been consistently in the top 15 and now, we need to improve to top-10 finishes. This weekend, we'll be able to take some chances we may not take at a points race."

While Saturday will mark Almirola's first shot at the main event, he's no stranger to the All-Star weekend events. Almirola has three starts in the Sprint Showdown qualifier race and posted top-10 finishes in all three, scoring his best finish of fifth last year.

He also has six starts at Charlotte in points races, where he's won a pole and scored two top-15 finishes including a best showing of 11th. In four races on intermediate tracks this season, the No. 43 team has finished in the top 20 all four times. Almirola's latest, 11th place, came last week at Kansas Speedway. While he didn't call it a spectacular night, he was still satisfied.

"We struggled most of the night, especially on long runs," Almirola said. "On short runs, we took off pretty well. We have more work to do, but we are consistent and that's something to be proud of."

Now, Almirola and crew chief Trent Owens set their sights on another 1.5-mile track - this time in Charlotte. With the Memorial Day weekend Coca-Cola 600 looming, Almirola's looking to have some fun and possibly win some huge money while tuning up for NASCAR's longest race.

"Hopefully, we'll find something to run up front in the All-Star Race that we can use next weekend in the '600,' " he said.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN app.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../05/Aric-Almirola-Set-for-All-Star-Debut.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson, Harvick Take Success To Charlotte​*
Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick hope their success on 1.5-mile tracks this season carries over to Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, resulting in a $1 million payday for one of them.

Not only have Johnson and Harvick combined to win all four races this season at tracks similar to Charlotte, but both are previous winners of the All-Star Race. Johnson leads all-time with four victories.

"Without a doubt, you know that you beat the best of the best," Johnson said of his All-Star wins. "With varying strategies, the segments and all the different things we've had over the years, there hasn't been one set path to get there. It's a rewarding night, one that the team really enjoys. There's a different atmosphere, with the pressure being off and a million reasons to have fun."

Johnson is coming off his third win of the season, last weekend at Kansas Speedway. The victory lowered Johnson's average finish to 11.0 for the four races at 1.5-mile tracks this season. But it came using the same right-side tires the series used at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a race where Johnson finished 41st due to tire issues.

Harvick won the Las Vegas race and has finished second in all three of Johnson's mile-and-a-half triumphs. He leads the series in average finish (1.8 ) and laps led (407) in those four races on 1.5-mile tracks this year.

"The 1.5-mile tracks have been very good for us," Harvick said. "We've been fortunate to run well on all different racetracks, but there are so many 1.5-mile ovals on the schedule. We tested in Charlotte early in the year and ran well there last year. We hope to be in contention, but you never know how these things are going to shake out. It's been a great racetrack for us and, hopefully, it will stay that way."

Last year, Harvick finished second (to Jamie McMurray) in the All-Star Race, in his first event start with Stewart-Haas Racing. He won in 2007 to give Richard Childress Racing its fourth win in the annual non-points event.

"You don't have to put $1 million up to know what most of us would do to try and win a race," Harvick said. "When there are no points on the line and $1 million at stake, you throw caution to the wind and go for it. A lot of times, you see that in this race and it ends up in a lot of bent sheet metal due to moves that aren't necessarily thought out very well. And we've all made them.

"It's a fun race. If you make a mistake, the repercussions aren't really that great in terms of points or anything like that. It's really about trying to win. That carrot they dangle in front of you is a trophy and a million bucks, so go for it!"

Although Johnson and Harvick have taken all the wins on 1.5-mile ovals this season, the following drivers locked into Saturday night's race have performed well in average finish at 1.5-mile tracks this season: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3.2), Joey Logano (5.8 ), Brad Keselowski (7.0) and Ryan Newman (8.8 ).

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. Programming also will include qualifying to set the field for the 31st running of the annual non-points special event._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Kevin-Harvick-Take-Success-to-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray Eyes Rare Repeat At Charlotte​*
In the history of NASCAR's All-Star race, it's only happened every 20 years or so. But Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jamie McMurray is hoping to make it a fairly regular occurrence.

Back-to-back victories in the sport's annual non-points special event are rare. Davey Allison (1991-92) and Jimmie Johnson (2012-13) are the only drivers to do it. A win by McMurray on Saturday night would yield back-to-back All-Star victories for the second time in three years.

And he's been watching this spectacle long enough to know that winning a big race brings a big reward at the end of the night.

"Seeing the winner hold up that check for a million dollars was always just the coolest thing," said McMurray, who got his turn to do just that in 2014. "I remember going down the backstretch on the last lap last year and thinking, 'Is this really for a million bucks?' It's crazy to think we get to race for that kind of money."

In winning last year's Sprint All-Star Race, McMurray prevailed in a stirring side-by-side duel with pole sitter Carl Edwards early in the final segment before pulling away to win. His margin of victory was .7 seconds over Kevin Harvick.

Matt Kenseth grabbed third place with Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth and Edwards holding on for fifth. Following McMurray's four-tire pit stop early in the second segment, rookie crew chief Keith Rodden (now working with Kasey Kahne) didn't give him four again until NASCAR's mandatory stop prior to the final 10-lap shootout.

That two-tire strategy helped give McMurray the track position he needed to keep the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet near the front of the pack. With quick work during their final stop, McMurray's pit crew got him out second which enabled him to line up alongside leader Edwards for the final restart.

They raced door-to-door with slight contact before McMurray was able to separate himself from his Roush Fenway Racing rival to claim victory.

"Charlotte is one of my favorite racetracks and it's always nice to race at home," said McMurray, who owns two points-paying victories at CMS in addition to his All-Star win of a year ago. "Coming back as defending winner of this race has been fun, especially the last three or four weeks - to see the promotions going on around town and pictures of me holding up that big check. It brings back some great memories."

Heading into All-Star weekend, McMurray's body of work through the first three months of the year is a good one. He's eighth in the regular-season point standings with four top 10s in 11 starts. McMurray's best finish is second (to Harvick) in mid-March at Phoenix International Raceway.

Last year, he was mired in 24th place in the standings after 11 races. The difference between 2014 and 2015?

"We've been able to minimize the damage on the bad days," McMurray said. "Our short-track program has been good. We've struggled the last couple times on the mile-and-a-half tracks, so I'm looking forward to getting back to Charlotte - where we've run well in the past."

McMurray was second in Friday's All-Star practice session with a speed of 188.396 mph around the 1.5-mile CMS oval, second only to Kyle Busch's lap of 188.884 mph.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the 31st running of the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Rare-Repeat-at-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Set For Showdown​*
Three spots in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will be up for grabs Friday night, two through the Sprint Showdown and one by virtue of the Sprint Fan Vote.

The Showdown will be split into two 20-lap segments with the winner of each advancing to Saturday night's main event. All laps (green and yellow) will count in the opening segment with the winner going to the garage at the conclusion of Lap 20. Between the two segments, there will be a caution period during which teams can pit and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Cars pitting will not retain their positions on the track. Only green-flag laps will count in Segment 2.

Martin Truex Jr. is the top-ranked driver not locked into Saturday night's All-Star Race. He ranks second in the Sprint Cup point standings and is coming off his 10th top 10 of the season after leading a race-high 95 laps last weekend at Kansas Speedway.

"Charlotte is a 1.5-mile track and we've had some good runs this year at the intermediate ovals including last week in Kansas," Truex said. "Though the All-Star Race has a million-dollar payday for the winner, it's not about the money. It's more about the prestige of winning this race."

Truex is one of four past Showdown winners in the field that includes David Ragan, Sam Hornish Jr. and last year's winner, Clint Bowyer.

"I'm bummed we aren't already in the show, but we managed to race our way in last year and hope we can do it again this year," Bowyer said.

Hornish's sponsor has a fan voting campaign to benefit Victory Junction. For every vote Hornish receives, SHOP.COM will donate $5 to the camp and $10 for every shared vote, up to $25,000.

"Making the All-Star Race is important because it gives you a chance to go out there and showcase your team," said Hornish, who won the Showdown in 2009 with Team Penske. "This weekend is special for our team because we have the opportunity to help send campers to Victory Junction. It's great to see a partner like SHOP.COM step up to use a great platform like the Sprint Fan Vote and make it even better by donating to such a great cause. We hope to race our way into the All-Star Race, but the fact that we can help raise up to $25,000 through the Sprint Fan Vote is amazing."

Truex (2005), Danica Patrick (2013) and Josh Wise (2014) are the only drivers in the field that have made the All-Star Race in the past based on the Sprint Fan Vote.

"As a driver, I want to get in legitimately by racing my way into the show," Patrick said. "If being voted in is my last chance, then I'm grateful for my fans. I had more votes last year than the year before and I won the year before. My fans are always there for me."

Fans have until 7 p.m. (ET) Friday to vote for their favorite driver. Kasey Kahne, already in this year's All-Star Race, is the only driver that's won the Fan Vote and then went on to win the All-Star Race, accomplishing the feat in 2008.

Seven drivers will be making their Showdown debut including Justin Allgaier, Trevor Bayne and Chase Elliott.

"Running the Showdown allows me to gain more experience before we race again at Charlotte a week later," Elliott said. "Those additional laps will be a tremendous benefit when it's time to run 600 miles. I'm grateful for the chance to do it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/05/Drivers-Set-for-Sprint-Showdown.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Menard Nabs Sprint Showdown Pole​*
Paul Menard put his No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet on the pole for Friday night's Sprint Showdown with a lap of 189.673 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

He'll share the front row with Greg Biffle, who was second-quick at 189.660 mph in the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. David Ragan, defending race winner Clint Bowyer and Austin Dillon completed the top five.

Friday's race will be run in two segments of 20 laps each, with the winner of each segment advancing into Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race along with the winning driver from the Sprint Fan Vote.

*SPRINT SHOWDOWN - Starting Lineup*

1. Paul Menard
2. Greg Biffle
3. David Ragan
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Austin Dillon
6. Kyle Larson
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Danica Patrick
9. Casey Mears
10. Michael McDowell
11. Chase Elliott
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
13. Sam Hornish Jr.
14. Justin Allgaier
15. Trevor Bayne
16. Alex Bowman
17. David Gilliland
18. Mike Bliss
19. Josh Wise
20. Landon Cassill
21. Matt DiBenedetto
22. Jeb Burton
23. Cole Whitt
24. J.J. Yeley
25. Michael Annett
26. Jeff Green
27. Brendan Gaughan
28. Alex Kennedy
29. Tanner Berryhill​
_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Sprint Showdown starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...05/Paul-Menard-Nabs-Sprint-Showdown-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Diverse Truck Field In Charlotte​*
There are a number of interesting names on this week's entry list for Friday night's Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In addition to the Truck Series title contenders some other drivers are hoping to steal the spotlight.

Kasey Kahne heads that list as he's set to pilot a JR Motorsports entry in Friday night's race.

The Hendrick Motorsports Sprint Cup driver has a pretty stout Truck Series record with four wins in five starts with a second-place finish the only time he hasn't reached Victory Lane.

Kahne last won in the division at Rockingham in 2012 and will be behind the wheel of the JR Motorsports Chevrolet that Cole Custer drove to a 16th-place finish in Martinsville.

"I'm looking forward to running the truck race at Charlotte for JR Motorsports," said Kahne, who will also participate in the weekend's Sprint All-Star Race. "They had a fast truck in the Martinsville race and have a great program going over there. Thanks to Kelley, Dale Jr. and Gene Haas for putting this deal together. I haven't been in a truck race in a long time, but I always enjoy racing in that series."

Kahne will be joined by another Sprint Cup regular as Brad Keselowski takes the wheel of the No. 29 Ford out of his Truck Series team' shop. It will be his second start of the season and he hopes to continue the early season success of his organization.

"Charlotte will be the first race that I've driven the Cooper Standard Careers For Veterans Ford F-150 and it's an honor to support that program this weekend," said Keselowski, who won his first Truck Series race last August at Bristol. "To win two of the first three races was a pretty big step up from where we've been with this program. I feel good about every race. We're making a lot of investments to be a high caliber team that can win the championship year in and year out."

Series regulars hope to have a say in what the two Cup interlopers do Friday night including one of the busiest drivers in all of NASCAR today Erik Jones.

Jones is running for a series championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports and will also run Sunday's XFINITY Series 3M 250 at Iowa Speedway foe Joe Gibbs Racing. Oh and he's also on stand-by for the returning from injury Kyle Busch in Saturday night's All-Star Race.

The 18-year-old driver dominated last week's race at Kansas Speedway before running out of fuel with only a handful of laps remaining. Jones is looking for better results in Charlotte.

"We have a great mile-and-a-half program at KBM, so I'm always excited to get to those tracks," he said. "We had the fastest truck by far last week at Kansas, but unfortunately in the end it came down to fuel mileage and we weren't able to get the win.

"Although I haven't made a start at Charlotte, I was able to go to KBM's rookie test earlier this year and shake down Justin Boston's truck. By doing that and making 10 or 15 laps, I was able to get a feel for the place and what is different about it compared to other intermediate tracks. KBM has had a lot of success with Kyle at Charlotte, so hopefully we can carry some of that over this weekend and get another win for Dollar General."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's North Carolina Education Lottery 200 from Charlotte Motor Speedway starting at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/05/Diverse-Truck-Field-In-Charlotte.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kasey Kahne Wins First Career Truck Series Pole​*
Kasey Kahne wins first career Truck Series pole for tonight's N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kahne driver for JR Motorsports in the No. 00 truck got the perfect draft during the final Q3 session.

Erik Jones in the KBM No. 4 will start on the front row next to Kahne.

*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kasey Kahne Wins Charlotte Overtime Thriller​*
*Kahne Tops Trucks But Fails Inspection*​
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6828&StatType=Race+Results

Kasey Kahne beat rookie Erik Jones in a photo finish to win Friday's North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

However, Kahne's No. 00 JR Motorsports Chevrolet failed post-race inspection. It was found to be too low on the front sides and too high on the right rear. Any NASCAR penalties will be announced early next week.

Kahne edged Jones by .005 seconds, tied for the second-closest finish in the 21-year history of the series. Kahne now has five wins in six career Truck Series starts and did it in dramatic fashion Friday night.

He was forced to start from the rear of the field when the team changed a shock after qualifying. But Kahne was able to get to the front and battled Jones for several laps before finally edging ahead at the finish.

Jones led 88 of the 139 laps in the race, which was extended by a green-white-checkered finish when caution flew for Daniel Hemric hitting the wall just before the white flag was to be displayed. Jones was the leader at that point and would have had the win but was forced into the overtime finish.

"I can't believe NASCAR can't let us just finish the race," said Jones, who also started from the rear after missing the driver's meeting. "Second week in a row the fastest truck didn't win the race. I can't believe we lost. It really, really hurts."

Kahne and Jones raced side-by-side for the last two laps before the thrilling finish that saw Kahne nose in front at the line by the slightest of margins, giving Chevrolet its 200th Truck Series victory.

"This is Cole Custer's truck and he's really good in it," Kahne said of his rare start in the Truck Series. "That was a fun win. It felt good, but Cole has a great team here."

For the second straight week, Jones led the most laps in a race and dominated only to come up short of victory.

"We have fast trucks," Jones said of the Kyle Busch Motorsports stable. "I wish we could win. We'll just keep working harder."

Two-time reigning series champion Matt Crafton finished third followed by Tyler Reddick and Brad Keselowski. Sixth through 10th were John Wes Townley, Timothy Peters, Matt Tifft, Justin Boston and Spencer Gallagher.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Dover International Speedway on Friday, May 29.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Truck-Series-at-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Returns, Tops All-Star Practice​*
At 1:22 on Friday afternoon, Kyle Busch strode confidently into the Sprint Cup Series garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

At 1:43 p.m., after climbing behind the wheel of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he rolled out of his stall and steered his Camry onto the 1.5-mile oval for opening practice.

And by 3:11, Busch was doing ... well, what Busch does best: going faster than everyone else.

In his first day back to NASCAR competition after recovering from leg and foot injuries suffered nearly three months ago at Daytona International Speedway, Busch led the way in practice for Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race with a hot lap of 188.884 mph.

"I was excited to get back in here, see my guys and get the taste of all that again," Busch said. "Everything went according to plan and we had some decent speed in race trim. We're excited and hopefully, we can see that speed again tomorrow night."

Busch said his biggest concern once he climbed back in his racecar Friday afternoon was getting used to a new seat.

"That was an adjustment for me," he noted. "I'm not used to the carbon seat. I've never run one at a mile-and-a-half track like this. We had to tinker with it just a little and we'll do some more to see if we can make it a tick better for me, more comfortable, for the long haul in the Coca-Cola 600 (next weekend)."

Busch added that he did not sleep very well Thursday night, perhaps because his return to NASCAR competition wasn't the only major event looming this month. For him and wife Samantha, the birth of their first child is imminent.

So what's been weighing more on Busch, getting back in the racecar or becoming a first-time father?

"You get to the track and its, 'How is it going to be? Am I going to screw up?' " he said. "I got loose one time and I said to myself, 'Just don't spin out. Just don't spin out.' When I change and head home, then I know things are about to change there.

"(Our son) is here on Monday, no doubt - no ifs, ands or buts. Samantha and I look at each other and wonder what we'll be doing in 72 hours. It's going to be time to be parents, he's going to be here. We're excited."

But the business at hand is Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race, where Busch will seek his first victory in the annual non-points special event.

"Charlotte looked really good and seemed to be a good choice for me to come back," Busch said. "It was always a goal and whether or not I could meet that goal depended on how hard we worked, pushed and tried to get ready for this day."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yle-Busch-Returns-Tops-All-Star-Practice.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer, Biffle, Patrick Earn All-Star Spots​*
Clint Bowyer got the best of Martin Truex Jr. in a fierce side-by-side battle Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then drove away to win the Sprint Showdown for the second year in a row.

The victory landed Bowyer a spot in Saturday night's 31st annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, with a shot at the $1 million prize that goes to the winner. Greg Biffle led all 20 laps to win the first segment and, like Bowyer, earned a spot in Saturday night's main event.

They'll be joined by Danica Patrick, who finished ninth in the "Showdown" and won the Sprint Fan Vote - filling out the 20-car field for Saturday's annual non-points special event.

Pole sitter Paul Menard came home in second place in Friday's race with Truex, Sam Hornish Jr. and Chase Elliott completing the top five.

*SPRINT SHOWDOWN - Results*

1. Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle
2. Paul Menard
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Sam Hornish Jr.
5. Chase Elliott
6. Austin Dillon
7. Trevor Bayne
8. Justin Allgaier
9. Danica Patrick
10. Casey Mears
11. David Ragan
12. Michael McDowell
13. David Gilliland
14. Cole Whitt
15. Matt DiBenedetto
16. Jeb Burton
17. Josh Wise
18. J.J. Yeley
19. Jeff Green
20. Alex Kennedy
21. Tanner Berryhill
22. Brendan Gaughan
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
24. Kyle Larson
25. Michael Annett
26. Alex Bowman
27. Landon Cassill
28. Mike Bliss

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race beginning at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...iffle-Danica-Patrick-Earn-All-Star-Spots.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*All-Star Story Lines​*
The 31st edition of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race rolls tonight at Charlotte Motor Speedway and there are plenty of stories to follow.

There are no points on the line in the unique event, just a $1 million prize after the five-segment race with a 10-lap shootout to determine the winner.

"It's a fun race," said Jamie McMurray, who won it last year. "That's the first word that comes to mind."

Since most drivers and teams are located in the Charlotte area, competitors appreciate the "home game."

"The All-Star Race is a change of pace," says Matt Kenseth. "It's a short race, a different format, a different way of qualifying and a lot of money on the line. You want to be a part of it and this weekend will allow us to look at some things as we plan ahead to next weekend's 600-mile race."

*'Rowdy' Returns*
Kyle Busch comes back from an 11-race layoff as he recovered from the leg and foot injuries suffered in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona. Busch stepped right back into the sport without missing a beat Friday by leading practice and being fast immediately.

It will be a tune-up for Busch as he begins the quest to make the Chase next week in the Coca-Cola 600, now that NASCAR has granted him a waiver should he win a race and finish in the top 30 of the point standings after the regular season.

"It gives us a legitimate chance to try to qualify for the Chase and race for a championship - that's all you can ask for," Busch said Friday after practice. "It seems as though the rest of the drivers are happy with the ruling. They'd accept the same ruling for themselves if they were in that situation."

*Welcome to the Show*
Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick earned their way into Saturday night's race. Biffle won the first segment of Friday's Sprint Showdown, Bowyer won the race and Patrick won the fan vote.

"I'm super-lucky and fortunate to have such great fans," Patrick said. "The way I want to pay them back is to have a great race, move up through the segments and make my car better for the Coke 600, the big one. There's a million dollars on the line, so that's pretty good too."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race starting at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../NASCAR-Sprint-All-Star-Race-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Young XFINITY Drivers Head To Iowa​*
Sunday's NASCAR XFINITY Series 3M 250 at Iowa Speedway boasts a deep roster of young drivers hoping to take the checkered flag.

Defending series champion Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon, Erik Jones, Ryan Reed, Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher, Brennan Poole and Ben Rhodes are just a few of the young drivers looking to make a name for themselves in Sunday's race on the seven-eighths-mile Newton oval.

"Iowa is a fun track, with a lot of character, especially over the tunnel in Turns 1 and 2 - where the track is offset," said Elliott, who goes into the weekend third in the series point standings. "It's like it's sunk over the years, which makes it interesting when you're racing side-by-side over it. We need to regroup as a team this weekend and get a solid finish. I know we can. I have to stay focused and get the job done."

Elliott will have Rhodes and Regan Smith as teammates. The 18-year-old Rhodes is making his XFINITY Series debut but does have K&N Pro Series experience at Iowa Speedway, where he's made four starts.

"It has a unique feel, a challenging surface with bumps in the middle of Turns 1 and 2, and multiple racing grooves," Rhodes said. "The facility is first-class and the fans are some of the best! The goal for this weekend is to keep my car out of trouble and finish in the top 10. The first race is all about completing laps. JR Motorsports has given me an unbelievable opportunity. I'm surrounded with knowledge and some of the biggest names in the sport."

Dillon leads Buescher by nine points in the standings and although he may have more experience than some of his younger counterparts, he's still only 23 himself. Although he's on top of the standings at this early juncture of the season, Dillon has his sights set on more.

"We don't take it for granted, being the points leader right now," he said. "It's a great spot to be in, but there's still plenty of work to be done and more to be accomplished. We'd like to get a win and extend this lead."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's 3M 250 from Iowa Speedway starting at 1:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ITY-Series-Talent-Heads-to-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Has First All-Star Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6769&StatType=Race+Results

Denny Hamlin ended Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race exactly where he started it - at the front of the field.

Hamlin, who qualified on the pole earlier in the evening, pulled away from Kevin Harvick in the final 10-lap segment to claim victory in the annual non-points special event and take home the $1 million prize for first place. Harvick finished second with Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth completing the top five.

Kasey Kahne won the first of the night's four 25-lap segments. Brad Keselowski won the next two legs with Kurt Busch winning Segment 4. Jamie McMurray, bidding to become just the third driver with back-to-back victories in the 31-year history of the event, placed 16th.

Despite starting from the pole, Hamlin was overtaken in the first segment and overlooked for much of the night. Kahne, Keselowski and Busch combined to lead the first four segments. But the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew executed a flawless four-tire stop before the final 10-lap shootout that put Hamlin at the front of the field for the final restart.

No one moved him out of there the rest of the way - not even defending Sprint Cup Series champion Harvick.

"In the middle part of the race, I thought we were out to lunch," Hamlin said. "With 50 (laps) to go, I didn't see this coming. But the pit crew knocked it out of the park - a primetime, under-pressure performance that won us the race. Then, we had to hold off the "4" (Harvick), which we haven't been able to do the last two years.

"Everything came together perfectly for that last 10 laps."

Keselowski won two of the first three segments and led a race-high 49 laps. But he was caught speeding on pit road during his final stop that forced him to the back of the field and out of contention. It was a penalty Keselowski willingly accepted.

"I had to beat him (Hamlin) to that line or I don't win the race," he said of the chase off pit road. "I'll take the penalty, strike out and go down swinging. But that was the race."

For Hamlin, his final margin of victory was .923 seconds over Harvick. The race included just seven lead changes among four drivers: Hamlin, Kahne, Keselowski and Busch.

When asked about the $1 million payout for winning, Hamlin was quick and clear in his response.

"I've got a little daughter at home that would like to go to college, so let's save that for the college fund."

How Hamlin won the 31st NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: With a 10.4-second four-tire pit stop between the final two segments. He entered pit road sixth and exited first ... and never looked back in handing team owner Joe Gibbs his very first All-Star victory. It's also Toyota's first All-Star win.

What else happened: Lead changes were few and far between. Kahne passed Hamlin and pulled away to win the first 25-lap segment. Keselowski's No. 2 Team Penske pit crew changed just two tires after that first segment and he asserted himself, briefly battling Busch for the lead before driving off to the first of his two consecutive segment victories.

McMurray led the field to green to open the third segment after a two-tire stop vaulted him from 14th to first. But Joey Logano tapped McMurray on the restart and when the defending race winner wiggled, Keselowski pulled away to his second straight segment win.

Harvick charged toward the front and climbed into the top five near the end of the third segment, then zipped past Busch for second place. He set his sights on Keselowski, but the Team Penske driver held onto the lead with Segment 4 looming.

Busch stormed to the front early in the fourth segment and built a 2.5-second lead over Harvick, one of his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates, before completing the segment win - setting the stage for Hamlin's dramatic rally that began with the lightning-fast pit stop and ended with a trip to Victory Lane.

Who else had a good night: Four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon quietly advanced from his No. 9 starting spot and overcame early handling issues to finish fourth in what was most likely his last All-Star Race.

Kyle Busch placed sixth in his first weekend back behind the wheel after missing 11 races while recovering from injuries suffered in February during the XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Who had a bad night: Danica Patrick won this year's Sprint Fan Vote to get into the All-Star Race and qualified sixth, but had to start from the back of the field after a pre-qualifying engine change. She went to the garage with an issue on the left-front hub of her No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the third segment and finished last in the 20-car field.

Jimmie Johnson was too tight in the first segment then too loose in the second segment and never quite got it right, finishing 15th. After the race, NASCAR announced that it was reviewing the actions of a crew member who was found modifying a side skirt on Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet during the race that may bring penalties next week.

Quote of the day: "Have you ever had a million dollar speeding ticket?" That's what Motor Racing Network anchor Joe Moore asked after Keselowski was caught speeding on pit road before the final segment.

Other notables: Clint Bowyer, who won Friday's Sprint Showdown to earn his spot in the All-Star Race, made a couple unscheduled pit stops in the fourth segment and finished 12th. Greg Biffle, who won the first segment of Friday's preliminary race to earn his spot in the main event, had three speeding penalties on pit road that contributed to his 13th-place finish.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...as-First-NASCAR-Sprint-All-Star-Race-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Back In Victory Lane​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6781&StatType=Race+Results

Chris Buescher got around Chase Elliott on a green-white-checkered finish and went on to take the checkered flag in Sunday's 3M 250 at Iowa Speedway for his first win of the season.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver scored the second win of his career after winning for the first time last season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

"Just so happy that we were able to get this Mustang to Victory Lane on a oval track," said Buescher.

Elliott looked like he was going to finally get into the win column himself until an accident between Ross Chastain and Jamie Dick brought out the caution less than two laps from the finish.

That set up an overtime finish and on the green-white-checkered Buescher, who along with other drivers in the top five ducked to pit road for fresh tires, made a power move by Elliott who was on older rubber.

Buescher was able to make the move stick and took the checkered flag on a sunny and windy afternoon.

"It seems like these Roush cars are always so good here at Iowa and I had a great car today," Buescher said. "I'm just so happy and proud of this team. We got tires and I was able to make a run and get it down. So awesome."

Elliott was second followed by Erik Jones, Brian Scott and Ryan Blaney.

"Yeh just disappointing," Elliott said. "When that caution came out it just put us in a tough spot and we weren't able to hold them off. But still felt like we ran well today and had a good car."

Darrell Wallace Jr., Ben Rhodes, Brandon Jones, Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan completed the first ten finishers.

It was the 150th career series win for Roush Fenway Racing.

Buescher led a race-high 95 laps on his way to the win. He has an eight-point lead over Ty Dillon in the series standings, who had a tire go down with less than ten laps remaining on Sunday.

There were some fireworks earlier in the race between JJ Yeley and Brennan Poole. The two had made contact racing for position but tempers flared and when it ended NASCAR parked Poole for the rest of the race.

"He just deliberately crashed me like five laps into the race," Poole said of the incident that started on lap 15. "There's 245 laps left. There's no sense in that. It costs us a lot of money.

"I'm trying to make myself known in this sport so I can stay here and one of my heroes just deliberately crashed me five laps into the race. It just doesn't make sense. "I feel like it's pretty common sense to know that you've got 245 to go, like what are you doing? We fixed the car and I got back to him and we just got into it. Just part of racing. I hate that it happened between me and JJ but that's just how it goes sometimes.''

Yeley had another view of the situation.

"It's just retaliation," he said. "Running around there about lap 15 and I got loose off of two and tried to tuck back in behind him and a couple of other cars and just barely clipped him and spun him into the wall. Obviously, it was unintentional. There wasn't even hardly any damage to my left front or his right rear.

"It's just disappointing. We were a lead lap car. This is a small team here at JGL and we don't have a lot of cars. For a guy like that to do that as a rookie to just go out there and do that thing it just sucks. The shoe will be on the other foot before too long.''

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.


























*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/05/Chris-Buescher-Back-in-Victory-Lane.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson, Team Face Penalty For Possible Violation in All-Star Race​*
Jimmie Johnson finished a disappointing 15th out of 20 participants in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Even worse news could come on Tuesday, however, when NASCAR is expected to rule on whether Johnson's pit crew manipulated the side skirts on the six-time champion's No. 48 car during a pit stop on Saturday night.

NASCAR ruled over the winter that starting with the 2015 season, teams could no longer modify the side skirts -- an effort to increase downforce and improve speed -- without risking a penalty.

A NASCAR spokesman said after Saturday night's race that the sanctioning body was looking into the possible violation from Johnson's team.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-jimmie-johnson-faces-possible-penalty-051715


----------



## Ckg2011

*Todd Gilliland Is Youngest ARCA Winner​*
Todd Gilliland briefly doubted himself Sunday afternoon during the closing laps of the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway.

Any doubts he had were quickly erased, however, when the 15-year-old sailed to the win in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race. In doing so, he became the youngest winner in ARCA Racing Series history - the win coming just two days after his 15th birthday.

"Wow, I can't believe this is happening," Gilliland said following the race. "Just, wow."

Gilliland - the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Gilliland - was making his ARCA debut. He took the lead for the first time on lap 197 of the 200 lap race and beat Tom Hessert and Josh Williams to the finish line. A.J. Fike finished fourth and Kyle Weatherman finished fifth.

Gilliland was fastest in Saturday's practice session and qualified fifth. He stayed near the front all day Sunday, surviving two red flags, one for a brief rain shower and the other for a late-race accident involving the leaders.

The race came down to a 20-lap shootout after several of the cars at the front of the field were involved in a crash in turn three - including race leader Grant Enfinger.

Austin Wayne Self got into the back of Enfinger after he slowed drastically with transmission issues. Frank Kimmel, Weatherman and Bubba Pollard were also involved. Gilliland drove his car into the grassy area underneath turns three and four to avoid the accident.

He pitted to clear the grill of grass and mud and to pull out one of the fenders, which had damage.

"Our car was really good after we took four tires," Gilliland said. "When everyone else got torn up, we had to come pit, but everyone stayed calm and gave me a great car and restart.

"I knew the car was good. I kind of doubted myself a little bit. I didn't know if I could get back up there, but I guess I could," Gilliland said. "The car drove perfect."

He eclipsed the youngest race winner mark previously held by Kyle Benjamin.
"This means a lot," he said after climbing out of the Venturini Motorsports Toyota. "I'm 15 and two days and you have to be 15 to race, so it's going to be hard to beat."

Self finished sixth, Brian Finney a career-best seventh, Bobby Hamilton Jr. eighth, David Levine ninth and Matt Wallace 10th in his ARCA debut. Kimmel nursed his damaged car home in 11th. Ken Schrader was involved in a crash earlier in the race and finished 13th, six laps down. Hamilton was the last car on the lead lap.

Self said he couldn't avoid hitting Enfinger when the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet slowed on the backstretch.

"We got a really good restart, and got a good run off the corner and the next thing I know, he broke. I tried the best I could to avoid him. Next thing I know I had someone get into the back of me. Fortunately the car could still run and we were able got get a good finish."

Self's No. 98 AM Technical Solutions Ford took four tires earlier than most of the cars up front, then had great track position for the closing laps. He said the strategy nearly paid off.

"We just rode around and rode around and saved our tires, then we had a really good car for the end," he said. "It's unfortunate."

Weatherman leaves Toledo Speedway with the Calypso Lemonades Short Track Challenge lead after his fifth-place finish in the Cunningham Motorsports Ford.
"It was an eventful day," Weatherman said.

His Cunningham teammate, Hessert, said his car was strong at various points of the race.

"We were really good early on, but then I pounded the fence," Hessert said. "We were tight all day. The 55 (Gilliland) was much better than us. I just didn't have anything for him."

Fike grabbed a top five in his No. 27 Liberty Village-McGladrey Ford. It was one of the new Five Star Composite Body's in the race.

"The car was a lot better in long runs," Fike said. "It was a great finish. The car is in one piece. I think every wreck was right in front of me, but we missed everyone."

Enfinger remains in the series point lead heading into the next event at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), however four other drivers are within 65 points. He entered the race with a 105-point lead.

"If Talladega was a little bit different, we would be leading it," Hessert said.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-cars/todd-gilliland-is-youngest-arca-winner/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Docked Owner Points​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was docked 10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship owner points and crew chief Joe Shear Jr. was fined $6,000 and placed on probation after Kasey Kahne's race-winning truck failed post-race inspection at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The infraction is a P2 penalty and violates the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:

12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing 
20.17.3.3.2: Top Splitter Shelf Heights. Vehicle did not meet the minimum post-race splitter height.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ardt-Jr-Docked-Championship-Owner-Points.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Is Furniture Row Racing Open To Adding A Second Sprint Cup Team?​*
*F*urniture Row Racing is enjoying its most successful start to a season in the 10-year history of the organization.

Driver Martin Truex Jr. has piloted the No. 78 Chevrolet to 10 top-10 finishes in the first 11 races of the year, and sits second in driver standings heading into Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

What makes Truex's 2015 results even more impressive? They have come with a single-car operation based in Denver, Colorado.

However, Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone says that may change.

"Long-term, we're constantly looking for sponsorships to come on the 78 with Furniture Row and also to start a second team down the road to help support the overall effort," Garone told FOXSports.com Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

A single-car team for the entirety of its existence, Furniture Row Racing has finally started to see success under that setup.

However, Garone believes if funding was found, there would be few reservations about expanding to a second car.

"Being a single-car for so long and now feeling like we're getting it to work really well, you feel like now is the time to go ahead and look at bringing something else on," Garone said. "You feel like you don't have to go through all the learning processes that you go through building a single-car team; you've kind of gone through that.

"We look forward to going through that process. Again, it all comes down to raising the money," he said.

While FRR is a single-car team, the organization has a "critical" relationship with Richard Childress Racing that works "very, very well," according to Garone. The team is hoping if it is able to expand to a two-car operation, RCR would help in that process.

"They have already expressed they could support a second effort with engines and technical support," Garone said. "Everything's in place to do it; we just have to find the funding."

Another key part of the equation would be finding a driver. Garone said the team is not that far along in the process and needs to focus on finding the funding before searching for drivers.

"Generally in that process there are companies that have their eye on a driver and the team has an eye on a driver and you kind of combine that together," he said. "When that bridge is crossed, we'll figure it out then."

With Barney Visser owning both the team and the sponsor, the organization has been able to field the No. 78 without an additional major primary sponsor, but Garone says doing that for a second driver would be a challenge.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar


----------



## Ckg2011

*2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Announced​*
NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2016. The five-person group - the seventh in NASCAR Hall of Fame history - consists of Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, O. Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner. In addition, NASCAR announced that Harold Brasington won the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Next year's Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 22, 2016.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session in Charlotte to debate and vote upon the 20 nominees for the induction class of 2016 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton announced the class and Landmark Award winner, respectively, this evening in the NASCAR Hall of Fame's "Great Hall."

The Class of 2016 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and, for the second year, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion (Kevin Harvick). In all, 57 votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Jerry Cook and Robert Yates). The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes.

Voting was as follows: O. Bruton Smith (68%), Terry Labonte (61%), Curtis Turner (60%), Jerry Cook (47%) and Bobby Isaac (44%).

The next top vote-getters were Red Byron, Benny Parsons and Rick Hendrick.

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote, in alphabetical order, were Buddy Baker, Alan Kulwicki, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin and Benny Parsons.

The five inductees came from a group of 20 nominees that included, in addition to the five inductees chosen: Buddy Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Ray Evernham, Ray Fox, Rick Hendrick, Harry Hyde, Alan Kulwicki, Mark Martin, Hershel McGriff, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, Mike Stefanik and Robert Yates.

Nominees for the Landmark Award included Brasington, H.Clay Earles, Raymond Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Ken Squier. It is awarded to competitors or those working in the sport who have acted as a NASCAR ambassador through a professional or non-professional role. Anne B. France won the inaugural award last year.

*Class of 2016 Inductees:​*
*Jerry Cook*

Jerry Cook made his name in modifieds, winning six NASCAR Modified championships, including four consecutively from 1974-77. All the while, he was vying with another driver from his hometown of Rome, New York, nine-time champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans, for supremacy in NASCAR's open-wheel realm. After retiring from racing in 1982, Cook stayed with the sport and helped shape the series known today as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Cook served as the series' director when it began in 1985 and remains with NASCAR as competition administrator.

*Bobby Isaac*

Bobby Isaac's uncanny skill at drawing speed from a race car puts him on a short list of NASCAR legends. His 49 career poles ranks 10th all time. Maybe more impressive: Isaac captured 19 poles in 1969, which still stands as the record for poles in a single season. Isaac began racing in NASCAR's premier series in 1961. He finished runner-up in the series standings in 1968 behind NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson. In 1969, he finished sixth in the standings after posting 17 wins and those 19 poles. In 1970, Isaac won the championship posting 11 victories, 32 top fives and 38 top 10s in 47 starts. Isaac won 37 races in NASCAR's top series, ranking 19th on the all-time list.

*Terry Labonte*

Terry Labonte is a two-nickname NASCAR star. Early in his career he was known as the "Iceman" for his coolness under pressure. But his demeanor belied his determination. Later in his career he became known as the sport's "Iron Man" thanks to 665 consecutive starts in NASCAR's premier series, a record which stood until 2002. Winning two premier series championships, in 1984 and '96, is impressive; the 12-year gap distinguishes Labonte further. No other driver has won his first two championships that far apart and Labonte is one of only six drivers with championships in two decades. Labonte's stellar career is tucked between perfect bookends - his two Southern 500 wins, in 1980 and 2003. His 361 top-10 finishes ranks 10th all time.

*O. Bruton Smith*

O. Bruton Smith, executive chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., promoted his first stock car race in Midland, North Carolina at the age of 18. Smith's early endeavors included operating the National Stock Car Racing Association - seen as an early competitor to NASCAR - and building Charlotte Motor Speedway. CMS became the foundation of Speedway Motorsports Inc., which currently owns eight NASCAR tracks hosting 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and additional high-profile motorsports activities. Smith took SMI public in 1995, the first motorsports company to be traded at the New York Stock Exchange. He was inducted into the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame and National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame, both in 2006; and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007.

*Curtis Turner*

Called by some the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing," Curtis Turner was among the fastest and most colorful competitors in the early years of NASCAR premier series racing. Turner competed in NASCAR's first "Strictly Stock" race in 1949 in Charlotte and was the only driver to win a NASCAR premier series race in a Nash. He posted his first of 17 career victories in only his fourth start on Sept. 11, 1949, at Langhorne (Pennsylvania) Speedway. Although many of Turner's victories came on short tracks and dirt ovals - much of his career pre-dated NASCAR's superspeedway era - he won the 1956 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and the first American 500 at Rockingham Speedway in 1965. He remains the only series driver to win two consecutive races from the pole leading every lap. He also won 38 of 79 races in which he competed in the NASCAR Convertible Division.

*Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:*

*Harold Brasington *

Harold Brasington, a South Carolina businessman, believed in Bill France's fledgling NASCAR business, created the sanctioning body's first superspeedway - a one-of-a-kind egg-shaped oval, paved on an old cotton and peanut field. Expecting 10,000 fans to show up at Darlington Raceway's first competition on Labor Day of 1950, 25,000 spectators showed up for the inaugural Southern 500 - NASCAR's first 500-mile race. Darlington's success inspired Brasington to extend his reach north -- to North Carolina. He employed his track building and promoting expertise, helping in the creation of Charlotte Motor Speedway and building North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2016-NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame-Class-Announced.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Erik Jones, shown here signing an autograph for a young fan at Iowa Speedway, is among NASCAR's group of rising stars making their mark in the early part of the 2015 season. (Photo: Getty Images)​*
*Rising Stars Shine Brightly​*
Some of NASCAR's best young talent was on display this past weekend in both the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series.

Topping the list was Erik Jones, who continues to impress in a very short period of time. Jones started his weekend with another stellar performance in the Truck Series, leading 85 laps in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Unfortunately for the second straight week, Jones' hopes of finding Victory Lane were thwarted when he was nipped by Kasey Kahne in a green-white-checkered photo finish.

"It's just really hard," said Jones, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat for the second consecutive week after running out of fuel late while leading the race at Kansas Speedway. "It's a shame we can't bring it home. We can't get the trucks any better, we just need to get something to go our way."

Jones continued his busy weekend with a trip to Iowa Speedway to compete in Sunday's XFINITY Series 3M 250. Drew Herring qualified the Joe Gibbs Racing car on the pole Saturday while Jones stood by as Kyle Busch's relief driver in the Sprint All-Star Race. So Jones had to start from the rear of the 40-car field due to the driver change but charged to the front of the pack in no time.

As the laps wound down and the race headed for an overtime finish of its own, Jones was in contention for the win - eventually settling for third behind winner Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott.

"Not a bad day," said Jones, who earned his sixth top five and ninth top-10 finish in 10 XFINITY Series starts thus far this season. "We had a good car. It just wasn't good enough to run with the '60' (Buescher) or the '9' ( Elliott), on long green-flag runs especially. A long day coming from the back hinders your ability to adjust on the car like you want to, so I spent most of the day trying to get the car where I wanted it. We'll get it better next time."

Another driver doing double duty in both divisions this year is Daniel Suarez, who didn't race Friday night in the Truck Series but did compete in Iowa. He qualified well and ran near the front of the field but eventually fell back to finish 18th. However, Suarez has turned heads in the early part of 2015 as he gets more time behind the wheel.

"We started the weekend really well and we had a good start to the race today," he said. "It looked like we had a shot at something really positive in Iowa, but we lost some balance in the car midway through the race. We fought hard and were able to get it back. Unfortunately, we ran out of gas as we were starting to move in on the top five. we just ran out of luck at the end."

The weekend also saw the XFINITY Series debut for 18-year-old Ben Rhodes, who made his first series start driving for JR Motorsports. Rhodes qualified well but eventually fell a lap down around the midway point of Sunday's race, when he was caught for speeding on pit road. However, he worked to get back on the lead lap and when the checkered flag flew, Rhodes found himself with a top-10 finish.

"I did a pretty good job learning," said Rhodes, who received his high school diploma just before Sunday's race. "I brought it home with a top 10. All in all, it was a really good day."

Throw in other young drivers who were on the track this weekend in Charlotte and Iowa ... like Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Brandon Jones, Tyler Reddick, Justin Boston and Matt Tifft ... and the future of NASCAR looks very bright, indeed.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/05/Rising-Stars-Shine-Brightly.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johanna Long Getting A Full Time Ride?​*
Johanna Long's talent has been mired by the fact that she could never secure a good ride - until now. According to an article by Sports and Goal, Dale Jr was recently discussing racing and how he'd love to field more drivers in his XFINITY Team. However, Dale Jr expressed interest in one individual in particular.

_"I'd love to put Johanna Long in a car and see what she could do."_

It seems like the stars could align to put Johanna Long in a full time XFINITY Series ride. We are unaware of what plans are held for the 9 car after Chase Elliott goes to Cup full time next season. It is anticipated that Elliott may run the 88 part-time like other Sprint Cup drivers do to field a new driver full time. In addition, it is a possibility Long in the 88 for a few races this season as well.

How well do you think Long would do with JR Motorsports? Does it seem possible?

*Source:*
https://thenascarreport.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/johanna-long-getting-a-full-time-ride/


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Charlotte​*


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## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Captures Coca-Cola 600 Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6770&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Matt Kenseth won the pole for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Kenseth took his second pole position of the season with a lap of 194.252 mph and will lead the field to green in Sunday's longest race of the Sprint Cup Series season.

"I thought we had some speed in practice, just never really had the balance or the perfect lap," said Kenseth. "Everyone at JGR has been working honestly around the clock to get all these cars done and get us better stuff.

"It's one lap. It's 600 miles Sunday, but it's a good place to start. A good way to start the weekend."

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver earned his 15th career pole and first at Charlotte.

Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Sprint All-Star Race winner Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

"Second is nice, but look at the difference and how much I needed to pick up," Logano said. "That was a very fast lap by the 20, congratulations to them. I don't know how to go that fast.

"We've got a couple weeks to figure out how to beat the 20 car. He's very, very fast obviously. That was an amazing lap they ran there at the end."

Biffle will have his best starting spot of the season for the struggling Roush Fenway Racing team.

"Just trying to have confidence," Biffle said. "We haven't seen it in race trim yet, whether it's us taking the tape off the front of it or what it might be - the change between our qualifying and race trim. We're struggling a bit right now, so we're just gonna work hard in practice and see what we can do."

Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. completed the first ten qualifiers.

None of the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers - Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne - were able to advance to the final round. The last time the entire quartet failed to make it to the final round of qualifying was at Sonoma last season, but all four rebounded to finish in the top-10.

"I'm just disappointed in that second run out," said Gordon, who will start 18th. "The car never got down to the white line. It was real tight."

Five drivers failed to qualify for Sunday's race: Jeb Burton, Jeff Green, Mike Bliss, Travis Kvapil and Mike Bliss.

There is no activity scheduled at Charlotte on Friday. Sprint Cup teams will have an final opportunity to practice Saturday before Sunday's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Matt-Kenseth-Captures-Coca-Cola-600-Pole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson Defends Side Skirt Issue​*
Jimmie Johnson defended the side skirt that was pulled out from his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet in last week's Sprint All-Star Race.

The six-time champion was surprised the situation was even made an issue and brought to the attention of NASCAR.

"We were very shocked to hear that it was even an issue with the side skirts," Johnson said Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway as he prepared for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

Johnson made contact with the wall in last week's All-Star Race, which damaged his car. He says that was the only reason there was any sheet metal out of proportion.

"Leaving the race track, NASCAR was upset and thought there was a lot more intent, something going wrong with the side skirt being pulled out," Johnson said. "And as the video became available and they looked through it and watched and saw what was done, it calmed down.

"We were shocked to hear there was an issue. We actually had crash damage on the side of the car and it certainly turned out that way."

NASCAR told teams before the season began the practice of pulling out side skirts to enhance aerodynamics during both qualifying and the race would no longer be accepted. The modification became widespread last season and by the time the Chase rolled around it seemed as if the entire field was taking part in the practice.

There was some speculation that Johnson's team would be penalized for what happened last Saturday night. But NASCAR only issued a written warning on Tuesday.

Johnson is the defending Coca-Cola 600 race winner and has won seven times during his Charlotte Motor Speedway career.

He's hoping for a much better night Sunday than his 15th place performance in the All-Star Race.

"It's always great to come to a track that you have a great past at, great history at," Johnson said. "Unfortunately the showing we had in the All-Star race was less than stellar. The confidence we would normally walk in with has been diluted with lack of speed that we had then. Brought back a different car and certainly trying to do things differently with the set-up of the racecar.

"I think the 600 mile race has always been good for us. Chad (Knaus, crew chief) and I seem to fix our racecar as the night goes on, be aggressive with adjustments, chase the racetrack well and I do a nice job searching for line. The distance of the race doesn't bother me. I think we will have a strong night, but we have a few things to sort out today and even into Saturday's practice sessions."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Jimmie-Johnson-Defends-Side-Skirt-Issue.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gordon Joining FOX Sports In 2016​*
Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion credited with helping take the sport mainstream, joins FOX NASCAR fulltime in 2016 as race analyst for its 16th year of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage, teaming with three-time champion Darrell Waltrip to offer seven championships' worth of expertise.

Gordon, currently competing in his 23rd and final fulltime Sprint Cup Series season, served as race analyst for FOX Sports' coverage of three NASCAR XFINITY Series races this year. He has agreed to a multi-year contract that begins this season with in-race reporting from the No. 24 Chevrolet during select Cup Series races, and segues to an analyst role that commences with Daytona Speedweeks in February 2016.

"NASCAR has provided me so many incredible memories, experiences and opportunities throughout my 23 years as a driver, and I can't wait to start a new chapter in racing with this new relationship with FOX and to be in the booth with Mike (Joy) and Darrell," said Gordon. "I feel so lucky to be a part of a sport that I'm very passionate about, and now I get the opportunity to share that passion to millions of race fans from a whole new perspective."

Gordon will call all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, practice and qualifying sessions for FOX Sports alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Joy and NASCAR Hall of Famer and analyst Darrell Waltrip. Chris Myers hosts the network's coverage alongside analysts Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip.

"Jeff is not only a champion but an icon of a racing generation," said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President, COO & Executive Producer. "We are thrilled he has chosen to become a part of the FOX Sports family and pair his experience with Darrell. Each is credited with helping elevate NASCAR to the popularity it attained in his respective era, and alongside Mike Joy, this duo will treat fans to unmatched insights each and every week."

Gordon's move to the FOX booth furthers a career in which his affability and crossover appeal have provided him numerous high-profile television and movie opportunities that include: becoming the only auto racing driver ever to host Saturday Night Live; co-hosting Live! With Regis and Kelly more than 10 times; appearances as himself on The Simpsons, Spin City and The Drew Carey Show; movie appearances in Taxi, Herbie: Fully Loaded and Looney Tunes: Back in Action; TV appearances on Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Sesame Street; and participation on television's Celebrity Poker Showdown and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Sports Edition, among others. Gordon also voiced the character "Jeff Gorvette" in the animated film Cars 2.

The California native, one of the most versatile drivers of his era, has driven for Hendrick Motorsports since November 1992, winning four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001), 92 races and 80 pole positions. With his first Cup Series championship in 1995, Gordon became the youngest champion (24) in NASCAR's modern era in only his third full season. He sits third behind only NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105) in all-time victories, is a three-time Daytona 500 champion and record five-time Brickyard 400 winner. He holds the record for most consecutive seasons with a pole (23), among numerous other accolades. Furthermore, Gordon is NASCAR's winningest road-course driver with nine wins, and is the all-time leader with 12 restrictor-plate track victories.

Off the track, Gordon, named one of "NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers" in 1998, established the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research, treatment and patient support programs. He traveled to Rwanda with the Foundation in 2011, and also visited the Democratic Republic of Congo in conjunction with the Clinton Global Initiative. Gordon was honored with the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award in 2012, recognizing those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of stock racing. That same year, he received the Heisman Humanitarian Award, established to recognize those in sports who give significantly to communities and improve the lives of others.

FOX Sports, which began its FOX NASCAR coverage in 2001, currently is in the first of a 10-year media rights agreement with NASCAR. In 2013, FOX Sports extended its agreement with NASCAR, ensuring the FOX family of networks' broadcast of the first 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races each season beginning in 2015, as well as the first 14 NASCAR XFINITY Series races of the season and all NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, through 2024.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/Jeff-Gordon-Joining-FOX-Sports-in-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'600' On Junior's Bucket List​*
A victory in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 would be a huge accomplishment for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver has always considered NASCAR's longest race one of the crown jewels of the sport. A chance to go to Victory Lane on Sunday night would have special meaning for him.

"I've always wanted to win at Charlotte," Earnhardt said. "It's a 'home track' and I've seen a lot of my close friends win races there. I'd love to win this weekend, especially with the season we've got going."

Earnhardt's first Charlotte Sprint Cup Series start came in 1999 when the then-24-year-old started eighth and finished 16th. The track has played a major role in Earnhardt's life from before the time he first competed on the 1.5-mile oval.

"The first time I remember being there was 1981," he said. "I was up on the hill on the road course where we always parked, playing with cars and rolling them down the banking. We had these little Ertl plastic cars - the Bobby Allison Gatorade '88,' and a Cale Yarbrough and Richard Petty. They were big, like 1/10-scale.

"It's a tough racetrack. I learned that watching dad race here year after year through the late '80s and into the '90s. It's a hard track to master as far as setup and balance of the racecar go."

Although there are other 1.5-mile tracks on the schedule and - at first glance - Charlotte may look like other speedways, it has a very special set of characteristics and nuances. Earnhardt knows that over the course of a 600-mile grind, it's important to keep in mind how the track will also change from when the race starts to when the checkered flag flies.

"The important thing is to get the car to turn down into Turn 1," he said. "we're going to fight the car being really tight into (Turns) 1 and 2. The track is going to get tighter and tighter all night long, so it's important to get the car to turn. If you need to move around, you need to be able to get up to the high side and make the car competitive.

"If you can't use the high side, you're going to get stuck behind guys without any way to get around them in the dirty air. If you can't get to the top and pass, you're going to have a long night."

Although Earnhardt had a decent run in last week's Sprint All-Star Race, neither he nor crew chief Ives were completely happy with the performance of the No. 88 Chevrolet. So the team is bringing something else to the track this weekend in hopes of running better and, hopefully, coming home with a win.

"We didn't run all that well in the All-Star Race," Earnhardt said, "so we're going to come with a different setup and a different car."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...00-On-Dale-Earnhardt-Juniors-Bucket-List.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*XFINITY Battle Moves To Charlotte​*
The tight battle near the top of the NASCAR XFINITY Series point standings heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Saturday's Hisense 300 finds last week's Iowa Speedway winner Chris Buescher eight points ahead of Ty Dillon in the series standings. While there's certainly a long way to go in the 2015 season the duo have separated themselves from the rest of the field with defending series champion Chase Elliott now third in the standings 31 behind the leader.

Buescher ran well at Charlotte last year and has a sixth place finish at the 1.5-mile track to his credit. He's looking to build on that plus keep the momentum from last week's win going on Saturday.

"Obviously last weekend was a great one," Buescher said. "We are really looking to build on that momentum this weekend, racing our Roush Performance Mustang in front of the home crowd. I'm excited to have some family and close friends here this weekend to watch. I got my best finish at Charlotte the last time we were here, so I think we will be in good shape this weekend."

Like Buescher Dillon is also looking to the NASCAR version of a home game this weekend with so many teams headquartered near the Charlotte area. However, with the benefit of being able to sleep in his own bed, Dillon knows the importance of staying focused on the matter at hand.

"There definitely is an increase in activity during this time of year - but I enjoy it," he said. "I enjoy racing close to home, sleeping in my own bed, seeing friends and family, and participating in all of the activities. It's also a great opportunity to see a lot of our great partners and spend some time with them.

"But, as I've always said in the past, as soon as my race helmet goes on - I'm focused."

Dillon made his XFINITY Series debut at Charlotte last spring and brought home a top-10 finish. He returns this season with much more experience as well as a new chassis design he hopes will pay dividends.

"We have an exceptional team that prepared new race cars for us that are engineered to win right away," Dillon said. "The guys have been working on this car very diligently and we're ready to see it go to work. Between our chassis shop, fabrication team, our engineers and the power from ECR Engines, I expect this car to make it to Victory Lane very soon."

Elliott would like to do the same. Last year's champ will be doing is optimistic about the way he's been running lately and has high hopes for a good day on Saturday.

"Charlotte is a fun track," Elliott said. "We'll practice in conditions that will be so different than what they'll be once green flag time rolls around, but that's what makes Charlotte, Charlotte. Last year we sat on the pole here for the fall race, which was awesome, but we have to build on that and compete for a win this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/05/XFINITY-Battles-Moves-to-Charlotte.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Steady Wins The Race​*
Kurt Busch knows that in order to have a chance to win Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, drivers have to pace themselves.

The longest race of the NASCAR season is truly a marathon. But not only is there the physical challenge of driving a Sprint Cup car around Charlotte Motor Speedway for more than four hours. Drivers also face a mental drain.

Busch says recalibrating his mind is just as important as being physically fit for the endurance race.

"It's a marathon mentality," said Busch, who won the 2010 edition of the race. "It's the exact opposite of the All-Star Race. It starts during the daytime and, even if you're getting behind early in the race - although you can't get too far behind, it's difficult to find a setup that works well in both the beginning and end of the race because of how much the track changes from start to finish.

"It's the end of the race, though, when they hand out the points and the check so you hope your car will race the same way at the end as it did for the All-Star Race, provided you had a good All-Star Race. The mentality is that it's just pit stop after pit stop, with long sequence after long sequence."

Busch has fond memories of his 2010 victory, when he led 252 laps on his way to the checkered flag.

"We were so good in the daytime that I was scared of what was going to happen when the sun went down, the track started to change and how the race would play out," Busch said. "You never have a good car at the beginning and have it stay underneath you for the nighttime. It's just the way you've always seen that race play out. But that car was that good. It was what we saw with it in the All-Star Race the week before. It was fast during both of those weekends."

This year might feel like a bit of a vacation for Busch after what he accomplished a year ago, running both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. After finishing sixth in the 98th running of the "500" and becoming the first NASCAR driver to win rookie honors in the race since Donnie Allison in 1970, Busch had mechanical problems to ruin the Charlotte nightcap and finished 40th.

Busch is putting that experience in the rear-view mirror and is focused on this year's running of the Memorial Day weekend classic.

"This weekend's race is a big one and, being that it's here in our backyard, it's almost like a hometown race for everybody," he said. "All of the guys who work at the shop and don't get to go to the track on a weekly basis usually get to come out and see all of their hard work on display. You want to put the banner up for your team."

It's been a stretch of two weeks for teams to be in and around the Charlotte area after last week's All-Star activities and this weekend's "600" schedule. However, last week was just the warm-up.

"The All-Star Race is a 100-yard dash," Busch said. "The '600' is a marathon."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/05/Steady-Wins-the-Race-for-Kurt-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busy Days For Kyle Busch​*
It's been a busy week for Kyle Busch as he gets ready for his return to Sprint Cup Series points racing in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

Busch made his return behind the wheel last week in the Sprint All-Star Race and turned in a sixth place finish. It was his first time racing since suffering leg and ankle injuries in an accident during the season opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February.

But there's been much more going on in Busch's like including the birth of his first child as wife Samantha delivered young Brexton on Monday.

"It's been really fun - a lot of different experiences here," Busch said Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Some new, some old, but getting back in the race car first and foremost last weekend was really good for me, for my team just to get a basis and learn some things - get a feel for everything. That was perfect for us.

"Then of course going into the hospital on Monday and Samantha giving birth to our son. That was pretty awesome - just a remarkable experience."

As any parent knows the birth of a child is a life changing experience. For Busch it's been no different although he's not sure he's changed quite yet as a person.

"I don't know that I'm different, but it's a whole new world right now for sure," said Busch. "It's an entirely different feeling. You wonder where the time goes already. I was trying to get ready this morning and Samantha was trying to get ready - she had to take him for an appointment and some other stuff and I'm trying to help out and all of the sudden it's time for me to leave to come out here to the race track and I'm like, 'Holy smokes, I have to get ready, I have to hurry up.' That was different. Its way different than what it was before he was born."

Busch now begins his quest to try and make the Chase now that NASCAR has granted an exemption for the eleven races he missed while recovering from injuries. He'll need to finish inside the top 30 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings by the time the regular season ends at Richmond in September as well as finding Victory Lane.

It's a steep hill to climb but Busch is optimistic he'll be in the hunt to make it all happen.

"We've looked at the schedule - I think it goes to say that for every year, Dover is always a really good place for us," Busch said. "If I can get Jimmie Johnson to speed on pit road again in the last 50 laps of the race then I could probably win that thing. Dover has been pretty good for us, Indy has been good for us some years. Watkins Glen especially and then Richmond again, there's a lot of races in between that we're pretty confident we can run well at - we just have to. I've won at some of those places before like Michigan for instance, Bristol is in there, Darlington - I love going to Darlington.

"All those places I feel like we can run well at. I'm probably most nervous of getting a race victory. I know how hard it is to win these races in this series and how there's no way that I'm not determined to get out there and win a race, it's just a matter of putting all the pieces together and having a good night and being able to accomplish that feat."

The quest begins Sunday in NASCAR's longest race and Busch brings a great deal of confidence into the start of what promises to be a difficult journey.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to put ourselves in that position," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Busy-Days-for-Kyle-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Ready For Coca-Cola 600​*
Joey Logano is psyching himself up to compete in NASCAR's longest race Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Coca-Cola 600 could take close to five hours to complete and is every bit of the cliché calling it a true test of man and machine.

Logano is one of the 42 men (along with Danica Patrick) that will be tested Sunday and is ready for the challenge.

"It still shocks me every year," Logano said when asked about the length of the race. "About every year it's usually about 160 laps into the race I go, 'How many more do we have to go?' And they'll tell me how many more and we're not even halfway yet and I'm like, 'Holy cow. This is forever long.' But that's why it means so much to win the Coca-Cola 600.

"It's the longest race of the year. It takes a lot out of the car, it takes a lot out of the driver and the team to build a car that can go that fast for that long, and be able to keep up with the transitions of the track throughout the night."

Logano qualified second last Thursday night and will start the race outside row one next to pole winner Matt Kenseth. He feels like he'll have a Shell/Pennzoil Ford capable of competing for a win and a better mount than he drove to a an eighth place finish with last week in the Sprint All-Star Race.

"I feel like I've got a pretty good car," he said. "Our car should be a little bit better than what we ran last week."

Logano kicked off the season in grand fashion by winning the Daytona 500. That locked him into the Chase and he followed up the performance with a string of solid if not spectacular performances.

While he's not unsatisfied with the year to date as the schedule reaches the 12th race of the campaign on Sunday, Logano sees room for improvement.

"It's been OK," Logano said of 2015 to date. "We obviously started off on a great note. We've had a lot of top-five finishes since then, but we don't have another win on the Cup side, so we want to get some more wins. We feel like we're a little bit off on speed.

"We're not far off. We're consistently a top-five car, but we need to consistently be a first-place car and that's our goal. That's what we try to do and we need to make a step to make that happen, but I think we kind of understand where it's at."

There's a long way to go before the stakes get higher and the Chase rolls around so Logano is confident things will continue to move forward before it's time to make another run at his first Sprint Cup Series title.

"We're catching up to where we need to be," he said. "We've got a few weeks until the Chase start still, so we can definitely keep trying things and figure out what we have to do to have speed when the Chase starts, which is something Team Penske has done great over the last couple of years is find that little bit more when they need it, so I'm excited for when that comes around.

"I want to win every single race. That might be kind of greedy, but that's my goal."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/05/Joey-Logano-Ready-for-Long-Day.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dominant Dillon Wins Charlotte​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6782&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Austin Dillon powered his way to a win in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Dillon led 163 laps to score his second win of the season and fourth of his XFINITY Series career.

All of Dillon's series wins have come from the pole. The last driver to win a May XFINITY Series race at Charlotte from the pole was Jeff Gordon in 1992.

Dillon drove the same car to victory that he piloted in his Las Vegas Motor Speedway win back in March when he led 183 of 200 laps.

Denny Hamlin had taken over the top spot after a caution flag and late restart. But Dillon was able to get back around for the lead and led the way for the final 15 laps to the checkered flag.

"My spotter reminded me of the fact that I should probably have taken the top, but I had been on the bottom all day so I chose the bottom again," Dillon said of the restart when Hamlin took the lead. "I just didn't want to let our guys down. The Rheem Chevrolet was just so fast all day."

Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Regan Smith and Darrell Wallace Jr. rounded out the top five.

"Congrats to those guys," Hamlin said. "Thankful for the opportunity I had in this Monster Energy Camry and Chris (Gayle, crew chief) and these guys are building this race team and doing a great job. I'm happy with a second-place finish considering what I thought we had for a car all day. I thought we were probably a fifth to sixth-place car at best, but we just - we were able to get a good restart and try to hold those guys off, but he just had a little bit too much speed for me."

Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Ryan Blaney completed the first ten finishers.

"Definitely a good day, our first time ever being at Charlotte Motor Speedway," Suarez said. We had a hard time in qualifying - maybe one of my worst qualifying runs of the year at 19th. I believe it was the first time we didn't make it for the third round. Anyway, I've very happy with everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on this ARRIS Toyota. All these guys, they don't know how to give up and that's something that is really good and I'm learning to be just like that as well."

Chris Buescher finished 11th and maintained his series point lead by four over Ty Dillon. Elliott is third and now 28 points out of the lead.

The race was slowed by just three caution flags.

Smith, Wallace Jr., Suarez and Ty Dillon all qualified for the first round of the Dash 4 Cash program, which kicks off next week. The top finishers among that quartet will win $100,000.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Dover International Speedway next Saturday afternoon.


























*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Hisense-300-at-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Wins Coca-Cola 600​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6770&StatType=Race+Results

Carl Edwards scored his first win of the season when he took the checkered flag in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Edwards scored his 24th career Sprint Cup Series victory and first for Joe Gibbs Racing. It was his first win since June of last year in Sonoma, Calif. - 32 races ago.

"JGR is back and so is Toyota," said Edwards, who pitted on Lap 338 for fuel and was able to stretch it all the way to the finish as others ran out in the closing laps.

"Darian Grubb is so good as a crew chief and when it comes down to fuel mileage, there isn't anyone else I'd want calling the shots like he did tonight. This is such a huge win."

Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top five.

"I was hoping the guys in front of me would run too hard and run out of gas," said Earnhardt. "We had to try to go for a win. We didn't have a car fast enough to beat the '41' (Kurt Busch) or the '78' (Truex). We had to do something different. I like to gamble."

Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Dover International Speedway for next Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks.

*How Edwards Won:* Fuel mileage proved to be the key. Grubb calculated that there was enough in the tank for Edwards to outlast the other front-runners, who had to come to pit road for fuel in the closing laps.

*What Else Happened:* The longest race of the NASCAR season provided some early action but settled into the marathon the race has built a reputation on since its inception. Things boiled down to fuel strategy and mileage at the end, and Edwards parlayed the call by crew chief Grubb to outlast the field and win.

*Who Else Had a Good Day:* Biffle had his first top-five since Pocono last August ... Kenseth gave JGR two drivers in the top-five ... Keselowski battled back from a loose wheel to notch his seventh-place finish.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Jimmie Johnson spun twice racing off the fourth turn, and the second one proved disastrous when he slid down pit road and pounded the inside wall to knock himself out of the race and end his bid for another Charlotte win. He finished 40th, his worst Charlotte performance in 28 career starts ... Ryan Blaney had a decent day going for the Wood Brothers until an engine let loose and sent the young driver to the garage with a DNF.

*Quote of the day:* "JGR is back. I was the slowest of the group tonight and won the race." - Carl Edwards.

*Notables:* Earnhardt's third-place finish was his career best at Charlotte ... Kyle Busch came home 11th in his first points start of the season.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/05/Carl-Edwards-Wins-Coca-Cola-600.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Worst Charlotte Finish For Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson's 40th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 is the worst in his Charlotte Motor Speedway career.

Johnson spun two times in Sunday's race, in almost the same spot on the racetrack as he raced through the fourth turn. But the second spin on Lap 275 ended Johnson's hopes of another Charlotte win. He slid down the entrance of pit road and made heavy contact with the inside wall. He drove his battered No. 48 Chevrolet back to the garage area but was through for the night.

"We had a really loose racecar," Johnson explained. "We came in with an aggressive mindset to bring an aggressive setup in the car, drive aggressively and take chances. We don't have anything to lose. Unfortunately, we didn't get long enough into the race for the aggressive setup to come into play. Another 30/40 laps, we would have had the car right where we wanted it. I just didn't make it there."

Johnson wasn't injured in the contact his car made with the SAFER barrier.

"I could see it, I could see that opening and I could see the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) pit," Johnson said. "I was frightened that I was going to get through that hole. It wouldn't have been pretty for me, but to have teams and stuff there ... that was something I was staring at sliding for a long way.

"I was very thankful the SAFER barrier was there. I wish we could find a way to extend a wall out and redirect the car away from that opening, or close that opening up."

Johnson's night ended with a poor finish, but he didn't leave Charlotte too worried about what lies ahead.

"We came in here tonight swinging for the fences," Johnson said. "We're locked in the Chase, it doesn't matter. Chad (Knaus, crew chief) told me he either wanted it on a hook or the trophy. Unfortunately, we got the hook."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...orst-Charlotte-Finish-for-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Solid Return For Kyle Busch​*
Kyle Busch turned in a stellar performance in his first points race back Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600.

He missed the first 11 races of the Sprint Cup season when he was injured in a crash in the XFINITY Series season opener in February at Daytona International Speedway. After posting a sixth-place finish in last weekend's Sprint All-Star Race, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished just outside the top 10 Sunday, placing 11th.

"That was a great race for us," Busch said. "We ran strong, we ran up front and we showed some speed. It's frustrating to finish where we did. That's disappointing but sometimes, you do win these things by fuel mileage so congratulations to our teammates - (race winner) Carl (Edwards) and (fourth-place) Matt (Kenseth).

"I can't say enough about everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing pulling for me, cheering for me and helping me get back into this racecar. Getting out there and having a strong run means a lot."

There was some question whether Busch would be able to complete the entire 600-mile grind and JGR had Erik Jones on stand-by in case there was the need for a relief driver. But Busch was able to go the distance.

"I'm a little surprised I feel as good as I do," he said afterwards. "I was expecting to be a little more beat up and tired, but I'm not. If you go week-to-week-to-week, you could grind yourself out and you get tired. I just took a three-month vacation, so my body feels pretty good. It's only been beat up in the gym."

So with one race in the books in the quest to make the Chase, Busch finds himself 41st in the Sprint Cup Series point standings with 14 regular-season races left to get inside the top 30 and score a win to make the "playoffs."

There's a long way to go but for Busch, it's "So far, so good!"

"Adam Stevens (crew chief) made some great calls tonight, got ourselves in some good spots and up toward the front," Busch said. "We battled side-by-side, door-to-door with guys for a little while. It felt good. I feel good. I've got a little left-foot soreness but other than that, everything is hunky-dory."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/05/Solid-Return-For-Kyle-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Biffle Back To The Front​*
Greg Biffle notched a runner-up finish to Carl Edwards on Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

It was Biffle's first top-five finish since Pocono last August and his best career effort at Charlotte. More importantly, the performance gave the veteran driver a ray of optimism after a long stretch of struggles for Roush Fenway Racing.

"I'm excited for the team and the organization," Biffle said. "We've been working really, really hard on our cars. It's been well-documented how bad we've been running, so it feels good."

Biffle had race winner Carl Edwards in his sights for a while as the laps wound down Sunday but was not able to catch him. There was some question as to whether Edwards would have enough fuel to make it to the end. But when that was erased, Biffle knew the door to Victory Lane was slammed shut.

"We knew Carl was gonna try and make it, and certainly nobody knew whether he had enough gas," Biffle said. "I was sure hoping and praying that maybe he'd be about a lap short because we've lost a few, everybody has lost a few like that.

"He's smart. He knows how to save gas. He's won a lot of races like that and I was just hoping that maybe the engine he had was using a little bit more than I thought, but it wasn't the case."

After a solid run last week in the Sprint All-Star Race, Biffle has reason to be positive now with two straight promising performances.

"The setup on the racecar has a little different front suspension, springs and shocks. We've gone in a different direction and I can't believe we've missed that for a year," Biffle said. "We haven't found anything to get our cars to go faster and then we change minor stuff and all of a sudden, here we are.

"I've got my fingers crossed that with all the simulation and things we have, we can pinpoint what we changed and what made the difference, continue to try and work in that same direction and see if those changes we made bring continued improvement."

Although Biffle was happy about making progress, make no mistake - he wanted more on Sunday night.

"I'm upset that we didn't win," he said. "I was close."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/05/Greg-Biffle-Back-to-The-Front.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Winners And Losers​*
Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway proved to be successful for some drivers and frustrating for others.

*Winners*​
*Carl Edwards* 
Snapped his 31-race winless drought by taking Joe Gibbs Racing to Victory Lane. Fuel mileage was in play for the win and Edwards along with crew chief Darian Grubb played it to perfection to punch their ticket into the Chase.

*Greg Biffle* 
A much-needed second place finish for Biffle and glimpse of optimism for the beleaguered Roush Fenway Racing organization. Biffle has said all along to get more competitive it will take small steps and RFR took several with a solid finish Sunday night.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.* 
Rolled the dice on fuel strategy and had nothing to lose as evident when Junior asked crew chief Greg Ives if he "gave a crap about points." That answer is no when you have a win and are in the Chase so Earnhardt and company had the benefit of gambling for what turned out to be a third-place finish.

*Kyle Busch* 
His first race back proved to be successful with Busch lasting the entire 600-mile grind and coming home with a very solid 11th-place performance. A pretty good way to start his long shot quest of making the Chase and climbing up the point standings despite missing eleven races due to injury.

*Charlotte Motor Speedway-NASCAR* 
The pre-race spectacle before the Coca-Cola 600 was a moving and triumphant tribute to the military. The sanctioning body did a magnificent job honoring fallen soldiers throughout the weekend. A proud time for race fans and Americans to be sure.

*Losers*​
*Martin Truex Jr.*
It's now come to a point where top-five or top-10 finishes aren't as impressive for the improved Furniture Row Racing team. Once again Truex Jr. had one of the best cars if not the best of the night and led the most laps. But he still came up empty in the win column and although a fifth-place finish is still solid given the circumstances it should have been much more.

*Jimmie Johnson*
In 28 career starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway Johnson never had a finish as poor as the 40th he was credited with on Sunday. That'll happen when you spin out twice on your own and pile into the pit road SAFER barrier the second time to end your night.

*David Ragan*
While fellow Toyota team Joe Gibbs Racing put four drivers in the first eleven finishers Michael Waltrip Racing continued its struggles. Ragan's night ended on lap 353 with a blown engine and a 41st-place finish.

*Kyle Larson* 
Still struggling to find the magic of a year ago, Larson and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jamie McMurray both struggled Sunday. He wound up two laps down at the finish and was credited with a 25th-place finish.

*Tony Stewart *
A perpetual residence in the second half of the field has been Stewart's theme this year and it continued in Charlotte. Smoke was never competitive in the 600 and came home 21st one lap behind the race winner.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/05/Charlotte-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Gordon Done Driving​*
Don't look for Jeff Gordon to return to the driver's seat after he hangs up his helmet when the 2015 season ends.

Gordon left open the possibility that there would be more racing in his future when he first announced he'd retire from "full-time" Sprint Cup Series competition back in January. But things have apparently changed for the four-time champion and his plans don't include any driving - at least in the immediate future.

"As I get further into the year, as things come together, I don't see myself doing any races," Gordon said over the weekend at Indianapolis before he drove the pace car in this year's Indy 500. "If I do a race, (it would be) maybe a Martinsville or a short track. There's so much that goes into preparing a car and a team at Hendrick Motorsports, which is the only car I would ever do it with."

Gordon also has a new job waiting at FOX Sports when he becomes part of the network's NASCAR broadcast team, and joins Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip in the anchor booth.

"I'm going to fulfill my desire to be a part of the sport by being in the booth," Gordon said. "I have no set plans to do any racing after Homestead."

*Hamlin Feeling Better*
Denny Hamlin has had a challenging year health-wise. He wasn't able to finish the race at Bristol back in March after a rain delay when neck and back spasms set in. Following Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, Hamlin needed assistance at the infield care center after feeling ill in his car and suffering from a severe headache.

"I knew when my knee was sore afterwards that it was probably fluids," Hamlin said after being treated for dehydration. "My off-day was 36 holes of golf and a full tennis match. Probably overdid it. The dehydration led to a migraine and I felt nauseous the last 100 laps or so."

Hamlin finished eighth in Sunday's race.

"Thank goodness that didn't cost us the win," he said. "I was borderline throwing up trying to race for the lead. You try to power through it and of course when you run well, you always feel a little better. But when the race is over and everything comes to a stop, you realize how bad you feel."

*More XFINITY Racing for Ty Dillon*
Don't look for current NASCAR XFINITY Series regular Ty Dillon to make the ascension to the Sprint Cup Series on a full-time basis just yet. Dillon plans a return to NASCAR's No. 2 division in 2016 while still planning for a move to Cup down the road.

"We're working on it now," team owner Richard Childress told the NASCAR Wire Service. "It depends on sponsorship, but we want to get him set up for the XFINITY Series next year."

Dillon remains focused on trying to win this year's XFINITY Series championship while turning an eye to his future in the Cup Series.

"We've talked about (it) and it's our goal," Dillon said. "We're still working on things, but that's next year. If we win the championship this season, it'll make those plans easier to put in place."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NASCAR-Notebook-Jeff-Gordon-Done-Driving.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Ready For Next Challenge​*
Kyle Busch takes the next step in his return to racing Sunday in the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Busch made a successful return to the Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway finishing sixth and eleventh respectively in the Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600. After finishing the entire 600-mile grind Sunday night, Busch said he felt good as he continues to recover from the leg and ankle injuries suffered during a crash in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona in February.

The marathon run last Sunday night in Charlotte actually served as a preparation for Busch and this week's trip to Dover.

"I think the Coke 600 is actually quite relative to Dover this week," Busch said. "Charlotte is an endurance race for as long as it is, and I think it sets you up for that Dover race. The Dover race is more taxing on your body. I feel like it beats you up a bit more, but it being 400 laps, it's a tough stretch. It's maybe not 600 miles, but 400 laps there is certainly a long time at Dover.

"I felt really good after Charlotte. I didn't get tired or anything like that, so I probably could have gone little longer. We'll take our Skittles Camry up there and see what we have for them, but Dover has always been a pretty good place for me."

There's more to Busch's rehabilitation though than racing. There's still an extensive regimen he must face in the days leading up to this week's race.

"Preparation for Dover is just relaxing on Monday, trying to, you know, get some fluids back in me, everything, and just kind of chill out and not do anything, take a day off," Busch said explaining his schedule. "And then Tuesday it's JGR meetings, all that stuff. I've also got a doctor's appointment, and then back to therapy. So, Tuesday I'll hit it pretty hard. Might go Wednesday, maybe, and do some of the less weight stuff, just the kind of walking on the beams and stuff to work on balance. And Thursday, I'll hit it again before heading on my way to Dover.

"So, thinking every day this week, try not to get behind and keep building it up, keep getting it better and, every time I get in the racecar, every time I get in the gym, everything seems to come along a little bit better and make life and daily walking and stairs and everything easier, so you might as well not quit."

Busch has been successful at Dover throughout his NASCAR career in all three national divisions. He has a pair of Sprint Cup Series wins as well as nine top five and 12 top-10 finishes.

He's looking to keep adding to those numbers as he does those in the point standings. Busch's quest to make the Chase means he needs to finish inside the top 30 of the standings and have a win by the end of the regular season. He comes to Dover 169 points behind Tony Stewart, who occupies the 30th spot in the standings.

The good news for Busch is that he's feeling better physically and mentally likes racing at the "Monster Mile."

"It's definitely a fast racetrack," Busch said. "It's a fun racetrack, too. It makes it interesting when you get to traffic, when you have to pass guys, when you're kind of falling down into the hole and jumping back up out of the hole to the straightaways. It's a good place to race. It's a competitive racetrack and, when the rubber gets laid down, it definitely changes the whole atmosphere and the whole way you run around that place.

"We feel like we have a great chance to have a good race there this weekend with our Skittles Camry."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/05/Kyle-Busch-Ready-for-Next-Challenge.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Three Cup Teams Penalized​*
Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams have been penalized following last week's event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The No. 1 team has been penalized for an infraction occurring during pre-qualifying inspection May 21. The right rear quarter panel wheel opening was modified after qualifying inspection.

The infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates the following Sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:

12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing.

20.4.b: Body; All approved OEM-manufactured body components must be used as supplied except as required to stiffen, or to attach to other vehicle components. Tolerances from CAD surfaces and template tolerances are provided to allow for manufacturing, fabrication, and installation variability. Approved Parts: GM R: NSCS 0786. Part Name: Quarter Panel RS, Effective date Aug. 1, 2012.

20.4.2: Surface Conformance (a). Coordinate measuring machines, scanning equipment, and templates, among other tools, will be used to inspect body surfaces for conformance to the approved OEM and NASCAR CAD files.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Matt McCall has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

Additionally, two teams - the No. 48 and No. 51 - have been assessed P1 level penalties for receiving written warnings in two consecutive events, both at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 48 team received a warning from the May 16 event and also received one from pre-qualifying inspection from last week's event. In addition to receiving a warning from the May 16 event, the No. 51 team also received one from pre-race inspection from last week's event.

Per Section 12.5.3.1 of the NASCAR rule book:

Warnings and P1 penalty options: b. Multiple warnings issued to the same member or team will result in one or more P1 penalties; c. If the same team receives two warnings during the same event or two warnings during two consecutive events, whether the events are championship or non-championship, then this may result in one or more &#8230; P1 penalties at NASCAR's discretion.

As a result of these infractions the No. 48 and No. 51 teams will receive the last two choices in the pit selection process, respective to qualifying results, for this weekend's event at Dover International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/05/Three-Cup-Teams-Penalized.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Eyes Early Celebration​*
Erik Jones would like to have an early birthday present with a win in Friday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway.

Jones will turn 19 on Saturday and has his sights set on winning Friday's race at "The Monster Mile" for an early celebration. But it won't be a piece of cake, by any means. Jones has never raced on the one-mile concrete oval. The good news is that he'll be driving a truck out of the Kyle Busch Motorsports stable that has won three times at Dover with the owner behind the wheel.

That track record, and Jones' penchant for performing well at tracks where he's raced for the first time, has given the young driver a sense of optimism. The ability to adapt to new tracks is something Jones says has come with past experience, even at his tender age.

"It's a combination of a couple things," he said. "First, when I was coming up through the Late Model ranks, I never raced at just one track so getting used to different places is an old habit."

Then, there's the simple fact that the team he drives for is potent.

"We have strong trucks at KBM so that makes it a lot easier on me," Jones said. "We unload every weekend fairly close to where we need to be, which allows me to just adapt to the track and not have to worry about trying to get the speed out of my truck."

Jones heads to Dover after two sparkling performances at Kansas Speedway and Charlotte that saw him have a dominating truck only to have circumstances at the end of each race deprive him of victory. Jones was caught short in a fuel-mileage game at Kansas then lost to Kasey Kahne in a photo finish at Charlotte.

He has confidence that once again, he'll have a powerful truck at his disposal. But Jones is not minimizing the learning curve he'll face at Dover.

"There'll be an adjustment period this weekend but running both the truck and the XFINITY Series car will help speed up that process," said Jones, who will also drive a Joe Gibbs Racing entry in Saturday's Buckle Up 200 Presented by Click It or Ticket. "Dover is going to be different. It's the first technical place we're going to that I've never raced at before. KBM has a good package at Dover. The team won there last year with Kyle (Busch) and that gives me a lot of confidence going into Friday's race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Celebration-at-Dover-on-Birthday-Weekend.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Dover​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson's No. 48 Team Appeals Penalty​*
Hendrick Motorsports will appeal the penalty assessed to Jimmie Johnson's team for receiving two written warnings.

The team was given a P1 penalty earlier this week, which would have resulted in Johnson having to pick his pit stall after the rest of the field no matter where he qualified for Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports informed NASCAR the organization would appeal the infraction as is its right so the penalty will be deferred until after a hearing, which has not been scheduled.

Johnson's team received the pair of warnings for two situations at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The first was for a side skirt that was flared out during the Sprint All-Star Race and the second for too many attempts to get through pre qualifying inspection at the Coca-Cola 600.

Johnson will be shooting for his fourth win of the season and 10th career victory at Dover on Sunday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/05/Jimmie-Johnson-Team-Appeals-Penalty.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Disagrees With Penalty​*
Jimmie Johnson wasn't pleased about the penalty NASCAR handed down earlier this week.

Johnson's team was assessed a P1 penalty by the sanctioning body for a pair of written warnings at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The punishment would be the last pick of pit stalls after qualifying no matter where Johnson finished in time trials to set the field for Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports subsequently appealed the penalty, which will now be deferred until after the yet to be scheduled hearing so Johnson won't have to worry about a less than desirable pit stall to work from in his quest for a 10th Dover victory on Sunday.

But Johnson expressed his displeasure with the circumstances when he met the media Friday morning.

"We definitely don't agree with what has happened,'' Johnson said. "That's why the appeal has taken place. I look forward to the process taking its course and respect it and I certainly hope for a different outcome when everything runs its course.''

The turn of events could have a major implication on Sunday's race since Johnson's latest qualifying efforts have not been stellar.

"Yeah, I mean I guess there is that part of it," he said. "My qualifying record of late hasn't been so stellar. We won't know the implications of that until after qualifying, obviously. We will find out then and I guess the stories will run wild then."

Johnson has won three times already this year and at times has shown the championship form that generated six Sprint Cup titles. But he believes there is still work to be done for the 48 team including an upgrade in qualifying performance.

"Race days, I think we're on par," Johnson said. "We've been comparative. We've won three (races) and been in contention for a few more. We've just got to cleanup Fridays. That's really been the weak spot and it just creates so much more difficult for us over the course of the weekend.

"So, I'd give myself a different grade for race day than I would for qualifying. And it's somewhere that we're focused to really get right."

Johnson sets his sights on a 10th career Dover win on Sunday a track where he has enjoyed success dating back to his days in the American Speed Association (ASA). Since moving into NASCAR, Johnson winning at Dover has been a nearly automatic occurrence.

"I feel good about it," Johnson said of his chances to continue adding to the record book this weekend. "I'm excited about this race track. It's been such a great place to me over the years and certainly a place I've loved to drive at.

"At this race track, and at Martinsville; there are a few tracks where I'm in a really neat position to chase history. Again, it's not a situation I ever thought I'd find myself in, but now that I'm here it's certainly in front of me."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...05/Jimmie-Johnson-Disagrees-With-Penalty.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Home At Dover​*
Martin Truex Jr. brings his stellar 2015 season to what the driver considers home Sunday at Dover International Speedway.

The New Jersey native has always called the "Monster Mile" home and has enjoyed success at the track including Sprint Cup Series career victory number one in 2007.

"It's great to be here, it always is," Truex Jr. said Friday morning at Dover. "I really enjoy coming up to this area. Obviously I really enjoy running this race track."

Throw in Truex Jr.'s stellar start to the season so far in which he's finished in the top 10 in 12 of the year's races and the excitement factor goes up even more.

"This is one of my favorite tracks," Truex Jr. said. "That is usually a good sign to start off with. Honestly, just between that and the way our cars have been running, the job the team has been doing, I feel like last year we were off quite a bit."

But last year is but a distance memory for Truex Jr. and the Furniture Row Racing team. A 2014 campaign mired in disappointment and frustration has blossomed into a completely different vibe this season.

Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn have gelled in a relatively short period of time and that relationship is a key to what's transpiring on the racetrack.

"I think we just we are just on the same page," Truex Jr. said. "We get along great. We have similar personalities. We kind of approach things the same way and think about things the same way.

"We are really having fun. He works so hard. He is so into it and we are both all in. It's just been fun to work with him. I've learned a lot from him already and I feel like I've helped him some as well. It's just been a good relationship that has provided a lot of success for both of us."

The level of optimism is understandably high for Truex Jr. and the entire organization. While cautious of not being cocky, there's an air of confidence around Truex Jr. that is palpable this weekend at his home track.

"Yeah, this is definitely a comfort zone for me," Truex Jr. said. "But again, there have been years when we've come here and not run well. It takes the whole package. It takes a great team effort. Right now we have momentum where our cars are working well. We really understand, I think, that what our cars are doing and what to expect for the weekend so far."

Things have been a bit on the frustrating side the last two races for Truex Jr. when despite being one of the fastest cars on track at both Kansas and Charlotte, a win eluded the team.

Last week's Coca-Cola 600 came down to a fuel mileage strategy that Carl Edwards won and Truex Jr. lost, ending what could have been a trip to Victory Lane with a fifth-place finish.

However Truex Jr. is keeping things in perspective and remains confident in both Pearn as well as the entire team.

"It is a little bit frustrating because doing this as long as I have; you understand how hard it is to put yourself in those positions," he said. "You never know when your next opportunity is going to come.

"But at the same time, for us, to come from where we did last year to be in those positions to just to be running the way we are honestly."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/05/Martin-Truex-Jr-Home-at-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Looking To Gain Ground​*
Tony Stewart will have a challenge on his hands as he tries to end this season's struggles in Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Stewart comes to the halfway point of the regular season 30th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings, looking to make up ground as the summer stretch begins. Although he's had success at Dover, Stewart understands the difficulty of racing on the one-mile concrete oval.

"Dover is a two-phase deal," he explained. "It's easy to get your car too tight in the center trying to get it to drive up off the corner nice. And if you get it to rotate through the corner, then it's loose off. Those are the two things you battle there. It's a sacrifice. Where do you want to be a little bit off (in order) to have a balanced car."

Then there's Dover's concrete surface, which - according to Stewart - presents more of a challenge than some might think but necessitates a driver staying the course.

"You don't drive it differently," Stewart said, "but because it's concrete, the track has more bumps than an asphalt track. There are seams in Dover's surface and places where they've cut the concrete for expansion. Those sections shift and change. Every year when you go there, the bumps are a little bit different than they were the year before.

"Dover is constantly changing, but it's one of those places where you really can't change your driving style. You have to do the same things you always do. It's a matter of finding the package that's right for that racetrack."

Stewart has three career Dover wins, with his last coming in 2013. He only led three laps that day, but they were the most important of the 400-mile grind as he was able to take the checkered flag after starting 22nd.

"I remember thinking that if someone had told me we were going to win, I would've told them they were crazy," Stewart said. "We didn't have the car to win the race, but we had great pit strategy at the end. We changed only two tires to get up front. The car felt a lot better up there and it didn't seem like the guys who took four tires had a huge advantage taking off. When we noticed we were catching the leaders, we got going on the bottom and made up even more time. It was a big win and gave us momentum for the next few races."

Despite the three career wins, Dover has not been an easy place for Stewart during his Sprint Cup tenure. After some early success, "The Monster Mile" has more than lived up to its name. That trend will need to turn around as Stewart sets sail on a better second half of the regular season.

"Dover is probably the track where we've struggled the most, which certainly made the 2013 win that much sweeter," Stewart said. "It was the one track we always had to look at and say, 'This is one we have to figure out and do better at.' We have to survive here. What we did that year helped us for our next two races at Dover but, even with the win, we have some work to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Stewart-Looking-to-Gain-Ground-at-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Set To 'Dash 4 Cash' At Dover​*
NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Ty Dillon, Regan Smith, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez earned their chance to compete for $100,000 this weekend at Dover International Speedway in the seventh running of the "Dash 4 Cash" program.

For the first time, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the "Dash 4 Cash" qualifier last weekend, which determined the four eligible drivers that will compete this weekend at Dover for one of four $100,000 payouts throughout the season. The best finishing driver among Dillon, Smith, Wallace and Suarez at Dover will take home the cash and also become eligible to win a total of $1 million dollars at the end of the season. An additional $600,000 will be awarded if one driver wins the first three "Dash 4 Cash" awards and then wins the final race outright at Darlington Raceway, bringing their total winnings to $1,000,000.

Wallace, who earned his career-best finish in the XFINITY Series last Saturday at Charlotte, in fifth, is looking forward to racing at Dover.

"This place is my favorite track to race at," Wallace said. "It's the only place I've raced where you have to give respect to get respect. We've always ran well there. I have a lot of K&N experience there as well as experience in the Truck Series."

The three tracks joining Dover (May 30) in the Dash 4 Cash program are Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 25), Bristol Motor Speedway (August 21) and Darlington Raceway (September 5).

At Dover, the winner of the first round and top three finishers who are eligible to receive NASCAR XFINITY Series driver points will qualify for the second round of the "Dash 4 Cash" at Indianapolis.

Of the four "Dash 4 Cash" eligible this weekend at Dover, Darrell Wallace Jr. (12.0) has the best average finish; followed by Ty Dillon (12.3) and Regan Smith (18.1). This will be Daniel Suarez's series debut at Dover.

"I always feel a bit more confident at tracks where I've competed at before in the K&N Pro Series East," Suarez said. "I know it's a very fast track, interesting and a lot of fun. Overall, I'm just excited to head to Dover and look forward to the races this weekend."

Last season, Dillon won the $100,000 bonus at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after recording his first career XFINITY Series victory.

"It's pretty clear that our friends at XFINITY did their homework when choosing the tracks for us to run for this bonus," Dillon said. "All of them are pretty tough, including this weekend in Dover. My strategy has always been to go out to win the race, and if we do that, we'll win the Dash4Cash. Last season it was so cool to hold up that check in Victory Lane and celebrate a win and the Dash4Cash bonus. I'm very glad to hear that XFINITY has continued this program - they won't be disappointed."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/05/Drivers-Set-to-Dash-4-Cash.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Delivers Dover Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6772&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Denny Hamlin scored his 21st career pole when he took the top spot for Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Hamlin's lap of 160.121 mph topped the day's qualifying session and gave him the number one starting position for Sunday's 13th race of the Sprint Cup Series season.

It was Hamlin's third pole in the last sixth Dover races. He won his first pole of the season and second straight for Joe Gibbs Racing after Matt Kenseth's run last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"It's so special, especially during FedEx 400 weekend," said Hamlin, who drives the FedEx Toyota.

"I was really more optimistic about our race trim than what I was our qualifying. Very optimistic that hopefully we can put this FedEx Cares Camry in Victory Lane where it belongs on Sunday."

Martin Truex Jr. will take the green flag from outside the front row for his best starting spot of the year.

"Missed it a little bit, but obviously proud of the continued effort of all of the guys on the Furniture Row team," Truex said. "Another awesome race car. It felt like we were just OK in practice, it didn't feel like we were a front row car. We made some adjustments and they hit it damn near perfect. We just needed a little bit."

Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Biffle, who finished second last week in the Coca-Cola 600, looks to continue his recent improvement Sunday after a solid qualifying performance.

"Momentum is kind of on our side," Biffle said. "We are getting the car to drive better, getting a little better setup under it and working on our chassis back at the shop. We will continue to make these small gains and hopefully going into Pocono, Indy and Michigan we will see if we can get it up in the top-five. We are in the top-10 now, we need the top-five."

Other notables in Sunday's starting field include Kurt Busch (13th), Jimmie Johnson (14th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (16th), Brad Keselowski (19th), Jeff Gordon (22nd), Tony Stewart (26th) and Danica Patrick 33rd).

For the second week in a row none of the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers were able to advance to the final round of qualifying.

Jeff Green and Travis Kvapil failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have an opportunity to practice on Saturday to prep for the FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks from Dover International Speedway starting at 12 Noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/05/Denny-Hamlin-Delivers-Dover-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reddick Conquers Dover​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6829&StatType=Race+Results

Tyler Reddick ran down Erik Jones in the closing laps to win Friday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway.

It was Reddick's second win of the season after he won the first race of the year back in February at Daytona. He took four tires on lap 139 and was able to drive around Jones for the top spot with eight laps to go and went on to score the victory.

"We just bid our time and were very patient," Reddick said. "We played it smart, kept her in one piece and went to Victory Lane.

"This team just keeps giving me fast trucks and I can't thank them enough for the effort and it feels so good to get another win."

Jones, who was making his first Dover start, again had a dominating truck but came up short of finding Victory Lane. In his last three starts at Kansas, Charlotte and now Dover, Jones has led 57 percent of all laps but was not able to win.

"We got so free and I just couldn't hang on to it," said Jones who fell to third. "I did all I could. We had a good Toyota Tundra and it was still a good points day.

"We just couldn't finish it out. It just got tough working through the lapped traffic and had to use up a lot of tire and didn't quite have enough left. We had a good Tundra and we fought hard all day. We came pretty close - we'll win one soon and keep getting better every week. It was a good points day and we'll just keep moving along."

Daniel Suarez raced by Jones as well and scored the runner-up finish.

"My Toyota was pretty strong," Suarez said. "Something very important here was traffic, track position. It was difficult to pass."

Daniel Hemric and Matt Crafton rounded out the top five.

Ben Kennedy, Ryan Blaney, Brandon Jones, Johnny Sauter and Tyler Young completed the first ten finishers.

Cole Custer led a race-high 67 laps and was inside the top-five with only 15 laps to go but was forced to pit road for fuel and wound up finishing 13th.

Reddick was involved in some early race controversy with Jennifer Jo Cobb, who crashed on lap 14. Cobb felt Reddick made contact with her truck and walked out toward the track and gestured to the Brad Keselowski Racing driver when he drove by under caution.

NASCAR instituted a rule last year mandating drivers not leave their disabled vehicles while racing continues on track even under yellow flag conditions. Cobb was summoned to the NASCAR hauler after the race and could be the first driver penalized by the rule that was put into place after the Tony Stewart-Kevin Ward, Jr. sprint car tragedy last summer.

Crafton is the point leader by 11 over Reddick with Jones third 14 behind.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night, June 5th.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yler-Reddick-Wins-Lucas-Oil-200-at-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Win Eases Edwards​*
Carl Edwards can breathe a little easier now that he has a Sprint Cup Series win in the bank.

Edwards scored his first win of the year last week in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was also his first victory as a member of Joe Gibbs Racing and the 300th NASCAR win for Toyota.

But maybe more importantly than any of those accomplishments was the fact Edwards now has secured a spot in the Chase. That as they say, changes everything.

"The win was a shock, really," Edwards said Friday at Dover International Speedway as he prepared for Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks. "I don't think it set in until - it took about 24 hours for me to really realize we can go to Dover and just hangout and have some fun. We don't have to worry.

"We get to go to all these tracks that I really love like Sonoma and Watkins Glen, just work on stuff and have fun racing. It took me a little while to shift my mindset from digging in and getting points runs to, 'Hey we're in this thing.' It's pretty cool."

Now with his goal to reach the playoffs reached, not only can Edwards sleep better he can literally change his approach for the remainder of the regular season.

Crew chief Darian Grubb was instrumental in working out fuel mileage strategy last week to help Edwards get the Charlotte win. The win and subsequent Chase berth will allow even more such gambles and strategies.

"For sure we can take all the gambles we want, really," Edwards said. "I guess theoretically we are not locked into the Chase, but we just don't have to worry hardly at all. We can hang it out, be more aggressive on the restarts."

It also means Edwards can take a chance at trying a different kind of set-up that may be more suited for his style with out the worry of potential negative repercussions.

"We can set the car up looser," Edwards explained. "We saw Jimmie Johnson do it last week - when's the last time you've seen him spin out twice at Charlotte? He's the master there, and they were just trying different things and laying it all on the line. That's fun to be able to race like that with really no consequences."

Make no mistake Edwards is still focused on winning. There's a sense of optimism around the Joe Gibbs Racing organization after a solid two weeks in Charlotte that included Edwards winning the "600" as well as teammate Denny Hamlin's Sprint All-Star Race win.

Edwards is hoping to build on the successful foundation of Charlotte this week in Dover and beyond.

"We can just go have some fun," he said. "All the JGR cars have been fast for the last couple of weeks, particularly at Charlotte. Now we go here, a place that I love and our cars were fast in practice, so hopefully we can keep building on it. For us, the win was just a huge gift. It's an opportunity and now we can relax and focus on getting better results."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks from Dover International Speedway starting at 12 Noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Win-Eases-Carl-Edwards.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Coasts To Victory​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6783&StatType=Race+Results

Chris Buescher battled both his teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. and fuel mileage to win Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series Buckle Up 200 at Dover International Speedway.

Buescher made contact with Roush Fenway Racing teammate Wallace in the closing laps of Sunday's race while the two were dicing for the lead. While Buescher was able to get by, the damage caused Wallace to cut a tire that went flat just as he entered pit road.

But Buescher's challenges weren't over as he had to manage his fuel load as the laps went down in order to get to the finish. He did and went 98 miles to take the checkered flag for his second win this season and third career.

"The race wasn't exactly where we needed to be but then (crew chief) Scott (Graves) pulled great strategy and the team did a nice job and we got to Victory Lane with this Ford," Buescher said.

There was some tension between the RFR teammates about their incident.

"That was tough because we are sitting there and he was saving a lot more fuel than I was because they were shorter and I was able to run into the corner harder but I couldn't do anything with the track being pretty narrow and two guys racing for the win," Buescher explained of his skirmish with Wallace.

"It was tough. We got side by side and it got pretty free but this Roush Mustang was good all weekend."

Wallace, who was in the running for both the win as well as the $100,000 Dash for Cash bonus, was understandably upset with the circumstances.

"I was saving fuel there and Chris just ran over me and he ends up winning," Wallace said. "It should be interesting Monday morning. We just got run over. It sucks that it was my teammate.

"I would say I am happy Roush won but I am not. I have been racing with Chris a lot so I don't know. I might phone call into the Monday morning meeting. We will see."

Matt Kenseth battled back from an early race loose wheel to finish third and now has finishes second in his last two XFINITY Series starts.

Regan Smith was fourth and was the recipient of the "Dash 4 Cash" prize.

"That certainly takes the sting away from finishing third, Smith said of the $100,000 bonus. "We were not very good yesterday (in practice). We will take some of XFINITY's money as a consolation prize, but I just want to win so freaking bad."

Austin Dillon and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top five.

However after the race Dillon's car failed post race inspection for being too low on both sides. Penalties will most likely be announced on Tuesday.

Chase Elliott, Brendan Gaughan, Ty Dillon, Erik Jones and Jeremy Clements completed the first ten finishers.

However it was another disappointing finish for Jones, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Saturday but was busted for speeding on pit road when he came in for service while leading on lap 184.

Buescher, Smith, Elliott and Gaughan qualified for the next round of the Dash for Cash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.

Buescher now has a 15-point lead on Dillon as the series takes off next weekend before returning to action at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, June 13.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Up-200-at-Dover-International-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Searching For Answers​*
Jeff Gordon believes the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization is struggling to find more competitiveness.

Although Jimmie Johnson has won three times and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is also in the win column, Gordon and Kasey Kahne are still searching for their first victories.

Overall, Gordon thinks the new Sprint Cup Series rules package is still something the team is trying to get a better handle on.

"I can tell you there is &#8230; I wouldn't all it urgency, but there is definitely a lot of hard work being put out to get that turned around," Gordon said. "This rule package that we have this year has not suited any of us very well. I know Jimmie has the three wins, which we all scratch our heads and are amazed that he has been able to do that. Because we don't feel like we have really performed, any of us, to that level, but they have done an excellent job."

It's not as if Gordon hasn't had fast cars at times this season or has been completely uncompetitive. He's led laps and been in position to contend for wins but simply has not been able to seal the deal.

He thinks the entire organization is in the same boat.

"I feel like we had a dominate car at Daytona, dominate car at Talladega, Dale, Jr. got the win at Talladega," Gordon said. "There is no reason why we can't win at those tracks. It seems like at the other tracks we are off a little bit, downforce and maybe even a little bit with power. That is unusual for us. We are very aware of it. I wouldn't call it urgency just a lot of hard work and focus on getting that turned around."

Gordon is getting ready for what will be his next to last race at Dover before he heads to the television booth next season, a track where he's had great success throughout his career.

But as the regular season reaches its halfway mark, Gordon's thoughts are becoming increasingly more focused on making the Chase either by winning one race in the next 14 or through the point standings.

In order to ensure that happens, Gordon says the performance has to improve in the coming weeks.

"For us right now while the performance is down a little bit, I've got to do a better job on the restarts," Gordon said. "We have to do a better job on pit road and the calls that we make for pit strategy and track position. Those things just all have to be done perfectly, but never stops us from trying to get the performance better. We want to win every time we go out to a racetrack, our goal is to win.

"The reason we are ninth in points is because we have been consistent. We have certainly been consistent, but that is definitely not good enough for us. We want to be better. We don't just want to be in the Chase, we want to be in the Chase with a chance at winning it."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks from Dover International Speedway starting at 12 Noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/05/Jeff-Gordon-Searching-for-Answers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Story Lines​*
The Sprint Cup Series regular season hits the halfway mark in Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

There are nine drivers already qualified for the Chase by virtue of their wins in the opening 11 races of the season. Seven spots remain up for grabs in this year's playoff field over the course of the remaining fourteen events.

"Certainly the Chase is on everyone's mind from the start of the season," said Clint Bowyer, still looking for his first win since 2013. "It makes things so much more relieved if you can get that win as soon as possible and lock yourself into the Chase field. Obviously you're still trying to win every week but the pressure comes off some once you get one under this format."

*Johnson Shoots For Number 10* 
Jimmie Johnson has nine career Dover wins and looks to make it double digits in Sunday's race. He'll do so with a little controversy attached to the 48 team, which was penalized by NASCAR earlier this week for two written warnings in succession during the All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600. The P1 penalty meant Johnson would have picked his pit stall last after qualifying, but since the team is appealing the ruling the punishment has been deferred. (Read More: Johnson Disagrees with Penalty)

But Johnson did not have a particularly good qualifying effort and wound up 14th on the grid, so the premium pit stalls were taken by those that had better times. Johnson will have a challenge ahead in trying to add to his sparkling Dover record.

*Truex Looks For Sweet Homecoming* 
Martin Truex Jr. considers Dover home and the New Jersey native would like nothing better than to find a way to get to Victory Lane on Sunday.

He has two career Sprint Cup Series wins, including one at Dover in 2007 and the way Truex Jr. has been running this season he's optimistic about his chances Sunday.

"I really enjoy coming here," Truex said. "This is one of my favorite tracks. That is usually a good sign to start off with. Honestly, just between that and the way our cars have been running, the job the team has been doing, I feel like last year we were off quite a bit. We came here and we still ran in the top 10 both races, really had a good run here for us last year. I kind of was looking back at that and thinking about that thinking 'okay imagine what we can do there now.'" (Read More)

*Toyota Turnaround* 
It's been a solid two weeks for the Toyota camp, particularly Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards won the Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 respectively. Matt Kenseth and Hamlin have won the last two poles.

It may be a somewhat small sample size but the manufacturer's confidence is much stronger these days than it was only a handful of weeks ago.

"Dover was a tough track for me early in my career, but I have gotten more comfortable there over the years and put together some solid runs," said pole-sitter Hamlin. "We haven't finished quite where we deserved there, but Dover is a really tough place."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks from Dover International Speedway starting at 12 Noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Dover-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Gets 10th Dover Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6772&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Jimmie Johnson survived a green-white-checkered flag finish to score his 10th career win at Dover International Speedway in Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks.

Johnson pulled away from Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne on the overtime finish to notch his fourth win of the season.

"Gosh, just driving hard and working that track bar adjuster as much as I could," Johnson said. "I was trying to be smart with my line and I guess guys on two tires weren't all that fast. Chad (Knaus, crew chief) said something to be about that on the radio and they never really came, you know? The No. 4 (Harvick) and I did just fine on old tires and held those guys off. It was a long-fought day."

Johnson led once for the final 23 laps. It was his 74th career Sprint Cup win. He joins to Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty and David Pearson as the only drivers to score double-digit victories at a single racetrack.

Harvick finished second with Kyle Larson sneaking around for third while Kahne and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.

"I am proud of (crew chief) Trent Owens and all the guys at Richard Petty Motorsports," Almirola said. "They have been working their guts out trying to bring better cars to the race track week in and week out."

Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon completed the top 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Pocono Raceway next Sunday.

*How Johnson Won:* The overtime finish was set up by an accident that was triggered when Greg Biffle got into the rear end of Casey Mears who spun into the path of AJ Allmendinger. Once the debris from the accident was cleaned up, Johnson led the field to green. He was able to get a strong run through turns one and two to pull away from the field and by the time the checkered flag flew was comfortable ahead for win number ten at Dover. But the key to Johnson being ahead of the field was crew chief Chad Knaus deciding to stay on track rather than pit for tires through a series of late race caution flags.

*What Else Happened:* The bulk of the race was dominated by Truex Jr., who led a race-high 131 laps at his home track. Harvick and Johnson spent time at the front of the field as well but for the most part the opening 350 laps or so was on the tame side. Things heated up in the final 50, however, with cautions and restarts making things interesting.

*Who Else Had a Good Day:* Larson's sophomore season has been off from his sparkling rookie campaign and a third-place performance was a shot in the arm for the Chip Ganassi Racing team&#8230;.Almirola has been just outside the top 10 of the point standings most of the season and his top five helped solidify the position.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Matt Kenseth had a mechanical failure late in the race and despite being fast in the early going finished 39th&#8230;.Kyle Busch was running as high as third but got in a tangle with Brian Scott, who took blame for the incident. But the accident handed Busch a 36th-place finish&#8230;.Things weren't much better for his brother Kurt, who had nowhere to go when Clint Bowyer clipped Denny Hamlin, who spun directly in front of the Stewart-Haas Racing driver.

*Quote of the day:* "And hi to my little girls sitting on the couch watching," Jimmie Johnson to his daughters at home.

*Notables:* Menard earned only his third top-10 finish of the season&#8230;.Gordon has top-10 finishes in five of the last six Dover races&#8230;Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from the rear of the field after a rear gear change before the race and finished 14th&#8230;.Danica Patrick rallied back from a pit road speeding penalty to finish 15th.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...in-in-FedEx-400-Benefiting-Autism-Speaks.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Dover Ending For Busch Brothers​*
Kyle and Kurt Busch had a da they'd rather forget in Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

But there was a point when both drivers looked like they'd be headed for good finishes.

Kyle had worked his way as high as third in his second points race back from injury. Unfortunately a late race tangle with Brian Scott ended his day in a hard crash.

"I don't know," Busch explained as he came out of the infield care center uninjured in the accident. "I guess Brian said his spotter didn't say anything and he just chopped the corner and I was under him already and it just sucked me around.

"I hate it. I hate it for my guys. Man, we had a really good run going obviously -- we ran in the top-five all day long. Just hate it for the Skittles Camry and everybody at M&M Mars. This is a shame. This isn't what we need, and we weren't going to win today but it doesn't help when you finish 40th."

Busch actually finished 36th in the final rundown, but he is 40th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings.

Kurt's day ended in similar fashion. He too was involved in a late accident that erased a day that looked headed in a much better direction.

"We were in position for a top-10 finish," said Busch, who finished 31st. "I was racing the 27 (Paul Menard) for position when that happened in front of us. I had him on my outside so I wasn't able to get to the wall. I saw him turn, and I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid him.

"It's frustrating when something like that happens and it ruins your day. We'll focus on the positive, we were going to have a top-10 finish. I'm proud of the guys on this Haas Automation team, they kept adjusting on the racecar all day. We didn't get the finish we deserved, but we'll have notes to build off when we come back here in the fall."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...05/Tough-Dover-Ending-for-Busch-Brothers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Comes Up Short Again​*
Martin Truex Jr. was strong again Sunday in the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks but is still winless in 2015.

It was the third straight week Truex Jr. had the fastest and most dominant car. He led a race-high 131 laps but settled for a sixth-place finish.

Truex Jr. pitted for two tires when caution came out on lap 375 while Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick stayed out. That looked like a potential winning move.

But a series of late race cautions kept Truex Jr. from having a shot to overtake the front two and by the time the overtime finish came the Furniture Row Racing driver could do no better than the eighth-place finish.

Kasey Kahne played a part in Truex Jr.'s finish when he blocked the 78 car's momentum on the final restart.

"I kind of was inside him and he ran me down to the apron. I either had to let off or wreck all of us, so I decided to let off," said Truex Jr., who showed his displeasure on the cool down lap by bumping Kahne's car.

"I hated to see that last caution, our Furniture Row Chevy was charging and felt we were going to overtake the No. 5 (Kahne) and then try to chase down the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson)."

For the third straight race in the same No. 78 Chevrolet Truex led the most laps, bringing his season total of laps led to 389. With only 13 of the 36-race schedule completed, the 389-laps-led ranks third in a season for Truex. He led 581 laps in 2007 and 434 in 2012.

The finish was his 12th top 10 in the year's first 13 races. But he wasn't able to win at his home track and match the 2007 Dover victory he scored.

"We had a good car today but it was never right," Truex Jr. said. "We were never right yesterday all through practice. We made some changes today and we made some gains on it, but never really got it where we needed it. Clean air was huge. When we were out front, we were okay. It just never turned good all day long. It eventually caught up to us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ds-Most-Laps-and-Comes-Home-6th-in-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Multi-Car Crash Takes Out Bayne, Annett And Allgaier​*





*Edwards Takes Crewman For Wild Ride On Pit Road​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Meet With NASCAR​*
A group of drivers met with NASCAR officials Saturday night in Dover to discuss a variety of topics.

The council included approximately six to eight drivers and addressed both the current rules package as well as safety initiatives among other topics.

Denny Hamlin led the effort to get the drivers together with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick among those that took part in Saturday night's meeting.

"We've been trying to get all of our drivers together for about a year now, trying to get all of our ideas in one room together," Hamlin said Sunday morning at Dover. "NASCAR knew we were trying to form a line of communication, so they helped us start a driver council which gives us that forum to allow us to talk about things we want to talk about."

NASCAR issued a statement saying the meetings between drivers and the sanctioning body were an ongoing process of communication and dialogue.

Brett Jewkes, NASCAR senior vice president and chief communications officer, issued the statement:

"NASCAR meets with drivers frequently on a wide range of topics. As part of our ongoing commitment to foster dialogue between all stakeholders, we've met formally with drivers on several occasions this season, including here at Dover. We'll meet with them again later in the season as normal course of business. The meetings have been productive and we find the dialogue very valuable."

However, Saturday's meeting was the first time a council elected by other drivers was chosen to be represented in a meeting.

Earnhardt Jr. told Motorsport.com the meeting was productive and good for the sport.

"I'm glad NASCAR wanted to do it and I think it gives us all a better opportunity to sit down and talk about why they make the decisions they make," Earnhardt said. "We can talk about potential ideas to make sport better in a good, controlled atmosphere. It works really nice.

"NASCAR asked us to do that, so we could just get together and have a better ability to communicate, driver to NASCAR, NASCAR to driver. It's just a better platform, a better way to have discussions-everybody wants the same thing, so we're just trying to work together. There's better communication and better dialogue that way. They tells us why they make the decisions they make, and we can understand why they make 'em when

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/05/Drivers-Meet-With-NASCAR.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ross Kenseth Ready For NASCAR Debut​*
It's hard to imagine or hear a 22-year-old deny he's old.

However, in a way, Ross Kenseth is old by industry standards when compared to other drivers on when they got their break.

Kenseth is scheduled to make his long-anticipated NASCAR debut June 19-20 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., with the XFINITY Series. Kenseth, the 22-year-old son of two-time Daytona 500 and 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth, will race the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing entry in the event.

"I'm really excited about it," Ross Kenseth said. "It's been something I've been trying to put together for a while now."

He's known since April he was going to make his NASCAR debut at Chicagoland, a track about an hour from where he went to high school. With the debut less than a month away, the excitement and anxiety is growing.

"It's starting to feel a little bit more real," Kenseth said. "I'm just trying to stay in shape and be prepared for it.

"I just can't wait to get to the race track that weekend."

Kenseth, who turned 22 on May 25, will drive a car with a team that's enjoyed success for many seasons. But this season, the No. 20 car has been driven by three drivers, including Matt Kenseth.

Erik Jones has competed in eight races, with four top-five finishes, including one victory (Texas). Kenseth has done three races with a pair of second-place finishes and an eighth-place finish.

Denny Hamlin won the only race he did in the car (Richmond).

Jones has also won four pole positions and Hamlin won the pole position in his lone attempt.

"All of the guys have been on their game since Daytona," Ross Kenseth said of the No. 20 crew. "I couldn't ask for a better opportunity for a one-race deal and get my first start.

"As a driver, you couldn't ask for a better situation to be in with how that car has been."

To try and pass the time and ease the anxiety of waiting for the biggest race of his life, he's raced his late model as often as possible and has more scheduled.

He'll also do a dirt race in Michigan, the ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway and a CRA race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan, the Tuesday before the race at Chicagoland.

"Having that much racing in between is a good thing, a little bit of a distraction, that way you don't get too much into it," Kenseth said.

"If it were up to me, I'd race every weekend," he added. "Unfortunately, that's not how this sport works."

It's also not like he doesn't deserve the opportunity. But he's had to be patient than he preferred.

"I've had a lot of deals that, not quite to this level or magnitude, I felt pretty solid about," Kenseth said. "It comes down to a week or two and something falls apart. I was happy this came together."

By industry standards these days, Kenseth has some catching up to do.

Jones, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, some of the hottest rising stars in stock-car racing, all made their NASCAR debuts, whether it was in the truck series, XFINITY or Sprint Cup, before they turned 20 years old.

They've also won in at least one of the top-three series in NASCAR.

Jones and Elliott were 17 when they made their NASCAR debuts, Blaney was 18 and Larson was the "old guy" at 19.

Elliott is the reigning XFINITY Series champion.

Kenseth denied feeling old because he's raced against them at the short-track level and got they their opportunity sooner than he hopefully did.

"Everybody's career takes a different path," Kenseth said. "It's just making sure when you get the opportunities you make the most of them. They don't come around very often.

"I never really felt old or anything like that."

After all, the late Dick Trickle was 48 when he was the 1989 then-NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year. Age is just a number right?

"I was ready a couple years ago," Kenseth said. "It's just how things worked out."

It's also not fair to say he doesn't deserve the opportunity.

Kenseth has enjoyed success at many of the top late model races in the country. He has top-10 finishes at the Snowball Derby, the All-American 400, the Redbud 300 and the Howie Lettow Memorial 150.

He won the All-American 400 in 2012 in Nashville.

Kenseth believes he is ready for the opportunity and shrugged off feeling pressure to make his NASCAR debut with top-of-the-line equipment, with his dad's employer and so close to where he went to high school.

"There's not any more pressure than I put on myself," he said. "I'm in the best situation possible."

After Chicagoland, he will compete in his sixth Slinger Nationals, an event his father has won a record six times.

Matt Kenseth hasn't indicated to track officials if he will try for a seventh Slinger Nationals title. He finished second last year to Chris Wimmer.
At Slinger, Ross Kenseth has done well.

He won the limited late model feature on Slinger Nationals night in 2009.

He finished third three times in the next four years (2010, 2012, 2013) in the main event super late model race and was sixth in 2012.

Last year, he was 19th with a mechanical problem.

Kenseth also finished fifth in a weekly show July 3, 2011, at Slinger. Outside of last year's result, Kenseth's average finish at Slinger is fourth.

"I'm looking forward to going back this year," he said.

"Hopefully I can perform at my ability and good enough to get more races in the future," Kenseth said of what he hopes to get out of his NASCAR opportunity.

Follow Nicholas on Twitter: @dettmann_wbdn

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/xfinity-series/ross-kenseth-ready-for-nascar-debut/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Abreu Speeds Up His NASCAR Education​*
Rico Abreu's first race at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday resulted in an 11th-place finish after a night befitting the track nicknamed "The Madhouse."

Abreu was involved in an accident on lap 74 of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East's NASCAR Hall of Fame 150, when Kaz Grala bumped Abreu's car and sent him spinning in a chain-reaction crash.

Abreu was able to continue on, despite right-front damage to his No. 98 Accudoc Solutions/GoPro Motorplex Chevrolet.

The 23-year-old St. Helena, Calif. native's first season in stock cars has seen Abreu post respectable results: He's got two top-10s in his first five starts, and he's ranked 11th in points.

Those would be solid numbers for most drivers transitioning from dirt to asphalt, but Abreu expects more. He captured the 2014 USAC Midget title, this year's Chili Bowl and two World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series races, so despite Abreu's shifting part of his focus to NASCAR, he expects to keep on winning.

It wasn't in the cards on Saturday at Bowman Gray, where Abreu qualified sixth and was running eighth when he spun out.

The quarter-mile track's close confines don't lend themselves to many passing opportunities unless drivers knock one another out of the groove.

Abreu's spin and ensuing damage made the rest of his night a challenge. He spoke with SPEED SPORT after the race about what happened.

"(Gray) Gaulding got into the No. 49 (John Holleman IV), I got in the back of him and my spotter cleared me on Kaz Grala," Abreu said. "Kaz spun me.

That's usually how it goes here, I'd say, with all the videos I've watched.

"I was waiting for it to happen. I just didn't know when it was going to happen.
It kind of put us behind the eight-ball. We got stuck on the outside row every (restart) and you're beating on a guy's door to get on the inside. I've never really experienced that kind of racing. Now I know what it's like."

It's another in a long line of learning experiences that have defined Abreu's first season in stock cars. The finish wasn't what he wanted for his HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks team, but Abreu still took away some positives.

He's qualified seventh or better in four of his first five races.

Now, he wants to finish there.

"The biggest thing is just keeping your car in one piece," he said. "You've got to be there at the end of the races. I wish I'd have gotten a better result for these guys."

If there's one underlying theme of Abreu's rookie season, it's seat time. The more laps Abreu logs in his K&N car, the more confident he feels. And the more confidence he gains, the better he runs.

"My biggest thing is to get some results," Abreu said. "In order to get those, you've got to finish."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/abreu-speeds-up-his-nascar-education/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks produced both good and bad days for a number of drivers.

*WINNERS*​
*Jimmie Johnson*
It looked in doubt for a while, anyway. But at the end of the day, it was Johnson winning yet again at Dover. He now has four victories this season and while some have questioned the overall strength of Hendrick Motorsports these days, there is no doubt Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus are still one of the most formidable combinations in the sport's history.

*Kyle Larson*
Those engaging in a discussion of Larson's "sophomore slump" can pump the brakes for now after he finished third on Sunday for his first top five of the season. The key will be for Larson to string together a few more performances like Dover, but you have to start somewhere and he did at Dover.

*Aric Almirola*
Dover has always been a good track for Almirola and he lists it as one of his favorites. It was evident on Sunday when he turned in his best effort of the year, a fifth-place finish.

*Jamie McMurray*
Much like Larson, his young Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, McMurray's first half of the regular season has been frustrating. He joined Larson in the top 10 on Sunday with a seventh-place performance.

*Jeff Gordon*
He questioned where Hendrick was overall when the weekend began and ended up with a top-10 finish. It wasn't a standout day for Gordon, but he'll certainly take consistent efforts of recent weeks as a foundation to build on.

*LOSERS​*
*Denny Hamlin*
Started from the pole and led over 100 laps, but an incident with Clint Bowyer ended any hope of keeping Joe Gibbs Racing's winning streak alive. It was 21st place for Hamlin in Dover.

*Kyle Busch*
Was looking good most of the day in his second points race back from injury. But a tangle with Brian Scott thwarted his hopes of marching further up the point standings in his bid to earn a Chase berth.

*Kurt Busch*
Like his brother, he also was a victim of a late accident that took away any shot at a solid finish. Busch got caught up in the Bowyer-Hamlin melee and was done for the day.

*Matt Kenseth*
More Joe Gibbs Racing woes, this time for Kenseth - who qualified fourth and had a fast car early. He came back from a loose wheel to get back to the front, but something broke on his Toyota in the late going and Kenseth limped into the garage.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
Turned in a ninth-place qualifying effort and optimism was high for Stenhouse to shake off his first-half doldrums. Unfortunately, an early trip into the wall doomed Stenhouse to a 37th-place finish.

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nternational-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Drivers Council Encouraged​*
NASCAR has been a proponent of the creation of a drivers council to foster communication with the sanctioning body.

A group of drivers was elected to form the council as a means to meet with NASCAR executives on a regular basis. The first meeting took place this past weekend at Dover International Speedway and the results were encouraging.

"The dialogue was great," Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said Tuesday during his weekly guest spot on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "We've got a unique sport in that we've got athletes who care about the future. We talked about where we're at but more importantly, these are drivers who want to see the sport grow and continue well beyond their careers. It was refreshing to hear their ideas and talk about where we should go together.

"It's something the fans should appreciate. They've got drivers who care not only about today but the future."

Among the topics discussed in Saturday's meeting was the current rules package and what changes could come for 2016 to enhance competition. O'Donnell said the discussion included "a lot of good ideas, a lot of work being done in the next 30 days that I think folks will see. It's not a lack of looking at ideas but finding the right combination to go forward."

*Cooling Fuel a Hot Topic*

Kurt Busch's crew was instructed by NASCAR to remove heat shields it was using on its fuel cans last Sunday at Dover. It's an issue that will receive more attention.

"It was unbelievably hot in Dover, but that's something we have to continue to monitor anytime we're dealing with fuel," O'Donnell said. "We've had some incidents on pit road where we've taken reactive measures, from a safety standpoint. We'll walk through that, look at the schedule and see what may or may not be happening on pit road."

*Johnson Appeal Date Set*

The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team's appeal of its P1 penalty following the Coca-Cola 600 will be heard next Tuesday, June 9. NASCAR announced last week that the team would be last to select a pit stall at Dover because Jimmie Johnson's team received written warnings two weeks in a row. The team announced its appeal and the penalty was deferred last weekend at Dover, and will be deferred this week at Pocono until the appeal process is completed.

*Fans Welcome at Darlington Test*

Darlington Raceway will host an open NASCAR test session on Wednesday, June 10, from 9 a.m .to 5 p.m. (ET). Fans can attend free of charge, with seating in the Colvin Grandstands along the backstretch of the South Carolina oval. They must use the entrance at Gate 3 off Highway 151. Parking is available in the lot next to the track's administration building. Drivers scheduled to participate are Aric Almirola, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SCAR-Notebook-Drivers-Council-Encouraged.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Fines Bayne, Cobb For Walking On Track At Dover​*
NASCAR fined two drivers on Wednesday for walking across the race track at Dover last weekend.

Trevor Bayne was fined $20,000 and placed on probation for the rest of the year for walking across the racing surface on Sunday. Jennifer Jo Cobb was fined $5,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31 for doing the same thing during Friday's Truck Series race.

NASCAR last August banned drivers from walking onto the racing surface following a fatal accident involving Tony Stewart at a dirt track in upstate New York. Kevin Ward Jr. was struck and killed when he approached Stewart's moving car.

NASCAR on Wednesday also issued a P1 penalty against Kevin Harvick's team for receiving written warnings in consecutive events. He will have the last choice of pit selection this weekend at Pocono. The Stewart-Haas Racing team was warned for having to go through pre-race inspection more than three times at Charlotte, and the car's exhaust pipe did not confirm to the rules at Dover.

In the Xfinity Series, crew chief John Monsam and car chief David Jones were each suspended one race after a weight fell off Peyton Sellers' car last weekend at Dover. Monsam was also fined $15,000 and Sellers docked 15 points for the P3 penalty.

The weight fell off during a Friday practice session and it caused Carl Long to crash when Long could not avoid hitting the piece.

NASCAR also fined crew chief Nick Harrison $7,500 and placed him on probation through Dec 31 after Austin Dillon's car was too low in post-race inspection. Car owner Richard Childress was docked 10 points.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nascar-fines-bayne-cobb-walking-track-dover-194806057--nascar.html


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick's Team Penalized​*
Kevin Harvick's No. 4 team has been assessed a P1 level penalty for receiving written warnings in two consecutive events.

At Charlotte, the No. 4 team received a warning for having to go through pre-race inspection more than three times while during opening day inspection at Dover the car's exhaust pipe was found to not be in conformance to rule book specifications.

The team will receive the last choice in the pit selection process for this weekend's event at Pocono Raceway.

Last week Jimmie Johnson's team received a P1 penalty and the team appealed, deferring the pit stall penalty until the hearing on June 9.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kevin-Harvicks-Team-Receives-P1-Penalty.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Texas Next For Truck Series​*
One quarter of the way through the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, two-time defending champion Matt Crafton and Tyler Reddick are waging a fierce fight at the top of the standings.

They are separated by 11 points heading into Friday night's WinStar World Casino 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. They've each won twice this season - Crafton in Atlanta and at Kansas Speedway, Reddick at Daytona International Speedway and Dover. They're the only two drivers who've led the point standings since the season began in February.

"We were really good at Texas last year but got caught up in a wreck," Reddick said, recalling his 21st-place finish and looking ahead to this weekend's return. He tangled with Norm Benning less than 40 laps into that race. Once repairs were made, though, Reddick regained as much lost ground as he could in his No. 19 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford.

"Tyler was running lap times comparable to the leaders," said crew chief Doug Randolph. "The nice thing about older, bumpier tracks like Texas is that tires go away and the driver has multiple grooves. If you're smarter than the other guys and keep tires on your truck, then you can pass."

Reddick has passed plenty of his rivals through the first six races this season in his climb to second place in the standings. Besides the two victories, he has three other top-five finishes and also has a good game plan for attacking the 1.5-mile Fort Worth oval.

"You can move around, but you've got to get across the bump between Turns 1 and 2," Reddick said. "Once you get that figured out, Turns 3 and 4 are not as bad. The truck must handle well at the exit of Turn 2 and entering Turn 3."

As for Crafton, he's the current points leader and also defending race winner in "The Lone Star State." In driving to victory last June, he led a race-high 118 laps - including the final 56. He beat runner-up Justin Lofton by more than 13 seconds.

As Crafton watched the laps wind down, he was also watching his fuel gauge. Crew chief Carl Joiner got 61 laps out of the team's last tank of gas, stretching it to the limit to collect the big payoff at the end of the night.

With Crafton and Reddick occupying the top two spots in the 2015 point standings, rookie Erik Jones is lurking in third place. He's led 289 laps over the last three races - nearly 60 percent of all laps run during that time - but has yet to close the deal and find his way to Victory Lane. Jones trails second-place Reddick by just three points and is 14 back of leader Crafton.

"We've been in contention to win at all of the mile-and-a-half (tracks) this year and I'm excited about going back to Texas," Jones said.

With good reason. He won the XFINITY Series race there in early April.

"That definitely helps my confidence," Jones added. "After struggling last year in my first visit there, I thought I'd never want to see the place again. But I'll definitely have a big smile on my face when I get to the track this week."

Of the top three title contenders, recent history would favor Crafton and Jones as potential winners Friday night. They drive Toyotas, which have won eight of the last 12 races at TMS. Reddick drives a Ford, which hasn't won there since 2000.

Camping World Truck Series teams will open practice in Texas on Thursday afternoon and qualify on Friday, just hours before the green flag falls on the seventh race of the season. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the WinStar World Casino 400 starting at 8:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...xt-for-NASCAR-Camping-World-Truck-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Pocono​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*High Hopes For Hornish Jr.​*
Sam Hornish Jr. is optimistic that the second half of the regular season will be better than the opening 13 races.

Hornish's first season with Richard Petty Motorsports has gotten off to a disappointing start. He's 25th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings and has only posted one top-10 finish. The team changed crew chiefs a few weeks ago, with Drew Blickensderfer reassigned to RPM's Research and Development Department. Veteran Kevin "Bono" Manion was brought in to call the shots on the No. 9 Ford.

Hornish believes there have been gains in recent weeks and looks forward to more progress in Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

"We're finding more speed in our cars," Hornish said. "We're ready to take advantage of the tracks and races ahead. We've made changes and have done things to get better at the shop. Pocono is a great track to continue the momentum we've built and get the good finish we deserve."

In eight career starts at Pocono, Hornish has a fourth-place finish and two other top 10s. He returns this time to a track that has a relatively new racing surface and events that are 100 miles shorter than previous races the open-wheel star has run there.

"I like racing there," Hornish said of "The Tricky Triangle." "Most of my starts were before the track was repaved so there's still some newness for me. The fact that the track is different on each end fits the way I drive. If you can't make the car perfect on both ends, you have to get it really close on one end so you can carry it in the other."

Pocono is a 2.5-mile triangle-shaped track, presenting one of the most difficult challenges on the Sprint Cup schedule. But that's part of the charm and attraction for Hornish.

"It's a driver's racetrack and you have to make the most out of what you've got," he said. "You have to put yourself in a good position for the end of the race, saving fuel, things like that. It's similar to a road course. Pocono presents you with a lot of opportunities. If you're smart and patient, you can figure out how to get your way to the front."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/06/High-Hopes-For-Sam-Hornish-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Childers Signs Contract Extension​*
Stewart-Haas Racing has signed crew chief Rodney Childers to a multi-year contract extension, maintaining the successful pairing with 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.

In his inaugural season as crew chief for Harvick and the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's team in 2014, Childers oversaw an outfit that won five races, scored eight poles and led 2,137 laps en route to the championship. The Childers-led squad became only the third Sprint Cup team to lead more than 2,000 laps in a single year since 2000, and of the 24 track qualifying records set during the 2014 season, the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's team accounted for six of them. No other team had more than four.

Childers and Harvick haven't let up in 2015. They have a commanding lead in the championship point standings 13 races into the season thanks to two wins, nine top-two finishes and 12 top-10 finishes. They've also led 1,123 laps this season, or 25.99 percent of the laps available. The next closest driver in laps led this season is Harvick's SHR teammate Kurt Busch, who has led 659 laps in his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS.

"Rodney Childers and Kevin Harvick set a new standard of excellence in 2014 that they've carried into this season. Keeping Rodney and Kevin together was a high priority, and we're obviously very happy to have the two of them at Stewart-Haas Racing for many years to come," said Tony Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America.

"I've always believed in investing in exceptional, individual leaders and then providing the resources necessary for them to pave their own path and deliver results. Rodney's results speak for themselves, and we're glad to have him helping this organization shape its future," Haas said.

"I knew when I came to Stewart-Haas Racing that this was a special opportunity," Childers said. "Kevin's skills have always been evident, and his hunger and desire to be the absolute best he can be in every practice, qualifying session and race motivates our entire team. We have great leadership at Stewart-Haas Racing along with a deep commitment toward success, excellent people and strong partners. If you want to win, this is where you want to be, and I'm happy to be here for a long time."

Childers is a native North Carolinian who turns 39 on June 7.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lders-Signs-Multiyear-Contract-Extension.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Johnson: Rules Package Priority​*
Jimmie Johnson supports the NASCAR Drivers Council and believes safety and rules are the top priorities to be discussed.

A group of drivers was elected to represent the Sprint Cup Series garage area last week and the first meeting of the council with NASCAR officials took place in Dover.

So far response has been positive from both the drivers and NASCAR and although Johnson is not a member of the group, he is a proponent of the process but believes there is room for better communication among his peers.

"I just wanted to clarify because I truly believe in the council," Johnson said Friday at Pocono Raceway. "I'm very happy with the election process and the consideration that has gone in to representing teams from each kind of bracket if you will in the point's order of the garage area so that everybody has a voice.

"I'm very happy with it and I didn't want to undermine or take away from what that group is doing. I just didn't know it had happened. I think there is some communications that need to improve amongst the group there and I won't make that comment."

As for the current issues facing the sport Johnson believes increasing safety initiatives and evolving the Sprint Cup Series rules package to create more competitiveness are top priorities.

"The drivers council is really focused on rules and being a helpful hand in decisions made there and safety," said Johnson. "It's hard to say which one is a priority. I think leaving Daytona and Kyle's (Busch) incident in the XFINITY race safety was probably the highest priority. It still always is, but the rules package is a hot topic."

There has been much recent discussion about what NASCAR will do in terms of taking the current package to the 2016 rules and Johnson says driver input is crucial in the decisions that are made.

"I feel like we are in an environment right now where there is going to be more change and trying to make the right decisions is important," he said. "I feel that the drivers we are living it inside the car. I know there is a lot of simulation and technology out there to kind of say what will happen, but we just want to make sure our voice is heard and the people that make the decisions know what is really going on in the car. And what we are thinking and how we are faced with challenges.

"I guess in today's world right now the rules package is the priority from the drivers council."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...06/Jimmie-Johnson-Rules-Package-Priority.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Pocono Tunnel Turn Gets Tricky​*
Drivers and teams were challenged in the opening practice for Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 as the characteristics in the "Tunnel Turn" at Pocono Raceway have changed.

After a harsh winter in the Poconos, drivers were greeted by severe bumps in the racing surface in the "Tunnel Turn" when they took to the track for the first time today.

"The bumps are awful," said Joey Logano, who was 15th fastest. "It's not a very good feeling when you are going 160-170 (mph) through that corner. We have to figure out a way to get over the bumps without killing the rest of the corners around the racetrack. It launches the car pretty big so we just have to figure that out.

Ryan Newman, who started the practice in race trim, talked about the change. He wound up 12th fastest after the first session.

"Two-thirds of it feels exactly the same. The 'Tunnel Turn' has changed," Newman said. "It's definitely rougher, which is fine. You just have to work on your shocks and make sure your splitter is not burying into the race track there."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who swept both races at Pocono last season, was fourth fastest and afterwards he posted on Twitter: "Need 4WD thru there" in regards to Turn 2.

Tony Stewart was forced to a back-up car after he crashed coming out of Turn 2, but he didn't blame it on the bumps.

"I was already past the bump. I got loose on the exit of it and couldn't catch it," Stewart said. "Driver error."

The track completed capital improvements following last August's Pennsylvania 400, which included renovations of the tunnels that lead into the infield under Turn 2.

_Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of Sprint Cup Series qualifying today at 4:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...06/Drivers-Greeted-by-Tricky-Tunnel-Turn.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Wins Pocono Pole​*
Kurt Busch earned the top spot in Friday's qualifying session for Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver turned a lap of 177.599 mph to score his third pole of the Sprint Cup Series season adding to his runs at Auto Club Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. It was career pole No. 19 for Busch.

"Wow, what a day, today," Busch said. "I feel like there are six corners out there as hard as I was working; corner entry, corner exit. The car was just off-balance, especially with the new bumps in Turn 2. And then we got way loose. I think we were 30th in practice. And we had to drop back and punt.

"(Danica Patrick's crew chief) Daniel Knost, his set-up, is what we reverted to from last year when we qualified outside pole. So, that's what it's all about, team communication and working hard together as a group."

Carl Edwards will start outside the front row after his lap of 177.550 mph.

Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Harvick will have last pit stall selection despite where he qualified by virtue of the P1 penalty assessed by NASCAR earlier this week for the team receiving two written warnings for infractions at Charlotte and Dover.

Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski will start sixth and seventh.

"Yeah, I was just disappointed that we didn't have great speed," Keselowski said. "I'm not really sure why, but that's just part of it."

The qualifying session ended under controversy when Denny Hamlin spun to stop the countdown clock. But there wasn't enough time left to restart the session in its allotted time so Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Kasey Kahne did now record a qualifying time. They will start eighth through 12th, respectively, in Sunday's starting grid.

"You wait to try to get the best opportunity to go out there and lay down a nice lap and be fair to the field," Logano said. "I don't know. Because a car spins out and they throw a red flag for it and then you don't get an opportunity to go out and make a lap I don't understand it. It makes me mad. I don't get it. We didn't even have a chance to try to put our car up front."

Johnson expressed his feeling on the situation and the controversy.

"I'm sure there'll be some talking to NASCAR from the guys who didn't run a lap," Truex said. "I know if I were one of those guys, I'd be mad."

Some simply didn't understand the outcome.

"We'll take that without even making a lap," Johnson said. "I'm highly confused on many levels, but we're starting the best we have in a long time, so I'll take whatever it is in the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet."

All 43 drivers entered will start the race on Sunday.

Sprint Cup Series teams have a pair of practice sessions schedule on Saturday.











_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/06/Kurt-Busch-Wins-Pocono-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Corrals Texas Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6830&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Crafton outran the field on the two-lap shootout to the checkered flag and won Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino & Resort 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Crafton got by Daniel Suarez on the race's final restart and was able to pull away to score his third win of the season. The defending series champion won for the second time in his last three Texas outings.

"Those restarts were hairy," said Crafton, who led 77 laps. "We finally got a good restart on that last one."

All three of Crafton's wins this year have come on 1.5-mile tracks.

"We're happy for sure - we're definitely not satisfied," Crafton said. "We'll be satisfied when we get to Homestead and we see where we are there. I can't thank these guys enough. This Menards Toyota Tundra was very, very good."

Suarez tied his career-best by finishing in the runner-up position for the second week in a row.

"I don't know. I need to talk with Kyle (Busch, owner) to get some advice to race hard. I felt like we had a really fast Toyota Tundra ARRIS truck," Suarez said. "I felt we were a little loose on the bottom. It was fine to race side-by-side for a few laps with new tires but with old tires it was either to wreck or to try it and I was close a couple times and I didn't want to wreck and throw away a good second-place."

Suarez has been impressive in both his Truck Series and XFINITY Series starts this season.

"We are getting closer, we are learning and we are getting close," Suarez said. "We just have to put it all together."

John Wes Townley scored the best finish of his career in third.

Johnny Sauter and Austin Theriault rounded out the top five.

Joe Nemechek, Cameron Hayley, Justin Boston, Daniel Hemric and Ben Kennedy completed the top ten finishers.

It was a rough night for two young drivers that had fast trucks that looked capable of winning.

Pole winner Erik Jones once again led early and appeared to have a shot at finding Victory Lane. But the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver was plagued by battery problems and made multiple trips to pit road in the second half of the race.

Last week's Dover race winner Tyler Reddick also had a frustrating night. He endured pit road penalties as well as a stalled truck trying to exit the pits that ruined his night.

Crafton remained the series points leader and holds a 25-point lead over Reddick with Jones third 32 points behind.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis next Saturday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/06/Matt-Crafton-Corrals-Texas-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Fan of Driver Council​*
Jeff Gordon is extremely supportive about the creation of the drivers council.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver was one of several drivers named to the council that will regularly meet and communicate with NASCAR on topics and issues around the sport. Gordon believes it's an important step in the pursuit of continually improving NASCAR.

He came out of last Saturday's initial meeting, which was held in Dover, very impressed with the process.

"I've got to say I think this is one of the coolest things I've seen happen in this sport since I've been in it," Gordon said Friday at Pocono Raceway. "I only wish it had happened long before my final year. I think to have an open line of communication between the drivers and NASCAR. I think we are all on the same page and always trying to pursue the best for the sport, but we have done it in a different way; whether individually you go and have those discussions or it's happening via other routes.

"To be able to sit in a room and have a lot of drivers that have a unique perspective on it I thought the panel was fantastic. I thought the openness of the conversation was amazing. I thought that it was all very positive."

Since Gordon is retiring at season's end and will pursue a television career beginning next year. He was somewhat tentative about being part of the council since his driving days are heading to a close

However, after last week's meeting he's pleased to be part of the dialogue.

"That was one of the reasons I hesitated in being a part of it just because I wasn't sure what the terms were and if they wanted me on there," he said. "I really like the way that we went about choosing the drivers that are on there. I thought having the drivers choose it and having certain categories and ways to go about it.

I will do whatever they want me to do. There are certain criteria that you have to meet to stay on the panel that you could get voted off if you don't make the meetings. To me I want to do everything I can to continue to share my passion for the sport and thoughts and ideas and that is certainly a great way to do that. I don't remember if it ends at the end of this year or if it's a one-year thing from the first meeting. I can't remember how that all happens, but if they want me I will be on it. If they don't, I totally understand. There are plenty of great drivers that are going to continue to take that to the next level over the years."

The concept in in its embryonic stages but Gordon sees nothing but positives.

"When I look at maybe top 10 things that I see happening in this sport this is one of them," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/06/Jeff-Gordon-Fan-of-Driver-Council.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Eyes Pocono Three-Peat​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is aiming to become the third driver to win three consecutive races at Pocono Raceway.

Earnhardt swept both races last year at the track affectionately known as the "Tricky Triangle" and comes into Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 looking for his second win of 2015.

Should Junior turn the trick he'd be in some pretty rarified air as only Bobby Allison and Tim Richmond have been able to complete the Pocono triple.

"It's just difficult to win one, you know? It's difficult to win, period," Earnhardt Jr. said. "And there's so much competition in this series now.

"There's a lot of tough competition out there and this place, I won't say it's hard to pass here because you can get around guys and race, and I do enjoy racing here. But, when you get a fast guy in front of you, it's difficult to find a flaw and sort of take advantage of that weakness because you get a guy with good speed in front of you, he's going to be hard to get to."

Earnhardt has the added benefit of driving for Hendrick Motorsports, which has won 17 times at Pocono, including the last five races.

"Well, we've got four fast cars," Earnhardt said. "This is a horsepower racetrack where engines can make a difference. I feel like over the last several years we've had one of the best engine programs in the sport. So, I think we've just got really good stuff. Your car really, really shines here."

While a fast car is important so is strategy when it comes to winning at Pocono. Earnhardt's pair of victories a year ago featured then crew chief Steve Letarte rolling the dice on pit strategy and some fuel mileage and Junior believes that will also play a part in determining this year's Pocono winners.

"Well we won those two races by having some great pit strategy," he said. "Steve got real aggressive on his pit calls and I think that is definitely going to be what is going to put you in position to win.

"You can call the race sort of like a road course in reverse and put yourself up toward the front like we did last year. It makes it pretty difficult to get around you if you have a good car."

And there's another challenge lying ahead for Earnhardt and the rest of Sunday's field. Bumps in Turn 2 have materialized making navigating through the already treacherous part of the race track that much more difficult.

Although Earnhardt is a fan of worn out racing surfaces, Pocono is going to push the limits on Sunday.

"It is just really harsh," he said. "There is a line between character and just a bad racetrack. This is getting close to that line. I definitely like a bump or two in the corner and I think that bumps and character in a racetrack as far as how the surface is grip wise or whether it eats the tires up or what have you, I love that stuff.

"You like your tracks to have the character, but that is just a little bit extreme right there."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...06/Dale-Earnhardt-Eyes-Pocono-Three-Peat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Tops Pocono Practice​*
Kevin Harvick paced the final two practice sessions for Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Pocono is one of five tracks on the circuit that Harvick has yet to win at and he is coming off a second-place finish last August. He does have a Camping World Truck Series win at the track, in 2011.

Harvick topped Saturday's second and final practice with respective top speeds of 175.658 and 175.974 mph. He also was the best among the 14 drivers that ran 10 consecutive laps in the final session with an average speed of 175.320 mph.

The car Harvick is driving in the same one he dominated the race at Phoenix International Raceway with en route to the win earlier this season.

Harvick will pit from the 13th stall tomorrow, in-between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and AJ Allmendinger, after the No. 4 team had the last selection by virtue of the P1 penalty assessed by NASCAR earlier this week for the team receiving two written warnings for infractions at Charlotte and Dover.

Kyle Larson, who is coming off his first top five of the season, was second fastest in final practice. He also topped the best 10 consecutive lap average (174.507 mph) in the day's opening session. Larson ran 33 laps in final practice, the most of any driver.

Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and pole-sitter Kurt Busch rounded out the top five in the final session.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. , who swept Pocono last season, was second and ninth quick in today's respective practices.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/06/Kevin-Harvick-Tops-Pocono-Practices.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Back In Victory Lane​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6774&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Martin Truex Jr. finally was able to score his first win of the season when he took the checkered flag in the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

After dominating the last three races of the season, Truex went out and did the same on Sunday, but this time he was able to seal the deal after leading 97 of 160 laps.

Truex Jr. earned his third career victory as he outran Kevin Harvick to the checkered flag to give Furniture Row Racing its second Sprint Cup Series win.

"It feels unbelievable," Truex said. "I knew we were going to get one. Everyone kept asking when are you going to get one. I knew we were going to win. I knew we had the team and what it took. I feel that I'm on Cloud Nine right now."

Truex became the 10th driver to win this season and earned his first victory since Sonoma in 2013. After struggling professionally as well as personally, with his girlfriend Sherry Pollex battling ovarian cancer, which is now in remission, the win was even sweeter for Truex Jr.

"The last year and a half have been pretty tough, but this feels real good," Truex said. "It never gets any better than this. It takes time to heal things especially with what Sherry and I went through. This just kind of makes you forget all about it. Tomorrow we are still going back to normal life and we always try to remember that and be ourselves and remember why we are here. And how thankful we are to be here and how lucky we are to be doing this. I just feel super blessed to be with this group of guys."

Harvick's runner-up performance tied him with Bobby Allison for the most top-two finishes in a season's first 14 races.

Jimmie Johnson came back from a cut tire to finish third.

Joey Logano and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five. Logano battled back from having to start at the rear of the field for a rear gear change and then a pit road speeding penalty on lap 22.

Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Michigan International Speedway for next Sunday's Quicken Loans 400.

*How Truex Jr. Won:* For the fourth straight race, Truex Jr. led the most laps for a total of 454. He had another fast car Sunday in Pocono and made the winning move on the final restart of the day when he was able to get ahead as the green flag flew and then stayed in front for the final 27 circuits to take the checkered flag.

*What Else Happened:* There were several pit road speeding penalties on the day that put some drivers in trouble early and fuel mileage also started to play a part in the outcome. As usual at Pocono, several crew chiefs used a road course strategy in figuring fuel but the late cautions allowed drivers to conserve and the race ended with the contenders at full speed.

*Who Else Had a Good Day:* Kenseth was one of those drivers nailed for pit road speeding but was able to finish sixth&#8230;.Kyle Busch rebounded from last week's 36th-place performance with his ninth-place finish&#8230;.Greg Biffle also came back from Dover disappointing to finish 12th.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s tough season continued when he had brake issues and spun and made contact with the wall. The Roush Fenway Racing finished 43rd&#8230;..Aric Almirola wasn't able to build on his top-five finish last week in Dover when he suffered engine problems on Sunday&#8230;his Richard Petty Motorsports teammate also had a rough day when a cut left-rear tire sent him hard into the Turn 1 wall on lap 122&#8230;..Danica Patrick was running well when a cut tire caused her to spin into the wall on lap 134&#8230;..Ryan Newman was battling AJ Allmendinger for seventh with 20 laps to go when contact was made and Newman crashed into the wall.

*Quote of the day:* "If you're going to lose today, that's a pretty good person to lose to," second-place finisher Kevin Harvick about Martin Truex Jr.

*Notables:* Kurt Busch has finished in the top-10 in six of the 11 races he's run this year&#8230;..Kyle Larson has two top-10 finishes in three career Pocono starts&#8230;.XFINITY Series regular Ty Dillon finished 18th.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...a-We-Paint-Winners-400-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rough Day at Pocono for RPM​*
The Richard Petty Motorsports team suffered through a disastrous Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

Both Aric Almirola and Sam Hornish Jr. would like to forget their afternoon in the Pocono Mountains.

Almirola was the first casualty for the team when he had an engine problem send him first to pit road and then the garage area. When the smoke cleared Almirola followed up his solid run a week ago in Dover with a 43rd-place finish on Sunday.

"It's a shame," said a dejected Almirola. "It was not a good weekend for us. We struggled all weekend finding speed in our car and right there we came in and made a pretty aggressive adjustment on that pit stop. (Crew chief) Trent (Owens) changed a lot of stuff and just on that one lap of the restart it drove a lot better and I had my hopes up for a minute and then my hopes got crushed.

"We had some sort of motor issue, so we'll have to go back. Doug Yates and all the guys do an awesome job giving us great motors and this is just part of it. Every once in a while something happens."

Hornish was running well for a majority of the day and had worked his way into the top 20 until his luck soured.

Hornish was at speed on the frontstretch when he experienced trouble that ended with a hard trip into the Turn 1 wall.

"It actually happened on the straightaway," Hornish explained. "We must have run something over and cut down a left-front tire. Right before I got to the braking zone the left-front tire went down and started trying to turn in and there was nothing there. It's unfortunate for us and our Medallion Bank Ford Fusion, but the hardest part about it is being able to see it coming for what felt like about five minutes, but I'm real glad about the safety that NASCAR has in these cars.

"It's unfortunate for us. We were running OK, trying to be patient and make sure we made it to the end and something like that happens, but it can get anybody I guess."

Hornish was credited with a 41st-place finish.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-at-Pocono-for-Richard-Petty-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Rebounds For Third​*
Jimmie Johnson suffered a cut tire but was able to come back to score a third-place finish in Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Johnson started ninth on Sunday and looked strong early in his pursuit of a fifth win in 2015. But things went awry on lap 86 when Johnson suffered a left front flat tire while running third.

He was able to bring his car to pit road for repair as caution flew.

Johnson came back on track and worked his way back to the front of the field and was in the hunt for the checkered flag late.

He grazed the wall racing with Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth but despite suffering slight damage remained on track.

Johnson got up to second after the final restart with 16 to go but eventually slide back to third and crossed the finish line behind race winner Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick.

"Today we really didn't have pace for the 78 (Truex Jr.) or the 4 (Harvick), so we've got to get to work there," Johnson said. "With the damaged car we ran third, missing half the splitter and the right side knocked in, some hard racing on one of those restarts off Turn 3. To get a good result, we overcame a lot today, having to deal with a flat tire, the damage to the car, and then I got to third.

"We'll take it. Scrappy day for us, but not the end of the world, either."

Johnson was the best finisher of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon. Sunday snapped the Hendrick five race-winning streak at Pocono.

Overall, Johnson is optimistic about where his team is right now but admits there's room for improvement.

"I think we're doing well," Johnson said. "We still need more speed, even if we're the fastest car, I'd probably still want more, but to have the 78 and the 4 so far ahead and the speed that Kevin showed in practice and what kind of speed is really in our Hendrick equipment, we've got to keep working. We're not really where we need to be exactly."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...mie-Johnson-Rebounds-for-Third-at-Pocono.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman: 'He's Got One Coming'​*
Ryan Newman is not happy with AJ Allmendinger after the two made contact in Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Newman's streak of consecutive top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway came to an end Sunday when he was involved in an incident with Allmendinger on lap 141.

The Richard Childress Racing driver had finished in top-10 in five previous starts and was running inside the first 10 when the incident broke out.

Allmendinger, who was battling Newman for seventh, appeared to slide up the track just a little as the duo raced through Turn 1 and made contact with the left-rear of Newman's car in the outside lane. That caused the No. 31 Chevrolet to hit the wall and Newman's day ended with a severely damaged car.

"It's pretty obvious what happened," Newman said. "The No. 47 (Allmendinger) just ran out of talent. He has got one coming now."

Allmendinger finished 38th after the radiator was damaged in his Chevrolet.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hes-39th-in-Axalta-400-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Second...Again​*
Kevin Harvick finished second on Sunday for the eighth time this season.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver followed race winner Martin Truex Jr. across the finish line for the runner-up spot in the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400.

Harvick led every practice session of the weekend and once again had one of if not the fastest cars in Pocono. He led three times for 39 laps in the race but a problem with third gear, which hindered Harvick on restarts turned out to be his Achilles Heel on Sunday.

"We just couldn't go on restarts," Harvick said. "We would lug really bad in third gear and just had to go into defense mode. We struggled in Turn 1 with the splitter on the ground. But, all in all, just a good job by my Budweiser team. Things aren't lining up to win races right now, but all in all everybody is doing a great job."

Harvick has a pair of wins this season and the defending Sprint Cup Series champion has finished in the top two in the year's first 14 races. Only Bobby Allison has previously accomplished that feat back in 1972.

"I think everybody is probably frustrated that we didn't win, but I think it's frustrated in a good way," Harvick said of his latest second place finish on Sunday. "It's very rare that you can come to the racetrack and be in those positions every week. I think when you look at the just like today, we were literally coming to pit road when the caution flag flew and never really made up those 10 spots that we lost, and struggled on the restarts to get going. I think as you look at the situations, I think second is better than 10th."

Harvick also had the added feelings of watching Truex Jr. celebrate in Victory Lane and shared his admiration for what the driver and girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who face cancer that is in remission, have battled.

"I think when you look at everything personally that Martin and Sherry have dealt with, I'm just super, super happy for them personally," Harvick said. "I'm super happy for (team owner) Barney (Visser) and his team, but more importantly for Martin and Sherry, to see them have that bright spot of today is something that I think the whole garage is going to support and be happy with.

"Obviously you always want to win, but when you can see something come full circle like their situation, it makes you proud to know them and be a part of the sport in general, to see how they've supported Sherry and all the things that they've gone through."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Harvick-Finishes-Second-Again-at-Pocono.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pocono Winners And Losers​*
There were plenty of highs and lows leading to the checkered flag in Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.

*WINNERS*​
*Martin Truex Jr.*
An overwhelmingly popular winner, going to Victory Lane for the first time since June 2013. Truex's personal challenges and Furniture Row racing's single-car organization add up to a true underdog story of triumph.

*Jimmie Johnson*
Many wrote Johnson off Sunday after he cut a tire just past the halfway point. But in typical "48" fashion, he worked his way back toward the front and managed a third-place finish.

*Joey Logano*
A gear change forced Logano to the rear of the staring field. He overcame other challenges and moved forward to post a fourth-place finish.

*Jamie McMurray*
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver finished seventh, one spot ahead of teammate Kyle Larson, and continues to show consistency in his quest to make the post-season Chase and back up team co-owner Felix Sabates' pre-season prediction.

*Kyle Busch*
Rebounded from last week's Dover crash to come home ninth at Pocono. There's still a long way to go in his quest to make the Chase, but Sunday was a step in the right direction.

*LOSERS​*
*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
There doesn't appear to be an end in sight for the struggles of the former two-time XFINITY Series champion. He hit the wall early Sunday and finished 42nd.

*Danica Patrick*
Seemed headed for a better day than what eventually happened. She cut a tire, hit the wall and later went for a wild spin off Turn 3 ... leading to a 37th-place finish.

*Clint Bowyer*
Absolutely no progress is being made in trying to right the Michael Waltrip Racing ship. Bowyer was mired at mid-pack most of the day Sunday. He finished 22nd.

*Brad Keselowski*
The former Sprint Cup Series champion has been curiously uncompetitive in recent weeks and suffered through a weird day in Pocono that featured challenges on pit road and an on-track skirmish with rookie Brett Moffitt.

*Jeff Gordon*
The final Sprint Cup season for Gordon is definitely not going as he hoped. Gordon's winless season continued at Pocono with an at-best mediocre performance and a terse radio exchange with crew chief Alan Gustafson during the race.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/06/Pocono-Raceway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*MWR Reassigns Crew Chiefs​*
Michael Waltrip Racing has reassigned the crew chiefs on both of its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams.

Brian Pattie becomes crew chief of the No. 55 Toyota driven by David Ragan, with Billy Scott moving over to Clint Bowyer's No. 15 Camry.

Pattie has been with Bowyer since the team was established in 2012. He's scored three wins and they finished second (to Brad Keselowski) in the 2012 Chase. Scott has been crew chief of the "55" since August 2013 and previously served as that team's lead engineer.

Additional changes include a reorganization of lead, secondary and support engineers for each team. Car chiefs, road mechanics and pit crews will remain with their originally assigned teams.

"Our goal is to best position the '15' and '55' teams for a berth in the Chase," said co-owner Rob Kauffman. "MWR has bright, motivated and quality people working to solve the endless challenges inherent to racing. We've won poles and races, made the Chase and competed for a championship with this core group. We just felt it was time to shake things up a bit to spark fresh ideas and more consistent results. There are 12 races left before the 2015 Chase field is set and we plan to be a part of it."

With the second half of the regular season just now underway, Bowyer and Ragan are 17th and 23rd, respectively, in the point standings. They have a combined four top-10 finishes through the first 14 races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/06/MWR-Reassigns-Crew-Chiefs.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Appeals Panel Rescinds Johnson Penalty​*
The National Motorsports Appeals Panel has rescinded the P1-level penalty that was assessed to Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Sprint Cup Series team last month.

Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team received written warnings from NASCAR following both Charlotte weekends, first for an issue with alteration of a side skirt on the No. 48 Chevrolet and then for an inspection violation.

The penalty, announced May 27th, was to be assigned the last choice in the selection of a pit stall for the following race at Dover International Speedway. Johnson appealed and a three-member panel reviewed the penalty on Tuesday - after which NASCAR issued a statement that read, in part:

"Warnings are not appealable. NASCAR acted correctly in issuing a P1 penalty after the second warning. There was a preponderance of evidence presented that the side-skirt violation which led to a warning did occur. There was conflicting evidence about the inspection violation, which led to the second warning. Since only one of the two violations were shown by a preponderance of the evidence, the panel rescinds the P1 penalty."

The panel consisted of Richard Gore, David Hall and Jay Signore.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ls-Panel-Rescinds-Jimmie-Johnson-Penalty.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Track Specific Aero Packages Possible?​*
NASCAR is reportedly considering creating aerodynamic packages for specific types of tracks.

Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell spoke with Europe-based "Downforce Radio" last weekend while attending the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race at Brands Hatch in England.

The sanctioning body is considering development of aero packages that would be tailored to different types of tracks rather than a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

"You'll look at more of a set race package," O'Donnell said. "Instead of looking at a '2016' package, you'll look at it more in terms of putting something together around certain tracks - not to have it be 36 individual packages but potentially looking at some with lower downforce, then looking at superspeedway packages, kind of catering to certain tracks."

Implementation could potentially come sooner rather than later.

"You'll probably see us make some moves as early as this year, so some exciting things are going on as we head into the second half of the series," O'Donnell told "Downforce Radio."

The creation of next year's rules and the evolution of the current Sprint Cup Series package have been hot items of discussion. It was reportedly one of the main focal points of the recent meeting between NASCAR and the newly created Drivers Council.

Balancing the many voices inside the sport while working toward the common goal of improved competition is challenging, according to O'Donnell.

"You've got a lot of stakeholders to balance," he said. "First and foremost, the fans ... owners, tracks and OEMs. We've got to make a decision and stand by that. We try and get as much input as we can, but we've got to make a call we believe is going to grow the sport. That's our job - not always easy, but we try and make the right decisions to let us all grow."

A NASCAR spokesman confirmed to MRN.com that O'Donnell did mention the aero changes to "Downforce Radio," but did so only to note that all things are on the table and nothing is set in stone.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...06/Track-Specific-Aero-Packages-Possible.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Previews Show: Michigan​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Who's Next?​*
Now that Martin Truex Jr. has won this year what other driver would elicit the same kind of popularity the Furniture Row Racing pilot enjoyed?

There's no doubt when Truex Jr. took the checkered flag Sunday in Pocono there was a near universal sense of joy throughout the NASCAR community. Truex Jr.'s professional and personal struggles have been well documented and watching him embrace girlfriend Sherry Pollex in Victory Lane was definitely the feel good story of the year so far.

But the truth is Truex Jr. has been one of the most dominant drivers over the last four months. He's led the most laps in four straight races and the logical thinking was it would be when, not if he'd win.

However, I'm not sure there's another driver that would generate the same popularity with the fan base AND who appears to be on the cusp of winning a race in the rest of the Sprint Cup Series ranks right now.

Here's a few names that fit at least some of that criteria still looking for win number one of 2015:

*Jamie McMurray* 
Maybe the closest to fitting both sides of the discussion. McMurray is a popular guy and his team has started to improve its performance in recent weeks. McMurray got a top-10 finish at Pocono and is seventh in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. His strength has always been restrictor plate racing and with Daytona on the horizon Jamie Mac may have a shot to celebrate a Chase berth on Fourth of July weekend.

*Kyle Larson* 
McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing teammate captured the hearts of many fans last year in his rousing Rookie-of-the-Year run and near wins during the latter part of the season. His performance leveled off at the start of this season but like McMurray, Larson has been on an upward trend of late. There's no doubt the sophomore driver's first career Sprint Cup Series win would be well received in the NASCAR world.

*AJ Allmendinger* 
He was one of last year's underdog stories when Allmendinger won at Watkins Glen. He's still a fan favorite and drives for the single car JTG Daugherty stable. Things started on a strong note this year but performance has been mediocre at best for the last several weeks. Allmendinger certainly will be a force at Sonoma and The Glen this summer. But would a second career Cup win create as much goodwill as last year's initial victory?

*Jeff Gordon* 
Certainly Gordon winning in his final full-time Sprint Cup Series season would fall into the fell good category. The year has not gone particularly well for the four-time champion and last week's dud at Pocono showed how far the 24 team can actually be off. There's no reason to believe Gordon won't be able to find a victory - or maybe two - before he ends his illustrious career but as they say the clock is ticking on his chance to make the Chase.

*Danica Patrick*
It would be a huge story worldwide should Patrick win a Sprint Cup Series race. However, the NASCAR fandom is so polarized when it comes to Patrick a victory would definitely not be universally embraced. While there's been hints of improvement, Patrick's best chance at winning will come at Daytona and Talladega.

*Kyle Busch* 
In the same category as Patrick. Busch has been running well since his return and a win is certainly not out of the question. But Busch was already a polarizing figure before NASCAR granted the Chase waiver after missing 11 races, a decision not all were on board with, so if he takes a checkered flag I wouldn't expect it to be accepted across the board.

*Tony Stewart*
There's no doubt Stewart winning would receive the attention and popularity of Truex Jr.'s win given the embattled drivers personal issues of the last two years. But the sad reality is out of everyone we've discussed, Stewart appears the farthest away from having a legitimate shot at winning a race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/06/Opinion-Whos-Next.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Tops Darlington Test​*
Twelve drivers took part in an open NASCAR test Wednesday at Darlington Raceway including the most recent Sprint Cup Series winner, Martin Truex Jr.

He finished atop the speed chart with a lap of 175.535 mph just three days after driving to victory at Pocono Raceway.

Teams were preparing for the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sept. 6. Truex, specifically, was looking to build on Furniture Row Racing's early-season success that has resulted in 13 top-10 finishes in 14 races.

"We've got everything it takes to do what we need to do," Truex said. "We've got to keep working hard. We've got a lot of racing left before the Chase starts."

Kyle Busch ran a session-high 108 laps, finishing fifth on the speed chart at 174.036 mph. Jamie McMurray (174.646 mph) was second, Kurt Busch (174.196 mph) third and Ryan Newman fourth (174.110 mph).

The hot, slick track lived up to its slogan "Too Tough to Tame" during Wednesday's test, with both Busch and Joey Logano making contact with the outside wall. Clint Bowyer approved of the track conditions, saying "This is the fastest repave wear-out ever." The track was resurfaced in 2008.

"This place is back to the 'old' Darlington, slipping and sliding around," Bowyer said. "It's the way it needs to be to put on good racing."

The temperature during the test peaked into the low 90s. Teams can expect it to be similar come race weekend in early September, when the average temperature in Darlington is 85 degrees.

Even if the temperature isn't flaming-hot, we can expect the on-track action to heat up. As Aric Almirola quipped, "Darlington always brings out the best in us drivers, as far as tempers flaring."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6, starting at 6 P.M. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6/Truex-Jr-Leads-Pack-at-Darlington-Test.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Visser Seeking Sponsor, Manufacturer For 2016 Season​*
In the aftermath of Sunday's victory at Pocono Raceway, Furniture Row Racing owner Barney Visser said he hopes to retain driver Martin Truex, Jr., beyond 2015, but could need a sponsor and a new manufacturer to do so.

Speaking Wednesday on SiriusXM Satellite Radio's Sirius XM Speedway with Dave Moody, Visser said he is unhappy with the level of support his team receives from Chevrolet.

"There just doesn't seem to be any money out of General Motors and probably never will be for us," said Visser, who has fielded Chevrolets in NASCAR competition since chartering Furniture Row Racing a decade ago. "Something's got to give. We'll see where it goes."

With Chevrolet lending a bulk of its support to the multi-car Hendrick, Childress and Stewart Haas Racing operations, FRR has been left of the loop, despite ranking second in championship points earned this season and qualifying for the 2015 Chase. Both Ford and Toyota have expressed interest in expanding their Sprint Cup rosters, and could lend manufacturer support to the Colorado-based team next season. A manufacturer change would mark the end of FRR's current technological partnership with Richard Childress Racing.

Visser said he is also seeking a major sponsor for the No. 78 Chevrolet, after backing the team through his Furniture Row and Denver Mattress brands since entering the sport in 2005.

"I'll put a shameless plug in," he said. "We need help with this car. (Sprint Cup racing) is is a little out of our budget, but we refuse to back down. We're looking for sponsorship (and) hopefully, the right sponsors are going to step up. We need to get some of that in place to negotiate the kind of contract (for Truex) that we'd both like to see."

He also admitted that he does not want contract negotiations to detract from the team's current performance.
"When Kurt (Busch) made the announcement (that he would leave FRR for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014), everything fell apart and we wound up finishing 10th in points," Visser said. "I just hate to screw around with anything right now (with) negotiations, or anything that might upset the apple cart.

"But we'll get it done. We'll get in and get started on this stuff. We're locked on Martin. We're as happy with him as he is with us, and we want to get something done."

Truex said last week that he would like to remain with the team, adding, "I feel like this is the kind of situation I've looked for my whole career. The guys have done such a great job and they're so good at what they're doing. We have such a great group. I feel like this team is special."

*Source:*
http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Returns To No. 54 Seat​*
Kyle Busch will return to the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend at Michigan International Speedway for the first time since sustaining injuries in the season opener.

At the beginning of the 2015 XFINITY Series schedule, Busch sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot in an accident during the Feb. 21 race at Daytona International Speedway.

While Busch returned to racetrack action four weeks ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, this week will be Busch's first XFINITY Series attempt back in the No. 54 since February. Future scheduled races for Busch in the No. 54 Camry, after the Michigan event, are not yet confirmed.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the 54 Monster Energy Toyota this weekend," Busch said. "I can't say enough about how much Monster Energy, JGR, Toyota and all my guys have helped me and pulled for me to get back into the XFINITY car. This is a continuation of my recovery since Daytona, and we hope to continue to add to my schedule going forward through the rest of the year. I'm looking forward to working with Chris Gayle again and I'm optimistic for a good run at Michigan. If I remember it right, my last run here in the No. 54 started off strong, we didn't get the finish we wanted then, but I look to redeem that this week."

Crew chief Gayle's Michigan statistics include two races over two years accomplishing one top-10 finish. Gayle served as crew chief on JGR's No. 11 Nationwide Series team the previous two seasons after he was an engineer on JGR's No. 18 Sprint Cup Series team, aligned with Busch.

"I knew it was going to be a little bit different than what it was as engineer and driver before, and Daytona didn't give us the opportunity to complete a full race together," Gayle said. "This will continue to be a building process over time. My goal in February was and still now is that you have to get to the point where not only do I understand what Kyle is asking for, but I also show Kyle what I can give him. Then the trust develops and continues to build as we do this together. We are obviously grateful and excited that we have that chance again with Kyle back behind the wheel of the No. 54."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-to-Return-to-XFINITY-Series-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Seeks Second Straight Win​*
After a weekend off, the NASCAR XFINITY Series roars back to life for Saturday's Great Clips 250 Benefitting Paralyzed Veterans of America at Michigan International Speedway.

The series has been idle since the controversial finish at Dover on May 30 that saw Roush Fenway Racing teammates Chris Buescher and Darrell Wallace make contact late in the race. Buescher scored his second win of the season, but there were hard feelings between the two.

"When you come down to the end and you have two cars with the same organization, with a chance to win and both on similar strategies, it gets a little rough," Buescher said a couple days after the race. "Not ideal, and I hate that it went the way it did."

Buescher heads to Michigan as the points leader, by 15 over Ty Dillon. His experience at MIS includes an ARCA win in 2012.

"It's been a good week off, but I'm ready to head to Jack's (team owner Jack Roush) and Ford's home track," he said. "It's one of the fastest tracks we go to and it's been a pretty good track for me."

Dillon also has experience at Michigan, with an ARCA win of his own in 2011. He's made one start there in the XFINITY Series and two in the Camping World Truck Series.

"We're 15 points out of the lead so we'd like to continue to chip away at that," Dillon said. "Last season, we knocked off a top 10 at this racetrack. We know we can do better. I have no doubts that we'll compete for a win."

XFINITY Series regulars will have a few Sprint Cup Series interlopers to deal with come Saturday including Kyle Busch's return and defending Cup champ Kevin Harvick, who will be behind the wheel of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Although he hasn't competed in the series at MIS since 2010, when he earned a top-10 finish, Harvick likes his chances.

"(Crew chief) Dave (Elenz) and the guys have been hard at work trying to make gains from where we were at Charlotte," said Harvick. "I'm eager to see their progress when we unload Friday morning. Michigan is one of the fastest tracks we'll visit all season."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Great Clips 250 Benefitting Paralyzed Veterans of America from Michigan International Speedway starting at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Chris-Buescher-Seeks-Second-Straight-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bell To Make Truck Debut At Iowa​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced today that 20-year-old Christopher Bell will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut June 19 driving the No. 51 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra in the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

The open-wheel dirt standout, who was crowned the 2013 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Champion, began his pavement-racing career last September driving for KBM's Late Model team. In just his fourth-career Late Model start, Bell outdueled second-generation NASCAR driver John Hunter Nemechek to win the Orange County 150 Pro All Star Series (PASS) South Super Late Model race last October at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C.

In 2015, Bell has collected four victories and a pair of runner-up finishes en route to an average finish of 1.7 across seven starts behind the wheel of KBM's No. 51 Late Model. The talented youngster picked up his first marquee Late Model victory in March when he led 203 of 250 laps of the prestigious Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, dominating a field which included reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott.

The Oklahoma native made two NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts earlier this season in preparation for his Truck Series debut. After finishing 15th in the K&N Pro Series West event at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway in April, Bell came all the way from the 18th spot at the halfway break of the Casey's 150 K&N Pro Series combination race held at Iowa Speedway in May to register a fifth-place result.

"I'm really excited to have Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) as a sponsor and I'm looking forward to making the most of the opportunity to race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for KBM, TCUV, and Toyota," Bell said. "Although the vehicles will drive somewhat different, being able to race in the K&N Series last month will help speed up my learning curve for the Truck Series race, and having Jerry (Baxter) come out to crew chief that race gave us a head start on our communication as well."

In addition to his pavement schedule, which consists of over 20 races in 2015, Bell continues to tour dirt tracks around the country racing Midgets and Winged Sprint Cars. Bell has collected four National Midget Series wins in eight starts this season and also collected his second-career World of Outlaws Sprint Car triumph in the Spring Classic Winged Sprint Car race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., in April.

In 2014 Bell collected an amazing 27 feature wins while competing in 108 events between Midgets (18 wins), Winged Sprint Cars (seven wins), Non-Winged Sprint Cars (one win) on dirt and Super Late Models (one win) on pavement. Highlighting his season was a victory in the prestigious 98-lap Turkey Night Grand Prix USAC Midget race at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, where he etched his name along open-wheel legends A.J. Foyt (1960-61), Parnelli Jones (1964 and 1966) and Tony Stewart (2000), who all picked up a Turkey Night win in their careers. The talented wheelman also scored his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win at Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway in May.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Bell-to-Make-Truck-Series-Debut-at-Iowa.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: FBI, IRS Investigating Ex-Girlfriend of Kurt Busch​*
Patricia Driscoll, Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend who accused him of domestic assault, is reportedly being investigated by the IRS and FBI..

According to ESPN's Outside the Lines, which published reports about the financial transactions of Driscoll's companies in May, the government agencies are investigating her over allegations she mishandled money.



> Documents that the FBI has access to reveal not only tax paperwork discrepancies but also personal expense questions: The foundation wrote a $15,000 check toward Driscoll's legal fees to a law firm involved in her child-custody case; it paid $6,315.22 for an infrared security camera shipped to her Maryland residence; and it picked up the tab for personal expenses on vacations to Paris and Morocco. Alongside Driscoll's $171,027 foundation salary, documents show she received substantial bonuses for fundraising -- none of which was declared on the foundation's tax filings or audit reports reviewed by Outside the Lines.


 Driscoll accused Busch of assault on September 26 in Dover at his motorhome. A Delaware family court commissioner ruled it was more likely than not that Busch committed an act of assault that night. However, the Delaware attorney general's office declined to press criminal charges because of a lack of evidence.

As part of the commissioner's ruling, Driscoll was granted a protection order against Busch. It was upheld after appeal.

Busch was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR after the commissioner's ruling. Following the attorney general's decision to not press charges, Busch was reinstated after he missed three races. He was given a waiver for the Chase for the Sprint Cup and will likely be in NASCAR's playoffs after he won at Richmond in April.

Outside the Lines said Driscoll has refused to comment for their stories, though she did issue a statement.



> This week, in response to email questions sent to Wood, Driscoll issued a statement describing Outside the Lines' pursuit of the story as "shameful,'' saying her only connection to sports is her having been the alleged victim of domestic violence at the hands of a professional athlete, Busch. She also "unequivocally denied any allegation that she has used AFF funds to pay any of her personal expenses." Wood referred to the allegations raised by Outside the Lines as "baseless" while adding: "Neither AFF nor Ms. Driscoll is aware of any current federal investigations being conducted into the operation of AFF.''


 The statement about Driscoll's sports connections is tenuous. And that's being very, very, very generous. NASCAR executives have been on the board of the Armed Forces Foundation and the organization has hosted regular events for soldiers at races. While dating Busch, Driscoll took on a very public role, almost serving as the driver's unofficial spokesperson. She was incredibly active on Twitter and was front and center while the 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion ran both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day in 2014.

Driscoll and Busch had broken up before the incident in his motorhome.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...ng-ex-girlfriend-of-kurt-busch-162232099.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Full Speed Ahead​*
AJ Allmendinger is working hard to repeat his success of a season ago and make his way into this year's Chase.

Allmendinger scored his first career Sprint Cup Series win last August at Watkins Glen International. But this season has been a challenge. Although things started off on a promising note, Allmendinger has struggled over the last two months.

He comes into Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway 22nd in the point standings with just two top-10 finishes over the season's first 14 races. Still, he has high hopes of turning things around on the two-mile Michigan oval, a track Allmendinger says suits his driving style.

"Before the repave, I enjoyed Michigan because it was a lively track," Allmendinger said of the track's recent resurfacing. "But the pavement started separating from the track and they needed to repave it. It's getting better. The groove is starting to get wider."

While Michigan has built a reputation of offering drivers several options and lines around the track, Allmendinger says it will still take some time before the track surface allows multiple grooves.

"The question is, 'How long can you be on the throttle?' " Allmendinger said. "You're not going to touch the brake pedal much and you're not going to be out of the throttle that much."

Compounding the challenge of racing at Michigan are the new Sprint Cup Series rules that drivers are still adapting to. Allmendinger believes the reduced horsepower and aerodynamic changes will come into play at Michigan.

"It's decent downforce if you can be wide-open or close to wide-open," he said. "It's going to be hard to pass so getting your car to roll through the corner well and getting that balance - not too tight, not too loose, it's got to be neutral - is what you'll need. In the end, it's all track position. If you can be up front in clean air, that's going to make a world of difference.

"The only way you're going to make passes is if a guy makes a mistake in front of you behind another car. It's the nature of racing that we're facing right now."

One area Allmendinger knows his team needs to improve on is qualifying. Getting a better starting spot will provide a better shot at a stronger finish.

"The track has a lot of grip when you show up," he said, "and if it's cool and cloudy on Sunday, it'll be fast. It's important to qualify near the front."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 from Michigan International Speedway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/06/AJ-Allmendinger-Full-Speed-Ahead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Says No Friction​*
Jeff Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson are fine after their terse radio communication last week at Pocono Raceway.

Gordon and Gustafson were engaged in a spirited conversation during last week's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono that generated a great deal of conversation in the days following.

However, Gordon simply chalked things up to frustration over not being able to get his car more competitive and running better.

"We had a car far better than what we finished," said Gordon, who came home 15th last Sunday. "I would say a little bit of build up with the type of season that we have had so far. It seems like every time we have a car that is capable of either winning or running in the top five some circumstances come about that take us kind of out of that. That is frustrating.

"He is the crew chief and he makes great calls, but at that point I felt like I needed to stay out and it got a little heated. But it is all good. We are big boys."

Gordon thinks the incident might even be beneficial to the team's efforts going forward starting with Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

"We respect the heck out of one another and we had great conversations this week," Gordon said. "I think it's actually been more positive that we kind of got that out there and had this heated moment. And said some things and got them off our chest. I think it has actually helped us come into this weekend focused, motivated and excited."

Gordon is still searching for his first win of the season and with only 12 races left before the Chase he needs to make a move in order to lock himself into a playoff berth.

But he comes to Michigan as the defending race winner and is optimistic about his chances to go back-to-back on Sunday.

"This is a track, certainly after how we performed last year, and just a track that I've enjoyed over the years a lot; I love the transitions, I love the speeds, I love the big sweeping corners and the challenges that this track presents to a driver," he said. "You can move around. And the groove is starting to get wider and wider each time we come here. So, yeah, I definitely have confidence with the type of season that we've had so far."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/06/Jeff-Gordon-Says-No-Friction.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: New Aero Package Possible​*
NASCAR reportedly may introduce a new aerodynamic rules package next month.

Motorsport.com's Lee Spencer reports that a new aero package could be unveiled at Kentucky Speedway in a few weeks. The new rules would significantly reduce down force and could include a 3.5-inch spoiler down from the current six inches, a 25-inch radiator pan lowered from the current 38 and a shorter splitter.

The report says the aerodynamic changes were discussed with Sprint Cup Series teams during a teleconference held earlier this week.

Several sources told Motorsport.com that Jimmie Johnson ran the package at this week's Darlington Raceway test.

"Everyone has wanted less down force and less drag because it would give the drivers more of that horsepower feeling back," Joey Logano told Motorsport.com. "In theory, this is where we all wanted to go with it. So if it doesn't work, we don't have to talk about it any more. It's obviously a big step to do this in the middle of the season."

NASCAR has not confirmed the report.

"NASCAR's commitment includes putting the best racing on the track," said NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp. "All options remain viable at this time."

The discussion of the current rules package as well as the 2016 plan has been a hot topic in recent weeks. The meeting between the newly formed drivers council that met with NASCAR officials two weeks ago in Dover included conversation on the issue.

"Everybody in this sport, the drivers, NASCAR, the owners - everyone wants it to be the best possible racing it can be," Carl Edwards said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. "I know everybody is working towards that. I don't know all the details of what's going on, but I think we're going to have better and better racing coming. I'm excited to find out exactly what it is."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/06/New-Aero-Package-Possible.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Eyeing Future​*
Martin Truex Jr.'s win at Pocono has Furniture Row Racing feeling good about its present and planning for the future.

Truex Jr. earned the team a spot in the Chase with his emotional victory last Sunday at Pocono Raceway. It capped an extraordinary run for the team that saw Truex Jr. lead the most laps in four straight races for a cumulative total of 454.

He led all of one lap a year ago.

But as bright as things are looking for the team these days, there's no time to rest. The opportunity to not just survive but thrive has presented the organization with a number of issues to tackle.

"It is it's about business," said Joe Garone, Furniture Row Racing General Manager. "We are in a sport that is real expensive. We truly can't afford to do it. We can do it. When I say we can't afford to do I mean at the level we want to push it to in order to be able to be in position to win a championship."

In order to achieve that goal, a change in manufacturer would be considered. The current Chevrolet team is willing to look at other manufacturers if need be.

"Chevrolet has been a great partner," Garone said. "We have been together for 10 years now. But they are spread across&#8230; they do a great job look at all the championships they have won. But to get to the level we need to get to we need to get a lot more support. We are open and have been looking to try and get that just to push our team forward further."

In addition to firming up its manufacturer alliance, the organization is also pursuing additional sponsorship. Furniture Row and Denver Mattress, the two companies of team owner Barney Visser, currently back the team.

However Garone says in a way that has been detrimental in the organization's quest to add more sponsors and grow the base of operation.

"One of the things about the No. 78 car is because it has always had Furniture Row and Denver Mattress on it everybody assumes it is sponsored," Garone said. "It has made it tough to find partners, but again Barney owns those companies. We need to get the word out that we are actively looking for sponsorship to come on board. Not just for the No. 78, but to expand the company into a multi-car team.

"It is for the long term growth of the team. We will just see what plays out and just keep pushing the button and try to expand this thing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/06/Furniture-Row-Eyeing-Future.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Michigan Pole Winner​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6776&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Kasey Kahne turned a lap of 201.992 mph to win the pole for the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

"Our Great Clips Chevrolet has had speed all three runs, so I knew we'd have a shot today, so that was cool," Kahne said. "It's been a while since we've had a pole."

It was Kahne's 27th career pole and third at Michigan. The Hendrick Motorsports driver hadn't won a pole in 90 races since 2012 until his run on Friday.

"It's going to be really important," Kahne said of starting in the number one position. "The track is going to change a lot, though, come Sunday, with all the racing going on this weekend and then our practices tomorrow. The track will be a lot different Sunday. So, there will be some passing for sure, but it's not going to be easy. So, track position will play a big role in being there at the end of the race."

Qualifying second at 201.613 mph was Kevin Harvick, who for the second week in a row was quickest in the first two rounds but couldn't get the top spot in the final round.

"Kasey put up a little better lap than I did, but it was still a solid run," Harvick said.

Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.

"It was a good lap," Keselowski said. "This is one of our weakness tracks here at Michigan International Speedway. We are working on it and trying to get better. I honestly didn't think we would qualify this well. We came with some new stuff on the car, which seems to be working. I am proud of everyone at Team Penske, Ford and Roush Yates engines for that."

Jeff Gordon, Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Among those notables that didn't make it far through the qualifying sessions were Dale Earnhardt Jr. (14th) with Tony Stewart (15th) and Danica Patrick (19th).

"I think we will race good," Earnhardt Jr. said. "This place is a lot of fun, wide race track. We will have a good competitive car. We haven't qualified well all year. I don't get too worried about it when we don't do well there. We should race well and have a lot of fun."

Brendan Gaughan failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday to dial their cars in for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 from Michigan International Speedway starting at 12 noon (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/06/Kasey-Kahne-Michigan-Pole-Winner.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Triumphant Return For Kyle Busch​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6784&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch returned to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in style on Saturday winning the Great Clips 250 Benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America at Michigan International Speedway.

Busch held off Chase Elliott to take the checkered flag in his first time back in the series since he was injured in a crash at the season-opening race in February.

"Just some good hard racing there at the end," Busch said. "It got crazy there but glad we were able to stay ahead and pull it off.

"I can't thank everyone enough for their support and thoughts during this road back here. Joe Gibbs Racing and everyone with the team has just been so supportive through this whole situation and of course having a great car like we did today is all about the team effort."

Busch drove his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to his 71st career series win. He led three times for 27 laps including the final four when he got by Elliott.

"This is only a preliminary for what we've got to do on Sundays, but this is a start," Busch said of his quest to make the Chase in the Sprint Cup Series.

Elliott, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five.

"He's obviously really good at what he does and I don't have an excuse for you. He outran me," Elliott said.

Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano finished sixth and seventh after the two made contact battling for position in the closing laps.

"We were racing for a win here and it just seems like he drove in there pretty hard trying to slide me," Logano said. "I drove up in there too and he got loose underneath me and got into my left rear and up we both went into the race track. It is unfortunate."

Harvick did not see the incident as anything but racing for position.

"It wasn't intentional," he said. "I just didn't let me foot out of it. Was going for the win."

Aric Almirola, Brian Scott and Denny Hamlin completed the first ten finishers.

Buescher has a 25 point lead over Ty Dillon in the series standings with Elliott 35 behind.

"We got to racing really hard with our teammate at the end and had a lot of fun," Buescher said of his battle with Sadler for position. "It was a fun race, it really was and the guys did a great job. We are in a good place in the points and we will go on to Chicagoland and try to do a little bit better."

The race was red flagged for a late incident that saw a number of cars get together including Brendan Gaughan, Paul Menard, Bubba Wallace, Cale Connelly, Ryan Reed and Jeremy Clements. All were uninjured in the melee.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Chicagoland Speedway next Saturday night.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Busch-Wins-Great-Clips-250-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Xfinity Series: Great Clips 200 Videos​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Custer Gets Gateway Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6831&StatType=Race+Results

MADISON, Ill. - Cole Custer took advantage of a five-lap shootout at Gateway Motorsports Park to score his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in Saturday night's American Ethanol presents the Drivin' for Linemen 200 brought to you by Ameren.

When race leader Tyler Reddick missed his second shift of the night on the final restart, Custer attacked and cleared the field to cruise to a 0.871-second triumph over Spencer Gallagher. It was the 17-year-old NASCAR Next driver's first win of the year and second for JR Motorsports, which won last month at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Kasey Kahne.

"I was just trying to tell myself 'no excuses,'" said Custer, who won in his third start of the year. "I think we were a little bit better than the 19 (Reddick). We struggled a little bit all day. I don't know, I'm just tired. I gotta thank Haas Automation, Gene Haas, Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller), Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) for giving me this opportunity and Hendrick engines, the pit crew for coming out.

"We put everything together, we didn't have the best truck, but we ran a great race."

After Matt Crafton and Erik Jones, who had the two strongest trucks of the night, endured problems late in the race, the revolving door opened with Custer answering.

For Gallagher, late-race strategy played into his hands - which ultimately led to his second career top-five finish.

"(We) didn't have the speed in our No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet that we wanted all day, but we started 14th, so pretty far back there and a track where track position is such a huge deal, that was kind of a cloud hanging over our head to begin with. My GMS Racing guys played the game right all night. We were able to hold off Sauter at the end there. I told my crew chief, better be lucky than good sometimes, I'll take it."

Mother Nature played her hand early at Gateway, cancelling qualifying after a brief, but heavy shower a few minutes into round one of knockout qualifying. The field was set per the rule book, putting Erik Jones on the pole after turning the fastest lap in practice earlier in the day.

Quickly, the track dried, but the start of the eighth race of the season was delayed nearly two hours after a heavy shower soaked the 1.25-mile oval shortly before pre-race ceremonies. Drivers were called to their trucks at 9:25 p.m. CST, with the command to fire engines less than 10 minutes later.

From the start, Jones kept the lead and held the point until the first caution waved on Lap 53 for a two-truck accident in Turn 1.

Matt Crafton won the race off pit road ahead of Erik Jones, Matt Tifft, Johnny Sauter and Tyler Reddick.

Racing resumed, but Crafton's lead would be short-lived as Jones, a NASCAR Next alum, made the pass on the outside and retook the lead from the defending series champion. Despite being chased by Crafton, Jones kept the lead until the second yellow flag waved on Lap 80 for debris.

While Jones elected to pit, Crafton stayed out, while Tyler Reddick, Johnny Sauter, Brandon Jones and Austin Theriault played strategy and took two tires. Jones was the first truck that elected for four tires and exited pit road sixth.

Crafton held the lead through Lap 91 when Tifft crashed in Turn 1.

Under the third caution of the race, Crafton pitted, handing the lead to his ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter with Custer second.

Restarting with 64 laps to go, Sauter found himself unable to hold off Custer, who ventured out to a half-second lead by Lap 100. Ten laps later, Custer had company in the form of Jones, who made the pass to reclaim the lead on Lap 112.

Six laps later, a stalled truck brought out another yellow, sending the lead lap trucks to pit road for service. A flawless stop by Crafton's team sent him back to the top ahead of Spencer Gallagher, who took two tires. Jones exited third, followed by Ray Black Jr. with no tires, and Reddick.

On the restart, Crafton was able to stay ahead, but Jones, hungry for his first win of the season, was quickly closing. Ultimately, Jones spun on the frontstretch 17 laps from the finish while trying to pass a lapped truck.

With Jones out of the mix, Crafton found Reddick, Custer and John Hunter Nemechek looking to deny him of his fourth win of 2015.

The green flag resumed with 10 laps remaining and Reddick wasted no time making his move and surging to the lead. Crafton's strong night would take a dramatic turn after Nemechek broke loose in Turn 3 and sent the No. 88 Toyota hard into the outside wall, yielding the sixth caution of the night.

Custer jumped out to the lead on the final restart and cruised the rest of the way to Victory Lane.

Behind Custer and Gallagher, Sauter, Nemechek and Cameron Hayley rounded out the top five, while Timothy Peters, Ben Kennedy, Reddick, Daniel Hemric and Austin Theriault comprised the top-10.

"I always knew that we had trucks capable of winning," Custer said. "We just had to put everything together for a race."
















*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/06/Cole-Custer-Gets-Gateway-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch Wins Rained Shortened Quicken Loans 400​*
Kurt Busch was ahead when rains hit Michigan International Speedway to end the shortened Quicken Loans 400.

Busch was leading when the day's final rain shower finally forced NASCAR officials to call the race complete after 138 laps.

It was Busch's second win of the season and 27th of his career. He gave Stewart-Haas Racing its first win at Michigan after scoring his third career victory at the two-mile track.

"(Crew chief) Tony Gibson led these guys through a back-up car, the pit crew was there giving it its best," Busch said. "It's an unbelievable feeling to know what we went through, paced ourselves and found the lead towards the latter part of the race and then the rain came in."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

"Yeah, I mean, you just had to wait on the weather to get moved out, wait on them to dry the track," Earnhardt Jr. said. "You know, it didn't give you a whole lot of opportunities to understand your car and know exactly how to adjust your car and what to work on, so we were still dealing with some issues that we wanted to improve when the final shower came."

Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Trevor Bayne and Clint Bowyer completed the first 10 finishers.

"We were able to use the strategy to our benefit and come out of here with a top-10 effort and that feels great for this team," Bayne said of his season-best finish. "We have been working hard to get up better results all season and to get this ninth place finish today is a confidence and momentum builder."

The race was stopped four times by red flags for rain.

There were 17 lead changes among 11 drivers in the race that had five caution flags for 38 laps.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 28th.

How Busch Won: Busch took the lead on lap 133 when Kyle Larson, who was trying to stretch his fuel and stay out on track as rain headed toward the track, headed to pit road. Five laps later the skies opened and the race was called awarding Busch the victory.

What Else Happened: Only 100 laps could be run under green flag conditions on a day that was plagued by weather-challenges from literally the drop of the green flag.

Who Had a Good Day: Martin Truex Jr. scored his 14th top-10 finish in the season's first 15 races to tie Richard Petty's mark in 1969&#8230;.Kenseth notched his first top-five Michigan finish since 2012&#8230;.Trevor Bayne had his best performance of the season with a ninth-place finish.

Who Had a Bad Day: Kevin Harvick was forced to pit for a second time when a valve stem failed and caused a flat tire. Harvick dropped from a 4.6-second lead to 36th position and fell two laps down. He was able to move up to an overall disappointing 29th-place finish. Kyle Busch took a big hit to his hopes of making the Chase when he slammed into the wall on lap 53 just as the field went back to green after the day's third red flag for weather. There were reports rain had started again just as the field was given the green. Busch's car suffered severe damage on the right front after the heavy impact.

Quote of the day: "My friends tell me I'm in for a treat," Dale Earnhardt Jr. on an upcoming trip to Germany flying commercial for the first time since 9/11.

Notables: Jimmie Johnson now has four finishes of 19th or worst in 2015&#8230;.Jeff Gordon has four finishes of 21st or worst&#8230;.Kurt Busch is the 13th driver to win three or more races at Michigan.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Shortened-Quicken-Loans-400-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Continues Roll​*
Martin Truex Jr. keeps performing at a high level with a third-place finish in Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

A week after scoring his first win of the year at Pocono Truex Jr. was again at the front of the field in Sunday's weather-plagued race following winner Kurt Busch and runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr. across the finish line.

"Yeah, just honestly a good weekend for us," Truex Jr. said. "Didn't qualify as well as we would have liked to, and right at the start of the race we kind of drove up there and got through traffic pretty good, got to the front and felt like we were in good shape."

There was an early race challenge for Truex Jr. on his first trip down pit road that put the team in a hole to play catch-up.

"I think the biggest thing that hurt us today was the first pit stop," he explained. "We had to wait on fuel, and we came out I think we came out seventh or something and I had to restart on the bottom and the bottom was tough to restart on today.

"Lost a lot of track position and fought the rest of the day trying to get it back, and ultimately lost spots to the 41 and Dale in traffic there with I don't know, 40 or so to go, I got inside the 41, had him passed, and he got back to my outside corner on the front straightaway in traffic and then he brought the 88 around the outside with me, and once they got me by I couldn't get close enough to get back by them."

Truex Jr. set a mark with his finish that hasn't been accomplished in 46 years. His third-place run gave him 14 top-10 finishes in the season's first 15 races, tying the mark set by Richard Petty in 1969.

"Just missed it a little bit today, but really proud of our season, really proud to have obviously my name mentioned next to Richard Petty, The King, is pretty special, so thankful for my team and what they've done this year, and hopefully we'll keep this thing rolling," Truex Jr. said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rtin-Truex-Jr-Finishes-Third-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway was eventful in both positive and negative ways.

*WINNERS*​
*Kurt Busch*
Sure, the race ended early. But it doesn't matter in the record book or to Busch. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver now has two wins in the regular season and helped cement their spot as one of the four top drivers and teams in the garage area.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
His remarkable season continued Sunday with a third-place finish. Truex is now in rarified air. Richard Petty was the last driver to score 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races of a season, back in 1969.

*Team Penske*
Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski finished fifth and sixth, respectively. They didn't win, but those were still decent performances. The Ford camp played second fiddle in the manufacturer wars on Sunday, but a pair of top-10 finishes for Team Penske wasn't too shabby.

*Trevor Bayne*
The much-maligned Roush Fenway Racing team will take any ray of hope and it got one with Bayne's ninth-place finish in Michigan. There was some rainy-day strategy that played into the performance, but a top 10 has to feel good for RFR and Bayne the way this season has gone.

*NASCAR*
It was a challenging day for everyone, but the sanctioning body did everything in its power to try and give the fans as much of a race as possible. Finally, the fourth red flag and the deluge that hit the track spelled the end of the race on Lap 138.

*LOSERS​*
*Kyle Busch*
His Chase chances may be cooked thanks to a trip into the wall and a 43rd-place finish on Sunday. Busch is 39th in points and has to gain nine spots plus win a race in the next 11 events, a feat not impossible but becoming more difficult with each passing week.

*Greg Biffle*
The old saying about Michigan International Speedway being Roush Fenway Racing's "playground" seems like ancient history. Biffle struggled to find even a sliver of speed and after qualifying 21st, he finished a dismal 36th.

*Kevin Harvick*
Looked like the class of the field - again - until disaster struck late in the race. Harvick had a 4.6-second advantage on the field, but an issue with a valve stem sent him back to pit road for service and when the checkered flag flew, Harvick was saddled with a 29th-place finish - not at all indicative of the kind of car he had Sunday.

*Kyle Larson*
A gallant try for victory with a late-race gamble on fuel didn't pan out for Larson. Crew chief Chris Heroy elected to keep him on the track as the race leader in hopes of being out front when the final burst of showers hit. The idea fell five laps short of working out as Larson ran low on fuel, and was forced to give up the lead and report to pit road.

*Jeff Gordon*
Gordon suffered his fourth finish of 21st or worst this season after challenges on pit road, a recurring theme for the "24" team in recent weeks. After leading Saturday's final practice session, Gordon saw his hopes of a fast racecar go out the window.


























*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nternational-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Labbe Named Crew Chief For Dillon​*
Richard Childress Racing has made a change in crew chiefs for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program, effective immediately.

Veteran crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe will assume crew chief responsibilities for the No. 3 Dow/American Ethanol/Cheerios/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS team with Austin Dillon as the driver. Labbe's first race with the team will be the Sonoma Raceway road-course event on Sunday, June 28.

Labbe's wins include the 2003 Daytona 500 and 2011 Brickyard 400 championship, as part of 433 Cup starts to his credit. Dillon, a two-time NASCAR champion, is currently 23rd in driver's points standings.

Martin will move into a leadership role within the RCR R&D Department, taking over Labbe's responsibilities. As a Sprint Cup crew chief, Martin has visited Victory Lane 16 times in 472 NSCS starts, including a 2003 Brickyard 400 victory, and has finished in the top-10 in year-end championship points seven times. Martin also has eight wins to his credit in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Labbe-Named-Crew-Chief-for-Austin-Dillon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Bound For Germany​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is traveling to Germany during the off-week ahead for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to learn more about where his ancestors are from.

After studying genealogy for the past five years, Earnhardt's making the journey overseas to add to what he's found so far in his research.

"I have some specific towns we're going to visit, that we understand my ancestors are from," he said. "I promised myself I would go to Germany to learn more about my ancestors when I turn 40, so here I am."

Two weeks ago, during Motor Racing Network's pre-race show at Pocono Raceway, Earnhardt talked about what he's learned of his ancestry so far.

"For the most part, the Earnhardts were wagon makers back in the 1700s and 1800s," he said. "They were Lutherans in Germany, in a very small town called Illesheim. They traveled to Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s and had a couple generations around Pennsylvania that eventually moved down to Salisbury, N.C., and sort of branched out between Salisbury and Kannapolis. I had some family members that fought in the wars and I've learned all about that."

Today's flight to Germany will mark the first time Earnhardt has flown on a commercial airline in more than a decade.

"I'm nervous about flying over there," he said. "I haven't flown commercial since 9/11."

Earnhardt won't be alone on his journey. He'll be traveling with a small group that includes his girlfriend, Amy Reimann.

"I'm taking my sister (Kelly Earnhardt Miller) and "L.W.," her husband, Larry Wayne," Earnhardt said. "Amy is going with me, of course, and the lead IT guy at JR Motorsports, Martin Frederick. He's from Germany, so he's going to be with us and help us understand how not to insult anybody.

"My friends tell me I'm in for a treat. Hopefully, it's a good trip."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/06/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Headed-to-Germany.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Rules For Kentucky​*
NASCAR will have a new aerodynamic rules package, featuring less downforce, in place for next month's Quaker State 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

The idea had been rumored all weekend at Michigan International Speedway and was made official Tuesday during a national media teleconference with Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer.

Major changes include a smaller rear spoiler and other adjustments that will significantly reduce aerodynamic downforce. The spoiler will now be 3.5 inches tall. There'll also be a 25-inch-wide splitter extension. In addition, tires supplied by Goodyear will provide drivers with more grip.

"We're committed to putting the best racing on the track," O'Donnell said. "The work won't stop with this announcement."

For now, the rules change is only for the race at Kentucky on July 11. But O'Donnell said changes could also come to other tracks this season if things go well. The hope is for more competition and increased lead changes. There were 396 changes for the lead last season at this point, with 302 so far in 2015.

"We want to see more lead changes on the racetrack," O'Donnell said. "We'll evaluate that and a number of different factors coming out of Kentucky, see what we can learn and implement down the road."

Teams will have a full day to test at Kentucky Speedway on Wednesday, July 8, prior to race weekend. There was talk earlier this year that the proposed rules package would be used in last month's All-Star Race. But that idea was scrubbed. Teams have been testing the package through simulation.

"Let me be clear. This is not a test, this is a race," O'Donnell said of the rules package that will be in effect for the 18th round of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series. "We've had an extensive testing plan with the industry over the last 18 months. We wouldn't implement this if we didn't feel confident as an industry to implement it at Kentucky."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/E1950E83DF1A4BA58F0908678F581CF3.ashx?w=602&h=345


----------



## Ckg2011

*Viva Motorsports Ceasing Operations​*
Viva Motorsports announced that it will cease operations effective this week. The team's showing at Michigan International Speedway this past weekend will serve as its last appearance in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Viva Motorsports came on the NASCAR scene in 2009. Since then, the team has competed in 13 races in the Camping World Truck Series and over 70 events in the XFINITY Series. This season, drivers Jeffrey Earnhardt, Brandon Gdovic and Jamie Dick have gone to work behind the wheel of the Viva Motorsports' machines. The team garnered 3 top-20 finishes this season with Earnhardt's 12th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway proving the team's best effort of the year.

Owner Jamie Dick explains the decision, "It takes a tremendous level of commitment to compete at this level of auto racing, especially when striving to get better on limited resources, week in and week out. It has come to a point where my family and I cannot continue to make the personal and financial commitments that this sport requires. I have always been proud of the quality of race team we brought to the track. Instead of lessening that quality, we decided to take a step back from the sport."

"I want to thank the whole NASCAR community for allowing me to be part of the family," said Dick. "I want to thank our sponsors and our fans for all the support through the years. But most of all, I want to thank the employees of Viva Motorsports, both past and present, for making this team the best it could be."

All team assets have been purchased. The No. 55 will appear in a handful of races in the 2015 season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/E17F72AE8A0A447E8045FB28A78C0716.ashx?w=602&h=345


----------



## Ckg2011

*Nemechek, Now 18, Goes Full-Time​*
There is a dawning of a new era in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with the advancement of driver John Hunter Nemechek to full-time status.

On Thursday, Nemechek celebrated his 18th birthday. Friday, he headed to Gateway Motorsports Park as the primary driver of the No. 8 NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet.

Nemechek has been sharing seat time with his father, veteran Sprint Cup Series competitor Joe Nemechek. Now, he's old enough to be eligible to finish the remainder of the season starting with Saturday night's American Ethanol Presents the Drivin' for Linemen 200 Brought to You by Ameren.

Nemechek has two Truck Series starts this season, finishing 29th at Martinsville Speedway and 22nd at Dover. In 14 career races, he has one top five and six top-10 finishes. Last season at Gateway, he led 53 laps before a late spin relegated him to 15th place.

"We ran very well there, made huge improvements from the first practice," Nemechek said of last year's effort. "It's a fun track. Both corners are different, so you have to get your truck handling well. It's a driver's track. We're dedicated to trying to get a win at Gateway and hoping a lot of late nights at the shop bring a good result."

Joe Nemechek will take in the race from the Motor Racing Network broadcast booth, where he will serve as a guest analyst for "The Voice of NASCAR."

Two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton has made a big imprint on the 2015 season seven races into the schedule. He has three wins and a 25-point lead over Tyler Reddick in his bid for a third straight title.

Crafton is looking for his first Gateway victory and had one of the worst outings of his championship season there in 2014. He finished 26th among 32 trucks. Crafton was sidelined by an accident three-quarters of the way through the race.

Crafton's average finish this season is 3.0. If his eighth-place showing in the season opener at Daytona is removed, the average finish improves to 2.2.

None of the 31 drivers entered at Gateway has ever won on the 1.25-mile oval. Darrell Wallace Jr. took the checkered flag last year but has since moved over to the XFINITY Series.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hn-Hunter-Nemechek-Now-18-Goes-Full-Time.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Pops The Question In Germany​*
Congrats to them both. 















Dale Earnhardt Jr. got engaged to Amy Reimann today during the couple's trip to Germany.

Both Earnhardt and Reimann announced the news on Twitter.

Earnhardt is over in Germany this week to learn more about his family history and is adding to it with today's announcement.

For the past five years, Earnhardt has been studying genealogy and he made the journey overseas during the off-week for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to add to what he's found so far in his research.

He's traveling with a group that includes his sister, Kelly Earnhardt Miller, and her husband.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Earnhardt-Jr-Gets-Engaged-to-Amy-Reimann.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: A Welcome Break For Some​*
The second off-weekend of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series comes at the right time for a number of drivers and teams.

Ten drivers are in this year's Chase field thanks to their wins in the opening 15 races, putting others in the pressure cooker to find a way into the "playoffs."

Only 11 races remain in the regular season. For some, this mini-vacation is the perfect time to take a breath, regroup and come back strong for the summer stretch.

*Jeff Gordon*
This is not how Gordon thought his final season would go. It's not that he's been terrible this year, by any means. He's had three top fives and eight top-10 finishes, and won three poles. But Gordon is still winless - though if not for a pair of speeding penalties on pit road, he might be a multiple winner. Gordon must find a tad more consistency and his team must eliminate miscues on pit road. Gordon still has the feel of a Chase driver. But a trip to Victory Lane would go a long way toward building more confidence in that assessment.

*Jimmie Johnson*
A weekend off might not be the worst thing for the series wins leader. Johnson has four victories and at times, has looked like the dominating figure that won six Sprint Cup Series championships. But there have been other races where it was the exact opposite. Johnson has four finishes of 19th or worse to go with those four wins. Last weekend's Michigan outing was nothing to write home about. Perhaps a little time away from the track is in order.

*Tony Stewart*
The way Stewart's year has been going, any time where he's not in a Sprint Cup car might be welcomed. There are no signs that Stewart is close to busting out of the dismal slump he's been dealing with for nearly two years. He's 26th in the point standings. Stewart has just one top 10 to show for his efforts and continues searching for a path to improved performance. The upcoming rule change for the Kentucky race could be the perfect medicine for Stewart.

*Clint Bowyer*
There's a glimmer of hope with a top-10 finish in the rain-shortened Michigan race. It was the Michael Waltrip Racing driver's fourth top 10 of the season, but it's been rare - if at all - that Bowyer has challenged for a win. He has a new crew chief in Billy Scott, with Brian Pattie now calling the shots for teammate David Ragan. There's bound to be a learning curve. Bowyer's winless drought is well past two years and his shot to return to the Chase is seriously in doubt.

*Greg Biffle*
His second-place finish in last month's Coca-Cola 600 seems like ancient history after the way Biffle followed up at Dover, Pocono and Michigan. It's a broken record to say Biffle and the entire Roush Fenway Racing stable are neck deep in frustration. Is it possible that Biffle could somehow steal a win in the next 11 races? Anything's possible but at this point, that would take a fuel-mileage or strategy assist since pure speed and handling are MIA.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/06/Opinion-A-Welcome-Break-for-Some.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ross Kenseth Eyes XFINITY Debut​*
Ross Kenseth will follow in his father Matt's footsteps when he makes his first XFINITY Series start Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway.

The second-generation driver will wheel the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Owens Corning AttiCat 300. It's a moment the father-son duo has been looking forward to for some time.

"It's one of those weekends (where) the Sprint Cup Series is off, so having my dad there will be a big help," the younger Kenseth said.

"Ross has been working hard, trying to get this opportunity for a long time," added the elder Kenseth. "Everybody at (sponsor) Dollar General has been a huge supporter of mine and I can't say enough about them picking up this race for Ross. It's going to be neat to see him in that car. I know Ross can do a good job and can't wait to be part of that."

While Saturday night will mark the younger Kenseth's first XFINITY Series start, he does have experience on larger tracks like the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway oval. Ross ran an ARCA race at Kansas Speedway last October and won in that series last Friday at Michigan International Speedway.

"I'm sure that win was a confidence booster for Ross," said Matt Kenseth. "It was fun for me to listen to his feedback, watch him interact with the team and - of course - win."

Ross credits having his dad at Michigan as another huge advantage in his development.

"During the race, he was quiet," Ross explained. "There were a lot of things beforehand that he told me about the way those cars are, aero-wise, and how hard it is to get around guys in traffic and not get yourself into a tight spot. It helped me out quite a bit. Even after the race, when we watched it together, we saw a few things I could have done better."

The Kenseths hope Saturday will lead to more opportunities for Ross, who continues to compete in Late Models - where he finished second to Erik Jones last weekend at Berlin Raceway in Michigan. For now, the focus and concentration is on Chicagoland Speedway.

Last week, Ross Kenseth had some anxiety before the ARCA race in Michigan. Now, he has a different outlook thanks to the win.

"I'm more prepared than I was a week ago," he said. "That's a good thing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kenseth-Eyes-NASCAR-XFINITY-Series-Debut.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rookies Ready To Shine In Iowa​*
With the 2015 Camping World Truck Series approaching the halfway mark, an accomplished group of rookie drivers is making its presence felt.

Heading into Friday night's American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway, four freshmen - with an average age of 21 - are among the top 10 in the standings. At the head of the class is 19-year-old Erik Jones, the defending race winner who was victorious last season while running a partial schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

He's among 33 drivers on the entry list and is in pursuit of his first series win of 2015. Jones will drive the No. 4 KBM Toyota.

"The whole team is excited about going back to Iowa Speedway," said Jones, making his second visit to the Newton oval this season. He finished third in last month's XFINITY Series race. "I'm looking forward to another short track. We showed good speed last weekend at Gateway (Motorsports Park) and we have a good shot at defending our race win of a year ago."

Jones is leading the chase for Rookie of the Year in the Truck Series and stands fourth in overall points - behind only Matt Crafton, Tyler Reddick and Johnny Sauter. If Jones wins again on Friday, he'll become the first driver with back-to-back Truck Series victories at Iowa Speedway since the track first hosted the tour in 2009.

His winning average speed of 110.429 mph from last summer stands as a track record. And Jones heads to Iowa perhaps a little more familiar with the seven-eighths-mile oval than many of his rivals. In addition to last month's XFINITY Series race, he also participated in a Goodyear Tire test there.

"It will be an advantage because the track has definitely changed since last year," Jones said. "It's developed quite a big bump going down into Turn 1, so it's going to help knowing some of the tendencies of the track."

Jones has a busy weekend ahead. He's also entered in Saturday night's Owens Corning AttiCat 300 XFINITY Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, where he made his series debut in 2014.

"There are some things I can apply from that to take into this weekend," said Jones, who'll drive the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that Kyle Busch took to Victory Lane last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

"We'll take momentum from that Michigan win and see if we can go back-to-back," Jones said. "I know we'll have a fast car."

He also knows he'll have his hands full with that fast rookie class of Truck Series competitors he'll face first in Iowa. Eighteen-year-old Cameron Hayley is sixth in the standings, one spot ahead of Spencer Gallagher - the "old man" in this year's freshman class at 25 years old.

"Iowa is such a perfect match for our trucks," said Gallagher, who drives the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet. "There are multiple lanes because you're always looking around for grip."

Gallagher is coming off a second-place finish (to Cole Custer) last weekend at Gateway and looking to build more momentum.

"That was huge for us," he said. "It gives us confidence and something to build on. I'm encouraged by the way this team is progressing."

The fourth rookie currently among the top 10 in the point standings is 24-year-old Daniel Hemric from NTS Motorsports. He finished ninth at Gateway and will arrive in Iowa looking for improvement on that.

"The last few weeks, our team has hit its stride," said Hemric, who has a string of three straight top-10 finishes. "Tracks under a mile, like Iowa, feel like home to me because I've been racing short tracks all my life. This team keeps making steady gains. We've been in the hunt, just not able to close the deal with a victory. We definitely have that chance in Iowa."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Rookies-Ready-to-Shine-at-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*RCR Races To Chicago​*
Richard Childress Racing brings a solid quartet of drivers into Saturday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

In addition to its trio of regular XFINITY Series drivers Ty Dillon, Brian Scott and Brendan Gaughan, RCR has two-time 2015 winner Austin Dillon also on board this weekend.

The older Dillon brother's appearance should strike fear in the hearts of his competitors based on what he's accomplished this year. Dillon has turned in a pair of dominating performances to win at 1.5-mile tracks like Chicagoland in both Las Vegas and Charlotte. In just 10 series starts this year Dillon has led 369 laps with seven top-five finishes, including his two wins.

His track record at Chicagoland is also not too shabby with three top-five performances in four career series starts.

"I love Chicago," Dillon said. "It's one of the coolest tracks we go to because of how many grooves there are. You can run all over that track and gain speed. I'm excited to get there. I've had a lot of fun driving the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet this year in the XFINITY Series, hopefully we can grab another win."

Dillon's younger brother Ty is still in the thick of the battle for the series championship although he lost ground to leader Chris Buescher last week at Michigan International Speedway. Ty enters the weekend 25 behind his Roush Fenway Racing competitor.

He'll make career start number three at Chicagoland Saturday night and has finished in the top-10 in both previous appearances. Dillon also has an ARCA win at Chicagoland coming back in 2011.

"We're looking to rebound from last weekend, where I don't think we finished as well as we could have," Dillon said. "Last season we had two strong outings at Chicagoland, but obviously want more. Our 1.5-mile program is second-to-none in the XFINITY Series. I expect our team to qualify well, lead laps and compete for a win. We need a win to stay strong in this driver points battle."

As do his other two teammates Scott and Gaughan. Although they have their work cut out to climb back into the championship picture.

Scott has slipped to seventh in the standings and finds himself 95 points out of the lead.

He's been fast at Chicagoland before, including winning pole positions, and is hoping to carry that through to the end and make a trip to Victory Lane.

"Chicagoland Speedway has been a great track for me in the XFINITY Series. We swept both poles there last year, so qualifying has been good for us," Scott said. "We've been able to lead laps at Chicagoland. We just need to finish the deal. We've been able to do everything else at Chicago, except take home the trophy."

Gaughan has had his shot at taking a trophy home from Chicagoland speedway five times prior in the XFINITY Series as well as three shots in the Camping World Truck Series. While he's completed 99 percent of the laps run in those eight races he's yet to win something Gaughan feels he has a chance to accomplish Saturday night in the stand-alone event.

"Chicagoland is 1.5-mile race track and it is in my wheelhouse of the style track I really enjoy racing," he said. "It is one of those places in the group of Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway that really fit my style."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Owens Corning AttiCat 300 from Chicagoland Speedway starting at 9 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ichard-Childress-Racing-Races-to-Chicago.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chicago Double For Reed And Suárez​*
NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Ryan Reed and Daniel Suárez will get some extra seat time this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.

Before taking the green flag in Saturday night's Owens Corning AttiCat 300, both drivers will compete in the ARCA Racing Series Scott 150. Reed's opportunity to make his 15th career ARCA start, and first since 2012, came together last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. He will drive the No. 58 Lilly Diabetes Ford for Lira Motorsports.

"The folks at Lira Motorsports were talking to Jack (Roush) about one of his XFINITY drivers running his ARCA car at Chicago so Jack thought of me, which is really cool," Reed said. "Extra seat time can never hurt. They have great stuff over there. I've worked with (crew chief) Teddy Brown before."

Although there are differences between XFINITY and ARCA Series cars, Reed feels there will be some things he will be able to learn at Chicagoland Speedway, a track where he's made three combined starts between the two series.

"There'll be some good things, like being able to feel what the track is doing," said Reed, who saw his best ARCA finish come at Chicago, fifth place. "Chicagoland can be weather-sensitive and you also have to separate Hoosier from Goodyear rubber. That makes a big difference. The aero platform is going to be different. There will be some things I'll learn from running double duty and some things I'm going to have to separate as a driver, and not get too caught up in. It will be fun to run 300 laps, but there will also be some challenges."

This will be the first time Reed will drive in back-to-back races on a big track. The 100-lap ARCA race will start at 7 p.m. (ET) with the 200-lap XFINITY race to follow at approximately 9:30 p.m.

"When I was running Late Models out West, I ran a Legends car and a Late Model in one night, but nothing like this," Reed said. "You have to be more mentally prepared and (have) a game plan set as a driver on how you're going to approach the two different cars."

XFINITY Rookie-of-the-Year contender Suárez will race the No. 15 ARRIS Toyota in the ARCA Race for Venturini Motorsports, the same team Reed drove for in 2012.

"Chicagoland Speedway is one of the tracks I've looked forward to visiting since the beginning of the season," Suárez said. "I made one start here last year and felt comfortable, even though it was only my second career event in the series. We've got a very interesting challenge with competing in two races, practically one right after the other."

The Scott 150 will mark Suárez's third career ARCA start. He has yet to finish outside the top five including second place at Daytona International Speedway earlier this season. Reed and Suárez currently sit eighth and 10th, respectively, in the XFINITY Series standings.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Suarez-Double-Up-at-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Driver Spotlight: Daniel Suárez​*
What started as a hobby turned into a profession for Daniel Suárez. After a friend got him interested in karting, Suárez, who is from Monterrey, Mexico, pursued racing in his home country and then made the move to the United States. He now competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing and the Camping World Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Recently, Motor Racing Network spoke to Suárez about his journey in motor sports.

*Q: How did you become interested in racing?*

*Suárez:* My family doesn't come from racing at all. My dad has a restoration shop. When I was 11, a good friend of mine invited me to watch him race his go-kart. Then he gave me the opportunity to drive it. It was just a hobby, then my dad got interested in it. He went one time with me and decided to support me. A few months later, we got our own go-kart and drove our first race. It was good. Just like everything (else), we wanted to be more competitive; and started getting deeper and deeper into it, and I really enjoyed it. My third or fourth race, I won. I felt great and I liked it. We moved up the ladder in Mexico, and then in the United States and Europe. When I was racing in Europe, I figured out that it was difficult to have the sponsors to race there. I had a good opportunity to race in NASCAR and I started to race ovals. Since then, I've been lucky with everything.

*Q: If it wasn't for the NASCAR Mexico Series, do you think you would be where you are today?*

*Suárez:*I don't. Thanks to the NASCAR Mexico Series, I learned a lot about ovals and the rules. Definitely, it's very different than what I drive now in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. But without the NASCAR Mexico Series, maybe I would be doing something else. NASCAR wasn't an option without that series in Mexico.

*Q: When did you move to the United States and what were your feelings about leaving home to pursue a career in racing?*

*Suárez:* A lot of people have been on my side for a long time and told me I had the skills to do something in this sport. They told me it's important to communicate with people, teams and everyone in the States. I didn't speak English. When I was 19, I moved to the United States without friends, without money. My opportunity came in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and I was racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series, as well. That's how everything got started.

*Q: Do you credit Jose Sabates as one of the key figures that helped you get into NASCAR?*

*Suárez:* Jose, Felix's brother, was one of the people who said I should move to the United States. He was the first one that started pushing and is a very good friend of mine.

*Q: What do you remember about your first NASCAR race?*

*Suárez:* It was the Toyota All-Star Showdown in 2011. That was fun because in that one, I didn't speak English at all. I was young and didn't have a lot of experience on ovals. We ended up doing pretty well (finished 11th).

*Q: How would you rate your progress on the ovals, especially with the transition to the Truck and XFINITY Series?*

*Suárez:*It's good, but I think it can be better. It can always be better. We're learning a lot. We are adapting to everything - racetracks, racecar drivers and the car. One year ago, I didn't have any experience in a national series. Now, we're showing speed in both series. That's something I'm very happy about, but we have to keep working on it and keep digging.

*Q: Who in the Joe Gibbs stable do you lean on the most for advice?*

*Suárez:* Steve deSouza (executive vice president of NASCAR XFINITY/development for JGR). He's been very helpful to me. But everyone has. What I like about Joe Gibbs Racing is that they're a family. Everyone takes care of each other. I'm happy to have landed in this organization. They have helped me in everything, even in my personal life. I don't have my mom or my dad in the States. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch have been super-helpful to me; and Kyle Busch, mostly in the last month-and-a-half.

*Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of racing?*

*Suárez:* Restoring cars. I also like to exercise and work out. That's very important in this sport. But when I'm not getting ready for the racetrack, I'm working with my cars. I love playing with old cars.

*Q: What's your favorite car?*

*Suárez:* I have 1959 Volkswagen with sunroof, European, and that's a cool one. I have a few in Mexico as well, but for now I have two - the '59 and I have a 1994.

*Q: How often do you get to go back to Mexico?*

*Suárez:* I used to go very often but right now, with the schedule we have, it's difficult. The money that I would use to go back to Mexico, I'm saving to bring my mom and sisters to the States.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/06/Daniel-Suarez-Driver-Spotlight.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Ends Streak of Bad Luck​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6832&StatType=Race+Results

Last season, a powerful run through Iowa Speedway helped Erik Jones finally emerge from the tall shadows cast by bad luck.

But the talented 19-year-old's relationship with misfortune re-formed in 2015 - until, again, Iowa.

Jones entered Friday's American Ethanol 200 winless in eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts this season and stung by back-to-back finishes of 23rd and 15th.

He left the track pumping his fists, victorious.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver led 112 laps and dominated most of the race en route to his fifth career series triumph.

"We've had fast trucks," Jones said. "Things just haven't been happening. Just kept fighting the good fight and waited for it to come around."

Jones sped to the victory by 5.661 seconds over Brandon Jones, who notched a career-best runner-up finish.

Tyler Reddick finished third, Matt Crafton took fourth and Christopher Bell - in his first career start - completed the top five. Crafton retained his points lead by 12 over Reddick. Jones now stands third, 26 points behind Crafton.

"I think we've had speed all year long, honestly," said Brandon Jones, whose GMS Racing teammate, Spencer Gallagher, secured a career-high second last weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park. "It's just starting to come around for us."

Bell started 10th and the former USAC National Midget Champion hadn't raced on pavement until last September.

"I just had one expectation and goal and that was just to finish the race," Bell said. "I really didn't know what to expect, so to come out with a top five, I'm just thrilled about it."

A different type of excitement pulsed through Jones, who earlier Friday became the series' youngest Keystone Light 21 means 21 Pole winner at Iowa (19 years, 20 days).

He led the first 43 laps, slipped back to ninth after a lap 53 restart, but patiently threaded to third by lap 98.

Jones re-took the lead for good on lap 128, surging by Crafton on another restart and within 15 laps had built a 1.5-second advantage.

Crafton led 33 laps and nearly outdueled Reddick for third in the closing stages. His ThorSport Racing teammates, Johnny Sauter and Cameron Hayley, led 14 and 37 laps, respectively, before mechanical issues put them off the pace.

Jones finally evaded a similar setback.

"This one's just enjoyment now," Jones said. "We're back in the swing of things. I guess the last month was just stressful all around. Stressful on me as a person. ... I kind of came to realize it doesn't come as easy as everybody thinks it does. I had a lot of success early on and definitely got into kind of a hard spot."

Make that hard spots.

His win last season at Iowa's fast, short track ignited a much-needed hot streak that followed a 23rd-place finish at Gateway.

Deja vu?

"It's really similar," Jones said. "Last year we really kind of came off the same beginning to the season to this point and went here and kind of turned everything around. So I would say our luck or whatever you want to call it was worse this year at the beginning of the year than it was last year, but definitely a similar feel in getting back to Victory Lane here and getting things going in the right direction."

It worked last season.

Jones closed out the 2014 Camping World Trucks season with two more wins and posted at least a top-seven finish in seven of the final eight races.

And while it's doubtful 2015 will fully mirror 2014, Jones offered a confident prediction.

"It took is a while to get here, but now that we're here I think we'll keep reeling a few off."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ns-American-Ethanol-200-at-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dillon Brothers Top Chicago Practice​*
Ty and Austin Dillon, respectively, topped both NASCAR XFINITY practice sessions at Chicagoland Speedway for Saturday night's Owens Corning AttiCat 300.

Ty posted the fastest lap of the day in the opening session at 177.392 mph while Austin showed the way in final practice with a lap of 177.340 mph.

Austin will be making his 11th series start and has two dominating wins, combining to lead 346 laps, at 1.5-mile tracks this year driving the No. 33 Chevrolet.

Ryan Blaney, who was in the top three in both sessions in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, posted the best 10 consecutive lap average (173.183) in final practice.

JJ Yeley (176.546), Blaney (175.245), Drew Herring (175.245) and Ty Dillon (174.317) rounded out the top five in the final session. Herring practiced the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for Erik Jones, who is racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race tonight at Iowa Speedway.

Ross Kenseth, who is making his series debut, was 14th fastest in the final practice. During the first practice, Kenseth had a scare when he got loose coming out of Turn 4, but was able to keep the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota out of the wall and the grass when he lost control.

"We were pretty free there for most of the session on throttle," Kenseth said. "Spent a lot of time working on that and got in the gas pretty hard off of (turn) four and started stepping out and got to the point I thought I had it and it got really loose and then from there it was hanging on, not trying to hit the wall or get into the grass and knock the front off it."

When he returned to the garage area, Ross went on top of the hauler to talk to his father Matt.

"He asked if it was all out of my system or not," Ross said with a laugh. "Hopefully it is. I think you have to know where the edge is at and I got there, a little bit too far on the wrong side of that line."

NASCAR Next driver Dylan Lupton, who is making his first start on a 1.5-mile track and his third career series start, was seventh fastest in the final practice driving the No. 25 Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet. Prior to today, Lupton had never tested or raced at a track larger than Phoenix International Raceway.

"It's a big step going from Phoenix to here, but I felt like I was ready," Lupton said. "I really just worked to up to speed. I just wanted to get my feet underneath me and make sure the racecar was comfortable and work on getting faster and faster. I feel like towards the end of the (first) session we were starting to get fast on older tires."

Qualifying will take place Saturday at 5:15 p.m. (ET).

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Owens Corning AttiCat 300 beginning at 9 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. Chase Elliott is the defending winner._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ustin-Dillon-top-Practice-at-Chicagoland.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*2016 DAYTONA 500 Tickets On Sale Monday​*
Tickets for next year's 58th running of the DAYTONA 500 will go on sale Monday, June 22, at 9 a.m. (ET).

It'll be the first "500" to be run following completion of the $400 million "DAYTONA Rising" redevelopment project.

Fans will be able to witness the 2016 DAYTONA 500 - to be run on Sunday, Feb. 21 - in the new motor sports stadium that features 101,500 new, wider seats; thousands of premium club seats; 40 escalators and 17 elevators; 60 luxury suites; social "neighborhoods" and three concourse levels that span the frontstretch.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP (748-7467) or visiting www.DAYTONA500.com.

Hospitality and premium-seat packages, including the Trioval Club and Rolex 24 Lounge, and Sprint FANZONE/pre-race wristbands are also available. For all other Speedweeks events, children 12 and under are $10 in reserved grandstands, and free in general-admission areas and in Sprint FANZONE.

Fans also can visit PrimeSport.com, the new official ticket exchange and travel provider of Daytona International Speedway. In addition to "The Great American Race," fans may purchase tickets and multi-day packages for remaining events during Speedweeks, which kicks off with the 58th Rolex 24 At Daytona TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event Jan. 30-31.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/06/2016-Daytona-500-Tickets.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic - NASCAR's Only Race On Dirt!​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Postpones Chicagoland Race​*
Heavy rain forced NASCAR officials to postpone Saturday night's scheduled XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The skies around Chicagoland Speedway opened up just before 8 p.m. central time and with more storms on the horizon the decision to postpone the race until Sunday was made.

MRN will be on the air at 12 Noon (ET) on Sunday for the rescheduled race and broadcast.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/06/Chicagoland-Race-Postponed.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Byron Brings It Home At Langley​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&RaceID=6858&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

William Byron made a trip to Langley Speedway a couple of weeks ago to race a Late Model car and also get familiar with the tight .375-mile track. That trip paid off for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points leader.

Byron took the lead from pole sitter Rico Abreu on Lap 1 and held off late challenges to score his third win of the season winning the Visit Hampton VA 175 Saturday night.

Kyle Benjamin was able to get past Dalton Sargeant for second place with about 10 laps to go and held on for his best finish since his win in April with Sargeant coming home third to give NASCAR Next drivers all three podium positions.

Gray Gaulding rebounded from having to make a pit stop on the opening pace laps to replace his radio and started in the last row to finish fourth.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver Jay Beasley finished fifth for his second top-five finish in as many races for Rev Racing.

Scott Heckert was sixth with local Langley Speedway Late Model competitior Justin Carroll seventh in his first series start. Nick Drake, Abreu and Austin Hill completed the top 10.

The race was slowed just three times by caution and was completed in 58:43 for a new race record average speed of 70.815 mph.

Byron also expanded his points lead to 23 points over Kyle Benjamin (253-230) with Austin Hill now third with 226 points.

The Visit Hampton VA 175 will be televised on NBCSN on Thursday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action at Columbus Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 4 for the NAPA 150.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...5/William-Byron-Wins-at-Langley-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones Takes Two​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6785&StatType=Race+Results

JOLIET, Ill. - Erik Jones scored his second XFINITY Series win of the season, and second NASCAR win of the weekend, in Sunday's rain-delayed Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Jones got around Ryan Blaney on the race's final restart and then went on to take the checkered flag. The win followed up his triumph in Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway.

"Just a great car all weekend," Jones said. "I want to thank Joe Gibbs Racing and Drew Herring who got this car dialed in for us while we were in Iowa. I knew if I could get a run on the 22 at the end I had a car capable of getting away and once I got by him and got out front the car was just fantastic."

He led six times for 94 laps including the final 11 to notch career win number two.

"I feel like the mile-and-a-half program is so good with this team," said Jones who has won both XFINITY Series races in his career on 1.5-mile tracks. "Just a solid day all around and to be able to sweep the Father's Day weekend is just incredible."

Blaney finished second to match his season best finish that he scored at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

Blaney had to come from the rear of the field in a back-up car after damaging his primary machine earlier in the weekend. But he wasted not time driving to the front of the field.

The Team Penske driver seemed to be the car to beat at the end until Jones made what turned out to be the winning move.

"It's unfortunate," Blaney said after he was forced to settle for second place. "Our car was good early and then we made some adjustments to make it better when the handling went away some. But we had a good run there at the end just couldn't keep it out front."

Austin Dillon, Brendan Gaughan and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five.

"That was good comeback for us," said Buescher. "Had some trouble on pit road there but proud of the team that we were able to get back to the front and run well. Good points day for us so we'll take it."

Ross Kenseth, Daniel Suarez, Brian Scott Ty Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr. completed the first ten finishers.

"Definitely learned a lot today," Kenseth said, who made his XFINITY Series debut. "It was a great learning experience and I want to thank everyone at JGR and Dollar General for the opportunity."

Buescher retains the series point lead by 29 over Ty Dillon. Chase Elliott is third 43 out of the top spot.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series returns to action on Saturday night July 4th at Daytona International Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rik-Jones-Wins-Owens-Corning-AttiCat-300.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tagliani Laps Canadian Tire Field At Sunset​*
Alex Tagliani has had a winning car more than once since his return to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 in 2014, but couldn't close the deal. He left no doubt Saturday at Sunset Speedway.

Tagliani became the first driver in series history to have the entire field lapped at the finish as he captured the checkered flag in the inaugural Leland Industries 300 presented by Johnsonville in dominant fashion behind the wheel of his No. 18 EpiPen/CGI/CanTourque Chevrolet.

It was the second career series victory for Tagliani, who last won on July 26, 2008 at Edmonton City Centre Airport. This was just the 27th Canadian Tire Series start for the native of Lachenaie, Quebec.

Jason Hathaway, last week's winner at Autodrome Chaudiere, finished a lap down in second with rookie Cayden Lapcevich in third. Scott Steckly was two laps down in fourth with J.F. Dumoulin fifth.

Polesitter Gary Klutt, Alex Labbe, Marc-Antoine Camirand, Noel Dowler and L.P. Dumoulin brought home the top 10.

The race was green flag Lap 21 to Lap 287, which led to the field easily getting strung out on the .333-mile oval.

Even though Hathaway received the free pass under the last caution, he had no shot to challenge Tagliani with just a few laps left in the race as he would have had to restart at the tail end, so he elected to pit for fuel along with everyone else and protect his position. Thus, even with the late-race caution, Tagliani's victory was essentially a foregone conclusion.

The Canadian Tire Series will return to the track on July 5 for the Ecko Unlimited 100 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec.

*The finish:*
Alex Tagliani, Jason Hathaway, Cayden Lapcevich, Scott Steckly, J.F. Dumoulin, Gary Klutt, Alex Labbe, Marc-Antoine Camirand, Noel Dowler, L.P. Dumoulin, Joey McColm, Dwayne Baker, Erica Thiering, Matthew Scannell, Larry Jackson, D.J. Kennington, Mark Dilley, Jason White, Anthony Simone, Andrew Ranger

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/latest-headlines/tagliani-laps-canadian-tire-field-at-sunset/


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Microsoft Teams Up With NASCAR And Hendrick Motorsports​*
*Sanctioning body, Hendrick Motorsports partner with technology leader​*
Microsoft's involvement in NASCAR, which has grown steadily in recent years, has taken a giant step forward with Monday's announcement that the Fortune 500 company is now an Official Technology Partner of NASCAR as well as a major technology partner of Hendrick Motorsports.

According to officials with both the sanctioning body and the Redmond, Washington-based tech company, NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports will adopt the Windows 10 and Microsoft Azure cloud computing platforms "to deliver technology solutions to help improve performance on and off the track."

To support the launch of the Windows 10 operating system, the HMS No. 88 Chevrolet of driver Dale Earnhardt will carry a special Microsoft Windows 10 paint scheme for this weekend's Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, the Toyota/Save Mart 350, as well as the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway scheduled for Aug. 2.

Windows 10 is scheduled for launch July 29.

"You've heard Brian (France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO) talk about this rush to innovation," Steve Phelps, Chief Marketing Officer for NASCAR, said. "A lot of that innovation is through technology. ...

"This is another opportunity to showcase that NASCAR is a great place for business for sure, but also for technology companies to come in and prove that their technologies are helping our sport."

Ultimately, Phelps said, such collaborations will help "get the fans closer to the sport and engage them more" in addition to providing the necessary tools and technology "to help on the competition side ... whatever those things might be that ultimate bring better racing to the fans.

"What exactly that looks like at this point is still in development; we're still having discussions," Phelps said. "It's in our best interest to try to get there, and they certainly want that. They want to use NASCAR as a marketing platform to try and reach new customers and obviously this Windows 10 opportunity and using NASCAR as a platform is a really important start for us."

NASCAR officials began using a Windows mobile inspection application last year to improve and streamline the inspection process.

"We started our relationship with NASCAR some time ago and now were a moving that into a relationship with Hendrick Motorsports," said Jeremy Korst, GM, Windows Product Marketing, said.

"It is important to us because it allows us to show other business customers in a sport as challenging and as technologically driven as NASCAR, that what the teams are doing trackside and throughout their processes demonstrate how Microsoft can bring that type of solution to such a challenging situation. Telling other customers about that is important to us. Demonstrating that 'hey if this works for Hendrick and NASCAR, it's going to work for a lot of other organizations outside of the sport as well.'

"We see it as a tremendous opportunity to leverage Microsoft and Windows technology as part of the sport going forward. There is a lot more work to do, but we're excited about what we're going to be doing in the near term."

Microsoft began its NASCAR involvement in 2008, as a team sponsor affiliated with BAM Racing. The alliance with Hendrick, and specifically Earnhardt Jr., marks its return from a team perspective.

HMS has won 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles and currently fields entries for Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne, in addition to Earnhardt Jr.

"For us, the first phase is adopting the new Windows 10 operating system across Hendrick Motorsports," said Doug Duchardt, General Manager for HMS.

"The next phase (will involve) how we can apply Microsoft technology to our business side and also to our competition side. We have a small amount of time to make important decisions at the track so anything we can do to work on how to make those decisions quicker and more accurately we look at.

"Microsoft has the technology and the capability to get there. ... They are one of the top technology companies in the world and we're very honored that they chose Hendrick Motorsports to partner with."

Windows 10 will be available as a free upgrade for qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices.

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...-innovation-technology-dale-earnhardt-jr.html


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## Ckg2011

*Pit Road Controversy Explained​*
There was miscommunication on whether pit road was open or not during Sunday's rain-delayed NASCAR XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

A total of 19 teams were penalized for coming down pit road too early in the race when a NASCAR official stated over radio communication it was open.

However, the red light and flag at the entrance to pit road were still being displayed, indicating it was still closed. That visual signal and not the verbal one was the overriding mandate.

"The tower did come over the radio and say pit road was open, but if you go back to the driver's meeting, what we say in every driver's meeting is the light and the flag are what dictates whether it's open or not,'' NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said Monday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive.

"The (official) at the opening didn't hear the radio communication so the red flag and light were still on and, in that case, if anyone comes down pit road and it's technically closed via the light or the flag, they'll receive a penalty for pitting too soon.''

The turn of events caused chaos in the race and it took NASCAR several laps to inform teams and drivers of the official scoring and where cars should be positioned on the restart.

"I really wasn't told anything. I just kept watching the flag man and everyone peeled off and he had the red flag out and the lights were on," said second place finisher Ryan Blaney, who stayed out and was not penalized.

"They always say go by the flagger and not the lights and he still had the red out. I don't know what the confusion was. I don't think they said anything on the radio either. I don't know why everyone peeled off and pitted there but just one of those weird circumstances."

The confusion even caught race winner Erik Jones.

"Obviously our spotter said pit road was open and I didn't look at the light, honestly," Jones said. I don't look at the light. I just came down pit road and everybody followed behind us and I thought, all right, normal deal.

He (my spotter) keyed back up and said pit road was closed when we came down but they said it was open. It's just kind of a mess. Honestly I didn't know exactly what was going on. I wasn't too worried if we wouldn't of been put back outside the top 10."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/06/Pit-Road-Controversy-Explained.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Supports Removal of Confederate Flag​*
NASCAR has made a stance against the Confederate flag that can be seen flying throughout the South and in the infield of some NASCAR races.

NASCAR was born in the deep South, but over the last 67 years, they've grown to become one of the most-watched sports in the United States.

In light of the recent tragedy in Charleston, SC and the call to remove the Confederate Flag from the state capitol, NASCAR has decided to make their stance on the issue known.

"As we continue to mourn the tragic loss of life last week in Charleston, we join our nation's embrace of those impacted. NASCAR supports the position that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took on the Confederate Flag on Monday," the series said in a statement Tuesday.

"As our industry works collectively to ensure that all fans are welcome at our races, NASCAR will continue our long-standing policy to disallow the use of the Confederate Flag symbol in any official NASCAR capacity. While NASCAR recognizes that freedom of expression is an inherent right of all citizens, we will continue to strive for an inclusive environment at our events."

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has pushed to remove the controversial flag from Statehouse grounds after the senseless murder of nine African-American church-goers.

*NASCAR has stood in protest of the flag before*

This is not the first time NASCAR has stood up in protest of the Confederate Flag in recent years. Bubba Watson, a two-time winner of the U.S. Masters, was set to drive the famous 'Dukes of Hazard' General Lee at Phoenix in early 2012.

But because of the large Confederate Flag on the Dodge Charger's roof, the plans were trashed with NASCAR saying then, "The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-supports-removal-of-confederate-flag


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## Ckg2011

*The Only Dirt Race In NASCAR! The 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic!​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Stars of Tomorrow​*
There's an abundance of young talent in NASCAR today that is waiting to blossom at the next level.

While the Sprint Cup Series has its share of young drivers making their mark, there are also many faces to watch in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series; and K&N Pro Series East and West divisions.

Here are five drivers that have the potential to be future superstars:

*Erik Jones*
He's coming off a dream week by sweeping XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series races at Chicagoland and Iowa Speedways, respectively. And for good measure, Jones also won a Super Late Model race last Tuesday night at Michigan's Berlin Raceway. The question is not whether Jones will make it to the Sprint Cup Series, but when or - maybe more importantly - where. Toyota officials want to ensure that Jones remains in the manufacturer's stable. Right now, there's no room at the inn, so to speak. But his quick ascension means that some major decisions will have to be made soon.

*Chase Elliott*
His Sprint Cup future is unfolding before our eyes as Elliott runs a limited schedule for Hendrick Motorsports this year in preparation for the move to Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016. Last year's XFINITY Series champion isn't having the same success this season, at least in the first half of the schedule. But he's only 43 points out of the lead. Elliott doesn't have anything to prove. He's capable of becoming a staple in NASCAR for many years to come.

*Chris Buescher*
The current XFINITY Series points leader has become one of the sport's most promising drivers in a relatively short period of time. Buescher got a taste of the Sprint Cup Series in a replacement role at Front Row Motorsports earlier this year but seems destined for a full-time shot sooner rather than later. The struggling Roush Fenway Racing Cup Series operation could use a dose of energy and Buescher might be at NASCAR's top tier for team owner Jack Roush in 2016.

*Tyler Reddick*
Not many in stock car racing had heard of Reddick before Brad Keselowski tabbed him to drive one of his Camping World Truck Series entries. The fact is that Reddick was already an accomplished driver before Keselowski gave him that shot, with great success in dirt-track racing and the K&N Pro Series East. Now, he's showing that talent in the Truck Series and is only 12 points behind Matt Crafton in the championship race.

*Daniel Suarez*
A graduate of both the "Drive for Diversity" and "NASCAR Next" programs, Suarez has blossomed this year. He's run well in both the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, and seems poised to soon find Victory Lane in either or both divisions. Suarez won a K&N Pro Series race at Columbus Motor Speedway in 2013 then landed rides with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports. His move up the ladder appears headed to the Sprint Cup Series in his still-young career.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/06/Opinion-Stars-of-Tomorrow.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Edwards: New 'King of The Road?'​*
Carl Edwards isn't likely to show up atop anyone's list of Sprint Cup Series drivers who are exceptionally skilled at road-course racing.

But in recent years, Edwards has quietly and efficiently assembled a strong record at Sonoma Raceway, site of Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350. His victory in last year's race was the third top-five finish there in four years for Edwards, who returns to the Northern California circuit this week for the first of two road-course events on the 2015 schedule.

In his first season driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Edwards could become the first driver to win back-to-back races in Sonoma since Jeff Gordon - who does top many lists as perhaps the sport's best road racer - won three straight from 1998-2000.

Edwards, who also has an XFINITY Series road-course win at Watkins Glen International, says this week's trip west should be fun.

"Sonoma is the most fun race of the season and it's also one of the most physically demanding races," he said. "It's pure driving, left, right, using all the gears, managing tires, pit strategy comes into play and it's mentally tasking. For all those reasons, it was a blast to win there last year."

In winning that race, Edwards snatched the lead from Marcos Ambrose and kept his Roush Fenway Racing Ford in front over the final 26 laps to post his 23rd career victory - but first Cup Series win on a road course. The margin of victory over a fast-closing Gordon was a half-second with Dale Earnhardt Jr., pole sitter Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard completing the top five.

"Hopefully, we can go out there and defend our win, which was one of the coolest victories I've ever had," said Edwards, who benefitted from a timely caution about two-thirds of the way through the race.

He had just made a pit stop when the yellow flag flew, which enabled him to remain on the course while others pitted and get the track position he needed to make a run at victory. Edwards had his car in the lead less than 15 laps later and kept it there the rest of the day.

"We've already got a win this season," said Edwards, already eyeing his spot on The Chase Grid with last month's victory in Charlotte. "Our mission in Sonoma is to have a good time. Our guys have put a lot of work into our road-course program and I'm excited to see what it's like driving a Toyota out there."

Last year's win came in a Ford, which was the manufacturer's first Sonoma victory in 12 years. Joe Gibbs Racing, Edwards' new team, has three Sonoma wins - with three different manufacturers. Tony Stewart was victorious in a Pontiac in 2001 and a Chevrolet in 2005. Kyle Busch won in a JGR Toyota in 2008.

Edwards heads into the weekend 14th in the regular-season point standings, one of 10 Sprint Cup race winners who have seemingly punched their tickets to the Chase. Gordon leads all drivers with five wins at Sonoma, the first of which came in 1998 - on June 28, which is the same date as Sunday's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/06/Carl-Edwards-New-King-of-the-Road.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Swaps XFINITY Crew Chiefs​*
Richard Childress Racing has swapped crew chiefs between its two NASCAR XFINITY Series teams.

Nick Harrison moves to the No. 3 Chevrolet with Danny Stockman assigned to the No. 33 entry.

"Like many teams this time of year, we're making mid-season personnel changes to improve our overall performance," said team owner Richard Childress. "This gives us an opportunity to get an early look at what our lineup might look like for 2016."

Ty Dillon drives the No. 3 car and is currently second in XFINITY Series points, 29 behind Chris Buescher. The No. 33 Chevrolet has been driven by a number of drivers this season and is third in owner points.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/06/RCR-Swaps-XFINITY-Crew-Chiefs.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Experience Key For Patrick​*
Danica Patrick hopes her extensive road racing background will be beneficial to a good run in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Patrick has made nine starts at the 1.99-mile road circuit during her racing career. However, only two were as a Sprint Cup Series driver. Her other seven starts came when Patrick was an Indy Car regular.

But that's not to say her stock car road racing experience is non-existent. She's made Cup starts at Watkins Glen as well as competing in XFINITY Series races at places like Road America and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, both venues where she was in contention for the win had it not been for some weird circumstances.

The front bumper of Jacques Villeneuve and a shoe on the racetrack, respectively, were the two reasons Patrick was not able to find Victory Lane at either venue.

While Patrick embraces road racing, she's aware of its specific challenges.

"The hardest part of road racing is just putting a whole lap together," she said. "The hardest part of road racing is just nailing every corner and doing it consistently when it counts."

The Sonoma track also offers its own set of unique tests over the course of Sunday's 350-kilometer race.

"I think, at Sonoma, you have to get through the high-speed esses comfortably, which leads to a good high-speed balance," Patrick said. "Power down is also important there because it is easy for the rear tires to just spin all the time. The fast lap times come from the high-speed balance, so that is the key for me and the GoDaddy team."

Patrick won't be alone if facing a weekend of obstacles at Sonoma. Crew chief Daniel Knost will also have his hands full hoping to guide Patrick to a solid outing in their first road race working together.

"These cars were not really designed to be put through the turns like we face at road courses," Knost said. "I've heard a lot drivers say that Watkins Glen is like Michigan with very high speeds. On the other hand, Sonoma is more like Martinsville with very low speeds and tight corners. The key at Sonoma is getting forward drive off the corners.

"Setup-wise, actually you turn right more than you turn left at Sonoma, which is unusual. The cars are usually set up just to turn left, so they are a lot more even. The other big factor is how much you shift gears at road courses. You're not normally shifting at most of the tracks we go to, so that really adds in a different element as you to consider where you want to shift and when you need to shift. That's a big, big challenge at the road-course events."

Knost has confidence in the ability of Patrick behind the wheel and believes her road racing background in various disciplines of racing will be benefit to the effort on Sunday.

"Absolutely - I'd say this is kind of her comfort zone," he said. "She did a lot of road racing before she did a lot of circle-track racing, so we view it as an opportunity to go out and have a really good weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/06/Experience-Key-for-Danica-Patrick.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Sonoma​*


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Modifies 2015 Rulebook​*
Updates to competition and the car highlighted in sanctioning body changes.

NASCAR introduced several modifications to the 2015 Sprint Cup rule book on Wednesday that involves competition, driver eligibility and safety issues.

*Qualifying *

Random drawing will determine pit stall assignments for qualifying. Vehicles leaving pit road are subject to pit road speed and expected to get up to speed on the lower lane prior to merging into traffic and not impede the progress of other cars making a qualifying run. Drivers that block other qualifiers could be subject to disciplinary action which could include having his or her time disqualified.

Each team must have a spotter to monitor NASCAR's channel during the sessions.

*Double File Restarts*

Although NASCAR has not changed the restart process, it added a diagram to simplify the explanation:








*Freshman Eligibility*

Under Sec. 10.4.4.4 Rookie Driver Responsibilities which addresses familiarization of the NSCS by a rising competitor and allowing the team to run a fifth car for said driver, the language changed to "Car owners will be permitted to enter such fifth vehicle in non-Championship Events, provided the car owner and driver are otherwise eligible to compete in the non-Championship Event, and the only driver permitted to drive the fifth vehicle is the designated rookie driver. Non-Championship Events will not count towards the vehicle's seven permissible starts."

*Inspection*

NASCAR issued changes for camber and rear axle housing location specifications and tolerances along with rear wheel toe alignments (specified for different tracks), wheelbase, wheel offset (ovals and road courses), rocker panel width, main frame rail width, engine location and track bar heights for superspeedways.

*The Car*

Front brake cooling hoses (Sec. 20.15.2.1.1, c. & d.)

NASCAR mandates that, "All brake cooling hoses must be secured to a front bumper cover brake duct and a spindle duct. Brake cooling hoses that extend below the front bumper cover brake duct will not be permitted."

*Wheels And Tires*

Valve stem location has been moved to the inside of the rim - center only. Goodyear updated the tire codes at 21 tracks and changed the minimum cold inflation for Kentucky.

*NASCAR-Mandated ECU Software*

When NASCAR first announced it was adding engine control unit (ECU) software to the cars, pundits wondered whether it would be totally tamper proof. Any modification or attempt to block NASCAR from gathering data from a team's ECU now falls under NASCAR's new deterrence system.

*Decals*

NASCAR mandated that any graphics must to at least two inches away from the numbers on the cars. The numbers on the door and roof must be of a different color than the rest of the car. The centerline of the number must be centered on the door - or six inches forward of the centerline.

Vehicle markings will not be permitted on the spoiler, tailgate decals, rear window, rooftop or forward of the hood pins.






















*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-modifies-2015-rulebook


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Ready For Road Course​*
Kyle Busch faces perhaps his biggest challenge in his comeback from injury Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

The season's first road course race promises to give Busch a physical challenge since returning behind the wheel after suffering injuries in a crash in the XFINITY Series race at Daytona in February.

So far Busch has not shown any signs of his recovering injuries having a impact on his performance. However, the rigors of road course racing will certainly be a test.

Busch has actually evolved into a very proficient road racer in recent years. He's a two-time winner at Watkins Glen International and very much looks forward to competing for his second victory at Sonoma.

"I've always enjoyed road-course racing," Busch said. "Even when I was in Legends cars, I would enjoy going up there during the days that I raced there. Now that I'm on the Sprint Cup tour, it's cool to go there every June. I've won there before, years ago, but I haven't been back to victory lane there since, so I would love to get back to my winning ways there and figure out what we've been missing there.

"It's a fun racetrack. The cars get grouped a lot closer together there than at Watkins Glen, so braking there is a lot tougher getting into turn four, turn seven, and especially turn 11. There are some opportunities in those corners to pass people. Forward bite seems to have become an issue as you get going there during the run. And you need to make sure you keep the rear tires underneath you because it's really easy to burn them babies off when you try and pass somebody because you go to pass somebody and hit the gas and all your rear tires want to do is spin and you can't get alongside that guy. So, from that respect, Sonoma can be frustrating at times, as well."

Busch comes into the weekend 39th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and has to make up some ground in the next 11 weeks to get into the top 30 in points and score a win in order to make the Chase.

That quest will raise Busch's intensity level as weeks pass. But he'll also have to face the intensity on track Sunday that seems to grow within the series at every road race these days.

Busch has an explanation for why road racing has become much more aggressive.

"I think, ever since double-file restarts came about, aggression at Sonoma has gone up a lot," he said. "You have these cautions that come late in the going and cautions breed cautions - especially on a road course and especially with double-file restarts. It just seems to be out of control there. You're trying to take everything you can get and all the positions you can because it's coming down to crunch time.

"It's a place where, for me, it's been fun to race. I've won there and I've also had some disappointing runs there and I've had some mistakes there - some wheel-hop issues and things. For me, it's a place where you're turning right and turning left. And being at a road course is kind of like an off weekend, so you try to enjoy it the best you can and hope we can stay on course and get a good finish with our M&M's Crispy Camry."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../06/Road-Course-Challenge-for-Kyle-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Jr. Talks About Germany Trip​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked to the media on Friday at Sonoma Raceway about his trip to Germany, including his proposal and engagement to Amy Reimann, his drive on the Autobahn and much more.

*Q: Are there any stories about getting recognized while you were in Germany?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "Nothing crazy happened. I just had one or two people recognize me. For the most part I mean I was in some of the older, very small, towns that are not very touristy areas. So people didn't know why we were walking around in the street, but they didn't care. They never probably watched a race. I know they show the races over there, but I don't know how much coverage they actually have outside the city. But it was great. It was kind of fun to be anonymous. When I went to Illesheim and we explained everything to the folks there I don't think they knew anything about what we were talking about. I took about 10 postcards and I gave a couple of postcards to the people that were in Illesheim. There are only like two places to stay in rooms and they only have three rooms at each place. So we were talking to the inn keeper where we were at. He was feeding us dinner and I showed him the postcards. I had a guy with me Martin that does our IT at JR Motorsports. He is German. He could sit there and interpret for both of us. We showed him everything on the card and told him all about it. He had never seen anything remotely like a NASCAR Cup car. Trying to get him to understand that I was the driver wasn't registering. That was kind of refreshing to be honest with you."

*Q: You are now engaged. How long have you been planning to do that and were you nervous leading up to it? Why did you pick the spot you picked?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "I've been planning on it for several months. I was hoping for years that Amy (Reimann) and I would get married and it just seemed like over this last year, it made more sense to me and that the timing was right. And I picked that particular spot just because I wanted her to feel special. We talked about this trip for a while. I told her about this trip and we talked about it for two or three years and had done a ton of work on the genealogy stuff to understand what we were doing and making sure we were doing the right thing and going the right places. So, she kind of knew how important the trip was. I think to do it at that particular time, at that moment while we were in that church, may make that moment more memorable for her. And I thought it was just a great place to do it. I thought about it. Every other spot that I could think of just didn't measure up, you know? It just wasn't good enough or special enough for her."

*Q: Was she surprised?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "Yeah, she was blown away! She certainly didn't have an idea that that was going to happen, I don't think."

*Q: Was the proposal at a church that your family had been to? Did everything go exactly as planned or were there any hiccups?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "My sister was asking me what I was going to say. I told her I didn't have any idea I was just going to go for it. It didn't have to be perfect and maybe if it wasn't perfect that was a good thing. I didn't want to set it up to where it was cheesy I just wanted it to be natural and impromptu. The town we were in was Illesheim (Germany) and my 10th and 9th grandfather lived there, went to church there and that church is the church that they went to. It's over 1,000 years old apparently, a very old church. The town is very old. There were 300 people living in it 300 years ago and there are 300 people living in it today. Nothing has really changed. The buildings and everything is very old and traditional, as is a lot of what we saw over there in the areas we spent the most time. We didn't really go to the bigger cities. We wanted to get more of an older authentic experience. I had known all this stuff doing all this genealogy over the years. But you can only trust what you can read on the internet. Even though it is ancestry.com and they do a great job and have a great service, you still have to see this stuff with your own eyes to believe it. Because we are talking about stuff that is 300 years old and there is a lot of hearsay that can get injected into something like that over that time.

"So we went to the city of Speyer and to the archives and actually held the book that this church used to document handwritten documentation of births, deaths, baptisms. I could sit there and read the individual writings of my 10th grandfather, my ninth grandfather when they were baptized and when they died. I could see it with my own hands and I'm holding the book, the original book. So that made me more confident to make the decision to propose to Amy in that church with that connection to that church. I don't have a church because we race on Sunday's. I mean I went to St. Mark's Lutheran in Mooresville when I was a kid, but I don't have a church. I'm Lutheran and if I wanted to go to church and I could I would go to St. Mark's. But I just thought that was a place to do it. I hope that answers your question."

*Q: How did your drive on the Autobahn go and how fast did you drive?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "The Autobahn is basically an interstate. If you are on I-77 you are on the Autobahn. If you are on I-85 you are on the Autobahn. In between the towns the speed limit is unlimited. We were in this van that was kind of boxy so it would only do about 195 kilometers because of the aerodynamic disadvantages. But down the hill I could get it up to 210. It's 160 mph maybe. I saw 120 kilometer speed limit signs for the most part, between 100 and 120. I don't know how fast that is. 80 mph. It was good and they are very sharp and smart. Even though you are going that fast and there are guys going faster there is some structure to it. You don't set in the left lane on the interstate if they have three lanes you pass to the left. You never pass anybody on the right. When you go over to pass a guy you immediately use the turn single and get back in the right lane. Everybody stays on the right you only pull to the left to pass. There is nobody that sits there and rides in the left hand lane. Because there is a guy coming 100 mph coming down the street behind you somewhere faster than you are and you need to be getting out of the way. They don't like it when they have to slow down."

*Q: Your engagement wasn't the only off-week news out of Hendrick drivers with Kasey Kahne announcing that he is going to be a dad in the fall. Following that forward are their plans for a baby in your future?*

*Earnhardt Jr.:* "Of course I mean you want to have children. I think the greatest accomplishment in life is to be able to raise a child. That would be awesome. I have felt that way for a long time, but it's just a timing thing. You have to get married first and find that person that you want to spend the rest of your life with. That is definitely in the future. She wants to have kids and I've always kind of wanted to have kids. That is definitely something we will be looking at."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../06/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Talks-Germany-Trip.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Back In Winning Car​*
AJ Allmendinger is looking for his second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup road course victory and will attempt the feat driving the same car he piloted to Victory Lane last season at Watkins Glen International.

The 2014 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway marked Allmendinger's second road course start with JTG/Daugherty Racing. The team tested at both road courses last season and Allmendinger combined to lead 64 laps in both races, and eventually scored his first career Cup Series win at The Glen.

Last year's performance, to go along with a ban on private testing this season, could help the JTG Daugherty Racing team start another run of momentum like they did to begin the year.

The off-week for the Sprint Cup gave the one-car operation extra time to massage the in-house road course built car.

"The guys have done a fantastic job...to really focus on this racecar and get it better," Allmendinger said. "We have definitely improved the car."

Allmendinger led a race-high 35 laps last year at Sonoma from the second starting position, but finished 37th after a late-race spin while racing Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"We all know it's going to be one of our best opportunities to win," Allmendinger said. "Last year, it was heartbreaking, but in the end I don't think we had a car good enough to win the race with the way the race played out. So, we've got some good ideas this time around that will help us.

"The set-up we're at least we're going to start with, is pretty close. I don't know how different the package is, motor-wise and aero-wise, it will be around here, but we're starting with a similar package we had last year when we had a lot of speed. So, I think it's just more confidence from our team and myself, knowing that if we do the right things, especially at a place like this, we can go win the race. But it's Friday and we've got to see where we stack-up after these practices and have a good qualifying session on Saturday, and then we'll focus on Sunday when it gets here."

The 2015 season started on a high note for Allmendinger after making the Chase for the first time. He was ranked as high as fifth in the standings four races in, but since then has fallen to 22nd in the standings heading into this weekend following different circumstances in recent weeks.

"What makes a race team is not all the positives. It's the negatives and how you deal with them," Allmendinger said. "I think over the last couple of weeks that, to me, is what's the most positive. We've had to sit down and really look at each other and say okay, we can fall apart or we can come together and be stronger. Our communication is probably the best it's ever been. That's the positive I really take from it."

Allmendinger is not going to let the pressure get to him this weekend. Not only is Allmendinger back in a winning racecar, but it's also a home race for him and for some of the JTG Daugherty Racing sponsors.

But at the end of the day, Allmendinger knows what the prize is.

"I know if you win, you make the Chase," Allmendinger said. "I try not to focus on putting the pressure on that this race is do or die, or Watkins Glen is do or die; and if we don't, it doesn't happen. We've just got to get better every weekend. I know that's kind of cliché, but right now that's really our goal. If we go out here and have a great run and build some momentum, that's all we can do. Like I said, for me, I just try to drive my butt off. And if it's good enough, it's good enough. If it's not, it's not."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lmendinger-Back-in-Winning-Car-at-Sonoma.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger Scores Sonoma Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6777&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Last year AJ Allmendinger gave JTG Daugherty Racing its first Sprint Cup win at Watkins Glen International. On Saturday he used that same car to give the team its first Sprint Cup pole.

Driving the same car (read more) he combined to lead 64 laps in the two road course races last season, Allmendinger took the pole for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway with a lap 
of 74.385 seconds, 96.310 mph. It marked his third career pole and first on a road course.

"I've really got to thank all my guys that are here and especially back at the shop," Allmendinger said. "They've worked on this car so much to do everything that we need to get as much speed out of it as possible. So, it's a good day, but we've got to focus on tomorrow."

Kurt Busch, the most recent Sprint Cup winner, qualified second in a new car for Stewart-Haas Racing.

"It has a nice balance all the way through, the braking and transmission gears, and the overall corner speed," Busch said. "It's a nice package that (crew chief) Tony Gibson gave me, and all the guys back at the shop."

Matt Kenseth qualified third for his best road course start when time trials were completed. In 2007, he started third at Watkins Glen when rain canceled qualifying.

"Yeah, we kind of overachieved today," Kenseth said. "We were really bad yesterday, we were really bad the first round. I'm pleasantly surprised and kind of confused as far as we've been off, but we'll take that."

Kyle Larson set a new track record in the opening round (74.186 seconds, 96.568 mph) and went on to qualify fourth in the final session.

Jeff Gordon, who leads all drivers with five wins at Sonoma, will start fifth in his final race at the 1.99-mile road course.

"I think the car was capable of being at least first or second," Gordon said. "I missed one corner there on that last run and I don't know how much that cost me, but overall it was a really solid effort."

Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. completed the top 12 qualifiers.

For Bowyer and Mears it marked their best starts of the season.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 has produced 10 different winners in the last 10 races. Previous winners in that span that failed to make the final round were: Jimmie Johnson (13th), Carl Edwards (14th) and Kasey Kahne (26th).

Previous track record holder Jamie McMurray, who was looking for his third straight Sonoma pole, qualified 18th.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who scored his first top 10 at Sonoma last year, experienced transmission issues in the first round.

"I feel like we had a good enough shot to get into the Top 12, but coming out of Turn 11 to the green on our second run, the car got stuck in second gear and the transmission won't shift. So, we'll change the transmission," said Earnhardt Jr., who will keep his 20th starting spot based on transmission change rules for road courses. "I'm real happy with the car. We worked on it hard yesterday. We weren't good when we got here but we made changes and it's going to be a fun car tomorrow."

Qualifying was put under the red flag twice with the first coming in the opening round when Michael Annett stalled on the track when Allmendinger was attempting his first timed lap. The second came in the final round when Kyle Busch spun in Turn 10.

Brendan Gaughan was the only driver that failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Sunday's race will take the green flag at approximately 3:19 p.m. (ET).






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...inger-Wins-Pole-for-Toyota-Save-Mart-350.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sonoma Story Lines​*
After returning to Northern California last week for a "homecoming tour," Jeff Gordon is set to make his final start at Sonoma Raceway.

The Vallejo, Calif. native has won five times at the 1.99-mile track and will look to add another when he starts from the fifth position in today's Toyota/Save Mart 350.

"I love coming out here," Gordon said. "Not just because it's home. It is just so many things. The weather, the wine country, family and I love this racetrack. I'm thrilled that I've had the opportunity to win here five times. I'm thrilled to be here this weekend for the final time behind the wheel. It has already been a very special, memorable one. Just starting last week going to Rio Linda and then out to Vallejo, I think it's only the beginning of what we have in store for us."

Gordon has finished ninth or better in his last nine starts at Sonoma dating back to his last win in 2006. Three of Gordon's last four starts have resulted in second-place finishes.

"It certainly gives me a lot of confidence in what we are bringing here and what I'm doing here and just the way we execute is working," Gordon said. "This track reminds me so much of Martinsville in the way in which very little changes here. From how you have to set the car up, tires, gearing, all the things that change so much at all the other big tracks, where aerodynamics are playing such a huge roll and track position. All these things that we talk about being so difficult and challenging as things evolve in the sport this is one of those that has stayed constant."

*Will the Steak Continue?*
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 has produced 10 different winners in the last 10 races with Carl Edwards last taking the checkered flag in 2014. The last eight races were won by first-time road course winners. Nine of the last 13 winners at Sonoma scored their first win of the season with Martin Truex Jr. the latest in 2013. Truex, who won at Pocono Raceway this season, currently holds 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races this season. (Past Sonoma Winners)

*Allmendinger on the Pole* 
AJ Allmendinger is one of the drivers that will look to continue the different winner streak at Sonoma. Allmendinger will start from the pole and he's driving the same car that he won with at Watkins Glen International and led a race-high 35 laps with at Sonoma in 2014.

*Strategy is Key*
The first road course race of the season will see a bunch of strategies play out. Three of the last five winners pitted twice during the course of the race. Truex Jr. was the last to win after pitting three times. Last year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. pitted five times en route to scoring his first top 10 at Sonoma, in third. The average starting position of the race winner of the last six races is 7.0.

*Best Start of Season*
Clint Bowyer and Casey Mears will both start in the top 10 in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, both season-best starts. Bowyer, who will start sixth, is a previous Sonoma winner and will be looking to end 71-race winless streak for Michael Waltrip Racing.

*Stewart-Haas Contenders*
Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch have combined to win four races and lead 1,890 laps this season. Busch will start from the second position driving a new car. Harvick qualified 17th, but he doesn't seem too concerned come race time.

"We have a good car," Harvick said. "I've got some cars to pass. We passed a lot of cars last year, but I'm just not very good at the Qualifying thing here, for whatever reason."

Tony Stewart, a two-time Sonoma winner, will join Busch in the top 10 on the starting grid after recording his fourth top-10 start of the season, in seventh.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/06/Sonoma-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Shines At Sonoma​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6777&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch checked off one box in his quest to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup when he won Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

In his fifth points-paying race back since recovering from injuries sustained in the XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway, Busch was able to score his 30th career win and first in his last 35 starts.

Busch got by Jimmie Johnson, who led a race-high 45 laps, on lap 106 and then went on to take the checkered flag.

"This is awesome - it's unbelievable," said Busch, who became the first repeat winner in the last 11 Sonoma races. "Can't say enough about my team, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. I can't say enough about my medical team that got me back in shape and ready to go behind the wheel."

Busch now sits 136 points out of the top 30 in the standings, the next mark he will need to reach if he wants to make the Chase.

"We have our work cut out for us, we knew we did in the beginning and I knew we put us in the hole in points," Busch said. "It's unfortunate that we've had a couple crashes. I hate it for my guys, they don't deserve to be in that spot. They have certainly worked hard all year long."

The victory was also the first in the Sprint Cup Series for crew chief Adam Stevens.

Kurt Busch, who led 43 laps, finished second to mark the first time the Busch brothers have finished 1-2 in a Cup race.

Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Johnson, who did not pit on lap 100 when Kyle Busch did, finished sixth for his seventh straight top-10 finish at Sonoma.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Sam Hornish Jr. completed the top 10.

*How Busch Won:* Busch pitted four times in the race with the last coming on lap 100. Busch got around Jimmie Johnson, who did not pit on lap 100, on lap 106 and then went on to capture his second win at Sonoma, and fourth overall on a road course.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Along with the Busch Brothers and Johnson, Clint Bowyer recorded his first top five of the season...Kevin Harvick's finish was his series leading 11th top five of the season...and Joey Logano scored his best Sonoma finish in fifth.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Martin Truex Jr. saw his streak of seven consecutive top 10s on the season come to an end after David Ragan made contact with him on lap 29...Ragan was also taken out of the race when Carl Edwards got together with him on lap 78...and pole winner AJ Allmendinger finished 37th after a fuel system issue.

*What Else Happened:* The race featured five cautions for 21 laps with two resulting in cars making hard impact with the tire pack. The first happened when David Gilliland had a left-front going down and his Ford went into the barrier in Turn 10. The second was for Truex in Turn 8 that resulted in a red flag for 10 minutes, 30 seconds.

*Quote of the day:* "Congratulations to my little brother (Kyle). I know this is huge. He still has a long way to go to get him in that Top 30. He's an incredible driver. I don't know how many times we've finished 1-2, but we'll see the other Busch brother win today." - Kurt Busch

*Notables:* Dale Earnhardt Jr's seventh-place finish was his second consecutive top 10 at Sonoma after being locked out of the top 10 in his prior starts...Kasey Kahne came from the 26th starting position to finish eighth...Sam Hornish Jr's 10th-place run was his second top 10 of the year...and Jeff Gordon finished 16th in his final Sonoma start, snapping a streak of nine consecutive top 10s at the track.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Toyota-Save-Mart-350-at-Sonoma-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex: 'He Turned Me On Purpose'​*
Contact from David Ragan in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway sent Martin Truex Jr. into the tire barrier and to his worst finish of the season.

Truex and Ragan were battling mid-pack in a congested group of cars when both made contact a couple of times before Ragan ultimately turned Truex on lap 29 in Turn 8.

"I hit him down there in Turn 7 on accident and kind of doored him and I think he got pissed off and turned me on purpose," Truex Jr. said.

"Every time I passed the No. 55 (Ragan), he would just stay on the side of me and not give me three or four inches to get clear, so we can all kind of get going. After the fourth time of doing that, it's just, we both ran out of room and I guess he turned me on purpose."

Ragan gave his take on the incident with Truex after he exited the race on lap 79 when Carl Edwards got together with him on the track.

"I didn't get together with the '78', the '78' ran me off the race track, just body slammed me," said Ragan, who finished 39th. "I was just trying to get back on the race track. That's a great instance where the '78' just absolutely did me wrong and I'm trying to get back on the race track. That's unfortunate for him, it's never good to see anybody tear up their race car. Martin would probably not do that again if he had an opportunity."

The 42nd-place finish snapped Truex's run of seven consecutive top 10s on the season. Prior to Sonoma, he had finished in the top 10 in 14 of the first 15 races of 2015.

"It's just unfortunate that happened, but that is part of the restarts here and part of the craziness that happens," Truex said. "You have to be up front. We had a decent car. We made some adjustments there and felt like it made a big improvement just didn't get to show it."

The race was red flagged for 10 minutes, 30 seconds for repair to the tire barrier.

Prior to the incident, the race was fairly tame for Truex.

"It was fine in the beginning. I started in a decent position," Truex said. "I didn't make contact with anyone. Got passed a few times, passed a few guys and you get back there in the 20's and some of those guys' heads come unscrewed. It is just the way it works here."

Truex was able to return to the track in his damaged and hoodless car on Lap 75, but when it was determined that he could not gain any positions the team parked the car.

The DNF was the first for Truex since Martinsville Speedway last fall and his worst finish since the 2014 Daytona 500.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...at-Sonoma-after-Contact-from-David-Ragan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Issue Spoils Allmendinger's Run​*
A potential fuel system problem thwarted AJ Allmendinger's chance to win consecutive Sprint Cup road course races.

Allmendinger started from the pole in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and was running in the top five until he was forced to pit on lap 61. The team raised the hood and then went back to the garage to diagnose the issue.

"Still investigating it looks like something with the fuel system may have gotten clogged up or gotten some debris or something in there," said crew chief Brian Burns. "Not sure yet. We will take a good look at it when we get back to the shop and regroup."

Allmendinger led one lap and trailed eventual second-place finisher Kurt Busch for a good portion of the first half of the race. He posted 13 of the fastest laps in the race, second only to Kurt Busch (20). The car Allmendinger was driving was the same one he won at Watkins Glen International and led 35 laps with in this event last season.

"The car was good," Allmendinger said. "I thought we had a better chance of winning this year than we did last year. It was still going to be tough. The No. 41 (Kurt Busch) was pretty solid. The No. 18 (Kyle Busch) the way it played out was pretty good. I know the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson) was good. We just fought the rear a little bit. I don't know how that would have played out at the end. I know we had the fastest lap of the race, which shows the car had speed. I think we were going in the right direction it just feels like a swift kick to everything right now. But it's nothing we really did wrong it is one of those circumstances."

The JTG Daugherty Racing team was able to get Allmendinger back on track on lap 74 where they turned the race into a test session.

"Learned a lot, picked up a lot of speed," Burns said. "We ran the fastest lap of the race compared to anybody else towards the end just trying some things. Trying to turn something positive into it."

Allmendinger finished 37th and fell one spot in the standings to 23rd.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...37th-at-Sonoma-after-Fuel-System-Problem.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ragan, Edwards Collide And Slam The Wall​*





*Gilliland Slams The Tires In Turn 10​*





*Mears' Tire And Axle Break Off And Roll Away​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Special Day For Busch Brothers​*
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 turned out to be special for the Busch brothers on Sunday as Kyle led Kurt to the checkered flag for their first one-two finish in the Sprint Cup Series.

They've been racing each other in the Cup Series since 2004, the year Kurt captured the championship. Kyle made only six starts that season before going full-time the next year and now, has accumulated 30 Cup victories. The win at Sonoma Raceway was an emotional one, not only for Kyle but for his brother - who witnessed him taking home his first Cup win since recovering from injuries sustained in the XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February.

"He's been through quite a bit," Kurt Busch said, "to have your leg broken, your foot shattered. I've never been injured and out of the car, so I don't know what that feels like. But I do know that working with Tony Stewart and having him go through rehab, which is very difficult. It's a mental challenge and I'm proud of Kyle for what he's done to get back in the car as soon as he did; and then to be competitive at a track with hard, hard braking and to use his left foot ... to drive to Victory Lane. I'm proud of him. I wish I could have one more lap to get to his bumper (laughter), but I don't think he wanted to see an extra lap."

Even though Kurt is already locked into the Chase with two victories, Kyle knew his brother would challenge him for the win if he got to his back bumper.

"I saw him back there battling with (Clint) Bowyer and I was like, 'Come on, man. Get to second,' Kyle Busch said. "I knew if he got to second place, he might be my blocker for everybody behind me. I figured he'd take the brunt of it, but I'm sure that's not the way he thought about it. He thought about coming up and challenging for a win."

Before NASCAR, the Busch brothers were competitive growing up racing Legends cars.

"I used to kick his butt all the time, but that's when he was 12 and I was 19," Kurt said. "There's a little difference there. But we used to finish first and second a lot racing Legends cars."

Even with the age difference, racing in NASCAR has brought the brothers closer together. They also shared a special moment in 2012 when Kurt won in Kyle's XFINITY Series Toyota at Richmond International Raceway.

"When you get into your late 20s, you start to get closer and that's what's happened to us as brothers," Kurt said. "I enjoyed 2012, when we both drove the XFINITY car for Kyle Busch Motorsports. That was great to share."

With the Sonoma win, Kyle Busch moved up two spots in the standings to 37th and is 136 points from 30th, the mark he needs to reach if he is to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He's combined to score 16 wins at the 10 tracks left in the regular season and is a two-time winner at the other road course on the schedule, Watkins Glen International. The previous time Kyle won at Sonoma, in 2008, he went on to sweep the road-course events.

"It's feasible," Busch said. "This team is good enough. I put us in a hole bigger than it should have been at Dover and Michigan. Those were entirely my fault and I've got to be better than that. We can't have any more of those, that's obvious. We've got to be smart about how we race.

"Having a win, We don't have to race as hard. We don't have to put ourselves in a bad spot when we're running third, fourth or fifth to try to get that victory."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...pecial-Day-for-Kyle-Busch-and-Kurt-Busch.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bonsignore Rules At Riverhead​*
Justin Bonsignore has to enjoy racing at Riverhead Raceway.

Bonsignore passed Timmy Solomito in Turn 3 on Lap 9 and waited out a rain delay and a late charge by Todd Szegedy to score his seventh career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win and second at his home track.

Bonsignore piloted his No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet around some late race traffic to hold off Szegedy and continue of his streak of scoring at least one tour win every year since 2011.

Doug Coby followed Szegedy in third to score his best career finish at Riverhead with Eric Goodale fourth and Woody Pitkat fifth.

Timmy Solomito, who led the first eight laps of the race, followed in sixth while polesitter Tom Rogers Jr. rebounded from having to start the race at the rear of the 28-car field to finish seventh. Ryan Preece was eighth with rookies Vincent Biondolillo and David Sapienza rounding out the top 10.

This was the second career tour win for Bonsignore at Riverhead as the Holtsville, New York, native won at his home track in 2011 in his first tour victory.

The race was slowed seven times for caution with Shawn Solomito and Donny Lia involved in the only multi-car incident in the race on Lap 39. The race also featured a 45 minute red flag for rain to set up the final 51-lap sprint to the finish.

After six points events, the championship standings now feature a tie for the lead between Coby and Preece with 251 apiece. Pitkat sits third, just two tallies back of the co-leaders.

The Riverhead Hoosier Tire East 200 is slated to air on NBC Sports Network Thursday, July 2nd at 6:30 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...06/Justiin-Bonsignore-Rules-at-Riverhead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon's Rainbow Paint Scheme Will Return For Bristol Night Race​*
It's back! After some consternation among Jeff Gordon fans about if a rainbow paint scheme would return in Gordon's final Sprint Cup season, they can relax.

Gordon debuted the Axalta-sponsored rainbow paint scheme he'll run later this season Tuesday morning on "CBS This Morning."

The car will compete Aug. 22 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The rainbow paint scheme has been a part of some of Gordon's greatest moments in the sport from 1992-2000 when he won three of his four championships and 52 of his 92 career series victories.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...nt-scheme-will-return-for-bristol-night-race/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR To Be 'As Aggressive As Possible' Against Confederate Flag​*
NASCAR will push to eliminate the 'offensive and divisive symbol' from races.

NASCAR has released a second statement regarding the Confederate Flag, taking a more aggressive stance than they did one week earlier.

The United States is currently embroiled in a heated debate over the controversial flag, which was used as a symbol of hatred by the man who gunned down nine African-America church-goers in South Carolina earlier this month.

*NASCAR's Confederate past*

With their deep Southern roots, NASCAR has a strong history involving the Confederate Flag. Years ago, race winners could be seen waving it during their celebration. It also adorned race programs for events including one named the Rebel 500 and is still a common sight in the infield.

NASCAR has a policy that disallows the use of the flag in any official capacity and as recently as 2012, they pushed for Phoenix International Raceway to abandon plans to have PGA star Bubba Watson drive the '69 Dodge Charger known as the General Lee prior to a race (which they did).

*Taking a stronger stance in new statement*

Last week, officials released a statement reiterating their policy, but also gave a slight mention to its use by fans, saying, "While NASCAR recognizes that freedom of expression is an inherent right of all citizens, we will continue to strive for an inclusive environment at our events."

Presumably due to corporate pressure to condemn the practice by fans who fly it above their campsites, series officials have taken a much stronger stance against the flag and its fairly common use by race-goers, making their position incontrovertibly clear.

"NASCAR will maintain its long-standing policy preventing the use of the Confederate Flag in any official position at our events. In all areas that NASCAR controls on a given race weekend, the flag has no presence.

"We have been clear in support of this position throughout our industry and to those across the country who have called for the eradication of the Confederate Flag. We will be as aggressive as possible to disassociate NASCAR events from an offensive and divisive symbol. We are working with the industry right now to achieve that goal."

We want to go as far as we can to eliminate the presence of that flag," said NASCAR chairman Brian France. "I personally find it an offensive symbol, so there is no daylight how we feel about it and our sensitivity to others who feel the same way.

"We're working with the industry to see how far we can go to get that flag to be disassociated entirely from our events."

*A complex issue*

What makes the use of the Confederate Flag so complicated and controversial is that it holds more than one single, universal meaning. To some, it is purely a symbol of Southern heritage, a statement of regional pride while others use it as a way of showing defiance and prefer to call it the 'Rebel Flag.' Unfortunately, there is still a contingent who use it as a symbol of their misguided hatred towards a group of people, reminding us of the flag's Civil War roots.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. calls flag 'offensive to an entire race'*

Dale Jr. was born and raised in Kannapolis, North Carolina and his number (and his father's) is commonly seen at the center of the flag during race weekends. "I've made my comments on the Confederate Flag several times and I stand behind NASCAR's stance to remove it. I think it is offensive to an entire race. It really does nothing for anybody to be there, flying. It belongs in the history books and that's about it."

*Jeff Gordon's thoughts*

Jeff Gordon, a California native, also offered his thoughts. "As far as the confederate flag I think that... I know how we approach it at Hendrick Motorsports and that is everything that we can control. We have eliminated the ability to use it in anyway or it show up in any of the things that we are involved with. I think that is the stance I see that NASCAR has taken and have had that stance for several years. To me I'm in support of what they are doing. It's a delicate balance. We race all over, but the South is an area where we have a lot of fans. Everyone has different opinions and expression of that. I support NASCAR and the stance that they are taking."

*My take *

Despite its national and even international presence, NASCAR's core audience still comes from the South. Their attempts to eradicate the Confederate Flag will obviously turn some fans away, but is still necessary when looking from their perspective as they push to be seen as a more inclusive and diverse sport.

However, it is still every person's right to use the flag as they please. If a person wishes to fly it, then so be it. I don't believe it is NASCAR's place to force fans one way or another. Discouraging its use and encouraging those who use it anyway to keep it below the American flag are prudent ways to go about it.

It's an unfortunate situation and there is no panacea to keep everyone happy. Today, the flag is used by the majority as a symbol of Southern pride with no feelings of racism attached to it. But due to the actions of the few, the flag's dark past has come back to the forefront of our minds and is really forcing the hand of NASCAR.

I have family who died in that war - on both sides. Out of respect for those offended by the the flag's history, it is my belief NASCAR can't tolerate any symbol that is still used by some to showcase their illogical hatred against a race of people.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...gressive-as-possible-against-confederate-flag


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Spice Is Nice​*
There was some welcome excitement last weekend at Sonoma Raceway from three drivers in particular.

Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 may not have been the most memorable road-course race in recent memory, but it provided a jolt of electricity that's been long overdue. The day included performances from three drivers that provide their share of spice to the sport but have been "missing in action" lately.

That list starts with race winner Kyle Busch, who picked up the victory in only his fifth start since coming back from injuries sustained in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Put aside the debate of whether or not Busch deserves a shot at getting into the Chase. For the record, in my opinion, he doesn't - nor should any driver that misses 11 races or 42 percent of the regular season.

There's no arguing the fact that Busch can wheel a racecar with the best of them and when he's running for the checkered flag, the sport is much more interesting. Busch is a lightning rod, one of those personalities that "moves the needle" one way or the other. Having him back running up front has added a compelling story to the mix.

The same can be said about Sunday's third-place finisher, Clint Bowyer. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver hasn't won in more than two years and his Sonoma performance was his first top five of the season. Bowyer has always been a solid road racer and his effort on Sunday helped overcome obvious mediocrity the MWR stable has dealt with this year on most all other tracks.

Having Bowyer in the mix provides a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much of the usually-jovial Bowyer to talk about this year as he continues to fight the doldrums that have plagued him for months. But both on and off the track, Bowyer can be the proverbial straw that stirs the drink and it was good to see that return on Sunday.

Tony Stewart's 12th-place finish doesn't tell the whole story of a day that provided at least a glimpse of what's been missing from "Smoke's" game in recent months. The beleaguered Stewart quieted some of his critics who believe he's lost talent with a stirring drive that looked for a while like it might carry him to Victory Lane.

It didn't, but Stewart's performance was a clear indication that he can still drive a car with the best of them. Unfortunately, he's not been able to consistently display those skills with the current Sprint Cup rules package and continues to struggle with less horsepower. Perhaps the new aerodynamic package to be used at Kentucky Speedway in two weeks will allow Stewart to climb back into the picture he's been missing from for most of 2015.

There's no guarantee that any of this will last. But for at least one race, three of NASCAR's most entertaining and engaging personalities were back in the spotlight.

The sport's a better place when that happens.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Opinion-Spice-Is-Nice.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowman To Remain With TBR​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing has exercised their option to keep Alex Bowman in the No. 7 Chevrolet for the 2016 season.

"We've got some great things happening right now and the most important part of all our plans was signing Alex as early as possible," said team owner Tommy Baldwin. "Now we can continue to focus on the rest of the parts and pieces needed to continue our forward progress."

"I'm excited for all the things Tommy and the team have in the works and knowing that I will be a part of that for the next year is a good feeling," said Bowman. "This has been a good year for us and I am confident in what we can continue to do this season and next."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...wman-to-Remain-with-Tommy-Baldwin-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Chevrolet Partners With DAYTONA Rising​*
International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) ("ISC") and Chevrolet today announced a multi-year partnership that will make Chevrolet a Founding Partner at Daytona International Speedway as part of its DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project.

The historic $400 million DAYTONA Rising project, encompassing the Speedway's nearly one-mile long frontstretch, will be complete by January 2016. DAYTONA Rising will transform DIS into the world's first motorsports stadium, with premium amenities and attractions.

Beginning in 2016, the multi-year agreement will provide Chevrolet with naming rights for one of five fan injectors. The massive, new and redesigned entry includes over 20,000 square feet of Chevrolet new vehicle displays and a fan engagement experience that vertically spans four concourse levels. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Chevrolet has been an integral part of the ISC family for many years and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship," said ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. "As part of their activation at DAYTONA Rising and other ISC facilities, Chevrolet will represent its iconic automotive brand through interactive experiences with fans."

Chevrolet will also have branding rights for one of the "neighborhoods" located near its injector. 
Each football field-sized neighborhood will be located throughout the new frontstretch and feature retail and dining areas, as well as dozens of video screens.

Additionally, Chevrolet will serve as an official partner of "The Great American Race," the DAYTONA 500®, and receive official pace car rights in select years.

"Chevrolet's commitment to racing originated more than a century ago with Louis Chevrolet and remains strong today as we solidify our presence at 'The World Center of Racing' by partnering with International Speedway Corporation, Daytona International Speedway and the DAYTONA Rising project," said Alan Batey, president GM North America. "We look forward to enhancing the experience for race fans here in Daytona with the new Chevrolet injector entrance and neighborhood."

In addition to the Founding Partner status with DAYTONA Rising, Chevrolet extended its pace car rights at several ISC facilities including Darlington Raceway, Phoenix International Raceway and Watkins Glen International for various NASCAR and IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) events.

"We're excited to showcase Chevrolet's legendary brand at DIS as part of DAYTONA Rising," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "Their activation will elevate the race day experience at the new motorsports stadium, and continue to make them an integral part of the Speedway experience."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...comes-Founding-Partner-of-DAYTONA-Rising.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Same Game Plan For Almirola​*
A year ago at Daytona International Speedway, Aric Almirola won the rain-shortened Coke Zero 400 to gain entry into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team will arrive at "The World Center of Racing" this week toting the same game plan ... "Win and you're in!"

With Joey Logano's victory in February's Daytona 500, an Almirola win Sunday night in the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola would give Ford its second DIS season sweep in five years.

"Daytona always has a special place in my heart and after winning there last year, it's that much stronger," Almirola said. "There's something special about racing under the lights during Fourth of July weekend."

Last year's race was originally scheduled for a Saturday night, but "Mother Nature" had other ideas. Things finally got rolling the following morning, but then the 18th race of the season was halted after 112 of the 160 scheduled laps were completed.

Almirola had taken his second - and final - lead of the day by passing Kurt Busch, and then kept his car in front for the final seven laps before rain moved in. The race was called about an hour later with Almirola claiming his first career Cup Series win 30 years after team owner Richard Petty's 200th victory in the iconic No. 43 ... which also came at Daytona.

Aside from the vagaries of the weather, Almirola knows that the fickle nature of restrictor-plate racing also contributes to making a Daytona race a roll of the dice.

"It's a crap shoot," he said, "but we've shown that we have power at the superspeedways with Roush Yates Engines and our cars are fast. I'm looking forward to seeing how we do under the lights Sunday."

Indeed, Almirola has a pair of respectable 15th-place finishes in this year's first two "plate" races, at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway. He would like to add his name to the list of 11 race winners in 2015, which would most likely land him back on The Chase Grid come September.

Almirola's current status in the point standings (15th) makes a race win a more likely path to a post-season berth. He's 38 points outside the top 10 with just 10 races left in the regular season.

The last driver to win back-to-back summertime "400s" at Daytona was Tony Stewart in 2005 and 2006. An Almirola victory Sunday night would deliver the season sweep for Ford, matching the wins by Trevor Bayne in the 2011 Daytona 500 and David Ragan four months later.

Almirola also is one of five Cup drivers doing double duty this weekend, competing in Saturday's Subway Firecracker 250. He's entered in the No. 98 Fred Biagi-owned Ford.

"We ran at Daytona and Talladega earlier this year and were very competitive," said Almirola - who had finishes of seventh and 10th, respectively. "Hopefully, we can start the weekend off right with a win on Saturday."

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice at Daytona International Speedway on Friday at 3 p.m. (ET) and qualify Saturday afternoon. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/07/Same-Game-Plan-for-Aric-Almirola.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart Eyes Daytona Prize​*
Throughout his 17-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Tony Stewart has averaged 17.5 top-10 finishes per season.

This year, he only claims one - a sixth-place showing in April at Bristol.

And there are only 20 races left.

Stewart's struggles have put him in an unescapable hole in the driver point standings. The three-time NSCS champion ranks 26th in the standings, 130 points behind Aric Almirola for the final spot on the current Chase Grid.

Luckily for Stewart, under the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, a win in the next 10 races is all he needs to secure a berth in NASCAR's playoffs.

One visit to Victory Lane can turn his season around.

That visit could occur in Sunday's Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway - a track Stewart has dominated in the month of July.

Stewart boasts 19 wins at DIS across NASCAR's national series, more than any driver not named Dale Earnhardt. Of those 19 triumphs, four have come in a NSCS points race - all in the Coke Zero 400.

"Everybody has got a shot at Daytona," Stewart said. "We've been in that position before and have actually been able to take advantage quite a few times. The biggest thing is it gives you confidence that you've got a shot."

The last time Stewart took advantage of his position at Daytona was July 7, 2012. He led 22 laps just past the midway point before giving up the point to Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. The No. 14 Chevrolet driver waited patiently all the way until a two-lap restart at the end of the race when he passed Kenseth and Biffle on the final go-around to win under caution.

"The biggest challenge was Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle because when they hooked up, I didn't think there was anybody that could beat them," Stewart said. "But we were able to stay in touch with them, and I got a great restart with Kasey Kahne helping me.

"They were coming on the outside in (turns) three and four and the last wreck happened, and we were just fortunate enough to be leading still."

Stewart's only win since his 2012 Daytona checkered came at Dover in 2013 (57 starts and 75 races ago). He will try to turn his performance around at the track where he has led the most July laps (369) among active drivers and where he's the only active driver to win two consecutive July races (2005-06).

While Stewart has exceled in his career at restrictor-plate racing - particularly at Daytona - he finds it frustrating.

"I'm glad we're halfway decent at it, but it's still always frustrating when you have to rely on what everybody else does," Stewart said. "It's not what you do. It's what you do along with somebody else who decides that they're going to follow you and help you. That's the part that frustrates you as a driver.

"The great thing about restrictor-plate racing though is that 43 cars all have the same shot at winning the race, but again, that's also part of what makes it frustrating, too. It's just being at the right place at the right time."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/07/Tony-Stewart-Eyes-Daytona-Prize.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Roush XFINITY Teams Roll Into Daytona​*
With the 2015 NASCAR season nearing its mid-point, Roush Fenway Racing has countered a frustrating Sprint Cup Series campaign by flexing its muscles in the XFINITY Series.

Entering Saturday night's Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway, Chris Buescher is leading the point standings ... Ryan Reed checks into "The World Center of Racing" chasing a season sweep ... and Darrell Wallace Jr. is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

This gives the entire group plenty to smile about as the schedule makes the turn from spring to summer. Buescher has been atop the standings since his victory May 17 at Iowa Speedway. He followed with win No. 2 13 days later at Dover and presently enjoys a 29-point advantage over Ty Dillon.

Buescher ran second to teammate Reed in the season opener at Daytona back in February and is eager to return to the 2.5-mile oval.

"Roush Fenway Racing has a strong superspeedway program," said Buescher, who drives the No. 60 Ford. "I'm pleased with how our team has performed so far this season and that's something we can continue to build on."

Since his runner-up finish in the season opener, Buescher has not ranked lower than third in the standings, completing all but four of the total laps run. He's already posted three more top-five finishes than he tallied in all of 2014, his rookie season. In addition to his two wins this year, Buescher has six top fives and eight top 10s. He's led 145 laps.

"My goal is to win every weekend and the points situation will take care of itself," Buescher said. "That's not always possible, but we've capitalized on our good days and made sure our bad days aren't that bad."

Of the five XFINITY Series race wins that belong to non-Sprint Cup Series drivers this season, three have come courtesy of RFR - two by Buescher and Reed's season-opening victory at Daytona in the No. 16 Roush Mustang.

"I'll always be excited to head back to Daytona after getting my first win there in February," said Reed, currently ninth in points. "Our cars are traditionally fast at restrictor-plate tracks and it would be amazing to sweep the season at Daytona."

The last driver to do that in the XFINITY Series was Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2003 and Ford has never won back-to-back races at Daytona since the track first hosted the series in 1982. In fact, the manufacturer has just three wins in 44 total races: Chad Little in 1995, Mike Wallace in 2004 and Reed earlier this year.

Darrell Wallace Jr. will join Buescher, Reed and Elliott Sadler in making up the four-car RFR lineup at Daytona. Wallace is leading the rookie standings by seven points over second-place Daniel Suarez and is fifth overall. He finished 12th in the season opener at Daytona.

Sadler is sixth in the standings, 15 points behind Wallace and looking to improve on his 19th-place finish at Daytona back in February.

There are 44 drivers on the preliminary entry list including David Ragan, who'll drive the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Five other Sprint Cup Series regulars are doing double duty: Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and JJ Yeley.

_XFINITY Series teams will open practice at 2 p.m. (ET) on Friday and qualify Saturday afternoon. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola beginning at 7 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Roll-Into-Daytona-International-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Tracks Make Request For Fans To Not Fly Confederate Flag​*
NASCAR tracks issued a statement Thursday requesting that fans "refrain" from displays of the Confederate flag while attending races.
The statement signed by 30 tracks, including the tracks owned by International Speedway Corporation and Speedway Motorsports Inc., is as follows:

_ "As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment.

"To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events.

"We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing."_

A NASCAR spokesperson said the request would pertain to "overt displays" of the Confederate flag. If you're a fan wanting to bring in a 15-foot Confederate flag to fly on track property while at a race or are planning to use the symbol as a way to make a boisterous statement, you're likely going to be asked to not do so and possibly escorted out of the track premises.

The statement from NASCAR's tracks is a continuation of the theme started by NASCAR chairman Brian France last week. In an interview with the Associated Press, France said he wanted the flag eliminated from NASCAR events.

After France's comments, it was clear that the sport with strong southern roots preferred fans to not loudly display Confederate symbols. Thursday's statement makes it even more obvious, though we'll freely admit the request's success hinges more on fans making the (smart) decision not to display the flag than it does on tracks' ability to find offenders.

Daytona International Speedway, site of Sunday's race, is hosting a Confederate flag exchange program for any fan who wants to turn in his or her Confederate flag for an American flag. The spokesperson said the program could be extended to other tracks as well.

The sport does not sell any officially-licensed merchandise with the Confederate flag symbol and previously said it supported the effort to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds at the South Carolina Capitol.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...ns-to-not-fly-confederate-flag-153035839.html


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## Ckg2011

*Big Red Backing Josh Wise​*
Big Red Inc. announced on Thursday that it will serve as primary sponsor for Josh Wise and the Premium Motorsports team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for four races.

The program will kick off Saturday, July 11 at Kentucky Speedway, where the No. 98 Big Red Ford will compete in the running of the Quaker State 400.

"It is exciting to have the Big Red brands back in NASCAR," said Gary Smith, CEO of Big Red Inc.

"We have a long history in the sport and have always believed in the tremendous marketing power of the NASCAR platform for our brands. We look forward to these four races with Josh and the No. 98 team."

In addition to showcasing the iconic Big Red soda brand, the sponsorship agreement will also feature the company's newly-acquired XYIENCE Performance Energy beverage. XYIENCE is a zero-calorie energy beverage featuring a variety of flavors such as Cherry Lime, Frostberry Blast and its most popular flavor, Mango Guava.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fans can see the No. 98 Big Red Ford on the track next weekend at Kentucky Speedway followed by the Oct. 25 race at Talladega Superspeedway. The second half of the program will feature the No. 98 XYIENCE Ford for the Nov. 8 race at Texas Motor Speedway and the Nov. 15 event at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

"It is always exciting to have support from companies such as Big Red," added Wise. "Sponsors are key factors in this sport and to have such an iconic brand as Big Red sponsor you is fantastic. I am also an avid bicycler and marathoner, and the XYIENCE Performance Energy product is a great fit with my lifestyle. "

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/big-red-backing-josh-wise/


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch's Quest For Top 30​*
Kyle Busch will start his own 10-race personal "Chase" this weekend at Daytona International Speedway as his looks for an opportunity to run for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

With a win now in the books, Busch's next target is to make the top-30 in the championship standings in order to become eligible for the Chase. He currently ranks 37th in the standings, 136 points back of 30th-place Cole Whitt. As it stands now, Busch will need to average 14 more points than the driver in 30th over the next 10 weeks.

"We've just got to be smart about how we race," Busch said. "Now, having a win, you know, obviously I think that makes things a little bit better. We don't have to race as hard for a win. We don't have to put ourselves in a bad spot when we're running third, fourth or fifth to try to get that victory. We can run third, fourth or fifth and that's a good day for us. That'll be just fine."

So far this season, Whitt has averaged 16 points per race in 16 events while Busch has averaged 25 in his five starts.

Sunday's Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola will mark Busch's first trip to Daytona since he suffered a broken right leg and left foot in an accident in the season-opening XFINITY Series race.

"Daytona is not a place that I think owes me one or anything like that," said Busch, who missed the first 11 races of the season while recovering from his injuries. "It's just that I want to be able to go back there and conquer it again one day, whether that's this weekend or not. I look forward to getting back there, though, and back on the racetrack. Hopefully, one day we're able to win a Daytona 500 and, of course, put all the rest of those bad memories in the rearview mirror. I would love nothing more than to get our Interstate All Battery Center Camry back to Victory Lane there."

Busch does have one win in the Coke Zero 400, coming in 2008. He's also has one win each in the XFINITY, Camping World Truck and ARCA Racing Series at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

"To win at Daytona is always cool," Busch said. "It's definitely special. It's the birthplace of NASCAR - the superspeedway aspect of it. I definitely love going there."

Another aspect of the Coke Zero 400 that Busch likes is the race is held under the lights and in the Florida heat.

"I think it's a bit hotter than it is at the beginning of the year and it gets to where the track is a little bit slicker," Busch said. "So you get that opportunity to where guys start mishandling a bit, and they start sliding around and you can actually make it a superspeedway race, but there's more separation between cars than usual. You start passing people when guys are having to lift and get out of the gas, which makes that race really fun and enjoyable for us drivers to know that the better driver can prevail."

And while Busch is looking at points racing for the next 10 races, don't count him out if he has the opportunity to take the checkered flag again. Busch has combined to win 16 races at the next 10 tracks on the schedule with eight of them coming in the summer months. While another victory would help his cause even more, Busch does have history on his side as there has yet to be 16 different winners in the 26-race regular season since the inception of the Chase in 2004.

*Kyle Busch's Stats at the Next 10 Tracks​* 
Track	Starts	Wins	Avg. Fin.	Top Fives	Top 10s	Laps Led
Daytona	20	1	19.0	5	6	329
Kentucky	4	1	4.5	3	4	274
New Hampshire	20	1	14.0	7	10	460
Indianapolis	10	0	10.6	3	8	42
Pocono	21	0	18.3	4	8	63
Watkins Glen	10	2	11.3	4	8	188
Michigan	21	1	20.0	4	6	169
Bristol	20	5	12.2	8	12	1,512
Darlington	10	1	13.6	2	6	588
Richmond	20	4	7.4	13	14	931
Totals	156	16	13.1	53	82	4,556​
*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yle-Busch-Begins-Top-30-Quest-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Accident Forces Many To Backup Cars​*
A number of teams were forced to bring out the backup car after a muti-car accident in first practice session for Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

The accident was triggered when Brad Keselowski's Ford got into the left rear of Kyle Busch's Toyota in Turn 2, 10 minutes into the opening practice.

"I guess the '2' (Keselowski) got into my left rear and just spun us around," Busch said. "All these guys at the shop and everybody, they work way too hard building race cars in general to be wrecking them in practice. There's room to lift and sometimes people don't."

After winning last weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Busch will start his 10-race run to attempt to make the top 30 in the standings driving a backup car at Daytona.

After the smoke settled nine other drivers were also forced to backup cars: Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Sam Hornish Jr., Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, Michael Annett and Carl Edwards.

"I slowed down and somebody just hit me from behind," Edwards said. "We got another Subway Toyota and I've seen this race won with backup cars and races won at these tracks with backup cars - I saw Kyle win a race in the XFINITY Series with basically no fenders and everything was destroyed. We just want to make sure we get this one to the race now."

Keselowski's car was not damaged.

"First off it stinks to see cars get torn up in practice," Keselowski said. "I had a run on Kyle and tried to go high...and I had Greg Biffle right on my butt so I wanted to go back down low and when I wanted to go down low Kyle started coming down. I had Greg there and I ran in the back of Kyle, just kind of flat-out ran into the back of him."

Truex's backup was the team's superspeedway car in 2014.

"Everything happened so quickly," Truex said. "Cars were starting to check up and I then saw the '18' (Busch) starting to get sideways. I hit the brakes to try to slow down but for some reason our car just went straight into the wall. We have a lot of damage and will be going to a backup car. We'll be fine."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. paced the first practice session with a lap of 202.284 mph.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...orced-to-Backup-Cars-in-Daytona-Practice.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Weather Cancels Daytona Qualifying​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6779&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 was canceled for weather surrounding the Daytona International Speedway, putting Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the pole based on practice speeds.

Rain and lightning in the area forced officials to cancel qualifying for the first time in 2015.

Earnhardt Jr., who has a 2.0 average finish on restrictor-plate tracks this season, will start from the No. 1 position after he posted the fastest lap in yesterday's first practice session.

"I asked Greg (Ives, crew chief) before we went out to practice what we were trying to accomplish in that first practice and that was the first thing he mentioned was to go out that first run and try to put a lap down because the weather wasn't looking real good for today," Earnhardt said. "That was his decision. It ended up working out for us."

Austin Dillon, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard and Trevor Bayne round out the top five starters.

Ryan Blaney and Michael McDowell will not make the race.

"I really hate this for Motorcraft/Quick Lane and all of our guests," said Blaney's team co-owner Eddie Wood. "We've been lucky. This is the first time this has happened since we started part time in 2009. We've dodged a lot of bullets, including last time in Michigan.

"This one got us, but if it has to happen, I'd rather it be for something we can't control instead of for a lack of performance on our part."






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola Sprint Cup Series race from Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. Aric Almirola is the defending winner._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...he-Pole-after-Weather-Cancels-Qualifying.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon Daytona Winner​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6786&StatType=Race+Results

Austin Dillon led just nine laps Saturday night, including the one that mattered most.

Dillon, grandson of legendary team owner Richard Childress, outlasted Elliott Sadler and Chase Elliott during a green-white-checkered finish to claim the crash-filled Subway Firecracker 250, the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

"This is Daytona, man," Dillon said during the post-race celebration. "There are so many family memories here. &#8230; I'm just happy for my grandfather. He told me once when we were here in Victory Lane with Dale Earnhardt that you'll have this opportunity one day. It means so much to be here."

A multi-car crash on Lap 96 of the 100-lap race took out Brian Scott, who led 84 laps and was in front when the crash started. Scott moved to the outside line to block Elliott Sadler, but was spun out, collecting several cars. Dillon slipped through the crash, then stayed ahead of Elliott after the final restart.

Sadler recovered from the crash and surged past Elliott as the field reached the checkered flag to finish second. Afterward, he blamed Scott for the crash.

"Either Brian's spotter or Brian tried to make the move too late to block us," Sadler said. "We were already up to his right rear door. It wrecked us, man. This is Daytona. It's a shame. We had a car good enough to win."

Scott admitted the move was aggressive and poorly timed, but said he thought Sader could have given him room.

"I told myself I was going to be aggressive, and I was going for the win," Scott said. "I was trying to time that run. I knew the outside lane was coming. Obviously I mistimed it a little bit, but I still felt like I gave them room to split me and go high. Instead of going high on me, he turned me into the wall."

Dillon scored his third XFINITY Series win of 2015 and fifth of his career, putting a smile on his grandfather's face.

"It's cool any time you win here at Daytona," Childress said.

A 12-car pile-up with 10 laps to go collected the top two in the XFINITY points standings - Chris Buescher and Ty Dillon - and set the stage for a restart with five laps remaining. Scott restarted ahead of Sadler and Austin Dillon.

Sadler fell behind in the outside line but regained momentum and appeared to be ready to pass Scott, who was leading the inside line. Scott moved up to get in front of Sadler, but didn't have enough room and was turned into the wall.

The crash left only nine cars on the lead lap. Dillon restarted ahead of Dakoda Armstrong and Chase Elliott for the green-white-checkered finish, and Elliott quickly moved into second on the low line. He finished third, followed by Kasey Kahne, Benny Gordon and Armstrong.


























*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Wins-Subway-Firecracker-250-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Abreu Captures Columbus Checkers​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&RaceID=6859&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Rico Abreu made a name for himself wheeling an open-wheel car on dirt. It hasn't taken long to get acclimated to stock car racing on asphalt.

In only his seventh start, the 23-year-old from St. Helena, California, earned his first NASCAR win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway Saturday night.

With his victory in the NAPA 150, Abreu continues his breakout year that saw him with the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals sprint car event, make his first stock car start in February, sign with HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks and win his first Coors Light Pole Award in the previous K&N Pro Series East event at Langley Speedway.

Abreu captured his second Coors Light Pole Award in a row earlier in the evening at Columbus, but it was the decisive pass for the lead that he made on Lap 115 that ultimately delivered his first victory.

Abreu just beat Grant Quinlan to the finish line. In his K&N Pro Series East debut, Quinlan battled for - and swapped - the lead eight times with Abreu throughout the 150-lap event. The final margin of victory for Abreu over Quinlan was 0.103 seconds.

Kaz Grala crossed the line in third with Jay Beasley fourth and Ronnie Bassett Jr. fifth. Dalton Sargeant, Austin Hill, J.J. Haley and Kenzie Ruston brought home the top 10.

Abreu is following the path that his friend and fellow Californian Kyle Larson - now a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor - took in transitioning from dirt to asphalt. Larson's first NASCAR victory came in his sixth career K&N Pro Series East start in 2012 en route to the championship that season.

William Byron, who finished 14th Saturday, retained the championship lead by 20 points over Hill with seven races complete.

The NAPA 150 will be telecast on NBCSN on July 10 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action with the Granite State 70 on July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...07/Rico-Abreu-Captures-Columbus-Checkers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Story Lines​*
Sunday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway carries several interesting stories to follow.

A number of contenders were forced to backup cars in the aftermath of Friday's multi-car crash in practice.

The melee was triggered when Brad Keselowski made contact with Kyle Busch and several drivers were then caught up in the accident.

"Looks like (Keselowski) got into my left rear," Busch said. "He got away unscathed and trashed everybody else's stuff."

Busch, last week's Sonoma winner, is trying to make his way into the top 30 of the point standings to make the Chase.

Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle, Sam Hornish Jr., Trevor Bayne, Michael Annett, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray were all also involved in the incident and are in backup cars for Sunday's race.

*Line-Up Set By Practice*
Weather canceled Saturday's qualifying session so the field was set by the weekend's first practice. That puts Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the pole flanked by Saturday night's XFINITY Series race winner Austin Dillon.

"I asked (crew chief) Greg (Ives) before we went out to practice what we were trying to accomplish in that first practice and that was the first thing he mentioned, was to go out that first run and try to put a lap down because the weather wasn't looking real good," Earnhardt said. "That was his decision. It ended up working out for us."

*Gordon's Last Ride* 
Sunday will be Jeff Gordon's final race at Daytona as the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion heads into retirement at season's end. Gordon leads all active drivers in wins, poles, top fives, top 10s and laps led at Daytona.

But Gordon is far from excited about taking the green flag for the last time in his career at "The World Center of Racing."

"I would say it's one of my worst chances to win," Gordon said of restrictor plate. "I can't stand that kind of racing.

Gordon doesn't see any one driver or team having an advantage Sunday night.

"I guess restrictor plate racing makes it equal for about everybody," he said. "So, all you can do is just come up with the best plan that you can possibly put in place, knowing that it's going to change at any moment, but that you're going to stick with what you think it going to get you to the finish and hold it wide open and hope that when they start wrecking around you, that you somehow squeeze through it. But that's just the way you've got to approach these races."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola Sprint Cup Series race from Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. Aric Almirola is the defending winner._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Daytona-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Wins At Daytona​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6779&StatType=Race+Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. outraced the field on a green-white-checkered finish to win the rain-delayed Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.

Earnhardt started from the pole and scored his second win of the season, fourth at Daytona and 10th career restrictor-plate victory.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," said Earnhardt, who led a race-high 96 laps. "Our car was fast. I had to block a lot and you've got to run real, real hard to win here."

Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five. Jeff Gordon, Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman, Trevor Bayne and Clint Bowyer completed the top 10. The start of the race was delayed by rain for some four hours and ended Monday at 2:41 a.m. (ET).

The last-lap dash to the checkered flag was punctuated by a harrowing accident that saw Dillon's car fly into the the catch fence along the frontstretch before then being hit hard on the track by Brad Keselowski. Several cars crashed in the aftermath, but all drivers escaped uninjured.

"That scared the hell out of me," Earnhardt said. "That was terrifying to watch. You don't want to see that happen."

The impact separated the engine block from Dillon's racecar, which landed upside down back on the track. Dillon climbed out and walked away from the scene.

"The safety NASCAR has done for the racecar is pretty awesome," Dillon said. "I've got a bruised tailbone and a little bruise on my forearm, but everything else feels fine. I don't have a headache or anything like that, but I'll ice up and get ready for Kentucky."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Kentucky Speedway for next Saturday night's Quaker State 400.

How Earnhardt Won: He was the class of the field and led the most laps. It came down to an overtime finish that was set up when Sam Hornish Jr. spun on the backstretch. On the restart, Earnhardt stayed ahead of Johnson and Hamlin.

Who Had a Good Day: Anyone who made it to the finish unscathed ... Hamlin came on strong late to make a run for the win and finished third ... Johnson was also in the hunt but settled for second ... Bayne brought home a much-needed top-10 finish ... the same for Bowyer, who finished 10th.

Who Had a Bad Day: It didn't take long for Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano's quest for a season sweep to end.

Logano was one of several drivers caught in a multi-car crash that broke out in the opening laps - triggered when David Gilliland spun in front of the field ... Carl Edwards was running 13th when he lost control coming off Turn 4, making slight contact with the inside retaining wall.

Things got worse for Edwards just past halfway when Kyle Larson spun in front of him as the field raced through Turn 1.

Edwards got clipped by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and was hit from behind by Brian Scott, causing heavy damage ... Larson was in the middle of a huge accident several laps later that started when Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth got together. Before it was over, last year's race winner Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr., Logano and others were involved.

What Else Happened: The start of the race was delayed some four hours by rain and stormy weather, with the green flag flying at 11:42 p.m. (ET) ... When racing finally happened, it was typical restrictor-plate competition with tight packs, swapping for position and a number of multi-car accidents including the frightening last-lap crash.

Quote of the Day: "I'm more thankful that everybody is OK than to be standing here in Victory Lane, that's for sure." - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Notables: David Ragan rebounded from a late spin to finish 12th ... Landon Cassill notched a 13th-place finish ... Kyle Busch came back from an early-race brush with the wall to finish 17th.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rnhardt-Jr-Wins-Coke-Zero-400-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon: "It's Like Talladega Nights Out There"​*
Austin Dillon walked away from one of the biggest crashes in NASCAR Sprint Cup history at Daytona on Monday morning, and said such a huge wreck was "bound to happen".

Dillon's #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was torn to pieces as it hit the catchfencing nose-first while on its side at about 200mph. As the crash happened just after the finish line, Dillon was classified seventh.

Although his engine and gearbox was torn away in the violent impact, Dillon escaped from his wrecked car unscathed.

"I am just going to be really sore," he said. "It got my tailbone pretty good and my arm. Should be fine, just go ice it up and get ready for Kentucky.

"But just thank the good Lord for taking care of me and for what NASCAR has done to make the sport this much safer."

"I thought it was all over"

Dillon explained his accident as a "wicked ride" - which started after Denny Hamlin (11) touched Kevin Harvick (4), and Dillon's car appeared to get launched over Jeff Gordon (24). After his car came to rest on the infield grass, it was hit again by Brad Keselowski (2).

"The 11 got turned by the 4 across the start/finish line and I thought the race was going to be over right there," he said. "We were almost there and I was just pushing the 24 and the next thing I knew was that I was looking at my roof for a long time.

"I thought it was all over when I was sliding there and the 2 came in and really got me. So it was a wicked ride but thank the good Lord above for taking care of me.

"But I just think the next thing is that we are going to have to make this racing even more safe. We are running 200 mph and pushing each other around out there and it's just bound to happen.

"It definitely is a video game. With three to go you are just going to push somebody until the end of the race. It's wreckers or checkers.

"It's like Talladega Nights out there. So it takes a lot of confidence and just staying into the gas is tough. It is a tough sport and it's what racing is about and it is why NASCAR has been here for so long."











*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/austin-dillon-its-like-talladega-nights-out-there


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dillon Recounts Last Lap Accident​*
Austin Dillon walked away from a violent last lap crash in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Dillon's was swept up in the multi-car crash that broke out as the field raced to the checkered flag in the rain-delayed race and his car went airborne before hitting the catch fence.

Despite Dillon's car being virtually destroyed in the accident, the Richard Childress Racing driver climbed out of the cockpit under his own power and was later treated and released from the infield care center.

"I am just going to be really sore," Dillon said. "It got my tailbone pretty good and my arm. Should be fine, just go ice it up and get ready for Kentucky. But just thank the good Lord for taking care of me and for what NASCAR has done to make the sport this much safer."

Several fans were struck by debris from the accident. Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III confirmed one was taken to a local hospital in stable condition. That individual was later treated and released. Four more were treated at the track and released and eight more declined treatment.

Dillon's thoughts were with the fans.

"I just hope everybody in the stands is all right," he said. "That is the next biggest concern. Just praying for everybody and glad the good Lord looked out for me tonight."

Chitwood was pleased with how the fence did its job.

"I'm really proud of the fact that the fence worked and the additional safety enhancements of the Daytona Rising project did its job, as well," Chitwood said. "We'll take this situation, we'll learn from it, we'll analyze it, and we'll round up our engineering team and see if there's any additional things we can learn to get better the next time. Really proud of the effort of our team and who responded and that the fence worked and that the enhancements of the Daytona Rising project worked, as well."

As for what happened to trigger the incident, Dillon explained the turn of events.

"You know the 11 (Denny Hamlin) got turned by the 4 (Kevin Harvick) across the start/finish line and I thought the race was going to be over right there," he said. "We were almost there and I was just pushing the 24 and the next thing I knew was that I was looking at my roof for a long time. I thought it was all over when I was sliding there and the 2 (Brad Keselowski) came in and really got me. So it was a wicked ride but thank the good Lord above for taking care of me."

When the remains of Dillon's car finally came to rest several crewmembers from other teams rushed to his aid.

"I thought that was pretty awesome," Dillon said. "As soon as I looked up and I don't know if it was Casey Mears pit crew member or Casey right at the door, but that made me feel really good and comfortable. The only thing I was worried about was that there was oil everywhere and I wanted to get away from the car and that was why I was scrambling to get out from under it. And then just wanted to waive to the fans and let them know I was all good."

Jeff Gordon, who finished sixth, chalked up the harrowing finish to the business of being a racecar driver.

"It definitely is a video game," he said. "With three to go you are just going to push somebody until the end of the race. It's wreckers or checkers. It's like Talladega Nights out there. So it takes a lot of confidence and just staying into the gas is tough. It is a tough sport and it's what racing is about and it is why NASCAR has been here for so long."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Austin-Dillon-Recounts-Last-Lap-Accident.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Two Weeks For Truex​*
The past two races haven't gone well for Martin Truex Jr. and it wasn't anything to do with the performance of his No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet.

In Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race that turned into Monday morning at Daytona International Speedway, Truex had another fast race car, but as was the case last week in Sonoma, Calif, luck wasn't on his side. He got collected in an 11-car melee on Daytona's 2.5-mile oval, ending his day on Lap 105 of 160 with a 38th-place finish and major damage to his car.

"The weekend didn't start off well for us and it ended worse," said Truex, who was forced to his backup car after being collected in a practice wreck on Friday. "The backup car turned out to be really fast as we ran up front for a good portion of the race. But when we got shuffled back we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Rain held up the start of the Coke Zero 400 for approximately four hours and it wasn't until 11:47 p.m. ET when the green flag waved. The race ended on Monday at 2:45 a.m. with a harrowing final-lap crash.

Truex, who started 19th, ran as high as second for a number of laps, and when his car got body slammed in the Lap 105 accident he was positioned in 15th place and moving to the front.

"We had a solid top-10 or top-five car," said Truex. "We didn't quite have the speed of a few of those other guys, but we had a great handling race car. On the longer runs we could really make some moves."

When asked about the wreck, Truex said, "It looked like the No. 5 (Kasey Kahne) and the No. 20 (Matt Kenseth) got together somehow. Just another situation where we were kind of running outside there minding our own business and just like practice, we got caught up in somebody else's wreck."

Truex dropped from second to fifth in the driver point standings.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...07/Martin-Truex-Finishes-38th-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Accident Shakes Up Earnhardt Jr.​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race but he was shaken up by the last lap crash in the Coke Zero 400.

As Earnhardt Jr. took the checkered flag to score his second win of the season the a multi-car accident broke out behind him and sent Austin Dillon's car sailing into the catch fence.

Dillon was not injured and several fans in the grandstands suffered relatively minor injuries, the accident made an impact on Earnhardt Jr. _Read More Click The Link:_ http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Austin-Dillon-Recounts-Last-Lap-Accident.aspx

"It was real frightening," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I mean, you're just on the verge of tears, to be honest with you, because I think that the first thing that goes through your mind is I saw everything in the mirror pretty clearly, and that car really went up in the air pretty high, and he hit the I could just see that it was a black object that hit that fence, and so I'm assuming I'm looking at the undercarriage of the car.

"I've never seen I've never really seen a roll cage handle those catch fences very well, and I just was very scared for whoever that was. I didn't even know what car it was, so I was just very scared for that person."

Earnhardt's voice over the in-car radio communication displayed his emotion.

"I was near tears," he said. "I don't even know who it is, but you just don't want to see nobody get hurt. It's awful. It's an awful feeling. I mean, we sit in those bus lots together; we all have become more friends closer friends, I think, because of the environment.

"We're all in that bus lot together. It ain't like the old days where everybody is at different hotels and you never saw each other and you come to the track and run over each other and fight and not like each other. We all sort of live in this community, and you may not like everybody, but you damn sure grow to respect them and don't want to see anybody get hurt."

If there is a silver lining to the incident Earnhardt believes that more safety initiatives could be the result of the harrowing experience.

"Racing has always been very dangerous," he said. "Fortunately for us we've gotten better and safer in the last 100 years. It's changed tremendously.

"Hopefully we can continue to learn and continue to get better, get safer, but there's always going to be that danger, and you just they did a good job putting that catch fence up because that catch fence took a hell of a shot, you know. I mean, I don't know what else you could throw at it besides what it saw tonight. So we're just getting better at not only keeping the drivers safe but keeping the fans safe to where they can come and trust everyone to be able to enjoy an event and not be in danger."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../07/Accident-Shakes-Up-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon On Tribute To Lane Frost And His Brother's 'Upset' Reaction To Daytona Crash​*
After climbing from the wreckage of his No. 3 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon put his own spin on informing the crowd of his well-being.

Rather than the standard wave acknowledging the support of fans, Dillon made a dual motion with his hands, which he explained Tuesday was a tribute to legendary bull rider Lane Frost.

"He's probably one of the best bull riders of all time," Dillon said. "After we won the (Xfinity) race Saturday night, I thought it was a cool tribute to him to kind of start doing that and just embrace it because he was one of my heroes.

"Sunday after the wreck, I thought it was appropriate because that was a pretty wild ride. I had actually texted one of my buddies. He's a bull rider. His name is Luke Snyder, and he had texted and asked if I was all right and everything. I said, 'Yeah, man, screw riding bulls.' But he's like, 'I don't know about that. Maybe screw racing.' and I said, 'No, I love what I do. '

"But it's fun to kind of look back at the way I have now because that was a really crazy wreck and just got to thank NASCAR and the good Lord above for taking good care of me. They did a great job to make our car safe, and I'm here today talking to you guys and feeling pretty good."

Dillon said he spent much of Monday looking at photos and replays of the airborne crash, which tore down a 60-foot section of the Daytona catchfence.

"I checked out a little bit of everything," he said. "I looked at photos, I looked at fans' videos on YouTube. I've looked at a little bit of everything, like I said. At first after getting through the infield care center, I didn't know if I wanted to watch it. After I took a shower, cooled down, I was like, 'All right, here we go, let's start watching them.'

"I watched a lot of videos, and just watching it in live speed, it is violent looking. It's a wicked crash. When you see the fence, the thing just blows apart. But for me, I think it kind of set in when I got to talk to my brother (Ty). I already got into the infield care center, I was pretty much fine. I wasn't shaken, and I was just kind of telling my parents, 'I'm OK, I'm OK,' and talking to them. You could see how upset they were, and I hadn't seen the real footage of the wreck. I knew it was bad but I didn't know how bad.

"When I talked to my brother, it was was another level because he was upset, and hearing him on the phone upset, it was like, 'Man, I'm going to have to watch this,' because he's a tough guy, and to hear him be upset about it and worried about me, it was like, all right, I need to look at this wreck."

*Austin Dillon on NBC Today Show, to watch just click the link:​*
http://www.today.com/video/nascar-driver-austin-dillon-speaks-out-on-terrifying-crash-479041603911

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...his-brothers-upset-reaction-to-daytona-crash/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Safety An Ongoing Quest​*
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France vowed to continue NASCAR's goal to increase safety initiatives in the wake of Monday's accident at Daytona International Speedway.

During an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "Tradin' Paint," France said the sanctioning body is investigating the aftermath of the accident that saw Austin Dillon's car fly into the fence along the frontstretch.

"We live and breathe delivering the closest, tightest and safest competition in the world," France said. "When we have a problem, we solve it. We'll look at all the things available to us. That's one of the beauties of technology and innovation, and one of the benefits we have as the only sanctioning body (with) a full-time research and development center that focuses only on safety, on getting rule packages right, et cetera. We're the only one that deploys that many resources and that much talent."

France said the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, N.C., plays a huge role in collecing data and information in such incidents.

"When we see an accident like we did, that was unique, we'll learn from that; and deploy all the talent and resources we have to try and avoid that in the future," France said. "That's what our fans expect and that's exactly what we're doing."

*Dillon Lauds Safety Initiatives*
On Tuesday, Austin Dillon spoke with the media about the accident; and applauded NASCAR and the tracks for safety components in the sport today.

"This is one of the most violent (wrecks)," Dillon said. "My groin and tailbone are sore, but I have no headache. My traps are sore from tightening up before impact, making sure I wasn't too relaxed when I hit the fence.

"It's impressive to see how far we've come after learning from other wrecks, with the 'black box' NASCAR looks at to see the impact and changing the chassis bars in the car to strengthen the roof. It looked like the cage, itself, held up well. The catch fence did its job. It kicked things back into the track."

Dillon vowed his assistance in doing whatever is necessary to make the sport as safe as possible.

"I'll be another advocate for safety," he said. "If I can help in any way, I'll do that. I'm just happy to be in the position I'm in. I've had worse injuries playing football growing up. It's impressive to see after something like that, to watch it and then be able to talk to you guys like I am right now."

*Earnhardt to XFINITY Series in Kentucky*
Fresh off his win in the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will climb behind the wheel of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for Friday night's XFINITY Series race at Kentucky Speedway before driving in Saturday's Cup event.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../NASCAR-Notebook-Safety-an-Ongoing-Quest.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon's Coke Zero 400 Crash Onboard Camera's​*


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Larson In The No. 32 Chevy Goes Into The Catch Fence At Daytona During 2013 Season Opener.​*
*Nationwide Fans Hurt In Fiery Daytona Crash Hire Law Firm, Spectators At NASCAR Race Prepare For Lawsuit After Injuries​*
Morgan confirmed to ESPN.com that no lawsuits have yet been filed, but that could change in the near future. He said the firm is gathering information for the individuals who retained counsel and that the information will help the individuals "pursue their claim for damages against the entities responsible for the injuries.''

Any future lawsuits could come against NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, or the company that designed the catch fencing that the car crashed into on Saturday. 28 fans in total were injured in the crash, which started after Kyle Larson's car went airborne and crashed into the catch fence on the side of the track.

Debris from the front end of the car as well as a wheel was flung into the stands and sent at least 14 fans to the hospital, including two that were in critical condition. Some of the fans were taken to Halifax Health in Daytona Beach.

"We're in very preliminary stages to see what was done wrong and what could have been done to prevent this type of injury,'' Morgan said. "I've done a preliminary investigation to see what has been done with the fencing in the past and the fencing now. As time goes on, I'll have a better understanding of liability.''

The two fans that were seriously injured were likely struck by the tire that came off the front end of Larson's vehicle, something that Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said he has never seen happen at a race before. The fans have since been upgraded to stable condition, while the seven spectators remain in the hospital, a hospital spokesman said on Tuesday.

Morgan said that two of his clients were seated near the fence and were hit by debris from the crash, while one had a significant fracture to their fibula. The names of those injured were not released.

This is not the first time that fans have decided to hire a law firm after an accident at a race, as it also happened in 1999 after a tire made it over the catch fencing at Charlotte Motor Speedway that killed three spectators at an IRL race, spurring 50 lawsuits.

The fence area that was damaged on Saturday was repaired in time for Sundays Daytona 500 and there were no crowd incidents during the event. According to ESPN.com, there is a waiver on the back of every ticket for NASCAR races that fans assume all risks when they come to the track, although that does not prevent fans from suing for damages.

"The competitor signs a release sheet and you're competing, the track is protected,'' Wheeler said. "When a spectator goes in he is not protected. All you have to do at that point is prove negligence," said Former CMS president H.A. "Humpy'' Wheeler.

*Source:*
http://www.sportsworldreport.com/ar...ry-daytona-crash-hire-law-firm-spectators.htm


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Releases New Aero Packages For Michigan, Indianapolis And Darlington​*
High drag/downforce for MIS and IMS, low downforce setup for the Southern 500.

On Tuesday, NASCAR released new aerodynamic packages for Michigan International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Richmond International Raceway.

At Michigan, a two-mile track and the 2.5-mile IMS, NASCAR is looking at a higher drag/downforce package - a stark departure from the low downforce package that will debut this weekend at Kentucky. Changes will include a nine-inch spoiler, a one-inch wicker bill, a two-inch splitter and a 43-inch radiator pan. The tires will be the same as was originally designated for the tracks.

Darlington will use the same lower downforce package such as Kentucky, which features a 3.5-inch spoiler, a one-quarter inch leading edge (splitter) and a 25-inch radiator pan.

NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell said the difference between Darlington and Kentucky will be the tire. Goodyear was able to test a tire specific to Darlington last week with Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth.

However, as the low downforce package makes its debut this weekend at Kentucky, there was not enough time to return to the track and then produce a significantly softer tire to accompany the package.

"I think we've all known that the tire wasn't specifically built for Kentucky," O'Donnell said. "But in Darlington, we were able to take the teams to test and Goodyear has been able to build a higher grip tire for Darlington, for this race and this package."

Dr. Eric Warren, director of competition for Richard Childress Racing, believes it's productive for NASCAR to try venture in the opposite side of the spectrum from Kentucky at Michigan.

"To really learn anything from Kentucky I think you have to go the other direction," Warren told Motorsport.com. "Then contrast that to determine if either of the packages enhances the racing from the fans or stakeholders perspective. Indy I'm a little concerned about but not really sure why quite yet."

Warren is in favor of lowering the speeds overall. He feels NASCAR can accomplish that with the lower downforce package at Kentucky where speeds will drop through the corners. Warren believes the Michigan/Indy package will lead to "less top speeds overall and more drafting".

"I think nascar is doing what it can to study the things they can control in a timely manner," Warren added. "Tire development should go hand in hand but a lot longer lead times there."

Where the rubber meets the road

While Richmond will continue with the regular aero package, Goodyear will introduce a no-zone tread right-side tire. Teams were not pleased with the dual-zone tires that were used at the track in April.



> All of this shows that we are committed to putting the best racing on in the world.
> 
> Steve O'Donnell


 "I think all of this shows that we are committed to putting the best racing on in the world," O'Donnell added. "Each of these, including Kentucky this weekend, shows everybody that we have several components that make up the rules packages each week that can be adjusted and we will do that if we believe we can do something to improve the racing for the fans at each track.

"We work with the race teams to assure that they've been afforded extra practice at each of the events. We're also finalizing the event schedules&#8230;I think it's an example of the industry trying to be collaborative in an effort to put on the best racing as possible for our fans and we'll continue to have that dialog as we go forward."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...ages-for-michigan-indianapolis-and-darlington


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Official Discusses Future of Catch Fences, Any Changes For Talladega​*
A NASCAR official hinted Tuesday that the future of catch fences at tracks could look much different than today.

Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief development officer, said officials have already begun examining Austin Dillon's car. O'Donnell also said that series officials have talked with track officials about the fence Dillon crashed into after the end of Coke Zero 400 Monday morning at Daytona International Speedway.

The fence kept Dillon's car from entering the stands but significantly damaged the car. The impact shredded about 60 feet of fencing. Four fans were treated for injuries at the track and one at a local hospital. The one take to a hospital was released later Monday morning.

O'Donnell was asked Tuesday in a conference call with reporters about a long-term solution with catch fences.

"I think the next iteration that we would look at, it may not be a fence make, but what are the new technologies that are out there, and I think this is an area for all sports to look at with anything either flying away from a playing field or a racing surface,'' he said. "If we can lead in that area, we want to do just that.

"I wouldn't make it specific to a fence. There could be a lot of new technologies that we could look at collectively with the tracks to make some improvements in that area.''

As for any rule changes before the series' next restrictor-plate race - Oct. 25 at Talladega Superspeedway - O'Donnell said: "Anything that we can do to continue to make the racing as safe as possible and have the fans in as safe an environment as possible, we will do that heading into Talladega.''

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...re-of-catch-fences-any-changes-for-talladega/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Deep Thoughts​*
There's much to ponder these days in the world of NASCAR.

I took a few days off for the annual summer vacation with the family. To nobody's surprise, the sport kept going while I was away. Since my return, the NASCAR news accelerator has been floored. With so much happening, it got me thinking (which is always a dangerous proposition) ...

For as long as I can remember, controversy and debate have swirled around restrictor-plate racing. Since the first time NASCAR decided to affix plates to engines, there have been emotional discussions about "plate" racing's merits and defects, of which there are many on both sides. It's no surprise that the most recent race last week at Daytona International Speedway continues the tradition. Although it's by no means perfect, for my money the four most exciting races of the season are the two at Daytona and Talladega, with road races in Sonoma and Watkins Glen next in line.

*****

I questioned the decision to start Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at 11:41 p.m. (ET) after "Mother Nature" decided to intervene yet again this season and force a lengthy rain delay. But when I saw the number of fans that returned to the grandstands when the weather issues finally subsided, it was hard not to favor NASCAR's call to get the race in Sunday night/Monday morning rather than postpone it to the next day. Although some fans surely left, it appeared at least 90 percent stuck around, which is truly amazing.

*****

It's probably beyond being a long shot, but I'd sure love to see a return to the days when the summer Daytona race was held at 10 a.m. The early start that was part of the July 4th weekend prior to 1998 was a great way to beat summer's inevitable late-afternoon/evening showers that are a way of life in Florida. A return would give the sport a unique opportunity for a showcase event and provide the schedule with a shot of energy. However, the reality of how important primetime racing is to new television partner NBC in order to generate the largest possible viewing audience more than likely makes the idea nothing more than a dream.

*****

Speaking of NBC, the network made a triumphant return to NASCAR over the weekend with telecasts from Daytona. Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte lived up to the lofty expectations many had for the duo in their transition to the TV booth, with insightful analysis and commentary. New graphics, different camera angles and a compelling presentation were just a few of the elements that helped the "Peacock Network" get off to a flying start in its coverage. Although I much prefer radio broadcasts of NASCAR racing on MRN, NBC is a welcome addition to the TV side of the sport.

*****

Thoughts go out to the great Buddy Baker after his painful announcement Tuesday night that he would step down from his role with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to battle lung cancer. Baker's career - first, as a driver, and then television/radio announcer - is Hall of Fame worthy. The "Gentle Giant," as he was fondly known around NASCAR circles for decades, will be sorely missed but not soon forgotten.

*****

NASCAR's decision to create track-specific rule packages built around aerodynamics looks like the direction the sport is headed. This week's Kentucky rules will be the first in a series of changes that will also see Indianapolis, Michigan and Darlington use packages that differ from what the series started the season with. Although no final decisions have been made, 2016 could see different rules packages for superspeedways, intermediate tracks, short tracks and road courses. There may be some growing pains and certainly a lot of work for the teams ahead. But if the end result is a more competitive, entertaining on-track product, it will be worth it.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Opinion-Deep-Thoughts.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brunnhoelzl Again At Caraway​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...8&RaceID=6974&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

George Brunnhoelzl III is once again all alone atop the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour career wins list at Caraway Speedway.

With his performance Saturday night Brunnhoelzl took home the checkered flag in the Daggett & Shuler Attorneys at Law Rusty Harpe Memorial 150 for his 12th career victory at the venerable .455-mile oval. That breaks a tie for the track lead he was in with Andy Seuss, who won the tour's last visit to Caraway in March.

The West Babylon, New York, native also extended his Whelen Southern Modified Tour record for career wins to 23 in the process.

Jason Myers finished as the runner-up with Eric Goodale in third. Kyle Ebersole and Joe Ryan Osborne rounded out the top five while Gary Putnam, Seuss, Bobby Measmer Jr., Frank Fleming and JR Bertuccio completed the top 10.

Seuss, the polesitter for the race, tangled with Bertuccio on Lap 114. The latter was assessed a penalty for rough driving, but both were able to salvage top-10 finishes.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will return to action Aug. 1 with the Strutmasters.com 199 at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...Brunnhoelzl-III-Wins-at-Caraway-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Will Not Penalize Pit Crew Members For Rushing To Aid Austin Dillon​*
NASCAR officials plan to talk to pit crew members who rushed to aid Austin Dillon after his last-lap crash but will not penalize them, Steve O'Donnell told NASCAR SiriusXM Radio on Tuesday.

Pit crew members from the teams of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Casey Mears were among those who ran to Dillon's car, which landed upside down near the exit of pit road after crashing into the catch fence at Daytona International Speedway.

O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, explained on "The Morning Drive" what officials want to discuss with the pit crew members.

"Nobody is going to be penalized," O'Donnell said. "I think people may be commenting on it because we took some hard cards (that will be returned upon meeting with officials) and the reason for that is we want to have a conversation with those folks. Listen, we all applaud everybody who wants to run to a scene and try to help out. That's something that I think that is really cool about our industry in terms of people caring about their fellow athletes.

"We just want to talk about the safety aspect of it. We've got to dispatch our safety equipment - those folks are experts - and to be able to get to Austin as quickly as possible, assess the scene, his belts, what may be going on, do we need to turn the car over, can he be moved from the vehicle or should he stay in. Any second that we can't do that because the car may be surrounded can be a challenge. That's just a conversation we want to have.

"We've also seen guys where someone running out has been hit by a safety vehicle, not at a NASCAR race. We've seen some pretty severe injuries in other forms of motorsports. We just wanted to walk through it with those guys. We applaud the fact that they care. But you know, it was all in the interest for us, going forward, that we respond to the driver in the most correct way possible."








*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ers-for-rushing-to-aid-austin-dillon/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Ready For Kentucky​*
Matt Crafton hopes his intermediate track dominance will continue Thursday night in the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway.

Crafton has three wins on 1.5-mile tracks this year at Atlanta, Kansas and Texas and carries a 12-point lead over Tyler Reddick in the series standings into Thursday night's race.

However, the ThorSport Racing driver will have to overcome some past challenges at Kentucky to keep his 2015 season roll going.

"Kentucky Speedway and I have a love-hate relationship to be quite honest - it's been really good to us at times and really bad for us too," Crafton said. "The first year Junior (Joiner, crew chief) and I went there together; we sat on the pole, ran well and finished decent. Unfortunately, the last two years haven't been as good to us. In 2013, we just fought handling issues over the bumps all day, last year we had a broken side skirt, which plagued the handling.

"We've learned a lot over the last two years and I feel confident in what we've got going back this year."

While Crafton has past experience at Kentucky to lean on this week Reddick has no such benefit. The Brad Keselowski Racing driver will be making his first career start at the track on Thursday.

He does have a pair of wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 18 career superspeedway starts and is bracing for the challenge of making his first-ever start at the bumpy Kentucky track.

"Kentucky is worn out and bumpy and flatter than other mile-and-a-half tracks," said Reddick. "I really look forward to racing at a track where you have to search for the best line and that's what I expect at Kentucky. It's going to be whoever can get across the bumps best and really navigate across the corners without the truck bottoming out."

Reddick's crew chief Doug Randolph has confidence that Reddick's driving style will be well served at Kentucky.

"This will be Tyler's first start there and I think it will be right up his alley," Randolph said. "There's some options there as a driver because the groove opens up a little bit. The tires do fall off more and more every time we go back. Track position is huge but you have some ways to overcome that if you have a really good truck."

Lurking in third place in the standings is Erik Jones, who sits 26 points behind Crafton. He was the series most recent winner with his Iowa Speedway victory last month but is also on the Kentucky Speedway limited experience list.

Jones has made an ARCA start at Kentucky back in 2013 when he also tested a Kyle Busch Motorsports truck.

He expects the rough track conditions he dealt with two years ago to be even more dramatic now.

"I think Kentucky is kind of a place where we can close the gap a little bit just because it doesn't race like a true mile-and-a-half like a lot of other places," said Jones, who will also run Friday night's XFINITY Series race for Joe Gibbs Racing. "I feel like they might be more similar than most every other weekend. Should be fun, Kentucky is a cool place with a lot of character. It's getting rougher and I haven't been there in a few years so it should be pretty good and rough now."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway starting at 7 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/07/Matt-Crafton-Ready-for-Kentucky.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega President: No Changes Expected In Response To Dillon's Wreck At Daytona​*
Despite Austin Dillon's terrifying crash at Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway president Grant Lynch said it's unlikely there will be any changes or additions to his track or its catch fence prior to the Sprint Cup race Oct. 25.

Lynch told USA Today that fan seating was pushed back 16 to 22 feet from the catch fence in response to Kyle Larson's wreck at Daytona in Feb. 2013 that injured more than 30 fans.

"We were looking at it after the (Xfinity Series) wreck at Daytona," Lynch said. "That's when we made some changes. I think we're back to the distance recommended."

The Talladega race ends the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, paring the title field from 12 to eight drivers with four races remaining.

The USA TODAY story speculated that with so much at stake, the racing likely would be more intense with drivers willing to take more chances.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...response-to-dillons-wreck-at-daytona/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Two Fans Hurt In Coke Zero 400 Wreck Retain Lawyer​*
Two race fans struck by debris from the last-lap wreck in Sunday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway have retained an attorney to represent them.

Orlando-based attorney Matt Morgan confirmed to ESPN.com on Tuesday that he has been hired to represent the individuals for any claims against International Speedway Corporation, which owns DIS, or NASCAR, which put on the race.

"I have been retained by two individuals who were sitting three rows up from the point of impact at the Daytona Coke Zero 400 crash," Morgan told ESPN. "They were struck by a large piece of steel debris and various smaller objects.

"They were treated for their injuries in Daytona and are following up at their local hospital."

According to DIS officials, five people in total were injured, with four being treated at the track and a fifth being sent to a nearby hospital after Austin Dillon's car became airborne and crashed into the front stretch catch fence just past the start-finish line.

Track president Joie Chitwood III said the fan taken to the hospital was treated and released a few hours later.

Morgan, of the legal firm Morgan & Morgan, represented 13 victims who were injured in a similar accident at Daytona in February 2013. Settlements in those cases were reached in May 2014, according to the ESPN.com report.

Morgan represents one other spectator who has not come to a settlement over the 2013 incident.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...in-coke-zero-400-wreck-retain-lawyer/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Wins Shortened Kentucky Race​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6833&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Crafton scored his fourth win of the season, and first at Kentucky Speedway, when NASCAR called the race with five laps remaining for damage to the catch fence following a hard crash involving Ben Kennedy.

Crafton led 43 laps on the night and was out front ahead of Erik Jones when the caution flag flew for Kennedy's violent crash at the end of the front straightaway.

Kennedy's truck made contact with David Gilliland and John Wes Townley and was launched into the wall where it climbed the SAFER Barrier after making contact and damage with the catch fence.

The severely damaged truck finally came to rest between Turns 1 and 2 and Kennedy was able to exit under his own power.

"I'm fine," Kennedy said. "Thank the good Lord for keeping me safe and everything NASCAR does to keep these trucks safe. If I had a wreck this bad years ago, I don't know if I would have gotten out of my truck on my own power like that.

"As soon as I heard clear (from the spotter), I wanted to get a good arc into the corner, so I headed up toward the wall and got hit in the right rear and then, I guess, the rest is history. I got up on the wall. I was on top of the wall for a while. You don't really know what to expect being up there, and then falling down from the wall to the ground was a pretty big hit as well."

But the damage to the fence and two support poles would have taken 90 minutes to two hours to repair, so NASCAR made the decision to end the race five laps short of its scheduled distance.

The incident comes only days after Austin Dillon's car went airborne and made contact with the catch fence in a multi-car accident on the last lap of last weekend's Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Crafton scored his ninth career win and has won four of the fives races held at 1.5-mile tracks in 2015.

Thursday's winning move turned out to be on the night's final restart at lap 140 when Crafton got a push from behind by Ryan Blaney that allowed him to take the top spot from Jones.

"I knew we had the best truck here from the start of the race," Crafton said. "That push from Blaney there though on the last restart was what we needed to get ahead and we were able to keep it there until the end."

Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suarez and Timothy Peters rounded out the top five.

Tyler Reddick, David Gilliland, John Wes Townley, Cameron Hayley and Brandon Jones completed the first 10 finishers.

Rain, wet weather and water seeping through the race track most of the day forced NASCAR to cancel both practice and qualifying. The field was lined up by the point standings and rule book but the first laps drivers turned on track came under race conditions. NASCAR called a competition caution flag at lap 20.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night, July 22nd.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/07/Matt-Crafton-Wins-at-Kentucky.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Truck Goes Into Catchfence At Kentucky Speedway​*
For the second time this week, a car has left the racing surface and gone into the catchfence at a NASCAR race.

Ben Kennedy went up in the air and into the fence in Turn 1 with five laps to go in Thursday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway, causing the race to be shortened. Matt Crafton was declared the winner.

Kennedy seemed shaken by the incident but walked away from the crash and no fans were injured.

"I guess I was on top of the wall," Kennedy said. "I remember being up on the wall for quite some time. I didn't really see much. I just saw a bunch of dust and debris flying. I came down - and the ride from the wall to the ground was pretty hard. But I'm OK.

"Thank God for everything NASCAR has done to keep this sport safe. For me to get out of my car under my own power after a hit like that is pretty incredible."

The crash occurred just three days after Austin Dillon's harrowing incident at Daytona International Speedway, in which his car was sent flipping into the catchfence on the final lap. On Thursday, Kennedy's truck was spun, hit a wall with no SAFER barrier protection, then flipped up onto the wall and into the fencing at Kentucky's 1.5-mile layout.

The crash tore a hole in the fence and damaged two of the heavy poles that hold up the catchfence - designed to keep cars and debris on the track and protect fans. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said it would have taken crews anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours to replace the poles; the fence will be ready in time for Friday morning's practice session.

Kentucky Speedway general manager Mark Simendinger said no debris went through the fence.

There were no fans sitting in the immediate area where debris and sparks from Kennedy's truck spewed.

The accident was a surprise because such incidents are extremely rare at tracks other than Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway, where cars travel in packs due to restrictor plates and reach speeds of 200 mph or more.

At 1.5-mile intermediate tracks like Kentucky, cars getting airborne -- let alone high enough to get in the fence -- is extremely rare. The odds of two fence incidents at two different tracks in the same week are likely astronomical.

Kennedy is a member of NASCAR's founding France family. He is the great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and the son of International Speedway Corp. CEO Lesa France Kennedy.

Kennedy, who was traveling at least 160 mph at the time of the incident, was checked and released from the infield care center.

Kennedy said he thought he was clear to move up in front of David Gilliland's No. 92 truck, but ended up getting hooked across Gilliland's nose. That turned his truck sideways and he was then hit in the door by John Wes Townley, which sent Kennedy's truck climbing up the wall and into the fence.

The 23-year-old said the crash scared him because "you don't really know what's going on; you don't know what to expect."

"I don't know," he said, voice wavering. "I just remember hitting the wall and being along for a wild ride. You don't know if anyone is going to hit you or what's going to happen."

Moments after Kennedy was released from the infield care center, Dillon (who was not in the race) showed up to check on him. After Kennedy answered questions in a TV interview, the two chatted for about 30 seconds.

"That's crazy," Dillon said to no one in particular. "Two in one week."

But it's happened. Both incidents involved drivers who come from NASCAR families (Dillon is the grandson of six-time champion car owner Richard Childress).

Kennedy is a 2014 University of Florida graduate, where he earned a degree in sports management. His uncle is Brian France -- NASCAR's chairman and CEO. Some in the racing industry believe Kennedy could go into the family business some day when he's done with his racing career.

This is Kennedy's second full season in Trucks. He has 12 career top-10 finishes and one pole position in 37 races.

"It's a perfect storm, really," race winner Crafton said of the two fence incidents. "We're going fast. Stuff does happen. It was really good to see Ben got out and walked out under his own power."

Simendinger said the fence would be good as new by Friday morning. There is an Xfinity Series race scheduled for Friday night and a Sprint Cup race Saturday night. Practices and qualifiying also will take place over the next two days.

The track stores extra poles, cables and mesh on property in case such an incident occurs, Simendinger said.

"I don't think it's really a matter of cost," he said. "What we're grateful for is all the safety measures worked and...that Ben is OK."






*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...hn-wes-townley-truck-crash-kentucky/29944803/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR.com Dirty Air Podcast​*





*Preview Show: Kentucky Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski 'Embarrassed' By Role In Austin Dillon's Daytona Crash​*
_Although he tried, Brad Keselowski couldn't slow down enough to avoid hitting Austin Dillon's damaged car last weekend at Daytona._

As Austin Dillon catapulted, then careened into and off Daytona International Speedway's front stretch fencing, Brad Keselowski could see the terrifying sequence unfold in front of him.

But what Keselowski couldn't do was slow down enough to avoid being part of the multiple car accident, which he referred to as "spectacular," that came just as the Coke Zero 400 concluded early Monday morning. And when Dillon's machine came to a rest on its side back on the track, a sliding Keselowski was unable to control his car and slammed into the prone No. 3 Chevrolet.

The contact was heavy, and because Dillon's car was already substantially damaged, Keselowski admits he thought he may have injured the 25-year-old driver. Rescue workers and crewmembers quickly converged on the scene and after an anxious few moments, Dillon emerged uninjured.

"Racecars are very, very well designed and built for high impacts, they're not ever going to be very well designed for multiple high impacts," Keselowski said Thursday at Kentucky Speedway. "I saw his first impact and I knew when I was gonna hit him the second time that his odds were a lot lower of walking away. But thankfully, he did."

Keselowski said he's been asked about the incident throughout the week and he's "honestly embarrassed" for his involvement, as the collision came well after Dillon had stopped. But because of the debris field, Keselowski lost control of his own car.

"Even being as far behind as I was, you couldn't slow down from 200 miles an hour," Keselowski said. "That was frustrating. I felt very, very lucky when I got out of my car and went to Austin and saw that he was OK.

"It's just not a good deal."

*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015...rad-keselowski-austin-dillon-daytona-accident


----------



## Ckg2011

*Junior Leads JR Motorsports Charge​*
*Entry List:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...D=2&YearID=44&RaceID=6787&StatType=Entry+List

Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks to bring his JR Motorsports team to the front of the field in Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Last week's Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series winner has his sights set on a follow-up trip to Victory Lane Friday night in Kentucky.

It will Earnhardt Jr.'s first time driving an XFINITY Series car at Kentucky and will be his last race of the season in the JR Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in the XFINITY car this weekend at Kentucky," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I always enjoy running the Hellmann's colors. They've been very supportive of JR Motorsports for a long time, so we also want to get a good finish for them, and I expect we'll be able to do that. The track has a rough surface because the asphalt is older, so getting the balance right will be very important for Friday night."

Earnhardt's two teammates hope to derail his success on Friday night. Both Chase Elliott and Regan Smith consider Kentucky a favorites track for the same reason; the 1.5-mile track's worn out and rough surface.

The duo also knows performance on intermediate tracks like Kentucky is paramount to winning this year's series championship.

"The best way to gain points is to win races," said Elliott who comes into the weekend second in the series standings 34 points behind leader Chris Buescher. "I am confident we can do that. We have to get after it and really do our job the second half of the season. If there's any part that counts, this is it.

"So we need to get it done and that starts this weekend at Kentucky where we had one pretty solid run the last time we were there. It starts in the shop and it will carry over to the track, so we need to stay on top of our race cars and go out there and compete for wins."

Smith is deeper behind in the standings and sits fourth 67 out of the top spot. So far this season he's been strong on intermediate tracks and looks to carry that trend into Kentucky.

"Our best successes this year have come on 1.5-mile and 1-mile tracks, and that's great, because 12 of the final 18 races are on those types of tracks," Smith said. "Last year, we didn't have that much success on these tracks, but this part of our program has really stepped up.

"(Crew chief) Jason (Burdett) and the team have done a great job getting us to run better at these tracks. I look forward to this weekend's race at Kentucky, especially since we finished top-five the last time we were there."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Motorsports-Charge-at-Kentucky-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon's Last Shot At Kentucky Win​*
Jeff Gordon has one more shot at erasing Kentucky Speedway as the only track where he's not won a Sprint Cup Series race during his career.

Saturday night's Quaker State 400 will be the last time Gordon competes at the 1.5-mile track as he hangs up his helmet at season's end. He's scored 80 career Sprint Cup wins across every other track currently on the schedule.

"I'm proud that I've won at every track except Kentucky, but to win there this weekend and have a win at every track at the Sprint Cup level would mean a lot to me," Gordon said. "Winning at every track is not something that's easy to accomplish. This will be a challenge. I like a good challenge and the team does, too."

Gordon will have to deal with the challenge of a new rules package featuring aerodynamic modifications created to reduce downforce in an attempt to improve competition. The idea has similarities to something NASCAR has used before - when what was then referred to as the "5-and-5" rule was used to try and alleviate aero issues and generate more passing.

"The concept is similar," Gordon agreed. "1998 was when I first remember talking about an 'aero push' and how that was affecting the cars. The biggest change now is just the splitter. Back then, that five-inch rule was the air dam up front as well as the spoiler. Sealing that air off around the front of the splitter versus that air getting underneath the air dam is contributing to how important aerodynamics are now.

"A lot of what they're trying to do is similar in concept to 'let's get a little bit more air around the back of the cars and not punch quite as big of a hole.' "

However, when something new is tried involving aerodynamics, there are sometimes unintended consequences. Gordon believes that could be the case this weekend, but knows it's a challenge every team and driver will have to deal with to succeed.

"We're hoping less downforce will slow the cars down enough through the corners, not down the straightaways," Gordon said. "Straightaway speed is going to be high. It's only through the corners where Goodyear can start incorporating a softer tire that has more grip at the beginning (of a run) but then more fall-off."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rdons-Last-Shot-at-Kentucky-Speedway-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cup Qualifying Rainout At Kentucky Leaves Some Teams Unhappy​*
While time trials for Saturday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway was not slated until 5:45 p.m. ET, NASCAR officials cancelled both Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series qualifying Friday afternoon and remained committed to getting more laps of practice in.

As has been the case for much of the week, heavy rain hit the 1.5-mile after just 50 minutes of a scheduled three-and-a-half hour practice session Friday afternoon.

With Sprint Cup teams running a new aerodynamic package this weekend at Kentucky, the sanctioning body opted for more practice time instead of racing the weather to attempt to squeeze qualifying in. While track-drying efforts continued, NASCAR said Sprint Cup practice would continue until 6:25 p.m. ET once the racing surface is clear and dry.

Under the NASCAR rulebook, the field was set according to the first practice speeds. Kyle Larson will start on the pole with defending race winner Brad Keselowski second. Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will round of the top 10.

For the second week in a row, Michael McDowell and Ryan Blaney missed the race due to rain canceling qualifying. Neither driver was happy about the situation, with Blaney saying the weather is playing with his emotions, while McDowell saw it as NASCAR making the rules up as they go along. Travis Kvapil also failed to make the race.

Eddie Wood, co-owner of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford team, said he understands NASCAR's position. But he also said that doesn't make missing the race any easier.

"The rules are the rules. In the event of a rainout they set the field by attempts, which means how many races you've attempted to race this year. So us and the 95 (of McDowell) have attempted less races than 43 other guys, so we're the ones that are out but that's not a new rule," Wood said. "It's been that way for as long as I can remember, and then they set the field by the practice speeds. A lot of times people get it confused with how it works, but we've gone a long time and not missed a race with weather.

"Missing races, if you're slow and you miss a race because you're not fast enough, is a bad deal. That just kills your soul, but you can't do anything about the weather. We've been really lucky for the past seven years and haven't missed one, but now the numbers seem to be leveling out. I've always heard that numbers always level out and that's kind of what's going on. We're gonna run next week at Loudon, so we'll head up that way and hope we don't get rained out. I'm gonna stop looking at weather apps, I tell you that. I'm done as far as that is concerned."

The Wood Brothers Racing account also tweeted a statement to its fans, preaching patience.








*NASCAR Sprint CUP Series Lineup​*







*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...id=619581670627258372&adbpl=tw&adbpr=22199141


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Cancels Xfinity Series Qualifying, Yeley Earns Pole​*
NASCAR has decided to cancel today's Xfinity Series qualifying due to rain at the Kentucky Speedway. Cars will lineup based on Thursday's pactice speeds.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway is set to start at 7:30 pm et time tonight on NBCSN for TV, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel 90 on radio.

*NASCAR Xfinity Series Lineup​*







*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Belongs To Keselowski​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6787&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Brad Keselowski held off Erik Jones to win Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Keselowski got by Jones for the top spot when the duo came up on the lapped car of David Starr with only a handful of laps left and stayed their the rest of the way to score the win.

The Team Penske driver will go for the weekend sweep Saturday night as the defending winner of the Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400. He now has three career wins at Kentucky.

"This Ford Mustang was really good," Keselowski said in Victory Lane after leading 72 laps. "I almost messed up on the last restart ... Erik Jones took off and was out in the clean air, and I was just driving the crap out of it to try to keep up with him. Then I just caught a break when he got held up by the lapped car. "

It was Keselowski's first win of the season and 33rd of his career. He beat Jones by 0.242 of a second, which was the second closest XFINITY Series finish at Kentucky.

"This team, the 22 team since it started in 2010, has been really a dream ride and an honor for me to be a part of it," Keselowski said.

Jones, who finished second to Matt Crafton in Thursday night's Camping World Truck Series race, was forced to again settle for the runner-up spot.

"I wish I would have known the lapped car was going to the bottom and he would have went to the top," Jones said. "Getting the lead on the restart, we had a shot at it at that point. It was good enough to maintain, and it's a bummer it didn't work out.  

"But it's nice to be running with those guys, with Kyle (Busch) and Brad, and to be mixing it up with 'em. We'll keep building and see what we can do next time."

Busch led a race high 88 laps but was forced to settle for third.

"We had a really fast Monster Energy Camry," Busch said. "I'm not sure if our car at the beginning of the race would have beat Brad's at the end of the race, but that's irrelevant because they obviously had a really good piece. Hard to beat that 22 here."

Daniel Suarez and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing because they've been doing an amazing job with me," Suarez said. "They don't give up with me and my sometimes rookie mistakes and my learning process. It's been good being with them and learning from everyone. I'm very proud as well because I was really fast."

Paul Menard, Darrell Wallace Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brendan Gaughan and Regan Smith completed the first ten finishers.

Chris Buescher finished 11th and was able to increase his series point lead to 36 over Chase Elliott.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/07/Brad-Keselowski-Wins-Kentucky-300.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Rules Package Hits The Track​*
Sprint Cup Series drivers were finally able to get on track at Kentucky Speedway and run laps with the new aerodynamic package to be used in Saturday night's Quaker State 400.

After being kept off track since Wednesday by rain and wet conditions, Cup drivers were able to make it out on Friday for what turned out to be an abbreviated opening practice session because of more rain. What was scheduled to be a three-and-a-half hour session was cut short to only 50 minutes when more rain hit the track.

However, NASCAR decided to cancel qualifying and replaced it with an extended practice session later in the afternoon to give teams more of an opportunity to become familiar with the new package.

The day gave drivers experience how the reduced aerodynamic package - which includes a 3.5-inch rear spoiler, 25-inch wide splitter extension panel and 1.75-inches less overhang on the splitter - impacts driving around the 1.5-mile track.

"They don't drive good, that's for sure," Joey Logano said. "They slide all over the place. What happens in traffic is still probably an unknown, but there was a lot of slipping and sliding around and trying to figure out which way the car is going when you go into the corner is kind of hard. We'll see."

Logano's Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski agreed with the degree of difficulty the new package creates but does not have an issue with the challenge.

"Certainly the car is a little harder to drive," he said. "It's a race car. It should be hard to drive. It shouldn't be just point and play. This isn't a video game, nor should it be. So I'm very happy with the package and what I've seen so far."

Kyle Larson was the fastest with a lap of 182.537 mph in the opening session, which wound up earning him the pole when qualifying was cancelled and the starting line-up based on the first practice. He was followed by Brad Keselowski (181.641 mph) and Jeff Gordon (180.373).

"We were quick in race trim off the truck," said Larson, who also paced the final session. "And then we went to mock qualifying trim and we were really fast. I was able to lay down a really fast lap. And then went back to race trim, and felt good there, too. So, yeah, I'm happy with how the day has been."

Denny Hamlin was fourth fastest in the final session and likes the new rules.

"I think it's a good package for myself, personally I tying I typically am better on packages like this where you use gas and brake a lot," Hamlin said. "It's fun, it definitely puts the emphasis back on car handling, for sure. I think we'll see how it all stacks up after 400 miles, but I'm pretty optimistic that we have something we can race with and hopefully something we can win with."

Drivers are also dealing with the problem of weepers bringing moisture up through the track surface from the saturated grounds, which adds another challenge.

"This place is - it's a little treacherous and kind of tricky," said Kyle Busch. "It's certainly has some aspects to it that you don't typically see at some of these race tracks we get to go to. Being very bumpy is probably number one on the list, then being wet while still racing out there is another one. It seems like this place has really bad weepers that are really hard to get rid of. Last night during the Truck race, I seen that the front stretch got really wet as the race progressed and kind of went on. That's never any fun to have to dodge other spots on the race track, let alone having to get the competitors. Its kind of what we're going to have here.

"There's no way around it if we want to get this race in this weekend. The only way for this place to dry out is to not have rain for a week, but I don't think that's going to happen. You're going to see it here in about another hour. It's a tough race track and it's a challenge for many drivers, but to me I look forward to the challenge. It makes that aspect a little tougher on everybody, but maybe a little easier for those better drivers to run up front."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vers-Get-On-Track-with-New-Rules-Package.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Story Lines​*
The main story of the race will be how the new aerodynamic rules package in use will impact the competition. NASCAR has created new rules in hopes of improving the on track product that includes a smaller spoiler and less down force.

Despite a week plagued by rain and wet weather, drivers were able to practice with the new package but the jury is still out on how things will play out under racing conditions.

"This package is certainly going to bring the drivers and the better cars to the forefront," Kyle Busch said. "That's also what we've been looking for. I think you devalue the sport as well as the drivers when you get all the cars so equal and on top of each other that anybody can do it. That's not at all what this sport was built off of. It's been built off the heroes of the sport. Let's keep it that way and allow those better drivers to excel."

Pole sitter Kyle Larson, who after qualifying was canceled inherited the number one starting spot based on Friday's first practice session speeds, is among those unsure of what lies ahead.

"I haven't really been close to anybody out there, so I don't know how it will handle in dirty air or anything like that," Larson said after practicing. "I don't really know if anybody has been around cars in traffic yet. So, we'll just have to wait and see. I think the whole idea behind the new aero package was to try and make the racing better. So, hopefully they've made the right changes and we'll be better tomorrow."

*Gordon's Final Shot* 
Jeff Gordon has won at every track on the Sprint Cup schedule except Kentucky. With the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion's retirement coming at year's end, Saturday night is Gordon's final chance to erase Kentucky off his bucket list.

"It would mean a lot to accomplish that, that's something hard to do," Gordon said Friday of trying to have a win at all 23 tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule. "I love doing things that are hard to do and set those kinds of stats.

"I'm going to be disappointed if we finish second to come that close -- that would be a little disappointing as far as the stats go, But I would like to have a good strong finish here and just have a shot at it. It would be pretty cool if we pulled it off."

*Milestone Start For Patrick* 
Danica Patrick makes her 100th career Sprint Cup Series start on Saturday night. It comes at a track in Kentucky where Patrick has a great deal of experience in Sprint Cup, XFINITY Series and Indy Car racing.

However, she's doesn't think much of that will transfer to Saturday night.

"It's one of those tracks where I have experience but, obviously, not a lot of it in a stock car," she said. "I ran a lot of IndyCar races at Kentucky but, obviously, those aren't really going to benefit me this weekend. The track definitely has character to it with the bumps, and we mainly practice during the day and then race at night on Saturday, so the track conditions can change a lot during the race. When you add all that up, it's a challenging place."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Kentucky-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Scores Max Points At Kentucky​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6791&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch made a big gain in his quest to run for the championship after he scored max points by leading 163 laps en route to the win in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Busch got by Joey Logano with 19 laps to go and went on to score his second win of the season.

"That right there is what we've got to do," Busch said. "Just to score as many points as we possibly can. To score those wins, that's what's going to get us to where we need to be. We led the most laps and we won the race, so that's all you can score. We'll just continue to push on and thrive."

Busch is now 35th on the Sprint Cup Series point standings and 87 out of 30th place. He needs to get inside the top 30 in the next eight races to qualify for the Chase.

Logano, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

"Second just hurts, you know?" Logano said. "When you're that close to winning them, but we're still proud of what we did today. We had a fast car, we've improved our speed."

Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch completed the first ten finishers.

The race was the first with a new aerodynamic rules package that gave cars less down force.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next Sunday afternoon.

*How Busch Won:* After a tough battle with Logano, Busch was finally able to get ahead with 19 laps to go and from there was not challenged on his way to Victory Lane.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Joe Gibbs Racing enjoyed a great night in Kentucky with Busch leading the way. JGR drivers took four of the first five finishing positions...Hendrick Motorsports is still winless at Kentucky, but Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson gave the team a pair of top-10 finishes.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Dale Earnhardt Jr. had brake issues that sent him into the wall on lap 137. More brake problems on lap 208 sent him into the rear of Danica Patrick's car sending her into the wall. Earnhardt finished 21st...Kyle Larson started from the pole but suffered damage from contact on a late race restart. He came to pit road for repairs but had a tire cut down when he back on track and Larson was doomed to a 35th-place finish&#8230;.

*What Else Happened:* Overall drivers were encouraged by the new rules package that provided more of an opportunity to race side-by-side and pass. "It was fun," said race winner Busch. "We could move around the race track. I tried to move around and find some other options and got back to the lead." His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin agreed. "It was out of control but it was definitely fun. This is definitely something NASCAR can build on."

*Quote of the Day:* "I don't like running into Danica because it gets a little too much attention, but I'm sorry for that." - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Notables:* Jeff Gordon's final Kentucky start ended with a seventh-place finish&#8230;.Kurt Busch rebounded from a spin on lap 99 to score his fifth straight top-10 finish...The race had a record 11 caution flags.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ns-Quaker-State-400-at-Kentucky-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Night For JGR At Kentucky​*
Joe Gibbs Racing grabbed four of the top five finishing positions in Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Kyle Busch led a race-high 163 laps to pace the JGR quartet with Denny Hamlin third, Carl Edwards fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth.

"I think I'm the most nervous when there's two of our cars up there and today we had four of them up there and I was scared to death, let me just put it that way," team owner Joe Gibbs said.

It was the first time in the organization's history that four drivers finishing inside the first five.

"Fun night for us," Busch said. "I enjoyed the race, I really did. I guess I did more so than everybody else because we are in Victory Lane."

Hamlin rebounded from some early problems including a cut tire and pit road speeding penalty to score his fifth top-five finish of 2015.

"What a fun race," Hamlin said. "For us to be able to come back from two laps down and really pass a ton of cars, that's just encouraging to me that we've finally got something that we can really work on and pass guys when your balance is better."

Edwards was able to score his second top-five finish of the year.

"On that restart, that last restart, I thought I would go around Denny (Hamlin) and get around him and Joey (Logano)," Edwards explained. "I thought I would go as hard as I can and still save it and Denny got on my outside and I got a little loose and that was it. Just awesome race&#8230;"

Rounding out the effort was Kenseth, who praised the organization after his fifth-place finish.

"We were a little off, but it was a great night for Joe Gibbs Racing," Kenseth said. "It shows what the place is all about, there's a lot of great people over here that make this happen. It was great to be part of that with all of us finishing in the top-five. Just wish I would have been first rather than fifth."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...or-Joe-Gibbs-Racing-at-Kentucky-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. And Patrick Tangle​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a run-in with Danica Patrick on track and then on pit road Saturday night in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. had a miserable night plagued by a poor handling car and brake issues that saw him make contact with the wall earlier in the race.

Those same brake problems arose again with 61 laps left in the race when he made contact with the rear bumper of Patrick's car racing into turn one. Her GoDaddy.com Chevrolet hit the wall and then slid through the infield grass.

As both drivers made their way down pit road Patrick slammed her car into Earnhardt's showing her displeasure of what had just transpired on track.

When the race ended Patrick climbed from her car and after slamming her helmet on the roof stormed off stopping only for a brief conversation with team co-owner Tony Stewart.

Earnhardt did address the situation and maintained it was all accidental.

"I mean what am I supposed to say other than the truth?" he said. "We didn't have any brakes going into the corner. I know better than to run into her, because it gets so much attention. There wasn't nothing I could do.

"I mean as hard as I hit her, what the hell did she think I was doing trying to wreck her? We ain't got no problem. It's not like we were having a problem out on the racetrack with her. It's not like I just drew her name out of a hat and decided she was the one I was going to run into tonight."

Earnhardt finished 21st while Patrick ended up 34th. He's hoping time will provide Patrick an opportunity to understand the situation.

"I know that I didn't have any brakes, and it's hard not to do that if you are in her shoes," he said. "But it makes me mad because I didn't have any brakes. I didn't do that on purpose. I don't know. She will chill out. It happens to all of us. I'm not too worried about it. I got a pretty good friend so I think we will be able to talk it out."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Tangles-With-Danica-Patrick-at-Kentucky.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bickford Wins Again At Stateline​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...1&RaceID=6872&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

James Bickford is ready to call Idaho his home away from home after winning his second consecutive race at Stateline Speedway.

After making a late pass in last year's race and leading only four laps en route to his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win, the Napa, California, native left no doubt he was the car to beat in the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 150.

The NASCAR Next driver led 151 of 157 laps to pick up his second victory at the challenging .25-mile track. It was also the 17 year-old driver's second K&N West win in his 21st start.

Although his No. 6 Sunrise Ford/ Interstate Plastics/Eibach Ford was strong all night, Bickford had to hold off Noah Gragson and Gracin Raz on a green-white-checkered finish to earn the victory.

Ryan Partridge was fourth and Blake Williams completed the top five.

Ron Norman scored his best finish of the season,sixth, while Nicole Behar placed seventh in her second series start at her home track.

Brandon McReynolds, Alex Schutte and David Mayhew rounded out the top 10.

The race was slowed seven times for cautions with 12 cars of the 18-cars in the field finishing on the lead lap.

The NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 150 will be televised on NBCSN on Thursday, July 16 at 3 p.m. PST






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ickford-Wins-Again-at-Stateline-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Applaud New Rules​*
The response from drivers on a new aerodynamic rules package was quite positive after Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Despite having somewhat limited time practice with the lower down force package NASCAR introduced for the race because of wet weather, most drivers were pleased with the results in Saturday night's race.

Statistics indicated the package made an impact on competition with a track-record 22 green-flag passes for the lead. Overall green-flag passes more than doubled from last year's race with 2,665 on Saturday vs. 1,147 in the 2014 edition.

"All the drivers were kind of striving for this," said race winner Kyle Busch. "I felt like it was a positive thing when I was chasing Joey (Logano) down. Right when I got to him, he moved up and tried to block my lane.

"With the old package, you get stalled out and get stuck behind the guy. I just moved down and went a little bit lower and got my Camry to stock and was able to power through and get back by him. We swapped the lead back and forth a couple of times. I thought it was pretty good racing."

Denny Hamlin finished third Saturday night but was impressed with the way his car drove with the new package.

"This is what race-car driving's all about," Hamlin said. "And I feel like now it's back in the driver and crew chief's hands to get their car handling like it's supposed to. Not just an arms race of who built the fastest cars in the shop."

Not every driver was completely convinced the package is the magic elixir the sport is looking for to improve competition but at least it's a first step.

"I think it's a little bit too early to judge it considering we don't have the soft tire yet, but I think it put on a good race," said second place finisher. "I'll have to re-watch to know for sure, but I felt like there was a lot of passing out there. I felt like I could enter behind cars and not get as out of control, so I think that's good."

NASCAR will implement this same package in September's Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. By then Goodyear will have had time to develop a tire with more grip as well as one that wears better, which Jeff Gordon believes is a key.

"We've got to get the right tires on it," Gordon said. "This is not the right tire. It is still way too hard. It doesn't have near enough grip at the beginning of a run. It doesn't really fall off.

"The only way you can make a low down force package work is to have the proper tire on there. I'm glad we tried it, did a little more work. I'm looking forward to trying it again."

Most agree there's still work ahead to get the package just right and ready for roll out in 2016, however Carl Edwards is completely on board with where things are headed.

"This package, we need to keep going this direction," Edwards said. "We could race closer together, I was steering right. We were using the whole car. We just need to keep taking down force away. It was an awesome show."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/07/Drivers-Applaud-New-Rules.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says Danica Patrick Should 'Chill Out' After Accident​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepted responsibility for spinning Danica Patrick out in Saturday night's NASCAR race at Kentucky, but said the contact was accidental and certainly not deliberate.

Because of brake issues he had been dealing with throughout the Quaker State 400, Earnhardt couldn't slow down as he entered Turn 3 and rear-ended Patrick with 61 laps remaining. The contact was enough to send Patrick into the wall, damaging her car.

"I probably shouldn't have been racing as hard as I was when we ran into the back of Danica," Earnhardt said. "But I went into that corner and mashed the brakes to the floor. I pumped it three times all the way to the floor and then ran into her. There wasn't anything I could do. It sucks."

Patrick vehemently cursed Earnhardt over the radio to her team immediately afterward, at one point instructing a crewmember to tell Earnhardt to "go f*** yourself." After gathering her car, she followed Earnhardt onto pit road where Patrick proceeded to intentionally slam the back of Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet.

Earnhardt said he understood Patrick's frustration, but didn't understand why she reacted the way she did when the contact was unavoidable.

"I mean, what am I supposed to say other than the truth?" Earnhardt said. "We didn't have any brakes going into the corner. I know better than to run into her because it gets so much attention. There wasn't nothing I could do.

"I mean as hard as I hit her, what the hell did she think I was doing trying to wreck her? We ain't got no problem. It's not like we were having a problem out on the racetrack with her. It's not like I just drew her name out of a hat and decided she was the one I was going to run into tonight."

Patrick drove for JRM Motorsports, Earnhardt's Xfinity Series team, from 2010-12 before moving to the Sprint Cup Series full-time. Earnhardt described Patrick as a "pretty good friend" and figures the two will talk about the collision.

"I know that I didn't have any brakes and it's hard not to do that if you are in her shoes," Earnhardt said. "But it makes me mad because I didn't have any brakes. I didn't do that on purpose.

"She will chill out. It happens to all of us. I'm not too worried about it."

Patrick, who finished 34th, declined comment to reporters at Kentucky. Earnhardt finished 21st.






*Source:*
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015...cky-danica-patrick-dale-earnhardt-jr-accident


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Winners And Losers​*
There were highs and lows in the Quaker State 400 during a night of racing Saturday at Kentucky Speedway.

*WINNERS*​
*Kyle Busch*
Continues to demonstrate his considerable talent with win No. 2 in the last three weeks. Since Busch returned after missing 11 races due to his early-season injuries, he's been one of the strongest drivers and showed it again Saturday night.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*
Overall, it was a great night for JGR. With Busch leading the way, the Gibbs team took four of the top five spots with Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth contributing.

*Joey Logano*
Teammate Brad Keselowski also showed strength in Kentucky but was plagued by problems on pit road that impacted his finish. Logano was as strong as he's been all season and finished second after waging a torrid battle with Busch in the late going.

*Kurt Busch*
Spun on Lap 99 but methodically worked his way back to the front and when all was said and done, Busch had his fifth consecutive top-10 finish.

*Roush Fenway Racing*
Maybe it didn't look like much. But the way the Roush team has been going, the finish for its trio of drivers was promising. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was 11th while Trevor Bayne (13th) and Greg Biffle (16th) weren't far behind. Maybe the new aero package impacted the Roush team in a positive manner.

*LOSERS​*
*Kyle Larson*
Started from the pole based on practice speeds after qualifying was rained out, but the night went sour for Larson with a cut tire late leading to a 35th-place finish.

*Danica Patrick*
A mediocre run drew attention when Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact with the rear end of Patrick's car and sent her into the wall. She retaliated on pit road en route to a 34th-place finish.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Things were bad for Earnhardt long before his run-in with Patrick. He battled a poor-handling car all weekend and was one of the drivers that struggled with the new rules package. Faulty brakes sent him into the wall, leading to a 21st-place finish.

*Kasey Kahne*
Started 19th and finished 27th. Kahne has been the weak link in the Hendrick Motorsports lineup in recent weeks and the No. 5 team needs to get its act together in order to make a return visit to the Chase.

*AJ Allmendinger*
It looks as if Allmendinger's only chance to make the Chase again will come at Watkins Glen International next month. JTG/Daugherty Racing continues to struggle with its oval-track program.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../07/Winners-and-Losers-Kentucky-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wise Departs Premium Motorsports​*
Josh Wise announced on Twitter that he's parted ways with Premium Motorsports.

Wise is currently 36th in the Sprint Cup driver standings. His best finish of the season in the No. 98 Ford came at Talladega Superspeedway, in 10th.

"The team and I did not share the same goals moving forward," Wise tweeted. "I wish them the best and look forward to what the future holds."

Wise joined Premium Motorsports when the No. 98 car was purchased from Phil Parsons Racing by Jay Robinson.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Wise-Parts-Ways-with-Premium-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: More Work Ahead​*
NASCAR officials were encouraged by the results of the new aero package used at Kentucky Speedway but stress that it's still a work in progress.

Response has been positive from last Saturday's Quaker State 400 that featured a rules package with less downforce. Passing and competitive moves on the track were up in what turned out to be an entertaining race won by Kyle Busch.

NASCAR viewed it as the first step in a journey to land on the right set of rules for the future.

"The amount of work the industry put into that package enabled us to do what we did Saturday night," Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France also is pleased but thinks there's room for improvement.

"How tight is the racing?" France asked on "SiriusXM Speedway." "How many lead changes are there? How much passing through the field is going on? How many more teams are competitive (with) a given package? What accomplishes those goals the best? What we'd like to see is more drafting and more pack racing. You saw it on restarts at Kentucky but not quite as much."

*Qualifying Cancellation Explained*
The decision to cancel qualifying at Kentucky in favor of giving teams more practice time with the new rules package was also discussed. Three drivers missed the race (Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell and Travis Kvapil) when the call was made to eliminate qualifying due to rain.

"The desire from the majority of the garage to get more time on the track prior to the race became our priority," O'Donnell said. "(With) the challenges we had drying the track, we didn't know if we'd even get to a point where we could get cars on the track. So we elected to go early and have everybody focus on setting up for the race. It's a three-hour transition going to qualifying trim vs. going back.

"It also helped the teams that were there to really prepare everything for the race vs. qualifying. Certainly, we can be challenged for that. But it was something that race and the circumstances dictated for us and ultimately, the decision we made wanting to put the best possible race on Saturday night."

*Busy Days for Goodyear*
Goodyear is hard at work developing a new tire that will be used in conjunction with the lower-downforce rules package in place for September's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The tire manufacturer held a test at Darlington two weeks ago and is working to meld that data with what transpired in the race at Kentucky. Goodyear just held a two-day test at Chicagoland Speedway and has several other sessions slated in the coming weeks to build tires for the upcoming Chase.

*Milestone Start for Kyle Busch*
Hot off his second Sprint Cup Series win of the season, Kyle Bush once again climbs into the seat of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Saturday's Lakes Region 200 will be Busch's 300th XFINITY Series start. He has 71 career wins.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/07/NASCAR-Notebook-More-Work-Ahead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*12 Days of Pride, Promise For Stewart​*
As July rolls on and NASCAR opens the second half of the 2015 season, Tony Stewart is now hearing two words that bring a smile to his face.

"Eldora" and "Indianapolis" ... two racetracks quite different from each other, sewn together with one common thread: they're near and dear to the three-time Cup Series champion.

The next 12 days hold great meaning for Stewart, who is celebrating 10 years as owner of Eldora Speedway - the half-mile dirt oval in Ohio that will host next week's Camping World Truck Series race.

And following the July 22 Mudsummer Classic, Stewart will travel back home to Indiana for the Crown Royal 400 on July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Everything's coming along pretty well," said Stewart the track owner during a national media teleconference on Tuesday, looking ahead to next week's Truck Series race at Eldora. "The thing that makes it work is having a great staff. All the heavy lifting will be done before I get there. These are two weeks coming up that I really look forward to."

As for Indy, Stewart knows it's another step in what has been a challenging season as a driver. But the prospect of returning once more to the famed 2.5-mile oval, where's he's won twice, will help drive Stewart through the days ahead.

"I don't think it's any secret to anybody that we're struggling," he said, looking at a season that has produced just one top-10 finish in 18 starts. "But you're always excited to race at home and 'The Brickyard' is a place that's special to me."

Stewart is a native of Indiana and still resides in Columbus, located some 50 miles south of the legendary oval. His Brickyard wins came in 2005 and 2007.

"We're desperately trying to figure out what it's going to take to move the needle," said Stewart, currently 28th in points. "You hope to get it done at a race like the Brickyard, for sure."

But before Eldora ... and before Indianapolis ... Stewart heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301.

"The way the format is, all it takes is one good race," he said, in reference to the post-season Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. "If we can find what it is we've been missing, one race can change our whole season. That's the driving force every week."

Stewart is a three-time winner at New Hampshire, most recently in 2011 during his dramatic run to his third championship. "Smoke" was winless in the regular season then caught fire with five victories over the final 10 weeks.

Is there a similar turnaround looming in 2015?

"The improvements in 2011 were, literally, overnight," Stewart said. "I didn't see that coming. So it's hard to say if we think a change will come gradually or all at once. To me, I don't care how we get there.

"Whether it takes one week or six weeks, the main thing is just getting there. We're going to keep working hard, and pushing to try and find that. It's disheartening that we're not running well. But I guess it would be a ton worse if we were and then, all of a sudden, we didn't do well at 'The Brickyard.' "

Stewart is among 44 drivers on the preliminary entry list for Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 in New Hampshire, which kicks off the second half of the Sprint Cup schedule. He finished seventh and 30th in the two stops at "The Magic Mile" in 2014.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2-Days-of-Pride-Promise-for-Tony-Stewart.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Furious 7' To Sponsor Chicago XFINITY Race​*
Chicagoland Speedway today announced "Furious 7," the $1.5 billion worldwide box- office blockbuster and most successful installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, as the title sponsor for its NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Sept. 19. The "Furious 7" 300 will feature cast member Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as the Grand Marshal of the Furious 7 300 as NASCAR's stars of tomorrow set the stage for the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"Furious 7" will be released on Digital HD on August 25 and Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on September 15 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) as an all-new extended edition. The film has become the highest-grossing movie in the history of the franchise.

"As we saw first-hand with our ground breaking Fast Five partnership back in 2011, UPHE understands the thrills that come along with great racing and the power that can be harnessed through NASCAR Nation," said Scott Paddock, President of Chicagoland Speedway. "We're looking forward to giving 'Furious 7' and its home entertainment release the national platform that a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend can uniquely deliver."

"We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Chicagoland Speedway for this prestigious NASCAR tradition," added John Morici, Managing Director, US & Canada, UPHE. "What better way to celebrate this global blockbuster home entertainment release than to be part of an American institution synonymous with speed, cars, and family. This event is sure to be an unforgettable, adrenaline-fueled experience for racing fans."

In "Furious 7," the entire Fast & Furious crew reunites in purpose for an epic international adventure, hunted by a vengeful assassin from Abu Dhabi to London to Tokyo and the Dominican Republic as they try to retrieve a highly advanced piece of espionage technology and rescue the gifted hacker who created it. "Furious 7" stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Nathalie Emmanuel with Kurt Russell and Jason Statham.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Sept. 18-20, will begin with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race under the lights on Friday night. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the NASCAR XFINITY Series will hit the track as the precursor to Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series showdown, the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In addition to the racing action, fans can enjoy live musical entertainment, Champions Park, tailgating and more. Tickets start at just $25 with kids tickets (12 and under) $25 OFF, and parking is always free at Chicagoland Speedway.

Tickets can be purchased online at ChicagolandSpeedway.com, by calling 888-629-RACE, through the Chicagoland Speedway mobile app, or by visiting the Chicagoland Speedway Administrative office Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...us-7-to-Sponsor-Chicagoland-XFINITY-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenny Wallace To Make Final Start​*
The Aug. 1 U.S. Cellular 250 XFINITY Series race at Iowa Speedway will be the final start of Kenny Wallace's 27-year NASCAR career.

The race will mark Wallace's third start of the 2015 season and his 547th overall, a series record. He'll drive the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

"To me, this isn't a sad moment," Wallace said. "I'm at a truly happy place in my life. After all, not too many guys have the privilege of being a NASCAR driver - especially for as long as I have. I wanted to end my career on a positive note and I'm excited about our chances in Iowa.

"The No. 20 team is one of the best in the sport and I'm looking forward to having a chance to end my NASCAR career with a great finish."

The No. 20 JGR entry is currently fourth in the owner standings. Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Matt and Ross Kenseth, and David Ragan have all taken a turn behind the wheel this season - with Hamlin and Jones posting wins.

Wallace made his NASCAR debut in 1988 at Martinsville Speedway. He finished among the top 10 in the XFINITY Series point standings in 10 of his 14 full-time seasons, including a runner-up finish to Bobby Labonte in 1991. Wallace has nine race wins and 10 poles.

In recent years, he has shifted his career focus to broadcasting. Wallace currently appears on FOX Sports 1's "NASCAR RaceDay" and "NASCAR Victory Lane."

"I'm fortunate to be able to turn my NASCAR driving career into another career doing something else I love, working with FOX Sports on television," Wallace said. "I'm going to stay involved in the sport through TV and stay behind the wheel in my dirt cars, too."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Aug. 1 U.S. Cellular 250 from Iowa Speedway beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/07/Kenny-Wallace-to-Make-Final-Start.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Time's Running Out​*
The Sprint Cup drivers who won last year but are still winless in 2015 are going to have a hard time repeating that success.

There are four drivers who went to Victory Lane last season still looking for their first win of this campaign: Jeff Gordon, AJ Allmendinger, Kasey Kahne and Aric Almirola. With only eight races left in the regular season, they have their work cut out if there's any hope of finding a way back into the Chase with a win.

*Jeff Gordon*
A four-time winner in 2015, Gordon's final full-time Sprint Cup season has been a disappointment. He's 10th in the point standings heading into this weekend's stop in New Hampshire but has only notched two top-five finishes in the first 18 races. Bad luck has played a part as Gordon was caught up in multiple crashes earlier in the year. Speeding penalties on pit road, particularly at Martinsville Speedway in March, have also taken Gordon out of the potential winning mix. But a lack of consistent speed seems to be what's plaguing Gordon and the rule change mandating less horsepower may not fit his style. While there's the avenue of getting into the Chase through the point system, it would be a major letdown if Gordon didn't punch his ticket into his final "playoff" with a win.

*AJ Allmendinger*
The reality is simple. His best chance to repeat last year's success comes in about a month when the series returns to Watkins Glen International. That's where Allmendinger scored his breakthrough win a year ago and put on Cinderella's slipper as a Chase participant. After starting the year on a strong note with solid runs on intermediate tracks, JTG/Daugherty Racing has plateaued in recent weeks and Allmendinger has sunk to 23rd in the standings. He was a force at the year's earlier road-course race in Sonoma, Calif., and he'll be a contender at The Glen. Whether lightning can strike twice in two years remains to be seen.

*Kasey Kahne*
His year has a lot of similarities to 2014, when it took him until Labor Day weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway to win a race and make the Chase. Like Gordon, his Hendrick teammate, Kahne's situation isn't dire just yet because he's 12th in the point standings. But also like Gordon, Kahne has been wildly inconsistent. After five top tens in the spring, Kahne followed with finishes of 37th, 34th, 17th, 32nd and 27th. The performance of the No. 5 team needs to improve for Kahne to have a shot at making the Chase with a victory.

*Aric Almirola*
The Richard Petty Motorsports driver joined Allmendinger as Chase underdogs last year thanks to Almirola's July win at Daytona International Speedway. While there has been sporadic success, Almirola's overall season has been mediocre. His lone top-five finish came at Dover in May and since then, last Saturday's 12th-place run in Kentucky is the high-water mark. There aren't any restrictor-plate races left in the regular season so Almirola's shot at repeating last year's win has gone. He'll need to somehow find a way to close the gap between his No. 43 team and the frontrunners in order to make a return appearance in the Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/07/Opinion-Times-Running-Out.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Embrace Changes​*
Drivers continue to applaud NASCAR's desire to create better racing through track specific aerodynamic packages.

Last Saturday night's Quaker State 400 received positive reviews from the majority of competitors after running a lower down force rules package. That same package will be utilized again in September at the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

A different package that will provide more drag and additional down force is planned for next week's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis as well as August's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

While the decision to change the sport's direction mid-season with a variety of aero package certainly through a curveball at the Sprint Cup Series garage, drivers still believe in the purpose.

"It's a great time to be involved in the sport," said Dale Earnhardt Jr. during Wednesday's test session at Chicagoland Speedway. "For me, it's exciting to go through these -- this is a three-day test. Normally I hate testing, but it's been fun trying to learn and understand it. I'm excited just to see what happens, whether this stuff works, fails, whatever. But it's fun to go through it. It's fun to sort of rearrange the furniture in the living room, so to speak, to something different.

"It's been the same-old, same-old for so long, so this is kind of neat and exciting and unprecedented, really."

While no final decision has been made there have been discussions whether NASCAR would make any rules changes to upcoming races in the Chase, which kicks off at Chicagoland in September.

Should that be the case, Brad Keselowski says so be it although the Team Penske driver cautions the process of determining the right packages is in its infancy.

"At the end of the day we're supposed to be the best race car drivers and teams in the world and change is an opportunity to showcase who is the best," Keselowski said at Wednesday's Chicagoland test. "I'm not afraid of it I guess would be a better answer, but I'm not sure I'm in favor of it either.

"I know what I am in favor of is putting on the best races we can for our fans and if we feel like there's a package on the table to put on a better race for our fans, we'd be kind of foolish to not do that so. As to if that will happen, I don't know we're so early in the process I think you have to step back sometimes and respect that."

Then there's the question of what good racing is and what package creates the best competition. It's a subjective topic to be sure that means something different to everyone.

Keselowski shared his opinion

"I think great racing is seeing cars where drivers can make a difference and determine their own fate and outcome with his unique individual skills," he said. "Whether that be as a talent behind the wheel with his finesse, balance and skill driving the car or with his talent with respect to his relationship with the team and almost be a leader, a quarterback of the team and call the right plays. Those two are probably the highest on my list because they open up so many other doors and at the end of the day, it's my opinion that puts on the best racing on a consistent basis.

"But some others might have different ideas than that I know we get caught up a lot of time in stats of passes and things like that&#8230;.as a racer whether I'm driving or watching I just want to see the best guy have a chance at winning and I want to see fair competition and mix that all up with some crazy finishes and why not, that's my opinion on what great racing is."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Drivers-Embrace-Changes.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Qualifying Format Changes​*
NASCAR has changed the qualifying procedure for the upcoming races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway.

The single-car superspeedway format that was used earlier in May at Talladega will set the field for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis as well as next month's Pure Michigan 400.

A higher-drag aerodynamic package will be used at both Indianapolis and Michigan, which includes a nine-inch spoiler, one-inch wicker bill, 43-inch radiator pan and a two-inch leading edge for the splitter.

Each of those weekends will feature two rounds of qualifying. In the opening round, drivers will take one warm-up lap, one timed lap and then one cool-down lap. The top 12 drivers with the fastest speeds will then advance to a second round to determine the starting line-up for the race.

NASCAR will release cars at a predetermined interval and possibility of more than one car on track does exist. However NASCAR expects to spread the cars out far enough that neither would impede the other.

After each car takes its first qualifying lap, they will be impounded followed by a 10-minute break between rounds to allow teams to make adjustments, adjust tape and use a cool-down unit.

The procedure will also be used for the XFINITY Series race at Indianapolis as well as the Camping World Truck Series event at Michigan.

"I think that's a great idea," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Wednesday during a test session at Chicagoland Speedway. "I appreciate them, I believe they're erring on the side of safety with that. If we do get pack racing or real tight racing due to that giant rear spoiler and you do have huge runs on guys down the front straightaway at Indy, that's such a narrow area for everyone. Not only the fans, but everybody on pit road down through there it's just really tight.

"You don't want to get anything going on down there like we had with Austin (Dillon) at Daytona. To sort of make a move, a pre-emptive move I really applaud NASCAR for that. I feel a whole lot safer and a lot better about it."

While Earnhardt embraces the change to what was used at Talladega for Indy and Michigan qualifying, he's okay with both formats being used this year to set the starting line-ups.

"I enjoy that superspeedway format to settle on who's the fastest guy," he said. "I mean the other format's pretty fun too, I don't have a problem with it. But I kind of like both of them. It's not really ruining the experience for me as a driver."

Earnhardt is a big proponent for the rules changes that will be in play for those two races that will significantly increase down force in hopes of creating a more competitive racing environment.

"This is a big deal, really, to change the whole thing for everybody at this track and then try something so extreme at another track," Earnhardt Jr. said of the changes NASCAR is making for several races.

"What they're trying at Michigan and Indy, it's really extreme and should really alter the racing and what it looks like there. What it'll look like, I don't know. But it's not going to be the same. Fans are going to tune in to see that -- see whatever it is that happens. That's great."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ying-Format-Changes-at-Indy-and-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Teams Complete Chicagoland Test​*
A number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams completed a one-day open test session at Chicagoland Speedway on Wednesday.

The test followed-up a two-day Goodyear tire test that featured Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Sam Hornish Jr. and JJ Yeley.

"We spent most of Monday working in our regular 2015 configuration," Hornish Jr. said. "Yesterday was spent mostly in the Kentucky setup. I did two runs with the Michigan-Indy option, but that was with the wheel force car."

Today's test session gave teams an option to run different configurations like in the tire test. But Earnhardt Jr. doesn't think the low-downforce rules package that was used at Kentucky will make an appearance at Chicagoland Speedway when NASCAR kicks off the Chase for the Sprint Cup...at least for this season.

"I don't think they'll run here," Earnhardt said. "We may run it here soon down the road. Coming here for a three-day test, we went through tires for Goodyear. They mandated that all the cars put that little spoiler on the second day. That told me they were thinking about running that low downforce here.

"And then we saw the tires tearing up, we tore up some right front tires. Martin (Truex Jr.) tore up one, I tore up one, the '9' tore up one, and when Goodyear sees that, the red flag comes out and you have to slow down and there's just not enough time to really prepare for the right tire and get it on the car and get it ready for the Chase. I think we'll run the 2015 current package that we've run all year here and who knows if we'll have it next year."

Kyle Busch won the Kentucky race with the new rules package to lead a Joe Gibbs Racing charge in the top five. Although it's a 1.5-mile track like Kentucky, Chicagoland is a much different high-speed banked track.

"Carl Edwards is going to tell you to run that low downforce package everywhere. I think Kyle (Busch) is a big fan of it, as well," Earnhardt said. "I like it, too, but I'm not sure if you want to throw that kind of curve ball in the Chase. I think we need to learn more, we need to understand where we're going with the tires, how to match the tires up a little better, and we just don't want asterisks next to this program and this season."

While teams were on different agendas in the garage, Austin Dillon ran all three packages and paced the afternoon session with a lap time of 29.497 seconds (183.069 mph).

"We had a really fast car in the old style package," Dillon said. "I think it was the best for our team. I struggled a little bit with the high downforce package then we went to the low downforce. I think our regular package worked the best for us. It showed speed and it was fun.

Dillon tested the higher-drag package that will be used at both Indianapolis (July 26) and Michigan (Aug. 16), which includes a nine-inch spoiler and one-inch wicker bill, to gather data.

"We've got a lot of work to do on it because we haven't had anything like that before," Dillon said. "We were really tight. We'll have to go home and get to work for sure."

Hornish also tested the Indy-Michigan package again today.

Denny Hamlin was second fastest in the afternoon (180.923 mph) with Earnhardt Jr. in third (180.626 mph).

Brad Keselowski, who is the defending winner at Chicagoland, was fourth quick in the afternoon with a lap time of 29.906 seconds (180.566 mph).

"You always want to get the first punch in the ring," Keselowski said. "That's what Chicago is, it's the first round of the battle and winning is kind of the first punch. We are looking for the same thing and that's what we are back here today trying to test and continuously develop our team, our cars to be as fast as we can and to execute when we come back here with such a critical race. "

Overall, 12 drivers participated in the open test. Truex Jr. did not return today following the tire test. Kurt Busch completed the most laps in the afternoon session, at 86. The only incident on the day came in the garage area when the battery in Kyle Larson's car caught fire and was quickly extinguished.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rint-Cup-Teams-Complete-Chicagoland-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Canadian Racer Derek White To Become First Native American To Make Sprint Cup Start​*
Veteran Canadian drag racer turned NASCAR driver Derek White will become the first Native American to start a Sprint Cup race in Sunday's 5-Hour Energy 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

A member of the Mohawk tribe from Kahnawake, Quebec (near Montreal), White will be behind the wheel of the No. 33 Circle Sport Chevrolet SS when the green flag falls shortly after 1:30 pm ET.

While this will be his Cup debut, the 44-year-old White is no stranger to NASCAR. He's made 16 Xfinity Series starts, including eight thus far this season, along with six Camping World Truck Series starts, as well.

"I have always wanted to associate with the best, and I know that Circle Sport team principals Joe Falk and Mike Hillman have exactly what I am looking for at this stage in Sprint Cup - great equipment and team personnel and the right experience and attitude to help me make the most of this opportunity," White said in a media release. "I love to compete against the best, and racing in the Sprint Cup Series has been a goal of mine right from the start of my racing career."

White, 2010 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, will double-up this weekend, as he'll also compete in Saturday's Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire, as well, for White Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ve-american-to-make-sprint-cup-start/related/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR.com Dirty Air Podcast #2​*





*Preview Show: Loudon​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick All About Winning​*
Wins and bonus points are all Kevin Harvick cares about the rest of the regular season, starting with Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 in New Hampshire.

The defending Sprint Cup Series champion has salted away a berth in this year's Chase field of 16 so he's focused on racking up as many trips to Victory Lane as possible.

"We're going to race every week like we have never won a race before," Harvick said after winning his first of two races this season at Las Vegas.

Now, Harvick looks to add another to the win column this weekend at New Hampshire where he's visited Victory Lane once in the Sprint Cup Series.

Harvick has picked up right where he left off in 2014 with an impressive opening 18 races of the 2015 campaign. He has a series-best 12 top-five finishes and 16 top 10s, and sits atop the driver standings with 692 points. Harvick has led a series-high 1,225 laps with an average finish of 7.0. The 1,225 laps led are 517 more than the next-closest competitor, 708 by Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch.

Harvick's been red-hot as he heads to Loudon, a place he doesn't always associate with heat.

"The first thing I think of when heading to Loudon is that it's going to be cool weather," Harvick said. "At this point of the season, in July, we haven't been to too many places that are pleasant as far as the weather goes. At Loudon in the middle of the summer, it's usually cooler than what we've been used to."

"The Magic Mile" has built a reputation as a track that generates a great deal of support from a loyal fan base across New England. Harvick says that support adds to the unique flavor that comes with racing at Loudon.

"I was fortunate to experience the Oxford 250 in Maine and that's really where you see those grassroots fans," he said. "I went up there in 2007 and to this day, I still see a lot of those competitors and fans who come by and say hello.

"Looking back on it, we might not have thought we were fortunate at the time - sitting around in the rain for two days. But to talk to those folks, hear where they were from and find out what they're all about was a cool experience. It's a great region for us to race in."

As for the flat one-mile oval, Harvick believes one of the keys to finishing well will be where he starts. The tight track and fast pace of the 301-lap race puts a premium on Friday's qualifying session.

"The most important thing at Loudon is track position because it's hard to pass," Harvick said. "You want to be up front and on the right strategy. If the caution falls in the wrong spot and you lose track position, it usually becomes a longer day than it could have been."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/07/Kevin-Harvick-All-About-Winning.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Logano Rolls Back To Loudon​*
Joey Logano has his sights set on a repeat trip to Victory Lane in Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Logano scored a popular win at his home track last September to give Team Penske a sweep of New Hampshire after teammate Brad Keselowski's summer victory. The New England native would like nothing better than to celebrate again with his third career Sprint Cup win at "The Magic Mile."

"This is a racetrack I've always loved coming to. I consider it my home track," Logano said Friday. "We were running second (in July last year) before we got crashed and then we came back and won the fall race, so it's a special place for me. I started my first Cup race here and watched my first Cup race here when I was seven."

Adding to Logano's anticipation is his most recent outing, when he came home second to Kyle Busch in last Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Logano believes that success has a distinct impact on his team this weekend.

"Anytime you come back to a racetrack that you won at, coming off a weekend (where) you had a good run, confidence is high," he said. "That's what momentum is, confidence."

Despite Logano's confidence, he's aware of the challenges that lie ahead Sunday in Loudon. The one-mile oval is, by definition, not a true short track. But most drivers consider it one because of its tight quarters and close racing. Track position is at a premium.

"It's a difficult place to pass," Logano said. "You get underneath somebody in these corners and there's no banking holding you, your car usually has to be pretty free to get through the center of the corner and when you're underneath someone, you lose the sideforce next to you. You're trying to drive in hard to clear them and that's where you see most of the crashes - entry to the center of the corner. It's a challenging place."

Logano believes his team, as well as the Penske organization, is up to the challenge and has an opportunity to continue the success enjoyed in Loudon a year ago.

"We're executing great," Logano said. "We have more top fives at this point in the season than we did last year. We have fewer wins, though, and we know it's all about wins. But consistency and execution is important, so I feel like our team is strong.

"We've got to keep pushing forward and find a little bit more speed but overall, our team is in great shape and we're catching up."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/07/Joey-Logano-Rolls-Back-to-Loudon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch On A Mission​*
Kyle Busch is simply focused on running well on a weekly basis as the best approach to making the post-season Chase.

He enters Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 in New Hampshire 35th in the Sprint Cup Series standings. Busch has won twice since his return from injuries that kept him from running 11 races earlier this season and needs to be among the top 30 in points in order to qualify for the "playoffs."

"Everybody has the same goals: to make the Chase, get those wins and be in the top 30," Busch said Friday in Loudon. "If we were 13th through 16th in points and didn't have wins, then we'd be in the same position we're in right now - racing for points. We've got wins and yet we still seem to be out. We're doing the best job we can each week to continue to put good cars on the racetrack.

"Over the last few weeks, we've done a decent job at being able to run up front and contend for wins. That momentum is starting to build. We hope to continue that this weekend."

Rather than points race and look at numbers every week, Busch says he's more comfortable just going to the track focused on trying to win.

"The only numbers games I ever played are the Dover and Michigan numbers I gave away," Busch said of the back-to-back poor finishes he had early in his return. "I gave away 60 points in those two races so I would be 17 out right now, which would be essentially nothing. We might even make that up here this weekend. That's irrelevant, we're 87 (out) so that's the number we look at."

Physically, Busch is doing well in his recovery and has not been hindered behind the wheel. Mentally, the way things have been going he says he couldn't be better since coming back.

"Maybe I enjoy things a little bit differently and that's what it's been all about," he said about what was learned from his time away from the sport. "You get back in the racecar, run well and you're happy with your team. Then you win races ... winning cures all.

"That's the sort of statement I think many drivers would attest to. We've had some good runs and been real positive lately."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Kyle-Busch-On-a-Mission.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Joins Truck Series Field At Eldora​*
Brad Keselowski, and brothers Austin and Ty Dillon are on the preliminary entry list for next week's 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway.

Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, is the first past champion from NASCAR's top series to take part in the race. He'll drive the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford as a teammate to Tyler Reddick.

The Dillons return to the track where they have both shown speed since first tackling it in Dirt Late Models. Austin won the inaugural Truck Series race in 2013. Ty has contended for the win in each of the first two years the event has been run on the half-mile dirt oval.

Other entries include two-time Eldora starter Ken Schrader; Bobby Pierce, the 2015 UMP DIRTCar Late Model Summernationals winner; Christopher Bell, driving the No. 54 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports; and Chad Boat, son of 1998 Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Billy Boat.

The field also will feature stars of the Truck Series including two-time defending champion Matt Crafton, Erik Jones, Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters, John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer.

The 150-lap race will be broken into segments of 60, 50 and 40 laps. As is dirt-track tradition, the starting field is set by five qualifying heat races.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Wednesday's 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic beginning at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ld-Truck-Series-Field-at-Eldora-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Hampshire Motor Speedway 'Sacred Ground' For Martin Truex Jr.​*
New Hampshire Motor Speedway isn't just another track on the Sprint Cup circuit, at least not to Martin Truex Jr.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Truex calls the 1.058-mile track in Loudon "sacred ground."

The track, which is the site of Sunday's 5 Hour Energy 301, is a significant in the life and racing career for the Furniture Row Racing driver who hails from Mayetta, N.J., located six hours south.

It's one of the tracks Truex built his career on in the K&N Pro Series East, but it's also where he watched his father, Truex Sr., race as he grew up.

In a nine-year career in the K&N East (formerly known as Busch North), Loudon was the site of the elder Truex's only win, coming in the Auto Palace / Slick 50 150 on July 9, 1994. His brother, Ryan Truex, won there twice in 2010.

"Certainly, my Dad was [a hero], but New Hampshire was always their biggest race of the year,'' Truex told the Boston Globe. "That was their (K&N East) Daytona, so I always kind of held New Hampshire as sacred ground just because of that. Winning races there has had a lot to do with me getting an opportunity to move down here and drive the Busch Series and it's just been a special place for us.''

Truex Jr. followed his father into the K&N Pro Series East circuit driving the family-owned No. 56 Chevrolet. In 62 races from 2000 to 2003, Truex Jr. won 13 poles and five races, including twice at NHMS.

Only one of those races, the 2000 Busch 125 at Loudon, did both father and son race together.

Now Truex Jr. is in his 10th full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series, which also happens to be his best. Though the last three races are not representative of it.

After earning 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races of the season, including a win at Pocono, Truex and his No. 78 Chevrolet recorded two straight DNF's at Sonoma Raceway and the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.

Last weekend, Truex started fifth but wound up in 17th for his worst non-DNF finish since he was 29th in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Currently fifth in points Truex isn't in dire straits, but he's also not officially locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Only points leader Kevin Harvick has achieved that status.

Will NHMS help him get there? While the track has a special place in his heart, the "Magic Mile" hasn't been special to him in recent years.

Truex has an average finish of 14.4 at Loudon and in the last 12 races dating back to 2009, has only two top-10 finishes of eighth in 2011 and 10th in 2013.

"The first thing that comes to mind about New Hampshire's flat track is that it's very difficult to complete a pass on," Truex said in a team release. "It makes life a lot easier if you have a strong qualifying effort and a car that is equally as strong in race trim."

While Truex's resurgence in 2015 includes an average starting spot of 11.1, at Loudon, his career average is 12.6.

"Track position is obviously very important," Truex said. "It is also a difficult track to get your car working the way you want, and a difficult track when it comes to pit strategy."

Truex's attempt to recapture the family magic at the Loudon begins tomorrow with the Sprint Cupfirst practice session, at 11:30 a.m ET on NBCSN.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ay-sacred-ground-for-martin-truex-jr/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Wins New Hampshire Pole​*
Carl Edwards will start Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 from the pole position in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

He topped Friday's Sprint Cup Series qualifying session with a lap of 135.164 mph (28.179 seconds) around New Hampshire Motor Speedway's one-mile oval. Joey Logano, David Ragan, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin completed the top five.

For Edwards, it's his first pole of the season and the first of his career at "The Magic Mile."

"I've struggled at this racetrack so this is big for me," Edwards said. "We need to get another win."

Logano, last fall's Loudon winner, is pleased with his front-row start.

"We hope we'll keep this speed on race day," said Logano, a native of Connecticut who calls NHMS his home track. "We all know how special Loudon is to me, to try to make something happen here, so it's nice to know we've got a fast racecar. It's good in race trim, as well. We weren't very good in qualifying trim in practice. We changed a lot of things and lit it up a little bit"

With Ragan, Busch and Hamlin rounding out the top five, Toyota captured four of the first five starting spots. Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski complete the top 10.

Reed Sorenson was the only driver who failed to qualify.

Other notable drivers in the field include series points leader Kevin Harvick (12th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (19th), Jeff Gordon (23rd) and Tony Stewart (25th).

"It's not been a good day for us," said Gordon, a three-time New Hampshire winner. "We've been struggling. It's disappointing we didn't qualify better."

Sprint Cup Series teams will have two more practice sessions on Saturday.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Wins-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pitkat Star of Stars In Loudon​*
Not even the late-race invert of the leaders could derail Woody Pitkat's plan to return to Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday afternoon.

Pitkat took the lead for the sixth and final time on the last lap of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour's All-Star Shootout, then held off Ryan Preece and Donny Lia in a dash to the finish of Friday's 35-lap non-points event.

At the Lap-20 break, the top six in the running order were inverted - sending race leader Pitkat from the first row back to the third row for the restart with 15 laps remaining. He moved back into the lead with three to go. As the three-way battle developed, Preece held the point at the white flag, but Pitkat came out on top.

It marked the second victory in a row for Pitkat at "The Magic Mile." He won a 100-lap points race there last September.

Preece crossed the finish line second and Lia held on for third with Justin Bonsignore, Bobby Santos, Ted Christopher, Eric Goodale, Ron Silk, Ryan Newman and Andy Seuss completing the top 10.

The All-Star Shootout consisted of a 20-car field that primarily featured champions and race winners from the Whelen Modified and Southern Modified Tours who were pre-qualified for the special event. The dash format produced plenty of urgency from the competitors that resulted in 14 official lead changes in just 35 laps.

_The race will air on the NBC Sports Network next Thursday, July 23, at 4:30 p.m. (ET). The Whelen Modified Tour will be back on track in Loudon at 2 p.m. Saturday for the points-paying Andy Blacksmith 100 Presented by Donate Life New England._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel.../07/Woody-Pitkat-Star-of-Stars-in-Loudon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Biffle: 'It's Hard To Stay Enthusiastic'​*
Greg Biffle remains optimistic the entire Roush Fenway Racing organization can get back to its former competitive ways before the season's over.

Biffle enters Sunday's 5-Hour Energy 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 18th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. In the first 18 races of the 2015 season, he's finished in the top-five once while also notching a pair of top-10 finishes.

The lack of putting up numbers and more positive statistics is baffling for Biffle and the RFR team.

"It's probably one of the toughest things for us to look at," Biffle said. "We look at the same stats you're looking at and we look around us and the cars we're racing with and it's definitely frustrating, but, at the same time, we're working as hard as we can to try and figure out what we need for speed."

"To be quite honest with you, we don't know what to do to them and we don't know where the speed is at so it makes it really difficult to fix it."

NASCAR's aerodynamic rule change give Biffle some optimism that his ailing team can improve in the coming weeks. Last week's lower down force package used at Kentucky Speedway is in play again at Darlington on Labor Day weekend and rules to create higher drag are on tap for Michigan and Indianapolis.

Biffle is still unsure of exactly how the changes will impact things but is on board with the sanctioning body trying to find something to improve the on track product.

"I think it's definitely a bold idea and the way these cars are it gives us that opportunity for having the splitter and the spoiler and being able to adjust those fairly easily to change the package around," he said. "Before that was difficult to do because we had a front valance on it, so you could never change the front down force by changing that pan and the splitter.

"With them being able to change that around from track to track it makes it fairly easy for the teams to switch out as well, so that's a positive. I like the idea of changing it around."

Biffle would no doubt like the changes even more if it led to a better second half of the year. He's still hanging around the Chase picture and with eight races left to decide the playoff field Biffle has an outside chance to make it.

Biffle, who is a previous winner at New Hampshire, tested at Chicagoland Speedway this past Wednesday.

"We feel like we had a decent Chicago test. Maybe that will transfer over to this race track a little bit," Biffle said. "We'll try some of the things we tried over there in Chicago that gave us a little bit of speed, but we continue to look for that speed, continue to look for a way to get a win and compete and try to get in the Chase."

It's been a difficult experience fighting through the slump that has engulfed the Roush organization for more than a couple years but Biffle is doing his best to keep his chin up.

"It's very hard to stay enthusiastic, it is," Biffle said. "I wouldn't say it's like one arm tied behind your back, but it is difficult to get dressed, buckled in there, and get out on the race track, but every time we do we're searching for that speed, so we're back at the shop working on stuff, we're testing, and then we're bringing it to see what it does competing to that next guy. So it's not like we're doing the same thing every week, so every time you climb in that car you don't expect the same result. Now if you get the same result, then you go back to the drawing board. But every time we climb in that thing we've got something different, and when that something different puts us in the top 10, then we're gonna be excited."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/07/Greg-Biffle-Staying-Positive.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jeff Gordon's Car Sustains Major Damage In Garage Mishap With Clint Bowyer​*
There was another high-profile run-in between Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer, though Saturday's incident at New Hampshire Motor Speedway seemed purely unintentional.

Bowyer was pulling his No. 15 Toyota into his stall near the midpoint of a one-hour practice when he ran into the right rear of Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet, which was backing out of its stall.

It seemed as if one of Gordon's team members had motioned for the Hendrick Motorsports driver to leave without being aware of Bowyer's car approaching.

Bowyer's car sustained minor damage and returned quickly to the track.

Gordon's team spent the rest of the practice trying to fix the damage, cutting off sections of the quarter panel and then welding a new part in place.

Sporting a right-rear quarter panel with gray primer that didn't match his car's colorful paint scheme, Gordon returned to start the final Sprint Cup practice at 12:30 p.m.

Contact between Bowyer and Gordon sparked one of the more memorable feuds in recent NASCAR history in the Nov. 11, 2012 race at Phoenix International Raceway. Gordon intentionally crashed Bowyer, retaliating for an earlier incident during the race and a wreck that cost him a win at Martinsville several months earlier.

The Phoenix crash effectively ended the championship hopes of Bowyer, who memorably sprinted from his car to Gordon's hauler to confront his rival as a garage brawl erupted between their crews.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...e-in-garage-mishap-with-clint-bowyer/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Eventful Loudon Win For Hamlin​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6788&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Denny Hamlin led 145 of 200 laps en route to the win in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on a day that saw him make contact with a few drivers and rebound from a spin.

Hamlin got together with Austin Dillon on lap 179 when the duo were side-by-side racing through Turn 4. The contact sent Dillon up out of the groove and Hamlin was able to power by for the top spot.

Hamlin went on to score his second win of the season and 13th career series win.

However, afterward Dillon was not happy about what transpired on track.

"That wasn't good racing," Dillon said. "I hadn't raced him all day. He was nervous or something. &#8230; It's okay, we've got plenty of races left.

"He called me a spoiled rich kid at Texas...but I've worked my way to get here just like anybody else."

Hamlin countered and had an opposing view of the incident.

"He jumped the restart, for one," Hamlin said. "I was eventually going to get back around him, anyway. I was a fender ahead, he drove in there knowing he was going to have to hold the position and I washed up into him.

"We had the best car. Wow, what a day."

Hamlin isn't concerned about any potential retaliation from Dillon in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race.

"I have a win. I have nothing to lose. It's just heat of the moment," he said. "We're both racing for the win. It happens. It's part of short-track racing."

Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Daniel Suarez rounded out the top five.

Busch was involved in a incident with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate earlier in the race

Busch was involved in a incident with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate on lap 23 that resulted in a spin by Hamlin. He also endured a miscommunication with his team on whether to take two or four tires on a late pit stop.

"I was loose and he was loose and two loose don't make a right," Busch said of the incident with Hamlin.

Keselowski suffered from a four-tire call late that didn't provide the benefit on track he had hoped.

"Yeah, a little bit," Keselowski said when asked if four tires not working better surprised him. "We just weren't quite as fast as the 33 (Dillon) and the 20 (Hamlin) were. They were probably the two best cars the whole race and the 2 (Brian Scott) car looked like he was really good and the 54 (Busch) I couldn't quite tell, but we just weren't fast enough this weekend. We were lacking a little bit of speed, but this is my first time working with (Crew chief) Greg Erwin here and we'll get to work and come back a little bit better next time."

Ty Dillon, Regan Smith, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Elliott and Brennan Poole completed the first ten finishers.

Chris Buescher finished 14th and leads Elliott by 31 in the series point standings.

"Yeah, but you don't want to lose points and we did that," said Buescher who dropped five points from his advantage coming into the race. "We've got to try and get it back to where we started the year off and get some momentum back on our side and get rolling."

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...gion-200-at-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Szegedy Edges Lia at New Hampshire​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&RaceID=6986&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

In a thrilling fight to the finish, Todd Szegedy edged Donny Lia at the Granite Stripe to win Saturday's Andy Blacksmith 100 presented by Donate Life New England. The .041 margin of victory was the closest Whelen Modified Tour finish since 2012.

The team celebrated in Sunoco Victory Lane with custom made beanie hats, honoring the late "Greg and Morning Buzz" radio personality the race was named after. Blacksmith passed away three weeks ago awaiting a heart transplant after a five-year long battle with heart disease.

"There is a fine line at Loudon to win these races and I knew if we could get it right we could win no matter how strong the other racers were," said Szegedy, now a four-time Magic Mile winner. "It makes it special to win given the circumstances surrounding this one."

"On behalf of our buddy, Andy, and all of us that honor his life, we are so proud to be a part of this here today," said Greg Kretschmar, host of the "Morning Buzz". "What a great day. Congratulations to Todd; I know this would have meant the world to Andy."

Bobby Santos, the race's defending champion, Patrick Emerling and Ron Silk round out the top-five finishers.

The race was halted at the halfway mark for a competition caution. A massive pileup on the ensuing restart collected more than 10 cars on the frontstretch, ending the days of several drivers competing for the win, including Friday's All-Star Shootout winner Woody Pitkat, two-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby and five-time NHMS winner Ted Christopher. The accident was caused when Lia's front bumper clipped race leader Coby, sending him spinning out into traffic.

The race was a battle from there, and after a late caution with eight laps to go, there were a half dozen cars still in contention. The final two turns came down to Lia and Szegedy.

"The restart fell into our hands, sitting in fourth on outside is the place to be," said Lia. "I couldn't put a really good run together in turns one and two on the last lap. It wasn't near a good enough run. All in all a really good day and the run my team needed today was a good shot in the arm."

For Santos, the third-place finish was his best finish since the season-opener at Thompson.

"I was happy to fall in line in third and just needed a couple laps to regroup and make a run at those two guys," Santos said. "It took me a while to get back to their bumper, but I came back with a solid third."

It was the 19th career win for Szegedy and his first since winning the 2013 September race. Szegedy ran a part-time schedule in 2014 before signing on with the Mystic Missile Racing team for this season.

"Just when you think times are tough and getting bad, keep pushing forward," said Szegedy, "there is light at the end of the tunnel."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...mith-100-at-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Scores Second Straight Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6792&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch scored his second consecutive win, and third in the last four races, when he took the checkered flag in the 5-hour Energy 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

It was Busch's 32nd career win and second at New Hampshire.

Since missing the first 11 races of the season because of injuries sustained in an accident during the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona, Busch has scored wins at Sonoma Raceway, Kentucky Speedway and now New Hampshire.

He needs to get inside the top 30 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings in order to secure a berth in this year's Chase field. His victory on Sunday moved him to 33rd in the standings and only 58 points behind David Gilliland for 30th.

"We've got to keep doing our deal," said Busch, who has gained 70 points on 30th place in the last two weeks. "Every week it keeps getting better and better."

Brad Keselowski finished second with Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top five.

"We had a really fast car and led a lot of laps," Keselowski said. "I'm really proud of the team for bringing me two fast cars these past two weekends. It's a joy to drive cars that fast."

Earnhardt Jr. was pleased with the finish, but not the way his car handled during the race.

"It was hot out there. It was fun," he explained. "The car didn't really drive that great. We tried to get it better during the race. We had some engine issues. I saw some stuff with the gauges that were way off. We were getting beat down the straightaway all day, even by the Hendrick stuff. Guys will go back and see what's wrong."

Matt Kenseth, pole sitter Carl Edwards, Austin Dillon, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for next Sunday's Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400.

*How Busch Won:* Busch was able to get by Keselowski and Harvick to get back on the lead lap after he pitted during a green flag run. But when caution came out and the leaders pitted, that proved to be the winning move as he took over the top spot when the leaders pitted and when the green reappeared on lap 257 he drove off to the victory.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Keselowski led the most laps (101) and was able to rebound from last week's pit road miscues at Kentucky for a solid performance in New Hampshire and a second-place finish. Last year's race winner did appear to be exhausted in an unusually short media session following the race&#8230;.Harvick's third-place effort was his series-best 13th top-five finish of the season&#8230;.Kenseth rebounded from his fourth pit road speeding penalty of the year to finish sixth&#8230;.Dillon has finished in the top-10 in two of his last three starts.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Alex Bowman had his car catch fire on pit road when he came in on lap 97 to change tires. He was able to bring his car to a stop near the exit of pit road and escape from what turned into an inferno that was finally extinguished by the safety crew that arrived on the scene, but not before one member tumbled while exiting the truck&#8230;.Kyle Larson was penalized for speeding on pit road on lap 105 and could not battle back to better than a 32nd-place finish&#8230;.Jimmie Johnson also had pit road speeding issues on lap 179 that ruined his day to a 22nd-place performance, a lap down.

*What Else Happened:* The first half of the race saw Keselowski dominate and the field not able to do much in order to make up ground. But just past halfway things started picking up and a flurry of caution flags (one for a water bottle tossed on track by an unidentified culprit) made for some excitement on ensuing restarts. The hot slick track conditions made for some slipping and sliding by drivers for track position.

*Quote of the Day:* "There ain't no give-up in this 18 team." - Kyle Busch.

*Notables:* Earnhardt Jr. has eight top-five New Hampshire finishes, the most of any winless driver at the track&#8230;..Gordon's second to last career start at New Hampshire ended in an eighth-place finish&#8230;.Derek White's Sprint Cup debut ended in a 39th-place finish.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ergy-301-at-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mixed Day For Hendrick Motorsports​*
The Hendrick Motorsports drivers experienced a wide range of performance in Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon both finished in the top 10, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson had a frustrating outing.

Earnhardt brought home his 10th top five of the season and third in the last five races with a fifth-place finish on Sunday.

"The car didn't drive very good all day and we've worked hard trying to fix it and just couldn't get any better really," he said. "We worked hard all weekend just frustrated with the balance on the car. Had a little engine issue the whole race that was hurting us down the straightaway real bad."

Earnhardt Jr. remained optimistic things will continue to improve for his team.

"We had a pretty decent car, just need to be a little bit better if we want to come back here and do well in the Chase," said Earnhardt Jr. "We have to get a little more speed, the whole company needs to just keep working and we will get it."

Gordon started 23rd after a poor qualifying effort, but his car came to life and he was able to move up through the field in the early going.

Through pit strategy as well as gaining positions on track Gordon was able to come away with an eighth-place finish.

"The car was actually pretty good," Gordon said. "When they dropped the green, we were good for about the first half of the race. But the second half of the race, we just couldn't keep up with the track conditions. I'm not sure exactly what went on, but we were just kind of holding on there at the end. But it was still a nice top 10."

Things were much different for Kahne and Johnson.

Kahne started ninth but was not able to make an impact at the front of the field and fell back in the pack. Eventually through pit cycles he dropped back before finally ending up 19th.

Johnson took the green flag seventh but like Kahne could not take advantage of the decent starting spot. He fell back and to compound an already challenging day was penalized for speeding on pit road and sent back to 31st place.

He was able to rebound some but ended up 22nd, one lap off the pace.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...or-Hendrick-Motorsports-at-New-Hampshire.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Settles For Third​*
Until an uncharacteristic miscue on pit road cost him precious track position late in Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick appeared a likely candidate for Victory Lane.

Harvick was leading the race when NASCAR called the sixth caution of the event on lap 251 because of fluid on the track. But after a slow four-tire stop, Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet was fifth off pit road and restarted sixth because eventual race winner Kyle Busch stayed out on seven-lap-old tires.

Harvick quickly moved to fourth, and on Lap 288 of 301 he passed Joey Logano for the third spot. But the reigning series champion couldn't overcome the loss of track position on pit road.

Nevertheless, Harvick believed the four-tire call was the right one.

"I think we had the right strategy, just a little miscue on the last pit stop," he said. "Those guys have done great all year. They did great today. It just took me a little longer to get around a couple of those cars and lost the track position.

"I just have to thank everybody (on our team) for everything they do. We were off on Friday, and we were able to really rebound and have a good Saturday and good race car today. It's encouraging for two months."

Two months hence, that is, when the Cup series returns to New Hampshire for the second race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-for-Third-after-Late-Snafu-On-Pit-Road.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Learns For Loudon Return​*
Joey Logano enjoyed another successful day at his home track New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.

The Connecticut native posted a fourth-place finish in the 5-hour ENERGY 301 to keep his string of top-five performances at going.

Logano has five top-five runs in his last six races this season as well as two straight at New Hampshire following his win last September.

‪"We had great execution with the Shell/Pennzoil Ford, just not enough speed," Logano said after his run. "(Crew chief) Todd (Gordon) made some great calls keeping us toward the front. We were good on the restarts and got a few when we could there.

"When you've got four tires you try to make something happen, but we just didn't have enough speed in our race car to go up there and race with those guys. We'll find a little bit more speed before we come back. It's still another top five. We'll take these top fives, they're nice to have, but right now wins are the only thing that pays."

Logano was referring to the decision to put four fresh tires on his car on the day's final pit stop, a choice he still supports even though it didn't end up in Victory Lane.

"I like the call," he said. "We came back a little bit and passed some cars. We probably finished better that way than we would if we didn't have tires, or just had two tires, so Todd made a great call there."

New Hampshire comes around again on the schedule when the Chase begins this September and the series returns to Loudon for race number two of the playoffs. Although Logano felt his car was a bit short on Sunday, he's confident there were lessons learned for the Chase race in about two months.

"We just needed a little bit more speed in the car," he said. "The same things we fought in practice were the same things we fought in the race. I think we made some progress, but I think we learned some important things for the next time when we come back."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Continues-Top-Five-Run-at-New-Hampshire.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowman's Tire Catches Fire​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Hampshire Winners And Losers​*
Several drivers celebrated while others left New Hampshire disappointed after Sunday's 5-hour ENERGY 301.

*WINNERS*​
*Kyle Busch*
On one of the hottest streaks in recent memory, Busch won his third race in four weeks and further trimmed his deficit in a bid to make the top 30 by the end of the regular season. It's no longer a question of "if" Busch will make the Chase but "when" he qualifies in the next few weeks.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*
Led by Busch, JGR once again enjoyed a successful afternoon in New Hampshire. Carl Edwards started the weekend by winning the pole and finished seventh, one spot behind teammate Matt Kenseth. After a slow start, the summer months have seen the Gibbs group heat up.

*Team Penske*
Maybe it's a good sign that both Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano were disappointed in their finishes on Sunday. Neither had enough to catch Busch for the win but they finished second and fourth, respectively. That's not too bad of a follow-up to the Penske teammates sweeping the Cup Series races in New Hampshire a year ago. Expect both drivers to be factors come Chase time in Loudon.

*Austin Dillon*
The anger from Saturday's XFINITY Series race, when he was moved by Denny Hamlin while leading in the late stages, subsided in the Sprint Cup race - where Dillon finished eighth. He's turned in two strong weeks in the aftermath of his wild last-lap crash at Daytona.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
Outside the top 10 again, but Truex put on a whale of a drive just to finish 12th on Sunday after overcoming early-race trouble.

*LOSERS*​
*Jimmie Johnson*
Lately, there's something about the July race in New Hampshire that doesn't bode well for Johnson. Last year, it was multiple tire failures. Sunday, it was a speeding penalty on pit road that completely ruined Johnson's day. The best he could do was 22nd place, one lap down to the winner.

*Paul Menard*
Had an eventful couple of laps when he tried to come to pit road with a tire issue and nearly turned across the track in front of ongoing traffic to do so. Menard was forced to limp all the way around the track with the bum wheel before his adventure finally ended.

*Jamie McMurray*
A sour engine spoiled McMurray's day and sent him to a 26th-place finish. That also pushed the Chip Ganassi Racing driver down in the point standings and was a blow to his bid to make the Chase.

*Kyle Larson*
Another victim of a violation on pit road, Larson was fast in practice earlier in the weekend but a non-factor on race day. It wasn't a good day overall for Chip Ganassi's team as Larson finished 31st.

*Water Bottle Tosser*
NBCSN's Jeff Burton says any driver who is found to have thrown a water bottle out of their car to create a debris caution should be penalized. I couldn't agree more regarding that bush-league move, which happened Sunday to change the flow of the race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...pshire-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Eldora Race Information​*
Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic Camping World Truck Series race from Eldora Speedway on Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

Wednesday's race marks the third trip for the Truck Series to the famed half-mile dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio. Below is some information and stats to get you ready for the race.

*Schedule of Events/Broadcast Information*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...istics/2015/03/Eldora-Schedule-of-Events.aspx

*Race and Qualifying Procedures*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...03/Eldora-Race-and-Qualifying-Procedures.aspx

*Entry List*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...D=3&YearID=44&RaceID=6834&StatType=Entry+List

*Driver Averages*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SubSeriesID=3&TrackID=80&DisplayType=10+Races

*Driver Stats*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6834&StatType=Driver+Stats

*Track Information*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dway+Rossburg+Ohio|NASCAR+Camping+World+Truck








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Articles/2015/07/Eldora-Race-Information.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Byron Rolls To K&N East Victory​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&YearID=44&RaceID=6860&StatType=Race+Results

LOUDON, N.H. - William Byron led all but two laps Friday, cruising to victory in the United Site Services 70 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Byron, just 17 years old, started from the pole and notched his fourth win in eight races this season - maintaining his hold on first place in the point standings.

"This means a lot, to come to a racetrack like this and do what we did," said Byron. "To come this far in one season is amazing. I can't thank everyone enough."

Scott Heckert finished second with Kaz Grala, Nick Drake and Austin Hill rounding out the top five. The runner-up showing for Heckert is his best finish in three career starts at "The Magic Mile."

"Those late race restarts were our only chance," Heckert said. "I would have liked to have a little more for William (Byron) at the end, but it was a good day."

For Grala, this was his best finish in two appearances at NHMS and it was his fifth top 10 in eight races this season.

"It's always nice to do well at my home track," said Grala, a native of Westborough, Mass. "Last year, I was 10th here so third is a big improvement. This is huge for us."

It was a clean race with only two cautions, both coming in the final 20 laps.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...Rolls-to-K-and-N-Pro-Series-East-Victory.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trucks Back On Dirt​*
Eldora Speedway is home to some of the biggest events on dirt in all of racing and for the third time, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes to the famed half-mile oval Wednesday night for the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic.

The Truck Series race is part of a lineup of prestigious events that include the Dirt Late Model Dream, Kings Royal, 4-Crown Nationals and World 100 hosted at the track owned by Tony Stewart.

While a majority of the drivers have experience in previous races on dirt - Truck Series, Late Models, winged sprint cars and USAC sprint cars, 2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski will be making his first start on dirt.

"I jumped at the opportunity to compete at Eldora because that race looked like so much fun last year," Keselowski said. "I'm going there with an open mind and plan to learn all I can."

At Eldora, Keselowski will be able to draw from the experience of teammate Tyler Reddick - who became the youngest driver to start the World 100 from the pole at age 16.

"I've wanted to win a race at Eldora for a long time, more than any other track," said Reddick, who finished 11th there last season. "The trucks have less horsepower, more weight and use a hard asphalt tire. The vehicles react slower and it takes patience to run well there. We ran well early in the race last year but when the track starts to dry up and slow down, we need to make the right calls."

Last weekend, Eldora hosted the $50,000-to-win Kings Royal for World of Outlaws and All Star Circuit of Champions drivers. Christopher Bell, who will be making his third career Truck Series start, competed in that event.

"The track record at Eldora in a sprint car is about 12.7 seconds so to be running around there in sub-13-second laps and then go there in a truck - where the quick time was a 19.9 last year ... it's much slower than the sprint cars," Bell said. "Having run that fast there in a sprint car will translate to running the truck there because it will slow everything down."

Bell will be driving the No. 54 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports, the team that went to Victory Lane last year in this event with Darrell Wallace Jr. behind the wheel.

"I'm pumped to run the Truck Series race at Eldora," Bell said. "I've never even gotten to run a stock car on dirt, so it will be interesting to see how well it translates from sprint cars and midgets to the truck on dirt. Running the Iowa and Kentucky Truck Series races before this will benefit me more than running a sprint car will - just to have the experience of knowing how the trucks handle will help on dirt."

Austin Dillon, who won the inaugural Truck Series race at Eldora in 2013, returns this season and will be competing against his brother Ty for the eighth time in the series. Both drivers have extensive knowledge of racing on dirt and this year, Ty started 2015 by winning the DIRTCar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park for the second time in his career. (See Also: Dillons Diggin' the Dirt at Eldora)

Among the drivers entered in the race who have competed in both previous races at Eldora, Austin Dillon leads the way with the best finishing average (5.5). Series points leader Matt Crafton ranks second with an 8.5 average finish.

"I've run decent there, not great, but at the same time, we've always had to protect ourselves," Crafton said. "Each and every week, we can go to any track and lose a bunch of points. But Eldora is the unknown, for sure."

Erik Jones, last year's pole winner at Eldora, hopes this year's race will have a different outcome as he looks to gain points on Crafton in the standings. Jones led the opening 24 laps in the 2014 edition before a cut tire caused him to spin. Once back on track, Jones was about to make his way back into the top 10 but made contact with the wall, which resulted in suspension damage, relegating him to a 29th-place finish.

"Knowing we had the speed to win, I was trying to get back to the front in a hurry and tried making too much happen too soon," Jones said. "Hopefully this year, we can avoid some of the problems, have a more consistent race and get a solid finish."

Veteran Ken Schrader, the inaugural pole winner for the Mud Summer Classic, will be making his first NASCAR start since finishing fourth in this event last season. He continues to run dirt modifieds on a consistent basis along with a handful of ARCA races.

Thirty-two drivers will qualify for the race, starting at 5:15 p.m. (ET). Five 10-lap qualifying races will then be held to determine the first 25 starting positions of the Mud Summer Classic. The rest of the starting positions will be filled in the last-chance qualifying race along with owners points or a past champions provisional, if needed.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the third running of the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic beginning at 7 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. The race will be 150 laps divided into three segments of 60, 50 and 40 laps with competition cautions at the breaks on Lap 60 and Lap 110._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...7/Trucks-Back-On-Dirt-at-Eldora-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bell Rings In Eldora Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6834&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Christopher Bell outran Bobby Pierce in an overtime finish to win Wednesday night's Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway.

The 20-year-old Bell won in only his third series start piloting his Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to the win.

"It's just unbelievable," said Bell. "I've been coming here quite a few times. If you would have told me two years ago that my first win at Eldora would be in a truck, I would've told you were crazy."

"I'll tell you what, that's pretty awesome me and Bobby could come here and run 1-2," Bell said of his hard battles with Pierce throughout the night. "I never heard of him until I was at a sprint car race last year and he was running his late model. It's cool a couple of dirt guys can run 1-2 at a dirt racetrack."

The dirt track specialist was out front when the final competition caution of the night slowed the field on lap 110. He was able to stay there the rest of the way to the checkered flag including the green-white-checkered finish that was set up when Korbin Forrister spun on the fronstretch.

When the green flag flew, Bell got a great jump but Pierce would not give up and furiously tried to get around for the top spot in the closing laps including diving to the inside of the track on the final turn. But he came up short and had to settle for second place in his series debut.

"Bell did everything right to win the race,'' Pierce said. "It was a lot of fun out there."

Bell wound up leading twice for 106 total laps.

Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones and Daniel Hemric rounded out the top five .

Austin Dillon, who led eight laps on the night, finished sixth with John Hunter Nemechek, Cameron Hayley, Matt Crafton and Ty Dillon completing the first 10 finishers.

Sprint Cup regular Brad Keselowski started his first dirt race Wednesday night and was inside the top- 10 before crashing into the wall late in the race. He wound up finishing 28th.

The race was divided up into three segments, 60 laps-50 laps-40 laps and run for the third time at the historic half-mile Ohio dirt track owned by Tony Stewart.

There were a race record 13 caution flags on the night.

Pierce won the pole and the night's first opening qualifying race with Nemechek, Ken Schrader, Bell and Reddick winning the four others.

Crafton retained his series point lead, which is now 14 over Reddick with Erik Jones third 24 behind.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Pocono Raceway on Saturday, August 1st.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Bell-Wins-Mud-Summer-Classic-at-Eldora.aspx


----------



## undertakerfreak1127

I don't have any news to share, but as a noob here I must say I'm afraid that my boy Stewart won't ever get his **** together and be competitive again.


----------



## Ckg2011

undertakerfreak1127 said:


> I don't have any news to share, but as a noob here I must say I'm afraid that my boy Stewart won't ever get his **** together and be competitive again.


 Don't lose faith, Smoke will rise again, he will get it figured it out.


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Indianapolis​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Unknowns Ahead At 'The Brickyard'​*
There's a great deal of mystery about how the new aerodynamic rules package in play this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will impact the racing.

NASCAR has mandated a higher-drag aero package for this weekend's Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 in hopes of creating a more competitive environment. Unlike the lower-downforce rules used at Kentucky two weeks ago, the high-drag package - which will also be used at Michigan International Speedway next month - will force the cars down to the track surface as air rushes over them.

In order to create the higher drag, teams will have a nine-inch spoiler, one-inch wicker bill, 43-inch radiator pan and a two-inch leading edge on the splitter. Teams will have a chance to practice with the new configurations on Friday, which most drivers believe will be a key to understanding how the on-track product will be impacted.

"Nobody knows how this is going to go until we're all out there racing," said Carl Edwards. "Everyone's handling and the way everybody's car works will be dictated ... will be based on how they race around a big group of cars with all the air being disturbed, with the big aerodynamic devices that are on the car this week."

The goal is to create a more entertaining race than recent trips to Indianapolis, but the jury is still out on what to expect - except something completely different.

"It's going to create a lot of drag," David Ragan explained. "We're going to be in the throttle a lot. It's going to change a lot of things like fuel mileage, how often we pit, our strategies and even how we race. A lot of the strategies that worked in past years might not work this weekend.

"It will make passing a little more convenient, at times. I don't know if it will be easier, but these cars will certainly poke a lot bigger hole in the air. You're going to get some big runs on one another. It will be important for the drivers to watch their mirrors and have good spotters."

Not everyone is completely on board with making changes for Indianapolis or seeing the need for a different rules package.

"Anytime you can improve the product, sooner than later is good for everyone in the sport," Ryan Newman said. "I'm not sure a change at Indy is needed. It's one of our crown jewels so I'm not sure if it's a place we should be experimenting."

Some are of the opinion the rules could create similar racing to this year's Indianapolis 500, with a significant increase in drafting and lead changes. But comparing an open-wheel car with racing a stock car at Indy provides little similarity.

"What's tough about a stock car versus an Indy car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is that it's a flat track, and a stock car is so heavy it chews up the tires and it doesn't corner all that well," said Kurt Busch, who raced in his first Indianapolis 500 last season. "We're hoping the drag will create a big wake going down the straightaways for cars to make big, bold moves going into the corners."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...wns-Ahead-at-Indianapolis-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Busch Title Talk Premature​*
Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt both won seven Cup Series championships. Jimmie Johnson has six. Jeff Gordon has taken home four.

None of those drivers clinched the crown in July. But here we are only in the middle of the summer and many are proclaiming Kyle Busch as the clear-cut favorite to hoist this year's Cup in November.

Pump the brakes, folks.

What Busch has done since his return from injury is impressive and truly, nothing short of remarkable. Any driver winning three of four races in this era is a major accomplishment, let alone one who admittedly is still recovering from the serious leg and foot injuries sustained in a February accident.

If there was anyone left that doubted the talent the mercurial younger Busch brother possesses, that case should be eternally closed.

Kyle Busch can flat-out drive a racecar and his performance has captured the imagination of the sport as well as energized the entire Joe Gibbs Racing team. I don't think it's a coincidence that Busch's return and success has been coupled with the JGR stable trending decidedly up in recent weeks.

However, with all that said, I'm still not convinced Busch - or anyone else, for that matter - can be considered a favorite to win the championship.

First, in Busch's case, there's still the matter of whether he'll actually make the "playoffs." He's chopped a tremendous amount off his deficit to get inside the top 30 of the standings, which - along with winning a race - was the stipulation NASCAR mandated when Busch's exemption was granted despite missing 11 races. He's now only 58 away from that goal with seven races to go.

While I believe he's a lock to make up the rest of what's needed, anything can happen in auto racing as has been proven time and again.

The one thing NASCAR cannot do is relax the criteria even further and add Busch to the Chase as a 17th driver if he misses the cut, even though he'll have multiple victories. The integrity of the Chase has already been scrutinized over the years by so many changes to the system that such a move would deliver another blow to its credibility.

I think it's a moot point, though, because I see Busch racing his way in by the end of the regular season. But come "playoff" time, there's no guarantee Busch will challenge for the title simply because he's been so dominant right now.

Let's face it, the Chase has been Busch's kryptonite over the years. He's competed in 102 races held in the 10-race Chase portion of the season since the format was introduced in 2004. He's scored exactly one win during that period and has an average finish of 16.9. Those are not championship-type numbers no matter what the last name.

There's a strong argument that Busch and his team are much better in 2015 than those previous Chase performances imply, of which I completely agree. Should he get into the post-season, I do believe Busch will have a serious shot at going deep into the Chase.

But even an improved effort and strong performances don't guarantee any driver can win the title, not in this new knockout-style elimination format introduced last year. There are so many unknowns and variables in Chase 2.0 (actually, it may be Chase 5.0 with all the changes since its inception, but I lost track) that picking who will make it to The Championship Four at Homestead - let alone who will win the title - is next to an impossible task.

Kyle Busch deserves every well-deserved accolade he's receiving these days. But I'm not ready to call him - or anyone else - the 2015 Sprint Cup Series champ just yet.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Opinion-Kyle-Busch-Title-Talk-Premature.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Back Home Again​*
Tony Stewart's affinity for Indianapolis Motor Speedway is well-documented as the Indiana native returns home this weekend.

Stewart grew up and now resides in Columbus, Ind., not far from the legendary speedway. Over the years, he's experienced both the highs and lows of competing at Indianapolis in both NASCAR and open-wheel racing.

Through it all, one thing has remained constant - to Stewart, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has always been and will always be home.

"Every driver has a 'home' race and you're always excited to race at home," Stewart said as he readies for this weekend's Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400.

The matter at hand for Stewart is to turn around what has so far been a frustrating, uncompetitive season. But there will no doubt be time for reflection, reminiscing and memories about the Speedway and what it's meant in his life.

"I rode my bike to school every day, and your parents beat it into your head to stop at stop signs and wait for green lights before you cross the road," Stewart said. "Well, I played 'Frogger' going home, basically with a bicycle, trying to get home as fast as I could and trying to get the TV on. That's my biggest memory growing up, loving the opportunity to get home.

"I didn't care how much homework I had. It was the last priority when the month of May was going on and whatever coverage was on TV. You were just glued to it. There wasn't any one particular moment. It's just been something that's been a huge, huge part of my life."

The decision to bring NASCAR to the famed track in 1994 was a controversial one. Long-time Indy stalwarts were against stock cars invading what was considered hallowed ground for the open-wheel world of racing.

Ironically, Stewart - now a two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 - was one of them. But he changed his mind rather quickly.

"I was one that absolutely thought it was a crime, initially," he said. "I'm a purist. I'm old school. It's always been sacred ground to me. I remember when they did the tire test. There was so much excitement and that didn't even get me to switch sides. I was in Illinois the day that (first) Brickyard ran. When I got back and saw a replay of the race, it was evident that this was something that wasn't breaking any sort of religious code, so to speak, nor was it sacrilegious for it to be there. It really showed why NASCAR belonged there.

"I saw how much excitement it brought. It was the month of May, historically, and all of a sudden it was the month of May and now late-July/August, and you had the same historic racetrack and now you had two events instead of one."

Stewart will make his 22nd career start at Indianapolis on Sunday, which includes six Indy 500's and 15 Brickyard 400s. Through all the sentimentality and affection he has for IMS, Stewart's bottom line is to have a competitive day on Sunday.

Above all, that's his fondest desire for the 2015 edition of the race.

"It's a special place to me," he said. "The only disheartening thing is that we haven't been running well going into the weekend. I guess it would be a ton worse if we were running really well and all of a sudden, we got to the Brickyard and didn't run well.

"That would be a worse scenario. But we'll still work as hard as we can to get the best result."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/07/Tony-Stewart-Back-Home-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*A Lot On the Line At Indianapolis​*
Prestige and a big pay day are part of Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The series will compete on the famed 2.5-mile oval for the fourth time. Ty Dillon won last year's edition of the race after Sprint Cup Series regulars Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch were victorious in the first two events. This year's race will feature a new high-drag rules package.

Every driver in Saturday's field knows the importance of winning on one of auto racing's grandest stages.

"It hasn't sunk in yet, but the emotions are incredible," Dillon said after his emotional win a year ago. "I remember when I finished third here in my second career Nationwide (XFINITY) race a couple years ago. There's something about this place that just feels right to me. I wasn't going to let this thing go, I wasn't going to let it slip. I gave it everything I had."

Those sentiments are echoed by all of Dillon's competitors including series points leader Chris Buescher. The Roush Fenway Racing driver has a 31-point advantage over Chase Elliott in the standings heading into the weekend's trip to Indy. He'd like nothing more than to add to that lead while standing in Victory Lane.

"Indy is a track with a lot of history and a lot of prestige," said Buescher, who finished 11th last year. "We have a different aero package this time with a lot of unknowns, but I'm positive our team is ready for the challenge."

There will be added incentive for Buescher as well as three other drivers in Saturday's race. Along with Elliott, Regan Smith and Brendan Gaughan, Buescher is eligible for a $100,000 bonus as part of the "Dash4Cash" program. The highest-finishing driver among the quartet brings home the extra money.

"We have to continue to find speed and what little advantage we've lost over the past three or four months," Smith said. "We need to close the gap in the points. We'll go to Indy with 100,000 reasons to have a good race, try to take the money and kiss the bricks."

Elliott, his JR Motorsports teammate - who also will compete in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race in Indianapolis, is excited about the chance to just race at the track let alone having a shot at the $100,000 bonus.

"There's something about Indy that is hard to put into words," Elliott said. "It's the atmosphere when you arrive at the track that feels so intense."

He started fifth and finished 12th in last year's race, and hopes to use the experience as an opportunity for a better performance Saturday.

"We'll attack this race like any other one and learn from our experience," Elliott said. "Last year, we struggled a bit so we'll try new things to find that competitive advantage."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-the-Line-at-Indianapolis-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Issues Written Warnings To Teams of Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard After New Hamsphire​*
NASCAR issued written warnings to five teams this week for multiple inspection failures last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The cars of Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin and Eddie MacDonald were warned for failing prequalifying inspection twice. Ryan Blaney's team was warned for failing prerace inspection twice.

The Sprint Cup Rule Book states in section 12.5.3.1.c that if the same team receives two warnings during two consecutive events - whether a points event or not - then the team faces a P1 penalty that could include one or more of the following: Deduction of practice time, deduction of qualifying time, last choice in selecting pits, delay in order of inspection and/or other penalties.

NASCAR has emphasized teams getting through inspection without needing too many attempts. Teams were warned in April about formalized penalties for failing to pass inspection.

There were four teams (Greg Biffle, Casey Mears, Brett Moffitt and Alex Kennedy) that received warnings after the previous race at Kentucky but avoided a warning in consecutive events.

NASCAR also announced that the No. 23, 62 and 98 teams have been docked 15 minutes of practice at Indianapolis for infractions.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...clint-bowyer-paul-menard-after-new-hamsphire/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sam Hornish Jr. Making First Sprint Cup Start At Indy Since 2012​*
It's been nine years since Sam Hornish Jr. experienced the biggest moment of his racing career when he won the 2006 Indianapolis 500.

Two years later, the Ohio native made the jump from IndyCar to NASCAR for his first of two full-time stents in stock car racing.

This weekend will mark the Ohio-native's first Sprint Cup start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2012, when he made his fourth for Team Penske, then as a part-time driver after three full-time seasons. He makes his return with Richard Petty Motorsports in the No. 9 Medallion Bank Ford.

"It's been nine years since I've won the 500, in a way it seems like just yesterday, but it also seems like it's been forever ago," Hornish said in a team release. "Now, I get to go back and make some more good memories."

So far, the best Indy-related NASCAR memory for Hornish is finishing second in the Xfinity Series' inaugural race at IMS in 2013. Hornish's only solid NASCAR success since 2006 has been three Xfinity Series wins.

"One of the things I like about racing the stock cars at Indy is with race strategy and fuel mileage coming into play, you can always put yourself in a position to have a good run there, if you play your cards right," Hornish said.

In the Cup series, Hornish has yet to play his right. In four starts, Hornish's best finish is 16th in 2012. His average finish is 26th.

Hornish was one of the drivers that was part of a test at IMS on April 30. But what his team learned then and the strategy he is used to at Indy may change this weekend due to the high-drag rules package NASCAR will debut at the track.

One asset Hornish has at his disposal is crew chief Kevin Manion. Manion directed Jamie McMurray to Victory Lane in the 2010 Brickyard 400.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...-sprint-cup-start-at-indy-since-2012/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Loses A Hood In Practice​*
Denny Hamlin lost the hood on his Toyota at the start of the second practice session for Sunday's Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As Hamlin was coming down to make his first lap, the hood flew up and broke apart as it hit the windshield. Practice was red-flagged briefly for debris. Hamlin said he was surprised.

"It was fast in the first practice, so we were trying to figure out if we could still run the car," Hamlin said. "This isn't a problem that used to happen but nowadays, with everything so fragile, any kind of dent in the car affects it aerodynamically."

The team replaced the hood with the one from the back-up car and Hamlin got back behind the wheel with 32 minutes remaining in the second practice. He completed six laps and was 12th-fastest.

"The vision is OK," Hamlin said about the taller rear spoiler being used as part of the new higher-drag aerodynamic rules package. "I wish the wicker was clear, but I was surprised. I could see more than I thought I was going to be able to see, but still would like to see a little more clearly. Other than that, it's fine."

Hamlin was the fastest driver in the first practice of the day. He's apprehensive about what kind of impact the new rules will have on racing conditions.

"Passing will be tough," Hamlin said. "I can't fault them for trying something new. They tried what we wanted to try and I thought we had a pretty successful race (at Kentucky). Now, we're trying something different. We'll see if it's better or not. Still, here is a very tough racetrack. This is a one-groove racetrack where it's definitely been tough to pass here for 15 years or as long as I've been here. It's going to be one of those tough tracks."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nny-Hamlin-Loses-a-Hood-in-Indy-Practice.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Braden's ARCA Debut Ends In Victory Lane​*
Don Braden said he never went to the racetrack where he didn't think his son, Travis Braden, didn't have a chance to win.

So, when Braden, 21, fell a lap down early in Friday's Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway, there might have been a few shrugs, but no one in the Braden pit was about to give up.

"I knew we would have a chance, but the way it played out I could never have imagined that," Travis Braden said. "I was confident we would get back on the lead lap, but I didn't know how I was going to get the lead."

Braden was more than four seconds behind leader William Byron with 50 laps to go, caught and passed him with 20 laps to go and won by 3.142 seconds. It was a somewhat stunning win for a first-year team who has been putting together a car for this opportunity all season.

"When I got into second, I couldn't even see the No. 55. It took a while until I thought that hopefully I could get to him. It just played out perfectly. &#8230; Everything worked perfect."

A two-time ARCA/CRA Super Series champion, Braden won in his ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards debut. He finished ahead of Byron, also making his ARCA debut, Tom Hessert, J.J. Haley and Brandon Jones. Braden led the final 21 laps in capturing the win.

Josh Williams was sixth, polesitter Kyle Weatherman seventh, ARCA point leader Grant Enfinger eighth, Austin Wayne Self ninth and Chase Briscoe, another driver making his ARCA debut, finished 10th. Briscoe was the last car on the lead lap and one position higher than Ken Schrader.

Weatherman had the fastest car in each of the two practice sessions earlier in the day Friday, then went out last in Menard Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell and won the pole. He was fast out of the gate, leading the first 50 laps until Byron grabbed the lead in the No. 55 Liberty University car. Byron led on three different occasions for 120 laps, the most in Friday's event.

"One time I came on the radio, I think about lap 80, and just said how fun this was," Byron said.

"Everything was new to me. It was just fun. The guys gave me a great race car at Venturini Motorsports. I just can't thank Liberty University enough for coming on board and giving me this opportunity to race. This was a new track for me, so I learned a lot out there."

He had a battle for the lead with Venturini teammate Jones, who led nine laps on the night, the third straight race that he's led at least a lap.

"It's not a bad night at all," Jones said. "Going green that long killed us. It's good. We'll go to the next one and see if we can get that one."

Hessert, by finishing third, was able to gain some points on series point leader Grant Enfinger.

"I'm proud of our team," Hessert said. "We came here last week and tested&#8230;really struggled. We kind of totally changed our racecar in set up and came back and were pretty good today."

One of the key's to Braden's win was his crew chief, Matt Weber, deciding to take four tires on Braden's pit stop instead of two. Most teams elected to put two new tires on their car at that point of the race, figuring a caution would come out late in the race and give teams a chance to put on four fresh Hoosiers for a final stretch.

Only, that didn't happen as the race stayed green.

"On the long runs we were really good," Hessert said. "We took two tires. That's still the right call. If we had to do the race over, you still take two."

Haley was pleased with the effort of his team after a top five run. The No. 74 Braun Auto Group Chevrolet started 34th when the car didn't get through a pre-qualifying inspection line in the proper time. Haley was inside the top 10 within 24 laps and was in the top five for most of the race.

"I was afraid of those long green flag runs," Haley said. "It's Lucas Oil Raceway and that happens here."

The race took 1 hour and 37 minutes to complete. There were four cautions for 35 laps.

As for the tires, Braden said he didn't know why his crew chief made the call for four tires early, but was happy the way it all played out.

"At the time I was frustrated because I didn't think that was the right call," he said. "We had made an adjustment 50 laps into the race. I felt like our best chance would have been to stay out and have even tires. I can't believe how it played out. If the caution would have come out we would have probably finished last on the lead lap."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cars/bradens-arca-debut-ends-in-victory-lane/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Best At The Brickyard​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6789&StatType=Race+Results

With a relentless charge that forced Ryan Blaney into a mistake on the final lap, Kyle Busch grabbed the lead with a half-lap left at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and took the checkered flag in Saturday's Lilly Diabetes 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

Blaney missed his mark in Turn 2 as Busch closed in, and with his momentum broken, the driver of the No. 22 Ford couldn't stave off Busch's winning pass on the backstretch. The No. 54 pulled away to win by .421 seconds, as Busch continued his white-hot run with his second XFINITY victory of the season, his second at The Brickyard and the record 72nd of his career.

Since returning to competition in May after an injury absence, Busch has won three times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and twice on the XFINITY circuit.

Blaney led by more than .6 seconds when he crossed the stripe to complete Lap 97 of 100. But the lapped car of Derrike Cope slowed his progress on the following circuit, and Busch cut the advantage in half.

Busch had closed the gap to .279 seconds when he took the white flag, and constant pressure from the No. 54 Toyota finally forced Blaney into a mistake.

"I just got close enough to make him mess up and made him get tight off (Turn) 2, and then I was able to capitalize underneath him with him losing his momentum off of 2 and being able to get under him," Busch said. "It was the class of the field. We should have won this thing going away, but I guess we had to make it exciting.

With the XFINITY Series running a higher-drag package this weekend, Busch tried in vain-until the final circuit-to get around Blaney in the closing laps.

"I was trying to back up so I could get some clean air and keep my tires as fresh as possible, but I got too far back and got out of the draft and then I couldn't make up any ground anymore, so I was kind of stuck back there about eight or 10 car lengths and not really going anywhere," he explained.

"Fortunately, a couple of lapped cars messed up his momentum and didn't mess up mine as much, and I was able to get through there. Once I got back close enough to him, I pushed him into a mistake and that was all that it took."

A despondent Blaney took the blame for the loss.

"It's my fault, obviously," Blaney said. "You saw it. I screwed up. This team doesn't deserve that. I dropped the ball for them today, and I take full responsibility. It's all my fault&#8230; I got tight and I got too deep and didn't get off the long corner.

"It's a pretty bad feeling to throw one away here at the Brickyard. There was no pressure for 24 laps, and the last one I just made a mistake."

Blaney had taken the lead from Busch on a restart on Lap 76, after Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Erik Jones, hit the wall on lap 70, and NASCAR called a caution because of fluid on the track.

Rookie Daniel Suarez ran third in his first visit to The Brickyard, collecting his third straight top-five of the season. Paul Menard finished fourth, followed by Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson.

Regan Smith came home eighth and claimed his second straight $100,000 bonus in the XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program, keeping his hopes alive for a $1-million payday. If Smith is the highest-finishing eligible driver at Bristol (Aug. 21) and Darlington (Sept. 5), he'll earn a total of $1 million.

Blaney, Suarez, Sadler and Smith are the eligible Dash 4 Cash drivers at Bristol, having secured their spots as the top four finishing series regulars at Indianapolis.


























*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...betes-250-at-Indianapolis-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Aims For History​*
Joey Logano has his sights set on bringing team owner Roger Penske another big race trophy Sunday in Indianapolis.

Logano kicked off the season in grand fashion for "The Captain" by winning the Daytona 500. Back in May, Penske won his record 16th Borg-Warner Trophy when Juan Pablo Montoya captured this year's Indianapolis 500.

Now, Logano can really hit the jackpot if he's able to take the checkered flag in Sunday's Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400, a race Penske has never won.

"Anytime we hear Indy coming up, we start getting the calls from Roger," Logano said Friday at IMS. "We really want to win this race. This is the one that he hasn't gotten yet and we talk about it a lot.

"It would be special to give him a Brickyard 400 along with the Indy 500 he won earlier this year up here and the Daytona 500 we won earlier, too. This could be quite the trifecta if we could make it happen."

Logano says there isn't any one time during the course of the long, grueling Sprint Cup season that Penske starts pointing toward the Brickyard 400 and its importance.

"He doesn't have to," Logano laughed. "We feel it without him saying it, believe me, and we talk about it. When this rule package came out, he didn't have to come to us and say, 'Hey, we're gonna have to develop this thing as quick as we can.' We were already doing that.

"We know how important it is to him and how bad he wants to win this thing. It's not a surprise to us that he wants to do it and he's not pressuring us more. He doesn't have to. He's made it known over the last few years how badly he wants to win this race and that hasn't changed."

Neither has Logano's desire to win any week of the season. He was locked into the Chase with his season-opening win, but he and crew chief Todd Gordon continue to look for ways to get into Victory Lane as many times as possible before the "playoffs" begin in September.

The duo has seven more chances in the regular season, with the next coming Sunday at Indy. If he could take the checkered flag, Logano would be in the rarified air of drivers winning NASCAR's two crown jewels at Daytona and Indianapolis in the same year - with Jamie McMurray the last to complete the feat in 2010.

"I remember watching that, and I was racing against him then and it was spectacular to do that," Logano said of McMurray's accomplishment. "We've got a shot this weekend. I look at Indy and Daytona as the two biggest races of the year as far as prestige and history.

"Every time you drive into this place, you're like, 'This is cool. This is Indy.' I still get those chills that it's neat and it's fun to be here, so winning would be very special. If we're able to do the '500' and the Brickyard 400 in the same year, it would be really cool."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/07/Joey-Logano-Shoots-for-History.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray Looks For Indy Repeat​*
Jamie McMurray would love to have his first win of the 2015 season be his second career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

McMurray won the 2010 running of the Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400. It was part of a magical year that saw the Chip Ganassi Racing driver also win the Daytona 500 and the fall Charlotte race.

When he rolled into the Brickyard this weekend to begin preparations for Sunday's race, the memories of McMurray's 2010 trip to Victory Lane rushed forward.

"For me, when I look back at the picture of getting to kiss the bricks, it's special for a lot of different reasons," McMurray remembered Friday at Indianapolis. "But one of those was because (wife) Christy was pregnant with (son) Carter, 7 months I think with a big belly, and I remember on that day as we kissed the bricks, looking at her and telling her what a special memory we were going to have with him and the fact that we've won the race and we're kissing the bricks and he's in your belly.

"And so, we have that picture in our motor home and we talk about it each weekend. Carter is four and a half, and he doesn't completely understand how important this track is to all of us. And honestly he relates to this track based on the movie, Turbo, where the snail races around here. We watched that a couple of times this week. He's like dad, that's the track we're going to, right? I'm like, yeah, Carter, that's where we're going. So, he doesn't quite get it and as special as it is, but for me, when I look back to that day, that's one of the memories that pops up first."

McMurray is in the middle of the Chase picture with seven races left in the regular season. He comes into the Indianapolis weekend ninth in the Sprint Cup Series standings and has so far put together a steady if quiet campaign.

McMurray's low-key personality keeps him off the radar at times in comparison to other drivers who are a bit more outspoken.

But McMurray says just because he may not have any public emotional outbursts doesn't mean he's not passionate.

"Here is what I would tell you," he said. "I think I do a better job of hiding it than everybody else. I also don't key the radio when I'm mad or when I have something to say. I don't know why people key the radio to announce to the world what they are feeling. That takes thought to actually key the radio and say everything. I have moments just like everybody else. I just don't let everyone see it."

And what motivates McMurray to take the keeping it on the down low approach?

"My brain? I don't know," he joked. "Here is the thing. There is not really a lot to gain by that. I have two kids who love watching NASCAR. I don't want them to hear that. I've never been the guy to key the radio and say that, but after having kids you are consciously&#8230; I am&#8230; I'm not going to put that out there."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../07/Jamie-McMurray-Looks-For-Indy-Repeat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jury Still Out On New Rules Package​*
Drivers remain unsure how the new higher drag aerodynamic changes will impact racing in Sunday's Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400.

NASCAR implemented new rules for this weekend's annual trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway designed to lead to more drafting and passing and in turn better competition.

Those changes include a nine-inch spoiler; three inches taller than the one used most weeks, a one-inch wicker bill atop the spoiler and a bigger radiator pan.

But after a day's worth of practice on Friday, there are still many unknowns about what drivers expect when the green flag flies Sunday afternoon.

"I honestly think that until we get into the race on Sunday that it is hard to get anyone's true opinion on what we're going to have," said Jamie McMurray. "To me, on Sunday when you get two cars side by side with this package, the guy in third is going to have an extra engine. It's going to be crazy the amount of speed he is going to have. I don't know, but I think the restarts are going to be pretty wild."

The modifications have made the draft much more prominent down the long straightaways at Indianapolis. However many drivers believe maneuvering through the track's unique four corners will be the biggest challenge.

"The draft is huge," Joey Logano said. "What that does in the corners is gonna be a different ballgame. Obviously, the hole in the air is larger, so driving the cars through the corners is gonna be more challenging, but the drag down the straightaway will that overcome what the challenge is in the corner? We'll just have to wait and see. I think that's gonna be an interesting part of the race."

NASCAR will use the higher drag at Indianapolis and again next month at Michigan International Speedway. It is in stark contrast to the lower downforce aero rules that were in play two weeks ago at Kentucky. The reviews for that package were overwhelmingly positive and there are some drivers who feel going in the opposite direction at Indy and Michigan in a mistake.

"I really believe we need to rely on way less, as in no aerodynamic downforce and side force, and then we could race close to one another," said Carl Edwards. "I think that's the way we need to keep going, but we'll give this our best shot and see what comes of it."

Although the early reviews of NASCAR's changes in aero rules are mixed, the consensus from the garage area remains behind doing whatever possible to create a better on track product.

"Passing will be tough to say the least," Denny Hamlin said. "We're trying something new. I can't fault them for trying. They tried what we wanted to try and I thought we had a pretty successful race. Now we're trying something different. We'll see if it's better or not."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/07/Jury-Still-Out-On-New-Rules-Package.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Wins Brickyard Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6794&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Carl Edwards captured his second consecutive pole of the season when he took the top spot for Sunday's Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Edwards followed up his pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend with a fast lap of 183.464 mph in the second and final round of qualifying at The Brickyard. It marked his 15th career pole.

"This is really cool," Edwards said. "Just to be here racing is cool and with all the work the guys put in yesterday, we started out terribly and we were really slow. Just proud of everybody for digging deep. Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and these guys have done a great job. TRD, Toyota and everybody has put a lot of effort in and to have Stanley Tools on the pole for the Brickyard 400, this is cool."

The top three matched the top three qualifiers at New Hampshire with Joey Logano and David Ragan qualifying second and third, respectively.

For Logano it marked his 14th top-10 start of 2015 and his third in seven races at Indianapolis.

"Overall from where we have been this weekend to what we picked up today I am proud of what my Shell Pennzoil team has done," Logano said. "We have a good piece. I look forward to the race tomorrow. Clean air is king. If we can get a good start and settle in and click some laps off and run our strategy we can be there in the end."

Tony Stewart, who was the fastest driver in the first round, qualified fourth for his best start of the season. Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

"Unfortunately that wasn't the one that paid, but that got us in the second round which was the important part," Stewart said. "The second round we were a little bit freer than we were the first round. I was a little busy inside the car. We got that track bar adjuster and I was moving it around quite a bit during the lap."

Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard and Jimmie Johnson complete the top-12 starters.

Five-time and defending Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon will start 19th.

Ryan Newman will start 43rd after his time was disallowed in the first round when the right-side window fell in his Chevrolet.

Chase Elliott (28th), Ryan Blaney (30th), Brian Scott (36th), Brett Moffitt (39th) and Matt DiBenedetto (40th) will make their first Cup starts at Indy.

Josh Wise, Jeb Burton and Reed Sorenson failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Today's qualifying sessions were completed using NASCAR's superspeedway single-car format and it will also be used at Michigan International Speedway next month.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/07/Carl-Edwards-Wins-Brickyard-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Indianapolis Story Lines​*
Several stories are worthy of attention in Sunday's running of the Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After a full day of practice and Saturday's qualifying session, drivers will now see how the new high drag aerodynamic rules package translates to race trim. The opinions from the garage area cover a wide range of views. (See Also: Jury Still Out On New Rules Package)

"It drives so similar the way it did here last year," said Greg Biffle. "I don't see a lot of difference. We haven't been around a lot of cars, but I don't predict that to be extremely different."

Some drivers are still taking a wait and see attitude.

"It's Indy," said Joey Logano. "Right now, we haven't seen anything different because we're not out there in a pack and seeing what's going on out there. But it's Indy. It's always a tough place. It's always one of those places that strategy is going to come into play. That always happens here, and I think no matter package you put on it, strategy and the way you play out this race will always be interesting." 
  
*Gordon's Indy Farewell*
Jeff Gordon will make his final Indianapolis start on Sunday as he winds down his illustrious career and heads to the television booth next season.

He's a five-time winner of the race and would like nothing better than to find Victory Lane Sunday in what would be a storybook farewell at the legendary speedway.

However, Gordon will have to come from the middle of the pack to win after qualifying 19th on Saturday.

"The thing I'm so disappointed in right now is being that far back, it's going to be a real handful through the corners," Gordon said. "This team is so good, and our race car has proven to be good. Just because we're qualifying further back than we want doesn't mean that we can't get it done."

*Stewart Hopeful*
Indianapolis means more to Tony Stewart than any driver in Sunday's field. But the two-time race winner and Indiana native is in the midst of one of the longest slumps in his career.

Stewart and his legion of fans saw a ray of hope in Saturday's qualifying session when he was able to qualify fourth.

"It's a moral victory if nothing else, for us and the team," said Stewart. "It's been a rough season so far, so this is a great way to come to your home track." (See Also: Stewart Back Home Again)

*A Penske Indy Sweep? *
Roger Penske has won 16 Indianapolis 500s during his career but does not have a Brickyard 400 on his resume. Teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski hope to change that on Sunday by winning this year's edition.

Should either pull off the feat, it would give "The Captain" an Indy sweep this season after Juan Pablo Montoya's 500 win in May.

"I don't think you really need any more incentive besides giving Roger Penske another win at Indy," said Logano, who started the year with a Daytona 500 win. "You want to add your name to the list of guys that have won here for him. Every time I walk into the shop the first thing you see is all these Indy 500 trophies and the helmets that they wore when they won that race and the picture.

"It's really cool, and obviously it's a different kind of car, but it would be really cool to give him his first win in the Sprint Cup Series at this racetrack. How neat is that? I don't really need the extra incentive for that."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Indianapolis-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Sweeps Indy​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6794&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch outran Joey Logano in an overtime finish to win Sunday's Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400 and sweep the weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Busch won his third straight race and fourth in the last five after missing the first 11 of the season with foot and leg injuries.

The win drew Busch to just 23 points out of 30th place, where he at least needs to finish in the regular season to be eligible for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It's really a treat to win here at Indy," Busch said. "I appreciate all the fans that I have, all the fans that NASCAR has and Toyota has now captured a win at every single active Cup Series race track - that's pretty awesome for us to be able to do that.

"I can't thank this crew enough. Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, all the men and women there, you work so hard and pour your hearts into it. I can't thank everyone that has stood behind me all year."

The win gave Busch a clean sweep of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway weekend after his victory in Saturday's XFINITY Series race.

Logano was trying to win both Indianapolis and the Daytona 500 in the same year plus give team owner Roger Penske his first Brickyard 400 triumph but came up one position short.

"Yeah, I thought overall the day went well," Logano said. "You know, you come to Indy, it's all about the win, either win or finish last. It doesn't really matter anywhere in between. At least that's the way I race when we come to a racetrack like this, Daytona and Indy. It's all about getting trophies and rings and making out with bricks. Unfortunately we come up a little bit short."

Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Pocono Raceway next Sunday for the Windows 10 400.

*How Busch Won:* He got around Harvick on a restart with eight races to go for the top spot. However, Busch had to endure another pair of restarts including the green-white-checkered to decide the race in overtime. When the green flag waved he was able to nose ahead of Logano as the duo raced down the front stretch and had the advantage in turn one. From there Busch began to extend his lead and he took the checkered flag in relatively comfortable fashion.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Logano was no doubt disappointed with second but had his best Indy finish in seven career starts...Harvick has finished in the top 10 in 18 of the season's 20 races...Bowyer rebounded from an early spin to finish sixth.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Jeff Gordon's final Brickyard 400 ended in disaster when he was caught in a lap 50 incident trying to avoid a spinning Bowyer then making heavy contact with the wall. Gordon was forced to the garage for lengthy repairs and his hopes of a sixth win in his last Indy start ended relatively early...Aric Almirola saw his Chase chances to a hit literally and figuratively on lap 107 when he spun and made heavy impact with an inside retaining wall&#8230;Brian Scott had a tire go down and subsequently hit the wall on lap 120&#8230;Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a frustrating day that included a late race trip through the infield grass and spin in Turn 1 as cut in front of Kahne at the end of the frontstretch.

*What Else Happened:* The race featured a new aerodynamic rules package that NASCAR created in hopes of generating more passing and drafting. The higher drag rules appeared to make some difference but the real story of the race was strategy. Fuel mileage and tire calls were the order of the day with crew chiefs plotting a variety of strategies.

*Quote of the Day:* "Maybe I found my happy place," Kyle Busch channeling his inner "Happy Gilmore."

*Notables:* Larson has finished in the top 10 in both career Indy starts&#8230;Ryan Newman started last when he qualifying time was disallowed because of an ill fitting window but charged back to finish 11th&#8230;.the day's first caution flag was officially for balloons on the backstretch (honest!).
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/07/Kyle-Busch-Wins-Brickyard-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Rules Get Mixed Reviews​*
There were a variety of opinions from drivers regarding the new rules package used in Sunday's Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

NASCAR introduced a high drag rules package this weekend in Indy in hopes of generating more drafting and passing.

Teams spent Friday and Saturday practicing and qualifying with the rules but the first real taste of competition didn't come until the green flag flew in Sunday's race.

As expected there were a wide range of opinions after the race ended.

"Really, to be honest with you, it looks like you have three laps to make something happen," said second place finisher Joey Logano. "After that you kind of spread out and it's hard to make the pass. The daft down the straightaways is obviously larger for sure but doesn't make up for what we lose in the corners so it's hard to make it happen somehow.

"I think we can fine tune the package and maybe see something different, but for the most part it seemed like Indy out there to me."

Third place finisher Kevin Harvick agreed with Logano that the rules package is a work in progress and can improve.

"I know my team did a lot of extra work to come to this race after we had already come here and tested and already spent that money to come here and test for a few days, and then to come back and have to race something different was a huge undertaking for the teams for a huge science project that probably didn't really change that much," Harvick said.

"But everybody tried real hard, and in the end, I think our our goal is more drafting and more pack racing, so we'll see if we can get to that."

Other drivers were a bit more frustrated with the way their cars handled and the impact of the new rules.

"I just didn't like the way a car would drive loose behind other cars and tight in front of other cars," said Kurt Busch. "That's opposite of normal. And it really seemed odd they way they raced. I wish there was more of a draft; but those only pop-up on restarts."

The challenge became more prominent deeper in the field when turbulent air was stirred up in the draft.

"It was terrible. It was really bad," said Kyle Larson. "There was lots of grip by yourself and then as soon as you get within like five car lengths of the guy in front of you, it's no grip. So, I don't know. Restarts are intense. But, other than that, it's pretty bad."

The higher drag was in stark contrast to the lower aerodynamic rules used two weeks ago at Kentucky Speedway. A few drivers including Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin believe that is more the direction NASCAR should head toward to generate better competition.

"I didn't like it as much as what we had at Kentucky, but it was something different," Hamlin said. "We needed to try something different and it was an experiment. I just prefer the other. I think this makes too big of a wake for the car."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/07/New-Rules-Get-Mixed-Reviews.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Disappointed In Second​*
Joey Logano was only one position away from sweeping both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 this season.

The Team Penske driver could only follow the rear bumper of race winner Kyle Busch across the finish line Sunday and settle for a second-place finish.

He gave it a valiant try doing his best to get by Busch on the green-white-checkered finish that decided the race but didn't have enough.

"You come to Indy, it's all about the win. Either win or finish last," Logano said. "It doesn't really matter anywhere in between. At least that's the way I race when we come to a racetrack like this, Daytona and Indy. It's all about getting trophies and rings and making out with bricks. Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short."

Logano also was not able to bring legendary team owner Roger Penske his first Brickyard 400 win to go along with his 16 Indianapolis 500 victories.

"I was just angry on the radio. He was happy," Logano said about what transpired on his in-car communication after the checkered flag flew. "He was saying I did a good job. I know it stinks and a lot of times it's hard to take the high road when it stinks, but Roger is a great leader and he's a great guy to have on your side. I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure I will when I get out of here.

"We were so close to winning here at the Brickyard. Second hurts, but I'm proud of this team. We worked hard throughout this whole weekend. We didn't unload very good, but pushed hard and qualified second and finished second, but there are no trophies for second."

Logano can take come solace in the fact he scored his best career finish in seven Brickyard starts. But the disappointment of not being able to bring Penske the coveted trophy is still there.

"But yeah, it hurts more, just because it's Indy, right? Like I said, it's all that matters when you come to these racetracks is winning, and obviously with the guy I drive for, he really wants to win these races, and you don't want to let him down," he said.

"I'm sure it stings for him just as much as it stings for me. He's been coming here a long time and deserves to get a win here, and I wanted to be the guy and be the team to give it to him."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/07/Joey-Logano-Disappointed-in-Second.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Brickyard Ending For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon's final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ended with a disappointing 42nd-place finish.

Gordon's bid for a record sixth career win in the 400-mile race ended on lap 50 when he made contact with the wall after trying to avoid a spinning Clint Bowyer.

The damage was so severe Gordon was forced to the garage area for lengthy repairs after initially coming down pit road.

"I was underneath Kasey Kahne and we were just racing for position," Gordon explained. "I saw (Clint) Bowyer get sideways. I don't know what caused it. Me and Kasey were trying to check up to avoid it. I don't know if he got loose or we just both got loose together. Then I just lost control and got in the wall."

Gordon started 19th and was running in the top 15 at the time of the incident.

"We didn't start out fantastic, but we really made some gains on the first pit stop," Gordon said. "I feel like we were going to continue to make gains and work our way to the front. But we'll never know now."

It was a bitter way for Gordon to bring his career to a close at the legendary speedway.

"Today was an unfortunate day," Gordon said. "It seems like in recent years it's been kind of feast or famine for us here. But I tell you what, from the first time I came here all the way through last year and even this year the fans have been amazing, the experiences have been amazing, the wins. Everything has been incredible and I feel so fortunate to have just gotten an opportunity to race here. Certainly to have five wins here is just unbelievable as well."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/07/Tough-Brickyard-End-for-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Indy Winners And Losers​*
A recap of the good and the not-so-good from Sunday's Crown Royal 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has Joey Logano among the weekend's "Winners."

*WINNERS​*
*Kyle Busch*
Will he go unbeaten the rest of the season? Impossible, but that's how Busch fans feel today after watching their driver win his third straight race and fourth in the last five outings. He's a lock to qualify for the Chase.

*Joey Logano*
Disappointed with second and not being able to give team owner Roger Penske a coveted first Brickyard 400 win. But still, a solid day for Logano who's been consistent of late and showing enough strength to be in the picture for wins.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
A return to form, so to speak, for Truex - who had fallen out of his early-season top-10 run the last several weeks. Posted a fourth-place finish at Indianapolis and was in the mix for a possible victory.

*Clint Bowyer*
Wasn't quite a "spin and win," but it was a decent comeback for Bowyer after he lost it on Lap 50 ... an unfortunate incident that caught up Jeff Gordon. Bowyer recovered for a much-needed sixth-place finish.

*Ryan Newman*
After starting last when his qualifying effort was disallowed for a missing window, Newman worked his way through the field to finish 11th. Like last year, he's in the Chase discussion because of consistent finishes.

*LOSERS​*
*Jeff Gordon*
His Lap-50 trip into the wall threw cold water on what was to be a celebratory weekend for Gordon as he made the final "Brickyard" start of his career. But the bigger picture is the accident threw Gordon squarely into the group of drivers on the bubble for making the Chase.

*Trevor Bayne*
If the "three-spin" rule were in effect that some short tracks, Bayne would have been sent to the garage. It was a rough day that included angry words from Aric Almirola after their on-track skirmishes.

*Tony Stewart*
Optimism early in the weekend - with speed that showed in both practice and qualifying - quickly turned to another round of frustration for Stewart on Sunday. He fell back in the pack on a challenging day that was compounded by suspect pit strategy.

*Kasey Kahne*
Was in the middle of a number of incidents on Sunday that caused havoc for others. Kahne finished a dismal 24th and like Hendrick teammate Gordon, he's dangerously close to the possibility of missing the Chase.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
A failed air gun on a pit stop, an ill-handling racecar and - finally - a trip through the infield grass that ended up with a spin in Turn 1 summed up Junior's awful afternoon in Indy.

*2015 Brickyard 400 Videos​*
*Earnhardt Jr. And Kahne Collide After Restart​*





*Almirola, Bayne Disagree And Make Contact​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...apolis-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Enfinger Looking Forward To Tricky Triangle​*
Grant Enfinger took the series by storm at the onset of the 2105 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season, winning the first three races at Daytona, Mobile and Nashville.

In doing so, the Fairhope, Ala., driver became the first driver in series history - 63 years and counting - to win the first three races of the season in back-to-back years, having done the same in '14.

Then, with a runaway point lead, the bottom fell out of the tub when he was involved in wrecks in the next three events at Salem, Talladega and Toledo. Fortunately for Enfinger, Pocono Raceway came up on the calendar in the nick of time, and saved the day. Enfinger, back in early June, got back on track with a solid second place finish at Pocono.

"I feel like Pocono is where we turned it around," Enfinger said. "From that point forward, our luck began to change. I absolute love that place&#8230;finishing second helped, but I loved it before that."

Indeed you can talk to drivers until the end of time, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn't fascinated with the high-speed, triangular superspeedway in Long Pond, Pa.

"A lot of it has to do with the fact that Pocono is so far from anything else we do all year. It's so different with its own unique set of challenges.

"Each corner makes you feel like you're on a different track. It feels like an intermediate track at some points and then others, it feels like a short track. And it's got a road course mentality. Put that all together and it makes for a very interesting lap. It's really the best of all worlds all wrapped up in a triangle."

The road course mentality comes from the fact that each turn at Pocono has a different arc and radius, each corner connected by straightaways of different lengths. Despite the unique characteristics that belong to Pocono, there's much more to the facility.

"It's not just the track itself that's so neat; the whole Pocono experience is really cool. The place is so clean and well kept and the staff there treats us so well. They're always really glad to have us there, and that's why everyone enjoys it. Feeling so welcome there&#8230;those are the things that make people want to keep coming back for more."

But of course, after all the welcoming, PR and handshaking, each driver still has to deal with Pocono Raceway. And being that each corner at Pocono is way different than the other, it's been said, in terms of setting up a car, that it's best to compromise.

"There is a compromise there that I think works best. And if you gain here, you're going to lose some there&#8230;that's just the way it is. And once you accept that, you start to get over it&#8230;get past it.

"I've never been really great in every turn there. Maybe other drivers have, but I haven't had that experience. Talking to other drivers, I've always heard pretty-much the same thing&#8230;that you just can't be 100% everywhere around there. And I think that's true&#8230;I know it is for me. The thing to remember is that you don't have to be 100% in each corner&#8230;you just have to be better than everyone else. I try to not get hung up with perfection there&#8230;it'll drive you crazy trying to figure it out."

Enfinger also says the infamous Tunnel Turn is tempting to run wide open, but offers a cautionary note.

"I can only speak for me. The Tunnel Turn probably fits the "Tricky Triangle" description the best. It's so tempting to flat-foot it through there. I've been close, and I've had other drivers tell me they have, but I've never been able to do it. I've been close but I've always had to breathe it.

"It's really more of a 90-degree arc&#8230;kind of like a quick road course left-hander. But you're already carrying so much speed through there. The big thing is to just be really smooth through there without losing all your momentum. Like I say, I've been close to running wide open through there, and I've almost wrecked a couple times through there too."

The first ARCA race of the season at Pocono is traditionally a 200-mile event, whereas the second is trimmed to the 125 mile-marker.

"The race distance thing doesn't change the way we set up or build our cars.

The only difference is how we would call the race. You may have to change up your strategy on how you approach the shorter race. For one thing, you're talking about a two-stop race in the 200-miler as opposed to one stop in the 125. The track, especially in the Tunnel Turn, is getting a little bumpier too, so tires, I think, come in to play more.

You may just give the car a splash of gas and go, but you'll also think about changing tires, but that takes longer&#8230;and you can't get caught in the back in the shorter race near the end. Track positioning there is too critical.

"In any race, you can start with what could be considered a great strategy, but the team that usually wins is usually the one that adapts best to the ongoing changes throughout the race, whether it's a changing track because of changing weather&#8230;temperature, heat, or it could be the amount of cautions you get. Plans are great, but don't get too fixed to them."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c.../enfinger-looking-forward-to-tricky-triangle/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Coby Conquers Monadnock​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&RaceID=6987&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

While the statistics sheet might make it look like it was an easy win it was anything but that for Doug Coby.

Although he led the final 166 laps of the O'Reilly Auto Parts 200, Coby had to hold off a hard-charging Woody Pitkat to score his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win of the season at Monadnock Speedway.

Coby passed Ryan Preece on Lap 45 and was able to remain at the point in the caution filled race.

Pitkat followed closely in second with Justin Bonsignore coming up just a little short in his bid for a third straight win at the quarter-mile track finishing third. Todd Szegedy and Troy Talman completed the top five.

Eric Goodale rebounded from an early incident to finish sixth with Shawn Solomito, Andy Seuss, Chase Dowling, and Preece rounding out the top 10.

The race was slowed six times by caution with a pair of red flags thrown during the race for track cleanup caused by a pair of multicar accidents.

Pitkat was able to jump past Preece in the standings to now lead 329-326. Coby used his win to sit 15 points out of the lead at 314 while Szegedy is just two points out of third place thanks to his recent string of top-five finishes.

The O'Reilly Auto Parts 200 race will premiere on NBCSN on Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. ET

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action Friday, Aug. 7 for the Call Before You Dig 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway.

*Results
(Start position in parentheses)​*1. (2) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 46.071 mph. 
2. (4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200. 
3. (3) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY, Chevrolet, 200. 
4. (6) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Dodge, 200. 
5. (19) Troy Talman, Oxford, Mass., Chevrolet, 200. 
6. (8 ) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200. 
7. (7) Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200. 
8. (12) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, NH, Chevrolet, 199. 
9. (20) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 199. 
10. (1) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 199. 
11. (18 ) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 199. 
12. (10) Donny Lia, Jericho, NY, Chevrolet, 199. 
13. (17) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 199. 
14. (16) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 199. 
15. (9) Brendon Bock, Franklin Square, N.Y., Ford, 199. 
16. (11) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY, Chevrolet, 199. 
17. (25) Joe Ryan Osborne, Holland, Pa., Pontiac, 197. 
18. (27) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 196. 
19. (21) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 194. 
20. (22) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 165. 
21. (15) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 127, accident. 
22. (14) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 126, accident. 
23. (24) Jeff Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 126, accident. 
24. (26) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Pontiac, 108, rear end. 
25. (23) Steve Masse, Bellingham, Mass., Chevrolet, 78, battery. 
26. (13) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 73, accident. 
27. (28 ) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 36, engine. 
28. (5) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 32, accident.​
*Race Statistics* 
*Time of Race:* 1 hour 5 minutes 7 seconds 
*Margin of Victory:* .332 seconds 
*Fastest Qualifier:* R.Preece (72.417 mph, 12.428 seconds) 
*Caution Flags:* 6 for 44 laps. 
*Lead Changes:* 1 among 2 drivers. 
*Lap Leaders:* R. Preece 1-44; D. Coby 45-200. 
*Standings:* 1. W. Pitkat, 329; 2. R. Preece, 326; 3. D. Coby, 314; 4. T. Szegedy, 312; 5. E. Goodale, 278; 6. B. Santos, 277; 7. P. Emerling, 269; 8. T. Solomito, 268; 9. R. Pennink, 241; 10. D. Lia, 238.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...les/2015/07/Doug-Coby-Conquers-Monadnock.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Danica Patrick Moving Closer To Staying At Stewart-Haas Racing​*
Car owner Gene Haas tells Motorsport.com that there are some "very good sponsors that are in the process of signing up" to be with Danica Patrick next year.

Haas' comment falls in line with what Brett Frood, executive vice president at Stewart-Haas Racing, told NASCAR Talk last month when he said they were looking to have sponsor deals by the end of the summer.

GoDaddy announced in April that it would end its longtime sponsorship of Patrick's cars. This also is the final year of Patrick's contract with the team.

"We told her we wanted her to come back," Haas told Motorsports.com. "She's been very flexible about everything. It all has to happen at the same time. You can't really sign a driver until you have a sponsor. You have to know how much money you're going to get from the sponsor and that kind of translates into the deal you make with the driver. I think it's all going good."

Patrick finished 27th in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. She is 22nd in the points. She finished a career-high 27th in the points as a rookie in 2013. Patrick has two top-10 finishes this season and six in her career.

"Every year she gets a little better," Haas told Motorsport.com. "She's better this year than she was last year. So I think she's kind of improving. Statistically, we see that.

"Danica is a special person, too, because she has so much demand for her image, and we like that. We really like that. That's a good balance. Even if her performance is taking longer than we'd like, she has so much consumer demand that it balances it out really well."

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...er-to-staying-at-stewart-haas-racing/related/


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## Ckg2011

*Harvick To Drive JRM Truck At Pocono​*
Kevin Harvick will drive the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 1.

The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, who has tallied 90 victories across NASCAR's top three series, will make his first NCWTS start since racing at Martinsville Speedway twice in 2013, which was also the site of his last NCWTS win in March 2012. The Pocono event complements the 10-race schedule the No. 00 Haas Automation team will run with its primary driver, 17-year-old Cole Custer, announced earlier this year. Kasey Kahne has also driven the No. 00 Truck this season, earning JRM's first NCWTS victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

In 122 NCWTS starts since making his series debut as a 19-year-old in 1995, Harvick has earned 14 wins, four poles, 47 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. Along with an average finish of 12.6, he has led 2,387 career laps. His only full-time season in the NCWTS came in 1999 and he earned three second-place finishes. Harvick's first NCWTS victory came in November 2002, driving his own truck at Phoenix International Raceway.

"I'm excited to be back in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with JRM at Pocono Raceway," said Harvick. "A lot has changed at Pocono with the repave, but I was fortunate enough to find Victory Lane in my last Truck Series start there and I hope we can do the same thing this time around with the Haas Automation Chevrolet."

Custer, the youngest race winner in NASCAR national touring series history, made JRM's NCWTS debut earlier this year at Martinsville Speedway and recorded JRM's second NCWTS victory at Gateway Motorsports Park in June. JRM's first NCWTS win came at Charlotte in May with Kahne. Custer will return to the seat of the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet for the Aug. 19 race at Bristol Motor Speedway and will compete in four other NCWTS events in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-JR-Motorsports-Truck-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Busch Full Speed Ahead​*
Kyle Busch is, understandably, riding high as the hottest driver in NASCAR today.

He's won three straight races and four of the last five after returning from injuries that kept him out of the first 11 events of the season. Busch's performance is starting to put his name among some of the sport's greats.

"Someone showed me the other day that three wins in a row haven't happened since Jimmie Johnson in 2007," Busch said. "I think Jeff Gordon was before that; Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace maybe even before that, in the early nineties. That's special. It feels good to be in that group. Those guys are all champions and have built the sport into what it is today.

"We'd love nothing more than to go to Pocono this weekend and make it four in a row. To knock off another racetrack that I have yet to score a win on would be cool."

Busch continues his march up the Sprint Cup Series standings and is in 32nd place, only 23 points out of the top 30 - where he needs to be in order to be eligible for the Chase. He's comfortable about his progress and with six weeks left in the regular season, Busch carries an air of confidence into Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono.

"Even if we had a bad day and finished in the 30s or 40s, we'd still have five more weeks with some good tracks coming up where we can win ... Watkins Glen, Bristol, Darlington and Richmond. I'm looking forward to racing there and who's to say we shouldn't get any more wins?"

*Too Soon to Tell*
The takeaway from Sunday's higher-drag aero package used in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is still a work in progress. NASCAR officials are deciphering data and information from the race before making any additional moves or modifications.

"The fans and the industry saw the race unfold as we did," NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "The balance of competition and the opportunities this package presented for the drivers to perform were of benefit. But we've heard the expressions of the drivers that didn't like some of characteristics of the project.

"We can absorb all the science and data we collect including talking to the industry, drivers, crew members, owners and the competition departments of the teams to take all of that and absorb it. There are a lot of personalities in the garage area that have different opinions, but it's on NASCAR to come up with the one we put in front of the fans on each individual racetrack each weekend. So we'll take time."

*Patrick Staying Put?*
Danica Patrick's contract with Stewart-Haas Racing is up at the end of the season and sponsor GoDaddy.com has informed the team it was moving away from NASCAR sponsorship. But it appears Patrick is on the verge of announcing an agreement to remain with SHR.

"We expect her to stay," SHR co-owner Gene Haas told Motorsport.com. "We have some good sponsors that are in the process of signing. We knew going in that there's a lot of demand for her. Let's face it, she's the only woman on the grid so she's going to get a lot of press and that's what sponsors want to see. We told her we wanted her to come back. She's been flexible about everything. It all has to happen at the same time. You can't sign a driver until you have a sponsor. You have to know how much money you're going to get from the sponsor and that translates into the deal you make with the driver. I think it's all going well."

*Wedding Bells*
Move over Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. There's a new driver couple on the horizon. Daniel Hemric and Kenzie Ruston announced their engagement this week. Hemric competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series while Ruston is a regular competitor in the K&N Pro Series East.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...CAR-Notebook-Kyle-Busch-Full-Speed-Ahead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Try, Try Again​*
NASCAR's attempt at creating better racing and a more competitive product is absolutely the right thing to do.

When I first heard about the decision to dramatically alter the Sprint Cup Series rules package in mid-season, it didn't sit well. After an off-season filled with discussion about how the 2015 rules package that featured reduced horsepower was the next step in the evolution of the rules, it was jarring to hear that course would be altered.

But the facts are the facts and the opening months of the season just didn't move the meter on either excitement or competition level as NASCAR had hoped, so something had to be done. There is no other sport on the planet that would change the rules of the game in the middle of a season.

Imagine if Major League Baseball thought because home runs were down in the first half of the year, it would lower the pitcher's mound after the All-Star Game. The screams from players, media and fans would be of sonic-boom levels.

But there's a huge difference in the NASCAR world. The powers that be aren't changing the rules or format of the game. The changes are being made to the machine, the piece of equipment that differentiates auto racing from any other stick-and-ball comparison.

Long-time fans know it's not a new phenomenon by any means. Modifications to cars and engines as a year progresses have been part of NASCAR since the very beginning ... however, not at this magnitude.

Make no mistake, the changes in play this year are by no means small tweaks. There have been ramifications to team budgets trying to keep up with the aero adjustments that have thrown a curveball to plans that were thought to be solid only four months ago.

Despite those challenges, there appears to be unison across all the sport's constituents to work toward the goal of creating better racing, growing pains included.

Sunday's "high-drag" package used in the Brickyard 400 didn't reach that goal. The race was a typical stock car race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The quest for more passing, drafting and potential slingshot moves came up short. But at least something was tried. Had NASCAR gone to Indy with the same rules package teams started the season using and came out with a lackluster race, there would have been an uproar.

Sure, the 2015 edition of the Brickyard 400 looked a lot like the previous 21, but I can't fault the sanctioning body for taking a swing for the fences.

There are at least two more "science experiments" (as Kevin Harvick called them) on the table: a return to the "high-drag" Indy package next month at Michigan International Speedway and then another low-aero rules race like what was in place at Kentucky for Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend. Beyond that, it's not known if NASCAR will try any of what's been learned in Chase races that begin in September.

I say, "Why not?" If there's even a slight chance the racing can be better and more entertaining, NASCAR and the teams should give it a shot.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Opinion-Try-Try-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Premium Motorsports Penalized​*
Premium Motorsports was hit with a P3 penalty for infractions during last weekend's Crown Royal Presents The Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The team was penalized for having unattached weight leave the car in practice for the race last Friday afternoon. Timmy Hill drove the car at Indianapolis and has been with the team since replacing the Josh Wise, who left after the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

As a result crew chief Scott Eggleston was fined $25,000 and suspended for this week's Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway. He was also placed on probation through December 31.

Car chief Kevin Eagle was also suspended for this week's race and placed on probation while team owner Mike Curb was docked 15 championship car owner points.

Reed Sorenson is on the entry list as the driver for the No. 98 this weekend with Hill moving to the team's No. 62 car.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/No-98-Team-Penalized.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Team Ownership Shake-Up​*
Michael Waltrip Racing majority owner Rob Kaufman is reportedly set to buy into Chip Ganassi Racing.

According to a report in SportsBusinessDaily.com, Kaufman will leave as majority owner of MWR to become a minority owner of the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates organization.

The report also indicates Kaufman will take the current MWR No. 15 team driven by Clint Bowyer to CGR, which would expand to a three car operation with the current tandem of Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson.

Should the maneuver take place it would leave MWR with a sole team of the No. 55 ride, currently piloted by David Ragan, and Waltrip as cole owner of the organization.

There has been recent speculation MWR was looking to change manufacturers and leave Toyota to potentially join the Chevrolet stable.

Neither MWR or CGR have commented on the report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/07/Report-Team-Ownership-Shake-Up.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Grid Taking Shape​*
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup line-up is beginning to come into focus with only six races left in the regular season.

So far 10 drivers have scored wins and will be part of the field of 16 set to run for the title when the Chase begins in mid-September.

Kyle Busch has four wins and needs only 23 more points to get into the top-30 in the standings and then he'll also be eligible for the Chase. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver needs to average around a 24th place finish over the next half-dozen races to get inside the top-30 threshold.

He's hoping to make another trip to Victory Lane this week at Pocono and in turn continue the climb up the standings. If he does it, Busch will become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four consecutive races.

"It's a place where you run similar setups to Indy, but with a different aero package than we had last week at Indy, but the same package we had at Pocono earlier this year, so there's no change in that," Busch said. "I think there's a good opportunity for us to excel. If we could bring home four in a row, that would be something special, especially at a place I have yet to win at, so I would love to cross that one off the list."

Jamie McMurray is the first driver currently on the Chase eligibility list without a win and is followed by Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer.

Bowyer has a 30-point advantage over the next driver down, which is Aric Almirola. The drop goes to Greg Biffle next, but he's 76 out of the cut-off.

Almirola lost ground last week in Indianapolis and is determined to get back into the playoff picture this week in Pocono.

"Last weekend was a really tough one for us," Almirola said. "We went into the weekend right in the thick of the hunt for a Chase spot. With six races left to qualify, we're now on the outside looking in and have some work to do to get ourselves back on the Chase Grid. I think this team is ready to battle starting this weekend at Pocono. We have a few races in the next six circled as ones where we think we can compete for a win and secure a spot in the Chase."

*Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Grid after 20 Races*

1 - Jimmie Johnson (4 wins) - 675 points

2 - Kevin Harvick (2 wins) - 777 points

3 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2 wins) - 677 points

4 - Kurt Busch (2 wins) - 612 points

5 - Joey Logano (1 win) - 708 points

6 - Martin Truex Jr. (1 win) - 668 points

7 - Brad Keselowski (1 win) - 638 points

8 - Matt Kenseth (1 win) - 615 points

9 - Denny Hamlin (1 win) - 591 points

10 - Carl Edwards (1 win) - 519 points

11 - Jamie McMurray (0 wins) - 602 points

12 - Jeff Gordon (0 wins) - 575 points

13 - Ryan Newman (0 wins) - 563 points

14 - Paul Menard (0 wins) - 558 points

15 - Kasey Kahne (0 wins) - 558 points

16 - Clint Bowyer (0 wins) - 538 points

Kyle Busch (4 wins) - 23 points away from top 30 cutoff

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Chase-Grid-Taking-Shape.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cup Series Stars Go Truckin' At Pocono​*
Austin Dillon leads a group of four Sprint Cup Series drivers lined up for double duty at Pocono Raceway this weekend who are ready to compete in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race.

Dillon is defending winner of the Pocono Mountains 150 and will be gunning for two straight victories on "The Tricky Triangle" behind the wheel of the No. 33 GMS Racing Chevrolet. He'll have plenty of competition from fellow Cup Series stars Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski as the Truck Series rolls into the second half of the season.

"The track is a lot of fun to drive," Dillon said of the 2.5-mile triangle. "I'm confident we'll have a fast truck when we unload and I'm looking forward to seeing what this Rheem Chevrolet can do."

For Dillon, it'll be just his second start in the Truck Series this season. He finished sixth a week ago at Eldora Speedway. He's bidding to become the first repeat winner in the six years Pocono has hosted the series.

In winning last year's race, Dillon mastered the final restart of the day and pulled away from the field to record his sixth career win. He knows where one of the keys to another victory may lie come Saturday afternoon.

"There's a lot of shifting that goes on there," Dillon said. "Turn three is one of the faster corners on the track, but it still has a little bit of a passing zone on late exit."

Harvick also is a former Truck Series winner at Pocono, in 2011. He returns this week in the No. 00 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

"A lot has changed at Pocono with the repave, but I was fortunate enough to find Victory Lane in my last Truck Series start there," Harvick said. "I hope we can do the same thing this time around."

Harvick has made 122 career starts in the Truck Series, but Saturday's race will be his first since October 2013 - when he finished 30th at Martinsville Speedway.

Busch is making his first Truck Series start since recovering from injuries suffered during Speedweeks in February at Daytona International Speedway. He's hoping his recent hot streak in the Cup Series, that's produced four wins in five starts, will translate to Saturday's 60-lap event.

"It was always on my schedule to run this race, so it's not anything that just kind of popped up," Busch said. "Things have progressed well with my healing and Pocono is a relatively easy place to get around in a truck. There's a lot of throttle-on time and not a lot of brake that needs to be used."

Busch did not compete in this race last year. Erik Jones drove his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to a sixth-place finish.

As for Keselowski, he'll be making his fourth Truck Series start of the year in the No. 29 Ford. His best finish is fifth at Charlotte in mid-May. He's out to erase the sting of a 28th-place finish in last week's dirt race at Eldora.

"I've had success in the Cup Series at Pocono and I'm confident we can carry that over," said Keselowski, a winner there in NASCAR's top series in 2011. "Pocono is unique, but we're ready to meet that challenge."

Lost in the buzz over the strong quartet of Cup Series drivers entered at Pocono is the fact that two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton isn't likely to pull over and let 'em by on Saturday. Crafton seems well-positioned for a third championship as the 2015 schedule hits the backstretch.

He's won four of the season's first 11 races and carries a 14-point lead over Tyler Reddick into the weekend.

_Camping World Truck Series teams will open practice at Pocono on Friday at 2 p.m. (ET) with qualifying Saturday morning to set the field for the 12th race of the season. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pocono Mountains 150 on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eries-Stars-Go-Truckin-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Smooth Tunnel Turn Set To Greet NASCAR Drivers At Pocono This Weekend​*
Those bumps that jostled drivers and rattled cars in the Tunnel Turn at Pocono Raceway are gone.

Track officials smoothed the racing surface in the turn and drivers should have a more comfortable ride this weekend when NASCAR returns to Pocono Raceway.

A section of the track about 170 feet by 28 feet was milled, leveled and repaved about a week after the June race there. Also, a section of the apron about 170 feet by 12 feet was leveled and repaved.

That will create a much different setting from June when the bumps surprised drivers and caused some challenges.

"I'm looking forward to the bumps not being there because that was our worst corner," said Joey Logano, who finished fourth to winner Martin Truex Jr. in June. "With the bumps gone, I think we were actually really good and one of the best cars in one and three, but I felt like a 20th-place car in Turn 2. I think that's a good thing to get it all smoothed out. It was a jump. It was crazy.

"You look at pictures when we went through the corners and &#8230; the front tires were literally off the ground, so that's not OK. I'm glad they fixed it. I think it will help us, and I look forward to going to Pocono."

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ascar-drivers-at-pocono-this-weekend/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Will Proceed With High-Drag Package At Michigan​*
*Drivers raised doubts about the package after Indianapolis, but NASCAR will push forward with it at Michigan.*

NASCAR officials confirmed Wednesday they will proceed as planned with a test of their high-drag aerodynamic package on Sprint Cup Series cars next month at Michigan International Speedway.

Cup teams and their representatives took part in a previously-scheduled meeting on Wednesday with NASCAR competition executives and expressed concerns over the package's performance last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, sources confirmed to Motorsport.com.

NASCAR, however, plans to give the package another try at Michigan with little, if any changes.

The package was desired to help spur more passing and "pack racing" but came far short of expectations in Sunday's Brickyard 400.

*Negative response to Indianapolis*

Reaction from drivers, media and fans has been mostly negative in the race's aftermath. Statistically, the race produced 16 lead changes, one more than the 2014 race. That was still the second fewest since 2011. Also, green-flag passes throughout the race were down 587 from the previous year, according to NASCAR's loop data statistics.

NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton said during an interview earlier this week on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the sanctioning body would continue to work to improve the racing product.

"We want our product on the race track to be pleasing to the fans - and that means close competition," he said. "You can walk through the garage are and ask 15-20 different people what close competition means and you'll get 15 different opinions of it.

But all of them agree that it's passing, balance of competition, being able to work your way through the field. Everyone agrees on the elements. How you get there is on us."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-will-proceed-with-high-drag-package-at-michigan


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Learns Lesson After Burnout On IMS' Fabled Bricks​*
Kyle Busch endured the heat to win Saturday's Lilly Diabetes 250 and Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But Busch also endured some extra heat for doing his celebratory burnout following the Xfinity race on the fabled three-foot stretch of bricks at IMS' start/finish line, according to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star.

Busch received numerous complaints from fans on social media for leaving tire marks on the bricks.

According to Cavin's story, "Even IMS officials sent a message of displeasure through proper NASCAR channels."

So when Busch won Sunday's race, speculation abounded whether he would do another burnout on the sacred stretch of bricks.

As it turned out, Busch learned from the error of his ways the day before. He drove up to the flag stand, took the checkered flag and drove away without defacing the bricks further.

"I just didn't want to hear (the complaints), so I did my own deal and took my own sort of victory lap and gave the bow to the crowd later when there was a bunch of fans and Kyle Busch fans that were sticking around at the end," Busch said after the race.

There have been other instances of NASCAR drivers defacing the stretch of bricks that Cavin cites in his story, including Jimmie Johnson's burnout after the 2012 Brickyard 400.

IMS president Doug Boles understands why drivers like to celebrate such a spectacular win at such a legendary facility.

But given there's 2.5 miles of asphalt to celebrate on, "There's 3 feet of race track there that we ask 'don't do it' on," Boles told The Star.

Track maintenance officials are in the process of removing Busch's tire tracks in time for next week's MotoGP race at IMS.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ns-lesson-after-burnout-on-ims-fabled-bricks/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dirty Air Podcast​*





*Preview Show: Pocono​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Wallace Set For Final NASCAR Start​*
Kenny Wallace started his NASCAR career on a short track and will end it on one, as well.

After all, it's what Wallace cut his teeth on in racing.

Wallace, the youngest of three brothers in a racing family, grew up at both dirt and asphalt short-tracks in the Midwest helping his father Russ' team before moving on to compete in the American Speed Association and, ultimately, NASCAR. He appropriately will make his last NASCAR start in the heart of the Midwest at Iowa Speedway, a track his brother Rusty helped design.

Saturday night's U.S. Cellular 250 will mark Wallace's record-extending 547th start in the XFINITY Series. The pieces of the puzzle all came together for the 51-year-old veteran to make the decision of his final start when he landed a competitive ride along with backing from event sponsor U.S. Cellular.

"It's been a long time since I've driven for a proven, winning team like Joe Gibbs Racing," Wallace said. "I'll be focused on the racecar - not that it's the final race of my NASCAR career."

Wallace's XFINITY Series career dates back to 1988, when he finished seventh in his debut at Martinsville Speedway driving for Dale Earnhardt. He's a three-time series Most Popular Driver and has gone to Victory Lane nine times - with seven coming on a short track.

Rusty fielded a car for Kenny early in his career and his first win came at Volusia Speedway Park in 1991. He captured 77 top 10s, including six wins, in his first five full-time seasons.

"In 1989, I sat on three poles against great drivers and I brought in the short-track route," Wallace said. "From 1989 to '94 was the sweet spot, where I was in the top 10 every week."

Some of the sponsors Wallace put in Victory Lane over the years included Dirt Devil, Red Dog and Goulds Pumps. His likeable personality was not only seen at the racetrack but in his commercials - most notably with Stacker 2 - and on television covering the sport with FOX Sports. His Red Dog sponsorship deal came when he raced for Filbert Martocci following an unfortunate turn of events at the conclusion of his first full year in the Sprint Cup Series with Felix Sabates, where he also ran a Dirt Devil-sponsored car.

"I had a chip on my shoulder because at that time, Felix Sabates had fired me in 1993 and I had never been fired and never faced failure," Wallace said. "When Felix fired me, it hurt bad. I knew this No. 8 car owned by Filbert Martocci. Filbert had money and every time I would go by that car in the garage area, it had new motors and always had new parts on it. I knew Jeff (Burton) had left that team and I said, 'I want to drive that car.' My brother Rusty had to go to Nashville, so we flew there and I went to meet Filbert. They were shocked that I wanted to drive the car."

Gil Martin was the crew chief for Wallace on the No. 8 car and the two went on to score four wins together at Bristol Motor Speedway (1), Martinsville Speedway (1) and Richmond International Raceway (2) - both coming with sponsorship from Red Dog. Martin, who is a 16-time winner as a crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series, also called the shots for Wallace in 52 Cup Series races over four seasons with Martocci.

Along with the XFINITY Series start record, Wallace will also be looking at the number "904," which will mark his final tally of starts across NASCAR's top three divisions.

"To me, this isn't a sad moment," Wallace said. "I'm at a truly happy place in my life right now. I've had a long and successful career, and I've been able to support my family doing what I love. To me, it doesn't get any better than that. I'm really proud of everything that I've been able to accomplish in NASCAR."

Wallace won't stop racing, though...he will continue his short-track roots at dirt tracks across the country.

"I am retiring from driving a NASCAR racecar," Wallace said. "I'm not retiring from radio, TV and running my dirt car. I'm still a racer."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Aug. 1 U.S. Cellular 250 from Iowa Speedway beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kenny-Wallace-Set-for-Final-NASCAR-Start.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kauffman Buys Interest In Ganassi Team​*
Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, has agreed to buy an interest in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

"The companies will continue to operate separately and compete against each other for the remainder of the 2015 season," a statement from MWR said. "They are also currently evaluating ways to field the most competitive race teams possible to provide an excellent platform for their partners and employees for the 2016 season and beyond. More details will follow in due course."

MWR currently fields Toyotas for David Ragan and Clint Bowyer. Ganassi is under the Chevrolet banner with drivers Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson.

"My focus is on 2015 and fulfilling the commitment we have made to our partners and Toyota which is placing our teams in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup," Michael Waltrip said in a statement. "There are a lot of details yet to be sorted regarding 2016. I will work closely with Rob Kauffman and our sponsors to formulate the best way forward."

SportsBusinessDaily.com reported yesterday that Kauffman will take the current MWR No. 15 team driven by Bowyer to CGR, which would expand to a three-car operation.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-buy-an-interest-in-Chip-Ganassi-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Eyes Pocono Sweep​*
Martin Truex Jr. would like nothing better than to become the eighth driver in history to sweep both races in one season at Pocono Raceway.

The Furniture Row Racing driver scored a very popular win at the "Tricky Triangle" back in June when he took the checkered flag and earned a spot in the Chase as well with the victory.

Should he be able to make a repeat appearance in Victory Lane in Sunday's Windows 10 400, Truex Jr. would join some elite company.

The seven drivers who have achieved the Pocono sweep are Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1985), Tim Richmond (1986), Bobby Labonte (1999), Jimmie Johnson (2004), Denny Hamlin (2006) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014).

"That's a stout group of drivers and it would be pretty special to be included with them," said Truex. "After winning there last month how can you not feel good and upbeat about returning to Pocono? We're going to have a big target on our back but that's ok. We'll use everything we learned last time and more to hopefully achieve a Pocono sweep."

Though Truex was dominant in scoring the Pocono win in June, leading a race high 97 laps and winning by a 1.346-second margin of victory, he understands his team will have to dig even deeper in order to win again on Sunday and score the season sweep.

"Our Furniture Row guys have been working hard to find more speed for this weekend," explained Truex. "All the teams are also working harder as we get closer to the Chase. The toughest thing about Pocono is to find the right balance for all three corners. The three unique corners at Pocono are all different and the challenge is to figure out a way to make your car work in each of them. Conditions for this Pocono race will most likely be different, especially with the weather being hotter than in early June."

Truex came home with a fourth-place Brickyard 400 finish, has claimed one win, six top-fives, 15 top-10s in 20 of the 36 races completed this season. He ranks fifth in driver points and sixth in the Chase playoff standings.

You always want to put yourself in position for a win at the end and that's what we did today," Truex said. "We fought hard and stayed patient all day.

"We got caught on pit road again when the caution came out, but fortunately we had enough time to get back to the front. We had good cars the past four races but had horrible luck. Today it came together and it's a good feeling to regain momentum."

Truex's overall record at Pocono includes 19 starts, one win, three top-fives and seven top-10s. He has a 17.9 starting average and a 15.1 finishing average.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/07/Martin-Truex-Eyes-Pocono-Sweep.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gaulding Joins KBM For Three Races​*
Gray Gaulding, along with long-time partner Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, will join Kyle Busch Motorsports for three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2015.

Gaulding's first race in the No. 54 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Toyota Tundra will be at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on August 30 where he qualified second and finished fourth in 2014. Gaulding will also race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 26 and Martinsville Speedway on October 31.

"I'm very excited to be a part of KBM,"Gaulding said. "It's a dream as a driver because I remember growing up watching Kyle and how much I wanted to drive for him when he started his own team. I know his mentality is to go out every weekend and win races. It's a championship organization with great people and I know I'll be able to go to the race track and have an opportunity to win at each race.

"I can't thank Krispy Kreme and the more than 40,000 worldwide team members enough for believing in me and taking a chance on a 17-year-old kid. Driving a KBM Toyota Tundra is my dream opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Kyle-Busch-Motorsports-for-Three-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Brings Streak To Pocono​*
Cooling off Kyle Busch this weekend is on everyone's minds at Pocono Raceway.

It's understandable given the fact Busch has won the last three Sprint Cup Series races and four of five. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been hotter than the mid-summer weather and Busch shows no signs of slowing down.

"I'd say we're certainly doing the right things and our momentum is certainly high at this point," Busch said Friday at Pocono. "The guys have just done a phenomenal job both at the shop - everyone there at Joe Gibbs Racing as well as here at the race tracks that we've been to. I can't say enough about Adam Stevens (crew chief) and everybody on this team. They continue to fight and each week it seems like everything just continues to get better and better for us.

"We'll hopefully have that continue not only through these next six weeks before the Chase starts but then end of the final 10 weeks as well. I look forward to continuing on our Chase march here and then once we get to Chicago being able to capitalize on this hot summer to have a continuation of that into the Chase."

Busch enters the weekend only 23 points outside the top 30 of the Sprint Cup Series standings and if he can move up over the next six races he'll have a shot at running for the title in the Chase.

But Busch's approach since coming back from injury is to run for wins and let the point situation take care of itself. After a slow start he's caught fire to the tune of tying Jimmie Johnson for a series-high four wins.

Busch will have to overcome his past issues at Pocono to keep the streak alive because he's winless at the 2.5-mile triangular track that offers many unique challenges.

"I think it's self-described, tricky," he said of the track known as the "Tricky Triangle." "It's certainly a different type of race track. It's got a lot of speed. It's very fast and yet it's challenging as well. To be able to get the correct balance or the perfect balance in every single corner you're not going to be able to do that. So, the driver has to be able to manipulate himself and his setup to be able to get through these three distinct turns better than all the rest of the drivers. So, I think that's kind of why you see sometimes a driver will hit on it in a particular year and other times you might not see that guy in here for another four or five years and somebody else kind of hits on it.

"It's all dependent in this business because the sport and the cars they change so much so fast that coming here today we're not even running something that we ran here the last time we were here. You've got to kind of move on and change with the times a little bit. Those guys that have sweeps at these places, it's pretty remarkable that they can just because of the fact that everything changes so much even though it's only a short month, month and a half since we've been here."

Busch wasn't terrible when the series first raced at Pocono in June. He finished ninth that afternoon, which was early on in his comeback.

However, things have changed a lot since then on a variety of fronts and Busch feels pretty good about his chances to improve his June finish in Sunday's Windows 10 400.

"I never won at Pocono Raceway and I hope that's about to change," he said. "We've certainly had some good runs over the years sometimes in the spring race and sometimes in the summer race but overall I feel like our team has really come a long ways and I like where we're going and where we're at and so I can just hope that we can continue here this weekend and get ourselves a win and make it four in a row."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Windows 10 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...le-Busch-Brings-Streak-to-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Staying Focused​*
Clint Bowyer is doing his best to concentrate on driving as uncertainty about the future of Michael Waltrip Racing swirls around him.

Bowyer is rumored to be headed to Chip Ganassi Racing along with current MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman. On Thursday Kauffman purchased an interest in CGR.

But Bowyer isn't thinking about any of the potential shake-up that may lie ahead but rather stay focused on winning races and making the Chase.

"You need to bear with us," Bowyer said during a brief media session Friday at Pocono. "There's obviously some change on the horizon. I got the same release you guys did. We've got a new sponsor on the car this weekend. It's a big deal for us. We've been working on this a long time. Got a lot of momentum going into this - we're 20 points out of the Chase and we've got to finish this year strong."

Bowyer's on the bubble right now in terms of making the Chase and with six races left in the regular season needs to improve performance-wise in order to secure a playoff berth.

"Like I said, there's a lot of work to be done in the future and we're all working on it and when I have something to tell you guys you all know me and I'll tell you," he said.

"We're close and this can happen and these guys got to stay focused, I've got to stay focused and if we do our jobs we can get in this Chase and compete for a championship."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Windows 10 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/07/Bowyer-Staying-Focused.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Red Hot Busch Wins Pocono Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6797&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Kyle Busch continued his hot streak by winning the pole for Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway.

It was Busch's second career pole at Pocono and he captured the top spot with a speed of 178.416 mph. Busch earned his first pole of the season with his last coming in October of 2014 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"I told you I had a fast car, I just wasn't sure we could get the balance right," Busch said after winning the pole. "(Crew chief) Adam Stevens and these guys, they did it again."

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will now shoot for his fourth straight series win on Sunday from the best starting spot on the grid.

Kevin Harvick's lap of 178.168 mph earned him the outside front row starting position.

"A lot of that lies on me for putting the lap together something I hadn't done over the last couple of months," Harvick said of his lap and a better qualifying effort than in recent weeks. "I feel like we all did a good job there and made some good adjustments. I feel like I probably gave up a little bit in Turn 1. I got a little bit tight in the center of that corner, but all-in-all it was a good lap and I'm glad we ran our fastest speed in the last round. That is what you have to do."

Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.

"Not bad," Stewart said of his run. " (Crew chief) Chad Johnston came over in between the practice session and qualifying and showed me some stuff where I was losing some time. That is what we focused on for qualifying and it worked."

Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon completed the first 10 qualifiers.

"We were pretty good in that final round but not quite good enough to get the pole there," said Keselowski. "We were missing a little bit in one of the corners, but all-in-all a good effort. We had the fastest car in practice so I feel pretty good about that. It is similar to what we had at the Brickyard and we were really strong there but just needed a little more to win so I am optimistic about it for sure."

June Pocono race winner Martin Truex Jr. will start 13th on Sunday.

"We really struggled for whatever reason in Turn 1 today," said Truex Jr. "Just can't seem to get the balance right. We were either too tight or too loose no matter what we do. Fought the same thing there, not a big deal though I think we will be okay. We've got plenty of time to figure it out tomorrow. We've got a few cars to pass, but 13th is not too bad. We did it last week."

Other notables in the starting line-up include Jimmie Johnson (12th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15th), Danica Patrick (20th) and birthday boy Kyle Larson (27th).

Sprint Cup Series teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Windows 10 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ole-for-Windows-10-400-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Wins In Truck Return​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6835&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch won Saturday's Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway in his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of the season.

Now it's "Will he ever lose?"

In a race that began with major drama and ended with three overtime periods, Busch took the checkered flag in Saturday's Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway, winning in his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start since returning from the Feb. 21 accident at Daytona that kept him out of action.

It was the fourth straight NASCAR national series victory for the driver of his own No. 51 Toyota. Busch won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire on July 19 and swept last weekend's XFINITY and Sprint Cup events at Indianapolis.

On Sunday he will try for his fourth straight Cup victory in the Windows 10 400 at Pocono.

With his fuel cell running low, Busch had to survive three straight attempts at green-white-checkered-flag finishes, with accidents interrupting the first two. Finally, on Lap 69-22.5 miles beyond the scheduled distance of 150 miles-Busch crossed the finish line 1.225 seconds ahead of runner-up Kevin Harvick.

The victory was Busch's first at Pocono in any series, and it marked the 10th straight year he has one at least one race in each of NASCAR's top three touring series.

"It's great to win and put Toyota in Victory Lane," Busch said. "It's my first Pocono win as well, so that was cool."

Busch was happy he got to watch the last few restarts in his rear view mirror, rather than through his windshield.

"They weren't too bad from my seat, but it looked like, beyond me, it was crazy back there," Busch said. "I'm glad we were in a really good position."

Behind Harvick, Tyler Reddick ran third and snatched the series lead from two-time defending champion Matt Crafton, who was embroiled in the early drama.

Crafton and Brad Keselowski, Reddick's teammate and truck owner, were racing in close quarters on Lap 5 when Harvick took them three-wide to the inside. In what appeared to be a no-fault accident, the left-front of Keselowski's Ford snagged the right rear quarter of Crafton's Toyota.

Both trucks smacked the outside wall. After repairs, Crafton finished 28th, 56 laps in arrears. While his crew was working on the Tundra, Crafton fumed, blaming Keselowski for the wreck to the point of accusing the 2012 Sprint Cup champion of deliberately trying to help Reddick win the Truck Series title.

"I guess maybe he wants to win a championship with that 19 truck (Reddick)," Crafton said, vowing to prevent a Reddick championship from happening. "That's your Cup champion? That's pretty much an idiot."

Keselowski dismissed Crafton's comments, asserting he wouldn't want to win a title by wrecking an opponent.

"I don't know if I came down (the track) or he came up," Keselowski said. "It's unfortunate&#8230; These trucks are expensive, and they cost a lot to fix. I feel badly for Matt and his team, but I don't really know what (I could have done) differently."

Reddick leaves Pocono with an 11-point lead over Crafton. Polesitter Erik Jones, who battled Busch, his team owner, for most of the afternoon but was the victim of late contact that caused the fourth of five cautions, rallied to finish 10th and is third in the standings, 16 points behind Reddick.

Cameron Hayley posted a career-best fourth-place finish, one spot ahead of last year's Pocono winner, Austin Dillon. Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters, Matt Tifft, Daniel Hemric and Jones completed the top 10.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Pocono-Mountains-150-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx








*Crafton: 'The Idiot Hooked Me'​*
Matt Crafton lost his lead in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings after he was involved in an incident with Brad Keselowski early in the Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway.

Crafton, who has led the standings since the third race of the season at Martinsville Speedway, came into Pocono with a 14-point advantage over Tyler Reddick. He leaves Pocono 11 points behind after finishing 28th following the accident with Keselowski on lap 6.

"The idiot hooked me in the right rear," Crafton said. "I mean that's all there was to it getting into Turn 3."

Reddick drives the No. 19 Ford for Keselowski in the Truck Series.

"I guess that's the way he wants to win the championship with that '19' truck," Crafton said. "He's got another thing coming I promise you that truck won't win it. If that's the way he wants to do it we'll get it done."

Both trucks suffered major damage and Keselowski finished 30th in his fourth series start of the year.

"I was trying to get in line behind him and the last thing I want to do is wreck the point leader or any one of these regular guys," Keselowski said. "I have no interest in coming to the Truck Series and wrecking someone on purpose."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Lead-after-Contact-with-Brad-Keselowski.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Looks For Improvement​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ready to lead his Hendrick Motorsports teammates on an end of summer surge.

Earnhardt opened the month of July with a win in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway but that was the highlight of the Hendrick organization's success in recent weeks. In fact, Earnhardt is the only Hendrick driver with a top-five finish in the last three races.

The doldrums have not gone unnoticed around the Hendrick campus.

"From Rick (Hendrick) on down, you get the impression that things need to be better and everybody needs to work harder,'' Earnhardt said getting ready for Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway. "I think you've got to be honest with yourself. The Gibbs guys have found more speed. They look over the last coupe of weeks to be a lot stronger and that we're not on top of the mountain anymore by ourselves.

"We had a bit of an advantage last year, particularly on the engines, and it looks like a lot of things have changed. We can say it's partly because of the rules, but you've got to give some of these manufactures credit. You've go to keep working and keep finding that advantage. That's a never-ending pursuit to build the fastest racecar week in and week out. It looks like right now it's a mad scramble to get ready for the Chase.''

The Hendrick frustration was punctuated last week at Indianapolis with the entire quartet of drivers experiencing problems in the Brickyard 400, including Earnhardt.

"Last week was frustrating," said Earnhardt, who had a day at Indy that include pit road problems as well as a spin through the infield grass and into Turn 1. "We have meetings every Tuesday. We had that meeting with the team and then we have a meeting where all the drivers and crew chiefs are together, Rick is there. We have that meeting every Tuesday. Everybody whether we are all running great we talk about how to get better and if we aren't running well at all we talk about how to get better.

"I mean there are always improvements to make even when things are going good you see areas where you've got to keep working because you know it cycles in this sport."

Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th when the Sprint Cup Series visited Pocono back in June, a race that was won by Martin Truex Jr. Earnhardt has high hopes his team will be better on Sunday and he can make a third trip to Victory Lane this season.

"I thought the last trip here, we had an equal car to him," Earnhardt Jr. said of Truex Jr. "The No. 4 (Kevin Harvick) was probably the best throughout most of the race. I felt pretty equal and on par with Truex.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Windows 10 400 from Pocono Raceway starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Looks-For-Improvement.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McReynolds Sweeps Iowa​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...1&RaceID=6873&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

If it were up to Brandon McReynolds, every race would take place in Iowa.

The No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota driver won the #ThanksKenny150 at Iowa Speedway, following up his May victory at the 7/8-mile track, to complete the season sweep and earn Bill McAnally Racing its 60th win.

"Our NAPA Toyota was really good," McReynolds said. "Our BMR guys did a really good job of keeping me focused. It was really hot out there today for everybody. So, it was easy to get kind of side-tracked."

Iowa Speedway has hosted the NASCAR K&N Pro Series combination race since 2007 and McReynolds became its first repeat winner.

"It just feels really good to come back here to Victory Lane," McReynolds said. "It's not just about me. It's about Bill McAnally, the guys, Toyota, NAPA, and my family."

McReynolds dominated the race, leading 127 of 150 laps from the Coors Light Pole. He had a scare on Lap 146 when Jesse Little pulled ahead of him on a restart. Unfazed, McReynolds caught up to Little, cleared him and sped away for the Checkered flag.

Little finished second, followed by Spencer Davis, Ricro Abreu and Noah Gragson. James Bickford, JJ Haley, Scott Heckert, Collin Cabre and Alex Schutte rounded out the top 10.

On the season, McReynolds boasts two wins and five top 10s in eight starts.

The #ThanksKenny150 will be televised by NBCSN on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to action on Aug. 7 at Watkins Glen International, while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races next on Aug. 15 at Evergreen Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...s-Wins-Thanks-Kenny-150-at-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daniel Suarez Wins Coors Light Pole Award In Iowa​*
Daniel Suarez will start tonight's NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 from the first starting spot, Along side Suarez will be Ryan Blaney, green flag is set for 8:16 pm et tonight from Iowa Speedway in Newton Iowa.

Here is the complete starting lineup.








*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Dominates At Iowa​*
After a heartbreaking end to the race at Indianapolis last weekend, Ryan Blaney was able to redeem himself with a dominating performance in Saturday night's U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway.

Blaney led 252 laps and was able to stay out front on two green-white-checkered finishes to take his third career XFINITY Series win.

But Blaney had to survive a pair of green-white-checkered finishes to prevail and make it to Victory Lane in what turned out to be a wild night.

"That was tough. I won a Truck race a few years back all on restarts and I didn't know if it was going to play out good," Blaney said. "I knew we had a lot of left-rear damage. It felt like it. It was smoking the car a lot. I can't thank everybody on this Discount Tire Ford Mustang. They put together a flawless car."

It was Blaney's first win since Bristol last year and took some of the sting out of his frustrating loss last week at Indianapolis when he was passed for the lead by Kyle Busch on the final lap.

"It doesn't make up for it, but it sure helps forget about it," Blaney said.

It looked like Blaney would cruise to a win until Roush Fenway Racing teammates Bubba Wallace and Chris Buescher made contact racing through Turns 3 and 4 to bring out the caution flag with only a few laps left in regulation.

"It was miserable," Wallace said of his overall night. "I let my guys down. I got into Erik (Jones) on pit road and that put us into a corner. I just hate it, I screwed up tonight. Just paying for it."

That set up the first overtime finish but Brennan Poole got clipped in the rear as the pack dashed down the backstretch and caution flew again.

The final green flag waved and Blaney got a great jump on the restart and while the field diced for position behind him he drove away to the victory.

Regan Smith, Brian Scott, Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan rounded out the top five.

"He did a nice job with it," Smith said of Blaney. "It looked like his car got tight and I just didn't have quite enough to get up to his fender to get a run on him."

Things also got heated after the checkered flag flew on pit road when Ryan Reed shoved Ross Chastain. The two made contact on the track and Reed's Ford had considerable damage as it sat on pit road.

Kenny Wallace made his final career NASCAR start and after an adventurous night that included a pair of spins wound up finishing 15th.

Buescher leads Chase Elliott, who was also involved in an incident, by 20 points in the series standings with Ty Dillon 21 out.

The series now heads to Watkins Glen next Saturday for the Zippo 200.





















*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ey-Wins-US-Cellular-250-at-Iowa-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Prevails At Pocono​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6797&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Kenseth took the lead when first Joey Logano then Kyle Busch ran out of fuel and went on to win Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway.

It was Kenseth's second win of the season and first career at Pocono. Kenseth scored the eighth win of the year for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"It feels good to get one today," said Kenseth. "There's nothing like wins. I never thought I'd ever win at Pocono and I never thought I'd win a fuel mileage race, so we did both today."

Busch lost the fuel gamble but still gained in the Sprint Cup Series standings in his quest to make the Chase. He was credited with a 21st place finish and is 32nd in the standings, 13 out of the top 30 where he at least needs to finish in order to qualify for the playoffs.

"I didn't know we were that close," said Busch. "&#8230; Man, that was a bummer. I wish I would have saved a little more."

Logano was disappointed he was not able to score win number two of the season.

"I guess our numbers, from what (crew chief) Todd (Gordon) said, was good enough to make it by a half a lap," said Logano. "I was saving fuel just to cushion it. I thought I was going to be good and then I started running out and knew we weren't going to make it. It was tough. We did everything right today."

Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle rounded out the top five.

Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards completed the first ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Watkins Glen next Sunday for the second road course race of the season and the Cheez-It 355.

How Kenseth Won: Fuel strategy is not usually Kenseth's forte but he was the beneficiary on Sunday. Logano looked as if he was going to be able to stretch his final fuel load to score win number two of the season until he ran dry with two laps to go. Busch then sped by but was also in fuel conservation mode and as he raced through Turn 1 he also went empty. Although Busch coasted on fumes still in the top spot Kenseth had enough speed to get by in Turn 3 and took the checkered flag to score the victory.

Who Had a Good Day: Drivers that finished inside the first 10 were all beneficiaries of the fuel mileage plan that backfired at the front of the field. Keselowski rebounded from a pit road incident when he hit a crew member (who was uninjured) for the top-five finish&#8230;.Earnhardt Jr. spun in Turn 1 earlier and also made a come back for the top-five performance.

Who Had a Bad Day: Outside of the drivers that ran out of fuel late on Sunday there were others that had rough days in Pocono&#8230;.Kasey Kahne spun off Turn 3 on lap five and made hard contact with the pit wall. Neither Kahne nor anyone on pit road was injured in the accident&#8230;.Kevin Harvick blew and engine early&#8230;.Sam Hornish Jr. had a miserable day with pit road speeding penalties only the tip of the iceberg. He was involved in two separate accidents first when he cut a tire and was hit by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who then crashed into the wall. Hornish also hit a spinning Kurt Busch&#8230;.Trevor Bayne had a piece of a header rod go through his radiator.

What Else Happened: The race was one of the most bizarre in recent Pocono history. The drivers listed in our "Bad Day" section all contributed to the weirdness that engulfed the first half of the race before things somewhat settled down in the middle portion. But then the fuel strategy came reared its head in the end and Sunday's race will be remembered as one of the craziest of the 2015 season.

Quote of the Day: "Wait Matt Kenseth won a fuel mileage race?," Ross Kenseth (Matt's son) on Twitter.

Notables: Gordon matched his best finish of the season with his third-place run&#8230;Biffle scored only his second top five of 2015&#8230;.Stewart notched only his second top-10 of the campaign.











*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...th-Wins-Windows-10-400-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne Crashes Into Pit Wall​*
Kasey Kahne made an early exit from Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway after spinning and making hard contact with the pit wall.

Kahne spun out coming out of Turn 3 on lap five and wound up hitting the end of the pit wall. The impact between the stalls of AJ Allmendinger and Travis Kvapil damaged the wall and caused the race to be red flagged for repairs.

"Well, first of all I couldn't believe I was clear over here this late in the corner and then all the way to the left heading towards pit wall," Kahne said. "Then I saw the people and I thought to myself that those guys need to take off running and get out of the way. I didn't know. I hadn't done anything like that before so it was kind of crazy the way it all happened."

Neither Kahne nor anyone on pit road was injured in the accident.

It was the second time in two days that a car spun and hit the pit wall after Jeb Burton's practice crash on Saturday.

"I just got loose really late so far off the corner. I'm not sure why or what happened. It just jumped out so far off the corner, it was a slow slide and got so far down pit road, it was crazy," Kahne said.

"I've never ended up over there. I don't why that was. I couldn't believe when (Jeb Burton) did it earlier this weekend and I did it maybe just a little further down than he did."

Khane also took a hit in the standings and his bid to make the Chase. He finished last on Sunday and has five races left to get a win or work his way up the points to earn a spot in the playoffs.

"It's really bad for points," Kahne said. "It's bad for our team to lose a car that quickly into this race. The last month has been really bad and that was worse. I don't know what the deal is right there and what happened. I just lost it. Late exit. Got loose. Spun."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ey-Kahne-Crashes-Into-Pit-Wall-at-Pocono.aspx​


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Slams Into Pit Crew​*
*A* strange start to Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway continued as green flag pit stops cycled through at Lap 58 of 160.

Team Penske's Brad Keselowski brought his No. 2 Ford to pit road from the lead, but the stop went terribly wrong for the 2012 Sprint Cup champion.

Keselowski locked up the brakes and slid through his pit stall just as crew members jumped off the pit wall and approached his car. The front tire changer jumped over the right-front corner of the car, while the tire carrier jumped onto the hood, losing the tire in the process.

Jackman Braxton Brannon got the worst of it, as he jumped to avoid the car, but was clipped by the left side of Keselowski's Ford. Brannon was turned in the air, landing hard on his back as the jack went flying and narrowly missed landing on top of him.

None of the crew members involved were injured in the incident.
"I'm sorry about that guys. Everybody OK?" Keselowski radioed to the crew after the stop. Crew chief Paul Wolfe simply said, "We'll get through it."

Keselowski was black-flagged for an uncontrolled tire, which was sent rolling down pit road. The tire stopped in the middle of pit lane, forcing NASCAR to throw the caution flag.

When the race restarted on Lap 66 of 160, Keselowski was 37th, one lap down to the leaders.

Undeterred, Keselowski was able to get the free pass on Lap 65 under the seventh caution of the day, putting him back on the lead lap. With a fast Paul Wolfe-prepared car under him, Keselowski went to work charging back up through the field and moving into the top 10 by Lap 104 of 160.

While it appeared the race was securely in the hands of his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, fuel mileage came into play in the final laps of the race as the leaders ran out of gas one by one.

As Matt Kenseth took the checkered flag to score his second win of the 2015 season, Keselowski crossed the line second, some nine seconds behind.

"Unfortunately just another race where I kind of feel like it didn't all come together for us, and this one certainly on my end with having problems on pit road and kind of sliding through the box,"

Keselowski said after his fifth top five of the season.

"That dug a hole, got us a lap down with the penalty and so forth. I think the last restart with ‑‑ had to be somewhere around 60 or 70 to go, we restarted 12th and we were able to drive up to sixth and looked like we were going to be able to get to fifth and then the fuel play came in there at the end. We were able to take care of it to bring home second, which is a very respectable day."






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...w-members-team-penske-080215?vid=497023043694


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Equals Best Finish of Season​*
Jeff Gordon wound up with a third-place finish in his final career start at Pocono Raceway to equal his best finish of the season.

After a disappointing outing a week ago in the Brickyard 400, Gordon rebounded to come home with a solid day in Sunday's Windows 10 400.

Gordon looked like he may wind up perhaps with a top-10 finish at best until the late race fuel mileage strategy unfolded at the front of the field. As leaders Joey Logano and Kyle Busch ran out of fuel and others like Martin Truex Jr. also ran dry, it allowed Gordon to move up and come home with the third-place performance.

"There at the end we were one of the last ones to pit, which allowed us to run hard all the way to the finish not having to conserve or save fuel," Gordon explained. "I thought we were trying to get maybe 10th or 12th and all of a sudden they said you're third, and I think I was probably the most shocked person out there on the race track when I found that out. I knew cars were peeling off, but I just didn't realize that many were either running out or coming to pit road."

The finish brought down the curtain of Gordon's career at the 2.5-mile triangular track, one that has given him fond memories as well as challenges over the years.

"I enjoy the challenges of this racetrack right from the beginning, the shifting, the three unique turns and how you have to set up the person that you're racing each and every corner and try to get that momentum off the corner," Gordon said. "It makes for frustrating moments at times, but also a lot of fun when you complete it. You know, I've had certainly some great victories here over the years, as well."

Gordon is still winless in 2015 and continues his quest to make the Chase with just five races left in the regular season. He's hoping Sunday's finish will provide the spark needed to help propel him further to securing a berth in the playoffs.

"Sometimes you need just something to pull you through it, and last week got us down quite a bit," Gordon said of his early exit from last week's Brickyard 400. "This is definitely going to lift us back up, so we'll try to I think it's not about carrying momentum, it's about getting momentum, and I think this is the beginning of hopefully what can get us the momentum we need to get where we need to."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...don-Finishes-Third-in-Final-Pocono-Start.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Fine With Strategy​*
Kyle Busch came up on the short end of the fuel strategy game but he was okay with the gamble in Sunday's Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Busch inherited the lead of the race when Joey Logano ran out of gas with two laps left in Sunday's race. However, Busch was on the same fuel strategy at Logano and was also in danger of not making it to the finish.

Crew chief Adam Stevens informed Busch of the situation and to try and save fuel to complete the 160-lap distance but apparently the message wasn't fully communicated. That didn't happen and Busch ran dry, ultimately finishing 21st in the final running order.

"I wish that maybe I had a little bit better heads up but I can't fault these guys for trying and going for broke," Busch said afterwards. "We're in the position we're in for a reason and that's because of fast race cars and today we probably could've made a few different choices there through the last run and made it and won this thing again but that just wasn't to be."

Busch, who was trying for his fourth straight win and fifth in the last six races, thought he was on his way.

"I didn't know we were that short on making it on fuel and by the time I got notice that the 22 (Joey Logano) was going to run out," Busch explained. "He was pretty much out, but by then to try to save that much gas in the last three laps of the race that just wasn't going to be feasible. I didn't know we were that close."

Still Busch is okay with the disappointing outcome and despite not winning he gained ground on 30th place in the Sprint Cup Series standings. He's now only 13 out of where he needs to be in order to qualify for a Chase berth with five races left in the regular season.

"We got greedy, I don't know how greedy but that's the position we're in," Busch said. "If it came down to other things that we haven't had the success that we've had here lately we would've had to have pitted and just made the opportunity of it and made the best finish that we could. But, we went for broke today and came up a little bit short so can't fault the team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Kyle-Busch-Fine-With-Strategy-at-Pocono.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pocono Winners And Losers​*
An entertaining Sunday afternoon at Pocono Raceway left some drivers happy with their results and others glad to check out of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

*WINNERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*
You know it's Joe Gibbs Racing's year when Kenseth wins a fuel-mileage race. Kenseth is an accomplished driver and former Sprint Cup Series champion, but winning on fuel strategy is not his strong suit. Doesn't matter because he was the beneficiary of others coming up short Sunday at Pocono.

*Jeff Gordon*
Rides out of Pocono on a strong note with a third-place finish. Sure, he was maybe a 10th-place car, but Gordon capitalized on the fuel game in the closing laps.

*Greg Biffle*
You have to go back to the Coca-Cola 600 in May to find Biffle's last top five, when he came home second to Carl Edwards in another fuel-mileage race. Well, here's Biffle again with another top five thanks to ... you guessed it ... good fuel mileage!

*AJ Allmendinger*
Next week is Allmendinger's big chance to make the Chase if he can duplicate last year's success with a win at Watkins Glen International. He had a nice tune-up Sunday with a seventh-place Pocono finish.

*Tony Stewart*
In a frustrating year, Stewart will certainly take the Pocono weekend. He was decent from practice through qualifying and notched his second top-10 finish of the season.

*LOSERS​*
*Joey Logano*
Was less than three laps from victory No. 2 of the season when he ran out of fuel and yes, it's ironic since Shell/Pennzoil sponsors him.

*Kyle Busch*
Some mixed messages from the No. 18 camp. Busch says he needed more of a heads-up that fuel was short yet crew chief Adam Stevens was heard explaining the situation to his driver early in what turned out to be the final run of the race. The good news for Busch is that even with the miscalculation, his quest to make the Chase actually gained ground in the point standings.

*Kasey Kahne*
Spun off Turn 3 and crashed into the pit wall following the nearly-identical incident that happened to Jeb Burton in practice on Saturday. Bigger picture for Kahne is that his Chase hopes are also dangerously close to crashing.

*Kevin Harvick*
A very un-Harvick-like day in Pocono when the No. 4 Chevrolet's engine detonated early in the race. No harm, no foul for Harvick - who is securely locked into the Chase.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*
Things could not have gone worse for Hornish on a day that included penalties on pit road, spins and crashes. By the time the race ended, Hornish's car looked more like a Modified. His return to the Sprint Cup Series has been a disaster.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/08/Pocono-Raceway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Sadler Taking Sponsor To JR Motorsports In 2016​*
Motorsport.com has learned that OneMain Financial and Elliott Sadler will move over to JR Motorsports at the conclusion of this season.

OneMain Financial, a personal loan financial company, will move to JR Motorsports in 2016 where it is expected to sponsor driver Elliott Sadler fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, multiple sources confirmed to Motorsport.com on Monday.

Sadler has not yet signed with JRM, sources said, but is expected to join the organization next season.

OneMain has sponsored Sadler in the Xfinity Series since the 2011 season.

A JR Motorsports spokesman said the organization's 2016 Xfinity Series plans have not been finalized as of yet.

A spokesman for Roush-Fenway Racing (RFR) said the organization would have no comment.

Sadler, 40, joined RFR this season after spending the two previous season with Joe Gibbs Racing. He is currently fifth in the series standings with four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 19 races.

In his career, Sadler has 10 wins and 16 poles in 282 Xfinity starts. He also has three wins in the Sprint Cup Series and one in Trucks.

JRM currently fields three fulltime rides in the Xfinity Series with drivers Regan Smith and reigning series champion Chase Elliott. The car utilizes a variety of drivers, including team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Ben Rhodes.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/elliott-sadler-taking-sponsor-to-jr-motorsports-in-2016


----------



## Ckg2011

*Report: Kurt Busch Close To New Deal To Stay With Stewart-Haas Racing​*
With a handshake deal reportedly already in place, all Kurt Busch needs to do is sign on the dotted line to continue driving the No. 41 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing past this season.

According to a report by Motorsport.com on Monday, Busch and team co-owner Gene Haas have shaken on contract extension and are working to put the details in writing.

"Kurt Busch is one of those unique personalities," Haas told Motorsport.com. "We're in the process (of re-signing).

"Three weeks ago, we had a handshake deal that he would come back. But we're still working on his contract, too. So we expect him to be back.

"We expect to have more sponsors for him. We expect a lot of things and when it all sorts out, we'll have an announcement then."

Currently ninth in the standings, Busch has all but clinched his place in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with two wins, even though he missed the season's first three races serving a NASCAR suspension.

"I really enjoy driving for Gene and Tony, and it's my intention to continue driving for them," Busch told Motorsport.com. "My focus right now is finishing the regular season strong, then going for a championship."

Busch, 37, won the inaugural Sprint Cup championship in 2004. In 525 career Cup starts, he has 27 wins, 19 poles, 113 top-five and 213 top-10 finishes.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...eal-to-stay-with-stewart-haas-racing/related/


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Will Skip NASCAR Xfinity Race At Watkins Glen​*
Kyle Busch, who finished second in last year's Xfinity race at Watkins Glen, won't compete in that event this week as he continues to recover from injuries he suffered at the start of the season. Boris Said will drive Busch's car in the Xfinity race.

Busch broke his right leg and left foot in a crash in the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona International Speedway in February. The only road course he has run this year was at Sonoma Raceway, winning the Sprint Cup race there.

Busch was scheduled to compete in the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen this weekend but car owner Joe Gibbs said the decision was made to change his schedule.

"He feels like Watkins Glen is more of a challenge than Sonoma," Gibbs said.

Busch, who brakes with his left foot, said this past weekend he has good days and bad days with his injuries.

"I feel like there's times when I get out of the car just putting weight back in my feet sometimes it hurts after race days and stuff like that," he said. "With Watkins Glen coming up (this) week, that's going to be another hard one to get through. That's going to be a tough challenge for myself and the left foot, but we'll make it and I'm sure we'll be okay just like Sonoma. It will be sore on Monday afterwards and we'll continue to ice it and make it feel better."

Busch's absence means that the top two finishers in last year's Xfinity race there won't be back. Winner Marcos Ambrose left NASCAR after last season to race in Australia.

Busch enters this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen 13 points out of a spot in the top 30 in points, which would make him eligible for the Chase. Busch has four Cup wins this season.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/03/kyle-busch-will-skip-nascar-xfinity-race-at-watkins-glen/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones To Run XFINITY, Some Cup Races In 2016​*
Erik Jones will run for the XFINITY Series championship and a limited Sprint Cup schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2016.

The team owner confirmed those plans Tuesday during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

"Erik is a big part of our future," Gibbs said. "Next year would be a full XFINITY season and, in all likelihood, we'll have him in some Cup races."

Jones is running for the Camping World Truck Series title this year with Kyle Busch Motorsports. He's 16 points behind series leader Tyler Reddick heading into the next race Aug. 15 at Michigan International Speedway.

Jones, 19, is also competing in a limited XFINITY Series program for JGR and back in May, he filled in for the injured Kyle Busch in the Cup Series.

"We've got a plan laid out, something we don't want to talk about now," Gibbs said of the plans beyond next season. "Erik is headed for Cup and we've got a path charted that we think is the best way to get him ready to fulfill his goal of being in a Cup car (full-time) as quick as we can get him there."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ies-Some-Sprint-Cup-Series-Races-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Special Paint Scheme Honors Wood Brothers​*
Ryan Blaney will carry a special paint scheme on his No. 21 Ford in next month's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, honoring the rich history of Wood Brothers Racing's 65 years in the sport.

"I've seen drawings of the car but to see it in real life, it looks great," Blaney said of the No. 21 Snap-on Tools Fusion. "Just to drive for the Wood Brothers is an honor. To run a car that honors their history in the sport and what they've accomplished over the years is even more special."

Drivers competing for the Wood Brothers have won 98 races in NASCAR's top division since the team debuted in 1950. Eight of those victories have come at Darlington. The retro, mosaic scheme Blaney will carry Labor Day weekend features over 2,000 photos of the team's history.

The unveiling was done Tuesday. Blaney and 2014 Sprint Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick participated in a question-and-answer session for fans followed by a simulated "cannonball run," ending at the South Carolina Governor's Mansion in Columbia.

"We're honored that Snap-on would want to run a car honoring our history," said Eddie Wood. "We're proud of what we've accomplished in the last 65 years and proud of the fact we're still going strong. Darlington is one of the tracks that holds a special place in our heart, so we're excited to see what the car looks like on the track."

The pairing of Wood Brothers Racing with Snap-on Tools brings together two companies that have been at the forefront of innovation. The Wood Brothers helped perfect the pit stop, now an essential part of motor sports around the world. Snap-on pioneered interchangeable socket wrenches 95 years ago and has been revolutionizing the professional hand-tool industry ever since.

"When this idea was brought to us, we thought it was a good program for our brand," said Yvette Morrison, vice president of marketing for Snap-on Tools. "The fact that we can help honor the rich tradition of the Wood Brothers team with the retro, mosaic paint scheme is something we're proud to do."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 6, beginning at 6 p.m. (ET) with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...pecial-Paint-Scheme-Honors-Wood-Brothers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Changes Warning Penalties​*
The loss of pit stall selection will now be the penalty for multiple written warnings.

NASCAR announced the modification to the system in a bulletin issued to teams on Wednesday.

Teams that receive a fourth warning for transgressions such as multiple attempts going through qualifying inspection for example, will now lose the opportunity for pit stall selection.

If the fourth warning is issued before pit selection has occurred, the loss of pit selection will be assessed at that event. If the fourth warning occurs after pit selection has already taken place, the penalty will be enforced at the next points event. 

The rule change begins with this weekend's races for the XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen International.

Any outstanding warnings have been rescinded and all teams are even beginning with the Watkins Glen weekend.

The loss of pit stall selection was one of several possible penalties teams faced if two warnings were received in the same event or two warnings during consecutive weekends.

The list of other penalties included track time deductions for practice; track time deductions for qualifying; delay in order of inspection; selection for post-race inspection; specified time delay before unloading vehicle at track; temporary suspension of annual hard card credential(s); reduction or suspension of other event privileges; community service. 

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/08/NASCAR-Changes-Warning-Penalties.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Preparing For First Watkins Glen Race Since 2012​*
Tony Stewart will race at Watkins Glen International this weekend for the first time since 2012, having missed the past two races there because of his sprint car crash in 2013 and an incident last year where he struck Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race.

Ward was killed Aug. 9 in an Empire Super Sprints race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park after he exited his car and was struck by Stewart's car.

The accident occurred the night before the Sprint Cup Series' race at the Watkins Glen and Regan Smith took Stewart's place in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet.

During Wednesday's "Smoke Show" charity event at Texas Motor Speedway, the three-time Cup champion was asked how he was different now after two trying years.

"I don't think I'll ever be the same from what happened the last two years," Stewart said. "I don't know how you could be. I don't know how anyone could be back exactly the way they were. Not being back exactly the same that I was doesn't mean I've become better in some ways. I think there's positives that come out of every scenario."

Stewart said he's "trying not to think"about the one-year anniversary of the accident with Ward. Stewart missed the next three Cup races after that incident before returning at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"You guys are the first to bring it up this week," Stewart said to reporters Wednesday. "Unfortunately, I have a feeling it's going to get brought up a lot this week. Doesn't help you if you continue to move forward with it."

Stewart said he hadn't realized he hasn't started at Watkins Glen in three years, but that he's looking forward to it while also "praying for rain."

The Cup series will have rain tires on hand this weekend in case of wet weather. Early forecasts, though, are calling for no chance of rain Sunday in the Watkins Glen, N.Y., area.

"I don't know why, but I have my heart set on racing in the rain at the Glen," Stewart said. "I'm hoping somewhere in the equation we can figure out how to make it rain."

Rain or not, Stewart will also be making his first start on the road course in the current generation of car. But he doesn't know what to expect until they begin practicing.

"The thing is, they're still race cars," Stewart said. "No matter what generation of car it is, I've driven so many different types of cars. It's either going to be tight or loose or it's going to four-wheel drift and we'll adjust on it from there. I don't think it will be a big deal."

Stewart has the second most road course wins in NASCAR history with seven (Jeff Gordon has nine), with his last coming at the Glen in 2009.

When he first started in the Cup series, in 1999, Stewart saw Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin as the two drivers one had "to worry about" on road courses, other than specialists. Then teams and driver without a road racing background "didn't really care about it and didn't really focus on it."

But times have changed.

"I would say consistently, every year you can throw one or two more guys in that mix that can get in there and get the job done," Stewart observed.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...r-first-watkins-glen-race-since-2012/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Man Who Stole Trailer With NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Is Sentenced​*
Johnny Milton Terry was sentenced to 10 years probation and fined $1,000 plus court costs Monday after pleading no contest in the February theft of the pickup truck and the trailer that contained a NASCAR Sprint Cup car.

Team Xtreme reported that the vehicle and trailer with the car Travis Kvapil was to have raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway were stolen from a Drury Inn parking lot in Morrow, Ga., on Feb. 27. The vehicles were recovered the next day but the team was unable to compete in that weekend's race.

A report by the Morrow Police Department stated Terry confessed to the crime a day after the theft and that person contacted police.

An arrest warrant was issued on March 6. Terry was later arrested and had bond denied June 29.

As part of Monday's plea deal in Clayton County (Ga.) Superior Court, Terry was sentenced under the First Offender/Conditional Discharge program despite being jailed four times from 2001-11, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.

The Morrow Police Department report stated that a criminal history check on Terry returned "several entering autos/theft by receiving stolen property and is a convicted felon.''

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...h-nascar-sprint-cup-car-is-sentenced/related/


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## Ckg2011




----------



## Ckg2011

*Watkins Glen XFINITY Story Lines​*
*Entry List:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...D=2&YearID=44&RaceID=6793&StatType=Entry+List

As Sprint Cup teams gear up for their final road-course race of 2015, XFINITY Series drivers are preparing for the first of three road races in the month of August - Saturday's Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International.

With defending race winner Marcos Ambrose's departure from NASCAR, the field of drivers capable of winning has expanded greatly from a year ago. As the XFINITY Series hits the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, story lines are plentiful.

*Points Leaders Looking to Separate Themselves From the Field*
Current XFINITY Series points leader Chris Buescher heads to Watkins Glen with a 20-point advantage over defending series champion Chase Elliott with Ty Dillon sitting third, 21 points out of the lead.

Buescher has one XFINITY Series win on a road course, in August 2014 at Mid-Ohio. However, the Prosper, Texas, native finished 29th in his only Watkins Glen start last year, a mark he hopes to surpass this weekend.

"I enjoy road racing," Buescher said. "Watkins Glen is a fast course and we had a good car last year."

Buescher will pull double duty this weekend as he returns to the Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

Elliott and Dillon have never won an XFINITY Series road-course race, but they do have history with each other when it comes to turning left and right. They tangled at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2013 while battling for the lead on the final lap of a Camping World Truck Series race, with Elliott getting the victory.

Despite being runner-up in XFINITY Series points, Elliott has had a quiet season - racking up 15 top 10's in 19 starts. He's made up 16 points on Buescher over the last three races.

"I love road courses," Ellliott said. "They're fun, but you have to be smart about the way you attack. You want to qualify and stay up front to decrease your odds of getting caught up in chaos."

For Dillon, he credits a former competitor for helping his road-course skills improve.

"Earlier this year I went to Las Vegas and learned from a great road-course racer, Ron Fellows, at his driving school at Spring Mountain," Dillon said. "I'm looking forward to putting my skills to the test."

Dillon's only top-10 finish on a road course is eighth at Watkins Glen last year.

*Series Veterans Wanting More*
Richard Childress Racing teammates Brendan Gaughan and Brian Scott are sitting eighth and ninth, respectively, in the point standings. Although the duo has been shut out of Victory Lane this season, both have enjoyed some success on road courses in years past.

Gaughan got his breakthrough series victory at Road America last season but has struggled in his career at Watkins Glen, averaging a 23.5 finish in four starts. For Scott, he's looking to flex his road-course skills on a track where he has a pair of top-10 finishes in five starts.

Cato, N.Y., native Regan Smith is still searching for his first victory of the season. Smith, whose hometown is only 78 miles from Watkins Glen, has put together three top fives and six top-10 finishes in the past 10 races, gaining 27 points on Buescher and moving up to fourth in the standings.

"We're entering a segment of the schedule I really look forward to and we're not in bad shape as far as the title picture goes," said Smith, whose best finish on a road course while driving for JR Motorsports is second at Mid-Ohio last year. He was fourth at Watkins Glen in 2013.

*Roush Fenway's Up-and-Down Year Continues*
After a tumultuous night in Iowa a week ago that saw members of three Roush Fenway Racing teams take part in post-race confrontations, youngsters Darrell Wallace Jr. and Ryan Reed are looking for more consistency starting this weekend.

Wallace and Buescher had contact following a late restart at Iowa, and Reed was angered by Ross Chastain's driving style in the closing laps. He pushed Chastain on pit road following the race and Wallace confronted Buescher's crew chief, Scott Graves, as well.

Wallace has been preparing for Watkins Glen in a less conventional way than many series veterans, putting in some digital laps on the 2.45-mile road course.

"I've spent a lot of time on the simulator this week, learning this track and trying to get a good idea of the braking points," said Wallace, who has seven top-10 finishes in 2015 and an average finish of 12.8. Reed won the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway but has yet to claim another top-10 finish.

*Road-Course Ringers Come Knocking*
While a so-called road-course ringer hasn't won a Sprint Cup Series race in nearly four decades, the same cannot be said for the XFINITY Series.

Fan favorite Boris Said returns to the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this weekend, his third start of the season. Said visited Victory Lane in the XFINITY Series at Montreal in 2010 and has seven top-10 finishes (two at Watkins Glen) in 25 career starts.

He'll be joined in the Joe Gibbs Racing camp on Saturday by Kenny Habul, who will drive the No. 20 Camry. Habul has never finished in the top 10 as a driver in nine career XFINITY starts, but his company - Sun Energy - sponsored Denny Hamlin in his XFINITY Series victory at New Hampshire earlier this summer.

Habul drove to a career-best 14th-place finish at Road America last year and in three Watkins Glen starts, he has a best finish of 20th in 2012.

Californian Kevin O'Connell will drive for Rick Ware Racing this weekend. He scored a career-best third place at Road America in 2014 while his lone Watkins Glen start resulted in a 37th-place run last August.

*Sprint Cup Tune-Up?*
Saturday's XFINITY Series race is 82 laps in length, only eight laps shorter than Sunday's Sprint Cup event. The race distance gives Cup Series regulars who are moonlighting in the XFINITY Series the perfect opportunity to gain extra knowledge for Sunday.

Team Penske will enter two cars this weekend for their Sprint Cup stars, Brad Keselowski in the No. 22 and Joey Logano in the No. 12. Keselowski won the Zippo 200 in 2013, his only series victory on a road course. Logano has never won on a road course but has three top-five finishes at Watkins Glen including third place a year ago.

Paul Menard will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He has five top-10 finishes in eight Watkins Glen starts. Kyle Larson returns to the XFINITY Series in the No. 42 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet. Larson's lone road-course top 10 was a seventh-place finish at Road America two years ago.

Sprint Cup Series regulars have combined to win nine of the last 10 XFINITY Series races at Watkins Glen.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Zippo 200 at The Glen starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...08/Zippo-200-at-Watkins-Glen-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Good At The Glen​*
Tony Stewart's frustrating year could be erased with a win Sunday at Watkins Glen International and, subsequently, a spot in the Chase.

Stewart's track record at the twisting 2.45-mile road course in Upstate New York is impeccable. He's won five times there, the most of any Sprint Cup driver. In 14 career starts at the track, Stewart has only four finishes worse than seventh.

He's missed the last two runnings of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen - in 2013 after he broke his leg in a sprint car accident and again last year in the aftermath of the incident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr.

Stewart is hoping to recapture his past success at Watkins Glen when he climbs into the car Sunday for his 15th career start at a track that is among his favorites.

"We've had a lot of success there and it's just fun," Stewart said. "It's like taking Sonoma (the other road course on the schedule) and multiplying the speed times three. It's a lot faster track. It has the same elevation changes, but you're running a lot quicker.

"When you've won five races (at any one track), it gives you confidence that you know how to win and know what you have to do to get to Victory Lane. I know what feel I need when we get here. It's a matter of going out, practicing and putting yourself in that position."

When you throw in Sonoma, where Stewart has two Cup wins, there's no question that among the current crop of drivers, he's one of the best road-course racers.

"We've taken to the road-racing side of it fairly well and we have had good luck with it," he explained. "I don't know that there's a secret to it, necessarily. There are some drivers that don't look forward to the road-course races but with us, we like the change of pace and doing something different for a weekend. That gets us boosted up for the weekend."

While there are technical skills that apply to road courses that are not used in other types of racing, Stewart believes the most important part of his success may just be liking this particular style of competition.

"There's something about the shifting side of it that's been really natural to me and it's fun," he said. "I like having a different discipline to race on. I like having the opportunity to do something twice a year that we don't get a shot at doing very often.

"I don't look at it from the standpoint that it's a negative weekend. I look at it as a positive, something we enjoy. That gives us a leg up on most of the guys we race with at these tracks."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ewart-Good-at-Watkins-Glen-International.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch Eyes Road Course Sweep​*
Kyle Busch hopes to add a second road course win to his season on Sunday with a victory in the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International.

Busch took the checkered flag in the first Sprint Cup Series road race of the year in June at Sonoma Raceway. Now he's looking to add another Watkins Glen triumph to his already impressive season.

"It was certainly unexpected I guess in Sonoma, but I feel like I've been a pretty good road racer over the years so it wasn't surprising," Busch said Friday morning at The Glen. "Just look forward to these races. I always do every year. It's kind of fun, it's kind of a 'weekend off' from the oval stuff. Love the opportunity to get out there and turn right, turn left and have some shifting going on and everything else. You try to make the most of it and have some fun with it and come out of here with some decent finishes.

"Over the years we've run real well here at Watkins Glen. I think a little more so than Sonoma, but winning at Sonoma and having a really good car out there, I'm really optimistic about being here this weekend and hopefully carrying that road coarse momentum through to Watkins Glen."

When Busch won at Sonoma, he was only a few weeks into his return to racing after missing the first 11 races of the year due to injury. He admits there were some physical challenges competing that weekend and is in a much better place coming to Watkins Glen.

"I'm feeling better this week for sure than what I was at Sonoma," he said. "This is another month or month-and-a-half farther down the road in recovery and healing and everything else. I'm doing really, really good and I feel really, really good week in and week out getting out of the car. Everything is going real well for me."

Including Busch's quest to make the Chase. He needs to get inside the top 30 of the point standings to do so and is only 13 points away from that mark with five races left in the regular season.

He's been a man on a mission since returning to the sport as he tries to qualify for the playoffs and run for a championship.

"I just think that we're really on a roll right now," said Busch, who has won four races in the last six weeks. "I think everything is just really clicking for the 18 M&M's team. We won one and we weren't necessarily satisfied with that so we went to Kentucky, a place that's really good for me and we won again. We went to a place like Loudon (N.H.) where I finished second in three of the last four races there and we won there this time. Then we backed it up at Indy where I finished second I think two of the last three years.

"I've had some really good runs at these places, we just haven't been able to close the deal and finally closing the deal it just all came together."

He's hoping things come together again for him Sunday at Watkins Glen.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/08/Kyle-Busch-Eyes-Road-Course-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Drives For Five At The Glen​*
Jeff Gordon is a four-time Watkins Glen race winner and looks to add one more victory to his total Sunday in the Cheez-It 355.

There was a time when Gordon's road racing skills weren't the best and he struggled early in his NASCAR career when Watkins Glen and Sonoma rolled around on the schedule. But he improved to the tune of currently being the active leader in road course wins with nine including his four at the historic upstate New York facility.

"I went to enough driving schools to get a little bit of knowledge," Gordon said Friday at The Glen. "Prior to coming to NASCAR I was pursuing everything. If somebody gave me an opportunity to get in a racecar or to go to a driving school then I was packing my helmet back and heading that way.

"I did it up at Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park) in Canada. I did it with Skip Barber and I think after I started NASCAR I did the one out in Sonoma and I also did the one in Phoenix with Bob Bondurant. I've done a lot of those schools and then I drove a lot of different types of cars."

The previous road racing experience albeit in completely different types of cars than a NASCAR stock car helped prepare Gordon for the next phase of his career. And while he admits he needed work, Gordon always enjoyed the experience of turning left and right.

"It's not like I didn't have any road course experience whatsoever, but I never had it in a big car," he said. "I enjoyed the challenge. It was fun to do something different than ovals. I feel like ovals are what I'm best at and have been all the time, but I just was comfortable in going to a road course and doing something unique and different.

"Luckily I drove for a team that knew how to put good racecars underneath me not only on ovals, but on road courses. That made the learning curve come much easier for me."

Gordon explained the challenges and demands of running well at winning at Watkins Glen.

"It's a fun challenging road course," he said. "A lot different than what we have out at Sonoma, you've got to be really aggressive here. Aerodynamically the team has to really pay attention to that aspect, but as a driver you have to be super aggressive in the braking zones. It's fun and challenging. It's great when you get it right. It's easy to get it wrong, but we've had some good success over the years and we've had some weekends that didn't go so well.

"The last time we were here I was pretty encouraged with the speed that we had, even though we had an issue with the battery that prevented us from getting a good result. So far this weekend with the practice we just had, I felt like the car has similar speed to what we had last year."

As Gordon prepares for what will be his final start at Watkins Glen as he heads for retirement at season's end, he says the track has always had a special place in his heart.

"One of the things that makes it so special is that me and my family vacation in New York and so it's very close," Gordon said. "It's a beautiful part of the country and road course racing is a lot of fun.

"There is a great crowd here. A tremendous crowd that has a good time here at Watkins Glen and it's a track with tons of history. That goes back a long way in NASCAR's history, but Formula 1 and all sorts of different types of road racing. It is a real privilege to get a chance to race here."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...f-Gordon-Drives-For-Five-at-Watkins-Glen.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ward Family Files Lawsuit​*
The family of Kevin Ward Jr. has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tony Stewart.

Ward was killed in a sprint car accident nearly one year ago when he was struck by Stewart's car while racing at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park. An Ontario County grand jury ruled last September that Stewart would not face criminal charges.

The Wards' attorney distributed a press release on Friday outlining the basis for the lawsuit, claiming that Stewart "wrongfully caused Mr. Ward's death by acting with wanton, reckless and malicious intent and negligence."

The release from the Lanier Law Firm added:

"Kevin Ward would be alive today if not for the reckless and dangerous actions of Tony Stewart, who eventually will have to answer for what he did. The past year has been extremely difficult for Kevin's mother and father, and they're still trying to cope with their unimaginable loss."

An Ontario County district attorney's report stated that Ward, who got out of his racecar during the Aug. 9 incident after his car was struck by Stewart's car, was under the influence of marijuana at a level high enough to impair judgment.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ard-Family-Files-Lawsuit-vs-Tony-Stewart.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Heckert Strikes Again At The Glen​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&RaceID=6862&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

When it comes to racing at the Glen, Scott Heckert makes the complex road course look easy.

The 21-year-old native of Ridgefield, Connecticut captured the checkered flag to earn back-to-back wins at Watkins Glen International in the Bully Hill Vineyards 125. Driving the No. 34 Chevrolet for HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, Heckert earned his fourth career K&N Pro Series East win and third road course victory.

Dalton Sargeant and J.J. Haley completed the HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks podium sweep, securing the second and third finishing positions. Sargeant registered his fifth top-5 finish on the season in the No. 51 GALT Chevrolet, while Haley scored his fourth overall and second road course top-5 in his rookie season.

Making his K&N Pro Series East debut, Dylan Lupton piloted the No. 55 Lupton Excavating Ford to the fourth spot. After leading the first half of the race, Cole Custer settled for a fifth-place finish in the Carlyle Tools/HAAS Automation Toyota.

Austin Hill, William Byron, Noah Gragson, Jay Beasley, and Daniel Hemric rounded out the top ten. The top-10 for Gragson, who currently leads the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings, came in his first East race.

Beasley's ninth-place finish was the sixth top 10 of the season for the Las Vegas native and NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver.

In the unofficial standings, Byron retained the top spot over teammates Heckert and Hill.

The Bully Hill Vineyards 125 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...eyards-125-at-Watkins-Glen-International.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preece Scores Stafford Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&YearID=44&RaceID=6988&StatType=Race+Results

Heading into the home stretch of the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, a trio of drivers are leading the championship charge.

Friday night's Call Before You Dig 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway did little to seperate them, although 2013 champion Ryan Preece moved to the front of the line, courtesy of his third win of the season.

Preece's No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine Chevrolet was out front for the final 69 laps en route to his third win of the season and 14th of his career. Five of Preece's wins have come on Stafford's half-mile, including a victory in June's TSI Harley-Davidson 125

Challengers Doug Coby and Woody Pitkat followed close behind in second and third.

With nine races down and six remaining, Preece now leads Pitkat, who began the race with the points lead, by four tallies and defending champion Coby by 13. Todd Szegedy, who entered the night just two behind Coby, finished 16th and is now 30 points out of first.

Ted Christopher and Justin Bonsignore were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Patrick Emerling, who won his first career Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day, finished sixth. Timmy Solomito, Eric Goodale, Bobby Santos and rookie Chase Dowling rounded out the top 10.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be back at it in just five days, with the Budweiser King of Beers 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...e-You-Dig-150-at-Stafford-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger: Team Improved Even If Points Don't Reflect It​*
A.J. Allmendinger is ranked 23rd in the Sprint Cup standings entering Sunday's race at Watkins Glen International - only two spots better than before last year's breakthrough victory here.

But the JTG Daugherty Racing driver insists that much has changed about his team.

"If you look at the points, we're probably in the same spot," Allmendinger said Friday before Sprint Cup practice for the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen. "I look at it in a completely different way. We've had struggles over the last couple of months. But I think our equipment is better. The communication and the progression as a race team (are) better. It really comes down to last year, I'd never won a Sprint Cup race. I know what it feels like now, and I know what I have to do. For that reason, I think it's a lot different from last year.

"We're a lot closer now. We believe in ourselves. Even through the downs."

The results mostly had been down lately for Allmendinger, whose seventh at Pocono Raceway last Sunday ended a 17-race stretch without a top 10.

That also is another way this season is different than last. In 2014, Allmendinger headed to Watkins Glen from a 34th at Pocono - his 11th consecutive finish outside the top 15.

"We'd hit a lull big time and were struggling," Allmendinger said. "At Pocono, we crashed and it was like everything was coming apart at the seams. At that point, it was kind of one side, I was confident we were going to have a good car. On the other side, the momentum that we had, there was none there."

The Los Gatos, Calif., native has a better frame of mind, too, particularly on arriving Thursday at the 2.45-mile road course.

"It was pretty cool driving in the racetrack and just kind of remembering the last time I was driving out of the racetrack," he said. "The amount of joy that I had and just all the feelings and emotions that I had gone through. Those are memories that no matter what happens the rest of my life I will always have. Just to experience something that I've worked so hard for in eight years in the Sprint Cup Series between (team co-owners) Tad and Jodi Geschickter and Brad Daugherty and everybody on this team last year to get that win was really special."

Allmendinger said his first win in NASCAR's premier series elevated the team's camaraderie and faith, but his No. 47 Chevrolet still needs to improve if he wants to advance beyond the first round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup after being eliminated in three races last year.

"We all believe in each other, and we all trust in each other as a team to know that we are all trying to go in the right direction," he said. "We've just got to figure out how to get there.

"We definitely have to get better. The great thing is the pipeline of racecars that we have through the rest of the year, for the most part, is pretty new cars. So, our equipment is going to be a lot better if we have the opportunity to get into the Chase than it was last year."

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...roved-even-if-points-dont-reflect-it/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daniel Suarez To Backup Car After Crash​*
Daniel Suarez will be in a backup car for the Xfinity Series race Watkins Glen International on Saturday afternoon, Suarez crashed his Toyota in the first pactice session for the Zippo 200 on Friday.

Suarez was not injured in the crash, the car however sustained heavy right side damage in the crash, the team had to pull out the backup car.






*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Lewis Hamilton Would 'Really Like' To Try His Hand At NASCAR​*
*The two-time Formula 1 World Champion has once again expressed an interest in trying out NASCAR one day.​*
Two-time Formula 1 World Champion and current points leader Lewis Hamilton has expressed an interest in racing NASCAR in the future. He didn't say he'd like to jump ship and commit to the full schedule (sorry Rosberg fans), but would be willing to test the waters.

While speaking with the British website Mirror about his childhood aspirations to race motorbikes, he said "I'd really like to do a NASCAR race one day."

This revelation isn't something that should be all that surprising though. The 30-year-old swapped cars with three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart in 2011 as part of promotional event for mutual sponsor, Mobil 1. Hamilton thoroughly enjoyed the experience and held his own in the stock car in wet conditions at Watkins Glen.

*Raikkonen's NASCAR experiment*

He wouldn't be the first Formula 1 driver to have a go at NASCAR either. Looking at a few of the more recent ones... 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen made two starts in 2011, finishing 15th in his Truck debut and 27th in his Xfinity debut - the end of his NASCAR experiment (for now).

*Montoya commits*

Juan Pablo Montoya, who has seven wins in Formula 1, raced NASCAR for nearly a decade, winning twice at the Cup level and once in the Xfinity Series. He also led over 1100 laps in his time at the Cup level.

*Villeneuve comes close *

Then there's 1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, who has four starts in Cup with a best result of 21st and multiple impressive performances on the road courses over the years on the Xfinity side, but no wins.

*Piquet finds Victory Lane*

Recently crowned FIA Formula E champion Nelson Piquet Jr., who ran Formula 1 in 2008 and 2009, has two wins at the Truck level, as well as one in Xfinity (plus one at Bristol in K&N East). What makes the Truck wins more impressive is the fact that they both came at ovals, something even Montoya failed to accomplish.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...eally-like-to-try-his-hand-at-nascar/?v=2&s=1


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Looking At Another Dirt Race As Eldora Is Confirmed for 2016​*
*NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series will return to Eldora for the fourth annual MudSummer Classic next year.*

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will once again compete on the dirt at Eldora Speedway next season, sources confirmed to Motorsport.com on Friday.

In 2016, however, the Eldora event may not be the only dirt race on the schedule.

Following last month's race at Eldora, NASCAR surveyed Truck series teams as to whether they would be amenable to adding a second dirt track to the Truck series schedule.

*Why teams want another dirt race*

The response was overwhelmingly positive, several sources and team officials confirmed, in part because it would be fiscally beneficial to teams to run the dirt-prepared truck at more than one event.

In addition, NASCAR plans to extend the use of the original 2013 truck design beyond its original three-year approval window, so teams will not have to design a new version.

NASCAR has considered a second dirt event since the success of Eldora's inaugural Truck series race in 2013, which was the first NASCAR national series race held on dirt in more than 40 years.

*Race date*

Eldora officials said they do not have a confirmed date as yet, but sources told Motorsport.com the race is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, July 27, 2016 - the Wednesday night before the annual Brickyard 400, as in years past.

"We have yet to hear from NASCAR with a list of proposed dates for 2016," said Roger Slack, Promoter of Eldora Speedway. "I have notified them that the 33rd annual Kings Royal, our second largest event behind the 46th World 100, is scheduled for July 15-16.

"They are well aware of our preference for a larger window to turn the facility from one major event to another."

A July 27 date would give Eldora 10 days as opposed to the four it had this year to prepare for the event turnaround.

*NASCAR at Knoxville?*

The most-often mentioned possibility for a second Truck series dirt race is Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, home to the famed Knoxville Nationals sprint car event.

A Truck race could be paired the same weekend as one of the Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway, which is located in Newton - about 30 miles north of Knoxville.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-tr...er-dirt-race-as-eldora-is-confirmed-for-2016/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allmendinger On Pole At The Glen​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6799&StatType=Starting+Lineup

AJ Allmendinger powered his way around Watkins Glen International's 2.45-mile road course Saturday afternoon to claim the pole position for the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

Allmendinger, the defending winner of Sunday's race, had a fast lap of 127.839 mph (68.993 seconds) in the No. 47 JTG/Daugherty Racing entry and will share the front row with Martin Truex Jr. Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed as Chevrolet swept the top seven spots.

Saturday's pole-winning run took some of the sting out of a so-so practice day for Allmendinger on Friday.

"I was frustrated yesterday and probably wasn't helping," Allmendinger said. "I was overdriving, trying to get more than what was there and I didn't do a good job."

He did a very good job Saturday in putting JTG/Daugherty in a prime position for the start of Sunday's 90-lap chase.

"Track position is critical around here," Allmendinger said of the fast - but tight - Glen layout. "Everybody is so close, it's tough to pass, you start beating and banging on each other, and your fenders get torn up. So this is a good start, and strategy plays a lot in this race - fuel mileage and everything. I don't know if I'll sleep any better tonight, but I'll be ready for Sunday."

Perhaps ready for a second straight win at The Glen?

"These guys deserve it," Allmendinger said of his crew. "I want to lift them on my shoulders and carry them to Victory Lane. Last year was special, and it makes you want to do it more and more. I'm going to try to make it happen."

In grabbing a spot on the outside of the front row, Truex missed the pole by just 14 one-hundredths of a second.

"I missed my marks a little bit and we may have been close if I'd hit that right," he said. "We made some big gains (Friday) and felt good about the car after practice. We've got a good car in race trim."

Stewart said he squeezed all he could out of his No. 14 Chevrolet in securing the No. 3 starting spot.

"That was all I had and I'm content with it," said Stewart, who will have his best start of the season when the green flag flies Sunday. "Three good weeks of qualifying make me happy, at three different tracks with three different packages (Indy, Pocono and now Watkins Glen). That's an awesome way to start the weekend."

Kyle Busch was the top-qualifying Toyota driver, landing on the outside of the fourth row in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry.

"Our laps weren't great, we were just OK," said Busch, who's won four of the last six races in 2015. "We were way too loose and didn't have the balance we needed to get the speed out of it for some of the corners."

With his victory earlier this year on the road course in Sonoma, Calif., Busch is looking for a season sweep of the two Sprint Cup Series road races. He's the last driver to accomplish that feat, in 2008.

Team Penske's Brad Keselowski led the Ford contingent in Saturday's qualifying session by landing the No. 11 starting spot, leaving him less than thrilled.

"It's not where we want to be," he said. "We need to just run a solid race on Sunday and if we've got some good pace, we'll get there."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at The Glen beginning at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-the-Pole-at-Watkins-Glen-International.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Leads One-Two Penske Sweep​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6793&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano led a one-two Team Penske sweep Saturday at Watkins Glen International, winning the Zippo 200 XFINITY Series race.

Brad Keselowski finished second with points leader Chris Buescher, Boris Said and Ty Dillon completing the top five.

Logano shook off a pit-road infraction that sent him to the back of the field early in the race. But by the end of the day, his No. 12 Team Penske Ford was comfortably at the front of the field. The only other car that came close was the No. 22 of teammate Keselowski, who recovered from a pit-road speeding penalty to finish second.

"Everything went as planned," said Logano, who was penalized for dragging a fuel can from his pit stall after a green-flag stop on Lap 20 of 82. "It was fun to have a car that was that fast, out there racing these guys and racing your teammate for the win. It shows a lot about our organization."

Logano was 22nd when he restarted on Lap 27 after NASCAR threw the second yellow flag of the race to retrieve his errant fuel can. With the help of two quick cautions, Logano quickly drove to the front and on Lap 49, he passed Keselowski for the lead - drag-racing his teammate from the exit of Turn 7 to the start/finish line and clearing him through Turn 1.

"I knew my car was fast enough to get there," Logano said of the quick run to the front. "I didn't know if I was going to run them all down in that one run like that. I didn't think that would happen, but it showed a lot of strength in our racecar."

It was the first road-course victory for Logano in any of NASCAR's top series.

"I've been so close to winning with the '22' team on the (Sprint) Cup side and this XFINITY team has been close to winning here, lately, so it's nice to get Team Penske back in Victory Lane," said Logano, who had Sprint Cup crew chief Todd Gordon calling the race and his Sprint Cup crew servicing the car on pit road to gain experience for Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

If Logano and Keselowski dominated at the front of the field - leading 39 and 40 laps, respectively, behind them was chaos. XFINITY Series title contender Regan Smith suffered the brunt of the damage, getting the short end of run-ins with both Dillon and Brendan Gaughan. Smith came home 20th and lost 18 points to series leader Buescher.

After stopping alongside Gaughan's car for a few post-race words, Smith headed for Dillon on pit road. A brief shoving match ensued before NASCAR officials and crew members separated the drivers.

Dillon admitted making two mistakes during the race, the first of which spun Smith's JR Motorsports Chevrolet after a restart on Lap 40. Then, what Dillon didn't expect was a threat from Smith.

"He said he was going to wreck me - we'll see," Dillon said. "I took the blame for it, but he came down here picking a fight. That's a different game."

After the altercation, Smith repeated the promise to reporters.

"I got dumped in Turn 1," Smith said. "It was pretty plain and simple. I don't think I'm the only one he dumped today. I guarantee you, I might have lost the championship today but he did, too. There's no chance that '3' car wins the championship and I'm going to make sure of it."

Buescher extended his series lead to 24 points over Dillon and seventh-place finisher Chase Elliott, who are tied for second in the standings. Smith is fourth, now 57 points off the pace.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-Logano-Leads-One-Two-Team-Penske-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ty Dillon, Regan Smith Scuffle, Exchange Fighting Words After Xfinity Race​*
Ty Dillon and Regan Smith engaged in a scuffle after Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International, but the bellicose exchange that followed was even more bruising.

Smith grabbed Dillon by the firesuit in the pits after being spun on a midrace restart in the Zippo 200 at The Glen. Dillon seemingly attempted to cock a fist, but no punches were thrown as the drivers were separated by team members and NASCAR officials.

"I guarantee you I might have lost the championship today, but he sure as hell did, too," Smith, who finished 20th, told NBCSN's Mike Massaro in an interview after the confrontation. "There's zero chance that (Dillon) wins this championship."

The contact with Dillon on the Lap 40 restart dropped Smith from third to 29th.

"He says he's going to wreck me, but we'll see," Dillon, who placed fifth, said of Smith. "Honestly, I was going to talk to him about it, but I guess he didn't want to talk. If he wants to do that, I'll meet him in the bus lot and handle it. I'm not afraid.

"We had a good Chevrolet. I just made two real big mistakes. I took full blame for it, but to come down here and pick a fight, it's a different game.

Dillon said he lost control of his No. 3 Camaro on consecutive restarts because of wheel-hopping.

"I did it two times in a row," he said. "I'm very disappointed in myself. Not only did I tear up everybody else's car, but I tore up mine. I'm very apologetic about that, but not about after the race."

Smith hardly was comforted by Dillon's apology.

"Of course he did," Smith said. "He came out of all of them unscathed. I'd take responsibility as well if I knew the car was back there in 30th place, out of my way. You don't have to worry about it when you do that."

Smith also confronted Brendan Gaughan after spinning from contact with Gaughan's No. 62 Chevrolet with 12 laps remaining.

It's not the first run-in between Smith and Dillon. The drivers had an animated conversation after last August's race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but it wasn't as physical as Saturday at the Glen.

A tweet by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the co-owner of Smith's No. 7 Chevy, took note of the history.








Smith trails championship leader Chris Buescher by 57 points in the standings, with Saturday's finish dropping him 18 points further behind first. Dillon is tied with Chase Elliott for second in the standings, 24 behind Buescher.











*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ting-words-after-xfinity-race-videos/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Sweeps Watkins Glen​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6799&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano raced by Kevin Harvick, who ran out of fuel on the last lap, to win Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International after taking Saturday's XFINITY Series race.

Logano scored his second win of the season to go along with his season-opening Daytona 500 victory. It was his first career Sprint Cup Series road course win.

"I was running down Harvick there for a little bit and once I got close to him he started to pick up his pace a little bit, which was good because I needed him to run out of gas," Logano said. "I started to catch him a little bit and I drove into one too hard and started to wheel hop. I just about lost it and at that point you just hope he runs out of gas, which he did in the last corner. It makes up for last week. We lost the race last week the same way, so it makes up for it to get it this week."

Kyle Busch also raced by Harvick and finished second. Busch's finish moved him to 30th in the point standings and at this juncture makes him eligible for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Harvick coasted to the checkered flag in third.

Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch completed the top five.

Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Sam Hornish Jr. and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top-10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Michigan International Speedway next Sunday for the Pure Michigan 400.

How Logano Won: Unlike last week in Pocono, Logano was on the positive end of a fuel mileage race. Crew chief Todd Gordon knew Logano had more fuel than Harvick and instructed his driver to press the issue for the lead in the closing laps. When he did it caused Harvick to burn additional fuel rather than conserve and when he finally ran dry on the final lap Logano buzzed by to take the checkered flag.

Who Had a Good Day: There were a few others outside of race winner Logano no doubt smiling after their day at Watkins Glen. Kyle Busch is for now in the Chase after another strong effort on Sunday&#8230;Bowyer's sixth-place performance has him in the final Chase transfer spot&#8230;Hornish Jr. gave Richard Petty Motorsports something to cheer about with his ninth-place finish coming after teammate Aric Almirola's early race problems.

Who Had a Bad Day: Kasey Kahne's Chase chances took another hit Sunday. After exiting Pocono last week after a lap 5 crash Kahne was knocked out of Sunday's race as part of a chain-reaction incident...Tony Stewart's return to Watkins Glen after two years was a disaster when he exited the race past the halfway mark with a drive train issue&#8230;.Jeff Gordon's farewell run at Watkins Glen turned out to be sour when a brake line ended his shot at winning&#8230;.Jamie McMurray finished 40th after suffering damage in the chain-reaction crash Kahne was also involved in on lap 50&#8230;AJ Allmendinger's bid for a second straight Watkins Glen win was not to be on a day filled with handling issues, mechanical problems and fuel mileage challenges. He shut off his engine to save fuel but could not restart it on lap 51.

What Else Happened: The first half of the race was reminiscent of last week at Pocono with a lot of crazy happenings including spins and pit road penalties. Denny Hamlin had his hood pinned back to the windshield of his car after making contact on a restart. He eventually made it to pit road to have the hood replaced. There was also a huge chain reaction accident that damaged several cars and Kahne was the biggest victim of the melee.

Quote of the Day: "Can we have something not break for once," AJ Allmendinger when his car would not restart.

Notables: Kahne has lost 101 points in the standings over the last two weeks going from 50 points ahead in the Chase race to 51 out now with four races left in the regular season...Greg Biffle came back from a trip through the grass early in the race to finish 14th...Watkins Glen announced a sellout crowd for Sunday's race.






*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eez-It-355-at-Watkins-Glen-International.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Day For Gordon And Kahne​*
Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne saw their bids to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup jeopardized in Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International.

Gordon suffered a brake line issue early in the race that sent him to pit road for repairs. The problem sent Gordon four laps downs down to the field and he was not able to finish higher than 41st.

That dropped Gordon to 12th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings and still being winless he's trying to hang on to a Chase berth with only four races left in the regular season.

It's disappointing," said Gordon, who now ranks 14th on the Chase Grid. "Right now, I feel we can't afford to have these finishes if we're going to make the Chase.

"Just when you think you get something that goes your way, and something like this happens. We keep fighting and digging and trying to get the finishes we need to get solidly in there."

Although Gordon doesn't have the finishes to show for it in recent weeks, he has been able to run consistently.

"We need to improve performance-wise, but I think our performance is not bad," Gordon said. "Right now it's the unknown. The concerns of freak things happening like what happened at Indy (and) what happened here.

"Those are things out of your control. We're all about the things you can control. From that standpoint, we're trying to improve the performance of the car slightly. We're not far off, though."

Kahne is as far off as he's been all year. A second straight disastrous week at Watkins Glen saw Kahne fall 51 points out of the final Chase transfer spot. That's a 101 point swing for Kahne in two weeks time.

After spinning and hitting the pit wall last week at Pocono for a lap five exit, Kahne was the victim of a chain-reaction restart crash on Sunday at The Glen that sent him out of the race to a 42nd-place finish.

"I made it longer this week than last," Kahne said trying to laugh off the situation. "That was pretty awful last week. Yeah, at this rate we're going to need to win. That's the only way we'll go into the Chase. I don't know what my deal is. But we've got to get a little better. I need to get a little better."

Kahne's holding out hope he can pull off a late season win in the next four weeks like he did last year to get into the Chase.

"We had a nice test at Bristol, so I feel that will help us when we get there," he said. "And Michigan; there were times at Indianapolis when we were really quick with that package. I know they're working hard to bring a little less drag and more downforce type deal there for us, all four of us.

"So hopefully we can run good at Michigan and maybe get a win there. We've won there before and also won there at Bristol before; so, maybe one of those tracks. Darlington and Richmond; there are some tracks that we could run really well at."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ck-Teammates-Jeff-Gordon-and-Kasey-Kahne.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Remains Optimistic​*
Tony Stewart's weekend at Watkins Glen International did not go as planned but he still had some reason to stay positive.

In his first race back at Watkins Glen after missing the 2013 and 2014 editions of the Cheez-It 355, Stewart had high hopes for a good finish. He missed the race two years ago with leg injuries suffered in a sprint car crash. Last year Stewart did not race at The Glen in the aftermath of the sprint car accident he was involved in that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr.

But Stewart was looking forward to his return to The Glen despite the news coming Friday that the family of Ward Jr. had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him.

He qualified well and started Sunday's race third. But on lap 56 his day came to a disappointing end when a rear gear issue knocked him from the race.

"We changed it out, but we are going to leave the rear end together and get it back to (the shop) and find out exactly what happened," Stewart said.

Although he was credited with finishing last on Sunday, Stewart still saw enough of his race team's effort over the weekend, and the past few weeks, to put a positive spin on the situation.

"I guess for me its big picture," he explained. "The way our season has been we've picked up. Indy we picked up, Pocono we picked up, we picked up here in qualifying at all three places for sure.

"At the end of the day the results won't show it, but I think for us it's &#8230; granted it's three totally different disciplines and packages and all that, but I feel like we are starting to gain some momentum. Like I said, it won't show it at the end of the day on the results, but I feel good about our weekend."

Stewart was also pleased at how the crowd reacted to his introduction on Sunday and used that as another motivation for continued improvement in the weeks to come.

"Yeah, real good all the way around," he said. "Yeah, we had a good weekend, as good as it could be. Happy to get to race here today. That is something I have been looking forward to and happy about the couple of weeks we have coming up."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/08/Tony-Stewart-Remains-Optimistic.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Currently Chase Eligible​*
Kyle Busch moved inside the top 30 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings and has a Chase spot in hand with four races to go in the regular season.

Busch has won four times since his return from leg and foot injuries that caused him to miss the first 11 races of the season. But NASCAR granted Busch an exemption and he would be Chase eligible by winning at least a race and finishing the regular season inside the first 30 of the standings.

Busch's second-place finish in Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International moved him to 30th in the standings.

"Yeah, we knew we would be. It was just a matter of time," Busch said after Sunday's second road course race of the season.

But Busch said crew chief Adam Stevens took a safe approach to finishing Sunday's race rather than to risk running out of fuel as Kevin Harvick did on the final lap to open the door for Joey Logano's win.

Instead of pushing Logano, Busch went into conservation mode to ensure a good finish and move up the point standings.

"I had a chance," Busch said. "I could've went up there, I could've raced the 22 (Logano), I could've passed him. I felt like I was better than he was, but my crew chief called in scared on the fuel situation from last week and I don't blame him. We definitely didn't want to run out again. We wanted to make sure we could be there at the end."

Last week at Pocono, both Busch and Logano ran out of fuel while ahead in the closing laps. This week Busch and Stevens seemed determined to not let that happen again and risk the possibility of a bad finish as well as falling down in the point standings.

"It's challenging," Busch said of trying to save fuel. "There at the end we didn't have to save but we weren't sure that we were still going to be able to make it. We didn't want to do the same thing we did last week - the 22 (Logano) and the 18 ran out. But, this week we made it. It was a solid day for us.

"If I had enough left in it to go chase that 22 down, I know I could've got there and we could've had a race for the win and seeing how all of that was going to play out."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Chase-Eligible-after-Watkins-Glen-Finish.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. On Watkins Glen: 'You Call That A Fuel Mileage Race?'​*
Even though he ran out of fuel on the last lap of Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen, Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued his quest to improve as a road course driver.

Earnhardt finished 11th for the second consecutive year at Watkins Glen, adding to his finishes of third and seventh at Sonoma the last two years.

"I think that is the best I've ran here comparable to the leaders' speed, maybe, in my career," Earnhardt said. "We've had some good cars here, but I don't know. We came here in '08 and led (33 laps) and did well, but that was a good car. I had the leaders right in front of me all day."

Even though back-to-back 11th-place finishes are competitive, Earnhardt's best career finishes at The Glen came in 2003 (finished third), 2004 (fifth) and 2005 (10th).

"We ran out of gas off the last corner," Earnhardt said of Sunday's race. "We had a fast car. Eleventh is not a great finish, but considering we were kind of not in a good position there on strategy.

"We didn't get the cautions. We just didn't get them. Usually you expect to get that late caution inside 20 (laps) to go. That would have made it good and we could have run hard, maybe run in the top 10."

Yet, even though he and several other drivers ran out of fuel, Earnhardt objected to the outcome being dictated by fuel mileage.

"You call that a fuel mileage race?" Earnhardt said. "The No. 22 (Joey Logano) won; he wasn't using fuel mileage to win.

"I wouldn't call this a fuel mileage race. This was a road course and you call these races backwards. Your guys are going to get aggressive on the fuel.

"That is the way it was going to be. Everybody knew that coming in. We just didn't get the cautions we always get. We still ended up with a good run."

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...en-you-call-that-a-fuel-mileage-race/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hoodwinked Again: Denny Hamlin Encounters Familiar Problem At WGI​*
*F*or the second time in three weeks, Denny Hamlin was forced to race around the track with his hood blown up in the windshield during Sunday's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International.

While the first incident was human error during practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday's incident at WGI took place during the actual event, causing serious problems for Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team.

After hit with a pit road speeding penalty under the first caution of the day, Hamlin was forced to restart in the back of the pack when the race went back to green on Lap 30 of 90 during the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

When the green flag flew to restart the race, the field stacked up and Hamlin drove hard into the back of David Gilliland's No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. The contact broke the hood pins and braces and caused the hood to fly up into the windshield.

While Hamlin kept the car on track for the following lap, he was forced to bring the No. 11 JGR Toyota to pit road under green-flag conditions when he was black-flagged by NASCAR. The team led by crew chief Darian Grubb quickly went to work removing the hood before sending Hamlin back on track.

Back on track, the cowl flaps were still attached to the car and flapping wildly as Hamlin drove around the 2.45-mile road course. As he drove through the Esses, the left side cowl flap flew off and as he entered the inner loop the right side cowl flap flew off, bringing out the second caution of the day.

Under the caution, one of the JGR crew member ran back to the team's hauler, grabbed a replacement hood from the team's backup can and ran it back to pit road, where the team worked with NASCAR official David Green about the specifics of replacing the hood.

Despite the damage, Hamlin remained on the lead lap in the 37th spot. 
Later, during the third caution period of the day, Hamlin's team was able to replace the hood on the No. 11 JGR Toyota.

On the final restart of the day on Lap 61, Hamlin was able to take advantage of staying out to restart in the seventh spot. Trying to stretch the fuel over the final laps, Hamlin's gamble did not pay off as he was forced to pit road with only a handful of laps to go.

As a result, the No. 11 JGR Toyota finished the day 27th on the leaderboard.






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...n-encounters-a-familiar-problem-at-wgi-080915


----------



## Ckg2011

*Watkins Glen Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's second Sprint Cup Series road-course race of the year at Watkins Glen International was a success for some and frustrating for others.

*WINNERS​*
*Joey Logano*
One week after losing a race on fuel mileage at Pocono, Logano took advantage of Kevin Harvick's last-lap misfortune to win the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen. It capped a huge weekend for the Team Penskle driver, who also won Saturday's XFINITY Series Zippo 200.

*Kyle Busch*
It didn't take long for Busch to get Chase-eligible after his return from injury. After missing 11 races, Busch has stormed back to win four times and his second-place run Sunday got him into the top 30 of the point standings. As of now, he has a Chase berth.

*Kurt Busch*
He hasn't been as flashy as his younger brother, but the elder Busch has been turning in a strong season of his own. He drove hard to come home fifth on Sunday and has the look of a guy that will be a factor in this year's Chase.

*Clint Bowyer*
While all the speculation about Michael Waltrip Racing and Bowyer's future swirl around the garage area, he keeps taking care of business. Another top 10 at Watkins Glen has Bowyer looking good in terms of making the Chase with four races left in the regular season.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*
In a year like Hornish is having, any top 10 is worth celebrating. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver guided the No. 9 Ford that's been so good at The Glen in past years with Marcos Ambros driving to a ninth-place finish on Sunday.

*LOSERS*​
*Kasey Kahne*
Nothing like a 101-point swing in the standings to ruin your summer. That's what's happened to Kahne in the last two weeks and after getting caught in a chain-reaction crash on Sunday, his Chase chances are on the ropes.

*Jeff Gordon*
The last race of Gordon's career at Watkins Glen was a dud. Thanks to a problem with a brake line, Gordon was multiple laps down to the field in the early going and never a factor to go out with a fifth career victory at The Glen.

*Tony Stewart*
Hand it to Stewart that after an awful Sunday, he found a way to remain optimistic. He practiced well and qualified third ... that's the good news. But mechanical problems just past halfway ended the positive vibes and Stewart finished last.

*AJ Allmendinger*
The "Cinderella" story line, Part 2, never materialized for Allmendinger. He didn't come close to repeating his popular Watkins Glen win of a year ago. Allmendinger's car would not fire after he shut it down to conserve fuel, which sealed his fate.

*Jamie McMurray*
Had an engine problem that triggered a multi-car accident on a restart and picked up severe damage of his own. Rough day for McMurray, who was credited with only a 40th-place finish.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ns-Glen-International-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preece To Pair With Tommy Baldwin Racing For Cup Debut​*
Whelen Modified points leader looks to make first Sprint Cup start at Loudon

Ryan Preece hopes to make his Sprint Cup debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Tommy Baldwin Racing on September 27.

Preece has three XFINITY Series starts with TBR including two at NHMS. The 24-year-old Kensington, Conn.-native posted a career-high 14th at Loudon in his second start.

"I'm very excited," Preece told motorsport.com. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Preece, who won the title in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour in 2013, is the current points leader of the series. He's scored three wins this season - including last night at Stafford Speedway - five top fives and nine top-10 finishes in 117 starts.

Preece has also campaigned on the Whelen Southern Modified this season where in four starts he's earned three poles - including at South Boston Speedway where he went on to win in April.

The former NASCAR Next driver will have TBR teammate Alex Bowman to lean on at Loudon next month.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/preece-to-pair-with-tommy-baldwin-racing-for-cup-debut


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Glen Gets A Facelift, Full Track On NASCAR's Radar​*
*Historic Watkins Glen begins repaving project, 'The Boot' could be added for future NASCAR competition.*

When Joey Logano won at Watkins Glen, little did he know that part of his celebration would include destroying the site of his first road course win.

On Sunday, after Logano received the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen trophy, he was handed a broom for sweeping both the Cup and Xfinity Series events. Then the Team Penske racer climbed into a backhoe and proceeded to bust up the asphalt.

After finally winning road course race, it was understandable that Logano had mixed emotions regarding the resurfacing of the track.

"As soon as we figured out how to win here, they're going to tear the racetrack apart," Logano said. "That figures."

*Getting underway*

WGI president Michael Printup told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the project would include "the entire course - the long course and the short course."

"We're completely ripping it up," Printup said. "In some places all the way to the ground, in some places not. We do core samples and we study them like every other race track. So we're going to do a whole redo. We're going to shut down for the rest of the year because we have another 80 days of racing that we typically do after NASCAR, but we're going to rip it up and put a whole new asphalt system down.

"The way I put it, our state here in New York spends a million dollars per mile to put down asphalt, we're going to spend between three and four million dollars a mile. So it will be about a $12 million project to finish out this racetrack and make it perfect for next year."

Printup says engineers laser-measured the track to keep the degrees of banking true to its original design.

"All the track will remain the same - obviously the track has degraded," Printup added. "Like every other track that has done this before, we laser the track and then the computers will put it all together and then we lay the asphalt right straight back down again. It will take another two-and-a-half months - maybe three months with the weather to get it all back down.

"We're a little bit different because we're not an oval. And the big thing is, we have concrete in the corners. That was done from inertia issues and load and lift many, many years ago. So we're going to pull the concrete out - and some guys, and some gals, like that concrete. You've got a little stick in there and if you know how to throw your back end around through the corners.

"But otherwise, I think we're going to add a little more stickiness down and it might be a little bit faster next year."

*Boot-y call?*

Although Printup says "nothing will change with the configuration" that's not entirely true where NASCAR is concerned. NASCAR Senior Vice President Steve O'Donnell says the sanctioning body is considering adding the boot - another 0.95-miles to the circuit for the 2016 races.

"We're discussing it with the track," O'Donnell told the NASCAR Wire Service. "It's something we're looking at down the road."

The Glen actually finished repaving the boot - the sections that completes the long course which includes Turns 6 through 9 - prior to last weekend's events. The 3.40-mile long course has not been used in NASCAR racing since NASCAR returned to the track in 1986.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/the-glen-gets-a-facelift-full-track-on-nascar-s-radar


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allgaier Expected To Return With HScott Motorsports​*
*HScott Motorsports plans to continue with the driver lineup they have into 2016.*

Harry Scott is close to re-signing Justin Allgaier.

"Brandt has expressed an interest in coming back and doing what we're doing," said the team owner of HScott Motorsports. "And Justin wants to come back.

"So we'll be able to put it back together."

Allgaier is currently 29th in the Sprint Cup point standings. His best finish was eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway in April. After five seasons of finishing sixth or better in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and posting three wins, the 29-year-old Riverton, Ill. racer graduated to the Cup tour last year. Allgaier qualified 12th for Sunday's Cheez-It 355 - his best effort of the season.

Scott, who is in his second full Sprint Cup season, fields cars for both Allgaier and Michael Annett. HSM also runs an NXS team with Kyle Larson and Brennan Poole out of Chip Ganassi's shop in Concord, N.C.

*Staying the course*

While there has been talk of Scott moving his Cup operation to North Carolina, he says the game plan is to stay the course with a two-car team in Spartanburg, S.C.

"My goal is to concentrate on doing our best with the two we have, getting them better and improving the program," Scott added. "Unless something changes, our plan right now is to stay where we are. We like our shop. We love South Carolina, Spartanburg."

Although Scott had worked with Larson on the XFINITY side before, bringing in Brennan Poole part-time has been a pleasant surprise. Poole, 24, has two top 10s in his first 13 starts in the series.

"I'm really proud of Brennan," Scott said. "He's done exactly what we've asked of him this year. We told him we wanted him to get experience and finish all the laps. He gets faster and faster each week - and faster throughout the race and with very few exceptions has he put himself in bad spots.

"He's been doing exactly what I've asked him. I'm really pleased with his progress."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/allgaier-expected-to-return-with-hscott-motorsports


----------



## Ckg2011

*Safety Features Added At Michigan International Speedway​*
*MIS extends pit wall prior to NASCAR events*

As a result of a pre-event review from the International Speedway Corp. and NASCAR, changes will be made to the pit wall at Michigan International Speedway in time for this weekend's races, NASCAR and track officials confirmed.

Approximately 150 feet of temporary wall will be added to the existing pit road tri-oval wall, extending toward Turn 4.

The change comes in part as a result of a trio of incidents which took place two weeks ago at Pocono Raceway, where three different drivers spun off the exit of Turn 3 and ended up slamming into a portion of the pit wall.

The most serious incident involved driver Kasey Kahne in the Sprint Cup Series race. He spun and hit the pit wall on Lap 5 of the race, hitting an area filled with team members and fans with pit road passes. No one was injured.

A day earlier, Jeb Burton wrecked in almost the same fashion and location during a Cup series practice session. Burton told Motorsport.com his accident registered 45g's but was expected to receive a complete report this week. Ray Black Jr. had a similar incident during the weekend's Truck race, but hit an area away from where teams typically pit.

MIS has also completed the addition of 700 feet of energy-absorbing SAFER barrier and tire packs on the wall inside of Turn 1.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/safety-features-added-at-michigan-international-speedway


----------



## Ckg2011

*Enfinger Leads The Way At Berlin​*
Grant Enfinger led almost every lap Saturday at Berlin Raceway for his fourth win of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season.

"It doesn't always go this smooth," the Fairhope, Ala. driver said after having the fastest car in both practice sessions, winning the pole and leading 198 of 200 laps at the 0.4-mile paved oval.

He also widened his series point lead over Austin Wayne Self, who finished fifth in the Federated Auto Parts 200.

Venturini Motorsports teammates Mason Mitchell and Frank Kimmel were second and third and Brian Keselowski fourth. Josh Williams, in sixth place, was the final car on the lead lap.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards races next at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. on Sunday, Aug. 23.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/enfinger-leads-the-way-at-berlin/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowman To Make Truck Series Debut With JR Motorsports​*
Alex Bowman will make his first career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in the Careers for Veterans 200 presented by Cooper Standard and Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation (1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Bowman will drive the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned team that fields entries in the NASCAR XFINITY Series as well as one Truck in the Camping World Truck Series.

"The experiences I had racing for JR Motorsports last year were a lot of fun," Bowman said in a release provided by the team. "It'll be a learning experience for me being my first time in a truck. Watching the 00 team so far this season, I know it's going to be a fast truck and we'll have a shot to run up front. The main goal is to help these guys continue learning and improving on their overall program, particularly at the big tracks, so we'll try to do that and see if we can pick up a win at the same time."

Bowman ran two races (at Charlotte and Phoenix) in 2014 for JRM in what is now known as the XFINITY Series in the team's No. 5 Chevrolet.

Bowman, 22, currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing. He is currently 34th in points in that series.

The No. 00 Truck has run in seven of 12 races this season, the team's first in the Camping World Truck Series. Cole Custer has made five starts, while Sprint Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne have made one start each. Custer won at Gateway in June, while Kahne won at Charlotte in May.

Custer is just 17 years old and is not yet of age to be able to compete at all tracks on the circuit. He is expected to compete in five more Truck Series races this season (Bristol, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, New Hampshire, Martinsville and Phoenix).

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...-series-debut-at-michigan-jr-motorsports.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*New NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Team To Debut At Michigan​*
A welcomed sight in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage will occur this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, a debut of a new team.

Mooresville, North Carolina-based Rette Jones Racing (RJR) will attempt to make Saturday's Careers for Veterans 200 with driver Chad Finley.

The team recently purchased a Ford truck from Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) and will carry the No. 30 number in the 13th race of the season. Finley, a native of DeWitt, Michigan plans to make his NASCAR National Series debut in an entry owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette.








Finley, a 23-year-old standout late model driver returns to his hometown track for the first time since 2011, where an XFINITY Series accident in practice at Michigan forced the Team Rensi Motorsports team to withdraw their entry.

Four years later, Finley along with his father, former racer Jeff Finley have put the sponsorship together and with the help of RJR, he's looking at making the most of a second chance.

"I'm looking forward to this opportunity to be back in NASCAR and make my debut," said Finley. "We've worked hard on this truck over the last couple of weeks, hoping to make good things happen. There's a lot of pressure this week, but pressure is something I'm used to."

Rette, the 2009 ARCA championship crew chief is no stranger to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. A former crew chief at Red Horse Racing, Turner Motorsports and Win-Tron Racing, Rette will call the shots for Finley Saturday afternoon in the first of a limited NCWTS schedule for RJR this season.

The newly established team's expansion to trucks comes on the heels of success in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season with teenager Grant Quinlan who battled Rico Abreu for the win at Columbus Motor Speedway in July, before finishing second in his debut.

"Chad is a talented driver and I think he'll get the job done this weekend at Michigan," Rette said. "He's a smooth driver behind the wheel. He works on any race car or truck he drives, so he understands all the fundamentals of racing. Michigan is a big deal for him with it being his NASCAR debut and at his hometown track, but I think he'll be more than fine.

NASCAR is where we want to be," added Rette. "Terry (Jones) and I have put together a strong platform in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and we're looking forward to broadening our horizons to trucks with the intent to make more starts later this season."

Both Finley and Rette agree that BKR has been incredibly supportive of the team's transition into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

That's not too surprising, though.

Finley once drove for Keselowski in the ARCA Racing Series, where in 10 starts, he posted a best finish of third, three times, most recently in his last ARCA race at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway in 2010.

A good day for Finley on Saturday will be a top-10 finish. While he knows that goal is attainable, it won't come without hard work.

"I trust Mark (Rette)," added Finley. "He lives and breathes racing and he wants to see me succeed just as much as anyone else. He's done a lot of great things this season for RJR and I think we would all be disappointed if we didn't leave there with anything less than a top-10."

Auto Value Parts Stores and Certified Service Centers and Airlift Company will adorn the team's only truck for the 100-lap shootout. The team will also have a technical alliance with Roush Yates engines.

*Source:*
http://www.catchfence.com/2015/truc...r_tweet&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter


----------



## Ckg2011

*Go Green Racing Adds Three Races For Josh Wise​*
Josh Wise's (@Josh_Wise) brief sabbatical from competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is about to end.

CATCHFENCE.com has confirmed that Wise will return as the Go Green Racing driver of the No. 32 Ford Fusion for the next three races beginning with Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Additionally, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team has added the Aug. 22 race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and the Sept. 6 night race at the famed Darlington (S.C.) Raceway to Wise's schedule.

The 32-year-old attempted to make his Cup debut with Go Green Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, but failed to qualify.

Not fazed by missing the Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard, team owner Archie St. Hilaire reaffirmed his belief in Wise's capabilities.

"Josh can do us a good job," St. Hilaire told CATCHFENCE.com recently. "Indianapolis was tough for us, but we're a team and we stick together through the good and bad."

Wise received the call to drive for St. Hilaire's Cup team after departing with Premium Motorsports formally known as Phil Parsons Racing last month.

The Riverside, California native started the season with Phil Parsons Racing, but when the former racer now television broadcaster sold his operation to Jay Robinson in May, Wise circled through the transition to remain in the driver's seat. Wise finished 43rd in his final race for the team after being collected in an early-race accident at Kentucky Speedway.

Two days later, Wise announced his departure from the team through twitter.

"The team and I did not share the same goals moving forward," Wise tweeted.

Showing no animosity towards his former employer, Wise followed up in a subsequent tweet, "I wish them the best and look forward to what the future holds."

In 2011, Wise competed in eight XFINITY races for St. Hilaire's No. 39 team with a best finish of 13th at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

"He's very knowledgeable," St. Hilaire told CATCHFENCE.com last month. "Josh knows a lot about the chassis of a race car and his feedback is great. He's worked with Clinton (Cram, crew chief) before, so I'm hoping they can work together well from the start.

"Without a doubt Josh can help evaluate our program and guide us in the right direction. With him being in the seat more often, he would become a tremendous asset."

Following Darlington, St. Hilaire hinted that Wise could fulfill more races in the No. 32 before season's end, but would not elaborate.

*Source:*
http://www.catchfence.com/2015/sprintcup/08/11/go-green-racing-adds-three-races-for-josh-wise/ utm_campaign=twitter_tweet&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski: Heat Exhaustion, Parts Failures Major Concerns At Michigan With Return of High-Drag Package​*
The debut of NASCAR's high-drag rules package plus stifling heat made for some exhausted drivers after the Xfinity and Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month.

Team Penske's Brad Keselowski said the return of high drag this weekend at Michigan International Speedway could be much more taxing, resulting in what will be "the toughest race probably of the year physically" for drivers.

"The heat's going to be even worse this weekend," he said during a Tuesday conference call with the news media. "There is a large amount of concern across both the teams and the driver for this rules package coming up to Michigan. Even though the track is wider and bigger, the significance of the draft is going to be even more important, so you're going to have to stay in line as much as possible. As you stay in line, the car gets less and less air because that's essentially how the draft works."

The new package employs a much taller 9-inch spoiler and a rear bumper extension, which contributes to sealing off the cockpit from airflow.

Keselowski said there also is concern about durability because of the high speeds at Michigan. The 2-mile oval is the fastest in NASCAR with pole speeds surpassing 200 mph since a repaving three years ago.

"(That) means the parts, specifically the drivetrain, are going to be even hotter," Keselowski said. "The team is very, very concerned about the drivetrain, everything from the engine all the way back to the axles, because they're really not made for these temperatures.

"We kind of build our cars at 110 percent rule, which is if 100 percent is what you expect a car under normal loads to carry. You build in another 10 percent safety margin. Well, that 100 percent was based around the rules package that we began the year around, and this particular iteration of that rules package has more than eaten up that 10 percent margin that we theoretically work around with the cars.

"So I would not be surprised to see a lot of car failures this weekend specific to heat relation as it pertains to the aero package and its kind of cause and effects. And inside the car I would not be surprised to see a lot of hot and worn out drivers after the race. We all know we're in for a handful of a race."

Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-80s for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...gan-with-return-of-high-drag-package/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sprint Cup Stars Return To Knoxville​*
Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson returned to Knoxville, Iowa on Wednesday for a good cause before attending the first qualifying night for the 55th FVP Knoxville Nationals.

The quartet of drivers returned to participate in the third annual Weld Racing Go-Kart Spectacular at Slideways Karting Center just up the road from the Knoxville Raceway.

All proceeds from the event, which saw race fans donate to compete against the Cup drivers, went to Kick-It, a program and partner of the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer research.

"To get this caliber of drivers out here as well as the fans that are coming out here and racing, and watching, is amazing," said Gordon, who won last year's race. "This has really become an event I look forward to every year."

Kasey Kahne took home the checkered flag in this year's edition driving a kart that resembled the No. 9 Great Clips car he owns for driver Daryn Pittman.

"It's great to come out here for a great cause," Kahne said. "The whole Knoxville week is a blast. I enjoy coming out here each year. To win in this Great Clips car felt good."

Tony Stewart, who owns the car of reigning Knoxville Nationals champion Donny Schatz, says this week is one of his biggest of the season.

"This is what I kind of look forward to from the time we start in Daytona until now," Stewart said. "Coming out here this week and hanging out with our friends and getting to watch our sprint car teams run."

A jam-packed crowd was on hand to watch the heat races and feature at Slideways. The fundraising efforts will continue on Friday with the fourth-annual Tony Stewart Kick-It Cup kickball game.

"I think this turns out to be one of the biggest events of the Nationals," Stewart said. "It's definitely the biggest one during the day. It's cool to come out here with our Sprint Cup buddies. We are all dirt track guys so that's why we are all here to support Jeff and his foundation. It's something that we are all behind 100 percent."

Justin Marks, who will compete in Saturday's XFINITY Series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, donated to race in the karting event and had a thrilling battle with Gordon and Larson in his heat race. Marks and Larson co-own the car Shane Stewart won with in the opening qualifying night of the Knoxville Nationals. (Race Results)

"This is the biggest week of the year for me probably because this is the best chance I have ever had to win an XFINITY race in the equipment I'm running at the road courses," said Marks, who will leave for Mid-Ohio on Thursday and return to Knoxville after the XFINITY race. "And the Larson Marks sprint car team is really doing well. We've won some big races recently and we've got a lot of momentum going on right now."

Gordon's kart was painted to look like the first sprint car he raced in 1985. The design carried over to Victory Lane at Knoxville Raceway on Wednesday night as Stewart and Larson Marks is honoring Gordon with a tribute car.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ahne-and-Kyle-Larson-Return-to-Knoxville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Gives Unexpected Donation To Help Family That Lost Three Sons In Accident​*
A chance encounter at a store in Knoxville, Iowa, ended with Sprint Cup driver Tony Stewart donating $1,400 to a family that lost three brothers in a car crash last Thursday in New Sharon, Iowa.

Accoring to the NBC affiliate in Des Moines, the Sprint Cup driver, in the city for the sprint racing Knoxviille Nationals, was at a store called Pamida when he overheard Ralphi Munson meeting with a friend.

Munson is a friend of a family named the Singletary's, who lost brothers Jamie, Carson, and Christian when their car was hit by a truck. Jamie, 16, was driving the car. Carson was 13 years old and Christian was 10.

Efforts to help the family have included a GoFundMe page, a U.S. Bank account, and a community spaghetti supper, but Munson was helping in her own way. She was showing her friend four totes full of racing memorabilia she had collected since 1982 and was planning on selling to raise money.

That's when Stewart approached her.

"I overheard everything and I want to do this for the kids," Munson recalled Stewart saying.

The three-time Sprint Cup champion gave Munson $700 for all of the memorabilia. Stewart then had a friend of his bring over more, which brought the total to $1,400.

Stewart is no stranger to helping out a good cause. Last week, Stewart and Texas Motor Speedway held the eighth annual "Smoke Show." The event gave 20 people who donated money to the Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter the chance to drive old Sprint Cup cars and enjoy a ride along with Stewart in his No. 14 Bass Pro Shop Chevrolet.

This year's event raised more than $83,000, moving the eight-year total to $1.5 million.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ily-that-lost-three-sons-in-accident/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Michigan​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Schrader Ready For ARCA Dirt Events​*
Ken Schrader is coming up on one of his favorite parts of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule, and it involves dirt, state fairs, corn dogs and a connection to his youth.

According to Schrader, racing at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds is a throwback to the old days. Apparently those 'old days' were, and still are, very special to the 60-year-old veteran driver.

"Springfield and DuQuoin were the really big races that we went to as kids," Schrader said. "Went to DuQuoin for the first time in '64&#8230;slept in the back of my daddy's station wagon. It was hard to believe that there was anything bigger. Hell, we didn't get to go to Daytona, so, to me, there was nothing bigger than Springfield and DuQuoin. Back then, they raced Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday during fair week. All my heroes were there."

And in Schrader's eyes, the State Fair championship races at the fairgrounds still rank among the biggest and best.

"Those events today are still special to me. It's just a different deal&#8230;with the fairs going on. The show takes on a different light. They're special events.
"Back when we were running Cup, the crew would get the car to the fair&#8230;we'd always come up early&#8230;get together with the Allgaier's&#8230;take Dorothy (his daughter) and Justin (Allgaier) to the fair. When the racing was done, we'd stay at the Allgaier's house Sunday night. It was a lot of fun."

Schrader is entered in both the SuperChevyStores.com 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Sunday, August 23 and in the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Labor Day Monday, September 7. He won at Springfield driving for Ed Rensi in 1998 and at DuQuoin three times&#8230;in 2006, 2007 and 2013 in his own Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet.

"Springfield and DuQuoin are throwbacks to the old days&#8230;it's how our sport started at fairgrounds tracks across the country. Just regular old stock cars on dirt because that's what we had most of back then. Fortunately, the tradition carried on.

"Most of the mile-dirts are gone, but the state of Illinois still has the mile dirt championship stock car races. In many ways, and for many great drivers, it started at Springfield and DuQuoin. These events are not only great family fun, but very important to the character and traditions of our sport."

With more than 700 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts and 18 career ARCA wins, he spends most of his time these days circling dirt bullrings across America in his Federated Auto Parts-sponsored dirt modified. In fact, he will already have as many as 70 races in the books this year prior to landing at Springfield.

The 53rd running of the SuperChevyStores.com 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield takes center stage on the world's fastest mile dirt track Sunday afternoon Aug. 23 alongside the 163rd annual Illinois State Fair.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ock-cars/schrader-ready-for-arca-dirt-events/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart Trending Upward​*
Tony Stewart sees reason to remain positive about his season as he heads to Michigan International Speedway for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

He's especially anxious to see how the "high-drag" rules package that was used at Indianapolis last month impacts the competition.

A taller spoiler and other aerodynamic modifications will make the cars handle much differently than they did when the series last visited the two-mile oval in June. Stewart had early success with the package at Indy, when he qualified fourth for the Brickyard 400, but was bitten in the race by a miscalculation on fuel mileage that led to a 28th-place finish.

Over the last three weeks, Stewart has seen progress in his team's performance and despite not having the finishes to show for the effort, he brings high hopes to the Irish Hills this weekend although he's not ready to call anything a turning point just yet.

"We're starting to get a better read on things," Stewart said. "It's been a decent couple of weeks, but it's a little early to put judgment on whether we've got it figured out or not. We've qualified well the last three weeks and that's been a bonus."

Practicing better and qualifying well have been the first steps in righting a frustrating season. It's those baby steps that have Stewart optimistic.

"One race could turn things around but when I say that, I'm not talking about winning a race on pit strategy; but by getting our car working and winning a race outright," Stewart said. "There isn't any one thing we can point to, but we go in every week thinking it's the week things will turn around and that hasn't happened. We had a good run going at Indy and then things didn't work out.

"Pocono is the best example of a good race weekend for us from start to finish. We struggled during the first part of that race but got better the last third and were even better in the final laps. We've picked up from the way our season has been at Indy, Pocono and Watkins Glen."

Stewart hopes to continue in that direction at Michigan, where he won in 2000. Since then, the track has undergone a repave and has been improving.

"It just keeps getting better," he said. "That first year, once it cleaned off, the track got to be pretty good. It was still a one-groove track, but it got better as the weekend went on. It was even better last year and we should see more of the same, even with the higher speeds. It was a lot racier than I thought it would be right off the bat and it's just been getting better.

"We didn't get as great a read on it in June because of all the red flags. But even with all of the rain, you saw that the path has continued to widen with some of the lines the guys were able to make work."

Stewart and his team continue to work to find the answer to better finishes and improved overall performance.

"I know we don't have the results to show for it, but I think we're starting to gain momentum," Stewart said.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/08/Tony-Stewart-Trending-Upward.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Chase Rule Changes​*
NASCAR announced all races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup will use the regular 2015 rules package.

NASCAR has been experimenting with two different aerodynamic rules package over the summer months. This weekend's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway features high drag rules that were used last month in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A lower downforce package was in place for the July Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway and will be used again in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend.

But after a meeting on Friday with drivers at Michigan the sanctioning body announced no rule changes would be introduced for the 10 races that comprise the Chase schedule.

"The goal of the meeting was to discuss what we've seen at Michigan so far, also talk about where we're going for the future as we come out of Michigan to Darlington with that rules package but the specific topic we wanted to cover with the industry was regarding the Chase and our decision to keep the package as it is for the Chase," said NASCAR's Steve O'Donnell. "In a lot of discussions we had with the industry, and that includes the tracks, the drivers, the race teams, the OEMs, all believe that was in the best interest of the sport, excited about the Chase, excited about the package and what's to come in the Chase, especially when you look back to last year."

O'Donnell said teams have worked hard on the rules package that the season began with and keeping those in place for the championship portion of the schedule was important.

"A lot of work has been done by the race teams already for the final 10 races, so we feel like that's the best decision for the sport," O'Donnell said. "I think it's important to look at what our original plan was and that was Kentucky, Michigan and Darlington. Then we looked at Indianapolis, too, to apply the Michigan package. So our messaging all along was keeping the Chase where it was with the 2015 rules package.

"And in some of the dialogue, some of the folks wanted to push forward, potentially, but when we looked at all the things that have been done, the preparation that's been done, the amount of work our industry has put into those races, which we truly appreciate - we think we're going to have the best racing for the fans with the 2015 package for all 10 races."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/E08F66FF74194B33ACC68A17563765F6.ashx?w=602&h=345


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Aims For Michigan Sweep​*
 Kurt Busch is hoping to add a second Michigan win of the season to his record with a victory in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

Busch was victorious in June's rainy, red flag-plagued first visit to Michigan International Speedway, which ended on Lap 138 of the scheduled 200 because of wet weather. It was his second win of the season, but the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has not visited Victory Lane since.

He's looking to end that drought on Sunday. To do so, he'll have to conquer the high-drag aerodynamic package that's in place.

"The aero package Brian France is trying to gear up toward would be better-suited for Michigan with the high-drag, high-drafting probability at a track that is wider and that can produce side-by-side racing," said Busch, who qualified 16th for Sunday's race. "Michigan should be a better show than what we saw at Indy."

Although the same rules were used at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month, Busch says the variance between the two tracks is so great that he expects to see a much different impact at Michigan.

"There are little things that pop up on how the cars drove in traffic," he said. "That's been the biggest thing. We did a great job at Stewart-Haas Racing to prepare for Indy with extra components, extra time, people, effort, the whole thing. Now, we can butter that up and button it up for Michigan."

Busch's win in June was his third career Michigan victory. He's gearing up for a run at a second championship when the Chase kicks off next month and is aware of several challenges that await.

"Restarts at Michigan are already pretty wild with how wide the track is and how many lanes there are," he said. "It comes down to trying to put yourself in the best position with the best-percentage chance on whether it's fresh tires, or it's staying out, or it's making spots up on restarts."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pure Michigan 400 from Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...or-Michigan-International-Speedway-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Claims Michigan Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6803&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Matt Kenseth topped Friday's Sprint Cup Series qualifying session at Michigan International Speedway, claiming the pole position for the Pure Michigan 400 with a lap of 197.488 mph (36.458 seconds).

Joe Gibbs Racing swept the top three starting spots for Sunday's race with Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards lining up behind Kenseth, who notched his third pole of the season. Austin Dillon and Tony Stewart completed the top five.

"We've had a fast racecar here this weekend," said Kenseth. "Hopefully, we can work on it in practice and get it ready to race. Having the No. 1 starting spot is great."

Teams are using a high-drag aerodynamic package that significantly slowed the speeds as evidenced by Kenseth's run being nearly 10 mph off the track record set by Jeff Gordon in August 2014. It's Kenseth's third pole of the season and 16th of his career.

Hamlin made it an all-JGR front row by qualifying second and this is the first time the organization qualified one-two-three. Kyle Busch will start sixth with Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano completing the top 10.

"We aren't first so we aren't satisfied," said Logano, last weekend's Watkins Glen race winner. "Qualifying here is very interesting. I had my hands full, I can tell you that much. I was sawing away at it but we'll be close enough to the front to get a good pit stall, so the guys have that going for them. We'll go to work on dialing it in some more during practice."

Other notables in the field include Brad Keselowski (14th), Kurt Busch (16th) and Gordon (21st).

"Tomorrow (Saturday), we'll run more around other cars and learn more about what the (aero) package is going to be like for the race," Gordon said of the new rules package. "We won't truly know until they drop the green and there are 43 cars going into Turn 1."

Reed Sorenson failed to qualify for the race. Sprint Cup Series teams will have two practice sessions on Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ims-Michigan-International-Speedway-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Buescher Stays Steady In Title Hunt​*
Roush Fenway Racing swapped crew chiefs between two of its XFINITY Series teams this week, but the combination of Chris Buescher and Scott Graves remains intact and remains atop the point standings heading into Saturday's race at Mid-Ohio.

Buescher has two wins this season and goes into the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 as the defending race winner.

"We've been looking forward to this race all year," said Buescher, who holds a 24-point lead over Ty Dillon and Chase Elliott, who are tied for second. "There's a little extra pressure, but we have good notes from last year and a fast Ford."

As for the crew chief swap at Roush Fenway earlier this week, Seth Barbour moves from Ryan Reed's No. 16 Ford to work with Darrell Wallace Jr. on the No. 6 entry. Chad Norris is now working with Reed, who won the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway back in February but hasn't had a top-10 finish since.

He's still 10th in the point standings, four spots below Wallace - who is second to Daniel Suarez in the race for Rookie of the Year. Wallace is winless in 20 starts this season with a best finish of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

In 2015, Buescher has - by far - been the steadiest of the three Roush drivers. His victory at Iowa Speedway in mid-May lifted him into the series points lead, where he's been ever since. Buescher added another win two weeks later at Dover and he's coming off a third-place finish last weekend at Watkins Glen International.

"We have good momentum leaving The Glen," he said, "and we need to keep that rolling."

In winning last summer at Mid-Ohio, Buescher motored through late-race concerns over fuel mileage to lead the final 25 laps - holding off Regan Smith and Brian Scott to take the checkered flag. Elliott finished fourth and returns this week intent on topping that.

"From where we started (ninth) to where we finished last year at Mid-Ohio, I think we were pretty good," Elliott said. "Heading back there, I want to set the bar even higher and get a win. I'm confident in our road-course strategy."

Elliott won three races last season on his way to the championship but is winless through the first two-thirds of the 2015 campaign, with a best finish of second twice - at Michigan and Iowa. He knows precisely what it takes to win on Mid-Ohio's 2.258-mile, 13-turn natural road course ... precision.

"You have to pick and choose your lines wisely," he said. "It's a very narrow course and with high speeds, you'll find misfortune if you aren't patient."

_XFINITY Series teams will open practice at Mid-Ohio on Friday at 1:30 p.m. (ET) with qualifying Saturday morning to set the field for the 21st race of the season. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tays-Steady-in-XFINITY-Series-Title-Hunt.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sauter Eyes Michigan Repeat​*
Johnny Sauter hopes to make a second straight appearance in Victory Lane Saturday as winner of the Camping World Truck Series Careers For Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

Sauter is winless so far in the 2015 season and a repeat performance of last year's race would be a shot in the arm the veteran driver needs.

Last year's win came in a fuel mileage strategy affair and in the end Sauter had to hold off Thorsport Racing teammate Matt Crafton to take the checkered flag.

"We were fortunate to have a great truck at Michigan last year, and we were able to capitalize on circumstances, and win the race," Sauter remembered.

Sauter will make his seventh career Michigan series start on Saturday and has averaged a 12.6 finish, a number helped greatly by his victory last year.

He's looking forward to returning to a track that continues to change as seasons go by.

"The track is losing grip, and that's what ultimately makes people search around the race track - from the bottom to the top," he explained. "It's a fast race track, and track position will probably be really important, but maybe not as important as other places, because you can move around the race track. Handling will also be at a premium on Saturday, by the end of the race."

A Sauter win would provide one interesting story line. But there are others potentially ready to play out including a homecoming for Brad Keselowski Racing.

The Sprint Cup driver and Michigan native's two-truck team features series point leader Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney, whop will both pilot Ford's in Saturday's race.

Reddick is shooting for his third victory of the year and is ready to tackle the two-mile superspeedway.

"Last year was a really good race for me to second-hand learn how the trucks like to race at Michigan," Reddick said. "We started up front and ran up front most of the day so we have a pretty good idea of what we need to do. It's going to be a lot of bump drafting and making sure you stay out of trouble. We get really good fuel mileage with our Draw-Tite Ford F-150 so I feel like that plays to our advantage."

Blaney will make his third start of the year in the BKR No. 29 entry and has scored a pair of top-10 finishes in 2015. Like his teammate Reddick, Blaney also believes a fast truck and fuel mileage will be keys to winning on Saturday.

"Michigan seems to come down to fuel mileage and I think we have a good strategy for that," Blaney said. "I've had such bad luck in my first two races at Michigan that perhaps the third time there will be the charm for me this weekend."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Careers For Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/08/Sauter-Eyes-Michigan-Repeat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Tops Trucks At Michigan​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6836&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch charged past race leader Ryan Blaney less than five laps from the finish and kept his No. 51 Toyota in front the rest of the way to win Saturday's Careers for Veterans 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Blaney finished second with rookie Erik Jones, Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon completing the top five.

For Busch, it's his second win of the season in two starts and his 44th career Truck Series victory. It wasn't easy, by any means, for Busch - who had to go to the rear of the field after a speeding penalty on pit road at Lap 27.

"We're trying something new with our tach settings and that didn't work," Busch said.

Once he put the penalty behind him, Busch set sail for the front of the field.

"Working through traffic here is tough," Busch said in Gatorade Victory Lane. "Once we got past the '29' (Blaney) and got out front, we pulled away."

Blaney held on for second place.

"I couldn't slow Kyle down enough when he got a huge run," Blaney said. "We were there, man. We were right there and just needed a little more."

For Jones, it was his seventh finish of third or better in 13 starts this season.

Matt Crafton, Daniel Hemric, Timothy Peters, Tyler Reddick and Cameron Hayley grabbed positions 6-10. On a restart with 10 laps to go, Crafton made contact with John Wes Townley and both went spinning through Turns 3 and 4. Crafton was third at the time. Townley finished 17th.

Reddick now has an eight-point lead over Crafton with Jones nine back heading into the next race, Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rucks-at-Michigan-International-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Last Lap Win For Smith​*
What a difference a week makes.

After experiencing pure frustration last weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Regan Smith answered his second road course race of the season with a bump-and-run on leader Alex Tagliani in the second-to-last corner on the last lap to score his first NASCAR XFINITY Series win of the season in Saturday's Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The short-track-like move ended a 52-race winless streak for Smith driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

"These guys work their butts off all week," said Smith after earning his fifth career win. "This car was destroyed door tops down, they rebuilt it in one day. The guys back at the shop phenomenal job, my road guys have stuck behind me for a while. We've had a lot of opportunities to win. I hate to do it in the last corner, but it's been too long, a long time, I wasn't going to pass the opportunity up.

"I've been wrecked so many times on these road courses, I had to do what I had to do right there. I didn't spin him, just got the spot. We're going to celebrate hard tonight."

Tagliani, who was searching for his first XFINITY Series victory in seven races, had to settle for a disappointing second after taking the lead from Smith with 15 laps remaining.

"If I knew that he was going to win like that probably instead of passing him fair and square early on in the race, I would have probably pushed him off a bit," said Tagliani. "But, he knows I'm not going to be there next weekend to retaliate."

In his first XFINITY Series race of the season, Tagliani scored his third career Coors Light Pole in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford and jumped to the early lead, separating himself by more than 1.2 seconds over defending race winner Chris Buescher until the first caution of the day on Lap 6 for a stalled car on the backstretch.

With pit strategy already on the minds of crew chiefs, many of the leaders elected to pit early, but Boris Said stayed out and inherited the lead for the restart. Said's time at the front was short-lived, as he was immediately challenged on the restart by reigning XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott, who took the lead in Turn 1.

Elliott led until Lap 12 when the second caution waved for Kenny Habul. Leaders Elliott and Said pitted, with Elliott Sadler assuming the top spot briefly before Buescher grabbed control from his Roush Fenway Racing teammate.

Following the third caution of the race, Tagliani swiped the lead from Buescher in Turn 3, only to have his momentum stalled by a caution for fluid on the race track.

Tagliani maintained the race lead through the halfway point.

Under a Lap 41 yellow, the majority of the field made their final scheduled pit stop, with Smith claiming the lead after pit stops and the racing resuming with 30 laps remaining.

Despite another yellow flag for fluid on the track, the leaders elected to stay out.

Racing resumed with 20 laps to go with Smith easily escaping from the furry of furious side-by-side action behind him. Tagliani, though, quickly emerged from the pack and set his sights on Smith, setting up to reassume command on Lap 61 and set the tone for the thrilling finish.

Buescher leads Ty Dillon by 24 points in the XFINITY Series standings.
















*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nwide-Childrens-Hospital-200-at-Mid-Ohio.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Goes To Backup Car After Incident In Final Sprint Cup Practice​*
Kyle Busch had to go to a backup car after an incident within the first few minutes of the final Sprint Cup practice session Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

Busch was to have started sixth in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

Busch got out of shape in Turn 4, slid down the track through the infield grass, which damaged the nose of his car. Busch has been vocal about the need for tracks to eliminate grass, which damages cars and does now allow cars to slow as pavement does.

"Everything was fine, just running around there trying maintain speed," Busch told NBCSN. "Got a little free off of (Turn) 4 like the last time. Instead of over-correcting, I tried to just continue to make it rotate and spin. I think at all these racetracks I think we need more grass. I think more grass would be beneficial."

If one believes in signs, this might not be so bad. Busch's brother, Kurt, had to go to a backup car in the last visit to Michigan and won the race.

Kyle Busch climbed into the top 30 in points to be Chase eligible after finishing second at Watkins Glen last weekend after missing the first 11 races of the season.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ncident-in-final-sprint-cup-practice/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Goes To Backup Car After Incident In Final Sprint Cup Practice​*
Kyle Busch had to go to a backup car after an incident within the first few minutes of the final Sprint Cup practice session Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

Busch was to have started sixth in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.

Busch got out of shape in Turn 4, slid down the track through the infield grass, which damaged the nose of his car. Busch has been vocal about the need for tracks to eliminate grass, which damages cars and does now allow cars to slow as pavement does.

"Everything was fine, just running around there trying maintain speed," Busch told NBCSN. "Got a little free off of (Turn) 4 like the last time. Instead of over-correcting, I tried to just continue to make it rotate and spin. I think at all these racetracks I think we need more grass. I think more grass would be beneficial."

If one believes in signs, this might not be so bad. Busch's brother, Kurt, had to go to a backup car in the last visit to Michigan and won the race.

Kyle Busch climbed into the top 30 in points to be Chase eligible after finishing second at Watkins Glen last weekend after missing the first 11 races of the season.

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...ncident-in-final-sprint-cup-practice/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Story Lines​*
Here are some of the story lines to watch in today's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway as the Sprint Cup Series enters the final month of the regular season:

Drivers who are not yet on The Chase Grid are searching for ways to get into the "playoffs." Aric Almirola is just outside the group of 16 currently qualified but finds himself more than a race's worth of points out of a spot.

"Fifty points is a lot to make up in four races, but you never know what can happen," Almirola said. "We'll make the best of our races and see where the points fall. We'll work our guts out to try and score a win."

Other drivers on the outside looking in include Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon.

"At this rate, we're going to need a win," Kahne said. "That's the only way we'll go into the Chase. We've got to get better. I need to get better."

*Busch At the Back*
The good news is Kyle Busch won Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan. The bad news is he'll start from the rear of the field in the Pure Michigan 400 after spinning in practice and being forced to a backup car.

"It started stepping out like it did here in the spring," Busch said of his spin off Turn 3 that took him through the infield grass and damaged his primary car. "I over-corrected and hit the wall in the spring so this time around, I made it keep rotating and head down toward the infield."

Busch is not a fan of grass around the infield of racetracks.

"I think more grass would be beneficial," Busch said, tongue-in-cheek. "I think we should have more grass and it should be taller."

*New Rules a Challenge*
The high-drag aerodynamic package teams are using this weekend has proven to be a challenge to drivers and teams. NASCAR hoped it would promote more drafting and pack racing but so far, it's a mystery just how this package will play out in racing conditions.

"It's difficult to run around other cars, but we expected that with the huge rear spoiler and the wake that's created," said Carl Edwards.

*Honoring Buddy Baker*
NASCAR will honor Buddy Baker on Sunday. Cars will carry a decal honoring the former NASCAR driver who passed away last week after battling lung cancer. His career touched parts of five decades. His father, Buck Baker, was a two-time Cup Series champion and is now a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Pure Michigan 400 from Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...higan-International-Speedway-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Masters Michigan For Third Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6803&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Kenseth drove to victory in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400, notching his third win of the season at Michigan International Speedway.

Kevin Harvick finished second with Martin Truex Jr. third. Austin Dillon posted a career-best fourth-place finish with Denny Hamlin, one of Kenseth's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, completing the top five.

Kenseth led 146 of the 200 laps on his way to a dominating win, his second victory in three weeks and his third career win on the two-mile Irish Hills oval.

"We've had a great couple months," said Kenseth. "We definitely have momentum. The guys gave us a rocket today. We're going to work hard to keep it rolling."

Harvick said his team overcame adversity to finish second.

"We had handling issues at the beginning of the race," he said. "We made the car handle a lot better and then overcame running out of gas. We put ourselves back in position at the front. The '20' was the class of the field."

Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. took positions 6-10. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Bristol Motor Speedway later this week for Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race.

*How Kenseth Won:* He started from the pole and clearly had the strongest car. Even a few late-race caution flags didn't slow him down. Kenseth prevailed on restarts and drove away to victory.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Harvick scored his ninth second-place finish of the season ... Truex was strong all afternoon in notching his seventh top five of the year ... Dillon's fourth-place finish was a career best.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Clint Bowyer was running near the front of the field until disaster struck when he was clipped by Newman, and made heavy contact with both the outside and inside walls. Bowyer finished 41st and his Chase hopes took a severe hit ... Jimmie Johnson cut a tire early and fell back in the field, but that was just the start of his problems. Miscues on pit road contributed to a 39th-place finish.

*What Else Happened:* The high-drag aerodynamic package was a handful for drivers to be able to pass on the track. Some - like Johnson - simply spun out on their own while others complained about the turbulent air behind the taller spoilers ... making it virtually impossible to run side-by-side.

*Quote of the Day:* "It's like everything else. My guys do a better job of preparing the cars inside, too," Harvick said, on preparing to battle the high temperatures inside the racecar.

*Notables:* Kyle Busch finished 11th and is now in 29th place in the standings, 23 points above the 30th-place cutoff ... Bowyer lost 27 points and is 17th, falling off the provisional Chase Grid of 16 drivers ... Kasey Kahne rallied from an early speeding penalty on pit road to finish 15th.











*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...gan-International-Speedway-for-Third-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Career Best Finish For Dillon​*
Austin Dillon's fourth place finish in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 was the best of his Sprint Cup Series career.

Dillon was able to qualify upfront but had to drop to the back after an engine adjustment after Saturday's practice sessions. He got back to the front and was able to stay near the front of the field most of the 400-mile race to give the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 team the top-five finish.

Dillon tipped his cap to his crew for helping him make his way back to the front of the field early with strategy.

"Yeah, we had some circumstances where we had to start at the back and had to figure out a way to get our track position back, and just got to thank my guys," said Dillon, who scored his second career top-five finish.

"(Crew chief) Slugger Labbe and the engineers did a good job coming up with a plan. That first 20 laps was no fun for us because we had to ride around and try and stay in front of the leader, but we saved gas and decided to not come down on that first competition caution for fuel, and it worked out.

"It showed that our car was fast enough to stay up there, pitted, drove back up to where we needed to be, and man, it was a fun day for us, the Dow car was fast, and I felt like I passed a lot of cars, also, getting into fourth."

Dillon moved to 20th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and with three races left in the regular season is bearing down on trying to nail down a Chase spot.

He points to the change of Labbe taking over as crew chief from Gil Martin earlier this season as one of the reasons for Dillon's recent surge.

"Well, we switched crew chiefs," Dillon said. "That was pretty big, and I've just been really focused. Life has been good lately, and just trying to do everything I can on my part to do my job, and everybody on the team has kind of taken up that same mentality, and we feel like we have cars capable of winning.

"I think we've got to win. We're showing some speed that's solid for us the last couple weeks to be able to compete if we were in the Chase. That's nice to know. For me, we've ‑‑ I just wish we could have started this just a little bit earlier, but we've got a couple good races left for us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/08/Career-Best-Finish-For-Dillon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Momentum Back For Truex Jr.​*
Martin Truex Jr. posted another consistent finish in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Truex Jr. finished third on Sunday for his seventh top-five finish of the season.

"Man, honestly, we've really had momentum," Truex Jr. said. "We've had such fast cars. I feel like at Watkins Glen we had the race won but we had a flat. I felt like at Pocono we were right there. We had a fast car but at the end of the race we ran out of gas. So, we've been doing what we need to."

It wasn't easy on Sunday for Truex Jr., who had to fight the handling of his car in the aftermath of the high drag aero package that was used at Michigan.

"We came a long way from where we were Friday in qualifying," he explained. "I felt like at the end of the day yesterday we had a car capable of winning and felt like that all day again today. We struggled to get that track position.

"It seemed like we kept getting in the wrong lanes on restarts. We finally got the right one once and the No. 19 (Carl Edwards) got a bad start in front of us and shoveled us back to seventh or eighth. We really had to work for it today."

Truex Jr. is hoping to use these final three races of the regular season to tune up for what he hopes will be a strong championship run once the Chase starts.

"If we could just not make mistakes and be consistent and execute, there's no reason we can't run in the top-five every week and contend for some more wins," said Truex Jr. "We've got a couple more weeks before the Chase and we're gearing up for that. Hopefully we'll come out of the box strong when it starts."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/08/Momentum-Back-For-Truex-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Tough For Some​*
Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 proved to be a challenging day for many drivers.

Clint Bowyer tops the list after what appeared to be a strong day ended in disaster.

Bowyer had worked his way to the top-five and was running strong until Ryan Newman made contact with him racing down the backstretch. The impact sent Bowyer first into the outside wall before he slid into the inside wall for good measure.

He returned to track after sitting in the garage for lengthy repairs but the best Bowyer could finish was 41st.

That was a significant impact to his Chase chances as Bowyer slipped out of the grid of 16 drivers with the finish.

"It's hard to get by and hard to pass - everybody is going for it in the restarts," Bowyer explained. "It's one of those deals, you don't want to be in the situation you're in, but it doesn't change the fact that you have to get up on the wheel and get back to it, unfortunately. I thought I was doing right and the 2 (Brad Keselowski) kind of came up sliding and it looked like he was out of control so I went to move up to give him some room and unfortunately they ran right into me.

"There's still time, we're still in control of our destiny. You're backed up against the wall and need to win and that picture doesn't look pretty, if that doesn't happen, we're still in control."

Things weren't much better for Bowyer's Michael Waltrip Racing teammate David Ragan. After spinning out on lap one he fought back only to get damage to his car late in the race after on track contact.

"It was a long, hard fought race for our team," said Ragan, who finished 18th. " Just spun out the first corner - the car was wrecking before I even got to the straightaway - that was unexpected for sure. I'm glad we were able to rebound from that.

"Got a little bit of damage when Ryan Newman and Clint (Bowyer) wrecked one another, so we pitted a couple of times and I felt like we didn't have a winning car, but had a top-15 Aaron's Dream Machine Camry if we could have avoided that damage at the end of the race."

Jeff Gordon had a day of challenges and after working his way into the top-10, slipped back at the end of the race and could only come home with a 17th place finish.

"Our day didn't end the way I was hoping," Gordon explained. "We were able to hover around the top 12, which I was extremely happy with. Unfortunately that is not where we ended up. Just couldn't get going on the restarts, which is no surprise. It happens to us every weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/08/Michigan-Tough-For-Some.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Takes Splitter From Cars of Joey Logano And Brad Keselowski​*
NASCAR took the splitter from the cars of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski during inspection before Sunday's Pure Michigan 400, but Logano's crew chief downplayed the incident.

NASCAR spokesperson Kristi King told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: "During the inspection process this morning, we saw a situation with the 2 and the 22 with the splitter. We saw it and it was really, really close (to compliance). Because it was so close, we work with the team, and just to be on the safe side, we asked them to change it out and just to go to a clean splitter for the race and they did. We do have the part that we will take back to the R&D Center. We'll take a look at it the first of the week like we always do and go from there."

During a prerace interview on NBCSN, Brad Keselowski downplayed the incident.

"It's just a rules change with NASCAR," Keselowski said. "They used to make you change them before (inspection), now they make the decision (during inspection). There's been guys changing them every week. For some reason, it didn't get reported unil this week, when both of our cars had to change them."

Keselowski said there is an advantage to starting the race on a splitter with wear.

"It's not a big deal," he said. "You like to start on a worn-in splitter because the cars drag the track. When they're worn in, they don't drag quite as hard. After the first 30 to 40 laps, that all resets. Maybe a little (of an edge) at the start of the race but not a big deal."

Todd Gordon, crew chief for Logano, explained what happened to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: "(The splitters) wear in practice. Where we worn to and how we cleaned it up, they just didn't like the splitters on. We put on a new one. It's no big deal. It's kind of a standard operating procedure. We don't have officials come around and check them ahead of time. Used to do that. They didn't like the way it looked. So pulled it off and put a new on."

Gordon told SiriusXM NASCAR that the team typically brings five splitters to the track.

"You wear it," Gordon said. "After every run at the racetrack, it's a meltable material, so it kind of builds up on the bottom and you clean them up. We cleaned it up and it was a little thin and they didn't like what they saw. It's no big deal. We'll be fine. Lap 2 it will be the same splitter that was on there previously."

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...s-of-joey-logano-and-brad-keselowski/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Winners And Losers​*
Who won and who lost in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*
His second win in the last three weeks and third of the season came in one of the most dominating performances of the year. Kenseth led 146 laps and outside of a couple restarts, was never challenged.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*
Actually, the whole JGR organization won on Sunday. Kenseth's win led the way in another weekend of solid performances from the Gibbs organization and a continuation of the run it's been on since the All-Star Race.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
Starting to get back to the solid performances that started the year and led to Truex winning at Pocono in June. The Furniture Row Racing team needs to find a way to contain some bad luck of late to get back into the hunt for more wins.

*Austin Dillon*
Fourth place is a career-best Sprint Cup Series finish for Dillon. Since Richard "Slugger" Labbe took over as crew chief, Dillon has improved weekly.

*Aric Almirola*
Started the weekend feeling ill but finished with a 14th-place finish that got him and the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team back into the picture for a possible Chase berth.

*LOSERS​*
*The 'High-Drag' Package*
NASCAR's second attempt at using the rules package that created more drag for Sprint Cup cars did not produce the intended results. Passing was harder than ever and lead changes were down one from the Michigan June race that used the regular rules package.

*Clint Bowyer*
Had one of his best runs of the season going and was in the top five when disaster struck. He got caught up in a crash when Ryan Newman made contact on the backstretch and Bowyer's 41st-place finish put his Chase hopes in peril.

*Jimmie Johnson*
One of the roughest days you'll ever see for a guy with six Sprint Cup championships. Cut tires, a miscue on pit road and an on-track spin added up to a miserable day.

*AJ Allmendinger*
It looks as if his Chase hopes truly did end when he came up short last weekend at Watkins Glen International. Allmendinger had a dismal day in Michigan with a 28th-place finish.

*Greg Biffle*
His performance was symptomatic of the Roush Fenway Racing misfortune that saw all three of the team's cars finish 22nd or worse. The guy who used to own Michigan was never a factor on Sunday.

*Sam Hornish Jr.*
Continues to struggle and now must also fight off rumors that he'll be replaced at Richard Petty Motorsports next season. The best Hornish could muster Sunday was 19th place.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nternational-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Long: More Questions Than Answers Exist With Hendrick Motorsports​*
The refrain lately rings like a well-worn song. Joe Gibbs Racing wins. Team Penske challenges. Hendrick Motorsports trails.

Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 marked the second race in a row that Hendrick's top car placed 10th. That would be great for a team like Roush Fenway Racing, not Hendrick.

While Hendrick's teams loaded their haulers at Michigan International Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing celebrated its fifth win in the last six races. Penske had placed in the top two in the past five races before Sunday's event.

Hendrick Motorsports?

Well, there was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at Daytona in July but Hendrick cars have combined to lead five laps since - all by Jeff Gordon.

One can argue that three of the last six races - Kentucky, Indianapolis and Michigan - featured a rules package that won't be used in the Chase, so no need to worry too much about what has happened.

Maybe so, but that's not the Hendrick way. The attitude there is to win, not make excuses. It's why all those trophies reside there and why team owner Rick Hendrick often knows well ahead of time his early December plans - celebrating another title at the banquet.

While anything can happen in the Chase, Hendrick cars haven't shown lately that they're likely to break the organization's recent title funk. Hendrick has one crown in the last four years. Fail to win the title this year and this stretch will match the one title from 2001-05 as the organization's leanest period in terms of Sprint Cup championships.

One title every five years is something about any team would take, but Hendrick's sustained success makes such an accomplishment seem more like a failure. This is an organization that has won an average of 10 races a year over the past decade.

Another argument for the lack of success lately for Hendrick can be that Johnson and Earnhardt are experimenting since they clinched Chase spots earlier. Nothing wrong with that. One should expect greater results once the Chase begins next month at Chicagoland Speedway.

But what about Gordon? What about Kasey Kahne?

Gordon's final season has become more noteworthy for the accolades - a parade, a track briefly changing its name for him and all sorts of high-priced gifts - instead of what he's done on the track.

Gordon and his team don't look like a championship contender at this point. He has three top-five finishes this season. It's hard to win a championship without winning a race and Gordon is not sniffing wins.

Gordon comments after Sunday's 17th-place finish proved telling.

"We were able to hover around the top 12, which I was extremely happy with,'' he said. "Unfortunately that is not where we ended up. Just couldn't get going on the restarts which is no surprise. It happens to us every weekend."

As for Kahne, he at least made it to the finish this time after placing 43rd at Pocono and 42nd at Watkins Glen the past two weeks. He's not in a Chase spot and needs a win to make it.

Of course, Kahne won at Atlanta last year with just one race before the Chase field was set to make it.

Even with Bristol - a track Kahne won at in March 2013 - it's hard to see this team winning at this point. Sunday's 15th-place finish was the team's best since placing eighth at Sonoma in late June.

The benefit of the Chase format is that struggles can be wiped away by a hot streak. Just recall Tony Stewart going winless in 2011 before the Chase and winning five of the 10 races to win the title.

But what happens in this year's Chase will be based off actions and decisions made now. Today, Hendrick does not appear to be a championship contender. Tomorrow provides another chance to change that scenario.

Will tomorrow come soon enough for Hendrick?

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...wers-exist-with-hendrick-motorsports/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Nature's Bakery To Sponsor Danica Patrick In 2016​*
Nature's Bakery - a rapidly growing snacks and food brand headquartered in Reno, Nev. - has joined Stewart-Haas Racing to become primary sponsor of Danica Patrick and the No. 10 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2016.

The multi-year agreement will see Nature's Bakery and its signature tag line, "Energy for Life's Great Journeys," on Patrick's Chevrolet for 28 races each season.

Nature's Bakery was founded in 2010 by the father-son duo of Dave and Sam Marson with a mission of making delicious, convenient, on-the-go snacks that complement health-conscious living and active, everyday lifestyles.

"Danica Patrick is one of the most fit, health-conscious drivers in racing and she embodies the Nature's Bakery customer," said Dave Marson. "We make great products that complement Danica's lifestyle and the always-on-the-go environment in which she competes, and we're proud to embark on this NASCAR journey with Danica and Stewart-Haas Racing."

"They have ambitious goals, and they're going to rely on me and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing to deliver," Patrick said of her new sponsor. "I have ambitious goals, too. There's still a lot I want to achieve in this sport and I'm looking to continue my professional journey with a brand as determined as I am."

Patrick is one of the most recognizable drivers in NASCAR and a 2014 Harris Poll named her as the second-most recognized female athlete in the United States, behind only tennis star Serena Williams.

"All you need to say is 'Danica' and people know exactly who you're talking about," Marson added. "She has immersed herself and succeeded in a very intense sport, and been recognized for her efforts. We've carved a niche for Nature's Bakery in the fast-growing, packaged snack-food industry. With this partnership, we're able to take that niche mainstream."

"Danica has proven she belongs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and we're very happy to have her a part of our team for years to come," said Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. "Nature's Bakery is a natural fit with Danica. She's played an important role in the growth of all the businesses associated with her and our growth as a race team. Our partnership with Nature's Bakery is all about growing their business."

Patrick is in her fourth season in the Sprint Cup Series. She's currently 21st in the regular-season point standings with two top-10 finishes in 23 starts.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Natures-Bakery-to-Sponsor-Danica-Patrick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trucks Set To Battle At Bristol​*
The tight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship fight moves to Bristol Motor Speedway this week for Wednesday night's UNOH 200 Presented by ZLOOP.

The top three drivers are separated by only nine points with Tyler Reddick ahead of Matt Crafton by eight, and rookie Erik Jones nine off the pace. Reddick takes his No. 19 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford to "Thunder Valley" with the points lead but will be making his first Truck Series start at the high-banked half-mile.

"I ran the K&N race there a few years ago and learned a lot," said Reddick. "I'm going there with a team that won last year so it's up to me to get up to speed as fast as possible and give my team the most precise feedback I can."

Although Crafton has much more Bristol experience than Reddick, the ThorSport Racing veteran is still looking for his first win there. He was fourth in this race a year ago, at what he calls one of his favorite stops.

"I love going to Bristol," said Crafton, who'll make his 13th start there Wednesday night. "We had a shot to win the race last year and finished fourth. Junior (crew chief Carl Joiner Jr.) never settles down, though. He's got a lot of changes from what we ran last year so hopefully, we'll have something good for them on Wednesday night.

"During practice, the groove will be at the bottom then it'll start migrating up. You usually won't be able to run the top until you get to the race and that's what makes Bristol interesting. You try setting your truck up all day and the groove only moves halfway up the racetrack, and then everyone is running up against the wall during the race."

Jones has a little experience at Bristol but none in the Truck Series. The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver has made a pair of XFINITY Series starts at the track. While he'll be aware of battling his two championship rivals, Jones and the rest of the field will also have to contend with his boss - Kyle Busch - for a trip to Victory Lane.

"As a team, we all like it," Jones said of Busch's participation as a driver in the Truck Series. "It's a good benchmark for us to see where our program is. Anytime Kyle's in a race, we get excited to run with him and the rest of the field gets excited to race against him, too.

"You hope you can keep up with him because if you don't, he's going to say his stuff is faster and you're not giving it your all. It's fun to race him and it's good for us as a team."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the UNOH 200 Presented by ZLOOP at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night beginning at 8 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Set-to-Battle-at-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Bringing Back Iconic Mello Yello Paint Scheme For Darlington​*
With the Southern 500 returning to its traditional Labor Day weekend date at Darlington Raceway, many NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams have been debuting throwback paint schemes to mark the historic race weekend.

Wednesday afternoon, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced it would be bringing back one of the most popular and iconic paint schemes of the early 1990s.

Sophomore driver Kyle Larson will pilot the No. 42 Mello Yello Chevrolet, originally driven by Tom Cruise in the film "Days of Thunder" in 1990, and then by Kyle Petty from 1991 until 1994 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

While the fictional Mello Yello car driven by Cruise in the film was No. 51, Petty's ride was owned by Ganassi co-owner Felix Sabates and was the same No. 42 Larson now drives.

"This paint scheme has such a cool history between the movie and Kyle Petty having run it for Felix, so I'm really excited to drive it," said Larson. "'Days of Thunder' is definitely one of my favorite racing movies, and I know it's a favorite for a lot of fans too. The connection with Felix is pretty cool.

"Even though I was too young to watch Kyle Petty driving the Mello Yello car, I know people will remember the scheme from those days, as well as his crazy hair from back then," he said. "There's just a lot of fun stuff surrounding this car, so I'm really glad that the Target team is able to run it for Darlington's throwback race. I think the fans are really going to like it."

While Larson was too young to watch Petty's No. 42 Mello Yello car race around the track, the return of the iconic colors brings back a lot of memories for Sabates.

"Running the Mello Yello paint scheme for the throwback-themed race weekend at Darlington Raceway will be great," he said. "For me, having run this car with Kyle Petty earlier in my career, it is very special to see it on track again with Kyle Larson. I'm sure this car will help add to the excitement that's already surrounding this year's Southern 500."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...darlington-raceway-chip-ganassi-racing-081915


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer To Pursue Options; No Full-Time Car For MWR In '16​*
Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Bowyer, currently 16th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase standings, will be free to pursue other career options in 2016 and beyond.

"I want to thank Michael, Rob and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing that made these past four years special," Bowyer said. "After extensive discussions with Rob and MWR, we came to the point that we mutually agreed our paths in the future just didn't align but I think we all agreed on the next steps in a very professional manner. I am looking forward to what future opportunities may come but for now we have a championship to pursue in 2015 and we owe it to every one of our sponsors, partners, employees and fans to deliver on and off the track."

Kauffman said MWR will not field a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2016.

"MWR will race hard and compete for the remainder of the 2015 season," Kauffman said. "This decision was made after weighing several different options and scenarios.

"I felt it was important to make an announcement as soon as we had clarity, so that is what we are doing today. I want to thank all of our staff, partners, sponsors and fans for all their effort and support over the years.

"Clint Bowyer has done a lot for MWR since joining us in 2012 and we appreciate the energy and effort he has given the organization. After many discussions, Clint and I agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues."

MWR will continue to field the No. 15 and No. 55 Toyotas for the remainder of the 2015 season.

"Rob joined MWR in 2007 and has helped give us the resources to build a competitive race team, and in 2012, Clint Bowyer took us to the doorstep of a championship," Waltrip said. "From where MWR started behind my house in Sherrill's Ford to winning Sprint Cup races, poles and earning Chase berths, I am proud of what we accomplished.

"My family has been a part of NASCAR for almost five decades and I plan on being a part of it for years to come. I would not have had the opportunity to start this journey without so many great partners, sponsors and employees and I want to thank each of them for making Michael Waltrip Racing a reality."

David Ragan, who drives the No. 55 MWR Toyota, issued the following statement:

"I'm grateful for the opportunity Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota have provided me this year. I've worked hard to be a good teammate and spokesperson for all of our sponsors and as a team, we have collectively improved our performance from the beginning of the season. I look forward to staying focused and trying to win a race this season for Aaron's and everyone at MWR. Going forward, I'll be working hard to secure a full-time ride in the Sprint Cup Series. At 29 years old, I feel my best years are in front of me."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Bowyer-Agree-to-Separate-at-Seasons-End.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Race To The Chase Is On​*
There are three races left in the regular season and several drivers are continuing to vie for the final spots in the Chase.

Eleven drivers have officially locked up post-season spots thanks to victories, a list that includes Kyle Busch - who must maintain a spot inside the top 30 of the standings in order to qualify for the "playoffs."

Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer have the next five spots as winless drivers with enough points - as of now - to make the Chase.

However, things got a little more intriguing after last week's Pure Michigan 400 for those drivers at the bottom of The Chase Grid and those still trying to race their way win. Thanks to a miserable finish of 41st in Michigan, Bowyer's advantage over 17th-place Aric Almirola shrank to 23 points while Kasey Kahne moved to within 26 in the 18th position.

While the gap balloons to more than 60 points for the likes of Greg Biffle, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon further down the standings, a trip to Victory Lane at Bristol, Darlington or Richmond would send someone into the Chase and knock out a winless driver.

The odds of that happening are not extremely high, at least based on past performance at that trio of tracks.

Kahne had a string of four straight top-10 finishes at Bristol - including a win in 2013 - snapped when he turned in performances of 35th and 37th his last two times out. The Hendrick Motorsports driver did score a clutch victory to make the Chase last year, winning on Labor Day weekend in Atlanta.

But the reality is none of those still seeking their first wins of 2015 have looked anywhere near capable of putting together a race good enough to take a checkered flag.

Biffle continues to labor in the abyss that is Roush Fenway Racing. Larson hasn't been anywhere near the impact player he was during his rookie season. Dillon has been much better since "Slugger" Labbe took over as crew chief of the No. 3 Chevrolet. But is it enough of an improvement to make the leap to a first-time Sprint Cup winner?

I'm still sticking with what I said in last week's "Gas 'N' Go" feature with Alex Hayden. The current group of 16 drivers will be the ones advancing to the Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...he-Chase-for-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Is-On.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Battles Back At Bristol​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6837&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

A spin with four laps to go in Wednesday night's UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway proved to be the saving grace for Brad Keselowski Racing's Ryan Blaney, who grabbed the lead on a green-white-checkered restart to win his first race of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

Blaney recovered from an early race penalty for jumping a restart to find himself closing on leader Matt Crafton with five laps remaining. When Ty Dillon spun on Lap 196, it triggered the final caution of the night and the opportunity for Blaney to steal Crafton's thunder. On the final restart, Crafton's truck sputtered, failing to come up to speed, allowing Blaney to take off and seal his fourth career NCWTS victory.

Keystone Light Pole Award winner Kyle Busch's slow start allowed outside pole-sitter Blaney to steal the lead early by the exit of Turn 1, controlling the field through the first caution on Lap 31 for a spin in Turn 2.

On the restart, Blaney roared away from the field, but a few laps later, NASCAR black-flagged him on Lap 37 for jumping the restart, forcing a pass-through penalty, giving the lead to Cole Custer.

Busch, who restarted fifth, methodically worked his way forward and attempted to take the lead away from the young NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner, but Custer kept Busch at bay through the race's second caution on Lap 79 for debris in Turn 1.

Busch won the race off pit road, but Johnny Sauter took two tires and inherited the lead. But without power steering, the ThorSport Racing driver quickly lost the lead on the restart to Cole Custer, who led through the halfway point.

A more than 1.5-second lead for Custer would be erased when Ray Black Jr. and Caleb Holman crashed in Turn 4.

With darkening skies overhead and the threat of rain approaching the World's Fastest Half-Mile, a majority of the teams elected to stay out. Despite his best efforts, Crafton tried to snatch the lead away from the JR Motorsports driver, but to no avail.

Custer slowly saw Crafton become a diminishing factor in his rear-view mirror until he hit heavy lap traffic with 50 laps remaining. That's when Spencer Gallagher spun in Turns 3 and 4, and Custer found himself trapped in the high-line and collided with Gallagher.

Heavy front-end damage sent the No. 00 Chevrolet to pit road for repairs, eliminating the NASCAR Next driver from competition. As the accident happened, Crafton slipped by on the inside and took the lead -- which he held until the green-white-checkered restart that lost him the race.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wins-UNOH-200-at-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Patience Pays Off For Preece​*
Ryan Preece positioned himself in the right place at the right time, and took home the Bush's Beans 150 trophy Wednesday in the annual combination race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours.

On a night that saw rain pause, and ultimately shorten the Bush's Beans 150, Preece grabbed the lead on Lap 75 just before the midway break and held the position during a subsequent caution on Lap 96. As rain and severe thunderstorms loomed during track clean-up, NASCAR officials threw the yellow-checkered flag on Lap 103, sending Preece's No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine Chevrolet to Victory Lane.

Promptly, during those Victory Lane ceremonies, the deluge ensued.

It marked Preece's 15th career Whelen Modified Tour victory, and first at the famed .533-mile Tennessee oval. The Berlin, Connecticut, native's fourth win of the campaign also moved him back into the lead in the season standings.

Coors Light Pole Award winner Woody Pitkat - who entered the day one championship point ahead of Preece - finished second after leading the majority of the first half of the race and Donny Lia joined him on the podium in third. Ryan Newman and Bobby Santos brought home the top five.

Andy Seuss, Jeff Goodale, Chase Dowling, Timmy Solomito and Patrick Emerling completed the top 10.

Seuss was the highest-finishing Whelen Southern Modified Tour entry, and received credit for a victory for that tour.

The Bush's Beans 150 originally went green as scheduled just after 6 p.m., but Lap 2 accident that took out three potential checkered flag contenders in Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby and Todd Szegedy proved to be the first hurdle of the evening. While under caution for clean-up, rain arrived, which forced the resumption of the Bush's Beans 150 to after the conclusion of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event.

The Whelen Modifieds returned to green flag action nearly five hours later just after 11 p.m.

The Bush's Beans 150 will air on NBCSN on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. ET.

The Whelen Modified Tour will return to action on Aug. 29 at New York's Riverhead Raceway while the Whelen Southern Modified Tour's schedule will resume on Sept. 5 at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.

*Race Results:*

(Start position in parentheses) 
1. (2) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 103 laps, 53.720 mph. 
2. (1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
3. (12) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Chevrolet, 103. 
4. (27) Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., Chevrolet, 103. 
5. (9) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 103. 
6. (28 ) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., Chevrolet, 103. 
7. (3) Jeff Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 103. 
8. (7) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
9. (8 ) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 103. 
10. (10) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 103. 
11. (17) James Civali, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
12. (13) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 103. 
13. (22) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
14. (33) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
15. (26) George Brunnhoelzl III, West Babylon, N.Y., Chevrolet, 103. 
16. (20) Frank Fleming, Mt. Airy, N.C., Chevrolet, 103. 
17. (18 ) Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 103. 
18. (19) Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 103. 
19. (23) Joe Ryan Osborne, Holland, Pa., Chevrolet, 103. 
20. (11) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 103. 
21. (29) Jeremy Gerstner, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Chevrolet, 103. 
22. (24) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 103. 
23. (30) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 102. 
24. (35) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 101. 
25. (21) Bobby Measmer Jr., Concord, N.C., Chevrolet, 101. 
26. (34) Kyle Ebersole, Hummelstown, Pa., Ford, 95, engine. 
27. (25) David Calabrese, Toms River, N.J., Chevrolet, 92. 
28. (4) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 91. 
29. (31) Johnny Bush, Huntington Station, N.Y., Chevrolet, 90, handling. 
30. (32) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Ford, 74, engine. 
31. (36) JR Bertuccio, Centereach, N.Y., Chevrolet, 40. 
32. (14) Kyle Bonsignore, Bay Shore, N.Y., Chevrolet, 10, handling. 
33. (16) Brendon Bock, Franklin Square, N.Y., Ford, 3, accident. 
34. (5) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 2, accident. 
35. (6) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Dodge, 2, accident. 
36. (15) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 2, accident.

*Race Statistics *
*Time of Race: *1 hour 1 minute 19 seconds 
*Margin of Victory:* Under Caution 
*Fastest Qualifier:* W.Pitkat (130.940 mph, 14.654 seconds) 
*Caution Flags:* 7 for 45 laps. 
*Lead Changes:* 5 among 2 drivers. 
*Lap Leaders:* W. Pitkat 1-33; R. Preece 34; W. Pitkat 35-40; R. Preece 41-57; W. Pitkat 58-74; R. Preece 75-103.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...ushs-Beans-150-at-Bristol-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Bristol​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Special For Kyle Busch​*
Kyle Busch has always considered Bristol Motor Speedway a favorite track and has been very successful at the half-mile speedway over the years.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver shoots for his sixth career Sprint Cup win at the track in Saturday night's IRWIN Tools Night Race, an event Busch believes is one of the most prestigious of the season.

"I think what makes the night race at Bristol so special is because it's at night," said Busch. "The spring race there is during the day but, when you get into the hot summer nights there in Tennessee and you are getting close to Chase time, it's definitely time to go and win a race if you haven't yet. It's just a cool atmosphere. All the fans and everyone, with all the people who camp there all week long and stay for the race Saturday night, it's a cool event."

Busch won his first Cup race at Bristol back in 2007, but that wasn't his most memorable triumph at the Tennessee track.

"The one that stands out the most for me is August 2010 - being able to do the sweep," he said. "We won the Truck race on Wednesday night, backed it up in the XFINITY Series race Friday and took home the trophy from the Cup race on Saturday night."

If Busch can take home another Cup trophy this weekend it would be win number five of the season, a remarkable comeback after missing 11 races due to injury to start the season.

But it won't be easy.

"I think the most challenging aspect of Bristol is just how difficult it is to transition through from the straightaways to the corners, back to the straightaways, and have your car set up in order to do all that. Sometimes you can be really loose getting in, or you can be really tight in the middle - you just seem to never be able to get a good-flowing car that works well there," Busch explained. "Drivers have to do a lot of manipulation on the racetrack with their car in order to try to make the best of it."

Despite recognizing Bristol's challenges, there's no denying just how good Busch is at the "World's fastest Half-Mile." He's won in all three of NASCAR's top divisions even though there have also been some disappointments along the way.

"I'm not exactly sure what makes me so good at Bristol," Busch said. "I've just had a lot of success there, but I've also had some misfortune there, too. Ever since I got through my rookie year, I've just taken a liking to the place. But, when they changed the track to this current surface in 2007, I just really took to it even more. I really liked it and I've been fast there, but also I've had great racecars from Joe Gibbs Racing. It's just a fun racetrack no matter what series I'm running there.

"You really have to be on your game at Bristol. You make one mistake, or someone else makes one mistake, that's it. We're hoping things will fall in place this weekend with our Skittles Camry and we get to Victory Lane."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/08/Bristol-Special-For-Kyle-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Regan Smith's Dale's Pale Ale No. 7​*
*'Dash 4 Cash' Heads To Bristol​*
The third round of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program rolls into Bristol Motor Speedway for Friday night's Food City 300.

Regan Smith, Daniel Suarez, Elliott Sadler and Ryan Blaney will compete for a $100,000 cash bonus in the 300-lap race. Smith is coming off his first win of the season last weekend at Mid-Ohio and won the first two rounds of the 2015 Dash 4 Cash program.

"It's huge to get that (winless streak) off our backs, it's been really difficult over the last 52 races," Smith said. "We want to win this weekend, for sure, with the XFINITY Dash4Cash on the line, and there's no better place for it than Bristol. We're looking forward to it."

Smith is the only driver to qualify for all three rounds this season, and has qualified for the Dash 4 Cash bonuses six times since 2013.

This will be Ryan Blaney's first Dash 4 Cash appearance this season, but he is the defending winner of the race. Blaney will be in Team Penske No. 22 Ford, which won at Bristol early this season with driver Joey Logano and will be looking to make it three-in-a-row. Blaney has made three starts at Bristol, posting one win, two top fives, three top 10s and an average finish of 4.0 - his second-best series track average finish.

Suarez finished second at Bristol earlier this season, currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, and is making his second Dash 4 Cash appearance this season.

Sadler, a former NXS winner at Bristol (2012), is making his first Dash 4 Cash appearance this season. He has qualified for Dash 4 Cash bonuses seven-times since 2012, and has won the bonus twice.

"This Friday we'll race under the lights at one of my favorite tracks," Sadler said. "I've won a few races here in the past and I'd love to drive my No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang up the ramp to Victory Lane again. My crew has done a great job over the past few weeks and it's shown with our four top-10 finishes in a row. Hopefully, we can keep the ball rolling and continue to boost our stats leading into the final 12 races of the season."

The highest finishing driver of the four for Round 3 will win the $100,000 bonus and qualify to compete in the fourth and final round at Darlington Raceway along with the three highest finishing NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contenders.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/08/Dash-4-Cash-Heads-to-Bristol.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tagliani Rejoins BKR At Mosport​*
Brad Keselowski Racing announced that Alex Tagliani will drive the team's No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford F-150 in the August 30 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Tagliani made his NCWTS debut in 2014 at the 2.459-mile Canadian road course behind the wheel of the No. 19 Reese Towpower Ford F-150. He won the pole in his first start and made it look easy, capturing the top starting spot with a lap (80.558 seconds) that was both a track record and a whopping .433 seconds better than the second place starter.

"Alex did a terrific job for us last year," Keselowski said. "He won the pole and ran very well in the race. It's awesome to have him in the Cooper Standard Ford F-150 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park."

The native of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, had such an enjoyable experience last year he jumped at the chance to return to the truck series with BKR.

"I really enjoyed driving the truck because it was so well prepared by the team," Tagliani said. "A big part of racing is the chemistry. This was so unique because of everyone's attitude at BKR. By the time qualifying was over I felt like I had been working with the team for years."

Tagliani has seven NASCAR XFINITY Series starts sprinkled over seven seasons dating back to 2009. He enters the NCWTS event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on the heels of a strong performance at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, Ohio) where he won the pole and finished second after leading 38 of the event's 75 laps.

Alex has 32 starts in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series over the past seven seasons. In June he grabbed his second victory in the series in dominating fashion, leading 193 of 300 laps at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, Ontario, finishing over a lap ahead of his nearest competitor. His other victory in the series came on a road course event at Edmonton City Centre Airport in 2008.

Tagliani has a diverse racing portfolio, which includes the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar, XFINITY Series, road racing and Champ Car competition.

In 2015 Tagliani made his seventh start in the Indianapolis 500 leading two laps and scoring a 17th place finish for A.J. Foyt Racing. In 2009 he earned Rookie of the Year honors in the race with an 11th-place finish and won the pole for the race in 2011 driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. His best finish was 10th place in 2010.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ejoins-Brad-Keselowski-Racing-at-Mosport.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bush's Beans Renews With JTG Daugherty Racing​*
JTG Daugherty Racing is proud to announce a multiyear renewed partnership with one of their long-standing primary sponsors, Bush Brothers & Company, as driver AJ Allmendinger prepares to race the No. 47 BUSH'S Grillin' Beans® Chevrolet SS in the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"It's such a great honor to have represented BUSH'S Beans in the sport of NASCAR for so many years and we are pleased to announce that they are returning for multiple years," JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter said. "We are blessed to have support from great brands that allow us to compete at NASCAR's top level with the No. 47 Chevrolet SS. We will continue to work hard to augment their marketing plans and bring the brand to life for millions of brand-loyal NASCAR fans. Bush Brothers & Company are great partners and share our values as a family-oriented company."

JTG Daugherty Racing driver AJ Allmendinger continues to grow his relationship with the family-owned company. Last year, he delivered the company's first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen International earning a coveted spot in The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"It's been pretty special getting to know the family of BUSH'S Beans because it's a brand that we all remember as kids and continue to purchase today," Allmendinger said. "When you think of getting together with your family and friends for a cookout or just a nice dinner in general, BUSH'S Beans comes to mind along with our other great partners. We've had some fun the last couple of years, but I just wish they would go ahead and hand over the Secret Family Recipe to me. Not sure what they are waiting on, but in all seriousness I'm lucky to have some of the best brands in the sport."

Bush Brothers & Company is a family company that started over 100 years ago (in Chestnut Hill, Tenn.) and agrees the NASCAR platform is a great way to continue to grow their business for generations to come.

"We are very excited to extend and expand our long-standing relationship with JTG Daugherty Racing," said Tom Ferriter, President and CEO, Bush Brothers & Company. "After 13 years, we think of Jodi (Geschickter), Tad, Brad (Daugherty), AJ and all of the No. 47 team as part of our family. We look forward to continuing to work with JTG Daugherty Racing for many more years to come. We are especially proud to make this announcement at Bristol Motor Speedway since East Tennessee has been home to Bush Brothers & Company since our company's founding in 1908."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Beans-Renews-With-JTG-Daugherty-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Grabs Overtime XFINITY Win At Bristol​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6796&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

When Chris Buescher's Ford faltered on a green-white-checkered restart on Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch took full advantage, as is his custom.

In a Food City 300 that went to two laps of overtime at the .533-mile short track, Busch finished .427 seconds ahead of Kyle Larson, as Buescher faded to 11th after his car failed to pick up fuel off Turn 2 of the next-to-last lap.

The victory was Busch's third of the season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, his eighth at Bristol and the 73rd of his career, extending his own series record.

"This is home-this is where I'm supposed to be," Busch said, standing outside the car in Victory Lane. "I wish I was here Wednesday night (after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race), so we could continue the sweep lookout for (Saturday), but that was a second place. Oh, well."

Polesitter Denny Hamlin ran third, followed by Ty Dillon and Daniel Suarez, who got a bonus for his top-five run. As the highest finishing eligible driver in the XFINITY Dash 4 Cash program, Suarez picked up an extra $100,000.

Pit strategy put Buescher at the front of the field under the fourth caution of the race, caused by Cale Conley's spin in Turn 4. Staying out on older tires while most of the lead-lap cars came to pit road for fresh rubber and fuel, Buescher nevertheless pulled away from Busch during a succession of restarts, as Busch saved his equipment for what he thought would be the inevitable late-race caution.

"I let the 60 (Buescher) go," Busch said. "He ran out there to about a straightaway on us, and I was just trying to save and do what I could to keep my tires underneath me. I knew we were going to get some cautions at the end to bunch us back up, and fortunately we did.

"I wasn't sure they were going to make it on fuel (having pitted on lap 131 of 302), and obviously they cut it close-a little too close."

Busch got the yellow he needed, just in time. Brad Teague's wreck on the frontstretch with five laps left set up the green-white-checkered and gave Busch the chance he needed.

Buescher, who saw his series lead shrink to 19 points over Ty Dillon, knew he could have made it to the end on fuel, had the race not gone to overtime.





















*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ch-grabs-overtime-XFINITY-win-at-Bristol.aspx​


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opportunity For Almirola​*
Aric Almirola has a three-race chance to race his way into a second consecutive berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The Richard Petty Motorsports driver was able to close the gap on the field of 16 last week in the Pure Michigan 400. Almirola came into the race 50 points behind Clint Bowyer for the final transfer spot. But Bowyer's problems and Almirola's top-15 finish sliced that deficit to 23 heading into Saturday night's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"We're not out of it yet," Almirola said. "Last weekend showed that anything can happen. We bounced back from what looked to be a rough weekend to get a top-15 finish, and Bowyer had some bad luck to help us gain some points on the transfer spot."

Many felt Almirola's chance to make it back-to-back Chase appearances after last year's Cinderella run were over. But he says the team has never given up hope he can again represent RPM in the championship picture in 2015.

"With just three races left before the Chase starts, it's go time," Almirola said. "We've got to put our heads down and focus on getting the best results we can for the next three weeks. We can't have any bad races. There's still a chance we can get in on points, so we don't want to lose sight of that. But, a win this weekend would lock us in, and that's what we're aiming for."

Almirola has run well at the half-mile short track during his career. He'll make his 13th career Sprint Cup start at Bristol on Saturday night, but has also logged many laps at the track in both the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series.

Overall, Almirola has compiled three top-five and seven top-10 finishes across NASCAR's top three divisions at "Thunder Valley."

He finished 13th in this spring's Bristol visit but was running as high as second before an engine issues took him from contention for a win.

However, that run and a Bristol test earlier this summer has Almirola feeling confident about his chances on Saturday night.

"Bristol is a race we've had circled on the calendar since the beginning of the year," he said. " Last year in the fall, I felt like I had the best car I've ever had in a Sprint Cup race, well two of the best cars. We were fast there again in the spring before a motor issue hurt us on the restarts.

"We've put a lot into this race and feel it's our best shot at a win. We tested there earlier this month, and I felt like our car was really good. It handled well, and we had good speed."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/08/Opportunity-For-Aric-Almirola.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Leads JGR Qualifying Charge​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6805&StatType=Starting+Lineup

For the second consecutive week Joe Gibbs Racing took the top three positions in qualifying and this time it was Denny Hamlin's turn to show the way.

Hamlin took the top spot for Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway with a track record lap of 14.602 seconds (131.407 mph) to lead the top three JGR sweep.

"Our FedEx Ground Camry obviously was very fast that last round and Dave (Rogers, crew chief) made the great adjustments to it to pick up the speed and I think that hopefully we'll have something that we can race with them tomorrow night," Hamlin said.

It marked Hamlin's 22nd career pole - third at Bristol - and it comes in his 350th career start.

Earlier in the day Hamlin also took the pole for Friday night's XFINITY Series race and the front row for that race will mirror the Sprint Cup race as Kyle Busch qualified second. Hamlin has one Cup win at Bristol and Busch has five.

"Bristol has been a great track for me in the past," Hamlin said. "We've got nothing to lose this weekend just gearing up for the Chase so I think our FedEx team is ready."

Carl Edwards, who had to go back out late for another qualifying attempt in round 3, completed the top three starters.

Last week's Michigan pole and race winner Matt Kenseth just missed joining his JGR teammates in the final session, qualifying 13th.

"All of our cars have had good speed today, we just missed the setup there a little bit for qualifying and couldn't really fix it from the pit box," said Kenseth, who claimed his fourth Bristol win in the spring. "We got the best lap we could out of it - wish we could have made it to the last round there. Just didn't quite have enough in it."

Toyota took the top four spots with David Ragan qualifying fourth.

Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski qualified fifth and sixth, respectively. Kevin Harvick was the top qualifying Chevrolet driver in seventh.

"The first round just got loose and that kind of put us behind the whole time," Harvick said. "Other than that the car drove pretty good, really throughout every round. Had a little bit of trouble with all the engine stuff shutting off at the end of the straightaway so that was definitely hurting us."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson, who posted the best 10 consecutive lap average in both practice sessions, rounded out the top 12.

Jeff Gordon will start 24th in the No. 24 Chevrolet that will carry the iconic rainbow paint scheme this weekend.

"We didn't qualify very good here the last time we were here and heck, I think this time we were worse than we were the last time," Gordon said. "But we raced really good. I thought our race runs looked decent today. It's hard to pass. The groove is up top there, so I was hoping we were going to qualify better than this, especially with this pretty awesome Rainbow paint scheme that Axalta has this weekend for us. But, it just wasn't meant to be. I don't know. We were just really struggling when we put it into qualifying trim."

Tony Stewart will start 40th, snapping a streak of four consecutive top-five qualifying efforts on the season.

Travis Kvapil, Jeb Burton and Reed Sorenson failed to qualify for the 500-lap race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-the-Pole-for-the-IRWIN-Tools-Night-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Belongs To Logano​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6805&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano won the IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway for the second straight season.

Logano led 176 laps and held off a hard charging Kevin Harvick in the closing laps to score his third win of the season and second consecutive in the annual Bristol summer race. It was the Team Penske driver's 11th career Sprint Cup Series win.

"It was kind of interesting to watch it in the mirror," Logano said of Harvick trying to pass him in the closing laps. "I was watching him drive in and I was like, 'He's going to get me eventually,' so I just wanted to make sure I stayed at least three or four car lengths up on him so he didn't get to me."

Harvick came back from a pair of pit road miscues for the second-place finish.

"Yeah, we had an interesting night," Harvick said. "We went to the back twice and passed a bunch of cars. I think all in all, it's just a huge credit to the team.

"They just keep bringing fast cars to the racetrack, and we're able to overcome a lot of things and everybody just keeps grinding away at whatever the circumstances are, and we're able to overcome things, and that's really what it's going to be about over the last 10 weeks."

Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top five.

"Could hang with them for the first part of the run, but then I couldn't work traffic that well and those guys were able to get away," said Hamlin, who started the race from the pole. "Just a decent average day. Definitely not what we expected."

Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman completed the top ten finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes next weekend off before returning to action on Sunday, September 6 for the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

*How Logano Won:* Logano appeared to be cruising to Victory Lane until the closing laps when Harvick made his charge. Despite Harvick trying several lines to get by, Logano was up to the challenge and took away his line several times to stay ahead and take the checkered flag.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Harvick's rebound from the two pit road penalties was his eighth second-place finish since he won at Phoenix in March&#8230;.Hamlin had his best Bristol finish since August of 2012&#8230;.Johnson had his first top-five finish since Daytona on Fourth of July weekend&#8230;.Bowyer rebounded from a spin to finish fifth and has a 35 point lead in the final Chase transfer spot.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Matt Kenseth exited just past the 100 lap mark with a blown engine&#8230;.Kyle Larson finished 42nd and cutting a tire and hitting the wall&#8230;..David Ragan was inside the top10 when he got clipped from behind and slid into the backstretch inside wall. He was credited with a 40th place finish&#8230;.Jeff Gordon has a pair of problems with loose wheels the second coming when he was inside the top five and had to settle for 20th place&#8230;Kyle Busch came back from a loose wheel but a late race pit road speeding penalty sent him to the back of the pack.

*What Else Happened:* The race featured several ebbs and flows throughout the 500-laps but many drivers who ran upfront were thwarted by problems including a number of loose wheels and pit road speeding penalties.

*Quote of the Day:* "Shouldn't hit the wall, I wasn't patient, I wasn't patient," Dale Earnhardt Jr. after hitting the wall coming off the fourth turn.

*Notables:* Justin Allgaier gave HScott Motorsports a 12th-place finish&#8230;.The 16 drivers in the Chase grid coming into Bristol are the same 16 with two races left in the regular season.











*Race Recap​*





*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ls-Night-Race-for-Second-Straight-Season.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Exits Bristol Early​*
Matt Kenseth was knocked out of Saturday night's IRWIN Tools Night Race by a blown engine.

Kenseth, who had won two of the last three races of the season, saw the engine blow in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on lap 111.

"It broke in the middle of the straightaway - it had that hop and that noise that it makes when you know you dropped a valve," Kenseth explained. "Unfortunate, but man these guys at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) have been doing such an awesome job, we've had so much power and everything has been really reliable here the last year and a half.

"Things like this happen every once in a while. It's a short night. Felt like we were really competitive - we were one or two adjustments away from where we needed to be, but I thought our Dollar General Camry had good speed."

Kenseth was hoping to sweep both Bristol races this season after taking the spring visit to the Tennessee short track. Unfortunately it was not to be.

"Our stuff has been pretty reliable the last year and a half and we've been making a lot of power," he said. "Things like that happen and we'll go back and get it fixed up. The encouraging part is that our cars are really fast and I thought we were an adjustment away from having what we really needed to run with everybody."

Kenseth was able to find at least a sliver of humor in the disappointing night.

"They never warn you, it would be cool if they would send you a text or something," he joked about the engine blowing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/08/Early-Exit-For-Kenseth.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Night For Bowyer​*
Clint Bowyer's solid run in the IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway helped solidify his spot in the Chase grid.

Bowyer finished fifth Saturday night and was able to increase his advantage over 17th place Aric Almirola to 35 points with only two races left in the regular season.

"This was a big night for us," Bowyer said. "We needed this. Driver got us behind last weekend after Michigan, but man, when you step up to the plate like this and you're running at the level that it takes to be a part of the championship caliber elite group like you have in the Chase.

"You don't want to just go into that Chase and be a part of it and be the first guy out, you want to go into that Chase with some confidence and momentum and some good runs where you can maybe go a few rounds in there."

Bowyer had to battle back from a spin on lap 317 to get the top-five finish. The performance came only days after it was announced Bowyer was given his release from Michael Waltrip Racing, which will cease operation at the end of the season, and become a free agent for the 2016 campaign.

Unfortunately MWR had a couple of cars running near the front of the field until Bowyer made contact with teammate David Ragan, who spun and crashed.

"Great night for us given everything that's happened this week this was certainly what we needed as a group, as an organization to have two cars run in the top-five," Bowyer said. "Sick with what happened with the 55 (Ragan). David has done such a good job of stepping in and filling in that seat and being a good teammate. We certainly didn't want to see that."

But Bowyer put the unfortunate circumstances behind and is concentrating on securing a Chase berth in the next two races. Once he's in the playoffs, Bowyer's hoping to make some noise.

"We had two top-five cars and MWR really needed that run," he said. "With that being said we desperately needed a solid run right there. I mean obviously you're hungry for a win with this organization given everything it had and I drove my *** off we just come up short. I'm really proud of all of these guys on the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota. They're digging man.

"It's fun to be a part of this. It's fun to be a part of a group that can answer the call when you gotta dig down and reach down a little bit more to get in that Chase and be a part of that elite group. These guys are up for the challenge."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/08/Big-Night-For-Bowyer.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Second Again​*
Kevin Harvick finished second for the 10th time this season when he followed race winner Joey Logano across the finish line Saturday in the IRWIN Tools Night Race.

Harvick was the runner-up for the second straight week despite making a valiant charge at getting by Logano for the win.

The run was made more impressive by the fact Harvick had to come from the rear of the field after a pair of penalties earlier in the race.

"We went to the back twice and passed a bunch of cars," said Harvick. "I think all-in-all, it's just a huge credit to our Budweiser Chevy team. They just keep bringing fast cars to the racetrack, and we're able to overcome a lot of things. Obviously you want to win races, but we're in position, and feel like we can get that momentum swing at any point, if it just starts going our way. But it's fun to be able to come to Bristol and be competitive."

The final 63 laps of the 500-lap race around the Tennessee short track saw Harvick do his best to rundown Logano and make a pass for the lead. Harvick was thwarted every time he tried to get a run and admitted traffic around the tight track played a huge role.

"He was just one step ahead of me in traffic," Harvick explained. "I couldn't get my car to rotate across the center like I needed it to, and every time I tried to force it would snap the back out.

"He was able to go in really high and before the center of the corner drive down the corner and I was just having to wait just a split second to be able to put the throttle back down, and I couldn't do that, that huge diamond all the way to the bottom like he could, and that was really beneficial for him through traffic, and I kind of had to just part throttle it through the center and grind the tires away through the center to the corner and just hope that they were going to lift, but he was able to get those huge runs up off the exit of the corner and just stayed one step ahead of me through traffic I felt like, and in clean air we probably were a little faster, but it didn't really matter. I had to be in front of him to show that. All in all, he was just one step ahead of me in traffic."

Despite being forced to settle for yet another second place finish, Harvick insists he's not frustrated and enjoying the opportunity to again run for a second straight championship once the Chase begins.

"I'm not frustrated at all because I've been on the other side of this fence, and you'd give everything in the world to finish second every week because it's not easy," he said. "This is a hard sport, and to go to all these different types of racetracks and see the success that the team has, I couldn't be prouder of all the guys on my team and to drive the cars because I know that at any moment you can rattle off two or three wins in a row at any type of racetrack, so it's fun."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/08/Harvick-Second-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bristol Winners And Losers​*
Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway was good for some and bad for others.

*WINNERS*​
*Joey Logano*
The Team Penske driver has put together a terrific summer and added another trophy to his 2015 collection on Saturday night. Logano's success might be coming to a crescendo at the perfect time with the start of the Chase right around the corner.

*Jimmie Johnson*
It hasn't been a very good stretch for Johnson or the rest of the Hendrick Motorsports brigade in recent months. But Johnson turned in a much-needed and very strong run in Bristol with a fourth-place finish.

*Clint Bowyer*
The turmoil swirling around the demise of Michael Waltrip Racing took a backseat on Saturday night when Bowyer ran up front early and came back from a spin to notch a fifth-place finish that also helped stabilize his Chase chances.

*Ryan Newman*
Don't look now, but Newman is doing the same thing he did a year ago - with a season full of consistent finishes looking like it'll add up to a Chase spot. He came home 10th in Bristol.

*Justin Allgaier*
A 12th-place run for Allgaier was, perhaps, the feel-good story of the night. HScott Motorsports has made strides this year and seems poised to build for the future.

*LOSERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*
The winner of two of the three races before Bristol was knocked out by a rare blown engine just past the 100-lap mark on Saturday night, ending his hope of a Bristol sweep in 2015.

*Kyle Larson*
Maybe there's something to this "sophomore slump" thing after all? Larson's chances to make the Chase with a win are running out after he hit the wall and was sent to the garage in Bristol.

*David Ragan*
Contact with MWR teammate Clint Bowyer and a slide into the inside backstretch wall ended Ragan's night with a thud and didn't do much in his search for landing a new ride in 2016.

*Jeff Gordon*
Not one but two loose wheels ended Gordon's bid for a possible win or - at the very least - a top-five finish. The frustration level of Gordon's final full-time Sprint Cup Series season is off the charts.

*Kyle Busch*
Appeared to have the fastest car of the night but after coming back from a loose wheel of his own earlier in the race, Busch could not overcome a speeding penalty on pit road and settled for eighth place. The good news for Busch is that he's still comfortably inside the top 30 of the standings and remains eligible for the Chase.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ristol-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Partridge Rolls To First Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...1&RaceID=6875&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Ryan Partridge turned a dominant performance Saturday night at Colorado National Speedway into his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory.

The 25-year-old rookie from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won his first Coors Light Pole Award, and then went out and led all but one lap in the NAPA Auto Parts 150.

Partridge's No. 9 Sunrise Ford/Eirbach Springs/Lucas Oil Ford crossed the finish line 1.7 seconds in front of runner-up Blake Williams. The 20-year-old Williams was making his third career start and posted his second top five.

Partridge was the 2014 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series California champion running in the Late Model Division at Irwindale Speedway. He was making his 13th career start Saturday and is in his first full-time season with car owner Bob Bruncati.

Partridge's previous best was a runner-up finish in the series' last race at Evergreen Speedway in Washington.

Defending race winner Chris Eggleston came home third, followed by David Mayhew and Brandon McReynolds.

Rookies Gracin Raz, Alex Schutte, Noah Gragson and Nicole Behar finished sixth through ninth, while 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year James Bickford was 10th.

Schutte was the last car on the lead lap as the race went caution-free for the final 89 laps.

Eggleston was the only other driver to lead, taking the point briefly on a Lap 29 restart.

He and Partridge are tied on points, with Gragson falling six points behind with three races remaining. Raz is 12 points back in fourth.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West heads to Meridian Speedway for the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho 208 on Saturday, Sept. 5.

The NAPA Auto Parts 150 from Colorado will air on NBCSN on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-Pro-Series/News/Articles/2015/08/Partridge-Rolls-To-First-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*A.J. Fike Is An ARCA Dirt Track Star​*
A.J. Fike won his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race Sunday, becoming the 10th driver of the season to pick up their first victory. And, the Galesburg, Ill. native did it in his home state.

"I'm kind of at a loss for words right now," Fike said in victory lane, surrounded by a throng of supporters.

Fike actually dominated the SuperChevyStores.com 100 at the mile dirt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. He led 60 of the 104 laps and had a lead of nearly seven seconds with 10 laps to go. He survived a late restart to win over Kyle Weatherman by .79 of a second. Fike's previous career best was second at Berlin Raceway in 2004.

"The car was perfect off the trailer," Fike said. "I can't say enough about everyone on the team, my pit crew, my dad. This is a great win for us. It's very exciting."

Weatherman was second - his third runner-up of the season - in the No. 22 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge.

Springfield native Kelly Kovski was third in the No. 16 Billingsley Towing-Hoosier Tire Midwest Chevrolet. Josh Williams and Tom Hessert rounded out the top five.

Williams, in the No. 6 Musselman's Apple Sauce-SW Florida Cable Construction Chevrolet, moved into second place in the ARCA Racing Series driver point standings while Hessert, in the No. 77 Barbera's Autoland Dodge, earned his 10th top 10 of the season.

SCOTT Rookie Hunter Baize finished sixth in the Ken Schrader-owned No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet while Highland Park, Ill., driver David Levine finished seventh in the No. 59 MOMO-TraqGear-Ford Performance Ford.

A fourth Illinois driver, Ryan Unzicker, finished eighth with James Swanson and Austin Wayne Self rounding out the top 10.

Series point leader Grant Enfinger finished 20th after his car stalled on the track early in the race and he fell several laps down. He led the first eight laps and was one of six different leaders.

After the final caution flew, the race restarted on lap 101 with the green flag. Weatherman was fourth but got a great restart and drove deep into turn one right behind Fike. He held on for the second spot.

"It was a hard fought battle by the whole team," Weatherman said. "I thought we might be able to get to the No. 27 if the 6 hadn't gotten into me on that restart, but that's racing. It was a good day. It was a lot fun for me out there."

Kovski, who served as crew chief several races for Enfinger earlier this season at GMS Racing, was happy with his third-place finish.

"We are going to keep trying," Kovski said. "We've got a good car and hopefully we learned something for DuQuoin."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ock-cars/a-j-fike-is-an-arca-dirt-track-star/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Unveils Darlington Paint Scheme​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. may be driving the Valvoline car on Sept. 6, 2015, at Darlington Raceway, but thanks to a "throwback" paint scheme, his fans will likely feel as if they're watching a race more in line with his father's early career and track opponents.

Earnhardt and Valvoline's presence on the Darlington track at the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event will pay homage to the brand's storied history in motor sports with an early-1980s look inspired by Valvoline cars driven by some of the era's racing icons, including Cale Yarborough, Ron Bouchard, Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker.

"I love the history of the sport and really enjoy paint schemes from the past," said Earnhardt, NASCAR's 12-time most popular driver. "To be able to run a car inspired by many of my racing idols is pretty special. Valvoline has been involved in NASCAR for a long time, and it's awesome they wanted to do a program like this at Darlington."

The one-race sponsorship of Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet SS marks an elevated partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and Valvoline, which in September 2013 announced a four-year agreement that kicked off last season. The new sponsorship at Darlington represents Valvoline's first primary paint scheme since that time.

"As Valvoline approaches its 150th anniversary, we are proud to support Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the upcoming 'throwback' Southern 500 by paying tribute to the legendary drivers who have contributed to the legacy of Valvoline racing," said Sam Mitchell, Valvoline president. "We look forward to being part of yet another exciting competition at Darlington for the history books."

"I remember our first Southern 500 win back in 1986," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, whose teams have earned a record 14 Sprint Cup victories at Darlington. "It was an incredible era that featured some amazingly talented drivers, and it's exciting to see Valvoline recognize them with this paint scheme. We're extremely proud of our partnership and delighted to see it grow with this program."

In addition to the 1980s-inspired red and blue paint scheme, Earnhardt's fire suit will pay homage to this specific era of racing history. The two-time Daytona 500 winner helped design Valvoline's "throwback" look after reviewing the various styles of legacy cars and drivers. He also worked alongside performance and protective footwear and apparel designer Alpinestars to develop a suit that would take NASCAR fans back 30-plus years.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hardt-Jr-Unveils-Darlington-Paint-Scheme.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says NASCAR Needs To Do A Better Job Policing Restarts​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to follow its rules. It's that simple, he says.

"All the drivers really want is for NASCAR to police that stuff with a stern hand,'' Earnhardt said about restarts after Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I saw in the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen &#8230; so many guys pull out of line before the start/finish line and pass people going into Turn 1. I'm like 'What the hell? It's right there in front of you. Hell, I can see it and I'm watching on TV.'

"We know those are rules, and you see a guy breaking the rule, and you just want to see NASCAR come down on people. I say that now, and I will probably jinx the hell out of myself and do something stupid next week, but you just want NASCAR to run the show like you read in the rulebook.''

NASCAR's rules state that "vehicles must maintain their track position/lane &#8230; until they have crossed the start/finish line.'' Another rule states that "the leader of the race will control the restart within the designated restart zone.''

Drivers don't see those rules being enforced consistently. Carl Edwards questioned series officials about restarts during the drivers meeting before Saturday night's race.

Edwards mentioned the previous race at Michigan when he led, but Austin Dillon beat him on a restart. Edwards claimed that Dillon took off when Edwards should have been first to go. NASCAR did not penalize Dillon.

"Are you going to enforce that?'' Edwards asked Richard Buck, Cup series managing director, during the drivers meeting.

Buck told Edwards "we don't went to get in and micromanage it, that's for you to do it,'' noting series officials reviewed the restart Edwards was concerned about and saw no issue.

Last week, NASCAR penalized Ryan Blaney during the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol for jumping a restart when he was the leader.

"It seems like in the Truck series they really get after them guys and smack those guys on the back of the hand when they screw up,'' Earnhardt said. "But in the Cup series, they have kind of let a little stuff here slide. It depends what it is. Like they say it's a judgment call, but you want them to really rule on the side of the penalty.

"Keep people honest. Or else it's just like these cars and these engineers and these crew chiefs, they are going to push the envelope on every rule. If you give us a little room out there as drivers, we are going to try to take it. We don't want the sport ran so loosely. We really want it to be structured very tight."

No drivers were penalized in Saturday's Cup race for violating restarts rules, but the inconsistency has drivers flustered. They want to know what they can and can't do because restarts are often the best chance to gain positions because passing is so difficult.

"There's a lot of questions,'' Joey Logano said after his victory Saturday. "I spent a lot of time with NASCAR this week, actually, trying to understand what I can and can't do and being able to understand where their head is at and what they're thinking when they look at a restart - what's right and what's wrong and what they're going to police and what they're not going to police.''

Denny Hamlin suggested during the drivers meeting that NASCAR should go back to the rule that the No. 2 starter cannot beat the lead car to the start/finish. Buck said that could be discussed later. Earnhardt said maybe it will come up in an upcoming drivers council meeting with series officials.

Clint Bowyer just wants to see NASCAR do something.

"I understand they don't want to step in, but nonetheless, it's a rule,'' he said. "In my opinion when there's rules, you enforce them one way or another. I know it's a judgment call, but that's why there's two stripes.

"I've been racing at short tracks with that kind of rule my whole life. It don't bother them to yank the point leader or the crowd favorite or anyone else to make that call.''

*Source:*
http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/201...to-do-a-better-job-policing-restarts/related/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hornish Latest To Unveil Darlington Paint Scheme​*
Winn-Dixie will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford with a special throwback paint scheme for the Sept. 6 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

The Southeast-based chain of grocery stores has a long history of NASCAR sponsorship dating back to 1980. Sam Hornish Jr. will sport a retro black, gold and red paint scheme similar to the one driven in the past by Mark Martin - who won 39 XFINITY Series races with Winn-Dixie as his sponsor.

"We're honored to partner with Richard Petty Motorsports and celebrate this historic NASCAR weekend by bringing the famous Winn-Dixie paint scheme back," said Southeastern Grocers Sales and Marketing Manager Rich Romano. "It's a great representation of our history with NASCAR."

Hornish is looking forward to representing the company on the track Labor Day weekend.

"Mark (Martin) and Winn-Dixie set a precedent of winning," he said. "That's exactly what we're hoping to do in Darlington."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6th, as part of "Bojangles' Southern 500 Throwback Week on MRN, Presented by STP." Air time is 6 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Special-Darlington-Raceway-Paint-Scheme.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Schrader Ready To Take On DuQuoin​*
As competitive as the recent Allen Crowe ARCA 100 was at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, it's going to get tougher yet when the 62nd annual Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care rolls off at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Labor Day on Sept. 7.

Ken Schrader, who was absent from the line-up at Springfield, will be returning to the cockpit of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet for this year's championship stock car classic at the DuQuoin "Magic Mile."

Schrader, 60, the oldest winner in ARCA history (Salem/April 2015), won the Southern Illinois 100 as recent as 2013. His special connection to DuQuoin goes back to his youth.

"First time I went (to DuQuoin) was 1964," Schrader said. "My dad and I went. I remember sleeping in the back of his station wagon excited as could be.
"I thought it was the biggest race I'd ever seen. I thought there couldn't be a bigger race in the world than this. I love the place. Been going ever since."

In addition to his three ARCA wins at DuQuoin, he finished second in 2003, third in '02, fourth in '01, sixth in '14 and eighth in '04. He also earned three Menards Pole Awards presented by Ansell in '04, '06 and '13.

Schrader is among a growing list of entrants for the annual ARCA stock car classic at the historic fairgrounds horse track, one that includes 10-time series champion Frank Kimmel, who has five wins at DuQuoin.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/schrader-ready-to-take-on-duquoin/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Less, Not More​*
The recent cries from some drivers for NASCAR to better officiate restarts is curious.

In a sport that is sometimes criticized for over-regulation now comes a demand for more legislation.

In a nutshell, many drivers aren't pleased with what they perceive as cheating on restarts. There were several questions during last week's Sprint Cup Series drivers meeting about policing restarts tighter in the wake of a couple recent incidents.

Carl Edwards thought Austin Dillon jumped a restart at Michigan International Speedway two weeks ago and was one of the drivers to question the policy at Bristol. Others included Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who brought up a similar situation that took place at Watkins Glen International.

"All we want is for NASCAR to police that stuff with a stern hand," Earnhardt said after Saturday night's Bristol race. "I saw in the XFINITY (Series) race at Watkins Glen, so many guys pull out of line before the start-finish line and pass people going into Turn 1. I'm like, 'What the hell?' It's right there in front of you. I can see it and I'm watching on TV.

"When you see a guy breaking the rules, you want to see NASCAR come down on people. I say that now, and will probably jinx myself and do something stupid next week. But you want NASCAR to run the show like you read in the rule book."

The rule book seems to state guidelines for restarts in simple terms. The leader of the race controls the restart within the designated restart zone, a box clearly marked and located prior to the start-finish line. Drivers must "maintain their track position/lane until they have crossed the start-finish line."

But despite the simplicity of the rule, there's still unrest among some competitors about its execution and subsequent officiating. NASCAR did penalize Ryan Blaney in last week's Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol for jumping a restart when he was leading, but such a call in the Sprint Cup Series hasn't happened in some time.

Should it?

The old saying that nobody pays to see the referee or the umpire applies here, as well. Gamesmanship on restarts is one of the few strategies left in drivers' hands.

It's similar to a football offense trying to pull the defense offside. Drivers getting into one another's heads about when to go and how to mash the gas for the best restart when a race goes back under green is part of the game.

In today's world of such advanced technology, there's no doubt that NASCAR could implement telemetry or technology to know if someone accelerates too soon or gains an "unfair" advantage on a restart.

But why not leave the human element right where it should be - with the competitors?

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/08/Opinion-Less-Not-More.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truck Road Course History Rich​*
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park joins the list of road courses where the Camping World Truck Series has competed during its history.

Sunday's Chevy Silverado 250 marks the third time the Truck Series has competed at the historic road circuit outside Toronto. But since its inception in 1995, NASCAR's number three series has visited many other challenging road courses.

*Heartland Park Topeka*

The multi-purpose motorsports facility situated about five miles from Topeka, Kansas opened its doors in 1989. In addition to a road course, Heartland Park also housed a drag strip, dirt short track and an off road course.

The Truck Series first competed in Topeka in 1995, with Ron Hornaday taking the green flag. The series would return the next four seasons with Mike Skinner, Joe Ruttman, Stacy Compton and Mike Bliss scoring wins with the last race held in the 1999 season.

*Portland International Raceway*

The beautiful and scenic track brought the Truck Series to the Pacific Northwest for two seasons in 1999 and 2000. When the nearby Portland Speedway short track shuttered its doors, NASCAR looked for a facility to keep a presence in the area and PIR was added to the schedule.

Future Sprint Cup star Greg Biffle was victorious in 1999, scoring a popular home track win. Andy Houston took the checkered flag the following season.

*Sonoma Raceway*

Still a mainstay on the Sprint Cup Series schedule, the Truck Series also competed at the northern California track for many years.

Sonoma was actually part of the inaugural series schedule in 1995 with Ron Hornaday, Jr. winning over Wally Dallenbach.

There were three more series races held at the track with Dave Rezendes, Joe Ruttman and Boris Said all winning before Sonoma dropped off the schedule after the 1998 campaign.

*Watkins Glen International*

The historic road course in upstate New York welcomed the Truck Series in for five races spanning the 1996-2000 seasons.

Ron Hornaday Jr. was the first winner while Canadian road racing ace Ron Fellows put his name in the record book tice over the next three seasons. Ironically Fellows now heads Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and was instrumental in bringing the series to the track two years ago.

Veteran Joe Ruttman won at The Glen in 1999 while Biffle took the checkered flag in the 2000 edition of the race, the last time the NCWTS visited Watkins Glen.

*Source:*
Truck Road Course History Rich


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Motorsports Sues Former Driver Justin Boston​*
*Justin Boston ran the first nine races of 2015 in the Camping World Truck Series for KBM.*

Kyle Busch Motorsports has filed suit in North Carolina Superior Court against former Camping World Truck Series driver Justin Boston, according to a report Wednesday by ESPN.

According to the report, the lawsuit claims Boston and Zloop - a company co-founded by Boston's father, Bob - failed to make scheduled payments to KBM in May and June as part of a two-year $6.4 million sponsorship contract.

Justin, 25, competed in KBM's No. 54 Toyota the first nine races this season before leaving the team, scoring four top tens and finishing as high as seventh.

In an interview at the time he left the team, Boston said the departure was because "it just didn't work out." However, KBM at the time issued a statement in which it claimed Zloop breached its contract.

According to the ESPN report, KBM is seeking $4.025 million for the alleged default on the contract.

Zloop, a computer recycling company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month.

In 2014, a lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Zloop and Bob Boston by a former Zloop investor, Kendall Mosing.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-truck/news/kyle-busch-motorsports-sues-former-driver-justin-boston


----------



## Ckg2011

*Yeley And Burton Swap Rides​*
*Yeley will now pilot the No. 26 while Burton takes over the No. 23.*

J.J. Yeley and Jeb Burton will swap seats starting next weekend at Darlington Raceway.

Yeley will now drive the No. 26 while Burton will pilot the No. 23 Dr. Pepper Camry. BK Racing informed its teams of the decision Monday afternoon.

Team owner Ron Devine told Motorsport.com, "we're making changes in an effort to improve performance and hopefully provide some senior leadership with J.J. to the 26 team."

Yeley, who is competing for the Xfinity Series title, posted a season-high result of 14th at Talladega Superspeedway.

Burton's best effort was 29th at his home track of Martinsville Speedway. The 23-year-old rookie has qualified for just 18 of 24 Cup races. He has an average finish of 36.4.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/yeley-and-burton-swap-rides


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## Ckg2011

*Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Tony Stewart Moved To Federal Court​*
*The request for the suit to be moved was submitted by Stewart's attorney.*

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of the late Sprint Car driver Kevin Ward Jr. against NASCAR driver Tony Stewart has been moved from New York state court to federal court, representatives for Stewart confirmed Tuesday.

The request was submitted last week by Stewart's attorney. U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd of the Northern District of New York has been assigned the case.

A sprint car driven by Stewart struck and killed Ward on Aug. 9 of last year at a dirt track in Canandaigua, N.Y., as Ward was walking on the track while the race was under caution.

A New York grand jury declined to indict Stewart on any charges related to the incident.

Ward's family, however, filed a civil lawsuit against Stewart earlier this month in the Fifth Judicial District for the Supreme Court of New York in Lowville, N.Y.

The lawsuit includes claims that Stewart wrongfully caused Kevin Ward's death by acting with wanton, reckless and malicious intent and negligence.

The suit says Stewart also caused Ward to experience extreme terror, pain and suffering. A jury trial has been requested.

A request for comment from the Ward family's attorneys was not immediately returned.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...t-against-tony-stewart-moved-to-federal-court


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## Ckg2011

*MRN Weekend Preview​*
It's a road racing weekend featuring the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series to headline a schedule that also finds the K&N Pro Series East, Whelen Modified Tour and World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in action.

The Sprint Cup Series has the last off weekend of the season but NASCAR's number one and two divisions will be in the spotlight. Things start on Saturday when the XFINITY Series makes its annual trek to Wisconsin's Road America for the Road America 180 Fired Up By Johnsonville. The scenic four-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will host the XFINITY Series for the sixth time on Saturday.

Chris Buescher is the series point leader by 19 over Ty Dillon while defending series champion Chase Elliott is only 23 behind. MRN's exclusive live coverage from Road America hits the air at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The action shifts north of the border on Sunday with the Camping World Truck Series at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for the Chevy Silverado 250. It will be the third edition of the event, which has quickly become one of the most popular events on the schedule.

Tyler Reddick has a slim lead in the series standings with Matt Crafton just six out and Erik Jones trailing by a mere seven points. MRN's coverage takes the green flag Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

In all MRN will use 22 announcers at both venues to broadcast this weekend's races.

You can listen to the weekend's broadcasts from Road America and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on your local MRN radio affiliate or its website. Both races will also stream live at MRN.com and on the MRN app.

Elsewhere in the racing world the K&N Pro Series East will also go road racing this weekend with a Saturday visit to Virginia International Raceway.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour travels to Riverhead Raceway on Long Island for a Saturday night stop.

And the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series visits Canada for a Friday and Saturday night show at Edmonton's Castrol Raceway.

Stay with MRN.com for all the latest racing news and information 24/7!

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/08/MRN-Weekend-Preview-Road-America.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Almirola To Carry STP Colors At Darlington​*
Richard Petty Motorsports has announced that Aric Almirola will carry the 1972 "Petty Blue" and day-glo red STP paint scheme on his No. 43 Ford in the Sept. 6 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

In addition, members of Petty's 1972 crew will be on hand to celebrate the race's return to Labor Day weekend for the first time since 2003.

"It's special to drive a car with so much history," Almirola said. "The 1972 paint scheme was very popular and it'll be cool to drive it in a race that embraces the history of our sport."

1972 was the first year of STP and Petty's longstanding relationship, and the first year the No. 43 sported day-glo red on its quarter-panels.

"STP has been a proud partner of Richard Petty's for nearly 44 years and all of that started with this 1972 paint scheme," said Jamie Kistner, vice president of marketing for STP. "Darlington Raceway is hosting a great throwback event that's produced a lot of excitement and we're honored to be a part of it."

Petty raced with the STP logo on the hood of his No. 43 car for 21 years, scoring 60 of his record 200 wins.

"It'll be neat to see the car that started our partnership with STP 43 years ago back on the track at Darlington," said Petty. "It just feels right to have the Southern 500 back on Labor Day Weekend."

Petty will be joined by several of his 1972 teammates at Darlington Raceway, where they finished third in that year's Southern 500: crew chief Dale Inman, fabricator Richie Barsz, mechanic and jack man Tex Powell, mechanic and transporter driver Les Barsz, mechanic and gas man Billy Biscoe, fabricator and tire carrier Jimmy "Zoomer" Kovalchik, and painter Barry Dodson.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Carry-STP-Colors-at-Darlington-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*The Road To Road America​*
The NASCAR XFINITY Series makes its sixth appearance at Road America for Saturday's Road America 180 Fired Up By Johnsonville.

Carl Edwards won the first race held at the historic four-mile road circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin back in 2010. Since then Reed Sorenson, Nelson Piquet Jr., AJ Allmendinger and Brendan Gaughan have all visited Victory Lane.

This year's race finds a torrid battle in the championship standings brewing with Chris Buescher 19 points ahead of Ty Dillon while defending series champion Chase Elliott sits only 23 behind.

Buescher is looking to add another road course win to his resume to go along with last year's win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

"Road America is a very difficult and unique road course," said Buescher, who suffered a pit road speeding penalty in last year's race that helped hand him an 18th place finish. "I love road racing and look forward to the challenge.

"Our team has finished in the top-five in the two road races this year, and I feel that we can get another one this weekend with our Fastenal Ford Mustang."

Dillon made his Road America debut last year and finished one spot behind Buescher in 19th due to a mechanical issue.

He's looking for better results this time around and comes into the race with a string of six straight top-10 performances.

"Nick (Harrison, crew chief) and the guys are really working well together and communicating very well," Dillon said of his recent success. "It's actually pretty cool to watch from a driver's perspective. Our team is looking at the big picture and sometimes we have to take a step back and realize that this is a long season; to take it little by little. This past weekend in Bristol was a perfect example - we struggled the first part of practice but Nick, Danny (Efland, race engineer) and the team just took a step back and reevaluated.

"We have a championship to win here and it won't be easy. Overall, it's been a great transition working with Nick's team. We have 11 races to go and we're not going to let up."

Either is Elliott, who has climbed out of a big early season hole to put himself back into the championship picture.

He had a solid run at Road America last year when he came home fourth and carries a great deal of confidence into Saturday's race.

"Road racing is something I've always loved," said Elliott. "I probably get that from my dad, who has always been a fan of it. In this series we really don't get a heavy dose of road racing so when they come up, I'm ready to go. This will be our last one of the season so we have to make it count.

"There's no quit in my NAPA team and given (crew chief) Ernie (Cope) and I shared time together at Road America last season makes me even more exited to get back there this weekend. It's a long course, with so many different features. You really have to be on your game at all times."

_Motor Racing Network's live coverage of Saturday's Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville will begin at 2:30 p.m. (ET) and will be streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN app._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/08/The-Road-to-Road-America.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Reddick Takes Points Lead To Canada​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series makes its third visit to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for Sunday's Chevrolet Silverado 250.

The historic 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit in Bowmanville, Ontario - just outside Toronto - became the fifth different road course to host the Truck Series in 2013 ... joining Portland International Raceway, Heartland Park Topeka, Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

Sunday's race features a tight points battle with the top three drivers separated by only seven points. Tyler Reddick is on top with two-time champion Matt Crafton six points out and rookie Erik Jones seven behind.

"It's going to be a big undertaking, but we're going to have good equipment and a lot of resources to prepare as much as we can," said Reddick, who will make his first start on a road course in any series. "One of the biggest challenges is getting comfortable. When I figure out where the lifting, shifting and braking points are, I can start being a little more aggressive."

One benefit Reddick will have is an experienced teammate in road-racing ace Alex Tagliani, who will drive the second Brad Keselowski Racing entry. The bad news is that after any advice Tagliani gives Reddick, he'll also be one of the main threats to win on Sunday.

"Our Ford will be quick," said Tagliani, who most recently finished second (to Regan Smith) in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. "I enjoyed driving the truck last year because it was so well-prepared. A big part of racing is team chemistry. This was so unique because of everyone's attitude at BKR. By the time qualifying was over, I felt like I had been working with them for years."

Crafton has a pair of top-10 finishes in his two starts at CTMP including sixth-place last year. Although he cut his teeth on oval tracks, road-course racing is a favorite of Crafton's.

"I love road racing," he said. "Unfortunately, we haven't had the best finishes. But we were a lot better last year than we were the first time we ran there - which was horrendous. Last year, we made a lot of changes and improvements. I know we'll be a lot better this year."

Jones made his debut at the track last year with an impressive third-place finish. He improved steadily as the weekend went on and hopes to continue that trend come Sunday.

"We were fast last year, just didn't do a good job managing tires," Jones said. "Hopefully, we can do a better job, stay up front and give ourselves a shot at the win. There are going to be road-course guys like Alex Tagliani there, but I know we'll have a fast Toyota."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Chevrolet Silverado 250 beginning at 1 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yler-Reddick-Takes-Points-Lead-to-Canada.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Inside Access With Miss Sprint Cup: Favorite Paint Schemes​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Suarez Seeking First Win​*
Rookie Daniel Suarez has his sights set on scoring his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory Saturday at Road America.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver sees this weekend's Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville as an opportunity to showcase his talents as a road racer. His background in go-karts and the NASCAR Mexico Series helped sharpen those skills and he's been solid in the first two road-course races on the schedule this season - at Watkins Glen International and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Although Suarez didn't have the good finishes to show for the effort at either stop, he turned heads and is eager to take it up a notch this weekend at Road America.

"This is our last chance this season to show what we've got at road courses," said Suarez, 23. "After Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio, we knew we had to get better. They were disappointing finishes for me, but we've been working hard and we'll be better this weekend."

Suarez has five top-10 finishes in his last seven starts, including fifth place last weekend at Bristol.

"Now, we have to focus on running as well on the road course as we have recently on ovals," said Suarez, who should have a potent entry based on JGR's previous performances at the 4.048-mile circuit. In 13 Road America starts, the organization has scored seven top-10 finishes while leading a total of 84 laps.

Veteran crew chief Eric Phillips is confident his driver has the talent to navigate the challenging circuit and compete for a win.

"Road America is a mix between Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen," said Phillips. "There are some high-speed, long straightaways. But there are also slow-speed corners. You have to get through those and put the power down because they lead onto very long straightaways."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville beginning at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/08/Daniel-Suarez-Seeking-First-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*It's Menard In The Midwest​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6798&StatType=Race+Results

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - The decision to compete in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Road America paid off in a huge way for Paul Menard, who scored his third career victory ... and did it on his "home" track.

Menard - a native of Eau Claire, Wis. - started eighth and saw a decision to stay out after pitting on Lap 24 work to his advantage as he edged a relentless Ryan Blaney by a half-second to win the Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville. Menard said afterwards that had the race extended one lap further, he would not have been victorious.

"I've been fortunate to win at some of the coolest tracks - Indianapolis, Milwaukee - and Road America is right there," Menard said. "We didn't have the fastest car. We had a good short-run car. We burned off the rear tires as we ran, but the car was fast and (crew chief Danny) Stockman made a heck of a call at the end."

And if wondering about running out of fuel wasn't enough down the stretch, Menard also had to fend off a hard-charging Blaney.

"I was concerned," Menard said. "I was saving as much (fuel) as I could under caution but then when we fired off, I was chattering the left-rear tire. It took a couple laps for it to come in, then the (No.) 22 started burning his stuff up and it came to us."

After inclement weather cancelled qualifying, Ben Rhodes was given the top starting spot based on practice speeds. He was under pressure from the drop of the green flag when JR Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott made a move for the lead in Turn 1. Quickly, though, the field would be under the first full-course caution of the day when Tomy Drissi found himself stuck in the gravel trap in Turn 5.

Racing resumed on Lap 4 with Elliott checking out, stretching his lead to over 10 seconds before relinquishing the top spot on Lap 11 for a routine pit stop.

Championship contender Ty Dillon inherited the lead but when pit stops cycled through, Elliott reclaimed the point on Lap 16 and built a 13.7-second advantage over second-place Brian Scott at the halfway mark. Another caution for fluid on the track erased Elliott's lead.

Despite half of the field electing to come to pit road for service, Elliott stayed out. On the restart, he withstood challenges from Scott and Blaney. But through Turn 14 and down the frontstretch of the four-mile road course, Scott moved past Elliott to take the lead on Lap 27.

Unable to make it to the end of the race on fuel, Scott pitted under green at Lap 29 - handing the lead to defending race winner Brendan Gaughan. Three laps later, Gaughan pitted. Blake Koch then led for five laps, mostly under an extended caution, before losing power - which put Menard back in front.

On the day's final restart, Menard withstood challenges from Darrell Wallace Jr. and Blaney to seal the win in his 197th career start.











*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/08/Its-Paul-Menard-in-the-Midwest.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bonsignore Sweeps Riverhead​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...7&RaceID=6991&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Justin Bonsignore joined elite company Saturday night when he drove to a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season sweep of events at Riverhead Raceway.

Bonsignore grabbed the lead from Doug Coby on Lap 115 and held on through six caution restarts to take down a third career victory at his home track, and second in two tries in 2015.

A 12th and final caution came out on Lap 199 just after Bonsignore had taken the white flag in his No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet, and he came around to a yellow-checkered. It was the eighth career victory overall for the Holtsville, New York native.

In the process he became just the fifth driver in 31 years of Whelen Modified Tour racing to sweep a season at the venerable Long Island bullring.

Coby and his No. 2 Dunleavy's Repair/A&J Romano Construction Chevrolet finished second, while rookie Chase Dowling, Donny Lia and Eric Goodale rounded out the top-five.

Tom Rogers Jr - who won his second-consecutive Coors Light Pole Award at Riverhead earlier in the day - finished sixth.

Woody Pitkat, championship points leader Ryan Preece, Todd Szegedy and rookie Jeff Goodale completed the top-10.

Pitkat gained one point on Preece, who now leads by a single tally with three races remaining on the schedule.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 26 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the F.W. Webb 100.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...gnore-Sweeps-Season-at-Riverhead-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cobb May Face Penalty For Having Cell Phone In Truck​*
NASCAR banned such devices from being carried inside race cars in 2012.

Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb may face a penalty for having a cell phone in her Truck during final practice Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

After crashing into a tire barrier and exiting her Truck, Cobb could be clearly seen on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast reaching back into her Truck and grabbing her cell phone while track workers assisted her to a waiting ambulance.

NASCAR officials said Saturday they would review the incident as part of their normal post-race review early next week.

In 2012, NASCAR banned drivers from having cell phones or any other computer-like devices in their vehicles.

The ban was prompted after Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski tweeted pictures from his phone during a red flag in the 2012 Daytona 500. Later that same season, Keselowski was fined $25,000 for again tweeting photos from his phone during a red-flag stoppage in action in a race at Phoenix.

"Smart devices and smartphones and other devices can have an effect on manipulating the technology that is now going to be in the cars, and we have to be careful with that," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said at the time.

"And so that's why our policy is that you're simply not going to be able to take a device into the car with you."

There was no immediate response for a request for comment from Cobb or her representatives.






*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-truck/news/cobb-may-face-penalty-for-having-cell-phone-in-truck


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones King of The Road In Canada​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6838&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Erik Jones captured the win in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and in the process took over the Camping World Truck Series points lead.

Two weeks ago in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Alex Tagliani got turned out of the lead by Regan Smith and lost his shot at a win.

Today in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Tagliani had a chance to be the one doing the turning.

Heading into Turn 5B on the final lap, Tagliani says he was in a position to push Erik Jones aside and claim victory for himself. But he didn't. Instead, Tagliani held back as Jones cruised to his second win of the season and vaulted to the top of the NCWTS point standings.

"If I would have stayed where I was he would have been gone in (Turn) 5B," Tagliani said. "I don't drive that way. I just want to continue the trend."

Tagliani thought he would have time to take one more clean shot at Jones through the final series of turns, but a broken third gear took that chance away.

"It shredded completely," he said. "It was pretty much good all race. I felt a couple of times it was kind of scratchy on the downshift, but no sign it was going to be bad. As soon as I put third gear on the back straight, it just went.

"I put it in fourth and it just kind of limped all the way back home."

The 19-year-old Jones felt the pressure from veteran road course racer Tagliani down the stretch, but maintained his concentration to become the first driver to lead the entire last lap of a NCWTS race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

"It was a blast," Jones said of the race. "It was nerve-wracking. It's a little intense when you've got a guy like that running you down for 15 laps."

It turned out that Jones and Tagliani had shared a parade truck before the race and had a philosophical discussion about racing with respect. Tagliani told Jones he knew he was in a heated points battle and that Jones didn't have to worry about him trying the same thing Smith had done to him at Mid-Ohio.

"We had a pretty long talk about racing people the way you want to be raced," Jones said. "I've never been one to want to move somebody to win a race, and he hasn't, either. It's nice to see that respect, especially from a veteran like that to me.

"It's not something he had to do. It means a lot to me that he did."

Jones worked hard to improve his road course craft coming into this weekend. Time spent at a pair of driving schools paid off, as did a strong effort by the team to improve their truck.

"We had a good truck last year, and we were able to do some improving on our Tundra to get it to where it needed to be for this year," Jones said. "I was able to improve on myself and fix some of my mistakes this year as well and get a little bit better."

Matt Crafton finished in second place, which keeps him second in the point standings behind Jones, who now holds a three-point advantage. Tyler Reddick, the standings leader entering the race, placed 19th and is now third (15 points behind Jones) in the championship hunt.

Ben Kennedy, Daniel Hemric, and Tagliani rounded out the top five.

Cole Custer mounted one of the strongest challenges to Jones in the late going, but contact between he and Tagliani took him out of the running with 11 laps to go. He ended up in 10th.
















_The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action on Sept. 18 for the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ado-250-at-Canadian-Tire-Motorsport-Park.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pena Victorious At VIR​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&YearID=44&RaceID=6864&StatType=Race+Results

ALTON, Va. - Sometimes, it's good to be in the right place at the right time and that was true for Sergio Pena on Saturday at Virginia International Raceway.

When two cars went off-course during the final attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, Pena was in position to collect his fifth career K&N Pro Series East victory in the Biscuitville 125.

Pena started fifth on the final restart on Lap 59 and moved up to third after race leader Austin Hill spun in Turn 1, allowing Dalton Sargeant to take the lead. Sargeant would also spin out while leading in Turn 7, which put Kaz Grala and Pena in the battle for the lead.

They made contact, and Pena used the inside line to stay out front and score the win in just his third start of the season. Rookie David Garbo Jr. took third place with Collin Cabre and J.J. Haley completing the top five.

Hill finished sixth with Nick Drake, Dale Quarterly, Sargeant and points leader William Byron grabbing positions seven through 10.

Defending race winner Scott Heckert started from the pole position and three times before suffering a broken rear end on Lap 46 to finish 15th - allowing Byron to stretch his points lead to 15 with two races remaining.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to action Thursday, Sept. 10, with the University of Northwestern Ohio 100 at Richmond International Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...orious-at-Virginia-International-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Stewart, Ward Family At Odds​*
Tony Stewart and the family of Kevin Ward Jr. are locked in a battle of words in the aftermath of the recent filing of a civil suit.

Ward's family filed the suit against Stewart a few weeks ago, nearly a year to the date of the sprint car accident that killed Ward. It accuses Stewart of gross negligence in the incident that took place at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in August 2014.

A grand jury did not indict Stewart on criminal charges, calling the incident "100 percent an accident."

After the Ward family filed the civil suit, Stewart's lawyers filed papers outlining his side of the story - stating that Ward was impaired by marijuana, and that the incident that took his life likely would not have happened had he not left his car and approached Stewart's on the track after the two crashed.

*Stewart's response also includes the following:*

"Kevin A. Ward Jr. failed to exercise ordinary care for his own safety by, upon information and belief, driving while impaired due to recent marijuana use, by exiting his car and walking into the path of Stewart's car on a banked dirt track, at night, with improper footwear for that type of surface, and in other ways yet to be discovered; and those failures proximately caused the injuries and damages alleged in the complaints.

"Stewart did not see Ward exit his vehicle and was not aware that Ward had exited his vehicle. Stewart was not aware that anyone had exited their vehicle. Stewart did not see Ward or anyone else walking on foot on the track until just prior to contact, and did not know the identity of the person walking on the track until afterwards.

"Stewart was not aware that Ward had crashed because the crash was behind him, and was not aware that anyone was walking on the track. Stewart did not know Ward and had never had a previous track incident with him. Ward approached Stewart's car and attempted to make contact with it. As a result of Ward's actions, (he) was killed."

The Ward family's attorney, Mark Lanier, told The Associated Press that five other drivers "avoided Ward, and Stewart revved his engine and ran over Ward."

*Lanier also issued a statement to USA TODAY that read:*

"Stewart and his lawyers should have watched the videos and listened to the audio before filing their court papers. If Stewart didn't see Ward until just prior to impact, Stewart doesn't look where he's driving.

"As for whether Ward had smoked marijuana a few days before the race, that doesn't give Stewart the right to run Kevin over. Furthermore, Stewart never submitted to a drug test after killing Kevin."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ony-Stewart-Kevin-Ward-Jr-Family-at-Odds.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bayne To Run Mark Martin Throwback Car​*
Roush Fenway Racing and driver Trevor Bayne have gone back in time to 1998 for their paint scheme on the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion in preparation for the Bojangles' Southern 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway on Sunday night, Sept. 6.

The scheme, which was featured on the No. 6 Ford during one of the most successful runs in NASCAR history, harkens back to the 1998 and 1999 seasons when it was driven by former Roush Fenway driver Mark Martin. During that timeframe, Martin recorded nine wins, 41 top-five finishes, 52 top-10 finishes and had an overall average finish of ninth in the combined 77 races run in the two NSCS seasons. During that two-year span Martin led an astonishing 2,430 laps.

Bayne and the No. 6 team will run the scheme as a part of Darlington's "Tradition Returns" program, which will feature several NASCAR throwback schemes from various teams throughout the Labor Day weekend.

"It's a huge honor to run this paint scheme in Darlington," said Bayne. "This scheme was so successful in the late 90's with Mark (Martin) driving it and it's really cool to see it back on the track and on No. 6 Roush Fenway Ford again."

"It will be really cool to see that car back on the track," said Martin, who won seven times in 1998 while sporting the scheme. "It will definitely bring back a lot of great memories. We had a tremendous amount of success during that time period and I look at it as one of the best periods in my racing career. I hope all the guys who worked very hard on our team during that time will enjoy seeing it back on track again and that they will have a moment of pride in what we were able to accomplish."

"I want to thank AdvoCare for giving us the opportunity to run this scheme," added Bayne. "Hopefully we can give it the same kind of run that Mark gave it back in the day and get a solid finish in Darlington on Labor Day weekend."

The No. 6 was Roush Fenway's first NASCAR entry and served as the flagship team for the organization during its first 20 years. During that span Martin drove the No. 6 Ford to 35 wins and forever forced the number's historical significance in NASCAR history.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Mark-Martin-Throwback-Car-at-Darlington.aspx


----------



## millenniumman75

Ckg2011 said:


> *Kyle Busch Grabs Overtime XFINITY Win At Bristol​*
> 
> *Race Results:*
> http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6796&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results
> 
> When Chris Buescher's Ford faltered on a green-white-checkered restart on Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch took full advantage, as is his custom.
> 
> In a Food City 300 that went to two laps of overtime at the .533-mile short track, Busch finished .427 seconds ahead of Kyle Larson, as Buescher faded to 11th after his car failed to pick up fuel off Turn 2 of the next-to-last lap.
> 
> The victory was Busch's third of the season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, his eighth at Bristol and the 73rd of his career, extending his own series record.
> 
> "This is home-this is where I'm supposed to be," Busch said, standing outside the car in Victory Lane. "I wish I was here Wednesday night (after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race), so we could continue the sweep lookout for (Saturday), but that was a second place. Oh, well."
> 
> Polesitter Denny Hamlin ran third, followed by Ty Dillon and Daniel Suarez, who got a bonus for his top-five run. As the highest finishing eligible driver in the XFINITY Dash 4 Cash program, Suarez picked up an extra $100,000.
> 
> Pit strategy put Buescher at the front of the field under the fourth caution of the race, caused by Cale Conley's spin in Turn 4. Staying out on older tires while most of the lead-lap cars came to pit road for fresh rubber and fuel, Buescher nevertheless pulled away from Busch during a succession of restarts, as Busch saved his equipment for what he thought would be the inevitable late-race caution.
> 
> "I let the 60 (Buescher) go," Busch said. "He ran out there to about a straightaway on us, and I was just trying to save and do what I could to keep my tires underneath me. I knew we were going to get some cautions at the end to bunch us back up, and fortunately we did.
> 
> "I wasn't sure they were going to make it on fuel (having pitted on lap 131 of 302), and obviously they cut it close-a little too close."
> 
> Busch got the yellow he needed, just in time. Brad Teague's wreck on the frontstretch with five laps left set up the green-white-checkered and gave Busch the chance he needed.
> 
> Buescher, who saw his series lead shrink to 19 points over Ty Dillon, knew he could have made it to the end on fuel, had the race not gone to overtime.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Race Recap​*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Source:*
> http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ch-grabs-overtime-XFINITY-win-at-Bristol.aspx


Who's the lady? Trophy wife?


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## Ckg2011

millenniumman75 said:


> Who's the lady? Trophy wife?


 Samantha Busch, she is Kyle's wife, they were married in 2010.


----------



## Ckg2011

*MRN, Darlington To Make Race Week Memorable​*
Two iconic NASCAR brands - Motor Racing Network and Darlington Raceway - are teaming up later this month to kick off a week-long celebration of the return of the Bojangles' Southern 500 to Labor Day weekend.

Starting on Sunday, Aug. 30, "Bojangles' Southern 500 Throwback Week on MRN, Presented by STP" will take fans on a day-by-day stroll back through history and also move them forward to the Sept. 6 Bojangles' Southern 500 - the first time since 2003 that the legendary race will be run Labor Day weekend.

Special programming will feature some of the familiar names that helped make Motor Racing Network "The Voice of NASCAR" since it first hit the airwaves in 1970 ... including Barney Hall, Ned Jarrett and Jack Arute.

"We knew the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway would be something special this year, with its return to Labor Day weekend," said MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. "Along with STP, one of the sport's iconic sponsors, MRN is thrilled to give NASCAR fans a chance to relive some of the great moments of the past and also get them ready for what promises to be one of the most exciting races of the 2015 season."

The Tuesday, Sept. 1, edition of "NASCAR Live" will feature some of the greatest moments in Bojangles' Southern 500 history, hosted by Eli Gold with first-hand accounts from the drivers who made those memories.

Darlington Raceway's history also will be framed with a series of richly produced feature stories to air on other MRN programs that week including "NASCAR USA" and "MRN 360."

For the race broadcast itself on Sunday evening, Sept. 6, theme music from the MRN archive will open the network's coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500. Air time that day is 6 p.m. (ET).

Throughout the week leading up to the race, stories from the drivers who've etched their names into Darlington's storied past will be featured at www.MRN.com ... including "Million Dollar Bill" Elliott, Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte - who won the last Labor Day running of the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Aug. 31, 2003.

Twelve years later, the race is back at Darlington Raceway ... on Labor Day weekend ... and "Bojangles' Southern 500 Throwback Week on MRN, Presented by STP" will help NASCAR and its fans celebrate as "The Tradition Returns."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...gton-Raceway-to-Make-Race-Week-Memorable.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Labonte To Serve As Darlington Grand Marshal​*
Terry Labonte, who will be inducted into the 2016 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will serve as Grand Marshal for the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6.

Labonte will give the command to start engines accompanied by Bojangles' CEO Clifton Rutledge. Labonte's involvement in the Bojangles' Southern 500 further enhances the track's throwback platform of celebrating the history and heritage of the sport.

Labonte is the last NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to win the Bojangles' Southern 500, when it was held on Labor Day weekend, August 31, 2003. It was his final victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Ironically, Labonte's first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win also came at Darlington in the 1980 Bojangles' Southern 500.

"Darlington is where I won my first race and my last, and I'm honored to serve as Grand Marshal for the first time at the Bojangles' Southern 500," Labonte said. "I love the Labor Day tradition, and Darlington always brings back special memories for me. I look forward to being part of such a historic weekend for NASCAR."

Rutledge, who has served as Bojangles' CEO for the past two years, is excited for the Famous Chicken n' Biscuits restaurant chain to begin the first of its five-year extension as the entitlement partner of the Bojangles' Southern 500 through 2019. Bojangles' has owned the naming rights to the Southern 500 since 2012.

"Darlington Raceway has such a rich history in NASCAR and the State of South Carolina, and it is truly a privilege for Bojangles' to have our brand aligned with such a memorable event," Rutledge said. "The Bojangles' Southern 500 is returning to Labor Day weekend where it belongs and that is a big deal to everyone, including all of us at Bojangles'. For me, being a part of giving the command to start engines with a NASCAR legend like Terry Labonte is a huge thrill."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nte-to-Serve-as-Darlington-Grand-Marshal.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JR Motorsports Tabs Berry For Richmond​*
Josh Berry, a two-time late model champion for JR Motorsports, will drive the No. 88 Speedco Chevrolet Camaro in the upcoming NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond Int'l Raceway on Sept. 11.

A 24-year-old native of Hendersonville, Tenn., Berry will make his first NXS start since running two races for JRM in 2014 (Homestead-Miami Speedway and Iowa Speedway).

The event also marks Speedco's second primary sponsorship in NXS competition. Speedco is the only national network to specialize in quick lubes and tire services for the trucking industry, and has been a JRM partner since 2012.

"We're happy to be able to put Josh in our XFINITY car again at a track he has some laps on to allow him to show what he can do," said JRM co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. "I felt like he performed well last year in the two races he was able to run. He's really elevated himself as a driver this year, winning at multiple tracks in the late model to earn this opportunity and I expect him to make the most of it."

Berry has racked up nine wins in JRM's No. 88 Speedco late model this season and stands as JRM's only multi-time champion, notching two NASCAR Whelen All-America Series track championships (Motor Mile Speedway in 2012 and Hickory Motor Speedway in 2014). All totaled, he owns 24 victories for JRM during his late model career.

"I'm just really excited to have another opportunity to move up," said Berry, who has a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start at Richmond. "We've had a really good season so far in the late model car, and I'm really excited to get to do another XFINITY race, especially at a race track I've been to before. I ran in the XFINITY Series twice last year and wasn't sure I would have the opportunity to do it again, but luckily Speedco came on board for this race. I'm really thankful for their support and for the opportunity Dale, Kelley, L.W. (Miller) and everyone at JRM are giving me."

Berry will be the fifth driver to wheel the No. 88 car this season, joining NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne, and 18-year-old NXS rookie Ben Rhodes. Harvick has driven the No. 88 to a pair of victories (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway) in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/xfinity-series/jr-motorsports-tabs-berry-for-richmond/


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## Ckg2011

*Darlington Raceway Special For Elliotts​*
Darlington Raceway is a memorable spot on the NASCAR landscape for both Bill and Chase Elliott.

Both drivers have won at the historic track and each considers it a highlight of his racing career.

The elder Elliott made 52 starts at Darlington and won five times, including a sweep of both races in 1985 that was capped by his "Winston Million" win in the Bojangles' Southern 500. In his career, Elliott led a total of 980 laps at the track "Too Tough to Tame," and totaled 22 top-five finishes and five poles.

"I always enjoyed racing at Darlington," Elliott said. "It was always a challenge. There was just something about it. "

It didn't take long for the next generation to pick up where his dad left off. As a rookie in the NASCAR XFINITY Series last season, 18-year-old Chase Elliott went to Gatorade Victory Lane at Darlington in his very first start at the track. He outran veteran driver Elliott Sadler in April 2014 to become just the fourth driver to win in his first track start in a NASCAR national series ... joining Johnny Mantz (1950), Herb Thomas (1951) and Dick Rathman (1952).

This early success surprised even Elliott.

"Darlington was crazy, a surprise to me as much as it was to anybody else," Chase recalled. "It's a special place, with the history of what my dad has done there. Growing up, I always looked forward to watching those races on TV. It was exciting to race there and I definitely wasn't expecting that."

But Bill Elliott had a feeling his son would prosper once he had the opportunity to compete at Darlington.

"Watching Chase grow up, watching him race and with the tracks he did well at, I thought Darlington would fit his driving style," Elliott said. "What he did last year, bringing home the checkered flag ... I am proud of him for doing it."

Chase Elliott will get a pair of chances to win this weekend when he runs in Saturday's VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 XFINITY Series race and Sunday night's Bojangles' Southern 500.

"To celebrate the 30th anniversary of my dad winning the million dollars is cool," the younger Elliott said. "I hope the fans enjoy it as much as I'm going to."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ceway-Special-for-Bill-and-Chase-Elliott.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Excited About Darlington​*
Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Race has sparked a lot of excitement around the Sprint Cup Series garage.

The return of the classic race to Labor Day weekend will feature a retro feel including a number of cars sporting throwback paint schemes to some of the most iconic rides in NASCAR history.

That alone has generated a great deal of attention for the race and a sense of anticipation from drivers.

"I think the people who came up with this program and put the effort into this weekend really represent what the weekend is all about," said defending race winner Kevin Harvick, who will carry the colors that mimics the first can sponsor Budweiser produced in 1936. "That is the history of our sport.

"We have had so much history take place at Darlington, being our first superspeedway and really kind of breaking ground as to where we could race and the size of racetrack we could race on. You look back at some of the guys who have won the Southern 500 and you look at the names on that trophy and they are the who's who of our sport. It's a big race and I think, when you come to this race, it's one you want to win."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. grew up around the sport and has always been a NASCAR historian. He's impressed with what's coming together for the weekend at Darlington.

"The race itself and the track is all about tradition and history and we lean on its history and tradition to promote the event," he said. "This is possibly a new chapter for it to promote and market that tradition and history. And an opportunity for the drivers, teams and owners, everybody as a group to tip your cap to some of the things that each of you like about the past -- maybe a driver or paint scheme or something like that.

  "I think it's really cool. It's something that you would imagine sitting around with your buddies going 'You know what would be awesome?' But you'd never think 'Well, that'll never happen but it would be really cool if it did.'   Well it's happening and it's a pretty cool thing that it's being embraced by so many people."

However, once the pomp and circumstance around the colors, paint schemes and throwback feel of the weekend subsides there's still the matter of running a 500-mile race at one of the most treacherous tracks on the schedule.

Throw in a new lower down force aerodynamic package as well as a new tire developed by Goodyear and drivers are bracing themselves for a challenging night.

"It's tough to pass there, for sure," said Kyle Busch. "It's so difficult, so you run your laps until you get to a pit stop and try to get your guys to have a good stop for you so you can jump a couple of guys. Pit stops become really important there, as is track position and trying to stay up front."

Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards echoes those thoughts to a degree but is also looking forward to racing Darlington with the new aero package.

"With this aero package we are taking to Darlington, I'm really excited about the opportunity to slide the car around and really manage the balance and the tires and the setup," he said. "This track is one of the most intimidating race tracks on the circuit and it would be one of the most rewarding at which to get a win. The way we've been running lately and the way this package drove at Kentucky, I mean to me Darlington is going to be like Christmas in September. I'm pumped."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/09/Drivers-Excited-About-Darlington.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jennifer Jo Cobb Penalized For Having Phone In Truck​*
NASCAR fined the Camping World Truck Series driver for carrying her cell phone with her in the Truck.

Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb was fined $7,500 by NASCAR on Tuesday for having a cell phone in her Truck during final practice Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (VIDEO).

The original penalty was $5,000 but $2,500 was added because Cobb remains on probation from an incident in May at Dover, Del., when she exited her truck following accident but before safety personnel arrived.

She remains on NASCAR probation through the end of the year.

After crashing into a tire barrier and exiting her Truck, Cobb could be clearly seen on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast reaching back into her Truck and grabbing her cell phone while track workers assisted her to a waiting ambulance.

In 2012, NASCAR banned drivers from having cell phones or any other computer-like devices in their vehicles.

The ban was prompted after Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski tweeted pictures from his phone during a red flag in the 2012 Daytona 500.

Later that same season, Keselowski was fined $25,000 for again tweeting photos from his phone during a red-flag stoppage in action in a race at Phoenix.

"Smart devices and smartphones and other devices can have an effect on manipulating the technology that is now going to be in the cars, and we have to be careful with that," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said at the time.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-truck/news/jennifer-jo-cobb-penalized-for-having-phone-in-truck


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## Ckg2011

*Ryan Truex To Make NASCAR Return​*
The younger Truex will compete in three NASCAR Xfinity races for Biagi DenBeste Racing.

Richard Petty Motorsports development driver Ryan Truex will compete in three NASCAR Xfinity Series races in the upcoming weeks, driving the No. 98 Ford for Biagi DenBeste Racing.

Truex's first race with the team will be the Sept. 11 race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. He will also compete in races at Kentucky Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway with the team.

Truex, a two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, made his last start in the Xfinity series in 2012. He has one pole, two top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 35 starts.

"I'm very grateful to Biagi DenBeste Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports for the opportunity to get back behind the wheel in the Xfinity Sseries," Truex said. "I've had some time away from racing, and it's given me a chance to refocus on my career.

"I feel more driven than ever to perform well and prove that I can race with the best in the sport. I'd like to thank the fans as well.They've been really supportive of me on social media, asking when I'll be back racing again. I'm looking forward to putting on a great show for them."

RPM and Biagi DenBeste Racing have paired drivers 11 times already this season with Aric Almirola and Sam Hornish Jr.

"We're excited to join RPM in giving Ryan this opportunity." said Fred Biagi, co-owner of Biagi-DenBeste Racing. "We've had fast cars this season and good results with both Aric and Sam; so hopefully, we can do the same with Ryan behind the wheel at Richmond."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/ryan-truex-to-make-nascar-return


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR's Low-Downforce Aero Package Gets Tires To Match At Darlington​*
NASCAR last ran this low-downforce aero package at Kentucky where it was considered a success.

The only new NASCAR aerodynamic package to receive rave reviews so far this season gets another tryout in Sunday night's Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

The first use of the low-downforce package preferred by drivers came in the July Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway and produced a stellar race, both visually and statistically.

There were 2,665 green-flag passes throughout the entire field, compared with 1,147 in last year's race. There were also a record 22 green-flag passes for the lead.

At times there was three or four-wide racing for position throughout the field.

Kentucky lacked the right tires

But even then, the aero package did not have tires specifically matched to it from Goodyear. That will not be the case this weekend.

With the help of a tire test in late June with drivers Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart, Goodyear is debuting a new left and right side tire for the Cup series this weekend.

Compared to what was run at Darlington last year - and in response to NASCAR's lower downforce package - the left-side tire features construction and mold shape changes, while the right-side tire features a compound change for more grip.

What the drivers want

Former Cup series driver Jeff Burton, now a TV analyst for NBC Sports, said the combination in use this weekend is what drivers have been seeking for a long time.

"They've been wanting a tire that makes a lot more grip and less downforce. In principle, it's a great idea," Burton said Tuesday during an NBC Sports teleconference call. "Everybody has told me this tire is almost a second faster than the tire that was originally slated (for Darlington).

"Then you take the downforce off and speeds will be similar. Drivers have been wanting fall-off - they want the car to take off fast and then slow down as the run goes on to give an opportunity on a long run to catch somebody and pass them and not be hampered by the downforce coming from the other car."

Tire wear at Darlington

Historically, tire wear has been a large component of races at Darlington. When the track was repaved prior to the 2008 season, however, some of that distinctiveness was lost.

The passage of time, combined with the new aero rules and tire combination, could be a recipe for an excellent race.

"With this tire, while the goal was to match the low downforce, we may be in a situation where it matches a track perfectly," said former Cup crew chief Steve Letarte, also an NBC Sports analyst.

"If Darlington's surface has aged as we all hope it has, then it's going provide a unique opportunity for crew chiefs to have multiple attempts to change their car and the fight for track position won't be as glaring as on some of these other recently repaved tracks.

"With spots in the (Chase) still available, I think we're going to see much more desperate (pit) calls from guys who see their opportunity to make the playoffs dwindling."

Only two races remain before the 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set following the conclusion of the Sept. 12 race at Richmond.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...ero-package-gets-tires-to-match-at-darlington


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## Ckg2011

*1970 Southern 500 To Be Live Streamed​*
*Check out a sneak peek for the upcoming live steam cut-down version of the 1970 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Watch live on NASCAR.com, September 4th at 8pm ET.​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Penalties For Loose Ballast, Wheels Increased​*
NASCAR announced crew chief and crew members will be suspended for loose wheels or ballast falling off cars.

The sanctioning body issued an update to the rule book on Wednesday that read:

"NASCAR has categorized certain serious safety infractions that create a significant risk of injury or damage (e.g. separation of ballast weight or wheel(s) from the vehicle) under the P3 category. NASCAR considers such infractions to be very serious in nature and has therefore included pre-determined minimum Penalties to address the severity of such violations. NASCAR further reserves the right to escalate such safety related Penalties to higher Penalty levels when the infraction is considered to be more egregious in nature or displays a higher degree of negligent behavior."

A minimum four-race suspension will be given to crew chiefs, tire changers or tire carriers for a lost wheel due to improper installation, a penalty that will be mandated across all three of NASCAR's national series.

A four-race suspension will also be assessed for ballast coming off a car or truck.

The change in rules was cited as a safety reason.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../09/Penalties-For-Loose-Wheels-Increased.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kurzejewski Aiming For Superspeedway Title​*
At the onset of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season, few would have placed SCOTT rookie Matt Kurzejewski in the running for the 2015 Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge championship.

After all, he's a rookie, specifically on the superspeedways where he had very little experience prior to this year. There's one more hitch&#8230;Kurzejewski had no plans to run more than a few races in '15; that was until he saw his name atop of the Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge championship standings halfway through the season.

With just two superspeedway events left on the ARCA calendar this year, Kurzejewski comes to Kentucky Speedway as the superspeedway point leader.

"I haven't particularly focused on the Hoosier superspeedway points this season with the limited schedule we've been running, and had no intention of competing for the points or even competing in all of the events," Kurzejewski said. "My focus has primarily been on solid performances. Actually, I didn't even know ARCA had a separate superspeedway championship before I saw my name at the top of the list. About that time, we started getting serious with plans to race at all the superspeedways, which has been very challenging.

We're an extremely low budget team without the resources to do this, yet we're making it happen with what we have.

"That said, it's an awesome feeling to go into Kentucky leading the Hoosier Superspeedway points, especially with our performance throughout this season on the speedways. I want this championship more than anything now."

Kurzejewski drives for Brian Keselowski, who crew-chiefs his No. 54 Chevrolet. Keselowski is the son of 1989 ARCA Racing Series national champion Bob Keselowski and older brother of 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski.

"We didn't know what to expect with Matt&#8230;we never ran any intermediates (tracks) with him; but he's really surprised me," Brian Keselowski said. "He's done a really good job. We want to look like we belong here. When we show up now, I definitely feel like the rest of these guys know that they have to beat us."

Kurzejewski started the season on a solid note, finishing seventh at Daytona.

The Mansfield, Pennsylvania racer followed up with a sixth place showing at Talladega, then back-to-back fifth place finishes at Pocono and Michigan.

It got even better in the second race at Pocono where he steered the 54 car home to a career-best third place finish, closer yet to the coveted Victory Lane.

"We've had a very good season," Kurzejewski continued. "That win keeps slipping away. We're a little closer each time. I'm disappointed in myself mainly because I want that first win. It's tough to get. We've shown this season we're close. We've performed very well. I'm very tough on myself and I'm my own worst critic. A win would mean a lot."

The Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge is a separate title that combines points from all of the superspeedway races on the ARCA schedule.

Superspeedway winners so far this year include Grant Enfinger (Daytona), Blake Jones (Talladega), Trevor Bayne (Pocono), Ross Kenseth (Michigan), Ryan Reed (Chicagoland) and Cole Custer (Pocono). The remaining superspeedway races include just Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 25) and Kansas Speedway (Oct. 16).

Former Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge champions include Davey Allison, Bill Venturini, Bob Keselowski, Bob Strait, Jeff Purvis, Tim Steele, Bobby Gerhart and Chris Buescher, to name a few. Ten-time ARCA Racing Series champion Frank Kimmel won the award for the sixth time in 2013. Allison was the first recipient of the award, in 1984. Mason Mitchell won the Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge in 2014, on his way to the overall series championship.

"To be honest, it gives me chills to even have my name mentioned in the same sentence as Davey Allison, Kimmel, Keselowski and the other famous names included within the list of winners," Kurzejewski added. "It almost makes me look back and think, is this real?"

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/kurzejewski-aiming-for-superspeedway-title/


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Darlington Raceway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*AdvoCare Expands Its Support With Roush Fenway Racing​*
AdvoCare, which backs Trevor Bayne at the Cup level will now also sponsor Xfinity Series points leader Chris Buescher.

Company announces extension with Bayne for '16, additional sponsorship for Buescher.

AdvoCare is hoping its "We Build Champions" slogan proves prophetic.

On Thursday, the Plano, Texas-based wellness company, which sponsors the No. 6 Sprint Cup team and Trevor Bayne, is adding Chris Buescher to its roster for six of the remaining NASCAR Xfinity Series races starting this weekend at Darlington Speedway.

"AdvoCare is a proud partner of the Roush Fenway team as the primary sponsor of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion and as we approach the end of the 2015 season we are excited to expand that partnership," said Patrick Wright, the Vice President of Marketing at AdvoCare.

"Chris has done a great job in the XFINITY series this year," added Wright. "We are excited to be part of six upcoming races with him and the No. 60 car as they pursue the championship and look forward to continuing our sponsorship of Trevor and the No. 6 car in 2016."

Buescher is currently the NXS points leader with a 16-point advantage over defending champion Chase Elliott. The 22-year-old Prosper, Texas native has two wins, 10 top fives and 13 top 10 finishes this season.

"I'm excited to have AdvoCare on the car for a series of races to close out the season," Buescher said.

"Everybody knows that AdvoCare prides themselves on building champions and that is our goal - to close out the final races and bring home the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship."

Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner is 27th in the Sprint Cup standings in his first full season behind the wheel of the No. 6 Ford. His best results in 2015 were a pair of ninth-place finishes at Daytona and Michigan.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/advocare-expands-its-support-with-roush-fenway-racing


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## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Dominates Darlington​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6800&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Denny Hamlin led 117 of 147 laps in winning Saturday's VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Darlington Raceway but had to make a late race pass of Daniel Suarez to claim the victory.

Hamlin started from the pole and led the early portion of the race before giving up the lead to Kevin Harvick during a cycle of pit stops on lap 26.

Hamlin and Harvick, who would eventually finish fourth, would swap the lead multiple times throughout the middle portion of the race. A caution on Lap 70 after Todd Bodine spun in Turn 4 set up mid-race pitstops that would lead to an error by Hamlin's pit crew.

As Hamlin's gasman was trying to engage a second fuel can in the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, he fumbled the can and Hamlin left pit road without a full fuel load.

The miscue would cause Hamlin to pit earlier than the rest of the leaders late in the race, which gave him an advantage with four fresh Goodyear tires.

"We didn't get the car full on that stop, which may have been a blessing in disguise because we had to short pit," Hamlin said.

Hamlin pitted from the lead on lap 122 handing the lead over to Harvick, who would maintain the lead until he pitted nine laps later.

"I didn't think anyone could make it on fuel but then I saw those guys stretching it," Hamlin said.

Harvick pitting gave the lead to XFINITY Series rookie Daniel Suarez, who was on a different pit strategy than the leaders. Suarez conserved fuel in the closing laps, eventually being passed by Hamlin with three laps remaining.

"The pace that we were running I knew it would be close, it looked like the 18 picked up speed with about 8 laps to go," Hamlin said.

"I couldn't see him, he was so far ahead, but evidently he hit the wall and had some damage," Hamlin added.

Suarez would go on to win the final $100,000 bonus of the season as part of the XFINITY Dash4Cash program.

"I give all the credit to my team, to my crew chief. I feel like we had a strong top-10 car," Suarez said. "It was tough racing. It's my first time here. I wasn't expecting the tires to fall off that much. I thought I had a flat or something."

XFINITY Series points leader Buescher will take a 29-point lead to Richmond next week with nine events remaining in the season.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/09/Hamlin-Dominates-Darlington.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Wins Darlington Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6807&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Brad Keselowski won the pole for Sunday's 66th Annual Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, turning in a lap at 178.874 mph.

It's Keselowski's first career Darlington pole, first pole of 2015 and ninth of his Sprint Cup Career.

"I've always thought of Darlington as being one of the unique tracks in NASCAR. You look at Bristol, Daytona and Charlotte and Darlington is in the top five of our sport and what it means," Keselowski said.

"It's a great accomplishment to me personally."

Keselowski said the rules package enforced by NASCAR at the start of the 2015 season wasn't conducive to his driving style, but with the low-downforce package at Darlington this weekend, things are much more comfortable for him.

"When they took away horsepower and kept the downforce relatively close to what we had last year, that probably attacked my skill set probably more than others," Keselowski said. "The balance between aero grip and horsepower is closer to last years, which I don't think is a coincidence."

Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick will start second and third, respectively. Joey Logano and seven-time Darlington winner Jeff Gordon round out the top-five starters.

"It's quite exciting with the way the format is set up with three runs to go for the pole. Each run out you lose so much grip in the tires, it's a challenge to try to find the right balance and it turns into fun," Kurt Busch said.

"Our first run out the car was almost too fast. The car almost drove too good," he added.

"We were fairly good in the first two rounds. I felt like I could have pushed harder in those two rounds to go faster; and that last round, we just kind of missed the balance on our Chevrolet," Harvick said.

"I feel a lot better about it in race trim than I did in qualifying trim. We try to concentrate on that the most because there is so much falloff," Harvick added.

Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch, respectively, rounded out the top-10 starters.

Travis Kvapil, Timmy Hill, and Josh Wise failed to qualify for the 367-lap race.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Bojangles' Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/09/Keselowski-Wins-Darlington-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Darlington Winner​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6807&StatType=Race+Results








Carl Edwards came from two laps down at one point Sunday night to win the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Edwards got off pit road first on the night's final caution - a record 18th - and was able to outrun Brad Keselowski to the checkered flag for his first career Darlington win.

It was the Joe Gibbs Racing driver's second win of the season. He became the first driver since Jeff Burton in 1999 to sweep both the Coca-Cola 600 and the Bojangles' Southern 500.

The race featured a lower downforce aerodynamic package and Edwards was a big fan.

"This is the style of racing that I love," he said. "If there's any chance we can do it in the Chase, I hope, I hope we can do it."

Edwards led three times for 15 laps including the final 11.

Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Richmond International Raceway to end the regular season next Saturday night for the Federated Auto Parts 400.

*How Edwards Won:* After falling two laps down early in the race, Edwards battled back and through hard racing as well as a "Lucky Dog" got back on the lead lap. In the final 50 laps he was able to work his way to the lead pack and battled Keselowski and Harvick for the top spot. But when caution flew for Jeb Burton's spin with less than ten laps to go, Edwards' crew turned in a lightning fast stop to get him the lead off pit road, which he was able to maintain to the checkered flag.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Keselowski and his Team Penske running mate Logano turned in strong performances as the duo gets ready to head into the Chase with a pair of top-five finishes&#8230;Harvick has finished in the top five in the last three Darlington races&#8230;Hamlin scored his ninth top-five finish of the season.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Chase Elliott's final Sprint Cup Series start of the year before he goes full-time in 2016 ended in disappointment when he got caught in an accident with Cole Whitt early in Sunday night's race. However, he made a valiant effort to rebound only to have more problems later and a trip into the wal...Danica Patrick slammed the wall hard just past the halfway mark severely damaging her Chevrolet&#8230;Ricky Stenhouse Jr's tough season continued at Darlington when he made hard contact with the inside front stretch wall after spinning around off the fourth turn&#8230;David Ragan's hopes of making the Chase took a hit literally when he spun into the inside wall near the 400 mile mark. To add insult to injury Ragan came back on track and crashed again.

*What Else Happened:* Once the retro theme pre-race celebration wound down the race settled into the grueling marathon that is the Bojangles' Southern 500. The record 18 caution, several for single car spins as drivers battled handling issues from the lower downforce package, slowed down the proceedings and made it the longest race time-wise of the season. But there were also several spirited battles for position particularly after restarts and side-by-side duels.

*Quote of the Day:* "This race belongs here on Labor Day weekend," Hall of Famer Bobby Allison.

*Notables:* Larson has finished in the top 10 in two career starts at Darlington&#8230;Aric Almirola's 11th-place finish moved him 29 points out of the final Chase transfer spot with one






*Race Recap:​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ngles-Southern-500-at-Darlington-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Locked In Chase​*
Kyle Busch finished seventh in the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sunday night at Darlington Raceway, locking himself in to the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Busch missed the first 11 events of the 2015 season following a broken foot and leg sustained in an accident in the XFINITY Series race at Daytona in February, and had to either gain enough points to lock himself into the chase by making the top 16, or win a race and stay inside the top 30 in points.

By leaving Darlington with a 51-point margin over 30th-place Justin Allgaier, Busch goes to Richmond next week having a spot in the Chase guaranteed.

"Making the Chase was something we weren't all sure was possible after my injuries," Busch said.

"It's a great opportunity to be with these guys on this M&M'S Crispy team. They're working really hard at Joe Gibbs Racing - we've got a lot of speed and I think all four cars have a really good shot at this championship."

Once Busch returned to Sprint Cup Series competition, he began quickly gaining points and eventually went to Victory Lane at Sonoma in June. He followed that win up by taking checkered flags at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis.

Joe Gibbs, owner of Busch's No. 18 Toyota Camry, wasn't sure when Busch returned from his injuries that he would be in the position he is in.

"I think everything that happened to us at Daytona and then to bounce back in 11 weeks, I thought the odds were against us. And for him to be able to pull this off, win four times and get back in the Chase tonight. They had a great game plan, Adam and Kyle, and first up was to make sure they had enough points tonight that they didn't have to worry next week," Gibbs said.

"I think that's also a great sports story," Gibbs added. "It was great for Kyle."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/09/Kyle-Busch-Locked-in-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Approves of Low-Downforce Rules​*
Brad Keselowski finished second after starting from the pole in Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500, his sixth top-five finish of the 2015 season.

Keselowski led 196 laps of the 367-lap event, but wasn't able to get by eventual winner Carl Edwards in the closing laps.

"I needed to be a little bit better everywhere. Needed to be better on the restarts. I brushed the wall a little bit. Needed to be better everywhere," Keselowski said.

Keselowski was very vocal about the rules package being used for this weekend's Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday after winning the pole, saying it favors his driving style.

"I loved it. It separates the racecar drivers from the pretenders and that's the way it should be," Keselowski said.

"We led a lot of laps which was something to be appreciative of. It was a race that ended up in cycles."

Despite not winning, Keselowski was happy with the outcome.

"Lot to be proud of. We've been right there but haven't been able to close it out," he said.

Keselowski's spot in this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup is secure and even though the standard 2015 Sprint Cup rules package will be in place next week at Richmond, and for the remainder of the season, there's still a lot to take from Darlington.

"There's a lot to take from tonight for us that extends beyond the downforce. Restarts, pit road, dialing in some suspension stuff," Keselowski said.

"Mile and a halfs are the bread and butter of this sport. You get in the Chase, you win the mile and a halfs, you win the championship."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lowski-Approves-of-Low-Downforce-Package.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rough Night For Patrick​*
"The Lady In Black" proved to be a challenge for Danica Patrick in Sunday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Patrick's weekend started off on the wrong foot when she crashed in qualifying and was forced to a back-up car.

She took the green flag shotgun on the field on Sunday night and was able to work her way up as far at 16th but on lap 120 she broke her front suspension and slammed the fourth turn wall.

Patrick came to the garage for repairs and was confused by what had happened to her car.

"I didn't feel out of control out there," Patrick said. "I felt like I was in a pretty decent rhythm. It snapped pretty hard in four. So, I don't know, I mean they said it looked like it snapped pretty hard. It felt like that it was definitely more sudden and something that I wasn't expecting. It is definitely possible that it just got loose. For a few laps before that I felt like I could pull the yaw pretty easily through three and four."

"The one thing about Darlington is you definitely run a lot of lines here. I was running, I felt better lower than higher, so at times I was a lane or two below the dotted line. Debris is just something that happens here because we are using so much track, but I'm not 100 percent sure could have just got loose. But, it could have been a cut tire too, just not sure. It's a bummer."

Patrick came back on track 73 laps down to the leaders only to crash again and finish 42nd.

"We fought our way back to the lead lap after taking two tires, but it's probably not a good idea at Darlington," said Patrick. "I think Carl (Edwards) took no tires, and not a good idea at Darlington. So, I feel like we were in a position to have a decent end to the day, although we're just only halfway.

"It's unfortunate. And I love this car and my suit. The Lady in Black thing was a cool thing, but unfortunately I think it's come to an end."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Rough-Night-For-Patrick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Rave Reviews For Rules​*
Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway was a hit with most everyone, as was the low-downforce aerodynamic rules package.

From the retro paint schemes to the race itself, Labor Day weekend in South Carolina has generated a great deal of positive feedback.

"I don't think I can get in trouble for how much I liked it, but I loved it. This is as good as it gets," said race winner Carl Edwards. "This is what it's all about. We're sliding cars, tires are falling off. If there's any chance we can run this in the Chase, I hope we can."

NASCAR will take its time before deciding if the 2016 Sprint Cup Series rules will feature less downforce, similar to what was run at Kentucky and Darlington this season. Early indications are that the sanctioning body liked what it saw on Sunday.

"We'll spend the proper time with the industry - race teams and drivers, and have a decision toward the end of the month," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell. "We're pleased with how the racetrack came together with the 'Throwback' idea and it culminated with a terrific race on the track. For us, it's always about entertaining racing. The drivers delivered that."

*Bowyer Future Still Undecided*
Despite reports over the weekend that Clint Bowyer will spend a year with HScott Motorsports before taking over Tony Stewart's ride when he retires in 2017, nothing has been remotely close to being confirmed.

In fact, team owner Harry Scott seemed to shoot down the theory when he announced he'd run only two cars again next season. The team released a statement that read:

"Harry continues to work with Justin Allgaier and BRANDT Professional Agriculture on their contracts for next year and beyond. As far as a car count for next year, HScott Motorsports will be a two-car operation. Michael Annett will continue to drive for the team."

*Ragan Plans Also Uncertain*
Bowyer's current Michael Waltrip Racing teammate, David Ragan, is another driver in a state of flux. When MWR closes its doors at season's end, the veteran driver is not sure where his next step will lead.

"It makes my day a little busier," Ragan said. "But I don't think it adds stress and that's just how I am. I joke all the time that I wouldn't feel any stress at all if the world was coming to an end and I didn't have any balance left in my bank account. I'm focused on this year and I want to end it on a good note.

"I'd love to win a race, sit on the pole, lead some laps, end the season on a good note. But I'm also going to have to keep my ears open on what's available for next year."

*Short Track Showdown On the Move*
The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown charity race will take place at Virginia's Langley Speedway next season. The annual Late Model stock car race that also draws Sprint Cup Series drivers raises money for a variety of charities through Hamlin's foundation. Hamlin - a native of Chesterfield, Virginia - competed at Langley as a young racer earlier in his career.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...9/NASCAR-Notebook-Rave-Reviews-for-Rules.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rick Hendrick: Announcement Coming Soon On Johnson, Knaus, and Lowes​*
Car owner Rick Hendrick confirmed Tuesday that an announcement is likely next week in regards to Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and sponsor Lowe's.

All three are in the final year of their contracts with Hendrick Motorsports.

"You might not have to wait a week," Hendrick said with a smile. "It's just a matter of rolling it out, probably next week."

Johnson last signed a five-year contract extension that carried through this season. Lowe's signed a two-year extension in Feb. 2013, putting its deal in line with Johnson's and Knaus'.

Johnson and Kanus have combined to win six Sprint Cup championships. Johnson's four wins this season are tied with Kyle Busch for most victories in the series this year. Johnson has won at least four races a season every year but one since 2004. He's the only driver to have made the Chase for the Sprint Cup every year since it debuted in 2004.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/09...-soon-on-jimmie-johnson-chad-knaus-and-lowes/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Car Owner Chip Ganassi Injured In Bicycling Accident​*
Car owner Chip Ganassi suffered a broken clavicle when he wrecked riding his bicycle Saturday in the Pittsburgh area, the team confirmed Tuesday.

Ganassi had surgery Sunday and expects to be at Richmond International Raceway for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race, the team confirmed.

Jamie McMurray, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, will clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup when he starts Saturday night's race, which is on NBCSN. Teammate Kyle Larson must win to make the Chase.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/09/08/car-owner-chip-ganassi-injured-in-bicycling-accident/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Enfinger Steals DuQuoin Mile Accolades​*
Chalk up another victory in 2015 for Grant Enfinger.

The Fairhope, Ala., native used a pass on the first green-white-checkered lap to get by Kyle Weatherman to earn his fifth win of 2015 and keep him in the driver's seat to be the 2015 series champion.

Weatherman led laps 88-103 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds before he slipped and went just high enough for Enfinger to slide past him on the backstretch, and hold him off for the victory.

"It worked out," Enfinger said after winning the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care Monday. "A lot of times it doesn't but, this time it did."

The series point leader won each of the first three races and two of the last three. This one might have been the least likely of his wins, even after taking the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell and leading the first 15 laps of the race. His car became extremely hot, he said, causing a couple of unscheduled pit stops.

"We got way, way too hot," Enfinger said. "Hats off to Ilmor (makers of the ARCA Ilmor 396). Evidently, they've built a bullet-proof engine because it stayed together even when the water temperature gauge passed itself. That's hot. We lost a lot of water, but, fortunately, the caution came out when we needed it to for us to get it topped off with water and all the guys did great for not letting us lose a lap. Having a car this good made it possible."

The race had seven cautions, the last coming on lap 98. Weatherman restarted first and Enfinger third. Enfinger took advantage of the leader when Weatherman went slightly high in turns one and two, and Enfinger grabbed the lead. Weatherman, in the No. 22 Crosley Brands Dodge, was frustrated with finishing second although he widened his lead in the Calypso Lemonades Short Track Challenge standings and led the most laps - 32.

"Honestly this is the second race we've lost under this caution deal," Weatherman said. "The cautions keep falling wrong for us. But, that's a part of racing. I honestly think me and Grant had one of the better cars all weekend. It's just unfortunate that I gave it away there at the end."

Springfield dirt winner A.J. Fike finished sixth, Frank Kimmel seventh in his historic 500th career start, Justin Boston eighth, Ryan Unzicker ninth and Kelly Kovski 10th. Fifteen cars finished on the lead lap, including Will Kimmel in 14th. Kimmel led 26 laps.

Hessert was third in the No. 77 Barbera's Autoland Dodge. He led 18 laps and was up front most of the day.

"It was a tough day," Hessert said. "The race track stayed together well in three and four, but getting into one was a handful. All in all, not a bad day. We seemed to run pretty well at these dirt tracks. It would be nice to win one."
Schrader, in the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet, called the track "treacherous" at times.

"We came home fifth and in one piece," Schrader said. "The highest we were all day were the last two laps. We'll take it."

Josh Williams ran as high as second and in the top five most of the day. He eventually finished fourth.

"We had a pretty fast race car all day," said Williams, the runner-up in the point standings and driver of the No. 6 Musselman's Applesauce Chevy. "You can't run up top. I got caught racing up there on that restart and you can't get through like that. It's alright. We'll move on to the next one."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...-cars/enfinger-steals-duquoin-mile-accolades/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Suffers Torn ACL In Right Knee​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that driver Denny Hamlin suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his right knee while playing basketball Tuesday night.

Hamlin had a MRI this morning to confirm the diagnosis and has been evaluated by the medical team at OrthoCarolina. He has received the medical clearance necessary to continue racing activities and is expected to race the remainder of the season and through the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Hamlin will require surgery to repair the ACL damage following the season.

Hamlin is scheduled to address the media on Friday at 2:55 p.m. in the media center at Richmond International Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Hamlin-Suffers-Torn-ACL-in-Right-Knee.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*One Last Chance​*
Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway is the final shot for drivers to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field.

Race number 26 of the regular season means when the checkered flag flies at the Virginia short track, the 2015 playoff field will be set. Heading into this weekend's race Clint Bowyer holds the 16th and final transfer spot by 29 points over Aric Almirola and 31 over Kasey Kahne.

"We ran really well in the spring at Richmond," Kahne said. "I think we can come back with that setup and run well. The pressure is definitely amped up more than usual."

Others like Greg Biffle, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon are even further behind meaning the only way to make the Chase is by winning on Saturday night.

"Richmond isn't a track where I feel like I've run particularly well in the race, but our team has been fast in practices and has qualified pretty good there," said Larson. "We just need to figure out what to do to stay towards the front. We've tested there a couple times this season, so that should help as the guys get the car setup for this Saturday's race.

"Our Chevy has been pretty strong the past few races, and everyone is really focused on getting better finishes. I thought we put together a really good race last weekend, so we need to do that again and hopefully be in a position late in the race to contend for the win."

Dillon currently has his two Richard Childress Racing teammates already in the field in Ryan Newman and Paul Menard. He's hoping to score his first career Sprint Cup Series win to join them.

"Everyone is fighting for that last Chase spot on top of being a tough place to get around," Dillon said. "The tires fade like crazy. For me, I enjoy the challenge of Richmond. I hope we can get around there and get a better finish than the ones we've had in the past."

Regardless of who wins at Richmond, Newman and Menard will clinch with by finishing 31st and ninth, respectively.

Almirola, who raced his way into the Chase last season when he won the July Daytona race, is looking to replicate that success with a second trip to Victory Lane.

"We are still in the hunt for the Chase," said an optimistic Almirola. "This weekend is our last shot. We didn't make up as many points as we had hoped to last weekend, but we controlled what we could and posted a good finish.

"Whether we make the Chase or not this weekend, we have nothing to hang our heads about. We've been consistent all year, and that was our goal from the beginning of the season. We'll see how the chips fall at Richmond. We've found success there in the past, so hopefully we can unload well and put up a good fight."

Biffle continues to fight despite a struggle for the Roush Fenway Racing team this season. He'll make his 27th career Sprint Cup series start at Richmond Saturday and is searching for his first win.

"We've got one last chance to get in the Chase," Biffle said. "I like Richmond; it's a fun track and puts on a good show. It looks like we are gaining speed with our cars so hopefully we can pull off a win Saturday night."

Jamie McMurray will clinch his spot just by starting the race and Jeff Gordon will need to finish 17th or better.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 400 from Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/One-Last-Chance.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Venue For XFINITY, Truck Banquet​*
NASCAR announced today that the annual XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series Awards will take place Monday, Nov. 23 at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

The Diplomat Resort and Spa also will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Championship 4 Media Day on Thursday, Nov. 19. At the event, the four remaining eligible drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will take center stage to preview the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This is the first year the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will be held at the venue, one of South Florida's premier beachfront resorts.

"NASCAR and our fans have enjoyed an action-packed year in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps. "We look forward to recognizing our sport's champions and toasting to the season at a first-class venue in the Diplomat Resort and Spa."

In its inaugural year, the NASCAR XFINITY Series has proven that it is indeed the series "Where Names Are Made." The current leaderboard is crowded at the top with Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon and Chase Elliott leading the points standings, and a pair of NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates in Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez engaged in a close battle for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

The rough-and-tumble racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series promises to produce a battle-tested champion. Contenders include two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton and 19-year-old future stars Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. If Crafton clinches the 2015 title, he would become only the third driver in NASCAR national series history to win a championship in three consecutive seasons.

_The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will air on NBCSN at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 29._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es-Awards-at-The-Diplomat-Resort-and-Spa.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*BK Racing Remembers Alison Parker​*
The No. 83 Sprint Cup Toyota will celebrate the James Madison University alumna's life.

BK Racing will honor the memory of Alison Parker this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

Parker, 24, a TV reporter for WDBJ in Roanoke, Va., was murdered during a live shot on August 26 along with her cameraman Adam Ward. The death of the James Madison University graduate hit home with BKR owner - and fellow alum - Ron Devine.

"We'll be running a JMU paint scheme on the No. 83 Toyota this weekend with Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel," Devine told motorsport.com. "We're all part of the JMU family - so go Dukes! But we just wanted to do something to honor Alison's memory. We thought this would be a nice tribute to her."

JMU held a moment of silence for Parker before last Saturday's football home opener and the team honored her with decals on their helmets. Along with the JMU livery, BKR carry Parker's name over the driver's door and feature her photo on the TV panel.

Devine, who played football at JMU and graduated in 1978, was on the Board of Visitors at the Harrisonburg, Va.-based school and is currently on the Foundation Board where he chairs the Athletic Committee.

Devine fields the No. 23, 26 and 83 Toyotas in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series.








*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/bk-racing-remembers-alison-parker


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gragson Back In Drivers Seat With Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...1&RaceID=6876&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Noah Gragson bounced back in a big way Saturday night.

Just one race after losing the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship points lead, the 17-year-old from Las Vegas dominated the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho 208 at Meridian Speedway to reclaim the top spot.

Gragson won his first career 21 Means 21 Pole Award earlier in the day and then his No. 7 Alert I.D./Collier International Chevrolet led the most laps on the quarter-mile. It was Gragson's second career win. He was victorious at Arizona's Tucson Speedway in May.

Gragson's eighth-place run at Colorado National Speedway two weeks ago had dropped him six points behind Chris Eggleston and Ryan Partridge. He erased that deficit Saturday: With just two races remaining, Gragson leads Chris Eggleston by two points.

Brandon McReynolds finished second, .462 seconds back, and Buddy Shepherd, making his second career start, was third. Eggleston and Johnny White were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Gragson's teammate Gracin Raz was sixth, followed by Clay Green, Alex Schutte, Brett Thompson and Dylan Caldwell. Only eight cars were on the lead lap at the finish.

_The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will next race at All American Speedway in Roseville, California, on Saturday, October 17._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...09/Gragson-Back-In-Drivers-Seat-With-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*CMS To Honor Jeff Gordon At AutoFair​*
For more than two decades, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driverJeff Gordon has been one of the most famous and successful drivers in all forms of racing.

The 2015 season marks the final full-time run for the pilot of the famous No. 24.

To commemorate his stellar career, vehicles from his personal collection as well as racing machines from the most iconic moments in his career will grace the AutoFair Nationwide Showcase Pavilion at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sept. 24-27.

The legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway holds a lot of memories for Gordon, the most notable being his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600. Back then, he was driving the Dupont Rainbow Warrior paint scheme, which was seemingly retired in 2000.

Last month, the Rainbow Warrior made its return to NASCAR. The special scheme, with Axalta on the hood, was driven by Gordon as a throwback at Bristol Motor Speedway. Fans will have the chance to see that same Chevrolet SS on display during AutoFair.

Another vehicle set to grace the Nationwide Showcase Pavilion is the famous Chassis No. 2429, raced in the 1997 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Many know this car as "T Rex" as it was sponsored by the movie "Jurassic Park."

That night, Gordon and T-Rex dominated the race on the way to scoring the victory. The vehicle's on-track performance was so incredible that NASCAR officials rewrote the rule books to ensure it never raced again at a NASCAR-sanctioned event.

In addition to these iconic vehicles, fans can catch a glimpse at some of Gordon's racing memorabilia, including his DuPont Rainbow uniform used in 1996 and his 1989 fire suit from his Sprint Car days on dirt.

Gordon's 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z51, 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and 1933 Ford Street Rod are three cars from his vast collection adding a personal touch to the exhibit.

The AutoFair features more than 50 car club displays and more than 7,000 vendor spaces offering an array of automotive parts and memorabilia.

More than 1,500 collectible vehicles of all makes and models will be available for sale in the car corral that rings the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/lifestyle/cms-to-honor-jeff-gordon-at-autofair/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Richmond International Raceway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Aims For Richmond Sweep​*
Kurt Busch will try and sweep both Richmond International Raceway Sprint Cup Series races this season in Saturday's Federated Auto Parts 400.

Busch has two career wins at the Virginia short track, the most recent coming last April when he dominated the Toyota Owners 400, leading 291 of the 400 laps.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver added another win at Michigan International Speedway in June and a third victory of the season Saturday night would lift him in the Chase standings. Busch knows it won't be an easy task.

"The toughest part of that track seems to be the exit of Turn 4," Busch said of RIR's .75-mile oval. "It's hard to get traction put down just right to not be flat-out sideways all the way to the start-finish line. And it's hard to get the speed through (Turns) 3 and 4, and carry the traction off of (Turn) 4. That's something I'll be looking for right from the start of practice on Friday."

Another challenge teams face at Richmond is setting up racecars under very different conditions. Practice sessions on Friday will take place in daylight while Saturday's race goes under the lights.

Busch says that, in itself, is a tricky proposition.

"The way you drive the car during the day, the racetrack is much slicker," he said. "It's harder to apply the brakes. It's harder to get on the throttle. Tire wear is more excessive. So it's difficult practicing during the day and racing at night because of the temperature change and the grip level that the racetrack has.

"It's a cooler track at night, so you can be more aggressive on the brakes and harder on the throttle. It requires more finesse during the daytime practice sessions while you can throw it all on the line at night and go for it under race conditions."

This weekend won't see Sprint Cup Series teams use the lower-downforce aerodynamic rules package that was in play last week at Darlington Raceway. Unless NASCAR decides to implement those rules next year, Busch believes running side-by-side with other cars for any extended period of time will be difficult to do Saturday night.

"For that style of racing to return at Richmond, you have to make the handling a little worse, which means less downforce and a different tire to allow the racecars to slide around," Busch said. "The preferred groove is right on the bottom of the racetrack. What we need are options to go to the high lane and produce the same lap times. That way, we could run high or low, allowing us to get side-by-side.

"We need to find the aerodynamic package, along with the tire package, to balance things out better to allow that side-by-side racing."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 400 from Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/09/Kurt-Busch-Aims-for-Richmond-Double.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Focused On Now​*
Next year can wait for Clint Bowyer who is focused on getting into this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and running for a championship.

The demise of Michael Waltrip Racing means Bowyer is looking for a home next year and beyond. While he's been rumored in a number of scenarios, Bowyer isn't getting caught up in any of those discussions.

"I think first of all it's very humbling, the phone calls," Bowyer said Friday morning at Richmond International Raceway. "As soon as the news comes out that you're not going to have a future at your present employment, obviously you're nervous and you're worried about what that means for yourself or your people and with everything.

"It's humbling the people that have reached out and been interested in me, but truth be told man, look what we're in the middle of. Timing is good that it's ahead and not the end of the year that you're finding this out, but nonetheless it's pretty crunching times right here and it's like I told them, 'I don't want to use the word back burner, but let's just take a timeout right here for a couple weeks and take care of business.'"

So as the Sprint Cup Series readied for the final race of the regular season in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400, Bowyer did his best to unplug away from the track.

"That's kind of what we did this week," said Bowyer, who is 29 points ahead of Aric Almirola for the final Chase spot. "I stayed at the farm, Lorra (Bowyer) went to New York City with her girlfriends for a couple days and me and little man chilled out."

Bowyer did get some assistance in that endeavor.

"I used a little help," he explained. "Grandma showed up quite a bit, I ain't going to lie to you. She made sure I was under control and then she would go."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/09/Clint-Bowyer-Focused-On-Now.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kahne's Back Against The Wall​*
Kasey Kahne is down to his final shot to pull off a win and race his way into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Kahne was in a similar position last year and was able to score a Labor Day weekend win at Atlanta Motor Speedway and secure a last minute Chase berth.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver is hoping for a repeat performance this season as he enters Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International raceway 32 points out of the final Chase transfer position.

"I feel like we, as a team, we haven't had quite the speed that we've needed and we got behind," said Kahne. "We lost points. We had 25 races and that's where we're at now. It's not that it happened overnight or one particular race.

"I would say there was definitely a little bad luck involved, some driver error, and then not fast enough cars. So, we're working on all those things and are going to try to get a win tomorrow night."

Kahne's other three Hendrick Motorsports teammates appear set to move on to the Chase. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have won and Jeff Gordon has a spot as of now through the points.

However, Kahne's says there are not company-wide plans to help his effort Saturday night to make the playoffs.

"No, not at all," he said. "I feel like it's just a normal weekend. I haven't heard or seen anything different. I think we're just all out here like I said earlier; it's been 25 races to get ourselves in this position. So, one race, you either win or you don't make the Chase. I don't know.

"I think it's just a normal weekend. We go about it like we always do and do the best job we can and try to find speed, and if we get an opportunity to win, we need to win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/09/Kasey-Kahnes-Back-Against-The-Wall.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Injury Won't Slow Hamlin​*
Denny Hamlin does not believe his torn ACL will slow down his performance to end the regular season.

Hamlin tore the ACL in his right knee earlier this week playing basketball. It's the second time Hamlin has suffered the injury, tearing his left ACL in a basketball game in 2010. He's opted not to have surgery to repair the injury until after the season.

Friday at Richmond International Raceway, where Hamlin showed up on crutches, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said the injury will not hinder his ability to drive.

"There's nothing that should keep me from being in that Championship Four," Hamlin said. "I'm going to drive as fast as the car will let me. This won't set us back at all. If anything, it juices you up to ensure that you do your job."

Hamlin got into and out of his car during Friday's practice sessions with some assistance from crew members and understands there will be uncomfortable days ahead.

"The swelling is the biggest issue," Hamlin said. "It hurts my mobility and shuts down my quad, so there are challenges there."

The incident has sparked conversation about whether team owners should tighten up driver contracts and restrict their participation in certain activities, for fear of injury. Hamlin's contract with JGR has no such provision.

"I can do anything I want, just don't break the law," he said. "Joe does a good job of letting us be who we want to be outside the racecar. My activities aren't that dangerous. It just seems we've had some freak accidents."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Injury-Wont-Slow-Hamlin.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Place Like Home For Sadler​*
With nine races remaining in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season, the focus for the championship is surrounded by a crop of young, talented drivers. Lurking in the background and sitting fifth in the points is veteran Elliott Sadler, who is only 91 points out of the lead.

Sadler's 2015 season can be described as up and down at best. He's driven to only five top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes yet still finds himself with a chance to take home his first XFINITY Series title.

But this weekend marks a homecoming for Sadler as the XFINITY Series makes its second visit to Richmond International Raceway, 70 miles north of Sadler's hometown of Emporia, Virginia.

"I've been racing at Richmond for many years and I've been coming here as a fan for even longer," Sadler said. "I've always said I'd rather win in Richmond over any other race track and hopefully we can make that come true this Friday night."

Sadler started the 2015 season with a disappointing 19th-place run at Daytona and didn't record his first top-10 finish until the fifth race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in California. It would be race 13 at Michigan in June before he drove his No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang to a top-five finish.

But starting at Daytona in July, Sadler drove to six top-10 finishes in a seven race stretch before finishing 31st at Bristol due to an accident, 12th at Road America, and 11th last week at Darlington.

Sadler is ready to put the last three weeks behind him and try to score his first XFINITY win of the 2015 season and first since Talladega in the spring of 2014.

"I'm ready to get back on track Friday night in front of all my hometown fans," Sadler said.

Sadler drove to a 16th-place run in the series' first stop at Richmond in April. In 24 previous XFINITY Series starts at Richmond, Sadler has a pair of top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes.

Meanwhile, Sadler's teammate Chris Buescher is poised to claim his first series championship sitting atop the standings by 29 points over Ty Dillon.

Buescher finished 20th in April's race, his worst finish of the 2015 XFINITY Series season, but in four career Richmond starts he does have a pair of top-10 finishes.

"Richmond should be a good weekend for our team," Buescher said. "We have gone through a lot of notes and plan to try something very different than our last race there."

Dillon moved to second in points last week but still lost ground to Buescher, finishing 15th at Darlington last week after running second in the closing laps. Dillon, like many other drivers, needed a splash of fuel to get him to the end of that race.

"Every race is so important, every pit stop, even every lap at this point," Dillon said. "We're very focused very focused on the big picture and interested in minimizing mistakes. At this point in the season we're fortunate to be in the championship battle, but we still want more."

Dillon is coming off back-to-back ninth-place finishes in the last two Richmond XFINITY Series races and in five career starts at the Virginia short track, he has an average finish of 11th.

Both Buescher and Dillon will have their eyes on third place in points, Chase Elliott, who has three top five finishes in three career XFINITY Series starts at Richmond.

"There can't be any room for error the rest of the way," Elliott said. "Richmond is an awesome track with a lot of character. We ran pretty well there in the spring, but there's always room for improvement."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Virginia529 College Savings 250 from Richmond International Raceway starting at 7:00 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...09/No-Place-Like-Home-for-Elliott-Sadler.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Back In Victory Lane​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6801&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Chase Elliott ended a 39-race winless streak by taking the checkered flag in Friday night's Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

The defending XFINITY Series champion last went to Victory Lane at Chicagoland Speedway in July of 2014.

"It feels so good to be back in Victory Lane," an elated Elliott said after climbing from his racecar.

"We always want to come and give it our best shot to win. (Crew chief) Ernie (Cope) brought a good car and our pit stops were phenomenal."

Elliott scored his fourth career series win and led the final 83 laps of the race.

The last time on non-Sprint Cup regular won an XFINITY Series race at Richmond was Kyle Busch in 2004.

Busch had to settle for second Friday night.

"Just not enough there at the end to get back to the lead," said Busch, who started from the pole and led 78 laps but could not run down Elliott at the end of the race.

Busch has now finished first or second five times this season in eight starts.

Brian Scott, Joey Logano and Erik Jones rounded out the top five.

Regan Smith was sixth while Josh Berry was seventh, his best finish in only the rookie driver's third career start.

"When I passed Kyle Busch I said 'Holy Cow,' I just passed Kyle Busch," said Berry.

The young driver got an opportunity to drive for JR Motorsports thanks in part to his iRacing computer simulation skills.

"If I'm going to run more I need to be better on these restarts and give us a chance to win," said Berry, who does not have any additional starts for JR Motorsports scheduled for the season.

Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon and Buescher completed the first ten finishers.

"I am glad we are done with Richmond for this year," said Buescher. "This place has been really tough for us. We got out of this one and have some good tracks coming up for us. The AdvoCare Mustang - that was a big improvement for us from where we were earlier this year. I am proud of the guys. They worked hard. That is what we needed to do, get a top-10 run. We kept up pretty good with the points and we will go on to the next one."

The win moved Elliott to within 21 points of series leader Chris Buescher.

"Think they may be starting to get their legs, make a run and put some pressure on those guys," team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said of Elliott's championship aspirations.

As for the future of JR Motorsports and the possibility of adding Berry to more of a full-time mix, Earnhardt shared the plan.

"We plan to run three cars next year and if we get the funding, we'll run four," he said.






The series now heads to Chicagoland Speedway next Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/09/Elliott-Back-in-Victory-Lane.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dale Jr. Says Berry Just "One Sponsorship" Away From Making It​*
Josh Berry turned heads in his lone 2015 start.

Josh Berry, 24, came into Richmond knowing it would be his only shot this season to show off his talents on the national stage of NASCAR. He did not waste it.

Berry drove a strong race and with the exception of pit road setbacks, his night was near-impeccable. He drove the No. 88 car to a seventh-place finish in his third career Xfinity start, running as high as fourth before a late-race pit stop pushed him to the back of the top ten.

"I can't believe we had as good as a run as we did. Man that was awesome - that was so much fun. I really wish we didn't have that last caution, we could have had a shot to really shock some people. Overall, I'm tickled to death with how we ran."

Fast on the track, faltering on pit road

Berry's Achilles Heel (pit stops) costed him a top five run and during the money stop, he fell from fourth to ninth on pit road. "That one long run, we really took off," he explained. "We had a pretty good car - especially on the long runs. Just struggled on the restarts, a little bit on pit road. I got a lot to learn there and to improve. I think each stop got a little bit better.

"I'm really proud of the team. They did a great job, brought a good car this weekend and made my learning curve a lot faster.



> (He's) just one sponsorship away from being able to make a living as a race car driver. He's got the talent and the ability


_Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Josh Berry_

The rising star is looking for more races in the future, but it all depends on sponsor dollars. "We're trying to do fulltime next year and trying to find partners to help make that happen so hopefully tonight did some good for that. There was a stage in my career where I never thought I'd run one of these races so at this point, I'll take anything I can get, but I hope it's a short track because that's what I've raced my whole life. I do need some laps on the bigger tracks."

Needing a sponsor

Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. was pleased with the way he ran and hopes to get his late model driver in more Xfinity races, moving forward. "He did a great job. He showed his inexperience on and off pit road, but with more races and more opportunities he's going to improve there. He did showcase his ability and showed that he's capable of running with these guys. We'd love to get him more opportunities to race, but it just really comes down to finding a partner that wants to handle the expense to take the car to the track each weekend."

"I'm ready to race Josh every week, we just have to find a partner that's excited to be on board with Josh."

Earnhardt explained that Josh has no real sponsor connections that could run an Xfinity car at the moment, but is hoping that his performance at Richmond may attract a company.

"He's like a lot of these guys - just one sponsorship away from being able to make a living as a race car driver. He's got the talent and the ability and I'm telling you, he's just one domino away and if that domino falls, I think it's something that will work and he'll make it work. I know he can do it. He's won races in my late model for a couple years."

JR Motorsports had a strong night with Chase Elliott leading the most laps and winning the race. Regan Smith ended up sixth and also led 20 laps. As for Berry, he has the support of NASCAR's Most Popular Driver, now he just needs the backing of a sponsor with money to spend. As Jr. himself said, all it takes is that one phone call and Berry could be NASCAR's newest star.

"You never know who might have been watching tonight."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/dale-jr-says-berry-just-one-sponsorship-away-from-making-it


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond Pole Sweep For Logano​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6810&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Joey Logano completed the season sweep for poles at Richmond International Raceway when he claimed the top spot for Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400.

Logano turned a lap of 126.470 mph to earn his fifth pole of the season.

"Just a great effort from this team," Logano said. "I can't say enough of (crew chief) Todd Gordon and everyone with the Shell/Pennzoil team that gives me a these greats cars every week. It'd be great to end the regular season with the win here Saturday night and take that momentum into the Chase next week at Chicago."

Matt Kenseth will start outside the front row after his lap of 126.357 mph.

"We're the best on stickers," Kenseth said of his tires as he came up just short of winning the pole. "I just didn't get the lap I wanted there at the end."

Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and David Ragan rounded out the top five.

"We weren't that great in qualifying trim so I didn't know what to expect, but obviously we have a good car and we made some good adjustments on that qualifying run," said Ragan. "That's a great qualifying spot and anytime you can start in the top-10 or top-five, that's a great spot."

Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Notables in the starting line-up include Denny Hamlin in 25th, who will race with a torn ACL he suffered playing basketball earlier in the week. Others starting `deep in the field are Clint Bowyer (26th), who enters the race with the final Chase transfer spot, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (29th) and Jamie McMurray (31st), who will qualify for his first Chase by starting Saturday night's race.

"Just real slow and out of the track," said Earnhardt. "I don't know, man, we've struggled all year in qualifying and it doesn't look like it's getting any better."

Gordon will try to win Saturday night in his final career start at Richmond.

"This is a tough place," Gordon said. "But we're better than that. I hate it for our 3M Chevrolet team that we're going to be starting there, because I know we're better than that."

Josh Wise and Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the race.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 400 from Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ts-400-at-Richmond-International-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Richmond Story Lines​*
There are several stories to follow in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

It's the final race of the regular season and the last chance for drivers to race their way into the Chase field of 16 that will run for the Sprint Cup Series championship beginning next week at Chicagoland Speedway.

Clint Bowyer holds the final spot heading into the weekend's race with Aric Almirola 29 behind and Kasey Kahne 32 out. But other drivers are still in the hunt should they be able to pull off a trip to Victory Lane, including Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and Greg Biffle.

However, the odds may be stacked against someone pulling off that upset victory. Chase drivers have won the last 22 races held at Richmond.

*Kahne Looks For Miracle* 
Last year Kasey Kahne was able to win in the second to last race of the regular season when he scored a win Labor Day weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Now it's down to the wire for the Hendrick Motorsports driver who unless trouble hits one of the drivers in the current 16, will have to pull off a dramatic victory to make this year's playoffs. Read More

*Bowyer Hanging On*
The good news for Bowyer is Richmond has been a good track for the Michael Waltrip Racing driver over the year. However there's no room for error on Saturday night and Bowyer knows it. "We can't make any mistakes or have a mechanical problem," he said Friday during practice. Throw in the news swirling around Bowyer about his future when MWR closes its doors at season's end and there's a lot of pressure to deal with in the No. 15 camp. Read More

*Hamlin Playing Hurt*
Denny Hamlin insists the torn ACL in his right knew would not hinder his driving tonight at Richmond or for the balance of the season. Hamlin's injury happened earlier in the week playing basketball and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver showed up for the weekend on crutches. He's a two-time Richmond winner and although already locked into the Chase will be under the spotlight Saturday night to see how he responds and performs. Read More

*Powerhouse Battle* 
Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing have been strong at Richmond in recent years. The Penske duo of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski swept both Richmond races a year ago while SHR's Kurt Busch was victorious in the spring. Logano starts from the pole Saturday night with Keselowski in the third spot. SHR's duo of Harvick and Busch take the green flag sixth and eighth, respectively.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 400 from Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Richmond-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Dominates Richmond​*
Matt Kenseth dominated Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International to score his fourth win of the season.

Kenseth led 352 of 400 laps to win for the third time in the last six races.

"We were really superb in the long run, but we had to work for it pretty hard in the short run," Kenseth said. "I was disappointed to see the last caution. I knew it was going to be tough, but we were able to get the jump and get out front."

It was the final race of the regular season and there were no changes in the grid of 16 drivers that will compete in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series championship, which begins next week.

Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top five.

Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer completed the first ten finishers.

The Chase kicks off next Sunday, September 20 at Chicagoland Speedway.

*How Kenseth Won:* The Joe Gibbs Racing team continued to flex its muscles with all four cars running well including one point when Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards were 1-4 at the front of the field. But it was Kenseth who was the class of the field and nobody had anything for him once he got the lead and stayed there.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Earnhardt Jr. rallied back from being deep in the field early in the race to bring home a fifth-place finish&#8230;Hamlin finished sixth after tearing his right ACL playing basketball earlier this week&#8230;Almirola did post his best finish of the season.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Almirola put on a valiant effort in his bid for a Chase spot and worked his way into the top five and challenged for a win in the closing stages. But the race's final restart saw Almirola slip back a spot from third to fourth and unfortunately came up short of qualifying for the playoffs for the second straight week&#8230;Kasey Kahne didn't come close to stealing a Chase spot in the final race of the regular season and was non-competitive all night long...Michael McDowell had a freak accident that saw him make contact under caution. The impact severely damaged McDowell's car but fortunately none of the safety workers on the truck were injured...Martin Truex Jr.'s night was over early when he hit the wall and had a series of penalties for speeding down pit road follow when he came in for repairs.

*What Else Happened:* The hoped for drama of who would make the Chase never materialized with the slight exception of Almirola's late run. Kenseth's dominance was the story and like Keselowski did last year, he simply obliterated the field in the regular season finale.

*Quote of the Day:* "Pretty #&#%$^$ impressive going from 10th to a lap down in 90 laps," an obviously frustrated Tony Stewart's in-car radio communication early in the race.

*Notables:* Logano had 16 top-five finishes this season the most in his career...Earnhardt Jr. scored only his third top-five Richmond finish since joining Hendrick Motorsports&#8230;Truex Jr. was the lowest finishing Chase driver (32nd) in the race.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/09/Kenseth-Dominates-Richmond.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Penske Questions Richmond Restart​*
Roger Penske was upset over Matt Kenseth's final restart in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

"You just can't have that kind of officiating," Penske said after Saturday night's race in reference to his view that Kenseth jumped the final restart with 18 laps to go over second-place Joey Logano.

"The last restart, the guy must have closed the window and pulled the blind down," Penske said of the NASCAR officials overseeing the race from the tower. "That's how bad it was. They talk about it in the drivers meeting and how they were going to do something. They docked (Ryan) Blaney the other night for the same thing. I don't understand. It must be a different set of rules."

Penske was referring to last month's Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway when Ryan Blaney was black flagged for jumping a restart.

In recent weeks several drivers have addressed the restart rules and many questions were asked during the drivers meeting in Bristol in the wake of the Blaney ruling.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/09/Penske-Questions-Richmond-Restart.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Almirola Comes Up Short​*
Aric Almirola's bid for a second straight Chase spot ended in disappointment Saturday night in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Almirola came into the race 29 points out of the 16th and final transfer spot. After qualifying 24th, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver struggled early to gain ground on the field.

However in the second half of the race, Almirola began to work his way to the front of the pack and after making his way into the top-10 worked to the top-five in short order.

He gained a position on pit road during the final caution period of the night but when the green flag reappeared, Almirola dropped a position on the racetrack and was not able to mount a charge to win and get into the playoffs as a result.

"It is tough," a dejected Almirola said after what actually turned out to be his best finish of the season in third. "This is what we race for. We race to win races. We race to run for a championship. This race team, we got to do it last year and we had an engine failure at Chicago and feel like we had a lot more to show in the Chase last year. We wanted another shot at it really bad. We have a really, really good race team and am disappointed we didn't get Smithfield and Ford into the Chase again."

Almirola scored his first career Sprint Cup win last year in the summer Daytona race to earn a spot in the Chase. After getting off to a bad start in Chicago with an engine issue, he rebounded the next two weeks with solid finishes but it wasn't enough to transfer into the second round.

Now that his bid for a second year in the playoffs is over, Almirola is still determined to end the year on a positive note.

"I am really proud of all my guys," he said. "We worked our guts out all year long and tonight was no different. I feel we have overachieved this year and really maximized our results week in and week out.

"I am disappointed to come up a few spots short but we gave it all we had and that is all we can do. We will go race these last 10 races and try to get a victory."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Almirola-Comes-Up-Short.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McDowell Hits Safety Truck​*
Michael McDowell was involved in a bizarre incident in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 when he made contact with the safety truck under caution.

The field went under caution on lap 288 for debris. As cars worked their way down the backstretch and toward Turn 3, McDowell swerved his car to avoid hitting another but made hard contact with the safety truck.

The impact severely damaged McDowell's No. 95 Leavine Family Racing entry and he was forced to the garage to make repairs.

"I'm not really sure what happened," said McDowell. "I'm embarrassed for my team. My mistake. Luckily, no one was hurt.

"Everyone was jammed on the brakes hard so I'm not sure what happened."

Fortunately none of the safety workers on the track were injured in the mishap.

McDowell was credited with a 41st-place finish.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/09/Michael-McDowell-Hits-Safety-Truck.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Final Chase For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon will shoot for a fifth career Sprint Cup Series championship beginning next week at Chicagoland Speedway.

Gordon's seventh place finish in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway earned him his 11th Chase appearance in the last 12 years.

It wasn't easy for Gordon Saturday night, who struggled early in the race but improved as the night wore on.

"The car&#8230;..I was a little nervous, we were hovering around 21st, we made a slight adjustment and boom we started going to the front," Gordon explained. "I don't know if we were a top‑five car, but we were definitely a top‑10 car and finished seventh. Excited we finally had a solid night on pit road, on the racetrack, in the race car, communication. Everything was just really solid.

"That certainly gives us something to be excited about these next ten races and these guys have been working so hard. I know everybody works hard but they just haven't been getting the rewards of that hard work. It's nice to be in the Chase and take that relief and take that breath and now go reset and see what we can do over the next 10."

But Gordon knows there's work to be done overall with the Hendrick Motorsports team to catch up to the likes of Joe Gibbs Racing after the team's dominating performance in Richmond.

He's confident the organization can bridge the gap and make a solid run at the title with Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.

"We're behind. We know that. Those guys are unbelievable," Gordon said of JGR. "But there's a lot of ways to make it to Homestead and there's a lot that can happen and we're working as hard as anybody to try to see what we can do better, learn from our competitors, and try to catch up, but we're definitely playing catch‑up."

"I think Junior is probably the best in our stable right now and he proved that again tonight (fifth), but we work hard together to try to improve for each of us, and if we continue to do that, we'll make gains. There was a lot of pressure in this final season to make that Chase, so I'm glad we got that done."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Final-Chase-For-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase For The Sprint Cup Grid Set​*
16 drivers will battle for the championship in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup, and now we know who they all are.

The 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup grid has been set with 16 drivers left to fight for the championship.








*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/chase-for-the-sprint-cup-grid-set/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Federated Auto Parts 400 Recap/Chase Grid​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Flat Tire Can't Stop Elliott In Alabama 200​*
In 28 laps, Chase Elliott turned a disastrous afternoon into a party on the front stretch at Montgomery Motor Speedway.

After a flat tire sent the reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion down pit road under caution at lap 153, Elliott used a furious rally from 10th to charge back to the front in the 51st annual Alabama 200, leading lap 176 over Kyle Grissom before a late-race caution set up a restart with 23 laps to go in the historic event.

Despite spinning the tires when the green flag returned, Elliott ultimately passed Grissom for good on lap 181, leading the final 20 circuits unchallenged to pick up his second career Alabama 200 victory, both coming in the past three years.

"It started when [crew chief] Ricky [Turner] made the adjustments I needed at the halfway break," Elliott said of picking up his third career Southern Super Series win. "I feel like our car was pretty decent, but that flat tire really set us back. Luckily we were able to get a tire put on the thing and I was fortunate on a couple of those final restarts to be in the right lane and get back to the front."

"The end of the race was good, but I didn't have a very good restart on that last green flag and made it twice as hard on myself," Elliott added of the final run at lap 178. "I appreciate Kyle [Grissom] racing me clean - I thought he did a really good job today. This is a great day for us, though, and I'm glad we were good enough when it mattered."

The race was largely clean from the outset, with only two cautions slowing the pace prior to lap 95. Anderson Bowen led the opening lap from the outside of the front row before 15-year-old Garrett Jones, who drew the 'one' pill in the top eight re-draw, charged back on the inside to lead the next 19 circuits.

After that, Grissom came calling in his No. 31 Chevrolet, pacing the next 74 laps and leading when a yellow for a spinning Johnny Brazier marked the halfway break at lap 94.

With crews having five minutes to adjust on their cars, several teams came and went from the top five in the second half of the race - due to adjustments and attrition shuffling the running order.

Cautions at laps 96 and 98 eliminated contenders Bubba Pollard and Harrison Burton from the event, with Pollard losing his brakes in turn two while leading and Burton tagging the wall after racing for fifth with Ross Kenseth in the middle of the pack.

As big names fell, Oklahoma's Donnie Wilson rose, taking the top spot at lap 97 and pulling away until he lost a tire at lap 152 - one lap before Elliott's misfortunes cropped up - handing the point back to Grissom.

Both drivers would rally back to the top six in the final 47 laps, however, with the aid of two additional cautions at laps 154 and 176 that bunched the field back up and made for a wild finish.

The most impactful of those was the lap 154 yellow, which saw Jones pound the outside wall in turn four after contact with Logan Boyett sent him around. The damage was extensive enough to end his day, with Jones declining to comment on the incident.

That began Elliott's final surge, with the No. 9 Rocky Ridge Custom Trucks Chevrolet moving to second on lap 160 before dogging Grissom for the next 15 laps.

While Grissom used the race's final restart to briefly retake the lead from Elliott for three laps, he admitted after the race that there was nothing else he could have done to keep the Dawsonville, Ga., native behind him.

"Our car was definitely good today, but we just faded a bit there before the end," Grissom, who led 101 laps overall on the day, said of the final laps. "Chase having a flat tire helped him - it's kind of hard to compete with being able to put a right front [tire] on 50 laps into a run."

"He had a good car though. My car was good, but he was able to beat me, so it shows that he just had a little bit better. All in all though, I'm happy with the way things turned out."

Ross Kenseth rounded out the podium in the Carswell Motorsports No. 98, with four-time Alabama 200 winner Augie Grill and defending race winner Anderson Bowen the balance of the top five.

In the companion 75-lap Modifieds of Mayhem Tour event, Donald Crocker dominated the field, leading 66 laps en route to the win.

Bret Holmes (Pro Late Model), Joe Hudson (Late Model Sportsman), Joe Bethea Jr. (Street Stocks) and Rusty Alverson (Mini Mod) were honored as track champions in Montgomery Motor Speedway's local divisions.

*The finish:*
Chase Elliott, Kyle Grissom, Ross Kenseth, Augie Grill, Anderson Bowen, Donnie Wilson, Casey Smith, Logan Boyett, Dennis Schoenfeld, Russell Fleeman, John Coffman, Allen Karnes, Garrett Jones, Kyle Bryant, Todd Brown, Harrison Burton, Bubba Pollard, Johnny Brazier, Christoper Tullis, Bobby Deistler.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...s/flat-tire-cant-stop-elliott-in-alabama-200/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Enfinger Leaving Nothing To Chance​*
Grant Enfinger and his GMS Racing team are leaving nothing to chance in pursuit of the 2015 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship.

From victory lane at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Monday, the team made a beeline for Salem Speedway for a full afternoon of testing Tuesday.

"On these one-day shows, you have to unload good," Enfinger said. "You just don't have a lot of time to get it right."

Enfinger tested a composite body car at Salem in preparation for the Federated Car Care Fall Classic 200 coming Saturday, September 19, the 98th appearance of the ARCA Racing Series at the historic southern-Indiana short track. Enfinger won at DuQuoin in a composite body car; but the team tested a different composite car at Salem.

"This car (that tested at Salem) was a winner at Mobile and Nashville&#8230;then we wrecked in the last Salem race. We re-skinned it with the new composite body&#8230;won with it just like it is at Berlin. Really nice car."

Enfinger has had his share of ups and downs this year, but it's been more on the upside in the homestretch. Enfinger has won two of the last three races at Berlin and DuQuoin, and carries a 180-point lead to Salem, a fairly comfortable margin with just three races to go.

Josh Williams is second with Tom Hessert trailing in third, 215 points from first. Enfinger won at Salem in the spring of 2014, but his luck has not been good in his last two outings there. And, he's well aware that Hessert has won three of the last six races at Salem.

"You have to be concerned with Tom everywhere&#8230;especially there (at Salem). We've got a decent lead but it can go away in three races. We have the momentum right now&#8230;we need to keep it."

Enfinger says the test at Salem gave the team a chance to try a variety of different options.

"We had a chance to run through some stuff we normally wouldn't get to do. Last couple of races there we missed the balance a little bit. We've had really good racecars there but it's easy to miss the set-up.

"We had been talking all year about some of the changes we wanted to try. Some worked&#8230;some didn't. Overall, it was a really good thing we tested. You can mock-up at the shop but nothing can take the place of the real deal. We made some key suspension changes&#8230;it was good."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/enfinger-leaving-nothing-to-chance/


----------



## Ckg2011

*ARCA Sets Daytona Testing Dates​*
The test dates for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards at Daytona Int'l Speedway will be held on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16, 2016.

The announcement marks the first time ARCA's annual pre-season testing sessions will be held exclusively in January.

Since the inception of the test sessions in the late 1980s, the series has conducted on-track activity in December.

"The opportunity to provide our teams with a test date in January is significant, primarily because it is a month closer to the actual race event date," said ARCA President Ron Drager.

"The ARCA Daytona test has been in December since its inception in the late 1980s, and it has evolved and grown into a vital activity inaugurating the new racing season. From many perspectives, January test dates will prove beneficial to ARCA, our teams and Daytona Int'l Speedway. We're pleased and enthused about the test date adjustment."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/arca-sets-daytona-testing-dates/


----------



## Ckg2011

*APNewsBreak: Hendrick Locks Up Johnson, Lowe's Through '17​*
Jimmie Johnson knew he wasn't leaving Hendrick Motorsports, even as questions began to swirl when negotiations on an extension stretched deep into the final year of his contract.

All that speculation was for naught: Rick Hendrick has locked the six-time champion and sponsor Lowe's into a 2-year contract extension that runs through the 2017 season. The deal announced Monday comes as Johnson prepares for the opening race of NASCAR's playoffs, and he seemed amused that his possible free agency "caught some buzz" throughout the industry as negotiations continued.

"In my heart, Hendrick is my home, Lowe's is my sponsor and I certainly hope it stays this way until the day I quit driving," Johnson told The Associated Press.

In addition to the extensions for Johnson and Lowe's, crew chief Chad Knaus had previously inked a new three-year deal through the 2018 season.

It solidifies a powerhouse team that has been together since Lowe's came aboard in 2001 when Hendrick formed the No. 48 specifically for Johnson. The company had been involved in NASCAR at various sponsorship levels for decades, but was persuaded by Hendrick to take a chance on an unproven driver in a new fourth team for the organization.

Lowe's was on the car when Johnson ran three Cup races in 2001, and the nucleus of driver, sponsor and crew chief has been together since Johnson's 2002 rookie season.

The partnership has produced six championships and 74 victories in 14 seasons. Johnson, who will make his 500th career start later this month, is seeking a record-tying seventh championship in this year's playoffs. The Chase begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway and Johnson is tied with two others for the top seed in the 16-driver field.

It's a payoff Lowe's never saw coming.

So unsure of Johnson's future, the company initially hedged its bets with Hendrick and signed on as an associate sponsor for Jeff Gordon in case Johnson was a bust and Lowe's needed Gordon as a brand ambassador.

"We very quickly dropped that associate sponsorship on the 24 car as unneeded. We never needed that contingency plan," Tom Lamb, chief marketing officer at Lowe's, told AP. "I think we took a really big gamble on Jimmie Johnson when they first brought him to us, and the reality is we absolutely feel like we won the lottery."

Johnson won the pole as a rookie for his first Daytona 500, and was in victory lane in the 10th race of the season. His 2002 campaign produced three wins, a fifth-place finish in the standings and a star in the making for NASCAR. Johnson's first of five consecutive titles came in 2006, and he quickly surpassed teammate Gordon as the most dominant driver of the decade.

Along the way, he helped Lowe's establish its brand, then helped grow awareness of the Kobalt line and is currently part of Lowe's push to gain recognition for its ProServices department.

So with all parties so pleased with the arrangement, what took so long to get a deal done?

Part of the negotiations this time around included Johnson receiving a stake in Hendrick's automotive arm.

The team owner has done similar deals with Terry Labonte, Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., all coming in as partners with Hendrick on dealerships. Johnson currently has his name on one dealership, Jimmie Johnson's Kearny Mesa Chevrolet in San Diego, but will increase his portfolio as part of the new extension.

"That's income-producing for life," Hendrick told AP. "Jeff's involved in three or four (dealerships), and that's income. I've got Earnhardt involved, and we're going to expand Jimmie's deal. When they retire, they like cars, they can be involved if they want to, but it's a business that I know and I can run it and they can be a partner in it and continue on."

This newest contract is far shorter than previous ones signed by Johnson, who said his preference is long-term deals. He indicated the shorter terms on this extension are tied more to getting a deal that all parties could agree upon than it did his desire to reassess his future in the next two seasons.

Johnson turns 40 on Thursday, and the father of two young daughters said he's got no interest right now in walking away from racing. Gordon, his original mentor and the one who brought Johnson to Hendrick, is retiring at the end of the season.

"It's wild, I'm 40 this year, Jeff's retiring at 43 and there's a lot of guys in their 40s who are all starting to plan the next two or three years," Johnson said. "I guess it's out there someday for me, but it's not on my radar yet. I would assume after '17, I'll have to start planning at that point. But full steam ahead right now."

*Source:*
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apnewsbreak-hendrick-locks-johnson-lowes-140033007.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson In JRM's No. 00 Truck At Chicagoland​*
JR Motorsports has announced that Kyle Larson has been tabbed to drive the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 18.

A three-time winner across NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, the event marks Larson's first series start since earning a runner-up finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014.

In nine career Truck Series starts, Larson has notched one victory (Rockingham Speedway in 2013), four top-five and six top-10 finishes with two poles.

"Chicago is one of my favorite racetracks and the trucks are fun, close racing," said Larson. "I've been close to winning a few truck races, but I've only won one. JRM's truck program has been really fast this year. They've won some races and they're competitive every race, and I'm looking forward to having a good shot of winning for them."

Larson is currently racing full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson joins Alex Bowman, Cole Custer, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne as drivers of the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet this season.

In 2015, the team has scored two victories, one with Kahne at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the second with Custer at Gateway Motorsports Park. In 10 starts this season, the No. 00 has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Custer, the team's primary driver, will resume driving duties next weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and finish out the year at Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 31) and Phoenix Int'l Raceway (Nov. 13).

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ks/larson-in-jrms-no-00-truck-at-chicagoland/


----------



## Ckg2011

*ARCA To Broadcast Salem Event Online​*
The Automobile Racing Club of America announced Monday that the Federated Car Care ARCA Fall Classic from historic Salem Speedway Sept. 19 will be made available to fans live on arcaracing.com.

The cost for the webcast is just $9.98, in honor of ARCA's 98th appearance at the track.

The Saturday night race from Salem is the eighteenth on the 2015 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule as the season winds down. The 200-lap race is scheduled to go green at 7:15 p.m. ET. The broadcast will begin with a pre-race show at 6:30 p.m. eastern time.

"Obviously, the best way to experience the rich tradition of the ARCA Fall Classic at Salem Speedway is to be there in person, " said ARCA President Ron Drager. "But for those who cannot be in attendance, we've been trying to find a way to deliver race events that are not telecast on traditional TV for some time, and we're excited about our second on-line broadcast of the year."

The webcast of the Federated Car Care ARCA Fall Classic will be the second fully-produced race event streamed on the ARCA website. It will feature live play-by-play and color commentary from the historic high-banked, .555 mile Salem oval.

"Our goal is to present the on-line program as a high quality broadcast," said Mark Gundrum, ARCA Vice President for Business Development and Corporate Partnerships. "We believe that sports fans in general, and race fans in particular, will continue to seek live programming. This is a platform that allows us to present ARCA Racing in a fully produced, live format. Our fans are constantly telling us that they want to watch more of our races. This is an opportunity for us to bring live racing to the fans, and is great for the teams, sponsors of the series as well."

Fans will be able to place orders for the pay-per-view programming immediately by clicking the Pay Per View button at arcaracing.com.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ck-cars/arca-to-broadcast-salem-event-online/


----------



## Ckg2011

*John Force To Run Jeff Gordon Tribute Funny Car At Charlotte​*
NHRA Funny Car champion John Force is going to pay homage to another racing champ at Charlotte.

Force will drive a Jeff Gordon tribute car over the weekend while the NHRA races in NASCAR's backyard. Gordon is retiring at the end of the season and will move into a broadcast role for Fox in 2016.








"I got the idea for the flames from Jeff telling me years ago he was a fan because I was always on fire," Force told NHRA.com. "He was right, when I got started we were on fire from here to Australia. I always enjoyed seeing Jeff at races and award banquets. The guy was just so polite and professional but you knew he had the eye of the tiger too. You don't win all those championships on your good looks. This special Funny Car is just a way for me, my family, my team, my sponsors, NHRA and the fans to say thank you for being a great champion and being such a great driver in NASCAR. I put as many flames as my designer Brandon (Baker) could fit on my hot rod in Jeff's honor."

Force's team switched to Chevrolets after Ford dropped support of his Funny Car team in 2014. Gordon has driven a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for his entire Sprint Cup career. Force's car looks like the paint scheme Gordon's DuPont car had in the 2000s. Gordon previously ran a rainbow throwback scheme at Bristol earlier this year.

Force has won 16 NHRA Funny Car titles. Gordon, who qualified for the Chase, is going for his fifth Cup Series title and his first since 2001.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...tribute-funny-car-at-charlotte-224220566.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Teams Test At Kansas​*
Thirteen drivers took to Kansas Speedway today in a NASCAR open test session to prepare for the Oct. 18 Hollywood Casino 400, the fifth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"I'm pleased to see how the track is aging. Fortunately, it hasn't developed any bumps around the track through the hard winters and summers," said Jimmie Johnson. "In the spring we put on a great race and could run anywhere on the race track. It's only going to get better as time goes on."

Kansas native Clint Bowyer also participated in today's test at his home track, with his team is concentrating on verifying things going into the Chase.

"This is a pretty important test today," said Bowyer. "At this point in the year, you're kind of just verifying things. It is an advantage, this track being so close in similarities to the Chicago race track. It's also an important track in the Chase and for when we come back because it's home."

Brad Keselowski, who won at Kansas Speedway in 2011, knows that conditions could be different when his team returns in a month for the Hollywood Casino 400, but they're happy to get time on the track.

"The weather is close enough. We have plenty of stuff to try here. We're happy just to be on the track. And we'll run with that."

While teams testing today are preparing for the Hollywood Casino 400, Goodyear conducted a two-day test on Monday and Tuesday of this week in anticipation of a new aerodynamic package for 2016,

"The last two days in the [Goodyear Tire] test we were in the potential 2016 package," said Johnson. "I had a lot of fun with the lower downforce package. I found myself behind a few cars and felt like the car drove really well in traffic."

Racing returns to Kansas Speedway this October with the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season finale on Oct. 16, the NASCAR XFINITY Series (Kansas Lottery 300) on Oct. 17, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Hollywood Casino 400, the fifth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup) on Oct. 18, and tickets are currently on sale.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/09/Teams-Test-at-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bell To Run More Races With KBM​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Christopher Bell will run an additional four races in the No. 54 JBL Tundra this season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The 20-year-old has already made three Truck Series starts for KBM in 2015 resulting in one win (Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio) and two top-five finishes.

With partnership from JBL, Bell will pilot the No. 54 JBL Tundra at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 3, Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 24, Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on Nov. 6 and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov.20.

"I'm very thankful to Toyota Racing and JBL for providing me with the opportunity to race in the Truck Series this year and I'm looking forward to the learning experience that these additional four races will provide me with," Bell said. "Getting the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra to victory lane on the dirt at Eldora was an incredible experience and it wouldn't have been possible without all the hard work from everyone at Toyota, TRD and Kyle Busch Motorsports. Now, I'm ready to continue to prove myself on the pavement with JBL on board for the rest of my races."

The open-wheel dirt standout, who was crowned the 2013 United States Auto Club National Midget Champion, began his pavement-racing career last September driving for KBM's Late Model team. Since then he has scored six wins and 12 top-five finishes in 18 Late Model starts. The talented youngster picked up his first marquee Late Model victory in March when he led 203 of 250 laps of the prestigious Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, dominating a field which included reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott.

Bell made his NCWTS debut in June with KBM at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished fifth. Then in only his third start, he led 106 of 154 laps at Eldora to bring home the trophy. The Eldora win made Bell the seventh different driver to win in the Truck Series for KBM since its inception in 2010.

In addition to his pavement schedule for KBM in 2015, Bell continues to tour dirt tracks across the country racing Midgets and Winged Sprint Cars. Bell has collected six POWRi Midget wins, one USAC National Midget win and also collected his second-career World of Outlaws Sprint Car triumph in the Spring Classic Winged Sprint Car race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., in April.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Four-More-Truck-Races-with-KBM-in-2015.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Motor Speedway Open To Hosting Truck Race At Dirt Track​*
*Eldora is currently the only dirt race on the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series calendar.*

Charlotte Motor Speedway officials are interested in hosting a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at its neighboring Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO and CMS president Marcus Smith confirmed to Motorsport.com on Tuesday he has talked to NASCAR about hosting a Truck race at the 4/10th-mile dirt oval.

*Not before 2017*

"I've had a lot of people ask me about that - I've had some drivers ask me, a lot of fans have asked me about it. We are open to the idea," Smith said. "I think if teams want to do it, then I would certainly be open to doing it.

"I love what Eldora has done. I think that mid-week, primetime event is fantastic. I love going to it myself. If there is interest from teams to do it in Charlotte, then I know the Dirt Track at Charlotte would be a great place to host something like that."

The event would not take place before 2017. NASCAR is finalizing its 2016 schedules for Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Trucks and they are expected to be released in two to three weeks.

*NASCAR looking to add more dirt races*

Last month, Motorsport.com confirmed the Truck Series would once again compete on the dirt at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, next season.

Sources also told Motorsport.com the Eldora event may not be the only dirt race on the schedule with a second dirt race possible in 2016 at Knoxville (Iowa) Speedway.

NASCAR has already extended the use of the original 2013 truck design beyond its original three-year approval window, so teams will not have to design a new version of their trucks designed for dirt racing.

Eldora's inaugural Truck series race in 2013 was the first NASCAR national series race held on dirt in more than 40 years.

The has been growing talk in recent months by NASCAR officials and drivers about the need to try "new things" when it comes to the sport's national series schedules.

"Certainly the Truck series lends itself to that. The Cup series - not really," Smith said.

On Tuesday as part of NASCAR's "Chase Across America" event, CMS held a media event at the Charlotte airport then flew Kenseth to stops in Greenville, S.C., and Greensboro, N.C. - smaller markets that don't host NASCAR races but typically have large NASCAR audiences on TV.

"The idea is similar to this event today, which is all about taking a star in NASCAR to those great markets that tune in every week," Smith said. "Taking part of the show to them."

CMS currently hosts a Truck race on the same weekend as the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Smith said a Truck race at the dirt track could take place that weekend or even be added to its October race weekend, which currently features Cup and Xfinity night races.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-tr...way-open-to-hosting-truck-race-at-dirt-track/


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Charting the Chase​*
It's time to take a shot at prognosticating this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

For the record, I correctly predicted 13 of the 16 drivers that will run for the championship back when we made our pre-season guesses in Daytona. I thought Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Kyle Larson would get in. But they failed to qualify. Paul Menard, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. took their spots.

So now, it's on to the main event and the four rounds that will make up this year's Chase. Peering into my crystal ball, here's how I see each round playing out down to The Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November:

*Challenger Round (Chicagoland, New Hampshire, Dover)*
The four drivers that will have their seasons be "over in Dover" will be Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray and Martin Truex Jr.

*Contender Round (Charlotte, Kansas, Talladega)*
Maybe the toughest round of all is the middle portion of the Chase schedule. The quartet knocked out in this round will be Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman.

*Eliminator Round (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix)*
Tough, to say the least, but those not moving on to the finale will be Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin.

*Championship Round (Homestead-Miami Speedway)*
Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick will run for the title - with Logano prevailing as the 2015 Sprint Cup Series champion.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ting-the-Chase-for-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dirty Air Podcast​*





*Preview Show: Chicagoland Speedway​*





*Inside Access: Miss Sprint CUP​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Face 'Rough' Night At Chicagoland​*
Chicagoland Speedway can be described by most drivers that try to negotiate its 1.5 mile layout in one word: rough.

That one word also can be used by competitors to describe trying to beat Kyle Busch, who's won four of the six Camping World Truck Series races held there.

Chicagoland Speedway's racing surface has gotten abrasive, thanks to the harsh Illinois winters and occasionally oppressive summers. It's not been repaved since the track opened in 2001.

Busch is not entered in Friday night's American Ethanol E-15 225. Neither are Austin Dillon and James Buescher, the other winners at the Joliet, Ill., oval. So a first-time Chicagoland winner is guaranteed. Fast speeds and worn tires also are guaranteed in Friday night's race.

What's not certain is who will park his truck in Victory Lane at the end of the night. The ThorSport Racing trio of veterans Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, along with rookie Cameron Hayley are among the favorites.

Crafton and Sauter have had opportunities to win at Chicagoland Speedway, competing in all six previous races, and Sauter has an XFINITY Series win there in 2002. But for Hayley, Friday night marks his first try to win at Chicagoland.

"There'll be a little bit of learning and hopefully, we can get up to speed quickly," Hayley said.

The learning curve for Hayley in 2015 has been fairly quick. In 15 races, he's earned eight top-10 finishes and averages 11th place. He has plenty of experience on mile-and-a-half racetracks during his brief Camping World Truck Series career. In six starts on the intermediate ovals, Hayley has finished in the top 10 four times including fifth place at Kansas Speedway earlier this year. He also participated in a test at Chicagoland Speedway earlier this month along with fellow competitor Jesse Little.

But Chicagoland Speedway is a far different challenge based solely on the condition of the track's surface.

"It's a worn-out racetrack," Hayley said. "There'll be a lot of forward drive up off the corner. It'll be the opposite of Michigan (International Speedway), where you have all the grip in the world."

Sauter has experience at Chicagoland in all three of NASCAR's top touring divisions. His best Truck Series finish is fourth place in 2010. He had a chance to win last year's race after starting from the pole.

"It's been kind of an Achilles heel for me," Sauter said. "Last year, we had a great truck. We led the first 30 laps thinking this is pretty good but all of a sudden, the wheels fell off the wagon."

Crafton may have the most to gain with a win Friday night as he is battling for his third consecutive Camping World Truck Series championship, sitting a close second to Erik Jones - three points off the pace.

Crafton leads the series with four victories in 2015 and is tied with Jones for most top-5 finishes with nine each. He led the standings for much of the year until a 28th-place finish following a crash at Pocono in early August knocked him from the top spot.

Both Sauter and Crafton agree that handling will be one of the key factors in determining who wins, as well as who has the best luck finding a racing line that works the best.

"It's really rough and getting rougher every year. Grip is at a premium," Sauter said. "You've gotta make sure you're right, especially for the long haul."

"The asphalt is old and the groove moves around a lot," Crafton said. "We'll practice on the bottom and as the race goes on, we'll be running right along the top of the fence, especially on old tires. At the beginning of the run, you'll start at the bottom of the racetrack and as the run goes on, you'll migrate and move up."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's American Ethanol E-15 225 from Chicagoland Speedway starting at 8 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Face-Rough-Night-at-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Chicago​*
For The 16 Challengers about to embark on a road that will ultimately lead to a championship for one, the countdown starts once again on Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway with 3,595.48 "Miles2Miami."

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opens with the myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen and will end Nov. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. There will be 400.5 fewer "Miles2Miami" come Sunday evening as the Challenger Round of the 2015 Chase begins.

With four wins during the regular season, Jimmie Johnson - seeking a record-tying seventh Cup Series championship - rolls into the Midwest as the No. 1 seed in Year 12 of the Chase era. He finished 12th in last year's post-season opener and was 11th in the final championship standings, eliminated from title contention with a 24th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

"Chicago is a great place to start the 'playoffs,' " said Johnson, though he is still looking for his first Cup Series victory on the 1.5-mile Joliet, Ill., oval. He won a Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series race there in 2001. "The track surface is a little older and rougher, so you burn up tires pretty good."

Johnson enters this year's Chase with a newly signed contract extension that keeps him behind the wheel of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet through 2017. And it's a "home game" this weekend for crew chief Chad Knaus - whose hometown is Rockford, Ill., some 100 miles northwest of the speedway.

Eight different Sprint Cup Series organizations are represented by the 16 drivers in this year's post-season field. Joe Gibbs Racing leads the way with all four of its competitors in the 10-race title hunt: Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin - with Busch the highest seed, No. 2 behind Johnson.

"When you have good racecars, it makes your job a heck of a lot easier going to the racetrack," said Busch, who missed the first 11 races of the season while recovering from injuries suffered in February during Speedweeks at Daytona. "Last year, we were just off - missing something. Bringing on Carl (Edwards) and the opportunity to have four cars has elevated the program, and gives us everything we need to have a strong showing."

Dating back to mid-May, JGR has won 10 of the last 16 Sprint Cup Series races including a stretch of three in a row by Busch at mid-season.

Kenseth is the most recent Cup Series winner, closing the regular season with a dominating performance last weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

"Chicagoland Speedway has one of the better surfaces for side-by-side racing," said Kenseth, the No. 3 seed in this year's Chase. "Everyone wants to start off strong in order to be in the top 12 and move into the next round. The groove really moves around a lot there. It's fun to drive because of the tire fall-off and wear that we'll experience throughout the race."

The field of 16 Chase drivers will be trimmed to 12 following the third race of the Challenger Round on Oct. 4 at Dover International Speedway.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen from Chicagoland Speedway, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/09/Miles2Miami-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Week For Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson starts his 12th Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup fresh off a contract extension, a test session and his 40th birthday on Thursday.

Johnson comes into Sunday's MyAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway as the only driver that has competed in every Chase since its inception in 2004.

Prior to participating in Chase Media Day on his birthday, Johnson was able to celebrate the night before with the drivers he will battle for the title

"It was fun," Johnson said. "I thought I was going to bow out early and go to bed. I had plans to go to go for a nice run this morning and between (Clint) Bowyer and (Matt) Kenseth they talked me into my first drink and with all 16 there, I guess 15 - Junior was still in L.A. - the energy kept going and a lot of fun was had. I feel 80, not 40 right now."

The week started for Johnson on Monday when his sponsor Lowe's and Hendrick Motorsports announced a two-year contract extension. Although the news came at a good time prior to the post-season, it was something Johnson knew was already a done deal.

"We were motivated last fall to try and get things put together so we could announce it at the Lowe's National sales meeting in February that they have," Johnson said. "Then with the auto dealership side it just got complicated and we missed that date and once we missed the date we literally all kind of forgot about it until everybody started asking questions. We got back to work and got it done. There's really nothing behind it except we are all so comfortable with our situation. Hendrick is home for me and it's where I'm going to have my entire career. We just let it kind of slide off the table too long."

This week Johnson spent two-days in what might be the 2016 rules package doing the Goodyear tire test at Kansas Speedway and was excited at what he saw.

"The car just feels so much better to me," Johnson said about the test. "Our speed relative to the competitors that were testing we were like the '48' of old. I have always struggled with lower horsepower cars, cars that were easy to drive and were really stuck. I'm excited for '16 and hopeful we are going to peel a bunch more downforce off the cars like we saw at Kentucky and Darlington.

"From the tire side it was the first experience that I have ever had where the softest and fastest tire was the one Goodyear wanted to use. They loved the fact that it fired off fast and it had a ton of drop off. I think we are getting in a situation where Goodyear is going to be more comfortable taking softer tires to the track. The drivers are going to like it. There will be more fall off and more racing."

Johnson's last of four wins this season came back at Dover International Speedway - the site of the third race in the Challenger Round - back in May. Since that win, Johnson has posted an average finish of 12.5 in the last 13 races of the regular season.

"Based on my own experience the summer months I just can't put a lot of stock in them," said Johnson, who leads all drivers with 25 wins in the Chase. "I hate it, we are working our guts out and we are trying to make our cars faster, but the truth is we get back to these tracks later in the year and our performance picks up and we start winning races. It happens every year and I'm hoping it happens again."

His bid for a record-tying seventh Sprint Cup championship starts this weekend.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Jimmie-Johnson-Leading-into-Chase-Opener.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Restart Confusion Rages On​*
Many drivers are still unclear on NASCAR's restart rules and hope they'll be enforced in the future.

The controversy has been prevalent throughout the season but most recently in the aftermath of last week's Richmond race when Matt Kenseth got the jump on Joey Logano in the night's final restart with 18 laps to go. Kenseth went on to win while Logano - and others - felt he got away with a move that should have been penalized.

NASCAR officials did not see any infraction and the response continues to be one of confusion among some drivers.

"To me, I just say we need to be consistent with the calls," Logano said Thursday at Chase Media Day in Chicago. "If the call is that you can jump the start that is okay, just let us know. If the call is you can't jump the restarts, let us know.

"We have had a talk with them already so we will wait and see where it goes. I believe it will be fixed and we will be able to race hard and if it comes down to something like that at the end of a race for a championship then I would expect them to stand up and make the call."

There has been some discussion about implementing technology to help better police and rule on restarts. Logano's Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski would welcome that addition.

"Well, when you look at any kind of sanctioning body, you always want to see them have the best tools possible to see them eliminate any kind of gray area when judging a rules infraction," he said. "That way it eliminates any suspicion that someone might undertake that there is favoritism being played so I think that is probably in the best interest of the sport."

Others believe there is nothing else needed to address the problem than NASCAR simply enforcing a rule that everyone knows exists.

"NASCAR - and I never step in, they do such a good job - but NASCAR should do this, call them out," said Clint Bowyer. "That's all you've got to do. When I was a weekly racer and racing all over the country - my dirt guys race all over - they don't race under the same group of, you didn't race under the same promoter every week. So one guy would be a hard *** and then you knew when you went to that race track that that guy - whether it was the flagger or the ring leader, the owner, whoever that guy was - he was going to call you on it and it was his decision.

"That being said, all you've got to do is call somebody on it once - that will fix the problem. That's all you have to do. I really believe we have a rule and I understand their intent of not wanting to get involved with that, but that's not a good answer. Call them - whether it's me or anybody else and if you do that once I won't do it again."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/09/Restart-Confusion-Rages-On.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Plans To Pound JGR​*
Joe Gibbs Racing might be red-hot heading into the Chase but Kevin Harvick's not worried about beating the organization.

The defending Sprint Cup Series champion boldly predicts the Gibbs organization will be beaten as the four-car team enters the playoff run.

"I think we're going to pound them into the ground, that's what I think. Hopefully, they can beat themselves," Harvick said Thursday at Chase Media Day in downtown Chicago.

The Gibbs team has won eight of the last 11 races with Matt Kenseth responsible for three victories over the last six.

Harvick scored two regular season wins to earn his way into the Chase but while he's been consistent over the course of the recent summer stretch, he hasn't won since the spring.

But the Stewart-Haas Racing driver isn't worried about being able to compete with the Gibbs juggernaut throughout the 10-race Chase schedule.

"I don't know if we're better than them," he explained. "It's really not about having the fastest car at this particular point. It's about having the experience to be able to go out and handle the emotions of 10 weeks.

"I think that, as you go into these 10 weeks, you have to put it all together, and there's a lot more than racing to handle. I think for us it's all about having the experience."

Harvick believes his team is in an even better position that it was a year ago heading into the Chase when he won his first career Sprint Cup Series title. Last year Harvick has eight top-10 finishes going into the playoffs, this year he has 18.

"We're finishing better, in contention and finishing," Harvick said. "It's been a great year and I think it's going to get better."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Harvick-Plans-To-Pound-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR Brings Momentum Into Chase​*
Joe Gibbs Racing not only will have four cars in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but the team brings momentum into the "playoffs" having won eight of the last 11 races.

After having only two wins last season, JGR has come to life this summer led by Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, who each have four victories.

"Joe Gibbs Racing is the top team," said Busch, who scored all of his wins while making only 15 starts. "We've got the best chance, with four drivers, to carry on this championship. With (Team) Penske having two cars, they look less strong than four."

Kenseth won the regular-season finale at Richmond International Speedway in dominating fashion, leading 352 of 400 laps. In fact, JGR has led 63% of the laps run in the last four races.

"From a performance standpoint, our four cars should be competitive throughout the Chase. But that doesn't mean you can't break a part, crash, have a flat tire," Kenseth said. "Who knows what's going to happen? It doesn't guarantee anything, but we're going to be fast and we all should be top-five, top-eight cars every week unless we do something wrong. It's up to us."

All four Gibbs drivers have won at least once at one of the three tracks - Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway - in the Challenger Round with Busch and Kenseth each winning at all three. Denny Hamlin has two victories at New Hampshire and Carl Edwards, who won the pole and finished seventh in his first track start with JGR at NHMS, has a win at Dover with his former team, Roush Fenway Racing.

"The first round should be good for us," said Edwards, a two-time winner this season. "Our mile-and-a-half program is a little bit of an unknown. Our '19' team has not been stellar at the intermediate ovals, but we've been making strides. I believe we can go to New Hampshire and win, and Dover is one of my favorite tracks."

Edwards believes the second round will be the toughest - which consists of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

"There's a lot that can happen there," Edwards said, "but if we can be in the 'final four,' we can win this championship. Our cars are good and I love Homestead (Miami Speedway)."

Hamlin, who suffered a torn ACL in his right knee last week while playing basketball, believes Talladega will be his biggest challenge.

"It's not the heavy-braking racetracks, it's the one where you're holding the throttle wide open the longest," Hamlin said. "But I've driven many, many laps at Talladega with my left foot hung over there pushing the gas down because your (right) leg falls asleep holding the gas down so much."

Nine races from now, JGR hopes to have a clean sweep of The Championship 4 heading into Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We said at the beginning of the year that we all wanted to be the last four guys standing and give Joe (Gibbs) his first championship in a long time, and I don't see why that can't happen," Hamlin said. "We're optimistic that JGR has four great shots at a championship."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen from Chicagoland Speedway, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Gibbs-Racing-Brings-Momentum-into-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray, Menard Ready For First Chase​*
Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard plan to make the most of their first opportunity to run for the Sprint Cup Series championship this year.

McMurray put together a consistent regular season to secure a spot for the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team. The veteran driver brings a feeling of accomplishment into his first appearance in NASCAR's playoffs.

"I'm really proud of our team and what we have been able to do to make the Chase," McMurray said. "I think I'm most proud that we would have made it in any format. It was necessarily that you were the last guy to get in. We have been top 10s in points all year long and that's a big accomplishment for our team."

McMurray hasn't won a race so far in 2015 but he believes the possibility exists for him to continue advancing in the Chase and replicate the consistent success that helped Ryan Newman make the Championship 4 round last season.

"You want to see how far you can go and I think the '31' (Newman) car was somewhat eye opening last year," said McMurray, who was 14th in Friday's practice session. "Where I don't know if anyone would of selected them to make it to the final round at Homestead and they did. For us we have been top 10 in points all year so I feel like if we can out and do what we have been doing that's a realistic goal. You hope that you can get your cars better and have better races when it counts the most."

However, McMurray has some trepidation heading into the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, one of five 1.5-mile tracks of the remaining 10 races on the schedule.

McMurray knows his team will have to step up its intermediate track program in order to keep his title hopes alive.

"Our 1.5-mile track program has been our weakest tracks this year," said McMurray. "At the end of last year we had cars that could qualify in the top three or four and run in the top five in really every intermediate race we ran. At the beginning of this year they were OK and in the summer time we got off there so we have work really hard to try and get the intermediate program to where it was."

Menard, who turned the 17th fastest speed in Friday's practice, qualified for his first Chase this season and believes it was the culmination of an upward trend his team has been on in recent years.

"Since 2011 we were in position to make the Chase points wise," Menard said. "This year there was a lot more consistency this year. We minimized mistakes. When we had a 15th-place car that's where we finished."

Although Menard was solidly consistent throughout the regular season to earn a Chase berth, there were some nervous times in last week's race at Richmond International Raceway.

Menard had his eyes on drivers outside the final transfer position trying to race their way into the playoff field like Aric Almirola, who made a last ditch effort to get in with what turned out to be a top-five finish but ultimately short of his goal.

However, the surge from the Richard Petty Motorsports driver forced Menard and crew chief Justin Alexander to alter their game plan some to stay ahead of the game.

"We were worried Almirola was coming pretty quick so we did a little strategy at the end to wave around on old tires and it kind of backfired on us," Menard explained. "But as long as Aric didn't win the race I knew we were going to be OK. I got out of the car and half of me was mad that we didn't run really good and then it kind of set in that now we are in the chase. It's a whole new ballgame now."

Menard becomes one of 16 drivers to run for a championship, all with a nation of fans attached to root them on in their championship quest.

But Menard's legion of fans has a slightly different twist and rather than a nation, there's an empire, better known on social media as @PMenardEmpire.

The group has actually coined a Chase marketing campaign for its favorite driver, "15 Nations and One Empire."

"It's cool&#8230;I have met some of the people that do the Paul Menard Empire," Menard said. "Randomly I was in, I think Martinsville, and somebody came up to me and they wanted to meet the Emperor. So I signed an autograph for them."

The Wisconsin native actually considers Chicago a de facto home base, as Chicagoland Speedway remains the closest track to the Badger State hosting a Sprint Cup Series race. Plus Menard spent time in and around the Windy City in his younger days working for the family's home improvement store chain.

"This is as close to home as we get in the Cup Series," Menard said. "This is a huge market for us and my family's stores. For Christmas vacations for two or three years when I was in high school I would come down to Plano and run a forklift in a warehouse. I spent a lot of time in the suburbs as a kid."

While Menard makes his first Chase appearance, he did seek advice from others - including RCR teammate Newman - on how to approach competing in the championship portion of the season.

"More about stuff like today and what is the Banquet like," Menard said in his media availability. "The racing stuff kind of takes care of itself. We have all done this for so long. Everybody in the Chase has been racing at this level for many years.

"I'm not going to really change how I prepare for races. We are just going to continue to do our deal and it's got us to this point. We just have to step it up a little bit."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen from Chicagoland Speedway, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ay-and-Paul-Menard-Ready-for-First-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Rain Washes Out Chicago Qualifying​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6812&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Heavy rain washed out qualifying for the opening race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Friday and the lineup for Sunday's MyAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway will be set by the first practice speeds.

Defending series champion Kevin Harvick had the fastest lap in the day's practice session at 188.317 mph and will start the race from the pole.

With a forecast for rain later in the day, teams focused on qualifying runs in the first practice. Thirteen of the 16 Chase drivers will start in the top 16.

"First off, I am most proud of my team for having a fast race car to come to the track; having a plan and doing all the things they did to pay attention to the weather," Harvick said. "They put a lot emphasis on trying to lay a fast lap down just like everybody to get a good starting position with the way that the weather was."

Joey Logano will join Harvick on the front row.

"We haven't been in race trim yet," Logano said. "We stayed in qualifying trim all day today and I felt like it was qualifying during practice. We were really trying to top the charts. We really felt like that was where we would be starting at the end of practice. Obviously this storm is huge and we didn't have a shot in hell of making qualifying happen."

Defending race winner Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon, the top non-Chase starter, round out the top five .

"It is a lot better than last year when we started 25th," Keselowski said. "We will take that and move on. The car has been pretty good so far so I feel good about that."

Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon complete the top 10.

Chase drivers outside the top 10 are: Jimmie Johnson (11th), Matt Kenseth (12th), Jamie McMurray (13th), Carl Edwards (14th), Paul Menard (16th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (19th), Clint Bowyer (26th) and Denny Hamlin (29th).

Ryan Blaney was ninth fastest in the first practice, but failed to qualify for his third race this season because of rain. Michael McDowell and Travis Kvapil will also miss the race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/09/Chicago-Qualifying-Rained-Out.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Nemechek Scores First Truck Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6839&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

John Hunter Nemechek prevailed in a fuel mileage race to score his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in Saturday's rain-delayed American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.

"This is definitely a special moment," the 18-year-old Nemechek said. "I ended up running out coming out of (Turn) 4 so it was a close calculation but I can't thank all these guys enough."

Nemechek became the fourth youngest winner in series history trailing Cole Custer, Erik Jones and Chase Elliott.

"What an incredible day," said father and team owner Joe Nemechek. "We've had such a tough year. We've done this with like six guys on our team. Just an incredible day. I knew we were going to be good. He did an awesome job driving and saving gas."

The younger Nemechek enjoyed the celebration with his father in Victory Lane.

"Growing up he wasn't at most of my wins, he was always racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series so it's awesome to have him in Victory Lane now with all the wins we've been having in Late Models and now the Truck Series," Nemechek said. "Hopefully we can get some more with him."

Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez both looked like they'd go to Victory Lane when they each had the lead in the closing laps but both wound up running short on fuel. That opened the door for Nemechek to charge by for the top spot and he was able to nurse his dwindling fuel supply to the checkered flag.

"Thought I'd saved enough," said a disappointed Larson. "Really fast Haas Automation Chevy."

Tyler Reddick, Timothy Peters, Suarez and Johnny Sauter rounded out the top five.

"Didn't get the track position I needed to win it on fuel mileage," Reddick said.

"I was battling (Nemechek) there later in the run and wasn't able to make the pass and that turned out to be the race for the win. We were pretty close and we were battling hard on the restart trying to get around as many trucks as I needed to."

Erik Jones, Larson, Spencer Gallagher, Matt Tift and John Wes Townley completed the first 10 finishers.

"It takes a lot of luck and fuel to win one of these things," Jones said. "I'm happy for John Hunter and to see him win."

Jones maintains the series point lead by 10 over Reddick.
















_The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Hunter-Nemechek-Scores-First-Truck-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Effective Immediately NASCAR Will Dedicate Camera, Official To Restarts​*
Responding to numerous recent controversies over the policing of restarts, NASCAR on Saturday decided to marshal a dedicated camera and official to monitor the crucial area where cars resume green-flag racing.

The change is effective immediately and applies to all three of NASCAR's national touring series.

A late restart at the final regular-season Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway - in which several, including team owner Roger Penske, decried Matt Kenseth allegedly leaving early - heightened concerns over sequences that have become significant when passing is increasingly difficult.

According to NASCAR, a new camera feed will be centered on the entire restart zone, allowing a designated official to police not only when leaders accelerate but if cars deeper in the field lag back to gain an advantage.

Possible penalties would be determined real-time and assessed before the conclusion of the race. The changes were described simply as a reallocation of resources by Xfinity Series director Wayne Auton.

The new camera will come from a repositioning of a camera previously used to monitor pit road.

NASCAR shifted to double-file restarts in 2009, and drivers have been calling for NASCAR to enforce the restart rule. But that drumbeat has grown louder this season amid several controversies.

The restart zone is marked on the wall by a single red mark at the start and a double red mark at the end. The race leader controls the restart and can go at any point in that zone. However, the second-place car is allowed to beat the leader to the starting line.

At a driver's meeting at Bristol Motor Speedway last month, Denny Hamlin among others were questioning the rule - and lack of enforcement. Last week's episode brought more pressure to bear and then at Thursday's media day for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in downtown Chicago, drivers were very vocal about the need for NASCAR to step in.

*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...48/?siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-oXNy1_rQeTfH_KUS81IKzQ


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Too Fast, Too Furious At Chicagoland​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6802&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth were the class of the field Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway, but it was Busch who was fastest in the end as he took the checkered flag in the Furious 7 300.

The JGR duo combined to lead 186 of 200 laps with Busch staying out front for 102, including the final 23. It was Busch's 74th career NASCAR XFINITY Series win.

The win was JGR's third at Chicagoland in the last five races and sixth overall.

Kenseth finished 0.791 seconds behind Busch to record his third runner-up finish of the season.

The leaders pitted for the last time on lap 144, but Brian Scott and Darrell Wallace Jr. stayed out. Wallace, who pitted on lap 133, was able to come home third for a career-best finish.

Paul Menard and Ty Dillon, who rebounded from a pit road speeding penalty on lap 71, rounded out the top five.

Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher, Elliott Sadler, Regan Smith and Brendan Gaughan completed the top-10 finishers.











_Buescher now leads the championship standings by 25 over Dillon as the series heads to Kentucky Speedway next Saturday._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...usch-Too-Fast-Too-Furious-at-Chicagoland.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch's Car Found Too Low After Xfinity Race​*
Kyle Busch's winning car in Saturday's Furious 7 300 Xfinity Series race was found to be too low in post-race inspection.

A NASCAR official said the car was low in all four corners. The car was taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further inspection.

There is the possibility there could be penalties assessed this coming week, unless further inspection finds something broke in Busch's car, the official added.

Chris Buescher's car was also taken back to the R&D Center as part of a routine inspection.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/09...fter-xfinity-race/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Iron Man Mark For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon will tie Ricky Rudd on the all-time consecutive Sprint Cup Series start list with race No. 788 in Sunday's MyAFibRisk.com at Chicagoland Speedway.

Gordon made his first Cup start back in 1992 and has not missed a race, a streak that will reach record proportions on Sunday when he ties Rudd on the all-time list.

"I'm really focused on the Chase and this being the first race in the Chase, and that's where our priorities are and where our focus is at, but what's coming along with that is something that I'm very proud of," Gordon said Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. "And, it's something I've put a lot of effort into over the years is to stay healthy and competitive and it's hard to believe that I've been in that car every single race since 1992."

"So, on Sunday, that'll be something that will add to some already impressive stats that it wasn't something I really ever focused on throughout my career; I just always focused on working hard and staying healthy and being as committed to the team, from a driver's standpoint, as they have been to me; and now here we are at 788. It's pretty amazing."

Gordon was asked to measure his toughness against Rudd and he did not hesitate to answer.

"I almost got in a fight with Ricky Rudd one time. And, I'm quite certain I would have lost that fight, yeah," he laughed.

As for the details of the confrontation, Gordon had no problem remembering the encounter.

"Oh, I know exactly what it was about," Gordon said. "We were at Charlotte. He was no longer my teammate. And, I was trying to pass him. And I had a little difficulty passing him, so I did a big slide-job on him in the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4, and I don't think he was happy about that. And he basically pushed me all the way down the straightaway and ended-up wrecking both of us by the time we got to Turn 1. And I showed my displeasure and he showed his displeasure."

"We had to get in the ambulance together to come back to the Infield Care Center. And we had many, many choice words. Nothing physical, but it got pretty heated."

There did turn out to be a happy ending to the story, although it took some time and actually included a awkward moment, which Gordon explained.

"Well, the funny part about that story is that I just bought a house up at the lake and it wasn't finished," he said. "It was still being built. And I was up there looking at the house and where it was at, at the time. And a car drove down the driveway; it was still just dirt. There was no pavement or anything."

"So, this car comes winding through the property at the front and I was just looking and thinking oh, I wonder who that is. And I walk up and the car stops right about the time that I realize it's Ricky and his wife. And they were just out and about, looking at houses. And, he wanted to back-up, I could tell. He wanted to back-up fast. But, he didn't and we kind of laughed about it and talked about the incident and both apologized and moved on."

Next week at New Hampshire, Gordon will move on past Rudd in the record books with consecutive start number 789.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen from Chicagoland Speedway, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/09/Iron-Man-Mark-for-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Fastest Once Again In Happy Hour​*
Martin Truex led both Saturday practice sessions, but it wasn't all smooth sailing for the No. 78. imbalance

Martin Truex Jr. was once again the fastest man at Chicagoland in Happy Hour, putting the No. 78 at the top of the charts for both practice sessions on Saturday.

He went 184.849mph, which was over two tenths quicker than the fast lap he set in the earlier session. After Practice 2 however, the team was forced to change the oil cooler. While working on the car with a sawzall, the battery of the tool punctured it. The setback obviously didn't hinder their progress, if Happy Hour is any indication.

Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five. Jimmie Johnson in sixth was once again put down the best ten consecutive lap average. He complained of an imbalance throughout practice that made the No. 48 too loose. Multiple adjustments were made, including a right rear spring change towards the end of the session.

The remainder of the top ten was filled by Denny Hamlin, Paul Menard, Austin Dillon, and Ryan Newman.

The Chase contenders from Stewart-Haas Racing were a bit further down the speed charts than one would expect with Kevin Harvick 14th and Kurt Busch 17th.

Final practice went on without any incidents and no red flags. The only notable contact of any kind involved Aric Almirola, who brushed the wall with the right rear.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/truex-jr-fastest-once-again-in-happy-hour/


----------



## Ckg2011

*McMurray Not Feeling Any Pressure Ahead of First Chase​*
Jamie McMurray goes into the 2015 Chase with realistic expectations and no stress. He's just happy to finally be a part of it.

Jamie McMurray has been on the edge of the Chase many times over the last decade or so, even serving as a catalyst for a format chance after winning three races in 2010 and still failing to make the cut. But in 2015, McMurray comfortably locked himself into the postseason as the 12th seed.



> "You see pressure, you see stress (in the Chase) and I'm not going to have that."
> 
> Jamie McMurray


 He is one of five drivers who made this year's Chase without winning a race, leading only 14 laps the entire season so far.

"I feel like if we do exactly what we've been doing, to make it into the second round won't be a problem," he told Motorsport.com during Chase Media Day at The Murphy in Chicago. "I think we have a legitimate shot (because of the tracks in the second round) to make it to the next. When you get down to the last couple of rounds, I think you have to win a race or run top five consistently to keep making it.

Needing to improve intermediate program

"And we have to get better at the 1.5 milers in order to do that because there are so many, especially in the last two rounds. If we can get our intermediate program better, I'll feel a lot better about that."

McMurray noted that due to his team's relationship with Hendrick Motorsports, when they catch up, you'll notice an improvement in CGR as well.

"The reliability of the Hendrick engines, transmissions, gears has been amazing. I think, by far we have the best engines of any manufacturer. Our engines are incredible.

"If they (Hendrick) ever get down, they seem to be the first that can put it all together and get it back to where it needs to be. They have come a long ways in the last month or two and I think in the next four weeks, it's going to get even better. It's been a little bit off, but I expect it to get right back to where it needs to be soon."

The 'new' guy in the Chase

McMurray and Paul Menard are the only two 2015 Chase contenders who have never been in the discussion before. The pilot of the No. 1 Chevrolet SS looked to A.J. Allmendinger for advice, a driver who competed in his first Chase last season when this new format was first implemented.

"I'm really proud of our team and what we've been able to do to make the Chase. I think I'm most proud that we would have made it in any format. We've been top ten in points all year long and it's a huge accomplishment for our team.

"To me, we've learned that wining is important, but it's not the only way to get there."

No pressure

Despite being 'new' to the Chase and having inferior cars to the the top seeds, McMurray does have one advantage over the competition.

"When I look at the guys in the top five in points, they've won races and they've been there all year long and they're expected to stay there. I feel like it's going to be one of those guys who fall out in the first round.

"You see pressure, you see stress and I'm not going to have that."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/mcmurray-not-feeling-any-pressure-ahead-of-first-chase/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chicagoland Story Lines​*
Stories to follow in Sunday's first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway.

The myAFibRisk.com 400 kicks off the 10-race schedule to determine the Sprint Cup Series champion.

A field of 16 drivers are set to do battle for the title, which begins Sunday at the 1.5-mile track outside the "Windy City."

"Honestly, you have to look at all 16 with how this format works," said Matt Kenseth, who joins Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch as winners of four races each in the regular season. "Last year, at Homestead, you had the guy that dominated all year (Harvick), Joey (Logano) was fast all year too but you had guys get in on consistency who made it through to each round.

"The only way you know for sure is to win the first race of each round."

*Harvick On The Pole* 
Rain washed out qualifying on Friday so Saturday's starting lineup was set by first practice speeds. That put defending series champion Harvick in the No. 1 starting spot. (See Also: Harvick Plans to Pound JGR)

"I am most proud of my team for having a fast race car to come to the track; having a plan and doing all the things they did to pay attention to the weather," Harvick said. "They put a lot emphasis on trying to lay a fast lap down just like everybody to get a good starting position with the way that the weather was. (Crew chief) Rodney (Childers) and (car chief) Mike (Bugarewicz) and everybody on the team have done a good job. Just proud of that."

"Obviously having the first pit stall and having good track position to start is important. To have it all work out today was really good for the team. Just proud of everybody." (Starting Lineup)

*Earnhardt Seeks First Championship* 
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a solid regular season and made the Chase with relative ease. But the Hendrick Motorsports driver continues to pursue an elusive Sprint Cup Series championship trophy and hopes this is the year he can finally deliver.

"We've always done pretty good during (the regular season) and always been in the top five or top three in points, and even leading in the points in some of these years," Earnhardt said. "But we never deliver in the Chase. So when it comes down to the Chase, we just have to deliver."

*Johnson's Bid for Seven* 
Jimmie Johnson hasn't had the best summer stretch, but appears to be back on his game this weekend at Chicagoland as he starts his bid for a record-tying seventh championship. Johnson, who will start 11th, posted the best 10 consecutive lap average in yesterday's two practice sessions. (See Also: Big Week for Johnson)

*JGR Brings Momentum into Chase* 
Joe Gibbs Racing not only will have four cars in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but the team brings momentum into the "playoffs" having won eight of the last 11 races.

"Joe Gibbs Racing is the top team," said Kyle Busch, who scored all of his wins while making only 15 starts. "We've got the best chance, with four drivers, to carry on this championship. With (Team) Penske having two cars, they look less strong than four." (Read More)

*Iron Man Mark for Gordon* 
Jeff Gordon will tie Ricky Rudd on the all-time consecutive Sprint Cup Series start list with race No. 788 today at Chicagoland. Gordon will start 10th in the first race of his final bid to win a fifth series championship. (Read More)

*Restarts In Spotlight*
Last week's restart controversy between Richmond race winner Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano remains a main topic of conversation this week. NASCAR will now add a camera and an official dedicated to the restart zone.

"Maybe when NASCAR needs to use it then we'll have an understanding whether it was a good idea or not," said Chris Gayle, crew chief of Kyle Busch in the XFINITY Series, after Busch was asked about the camera following his win in yesterday's Furious 7 300.

*Truex Looks to Pick Up Where He Started*
Now that the 2015 rules package is back in play for the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Martin Truex will look to put together the same consistency he began the season with.

Eight of the top 10 tracks in the Chase have already been raced on in 2015 and Truex ranked second among the championship drivers in points scored in those races. Truex was also the fastest driver in yesterday's two practice sessions.

"The tracks in the Chase have been good to us," Truex said. "We like the 1.5-mile tracks and the Chase has five of those. Then there's Dover - it's my home track and I've always felt comfortable racing there. We did lead the most laps in Dover as we did in Kansas and Charlotte."

*Looking to Play Spoiler*
Drivers not in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will look to play spoiler in today's MyAFibRisk.com 400. One of those drivers is Austin Dillon, who will start fifth. Dillon has been fast in all of the weekend's practices and was third in best 10 consecutive lap average in the final session.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen from Chicagoland Speedway, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Chicagoland-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Rebounds To Win Chicago​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6812&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Denny Hamlin came back from an early race spin to win Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway and advance to the Contender Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Hamlin's day got off to a rough start when he made contact with AJ Allmendinger on lap 2 and spun through Turns 1 and 2.

However, he was able to methodically work his way back to the front of the field and he took advantage of a late race caution flag and on a restart got into the lead to take the checkered flag.

"This team doesn't give up, that's a perfect example today," Hamlin said. "Fast race cars are what we have and that was why we were able to come back and win today from that early trouble."

The victory advances Hamlin into the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It was his 26th career Sprint Cup win and ties him for 27th on the all-time list with Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen.

Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

"We got lucky, we didn't really deserve to finish fifth with the way the car ran," Kenseth said.

Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola completed the first 10 finishers.

"It looked like we were going to steal something that final restart," said defending race winner Keselowski. "We gained quite a few spots and probably weren't quite a top-five car but almost stole a top-five. We were racing real hard and just fell back. I just didn't have the turn to run up front. I was trying to make something happen but all in all I guess it was a decent day."

The race featured 17 lead changes among 10 drivers. There were five caution flags for 28 laps.

Kenseth has the series point lead while the bottom four drivers in the Chase standings are Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for next Sunday's SYLVANIA 300.

*How Hamlin Won:* When caution flew for debris with less than 10 laps to go, Hamlin did not pit when most of the leaders did. On the final restart with five laps to go, Hamlin was able to shoot past Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon - who also both stayed out rather than pit for tires - and opened up the Chase with a trip to Victory Lane.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Edwards came back from a lap down early in the race as well and rallied to finish second...Newman started this Chase the way he did last year's with a solid and consistent finish in fourth...Larson was the highest non-Chase finishing driver with his seventh-place performance...Almirola followed his strong effort last week in the regular season finale at Richmond with a top-10 effort.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Kevin Harvick finished 42nd after he received damage from contact with Jimmie Johnson on a restart. He cut a tire and slammed the wall severely damaging his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet and ended up 58 laps down to the leader. Harvick confronted Johnson after the race in the driver motorhome lot and punched him before being restrained. (Read More)

*What Else Happened:* The first half of the race was relatively calm and included the longest green flag run of the year at 116 laps. However, the second half had its share of intensity, including a restart that went under review when Jeff Gordon was questioned for potentially jumping too soon.

*Quote of the Day:* "I can't believe we stayed out," Kurt Busch on the in-car radio after the call not to pit under the last caution.

*Notables:* It was the 16th 1-2 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing&#8230;Newman scored his first top five since Bristol in April&#8230;All 43 cars were running at the finish for the second time this season. Auto Club Speedway in March was the other race.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lin-Kicks-Off-Chase-With-Chicagoland-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Takes A Hit​*
Kevin Harvick's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup got off to a bad start when he cut a tire and hit the wall in Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

A restart on lap 135 saw Joey Logano make contact with Jimmie Johnson who then in turn slammed into the side of Harvick's car damaging the left-rear fender of the Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

Three laps later Harvick suffered a blown tire and spun before making hard contact with the outside retaining wall. He brought the car to the garage area to repair the major damage sustained in the accident.

Harvick returned to the track on lap 195 and wound up finishing 42nd. He dropped to the bottom of the Chase standings and is 43 behind leader Matt Kenseth with two races left in the Challenger Round.

"I got a pretty good restart and obviously (Joey Logano) and (Johnson) got a run. I just held my line and (Johnson) just slammed into the side of my door," Harvick explained.

"That was pretty much it."

Harvick has not by any means given up on his title chances this year.

"We can win anywhere, we could have won today," said Harvick. "It's just a matter of putting a couple days together and come back to Victory Lane. Same thing as last year."

But afterward Harvick wasn't as calm.

There was a confrontation in the driver's motorhome lot between Harvick and Johnson, with a shove by the defending series champion before he was held back.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...vick-Takes-a-Hit-at-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trying Day For Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson's opening Chase race proved to be a challenge Sunday in the myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The six-time Sprint Cup Series champion wound up 11th when the checkered flag flew on what turned out to be an eventful afternoon.

Johnson was in the middle of a controversial restart on lap 135 when he and Kevin Harvick made contact. The impact damaged Harvick's car and eventually led to a cut tire, a trip into the wall and a 42nd place finish.

"He didn't leave me any space," Johnson explained. "He was pinning me down, and I had to get back up on the track. I wouldn't say that what he did was any different than other situations I've been in like that.

"When you are in his position, you want to get the inside car in a bad angle so they have to lift. I was fine with lifting, but I had to get back on the race track, so I worked my way back up on the track."

Harvick blamed Johnson for the incident and a confrontation in the driver's motorhome lot after the race led to Harvick shoving Johnson before being refrained.

However Johnson insisted there was no wrong doing on his part.

"By no means was I trying to do anything different," Johnson said of the restart. "I've seen him on the flat working his way back up looking for a racing lane. That is what I was doing. I was on the bottom trying to get back up on the racing surface, and he was trying to pin me down and I had to get back up or else it would have been a hell of a mess."

Johnson soldiered on for the rest of the day battling some issues mid-race that hampered his march to the front of the field.

"At the middle part of the race, maybe two-thirds, we lost what we had going on," he said. "It was some tire pressure stuff from what I gather and heard on the radio. We got that back and at the end, we were really fast. Just off for one segment there, and it hurt us pretty bad."

But overall Johnson was pleased with the outcome of the day given the circumstances he dealt with over the 400 miles.

"Yeah, managing points was certainly part of it," said Johnson, who is now seven points behind series leader Matt Kenseth. "Restarts were wild and crazy. So, we're just trying to be smart."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Trying-Day-For-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Speeds To Second​*
Carl Edwards came back from a speeding penalty to finish second in Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

While running 16th, Edwards was caught in section three of pit road on lap 52 and fell to 28th in the running order, a lap down, after serving his penalty. On lap 128 Edwards took the wave around and was able to make his way to the front. He also battled an engine issue early in the race.

"We knew if we maybe we get our lap back, get back up there, we'd be all right," Edwards said. "I set us back there."

Along with his teammate Denny Hamlin rebounding from a lap two spin to take the win, Edwards knew there was hope because his other teammate Kyle Busch was up front for 121 laps.

"I didn't see in the front for a while, but looked like Kyle was fast," Edwards said. "He had a really fast car there for a long time."

Edwards' team led by crew chief Darian Grubb continued to work on the car through-out the race and he was able to crack the top 10 at lap 150. On the final restart of the race on lap 263 Edwards charged to the front and finished 0.962 seconds behind Hamlin.

"I'll tell you what, my guys just do a great job on pit road, they really do," Edwards said. "Darian never loses his cool ever. He played the game perfectly with pit strategy.

"Then at the end, truly, once we got into Turn 1 on the final restart, I was like, I got this thing. I got better tires than all these guys. Kurt (Busch) was unbelievable on old tires.

"Then I thought, Denny is mine, he's a sitting duck. He drove the wheels off of that thing. He really hung on with those tires that he had."

The finish was Edwards' sixth top 10 in the last seven races of the season and it moved him to third in the point standings.

"We've really rallied and we're going to be tough," Edwards said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Speeds-to-Second-at-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch And The Win That Got Away​*
The driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet finished third at Chicagoland, falling from the lead after a late-race caution for debris.

Kurt Busch knew it was probably too good to be true.

After 37 laps and establishing a four-second lead over Jeff Gordon with nine laps remaining in Sunday's Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR called the sixth and final caution in the myAFibRisk.com 400.

Crew chief Tony Gibson asked his Busch what he thought about staying out on the track rather than pitting.

Busch's response?

"Oh my god," the driver said.

Still, considering how solid the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevy when the day began, Busch certainly had the confidence to accomplish the task. After starting the race ninth, Busch moved into the top five by Lap 45. As Busch searched for the fastest lane on the 1.5-mile, he brushed the Turn 2 wall around Lap 60, but it didn't slow him down.

On Lap 85, however, Busch slapped the wall again with enough force to cut his right rear tire. After he limped to the pits, the crew repaired the No. 41 Chevy and Busch restarted 28th. Over the next 15 laps, he passed the cars of fellow Chasers Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin then closed in on Carl Edwards for 22nd.



> We weren't given a hall pass now, through Loudon and through Dover. We've just got to work hard as a team and saddle-up
> 
> Kurt Busch


 As green flag pit stops began, Busch worked his way back up into the top 10. By the second caution on Lap 123 - and once the pit stops had cycled out - Busch was 10th. He stayed on the track when five of the lead cars pitted six laps later and on the restart, moved from ninth to fifth in two laps. After his SHR teammate Kevin Harvick hit the wall on Lap 138, Busch moved into third for the restart and a battle ensued between his brother Kyle and Jeff Gordon.

Busch led for the first time on Lap 184 during pit stops. He lined up alongside the No. 18 for the Lap 197 restarts and finally passed his brother 24 circuits later. After 19 laps with the lead, Busch relinquished the point Hamlin following his final pit stop on Lap 240 but regained the position five laps later.

Late caution

As the laps wound down and Busch appeared destined to win the first race of the Chase, the yellow flag waved.

Spotter Rick Carelli tried to deflect the situation by telling his driver, "If it was easy, everyone would be doing this, right Kurt?"

Busch lined up for a five-lap dash for the finish, but he couldn't hold off Hamlin in the end.

"We had a good race car, great driver, great team, did a good job, led a bunch of laps," crew chief Tony Gibson told the crew following the race. "Good job, top-five buddy."

"I appreciate you guys helping me get through that mistake I made," Busch replied. "It was a team effort."

"Right here is what we have to do to win this championship," Gibson said. "Be strong and stay steady. It was a good day everybody."

For his effort, Busch finished third - his best result at Chicagoland Speedway and his third consecutive top 10 finish at the track. Busch gained two positions in the standings and is currently the fifth.

Following his run, Busch acknowledged that the caution "was the difference-maker today".

"But overall, I'm really proud of this team and everybody at Haas Automation and Stewart Haas Racing," Busch said. "This Chevy was fast. It was fast enough to win. When the caution came out there at the end, I thought we had the right strategy, but we didn't.

"But this is a point's day. This is a long journey through these next 10 weeks. We weren't given a hall pass now, through Loudon and through Dover. We've just got to work hard as a team and saddle-up. This isn't just a win and take a couple of weeks off, but we had a winning car today. It's kind of a shame. We had a good run at Fontana earlier this year and it kind of ended up the same way."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kurt-busch-and-the-win-that-got-away/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Newman Off To Another Strong Start In The Chase​*
Ryan Newman quietly finished fourth at Chicagoland Speedway.

Earlier in the week, Ryan Newman said he thought his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing was better this season beginning the championship Chase then it was one year ago.

And last year, despite not earning a win during the season, Newman ended up as the championship runner-up.

Consider Newman's statement validated.

While Newman's teammates Austin Dillon and Paul Menard didn't fare nearly as well in the race, the RCR cars showed speed all weekend. Newman ended up finishing fourth - 11 spots better than a year ago in this race during a season where he used consistency to march into the championship finale.



> We're starting to click again at the same time and at the right time
> 
> Crew chief Luke Lambert


 A late-race caution and decision by crew chief Luke Lambert to take on four new tires allowed Newman to charge from outside the top-10 into the top-five in the final five laps.

"We had a really good car. We were good most of the race and then that one caution came out after we pitted we went a lap down," Newman said. "The next restart we had a bad restart and it looked like we were done and that was it."

Getting back on track

With last season's runner-up finish for the championship, Newman's team clearly had the most experience and perhaps the highest expectations at RCR for another title run.

The team's season got sidetracked when Lambert, tire technician James Bender and engineer Philip Surgen were all suspended six races after NASCAR found illegal modifications to the tires used by the team March 22 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

"We've had a lot things we've had to endure this season and kind of rebuild from and I feel like the experience we've had over the last year-and-a-half has got us to where we are now - which is a better team than we've ever been," Lambert said after the race.

"I'm proud of everybody on this team today for proving what we're made of. We're in the middle of making a lot of progress and I feel it's going to continue in this Chase and get us back to having a shot at winning the title at Homestead.

"We're starting to click again at the same time and at the right time."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/newman-off-to-another-strong-start-in-the-chase/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chicagoland Winners And Losers​*
There were smiles and frowns on the faces of NASCAR competitors coming out of Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 by Janssen at Chicagoland Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Denny Hamlin*
Provided his own drama with a Lap-2 spin and rebound to score the victory. Hamlin's win did two things: moved him into the next round of the Chase and put to rest any lingering doubt he'd be able to compete at the highest level with the torn ACL in his right knee.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*
While Hamlin led the way, the entire JGR organization continued its incredible run with its ninth win in the last 12 races. Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch all joined Hamlin in the top 10 at Chicagoland.

*Ryan Newman*
Started this year's Chase the way he ended last year's, with a top-five finish. Newman was 14th on the final restart Sunday but was fourth when the checkered flag flew.

*Kyle Larson*
The sophomore driver had a run reminiscent of last year's at Chicagoland Speedway. Although he wasn't in position to win the race, Larson posted a top-10 finish and was the best-performing non-Chase driver.

*Aric Almirola*
The Richard Petty Motorsports driver put on a stirring drive last week at Richmond in hopes of making the Chase. Although he missed that goal, Almirola came back strong at Chicagoland to score a top-10 finish.

*LOSERS​*
*Kevin Harvick*
In one fell swoop, the defending Sprint Cup Series champion is in trouble with only one Chase race in the books. A cut tire after contact with Jimmie Johnson on a mid-race restart led to a crashed racecar and a 42nd-place finish. It will be interesting to see how en emotional Harvick reacts to adversity over the next two weeks at New Hampshire and Dover.

*Jeff Gordon*
Was in position to perhaps end his winless drought until a late caution turned everything upside down for the four-time champion. Gordon didn't pit for fresh tires and then handling problems sent him back in the pack when the green flag reappeared, sending him to a 14th-place finish.

*Clint Bowyer*
If not for Harvick's issues, Bowyer would have been the worst-finishing Chase driver with a very uncompetitive 19th-place effort on Sunday.

*AJ Allmendinger*
It's been a rough year for JTG/Daugherty Racing after the "Cinderella" season it had a year ago. Allmendinger made contact with Hamlin on Lap 2 to cause the eventual winner's spin. But his day got worse with a 36th-place finish.

*Austin Dillon*
Started fifth and ran near the front of the field in the first half of the race. But a cut tire and trip into the backstretch wall ended any hopes of stealing the spotlight from the "Chasers" and Dillon finished 43rd.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Winners-and-Losers-Chicagoland-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Can-Am New Daytona Duel Sponsor​*
Can-Am to Sponsor Jeffrey Earnhardt and Bobby Labonte

JOLIET, Ill. - The Can-Am Duel At Daytona is the new name for the annual 150-mile qualifying races to set the lineup for the Daytona 500.

The announcement came Saturday during a press conference at Chicagoland Speedway.

BRP, a manufacturer of motorized recreational vehicles and engines, will serve as the new title sponsor through its Can-Am brand and products.

"We're excited about developing this new partnership with BRP, the world leader in recreational vehicles," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "With two thrilling and unpredictable 150-mile qualifying races, the Can-Am Duel At Daytona will provide a great platform for BRP to promote their Can-Am products at the 'World Center of Racing.'"

Next year's Can-Am Duel At Daytona is scheduled for Thursday, February 18 and will help determine the staring line-up for the following Sunday's 58th annual Daytona 500.

"BRP and its Can-Am products are synonymous with innovation and performance in the powersports industry," said Anne Bélec, senior vice-president, Global Brands and Strategy. "We feel that there's a natural fit with NASCAR racers and their fans. Thanks to our association with Kappa, Cyclops Gear and the GOFAS race team, we are now a sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the title sponsor of the Can-Am Duel, the ultimate test before the Daytona 500.

The events during Speedweeks 2016 will be the first to be held at Daytona International Speedway following the completion of the $400 million DAYTONA Rising frontstretch redevelopment project. Race fans will experience new amenities such as wider and more comfortable seats, spacious concourses, escalators and elevators, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concessions and merchandise stands.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...o-Duel-at-Daytona-During-Speedweeks-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: No Penalties For Harvick, Johnson​*
Sunday's post-race altercation between Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson will not warrant any action from NASCAR.

Harvick and Johnson had a confrontation in the drivers' motorhome lot after Sunday's myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway following their on-track contact during the race. Although Harvick got somewhat physical with Johnson, neither driver will be fined or penalized by the sanctioning body.

"That's emotion coming out when the stakes are really high in the Chase," Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "We've got a reigning champion who finds himself in a tough spot, really needing to win, so you understand the frustration. You don't like to see what happened but from our standpoint, that's pure emotion when the stakes are high - knowing how important it is to win a championship."

*Chevrolet Continues With SS*
There's been speculation about whether Chevrolet would change its model of car competing in the Sprint Cup Series, but the manufacturer confirmed last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway that it would continue to campaign the Chevy SS.

"We're fuel-injected, V8, rear-wheel drive in the showroom. Same here at the track," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance motor sports for Chevrolet. "We love that relevance, that connection. We think it's genuine and authentic.

"For Chevy, our SS will be our play here for the near future. If we make a change in the showroom that necessitates a change for the track, we'll certainly go through that process again with NASCAR and our counterparts."

*Sprint Cup Debut for Preece*
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece will make his Sprint Cup Series debut this weekend in the SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Tommy Baldwin Racing will field the No. 98 Chevrolet for Preece, with points purchased from car owner Jay Robinson. The car will be painted to honor Preece's grandfather, legendary Modified car owner Bob Judkins.

"It's special to have a car that looks like my grandfather's car," Preece said. "I was lucky enough to drive for him a few times and win with him."

Preece won the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.

*Watkins Glen Repave Ahead of Schedule*
The massive repaving job at Watkins Glen International is reported to be ahead of schedule. The 3.4-mile road course is receiving a complete repave including the 2.45-mile circuit used by the NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series. It's the track's first repave since 1989 and the pit lane will also be part of the renovation, though the concrete pit stalls will remain.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nalties-for-Kevin-Harvick-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*MRN to Spotlight NASCAR's Rising Stars​*
Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - is highlighting its fall schedule with a pair of live broadcasts to showcase some of stock car racing's rising stars.

MRN will air season-ending races in both the K&N Pro Series East and West, two of the sport's top developmental tours. The Drive Sober 125 K&N East season finale will air on Friday, Oct. 2, from Dover International Speedway. Six weeks later, on Nov. 12, the Casino Arizona 100 at Phoenix International Raceway will bring the 2015 K&N West schedule to a close.

Each race will be run in conjunction with Sprint Cup Series weekends at "The Monster Mile" and PIR. Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle will anchor both K&N Pro Series broadcasts.

"The K&N Pro Series features some of NASCAR's rising stars and we're excited about the opportunity to introduce them to our audience," said MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. "While the industry focuses on the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the weeks ahead, our K&N broadcasts will give fans a glimpse at NASCAR's future. Some of those names they hear at Dover and Phoenix this year could be the ones they hear racing for Sprint Cup championships in years to come."

Air time for the Oct. 2 Drive Sober 125 is 5 p.m. (ET). Joining Moore and Striegle on the broadcast from Dover, Del., will be Mike Bagley, Alex Hayden, Steve Post and Kim ****. The show will be produced by Brian Nelson.

With just one race left in the K&N Pro Series East, William Byron holds a 13-point lead over Scott Heckert with Austin Hill in third place, 14 off the pace. Byron has a series-high four wins in 2015. Hill is a two-time defending winner of the Dover race.

The Casino Arizona 100 will air at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, Nov. 12. The MRN broadcast from Phoenix International Raceway will be produced by Ryan Horn; and include Hayden, Post, ****, Kyle Rickey and Dan Hubbard.

The championship battle in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West is a tight one with just 16 points separating the top four drivers. Noah Gragson leads the way with Chris Eggleston, Ryan Partridge and Gracin Raz in hot pursuit.

There are two races left in the K&N West season. The tour will stop in Roseville, Calif., on Oct. 17 before moving on to Phoenix International Raceway for the November finale.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...etwork-to-Spotlight-NASCARs-Rising-Stars.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Unveils Final Paint Scheme​*
Jeff Gordon has the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to focus on, but the final race of his legendary Cup career looms.

With 2015 marking Gordon's final full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Homestead-Miami Speedway will truly be his grand finale.

And Tuesday evening on FOX Sports 1, Gordon revealed the special Axalta paint scheme that will adorn his No. 24 Chevrolet SS for the occasion.

"It'll be a big event for me - pretty emotional as well," Gordon said. "But our sponsors wanted to do something a little special as well. So we're going to look a little different in Homestead."

Gordon said he was impressed with the scheme that will close out his final full-time campaign.

"You know I can't be out there on the racetrack in the Axalta car without some flames, so we've got to keep the flames," he smiled. "But I love the silver. That is a sharp-looking race car."

And it wouldn't bother Gordon to go out on top driving the new scheme.

"There are still nine more races left to go to try and win this championship and I'm certainly extremely encouraged based on how Chicago went - even though we didn't finish well, we ran extremely good," he said.

But no matter what, Homestead will be a celebration for the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet SS.

"During that race and after that race it is only going to be a celebration," he said. "It has been an amazing career. I just never dreamed in a million years that it would have gone the way that it has and while I'm just stepping out of it there will definitely be tears - they will all be tears of joy looking ahead at the future."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/09/Gordon-Unveils-Final-Paint-Scheme.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Joe Gibbs Racing Replaces Front Tire Changer For Kyle Busch​*
Nick O'Dell served as a Joe Gibbs Racing front tire changer on the No. 18 for the past seven years.

Nick O'Dell has been released from his duties on the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry, driven by Chase contender Kyle Busch.

A team spokesman told Motorsport.com that Josh Leslie will be the front tire changer on the No. 18 pit crew this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Leslie started the 2015 season as the front tire changer for Casey Mears and the No. 13 Germain Racing team.

O'Dell had been the front tire changer on the No. 18 since 2008 when Busch first joined the organization. This season the crew is currently tied for third in the Sprint Cup point standings after winning four races prior to the Chase.

Busch finished ninth at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...g-replaces-front-tire-changer-for-kyle-busch/


----------



## Ckg2011

*​*
Tracy Hines will serve as competition director of the championship-winning Truck team.

USAC open-wheel racing star Tracy Hines will make a fulltime move to NASCAR next season, but not behind the steering wheel.

Hines, the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Series champion and 2002 USAC National Sprint Car Series champion, will take over as competition director at ThorSport Racing next season.

The Ohio-based NASCAR team owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson, fields three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and has won the past two series championships with driver Matt Crafton.

Not an easy decision

"This decision wasn't an easy one, it took the whole summer to make, but it is time, Hines said in a statement. "I get to take my love for racing to a great place with great people that share my passion. I look forward to this new step in our lives.

"I have been so lucky to have amazing owners, sponsors, and fans that have made my career such a blessing. They have stuck with me through many years of ups and downs. I have gotten to do so much in our sport and am truly thankful for each and every experience.



> Tracy (Hines) will be a liaison between our driver's, crew chiefs, and engineers, a move that will add depth to our organization
> 
> Duke Thorson, team owner of ThorSport Racing


 "The knowledge and skills that I have gained during my years as a driver and car owner from everyone in my racing family will help me in my next chapter of my racing career."

Hines does have some experience racing in NASCAR competition. Between 2000 and 2013, Hines made 17 starts in what is now the Xfinity Series and 53 in the Truck series.

His career-best performance is a pair of fifth-place finishes in Trucks - at Mansfield, Ohio, in 2004 and Richmond, Va., in 2005. Hines ran full season in Trucks in 2004 and 2005 with ThorSport Racing.

Duke Thorson comments

"Tracy has been an integral part of our organization in the past, and we are honored to have him back at ThorSport," said team owner Duke Thorson. "His experience as a driver and his knowledge of our series, and our sport, will be a valuable asset to our team.

"Tracy will be a liaison between our driver's, crew chiefs, and engineers, a move that will add depth to our organization."

Hines, who plans to race at least 15 times before the end of the year, has 47 career USAC National Sprint Car Series wins - third all-time behind Dave Darland and Tom Bigelow. He has 35 National Midget Series wins. He entered the 2015 season having won at least one USAC National feature event in 19 straight years.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-tr...ke-over-as-competition-director-of-thorsport/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Travis Pastrana Standing Next To His Dodge Dart RallyCross Car​*
*Breaking News: Travis Pastrana To Race Truck In LVMS​*
Nitro Circus and X Games star Travis Pastrana will return to race in NASCAR next weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Pastrana will drive the No. 31 NTS Motorsports Chevy Silverado with Gun Broker sponsorship.








*Source:*
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt's TaxSlayer.com Relationship Expands To Hendrick Motorsports​*
TaxSlayer.com, which provides quick and affordable tax-filing solutions to its customers, announced today it has extended and expanded its partnership with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. to include an affiliation with Hendrick Motorsports.

TaxSlayer.com will receive primary placement on Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet SS for one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in 2016 and associate-brand placement through the remainder of the year with his Hendrick Motorsports team.

The Sprint Cup race in which Earnhardt will drive the No. 88 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet SS is still to be determined. The 2016 season will be Earnhardt's 17th in the Sprint Cup and ninth at Hendrick Motorsports. He has 25 career victories, eight of which have come under the Hendrick Motorsports banner, and has been voted NASCAR's Most Popular Driver 12 consecutive years.

"When a partner has success and wants to do even more, it's gratifying for everyone involved," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and a partner in JR Motorsports. "The TaxSlayer program has been incredibly effective, and all of us are committed to building on that foundation together. We're looking forward to seeing them across both series next season."

Additionally, TaxSlayer.com will begin its seventh year as a key primary for JR Motorsports, the company owned by Earnhardt that competes primarily in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. TaxSlayer.com will receive primary placement on the Nos. 7 and 88 Chevrolet Camaros for 10 races next season.

"It has been a privilege to be associated with Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports for so long, and we're excited to add a new chapter with Hendrick Motorsports next season," said TaxSlayer.com President and CEO Jimmy Rhodes. "We have found an immense loyalty among NASCAR fans, but especially with Dale Jr.'s fans. We want to continue growing this partnership."

To celebrate the extension, TaxSlayer's red and black paint scheme will receive a makeover, as Earnhardt himself spearheaded a redesign for the 2016 season that will apply to both series. The paint scheme will be revealed Oct. 5.

TaxSlayer.com has been involved in NASCAR team sponsorship since 2009. It began its affiliation with JR Motorsports in 2010, becoming the cornerstone partner for the company. Since then, JR Motorsports has won multiple races with TaxSlayer.com, including Regan Smith's popular victories at Talladega and Michigan in 2013.

"TaxSlayer is one of our longest-tenured sponsors at JR Motorsports," Earnhardt said. "It's quite incredible how both of our companies have grown in that time. I'm extremely loyal to them. I hope the fans are, too. We've done great things together, and I'm really looking forward to racing a TaxSlayer car in Sprint Cup next year."

The 2016 campaign will mark the 12th season of XFINITY Series competition for JR Motorsports. The company has garnered 25 victories and one championship during that time.

*Source:*
http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/...-relationship-expands-to-hendrick-motorsports


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Off To Solid Start In Chase​*
Kurt Busch is focused on trying to win a second Sprint Cup Series championship.

Busch is off to a solid start in this year's Chase, but his crew chief Tony Gibson could miss a portion of the New Hampshire weekend after having an emergency appendectomy Tuesday. Team engineer John Klausmeier will guide the team until Gibson can get to the track.

Busch comes to the second race of the Chase feeling confident about his chances to succeed in the SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

In 29 Sprint Cup Series starts at the one-mile New England track, Busch has been victorious three times, including when he swept both races in his championship season of 2004.

"New Hampshire is a track that has been pretty good to me since I started racing in the top series of this sport," said the Stewart-Haas Racing driver. "I raced there for the first time in the Truck Series and won that race. Then it's a track where I have three wins in the Cup cars and, when you're able to go to a track where you've had that kind of success, it just gives you that confidence.

"Because of the wins and everything, it's a place we go to where I feel like I especially know what it takes from the car and the driver to be successful."

But Busch knows the keys to being successful at New Hampshire will be challenged because of the way Sprint Cup cars have evolved in the last decade.

"That was a completely different setup, completely different car and it came with a completely different driving style," Busch said of his wins back in 2004. "Now, the new Loudon with the new car - I say new because you have to drive completely differently - the biggest thing is getting your car to turn through the corners. The track has corners that are very long and your car really needs to handle in the center.

"Then, the straightaways are pretty long, especially when you consider the fact it's only a 1-mile track, so that means you need to have good drive coming off the turns so you can take advantage of the engine getting down the front and back stretches of the track. If you're able to get good speed on those straightaways, then the next thing you need to be able to take advantage of is your brakes and for them to last to the end of the race."

The last few Loudon outings have not been great for Busch who before finishing 10th in this year's July visit had runs of 17th, 36th and 31st.

"I have to do a better job to find a better finish this time around to help our chances to move through the Chase," he said.

Busch and crew chief Tony Gibson have been through the Chase pressure before and understand strategy to advance into the next round is really dependent on one thing - putting together strong performances and good finishes.

"As far as strategy and how the Challenger Round worked last year, I just had a tough race at New Hampshire and that more or less eliminated us," Busch explained. "So, the strategy is to not have any big moments in the first three races.

"With 16 guys trying to get to the next 12, just the law of averages is going to be where you've got more guys, more chances for things to happen. We just need to do our job and stay out of trouble."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Busch-Off-to-Solid-Start-in-Title-Drive.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowyer Docked 25 Points​*
Clint Bowyer's Chase hopes took a big hit on Wednesday when he was docked 25 points as part of penalties assessed for infractions last week at Chicagoland Speedway.

Bowyer's Michael Waltrip Racing team was handed a P4 penalty for an illegal track bar found on opening day inspection last Friday at Chicagoland.

Crew chief Billy Scott was fined $75,000 and suspended for three races while team owner Rob Kaufman was also penalized 25 car owner points.

The specific infractions listed by NASCAR include:

Section 20.14.c - All suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension and/or drivetrain component beyond normal rotation or suspension and/or drivetrain travel.

Section 20.14.2.1.k - Beveled washers and/or other components that allow movement under load will not be permitted on the track bar helm joins or rod end and/or track bar mounting bolts.

Section 12.5.3.4.1.d - Approved parts that are not properly installed or are made adjustable when not normally intended to be.

Section 12.5.3.4.1.f - Components, devices, systems, configurations, installations, etc., which serve to circumvent NASCAR templates, gauges, measuring devices, whether intended or not

Bowyer drops from 15th to 16th in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings and now trails Kevin Harvick by nine points.

Michael Waltrip Racing issued a statement and will appeal the penalties.

"Michael Waltrip Racing respectfully disagrees with today's penalties and plans to immediately appeal," the team said in a statement. "MWR has made mistakes in the past, but we feel we are correct in this instance. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case to the appeals committee and have no further public comment until the process is completed."

NASCAR has requested an expedited appeal process by the National Motorsports Appeal Panel.

NASCAR also issued a P2 penalty to Danica Patrick's team for infractions found on opening day inspection at Chicagoland. The right side quarter panel behind the rear wheel/tire was modified. Crew chief Daniel Knost has been placed on probations through December 31, 2015 as has car chief Pete White.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Bowyer-Docked-25-Points.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kurt Busch's Crew Chief Tony Gibson Has Emergency Appendectomy​*
Kurt Busch's crew chief Tony Gibson could miss a portion of the upcoming Sprint Cup Series race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after having an emergency appendectomy Tuesday.

Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that team engineer John Klausmeier will guide the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 crew in Gibson's absence and that competition director Greg Zipadelli will have an increased presence with the team. The team said that Gibson will get to the track once he feels physically able to work, and that could be as early as Friday morning or as late as Saturday afternoon. Practice and qualifying are scheduled for Friday with additional practice scheduled for Saturday.

The team would not comment on why Gibson would miss part of the weekend, but Gibson posted on Facebook that he had his appendix removed:

"Thanks everyone for the prayers, calls, texts and Facebook messages. Got home from the hospital last night. Just really sore today. Who needs an appendix anyway????"

Busch finished third in the Chase for the Sprint Cup opening event Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. The 2004 Sprint Cup champion is fifth in the standings.

*Source:*
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cu...crew-chief-tony-gibson-emergency-appendectomy


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Eyes Loudon Improvement​*
Martin Truex Jr., who finished 12th in his last three Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, feels he can improve upon those results in Sunday's SYLVANIA 300.

The optimism is based on what his Furniture Row Racing team learned in the July race at the New England facility.

"New Hampshire has been a difficult track for me the past couple of years," said Truex, who is competing in his third career Chase. "But we learned a ton the first time there this year. We went there with a completely different mindset. We came up with a new setup package and it worked really well for us. We had a fast Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevy all weekend long. We qualified well and raced well.

"We didn't get the finish (12th) we had hoped for because of an untimely caution after a green flag pit stop. That put us a lap down and we had to battle back through the field. We had a great race car, had a different package and something that I think we can fine tune and find more speed."

The 12th-place finish at New Hampshire in July could have easily been a top-five result for the Mayetta, N.J. native. While comfortably running in sixth place on the one-mile flat track and turning lap times quicker than some of the cars in front of him, Truex came down pit road under green for his final stop with 55 laps remaining. But the early timing of the green-flag pit stop for tires and fuel turned out to be an unlucky break.

Six laps later a caution came out and Truex found himself stuck in 23rd place on a track that is known for its high degree of difficulty to pass on. But Truex sucked it up, kicked it in to another gear and drove tenaciously in the final 43 laps, picking up 11 spots in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet.

"It seems like we've had so many things go against us lately, but we haven't been knocked out," noted Truex. "We have the performance to compete, just have to watch out for the land mines or something that could catch you off guard, like what happened to us at Chicagoland Speedway."

In Sunday's Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, Truex was positioned in sixth place and gaining on the fifth-place car when a caution came out with eight laps remaining. He came down pit road for two tires and restarted fourth for the five-lap shootout. The restart went awry for Truex, who found himself "bottled up" in traffic and fell back to a 13th-place finish.

"A pretty good day at Chicagoland turned into a very disappointing day," stated Truex. "We gave up some valuable points, but that's in the past and the focus right now is to get it done on Sunday in New Hampshire.

After the Chase opener, Truex is 11th in the Sprint Cup point standings.

In 19 Cup races at New Hampshire, Truex has three top fives, six top 10s and has led 148 laps. His average start is 12.7 and average finish is 14.3.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ing-on-Data-From-July-New-Hampshire-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Best Of The Rest​*
While 16 drivers are in the battle for this year's Sprint Cup Series championship, there are others with much to race for in 2015.

A number of drivers that did not qualify for this year's Chase have nine races left in the season to achieve goals and, in some cases, secure their 2016 plans:

*Kyle Larson*
Team co-owner Felix Sabates boldly predicted before the season that both Larson and teammate Jamie McMurray would make the Chase. Only half of that statement came true, with McMurray among The 16 Challengers. Larson's sophomore year has not been as good as his sterling rookie campaign, but there's reason for optimism - including his top-10 run Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. Larson appears to be the most capable of the drivers not in the title hunt to find Victory Lane before the season ends.

*Kasey Kahne*
Speaking of disappointing seasons, Kahne is in the midst of one of his most frustrating as a Sprint Cup driver. He's the only driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable to miss the Chase and is mired in 18th place in the point standings. In 27 races, Kahne has managed only two top-10 finishes and after signing a contract extension last season, he's on the hot seat to up his performance over the final two months of the year.

*Aric Almirola*
The Richard Petty Motorsports driver came up short in a furious bid to make the Chase in the regular-season finale at Richmond. He opened the Chase portion of the schedule with a steady top-10 performance at Chicagoland Speedway and, behind Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, is the next-best driver in the Ford camp. The future of RPM remains murky, but Almirola appears to be the mainstay the team will build around and a solid finish to the campaign will go a long way to building confidence for a better 2016.

*David Ragan*
The end of Michael Waltrip Racing means, at this point, Ragan is without a Sprint Cup Series ride for 2016. He's done a remarkable job remaining composed in a very turbulent time of his career and is hoping to turn some heads with a solid close to the year. However, Ragan's challenge isn't as much about proving his capability as a Cup driver as much as it is a shortage of open seats in the garage. Still, his best play would be to keep the No. 55 car near the front of the field as much as possible over the remaining nine weeks.

*Greg Biffle*
Here's the problem for Biffle and, really, anyone else finishing up the season outside the championship picture. Since the current rules in use during the Chase will most likely be gone next year, in favor of a lower-downforce aerodynamic package, there isn't much to be learned on track the rest of the season. Roush Fenway Racing continues to be behind and trying to close the gap won't be helped by running nine more races with what - for all intents and purposes - will be an antiquated rules package.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Opinion-Best-Of-the-Rest.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Names Fall Sprint Cup Race Sponsor​*
Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises, and Talladega Superspeedway announced today that the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, on Sunday, Oct. 25 at NASCAR's Most Competitive Track, will be known as the CampingWorld.com 500.

The partnership rekindles a relationship between Talladega Superspeedway and Camping World that existed from 2011-2013 when the company served as the entitlement sponsor for the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega. The CampingWorld.com 500 will be the anchor event of an exciting weekend (Oct. 23-25) that will also feature the fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

"We are glad to be back with Talladega Superspeedway, the most competitive track in all of NASCAR," said Lemonis. "Not only will the CampingWorld.com 500 be one of the most exciting races of the season, it also gives us the platform to expose race fans to our broad selection of camping and tailgating products. Our company has a great appreciation of what Talladega is in the world of sports."

Plans are for Lemonis to serve as Grand Marshal of the CampingWorld.com 500. Many know him as the "business turnaround king" and star of CNBC's prime time reality series, The Profit, in which he lends his expertise to struggling small businesses around the country and judges businesses based on a "Three P" principle: People, Process, and Product. The new season of the show is expected to premiere later that week.

"We are thrilled to have Marcus and Camping World back in the Talladega Superspeedway family," said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. "It is a world class company with a sterling reputation and a great fit with our passionate fans that will travel in their RVs from all over the country to witness this anticipated event. We have the most acreage for camping, including the only FREE camping (select areas) on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.

"The CampingWorld.com 500 will be extra special this year since it is the third and final race of The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's Contender Round in which the field of 12 drivers who have a shot at the title will be dwindled down to eight at the race's conclusion. It's going to be a great weekend," added Lynch.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...adega-Names-Fall-Sprint-Cup-Race-Sponsor.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JGR XFINITY Teams Penalized​*
The No. 18 and 54 Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY Series teams were penalized following pre- and post-race inspection at Chicagoland Speedway.

The race-winning No. 54 Toyota of Kyle Busch failed heights during post-race inspection for the Furious 7 300. The P2 level penalty results in crew chief Chris Gayle being fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.

Car owner J.D. Gibbs was penalized 10 series championship owner points.

The No. 18 Toyota driving by Daniel Suarez was penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-race at Chicagoland. The right side vertical extension panel (side skirt) was modified after pre-race inspection.

Crew chief Eric Phillips, along with crew member John Egbert Jr., have been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/09/Joe-Gibbs-Teams-Penalized.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Penalizes Danica Patrick's Sprint CUP Team​*
NASCAR penalized the Danica Patrick's Stewart-Haas Racing Sprint Cup team Wednesday for infractions that occurred during last weekend's event at Chicagoland Speedway.

The infractions were discovered during pre-qualifying inspection and are classified as a P2 penalty according to the NASCAR rule book.

According to a NASCAR media release announcing the infractions:

"The right side quarter panel behind the rear wheel/tire was modified during pre-qualifying inspection. Crew chief Daniel Knost has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car chief Pete White has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015."

Patrick was not assessed any penalties.

The rules violated were:

Section 12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing.

Section 20.4.b: Body; All approved OEM-manufactured body components must be used as supplied except as required to stiffen, or to attach to other vehicle components. Tolerances from CAD surfaces and template tolerances are provided to allow for manufacturing, fabrication, and installation variability.

20.4.2: Surface Conformance (a). Coordinate measuring machines, scanning equipment, and templates, among other tools, will be used to inspect body surfaces for conformance to the approved OEM and NASCAR CAD files.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/09...s-sprint-cup-team/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: New Hampshire​*





*Here's the schedule (all times listed are Eastern):*

*FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 - NEW HAMPSHIRE*

7:30 am - 7 pm - Sprint Cup garage open
10:30 am - 6:30 pm - Truck garage open
Noon - 1:25 pm - Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN)
1:30 pm - Sprint Cup qualifying inspection begins
1:30 - 2:30 pm - Truck practice (Fox Sports 1)
3 - 4:25 pm - Truck final practice (Fox Sports 1)
4:45 pm - Sprint Cup qualifying (NBCSN, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

*FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 - KENTUCKY*

12:30 pm - 9:30 pm - Xfinity garage open
3:30 pm - 4:25 pm - Xfinity practice (NBCSN)
6 pm - 7:25 pm - Xfinity final practice (NBCSN)

*SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - NEW HAMPSHIRE*

6:30 am - Truck garage opens
7:30 am - 3:30 pm - Sprint Cup garage open
9 am - 9:55 am - Sprint Cup practice (CNBC)
10:10 am - Truck qualifying (Fox Sports 1)
11:20 am - Truck driver/crew chief meeting
11:30 am - Sprint Cup final practice (CNBC)
12:30 pm - Truck driver introductions
1 pm - Truck race: UNOH 175 (175 laps, 185.15 miles) (Fox Sports 1, Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

*SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - KENTUCKY*

12 pm - Xfinity garage opens
4:45 pm - Xfinity qualifying (NBCSN)
6:15 pm - Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting
7:30 pm - Driver introductions
8 pm - Xfinity race: VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 (200 laps, 300 miles) (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

*SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 - NEW HAMPSHIRE*

8 am - Sprint Cup garage opens
12 pm - Sprint Cup driver/crew chief meeting
1:30 pm - Sprint Cup driver introductions
2 pm - Sprint Cup race: Sylvania 300 (300 laps, 317.4 miles) (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Loudon​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway rolls through Loudon, N.H., this week with 3,194.98 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the second stop in the 10-race title series that ends Nov. 22 in South Florida. All four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers occupy the first four positions in the Challenger Round standings with Matt Kenseth at the top, two points ahead of Denny Hamlin.

But it's Team Penske's Joey Logano who'll check into "The Magic Mile" as defending race winner. And he'll carry some momentum into the weekend after a sixth-place finish in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway.

"We put ourselves in position to win that race and it just didn't work out," said Logano, who lost some spots on a late restart. "But all-in-all, that's what we needed to start the Chase."

In winning last year's SYLVANIA 300, Logano was flawless on a pair of late-race restarts. He qualified seventh and led 73 laps, including the final 30, in notching his fourth win of the season. Logano's margin of victory over runner-up Kyle Larson was 1.1 seconds. Kevin Harvick led a race-high 104 laps and finished third with Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson completing the top five.

Logano entered this year's post-season as the No. 4 seed and is currently tied with Kurt Busch for fifth place in the Chase standings. Hamlin's victory in the Chase opener lifted him from 11th to second in post-season points.

"It takes the pressure off for the next two races," Hamlin said of his Chicagoland victory, which advanced him into the Contender Round that opens Oct. 10 in Charlotte. "But we still have goals and the win makes us hungrier to get more. We'll go to New Hampshire with one objective: win the race. I think we can do that."

A Chase driver has won New Hampshire's fall race all 11 years the current post-season structure has been in place. Eleven of the 16 drivers in the Challenger Round of the Chase Grid are past winners on the one-mile Loudon oval: Kenseth, Hamlin, Logano, Harvick, Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman.

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice in New Hampshire on Friday at 12 p.m. (ET) and qualify later in the day. There'll be two more practice sessions Saturday with the green flag for the SYLVANIA 300 scheduled to wave Sunday at 2:15 p.m._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Miles2Miami-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mike Skinner driving No. 3 Truck in the inaugural 1995 Truck Season​*
*Truck Series Set For 500th Race​*
Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will mark the 500th race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Since its debut in 1995 at Phoenix International Raceway, the series has produced 90 different winners and 13 champions. Mike Skinner won the first series race and championship and Ron Hornaday leads the record books with 51 wins and four championships.

Jack Sprague, who last raced in the Truck Series in 2008, is one of the founding drivers and is a three-time champion and 28-time winner.

"I'm certainly proud of what we accomplished," Sprague said. "Very few people get a chance to do what we did. Hornaday myself, Skinner and Bodine. It opened an avenue for a lot of racecar drivers that may or may have not made it in the XFINITY or Cup Series because it opened up 36 more seats.

"I just learned that this was the 500th race a couple days ago. That's a pretty cool deal considering you only race 20-25 races a year in that series. Still even today I think they are the best races to watch."

Two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton holds some milestone records dating back to his first series start in the last race of the 2000 season. Crafton is the series' first back-to-back champion and his 355th start this weekend will extend his consecutive start record.

"It's very cool to see what NASCAR has done with the Camping World Truck Series," Crafton said. "I always remember in 1995 watching the first Camping World Truck series race back in the day. Watching Hornaday, Skinner and all those guys go at it. Honestly I was like, 'Man, that is so cool of a series,' because those guys race so hard, they race on some of the really short tracks and they kept going and going and then they started racing on the mile and a halves."

Last year, the Truck Series competed at New Hampshire for the 17th time and first since 2011. Crafton was in contention for the victory but lost it in the end to Cole Custer, who captured his first series win.

"I always love going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway," Crafton said. "Last year, it was one of the more hurtful races in points for me. I gave it away - I made a mistake. I was leading and missed a shift on the green-white-checkered restart. I just got beat. This year we're going to go back looking for redemption and hopefully we can leave there with a lobster."

The UNOH 175 will also be a milestone race for Kyle Busch Motorsports as the team makes its 250th start. Owner Kyle Busch has scored three of his 44 career wins at New Hampshire, with the last two coming with KBM.

"We've had a really fast Tundra the last two times I've raced there and that's allowed us to start up front and stay up front," Busch said. "The last couple of seasons Jerry (Baxter) and his guys have been very successful on the flat tracks. They've picked up wins at places like Martinsville and Gateway (Motorsports Park) and had a strong run last year at Loudon."

Chris Showalter, the truck chief for Busch's No. 51 team, has the distinction of being the only crew member that has worked every race since the Truck series inception.

"We were running ASA in the Midwest and we had won the 93 and 94 championships," said Showalter, who won the 2003 Truck Series championship as a crew chief for driver Travis Kvapil. "Ford approached us at the time with the team that I was with and they said they are going to start up this NASCAR Truck thing next year and would you guys like to do it? We were like, It was something new, some different let's try it."

Rick Carelli, who won the won the first Truck Series exhibition race at Tucson Raceway Park in 1994, continues to be involved in the series as NTS Motorsports' general manager and spotter. For New Hampshire, Daniel Hemric's No. 14 California Clean Power Chevrolet will sport a throwback paint scheme that resembles the truck Carelli drove in the inaugural Truck race at Phoenix.

"Rick's been an inspiration," Hemric said. "As a successful driver, he has tremendous insight on a wide range of topics, both on the track and off. It's hard to really describe how important it's been for me to have him to lean on. It's a real advantage. It's truly an honor for me to be able to take part in this tribute to both Rick and the series this week."

Erik Jones, who drives for KBM, currently leads the series standings by 10 over Tyler Reddick and 11 over Crafton. Along with running the Truck race he will compete in the XFINITY Series race at Kentucky Speedway later that day.

"I enjoy doing them, they're really a challenge, but if you can go out and have success in each of those races (Truck and XFINITY Series) it's a pretty big payoff and a good feeling," Jones said. "It would be pretty special to win two races in one day like that."

Last weekend, John Hunter Nemechek became the series' 90th different winner when he drove his No. 8 Chevrolet to Victory Lane at Chicagoland Speedway.

Thirty-two drivers are entered in Saturday's UNOH 175 and one will look to add their name as the winner of the 500th series race. They will also join the list of winners in every 100th race that includes: Hornaday (100th - 1999 and 300th - 2007), Ted Musgrave (200th - 2003) and current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup competitor Clint Bowyer, who won the 400th series race in 2011 at Kansas Speedway.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the University of Northwestern Ohio 175 Camping World Truck Series race from New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/09/Truck-Series-Set-for-500th-Race.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*FLIR To Support McMurray At Loudon​*
Chip Ganassi Racing to feature FLIR livery on No. 1 Chevy at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Jamie McMurray will bring the heat this weekend as FLIR sponsors the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

FLIR, known for manufacturing top thermal cameras and imaging sensors used throughout the military, public safety and industrial sectors, will make its NASCAR debut in the Sylvania 300 this weekend.

McMurray, who is currently 13th in Sprint Cup standings, will make his 26th career Cup start at NHMS where he has four top-fives and six top 10 finishes at the Magic Mile - including a fourth-place finish in this race last year.

"I'm really looking forward to having FLIR join us on the No. 1 team this weekend in New Hampshire," McMurray said in a release. "Not only is it valuable for us to bring new partners to the sport, but FLIR brings powerful technology products that we can use to continuously enhance our performance."

McMurray, 39, has seven Sprint Cup victories including wins in the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. He's enjoying his 12th season in NASCAR and his ninth with Chip Ganassi Racing.

"We are excited to sponsor Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 FLIR Chevrolet SS at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway," said Travis Merrill, Chief Marketing Officer, FLIR Systems, Inc. "FLIR technology has been used to enhance the performance in motorsports for several years and we look forward to sharing this technology and our brand with NASCAR fans."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/flir-to-support-mcmurray-at-loudon/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Powers To Loudon Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6814&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Carl Edwards kept the Joe Gibbs Racing roll going by winning the pole for Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Edwards turned a fast lap of 137.980 mph to earn the top spot for Sunday's second race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.

"It's a tough place to decide where to be aggressive," Edwards said. "This place is simple, so it's pretty straight forward, but one little mistake here or there can cost you a lot. I really had to step it up."

Edwards, who finished second behind teammate Denny Hamlin in last week's Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, will look to give the organization its 10th win in the last 13 races on Sunday.

"We got a great start to the Chase and we're keeping it rolling," said Edwards. "We knew qualifying was important so we worked on it a lot today."

It was the 16th career pole for Edwards and his third of 2015.

Kevin Harvick qualified second and the defending Sprint Cup Series champion is looking to dig himself out of the hole that dropped him to 15th in the Chase standings after his 42nd place finish last week.

"I left it down in one and two down there, I just wasn't too aggressive," Harvick said of his qualifying effort.

Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.

‪"For us, we just need to have a good, solid day," Keselowski said of his goal for Sunday's race. "If we can win, that would be great. That's what we want to do. That's what we're here to do, but a solid day would almost guarantee us advancing to the next round. The most important thing is to win Homestead and we want to be there when it counts."

Kyle Larson, Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon completed the first ten qualifiers.

Other drivers in this year's Chase qualified as follows: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (11th), Matt Kenseth (13th), Kyle Busch (17th), Paul Menard (20th), Martin Truex Jr. (21st), Jamie McMurray (23rd) and Clint Bowyer (26th).

Travis Kvapil did not qualify for Sunday's race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Wins-SYLVANIA-300-Pole-at-New-Hampshire.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Eyes New Hampshire Repeat​*
Joey Logano would like nothing better than to make a second straight trip to Victory Lane in Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske driver took the checkered flag in last year's edition of the annual fall visit to the one-mile track. A repeat of that performance on Sunday would move Logano directly into the next round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The New England native was fourth in last July's trip to Loudon and carries a great deal of confidence into Sunday's second race of the Chase.

"I feel pretty good about it," Logano said Friday morning at New Hampshire. "This has been a good race track for us the last couple of years. Obviously, this is my home track so I talk about that a lot when I come up here, but I really want to win here again.

"I feel like we're in good position after last week. We had a solid finish and that positioned ourselves pretty good to race fairly aggressive through this race and try to get a win like we did last year."

Logano expects the level of intensity to grow every week for the rest of the season as the Chase rolls on.

"It does feel different because there's a lot on the line, but it felt different last week in Chicago," he said. "And as much as you try to make it feel like it was the rest of the season and nothing changes and you tell yourself that and you tell your team that, but something does change because it's the playoffs."

Logano knows what's at stake at this time of the year when the consequences are highest during the Chase. He's also well aware of where his fellow title contenders are on track during the playoffs and that will be the case on Sunday, including with Kevin Harvick who fell to the bottom of the Chase standings after his 42nd-place finish last week in Chicago.

"It's smart to keep tabs on where everyone is at and what they have to do to get to the next round," Logano said. "Do I think the 4 car (Harvick) has to win one of these next two races? No, I don't think that. I think you can still get in by points, but you'd have to have two really good races.

"If he can win, I expect him to be aggressive, but I would expect that before. The way we've raced the whole season up to this point was racing with nothing to lose, so we're kind of used to that a little bit."

Harvick was in the middle of a controversy both on track and off last week with Jimmie Johnson. While Logano has had his moments with Harvick over the years, he's not interested in getting involved in the current drama.

"I'm staying out of this one," he said. "I don't want to be a part of this one, let me tell you right now. I'm just happy to be out of the drama. I've been in it plenty long.

"I want to be out of the drama and focus on my race car, so sometimes it's best off just to keep your mouth shut."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...09/Joey-Logano-Eyes-New-Hampshire-Repeat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Understands Harvick's Reaction​*
Jeff Gordon knows exactly how Kevin Harvick felt last week at Chicagoland Speedway after his incident with Jimmie Johnson.

Harvick and Johnson made contact on a restart in last week's Chase opener, which caused the defending Sprint Cup Series champion to cut a tire and hit the wall. Gordon was in a similar situation in last year's Chase in an incident with Brad Keselowski and understands the frustration Harvick felt when his day was ruined last Sunday.

"It was a racing incident, but it reminds me of the incident I had with (Brad) Keselowski last year - where a guy is being aggressive and making a move," Gordon explained Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "That's all fine and good, right up until your tire blows. Then you need to understand the consequences or the level of anger that builds from that, especially if it takes you out of the Chase.

"That's why I reacted the way I did and I'm sure that's probably the reason why Kevin reacted the way he did."

While many have pointed fingers at both Harvick and Johnson for being in the wrong, Gordon saw nothing from the driver of the "4" car that he questioned.

"He tried to restart and didn't get as good of a restart as he wanted," Gordon said of Harvick. "Somebody got inside of him, he was holding his ground and they made contact."

As for the altercation between Harvick and Johnson in the drivers' motorcoach lot after the race, Gordon also gave his perspective of the incident and NASCAR's decision to not penalize either driver.

"Did he hit him? I wouldn't call that a punch," Gordon said. "Do you call that a hit? I wouldn't, but I don't know what their policy is and I don't want to know. You don't know how you're going to react in those situations until you're in them. Maybe Jimmie should have waited a little bit longer before he approached Kevin on that one.

"When I look at Jimmie and his sincerity in trying to patch things up with somebody I believe he respects on the track, trying to give his side of the story, it's admirable. Maybe he was just off a little on the timing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rdon-Understands-Kevin-Harvicks-Reaction.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick And Johnson Move On​*
Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson are ready to look ahead after their incident last week at Chicagoland Speedway.

Harvick and Jimmie Johnson were involved in controversy during the Chase opening race last Sunday when they made contact on track after a restart. Harvick's car received enough damage to cut a tire on lap 137 of the 267-lap race that sent him into the wall. He returned later to finish 42nd.

After the race Johnson attempted to talk to Harvick in the drivers' motorhome lot but an altercation erupted. Harvick pushed Johnson and Harvick was held back before each headed off.

Harvick didn't say anything publicly about the incidents until Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"I'm just here so I don't get fined," Harvick joked in the track media center after qualifying second for Sunday's SYLVANIA 300.

"I don't have a lot to say about any of it," the Stewart-Haas Racing driver said. "I'm here to race and do what I have to do to do what I need to do in the next two weeks."

Johnson also addressed the situation on Friday and gave his view of what happened.

"Obviously I wanted to go to his Motorhome and try to talk to him about the situation at that point in time," Johnson said. "I've been on the flip side of that before and although I wasn't happy to see whoever it was. It meant something to me and I appreciated the fact that they came to my bus to see me. That is all I was trying to do there."

Johnson said he wasn't completely surprised at all by Harvick's reaction.

"Believe me I knew good and well going over there that he wasn't going to be in the best mood," Johnson said. " It was just important to me to try and make contact with him and try to talk to him. Based on experiences that I've had in the position that it has put me in. That is what led me to going over there."

Harvick is 15th in the Chase standings, actually moving up a spot after Clint Bowyer was penalized 25 points for a track bar infraction found at Chicagoland. He believes he can climb out of the hole in the next two weeks and advance to the next round of the Chase.

"I still think there are a few different ways that you make it into the next round," Harvick said. "In this situation last year when we were in Phoenix a second-place finish still wouldn't have gotten us into where we needed to be to move on in the Chase without a win. So, I think you still have to go out with the mentality of trying to win a race. I think everybody around us knows that. I think they are very aware of the aggressive nature that we need to go after that win."

So an incident that has made headlines all week is now officially in the rear view mirror according to Harvick.

"I don't look back," Harvick said. "I just do what we have to do to focus on what we need to do looking forward. We are not going to use you guys to make threats. I can do that myself."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kevin-Harvick-and-Jimmie-Johnson-Move-On.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dillon Looking For Kentucky Redemption​*
There's an old cliché in sports that talks about athletes being owed something over the course of their career. There's another cliché about life that says nobody is owed anything.

Kentucky Speedway owes Ty Dillon a win.

The grandson of legendary car owner Richard Childress led 155 laps after starting on the pole in last year's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway but came in a disappointing third after being passed on a late restart by teammates Brendan Gaughan and Brian Scott.

Dillon has yet to visit Victory Lane in 2015, but comes to Kentucky with a wave of momentum after overcoming a pit road speeding penalty to finish fifth at Chicagoland Speedway last Saturday.

"This is always one of the most exciting races of the season," Dillon said. "Kentucky Speedway is one of my favorite race tracks to visit."

Kentucky and Chicagoland are similar in many ways. Both made their NASCAR debut in the early 2000s, both are 1.5-mile ovals, and both feature old and worn out racing surfaces.

The main difference between last week's race at Chicagoland and this week's race at Kentucky is the fact that it's a standalone weekend for the XFINITY Series - the final time this year where it will not be paired with a Sprint Cup race. Which means it's the final opportunity for an XFINITY Series only driver like Dillon, or any of the six drivers in the top 10 in points without a win this season, to get a victory without the weekly barrage of Sprint Cup Series regulars in their way.

Only JJ Yeley, in the underfunded No. 28 JGL Racing Toyota entry, will make the jump from the cup race in New Hampshire to Kentucky for Saturday night's race.

"This will be a critical race for our team and a great opportunity to put one in the win column," Dillon said. "There's a lot riding on this race."

Dillon made his NASCAR National Series debut at Kentucky in a Camping World Truck Series event in 2011 and visited Victory Lane in the Truck Series race at Kentucky in 2013, defeating Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch in the process.

He was able to carry that success over to the XFINITY Series as well, bringing home a top five and two top 10s in three starts at Kentucky. He'll drive the same car on Saturday night that he drove to a 15th-place finish in July's XFINITY Series race at Kentucky.

In seven starts on 1.5-mile race tracks in 2015, Dillon sports an average finish of 8.4 with two top fives and five top-10 finishes. Five of the final seven races this season will be contested on 1.5-mile tracks, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 21st.

That 8.4 average on 1.5-mile tracks ranks third among the current top 10 in XFINITY Series points behind Darrell Wallace Jr. (7th) and Regan Smith (7.4.)

Dillon reclaimed the runner-up spot in points after his eighth top-five finish of the season a week ago, but still trails points leader Chris Buescher by 25 markers with only seven events remaining in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...9/Dillon-Looking-for-Kentucky-Redemption.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jones To Race Full-Time For RCR In 2016​*
Brandon Jones will return to Richard Childress Racing in 2016 as a full-time driver in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the Welcome, N.C. organization.

Jones shared seat time with Austin Dillon and Paul Menard as drivers of the No. 33 Chevrolet in the XFINITY Series in 2015. The Atlanta native has competed in four XFINITY Series races under the RCR banner in both events at Iowa Speedway as well as Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Jones made his XFINITY Series debut at Iowa Speedway in May where he started fifth and finished eighth. Through four XFINITY Series races, Jones has garnered an average starting position of 10.2 and an average finishing position of 17.5 so far this year. His final XFINITY Series race for this season is at Kentucky Speedway on September 26.

The 18-year-old driver also competed on a limited basis in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Series East and ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. So far this season, Jones has 20 starts combined between the three series, capturing eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with 143 laps led. In June, he earned his career-best NASCAR sanctioned event finish of second place at Iowa Speedway in the Camping World Truck Series.

In 2014, Jones competed in three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, earning a fourth-place finish at Dover International Speedway. In addition, Jones competed in three ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards races. Jones became the first driver in the 62-year history of the ARCA Racing Series to win his first two starts by taking the checkered flag back to back at Winchester and Indianapolis and notching a third-place finish at Madison, WI. in his next start.

"Brandon's performance in his limited schedule with RCR this season has been very impressive," said Richard Childress, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RCR. "We're thrilled to provide him an opportunity in 2016 to showcase his talents over an entire XFINITY Series season."

Jones' crew chief and team will be named at a later date. Currently this season, Jones has worked with RCR crew chiefs Nick Harrison and Danny Stockman.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to drive for RCR on a full-time basis in 2016," said Jones. "I've learned a lot working with the RCR organization and the No. 33 XFINITY Series team in 2015 and look forward to continuing my development, contribute to RCR's success and produce positive results for all of my sponsors and fans. I'm excited to see what the 2016 season holds for me and our team. I look forward to setting my goals higher for the season because of the support from RCR, ECR Engines and Chevrolet."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ecomes-a-Full-Time-Driver-at-RCR-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Leaving Chevrolet, To Join Toyota Camp In 2016​*
Furniture Row Racing will become just one of two factory-backed Toyota teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season, sources confirmed to Motorsport.com.

An official announcement of the Denver, Colo.-based organization's multi-year deal with Toyota is planned for Sunday morning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, sources said.

Furniture Row will remain a single-car team next season, fielding the No. 78 Toyota for driver Martin Truex Jr., who is one of 16 drivers competing in the championship Chase this season.



> There just doesn't seem to be any money out of General Motors and probably never will be for us, so something's got to give
> 
> Furniture Row Racing team owner Barney Visser​


 In a statement provided to Motorsport.com, Chevrolet officials confirmed FRR would not continue to field Chevrolets next season.

"We thank Furniture Row Racing for all of the team's hard work and accomplishments over the past decade, and we wish Barney Visser and his organization continued success with their future endeavors," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports.

Technical alliance with JGR

As part of its move to Toyota, Furniture Row Racing will join in a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing from which it will receive chassis and engines, sources said. FRR is currently in a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing, a pairing which will discontinue at season's end.

With Michael Waltrip Racing set to dissolve at the end of the season, Gibbs' four Cup teams were set to be Toyota's only factory-backed teams in the Cup series next season.

FRR officials have made no secret this season of their desire to take on a larger role with a manufacturer and Toyota officials have expressed interest in working with the organization.

"There just doesn't seem to be any money out of General Motors and probably never will be for us, so something's got to give," Visser said in an interview shortly after Truex's win at Pocono in June.

As recently as last week, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson reiterated his desire to see FRR join the manufacturer's camp.

From humble beginnings to title contention

FRR, founded in 2005, is enjoying its most successful season in NASCAR competition. Truex has one win, seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 27 races thus far. He is 11th in the series standings entering Sunday's second race in the Chase.

"Martin is a heck of a driver and every year we're with him we're learning more about what he needs in the car," told Motorsport.com last Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. "We're look to step it up here even a little bit more. We're excited. I think we can go all the way - but who knows."

FRR attempted its first full Cup season in 2006 with drivers Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer and earned its first Cup series win in 2011 with driver Regan Smith.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...eaving-chevrolet-to-join-toyota-camp-in-2016/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martin Truex Jr. Extends Contract With Furniture Row Racing​*
Furniture Row Racing (FRR) has re-signed Martin Truex Jr. for 2016 - and beyond.

The Barney Visser-owned No. 78 team, which has blossomed into a perennial Chase for the Sprint Cup contender in the last three years, looks to build on its relationship with Truex next season and forge a long-term partnership for the future.



> I've never been in a situation like this where I'm learning things from my guys. They're sharp.
> 
> Martin Truex Jr.



"It's not just the place, it's the people - especially this year," Truex told Motorsport.com. "Last year almost made me want to retire. It's funny what a year and a couple of different people can bring to the table."

Motorsport.com has learned that FRR expected to switch to Toyotas in 2016, forming a technical alliance with JGR (Read More Here).

Cole Pearn takes No. 78 to the next level

Truex, 35, struggled during his first season with the Denver-based team as he acclimated to the different style cars and the systems at Furniture Row Racing. However, as Cole Pearn transitioned from his role as team engineer under to crew chief and custom-tailored the race cars to Truex's driving style, the No. 78 team took off.

In the first 15 races of 2015, Truex posted 14-top 10 finishes and his 17 top 10s for the season constitute a record for the organization. Truex's win at Pocono locked the organization into its second Chase berth in three seasons. For Truex, it's the most consistency he's enjoyed since Chad Johnston took over the crew chief duties with the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in 2011.



> It's a huge advantage cause they're not going out with competitors or giving information away at the bar. There's a lot to be said about solidarity
> 
> Martin Truex Jr. on FRR shop location



"Cole is underrated," Truex said. "He's just been good for me for a lot of reasons. We just fit together. It reminds me of when Chad came on my old car before. Sometimes certain personalities just don't jell. They just don't click. I had a great relationship with Todd (Berrier) last year - and that wasn't the reason we didn't run good - he wasn't the reason. The way everything worked out, it just didn't pan out because our cars weren't right.

"Whether Cole and I got along like we do, we still would have had a good season, but I think the way we get along and understand each other and enjoy working together has made it so much more fun to be successful. I think we really push each other because we feed off of each other. I can tell when he's mad and I need to cheer him up or try to turn the tables and he does the same thing for me a lot. We really compliment each other a lot. The funny thing is, I've worried about the race car a lot less this year."

A weekly contender

The concerns Truex has experienced in the past, such as whether the team will bring the right car to the race track, if the car will have proper setup or what the competition is doing, no longer faze him. The faith Truex has in the Furniture Row team allows him to concentrate on his job.

"I have so much confidence that they're going to do the right thing all the time, that I don't worry about that stuff," Truex said. "I worry about us, working together. I worry about our SIM stuff and helping my engineers understand me better.

"The whole way we go about our business is different then I've ever done before. I've never been in a situation like this where I'm learning things from my guys. They're sharp."

Visser is pleased with the progress he's witnessed with the driver and the team.

"It's a good group of really good guys that get along well," Visser said. "It's taken a while to get it to this point - if there's a trouble maker in the group, he usually doesn't last very long - and the guys just love working with each other. They have a good time.

"Martin is a heck of a driver and every year we're with him we're learning more about what he needs in the car, what he needs that chassis to feel like. We're looking to step it up here even a little bit more. We're excited."

Rocky Mountain way

In the last two years, Truex has experienced what a unique environment Visser and team manager Joe Garone have created in Denver. While he questioned whether a team outside of the Charlotte, N.C. bubble could flourish, Truex now understands the philosophy behind the FRR's success.

"It's a great thing when we're where we are," Truex said. "It's taken them 10 years to get there, in North Carolina, it might have taken them five. But now, it's a huge advantage cause they're not going out with competitors or giving information away at the bar. There's a lot to be said about solidarity - and being out there by themselves. Our guys are such a tight-knit group. They're best friends.

"They love being out there by themselves. They have camaraderie. They have a special thing going. They love what they're doing. They're working seven days a week and they love it because they're doing it together. And I love, hell yeah. Who wouldn't? I'm so lucky to be able to work with those guys. I love what we have."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...r-extends-contract-with-furniture-row-racing/


----------



## Ckg2011

*500th Truck Race To Dillon​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6840&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Austin Dillon won Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which marked the 500th race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Dillon, who paced both practice sessions, started from the pole and led a race-high 80 laps en route to his seventh career win. The victory also marked the first for GMS Racing and crew chief Shane Huffman.

"What an amazing weekend," Dillon said. "This was fun."

Dillon last pitted on lap 113 and was able to pull away from Matt Crafton on the final restart on lap 166 to take the checkered flag by 1.054 seconds over Crafton.

"I don't know what I was doing wrong, but I was missing my restarts so bad," Crafton said. "My teammate Johnny (Sauter) helped me on those last couple restarts and gave me a good shove and got me down in there. I just missed it and we'll get them next week."

Crafton's runner-up finish was his 14th top 10 of the season and it moved him from third to second in the series standings. He now trails Erik Jones by seven points.

Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters and last week's winner John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top five.

Daniel Hemric, Jones, Austin Theriault, Dalton Sargeant and Gray Gaulding completed the top 10.

"We just missed it by a long ways." Jones said. "We didn't get the finish we wanted and we'll just have to go back and make our Tundras a little bit better. It's just we can't do that this late in the year - we can't be that far off. We'll just have to work on it and figure out what was wrong and how to be better here for the next six weeks."

Kyle Busch led 67 laps and finished 11th after he was forced to pit road under caution on lap 162 because he had a tire rub.

The final caution was brought out when Tyler Reddick spun his No. 19 Ford. He finished 15th and dropped to third in the standings, 19 out.








_The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next Saturday._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...UNOH-175-at-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Blaney Gets Kentucky Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6804&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Ryan Blaney would not be denied Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.

In fact, Blaney may owe a pushing Regan Smith dinner after a green-white-checkered restart proved to be the saving grace for the driver of the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang, who won his second NASCAR XFINITY Series win of the season in Saturday night's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300.

Blaney appeared to be heading towards Victory Lane, but an attack from Ty Dillon on a restart with eight laps to go sent him from first to third.

Then, a caution waved with four laps remaining and reset the field into overtime.

"We were just even with the 3 (Dillon), and the 7 (Smith) gave us a good push [on the final restart]," said Blaney who captured his fourth career XFINITY Series win. "Luckily we were able to get a good [push] and just get a little bit of position on the 3 to kind of use up the race track and get in front of him. I knew once we were clear we had a really good shot at it.

"A great Discount Tire Ford Mustang. We were great all night. It was just a matter getting up the front. Clean air was so important."

As for the next-to-last restart, which saw Blaney's winning chances temporarily fall, momentum worked against him.

"Kentucky is such a great race track because you can see three or four wide racing in the first corner and as the leader you have to protect and I didn't know where the 7 (Smith) was going, he kind of faked me out going to the top and that was able to open up the middle and it just lost all of our momentum."

For Dillon, he was frustrated with his runner-up performance.

"First of all, I am disappointed for second, and that's a good thing," said Dillon. "I'm proud to be sitting here saying that. Earlier this year, we didn't have that opportunity to say that very often. Man, it hurts when you've got a big lead with four to go - I don't even know what the caution was for - but, that's a stinger."

Just before halfway Brennan Poole spun in Turn 1 collecting Harrison Rhodes and spewing liquid from Poole's car putting the field under the red flag for cleanup.

The race was halted for 18 minutes and 27 seconds, with the field returning to idle conditions with the race resuming with 95 laps remaining.

Brandon Jones grabbed the lead on a busy restart and held it through the next caution. With rain in the area, Jones stayed out, while others pitted.

When racing resumed, Jones controlled the field for 16 laps until Blaney made the pass to retake the lead on Lap 128 and through green flag pit stops, set the tone for the finish of the final standalone race of the season.

Chris Buescher, who finished seventh, now leads Dillon by 19 points in the standings with six races remaining. Chase Elliott, who finished fourth, is third, 25 points out.






*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/09/Blaney-Gets-Kentucky-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Scott, Wallace Go At It On The Track, Off The Track And On Twitter​*
Brian Scott and Darrell Wallace Jr. are not on good terms at the moment after an incident during Saturday night's Xfinity race at Kentucky Speedway.

On a restart with 88 laps to go, Scott and Wallace made door-to-door contact. The coming together cost both valuable positions and Scott eventually pitted after dropping well outside the top ten, citing a vibration.

Wallace brought home a ninth-place finish, but Scott ended the night in 13th after leading 45 laps. After the checkered flag, Scott confronted the Roush-Fenway Racing driver on pit road, reaching his hands inside the driver's window and consequently getting pulled away by a NASCAR official.

Once Wallace emerged from his Ford Fusion, the RCR driver returned and the duo locked horns in a profanity-laced argument that didn't go anyway. That was the end of it - at least for TV viewers.






If their social media posts are any indication, what you see in the video above was not the end of it. The confrontation continued off-camera and involved not only the two drivers, but Scott's wife and his motorhome driver.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs...it-on-the-track-off-the-track-and-on-twitter/


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Hampshire Story Lines​*
Story lines to watch during Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The second race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship finds several drivers already in jeopardy of not advancing out of the first round including defending champion Kevin Harvick. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver's 42nd-place finish in last week's Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway has dropped him deep in a hole as the schedule moves to Loudon.

However, Harvick remains confident he and his team can find a way to get back toward the top of the standings.

"I still think there are a few different ways that you make it into the next round," Harvick said. "In this situation last year when we were in Phoenix a second-place finish still wouldn't have gotten us into where we needed to be to move on in the Chase without a win. So, I think you still have to go out with the mentality of trying to win a race. I think everybody around us knows that. I think they are very aware of the aggressive nature that we need to go after that win."

*Harvick-Johnson Feud Simmering?* 
The celebrated on track and off altercations between Harvick and Jimmie Johnson last week in Chicago have been the topic of conversation all week long. Both drivers addressed the situation over the weekend but neither seems concerned it will carry over into Sunday's race.

"I don't look back," Harvick said. "I just do what we have to do to focus on what we need to do looking forward. We are not going to use you guys to make threats. I can do that myself." (Read More)

*Iron Man Gordon*
When Jeff Gordon starts his engine Sunday he will pass Ricky Rudd as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series consecutive starts leader by beginning his 789th straight race. NASCAR's new Iron Man has not missed a start since making his Cup debut at Atlanta on Nov. 15, 1992 - a span of 22 years, 10 months and 12 days. NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Rudd's streak began on Jan. 11, 1981 and ended on Sept. 20, 2005.

*JGR Continues Roll*
Carl Edwards starts from the pole on Sunday and looks to add another win to an impressive stretch for Joe Gibbs Racing. The organization scored its third straight win in Chicago thanks to Denny Hamlin and has won nine of the last 12 series races.

"We got a great start to the Chase and we're keeping it rolling," said Edwards, who was second in the Chase for the Championship opening event Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. "We knew qualifying was important so we worked on it a lot today."

*Logano Shoots For Repeat*
Last year's September New Hampshire race was a wild affair that saw 16 cautions flags for 63 laps. But Joey Logano prevailed and the New England native has his sights set on back-to-back trips to Victory Lane at his home track on Sunday.

"I feel pretty good about it," said Logano who starts eighth. "This has been a good race track for us the last couple of years. Obviously, this is my home track so I talk about that a lot when I come up here, but I really want to win here again.

"I feel like we're in good position after last week. We had a solid finish and that positioned ourselves pretty good to race fairly aggressive through this race and try to get a win like we did last year." (Read More)

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/09/New-Hampshire-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Prevails In New Hampshire​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6814&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Kenseth took advantage of Kevin Harvick running out of fuel in the final laps to win Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Kenseth won his fifth race of the year and now transfers to the second round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It was the 13th win of 2015 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"We had to be there to win it," Kenseth said. "I was giving Kevin everything I had. I thought he had us beat. He had the better car."

Last week's Chicagoland race winner Denny Hamlin finished second to give JGR a 1-2 finish.

Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.

Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman completed the first 10 finishers.

Defending Sprint Cup champion Harvick is 15th in the Chase standings and 23 points out of the final transfer spot.

Other Chase finishers saw Jamie McMurray 14th, Menard 15th, Kurt Busch ran out of fuel and was 19th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 25th, and Bowyer 26th.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Dover International Speedway for next Sunday's AAA 400.

*How Kenseth Won:* He put pressure on Harvick in the closing laps when the Stewart-Haas Racing was trying to save fuel. Finally with three laps to go, Harvick's tank ran dry and Kenseth was able to speed by to take the lead and went on to grab the checkered flag.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Joe Gibbs Racing kept things rolling with a win from Kenseth and a second from Hamlin for another 1-2 finish with Edwards also in the top five. Biffle's long and frustrating season had a solid shot in the arm with a fourth-place performance. Kahne isn't in the Chase, but a top-10 finish was a solid effort from the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Harvick had the worst day leading 216 laps and dominating but finished 21st however there were others. Kyle Busch had a tire go down after possibly running over debris and slammed the wall on lap 157. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver's Toyota was severely damaged in the impact and Busch went to the garage for repairs He returned to salvage a 37th-place finish. Aric Almirola crashed hard into the wall when he blew a tire early in the race and ended up finishing last on Sunday...Danica Patrick crashed hard into the wall after contact with Ryan Newman racing through Turn 1. Patrick's car slide back down the track right into the path of David Ragan who made heavy impact with her car.

*What Else Happened:* The first half of the race was on the quiet side but the drama ramped up in the second half with lots of drama and some controversy. That came when NASCAR black flagged Brad Keselowski for jumping a restart over leader Greg Biffle, a call that will certainly spark debate all week with restarts such a hot button topic in the sport. Chase implications were big with Harvick's failed strategy and Kyle Busch's accident shaking up the grid heading into next Sunday's elimination race in Dover.

*Quote of the Day:* "It's killed, it's killed," Kyle Busch after hitting the wall when a tire blew out.

*Notables:* Biffle scored his third top five of the season, all coming in fuel mileage races...Gordon made his NASCAR record 789th career consecutive Sprint Cup Series start...Ryan Preece (32nd) and BJ McLeod (34th) made their Sprint Cup debut






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ANIA-300-at-New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Grid Shake Up​*
The Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship field has a different look after Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Matt Kenseth joined his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in the second round of the Chase after his win on Sunday. But the drivers behind those two automatic berths into round two are battling hard to move on after next week's elimination race at Dover.

Carl Edwards and Joey Logano are the next two in the point standings followed by Jimmie Johnson, who made a comeback Sunday after a tire issue in New Hampshire.

"Yeah, it was really weird," said Johnson, who fell back to 23rd but rallied back to finish sixth. "I went into Turn 3 and got on the brakes and the car traveled and slowed down. It felt like something broke in the left-front, but they said there was a lugnut inside the wheel. I guess when I hit the brakes to slow down a lugnut hit the valve stem and took the tire out.

"Fortunately some cautions fell in quick order to let us get back on the lead lap. We had a solid car and got up there to ninth or something and some guys ran out of fuel and got us to sixth."

Brad Keselowski, who was black flagged for jumping a restart over leader Greg Biffle Sunday, came back to finish 12th and sits eighth in the standings.

Jeff Gordon turned in a seventh place run in New Hampshire and is 10th in the Chase standings.

"We had a tough day that is for sure," Gordon said. "We had to make some adjustments on the car to get it tuned up. I was really proud of Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and the team. They did a great job getting the car where we needed it to be. It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly a top-10 or top five car.

"We didn't have much go our way, but at the end we finally did have something go our way, which was Alan made the call to put four tires on and had a decent restart and had a long green flag run. "

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the driver in the 12th and final transfer spot but is only one point ahead of Kyle Busch, who had a disastrous day Sunday.

Busch had a tire go down on lap 159 and hit the outside retaining wall severely damaging his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He drove his car to the garage area for repairs and returned to the track many laps down later to eventually finish 37th.

Paul Menard is tied with Busch and then comes Kevin Harvick, who ran out of fuel three laps away from winning on Sunday. That handed him a 21st place finish and the defending Sprint Cup Series champion is 23 points out of the transfer spot.

Clint Bowyer is in the basement of the Chase grid after a 26th place finish.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/09/Chase-Grid-Shake-Up.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Penalized On Restart​*
NASCAR penalized Brad Keselowski for jumping a restart late in Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Keselowski got black flagged on a lap 248 restart when NASCAR ruled he made an illegal restart and was ahead of leader Greg Biffle in the restart zone. He was forced to serve a drive through penalty for the infraction.

"It's a pretty basic understanding. It's an entertainment sport, not a fair sport, but we had a great car," said a frustrated Keselowski after the race.

NASCAR has assigned additional resources including officials and a video camera to the restart zone in the aftermath drivers asking for better policing of the rule.

"We looked at all the data available to us, all the video, we have the senior official on the ground. We made sure the rules are very clear to everybody, especially in the last couple drivers meetings, to be sure we had everybody informed," said Richard Buck, director of the Sprint Cup Series.

"It was very clear-cut in our mind based on the video we had, the different angles that we had. By having the individual on the ground directly across from the restart box, they can really get a good understanding and allow us to feel 100 percent that we stamped it with a very good decision."

Keselowski was asked if the sanctioning body made an example of him on Sunday.

"Yeah," he said.

Keselowski did rebound to finish 12th but it was still a day that could have been much more for the Team Penske driver.

"I got the chance to do something again for the first time," Keselowski said. "The first person to ever be penalized for jumping a restart when I didn't pass anyone, so that's a new one, but we moved on and we made the most of a good day with the Miller Lite Ford and got a solid finish that hopefully will make our Dover a little bit easier, so that was good."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../09/Brad-Keselowski-Penalized-On-Restart.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McClure Suffers Concussion In Kentucky Crash​*
Eric McClure has been diagnosed with a concussion after spending a night in a hospital near Kentucky Speedway.

With 21 laps remaining in the Xfinity race, Eric McClure spun while battling for 24th. He spun and made contact with the Turn 4 wall, sustaining significant damage to the rear of the car.

He slowly emerged from the car and walked around gingerly before being taken away from the scene of the crash, via ambulance.

He was admitted to a local hospital for further evaluation, staying overnight. He was released Sunday afternoon, diagnosed with a concussion. A release stated that he underwent CT scans on his head, neck, chest and abdomen. All were negative.

It's not the first crash-related injury for the 36-year-old racer, who has 281 starts in the Xfinity Series. He was involved in a violent accident at Talladega Superspeedway in 2012 and does not remember much from the wreck. He was diagnosed with a concussion and internal bruising, missing multiple races as a result.






*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/mcclure-suffers-concussion-in-kentucky-crash/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Red Flag Needed After Danica Patrick, David Ragan Crash​*
Danica Patrick was battling to hold on to 11th-place when Ryan Newman attempted to pass the No. 10 Chevy in Turn 1 and sent her into the spin cycle.

Her problems didn't stop there. As Patrick spun, David Ragan plowed into her car.

"I really, really hit," Patrick said. "I think it was more the second car, the 31 totally took me out. I get it&#8230;but it's not like it's the first 10 laps of the race."

Ragan, who was running 22nd after taking the lucky dog, clipped the rear end of the No. 10 Chevy as she slid back down the track. The entire right side of the No. 55 was peeled off, throwing pieces of door foam all over the race track.

"She ought to hold the damn brakes when she wrecks," Ragan said.

Patrick was scored 25th at the time of the wreck and finished 40th.

"Just so you know, I think that was the 24's fault for the most part," said Patrick's spotter Brandon Benesch. "24 drove right into the 31 when he was under us."

"It's that time of year," she told NBC Sports, referring to the Chase. "People are racing hard and trying to take everything they can get."

The race was put under red flag conditions while NASCAR cleaned up the accident scene, which lasted six minutes and dour seconds.

Both drivers have been released from the infield care center.






*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/red-flag-needed-after-danica-patrick-david-ragan-crash/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart To End NASCAR Driving Career After 2016 Season​*
Tony Stewart has decided the 2016 season will be his last as a fulltime driver in the Sprint Cup Series, multiple sources familiar with his decision have confirmed to Motorsport.com.

Stewart is one of the most diverse and successful drivers in NASCAR history and at times one of its most controversial, but an official announcement of his decision to hang up the helmet has been set for 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Stewart-Haas Racing headquarters in Kannapolis, N.C.

His successor

Stewart's decision leaves a void in the driver's seat for his No. 14 Chevrolet at Stewart-Haas Racing beginning in 2017. Multiple sources have confirmed to Motorsport.com that Clint Bowyer has been tapped to take over the ride in 2017.

Bowyer, who will be released from his contract with Michael Waltrip Racing at season's end, has yet to confirm a Cup ride for next season although sources have told Motorsport.com he is expected to run one season with HScott Motorsports.

Stewart's public relations representatives on Sunday declined an opportunity to comment.

A HoF worthy career

Stewart's driving career is without question Hall of Fame material. He's won 48 Cup races - tied with Herb Thomas for 13th all-time. He's also won three Cup championships - the most recent in 2011 - and captured an IndyCar Series title in 1997 before his fulltime move to NASCAR.

In 1995, Stewart became the first driver to win USAC's version of the "Triple Crown," earning championships in all three of USAC's major divisions - National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown.

In 1996, Stewart made his NASCAR debut in what is now called the Xfinity Series, driving for car owner Harry Rainer. In nine races, he had a best finish of 16th. He had more success in a one-time ride in the Truck Series, with Mueller Brothers Racing, where he finished 10th.

Stewart ran a handful of Xfinity races in 1998 with Joe Gibbs Racing in preparation for a move to the Cup series. He left JGR after the 2008 season and has been driver and part-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing ever since.

In his racing career, Stewart has won many of the most prestigious races in motorsports. He's a two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 2009 NASCAR All-Star Race winner, a two-time Chili Bowl winner and in 2001 was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Stewart, 44, has seen his worst performance this season since he began competing in the Cup series fulltime in 1999.

Recent struggles

He failed to make the 16-driver field for the Chase and is currently 26th in the series standings. Stewart does not have a top-five finish yet this season - he has never previously gone a season without one - and has just two top-10s in 27 starts.

It's been a tumultuous past two seasons for Stewart away from his NASCAR career.

Last month marked the one-year anniversary since a sprint car driven by Stewart struck and killed driver Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt track in upstate New York on the night before the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Ward, upset at getting wrecked minutes earlier, was walking on the track while the race was under caution.

Stewart sat out the race at the Glen and two others before returning to action. A New York grand jury eventually declined to indict Stewart on any charges related to the incident. Ward's family have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart but a trial date has yet to be set.

The summer before that, Stewart was seriously injured himself in a dirt track race in Iowa and missed the rest of the 2013 season recovering from a compound fracture of his right leg.

Not the same

Stewart has admittedly not been the same person he was before the incidents of the past two years.

"I don't think I'll ever be the same from what happened the last two years," Stewart said during an appearance at Texas Motor Speedway this summer. "I don't know how you could be, I don't know how anybody ever could be back to exactly the way they were.

"But not being back exactly the same that I was doesn't mean that I haven't become better in some way. I think there's always positives that come out of every scenario."

Also missing this season - and perhaps because he has not found himself in many competitive situations on the track - has been Stewart's sometimes fiery personality which has led to a slew of run-ins with NASCAR officials, media and competitors over the years.

Stewart already gave up sprint car racing after Ward's death - something that used to occupy much of his free time away from his NASCAR schedule.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...-end-nascar-driving-career-after-2016-season/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Clint Bowyer's Future Is Becoming Clearer​*
Motorsport.com has learned that HScott Motorsports is expected to announce next weekend at Dover that Bowyer will pilot the No. 51 Chevrolet in 2016.

The announcement will come after Wednesday's press conference, which will detail Bowyer's eventual move to Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy in 2017.

Multiple sources have confirmed to Motorsport.com that Tony Stewart will be stepping out from the behind the wheel of the No. 14 at the conclusion of next season.

Bowyer, 36, is currently 16th in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He was recruited by Richard Childress Racing in 2004. He won the Xfinity Series title in 2008 while running double duty in the Sprint Cup Series. In 2012, his first year with Michael Waltrip Racing, he finished a career-high second in the Cup standings in the No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota. The sponsor will continue with Bowyer at HScott.

In 10 full seasons on the Cup tour, Bowyer has earned eight wins, 58 top-fives and 163 top-10 finishes in 353 starts. He has two poles.

The Emporia, Kansas-native also has eight NXS wins and three victories in the Camping World Truck Series.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/clint-bowyers-future-is-becoming-clearer/


----------



## Ckg2011

*New Hampshire Winners And Losers​*
The second race of the Chase on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway produced its share of those who both won and lost.

*WINNERS​*
*Joe Gibbs Racing*
A team that was going to get "pounded" by last year's Sprint Cup Series champion is sure off to a great start in the Chase. Denny Hamlin won the Chicagoland opener and Matt Kenseth took the SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire, with Hamlin second and Carl Edwards fifth. Pretty good day for JGR.

*Joey Logano*
He wasn't able to make it a second straight SYLVANIA 300 win Sunday, but Logano's third-place finish was a solid performance that helped solidify his spot in the Chase standings.

*Greg Biffle*
A frustrating season for Roush Fenway Racing had a bright spot Sunday in New Hampshire with Biffle finishing fourth. He led laps and turned in his third top-five performance of the season.

*Jimmie Johnson*
A flat tire sent Johnson back to 30th place and to what looked like a disastrous afternoon in Loudon. But the "48" team made the necessary changes on pit road that Johnson needed to help race his way back to the front and he came home with a sixth-place finish.

*Tony Stewart*
Stewart had a tire issue of his own and looked to be cooked early in Sunday's race. However, he too was able to rally for an 11th-place finish in what is sure to be a very emotional week with the speculated retirement announcement coming up Wednesday.

*LOSERS​*
*Kevin Harvick*
Two straight poor finishes have Harvick's back squarely against the wall and into a must-win situation next weekend at Dover. Faulty information on fuel mileage led to Harvick coming up three laps short of making it to the finish Sunday and was the difference between winning and finishing 21st.

*Kyle Busch*
Another victim of a blown tire, but Busch could not recover like others. He slammed the wall and severely damaged the No. 18 Toyota. All Busch could salvage was 37th place.

*Brad Keselowski*
The Team Penske driver was the victim of a controversial call by NASCAR and a black flag for jumping a restart. Two weeks ago, Keselowski would not have felt the wrath of the sanctioning body. But with restarts now under more scrutiny and officiating ramped up, Keselowski got flagged.

*Clint Bowyer*
His Chase goose this year is cooked with a 26th-place finish Sunday that dropped Bowyer deep into the basement of the Chase standings. However, his future after Michael Waltrip Racing will become clearer after a pair of announcements later this week.

*Danica Patrick*
At one point, crew chief Daniel Knost told her she had a "top-three car." But that optimism didn't last when she was involved in an accident that included contact with Ryan Newman, the wall and David Ragan ... in that order.

*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...pshire-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pocono Adds XFINITY Series For 2016​*
Pocono Raceway announced Tuesday that its 2016 schedule will include an XFINITY Series race.

The newest addition to Pocono's NASCAR slate is the XFINITY Series race scheduled for Saturday, June 4 - the first time the series will compete at the 2.5-mile "Tricky Triangle" and the first time NASCAR's second-tier series has raced in Pennsylvania since 2004 (Nazareth Speedway).

"We're thrilled to bring the NASCAR XFINITY Series to Pocono Raceway," said Brandon Igdalsky, the track's president and CEO. "The fans have been asking for this for several years. Additionally, we look forward to working with everyone at Comcast - which is headquartered 90 miles south of us in Philadelphia."

"From Day 1, we've been focused on enhancing the way fans experience NASCAR, and highlighting the competition and youth in the XFINITY Series," said Matt Lederer, director of sports brand marketing for Comcast. "The addition of an event at Pocono Raceway in our home state of Pennsylvania will help carry the momentum built in the first year of our partnership into 2016."

Pocono will once again host two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends in 2016: the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 race weekend from June 3-5 and the Pennsylvania 400 race weekend July 29-31. The track's June weekend will include the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns as part of the July schedule.

"Pocono is unique and I'm excited that we're adding a new track to the XFINITY schedule," said Chris Buescher, currently leading the 2015 series point standings. "I've raced there a considerable amount in the ARCA Series and have always enjoyed it. It'll be a good challenge."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ono-Raceway-Adds-XFINITY-Series-for-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Jimmy Means Racing Xfinity Hauler Catches Fire​*
A Jimmy Means Racing transporter suffered extensive burn damage during the trip from Kentucky back home to the team's headquarters Forest City, North Carolina.

The small operation is fielded by former Sprint Cup driver Jimmy Means and entered the No. 52 Chevrolet Camaro with Joey Gase behind the wheel in this past weekend's Xfinity race in Kentucky, finishing 21st - their best result since Talladega (5th) in May of this year.

"Unfortunately our trip back home didn't go as well as the race did for us last weekend," a Facebook post from Joey Gase Racing read. "The teams transporter caught on fire about 80 miles from the shop & is completely ruined. Everything on our pit box (computers, seats, etc) are all destroyed as well.

"Also, keep our crew member Jared in your prayers as he sustained a hand injury while trying to help the firefighters."

Car is salvageable

The car was eventually removed from the scorched hauler and the team is hopeful that they can clean it up and be ready to race it at Dover this weekend.

"Took some ******* engineering but the team was able to get the cars out of the hauler," a second post read. "As far as we can see we will be able to use the same car for this weekend that we used in Kentucky. It will take A LOT of cleaning inside and out. Joey will also have to hold his breath for a few laps till it gets aired out a little bit.

The photos seen in this story were posted by transporter driver Walter Ostroski. There is also a video circulating of the interior damage, which appears quite severe on the first level of the hauler.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/jimmy-means-racing-xfinity-hauler-catches-fire/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Stewart Announces Retirement​*
Tony Stewart will end his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driving career following the 2016 season.

Stewart made the announcement during a press conference held Wednesday at Stewart-Haas Racing headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

"Next year will be my last year in the Sprint Cup Series," Stewart said to open the press conference.

The three-time Sprint Cup Series champion is tied for 13th on all-time series win list with 48 victories. He won the Sprint Cup title in 2002, 2005 and 2011.

"This is a moment every driver eventually comes to terms with, and I know this is the right decision for me," said Stewart. "2016 will be my last year in a Sprint Cup car, but it's not my last year in NASCAR. I love this sport and I love being a part of it, and instead of seeing me in a firesuit on Sundays, you'll see me in a pair of jeans, and maybe even a pair of khakis."

Stewart was adamant that his retirement had nothing to do with the tumultuous last two years of his life that has included a sprint car crash resulting in a broken leg and the 2014 accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr.

"This is more of a formality," Stewart said. "It was a choice that was 100 percent mine. There wasn't any pressure from anybody. If anything, it was the opposite I had people trying to talk me out of it."

Stewart joined Gene Haas in 2009 and has been a driver/owner of SHR since. Haas, who announced a Formula One team earlier this year, is excited about what the future lies for both Stewart and the organization.

"Tony Stewart has been a game-changer for Stewart-Haas Racing and for motorsports," Haas said. "I always had an incredible amount of respect for what he could do with a racecar - any racecar, as he's been successful in everything he's ever driven. In getting to know Tony Stewart the businessman, I found a very smart person with excellent people skills. He's extremely valuable to our race team and a strong voice in our sport. His passion for motorsports is unmatched, and I'm proud that his future outside of the No. 14 Chevrolet remains with Stewart-Haas Racing."

Stewart plans to end his career behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup Series car as competitive as possible, but is grateful for the time he's had in the sport as he prepares to hang up his helmet.

"I have been blessed with fantastic partners throughout my racing career, and I take a lot of pride in the lifelong friendships formed and the great business successes we've been a part of," Stewart said. "I never would've accomplished all that I've achieved in racing if it weren't for the support of corporate America. They helped a kid from Columbus, Indiana, reach his dreams and I'll be forever grateful."

Stewart reiterated he would not be walking away from NASCAR or racing by any means even though he won't be competing in the Sprint Cup Series after next season.

"Deep down you know when it's time to do something different," he said. "It's kind of a bittersweet day. I love what I do with NASCAR and what I do as a driver.

"NASCAR is probably going to be the most disappointed because they're not getting rid of me. They still have to deal with me as an owner."
*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/09/Tony-Stewart-Announces-Retirement.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Clint Bowyer Will Drive The No. 14 Chevy In 2017​*
*Breaking News: Bowyer Moving To SHR In 2017​*
Clint Bowyer will take over Tony Stewart's No. 14 Sprint Cup Series ride in the 2017 season.

Stewart announced Bowyer would be his successor at Wednesday's press conference at the Stewart-Haas Racing headquarters.

"I plan to make the most of my final year as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and part of that is to ensure that when Clint Bowyer takes over the No. 14 in 2017, he has everything he needs to win races and contend for the championship," said Stewart. "I'm very comfortable with this decision and what the future holds for me and Stewart-Haas Racing."

Bowyer is finishing his season with Michael Waltrip Racing, which will close its door at season's end. While his plans for 2016 have not been announced, there is speculation he'll spend a year at HScott Motorsports before moving over to Stewart-Haas Racing to take Stewart's ride.

"Today is an incredible opportunity and I'm proud and excited to take over the No. 14 in 2017," said Bowyer, who has eight career Sprint Cup Series wins and is still alive in this year's Chase. "Whether it's racing him on Sunday or watching my dirt late model teams race at his famed Eldora Speedway, Tony and I share the same passion for racing. That makes this opportunity a perfect fit for me.

"I appreciate everything he's done for me and the sport of auto racing. These are big shoes to fill, but boy am I ever looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a champion's ride, and have Tony there with me along the way."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...er-Moving-to-Stewart-Haas-Racing-in-2017.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: No Penalty For Keselowski​*
NASCAR will not penalize Brad Keselowski for comments after Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske driver made his remarks after he was black-flagged for jumping a restart in the second race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It's a pretty basic understanding. It's an entertainment sport, not a fair sport, but we had a great car," a frustrated Keselowski said after the race. "I got the chance to do something for the first time - the first person to ever be penalized for jumping a restart when I didn't pass anyone, so that's a new one. But we moved on, made the most of a good day and got a solid finish that will hopefully make our Dover a little easier."

NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body wouldn't penalize Keselowski.

"That's frustration," O'Donnell said Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "I get that. There's a lot on the line. I don't think you'll see us do anything. I certainly disagree with the way Brad positioned it. It's a tough call.

"We'll talk to (him) today. I'm sure he still won't agree, but it's something we've got to do. It's open dialogue. We'll explain why we made the call from our standpoint and go on to Dover."

While drivers such as Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin have been fined in the past for making comments that were deemed overly critical of the sport, Keselowski's remarks were in-bounds according to NASCAR.

"Many times, competitors aren't going to agree with those and that's OK," O'Donnell said of the officiating on restarts. "We're going to let those go. If it goes too far, it's talking about the racing in general. That's where it goes a step too far and we have to step in. We haven't seen any of that. In fact, we've seen the opposite from drivers.

"Frustration on a call is expected. This is the Chase. There's a lot going on. Drivers all want to win a championship. I'd be upset if Brad wasn't."

*NASCAR Meets With Owners*
Sprint Cup Series team owners were scheduled to meet with NASCAR officials Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C. Topics to be discussed included competition issues, team structuring, finalizing the 2016 rules package and schedules for all three national divisions. Update: Statement from NASCAR 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...AR-Statement-on-Meeting-with-Team-Owners.aspx

*Australian Sprint Cars for Kahne*
The off-season will see Kasey Kahne return to Australia to compete in a series of sprint car races in late December and early January.

"I've enjoyed the racing and the hospitality in Australia before and there's a lot to like about going back there," Kahne said. "It's a quick break from all the activity here and I get to squeeze in six races. It's a win-win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Notebook-No-Penalty-for-Brad-Keselowski.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Chase Surprises​*
Only two races into this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and there have already been several eye openers.

The first pair of races, at Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, have provided drama, controversy and intrigue as the Challenger Round gets ready to come to an end this Sunday at Dover International Speedway.

*Harvick On the Ropes*
Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick is in serious danger of not making it out of Round 1. A 42nd-place finish at Chicagoland then running out of fuel while in the lead only three laps from the checkered flag in New Hampshire dropped Harvick 23 points out of the final transfer spot. He's been here before and parlayed "must wins" at Phoenix and Homestead into last year's title. While his overall track record at Dover is weak, Harvick did finish second to Jimmie Johnson this spring.

*"Bubble Boy" Busch*
Kyle Busch finds himself in a precarious spot on The Chase Grid thanks to his 37th-place New Hampshire finish ... courtesy of a blown tire and trip into the wall. Busch has had one of the strongest cars in both of the first two Chase races but has to avoid trouble at all costs in Dover or risk having his comeback story abruptly end.

*JGR Powers On*
Sure, Joe Gibbs Racing was the dominant team during the summer stretch. But there was a school of thought that said the rest of the field would catch up to the organization, at least a little, once the "playoffs" rolled around. So far, think again. The Gibbs crew appears even stronger in the first two Chase races than it did at the end of the regular season with all four drivers - Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards - at the front of the field from the drop of the green flag. Hamlin rallied from early adversity to win Chicago and Kenseth took advantage of Harvick's misfortune at New Hampshire to secure spots in the next round.

*Strategy Prevails*
Fuel-mileage and pit strategy have figured into the outcome of the opening races. Hamlin's call not to pit after a late caution in Chicagoland gave him track position and the opportunity to power by the leaders on a restart to win. Kenseth had the right fuel strategy at New Hampshire. Harvick did not. There's no reason to believe crew chiefs and their calculators won't also decide Dover, which has traditionally created several long green-flag stretches.

*Newman Being Newman*
It was the late baseball great Yogi Berra who coined the phrase "Déjà vu all over again," but it's the perfect way to describe Ryan Newman's season. A look at this year's Chase standings may cause you to do a double take and check whether it's 2014 or 2015. Newman has opened the Chase with nothing spectacular unless you count fourth and 10th place as flashy. But he proved last year that you don't have to take home trophies to have a shot at the championship and he's using the same formula in this year's Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...hase-for-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Surprises.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowyer's Penalty Upheld By Appeals Panel​*
The National Motorsports Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of a P4 penalty issued on Sept. 23 to Rob Kauffman (owner), Clint Bowyer (driver), and Billy W. Scott (crew chief) relative to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicle No. 15 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The penalty concerns the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR Rule Book: Sections 12.1, 20.14c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d&f, 12.5.3.4.2.

The original penalty assessed included a $75,000 fine, three-race suspension and six months' probation for Scott and loss of 25 championship car owner and 25 championship driver points to both Kauffman and Bowyer.

Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel are: The Appellants violated the Rule or Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice; That the Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalty assessed by NASCAR.

The panel consisted of Paul Brooks, Bill Lester and Bill Mullis.

The appellants have the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR Rule Book as the Expedited Final Appeal. The deadline for filing is 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...scar/bowyers-penalty-upheld-by-appeals-panel/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Athenian Motorsports Parts Ways With Crew Chief Mike Ford​*
Athenian Motorsports confirmed to motorsport.com that crew chief Mike Ford is no longer with the No. 25 Xfinity Series team.

Ford joined the team with four races remaining in the 2014 season. In 31 races, the team posted one top-10 finish with Dylan Lupton last month at Mid-Ohio.

Prior to his stint with Athenian Motorsports, Ford spent 14 seasons as a Sprint Cup crew chief starting with Bill Elliott in 2000. His teams won 21 races and posted 96 top-fives and 170 top-10 finishes in 458 races. Ford led Danny Hamlin to five Chase for the Sprint Cup berths including the No.11 team's second-place finish in the standings in 2010.

Withdrawal from Dover Xfinity race

The race team released at statement on Monday saying it was withdrawing its entry from the NXS race this weekend at Dover International Speedway and would focus its attention "solely on the No. 05 Chevrolet during Saturday night's Truck Series race at Las Vegas."

Athenian Motorsports added the decision comes at the team "has elected to strengthen its efforts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the remainder of the current season and in 2016."

After 17 races this season, the No. 05 Zaxby's Chevy is currently eighth in the Camping World Truck Series with Townley behind the wheel.

The release added the team will contemplate future NXS events "on a race-by-race basis".

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/athenian-motorsports-parts-ways-with-crew-chief-mike-ford/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Weatherman Paces ARCA Testing At Kansas​*
It would have been a Cunningham Motorsports clean sweep at the top of the leader board Wednesday at Kansas Speedway, if not for Matt Kurzejewski, who stepped it up a notch in the final moments of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open testing.

Kurzejewski, the leading Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge championship contender, stepped in between Cunningham Motorsports teammates Kyle Weatherman and newcomer Sheldon Creed to secure the second fastest speed overall in preparation for the series season finale at Kansas - the Full Throttle S'loonshine 98.9 coming Friday, Oct. 16.

Despite Kurzejewski's final push up the leader board, Weatherman also put out some late afternoon dazzle in the No. 22 Crosley Brands Dodge, turning the fastest lap of the day with a time of 30.874 seconds, an average speed of 174.904 mph.

"That was actually a race run too," Weatherman said. "We never mocked up. The car's really fast. We should be in good shape when we come back."

It was Weatherman's first time turning laps on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.

"Main thing is that I got comfortable, or more comfortable throughout the day I should say&#8230;track is phenomenal&#8230;really, really smooth with tons of grip. I don't want to get too over the top, but I think there's more speed in it. We got most of the speed out of it today, but I think there might be a few 10ths we left out there."

Weatherman, 18, recently sewed up the Calypso Lemonades Short Track Challenge championship and moved into the lead in the SCOTT Rookie of the Year standings following last Saturday's race at Kentucky.

His car owner Kerry Scherer is still in it for the owner championship with just one race remaining.

"I've got high expectations when we come back. Honestly, a top-five would be great, run all the laps and learn. Sure like to give Kerry Scherer that car owner championship&#8230;that's really important to me. I just want to thank Kerry and Briggs Cunningham for all their support this year&#8230;it's been an amazing ride. I can't thank them enough for what they've done for me."

Kurzejewski, in the No. 54 Costy's Energy Services Chevrolet, stopped the clock at 31.337 seconds, an average speed of 172.320 mph.

Sheldon Creed, celebrating his 18th birthday at the track, turned the third fastest speed overall at 171.685 mph. The test was Creed's first laps on a superspeedway in a stock car. Creed competes regularly in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series.

Tom Hessert, also testing for Cunningham Motorsports, was fourth fastest overall at 169.231 mph in the No. 77 Barbera's Autoland Dodge.

Bo LeMastus was fifth fastest overall in his own No. 42 Crosley Brands Dodge at 168.982 mph.

"We're about there &#8230; you always want more, but we learned a lot today," said LeMastus. "We have a really good car. Now we want to get it back home on the pull-down. We can run a 32-flat all day, but we need more. We'll take what we learned, massage a little more on the car and see where we're at."

LeMastus, in his first full season, recently moved into sixth in championship standings after two consecutive top-10 finishes at Salem and Kentucky.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cars/weatherman-paces-arca-testing-at-kansas/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Issues Behavioral Penalties​*
NASCAR indefinitely suspended Brian Allen, motorhome driver for XFINITY Series driver Brian Scott, for infractions that occurred during post race on Sept. 26 at Kentucky Speedway. This is a behavioral penalty (Sections 12.1 and 7.5 of the NASCAR rule book).

Scott's wife, Whitney, along with XFINITY Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. were both also in violation of sections 12.1 and 7.5 and have been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/09/NASCAR-Issues-Behavioral-Penalties.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Dover Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Dover​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway leads NASCAR teams to Dover International Speedway, with 2,877.58 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's AAA 400 is the final race of the Challenger Round. The 16-driver Chase Grid will be trimmed to the top 12 when the checkered flag flies. Points will be reset and those dozen title hopefuls will open the Contender Round Oct. 10 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing has picked up in the post-season right where it left off in the regular season ... winning races. Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth have been victorious the last two weekends and are locked into the next round as two of The 12 Contenders.

Kenseth heads to Delaware's capital city with the Chase points lead and is happy to see the one-mile concrete oval next up on the schedule.

"It's a track that you can really attack, but it isn't very forgiving and everything happens pretty quickly," said Kenseth, who has a six-point lead over teammate Hamlin. "Dover gives me the sensation of speed more than any other track we race on. I've always loved running there."

Kenseth is a two-time winner at Dover, with both victories coming in the track's spring race. He finished 39th there earlier this season.

"It's fast and edgy, even when you're out there by yourself," Kenseth said of "The Monster Mile." "It can get tough to pass when you get all 43 cars out there during the race. Dover isn't very forgiving and the elevation changes can be challenging, too."

Hamlin has three poles at Dover but is still looking for his first Cup Series victory there.

"Our goal remains the same as it's been each week: try to win the race," said Hamlin, who finished 21st in Dover's spring event. "We're in a good position with our victory at Chicagoland Speedway. Being locked into the next round gives us the opportunity to take some chances and try some things outside the box at Dover, which has some characteristics similar to other tracks coming up. We can work on stuff and improve as a team to be better in the next round."

Jimmie Johnson goes into the weekend fifth in the Chase standings, 16 points behind Kenseth. He's the all-time leader in Cup Series wins at Dover with 10, including a victory in this year's first stop there in late May.

Four of the sixteen competitors on The Chase Grid will be dropped from title contention after Sunday's race. The drivers currently occupying positions 13-16 are Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer. Dale Earnhardt Junior holds the final provisional spot to transfer into the Contender Round, just one point clear of the cutoff.

Only two of those five drivers - Busch and Earnhardt - are past winners at Dover. Harvick finished second to Johnson in this year's first race there. Menard was eighth and Bowyer placed ninth.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 starting at 1:30 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Miles2Miami-Dover-International-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Restart Zone Doubled​*
NASCAR announced the size of the restart zone will be doubled starting with this week's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

The zone will increase in size from 70 to 140 feet.

Restarts have been the center of controversy in recent weeks. Brad Keselowski was black-flagged in last Sunday's SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for what was deemed jumping a restart ahead of leader Greg Biffle in the zone.

The NASCAR rulebook states the leader must restart the race inside the zone, which is marked by painted lines on the wall. No driver may accelerate before the leader.

In the past NASCAR created the length of the restart zone in equation to pit road speed, doubling that number to set the zone in number of feet. Dover's pit road speed is 35 mph, which previously made the restart zone 70 fee in length. The new rule now multiplies pit road speed by four.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Restart-Zone-Doubled.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Unique Dover Double For Rhodes​*
Ben Rhodes will participate in a unique double-duty role this weekend at Dover International Speedway that will start off with him in the Motor Racing Network booth before competing in Saturday's XFINITY Series race.

Rhodes, who is the reigning NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, will join MRN's Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle in the broadcast booth on Friday at 5 p.m. (ET) as a guest analyst for the Drive Sober 125 K&N East season finale. The race will be streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

"It's going to be a blast," Rhodes said about joining MRN. "I've never done anything like this before."

After clinching the K&N East title last season one race before Dover, Rhodes will bring some insight to the broadcast as William Byron, Scott Heckert and Austin Hill battle for the 2015 championship.

"I'll bring a new perspective to the booth," Rhodes said, "of somebody that's driven at Dover three times - twice in the K&N Pro Series. I can provide insight on what these drivers are facing, especially the ones in the championship battle."

Rhodes won the K&N Pro Series East championship as a rookie after winning five races. He joined Joey Logano (2007), Ryan Truex (2009) and Kyle Larson (2012) on the list of rookies to accomplish the feat. Byron, who goes into Dover with a 13-point advantage over Heckert and 14 over Hill, will look to become the latest rookie on that list.

Saturday's XFINITY Series Hisense 200 will mark Rhodes' ninth start of the year behind the wheel of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. He'll be looking to bounce back from a late-race accident that marred his chance at a strong finish last weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

"Getting back in the car for a second week in a row is going to be a huge boost to my confidence," Rhodes said. "It'll give me a chance create somewhat of a rhythm and be more comfortable with the car from the start. I'm hoping this will also allow me to build from what I learned last week at Kentucky Speedway and help us get a great finish.

"Since this will be my first XFINITY Series race at Dover, I'll be spending time on a simulator watching last year's race, attending pit practice at Hendrick Motorsports and spending time at the JRM shop with my team to prepare myself."

Rhodes' 10th and final XFINITY Series start of the season with JR Motorsports will come at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 21.

"Right now, I'd like to go full-time," Rhodes said of his 2016 plans. "We still don't have everything together. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to sponsors and teams. But even if I'm part-time, I'll have the experience from 2015 to create and chain together some better finishes and really go for wins."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Hisense 200 XFINITY Series race from Dover International Speedway on Saturday, beginning at 3 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/09/Unique-Dover-Double-for-Ben-Rhodes.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Driving His JR Motorsports Chevy​*
*Breaking News: Elliott Sadler To Join JR Motorsports​*
JR Motorsports announced the addition of OneMain Financial and driver Elliott Sadler to its NASCAR XFINITY Series program for 2016. Sadler will compete full-time for JRM next season and pilot the OneMain Financial Chevrolet Camaro in pursuit of the XFINITY Series championship.

In addition to its season-long primary placement, OneMain Financial will also receive associate branding on all JRM team cars for the full season. Crew chief duties and car number for the OneMain Financial Chevrolet Camaro are still being determined.

"We are very pleased to welcome OneMain Financial and Elliott into the JR Motorsports family," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner and general manager of JRM. "Elliott has raced a few times for us in the past, and now together with OneMain Financial, we're thrilled to put together a championship-caliber team for him in 2016. Off-track, JRM is looking forward to developing a mutually beneficial partnership with OneMain Financial and one that will help further their brand."

OneMain Financial has been helping people realize their financial goals and dreams since 1912. The company is a well-established sponsor in NXS competition and embarks on its 13th year in the sport and sixth year partnering with Sadler.

"We are delighted to continue our commitment to racing as one of the longest running primary sponsors in the NASCAR XFINITY Series," said Mary McDowell, OneMain Financial CEO. "To say we are excited about partnering with JR Motorsports in 2016 is an understatement. Not only will Elliott Sadler continue to represent our brand while driving for us again, but JRM has a number of unique platforms and assets which will prove valuable to our employees, customers and brand."

A veteran racer from Emporia, Va., Sadler has 14 victories to his credit across NASCAR's top-three series. Sadler has been an NXS regular since 2011, twice producing runner-up finishes in the championship point standings (2011-12). Along with 10 victories at the NXS level, he holds 66 top-five and 144 top-10 finishes with 16 poles.

"It's an honor to be in the position to represent JR Motorsports and OneMain Financial on and off the track next season," Sadler said. "I've known Kelley and Dale Jr. a long time, and I respect their passion and desire to win in this business. I'm proud to partner with OneMain Financial and continue our longstanding relationship."

Although 2016 marks Sadler's debut as a full-time JRM driver, he's certainly familiar with competing under the company's banner. In 2010, Sadler made four starts for JRM in NXS competition, earning a best finish of seventh at Michigan International Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...09/Elliott-Sadler-to-Join-JR-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Down But Not Out​*
Kevin Harvick remains confident he can dig himself out of the hole he's in to move on to the next round of the Chase.

Harvick's opening two races of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway dropped the defending series champion to 15th in the standings heading into Sunday's elimination race at Dover International Speedway.

Unless Harvick can find a way out of the bottom four in the standings, he'll be eliminated in Round 1. But don't expect him to change his approach in Sunday's AAA 400.

"It's really no different than how we would approach any other week," Harvick said. "We've been in this position before. You start on Monday and finish up last week, you have your competition meeting, you talk about next week and then you go about normal life.

"So it's really no different, other than the circumstances with the points and the championship and everything that goes with it. But we'll do everything exactly the same."

Harvick has been in this situation before, in fact a couple times last year in his championship season. He believes that experience will benefit his team.

"As a competitor, you know what situations like this are all about," he said. "It's a different round but the same scenario we had last year after Martinsville, with the win in Phoenix and then going into Homestead. You swing for the fence and hope for a spectacular moment."

Although he's never won at Dover, Harvick did finish second to Jimmie Johnson in the season's first visit there in late May. That was one of 10 runner-up finishes he's had this year in a season that, statistically, has been better than his championship effort of 2014. None of that will matter if Harvick can't find a way to move on and survive come Sunday.

He's up to the challenge.

"As you look at the things we've been through as a team over the past couple years, we've been in a lot of intense situations," Harvick said. "These things are kind of a walk in the park compared to - say - the (Dale) Earnhardt situation, taking over his car and having to deal with that back in 2001. It makes these scenarios a little easier to deal with. Those types of things are on a much bigger scale than just performing on the racetrack."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/10/Kevin-Harvick-Down-But-Not-Out.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Rain Cancels Friday Activities At Dover​*
Because of the continued rainfall, NASCAR and Dover International Speedway have announced the cancelation of today's on-track activities.

The "Drive Sober 125" NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race will now be run at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. Grandstand gates at Dover International Speedway will open for fans at 8 a.m.

The Saturday, Oct. 3 "Hisense 200" NASCAR XFINITY Series race will start at the originally scheduled time of 3:30 p.m.

Because both events will be run on the same day, for the convenience of fans, Dover International Speedway will allow anyone with a previously purchased NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race ticket or a NASCAR XFINITY Series race ticket to remain in the grandstands for both events if they choose.

The ticket holder that holds the ticket for that specific event will have priority (i.e. a ticket to the NASCAR XFINITY Series race during the running of that race) for the seating location.

The other ticket holder is asked to move to a nearby, or general admission, seating area for the event. Fans are asked to please contact your usher with any questions or concerns.

The Sunday, Oct. 4 "AAA 400" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will start at its originally scheduled time at 2:30 p.m.

Qualifying for all three series this weekend has been canceled. Starting lineups will be set by NASCAR rulebooks.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Rain-Cancels-Friday-Activities-at-Dover.aspx


----------



## WillYouStopDave

I've never understood the appeal of racing. How many times can you watch a bunch of cars drive in a big circle before you go catatonic?


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Clint Bowyer To Move To HScott Motorsports In 2016​*
As Motorsport.com first reported, Clint Bowyer will spend his gap year at HScott Motorsports (HSM).

Bowyer will pilot the 5-Hour Chevy for the Harry Scott Jr.-owned-team in 2016 prior to taking over driving duties in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Chevy in 2017. Tony Stewart officially announced his retirement from NASCAR Sprint Cup competition on Wednesday.

"Clint's a 10-year veteran that brings leadership, experience and winning ways to our organization," Scott said. "Clint's personality and enthusiasm for racing is something that we're going to welcome to our organization.

"Although he'll only be with us for one year, we plan to make the most of it on and off the track. Our goal next year will be to win races, to make the Chase and contend for a championship."

Bowyer, 36, has eight wins, two poles, 57 top fives and 161 top 10 finishes in 348 starts along with five Chase appearances and an Xfinity Series championship.

HSM will have a technical alliance with SHR and 5-Hour will serve as the primary sponsor in 24 races.

"For us to compete at a higher level we needed all of the right elements to come together," explained Scott. "I believe those elements came together with the driver in Clint, sponsorship from 5-hour ENERGY and the extended relationship with Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas. This opportunity has brought an unprecedented level of excitement to our entire organization."

Since 2012, Bowyer has piloted the No. 15 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. Although he's qualified for the Chase in three of the last four years, Bowyer hasn't been to Victory Lane since Charlotte in the fall of 2012.

Bowyer's progress at MWR has been hampered by the Spingate debacle in 2013 and most recently at Chicagoland, where the No. 15 Toyota was too low on all four corners and cost the team 25 owner and driver points which knocked him to the cellar of the Chase standings.

"We're going to build a great program here and when I leave there, I want to leave there with him having a winning organization and an established team to where he can put the next driver in and go for broke just like he did for us," Bowyer said. "That's what I want to do at HScott Motorsports."

A fresh start

The move to HScott Motorsports and consequent home at SHR will offer Bowyer the opportunity to revitalize his Sprint Cup career.

Scott's foray into NASCAR began as a sponsor before he moved into the ownership side of the sport. In late 2013, Scott purchased James Finch's Phoenix Racing team. The following season, he fielded a full-time effort for Justin Allgaier and then expanded his Cup operation to two cars this season with Michael Annett in the No. 46 team.

Scott also fields teams in the Xfinity and K&N Pro Series.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/clint-bowyer-to-move-to-hscott-motorsports-in-2016/


----------



## Ckg2011

WillYouStopDave said:


> I've never understood the appeal of racing. How many times can you watch a bunch of cars drive in a big circle before you go catatonic?


 I like it and it's fun to watch people drive race cars at insane speeds on the edge of control.


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## WillYouStopDave

Ckg2011 said:


> I like it and it's fun to watch people drive race cars at insane speeds on the edge of control.


 But it doesn't look that fast on TV unless the camera is really close and then you can't see what's really going on. The only angle where you can see what's happening, it just looks like a bunch of wasp-inspired cars driving in a big circle all day long until they wear out their tires.


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## Ckg2011

*Pressure On For Busch​*
When Kyle Busch was sidelined from injuries suffered from a crash in the season opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona in February, many questioned if he would be able to qualify for this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

When Busch returned to competition three months later after recovering from his injuries, he went to Victory Lane four times and officially earned a spot in the Chase following the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington, one race before the Chase field was set at Richmond in September.

Now with the third and final race remaining in the Challenger Round of the Chase this weekend at Dover International Speedway, Busch is on the outside looking in for advancing to the Contender Round, sitting 13th in the standings and trailing Dale Earnhardt Jr. by a single point to reach the 12th-place cutoff.

Busch went to New Hampshire last week fourth in points but was the victim of a cut tire which sent him into the outside wall, into the garage for repairs, and relegated him to a 37th-place finish.

"It's September, October, November, right? That's typically the time of the season where something seems to happen to myself," Busch said. "This is the time of year that you've got to have everything go your way and everything go right. To blow a tire 23 laps into a run, that just doesn't make sense."

So for Busch at Dover, a place where he's been to Victory Lane twice in the Sprint Cup Series, his mission is simple: Win.

"I think that's the name of what our season has been - win and make enough points to try and transfer through," Busch said. "We've gotta make sure we do what we've always done here at Dover: run strong, run up front, and collect a good finish here and hopefully the points will take care of itself."

Busch has a 14.9 10-race average finish at the "Monster Mile" but finished 36th in June's race. He was 10th in this race last fall.

If winning isn't possible, Busch can still points race his way past the cutoff spot, but he has strong competition also vying for the same goal.

"This is where people come out and show exactly what they're worth and what they are and how much they want to win this championship," Busch said. "We gotta come into this weekend and concentrate on beating Paul Menard, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jamie McMurray - those are some guys that have run really well this year."

Earnhardt Jr. (12.6, 12th in points) has a better 10-race average than Busch. Menard (15.8, 14th in points) and McMurray (17.7, 11th in points) trail in that category. Busch is also racing 4-time Champion Jeff Gordon (10th in points), defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick (15th in points) and Clint Bowyer (16th in points) who has nine straight top-10 finishes at Dover.

With rain washing out all on-track activity at Dover on Friday, the lineup for Sunday's AAA 400 was set by the rule book, giving Busch a 13th starting spot. With rain also in the forecast for Saturday, Busch and his no. 18 M&Ms team will rely on past experience and the fact that they've been fast on a weekly basis.

"We've been really good this year of unloading and having some strong cars and good speed off the truck," Busch said. "I actually look forward to having no practice time here. I think it'll be good for the 18 team. We'll be ready, we'll be prepared."

Busch has had his share of trouble during the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the past. Busch has never visited Victory Lane during the Chase in his previous seven appearances. Of his 33 career Sprint Cup victories, only three have come after September 1st.

"You just gotta go into each weekend knowing you've got to do your job. As long as you do your job, hopefully everything aligns right and you move on," Busch said. "In years past I don't know that it's necessarily been a particular track or particular moment that knocks us out of the Chase. It doesn't happen at the same spot every year."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's AAA 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Dover International Speedway beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN app._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Pressure-On-For-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Collin Cabre won Saturday's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Drive Sober 125 at Dover International Speedway while William Byron captured the championship with a ninth-place finish. (Photos: Getty Images)​*
*Cabre Wins And Byron Takes Title​*
William Byron found it was worth the wait at the Monster Mile.

The 17-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, raised the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship trophy Saturday afternoon at Dover International Speedway. His No. 9 Liberty University Chevrolet finished ninth in the Drive Sober 125 presented by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

The delay didn't slow down Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Collin Cabre, either, as the 21-year-old from Tampa, Florida, scored his first career victory.

The series finale was postponed from Friday because of inclement weather. It was originally moved to early Saturday morning, and then additional rain pushed the green flag start to 12:30 p.m. Practice and qualifying was washed out and the starting lineup was set according to the rulebook.

Cabre became the sixth different driver from the NASCAR Drive For Diversity program to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race and gave Rev Racing, which has fielded the competition team for the program since 2010, its 17th win.

Cabre's No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota crossed the finish line 6.454 seconds in front of series veteran Eddie MacDonald.

Byron entered the event with a 13-point lead over teammate Scott Heckert and 14 over two-time Dover winner Austin Hill. But Hill dropped out of the race while running third on Lap 36 because of a mechanical issue, and Byron led enough early laps that he needed to just finish in the top 10 to ensure the title.

Rico Abreu finished third, followed by Spencer Davis and Nick Drake.

JJ Haley, Corey LaJoie, Landon Cassill, Byron and Heckert completed the top 10.

Byron led the championship standings since the third race of the season. He completed the season with four wins, five top fives and 11 top 10s in 14 starts to become the fourth youngest champion in series history. At 17 years, 10 months and 4 days, he trails only Joey Logano, who was the youngest winner when he captured the title in 2007, Ryan Truex (2009) and Ben Rhodes (2014).

Byron also follows Dylan Kwasniewski (2013) and Rhodes in giving HScott Motorsports With Justin Marks its third consecutive K&N Pro Series East championship.

The Drive Sober 125 will air on NBCSN on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. The race aired live on the Motor Racing Network.






_Byron and the rest of the top NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers will be honored at the NASCAR Touring Night of Champions Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center/NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Dec. 12._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...er-and-William-Byron-Takes-KN-East-Title.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*500th Start for Jimmie Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson will make his 500th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start in Sunday's AAA 400.

The milestone will come at Johnson's best track on the circuit based on wins and laps led, Dover International Speedway. This past May Johnson won at Dover for the 10th time and pushed his total laps led to 2,999.

"I clearly love coming to this racetrack and excited to be back for a Chase race," Johnson said. "I wish all 10 events of the Chase could be here at this racetrack. I think it would be a good thing for the No. 48."

Rain washed out practice and qualifying for the AAA 400 on Friday and shortened today's two practices to about an hour of total track time. Johnson will start fifth in the race and was eighth fastest in the two abbreviated practices.

"I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if we weren't on the track a lot," Johnson said on Friday. "There are new things that develop on the car through the course of the year and we would really like to get out on the track and at least get an hour to feel things out and understand where the balance of the car is."

Johnson's 10 Dover wins are just part of his long list of accomplishments that he's achieved in his first 499 starts that includes six championships. This weekend, Johnson's car is carrying a decal that reads "Jimmie Johnson 500th start. One Driver. One Team. One Sponsor."

"It's been a life changing experience, one that I'm extremely grateful for and an experience I think really shows what the power of people can do," Johnson said. "The situation that was created between Lowe's and Hendrick Motorsports, starting the team, Chad Knaus (crew chief) and myself being put together, the guys that have put their heart and soul into this team and started it and created it. The people made the success of the No. 48, all of us together, the team. To be on that team, is just something that I dreamed of, but I still couldn't have dreamed this big and have this much take place for us."

As of late restarts have been in the spotlight and NASCAR has doubled the restart zone from 70 to 140 feet starting at Dover. In the 2013 June race at Dover, Johnson was penalized for jumping a restart with 19 laps remaining while running second. Johnson's 17th-place finish in that race is his only finish outside the top 10 in the last 10 Dover races.

"To lengthen that box, I think is a great move," Johnson said. "I am hopeful that they lengthen the box and bring it closer to the start/finish line. I think it will slow down some of the three and four wide, into Tune 1 scenarios we have had. It will be less distance to get speed built up closer to the start/finish line and I think we will maybe control that space a little bit better. We should have really better side-by-side restarts, which is what everybody is after. And then obviously, the goal here is to give control back to the guy that has earned it - to the leader. That's what happens and I am in favor of it. It's a good call and I am excited to see how it plays out."

Johnson's car owner Jeff Gordon will be making his last Dover start on Sunday as he will be retiring at season's end. Tony Stewart became the latest driver to announce that he will be ending his Sprint Cup driving career at the end of the 2016 season. But for Johnson - who has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 2001 - he's not ready yet to start thinking about a timetable for retirement.

"No, I do not have a number and I have not picked a number," Johnson said. "As a kid growing up racing and as I got in the sport, I didn't say, 'when I get to this age, I am going to step down.' I haven't had that conversation and have not picked a number with my wife and said, 'okay honey, this is the point that I am going to stop'. It's really been based on feel and I have Chani's support on that as well. When I feel like it's time, I am going to make that decision. Certainly don't feel like it's time now."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the AAA 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Dover International Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/10/500th-Start-for-Jimmie-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Regan Smith Leads Denny Hamlin​*
*Smith Wins At Dover​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6806&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Regan Smith charged from fourth to first during a restart on Lap 121 and stayed there for the rest of the Hisense 200 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Dover International Speedway Saturday, posting his second victory of the season and working his way back into championship contention.

After a 31-minute rain delay, Smith passed Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and leader Elliott Sadler on the restart on Lap 121 of 200, staved off intense pressure from Hamlin midway through the final green-flag run and pulled away as the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates battled for second place.

Without a concrete deal in place for next season, Smith won for the first time at the Monster Mile-in fact, the 80 laps he led were the first circuits he had ever spent out front at Dover. The victory was the sixth of Smith's career, and all of them have come under the JR Motorsports banner.

Hamlin won the fight for the runner-up spot, crossing the finish line .703 seconds behind Smith. Busch led a race-high 110 laps and came home third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson.

Austin Dillon ran sixth, one spot ahead of Chase Elliott, who moved into second place in the series standings, 24 points behind leader Chris Buescher, who finished eighth on Saturday. Smith, who rallied from a flat tire in the first third of the race, took over third in points, 36 behind Buescher.

"I knew the car was fast, but I didn't know it was that fast until we got out in clean air," Smith said in Victory Lane. "This wasn't a Hail May. We came from the back to the front and just had a fast race car.

"If we can keep doing that every week, and get another win or two here or there, I don't know what's going to happen. I'm trying to figure out some things for next year, so wins never hurt-that's never a bad thing going forward."

A victory for Smith was not even a remote consideration when a light rain began falling shortly after the halfway point, with the race already under caution for a wreck involving Stanton Barrett and Cale Conley on Lap 106.

Sadler, whose 2016 move to JR Motorsports was announced on Friday, took two new tires under the yellow and was first off pit road, leading the race and praying for a monsoon. But the rain abated, depriving Sadler of a going-away present to Roush Fenway Racing, the organization he will leave at season's end.

"I've never had much luck with the rain," Sadler said ruefully. "I've always been on the wrong side of that, going back to the 2009 Daytona 500 (where Sadler was fifth with a chance to win when the race was called because of rain after 152 laps)."

Note: Ty Dillon cut a tire and hit the outside wall on Lap 24, resulting in a 28th-place finish. He slipped from second to fourth in the series standings, 39 points back of Buescher.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/10/Smith-Wins-At-Dover.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Townley Scores First Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6841&StatType=Race+Results

John Wes Townley collected his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday night, saving just enough fuel during his final run to win the Rhino Linings 350.

Townley, who qualified his No. 05 Chevrolet second, battled among the top five for much of the race taking the lead from two-time series champion Matt Crafton with five laps to go when Crafton was forced to pit road for a splash of fuel.

Townley's victory came in the Georgia veteran's 89th career start. He scored a previous-best finish of third at Texas Motor Speedway in June. His best performance at Las Vegas had been a seventh place.

Both Townley and crew chief Michael Shelton credited the team's spotter, Terry Cook, for coaching Townley through the deciding laps.

"I would have run out of gas if it hadn't been for Terry," said Townley of the former series competitor. "I took care of this thing (truck) tonight and it took care of me. This is amazing; awesome."

Said Shelton, a former series championship crew chief, "It's been a lot of time coming. He's (Townley) had a tough career at times."

Crafton, who led the most laps and qualified his No. 88 Toyota on the pole, finished eighth. He closed the gap on championship leader Erik Jones to four points as Jones finished ninth.

Red Horse Racing teammates Timothy Peters and Ben Kennedy drove their Toyotas to second and third-place finishes, respectively. John Hunter Nemechek, who won at Chicagoland Speedway last month in a race also dictated by fuel mileage, took fourth despite being involved in an early caution. Brandon Jones was fifth.

Nine different drivers swapped the lead 15 times with Crafton-whose ThorSport Racing truck had been the fastest in both practice and qualifying-leading seemingly at will. His greatest challenge came from a teammate, Cameron Hayley, who passed Crafton on the 69th lap and built a lead of five seconds before a slow pit stop dropped him back in the field.

Hayley's Toyota, running third behind Crafton and Townley, also ran short of fuel and finished 10th.

Contact in Turn 4 on lap 14 between Brad Keselowski Racing teammates Austin Theriault and Tyler Reddick sent Theriault's No. 29 Ford head-on into the outside wall, triggering the race's first caution. Theriault was assisted from his truck by safety workers and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation, where he reportedly was awake and alert. (Update on Theriault)

Reddick continued to finish seventh and remain in championship contention, 16 points behind Jones.

Johnny Sauter, the race's 2009 winner, and Nemechek triggered another caution on lap 49, spinning in Turn 2 while battling for the runner-up position behind leader Peters. Both continued after pit stops for repairs.

*Notes:* Defending Rhino Linings 350 winner Jones, who entered the season's 18th event leading Crafton by seven points, qualified his No. 4 Toyota 15th but fell to the rear of the field at the start after his Kyle Busch Motorsports crew made an engine change. &#8230; Action sports star Travis Pastrana made his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start, finishing 16th. Pastrana was 15th in his initial appearance, also at LVMS in 2012.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/10/John-Wes-Townley-Scores-First-Win.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Statement From BKR Regarding Theriault​*
Brad Keselowski Racing driver Austin Theriault was transported to University Medical Center in Las Vegas during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Theriault underwent a comprehensive CT scan of the upper body, which showed a 10 percent compression fracture of the lower back. Theriault was released and will travel back to North Carolina where he will follow up with an orthopedic specialist for further treatment.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Racing-Regarding-Driver-Austin-Theriault.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*William Byron Is Heading To Trucks After Winning K&N East Championship​*
For all practical purposes, William Byron's racing career is just getting started.

A rookie of the year title and championship in NASCAR's K&N Pro Series East is certainly a solid foundation from which to launch.

Byron, 17, won four of 15 races and his ninth-place finish in Saturday's rain-delayed series finale at Dover (Del.) International Speedway easily allowed him to clinch the series title.

"This feels awesome. We put a lot of hard work into this with this being our first year in the K&N Pro Series and just my third year racing. I didn't know what to expect," said Byron, a native of Charlotte, N.C., and still a high school student.



> I think his potential is unlimited. Obviously, he has innate talent. He started later than a lot of these guys started in their careers
> 
> Harry Scott Jr. on William Byron


 "I just kind of learned on the fly as we went. I picked up a few wins early in the season and then raced hard from there to win the championship."

It was a tough way to race for a title as Byron was racing at Dover for the first time in a race postponed from Friday and with no practice or qualifying.

"I tried not to think about the race too much. The more I think about races, the more that goes through your mind. It's important to keep your mind focused," Byron said. "It's tough. There are a lot of good cars in this series and we had to race hard and aggressive for this championship."

Moving up to the national level

Byron is already set to move up the NASCAR ladder.

He said he will be competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series next season and he hoped a deal with a team would be finalized very soon.

Byron's team owner in K&N, Harry Scott Jr., said there is no doubt Byron is on a fast-track to success.

"I think his potential is unlimited," Scott said. "Obviously, he has innate talent. He started later than a lot of these guys started in their careers. He gets it - he understands it.

"He has the right attitude and the right temperament. He's very smart about the way he drives and he also is open to learning from veterans."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-tr...o-trucks-after-winning-k-n-east-championship/


----------



## Ckg2011

*RPM Renews Partnership With Ford Performance​*
Richard Petty Motorsports looks to strengthen ties with the Blue Oval in 2016 and beyond.

Richard Petty Motorsports will continue its relationship with Ford Performance, sources have confirmed to Motorsport.com.

An announcement is scheduled at the team's Mooresville, N.C. shop on Tuesday.

The organization enjoys a storied past under the guidance of seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty. RPM currently fields two Sprint Cup teams and an Xfinity Series program.

The foundation of RPM stems from Evernham Motorsports, which debuted in 2000. RPM evolved from the four-Dodge team from Gillett Evernham Motorsports and began making the transition to Ford at the end of the 2009 season.

Current RPM principal Andy Murstein rescued the company in November 2010 and the organization scaled down to the Nos. 43 and 9 Fords the following season. RPM has since won three Sprint Cup races.

Last season, Aric Almirola's victory in the No. 43 Ford at Daytona International Speedway enabled the organization to transfer into the Chase for the first time since Kasey Kahne pulled off the feat in 2009 and finished 10th.

Almirola has enjoyed a solid season in 2015 with two top fives and three top 10 finishes. He is currently 17th in the point standings and is enjoying a career-best average finish for the season.

The organization is currently evaluating the status of the No. 9 Ford as Sam Hornish Jr. has struggled to remain in the top 25 despite a change of crew chiefs.

The relationship with Ford Performance and the King dates back to 1969 when Petty piloted the No. 43 Ford Torino to nine wins and a second-place finish in the point standings to fellow Ford racer David Pearson.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/rpm-renews-partnership-with-ford-performance/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Story Lines​*
The third and final race of the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will take the green flag later today at Dover International Speedway, with Motor Racing Network's live coverage starting at 1:30 p.m. (ET).

While Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin are safely secure to advance to the Challenger Round after taking checkered flags in the first two races of the Chase, their teammate Kyle Busch is beyond the current cutoff line. The driver who stole the show this summer by going to Victory Lane four times after returning from injuries sustained earlier this season, seemed to be a lock to make it deep in NASCAR's playoffs. But with a 37th place finish after a cut tire sent him into the outside wall at New Hampshire last week, he dropped from 4th to 13th in the standings.

"This is the time of year that you've got to have everything go your way and everything go right. To blow a tire 23 laps into a run, that just doesn't make sense," said Busch on a rainy Friday in Dover.

He's racing against Jeff Gordon, who is currently 10th in points and winless in the final season of his Hall of Fame career, but is the defending winner of the AAA 400 at Dover.

"Last year was really memorable to win this race," Gordon said. "We didn't have to win that race in order to move on, we just needed to have a solid day and I feel like we are in a very similar position this weekend."

Gordon is 11 points ahead of the cutoff spot, currently held by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jamie McMurray is one point ahead of Earnhardt Jr, while Paul Menard, defending Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer are all on the outside looking in. Each can advance to the Challenger Round with a win today.

*Harvick Down But Not Out* 
Kevin Harvick remains confident he can dig himself out of the hole he's in to move on to the next round of the Chase.

Harvick's opening two races of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway dropped the defending series champion to 15th in the standings heading into today's elimination race at Dover International Speedway.

*Johnson to Make 500th Start*
Jimmie Johnson will make his 500th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start in today's AAA 400.

The milestone will come at Johnson's best track on the circuit based on wins and laps led, Dover International Speedway. This past May Johnson won at Dover for the 10th time and pushed his total laps led to 2,999.

*Limited practice* 
Rain washed out practice and qualifying for the AAA 400 on Friday and shortened Saturday's two practices to about an hour of total track time. Harvick paced the final practice with Kurt Busch posting the best 10 consecutive average. Kasey Kahne, who finished fourth at Dover in May, topped the Saturday's opening practice and best 10 consecutive average.

*Restart Zone *
NASCAR announced the size of the restart zone will be doubled starting with the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

The zone will increase in size from 70 to 140 feet.

"I absolutely love it," said Jeff Gordon. "I think it's a great move. I've been asking for this for a while. I think we just kind of went too extreme. It used to be a mark on the wall and it was go in the vicinity of this mark and this area, but really the way the rules were written you could kind of go all the way to the start/finish line. People pushed the limits on that and forced NASCAR to make this box that we currently have. The box was always too small. It just makes the whole front row very vulnerable and not just the second-place car, but the leader as well. It has needed to be bigger. My only question is did they go big enough? I think the bigger the track the bigger we are going to need to make it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Dover-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Dominates Dover To Advance​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6816&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Kevin Harvick went to Phoenix last fall needing to win to advance in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He won.

On Sunday he went in to AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway needing to do the same. He did.

Harvick led 355 laps on route to his third win of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season, the 31st of his career, and more importantly he advances to the Contender Round of the Chase. It was also the 750th win for manufacturer Chevrolet in Sprint Cup Series competition.

"I'm just so proud of everybody from Stewart-Haas Racing to do everything that we've done the last three weeks, really," Harvick said. "Obviously we weren't in a great position coming in to today. That's what these guys are made of and that's what teamwork is all about."

Harvick started 15th but quickly worked his way through traffic, taking the lead from Matt Kenseth on lap 24.

Harvick would maintain a two to three second lead for much of the race and consistently ran lap times that were faster than his competition. His pit crew also had fast stops all day, allowing him to be the leader on most restarts.

"It was just one of those weekends where the car was really good and they believed," said Harvick referring to his Stewart-Haas Racing no. 4 Budweiser team. "Everybody wins. That's why they are so great."

Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jamie McMurray and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.

Harvick joins Kenseth and Denny Hamlin as winners in the Challenger Round and they automatically advance to the Contender round of the Chase.

The trio will be joined by Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Contender round which begins next Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

How Harvick Won: He attacked restarts all day, jumping out to leads and then driving away from the competition. Harvick had to make one final strong restart on lap 376 to preserve the lead. He quickly drove away from Larson and maintained until the checkered flag flew.

"Anytime you can go through moments like this and gain some momentum and prove to yourself that you can do things like this, there's no way you can't be stronger," Harvick said. "I'm just proud of those guys and so proud of our fans and everybody for all the support this week."

*Who Had a Good Day:* Aric Almirola who drove to a fifth-place finish. Almirola missed this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, but has had promising runs over the last month. After qualifying for last year's chase but failing to do the same again this year, Almirola's Richard Petty Motorsports team was looking to finish the season strong.

"That was a good run for us. I'm really proud of the guys," Almirola said. "That's two top-fives in a row here at Dover. It was a really good job."

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Jimmie Johnson entered the day in what most thought was pretty good shape for advancing to the Contender Round of the Chase.

When Johnson broke a rear axle seal 100 laps in to the AAA 400, his hopes for advancing were on the ropes. Johnson spent 36 laps in the garage for repairs, and returned to the track in 43rd. His only hopes of staying within the top 12 in points, was for Harvick to not win. (Read More)

*What Else Happened:* Ricky Stenhouse Jr. flew under the radar much of the day and came home in the eighth position, just his second top-10 finish of the season.

"We felt good in practice, so we were looking forward to the race even though we didn't have a lot of practice," Stenhouse Jr. said. "The first run we picked some cars off and felt like we were pretty good on the long fun again, which has been our strong suit lately."

Stenhouse used tire strategy at the end to charge in the closing laps.

"We came in and got tires and got a good restart and was able to drive up through the field and really got the outside working at the end to go from 15th to eighth," Stenhouse Jr. said. "I'm really excited about that finish and our performance."

*Quote of the Day:* "The last two restarts I started on the bottom and got my butt handed to me, so the circumstance was really hard to pass," Joey Logano after challenging for the lead but finishing a disappointing 10th.

*Notable:* Jeff Gordon in his final Dover start finished 12th.

"We were pretty solid in the top 10 all day long," Gordon said. "We've got through a lot and it hasn't been pretty. That's kind of the way today was. We knew we needed to be in the top 10 or top 11, or maybe 12th, if we were lucky."

Gordon goes to Charlotte next week, the site of his first career victory in 1994, still winless in his final season as a Sprint Cup driver.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ns-AAA-400-to-Advance-to-Contender-Round.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mechanical Issue Eliminates Johnson​*
Jimmie Johnson's 500th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start did not end the way he wanted it to.

Johnson failed to advance to the Contender Round in the Chase after a mechanical issue relegated him to a 41st-place finish in Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway. The finish marked Johnson's worst in 28 starts at Dover and only his second outside the top 10 in the last 16 races there.

Johnson finished 36 laps down after he was forced to the garage for repairs to his No. 48 Chevrolet. The team had to replace the rear-end assembly due to a broken rear axle seal. He returned to the track on lap 140.

"Definitely disappointed," said Johnson, who was 32 points ahead of the cut line when he went to the garage. "It's tough having a very inexpensive axle seal be the culprit and take your championship hopes away. It's racing, I've had mechanicals take me out of championships growing up that led to some success for myself and I'm sure helped me with a championship or two. It's just part of racing. It just shows how critical everything is on a race team. And how important every component is and you can't take anything for granted. "

Johnson, who is a 10-time Dover winner, came into today's race fifth in the Chase standings. He leaves Dover 14th in points and without a chance to win a seventh championship in 2015.

"Heartbreaking for sure, but I don't know what else we can do about it we just have to go on and try to win races and close out the season strong," Johnson said.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...inated-at-Dover-after-a-Mechanical-Issue.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Challenging Day For Truex Jr​*
Martin Truex Jr. suffered through a frustrating day in Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

The Furniture Row Racing driver was forced to start at the rear of the field for an unapproved body manipulation. NASCAR officials found the right rear of Truex Jr.'s car was bowed out during inspection. The team repaired the problem and although there will be no additional penalties, Truex Jr. gave up his ninth starting spot to drop back to 43rd.

It was an uphill battle all day for Truex Jr. He fought handling issues and lacked speed throughout the 400-lap event when he was caught in traffic.

"Yeah we had to start last," Truex Jr. explained. "It is what it is we moved on, we did what we had to do.

"It wasn't a great day for us. It wasn't a great weekend. We have been struggling trying to get the thing turning. All in all we had good speed when we would get track position. We would lose track position and being in long lines on the restarts when we couldn't really go anywhere. It was really difficult to pass today. We had good speed out front, top five speed and then just never really could get back there once we got back in traffic."

The good news for Truex Jr. is he finished 11th and was able to survive and move on to the Contender Round of the Chase.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/10/Challenging-Day-For-Truex-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Advances, McMurray Does Not​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray entered Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway just a single point apart with the possibility of being eliminated from advancing to the Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Earnhardt with a third place finish, along with the help of a best finish by round tiebreaker rule, advances to the next round and his quest for his first Sprint Cup Series title stays alive after he and McMurray left Dover tied in the standings.

To advance, Earnhardt Jr. needed to pass McMurray in the closing laps on Sunday and did so very aggressively.

"Well it was a great move that Dale Jr. made on the outside," McMurray said. "I was waving at Matt (Kenseth), hoping that he would let me in, and I really didn't feel like the outside was the place to be and he just did a really good job and got a great run on me."

"The car did everything we needed," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We kind of got lucky to start on the outside of that one restart and just kind of went around them somehow."

"I just drove it in there and it stuck," Earnhardt Jr. added.

Earnhardt Jr. spent much of the day battling back from a loose wheel he suffered in the middle portion of the race, causing him to make an extra pit stop under caution.

"Yeah I knew we were a good enough team to get in there," Earnhardt said. "We made some mistakes together last week in New Hampshire and put ourselves in a bad position, but I knew we were a good enough team to make it to the next round."

McMurray was consistent throughout the 2015 season and qualified for his first Chase appearance this season. Despite falling out after the first round, McMurray is staying optimistic.

Well, running fourth today is really good for the overall points," McMurray said. "And right now you focus on trying to finish fifth in points. If we would have a car like this every week, we realistically can get there and that would be a great year for us"

Earnhardt now goes to Charlotte Motor Speedway next Saturday night with hopes of hosting the Sprint Cup as seasons' end.

"It kind of resets and hopefully we don't make any mor mistakes and make it too hard on ourselves to try and get to that next round," Earnhardt Jr. said.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Earnhardt-Jr-Advances-McMurray-Does-Not.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Dover Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway produced a lot of drama in the lives of many drivers.

*WINNERS*​
*Kevin Harvick*
NASCAR's "Mr. Clutch" did it again with a dominating performance, leading 355 laps and winning Sunday to advance Harvick to the next round of the Chase. He's made a habit of rising to the occasion on the biggest stages.

*Kyle Busch*
He was on the Chase bubble going into Dover and there was no margin for error on Sunday. Busch had nothing for Harvick - nobody did - but was very strong to finish second and move on in the championship picture.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Turned in an aggressive drive to get around Jamie McMurray for the third spot late in Sunday's race, which proved to be the winning move to move on in the Chase. Earnhardt could have easily been on the sidelines after Round 1 without that effort.

*Aric Almirola*
No chance for a championship after missing the Chase cutoff, but Almirola has turned in some impressive drives in recent weeks. Richard Petty Motorsports continued its history of running well at Dover with Almirola turning in a fifth-place performance.

*Kasey Kahne*
A dismal season saw a bright spot Sunday and, really, over the entire weekend in Dover for Kahne - who had one of the fastest cars in the garage. The Hendrick Motorsports driver put things together for a much-needed sixth-place finish.

*LOSERS​*
*Jimmie Johnson*
There was a feeling that the first round would leave one of the sport's big names behind, but not many expected it to be Johnson ... especially at Dover, where he's been so dominant in his career. But a broken rear axle seal sent him to a 41st-place finish, sealing his fate. Johnson will now play the role of spoiler the rest of the season.

*Jamie McMurray*
A valiant effort for McMurray and the Chip Ganassi Racing team came up short. A fourth-place finish was not enough for him to advance to the next round.

*Paul Menard*
Tried to duplicate Richard Childress Racing teammate Ryan Newman's strategy of using consistent finishes to advance in the Chase. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out for Menard after his 25th-place effort Sunday eliminated him from the "playoffs."

*Kurt Busch*
Gremlins hurt Busch's shot at running better than he did with an eventual 17th-place finish. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver better hope those kinds of gremlins don't return now that he's advanced into the second round.

*Justin Allgaier*
His 27th-place run wasn't the worst part of the weekend. Allgaier appears to be the odd man out at HScott Motorsports after Friday's announcement that Clint Bowyer will join the organization to team with Michael Annett. Allgaier's future remains unclear.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nternational-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Axalta Sponsorship Moves To Earnhardt's '88'​*
Axalta Coatings Systems will continue its long-standing partnership with Hendrick Motorsports with a contract extension that will expand its NASCAR presence through 2018.

Beginning next year, Axalta will become a primary sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet for 13 races. The company, based in Philadphia, also will be featured as a major associate sponsor in the other events.

The agreement announced Tuesday extends a multi-faceted partnership that began in November 1992 when the company first sponsored Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 team. Gordon, who is in his final full-time Sprint Cup season, will continue to work with Axalta as a spokesperson and global business advisor.

"We began a journey 23 years ago with Hendrick Motorsports and a young driver named Jeff Gordon. Eighty poles, 92 wins and four championships later, we're proud of the run we've had with Jeff," said Nigel Budden, Axalta vice president and head of North America business. "Now, we're delighted to continue our relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr. As our slogan says, 'We Paint Winners.' By joining Dale, we'll continue to do so for years to come."

Earlier this month, the two companies broke ground on Axalta's 45,000-square-foot Customer Experience Center that will be located on the Hendrick Motorsports campus.

"Axalta has built a model sponsorship program," said Rick Hendrick. "For 23 years, they've recognized the opportunities NASCAR provides and understood how it drives value for their business. It's a unique relationship that's evolved with the times and has been consistently effective. We're proud of what we've accomplished as partners and look forward to more successes together with Dale and the No. 88 team."

Earnhardt, 40, has 25 career Sprint Cup victories including two this season. He's a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 and NASCAR's 12-time Most Popular Driver as voted by fans.

"Axalta and Hendrick Motorsports have an incredible story," Earnhardt said. "It's meaningful to work with a sponsor that's been so committed to our sport and has such a rich history in NASCAR. Continuing the partnership is special for all of us and I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...onsorship-Moves-to-Dale-Earnhardt-Jrs-88.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: RPM Stays With Ford​*
With its manufacturer affiliation confirmed for next season and beyond, Richard Petty Motorsports is still working on its Sprint Cup Series driver roster for 2016.

The team made it official on Tuesday that it will remain in the Ford camp, but who joins Aric Almirola to drive at RPM is uncertain. Almirola will return to the No. 43 Ford after signing a three-year contract - along with sponsor Smithfield - in 2014.

But Sam Hornish Jr. has struggled in the team's No. 9 entry and is not guaranteed to come back in 2016. He's 27th in the point standings heading into Saturday night's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. CEO Brian Moffitt spoke about Hornish and the "9" car during Tuesday's Ford announcement.

"Sam has been disappointed, we've been disappointed," said Moffitt. "We've seen improvement. He had a great race going at New Hampshire. He was in that range we needed him to be in, 11th to 16th. We need to finish. That's been our issue."

Should RPM decide to make a change, possible replacements for Hornish include current XFINITY Series points leader Chris Buescher, who is already in the Ford family as a member of Roush Fenway Racing. Justin Allgaier, who will be replaced by Clint Bowyer at HScott Motorsports next season, is another name. He could bring Brandt sponsorship with him to RPM.

Regarding the continuation of RPM's relationship with Ford, Richard Petty says this partnership is critical to the race team sustaining its growth.

"Our relationship with Ford Performance has a history, a present and now a future of winning races and competing for championships," Petty said. "As we took on additional internal responsibilities over the past 12 months, Dave Pericak and his team at Ford Performance have been with us supporting Richard Petty Motorsports each step of the way. To know they will continue to be our partner is important to our combined desire to make RPM a championship-caliber organization."

*Harvick Gives Chevrolet a Milestone Win*
Kevin Harvick's dramatic win Sunday at Dover International Speedway was a big victory for Chevrolet ... its 750th Cup Series win, more than any other manufacturer. It's the 48th victory for the Chevy SS model since its debut in 2013. Fonty Flock, driving a 1955 Chevrolet, scored the manufacturer's first Cup Series victory on March 26, 1955, at Columbia (S.C.) Speedway.

"To be the first manufacturer to reach 750 wins is a credit to all of the drivers and teams who have partnered or worked with Chevrolet over all of these decades," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motor sports. "These victories are the result of tremendous teamwork involving owners, drivers, crew chiefs, crews and technical partners."

*XFINITY Race Features Cup Flavor*
There will be a strong Sprint Cup presence in Friday night's Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Among the 40 entries are full-time Cup competitors Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Landon Cassill and J.J. Yeley. Dillon won the May XFINITY Series race at CMS while Keselowski was victorious in last fall's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ichard-Petty-Motorsports-Stays-With-Ford.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Breaks of The Game​*
I had a feeling one of NASCAR's superstars would be eliminated after Round 1 of this year's Chase. But I had no idea it would be Jimmie Johnson.

Kevin Harvick seemed to be the likely choice after his opening two performance in the Challenger Round. Either Kyle Busch or Dale Earnhardt Jr. getting kicked to the curb wouldn't have completely surprised me as both came to the elimination race in Dover on the Chase bubble.

But they stepped up their games to the tune of second- and third-place finishes, respectively, to march into the Contender Round. It turned out to be Johnson, the victim of a broken axle seal, as the big name left behind.

There were two distinctly different voices heard after the six-time champion's quest for title No. 7 came to an end. One was from the anti-Johnson brigade which rejoiced in the news that the man with 74 career Sprint Cup wins would not be in this year's Chase picture any longer.

Fair enough. Fandom comes from many vantage points including from those tired of seeing continued successes.

The other voice was outrage that a driver of Johnson's caliber and performance, a No. 1 seed when the Chase started thanks to his four regular-season victories, was done because of one bad race and a finish created by a broken part some estimate to cost just five dollars.

To that, I respond with a respectful - yet decisive - "Oh, well."

Every driver and team knew what the consequences would be in each race and each round of the elimination Chase format when it was introduced last year. The margin for error is slim and as last year's inaugural knockout "playoffs" demonstrated, the intensity level increases tremendously with each passing week.

When Johnson went to the garage Sunday, many felt his title hopes were over right then and there. However, quick work by the No. 48 team got Johnson back on the track, albeit 36 laps down but at least with an opportunity to make up spots and points ... and perhaps eke his way into the next round.

That quest came up 12 points short.

But while Johnson's day in Dover turned out to be his Waterloo, finishes a few spots higher than his 11th place at Chicagoland Speedway or fifth place at New Hampshire could have made a huge difference in erasing what turned out to be a 12-point deficit.

Every week counts.

The notion that it's somehow a travesty that a driver with four wins is gone from the Chase while others without a single trip to Victory Lane continue is also off-base. The NASCAR history book is loaded with seasons in which the driver that led the Sprint Cup Series in wins did not win the championship.

The fact is that without the Chase, and its drama and implications, Sunday's race would have been remembered as a snoozer that saw one driver lead 355 laps and stink up the show. The Chase infused story lines, intensity and passion into an afternoon at Dover; and created a memorable event.

Every week counts.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/10/Opinion-Breaks-of-the-Game.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Celebrations Raise Questions​*
Victory burnouts and celebrations have created a controversy as to whether drivers are trying to skirt post-race inspections.

Several drivers discussed the topic during Tuesday's Contender Round Media Day in Charlotte in the aftermath of Kevin Harvick's victory celebration last Sunday in Dover.

Harvick literally burned his tires to the ground in a smoky celebration that also included backing his car into the interior wall.

It caught the eye of several competitors including Denny Hamlin and his crew chief Dave Rogers.

"He took the hot rod and just fenced it hard right in front of us," Rogers said on the team's radio. "Drove it straight into the fence. Be awfully hard to tech that one."

Harvick seemed unaware of the situation when it was brought to his attention that some construed his celebration as possible nefarious behavior.

"I didn't even know," Harvick said.

Reporters informed Harvick how social media buzz took off about the possible post-race inspection process problems caused by the celebration.

"I knew how to knock my car back into compliance by rubbing up into the wall,'' he cracked. "I don't even remember actually hitting the wall. I remember the tires blowing out, but I don't know if I actually hit the wall.''

Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, addressed the point when he was asked about it during his weekly appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive."

"I don't blame him,'' O'Donnell said of Harvick's celebration. "That was a huge win to move on. That's something we'll certainly look at. I chalk that up to some real enthusiasm and the guy is just happy to move on.

"I think the good news on that front is that you go back to all the pre-race work that was done and all the inspection that is done."

However other drivers aren't so sure there are enough checkpoints in place to prevent purposely damaging a car in a post race celebration to hide something illegal from inspection.

"Oh yeah. Absolutely," said Brad Keselowski. "Because of the way the tech process works. The cars aren't tech'd the same way at the track as they can be tech'd at the R&D Center. It's been going on for a long time. But I'm not making any accusations.

"I've definitely blown tires out, yeah. I think every driver has done things to do some kind of damage to their car."

Hamlin believes there should be more safeguards put into place to eliminate the possibility of intentionally damaging cars to get around inspection.

"Nothing we do is without merit," he said. "We all know what we're doing. It's a tough balance because NASCAR wants you to celebrate, but as drivers, we know when the tire is about to blow. Sometimes we continue to put the throttle to it and sometimes - if you really want to save your car for a race coming up - you don't do that.

"There's a way to do it. I'm going to leave it up to NASCAR to do it however they might, but I'd like to see in the future of saying, 'Hey guys, make sure it comes into Victory Lane the same way it was on the racetrack.'"

It will be interesting to see how this subject moves going forward as drivers appear in agreement that sometimes there's more than meets the eye in a post-race celebration.

"Sometimes when you're in a burnout and you're in the smoke, you can't see where you're at," said Kyle Busch, who followed the statement with a huge wink.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/10/Celebrations-Raise-Questions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Voting Opens For Most Popular Driver​*
Voting for the Most Popular Driver awards in NASCAR's XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, along with NASCAR's seven touring series, began today.

Chase Elliott looks to defend his title as Most Popular Driver in the XFINITY Series while the Camping World Truck Series is guaranteed a new winner. Fans can vote once per day online at www.NASCAR.com/mostpopulardriver.

Voting runs through Friday, Nov. 20, for the Truck Series and Saturday, Nov. 21, for the XFINITY Series and the seven NASCAR touring series. Winners will be announced at the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series Awards on Nov. 23 in Hollywood, Fla.

Winners of the Most Popular Driver awards for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, K&N Pro Series West, Whelen Modified and Southern Modified Tours, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Whelen Euro Series and NASCAR Mexico Series will be honored at the Night of Champions Awards on Saturday, Dec. 12, in Charlotte, N.C.

To be eligible to receive votes as the Most Popular Driver, NASCAR XFINITY or Camping World Truck Series drivers must have elected to receive championship points in their respective series. Additionally, drivers in every series must have attempted to qualify for at least half of the races.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Voting-Opens-for-Most-Popular-Driver.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Byron Wins Rookie of The Year​*
William Byron can add another accolade to his resume.

The 17-year old, Charlotte, North Carolina, native and 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion became just the fifth driver to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title in their championship season.

Byron edged HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks teammate Dalton Sargeant on a tiebreaker to earn the honor. Both finished with 99 points in the rookie standings and Byron earned the Rookie of the Year by virtue of finishing higher in the overall standings.

Byron joined Joey Logano (2007), Ryan Truex (2009), Kyle Larson (2012) and Ben Rhodes (2014) to earn both the rookie of the year and series championship in the same season.

"It feels really good to be awarded the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award and join such a great group of winners," Byron said. "There was such great rookie talent in the K&N East this year and it feels good to come out on top. To win both the Rookie of the Year award and the championship is such a rewarding experience for me and my team."

Byron earned four wins, three poles, five top fives and 11 top 10s in 14 races while leading a series-high 740 laps.

The 2015 season saw 34 talented rookie drivers vying for the elite title in the K&N East, including Byron's teammates Sargeant, Rico Abreu and JJ Haley, who finished second, third and fourth, respectively, in the Rookie of the Year standings.

Rookies accounted for eight wins, with Kyle Benjamin, Abreu, Dillon Bassett and Collin Cabre also visiting Victory Lane.

"This season started off fast paced with the rookies," said Byron. "My team and I knew early on Sargeant would be tough competition after his second-place finish at New Smyrna. We counted on Abreu and Dillon Bassett challenging us as well. We figured that if we won the championship, the Rookie of the Year honors would be ours, too, so we set out to do just that."

"Our first win at Greenville Pickens Speedway really jump started us and the season. We just kept our heads down and did the best we could to finish the best we could."

The highest finishing rookie in a race receives 10 points, second receives nine, third gets eight and so on. So despite leading the championship standings, Byron entered the finale Saturday at Dover International Speedway one point behind Sargeant. He finished ninth at Dover and Sargeant was 11th to clinch the award.

Earning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the K&N East has gone a long way toward advancing a driver's career in recent seasons. Starting with Logano in 2007, every Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the series have gone on to compete in NASCAR's national series, including four drivers - Logano, Austin Dillon (2008 ), Alex Bowman (2011) and Larson who are full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Byron will be formally recognized as the 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards on Saturday, Dec. 12 in the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...yron-Wins-2015-Sunoco-Rookie-of-the-Year.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Furniture Row Racing Receives Penalty For Dover Infraction​*
Crew chief Cole Pearn is on probation after the No. 78 team bends the rules -- and a wheel well -- before Sunday's AAA 400.

Furniture Row Racing received a P2 penalty on Tuesday following further review of a pre-race incident at Dover International Speedway.

Cole Pearn, crew chief of the No. 78 Sprint Cup team, has been placed on probation until the end of the year.

Just prior to driver introductions for Sunday's AAA 400, the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy was pulled off of the grid after NASCAR inspectors discovered the right rear wheel well was flared. The crew was forced to take the car to the Sprint Cup garage for further inspection and inevitably to make repairs to the car.

Driver Martin Truex Jr., who was originally lined up ninth after qualifying was rained out on Friday, dropped to the rear of the field for the start of the race.

At the time of the incident, the team and the media was told by NASCAR the penalty had been served. However, when the sanctioning body reviewed the case earlier this week, additional details led to the P2 decision.

Overcoming adversity

On Tuesday, Truex said his confidence from racing at Dover - his home track - made the challenge of coming back in the pack less taxing.



> If anything it made me more focused.
> 
> Martin Truex Jr.


 "I'm like, no worries, we'll be fine," Truex said. "If anything it made me more focused. I was kind of mad about it for a minute, and then I was like, you know what you've got to do, just go do it, and we did it, so it was good."

Truex fought from 43rd to an 11th-place finish on Sunday. The 35-year-old Mayetta, New Jersey native is currently 10th after the standings were reseeded for the Contender Round of the Chase.

Moving on

Truex is optimistic regarding his chances in the second round of NASCAR's playoffs. Earlier in the season when the tour visited the next three tracks on the schedule, Truex finished fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway, ninth at Kansas Speedway and fifth at Talladega Superspeedway.

"To be honest I feel better about the second round than I did the first, just track‑wise and where we were going and the things we had going on," Truex said. "I feel more confidence in the first two races of this round, just because of my past history at Kansas.

"I feel like any one of these next couple races I'm going to finally get that win there, so that's a really good feeling. Charlotte, you know, in the first race, the best I've ever run there, led the most laps (131). Really felt like we were in position to win it. Didn't have the right fuel mileage or the fuel strategy I guess it was. Kind of got snookered on that.

"But a lot of confidence going into those two racetracks, and luckily for us, we do, because Talladega is the third round, and that's obviously a crap shoot."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...racing-receives-penalty-for-dover-infraction/


----------



## Ckg2011

*JTG Makes A Change Atop The Pit Box​*
A familiar face will be atop the No. 47 JTG Daugherty pit box this weekend as veteran crew chief Todd Parrott lends his expertise to the team.

AJ Allmendinger, who is currently 23rd in the Sprint Cup point standings, has struggled to get up to speed this season. Since March, the No. 47 Chevy has earned just one top-10 finish.

"We've got Todd Parrott helping us out," JTG Daugherty Racing owner Tad Geschickter said. "He's a part of the Childress (Richard Childress Racing) alliance and provides an extra resource to help us improve on the last seven races."

JTGD has enjoyed a technical relationship with RCR over the last two seasons. Parrott starting working out of the No. 47 shop last week.

Parrott's résumé

In 21 years as a crew chief, Parrott has won 31 races, 23 poles and led Dale Jarrett to the 1999 NASCAR championship. Most recently, he worked as the interim crew chief for Ryan Newman and the No. 31 team and led Ty Dillon and Brian Scott on the No. 33 Chevy team.

"We want JTG Daugherty Racing to succeed," Parrott said. "RCR has a great partnership with the team. With the alliance, it makes sense for me to help out and I want to. There are some really good people at JTG Daugherty Racing that work really hard and I know AJ is a passionate guy capable of winning races."

JTGD has enjoyed a technical relationship with RCR over the last two seasons.

Brian Burns replaced Frank Kerr on the No. 47 team with four races remaining in the 2011 season. He will continue on as crew chief for now.

"I'm 100 percent with JTG Daugherty Racing and making our cars better," Burns said. "Richard Childress is willing to do what it takes to help us get stronger. He's volunteered Todd's experience and knowledge to work with us and help us identify some weak areas so we can get stronger."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/jtg-makes-a-change-atop-the-pit-box/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Despite Dover Troubles, Earnhardt Wants To Keep His Pit Crew Intact​*
Don't expect Dale Earnhardt Jr. to change his pit crew any time soon.

Despite two costly miscues on pit road with loose lugnuts on the left rear wheels at Dover International Speedway, Earnhardt finished third and transferred to the Contender Round on Sunday.

Regardless of the mistakes, the driver has no desire to shake up his crew's lineup. Prior to last weekend's race, the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team inherited front tire changer Scott Brzozowski, who transferred from the No. 24 car after that crew picked up Nick O'Dell from Joe Gibbs Racing.

On Tuesday, Earnhardt said he hopes Brzozowski decides to stay with the No. 88 team after this season. He believes the crewman's contribution can be a gamechanger.

What the No. 88 needs

"I actually talked to him a bit today," Earnhardt said. "It's not like we need too many changes. We just need one key guy that can come in and elevate the standard and push everyone. Over the past couple years, when we've had great crews, a lot of the guys that we've been working with this year have been on those teams.

"But if you get one guy in there who's kind of a key player, or a bit of a superstar, like a wide receiver or a quarterback is to a football team, he can really elevate the play of everybody around him and boost the entire crew-just the confidence those guys having going over the wall when he's a part of it changes the whole consistency of the team.



> All those guys that are on my car now are going to be pissed off because I didn't believe in them, because I took the 48 guys when the going got tough. So I don't believe in doing that.
> 
> Dale Earnhardt Jr.


 "We really want Scott to wrap his brain around staying with us."

Although Earnhardt recovered on Sunday at Dover to post his 13th top-five finish of the season - tying the second most of his career - the No. 88 team ranked 12th on time spent on pit road. Since the playoffs began, he ranked sixth at Chicagoland Speedway and 21st at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he ran out of gas.

Still, Earnhardt believes in his crew.

"I really would like to keep my guys-I'll be honest with you," Earnhardt said. "I don't think you build a guy's trust&#8230; he needs to know you believe in him. The same way for the driver. The driver needs to know the team believes he can do it. I think the carrier the changer, all those guys want to know that the driver and everybody involved believe in them when they go over the wall. If I take the 48 (Jimmie Johnson's) guys because I think they're better, then what am I going to do next year?

"I'll have to start from scratch again. All those guys that are on my car now are going to be pissed off because I didn't believe in them, because I took the 48 guys when the going got tough. So I don't believe in doing that. I believe that my guys can do it. I think that we'll find a combination that works for the rest of the year and beyond."

New liveries for 2016

Coming off the heels of Hendrick Motorsports announcing Axalta's move from the No. 24 following Jeff Gordon's retirement to the No. 88 Chevy, Earnhardt said he's excited with the prospect of designing a new car - but it likely won't feature the rainbow of old.

"If that's what they want to do, that's what we'll do," Earnhardt said. It's going to be pretty bright - a lot of neon florescent. So it should be a fun little car.

"We've come up with some decent ideas so, I like the direction we're going with the car. We're mainly working with orange, yellows and reds and sort of having a fade effect on the car. There's going to be an associate cause Axalta has a lot of associates that they work with. You see that on the quarter panel of Jeff's car and they'll be on our cars every time we run the Axalta car&#8230;It will be bright. It will be pretty cool."

Earnhardt says the Pepsico sponsorship will feature a variety of flavors from Mountain Dew, Diet Dew, AMP, Kickstart - and "they will all be different". But the quarter panel on the non-Pepsi cars will be Mountain Dew.

"They have a whole different way of doing it," Earnhardt said. "But they're not backing down any. They'll have the same amount of paint outs as this year."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...-earnhardt-wants-to-keep-his-pit-crew-intact/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Returns With Harvick In 2016​*
Stewart-Haas Racing announced on Thursday the return of Busch Beer to NASCAR racing, as the brand will sponsor 2014 Sprint Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick beginning in 2016.

"Busch Beer belongs in NASCAR," Harvick said. "The entire Stewart-Haas Racing team and I can't want to have the Busch logo on the No. 4 car next season as we work toward another Sprint Cup championship."

Harvick has been sponsored by Budweiser, another of Anheuser-Busch's products, since the 2011 season.

The Busch and Busch Light Beer brands will be carried on the No. 4 Chevrolets for 12 races beginning with the season opening Sprint Unlimited (formerly known as the Busch Clash) at Daytona International Speedway in February.

"Busch's NASCAR roots go back to 1978 and we're thrilled to reconnect with these passionate fans," said Chelsea Phillips, Director of Value Brands for Anheuser-Busch. "Kevin and the entire No. 4 team have been tremendous partners for Anheuser-Busch since 2011 and we have exciting plans to engage with the NASCAR community both on and off the track nationwide in 2016."

Busch Beer has a deep history in the sport. In addition to sponsoring the Busch Clash and being the Official Beer of NASCAR from 1988 through 1997, Busch also sponsored the NASCAR Busch Series (now NASCAR XFINITY Series) from 1984 through 2007.

Busch's return will bring with it a new presence for the brand at track as well as in television commercials and an increase in social media opportunities.

"Some of my fondest racing career memories to-date involve the Busch brad, including winning the 2001 and 2006 Busch Series championships," Harvick said. "The brand is historic and I'm looking forward to building the Busch racing legacy with all that we're able to accomplish in 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Harvick-Unveils-Busch-Beer-Car-for-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Charlotte Motor Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami" ... Charlotte​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway rolls on, with teams checking into Charlotte Motor Speedway and 2,477.58 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Saturday night's Bank of America 500 is the opening race in the Contender Round. The 12 remaining drivers in the post-season field have all had their championship points reset to 3,000. 2014 champion Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner at CMS while Carl Edwards, the No. 8 seed in the Chase, won this year's first race on the 1.5-mile oval back on May 24.

"Charlotte's been very good to us since I've been at Stewart-Haas Racing," said Harvick, a three-time winner on the North Carolina oval. "It just took a long time to figure that track out. It's like Dover. It took me 15 years to walk out of Victory Lane there with a trophy you earned yourself and not something you owned in the Truck Series. It was good to finally check that one off."

Harvick went to Dover last weekend needing a victory to keep his title hopes alive and got one - dominating the AAA 400 for his first win on "The Monster Mile." Now, Harvick sets his sights on Charlotte, where he's won three of the last four years.

Any of The 12 Contenders that wins one of the next three races will automatically advance to the Eliminator Round that opens Nov. 1 at Martinsville Speedway.

Despite his victory in this year's spring race at Charlotte, Edwards says he's still learning how to get around CMS and Kansas Speedway, which will host the second race of the Contender Round on Oct. 18.

"Charlotte and Kansas appear to be a lot alike, but they're different and I've not mastered either one," he said. "Those are going to be tough races. We've got to get every single position."

Qualifying in Charlotte is critical to success on race day. More than 75 percent of the 113 Cup Series races run there have been won by drivers who started in the top 10.

"Everything is going to have to be perfect in qualifying and then on restarts, too," Edwards said. "You really want to win one of these next two races. You don't want to go to Talladega (Oct. 25) having to finish 10th or something. That's not going to be a fun way to race there."

In winning this year's first Charlotte race back in May, Edwards managed his fuel mileage to perfection. He led the the first two laps and the last 21 in notching his 24th career win and first at CMS. It snapped a 31-race winless streak for Edwards, who beat runner-up Greg Biffle to the checkered flag by a comfortable 4.7 seconds.

Edwards is joined in the Contender Round of this year's post-season Chase by all three of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates: Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth. The remainder of the 12-driver field is comprised of Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Miles2Miami-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Pole Sweep For Kenseth​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6817&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Matt Kenseth was quickest in Thursday's Sprint Cup Series qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will lead the field to the green flag for Saturday night's Bank of America 500 in a sweep of both poles at Charlotte in 2015.

Kenseth set a quick lap at 194.532 mph for his career-high fourth pole of the season and ninth of the year for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"We worked on qualifying all day. Obviously our goal was to come here and try to sit on the pole but to qualify well, and we accomplished that," Kenseth said.

"They brought a real fast car here in the spring. Jason did a great job with our qualifying setup in the spring," Kenseth said. "We came here with the relatively same stuff. We're just trying to make our stuff better."

Focus will now turn to two Sprint Cup Series practices tomorrow at Charlotte in preparation for the 500-mile event on Saturday.

"We didn't race very well at all in the spring so we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow to get it where we need it for 500 miles," Kenseth said. "It's sure fun to drive today and it had a couple fast laps in it."

Kenseth is a two-time Charlotte winner, earning his first career win in the 2000 Coca-Cola 600 and following that up with a win in the Bank of America 500 in 2011.

Kenseth will be joined on the front row by JGR teammate Kyle Busch, who is still searching for his first Sprint Cup win at Charlotte.

"We like coming to Charlotte. This is certainly a good track for me," Busch said. "We look forward to Saturday night being another good night for us."

"Adam and the guys made did a great job making some good adjustments for qualifying there," Busch added.

Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five qualifiers.

Chase for the Sprint Cup drivers took seven of the top-10 starting spots. Jeff Gordon, who was sixth fastest in Thursday's lone Sprint Cup practice, was the lowest qualifying Chase driver and will start 22nd on Saturday night.

Josh Wise and Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the 334-lap race.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...enseth-Captures-Bank-of-America-500-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Final Practice Crucial For Chase Contenders​*
Friday night's final Sprint Cup Series practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway was crucial as it was the closest to race time conditions that teams will get over the race weekend as they prepare to run the Bank of America 500 on Saturday night.

As the Sprint Cup Series kicks off the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the intensity level picks up for teams as they look to get maximum points this weekend.

Sprint Cup Series teams got an hour and 25 minutes of practice on Thursday and 55 minutes mid-day on Friday, but those sessions came during warm conditions during the daytime. Sunset in the Charlotte area will happen at 6:55 PM with the green flag for the Bank of America 500 scheduled for 7:16 PM ET, so the entire 334-lap event will be run entirely under the lights.

Matt Kenseth drove to his fourth pole of the season during Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday night and sweeping both poles at Charlotte in the process. But just because he'll lead the field to the green flag on Saturday night does not necessarily mean that speed will relate for 500 miles.

"Race setup and qualifying setup seems to be fairly different here at least it proved to be in the spring," Kenseth said. "It's encouraging that it had speed today, it reacted to changes. It did the things I like the car to do at Charlotte to make it go fast."

After starting on the pole in May's Coca-Cola 600, Kenseth led 24 laps and finished fourth.

Kenseth turned the 25th fastest lap in final practice - the slowest of all Chase contenders - but had the fourth best 10-lap average of the session. Chase contenders took eight of the top-10 spots in single lap speeds.

"I think we were okay. You look at fast lap time and it wasn't a fast lap time, but I had cars all stuck in front of me just the way we pulled out on the race track so we didn't get a fast lap. We're just working on stuff we work on every week for the last 15 years - trying to get the car to turn in the middle and have good bite," Kenseth said.

Charlotte Motor Speedway has been consistently described as a weather sensitive track, so finding the right setup to race at night is crucial as is finding the right groove for your car to be able to make up the most ground.

"The fastest way around this race track of course is on the bottom but as the run goes on, tires wear, you'd like to see that grove move around a little bit," Kyle Busch said after qualifying second. "This place is so fast and you're carrying so much speed, you're never in a good position if you're behind somebody. You don't have the most downforce that you need. We'll work on those things."

Busch paced final practice with a lap of 189.354 mph. His brother Kurt Busch was second fastest at 188.996 mph. Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top five fastest speeds.

Kurt Busch also had the fastest 10-lap average of the session with Jimmie Johnson posting the second fastest 10-lap average.

Teams complained of loose conditions in Friday's early practice but the majority were were tight during the evening session. Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart were in the minority of drivers who wanted their cars to be tighter in practice.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...al-Practice-Crucial-for-Chase-Contenders.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Austin Dillon Again At Charlotte​*
*Race Results:*
http://origin.mrn.com/Race-Series/N...2&RaceID=6808&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Austin Dillon completed the season sweep in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night, leading 61 laps to win the Drive for the Cure 300.

The win marks the seventh time in series history that a driver has swept the races at Charlotte in a season.

"What a night. We didn't start off where we wanted to, but we made big adjustments the first two cautions and got to the lead and won the race," Dillon said.

The night began with fireworks for Dillon - literally. A rogue firework from pre-race ceremonies landed directly next to the 2013 XFINITY Series champion while he was standing on the grid, but was quickly extinguished before Dillon or anyone near him was injured.

"I got burned up before the race even started," Dillon said. "I was praying and I heard sparks and it started burning a little bit and I looked down and I was almost on fire."

"I think it was the good lord telling me we were gonna have a good night," Dillon added.

Dillon would jump out on the initial start and led the first five laps of the 200-lap event but was quickly passed by Kasey Kahne on lap six who would then lose the lead to Kyle Busch on lap 40.

Busch would go on a tear at that point, leading a race-high 102 laps and it seemed he was destined to pick up his ninth career Charlotte win.

But after a restart on lap 147, Busch would lose the lead and began to drop back in the field. Four laps later while racing with Kahne, Busch got bumped and hit the wall in Turn 3, causing damage to the right side of his no. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry. Busch would be forced to pit and went behind the wall for repairs, ending his bid for victory, and finishing 31st.

On the ensuing restart, Dillon quickly jumped out to the lead and held on to defeat Erik Jones by a nearly three-second margin.

Jones tried to catch Dillon down the stretch, but admitted his best opportunity to grab the lead came on the final restart of the night.

"He just got a really good run and i couldn't clear him into one. Second place is never fun but it's nice to know we were as fast as we were," Jones said.

For Dillon, the win is extra special as it comes during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The race was sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

"I got a couple people that's been affected by breast cancer. I think it's really big to create awareness for all breast cancer survivors and to get checked out," Dillon said. "I think it's really cool to bring home this trophy for those around the world that's been affected by breast cancer."

Behind Dillon and Jones were Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez and Regan Smith.

For the rookie Suarez, it marks his seventh top-five finish of the season.

"Things were not great for us in the first practice. We weren't where we needed to be to be fast," said Suarez. "I feel like in the beginning we were way too tight then we started making adjustments and in the end we had a top-five car for sure."

Defending XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott came home ninth.

"I just fought a lot of different things. We were really off all weekend. It could have been a lot worse," Elliott said.

Ty Dillon finished sixth, one spot ahead of series points leader Chris Buescher. Buescher maintains a 26-point lead over Chase Elliott with four races remaining in the 2015 season. Smith is in third, 34 points out with Ty Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr. the top five.

"Roller Coaster. Charlotte never disappoints for me," Buscher said. "I'm really proud of our guys. It's the best car I've had at Charlotte."





















*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...the-Cure-300-at-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Ready For Next Round​*
Kurt Busch made it through the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and now has high hopes for Round 2.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver made this year's "playoffs" with two regular-season wins. Although he didn't score a victory in the first three races that made up Round 1 of the Chase, Busch is thrilled to be among the 12 drivers who moved on to the Contender Round.

"It's fantastic," said Busch, who spent Wednesday rooting for his Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh against the Pirates in the National League Wild Card game, "but we still have work to do. We've made it through the first round - with all the bugs, butterflies and anxiety. Now, we need to settle in."

There are 11 other drivers joining Busch in the next round on their continued quest for this year's crown. The former series champion understands the caliber of his competition.

"This is the 'Who's Who' of NASCAR," Busch said. "This reminds me of qualifying each week. You advance to that third round, which is the top 12, and you lay it out on the line and see what you get. These 12 can win at any given track, at any given moment, and they're tough to compete with."

The next opportunity comes Saturday night in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Busch won the 2010 Coca-Cola 600. The annual spring race is a different animal when compared to October's return to the 1.5-mile oval. In addition to the shortened race distance, the intensity level of the post-season makes a huge difference in both the approach and the racing.

"It's going off the most consistent notes," Busch said of race preparation. "There's something special about the fall race at Charlotte because of the speed that's in the track. You get into those cool nights that are in the 50s and the track has so much speed in it that it's a different setup than what you ran in May, when the track is warmer."

With that temperature swing comes the challenge of a changing racetrack.

"It's much cooler out, so it's much faster," said Busch. "What you ran to help preserve a tire in the May race is different than October. You've got to keep in mind that if you ran well in May, don't get too stuck with it because October is very different."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/10/Kurt-Busch-Ready-for-Next-Round.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Set For Final Ride At Charlotte​*
Jeff Gordon's stock car career began at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1990 when he tested a Cale Yarborough owned Pontiac.

He won his first career Sprint Cup race at Charlotte in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600. He won his first of three runnings in what has become known as the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race the following year in 1995. The campus of Hendrick Motorsports, for which Gordon has driven his entire Sprint Cup Series career, sits roughly a mile from the speedway's grounds.

Throughout his 25-year career, Gordon has made many, many more memories at the North Carolina race track.

Saturday night will be Gordon's final opportunity to make more Charlotte memories when he, and the entire Sprint Cup Series, takes the green flag in the Bank of America 500.

"There's always been something special about Charlotte, about this race track," Gordon said. "I hope this final ride here we'll do something special as well."

Gordon's stats at Charlotte are impressive: five Sprint Cup points race wins, three All-Star race wins and nine Sprint Cup Poles as well as two wins in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

His first impressions of the track have stuck with him throughout his career.

"I was actually on my way out to Rockingham to drove those cars at the Buck Baker Driving School," Gordon said. "I came by here, knowing that the speedway was here, and I wanted to see it. I was so impressed driving by this place."

In the lead up to this weekend's race, Charlotte has been participating in what they call the "Paint the Town" program to honor Gordon in his final season and several tributes are taking place this weekend.

"It's hard to believe now, 25 years later or more, that now I come driving into the track today and here's this huge sign with my name on it and the No. 24, that ind of a tribute, as well as last night at the Hall of Fame, was really special to see," Gordon said.

Part of the legacy of Gordon's career has been the fact that many times he's been part of re-writing NASCAR history, and his team did just that at Charlotte in May 1997.

His All-Star race win that year was in a car that became known simply as "T-Rex", due in part to having sponsorship from Jurassic Park as well as from the car's designer, Rex Stump. Gordon won all three segments of the All-Star Race that night in car that helped to re-write the NASCAR rule book.

"It's amazing that the T-Rex car still had a storyline this far into the future from when that happened," Gordon said. "I remember them going through the rule book and just reading it in detail over and over and over again, just trying to find every little area they could maximize the potential of the car that could maybe find a little bit of extra grip or a better aerodynamic balance."

Gordon was also quick to point that, despite rumors to the contrary, the car was not illegal.

"There was nothing illegal about that car," Gordon joked on Thursday in the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center. "Not until they changed the rules in the rulebook to make it illegal."

"That's pretty cool," Gordon added.

A win Saturday night could be monumental for Gordon as it could propel him into the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, giving him a shot to finally win a fifth series championship.

"You know that if you get a victory here this weekend the relief that you're gonna feel to not have to go to Talladega, to not even to worry about Kansas is huge," Gordon said. "If we can make it to round three I think our chances of making it to Homestead are actually very, very good."

Gordon posted the sixth fastest speed in Thursday's lone Sprint Cup practice and was pleased with his No. 24 3M Chevrolet.

"I'm used to being 26th in practice here during the day. The track had a tremendous amount of grip in it. Track conditions were spectacular," Gordon said. "The team did an excellent job with the car - that's why we were up there - and I feel like we can get a little bit more out of it."

Gordon's final full-time season has been trying at times. He won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500 in February but he's yet to visit Victory Lane in 2015. He currently sits ninth in points with only three top-five finishes and 14 top-10 finishes through 29 races.

Through three Chase races, Gordon has finished 14th at Chicagoland, seventh at New Hampshire, and 12th last week at Dover and earned the ninth-place seed going into the Contender Round this week.

"We were very encouraged by how we ran at Chicago. I feel some similarities as far as the grip level and the speed of the car for this weekend, and I'm excited about that," Gordon said. "The car has that feel it has something in that's given me some confidence and allowed me to push the limits of it a little bit more. We just gotta get the balance and get it right for the night race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...f-Gordon-Set-for-Final-Ride-at-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Eyes Another Charlotte Win​*
Carl Edwards looks to add another Charlotte Motor Speedway win to his season after taking the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has his sights set on a victory in Saturday night's Bank of America 500, which Edwards knows would be the perfect way to kick off the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"Winning here would be great," Edwards said Thursday at CMS. "This is going to be one of the toughest rounds - we talked a little bit about it this week. It's good to be driving a JGR Toyota though. We've been working really hard, the cars have been faster, we were fast in practice and we all feel pretty good - the balance feels pretty good.

"The tough thing is just to balance the car for the night race and right now conditions are so much different. Definitely a win would be huge. I do believe this round is going to be a real tough one."

Since Edwards' win in May that was preceded by his teammate Denny Hamlin winning the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte, Joe Gibbs Racing has been the hottest organization in the Sprint Cup Series.

After struggling to start the year, things have clicked for JGR since late spring but Edwards says there isn't a simple answer as to why.

"I don't think there's one thing, I think overall just every little part and working together and just getting the setups better and the cars better and what's been amazing is to watch how the whole group and the whole organization just keeps marching forward," he said. "Even if it's just little things, we're always moving forward and making the cars faster. It's fun to be a part of that and it's fun to see throughout the year just the increase in speed maybe not every week, but if you go month to month we seem to get faster and faster."

Edwards is battling 11 other drivers in the second round of the Chase and three of those happen to be his teammates; Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth. He'll be aware of where those three JGR running mates are on track every week but in the short term believes the best approach is simply to concentrate on his own business.

"I guess eventually we'll hopefully be battling one another, but right now we've done so well working together," Edwards said. "I still feel like the more we can share with one another and the more we can help each other with anything the better off it is for the group. I guess that could be a problem later, you never know.

"I hope it's a problem, I hope we're having to race one another, but really right now because Talladega looms out there you just have to focus on being as fast as you can these next two weeks and we're just getting our car as good as we can get it and try to get a win."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...0/Carl-Edwards-Hopes-For-Charlotte-Sweep.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Story Lines​*
Saturday night's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway has plenty of stories to follow.

The first race of the Contender Round finds 12 drivers still in the hunt in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. With Kansas and Talladega following Charlotte in round two, drivers all want to get off to a good start on Saturday night.

"You can be running fifth one lap and 20th the next lap in Talladega, or you can be running up front and the next thing you know you're crashed," said Joey Logano. "There are just so many unknowns. The likelihood of crashing there is so high. ... It's just kind of hard to sleep well unless you win one of these next two races."

Talladega looming as the third race of the round and the unpredictable nature of restrictor plate racing is definitely on every driver's mind.

"If you have a shot and you can see the win at one of these next two races, you're going to see some really tough racing for that win, because nobody wants to go to Talladega with uncertainty," said Carl Edwards. "There's going to be a lot of nerves at Talladega."

*JGR Keeps Rolling*

The Joe Gibbs Racing quartet of Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards continues its strong run and the four drivers all qualified in the first eight spots for Saturday night's race.

Kenseth and Busch make up row one and both are poised for strong runs Saturday night.

"We worked on qualifying all day," Kenseth said after his qualifying effort on Thursday helped him sweep Charlotte poles in 2015. Obviously our goal was to come here and try to sit on the pole but to qualify well, and we accomplished that.

"They brought a real fast car here in the spring. (Crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) did a great job with our qualifying setup in the spring. We came here with the relatively same stuff. We're just trying to make our stuff better."

*Harvick Stays Hot*

Last week's must win for Kevin Harvick at Dover was just the latest chapter in the Stewart-Haas Racing driver's incredible run the last two years. Don't expect Harvick to slow down anytime soon especially at Charlotte, a track he very much enjoys.

"I was at peace with whatever way it went [at Dover]," Harvick said. "I knew that we had done everything that we could do to prepare, and cars were running well. It just wasn't all lining up in the first two weeks. But luckily it all lined up on Week 3 and worked out."

Harvick has won three of the last 10 races held at Charlotte.

*Gordon's Last Charlotte Ride*

Jeff Gordon won his first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1994. The four-time Sprint Cup Series champion will make his last start on Saturday night as he heads to retirement at season's end.

"It's hard to believe now, 25 years later or more, that now I come driving into the track today and here's this huge sign with my name on it and the No. 24, that kind of a tribute, as well as last night at the Hall of Fame, was really special to see," Gordon said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Charlotte-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Rains Force Charlotte Postponement​*
Due to continued rain and more in the forecast tonight, NASCAR has postponed the running of the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Sunday.

Green flag is scheduled for 12:30 PM ET.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Charlotte-Race-Postponed.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Conquers Charlotte​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6817&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano scored his first win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Sunday's rain-delayed Bank of America 500 and in the process advanced to the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Logano dominated the race leading four times for 227 laps to score his fourth win of the season. Prior to today, Logano had only led 20 laps in 13 previous starts at the 1.5-mile track.

"We had a great car," Logano said. "(Crew chief) Todd Gordon and this Shell/Pennzoil team, all of Team Penske, you always want to win it. Charlotte is everybody's home turf and you want to make it happen here.

"This makes Talladega way easier. I know that's on everyone's mind when this round starts and last year we won Kansas when it was the first race of this round and now we were able to get it this time at Charlotte. We'll get lots of sleep here the next couple of weeks."

Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five.

Carl Edwards, Austin Dillon, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Aric Almirola completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to race two of the Contender Round next Sunday with the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

*How Logano Won:* He dominated the race and wound up leading the most laps in one race of his entire career at 227. Once Logano worked his way to the front his only real challenge came in a series of late-race restarts but he was able to persevere and Harvick could not run him down in the closing laps during a long green flag run.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Harvick came up short of winning but started this round of the Chase much better than he did the opening round when he was involved in an incident with Jimmie Johnson...Truex Jr. also had a much better effort than he was able to generate in the early going of round one with a solid third place performance...Austin Dillon's seventh-place finish was the best non-Chaser.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Matt Kenseth started from the pole and was strong early but disaster struck when he had a series of encounters with the wall before finally damaging his car on lap 240 with another hard hit that added up to a 42nd-place finish&#8230;Kyle Busch had lap 194 damage when he and Kyle Larson made contact coming to pit road. He spent lengthy time on pit road with his crew making repairs and ended up finishing 20th...Kasey Kahne's miserable season continued when he made contact with the wall damaging his car and ending his day on lap 58...Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed suit with a trip into the wall of his own from a cut tire. Earnhardt Jr. fell a lap down and had to play catch-up all day.

*What Else Happened:* The race was scheduled to run Saturday night but Mother Nature had other ideas and rain forced postponement until Sunday. Teams had to struggle with cars that were not set-up for daylight conditions and the first half of the race saw several drivers battling ill handling cars. But when things settled down in the second half clean air was the key and Logano took advantage of his track position to drive away from the field for a dominating win.

*Quote of the Day:* "I lost count how many times we hit (the wall) today. &#8230; It ain't over, but it certainly didn't help today and that's not how we want to do it," Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Notable:* Kurt Busch had only his third top-10 finish in his last eight races...Dillon had his fifth top 10 of the season and had only four his entire career coming into the season&#8230;Team Penske scored its 94th Sprint Cup Series win on Sunday.













*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-America-500-at-Charlotte-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busch, Larson Collide On Pit Road​*
Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson made contact while attempting to enter pit road on lap 196 in Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, sending Larson's Chevrolet spinning around and bringing minor damage to both cars.

Busch started second and ran in the top five for most of the first half of the race before the contact was made. Larson started 31st and charged to the front quickly and was running in the top 10 by lap 100.

The incident was setup after fluid from Justin Allgaier's machine was put down around the 1.5-mile speedway, bringing out the caution. As the field approached pit road, Busch committed to pit early but then attempted to dive back out on to the racetrack before passing the pit road commitment line when other leaders stayed out.

At the same time, Larson tried to dive onto pit road, making contact with Busch and spinning into the inside pit wall.

"My crew told me to just do what everybody around me was doing, so I was just kinda gonna follow the 22 (Joey Logano) so as soon as I saw the 22 stay out I turned right to stay out," Larson explained. "Right when I did that they got on me to pit, so I turned left as hard as I could and I just ran right into the right front of the 18."

After the race, Busch didn't want to dwell directly on the incident, but rather focused on the dedication and hard work of his Joe Gibbs Racing no. 18 team to quickly return him to the track.

"I don't know. Just can't say enough about my guys - all the work that they put into these things. They don't deserve to be put in these situations year in, year out, but we are for some reason. But it's tough and we're going to have to battle through with what we've got right now" Busch said. "I can't say enough about what they did on pit road getting us back salvageable."

Busch's crew chief Adam Stevens questioned Larson's decisions leading to pit road.

"He (Kyle Busch) knew the call the whole time, he was just doing what he normally does," Stevens explained. "The big question is what was the 42 doing. There was no way, whether we were there or not, he turned down so late that he was going to hit the cone. I don't know what he was doing, but you'll have that sometimes. I'm sure it wasn't intentional."

After the race, Larson took full responsibility for the incident.

"I feel like an idiot really. It's super embarrassing to wreck on pit road like that," Larson said. "I hate it for the 18 team they were really strong all day. I just feel really bad. I hope I didn't cause them to miss the next round."

Busch would post a 20th-place finish with Larson coming in right behind him in 21st.

Busch leaves Charlotte 10th in the standings, 10 points behind Brad Keselowski who holds the eighth-place cutoff with two races remaining in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/Busch-Larson-Collide-on-Pit-Road.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Suffers DNF At Charlotte​*
Matt Kenseth started from the pole in Sunday's rain-delayed Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but finished 42nd after sustaining heavy damage from multiple impacts with the outside wall.

Kenseth led 76 laps early on Sunday before the first of two on-track incidents occurred. During a routine pitstop under caution, Kenseth slid threw his pit box and had to backup, costing him numerous spots on pit road and putting him deep in traffic.

While racing with Ryan Newman after the following restart, Kenseth pinched Newman off of Turn 4, bouncing off the wall and wrinkling the fenders of his no. 20 Toyota Camry.

"I thought I left him enough room. I don't know I haven't seen it," Kenseth said. "I got turned so early I wasn't even out to the wall yet. I thought I had room. Obviously we somehow ran out of space."

After numerous repairs, Kenseth managed to stay on the lead lap and was running in the top 20 before a tire was cut, causing heavy damage to the right front of his car, which in turn ended his day.

"It was just one of those days. We were real fast out front, real tight in traffic. We got behind on that first pit deal and then didn't catch the cautions right, it went green, then overshot my pit and put us in the back. It was like one thing led to another and led to another," Kenseth said.

"We should never have been back there to start with. My mistakes and it cost us today."

After winning the second race of the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at New Hampshire two weeks ago, Kenseth automatically advanced to the Contender Round of the Chase, which began at Charlotte.

Kenseth sits 32 points behind eighth place in points, currently held by Brad Keselowski, for the cutoff spot to advance to the Eliminator Round. The second race of the Eliminator Round is next Sunday at Kansas Speedway, a track where Kenseth has won twice.

"We've had really fast race cars. Even when we've been off a little bit, the guys have been figuring out how to get the finishes and get some wins," Kenseth said. "We'll just go there and race as hard as we can and whatever happens happens. We'll do the same at Talladega."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eth-Finishes-42nd-in-Bank-of-America-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Day For Earnhardt Jr.​*
The Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup got off to a bad start for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he finished 28th, four laps down, in Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr., who celebrated his 41st birthday on Saturday, was bumped by Carl Edwards in Turn 1 while racing in the top 10, sending his no. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet into the wall on lap 69. His right-front tire eventually blew out several laps later, bringing out a caution flag on lap 75 of the 334-lap, 500 mile race.

"Carl got a great run on us and drove down into one and got in the back of us a little bit," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I don't know if I cut him off or not. But he drove in there pretty hard and ran over the left rear quarter panel of the car and got in the fence."

Earnhardt Jr. would lose a lap while his team made repairs on pit road during the caution. He would race for the free pass, trying to gain the lap back for much of the next 100 laps.

After a restart on lap 190, Earnhardt Jr. said he hit oil left over from an earlier caution in between turns 1 and 2 which sent his car into the wall again, causing more damage. The team would lose several laps on pit road trying to make repairs to finish the race.

"I went into turn 1, a lot of us did on that restart, and went around the speedy dry and right into oil. There's oil up on the top they didn't clean up, so we smashed the fence hard," Earnhardt Jr. said. "That was the worst thing that could've happened to us because we just got one lap down and we were going to race for the lucky dog. Our day was over after that."

Despite the setbacks, Earnhardt Jr. was optimistic he could have recovered for a respectable finish.

"We had a good enough car to run in the top 20 even after smashing into the fence a bunch and some other guys had trouble and some other guys will have more trouble. We gotta stay positive and we can still make it to the next round. We got two good tracks that we can run well at if not win at," Earnhardt Jr. said.

Earnhardt Jr. leaves Charlotte 11th in the standings, 19 points behind the eighth place Chase cutoff spot with races remaining at Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway in the round.

"We were in this situation in the first round. We can be aggressive, go to Kansas and run hard," Earnhardt Jr. said.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...h-Day-for-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-at-Charlotte.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charlotte Winners And Losers​*
The good and the bad from Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Joey Logano*
For the second straight week, a driver dominated on his way to Victory Lane. Sunday, it was Logano, who followed Kevin Harvick's big Dover win by leading 227 laps on his way to victory. Logano remains a strong choice to be part of The Championship Four at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Kevin Harvick*
Speaking of the defending Sprint Cup Series champion, Harvick sure got off to a much better start in the Contender Round of the Chase than he did when the "playoffs" started at Chicagoland Speedway last month. Harvick's second-place finish kept him out of a big hole like the one he dug in the first round.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
A third-place Charlotte finish was just what the doctor ordered for Truex, who hasn't been anywhere near as strong in the second half of the year as he was in the first half. A top-five Charlotte finish was the start Truex was looking for in Round 2.

*Jeff Gordon*
Consistent finishes are what Gordon's going to need to keep advancing in his final Chase and he turned in another on Sunday. Gordon still is lacking the edge to be an impact player for wins but so far, he's taking a page out of the Ryan Newman playbook with top finishes keeping his title hopes alive.

*Aric Almirola*
The Richard Petty Motorsports driver continues to shine as an impressive non-Chaser the last several weeks. Almirola knocked down another top-10 finish Sunday afternoon at CMS.

*LOSERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*
Things went from good to bad to worse in a hurry for Kenseth over the weekend. He started from the pole, led 72 of Sunday's first 76 laps and then everything fell apart. Kenseth has found himself in the same disastrous hole Harvick was in at the start of Round 1 and has work to do the next two weeks to stay in the Chase.

*Kyle Busch*
First, the tangle with Kyle Larson in the game of chicken that was played at the head of pit road ... and then more damage when Busch said oil on the track sent him into the wall. The bottom line is all of a sudden, Busch is in peril of not making a title run if performance doesn't pick up in the next two weeks.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Bounced off walls seemingly all day and had an issue with what he said was oil on the track late in the race. "Junior" is among the bottom four heading to Kansas Speedway.

*Kasey Kahne*
After 58 laps on Sunday, Kahne was done. He bounced off the wall and you can feel the frustration level boiling over when Kahne took his car to the garage, and there were no efforts to fix things and return to the track.

*Jimmie Johnson*
Was knocked out of the Chase by a mechanical failure in Dover and was bitten by more issues at Charlotte. Johnson was running as high as third before gremlins returned and sent him to a 39th-place finish.

*Race Recap​*





*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rlotte-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Three Teams To Test At Michigan​*
NASCAR will conduct a test at Michigan International Speedway on Oct. 20 in preparation for the 2016 season. And fans are invited to come watch all the action.

The following drivers are scheduled to test.

• Denny Hamlin 
• Chris Buescher 
• Chase Elliott

The test is the next step in making the racing better everywhere. While the test is specific to MIS, the information learned that day will also help at other tracks. Engineers and drivers from each NASCAR manufacturer will be here to test several options for packages.

"We appreciate, respect and support NASCAR and its team of engineers for trying anything that improves the competition," track President Roger Curtis said. "Creativity and bold efforts are not easy or without risk. We know NASCAR is committed to making improvements for 2016."

The schedule calls for individual 10- and 25-lap runs in the morning and afternoon sessions.

Testing times, track schedule and drivers are subject to change due to weather or other circumstances.

The track will open the Turn 1 Grandstand from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for fans to watch the test free of charge.

Fans are asked to park in Lot 10 off US 12 and enter the grandstand through Gate 17, just behind the water tower. Portable restrooms will be available. Fans are also allowed to bring in coolers that meet the MIS grandstand policies for race weekend.

MIS will host a pair of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races next summer. The top series comes to the Irish Hills on Sunday, June 12 and returns just two months later for the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday, August 28.

Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It's the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-a-NASCAR-Test-on-October-20-at-Michigan.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Oil Debate Continues​*
Several drivers still don't see eye-to-eye with NASCAR regarding oil being on the track late in Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch were the most vocal following Sunday's race, insisting there was a trail of oil on the racing surface causing them and other drivers to make contact with the wall.

But NASCAR officials - both after the race and later in the week - believe officials did everything possible in making a decision not to display caution for oil cleanup.

"We did not see oil," Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "I can't debate Kyle and (Earnhardt). They're in the racecars. If they say they hit it, that's not something we saw. We'll continue talking to them and see what we can improve on. We had personnel on the track, almost getting down on their hands and knees to make sure there wasn't any (oil).

"Under any caution and condition, we send out all the safety equipment to see if there's any oil on the track. We did that in this case. We had (pace car driver) Brett Bodine run through it multiple times and confirm to race control that the track was in good shape to restart. Hopefully, there wasn't any. We did our process multiple times and they did not see any oil. Ultimately, we're not driving the car.

"From our view, the race was in good shape to get restarted. It always has to be before we go back green. We did everything we could to ensure that the racetrack was in a safe condition."

*Testing, Testing, Testing*
Four drivers are at Phoenix International Raceway this week testing tires for Goodyear: AJ Allmendinger, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski. The session ends Tuesday on the one-mile desert oval.

Wednesday will feature an open test with Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Jeff Gordon expected to be on hand in preparation for the November 15 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500.

*KBM Changes Crew Chief*
Kyle Busch Motorsports will have a new look to its driver-crew chief lineup when the Camping World Truck Series returns Oct. 24 at Talladega Superspeedway. Eddie Troconis, a KBM engineer, will replace Shannon Rursch as crew chief of the No. 54 Toyota with driver Christopher Bell. Rursch has left the company.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/NASCAR-Notebook-Oil-Debate-Continues.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Pick Six​*
Here's a half-dozen questions to be answered as the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup rolls on at Kansas Speedway.

*Can Kenseth Come Back?*
Matt Kenseth started Round 2 on an abysmal note with a very uncharacteristic performance at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Things started well for Kenseth, who won the pole and was strong early. But he went south from there and after several trips into the wall, Kenseth finds himself last in the Chase standings heading to Kansas Speedway. But there's hope for Kenseth fans simply because the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been so good this year and he excels at mile-and-a-half tracks. Kansas has seen Kenseth in Victory Lane before and there's a good chance for a repeat viewing this Sunday.

*How Good is Joey Logano?*
If winning the Daytona 500 and basically being at the front of the field most every week of the regular season wasn't a good enough indication of Logano's strength, certainly his performance in the Chase answers the question. He pounded the field into submission at Charlotte and is already in the Eliminator Round of the Chase. Logano and crew chief Todd Gordon are as potent a one-two punch as there is in the garage area.

*What's Wrong With Brad Keselowski?*
The other side of the Team Penske equation isn't as strong as 2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski continues to be frustrated. Keselowski's not running poorly, by any means, and came home with a top-10 run in Charlotte. But it appears that the No. 2 team has hit a plateau that top-10 performances alone won't solve, and must find a way to take it to a level closer to teammate Logano in order to advance in the Chase.

*Is It Over for Earnhardt?*
Charlotte was a mess for Dale Earnhardt Jr., with several wall encounters of his own and the controversial oil-on-the-track debate near the finish of Sunday's race. All that matters going forward for Junior is putting Charlotte in the rear-view mirror, and getting good finishes at Kansas and Talladega ... while hoping for some bad luck to hit his rivals. "Junior Nation" is putting a lot of stock in its favorite son winning at Talladega Superspeedway and making it three restrictor-plate race wins out of four this year. That's a dangerous way to look at things and the No. 88 team would be best served - like any other team - to not head into Talladega facing a "must win" situation.

*Will Jeff Gordon Win a Race?*
The clock is ticking on Gordon's Sprint Cup career with only six more shots at finding another trip to Victory Lane in his illustrious career. But it might be more wishful thinking than anything else to believe Gordon can rise up and compete for wins, something he's not done thus far in 2015. Talladega might be his best shot.

*Which Non-Chaser Is the Most Impressive?*
Aric Almirola. Since not making the Chase after a valiant try in the Richmond regular-season finale, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver seems to have been a fixture in the top 10. Crew chief Trent Owens has the iconic No. 43 running well and Almirola just might be able to break into the spotlight by stealing a win before the last checkered flag of the year waves next month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Opinion-Pick-Six.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Dale Jr's 2016 Nationwide Paint Scheme Unveiled​*
Nationwide unveiled Dale Earnhardt Jr's 2016 paint scheme via social media on Tuesday morning.

Earnhardt uncovered the new design for 10 unsuspecting NASCAR fans that were invited by Nationwide to Hendrick Motorsports.

After a surprising visit by Dale Jr., the fans helped him unveil the 2016 Nationwide paint scheme, which is featured at the end of the video posted on social media.

The new paint scheme was inspired by one of Earnhardt's favorite cars, "The Grey Ghost," driven by Buddy Baker when he won the Daytona 500 in 1980.

Earnhardt will pilot the new design in 13 races in 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rs-2016-Nationwide-Paint-Scheme-Unveiled.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*No Retaliation From Earnhardt Jr.​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't pay back Carl Edwards for their tangle last Sunday in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The duo made contact early in Sunday's race and it began a string of challenges for Earnhardt Jr., who finished 28th and dropped in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings.

It's because of where he is in the Contender Round that Earnhardt won't even consider any type of retribution this week in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

"A lot of people want me to go wreck Carl,'' Earnhardt said on his weekly "Dale Jr. Download" podcast at DaleJr.com. "I'm not going to do that because if I'm trying to wreck Carl, I'm not winning Kansas, I'm not winning Talladega. You can't go chase after a guy, put him out of the race and accomplish what your goals are. Our goals are to go to them races and win. That's what we're going to do. We're not going to worry about Carl or start some (blank) show between me and him. It's over and done. Move on, try to go to Kansas and try to win the race there. I think we can run great. I love the high line there.

"You got to think about the position we're in. We're on the outside looking in. We're not one of those guys that are just on the inside and in a position to protect and be careful. We can be aggressive, we can run hard, just like we did at Dover. That's the way I want to run, that's the way I like to run."

The contact with Edwards sent Earnhardt into the wall and the Hendrick Motorsports driver explained what he saw from behind the wheel.

"Carl had a run on me the lap or two before that, and I blocked him real bad,'' Earnhardt said. "He's a Chase spot, and I'm racing hard for that position and I didn't want to give it to him, so I blocked him pretty good. He got a real good run on me off of Turn 4 all the way down that front straightway and came up on us real fast going into Turn 1. He went to the inside and I went to block him again and we kind of came together.

"From inside the car, I felt like he drove it in there and I was coming down. I knew he had that run. He looked to the inside before the corner, and I went in there and turned left anyways. I thought we were going to hit, but I didn't know we were going to hit that hard.''

Earnhardt comes into Sunday's second race of the round 19 points behind Brad Keselowski for the final transfer spot. He's putting Charlotte in the rear-view mirror and concentrating on what needs to be done at Kansas and the following week at Talladega in order to keep his championship hopes alive.

"We can go to Talladega without worrying about protecting ourselves or protecting our position in the Chase," he said. "We can go there and be aggressive.

"I promise you all these guys that are sitting there in the top 10 in this Chase, you watch how they race at Talladega, they're not going to be very aggressive. That's going to leave opportunities for guys like me.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...10/No-Retaliation-From-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces Base 2016 Rules Package​*
NASCAR announced today the base NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package to be used during the 2016 season. The package was delivered to teams after an extensive collaborative process between NASCAR and industry stakeholders.

The base package will include a 3.5-inch spoiler, a 0.25-inch front leading splitter edge and a 33-inch wide radiator pan. These components will provide lower downforce on the cars, and Goodyear will develop tires to complement them. Earlier this season, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway featured a similar aero package.

"NASCAR has worked tirelessly with our teams, drivers, manufacturers and Goodyear to develop a rules package that provides fans with the best racing possible," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "The success of the races at Kentucky and Darlington in similar trim proved extremely valuable in accelerating rules development for 2016. Now, as teams have even more time to prepare and a strong baseline of data, we anticipate the racing to be even better."

Characteristics of the lower downforce rules package includes more off-throttle time for drivers and decreasing corner speeds. This generates more passing zones over the entire track, and allows for multiple tire combinations to be levered.

In addition to the base package, each track will continue to feature specific rules, including tire combinations and drive train configurations, to create the best racing for each track length, layout and surface. Rear gear ratios will be adjusted to maintain a maximum engine speed of 9,000 RPM and a 1.38 third gear ratio will be used at all tracks smaller than 1.25 miles. The digital dashboard, which was optional for teams during the second half of this season, will be mandatory in all vehicles.

"Our team at the NASCAR R&D Center is constantly looking at the racing, and evaluating ways to continue to improve it," O'Donnell said. "Using science and technology and qualitative data compiled from world-class engineers throughout the industry as our guideposts, we will always look to make the racing better for our fans."

Several safety updates have been instituted, including a double NACA duct where a right-hand side window is used, a fire suppression system activation cable routed to the dash or right-hand side leg board and a seat belt restraint system that meets SFI 16.6 specification. 2016 Rules Package Overview

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NASCAR-Announces-Base-2016-Rules-Package.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gibbs Appeal Results In Less-Severe Fine For Chicago-Winning No. 54​*
Joe Gibbs Racing received a bit of financial relief with the National Motorsports Appeal Panel on Wednesday.

Initially, team owner J.D. Gibbs was fined $12,500 and 10 championship car owner points after the No. 54 Toyota Camry failed inspection following the Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 19.

Kyle Busch won the race but afterward officials deemed the car was low on all four corners.

After hearing the appeal of the P2 penalty, the NMAP consisting of Cathy Rice, Lake Speed and Kevin Whitaker, amended the fine to crew chief Chris Gayle to $8,500 "due to a part failure" on Busch's car.

According to Section 15 of the NASCAR Rule Book, the appellants (Gibbs and Gayle) have the right to appeal the NMAP's decision to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer.

The Appellants have the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR Rule Book. JGR told Motorsport.com on Wednesday they will not appeal.

The No. 54 JGR team is currently third in NXS owner points. The team trails the No. 22 Team Penske Ford by 87 points.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs...n-less-severe-fine-for-chicago-winning-no-54/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Kansas Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Kansas Speedway​*
The next stop along the road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway is Kansas Speedway, with 1,976.58 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 is the second race of the Contender Round. The opportunity to take on another mile-and-a-half oval has Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin eager for the trip to Kansas City.

"We have momentum and our cars are fast," said Hamlin, who entered the post-season Chase as the No. 11 seed but has climbed to fourth in the standings.

Though Hamlin has one eye on the season-ending weekend Nov. 20-22 in South Florida, the task at hand is to tame Kansas Speedway - another one of those challenging 1.5-mile tracks. And it's not hard to understand why Hamlin is brimming with confidence.

JGR has won five of the last six races run on intermediate-sized ovals this year including two victories by Hamlin: in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race back in May and more recently at Chicagoland Speedway last month to open this year's Chase. And Hamlin is a former winner at Kansas, in 2012.

"We have an advantage over the field and there's no reason why we shouldn't be one of the guys they have to beat for the championship when we get to Homestead," Hamlin said of his No. 11 team.

For two of Hamlin's teammates - Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, Sunday's race is a chance to rebound after sub-par finishes last weekend in Charlotte. Busch and Kenseth were seeded No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, for this year's Chase. Both finished well outside the top 10 in the Bank of America 500.

"We just move on from Charlotte and focus on Kansas," said Kenseth, last in points among the 12 drivers remaining in the Contender Round. "You want to go out there and get the best starting spot and the best finish you can. We'll race as hard as we can and whatever happens, happens. Track position will be important."

Qualifying will be, too. Three of the last five race winners at Kansas Speedway have started fourth or better.

With his victory last weekend in Charlotte, Joey Logano has assured himself of a spot in the Eliminator Round of eight that begins Nov. 1 at Martinsville Speedway. Four more drivers will be trimmed from the Chase field after the Oct. 25 race at Talladega Superspeedway. Entering this weekend, three of the top four seeds going into the post-season are nowhere to be found near the top of the standings.

Jimmie Johnson, the No. 1 seed, was eliminated from title contention at Dover. Busch and Kenseth are currently among the bottom four, facing elimination in 10 days if they don't win one of the next two races or make a substantial climb in the point standings.

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice at Kansas Speedway on Friday at 1 p.m. (ET). Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, beginning at 1 p.m. - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/10/Miles2Miami-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*XFINITY Series 'Final Four'​*
Four races remain in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season, including this weekend's Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

Three of the final four races will be run on 1.5-mile tracks - Kansas, Texas, and Homestead-Miami - meaning the 2015 XFINITY Series championship will likely be decided based on what happens in those trio of races.

XFINITY Series points leader Chris Buescher's worst finish on 1.5-mile tracks in 2015 was 14th at Las Vegas in March. He's finished top-10 in five of the seven races on 1.5-mile tracks since and the races where he didn't finish top-10 (Charlotte in May and Kentucky in July) he was 11th. He drove to a strong seventh place finish at Charlotte last Friday night.

If Buescher is to maintain his 8.3 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks in 2015, and 26-point lead in the series' standings, he'll have to improve on his previous record at Kansas Speedway, where in two starts his best finish is 16th in 2013.

A year ago at Kansas Buescher started third and led 20 laps before being caught up in an accident near the halfway mark of the race and finished 28th.

"We were extremely fast there last year. We led a bunch of laps," Buescher said. "I feel like we've made some improvements to what we ran there. Our cars have raced a lot better this year, and knowing how well it raced there last year, I have really strong hopes for Kansas."

Buescher's overall record in 2015 has been a vast improvement over 2014. His two wins, 11 top fives, 19 top-10 finishes in 2015 already rank higher than all his previous XFINITY Series seasons combined.

Buescher's nearest competitor in points, Chase Elliott, was 10th at Kansas last year and finished ninth last week at Charlotte.

"Kansas is a tough track," Elliott said. "It's a place I really don't have too much experience at. Last season we didn't perform the best we could have."

Making up a 26-point deficit with four races remaining isn't time to panic for the defending XFINITY Series champion, but he admits he will need to stay on task for the final four events, starting this weekend in Kansas.

"As soon as we unload, we need to make sure every second is maximized so we an find a competitive advantage," Elliott said. "Every little bit will count."

While both Buescher's and Elliott's records on 1.5 mile tracks in 2015 are impressive, they both rank behind the driver who is third in the standings, Regan Smith, who has five top-five finishes and an average finish of 6.7 in nine races on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

Smith has finished top five in the last three XFINITY Series races, including a win at Dover two weeks ago and a fifth place at Charlotte last week. He's cut 17 points off his deficit to Buescher over that stretch. With a 34-point deficit with four races remaining, Smith still isn't out of the running to hoist the big trophy at seasons' end.

"We have to continue to do what we have done the past 12 to 15 races, and that's run well and be consistent," Smith said. "I'm proud of the effort the whole company has been putting into it."

While Smith's top-five at Charlotte a week ago was impressive to some, he's looking for more at Kansas.

"We fought unbelievably hard at Charlotte, and I'm proud of that," Smith said. "Disappointed we couldn't capitalize on it, with the '60' car finishing seventh. We're going to keep digging."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's Kansas Lottery 300 XFINITY Series race from Kansas Speedway beginning at 3:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN app. _

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-XFINITY/News/Articles/2015/10/XFINITY-Series-Final-Four.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sauter To Join GMS Racing In 2016​*
GMS Racing announced on Thursday that 10-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race winner Johnny Sauter will join the organization beginning in 2016.

The 2016 campaign will mark Sauter's seventh full-time season in the NCWTS, and his return to the seat of a Chevrolet Silverado for the first time since 2011. The Necedah, Wisc., native has a storied history with Chevrolet, scoring his first four NCWTS victories in a Silverado.

"GMS has made tremendous progress building their organization into team capable of competing consistently and winning races" stated Dayne Pierantoni, GM Racing Program Manager for the NCWTS. "Hiring Johnny Sauter for 2016 demonstrates their desire to win and put forth a championship level effort. We are looking forward to seeing Johnny race under the Chevrolet banner once again."

Sauter brings a wealth of racing experience to GMS Racing, with 170 NCWTS starts, and 460 starts across NASCAR's three national touring series to his credit. Additionally, he has visited NCWTS victory lane in six-consecutive seasons with his first win coming at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009.

"This opportunity to race with GMS Racing in 2016 is incredible," Sauter said. "They've quickly built an impressive, race-winning organization in a short period of time and have only gotten stronger as the season has progressed. I can't wait for Speedweeks at Daytona to get working with everyone, and am excited to rejoin the Chevrolet family as well. GMS Racing brings really fast trucks to the racetrack, and I can't wait to run up front and compete for race wins with them."

Sauter joins Spencer Gallagher in the GMS Racing stable and looks to build on the championship pedigree the organization has established with Grant Enfinger in the ARCA Racing Series. After becoming a race winner in the NCWTS, GMS Racing is poised for a landmark season in 2016. Sauter will pursue his 11th-career victory and first NCWTS championship starting at Daytona International Speedway in February.

GMS Racing team owner Maurice Gallagher views Sauter's entrance into the organization as a significant milestone in the growth of the team.

"We've worked extremely hard to put great people in the right places at GMS Racing, and adding Johnny Sauter to our lineup is a monumental step in that process. Johnny has proven himself to be a perennial contender at this level, and we're confident he'll help elevate GMS Racing into a championship contending program."

Additional details on Sauter's inaugural season with GMS Racing will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/10/Sauter-To-Join-GMS-Racing-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Takes Kansas Pole​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6818&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Brad Keselowski won the pole for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Keselowski turned a lap of 195.503 mph to earn his first career pole at Kansas. It was his second pole of the season.

"I'm still kind of shaking," Keselowski said after the final round of qualifying. "I've always felt like Darlington is the hardest qualifying session of the year, but this is harder. You're right on the fringe of being wide open."

Although Keselowski will lead the field to green Sunday, he will not pick 42nd in pit selecting after receiving four inspection written warnings.

"It fuels something inside of me," Keselowski said of the penalty he'll face. "As a team we'll have to deal with it the best we can.

"I think it's like getting a nice cheesecake with no toppings."

Carl Edwards will start outside the front row thanks to his lap of 195.454 mph. Because of Keselowski's penalty he will have the opportunity to choose the first pit stall.

"That's a gift," Edwards said. "We'll take it."

Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman completed the first ten qualifiers.

Other Chase drivers in Sunday's field include Matt Kenseth (11th), Joey Logano (14th) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15th) .

"I was tight in the middle of 3 and 4 all day, but we were trying to work on it ... and I just barely missed," said Earnhardt about not making it to the final round of qualifying. "I liked some things I saw today, and I think the car has good speed."

Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have two practice sessions to dial in their cars on Saturday.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Kansas Speedway, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/10/Keselowski-Takes-Kansas-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr., Edwards Move On​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards are putting last week's issues at Charlotte Motor Speedway behind them.

The two made contact early in last week's Bank of America 500, an incident that damaged Earnhardt Jr.'s car and started a long day of issues that ended in a 28th place finish.

But Earnhardt is focused on preparing for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and not spending time on what he considers to now be in the past.

"The incident with Carl, I thought he was impatient and run in the back of us," Earnhardt Jr. said Friday at Kansas. "I didn't cut him off or run down into&#8230; he didn't hit me in the quarter panel he hit me in the back of the car. I think he was just impatient there.

"But I've got to focus on the next two races and try to win so I can advance. If we don't advance we can change our focus."

Edwards chalked up the incident to nothing more than a racing incident and did not see anything he did as being overly aggressive.

"It's racing and you just have to do the best you can," Edwards said. "You have to make decisions in the heat of the moment and every once in a while stuff happens.

"I'm definitely glad we didn't suffer any damage from it and I wish it wouldn't have turned out the way it did to end up ruining the 88's (Earnhardt Jr.) day, but it was just tough racing."

The Edwards situation isn't the only thing Earnhardt is putting in the rear view mirror. He's also ready to forget about the oil on the track incident last week in Kansas that also put him into the wall, even though he still insists NASCAR made a mistake in not cleaning up the racing surface.

"There was oil on the track due to the shade or whatever it was that the billboards cast across the track, I don't know why they didn't see it or didn't know it was there or didn't understand it was there," he said. "I think we were in good shape to rebound and get a top 10 finish before we hit the oil and hit the wall. That definitely hurt our opportunity that day."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Kansas Speedway, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/10/Earnhardt-Jr-Edwards-Move-On.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers React To 2016 Rules​*
Several drivers gave their take on the 2016 Sprint Cup Series rule package on Friday at Kansas Speedway.

NASCAR announced a base rules package for next season that will feature much lower down force than what's being used in the 2015 season. The package includes a 3.5-inch spoiler, a 0.25-inch front leading splitter edge and a 33-inch wide radiator pan and is basically what was implemented at Kentucky and Darlington earlier this year.

Both those races produced enough competition for NASCAR to go ahead and create next year's rules, which is hoped to if not eliminate at least alleviate aerodynamic challenges that have made this year's racing virtually impossible to pass.

So far the reaction from the garage has been one of near universal praise.

"I think that's exactly what we want," said Joey Logano. "I think all the drivers have always wanted less downforce on the cars.

"I think there's been some great tests this year as far as race conditions - Darlington, Kentucky. We've seen, I feel like a huge improvement in racing at those two race tracks."

Drivers have asked to have more opportunity to drive cars and react than what the current rules package provides. Matt Kenseth explained what the lower downforce package will create for him behind the wheel of the racecar.

"The corner speeds are slower, your acceleration is a little bit more," he said. "Since they took away the horsepower, it gives you some of that acceleration back because you have less aerodynamic drag.

"There's less grip, less ill aero effects behind other cars back in traffic and all that. I think it can do definitely more opportunities to pass if you catch a car, especially if some of these tracks are aero sensitive to what we currently have."

Goodyear has already started work on creating softer tires to match with next year's package and there are two tests in the coming week, one at Michigan and the other at Atlanta that will help in that process.

"We're not saying, 'Go max grip,'" said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "That may not be the optimum. We're going to try to find the right level of grip to compensate for the loss in aero.

"As we go softer, the cars become more fragile, and you have to balance them more. They tend to run hotter, tend to wear more, tend to give up more. You take downforce away and take a load off the tire, it opens the window a bit for crew chiefs to have more tools to tune the car."

But Dale Earnhardt Jr. cautioned not to expect an instant fix that will make the racing better until the tires part of the equation is right.

"It will be interesting to see how &#8230; it's going to be a process so I guess I wish people would try to be patient because we have to allow Goodyear to tune a tire for this package and that is not going to happen on the first attempt at all these races," said Earnhardt Jr. "They can't have an issue where we are having tire problems and the tires aren't lasting. They have to creep in on this deal and kind of bring the softer tire little steps at a time.

"It's going to take some time to sort of get there. I just hope people are kind of patient that they wait on that process to unfold."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/10/Drivers-React-to-2016-Rules.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex: 'We're Still Here'​*
Martin Truex Jr. is still in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the Furniture Row Racing driver has no problem being under the radar.

Truex Jr. started the Contender Round of the Chase with a third place finish last week in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. However while the focus has been on some of the other 11 drivers still left in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Truex Jr. has been far from the spotlight.

He joked about it this week when he tweeted: "Most don't see us. We're still here."

"Did you like that,? Truex Jr. laughed Friday morning at Kansas Speedway preparing for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400.

But Truex Jr. reiterated he's perfectly fine with not being the center of discussion.

"I love it," he said. "I think it's great. I think it's a perfect position for us to be in. The only pressure we have is what we put on ourselves. We know what we're capable of, and if we fall short of that we're going to be disappointed. There's no outside pressure. There are no expectations for us. It's all about our expectations for ourselves, within our group. And we know what we're capable of.

"Like I said, if we don't perform the way we know we can, then we're going to be disappointed. We don't have to worry about what anybody else really says or thinks about it. It's a good position to be in. It's a fun position for us."

It's an interesting phenomenon to think of Truex Jr. as an underdog in the Chase since he came into the playoffs after a stellar regular season. A June win at Pocono punctuates a campaign that has seen Truex Jr. score eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes so far.

But still he's being overlooked as a serious title contender in most circles.

"I think it's kind of neat, you know? If you look at it, we are an underdog," he said. "I've never finished in the top 10 in points. We've got a rookie crew chief and a single car team in Denver. There are a lot of things that make us an underdog. We're a small team.

"Like I said, I think it's a cool position to be in and I think we don't get enough credit for what we've done this year; but at the same time, we don't have that past history or that track record in the Chase or in championship battles. So, I think it's fair; but I think it's kind of a fun position for us to be in."

Truex Jr. has a new sponsor for the weekend with Western Union jumping on board to help the No. 78 team. It's the company's first foray into NASCAR sponsorship and Truex Jr. is excited for the opportunity to provide a showcase on Sunday.

"It's a big deal for us," Truex Jr. said. "We're obviously looking for sponsors going down the road in the future and this is kind of the first step in that direction. So, I'm really proud to have them on the car. Hopefully we'll give them a good ride and get them excited about doing more next year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/10/Martin-Truex-Jr-We-are-Still-Here.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Relaxed Logano Loves Kansas​*
Joey Logano is the defending winner of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and has his sights set on a repeat performance on Sunday.

Logano won last year's race at Kansas and comes into the 2015 edition looking for another trip to Victory Lane at a track he considers a favorite.

"This is one of our best race tracks, maybe our best race track in the last couple of years, so we want to keep that roll going here and try to get another win," Logano said Friday morning at Kansas."

While Logano enjoys racing at Kansas and the success he's enjoyed at the 1.5-mile track, he's not exactly sure why he's been able to excel.

"For some reason this has been a race track that's been really good for us the last couple years," he said. "I look at just kind of being with Team Penske and kind of growing that notebook and doing what we need to do. I think this is a racetrack that's similar to Michigan - smooth, fast through the corners.

"Michigan has been a very good race track for our team, so what we've learned there we can really transfer a lot of it over here. I think it fits my style, which is good."

Logano might be the only one of the 12 drivers alive in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup not feeling a great deal of pressure this weekend. The Team Penske driver opened up the Contender Round of the Chase last week with a victory in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and has already advanced to round three.

While he's planning to go all out at trying to add another victory to his 2015 total on Sunday, Logano appreciates the relaxed atmosphere he's enjoying in the middle race of this round.

"It makes us feel a lot better," Logano said. "I was sitting at the house on Monday night and I was watching Race Hub and I was like, 'Man, this feels great. Everyone else is stressed out in this garage, except us right now.' That's something to be proud of and something that we need to take advantage of.

"That stress will wear a lot of teams out as we've seen, so right now it's an important time for us to take these next two weeks, enjoy them, but still go out there and try to win the race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...elaxed-Joey-Logano-Loves-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Relaxed Logano Loves Kansas​*
Joey Logano is the defending winner of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and has his sights set on a repeat performance on Sunday.

Logano won last year's race at Kansas and comes into the 2015 edition looking for another trip to Victory Lane at a track he considers a favorite.

"This is one of our best race tracks, maybe our best race track in the last couple of years, so we want to keep that roll going here and try to get another win," Logano said Friday morning at Kansas."

While Logano enjoys racing at Kansas and the success he's enjoyed at the 1.5-mile track, he's not exactly sure why he's been able to excel.

"For some reason this has been a race track that's been really good for us the last couple years," he said. "I look at just kind of being with Team Penske and kind of growing that notebook and doing what we need to do. I think this is a racetrack that's similar to Michigan - smooth, fast through the corners.

"Michigan has been a very good race track for our team, so what we've learned there we can really transfer a lot of it over here. I think it fits my style, which is good."

Logano might be the only one of the 12 drivers alive in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup not feeling a great deal of pressure this weekend. The Team Penske driver opened up the Contender Round of the Chase last week with a victory in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and has already advanced to round three.

While he's planning to go all out at trying to add another victory to his 2015 total on Sunday, Logano appreciates the relaxed atmosphere he's enjoying in the middle race of this round.

"It makes us feel a lot better," Logano said. "I was sitting at the house on Monday night and I was watching Race Hub and I was like, 'Man, this feels great. Everyone else is stressed out in this garage, except us right now.' That's something to be proud of and something that we need to take advantage of.

"That stress will wear a lot of teams out as we've seen, so right now it's an important time for us to take these next two weeks, enjoy them, but still go out there and try to win the race."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...elaxed-Joey-Logano-Loves-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Insists No Pressure​*
Matt Kenseth doesn't believe he's in a "must win" situation for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Kenseth started the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on a sour note and comes to Kansas 32 points out of the final transfer spot.

But despite the situation, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is not showing any signs of panic as he readies for Sunday's race.

"For me it's really no different, we show up and try to do the best we can every week,'' Kenseth said. "Same this week, obviously a win moves you on, but I don't feel like it's a must win. It would make it easier if we could win.''

Kenseth's Charlotte race was littered by a variety of issues and trips into the wall as well as an incident with Ryan Newman. But despite the ramifications of that contact with first Newman and then the wall, Kenseth isn't looking for any payback.

"Ryan and I have always gotten along really well, we've always raced each other really well,'' Kenseth said. "Since we wrecked, I most likely wasn't clear so I'm sure at the end of the day it was my fault. I still haven't watched it or seen it, but neither Ryan or I, either one of us wanted to be in that position. It hurt both of us. Can't really do anything about last week. Just try to be smarter and if there's a problem, try to fix it with that driver and move on."

Kenseth has won twice before at Kansas in his career and has considered the track a favorite where he's performed well. But he's not putting an additional pressure on himself or his race team after last week's Charlotte misstep to this round of the Chase.

"I really haven't thought about it a lot, I got through last weekend and went through and worked on closing Charlotte down on Monday and kind of went through all our notes on what went wrong and what went right, what we did good and what we need to do better, just all the normal stuff and close the book on that and worked on Phoenix this week and at the same time worked on Kansas to get ready for this," he said.

"We had a really fast Dollar General Camry, led some laps, we were on the pole and we feel like we should have that speed here hopefully so we're just going to work hard to hopefully get our car running like that again and hopefully be in that position and be able to capitalize on that."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Kansas Speedway, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/10/Kenseth-Insists-No-Pressure.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busch Battles To Kansas Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6809&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch battled back from a pit road penalty and a late-race repair to his No. 54 Toyota to score the win in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

Busch outdueled Matt Kenseth in an overtime finish to score his 75th career XFINITY Series win. It was his third at Kansas Speedway and fifth of 2015.

After first getting pegged for a pit road speeding penalty on lap 82 and later picking up damage when he hit debris after a Jennifer Jo Cobb-Korbin Forrister accident, Busch still had enough speed to work his way back to the front of the field.

Busch's trying day saw him get back to the top spot in the closing laps and he looked as if he was going to be able to pick up the win once he got around Kenseth until Joey Gase blew an engine to set up the overtime.

When the green flag reappeared, Busch got a great restart on Kenseth and easily outdistanced his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate to the finish line.

"This was a good day for us and something to kind of build off hopefully and see what we can do tomorrow," Busch said about Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. "&#8230;..my tongue was hanging out, man. I can't imagine what Matt felt like. He was driving way harder than I was. But, man, when you've got two real good race cars like that, you just have to bring 'em home."

The duo dominated the race as the only two drivers to lead with Kenseth out front 148 laps and Busch 56 in the 204 that made up the overtime event.

Kenseth, Joey Logano, Ty Dillon and Regan Smith rounded out the top five.

Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, Ryan Sieg, Daniel Suarez and Brendan Gaughan completed the first ten finishers.

The race was slowed by eight caution flags.

Buescher's lead in the series standings is 27 over Elliott with three races left in the season. Smith is 33 out and Dillon trails by 36.

"That's been the name of the game - consistency," said Buescher. "We need to go out here and we need to knock down these top-5's really. When you look at the points battle, they can get one or two points a weekend but that's just not gonna cut it in the end."











*Race Recap​*





The NASCAR XFINITY Series now takes two weeks off before returning to action on Saturday, November 7 at Texas Motor Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ns-Kansas-Lottery-300-at-Kansas-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kansas Story Lines​*
Stories to keep an eye on in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

The year's second stop at Kansas is the second race of the Contender Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The top eight drivers in the standings after the next two races will advance to the Eliminator Round of the playoffs while four drivers will get knocked out.

Entering Kansas those four drivers are Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, who dropped to the bottom of the standings after his tough day last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

However Kenseth is not panicking.

"For me it's really no different, we show up and try to do the best we can every week,'' Kenseth said. "Same this week, obviously a win moves you on, but I don't feel like it's a must win. It would make it easier if we could win.''

*Keselowski On Pole But&#8230;.*

Brad Keselowski has been fast all weekend and will start Sunday's race from the pole position. However the Team Penske driver will still have a challenge on Sunday.

Keselowski's team compiled four written warnings in previous weeks and was penalized by picking 42nd in the pit selection process. That means rather than the number one pit stall, Keselowski has a spot further down in a more congested location.

But Keselowski remains confident about his chances on Sunday.

"I guess it's like getting a nice cheesecake with no toppings," Keselowski said. "I still like cheesecake. We'll make the most of it. It is nice to be fast this week. We weren't anywhere near as fast as we wanted to be at Charlotte, which was frustrating and I'm not sure I could answer why we're faster this week, but sometimes that stuff just comes and goes and you don't really understand why."

*Relaxed Logano*

Joey Logano is the defending Hollywood Casino 400 race winner and has the luxury of knowing he's already advanced into the next round of the Chase thanks to his Charlotte win.

But Logano is still thinking about Victory Lane on Sunday and enjoying being in a less pressure-filled situation than the other 11 Chase drivers.

"It makes us feel a lot better," Logano said. "I was sitting at the house on Monday night and I was watching Race Hub and I was like, 'Man, this feels great. Everyone else is stressed out in this garage, except us right now.' That's something to be proud of and something that we need to take advantage of.

"That stress will wear a lot of teams out as we've seen, so right now it's an important time for us to take these next two weeks, enjoy them, but still go out there and try to win the race." (Read More)

*Home Game For Edwards*

Carl Edwards will start outside the front row. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has won twice this year and remains in the hunt for the championship.

But Edwards has never won at Kansas, which he considers his home track, and would like nothing better than to accomplish that goal on Sunday.

"For a win here, right now, I can't think of anything I wouldn't trade," Edwards said. "There's no amount of money that we wouldn't give."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race from Kansas Speedway, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Kansas-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Repeats At Kansas​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6818&StatType=Race+Results

Joey Logano scored his second straight win of the season and made it back-to-back Hollywood Casino 400 victories Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Logano outraced Denny Hamlin in a green-white-checkered finish to score a second consecutive victory in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after his triumph last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The overtime was set-up when Logano made contact with Matt Kenseth racing for the lead as the duo raced through Turns 1 and 2. The impact sent leader Kenseth around and Logano was able to make it through to compete for the win in overtime.

"If I get raced like that I'll race the same way," said Logano. "That's just how I've always been. It'll always be that way."

Kenseth did not see it the same way and felt he was wronged by Logano.

"He picked the rear tires off the ground and wrecked me," he said. "There's no debate about that one."

It was Logano's fifth win of the season.

Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon completed the first 10 finishers.

The top eight drivers in the standings will advance into the Eliminator Round of the Chase after the final race of the Contender Round next week. The four drivers at the bottom of the standings after Kansas are Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth.

There were 21 lead changes among nine drivers. The race was slowed by seven cautions for 39 laps.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway next Sunday for the CampingWorld.com 500.

*How Logano Won:* Logano had a fast car and ran near the front of the field most of Sunday's race. But the race came down to the closing laps battle between the Team Penske driver and Kenseth. After dicing for the lead for several laps, things heated up with just four laps left. Kenseth did his best to stay ahead of Logano who tried every way to get around the Joe Gibbs Racing driver until they finally touched to trigger the spin. The caution set up green-white-checkered finish, which Logano was able to command for the win.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Edwards and Keselowski had top-10 finishes to keep their Chase hopes firmly alive. There were other non-Chasers that also enjoyed a solid race including Johnson and Kahne, the Hendrick teammates that finished

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Kenseth had the worst day since he came to Kansas in the basement of the Chase standings and after nearly winning leaves in the same position. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a frustrating afternoon with a loose wheel one of his challenges. He finished 21st and is also in the bottom four of the standings. Clint Bowyer's home race ended in a hard crash when he hit the wall on lap 170. Austin Dillon was up into the top-five until he cut a tire and hit the wall on lap 154. And Tony Stewart had a miserable afternoon with a spin down the backstretch and a 35th-place finish.

*What Else Happened:* The first half of the race was relatively quiet but the second half was anything but. Drama broke out when Chase drivers Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. were penalized for pit road infractions. Johnson stayed out rather than pitting on a late restart but couldn't hold off the rest of the leaders that came down pit road for fresh tires. However, he was able to stay near the lead and took advantage of the late race fireworks to finish third.

*Quote of the Day:* "If I get raced like that, I'll race that way back." - Joey Logano.

*Notables:* Blaney scored his second career top-10 finish...Brian Scott's 12th was his career best finish...Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished 13th and has been in the top 15 for four straight races, a career long streak.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...10/Joey-Logano-Wins-Hollywood-Casino-400.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano And Kenseth Tangle At Kansas​*
Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth were involved in a controversial tangle in the closing laps of Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

The duo were battling for the lead in the final stages of Sunday's race when fireworks erupted with four laps to go when they touched racing through turns one and two. The contact sent Kenseth spinning while Logano was able to race on and eventually score his second straight win of the season and fifth of the year.

Kenseth led the most laps of the race (153) but wound up finishing 14th, dropping him further back into the basement of the Chase standings heading into next week's final Contender Round at Talladega Superspeedway.

"It's hard to drive a car with the rear tires off the ground," Kenseth said. "I was moving around the best I could, Joey was a lot tighter, a lot faster on the short run, but we were so much better on the long run. I could still kind of get up to the top and get a run and get around him.

"We caught those two lapped cars, 'Crazy' (Kenseth's spotter) told me I was clear and I was, I pulled up in front of him and he just lifted my tires off the ground and he wrecked us."

Logano saw things from a much different perspective.

"It was just hard racing," said Logano. "He raced me really hard. I raced him the same way he raced me.

"He came up and started taking my air away, as he should, and I had to kind of adjust what I was doing and try to find a fast way back to him. I was able to get those runs back to him and get back to him."

Logano insisted he had no malicious intent to purposely take Kenseth out and that it was nothing more than a by-product of tight competition between two drivers after the same goal.

"That's hard racing," he said. "That's the way I race. If I get raced like that, I'll race the same way. That's how I've always been and it will always be that way.

"I didn't think it was a good move when I hit the wall. I'm sure we'll talk about it. I felt like, 'Hey, I've got to race hard. I got in the fence twice,' so I wasn't gonna put up with it."

Kenseth does not expect to speak with Logano about the incident and doesn't see the need.

"I won't talk to Joey, I don't have anything to talk to him about really," he said. "You make decisions every day, you make decisions every minute behind the wheel. To me strategically, that doesn't seem like such a great decision for him, but it's the one he made and that's how he wanted to win.

"I'm one of the only guys that I think hasn't been into yet with Joey and I've always raced him with a ton of respect, I've actually been one of his biggest fans - I'm certainly not anymore, but I always was. It's a shame, I'm glad the cars not wrecked, we'll just go onto Talladega and race them there."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Logano-and-Matt-Kenseth-Tangle-at-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Stumbles Again​*
For a second straight week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered a frustrating day.

Last week Earnhardt Jr. kicked off the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a 28th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a day that was riddled with several trips into the wall.

In Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Earnhardt Jr. found himself in a similar situation that ultimately ended in 21st.

Loose wheels, which have been a challenge for Earnhardt Jr.'s team this year, was again the culprit for Earnhardt Jr.'s hole that dropped him to 27th when he had to come back down pit road on lap 158 for his crew to tighten lug nuts.

It's been a problem for Earnhardt many times this season, most recently at Dover in the opening round of the Chase.

The performance dropped Earnhardt Jr. further down in the Chase standings and he enters next week's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeeday 31-points behind the final cut-off spot.

Earnhardt has six wins at Talladega including back in May and remains confident about his chances next Sunday.

"Don't count us out. We've got confidence and we've definitely got a car to do it," said Earnhardt. "Talladega's the track I'm ready to go to. That's our best shot to win."

Earnhardt remains upbeat despite his uphill battle in the standings and championship picture.

"I'm not frustrated," he said. "I'm not mentally or emotionally drained or anything like that. The way the Chase is racked up, it's going to give you these kinds of results if you don't perform. We're going to have to go to Talladega and try not to get eliminated, but I've been in this before, and it is what it is. We'll try to go run hard and if we don't win the championship this year, it's not life-threatening."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/10/Earnhardt-Jr-Stumbles-Again.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick, Truex Struggle On Pit Road​*
It was a picture-post card autumn day in America's Heartland for both fans and a couple of Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship contenders at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. But on the final green flag pit stop of the Hollywood Casino 400, things got cold and dark for two of the top contenders.

On that late-afternoon pitting sequence, which began with 54 laps to go in the 267-lap race, goofiness resulted in pass-through penalties to drivers who started the day second and third in points and kind of comfortably above the cutline as the Chase nears yet another cutoff event under its elimination-format playoff.

As a result, both defending champion Kevin Harvick and fellow Chevrolet driver Martin Truex Jr. will head to the final race of the three-event Contender Round portion of the Chase needing to avoid trouble - if not notching a victory - at almost-always troublesome Talladega Superspeedway next weekend (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN).

Harvick was penalized when a fueling can bounced out of his pit stall.

The defending series champion, who had led 21 laps and was a major threat to get the victory, fell off the lead lap and finished 16th.

He dropped from second in points to fifth and will head to plate-racing Talladega for the final race of the Contender Round just seven points ahead of the cutoff in his attempt to make the Eliminator 8 Round.

Harvick, nicknamed "Happy," wasn't terribly sad after Kansas.

"We are lucky to come out of it as good as we did with our Budweiser/Jimmy John's team," the Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet driver said. "We didn't have a great weekend. A lot of things falling on and off and now we've got to go to Talladega and have a good week. All-in-all it could have been a lot worse and everybody kept digging."

Harvick's late-race problems were not confined to a bouncing fuel can. He also had a broken gear shift lever and wasn't that fun?

Um, no.

"It was just really hard to shift from second to third (gear) just because there was nothing to grab onto for leverage," Harvick said. "But in the end the car vibrated all day I'm lucky something else didn't break."

Then there was Truex Jr. of one-car team Furniture Row Racing. Third in points when the day began, he ran near the leaders until that fateful pit stop. Leaving his pit box was a tire. The penalty was the same and by the time he completed his pass-through, he was off the lead lap and headed for Talladega sitting on the eighth-place bubble.

"It was a tough day," Truex said. "We were in good shape before the penalty. We fought hard on the car all day and got much better right when we got the penalty. We were fast at the end, but not enough time to get back up there. This Chase format is tough, really tough. It will be a battle next week in Talladega."

A very tough battle, too. Truex has never won a plate race. He has had just two top-five finishes in 42 starts at plate tracks.

If things don't go his way next week, it won't be because of a lack of positive attitude on the part of his team.

"We're still alive," crew chief Cole Pearn radioed Truex after he took the checkered flag. "Considering what happened today I guess it could have been worse. We're still on the plus side heading to Talladega."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tin-Truex-Struggle-on-Pit-Road-at-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Ugly, But Good Day For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon rebounded to post a 10th-place finish in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Gordon was mired in the back of the pack most of the afternoon and looked as if he would have to settle for a mediocre finish at best when he was running 22nd around the halfway point of Sunday's race.

But as the second half of the race wore on and a series of events jumbled up the field, Gordon methodically worked his way toward the front of the field and ultimately came home 10th.

While the end result was all right, Gordon was not proud of the effort by any means.

"Absolutely horrible," he said. "We were absolutely as far off as you could be. I don't know. The thing qualified amazing and ever since we put it in race trim it just is not comfortable, hasn't felt good, and we've struggled with it.

"That was one of the hardest top 10s I've ever had to go through. I'm proud of the team. They fought hard and that's why we're where we're at. But gosh, that was ugly."

Gordon is now sixth in the Chase standings and heads to Talladega next week hoping to transfer to the Eliminator Round.

"Every point means something; it just doesn't mean anything as far as our approach for Talladega next week," he said. "I'm real confident in our racecars and our race team. I'm excited about our chances at actually winning there.

"I just don't like the chances of being in a wreck because they are usually high, but we are going to go and approach it where we are going to be aggressive and race hard. We will just see where the points end up."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...y-But-Good-Day-For-Jeff-Gordon-at-Kansas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kansas Winners and Losers​*
Drivers showed a wide range of emotions after Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

*WINNERS​*
*Joey Logano*
Says he raced Matt Kenseth the way he was raced and the contact at the end of Sunday's race was "good, hard racing." Not everyone shares that opinion, but the bottom line is that Logano is the hottest driver in the series and kept another competitor from advancing in the Chase with his Sunday win.

*Denny Hamlin*
A quiet day for Hamlin ended with a great finish and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is in great shape as the Contender Round heads to Talladega Superspeedway ... that is if anyone not already locked into the next round can be in great shape.

*Kasey Kahne*
A miserable season had a bright spot for Kahne with a top-five finish in Kansas. He didn't impress with speed or running at the front of the field, but none of that matters. Bottom line: Kahne came home with a much-needed good finish.

*Jeff Gordon*
Said it was "an ugly performance" and he's right, it sure wasn't pretty. But Gordon's top-10 finish keeps him in relatively good shape heading into the final race of the Contender Round next Sunday in Talladega.

*Ryan Blaney*
It's a shame that Blaney still doesn't know what his full plans are for next year. It would be great to see what he could do with the Wood Brothers in a full-time program affiliated with Team Penske in 2016. More days like his top 10 Sunday in Kansas seem like a sure bet.

*LOSERS​*
*Matt Kenseth*
The tangle with Logano not only cost Kenseth a win but put his championship hopes in severe peril. Kenseth has to do what Brad Keselowski did last year at Talladega Superspeedway: win ... or get knocked out of the Chase. That's a tall order.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Put "Junior" right next to Kenseth in the "tall-order" department next weekend at Talladega. He, too, has to win or else be eliminated from the title race. Sure, he's a plate-racing master but the last time someone won three of four races at Daytona and Talladega in one season was Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 1990. Even the most fervent "Junior" fan has to be a little concerned about the probability it can be repeated.

*Clint Bowyer*
Not a great homecoming for Bowyer, who pounded the wall in a hard crash late in Sunday's race. Thankfully, Bowyer wasn't injured in the crash. But he has to be counting down the days to have this crummy season come to an end.

*Austin Dillon*
He's been impressive in recent weeks and looked to be headed to a very good finish Sunday until a cut tire sent him into the wall and out of the race - a tough ending for the Richard Childress Racing driver.

*Tony Stewart*
A self-diagnosed "driver error" was the cause for Stewart spinning on the backstretch on his own and finishing well down in the final results.











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/10/Kansas-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Unveils 2016 Paint Scheme​*
Chase Elliott unveiled the NAPA Auto Parts paint scheme he will drive in 2016 when he takes over the No. 24 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports.

Elliott uncovered the car on "NASCAR Race Hub" on FOX Sports 1, which was simulcast in New York City's Times Square on the giant FOX video screen.

"I think the car turned out great and hope everybody likes it," Elliott said. "They were really open and willing to some of the ideas that we had. The light blue stripes actually came off of their drag car that Ron Capps runs. So it's kind of cool to keep it all in the family and I think it turned out pretty cool."

The NAPA Auto Parts design will be on the track for 24 races next year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16-NAPA-Auto-Parts-Paint-Scheme-Unveiled.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brian Keselowski Set For Truck Debut​*
Brian Keselowski will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this coming weekend at Talladega Superspeedway - driving the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford for his younger brother's team, Brad Keselowski Racing.

Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola will mark Brian's first NASCAR start since the Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International in 2013.

"It almost doesn't seem real, that's for sure," Keselowski said on MRN's Motorsports Monday. "I never would have thought this would happen, and at Talladega of all places. I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk with him (Brad), it's been mostly through texts. He's been busy with what they're doing on the Cup side. We talk when we can and I saw him before Charlotte and that's when we kind of talked about this a little bit."

Keselowski will be stepping in for Austin Theriault, who suffered a 10 percent compression fracture of his lower back in an early-race accident Oct. 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"I know he's been to the shop and he's getting better every week," Keselowski said. "They're hopeful that he can make Martinsville (Speedway, Oct. 31), but they have to get through some tests to make sure he's in good shape."

Although this will mark his first Truck Series start, Brian Keselowski does have some experience in both the XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. His most notable run came in a 2011 qualifying race at Daytona, when Brad helped push him to a fifth-place finish and secure the 12th starting spot in the Daytona 500 for the family's K-Automotive team. Brian has spent the past few weeks watching tapes of previous races, especially last year's Talladega race where BKR drivers Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The truck Keselowski will drive is the same one Blaney raced in that event.

Before turning his attention to Saturday's Truck Series race, Keselowski wrapped up the 2015 ARCA Racing Series season last weekend at Kansas Speedway as crew chief for Matt Kurzejewski. They teamed up to win the Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge with a 6.3 average finish at ARCA's eight superspeedway races.

"I was a mechanic before I was ever a driver," Keselowski said. "When Matt goes out there and says he's feeling something, I can relate, think what he's feeling, and then try to apply my knowledge to the car and see if we can fix it. I've got some experience as a crew chief. We did a good job of finishing races where we needed to this season. We led a few and had a good shot at winning some of them."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series race from Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Brian-Keselowski-Set-for-Truck-Debut.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Still In Hunt​*
Martin Truex Jr. remains alive in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship picture.

The Furniture Row racing driver enters Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in the eighth and final transfer spot to move into the next round of the Chase.

However he's only six points to the good over Kyle Busch in ninth place and knows there's no room for error at the Alabama track, which has been a challenge for Truex Jr. in recent outings.

"Talladega has not been a place that's been very good to me over the past few years," he said. "It's just one of them races where you go in there and you hope for the best. There's no guarantees obviously. It's definitely the wild card of all the Chase races.

"I don't know, looking forward to the weekend, just seeing what happens. Hopefully it's good and we can move on to the next round where we've got some strong tracks."

The frenetic nature of plate racing will make things difficult for Truex Jr. Sunday in terms of understanding where his fellow competitors are on track in relation to the championship picture. Truex Jr. says all he can do is try to take for of his own business and let the chips fall where they may.

"I mean, there's going to be a lot to think about, honestly," he said. "There's going to be a lot going on. My kind of outlook is let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Let's see what we have to do to get to the end first.

"There's no telling how many guys are going to even get to the end. I think we're going to play it by ear. We're going to have kind of a game plan of the team trying to let me know what we need to do at the end. Until we get to the end there's no sense even worrying about it. You're just going to give yourself gray hair."

Truex Jr. is a fan of NASCAR's decision to implement just one attempt at a green-white-checkered finish this weekend at Talladega.

"I think it's a good idea just based on past history of what would you have seen on green‑white‑checkereds as far as really just destroying racecars," said Truex Jr.

"I think the chances when you go to Talladega of bringing a car home are slim. If you have green‑white‑checkereds there, the chance of not bringing a car home goes up pretty dramatically. I think for the owners or everybody involved, I would be okay limiting it to one. Hopefully it doesn't even come down to one, but you never know. I think it's a good idea to think about it."

Whatever happens Sunday Truex Jr. will be ready for it as will his Furniture Row Racing team, which has enjoyed a stellar season so far that includes a win at Pocono. Truex Jr. is hoping to continue the story and remain in the title race after Sunday.

"I don't have to pump my team up," he said. They're always working hard and pushing for the next level. I think they feel the same way about me. So it's been a great relationship, a good season for us to show what we're made of."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Truex-Jr-Still-in-Hunt.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Michigan Partners With FireKeepers Casino​*
Michigan International Speedway announced Tuesday that next year's June Sprint Cup Series race will be named the FireKeepers Casino 400.

The race will be run on Sunday, June 12. Michigan-based FireKeepers Casino sponsored pole day for both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends this season at MIS. Company representatives saw first-hand how well their brand fit with NASCAR fans.

"We're pleased to continue our partnership with FireKeepers Casino and its increased involvement with NASCAR," said MIS President Roger Curtis. "The key to successful partnerships is finding organizations which have similar goals. Michigan International Speedway and FireKeepers Casino are committed to bringing tourists to the state."

Through statewide and local agreements for revenue sharing, FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, Mich., has contributed more than $100 million to the State of Michigan and a local Revenue Sharing Board since opening in August 2009. The partnership with Michigan International Speedway allows FireKeepers to continue its involvement in the community and racing, providing the opportunity to entertain its customers at NASCAR's fastest track.

"Our team is excited to join forces with one of the largest events in Michigan by being the title sponsor of the June NASCAR race," said FireKeepers Casino CEO Brian Decorah.

Nearly 400,000 people visit MIS annually, generating an economic impact estimated at $414 million. Nearly 60 percent of the guests on race weekends come from outside Michigan, making MIS the largest "welcome center" in the state.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel is owned and operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...peedway-Partners-With-FireKeepers-Casino.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Overtime Finishes Reduced​*
NASCAR will reduce the number of potential green-white-checkered finishes from three to one this coming weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Both Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race and Sunday's Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 will implement one double-file restart in overtime to finish the race.

"Following extensive dialogue with the industry, we've made a procedural change at Talladega Superspeedway (for) this weekend," Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said in a statement. "We take the responsibility of balancing exciting finishes and safety very seriously. We're confident this is a positive direction for both."

NASCAR rules call for up to three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish, but the change for Talladega's restrictor-plate race comes after recent multiple attempts at both the Alabama oval and Daytona International Speedway resulted in serious crashes.

Many drivers agree that one attempt at Talladega is the way to go.

"If you run 500 miles and it ends under yellow, it feels uncomfortable," said Brad Keselowski. "Give it another crack to see if you can finish it off for the fans and if it doesn't come together ... well, we tried.

"If you've ever been to a concert, where the guy gets up there and does an encore, it feels like that. It shows appreciation and respect toward our fans, but one is enough."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of both races from Talladega Superspeedway this coming weekend: Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series race, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET), and Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 Sprint Cup Series race, starting at 1:30 p.m. - with both broadcasts also streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Superspeedway-Overtime-Finishes-Reduced.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Grandstands Sold Out For Phoenix Cup Race​*
Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today that the track's grandstands are sold out for the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Nov. 15. The sellout occurred nearly a month ahead of race day, and it is the fifth-consecutive sellout for the fall race at PIR, making it arguably the toughest ticket in all of NASCAR.

"Going back to the controversial Gordon-Bowyer fight in 2012, Kevin Harvick's last-lap pass for the win in 2013 and last year's race when Kevin delivered in a must-win situation and Ryan Newman made that gutsy pass in the final turn, PIR has earned a reputation for having one of the most exciting and dramatic races of the year," Sperber said. "We're seeing that reflected by the enthusiasm from fans to secure their tickets earlier and guarantee themselves a spot for the excitement this fall."

Although the grandstands are sold out for Sunday's race, race fans wishing to attend the final Eliminator race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup may still purchase general admission tickets to PIR's Hillside area.

For fans looking to get up close to the action, or for first-time visitors to the track, Friday's and Saturday's races offer a great opportunity. All of the interactive displays and exhibits in the Fan Midway will be open both days as well, giving fans the opportunity to take in the full NASCAR race experience.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday, as well as Sunday's Hillside area, may be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com or by phone at 866-408-RACE.

Friday features more than 12 hours of on-track activity and the ability to see all three of NASCAR's national series in action for one price, culminating with the Lucas Oil 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Before the race, fans can watch practice and Gatorade Pole Qualifying for the Sprint Cup Series, as well as practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Saturday features not only the Sprint Cup Series' crucial final practice session, but also the opportunity to see the sport's stars of tomorrow take on many of today's heavyweights in the DAV 200 - Honoring America's Veterans NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

Until Monday, Nov. 9, tickets for Friday's action start at $30 and Saturday tickets start at $35. On Nov. 9, "race week pricing" goes into effect and prices increase by $5 for each day. Parking at Phoenix International Raceway is free throughout the weekend.

*About Phoenix International Raceway*

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has been the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. As the only track in the West to have two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends a year, PIR kicked off its 2015 NASCAR season with the CampingWorld.com 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend in March and will round out the year with the semifinal race for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500, Nov. 12-15.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Phoenix-Sell-Out.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Monster Energy To Sponsor Busch At SHR​*
Monster Energy is moving to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series while Kurt Busch is staying at Stewart-Haas Racing. The energy drink manufacturer has teamed with Busch in a multiyear agreement that will see Monster Energy co-sponsor him and the No. 41 Chevrolet with Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America.

Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion and owner of 27 career victories, will debut this new sponsorship during the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 Sprint Cup race weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet will then become a fixture beginning with the 2016 season, whereupon Monster Energy will be the alpha sponsor (hood) for 17 races and the bravo sponsor (quarter panel) for 18 races with one full primary race sponsorship.

"I'm very happy to be back with Stewart-Haas Racing and proud to take Monster Energy to the Sprint Cup Series," said Busch, who has won three races and three poles since joining SHR in 2014. "This is exactly where I want to be and I have two partners who want to win as much as I do."








Monster Energy passes on traditional forms of advertising and instead earns significant brand exposure through its roster of extreme athletes. Busch, renown for a tenacious driving style that has earned him multiple wins in a Sprint Cup career spanning more than 15 years, fits the bill for Monster Energy.

"Kurt Busch has been a member of the Monster Energy team since 2012 and we're very happy to take his involvement with us to a whole new level," said Mitch Covington, vice president of sports marketing, Monster Energy. "The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the premiere form of stock-car racing in North America and it's exactly where we want to be. Kurt and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing are racers. They walk the walk, just like Monster Energy."

SHR is the championship-winning Sprint Cup team co-owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas. Stewart is a three-time Sprint Cup champion with 48 career victories. Haas is the founder of Haas Automation. Since its inception in 2009, the team has won two titles (2011 and 2014), 30 races and 26 poles. With this new agreement, Monster Energy becomes the official energy drink of SHR.

"I've always respected Kurt's talent and determination, and I'm glad it's staying at Stewart-Haas Racing," Stewart said. "Kurt can win at every racetrack we visit, and his feedback and attention to detail make our entire organization better."

"Kurt Busch gives us the opportunity to win races every week and contend for a championship every year," Haas added. "This is an organization built on winning, and Haas Automation is a company built on performance. Kurt embodies each of those qualities, and it's why we invest in his abilities."

"I can't thank Gene Haas and Tony Stewart enough for the opportunity to be a part of this team," Busch said. "We've accomplished a lot in our two years together, but there's so much more I want to do for them, for Haas Automation and for Monster Energy. It's great knowing we'll be able to keep the momentum we have and extend it into next year and beyond."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Stewart-Haas-Racing-With-Monster-Energy.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Talladega​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Talladega​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway takes The 12 Contenders to Talladega Superspeedway this week, with 1,576.08 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 is the final race of the Contender Round. When the checkered flag falls, four more drivers will be dropped from title contention - with the eight remaining competitors advancing to the Eliminator Round that opens Nov. 1 at Martinsville Speedway.

The four currently at the bottom of the Chase standings entering the weekend are second-seeded Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, who was the No. 3 seed on The Chase Grid.

Earnhardt won this year's first race at Talladega back on May 3 and takes a sense of urgency with him as he takes on the 2.66-mile Alabama oval. He's also taking a familiar car with him into the weekend.

"We'll have the same car we won with earlier this year," said "Junior," a six-time Talladega winner. "It's got great speed and we feel confident. It helps when your car is that that dominant."

In winning that race, Earnhardt got some timely blocks from teammate Jimmie Johnson in the closing laps to claim his first victory of the season. With Earnhardt on the point, Johnson - who finished second - first turned back a late charge from Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, and then kept Paul Menard in his rear-view mirror as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Earnhardt took the checkered flag.

The margin of victory was .15 seconds over Johnson with Menard, Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. completing the top five. Earnhardt led six times for a race-high 67 laps, including the final 27 trips around the mammoth oval.

"At Talladega, you give more mentally than you do physically," he said. "In a restrictor-plate race, you need to make decisions with confidence and make them quickly. If you have any kind of hesitation, someone makes that decision for you and takes away that opportunity."

Earnhardt entered the post-season as the No. 6 seed among the 16 title contenders. After five races with an average finish of 18th, he's 11th in the standings - 31 points below the eighth-place cutoff.

At the top sits Team Penske's Joey Logano, who's won the last two races and is the only driver who's punched his ticket into the next round. If he wins again Sunday, Logano would become the first driver with three straight post-season victories since Johnson won four in a row in 2007.

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday at 2 p.m. (ET) and qualify Saturday afternoon. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/10/Miles2Miami-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jones Carries Point Lead To Talladega​*
Erik Jones has the Camping World Truck Series point lead heading to Talladega Superspeedway and plans to leave after Saturday's race in the same spot.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver has a four-point advantage over Matt Crafton as the series visits the 2.66-mile superspeedway for Saturday's Fred's 250.

He's riding a string of 10 straight top-10 finishes into Alabama, which as helped propel him to the lead in the standings.

Jones has one Truck Series start at Talladega coming in last year's race and plans to use that experience to his benefit this weekend.

"The biggest thing we've done there in the past that has worked out well has just been staying on the bottom and staying out of trouble and trying to stay up front and stay out of trouble," said Jones. "We did a good job last year of staying out of trouble and getting a top-10 finish out of it. Hopefully this year we can do the same."

"As long as we can bring home a top 10, lead a lap or two and get some good points out of it that would be a good day for us. I feel like we can make up some more points at some other tracks rather than there, as long as we can just get through Talladega."

Surviving Talladega is a worry for every driver as well as crew chief including Rudy Fugle, who calls the shots for Jones.

"As far as race strategy and chassis adjustments -- there isn't a lot you can do," said Fugle. "It is agonizing in the fact that throughout the weekend you know that one wrong move by another driver -- in practice or the race -- and the months of hard work your team has put into this one race can go away in an instant because of something someone else did."

While Jones makes only his second series start at Talladega veteran Crafton will make his 10th on Saturday. He is the only active driver to have competed in all nine previous Talladega races and along the way Crafton has compiled one top-five and three top-10 finishes.

He's prepared to do battle again on Saturday and knows the many challenges racing at Talladega brings.

"Talladega is definitely an exciting race, without a doubt," Crafton said. "It's just a crapshoot though, you just never know what will happen there. It's just hard racing. You can't drive in the corners any deeper, and you can't pick the throttle up any sooner to get away from someone.

"You're stuck, three-wide, even four-wide, and you can't do anything about it. Your fate is in everyone else's hands and that's a helpless feeling for a driver. It puts on a good show though."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Fred's 250 Camping World Truck Series race from Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/Jones-Carries-Point-Lead-to-Dega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Says Logano's Lying​*
Matt Kenseth doesn't believe Joey Logano didn't intentionally hit him last week at Kansas Speedway.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver says the contact between the two in the closing laps of last week's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway was purposeful and that Logano wasn't being truthful when he said it wasn't.

"Yeah, some day he might mature a little bit, but, first of all, he should have stopped running his mouth, 'A,' and, number two, he's lying when he said he didn't do it on purpose because he lifted your tires off the ground offset to the left and he's too good a race car driver to do that by accident," Kenseth said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Kenseth had the lead last week with five laps to go when Logano made contact from behind. The impact sent Kenseth spinning while Logano went on to win the race.

Kenseth said after the race he would not have done anything differently in the situation and reiterated that stance Friday.

"Well, I wouldn't have done anything differently because I didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I did everything I was supposed to do. I tried to get away. He drove the car in the wall himself twice. I don't know how you can possibly either, 'A,' block someone or put somebody in the wall when they're not up alongside you - it's pretty talented if you can do that when somebody's four feet behind you, so, no, I did everything I could to win the race.

"That's the way I'd race to win any race is to race hard as you can and do whatever you can, be clean about it and go as fast as I could go and that's all I was doing. I got hit from behind. I couldn't do anything about that. I couldn't change that."

A week has passed since the incident and the duo have not yet spoken.

"No. Um, no. Yeah, I haven't heard from him," said Kenseth.

Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, called the incident "quintessential NASCAR" early this week during a radio interview.

Kenseth isn't exactly on board with that view.

"I don't know what that word means, I wasn't very good in high school," he quipped. "I barely made it through Cambridge High School so I'd have to Google that word first to find out what&#8230;once I learn what that means, then I can probably answer that better."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of both races from Talladega Superspeedway this weekend: Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series race, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET) ... and Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 Sprint Cup Series race, starting at 1:30 p.m. - with both broadcasts also streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/10/Kenseth-Says-Loganos-Lying.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Cautious At Talladega​*
Brad Keselowski says there's an air of nervousness in the air among drivers heading into Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Team Penske driver is well aware of the unpredictable nature around restrictor plate racing and with so much on the line in terms of the championship Sunday's race takes on an even more profound meaning.

"There are certainly going to be some people that race scared and racing scared, to me, means sometimes you race not to win, but to not lose as far as the points are concerned,'' said Keselowski Friday at Talladega.

"At Talladega, that is a big effect on the strategy and the way the race plays out. I think we've seen races here, in fact the last spring race, we saw that where the race stayed single-file for a long, long time, which, to me, is kind of somewhat a showing of racing scared, where you're happy with where you're running and you don't want to do anything to jeopardize that so you stay in line."

Keselowski comes into the race seventh in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, which is at least a better spot than he was a year ago when he had to win the race in order to move on to the Eliminator Round.

"So we're in a decent position, not quite as hectic as last season, but certainly not perfect either by any means," he said. "It should be interesting to see how it all unfolds.

"We know we need to have a very strong day to be able to get to the next round, but the interesting thing is there's only one car out of the 12 in this bracket that doesn't feel that way, so that should be very exciting when it come crunch time at the end of this race, especially if something is to happen early in the race and someone gets damaged or eliminated with a wreck."

Several drivers and teams have talked about strategies and a plan to race Sunday at Talladega. But Keselowski says the best-laid plans don't always pan out and the best approach is to adapt as the situation changes.

"I think it was Mike Tyson who used to say that everybody has a plan until they get in the ring," Keselowski said. "Well, Talladega is the same way. Everybody has a plan here, or an approach, until they drop the green and then it usually doesn't work.

"We've had some really good approaches here in the past that have worked, but we'll just have to see. I'm not really all that interested in sharing what my plan is now, but hopefully it'll play out."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of both races from Talladega Superspeedway this weekend: Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series race, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (ET) ... and Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 Sprint Cup Series race, starting at 1:30 p.m. - with both broadcasts also streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/Keselowski-Cautious-At-Talladega.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Eyes More Talladega Magic​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will look to complete the season sweep at Talladega Superspeedway to advance to the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Earnhardt, who comes into Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 11th in the points, 31 behind the cutoff, will be back in the same car that he's won the last two restrictor-plate races with.

"When we come to all the plate tracks we feel confident we can do well and feel confident in the car," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The confidence that you have in the car is really where it all stems from. When you feel like you have a dominant car like we've had over the last several years, you definitely make some moves with confidence and you come into the race with confidence. Until we see anything different, we'll be confident."

This season Earnhardt has been masterful in the three races on plate tracks with a series leading 1.7 average finish and 195 laps led. His win at Talladega in the spring was his sixth at the track, tying him with teammate Jeff Gordon.

The last driver to win three of the four plate races in one season was 10-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 1990. This weekend marks the 15th anniversary since Earnhardt Sr.'s 76th and final Sprint Cup win, which came in dramatic fashion at Talladega. The race saw Dale Sr. come from 18th to first in the final four laps and Earnhardt Jr. recalled that day in the media center on Friday.

"I was sitting behind Mike Skinner," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We were in single file line on the inside and Mike was protecting the bottom. And I was going to sit there until the last lap and try to pass him. And, Dad's line formed on the outside and was coming. And, I could see him in the mirror knocking off a few guys each corner and getting closer toward the lead. And then I had to decide whether I was going to try to pass Mike now, and then maybe battle my dad for the lead, which was probably the best thing I could have done. Was I going to push Mike and try to work hard? Once their line got tires, ours had been kind of stagnant for a while. I think ours would have sort of rejuvenated itself and maybe battled-back. And so, I knew that pushing Mike Skinner past Daddy was not going to work well. I think I was riding home with Daddy anyways. I didn't have a plane then, I don't think. I knew he wouldn't have wanted that; for me to do that, you know? You can't communicate at that moment, but you're just thinking of about a million things like he's passing me. Part of me is pulling for him; the other part of me is thinking I'm not in the situation I want to be in because I thought I was just going to have to try to pass Mike. That was the only thing I had to worry about until the end of the race. Now, our lane is not the lead lane. What do I got to do to get our lane back into the lead? So now again, it's against me and Mike. But Dad, I don't want to push Mike in our lane past Dad. So I started not pushing Mike. I started lifting."

"And then our line really started falling. And then I decided coming through the Tri Oval that I was going to pass Mike. And I went to the bottom and he stayed against the apron. So he said basically at that point, if you're going to pass me you're going into this corner on the apron. And that wasn't going to work. I was going to wreck myself and Mike and everyone else. So, I had to lift. And when I lifted to get back in line, I fell to like 14th place. Of course we had already lost about five or six spots to Dad's line. But, it was a mess."

"I just sort of felt destructed, mentally, when all that was happening because I didn't know exactly what I should do, what Tony Sr. wanted me to do on the pit box, what Dad wanted me to do; but he won the race. It worked out for him and that was good. It was a hell of a comeback. And it's great for Kenny Wallace. He seems to really enjoy being a part of that story; and he's such a great guy and he had a lot of respect for Dad."

The Chase is in its second season with the new elimination format making the Talladega race that more pressure packed. Last year, Earnhardt entered this race 12th in the standings, 26 points from the cutoff and failed to advance after finishing 31st.

"There's no denying the intensity and the pressure it puts on drivers like myself to be in a cutoff situation where you're eliminated if things don't go perfectly on Sunday," Earnhardt Jr. said. "But I think it's what the fans enjoy. If I'm a fan, I like it. I know I've read quite a few comments about this system and whether it's fair and so forth. And I think I've read a lot of great opinions about that. But, it definitely, as a fan, I think it's really what we needed. And even if we don't make it through this weekend, I think it's still going to be exciting. It was great last year even when we weren't a part of it. It was amazing to watch. I really like to see the sport be as healthy as possible. And what we saw last year was great for that.

"This one has been pretty intense. We've seen some guys get wrecked. I, myself, got wrecked. We were worried. I know we had some comments and questions from some guys. Were we going to be able to see the kind of intensity we saw last year? I think we have. And, it's not even Texas yet (laughs). I don't know what happened there. So, who knows what's left? I'm excited to see it and hopefully I'm a part of it."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Dale-Earnhardt-Eyes-More-Talladega-Magic.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Final Plate Race For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon will make the final restrictor-plate start of his career in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Gordon is the winningest driver in restrictor-plate races with 12, one more than Dale Earnhardt Sr. on the all-time list.

This past spring, Gordon won the pole at Talladega to eclipse Sterling Marlin for most poles for plate races with eight. He led 47 laps in the race before a speeding penalty on pit road took him out of contention on lap 156.

"Hopefully we qualify up front," Gordon said. "The last time, I made a mistake getting on pit road and got on the splitter and locked up the tires and was speeding on pit road; we never recovered. So that's what's more on my mind. We have a very fast racecar. We have to execute and I have to execute and not make mistakes. If we do that and have a little luck on our side, there's no doubt that we can not only win this race but move on."

On Friday, Gordon was 17th and 10th in the first and final practice sessions, respectively. He also was 10th in the first session in best 10 consecutive lap average.

Sixty-Four percent of Gordon's laps led this season have come at plate tracks. With only five races left in the season, Sunday's 500-mile race could be a great opportunity for Gordon to add the 127 laps he needs to reach 25,000 career laps led.

"We're here to race a for a win," said Gordon, who can secure a spot in the Eliminator Round with a finish of first or second no matter where the competition finishes. "I feel like we've put together three pretty good restrictor plate races this year but we've not always ended up with the results we were looking for. We learned a tremendous amount in how we executed in those races and the mistakes we made that are easily fixed so we can hopefully get the result we need this weekend."

Gordon is currently tied with his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. for most active wins at Talladega with six. Over the years, Gordon has many special memories at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, including racing against the Earnhardt Jr. and Sr.

"The one where me and Junior were racing side-by-side and had a great battle," Gordon said. "One of the races that stands out the most to me is where we came from about 10th or 12th with only a few laps to go; I think Jimmie and I battled for a win, and we were either second or third. One of the other ones that stands out is when Earnhardt (Sr.) came from 18th or wherever it was and beat all of us. Watching him maneuver through traffic and doing what he did so well was very inspiring and very impressive."

In July, Gordon finished sixth in his final start at Daytona. The race ended with a chain-reaction crash that saw Austin Dillon get airborne and get into the catchfence on a green-white-checkered finish. Starting this weekend, NASCAR will implement only one attempt at a overtime finish at Talladega.

"When we look at these tracks and what is involved in those restarts - especially when you're coming to the checkered flag...If anyone in this room rode inside one of these cars on a green-white-checkered, there's no doubt in my mind that every single one of you would say they really shouldn't do that," Gordon said. "It's insane. It's a white-knuckle experience. If anyone in the garage says it's not, then they're not telling the truth. It just is. You're holding your breath. It can make for some amazing moments and highlights. I don't know if you need to put any added risk out there to do more than one."

Gordon is scheduled to go out 29th in Saturday's first round of qualifying, which can be heard live on the Motor Racing Network starting at 4 p.m. (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...don-Set-for-Final-Restrictor-Plate-Start.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*High Stakes At Talladega​*
There's a lot on the line for several drivers in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

The final race of the Contender Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will see eight drivers advance while four will have their title hopes end when the checkered flag flies. Only Joey Logano, who's won the last two races at Charlotte and Kansas Speedway, is guaranteed a spot in the Eliminator Round while the remaining 11 drivers battle to join him.

Reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick is one of the eight drivers currently ahead of the cutoff, tied with Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon for fifth place. He knows with the variables that await at Talladega, he's anything but safe moving forward.

"There's a lot that's out of your control so you go in there, try to position yourself at the front of the pack and then just let it happen," Harvick said of his race strategy. "Otherwise, it's a complete mental drain on yourself and the team."

Kyle Busch, currently outside the top eight, understands the fragile nature of racing at Talladega and what it could mean to his Chase chances. Busch got off to a solid start in last year's Contender Round only to have disaster strike at Talladega, where he was caught up in an accident.

"That's the biggest crap shoot we have," he said. "If we can make it through this round with Talladega being in there, then the rest of the year is simple. We can run well at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix to go to Homestead with a good chance to win a championship."

Matt Kenseth, one of Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, is most likely in "must-win" territory this weekend in order to move on. Kenseth is last in the Chase standings and crew chief Jason Ratcliff is ready to pull out all the stops.

"We need to be as aggressive as possible," Ratcliff said. "Typically, whenever you try to avoid problems, you find one. Last year, a couple guys just needed to finish this race in order to advance in the Chase and they got caught up in something else at the back of the pack, which is very common. We're going to try to run up front and lead every lap."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins Kenseth as a driver that needs to find Victory Lane in order to advance in the "playoffs." He's won two of the three restrictor-plate races this season including May's visit to Talladega, and is ready to try and become the first driver to win three of four "plate" races in a single season since his father in 1990.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...0/High-Stakes-at-Talladega-Superspeedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*All Four SHR Cars Have To Make Changes In NASCAR Inspection​*
Multiple issues were found in Sprint Cup technical inspection Saturday at Talladega.

The Sprint Cup teams of Stewart-Haas Racing - those of drivers Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick - spent the better part of two hours on Saturday having to make changes to their cars after issues were found during pre-qualifying inspection.

During the inspection process at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, NASCAR officials determined the assembly of the radiator inlet duct panels on all four cars did not conform to series rules.

NASCAR required each team to replace the assembly - not an easy process since it involves removing the radiators from the cars.

A NASCAR spokesperson said any additional penalties for the infraction would be announced early next week.

An SHR team official said the cars were running the same assembly pieces as they had in the series three previous superspeedway races this season.

Patrick's car was the first to finish the replacement and headed back into the inspection line for another try.

In addition, the No. 34 Ford of Front Row Motorsports and driver Josh Wise was required to change out its front splitter during the inspection process.

All four cars eventually passed inspection with new radiator duct work prior to the start of Saturday's Cup series qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...rs-have-to-make-changes-in-nascar-inspection/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Peters Takes Talladega Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6842&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Timothy Peters added his name to the Talladega Superspeedway record books by becoming the third driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to win consecutive races at the 2.66-mile track.

Peters joined Todd Bodine (2007, 2008 ) and Kyle Busch (2009, 2010) as drivers to take two straight at Talladega when he took the checkered flag under caution on a green-white-checkered finish in Saturday's fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.

The overtime finish ended early after the green flag flew and the field snaked down the backstretch. Spencer Gallagher and John Wes Townley crashed into the outside wall and the caution flag flew officially ending the race with Peters out front.

Peters had not won a series race since he was triumphant at Talladega a year ago but he erased that drought by scoring his ninth career victory with chassis No. 12.

"This is the one we won with last year and got it even better," Peters said. "It showed how hard that they work because we were able to sit on the pole. Just Chris Lambert (spotter) gave me system overload all day long telling me what the outside line was doing, who was behind me, what the gap was in front of me and just was able to put ourself in position with our Toyota Tundra at the end to go for the win."

Brandon Jones, who led the field to the green on the last restart, came home second to tie his career best finish behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet.

"I led a couple laps (7) in the (my) first superspeedway race in the truck and had a shot to win it right there," Jones said. "There's nothing to be ashamed about right there."

Mason Mingus finished third for a career best, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet.

"This thing was so fast in the draft," Mingus said. "We had it here last year and we were running top five and got wrecked early in the race so it was good to finish one with this truck."

Erik Jones finished fourth to extend his point lead from four to 18 over new second-place driver, Tyler Reddick, who finished fifth.

"Never would have thought that we could have come out of this race that far ahead," Jones said. "Everything from the best to the worst can happen here and fortunately the best happened for us."

It was a rough day for Matt Crafton, who came into the race only four points behind Jones for the series lead. The two-time champion led a great deal on Saturday but he picked up debris that became stuck on the grille of his Toyota and raised engine temperatures.

From there Crafton ran out of fuel and finally got caught in a multi-truck accident to eventually finish 24th, only his third finish outside the top 15 all season.

"They've had their problems and I've had my problems and if they have more problems, I'm not worried about it," said Crafton, who now sits 23 points behind Jones. "We're going to go try to win the next four and see what happens."

The 10-truck lap 93 accident on the backstretch caused a 14 minute red flag and setup the green-white checkered finish. Christopher Bell was running fourth prior to the accident but was black flagged for pushing on the restart.

"I'm learning as we go, but kind of penalize you if you do and penalize you if you don't," Bell said. "If I don't push them like that then you end up getting hung up and not getting up there. Learning experience and we'll learn from it and go onto the next one."

Brad Keselowski's brother Brian had a strong Truck Series debut in the BKR Ford leading 10 laps. But he ran out of fuel after the red flag and was credited with a 17th-place finish.

"They said right from the get-go to save fuel and I was, but you can only do so much when you're leading," Keselowski said. "You've got to go, so I didn't save any when I was out front. I guess I should have, but that's a little bit of inexperience in the Truck Series probably showing up. We'll learn better next time.

"I'm really proud of how we ran. I'm disappointed that it was probably my only chance. We'll see how it works out."

Saturday's race featured 15 lead changes among nine different drivers and was slowed seven times for the caution flag.











_The Camping World Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway next weekend for the Kroger 200._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/10/Timothy-Peters-Takes-Talladega-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Pole Sweep For Gordon​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6819&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Jeff Gordon completed the season pole sweep at Talladega Superspeedway when he took the top spot for Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

Gordon continued Hendrick Motorsports' dominance in qualifying at restrictor-plate tracks as the team swept all four poles at Daytona and Talladega in 2015. Gordon also won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500.

"I did know we had a fast car, but I wasn't sure," Gordon said. "This is a different car than what we had here earlier this year. I mean everybody felt confident in the car and it was really fast in the drafting sessions, but we weren't exactly sure when we made a mock qualifying run if we had what it took for the pole, but after that first run I knew the boys did what they do."

The front row starters are a repeat performance from Talladega in the spring with Kasey Kahne qualifying second.

Jimmie Johnson made it a top three qualifying sweep for Hendrick with Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top five. Earnhardt Jr., who started from the pole at Daytona in July when the lineup was based on practice speeds, is driving the same car this weekend that he's won the last two plate races with.

"Some of the guys had a little more speed, but we feel like our car is going to race really well and just ready to go," Earnhardt Jr. said.

Trevor Bayne, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Jeb Burton and Michael Annett failed to qualify for the race.

Martin Truex Jr. had his qualifying lap erased when NASCAR ruled he went below the yellow out of bounds line during his attempt. He will start 43rd .

"It won't change at all," said Truex about his strategy. "We started from the back last time too."

Justin Allgaier received damage to the front nose of his car when Clint Bowyer backed into him on pit road.

"Feel extremely bad for Justin Allgaier and his team," Bowyer said on Twitter. "Definitely the strangest thing in all my years of racing I've ever had happen."

All four Stewart-Haas Racing cars were forced told correct the assembly of the radiator inlet duct panels because they did not conform to specifications. The issue was found in inspection before Saturday's qualifying session.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 Sprint Cup Series race, starting at 1:30 p.m. - with both broadcasts also streamed live at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/10/Talladega-Pole-Sweep-for-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Story Lines​*
There are plenty of stories to follow in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, which can be heard live on the Motor Racing Network starting at 1:30 p.m. (ET).

Sunday is the final race of the Contender Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and only eight drivers will advance to the Eliminator Round when the checkered flag flies. The four drivers entering the weekend in the bottom four of the standings are Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, who can only control their own destiny with a win when it comes to clinching scenarios coming into today's race.

Earnhardt Jr., who starts fifth, will be racing the same car he won the last two restrictor-plate races with dating back to Talladega in the spring.

"When we come to all the plate tracks we feel confident we can do well and feel confident in the car," said Earnhardt Jr., who has won two of the season's three restrictor plate races. "The confidence that you have in the car is really where it all stems from. When you feel like you have a dominant car like we've had over the last several years, you definitely make some moves with confidence and you come into the race with confidence. Until we see anything different, we'll be confident."

*Kenseth Still Seething*
While Kenseth finds himself in a win or go home scenario, he's also still upset about last week's finish at Kansas Speedway when Joey Logano made contact in the closing laps causing the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to spin.

"Yeah, some day he might mature a little bit, but, first of all, he should have stopped running his mouth, 'A,' and, number two, he's lying when he said he didn't do it on purpose because he lifted your tires off the ground offset to the left and he's too good a race car driver to do that by accident," Kenseth said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.

*Keselowski Treading Lightly* 
Brad Keselowski comes to Talladega this year above the Chase cutline, a far cry from last year when he needed to win the race to move on. However, the Team Penske driver isn't counting on anything at the challenging Alabama track.

"There are certainly going to be some people that race scared and racing scared, to me, means sometimes you race not to win, but to not lose as far as the points are concerned,'' said Keselowski Friday at Talladega.

"At Talladega, that is a big effect on the strategy and the way the race plays out. I think we've seen races here, in fact the last spring race, we saw that where the race stayed single-file for a long, long time, which, to me, is kind of somewhat a showing of racing scared, where you're happy with where you're running and you don't want to do anything to jeopardize that so you stay in line."

*Plate Farewell for Gordon* 
Jeff Gordon makes his final restrictor plate start of his illustrious career on Sunday. He'll start from the pole after leading qualifying on Saturday and is hoping to find Victory Lane for the first time this season.

"We're here to race a for a win," said Gordon, who can secure a spot in the Eliminator Round with a finish of first or second no matter where the competition finishes. "I feel like we've put together three pretty good restrictor plate races this year but we've not always ended up with the results we were looking for. We learned a tremendous amount in how we executed in those races and the mistakes we made that are easily fixed so we can hopefully get the result we need this weekend."

*Hendrick Power*
Led by Jeff Gordon, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers will start in the top five in today's race after HMS completed the pole sweep on all four plate tracks - three when qualifying was held - this season. Hendrick drivers have led 84 percent of the laps at the three restrictor plate races this season. Earnhardt Jr., who won the pole at Daytona in July based on practice speeds when qualifying was cancelled due to weather, leads the way with 195 laps led. Gordon (134) and Jimmie Johnson (124) are ranked second and third, respectively. Team Penske's Joey Logano is fourth, but has only led 31 laps.

*Truex to Start Last* 
Martin Truex Jr. will start last in today's race after he had his qualifying lap erased when NASCAR ruled he went below the double yellow line during his attempt. He currently sits in the eighth and final transfer spot in points and is six points ahead of ninth place Kyle Busch, who qualified 16th.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the CampingWorld.com 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Talladega-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Sweeps Contender Round​*
Joey Logano won the CampingWorld.com 500 on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday after it was determined he was ahead of the field following a crash on a green-white-checkered restart.

It capped a wild and controversial day that saw eight drivers advance to the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup while four were knocked out; Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth.

Logano's win came on lap 196 of the scheduled 188 lap race, that was forced into overtime by a late race caution when Jamie McMurray had an engine blow on the backstretch. After a lengthy clean up the field tried to get restarted but caution flew when Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson crashed and NASCAR ruled the situation as a failed restart.

When things were lined-up a second time, Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who needed to win in order to advance in the Chase, were side by side. But another crash was triggered behind the front row when Kevin Harvick appeared to sputter and as cars slid through the infield and the frontstretch, caution waved again and the race was over.

"It is amazing. Dreams come true I guess," said Logano. "We have to keep this dream rolling. We have a long way to go. We are back to zero going into Martinsville so we need to make something happen in the next three races."

Earnhardt Jr., Gordon, Keselowski and Edwards rounded out the top five.

Paul Menard, Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kurt Busch completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway next Sunday to begin the Eliminator Round in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

*How Logano Won:* Logano was declared the winner of the race when a multi-car crash broke out behind the leaders and NASCAR displayed the caution flag. The sanctioning body mandated there would be only one GWC finish at Talladega earlier in the week so the race was official when caution wad displayed.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Logano led the list but the other seven drivers to advance would certainly have to be in this category. Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch all advanced to the next round of the Chase.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* In addition to the four knocked out of championship contention a few others would like to forget about Talladega. Greg Biffle played a fuel strategy game and almost was able to pull off an upset until the late caution and overtime laps forced him to pit road...Hamlin battled a loose roof escape hatch door all afternoon that dropped him out of contention early...Ryan Blaney had an engine go sour and was robbed of an opportunity to follow his Kansas top 10 a week ago with another solid finish for the Wood Brothers.

*What Else Happened:* The race was run in intense fashion early and went caution-free until 56 laps were left. That opening sequence featured two-and-three wide racing most of the time and drivers only fell in single file line a time or two to catch their collective breaths. The second half is when things went wild and eventually needed in the controversial fashion that many fans in attendance weren't pleased with witnessing.

*Quote of the Day:* "Tell that 22 (Joey Logano) I'm gonna knock him out after the race, tell him to hide behind his daddy," Matt Kenseth on his in-car radio communication.

*Notables:* Earnhardt Jr. posted top-three finishes in all four restrictor-plate races this season&#8230;Menard scored his third top-five performance of the year&#8230;Stenhouse Jr. has finished in the top 15 in the last five races, his career best streak.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/10/Logano-Sweeps-Contender-Round.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Doesn't Escape Talladega​*
Denny Hamlin came into Talladega second in points, but left ninth in the standings and eliminated from the Chase for NASCAR Sprint Cup after an issue with the roof escape hatch on his No. 11 Toyota.

Hamlin fell two laps down on lap 93 when he was forced to pit road for a second time to fix the loose roof hatch.

"I don't know what broke," Hamlin said. "It just peeled up. I guess what's frustrating is they didn't tell us we had to, but we came in and fixed it, we didn't get it fixed, we tried to come in again and get it fixed, didn't fix it and went a bunch of laps down. It's tough, we'll just move on to next year."

Hamlin finished four laps down, in 37th, when he was swept up in a multi-car accident on the green-white-checkered finish that involved the No. 4 car of Kevin Harvick and nine others.

"I knew the '4' could only run 30 or 40 mph and he knew he wasn't going to make it unless a wreck happens," Hamlin said. "I didn't see it so I don't know whether he caused it or not, but my guess is it started right around him."

With the elimination, Hamlin is now the top ranked driver in the race for fifth-place in the standings following his unfortunate day at Talladega.

"We had a self-inflicted day," Hamlin said. "like I've done all I could possibly do to advance in a three race season. I feel like we could have won next week. I really can't spin any positive on it right now."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Denny-Hamlin-Doesnt-Escape-Talladega.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Advances​*
Kyle Busch continued his march to a possible championship by moving into the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Busch finished 11th in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and was able to get out of the Contenders Round along with seven other drivers.

Busch was thrilled to survive the chaotic finish at Talladega while also keeping his title hopes alive.

"That's what we pretty much planned all day today was to just race and whatever happened, happened," Busch explained. "It was crazy the way it always happens here, but I guess that's what does always happen here. However, it was or is, it's good if we're in and we're moving in. That's what this team needs and what we need - I guess the farthest I've ever gone before."

The controversial finish of the race, which ended when caution flew for a multi-car accident, didn't phase Busch who finished well enough to move on to the next round.

"It did surprise me how they (NASCAR) called it, but past that - it's their ball, it's their field, it's their bat, it's their everything," he said. "Play along. They spun out, which I think put us in right there anyways and even if it would have been done, we would have been in.

"You have to maintain reasonable speed. I felt like either way, if the race would have gone green and we would have finished two laps, which I know never happens here, that we would have had a good shot to pass a few guys and get ourselves farther up also."

So after missing eleven races because of injury and coming back to win four times and make the Chase, Busch now finds himself a very solid threat to challenge for the championship as the Chase moves on.

Busch is just relieved Talladega is over.

"I'm not surprised, I'm just numb," he said. "Good luck didn't strike so I'm not jubilated that I'd won or finished first, second, third or whatever, but I finished 11th and this is the first time I think I've brought home a car in one piece here at Talladega that hasn't been a third-place finish or better from getting wrecked."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Kyle-Busch-Advances.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Out of Chase​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was eliminated from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after coming up short of a win in Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earnhardt Jr. rallied back from a pit road penalty when a crewmember went over the wall too soon to take the race lead in the late stages on Sunday.

He was in position to get ahead in what was setting up to be an overtime finish but when caution flew for a multi-car accident, Joey Logano was ahead of Earnhardt Jr. and declared the race winner.

And with that, Earnhardt's championship hopes for this season were over.

"Yeah, I'm glad this weekend's over with," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I felt like crap all weekend. Just been real nervous, feeling sick to my stomach.

"I just wanted to go out there, whatever happened, put forth a good account of myself, my team. I'm real proud of what we did today. So I can feel good about that."

Most drivers overwhelmingly embraced NASCAR's new rule for Talladega to limit green-white-checkered finishes to one attempt when it was announced. Earnhardt Jr. accepted how the race ended on Sunday.

"I'm going to get asked about the green- white-checkered rule, which I'm fine with it," he said. "I feel like no matter the rules, when the race is over, I can live with the result as long as everyone else is going by the same rules.

"So I felt like, per the rule book, it sorted out and I finished second. I'm okay with that. We could argue they could have waited another hundred foot to throw the caution, but they didn't have to. They threw it when they needed to. I'm fine with that."

Earnhardt also didn't point the finger of blame at his pit crew for the mistake that forced him to make a furious drive from the back of the pack and almost falling a lap down.

"A lot of good stuff happening out there today," he said. "It was great. I thought I had a loose wheel, but I wheel hopped the car coming on to pit road, and it might have been something in the rear end. I got to shut up about loose wheels. Every time I have vibration, I say 'loose wheel'. I know my changers aren't happy with that when it's not a loose wheel.

"My guys had an issue on pit road coming off the wall too soon. I also came into that box real careful because I didn't want to slide. I think they were anticipating me rolling in the box sooner. That was probably a little bit my fault, my responsibility."

So now Earnhardt Jr. is forced into the role of spoiler as the remaining eight drivers battle for this year's title. He says there's still much to look forward to and to try and end the season on an upswing.

"If we can go to the racetrack and win, it certainly makes our situation much more bearable," Earnhardt Jr. said. "If we could go to Homestead and run well, I'd love to win there. Never won there. I like that track. Running against the wall is a lot of fun. We'll see."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/10/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Out-Of-Chase.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Drivers Blame Harvick​*
Several drivers called out Kevin Harvick for what they thought believed was purposely starting Sunday's last caution flag.

A multi-car crash ended Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway ending the race under caution with Joey Logano declared the race winner. Harvick was in the middle of the melee that broke out behind the leaders and many of his competitors felt he triggered the incident on purpose.

"That's a crappy way for Harvick to have to get in the Chase is to wreck somebody - what I believe to be on purpose - maybe it wasn't," said Trevor Bayne. "The restart before that he had engine problems and got out of the way. I think he realized if the caution came out he was gonna be fine, so I go by and get hooked in the left rear.

"Harvick is a really good driver. I think he knows the limits of his car and where it's at, so that's why I think it was intentional."

Matt Kenseth and David Gilliland also expressed similar sentiments about Harvick, who shared his view of what happened.

"It wasn't running really well on the restarts," he said. "Then at the end I was trying to get out of the way. I don't know if I clipped the 6 (Bayne) or if he came across as I was coming up. It was one of those days where everything went well until the very end until the bottom fell out on those lap couple of restarts when it cooled off. It has a broken exhaust pipe or something."

Denny Hamlin took to Twitter to express his perspective:

"What a joke we have a car with no motor wreck the field to end the race. Complete crap. Sorry to anyone who spent $ coming to this circus."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/10/Drivers-Blame-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Talladega Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's controversial CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway produced many winners and losers.

*WINNERS​*
*Joey Logano*

Sweeping any round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup seemed like an impossible task let along the volatile Contender Round. But Logano did just that and head into the Eliminator Round as a definite favorite to win the championship this season.

*Jeff Gordon*

Many (myself included) didn't have Gordon advancing past the first round of the Chase based on the way he ran for the majority of the regular season. But a third place finish at Talladega has the NASCAR icon in solid shape to make a run at a fifth championship as he heads into retirement.

*Brad Keselowski*

A year ago Keselowski was Public Enemy Number One and had to come out of Talladega in a win or else scenario. This season has been much quieter for the Team Penske driver and his fourth place run Sunday has him moving on in the Chase.

*Martin Truex Jr.*

The solo car Furniture Row Racing team keeps marching along thanks to Truex Jr. bringing home solid finishes on a weekly basis. He started from the back of the field Sunday after his qualifying lap was disallowed but calmly found his way to the front for a seventh place finish.

*Kyle Busch*

Unlike past years, the wheels have not fallen off Busch's Chase effort so far and all he needed was to survive Talladega with an 11th place finish to move on to the Eliminator Round.

*LOSERS​*
*The Fans*

The sport deserved a better ending than what transpired on Sunday and the fans were left empty after a day that was filled with electrifying racing most of the afternoon. But the turn of events at the end and the confusion that ensued was no way for such an important race to end.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*

Class under fire best describes Earnhardt Jr., who came up one position short of winning on Sunday and moving on in the Chase. Despite his impressive drive back to the lead after a pit road penalty, Earnhardt wasn't able to move forward and addressed the situation after the race with tremendous professionalism and dignity.

*Denny Hamlin*

An escape hatch flap malfunction ruined Hamlin's day early and after falling several laps behind he was never able to work his way back to contend for a Chase spot let alone Victory Lane.

*Kevin Harvick*

The defending Sprint Cup Series champion's reputation took a hit when several competitors called him out for purposely crashing to end the race under caution thereby preserving his spot in the Chase. It's unlikely NASCAR will find enough evidence to punish Harvick and only he knows for sure what really happened.

*Matt Kenseth*

Kicked off the weekend still surly over what took place at Kansas in the closing laps with Joey Logano and continued that theme throughout the race with some choice words over his in-car communication. Kenseth needed to win to move on. He didn't and now all eyes will be on the 20 car this week at Martinsville to see if revenge is exacted against Logano.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lladega-Superspeedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*2016 Sprint Cup, XFINITY Schedules Announced​*
NASCAR today announced agreements with 23 tracks to field NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for the next five years. Additionally, 24 tracks will host NASCAR XFINITY Series races through 2020.

NASCAR also announced its 2016 schedule for both of these national series. The schedule and actual placement of the dates within each given season's schedule beyond 2016 will be part of the on-going discussions between NASCAR and the tracks. Details are being finalized for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule to be announced at a later time.

"NASCAR and the tracks take seriously our collective responsibility to the fans and each stakeholder to ensure the sport is healthy, strong and growing, so we can deliver great racing to the fans for many decades to come," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "The live event experience always will be important to creating a lifetime fan in NASCAR.

"Among the goals that we set out to accomplish with our track partners was to provide consistency for race fans and the industry stakeholders. We feel like we have a nice balance of that for 2016. The stability of five-year agreements positions us well to deliver fans with schedules as early as possible over the next several years. This is a new approach for our industry, and one that benefits everyone: fans, tracks, teams, drivers, OEMs, media and partners."

NASCAR will kick off the 2016 season against the new backdrop of a completely reimagined Daytona International Speedway. DAYTONA Rising, the speedway's $400 million redevelopment project, will be complete when both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series launch at Daytona Speedweeks. The 2016 DAYTONA 500 will be held on February 21 and will air live on the Motor Racing Network and FOX.

After the DAYTONA 500, NASCAR events will be held the following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Both series then will travel to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway for the return of NASCAR Goes West.

"We learned that NASCAR Goes West worked very well in keeping momentum and interest for NASCAR in these markets," O'Donnell said. "The tracks put a lot of effort behind making it successful and we think it can continue to have a positive impact as it gains traction from being an annual effort. The efficiency of conducting three consecutive events also is helpful to the teams and industry."

*Among the changes to the 2016 schedule:*

• Pocono Raceway will host its first NASCAR XFINITY Series event in June, with that series joining the Sprint Cup Series for a companion event at the famed three-turn track.

• The spring events at Richmond International Raceway move to a Saturday and Sunday companion event for the XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series, from the previous Friday and Saturday schedule.

• The first series stop at Dover International Speedway will move earlier in the schedule, to be held prior to the May events at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

• NBC will usher in its 2016 race schedule in July at Daytona with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event moving back to a Saturday evening event.

• The August Sprint Cup Series event at Michigan will move to later in the month.

*2016 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE​*
2/13 Daytona International Speedway (Sprint Unlimited)

2/14 Daytona International Speedway (Daytona 500 Qualifying)

2/18 Daytona International Speedway (Duel)

2/21 Daytona 500

2/28 Atlanta Motor Speedway

3/6 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

3/13 Phoenix International Raceway

3/20 Auto Club Speedway

4/3 Martinsville Speedway

4/9 Texas Motor Speedway

4/17 Bristol Motor Speedway

4/24 Richmond International Raceway

5/1 Talladega Superspeedway

5/7 Kansas Speedway

5/15 Dover International Speedway

5/21Charlotte Motor Speedway (NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race)

5/29 Charlotte Motor Speedway

6/5 Pocono Raceway

6/12 Michigan International Speedway

6/26 Sonoma Raceway

7/2 Daytona International Speedway

7/9 Kentucky Speedway

7/17 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

7/24 Indianapolis Motor Speedway

7/31 Pocono Raceway

8/7 Watkins Glen International

8/20 Bristol Motor Speedway

8/28 Michigan International Speedway

9/4 Darlington Raceway

9/10 Richmond International Raceway

9/18Chicagoland Speedway

9/25 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

10/2 Dover International Speedway

10/8 Charlotte Motor Speedway

10/16 Kansas Speedway

10/23 Talladega Superspeedway

10/30 Martinsville Speedway

11/6 Texas Motor Speedway

11/13 Phoenix International Raceway

11/20 Homestead-Miami Speedway​







*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...n-Agreements-with-National-Series-Tracks.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: New Crew Chief For Biffle?​*
It appears Greg Biffle will have a new crew chief in 2016.

A report from Motorsport.com has Matt Puccia being ushered aside for Brian Pattie, who will be without a job once Michael Waltrip Racing closes its doors at season's end. Pattie worked with Clint Bowyer at MWR before being shifted to David Ragan's No. 55 entry at mid-season.

Pattie will reportedly take over Roush Fenway Racing's No. 16 team with Biffle next season while Puccia is reassigned to another position within the company.

*Still Winless in 2014*
The clock is winding down on four drivers that won a ago who have yet to win in 2015. Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola, AJ Allmendinger and Jeff Gordon have just four races left to match last season's success. Only Gordon remains alive in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*JR Motorsports Shuffle*
There will be a new look to the JR Motorsports XFINITY Series program next season. Elliott Sadler was announced as a new member of the team several weeks ago and Regan Smith has confirmed that he will not return to the No. 7 Chevrolet.

Ben Rhodes, who ran a limited schedule this season, also announced that he would not return to the team. It appears that the second full-time car will be driven by Justin Allgaier, who was shuffled out of the HScott Motorsports Sprint Cup Series ride in favor of Clint Bowyer.

Reports have Allgaier and Brandt sponsorship moving to JR Motorsports, giving the organization a pair of full-funded full-time teams. The No. 88 entry will once again feature an "all-star" lineup of Cup drivers including Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick.

*New Look for the XFINITY Series*
Speaking of NASCAR's No. 2 division, the official 2016 schedule was released Monday with several changes.

Chicagoland Speedway will no longer host a stand-alone summer date, with that race heading to Pocono as part of the annual June Sprint Cup weekend. It will mark the series' first appearance at the 2.5-mile "Tricky Triangle" in Pennsylvania.

The first of two visits to Iowa Speedway will be part of an XFINITY-Truck Series doubleheader in June. The series returns for a stand-alone weekend in late July.

The August Mid-Ohio race will now occupy what will be an off-weekend for the Sprint Cup Series while Road America in late August will be held the same weekend as a Sprint Cup-Truck Series twin bill at Michigan International Speedway.

It should make for an interesting time for teams to plan their schedules and when Cup regulars will be able to double-dip into the series.

*Martinsville Entry Lists*
This coming weekend's Sprint Cup-Camping World Truck Series doubleheader at Martinsville Speedway will see only David Gilliland and Timmy Hill attempting double duty. Matt Kenseth's son Ross will make his Truck Series debut in Saturday's Kroger 200.

Forty-three drivers are entered for Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway so all will run in the opening event of the Chase's Eliminator Round.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ASCAR-Notebook-New-Crew-Chief-for-Biffle.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Media Day Kicks Off Eliminator Round​*
The eight remaining drivers that are locked into the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup converged on the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte on Tuesday to answer questions and talk about the next three races which will determine the four drivers who will battle for the Championship in Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22nd.

Joey Logano breezed through the Contender Round of the Chase, winning all three races in the round at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, and edging Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win in a controversial ending to Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Logano, who has won more races in the last two seasons than any other driver in Sprint Cup competition, is an obvious favorite to win the championship this season. After several lackluster years to begin his career, the potential talent that once earned him the nickname "Sliced Bread" is finally being shown on the racetrack and has him in a position to claim his first Sprint Cup championship.

"The talent has always been there but you have to figure out what makes it shine and figure out your strengths and work on your weaknesses," Logano said. "It takes a lot of time to really work on your talent and make it to where you can be competitive. Everyone out here is talented. To get to that next level you have to look inside of you and say where are you good, where are you bad and how do you make everything good. It's hard to do that."

Logano was one of the four drivers who competed for the championship last year, the first year with the Elimination format. He credits his team for sticking together in the off-season and handling the pressure of winning at the sport's highest level.

"Last year we had a shot at it and we learned a lot from it and I hope we're in the same situation again because we learned how to handle that pressure and how to deal with that whole situation," Logano said. "Not just as a driver but as a team - we all learned together and we're still together as the same team. I want to be put back in that same spot."

Logano and Matt Kenseth have had run-ins with each other the last two races. Logano bumped and spun Kenseth for the win at Kansas two weeks ago and was nearly run into by Kenseth during a round of green flag pitstops at Talladega on Sunday.

Is he worried about retribution for his actions in the remaining races this year?

"I can't worry about that. All we can worry about is what we can control," Logano said. "I can't control anybody else's car out there. That's part of our sport. I don't worry about it at all because that's a distraction and I don't want any distractions."

Overshadowing Logano's win at Talladega was the actions of Kevin Harvick in the closing laps of the CampingWorld.com 500. Some drivers were unhappy with Harvick after they said he intentionally caused an accident on a Green-White-Checkered finish to preserve his finishing position and earn a spot in the Eliminator Round.

Harvick was quick to brush off the incident saying it's all about survive and advance and has already begun to look forward to the final races of the season.

"No matter what it looks like on a piece of paper if you're going to the next round you're still in it to fight another day," Harvick said. "If you make it to the next round you're gonna be back on a level playing field. We've had a very sloppy first six weeks and we're still here fighting. We've got a lot of stuff going our way but we haven't been able to capitalize on it yet. We've had a lot of issues we've had to navigate through and I think that shows us the strength of our team. It's not been pretty but we're still here."

Earlier on Tuesday, NASCAR announced that they had found no wrong doing on Harvick's part and that the defending Sprint Cup Champion wouldn't face any penalties from Sunday's race.

While drivers stressed the importance of handling stress and staying consistent throughout all three races in this round, all of them have their eyes locked on winning this weekend at Martinsville Speedway and earning an automatic berth in the Championship battle at Homestead.

"This whole round really suits us, but Martinsville certainly stands out," Jeff Gordon said. "It's a place over the years I think things have changed the least amount. Some things I learned early in my career I've been able to constantly improve over the years. It gives you a lot of confidence and comfort. There have been times in the race where we've struggled but the second half of the race we seem to really be able to shine there."

Gordon in 45 career starts at the Virginia short tracks has eight wins, 28 top-five finishes, and 36 top-10 finishes. He's also completed 99.5% of the laps he's attempted at Martinsville and has never failed to finish.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards are winless at Martinsville but have had success at Texas Motor Speedway, the site of the second Eliminator race, and at Phoenix International Raceway, where the Eliminator Round closes out in two weeks.
"We'd love to win Martinsville and that just moves us through, that'd be easy," Busch said. "Phoenix is a little iffy, a little up in the air so that's why we want to run extra well at those first two places to get ourselves a good foundation for what we need at Phoenix."

"I'm pretty pumped about it. I feel like Homestead isn't that hard of a challenge to get to."

Edwards, in his first year driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, couldn't be more excited about the opportunity in front of him.

"I couldn't be more excited to go to Martinsville. To me this is like Christmas," Edwards said. "We made it this far, we reset the points, we go to really four racetracks where I feel like our JGR Toyotas can do very well."

Edwards has the best opportunity to win a Sprint Cup championship since the 2011 season, where he finished the year tied in points with Tony Stewart, but lost the title due to a tiebreaker. Stewart's crew chief that season was Darian Grubb who now sits atop Edwards' pit box. While the drivers are under intense pressure, Edwards was quick to mention his crew chief may be under more pressure than he is.

"The crew chiefs right now have an amazingly tough job. They've got to navigate the personnel stuff, all the NASCAR rules, they gotta deal with us as drivers, they basically gotta keep us in line," Edwards said. "They've got to have a plan for everything that could happen and really the calls that Darian makes and those crew chiefs make, they make or break your whole season."

Flying under the radar right now is Martin Truex Jr., now in his second season with Denver, Colorado based Furniture Row Racing. Truex has one victory this year, at Pocono in June, but has been consistent all season, but likes being in the underdog role.

"Everyone else has kind of put us there," Truex Jr. said. "We've never won a championship in the Cup series. Rookie crew chief, team from Denver, there's so many things about it that makes us an underdog so it's a cool position to be in and hopefully we can keep surprising people."

Truex Jr. is one of five Chase drivers who have never won at Martinsville. He's also never won at Texas or Phoenix, but feels like his team has the potential to be strong.

"I really feel good about all three tracks. Martinsville in years past have been one of the tracks where I've never been confident at, but the last few years I feel like I've started to figure the place out. We ran really well there in the spring. Texas, a mile and a half, we've been really good on those type of tracks this year. Phoenix has always been a great track for me."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../10/Media-Day-Kicks-Off-Eliminator-Round.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Fuzzy Predictions​*
Trying to figure out how the rest of the Chase will go is nearly impossible but hey, let's try anyway.

With the exception of his family, and even a rogue aunt or uncle would be forgiven, nobody thought Joey Logano would sweep the Contender Round.

In fact, think about how hard it is in this day and age of the Sprint Cup Series to win three straight races anytime during a season.

How Logano could pull this off during the "playoffs" is absolutely mind-boggling.

My Chase Grid isn't worth lining the bottom of any self-respecting bird cage and was blown to smithereens in the first round. Jimmie Johnson knocked out in Round 1? Really?

But after the craziness Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, we have a field of eight drivers remaining who enter the Eliminator Round chasing the "Holy Grail" that is the Sprint Cup.

Those eight include a number of surprises for me: Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon ... a trio I incorrectly predicted would be playing the role of title spoiler by this juncture of the schedule.

Gordon's tale will get the lion's share of attention heading into this next set of races as he looks to add a fifth title to his resume before riding into the sunset when the checkered flag flies at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

However, there's one lesson this season has taught us very well and that is that previous performance by no means guarantees future success. That applies to predicting NASCAR race winners as well as the stock market.

It's easy to go to the record book and pencil in a driver as a potential race winner because of their prowess at said track.

But this year's bevy of rule changes and the rising intensity level of the Chase on a weekly basis are just two variables to consider when looking at the past to predict the future.

So with all that said, why not gaze into the crystal ball and forecast what will happen in the next three weeks that make up the Eliminator Round?

*Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500
Martinsville Speedway
Sunday, Nov. 1*

Gordon would appear to have an upper hand based on what he's accomplished at the Virginia half-mile including his most recent Martinsville win in 2013. This one has the potential to see someone outside the eight title contenders win (Denny Hamlin) and provide the backdrop for the Joey Logano-Matt Kenseth rivalry that showed no signs of cooling off last week in Talladega. Kenseth is still hopping mad about what happened at Kansas Speedway and this could be the place he does something about it.

*Winner:* Denny Hamlin

*AAA Texas 500
Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, Nov. 8*

The story here will be the same as it was at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the last round. Track position and the difficulty to pass with the 2015 rules package on 1.5-mile tracks will see someone dominate the afternoon, much like Logano did in Charlotte. I've got a hunch it will be another driver not in the championship race that steals the spotlight.

*Winner:* Jimmie Johnson

*Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500
Phoenix International Raceway
Sunday, Nov. 15*

Last year's race saw Kevin Harvick pull off another "must-win" situation and Ryan Newman body slam Kyle Larson in the last turn of the last lap to race his way into The Championship 4. Drama will again be high in the next-to-last race of the season and it's hard to bet against the driver of the No. 4 car whenever PIR (or Jeff Gordon Raceway, as it will be known that afternoon) rolls around on the calendar.

*Winner:* Kevin Harvick

So there you have it. Remember, my friends, no wagering.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/10/Opinion-Fuzzy-Predictions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Allgaier To Join JR Motorsports In 2016​*
JR Motorsports announced today it has entered into a multi-year partnership with BRANDT, a leading agriculture retailer and manufacturer of agricultural specialty products. Additionally, the team has named Justin Allgaier driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro, beginning in 2016.

Allgaier will vie full-time for a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with BRANDT Professional Agriculture as a primary partner on the No. 7 in 18 of 33 events. BRANDT will receive associate placement in the remaining 15 races. The 2017 races will be announced at a later date.

"JR Motorsports is privileged to bring BRANDT and Justin back into the Xfinity Series," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JRM. "Much like JRM, BRANDT is also a family business that prides itself on being an industry leader. We're excited to give both BRANDT and Justin a renewed avenue for success and look forward to what lies ahead in 2016 and beyond."

"We set high goals and we aim to lead in everything we do," said BRANDT President and CEO Rick Brandt. "We see a partnership with JRM as the next logical step for our brand. The resources JRM provides, both on and off the track, will continue to build our business, engage growers and tell the positive story of agriculture."

Allgaier has won three times in NXS competition, and two of them came at the wheel of a BRANDT-branded car. In 174 career NXS starts, he's scored 29 top-five and 84 top-10 finishes, and was named the series' rookie of the year in 2009. Allgaier finished a career-best third in the NXS championship standings in 2011. Before joining the NXS ranks, he was the 2008 ARCA champion. For the past two years, he has driven in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I'm honored and excited to drive for JR Motorsports," Allgaier said. "Having the ability to come to the track every week with a car capable of winning races and ultimately run for the Xfinity Series championship is the opportunity of a lifetime. And to have the support of BRANDT as we move to JR Motorsports means a lot to me, personally and professionally. It's now time to get those BRANDT colors back up front and try to bring home a championship that they so very much deserve."

Outside of BRANDT's 18 primary races in 2016, the balance of the 33-race NXS schedule on the No. 7 Chevrolet will be filled by existing JRM partners, including TaxSlayer.com, Breyers, Hellmann's and Suave. Jason Burdett, current crew chief of the No. 7 team, will serve in the same capacity with Allgaier. Under Burdett's guidance the team has earned two wins, 11 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes to date this season.

Allgaier and Elliott Sadler will be JR Motorsports' two drivers competing for the 2016 NXS championship. It was announced earlier this month that Sadler will drive JRM's car that is presently occupied by Chase Elliott. JRM's third team, the No. 88 "All-Star" car, will again race full-time with drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne next season. Additional drivers for the No. 88 will be named at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Allgaier-to-Join-JR-Motorsports-in-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gilliland Pays Tribute To Jerry Cook​*
Front Row Motorsports will pay tribute to 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Cook with a throwback paint scheme on David Gilliland's No. 38 Ford this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

The old-school red scheme will replicate the look of a car run by the six-time NASCAR Modified champion during the 1970s. Cook won championships in 1971 and 1972, and 1974 through 1977. The 72-year-old Rome, New York, native will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with four other members of the Class of 2016 in January.

"It's an honor to run this paint scheme paying tribute to a Hall of Fame inductee," Gilliland said. "It's hard enough to win one championship in any racing series, but Jerry won six. That's dominant.

"The car looks fantastic. I love the old-school look. We can't wait for Jerry to see it in person and hope he likes it, too."

Cook retired from racing in 1982 to become the Modified series' director. He still works in NASCAR as a competition administrator.

"I want to thank Front Row Motorsports and David Gilliland for this tribute," Cook said. "For me to get voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is absolutely the highest honor I could ever get in racing. I know it was a lot of work for them to get that car together and paint it, and I think it looks great. I wish David all the luck in the world at Martinsville on Sunday."

Cook and Gilliland will appear together on the Martinsville Speedway pre-race stage for a question-and-answer session Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

_Motor Racing Network will have live coverage of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway, with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App, starting at 12 p.m. (ET)._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...bute-to-Hall-of-Fame-Inductee-Jerry-Cook.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Theriault's HANS Device Broke During Crash At Las Vegas​*
The head-and-neck restraint system Austin Theriault was using broke when he crashed into a concrete wall Oct. 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Camping World Truck Series driver suffered a broken back and a cut on his elbow after his helmet smashed into the steering wheel in an accident in which his truck turned headfirst into an unprotected concrete barrier.






"We learned that we know a lot less about safety than we thought we did," said Brad Keselowski, the Sprint Cup Series driver who owned the truck Theriault was driving. "And that's very scary. ... The HANS device broke; his helmet took major impact. The steering wheel broke part of his helmet. All major impact areas.

"The transmission and bell housing came into the cockpit. These are major issues that we just got really lucky on. Point-blank: Anything else goes a little bit further, and he's not standing here."

HANS Performance Products issued a statement Wednesday saying it would work with NASCAR to investigate the specifics of the accident and what could be learned from it.

"We have learned that the right side tether carrier on Austin Theriault's HANS device cracked during his violent collision in Las Vegas," the company said. "The HANS device did its job protecting his head and neck, as it has in thousands of racing crashes. We are pleased that Austin was not further injured."

Theriault said he doesn't know the point when a piece of his HANS device broke and whether that had any impact on his injuries. He said he is unsure what safety device he will use in future races.

"When you hit the steering wheel, something has to give up," Theriault said. "It's better that the helmet gives up than your face. ... It was pretty violent. It tested a lot of stuff in the truck and my safety equipment and I'm still fortunately here to talk about it."

Theriault and Keselowski spoke about the accident at a news conference about him being replaced by Austin Cindric, son of Penske executive Tim Cindric, for this weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway. The 21-year-old Theriault, who also got stitches in his right elbow after being hit by the transmission, will get a scan next week in hopes of racing Nov. 6 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The investigation into Theriault's crash continues, and Keselowski said Team Penske had a safety team go in conjunction with NASCAR's safety experts to the University of Nebraska, whose Midwest Roadside Safety Facility consults with NASCAR, to recreate the crash.

"I've heard of [the HANS] cracking, not breaking," Keeslowski said. "His was cracked and broke. That's pretty severe. He had the same interior in his truck that I have in my Cup car."

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has said the area Theriault hit was already scheduled to have an energy-absorbing barrier installed this winter prior to the return of the Sprint Cup Series next March.

*Source:*
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/tr...n-theriault-hans-device-broke-crash-las-vegas


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## Ckg2011

*KBM Announces 2016 Driver Lineup​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced today the 2016 driver lineup for its three-team operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Christopher Bell and William Byron will each compete full-time, while Cody Coughlin and Daniel Suarez will share the seat of the remaining entry, each competing in at least 10 races.

Additionally, the team announced that Byron will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut Nov. 13 in a fourth KBM entry at Phoenix International Raceway.

Bell, a 20-year-old native of Norman, Okla., earned a top-five finish in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Iowa Speedway in July and in just his third career start led 106 of 154 laps en route to victory at famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The open-wheel dirt standout began his transition to pavement racing late in 2014 running Late Models for KBM, where in 19 career starts to date he has recorded six victories, including the prestigious Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston earlier this year.

The 2013 USAC National Midget champion continues to be a force to be reckoned with on dirt, where he has scored six POWRI Midget wins, two USAC National Midget wins, one USAC Silver Crown win and also collected his second career World of Outlaws Sprint Car victory this season.

Bell's Tundra will carry primary sponsorship from JBL, a division of HARMAN - the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets.

Byron, a 17-year-old native of Charlotte, N.C., captured the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship and Rookie of the Year honors after producing four wins, three poles, 740 laps led, five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes across 14 starts. He picked up a victory at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway in just his second career start, earned the championship lead after a runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in the third race of the season and stayed at the top of the standings for the remainder of the season.

The NASCAR Next product is currently in his senior year at Charlotte (N.C.) Country Day School and also is enrolled in the Liberty University Online Academy. Byron has had a busy 2015 schedule on the track as well, in addition to his full-time campaign in the K&N Pro Series East, he finished fifth in his lone start in the K&N Pro Series West, made two ARCA Racing Series starts - where he led a race-high 120 laps in his series debut at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis before settling for a runner-up finish when the race was decided by fuel strategy. He also picked up a CARS Super Late Model Tour victory at Hickory Motor Speedway earlier this season and finished second in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at South Boston Speedway.

Byron's Tundra will carry primary sponsorship from Liberty University, the largest private, nonprofit university in the nation, the largest university in Virginia, and the largest Christian university in the world.

Coughlin, a 20-year-old native of Delaware, Ohio, made a pair of Truck Series starts this season, including his KBM debut in August at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where he was on the verge of a top-10 finish before a late-race accident. He has competed part-time in the ARCA Racing Series the last two seasons, where he collected two poles (Chicagoland Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway), five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes across 17 starts, including a career-best second-place effort at Talladega Superspeedway this spring.

The Joe Gibbs Racing development driver's roots run deep in the motorsports world, as the Coughlin family has produced countless victories and numerous championships across various divisions of NHRA competition. Cody decided to take a different path in racing and at a young age has already achieved success in stock cars. The talented youngster won the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship in 2013, and has recorded Late Model victories at prestigious tracks such as Indiana's Winchester Speedway and Florida's New Smyrna Speedway.

Suarez, a 23-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico, has produced five top-five and eight top-10 finishes across nine Truck Series starts driving a partial schedule for KBM this season, highlighted by runner-up finishes at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in May and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth in June. He also competes full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, where he has compiled three poles, seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes across 30 starts and leads the Rookie of the Year standings with three races remaining.

A graduate of the NASCAR Next and NASCAR Drive for Diversity programs, Suarez honed his skills in the NASCAR Mexico Series, where he collected 10 wins, 13 poles, 25 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes across 58 career starts from 2011 to 2014, and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where he produced three wins, 12 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes across 43 starts from 2011 to 2014.

Suarez's Tundra will carry primary sponsorship from ARRIS, a world leader in entertainment and communications technology.

Announcements for Coughlin's sponsors as well as truck numbers and crew chiefs for all three teams are forthcoming.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/KBM-Announces-2016-Driver-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sprint Cup Teams Test At Atlanta​*
A number of NASCAR teams particpated in Thursday's open test at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the new, low-downforce aero package that will be utilized full time in 2016.

Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, David Ragan, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Aric Almirola all participated in the test, which was open to one driver and car from each Sprint Cup Series team. Ragan tested the No. 19 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The new rules package, which will be run for the first time in 2016 at Atlanta, includes a 3.5-inch rear spoiler, a .25-inch front splitter leading edge and a 33-inch-wide radiator pan. It is designed for drivers to play a larger role in handling and maneuvering and allow for easier conditions to pass on the race track.

"I think we have a really good baseline for what a good package is here," Almirola said."We unloaded here with some good speed, but honestly, (we're) just trying to really focus on what we need for a balance for the 2016 package. I think as they pull the downforce away, it allows me to drive my race car a little bit more. As we've transitioned to this lower downforce, it's been an improvement for our sport, but it's been an improvement for me as well, because I feel like I can make a difference now."

Stenhouse Jr. liked the feel of the new rules package at the 1.54-mile track.

"Atlanta is always loose and always wears the tires out a lot, but it seems a little bit looser with this package. But that's what we've been asking for, so you can't complain about it," Stenhouse Jr. said. "I just like the way it drives. The car is not locked down to the race track as much as our cars are right now."

Elliott, who will take over Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet next season, was testing the No. 25 Chevrolet with the throwback paint scheme he raced at Darlington Raceway last month. The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on Feb. 28, 2016 will mark his first Cup race at his home track.

"I'm really looking forward to next season, and the more days we spend doing tests like this, the more it starts to set in for me that the next time we come to this track will be next year in the No. 24 car, and we'll be racing Sprint Cup full time," Elliott said. "All those things are things that I've dreamed to do for a long time."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/Sprint-Cup-Teams-Test-at-Atlanta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preece Set For Final Four Cup Races​*
XYIENCE Energy Drink, a subsidiary of Big Red,Inc., announced its sponsorship of Ryan Preece and his No. 98 Chevrolet with Premium Motorsports. The zero-calorie energy drink will serve as Primary Sponsor for the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion for the Sprint Cup Series events at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8th and Phoenix International Raceway on November 15th.

"I am extremely excited to be able to team up with XYIENCE for the Texas and Phoenix races," said Preece. "I tend to drink energy drinks on a regular basis and after trying XYIENCE it has become my go to drink when I need that extra bit of energy or focus. I am pumped to be representing this brand and doing all I can to make this program a success for them both on and off the track."

In addition to the Texas and Phoenix races, the 25-year old native of Connecticut will be behind the wheel of the No. 98 Sprint Cup Series ride for the last four races of the 2015 season starting with this weekend's event at Martinsville Speedway and concluding at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The XYIENCE brand will also join Preece in the season finale as an Associate Sponsor.

"We look forward to sponsoring a young talented driver such as Ryan," said Gary Smith, CEO of Big Red. "The XYIENCE team is excited for the opportunity to showcase our brand in NASCAR with a talented young driver who is a perfect fit. We have cool things planned for these races and will have a group of guests at each of them to root on Ryan and the No. 98 team."

Preece has one previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start to his credit earlier this season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he earned a 32nd place finish. The 2013 and 2014 NASCAR Next member also has three starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series to his credit to go along 123 starts in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour - including the Series Championship in 2013.

"These last four races will be a new challenge for me that I can't wait to get at," added Preece. "I have always wanted to race at the larger tri-ovals and look forward to that at Texas and Homestead. I really appreciate the opportunity given to me by Premium Motorsports and the support of longtime friend Tommy Baldwin. I am just a guy who races the weekly/touring series a few times a week and trying to move up the ladder in this sport. I am focused on doing a great job for the XYIENCE folks and everyone associated with this No. 98 effort."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ce-in-Texas-and-Phoenix-Sprint-Cup-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Martinsville​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Martinsville​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway now takes The Eliminator 8 to Martinsville Speedway this week, with just 1,076 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 is the opening race in the Eliminator Round. The original Chase Grid has been cut in half. The eight drivers left standing include three of the top five seeds: No. 2 Kyle Busch, No. 4 Joey Logano and No. 5 Kevin Harvick. They're joined by Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr.

One of them will be crowned NASCAR's 67th Cup Series champion next month. Of that group, Gordon - still winless in 2015 - leads the way with eight Martinsville victories including season sweeps in 2003 and 2005.

"We're focused on Martinsville," said Gordon, who finished ninth there earlier in the year. "We've analyzed what's been working for us there the last few races, especially from earlier this season with this aero and power package. We qualified pretty well (fourth), but that No. 1 pit stall is huge and we want that."

In addition to his eight race wins at Martinsville, Gordon has won seven poles - the last one coming in 2008. In looking back at this year's first race on the Virginia half-mile, he sees it as one of missed opportunities for the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team.

"We're looking at how we can be better prepared for some of the things we dealt with," said Gordon, who entered his year's Chase as the No. 13 seed. "At the end of that race, we had an issue on pit road trying to jump into my box and got caught speeding. We'll try to execute some of those things a little better and if we can get ourselves in a good position at the end, we have a shot at winning this race."

Logano carries a three-race winning streak into Martinsville, having swept the Contender Round. Another victory Sunday would make him the first driver with a four-race winning streak since Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

Championship points have been reset to 4,000 for each of the remaining eight title contenders, but it's Logano with the bull's eye on his back this week.

"I'd rather be the guy that's ahead, but the fact is we're all even right now," said Logano, who has a series-leading six wins in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. "The advantage we have is that no one else has the confidence we have. We have momentum and know the recipe to win."

Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 is the last of six short-track races on the 2015 schedule. Logano was victorious in August at Bristol Motor Speedway. In the spring at Martinsville, he started from the pole and finished third behind Keselowski and Denny Hamlin.

"Winning is harder than it seems," Logano said. "We're on a heck of a streak, right now. But you can't bank on winning any of these races. You go in with the attitude of getting the best finish you can. If that's a win, great. If you get crashed and limp around to a 30th-place finish, get all you possibly can then, too, because points will definitely matter when we get to Phoenix."

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 from Martinsville Speedway, starting at 12 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/10/Miles2Miami-Martinsville-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Analyzing The Eliminator Round​*
The 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is down to eight drivers as the Eliminator Round kicks off this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Joey Logano leads the Eliminator 8 into Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 as the top seed after sweeping the three races in the Contender Round.

"The bummer part about all this, and it's not a bummer, but you win these races and you want to enjoy it and take it all in and have a great time, but you can't help but still look out the windshield and say, 'This is just a steppingstone to winning the championship,'" Logano said. "That's all that race is - just another step to getting to the final goal and maybe at the end of the season we can take a step back and say, 'Man, winning the amount of races we did, the amount of top fives, and the speed we had, that's something to be proud of.' But right now at this point, we can't stop. We've got to keep looking forward because we have not reached our goal yet."

Since the Chase started, six races ago, Logano has led the series with a stellar 3.7 average finish. Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon are the only Eliminator drivers that finished in the top 10 in all three of the races held at tracks in this bracket - Martinsville, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway - earlier this season.

Keselowski was the top-finishing Eliminator driver at Martinsville in March, in second. Along with his teammate Logano, who led 108 laps and finished third in that race, Keselowski is looking forward to the upcoming three races for Team Penske. Logano also has the only win for Team Penske at an Eliminator track, Texas.

"We've run well on the short tracks this year, finished second at Martinsville in the spring and at Phoenix finished fourth or fifth the last two or three times we've been there," Keselowski said. "And then we tested and had a great test and found a little more speed, so I'm thrilled to be going back to those tracks. I think we're going to have great cars for those races. I look at Texas as being a track, a mile-and-a-half, where we haven't been where we want to be with the 2 car, but my teammate, Joey Logano, has been really fast, so we know we have the potential, we just have to find it and we're going to do that by going to work."

Jeff Gordon leads the Eliminator 8 in every statistical category including wins (11), top 10s (72) and laps led (4,877) at the three tracks in this round. In the last five races at Martinsville, Gordon leads the eight drivers in average finish (5.4) and laps led (229).

"I mean, I look at this round, I feel like not only are we capable of being very consistent, but we're capable of winning at each of these tracks," Gordon said. "Of course, Martinsville I'm more confident in. But that doesn't mean that I feel like we've got this thing. We don't. We've got to go out and we've got to earn that."

Gordon remains the only championship-eligible driver that has yet to reach Victory Lane this season, but holds the third-best average finish in the six Chase races in 2015.

"I think the way we're performing right now...yeah, I feel good about it," Gordon said. "But we're still under the radar, and still I don't think anybody expects that to happen, and we like it that way."

Defending series champion Kevin Harvick finds himself in the Eliminator Round after posting a 16.2 average finish in the Chase, including finishes of 16th and 15th in the last two races.

"Right now we're focused on trying to get through Martinsville," Harvick said. "We've had a really sloppy six weeks. We're very fortunate to be sitting here today. Our cars have had plenty of speed. Had the engine problem this week, transmission problem the week before, pit penalty the week before that.

"This is a one-week-at-a-time battle."

Harvick has won the last four races at Phoenix, including last year's fall race that he needed to win to advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kyle Busch, who has a win each at Texas and Phoenix, will be making his first start of the season at all three Eliminator tracks after missing the first 11 races of the year due to injury. Busch will look to his teammates for advice at Martinsville that includes spring winner Denny Hamlin, who was eliminated from the Chase last weekend following a heartbreaking turn of events.

"I don't think missing those races early on in the season will hurt us very much," Busch said. "I'll definitely lean on my teammates for this week probably and try to get myself prepared and ready for what's coming. It might be hard to lean on Denny for Martinsville right now, I'm sure he's still bumming. Hopefully what Carl (Edwards) learned from Denny for the spring race, Carl obviously ran well there and I'm looking forward to continuing the run of what the Gibbs cars had there in the spring."

Texas will be a key track in the Eliminator Round because it marks the 10th 1.5-mile track of the year to follow up two in the Contender Round. Although he's only run in seven of the races this season, Kurt Busch ranks third in average finish (8.0) behind the Team Penske drivers at 1.5-mile tracks in 2015.

"The track that I like the most is Texas, and it's the most valuable, I think, of the next three because it's a sister track to Homestead (Miami)," said Busch, who has won at all three Eliminator tracks. "So guys that run good at Texas will run good at Homestead."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/10/Analyzing-the-Eliminator-Round.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gas 'N' Go: Logano's Title To Lose?​*
The pits are open again and MRN.com's Pete Pistone and MRN Pit Road Reporter Alex Hayden each answer this week's featured question in "Gas 'N' Go."

*Is this Joey Logano's Sprint Cup championship to lose?*








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/10/Gas-N-Go-Loganos-Title-to-Lose.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Stays In It​*
Kyle Busch remains in the thick of the Sprint Cup Series title picture heading to Martinsville Speedway for Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

Busch moved on to the Eliminator Round of the Chase with his 11th-place finish last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. While two of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates were knocked out of the Chase (Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin), Busch - along with Carl Edwards - continues to move forward, hoping to bring the organization this year's crown.

Martinsville kicks off the first of three races in the next round of the "playoffs" and Busch is optimistic.

"I always said if we can just get through the previous round, the '18' car will be strong," Busch said. "We know we can run well at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix; and get ourselves through to the next round. I'm confident we're one of the four that should be contending at Homestead."

Busch won four times in the regular season to secure his berth in the Chase. He's paired with crew chief Adam Stevens for the first time in the Cup Series after the duo's long run of success in the XFINITY Series. Busch gives Stevens a great deal of credit for how far the team has progressed in the Chase.

"Adam's a great team leader," Busch said. "He and I share that responsibility. It's been fun this season to work together, and to be as good as we have as quickly as we have. We weren't sure whether we were going to be Chase-eligible or not. This is Adam Stevens' rookie year in the Chase, so we're under a lot of pressure to make it through these rounds and get to the round that matters, at Homestead."

Martinsville is one of only two tracks - along with Pocono - where Busch has not scored a win in one of NASCAR's top national divisions. His Cup career at the Virginia short track is solid with eight top-five finishes and nine top 10s in 20 starts. He's hoping start No. 21 will yield his best performance yet.

"I've led a bunch of laps there, but we just haven't been able to hold it for the end of the 500 laps," Busch said. "It's a track where you can be leading the race, think you've got a shot to win in the last 30 laps, and then get beaten on from behind and moved out of the way. It's a track where if you're a little bit off, then the guys are going to be right on your rear bumper trying to get by. It's been a challenge for us, but we're getting better at it and learning as we go along.

"I'd like to think we're really close."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 12 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Kyle-Busch-Stayin-Alive.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Payback Not On Logano's Mind​*
Joey Logano is concentrating on winning a fourth race in a row Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, not about any potential retaliation.

Logano swept the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with his victory last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. If he can take the checkered flag in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville, he'll be the first driver to win four straight races since Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

The win would also automatically send Logano into The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for a second consecutive season.

"Our goal is to win the championship and if we can win four (races) in a row, great," Logano said Friday at Martinsville. "We've been on an amazing, spectacular roll and this racetrack has been another good one for us.

"We haven't won here, yet, but we qualified well and ran up front in the spring. I didn't quite have the car good enough to win. If you win this race, it sets you up well for Homestead."

The roll Logano and the No. 22 team is on has provided a great deal of optimism as the Eliminator Round begins.

"This momentum is big," Logano said. "That's valuable and our team has confidence right now."

Despite Logano's recent success, he's been at the center of controversy the last two weeks. His win at Kansas Speedway came after contact with Matt Kenseth while the two battled for the lead in the closing laps. Last week's Talladega victory came in the aftermath of a wild, confusing conclusion that saw the race end under yellow amid allegations that Kevin Harvick purposely caused the accident that ended things.

But Logano isn't thinking about ramifications from either incident, instead concentrating on trying to get another victory.

"That's what we can control," he said. "We can't control anybody else's thinking or what's in their mind. We have to think about how we advance and how we win this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/10/Payback-Not-On-Joey-Loganos-Mind.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Seeks Martinsville Success​*
Carl Edwards looks for his first career Martinsville Speedway victory in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has not been able to find Victory Lane at the Virginia short track during his Cup career. He's made 13 starts and only has one top-five finish.

A breakthrough would come at an opportune time for Edwards as the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup kicks off on Sunday. A victory would move him to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a chance at this year's crown.

"This track for me has been 0 for whatever or however many times we've been here," Edwards said Friday at Martinsville. "The spring was a really good race, my teammates have helped me a ton. Denny Hamlin has really helped me a lot and my team overall, we've got fast race cars and they've been just kind of working on this.

"This is a race track we've been looking forward to as a driver and I'm excited about this round. Really these are some of my best tracks coming up so I feel like that last round was definitely the most stressful one and looking forward to this one."

Edwards survived last week's controversial Talladega race to stay in the top eight of the standings and advance to the next round of the Chase. While Martinsville has a reputation for tight and physical racing and is considered a Wild Card in the championship picture by some, Edwards says it's still much different than the challenge of racing at Talladega.

"This one's different and I know a lot can happen here," he said. "A thousand times you dive into a corner and stand on the brakes and all that, but for some reason it just feels like a track where you can do things as a driver and the crew chief can do things - you're in control of things a little more here. 
"Even though it can get chaotic and there's a lot that can happen, it just feels like a race track that's a little more in the driver's hands and I'm not saying everybody is going to be happy afterwards, but I think going into it you just feel like you have a little more control of things. To me, that's less stressful. Plus it's not the last one before the cutoff so that could be a factor."

Like most drivers, Edwards simply enjoys Martinsville for its history, close racing and the ambience, which is unlike any other track on the schedule.

"I think about that one hot dog that I ate in an attempt to go faster in the spring, it didn't work," he joked about the track's famous concession. "I just think of all the history here. It's an awesome place to watch the races.

"As a fan, it would be tough to top this as a place to sit and watch a race. You can see the whole track, there's stuff happening the whole time, the guys are wheeling the cars so for me it's just a neat place."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/10/Edwards-Seeks-Martinsville-Success.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Enjoy Halloween​*
With Halloween today, some of the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers looked back at their favorite costumes along with looking ahead to spending the spooky holiday with their kids.

Growing up, Tony Stewart's effort in his costume was all about his ability to ride a bicycle to Trick or Treat. That's something that would have been difficult to do this week when he dressed up in a Carmen Miranda costume on Wednesday night for a Halloween party.

"The thing about Halloween with my neighborhood is everybody knew everybody, but we took it very seriously," Stewart said. "We made sure that whatever we were going to wear, we could ride our bicycles. We would clean out our whole neighborhood and go to every house, and then start into the next neighborhoods and then get home two hours later than our parents wanted us to. We literally would have trash bags full of candy when we got home."

This year, Halloween lands on Martinsville weekend and last year's winner of the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr., says his all-time favorite costume is a football player.

"When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a football player so anytime you got to dress up as a football player, any day was great. So Halloween was a great excuse to walk around all day in shoulder pads and a helmet," Earnhardt said. "Even today, I think I would do that. If I was going to a costume party, I would definitely dress up as a football player because I admire those guys and the game. I would probably be either John Riggins or Darrell Green. When I was six, I had a generic costume. Red jersey, no number with blue and white stripes on the sleeves, white pants and a generic helmet. I was a Redskins fan around six-seven years old and always have been."

Joey Logano, who will look to celebrate his post-Halloween with his fourth straight win in the Chase, always has tried to select a funny costume.

"I was ZZ Top once, that was pretty cool, especially when you are a kid, that's funny," Logano said. "I did "Dumb and Dumber." A couple years ago, Brittany and I dressed up as fat tourists. We had these fat suits we put on and we had the white sunscreen on our nose and our luggage that we carried wherever we went. It was hilarious. I had these big glasses with tape in the middle, so we had a lot of fun with that."

The "blue" primary color of Brad Keselowski's 2012 Sprint Cup Championship-winning car might describe his favorite costume as a kid.

"Smurfs were really cool when I was a kid," Keselowski said. "I remember being a Smurf."

Eight-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon's favorite costume was not one from his childhood but one he wore to the Roberto Cavalli Vodka and Giuseppe Cipriani Halloween Party at Cipriani's 42nd Street in New York City in 2007.

"I did a "Pirates of the Caribbean" Johnny Depp (costume)," Gordon said. "That was probably the coolest one I ever had."

Kyle Busch, whose favorite costume as a kid was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, will be celebrating his son's first Halloween.

"Brexton is going to be a biker dude," Busch said. "He's got this cool little shirt that has tattoo sleeves on it. He also has a biker vest, some jeans and some boots."

Many of the Sprint Cup drivers celebrated Halloween with their kids last weekend at Talladega in the driver motorhome lot, including Kevin Harvick and his son Keelan.

"He thought that was cool because he doesn't get candy like that at home," Harvick said. "The bad part of it was he asked for candy constantly. The candy got lost between Talladega and home."

As for Keelan's costume, it looks like he'll have some more input on the decision in the future.

"He was a lion and we got to the playground in Talladega, and all the other the kids were there, he looked at his mom and he was like, 'Mommy I don't like my costume anymore,' " Harvick said. "He's got the lion head on and all the other kids are Darth Vader, racecar drivers or a football player."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Drivers-Enjoy-Halloween.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano Stays Hot, Sweeps Martinsville Poles​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6820&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Joey Logano continued his hot streak in the Chase by winning the pole for Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Logano has won the last three Sprint Cup Series races and looks to make it four in a row in Sunday's opening race of the Eliminator Round.

It was Logano's sixth pole of the season. The most he had in any one year prior to 2015 was two. He also won the pole at Martinsville in March.

"It's an amazing run we're on right now," Logano said after claiming the pole with a lap of 98.548 mph. "I'm just the lucky guy that gets to drive this thing right now. It's so much fun and we're doing everything right. But all that can in a blink of an eye, so we all just have to keep our focus.

"I don't believe in luck. I believe in hard work, and that's what this team is doing right now."

Logano will be trying to become the first driver to win four straight races since Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

Martin Truex Jr. will start outside the front row.

"We didn't know going into qualifying we'd have that good of speed," Truex said. "Definitely a good start to the weekend for us."

AJ Allmendinger, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top five.

Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Several Chase contenders qualified outside the front 10 spots including Brad Keselowski (11th), Kevin Harvick (12th), Carl Edwards (14th) and Kurt Busch 15th).

"I just wasn't fast enough the very first run so I put a run on the tires and got us a cycle behind everyone," said Edwards. "It's okay, we're going to be just fine. I think in my history of qualifying here, this is still about 10 spots better than normal. We have a fast pit crew, the car is a lot better than it was in practice and I think for all these XFINITY guys, I think they're all excited about the race. It's one of our strong points at JGR and I'm going to have some fun on Sunday."

Defending race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 22nd.

Kasey Kahne crashed his car during the opening qualifying round and will start the race in a back-up car at the rear of the field.

"I ruined a pretty good car, a really good car, actually," Kahne said. "I held it out a little too late, I turned in and kind of broke and lifted off the throttle and got wheel-hopping. I just totally screwed it up myself."

All 43 drivers that took part in qualifying will start the race.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday to dial in their cars for Sunday's race.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...10/Joey-Logano-Sweeps-Martinsville-Poles.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Custer Wins 21 Means 21 Pole Award At Martinsville​*
Cole Custer earned his third, and first for the 2015 season, 21 Means 21 Pole of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career at Martinsville Speedway after topping the qualifying leaderboard with a fastest lap of 96.959 mph.

Joining Custer's No. 00 on the front row is the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Toyota of Cameron Hayley (96.504 mph).

The No. 8 of John Hunter Nemechek will start on the second row after qualifying third as he brought his Chevrolet around the .526-mile track at a fastest lap of 96.224 mph.

The No. 19 of Tyler Reddick (96.141 mph) and the No. 14 of Daniel Hemric (96.024 mph) rounded out the top five.

*NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 At Martinsville Speedway Starting Linup:​*







_The green flag for the Kroger 200 (200 laps, 105.2 miles) is set for 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, Sirius XM)._

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...ght-pole-qualifying-results-martinsville.html


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## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Belongs To Crafton​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6843&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Crafton held off the field in a charge to the checkered flag to win Saturday's Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

The ThorSport Racing driver scored his fifth win of the season and 10th career victory. Crafton's five wins leads the series and the two-time series champion registered his second career triumph at the Virginia short track.

"I've raced here quite a few times, and paying attention and these guys on the team keep working on things," Crafton said. "We had great horsepower here today. We beat them up a lot on the restarts and getting this (truck) up off the bottom of the corner."

John Hunter Nemechek and Cameron Hayley finished second and third, respectively, but the two young drivers weren't pleased with one another in the sprint to the finish.

"John Hunter has one coming to him later at Phoenix," Hayley said after the two made contact several times racing to the checkered flag.

Nemechek was in position to score his second career win but the final laps turn of events foiled his hopes.

"It was a good learning experience," he said. "We lost the race because I hit the curb going into one and slid up. It's kind of disappointing. My guys gave me a fast (truck) today and we couldn't capitalize on it."

Cole Custer rallied back to finish fourth after dominating the early portions of the race only to be penalized for a pit road speeding violation.

Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five.

Timothy Peters, Brandon Jones, Caleb Holman, Johnny Sauter and Erik Jones completed the first 10 finishers.

Ross Kenseth, son of Sprint Cup Series driver Matt, made his Truck Series debut with a 17th-place performance.

The race was a slam-bang affair that featured 12 caution flags for a variety of spins and accidents.

Jones maintained his series point lead by 10 over Crafton with Reddick 13 behind.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway next Friday night for the WinStar World Casino 350.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Wins-Kroger-200-at-Martinsville-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Big Opportunity For Gordon​*
Jeff Gordon's best opportunity to win before he retires in four more races may be Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Gordon has scored five wins in his last 25 starts at the Virginia short track, a place he's excelled during his Sprint Cup career to the tune of eight total trips to Victory Lane.

Although he's winless so far in 2015, Gordon is among the eight drivers still in the Eliminator Round of the Chase and feels very optimistic about his chances of being to able advance to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a win on Sunday.

"If I can put any track on the schedule to give ourselves opportunity to win at right now, I would pick Martinsville," Gordon said. "On one hand, I'm excited and confident; and on the other hand, I know we've got to work our butts off to make it happen."

Gordon's success at Martinsville includes some of the most dominating performances of his career. Gordon doesn't have a complete explanation as to why he's been so good at the track over the years.

"This is a tough track. It is a really tough track," he said. "It goes against all of the normal instincts that you have as a race car driver. You're goal as a race car driver is to drive as deep into the corner as you can, brake as hard as you can, get back to the gas as early as you can; and this is not that, at all. If anything, it's not over-braking the car getting in the corner; it's about rolling out of the brakes and waiting a split second before, and get the car pointed before you get back into the throttle. It takes a lot of patience here.

"I think that not only suited my style, but it also allowed me to communicate really well with the teams so that they could just fine-tune that set-up. It didn't hurt that I've always had really good race cars here, as well."

Gordon hopes he has another good car for Sunday's race and will take the green flag from the fifth starting position. The 500-lap grind means drivers will have to juggle and balance a variety of variables to be successful, including their emotions, which have historically been tested at the tight confines of Martinsville.

"I feel like I have done a pretty good job of handling my temper here over the years," he said. "Here anyway, other places, maybe not so much. But here for the most part."

And what would it mean to Gordon to win at Martinsville in his final career start on Sunday?

"That would be pretty amazing," Gordon said. "There is nobody that has any more motivation and reasons to get that ninth victory than our race team this weekend."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 12 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/10/Big-Opportunity-for-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Story Lines​*
There are plenty of stories to follow in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

The race is the first of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Eight drivers remain in the title fight after last week's controversial Talladega finish.

Joey Logano swept the three races that comprised the previous Contender Round and continued his hot streak by winning the pole for Sunday's race.

"It's an amazing run we're on right now," Logano said after claiming the pole with a lap of 98.548 mph. "I'm just the lucky guy that gets to drive this thing right now. It's so much fun and we're doing everything right. But all that can in a blink of an eye, so we all just have to keep our focus."

*Payback and Retaliation?* 
The Talladega finish generated frayed emotions and anger among several competitors with defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick the center of attention. A number of drivers including Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Trevor Bayne and Ryan Newman accused Harvick of purposely causing the accident that brought out the final caution flag last week thereby solidifying his spot in the standings to move on in the Chase.

Harvick denied the allegations and is not worried about any retribution going forward.

"From their perspective, I can understand their frustration of not being in the Chase," Harvick said. "I am not going to throw stones because I don't believe that's the right thing to do. I did the best I could on the restarts to get going, I got out of the way, and I never even saw (Bayne) until he was by me. You can't stop. You have to try to let it play out."

Logano is also not concerned about any potential payback from Kenseth, who was upset after the duo's late laps contact at Kansas Speedway two weeks ago.

"That's what we can control," he said about trying for his fourth straight win on Sunday. "We can't control anybody else's thinking or what's in their mind. We have to think about how we advance and how we win this weekend." (Read More)

*Gordon Shoots For Number Nine* 
Jeff Gordon has eight career Martinsville wins and will make his final start on Sunday before heading into retirement at season's end. Although he remains winless this season, Gordon is still alive in the Chase and a ninth career Martinsville victory would send him to the Championship Four race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"That would be pretty amazing," Gordon said. "There is nobody that has any more motivation and reasons to get that ninth victory than our race team this weekend." (Read More)

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Sprint Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 12 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/10/Martinsville-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Wins At Martinsville​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6820&StatType=Race+Results

Jeff Gordon will race for the Sprint Cup championship in his final season after he claimed his first win of the season in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Gordon held off Jamie McMurray in a restart with two laps to go to score his ninth career win at Martinsville. He'll now advance to the Championship 4 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a chance to win a fifth career Sprint Cup Series title before heading into retirement at season's end.

"We're going to Homestead!" Gordon said as he celebrated in Victory Lane. "This is the sweetest, most amazing feeling. I am so proud of this team. You talk about holding back emotions, right now, man, wow, we're going to Homestead and I can't believe it."

McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart completed the first 10 finishers.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday for the AAA Texas 500.

How Gordon Won: Joey Logano was in control of the race but was involved in a controversial accident with Matt Kenseth (Read More). Once Logano was eliminated from the race Gordon had the fastest car in the field and was able to move up to the front of the field and despite the battle from McMurray was able to prevail.

Who Had a Good Day: Chasers remained in the hunt for the championship as the Eliminator Round kicked off and Kyle Busch, Truex Jr., and Harvick got the round off to a solid start. But others not in the Chase had very good performances in the top 10 led by McMurray, who had arguable his best race of the season.

Who Had a Bad Day: Logano for sure suffered the worst fate when Kenseth crashed into him to send the Team Penske driver to a 37th-place finish (Read More)&#8230;Greg Biffle had multiple spins during the afternoon&#8230;Danica Patrick and David Gilliland tangled early but it wasn't over. After the duo made contact again later, Patrick chased Gilliland down and hit him several times before limping to the garage&#8230;Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hit the wall hard at the quarter-race mark to suffered severe damage&#8230;Clint Bowyer also was involved in a hard trip into the wall and finished 43rd.

What Else Happened: The race started under yellow as rain showers moved out of the area and NASCAR finished drying pit road. Although there was a threat of more rain in the area, it never materialized and the race went to its conclusion.

Quote of the Day: "Some days you're the bat, some days you're the ball." - Matt Kenseth

Notables: Kahne scored a top-10 finish after starting the race from the back of the field in a back-up car&#8230;Stewart also started the race in a back-up and posted only his third top-10 finish of the year&#8230;Logano led nine times for 207 laps.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...don-Wins-Goodys-Headache-Relief-Shot-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano: 'A Complete Coward Move'​*
Matt Kenseth made contact with Joey Logano on lap 455 Sunday at Martinsville Speedway to trigger a controversial crash.

Racing with a damaged car and multiple laps down, Kenseth hit Logano, who was leading the race, in Turn 1 in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 sending the duo sliding hard into the outside wall.

It appeared to be revenge on Kenseth's part for what he felt Logano did to him two weeks ago when they made contact while racing for the lead at Kansas Speedway.

Logano definitely felt that way.

"I got wrecked," Logano said. "I don't know. What am I supposed to say about it? His race was over and he tried so hard to catch us the first time and he took out half the field, and he was successful the second time so I give that to him. It's kind of a coward move. Actually, a really coward move for a race car driver to do that, essentially someone as mature and an experienced race car driver that knows what this is all about.

Logano did not see the two situations as being the same and felt the contact at Kansas was different than the payback Kenseth appeared to deliver on Sunday.

"I think what happened at Kansas is a completely different deal," he said. "We were racing for the win and he blocks you a few times and then we raced hard and he blocked me the last time and we spun out. That's what happened there. Here it was just a complete coward move, especially for a championship racecar driver and race team.

"Just a complete coward. I don't have anything else to say. It's a chicken-you-know-what move to completely take out the leader when your race is over. We'll move on."

Asked if he had spoken with Kenseth, Logano had a quick reply.

"They won't let me get to him," he said.

Kenseth had suffered damage earlier in the race when Brad Keselowski made contact with him and Kurt Busch was collected in the melee. He gave his view of the incident with Logano.

"Some days you get put in spots you don't want to be in, for sure," Kenseth said. "I had two chances to win in the last three weeks and got wrecked out of both of them going for the lead. One from him (Logano) and one from Brad. That's disappointing. I should have never been in that spot trying to move that car around and to the finish."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Crashes-Into-Joey-Logano-at-Martinsville.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Reacts To Kenseth-Logano Incident​*
NASCAR will review the incident between Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano further before making any decisions on punishment.

Kenseth ran into Logano late in Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway sending both cars hard into the wall. Logano believed it was retaliation for the contact the two made while racing for the lead at Kansas Speedway two weeks ago although Kenseth claimed he had a tire going down.

Sunday after the race NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell addressed the media at Martinsville and outlined the sanctioning body's stance on the accident.

"I think in the case with Matt, we were certainly disappointed with what took place tonight on the racetrack," O'Donnell said. "We had a conversation with both Matt, crew chief, Joe Gibbs. Like we always do, there's still a lot to digest from what happened tonight. We'll do that. We'll have some additional conversations and probably come out with something, if there is anything to discuss, on Tuesday."

Should NASCAR decide to penalize Kenseth for the action there is a number of ways punishment could be assessed.

"We'll look at it. By stating we're going to discuss it, there's certainly things we want to look at, compare it," O'Donnell explained. "Look at videotape, have conversations like we do with any of these incidents.

"We never make an announcement on a Sunday night. It's something we still want to review. And, yeah, there are options on the table for us."

Although O'Donnell expressed concern for what happened between the two drivers, he did not attribute the behavior to the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format.

"I don't. I think the Chase format creates great racing on the track," he said. "You saw six of the eight competitors who were going for a championship lead laps today. Drivers at their best.

"You're going to see drivers going door to door, and in the history of NASCAR we've seen that. Again, I'd go back to this incident as a one off that we'll look at. But we continue to believe that the Chase promotes great racing on the track. I think the fans certainly saw that today."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...NASCAR-Reacts-to-Kenseth-Logano-Incident.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Edwards Salvages Good Finish​*
Carl Edwards was able to come back from a tough start to Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

The day began on a near disastrous note for Edwards when he was caught up in a chain reaction accident and received damage to the nose of his Toyota. His crew made repairs but Edwards fell off the lead lap.

He was able to persevere throughout the crazy race and actually got back on the lead lap in the aftermath of the controversial Matt Kenseth-Joey Logano accident with less than 50 laps to go.

As the race headed to its conclusion, Edwards kept moving forward in the field and finished 14th as Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag.

"I thought it was going to be a top 10 there at the end," Edwards said. "We struggled for a lot of the day, but really proud of all these guys. Our XFINITY Camry was fast at the end, maybe if we got tires - we were just in no man's land, we didn't know whether to get tires or not at the end. Crazy race and really tough to pass.

"That was a crazy day. It's Martinsville and just at the end I think we had an opportunity to get a couple more spots and I'm a little more frustrated about that. We just held our own - it was a bad day, but we didn't make it worse."

Part of Edwards' troubles was a vibration he fought in the car.

"I thought I had a left-rear coming loose and I think it's just the tire ratcheting from the wear, but it didn't fall off so that's good," he explained.

Edwards is now fifth in the Sprint Cup standings and 17 out of the lead as the Eliminator Round heads to Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday. He's feeling optimistic.

"I think we're one point out of fourth so that's good, we're fine," he walk. "We'll just go win at Texas or run well, do what we do and we'll be fine."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/10/Carl-Edwards-Salvages-Good-Finish.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch: "Name Above Driver's Door" Determines NASCAR Punishments​*
Does the name of a driver or drivers involved have an impact on penalties issued by NASCAR?

Kyle Busch says it does.

Whatever NASCAR's punishment of Matt Kenseth for intentionally wrecking race leader Joey Logano on Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Busch believes NASCAR concerns itself more with the driver involved than the violation that occurred.

Busch, who has had plenty of run-ins with NASCAR over on-track incidents in his career, was asked Sunday his opinion about Kenseth's actions toward Logano.

"Did he do anything wrong? I don't know. Did he do anything right? I don't know," Busch said. "I think it all depends on whose name's above the door on whether or not you're allowed to do it."

Busch said he wasn't sure NASCAR needed to necessarily curtail any of the actions taking place in recent races, but needed to enforce its rules consistently.

"It's boys being boys right now. You got to be consistent. I definitely feel NASCAR is very consistent in being inconsistent on calls," he said. "I think it's 'BS.'

"They better - I say 'They better', but they don't have to listen to me for squat. Really doesn't matter what I say."

Asked on pit road after the race if he would be racing next week at Texas if he had done the same thing as Kenseth on Sunday, Busch simply said, "Nope."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...-driver-s-door-determines-nascar-punishments/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Says "Welcome To The Wild, Wild West"​*
If Denny Hamlin's impression of the current Chase for the Sprint Cup is correct, then NASCAR couldn't be headed to a better place this weekend than Texas Motor Speedway.

Hamlin, who was knocked out of the playoffs prior to the Eliminator Round, says racing has changed dramatically since he entered the series in 2005.

An "ugly statement"

"It's a no holds barred, wild, Wild West," Hamlin said. "Sure, when people crown the statement that a driver's doing what he's got to do and they became okay with that statement, you're just opening up Pandora's box - 'well, everyone is just doing what they have to do,' I guess.

"It's a bad statement, it's an ugly statement, I wish we could all do this fair and square and the fastest person win, but I just don't know if that's going to be the case."

Yes, Hamlin is still bitter after being bumped out of the Chase - and his third-place result at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday offered no relief. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team raced its way into the Champion Round at Homestead Miami Speed way last year and appeared destined to go deep in 2015 after winning the Chase opener at Chicagoland. In the Contender Round, Hamlin entered Talladega Superspeedway second in the standings following a fourth-place finish at Charlotte and a second-place run at Kansas Speedway.



> The structure in which we have around us is not very strong as far as an authority figure saying, 'No, you cannot do that anymore.' It's just tough for us because this is what's been created
> 
> Denny Hamlin



Hamlin took the lead at Talladega on Lap 10 but had problems with his escape hatch on the No. 11 Toyota on Lap 86 and was forced to pit. He dropped to 32nd - then 39th after another pit stop and never recovered. To put salt in his wounds, Hamlin was collected in the multi-car wreck triggered by Kevin Harvick in over-time. The 18-point advantage Hamlin had over ninth-place Kyle Busch disappeared in one race. Busch moved on in the Chase. Hamlin didn't.

Quintessential NASCAR

When NASCAR Chairman Brian France was on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio last month, he applauded Joey Logano's actions at Kansas where Team Penske racer took Matt Kenseth out of contention with five laps remaining in the race.

"Late in the race, I think that's a great example of everybody doing probably exactly what they should be doing," France said. "You had Matt Kenseth trying to block and hold his position. He had a faster car behind him, and when you block, you risk that somebody is going to be in that position."

France called Logano's move "a very smart decision" because not only did he win the race, he eliminated one of the toughest competitors in the Chase.

"To have an opportunity to put one of the top teams on the outside looking into the next round in Matt Kenseth, who has run so well, that's a smart thing to do.

"You have to give them a lot of credit. This is the strategy that we all thought was going to be different when you have this kind of format. But it does reward aggressive racing at the end of the day."

While Hamlin honed his skills on short tracks and can be aggressive when deemed necessary, he feels the evolution of this Chase format is geared to "survival of the fittest."

But when boys have it is taken to the next level, Hamlin questions who will police the sport.

"The structure in which we have around us is not very strong as far as an authority figure saying, 'No, you cannot do that anymore.' It's just tough for us because this is what's been created," Hamlin said.

"I love Brian France, but when he says that, 'hey drivers are doing what they gotta do', it seems like he's promoting this type of racing so that's tough to crown a true champion when things go like this."

Been there, done that

Hamlin says he's not surprised at anything that occurs at a short track - including Kenseth's revenge against Logano on Sunday.

Hamlin has endured his own run-ins with Logano. After he dumped Logano at Bristol two years ago, his former teammate delivered a blow at Auto Club Speedway that left Hamlin sidelined for four weeks with a compression fracture in his lower back.

Hamlin believes Logano should have reached out to Kenseth before the situation got out of hand.

"I've been fine with Joey here lately," Hamlin said. "I'm not going to stick sides too much, but Joey didn't choose to call me until the Chase started - in fear of getting wrecked.

"I think in my opinion, you have to control that a little bit better and talk to the person. If you're just going to stick your nose in the air and say, 'Well, that's the way it's going to be,' then you're going to have to expect it back."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/hamlin-says-welcome-to-the-wild-wild-west/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chase Outlook: Several Favorites Leave Martinsville In A Hole​*
Now that the dust has settled at Martinsville Speedway, how did your favorite Chase for the Sprint Cup driver fare in the first race of the Eliminator Round on Sunday?

Jeff Gordon (4047) - Gordon took advantage of Team Penske's problems to earn his ninth Martinsville Speedway win - and his 93rd career Cup victory overall. Although Gordon had been winless prior to Sunday, he called the win "one of the finest moments of my career."

Not only does Gordon have a point advantage over the Chase field, his team can relax over the next two races and concentrate its resources on Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gordon has wins at the next three race tracks and finished ninth and seventh at Phoenix and Texas, respectively, in the spring. Gordon won the pole at Homestead last year and won at the track in 2012.

Busch battles back

Kyle Busch (4039) - Busch battled back from 28th after a wreck on Lap 171to finish fifth on Sunday. The No. 18 was driving through Turn 1 when he hit water on the apron and went spinning in Turn 2 collecting his teammate Carl Edwards, Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and AJ Allmendinger in the process.

Although Busch has wins at Texas and Phoenix, he did not race at either track in the spring after being sidelined with a broken leg. Should Busch transfer to the season finale at Homestead, he will have to run better at the track than he has in the past. His average finish at HMS is 23.1 - Busch's worst result of any track on the circuit.

The single-car outfit is holding his own

Martin Truex Jr. (4039) - Truex led more laps at Martinsville on Sunday than in any of his previous 19 starts at the half-mile track. The No. 78 Furniture Row Chevy dropped to 22nd on Lap 161 after a slow pit stop, but returned to the top 10 by Lap 191. Despite a run in with Tony Stewart on the track - and punting Trevor Bayne on lap 351, Truex matched his sixth-place finish in the spring for his sixth top 10 result at the track.

Truex did not compete in last year's Chase with the new format but will earn a career-high finish in the point standings this season regardless how he fares in the next three races. Although Truex has never won at the remaining races in the Chase, he finished seventh and ninth at Phoenix and Texas earlier this year. He has an average finish of 10th at Homestead where he's earned three top fives and seven top-10 finishes in 10 starts.

Reigning champ on the bubble

Kevin Harvick (4037)- Harvick soldiered home at Martinsville with an eighth-place result. While the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Chevy ran towards the front of the pack throughout the race, he could never outpace the Team Penske Fords. Harvick and Logano are the only two drivers to go the distance in last year's Chase.

Harvick has never won a Cup race at Texas, but stepped up with a win at Phoenix last year to punch his ticket to Homestead where he won the title. And Harvick won at PIR again this spring - his seventh career Cup win at the track.

Edwards salvages race after suffering damage

Carl Edwards (4030) - Edwards started 14th, but seemed lost throughout most of the Goody's 500. He ran mid-pack for most of the day. On Lap 171, he caught a piece of the Kyle Busch's spin and fell off the lead lap 200 circuits later. Edwards earned his lap back following the multi-car wreck involving Chasers Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth.

He restarted 20th on Lap 443 and salvaged a 14th-place finish. Edwards has multiple wins at the final three tracks. But the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team will have to put forth a stronger effort to compete against Gordon, Harvick and Logano.

Restart carnage hurts the No. 2, No. 41

Brad Keselowski (4013) - The driver of the Blue Deuce looked like the Keselowski of old on Sunday. Only his Penske teammate Joey Logano (207) led more laps than Keselowski's 143 circuits at the point. But after the No. 2 Ford was tagged by Kurt Busch on the Lap 435 restart, Keselowski was fortunate to be scored as "running" as he limped to a 32nd-place finish. It was his worst finish since Bristol in April.

At the upcoming races in the Eliminator round, Keselowski finished fifth at Texas and sixth at Phoenix earlier this year. His only win in 2015 came at Fontana in March. After averaging a 7.3-place finish in the Contender Round, Keselowski will need a Hail Mary in the next two races to advance to the championship round at Hometsead.

Kurt Busch (4011) - Busch was happy flying under the radar in the first six races of the Chase - and that earned him a place in the Eliminator Round. Despite qualifying 15th, after seven laps ran under caution, Busch quickly moved up into the top 10. By Lap 60, Busch was in the lead.

He held the point for 22 laps and remained competitive until attempting to break up the Penske party at the front. Following contact with Keselolski on the Lap 435 restart, Busch dropped from third to 33rd and finished 34th. Although Busch has wins at the final three tracks, he finished14th and fifth, respectively, at Texas and Phoenix earlier this year.

Logano robbed of a win

Joey Logano (4009) - Logano entered Martinsville poised to win four consecutive races. His 207-lap race lead was interrupted when Matt Kenseth exacted revenge on the No. 22 Ford for pass sins on Lap 454. Logano went from the point - onto a hook. Although Logano returned to the track on Lap 497 and was scored 37th. No team enjoyed the No. 22 Penske team's success in October.

But after sweeping the Contender Round, Logano finds himself in a must-win situation in the next two races. Last year the Shell/Pennzoil Ford won the spring race at Texas - where he's averaged a fifth-place finish in his last five starts. At Phoenix, Logano has posted four consecutive top-10 finishes - but Harvick will be hard to beat in the desert. If Logano finds a way to transfer to the Champion's Round, it will be one hell of a rematch between him and Harvick - but only if Kenseth gives him a pass

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...veral-favorites-leave-martinsville-in-a-hole/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Martinsville Winners And Losers​*
Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway had several drivers celebrating while others were looking for the race sponsor's product.

*WINNERS​*
Jeff Gordon
Wins don't get much more emotional than Gordon's on Sunday, which was his first of the year and put him in The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for a shot at title No. 5. The jubilation from Gordon and the fans who stayed at Martinsville to celebrate was a special moment for the sport.

Jamie McMurray
The best run of the season by McMurray was lost in a sea of other stories. But the fact remains that the Chip Ganassi Racing driver turned in a stellar performance. Who knows? With a few more laps left in the race, might McMurray have passed Gordon for the win?

Denny Hamlin
He was caught speeding on pit road not once but twice, but still came back to finish third. Hamlin's a Martinsville master and although he came up two positions short of another win, he showed it again on Sunday.

Kyle Busch
The wheels looked like they might come off Busch's championship quest early on Sunday, when he spun in what he said was water standing on the inside of the track. But Busch persevered and charged back for a fifth-place finish to remain a player in the title fight.

Tony Stewart
For only the third time this year, Stewart brought home a top-10 finish. It wasn't spectacular, but much-needed in a frustrating season.

*LOSERS​*
Matt Kenseth
Pulled one of the dirtiest moves in recent history by taking out Joey Logano in a pay-back. Kenseth's move has forced NASCAR to make a statement of punishment or run the risk of the rest of the Chase turning into more of a no-holds-barred demolition derby rather than the top tier of racing in the country.

Joey Logano
The run for four straight wins ended with Kenseth's rear bumper and revenge. Logano now needs to win one of the next two races in the Eliminator Round or have his championship aspirations end. If that happens and NASCAR does not punish Kenseth, expect retaliation to come from the No. 22 car.

Danica Patrick
Should also be on NASCAR's punishment list for her blatant crashing of David Gilliland, not once but twice.

Greg Biffle
I lost count of how many times Biffle spun out or crashed on Sunday in what will definitely be one of the days of his career "The Biff" would like to forget.

Clint Bowyer
He had a decent racecar, but contact sent him into the wall and out of the race after a hard crash. Bowyer's tenure with Michael Waltrip Racing can't end soon enough.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Martinsville-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kenseth Suspended For Two Races​*
Matt Kenseth, the driver of the No. 20 car, has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during the Nov. 1 race at Martinsville Speedway. This is a Behavioral Penalty (Sections 12.1, 12.8 ). Kenseth has been suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events and placed on NASCAR probation for a six-month period following issuance of the penalty notice.

"Based upon our extensive review, we have concluded that the No. 20 car driver, who is no longer in the Chase, intentionally wrecked the No. 22 car driver, a Chase-eligible competitor who was leading the race at the time," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "The No. 20 car was nine laps down, and eliminated the No. 22 car's opportunity to continue to compete in the race.

"Additionally, we factored aspects of safety into our decision, and also the fact that the new Chase elimination format puts a premium on each and every race. These actions have no place in

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Matt-Kenseth-Suspended-for-Two-Races.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Fair Or Foul?​*
There wasn't any question whether NASCAR would suspend Matt Kenseth for intentionally wrecking Joey Logano last weekend in Martinsville. The only unknown was for how long.

The answer came Tuesday when Kenseth was handed a two-race suspension for what was deemed a "Behavioral Penalty," only because "sucker punch" doesn't look good in a press release.

No matter how much Kenseth felt he was scorned by Logano at Kansas or by the turn of events at Talladega Superspeedway, there is nothing excusable for a driver nine laps down to take out the leader of a race and, in the process, impact the championship.

It's still implausible that so many do not see the difference between what happened with the two drivers at Kansas and Martinsville. Logano tried every which way to get around a blocking Kenseth for the lead in the closing laps at Kansas Speedway until contact was inevitably made. At Martinsville Speedway, Kenseth was nine laps down with nothing on the line except a chance to exact revenge on Logano - which he did, and paid the price.

Blatant, flagrant fouls have consequences.

The late Bill France Jr. was famous for telling drivers who he had a beef with to not "stink up his show," basically a reaffirmation of the iron fist that once ruled the sport. Today's NASCAR is governed in a different fashion with much more open communication between the sanctioning body and the garage area.

But there are times when that iron fist needs to be clenched and the Martinsville situation is one of them.

Kenseth "stunk up the show," all right. He stunk up the race by taking out the leader, stunk up the Chase by impacting the championship, stunk up his organization by the unseemly behavior and - in some people's minds - stunk up his reputation, which might not have been choir-boy material but was on pretty solid ground.

Perhaps NASCAR made an example of Kenseth. That's a fair assessment and while I thought a one-race suspension was probable, I'm surprised the punishment was as severe as two. But the sanctioning body had to do something to take hold of a situation that had grown wildly out of control, a statement Kenseth himself made after Kansas.

The whole state of affairs has triggered a divided reaction inside the sport among fans, current drivers, former drivers, media, crew chiefs and officials.

Passion and emotion are now gauged by whether drivers fight one another on pit road or in the garage, as was the case in last year's Chase, or now purposely crash into each other. Rather than striving for the kind of racing that created a moment like, say, the 2003 Darlington finish between Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch, it seems there's more appeal to producing something akin to the local county fair's demolition derby.

It's also brought to light something I believe is even more troubling than drivers crashing each other, discussions about "driver codes" (the racing version of baseball's "unwritten rules") and fans cheering wildly over crashes as if inside some Roman coliseum while peasants were being fed to the lions.

What bothers me the most is the acceptance by so many that diminishing others in order to succeed yourself is a perfectly acceptable form of behavior. Honor in beating your rivals fair and square on the track has been lost. The name of the game is now win at any cost, sportsmanship be damned.

Kenseth said after last weekend's Martinsville events that "sometimes you're the bat and sometimes you're the ball" in situations like the one he found himself in with Logano.

NASCAR was the one swinging the bat this week and there's a wide range of views on whether the ball landed fair or foul.

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Opinion-Fair-or-Foul.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Texas Motor Speedway​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Texas​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway takes The Eliminator 8 to Texas Motor Speedway this week, with just 813 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's AAA Texas 500 is the middle stop in the three-week Eliminator Round. Thus far in the 2015 post-season, Chase drivers have won all seven races. Now, it's on to TMS - where Jimmie Johnson has won the last three fall races.

The six-time champion was eliminated from title contention last month at Dover, but Jeff Gordon - one of Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammates - is riding high atop the Chase standings after his victory last weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

A pair of drivers nipping at Gordon's heels are Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., tied for second in points heading to "The Lone Star State." Busch says he's taken a liking to the Texas oval in recent years after a rough start there.

"I had some wild races early in my career and it wasn't one of my favorite places," said Busch - who has a total of 11 Texas wins across NASCAR's three national series. "Things have gone well recently."

The lion's share of Busch's success at TMS has come in the XFINITY Series, where he has seven victories including a five-race winning streak from 2008-10. His Cup Series victory there came in the track's spring race in 2013.

"I've learned how to drive the track better and what I need in my racecar to make it easier," said Busch, who is the highest remaining seed (No. 2) in this year's Chase after top-seeded Johnson was sidelined at Dover. "Texas is fast. You carry a lot of speed through the turns and down the straightaways. It's got a lot of options for drivers to try different lines and that's what we all enjoy."

Busch also enjoys his lofty perch in the Chase standings with three races left in the season.

"It feels good to be in this position," said Busch, who failed to make it out of the second round in last year's Chase. "You're looking at the watch and wondering when it's going to run out. We have to get on a roll and if we win two of the next three, we'll be champions, right?"

Five of the eight drivers remaining in the Eliminator Round of the Chase have won a Cup Series race in Texas: Busch and his older brother Kurt, Gordon, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano. Truex, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski are still looking for their first Cup Series win on the 1.5-mile Fort Worth oval. Harvick finished second to Johnson in this year's first visit back on April 11. Keselowki ran fifth and Truex was ninth.

"Nothing is safe at this point," said Truex, who has an average finish of ninth place in the seven Chase races run this fall. "You have to go out there and fight for every point you can. There are seven drivers trying to secure those final three spots."

With his victory last weekend, Gordon is the only one of The Eliminator 8 who is guaranteed a shot at the title during Ford Championship Weekend from Nov. 20-22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday at 12:30 p.m. (ET) and qualify that evening to set the field for Sunday's AAA 500._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/11/Miles2Miami-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Kenseth Suspension Upheld​*
Matt Kenseth's two-race suspension from NASCAR was upheld after two appeal hearings Thursday. His probation period was reduced from six months to through December 31, 2015.

Joe Gibbs Racing opted to appeal the two-race suspension NASCAR handed Kenseth for his role in purposely crashing Joey Logano late in last Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

After the three member panel of Ken Clapp, Bill Mullis and Dale Pinilis upheld the original penalties, the case was also heard by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

Erik Jones will drive Kenseth's car this weekend in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

"Obviously the truck and the XFINITY car are my main focus," Jones said. "I'm going to do the best I can for them and just to keep them in contention and hopefully have a good race for them."

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France provided context to the sanctioning body's punishment during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday.

"We issue penalties for two reasons," he said. We've got to punish you for what we think you've done wrong, and we have to make sure that we deter somebody else from doing exactly what you did or worse. That's why we can't be consistent with every single penalty because sometimes we've got to up the ante with a penalty because we don't believe the current remedy is a deterrent.

"That's one of the reasons that we arrived at a two-race suspension in this particular case. It has to be a deterrent because there are clear rules of the road.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/11/Matt-Kenseth-Suspension-Upheld.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*HScott Motorsports Transporter Catches Fire En Route To Texas​*
The No. 46 HScott Motorsports Sprint Cup hauler caught fire on Interstate 20 in Longview, Texas.

The transporter used for Michael Annett's race cars was on its way to Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The driver, Michael Dennis Smith and his passenger escaped the incident without injury.

An HScott Motorsports representative told Motorsport.com that both the primary and backup cars for Annett were destroyed in the fire, along with at-track equipment.

The team still plans to race however. A replacement hauler with new cars is being loaded and sent to the speedway immediately, ensuring that the No. 46 will still participate this weekend.

According to KLTV, the fire occurred in the westbound lanes of Interstate 20, near Estes Parkway at Mile Marker 595, causing a shutdown of the interstate.

Yesterday, a Richard Petty Motorsports Xfinity Series hauler tractor was damaged in Louisiana, also on its way to the speedway. No one was injured in the accident, but the damage sustained warranted a replacement tractor.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...s-transporter-catches-fire-en-route-to-texas/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Uphill Climb For Kurt Busch​*
Kurt Busch has a hole to climb out from in the next two races of the Eliminator Round.

Busch had a tough day in last weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway and heads to Texas Motor Speedway seventh among the eight drivers remaining in the hunt for the Sprint Cup Series championship. Although he had a fast car and looked solid in the early going at Martinsville, Busch got caught in a multi-car accident with Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth to take him out of contention for a win.

Despite the 34th-place finish, he remains optimistic going to Texas for Sunday's AAA 500.

"Texas might play out similar to Chicagoland (Speedway) a few weeks ago," said Busch. "We almost won the race there. Texas is a Chicago-style track."

A win in the next two weeks at either Texas or Phoenix puts Busch into The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot to run for a second title. Busch believes he has a good chance at finding Victory Lane in the next few weeks.

"I want it to be Texas because that's a sister track to Homestead," Busch said of the 1.5-mile ovals left on the schedule. "Do well at Texas and that means you'll do well at Homestead. That's our best chance to win. We sat on the pole there earlier this year.

"If you want to win this title, you have to win at Homestead, you've got to win at Texas. At Phoenix (next week), we can go out there and mirror our teammate (Kevin Harvick) for a good, successful finish."

Busch won at Texas in 2009 and sized up the racing in "The Lone Star State."

"It's a tough mile-and-a-half racetrack," he said. "Tire wear is getting greater every year. The speed you carry at the beginning of a run is different than the speed at the end of a run. This race starts in daylight and then it cools off quickly, and the track changes."

A 500-mile race on a 1.5-mile track is grueling. Patience is a key and being around at the end is the only way to approach it, according to Busch.

"You've got to be running top-six, top-four is preferred," he said. "Starting on the front row is the best with 25 laps to go because the tires are going to come into play, how much they wear out. Trying to properly assess tire wear is one of the big keys to winning at Texas."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/11/Uphill-Climb-for-Kurt-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Home Game For Buescher​*
After a much needed two-week respite following a stretch of 17 consecutive weeks of racing, the NASCAR XFINITY Series is back in action this weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge.

Texas native Chris Buescher returns to the Lone Star State with a 27-point lead in the standings with just three races remaining before a champion is crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 21st.

He's gained on his competition in each of the last five races, growing his points lead from 19 after September's race at Kentucky Speedway to the now 27-point lead he enjoys following the Kansas race.

"It's nice to have some gap but it's not very much when you look at the grand scheme of things and how many points can be gained or lost in a race weekend," Buescher said. "We're gonna keep doing what we've been doing."

Buescher goes to Texas looking to improve on his ninth-place finish in the spring race.

"I always like going back to my home track and seeing friends and family, and I want to perform well in front of the home crowd," Buescher said.

"Texas will be a good weekend for our team," Buescher said. "Our mile-and-a-half program has gotten a lot better in the past six months, which gives us more confidence going into this weekend."

Buescher finished sixth at Kansas three weeks ago, his 20th top 10 of the season, and his eighth consecutive. He's held the series points lead since going to Victory Lane at Iowa in May. He backed up the Iowa success with another win at Dover two races later. But since the beginning of the summer Buescher has been shut out of Victory Lane although it's his consistency that's made him a championship contender.

"We knew the summer stretch would be a tough part of our season, but we made it through pretty well," Buescher said. "A couple races, three or four right in the middle, were tough for us and we knew they would be looking at the schedule ahead of time. The last several races we've been a lot better. We got some more momentum back. we've been running really well."

"It was nice to get the Iowa and Dover wins. We've been in contention to win a couple races since then and it's a little frustrating we haven't been able to wrap more up."

Part of the reason Buescher hasn't been able to win more is partly due to the Sprint Cup competitors who race in the XFINITY Series.

"It's been a tough season on the regulars," Buescher said. "We haven't been able to get a whole lot of wins between all of us. That's been a tough part of this season is trying to run with Cup guys."

Caught up in part of Buescher's title hunt is his status for the 2016 NASCAR season. Buescher tested a Roush-Fenway Sprint Cup car at Michigan two weeks ago as part of rules changes for the 2016 Sprint Cup Season. Buescher made six Sprint Cup starts for Front Row Motorsports earlier in 2015.

"I've been testing Cup cars since I was 16 with Roush. I did all sorts of testing back when it was allowed," Buescher said. "I feel pretty good about running in the Cup car. I had a lot of fun in the Front Row car earlier this year. I feel like our six races went really well, all things considered. I feel like I was able to get in and have it come to me rather quickly. If that's what 2016 brings, then I think I'll be ready for it."

Following the event at Texas on Saturday, the XFINITY Series will head to the Phoenix International Raceway next week, where Buescher finished 14th in March's race, and then close out the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Buescher finished fifth in his only Homestead-Miami start last year.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/11/Home-Game-for-Chris-Buescher.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Fan Reaction 'Disgusts' Logano​*
Joey Logano said he was "disgusted" by some of the fan reaction after last week's crash with Matt Kenseth at Martinsville Speedway.

Logano met the media Friday morning at Texas Motor Speedway to discuss last week's controversial accident that saw Kenseth purposely crash into the Team Penske driver with less than 50 laps to go in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

Logano was leading the race at the time while Kenseth was nine laps down. NASCAR suspended Kenseth for two races for his behavior, a rule that was upheld after two appeal hearings on Thursday.

"Was I surprised to see the fans' reaction after something like that? Yes I was," Logano said. "I was disgusted by it."

The incident has sparked a weeklong debate in the sport.

Despite the display by some of fans at Martinsville, and others who disagreed with NASCAR's ruling this week in support of Kenseth, Logano is remaining optimistic.

"I'm going to look at the silver lining on this one,'' Logano said. "There are more No. 22 T-shirts and Joey Logano T-shirts and hats walking around. When I was walking out of Martinsville, I noticed that. I said, 'Man, there are more fans that root for me than ever before. That's pretty cool.' Instead of listening to the critics and the fans that may not like it, I'm going to look at the silver lining and say, 'You know what, I have more fans than I've had before and I love it and I appreciate every one of them.'

"They're very good people. I feel like they're not the ones throwing things on the racetrack. They're very stand-up people, and I appreciate them wearing my T-shirt. That's something I want to have my name involved with, people like that. I appreciate having a lot of support on my side.''

Logano's focus is on Sunday's AAA Texas 500, where a win would erase the hole he's in as the Eliminator Round reaches its second race. He says what happened last week is in the past and Logano is looking dead ahead.

"Well, I can't speak for Matt. What happened has happened," he said. "It is in the past at this point. It is in the rear view mirror. The only way we will get in the Chase is if we keep looking out the windshield. To be honest I am not convinced it is a bad thing. Our team is more fired up than ever. I am more focused than ever. I am pumped up about being here at the track today.

"What happened last week is what happened last week. Is it the way we wanted it to go? No, of course not. Did we get the finish we felt we deserved that day? No, but this team has plenty of confidence coming off three in a row and in position for four. There is plenty of confidence and more drive than there has ever been. I am not convinced this whole thing is a bad thing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/11/Fan-Reaction-Disgusts-Logano.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Marches On​*
Martin Truex Jr. is tied for second in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings but not many have noticed.

Like he has for much of the season, Truex Jr. is quietly putting together a solid campaign that has led him right into the thick of the championship picture. He's averaging a finish of 9.0 in the first seven races of the playoffs and that's been good enough to put him near the top of the standings.

But the Furniture Row Racing driver doesn't think the performance he's turned in so far will continue his march to a possible berth in the Championship Four race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I don't think that's good enough," Truex said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway as he prepares for Sunday's AAA Texas 500. "I think we'll have to improve for sure, unless we have some crazy stuff happen in the next two weeks, which is highly likely. I don't think 9.0 will be good enough. I also think that almost every race in the Chase, besides Martinsville and Talladega, we've run better than we've finished. We need to change that. If we can finish the way we've been running, I think we'll be great."

Truex Jr. opened the year with a string of stellar efforts that eventually led to a win at Pocono Raceway in June. But then like now, the Furniture Row Racing team does not get the attention of some higher profile organizations and drivers.

"There's two sides to it," said Truex. "I really enjoy the underdog role; it's really cool. I think for a lot of reasons if you look at our race team, we are an underdog. I've never been in a championship battle in this series. I've got a rookie crew chief (Cole Pearn). We're a single-car team out of Denver. There's a lot of reasons we really do fit the mold of an underdog.

"At the same time I get frustrated at times because I feel like what we've done this season gets overlooked," he said. "I think people have short memories. We were second in points this summer and we've had a really good season. There's a lot of times I'd like my team to get a lot more credit than they have. Sometimes I'd like to get a little more credit as a driver. But at the end of the day that's not what really matters. What really matters is us coming out here and doing our jobs."

Winning a race in the next two weeks would automatically send Truex Jr. to Homestead-Miami with a shot at winning the title. He's optimistic about that possibility.

"Texas and Phoenix are two good tracks for us," he said. "We tested out in Phoenix a month or so ago, and we were really fast. So, we're looking forward to that one. We'll definitely have to step it up, and it's just a matter of really not making mistakes and getting everything we can get out of the day."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/11/Martin-Truex-Jr-Marches-On.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: Rico Abreu To Make Truck Series Debut​*
NTS Motorsports announced Friday evening that 2014 Honda USAC National Midget Series champion and defending Chili Bowl Midget Nationals winner Rico Abreu will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut next weekend at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

Abreu will drive the No. 31 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado next weekend at PIR and pending NASCAR approval, Abreu also will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 in the 2015 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"This is a great opportunity with NTS Motorsports and I think the time is right for me to make my NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut," Abreu said. "I believe we're starting out at the right track with Phoenix International Raceway. I've heard that it's a really cool place to race and it's somewhere I've been looking forward to racing. I'm surrounded by a good group of guys who have gotten me pretty comfortable in this truck so far. I just want to thank Bob Newberry, Chris Rice, AccuDoc Solutions and everyone at NTS Motorsports for this opportunity. I hope I can get them a great run."

Abreu began this season by winning the prestigious Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. He then embarked on a full-time effort in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driving for HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks while still competing nationally in a midget and winged sprint car. The 23-year-old earned his first K&N East win at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway in July, ultimately finishing fifth in the 2015 standings.

"I could not be more excited to have Rico Abreu joining our NTS Motorsports team for the final two Truck Series races," said team owner Bob Newberry. "Our team prides itself on providing opportunities for young, up-and-coming drivers, and we have been extremely impressed by his accomplishments in 2015. This season has been our team's strongest to date, and we feel very confident we will visit Victory Lane before this year is through."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/rico-abreu-to-make-truck-series-debut/


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## Ckg2011

*Brad Keselowski Wins Coors Light Pole Award​*
Check out Friday's complete qualifying results for this Sunday's AAA Texas 500 Chase for the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway

*Click here* ----> http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/racetrax?raceCode=54&season=2015&circuit=2&view=qualifying






*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...t-cup-race-brad-keselowski-joey-logano-110615


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## Ckg2011

*Jones Takes Texas Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6844&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Erik Jones extended his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points lead with a dominating performance in Friday night's WinStar World Casino & Resort 350 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver led 117 of 147 laps on his way to his seventh career win. Jones was able to extend his lead in the sports standings to 17 points over Matt Crafton, who finished fourth.

"Great team, great truck," said the 19-year-old Jones as he celebrated in Victory Lane. "I just love racing here at Texas and when the team can prepare trucks like they do at KBM it just makes it so much fun. Hopefully we can keep this up the rest of the way and get that championship."

It was Jones' third win of the season.

"We went through a lot of ups and downs, really, over the last couple of months," Jones said. "So to get our Toyota Tundra back in the championship hunt, it's pretty awesome."

The race was slowed by only one caution flag for debris and completed in 1 hour and 23 minutes.

Jones' teammate Daniel Suarez finished second.

"I can't thank this team enough for giving me a truck like this," Suarez said. "We were really fast but Erik was so good. Congratulations to him but I'm proud of the way we ran tonight."

Ryan Blaney, Crafton and Tyler Reddick, who is third in the standings and 21 behind Jones, rounded out the top five.

"There's still two races to go," said Crafton, who is in search of a third straight title. "We'll go to Phoenix next week and see if we can do a little bit better."

Timothy Peters, Brandon Jones, Christopher Bell, Ben Kennedy and Cameron Hayley completed the top-10 finishers.

Jones will be racing two more times at Texas this weekend including Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race as well as Sunday's AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup Series race, when he fills in for the suspended Matt Kenseth.

_The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Phoenix International Raceway next Friday night._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Erik-Jones-Wins-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Lone Star Winner​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6811&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Brad Keselowski's love affair with the Lone Star State continued in full force on Saturday with a hard-fought NASCAR XFINITY Series victory in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.

Keselowski grabbed the lead from Coors Light Polesitter Austin Dillon on Lap 189 of 200 after a restart with 16 laps left in the race. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford finished 1.137 seconds ahead of the No. 88 JR Motorsports entry driven by Kevin Harvick, who passed Dillon for the runner-up spot with four laps left.

The victory was Keselowski's second of the season, his second at the 1.5-mile speedway and the 34th of his career. The eighth win of the season for the No. 22 Ford (accomplished by Keselowski and teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney) clinched the third straight XFINITY Series owner's championship for Roger Penske.

"To get our team owner, Roger Penske, No. 4 as far as XFINITY championships go, I'm really proud of that," said Keselowski, who also won a series title as a driver in 2010. "When I came to (Team Penske) in 2010, we didn't have any, and now we have four in five years, so I'm really proud of that accomplishment."

In his last four starts at Texas, Keselowski has won twice and finished second twice. In his last 12 XFINITY Series starts at the Cowtown track, Keselowski has posted 11 finishes of seventh or better.

Victory Lane, however, hardly seemed a likely destination for Keselowski in the early going. Harvick and Kyle Busch dominated the opening laps and came to pit road running 1-2, respectively, for pit stops under caution on Lap 79.

But a broken shifter proved Busch's undoing, as his No. 54 Toyota was limited to fourth gear and fell out of the running for the victory. Under that same caution, the second of the race, Harvick returned to pit road twice because of a loose wheel and spent the bulk of a subsequent 34-lap green-flag run regaining the positions he lost.

Kyle Larson also took a turn at the front of the field, leading 50 laps before a tire rub finally popped his left rear on Lap 176 and sent his No. 42 Chevrolet spinning through the tri-oval and out of the lead, handing the top spot to Harvick, who was in close pursuit.

Harvick came to pit road with the lead but left in third place under caution on Lap 181, leaving Keselowski and Dillon to battle for the top position after a restart on Lap 185.

"First off, Austin Dillon was really good and he was one of the toughest guys to beat," Keselowski said in Victory Lane. "He ran a heck of a race. Harvick looked really good, Kyle Busch looked really good and Kyle Larson I thought was going to run away with the race until he had that flat.

"There was a lot of competition out there today, and that makes this win very special for the whole Discount Tire Ford team."

Erik Jones ran fourth behind Keselowski, Harvick and Austin Dillon, with Ty Dillon taking the fifth spot. Chris Buescher came home 11th but moved closer to the series title. With two races left, he leads eighth-place finisher and reigning series champ Chase Elliott by 24 points.

"It isn't comfortable yet," Buescher warned. "It is a cushion that we have, and I guess you average that out to 12 spots per race, so if we go out and finish top-10 the last two, we should be in good shape.

"That would be cutting it too close for comfort, but we need to just have some solid runs the next two weeks."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Parts-Challenge-at-Texas-Motor-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Rides High Into Texas​*
Jeff Gordon is on top of the world and the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup coming into Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon scored an emotional 93rd career Sprint Cup Series win last week at Martinsville Speedway that earned him a berth in the Championship Four Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a shot at a fifth series title.

Needless to say Gordon's feeling pretty good about things these days.

"It has been an amazing week," Gordon said. "When I think back to Sunday and the mindset going into it and how important that race was; the timing of it. Of course, knowing the results now, what a huge, huge moment that was. Possible one of the biggest moments&#8230;and I said this Sunday, and I still believe4 this&#8230;in my career.

The pressure has been lifted from Gordon and his team as the Eliminator Round of the Chase rolls on this weekend since last week's win locked up a spot in the Homestead season finale. Gordon is still out to win on Sunday and make it back-to-back trips to Victory Lane, but he now has the luxury of working on other things as well.

"There is a lot of similarities between Texas and Homestead," he said. The tire for Texas is the same tire for Homestead. There is definitely some fall-off in these tires&#8230;so wear because of some abrasiveness of the track. I think in general we are just trying to step up our mile and a half performance, and that could contribute to this weekend. We want to win. We want to keep the momentum going all the way into Homestead. We also need to build up our confidence on the mile-and-a-half.

"We also need to build up our confidence on the mile-and-a-half so we can have the confidence we need at Homestead that not only we are strong team, but we are a team that has a car that is performing on the level we need to contend for the win there. I think there are a lot of different ways to win it, but boy, having a fast racecar is the ultimate. That's what we are working on this weekend."

For as well as things have been going of late for Gordon, the veteran is not getting too far ahead of himself. The opportunity to end his illustrious career with a storybook ending culminating in a final championship would provide an incredible finish for the future Hall of Famer's legacy.

But for now Gordon is following the tried and true cliché of taking it all one things at a time.

"Well, I've said all along this year, that nothing would mean more to me and this team to go out of this sport on top," he said. "When I said that, I meant being competitive and either winning races or having a shot at winning races or a shot at the championship, or a championship. We got knocked down a few notches for most of the season because that wasn't happening.

"And so, for things to turn around the way they have for us since the Chase started has been extremely rewarding. It was humbling earlier in the year and now it's very gratifying because of all the hard work and effort that's been put into it. And this team is ready. They really are. They are very, very determined to make this happen, and we believe that we can. So, I hope we can talk about that after Homestead. Right now it's really too much to fathom, but it would mean a lot."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/11/Jeff-Gordon-Rides-High-Into-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Texas Story Lines​*
There are several stories to keep an eye on in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The second race of the Eliminator Round is set to go at the 1.5-mile track with three berths remaining in the Championship Four season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeff Gordon earned his shot at running for a fifth career title with his win last week at Martinsville, but still has goals in the final two races of this round.

"There is a lot of similarities between Texas and Homestead," he said. The tire for Texas is the same tire for Homestead. There is definitely some fall-off in these tires&#8230;so wear because of some abrasiveness of the track. I think in general we are just trying to step up our mile and a half performance, and that could contribute to this weekend. We want to win. We want to keep the momentum going all the way into Homestead. We also need to build up our confidence on the mile-and-a-half."

*Logano Ready To Rebound* 
Joey Logano was in the center of last week's Martinsville controversy and his incident with Matt Kenseth. NASCAR suspended Kenseth for two races and Logano comes into Texas last in the Eliminator Round standings.

But the Team Penske driver is optimistic about his chances on Sunday and ready to put last week behind.

"What happened last week is what happened last week," he said. "Is it the way we wanted it to go? No, of course not. Did we get the finish we felt we deserved that day? No, but this team has plenty of confidence coming off three in a row and in position for four. There is plenty of confidence and more drive than there has ever been. I am not convinced this whole thing is a bad thing."

*Keselowski On Top Spot* 
Logano's Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski won the pole in Friday's qualifying session and will lead the field to green on Sunday. But with Saturday's two practices cancelled because of weepers underneath the track surface that seeped water through the asphalt, it promises to be a dicey open to the race.

"The Wurth Ford Fusion has been really good since we unloaded," said Keselowski, who took the pole with a lap of 27.421 seconds, 196.929 mph in the final round. "Very similar to where we were at Kansas - really fast in practice and really fast in qualifying. But we just need that to stay with us in the race and we didn't get that in Kansas."

*Jones Pinch Hits* 
Erik Jones will step into Kenseth's ride this weekend and qualified well with a sixth starting spot in Sunday's race. He started the weekend winning Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race and will try to cap his Texas trip with a solid run in the Cup Series.

"We want to make it to the end of the race," Jones told media members on Friday. "In Kansas we had really good speed and unfortunately didn't put ourselves in even a position to have a shot by not making it to the end, which was my fault. I want to be able to make it to the end of the race and say we ran all 334 laps on Sunday and if we can sat that and have run in the top 15, I think that's a really good day for us."

*Johnson Goes for Three*
Jimmie Johnson is among the drivers looking to spoil the Eliminator 8 drivers needing a win to advance to Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnson has won the last two races at Texas and will start eighth on Sunday.

"We're still working hard to try to win one of these last three races," Johnson said. "I enjoy going to Texas, and I think we'll have a shot at it there. I want to end up inside the top 10 in points at the end of this season, so each good finish gets us closer to that. I've got a lot of faith in this team and the things we can accomplish."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Texas-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: NASCAR Confiscates Splitters From JGR Toyota's​*
NASCAR has confiscated splitters from Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota's, NASCAR has warned teams of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Carl Edwards, NASCAR is making the teams replace splitters and go through inspection again.

*Source:* 
*Ckg2011*


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnson Gets Sixth Texas Win​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&RaceID=6821&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Jimmie Johnson passed Brad Keselowski with four laps to go and scored his sixth Texas Motor Speedway win in Sunday's AAA Texas 500.

Keselowski led 312 laps and appeared to be on his way to a dominating win until he was locked into the closing laps battle with Johnson who got the best of him with only three laps remaining.

"I just kept pressure on him," said Johnson, who scored his fifth win of the year and 75th of his career. "I could see that he was really tight and that was the first I had seen him that vulnerable all day. I just kept the pressure on him, kept searching for line. He saw me coming on the top and protected it. I just kept trying to put pressure on him hoping for a mistake.

"He got real loose off of Turn 2 and I had a big run down the backstretch and drove it in really far into Turn 3 hoping to hear clear. Once I did I knew I was home free."

Keselowski, who won Saturday's XFINITY Series race, was forced to settle for second.

"The 48 car had mega turn that last run and I couldn't keep the turn and it kept pushing real bad," said Keselowski. "I did everything I could to hold him off but he was way faster that last run."

A win by Keselowski would have moved him into the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he now finds himself 19 points pout of the cutline to advance in the standings.

Kevin Harvick, who battled back from a variety of issues on Sunday, was third with Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards rounding out the top five.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had a tire issue and later a spin, was sixth followed by Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray.

The Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup comes to a close next week with the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

*How Johnson Won:* Johnson stayed with leader Keselowski on the final restart of the race after caution waved for debris in an incident involving Erik Jones. The duo put on a torrid battle for the top spot before Johnson was able to make a move to get by Keselowski and drove off to his sixth career Texas win.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Kyle Busch, Harvick and Truex Jr. have the other three spots in the Championship Four race at Homestead right now joining last week's Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon in the season finale and shot to run for a title.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* Joey Logano had a tire issue after only 10 laps were in the books and after spinning out it caused major damage to his car. Logano came to the garage for repairs but once he returned to the track he was 66 laps down and his Chase hopes are now pinned on winning next week in Phoenix&#8230;Denny Hamlin had what was originally diagnosed as a fuel pump issue but even when that was repaired he still had challenges and was never a factor on Sunday&#8230;Tony Stewart spun racing off the fourth turn and slide through the infield grass. He retired early and finished 42nd&#8230;Ryan Blaney had a rough start for the Wood Brothers and slammed the wall early to take him out of contention.

*What Else Happened:* Because of weepers early Saturday that caused water to seep through the racing surface, there was no practice for Sprint Cup Series teams. That may have played a part in the multitude of tire issues on Sunday with some seemingly coming because of set-up choices by the teams. Logano, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were just a few of the drivers that dealt with tire issues. Kevin Harvick also had a tire problem early but it was attributed to running over a piece of debris on the track from an earlier incident but then suffered a flat right rear with 50 laps to go with another puncture from debris. Harvick also had a shifter problem late in the race and had to drive with one hand on his steering wheel and the other on the shifter.

*Quote of the Day:* "It isn't pressure, it is opportunity and I am happy to have those opportunities with a great team," Brad Keselowski on his more than likely "must win" situation next week in Phoenix.

*Notables:* Jones filling in for the suspended Matt Kenseth finished 12th on Sunday&#8230;Keselowski's 312 laps led was the most over at Texas Motor Speedway&#8230;Earnhardt Jr. scored his 21st top 10- finish of the season, one short of his career best set in 2013.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/11/Jimmie-Johnson-Gets-Sixth-Texas-Win.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Day For Logano At Texas​*
Joey Logano finished 40th in the AAA Texas 500 after a tire issue sent him to the Texas Motor Speedway garage for repairs early in the race.

Logano started fourth and was running in that position when the tire came apart on lap 10 causing damage to his No. 22 Ford.

"It just blew apart off of Turn 2," Logano said. "The left-rear tire came apart and shredded everything inside the car. It did a lot more damage than just the tire blowing apart."

The team was able to make repairs and get Logano back on track, but he finished 66 laps down in the 334-lap race.

"We didn't take any wind out of our sails today and we showed how fast this thing was even after we crashed," Logano said. "I am very proud of our team."

Prior to the incident, Logano was fairly satistifed with his car - after track drying efforts cancelled yesterday's two practice sessions - and was looking ahead to the competition caution.

"The car didn't take off bad and we were going to get to lap 25 and make some adjustments like everyone else would and I thought we were in the ballpark at least." Logano said. "I thought we were a little better at the 18 (Kyle Busch) at the time, we just needed to get around him."

Following last weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway where he was taken out by Matt Kenseth, Logano came into today's race 28 points out from the cutoff. Now 63 points behind the fourth and final spot, Logano will have one more opportunity to win a race next Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway to keep his championship hopes alive.

"Same as this week. This was a must win situation as well," Logano said. "If we finished second today we would be in the same boat going into Phoenix. I feel great about our chances at Phoenix. It has been a great race track for us in the past. I felt like this track was a great one for us as well. It is unfortunate that we finished how we did."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/11/Tough-Day-for-Joey-Logano-at-Texas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Keselowski Comes Up Short​*
Brad Keselowski led a race high 312 laps but still finished second in Sunday'a AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway after being passed by eventual winner Jimmie Johnson with just four laps remaining.

Keselowski started from the pole and dominated the 334-lap event, never falling out of the top five on Sunday, but was unable to shake Johnson on the final run of the afternoon following a caution that was called for debris on lap 309.

Keselowski tried to hold off Johnson for the final 19 lap run, often taking the preferred line away from Johnson on both ends of the 1.5-mile track. But Johnson got a run on Keselowski exiting Turn 2 when the duo approached slower cars and made the pass in Turn 3.

"The 48 car had mega turn that last run and I couldn't keep the turn and it kept pushing real bad," Keselowski said. "I did everything I could to hold him off but he was way faster that last run."

"Their team did a hell of a job and found speed and my team did a hell of a job too. We led 300-some laps and these debris yellows always favor someone and it wasn't our day for them to favor us," Keselowski said.

On the final restart, Keselowski made accidental contact with Martin Truex Jr. but both cars were able to continue. Keselowski wanted to clear the air with Truex and spoke with the driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet after the race.

"I didn't know if I came up into him or if he came down into me," Keselowski said. "Either way we got together and it probably didn't help either of us."

While a second-place finish was a strong boost to Keselowski's team, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series Champion is still outside of the Chase cutoff with one race remaining in the Eliminator Round.

Keselowski will go to Phoenix next week 19 points behind Truex, who holds the fourth-place cutoff spot. Keselowski remained optimistic he can overcome the deficit next week and insists there's no pressure on him or his Team Penske team.

"It isn't pressure, it is opportunity and I am happy to have those opportunities with a great team," Keselowski said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/11/Brad-Keselowski-Comes-Up-Short.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Eventful Day For Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick managed a third-place finish in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 after a day filled with challenges.

The defending Sprint Cup Series champion battled through flat tires and a broken shifter to post the top-five finish and remain a player in the championship picture.

Harvick had a cut tire on lap 36 and came to pit road without suffering any major damage to his car. Crew chief Rodney Childers diagnosed the cut coming from Harvick running over debris on the track.

Later in the race Harvick had to battle the shifter problem before once again suffering a cut tire.

"As you look at the things we've had," Harvick explained after the race. "We've had really good race cars and that allows us to overcome things like today with two flat tires. Even with the shifter problem we were able to maintain what we had. But all in all, we just kept gouging away and everything worked out in the end."

Harvick was one of several drivers that dealt with tire issues on Sunday but both times he chalked it up to debris on the track.

"There was debris everywhere," he said. "The first caution, they just blew all of the debris down to the inside wall. It seemed like a lot of people were hitting the wall and there was a lot of stuff out there today. It was definitely interesting with all the tire problems."

As for the shifter issue, it forced Harvick to drive with one hand on the steering wheel while the other shifted. It made for an interesting time especially on restarts.

"I was more worried about it popping out of gear," Harvick said. "It hadn't missed a gear or jammed a gear or anything like that. It shifted smooth all weekend. I was just going along like normal. One lap, all of a sudden, it just pops out of gear in the middle of the straightaway. So, I don't really know. That's happened to us several times, so we definitely need to figure that out."

Jimmie Johnson's dramatic pass of Brad Keselowski late in Sunday's race for the win helped Harvick's chances at advancing into the Championship Four race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and run for a second straight title. He heads to next week's finale race of the Eliminator Round at Phoenix International Raceway third in the standings.

"We've just had to overcome things week after week after week," Harvick said. "I guess those are character-building moments as you go through those weekend, but we've managed to survive and advance and that's what we've got to do next week."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/11/Eventful-Day-For-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Texas Winners And Losers​*
Who was smiling and who left "The Lone Star State" unhappy after Sunday's AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway?

*WINNERS​*
*Jimmie Johnson*
Literally and figuratively, Jimmie Johnson was a winner on Sunday. He wrestled the lead away from Brad Keselowski with four laps to go, and won his fifth race of the season and third in a row at Texas. In the process, Johnson made it two straight for Hendrick Motorsports after Jeff Gordon's Martinsville victory while playing the role of spoiler as a non-title contender.

*Kevin Harvick*
The day was nothing but a string of challenges for Harvick, who battled tire issues and shifter/transmission troubles over the course of the 500 miles. But in the end, Harvick manhandled his car home to an unlikely third-place finish.

*Kyle Busch*
He continues his run deep into the Chase and with only one race left in the Eliminator Round, Busch is very close to having a shot at bringing a Sprint Cup title home for Joe Gibbs Racing. Fourth place at Texas kept Busch in the thick of the championship.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
Even after a tussle with Brad Keselowski in the closing laps, the Furniture Row Racing driver brought home a top-10 finish to remain a player in the championship. Truex has been steady as a rock throughout the Chase.

*Erik Jones*
Pretty good weekend for the young driver, who competed in the Texas tripleheader. After starting off with a Truck Series win Friday night, Jones came back with a top-five effort in Saturday's XFINITY Series race. Then, as the suspended Matt Kenseth's relief driver, Jones ended an eventful afternoon with an impressive 12th-place finish on Sunday.

*LOSERS​*
*Brad Keselowski*
In the span of four laps, Keselowski went from locking up a spot in The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to fighting for his "playoff" life next week at Phoenix International Raceway. He dominated Sunday's race, leading 312 laps. But when Johnson stole the win, Keselowski was thrust into a desperate situation for this coming weekend.

*Joey Logano*
Any hopes of bouncing back from last week's Martinsville controversy with Matt Kenseth ended early Sunday when a tire went down and he spun out. The damage put Logano 64 laps down by the time he returned to the track. Now, like teammate Keselowski, he's a "must-win" guy at Phoenix.

*Joe Gibbs Racing*
Three teams had their splitters confiscated before Sunday's pre-race inspection. NASCAR took them back to its R&D Center in Concord, N.C., but JGR is confident there'll be no further issues. Should there be a penalty announced Tuesday and it includes points, it could have a significant impact on the championship hopes of both Busch and Carl Edwards.

*Kyle Larson*
He was running as high as second on Sunday before tire trouble derailed Larson's hopes of a win or, at the very least, a good finish.

*Tony Stewart*
Spun out and slid through the infield grass on Lap 52 and was done for the day. In many ways, it was a microcosm of the kind of year's it's been for Stewart.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Texas-Motor-Speedway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Heading Back To Snowball Derby​*
Before Chase Elliott arrived at his first Snowball Derby in 2009 he had no idea what to expect.

He had no idea about the pageantry, the stature or the sheer magnitude of the event. He had an idea of what it was like, but didn't know it for sure until he went to Pensacola, Florida's Five Flags Speedway for the first time.

"The year prior to that I probably didn't even know what the Snowball Derby was to be honest," said the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion. "I had a buddy that was running the Snowflake 100. I was following along on Speed51 and that's when I got a grasp of how big that weekend was and how important it was to a lot of racers across the United States. That next season we had an opportunity to go down there and run. That was in 2009. I got to see firsthand what it was like and I was hooked."

Now six years later, Elliott has experienced it all at the Derby. He's felt the highest of highs, and also the lowest of lows. He won the 2011 Snowball Derby.

He crossed the finish line first in 2013 before having his win taken away for a rules infraction in post-race tech. In 2014, he led quite a few laps and looked to have the car to beat before a crash ended his chances prematurely.

So why is Elliott coming back this year for the 48th annual Snowball Derby?

"Why not I guess?" asked Elliott with a laugh. "I just think it's a cool event. It's been something I've been very fortunate to go and run the past few years. It's just a really cool weekend and I'm very happy to have a group of guys that are able and willing to go help. We still have some fast cars so we're going to go down there and give it a shot."

There's also the potential that this could be Elliott's final Snowball Derby for some time. Back in January it was announced that Elliott is moving up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to take over the seat in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 being vacated by Jeff Gordon. For the last few years, the Sprint Cup Series banquet in Las Vegas, Nev., has been on the same weekend as the Derby.

"I'd love to tell you that this is the last Derby I'd be able to make it to," said Elliott. "But obviously we have to make "The Chase" first or win Rookie of the Year honors. That would be great, and that is the goal and first and foremost. I want to be a part of that banquet. I want to be a part of that championship week that they have in Vegas, but I can't say that this is my last Snowball Derby this year."

"I love short track racing and I always have so I want to be able to do it as long as I can," he added. "If I have a chance to go down there and run in years beyond this year I would certainly take that opportunity. I love being at the Snowball Derby and I love being able to do it. And you never know. Schedules can change and those dates may not line up."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...odels/elliott-heading-back-to-snowball-derby/


----------



## Ckg2011

*2016 Camping World Truck Series Schedule Released​*
NASCAR today announced the 2016 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which features 21 tracks hosting 23 events in the U.S. and Canada. As with the previously announced NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series schedules, agreements have also been reached with the tracks to host the Camping World Truck Series through 2020.

Iowa Speedway will host its first NASCAR national series companion weekend, with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series joining the NASCAR XFINITY Series on June 18-19. Other changes for 2016 are:

• The Dover International Speedway event moves two weekends earlier in the schedule (May 13).

• The first visit to Texas Motor Speedway moves one week later to June 10.

• The Gateway Motorsports Park event moves two weekends later in the schedule to June 25.

• The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park event returns to the Sunday of Labor Day (U.S.) weekend, on Sept. 4.

"For more than 20 years, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been home to some of the closest side-by-side racing in the sport, and we're committed to delivering that to our fans for many years to come," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "We expect that the stability of five-year agreements will benefit the entire industry, and anticipate the continuation of compelling NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship battles, like the one we're watching unfold in 2015."

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks off the 2016 season during Daytona Speedweeks, as the iconic track welcomes fans to experience its $400 million redevelopment project, DAYTONA Rising. After Daytona, the trucks will race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a double-header with the NASCAR XFINTY Series for the second consecutive season. Two popular Wednesday night events -- at Eldora Speedway (July 20) and Bristol (Aug. 17) -- also return to the schedule for 2016.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series closes the 2016 season with five events in five weekends, including three triple-header weekends with the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series at Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway.








*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ing-World-Truck-Series-Schedule-Released.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Penalty For Joe Gibbs Racing​*
NASCAR will not penalize Joe Gibbs Racing for splitters that were confiscated during pre-race inspection last week at Texas Motor Speedway.

The front splitters of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards were seized by NASCAR officials before Sunday's AAA Texas 500. The teams are requested to swap out the splitters.

The original splitters were taken back to the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina for further inspection.

There was some speculation the teams would suffer a penalty of some kind but NASCAR confirmed Tuesday afternoon there would be no punishment.

In August the splitters of Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski were seized in pre-race inspection. There were no penalties assessed.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/11/No-Penalty-For-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kroger Extends Partnership With DIS​*
Daytona International Speedway today announced a multi-year partnership extension with The Kroger Co., one of the world's largest retailers. As part of the partnership, Kroger will serve as the presenting sponsor of DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Day and conduct in-store consumer activation programs across multiple grocery store locations to promote the DAYTONA 500.

The partnership enables Kroger to be associated with the historic 2016 DAYTONA 500, the first to be held at the Speedway's new motorsports stadium (as part of the DAYTONA Rising project). Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are thrilled to extend our partnership with International Speedway Corporation across America to our customers, our stores and our divisions," said Mel Bomprezzi, Vice President of Grocery, Natural Foods & Multi-Cultural for The Kroger Co. "Our DAYTONA 500 program now features over 100 marquee brands storewide and continues to grow."

Kroger will also receive brand exposure opportunities via sponsor signage and promotional display space at the Speedway during DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Day as well as corporate hospitality opportunities for entertaining guests during Speedweeks.

"We're thrilled to continue our partnership with Kroger," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "The 2016 DAYTONA 500 will be special and we look forward to working with Kroger to help us promote this historic race as well as future events."

In addition to Daytona International Speedway, Kroger will receive signage opportunities at the following International Speedway Corporation venues during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events:

• Homestead-Miami Speedway 
• Darlington Raceway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Richmond International Raceway
• Martinsville Speedway
• Watkins Glen International
• Chicagoland Speedway
• Michigan International Speedway

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ship-With-Daytona-International-Speedway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*AMS To Install Additional SAFER Barriers​*
Atlanta Motor Speedway will install additional SAFER barrier to both its inside and outside retaining walls prior to the 2016 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 26-28.

Installation of an additional 4,742 linear feet of the barrier, set to begin in January, will add protection in areas on both the front and back stretches as well as to inside sections in all four turns not yet equipped. Once the project is complete, the entire outer wall and significant portions of interior areas will be fitted with the protective barrier.

"The safety of both drivers and fans continues to be our utmost priority," said track president Ed Clark. "These additions solidify our commitment to providing the safest racing environment possible and the high-quality entertainment experience our fans deserve."

SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier, which is designed to absorb and reduce the impact of race cars during a crash, was designed by a team of engineers at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and first installed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002. The barrier is made up of steel tubes mounted to concrete retaining walls, separated by polystyrene foam. The technology distributes the force of impact onto a greater area and in turn, lessens the force transferred to both the car and its occupant. SAFER barrier was first installed at AMS in 2004, covering approximately 8,000 linear feet and 75 percent of the outer walls, as well as sections inside Turn 2.

The new additions add protective coverage based on the recommendations prescribed by NASCAR and safety officials. Erring on the side of safety, AMS supplemented its barrier system prior to its NASCAR events earlier this year by extending the protective wall at the exit of Pit Road as well as placing a temporary tire barrier along the inside wall in Turn 4. Both those areas will be equipped with SAFER barriers at the completion of new additions.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dway-to-Install-Additional-SAFER-Barrier.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Bowman To Drive Nine Races For JR Motorsports​*
Alex Bowman, the 22-year-old racer from Tucson, Ariz., will drive nine NASCAR XFINITY Series races for JR Motorsports in the No. 88 Chevrolet next season, the team announced today. Bowman becomes the fourth driver named to the lineup of JRM's No. 88 "All-Star" car for 2016, joining Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne.

The primary sponsor for Bowman's races will be announced at a later date. With the addition of Bowman, the No. 88 team's driver roster now accounts for 19 of 33 races.

"Alex is a very strong addition to our team," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports. "That's evident from the talent he's displayed in the XFINITY Series and at the Cup level. Given that he has already raced for JR Motorsports, this is a natural fit. The 88 team has set the bar high and we're confident it will continue that trend with Alex in 2016."

Bowman's nine-race schedule is as follows: Dover International Speedway (May 14), Pocono Raceway (June 4), Iowa Speedway (June 19), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 16), Watkins Glen International (Aug. 6), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Aug. 13), Richmond International Raceway (Sept. 9), Dover International Speedway (Oct. 1) and his hometown track Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 12).

"This is such a great opportunity," said Bowman. "Being able to race in top-notch equipment with a team like JR Motorsports is all I could ask for, really. I had a good experience driving for them in the past and I know we'll be competing for wins next year. That's a great feeling."

Bowman's résumé includes more than 100 starts across NASCAR's top-three series. In 2014, he made two starts for JRM at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, earning respective finishes of 12th and 17th. Earlier this season, Bowman made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in JRM's No. 00 entry.

Bowman joins a competitive team, as two of JR Motorsports' five wins this season have been delivered by the No. 88 car, both with Harvick behind the wheel (Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 28 and Auto Club Speedway on March 21). The No. 88 team has also earned eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 31 races with Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Kahne, Ben Rhodes and Josh Berry.

Bowman becomes the third driver in the last five weeks added to JRM's 2016 roster. JRM announced on Oct. 2 that Elliott Sadler will race for a championship with OneMain Financial as his primary sponsor and on Oct. 28 that Justin Allgaier will compete for the NXS title in the No. 7 with BRANDT as his primary. The No. 88 team drivers that will join Bowman, Earnhardt Jr., Harvick and Kahne will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ve-Nine-Races-for-JR-Motorsports-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*DuQuoin ARCA Race Going Under The Lights​*
Officials from the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, Track Enterprises and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds announced Thursday that not only will stock car racing return to the mile-dirt of DuQuoin in 2016, the race has been moved under the lights.

The race will be Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016.

"The fair installed the lights several years ago and we are pleased that it all worked out that ARCA could move their schedule to a night race so the fans and drivers will have a great event experience," said Robert Sargent of Track Enterprises. "We are very much looking forward to showcasing the ARCA stock cars under the lights at DuQuoin for the very first time in 2016."

The ARCA race at DuQuoin has become a staple of the series, dating back to 1983. Race winners include drivers like Lee Raymond, Bob Keselowski, Bob Schact, Frank Kimmel, Ken Schrader, Parker Kligerman and current NASCAR XFINITY Series point leader Chris Buescher.

Another ARCA winner on the DuQuoin dirt was veteran NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, who won from the pole in 2003. He won on his third attempt.

"We qualified on the pole by over a half second," Stewart said. "We had good pit strategy that kept us in line with the rest of the leaders. The track conditions were a little tougher than normal, and that made it harder to pass, but we were still able to get back into the lead in a pretty quick manner once we made our pit stop. From then on it was a matter of running our own race at our own pace."

Stewart said winning on the ARCA dirt was something he had wanted to cross off his to-do list.

"We were the fastest car there the previous two years, but Frank Kimmel always beat us," he said. "The first year that I ran there I actually drove for Frank in a second car. I ran him down but couldn't get by him at the end. In 2002, I drove for Andy Petree and again had the quickest car there, but still came up one spot shy. The car that I drove that year was the same car that I drove in 2003. We purchased it from a gentleman who had bought the car from Andy, and then from there, got the right people together to go racing. I didn't want to run second again. I knew we were quick enough to win that race. It was just a matter of being able to go out and do it."

Stock car racing itself at the mile dirt goes back to 1950. Drivers like Fred Lorenzen, A.J. Foyt and Rusty Wallace won on the dirt track before the race was sanctioned by ARCA.

The 2015 ARCA Racing Series champion, Grant Enfinger, has won the past two ARCA races at DuQuoin.

Stock car racing itself at the mile dirt goes back to 1950. Drivers like Fred Lorenzen, A.J. Foyt and Rusty Wallace won on the dirt track before the race was sanctioned by ARCA.

Sargent said the track conditions should benefit from the later start time.

"Not only will the fans be treated to some great racing under the lights, we expect the dirt surface to also perform better without the hot sun baking it," Sargent said.

For Stewart, who recently announced he would retire after the 2016 season, dirt tracks will always hold special meaning.

"Oh, it's fun," he said. "You just can't sling 'em around like you do a dirt late model. But they are very, very fun on dirt."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ars/duquoin-arca-race-going-under-the-lights/


----------



## Ckg2011

*GEICO Inks Extension With Germain, Mears​*
GEICO, announced that they have extended their relationship with Germain Racing as the primary sponsor of the No. 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry through at least the end of the 2018 season.

GEICO is wrapping up their 15th season as a team sponsor and their eighth with Germain Racing. Along with the sponsorship extension comes a new primary paint scheme, as well as new GEICO Military livery that will appear at select races during the season.

Additionally, Germain Racing and driver Casey Mears have agreed to a three-year extension that will continue Mears' status as the driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet through the 2018 racing season.

Since the inception of Germain Racing's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program in 2009, GEICO has been alongside the organization every step of the way, from a part-time program to a full-time team that now consistently performs in the top-20, while also finding itself in contention for wins at both Daytona and Talladega. The sponsorship extension further solidifies and expands an already rock-solid relationship that has seen GEICO's famous gecko adorn the hoods of Germain Racing's NASCAR XFINITY Series entry in 2008 and Camping World Truck Series entry in 2011.

Aside from its team support, GEICO has become synonymous with the sport of auto racing, establishing itself as an entitlement sponsor at Talladega Superspeedway with the GEICO 500, while also blanketing many racetracks across the country with the GEICO logo, including campgrounds where fans make their home during each race weekend. Their ever-present GEICO banner can also be spotted flying overhead at nearly every NASCAR event. GEICO' s support of NASCAR and its fan base is unwavering and they look forward to their continued engagement of fans in America's greatest spectator sport.

"NASCAR is a natural fit for us and it has provided access to a brand-loyal fan base that now has a clear line of sight into GEICO's multiple product lines and the many ways that we can service their insurance needs," said GEICO vice president of marketing, Ted Ward. "We've enjoyed our partnership with Germain Racing and Casey Mears and the character of their organization is in line with our corporate values. We are excited about the extension and look forward to building upon our successful relationship in the sport of NASCAR."

Germain Racing is in its 12th year of NASCAR competition and boasts two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships. The opportunity to further expand its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program with GEICO has team owner Bob Germain excited about the future.

"I'm thrilled to be able to extend our partnership with GEICO thru 2018. We are proud to be associated with a company that supports our sport in so many ways and we feel fortunate to be able to represent them on the track," said team owner, Bob Germain. "We're thankful for GEICO's unwavering support and this extension allows us to keep building upon the foundation we've laid and continue to add people and resources in an effort to accelerate the grow th and progress of our program. It also allows us to make long-term commitments to our great partners Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing and ECR, along with our driver, Casey Mears; all of which have played an integral role in the development of our Sprint Cup Series program."

Mears, a race winner in his 13th year in the Sprint Cup Series, was equally enthusiastic about the news.

"This is great news for our Germain Racing team because everyone has worked so hard to build this GEICO program and people in the garage are taking notice of what we're accomplishing," Mears said. "GEICO is such a great partner and they not only support our team, but the sport in general, which makes me even prouder to have the opportunity to drive the GEICO Chevy. We appreciate their belief in us and have enjoyed our relationship with everyone at the corporate office, as well as the GEICO associates that we get to interface with each week at the racetrack."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...sion-With-Germain-Racing-and-Casey-Mears.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Preview Show: Phoenix​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Phoenix​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway rolls on to Phoenix International Raceway this week, now with just 312 "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 will bring the Eliminator Round to a close. The field of eight title contenders will be trimmed to four when the checkered flag flies. One driver from that quartet will be crowned NASCAR's 67th Cup Series champion on Nov. 22.

With his victory Nov. 1 at Martinsville Speedway, Jeff Gordon assured himself of a spot in The Championship 4 in South Florida. But at least two of the remaining berths will be filled based on the post-season point standings and right now, Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards are separated by just seven points in a fight for fourth place.

"The points battle is tight and there are so many scenarios that can still play out this weekend," said Truex, who holds the final provisional transfer spot into the Championship Round. "You're happy to be in a situation to put it all on the line. Those are things heroes are made of - to perform to the highest of your abilities against the best in the world."

Truex's single-car Furniture Row Racing team entered the post-season as the No. 10 seed but has been steady in the eight races run so far with an average finish of 8.9.

"We might be considered an underdog, but we know we have what it takes to go all the way," Truex said. "From the beginning of the year, our goal was to get to Homestead as one of the four drivers battling for the championship."

His June victory at Pocono Raceway provided Truex with a spot on 16-man Chase Grid and now, the driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet is ready to take things to the next level.

"We tested in Phoenix a month or so ago and were fast," he said. "We're looking forward to this race with confidence. But we'll have to step it up, not make mistakes and get everything we can out of the day. This has been a blast."

Truex's title hopes will be tested by Edwards, a two-time winner at PIR.

"If we perform the way we have been lately, we can get a win and get ourselves locked in for Homestead," said Edwards, who entered the Chase as the No. 8 seed and has posted top-five finishes in two of his last three starts. "We have a lot of confidence, and have gotten faster and faster as the season went on. We'll give it our best shot and hope things go our way."

Five of the eight drivers remaining in the Eliminator Round of the Chase have won at least one Cup Series race in Phoenix: Gordon (2007 and 2011), Edwards (2010 and 2013), Kurt and Kyle Busch (both in 2005), and Kevin Harvick - who's won the last four races on the one-mile desert oval and five of the last six dating back to the end of the 2012 season.

Truex, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are still looking for their first Cup Series win at PIR. Keselowski finished sixth there earier this season with Truex seventh and Logano eighth.

_Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday at 2 p.m. (ET) and qualify later in the day. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 starting at 1:30 p.m., with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...iles2Miami-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Another Triple For Jones​*
For the second straight week Erik Jones will run all three NASCAR National Series races this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

Jones did the triple last week at Texas Motor Speedway and his performance included a win in the Camping World Truck Series as well as solid finishes in the XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series events as well. He'll do it again at Phoenix as he fills in for the suspended Matt Kenseth in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 to complete the trifecta.

"Last week went pretty well, pretty busy but it went well I thought," said Jones of his Texas accomplishments. "We'll do it again at Phoenix a track that I like very much."

Jones will kick off the weekend in Friday night's Truck Series Lucas Oil 150. He carries a 17-point lead over Matt Crafton into the weekend with Tyler Reddick 21 out and only two races left in the season. Jones won the race in 2013 and at the time became the youngest driver to win a NASCAR National Series event at age 17 years, five months and nine days and followed with victory in last year's race. He's hoping for a repeat trip to Victory Lane in 2015.

"For us, I don't think Phoenix is too big of a wild card knowing that we've been so fast there the last two years -- picking up my first truck win there in 2013 and then winning again last year," he said. "I think Homestead is more of a wild card for me just because I've never been there and don't really have any experience at that place, but the situation is going to differ so much depending on where the points are and how everything shakes out.

"If we were to go into Homestead with a 20 point lead, it would be a pretty easy day - just don't wreck. We'll see how that all shakes out, but I think Phoenix for us is one we're all looking forward to."

On Saturday Jones will jump into the Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY Series ride and look to add to his stats that include finishes of sixth and fifth, respectively, in his two previous Phoenix starts in the series.

Jones will wrap up the weekend filling in for Kenseth in the Dollar General Toyota and will make his first career Phoenix Sprint Cup start.

"I'd love to get a top-t10 finish and even being able to get up into the top five as well," Jones said. "We'll see how the weekend plays out, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting to Phoenix because it is one of my favorite tracks on the schedule."

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff believes his young driver can bring home a strong finish for his race team.

"Our No. 20 team went out and tested at Phoenix a few weeks ago and I thought it went well," he said. "We had a really good run out there last fall and I thought we were quite a strong this past spring. Although we were a little disappointed with that run earlier this year, it gave us some direction when we were at the test so I feel that we're going to go back with a pretty good car this weekend.

"With Erik in the DG Camry for us this weekend, Phoenix has been a really good track for him so far in his career and he won his first truck race out there. Phoenix is a really cool track and it would be neat for our No. 20 team to get him a Cup win this weekend."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Lucas Oil 150 Camping World Truck Series race from Phoenix International Raceway beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN app._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/11/Another-Triple-for-Erik-Jones.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Taking Nothing For Granted​*
Kevin Harvick needs to keep his stellar record at Phoenix International Raceway alive to have a shot at a second straight Sprint Cup Series crown.

Harvick is shooting for a fifth consecutive Phoenix Cup win in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500. He's third in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings and will only advance to The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a win or staying above the Eliminator Round cutoff line.

It would appear that Harvick's chances of doing so are very strong, given his track record at PIR. He has a series-best seven wins and leads all Sprint Cup Series drivers with 1,202 laps led.

Harvick's also won five times at Phoenix in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series combined. But even with all that success, the defending Sprint Cup champion is taking nothing for granted.

"That can be gone at any point," Harvick said of the advantage he's had over the competition. "That's the hardest thing about having success. You must have an open mind to try new things to keep moving forward. If you don't or aren't willing to try a fresh approach, then it will get stagnant. You're going to become stale and get left behind.

"As we go to Phoenix, we have to look at the things we've done well. We've done a lot of good things."

The unique layout of Phoenix, with its dogleg on the backstretch, makes the track one of the biggest challenges on the schedule.

"Phoenix is a flat racetrack, where you want to have the freshest tires possible, but track position is important," Harvick explained. "A lot of what happens at Phoenix depends on the weather and how hot it is, how much fall-off and how you manage track position.

"The cooler the day is, the more you have to manage your track position. The hotter the day, the more you have to manage the (tire) fall-off."

Harvick has been in "must-win" situations before, both in last year's Chase and the 2015 edition, most recently at Dover in October to advance from the Challenger Round. While he does not necessarily have to win Sunday to make it to Homestead, Harvick understands the pressure to perform is going to be high in the second-to-last race of the season.

And simply repeating what's worked well in the past isn't necessarily a guarantee of success.

"The hard part about our sport is that the conditions are never the same," Harvick said. "The tire is constantly changing. You never know if it's going to be 100 degrees or if it's going to be 50 degrees. That makes a big difference on the balance of the car, how much downforce it makes and how much tape you can run on the front. There are all kinds of things to navigate through once you get there.

"There are a lot of good drivers and lots of circumstances that could play out to have things go wrong. You go there with a fresh start like you've never won there before and try to get the car dialed in."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Kevin-Harvick-Taking-Nothing-for-Granted.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pressure High For Kurt Busch​*
Kurt Busch understands what's at stake in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver comes into the final race of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup seventh in the standings and is in danger of missing the cut to race in the Championship Four season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It's nerve-wracking and the way that everybody looks at this is that it's a challenge," Busch said Friday ta Phoenix International Raceway. "Everybody is feeling the emotions that go through making a championship run."

Busch isn't in a true "must win" situation and there is a chance he could advance through the point system should those ahead of him in the standings experience trouble on Sunday.

But Busch's approach is nothing short of trying to find a way to Victory Lane and controlling his own destiny.

"I think our chances are good and we are going to play to the strength of our team," Busch said. "Our set-up is similar to (teammate) Kevin Harvick's and he has won five of the last six races. We will mirror the 4 car as much as we need to until we feel like they have left us a gap, or they haven't quite capitalized on a perfect pit call, and we will make that decision when its crunch time.

"We are going to go into this as business as usual, but these races are all coming down to how you play your cards around the three-quarter mark to go."

Dealing with the pressure and rising intensity each week in the elimination Chase format is an important element for drivers and teams. Busch understands managing that pressure comes with the territory.

"Everybody feels it, everybody is dealing with it," he said. "And it is a matter of who deals with it which way. In years past before this format, consistency was still key. Consistency is key now, but the problem is that you have to get top-fives. You have to win. I mean Brad Keselowski did everything right last week except win. That is what we have to do this week, we have to win.

"A top-five isn't going to be good enough. Where a lot of people think we did good last week by finishing seventh, and I was like 'thank you, but what did it do for us? Absolutely nothing. And so you have to go and win. That is what this format demands you do this time of year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/11/Pressure-High-For-Kurt-Busch.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pressure Means Fun For Edwards​*
Carl Edwards embraces the pressure that's been building as the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup rolls on.

While Edwards acknowledges the level of intensity keeps being elevated as each race and round of the Chase passes, he's not complaining.

"I think this part of the season is the most fun part of the season for myself because you get an opportunity to go win a championship," Edwards said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "With that comes pressure, but that's what makes it neat. You get to race against the best drivers in the world, at their best under all of this pressure in this format.

"It's fun. There's two sides of it. I sit there and I think, 'Man, I have to do well, I can't mess up, I have to really do a good job in qualifying, I have to give them good feedback. Then the other times I'm in the car before they let us go out to practice and it's like, this is so cool that I'm sitting here with an opportunity to go out here and perform at this race and have a shot to win a championship."

Edwards comes into Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 outside the cut line of making the Championship 4. But he's optimistic about his chances of running well in the race and after setting the fourth quickest lap in opening weekend practice he knows his car has speeds.

"We feel like, if you look at the scenarios, we've really got to perform here," he said. "We have to win this race - that's our mission. We have to qualify well, we have to make good decisions and really we have to have some speed. We are approaching this race as a must-win race.

"That's the only way to guarantee our spot. If one of the guys behind us leap frogs us and wins, it's going to be a tall order to advance, so we just have to give it all we've got."

So the stress level is high for Edwards and his team. But the Joe Gibbs Racing driver says bring it on.

"The word I would use if I had to describe it for me, it's not really pressure - it's excitement, it's exciting to be a part of it," Edwards said. "It's cool to think they're going to drop the green flag and we're just going to go race and whatever happens, happens. That's a lot of fun for me."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/11/Pressure-Means-Fun-for-Carl-Edwards.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Focused On The Present​*
One year ago, Chase Elliott was crowned the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion at Phoenix International Raceway. This year, he returns to PIR trailing in the standings by 24 points, and needing some luck and a dominant performance to ensure that he still has a chance of winning his second straight championship before graduating to the Sprint Cup Series in 2016.

The son of Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott burst into the XFINITY Series in 2014 and quickly earned two victories in the early part of the season while adding a third before the end of the summer. He went on to win the championship as a rookie. Elliott's ability to adapt quickly and compete with top-level drivers earned him the opportunity to drive the No. 24 car in the Sprint Cup Series next season following the retirement of Jeff Gordon.

He was the favorite to win the XFINITY Series title again this year. But while Elliott's 2015 season has seen its share of success, it's also been sprinkled with disappointing finishes. After a 26th-place finish in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February, Elliott strung together top-10 finishes in 11 of the next 12 races, climbing to second place in points by the time the series returned to Daytona in July.

But his average finish is down from a year ago, he's only been to Victory Lane once in 2015 and he hasn't led a lap since his September win at Richmond International Raceway.

Elliott's coming off an eighth-place run at Texas Motor Speedway last week and goes to Phoenix with good memories of his triumph from last fall, but also with cautious optimism moving forward.

"Last year was surreal, that's for sure," Elliott said. "But this is now and we need to stay focused on the present, not the past."

Phoenix is one of the more unique venues on the schedule, one that presents its own challenges for even the most seasoned veteran. With three starts there and three top-10 finishes under his belt, it appears that Elliott isn't phased by the one-mile desert oval.

"The track has a ton of character," Elliott said. "It's a tough track to get around and one that's unforgiving."

Elliott's 7.0 average finish in three previous starts at PIR ranks second among the four drivers still mathematically eligible to win the championship with two races remaining. Ty Dillon, third in points, ranks slightly ahead of Elliott with a 6.7 average finish in three previous starts there. Points leader Chris Buescher has a 13.7 average in three starts and Regan Smith, fourth in points, has a 14.4 average finish in nine Phoenix starts.

While Elliott may be in attack mode over the final two races of the season, Buescher just needs to finish seventh or better at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami Speedway next week to lock up the title.

For Elliott to win the title, his best shot is to win both races; lead the most laps; and hope Buescher, Dillon and Smith have problems. But with Sprint Cup Series stars Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne running in Saturday's race, that may prove to be more difficult to pull off for Elliott.

"My team has been solid and we need to finish out the year on a high note," Elliott said, "with no regrets."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Saturday's XFINITY Series DAV 200 Honoring America's Veterans from Phoenix International Raceway, beginning at 3:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Chase-Elliott-Focused-on-the-Present.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Peters Phoenix Winner​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=6845&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Timothy Peters scored his 10th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win Friday night in the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Peters was able to outrace John Hunter Nemechek to score his second victory of the season.

John Wes Townley, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five.

The championship picture took a major swing late in the race when Matt Crafton and Erik Jones touched racing for the lead through Turns 3 and 4. Crafton's truck spun and made hard contact with the inside wall while Jones was able to continue.

NASCAR displayed the red flag to clean up the debris from the accident that also swept up Johnny Sauter.

"It's a shame," said Jones who finished ninth. "Fortunately it didn't take us out of the championship.

"I think Matt was trying to get a good run off of (Turn) 4 and I was rolling out of it and then I got hit in the left-rear. It's unfortunate because we had the two fastest trucks and I don't think there was anyone else in the field that had anything for us all night. It's a shame. I wished we could have raced for the win side-by-side but things are going to happen when you're racing that hard and that close together."

Crafton was credited with a 23rd-place finish.

"I just got loose and I made a mistake," he said. "I hate it for everybody involved."

Peters inherited the lead and on a restart with 25 laps to go was able to get the jump on the field and hold off Nemechek to the checkered flag.

"What an amazing night, just an amazing night," said Peters. "You never want to see that happen, it was just hard racing from what I saw, but we've had our back luck, too."

Spencer Gallagher, JJ Haley, Matt Tifft, Jones and Mason Mingus completed the first 10 finishers.

Jones lead in the standings is now 19 over Reddick while Crafton is 32 behind.

"It was a good effort by everyone," said Reddick, who was disappointed with what he thought could have been a better finish.

"It was a real shame we had a little hiccup on our last pit stop. We had a real strong run going. It was just bad timing because we came out only behind the guys we were racing for the championship."

The win by Peters clinched the series manufacturers championship for Toyota.
















_The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season comes to a close next Friday night with the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jones can clinch the title by finishing 15th or better._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Oil-150-at-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Seeks 'Poetic Justice'​*
Jeff Gordon believes there will be some sweet redemption served if he can win this year's Sprint Cup Series championship.

Gordon is guaranteed a spot in next week's Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has a chance to win a fifth series title before heading into retirement when the checkered flag flies.

There are many who believe Gordon's career number of titles would have been higher had NASCAR not adopted the Chase format in 2004. In fact Gordon recalls when he first found out about the radical change to the championship system he was in disbelief.

"Well the one thing that I will never forget is the moment that I was standing on the dock in Key West, Florida on a NASCAR boat trip with Brian France and Mike Helton and they told me what they were planning on doing with the Chase format and I laughed in their faces because I thought that was the most hilarious thing I have ever heard of," Gordon explained. "Because I thought it was a joke, then I quickly realized that was not a joke and I was pulling the laughs back into my mouth. I was like, 'are you serious?', and they said 'yes'.

"Of course I didn't like it. I felt like point system was just fine for me."

However, Gordon doesn't dwell on what might have been or going through the exercise of comparing the old championship format's system of adding up points over the course of the entire season to today's format.

"I don't think you can go back and look at accumulating points in the old system in the new system," he said. "Everybody races differently under each point system and does what it takes. So I don't know if we can all sit here and speculate and talk about things and wonder what could have been if the old point system would have stayed the same."

Gordon now has a solid chance to win a championship, which would be his first in any kind of Chase format. He's focused on the opportunity that lies ahead and not lamenting on what might have been.

In fact Gordon has become a fan of the elimination format Chase.

"But when I look at the sport from 10,000 feet I love it and think it is exciting," he said. "And with this new format, I think it is even better. I will continue to support it, always have, even when it hasn't suited me.

"I think that I try and not be that selfish and think of what is best for the sport. At the end of the day, what is best for the sport is best for me, best for the team, best for all teams."

But as a former critic, how would Gordon react should he end his career with title number five coming in this year's Chase system?

"That would be the ultimate, most poetic justice ever," Gordon laughed.

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/11/Jeff-Gordon-Seeks-Poetic-Justice.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*High Stakes For Logano​*
Joey Logano faces the first "must win" situation of his Chase career in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Logano is dead last in the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings and his only hope of advancing to next week's Championship Four race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is by winning on Sunday.

Even though he started the year with a victory in the Daytona 500, Logano believes a win Sunday would even top his day in "The Great American Race."

"If we win this weekend, it's the biggest win of the year up to this point," Logano said. "Obviously, the Daytona 500 is a big win, but winning here at Phoenix what it would do to set us up for racing for a championship at Homestead would be the biggest one of the year. That's what this point system brings. It makes every moment the Daytona 500 moment. It makes it that big of a deal to get through to win a race like that.

"We've seen Kevin (Harvick) do it here last year. Those wins mean a lot because everything is on the line and there's only one way to get through, so I think that's kind of interesting and would make this win the biggest win of my career if we were able to do it. That's what these races come down to. It's such a big deal."

Logano has been in the center of controversy in recent weeks. His contact with Matt Kenseth in the closing laps at Kansas Speedway triggered retaliation the following week at Martinsville that resulted in the Joe Gibbs Racing driver being suspended for two races.

While Logano has a fair number of fans it's safe to say he's not overwhelmingly popular with all of NASCAR Nation.

"I have great fans, awesome fans, but then there are a few that just come up and I start laughing because it's so creative," Logano said of his detractors. "I'm like, 'Wow. I didn't know I sucked on so many different levels.' It was interesting to me. Maybe I'm just the type of guy that laughs at everything and I have fun with life and I don't regret living that way. I don't know.

"I use it as motivation. I try to use everything and try to spin it into something positive. It's something I've done in my life, especially recently, is spin things into a positive and try to look at the bright side of things. I think it really helps my attitude."

Despite the dire situation Logano finds himself in, he does not plan to alter the approach he's used all year on Sunday. It may be win or go home but still business as usual.

‪"We obviously know our situation, what we have to do, but we don't change what we do every weekend because we know the recipe to go out there and win," Logano said.

Logano failed to make it to the final round in Friday's qualifying session.

"You always look at things you could do differently. As a driver, I can always find things that could be better and as a driver you always look at your car and where it could be better as well," Logano said. "We just missed it a little bit. I wish we were in the next round and going for a pole, but the fact of the matter is we're gonna start 14th and we're gonna work on our car... and get it ready to win a race on Sunday."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/11/High-Stakes-for-Joey-Logano.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Pole To Johnson​*
*Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6823&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Jimmie Johnson followed his win last week at Texas Motor Speedway by winning the pole for the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Johnson turned a lap of 143.158 mph to earn his first pole of the season and third career at PIR.

"We didn't have the summer that we wanted, but these guys have been working so hard on the No. 48 team and at Hendrick Motorsports," Johnson said of his recent roll. "So, I'm very happy to see the progress and the direction things are going. It's been a little bit, everywhere. If we keep doing that, we're going to close this season out just like we want to and be ready for 2016."

Although Johnson is out of the championship picture, he's enjoying playing a role in its outcome.

"There's nothing better. If you can't be in it, you may as well go out there and spoil it," he said.

Kurt Busch will start Sunday's race from outside the front row after his lap of 142.880 mph.

"I feel I let the team down a little on that lap because our car is better than that," Busch said. "But starting upfront here is a big advantage and we'll work on the car a little tomorrow to fine tune and be ready to go out and race on Sunday and hope for a win."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top five.

Kyle Larson, Erik Jones, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch completed the first ten qualifiers.

Drivers still alive in the Eliminator Round that qualified outside the top 10 include Jeff Gordon (11th), Joey Logano (14th) and Brad Keselowski (18th).

"We just missed it a little bit," said Logano. "I wish we were in the next round and going for a pole, but the fact of the matter is we're gonna start 14th and we're gonna work on our car tomorrow and get it ready to win a race on Sunday."

All 43 cars that took time on Saturday will start the second to last race of the season.

Sprint Cup teams will have two practice sessions on Saturday to dial in their cars for Sunday's race.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Phoenix-Pole-to-Johnson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth Stands By His Actions​*
Matt Kenseth stands by his actions against Joey Logano that cost him a two-race suspension.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Kenseth was unrepentant for his retaliation against Logano at Martinsville Speedway and vowed not to change his driving style going forward.

"I really stand by my actions," Kenseth told the AP. "I feel like there's a breaking point. It wasn't just about being mad, it was about getting this fixed. It was time to make it stop.

"You have to have respect in the garage area. If you are going to go out and try to race for wins and race for championships, you can't be a doormat or next year you are going to get knocked out again. Drivers are going to be like, 'Well, he ain't going to do nothing. We'll just knock him out of the race and then jack with him as much as possible and make sure he's not going to make it through because he's not going to retaliate.' At some point, in my opinion, you have to retaliate."

Kenseth took issue with NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France's description of Logano's contact while racing for the lead at Kansas Speedway as "quintessential" racing.

"I felt like I was almost encouraged," Kenseth said. "I felt like the comments almost condoned it, the way Brian France said Joey was smart in the way he strategically eliminated a threat for the title. I just never dreamed, ever, that I'd get suspended for going back and evening the score."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Matt-Kenseth-Not-Sorry.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Dominates In The Desert​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&RaceID=6813&YearID=44&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch dominated Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series DAV 200 Honoring America's Veterans at Phoenix International Raceway.

Busch led 190 of the 200 laps to score his 76th career series win. It was his sixth victory of the season and eighth career series win at PIR.

"Just a great day overall," Busch said in Victory Lane. "We missed the spring race here so we wanted to make sure we kept things going here at Phoenix today. Just a fast car, great pit stops&#8230;all in all a great day.

Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Ty Dillon rounded out the top five.

"A lot more of everything&#8230;," Keselowski said when asked what he needed to run with Busch. "The guys on pit road did a great job there. We gained spots, so that was really cool and real fun, but we just needed a lot more speed to run with the 54 (Busch). Either way, it was a pretty solid day."

Regan Smith, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne completed the first 10 finishers.

There were five lead changes among three drivers. Busch led the last 80 laps. Three caution flags slowed the race for 18 laps and Busch's margin of victory over Keselowski was 3.097-seconds.

Series point leader Chris Buescher had a frustrating afternoon and finished 13th, one lap down to Busch. His lead in the standings shrunk to 18 over Elliott as the season ends next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"That's not a good day, it's an OK day," Buescher said. "The team worked really hard to get this AdvoCare Mustang fast and we were good for a short run, but after that it just went away in a hurry.

"It's just tough. We never really run good here at Phoenix. I thought this was the best car we've had and it probably was overall, but something about this place doesn't work for us very well. On the points side of things, this was a good day. We'll be able to go into Homestead and if we pretty much stay out of trouble be able to wrap this thing up."

Buescher can clinch the title with a finish of 13th or better next Saturday.

"When you look at the averages and points gained versus our needed position to finish our window is getting bigger as we go through these last four races, so that makes me feel good as we go to Homestead," Buescher said. "Even though they gained some points, honestly, unless something crazy happens at Homestead it's just not gonna be enough."

The curtain comes down on the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season next Saturday in the Ford EcoBoost 300.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...eterans-at-Phoenix-International-Raceway.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Story Lines​*
The stories to follow are plentiful in today's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

It's the final race of the Eliminator Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Jeff Gordon has already earned a berth in the Championship 4 race next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway to run for the series title.

Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. come into the weekend above the cut line while Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano are the bottom four.

Logano is the only driver in the scenario of needing a win as the only way of advancing out of the round.

"We obviously know our situation, what we have to do, but we don't change what we do every weekend because we know the recipe to go out there and win," Logano said.

*Harvick's Drive For Five*

Kevin Harvick has owned PIR and has seven career Sprint Cup Series victories at the track including the last four straight. While he's the prohibitive favorite to win on Sunday based on that past experience, the defending Sprint Cup Series champion is not taking anything for granted.

"That can be gone at any point," Harvick said of the advantage he's had over the competition. "That's the hardest thing about having success. You must have an open mind to try new things to keep moving forward. If you don't or aren't willing to try a fresh approach, then it will get stagnant. You're going to become stale and get left behind.

"As we go to Phoenix, we have to look at the things we've done well. We've done a lot of good things."

*Johnson Looks To Spoil&#8230;Again*

Last week at Texas, Jimmie Johnson took the spotlight away from the Chasers by winning the AAA Texas 500. He did so in dramatic fashion with a last race pass of Keselowski to score the win.

Johnson's Phoenix weekend got off to a strong start when he won the pole, his first of the year but third career at the track, and he's hoping to end up in the same position he starts Sunday's race.

"We didn't have the summer that we wanted, but these guys have been working so hard on the No. 48 team and at Hendrick Motorsports," Johnson said of his recent roll. "So, I'm very happy to see the progress and the direction things are going. It's been a little bit, everywhere. If we keep doing that, we're going to close this season out just like we want to and be ready for 2016."

*Gordon Set for Phoenix Farewell*

Jeff Gordon makes his final career start at PIR Sunday, which has been renamed Jeff Gordon Raceway for the occasion. In fact the state of Arizona has proclaimed Sunday "Jeff Gordon Day."

While Gordon has a spot in next week's Homestead title race, he still would love to end his Phoenix career in Victory Lane. But he knows with everything on the line Sunday for so many drivers, it won't be easy.

"Phoenix is going to be an exciting race that is for sure," he said. "You have cars that have to win to make it to the championship round, guys who just want to go out and win a race this year."

*"I can just see a killer race playing out."*

Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 from Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Phoenix-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr. Reigns At Phoenix​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6823&StatType=Race+Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was declared the winner of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway when rain cut short the distance of the 312-lap race at lap 219.

Earnhardt Jr. started third and was able to work his way to the front of the field when the skies opened up to finally force NASCAR to call the race and end a day filled with weather interruptions and rain delays.

"We had an idea that the rain was in the area, but all the circumstances that played out at the end of the race are just kind of luck I think," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I want to give Greg (Ives, crew chief) a lot of credit and the guys. They gave us a good enough car to come here and qualify well.

"I think the reason why we won this race is because of the way we qualified to give ourselves a position to be up front all night.

While Earnhardt Jr. celebrated in Victory Lane three other drivers were also smiling at race's end as Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. finished high enough in the Eliminator Round point standings to advance to next week's Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The trio will join Jeff Gordon in an opportunity to compete for the Sprint Cup Series title.

Harvick, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and pole sitter Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.

Gordon, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Aric Almirola completed the first 10 finishers.

The season comes to a close and the championship will be decided next Sunday in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*How Earnhardt Jr. Won:* He led twice for 22 laps and only once under green, but Earnhardt Jr. was able to work his way to the front of the field when it counted most. He had the top spot when Mother Nature intervened for what turned out to be the final time of the night and Earnhardt. Jr. had his third win of the season.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Certainly the three drivers that will join the already qualified Gordon next week at Homestead-Miami to race for a championship top the list. Harvick was shooting for his fifth straight Phoenix win and was very strong all night long. Although he came up short last year's defending series champion will have a chance at back-to-back titles. Kyle Busch drove a steady race and his finish was good enough to go on to Homestead as will Truex Jr., who didn't have a spectacular night but his 14th was definitely good enough given the circumstances to advance.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* The night started out terribly for Kurt Busch, who many felt had the car to beat. But he was black flagged when NASCAR ruled he beat pole sitter Johnson to the line on the race's initial start and was penalized. Although he made a furious charge back to the front of the field his seventh-place performance was not enough to advance to Homestead. Joey Logano needed to win in order to race for a title next week but could only come up with a third place finish. Brad Keselowski's ninth was solid but also short of advancing him to Homestead as was the 12th-place effort of Carl Edwards, who was in the top five most of the night until the final sequence of pit stops.

*What Else Happened:* Rain&#8230;and lots of it. The start of the race was delayed by nearly seven hours and once NASCAR did get things going, Mother Nature had other ideas and more heavy rain forced the race to be called official after only 219 laps.

*Quote of the Day:* "I feel like I don't want to be greedy and be disappointed with how it went today when you look at the big picture," Harvick on not getting a shot at a fifth straight Phoenix win but still advancing to Homestead-Miami.

*Notables:* It was the second rain-shortened race of the season to go along with Michigan back in June&#8230;Almirola scored his sixth top-10 finish of the season with five of those coming in the last 10 races.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...r-Wins-Quicken-Loans-Race-for-Heroes-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Mission Accomplished For Harvick​*
Kevin Harvick will have a chance to race for a second straight Sprint Cup Series championship.

Harvick advanced to next week's Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a second-place finish in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Speedway. That was enough to earn Harvick a berth in next Sunday's season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 and an opportunity to win back-to-back Sprint Cup Series titles.

"Last year I got to experience that all for the first time," said Harvick. "It's definitely, definitely different. It's definitely -- there's a lot more to think about. There's a lot more to do. There's a lot more things to manage. I feel like the playbook worked okay last year, so we'll just try that again."

Harvick had a very fast car again at Phoenix, which is usually the case for the driver that was gunning for his fifth straight win at the track. But despite leading laps and battling for the top spot late, when rain ended the race he wound up second behind race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

While he wanted an opportunity to race for another win, Harvick was satisfied with the overall turn of events.

"Yeah, it's kind of bittersweet," he admitted. "The car just really performed well today and we were able to lead a lot of laps and just really proud of the guys for the decisions that they made overnight to get that last little bit out of the car today and how it performed was really good. Just caution came out at the wrong time, and we didn't get to make up the ground on the racetrack under green, where Dale was pitted and the way that they came out of the pits just didn't time out well.

"But still proud of our group, and sometimes you win some of those things, sometimes you don't, but in the end the big picture is what it's all about."

Harvick's mantra throughout the Chase has been to "survive and advance" and things weren't always easy for him to accomplish that goal. But here he is nine races through the playoffs and Harvick finds himself in the exact spot he'd hoped for when the Chase began at Chicagoland Speedway in September - a shot at the crown.

"I think it's definitely been a Chase that's been a little bit up and down for us, but the guys have battled through, and we've survived a lot of situations to be in contention for next week," he said.

"You always want to win when you have a car like we did today, but I'll take it again next week."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/Mission-Accomplished-for-Kevin-Harvick.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Gets Title Shot​*
Kyle Busch will have a chance to win the Sprint Cup Series championship next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Given how Busch's season started, the fact Busch now finds himself in the championship picture at the season finale is not lost on the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

"Proud of this team," said Busch, who missed eleven races with leg and foot injuries suffered in a crash at the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona. "(Crew chief) Adam Stevens and these guys, they worked hard and they persevered all through the beginning part of the season when I was gone working with David Ragan and Erik Jones and Matt Crafton and those guys that drove my race car."

"But once I was able to return, it felt pretty good to get back in the car and have my team guys motivated and ready to have me back, and we've really excelled since then."

Busch had a very quiet day and night in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway that ended in a fourth-place finish, which was good enough to stay ahead of the cutline to make the Championship 4 race at Homestead.

"Yeah, our race was pretty uneventful," he said. "I had a little mishap on pit road, just overshot my marks a little bit, being a little bit slick and got my guys too close to the wall, but past that we had a really good race car. The M&Ms Camry was fast.

"I felt like we had a good top‑three, top‑four race car and long runs seemed to be our friends and we got some of those tonight, so couldn't be more pleased to finish where we did and be more pleased to go to Homestead."

The race was a microcosm of Busch's entire Chase, which wasn't spectacular but was just strong enough to allow him to advance for an opportunity to race for the championship.

"We didn't necessarily have any good luck through the Chase," he said. "We did in the summer, definitely. We were running second, third, whatever it might have been, and then we had a good pit call or something kind of go our way with a yellow flag and it got us our track position, got out front, we won a couple races through the summer, but it's just been pretty even keel, and I'm happy with that. I feel like we've done some good things through this Chase."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/11/Kyle-Busch-Gets-Title-Shot.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bitter Pill For Team Penske​*
Neither Joey Logano or Brad Keselowski will have a chance to run for the championship next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Sunday's turn of events in the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway will keep both drivers out of next week's Championship 4 title race.

Logano needed to win the race in order to move on to Homestead and had a fast car during the race running near the front of the field most of the night. However when rain forced NASCAR officials to call the race at lap 219 of the scheduled 312, Logano's run ended in third-place and he was out of the title picture.

"You can't help the weather," Logano said. "I guess it wasn't in the cards tonight, but I'm still super-proud of what this Pennzoil team has done all year. We've had super-fast race cars and we really produced on the race track, executed our plan.

"Once again, this is a high-pressure race for these guys and to see us drive to the front and have good pit stops all night, but it just didn't work out."

The circumstances knocked Logano out of the title and punctuated a wild three weeks for the Daytona 500 winner. He was in the middle of controversy with Matt Kenseth at Kansas and Martinsville then went out of last week's race contention at Texas early when he blew a tire.

Sunday a third-place finish finally ended Logano's title hopes.

"That's the way this game is played," he said. "That's the way this Chase is. There's no doubt in my mind we're still the strongest team on the race track. I feel like this team is tight as ever, as fast as ever and we've still got one more race to go out and win."

Keselowski finished ninth on Sunday but wasn't a factor in the win. Still he was hoping to get a high enough finish to help him move up above the cutline in the point standings, which didn't happen.

"It was a long day for everybody and to have it end like that wasn't surprising," Keselowski said. "We kept adjusting on it, but it's a short race and who knows? Maybe that last run we would have had something, but that's not the way it played out.

"The highest we can get is fifth in points now, so I'd like to pull that off and take advantage of that opportunity when we get to Homestead next week."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/11/Bitter-Pill-for-Team-Penske.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Truex Jr. Advances To Championship 4​*
Martin Truex Jr. earned a berth in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 14th-place finish in Sunday's rain-shortened Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

It was a nerve-racking ending for Truex, who was running in the top 10 when he came down pit road for a four-tire green-flag stop on Lap 193. Just as he was leaving his pit box, the yellow flag waved causing Truex to lose a number of spots in track position. When the dust settled Truex found himself still ahead of Carl Edwards in Chase points -- his nearest competition for the final transfer spot.

The race never restarted due to another heavy downpour at the 1-mile oval, forcing NASCAR to call the race on Lap 219 after the cars ran a number of caution laps. Truex's margin over Edwards was five points.

"What can I say about the whole team and everybody at Furniture Row Racing and everybody back at the shop in Denver?" said Truex, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet. "It's just a dream come true for us. I'm just really proud of what we've accomplished this year. Cole Pearn (crew chief) and everybody there just really proud of them, and really excited to have this."

He added, "I got a little nervous there when the caution came out on us tonight, but all in all we did what we had to do and Homestead is a really good race track for me and that's our kind of race track for this team. So, I'm excited about next week and the opportunity to do something special. This is the kind of thing that you dream about since you were a little kid. Having a shot to win a Sprint Cup Series championship is just awesome and I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rtin-Truex-Jr-Advances-to-Championship-4.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Phoenix Winners And Losers​*
There were plenty of happy and unhappy drivers after Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

*WINNERS​*
*Kevin Harvick*
After a stormy and controversial Chase, the 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion has a chance to defend his crown after moving into next weekend's Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Harvick didn't get a fifth straight Phoenix win, but the big picture is that it was still a successful day.

*Kyle Busch*
Has a chance to run for his first Sprint Cup championship after a steady night in Phoenix. Busch has quieted his critics, who thought his past Chase disappointments would arise again this year.

*Martin Truex Jr.*
The single-car Furniture Row Racing team is a championship contender thanks to Truex doing what he had to in order to get to Homestead. As feel-good stories go, Truex has one of the best going.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.*
Lost in the Chase shuffle and the rain-shortened race at Phoenix was Earnhardt standing in Victory Lane. He's won three times, now, and could be in another spoiler role next week in South Florida.

*Aric Almirola*
Another under-the-radar story in Phoenix was Almirola bringing home the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports entry to a 10th-place finish. He's quietly putting together a solid end-of-season run.

*LOSERS​*
*Kurt Busch*
Had at least one of the cars to beat Sunday, but it wasn't meant to be for Busch - who was black-flagged by NASCAR for jumping the start of the race. Busch did his best to dig out of that hole but came up short of finishing high enough to make it to The Championship 4.

*Joey Logano*
He needed a win to transfer to Homestead. He got a third-place finish that ended his title hopes.

*Carl Edwards*
Was not happy that NASCAR decided to call the race short which, in effect, ended any chance Edwards had of going to the championship race at Homestead. He had a decent car but top five wasn't going to get it done.

*Brad Keselowski*
In the same boat as Edwards for the Team Penske driver, who didn't need the race to end when it did. Keselowski's night wound up with a top 10 but not good enough to run for a second career title.

*'Mother Nature'*
Rain in the desert? Really? The rain-plagued 2015 season continued Sunday in Phoenix. Weather impacted both the race and the championship. NASCAR's hands were tied with the late evening getting later and impending rain. Calling the race has triggered yet another in a string of controversial actions that have punctuated the 2015 season.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...International-Raceway-Winners-and-Losers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Matt Kenseth Meets With NASCAR Before Return From Suspension​*
NASCAR met with driver Matt Kenseth Monday in an attempt to clear the air before he returns from a two-race suspension in the Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday.

Kenseth spoke with NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France in Charlotte, NASCAR spokesman Brett Jewkes told The Associated Press. Jewkes said France "was pleased with the dialogue," but declined to disclose details of the discussion.

Series spokesman David Higdon had confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Monday morning that "NASCAR has asked the driver of the 20 to meet with chairman and CEO Brian France" on Monday.

Kenseth tweeted late Monday after that he was "Glad to have all this behind me."

Kenseth, who drives the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was suspended for two races by the series after he deliberately wrecked race-leading Joey Logano in the late stages at Martinsville Speedway three races ago. Kenseth was retaliating for a bump-and-run move Logano made on him for the lead at Kansas Speedway two weeks earlier to win the second race of the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs and earn advancement to the third elimination round.

Kenseth was eventually eliminated in that round. Furious at Logano's tactics and breach of his understanding of driver ethics, Kenseth vowed revenge and exacted it at Martinsville while running nine laps down. Logano, who drives for Team Penske and is the series wins leader with six, was eliminated from championship contention on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Kenseth was unrepentant in an interview with The Associated Press this weekend, asserting he had done nothing wrong and suggesting he might race even more aggressively in the future. Kenseth remains on probation through the end of the year. His suspension was upheld through two formal appeals but the probation was reduced from six months to ending on Dec. 31 by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

*Source:*
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2015/11/16/matt-kenseth-suspension-sprint-cup/75863734/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hornish Jr. Not Expected Back At RPM​*
It does not appear as if Sam Hornish Jr. will return to Richard Petty Motorsports in 2016.

Team owner Richard Petty indicated a change in the team's Sprint Cup Series line-up is anticipated next season and Hornish is not expected to return to the No. 9 entry.

"No I don't think so," Petty said when asked about Hornish Jr.'s return.

While Aric Almirola and sponsor Smithfield will be back in the team's No. 43 Ford next season, it remains unclear what direction RPM will take with the other ride in its stable.

"We've got to look at sponsorship as much as anything else," Petty said. "It's a combination deal. We can't just go with the driver and then not have the money. We can't go with the money and not have a driver."

There has been speculation in recent weeks current XFINITY Series point leader Chris Buescher was being considered for the ride as well as veteran David Ragan, who will be out of a Sprint Cup Series seat in two weeks with the closure of Michael Waltrip Racing.

While it's still undecided who will drive the car, Petty reinforced the team's intention to field a pair of Ford's in 2016.

"We're a two-car team," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Sam-Hornish-Jr-Not-Expected-Back-at-RPM.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Notebook: Busy Week Ahead​*
The coming days will include a number of events and activities as the countdown to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCAR will crown champions in the Camping World Truck Series, XFINITY Series and the Sprint Cup Series in the three races that will bring down the curtain on the 2015 season this weekend.

The quartet of drivers that will battle for the Sprint Cup title in Sunday's Championship 4 Ford EcoBoost 400 will travel to New York on Tuesday and appear on "The Tonight Show" that evening with Jimmy Fallon. The host tweeted out "something special" will take place on the show with driver Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr.

The four drivers will also meet the media Thursday during a scheduled "Championship 4 Press Conference" in south Florida before on track activities begin on Friday morning.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France has also scheduled a media session at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday morning where he will deliver his annual "State of the Sport" observations and comment on the current season as well as future plans for NASCAR.

*Expansion For Team Penske*
The current two-car Sprint Cup Series stable at Team Penske may grow in the coming years according to the organization. While Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski pilot the pair of Fords for the team these days there could be additional teammates in their future.

"I think four is the right business model, but we felt like we had to go to two to get ourselves focused," team president Tim Cindric told USA Today. "When you have two successful cars or one successful car and others that aren't successful, you spend as much time or more time on the car that is not successful. And we felt like we needed to take a step back and get ourselves to a point where we could simplify things.

"For sure we want to get back to three and eventually four. I do think four is easier to manage than three just because you typically have a better balance. I do think there is some truth to three's a crowd and it's harder to manage the three."

*New Phoenix Race Name*
When the Sprint Cup Series returns to Phoenix International Raceway next spring the race will carry a new name - the Good Sam 500.

"We are proud to continue our tremendous relationship with Camping World and Good Sam with the Good Sam 500 next March," said PIR President Bryan R. Sperber. "We take pride in hosting thousands of campers at every race, and with our spring race taking place during Spring Break, partnering with the world's largest RV owners association makes perfect sense."

*Last Shot* 
Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 is the final chance for three drivers that won last year to find Victory Lane in 2015.

Kasey Kahne won at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend of 2014 and has gone winless since. Aric Almirola was victorious at Daytona's summer race in July of last season. And AJ Allmendinger took the checkered flag in August of 2014 at Watkins Glen and has since gone without victory.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Notebook-Busy-Week-Ahead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mars, Inc. Signs Extension With JGR​*
On the cusp of his first potential NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship which would cap an amazing comeback season, Kyle Busch and his team at Joe Gibbs Racing have even more reason to celebrate. Today, Mars, Inc. finalized a multi-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing that will continue the winning alliance for the next several seasons.

The new agreement with JGR cements one of the longest-standing and most successful partnerships not only in NASCAR, but in all of sports. Kyle Busch has piloted the No. 18 Toyota and dozens of Mars, Inc.'s iconic brands including M&M's Brand, Snickers Brand, Skittles Brand, Double Mint Brand and Pedigree Brand to Victory Lane 29 times since 2008, as well as 15 poles and 142 top-10 finishes.

"In order to get to victory lane, you have to have the best team on and off the track," said William Clements, Vice President, Sponsorships, Mars. "Our partnership with JGR and Kyle has routinely delivered for us at the track, as well as in-store and with millions of fans. We look forward to the opportunity to continue to build upon this amazing partnership."

"When working with a partner, collaboration, teamwork and a burning desire to win inspires us as a team, and Mars is the epitome of those qualities," added Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "Their brands have been a big part of our sport and team for a long time and we're honored to carry them on the No. 18 for the foreseeable future."

"Representing Mars, Inc's family of brands on the No. 18 since 2008 has been an honor, and knowing they are committed to JGR for the next several seasons is awesome," said Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota. "Their support for me, my family and everyone at JGR has been incredible and this energizes me to work even harder for them and the team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/11/Mars-Signs-Extension-With-JGR.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2015 Champion's Week Schedule Set​*
As The Championship 4 get ready to race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway, preparations are underway in Las Vegas for annual post-season celebrations.

From Dec. 1-4, Champion's Week will once again feature the DAYTONA Rising/NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum, the annual National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. Wynn Las Vegas will serve as headquarters throughout the week.

This year's events will include special guests and giveaways at The LINQ Promenade, an open-air fan hub offering retail and restaurant options along with the world's tallest observation wheel. Fans will have a chance to watch all 16 Chase drivers take their racecars to the streets for the NASCAR Victory Lap Fueled by Sunoco, an annual parade down Las Vegas Boulevard featuring burnouts and other activities.

NBC Sports Network's Rutledge Wood and television personality Courtney Hansen will host the fan-favorite driver tell-all, NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford and Sprint. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will debut a revamped red-carpet walk offering select fans a chance to see many of their favorite drivers before they enter the hall.

For more information on Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week in Las Vegas, visit www.nascar.com/championsweek. Following is the schedule. All times are Pacific Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

*Tuesday, Dec. 1*
Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NaSCAR" - will air a special edition of "NASCAR Live." Eli Gold sits down with the 2015 Sprint Cup Series champion. The show will originate from the Race and Sports Book at Wynn Las Vegas from 4-5 p.m. This event is free to the public.

*Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 1-2*
Part 1 of the annual DAYTONA Rising/NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum, presented by SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal, will bring together industry decision-makers for insights and discussions on the state of motor sports. The event will be held at The Mirage Las Vegas.

*Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 2 - 4*
The Champion's Week fan experience will be anchored in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip at The LINQ Promenade, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. Fans can get their photo taken with the Sprint Cup Series trophy and view racecars from each of The 16 Challengers.

*Wednesday, Dec. 2*
Fanfest Presented by Las Vegas Motor Speedway will begin at 2 p.m. at the Fremont Street Experience. It's free to the public and will consist of a red-carpet walk by the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers followed by a special "game-show format" event. Select fans may be chosen to participate in an onstage game with the drivers for a chance to win two tickets to the Sprint Cup Series Awards held two nights later.

*Thursday, Dec. 3*
The annual NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the Encore Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas, where several team and individual awards will be presented.

At the NASCAR Victory Lap Fueled by Sunoco, fans can catch their favorite driver during pre-race
introductions at 2:45 p.m. The green flag on the Victory Lap will fly at 3:30 p.m., when Chase drivers parade down Las Vegas Boulevard in their racecars. It'll start in front of the Miracle Mile Shops and finish at The LINQ.

NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford and Sprint will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. at The Pearl Theater inside Palms Casino Resort. All 16 Chase drivers will appear on the stage, and give fans behind-the-scenes info about their lives on and off the track.

*Friday, Dec. 4*
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio host Claire B. Lang will be joined live from 1-3 p.m. by the championship-winning driver, owner, crew chief and other crew members in an exclusive two-hour retrospective on their championship season.

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards: A formal black-tie celebration held at Wynn Las Vegas. Drivers and stars will walk the red carpet from 4-5 p.m. Motor Racing Network will have live coverage, beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide will be given to an outstanding volunteer who's made a profound impact on children in his or her community. The NASCAR Foundation will announce the national award winner during this year's Sprint Cup Series Awards and donate $100,000 to the winner's chosen charity. Fans can cast their vote for the 2015 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award winner by visiting www.NASCAR.com/award before 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Dec. 3.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/11/2015-Champions-Week-Schedule-Set.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gibbs Welcomes Kenseth Back​*
Joe Gibbs is glad to have Matt Kenseth back from his suspension this week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kenseth was served a two-race suspension for his payback of Joey Logano at Martinsville Speedway last month. Kenseth lost two appeals to have the decision recued or overturned and has not competed the last two weeks at Texas or Phoenix.

He returns for Sunday's season-ending FordEcoBoost 400 at Homestead and Gibbs is welcoming his return.

"We had our meeting this Tuesday at 10:30, and it's great having Matt back in there because it's almost like you're missing part of the family when somebody one of our drivers is not there," Gibbs said. It was the same with Kyle (Busch) earlier in the year. We certainly missed him, and you miss Matt.

"So having him back, yeah, we've talked about that, and he just kind of shared some things with me, and then I shared some things with him. It's the kind of things between the two of us, but I think he felt like the meeting was very beneficial, and I know I felt the same way."

While Kenseth has steadfastly defended his actions against Logano, he has subsequently met with both NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France as well as privately with Gibbs. The team owner didn't dwell on whether he felt Kenseth's behavior was acceptable but just that he's glad the incident was over.

"I felt like what took place there started weeks before, and you know, to be truthful, I don't tell drivers about their relationship with other drivers and kind of what happens on the racetrack," he said. "I'll leave that up to them. But I think in this case, you know, I kind of stated what I felt before, and I'm going to leave that there.

"I think going forward, we had good meetings. I think we're all in a good place right now. I think Matt is, too, and I appreciated getting a chance to meet with Brian, and I think Matt did, too, and I think we're going to put all that behind us, and we're going to go racing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Joe-Gibbs-Welcomes-Matt-Kenseth-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Blaney Full-Time With Wood Brothers​*
Ryan Blaney will pilot the Wood Brothers Racing Ford for the full 2016 Sprint Cup Series season.

The team announced its intention to compete in the full 36-race schedule next season with Blaney behind the wheel of the iconic No. 21 Ford.

We are beyond excited to make this announcement about going back to full time competition," said Eddie Wood, team co-owner, at a press conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend. "It has been something we've worked toward since 2009 when we started running limited schedules.

"I have to thank Ford's Dave Pericak and Raj Nair, Edsel Ford, our technical alliance partners Team Penske and Roush Yates Engines, as well as everyone at Motorcraft, for working with us to make this day possible," Wood continued. "It'll be fun to see just how good Ryan Blaney, Jeremy Bullins and our team can be over a full season.

"Lastly," he added, "it'll be great not to have to worry about rain anymore on qualifying day."

Blaney has run a limited schedule with the team this season including a partial slate in the Camping World Truck Series with Brad Keselowski Racing and the XFINITY Series with Team Penske.

The Wood Brothers began a technical alliance with the Penske organization this season and will continue that partnership in the full-time effort next season.

Motorcraft will sponsor the No. 21 entry for the bulk of the schedule, which will be the Wood Brothers 66th season of NASCAR competition. Next year will be the first time the organization has planned to run the entire schedule since 2006.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Return-to-Full-36-Race-Schedule-in-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'Miles2Miami' ... Homestead​*
The road to Ford Championship Weekend ends at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with no more "Miles2Miami" remaining in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sixteen drivers were placed on the Chase Grid two months ago. Four remain for the Championship Round in Sunday's season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 in South Florida. Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. will race for the title - which will go to the top-finishing driver among that group.

Harvick and Gordon have Cup Series victories at Homestead, Busch and Truex do not - though Busch is a two-time winner there in the XFINITY Series. In 2014, Harvick won the race and the championship. He's bidding to become the first driver with back-to-back Sprint Cup Series crowns since Jimmie Johnson put five in a row together from 2006-2010.

"We've overcome a lot of things throughout the Chase, survived and advanced," said Harvick, who entered this year's post-season as the No. 5 seed. "It hasn't been 100 percent pretty, but it's been championship material and that's proven by the fact we've made it here."

In winning last year's season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 - and the championship, Harvick drove underneath race leader Denny Hamlin eight laps from the finish and then held off Ryan Newman to win his first Sprint Cup title. He benefitted from a late-race visit to pit road for four tires while Newman took only two.

Hamlin, also racing for a championship, decided to remain on the track during the pivotal caution - temporarily holding prime track position but eventually being overtaken by Harvick, Newman and others on fresher tires as he faded to seventh place. Harvick led the race four times for 54 laps in notching his fifth victory of the season and the 28th of his career.

He became the 30th driver to win a Cup Series championship in NASCAR's 66-year history. It was the second Cup Series title in four years for Stewart-Haas Racing. Owner-driver Tony Stewart wore the crown in 2011.

Harvick said the new elimination-style Chase format that debuted last season has sharpened everyone's game.

"Winning a race during the season and then getting into the Chase relieves some of the pressure," said Harvick, who was the No. 6 seed a year ago. "But then, all of a sudden, you have three weeks to get it done in order to get to the next round. You've got to make it happen and that's a lot of pressure for everybody to perform under. Sometimes, it brings out the best in people."

For Gordon, Ford Championship Weekend will be an emotional ride as he wraps up his final season before transitioning to the broadcast booth in 2016.

"We've clawed and scratched our way into The Championship 4 and it's all a bonus - icing on the cake, if you will - for us this weekend," said the four-time champion. "It's amazing to think I have an opportunity to go out on top."

Gordon won four Cup Series championships - in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001. He won Homestead-Miami Speedway's season-ending race in 2012 and is the No. 13 seed in this year's Chase.

"I don't know if it's going to hit me prior to the race or after the race," Gordon said of his looming retirement, "but it's going to hit me. Right now, we're focused on battling for the title."

Busch is the highest-seeded driver remaining in The Championship 4 at No. 2. Top-seeded Jimmie Johnson was eliminated from title contention last month at Dover. Busch returns to South Florida hoping to atone for a 39th-place finish there last season.

"You try to limit your distractions, and do the right things in practice and qualifying," Busch said. "I'll have to lean on my teammates, who are all really good there."

Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth - Busch's teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing - have combined for five Cup Series wins on Homestead's 1.5-mile oval. But come Sunday, it'll be Busch himself behind the wheel with a shot at his first championship.

"My guys never gave up and had a strong team lined up for me when I returned," said Busch, who missed the first 11 races of the season while recovering from injuries suffered in February at Daytona International Speedway. "We have all the things necessary to perform at our best and race for a championship. There's a slight chance you might be able to finish second in the race and still win the title, but you better just plan on winning that race."

Which is exactly what Truex, the No. 10 seed, has in mind.

"Homestead is for all the marbles and I can't think of a better place I'd want to compete at for the championship," said Truex, whose driver rating of 106.6 on the mile-and-a-half oval is No. 1 among the four title contenders. "It's been an incredible year, and I'm proud of everyone on this team for giving us fast cars week in and week out."

Sprint Cup Series teams will open practice on Friday at 12 p.m. (ET) and qualify later in the day to set the 43-car field for Sunday's race. Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway starting at 2 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Miles2Miami-Homestead-Miami-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Respect Rules The Day For Championship 4​*
Cue Aretha Franklin because Thursday's Championship 4 Media Day was all about r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. were in the spotlight in advance of Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The driver that finishes ahead of the other three in the season finale will claim the 2015 Sprint Cup crown.

But if you were expecting mind games, one liners, good or bad natured ribbing or needling, Thursday's session offered little if any.

Harvick, who has a reputation of infusing these press conferences with some of that aforementioned spice, had an explanation of why this year's gathering featured a different tone.

"You don't want to be the guy who was disrespectful in Jeff Gordon's last press conference," he said.

Gordon's presence appeared to provide an air of respect that permeated the day. The future Hall of Famer heads into Sunday's race with one last shot to win a fifth Sprint Cup title before trading in his driving career for one in the television booth.

"Is there pressure? I mean, I feel like there's always pressure," said Gordon. "You know, I think that more the way I'm looking at it is just going out in an awesome, fun way, and by winning that race in Martinsville and putting us in this elite group, I mean, that right there just was an incredible moment and something I'll never forget, and knowing that we were just going to come down here and be a part of that four, that right there in itself is a win."

Busch, who missed 11 races in the regular season but after NASCAR granted a Chase exemption was able to win four races and stay in the top-30 of the point standings to make the playoffs, brings an air of confidence into the weekend.

"I think it's just a great opportunity for myself to come back in this format and have the opportunity to race in the way that NASCAR presents the rules and the way the Chase format is," Busch said. "&#8230;.a lot of people would say that I don't deserve the chance to be here, but you know what, we are, and we're going to give it all we've got just to go out there and have some fun and race against these guys."

Truex Jr. is the underdog story of the four as he carries the single car Furniture Row Racing team into the championship race. But the two-time XFINITY Series champion is embracing the opportunity.

"For a lot of reasons, and I've said it since the Chase started, for a lot of reasons, we are the underdog," Truex Jr. said. "One car team from Denver, rookie crew chief, I've never raced for a championship in this series, so for a lot of reasons, we are the underdog.

"But I think, again, what we've done this season has proven that we belong here. We've done it week in and week out. You know, we can get the job done on any given day, and this Sunday is no different than that. So we're going to just do our best and go race hard and hopefully put our best on the racetrack and feel like we're in a position to do something special."

Harvick would like to do something special in the form of becoming a back-to-back Sprint Cup Series champion. While many believe he is the prohibitive favorite on Sunday to both win the race and the title, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is downplaying that notion.

"I have the confidence in my team and the things that we've done this year that I believe that our car will be competitive," said Harvick. "But as we've proven throughout the Chase, even though your car is competitive, there's a lot of things that can go wrong in our sport, just whether it's mistakes from me or parts failures or whatever goes on.

"In the end we're going to try to control the things that we can control."

So no sniping, snarky comments, sneers or sarcasm at Championship 4 Media Day. Just a lot of mutual respect and four unique stories that will have a chance to play out on Sunday.

"I think there's a lot of respect for where everybody is at, and I think when you look at Martin and everything that those guys have done with what they've gotten in Colorado and here they are, and you look at Kyle breaking his leg and fighting back, and Jeff who's going to retire and run the last race, there's really no reason to create a story," Harvick said to the assembled media. "There's no reason to create a moment.

"If you guys can't find something to write about on this stage, y'all need to be fired, so make some good stories and make sure there's enough people watching."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ules-the-Day-at-Championship-4-Media-Day.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*France Meets The Media​*
The press conference was the first time France has formally met the media since January and there were several hot button subjects discussed.

Among the most talked about topics in recent weeks was the Matt Kenseth-Joey Logano incident at Martinsville Speedway and the subsequent two-race suspension of the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. France, who met personally with Kenseth earlier this week, provided more texture on his view of the situation and moving forward.

"No, we were very disappointed, as you know, with what happened in Martinsville," France said. "We reacted to that. What we were coming down here to a championship weekend, and I wanted to make sure that that matter was behind us with Matt, with Joe Gibbs and so on. I'm assured that it is.

"We had a good conversation about what had happened and what the thinking was or whatever you want to call Matt's actions, and we talked about that. And it was a good conversation."

France touched on several other topics during the session:

*DRIVERS PURPOSELY WRECKING SOMEONE TO WIN THE TITLE* 
"Well, my expectation is that nobody would wreck anybody. My expectation is nobody would ever block either. But they do. It doesn't take any talent to block. But it takes, you are risking to block. So we won't know until it happens who was blocking, who came down hoping somebody would not, you know, would be a Good Samaritan and pull their foot off the throttle. That can happen. Gentleman drivers exist. I don't see one in those four guys remaining. And if there's contact and they're going for position, and by the way, it's not always that somebody just turns somebody around."

*ON NASCAR'S VIEW OF THE ELIMINATION FORMAT CHASE* 
I think the only thing I can say is we're thrilled. We're just thrilled with and we're thrilled because of one reason, not because of one incident or another or one situation, it's because we know that it's raising the level of competition. Drivers teams, not just drivers are doing, trying things, being aggressive, and achieving things they never thought possible. Kevin Harvick told me that last year at the awards ceremony in Las Vegas. He said one of the neat things is, I didn't know we could be this good.

*REGARDING THE POLICY OF RACES PAST HALFWAY BEING OFFICIAL* 
We are going to go through the weekend, as we traditionally would, looking at all of our options, trying to get all of the laps in a given race in on a certain day, on race day. That's been our policy and philosophy. We go further and try harder, I think, than any other motor sport division to accomplish that. Because we want it to be settled on the track. But shortened races and therefore consequences of that, are part of this, part of racing. They're part of the game. And I hope it doesn't play into it, but it's possible. We'll do everything we can to sort that out as Friday night or tonight, Saturday and Sunday roll forward.

*BRINGING A CHASE-LIKE FORMAT TO THE TRUCK AND XFINITY SERIES*
Our partners in XFINITY and Camping World would like to us to explore what's possible to have a, their own version of it. And we're going to look at that. We're going to look at that in the off-season. We have looked at that before, haven't quite found the perfect thing for each one of those divisions. But we'll work at it. It's worth looking at.

*JEFF GORDON'S RETIREMENT* 
He's one of those guys, I always look back at drivers that have, are going to take out a lot less than they put in. He's one of those guys that has put in a lot to grow the sport. And other drivers should think about that a little bit. Because he's really a model in that respect. I have a lot of respect for Jeff Gordon.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rance-Meets-The-Media-at-Homestead-Miami.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Jones, Reddick To Battle For Truck Title​*
The Camping World Truck Series will crown a champion on Friday night and the battle will be decided by two drivers with a combined 78 starts in the series.

Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick are each completing their first full seasons in the series and are both looking to become the youngest champion in series history following Friday's Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. While Jones brings a comfortable 19-point lead over Reddick into Homestead-Miami, the unpredictability of the Camping World Truck Series means the title will likely not be determined until all 134 laps are completed.

Jones has held the points lead since his win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in late August and has finished in the top 10 in every race since. His three wins in 2015 and series-leading 19 top-10 finishes have given him a safety net for Friday night's finale.

"It's nice to have a cushion for sure," Jones said. "It's way better than going into the race and leading by three points or five points or something like that."

Reddick led the points standings briefly during the summer and has been a consistent threat to win each week in 2015. If he wants to take home the championship, he'll need more than just another top-10 finish on Friday night.

"We've just got to have a good weekend as a team," Reddick said. "Fortunately last year there we had a good bit of speed and we were fast, so we just go in and continue to work on the things we did when we were last there, I think we'll be fast. Obviously, the situation we're in, we're going to have to run very good."

Reddick opened the season with a win at Daytona International Speedway in February and later followed that up with a win at Dover International Speedway in May. Reddick not only wants a championship for himself, but wants to deliver a title in the series to team owner and 2012 Sprint Cup Series Champion, Brad Keselowski, as well.

"Obviously this is a big deal to everyone at Brad Keselowski Racing. It's a really big deal to Brad too," Reddick said. "He's really been wanting a championship for his team and everyone else back at the shop has been working hard at it. It's going to come down to this last race and hopefully we can pull it off."

Reddick lost ground to Jones following a 19th-place effort at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and then a 15th-place finish at New Hampshire two races later. He admits that his inexperience may have been responsible.

"That was just a few things that as a rookie I made a few mistakes and just could have cut my losses," Reddick said. "Those couple races where we did have some incidents, if we would have taken those away we'd have been definitely a lot closer if not right with them."

Jones, a Michigan native, was discovered by Kyle Busch during a late model race in Florida several years ago. Busch gave Jones a chance to drive a truck and he immediately found success going to victory lane in Phoenix in 2013 in just his fifth career start. He's since gone to Victory Lane in the Truck Series a total of seven times, twice in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and has been a fill-in driver for Joe Gibbs Racing drivers in the Sprint Cup Series as well.

While competing at NASCAR's top level has always been the ultimate goal for Jones, he admits the accelerated pace at which he got to this point may have surprised him.

"In the middle part of 2012, would I have thought I'd be at this point, in? No. But by the beginning of 2013 and really by the end of 2013, I felt like we could definitely be at this point," Jones said. "But I think the biggest thing that I didn't expect was the other opportunities that have come along with it, with racing the XFINITY Series and racing in the Cup Series as well. So that's been kind of the surprise to me."

His fiery driving style has been a staple to getting him to the verge of winning a NASCAR championship. But he admits his game plan for Homestead-Miami may be slightly different than what we're accustomed to seeing from him.

"It's fortunate we are in a situation where we don't have to win the race. We don't have to run top 5. We don't even really have to run top 10," Jones said. "I think it's going to be somewhat conservative of an approach, but I don't think we need to change our approach by a whole lot."

Reddick doesn't have that luxury and knows he has to be aggressive on Friday.

"We're going to have to win and lead as many laps as possible to try and put Erik in a situation where he has to run 15th or so better," Reddick said.

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of Friday's Ford EcoBoost 200 Camping World Truck Series race from Homestead-Miami Speedway beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN app._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Tyler-Reddick-to-Battle-for-Truck-Title.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Crafton Winner, Jones Champion​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&YearID=44&RaceID=6846&StatType=Race+Results

Matt Crafton won his sixth Camping World Truck Series race of the season in Friday's Ford EcoBoost 200 while Erik Jones took the series championship.

Crafton dominated the season finale by leading 93 laps on his way to Victory Lane. But he ultimately came up short of winning his third straight championship by 22 points behind Jones.

"We will be back next year even stronger," said Crafton, who won five of his six races this year on 1.5-mile tracks. "There were challenges this year that got in our way in trying to win another championship but I promise you 2016 will find this team right back out there competing for wins and the championship."

Jones finished sixth to lock up the title and become the youngest champion in series history at age 19. It was the first time in series history that a rookie won the title.

Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon, who won the truck title in 2011 at 21 years, 6 months and 22 days old, had been the series' youngest champion to date.

Jones drove his Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to three wins during the championship season that also brought the team the series owners title.

"I just can't thank Kyle and Samantha and everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports enough," said Jones as he hoisted the series championship trophy. "This team just gave me great trucks all year long and never gave up when we went through some tough times."

Jones will move into a full-time ride with Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series next year and believes he learned a great deal from his championship Truck Series campaign to help his career.

"This series is so tough," he said. "Racing hard every week with guys like Matt (Crafton), Tyler (Reddick) and everyone else really just teaches you a lot. I'm excited for the future but sure as heck proud of this effort this year."

John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick, Ben Kennedy and Timothy Peters completed the top five finishers.

Jones, Johnny Sauter, Daniel Hemric, Cameron Hayley and John Wes Townley rounded out the first 10.

Jones finished 15 point ahead of Reddick in the final championship standings.

"We knew we were going to have to come in here lead some laps and win the race," Reddick said after his run.

"Unfortunately, we didn't win a championship. We came home second, but first was the goal. Finishing second, third, fourth or fifth makes no difference. I just want to win the championship and hopefully next year we can get that done."

There were 14 lead changes among six different drivers. The race was slowed four times by caution for 18 laps and the average speed was 126.725 mph.
















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...fton-Wins-Truck-Finale-Jones-Takes-Title.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Special Night For Kyle Busch Motorsports​*
Kyle Busch Motorsports has experienced championship success in the past, but this time around it was even more special as Erik Jones delivered the team its first driver's title.

Busch formed the team to help develop young talent and Jones delivered by becoming the youngest series champion at 19 years, 5 months, 21 days on Friday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It's just special to everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports," Busch said. "I mean, we've been in existence for five seasons...and it means so much more to have the opportunity to help these younger drivers and to help these kids that are coming up thought the ranks to succeed and be successful."

A victory over Busch in the 2012 Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida ultimately led Jones to KBM.

"I knew he was going to be good that day, and to get him signed up with Kyle Busch Motorsports and to have the opportunity to work with him over the last two seasons on the part time side and to get him ready for the full time side," Busch said. "I'm thankful that he's stuck with me and that he believed in what our plan was for him, to give him this shot and to give him this opportunity, and I think he's got a lot of bigger and greater things to have on his plate with years to come."

Jones, who took the championship in only his 40th career Truck Series start and his first full-time season, is grateful for the opportunity that Kyle presented him with back in 2013. Next year, Jones will move to the XFINITY Series full time with Joe Gibbs Racing paving the way for more young drivers to run for the team. Christopher Bell and William Byron will race for KBM full time in 2016, while Cody Coughlin and Daniel Suarez will split driving duties in the third truck.

"I can't think of a better way to repay these guys and I can't think of a better way to thank Kyle for all these years - just getting a driver's championship for him," said Jones, who became the first Rookie of the Year to win the title. "He's wanted one since the company started and to bring it home for myself and for KBM, you couldn't really ask for a better ending than that."

KBM also celebrated its third-consecutive and fourth overall Truck Series owner's championship.

"It's certainly been a lot of blood, sweat and tears over the years, but it's been pretty awesome, as well, too," Busch said. "I can't say enough about the people, everyone that's been at Kyle Busch Motorsports at the beginning, been there now or future. You know, it certainly has been pretty awesome to work with every one of those individuals, and it takes a lot of that in order to get the job done the way that we have over our existence in the series, and to set the record of winning an owner's championship the first year out was pretty awesome."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Special-Night-for-Kyle-Busch-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Rolls To Homestead Pole​*
*Startling Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=44&RaceID=6826&StatType=Starting+Lineup

Denny Hamlin grabbed the pole for Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Hamlin turned a lap of 176.655 mph to earn the top spot for the season finale. It was the 23rd career pole for Hamlin and his third of 2015.

"Everything's going good," Hamlin said. "I wouldn't mind a little bit of rain tomorrow to not let these guys catch up in race trim."

Joey Logano will start outside the front row.

"Not quite fast enough," Logano said. "It felt like after practice we didn't get a qualifying run before the rain and it was an unknown to us. My team did a good job with the changeover to qualifying trim though and I am proud of what my team was able to do there, just wish we were a little faster in that third round."

Kyle Busch was the fastest of the Championship 4 drivers shooting for the Sprint Cup title on Sunday with the third-best lap.

"Qualifying position here doesn't matter much," Busch said. "Nothing to hang our heads about right now."

Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon, who will make his final career Sprint Cup Series start Sunday, rounded out the top five.

"I'm having a blast. It's a win-win no matter what happens," Gordon said of his chance to win a fifth Sprint Cup title Sunday before hanging up his helmet. "When it goes the way it went in qualifying&#8230;man that's fun. How could I not be having the time of my life?

"We have a very strong race car in this Axalta Chevrolet, obviously, because to be able to do that the next couple of runs; I'm pretty proud of those laps. I had to make up to this team what I did on the first run, so I was glad I was able to make it up. It's pretty awesome to get top five. I'm really happy and proud of that."

Ryan Blaney, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Austin Dillon completed the first 10 qualifiers.

Another Championship 4 driver Martin Truex Jr. will start 11th.

Kevin Harvick qualified the worst of the Championship 4 drivers and will start 13th in Sunday's race.

"Will work on finding some more speed in practice tomorrow," Harvick said.

Other notables in Sunday's field include Kurt Busch (15th), Matt Kenseth in his first race back from a two-race suspension (19th), Danica Patrick (35th) and Tony Stewart (36th).

"We are just a pile of crap right now," Stewart said.

Sprint Cup Series teams will have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday afternoon.






_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Denny-Hamlin-Rolls-to-Homestead-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kenseth, Logano Meet​*
Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano had a brief meeting prior to the weekend getting started at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We had a little discussion before practice," Kenseth told reporters from ESPN and the Associated Press when Friday's first practice session ended. "With NASCAR, we met with them a little bit."

NASCAR suspended Kenseth for two races for crashing Logano at Martinsville Speedway last month. The incident was in the aftermath of the two making contact earlier in October at Kansas Speedway.

"I think everything will be fine there," Kenseth said. "I mean I wish none of it had happened, obviously. There's probably certain things we'll never agree on, but I think long-term it will be fine, and we'll work it out."

Earlier this week Kenseth sat down with NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France to discuss the incident in a meeting .

"It's always nice to get face time with somebody and understand their point of view and have them understand yours," Kenseth said.

After Erik Jones replaced Kenseth the last two weeks in Texas and Phoenix, Kenseth was happy to be back behind the wheel for the season finale.

"Nothing much better than that," Kenseth said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/11/Matt-Kenseth-Joey-Logano-Meet.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Confident In Homestead​*
Kevin Harvick doesn't believe there's any reason why he can't become a back-to-back Sprint Cup Series champion in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Harvick enters the Championship 4 race ready to battle Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. for this year's crown. After a season that was statistically better than the title campaign of last year, Harvick is understandably confident about his chances to repeat as champion.

"It makes you feel good about the way that the team has run and the things that we have done," Harvick said of the favorite label many have labeled him this weekend. "We're a confident group amongst ourselves, but you also have to be respectful because you definitely don't want to get run over by the karma train by spouting too many things off.

"It's definitely -- it's flattering, but in the end, it's still got to run the race, and there's other teams that have run well, and I think as you look at the situation, obviously there's a lot of things that we've been a part of and done well in the past, but now you've got to do them again."

Harvick has a bit of an uphill climb on Sunday as he qualified 13th, the worst of the Championship 4 drivers.

"It's really no different than any other week," Harvick said. "I mean, we've not qualified as well this year as we had last year, especially on some of these types of racetracks. We got one out of the three rounds, but we only got two shots at it well, we got three shots at it today, so it's really not anywhere too far outside of the box from where we've qualified in a lot of these races this year on these types of racetracks."

While Harvick is well aware of the challenge ahead, he's the only driver of the four with experience in last year's season finale championship race as a title contender. He believes that will be beneficial and perhaps alleviate some of the pressure others are experiencing.

"It's a lot easier," he said. "I think the hardest part is when you fire those cars up for practice on Friday, and you know, you're pretty intense about all the things that are going on and just trying to control those emotions and where your car is at and how it's handling. I think that's the part that I'm definitely looking forward to doing better at than what we did and what we did as a team with those circumstances last year.

"I'm looking forward to how it goes for those guys as far as how they've dealt with it and the things that go on because that's part of the week that's just so much different in that it's not just a normal race. It's for the championship. There's a lot on the line."

If Harvick is able to accomplish his goal of winning a second straight championship he'd join an elite club of drivers. While it's an honor he'd love to add to an already impressive resume, Harvick isn't allowing himself to get too far ahead.

"Well, we haven't won a second championship, but I can tell you coming into this week and dealing with the second opportunity has not been near as hard or near as stressful as it was last year, and you know, I lean on (motorcycle champion) Ricky Carmichael a lot, and what he told me, he's like, none of them will ever be as hard as the first one, if you're ever fortunate to win another one," Harvick said.

"I believe there was a lot of room for improvement last year. We managed the race much like we've managed our Chase in the last two seasons, in the right way, and wound up winning the race and the championship, but as far as the performance of the car goes, I think the nerves kind of got to it a little bit last year, and I think we can do better."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../11/Kevin-Harvick-Confident-In-Homestead.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon's Final Ride With Axalta​*
In 1992, a global science company took a chance on a young, up-and-coming open-wheel racecar driver who was beginning his transition into NASCAR.

That particular partnership - between sponsor DuPont and driver Jeff Gordon - grew into the longest and one of the most successful relationships in the Sprint Cup Series.

Although it's a new name, in Axalta, Gordon will make his final Sprint Cup start driving a similar silver paint scheme - this time with the iconic flames on the sides that debuted in 2001 - that he drove when he celebrated his 20th year with DuPont at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2012, a race in which he won. In 2013, DuPont Performance Coatings sold to The Carlyle Group and was rebranded Axalta Coating Systems.

Gordon's Sprint Cup journey with DuPont/Axalta started when owner Rick Hendrick first noticed Gordon when he raced to his first of five career NASCAR XFINITY Series wins in the spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving for owner Bill Davis. The performance prompted Hendrick to reach out to Gordon for a meeting.

Gordon, currently a co-owner for six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson's car, ironically received his first call to meet Hendrick from the team's former general manager Jimmy Johnson.

"To know that I was going to get the chance to talk to him just was mind-blowing to me and from that day on, it was a magical experience," Gordon said, "sitting down in front of Rick, seeing what a special person he was, hearing his excitement and commitment of starting a new team having me as a driver."

At the time, Gordon lived with two roommates including Andy Graves - who worked for Hendrick Motorsports for 10 years and helped launch the Research and Development Department.

"When he (Graves) came to work at Hendrick Motorsports in the R&D department, I came down to drive Bill Davis' car," Gordon said. "He would share with me all the things they were doing at Hendrick Motorsports, telling me how great things are being engineered and why they should be winning a lot more races then they were.

"I knew from Andy how good Hendrick Motorsports was and that they were really on the brink of being the team to beat for Sprint Cup championships in the future."

Another one of the key factors in Gordon's decision to move to Hendrick Motorsports was Ray Evernham.

"I had Ray as my crew chief at that time and I didn't have anybody to turn to - to tell me whether a team, a car, personnel or equipment was top-notch other than Ray or my stepfather; and my stepfather didn't know a lot about NASCAR," Gordon said. "Ray visited Hendrick Motorsports and when he came back to me and it wasn't 'Mmm ... well, I don't know,' but he was like, 'Oh my gosh, the possibilities are endless. If we go there and put the right people together, we can win a lot of races,' that's what we did."

With Gordon as the driver and Evernham as crew chief, the pieces came together quickly to form the new No. 24 team at Hendrick Motorsports, but one thing was missing - a sponsor.

In comes DuPont, which at the time was looking to put a deal together with Hendrick.

"To hear the stories about the meeting with DuPont and to hear about how originally, they were being talked about just doing an associate or maybe some product sponsorship and someone in that meeting said, 'Do you have a sponsor for this car?' and they said, 'No we don't.' All of a sudden, that conversation turned into what we have today which is pretty cool," Gordon said. "For Rick and DuPont to take a chance on a young kid like me, that was unproven, was very, very special and still to this day."

Gordon debuted the DuPont colors in his first Cup Series start on Nov. 15, 1992, in Atlanta and as they say, the rest is history.

In his first nine of 23 full-time seasons driving the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, Gordon captured four championships and 58 of his 93 career wins. The 1994 season not only saw Gordon score his first career victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway but also a win in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"The inaugural Brickyard 400, that was such a cool event," Gordon said. "As a kid that grew up going to high school in Indiana, who wanted to be an Indianapolis 500 driver ... to go there with the inaugural stock car race and to just compete was, to me, a dream come true. But to go there and actually win it was amazing."

Along with leading a Hendrick one-two-three finish in the 1997 Daytona 500, Gordon's 1995 and 2001 championships rank among his highlights while racing the DuPont colors.

"1995 was awesome because it was a great year and to win the championship battling with Dale Earnhardt and winning my first," Gordon said. "2001 really stands out to me, to be able to do it with a different crew chief (Robbie Loomis) and a different team. It meant a lot to me personally to go and win that championship that year and to show not just what our team is made of, but me personally."

Gordon's distinctive DuPont paint scheme, created by renowned motor sports artist Sam Bass, was instrumental in helping him establish himself as one of NASCAR's most iconic drivers.

"It's been quite a ride with Jeff," Bass said. "I remember it just like it was yesterday, just meeting him for the first time and to see all the success that he's achieved in his career; and all the accomplishments. You know what a superstar in sports he is and just to know him and call him a friend is very special to me."

Bass got the opportunity to design Gordon's paint schemes after meeting Evernham when he came into his gallery looking to buy Jeff a birthday present.

"A couple months later, Ray called me up and said 'Hey, DuPont would like to look at what you submit' and he gave me my chance," Bass said. "I submitted three drawings and to my amazement, they had 43 others that they had taken in to look at. So what later became known as the rainbow warrior car, my car, was what was chosen."

Next season, Axalta will shift to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Chevrolet. Gordon will still be involved with the company as he was named, back in February, Axalta's Global Business Advisor and will serve as special advisor to Charlie Shaver, Axalta Chairman and CEO.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...5/11/Jeff-Gordons-Final-Ride-With-Axalta.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Larson Wins And Buescher Takes Title​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2&YearID=44&RaceID=6815&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in Saturday's Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway while Chris Buescher claimed the XFINITY Series title.

Larson got around Austin Dillon three laps from the finish to score the win in Saturday's series season finale. Buescher finished 11th and clinched the 2015 championship.

The 23-year-old Roush Fenway Racing driver scored his first series championship in only his second full season. He was a two-time winner on the season and was able to win the championship.

"It's a dream come true for sure," said Buescher.

"That was such an amazing race, just being careful. Our Fastenal Mustang had good speed in it, we just had to be careful out there."

Buescher joins Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as Roush Fenway Racing series champions.

Buescher and Bobby Labonte are the only to natives of Texas to win the series title.

Larson scored his third career series win and tipped his cap to Buescher's title drive.

"This day is all about the championship," said Larson, who did not do a post race victory burn out celebration to not take attention away from Buescher.

"I was able to have an awesome car to once it all settled in to get back up top against the wall where it seemed like only Kyle (Busch) and I could run," Larson said. "I was able to get rolling and catch Austin pretty quick. He was running really aggressive once I would close in a couple of car lengths where he just entered in a little but too low, straight and fast and plugged the wall and I was able to turn underneath him."

"This car was amazing and so fast. Each year I have such a great car when we come to Homestead and it just keeps getting better and better. I always look forward to coming here."

Dillon, Erik Jones, Brian Scott and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.

Dillon had the top spot in the race's final restart but after battling for several laps with Larson he finale got passed and was forced to settle for second.

"He had a dominant car all weekend long," Dillon said. "I was just hoping to get it out on a restart. We could take off better than the first two for about 10 laps and that's what we did. The '42' must of flipped the switch. I thought I could stay with him for at least 18 laps. When he was coming I tried to run his line and got into the fence."

Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, defending series champion Chase Elliott, Regan Smith and Bubba Wallace completed the top-10 finishers.

"They just outran us fair and square ... They just beat us," Elliott said of coming up short by15 points for a second straight title.

Suarez was name the 2015 Rookie of the Year on the strength of a season that saw him post eight top-fives, 18 top-10s including his last six races.

"Wow," said the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. "Such an amazing feeling to be able to have such a great team like Joe Gibbs Racing support us like they do. "I've had such a fun season and look forward to doing more in my career with this great team. Just unbelievable."

Kyle Busch wound up finishing 30th but had one of the most dominant cars of the day.

However he was penalized when a tire rolled outside his pit box during a late stop. Busch tried to race his way back to the front of the field with less than 20 laps to go, but he checked up to avoid a spinning Ryan Sieg and was hit from behind by Wallace.

The impact sent Busch sliding down the front stretch where he made contact with the inside retaining wall.

The race featured 13 lead changes among five different drivers. There were six caution flags for 26 laps.





















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...st-300-Chris-Buescher-wins-XFINITY-Title.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Homestead-Miami Story Lines​*
Sunday's season finale Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway is jam-packed with stories to follow.

A quartet of drivers have an opportunity to win the Sprint Cup Series title as part of the Championship 4 race that ends the season; Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

The highest finishing driver of the group in Sunday's race takes home the title in the second season of the elimination format Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup introduced last year.

Harvick prevailed last year winning both the race and the title. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver brings an air of confidence into Sunday's race because of having that experience on his side.

"Coming into this week and dealing with the second opportunity has not been near as hard or near as stressful as it was last year," Harvick said. "Having that playbook of what we did last year and knowing that you can tweak on that a little bit and knowing how to manage the week is something that you can't put a price on that because you've been there, done that, and you have to try to get better each time."

*Gordon Farewell Ride*

The sentimental favorite Sunday is Gordon, who will hang up his helmet at the end of the race and move into a television career next season with FOX. The four-time champion would like nothing better than to end his future Hall of Fame with an elusive fifth title.

"If I could have scripted this thing in January or February, I don't think I could have scripted it quite the way it's going," said Gordon. "I never dreamed that we could have an opportunity to be battling for the championship in my final race.

"Is there pressure? I mean, I feel like there's always pressure. By winning that race in Martinsville (Nov. 1) and putting us in this elite group, I mean, that right there just was an incredible moment and something I'll never forget. And knowing that we were just going to come down here and be a part of that four, that right there in itself is a win."

*Busch Comeback Story*

Kyle Busch made the Chase despite missing 11 races due to injury at the season-opening XFINITY Series race in Daytona. NASCAR granted an exemption to Busch despite the missed races and he more than exceeded the criteria of winning a race and finishing in the top-30 of the point standings.

Busch won four times and has gone deeper in the Chase than any other season in his career. He has an opportunity on Sunday to bring home his first career Cup crown.

"This will be the biggest race of my career so far, for sure," Busch said. "There have been other Chase races or other races that have been just as important in order to get ourselves locked into the Chase or moved on through a particular round that has had some significance, but none such as this."

*Truex Jr. Embraces Underdog Role*

For Martin Truex Jr., 2015 has already been a magical season. The Furniture Row Racing driver has been one of the most consistent all year and Truex Jr. found Victory Lane at Pocono back in June.

While he may not get the attention of his higher-profile championship combatants, Truex Jr. truly believes he has a solid shot at bringing the Sprint Cup Series trophy home to the team's Denver, Colorado headquarters.

We've done it week in and week out," he said. "You know, we can get the job done on any given day, and this Sunday is no different than that. So we're going to just do our best and go race hard and hopefully put our best on the racetrack and feel like we're in a position to do something special. You never know when you're going to get this opportunity again, so we're really just 100 percent focused on what we're doing.

"We're not really worried about what people think, what people are saying. We're just going out there to do our jobs to the best of our ability, and that's what we've done all year. Hopefully that will pay dividends in the end."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2015/11/Homestead-Miami-Story-Lines.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Winner And Champion​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1&YearID=44&RaceID=6826&StatType=Race+Results

Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Busch outran Kevin Harvick to score his fifth victory of the season in the season finale and clinched his first career Cup title.

The title capped a season in which Busch missed 11 races at the start of the year after suffering a broken leg and foot in the season-opening XFINITY Series race accident at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR granted Busch an exemption for the missed races under the condition of winning a race and finishing inside the top 30 of the standings to be eligible for the Chase. He won four regular season races and finished high enough in the points to more than exceed that criteria.

"It's pretty unbelievable," Busch said. "It's a dream of a lifetime, a dream come true, it's something that happens only every so often. I just can't believe with everything that happened this year, all the turmoil that I went through, my wife went through, my family went through and people around me went through. This championship is for these guys, my wife, my family and everyone who sacrificed to get me here."

Busch gave Toyota its first Sprint Cup Series title.

Harvick, the defending series champion, had to settle for second place.

"We were just struggling all night, to be honest with you," Harvick said. "You always want to win, but I've learned not to get greedy. After last year, I felt like we had everything go our way and tonight it didn't go our way. Congratulations to the 18 team and everything they did."

Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin completed the first 10 finishers.

Brett Moffitt was named the 2015 Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

*How Busch Won:* He stayed at the front of the field for the majority of the 400-mile race and looked as if he had things in hand until a late race caution flew for debris on the frontstretch. It gave Harvick a shot at getting by Busch for the lead in the race as well as the championship. But when the green flag flew it was Busch who was able to get to the point and once there he pulled away from Harvick and took the checkered flag with room to spare.

*Who Had a Good Day:* Harvick was a player again in the race as he was last season when he won and clinched the title...Logano had a fast car after starting outside the front row and was in contention for the win but didn't have enough to challenge for the victory...His teammate Brad Keselowski was also in the mix as a race winner but faded in the closing laps and hung on for a top-five&#8230;Gordon made his final career start and was hoping to end with a championship but could finish no better than sixth, well behind Busch and Harvick in the title fight.

*Who Had a Bad Day:* The other Championship 4 contender Martin Truex Jr. finished 12th and suffered another pit road mishap when a small fire broke out during refueling&#8230;Several drivers were caught up in a multi-car wreck early in Sunday's race including Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Casey Mears and David Ragan&#8230;Jimmie Johnson was called back to pit road by NASCAR for his crew to fix the side body panels that were flared out. He was also given a drive through penalty for the incident.

*What Else Happened:* Rain delayed the start of the race for nearly 90 minutes. Once the track dried the weather did cooperate and the race went to it conclusion uninterrupted.

*Quote of the Day:* "I don't know if I quite understand life yet, but there's something to be said about this year," - Kyle Busch

*Notables:* Harvick scored his 13th second-place finish, the most in NASCAR's modern era...Larson scored his second top-five finish of the season...Truex Jr. finished a career-best fourth in the point standings.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ord-EcoBoost-400-Sprint-Cup-Championship.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Championship Caps Busch Comeback​*
Kyle Busch started the season with a serious injury and came back to win the 2015 Sprint Cup Series championship.

The year could not have started worse for Busch, who suffered a broken leg and foot when he crashed during the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

The severity of the injuries kept Busch from driving for more than three months and he underwent a rigorous rehab to get back.

NASCAR granted Busch an exemption for the 11 races he missed and made him eligible for the Chase under the condition of winning at least one race and staying inside the top-30 of the point standings, criteria he more than met by winning four regular season races.

"This is a dream of a lifetime, a dream come true and something that only happens every so often," Busch said. "I just can't believe it with everything that happened this year. All the turmoil, all the things that I went through, that my wife went through, that my family went through, all those around me that they went through. This championship is all for these guys, for my wife, my family and everyone that sacrificed so much to get me here."

Busch eventually came back full-time in May and put together a stretch that many around the sport marveled at through his determination and talent.

"I said back then and I'll say it again, the rehab and then getting back and getting ready, getting healed and focused, all of that was the hardest part. The hardest thing I've ever gone through," Busch said. "To put it all together here tonight, this night wasn't quite that hard."

Jeff Gordon, who drove for the final time Sunday before retiring, sees a different Busch.

"What he went through this year, I see a changed Kyle," Gordon observed. "I don't know what it is; I've never talked to him and got into details about it. But when he came back, not only was he driven and just inspired by it, but you can tell he was racing smarter, with more patience, just being more deliberate.

"I think between having a baby, the thing that happened to him at Daytona, the time with his wife, and other things ... he had a lot of time to think about a lot of things," added the four-time Cup champion. "I don't know what he did, but he came out of it even better than he was before. I think he showed it right away when he came back that there was a pretty good chance he was destined to win this championship."

While it is Busch's first Sprint Cup championship, it is the fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing since its inception in 1992. JGR won its first Sprint Cup championship in 2000 with Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart earned championships with JGR in 2002 and 2005.

"It's a thrill. Been 10 years since we won one," said Joe Gibbs.

Busch joins Bobby Labonte, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick as the only drivers to earn both a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and a NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.

Prior to 2015, Busch's previous best point finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was fourth in 2013.

He now heads into the 2016 season as the defending Sprint Cup Series champion.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/11/Championship-Caps-Busch-Comeback.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick Settles For Second​*
Kevin Harvick came up one spot short of winning the race and the Sprint Cup championship Sunday in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver battled Kyle Busch for the race lead late on Sunday but ultimately came up short of getting by on the final restart. Harvick could only watch Busch take the checkered flag while he finished second and not able to score back-to-back championships.

"Yeah, just really proud of everybody on our team," said Harvick. "We were definitely a little bit off tonight, and we just kept throwing stuff at it, and we never really found anything that really helped the car that was like, oh, man, that's what we needed right there."

"I thought there at the end that the restart, we might do a little better than that, but obviously either the splitter was on the ground or the car was just tighter than it probably needed to be, and just I couldn't hustle it and got it tight and got it up the racetrack and got behind."

Harvick had to deal with a car that wasn't as good as he'd hoped in the season finale. He struggled finding both speed and handling, despite crew chief Rodney Childers making several late adjustments during late race pit stops.

"Yeah, I kept looking in the mirror, and I'm like, man, my car just doesn't absolutely feel great at all, and I never saw anybody in the mirror," he said about the handling challenges. "So I was like ‑‑ it was a handful and sliding all over the place. I think it says a lot about our team and the fact that they kept fighting. Our guys on pit road did a great job all night. We were able to maintain or gain track position all night long."

Although he came up one spot short of bringing home consecutive championships, statistically Harvick had a better year than his title campaign of 2014. He scored 13 second place finishes this year, the most in NASCAR's Modern Era, which began in 1972.

"It's been a great couple years, and I know we're disappointed about finishing second tonight, but it's kind of the theme of the year, finishing second," Harvick said.

"Unfortunately it's just one short, but all in all, it's been a great couple years, and couldn't be prouder of our bunch of guys."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/11/Kevin-Harvick-Settles-For-Second.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Gordon Closes Career​*
The Jeff Gordon era officially came to an end Sunday when he took the checkered flag in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Gordon's 797th career Sprint Cup Series start wound up in a sixth-place finish in the season finale and third in the final standings.

While it didn't turn out to be the storybook ending to Gordon's future Hall of Fame career, he leaves the sport on a decidedly positive note.

"Well unfortunately I'm a little disappointed that we weren't more of a threat for the championship," Gordon said. "Beyond that it's absolutely been a dream come true. To get an opportunity to race at this level, to have the success that I've had, to have the sponsors that we've had and to have the fans that we have.

"The first one to the car was the team and (team owner) Rick Hendrick and then my family. That is all that really matters to me. Those people are so important to me and make this all worthwhile."

Gordon started fifth after a stellar qualifying effort and challenged for the lead in the first half of the race, actually getting to the top spot for nine laps.

But the handling of his car was a challenge as the race wound down and he ultimately faded back from both a potential race win and championship watching title contenders Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick finish ahead.

"I had such a blast knowing that we had a good race car and could battle with these guys," he said. "Me and Martin (Truex, Jr.) had a heck of a battle there; but unfortunately it wasn't for the championship.

"Congratulations to Kyle Busch. I got caught up there in my emotions of Rick (Hendrick) in the other interview. But, what a great driver. What a great champion. And with all he's been through this year, nobody is more deserving than him."

Team owner Hendrick was one of the first people to greet Gordon when he climbed from the car for the final time and reflected on what the duo have meant to one another over the course of a relationship that resulted in four Sprint Cup championships.

"We're going to do a lot of things together; he's not going to drive the race car, but he's going to be in the booth and he's going to help us with the team and we're going to get to do some things together that we haven't had time to do," Hendrick said. "So, it's just a great feeling. I'm just so glad that he's part of my life."

Gordon will transition to a television career next season when he joins FOX as a booth analyst. But Sunday for the final time in his career, he performed on NASCAR's main stage as a driver.

"To drive for one of the best car owners, if not the best, and drive the best race cars and work with the best people and that's why I have the wins and championships that I have and why we did what we did here today in the final race battling for a championship," Gordon said. "(Wife) Ingrid, she goes through so much all the ups and downs and what goes along with this sport.

"We both said going into this race what an amazing experience this has been this year, the last nine years of our lives together and this day, surrounded by friends and family and the people that matter most and work hard on this race team and all the love I've gotten from the fans and everybody in this sport, there's nothing better than that."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/11/Jeff-Gordon-Closes-Career.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Solid End To The Season For Team Penske​*
Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano brought home top-five finishes to end the 2015 season.

While neither driver had an opportunity to win the Sprint Cup title as part of the Championship 4 in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, they were both players in the outcome of the race.

Keselowski was strong all night long and in position to potentially win the race until the final restart. He wasn't able to keep pace with eventual winner Kyle Busch or Kevin Harvick and had to settle for third.

"Yeah, we led a lot of laps," said Keselowski, who led a race-high 86 laps on Sunday. "The last four races we have run pretty strong, maybe not quite as strong as Phoenix as we wanted but three of the four races we were really strong and we just didn't have enough to close it at the end.

"I was really proud of my team tonight, really happy with what they were able to give me and we were able to take a run at it, we just didn't quite have enough at the end on that final restart to hold those guys off."

Logano, who finished the season with a series-high six wins, also kept his car near the lead throughout the race and was out front for 72 laps. But like Keselowski, he didn't have enough at the end to challenge for win number seven.

"Unfortunately, we didn't win and that's what we wanted to do," Logano said. "We had a fast Shell/Pennzoil Ford that led a lot of laps, so I'm proud of the laps we led. We had a few good runs and made an adjustment that just took it out of the track and by the time we got it back we lost too much track position. We had a bad pit stop under green and lost more there, so it was too little, too late. We couldn't redeem ourselves after a couple mistakes tonight."

Logano wound up sixth in the final Sprint Cup Series point standings while Keselowski was seventh.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2015/11/Top-Fives-for-Team-Penske.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Emotional Day For Gordon​*
After 23 full-time Sprint Cup seasons and 797 starts, Jeff Gordon wrapped up his illustrious career at Homestead-Miami Speedway with an emotional day from start to finish.

As the sun started to rise over South Florida on Gordon's final day as a Sprint Cup driver it started in the perfect way. After an attempt to sleep-in failed, Gordon woke up early and pulled the shades up in his motorhome and noticed his mother walking by.

"As soon as I saw her I got emotional," Gordon said. "Before she even came in the bus, I just saw her, and I said, yeah, 'I'm bringing her in here right now.' "She was not prepared for what was about to happen, I promise you. She walked in, and we started hugging and talking, and I just started thanking her over and over and over again for all that they did for me.

"To be able to sit down with her on that day, first thing in the morning, and all the emotions and everything were just able to come out, and then we just had a great conversation. And then my stepdad came in and then a little bit later Ingrid and the kids showed up."

In his last drivers' meeting of the season, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France recognized Gordon's contributions to the sport and introduced a tribute video that ended in a standing ovation.

Gordon's competitors paid tribute to him in many ways through-out the day. All of the Hendrick drivers not only sported yellow numbers on their cars, but also wore tribute hats during the day. Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick also wore retro-styled Gordon hats.

Drivers also took to social media to recognize Gordon, including Joey Logano, who tweeted out a photo of him at a young age with Gordon and said, "U were my idol growing up. Never did I think I'd race against u for wins. Congrats on a great career @JeffGordonWeb." Kevin Harvick also posted a photo on Instagram of him kneeling down by the No. 24 of Gordon's car in pre-race and said, "Win or lose I can always say I was a part of his last race!! #ThanksJeff."

Prior to climbing behind the wheel of the No. 24 once last time Gordon took photos with his Hendrick Motorsports team and also legendary racecar driver Mario Andretti and three-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who were in attendance to watch Gordon's final race.

"It was so cool having them at the car together and getting a picture," Gordon said. "Lewis was so cool. He was asking a million questions. I mean, he wanted to know everything about the cars, the competition, the tires, the track, everything, my steering wheel. You know, he's a racer, and I love that, and Mario was just cool as can be, just, 'Man, go do what you know how to do, you've got this, man.' That was a great moment."

Emotions almost got the best of Gordon when he climbed into his car for the last time.

"Jordan, who handles all my what we call driver comforts, he does a lot more than that, but he takes care of my seat, my helmet and steering wheel, all these things that get me ready for a race weekend, and he almost got me going right before the race started," Gordon said. "He's usually the last one that gives me a fist pump before I take off, and he's all choked up crying when he did it, and I was like, man, you can't do that right before I'm getting ready to pull off."

In the race, Gordon was wearing a special helmet that featured a number of photos on it from his 93 career wins. Gordon designed the helmet, with one intent, to give to Rick Hendrick. And after finishing sixth in his final race, Gordon was able to present that to him on pit road.

"It felt so good to see Rick Hendrick," Gordon said. "He's so special to me, more than just a car owner driver relationship, and I was so happy to have that moment getting out of the car with him."

A huge crowd of race fans surrounded Gordon all weekend trying to get that last photo of- and autograph from him as a driver. The crowd showed their support during driver introductions and then erupted in cheers, similar to when Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead at Talladega Superspeedway, when Gordon took the lead in the race at lap 36.

Following the race, Gordon saw one his biggest fans, Timothy Prior, as he was heading to the media center and invited him in for the press conference. Once on stage, Gordon introduced Prior to the media and had him show off all the tattoos he had of the No. 24 car.

"This guy has been following me since 1995," Gordon said. "You want to talk about commitment and a loyal fan and a nice guy, this guy is awesome. I just happened to run into him on the way in here. I just wanted him to be here and be a part of it because he's a huge fan, and I appreciate him and all of our fans so much, especially what I saw this weekend."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/11/Emotional-Day-for-Jeff-Gordon.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Johnston Named Crew Chief For Larson​*
Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today that Chad Johnston has been named crew chief for Kyle Larson and the No. 42 Target team. Johnston will assume the role effective immediately to begin preparation for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Johnston joins TCGRFS from Stewart-Haas Racing, where he has been the crew chief for Tony Stewart and the No. 14 Chevrolet since the 2014 season. Johnston also served as crew chief for Martin Truex, Jr. and the No. 56 at Michael Waltrip Racing from 2011 - 2013. Johnston has one career NSCS race win as a crew chief (2013 Sonoma) and helped guide Truex Jr. into The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup during the 2012 season.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to be joining Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and the opportunity to work with Kyle Larson," Johnston said. "The organization has a great reputation in numerous forms of racing, and I'm looking forward to adding to that reputation in NASCAR. Kyle is certainly a unique talent, and I'm eager to get to work with him and the team as we look to build a foundation of success."

Johnston has also worked in NASCAR as a race engineer at Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, Evernham Motorsports, and JTG Daugherty Racing before serving as a crew chief.

The Cayuga, Ind. native graduated from Indiana State University with a major in mechanical engineering, and briefly worked in the aerospace industry before his passion for motorsports brought him to NASCAR and the Camping World Truck Series in 2004.

Larson will begin his third full-time season in the NSCS in 2016. The 2014 NSCS Rookie of the Year is coming off of a season that featured two top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. In 75 career NSCS starts he has accumulated one pole award, 10 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes.

"As a team, I think we are very close and the addition of Chad should help move our program forward for many years to come," Larson said. "Lastly, I would also like to thank Chris (Heroy) for all he did to help me grow in my first two seasons in the Cup series."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ohnston-Named-Crew-Chief-for-Kyle-Larson.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*No Repave Scheduled For AMS​*
Atlanta Motor Speedway was last resurfaced in 1997 and today is among the oldest racing surfaces on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. While track officials are constantly monitoring the track's condition, there are, at this time, no plans in place to resurface the track.

"The well-used racing surface at our track produces some of the most exciting racing in NASCAR," said Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark. "Competitors participating in our recent NASCAR test sessions gave the surface high marks and encouraged us to maintain the racing surface as it currently stands."

A favorite among many NASCAR drivers, the aged, abrasive surface produces slick racing conditions and some of the fastest tire fall-off in NASCAR. The conditions require race teams to take a more strategic approach, oftentimes with high-risk/high-reward situations.

Tony Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup Series race winner at Atlanta, expressed his strong sentiments against repaving the track in a 2011 post-race interview. Other drivers like Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon have all verbalized their fondness for the slick conditions of the aged surface.

With very little alteration since its most recent repave 18 years ago, regularly scheduled maintenance programs, including filling cracks with pavement preservation products, is performed on the 1.54-mile asphalt surface between races. Mild Georgia winters and the thorough maintenance program have played a key factor in the track's longevity.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ave-Scheduled-for-Atlanta-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart To Have New Crew Chief For Final Sprint Cup Season​*
Sources tell Motorsport.com Mike Bugarewicz will be named in the crew chief role on the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team for Tony Stewart's final Sprint Cup season.

"Buga", who worked as the race engineer on the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet the last two seasons, replaces Chad Johnston. Bugarewicz was recruited by crew chief Rodney Childers and joined the team in December 2013 - prior to Harvick's 2014 championship run.

Bugarewicz earned his Masters and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University and took a job with Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the 2005 season.

Stewart finished 28th in the 2015 Sprint Cup standings. In 17 seasons on the tour, Stewart has three Cup championships - under three different sponsors - earned 48 victories, 15 poles, 182 top 10s and 300 top-10 finishes.

Johnston has already found a new home at Chip Ganassi Racing (Read Here).

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...e-new-crew-chief-for-final-sprint-cup-season/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Changes Made Atop The Pit Box For Danica Patrick's 2016 Campaign​*
Billy Scott is expected to take over as crew chief for Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy in 2016.

Sources told Motorsport.com that Scott will replace Daniel Knost, who started with Kurt Busch and the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevy in 2014 before moving to the No. 14 car with four races remaining in the season.

Scott honed his skills as a mechanic in the Camping World Truck Series prior earning his engineering degree. Following graduation, he joined Robert Yates Racing in 2005 before joining Michael Waltrip Racing in 2008.

After working under Rodney Childers as team engineer on the No. 55 Toyota, Scott prepared to take over crew chief's role in August 2013. Childers left MWR for Stewart-Haas Racing and Scott apprenticed with interim crew chief and vice president of competition Scott Miller. In 2014, Scott was promoted to crew chief for Brian Vickers. This season, Scott worked with Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Michael Waltrip and Vickers.

Patrick completed her third-full season in Cup 24th in the point standings. She has yet to post a top-five in 118 Cup starts. Scott will be Patrick's third crew chief in the last three years.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...e-pit-box-for-danica-patrick-s-2016-campaign/


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## Ckg2011

*JTG Makes Crew Chief Change For Allmendinger​*
Sources tell Motorsport.com Randall Burnett will oversee the No. 47 JTG/Daugherty team next season.

He replaces crew chief Brian Burns, who will remain with the team.

Burnett joined Ganassi Racing in 2005 after he graduated from UNC Charlotte with a degree in mechanical engineering.

The 35-year-old St. Louis native - and former Late Model racer - most recently worked as the team engineer on the No. 42 Target Chevy under crew chief Chris Heroy.

After making the Chase for the Sprint Cup last season with his win at Watkins Glen last season, Allmendinger, 33, struggled in 2015. In May, JTGD signed Allmendinger to a five-year extension. He is currently 23rd in the point standings.

Burnett will join Ernie Cope, who spent the last season as crew chief for Chase Elliott at JR Motorsports. Cope will be JTGD's new competition director starting Dec. 1.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/jtg-makes-crew-chief-change-for-allmendinger/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Roush Fenway Racing Restructures​*
Blizzard of NASCAR post-season changes continues with Ford Racing stalwarts.

Change is coming to Roush Fenway Racing

After the dissolution of the No. 1 XFinity Series team following Elliott Sadler's departure, RFR "right-sized" its NXS program on Monday.

However, despite the release of a significant number of employees, others will be hired as RFR restructures its organization.

Kent Day, who holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, will oversee Roush's simulation program. Day most recently worked at MWR following his tenure at Richard Childress Racing as technical director and at Team Penske as chief engineer.

Kurt Romberg has also been recruited by RFR. Romberg was the chief aerodynamicist at Hendrick Motorsports for 15 years. He worked at General Motors and Petty Enterprises prior to joining HMS.

Someone with knowledge of the situation told motorsport.com the net loss of personnel would likely be 25 workers.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/roush-fenway-racing-restructures/


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Season of Controversy​*
t's really fitting that Kyle Busch won this year's Sprint Cup Series championship. Since Busch was involved in one of the sports' biggest stories to kick off the season having him bookend the year with the title was the perfect conclusion.

When the checkered flag flew in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it brought to a close a NASCAR year filled with a wide array of stories, some good and others not so much.

It was the Mount Vesuvius of NASCAR seasons with a series of eruptions that triggered great debate within the sport.

Both Kyle and Kurt Busch were in the spotlight back in February at Daytona albeit for much different reasons.

Kyle's vicious crash in the XFINITY Series opener caused him to be sidelined for nearly three months with foot and leg injuries so severe he literally had to teach himself to walk again. While he sat out and recovered a stream of replacement drivers filled the seat of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 ride until Busch returned in May.

When NASCAR granted a Chase exemption despite Busch missing 11 races, it caused many to question the integrity of the championship and how any driver could still be title-worthy when out for 42 percent of the regular season.

Meanwhile the elder Busch was also given a Chase waiver when he sat out three races serving a NASCAR suspension for his involvement in a domestic abuse case with ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. The situation triggered weeks of discussion about Busch's personal life and how the sanctioning body addressed the circumstances.

Those two stories were far from alone in generating controversy this season:

Ryan Newman was penalized for "tire manipulation" in a race at Auto Club Speedway in March. While details of what exactly wad found were never publicly released, the Richard Childress Racing team was believed to be illegally bleeding air from tire by puncturing small holes into the sidewalls.

The debate over publicly displaying the Confederate Flag raged across the country and NASCAR was involved. The sanctioning body taking a stance to distance itself from the controversial flag generated fervent reaction from those on both sides of the topic.

Rule changes were a major subject of the summer months with NASCAR implementing two different downforce packages over the course of four races in hopes of finding the right combination for enhanced competition. Rules that created lesser downforce were used at Kentucky and Darlington while a higher drag package was utilized at Indianapolis and Michigan. By far the lower aerodynamic direction won and will be utilized in the 2016 rules.

Restarts were the talk of late summer and early fall with many drivers complaining the rules were not being enforced. When it appeared Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon were not penalized for jumping restarts in Richmond and Chicagoland, NASCAR put additional resources to officiate the restart zone beginning the following week at New Hampshire. Late in the race Brad Keselowski was black flagged for jumping a restart to send the debate into overdrive.

The decision to use one green-white-checkered attempt at Talladega caused a huge controversy. When October's race went into overtime what appeared to be the first try at a GWC was aborted when NASCAR ruled cars had not crossed the start-finish line and therefore the lap was not officially scored. On what turned out to be the official overtime restart, a multi-car accident, which some driver accused Kevin Harvick of purposely starting to lock his spot in the point standings and advance in the Chase, ended things quickly. Joey Logano was declared the race winner erasing a stirring comeback by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who needed to win in order to move on in the Chase.

Of course the mother of all controversies centered around Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano, a saga that began at Kansas Speedway when the two made contact while racing for the lead. Logano went on to win the race and Kenseth vowed revenge, which he got at Martinsville by purposely crashing into his nemesis in a move that brought a two-race suspension from NASCAR.

The year did also have its share of good racing, dramatic finishes and other highlights to be sure. But the 2015 season will also be remembered for a series of events most would rather not see repeated anytime soon.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/11/Opinion-Season-of-Controversy.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Homestead-Miami Leftovers​*
There were a number of stories that were somewhat overlooked in last week's Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The attention in the season-ending race was understandably on Kyle Busch's race win and subsequent Sprint Cup Series championship as well as Jeff Gordon's final ride before heading into retirement. But before everyone dives into their Thanksgiving feast and a well-deserved long weekend of relaxation, let's put the spotlight on a few more stories from HMS:

*Team Penske Finishes Strong*
Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski were in the mix for the race win on Sunday and had strong cars virtually all weekend. While the dup ultimately came up short of stealing a win away from one of the Chasers, both finished inside the top-five and ended the year on a positive note. There's no doubt bitterness on Logano's part for how his championship hopes ended and Keselowski spent most of the year trying to keep pace with both his teammate and the other title contenders. Heading into the off-season after a stellar Homestead performance should have brought a smile to the Penske pair.

*Stewart-Haas Split Season* 
The divide between the four cars at SHR got even wider this season. While Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch were continually battling for wins and top finishes, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick were back markers. Stewart alluded that "big changes" were coming to the team at last week's Championship 4 Media Day and true to his word moves began to happen the day after the season finale. Chad Johnston left as Stewart's crew chief to take the same role with Kyle Larson and there is speculation Patrick will also have someone new to call the shots and replace Daniel Knost. Stewart will command a great deal of attention in 2016 during his farewell season but there will have to be leaps and bounds made in performance if he hopes to come close to replicating Jeff Gordon's final campaign.

*Roush Fenway Flounders* 
The downward spiral of the RFR Sprint Cup stable continued in 2015. While the organization celebrated Chris Buescher bringing home the XFINITY Series title, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne finished up a trio of dismal season performances over the weekend. Crew chief changes are also rumored at Roush but until the team's race cars can run anywhere near its Ford counterpart at Team Penske, it's another round of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

*Youth On Display* 
As stars like Gordon and Stewart ride off into the sunset, there's certainly no shortages of talent waiting in the wings to some day ascend to the Sprint Cup Series. Buescher and Truck Series champ Erik Jones are at the top of the list of young drivers ready to climb to the next level that includes Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney and of course Chase Elliott.

*Caution Controversy* 
Sunday's late race caution for debris generated discussion among many race fans. While television cameras showed a water bottle on the frontstretch when the yellow was displayed causing howls from many critical fans, NASCAR defended the decision to slow the race for debris, which was a piece of metal.

"We've got multiple spotters out there,'' said NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." "If fans could go back and replay the radio chatter up to the tower during that race, I'm going to say we had upwards of 100 different reports from drivers calling in debris - many of them about to fall a lap down. We've got to vet a lot of that. We're certainly going to rely on our spotters, who call something in. We've got 20 different camera angles we can look at. We can zoom in on anywhere on the track. Rest assured, we know the stakes are very high and in that situation in the final caution our flagman saw metal right below him in the groove. We looked and we confirmed that it was there and made the call. A car ended up hitting it as they were going around so it went down to the yellow portion of the track. I know television showed a water bottle unfortunately but then came back. When there is metal on the track we're going to make the call each and every time.''

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/11/Homestead-Leftovers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Looking back On Michael Waltrip Racing's Short, But Eventful Existence​*
All the focus was on the Sprint Cup title fight at Homestead, but in the background of the title decider was the end of Michael Waltrip Racing.

In 2007, MWR arrived on the fulltime scene in a big way with a three-car fleet and backing from Toyota, a manufacturer that was making their debut at the premier level of NASCAR.

*And so it begins*

Team owner and two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip piloted the No. 55 with long-time sponsor NAPA joining him in this new endeavor. 1999 Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett was at the helm of the UPS No. 44. In the No. 00 with sponsorship from Domino's was rookie David Reutimann.

Speaking of the future at the team's announcement, Waltrip hoped that MWR would become "a team that eventually, people are going to say 'wow.'" That statement did not go unfounded.

Setting a precedent for the team, they made headlines right out of the box in the worst way possible. On February 14th - four days before the 500 - NASCAR discovered an 'unknown foreign substance' in the intake manifold of the No. 55 Toyota.

Series officials impounded the car and disallowed Waltrip's qualifying time. Crew chief David Hyder and competition director Bobby Kennedy were ejected from the track and a massive penalty was levied against the new team - a $100,000 fine and the loss of 100 driver and owner points.

Despite the firestorm surrounding them, all three cars managed to make the big race, finishing 22nd, 30th, and 40th. Waltrip went into his first season as a team owner with negative 27 points.

*From missing shows to winning races*

MWR fought week-to-week to make each show during their debut season and it was an uphill battle. Waltrip DNQ'ed 19 times while Jarrett failed to make the show on 12 occasions and Reutimann eight.

Waltrip himself was the first driver to score a top ten finish, doing so twice and even taking pole position in the second Talladega race. Businessman and racing enthusiast Robert Kauffman became co-owner of the team later in the year, pumping some much-needed cash into the struggling operation.

It wasn't until 2009 when they finally reached Victory Lane in a rain-shortened Coca Cola 600, won by Reutimann. The car - commonly referred to as the 'Aaron's Dream Machine' due to the sponsorship - lived up to its moniker. MWR were finally winners. The organization also brought their weekly entries down from three to two cars for 2009.

Reutimann established himself as the team's flagship driver, consistently out-performing his teammates and in 2010, he won again. This time, rain was not a factor in his triumph at Chicagoland Raceway. Waltrip also stepped out of the fulltime driver role that year, replacing himself with Martin Truex Jr.

*Becoming a serious threat*

In 2012, MWR shifted from weekly contenders to title challengers. Clint Bowyer replaced Reutimann after leaving Richard Childress Racing and the car number was changed from the No. 00 to No. 15 with backing from 5-Hour Energy as the primary sponsor. He was teamed up with Truex in the NAPA No. 56 and both drivers earned Chase berths. The No. 55, with Aaron's sponsorship for most of the season, was also brought back as a fulltime entry. The car was shared by veteran Mark Martin and Brian Vickers.

Bowyer ended up winning three races en route to second in the championship standings, 39 points shy of the crown. And that was even after a seething Jeff Gordon took action against Bowyer in a feud that came to a fever pitch in the penultimate race of the season when Gordon deliberately wrecked Bowyer, leading to a brawl in the garage area.

MWR had surely solidified their place in NASCAR for years to come - or so we thought.

*SpinGate scandal*

2013 started as another solid year for MWR. Both Truex and Vickers captured the checkered flag during the regular season and Bowyer and Truex once again made the Chase cut. But that didn't last long...

With eight laps to go in that Richmond race, Bowyer spun and the consequent late-race caution helped Truex secure a spot in the postseason. Speculation immediately arose that the spin may have been intentional with Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggesting that it looked sketchy from his perspective, behind Bowyer.

The incident soon became headline news when suspicious radio communication from both the No. 15 and No. 55 teams caught the public's intention. The now infamous conversation between Bowyer and his crew:

Team: "(Newman) is going to win the race."

Bowyer: "Well that kind of sucks."

Team: "Is your arm starting to hurt? I bet it's hot in there ... Itch it."

Bowyer: "Oh yeah."

20 seconds later, Bowyer spun and the race was placed under caution.

NASCAR reacted in a big way, pulling Truex out of the Chase, indefinitely suspending general manager Ty Norris and fining MWR $300,000 - the highest fine issued in the history of the sport. Both drivers and teams were also docked 50 points.

Their attempted manipulation of the Chase and ending of the race had consequences going beyond NASCAR's wrath. The scandal - known as 'SpinGate' - led NAPA to cut ties with Waltrip, ending their 12-year relationship. NAPA pulling the plug was a catastrophic blow to MWR, forcing them to shut down the No. 56 car, letting both Truex and several employees go in the process.

This was the beginning of MWR's descent back down towards mediocrity. SpinGate left an indelible and eventually fatal mark on the operation. After struggling through the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Kauffman opted to withdraw his funding and look elsewhere in the NASCAR garage. Even though Bowyer was able to make the Chase, the team knew that they were ten weeks away from going under.

*One last blow*

With that in mind, the No. 15 team entered the postseason with determination to go out on a high note. However, that all came to a screeching halt after the first race of the Chase when yet another scandal rocked the ailing race team.

A P4 level infraction was discovered on the opening Chase weekend, which involved adding/manipulating components to get the track bar to move. Both Bowyer and MWR were docked 25 points while crew chief Billy Scott was suspended for three races and fined $75,000.

Bowyer was eliminated from the Chase at the conclusion of the first round, going on to finish last in the postseason standings.

In the season finale, both MWR cars were involved in the same crash early in the race, finishing 27th and 43rd in their final showing.

*A quiet end to MWR*

With all the focus on the title contenders, most didn't have time to acknowledge the end of Michael Waltrip Racing. It's almost poetic how the team that managed to make so much noise throughout their existence was able to quietly fade into the night, almost completely unnoticed.

The team's time at the Cup level is reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy. They tasted victory, they knew defeat, and endured the scorn of the same people who once admired them for what they had accomplished.

Some fans may impulsively say good riddance to MWR, but I'll simply say goodbye and good luck to their employees as they go in search for new homes. Regardless of their transgressions, you have to tip your hat to a new entry in this era of NASCAR that can enjoy the success MWR did at the Cup level.

A contingent of people will say they didn't make it, but that's not a fair assessment. They did make it, but their presence in the sport was fleeting. Less than a decade and they're gone, but unlike many failed upstart race teams with dreams of glory at the pinnacle of stock car racing, we'll always remember that Michael Waltrip Racing was here.

It's better to burn out than to fade away, right?

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...altrip-racing-s-short-but-eventful-existence/


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## Ckg2011

*Newly-Crowned Champion Kyle Busch Will Need Offseason Surgery​*
Newly crowned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch's offseason won't be filled with all celebration, it will also include follow-up surgery on his right leg and left foot.

Busch won his first series championship Sunday night by winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He missed the first 11 races of the season when he broke his right leg and left foot when he wrecked in the season-opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona. The corrective surgery at the time required the placement of rods and screws to assist in his recovery.

The upcoming surgery will be to have a rod removed from his right leg and plates and screws removed from his left foot.

"I'm trying to get them organized where I can get the doctors to do it on the same day," said Busch, who expects the surgeries to take place about two weeks following next week's Sprint Cup Awards banquet in Las Vegas.

Busch said he was told to expect about a four-week recovery period.

"Just having to re-go through the knee and to cut the knee open again in order to pull the rod out, that's going to be the most traumatic part and just having that have to heal and go back together and let the muscle get back together, and of course the tendon, as well, too," he said.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...mpion-kyle-busch-will-need-offseason-surgery/


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## Ckg2011

*Youth Movement In Trucks​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series remains to be a stepping stone for young drivers and it continued in a big way in 2015.

This season, seven races were won by teenagers, the most in series history, led by Erik Jones who not only went to Victory Lane three times, but became the youngest champion in series history at 19 years, 5 months, 21 days.

Jones took the title by 15 points over 19-year-old Tyler Reddick, who won twice, including the season opener at Daytona. The title snapped veteran Matt Crafton's run of championships at two.

"I'm 39 and the age gap has moved down and it's unbelievable," said Crafton, who won six races this year. "You stand there in the drivers' meeting and you're like, 'I'm getting old.' As long as we can go run each of them each week I don't feel a day over 20."

Johnny Sauter, 37, who went winless in 2015, snapping a six year streak of winning at least one race, echoes Crafton's comments on the youth movement in the Truck Series.

"They seem to get younger and younger," said Sauter, who will join GMS Racing in 2016. "I'm not kidding when I stand at driver introductions each week and I look around and I'm like, 'I don't even know who half these guys are.' The truck Series is a ground for young up-and-coming drivers from all various backgrounds. I think that speaks volumes for where the Truck Series is and where NASCAR is going to be five, 10, 15 years down the road."

One of those various backgrounds is dirt and open wheel sprint cars where 20-year-old Christopher Bell raced before joining the Truck Series. Bell used that experience to win the Truck Series' annual trip to Eldora Speedway in only his third career start. In 2016, Bell will race full-time with Kyle Busch Motorsports along with 18 year-old William Byron, who captured the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship. KBM will also field a third truck with 20-year-old Cody Coughlin and 23-year-old Daniel Suarez sharing the ride.

Cole Custer, who became the youngest winner in series history last season at 16 years, 7 months, 28 days, competed in 10 races this year with JR Motorsports and made another trip to Victory Lane at Gateway Motorsports Park.

John Hunter Nemechek won at Chicagoland Speedway to become the fourth youngest winner in series history at 18 years, 3 months and 8 days. He also took home the Most Popular Driver Award last week at the Awards Banquet and said the team is still seeking sponsorship for next year.

"Hopefully it will help us gain some reputation on selling some sponsorship for the seasons to come," Nemechek said. "It was a good year, getting our first win and finishing in the top five so many times. All the hard work did pay off."

Along with Jones and Reddick, Cameron Hayley, 19, was the third teenager to finish in the top 10 in the standings after recording 13 top-10 finishes.

In 2016, Reddick will move from the No. 19 to the No. 29 truck at Brad Keselowski Racing. He will be joined by 24-year-old Daniel Hemric, who will pilot the No. 19 truck.

"I definitely excited about being partnered with Cooper Standard and the 29 truck next year," said Reddick, who was the only driver running at the finish in all 23 races this season. "I'm really excited to have someone like Daniel Hemric as my teammate. He's a very smart driver, well experienced, but at the same time he's still young and he's still searching for experience like I had to these past two years. It's going to be really fun to have someone like him on the team and be able to learn a lot from him and hopefully I can give back some of that input he's looking for. I think we are going to be a great help to one another."

Jones will move up to the XFINITY Series - where he won two races in 2015 - next season to run for the championship with Joe Gibbs Racing after running 40 truck races for Kyle Busch over the past three seasons.

"I'm going to miss racing for him," Jones said. "It was a pleasure to work for and with him. It's nice to have gone through this and gotten to know him and become friends with him along the way."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rticles/2015/11/Youth-Movement-in-Trucks.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch's Painful Road To Becoming Sprint Cup Champion​*
Samantha Busch is convinced the 2015 NASCAR season is prime material for a Lifetime Channel movie script.

From the moment she failed to hear her husband Kyle's voice after his race car shot into the concrete wall at 150 miles per hour at Daytona in February to the Sprint Cup Champion's stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, it's been one hell of a year.

An unbelievable turnaround

"With a shattered left foot and a broken right leg, if you told me that Kyle would win the championship and it would be the best year ever, when it started out so terribly, I would have told you you were crazy," Samantha Busch said on Monday night as she accepted the team owner's award for NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series.

"But God puts you through hard things to bring you back better and stronger and that's what happened to us this year. It's been a storybook year. I couldn't be more proud of Kyle, our friends, family, the team. Everybody stuck by us and supported us and that's why he won the championship."



> It was by far the scariest day of my life. I was pregnant, crying and eventually kind of yelling, 'I need to see him. I need to know.'
> 
> Samantha Busch pm the day Kyle was injured


 What other athlete endured the type pain and suffering the Joe Gibbs Racing driver did as he fought through rehab and overcame an 11-race deficit to win the highest honor in his sport?

Stunning stats despite only running 25 races

In 25 Sprint Cup starts, Busch had the second-most wins (five) and the sixth-most top fives (12). His average qualifying effort of 8.2 was second only to Joey Logano (6.9). His average finish of 10.8 was only slightly higher than that of defending champion Kevin Harvick (8.7) or Logano (9.2).



> People don't see what we went through, they don't know every hour, they don't understand how hard he worked ... Trying to learn how to bend his toes, how to move his foot, how to stand up
> 
> Samantha Busch


 Based on cumulative points for the season - not recalculated under the Chase format - the driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota ranked 20th with 863 points, more than Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Casey Mears, Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Tony Stewart, all of whom ran the full season.

He scored 89 fewer points than 15th-place Aric Almirola, 76 points fewer than16th-place Kasey Kahne and trailed Clint Bowyer (17th), Kyle Larson (18th) and Greg Biffle (19th) by 28, nine and six points, respectively. All of those drivers competed in all 36 events.

So when people question whether Kyle Busch deserved a waiver from NASCAR or if a driver that ran 25 of the 36-race season deserves to win the title, it rubs Samantha the wrong way.

"First of all, it wasn't just there for Kyle, it's been used for other drivers - Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and I believe Kyle Larson," Samantha Busch said. "So, it's not like it was just wasn't invented for Kyle and this injury. So, that's just the first thing that gets me a little emotional.

"It was not a vacation"

"Secondly, I think people think, 'oh, he got to take 11 weeks off so he's more refreshed than other drivers.' Absolutely wrong. He was sitting there trying to learn how to bend his toes, how to move his foot, how to stand up out of bed. It was not a walk in the park for him. It was not a vacation. It was probably the hardest thing he ever done in his life. And not only did he do it with such determination and passion, but he came back so much earlier than anyone expected."

Samantha Busch was there throughout the entire ordeal. She ran to the infield care center at Daytona and waited - only to be sent to the local hospital where the then-27-week pregnant Busch waited another 45-minutes without receiving an update.

"It was by far the scariest day of my life," Samantha said. "I was pregnant, crying and eventually kind of yelling, 'I need to see him. I need to know.' Obviously, what happened to Kyle was serious, but I was thinking the worst.

"Finally, when I saw him - and was reassured -the first thing he asked was, 'how is the baby?' That was also on my mind. I didn't feel him kick for most of the day. They actually stuck me into the hospital about 3 a.m. and did a scan to hear the heartbeat. From there on we just faced it as an obstacle and we did it together as a team."

She was there during his initial recovery following the wreck to hand him stretch bands, bend his toes and help him move his legs. She was there - 10 days and two surgeries later - when, for the first time, Kyle attempted to stand on his broken leg, "saw stars" and fell back down in the bed. And she was there a week later when her husband of five years finally took his first steps.

Samantha transformed her living room into a hospital room. She helped her husband with his physical therapy and drove him to doctors appointments. In Kyle's first post-wreck address to the media at Joe Gibbs Racing on April 15 - and when Kyle announced he'd return a month later in the All-Star Race - she was by his side.

"People don't see what we went through, they don't know every hour, they don't understand how hard he worked," Samantha said. "I think that's why I get a little more emotional about it."

The driver received his Chase waiver on May 13. Three days later, he finished sixth in the All-Star Race. The couple welcomed son Brexton on May 18.

Getting the first win

In NASCAR's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, Busch finished 11th. He was wrecked by Brian Scott at Dover, posted his first top 10 at Pocono and lost control of the car on a wet Michigan Speedway. Feeling she needed a little back up and knowing the challenges Kyle faced on a road course, Samantha enlisted team owner Joe Gibbs to join her at the Sonoma Race.

"Kyle was running 17th and I thought, 'oh crap, I drug coach all the way out here to run 17th," Samantha said. "Then Kyle won it. It was the biggest race we were nervous about. It was going to be the most for his left foot. After that, he just had this sense in him. I think that really helped him regain his confidence that he could do anything."

And he did. After the returning to Daytona for the first time since his accident, the following week Busch won the first of three consecutive races including the Brickyard 400. Six races later, Busch qualified for the Chase. Although he didn't win until final race of the playoffs at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch was clutch when it mattered.

After the championship celebration in South Florida, Busch was whisked away to New York for his media tour. Samantha stayed behind as the sport feted Kyle Busch Motorsports' first driver's title in the truck series with Erik Jones. But she remained in constant touch with her boys - Kyle and Brexton via text.

While Samantha will enjoy the next couple of weeks as friends and family gather at the Busch home for Thanksgiving on Thursday and when the party moves to Las Vegas for the Sprint Cup banquet, she's prepared for additional surgeries ahead as Kyle has plates and screws removed from his foot and leg.

"But until those pieces are removed, he's still going to have some of that pain," Samantha said.

Baby Brexton

Samantha had surgery herself after the Kansas race (Oct. 18 ) to repair discs in her back that ruptured from lifting up Brexton. It wasn't until this past weekend that she was able to hold her baby again.

But throughout this whole crazy season, Brexton has been the brightest part of their journey.

"Just having Brexton in our lives, it's absolutely amazing," Samantha said. "Regardless if it's a good day or bad, he doesn't know and he doesn't care. He loves us unconditionally as we love him. His smile it just makes everything better.

"In Dover, when we were running third and got wrecked, I gave Kyle that speech. Brexton was half asleep in his carrier when we went to leave. Brexton looked at him and smiled - and threw up all over him. I was like, 'OK, well that didn't go according to plan. But he's awesome. And while I know he doesn't know what's going on, it will be great to tell him this story one day."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kyle-busch-s-painful-road-to-becoming-sprint-cup-champion/


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## Ckg2011

*Champion's Week Begins In Vegas​*
A busy schedule of Champion's Week activities is ready to roll in Las Vegas to officially cap the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season.

NASCAR's annual end of season celebration returns to Las Vegas again this season offering a wide array of events and happenings.

Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has been hard at work since he clinched this year's title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch has conducted numerous national and local media events across the country and made a stop on Monday to Toyota Racing Development headquarters in Costa Mesa, California before heading to Vegas.

One of Busch's first stops in Las Vegas will be with MRN's Eli Gold and Tuesday night's edition of "NASCAR Live." The show takes place at the Wynn's Race and Sports Book and will include a sit-down interview as well as a fan Q&A with this 2015 champion. (Click to Listen)

Wednesday's itinerary begins at the LINQ Promenade and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week fan experience. The ultimate fan headquarters featuring merchandise and other NASCAR-related items will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Later that afternoon is Fanfest Presented by Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A fan-favorite event, the seventh annual LVMS Fanfest will begin at 2 p.m. at the Fremont Street Experience. This event is free to the public and will consist of a red carpet walk by the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers, followed by a special "game show format" event. Select fans may be chosen to participate in an onstage game with the drivers for a chance to win two tickets to the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards held two nights later at Wynn Las Vegas.

Thursday's schedule includes the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards luncheon where several team and individual awards, including Sprint Cup Series Most Popular Driver, will be announced.

NASCAR Victory Lap Fueled by Sunoco follows as fans can catch their favorite driver during pre-race introductions hosted by FOX Sports reporter Jamie Little at 2:45 p.m. The green flag on the Victory Lap will fly at 3:30 p.m. when the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers parade down Las Vegas Boulevard in their racecars. NASCAR Victory Lap will start in front of the Miracle Mile Shops and finish at The LINQ. For a full list of where each driver will participate in burnouts, fans can visit The LINQ Promenade earlier in the week.

NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford and Sprint has become one of the week's highlights and will take place from 5 - 6:30 p.m. at The Pearl Theater inside Palms Casino Resort. All 16 Chase Challengers will appear on stage and give fans behind-the-scenes info about their lives on and off the track.

The week comes to a crescendo on Friday with the 2015 Sprint Cup Series Awards live from the Wynn Las Vegas. Actor and comedian Drew Carey will host the event with award-winning musical artists Andy Grammer, Sam Hunt, Rachel Platten and Sabrina Carpenter all performing during the show.

MRN will provide live coverage of the event beginning at 8 p.m. (ET).

It promises to be a full-filled week in "Sin City" to bring down the curtain on the 2015 NASCAR season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Champions-Week-Ready-to-Begin.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Long And Winding Road​*
Summing up the 2015 NASCAR season isn't an easy task. There were so many ups and downs that it's tough to find a word that completely sums it up.

"Bizarre" comes to mind.

Thinking back on what took place between the annual pre-season Media Tour in January and Champion's Week activities now going on in Las Vegas, so many strange occurrences took place on and off the track.

My column last week listed several controversies for which the 2015 season may best be remembered. At times, the sport was in a perpetual state of unrest and fans were divided on a regular dose of subjects.

The Sprint Cup Series didn't produce as many winners as it did in 2014 or surprise drivers in Victory Lane like Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger. Powerhouse organizations like Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports flexed their muscles while middle-tier teams fought for position in their wake.

There was, of course, a "Cinderella Story" in Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing. The one-car team - based in Denver, Colo. - morphed into one of the top teams in the garage area. Truex, who only two years earlier was fighting for his career in the wake of the Michael Waltrip Racing scandal, generated much goodwill among fans and peers.

Jeff Gordon's farewell season received much attention as the future Hall of Famer wound down his career. But Gordon was mediocre in the regular season and didn't win until the Chase race at Martinsville Speedway. That victory celebration ... with fans staying hours after the race ended to join and witness the party happening on the frontstretch of the Virginia short track ... is one of the year's most memorable moments.

The most indelible memory of 2015 was the incident between Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. While their Martinsville tangle will be used on highlight reels for years to come, there will be much more to come from the confrontation. The conflict and its aftermath will shape how both drivers are viewed for the remainder of their careers.

Based on the reaction Logano received during driver introductions in the weeks following the incident, there's a new villain in town. Kyle Busch can pass the black hat to Logano, who - for many reasons - appears to be the new object of fans' disdain.

On the other hand, Kenseth got a rousing cheer at Homestead-Miami Speedway when he returned from his two-race suspension. But there are others who now view Kenseth in a different light rather than the previous laid-back driver with a dry sense of humor. It will be interesting to see how each driver's "brand" is shaped by their fateful encounter of 2015.

The long and winding road of the NASCAR season is always full of surprises, disappointments, weirdness, controversies and celebrations. This one goes in the books with an ample supply of each.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Opinion-Long-and-Winding-Road.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Names Miller VP of Competition​*
NASCAR has named Scott Miller as its senior vice president of competition, responsible for managing all efforts related to technology, inspection, rules development and officiating.

Miller will report directly to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell and work closely with Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. All three are based at NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C.

Miller most recently served as executive vice president of competition at Michael Waltrip Racing. During his four-year tenure, MWR qualified for the post-season Chase in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

"with a wide range of racing experience, Scott will be an immediate asset to NASCAR and each of our national series," O'Donnell said. "He represents the forward-looking approach we celebrate within our competition team."

Miller has more than two decades of NASCAR experience. Before his stint at MWR, he served in competition leadership roles at Richard Childress Racing. As a crew chief, Miller enjoyed his most successful season in 2008 when he helped guide veteran Jeff Burton to two wins, seven top fives and 18 top-10 finishes en route to a sixth-place finish in the final point standings.

"I'm looking forward to using the experience I've gained working within teams in an entirely new way at NASCAR," Miller said. "Our sport has evolved quickly over the last several seasons through advanced technology and its creative application in the garage area. We will strive to continue this momentum while assuring a level playing field and competitive racing. It's a challenging opportunity and a logical next step for me."

Miller got his start in motor sports as a motorcycle racer, advancing to the national level in AMA Motocross. He made the transition to racecars in 1981 and was competing in NASCAR shortly after. In 1983, he was an owner/driver in the NASCAR Winston West Series (now K&N Pro Series West). Miller also spent five seasons in IndyCar, where he worked as a chief mechanic before moving to NASCAR in 1995.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ott-Miller-Vice-President-of-Competition.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Report: JGR Crew Chief Changes​*
Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin may have new crew chiefs next year according to a published report.

According to Motorsport.com the Joe Gibbs Racing organization will make significant changes to its Sprint Cup Series driver-crew chief line-up for the 2016 season.

The report states Dave Rogers will move from Hamlin's No. 11 team to call the shots for Edwards and the No. 19 Toyota replacing Darian Grubb.

Mike Wheeler will reportedly replace Rogers working for Hamlin while Grubb's role with the organization is still to be determined.

While JGR's Kyle Busch won the championship, the organization's other three teams including Edwards, Hamlin and Matt Kenseth all made the Chase.

Edwards moved from Roush Fenway Racing to join JGR in 2015 and won two races while Hamlin and Rogers were able to score a pair of victories as well.

There was no official word from JGR confirming the report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Report-JGR-Crew-Chief-Changes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart Files Counterclaim Against Insurance Company​*
Tony Stewart's attorney countered an insurance company's claim that its policy does not cover Stewart in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr.

Brian Gwitt, Stewart's New York-based attorney, filed the claim Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

Axis Insurance Company stated in court documents in September that it should not be held responsible for damages Stewart might have to pay the Ward family.

The family filed a lawsuit Aug. 7 against Stewart, seeking unspecified damages for the death of their 2o-year-old son.

He died Aug. 9, 2014, after he was struck by Stewart's car at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park. Ward had been racing Stewart in an Empire Super Sprints race when he crashed.

Ward exited his car and walked down the track toward oncoming traffic when he was struck by Stewart's car.

A grand jury did not indict Stewart on criminal charges. A toxicology report stated that Ward had smoked marijuana within five hours of racing.

Axis claimed in documents that clauses in its policy with Tony Stewart Racing precluded it from paying any damages.

Stewart's counterclaim states that various clauses show that Axis should be responsible for such damages.

Stewart's counterclaim states that the Liability Policy includes a segment titled "Commercial General Coverage Part" with a primary-layer coverage of $1 million "per occurrence" for claims covered under it.

That, according to Stewart's counterclaim, provides coverage for, among other things, "Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability" and "Participant Legal Liability - Motorsports."

Stewart's counterclaim states: "Under the 'Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability' Axis agrees to pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of 'bodily injury' or 'property damage.' ''

Axis stated in its court filing that its Participant Legal Liability - Motorsports section contained the following exclusion: "This insurance does not apply to claims or actions brought by one racing vehicle driver against another racing vehicle driver.''

Axis also states that its policy is limited to the events specifically listed by Tony Stewart Racing. The Empire Sprint Series event was not listed, according to Axis.

Stewart's counterclaim contends that the Axis' policy "provides Axis with the right and the duty to defend any lawsuit asserting covered liabilities.''

Stewart's filing also states that there is an Excess Policy that provides excess-layer coverage of $4 million per "occurrence" for claims covered under the form.

Stewart's counsel seeks a declaratory judgment that states Axis is "obligated" to provide coverage "to him, including both defense and indemnity in connection with the Ward action" and immediate payment for all past fees and costs incurred in the underlying litigation, and other just and proper relief.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/12/02/tony-stewart-files-counterclaim-against-insurance-company/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr.'s 2016 Axalta Paint Scheme Released​*
Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr. unveiled his #88 Axalta Chevrolet for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on Wednesday during Champion's Week in Las Vegas.

The announcement took place on the floor of The Cromwell on Las Vegas and via Hendrick Motorsports' social media account.

Axalta previously sponsored Jeff Gordon's Chevrolets and will be on Dale Jr.'s car for 13 races per year beginning in 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rdt-Jr-2016-Axalta-Paint-Scheme-Released.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*What Lies Ahead?​*
Once this year's Champion's Week ends in Las Vegas, attention will almost immediately turn to the 2016 NASCAR season.

Teams are already hard at work preparing cars for the new campaign, which kicks off at Daytona International Speedway less than three months from now. Sprint Cup Series organizations have the new low-downforce aerodynamic rules package to get their arms around before it debuts after Speedweeks, when the series visits Atlanta Motor Speedway.

But there are other items to keep an eye on as winter approaches:

*Richard Petty Motorsports Driver Lineup*
Aric Almirola will return to the No. 43 ride, but it's unknown who his teammate will be in the No. 9 Ford. Sam Hornish Jr. is not coming back, and speculation centers around David Ragan and Regan Smith as contenders to take the spot. Sponsorship is the key to how the organization will continue and it may be several more weeks before there are answers.

*Crew Chief Changes*
Several teams have already announced personnel changes with Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Kyle Larson getting new crew chiefs. Roush Fenway Racing is expected to shuffle its lineup and Joe Gibbs Racing is reportedly contemplating some moves as well.

*New Competition Director*
Scott Miller will fill the vacancy left by the departure of NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. Miller brings a long history in the sport, most recently as director of competition at Michael Waltrip Racing. He inherits the lower-downforce aerodynamic package as his first challenge to create better competition, particularly at intermediate tracks. There will be a transition period as Miller works with Sprint Cup Series Director Richard Buck as well as Wayne Auton and Elton Sawyer in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, respectively.

*More Chases Coming?*
There remains speculation that NASCAR will implement Chase-like championship formats to both the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France admitted during his year-end state-of-the-sport media session that a system similar to what's used in Sprint Cup could be utilized across NASCAR's top tiers.

"It won't be exact," France said, "but (the Chase) has been successful. Our (series sponsors) would like us to explore what's possible to have their own version of it. We've looked at that before and haven't quite found the perfect thing for each one of those divisions, but it's worth looking at."

*Sprint Cup Series Sponsor*
Next season will be the last for Sprint as sponsor of NASCAR's top division. The sanctioning body continues to speak to several companies, but there are no indications of a front-runner.

"The search is ongoing," France said. "We're being careful. It's a big, big commitment for us and a big commitment for somebody to be partners with us. It's not the normal marketing partnership so we're going to be careful to get the right partner."

*Team Equity*
According to a report by Sports Business Journal, momentum is building to create a system of team equity within NASCAR that would be in place by the start of next season. The Race Team Alliance, a group comprised of 18 Sprint Cup teams, presented a proposal to the sanctioning body and NASCAR has reportedly responded with a counter-proposal on a so-called "charter" system.

"We (hope) we can get something in place by next season," RTA Chairman Rob Kauffman told the publication. "Both sides are working hard to come up with an agreement because not doing so is not a great scenario."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/12/What-Lies-Ahead.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Myers Brothers Luncheon Honors NASCAR Award Winners​*
Champion's Week in Las Vegas continued on Thursday with the NMPA Myers Brothers Award Luncheon, the annual event to celebrate and honor winners of various NASCAR industry and sponsor awards.

Among the various awards that were presented were the event namesake's Myers Brothers Award, which recognizes individuals or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. This year's award was presented to Darlington Raceway for their efforts in successfully launching and executing Throwback Weekend for September's Bojangles' Southern 500 weekend.

Martinsville Speedway Track President Clay Campbell was presented with the Buddy Shuman Award,which is given annually to individuals that have played vital roles in the growth of professional stock car racing.

"All I can say is I'm quite honored to be among the list of recipients of this award," Campbell said. "When I was young, I remember seeing the passion people like my grandfather, Bill France Sr. and Richard Petty had for our sport. I got a lot my passion for NASCAR from them and I just hope that I have been able to share it with others."

Brett Moffitt was officially recognized as the 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Moffitt began 2015 without a full-time ride but through illnesses and injuries to various drivers, including eventual series champion Kyle Busch, Moffitt was thrust into a fill-in role with Michael Waltrip Racing and then full-time at Front Row Motorsports.

"This season for me started with just one race on the schedule," Moffitt said. "To be standing here is quite an honor. After what seemed like a round of musical chairs, I finally found a spot at Front Row Motorsports. For that, I'll forever be grateful."

Despite finishing runner-up in the series final point standings, 2014 Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick took home the bulk of the hardware during Thursday's event including the American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award, the 3M Lap Leader Award, the Duralast Brakes "Brake in the Race" Award and the Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award.

But it was Matt Kenseth, who won the Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award, that took home top prize for best quote of the afternoon and bringing a ray of light into his two-race suspension during the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"I'm really looking forward to moving up to full-time next year in the 20 car," Kenseth joked of his "limited" schedule in 2015.

Adam Stevens, rookie crew chief for Busch, also brought a laugh to the room.

"When I was a kid, all I ever wanted was to be a race car driver like my dad. That didn't really pan out. So I went to school and got an engineering degree and since then I've settled for unlicensed psychologist and part-time weatherman," Stevens joked.

Stevens was the first rookie crew chief to guide his team to a Sprint Cup Championship in over three decades.

Additional awards presented included:

Coors Light Pole Award - Joey Logano

Marketing Achievement Award - Sunoco

Inaugural Chevrolet Lifetime Achievement Award - Jeff Gordon

Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Year - Sam Vernatter (Hendrick Engines)

MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award - Greg Ives

Ingersoll Rand Power Move Award - Tony Gibson

Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award - #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Team

Sunoco Diamond Performance Award - Kyle Busch

Goodyear Series Champion Award - Kyle Busch

Champion Sponsor Award - Mars

Champion's Week in Las Vegas continues tonight with NASCAR Victory Lap and After the Lap and concludes tomorrow with the annual NASCAR Awards Ceremony. MRN will have live coverage of the NASCAR Awards Ceremony on Friday night beginning at 8:00 p.m. (ET).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ers-Luncheon-Honors-NASCAR-Award-Winners.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Darlington Raceway 2015 Myers Brothers Award Recipient​*
Darlington Raceway moved forward by going back in 2015.

NASCAR's first paved superspeedway paid homage to stock car racing's past when it launched a "throwback" campaign for this year's Bojangles' Southern 500, and the move proved to be one of the most talked about, most popular events of the year. So much so that the program has earned the track the National Motorsports Press Association's 2015 Myers Brothers Award.

"This award is rich in history. The Myers family raced in the early days and that's what we're trying to celebrate," Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said.

"It's such an honor for our little racetrack in Darlington, South Carolina to win such a huge award."

The award was presented Thursday during the annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers 2015 Awards Luncheon at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Given annually by the NMPA, the Myers Brothers Award is named in honor of former NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers. Its' purpose is to recognize individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing.

Others receiving votes for this year's award were four-time series champion Jeff Gordon and 2015 Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch.

Darlington Raceway has hosted one or more NASCAR premier series events since 1950. The Southern 500, which returned to its long-held Labor Day weekend date this past season, is considered one of the series' "crown jewel" events.

More than 30 cars in this year's 43-car field featured throwback schemes, honoring everything from long-time sponsors to drivers and popular paint schemes from the early 1970s. Several teams got in the act by wearing crew uniforms similar to those worn at the time; concession stand fare included items that were offered at the time and tickets in some sections were even priced similar to that specific time period.

Even television partner NBC got in the act, bringing back former announcers Ken Squier and two-time champion Ned Jarrett to call a portion of the race from the broadcast booth. Jarrett's son, Dale - a former series champion as well - joined his father in the booth, marking the first time the two had called a race together.

Wile said at the time that the throwback program is "a five-year platform; this isn't a one-year deal."

"The reason the throwback race was so successful was the industry and everyone getting behind the initiative," Wile said.

"We felt like if we could get eight or 10 teams on board to really showcase what we're trying to accomplish, we felt like in 2016 we could get more, in 2017 we would get more and so on," Wile said.

"But the response that we've gotten from everyone in the industry has been incredible. It was a fully integrated plan that made our event something special for the fans."

Darlington Raceway is the first track in 20 years to be presented the Myers Brothers Award.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cted-2015-Myers-Brothers-Award-recipient.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Clay Campbell Receives Buddy Shuman Award​*
Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell was honored today as the 2015 NASCAR Buddy Shuman Award recipient at the annual NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon in Las Vegas.

The award was established in 1957 and named for racing pioneer Buddy Shuman. The Buddy Shuman Award is given to annually to recognize individuals and organizations that have played vital roles in the growth of professional stock car racing. Past recipients have included Bill France Sr., Richard Petty, Ken Squier, and Rick Hendrick.

"All I can say is I am quite honored to be among the list of recipients of this award," Campbell said. "When I was young I remember seeing the passion people like my grandfather (Martinsville Speedway Founder H. Clay Earles), Bill France Sr. and Richard Petty had for our sport. I got a lot of my passion for NASCAR from them and I just hope that I have been able to share it with others."

Starting at a young age, Campbell could often be found at the speedway following in his grandfather's footsteps. When he graduated high school he started working full-time at the track and was named track president in 1988.

Martinsville Speedway was founded in 1947 and is the only remaining track from NASCAR's original schedule.

"Nearly 70 years since its founding, Martinsville remains a cornerstone of Cup racing, an impressive feat that is largely due to Clay Campbell's visionary leadership and relentless focus on the fan experience," said Michael Proud, director of marketing, North America, Federal-Mogul Motorparts, the award sponsor. "We are proud to celebrate his significant contributions to our sport through this prestigious award."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...lay-Campbell-Receives-Buddy-Shuman-Award.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*GMS Racing Confirms Truck Series Roster​*
GMS Racing will field three full-time entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016, with ARCA Racing Series champion Grant Enfinger moving up to join Spencer Gallagher new GMS Racing addition Johnny Sauter next year.

In addition, the team has hired crew chiefs Marcus Richmond and Jeff Hensley to help lead the team.

Richmond will serve as crew chief for Sauter, while Hensley will help with the development of Gallagher in his second full-time NCWTS season. Gallagher's former crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz will return to GMS Racing as crew chief for Enfinger, who will pilot a third GMS Racing Truck Series entry.

"I can't explain how excited I am for the 2016 season and to get to work with Johnny Sauter and the rest of the GMS Racing team. This is a strong organization that has the ability to compete for a title," said Richmond, who joins GMS Racing after spending the previous two seasons at Red Horse Racing as crew chief for Timothy Peters.He contributes 10 years of experience as crew chief, including eight wins over 198 races.

"I look forward to working with Jeff Hensley and Jeff Stankiewicz and building off of the experience we all have. We have three drivers that will be able to learn a lot from each other and contribute to the overall success of GMS Racing," said Richmond.

Hensley's crew chief experience spans 12 seasons and 283 races, 13 of which resulted in victories, and most recently served as crew chief at ThorSport Racing with drivers Johnny Sauter and Cameron Hayley. The Ridgeway, Va., native also spent 15 years as crew chief in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (427 races, 11 wins), following a four-year driving career.

"The chance to come aboard at GMS Racing is a great opportunity for me in 2016. I've been fortunate to work with a lot of great drivers and teams in this series, and to be a part of GMS Racing's growth is exciting. I'm looking forward to working with Spencer," says Hensley. "He's a kid with raw speed, and with a year under his belt, I think we can contend for race wins next season and make him a weekly contender. We have the tools here at GMS Racing to put a successful season together and be a contending team on a weekly basis."

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship duo from 2015 will be kept intact as Stankiewicz and Enfinger attempt to claim the Truck Series championship in 2016.

"GMS Racing has put together a great lineup for 2016," said Stankiewicz. "I'm happy that Grant Enfinger will have the opportunity to show his talent in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He's incredibly focused and such a hard worker, and having teammates that can provide guidance and support will help him develop into an even better driver. With Johnny Sauter joining the team, he knows what it takes to win and will contribute a great deal to the development of our program. We had a solid 2015 with strong finishes, a couple of pole awards and a win. It's time for us to build on that and we'll be able to do so with the help of Marcus (Richmond) and Jeff (Hensley)."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ucks/gms-racing-confirms-truck-series-roster/


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## Ckg2011

*Eldora Drops Use Of Mudsummer Classic​*
The annual NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway will need a new name.

Eldora Speedway has reached an agreement with Major League Baseball Properties Inc. to end Eldora's use of "Mudsummer Classic" and "Mud Summer Classic" as the name of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

"We hope all of the baseball fans who traveled to Rossburg, Ohio the past three years in anticipation of the MLB All-Star Game enjoyed the race and the $2 beers," said Eldora Speedway General Manager Roger Slack.

The fourth edition of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is set for Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/eldora-drops-use-of-mudsummer-classic/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Vilarino Savors Third Euro Championship​*
After a heartbreaking loss by a single point in 2014, Ander Vilarino came straight back to the top of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2015 to become a three-time series champion.

With three wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s at the end of a season, Vilarino was the star of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2015.

"I'm happy, really happy. It feels great to be able to celebrate again with my wife, my children and my team. This title is the best of the three for me, especially because of the way we lost last year, by such a little margin and with some bad luck during the season. To lose that way is difficult to accept," said Vilarino. "The most important thing to me was to win the championship back and this season has been psychologically exhausting but very exciting, especially for the fierce battle between a group of expert drivers like me, Anthony Kumpen, Frederic Gabillon, my teammate Romain Iannetta, Bert Longin and some young talents like Eddie Cheever III, Nicolò Rocca and Alon Day."

Family always played a fundamental role in the Vilarino's career and even more this time, with all the energies and the focus needed to regain the title.

"All my family always supported me. My wife Irune is definitely the most important person for me. She understands what racing means, how much you have to train and all the mental strength it takes, and having her and our children with me was really special. I hope they will remember these moments as fondly as I remember being with my father when he was racing."

Looking only at the 35-point margin Vilarino ended up with on second-placed Rookie Of The Year Alon Day - the widest in the Spaniard's career - 2015 may appear to have been an easy task, but it was everything but easy until the final race of the season, as six different drivers won at least once and the Hondarribia-native had to face a plethora of rivals along the way.

What Vilarino appreciated most though, was the fairness of this "battle of generations" and the mutual respect between all the drivers involved.

"It was a season to remember for the on-track battles. All the contenders were very fast, my teammate did an outstanding job too, but at the same time we were all very respectful and I can honestly say that winning a title against these drivers makes it even more special."

Vilarino started strong with a win in the opening weekend in Valencia that granted him an early points lead. The Spaniard kept posting strong results, proving to be the most consistent driver in the field and adding more records to his already exceptional resume.

He won again, for the fifth time and for the fourth consecutive year, at Brands Hatch and for the second time at the Tours Speedway, bringing his career total up to 20 - Vilarino is the all-time NWES winningest driver - and entering the playoffs with 29 points on Cheever.

"All this stats are great, but what matters most is to be competitive. The numbers we put up mean that we're fast and we can compete for the win in each race and that's what you want to know when the season starts,"

continued Vilarino. "I don't think about the numbers very much, but there are tracks I really love to win on, like Valencia, where I won the most races in my career in many different cars, and Brands Hatch, which hosts what I think is the best event in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series calendar, an amazing weekend."

It was in the Italian Semi Finals that Vilarino lived the most difficult moment of his season. As Nicolò Rocca emerged as his main rival for the title, Vilarino went off the damp track at the second corner, jeopardizing his chances, but he was able to rejoin and finish fifth, preserving his lead. Less than one month later in Zolder, he sneaked past a spectacular crash on Saturday, while Rocca had to retire, handing him an easier race on Sunday, with some time to think about the third ring.

"With double points in the last four races, you cannot make any mistake. We were fast, consistent, strong all season long, but also a little lucky. The luck we didn't have in the 2014, we got it back in 2015," concluded Vilarino, who is now a veteran of the end-of-the-season celebrations and is savoring his third title before focusing on the next season. "It will be a huge honor to have my car in the NASCAR Hall Of Fame and my name in the Whelen Hall Of Champions once again. For sure I'll try to win the kart race and I have a couple of funny stories I'm keeping for my speech at banquet. We'll have fun."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/vilarino-savors-third-euro-championship/


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Most Popular ... Again​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. collected his 13th consecutive NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver Award on Friday during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards held at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Earnhardt is the only driver to win the award since 16-time winner Bill Elliott was named the 2002 recipient. Earnhardt was awarded the trophy and the National Motorsports Press Association will donate $10,000 in his name to the charity of his choice.

NASCAR fans cast 410,000 votes during an 11-week window that ended with the Sprint Cup Series finale last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The fan-driven contest is the only major award in NASCAR determined solely by race fans.

"NASCAR fans are the greatest in all of sports," said NMPA President and Motor Racing Network producer Brian Nelson. "I'm delighted that Sprint and the NMPA have given them an opportunity to voice their support. The fans spoke loud and clear, and it's obvious they support Dale Jr."

Voting totals increased 14 percent over 2014 in spite of a shorter voting window and more than 40 Sprint Cup Series drivers received one or more votes this season.

"It's our duty as an organization to provide NASCAR fans with the best possible platform in which to participate and to provide them with the best possible experience," said Nelson.

The award is sponsored by Sprint, entitlement sponsor and official wireless partner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Most-Popular-Again.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Honors Busch And Gordon​*
Friday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards gala at the Wynn Las Vegas honored series champion Kyle Busch for one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of professional sports.

But Busch, car owner Joe Gibbs and champion crew chief Adam Stevens had to share the stage and the limelight with retiring four-time champion Jeff Gordon, who bade a tearful farewell after 23 full-time seasons and 797 consecutive races in NASCAR's premier series - complete with a surprise introduction by mega movie star Tom Cruise.

The awards banquet capped an extraordinary year for Busch, who missed the first 11 events of the season after breaking his right leg and left foot when his No. 54 Toyota plowed into a concrete wall inside Turn 1 at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener.

Against all odds, Busch returned to action at Charlotte in May and proceeded to win five of the final 25 races, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the event that made him a champion.

"We've all heard the old saying 'Break a leg!' which means, you're wishing someone good luck in show biz," Busch said. "Well, as I stand here today and think about how lucky I am, I can say without a doubt, that breaking a leg AND a foot works just as good in racing.

"One day, I went from being able to win races, to the next where I was just thinking about how I was going to be able to walk into the delivery room with (wife) Samantha to be a part of the birth of our son Brexton. I can't thank Dr. Todd McCall and Dr. Bob Anderson for putting me back together as well as they did. Anyone looking to have leg or foot surgery, just ask for the Kyle Busch special."

The surgery and extensive rehabilitation paid off, as Busch was able to hold off defending series champion Kevin Harvick in the Championship Round race at Homestead.

Cruise, who played California driver Cole Trickle in the movie "Days of Thunder" (an interloper much as Vallejo, California native Gordon was when he came to stock car racing in the early 1990s), summed up Gordon's stature as a champion driver and a statesman for the sport in one sentence.

"He felt as comfortable discussing a championship with George Bush as he did breaking down a Homestead race with Kyle Busch," said Cruise, who went on to introduce Gordon as "my friend, the four-time champion, the legend - Jeff Gordon."

After Cruise's appearance came another surprise. NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France conferred the seldom given Bill France Award on the retiring champion, an recognition that had not been presented since Gordon's car owner, Rick Hendrick, was honored in 2009.

"You're the very definition of a champion, and quite simply, you changed the sport for the better," France said.

Indeed, Gordon's most emotional moment during a heartfelt speech came when he choked back tears while thanking Rick and Linda Hendrick for hiring him in the first place.

"Rick and Linda Hendrick, thank you so much for choosing me to be your driver," said Gordon, who finished third in the championship standings. "I'm so proud to say I only drove for one car owner - and the best car owner - my entire Sprint Cup career."

Fourth-place finisher Martin Truex Jr. provided another emotional moment when he spoke of long-time partner Sherry Pollex's battle against ovarian cancer.

"I'd like to thank Sharon, Sherry's mom, and her family for their incredible support throughout Sherry's battle," Truex said. "Sherry, I can't thank you enough for being in my life, you're a true inspiration and I love you very much."

*Note:* Jeff Hanson, diagnosed at age 12 with optic glioma, was the recipient of The NASCAR Foundation's Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide for his fundraising efforts, which have netted more than $250,000 for the Children's Tumor Foundation and more than $1.3 million for charities worldwide.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...tar-Jeff-Gordon-in-emotional-awards-gala.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Two Steps Forward, One Back​*
A number of Sprint Cup Series drivers made tremendous progress in 2015 while others saw their performance fall off.

*FORWARD​*
*Martin Truex Jr.*
He and Furniture Row Racing had the greatest improvement this season, by far. In 2014, all Truex could muster was one top five and five top-10 finishes en route to 24th place in the final standings. Truex obliterated those numbers this season, finishing inside the top five eight times and knocking down a whopping 22 top-10 finishes. He won the June race at Pocono to qualify for the Chase and earned a spot in The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing fourth in the standings.

*Joey Logano*
It's not like 2014 was a bad season for Logano. But 2015 was what everyone expected from the Team Penske driver since he came into the sport as a "can't-miss" prospect. Logano started the year by winning the Daytona 500 and scored five more victories to lead the Sprint Cup Series. His total of 22 top-five finishes was second only to Kevin Harvick's 23 and although Logano's championship hopes were thwarted when he was intentionally wrecked by Matt Kenseth at Martinsville Speedway, he established himself as a perennial title contender.

*Carl Edwards*
The move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing provided immediate benefits for Edwards, who made the Chase and went deep into the post-season. Edwards won twice but seemed to get better as the year went on, certainly after his Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte in May. Rumors of crew chief Darian Grubb being replaced are puzzling because on the surface, it appeared that the duo was becoming a potent combination.

*REVERSE​*
*Kyle Larson*
Great things were predicted for Larson on the heels of his stellar Rookie of the Year performance in 2014. But after getting off to a slow start that included missing a race at Martinsville when he fainted the day before, Larson failed to put together the complete year most expected of him. Although there were signs of improved performance in the closing weeks of the campaign, it appeared that Larson was indeed the victim of the dreaded "sophomore slump."

*Kasey Kahne*
The Hendrick Motorsports driver went down to the wire to make the Chase in 2014, winning in Atlanta on Labor Day weekend. Things didn't go nearly as well this season, with new crew chief Keith Rodden and Kahne struggling through a frustrating first year together. Kahne went winless while watching his three Hendrick teammates - Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. - make the post-season Chase. Kahne finished 18th in the final standings with only three top-five finishes.

*Tony Stewart*
It's hard to fathom Stewart having a worse year, performance-wise, in 2015 than he did in 2014. But that's exactly what happened. "Smoke" did not have a single top-five finish all season and was rarely running at the front of the field. Stewart ended up 28th in the final standings, four spots behind teammate Danica Patrick. Now, he gets ready for a farewell season in 2016 in hopes of finding a way back to the competitive days of old.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2015/12/Two-Steps-Forward-One-Back.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Next Championship Contenders​*
Now that Kyle Busch has scored his first career Sprint Cup championship, Pete Pistone takes a look at the drivers that have the best chance to repeat the accomplishment next.

*Joey Logano* 
The Team Penske driver made huge strides this season to become a weekly player for wins. He led the series with six trips to Victory Lane and had the look of a championship contender until his fateful incident with Matt Kenseth at Martinsville ended those title aspirations. But Logano and crew chief Todd Gordon should return with a vengeance in 2016 and if they needed any additional motivation to win the crown the duo most definitely has it from what might have been this year.

*Martin Truex Jr.* 
One thing Truex Jr. won't have going for him next season is the element of surprise. After the way the Furniture Row racing driver performed in 2015, Truex Jr. has put himself into the conversation of elite drivers. The team changes from Chevrolet to Toyota next season and an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, which should make an already potent organization even stronger. Look for Truex Jr. to continue his ascension to the upper echelon of the sport.

*Carl Edwards*
His first year at Joe Gibbs Racing resulted in a pair of victories and a Chase appearance. Edwards should not miss a beat in year two with JGR, although a crew chief change would be a challenge if indeed the speculation of Darian Grubb's departure comes true. But Edwards is with arguably the strongest team in the series right now and has the resources at his disposal along with his talent to make a serious run for the Sprint Cup title in 2016.

*Dale Earnhardt Jr.* 
The window of opportunity for Earnhardt Jr. to win championship number one is closing to be sure. But there doesn't appear to be any reason to believe he'll slow down next year after putting together a stellar season with new crew chief Greg Ives replacing Steve Letarte. Earnhardt Jr. won three times this year with two coming at restrictor plate races in Talladega and Daytona. The key will be eliminating the bad finishes that count the most when the Chase rolls around for Junior to have a legitimate shot at the crown.

*Denny Hamlin* 
Like his JGR teammate Edwards there's a chance Hamlin will also have a new crew chief in 2016 if rumors of Dave Rogers replacing Darian Grubb on the No. 19 team come to fruition. Crew chiefs aside, Hamlin continues to be one of those hit and miss drivers that can be so good one week and so off the next. Injuries and physical well being will always be part of the Hamlin story every year given his past history but if he can put a year together without maladies and find a more consistent flow of finishes, Coach Joe Gibbs might have a chance to celebrate two straight seasons of Sprint Cup Series championships.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/12/Next-Championship-Contenders.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pinty's To Sponsor NASCAR Canadian Tour​*
NASCAR in Canada has a new name and entitlement sponsor - one that's familiar to race fans across the country.

NASCAR and Pinty's Delicious Foods Inc. announced Monday a six-year series entitlement sponsorship agreement of NASCAR's Canadian-based series. Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the series will be known as the NASCAR Pinty's Series.

In addition, NASCAR announced a three-year deal for the NASCAR Pinty's Series to run as part of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend.

The series will headline racing activity at Exhibition Place on Saturday, July 16 as part of the event's 30th weekend.

Pinty's (Pin-tees), founded in 1943, produces and provides a complete range of premium quality fresh and frozen chicken products to the retail and food service industry throughout Canada. Pinty's has been a contingency sponsor of the series since 2012.

"NASCAR is a global entity and we couldn't be more excited to continue to grow this important series with the help of our new entitlement partner, Pinty's," said George Silbermann, Vice President, Regional and Touring Series, NASCAR.

"The NASCAR Pinty's Series is the premier motorsports property in Canada, characterized by the unparalleled competition that defines NASCAR racing."

Recognizing the tremendous value of sponsorship and activation at the touring series level, Pinty's expanded its investment to become the entitlement sponsor and a NASCAR Official Partner.

Pinty's progression is similar to K&N Filters and Whelen Engineering, which entered the sport as contingency sponsors and elevated their participation to series entitlement.

"NASCAR and Pinty's share a common goal of delivering the highest quality product to their loyal and passionate fans," said Tony Spiteri, Pinty's Senior Vice President, Marketing, Research & Development. "Taking our involvement with NASCAR to the next level with this unique naming rights opportunity will further elevate the series and help make it more exciting and engaging for fans."

The 2016 NASCAR Pinty's Series season will take the green flag on the traditional Victoria Day weekend, on Sunday, May 22 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, outside of Toronto. The summer return to the Honda Indy Toronto will be run with IndyCar Series.

The NASCAR Pinty's Series raced Toronto in 2010 and 2011, with Andrew Ranger winning both races.

The complete schedule for 2016 will be announced at a later date.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/pintys-to-sponsor-nascar-canadian-tour/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Debuts Whelen Euro Ford Mustang​*
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series has unveiled the new Ford Mustang at a development session at Fontenay Le Comte, France, where the new 2016 race package was put to the test.

Bold, aggressive and fascinating, the Ford Mustang features strong visual ties with its production counterpart, which made its European in 2015 and represents the perfect match for the Chevrolet SS the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series presented at the Circuit Zolder Finals in October.

The "Next Level" 2016 package, including improved aerodynamics, brakes, suspensions, Dexwet air filter and safety, designed to increase performances and the car's already unmatched cost effectiveness, provided highly positive results, with an average gain of 0.7 seconds per kilometer on the previous configuration.

"Everybody is very excited with the new 2016 cars. They really look amazing and I'm proud of the job done by our organization and our friends at NASCAR USA. This new package also deliver great gains in performances and drivability," said Jerome Galpin, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series President and CEO.

The next public NASCAR Whelen Euro Series test session will take place once again at Fontenay Le Comte on Jan. 15.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/touring-series/nascar-debuts-whelen-euro-ford-mustang/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Snowball Derby Shocker: Chase Elliott Wins After Christopher Bell DQ'd​*
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Christopher Bell's victory in the 48th annual Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Fla., lasted less than 30 minutes.

After taking the checkered flag, Bell, 21, was disqualified after post-race technical inspection at Five Flags Speedway found his Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota over the limit of left-side weight.

As a result, runner-up Chase Elliott - who will replace Jeff Gordon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2016 - was awarded the victory in the 300-lap Super Late Model race on the half-mile asphalt track. It was Elliott's second Snowball triumph, having also won there in 2011.

Zane Smith finished second, followed by Ty Majewski, Dalton Sargeant and Bubba Pollard.

According to Speed51.com, the left-side weight ratio is capped at 58 percent. The left-side weight ratio of Bell's car was measured at 58.3 percent.

"I have no idea, I really don't," Bell told Speed51.com. "KBM built a great race car and it was fast. I crossed the finish line first."








Bell's crew chief Chris Gabehart told Speed51.com that the build up on the left side tires from the victory lap possibly contributed to the weight issue.

It is the fourth time in the last 10 years that the Derby winner has been disqualified.

Elliott can probably feel for Bell, as he went through a similar situation in the 2013 Derby. Elliott took the checkered flag first but was disqualified in post-race inspection.

The win that year then went to Kyle Busch Motorsports driver and 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champ Erik Jones, who also won the 2012 Derby.

Team owner and 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup champ Kyle Busch was not happy with the turn of events, tweeting:















It was the second disqualification of the weekend for Bell, who competed in seven Truck races for Kyle Busch Motorsports this past season, including winning at Eldora Speedway.

Bell, 21, had his top qualifying effort on Friday disqualified in inspection afterward. He had to start Saturday's 50-lap "last-chance" qualifying race to regain a spot in the Derby, and did it in convincing fashion. Starting from the back of the 27-car pack, he won to move on to Sunday's main event.

Bell led an event-high 91 laps, taking the lead the first time on Lap 201 and regained it from defending Snowball Derby champ John Hunter Nemechek on Lap 283, holding on for the final 17 laps to take the checkered flag.

Nemechek, who captured Saturday night's Snowflake 100, had a good chance to repeat in Sunday's event. But with 25 laps to go, Nemechek's Chevrolet began to show smoke from what appeared to be a tire rub that led to a flat right front.

He brought his car to pit road with five laps remaining - spinning in the process - only to see his car erupt into flames. Nemechek scrambled from the burning ride and was uninjured. Nemechek finished 21st in the 37-car field.

*OFFICIAL Snowball Derby Results​*














*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/12...istopher-bell-dqd/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Clint Bowyer​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ts.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&YearID=44&DriverID=1214

Although he made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and finished 16th in the final standings, Clint Bowyer had one of his worst seasons statistically since becoming a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver in 2006.

It was a season of ups-and-downs for Bowyer, who found out he would be ending his tenure with Michael Waltrip Racing at the conclusion of the year when the team announced in August it would be closing its doors. He made it into the Chase for the third time with MWR as the 16th seed and ended in the same spot after going winless for the third consecutive season.

"Knowing that the end was near it was important to make the Chase to celebrate this event, this night, one last time with that group," Bowyer said on stage at the Sprint Cup Awards Banquet. "I'm so thankful for the opportunity and I enjoyed it."

Bowyer earned 12 top-10 finishes in 2015, but only two of them were top fives, which marked his lowest season total in his career. He started the Chase with a 19th-place finish at Chicagoland, but was quickly moved to the basement in points after the team was handed a P4 penalty for an infraction that occurred in opening-day inspection. After losing the appeal, Bowyer was ultimately knocked out of the Challenger Round with finishes of 26th and 14th at New Hampshire and Dover, respectively.

The fall race at Talladega Superspeedway marked Bowyer's only top 10 in the Chase. Three of the post-season races resulted in DNFs for Bowyer, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he was looking to end on a strong note for MWR.

"I was coming off of (turn) 2 there and Ty (Dillon) kind of got squirrely and I tried to stay off of him and my car got loose and I just couldn't catch it," Bowyer said after climbing out of a MWR car for the final time. "I don't know, we just lost the handling on our car big time there. Unfortunately ended - you hate to end this way. Appreciate all of their hard work and efforts all these years but unfortunately it's over."

During his time with MWR, Bowyer earned three wins, 27 top fives and 69 top 10s. He finished a career-best second in the standings in his first season with the team in 2012.

Bowyer will now head to HScott Motorsports in 2016 and then will transition to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart, who will retire from driving the No. 14 Chevrolet at the conclusion of next season.

"I'm looking forward to going with a new environment, new world with Harry Scott Motorsports," Bowyer said. "When I look at the future it just keeps getting better and better."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/12/Clint-Bowyer-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Not So Memorable Moments​*
There are a number of subjects from the 2015 season that can be left behind when the new year begins.

While this past campaign had a number of memorable moments and indelible images, here are a few I'd rather not have to revisit anytime soon.

*Restarts* 
For weeks on end the sport was embroiled in controversy over restarts and how they were officiated. While there have been a few instances in recent season where the topic took center stage from time to time, things went on hyper drive this year. It started in late summer when several drivers questioned others getting a jump on restarts and not being penalized by NASCAR. Matt Kenseth appeared to really pull ahead of Joey Logano on a late restart at the Richmond regular season finale causing team owner Roger Penske to make some pointed calls about officiating. The sanctioning body responded by adding additional resources to restart rulings in the way of officials and cameras. Ironically, Penske driver Brad Keselowski was the first to be black flagged for jumping a restart at New Hampshire, a turn of events that triggered another huge debate. NASCAR doubled the size of the restart zone in the aftermath and it appeared in the closing weeks of the year the issue had at least settled down if it hadn't completely disappeared.

*Kenseth vs. Logano* 
Of course Kenseth was in the middle of the year's biggest story with Logano that started at Kansas in the Chase and carried into Martinsville. Kenseth's retaliation of Logano cost the Joe Gibbs Racing driver a two-race suspension while Logano's hope for a championship was wiped out by the purposeful crash. Although there have been meetings between the two drivers and NASCAR and the situation has appeared to mellow, it's hard to imagine these two drivers having anywhere near the relationship they had prior to the incident. Logano has taken on the role of villain in many fans' eyes while Kenseth continues to talk about his stance and why he did what he did. Because it always seems to work out this way you can guarantee at some point the two will find themselves racing closely with one another at next year's Daytona 500.

*Weather Delays* 
I've been around this sport my entire life and worked in it professionally for more than 20 years. This year saw more weather issues, postponements and reschedules than all of those previous seasons combined. It seemed like on a weekly basis no matter what part of the country the NASCAR caravan rolled into Mother Nature would respond with rain. She was an equal opportunity fly in the ointment because the Sprint Cup, XFINITY Series and Truck Series all suffered her wrath in 2015. If there was one silver lining to the challenges from the weather it was the Air Titan 2.0, which helped tremendously getting tracks back to racing conditions and in some cases saved a race from having to be completely postponed to the next day.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/12/Not-So-Memorable-Moments.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brian Scott To Reportedly Drive For Richard Petty Motorsports In 2016​*
Richard Petty Motorsports has reportedly found the successor to Sam Hornish Jr.

According to Motorsport.com, Brian Scott is set to be teammates with Aric Almirola in 2016. RPM issued a release Wednesday morning for a driver announcement for Friday. No driver was identified in the release.

Scott has driven full-time in the Xfinity Series since 2010. In 208 career Xfinity Series starts he has 20 top-five finishes and 77 top 10s. He's finished in the top 10 of the Xfinity standings in each of the past five seasons. He finished 8th in 2015 and had six top-five finishes and 18 top 10s.

He drove in 10 Cup Series races in 2015. His highest finish was 12th at Kansas in the fall. He drove a fourth car for Richard Childress Racing in those four races; RCR was his team in the Xfinity Series.

Scott has been sponsored by his father's Shore Lodge resort in Idaho. While other drivers, notably Chris Buescher and David Ragan, were considered to be candidates for Hornish's No. 9 because they have Ford ties, Scott has one thing they didn't have. Sponsorship. RPM pieced together sponsors for part of the 2015 season for Hornish's car.

Per Sports Business Journal, Scott will be sponsored by Albertson's, a grocery chain his family is associated with.








Hornish finished 26th in the 2015 standings.

*Source:*
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...hard-petty-motorsports-in-2016-152003259.html


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Matt Kenseth​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ubSeriesID=1&q=Matt+Kenseth|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Matt Kenseth won five races during the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season and was a favorite to win the championship as the series hit the Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup in October. But in the closing laps of the fall race at Kansas Speedway everything fell apart for the 2003 Cup Series Champion.

While battling with Joey Logano for the win at Kansas to propel Kenseth into the Eliminator Round of the Chase, Logano spun Kenseth out in the closing laps of the race, ruining his shot for the victory. The following week at Talladega Superspeedway, Kenseth was unable to make up enough points to advance and his chance to win the championship was over.

The week after Talladega in the first race of the Eliminator Round, Kenseth intentionally wrecked Logano at Martinsville Speedway while Logano was leading and Kenseth was multiple laps down. NASCAR suspended Kenseth for two races and the fan base was instantly divided depending on your approval or disapproval of Kenseth's actions. The incident was one of the biggest stories of the season and is still being discussed weeks after the season ended.

But as much as some want to look at the final month of the season and the controversy surrounding the Kenseth/Logano feud, the 2015 season for Kenseth was actually one of his best in recent years.

Kenseth's season started off with a 35th-place finish in the Daytona 500, but he quickly rebounded with a fifth-place run the following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He broke into Victory Lane in the rain plagued spring race at Bristol in April, ending a winless drought that dated back to the fall New Hampshire race of 2013. He battled various issues through the late spring and early summer but was still in contention to earn a Chase berth from his Bristol win.

Kenseth, along with all of Joe Gibbs Racing, then went on a tear starting with the July race at Kentucky Speedway. Kenseth would finish in the top 10 in 10 of the next 12 races and go to Victory Lane four times. He stole a win at Pocono in August on fuel mileage, dominated the August race at Michigan under the high-drag rules package, and then picked up wins at Richmond and New Hampshire in September.

Going into the Contender Round of the Chase, Kenseth was the favorite for the title. He had just wrapped up the opening Challenger Round with finishes of fifth, first and seventh and was poised to continue that streak.

After starting from the pole at Charlotte, Kenseth led 78 laps but finished 42nd after sustaining damage from multiple on-track accidents. Kenseth knew leaving Charlotte that he had to win at Kansas to advance to the Eliminator Round given the unpredictability of Talladega in the round cutoff race.

"We've had really fast race cars. Even when we've been off a little bit, the guys have been figuring out how to get the finishes and get some wins," Kenseth said following the Charlotte race. "We'll just go there (Kansas) and race as hard as we can and whatever happens happens. We'll do the same at Talladega."

The Kansas bump by Logano sent Kenseth from potentially winning, to a 14th-place finish instead, setting up the need for Kenseth to win at Talladega to advance. Instead, he struggled to stay near the front, only led once for three laps, and was caught up in an accident during the lone green-white-checkered restart, finishing 26th. His title hopes were done and although Logano wasn't responsible for either the Charlotte or Talladega wrecks, Kenseth threatened revenge.

"Tell that 22 (Joey Logano) I'm going to knock him out after the race," Kenseth said on his in-car radio during the Talladega race.

The following week at Martinsville he got that knock-out punch on Logano on the track and then two days later NASCAR finished the fight by suspending Kenseth for two races (Texas and Phoenix.) He returned to competition in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and quietly finished seventh to end his up-and-down season.

Kenseth led the series standings for three weeks during the Chase and led nearly 1,000 laps on the season. He also captured four poles and won the non-points Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway in February.

To say that the controversy is the biggest takeaway of the season for Kenseth may be somewhat truthful, but 2015 was successful on many fronts. Kenseth, along with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin, were the class of the field for the second half of the season and combined to win 14 races and Busch won the Sprint Cup Championship. With the new low-downforce rules package being the norm in 2016, all signs point to Kenseth and all of Joe Gibbs Racing as being early favorites to contend for the title again next season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/12/Matt-Kenseth-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Paul Menard​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SubSeriesID=1&q=Paul+Menard|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Paul Menard made his first appearance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and finished 14th in the final point standings.

The Richard Childress Racing driver put together an impressive season and used consistent finishes as a means of making the Chase. Menard tallied a pair of top fives and five top-10 finishes.

"We had a solid year," he said. "There were some races where I think we could have been better and others where we didn't have the best car but made things work to come home with a good finish. I'm proud of our team's effort."

Menard worked with crew chief Justin Alexander for the full season after they were paired for the final five races of 2014. They saw chemistry build the longer they were together.

"He impressed me with how he handled himself and his knowledge of cars," Menard said. "What's nice about Justin's engineering mentality is that it's 'yes or no,' so you get to the point quickly. We don't mince words."

Alexander saw the communication between the two as a strong suit for their run to make the Chase.

"There's a trust we have with each other," Alexander said. "Hanging out and being friends away from the racetrack strengthens that bond and carries over into race weekend."

Although Menard was consistent throughout the regular season, there were nervous times in the final race at Richmond International Raceway. He had his eyes on drivers outside the final transfer position who were trying to race their way into the "playoff" field - like Aric Almirola, who made a last-ditch effort to get in with what turned out to be a top-five finish but fell short.

That surge from the Richard Petty Motorsports driver forced Menard and Alexander to alter their game plan.

"We were worried that Almirola was coming so at the end of the race, we waved around on old tires and it backfired on us," Menard said. "But as long as Aric didn't win the race, I knew we were going to be OK. Half of me was mad that we didn't run well and then it set in that we were in the Chase and it was a whole new ballgame."

While Menard's hope of going deep into the post-season fell short, he's still encouraged by what transpired this season. He and Alexander are set to return in 2016 and build on that foundation.

"Since 2011, we were in position to make the Chase," Menard said. "This year, there was a lot more consistency. We minimized mistakes. I'm looking forward to 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/12/Paul-Menard-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Room For Improvement​*
A number of Sprint Cup Series drivers will need to step up their performances in 2016, including the following five:

*Tony Stewart*
He'll get the farewell treatment that was bestowed upon Jeff Gordon this year as Stewart embarks on his final season as a driver. But for Stewart to come anywhere near the performance Gordon turned in during, there'll need to be huge gains in the off-season. Stewart finished a dismal 28th in the final standings and could only muster three top-five finishes. He made no bones about his dislike for the 2015 rules package and the reduction in horsepower. Stewart fans are hoping next year's low-downforce package will be more suitable to their favorite driver's style and he can be more competitive.

*Kyle Larson*
The second Sprint Cup season for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver was a pale imitation of his rookie campaign. Larson missed a race at Martinsville Speedway early in the year when he fainted the day before, a snapshot of his season that was a huge struggle. He showed some improvement at the end of the season, but 19th in points with only two top-five finishes wasn't what most expected.

*Danica Patrick*
She will begin her fourth full season in Sprint Cup in 2016, still seeking her first top-five finish after 118 starts. Patrick comes off a 2015 campaign that was short on highlights and ended with an average finish of 22.4. She remains a marketing machine. It didn't take long for Stewart-Haas Racing to replace GoDaddy.com as a primary sponsor when the company decided to leave the sport. But the polarizing Patrick will continue to draw criticism from detractors should the coming year result in another sub-par performance.

*Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
Roush Fenway Racing continues to search for answers as to why it continues to lag competitively. Stenhouse has not come close to fulfilling the promise he had as a two-time XFINITY Series champion since his move to Sprint Cup two years ago. The 2015 campaign saw Stenhouse finish 25th in the standings with just one top-five finish to his credit. He enters Year-3 with serious questions about his future in the series if serious improvement doesn't happen in 2016.

*AJ Allmendinger*
JTG/Daugherty Racing was determined to prove it wasn't a "one-hit wonder" after Allmendinger's stirring Watkins Glen victory in 2014, which earned the team its first Chase berth. But after a strong start to the 2015 campaign, performance tailed off and Allmendinger was never a serious threat for a first oval-track win while also struggling at both road-course races. The team is looking to the success of Furniture Row Racing this year, another single-car team, as inspiration and hopes its alliance with Richard Childress Racing pays better dividends.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2015/12/Opinion-Room-for-Improvement.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*GMS Racing Announces 2016 Lineup​*
GMS Racing announced the addition of crew chiefs Marcus Richmond and Jeff Hensley for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, bolstering the previously announced signing of NCWTS driver Johnny Sauter to the Statesville, N.C.-based organization.

Richmond will serve as crew chief for Sauter, while Hensley will help with the development of Spencer Gallagher in his second full-time NCWTS season. Gallagher's former crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz will return to GMS Racing as crew chief for Grant Enfinger, who will pilot a third GMS Racing NCWTS entry.

"I can't explain how excited I am for the 2016 season and to get to work with Johnny Sauter and the rest of the GMS Racing team. This is a strong organization that has the ability to compete for a title," said Richmond, who joins GMS Racing after spending the previous two seasons at Red Horse Racing as crew chief for Timothy Peters. He contributes 10 years of experience as crew chief, including eight wins over 198 races. I look forward to working with Jeff Hensley and Jeff Stankiewicz and building off of the experience we all have. We have three drivers that will be able to learn a lot from each other and contribute to the overall success of GMS Racing."

Hensley's crew chief experience spans 12 seasons and 283 races, 13 of which resulted in victories, and most recently served as crew chief at ThorSport Racing with drivers Johnny Sauter and Cameron Hayley. The Ridgeway, Va., native also spent 15 years as crew chief in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (427 races, 11 wins), following a four-year driving career.

"The chance to come aboard at GMS Racing is a great opportunity for me in 2016. I've been fortunate to work with a lot of great drivers and teams in this series, and to be a part of GMS Racing's growth is exciting. I'm looking forward to working with Spencer," says Hensley. "He's a kid with raw speed, and with a year under his belt, I think we can contend for race wins next season and make him a weekly contender. We have the tools here at GMS Racing to put a successful season together and be a contending team on a weekly basis."

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship duo from 2015 will be kept intact as Stankiewicz and Enfinger elevate their partnership to the next level. Since establishing an undisputed rapport throughout 2015, Stankiewicz looks forward to transferring that level of performance to the NCWTS with his new teammates.

"GMS Racing has put together a great lineup for 2016," says Stankiewicz. "I'm happy that Grant Enfinger will have the opportunity to show his talent in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He's incredibly focused and such a hard worker, and having teammates that can provide guidance and support will help him develop into an even better driver. With Johnny Sauter joining the team, he knows what it takes to win and will contribute a great deal to the development of our program. We had a solid 2015 with strong finishes, a couple of pole awards and a win. It's time for us to build on that and we'll be able to do so with the help of Marcus (Richmond) and Jeff (Hensley)."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/12/GMS-Racing-Announces-2016-Lineup.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Busy Off-Season For Crew Chiefs​*
The final race of the 2015 NASCAR season was three weeks ago, the Sprint Cup Series awards banquet put a cap on the year last week in Las Vegas and Speedweeks at Daytona won't happen for another two months. This period in the winter months is known as the off-season for some in the industry, but for race teams it's anything but what the name refers to.

Once the checkered flag dropped at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22nd, teams were already planning for the 2016 season. NASCAR is implementing a new low-downforce package on a full-time basis next season and crew chiefs are busy prepping their cars for the changes as well as building cars for the Daytona 500.

"Like most organizations everyone's working really hard on Daytona cars right now because we know what those rules are and we know the tolerances of everything to be expected," said Slugger Labbe, crew chief for the No. 3 Chevrolet of Austin Dillon. "We're actually in the wind tunnel this week with two of our Daytona 500 cars. I think at RCR we had to build 15 speedway cars all together."

While NASCAR has announced the majority of the rules for cars in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016, there are still a few small details that have yet to be announced, but Labbe said teams had a conference call with NASCAR earlier this week to clear up a few details, which should be announced in the coming days.

"We had a productive meeting with NASCAR discussing the rules package for next year. Some things we wanted and some things they wanted and we kind of met on neutral ground," Labbe said.

The off-season also provides teams with a chance to develop new technology and work on improving their performance without the deadline of a race weekend looming on the horizon.

"At this point in time its kind of a mad rush to put all the plans together and get all the lead times set for all the things we want to manufacture and just kind of outline the scope of all the off-season development projects," said Luke Lambert, crew chief for the No. 31 Chevrolet of Ryan Newman. "We'll be doing some in-house testing and simulation work and evaluating what we can do technically to improve our cars and improve our performance on the track."

That new technology isn't just for the race cars. It also includes the pit crews and equipment needed to service cars during pit stops.

"We've worked hard in the off season right now on pit crews," Labbe said. "Working on pit guns, jacks, things like that to pick up performance there. We're working really hard at RCR to get our pit crews better - we've had some new additions, made a few changes in that area so definitely things are stepping up in that direction."

While teams like Richard Childress Racing is busy trying to update their fleet of cars for 2016, one team is busy transitioning to the new season and transitioning back into a full-time Sprint Cup Series team. Wood Brothers Racing is making its return to full-time status in 2016 after seven years running on a part-time basis.

"There's a lot of effort that goes into this time of year trying to make sure we're prepared," said Jeremy Bullins, crew chief for the No. 21 Ford of Ryan Blaney. "We got all our people in place, our processes getting all our stuff ready to go. Getting all our pit equipment cleaned up and ready to go for next year. Speedway cars are getting built. Definitely a busy time."

Bullins says going from part-time to full-time isn't necessarily a daunting task as some might think.

"You need the same equipment to run one race that you need to run 37. It's just a matter of making sure that everything is tuned up for 37 weeks," Bullins said. "Obviously we've got to add a few things to beef up a few things in certain areas but we're gaining on it pretty quick."

Bullins likes the new low-downforce rules package for 2016 and says it plays into his team and his young driver's favor.

"The cool thing is NASCAR has done a good job of making the changes not too difficult to implement on the cars, so that'll help some," Bullins said. "The opportunities we got to test it and race it was really good for us and really good for Ryan so we think it'll be a good fit for our program."

It's not all hard work all the time though. Most teams get a break for the Christmas holiday and into the following week through New Year's Day.

"It's a lot of work going on but we're hoping when we go on break December 23rd that all our speedway cars are done and we come back from the new year we start working on downforce cars for Vegas and Atlanta," Labbe said. "It's very exciting."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/12/Busy-Off-season-for-Crew-Chiefs.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Jamie McMurray​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SeriesID=1&q=Jamie+McMurray|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

The good news for Jamie McMurray in 2015 was the fact that his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing team made the post-season Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The bad news, however, is that the title bid ended with first-round elimination at Dover International Speedway on the first weekend of October despite a fourth-place finish on "The Monster Mile."

Still, McMurray made good on co-owner Felix Sabates' pre-season prediction of a 2015 Chase berth - finishing 13th in the final standings.

"I want to thank everyone involved with this race team," McMurray said after closing the season with a 13th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "We have a great group of (sponsors) that make all of this possible, in addition to everyone that works on this team."

The season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 was a perfect metaphor for McMurray's 2015 season, which started slowly but gathered momentum as the year went on.

Following a pair of sub-par finishes to open the season, McMurray's team came out of hibernation with an 11th-place finish in Las Vegas. The next weekend, he finished second (to Kevin Harvick) at Phoenix International Raceway - kicking off a string of four top 10s in six starts that carried McMurray into the top 10 of the point standings.

By mid-season, he had climbed to sixth place but was still in search of a victory that would end a winless skid stretching back to October 2013. Through the summer and into the fall, that victory continued to elude McMurray as he wrapped up his 13th full year of competition.

He entered the post-season as the No. 12 seed on the 16-man Chase Grid. Ironically, that fourth-place finish in October at Dover was not enough to prevent elimination from title contention. But the No. 1 CGR team remained resilient with a runner-up effort a month later at Martinsville Speedway, where the only driver to outrun McMurray was Jeff Gordon - one of his racing heroes.

"Jeff Gordon's was the only die cast or T-shirt I ever bought before I made it to NASCAR," McMurray said, "so it was cool for me to battle him on a green-white-checkered finish at Martinsville."

Three weeks later at Homestead-Miami Speedway, McMurray would cap his 13th full season of competition with a 13th-place finish that secured 13th place in the final point standings - his best showing since he ended the 2005 season in 12th place.

He started 22nd in the Ford EcoBoost 400 and fell further off the pace early before his team rallied in the second half of the race.

"The guys did a good job making adjustments," McMurray said. "We got a lap down early with the long green-flag runs but fought hard to get back on the lead lap."

He was one of 18 drivers running on the lead lap with race winner Kyle Busch at the checkered flag.

McMurray's final stat line for 2015 includes four top fives and 10 top-10 finishes in his 36 starts. Looking ahead to 2016, he's on schedule to make his 500th Sprint Cup start in the regular-season finale on Sept. 10 at Richmond International Raceway.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/12/Jamie-McMurray-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cope, Burnett Join JTG Daugherty Racing​*
JTG Daugherty Racing has named Ernie Cope director of competition and Randall Burnett crew chief on its No. 47 Sprint Cup Series entry driven by AJ Allmendinger.

"More than anything, this gives us more new ideas," Allmendinger said of Thursday's announcement. "Ernie has a ton of experience when it comes to this role from all the years he was with Richard Childress Racing. That's going to help us immediately with having an even better relationship with RCR.

"What I like about Randall is that even though he hasn't been a crew chief, he's done every role you can ask for. We're going to speak the same language pretty quickly."

Cope returns to JTG Daugherty Racing - transitioning from JR Motorsports, where he was crew chief for 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott.

"I worked for JTG Daugherty Racing years ago and when I left, Tad (Geschickter) and I stayed in close contact because we knew we would end up back together when the time was right," Cope said. "In between, I got a lot of experience with big teams, won a lot of races and learned things that will help us here. We've got a good group of people and if we put the whole package together for AJ, I think he's a top-10 driver."

Before Cope's time at JR Motorsports, his journey included six seasons working at Kevin Harvick, Inc. and RCR. He racked up nine victories in the XFINITY Series including eight with Harvick. Over 13 seasons, Cope earned 15 victories in the NXS and nine in the Camping World Truck Series.

During his previous stint at JTG Daugherty Racing, Cope was a crew chief for drivers Stacy Compton and Marcos Ambrose in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Before that, he was a driver himself - competing in the NASCAR Southwest Series, K&N Pro Series West (two wins) and Camping World Truck Series. He also made an appearance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Burnett was hand-chosen by Allmendinger and team officials to lead the organization as it vies for a spot in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"This came together quickly," Burnett said. "When I met with AJ and Tad, we just hit it off and I've always wanted to help a team grow into something bigger. There are a lot of good people here and some of which I've worked with before. I know the quality of work they do and the level they hold themselves to. Working with AJ is going to be exciting for me. We grew up with the same background."

Burnett has been a racer all his life, whether it was building and racing his own cars on a local level or holding a leadership role as a lead engineer in the Sprint Cup Series. He joins JTG Daugherty Racing after a 10-year stint at Chip Ganassi Racing.

During his early years there, he was a seven-post analysis engineer, a lead test team engineer and a data acquisition engineer. In 2010, during his first year as team lead race engineer for the No. 1 car, Burnett visited Victory Lane three times with driver Jamie McMurray, with big wins in two of the biggest races: the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That same year, McMurray won four pole awards, posted nine top fives and 12 top-10 finishes with Burnett as lead race engineer.

In 2013, the Fenton, Mo., native moved to the No. 42 team to become the lead engineer for Juan Pablo Montoya, who posted four top fives and eight top-10s that season. Montoya came close to victory a few times, producing his best result of second place at Dover.

2014 was a big year for Burnett as rookie Kyle Larson landed the No. 42 ride. With an inexperienced NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Burnett helped the team earn eight top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes, and came close to victory several times. Larson had runner-up finishes at both Auto Club Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and also scored a pole award at both Richmond International Raceway and Pocono Raceway. For their efforts, Larson earned the 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Burnett continued his work with Larson throughout 2015.

He received a mechanical engineering degree from UNC Charlotte.

"The people that come to JTG Daugherty Racing stay here," Burnett said. "That's attributed to how Tad and Jodi (Geschickter) treat their people and run their operation. They will add a few more quality people in addition to the great people they have in place to help take this place to the next level and be successful for our brands."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...andall-Burnett-Join-JTG-Daugherty-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Brian Scott Joins RPM​*
Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that XFINITY Series veteran Brian Scott will join Aric Almirola in their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series lineup. The 2016 season will mark Scott's first full-time Sprint Cup Series schedule, where he will have the opportunity to compete for the Rookie of the Year. Scott will make his debut with Richard Petty Motorsports at the Goodyear tire test at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Monday, December 14, before hitting the track for the season opener Daytona 500 in February.

Scott brings nine years of experience in NASCAR's top three series after making his NASCAR debut in 2007 in the Camping World Truck Series. Since then, he tallied 17 Sprint Cup, 208 XFINITY and 62 Camping World Truck Series starts. He scored his best Championship Points finish of fourth during the 2014 XFINITY season. In his six full seasons competing in the XFINITY series, he has five poles, an average finish of 15th, and 20 top five and 77 top-10 finishes, including four runner-up finishes. Not a stranger to Sprint Cup competition, Scott earned a Pole at Talladega Superspeedway in 2014 and best finish of 12th at Kansas Speedway this fall.

"I am thrilled to go Sprint Cup Series racing full time next year and to do it with such an iconic team," Scott said. "When you think NASCAR racing, you think Petty. I'm glad to now be a part of that legacy. I had a lot of fun competing in the XFINITY Series for the last seven years, and I'm excited to take the next step. I ran some races in the Sprint Cup Series the last few years and learned a lot. I feel like we are in a good position to compete for the Rookie of the Year next year and continue the consistency that RPM built over the last few years."

Richard Petty Motorsports has shown its commitment to winning, and through relationships with Ford Performance, Roush Fenway Racing and Roush Yates Engines, it continues to build consistency on the track. In 2015, the team was consistently a top-finisher in the Ford camp and posted three top five, nine top 10 and 22 top-15 finishes.

"We're happy to welcome Brian to the team," said co-owner Richard Petty. "Our team has worked very hard to continue our winning tradition and building consistency. We feel Brian is a great addition to that. He's made a steady progression through the ranks, and now, we feel he's ready to compete in the Sprint Cup Series."

More details, including sponsorship, will be released in the upcoming weeks.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...an-Scott-Joins-Richard-Petty-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Dale Earnhardt Jr.​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...esID=1&q=Dale+Earnhardt+Jr.|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won three times in his first season with new crew chief Greg Ives.

Ives replaced long-time crew chief Steve Letarte, who left Hendrick Motorsports to join the NBC television team this year. The former JR Motorsports crew chief, who worked with Chase Elliott to win the 2014 XFINITY Series title, didn't miss a beat and helped Earnhardt to a multiple win season and a spot in the Chase.

But Earnhardt's hopes for his first Sprint Cup Series championship were dashed when he failed to advance out of the second round in a controversial finish at Talladega.

Ironically it was Talladega where Earnhardt scored his first win of 2015 taking the checkered flag in May's GEICO 500. Earnhardt outran his teammate Jimmie Johnson to score his first win of the season and first at Talladega since 2004. The win also tied him with Jeff Gordon for most victories by an active driver at the 2.66-mile superspeedway with six.

"Just real emotional man," he said after clinching his berth in the Chase with the win. "Everything is just so good for me now. My personal life. My racing. The team I am with. I don't know why. I don't feel like I deserve it. I just feel overcome with a lot of emotion. It has been a long time since I won here. I've run so good here, and not to win here in so many races has bothered me."

Earnhardt scored a second victory at the season's next restrictor-plate race when he took the checkered flag in July's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The race was delayed by rain and by the time Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line is was well past 2:30 a.m. ET.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," said Earnhardt, who led a race-high 96 laps. "Our car was fast. I had to block a lot and you've got to run real, real hard to win here."

Earnhardt Jr. began the 16-driver Chase with a pair of mediocre finishes at Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he finished 12th and 40th, respectively. It put him under the gun to finish well at the final race of the opening round and he was able to outrun Jamie McMurray for a third place finish at Dover and advance to round two.

But he finished 28th at Charlotte and 21st at Kansas to start that round and found himself in a must win situation at Talladega the next week or be eliminated. He made a furious charge from the back of the pack late in the race to get to the front but a controversial finish that included an aborted restart and caution flying on a green-white-checkered finish to end the race left Earnhardt in second place and out of the championship picture.

"I'm going to get asked about the green- white-checkered rule, which I'm fine with it," he said of NASCAR's decision to implement only one GWC attempt at Talladega. "I feel like no matter the rules, when the race is over, I can live with the result as long as everyone else is going by the same rules.

"So I felt like, per the rule book, it sorted out and I finished second. I'm okay with that. We could argue they could have waited another hundred foot to throw the caution, but they didn't have to. They threw it when they needed to. I'm fine with that."

Although his championship hopes were over Earnhardt Jr. was still able to finish the year strong when he went to Victory Lane again in the season's second to last race at Phoenix, a race that was shortened by rain.

"We had an idea that the rain was in the area, but all the circumstances that played out at the end of the race are just kind of luck I think," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I want to give Greg (Ives, crew chief) a lot of credit and the guys. They gave us a good enough car to come here and qualify well.

"I think the reason why we won this race is because of the way we qualified to give ourselves a position to be up front all night."

Overall Earnhardt finished 12th in the final Sprint Cup Series standings but in addition to his three wins was able to score 16 top five and 22 top-10 finishes.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Ryan Newman​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SubSeriesID=1&q=Ryan+Newman|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Ryan Newman put together another consistent season in 2015 to place 11th in the final standings and make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the second consecutive season with Richard Childress Racing.

Newman made the Chase for the seventh time after rebounding from a 50-point penalty, reduced from 75 on appeal, when the No. 31 team was penalized for unapproved tire modifications. After a final appeal, where the rest of the penalties were upheld, Newman lost crew chief Luke Lambert, tire technician James Bender and race engineer Philip Surgen for six races starting at Kansas Speedway in May.

"We hit a pretty big speed bump in the middle of the year with Luke being gone," Newman said. "That hurt, but it also helped explain to ourselves what our weaknesses were. We fought back, made our way into the Chase and didn't get bumped out in the first round."

Richard Childress Racing released a statement following the final decision on May 6.

"We do not agree with the final appeal ruling. We feel we had a compelling case and still fell we were in the right and the facts presented today would have proved that. We do appreciate the opportunity to be heard.

"We stand behind our suspended team members and look forward to their return. We will now move on and continue or goals of winning races and making the Chase."

Todd Parrott stepped in for Lambert through the road-course race at Sonoma in June, and led Newman to three top 10s and a 16.7 average finish. When Lambert returned at Daytona International Speedway in July, the team was 14th in the standings and rose as high as 11th before the regular season ended.

Newman entered the Chase as the 14th seed and narrowly missed advancing to the Eliminator Round after coming up three points short of the eighth and final cutoff driver, eventual champion Kyle Busch, in a controversial finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

"I'm disappointed in the situation and what transpired," Newman said after the Talladega race. "I'm not happy coming up one position short under these circumstances."

Newman posted a 12.7 average finish in the Chase compared to his 9.0 average finish in last year's playoffs, where he finished second in the final standings.

"Call it what you want at Talladega but we fought hard, didn't have the performance we had last year and that showed," Newman said.

A 16th-place result in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway marked Newman's 11th finish outside the top 15 in 2015. Although still winless with RCR, Newman matched his top-five mark from last year with five and came up one short of repeating his 16 top 10s in 2014.

"I was hoping we could close the season with a top-10 finish and a top 10 in the final standings, but we came up short," Newman said. "I want to thank this entire RCR team and organization for another run at the championship. Qualifying for the Chase in two straight seasons is rewarding."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/12/Ryan-Newman-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Jimmie Johnson​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SeriesID=1&q=Jimmie+Johnson|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Jimmie Johnson won five times in 2015 and qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the 12th consecutive year, continuing his streak of being the only driver to make the Chase every year since the format made its debut in 2004. But after a poor finish due to a part failure in the Chase race at Dover in October, Johnson failed to advance and his hopes of the championship were over early.

Johnson started the Chase with an 11th-place run at Chicagoland Speedway and followed it up with a sixth-place effort the following week at New Hampshire. As he went to Dover for final race of the Challenger Round, all Johnson needed to do was finish in the top 10 to advance to the Contender Round of the Chase.

Dover just happened to be one of his most successful venues on the Sprint Cup circuit, and earlier in the year he picked up his tenth victory at the "Monster Mile." He had finished in the top 10 in 13 of the previous 15 Dover races. The afternoon, which also marked his 500th career Sprint Cup Series start, should have been a breeze.

As the race hit the one-quarter mark, Johnson hit pit road with a problem and then went to the garage for 36 laps to repair a broken rear axle seal and finished 41st. Johnson fell from fifth to 14th in the standings following the race and was out of the running to contend for the championship.

"It's tough having a very inexpensive axle seal be the culprit and take your championship hopes away," Johnson said following the race. "It's part of racing. It just shows how critical everything is on a race team. And how important every component is and you can't take anything for granted."

Johnson's four wins earlier in the season seemed like a distant memory at that point.

After a disappointing 2014 season that saw him finish outside the top 10 in points for the first time in his career, Johnson started 2015 as the favorite to claim the championship, and by doing so, he would tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with a record seven Cup Series titles.

"I'm not happy with the way we finished the '14 season and neither is the 48 team," Johnson said during a pre-season media event. "We've worked hard in the off-season and made some changes to get us where we need to be."

Johnson started the year with a fifth-place run in the Daytona 500 and picked up his first victory of the year the following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Johnson went on to claim three more victories before the end of May - Texas, Kansas, and Dover.

As the summer stretch began, Johnson began to struggle, at least for his standards. After his Dover win, he finished in the top five just twice in the next 10 races. He was top 10 in six of those events, but he wasn't contending for race wins. He also wasn't leading laps. On the season, Johnson only led 558 laps, the lowest in that category since leading 854 laps in his first championship season in 2006.

As the season went on, another storyline began to emerge with Johnson: a quiet rivalry with fellow California native, Kevin Harvick. The two began their Sprint Cup careers a year apart and first got to know each other through Ron Hornaday Jr. Harvick finished second in all four of Johnson's early season victories.

The rivalry came to a head at Chicagoland Speedway in September. While battling near the front, Johnson got into Harvick cutting down a tire and sending Harvick into the wall and to a 42nd-place finish.

Johnson tracked down Harvick to the driver motor coach lot following the Chicago race and tried to explain his point of view. Harvick instead pushed Johnson away and refused to discuss the incident.

"I wanted to go to his motorhome and try to talk to him about the situation at that point in time," Johnson said during a media availability the week following the incident. "I've been on the flip side of that before and although I wasn't happy to see whoever it was. It meant something to me and I appreciated the fact that they came to my bus to see me. That is all I was trying to do there."

The two quickly put the incident behind them and moved on. Then came Dover and a broken rear axle seal. After the disappointment, Johnson knew his goal for the remainder of the season was to play the role of the spoiler.

"Heartbreaking for sure, but I don't know what else we can do about it. We just have to go on and try to win races and close out the season strong," Johnson said.

Johnson went on to a 39th-place finish the following week at Charlotte, rebounded to finish third a week later at Kansas, got through Talladega and Martinsville and then went to Texas looking for his fourth straight victory in the fall event there.

After trailing Brad Keselowski for much of the day, Johnson was able to make the winning pass with a handful of laps remaining to pick up his fifth win of the season and sixth at Texas. The win put a cap on a long-stretch of puzzling finishes for Johnson.

"Summer didn't go as we wanted. There were some good races in there, but no trips to Victory Lane," Johnson said following his Texas win. "To start the Chase, we had two good races, then Dover happened. From that point on, we had to swallow that pill, and certainly disappointed that the hopes for the championship were gone."

Johnson closed out the season with a fifth-place run at Phoenix and ninth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

While some drivers hope for five wins in a career, Johnson's five-win 2015 season may seem like a disappointment, especially following the mechanical failure at Dover.

But those five wins did put him up to 75 in his career, one shy of tying Earnhardt. To tie and pass the Intimidator in wins and championships isn't a hard feat for Johnson at this point in his career but it's something Johnson may have never thought would be possible.

"It would be huge. Hard to even put into words," Johnson said. "I came into this sport hoping to win a race. To have 75 of them is mind-blowing. If I'm able to tie Senior, it's something I would be just extremely proud of."

On the season, Johnson tallied five victories, one pole, 14 top-five finishes and 22 top-10 finishes - all improvements over 2014. His 10th-place finish in the points marks his 13th top-10 points finish in his 15-year Sprint Cup Series career.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...015/12/Jimmie-Johnson-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Touring Champions Honored​*
Three young, rising stars received their first NASCAR championships, and four veteran drivers added to their already impressive resumes.

On a night where the remarkable achievements of 2015 were recognized, it was seven drivers who stood on stage at the Charlotte Convention Center Saturday at the conclusion of the NASCAR Touring Series Night of Champions who accomplished the sport's ultimate honor.

"After my first championship in 2012, nine-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik shook my hand and said to me, 'You know they don't just hand these things out to anyone,' and that's something that has stuck with me every time I have been here," said Doug Coby, who celebrated his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title Saturday.

The evening was a coronation for Coby and six fellow 2015 NASCAR touring series champions:

NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion Ander Vilariño, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion Scott Steckly, NASCAR Mexico Series champion Rubén García Jr., NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion Andy Seuss, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Chris Eggleston and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion William Byron.

For 26-year-old Eggleston and 17-year-old Byron, their NASCAR K&N Pro Series trophies were the results of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in their young careers that they transformed through skill and determination into a championship run.

Eggleston's first full season with Bill McAnally Racing produced the sixth NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title for the venerable car owner. Byron joined the likes of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano and Kyle Larson in simultaneously earning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East crown and Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

García completed a four-year run that took him from NASCAR Mexico Series rookie of the year in 2012 to the series champion, as he clinched the title in the season finale just one day after his 20th birthday.

García and Byron are members of the NASCAR Next program - an industry initiative designed to spotlight the sport's best young talent.

As Eggleston, Byron and García received their championship rings from NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton, the other four have made a steady habit of collecting hardware. Combined, they've won 12 titles since 2008.

Coby continued his amazing career resurgence. The 36-year-old from Milford, Connecticut, has raced on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for all or part of 14 seasons. In the last four, though, he's earned three championships and one runner-up finish.

Steckly, 42, from Milverton, Ontario, hasn't finished worse than fourth in the championship standings over the last nine years. He led an astonishing 1,090 laps over 11 races - winning three times - en route to the Canadian national title.

A year after watching Anthony Kumpen grab the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series crown, Vilariño wrestled it back for his third championship in the series' four-year history under the NASCAR banner. The 36-year-old from San Sebastian, Spain, added three more victories to his series record win total.

"The third time here&#8230;am I dreaming right now?," Vilarino pondered in his acceptance speech. "Losing the 2014 championship by just one point was hard to accept, and that puts this 2015 championship as the best of the three I've won."

Seuss, a 28-year-old Hampstead, New Hampshire, native became just the third driver in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour history to win back-to-back championships. Seuss has finished in the top five in points in each of the last eight seasons and is second only to four-time tour titlist George Brunnhoelzl III in career wins.

The championship car owners and crew chiefs were also recognized Saturday night.

Those weren't the only trophies handed out, though.

In addition to the championship awards, each series rookie of the year was honored. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award winners were Byron, Noah Gragson in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, Chase Dowling in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Trey Hutchens III in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Top rookie performers in the three international series were Gary Klutt in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Manuel Gutierrez in the NASCAR Mexico Series and Alon Day in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

The Most Popular Driver Awards for each series were also presented during the ceremony. The seven drivers honored with the award, which was voted on by the fans through NASCAR.com, were Rico Abreu in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Nicole Behar of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, Jason Hathaway in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Rodrigo Marban of the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, Alon Day from the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, Melissa Fifield from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Hutchens from the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.

The top-10 drivers and car owners from each of NASCAR's touring series also were recognized during the gala.

The awards ceremony was streamed live online at NASCARHomeTracks.com - the official online home of NASCAR's touring series - in English, French and Spanish.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...hampions-Celebrate-Crowning-Achievements.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Denny Hamlin​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ubSeriesID=1&q=Denny+Hamlin|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Despite winning at least one Sprint Cup Series race for the 10th year in a row, Denny Hamlin will look back at 2015 as a season of missed opportunities.

The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team placed ninth in the final point standings. Hamlin got an early-season win at Martinsville Speedway and a post-season victory at Chicagoland Speedway. But after qualifying for the Chase as the No. 11 seed, Hamlin was eliminated from title contention at the end of the second round when misfortune struck in late October at Talladega Superspeedway.

Loose escape hatches on the roof of his racecar forced Hamlin to pit road twice for lengthy repairs. He lost a number of laps and would finish the day in 37th place, outside the Eliminator Round.

"We had a self-inflicted exit (from the Chase)," Hamlin said at the time, adding later that "we've come a long way as an organization as far as eliminating those things, but they happen and it just got us at the wrong time in the Chase."

Even more frustrating for Hamlin was the fact that the next race on the schedule was a return to Martinsville, where he had won in the spring.

"It's bittersweet," Hamlin said, "knowing that the Chase always seems to set up for me nicely with the tracks at the tail end of it: Martinsville, Texas and Homestead."

Hamlin's early win at Martinsville locked up a post-season berth and lifted him to seventh in the regular-season point standings. But it would be more than three months before the No. 11 team would get another top five.

As an organization, Joe Gibbs Racing was red-hot in the summer months and Hamlin contributed with seven top-five finishes in an 11-race stretch that was punctuated with the victory at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 20 to open the Chase.

Entering Talladega weekend, Hamlin seemed well-positioned to advance into the third round of the post-season, trailing leader Joey Logano by just 13 points and sitting 11 points clear of fifth-place Kevin Harvick.

Exiting the Alabama oval, Hamlin was left to ponder what could have been.

"Between roof hatches, fuel systems, master switches and all the stuff that's happened to me in the Chase, I've gotten numb to feeling bad about mechanical issues," Hamlin said. "I was really mad about it for a week or so and then you get over it. There's nothing I could do to change the outcome."

In addition to his two race wins in 2015, Hamlin totaled 18 other top-10 finishes and won three poles: at Dover, Bristol and Homestead-Miami Speedway. He also was victorious in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in mid-May.

In 2015, Hamlin was busy in the XFINITY Series, too - starting 11 races and winning three ... at Richmond International Raceway, New Hampshire and Darlington Raceway.

In September - less than two weeks before his Chase win at Chicagoland, Hamlin tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing basketball. But he didn't miss a race and soldiered on through the remainder of the schedule before having surgery on Nov. 30.

He's expected to make a full recovery in time for the opening of Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, now less than two months away.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/12/Denny-Hamlin-2015-Season-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Scott Ready For Prime Time​*
Brian Scott plans to make the most of his opportunity to become a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver.

Last week Richard Petty Motorsports officially announced Scott as the team's driver for the No. 9 Cup ride beginning in 2016. He takes over from Sam Hornish Jr., who suffered through a disappointing 2015 campaign.

Scott had no idea where his career would lead him after finishing up last year with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

"I went into the offseason really having no clue what the future held and giving some serious though or trying to think about there's a real possibility that something might not come together, and I might not be doing anything next year," Scott said last Friday at the press conference introducing him as RPM's driver.

"This whole deal came together on Monday, literally just all materialized. Everything lined up right. We had a really good meeting, and everyone got pumped up, and I think there was some potential in that room Monday that led us to pull the trigger to come out of the gates and hit the ground running."

Scott spent time in the Camping World Truck Series before moving on to the XFINITY Series with RCR for what turned out to be two seasons. While he was thrilled to have the opportunity move up to NASCAR's top series with RPM, it did say the decision to leave RCR wasn't an easy one.

"It was difficult to put the pieces together that we needed," Scott said. "I really enjoyed my time at RCR. They have amazing employees. I love the relationships we built. Of course, that was something we wanted to pursue. We wanted to continue that relationship. We just seemed to hit some roadblocks or some struggles that we couldn't overcome to put the right deal together or the deal we wanted to have for 2016 and beyond with them."

Scott, who has ties to sponsors to support him at RPM, is not worried about criticism coming from some fans that he simply bought a Sprint Cup Series ride. Sponsorship details will be released in the upcoming weeks.

"Everybody that's raced in NASCAR and made it to the Sprint Cup Series has had help from someone along the way," Scott said. "I'm very fortunate that I've had help from my family. Drivers get help from different resources and it doesn't upset me. People are entitled to their opinion, but I also feel like I'm here for a reason. I'm here to compete and I feel like I've had success and I've proven myself and I'm looking forward to driving these cars and to proving that to them."

One thing is for certain; Scott plans to make the most of the next step in his career and believes there's a possibility of winning a race and making the Chase for the Petty organization next season.

"I started dreaming about being a Sprint Cup driver a long time ago and I've always wondered what that would look like and what the future held and never did I ever think that I'd get to drive for an iconic organization like Petty," he said. "I actually have gotten to drive for two iconic organizations and that's surpassed any dreams that I was able to set as a kid.

"Since I found out that this deal was coming about, and I've been able to spend the last couple of days in the shop with the guys, I'm pumped. I'm excited. I really like the group of people that they've assembled here and I know that we're capable of great things and I'm looking forward to putting in the work and to proving that on the race track."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/12/Brian-Scott-Ready-for-Prime-Time.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ben Rhodes Signs With ThorSport​*
Ben Rhodes announced today he has signed with ThorSport Racing for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Rhodes will pilot the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra as he competes for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and the series' championship title in 2016.

Rhodes, the 2014 NKNPSE Champion, Rookie of the Year, and Most Popular Driver, is looking forward to competing with a championship-caliber organization in 2016.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to race full time with ThorSport Racing next season," said Rhodes. "I was excited when I received the phone call. The team as a whole has won two out of the last three Truck Series championship titles, went to victory lane many times this year, and all three trucks were within the top six in points. I feel confident I am joining a team that will be able to produce top-notch Toyota Tundras for me to contend for poles, race wins, Rookie of the Year honors, and the championship."

After his championship year in the NKNPSE, Rhodes raced a part-time, 10-race schedule in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series, earning his first NASCAR national series pole in just his seventh start at Road America in Elkart Lake, Wisc. (August), and picking up a series-best seventh-place finish in his first series start at Iowa Speedway in Newton (May).

"The 2015 season was a great way to get my feet wet in the upper levels of NASCAR," said Rhodes. "I gained a lot of knowledge on how things work, and I feel as though I'm ready for a full-time ride. That is why I'm looking forward to the 2016 season with ThorSport Racing. I will have a crew chief that I can work closely with week to week and a team that knows what driver will be in the seat every race. We can focus on being successful, starting at Daytona and ending at Homestead."

Based out of Sandusky, Ohio, ThorSport Racing is the longest-tenured NCWTS team, competing annually since 1996, and NASCAR's only full-time team based in Ohio.

"We are thrilled to have Ben (Rhodes) join our team behind the wheel of the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra in 2016," said Matt LaNeve of ThorSport Racing. "Ben's experience and success in the K&N Pro Series East, coupled with his NASCAR XFINITY Series starts, have produced a fruitful start to his racing career and we are honored to have him competing for ThorSport Racing next season. Ben is an outstanding, hands-on driver, with a 'go-getter' attitude, and we look forward to him leading laps, winning races, and contending for a championship title. We are confident he will represent ThorSport Racing, Toyota and Alpha Energy Solutions with pride."

Rhodes is not new to the NCWTS. The Louisville, Kentucky, native made four starts in the series in 2014, picking up three top-10 finishes, including a series-best fifth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, AZ (November).

"I'm looking forward to returning to the Truck Series," explained Rhodes. "With only 10 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and four in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, this is a huge step forward for me. The Truck Series is extremely competitive, and I am up for the challenge."

Alpha Energy Solutions, a commercial and industrial mechanical self-performing service provider, based out of Rhodes' home-town of Louisville, Kentucky, will continue to support Rhodes as the primary sponsor on his Toyota Tundra in 2016. Furthermore, a familiar number will adorn the quarter panels during his rookie season, the No. 41, a number Rhodes utilized in two seasons of NKNPSE and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock competition, earning eight poles, 11 wins, 27 top-five finishes, and 35 top-10 finishes in 46 starts.

"I have to thank Alpha Energy Solutions for continuing to support my racing career. Also, we will be running the No. 41 on our Toyota Tundra, which is the number I used throughout most of my NASCAR career and the number I used in the K&N Pro Series East when I became the 2014 series champion.

"We have the team, the number, and the sponsor to be successful this year. I am very eagerto get to Daytona with ThorSport Racing and race the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra."

Rhodes' crew chief, additional sponsors, and the paint scheme will be revealed in January.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Ben-Rhodes-Signs-With-ThorSport-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Roush Fenway Adds Key Personnel​*
Roush Fenway Racing has bolstered its competitive efforts with three key personnel additions to its NASCAR team. Kurt Romberg, Dr. Kent Day and Vojin Jaksic have each taken on high-level roles within the team that captured its eighth NASCAR championship in 2015.

"It takes great talent to win in this sport and we are very pleased with the additions we have made on the competition front," said team owner Jack Roush. "We recognize the importance of putting the appropriate personnel into place, as we continue our relentless pursuit to put the best and most competitive race teams on the track."

Kurt Romberg, who spent the last 15 years heading up aerodynamics at Hendrick Motorsports, joins the team as the Technical Director of Aerodynamics. Romberg worked with General Motors and Petty Enterprises before becoming the chief aerodynamicist at Hendrick.

Dr. Kent Day will serve as Manager of Simulation. Day, who holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, brings over two decades of experience to Roush Fenway and has held technical director positions with Team Penske and RCR and most recently specialized in vehicle dynamics at MWR.

Vojin Jaksic returns to Roush Fenway Racing as the research and development/special projects manager after serving in similar positions at MWR and Joe Gibbs Racing. Jaksic previously worked at Roush Fenway Racing from 2005 until 2011.

The additions are part of a strategic plan to expand organizational capabilities and follows the hiring of industry veterans Mark McArdle and Kevin Kidd to lead engineering and Sprint Cup competition last season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rs-Competition-Effort-with-Key-Additions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*TBR, Toy State Ink Multi-Year Agreement​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing and Toy State have announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement for the No. 7 Chevrolet driven by Alex Bowman.

Toy State sponsored Bowman for nine races this past year, and will be stepping up to 13 Sprint Cup Series races in 2016 and 17 in 2017. TBR is entering its eighth year, but it's the first off-season where the team can concentrate on the upcoming season with sponsorship secured.

"It's a nice way to start the new year," Baldwin said, "to have a company like Toy State with all its different brands of toys and Nikko radio-controlled cars."

Throughout the season, Bowman's No. 7 entry will feature many paint schemes closer to what the consumer will actually see in the toy lines. During the announcement, which was held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the team unveiled one of the new paint schemes that resembles an RC shark monster truck in the product line.

Last year, Bowman and the team participated in many events at hospitals to give toys away to kids and will continue that through this partnership.

"It's great to be a part of this," Bowman said. "To have them on our car and to be able to put smiles on kids' faces everywhere we go has been really special."

TBR will have an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and ECR engines for 2016.

"We've hired a lot of good people to join the good people we already have for next year," Baldwin said. "We're rebuilding our whole fleet and updating to the latest, greatest thing that we need. It's an exciting time for me."

Yesterday, Toy State announced that it has entered into a global licensing agreement with NASCAR. The relationship will allow Toy State to introduce NASCAR-licensed products.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nces-Multi-Year-Agreement-With-Toy-State.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Kurt Busch​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...&SubSeriesID=1&q=Kurt+Busch|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Kurt Busch qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the ninth time in his Sprint Cup Series career in 2015, went to Victory Lane twice, and equaled a career-high 21 top-10 finishes.

But it almost didn't happen.

Last November, while the Sprint Cup Series was at the penultimate race of the 2014 season in Phoenix, it was announced that Kurt Busch's former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll had filed charges on Busch of domestic assault, stemming for a supposed incident that occurred a few weeks earlier. An investigation ensued during the winter months and into the beginning of calendar year 2015.

Then during Speedweeks at Daytona, NASCAR suspended Busch indefinitely after a Delaware Family Court commissioner issued an opinion linking Busch to the domestic violence acts. He would later be cleared of any criminal charges.

Busch would sit out of the season opening Daytona 500 and races at Atlanta and Las Vegas before he was reinstated by NASCAR beginning with the March 15th race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Once Busch returned to action, he wasted no time getting back up to speed. Busch started eighth and finished fifth at Phoenix after battling for the lead late in the going.

"It's great to get back and produce a results like this on our first day back," Busch said following the Phoenix race. "As we move forward, it now feels great to have this weekend done. Now we go to Fontana. The 41 car, it's got a top-five finish already this year."

The following week at Auto Club Speedway, Busch won the pole and was fastest in all practice sessions leading up to the race. He then led 65 laps and kept his No. 41 Chevrolet near the front the entire race. He led the white flag lap but was passed by Brad Keselowski for the eventual win.

"We had a great Haas Automation Chevy all day," Busch said following the Auto Club 400. "It was fantastic to drive and the way that everybody chipped in on building the car, the pit sequence we just got hunt out on the yellows at the end."

Busch cooled over the next three weeks finishing 14th at Martinsville and Texas and then 15th at Bristol. Busch's team was still running strong and stayed in contention to contend for victories despite the three finishes in the teens.

But when the Sprint Cup Series made its return to Richmond in late April, it was time for Busch to shine and complete his comeback.

Busch completely dominated the rain-delayed Richmond race, starting third and leading 291 laps en route to the victory.

"It's an incredible feeling," Busch said after the win. "It's a total team effort. And the way that everything came together just seemed like we were building and building and building towards a great finish like this. And I have this opportunity because of Gene Haas and everybody that's part of our family at Stewart-Haas."

His second victory would come a few weeks later during another event plagued by weather. After various pit strategy by race leaders during the constant barrage of rain showers that moved through the Michigan International Speedway, Busch was out front when the heaviest shower of the day passed through the area. NASCAR officials shortly called the race, declaring Busch the winner.

"(Crew chief) Tony Gibson led these guys through a back-up car, the pit crew was there giving it its best. It's an unbelievable feeling to know what we went through, paced ourselves, found the lead towards the latter part of the race and then the rain came in," Busch said following the victory.

With the two wins, Busch was qualified for the Chase and was poised to continue his winning ways as the summer months rolled on. He finished runner-up to brother Kyle Busch two weeks later at Sonoma and was fifth in the series' return trip to Daytona in July. He would put up five top-10 finishes in the final nine races before the Chase started and went to Chicagoland seeded in fifth-place as the NASCAR playoffs began.

Busch quietly started the Chase with a third-place finish at Chicagoland but struggled to finish 19th the following week at New Hampshire. A 17th-place finish at Dover in the final race of the Challenger Round would be enough to advance Busch to the Contender Round. Busch would rebound in the round, finishing fifth at Charlotte, sixth at Kansas and 10th in the controversial cut-off race at Talladega.

Heading into the Eliminator Round of the Chase, Busch was a legitimate threat to advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Going into the opening race of the round at Martinsville, Busch was as confident as any of this competitors about this chances.

"We've been strong. We made sure that we did save some things for the Chase, but also to run up front and to lead laps. Statistically, it's been a fantastic season," Busch said prior to the Martinsville race.

But after contact from an accident late in the going, Busch would finish 34th at Martinsville. He backed it up with a 7th-place effort the following week at Texas but still needed a strong performance in Phoenix, the final race of the round, to advance.

Busch qualified second at Phoenix but was black-flagged for jumping the initial start of the race. After going to the back of the field following his penalty, Busch rebounded and was running in the top 10 by halfway.

As had been the case many times in 2015, rain plagued the Phoenix race and the event was cut short after a heavy shower passed through the area, finally putting an end to the event as midnight approached on the East Coast. Busch was seventh when the race was called - good, but not good enough to advance.

"We had a great season," Busch said. "We won two races, we sat on three poles. We did everything possible to put polish on a season like that and got out there with elbow grease and worked hard at it."

"I wish Mother Nature would've helped us find clearer skies so that we could dry the track and race the final 100 miles."

Busch would end the season on a high-mark with an eighth-place run in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Even with the troubles to begin his season and the disappointing end, 2015 was very good to the 2004 Sprint Cup Series Champion. His two wins were the most in a season since 2011 and 21 top 10s were most wince he equaled that total in 2009. His eighth-place finish in the final standings was his highest since finishing fourth in 2009.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Kurt-Busch-2015-Season-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Heroy Named Crew Chief For Scott​*
Richard Petty Motorsports has named Chris Heroy crew chief for Brian Scott's No. 9 Sprint Cup Series Ford.

Heroy brings four years of experience as a Cup Series crew chief to RPM as he prepares for Scott's first full-time season. He led Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyle Larson to Rookie of the Year honors in 2014 and also worked with Juan Pablo Montoya. Before joining CGR, Heroy was an engineer at Hendrick Motorsports.

"This team has done a great job building consistency over the past year," Heroy said of RPM and the No. 9 entry. "I'm excited to work with Trent (Owens, Aric Almirola's crew chief) as well. We worked together when Kyle (Larson) was racing for both Ganassi and TurnerScott. We can get Richard Petty Motorsports back to Victory Lane."

"Not only does Chris have experience working with a rookie driver, he's also worked with Trent," said RPM Vice President of Competition Sammy Johns. "He will hit the ground running. There's a talented rookie class in the Sprint Cup Series, and I expect to see Brian and Chris challenging for Rookie of the Year honors."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Heroy-Named-Crew-Chief-for-Brian-Scott.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rookie Chase Elliott Begins Life In Jeff Gordon's #24​*
Fresh off of his second Snowball Derby win, Chase Elliott has the opportunity to test with his new Hendrick Motorsports team on Monday as he steps into the car vacated by superstar Jeff Gordon in 2016.

The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports crew is one of four NASCAR Sprint Cup teams performing a one-day Goodyear tire test at Homestead-Miami with the new low-downforce cars.

Elliott gears up

In preparation for his rookie season, Elliott made five Cup starts in the No.25 NAPA Chevy this season. Veteran engineer and Kasey Kahne's former crew chief Kenny Francis oversaw Elliott's effort.

His best qualifying position and finish were both 16th at Richmond International Speedway last April.

Elliott also attended competition meetings throughout the year to get a feeling for the process.

Elliott told Motorsport.com that he's ready to get acclimatised to his new team and crew chief Alan Gustafson on Monday.

"I'm excited to get in and start working with them for the first time," Elliott said. "I've spent a lot of time with Alan. A couple of times throughout the year, I stuck around after the Xfinity races and watched the races with them.

"It gave me the opportunity to hang around with the team and see what they were all about and how the worked. I tried to be there and pay attention, but kept enough distance to allow them to do their jobs.

"I was happy to do that and I really like the group. It's a really solid group and Alan does a good job and they have a really great group of guys that enjoy what they do.

"Having that kind of chemistry among people is key and I hope I can fit in with them."

Ready for the challenge

While most 20-something drivers would be intimidated by the challenge of replacing Jeff Gordon in the iconic No.24 Chevy, that's not the case for Elliott.

The 2014 Xfinity Series champion added he's yet to feel the pressure of taking over the ride - particularly from his bossman Rick Hendrick.

"Not necessarily," Elliott said. "He expects me to get the job done and I wouldn't expect anything less.

"Like I told people all year, I'm not trying to fill anybody's shoes. I'm just trying to wear my own and hopefully, that will be good enough."

Elliott will be joined at the test by fellow rookie candidate Brian Scott, who will make his debut with Petty Motorsports, last year's Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick along the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing crew and Martin Truex Jr. in his return to Toyota.

Furniture Row Racing's crew chief Cole Pearn said the team will test with a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, a benefit of the company's new technical alliance with Toyota Racing Development's flagship team.

*Note:* Goodyear's next test with the 2016 car is scheduled for Las Vegas on Jan. 12-13.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/rookie-chase-elliott-begins-life-in-jeff-gordon-s-24/


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## Ckg2011

*Toronto Returns To Pinty's Series Calendar​*
NASCAR announced Wednesday the NASCAR Pinty's Series schedule for 2016, the 10th season for the series and the first with title sponsorship from Pinty's Delicious Foods Inc.

The slate features 12 events across five Canadian provinces, highlighted by a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series companion event for the fourth year in a row at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and a return to the country's largest market for Honda Indy Toronto weekend.

The season will open for the fourth year in a row at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park's road course on May 22 and will return there on Sept. 4 to join the Camping World Truck Series.

Kawartha Speedway has played host to the last race on the schedule each of the previous nine years of the Pinty's Series, and that tradition will continue in 2016 with the season finale on Sept. 17.

The series made its first two appearances on the Honda Indy Toronto race card in 2010 and 2011. Ontario's largest annual sporting event is held by Toronto's Lake Ontario waterfront on the Exhibition Place street course. The Pinty's Series will headline the action on July 16.

*The remainder of the 2016 schedule includes:*

Visits to NASCAR-sanctioned weekly oval tracks Sunset Speedway (June 18 ) in Ontario and Autodrome St-Eustache (Sept. 10) in Quebec.

Annual western swing once again features Alberta's Edmonton Int'l Raceway (July 23) - also a NASCAR-sanctioned oval - and Saskatchewan's Auto Clearing Motor Speedway (July 27).

Road course dates in Quebec at Circuit ICAR (July 3) and Circuit de Trois-Rivieres (Aug. 14).

Appearances at two of Canada's premiere oval tracks with Autodrome Chaudiere (June 11) in Quebec and Riverside Int'l Speedway (Aug. 20) in Nova Scotia.

The 2015 season concluded with Scott Steckly crowned as the champion for the fourth time in the last eight seasons.

*2016 NASCAR PINTY'S SERIES SCHEDULE*

May 22 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park - Bowmanville, Ont.
June 11 - Autodrome Chaudiere - Valle-Jonction, Que.
June 18 - Sunset Speedway - Innisfil, Ont.
July 3 - Circuit ICAR - Mirabel, Que.
July 16 - Exhibition Place - Toronto, Ont.
July 23 - Edmonton Int'l Raceway - Wetaskiwin, Alta.
July 27 - Auto Clearing Motor Speedway - Saskatoon, Sask.
Aug. 14 - Circuit de Trois - Rivieres - Trois - Rivieres, Que.
Aug. 20 - Riverside Int'l Speedway - Antigonish, N.S.
Sept. 4 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park - Bowmanville, Ont.
Sept. 10 - Autodrome St - Eustache - St - Eustache, Que.
Sept. 17 - Kawartha Speedway - Fraserville, Ont.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/toronto-returns-to-pintys-series-calendar/


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## Ckg2011

*Top 10 NASCAR Stories of 2015​*
*1. Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup* 
The second year of NASCAR's new elimination-style Chase format once again created drama and high emotions. The intensity level ramped up with each passing week of the ten-race schedule, broken into three rounds and culminating with the Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The system makes it impossible to predict who can run the gauntlet of the Chase schedule and this year's version generated several must-win moments as well as disappointments for many pre-season championship favorites.

*2. Jeff Gordon's Final Ride* 
The future Hall of Famer ended his storied NASCAR career in grand fashion winning a race and making it to the Championship 4 at Homestead with a shot at taking home an elusive fifth Sprint Cup title. Gordon ultimately fell short of that goal but he was able to do something most athletes cannot accomplish - go out on top and perform at a very high level. Gordon will leave a tremendous void in NASCAR as someone who took the sport to places it had never been before.

*3. Kyle Busch's Roller Coaster Season* 
The year started in disaster for Busch, who broke his leg and feet in a terrifying accident at the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona. He missed eleven Sprint Cup Series races but came back with a vengeance. NASCAR granted Busch a Chase exemption with the criteria of winning a race and staying inside the top-30 of the point standings to qualify for the playoffs. Busch won four times in the regular season and capped off his amazing year by winning the last race of the year at Homestead and walking off with the Sprint Cup Series crown.

*4. Kenseth Versus Logano*
One of the sport's biggest controversies exploded between Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth, a feud that boiled over to epic proportions. It started when Logano made contact with Kenneth's rear bumper while racing for the lead at the October Kansas race. Logano went on to win while Kenseth fumed with a 14th place finish and vowed revenge. It came a few weeks later at Martinsville when Kenseth, who was nine laps down to the field, took out race leader Logano with a purposeful crash that resulted in a two-race suspension. Logan's championship hopes were over and the sport remains embroiled in a debate over who was right and who was wrong in the feud.

*5. An Improbable Season For Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing *
The single car team out of Denver, Colorado had experience some success in the past with Kurt Busch and Regan Smith bringing the 78 car to Victory Lane. But Truex Jr. took things to the next level, putting together a solid season of finishes that included a Pocono win and a berth in the Chase. True Jr. resurrected his career after being caught in the Michael Waltrip Racing Richmond scandal of 2013 and provided fans with the kind of Cinderella story sports are built upon. His Pocono victory was one of the most popular in years.

*6. Kurt Busch Suspended By NASCAR*
Kyle wasn't the only Busch brother that missed races in 2015. Kurt was parked by NASCAR for three races for his involvement in a domestic abuse case with former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. Busch was never charged with any crime in the aftermath and did come back with a Chase waiver to win two times and qualify for the playoffs.

*7. NASCAR Experiments With Low Downforce*
The season saw a variety of different rules packages used in the Sprint Cup Series as NASCAR searched to find the right formula to create tighter competition. A lower downforce package was used at Kentucky Speedway and darlington Raceway and received nearly unanimous support from drivers, crew chiefs and fans that appreciated the kind of racing that was created. It led to NASCAr implementing a similar rules package for the entire 2016 campaign outside of the restrictor plate races at Daytona and Talladega.

*8. Tony Stewart Announces Retirement*
As Jeff Gordon wound down his farewell season, Stewart announced 2016 would be his last in NASCAR. The former championship winning driver and team owner will give up his ride to Clint Bowyer in 2017, after Bowyer spends next season with H. Scott Motorsports. Stewart hopes to improve a lackluster last two seasons of performance to end his storied career on the same upon that Gordon did in 2015.

*9. Throwback Week in Darlington*
NASCAR returned to one of its most cherished traditions in 2015 when the Bojangles' Southern 500 returned to Labor Day weekend at Darlington Raceway. After a decade away from the legendary South Carolina track, the end of summer affair turned out to be one of the most popular races of the year. The track instituted a "throwback" theme that included many cars sporting iconic paint schemes and colors from NASCAR's past. The idea was such a success and hit plans are in place for similar ideas in years to come.

*10. Michael Waltrip Racing Closes Its Doors*
The checkered history of MWR came to a close when the organization was forced to shut down at season's end. While there were successes and victories in MWR's history, the team's reputation will also include its involvement in a number of controversies and scandals including the Richmond 2013 manipulation and jet fuel found in Waltrip's car during Daytona's "Speedweeks" in 2007.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Top-10-NASCAR-Stories-of-2015.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Throwback Weekend Returns To Darlington In 2016​*
Another historic NASCAR celebration is in store for Darlington Raceway in September 2016.

The track has announced the return of its award-winning throwback campaign for Bojangles' Southern 500 weekend Sept. 2-4. Darlington Raceway recently received the 2015 National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers Award for outstanding contributions to stock car racing.

In 2016, Darlington Raceway will celebrate the 1975-84 era - a time of exceptional growth and exposure for NASCAR.

"We had tremendous response from the industry last season which included teams, NASCAR, (broadcast partners), Goodyear and the NASCAR Hall of Fame," said Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile. "This is a fun, unique way to honor the history and heritage of NASCAR at one of the sport's most iconic tracks on Labor Day weekend."

As NASCAR moved into the modern era, champions such as Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip made a tremendous impact and will be celebrated in 2016.

It's one part of the track's overall strategy to celebrate its rich history. Darlington Raceway's throwback campaign focuses on specific eras, and historic moments and drivers that made impacts at the track "Too Tough to Tame."

The track's 2015 throwback campaign featured a celebration of the early 1970's (1970-74) and included:

- 32 Sprint Cup Series teams competing with throwback paint schemes for the Bojangles' Southern 500.

- Kyle Larson winning the fan vote for most popular paint scheme with his retro #42 Mello Yello car made popular in the movie "Days of Thunder."

- Goodyear putting its original white lettering on race tires specifically for the Bojangles' Southern 500.

- Honoring 14 NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers including Yarborough, Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Rex White, and Ned and Dale Jarrett.

- 2016 NHOF inductee Terry Labonte serving as Bojangles' Southern 500 grand marshal.

- Unique food offerings from the early 1970's: pimento cheese sandwiches, sausage perlo and fried green tomatoes.

- A pre-race concert by legendary rock band Grand Funk Railroad and the National Anthem performed by artist Tanya Tucker.

- And the return of the Southern 500 Parade, which took place the night before the Bojangles' Southern 500.

_In 2016, "The Tradition Continues" at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend with the XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 on Saturday, Sept. 3, and the Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 4. Both races will be heard live on Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nd-Returns-to-Darlington-Raceway-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Brad Keselowski​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*

Brad Keselowski won a race and made the Chase but ultimately had a disappointing 2015 season.

The Team Penske driver ended the year seventh in the final Sprint Cup Series standings on the strength of nine top fives and 25 top-10 finishes.

Keselowski went to Victory Lane early when he took the checkered flag at Auto Club Speedway in March, passing Kurt Busch on the final lap of an overtime finish to win in Fontana, Calif. He worked his way around Busch in the second attempt at a green-white-checkered finish to score his 17th career win.

"Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch had the field covered on speed," Keselowski said. "But my guys never gave up, put us in position and we closed it out at the end."

Keselowski was winless the rest of the regular season but earned a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in pursuit of his second title. He opened the "playoffs" with an eighth-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway, 12th in New Hampshire and eighth again at Dover - advancing to the second round.

However, Keselowski was involved in a controversy during the opening round when he was penalized for jumping a restart while leading at New Hampshire. The call came after weeks of debate about restarts. Keselowski sounded off after he was black-flagged on a Lap-248 restart when NASCAR ruled that he made an illegal restart and was ahead of leader Greg Biffle in the restart zone. Keselowski was forced to serve a drive-through penalty.

"It's an entertainment sport, not a fair sport, but we had a great car," a frustrated Keselowski said after the race. "I got the chance to do something again for the first time, the first person to ever be penalized for jumping a restart when I didn't pass anyone. That's a new one but we moved on, made the most of a good day and got a solid finish."

Keselowski finished in the top 10 in every race of the Contender Round, moving on to the third round. But that's when things went wrong for Keselowski with a 32nd-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, dropping him to the bottom of the standings - a hole he could not dig out of at Texas and Phoenix ... where he was eliminated from the Chase with a ninth-place finish.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/12/Brad-Keselowski-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR: Busch Suggests First-Round Bye For Pre-Chase Points Leader​*
NASCAR's playoffs system, the Chase for the Sprint Cup, has been been modified slightly since it was first introduced in 2004 to ensure down-to-the-wire championship battles each season, and newly crowned champ Kyle Busch has suggested another one as a means of providing an additional reward to the driver who outperforms the rest over the races leading up to the decisive 10 races.

In 2014, the Chase switched to a system of elimination rounds that more closely resembled the playoff systems used in other major league sports. Busch would like to go a step further by awarding an NFL-style first-round bye to the pre-Chase points leader - which this year was Kevin Harvick, who slipped to fifth in the Chase seedings based on race wins.

"I think there's one thing that could be added - I think we have to take care of the regular-season (points) leader," Busch told NASCAR.com. "Whoever is the points leader after (the regular-season finale), I think it would be pretty neat if they got a first-round bye, for instance.

"I think being able to accomplish that feat of leading the points is somewhat similar to the old championship format. I think you should reward that guy and not have to make them sweat for the first round."

*Source:*
http://www.racer.com/nascar/item/12...s-first-round-bye-for-pre-chase-points-leader


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Undergoes Scheduled Surgery​*
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, had successful surgery this morning to remove two metal plates in his left foot and a metal rod and screws in his right leg. Busch is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2016 NASCAR season in February.

The scheduled off-season surgery removed the plates, rod and screws that were used to help stabilize his foot and leg following injuries suffered in an accident at Daytona International Speedway in February 2015. Today's surgeries were performed by Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina and Dr. Stephen Sims of Carolinas Healthcare System.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ch-Undergoes-Scheduled-Offseason-Surgery.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Pattie Joins RFR as Biffle's Crew Chief​*
Roush Fenway Racing has confirmed that Brian Pattie was named crew chief of its No. 16 Sprint Cup Series Ford for driver Greg Biffle.

Pattie, who replaces Matt Puccia, served as crew chief to Clint Bowyer on Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 15 Toyota for most of the last four seasons. MWR shut down operations after the 2015 campaign.

Biffle finished 20th in the Sprint Cup point standings this season and has a 93-race winless streak dating back to June 2013.

The rest of Roush Fenway's Cup Series lineup remains intact for 2016. Bob Osborne returns as crew chief for the No. 6 Ford with Trevor Bayne. Nick Sandler is back with the No. 17 team and driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

In the XFINITY Series, Puccia shifts to the No. 6 team with second-year driver Darrell Wallace Jr. Phil Gould, paired last season with Elliott Sadler, will join forces with driver Ryan Reed. Sadler has moved to JR Motorsports.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Fenway-Racing-as-Greg-Biffles-Crew-Chief.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Joey Logano​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SubSeriesID=1&q=Joey+Logano|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

On Oct. 25, Joey Logano was rolling through the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a three-race winning streak entering the final month of the season.

Seven days later, he was parked in the garage at Martinsville Speedway with a wrecked racecar and his championship dreams suddenly transformed into a nightmare - courtesy of Matt Kenseth.

The defining moment of the season for Logano - and perhaps the entire sport - came in the closing laps of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville. Kenseth purposely drove into the back of race leader Logano less than 50 laps from the finish, sending the No. 22 Team Penske Ford into the wall and to the garage for repairs.

Kenseth's car was crippled from earlier contact with Brad Keselowski and he was running a number of laps down when he chose to wreck Logano's racecar along with the championship hopes of the 25-year-old driver.

Kenseth drew a two-race suspension for his actions, characterized as "cowardly" by Logano - who never recovered from that 37th-place finish. He was officially eliminated from title contention two weeks later at Phoenix International Raceway.

"If I look at it, this is a drop in the bucket," Logano would say weeks after the incident while at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the season finale. "Hopefully, I'll have a long career and I can do this for a while. This is one season and if you look at our stats this year, it's nothing to hold our heads down about."

Indeed, the big picture is bright for Logano as he looks back on 2015. He led the Sprint Cup Series in wins with six, including the season-opening Daytona 500 and a three-race sweep of the Chase's Contender Round. Logano added six poles, also a series high.

He was never lower than fourth in the regular-season point standings and entered the Chase as the No. 4 seed - behind six-time champion Jimmie Johnson, eventual 2015 champ Kyle Busch and Kenseth. Logano totaled 28 top-10 finishes in his 36 starts and 22 of those were fifth place or higher.

"We're proud of the wins and all the top fives. That's nothing to hang our heads over," said Logano, who still could not avoid going back to that fateful day at Martinsville. "The way I look at it, if we finish second at Martinsville and we still have that issue in Texas with the left-rear tire, we wouldn't have made (The Championship Four) anyway."

One week after the drama at Martinsville, Logano labored to a 40th-place finish in "The Lone Star State." He rebounded to run third at Phoenix, but it wasn't enough to lift him back into title contention.

"I'm looking at the big picture and staying positive," Logano said. "As a driver, you're one of the leaders of the team and your attitude is contagious. You need to be positive and that works for me. It is what it is and we move on."

In addition to his sixth-place finish in the final Sprint Cup standings, Logano made 11 starts in the XFINITY Series and posted wins at Phoenix, Bristol, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International. He also made one start in the Camping World Truck Series, winning the spring race at Martinsville.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/12/Joey-Logano-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Digital View From The Driver's Seat​*
The view behind the wheel of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car will have a new look in 2016 as a digital dashboard will be implemented full-time.

The new technology will replace analog gauges and feature 16 preset screens which the teams have the opportunity to customize - displaying digital readouts of RPM, water temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, water pressure, fuel pressure and voltage.

"When you look at motor sports around the world, our cockpit is tame compared to an F1 steering wheel or even the sports car stuff I have driven," said Jimmie Johnson. "They have more knobs and switches than I know what to do with. I like to see technology come in. Given the demographic of younger race fans and the technology-driven world we live in, it's relevant to give us these tools and the upgraded technology."

Johnson got the feel from the driver's seat when he sat in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car that was updated with the new dashboard.

"It's been a high priority for us to get the layout right and implement it into the four cars," Johnson said. "I'm familiar with it. As time goes on and the teams all have an adequate allotment of the dashes, over time they'll continue to open up for options to use. Right now, it's set up pretty basic."

A number of drivers already competed with the new dashboard during the 2015 season including Kurt Busch, who had it in his No. 41 Stewart-Hass Racing Chevrolet for the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

"I didn't feel confident to know that I wasn't speeding on pit road," Busch said. "I would love for us to go to a speed limiter, which would be a button we press and keep cars at a certain speed on pit road. That way, we're not staring at the dash. We're looking ahead at crew members jumping over the wall, where cars are turning in and turning out."

Johnson also has his wish list of options.

"I'm not sure how far NASCAR will take it, but we would love to have lap times in the car," Johnson said. "We could have a page just for pit road, take your tach, spread the hash marks on the tach mark, and fine-tune and nail an exact pit-road speed. There are infinite options. It depends on what NASCAR will allow us to use and put up."

Brian Scott, who will drive the No. 9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2016, ran the dash at Chicagoland Speedway with Circle Sport Racing and adjusted the personalization the next time he competed with it at Kansas Speedway, where he finished 12th.

"It's futuristic and neat," Scott said, "bringing a different element to the drivers with a different way to look at information. I didn't like the way I had it configured at Chicagoland Speedway, especially maintaining speed on pit road. It's an adjustment and it'll take some time to perfect."

While the digital dash will help drivers and teams with a more precise read-out and its potential number of options and access to data, it could also enhance the fan experience.

"It's something for fans to grasp - to see from the in-car-camera side. Or is there going to be more channels of distribution that NASCAR is going to take from our dash and distribute to our fans?" Busch said. "I hope they do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/12/Digital-View-From-Drivers-Seat.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Martin Truex Jr.​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...riesID=1&q=Martin+Truex+Jr.|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Martin Truex Jr. enjoyed the best season of his Sprint Cup career in 2015.

The Furniture Row Racing driver scored a victory to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and then had a shot to win the title in the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Truex Jr. wound up finishing fourth in the final standings but was understandably proud of the season's performance.

"It was just such an unbelievable year really from start to finish," Truex Jr. said. "I can't thanks the Furniture Row Racing team for all its support, the great cars we had every week and just everyone for working so hard this whole season."

The 2015 campaign ended up as Truex's best career season with in wins (tied with 1), top fives (8 ), top 10s (22), and second best marks in average finish (12.2) and laps lead (567).

Truex started the year with a series of top finishes and was seemingly in the mix for Victory Lane on a weekly basis.

He finally broke through in June when Truex Jr. took the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway.

"It feels unbelievable," Truex said after leading 97 of 160 laps. "I knew we were going to get one. Everyone kept asking when are you going to get one. I knew we were going to win. I knew we had the team and what it took. I feel that I'm on Cloud Nine right now."

The emotional win was the perfect way for Truex Jr. to help put a tough 2014 both professionally (five top 10s) as well as personally behind. It was his first victory since Sonoma in 2013 and after exiting his car in Victory Lane, Truex was greeted with a big hug from his longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last August.

"The last year and a half have been pretty tough, but this feels real good," Truex said. "It never gets any better than this. It takes time to heal things especially with what Sherry and I went through. This just kind of makes you forget all about it. Tomorrow we are still going back to normal life and we always try to remember that and be ourselves and remember why we are here. And how thankful we are to be here and how lucky we are to be doing this. I just feel super blessed to be with this group of guys."

The popular win helped propel Truex Jr. into the Chase, giving the Furniture Row team its second career playoff berth.

As he did in the regular season, Truex Jr. was strong throughout the opening three rounds of the Chase. He was particularly solid in the Eliminator Round with finishes of sixth, eighth and 14th at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix to put him into the group of four drivers to run for the championship at the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale.

But the underdog story came to an end when Truex Jr. finished 12th in the Ford EcoBoost 400 locking him into fourth in the final standings.

"The odds were against us, for sure," said Truex, who led just three of the 267 laps. "You know, obviously really proud of everybody, like I said, and you know, we didn't come here saying we were going to be OK finishing fourth. We came here and really tried everything in our power, everything we knew how to do, to put together our best performance. It just wasn't in the cards for us."

However, Truex Jr. sees even brighter days ahead as Furniture Row gets ready for the 2016 season and a switch from Chevrolet to Toyota, that will bring an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

"I think this is great motivation for us for next year," Truex said after the Homestead checkered flag flew. "I think that with the things we have coming and going to Toyota and teaming up with JGR and all that stuff, I think the future is bright for this team, and we're keeping all our guys together, and hopefully this is our first season battling for a championship but not our last. I really feel strong that this is a special group of guys, and if we can keep that together for hopefully the rest of my career, I'd love to drive for them. 

 "We'll just have to wait and see what happens. You never know what the future holds, but excited already about next year, and I think we'll be back here in mid December testing already for next year. Not a whole lot of rest, and looking forward to spending a week or so down here relaxing and having a few beers, catching a few fish and really just let it all soak in what we've been able to accomplish, and really proud of everybody on our team."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...15/12/Martin-Truex-Jr-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Carl Edwards​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ubSeriesID=1&q=Carl+Edwards|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Carl Edwards was the best of the rest in 2015, finishing fifth in the standings in his first season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

After making the Chase for the ninth time in his career, Edwards missed the cutoff for the Championship 4 by five points in the rain-shortened race at Phoenix International Raceway.

"The ultimate letdown for us was the rainout at Phoenix," Edwards said. "We really wanted to be in that final four. I couldn't be prouder of my guys and everybody on the JGR team for how much effort they put in this season and how close we got to have our shot at the championship."

Edwards secured his berth in the Chase with wins in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. His victory in the 600-mile race in May ended a 31-race winless drought that dated back to Sonoma Raceway in 2014 when he drove for Roush Fenway Racing.

"The highlight was for sure the two race wins," said Edwards, who has now won two races in each of the last three seasons. "The win at Darlington and the Coke 600 are two of the biggest wins of my career."

Prior to this season, Edwards had only raced for RFR in his 12 year Sprint Cup career. With the move to JGR Edwards put a lot of pressure on himself and it showed early, especially at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he posted his worst finish of the year, in 42nd.

"I didn't realize until when we got going this year how much pressure I was putting on myself," Edwards said. "Vegas stands out...I basically, I don't know why racing for fourth or fifth...just door slammed Kasey Kahne, and screwed up both of our races. Afterwards, I talked to Kasey and he was puzzled and he was like, 'Carl that want even close.' I realized that I was trying way too dam hard."

After the Vegas race Edwards found himself 23rd in points. It wasn't until after his win at Darlington that he was ranked as high as 12th in the standings in the regular season. The summer months were not only good for Edwards, where he recorded seven top 10s in eight races starting at Kentucky Speedway, but for JGR as a whole.

"The biggest thing I think as a group is our cars became faster as the year went on and that was pretty obvious," Edwards said. "If you step back and look at it, fourth team is a huge undertaking, a lot of people have made this work out and I think overall it's been huge improvements in a number of areas."

Edwards entered the Chase as the eighth seed and finished in the top five in the first two races at Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Overall, he posted six top 10s and an average finish of 8.3 in the 10-race playoffs.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2015/12/Carl-Edwards-2015-Season-Review.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces 2016 Modified Schedules​*
What was old has become new again as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour 2016 schedules have been revealed.

Upstate New York's Oswego Speedway and Massachusetts' Seekonk Speedway have returned to the Whelen Modified Tour schedule for the coming season, reuniting the northeast-based circuit with two venues that have played an integral part of the tour's history. Likewise, North Carolina speedplant Concord Speedway has also rejoined the Whelen Southern Modified Tour calendar for next year while East Carolina Motor Speedway is a newcomer to the southern circuit.

The 32nd season for the Whelen Modified Tour will feature nine different facilities and 17 championship races, the most for the tour since 2005. Here is a breakdown of the 2016 calendar:

• Connecticut's Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park will once again hold the season opening and season closing events as well as two midseason races. Each of Stafford Motor Speedway's four traditional dates also return to the famed Nutmeg State oval.

• The Whelen Modified Tour will remain a fixture on the racing card for both New Hampshire Motor Speedway NASCAR national series weekends.

• The Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours will return to Bristol Motor Speedway for the eighth edition of the annual combination event during the popular August NASCAR race week.

• Long Island New York's Riverhead Raceway once again will return with events while Monadnock Speedway and New London-Waterford Speedbowl will feature one race each.

• The late spring run of consecutive Connecticut events at New London-Waterford, Stafford and Thompson returns for the second year, but is spaced out over the course of a month this time around.

• Oswego, a .625-mile oval near the shore of Lake Ontario, contested four Whelen Modified Tour races in both 1988 and 1989. Seekonk, bordering Rhode Island and its capital city Providence, held its first Whelen Modified Tour race in 1987. The .333-mile oval welcomed the tour back for five races between 2000 and 2005.

The 12th season of Whelen Southern Modified Tour competition will feature 11 points races at seven different southeastern tracks. Here's how the 2016 schedule shakes out for the southern tour:

• North Carolina's Caraway Speedway will once again play host to the season opener. The venerable oval will have three subsequent dates, one more than a year ago.

• A champion will once again be crowned at Charlotte Motor Speedway, marking the seventh consecutive year the tour has visited the frontstretch quarter-mile at the legendary North Carolina facility.

• Virginia's South Boston Speedway will return with two events while famed Bowman Gray Stadium has its traditional summer showcase.

• Concord, a high-speed, half-mile tri-oval located in the heart of North Carolina's NASCAR industry, held one previous Whelen Southern Modified Tour event in 2009.

• East Carolina's high banks are set to play host to the first Whelen Southern Modified Tour event in its history. The D-shaped, .375-mile oval is located in Robersonville, North Carolina.

The All-Star Shootout will also return for a third season as part of the July NASCAR race weekend at New Hampshire. The non-points event features champions, race winners and Sunoco Rookies of the Year from both the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours.

The 2015 Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour seasons concluded in mid-October with Doug Coby and Andy Seuss the respective titlists.

Next year's NASCAR Pinty's Series schedule was released earlier this week by NASCAR while the 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series calendars are nearing completion. The 2016 television broadcast schedules for each of NASCAR's regional touring series will be announced at a later date.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/Whel...Announces-2016-Whelen-Modified-Schedules.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Sarah Cornett-Ching Announces 2016 Racing Plans, Focuses On NASCAR​*
Popular Canadian welder-turned-racer Sarah Cornett-Ching announced her 2016 racing plans today. As many anticipated, she will continue to race with Tony Blanchard and RACE 101 during 2016, focusing primarily on chasing the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year title while sprinkling in some ARCA Racing Series and CARS Super Late Model Tour events along the way.

After setting a female rookie record in the ARCA Racing Series, Sarah Cornett-Ching will pursue the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year title in 2016.

"I'm really energized about running in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series," said the 24-year old driver from Summerland, British Columbia. "We raced a handful of events with them last year, I really liked how the races were organized, the parity of the rules package and what it offered me as a driver. As my career continues to advance, I'll be racing on some of the same tracks and with a lot of the same drivers and teams. Combine that with the added value that the NASCAR brand can bring to me and my partners, it was really a no-brainer."

Though 2016 will see her competing primarily under the NASCAR K&N Pro Series banner, Cornett-Ching will start her major event schedule at the same place her career began, the Daytona International Speedway. Once again, she will compete in the ARCA Racing Series event at the 2.5-mile tri-oval as a precursor to the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited.

Other ARCA starts are tentatively planned at larger tracks where her career path will take her in the future. Immediately following that contest, she will drive over to New Smyrna Speedway for the K&N Pro Series East season opener the next day.

"The K&N Series has a great mix of tracks and is a really good place to build my skill-set and improve my confidence as a driver, but ARCA still offers valuable opportunities for big-track and radial tire experience," she explained.

"Seat time is seat time, no matter what I'm driving. So to have laps around places like Chicago, Talladega or Kansas is extremely valuable, especially when I have an opportunity to move up to Xfinity or the Truck Series in the future."

In addition to full-sized stock car events with NASCAR and ARCA, Cornett-Ching plans to race in the CARS Super Late Model Tour and similar races. After notching a top-ten finish in her first super late model start over Thanksgiving weekend, she found those cars a fun and competitive alternative to sitting dormant during off-weekends.

Cornett-Ching has lots of seat time on her 2016 schedule. In addition to a full-time NASCAR K&N schedule, she has plans to make sporadic starts in ARCA and the CARS Super Late Model Tour.

"I loved racing the super late model at Kenly (Southern National Motorsports Park)," she said. "There are a lot of chances to race on K&N or ARCA off-weekends and it's always a good thing to stay fresh. So many drivers came through those cars on the way to K&N success, and ultimately the top three tiers of NASCAR - Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and so many more. There's a pattern there. And to have a prestigious super late model tour in our backyard, we'd be crazy not to run a few events with them as time permits."

Sarah's first NASCAR K&N Series start of 2016 will be at New Smyrna Speedway as part of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing on Sunday night, February 14. As a warm up and chance to learn the racetrack, she will also be running a super late model in the Redeye 100 at New Smyrna after the first of the year.

For the second consecutive season, Sarah will also be teamed up with two key charities - the Tim Horton Children's Foundation and Pit Stops for Hope. In addition, the RACE 101 team is actively welcoming new business relationships of all types for 2016 and beyond as Cornett-Ching's career continues to evolve and more partnership announcements are expected in the near future.

Fans are encouraged to follow Sarah's career on her website at www.sccracing.com. She also has an active presence on Facebook (facebook.com/sccracing) and Twitter (@SCornettChing) where followers can find relevant news and information on Canada's favorite racing daughter, plus the latest updates on race weekends in addition to contests and giveaways during the racing season.

*Source:*
http://www.catchfence.com/2015/arca...nnounces-2016-racing-plans-focuses-on-nascar/


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## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Jeff Gordon​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...SubSeriesID=1&q=Jeff+Gordon|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

Jeff Gordon's 2015 season began with a pole at Daytona International Speedway and ended with a sixth-place race finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In between, the four-time NASCAR champion made his final year behind the wheel a memorable one - winning at Martinsville Speedway and finishing third in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It's been an honor to drive for one of the best car owners - if not the best," Gordon said of team owner Rick Hendrick, "and drive the best racecars and work with the best people. That's why I have the wins and the championships I have."

As Gordon looks back on 2015, he'll see a steady climb into the top 10 of the regular-season point standings following a sub-par 33rd-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. A ninth-place finish in the spring stop at Phoenix International Raceway kicked off a run of six straight top 10s. Gordon's fourth-place showing May 9 at Kansas Speedway - where teammate Jimmie Johnson won - lifted him to ninth in the point standings.

As the second half of the season unfolded, the consistency of Gordon's No. 24 team helped him keep a tight hold on a potential post-season berth. A seventh-place finish in the regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway was enough to earn Gordon the No. 13 seed on The Chase Grid and a shot at a fifth Cup Series crown.

"This gives us something to be excited about over the next 10 races," Gordon said. "It's nice to be in the Chase, take a breath, reset and see what we can do."

Although Gordon went winless during the regular season, he was 44 points clear of the top-16 cutoff. Fifty days after officially joining the post-season Chase, he would be winless no more.

On Nov. 1, Gordon stood triumphantly atop his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway after opening the Eliminator Round with his 93rd career win. That victory guaranteed Gordon a spot in The Championship 4 later in the month at Homestead-Miami Speedway - where he would battle Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. for NASCAR's 67th title.

His final day as a NASCAR competitor was special for Gordon, whose career began in 1992 on the very day another NASCAR icon - Richard Petty - ran his last race.

"Nothing could have topped the way my day started," Gordon said, recounting the early-morning events of Nov. 22, 2015. "I was planning on sleeping in but was too excited. I pulled up the shades on my bus and my mom just happened to be walking by. That made the start to my day so amazing and we had a great conversation. Then, my stepdad came in and a little later, Ingrid (Gordon's wife) and the kids showed up. It was just perfect."

But the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 was imperfect for Gordon - and championship rivals Harvick and Truex, all of whom were no match for Busch.

"We just missed a little bit on the race," Gordon said of his sixth-place finish. "Overall, I'm extremely proud and excited - not only the way we ran this weekend and this year, but for my whole career."

For 2015, Gordon ended his final season with 21 top-10 finishes in 36 starts, including the victory at Martinsville. He also won four poles, setting a track qualifying record at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In 2016, Gordon will work as an analyst on FOX Sports' Sprint Cup Series telecasts. He'll also work alongside Hendrick as they continue a lifelong partnership and friendship.

"The good news is that we're going to do a lot of things together," Hendrick said. "Jeff's not going to drive a racecar, but he's going to be in the broadcast booth and help us with the team. We'll get to do some things together that we haven't had time to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2015/12/Jeff-Gordon-2015-Season-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Kevin Harvick​*
*2015 Race-by-Race Results*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...bSeriesID=1&q=Kevin+Harvick|NASCAR+Sprint+Cup

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was a year of seconds for defending champion Kevin Harvick.

In his first season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, Harvick was finally able to break through and win his first Sprint Cup championship and entered this season with confidence that he could repeat and win his second title at NASCAR's highest level.

While Harvick may have been the most consistent driver throughout the season, setting career bests for top-five and top-10 finishes, he came up one position short in his quest for the title.

After finishing second in the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway and advancing to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick battled with eventual series champion Kyle Busch late in the going, but was unable to keep up with Busch following a late-race restart, settling for second in the race and second in the championship.

"We were definitely a little bit off tonight, and we just kept throwing stuff at it, and we never really found anything that really helped the car that was like, oh, man, that's what we needed right there," Harvick said after the Homestead race.

When Speedweeks kicked off at Daytona International Speedway in February, Harvick was eager to get back to his winning ways from a season ago. After starting 11th, Harvick charged to finish second in the Daytona 500 and backed that up with another second-place finish the following week at Atlanta.

Not content to be runner-up, Harvick would win the next two races, leading 142 laps at Las Vegas and then 224 laps in the series' first trip of the season to Phoenix.

"It's almost scary how well things are going," Harvick said following his Phoenix triumph. "You don't want to talk about it too much because you want it to keep going. But I'm just really proud of these guys on this team and everything that they do."

Harvick finished second the following week at Auto Club Speedway for his fifth-straight top-two finish of the season and eighth-straight top-two in a row, going back to the fall Texas race of 2014.

After his two wins, Harvick was more than likely locked into the Chase, so from then on it was about collecting more trophies and further proving that his team was the best in the sport.

Going from the April race at Texas Motor Speedway through the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in early September - a stretch of 19 races - Harvick only finished outside the top 10 three times. He also finished in the top-five 13 times. But the most glaring statistic during the stretch was his lack of victories.

"I'm not frustrated at all because I've been on the other side of the fence, and you'd give everything in the world to finish second every week because it's not easy," Harvick said following August's night race at Bristol. "This is a hard sport, and to go to all these different types of racetracks and see the success that the team has, I couldn't be prouder of all the guys on my team and to drive the cars because I know that at any moment you can rattle off two or three wins in a row at any type of racetrack, so it's fun."

But Harvick was never able to rattle off multiple victories. And once the Chase started it looked as if the magic that won him the title in 2014 and rode with him for much of 2015 was gone.

After tangling with Jimmie Johnson on a restart in the opening round of the Chase at Chicagoland Speedway, Harvick spent time in the garage to repair a wrecked racecar and finished 42nd. He struggled the next week and finished 21st at New Hampshire. He went to Dover, a track where he had never won at before, needing to win to advance.

And Harvick did just that. He dominated the day, leading 355 of 400 laps, on his way to the win and a berth in the Contender Round of the Chase.

"Obviously we weren't in a great position coming in to today. That's what these guys are made of and that's what teamwork is all about," Harvick said following the win.

Harvick finished second the following week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, 16th at Kansas Speedway, and 15th in a controversial Talladega Superspeedway race which saw drivers accuse Harvick of intentionally causing a major crash on a green-white-checkered restart to maintain his finishing position after suffering engine problems late in the race.

Harvick was quick to respond though and maintained innocence.

"It wasn't running really well on the restarts. Then at the end I was trying to get out of the way. I don't know if I clipped the 6 or if he came across as I was coming up," Harvick explained.

Being cleared of any wrong-doing by NASCAR, Harvick was clear to the Eliminator Round of the Chase. He finished eighth at Martinsville Speedway and then third at Texas before running second at Phoenix to advance to the final round.

Harvick was labeled the favorite heading into the Homestead weekend with good reason. He had won the race the season before and had scored 12 top-ten finishes in 14 previous starts.

"It makes you feel good about the way that the team has run and the things that we have done. We're a confident group amongst ourselves, but you also have to be respectful because you definitely don't want to get run over by the karma train by spouting too many things off," Harvick said during the week leading to the finale.

Harvick started 13th and quickly charged to the front of the field, leading 46 laps on the day. But as the race went on, his car was simply not as a good as he wanted and not fast enough to keep up with Busch. Still, he had a chance to take the lead following late restart but couldn't maintain the pace.

"I thought there at the end that the restart, we might do a little better than that, but obviously either the splitter was on the ground or the car was just tighter than it probably needed to be, and I just couldn't hustle it and got it tight and got it up the racetrack and got behind," Harvick said.

"It's been a great couple of years, and I know we're disappointed about finishing second tonight," Harvick said after the Homestead race. "It's kind of the theme of the year, finishing second."

"Unfortunately it's just one short, but all in all, it's been a great couple years, and couldn't be prouder of our bunch of guys."

His Homestead effort was his 13th second-place finish of the season, which set a NASCAR Modern Era record.

Harvick finished the season with three wins, and set personal best records with 23 top-five finishes, 28 top-10 finishes, and 2,294 laps led.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2015/12/Kevin-Harvick-2015-Season-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Announces Crew Chief Changes​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced changes today to its crew chief lineup in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the 2016 season.

Dave Rogers, who most recently served as crew chief for JGR's No. 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, will transition to lead the No. 19 team in 2016 with driver Carl Edwards.

Mike Wheeler, who had spent 10 years with the No. 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team before transitioning to crew chief for JGR's No. 20 XFINITY Series team in 2015, will return to work with driver Denny Hamlin in 2016.

Darian Grubb, who had served as crew chief on the No. 19 Sprint Cup Series team last season, is currently exploring several opportunities for the 2016 season.

Meanwhile Jason Ratcliff and Adam Stevens will continue in their current roles as crew chief of JGR's No. 20 and No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams respectively.

"2015 was probably the strongest season we have ever had at Joe Gibbs Racing," said Joe Gibbs, owner of JGR. "We won more races than we ever have, qualified all four teams into the Chase and were blessed to end it with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship.

"I think every year you evaluate each of your teams however and sometimes during that process you find that a change might be in the best interest for all involved. Mike Wheeler is obviously someone that has a long history with Denny (Hamlin) and that No. 11 team. After seeing what he accomplished as a crew chief in our XFINITY Series program last year we felt the timing was right to move him back into our Cup program. Dave Rogers has also been successful in every role he has had with us and we think he will work well with Carl (Edwards) going into 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ibbs-Racing-Announces-Crew-Chief-Changes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Season Review: Kyle Busch​*
Kyle Busch capped a remarkable season of challenges to win his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Just call Busch the "Comeback Kid" after he recovered from a devastating crash at the beginning of the season that sidelined him for 11 races to somehow return and win the 2015 title.

The championship capped a season in which Busch suffered a broken leg and foot in the season-opening XFINITY Series race accident at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR granted Busch an exemption for the 11 missed races under the condition of winning a race and finishing inside the top 30 of the standings to be eligible for the Chase. He won four regular season races and finished high enough in the points to more than exceed that criteria.

He then put an exclamation point on the accomplishments by winning the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to seal the championship.

"I just can't believe with everything that happened this year, all the turmoil that I went through, my wife went through, my family went through and people around me went through," Busch said. "This championship is for these guys, my wife, my family and everyone who sacrificed to get me here."

Busch gave team owner Joe Gibbs his fourth Sprint Cup title to go along with the three Super Bowl championships earned as head coach of the Washington Redskins.

"It's a thrill for me to be in two sports like that," Gibbs said. "I love football, and everything I got to do there is just a thrill for me, and then to come over here and have two great experiences - you realize in life, most people never get one. They never get to have one, and I've had two.

"And so, believe me, I know how blessed I am. I appreciate that, and I thank the Lord every day, and I'm very thankful for having a chance to do this."

Busch returned to competition in early summer and was average at best with finishes of ninth at Pocono, 36th at Dover and 43rd at Michigan. But then he went on an epic run that solidified his spot in the NASCAR record book.

Busch won four of the next five races, a string that began with given his injuries a somewhat unlikely road course victory at Sonoma that was the beginning of his remarkable comeback story.

"This is awesome - it's unbelievable," said Busch. "Can't say enough about my team, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. I can't say enough about my medical team that got me back in shape and ready to go behind the wheel."

After a 17th-place performance the next week at Daytona, Busch then put together a string of three straight wins at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis, where he scored his first career Brickyard 400 win.

"It's really a treat to win here at Indy," Busch said. "I appreciate all the fans that I have, all the fans that NASCAR has and Toyota has now captured a win at every single active Cup Series race track - that's pretty awesome for us to be able to do that.

"I can't thank this crew enough. Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, all the men and women there, you work so hard and pour your hearts into it. I can't thank everyone that has stood behind me all year."

Busch didn't win during the remainder of the regular season, but he entered the Chase as a top seed. After a ninth place run to open the playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway, Busch had a disastrous day in New Hampshire when he cut a tire and hit the wall, resulting in a 27th-place finish. Fortunately a second at Dover to end the round kept Busch in the championship hunt.

He got by the next round to advance and put together a very impressive Eliminator Round with finishes of fifth, fourth and fourth to punch his ticket to the Championship 4 finale at Homestead, where his victory locked up the extraordinary story.

"This is pretty unbelievable. The dream of a lifetime, a dream come true," Busch said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Kyle-Busch-2015-Season-Review.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Regular Season Reward​*
It didn't take long for Kyle Busch to use his voice as the new Sprint Cup Series champion to generate some debate.

Busch suggested a change to the Chase a couple of weeks ago during Champion's Week activities in Las Vegas.

"I think there's one thing that could be added," Busch said. "I think we have to take care of the regular-season leader. Whoever is the points leader after (the regular-season finale), I think it would be pretty neat if they got a first-round bye, for instance.

"I think being able to accomplish that feat of leading the points is somewhat similar to the old championship format. I think you should reward that guy and not have to make them sweat for the first round."

I've long been an advocate on putting some kind of carrot at the end of the stick to encourage a battle for the series point lead, which has become irrelevant thanks to the new Chase format. Since winning means so much more today and victories get drivers into the Chase, who's leading the point standings is really a meaningless exercise as it now stands.

However, Busch's suggestion is too much. Giving a driver three races off, a complete bye in the opening round, goes way too far.

All NASCAR needs to do is give the regular season leader three points, or the equivalent to the bonus that goes along with winning in the first 26 races of the schedule. That's plenty of incentive and a lucrative reward that would carry value into the Chase.

How valuable might an extra three points have been to Kevin Harvick last year in his first round Chase seeding given the challenges he had during the opening three races?

The idea of a first round bye comes from the NFL model, which allows teams winning divisions to sit out the opening set of playoff games. Major League Baseball, the NBA and NHL have the ability to give teams home field advantage in opening playoff rounds when divisions are won.

But since there is no such thing as a home field advantage in NASCAR, the next best thing is to provide teams with something tangible that can be of value in the Chase such as the three-point bonus.

Imagine the possibilities of following an additional storyline in the closing weeks of the regular season to the battle of simply making the Chase? Two or three drivers trying to end the regular schedule on top of the standings and in the process take an extra three bonus points into the championship season would generate even more excitement and interest.

There's nothing about the elimination-style format Chase that should be touched for years to come. But it's time for NASCAR to add more significance and importance to the drivers trying to end up on top of the points mountain heading into the playoffs.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2015/12/Opinion-Regular-Season-Reward.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Suarez To Have New Crew Chief For 2016 Season​*
Daniel Suarez will have a new crew chief for the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

Scott Graves, who won the NXS title with Chris Buescher and was expected to guide the champ through his rookie season in Sprint Cup, has parted ways with Roush Fenway Racing.

Sources told Motorsport.com Graves will guide the No. 18 Arris Toyota and NXS Rookie of the Year Suarez.

The Clifton Springs, N.Y. native graduated from Texas Tech University in 1994 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Graves joined RFR in 2006 as a team engineer on the No. 99 Ford truck and honed his skills as a team engineer in all three series before Jack Roush offered him the opportunity to be a crew chief. Graves worked with Carl Edwards and Trevor Bayne in NXS before taking over Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s team full-time at the end of the 2012 Sprint Cup

However, Graves greatest success came with Buescher over the past two seasons. Despite missing the season opener at Daytona, the No. 60 team won a race and salvaged a seventh-place finish in points. This season, Buescher won two races and posted an average finish of 8.4 on his way to the title.

Graves replaces Eric Phillips who guided Suarez to the rookie title this season and a fifth-place finish in the NXS standings. Phillips earned his first shot as a crew chief in Cup with Ron Fellows in 2002. While he's enjoyed solid runs overseeing the efforts of Suarez at Gibbs and Parker Kligerman who both finished in the top 10 in the NXS, Phillips claim to fame is winning the owner's championship (2010, 2014) as the crew chief for KBM in the Camping World Truck Series.

Phillips, who has 37 truck wins with a variety of drivers including Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Brian Scott and Mike Skinner, is expected to join Dave Rogers and Edwards as the car chief for the No. 19 Sprint Cup team.

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/suarez-to-have-new-crew-chief-for-2016-season/


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## Ckg2011

*Mile High Sports Magazine Names Martin Truex Jr. Colorado Professional Athlete of The Year​*
Mile High Sports Magazine has named Furniture Row Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. the 2015 Colorado Professional Athlete of the Year.
Truex, who enjoyed his best season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, joins a list of famed athletes who previously received the Mile High Sports Magazine honor, including Peyton Manning (NFL Denver Broncos), Carmelo Anthony (NBA Denver Nuggets) and Joe Sakic (NHL Colorado Avalanche).

Driving for the Denver-based single-car team headquartered 1500 miles from the racing hub in Charlotte, N.C., Truex defied the pundits by advancing to the final four in NASCAR's Chase playoffs. His season statistics were highlighted with a victory at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, eight top fives, 22 top 10s and 567 laps led. He was NASCAR's biggest gainer in the point standings, vaulting from 24th in 2014 to fourth in 2015.

"On Monday mornings in Colorado, you talk about how the Broncos played on Sunday. It's just what you do. But this year, on more than one occasion, Monday morning included conversations about how well Furniture Row Racing and Martin Truex Jr. did over the weekend," said Mile High Sports Magazine editor-in-chief Doug Ottewill. "The fact that this team got the general sports fan talking about, and interested in, motor sports is remarkable. Truex and his team put our state on the map in a sport where we'd previously had little, if any, representation. That's a remarkable feat, and it's exactly why we chose to honor him. Simply put, they were excellent all season long."

Truex, who will begin his third season in 2016 as the Furniture Row Racing driver, was quick to point out that the honor was a result of a team effort.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized in the home state of our Furniture Row Racing team," said Truex. "Though it will be showcased as an individual honor, the Mile High Sports award would never have been possible if it weren't for the talented and dedicated group of people at our Denver shop for giving me fast race cars throughout the season.

"Our team owner and Denver native Barney Visser has given us the resources to compete with the top teams of the sport. And Joe Garone, another Denver native, has skillfully guided the program in his role as general manager. Needless to say, our results in 2015 have been a total team effort. I also want to give a shout out to all the Colorado NASCAR fans for their support, which means so much to everyone associated with Furniture Row Racing."

Mile High Sports Magazine can be found on newsstands in Colorado; the January issue, which honors Truex, will hit the stands Jan. 5. The digital version can be found at milehighsports.com.

*Source:*
http://www.catchfence.com/2015/spri...jr-colorado-professional-athlete-of-the-year/


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## Ckg2011

*Road To The Sprint Cup: Part 1​*
*DAYTONA 500*

NASCAR's 67th season began just weeks after four-time champion Jeff Gordon announced that 2015 would be his last as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver. Gordon and his teammates seemed bent on making this Daytona 500 something special.

Hendrick Motorsports dominated the first three-quarters of the race, leading all but 19 of 150 laps with Gordon and Jimmie Johnson showing early muscle. Gordon, who started from the pole, led a race-high 87 laps but was swept up in an eight-car crash along the backstretch on the final trip around the 2.5-mile oval that saddled him with a 33rd-place finish.

Joey Logano charged out of a three-wide, 30-deep pack of cars 13 laps from the finish and kept his No. 22 Team Penske Ford in front the rest of the way to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway - giving Ford a weekend sweep. The manufacturer won Friday's Camping World Truck Series race and Saturday's XFINITY Series opener.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wound up third after leading 32 laps and Johnson was fifth. Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick rode home in second place with Denny Hamlin fourth.

Also noteworthy was a big-name driver who did not compete in the Daytona 500. Twenty-four hours earlier, Kyle Busch was involved in a late-race crash during the XFINITY Series opener. He suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg and also broke his left foot in the accident that occurred along the track's frontstretch.

Busch would miss the first 11 races of the season before returning in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Two-time defending Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton replaced Busch behind the wheel of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for "The Great American Race" and finished a respectable 18th, running on the lead lap with winner Logano.

*ATLANTA*

Next, it was on to Atlanta Motor Speedway and time for Jimmie Johnson to shine.

He started near the rear of the field after the No. 48 Chevrolet failed to clear inspection Friday afternoon of race weekend and the six-time champion was unable to qualify. On Sunday, it took Johnson half the race to work his way to the front but once he did, he led 92 of the final 128 laps.

His margin of victory was 1.8 seconds over runner-up Kevin Harvick. Johnson left the field well behind after a late-race restart, making it look easy in the closing laps as he notched his 71st career victory and his fourth on the 1.54-mile Georgia oval.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took third, giving Hendrick Motorsports two of the top three finishing positions. Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano started from the pole and led 84 laps, finishing fourth. Matt Kenseth completed the top five.

Logano was dominant early, leading all but 12 of the first 96 laps. Harvick took control of the middle portion of the race before yielding to Johnson, whose No. 37 starting spot is the farthest back an Atlanta race winner has lined up in the Cup Series since Bobby Labonte won from the Number-39 position in 2001.

The Atlanta win enabled Johnson to climb from fifth to second in the standings, a single point behind Logano. It was a good day for Chevrolet with the manufacturer sweeping the top three spots.

*LAS VEGAS*

After opening the 2015 season with back-to-back second-place finishes, defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick turned it up a notch with a convincing victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Harvick started 18th, had his car in front for the first time about a third of the way into the race and led all but 35 of the final 177 circuits. All told, Harvick led a race-high 142 laps in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, including the final 16. Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin completed the top five.

Dating back to the final three weeks of the 2014 season, Harvick had now finished either first or second for six races in a row ... winning three of the last five on mile-and-a-half ovals: at Charlotte and Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014, and now Las Vegas in 2015.

Jimmie Johnson, the previous weekend's winner in Atlanta, was slowed by tire trouble that sent him into the wall and sliding to a 41st-place finish. Pole sitter Jeff Gordon, forced to a backup car after a practice crash the day before, finished 18th.

The victory lifted Harvick into the early-season lead in the standings. He would carry a nine-point advantage over Earnhardt into the next race as NASCAR's early-season swing out west continued with a stop at Phoenix International Raceway.

*PHOENIX INERNATIONAL RACEWAY*

At PIR, Kevin Harvick shredded the field - notching his fourth straight victory on the one-mile desert oval.

He started from the pole and led a race-high 224 laps, including the final 17 ... pulling away from Jamie McMurray on the day's final restart and cruising to his 30th career victory. Ryan Newman placed third with Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch completing the top five.

Phoenix marked the first start of the season for Busch, one of Harvick's teammates at Stewart-Haas Racing. He sat out the first three races while serving a NASCAR suspension. Busch came away from the weekend with a top-five finish after qualifying eighth.

*AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY*

With the Sprint Cup Series continuing on the West Coast, Fontana, Calif., was the next stop - where Brad Keselowski put a stop to Kevin Harvick's two-race winning streak in dramatic fashion. Keselowski's last-lap pass brought him his only lead of the day en route to his 17th career victory but first on the two-mile Southern California oval.

It was a runner-up finish for Harvick, who opened the season with five straight finishes of first or second - a NASCAR record.

In just his second start since returning from that three-race suspension, Kurt Busch grabbed third place after leading a race-high 65 laps. Paul Menard and Ryan Newman completed the top five with Dale Earnhardt Jr. sixth, giving Chevrolet five of the top six finishing positions.

Two late cautions for debris sent the race nine laps past its scheduled distance. Harvick's second-place finish enabled him to extend his lead over Joey Logano to 28 points in the standings with Martin Truex Jr. Earnhardt and Keselowski rounding out the top five.

Earlier in the weekend, Brian Vickers informed Michael Waltrip Racing that he was experiencing a recurrence of blood clots, which required him to resume blood-thinning medication ... thus making Vickers unable to compete for the balance of the season. Rookie Brett Moffitt and, later, veteran David Ragan would take the reins of the No. 55 Toyota for the rest of the year.

*MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY*

Up next was the cross-country trip from California to the Southeast for the season's first short-track race at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCARKevin Harvick was strong and steady again, leading a race-high 154 laps ... but could do no better than eighth place - ending his streak of finishing either first or second in eight straight races.

The prime real estate of Gatorade Victory Lane would belong to Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who overcame a speeding penalty on pit road to give Toyota its first Sprint Cup win of the season. Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry led the final 28 laps.

Despite the eighth-place finish, Harvick did hold onto the top spot in the standings - taking a 24-point lead over Joey Logano into the annual Easter break.

*TEXAS*

Following a weekend off, the Sprint Cup Series got back in action at Texas Motor Speedway and once again, it was "The Jimmie Johnson Show" in "The Lone Star State."

Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet was fast throughout the race and a four-tire pit stop during the final caution helped put him in position to challenge for the win. With Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray battling at the front of the field, Johnson saw an opportunity for victory and charged past both drivers to take the checkered flag.

He led a quartet of Hendrick Motorsports competitors with top-10 finishes, claiming his second straight win on the mile-and-a-half Fort Worth oval. Johnson led a race-high 128 laps including the final 14, beating runner-up Harvick by 1.7 seconds. The three other Hendrick drivers finished third ... that was Dale Earnhardt Junior, seventh ... for Jeff Gordon, and eighth ... Kasey Kahne.

The victory enabled Johnson to extend his recent mastery of TMS that now showed four victories in six races dating back to November 2012.

With Johnson's win, Chevrolet went three-for-three on mile-and-a-half intermediate ovals to start the 2015 campaign ... with the six-time champion also winning in Atlanta and Harvick victorious in Las Vegas. Overall, the streak stood at six straight wins going back to the end of the 2014 season.

*Continues below:*


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## Ckg2011

*BRISTOL*

From Texas, it was back to short-track racing in the Southeast - where Joe Gibbs Racing would dominate the story lines. And for the second year in a row, Bristol Motor Speedway's spring race - scheduled to be run during the day - was pushed to primetime by persistent rain.

It did get started at mid-afternoon, but only 22 laps were run before showers returned. The green flag flew again shortly before 7 p.m. local time, some 5 1/2 hours after the scheduled starting time.

Carl Edwards showed his strength by leading four times for 86 laps in his bid for a second straight spring win at BMS. But his night ended on a sour note when he got loose while racing side-by-side with Jeff Gordon and slid into the outside wall, which brought out the final caution and led to a 24th-place finish for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

That set teammate Matt Kenseth up to race for the win on the final restart, which he did after waiting out yet one more brief rain delay. Kenseth darted away from Gordon on an overtime restart to claim the victory, ending a 51-race winless streak dating back to September 2013.

Kenseth was the first driver to win a Cup Series race from the pole position in "Thunder Valley" since Edwards in 2008.

Denny Hamlin, another JGR driver, was sidelined by neck spasms that began during the early laps of the race. He was not able to drive when the action resumed after the long rain delay, with Erik Jones taking over the No. 11 Toyota. Jones finished 26th, six laps off the pace.

*RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY*

Matt Kenseth's victory at Bristol made Toyota two-for-two in early-season short-track races, but a third straight win for the manufacturer was not in the cards at Richmond International Raceway.

NASCARAnother wet weekend was as rain soaked a Sprint Cup venue for the second straight race, moving the event from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon ... where Kurt Busch ended Toyota's early-season dominance of Sprint Cup Series short tracks with a dominating day of his own as he continued to rapidly round into form after returning from a three-race suspension.

Busch steered the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet to victory, leading a race-high 291 of the 400 laps including the final 47 trips around the three-quarter-mile oval - blunting a late charge from Kevin Harvick.

The margin of victory was three-quarters of a second with Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano completing the top five. The second-place finish for Harvick kept him atop the regular-season standings by 33 points over Logano.

The top five drivers entering the weekend all held their positions with Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski making up the rest of the top five.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Road-to-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Part-1.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Road To The Sprint Cup: Part 2​*
*TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY*

From Richmond's three-quarter-mile oval, it was on to big, bad Talladega Superspeedway ... and it was time for teammates to shine on NASCAR's largest track and one of its biggest stages.

Of course, no trip to Talladega would be complete without "The Big One." Trevor Bayne's spin on Lap 47 triggered a 15-car wreck along the backstretch. Kyle Larson, David Ragan, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick were among the drivers who got swept up in the accident. The red flag was displayed for more than 11 minutes while the safety crew cleaned up the track.

When racing resumed and things settled down, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson moved front-and-center. Earnhardt took the lead then got some timely blocks from Johnson in the closing laps, driving on to his first victory of the season.

Johnson - who finished second - first turned back a late charge from Harvick and Denny Hamlin, then kept Paul Menard in his rear-view mirror as Earnhardt headed for the checkered flag.

"Junior" finished .15 seconds in front of Johnson with Menard, Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. completing the top five. Earnhardt led six times for a race-high 67 laps including the final 27 trips around the 2.66-mile Alabama oval.

Harvick finished eighth, more than enough for him to maintain a comfortable lead in the regular-season standings. He enjoyed a 40-point advantage over Truex heading into the next race under the lights at Kansas Speedway.

*KANSAS SPEEDWAY*

Jimmie Johnson's mastery of mile-and-a-half ovals in 2015 continued on a Saturday night ... and into Sunday morning, thanks to a rain delay that stretched past two hours.

NASCARJohnson and his No. 48 Chevrolet flexed their muscles throughout the second half of the Sponge Bob Square Pants 400, which featured a pivotal caution with 10 laps remaining. Johnson chose to remain on the track while others pitted, turning track position into a trip to Gatorade Victory Lane.

The six-time champion took the checkered flag just past midnight local time, despite a late surge from Kevin Harvick.

The race was the fourth this season contested on intermediate-sized ovals and Johnson won three of them: in Atlanta, Texas and now Kansas City. He led just once all night, but it came when it counted most - over the final 10 laps.

His margin of victory over runner-up Harvick was a half-second. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, teammates of Johnson's at Hendrick Motorsports, also chose to remain on the track during that final caution and it paid off with finishes of third and fourth, respectively.

Pole sitter Joey Logano completed the top five. Martin Truex Jr. started fourth, led a race-high 95 laps and seemed poised to end a 66-race winless streak. However, he needed to pit for fuel during the final caution and wound up with a ninth-place finish - one of 17 drivers on the lead lap with Johnson at the end of the night ... or beginning of the morning.

*NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE*

The Chase for championship points was on hold for a week as NASCAR headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the annual Sprint All-Star Race, where Denny Hamlin ended the night exactly where he started it: at the front of the field.

Kasey Kahne won the first of the four 25-lap segments. Brad Keselowski won the next two with Kurt Busch winning Segment 4. But it was Hamlin, who qualified on the pole earlier in the evening, pulling away from Kevin Harvick in the final 10-lap segment to claim victory in the annual non-points special event and take home the $1 million prize for first place.

That final 10-lap dash for cash was set up with a round of mandatory pit stops. For Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing crew, a lightning-fast 10.6-second stop was the key to victory.

But it was heartbreak for Keselowski. The Team Penske driver was caught speeding on pit road and forced to the back of the field, out of contention while up front, Hamlin closed the deal on his first All-Star win.

Kurt Busch finished third with Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth completing the top five. Clint Bowyer, who earned his way into the race by winning the preliminary Sprint Showdown, finished 12th in the main event. Greg Biffle, who won the first segment of the "Showdown," had three pit-road speeding penalties in the All-Star Race and finished 13th.

*CHARLOTTE 600*

With the month of May drawing to a close, Joe Gibbs Racing was about to begin a run of success that would carry the team through the summer with 11 wins in a 17-race stretch.

NASCARCarl Edwards kicked it off in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, managing his fuel mileage to perfection and stretching it all the way to Victory Lane. Edwards led the first two laps and the last 21 in notching his 24th career win and first at CMS, snapping a 31-race winless streak dating back to June 2014.

Edwards beat runner-up Greg Biffle to the checkered flag by 4.7 seconds. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third with pole sitter Matt Kenseth fourth. Martin Truex Jr. led a race-high 131 laps but needed a late pit stop for fuel and finished fifth.

Thirty-seven laps from the finish, it looked like Denny Hamlin was on his way to sweeping both Charlotte races. But a loose wheel forced him to pit and give up the lead to Truex, who then surrendered the lead himself with his late fuel stop.

Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick finished ninth, which was enough for him to maintain a commanding lead in the standings with the regular season nearing its halfway point. Harvick's advantage over second-place Truex was 41 points heading into the next race at Dover, Del.

Kyle Busch's climb toward the top 30 in the Sprint Cup Series point standings began with an 11th-place finish, leaving him 41st in the standings. After missing the first 11 races of the season while recovering from injuries suffered in February at Daytona, Busch needed an average finish of 16th over the final 15 races of the regular season to be eligible for a spot in the post-season Chase.

And Jeff Gordon's day began with him driving the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 and ended with the four-time champion driving 600 miles in the Coca-Cola 600, in which he finished 15th.

*DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY*

NASCAR's next stop was "The Monster Mile" at Dover, where Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. showed plenty of speed throughout the day. But six-time champion Jimmie Johnson was strong down the stretch.

Truex started on the front row alongside pole sitter Denny Hamlin and would lead a race-high 131 laps but could do no better than sixth place. Harvick emerged as a prime candidate for victory in the second half of the race and was leading when an ill-timed yellow flag flew.

Johnson saw an opprtunity to grab the lead on the ensuing restart and did just that. He started 14th and led just once all day, for the final 23 laps in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Johnson easily managed three late restarts that helped send the race past its scheduled distance, driving away to his series-leading fourth win of the season.

Johnson's 74th career victory lifted him from fifth to third in the 2015 regular-season standings, trailing leader Harvick by 76 points. With the win, Johnson became the first driver with back-to-back victories in Dover's springtime Cup Series race since Hall of Famer Bobby Allison won two straight in 1982 and 1983.

Chevrolet claimed the top four finishing positions and eight of the top 10.

*POCONO RACEWAY*

After weeks of knocking on the door to the Winner's Circle, Martin Truex Jr. finally pushed it open at "The Tricky Triangle."

Martin Truex Jr.The Furniture Row Racing driver had led the most laps in each of the previous three races, but circumstances kept him from ending a winless streak that was approaching two years. On this day, after starting from the inside of the second row, Truex hit his stride as the race passed the halfway mark.

For the fourth race in a row, Truex once again led the most laps - 97. This time, he closed the deal. The margin of victory over runner-up Kevin Harvick was nearly 1.5 seconds with Jimmie Johnson finishing third - giving Chevrolet a sweep of the top three spots for the second week in a row and the fifth time in the last six races.

Harvick's second-place finish was his eighth of the season through the first 14 races in defense of his 2014 Sprint Cup championship. It came on crew chief Rodney Childers' 39th birthday. Following Pocono, Harvick led the standings by 39 points over Truex.

Harvick and Johnson were the only drivers with multiple wins as the regular season headed into its second half.

*Continues below:*


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## Ckg2011

*MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY*

From Pennsylvania, it was on to Michigan International Speedway - where defending Cup Series champ Kevin Harvick showed strength near the mid-point of the Quicken Loans 400. But as rain clouds gathered over the two-mile oval, teams began to strategize with the prospect of a shortened race looming.

It was Kurt Busch in the right place at the right time as showers moved in over Michigan's Irish Hills, shortening the race and rewarding Busch with his 27th career win. It was his third victory at MIS for three different car owners: Jack Roush in 2003, Roger Penske in 2007 and now Gene Haas in 2015.

With a third-place finish, Martin Truex Jr. became the first Cup Series driver to open the season with 14 top 10s in the first 15 races since Hall of Famer Richard Petty in 1969, 11 years before Truex was born.

Kyle Busch had a setback in his climb toward the top 30 in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. He wrecked about one-fourth of the way into the scheduled race distance and finished 43rd, leaving him 39th in the standings; nine positions below the cutoff for Chase eligibility.

*SONOMA*

But as the series headed west to Sonoma, Calif., for the first road-course race of the season, Busch's comeback was about to take a turn for the better.

NASCARHe started 11th and led just 17 laps, but benefitted from a late caution brought about by Casey Mears' broken axle. A trip to pit road for four fresh tires put Busch in prime position to chase down Jimmie Johnson and others who remained on the track with old rubber.

From the drop of the green flag on the final restart, Busch quickly began his march toward the front and easily moved past Johnson for his final lead of the day.

He had missed the first 11 races of the season while recovering from injuries suffered in February at Daytona International Speedway, returned to competition in May and on June 28 - making just his fifth start of the year, Busch steered the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to his 30th career Cup Series victory.

Older brother Kurt finished second, marking the first time that the Busch brothers finished one-two in Sprint Cup Series competition. Clint Bowyer ran third with points leader Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano completing the top five. Johnson held on for sixth place.

*DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY*

As the Sprint Cup Series returned to Daytona International Speedway for its traditional July weekend, rain once again played a role. The Sunday start of the race was delayed by some four hours and it would finish after 2:30 a.m. Monday morning!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from the pole and after briefly yielding the lead to Austin Dillon, who started second, he moved in front at Lap 9. The No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet would be a familiar sight at the front of the field all night as Earnhardt would lead a race-high 96 of the 161 laps contested.

He passed teammate Jimmie Johnson to take his final lead 45 laps from the finish and remained in front the rest of the way to post his second win of the season and his fourth career Cup Series victory at "The World Center of Racing."

As Earnhardt took the checkered flag, contact between Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick triggered a multi-car crash that sent Dillon's Chevrolet hurtling into the catch fence along the frontstretch. The impact separated the engine block from Dillon's racecar, which landed upside down on the track. The driver climbed out and walked away from the scene with a seventh-place finish.

Earnhardt's winning margin over runner-up Johnson was 12 one-hundredths of a second. Hamlin was credited with third place, Harvick fourth and Kurt Busch was fifth.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Road-to-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Part-2.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Road To The Sprint Cup: Part 3​*
*KENTUCKY*

The Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway would bring the first half of the 2015 season to a close but mark the beginning of something big for Kyle Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing team.

Busch's already-rapid recovery from injuries suffered in February at Daytona would accelerate in "The Bluegrass State." He started ninth and led a race-high 163 laps including the final 20, beating runner-up Joey Logano to the checkered flag by 1.5 seconds.

The victory lifted Busch from 37th to 35th in the standings. He led a parade of JGR cars into the top five at night's end. Denny Hamlin finished third, Carl Edwards fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth.

With an eighth-place finish, regular-season points leader Kevin Harvick became the first driver to officially clinch his spot on the 2015 Chase Grid.

*NEW HAMPSHIRE*

And now, it was on to New England for the first of two trips to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was Team Penske's turn to flex its muscles on "The Magic Mile," with Brad Keselowski starting 10th and leading a race-high 100 laps.

NASCARBut in the end, it was Kyle Busch's turn to shine - again - as his mid-season march toward a post-season berth continued. He would have the final say, leading the final 49 laps around the one-mile oval to notch his second straight victory and third in four races.

The race ended under caution for Alex Bowman's single-car accident that took place in Turn 2 after Busch had taken the white flag. Keselowski had to settle for second place with Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano (Keselowski's Team Penske teammate) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. completing the top five.

Busch became the ninth different winner in the last nine summertime races contested in New Hampshire dating back to 2007.

*INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY*

As July drew to a close, it was on to Indianapolis where Busch would try to stretch his winning streak to three.

He had climbed to 33rd place in the standings with seven races left in the regular season. The last driver to win three straight Sprint Cup races was Jimmie Johnson, who actually put four wins in a row together during the 2007 Chase.

Carl Edwards, one of Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, started from the pole and led early. Kevin Harvick was strong throughout the first half of the race. But it was Busch who emerged as a threat to win in the No. 18 Toyota as the event reached its halfway point.

After a late caution, Busch drove away from Joey Logano on the final restart and was not seriously challenged over the last two laps, extending his personal winning streak to three and snapping Chevrolet's twelve-year string of victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Harvick finished third with Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin rounding out the top five.

The win helped Busch sustain his mid-season march toward a post-season berth. The victory was Toyota's first Cup Series win at Indianapolis and gave the driver a weekend sweep at "The Brickyard." Busch also won the XFINITY Series race the day before.

Including the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in mid-May, Joe Gibbs Racing had now won six of the last 10 Sprint Cup Series events: four by Busch, and one each for Hamlin and Edwards.

*POCONO RACEWAY*

The Sprint Cup Series would now head from the famed oval at Indianapolis back to "The Tricky Triangle" at Pocono Raceway, with Kyle Busch attempting to become the first driver with four wins in a row since Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

Martin Truex Jr., who started 13th, was looking for a season sweep of Pocono's two Cup Series races but would do no better than 19th place on this day. Joey Logano was steady and strong all afternoon, and would lead a race-high 97 laps. Busch had his shots at the Team Penske driver and finally got the lead when Logano ran out of gas, later taking the white flag in first place with a whopping 16-second lead over teammate Matt Kenseth.

NASCARBut then, Busch's gas tank ran dry and it was Kenseth who had played the fuel-mileage game to perfection - recording his second victory of the season, snapping Busch's three-race winning streak but at the same time, extending Joe Gibbs Racing's run of summertime success with the organization's seventh win in an 11-race stretch.

Kenseth led just two laps, one at mid-race and the other at the end of the day in notching career win No. 33.

*WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL*

For the next stop at Watkins Glen International, Joey Logano got his weekend rolling with a victory in the XFINITY Series race. Twenty-four hours after that, he found himself in the midst of more fuel-mileage drama on the famed road course as the final lap of the Cheez-It 355 unfolded.

When race leader Kevin Harvick ran out of gas approaching the final turn on the final lap, Logano was in position to take advantage and motored on to his 10th career win. The margin of victory was more than five seconds over Kyle Busch, who climbed into the top 30 in the point standings and became eligible for a spot in the post-season Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup despite missing the first 11 races of the season due to injury.

Harvick held on for third place after leading a race-high 29 laps. Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch completed the top five. Pole sitter AJ Allmendinger led 21 laps but finished 24th in his bid for back-to-back wins at Watkins Glen.

Logano's victory was his first since winning the season-opening Daytona 500 in February and Ford's first Cup win at Watkins Glen since Marcos Ambrose went back-to-back in 2011 and 2012.

The victory by Logano helped cool what had been a red-hot Joe Gibbs Racing. Entering The Glen's weekend, JGR had won seven of the last 11 Cup Series events dating back to the All-Star Race in mid-May.

*MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY*

The race at Michigan International Speedway would feature NASCAR's "high-drag" aerodynamic rules package that debuted in late July at Indianapolis, with the higher downforce intended to create more competitive racing with increased lead changes.

The Pure Michigan 400 was the second event for the new package and Joe Gibbs Racing's Matt Kenseth found it much to his liking.

After two straight weeks of last-lap fuel-mileage drama, Kenseth won in dominating fashion at MIS - starging from the pole, leading 146 of the 200 laps, and marching to his third win of the season and second in three weeks.

Kenseth's margin of victory was 1.7 seconds over Kevin Harvick. Martin Truex Jr. finished third and Austin Dillon came home with a career-best fourth-place finish. Denny Hamlin, one of Kenseth's teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, completed the top five with another JGR entry ... Carl Edwards ... finishing sixth, one day after celebrating his 36th birthday.

With Kenseth's victory, Joe Gibbs Racing had now won eight of the last 13 Sprint Cup Series events dating back to the All-Star Race in mid-May. This was the third year in a row that the pole sitter won the August Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway: Joey Logano in 2013, Jeff Gordon in 2014 and now Kenseth.

The win for Toyota was the manufacturer's first Cup victory at MIS since August 2011 and snapped Chevrolet's three-race winning streak on the two-mile Irish Hills oval. Joe Gibbs tied Rick Hendrick for third place on the owners win list at Michigan. Each has eight victories.

*BRISTOL*

As August drew to a close, NASCAR went back to its short tracks. Team Penske's Joey Logano kept a hard-charging Kevin Harvick in his rear-view mirror throughout the closing laps under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway, winning in "Thunder Valley" for the second year in a row.

NASCARLogano kept the No. 22 Ford in front over the final 63 trips around the Tennessee half-mile in posting his third win of the season and the 11th of his career. The margin of victory was 22 one-hundredths of a second over Harvick with pole sitter Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer completing the top five.

Harvick continues to cruise through 2015 with a comfortable lead in the regular-season standings. Heading into a late-summer break in the schedule, Harvick enjoyed a 43-point advantage over Logano. The defending Sprint Cup Series champion had 21 top 10s in 24 starts to this point of the season including 10 runner-up finishes, and victories at Las Vegas and Phoenix International Raceway.

Harvick had now been atop the point standings since his win in Vegas way back on March 8.

Kyle Busch, a four-time winner this year, further solidified his eligibility for a post-season Chase berth with an eighth-place finish at Bristol and enjoyed a 46-point cushion over Cole Whitt in his bid to remain among the top 30 with just two races left in the regular season. Busch led a race-high 192 laps at Bristol in his bid for a weekend sweep after winning Friday's XFINITY Series race.

The Sprint Cup Series would now get a weekend off before returning to action with the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

*Continues below:*


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## Ckg2011

*DARLINGTON RACEWAY*

As NASCAR marked its return to racing at Darlington on Labor Day weekend, the sanctioning body implemented a modified low-downforce rules package that would contribute to the highest number of lead changes - 24 - since the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Brad Keselowski started from the pole and led the first 62 laps before Darlington began living up to its reputation as one of NASCAR's toughest tracks. Contact between Jeb Burton and Jimmie Johnson brought out the first of a track-record 18 yellow flags that produced varying pit strategies.

NASCARCarl Edwards would fall two laps down at one point. But that was, by no means, the end of the night for him and crew chief Darian Grubb. As things turned out, they would help bring the summer of 2015 to a close the same way they opened it 15 weeks earlier - with a trip to Victory Lane.

Edwards' win May 24th at Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off a hot summer stretch that now showed Joe Gibbs Racing with nine wins in the last 15 races including this victory at Darlington, which came after a lightning-fast pit stop late in the race that put Edwards' No. 19 Toyota at the front of the field for the final restart.

He then masterfully held off Keselowski, beating the pole sitter to the checkered flag by nine-tenths of a second. Denny Hamlin, one of Edwards' JGR teammates, finished third with Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick completing the top five.

*RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY*

The story line was similar at Richmond International Raceway with another banner night for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Matt Kenseth extended the organization's summer-long run of excellence with a dominating victory as the 2015 regular season came to a close, leading all but 48 of the 400 laps in notching his fourth win of the year and securing the No. 3 seed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In a hot streak dating back to mid-May, JGR had now won 10 of 16 races.

Kyle Busch, one of Kenseth's teammates, finished second at Richmond and grabbed the No. 2 post-season seed, second only to top-seeded Jimmie Johnson.

Kenseth's margin of victory over Busch was nine-tenths of a second with pole sitter Joey Logano, Aric Almirola and Dale Earnhardt Jr. completing the top five.

With The Chase Grid now filled, championship points were reset - with Johnson, Busch and Kenseth all tied at the top by virtue of their four wins during the regular season. With three victories, Logano was the No. 4 seed - one spot ahead of regular-season points leader Kevin Harvick.

The two drivers who went into the weekend holding the final two provisional spots in the Chase, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard, came out of the weekend with their post-season tickets punched after finishes of 10th and 26th, respectively. Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman also made the Chase on points after a winless regular season.

Twelve of the sixteen drivers on the 2015 Chase Grid also qualified for the post-season in 2014: Johnson, Kenseth, Logano, Harvick, Earnhardt, Gordon, Newman, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin.

The four newcomers this year were Boyer, Menard, McMurray and Martin Truex Jr. AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle are the four drivers who qualified for last year's Chase but found themselves on the outside looking in for 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Road-to-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Part-3.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Road To The Sprint Cup: Part 4​*
*CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY*

Denny Hamlin passed up fresh tires in favor of track position and it paid big dividends as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver won the opening event of the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. While most of the front-runners pitted for tires on the day's final caution, Hamlin - along with race leader Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon - rolled the dice and remained on the track.

NASCAROn the restart, Hamlin quickly disposed of Busch and Gordon, and led the final five laps to post his second victory of the season and qualify for the next round of the Chase. His margin of victory was one second over runner-up Carl Edwards as JGR finished one-two. Busch took third place while Gordon faded to 14th. Ryan Newman placed fourth and Matt Kenseth completed the top five.

Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick finished 42nd in the 43-car field. Contact with Jimmie Johnson during a restart midway through the race damaged the left side of Harvick's car which led to a cut tire, sending him into the wall and to the garage for repairs. He was running at the finish but completed only 209 of the 267 laps.

Hamlin's win was the ninth victory in a 12-race stretch for JGR and the 26th of his career, tying Hamlin with Hall of Fame driver Fred Lorenzen for 27th place on NASCAR's all-time list. Kenseth's fifth-place finish lifted him into first place in the Chase standings, two points ahead of Hamlin.

*NEW HAMPSHIRE*

The beat goes on for Joe Gibbs Racing as Matt Kenseth delivered the organization's fourth straight victory, joining teammate Denny Hamlin in the next round of the post-season Chase.

Kenseth was running second in the closing laps when race leader Kevin Harvick ran out of fuel, opening the door for Kenseth to claim his series-best fifth win of the year. JGR had now won 10 of the last 13 races.

Hamlin followed Kenseth to the checkered flag to grab second place with Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and pole sitter Carl Edwards ... another JGR driver ... completing the top five. Harvick started second and dominated the day, leading a race-high 216 of the 300 laps. But his gamble on fuel mileage did not pay off and the defending Sprint Cup champion found himself among the bottom four in the Chase standings and facing elimination heading into the next race at Dover.

*DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY*

Kevin Harvick did what was needed to keep his 2015 title hopes alive: win at Dover International Speedway. Harvick, whose No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was dominant throughout the day, darted away from the field on the final restart to notch his third victory of the season. It landed Harvick in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which was made up of the 12 survivors from the original Chase Grid.

NASCARHarvick entered the Chase as the No. 5 but a pair of sub-far finishes in the first two races of the post-season left him among the bottom four in the standings and facing elimination. At Dover, he led all but 45 of the 400 laps, beating runner-up Kyle Busch to the finish by 2.6 seconds.

With Harvick leading comfortably in the closing laps, the only drama that remained was a duel between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray for the 12th - and final - spot in the Contender Round. Earnhardt finished third, one position ahead of McMurray. They wound up with the same number of points, but Earnhardt gots the berth in the next round after winning the tie breaker - their best finishing position in the opening round of the Chase. That came down to Dover with "Junior" edging McMurray by that one position.

Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson was among the four drivers eliminated from title contention. He finished 41st, sidelined by a broken seal on his rear axle.

*CHARLOTTE*

For the second year in a row, Team Penske's Joey Logano opened the Contender Round of the post-season Chase with a victory and guaranteed himself a spot in the next round of the 10-race title hunt. Logano crushed the field at Charlotte Motor Speedway, leading 227 of the 334 laps in notching his fourth victory of the season.

He beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the checkered flag by three-quarters of a second, keeping his No. 22 Ford in front over the final 35 laps. Martin Truex Jr. finished third with Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch completing the top five.

Pole sitter Matt Kenseth led 72 laps but was sidelined by an accident midway through the second half of the race. He finished next-to-last in the 43-car field, tumbling to the bottom of the Chase standings with the post-season nearing the halfway mark.

Chase drivers took eight of the nine top finishing positions with Austin Dillon the only non-title contender among them, in seventh place. The four other drivers in the Contender Round all finished outside the top 10 and slipped to the bottom of the post-season standings. Ryan Newman was 15th, Kyle Busch 20th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 28th and Kenseth 42nd.

The race was originally scheduled to be run on a Saturday night, but rain moved it to Sunday afternoon. For Logano, it's his 12th career victory. Carl Edwards finished sixth in his bid for a season sweep at CMS. He won the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

*Continues below:*


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## Ckg2011

*KANSAS SPEEDWAY*

Joey Logano made it two-for-two in the Contender Round of the Chase, pushing race leader Matt Kenseth out of the way five laps from the finish to notch his fifth win of the year and second straight in the post-season.

NASCAR Kenseth had driven into the lead coming out of the day's next-to-last restart, but Logano stalked him down the stretch. When Kenseth threw a block to hold him off heading into Turn 1, Logano tapped him and sent the Joe Gibbs Racing driver sliding sideways through the corner to bring out the final caution of the race. On the subsequent restart, Logano drove away from the field and beat runner-up Denny Hamlin to the checkered flag by a half-second.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished third and fourth, respectively, with Kyle Busch completing the top five. Pole sitter Brad Keselowski led only the first 28 laps and finished ninth.

Kenseth, the No. 3 post-season seed, went into the weekend among the bottom four in the Chase standings, seeking a win to secure a spot in the Eliminator Round. He started 11th and led a race-high 153 laps before the late altercation with Logano dashed his hopes for victory and saddled him with a 14th-place finish. That left Kenseth 35 points below the eighth-place cutoff heading into the final race of the Contender Round.

*TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY*

Joey Logano made it a Contender Round sweep. He was declared the winner over Dale Earnhardt Jr. when a multi-car accident occurred behind the leaders during a green-white-checkered finish. The caution froze the field at that point.

NASCARDespite the second-place finish and leading the most laps, Earnhardt was eliminated from title contention along with Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth. Hamlin suffered the biggest disappointment of the race, falling from second in points to elimination after finishing 37th, four laps down.

Kenseth, like Earnhardt, needed a win to advance to the next round but was caught up in the final wreck and finished 26th. Kevin Harvick advanced despite having a car that struggled to get up to speed on the final restart and making contact with Trevor Bayne, triggering the wreck that would end the race.

eff Gordon kept his championship hopes alive by finishing third. Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five. Kyle Busch (11th) and Martin Truex Jr. (seventh) both survived that final wreck and had finishes high enough to advance them to the Eliminator Round. Truex battled back from one lap down in a race that featured long green-flag runs.

The race saw 30 lead changes among 18 drivers and was run with just three cautions for 18 laps.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Road-to-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Part-4.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Road To The Sprint Cup: Part 5​*
This is the last of a five-part series recapping the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, in which Kyle Busch would claim his first Cup championship.

*MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY*

Four-time champion Jeff Gordon stood triumphantly atop his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway after conquering the Virginia half-mile, with new-found dreams of claiming a fifth championship later in the month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCARGordon grabbed the lead from A-J Allmendinger with 22 laps remaining and kept the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in front the rest of the way to notch his 93rd career win and ninth at Martinsville, securing a spot in The Championship Four at Homestead.

Gordon's margin of victory was .33 seconds over runner-up Jamie McMurray with Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch completing the top five.

The race was noteworthy not only for Gordon's victory but for a dramatic turn of events that changed the complexion of the entire post-season. Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs Racing found a way to put the brakes on Joey Logano's three-race winning streak when Kenseth intentionally drove into the back of race leader Logano less than 50 laps from the finish - sending Logano into the wall and to the garage for repairs as the Eliminator Round of the post-season Chase began.

Kenseth's car was crippled from earlier contact with Brad Keselowski and he was running laps down to Logano when they made contact, likely a retaliatory move on Kenseth's part after the two also got together two weeks before at Kansas Speedway. Logano started the Martinsville race from the pole and led 207 of the 454 laps that were run before Kenseth sent him into the wall and to the bottom of the Chase standings.

*TEXAS*

Jimmie Johnson continued his mastery of Texas Motor Speedway, winning his third straight race and fifth in his last seven starts on the Fort Worth oval. In the process, Johnson denied Brad Keselowski automatic advancement into the next round of the post-season Chase.

NASCARKeselowski started from the pole and led 312 of the 334 laps run. A win would have put him into The Championship Four with Jeff Gordon at the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400. Instead, Keselowski had to settle for second place and fell 19 points below the fourth-place cutoff with just one race remaining in the Eliminator Round.

Johnson, already eliminated from championship contention, made his winning pass four laps from the finish with the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet beating the 2012 champion to the checkered flag by one second. Kevin Harvick finished third with Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards completing the top five.

Title contenders filled seven of the top nine spots in the final running order with Kurt Busch seventh, Martin Truex Jr. eighth and Gordon ninth. Joey Logano's rotten post-season luck continued. He was wrecked by Matt Kenseth while leading the week before at Martinsville and finished 37th. In Texas, Logano cut a left-rear tire early in the race which caused major damage to the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Repairs were made and Logano ran to the finish, though he was 66 laps down to Johnson and was credited with 40th place.

Logano was 63 points outside the top four and faced a must-win situation the following weekend at Phoenix International Raceway to keep his title hopes alive.

*PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY*

What had been a dramatic, intense build-up to Ford Championship Weekend came to a quiet close at Phoenix International Raceway when rain shortened the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 - putting Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Victory Lane and filling The Championship Four with Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Martin Truex Jr.

NASCARPersistent rain on Sunday delayed the start of the race by nearly seven hours. Once the green flag flew, Harvick established himself as the man to beat - dominating the first half of the race in his bid for a fifth straight win on the one-mile desert oval.

As the race passed the halfway point, showers approached the track again. A well-timed pit stop by Earnhardt had the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet well-placed at the front of the field when the race was stopped and ultimately ended 93 laps short of its scheduled distance.

Harvick finished second with third place going to Joey Logano, who failed to qualify for the Championship Round despite posting a series-leading six wins this year. The Team Penske driver never recovered from a 37th-place finish two weeks earlier at Martinsville Speedway, where he was intentionally wrecked by Matt Kenseth while leading in the late stages of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.

Kenseth sat out the Phoenix weekend, completing his two-race suspension as Erik Jones drove the No. 20 Toyota to a 19th-place finish.

*HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY*

The 2015 Sprint Cup season began with Kyle Busch in a Florida hospital and ended with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver being crowned NASCAR's 67th champion after he drove to victory in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCARBusch mastered the final restart and then pulled away from Kevin Harvick in the closing laps to claim his first Cup Series crown.

He broke his lower right leg and left foot in an accident in the XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, missing 11 races while recovering from those injuries. Busch returned with a championship resolve that produced a three-race winning streak at mid-year, paving the way for him to earn a post-season berth as the No. 2 seed behind Jimmie Johnson.

Busch controlled The Championship Four much of the way in the season-ending race, leaving the three other title contenders in his wake. Harvick finished second, 1.5 seconds behind at the checkered flag. Jeff Gordon came home sixth in the final race of his storied career with Martin Truex Jr. 12th.

Brad Keselowski was the highest-finishing non-title contender, taking third place, with Joey Logano and Kyle Larson completing the top five.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../12/Road-to-the-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Part-5.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Elliott's 3M Paint Scheme Unveiled​*
Chase Elliott's 3M paint scheme for 2016 was unveiled at the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland. Hendrick Motorsports also released pictures from Elliott's 3M photo shoot on social media.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Elliotts-No-24-3M-Paint-Scheme-Unveiled.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Driver of The Year​*
The MRN.com editorial staff each puts in their selection for driver of the year based off the series' the website covers.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2015/12/2015-Driver-of-the-Year.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Returns To TaxSlayer Bowl​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will once again head to the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. to participate in the coin toss to begin Saturday's game between the Georgia Bull Dogs and Penn State Nittany Lions.

TaxSlayer.com is beginning its seventh year as a sponsor at JR Motorsports and will extend that relationship to the Sprint Cup Series with Hendrick Motorsports in 2016.

"I enjoy working with TaxSlayer and I think it's neat where we cross promote and sort of mix the two together where their involvement with the Bowl brings me to the Bowl," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I get to enjoy that experience. I had never been to any college games in my life until I started going to the TaxSlayer Bowl, even being a fan of the sport. It's fun for me and we are typically in the neighborhood that time of year being on vacation."

In the past Earnhardt has driven the TaxSlayer XFINITY Chevrolets onto EverBank Field prior to the coin flip. This year before the game, Earnhardt plans to debut the new paint scheme that will be on his Sprint Cup ride for one race this season.

"The last couple years they have had me driving the car out there and flipping the coin," Earnhardt Jr. said. "A couple times the refs will forget to give you the coin and they'll flip it and you are just standing there so we'll see how it goes."

Along with being an associate on Earnhardt's No. 88 Sprint Cup Chevrolet for the remainder of the season, TaxSlayer.com will also be the primary sponsor on the Nos. 7 and 88 Chevrolets for 10 XFINITY Series races this season.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...e-Earnhardt-Jr-Returns-to-TaxSlayer-Bowl.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*New Year's Resolutions: Eight Things Tom Jensen Would Like To see In NASCAR In 2016​*
As the rest of the world makes New Year's resolutions, there are eight things Tom Jensen would like to see in NASCAR during the 2016 Sprint Cup season.

This time of year, everybody is making New Year's resolutions -- lose weight, be nicer, make more money, learn to speak Portuguese, etc. I'm no exception, so here are eight New Year's resolutions that I'd like to see become reality in NASCAR for 2016.

*8. No rules changes to the cars:* For the fourth consecutive year, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars will have a new aero package in 2016. Constant changes cost team owners millions of dollars. Let's keep the cars the same for two years in a row and see if it works next year as well as this year.

*7. Consistency in restarts:* There were far too many restart debacles in 2015, most noticeably at the end of the fall Talladega race. However NASCAR wants to police restarts, they need to do it consistently, for all 36 races.

*6. New tracks added to the Chase:* The latest format for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has produced huge drama over the last two seasons, which is great. When NASCAR puts together the 2017 schedule late this summer, let's hope they build on that drama by adding at least one new Chase race. Like at, maybe, Watkins Glen or Sonoma.

*5. Give team owners some security:* Much was written in 2015 at the attempts by team owners to get more security for their multi-million dollar investments. No one knows for sure what exactly such an arrangement would look like, but the owners deserve more of a stake in the sport than they have now.

*4. New winners:* Yeah, the big dogs dominate NASCAR, but it's fun when a driver wins for the first time or a smaller team steals a victory. There are a whole lot of underdogs out there who could shake things up with just one win.

*3. Less rain:* I flippin' hate rain on race day. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Please, Mother Nature, no more weather debacles like we had at Bristol, Daytona and Phoenix, among others.

*2. Good final season for Stewart:* Love him or hate him, Tony Stewart is one of the best race-car drivers of all-time. And even though he can be a royal PITA if you catch him at a bad time, he is also one of the most interesting and opinionated interviews in NASCAR. He has a genuine passion for all forms of motorsports, that few others have. In his final season, he deserves to have some moments of glory.

*1. More hate:* There was a song in the 1960s that went, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love, it's the only thing that there's just too little of." OK for the world, maybe, but not in NASCAR. In NASCAR, you need hate. Racing is at its most compelling when two championship-caliber drivers are royally pissed off at each other and all hell breaks loose. Last year, it was Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano. In 2013, it was Kenseth against Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon against Keselowski, too. Who will step up and be a troublemaker in 2016? I can't wait to find out.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ad-keselowski-matt-kenseth-joey-logano-010216


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## Ckg2011

*5 Super-Bold Predictions For The 2016 Sprint Cup Season​*
Prepare to be surprised as FOXSports.com NASCAR editor Tom Jensen goes out on a limb with a handful of edgy prognostications for the upcoming Sprint Cup season.

It's official: 2016 has finally arrived, and that means Daytona Speedweeks will be right around the corner.

The holidays were great, but it's time to get back to racing. With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season:

*5. At least two first-time winners* -- There are a ton of drivers looking for their first Cup victory who could break through this year. Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Danica Patrick and a handful of rookies are among the possibilities.

*4. Roush Fenway Racing rebounds* -- After a disappointing 2014 campaign and a downright dismal one last year, Roush Fenway Racing will show improvement this year and run competitively. The organization won't reach the glory days of old, but it will be better.

*3. Chase Elliott wins rookie honors* -- This is the deepest and most talented rookie class in years in the Sprint Cup Series. But at the end of 2016, the rookie of the year will be Chase Elliott, who not only has the talent to run well but is with Hendrick Motorsports, which gives him a big advantage.

*2. Tony Stewart makes the Chase* -- Heading into his final season, the three-time champion will win at least one race and qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. His best chances at winning will be at the three non-Chase restrictor-plate races, at Daytona and Talladega.

*1. Another new champion* -- The Chase format has produced five different champions in the past five seasons, and 2016 will make it six in a row. Top choices to be the sixth different champion in six seasons are Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...t-jr-chase-elliott-joey-logano-kenseth-010116


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## Ckg2011

*Six Drivers Who Could Become First-Time Winners In 2016​*
These six drivers could be positioned to become winners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the first time in 2016.

Winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races is damned difficult. Even the smallest mistake -- a slow pit stop, a bad restart or an ill-timed caution flag -- can turn victory into defeat in the blink of an eye.

Just look at the numbers: Last year, only 12 drivers won Cup races. Twelve. Given that there are 36 races and 43 cars in each race, 12 isn't a big number. There are a lot of guys -- and one woman -- out there still looking for that elusive first victory.

Here are six drivers with a good shot at getting their first career Cup win in 2016.

*6. Danica Patrick* -- Is Patrick a long shot to win? Yes, she is. But with fast cars, a new, veteran crew chief in Billy Scott and another year of experience under her belt, you never know. The key will be getting in the right place at the right time at the end of a race. Martinsville, Atlanta and Kansas are some of Patrick's best tracks.

*5. Austin Dillon* -- There is nothing wrong with Dillon as a driver, but the team he drives for, Richard Childress Racing, hasn't won a race since 2013. If they can find some more speed in the No. 3 Chevrolet this year, Dillon could find Victory Lane.

*4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.* -- If Roush Fenway Racing gets its act together -- admittedly, a big if -- Stenhouse will be tough at Bristol, where he has two top fives, three top 10s and a personal-best average finish of 11.17.

*3. Ryan Blaney* -- The Wood Brothers have always built great restrictor-plate cars, like the one Blaney had at the spring Talladega race, where he qualified third and finished fourth. And with the team going back to a full-time schedule, his odds of winning are much higher.

*2. Chase Elliott* -- No doubt that Elliott will have a steep learning curve in his rookie season in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. But he'll have consistently fast cars and a great team around him. Pus, he will get great advice from his dad, his teammates and the former driver of the No. 24, Jeff Gordon.

*1. Kyle Larson* -- We've been saying for two years that Larson will be the next first-time winner. At seven tracks -- Chicagoland, Darlington, Dover, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, Pocono and Homestead -- he has average finishes of 9.0 or better. This year, he seals the deal.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ers-first-time-winners-2016-sprint-cup-010316


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## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Names Grubb Vehicle Production Director​*
Hendrick Motorsports has named Darian Grubb to the newly created role of vehicle production director, where he will oversee every aspect of racecar manufacturing for the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions, effective immediately.

Grubb, 40, assumes responsibility for production operations in the Hendrick Motorsports chassis and body groups. He will work alongside vehicle technical director Kenny Francis to support and grow the company's overall car development capabilities while collaborating across vehicle engineering, vehicle production and four Sprint Cup teams. Both Grubb and Francis report to general manager Doug Duchardt.

"We're excited to welcome Darian back to Hendrick Motorsports," Duchardt said. "His résumé speaks for itself, and he already has a deep understanding of our people, processes and culture. Teaming him with Kenny on our vehicle efforts mirrors the management structure of our engine operation, which has been very effective, and it adds more depth to the organization as a whole. Darian brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we know he will make us stronger."

A native of Floyd, Virginia, with a mechanical engineering degree from Virginia Tech, Grubb originally joined Hendrick Motorsports from Petty Enterprises in January 2003. He served as lead race engineer for the No. 48 Sprint Cup team from 2003-2006 and was interim crew chief during the first four races of its 2006 championship-winning campaign, leading Jimmie Johnson to a pair of victories, including the Daytona 500.

Grubb earned one win as crew chief for driver Casey Mears in 2007 before being named engineering manager for the Nos. 5 and 88 Hendrick Motorsports teams for 2008. In 2009, he moved into a crew chief role at Stewart-Haas Racing, where in three seasons he won 11 races and the 2011 Sprint Cup championship with Tony Stewart. Grubb then joined Joe Gibbs Racing, winning nine races with multiple drivers from 2012-2015. As a crew chief, he has 23 career Sprint Cup victories.

"It means a lot to come back to Hendrick Motorsports," Grubb said. "This is a role that will allow me to contribute to the success of the entire organization, which was very important to me. Kenny is someone I greatly respect, so the chance to work side-by-side with him was a big factor. Everything is familiar, and I think that will make for a smooth transition. The more we talked about the opportunity, the more it felt right. I'm ready to get started."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Darian-Grubb-Vehicle-Production-Director.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Report: Charter System Closer​*
According to a published report, NASCAR and Sprint Cup Series teams are progressing on the creation of a charter system.

Sports Business Journal reported on Monday the sanctioning body is moving closer to a system that would guarantee starting spots to Sprint Cup Series organizations this season as part of the agreement.

"Like most things, the devil's in the details," Rob Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance, told SBJ. "It's a multiyear agreement, so it's important that details are right."

The agreement would be for five years, which matches the recent time period NASCAR signed with Sprint Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series tracks hosting events across the sport's top three divisions.

By guaranteeing a spot in each race, teams would have a better opportunity to sell sponsorship and acquire funding. Teams have also looked for ways to ensure more equity in their organizations, which would be a by-product of the charter system.

The SBJ story reports Sprint Cup Series starting fields would include 36 charters in what would be a 40-car lineup.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2016/01/Report-Charter-System-Closer.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Five Faces In New Places​*
The 2016 season will be interesting for a number of drivers and crew chiefs who will be taking the next steps in their careers.

New faces in new places and personnel changes during the off-season have shaken up the Sprint Cup Series garage. Here's a look at five story lines for the new year:

*Chase Elliott*
All eyes will be on the young Elliott as he graduates from the XFINITY Series with JR Motorsports to a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver with Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott made a handful of Cup starts last season to get a feel for competing at NASCAR's top level. But like every driver, he'll have to adapt to the low-aerodynamic rules package in place for 2016. Elliott will bring high anticipation into his rookie campaign given his past performance, pedigree and - of course - running for the powerhouse that is the Hendrick organization. He'll have veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson guiding him and the pieces are in place for a smooth transition, but Elliott will no doubt face the daunting - if not fair - expectation of being the driver to replace Jeff Gordon behind the wheel of the No. 24 entry.

*Clint Bowyer*
Before he fills Tony Stewart's seat in 2017, Bowyer will spend this season with HScott Motorsports driving the No. 15 entry (was 51 at HScott). The small-budget team gets an immediate boost of star power in Bowyer along with sponsorship from 5-hour ENERGY. The organization still has the Hendrick alliance, so Bowyer will have the horsepower and chassis setup that gives him a chance to be competitive. He's coming off two frustrating seasons at Michael Waltrip Racing, and brings extra incentive into 2016 to up his performance and finishes.

*Brian Scott*
The former XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series driver gets a shot to run the full Sprint Cup Series in 2016 thanks to a deal with Richard Petty Motorsports. Scott will drive the No. 9 Ford and will be paired with crew chief Chris Heroy, who moves over from Chip Ganassi Racing. It's an interesting duo and after the dismal results for the "9" team last year, Scott and Heroy have a shot at bringing home much better results.

*Brian Pattie*
Some expected Roush Fenway Racing to blow up its Sprint Cup Series roster after yet another dismal season in 2015. While there were some behind-the-scenes changes, specifically in the engineering department, the team's driver-crew chief line-up remains intact ... except for the replacement of Greg Biffle's crew chief, Matt Puccia, with Brian Pattie. He has experienced success at Chip Ganassi Racing and, to a small degree, with Michael Waltrip Racing. But Pattie had a disappointing year and was in need of a new challenge. He has the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to RFR and get Biffle back to being a regular fixture near the front of the field.

*Ernie Cope*
The long-time crew chief has landed at JTG Daugherty Racing as competition director. Cope will oversee the pairing of AJ Allmendinger with new crew chief Randall Burnett. After winning a race in 2014 and making the Chase, the team regressed last year and was not competitive. There is still an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and the hope is that Cope can lead JTG Daugherty back to a more upward trend than was demonstrated a year ago.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/01/Five-Faces-in-New-Places.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kentucky Speedway To Renovate Track​*
Kentucky Speedway announced it is undertaking a comprehensive renovation of its racing surface which is highlighted by increased banking in Turns 1 and 2 and further includes drainage improvements, additional SAFER barrier, and repaving of the entire 1.5-mile tri-oval. Work has begun and will be completed in time for this year's NASCAR tripleheader weekend in July.

"Modifying Turns 1 and 2 will present an exciting challenge to the drivers while addressing issues of the track surface, SAFER barrier and drainage will improve safety, which is always our paramount concern," said General Manager of Kentucky Speedway, Mark Simendinger.

The project will be coordinated by Vice President of Operations and Development for Speedway Motorsports Inc., Steve Swift.

"We have assembled an excellent team, all of whom are familiar with the demands of speedway construction. I am excited about the finished product as we wanted to present a unique challenge to the drivers. This design, with Turns 1 and 2 completely different than 3 and 4 accomplishes that goal. The big winner will be the race fan," said Swift.

The 2016 season at Kentucky Speedway begins in July with the return of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend anchored by the July 9 Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts. The Camping World Truck Series starts the weekend with a 225-mile event Thursday, July 7 and the XFINITY Series 300-mile event is Friday, July 8.

The XFINITY Series makes its second appearance at the track on Saturday, September 24 along with the ARCA Racing Series Crosley 150 on Friday, September 23 to conclude the fall weekend of racing.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6/01/Kentucky-Speedway-to-Renovate-Track.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*France Answers Questions On 'NASCAR Live'​*
"NASCAR Live," one of Motor Racing Network's signature programs, kicked off its 33rd season on Tuesday night with an in-depth interview featuring NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

France took questions from host Eli Gold along with race fans, who participated by calling 1-800-2-NASCAR or sending in a question via Twitter at @mrnRadio.

France addressed a number of topics during the one-hour show as NASCAR readies to embark on the 2016 season beginning with discussions between the sanctioning body and Sprint Cup Series team owners on a charter system.

"We have had a lot of good conversations with our owners over the past many months," France said. "I don't have to tell you how important they are as a key stakeholder with NASCAR. We are always trying to do is look at their particular interests and to see how we can make it work better. That could mean a lot of things...It could mean their ability to operate in a very expensive sport more efficiently. It could mean helping in lots of ways to create value for their teams.

"That's what we are doing, we are having those kind of conversations that we hope will lead to a better outcome where the ownership experience is better. They are able to field better teams at a higher level and they are able to participate in a more meaningful way with NASCAR. I always say if there's things we can do for our stakeholders that makes the sport better at the same time we are going to make a strong effort to figure that out."

A listener asked France what his father and grandfather would think of the "Daytona Rising" renovation project, that will debut at Daytona International Speedway during the upcoming Speedweeks events.

"My dad would have been thrilled with the racing because that was so important to him," he said. "I think they would feel really good about what's happening in Daytona because the facility, the fan experience, things that they fought hard to do with limited resources and couldn't take some of the risk that we could try and take today. I think they would be over the moon with how things look for the sport."

The new season will see Scott Miller taking the role of Senior Vice President of Competition replacing long-time NASCAR official Robin Pemberton. France sees the addition of Miller as a benefit.

"He's bring a fresh perspective, current fresh set of eyes on to what the teams are up against from an engineering standpoint," France said. "He'll play a critical role as we try to bend the cost curve down the right way for the owners and all the teams. He'll also play a very significant role in the other important item, which is making the racing from the packages that we bring forward every year to tighten the racing and make it as close and competitive and safe as possible. He's already making an impact in our organization and he'll do a great job."

The 2016 season will be the final year for title sponsor Sprint in NASCAR's top division. France addressed how negotiations are progressing with potential replacements for Sprint beginning in 2017.

"The opportunity is great, and it's going well," he said. "I think we're talking to the right people on where things need to end up. We want to be selective, too. This is perhaps the most marque position in sports because you literally get to entitle your brand within the entire sport and that's so unique. It's going really well.''

France believes the title sponsor should remain the name of the series' championship trophy rather than renaming it after his father or grandfather.

"I haven't thought about that," he said in response to a question about naming the title trophy the "Bill France Cup." "Our preference is to have a partner that helps us promote, invest and grow the sport. That's the direction we are going to go today."

Other subjects covered during the show included:

Adding more short tracks back to the Truck Series:

"I think we will. I think over time there will be some additions and that series loves to go to short tracks, dirt tracks. I was there in the early days out in Tucson and I used to run that speedway way back in the day. The Camping World Truck Series is alive and well and will look at other opportunities from a venue standpoint that make sense."

Drivers keeping race wins despite cars or trucks failing post race inspection:

"We would always prefer to have when you leave the track to have witnessed the full race, including the winner and that remains our goal. We believe without taking the win away we can certainly punish someone effectively."

The idea of NASCAR retiring car numbers:

"We only have 43 teams period and the other leagues have 100s of players and we are a little different in that way. The teams build a lot of their value around that number. Richard Childress is a good example where he has a lot of tie to Richard Childress Racing with the '3'.

Strategy changing during the new Chase elimination-style system, which enters its third year in 2016:

"I think more. It's never been done in auto racing and a lot of people thought it couldn't be done...or it wouldn't change a lot. Some drivers though, 'hey we are racing as hard as we can, we want to win one week to the next.' The reality is it has changed everything and all for the better because they are all moments where you have to win right down to the final race. You are seeing the strategies, the crew chiefs taking additional risks - that might be in the setup, calling of a specific event. Now you are even seeing how do you get from one round to another. One thing for sure with this new format you better get going quick, and a win solves a lot of problems in the new format."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nce-Answers-Fan-Questions-On-NASCAR-Live.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*ARCA Makes Changes To Points System​*
The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has adjusted its championship points system heading into the 2016 season.

The first change eliminates the 25 point bonus for pre-entering and competing.

Those 25 points become part of the total race points a driver and owner now earn. Teams who enter a race event but fail to qualify will still earn 25 owner and driver points. The maximum amount of points a single driver and car owner can earn during an event will be 250 points.

The second adjustment regarding 2016 championship points adds an additional five points to the race winner's total for both owner and driver.

The race winner will receive 235 points, which is an increase of five points from last year.

Second place will receive 220 points (including the additional 25 which were previously "enter and compete bonus points), third place 215 points, fourth place 210 points, and so on, in increments of five, from second place back.

Bonus points for qualifying and leading laps remain the same as 2015, with five bonus points awarded for winning the pole; five bonus points for leading a lap and another five bonus points for leading the most laps.

That means a driver who wins the pole, leads the most laps and wins the race will earn the maximum 250 total points. Under that same scenario, the second-place driver who led at least one lap would be awarded 225 points, 220 points if he or she did not lead a lap.

"Under last year's rules, a driver could finish in second-place, but by winning the pole and leading the most laps, he or she could earn the same amount of points as the race winner," said Joe Wells, ARCA's director of race operations and administration. "This change ensures the race winner will earn the most points."

The 250 bonus points will continue to be awarded to each driver and/or car owner per established eligibility requirements who compete in a five-race segment (#1-5 as run; event #6-10 as run, etc.).

The starting fields for ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards events will remain unchanged for 2016. ARCA will start up to 40 cars at Daytona, up to 36 at all tracks a mile or longer, plus Iowa Speedway, and 35 cars on all short tracks.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...ock-cars/arca-makes-changes-to-points-system/


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Set For First Test In 2016​*
Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will take part in a Goodyear Tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Jan. 12-13.

It will be the latest in a series of tests to help develop a tire that will complement the 2016 low-downforce rules package that features a 3.5-inch spoiler, a quarter-inch front leading splitter edge and a 33-inch-wide radiator pan.

Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski are the drivers scheduled to test.

Johnson, who tested last September with Goodyear at Kansas Speedway with the low-downforce package, is looking forward to taking his first laps of the season.

"It will be nice to get an early read on the 2016 package and work through some things," Johnson said. "The way things could unfold, unless Goodyear comes along later in the year this might be my only chance to test."

Johnson liked what he saw during Kansas test, which was held before the official base rules package was announced in October.

"It was the first time I had ever been to a tire test where Goodyear selected the softest tires they brought," Johnson said. "Normally, they overshoot it with a harder tire. With the lower-downforce car and the way things were progressing, they put the softest tire on. So I'm encouraged and I think we'll see good racing.

"We're taking a good step in the right direction. Hopefully, as we get more comfortable throughout the course of the year, we can get even softer tires on the cars."

Busch is all for a softer tire to provide more drop-off.

"I remember my rookie year, when I was fastest on the speed chart in 'Happy Hour' at Rockingham then got lapped by Lap 40 because I burned the tires off the car," Busch said. "We are all hoping to get more of the responsibility in the hands of the driver with the tire drop-off. That's what I hope the low-downforce package does and we'll see how it plays out."

The test will also allow drivers to get more acclimated to the new digital dashboard that will be implemented in all Sprint Cup cars starting this season. Busch is one of the drivers that competed with it under race conditions in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...year-Tire-Test-in-2016-Set-for-Las-Vegas.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kevin "Bono" Manion Joins KBM​*
Kevin "Bono" Manion has joined Kyle Busch Motorsports as crew chief of the Camping World Truck Series entry that will be driven by Cody Coughlin and Daniel Suarez in 2016.

The team also announced Wednesday that 2015 Truck Series champion crew chief Rudy Fugle will be paired with William Byron while Jerry Baxter will guide Christopher Bell's efforts during the upcoming season.

Manion has 12 years of experience as a NASCAR crew chief. He spent the last 10 seasons in the Sprint Cup Series, where he won five times including marquee victories in 2010 with Jamie McMurray - in the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. Before that, Manion guided Martin Truex Jr. to back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY Series titles in 2004 and 2005.

Fugle begins his third season as a crew chief at KBM. Under his tutelage last season, Erik Jones posted three wins, five poles, 925 laps led, 11 top fives and 20 top-10 finishes en route to becoming the youngest champion in Truck Series history and the first driver to win the Rookie of the Year award and the series title in the same season.

Fugle and Jones also nabbed KBM its record fourth Truck Series owners championship, which was the second with Fugle calling the shots. In 2013, he led KBM's No. 51 Toyota team to a series-leading six wins. Fugle's drivers have totaled nine wins, six poles, 21 top fives and 35 top-10 finishes across his 44 races atop the pit box at KBM.

Baxter begins his fourth season as crew chief. His drivers have posted seven wins, three poles, 1,171 laps led, 24 top fives and 40 top-10 finishes across 67 starts. He spent 2015 calling the shots for KBM's No. 51 team - which collected two wins, 10 top fives and 14 top-10 finishes with Busch, Suarez, Bell and Matt Tifft sharing seat time.

"The goal is to have all three of our teams competing for wins and top fives every race, and to be in the battle for the owners championship," Busch said. "With the addition of 'Bono' - a guy who is a true racer and a proven winner at NASCAR's highest level, and now as the leader of that group of guys, their performance level will improve."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...evin-Manion-Joins-Kyle-Busch-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*JR Motorsports Reveals Elliott Sadler's 2016 Car​*
Elliott Sadler's new paint scheme might be one of the best we've seen for 2016.​
Add another new look to the growing list of fresh 2016 paint schemes.
JR Motorsports on Wednesday night took the covers off the No. 1 Chevrolet that will be driven in the XFINITY Series this year by veteran racer but JRM newcomer Elliott Sadler, who brings familiar primary sponsorship from OneMain Financial to his new ride.

It's a pretty snazzy design.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sha...6-car-xfinity-series-onemain-financial-010716


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## Ckg2011

*Chase Elliott Plans To Be Himself, And That's All Rick Hendrick Wants​*
Rick Hendrick believes that Chase Elliott actually does something better than Jeff Gordon did at the same stage of his career.

With the start of the 2016 Sprint Cup season drawing ever closer, the clock is ticking down on Chase Elliott's much-discussed debut as driver the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

The son of 1988 Sprint Cup champion and NASCAR of Famer Bill Elliott has super-sized shoes to fill in taking the reins of the car that Jeff Gordon drove to 93 points-paying wins and four titles over the past 23 years with the heralded Hendrick organization.

While it might be easy for Elliott, who turned 20 years old in late November, to feel overwhelming pressure to replace a legend, that's not how he's viewing his high-profile assignment.

He instead aspires to merely do the best job he can, realizing there's bound to be a learning curve in transitioning from the XFINITY Series -- where's spent the past two seasons -- to Sprint Cup.

"I think me saying I'm excited goes without being said, but I think, as I've said before, I'm not trying to fill his shoes or I'm not trying to be Jeff; I'm just trying to be me," Elliott said. "Trying to do my job, and I feel like I have a great opportunity and a great race team to go do that with. Something that I've wanted to do for a long time. I look at it as a great chance for me to try to improve, and like I said, just do my job for my guys."

With just five Sprint Cup starts, which all came last season in a fifth Hendrick car, Elliott has logged fewer laps in a Cup ride than either of his three fellow rookies -- Ryan Blaney, Brian Scott and Chris Buescher.

But while a dearth of seat time in NASCAR's top series might be the youngster's biggest obstacle to overcome, Elliott brings impressive credentials to his new gig.

In two seasons as a full-time XFINITY Series driver for JR Motorsports - an organization co-owned by his current boss, Rick Hendrick, and new teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Elliott won the 2014 title and finished runner-up to Buescher in the 2015 standings.

The soft-spoken Dawsonville, Georgia native also scored four victories and earned a reputation as a driver who excels at taking care of his equipment. In his two full XFINITY Series seasons, Elliott recorded a total of one DNF -- a phenomenal achievement for a teenager with relatively little experience.

Rick Hendrick needed just one season of watching Elliott behind the wheel of an XFINITY car to decide he was the one to succeed Gordon.

In fact, Hendrick believes that Elliott actually does something better than Gordon did at the same stage of his career.

"He's mentally tougher than any kid I've seen his age," said Hendrick, whose drivers have won 11 Sprint Cup titles. "At his age, all the drivers I've seen before, Jeff included, made more mistakes than Chase makes. I think he's ready."

When Gordon announced last January that 2015 would be his final season in the iconic No. 24 Chevy, he and Hendrick discussed whom they felt would be the right fit to take over in 2016.

Elliott was the clear choice.

"I certainly was in Rick Hendrick's ear a lot and Rick having conversations with me about Chase and how he is the right guy or kid, or whatever you want to call him, to be in that No. 24 car," Gordon said. "And the No. 24 and all those things and the team and what is best for the team. That was a big thing that was important to me."

Gordon even went as far as to tell Chase's father -&#128;&#147; a winner of 44 Sprint Cup races - that he believed Chase was the best man for the job.

"I would say things to Bill kind of hinting around that I hoped to see him in that No. 24 car," Gordon said. "Bill kept joking with me, 'Ah, you are not getting out of that car. I know you are not getting out of that car. There is no way. You are running too good. You are never going to get out of that car.'"

But Gordon - who has joined FOX NASCAR's on-air team for the 2016 season - made his 797th and final start with the running of last year's Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

When the engines fire on next month's Daytona 500 on FOX, another driver will be in the No. 24 Chevrolet that Gordon drove for the first time in the final race of 1992 and has piloted ever since.

The crew chief on the No. 24 will be a familiar one, however, in the form of Alan Gustafson, who worked with Gordon from 2011-2015.

Elliott and Gustafson tested together at Homestead not long after the 2015 finale at the South Florida track, so it won't technically be Elliott's first time in the seat. But it will officially mark the dawn of a new era -- one that Elliott and rest of the Hendrick organization look forward to getting started.

"All we're asking Chase Elliott to do is be Chase Elliott," Hendrick Motorsports general manager Doug Duchardt said earlier this week on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "I think he and Alan had a great test at Homestead. They hit the ground running and felt great about how that went. ...

"I feel really good about Alan and Chase. I think they're going to surprise people this year."

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...liott-hendrick-motorsports-daytona-500-010716


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Not Gonna Happen​*
*Predictions.*

We all make them at the start of a new year. Everyone has them at the beginning of a new NASCAR season.

It's easy to take a stab at what might take place in the days and months ahead. Let's take a swing at what's not going to happen in 2016:

*Kasey Kahne WILL NOT Go Winless*
It's unfathomable to think Kahne and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team will go through a second straight year without a victory. He's said many times this off-season that he's ready to put last year in the rear-view mirror and work hard to get his team competitive, to where the three other Hendrick entries were a year ago when they combined for nine wins. The addition of Darian Grubb can help Kahne reach that goal.

*A Rookie Driver WILL NOT Win a Race*
There's a talented crop of first-year drivers ready to tackle the 2016 Sprint Cup season including Chase Elliott, Brian Scott, Chris Buescher and Ryan Blaney. But don't expect any to notch career win No. 1 this year. As talented as that group may be, the learning curve in NASCAR's top division is steep.

*2016 Rules WILL NOT Make Every Race Competitive*
Lower downforce is definitely going to spice up the on-track product and create entertaining races, if last year's runs at Kentucky and Darlington were any indication. But don't think the new rules will be the magic formula to suddenly turn every week into a highlight reel. Like any other season, there will be gems and not-so-memorable races. But the new rules package has the potential to create a better result.

*Jimmie Johnson WILL NOT Miss The Championship 4*
He won five times last year but make no mistake, not being in the title picture at the Homestead season finale was a bitter pill to swallow. Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus will not have to deal with that again this year. The No. 48 will be back in the title hunt as one of the four battling for the crown in south Florida come November.

*Clint Bowyer WILL NOT Make the Chase*
Bowyer's one year at HScott Motorsports before taking over Tony Stewart's seat in 2017 will give the team a shot in the arm. But despite Bowyer's prowess and much-needed funding from 5-hour ENERGY, it's a tall order to ask for the smaller operation to race its way into the "playoffs."

*Furniture Row Racing WILL NOT Miss a Beat*
There is a single-car operation that will be in the championship picture this year and that's Furniture Row Racing, which has the potential to be even stronger than it was in 2015 when Martin Truex Jr. made it to The Championship 4. The team changes from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2016 featuring an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, moves that have created even higher expectations for the No. 78 entry.

*A Winless Driver WILL NOT Win the Sprint Cup Title*
Sure, Ryan Newman came close in Year 1 of the elimination-style Chase format and it's possible a driver could still go deep into the post-season with consistency as a catalyst. But the first two editions of the new Chase system have shown that above all, winning is the way to take home the crown.

*A Driver Several Laps Down WILL NOT Purposely Wreck Another Driver*
The Matt Kenseth-Joey Logano battle and subsequent two-race suspension for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver proved that NASCAR has a tolerance line that had been crossed. That message was delivered loud and clear: If you're nine laps down and wreck the leader, the punishment will be severe.

*The Season WILL NOT Be Free of Crew Chief Changes*
More than ever, it's clear that the luxury of time waiting for a driver-crew chief tandem to gel is disappearing. The competitive nature of the sport has forced team owners to pull the trigger and change crew chiefs much quicker.

*There WILL NOT Be as Many Weather Challenges as Last Year*
The 2015 NASCAR season was the wettest one I can remember with the number of weather delays and postponements. "Mother Nature" impacted nine Sprint Cup races and just by the law of averages, this year has to be better. Sorry, Air Titan 2.0 drivers, you're going to have more free time this season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/01/Opinion-Not-Gonna-Happen.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Low Downforce Getting High Praise​*
Four drivers who tasted some success with NASCAR's limited use of a low-downforce rules package in 2015 are looking forward to this year's full-season implementation of aerodynamic modifications in the Sprint Cup Series.

Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr. all notched at least one top-10 finish when the so-called "low-drag" setups were tested in races at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

With the opening of Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway now just a month away, Earnhardt says Hendrick Motorsports has made good use of the off-season.

"We have so many resources and smart people that we tend to be ahead of the field and leading the pack whenever these big changes come around," said Earnhardt, who finished eighth in last year's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington. "Our guys do their homework in the off-season to give us an advantage and kick off the season strong. I love how resilient our company is whenever we have these big shifts because we seem to get ahead of it pretty good."

But all that Hendrick expertise notwithstanding, "Junior" knows the transition to new rules will not be easy during the season ahead. But he also knows that NASCAR will remain flexible.

"It's going to be a challenge for the teams to hone in on the package that's suitable, but that always changes because we don't run the same thing all year," Earnhardt adds. "As long as the car's driving well, you really forget about the changes that have been made."

Truex finished one spot behind Earnhardt at Darlington last summer and says tire technology will hold the key to the success or failure of 2016's new rules.

"The two races we had with the low-downforce package in 2015 were great shows," he said. "Drivers loved it, fans loved it and we're looking forward to continuing down that road to see what we can make of it. Goodyear has a big challenge because at certain racetracks, it's going to be tough to develop a tire that does what we want it to do."

Truex, who qualified for The Championship 4 in last year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, is glad to see NASCAR put more control in the cockpit.

"It's going to put these races more in the drivers' hands," he said. "Cars will drive better in traffic and worse worse by themselves. That's really what we're all looking for."

Kenseth finished fifth in the July race at Kentucky and frames the new rules in the simplest of terms.

"Your corner speeds are slower and your acceleration is a little higher," he said. "It gives you more opportunities to pass, especially at some of these tracks that are very aero-sensitive."

Though Paul Menard didn't have the good finishes to show for the two low-downforce races in 2015 (15th and 26th), he's generally a fan of the new rules package.

"Any car you drive, no matter the configuration, is going to have balance issues," he said. "You can make it push, you can make it loose or be neutral. The biggest question is what our cars will do in traffic. They'll be less aero-dependent. If we can match the tires to it, then we'll see some tire fall-off, and we can slip and slide some more."

Busch had top-10 finishes at both Kentucky and Darlington last season, and echoes Menard's focus on tire wear as a key to the new 2016 rules.

"I like tire drop-off," Busch said. "That'll make it more exciting for restarts and long runs."

And in summary, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver provided a concise analysis of what may be expected in the months ahead.

"We need to see cars movin' and goin'. Less downforce will help with that."

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/01/Low-Downforce-Getting-High-Praise.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Ganassi Drivers Prep For Rolex 24​*
Chip Ganassi Racing NASCAR teammates Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson were part of a multi-day test session at Daytona International Speedway over the weekend, preparing for this month's Rolex 24 at Daytona 24-hour sports car endurance race.

The duo teamed with Indycar drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan to win last year's Rolex 24 and the same lineup will once again pilot the no. 02 Ganassi machine in this year's event.

"It's cool to come back and hopefully try to defend our title from last year," Larson said. "I think we're a great team - a great combo. Hopefully we can put a whole 24-hours together again in a few weeks and get another watch."

"Our team has no differences, it's all the same crew members," McMurray said. "It's the same Indycar team that's been doing our car for 10 years. Ours is basically the same so that's really nice."

The no. 02 machine will once again be one of two cars fielded by Ganassi at Daytona. His no. 01 machine was the last to be driven to back-to-back victories in the Rolex 24 in 2007 and 2008. And despite his team's victory from a year ago and the Ganassi dominance at Daytona over the last decade, McMurray is confident but still hesitant to predict a repeat performance since repeating as overall winner in this race is not a common event.

"Historically if you look at how well Chip's cars have run here I think we're gonna have a chance to win for sure," McMurray said. "It's certainly about making it to the end. I don't that we had the speed that we did last year, the first practice, but it was also somewhat wet when we first went out."

The no. 02 is one of 13 cars entered in the Prototype division in this year's Rolex 24. Through five practice sessions on Friday and Saturday, the team ranked as high as fifth in the fifth session to as low as tenth in the third session of the weekend, with a fastest lap of 127.099 mph in the second session.

Coming from a sprint car background, Larson's first experience driving sports cars around the 3.56-mile road course was less than stellar, but he says his confidence has risen, especially after going to Victory Lane a year ago.

"I was probably less confident going into last year because of how poorly I did the first year," Larson said. "Now, knowing that I can drive these things and had speed in the race last year, I'm pretty confident going into this season. I'm looking forward to getting out on the track and seeing if I forgot anything."

Daytona is a special place for every driver to participates in an event there, but for McMurray, Daytona is extra special because of his success there throughout his career.

"Daytona has been for me, since I was 8 or 10 coming here and racing a cart, it's always been one of my favorite tracks and one of the places you always want to be able to win at," McMurray said. "I've been lucky to win in carts and the Daytona 500 and the Rolex race. I've won some pretty cool races here."

This year's Rolex 24 will mark the first major event at Daytona since the completion of the Daytona Rising project, a three-year, $400 million renovation of the Daytona grandstands. Both drivers were in awe of the new stadium's size and are eager to explore the new construction.

"When I was driving in here yesterday and you could see how the big the grandstands are, I didn't quite get how big that was gonna be from the picture," McMurray said. "When you look at how big the frontstretch is, it's pretty cool and then to go on the outside to go out and look in it doesn't look like a racetrack. It looks like a stadium."

"It's definitely taller and bigger for sure," Larson said. "When we come back in a couple weeks I'd like to go up in the stands and see the breezeway and stuff like that. Once I get on the other side I'll see all the changes and how cool they are."

In addition to renovating the frontstretch stands, the backstretch grandstand was demolished earlier this year. While some may think that the landmarks from the backstretch stands that are no longer there may be a problem as far as driving on the Daytona road course goes, McMurray says it hasn't been an issue through two days of testing.

"We actually did a track walk and I thought it would be really odd not having the stands there, but in the practice this morning I didn't even notice it," McMurray said. "They have markings on the fence and they are the same as they were last year and that's what you use as your reference and I didn't even notice the stands were gone."

After the Rolex 24, both drivers will return for NASCAR Speedweeks in February, which signals the start of the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season. After improved performances in the closing races of the 2015 Sprint Cup season, McMurray and Larson are ready to return to the track to build on that success with a new rules package for 2016.

"Throughout 2015, we really didn't put a lot of work into the new low-downforce package, we focused totally on 2015 and I thought we were behind more than we were at the other 2015 configuration," McMurray said. "There's been a lot of work this off-season going in and I was at the shop yesterday and they feel really pleased with the developments in the wind tunnel and to the cars."

"I feel like we got better at the end of the season but those were really good tracks for me," Larson said. "You never know with the new aero package, I think that's gonna throw a big curve ball at a lot of teams. It's hard to say how you're gonna be until the season starts."

Fellow NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger is also entered in this year's event, as he will once again be part of the no. 60 Michael Shank Racing entry. The Shank entry turned the fastest lap of the weekend on Friday afternoon at 128.875 mph.

The three-day test concludes today and the 54th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will take the green flag on Saturday, January 30th and conclude on Sunday, January 31st.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/01/Ganassi-Drivers-Prep-for-Rolex-24.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*First look At The 2016 NASCAR Speedweeks On-Track Schedule​*
The 58th running of the Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 21st.

Motorsport.com has obtained a copy of the 2016 NASCAR Speedweeks schedule of on-track activity, which is shared below. The schedule is tentative and subject to change.

*Thursday, Feb. 11*

4-5:55 p.m. ARCA practice

*Friday, Feb. 12*

9:30-10:30 a.m. Final ARCA practice

3:30 p.m. ARCA qualifying

5-5:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

6:30-7:25 Sprint Cup practice

*Saturday, Feb. 13*

10:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

1:30-3:25 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

4:15 p.m. Lucas Oil 200 ARCA race (80 laps)

8:15 p.m. Sprint Unlimited (75 laps)

*Sunday, Feb. 14*

1:15 p.m. Sprint Cup qualifying

*Monday, Feb. 15*

No track activity

*Tuesday, Feb. 16*

Daytona 500 Media Day

No track activity

*Wednesday, Feb. 17*

5-5:45 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

6:10-6:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

*Thursday, Feb. 18*

Noon-12:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

1:30-2:55 p.m. Truck series practice

4-4:55 p.m. Final Truck series practice

7 p.m. First Cam-Am Duel qualifying race (60 laps)

9 p.m. Second Cam-Duel qualifying race (60 laps)

*Friday, Feb. 19*

10:30-11:55 a.m. Xfinity practice

Noon-12:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

1-1:55 p.m. Xfinity practice

2-2:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice

3-3:55 p.m. Final Xfinity practice

4:30 p.m. Truck series qualifying

7:30 p.m. NextEra 250 Truck series race

*Saturday, Feb. 20*

10 a.m. Xfinity qualifying

*12:15-1:55 p.m. Final Sprint Cup practice*

3:30 p.m. PowerShares QQQ 300 Xfinity race (120 laps)

*Sunday, Feb. 21*

1 p.m. Daytona 500 Sprint Cup race (200 laps)

*Note:* All times EST

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...6-nascar-speedweeks-on-track-schedule-666846/


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## Ckg2011

*Could Stock-Car Racing Be Returning Soon To Rockingham?​*
Although it appears much work would need to be done, the Richmond (N.C.) Daily Journal newspaper reports that stock-car racing very well could return to shuttered Rockingham Speedway very soon

Could stock-car racing be returning to historic Rockingham Speedway? According to a report in a local newspaper near the track, yes.

The Richmond County (N.C.) Daily Journal reports that a group called Level 1 Motorsports is aiming to host a 10-race schedule at the track in something called the "X-Cup Series." Eight of the races would be run on the 1.017-mile Rockingham oval, and another two on the infield road course.

The newspaper quotes James Martin of Level 1 Motorsports as saying that 15 drivers already have signed up for the series, with a goal of 32-car fields. The series "hopefully" will begin racing in April, Martin told the newspaper.

Rockingham hosted 78 NASCAR Premier Series races from October 1965 to February 2004. A pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2012-13 showed promise but the track hit major financial problems and was shuttered.

And if racing is to resume at "The Rock," a lot of rock needs to be redone: Check out photos taken by a fan last year.

*Source:*
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...uld-stock-car-racing-be-returning-soon-011116


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces 2016 K&N Pro Schedules​*
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series has become the preeminent development proving ground for the sport's future stars.

The 27 races on the 2016 schedule - from New England to Southern California, and from Washington to Florida - provides a comprehensive slate of venues and events designed to test drivers and showcase the best and brightest for NASCAR fans.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West schedules, announced today, comprise of 14 points races for each championship. It is highlighted by the annual meeting in the Heartland for the combination race at Iowa Speedway on July 29.

Both calendars include some of the best short tracks in the United States, as well as several companion events with NASCAR's three national series, and three road-course races in each series.

In addition to returns to iconic staples of the East and West, both schedules feature some exciting new events for 2016: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Alabama's Mobile International Speedway and Virginia's Dominion Raceway in the East, and West's first trip to California's Orange Show Speedway in more than 30 years.

The West slate also features the return of Douglas County Speedway in Oregon, as well as the first doubleheader weekend in series' modern history with a pair of September races at Utah Motorsports Campus, formerly Miller Motorsports Park. The East celebrates the return to Connecticut's historic Stafford Motor Speedway for the first time since 2008.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will race at 13 different tracks in 12 states. Highlights of the 2016 schedule include:

• The championship season will kick off once again at Florida's high-banked New Smyrna Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 14, and the champion will be crowned at The Monster Mile, Dover International Speedway, on Friday, Sept. 30.

• The series will be the centerpiece of the inaugural season of the brand-new Dominion Raceway, a .4-mile oval 25 minutes south of Fredericksburg, Virginia with a trip on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30).

• New Jersey will join New York's Watkins Glen International and VIRginia International Raceway to give the schedule a trio of road-course venues.

• Stafford was a staple of the series' early years as the NASCAR Busch North Series with 29 races in 22 years, and will be the second trip to New England for the series along with New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

• The series will again race at two of NASCAR's most venerable tracks with a pair of trips to South Carolina's Greenville Pickens Speedway, and the July 2 event at Ohio's Columbus Motor Speedway.

Highlights of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, which will race at 13 different tracks across eight states, include:

• The 2016 run will begin and end in California. The campaign will get underway in Southern California with a Saturday, March 19 race at Irwindale Speedway, just north of Los Angeles. And in a race that promises an electric atmosphere and fireworks before a traditionally sold-out crowd, the West will decide its champion on Saturday, Oct. 15, at All American Speedway, near Sacramento.

• In an unprecedented race weekend, the series will compete in two full championship races on Sept. 10-11 at Utah Motorsports Campus, the state-of-the-art road course 30 minutes southwest of Salt Lake City. The series ran at the track from 2007-2014 before it was closed temporarily last year. It is the first time the series will run back-to-back days since 1979, and first time since the series' modern era began in 1971 that the two races in two days will be run at the same track.

• After successful inaugural events in 2015, Arizona's Tucson Speedway and Idaho's Meridian Speedway are again on the schedule and join series' staples Kern County Raceway Park in California, Colorado National Speedway and Washington's Evergreen Speedway.

• In addition to Utah's two races, California's Sonoma Raceway will be the third road course event as it hosts its 38th West race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend in June.

• Orange Show Speedway, the quarter-mile oval in San Bernardino, California, has been in continuous operation since 1947. It held eight West races between 1968 and '78.

In addition to Iowa, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire and Dover, companion events for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series feature East stops at Bristol Motor Speedway, as well as the annual West race at Sonoma. The 27 races that make up the NASCAR K&N Pro East and West calendar will be contested on 26 different weekends.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series television broadcast schedules on NBCSN will be announced at a later date.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...R-Announces-2016-KN-Pro-Series-Schedules.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Eligible Drivers, Format Announced For Unlimited​*
NASCAR announced today the 25 eligible drivers and the format for the season-opening 75-lap Sprint Unlimited at the new Daytona International Speedway motorsports stadium on Saturday, Feb. 13.

The event, which will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network, marks the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race following the completion of DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch redevelopment project that has transformed Daytona International Speedway into the first motorsports stadium in the world.

"We're ready to go," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell. "The anticipation for this season, this event and this venue is unprecedented. We are excited how the new stadium will provide a state-of-the-art showcase for the brightest stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."

Once again, the non-points event will be split into two segments with a competition caution at lap 25 separating the segments. A popular element introduced before the 2015 event returns this year: select fans will be paired with each crew chief for a random drawing to determine starting and pit road positions. The drawings will take place on Friday, Feb. 12 at the Alert Today Florida Stage inside the Sprint FANZONE beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The 25 eligible NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers include the 2015 Coors Light Pole Award winners, former Sprint Unlimited race winners and former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full time in 2015. All 16 drivers from the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup are also eligible for the race, and any remaining open positions are filled based on 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points.

*Eligible drivers are:*

*2015 Coors Light Pole Awards winners*

• AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano

*Former Sprint Unlimited Race Winners*

• Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart

*Former DAYTONA 500 Coors Light Pole Award winners*

• Greg Biffle, Austin Dillon, David Gilliland, Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr.

*2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers*

• Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman

*2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points*

• Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson.

If an eligible driver does not enter the race, the open position will be filled based on 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points. The first five provisional drivers are Casey Mears, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Sam Hornish Jr., David Ragan and Trevor Bayne.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ced-for-2016-Sprint-Unlimited-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Pressure To Perform​*
The heat is most definitely on for several drivers as they head into the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

*Kasey Kahne*
The Hendrick Motorsports driver is the poster child for pressure coming into the new campaign after a pair of disappointing seasons in 2014 and 2015. Kahne missed the Chase last year and never showed extended signs of success. One of the first things Darian Grubb will do in his new role is focus on what's ailing the No. 5 team. He'll try to get Kahne and crew chief Keith Rodden back to being competitive.

*Kyle Larson*
The 2015 season was supposed to be better than it was after a stellar performance the year before that resulted in Rookie of the Year honors. Team co-owner Felix Sabates predicted a Chase berth for the sophomore driver and most everyone in the garage expected a first career Sprint Cup Series win. However, Larson fell short of those expectations and it wasn't until late in the year before he finally showed the promise of the season before. He'll be expected to step it up in a big way this year.

*Denny Hamlin*
Another year and another crew chief for Hamlin, who now has Mike Wheeler calling the shots for the No. 11 team. Hamlin has had a parade of crew chiefs since he and Mike Ford parted ways nearly five years ago and although he's won races and made the Chase, he's fallen behind the performance of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch. With Erik Jones waiting in the wings, the Gibbs organization will have a decision in short order about how to fit the talented young driver into its Cup stable. All eyes will be on Hamlin to show he's worthy of remaining with JGR once his contract expires.

*Greg Biffle*
Speaking of new crew chiefs, Biffle will have one as well with Brian Pattie joining Roush Fenway Racing's No. 16 team. RFR's performance issues over the last several seasons have been well-documented. Actually, Biffle was the best of the bunch last year, easily outrunning Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne on a regular basis. But that's not saying much. Biffle's career may be winding down. Perhaps a fresh perspective with Pattie on board will help him get back to his former winning ways.

*Tony Stewart*
He surely won't admit it, but Stewart needs to end his career with a much better season than his last two. While emulating Jeff Gordon's farewell campaign that included a win and a shot at the championship may be aiming a bit too high, Stewart needs to at least find a way to challenge for a win or two and run more near the front of the field than the back. He's been pointing to the new low-downforce package as a reason for "Smoke" fans to feel optimistic. Unfortunately, what is hoped for versus what actually happens are two different things. That said, most everyone around the sport would like to see Stewart end his Sprint Cup career on as high a note as possible.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/01/Opinion-Pressure-to-Perform.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*New Fusion Set For 2016 Debut​*
NASCAR's version of the 2017 Ford Fusion is set to make its racing debut next month during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

This latest iteration marks the third major body change for Fusion and represents another step toward keeping "stock" a part of stock car racing. The result of the efforts of designers and engineers is an aggressive-looking new racecar capable of producing 750 horsepower at 9,000 rpm under the current rules package.

"We're here to win races and championships," said Dave Pericak, global director of Ford Performance. "The new NASCAR Fusion will be a powerful tool in the hands of our teams and drivers.

"Aerodynamics are more important than ever at the speeds these cars run so we used some of the best wind-tunnel technology and computational fluid dynamics available to create this new Fusion. The Ford design team gave us a great car to start with."

The new NASCAR Fusion follows in the tire tracks of its successful predecessor by not only mirroring the exterior of its production counterpart but by bringing a better interior to the driver. Ford NASCAR drivers will digest more information through a new digital dashboard system that's mandatory this season. Teams can switch among as many as 16 pre-set screens to display information which they can access in bar-graph or numbers format, or via the standard gauge and needle that has been used for years.

This latest technological advancement from NASCAR comes on the heels of several significant changes including the Gen 6 model that brought brand identity back to the sport in 2013, the switch to electronic fuel injection in 2012 and the move to an ethanol fuel blend in 2011.

Ford has continued to refine its own technological program as well, opening the Ford Performance Technical Center in Concord, N.C., in 2014, which features a state-of-the-art full-motion simulator that assists in development of both racecars and production cars.

"The Technical Center and the full-motion simulator have been great tools for our teams and engineers," Pericak said. "As important as aerodynamics are in NASCAR, it's also imperative that the computer simulations that assist the teams in arriving at the track with a proper setup are best-in-class as well. We've worked hard the past year to refine our simulation tools and create a benefit to our race drivers, as well as the drivers of our new passenger vehicles."

The new NASCAR Fusion will makes its public debut Tuesday when 2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski participates in a two-day Goodyear test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske driver is coming off a season in which he qualified for the Chase after winning at Auto Club Speedway and finished seventh in the final standings. This will be Keselowski's fourth season driving with Ford and his seventh for car owner Roger Penske.

Fusion is entering its 11th season of NASCAR competition. The car debuted as Ford's flagship NASCAR model in 2006 and has won 71 Sprint Cup races since, including 21 over the past two seasons.

Fusion has won the season-opening Daytona 500 four times in the last seven years including 2015, when Team Penske's Joey Logano won "The Great American Race" for the first time.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16/01/New-Ford-Fusion-Set-for-2016-Debut.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Scott To Pilot No. 44 For RPM​*
Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that it will field the no. 44 for Brian Scott beginning in the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season, replacing the no. 9 that was used by RPM since 2009.

"Back then, it wasn't just Daddy and I racing," said Richard Petty. "Maurice (Petty) was building the engines, but he did some racing too. When it was time, we were using the 42 and 43, so he was one of the first to use the number 44 in the family."

The Petty family fielded the no. 44 with Maurice Petty behind the wheel in the early 1960s and Kyle Petty used the number from 1997-2000 and won at Daytona in the ARCA Racing Series in 1979 driving the no. 44.

"To go back to what everyone considers to be Petty history with the 44, I think it's really special to be the driver that gets to do that," said Scott.

Scott is moving up to full-time status in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016 and will be joined by teammate Aric Almirola who drive the iconic no. 43.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Brian-Scott-to-Pilot-44-for-RPM-in-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Menards To Continue With RCR's XFINITY Programs​*
Building on the triumphs from 2015, Menards will continue its partnership with Richard Childress Racing's NASCAR XFINITY Series program as a primary sponsor for select races with both the No. 2 Chevrolet with Paul Menard and the No. 33 Chevrolet with Brandon Jones for the 2016 season.

Menards, the third-largest home improvement store in the United States, has been prevalent in RCR's XFINITY Series campaign since 2012.

"We are excited to be back for another season of NASCAR XFINITY Series racing with RCR. Last year proved to be a success with Paul Menard's win in our home state of Wisconsin at Road America along with four top-five and eight top-10 finishes with Menard and Brandon Jones behind the wheel," said Jeff Abbott, Menards Promotion Manager. "We are proud of the caliber of race cars Richard Childress and his team bring to the race track each weekend. We look forward to another exciting season in 2016 with Jones and Menard behind the wheel again."

Menard will drive the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet Camaro for select events in 2016, while maintaining a full-time schedule in the No. 27 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry for RCR. The Eau Claire, Wis.-native is a three-time XFINITY Series race winner with five pole awards, 34 top-five and 87 top-10 finishes. Menard will kick off the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway, making his 200th XFINITY Series start.

Danny Stockman will return as crew chief of the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet team with Menard. The duo captured the win at Road America, earning Menard a victory in his home state of Wisconsin in 2015.

As previously announced, Jones, an 18-year-old driver hailing from Atlanta, Ga., will compete on a full-time basis in the XFINITY Series in 2016. Jones made his XFINITY Series debut with RCR at Iowa Speedway in 2015. The rookie driver earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes with a total of 16 laps led in five starts last season.

Mike Hillman Jr. has been named crew chief for Jones and the No. 33 team. Hillman Jr.'s 12 years of experience will help guide the young driver in his rookie season in the series. The veteran crew chief joined RCR in 2015 and recorded 18 top-five starting positions, resulting in six top-five and 18 top-10 finishes throughout the 2015 season. Menards will be Jones' primary sponsor at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 20th.

"Menards' continued support this season with Paul Menard and Brandon Jones in the XFINITY Series is a true testament to their commitment to RCR and this sport," said Richard Childress, CEO and Chairman of Richard Childress Racing. "The Menards racing team found success last season with Paul winning in his home state of Wisconsin and Brandon's solid finishes on track. We hope to build on that success this year and provide Menards an opportunity to be a winning company both on and off the race track."

Menards has a long, successful history as a racing sponsor dating back to the 1970's which includes one of NASCAR's crown jewels, the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with driver Paul Menard. A family-owned company started in 1960 and headquartered in Eau Claire, Wis., Menards has 297retail store locations throughout the Midwest.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s-Racings-NASCAR-XFINITY-Series-Programs.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Panasonic Back With Hendrick Motorsports​*
Panasonic Toughbook will become a primary sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet for driver Kasey Kahne in 2016.

The Japan-based company will be featured as Kahne's main sponsor in two Sprint Cup races, Feb. 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Oct. 2 at Dover International Speedway, and as an associate-level partner in all other races.

"We've partnered with Hendrick Motorsports for almost a decade because it exemplifies the attributes Panasonic and Toughbook brands represent: quality, performance, reliability and leadership," said Jan Ruderman, vice president of the Business Mobility Group for Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "As we enter the 2016 NASCAR season, our partnership with Kasey, his team and Hendrick Motorsports will deliver great results both on and off the track."

Panasonic became a Hendrick Motorsports technology partner in 2007 and expanded its program in 2014 by adding on-car sponsorship of Jeff Gordon's No. 24 entry. Its three-year contract runs through 2016.

"The partnership influences all areas of our company," said Patrick Perkins, Hendrick Motorsports vice president of marketing. "We're proud to continue the relationship, and look forward to more wins together in 2016 and beyond."

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne has earned three post-season Chase berths and won five races. He finished 18th in the final 2015 point standings.

"Panasonic is a worldwide brand," Kahne said. "Its technology helps with our performance every day. This is a partnership that directly impacts our whole organization and will help give us every opportunity for success in 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Toughbook-Back-With-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*More Dirt On Stewart's Radar​*
Tony Stewart is back at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in Oklahoma to help with track preparation, but could he be turning in his tractor in the future to go after another "Golden Driller" trophy?

"I plan on running a lot of dirt races after the end of the season, when I retire from Cup, so I would say this is on the radar again," said Stewart - who won the prestigious Chili Bowl in 2002 and 2007, and holds the accomplishment in high esteem.

"Winning that one-race event was bigger than winning the IndyCar championship," Stewart said. "It was much harder to win the Chili Bowl. Everybody wants this trophy."

Stewart has announced that the 2016 campaign would be his last in NASCAR's top tier. He'll turn the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet over to Clint Bowyer for the 2017 season. However, just because he won't be competing in the NASCAR world on a regular basis, Stewart won't be sitting idle.

He owns a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series team and the All Star Circuit of Champions series. Throw in ownership of Eldora Speedway and, of course, continued interest in Stewart-Haas Racing and the three-time Sprint Cup Series champion will hardly be looking for something to occupy his time.

Once again Stewart, will help as the track coordinator for Chili Bowl co-founder Emmett Hahn.

"People don't realize how much it takes to put this event on," Stewart said. "It's a huge work-in-progress to make these two weeks happen. I backed away from some of my dirt racing to help do the track. The same guys I'm working with this year are the same three guys I worked with last year.

"These guys race two nights out of the week, and I have to be on for six nights doing it right or else Emmett comes down and yells at me."

The River Spirit Expo Center at Tulsa's Expo Square will be filled with over 300 cars and drivers including defending race winner Rico Abreu; and Sprint Cup drivers Alex Bowman, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and JJ Yeley, who finished second to Stewart in 2007.

"It's the dirt-track race of the year," Stewart said. "I don't care what series, what track ... this is the place to be. It's the only time all year you're going to get this many quality cars, drivers and teams to come to one event and race. You don't see 300 of any racecars anywhere other than here. To do it in a special facility like this is hard to put it into words."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2016/01/More-Dirt-on-Tony-Stewarts-Radar.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Abreu Expected To Go Full Time In Trucks​*
Rico Abreu's spent his first year in stock cars getting acquainted to the competition. He'll have a steeper learning curve - and a bigger stage to display his talent - this season.

The defending Chili Bowl Nationals champion will reveal his plans for this year in an announcement on Friday at 11 a.m. at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla.

According to a report from Motorsport.com, Abreu will drive for ThorSport Racing on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Abreu, the 2014 USAC National Midget champion, made his stock car debut last year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, where he posted one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes en route to a fifth-place finish in points.

In addition to his K&N success with HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, the St. Helena, Calif., native - who turns 24 on Jan. 30 - made two NASCAR Truck Series starts in November.

His best finish was 13th in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/abreu-expected-to-go-full-time-in-trucks/


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Great Expectations​*
Sometimes, a driver doesn't live up to the promise or anticipation they bring to a new racing team. NASCAR history provides several examples of situations that looked good on paper but didn't bring the expected results or success.

*Steve Kinser*
The undisputed "King Of the Outlaws" continues to make his mark on the sprint car world. But Kinser's foray into NASCAR was far from a success. He was signed to drive Kenny Bernstein's Cup entry in 1995 that was fully sponsored by Quaker State and became one of the highest-profile rides in the sport. But Kinser's career in stock cars ended nearly before it began.

After finishing 40th in the Daytona 500, he followed with dismal runs the next four races - highlighted merely by a 27th-place finish at Rockingham. Kinser failed to qualify for the next two races, at Bristol and North Wilkesboro, which proved to be the end of his NASCAR career ... after which he returned to continue his successful career in sprint cars.

*Dario Franchitti*
The personable Franchitti had a successful career in open-wheel racing before he gave stock cars a shot. He won races and was considered a star in the sport before team owner Chip Ganassi offered him a chance to go NASCAR racing.

In 2008, Franchitti ran the XFINITY Series and managed a fifth-place finish at Watkins Glen International. But what ultimately ended his time in NASCAR was the lack of sponsorship. Ganassi was forced to shut down the team and Franchitti went back to IndyCar competition, winning the Indianapolis 500 and a championships before retiring.

*Casey Atwood*
He seemed destined for stardom when he burst onto the NASCAR scene as a 17-year-old. Atwood won an XFINITY Series pole at that tender age and had some success in the division driving for Brewco Motorsports in 1999 and 2000.

He was quickly snatched up by Dodge and landed a Sprint Cup ride with Evernham Motorsports in 2001, spending two years trying to fulfill the promise he showed before moving to the sport's top tier. But after the 2003 campaign, Atwood was dropped from the team and returned to the XFINITY Series. He never reached the heights many had predicted.

*Travis Pastrana*
The action-sports star made plans to drive stock cars in 2011, starting with Late Models. He quickly ascended to the XFINITY Series with Roush Fenway Racing but experienced a steep learning curve trying to get acclimated. Pastrana posted four top-10 finishes in 2013 but announced intentions to leave NASCAR at the end of that year because of sponsorship challenges.

Pastrana remains a huge star with his "Nitro Circus" across the country and made a Camping World Truck Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last season.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...icles/2016/01/Opinion-Great-Expectations.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*DAYTONA Rising Project Nears Completion​*
After more than two years of redeveloping its nearly mile-long frontstretch, Daytona International Speedway's $400 million DAYTONA Rising project is near completion. On Tuesday, DIS received its temporary certificate of occupancy which allows us to begin moving into the facility and fully prepare for the upcoming race season. The world's first motorsports stadium will be ready for its debut later this month at the Rolex 24 At Daytona Weekend.

Since kicking off the project in July 2013, DIS has celebrated tremendous milestones along the way including the DAYTONA Rising 500 groundbreaking ceremony, the first-ever DAYTONA Rising Escalator Duel to activate the new vertical transportation as well as the recent lighting of the massive identification sign.

"After more than two years of dedication and hard work, we're thrilled that our new motorsports stadium is nearing completion," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "We're thankful for the tremendous support from our partners, project team and fans and can't wait to welcome everyone during the Rolex 24 At Daytona."

DIS will mark the installation of the final seat during a special ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 19.








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../DAYTONA-Rising-Project-Nears-Completion.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2016 Testing Schedule Set​*
NASCAR has scheduled five open test sessions for Sprint Cup Series teams in 2016, most of which will take place during the second half of the season.

Two-day sessions will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 12-13), Watkins Glen International (July 26-27), Chicagoland Speedway (Aug. 23-24) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 18-19).

Per NASCAR rules, each organization is allowed to send just one team to each of the four tests.

A single-day open test also is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway leading into the track's March 6 Kobalt 400. All teams entered in the race will be eligible to participate in that test, which comes as NASCAR rolls out a new low-downforce rules package that will be used for all events other than those held on superspeedways.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2016/01/2016-Testing-Schedule-Set.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Drivers Complete Vegas Tire Test​*
Four NASCAR Sprint Cup champions kicked off their 2016 season by participating in a two-day Goodyear Tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski took part in the test, which is the first of many scheduled in the first half of the season to help Goodyear develop a tire that will complement the low-downforce rules package at different tracks.

"It's fun to get on the track and knock the rust off and get ready for the season," said Johnson, who is a four-time Las Vegas winner. "It's really good from a team standpoint. There's some new faces and gives up a nice leg up to go through the motions."

Johnson took part in a tire test last September with the new rules package, but this time around the speeds were up, partly due to the weather over the past two days.

"I was at the Kansas test with this package and tire and we were able to create a lot of fall off, but with these cool conditions and the surface here being so good still it's been tough to create the fall-off we are all looking for," Johnson said. "Bottom line is we are just fast. We took downforce off the car. They lowered the gear ratio and a lot of things to kind of slow the cars down we were every bit as fast if not faster with the combination that they had last year.

"Obviously when we come back for the race the sun will be out and hopefully we'll get the fall-off we are looking for."

Along with the rules package, the drivers tested with the new digital dash that will implemented full-time in all cars this season. Keselowski also tested for the first time with the new Ford Fusion body that matches up to the 2017 production car.

"We're always learning something, and every track has a different tire," Keselowski said. "Those tires are constructed to combat a number of variables, whether it's track surface, the rules package on the cars, the speeds or the downforce. It doesn't necessarily carry off to anywhere else, but hopefully we can learn something about the car as we're assisting Goodyear to be better everywhere else."

Busch believes that the new rules package is a step in the right direction, but would like to see more done as the season progresses.

"The direction of lower downforce is better," said Busch, who had his new Haas Automation/Monster Energy paint scheme on one of his test cars. "I would like to see us take another chunk of downforce away come July because with the technology that the teams have will be right back to where we are now with the downforce decrease because we are able to increase it with wind tunnel time and simulation models."

Kenseth was on hand to represent Joe Gibbs Racing, which will have a technical alliance starting this year with Furniture Row Racing - a team that is joining the Toyota camp in 2016.

"It's kind of a normal tire test just trying to match something up with the new aero package and we haven't had that here," Kenseth said. "It's been surprising how fast it's been. We haven't worked on much car stuff, just trying to get through some different tire combinations for Goodyear."

Cole Pearn, who is the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr. at FRR, was at the test on Tuesday.

"I went to help build some relationships, see what they're doing and how they do things," Pearn said.

The next Goodyear Tire test is scheduled for Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 8-9.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ms-Complete-Las-Vegas-Goodyear-Tire-Test.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JGL Adds Armstrong To 2016 Driver Lineup​*
JGL Racing officials announced today that Dakoda Armstrong has joined the growing organization and will headline their 2016 driver lineup. Armstrong will pilot the team's No. 28 Toyota in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season and will be joined by longtime sponsor WinField.

"I am really excited to work with everyone at JGL Racing," stated Armstrong. "This team kept surprising people as they improved with each race last year. James Whitener is an owner in this sport who is willing to do what it takes in order to get better each and every week. I really look forward to racing a full season with this team along with my sponsor WinField and think we can have a good amount of success."

The 24-year old Armstrong has 73 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts to his credit to go along with 44 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Dakoda competed in all 33 XFINITY Series events last year while earning a 12th-place finish in the series overall drivers' standings.

"All of us at JGL Racing are excited to welcome Dakoda and WinField to our organization," said James Whitener, owner of JGL Racing. "We think he is a great addition to our team and we look forward to the success on the track in 2016. We are also honored to welcome WinField to JGL Racing and look forward to working with them and helping them maximize their results on and off the track."

JGL Racing fielded two full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series last season highlighted by driver J.J. Yeley tying Armstrong for 12th-place in the overall drivers' standings. The team will continue to field two full-time entries in 2016 with a driver announcement coming soon on the No. 24 Toyota.

The No. 28 WinField Toyota will once again be led by Steven Lane. The NASCAR veteran crew chief returns for his second full season with JGL Racing.

"Adding Dakoda and WinField to our organization is just another step in our growth process," added Gregg Mixon, General Manager of JGL Racing. "We made significant improvements last year with the addition of Joe Gibbs Racing engines and pit crew. These improvements helped us grow and we look forward to continuing that growth and going to the next level with Dakoda and WinField."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Dakoda-Armstrong-to-2016-Drivers-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Black Jr. To Run Full XFINITY Season​*
Ray Black Jr. is taking the next step in his racing career, as the driver will compete in the full season of the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series. Black, who had a breakout year in 2015 while competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is ready for the challenge of NASCAR's second-tier series with the continued support of Bobby Dotter's SS Green Light Racing and crew chief Jason Miller.

"I'm very eager for this season to start and to take the next step in racing by moving up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series," Black said. "It's a much bigger stage with some of the best racing competition in the world. The truck series was a great starting point for me in NASCAR, but it's always good to keep challenging yourself, and I feel that's what this move will do for me. It's a great opportunity for me to show everyone what I can do!"

The move to the NXS also serves as a historic milestone for SS Green Light Racing, as it will be the team's first full-time season in the series. Owner Bobby Dotter previously focused his team strictly on the truck series but is passionate about the opportunity to challenge his team by moving up to the NXS with Black. The team has since been busy during the offseason prepping cars for the year.

"We ran one XFINITY race with Ray last year, and it went much better than everyone expected," stated Bobby Dotter, team owner. "Ray really took to the feel of the car! Our goal was always to be in the XFINITY Series with Ray, we've just sped up that timeline a little bit. Ray is ready for the step up, and the team is ready to grow with him next year."

"It's exciting knowing that I'll be the first full-time XFINITY team for Bobby. It's a cool bit of history to be part of and a great opportunity for everyone involved," Black explained. "The team and I really meshed well together last year! We kept growing and getting better as the season went on. I think we'll only keep improving as a team with this coming season."

Black had a standout year in 2015 when he finished 11th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings, earning one top-five and 12 top-15 finishes in 23 races. With an additional 10 races and a bigger field of competition in the NXS, Black will be using the momentum and confidence he gained in 2015 to have an even stronger 2016 season.

"Running the full season last year gave me a lot of confidence that will help me this year," stated Black. "We know we can run competitively at a high level of performance. We might have a little bit of an adjustment period with the XFINITY cars since we haven't consistently run them other than the race we did at Texas in the fall last year, so we do have a lot to learn. But once we get a feel for the cars, I think we should be good to go. We really got some solid momentum going in 2015, and I don't see why we can't better that in 2016."

"I think finishing in the Top-15 in the championship standings is a solid goal for the year as a driver," he continued. "As far as a team goal, we are really looking to log all the laps we can and minimize any mistakes that we can. It should be a fun year, and I can't wait for it to get started."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...te-in-the-NASCAR-XFINITY-Series-for-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Busy Off-Season For Furniture Row​*
It's been a busy off-season for Furniture Row Racing as the team is working through its manufacturer transition from Chevrolet to Toyota for the upcoming Sprint Cup season.

The Denver, Colo.-based organization is coming off its best season since making its NASCAR debut in 2005, finishing fourth in the final 2015 standings with driver Martin Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn.

FRR officially announced last September that they would be joining the Toyota camp. The work began under the new partnership in the past two months following the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We had to hit it hard after the season ended," Pearn told the Motor Racing Network. "So many items have long lead times. It's a matter of trying to submerge yourself in it as much as you could right after the season ended so that we had a good plan throughout the off-season."

Although he was able to get some time away to do some skiing and return home to Canada to visit family for the holidays, Pearn has been hard at work helping oversee the completion of new racecars.

"We have three speedway cars done, which is huge, and the fourth one is on the plate right now so we're doing OK there," Pearn said. "We have three downforce cars ready, chassis- and body-wise, so we're in pretty good shape. We have a good plan and it's going to come together. Right now, you're playing the waiting game on a lot of stuff."

Along with the move to Toyota, Furniture Row Racing has started its technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, a team that combined to win 14 races in 2015 including the Sprint Cup championship with Kyle Busch.

"As much of an undertaking that the Toyota transition is, it's as big switching to JGR as a technical partner," Pearn said. "They've been great to this point, doing everything in their power to get us where we need to be. It's going to be a great partnership. There will be some growing pains, getting all the details together. It seems like every day, there are 10 or 15 things that pop up. But we're knocking them down as we go.

"They've been open as far as taking us in and having us help them where they feel they need to get better. We need a lot more than they do at this point."

Pearn already had the chance to meet with JGR team members at the racetrack when Matt Kenseth took part in the Goodyear Tire test this past Tuesday and Wednesday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"I went to help build some relationships, see what they're doing and how they do things," Pearn said. "I opted not to stay for the second day. The weeks are dwindling. Each day becomes increasingly important."

Truex, entering his third season with Furniture Row, knows there'll be a transition period but is looking forward to the chance to drive a Toyota again, and the opportunity it presents. He drove a Camry at Michael Waltrip Racing from 2010-2013 and won at Sonoma in his final season with the team.

"There's going to be a different communication trail and a lot of new people we're dealing with," Truex said. "For a single-car team out of Denver to get that factory support and be one of those top-tier Toyota teams is a big deal for (car owner) Barney Visser."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/01/Busy-Off-Season-for-Furniture-Row.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mountain Dew Extends With Hendrick​*
Mountain Dew, a brand of PepsiCo, has extended its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and will now appear as a primary sponsor on three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries through 2018.

Mountain Dew will continue its support of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2016 while also sponsoring rookie Chase Elliott and veteran Kasey Kahne in select events. It is the first time that the Mountain Dew brand will feature a three-driver lineup.

Mountain Dew will be primary sponsor of Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet SS team for three races each season through 2018.

Alongside him will be Elliott, whose No. 24 team will feature Mountain Dew as primary sponsor in two races annually.

Kahne's No. 5 Chevrolet will have Mountain Dew as a primary sponsor in one race per year. All three teams will also showcase Mountain Dew as an associate-level sponsor.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/nascar/sprint-cup-nascar/mountain-dew-extends-with-hendrick/


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## Ckg2011

*Breaking News: It's Official: Abreu Is Going Truck Racing​*
Rico Abreu confirmed on Friday what had been rumored for weeks, that he would be joining ThorSport Racing to contest the full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule in 2016.

Abreu, the 2014 USAC National Midget Series champion and 2015 Chili Bowl winner, will drive the No. 98 Curb Records Toyota Tundra for ThorSport with leadership from crew chief Doug George. It will be Abreu's first full-time season in one of NASCAR's national touring divisions.

"This is one of the best opportunities I have been given," said Abreu.

I appreciate the support and the hard work that everyone at ThorSport Racing and Curb Records has put into all of this for me to live my dream. I'm thankful to be a part of Duke's (Thorson) team and am excited to race with all my ThorSport Racing teammates and crew members.

"My team, sponsors and fans will know that I'm giving 100% effort every time I'm at the track and on the track. My goal is to get the most out of every lap and every opportunity this season. I'm looking forward to meeting new fans and representing ThorSport and Toyota well."

Abreu, 23, has had the type of success in his early racing career that most drivers only dream about. In 2015 the St. Helena, Calif., native competed in more than 100 events, scoring wins across the country.

Among those victories was his triumph in the 2015 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and his first stock car victory during a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.

"Competing full time in the NASCAR K&N East Series prepared me the most for this opportunity," said Abreu. "My first time being in stock cars and getting a full season under my belt helped me understand how to race and put together full races, longer races, than I was used to running in open wheel cars."

In November, 2015, Abreu made his NASCAR national touring debut in the Truck Series at Phoenix Int'l Raceway and went on to compete in the season-ending event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning a career-best finish of 13th.

"Running the last two Camping World Truck Series races of 2015 was a huge help as well," said Abreu. "I know what to expect now compared to last year when I had no experience on tracks bigger than one mile."

"We look forward to Rico joining our race team in 2016," said Duke Thorson, owner of ThorSport Racing. "Rico has proven himself at every level in racing to date, and is a winner and true racer in every sense of the word. He brings a style and attitude that reflects who we are, and what we are all about. We are prepared to give him every single opportunity to win, and look forward to seeing what he can do in his first full-time season in the Truck Series."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...cks/its-official-abreu-is-going-truck-racing/


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## Ckg2011

*Class of 2016: Terry Labonte​*
Some label Terry Labonte the NASCAR premier series' least flamboyant champion.

Perhaps it just seemed that way, when measuring Labonte alongside such colorful contemporaries as NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip.

His calm, quiet demeanor at least partially explains why Labonte became known as "The Iceman."

The Corpus Christi, Texas driver may not have personified flash, but Labonte got the job done.

Labonte won his first of two championships in 1984 and figuratively fell off the radar for a dozen years before resurfacing to claim a second title driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

His 22 premier series victories don't accurately measure the breadth of Labonte's career. Consistency is a much better measure: 17 different seasons among the top 10 in the championship standings along with 361 top-10 finishes, the latter ranking 10th all-time. Labonte also won in the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, as well as the International Race of Champions (IROC) and shared the GTO class-winning entry in the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona.

Rick Hendrick believed Labonte's attitude - which often put others first - may have kept him from winning more frequently.

"Terry could've accomplished even more in his career had he been a little more selfish," Hendrick told The Associated Press in 2006. "But there's not a selfish bone in his body. He's a great talent, but he's just a great human being.

"He'll always do what's best for the team, even if it puts him in an awkward spot."

Labonte will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina on Jan. 22, along with the other four members of the Class of 2016: Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, O. Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner.

Born Nov. 16, 1956 and raised in south Texas, Terrance Lee Labonte was introduced to racing by his father, who worked on race cars for friends. He was a quarter-midget champion by age nine and won stock car titles in Corpus Christi, Houston and San Antonio from 1975 to 1977.

Labonte met Louisiana oilman and sports car racer Billy Hagan, who fielded the NASCAR premier series team that carried Skip Manning to the rookie of the year title in 1976. Labonte joined the Stratagraph Racing team for the final five races of 1978 and became Hagan's permanent driver the following season in which he finished 10th but lost rookie of the year honors to Earnhardt.

Labonte notched his first premier series victory in the 1980 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. With sponsorship from Piedmont Airlines, Labonte, Hagan and NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman captured the 1984 championship with victories at Bristol Motor Speedway and the Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway road course.

Success, however, was fleeting.

"We weren't supposed to win it and we didn't know what to do with it," said Inman, who left the team to rejoin Richard Petty.

Labonte agreed, reminiscing after his second title, "I thought it was a pretty neat deal and we'd win it the next year. Next year took a long time coming."

Labonte departed the Hagan outfit for Junior Johnson's Budweiser team, then went to Precision Performance followed by a second stint with Stratagraph. He joined Hendrick Motorsports in 1994.

"I looked at his statistics early in his career and I couldn't believe how well he'd run with the equipment he was in," Hendrick later told The Associated Press.

Labonte responded by winning the 1996 championship, edging Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon by 37 points. His younger brother, Bobby, won the season-ending NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the two celebrated together. Bobby Labonte became a NASCAR premier series champion himself in 2000, making the pair the first brothers to win a title in the top division.

Terry Labonte continued fulltime with the Hendrick team through the 2004 season, winning for the final time at Darlington in 2003. He continued to race on a part-time basis, calling it an 890-race career at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 19, 2014.

Labonte has said his two favorite victories were those in his home state - at Texas Motor Speedway. But he may be better-remembered for a pair of slam-bang races at Bristol battling the late Earnhardt. In 1995, Labonte won a final-lap duel despite a shove by Earnhardt that sent his car into the wall. Fast-forward to 1999, when Earnhardt spun and wrecked Labonte on the final lap and famously said in Victory Lane, he was "just trying to rattle his cage."

The driver - and his fans - were livid, but Labonte admitted 15 years later in a Popular Speed Magazine interview that he was at least partially to blame for the ruckus.

"If I had gotten into the corner at a better angle then he wouldn't have got the chance to hit me. But I was passing him low and couldn't carry the speed into the corner and he took advantage of it," Labonte said. "I don't think he really intended to wreck me. He wanted to move me out of the way. That was his only shot. I had four new tires and he didn't.

"It was just one of those deals."

Labonte is a member of the National Quarter Midget Hall of Fame and in 1998 was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.

Tickets are available for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony (limited quantities available). Individual ticket and ticket packages are available at ticketmaster.com, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/01/Class-of-2016-Terry-Labonte.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Mitchell Drivers Control Daytona Test​*
After engineering all three of his Mason Mitchell Motorsports No. 98 cars into first, second and third on the chart in Saturday's open test at Daytona Int'l Speedway, Mason Mitchell took his first turn at the wheel during the final hours of testing Sunday afternoon and went right to the top of the leader board.

Mitchell, the 2014 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards national champion driver and owner, not only took it to the top, the Weste Des Moines, Iowa, driver posted the fastest speed overall during the annual two-day ARCA test at the "World Center of Racing".

"All three Mitchell Motorsports cars were fast this weekend," Mitchell said. "We made the decision to bring three cars only a week ago, so all of the long hours by the crew paid off."

Mitchell got some drafting help from Empire Racing to post the top speed of the weekend at 189.809 mph. That equates to 47.416 seconds around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

"We were working as a team to get a fast lap, and we got a good run on the (Empire Racing) pack ahead of us, and that was the difference. It was pretty cool."

Mitchell had all three of his rookie drivers - Gus Dean (189.761 mph), Spencer Boyd (189.693 mph) and Noah Gragson (189.677 mph) - on top Saturday for a MMM sweep. Dean's top speed set on Saturday was good enough for second fastest overall.

"Gus (Dean) is signed to drive when we come back to Daytona," Mitchell added. "I'm still working on sponsorship to put enough together to run here next month."

After sweeping the top of the leader board in Saturday's test, the MMM team, with a fleet of Chevrolets, made the sweep even bigger Sunday when Mitchell added his name at the top, giving MMM the top four positions overall.

Rookie Dylan Lupton, in an Empire Racing Ford, was second fastest on the chart Sunday, and fifth overall, the first driver behind the MMM machines.

"This is my first time drafting here and it was exciting," Lupton said.

"We timed it just right to get a draft on those 98 cars, and with Brett's (Holmes) help we were the fastest car for most of the day (Sunday). We practiced as a team. Every time we went out, the 18 (Holmes) came out with me. For the race, a pack of cars running up top may have enough momentum to make it work; it's going to be a chess game.

"The Empire crew worked hard all weekend to make us fast. I can't thank them enough."

With Lupton leading the team colors on the charts at 189.502 mph, Empire Racing swept positions fifth through eighth on the overall board with Lupton, rookie Brett Holmes (189.394 mph), Lupton again in another Empire Ford (189.247 mph), and veteran/former Daytona polesitter Sean Corr (189.243 mph). Like Lupton, Holmes was learning the draft.

"The draft was cool," Holmes said. "This was my first time in it, and the air and g-forces were an experience. We were working together as a team trying to be fast.

"I wish the 48 car had not had mechanical issues yesterday&#8230;we may have ended up as the fastest team if we could have had three cars in our draft against the Mitchell cars."

ARCA veteran Tom Hessert, who did not participate in Sunday's test, was ninth fastest overall in the Venturini Motorsports Toyota at 188.957 mph.

Jeff Myers Jr. turned a lot of heads over the weekend, posting the 10th fastest speed overall at 188.881 mph in a Lira Motorsports Ford in his first superspeedway attempt.

Myers, from Lambertville, Mich., is the 2015 ARCA Truck Series champion.

The open test was originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday, but Friday was a complete wash-out so Sunday was added to accommodate the two-day test.

Saturday's test session was delayed briefly, but by fog. Sunday also had a delay as a result of overnight rain showers and a brief mid-morning shower.

In all, a whopping 64 drivers posted time and speed Saturday and Sunday at Daytona in preparation for the season-opening 53rd annual Lucas Oil 200 coming Saturday, Feb. 13.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...k-cars/mitchell-drivers-control-daytona-test/


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## Ckg2011

*Penske Promotes Wilson To Crew Chief​*
Team Penske announced today that one of its most accomplished engineers will take on a new challenge beginning in 2016, as Brian Wilson has been named crew chief of the No. 22 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Wilson will assume the crew chief role while Greg Erwin, who guided the No. 22 team to its third-consecutive NXS Owners' Championship this past season, will return as team manager of Team Penske's NXS program. The No. 22 team has earned an amazing 25 wins with four different drivers (Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney and AJ Allmendinger) over the course of the last three seasons. The No. 22 Mustang is the first car to capture three-consecutive NXS Owners' Championships.

Wilson joined Team Penske in 2004 and has served as race engineer on both the No. 22 NXS team as well as the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team over the last several years. A native of Detroit, Mich., Wilson played a key role on Team Penske's first two NASCAR championships. He was race engineer on the No. 22 team that captured the 2010 NXS title with driver Brad Keselowski and he served in the same capacity in 2012 when Keselowski and the No. 2 team captured the Sprint Cup Series title.

"Brian has been an integral part of two of our NASCAR championships over the last few years and he has shown he deserves the opportunity to lead a team as he has demonstrated the ability to consistently produce race-winning cars," said Roger Penske. "Brian has earned this opportunity and we believe he is the right person to lead the No. 22 team as it prepares to race for four-straight titles in 2016."

After first coming on board as a shock specialist with Team Penske, Wilson became engineer of the No. 2 Miller Lite car in the Sprint Cup Series in 2007. Alongside crew chief Paul Wolfe, he transitioned to race engineer of the newly-formed No. 22 NXS team in 2010. After the team won the title with Keselowski that season, Wolfe moved into the crew chief role of the No. 2 Miller Lite team while Wilson was promoted to the Sprint Cup Series race engineer position.

Over the last five seasons, the tandem of Wolfe and Wilson helped lead the Miller Lite team to 16 wins, 10 poles, 58 top-five finishes and Team Penske's first Sprint Cup Series Championship with Keselowski behind the wheel in 2012.

"I am looking forward to this new challenge and the opportunity to lead the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang team after my last stint there during our first championship season in 2010," said Wilson. "This is a team that has certainly proven that they know how to win and I want to continue that tradition. I'm excited to get a chance to continue to work with Brad and to get to work more closely with Joey and Ryan. Our goal will be to maintain the level of success that this team has shown since its beginning and continue to race for wins each and every week. Winning that fourth-straight NASCAR XFINITY Series Owners' Championship would just be the ultimate prize."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...nske-Promotes-Brian-Wilson-to-Crew-Chief.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JGR Sets XFINITY Sponsor Roster For Jones​*
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Monday the No. 20 Toyota Camry driven by 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Erik Jones will carry sponsorship from GameStop, Reser's Fine Foods, Hisense and Interstate Batteries for his rookie season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Jones has 26-career starts in the XFINITY Series over two seasons of running a limited schedule. He has earned two wins, three pole starting positions, 13 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes and led 292 laps with an average start of 4.8 and average finish 8.9.

"I'm really excited to get 2016 started," said Jones. "Ending last season with the Truck Series Championship and having the success on the XFINITY side, along with the Cup starts, it was a dream season. Things happened quicker than I'd ever planned, but I'm thankful for all of the opportunities and to be running full-time in the XFINITY Series this year. I can't wait to get back in the No. 20 Toyota Camry for JGR and to work with Chris Gabehart. We had a great year in 2015 with GameStop and it'll be another fun year continuing to build on that partnership, as well as with Reser's, Hisense and Interstate Batteries."

Longtime partner GameStop enters their ninth season partnering with JGR and their second with Jones. Their 2016 season will kick off at Auto Club Speedway on March 19 and include two trips to their home track, Texas Motor Speedway.

In 2015 in just his ninth-career NXS start, Jones earned his first NXS-career win at Texas Motor Speedway, starting the race from the pole position and leading 79 laps before taking the checkered flag on April 10, 2015. The win also marked the first win for GameStop in their backyard.

"Erik saw great success in his first year driving for team GameStop, and has become an amazing brand ambassador for us," said Bob Puzon, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for GameStop. "He not only has great skills on the race track, but is also an avid gamer who our fans and customers connect with."

GameStop will adorn the No. 20 Camry this season for 12 races: Auto Club Speedway (March 19); Texas Motor Speedway (April 8 ); Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16); Talladega Superspeedway (April 30); Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 28 ); New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 16); Watkins Glen Int'l (Aug. 6); Richmond Int'l Raceway (Sept. 9); Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 24); Dover Int'l Speedway (Oct. 1); Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 5); Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19).

Moving from veteran Matt Kenseth, Reser's Fine Foods enters their fourth season with JGR as they join Jones for his rookie season. Reser's previously sponsored Jones at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2014. Jones started the race from the sixth position and finished eighth in his second-career start in the series.

"We see it too&#8230; Erik Jones is a rising star in the world of NASCAR racing," states President and CEO Mark Reser. "We've had success with veteran Matt Kenseth and now we are fired up to have Erik take the wheel of the No. 20 and make us proud. Our partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing continues to provide a tremendous marketing platform to support our business."

Reser's Fine Foods will be featured on the No. 20 Camry for eight races this season: Daytona Int'l Speedway (Feb. 20); Phoenix Int'l Raceway (March 12); Dover Int'l Speedway (May 14); Michigan International Speedway (June 11); Kentucky Speedway (July 8 ); Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 19); Road America (Aug. 27); Kansas Speedway (Oct. 15).

Entering their second year with JGR, Hisense shifts their sponsorship to include 19-year-old Jones for five races. Hisense made their debut with JGR at Richmond International Raceway on April 24, 2015 with Denny Hamlin piloting the No. 20 Camry. Hamlin started the 250-lap race from the pole position and led 248 laps on his way to securing the first victory for Hisense.

"Last year was a great ride with Denny Hamlin leading our introduction into NASCAR," said Dr. Lan Lin, executive vice president of Hisense Group and general manager of Hisense International Co. "We are proud to add Erik Jones to the JGR/Hisense family and look forward to working together on some exciting projects to elevate the Hisense brand in 2016."

The Hisense colors will appear on the No. 20 Camry for five races this season: Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 27); Richmond Int'l Raceway (April 23); Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23); Chicagoland Speedway (Sept. 17); Phoenix Int'l Raceway (Nov. 12).

In addition to their five races with Jones in the No. 20 Camry, Hisense will also sponsor Hamlin for one race in the No. 18 Camry at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28.

Celebrating 25 years with JGR, founding partner Interstate Batteries will team up with Jones for the second year in a row, serving as the primary sponsor of the No. 20 Toyota Camry at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5.

Last season Interstate Batteries partnered with Jones where he was running in the top five before an on-track incident took away his chances of earning a trip to the Las Vegas victory lane.

"The 2016 season marks Interstate Batteries' 25th year as a partner with Joe Gibbs Racing," said Dorothy Jones, chief marketing officer for Interstate Batteries. "When you have a young talent like Erik Jones behind the wheel of our Interstate Batteries Toyota in the Las Vegas XFINITY Series race, it's a great way to kick off this milestone celebration. With Erik, along with defending Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch driving our Interstate Batteries Camry's, we are very excited about 2016 and hope to celebrate our 25th year together in victory lane."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...es/jgr-sets-xfinity-sponsor-roster-for-jones/


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## Ckg2011

*Custer & JR Motorsports Eye Truck Title​*
Fresh off a 10-race schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with JR Motorsports in 2015, Cole Custer will chase the series championship in 2016 aboard JRM's No. 00 Chevrolet Silverado.

The soon-to-be-18-year-old California native has 19 career starts in parts of two seasons in the series, all with Haas Automation sponsorship.

Last season, Custer showed flashes of brilliance from the start, qualifying second at Martinsville in his debut before finishing 16th. His third start of the season, at Gateway Int'l Raceway, saw Custer lead 19 laps on the way to victory after a tense battle with Tyler Reddick over the final six. In his 10 starts, Custer won once, added two top-five and four top-10 finishes and led 317 laps.

In 2014, Custer won the pole and the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, leading 148 of the 175 laps. He won the pole at Gateway in his third career start and finished third at Phoenix Int'l Raceway to close the season.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Cole run the full season," said team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. "He and the team showed they have great speed and the ability to run up front in their limited schedule last year. We have great people and partners in place to make this a top-notch effort and give them the opportunity to go out and learn, win races, and compete for the championship."

Custer is eager to build upon the success of the 2015 season and take the next step up the NASCAR ladder with JRM.

"We are all pretty confident heading into the season," said Custer. "Joe (crew chief Joe Shear Jr.) and I have been together for three years and we have a great relationship.

We've shown a lot of speed in our time together, and we need to build a little more consistency. I can help that with the way I drive. Last year, we were running to win races and get experience; this year, it's going to be all about the points.

"I think we'll still have the speed we had last year, and I think we're going to be contenders for the championship."

Crew chief Joe Shear Jr. sees definite possibilities in 2016 with Custer behind the wheel and additional personnel in the shop.

"We've had a good year and a half to prep for this, so I think we're going to go in full-throttle," Shear said. "I think that we can win any place, any time with Cole. He's young, but he's adapted really well. We showed we can win even at some of the places he's never been to. He's a remarkable kid. I expect that we can win everywhere we go.

"I think we're strong as a team. We have good equipment and we keep working on it every day. I see us getting stronger and stronger as the year goes along. I'm hoping that we can win that first championship for JR Motorsports in the NCWTS."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...trucks/custer-jr-motorsports-eye-truck-title/


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Adds Chase Format To XFINITY, Truck Series​*
Using the overwhelming success of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format introduced in 2014 as a guide, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has announced the implementation of a "playoff" system in both the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series.

The XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series will each feature a seven-race Chase to decide its respective championships starting in 2016. The announcement was the first of a number of racing innovations presented by NASCAR on Tuesday during opening day of the annual pre-season media tour.

"Fans, partners and the industry have embraced the new Chase format like nothing we've seen in the sport's history," said France. "Winning never has been this important and the excitement generated the past two seasons in the Sprint Cup Series has led to this implementation of the Chase format in all three national series. Competition in both the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series will elevate to new heights and shine a spotlight on the rising stars of our sport."

The XFINITY and Truck Series will each implement seven-race, three-round Chase formats. All three national series will conclude with a Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. However, all three will begin at different tracks: Chicagoland Speedway (Sprint Cup Series), Kentucky (XFINITY Series) and New Hampshire (Camping World Truck Series).

Drivers still must declare a series in which they will earn points and will only be eligible to compete for a championship in that series. The 16 Sprint Cup Series drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase will be ineligible to compete in the 2016 XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase

The seven-race Chase will begin Sept. 24 at Kentucky Speedway with 12 drivers and two elimination rounds. A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the Chase provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.

The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000 with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8 ) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to The Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

The four drivers who advance to The Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest-finishing driver will be crowned NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase

The seven-race Chase will begin Sept. 24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It will feature eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in The Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win in the first 16 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the post-season provided that the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race.

The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas and Talladega Superspeedway. All drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000 with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 16 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 6 (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 6 automatically advance to The Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

The four drivers who advance to The Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest-finishing driver there will win the championship.

All rules outlined above also apply to both series' owner championship structures.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...dds-Chase-Format-to-XFINITY-Truck-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Caution Clock Coming To Truck Series​*
NASCAR will implement a caution clock to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starting in 2016.

The 20-minute clock will begin when the race leader crosses the start/finish line on the start or restart. It will be used in all races with the exception of the annual dirt track race at Eldora Speedway.

The caution flag will fly when the clock hits 00:00 and will reset to 20 minutes for the next green flag. If a caution comes out before time expires, the time will be reset to 20 minutes.

The clock will be turned off and not utilized with 20 laps remaining with the exception of the events at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Pocono Raceway where the clock will be turned off with 10 laps left.

"As a driver, you look forward to restarts," said Daniel Hemric, driver of the No. 19 California Clean Power/Draw-Tite Ford. "Over the years restarts have been the common ground where you have an opportunity to make gains. I think it's going to be exciting for the fans and definitely add another thing to make the crew chiefs lose sleep at night."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../01/Caution-Clock-Coming-to-Truck-Series.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Heat Races, Feature Set For 'Dash 4 Cash'​*
NASCAR has announced changes to its "Dash 4 Cash" program for the 2016 XFINITY Series.

Each race will now be comprised of two heats and a feature at four tracks: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16), Richmond International Raceway (April 23), Dover International Speedway (May 14) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23).

Drivers who win two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses are all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.

Qualifying for each Dash 4 Cash event will set the starting positions for the two heat races. Odd-numbered qualifiers (first, third, fifth, etc.) will start in the first heat while even-numbered qualifiers will race in the second heat.

The finishing order in the two heats will set starting positions for the feature race with the top two XFINITY Series regulars in each heat becoming eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus. The highest-finishing driver among the four eligible Dash 4 Cash drivers will be awarded a $100,000 bonus.

Drivers must have declared to earn XFINITY Series points in order to be eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2016/01/Changes-Announced-in-Dash-4-Cash.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bass Pro Shops To Sponsor Truex Jr.​*
Bass Pro Shops will sponsor Martin Truex Jr. at Furniture Row Racing for nine races for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Truex unveiled the new Bass Pro Shops paint scheme outside the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday as part of the team's stop on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour. The car was alongside the traditional Furniture Row paint scheme that will be back on track in the other races.

It's a reunion for Truex and Bass Pro as the hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retail giant sponsored him in the Cup Series from 2004-2009 with Dale Earnhardt, Inc./Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Truex also had Bass Pro backing when he won XFINITY Series championships in 2004 and 2005.

"It brings back a lot of memories for me," Truex Jr. said. "I raced the Bass Pro Shops car for really the whole first part of my career, first half of my career. They have always supported me and have been great friends."

The new paint scheme adorned a Camry as the team made a manufacturer switch from Chevrolet to Toyota in the off-season.

"It's been a big off-season," Truex said. "There's a lot going on with us. It's definitely big and exciting news for us."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ass-Pro-Shops-to-Sponsor-Martin-Truex-Jr.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Kvapil Returns To MAKE Motorsports​*
2003 Camping World Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil will return to MAKE Motorsports for the 2016 season.

"They've learned a lot from last year and made some changes this winter to be even better," Kvapil said. "I'm happy to contribute to that effort."

Kvapil finished 16th in Truck Series points last season with a best finish of 14th twice, at Gateway and Kentucky.

"Travis has been an important piece to our growth," said team co-owner Tracy Lowe. "We want to continue to build and grow by giving him better equipment and resources. He's a great asset to our team, personally and professionally."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ravis-Kvapil-Returns-to-MAKE-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*TriStar Motorsports Restructures​*
TriStar Motorsports has recently made changes by restructuring teams in preparation for the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season. Formerly fielding four full-time entries, TriStar has scaled back to two full-time teams in an effort to refocus goals and enhance the level of competition. TriStar will actively participate in the XFINITY Series fielding the No. 14 and No. 44 Toyota Camrys for the season.

TriStar continues the partnership with the Zachry Group as primary sponsor of the No. 44 with Texas native, David Starr, behind the wheel. Frank Kerr, former Crew Chief at Richard Petty Motorsports, has joined TriStar and will serve as Crew Chief of the No. 44. Kerr brings valuable knowledge to the organization with a combined total of 13 years of NASCAR Crew Chief experience; nine years in Sprint Cup Series and four years in XFINITY Series.

The No. 14 Toyota Camry will continue under the leadership of Crew Chief Eddie Pardue. Pardue served as the Crew Chief of the No. 14 last season. Drivers and sponsorship of the No. 14 are still in negotiations, with announcements expected soon. Opportunities still remain for the number 14.

Blake Koch and TriStar Motorsports have amicably parted ways to allow Koch to independently pursue alternate options for 2016. He will continue with the No. 8 car that he formerly drove at TriStar Motorsports in 2015.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/TriStar-Motorsports-Restructures-Teams.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Changes For The Better?​*
NASCAR has announced sweeping changes to the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series that will cause great debate among fans.

As has been speculated throughout the off-season, Chase systems will be used to determine the champion in both divisions this year - similar to the Sprint Cup format but with minor tweaks.

There will be fewer races (seven in each series) and smaller fields (12 in XFINITY, 8 in Truck), but the idea will be the same: an elimination plan that will whittle things down to four drivers eligible to win the title at the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale. Ford Championship Weekend will now crown all three NASCAR national-series champions.

The idea to bring championship uniformity to the top tier has merit, as does the plan to bring the drama the Cup Chase has created in its first two years of the elimination-style format. While not all fans seem to be sold on the system that's created the last two Cup champions, there's no argument that intensity and drama have been ramped up.

A driver can no longer afford to go into a season finale satisfied to protect their spot in the point standings as Truck Series champion Erik Jones did last year at Homestead. Like their Sprint Cup big brothers and sisters, XFINITY and Truck Series drivers must now outrun three others in order to take home the crown.

However, it remains to be seen whether the size of the Chase field is too big in relation to the level of competitive teams in each series.

Another new wrinkle is a revamp of the XFINITY Series "Dash 4 Cash" program, a race within a race made up of four events. Drivers who "win" two of these designated events (Bristol, Richmond, Dover and Indianapolis) by finishing higher than other eligible competitors in the program automatically earn a berth in the Chase.

But two more radical concepts have grabbed the most attention.

The four Dash 4 Cash events will utilize heat races to set the lineup for the weekend's main event. After qualifying, cars will be divided into odd and even groups, and drivers will compete in a heat race with their finishing spot determining where they'll take the green flag in the feature. It's a great opportunity to break up an XFINITY Series race into shorter bursts that could generate tighter racing while keeping fans' attention.

If it's a hit, look for the idea to expand throughout the XFINITY and Truck Series, and perhaps to the Cup level.

The most controversial change will come in the Camping World Truck Series with the introduction of a caution clock, which will trigger a yellow flag after 20 minutes of green-flag racing. That number will be adjusted as the race draws closer to its finish, but the idea alters the natural flow of the race.

Strategy, tire management, fuel mileage and other natural elements of competition will be erased and replaced with - depending on the size of track - short segments that alter its organic evolution. Perhaps the better idea would have been to return the series to its earlier "halftime break," which allowed everyone to plan for a stop in the race rather than a series of random cautions.

Change is inevitable in all sports and NASCAR continues to demonstrate an ability to think outside the box. But like every experiment, it remains to be seen if the best-laid plans return the hoped-for success. The only certainty is that Tuesday's announcements will have fans talking for the remainder of the off-season.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2016/01/Opinion-Changes-for-the-Better.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*France Delivers State of The Sport​*
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France delivered his state of the sport address to open the 34th annual NASCAR Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour.

France touched on several topics during his session that opened up the three-day event that has drawn more than 200 journalists from around the world.

The announcement of new Chase formats to determine the champions of both the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series generated a great deal of interest on the opening day of the tour. France believes it was a natural progression for the sport to emulate what he believes has been successful in the Sprint Cup Series.

"I think it's important that they understand how difficult it's going to be when they get to the next level, the Sprint Cup level, and that winning a championship consistency is a very important thing in auto racing and it will never change," France said. "But as you go up, I think we believe, not only does it make it more certainly makes it more exciting for our fans, it starts there, right, and our fans love elimination style, they love the emphasis on winning, and so that'll be a welcome addition in both those series."

Safety and SAFER Barriers were hot button topics last year particularly in the aftermath of Kyle Busch's accident at the season-opening Daytona XFINITY Series race that sidelined him for 11 Sprint Cup events. As more tracks add safety initiatives and SAFER Barriers, France is pleased at the progress being made.

"What we've said is that they're going to be wherever they need to be, and our tracks have said, that's right," he said. "They totally agree. They have met on various occasions with us, with themselves, and they've already long been they're well into installing walls. Kentucky as an example I know is under a major reconstruction. They're pushing behind Daytona has done quite a bit in that area. All the tracks are taking a different look, because listen, they believed that they were in good shape they always hoped they were in good shape, and sometimes things happen, and we all discover things could be a little bit better.

"Those looks are underway, and I'm very confident that our tracks, they feel just as strongly as I do and we do that they're going to be wherever they need to be."

The off-season has included much discussion about the creation of a Sprint Cup Series charter system as owners continue to negotiate on a possible plan to give organizations more equity in the sport. While a final agreement does not appear to be imminent, France is encouraged by the progress being made and believes an agreement is in sight.

"The timeline is sooner rather than later," France said. "The further we get in, the longer you have to push out in a certain season where we could by the way, whatever is the final arrangement should we be able to get there, this is going to be a phase where from one moment to the next, everything will be different.

"This is a very complicated plan and structure that will require some time to phase in many aspects of it. And we'll just have to see from a we'll announce things as soon as we can, but I'm optimistic. I wouldn't say that if I didn't I was in the meetings myself last week, and I'm optimistic, although these things, as complicated as they are, can always move around on us."

This season is the last for Sprint's sponsorship of the Cup Series and talks are ongoing in finding a replacement. France believes while it's not an easy quest, a suitable replacement will be found.

"Well, it's going well, and fortunately for us, the sport is in a really good place, and it's gone through some tough times with the economy and all the things that you've heard me say we've been disproportionately subjected to with our fans who drive further, stay longer, hotel prices, fuel prices, job situations, all that really put a not to mention the commercial size of the car sponsorships and so on have put us in a different position," he said. "We've gotten through those things fortunately, and the sport has made a lot of decisions that are serving us well.

"And so we're in a good spot. We have a lot of interest. We've got our TV deal set for the next decade or so, and I suspect, my sense is that we'll get something done here."

As for the sport's biggest challenge coming into the new season after the 2015 campaign?

"Rain, rain, rain, rain. It really is," he laughed, a response in reference to last season's myriad of weather delays and postponements.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Brian-France-Delivers-State-of-the-Sport.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cassill Joins Front Row Motorsports​*
Landon Cassill will join the Front Row Motorsports line-up to drive the No. 38 Ford for the 2016 season.

The 26-year-old Cassill has 187 Sprint Cup starts under his belt, most recently competing for Hillman Racing in 2015. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has raced in all three of NASCAR's national series, earning XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2008.

Cassill will join rookie teammate Chris Buescher at Front Row Motorsports, which will field two full-time Sprint Cup entries in 2016.

"I feel like Front Row Motorsports is a great fit for me," Cassill said. "I've got several years of experience in the series now, and being a part of this team will help me take the next step in my career. I'm grateful to Bob Jenkins and Ford Motor Company for the opportunity and can't wait to get in the car."

Cassill's Sprint Cup career-best finish is a fourth-place run at Talladega Superspeedway (2014), a track where Front Row Motorsports has also excelled.

"We've always been impressed with Landon and what he can do behind the wheel," said team owner Bob Jenkins. "He's got a lot of natural talent. You could see that at every level of racing he's competed in throughout his career. We're happy to have that talent in one of our race cars this year."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ndon-Cassill-Joins-Front-Row-Motorsports.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Scott To Pilot No. 44 For RPM​*
Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that it will field the No. 44 for Brian Scott beginning in the 2016 Sprint Cup Series, replacing the No. 9 that was used by RPM since 2009.

"Back then, it wasn't just Daddy and me racing," said Richard Petty. "Maurice (Petty) was building the engines, but he did some racing too. When it was time, we were using the '42' and '43,' so he was one of the first to use the No. 44 in the family."

The Petty family fielded the No. 44 with Maurice behind the wheel in the early 1960s and Kyle Petty used the number from 1997-2000, and won at Daytona in the ARCA Racing Series in 1979 driving the No. 44.

"To go back to what everyone considers to be Petty history with the '44' is special," said Scott, who is moving up to full-time status in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016 and will be joined by teammate Aric Almirola, who will drive the iconic No. 43.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Brian-Scott-to-Pilot-44-for-RPM-in-2016.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*KFC Partners With Biffle & Roush Fenway​*
Roush Fenway Racing has announced a multi-race partnership with KFC as a primary partner for Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Sprint Cup Series team during the 2016 season.

The partnership will kick off at Daytona Speedweeks and include primary placement in the famed Daytona 500 and Sprint Unlimited events at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

The partnership in Daytona will feature KFC's recently launched line of smoky and crispy 'Nashville Hot' chicken, which comes just in time for the launch of the 2016 NASCAR season.

"It's definitely exciting to have KFC on the car," said two-time NASCAR Champion Biffle. "I don't think there is a more iconic brand out there; who didn't grow up loving KFC? Their new spicy, smoky and crispy Nashville Hot Chicken is now available nationwide - which I am very excited about - and I can't wait to get to Daytona, enjoy a couple of tailgate platters with the team and hopefully put the Colonel in victory lane at our biggest race of the season."

Biffle has scored 55 NASCAR wins and two championships (XFINITY and Trucks) during his career. He captured the pole for the 2004 Daytona 500 after winning the 2003 summer event at the 2.5-mile track.

"We are very happy to be teaming with Greg Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing and especially to partner with them for the Daytona 500," said Kevin Hochman, KFC U.S. CMO. "Greg and Roush Fenway have a strong tradition of winning at Daytona, and we can't think of a better way to launch our new Nashville Hot Chicken than at NASCAR's biggest race of the season where we will be promoting the biggest thing in spicy chicken since Buffalo wings."

In addition to looking for his second trip to victory lane at Daytona, Biffle will aim for Roush Fenway's seventh win at Daytona in the Sprint Cup Series and its third Daytona 500 victory.

"We are proud to welcome KFC to the Roush Fenway Racing family with Greg and the No. 16 team," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "We know they will be a great partner going forward in 2016 and look forward to a strong partnership launch as the season kicks off in Daytona."

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.c...nascar/kfc-partners-with-biffle-roush-fenway/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Logano, Kenseth Focused On Future​*
Neither Joey Logano or Matt Kenseth are dwelling on their controversial incident last season as they prepare for 2016.

Both drivers made it very clear during this week's Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour that they are putting the fireworks and controversy of last season in the rear view mirror and focusing on the coming campaign.

"NASCAR got us together at Homestead and we talked a little bit, but really didn't speak about any of this kind of stuff," Kenseth said about the aftermath of what happened last fall at Kansas and then Martinsville between the two. "We spoke briefly in Vegas a couple times.

"Honestly, I'd never had a problem with Joey before that. We've always raced well together and I've always had a lot of respect for him and felt like he raced me clean before all this stuff went down. Maybe it's best to put it down and go back to racing each other the way we used to race each other."

The trouble between the two started at Kansas where Kenseth felt Logano intentionally wrecked him to win the race. Things boiled over at Martinsville after Kenseth intentionally wrecked Logano, who was leading the race, and was subsequently suspended for two races by NASCAR.

Like Kenseth, Logano also is ready to stop talking about the past and rather focus squarely on the future.

"We had a discussion at Homestead with NASCAR," Logano said Wednesday during the Media Tour. "I got everything off my chest that I needed to say, and hopefully Matt did, as well.

"As a driver, you keep your goals in mind. My goal as a race car driver is to win every race I'm in. That's what I keep as priority No. 1. Each person has their own way of handling it. Every situation requires something different. I'm sure this over time will kind of go away and we'll be able to focus on the season."

However, just because the two combatants appear ready to put the situation behind, Kenseth isn't so sure fans want that to happen.

"Race fans like that kind of stuff; they really do," Kenseth. "I don't particularly like it, but race fans like to watch it. You wreck me, you get wrecked back. It's the way it's always been. Race fans like to see some of that action."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ogano-and-Matt-Kenseth-Focused-on-Future.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Charter System Still In The Works​*
NASCAR and Sprint Cup Series team owners continue to work toward an agreement on a possible charter system.

While no official word has been given on when the plan may be put into place that would afford owners equity in the series, several key players have spoken on the subject.

"We don't have it finished and it's still moving around a little bit," NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said earlier this week. "The time line is sooner rather than later. This is a complicated plan and structure that will require some time to phase in. We'll announce things as soon as we can, but I'm optimistic."

Prominent team owners echo France's sentiment that the plan will be good for the sport when it's finally completed.

"There's been great progress," said Roger Penske. "I'm not sitting in the meetings myself, but we've elected a group of people that understands where we're trying to go. NASCAR and the car owners have been very open. This is a long-term business relationship we're trying to develop. It has to be done carefully.

"We have to think about all the constituents and that's what's going on, so I feel good about it. Hopefully, we'll have an outcome shortly."

Joe Gibbs believes the idea is right but doesn't want the sport to rush into an agreement.

"When two sides want something to happen, generally you can find a way," he said. "There's a lot left to be done. Our best hope is that we get it done before Daytona."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/01/Charter-System-Still-In-the-Works.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*TBR And Bowman Part Ways​*
It was announced today that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Alex Bowman, will not return to Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2016.

"As NASCAR transitions to different business and competition models, teams have to make decisions accordingly," said team owner, Tommy Baldwin. "We appreciate what Alex contributed during 2015 and wish him the best in the future."

During this past season, Bowman qualified for 35 of 36 championship points events. His start/finish average was 34th and 31st respectively and placed 33rd in the final standings.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Baldwin-Racing-and-Alex-Bowman-Part-Ways.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Regan Smith Joins TBR​*
Tommy Baldwin Racing announced on Thursday that Regan Smith will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet in 2016.

As previously announced, Toy State and their Nikko RC and Road Rippers brands will serve as the majority sponsor for the season. (Read More)

"This is a really great time for us," said team owner, Tommy Baldwin. "Having a driver with Regan's credentials further elevates our program. He's a seasoned driver and a proven race winner. We're really looking forward to 2016."

A native of Cato, NY, Smith is equally as eager to get the season started.

"This has been a crazy few days, but I'm really excited that we were able to put this together," he said. "I have a ton of respect for Tommy and what he's built there. It's going to be a lot of fun."

"Our son Rhett turns one next month, so I'll be putting in my request for some Road Rippers cars. That's a pretty good perk too."

Smith's career in NASCAR boasts a total of seven wins, 34 top fives and 94 top 10s across the three National Touring Series, including the storied Southern 500 at Darlington in 2011.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/Regan-Smith-Joins-Tommy-Baldwin-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Trimmed-Down Stewart Set For Final Season​*
Tony Stewart might be in the best shape of his life, and just in time.

At 44, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has declared this to be his final Sprint Cup season as a driver, and he's doing everything in his power to make it memorable.

"I'm eating better, drinking better, working out, doing stuff I swore I would never do - and I'm doing it in my last year," said Stewart, facing Thursday's a media during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom.

"I've changed my diet. I've changed everything for this year, so if anybody has any questions about how dedicated we are to having the best year we possibly could have, that's the answer. I'm more excited about this year than I have been in a long time."

Stewart would love to emulate the farewell season enjoyed by Jeff Gordon, who went into the final race of the 2015 season with a shot at his fifth Sprint Cup title.

"That was 99 percent of a perfect (final) season," Stewart said. "I don't have any grand illusions that I'm going to have that kind of year. It may or may not be in our cards. We're going to give 100 percent, but the main focus will be to have fun this last year. If we can go out and win races and have an opportunity, trust me, I'll be ready."

In his dream scenario, Stewart said he would win the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 at Darlington, and a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway to give him checkered flags at every track on the circuit.

Kurt Busch said he wouldn't put anything past Stewart, who is both his teammate and boss.

"Jeff Gordon had a fantastic final season. I don't see why Tony Stewart can't do the same thing," he said. "He's a three-time champion in stock cars, he's a champion from open-wheel ... he's won in everything. Having a teammate and a car owner going through a retirement tour, there will be times when I'll be giving that extra five percent on a given day to help him out."

Stewart knows that two more victories would get him to 50, but even one victory would be enough to get him to the Chase with a shot at one last title. No matter what, he insists this will be his Sprint Cup swan song.

"Even if we went out there and won 15 races and won the championship, we're done," he said. "When Homestead happens, no matter how the year went, we're done. If it's a terrible year, I'm not going to sit there and go, 'Wow, that defined my career,' because the stats will define how we did over 18 years."

Stewart's past two seasons have not been indicative of his 48 career wins and 300 top-10 finishes in 590 Sprint Cup starts. He has not won a race since June 2, 2013 at Dover and failed to notch a top-five finish last season.

There have been extenuating circumstances - a broken leg which halted his 2013 season and the tragic incident in August 2014, when Stewart struck and killed a fellow competitor while running a caution lap during a sprint car race in upstate New York.

Although it will be Stewart's final season as a Cup driver, he'll remain active as a co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing with Gene Haas, participating in the day-to-day operations of a high-profile team with championship expectations.

"I think we have two guys who definitely have a great opportunity to race for a championship (this year)," said Stewart, referring to 2014 Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick and Busch, a former champ who finished eighth in points last season.

Only Kyle Busch stood between Kevin Harvick and a second consecutive Sprint Cup title. Harvick, who turned 40 in December, has eight victories in his two seasons with Stewart-Haas. He registered career highs in top 10s (23) and laps led last season when he also matched his career-best with an average finishing position of 8.7.

Kurt Busch had two victories and three poles in 2015. Matching a career high with 21 top-10 finishes (in 33 starts), Busch finished eighth in points. "We need to bump it up another spot," he said. "We know we did good things (but) we need more top fives."

That leaves Danica Patrick, now 34, who has yet to register a top-five finish in 118 Sprint Cup starts. She managed a pair of top 10s last season - a seventh at Martinsville and a ninth at Bristol - but finished no better than 15th in any of her final 28 races.

"Clearly, I need to be able to finish better to be able to make the Chase," said Patrick, who has replaced Go Daddy with Nature's Bakery as her primary sponsor.

"She understands how the cars work," said Haas, noting that Patrick has been teamed with a new crew chief in Billy Scott. "She understands all the ins and outs of racing a Cup car. Now, it's time for her to concentrate on going faster. We realize she's a unique talent out there and we're just trying to find a more accurate combination that will provide better results.

Stewart, for his part, continues to publicly supportive on NASCAR's most prominent female competitor.

"I don't know what it's going to take. I still stand behind the fact that she hasn't spent a ton of time in these cars," Stewart said. "You can say she's been in the Cup Series for four years, but most guys by the time they've got to the Cup Series have had a lot of time in a stock car. She did not have that.

"So, I would say if she just keeps making forward progress, that that's going to be a good year. It's so hard to pinpoint and say 'this is what the goal is. This is what we expect. If her stats get better than what they were last year, that's what we look at as improvement. As long as we're moving the needle forward and not backward, that's what we want to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...rt-Hoping-for-Big-Things-in-Final-Season.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*RCR Forms Alliance With Circle Sport-Leavine​*
Richard Childress Racing and Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing have agreed to form a technical alliance in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, beginning with the 2016 season.

The partnership includes technology sharing, engineering, research and development provided to Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing as they switch their No. 95 Sprint Cup Series cars to Chevrolet beginning with the 2016 season. Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing will also benefit from utilizing the highly reliable and powerful engines of ECR Engines.

Ty Dillon will run select races, including the Daytona 500, for Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing in 2016. Sprint Cup Series veteran driver Michael McDowell will be the primary driver for the team.

"I admire the hard work, dedication and passion that Joe Falk and Bob and Sharon Leavine have for NASCAR and I know their addition to our RCR alliance teams will be mutually beneficial to both Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing and our current roster of technical alliance partners," said Richard Childress, Chief Executive Officer of RCR. "I'm looking forward to success in 2016 and beyond."

With their race shop based in Concord, N.C., Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing has a veteran group of racing personnel and ownership that has been active in the Sprint Cup Series for multiple years.

"The resources that Richard Childress and RCR can provide, including ECR engines, the Chevrolet SS and access to shared information and technology will be a tremendous help as we continue to grow as an organization," said Bob Leavine. "RCR has an extremely competitive program with a storied history of winning races and championships and joining that culture of success makes this partnership especially attractive."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...h-Circle-Sport-and-Leavine-Family-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Bowman Shocked By TBR Release​*
Alex Bowman said his release from Tommy Baldwin Racing came as a complete surprise.

The team announced earlier this week Regan Smith would drive its No. 7 entry that was piloted by Bowman last year. It was a shock to Bowman, who found out about the change of plans via social media.

"I went to the gym yesterday morning on my way to the shop to go work on my midget and I refreshed Twitter and Twitter says I'm fired," Bowman said Friday on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's "Tradin' Paint" program.

Bowman told the program he had not heard from team owner Baldwin or anyone with the organization since learning of his fate.

"I guess you'll have that in big-time auto racing," Bowman said. "I know the sport's changing a lot and a lot of business models are changing. Tommy felt like he needed to make a change. If he feels he needs to make a change and that I'm not the right person to be in that, then I shouldn't be there. If you don't have any faith in your driver, there's no reason to go to the racetrack.

"There's no hard feelings, it's a business and it's what has to happen and it's the way this deal works. It's pretty ruthless, but that's just the way it is. It's big-time auto racing."

Part of Bowman's confusion was attributed to his role in helping the team land sponsor Toy State, a deal that was formally announced with the driver in attendance at a press conference held last month.

"I feel like I was alongside Tommy for a lot of it," Bowman said, who said he accompanied Baldwin to the company's Boston headquarters during the sponsorship search. "I feel I became real close with a lot of people up there &#8230; I tried to reach out to all of them yesterday to say thank you to them. They did a lot for me last year and definitely consider them good friends."

Late Friday afternoon, TBR released a statement via the team's Facebook page, which read:

"The business of NASCAR is no different than any other professional sport. There are a lot of moving parts and pieces behind the scenes that fans and media don't see. Decisions are made carefully over a period of time and are influenced by many factors.

"As the competition and business models change in NASCAR, it's the responsibility of teams to make decisions accordingly. We felt that we needed to make some changes, and the driver was one of them.

"The circumstances surrounding Alex's release via social media was unfortunate and certainly unintentional. The culture of doing business in motorsports has become more complex and involves many parties such as agents, business managers, attorneys and sponsors. A comment in passing may be overheard and subsequently conveyed to the media.

"Our intention, as it always is, was to follow business protocol and notify Alex and his management of our decision. Again, it's unfortunate that confidentiality was compromised, and the news delivered in this manner.

"Alex Bowman is a talented, young race car driver. He has a good future ahead of him. We appreciate his time with us and wish him well."

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Shocked-by-Tommy-Baldwin-Racing-Release.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Video: DAYTONA Rising Project Time Lapse​*
From September 2013 to January 2016, NASCAR and racing fans were able to keep track of DAYTONA Rising - a complete redesign of the iconic Daytona International Speedway - with EarthCam's construction cameras. The entire construction process, from groundbreaking to completion, is highlighted in EarthCam's new time-lapse movie.

Over 28 months, more than one million HD images were captured by a combination eight EarthCam robotic HD construction webcams and megapixel panoramic cameras.

"Reimaging an American icon such as Daytona International Speedway has been a journey for all involved and EarthCam's cameras have been documenting the progress since the groundbreaking," said Daytona International Speedway President, Joie Chitwood III. "As we approach our first events in the new motorsports stadium, EarthCam's footage and time-lapse video provide the opportunity for everyone to look back on the construction achievements of this historic $400 million redevelopment project."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...national-Speedway-DAYTONA-Rising-Project.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hendrick Embraces Change​*
It will be a season of transition for Hendrick Motorsports and the organization is looking forward to it.

Jeff Gordon steps into his new role as a television analyst, opening the door for rookie Chase Elliott to take the wheel of the famed No. 24 Chevrolet. He joins Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne in what team owner Rick Hendrick still believes is one of the top driver lineups in the sport.

"It doesn't matter what kind of business you're in, it's the kind of people you have that's important," said Hendrick. "We're looking out of the windshield, not in the rear-view mirror. We focus on the championships ahead, not the ones behind us."

Elliott isn't shying away from a situation that will certainly bring pressure. But the former XFINITY Series champion isn't letting the idea of taking the seat of a future Hall of Famer in Gordon get in the way of the matter at hand and setting realistic goals.

"No matter where we start - good, bad, ugly, great, fantastic, wherever it is, if we can start at that point and improve, that's how we're going to achieve our goals," Elliott explained. "I'm confident. This is a winning team. We have no excuse if I do my part to compete for good runs and, hopefully, some wins."

Elliott has a trio of veteran teammates to learn from in his first full season at NASCAR's highest level. But he'll also have to compete against them on the racetrack for wins and all are prepared to find success in the coming season.

"We're winning races, I'm having more fun than I've ever had driving racecars and I've got to give the company all the credit," said Earnhardt, who won three races last season with first-year crew chief Greg Ives. "The cars are the best in the garage, the people are the best and every time you get in it, you've got all the confidence in the world that it's going to do what you want it to do. We've had more fun the last two years than I can ever remember having and I hope to keep it going."

Kahne went winless a year ago but is ready to put that disappointment behind.

"We communicated and did the things we needed to do together," Kahne said of his relationship with crew chief Keith Rodden. "We need to figure out how to have more speed in the cars, but I enjoy working with him."

So for the first time in more than two decades, a guy named Gordon will not be campaigning a Hendrick car. It'll be different for the organization that's been the gold standard in the Cup Series for years, but Hendrick does not envision a slowdown.

"If you've been to the top of the mountain, it's hard to sit out there in Las Vegas and not be on that stage," he said. "We've got a commitment within our organization. All the crew chiefs, engineers and drivers ... we've never worked together any better or as much as we have toward the end of last year and in the off-season. Our guys are fired up."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../01/Hendrick-Motorsports-Embraces-Change.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces Race Start Times​*
NASCAR, in collaboration with broadcast partners FOX Sports, NBC Sports Group, race teams and the 29 tracks committed to hosting races for the coming season, today announced race start times and network coverage for all three of its national series based on previously released schedule dates for 2016.

Entering the second season of 10-year comprehensive media rights agreements, races will be televised by FOX, FS1, NBC and NBCSN, with the exception of select events in August that will air on CNBC and USA due to NBC Sports' coverage of the Summer Olympics. National series races also will be broadcast live by Motor Racing Network, Performance Racing Network, IMS Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

"NASCAR concluded 2015 with its most-watched championship finale in a decade, a benchmark that serves as a testament to deeper collaboration with our television and radio partners and increased engagement with fans," said Steve Herbst, senior vice president, broadcasting and production at NASCAR. "We look forward to carrying this momentum into 2016, starting with the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks, as the number of homes reached by our broadcast content continues to grow both domestically and internationally."

*2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule*















*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/01/NASCAR-Announces-Race-Start-Times.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: BK Racing​*
BK Racing is looking to take its next step in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2016 after hiring a new driver and purchasing some assets from Michael Waltrip Racing.

The team, entering its fifth full-time season, will field two Toyotas for Matt DiBenedetto and newly signed David Ragan. BK Racing also may run a third car on occasion.

Ragan has competed full-time in the Cup Series since 2007 and has two career wins. He comes to BKR after running the final 26 races last year for MWR, which closed its doors at season's end. Ragan began the 2015 season with Front Row Motorsports then moved to Joe Gibbs Racing to sub for the injured Kyle Busch.

"One door closes and another door opens," said Ragan, who will drive the No. 23 Camry. "This is an opportunity to help a smaller team take that next step to being more competitive on and off the racetrack."

Ragan will be reunited with some familiar faces at BKR.

"When I walk around the shop, I recognize a lot of great people I worked with at Roush (Fenway Racing) many years ago, some guys I worked with at Front Row that I have a lot of respect for and - most importantly - some guys that worked at Michael Waltrip Racing last year," Ragan said.

With MWR cars added to the stable, Patrick Donahue will be Ragan's crew chief while Gene Nead will call the shots for DiBenedetto.

"We updated some of our equipment," Ragan said, "but it's also important that I give good feedback, that Matt can give good feedback so we can continue to evolve these racecars. We can't sit back and rely on what's good today or what was good yesterday to carry us through the year."

Doug Richert, who was DiBenedetto's crew chief for a majority of last season, will oversee the wind tunnel and test team.

"We've got good people and good ideas," Ragan said. "There are a lot of folks that are going to work hard to make these cars more competitive."

DiBenedetto made 33 starts in his first season with BK Racing in 2015, posting a best finish of 18th in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway.

"Last year, I learned a lot and I'm looking forward to having a full notebook heading into the season," he said.

Dr. Pepper, who has been with BK Racing since its inception, will sponsor Ragan for multiple races in 2016. Returning sponsors Dustless Blasting and Cosmo Motors will support DiBenedetto in a number of events, with Dustless Blasting featured on the No. 83 entry for next month's season-opening Daytona 500.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/01/2016-Team-Preview-BK-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Scientist Bill Nye Urges NASCAR To Shift To Electric Cars​*
The famed scientist that my generation grew up watching in grade school has a wild idea to make NASCAR a fully electric form of auto racing.

In the motorsports world today, the precedent for such a series would be FIA Formula E, which is currently contesting its second season after a successful first year.

Nye, commonly referred to as "BiIl Nye the Science Guy," graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He has the stock car world debating tonight after publishing a blog post titled "If NASCAR Embraced Electric Cars, It Could Change the World."

NASCAR's Go-Green initiative

His argument states that NASCAR could be a leader in cutting emissions if they would just embrace electric-powered cars (a task easier said than done). To NASCAR's credit, they are still a leader when it comes to 'going green' with a massive recycling initiative, unmatched by other sports. In 2012, NASCAR also made the switch to electronic fuel injection, ditching the carburetors and running Sunoco fuel made up of 15 percent ethanol.

The sooner NASCAR embraces electric drive trains, the sooner the US can be the world leader in automotive technology

Bill Nye

Several tracks have also made their own contribution to the 'go green' movement, such as Sonoma Raceway, whose 1,700 solar panels account for over 40 percent of the circuit's power usage.

"Here I am trying to envision the smart, efficient transportation technology of tomorrow, and there is NASCAR doing the opposite - celebrating a very old transportation technology of yesterday," Nye said in his blog.

"I wish NASCAR set up Grand Challenges to inspire companies and individuals to create novel automotive technologies in the way NASA does to create novel space technologies ... A race with rules designed to reward the coolest, most advanced vehicle technologies.

Racing and innovation

He continued, stating that racing should be all about innovation and pushing the limits of the latest tech available, citing the innovative STP-Paxton Turbocar, which competed in both the 1966 and 1967 Indy 500s (almost winning the latter).

"Let me offer a backward-looking yet forward-thinking story. When I was a kid, auto-racing was where new technology was developed rather than where old technology was preserved or even celebrated."

Nye proposed his own unique new system of pitting for his theoretic NESCAR (National Electric Stock Car Racing), as he called it.

"Instead of refueling a gas tank, the electric race car pit crew would change battery packs. The car would be designed to roll up a ramp. The battery pack would be disconnected and dropped out. Moments later, a fresh battery pack would be lifted into place, and off our electric racer would go with time in the pit comparable to what it takes to refuel and service a conventional gas-powered race car."

He concluded, "The sooner NASCAR embraces electric drive trains, the sooner the US can be the world leader in automotive technology, and the sooner we can stop pumping carbon dioxide into the air every time we want to go somewhere to get groceries, pick up the soccer team, commute to work or watch a race.

"I'm saying racing should be about the future rather than the past."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...rges-nascar-to-shift-to-electric-cars-670011/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Olympics Will Force Some NASCAR Coverage Off NBC/NBC Sports​*
NASCAR is expected to announce the starting times and broadcast networks for the 2016 races for the top three tours on Tuesday.

The biggest change from a network perspective comes in August as NBC's focus turns to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro which runs August 5-21.

The Watkins Glen Sprint Cup race (Aug. 7) will be hosted on the USA Network while CNBC will air the Xfinity Series event on Aug. 6. The following weekend, the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio and the Bristol NXS race (Aug. 19) can be found on USA Networks.

Despite the changes, 18 Cup races - including the-season opening Daytona 500 as well as the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway - will air on FOX or NBC. FOX will also televise Daytona 500 pole day (Feb. 14) and qualifying for the Cup race at Talladega (April 30).

CLICK HERE for complete start times for 2016 season 
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...2016-start-times-for-sprint-cup-races-670009/

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...me-nascar-coverage-off-nbc-nbc-sports-669882/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Injury Update: "Extensively Worse" Surgery Better In Long Run​*
Despite being off his feet for longer than after his first surgery to repair a torn ACL, Denny Hamlin insists his recovery will be a "non-issue" when he arrives in Daytona for Speedweeks next month.

Hamlin tore his ACL in early September while playing basketball, but did not miss any races in the 2015 season due to the injury.

The driver of Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 11 Toyota also tore the ACL in his left knee back in 2010, again while playing a pickup game of basketball.

Corrective surgery

Hamlin waited to have corrective surgery until the end of November once the season was over and has been working extensively on his rehabilitation ever since.

"This one is extensively worse than the first," said Hamlin at NASCAR's West Coast media tour. "The best explanation that I get is that the first one I used the cadaver and I needed to get back in the race car right away, so we did a cadaver and we didn't use any parts of my hamstring or any other parts of my leg simply for recovery purposes.

"It would recover faster, and we didn't think we'd have any injuries to that same leg going forward.

"But this is kind of a new latest way that they're doing these surgeries. Obviously, when players are out in football or basketball, they're out for one year for an ACL, where we don't have that time to recover as racecar drivers.

"Since this has happened in the off-season, they chose to do it this way, which is a little bit longer recovery process, but it should be stronger in the long run."

Marked improvement

Nevertheless, Hamlin said he has noticed marked improvement just over the past week. At the recent Media Tour in Charlotte, N.C., he described his recovery then as about "50 percent."

"It's been quite a bit better. The biggest thing is the range of motion has not been very good, and it's kind of behind. But we're catching up to being on schedule here, and just in the last seven days, I think it's amazing how far we've gotten in rehab to getting this thing better," he said.

"I'm very confident that in two weeks it's going to be a non-issue on track, and really for me it's more like 'When can I start running again?'

"That's the biggest hurdle mentally that we fight - not being able to do some of these activities that we use to kind of take racing off of our mind. Once the racing season starts, any given Saturday I'm kind of looking for a golf course after practice is over to relax a little bit, and right now I'm not able to do any of that."

Hamlin, 35, finished the 2015 season ninth in the Sprint Cup Series standings and had two wins, 14 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 36 races. It was his most wins since the 2012 season (five).

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...vely-worse-surgery-better-in-long-run-670354/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tony Stewart: Even 15 Wins And A Title Won't Make Me Reconsider Retirement​*
Tony Stewart isn't anticipating a dream season in his final tour of the Sprint Cup circuit. And if it materializes, the three-time champion isn't sticking around NASCAR anyway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner and driver said even the most successful campaign of his 18-season career won't cause him to reverse course on exiting the No. 14 Chevrolet after the 2016 season.

"The reason I'm retiring is not performance based, but when you go into your last season, you hope you go out on top," Stewart said last week during the preseason Media Tour. "Whether the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, you want to finish on top. That's the way every athlete wants to finish. If we went out there and won 15 races and won the championship, it would not make me go, 'Man, I want to come back next year.' It'd be like, 'That's the way I want to go out. I'll take that.'

"When (the 2016 season is over), no matter how the year went, it's done. If it's a terrible year, I'm not going to say that defined my career. The stats will show what we did over 18 years. I think no matter how the season goes, I'm going to be able to say I had a successful run in the Sprint Cup Series."

Stewart has 48 victories on NASCAR's premier circuit but none since Dover International Speedway in June 2013. He broke his right leg two months later and missed the final 15 races of the season. The struggles continued in 2014 when he missed three races after a sprint car he was driving struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. in a race in upstate New York.

He completed his first full season since 2012 last year but slumped to a career-worst average finish of 24.8 while finishing 28th in the points standings with only three top 10s.

It's left Stewart conceding he likely won't match the farewell of Jeff Gordon, who won at Martinsville Speedway last November and raced for the championship round in his final Cup race.

"That was 99 percent of a perfect season," Stewart said. "I don't have any grand illusions that I'm going to have that kind of year this year. I would love to, but I'd say off what we've done the last two years, it may or may not be in our cards. We're going to give 100 percent and hopefully (the lower-downforce rules) will help. The main focus is to go out and have fun this last year. If we can win races and have an opportunity, trust me, I'll be ready for it."

Despite the measured expectations, he still is aiming at some lofty goals. Stewart will start the season seeking his first Daytona 500 victory in his 18th and final start. He also would like to score his first win in the Southern 500 and a victory at Kentucky Speedway, which would give him a trip to the winner's circle at every track on the circuit.

"The way our season has been the last couple of years, I just want to see improvement," he said. "But if we get improvement, I think a small improvement can lead to an opportunity to win races again. I'm not discounting the fact that I think we can win because we definitely have the tools to do that. We just have to put it together. At the same time, if it doesn't happen it's not going to be the end of the world."

Just the end of an illustrious career - regardless of how the last season unfolds.

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/01...s-super-late-model-team-gilliland-bell-byron/


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR, Sprint Cup Teams Meet On Charters; Sides 'Close' To Deal​*
NASCAR officials and Sprint Cup car owners have been meeting this week, moving closer to resolution on a new charter system intended to guarantee financial stability and security to teams.

A source who was present for a meeting Friday told NASCAR Talk that no deal had been signed, but that the sides were "close." The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the talks.

Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal tweeted that the system was likely to be unveiled in two weeks, which would point to an announcement during Speedweeks. NASCAR teams will arrive Feb. 11 at the Daytona International Speedway garage in preparation for the Feb. 21 season-opening Daytona 500. Stern also tweeted the charter system deal would be for five years with a four-year option.








Asked for comment, NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said in a release: "NASCAR and NASCAR Sprint Cup team owners have continued to make progress in our discussions. There still is work to be done, but we remain very optimistic that we'll have agreements completed prior to the start of the 2016 season."

Rob Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance consortium that has been brokering the deal on behalf of the owners, also tweeted he felt positive about negotiations.








Speaking Jan. 19 during the preseason Media Tour in Charlotte, NASCAR Chairman Brian France said he was "very optimistic that we're going to get that new ownership structure completed.

"We wouldn't do anything that we didn't think in the long run would make racing better, would field more opportunities, create an environment for more owners, more capital in this very expensive sport, to have a better experience in fielding the race teams week in and week out," France said. "And I'm very optimistic that shortly we'll be able to share those details of what that looks like."

France declined to put a timeframe on the deal or offer any further details.

"I'm not going to get into specifics of the plan because we don't have it finished yet, and it's still moving around a little bit," France said. "The timeline is sooner rather than later. &#8230; This is a very complicated plan and structure that will require some time to phase in many aspects of it."

*Source:*
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/01/29/nascar-sprint-cup-teams-meet-on-charters-sides-close-to-deal/


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## Ckg2011

*RIBBON-CUTTING USHERS IN NEW ERA FOR DAYTONA​*
With the loud sounds of sports cars running practice laps on the track below and sprinkles of rain outside, International Speedway Corporation CEO and NASCAR Vice Chairperson Lesa France Kennedy and ISC's Chairman Jim France formally cut the ribbon Wednesday afternoon to mark the debut of Daytona International Speedway's $400 million "re-imagining" efforts -- a high-tech, first-class motor racing facility unlike anything else in the sport.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/692447439509438468
The Daytona track has long been considered an iconic brand in racing and now, after a two-and-a-half year modernization effort, the famous facility offers all the amenities the sport's fans could want. From huge, open-layout concourses sporting gift shops and restaurants to grandstands complete with new larger, comfortable seating to escalators transporting fans up into the facility, the new-look Daytona will be a true crown among venues.

And that was exactly the idea as the track prepares to host its first event with the new digs -- the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend.

"It's the biggest project, I think, strictly for the fans, of any motorsports project," France said, sharing that he made great effort to stay up to date with the project both watching the time lapse video online and through visits from his office at company headquarters just across the street.

"It's Daytona, it's our Super Bowl event and now we truly have our Super Bowl facility,' " France said.

He joined his niece Kennedy and DIS President Joie Chitwood III on Wednesday hosting dignitaries ranging from construction engineers to the Volusia County Sheriff to local congressmen -- all of them eager to celebrate the upgraded facility.

The project came in on time and on budget according to officials, who also acknowledged Mother Nature's blessing and duly noted the lack of any hurricanes in the area setting things back during construction.

For Chitwood, this has been the largest undertaking in his role overseeing the property. And he took the position and the job very seriously.

"Probably where I get most proud is the France family entrusted me with their flagship property, the legacy they created and our staff has to live up to it," Chitwood said. "I'm proud to say I think we nailed it. When I see Jim France walking around smiling and Lesa France Kennedy smiling, I feel like we lived up to it."

But, Chitwood cautioned with a smile, now comes the important stuff: welcoming fans and helping them fully utilize this new motorsports stadium. Chitwood said every track president in the ISC group, every person in the company's corporate offices will actually work during the upcoming Daytona Speedweeks and NASCAR's Feb. 21 Sprint Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

"As exciting as it is today, it's very challenging to let down and relax because now all the fans are going to show up whether it's the Rolex 24 or the Daytona 500," Chitwood said, acknowledging his job is far from over. "For me, it's probably going to be Feb. 22 before I catch my breath. As exciting as it was to cut the ribbon today, now we really have to make sure the fans enjoy their experience."

*Source:*
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-me...ribbon-cutting-prior-to-rolex-24-weekend.html


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart Hospitalized With Back Injury​*
Tony Stewart was hospitalized Sunday after suffering a back injury in a non-racing accident.

Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that the three-time Sprint Cup Series champion was transported to a hospital and is currently being evaluated.

The team statement read:

"Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, sustained a back injury in a non-racing accident Sunday afternoon. Stewart was transported to a local hospital following the accident and is currently being evaluated. Stewart is awake and alert and able to move all extremities. An updated will be provided Thursday afternoon when more information is known."

The accident happened while driving an all-terrain vehicle on the West Coast.

Stewart is about to embark on his final full season as a Sprint Cup driver before heading into retirement after the 2016 campaign.

"We have received word from Stewart-Haas Racing of Tony Stewart's accident and injury," NASCAR chairman Brian France said in a statement. "On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, I wish Tony a full recovery and look forward to seeing him back in our sport when he's ready to return."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Stewart-Hospitalized-With-Back-Injury.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Stewart Sidelined Indefinitely​*
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, sustained a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra in an all-terrain vehicle accident Sunday while vacationing on the West Coast.

Stewart was transported to a local hospital following the non-racing accident and promptly evaluated. He was awake and alert throughout the process and able to move all of his extremities.

Stewart flew to North Carolina Tuesday evening and was admitted to a Charlotte-area hospital for further evaluation. On Wednesday, he underwent surgery.

The subsequent recovery period means Stewart will miss the beginning of the Sprint Cup season. A timetable for Stewart's return has not been determined, but he is expected to make a full recovery and return to the No. 14 Chevrolet in 2016. Plans for an interim driver have not been finalized.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/02/Tony-Stewart-Medical-Update.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Germain Racing​*
In 2015, Casey Mears and Germain Racing inched closer to a spot among the top 20 in the final point standings.

Similar progress in 2016 would put the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet right where the team feels it belongs.

"A huge goal for us would be to break the top 20 in points and I honestly feel like we're better than that," Mears said, eyeing the arrival of Speedweeks which is now less than two weeks away. "We had several things happen last year that typically don't happen to race teams. Without those issues, we could have had a solid season and finished maybe 18th in points."

Last season, the team improved from 26th to 23rd in the final standings as Mears completed his fifth full season with Germain Racing. His best finish, sixth place, came in the season-opening Daytona 500. Now, Mears says it's time to take the next step.

"Team morale is high, right now, and it's been a long time coming for our program," he said. "Over the last five years, there's been huge growth - from being a start-and-park program running half the races to where we are now. We have another year of being affiliated with Richard Childress Racing in 2016, and that's given us a better understanding of what it takes to go out and compete."

Mears says that technical alliance with one of the sport's top-tier organizations has helped boost his and the team's confidence.

"Now, we're starting to build a playbook," he said. "Being aligned with RCR, we've slowly gotten our cars closer to where theirs are. We know we have the rules change to deal with, but we also have a history, now, and experience to look back on that'll give us a good starting point at all the tracks."

The rules change Mears speaks of is NASCAR's shift to a low-downforce aerodynamic package that was tested last year and will be implemented for this year, starting later this month at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Like many of his fellow competitors, Mears is in favor of the change.

"The racing was better," he said, referring to last year's events at Kentucky and Darlington Raceway, where the new rules were tested. "It will continue to get better as we get further into the year, and as Goodyear gets time to know and understand what kind of (tire) loads they're going to see in the center of the corner."

From behind the wheel, Mears says lower downforce will mean more lead changes and better competition.

"When you're chasing a guy down and he gets in a little too hot, and has to catch it, you can get down underneath him and go," he said. "The cars are a little harder to drive and when you have that, there are more chances for drivers to make mistakes."

As Mears looks ahead to the 2016 campaign, he sees plenty of promise as he walks the halls of his race shop.

"Our cars are lookin' the best they ever have," he said. "If we get everything out of what we have and make the right decisions, I see us knocking on the door to be in the Chase."

Mears' confidence entering the new season is further buoyed by the strong bond he's formed with veteran crew chief Bootie Barker.

"Now that we have these years together, when there's an issue or we're not fast, we're going to figure it out," said Mears, who is under contract with Germain through the 2018 season. "We all know these are the people we're working with for the next three years. That continuity is important. Just look at what Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus have accomplished."

The reference there is, of course, to the six-time Cup Series champion and his long-time crew chief.

"When you have that type of history," Mears adds, "it helps you get places quicker."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2016/02/2016-Team-Preview-Germain-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: JTG Daugherty Racing​*
After a tough 2015 season, JTG Daugherty Racing made some changes as it looks to get back in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with driver AJ Allmendinger.

He finished 22nd in the standings in 2015, one year after making the Chase and finishing 13th in points - both a personal and team best.

"Even in a frustrating year, we built good team chemistry," Allmendinger said. "Because 2015 was a bad year, we found out how close we really were."

Two key additions were announced in December with Randall Burnett being named crew chief and Ernie Cope director of competition. Burnett comes over to JTG Daugherty from Chip Ganassi Racing, where he worked for the past 10 years. Since 2010, he was the lead race engineer for drivers Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kyle Larson.

"Randall is a true racer," Allmendinger said. "At Ganassi, he did everything but crew chief the cars. With that kind of background, it's going to help elevate our team and bring new ideas."

Cope, who was Chase Elliott's XFINITY Series crew chief at JR Motorsports last season, returns to JTG Daugherty Racing - where he served as crew chief for Stacy Compton and Marcos Ambrose in 2006 and 2007. He had a successful six-year tenure with Kevin Harvick, Inc. and Richard Childress Racing prior to joining JRM.

One of the big changes for not only the team but the entire series will be the implementation of a new rules package, which features lower downforce starting at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Teams competed with the low-downforce package last season at Kentucky Speedway (which is in the process of being repaved) and Darlington Raceway.

"The two races we did last year with this rules package were good, but they were at unique racetracks," Allmendinger said. "What we know about Sprint Cup teams is if you give them a challenge, they keep finding (more) downforce to put in the racecars. It's going to depend on how the tire works with the car. NASCAR is doing everything it can to try and make racing better for the drivers and for the fans."

Allmendinger likes what's been going on at the race shop as the team gets ready for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

"Guys who've been there a long time with the '47' team say they're farther ahead than they've ever been," Allmendinger said. "I'm looking forward to Daytona and moving forward into the season."

*Source:* 
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/2016-Team-Preview-JTG-Daugherty-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Roush Fenway Racing​*
Roush Fenway Racing last went to Victory Lane in the Sprint Cup Series when Carl Edwards took the checkered flag at Sonoma Raceway in June 2014.

RFR drivers earned 30 top-10 finishes that season and Edwards qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He left the team at season's end and left behind the trio of veteran Greg Biffle, and youngsters Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.

In 2015, the team combined for just four top fives and nine top-10 finishes, led only 43 total laps and averaged 23rd place on race day. None of the three qualified for the Chase. The low-point of Jack Roush's 28-year career as a Sprint Cup Series team owner was on display for all to see and according to Biffle, it was painfully obvious that there was a problem.

"2014 And 2015 were very, very frustrating," Biffle said. "Two years went by with no results, nothing to show for it. It's hard to stay positive, but you have to."

Stenhouse, a two-time XFINITY Series champion, wasn't as blunt with his choice of words but agreed.

"It hasn't been as good as we wanted. I don't think anybody in our organization would say their performance has been what they wanted it to be," Stenhouse said.

As last season went along, outsiders began to ask what exactly ailed the Roush Fenway drivers. The team had a pretty good idea.

"The root of the problem was in the way the cars drove," Stenhouse said. "Greg, Trevor and myself are all asking for the same thing: trying to get our front ends to turn a little better. Our horsepower is good. It takes every part of the car to get it through the corner and for whatever reason, our limiting factor was getting our front end to turn."

Halfway through last season, NASCAR began experimenting with various rules packages including a low-downforce version that was tested at Kentucky and Darlington Raceway. That seemed to favor the Roush Fenway team and with the implementation of the so-called "low-drag" package full-time in 2016, there's renewed optimism that RFR can contend for wins and championships.

"I've never felt more enthusiasm to get speed in the cars as they come off the truck, to race for wins, compete for championships and build the careers of everybody involved," said Roush.

Ford is introducing a new nose for its Sprint Cup Series cars, which should aid in closing the aerodynamic gap that plagued the Roush team in 2014 and 2015.

Biffle has a new crew chief. Brian Pattie, who spent several years at Michael Waltrip Racing, replaces Matt Puccia - who's moved to Bayne's No. 6 entry.

"Brian is great at calling a race," Biffle said, "and he'll get the most out of the racecar."

The new combination excites Biffle. But after the last two seasons, he remains cautious until on-track performance improves.

"Do I think we're gonna have the fastest cars when we show up for the first three races out west? Probably not," Biffle said. "But will we be better than we were in 2015? Absolutely! I'll be disappointed if we're not winning races, or in contention, in the spring. But if we're not, we won't give up. We'll continue to work hard."

Biffle has 19 career wins at the Cup level, and won championships in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series for Roush prior to his Cup career. With the retirement of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart now entering his last season, Biffle is one of the oldest drivers in the series. But he still has goals before he calls it a career.

"I want a third championship," he said. "I want to win races. I'm not ready to hang the helmet up yet."

Stenhouse is entering his fourth full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. He won back-to-back XFINITY Series titles in 2011 and 2012, and was elevated to the Cup Series to replace Matt Kenseth when he bolted for Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2012 season.

In 112 starts, Stenhouse has only three top-five finishes and 11 top 10s. Yet he's optimistic that the team has turned the corner and is setting itself up for success in 2016.

"I feel good about where we ended last year versus where we started," Stenhouse said. "We've still got a long way to go and are not even close to our potential. The changes we've made will add to that progress.

"We've made gains. We like the new aero package. I'm committed to Jack and Jack is committed to me to get this organization back where it needs to be."

Stenhouse returned to his roots during the off-season, running sprint cars on dirt tracks including a 16th-place finish in the prestigious Chili Bowl at Tulsa, Okla., in January.

"That builds a little confidence and it keeps you sharp," Stenhouse said.

Bayne shocked the world by becoming the youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 when he did so in 2011, driving part-time for Wood Brothers Racing. In the years since, he won twice in Roush's XFINITY Series program and finished in the top 10 twice during his first full-time run in the Sprint Cup Series last year. The disappointment of last season, where Bayne averaged 26th place, has his prior success escaping his memory.

"It's unbelievable how fast time goes by. It's been five years and that blows my mind. It's time to win another one," Bayne said. "I'm pumped about what we have going on this season. It won't be just one person changing things at Roush Fenway Racing. It's a group effort."

Bayne says RFR has evolved from an engineering-driven company to one that's improved communication among its teams and now works together as one organization rather than a group of individuals.

One of the bright spots of Bayne's 2015 season was a 13th-place finish at Kentucky Speedway, where the low-downforce rules package was first tested. He liked the way the cars were more difficult to drive which, in his opinion, leveled the playing field.

"Our cars weren't driving well and at Kentucky, nobody's car was," Bayne sdaid. "We worked our way through the field and ran in the top 10 for a lot of that race."

Bayne downplays the "way-off" term used by Biffle and puts the team's woes in perspective.

"When we're off like we've been the last couple years, we're talking tenths of a second," he said. "We aren't talking full seconds like you might see from first to second place in other divisions of motor sports. Tenths of a second can be the difference between first and 30th on the leader board."

During the off-season, Bayne and wife Ashton welcomed their first child in December.

"My wife is great, my relationship with the Lord is great and now, we've got a baby girl. I couldn't ask for it to be much better," Bayne said. "It's been a lot of late nights waking up and that's probably the most difficult thing being a parent at this age."

Like almost every other team in the garage, Roush Fenway's 2016 season will be one of change. But that's a good thing, according to Biffle.

"It re-energizes people," Biffle said. "They want to work harder and get more out of it. It's a new relationship. It makes everyone step up to the plate."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/2016-Team-Preview-Roush-Fenway-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Front Row Motorsports​*
Front Row Motorsports heads into the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a new driver lineup and new technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing.

After fielding three full-time cars last year, Front Row will now field the No. 34 and 38 Fords for Chris Buescher and Landon Cassill, respectively.

As part of the alliance, Buescher will drive for FRM after winning the 2015 XFINITY Series championship with Roush Fenway.

"The alliance with Roush Fenway Racing is going to be a big help for both parties," Buescher said. "The amount of engineering data we'll be able to share back and forth, and the number of teammates we'll have is strengthening our teams."

In the off-season, Roush Fenway made some key hires in the aerodynamics, simulation, and research and development departments.

"They brought a lot of new people in and changed the way our operation runs," Buescher said. "The whole assembly process has changed. Ford Performance is as committed as ever to make sure we have everything to turn our program around. It will quickly trickle down to Front Row Motorsports and we're going to have a great year."

Buescher will have veteran crew chief Bob Osborne calling the shots for his No. 34 team. Osborne was Trevor Bayne's crew chief in 2015 at RFR and is an 18-time Cup race winner when he was paired with Carl Edwards.

Love's Travel Stops and CSX will be back at Front Row to sponsor Buescher. Love's will be on the No. 34 for 18 races, including the season-opening Daytona 500.

Last year, Buescher competed in six Cup races in the No. 34, scoring a best finish of 20th at Auto Club Speedway. He will join a stout 2016 rookie class and looks to become the second consecutive FRM driver to be named Rookie of the Year. Brett Moffitt won the award in 2015.

"There's a steep learning curve ahead of me," Buescher said. "The fact that we go into this season having that understanding, and knowing that we have some work to do, is going to make us better. Rookie of the Year is a big deal. We want to go after that and at the same time, we'd like to get a spot in the Chase."

Buescher is looking forward to working with Cassill, who joins the team after running the No. 40 Chevrolet full-time in the Cup Series with Hillman Racing. (Read more on Cassill)

"Landon is going to be a great complement to Front Row Motorsports," Buescher said. "I've not worked with him in the past, but I have raced with him a lot. He's a great competitor. He's fast and has a lot of car control."

Daytona International Speedway will be the perfect place for Buescher and Cassill's first race as teammates. After all, eight of Front Row's nine career top 10s have come on restrictor-plate tracks including a win at Talladega Superspeedway with David Ragan.

"Front Row Motorsports has been a great restrictor-plate team in the past," Buescher said. "There's potential here and there'll be a lot to learn from Landon. I don't consider myself a plate specialist at all so I have plenty to learn."

Cassill drove in 65 races last season in the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series combined.

"Right now, I don't have any XFINITY races," Cassill said. "I'll try to pick one up if I can. I get to have my Saturday afternoons off and can focus on some training, keep myself in shape and study race notes for Sunday."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../2016-Team-Preview-Front-Row-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Wood Brothers Racing​*
Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney was just 14 years old the last time Wood Brothers Racing ran a full schedule in NASCAR's top division.

Blaney's 22 now and prepared to take the venerable organization into its first full season in eight years, behind the wheel of the famed No. 21 Ford.

"It's a big jump when you go full-time in the Cup Series," Blaney said. "You race so often and a lot more goes into it. But it's every young racer's dream and it'll be a lot of fun."

The Wood Brothers, entering their 66th year in the sport, ran a limited schedule last season. Blaney made 16 starts with a best finish of fourth in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Co-owner Len Wood says the team is aiming high in 2016 with Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway right around the corner.

"I'd like to think we could be in Victory Circle reasonably soon, maybe the Daytona 500," Wood said. "I'm looking forward to going back to some of the tracks we haven't been to for a while like Atlanta and Martinsville. I love road courses and places that present an opportunity that's a little different, like Pocono."

Eddie Wood, Len's brother and also a co-owner of the team, says the return to full-time competition this year feels good.

"When you stop racing full-time, it never feels quite right," he said. "It's like you're supposed to be doing something else. You're not supposed to be home when everybody else is racing. This is a great opportunity for us."

WBR enters the new season with technical and engineering assistance from Team Penske and according to Blaney, there are off-track benefits to that association as well.

"They have a great physical program they use for the over-the-wall pit crew that we'll utilize, too," said Blaney, who has just 18 career Cup Series starts. "And I've done a bunch of stuff in the off-season to prepare. You're doing 400- and 500-mile races instead of the 200 in the Truck Series, so that's a big change."

Another big change this season is NASCAR's shift to the low-downforce rules package. Crew chief Jeremy Bullins says he's prepared for the challenge that awaits.

"The good thing is that the races and tests we attended last year using this package seemed to fit us well as a team," Bullins said. "We had speed at Kentucky, but we got rained out before qualifying."

As a result, they failed to make the show. That was one of two 2015 races where the current rules package was tested. In early September at Darlington Raceway, Blaney qualified ninth and finished 30th.

"In testing this package last year, it was positive for us and it fit Ryan's driving style really well," Bullins added. "When your driver likes the way the car feels, that makes it a lot easier to set it up, obviously. The new rules are a positive for us and we're looking forward to it."

Just as Blaney is looking forward to his new full-time job.

"When you grow up around the sport, watching my dad as I did, you always hear about the big teams and who's been around a long time," said Blaney, whose father - Dave - is a former Cup Series driver. "You can never forget the Wood Brothers because they've been around now for 66 years. It's cool to drive for such an historic team."

Speaking of history, this year marks the five-year anniversary of one of the most stunning upsets in the 57 years the Daytona 500 has been run. On Feb. 20, 2011, unheralded Trevor Bayne wheeled the No. 21 to victory in "The Great American Race."

It was the last of the Wood Brothers' 15 Cup Series wins at "The World Center of Racing."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/2016-Team-Preview-Wood-Brothers-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Tommy Baldwin Racing​*
Entering its eighth season of Sprint Cup competition in 2016, Tommy Baldwin Racing is at a crossroads. The team made some off-season changes including a new driver behind the wheel of its No. 7 Chevrolet.

In December, TBR announced the addition of several key figures to spearhead racing operations. Frankie Bergeron moves to TBR from Joe Gibbs Racing to take over as manager of the fabrication shop. Chad Walter, previously at Michael Waltrip Racing, is in charge of race engineering. And Mike Brill takes over as car chief after working several years at Richard Childress Racing.

The team also announced that sponsors Toy State, Nikko RC and Road Rippers brands will return for a majority of the season.

The biggest change for Baldwin's single-car operation is the addition of veteran Regan Smith behind the wheel. Smith was named the team's driver on January 21, shortly after Alex Bowman was released. Bowman drove the No. 7 Chevrolet in 35 races last season, failing to qualify for the Daytona 500 and finishing 33rd in points.

"As NASCAR transitions to different business and competition models, teams have to make decisions accordingly," Baldwin said. "We appreciate what Alex contributed during 2015 and wish him the best."

"There are a lot of moving parts and pieces behind the scenes that fans and media don't see. Decisions are made carefully over a period of time and are influenced by many factors. It's the responsiblity of teams to make decisions accordingly."

Smith's signing marks his return to the Sprint Cup Series after a successful three-year stint driving for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Smith's Sprint Cup career has been marked with peaks and valleys, a high-point coming with his victory in the 2011 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

"This was a last-minute deal," Smith said. "I had no clue what was going on for this year and was working hard to figure things out. I got a phone call from Tommy and now I'm ready to go racing."

Despite six visits to Victory Lane in four years at JR Motorsports in the XFINITY Series, Smith found himself out of a ride at the conclusion of last season. With his future uncertain, he said this off-season was one of the most difficult of his career.

"It was a challenge. Every day, you're trying to figure out what you're gonna be driving and how to piece things together," Smith said. "I don't think I've ever gone that far into the off-season without knowing my plans."

Smith said he had opportunities for part-time rides in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, but he wanted a full-time position to run for a championship.

"There wasn't anything coming together to actually run for points.," Smith said. "To not be doing that would have been a challenge mentally because you have to look at things in a different light."

Smith's no stranger to single-car Sprint Cup teams. His previous team, Furniture Row Racing, was a single-car operation. Smith has quickly gained respect for Baldwin's operation.

"While we do have relationships with Richard Childress Racing and Earnhardt-Childress Engines, we're still a single-car team," Smith said. "From what I've seen, what I like more than anything is the amount of hard work I see. You wouldn't expect anything less."

Smith's respect for what Baldwin has done with his team over the past seven seasons highlights how they're planning to attack the 2016 season.

"I've watched what Tommy's built over the years," Smith said. "He's a racer and puts everything he's got into those cars. I'm going to do the exact same for him. They'll get everything I've got out of me on the racetrack.

"If we have a good week, we're gonna high-five each other and figure out why it was a good week. If it's a bad week, we'll sit down and figure out what we need to do to get better and know that everyone will be pulling on that rope."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/2016-Team-Preview-Tommy-Baldwin-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: HScott Motorsports​*
There's a new look to HScott Motorsports this year with veteran driver Clint Bowyer joining the organization.

Bowyer takes the seat of what was the No. 51 entry driven by Justin Allgaier the last two seasons. He'll pair up with the returning Michael Annett.

Bowyer moves over to HScott after spending four seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing, which closed its doors at the end of 2015. He's already been tabbed to replace the retiring Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017. (See Also: Stewart Hospitalized With Back Injury)

"I'm thankful for the continued support and commitment from 5-hour ENERGY, and for Harry Scott Jr. putting this opportunity together," said Bowyer, who will drive the No. 15 Chevrolet. "There have been some real unknowns for my career in the past couple months, but I'm happy my future is secured. Full-speed ahead."

On Monday, it was announced that Visine will sponsor Bowyer in three races.

Scott, who has relocated his team from Spartanburg, S.C., to Mooresville, N.C., sees this year as pivotal for his organization's growth and development.

"This is a step our team needed to take to elevate to the next level of NASCAR Sprint Cup competition," said Scott. "Clint is a proven winner and Chase participant. For us to compete at a higher level, we needed all of the right elements to come together including the extended relationship with Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas. This has brought an unprecedented level of excitement to our entire organization."

Annett returns to drive the No. 46 Chevrolet and will again carry sponsorship from Pilot Flying J.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../02/2016-Team-Preview-HScott-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*SunEnergy1 To Sponsor Elliott​*
SunEnergy1, one of the world's largest privately held solar energy companies, has joined 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports as a primary sponsor of rookie of the year contender Chase Elliott.

With a three-year contract, SunEnergy1 will be a primary sponsor of Elliott's No. 24 Chevrolet team for four Sprint Cup races annually. The agreement, which covers the 2016, 2017 and 2018 NASCAR seasons, also includes associate-level sponsorship.

"We at SunEnergy1 are more than thrilled to be joining Hendrick Motorsports for several years," said Kenny Habul, founder and CEO of SunEnergy1. "It is a privilege to be on the No. 24 Chevrolet and support a driver like Chase Elliott, one of NASCAR's rising stars. The Hendrick Motorsports family is a symbol of excellence and integrity. There is no better fit for SunEnergy1 in the sport."

In 2016, SunEnergy1 will be featured as a primary sponsor July 2 at Daytona International Speedway, Aug. 7 at Watkins Glen International, Oct. 16 at Kansas Speedway and Nov. 13 at Phoenix International Raceway.

"SunEnergy1 has an incredible team with a clear vision for the company," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Kenny has a passion for our sport and sees the opportunity for racing to help grow business. They're leaders in an innovative industry, and it's a great fit to pair them with a tremendous young talent in Chase Elliott. We're committed to building this program together."

At 20 years old, Elliott already has earned five NASCAR national series race victories. In 2014, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native won the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship while earning rookie of the year honors. Last season, he scored a series-best 27 top-10 finishes in NXS competition and started five points-paying Sprint Cup races.

"SunEnergy1 is on the cutting edge of the renewable energy industry," said Elliott, who was voted by fans as NXS most popular driver in 2014 and 2015. "In the XFINITY Series, I raced against Kenny on the road courses. He's a great competitor, and it will be fun to build this relationship with him and SunEnergy1. I'm looking forward to having them as a partner, and our whole team is focused on making the program a success."

SunEnergy1 joins primary partners NAPA AUTO PARTS (24 races), 3M (five races), Kelley Blue Book (two races) and Mountain Dew (two races) to complete Elliott's 37-race 2016 Sprint Cup schedule.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6/02/SunEnergy1-to-Sponsor-Chase-Elliott.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Hayley Returns To ThorSport​*
Calgary, Alberta, Canada native, Cameron Hayley, will return to ThorSport Racing and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016, piloting the No. 13 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota Tundra. Hayley, who competed for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2015, finished sixth in the championship point standings, amassing four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

"I'm expecting big things out of my ThorSport Racing team in 2016," said Cameron Hayley, driver of the No. 13 Toyota Tundra. "Last year was a big learning year for me; whether it was learning the race tracks or learning how to drive these Tundra's. I plan to build on the experience I gained in my first full-time season, and be a strong contender for victory lane each and every week. I'll have a new crew chief and team this year, but everyone is hungry to win. I think this can be a championship-contending season for me. I can't thank Duke and Rhonda Thorson enough for allowing me to drive their Tundra's for a second season, and I look for a lot of good things to come."

Hayley's 2016 campaign will be led by crew chief, Eddie Troconis. Troconis, who has an engineering background, spent the last three NCWTS seasons as a race engineer at Kyle Busch Motorsports, and called the shots for drivers such as Christopher Bell, Gray Gaulding and Matt Tift in 2015. In 12 NCWTS races, the San Antonio, Texas native, has collected one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Hayley will complete the roster for the Sandusky, Ohio-based team for the 2016 NCWTS season. Rounding out ThorSport Racing's stable of drivers will be Ben Rhodes, driver of the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra. Two-time NCWTS champion, Matt Crafton, who will pilot the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra, and Rico Abreu who will pilot the No. 98 CURB Records Toyota Tundra.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...yley-Returns-to-ThorSport-Racing-in-2016.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Waltrip to Run Daytona 500 For BK Racing​*
Michael Waltrip announced tonight he will drive the No. 83 BK Racing Toyota in this year's Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Maxwell House.

Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, taking the checkered flag in 2001 and 2003.

In 54 total starts at Daytona International Speedway, Waltrip has three wins, seven top-fives and 15 top-10 finishes.

In addition, BK Racing announced they will field a third entry in this year's Daytona 500 that will be driven by full-time BK Racing driver Matt Dibenedetto.

BK Racing's lineup is rounded out by David Ragan who was announced as the driver of the No. 23 Toyota in January.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Waltrip-to-Run-Daytona-500-for-BK-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Richard Petty Motorsports​*
Richard Petty Motorsports is looking to build off its consistency from last year, all the while bringing back a legacy number with a new driver for the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season.

Aric Almirola returns to drive the iconic No. 43 Ford in what will be his fifth consecutive full-time season in the series. He'll be joined by Brian Scott, who will drive the No. 44 - a number the Petty team last fielded in 2009.

Along with a number of personnel changes that include the addition of Chris Heroy from Chip Ganassi Racing as crew chief for Scott, RPM will build its own chassis led by Sammy Johns, director of operations.

"I've never been more excited about starting a year," Almirola said, "with the additions Sammy has made in the shop and the aero department, building our own chassis and having Chris on board working with Trent (Owens).

"Sammy has done a phenomenal job of building a chassis program, which he did back when he was with (Ray) Evernham. So he knows how to do this."

Although he didn't visit Victory Lane in 2015, Almirola did put together his best season-long average finish (17.9) and missed making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by 17 points.

"Our goal was to make the Chase on points regardless if we won a race or not," Almirola said. "We came close."

Scott, who joins RPM after competing full-time in the XFINITY Series the past six seasons, will be chasing Rookie of the Year honors and looks forward to his pairing with crew chief Heroy.

"We have a lot of similarities in our racing backgrounds," Scott said, "and our personalities are similar. He's got experience with Kyle Larson winning the Rookie of the Year title in 2014, understanding what it takes to be successful with a young driver. That'll be huge for me."

Last season, Scott drove a limited schedule in 10 Cup races - many of them with the new digital dash in the car.

"I'm one of the most experienced drivers with the digital dash," Scott said. "I got to experience some of the frustrations with it but also saw all of the neat opportunities it has, the customization and ability to fine-tune it."

A new Ford Fusion body and the undertaking of building chassis in-house has kept Trent Owens, who enters his third season as Almirola's crew chief, and Heroy busy overseeing car construction.

"When Talladega is over in October, we start on the Daytona 500 car," Owens said. "We got a little behind because we had to wait on some things in development. We had to build a brand new fleet. The biggest thing is trying to get our ideas put down to make sure we keep production flowing and nothing gets behind. With the western swing at the start of the season, you have to be prepared."

RPM has a solid lineup of sponsors for 2016 that includes Smithfield Foods expanding its partnership from 29 to 31 races as primary sponsor of the No. 43 - which will also have support from the United States Air Force, STP and Florida Department of Agriculture. Primary sponsorship on the No. 44 will be led by Albertsons and Shore Lodge; and will include Twisted Tea, GoBowling.com and Goody's.

"This whole platform gives us an opportunity to lay a solid foundation and compete at the highest level," said Brian Moffitt, RPM's chief executive officer."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6-Team-Preview-Richard-Petty-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Richard Childress Racing​*
In 2015, Richard Childress Racing put two of its three Sprint Cup Series teams in the post-season Chase.

For 2016, Paul Menard says the organization's goal is clear.

"You're never satisfied with where you're at," said Menard, who earned the No. 15 seed in last year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. "You always want to improve. Getting two teams in the Chase was a big step and this year, our intention is to get all three in and have at least one of us in The Championship 4 at Homestead."

Menard will be joined by teammates Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman when Speedweeks open six days from now at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 27 Chevrolet was winless in 2015, had a best finish of third in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway and qualified for the Chase by finishing 15th in regular-season points.

Menard was eliminated from title contention in the first round following a 25th-place finish at Dover. But he's turned the page and steps confidently toward the season-opening Daytona 500 now just two weeks away.

"We've made big strides with the new downforce rules and our restrictor-plate program is strong," said Menard, entering his sixth season with RCR. "If we can't win at Daytona, we'll collect as many points as we can and go on to Atlanta."

The Feb. 28th Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the first race for NASCAR's new low-downforce rules package. Menard finished 13th in that race a year ago with rookie crew chief Justin Alexander, who is once again paired with Menard on the "27."

"He's calm and carefully thinks through the changes we make during races," Menard said, singing Alexander's praises. "Nine times out of 10, we made positive changes on our cars throughout the season and now he has a full year under his belt. We're looking for more good things in 2016."

So, too, is Newman ... who qualified for last year's Chase and advanced one round further than Menard before falling out of the title race at Talladega. Like Menard, Newman will have the benefit of a returning crew chief in Luke Lambert.

In fact, there are few changes on the No. 31 team entering the new season. Two engineers have been reassigned to Newman from within the RCR organization, but that's about it.

"Chevrolet won the manufacturers' championship in 2015 but didn't win the most important race of the year - at Homestead," Newman said, referring to the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 that was won by champion Kyle Busch in a Toyota. "So we have to all get better collectively."

As for Dillon, a mid-season change of crew chiefs last year sparked a strong second half for the grandson of team owner Richard Childress.

"Halfway through the season, we had to restructure our goals," said Dillon, who would eventually fall five spots short of a post-season berth. "Originally, our intention was to make the Chase, but we didn't have the points to do that."

Richard "Slugger" Labbe arrived in June and took the team in a different direction.

"Team chemistry is everything," said Dillon, who's looking forward to a full season with Labbe. "When you have a (crew chief) who has the same mindset as you and knows what you want, it makes things a lot easier. Believing in each other and having each other's back is a big part of it."

Dillon posted all five of his top-10 finishes during the second half of last year, including a season-best fourth place at Michigan International Speedway.

"We started taking chances and leading laps was the biggest thing," Dillon said. "When we got 'Slugger,' we started building more speed into our racecars and that showed at the end of the season. If we would have had that at the start of the year, we really could have made some noise."

With that being said, Dillon, Newman and Menard all expect 2016 to be nice and loud.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16-Team-Preview-Richard-Childress-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*JD Motorsports Announces Driver Lineup​*
The 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season will be brand new, and the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller team is ready to shine in the new landscape.

NASCAR has changed the system that decides the championship in the XFINITY Series, adding a version of the Chase format that has been successful for several seasons in the Sprint Cup Series.

A victory in the first 26 races of the 33-race XFINITY season will all but guarantee a driver entry into the Xfinity Chase. Twelve drivers will make the Chase.

Drivers will race for the title through three rounds, with four being eligible for the championship in the season's final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida. The Final Four driver who finishes the highest at Homestead will win the title.

"We're ready to race for it," said JD Motorsports with Gary Keller owner Johnny Davis. "We have the drivers, the cars and the resources here to make a run for the championship. We can't wait to get started."

JDM plans to field three cars again this season.

Ross Chastain, who turned in a superior performance in his rookie XFINITY season last year, returns to the team's No. 4 Chevrolets with backing from the watermelon industry.

Brian Berry will be the team's crew chief, with Gary Cogswell also on board at JDM as a co-crew chief and key mechanic across all of the team's operations.

Former NASCAR Whelen Modified champion Ryan Preece takes over JDM's No. 01 Chevys. Zach McGowan, already familiar with Preece from working with him in both Sprint Cup and XFINITY races, will be the team's crew chief.

Preece, who won the Modified championship in 2013, has raced with support from Mohawk Northeast, Inc., Mizzy Construction and Falmouth Ready Mix.

Eric McClure joins JDM to drive the team's No. 0 Chevrolet in the season-opener Feb. 20 at Daytona International Speedway.

Todd Myers will be crew chief. Reynolds Wrap will be McClure's sponsor.

JDM plans to field the No. 0 cars throughout the season and is actively pursuing driver/sponsor partnerships going forward.

G&K Services, a long-time JDM sponsor, returns in 2016 as one of the team's key ingredients.

"Everything is lining up well," Davis said. "We expect to have three strong teams when we get things started next month in Daytona. We should be astronomically better than last year. We're better prepared, and we have more resources."

Chastain, 23, scored four top 10s for JDM last season, including a ninth-place run in the season-opening race at Daytona.

"I feel like we really overachieved last year, especially since I hadn't been to a lot of the tracks," Chastain said. "Now we're back and we've regrouped. The right people are in the right places, and the morale of the whole team is better."

Chastain said he's shooting for race wins, a finish in the points top 10 and a run into the Chase.

Preece, 25, brings a strong resume to JDM. He finished as runnerup in the tough Whelen Modified Series in 2009 and 2012 before winning the title in 2013. He has 15 career wins in that series.

Preece ran five Sprint Cup races last season.

"It's a great opportunity to run with Johnny Davis Motorsports," Preece said. "I've been bouncing around between Sprint Cup and XFINITY, and it's good to have a chance to run XFINITY full-time. It's a lot of good seat time.

"I love to race, and it's cool that NASCAR has given us the opportunity to shoot for the Chase and to race for a championship."

McClure has finished in the top 20 in points in the XFINITY Series in each of the past five seasons. Also a former Sprint Cup driver, he brings a wealth of experience to JDM.

McClure raced for Davis in 2007 in the XFINITY Series.

"Johnny's organization has come a long way," McClure said. "It's fitting that at this stage of my career that I can come back and partner up with a guy who knows how to race and knows how to maximize his opportunities. My career has sort of come full circle."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...1/JD-Motorsports-Announces-Driver-Lineup.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Tifft Joins JGR XFINITY Program​*
Matt Tifft has joined Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Toyota in 13 XFINITY Series races this season.

The 19-year-old Ohio driver has 16 career starts over the last two seasons while running a limited schedule in both the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. Tifft also has raced in NASCAR's K&N Pro Series East and West.

In 2015, Tifft made his first career XFNITY Series start with Joe Gibbs Racing at Kentucky Speedway in September. In what he described as a big learning experience, Tifft started 16th and finished 10th.

His 2016 XFINITY Series schedule will kick off at Richmond International Raceway on April 23.

"After our run last year at Kentucky, this is a great fit for me with an outstanding and well-respected organization," said Tifft, a second-year student studying business management at the University of North Carolina.

"We take a lot of pride in using our XFINITY Series program to develop talent," said JGR Executive Vice President of XFINITY Series Operations Steve De Souza. "That includes not only our drivers but crew chiefs and (other) team personnel. It's great to have Matt expand his program with us in 2016, and have the opportunity to run alongside Erik (Jones) and Daniel (Suarez) for a good portion of the season. When you add Cody Coughlin to our roster, who will drive part-time in the Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports, we feel fortunate to have so much young talent in our system."

"Last year, they helped me a ton with development," Tifft said. "I'll try to advance my career by drawing on the experience and talent of those around me. Hopefully, I can also help them in some ways."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Joe-Gibbs-Racing-XFINITY-Series-Program.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Rookies Test At Atlanta​*
As the Georgia 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck series race - the tail end of a NASCAR twinbill at Atlanta Motor Speedway set for Feb. 27 - looms just three weeks away, a handful of rookies got the chance to get their feet wet on the aged, historic 1.54-mile track at AMS in a two-day rookie test that wrapped up this afternoon.

Five drivers - William Byron, Chris Bell and Cody Coughlin from Kyle Busch Motorsports, Grant Enfinger from GMS Racing, and Austin Wayne Self from AM Racing - turned laps, preparing for the rapidly approaching season and the challenge of driving competitively at AMS in the second week of the 2016 schedule. Combined, the five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookies have a total of just 16 truck races under their collective belt. None have raced in NASCAR at Atlanta.

Important seemed to be a theme among the drivers to describe the opportunity to get some seat time on one of the truck series circuit's toughest tracks.

"I think it's really important, and for me especially, because I don't have a lot of experience," said Chris Bell during a midday break Friday. "Thankfully, last year, I got to go to quite a few different styles of race tracks and got to go to a couple of mile-and-a-halves that helped me when I came here for this test. Hopefully we can use what we've learned here and go on to the race."

Enfinger, who drove full time in the ARCA series the past two seasons and hasn't driven a NASCAR truck since 2012, saw the opportunity to get track time ahead of the season crucial to a strong start.

"It's very, very important to us," said Enfinger. "There is still a little uncertainty about what all we're doing this year, so we need to start out with a bang. We want to be fast at Daytona, but this is where it really starts, in Atlanta. We want to be good when we unload, and I think we've made a lot of progress with that."

While the test is the first time Byron has turned laps on the 1.54-mile Atlanta track in a NASCAR setup, he's no stranger to AMS. Just a few short years ago, Byron was a familiar face in AMS's Thursday Thunder racing series, driving a U.S. Legends car on the quarter-mile Thunder Ring in 2013 and winning that season's Young Lions Division championship.

"It feels really cool, because I used to walk around the big track when I was here for Thursday Thunder. It's obviously a different deal, going this fast in a truck versus a Legends car, but at least I got to visualize the track a few years ago," he said. "It's really a dream come true to be out here on a mile-and-a-half race track, going 180 miles per hour."

Last year, Byron claimed the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship as well as Rookie of the Year honors, and he already has his sights set on a national touring title.

"The guys at Kyle Busch Motorsports have a great season planned, and we're going to try for a few wins this year."

For Byron, Bell and Coughlin, driving a truck for team-owner Kyle Busch is a gigantic opportunity to add their names to a long list of highlights for KBM. All their boss, Kyle Busch, has done since his first foray into NASCAR in 2001 is win 44 NCWTS races, 76, XFINITY Series races, 34 Sprint Cup Series races and two series championships as a driver, including last year's Sprint Cup Series championship. Add Erik

Jones' NCWTS championship last year, and KBM enters a class of its own.

"It's great, really, just because their technology is so far ahead," said Byron. "I've never been with people that work so hard and are committed to what they do."

Said Bell, "It's really cool. It's an honor to be here at Kyle Busch Motorsports, being able to hopefully back up what Erik (Jones) did last year with a driver championship and the past couple of years for Kyle Busch Motorsports' owner championships."

Like most drivers, Atlanta Motor Speedway's track itself left a lasting impression for the rookies seeing it for the first time.

"I like it, because it's big; it's fast, but it's also worn out, so it's got character," said Enfinger, who also ranks among the Thursday Thunder alumni now driving in NASCAR. "This is one of those places if you hit it right, you're going to have a good day, and if you hit it wrong, it's going to be a long, long day. We race at some other tracks that are similar to it, but nothing is quite the same as Atlanta."

"It doesn't have a lot of grip, so it's interesting the balance between getting the truck the way you want it and also guessing what the race is going to be like around other trucks," said Byron. "It's going to produce an exciting race. It's going to be awesome."

"It's pretty fast," Bell noted. "We've seen a couple of different track conditions, and it has definitely affected the trucks, so hopefully, we can learn what to do to our truck when the track gets a little hotter and when it gets cooler too."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Rookies-Test-at-Atlanta-Motor-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Team Penske​*
The 2016 season marks a milestone for Roger Penske as he celebrates his 50th year in racing. And with the success his NASCAR teams have enjoyed in recent years, it's easy to say that Penske is now at the top of his game.

Throughout his career, Penske has seen his teams win on some of motor sports' biggest stages and with 85 different drivers. The man known as "The Captain" has been to Victory Lane 430 times.

"I think about all the great people that have worked for the company and have driven these racecars," Penske said. "To me, it's all about those guys that have put their necks on the line and the crew chiefs."

"There's a lot of different race teams that have come and gone and not many have lasted anywhere near as long as Team Penske," said Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski. "It seems the ones that have stayed around as long are not as successful and the few that are close to being as successful have undergone significant ownership changes along the way."

Penske drivers have combined to win 16 times in the Indianapolis 500, twice in the Daytona 500, and have 14 championships in USAC, Indycar and NASCAR.

Team Penske added to it's impressive resume as its Sprint Cup Series drivers combined to win seven races in 2015, including Joey Logano's triumph in the season-opening Daytona 500. If not for an unfortunate run-in with Matt Kenseth at Martinsville in the fall, Logano could have easily had a chance to compete for the series championship.

Now both Logano and Keselowski return in 2016 with more confidence and more motivation than ever before to win, especially in Penske's 50th year celebration.

"There's a lot of motivation to win a championship with this year being 50," Keselowski said. "We've already won one before but for me I want to win a lot of races."

"My goal as a racecar driver is to win every race I'm in," Logano said. "I'm a pretty driven individual. I don't need much to get going."

Logano's win in last season's Daytona 500 was the first of six total wins on the season. After struggling to find speed in the middle of the year, Logano went on to win five races after August 1st, including a sweep of the three Contender Round races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup in October.

Logano was on his way to winning a fourth straight race at Martinsville until he was intentionally wrecked by Kenseth, eliminating him from the race win and ultimately taking away Logano's chance to compete for a championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the season finale.

"We had championship season stats, we just didn't time them right obviously," Logano said. "Most wins. Most poles. 22 top-fives. Those are championship stats. We don't have the trophy."

During the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Logano scored 11 Sprint Cup Series victories - the most of any driver. To build on that success and win a championship, Logano says in 2016 he needs to keep doing what he's doing.

"We don't need to change what we're doing. What we're doing has been successful," Logano said. "We haven't reinvented the wheel since we started working together. We just kept making it a little better and refining it and smoothing out this area and smoothing out that area. We're pretty close to where we want to be."

Logano, now in his fourth season with Team Penske, is grateful for the opportunity Penske gave him when, after an unsuccessful stint to start his career with Joe Gibbs Racing, he didn't have many options to stay at the Sprint Cup level.

"He took a huge risk on me. Let's be honest," Logano said. "I was out. My options were full-time XFINITY. And you know if you take a step back it's hard to make the step forward again. You've already had your shot and it's hard to get a second chance."

Logano's taken that second chance and rolled with it and is now one of the premiere drivers in the sport. With the only changes in his No. 22 team being a new front end nose on his Ford Fusion and the new low-downforce rules package on a full-time basis, Logano is optimistic he can pick up where he left off last season.

"I think we're gonna be in good shape. If you look at our new body, I think it's gonna be good for us," Logano said. "Team Penske has done a great job working with the new rules and trying to make sure we come out of the gate strong."

Like his teammate, Keselowski's No. 2 team also remain intact in 2016. Keselowski was paired with crew chief Paul Wolfe mid-way through the 2011 season and the two have had success ever since.

Keselowski is excited about 2016 for no other reason than he's a big fan of the new low-downforce rules package that NASCAR will introduce full-time this season.

"I like the new car, I like the direction we're going in," Keselowski said. "More self spins. I kinda like that. Harder to drive. Less dependency on car performance. The cars are gonna drive much different with the new rules and that's to be expected. It's gonna be a challenge."

Keselowski has already had an opportunity to test the new Fusion and new low-downforce rules package as he participated in a two-day tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in mid-January. But despite the opportunity to get a jump start on the competition, he said not much could be taken away from the test.

"Weather conditions this time of year makes it almost impossible to get quality data. It ends up turning into more of a getting in a rhythm type test," Keselowski said.

In 2015, Team Penske formed a technical alliance with Wood Brothers Racing. That alliance will move to a full-time basis in 2016 as the Wood Brothers return to full-time Sprint Cup competition with rookie Ryan Blaney behind the wheel. Blaney has driven and won for Team Penske at the XFINITY level and has also spent time driving in the Camping World Truck Series for Brad Keselowski Racing. From a team owner, and fellow driver perspective, Keselowski sees a bright future for Blaney.

"Blaney is adept with incredible potential to become a superstar in his own right," Keselowski said.

Penske is happy with the current working relationship with the Wood Brothers and isn't necessarily ready to add a third team of his own.

"We have a technical relationship with the 21, so we're integrated there quite deeply," Penske said. "Hopefully at some point we can take those folks with that experience and run a third car in the Sprint Cup Series, but we have to look at that for the future. Right now, I think our plate is full."

With Blaney's career as a driver at a Team Penske satellite team at its beginning and Keselowski and Logano rocketing to the top of the Sprint Cup Series, Penske takes pride in maintaining relationships with drivers and team members over the years and credits those long-lasting relationships for much of his success.

"I think at our 50th anniversary party we'll have 3,200 years of service at Penske Racing represented," Penske said. "That, to me, is low turnover and great results."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2016/02/2016-Team-Preview-Team-Penske.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Furniture Row Racing​*
Furniture Row Racing is coming off its best season in Sprint Cup and looking to get even stronger in 2016, with a new manufacturer and alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Martin Truex Jr., who finished fourth in the final 2015 standings in the team's last season with Chevrolet, is now driving a Toyota.

"We weren't in the pecking order at Chevy," Truex said. "We had Chevrolets, but that was as far as the relationship went. We didn't get any support. Anything we got, (team owner) Barney (Visser) had to pay for it from Richard Childress Racing. This is a huge step - getting factory backing."

Crew chief Cole Pearn has had a busy off-season getting acclimated to JGR's work processes. He attended last month's Goodyear Tire test in Las Vegas, where Matt Kenseth participated.

"We're a new party sitting in all the meetings, trying to build confidence between them and me," Pearn said, "so when they're kicking our butt one weekend, or vice versa, we can be there to lean on each other. We're trying to build those relationships."

Even though they have yet to turn a lap on the track this year, Truex and Pearn have noticed the increased support from the alliance with JGR.

"There's a willingness to go out of the way and make sure we have everything we need," Truex said, "and to make sure we're doing everything right. They have an impressive group of people and for them to take us in is awesome."

"We're able to combine all our time in the wind tunnel so from the Toyota side, they're not having to spend money developing the same thing for two different teams," Pearn said. "It's a unified front."

According to Truex, the switch to Toyota couldn't have come at a better time with NASCAR implementing a low-downforce rules package for 2016.

"Anytime you have to change team stuff if there's a big rules change that comes with it, it's the best time to (change manufacturers)," Truex said. "Everybody's trying to figure out the new package. We ran it twice last year, but there's going to be a lot more effort that goes into it to get ready for this season."

Not only will FRR now have manufacturing support. It also will add a major primary sponsor, Bass Pro Shops for nine races, to complement Furniture Row/Denver Mattress.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/2016-Team-Preview-Furniture-Row-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Hendrick Motorsports​*
Hendrick Motorsports has a new look for 2016 but is still considered one of the powerhouse teams in the sport.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Jeff Gordon will not be a member of the Hendrick stable. The future Hall of Famer stepped away from the sport at the end of last season to pursue a television career and it's a void neither NASCAR nor Hendrick will be able to fill any time soon.

"There's simply no way to quantify Jeff's impact," Hendrick said. "He's one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed.

"There's been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properly express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. I'm so grateful for everything he's done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners."

While Gordon won't be the driver, Hendrick's iconic No. 24 entry will remain in competition as talented rookie Chase Elliott takes the wheel. The former XFINITY Series champion embraces the opportunity and insists he's not trying to replace Gordon but rather make his own way and career.

"I don't look at it as me trying to fill somebody's shoes," Elliott said. "I don't think you can replace Jeff Gordon in any way. The best thing I can do is go and try to be myself and do the best job I can behind the wheel.

"Jeff Gordon is Jeff Gordon, and I have all the respect in the world for him. I have to go and do my job."

Gordon's departure thrusts Jimmie Johnson into the role as the longest-tenured driver in the Hendrick stable of Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

The six-time Sprint Cup Series champion won five times last year but was not able to make it to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot at title seven. He plans to make amends for that in 2016.

"Five wins are hard to ignore -- that's a great year," he said. "The weirdness of being eliminated in that first bracket was tough for us and then the following race in Charlotte we had an oil pump failure that took us out, so we had some trouble late that we didn't anticipate on having, but it was still a good year. Statistically, not our best year by any means; laps led was way down but we still found a way to get to Victory Lane. I think that made us proud as a team that yeah, we weren't the dominant car but we'll fight for it, and we found ways to get to Victory Lane.

"This team is capable of amazing things, without a doubt. What I've seen going on through the offseason, I feel that not only the No. 48 but all four cars at Hendrick Motorsports are going in the right direction and going to be championship contenders."

Earnhardt Jr. echoes his teammate's sentiments about the coming year. He won three times last season with new crew chief Greg Ives calling the shots. He sees continued improvement for his team in 2016.

"We got a little better over the last five or six years," Earnhardt said. "I'm just hoping we can continue that transition, continue that progress. We are not very far from being able to win the championship and continuing to challenge on into Homestead."

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Hendrick organization will be right the ship of the No. 5 team and driver Kasey Kahne.

"I would say the last two years haven't gone the way we wanted them to go," Kahne said, "so we're working hard to make sure that doesn't happen again."

Kahne believes the new lower aerodynamic package in place for the new season will translate into better competition as well as stronger performance for his team.

"The things I look for the most this year is just having speed," he said. "It's all about being fast in practice, being fast in qualifying, being fast in the race and showing that speed every weekend. If we can do that, we'll hit our goals, we'll win races, we'll be in the Chase, we'll do the things that we want to do."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/2016-Team-Preview-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces Charter System​*
NASCAR announced a Sprint Cup Series team Charter system that is expected to provide owners with more equity and stability.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France joined with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owners to announce the long-term agreement during a press conference held on Tuesday in Charlotte.

The agreement grants NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charters to 36 teams, establishes a Team Owner Council that will have formal input into decisions, and provides Charter teams with new revenue opportunities including a greater interest in digital operations.

"Today represents a landmark change to the business model of team ownership in NASCAR," France said. "The Charter agreements provide nine years of stability for NASCAR and the teams to focus on growth initiatives together with our track partners, auto manufacturers, drivers and sponsors. The Charters also are transferable, which will aid in the development of long-term enterprise value for Charter members."

The system affords Charter teams that remain in good standing more predictable revenue over the nine years of the agreement. Along with improved financial certainty, the new framework is designed to increase the long-term market value of teams and provide the ability to plan farther ahead with existing, new and prospective partners.

Similar to the five-year sanctioning agreements that NASCAR begins with tracks in 2016, team owner Charter agreements allow for longer planning cycles around competition, innovation, digital marketing, governance and research and development.

"The new Charter program strengthens each of our businesses individually and the team model as a whole, which is good for NASCAR, our fans, drivers, sponsors and the thousands of people who we employ," said Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing and the chairman of the Race Team Alliance. "This will give us more stability and predictability, and it will allow us to take a more progressive, long-term approach to issues.

"NASCAR and the teams share a desire to preserve, promote and grow the sport and ultimately produce great racing for our fans and partners. These common goals served as the foundation for discussions and helped bring us to this unprecedented agreement. This is a great step forward for the entire sport made possible by Brian France setting a new course for the NASCAR industry and the owners coming together on shared issues. Everyone involved then compromised a bit to be able to come up with something that worked for all."

Each Charter team owner has a guaranteed entry into the field of every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race. The balance of the field will be open for team owners who do not hold Charters. These Open team owners will compete for the remaining starting spots and positions in the race, as each event in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' starting lineup shifts in 2016 to a 40-car field.

NASCAR plans to announce on Thursday how the charter system will impact qualifying and the Can-Am Duel races for the upcoming Daytona 500.

Among those teams without charters in the initial process were the Wood Brothers, which did not compete as a full-time team through the 2013 season, a criteria of the system.

Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 ride and Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 41 entry were also not granted charters but are expected to acquire the two Kaufman holds as the former co-owner of the now-defunct Michael Waltrip Racing team.

"This is an important day in the history of our sport that will benefit all constituents, immediately and in the long term," said SHR co-owner Gene Haas in a statement. "As someone who has heavily invested in motorsports for many years, I'm very pleased with the industry's commitment to sustainability, collaboration and long-term value."

As for the dollar value of a charter, Kaufman provided some insight as well as a timetable for when some transactions between teams may occur in the coming days.

"If you had to ask me right now, what do I think they're roughly worth, I would say, single-digit millions, individually," said Kauffman. "Low or high, it's kind of hard to pin on it, but I'd say that's not a bad guess."

Most of that activity will happen at the beginning of the season, because you need to run it for the full season. So between now and Daytona, whatever transactions are going to occur are probably going to happen between now and the Daytona 500."

The end result of the agreement was the culmination of months of negotiations that came to a crescendo only days ago.

"Where we ended up is a good place," France said

"It's going to create more opportunities for new owners to come into the sport. It's going to have the ability to field more competitive race teams. That's great for our fans."








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Implements-Team-Owner-Charter-Agreement.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Theriault To Run Third BKR Truck At Daytona​*
Brad Keselowski Racing announced today that Austin Theriault will drive a third entry for the organization in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opening race on February 19 at Daytona International Speedway.

"I'm really excited and can't wait to get back to Daytona," Theriault said. "I can't thank Brad enough for this opportunity. I'm going there with the expectation to win and I'll do whatever it takes to get the checkered flag."

Theriault will drive the No. 2 Ford F-150 in the NextEra Energy Resources 250, joining full-time drivers Tyler Reddick and Daniel Hemric, with Buddy Sisco serving as the team's crew chief. The Fort Kent, Maine native is quick to point out the advantages of having an additional teammate at Daytona.

"I'm looking forward to working with both Tyler and Daniel," Theriault said. "Hopefully we can help each other stay in the top five throughout the race and be in position to challenge for the win. It will be a big help to have another teammate at Daytona."

Theriault made his NCWTS debut in 2015 with Brad Keselowski Racing at Daytona. He scored an impressive fourth-place finish, leading the race once for nine laps after starting fourth and finishing with a driver rating of 110.2. He made nine NCWTS starts for BKR in 2015, claiming two top five and four top 10 finishes. Theriault spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as part of BKR's driver development program, running a partial schedule in the Southern Super Late Model Series while working full-time in the team's shop.

Buddy Sisco is a native of Nashville, Tenn., and began his racing career in 1981. He has served as crew chief for numerous organizations during his career, most recently at Michael Waltrip Racing. He joined BKR in 2013 and is currently a special projects coordinator and liaison between the 19 and 29 teams.

"You always want to run well at Daytona and I think we have an excellent chance to do that with Austin," Sisco said. "He's a student of the game and there are so many things you don't have to teach him. We've made changes here at BKR and feel like everything about our Ford F-150 trucks is even better than they were last year. Our teammates are running for the championship and won't take as many risks but we can get outside the box a little bit and try some different things setup-wise to see if it pays any benefits."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...riault-to-run-Third-BKR-Truck-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Austin Hill To Compete In Truck Series​*
NASCAR Next driver Austin Hill is prepared to take the next step in his racing career, as he will compete in more than half the races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season.

The 21-year-old driver, who finished third in championship points in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East last season, will kick-off his part-time NCWTS schedule at Daytona International Speedway racing the ARCO Design/Build Ford F-150 for Empire Racing Group. He will then move over to his own race team - Austin Hill Racing - for the remainder of his season.

"I'm very excited about this season and transitioning Austin Hill Racing into a Camping World Truck Series team," said Hill. "We are going to be doing it like we did the K&N Series with the guys that we used last year. We're just trying to step up the ranks. I feel like this move will be a good stepping stone for us as a team, and I want to go out there and prove that we belong in this series."

Hill, a Winston, Ga. native, is set to enter the field at tracks including Atlanta, Dover, Kentucky, Bristol, Texas, and has big plans for this season.

"My goal has always been to run up front and hopefully get a couple wins," said Hill. "To get one win this season in the truck series would be awesome with it being a top-three series in NASCAR. I'm looking to at least get one win and a good Top-10 finish week-in and week-out as long as we don't have any big problems. We have a good truck. Now, we just have to have the right setup under us to make it happen."

Veteran crew chief Doug Chouinard, who previously partnered with Hill in the K&N Pro Series, will guide the rookie competitor in this next level of his career.

"Doug has been in the sport for a long time," said Hill. "He ran with Todd Bodine when he ran the No. 30 Toyota Tundra. He's got a lot of knowledge and I've already learned a lot from him."

Hill jumped into the NASCAR spotlight over the past two seasons as he has earned four wins, one pole, 12 Top-5's and 21 Top-10's in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He previously found success racing Quarter Midgets, Bandoleros, Legend cars and Late Models.

Hill has competed in six NCWTS races over the past two years. In just his first NCWTS start, Hill led 21 of the 200 laps at Martinsville in 2014. The NASCAR Next driver previous competed at five series tracks including: Daytona, Dover, Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead-Miami, where his average finish was 22nd.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Austin-Hill-to-Compete-in-Truck-Series.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Front Row To Enter Car For Gilliland At Daytona​*
Front Row Motorsports will enter a third car in the Daytona 500 for David Gilliland.

Gilliland will drive the No. 35 Ford with a sponsor to be announced at a later date.

For the past six seasons, Gilliland competed in the Sprint Cup Series for FRM. He will join the team's primary drivers Chris Buescher and Landon Cassill at Daytona.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...d-Car-in-Daytona-500-for-David-Gilliland.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Stewart-Haas Racing​*
For Stewart-Haas Racing, the rhythm and pace of an ordinary off-season was disrupted on the final weekend of January when co-owner Tony Stewart was injured while vacationing in California.

The three-time Sprint Cup champion suffered a serious back injury in an all-terrain-vehicle accident and will be sidelined indefinitely following surgery on Feb. 3. No replacement has yet been named and there is no timetable for "Smoke's" return to competition.

Preparations continue for the three other teams in the stable and drivers Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick. For Harvick and his No. 4 team, the last two seasons have been about as good as it gets - with a championship in 2014 and a second-place finish to Kyle Busch last year.

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

"Our team is intact and that keeps the communication at a high level," said Harvick, heading into another season paired with crew chief Rodney Childers. "All four crew chiefs at SHR are on the same page, getting along and communicating. That's a big key in pushing forward, especially when you have a new rules package."

NASCAR's low-downforce specifications will be introduced in the second race of the season, on the 1.5-mile oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was tested twice last year, at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

Harvick had top-10 finishes in both races, part of a rock-solid 2015 season that saw him fall one position short of a second straight championship in the final race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With all the success Harvick has enjoyed since 2014, he's still taking a level head into Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

"You can't let the highs be too high or the lows be too low," said Harvick, entering his third season at SHR. "In 2015, we did a good job of managing the expectations of a team returning off a championship season. We didn't win as many races as we could have, but a lot of that was dictated by crazy circumstances."

Harvick did collect three wins - at Las Vegas, Phoenix and Dover. He also won a pole at Phoenix International Raceway and earned the No. 5 seed for the post-season Chase, taking his title bid all the way to the closing laps at Homestead before settling for second place behind Busch.

"For me right now, confidence is very high," Harvick said. "If we're on our game, we'll capitalize on that. If we're off, we have a strong enough group to gather it up as quickly as possible and point it in the right direction."

From an organization-wide standpoint, Patrick - like Harvick - sees strength in the fact that communication is strong among the four SHR teams.

"That's valuable on a four-car team," said Patrick, heading into her fourth full season in the Sprint Cup Series. "That'll help us continue to climb the ladder and get better as the year goes on."

Patrick finished 24th in the final standings last season, an improvement of four positions over 2014. She missed the post-season Chase by eight spots with just two top 10s in her 36 starts. For 2016, Patrick will be paired with Billy Scott, her third crew chief in as many years. He follows Tony Gibson and Daniel Knost to the top of the pit box for the No. 10 Chevrolet.

Kurt Busch qualified for last year's Chase as the No. 7 seed and was eliminated from title contention following a seventh-place finish in the third round at Phoenix. The former Sprint Cup champion, who will once again be paired with crew chief Tony Gibson, says his No. 41 team is resilient and confident entering the new season.

"There's no reason to believe we can't be front-runners," Busch said, "especially with the results Kevin's posted the last two years. Collaboration among our four cars is better than I've ever seen it."

And, like most other drivers, Busch is in favor of the new low-downforce rules ... going so far as to say that NASCAR hasn't yet gone far enough.

"Right now, I would say take more downforce off come July 1," Busch opines. "We're going to get softer tires on these cars and then it'll start getting hot outside. We can't be afraid to adjust on the fly, without messing up the overall product."

Busch embarks on his third season at SHR coming off a year in which he won two races, at Richmond International Raceway and Michigan International Speedway. He also claimed three poles which landed him a spot in Saturday night's season-opening Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...02/2016-Team-Preview-Stewart-Haas-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Opinion: An Unchartered Course​*
Mark down the day; Tuesday, February 9, 2016. It's one that will be etched in NASCAR history for eternity.

The announcement the sanctioning body had come to an agreement with Sprint Cup Series team owners on a Charter system has been called by one esteemed member of the NASCAR community about as important a decision as they come.

"To me, this is the second most important thing that has happened in NASCAR," said Richard Petty, putting the agreement behind the actual creation of the sport in 1949.

The system gives owners an opportunity to have something tangible in hand for their investment. A Charter provides equity and stability and the ability to create a business plan that has the potential to attract both new sponsors and potential additional ownership as well.

It also ushers in an era where owners will have a bigger say and voice in how the sport is governed, furthering a line of communication between NASCAR and the garage area that has flourished in recent years.

The sanctioning body also has a more solid foundation of ownership in place while remaining firmly in control of governing the sport.

It's the NASCAR version of a "High School Musical" number; "We're All In This Together!"

"It sort of like the Democrats and Republicans, they've been doing their thing, we've been doing our thing, meeting in the middle a little bit," said "The King," whose family has been part of the sport since its inception. "We're getting rid of that. We're all going to be in the middle of the deal now.

"Now we're going to be in the same room talking about the same problems and solving the problems together. From that standpoint, it's going to be one of the greatest things that's ever happened to NASCAR and Cup racing."

The man who was the impetus for what came to a crescendo when the agreement was finalized a few days ago is Rob Kaufman, the former co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing who helped organize the Race Team Alliance (RTA). What started out as a bit of an adversarial relationship between the teams that comprised the alliance and NASCAR, eventually evolved into a relationship that saw the benefit of working together for the greater good of the sport.

"I've been in this sport for a long time and am thrilled at the unprecedented collaboration that we've seen in the last year between the teams, drivers, NASCAR and the tracks," said team owner Jack Roush in a statement. "This system propels us into a new era by putting in place a structure that more closely resembles that of the other major professional sports, while at the same time maintaining the characteristics of our unique history and tradition."

It's probably not a coincidence that the length of a Charter is nine years, which is the exact number of left on NASCAR's current television deal with NBC and FOX that pumped $8.2 billion into the sport. That revenue for the sport will touch many different levels including the sanctioning body, tracks and team owners, all who now have the benefit of a longer-term planning process to help the sport find ways to continue to grow.

"I think everyone gave their pint of blood, so to speak," said Kaufman, now a co-owner at Chip Ganassi Racing on the negotiations that led to the final agreement. "Like a lot of transactions I've been lucky to participate in over time, at the end of the day a fair deal is where everyone compromised, no one is a hundred percent happen, but everyone says, This is a fair balance, I think we can live with it, go forward with it.

"From my standpoint we got something everyone can live with it, it's not perfect, but it's certainly a great step in the right direction and I think everyone's happy to move forward now."

Make no mistake there is peace around the NASCAR world as the 2016 season gets set to begin this weekend at Daytona. How long it lasts is yet to be determined but wherever the sport heads from here, February 9, 2016 will be remembered as a day things changed forever.

Most believe for the best.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...es/2016/02/Opinion-An-Unchartered-Course.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*'The Simpsons' Are Headed To Daytona​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*2016 Speedweeks Schedule of Events​*







*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16/01/2016-Speedweeks-Schedule-of-Events.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Labonte To Race For JGR At Daytona​*
Joe Gibbs Racing announced today a partnership with NOS Energy Drink, as primary sponsor of the team's No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Camry in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch, the all-time race winning driver in the history of the XFINITY Series with 76 wins, will drive his first NOS program race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and in subsequent races that total 16 XFINITY Series events this season.

To kick off the 2016 race schedule at Daytona International Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing and NOS Energy Drink are excited to announce they are also bringing back another champion for the XFINITY series program start, longtime race winner and past Joe Gibbs Racing veteran racecar driver Bobby Labonte.

"We've always sought out the most determined, fearless and committed athletes to represent our company and brands," said Vice President of Sports Marketing, Mitch Covington. He commented further, "With Kyle (Busch) in the seat most of the year and a strong Daytona start with Bobby (Labonte), we have every reason to believe our program will win."

The NOS Energy Drink brand is no stranger to victory lane with Busch. A partnership between the two earlier in his career afforded them much success together. Between 2011 and 2008 (Busch's first season with Joe Gibbs Racing) the orange and blue NOS colors were represented across 25 races in the XFINITY Series when Busch earned seven victories and three pole-position wins to further their brand exposure. Also in 2008 Busch represented the NOS Energy Drink colors with one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry, in which he earned a second-place result.

Newly minted 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Busch remarked, "I'm pumped to be back with NOS Energy Drink, a brand that supported me initially when I came to Joe Gibbs Racing. We had a lot of success together and I can't wait to win with them again!"

In 311 starts over 13 seasons, Busch has proven himself to be the winningest competitor in the history of NASCAR's XFINITY Series. In addition to 76 career wins, the 30-year old has recorded 186 top-five finishes, 48 pole-qualifying wins and 15,766 laps led. In 2010 Busch made series history with a record 13-win race season. Past XFINITY Series Championships for Kyle include a Driver's Championship in 2009 and Owner's Championships in 2010 and 2008 -- all with Busch's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series team owner Joe Gibbs Racing.

Labonte proved to be a strong selection to kick off the NOS Energy Drink program for the first race of the season as he rejoins Joe Gibbs Racing while they celebrate their 25th year of NASCAR racing.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to drive for JGR again. I didn't think this would ever happen and when Joe called me about the program, it was a 'no-brainer.' Great race team, great cars, the opportunity is a good one. There would be nothing better than to hang a flag in this building too," said Labonte of the Daytona opportunity in front of him with the No. 18 JGR XFINITY Series team.

A Texas native, Labonte was an early driver of the No. 18 with JGR and earned them 21 victories and a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship in 2000. Labonte is also a NASCAR Champion in the XFINITY Series (1991) and the IROC Series (2001) and has victories recorded in all three of NASCAR's premier racing series. 2016 marks Labonte's 30th consecutive year as a professional racecar driver.

The No. 18 team's goal will again be to capture an Owner's Championship in the XFINITY Series. With Busch and Labonte confirmed and the recent announcement of Matt Tifft as driver of the No. 18 for races later in the schedule, crew chief Chris Gayle is eager to attack that goal. Gayle remarks, "Owners points matter and it's important for us to keep striving for that team goal. Looking forward to having NOS Energy Drink back with us and hopefully we are able to give them more trips to victory lane."

Joe Gibbs Racing and NOS Energy Drink are two brands at the top of the field in their respective industries. With this partnership, the two have positioned themselves for great success together in 2016.

NOS Energy Drink will be featured on the No. 18 XFINITY Series Camry for 18 total races this season: Daytona International Speedway (February 20, Labonte); Atlanta Motor Speedway (February 27, Busch); Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 5, Busch); Phoenix International Raceway (March 12, Busch); Auto Club Speedway (March 19, Busch); Texas Motor Speedway (April 8, Busch); Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16, Busch); Talladega Superspeedway (April 30, TBD driver); Pocono Raceway (June 4, Busch); Michigan International Speedway (June 11, Busch); Kentucky Speedway (July 8, Busch); Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23, Busch); Watkins Glen International (August 6, Busch); Richmond International Raceway (September 9, Busch); Chicagoland Speedeway (September 17, Busch); Dover International Speedway (October 1, Busch); Kansas Speedway (October 15, Busch); Phoenix International Raceway (November 12, Busch).

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...usch-and-NOS-Energy-Drink-Together-Again.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*DC Solar To Sponsor Poole​*
DC Solar is returning to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2016 and will be the season-long sponsor of the No. 48 XFINITY Series Chevrolet for driver Brennan Poole.

Poole, who will compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, drove a limited schedule last season with two top-10 finishes in 17 starts. His team will be led by crew chief Chad Norris.

"DC Solar is proud of how Brennan and the team progressed in 2015," said President and CEO Jeff Carpoff. "We learned a lot about the sport and look forward to running for a championship in 2016."

"It's an honor and a dream to compete full-time and race for a championship," said Poole, 24. "I learned a lot competing in the XFINITY Series on a part-time basis in 2015, which sets me up for an even better 2016."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...016/02/DC-Solar-to-Sponsor-Brennan-Poole.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Team Preview: Joe Gibbs Racing​*
Maybe the biggest question surrounding Joe Gibbs Racing in 2016 is, "What does it do for an encore?"

Well, JGR has its sights set on winning a second straight Sprint Cup Series championship. Last season, the organization put all four teams into the Chase and walked away with the title thanks to the stirring run by Kyle Busch.

The four-car team returns intact with Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards ... but with a slightly different look. A shuffle of crew chiefs puts Dave Rogers with Edwards in the No. 19 Toyota. Mike Wheeler moves from JGR's XFINITY Series program to work with Hamlin. Busch remains with Adam Stevens while Kenseth and Jason Ratcliff also stay together.

"2015 was the strongest season we've ever had," said team owner Joe Gibbs. "We won more races than ever before, qualified all four teams for the Chase and were blessed to end it with the championship.

"Every year, you evaluate each of your teams and sometimes during that process, you find that a change might be in the best interest of all involved. Mike Wheeler has a long history with Denny (Hamlin) and that No. 11 team. After seeing what he accomplished as a crew chief in our XFINITY Series program last year, the timing was right to move him back into our Cup program. Dave Rogers has also been successful in every role he's had with us and he'll work well Carl (Edwards)."

Busch's 2015 season began with devastating injuries in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway that sidelined him for 11 races. When he returned, Busch scored four regular-season victories to make the Chase then capped his title run by winning the season-ending Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He sees no reason why he won't be back in the mix for a second straight crown.

"What's better than one championship? Two," Busch said. "What's better than two? Getting three. We've got to continue on. There's going to be one guy different on our team; he's coming off the road, so we've got to move a couple guys around. That's about it. I'm optimistic, prepared and excited for a great season."

Hamlin underwent surgery of his own after tearing an ACL playing basketball. He doesn't see the injury as a reason to slow down his run of gunning for a first career championship this season and believes he'll get back in the car stronger than ever.

"Every time something's happened with myself, our performance seems to be a little bit better in the races that follow," Hamlin said. "Why that is, I'm not sure. I don't know if it's determination, but Kyle was another prime example of that.

"Whatever we find within us to perform at a high level, it always seems to happen when we're injured. A lot of it is because we don't want to be the weak link. We don't want to be the one responsible for our team running badly, so we make sure we do all it takes to run well."

Edwards ran very well in his first year at JGR after spending his career with Roush Fenway Racing. Paired with crew chief Darian Grubb, Edwards went to Victory Lane and advanced deep into the post-season Chase before finishing fifth in the final standings.

Grubb was replaced by Rogers and Edwards is optimistic that the new pairing will bring even better results than a year ago.

"We have a lot to build on this season," said Edwards. "The new low-downforce rules package is going to play into my driving style and with Dave on the pit box, along with all this great support I have ... to say I'm excited about what lies ahead is an understatement."

Kenseth visited Victory Lane five times last year, but his 2015 story centers around the controversial incidents with Joey Logano which resulted in a two race suspension after he purposely wrecked Logano at Martinsville Speedway.

However, Kenseth has put the experience behind him. He's ready to focus on the new season and an opportunity he believes can result in a championship.

"I've got a great race team," Kenseth said. "Jason (Ratcliff) is the best crew chief out there. Physically, I'm in the best shape I've been in the last 15 years. I feel great. I'm ready to go."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16/02/2016-Team-Preview-Joe-Gibbs-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Announces Procedural Changes​*
NASCAR has announced a number of procedural changes for 2016 with the new season scheduled to open this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

*Qualifying - Sprint Cup Series

Daytona 500*

- Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position.
- Four non-Charter (Open) teams are eligible for starting positions.
- The highest-finishing Open team in each Can-Am Duel race earns a starting position in the Daytona 500.
- The final two starting positions are awarded to Open teams based on qualifying speeds if not already a top finisher in a Duel race.
- Qualifying sets the front row for the Daytona 500 and the starting lineups for the Can-Am Duel fields, with the number of Charter teams and Open teams split evenly between both races.
- If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the two top-finishing Open teams from each Can-Am Duel race earn starting positions in the Daytona 500.
- If the second Can-Am Duel race is cancelled due to weather, the highest-finishing Open team from the first race earns a starting position, with the three other Open teams determined by qualifying.
- If both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, qualifying determines all four Open teams.
- If qualifying and both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds are used to determine the four Open teams.
- If all on-track activity prior to the race is cancelled due to weather, 2015 owner points will be used to determine the four Open teams.

*All Other Championship Race Events*

- Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position and four Open teams are eligible for starting positions.
- Qualifying results will determine the Open team starting positions, assuming the event is run as scheduled.
- If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds determine the four Open teams.
- If practice and qualifying are cancelled due to weather, owner points determine the four Open teams (events 1-3 revert to 2015 owner points)

*NASCAR Overtime*

For all three NASCAR national series, a race may be concluded with overtime, consisting of a new procedure for a green-white-checkered finish featuring an "overtime line." The location of the overtime line will vary by track.

After taking the green flag on the overtime restart, if the leader then passes the overtime line on the first lap under green before a caution comes out (a "clean restart"), it will be considered a valid green-white-checkered attempt. However, if a caution comes out before the leader passes the overtime line on the first lap under green, it will not be considered a valid attempt and a subsequent attempt will be made. If necessary, multiple subsequent attempts will be made until a valid attempt occurs.

Once a valid attempt is achieved (clean restart), it will become the only attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. If a caution comes out at any time during the valid green-white-checkered attempt, the field will be frozen and the checkered/yellow or checkered/red will be displayed to cars at the finish line.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6/02/NASCAR-Announces-Procedural-Changes.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*2016 Unanswered Questions​*
There are several questions to be answered as the start of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season takes the green flag this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

*When Will Tony Stewart Return?*

Stewart suffered a serious back injury two weeks ago in an ATV accident in California and will miss the start of the season. Experts put his recovery at anywhere from three months to even longer leaving Stewart-Haas Racing to find a fill-in for its No. 14 entry. Brian Vickers will take the wheel at Daytona while Ty Dillon is also slated to make some starts in concert with his XFINITY Series program as well as the limited Cup schedule he'll run for Leavine Family Racing-Circle Sport. But it's anyone's guess if and when Stewart will be able to climb back into his ride and finish out what was supposed to be his final Sprint Cup Series season.

*How Will The Lower Downforce Rules Package Impact Competition?*

This question won't begin to be answered until after Speedweeks when the Sprint Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for race two of the season and then out west for three visits to Las Vegas, Phoenix and Auto Club. Based on last year's two races with the rules at Kentucky and Darlington as well as a recent test at Vegas, there are high hopes from the competitors that lower downforce will lead to better racing, which is music to many fans' ears.

*How Will Furniture Row Racing's Transition To Toyota Work Out?*

On paper the move of FRR to Toyota should make what was a strong team last year even better. Toyota was the dominant manufacturer last season and with Joe Gibbs Racing putting all four cars in the Chase and winning the title, FRR's affiliation should make Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 78 car contenders for wins and the title again. However expect some growing pains in the early stages of the year with perhaps more tangible evidence of improved performance coming once Memorial Day weekend rolls around.

*Does Kasey Kahne Make The Chase?*

Last year was a forgettable season for Kahne and the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 team. Kahne was shut out of Victory Lane and failed to qualify for the Chase. The positive side was toward the end of the year the team showed much better speed and Kahne was more of an impact player. Second year crew chief Keith Rodden has Darian Grubb now at his disposal after he left Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of last year. That added expertise will add to the focus the entire Hendrick organization has of getting Kahne to be as competitive as the other three cars in the stable were a year ago.

*Will The XFINITY Series/Camping World Truck Series Chase Format Work?*

Whoever wins the season openers at Daytona for NASCAR's number two and three divisions will earn their way into the first-ever Chase championship that will be used this year. Automatically the change impacts the dynamic of each series and like the Sprint Cup Series, teams will be focused on looking at the big picture of the championship from the drop of the first green flag. Once the Chase schedules roll around, there's no reason to believe the intensity level will be as high as its been in the first two years of the elimination-style Sprint Cup format.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2016/02/2016-Unanswered-Questions.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Vickers Ready For Daytona Return​*
Brian Vickers didn't know if he would ever get the opportunity to race in the Daytona 500 in a competitive car again. He'll get that chance when he replaces the injured Tony Stewart during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Vickers will make his first start at Daytona since 2014 behind the wheel of the No 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing.

"As soon as I got the call, they said, 'Can you race?' and I said, 'Absolutely,' " Vickers said Friday during a press conference. "I wasn't sure if I would be in the Daytona 500 again and here I am. It's an honor and I couldn't be with a better group of guys."

Saturday's Sprint Unlimited will mark Vickers' first Sprint Cup start since March 2015, when he was sidelined because he had to be on blood thinners for recurring blood clots.

"I worked with my doctors for the last year trying to find the right plan for me to race safely and keep me protected from clots," Vickers said. "I've worked extensively with my physicians on that and found a plan."

Cleared medically to race, Vickers knew that if he wanted to return to the Cup Series, it had to be in a competitive car. As 2016 rosters began filling up, he was willing to wait.

"I've been waiting for the right opportunity," Vickers said. "I told myself that if I came back to racing, particularly in the Sprint Cup Series, I wanted to be in a car that I was confident could win.

"It's unfortunate that this is the car because that means Tony is not here. I have tremendous respect for Tony. I can understand what he's going through. I'm honored to keep his seat warm until he gets back."

Stewart-Haas Racing has yet to name a replacement driver(s) past Daytona.

"We have multiple partners and different considerations with our respective sponsors," said Brett Frood, president of SHR. "We're still working through that. Don't be surprised to see Brian in the car again and we may have others."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...2/Brian-Vickers-Ready-for-Daytona-Return.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Many Debuts In Sprint Unlimited​*
The Sprint Unlimited will not only be the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race since the completion of DAYTONA Rising, it will also mark the debut for a number of driver-crew chief combinations.

Saturday night's annual non-points race kicks off the season, and it will see 25 teams and drivers get track time under race conditions before the Daytona 500 on Feb 21.

Seven full-time drivers will have new crew chiefs in the Unlimited led by two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers who made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup last season - Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.

Hamlin, a two-time winner of the Unlimited, will be reunited with Mike Wheeler after the two won three XFINITY races together last year.

"It's a great opportunity to get back in the car and make some laps before the '500', especially having recovered from knee surgery in the off-season," Hamlin said. "It's also a chance to get used to 'Wheels' calling practices and a race as the crew chief, and getting the team guys up to speed and working together."

Dave Rogers joins Edwards' No. 19 team after serving as Hamlin's crew chief last season.

"I'm encouraged by the quick bond we've developed. Now, it's time to go racing," said Rogers, a 15-time race winner with JGR.

Other new driver-crew chief combinations are: Greg Biffle/Brian Pattie (Roush Fenway Racing), Danica Patrick/Billy Scott (Stewart-Haas Racing), Kyle Larson/Chad Johnston (Chip Ganassi Racing) and AJ Allmendinger/Randall Burnett (JTG Daugherty Racing).

Brian Vickers, who will replace the injured Tony Stewart, will be paired with new crew chief Mike Bugarewicz on the No. 14 Chevrolet.

Joe Gibbs Racing has won three of the last four Unlimiteds and swept both non-points races in 2015, with Matt Kenseth winning at Daytona and Hamlin in the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Hamlin, Kevin Harvick (3 victories) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2) are the only multiple winners of the Unlimited among the drivers eligible for Saturday night's race.

HScott Motorsports is the only team making its Unlimited debut this year, with driver Clint Bowyer. Ford, which has not won this race since 2004, will introduce its new Fusion. Also, Furniture Row Racing will hit the track for the first time with Toyota during Speedweeks.

A number of drivers will have new paint schemes including defending series champion Kyle Busch, who will be sporting a paint scheme to mark M&M's 75th anniversary.

"The biggest thing you'll see is that the racecar is back to yellow," Busch said. "I like the look of mixing the old with the new."

Harvick brings the Busch Beer brand back to NASCAR through sponsorship of his No. 4 Chevrolet in 12 races, starting with Saturday night's race. Busch, which was the long-time sponsor of what is now called the XFINITY Series from 1984-2007, last sponsored a driver in 1980 when they were on Cale Yarborough's No. 11.

Other new sponsors include Nature's Bakery with Danica Patrick and KFC with Greg Biffle. Fans in attendance will not only see all the action on the track, but will also be the first to enjoy the world's first motor sports stadium for a Cup race.

"They've taken a place like Daytona, where we have so much history and everybody wants to visit already, and made it one of our premier tracks," said Austin Dillon, who will make his second start in the Unlimited. "It takes our sport to the next level."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the Sprint Unlimited from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) - with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App. The race will be split into two segments with a competition caution at Lap 25 separating the segments._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Debuts-in-Sprint-Unlimited-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Unable To Get A Charter, Wood Brothers Leave The RTA​*
But NASCAR's oldest existing team in the garage understands the reasons why it was excluded from the system.



> It would have been an embarrassment to our family. Our uncles and our dad if we just showed up and took a check
> 
> Leonard Wood


 And after winning the 2011 Daytona 500 neither Eddie or Len Wood would change a thing.

"Had we been racing full time from 2008 to now we would have been right in the middle of it because we would have been one of them," team owner Eddie Wood said. "We just happened to be in a different spot. I guess we created our spot because in '08 when the economy was kind of on the downslide and everyone was struggling to find sponsorship we had like three choices. We could have did what we did, which was race part time but when we show up we are competitive and spending enough money to get all the right stuff, the right people and right driver. That actually turned into a Daytona 500 win. The other choice we would have had was to do a start and park or race as best you can and that is not really fair to your sponsors.

"Ford Motor Company stood by us so long it wouldn't be fair to them. Or we could have quit. Looking back, if you told me I could go back six years and if we wanted to run all the races and you would have a charter, would you swap? No, I probably wouldn't. We wanted to race in a model that fit us at the time. You can't take that away. That was one of the biggest wins in our career, certainly my career. It is all going to work out. We have talked to our sponsors and it is going to be okay."

*Why they chose not to run full-time until now*

Since 1953, the Wood Brothers have competed in 1,438 races. Their drivers - including patriarch Glen Wood - have won 98 events. However, many of those seasons the organization raced on a part-time basis, opting to be competitive when the venerable team raced instead of a back marker.

"It would have been an embarrassment to our family," team owner Len Wood said. "Our uncles and our dad if we just showed up and took a check. We didn't. We tried to perform every time we showed up. It didn't always work out that way, but that is what we tried to do. That is the way I look at it."

Considering that the charters are expected to command in the mid-seven figures, Eddie Wood says the family opted out of acquiring one of the two which were available from Rob Kauffman this season.

"I didn't think I could outbid Gene Haas and Joe Gibbs, no," he said.

*Confident in Blaney's ability to get the job done*

With the exception of benefitting from the additional revenue the charter teams receive or being guaranteed a starting position in all 36 Sprint Cup races, the team remains optimistic that driver Ryan Blaney will be able to qualify for events.

"We haven't been part of Plan 1 or Plan C or the Winners Circle Plan or the Champion Owner Plan or eligible for any season ending bonuses. So, that is not a huge issue to us," Len Wood added.

"When we went part-time, limited schedule, we had to be more efficient. That is when we looked at everything from motels to tire bills and things like that and where we would race. We raced where we thought we had the best performance. That shouldn't be an issue either."

*Wood Brothers opt out of Race Team Alliance*

Under the current system, the family would not be eligible for a charter unless one became available for purchase. As a result of the Wood Brothers exclusion, the team has opted out of the Race Team Alliance. Eddie Wood felt WBR put the RTA in "a bad spot" since they knew all of the owners since each of the teams' inception.

Still, this weekend, NASCAR Hall of Famer Glen Wood will make his 70th trek to Daytona Beach for Speedweeks. According to Eddie Wood, his father's first trip was in 1947 "to watch his hero Curtis Turner race on the sand." Six years later, Glen joined in on the action - and he's been coming ever since.

But this time, Wood, 90, will be fueled by the outpouring support from NASCAR fans that questioned the charter decision.

"Yeah, it is really overwhelming the amount of response we got on social media and phone calls and emails and things," Eddie Wood said. "All of our fans are supporting us. That really makes you feel good because you never really know what is out there until something triggers those guys to speak up.

"They have really been supporting us and I just want to thank all of them. It is really amazing."

*Source:*
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...a-charter-wood-brothers-leave-the-rta-673136/


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## Ckg2011

*Race Center: Sprint Unlimited​*
*Sprint Unlimited Starting Lineup:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...earID=45&RaceID=7199&StatType=Starting+Lineup

The 38th annual Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway kicks off the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season tonight.

Motor Racing Network's live coverage starts at 7 p.m. (ET). Prior to the Unlimited MRN will have live coverage of the first two practice sessions for the Daytona 500 at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. (ET) (Click to Listen).

Be sure to check back with MRN.com through-out the day for the latest or download the MRN App.

*Daytona 500 Entry List:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...D=1&YearID=45&RaceID=7176&StatType=Entry+List

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2016/02/Race-Center-Sprint-Unlimited.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Calm Before The Storm; Veterans Talk Daytona Lucas Oil 200​*
The 53rd running of the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire will be an interesting mix of rookies and veterans all hoping to go to one place - the coveted Gatorade Victory Lane at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

Frank Kimmel, without question, goes in the column of veterans who, despite his well-documented success in the ARCA ranks, has never been to Victory Lane at Daytona. 80 career wins&#8230;more than anyone, yet none at the "World Center of Racing." Kimmel comes this year with a new bunch - Team Stange. His union with his new team brings back the No. 46, which Kimmel carried to nine of his 10 series titles.

"The speed to which this whole thing came together, and the lack of time we all had to make this happen, is not the best way to come to Daytona, so our goal is to come out with the best finish we can get," Kimmel said. "But I wouldn't come down if I didn't think I had a shot to win. The fastest car doesn't always win this race. The fact that I've never won it, makes it even more important."

Despite the newness of Kimmel's team - a co-ownership between husband and wife John and Ashley Stange - the 46 car brings a good bit of experience. Dave Weltmeyer, an experience wheelman and chassis guy, is a 13-time ARCA winner and serves as Team Manager. Kelly Bires, a veteran driver of ARCA and NASCAR Camping World Trucks and XFINITY Series competition, will be Kimmel's crew chief.

Asked if he sleeps well before a race, especially Daytona, Kimmel answered, "I usually sleep okay, but, for some reason, I get sleepy when I get nervous&#8230;like sitting in the car before I go out to qualify."

Kimmel starts 25th in the race.

*Eight-time winner Gerhart in record 29th consecutive Daytona race; going win No. 9
*
Next in the experienced/veteran category is eight-time and record Daytona champion Bobby Gerhart who, despite no Series title, he's often regarded as ARCA's restrictor plate king.

"One would think it matters (experience) but anymore, these kids coming to race here have the best equipment and the most experience in terms of personnel around them," Gerhart said.

"Often though, I see some of the newer teams coming along trying to out-engineer this place (Daytona). You know a long time ago, some of the greatest people in this sport told me what happened on the track in the '60s and '70s still works today. It's still the same track with the same characteristics. What worked back in the day, can still work today. People tend to forget that."

Asked if he sleeps well before the Daytona race, Gerhart answered, "No."

Gerhart starts 14th in the race.

*Williams in a Dale Earnhardt Daytona winner*
It's a new year for Port Charlotte, Florida's Josh Williams, but he brought an old reliable car.

"This is the same car that Dale Earnhardt, Sr. won the Daytona 500 in back in '98," Williams said.

"It's an old one, but this car was built for Daytona. Barry Owen (veteran crew chief) brought it back to life. It's been my same speedway car since my first speedway race when I was 18. It likes Talladega better than Daytona for some reason, but hopefully we can change that come Saturday."

Williams grew his JW Motorsports team to four full-time employees (including himself), adding a full-time crew chief - Danny Johnson. Williams had always played crew chief from the driver's seat up until now.

Asked if he sleeps well before the Daytona race, Williams answered, "Oh yah, no problem. You can't be nervous&#8230;bad things happen when you're nervous. You just have to attack it."

Williams starts 13th in the race, alongside Gerhart.

*JWT going for second win at Daytona; sporting brand new car*
John Wes Townley will be going after his second win at Daytona, having won with Venturini Motorsports here in 2013. Townley is with a different team now - Athenian Motorsports with sponsorship from Zaxby's. The car that Townley is driving at Daytona is a brand new machine, and has never been raced. Townley's crew chief is veteran/ARCA winner Kevin Reed. JWT starts fifth in the race.

*Back-to-back poles for busy Ken Schrader Racing at Daytona*
Ken Schrader Racing brought two cars to the race - the No. 52 Ansell-Menards Toyota driven by Matt Kurzejewski and the No. 54 driven by Cole Custer. The 52 car is the same car that Mark Thompson sat on the pole with here last year. 1999 ARCA champion Bill Baird also drive the car at Daytona, as did Tom Hessert in later years. The car sat for two years before Schrader Racing resurrected it for service. In addition to running his two-car ARCA team at Daytona, Schrader has been racing every night at Volusia Speedway Park in his dirt modified. Cole Custer's Menards Pole Award here on Friday, gives Ken Schrader Racing back-to-back poles in the Lucas Oil 200. Custer, 18, is now the youngest ARCA pole winner in Daytona history. If Custer wins the race, he would become the youngest stock car winner in Daytona history. With Custer on the pole, his teammate Matt Kurzejewski starts seventh.

*Mason Mitchell Motorsports combines experience with rookies at Daytona*
Mason Mitchell Motorsports, the 2014 ARCA championship team, brought two cars for the Lucas Oil 200, one for rookie Gus Dean in the 98 and the other for rookie Cole Powell in the 78. Mason Mitchell, the 2014 championship owner and driver, is crew-chiefing the 98 while veteran crew chief Dave Leiner is crew-chiefing the 78. Leiner's ARCA tenure goes way back. The nephew of short-track late model and NASCAR veteran Butch Miller, Leiner has crew-chiefed for a variety of drivers over the years, including Blaise Alexander, Tim Steele, Robb Brent, Blake Feese, Boston Reid, Ed Berrier, Chuck Bown and Bobby Gerhart to name a few. Leiner has accumulated 51 ARCA victories over his career in the capacity of crew chief. Powell start sixth in the race. His teammate Dean starts 15th.
*
New machine for Kimmel Racing*
The 69 car that Will Kimmel's driving is a new car for the Kimmel Racing team after they wrecked their two primary superspeedway cars in ARCA open testing back in January. They purchased their new Chevrolet from former ARCA driver Steve Blackburn. The car, originally from the Richard Childress Racing shop. was Ty Dillon's back-up superspeedway car in 2011. In a car he had never driven before, Kimmel qualified ninth for the race.

*Brad Smith returns to competition*
The 53rd Lucas Oil 200 marks veteran Brad Smith's return to ARCA competition after his well-documented crash at Talladega last May. Smith is expected to compete in a full season with Hylton Motorsports; however, he's driving a Max Force Racing second entry here at Daytona, to keep his superspeedway car fresh for Talladega. Smith took a provisional starting position in 31st.

*Double duty weekend for Cornett-Ching and Avila*
Sarah Cornett-Ching and Jairo Avila are two drivers doing double duty this weekend in the Daytona Beach area. Both Cornett-Ching and Avila will be participating in the Lucas Oil 200 ARCA race at Daytona on Saturday, then the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East home opener at New Smyrna Speedway Sunday. Both Cornett-Ching and Avila are expected to run the full K&N East schedule, Cornett-Ching driving for Tony Blanchard Racing Avila for Rev Racing. Avila is one of five drivers selected for NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program in 2016.

*Tight competition at Daytona*
This is arguably the most competitive ARCA field ever assembled for Daytona. For those who qualified into the show, just 1.229 seconds separate positions one through 30. Positions 31 through 40 are reserved for provisionals who were not among the fastest 30 cars.

*Record number of ARCA Ilmor 396 engines*
A record 37 ARCA Ilmor 396 engines, among 46 cars in the ARCA garage, took a shot at the starting grid for the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire. As an example of durability, the ARCA Ilmor 396 engine that powered Cole Custer to the Menards Pole here at Daytona, is the same engine that Custer won the pole with at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) in 2015 and the same engine that Custer won the race with at Pocono, also in 2015. The engine, untouched since Custer's debut at NJMP, has not yet reached its recommended 1,500-mile limit for rebuild.

*Youngest to oldest*
Four 18-year-old drivers have the opportunity to become the youngest stock car winner in Daytona history. Those drivers include Kyle Weatherman, Cole Custer, Gray Gaulding and William Byron. Currently, Kyle Petty, winner of the 1979 Daytona ARCA 200, is the youngest stock car winner at Daytona. On the flipside, two drivers have the opportunity to become the oldest stock car winners in Daytona history. Those drivers are 57-year-old Bobby Gerhart and 64-year-old Mark Thompson. Currently, Iggy Katona, winner of the ARCA race at Daytona in 1974 is the oldest stock car winner.

*Canadian drivers going for gold at Daytona*
No Canadian has ever won the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire at Daytona Int'l Speedway. Three, however, will have a legitimate shot when the 40-car field takes the green flag in Saturday's race. Those drivers are Summerland, British Columbia's Sarah Cornett-Ching, Mt. Brydges, Ontario driver Cole Powell and Amherstburg, Ontario's Terry Jones. Cornett-Ching finished a career-best eighth at Talladega and Chicagoland I 2015. Powell finished a career-best third at Talladega in 2015. Jones finished a career-best fifth at Talladega in 2013. A win by one of these three drivers would surpass driver Earl Ross as the highest finishing Canadian in the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona. Ross finished third in 1973, and again in 1976.

*Source:*
http://www.arcaracing.com/articles/...-talk-daytona-notes-quotes-from-lucas-oil-200


----------



## Ckg2011

*Tough Return For Vickers​*
Brian Vickers made his return to Sprint Cup racing but it ended early with a hard crash in Saturday's Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway.

Vickers had a right-rear tire go down on his Chevrolet sending him hard into the outside Turn 1 wall causing significant damage to his car. He was uninjured in the accident.

Vickers, who is subbing for the injured Tony Stewart in the No. 14 for Speedweeks, just crossed the start-finish line on lap 22 when the tire started to go down.

"I don't know how it happened," Vickers said. "The No. 18 (Kyle Busch) and I got together going four-wide early in the race. Had a little smoke for a lap and then it went away. I suspect that could have been it or I could have just run over something, there is no telling."

Tonight's start marked Vickers' first since March 2015 and first at Daytona since the July 2014 race where he finished second.

"It's unfortunate," Vickers said. "This Mobil 1 Chevy was just charging to the front. We went to the front early. We got kind of shuffled out then went right back to the front. I was really happy with the car."

The incident collected seven cars and also sent Kevin Harvick to the garage area and out of the race.

"All I saw was the No. 14 and once we got to the corner, he spun out," Harvick said ."I hate it for all the guys on our Busch Chevrolet, but it was good to see the car on the race track. I know there's been a lot of work put into this particular Busch program and it is good to see the car on the race track. I hate that it's tore up, but I guess if you're going to tear it up, tonight's a better night to tear it up than next Sunday."

Vickers will race the Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet in the Daytona 500.






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...s/2016/02/Tough-Return-for-Brian-Vickers.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Hamlin Wins Sprint Unlimited​*
Denny Hamlin scored his third career Sprint Unlimited win Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway.

Hamlin was ahead in overtime when a multi-car crash broke out to bring out a caution and officially end the race.

The victory marked Joe Gibbs Racing's fourth in the Unlimited in the last five years. Hamlin led a race-high 39 laps and had help from his teammates through-out the race.

"I've gotten better at speedway racing over the last few years and really learned a lot from my teammates," Hamlin said. "But realistically you can go back and look at this race a million times, and had my teammates not stuck with me at the right times, we wouldn't have been able to stay up front."

The win was the first in Sprint Cup for Hamlin's new crew chief Mike Wheeler.

"I'm so happy for Mike Wheeler to start one-for-one with a good win here at Daytona," Hamlin said. "It's great to open up with a win."

Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Kyle Larson and Casey Mears rounded out the top five.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski and Greg Biffle completed the first 10 finishers.

*How Hamlin Won:* After getting involved in an incident on lap 13 when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun, Hamlin was able to race his way back to the front of the field despite the minor damage on his Toyota. The race was sent into overtime and at the drop of the green flag Hamlin was in the thick of the battle for the top spot finally getting around for the lead as the field passed the overtime line on the backstretch, making the race official. After taking the white flag, Hamlin got around Joey Logano for the lead and when several cars crashed at the back of the pack, caution was displayed and the race ended.

*Who Had a Good Night:* Defending Daytona 500 winner Logano was strong all night and had the race gone the overtime distance would have challenged Hamlin for the win but he was forced to settle for second...Larson started his third Sprint Cup Series season with a solid night that ended in fourth&#8230;.Stenhouse Jr's spin early was the result of a tire going down, but he rebounded to come home sixth.

*Who Had a Bad Night:* A lot of people. The race was punctuated by a number of crashes. Brian Vickers, who was filling in for the injured Tony Stewart and making his first NASCAR star in nearly a year, cut a right-rear tire while running in the middle of the pack and made hard contact with the outside wall. He collected his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in the mishap as well as Clint Bowyer - and five others that were able to continue - but all drivers were uninjured in the accident...Jimmie Johnson was running 10th but on lap 44 he got hit from behind causing him to lose control and spin through the infield grass with his car suffering damage...Kasey Kahne got tapped from Jamie McMurray who was trying to bump draft late in the race but the contact sent the Hendrick Motorsports driver spinning and into AJ Allmendinger. Both cars received heavy damage...The race was sent into overtime for a multi-car crash with three laps remaining involving Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola.

"I seen the 19 (Carl Edwards) and the 2 (Brad Keselowski) really fighting for a spot and from my vantage point that's all I could see," Kyle Busch said. "I could tell we were going to wreck, so I tried to check up a little bit and then it was just on from behind me, but nothing else you could do from there I guess."

Then in overtime Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski got together in a crash racing through Turn 1 to bring out the caution to effectively end the race.

*What Else Happened:* The race was marred by a series of accidents and never really settled into any long green flag runs. After the checkered flag flew there were only a handful of cars that did not have some kind of damage from the rough night of racing. There were also several drivers that had to deal with trash and debris on the track including Keselowski, who had what looked like a large plastic bag on the grille for several laps that increased his engine's water temperature.

*Quote of the Night:* "It looked like a landfill on the front straightaway. My dad was in the garbage company. I know all about it. It looked just like it," Joey Logano said about the debris. "It was tough. You know, when you're the leader you're the first one to pick it, and there's no way to get it off unless you give up the lead. "

*Notables:* It was JGR's eighth Unlimited win tying the team for the most with Richard Childress Racing...Hamlin scored his sixth career Daytona win with five coming during Speedweeks...Larson has two top-five finishes in a pair of career Unlimited starts.
















Qualifying to set the front row of the Daytona 500 is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16/02/Denny-Hamlin-Wins-Sprint-Unlimited.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Townley Trumps Byron In ARCA Opener​*
John Wes Townley stayed ahead of two separate crashes and dominated the latter third of Saturday's season-opening race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Townley led the final 31 laps of the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire to notch his second-career win at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

The Georgia native passed Will Kimmel on lap 50 of the 80-lap event and was never challenged the rest of the way, holding off teenagers William Byron and Kyle Weatherman en route to his second-career ARCA victory in his 47th series start.

"We had it planned out from the beginning," said Townley, who also won the Daytona ARCA event in 2013, "but very rarely at these racetracks does it ever work out like you planned. Thankfully tonight, it did."

Polesitter Cole Custer jumped out to the top spot and led a combined 42 of the race's first 44 laps, but the real highlight of the early stages was lap two, when chaos broke loose in the tri-oval.

A tag to the rear bumper of Cole Powell's No. 78 Chevrolet from the No. 83 of Derrick Lancaster coming across the start-finish line shot Powell down the track and into his Mason Mitchell Motorsports teammate Gus Dean.

From there, the MMM duo careened off the grass and back into traffic - seeing multiple cars destroyed in the aftermath as a quarter of the field was collected between the exit of the tri-oval and the entrance to turn one.

Nine cars in total were involved aside from Lancaster - eight-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart; rookie Kevin Thomas Jr.; Terry Jones; Win-Tron Racing teammates Shane Lee and Austin Wayne Self; Jairo Avila; Mark Thompson; Powell and Dean - as a 10 minute red flag period ensued to clean up the chaos and reset the players.

Underneath that red flag, those involved were checked and released from the infield care center - and Gerhart expressed his displeasure for the early incident.

"I've not been a real big fan of the format and I think right there shows it," said the veteran, who ended up crashed out of the event for the second-consecutive year. "[With] the [group qualifying] format the way it is, you're really not in control of where you're going to start. Other people can dictate that by just a misalignment of the draft in a random situation &#8230; and it can put you in a bad spot."

"It's very unfortunate, but what it does is put cars in a position where maybe there could be a little bit of contact, when in other words, if it was a single-car deal it wouldn't be that way. Today I was just in the wrong place at the right time."

19-year-old Self quickly exited his destroyed car and sprinted across the track to the infield following the crash, another driver disgusted with his early exit. While he didn't elaborate on the crash itself upon returning to the garage area, he did offer an explanation for his hasty retreat.

"That was a big mess and I just wanted to get away from it," Self admitted. "I know that [the safety crews] were doing their job; I'm just ready to get out of here and focus on next week."

Following cleanup, the field resumed under the green flag and continued to be paced by Custer through the second caution of the day, which came out on lap 18 for a four-car crash in turn two.

The field was attempting to put Mark Thompson a fourth lap down when Thompson got loose on the bottom of turn two and washed up into Lancaster.

That caused a compression of real estate, which squeezed Thompson and Lancaster into championship contender Matt Kurzejewski off the exit of the corner, taking all three cars out of the race and passing some front end damage onto the Empire Racing Ford of Dylan Lupton as well as he slowed to avoid the melee.

That caution lasted for eight laps and allowed for a number of cars to hit pit road for their mandatory pit stops and a full tank of fuel before racing resumed on lap 27.

Once it did, Custer and Townley put on a show - with Townley running door-to-door with Custer and leading laps 27 and 32, before Custer asserted command and moved to the top spot alone a lap prior to halfway.

The third yellow of the day would fly four laps past the halfway point, as Tom Hessert's debut with Venturini Motorsports went sour when he blew a right rear tire halfway down the backstretch and spun entering turn three.

Hessert would lose a lap under caution but have further problems upon returning to the track - an apparent brake line issue ending his shot at the win.

With the slowdown, Custer and others would take advantage to make their final pit stops - handing the lead to Will Kimmel for a restart with 32 laps remaining.

The younger Kimmel would jet out ahead of the field for a lap after the restart around the 2.5-mile high banks, before Townley stormed up the outside of the track with outside-polesitter Byron.

The 2013 Daytona winner assumed the point at lap 50 and watching out his rear-view mirror as a 12-car lead draft began to shape up for the win at Daytona.

While it appeared several times that the outside lane would form up as the leaders worked traffic in the closing stages, a true challenge never made it to the top three.

Townley, Byron and Kyle Weatherman - who rebounded from having to take a provisional after a blown motor on Friday afternoon kept him out of qualifying - kept the challengers at bay and deftly maneuvered slower traffic, finally clearing the field for good with five laps to go and racing single file to the finish.

Townley admitted that he was a little nervous about a challenge from behind after taking the lead with so long to go in the event, but a cool head under pressure carried him on to victory lane.

"I was a little worried to begin with &#8230; when I pulled down [to the bottom] there that they (Byron and others) were going to search for [a way by], but it ended up working out," the Watkinsville, Ga. driver said. "Once I got out [front] there, they couldn't quite get to me, which was kind of familiar to me because before when I was behind some other guys, I kind of had the same problem. We just kind of played that to our advantage for the rest of the night and here we are celebrating in Daytona again!"

Byron finished second in his Daytona debut with Venturini Motorsports in the No. 55 Liberty University Toyota, and Weatherman - who said following the race that he "expects to run the full ARCA schedule" with Lira Motorsports - rounded out the podium in third driving a Ford.

A third rookie, Indiana's Chase Briscoe, finished fourth in a Cunningham Motorsports Dodge to give four different manufacturers representation in the top four positions at the checkered flag.

Rounding out the top five was 10-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel, who got a massive push from Briscoe's teammate Kevin Thomas Jr. on the last lap and blasted up the outside lane to kick off his "Encore Tour" in fine fashion.

"The guys fought really hard and, of course, [there were] a lot of crashes today that put a lot of people out," Kimmel said with a big smile after climbing from his car. "We had great pit strategy today. [Crew chief] Kelly [Bires] did a super job. We stayed out on these General tires and they ran perfect the whole race, we never put a tire on it."

"This is a pretty special day for us. We're championship contenders and that's what you gotta do to start out [a championship run] - a top-five. &#8230; Thanks to the 22 [KTJ] for the push on the last lap and to John and Ashley Stange for believing in me and letting me do this. What a great day."

Bo Lemastus, Thomas, Willie Mullins, Gray Gaulding and Custer - who fell back on the outside lane with 10 laps to go and nearly lost the draft - were the balance of the top 10.

The ARCA Racing Series takes nearly two months off before moving to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville for race two of the season, the Nashville ARCA 200, on April 9.

*Source:*
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/stock-cars/arca-stock-cars/townley-trumps-byron-at-daytona/


----------



## Ckg2011

*Elliott Wins Daytona 500 Pole​*
Rookie Chase Elliott became the youngest driver in history to win the pole for the Daytona 500 Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott, who replaced the retired Jeff Gordon in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 entry this year, turned a lap of 196.314 mph to earn the top spot got next Sunday's 58th running of "The Great American Race."

Elliott put his name in the record book as the youngest driver to win a pole for the Daytona 500 at 20 years, two months and 17 days. He is the sixth rookie 500 pole sitter and the ninth driver to score his first Sprint Cup Series pole qualifying for the race.

Last year, Gordon put the 24 car on the pole and Elliott was able to make it two straight years with his run on Sunday.

"This is a very, very cool day," Elliott said. "I don't know that this opportunity has sunk in yet, much less sitting on the pole for the Daytona 500. I think the big thing is just the team and the Daytona 500 qualifying is about the team guys and the effort they put into these cars and it's nothing special I did, it's really what kind of work they did this off-season to make it happen."

Matt Kenseth will start outside the front row after his lap of 196.036 mph.

"Never qualified in front row here before, so that certainly takes off some pressure for later in the week," Kenseth said.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five in qualifying.

Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards and Sprint Unlimited winner Denny Hamlin completed the first ten qualifiers.

Kurt Busch and defending Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano were the final two drivers of the dozen of the 44 that attempted qualifying that advanced to the day's second round.

Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto, with the Wood Brothers and BK Racing teams without the new Sprint Cup Charter and who had to earn a berth in the Daytona 500, secured starting spots on Sunday.

"It is nice to be locked into the race," said Blaney. "The biggest relief for us is to know you are locked in and are good to be able to race in the 500. That kind of lets us go race on Thursday a little bit more than we would have instead of playing it conservative if we weren't locked in. It is nice to have such a fast car and be locked into the race. It is a load off our shoulders for sure."

Thursday's Can-Am Duel qualifying races will determine the other two open spots in the 500 as well as set the line-up behind the front row of Elliott and Kenseth.

Martin Truex Jr. did not make a qualifying lap after NASCAR officials pulled his car from the qualifying line for a roof flap issue. NASCAR impounded the Furniture Row Racing Toyota and Truex Jr. will start his Can-Am Duel from the rear of the field.

_Motor Racing Network will have live coverage of Thursday's Can-Am Duel twin qualifying races, with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App starting at 6 p.m. (ET)._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...6/02/Chase-Elliott-Wins-Daytona-500-Pole.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Roof Flap Issue For Truex In Qualifying​*
Martin Truex Jr. was not able to post a Daytona 500 qualifying time due to a roof flap issue on his No. 78 Toyota.

Prior to making a qualifying attempt, NASCAR officials on pit road determined that a roof flap was not in compliance with prescribed specifications. The team was unable to correct the violation within the allotted five minutes per the NASCAR Rule Book and was forced to forfeit their attempt.

"They didn't like the way it was landing when it went down," said Cole Pearn, crew chief of the No. 78 Toyota. "I don't know - it was that way the whole way down pit road. I'm not sure what the problem was, it could have been easily fixed but either way they decided to put it on the five minute clock when we were down there at the end and I don't know why we had to run it back here because there was no way we were gonna get back here and get back out in time. But, whatever, we will roll on and see what they decide to do."

Truex started the weekend by posting the 10th fastest time in Saturday's opening Daytona 500 practice.

"I thought we had a really good car and good speed in it so it would've been nice to see what we could've run at least but either way we'll move on and hopefully have a good rest of Speedweeks," Pearn said.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC.../Roof-Flap-Issue-for-Truex-in-Qualifying.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Harvick And Vickers' Times Disallowed​*
Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers had their Daytona 500 qualifying times disallowed following post-qualifying inspection.

NASCAR officials determined that the track bar on the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 and 14 Chevrolets was not in compliance with prescribed specifications.

"We measured our TB in a different spot than they did and ended up with 1/4" too much take," Rodney Childers, crew chief of the No. 4, tweeted.

Harvick and Vickers, who is subbing for the injured Tony Stewart during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, originally qualified 16th and 21st, respectively, and both will now have to start at the rear of the field in Thursday's Can-Am Duel.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...kers-Daytona-Qualifying-Times-Disallowed.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Julia Landauer To Drive for BMR​*
Bill McAnally Racing today announced that Julia Landauer will join the team's lineup in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for 2016.

Landauer brings with her a diverse racing resume that includes a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship this past season in the Limited Late Model division at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia.

The 24-year-old - who is originally from New York City; but currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina - joins a BMR driver lineup that includes Chris Eggleston, Todd Gilliland, and Riley Herbst. Plans call for all four drivers to run the full schedule in the K&N Pro Series West, along with select events in the K&N Pro Series East.

"It's great to have Julia join the BMR team, as she moves up to the K&N Pro Series," said BMR President Bill McAnally. "She has experienced success in a variety of racing venues and we want to provide her the opportunity to continue that success at this level of competition. We look forward to working with her again and anticipate an exciting season ahead."

It marks a return to BMR for Landauer, who competed in a handful of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model races for the race team at All American Speedway in Roseville, California in 2009.

Landauer will be making her debut in the K&N Pro Series as she launches into her rookie season in 2016.

"I couldn't be more excited to be racing in the K&N Pro Series with Bill McAnally Racing," Landauer said. "Bill and I have worked together in the past, so I'm really looking forward to building on that relationship for a great team dynamic this year.

"After a track championship in 2015, it's time to carry that momentum into 2016," she said. "BMR is a successful, hard working group of people who produce top-notch equipment and I can't wait to get on track for the first race. A huge thank you to all of the partners who helped make this season come together."

Landauer began her racing career at the age of 13, competing in the Skip Barber Racing series in 2005. The following year she ran the full series and became the first female champion in the history of the series, scoring 12 wins.

Her racing resume also includes Formula BMW in 2007, Ford Focus Midgets in 2008, late model events with BMR in 2009, select late model races at South Boston (Virginia) Speedway in 2010/2011, and partial seasons in Legend cars from 2012 to 2014. She became the first woman to win a NASCAR track championship in the Limited Late Model division at Motor Mile Speedway in 2015.

Landauer has been busy away from the track, as well. She graduated from Stanford University in 2014, with a bachelor's degree in science, technology and society. Landauer took a short hiatus from racing in 2012 to be a cast member on the television series "Survivor." She made it to day 19 before being eliminated in the season that aired in early 2013.

Landauer is also an advocate for women in sports and in education in the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ndauer-to-Drive-for-Bill-McAnally-Racing.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*K&N East Race Preview: New Smyrna​*
A new year brings new championship contenders.

Austin Hill dominated the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway last year. This year, though, Hill has graduated to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he will be racing at Daytona International Speedway along with 2015 series champion William Byron, Dalton Sargeant and Rico Abreu.

A favorite headed into the opener at New Smyrna may be HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks driver Justin Haley. The 16-year-old finished 21st at the .480-mile oval last season in just his fourth K&N East start. The Winamac, Indiana, native found his groove throughout the season collecting six top fives and 10 top 10 finishes to finish sixth in the championship standings.

Haley also made an impression at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West finale at Arizona's Phoenix International Speedway winning the 21 Means 21 Pole Award and leading 94 of 101 laps before a flat tire took him out of the race.

"I'm super excited to start things off this year based on where we ended things last year," said Haley. "The HScott with Justin Mark's guys gave me fantastic handling cars last year and I know they will do the same this year. I can't wait to get back in the car and I hope we have luck on our side. We want to go out there win races and compete for the championship. New Smyrna is the proving ground for that."

The season opener will also feature a plethora of new talent vying for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title. HScott will have three new drivers joining Haley: Harrison Burton, Hunter Baize and Tyler Dippel. Burton, son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Burton, has already made a name for himself in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, when he became the youngest driver to start in the series at California's All American Speedway last season at 15 years, 8 days.

Three NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race winners from 2015 also return with Colin Cabre, Dillon Bassett and NASCAR Next driver Kyle Benjamin. Cabre won the K&N Pro East finale at Dover and is joined at Rev Racing by 2015 NASCAR Mexico Series champion Ruben Garcia Jr.

*FAST FACTS* 
The Race: The Jet Tools 150 opens the 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season. It is the first of 11 oval track events and 13 races overall on the schedule. This is the series' third visit to the Florida oval.

*The Procedure:* The starting field is 28 cars, including provisionals. The first 24 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials while the remaining four starting spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps covering 72 miles.

*The Track:* New Smyrna Speedway opened in 1964 and has a grandstand capacity of 8,000. The .480-mile banked oval has 600-foot straightaways, 720-foot turns with 23 degrees of banking. The track was repaved in January 2007. Additionally, it's a part of the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

*The Records:*Cameron Hayley won the inaugural pole on Feb. 16, 2014 with a lap of 18.477 seconds (93.522 mph).

*NEW SMYRNA RACE NOTES*
K&N West Standouts Head East: Four NASCAR K&N Pro Series West drivers will be making the journey east to compete in the K&N East opener. Series' veterans and Jefferson Pitts Racing teammates, Noah Gragson and Gracin Raz will be making their third and second East starts, respectively. Gragson and Raz finished second and fourth in the championship standings in the West last year as rookies. They will be joined by Bill McAnally Racing's newcomers, Todd Gilliland and Riley Herbst, who will also be making the trip. Gilliland, a third-generation driver and son of former Daytona 500 pole sitter David Gilliland, became the youngest race winner at the K&N West finale at Phoenix. Herbst will be making his K&N Pro Series start.

*Delsaux Hopes To Have Success Across The Pond:* NASCAR Euro Series driver, Ulysse Delsaux will be making his American debut on Sunday. The newly turned 18-year-old from Troyes, France, competed in the Elite 2 Division last season and scored his first podium finished at Tours Speedway.

*Theriault Returns To K&N East:* Austin Theriault is running double duty. In addition to racing at DIS in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Brad Keselowski Racing, the Fort Kent, Maine, native will be competing for Shigeaki Hattori at New Smyrna. Theriault has competed in only one K&N East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2012 and finished 19th after starting 23rd. He's also competed in nine NASCAR Camping World Trucks and three NASCAR XFINITY Series events.

*Preece To Compete For Whelen Engineering:* Newly minted NASCAR XFINITY Series driver, Ryan Preece, will be piloting the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet on Sunday. This will be his second K&N East start. He competed at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway last season and finished 15th. The 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and NASCAR Next alum will be competing full-time in the XFINITY Series this year.

*Hutchens and Calabrese Moving On Up:* The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner, Trey Hutchens III and his fellow competitor, David Calabrese are slated to compete in the K&N East opener. Hutchens competed in six K&N East races last season and his hoping to score his first NASCAR win. Calabrese will be making his series debut, he's been competing in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour for the last three years and finished 10th in the final standings last season.

*Rev Racing Ready For 2016:* Joining Cabre and Garcia will be newcomers Ali Kern and Jairo Avila. Avila, 20, made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut in 2014 and achieved four top-10 finishes in five starts with his family-run team. Kern, 22, has three K&N Pro East starts and was ARCA/CRA Super Series runner-up in 2013.

*Prelude To A Championship:* This will be the third straight season New Smyrna has hosted the opening race for the K&N Pro East, and the eventual champion has scored a top 10 in each of the last two. Ben Rhodes was fourth in 2014 and Byron finished seventh last season.

*Learning Curve:* New Smyrna will be a whole different ball game this year, with only two of the top-10 finishers from last year returning: Kyle Benjamin (fifth) and Dillon Bassett (sixth).

*HOME TRACKS:* 50th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing 
New Smyrna will be home to eight more nights of racing action, headlined by the Super Late Model and tour-type Modifieds of the track's NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Zane Smith will be back to defend his World Series title in the Super Late Model Division and a number of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competitors will run some of the Super Late Models races to gain extra experience.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...ro-Series-East-News-and-Notes-New-Smyrna.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Gilliand Gets Win In Bizarre Finish​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...0&RaceID=7492&YearID=45&StatType=Race+Results

Third-generation racer Todd Gilliland could not have scripted a better start to his own NASCAR career.

After the fifteen-year-old reached Victory Lane in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut last fall at Phoenix International Raceway, Gilliland made it 2-for-2 in the series with a win in Sunday's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener at New Smyrna Speedway in the Jet Tools 150.

Gilliland, the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran David Gilliland, ended up the winner Sunday evening after some late-race drama. Gilliland's No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota led at the start-finish line at the completion of Lap 150, the scheduled distance of the event, but racing continued for a subsequent lap due to a delay in displaying the proper flags from the flag stand.

In the ensuing circuit, Ronnie Bassett Jr. crossed the finish line first after contact with race leaders Spencer Davis and Gilliland. However, per the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rule Book, the official finish of the race reverts to the completion of Lap 150, the advertised distance of the event.

Davis was scored as the race runner-up with Bassett in third. Kyle Benjamin and Justin Haley brought home the top five followed by Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Tyler Dippel, Riley Herbst and Dominique Van Wieringen.

A native of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, Gilliland recorded the 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing earlier in the evening while the Canadian Van Wieringen qualified third, the highest mark for a female driver in the series' 30 years of competition.

The Jet Tools 150 will be telecast by NBCSN on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 11:30 p.m. ET.

_The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action on Saturday, March 12 with the inaugural Mobile 150 at Mobile (Alabama) International Speedway._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/KN-P...6/02/Gilliand-Gets-Victory-in-New-Smyrna.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Burton Joins RPM XFINITY Program​*
Richard Petty Motorsports has signed Jeb Burton to drive its No. 43 Ford full-time in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Burton, the son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, competed in the Camping World Truck Series in 2013 and 2014. Last year, he made 28 starts for BK Racing in the Sprint Cup Series.

"When you think NASCAR, you think Richard Petty," Burton said. "I'm looking forward to continuing their winning tradition and contributing to their legacy."

Veteran crew chief Drew Blickensderfer will lead Burton's team.

"Jeb is a talented young driver and I'm happy we have him in our organization," said RPM Chief Executive Officer Brian Moffitt. "He's proven he can win races and compete at a high level in the Camping World Truck Series, and we believe he can do the same in the XFINITY Series."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of the season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 XFINITY Series race from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...Petty-Motorsports-XFINITY-Series-Program.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Media Day Round-Up​*
Drivers met the media on Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway in the annual Media Day gathering to preview the 2016 season.

With the historic completion of the $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project as a backdrop, drivers from across NASCAR's top divisions shared their thoughts on the new campaign, which officially kicks off with Speedweeks 2016.

"You are only as good as your last race a lot of times," said defending Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano as he eyes back-to-back wins in "The Great American Race in Sunday's 58th running. "I have enjoyed it. I think it is really cool and I am excited to get our car out of the museum and see our car again. What won last year is not going to win this year, whether it is what you do inside the car or the setup of the car. It is because the sport is always evolving and getting better. It is great but it is last year and we have to keep looking forward."

Winning NASCAR's biggest race is prevalent on every Sprint Cup driver's mind this week in Daytona. Those like Logano who have enjoyed the taste of victory in the 500 know how special the feeling is when winning one of the sport's crown jewels.

"To be able to say it in the same sentence as a Brickyard 400 champion is what's really special," said Ryan Newman, the 2010 Daytona 500 winner. "There are some guys who work their whole career and never win a race. To have both of them is pretty special. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back. I'm just saying that you're in a group with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, Jaime McMurray&#8230; even Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn't won the Brickyard. So there are a lot of guys who have great reputations that haven't done it."

Pole winner Chase Elliott is hoping to add his name to the impressive list of Daytona 500 winners on Sunday. The rookie became the youngest driver in the race's illustrious history to win the pole and now has the chance to become the first driver to take the checkered flag from the top spot since Dale Jarrett in 2000.

"I think just the overall feel of still being here and having a chance to race in the Daytona 500," Elliott said of his whirlwind week so far since Sunday's qualifying session. "I think that still is the biggest thing. 
Having the pole has been great. I think realizing that's one lap, but there's 500 miles. I think the most important piece of that is having a good pit road selection is going to be more valuable than the starting spot.

"I've got a lot to learn before Sunday. It's definitely not going to be an easy task throughout the entire year. We recognize there are going to be challenges. This weekend I have a lot to learn before we get to Sunday to try to get an idea as to what is to come."

One driver who won't be in Sunday's race is Tony Stewart, who continues to recover from the back injury he sustained in an ATV accident a few weeks ago in California. While Brian Vickers drove Stewart's No. 14 ride in the Sprint Unlimited and will pilot it again in the 500, plans are not yet finalized for the seat beyond this weekend.

Ty Dillon's name has been mentioned as a possible replacement although he said on Tuesday nothing has been made official.

"Unfortunately, it kind of stinks that we even have to talk about this," said Dillon.

"Everybody, including myself, want to see Tony go out the right way and run every single race. t would be an honor to drive Tony's car in his last year and hopefully do good for those guys. Nothing has been announced and I haven't signed anything yet."

Joe Gibbs Racing has gotten off to a good start at Speedweeks with Denny Hamlin winning Saturday's Sprint Unlimited and overall the organization's stable of four drivers have all been strong at Daytona.

The team has a confident feel heading into the weekend but nobody is taking anything for granted.

"We've been good yes and Denny's win was a great way to start the year," said Carl Edwards. "There's a long way to go though and the Unlimited is just a much different race than the 500 so while we can certainly take things from last Saturday night and apply them to Sunday, there's just no predicting how things will eventually end up."

Of course Sunday's Daytona 500 is one of 36 races that comprise the Sprint Cup Series season and the battle to get a coveted spot in the Chase begins this weekend. While Dale Earnhardt Jr. is focused on adding another Daytona 500 trophy to his collection, he also has an eye on improving from last year's three-win season and challenging for the championship.

"Yeah, I think we can get better at the mile-and-a-half's for sure," he said. "We got a new rule package. That could go in our favor at that particular style of track. We'll just have to see. We haven't had a chance to test. Jimmie thinks our stuff was pretty good at Vegas. Excited about his comments from that.

"As a team, I mean, I think we do great on the short tracks and the plate tracks. The mile-and-a-half's are a big part of the series. We can improve there."

_Motor Racing Network - "The Voice of NASCAR" - will have live coverage of both Sprint Cup Series practice sessions from Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. (ET), with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ticles/2016/02/NASCAR-Media-Day-Round-Up.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Opinion: Surprise Chasers​*
Pete Pistone takes a look at five drivers that have an opportunity in 2016 to claim a berth in this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

*Austin Dillon*

When veteran crew chief Slugger Labbe took over the No. 3 team last year performance went on a definite upward trend. Dillon was one of the drivers not eligible for last year's championship that threated to steal the spotlight with a win during the Chase portion of the season. Dillon is a sleeper to keep an eye on this Sunday in the Daytona 500 and could very well grab a Chase spot in the first race of the season with a trip to Victory Lane.

*Ryan Blaney*

The Wood Brothers team has received more publicity and exposure in recent days than the last five seasons combined, or at least since Trevor Bayne's Daytona 500 win back in 2011. The decision to not grant the historic organization a Charter under NASCAR's new system has drawn the outrage and in turn support from many fans. But based on rookie Ryan Blaney's start to the season with a solid qualifying effort to earn a spot in the Daytona 500, the hopes for the No. 21 team are very solid indeed for a full season and the potential of Blaney making his way into the Chase.

*Kyle Larson*

Last year was a disappointment for Larson after a stellar Rookie-of-the-Year campaign in 2014. Most, including team co-owner Felix Sabates expected Larson to win a race and make the Chase but that did not happen for the No. 42 team. Larson ran better toward the end of the year and new crew chief Chad Johnston, who joined the organization after working with Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing, believes the now third year driver can fulfill the expectations of last year in the 2016 campaign.

*Aric Almirola*

One of 2014's Cinderella stories fell short last year when Almirola missed the Chase, despite a valiant effort to make it through points at the regular season finale at Richmond. The Richard Petty Motorsports team has worked diligently in the off-season to work more on its own and away from the Roush Fenway Racing alliance the team has had in recent years. Will that approach pay dividends in 2016 with a return to the NASCAR playoffs?

*Clint Bowyer*

He'll spend one year at HScott Motorsports before taking Tony Stewart's seat at SHR in 2017. Already Bowyer's presence has raised the expectation level at the organization and the increased sponsorship and resources that have come with his presence has given the team hope it can compete at a higher level and continue its climb up the Sprint Cup Series hierarchy. Bowyer has been a Chase presence before in his career and the will try to give H. Scott its greatest accomplishment by returning to the playoffs in 2016.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/02/Opinion-Surprise-Chasers.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Kyle Busch Back At Daytona​*
For Kyle Busch, things are a lot different at Daytona International Speedway this year than they were a year ago.

Last February turned out to be one of the most challenging times in Busch's life. He was involved in a violent crash while racing in the XFINITY Series season opener. The accident left Busch with serious foot and leg injuries that sidelined him for 11 Sprint Cup Series races.

While the story ended in spectacular fashion as Busch went on to win five races and the Sprint Cup title, there's a great deal the Joe Gibbs Racing driver would like to forget from February 2015.

"It was not the way we wanted to start a season, but things turned the corner well," said Busch. "I got through rehab, got back in the racecar and won some races - three in a row, at one point. To be Sprint Cup champion at the end of the season was spectacular. We'd love nothing more than to continue our championship celebration all the way through this weekend by winning the Daytona 500."

Busch has accomplished much in his career across all three of NASCAR's top national series, but winning the Sprint Cup title had always eluded him ... until last season. But just because he reached the top of the mountain last year doesn't mean Busch is done pursuing more trophies to put on his mantle.

"It's something I dreamed of as a kid, something I've always wanted to accomplish and something a lot of people expected me to do since I joined this sport," Busch said. "I'm excited to have that off my shoulders. Now, I'll go out and try to get (championship) No. 2, No. 3 - however many down the line - and keep it going."

In the short term, Busch has his sights set on another accomplishment; winning Sunday's Daytona 500. He watched the race from a hospital bed last season and is ready to have another shot at winning the sport's most prestigious race. However, it won't be easy. Busch is on a long list of talented drivers who have not yet taken home the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

"Everybody else wants to win it, too," Busch said. "I wouldn't say the same for a race like maybe Atlanta - where probably 10, 12 guys have a chance to win. But when you show up at Daytona, all 40 drivers believe they have a chance."

Busch's challenging story about battling back from adversity to win the title will be discussed for years to come. He's called the experience life-changing but one that carries with it a strong sense of pride.

"It's crazy the way that all went down," Busch said. "It's still a story we're talking about. For me and my family to go through that, and then enjoy the end of the season and what all that meant in winning a championship was awesome and very special."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...h-Back-at-Daytona-International-Speedway.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Auto-Owners Insurance To Sponsor Truex​*
Furniture Row Racing announced that Auto-Owners Insurance will be the primary sponsor of the No. 78 Toyota driven by Martin Truex Jr. for three NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2016.

The Auto-Owners blue paint scheme, which will hit the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 24), Darlington Raceway (Sept. 4) and Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 30), was unveiled in the Sprint Fan Zone at Daytona International Speedway.

The announcement was the latest of big off-season changes and news at FRR that included the switch to Toyota and Bass Pro Shops joining the team as a primary sponsor for nine races, starting with Sunday's Daytona 500.

"We've had a lot of big news this off-season," Truex said. "It's really been a change of things for Furniture Row Racing. Bringing in sponsorship and partners on the racecar for the first time in 10 years, I guess. Everybody is real proud at Furniture Row Racing to do that. Bringing new people into the sport is always exciting for us."

To go along with the primary sponsorship, Auto-Owners also becomes the official insurance sponsor of FRR and Truex.

"When you have one of the nation's leading companies join your team as a partner it's not only a great day but also a great opportunity for Furniture Row Racing," said team president Joe Garone. "As is the case with all of our partners, Auto-Owners Insurance is a winning company and we look forward to returning the confidence they placed in us with strong performances on the race track."

Check back for a full report.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ers-Insurance-to-Sponsor-Martin-Truex-Jr.aspx


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## Ckg2011

*Truck Series Youth Movement​*
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will see a huge influence of young drivers for the 2016 season.

Friday night's season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway will be the first chance for a number of talented youngsters try to make their mark on the series.

A number of those reside at Kyle Busch Motorsports, the defending series championship winning team after Erik Jones made a run to the title in 2015. While Jones has moved on to the XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing this year, his void will be filled by the likes of William Byron, Cody Coughlin, Christopher Bell and Daniel Suarez.

"I'm looking forward to Daytona and getting into my ARRIS Tundra on Thursday afternoon," said Suarez, who will make 13 starts for KBM with veteran crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion calling the shots. "It's been a long off-season and I can't wait to hit the track. The guys at KBM have worked extremely hard to build me a fast truck, so hopefully we can go out, have some fun and bring home a solid finish on Friday night to kick-off Speedweeks."

Byron is fresh off his 2015 K&N Pro Series East title and moves up to NASCAR's number three division in a full-time KBM ride this season. The talented 18-year-old will also be juggling his duties as a full-time student this year in addition to his racing responsibilities but is ready for the next step in his career.

"I think the biggest challenge will be going to a variety of different race tracks each week," he said. "But honestly, I'm so ready to run a full season and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish. Having Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and Kyle Busch to ask for advice will definitely help me throughout the year."

There's another youth movement going on at ThorSport Racing, where former series champ Matt Crafton will be surrounded by a trio of youngsters - Ben Rhodes, Cameron Hayley and Rico Abreu.

Rhodes moves over from JR Motorsports, where he competed in a limited XFINITY Series schedule last year. He's hoping the advice of former veteran teammates will help translate to success as he embarks on the Truck Series season,

"I did get advice off the track a lot from Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick - all my teammates," he said. "They really helped me off the track, but I was never able to apply it. It made it really difficult to just jump in the car after a month and half off, so now that I have every week - or once we get going in the season every week - and I have a crew chief (Kevin Bellicourt) that I'm really, really good friends with.

"Every time I go up to Sandusky (Ohio) where the team is at, we stay together. I stay at his house with his family and we're practically like best friends, so I think that's really going to lend itself to some great finishes this year."

Hayley echoes his teammate's enthusiasm for the coming year. After a 2015 that saw limited success, he believes there's a foundation in place with the team to build on for improved performance this season.

"2015 was a big learning curve for me," Hayley said. "It was my first year in a national series, and it was difficult. I had a lot of obstacles to overcome - I think I had 18 track debuts in 23 races. I was just a big sponge last year, soaking everything up. The learning curve is steep at this level, and you have to soak it all up so quickly. You're racing competitively with some of the best drivers every lap, so you don't have a lot of room for error.

"I was fortunate to have my teammate, Matt Crafton to learn from. I'll still be that sponge this year, but I at least have that baseline this year to go off of."

_Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of Friday's NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series race from Daytona International Speedway, with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App at 7 p.m. (ET). Tyler Reddick is the defending winner. The MRN broadcast from "The World Center of Racing" will be anchored by Eli Gold and Alex Hayden._

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/02/Truck-Series-Youth-Movement.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Allgaier Ready For New Opportunity​*
Justin Allgaier will begin a new chapter in his racing career when he makes his first start for JR Motorsports in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway.

Allgaier returns to the XFINITY Series after competing in the Sprint Cup Series full-time for the past two seasons with HScott Motorsports. With Clint Bowyer coming over to HScott for 2016 that opened the door for a new opportunity for Allgaier.

"When things don't go the way that you want them to and you are not really sure what the future holds you can only really hope for an opportunity like we were fortunate enough to get this year," Allgaier said. "To be a part of JR Motorsports - to have that opportunity to go compete for wins and championships. I think anytime you have that it makes you feel that much better going into the racing season. Personally I feel like I'm in the best place I have ever been as far as starting a season and being ready to go."

Since the age of five, Allgaier has been racing and went to the racetrack to be competitive. Allgaier is a three-time winner in the XFINITY Series, but over the past two seasons in Cup he was only able to record one top 10.

"The last couple years have been tough, not that we ran bad by any means," Allgaier said. "We still had some great finishes and some great weeks. But as a competitor I saw a side of myself that I didn't necessarily like. I wanted to be competitive again.

"When this came about and the opportunity came to go to JR Motorsports I think it puts me back in that position where I feel like I need to be at, personally and competitively. Hopefully, we can go out there and be competitive on a weekly basis and go for wins and a championship."

Allgaier will team with Elliott Sadler, who also joins JRM this season after spending 2015 at Roush Fenway Racing. JR Motorsports will also field the No. 5 for Kasey Kahne and the No. 88 for Chase Elliott at Daytona.

"I think both of us are pumped up," Allgaier said of Sadler. "We both know that we have great equipment. We both get along with our crews and crew chiefs really well. We have already describing some of the same things that we like and feel in a racecar. I definitely got a great teammate in Elliott Sadler but also a great teammate in all the other guys that are going to be running the other cars."

Along with having the chance to race against Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Cup Series, Allgaier has also gotten to know JRM co-owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller over the years.

"I have been fortunate enough that Kelley's girl Karsyn and I raced mini-Outlaw karts together at Millbridge Speedway a couple years ago," Allgaier said. "We got to know their family really well. Kelley and L.W. (Miller) have been great to be around. We actually spent part of the Super Bowl with them at their house."

Allgaier's return to the XFINITY Series comes in a season of change that will feature a new championship format and "Dash 4 Cash," which will have heat and feature races for four events in 2016.

"I have been dirt racing this week and we had heat races every night," Allgaier said. "It's definitely going to be interesting. I think from all of our aspects it will be a lot of fun, but we are going to have to manage it the best that we can and I think that's the best question right now."

_Motor Racing Network will air live coverage of the season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 XFINITY Series race from Daytona International Speedway, with live streaming at MRN.com and on the MRN App starting at 3 p.m. (ET). _

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ustin-Allgaier-Ready-for-New-Opportunity.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Chain Reaction Crash In Practice​*
A chain reaction crash in the fourth practice session for the Daytona 500 on Wednesday resulted in damage to five racecars.

A number of drivers led by Reed Sorenson tried to check up because of oil on the track from the No. 95 Chevrolet of Ty Dillon. As the pack attempted to slow and maneuver away from the oil, Michael Waltrip's Toyota got into the back of Ryan Newman's Chevrolet and then David Gilliland's Ford made contact with Waltrip in Turn 2 to trigger a five-car accident.

"Ryan let off the gas and I let off and whoever was driving '35' (Gilliland) must have not seen it and Ryan let off and I bumped him and then they bumped me and he got bump - it was just chain reaction," Waltrip said. "You're going so fast and it happens so quickly that I didn't have a chance not to bump into Ryan and I'm glad he didn't hit anything and unfortunately I did. I had it cranked to the left trying to keep it off the outside wall, but that didn't happen and we've got some damage, but hopefully the boys can get it turned up. I think that we're going to have some fun in the Daytona 500."

A cracked oil cooler was the culprit of the incident.

"I hate that it tore-up racecars," Dillon said. "I couldn't do anything to make it any different. We were just getting the pack going. It was unfortunate for everybody involved. I hate it for our guys that our race car is torn up. It's just as simple as a cracked weld on an oil cooler. Hey, we didn't catch it early enough. It's unfortunate but we'll be fine. We have time to get everything fixed and I just hope the other guys do, too."

Along with Newman and Waltrip, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher and David Gilliland all had damage to their cars. Larson and Waltrip each will go to a back-up car while the rest will look to make repairs.

"I could see the '95' smoking up front and we all kind of moved up the track with him trying to slow down," Larson said. "I know I felt like I got into oil before we started running into everybody. I think once we all got stuck in the oil it was like a chain reaction and none of us could get slowed down or turn. It stinks that it happened in practice, but they say our back-up car is just as strong as that one."

Gilliland is one of the drivers that will need to race his way into the Daytona 500 in Thursday night's Can-Am Duel.

"I think the guys will be able to fix it," Gilliland said. "I'd say it puts a little more pressure on us but I don't think there can be any more pressure trying to qualify into the Daytona 500 as an open car."

Trevor Bayne and Greg Biffle, who were second and third, respectively, in the day's opening session, each had the rear gear changed in their cars and both will start at the rear of the field in the first Duel.

Michael McDowell, another driver that needs to race his way into the 500, led today's opening practice session while Brian Scott topped the second.

"It was a good practice," McDowell said. "There wasn't a big group out there, about 10-15 cars but here at Daytona it's all about timing the run and having the right cars with you (in the draft). The car's got speed. Hopefully we can get into the show."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...sults-in-Chain-Reaction-Crash-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Cam-Am Duel Twin 150 Qualifying Races​*
*Can-Am Duel Race 1 Lineup:*








*Can-Am Duel Race 2 Lineup:*








*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...atistics/2016/02/MRN-Can-Am-Duel-Twitter.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch Duel Winners​*
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in Thursday night's Can-Am Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. scored a win in the first 150-mile qualifying race that helps set the lineup for the Daytona 500 for the second straight year. It was his 17th career Daytona win.

"I was so nervous all week to get this through the qualifier," said Earnhardt Jr. "I want to win the race, but man, we don't have as good a car as this in the trailer. It's a good car, but this is a special, special racecar. We are going to give it all we've got on Sunday."

Earnhardt became emotional when reflecting on his win coming on the 15th anniversary of his father Dale Sr.'s death in the 2001 Daytona 500.

"I told you how much I like people remembering dad and talk about dad," he said. "It warms my heart to see stuff on social media on day like this. Even the [Atlanta] Braves [tweeting] and stuff.

"It's real special. I was thinking about that. I try not to make it too big a deal."

Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick and Sprint Unlimited winner Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Daytona 500 pole sitter Chase Elliott, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Chris Buescher and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. completed the first 10 finishers.

Blaney, who was the top qualifying non-charter car this past Sunday, raced his way in with a third-place finish after battling back from a loose left-rear wheel.

"We knew we were locked in before," Blaney said. "Kind of nice to know we raced our way in. We had a really fast racecar. We had a couple problems early in the race which got us a lap down. Luckily we got a caution at the right point that got us on the lead lap so we could go racing for it."

With Blaney finishing third, Michael McDowell came home 14th and was able to lock himself into the 58th running of "The Great American Race" based on his qualifying time.

"You all know what it means to be in the 500," McDowell said. "I've been on the other side, too, where I've been loading up, too, and going home on a Thursday night. I definitely appreciate it when we make the races.

"It's definitely a big thing for our team, Circle Sport and Leavine Family Racing, we're going to have two cars in the Daytona 500, especially for a small team. To really start out the year well, it's very important. This is such a huge race."

The race was slowed by one caution when Cole Whitt, who was battling with McDowell for what at the time would have been the final 500 transfer spot, spun through Turns 1 and 2.

Brian Scott received slight damage in that incident but his race ended with a crash into the side wall off Turn 4 when he spun as the field raced to the checkered flag.

The second race was relatively quiet until the end. Busch had the lead as the field took the white flag with Jamie McMurray challenging for the top spot.

But McMurray made contact with Jimmie Johnson to trigger a multi-car crash that before it ended swept up Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick and AJ Allmendinger.

"It's frustrating, but it's restrictor plate racing," said Truex Jr. "So, we'll work hard on getting our backup car ready."

Busch celebrated in Victory Lane for the first time since winning last year's Sprint Cup championship.

"Feels so good to be able to get a win early," said Busch. "We have a fast car and everyone was just trying to get all the could at the end. But we were ahead and glad to be able to make it to Victory Lane."

Robert Richardson raced his way into the Daytona 500 grabbing the final available spot for open teams.

"It's just unbelievable," said Richardson, one of now four BK Racing drivers in the race. "We put this deal together at such a late time and to be in the biggest race of the year is just unreal."






*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/02/Can-Am-Duel-at-Daytona.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*McDowell, Richardson Make The '500'​*
Michael McDowell and Robert Richardson Jr. grabbed spots in the Daytona 500 in Thursday's Can-Am Duel qualifying races.

McDowell earned a spot with his finish in the night's opening 150-mile race to cap what has been a tumultuous few weeks.

McDowell didn't know what lied ahead in 2016 until his Leavine Family Racing team merged with Circle Sport Racing and was able to put together a program allowing the team to run at least the majority of the season.

"Yeah, there was a lot going on in the off -eason," McDowell said after securing a berth in the 500 with his finish in Thursday night's first Can-Am Duel qualifying race. "Obviously there was a lot of unknowns with the charter, what was going to happen with that. There was a time where we felt like we were going to be in a tough spot, you know, that we weren't sure if we were going to be able to compete this year at all, whether an open car or charter car.

"Luckily we were able to put together the partnership with RCR, that alliance. Switching over to Chevy helped strengthen our position there. With Thrivent Financial and KLOVE and all our partners coming onboard, all our sponsors coming onboard, really partnering with Joe Falk at Circle Sport, allowed us to say&#8230;"

Now that he knows he'll be in "The Great American Race," McDowell can have a less stressful remainder of Speedweeks.

"I don't know how many starts I've done, but I've had to make every single one but 10 of them in my career over 200 starts," he explained.

"To not have to do that on Friday is going to be really nice. I'm looking forward to that."

Richardson doesn't have a ride for the season and his Daytona entry with BK Racing came together in recent days.

Making the season's biggest race is the ultimate Cinderella story for the Texas driver.

"Two weeks ago I was at home working on my ranch, got a phone call from Lane Segerstrom from StalkIt, saying he was trying to put a deal together trying to run the Daytona 500," said Richardson. "This was two weeks ago. A lot of guys start preparing for this race as soon as the season ends from last year.

"I'm very, very honored to be a part of BK Racing, having another opportunity to run here at the Daytona 500. I've been in it once before, but this one is very, very special to me. My wife and I welcomed our brand new baby boy who was born in early December. Every bit of earnings we get from this race is going to go into a college fund for him."

Like McDowell, Richardson's performance Thursday relieved a tremendous amount of stress for the rest of the week.

"The stress that I've been putting just on myself in general to make this race," he said. "I've been pacing the floor ever since I woke up this morning just eager to get this race underway, just eager to see how the outcome would happen.

"I'm still in awe that this happened."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...obert-Richardson-Jr-Make-The-Daytona-500.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Multi-Car Accident Ends Duel​*
A multi-car accident ended Thursday's second Can-Am Duel and impacted several drivers' plans for the Daytona 500.

Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, AJ Allmendinger and Danica Patrick were all involved in the melee at the end of the race that saw Kyle Busch go to Victory Lane.

McMurray and Johnson made contact racing for position as the field entered the first turn and triggered a chain reaction crash that caused severe damage to several cars forcing teams to prepare back-ups for the 500.

"Yeah I was trying to block the '48' (Johnson)," McMurray explained. "I had stalled out right when I got to the 18 car (Kyle Busch), and I didn't think the '48' had much of a run either. It felt like our momentum was about the same. I saw the replay and I still don't know if he was up to my rear bumper or if it was the air that made his car turn. I'm just not sure."

Johnson chalked up the incident to restrictor plate racing but was disappointed to lose his primary mount.

"Yeah I'm sad to lose that car," he said. "It was really, really good. The '1' had a run on the '18' and it didn't pan out getting underneath him. That allowed me to come to the outside. Then Jamie came up to defend that and unfortunately I was outside of him. I could see where it was taking us; we were going to hook bumpers and crash. I tried to get out of the hole, but it didn't work and I kind of skipped off the wall and turned around in front of everyone.

"It was an aggressive move. Sometimes it works and sometimes they don't. I'm just bummed out we lost a race car."

Kenseth, who had earned the outside front row starting spot for the 500, is one of those drivers that will have to drop to the rear of Sunday's field in a back-up.

"Obviously, we've got to start over now and there's no better time to do that than this race even though it's so late at night, so you do need to learn things for yourself, you need to learn things for your setup, you've got to try to work through that stuff, but, yeah, hindsight's 20/20," Kenseth said when asked about whether he should have employed a strategy of staying in the back of the field to avoid damaging his primary car. "Of course, we should have bailed out with two to go."

Truex Jr. who started at the rear of his Duel because he did not take a qualifying lap due to a roof flap issue on Sunday, will also have to race a back-up in the 500.

"It's frustrating, but it's restrictor plate racing, so we'll work hard on getting our backup car ready and getting it ready for Sunday and hopefully be able to get up through the field and get somewhere towards the front in a safe spot," he said. "Just can't catch any luck so far these Speedweeks."











*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...les/2016/02/Multi-Car-Accident-Ends-Duel.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Whitt Spins While Racing For Position​*





*Recap: Duels Shake Up Daytona 500 Lineup​*





*Episode 2: Chase Elliott Leads The Field And Fantasy Picks​*


----------



## Ckg2011

*NASCAR Updates Behavioral Policies​*
NASCAR announced numerous changes to behavioral rules across all three of its top divisions.

The updates aligns rules applying to driver behavior with the P1 to P6 scale used in determining and applying infractions on the technical rule side.

The new policy puts the behavioral policy more in line with the penalty system for its technical infractions, which currently designated P1 through P6, which P6 being the most serious.

No such designation will be used in the personal conduct policy but the series' rulebooks have been updated with a list of consequences for a series of different infractions.

"This is not an effort to change the way the drivers race today," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR's senior vice president of racing operations. "This is to provide the best level of transparency and clarity as we can to all those involved.

"NASCAR is an aggressive sport. We understand the drivers are going to be aggressive in racing for position. That is not going to change. That's a very significant point but we also understand there will be a point and time when a competitor will cross the line and they should have a better understanding what exactly may transpire if they do cross the line."

*12.8.1 MEMBER CONDUCT GUIDELINES* 
Member action(s) that could result in a mild response such as a meeting, warning, probation:

Heat-of-the-moment actions or reactions, either on or off the race track;

Member-to-Member confrontation(s) without physical violence (e.g. shoving match, shouting match, or general "venting").

Member actions that could result in a $10,000-$50,000 fine and/or probation: 
Disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR's leadership;

Verbal abuse of a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.;

Intentionally damaging another vehicle under yellow or red flag conditions or on pit road with no one around.

Member actions that could result in a loss of 25-50 Championship driver and Team Owner points and/or $50,000-$100,000 fine and/or one Race suspension, indefinite suspension, or termination:

Physical confrontation with a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.; 
Member-to-Member confrontation(s) with physical violence and other violent manifestations such as significant threat(s) and/or abuse and/or endangerment.

Attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship; 
Intentionally wrecking another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result.

Member actions that could result in a loss of 50-100 Championship driver and Team Owner points and/or $150,000-$200,000 fine and/or two Race suspension, indefinite suspension, or termination:

Targeting another driver who is in a highly vulnerable position, such as already stopped with window net lowered; or whose vehicle has already had one or more of its safety systems affected by crash damage, such as an exposed fuel cell, damaged roll cage, and so on.

Premeditatedly removing another Competitor from championship contention in a dangerous manner when not racing for position based on the available evidence and specific circumstances of the incident.

Without limiting the scope, examples could include a Competitor "waiting" for another Competitor and then taking action; taking a trajectory with the vehicle not normally taken such as from pit exit directly up into a vehicle in the racing groove; clearly forcing another Competitor into the wall in an abrupt and unambiguous manner; and so on.

Member actions that could result in a fine and/or indefinite suspension or termination:

Public statement and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person's race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.

Being charged with or convicted of significant criminal violations (e.g. Domestic Violence, Trafficking, Assault), or having had determinations rendered by criminal or civil authorities that in NASCAR's judgement necessitate action.

NASCAR will not pre-judge guilt or innocence in the criminal or civil legal system, or the guilt or innocence of the Member, but rather review each matter in its own context and circumstances and with regards to its potential effects upon the sport.

Factors that NASCAR may consider when reviewing a matter might include:

When and where the incident(s) occurred; 
The perceivable or potential ramifications to others and/or to the sport; 
Available empirical data; 
Member's past history; 
Possible effects to fans, safety workers, crew members; 
Any extenuating circumstances; 
Was the explanation(s) plausible given the circumstances; Was there an indication of genuine remorse or attempts to work things out with the other party(s) in a civil manner; and so on.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...16/02/NASCAR-Updates-Behavioral-Policies.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Daytona Dream For BK Racing​*
The upstart BK Racing team has four drivers in Sunday's running of the Daytona 500.

Matt DiBenedetto, David Ragan, Robert Richardson and Michael Waltrip all qualified for "The Great American Race," albeit in a variety of ways.

Waltrip and Ragan made the field through the new Sprint Cup charter system that NASCAR announced two weeks ago. Team owner Ron Devine, by virtue of running two full-time entries in the last few years, was granted two of the 36 charters as part of the new ownership business model.

"It meant the enterprise value is being built in these teams," Devine said of the system. "It's long overdue. I'll tell you Brian France has done a great job of putting this whole thing together. They supported it and they made it happen and it's the missing piece in this garage was that whole enterprise value."

But the road to the '500' was much more adventurous for the other duo in the team's Daytona stable that did not have guaranteed spots in the field.

DiBenedetto needed to race his way into the line-up either through a qualifying speed or in Thursday night's Can-Am Duel. He accomplished the goal through the former, posting a lap fast enough in last weekend's qualifying session to claim a berth in Sunday's race.

"Man, I can sleep well this week finally," he said last Sunday after locking up his first career Daytona 500 start. "I've done a lot of things in my career, (but) I was more nervous for that than probably my first Sprint Cup race last year.

"This is just a testament to my team. They stayed here until 9:30 last night. The latest they could stay here, we've been here. I'm really thankful to those guys, thankful just to be here this season and most importantly, thankful to be racing in my first Daytona 500. This was a team effort; I'm just glad to get them in the Daytona 500. This is more about them, not me."

Richardson took an even more dramatic route into the race. The Texas native, who did not have anything lined up for the season, was able to put together a last minute deal together to secure a ride with BK for the 500.

He was one of the longshots to race his way in through the Can-Am Duel races but was able to turn the trick with an 18th-place finish in the second 150-mile race.

"That's better than winning the lottery right there," said Richardson, who will start 40th in Sunday's race. ''This is my only opportunity to race this year. This is my opportunity to get my racing fix in for the season.''

The turn of events gives owner Devine a tenth of the field for the 58th running of the race, joining other more traditionally though of "powerhouse" owners like Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs, who also both have four cars in the race.

''I was skeptical about it,'' said Devine about entering a quartet of cars in the 500. ''We were a pretty good three-car team. To have four cars was a bit much I sat on my balcony on the beach at 2:30 in the morning trying to keep up with texts. I was just in disbelief that it was going on.

"You can't do it without great partners. Toyota is such a good partner. They've been a big, big part of is getting those two other cars in this race."

However, Devine is understandably beyond proud of what his relatively small race team has accomplished.

"It's the one thing people don't realize, just how hard it is," he said. "It's not something you can buy. It's something that you have to build. It takes time to do it. You have to build the infrastructure of the team and you have to get all your pieces and relationships put together. Look at the time differences between us all. It's just fractions. It's the hardest thing I have ever done I'll be honest with you. That's why it's so rewarding. That's why you see that big smile."

Asked if he expected to get his entire fleet into the biggest race of the season, Devine gave an honest answer.

"Let's just say on Friday morning I called the shop to get them to send down the fourth pit cart."

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...cles/2016/02/Daytona-Dream-for-BK-Racing.aspx


----------



## Ckg2011

*Sauter Wins Wild Truck Race​*
*Race Results:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...3&RaceID=7262&YearID=45&StatType=Race+Results

Johnny Sauter survived a wild night to win Friday's NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

In a race that was stopped for nearly 28 minutes for a red flag in the aftermath of an 18-truck crash and ended with another multi-truck accident that saw Christopher Bell's truck barrel roll, Sauter was ahead of the field when NASCAR displayed the final of seven cautions to end the race.

"Couldn't be prouder of everybody and all their effort," Sauter said. "I'm just a small part of what happened tonight. But tonight was unbelievable. That last restart was very hairy to say the least."

Sauter scored his second career Daytona win in his very first start for GMS Racing. He led five times for 12 laps on his way to Victory Lane.

"When you've got ECR power under the hood you can make things happen," Sauter said. "When the 81 (Ryan Truex) took the bottom there that was exactly what we were wanting. I needed the top groove to keep momentum and keep it rolling and I got a heck of a push from the 4 (Bell).

"This is extra special for me. This is my first win without my dad being around. I miss him a lot. My last win was at his favorite track, Michigan. He won here in the ARCA Series back in 1978."

The win also qualified Sauter for the Truck Series Chase, the new championship format that debuts this season.

"The goal is to win every week," Sauter said. "This probably makes things feel a little bit more comfortable, I guess, knowing that if there is an opportunity to maybe try some technology that you normally wouldn't do if you hadn't won a race, but I'm going to drive as hard as I can week in and week out. I want to win 10 races this year."

Ryan Truex came home second in his first race driving for Shigeaki Hattori.

"Three weeks ago I didn't have a ride at all for this year and now it's looking more and more like a full-time truck ride." Truex said. "We are second in points right now. One hundred more feet that way and I would of had it."

Parker Kligerman, Brandon Brown and Travis Kvapil rounded out the top five.

Brown's run was a career-best for his small race team.

"This is amazing," said an emotional Brown. "I can't explain the feeling that's going on right now. This team put in so much hard work. They put their hearts and souls into this truck and they gave me an awesome machine. I'm so excited. This is the best that we have ever done and it's a small team coming to a huge track."

Tyler Young, Ben Rhodes, Daniel Hemric, Scott Lagasse Jr. and Matt Crafton completed the first 10 finishers.

The race was stopped for a red flag after a lap 94 accident that involved 18 trucks that swept up Austin Theriault, who led a race-high 31 laps, Cameron Hayley, Daniel Suarez, Rico Abreu, John Wes Townley, Grant Enfinger, Cole Custer and others.

"It was hard racing," Hayley said. "I guess we just caught bumpers the wrong way. (Timothy) Peters got into the back of me. It's just tight racing. It's so hard there at the end, everyone's bumping into each other and trying to hold a pretty wheel. I guess that's Daytona, but it sucks for my guys because they worked so hard."

Nobody was injured in the melee that took 27 minutes, 54 seconds for officials to clean-up and clear the track.

The final dash to the checkered flag ended with a scary last lap six-truck accident when Christopher Bell got clipped, which sent his truck around before flipping multiple times down the frontstretch into the first turn. Bell, who was able to climb out of his truck, was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. (Update: Bell Released from Hospital)

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.

*Source:*
http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...ny-Sauter-Takes-Season-Opener-at-Daytona.aspx


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## Kevin001

Dale Earnhardt Jr is retiring damn, what a driver.


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