Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and Notes - Richmond
Kyle Busch Seeks “Series Circuit” At Richmond
Hamlin A Definite Favorite At His Favorite Track
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Seeks To End 71-Race Win Drought
Richmond A Fixture In 60 Years of NASCAR Racing
There He Goes: Kyle Busch On A Victory Roll
Soon-to-be 23-year-old Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota) — his birthday is Friday — approaches Saturday night’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway seeking the capstone to a personal puzzle.
Fresh off last Sunday’s victory at 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, Busch needs only a short-track win to complete a “series circuit ” — a victory at each size track on NASCAR’s national series schedules.
Busch leads all active drivers with seven wins spread across the three national series — the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (three), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (three) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (one). With NASCAR Sprint Cup his primary focus, he’s also competing on an as-can basis in the other national series.
Last week’s victory took place on a restrictor-plate track. Busch won two weeks ago on a road course (the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Mexico City). He’s also won at a 1.5-mile track (Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway), a 2-mile track (Auto Club Speedway) and a one-mile track (Phoenix International Raceway) so far this year.
Hamlin Hoping For A Hometown Win At Richmond
Kyle Busch and two-time series champion Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) may have grabbed bigger headlines last week at Talladega, but their Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) could usurp them at Richmond.
The .75-mile oval is Hamlin’s home track — he hails from nearby Chesterfield, Va. — and a victory there would punctuate a successful early season.
Currently fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Hamlin trails leader Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) by 99 points and the second-place Busch by 77 points. He’s 20 points behind third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet), plus riding momentum from last Sunday’s third-place finish at Talladega.
Already a 2008 Virginia winner, Hamlin won last month at Martinsville Speedway.
But, like Stewart, an Indiana native whose Holy Grail was winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (he’s done it twice in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series), Hamlin yearns for a Richmond victory. He was runner-up in the May 2006 event there, and is second in pre-race Driver Rating for Richmond (111.3).
“When I do have a good run at Richmond it means just a little bit more there than it does anywhere else,” Hamlin said.
In The Loop: Richmond Stats Spotlight Johnson, Harvick
Attention will be divvied among a number of storylines this weekend at Richmond.
There’s the Denny-Hamlin-returning-home angle. There’s the Dale Earnhardt Jr. returning to the scene of his last victory, two years ago this weekend. There’s the Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) Richmond sweep in 2007. And, of course, there’s the special year Kyle Busch is having.
One driver under the radar, though, is Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet). Harvick, who very quietly is in sixth-place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, is phenomenal at Richmond – and may be the one favorite who few are talking about.
Harvick certainly has the stats to warrant a discussion. He won the fall Richmond race in 2006, and has finished in the top 10 in each of the past six Richmond races.
His numbers during that run are tops in the series. He leads in the following categories:
Driver Rating: 121.2
Average Running Position: 5.6
Fastest Laps Run: 259
Average Green Flag Speed: 118.997 mph
Laps in the Top 15: 2,267 (94.5%)
Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green): 166
But if not Harvick, look for Hamlin to make a run at winning his hometown race.
Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, has come close a few times at Richmond. He finished second in the spring of 2006, and third in last year’s spring race. Hamlin trails only Harvick in Driver Rating (111.3) and Average Running Position (6.0).
Two other numbers are particularly strong. Hamlin has run 98.1% of the Richmond Laps in the Top 15. He also has 58 Fastest Laps Run, which is tied for 10th most since the inception of Loop Data in 2005 – he’s run only four races compared to six for most other drivers during that span.
One other driver to watch is Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who sorely needs a strong finish. Busch, currently 20th in the series standings, won at Richmond in the fall of 2005 and finished in the top 10 in each of the 2007 races. He has a Richmond Driver Rating of 100.8 (fifth-best) and an Average Running Position of 13.3 (eighth).
Two Years Ago: Earnhardt Jr. Hopes Victory Drought Will End At Richmond
Two years between victories, Dale Earnhardt Jr. arrives at Saturday’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway four days shy of the exact anniversary:
May 7, 2006.
That’s when Earnhardt last hoisted a NASCAR Sprint Cup race trophy — a 71-event drought.
But the breakthrough could occur this week.
In third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Earnhardt trails leader Jeff Burton by 79 points. He’s 57 points behind second-place Kyle Busch. Earnhardt also has a series-high seven top-10 finishes in nine events thus far.
And he and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with three series wins each at Richmond.
Aside from those three wins, Earnhardt has seven top fives, nine top 10s and one DNF (did not finish) in 17 career starts there, with an average finish of 11.3
He has a series-high 334 Green Flag Passes there, according to pre-race Loop Data statistics.
Earnhardt also ranks in the top 10 of five other pre-race Richmond Loop Data statistics — Average Running Position (12.9, sixth-best), Driver Rating (89.9, 10th-best), Fastest Laps Run (96, seventh-best), Laps in the Top 15 (1,401, 10th-best) and Quality Passes (124, eighth-best).
“Seems like forever ago but I try not to think about it,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t want to be thinking of how long it’s been since a win, but knowing we have a shot at it every week and something or other happens is a little frustrating.”
Denny Hamlin The Guest On This Week’s NASCAR Teleconference
On The Line: Denny Hamlin, fielded media questions during Tuesday’s weekly session:
On Racing At Richmond: “That is in the woods of my hometown right there, 15 minutes away. And so I'm going to have a lot of friends and family out there. Everyone knows that this is my Indy, I guess you could say.
On Teammate Kyle Busch: “He's definitely pushing hard. We're definitely doing our best to try to keep up with the Hendricks guys from last year. So I think we've definitely taken a couple of leaps as far as the gap's concerned.
And we know with Kyle's speed it's just going to push us to go faster and be better.”
On Maturity: “There are a lot of things in this Cup Series that make you better. A lot of it is patience and the way you race guys and how they race you. The more experience you have, the different they race you. For me, I've gotten better but I think a lot of it has to be with just being out there for track time and getting used to the guys I race against each week.”
For the complete transcript, visit www.nascarmedia.com.
Virginia Natives In The NASCAR Sprint Cup Garage
The state of Virginia contributes a wealth of talent to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage.
Drivers Denny Hamlin (Chesterfield), Jeff Burton (South Boston) are Virginians, as is Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Stanley Tools Dodge), who hails from Emporia and works with jack man Ed Watkins (Richmond) and engineer Kevin Kidd (Tazewell).
Burton’s team boasts four Virginians — engineer Jeff “Jazzy” Curtis (Fairfax), tire specialist Tracey Ramsey (Fredericksburg), transporter driver Franky Nester (Ridgeway) and gas man Curt Bowman (Meadows of Dan).
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 team has car chief David Bryant (Farmville), engineers Darian Grubb (Floyd) and Tom Stewart (Hampton) and mechanic Jim Jenkins (Hampton).
A Kansan, Clint Bowyer (No. 07 BB&T Chevrolet) works with three Virginians — mechanic Tommy Wallace (Richmond), tire specialist Charles Moles (Floyd) and transporter driver Barry Sheppard (Stuart).
Reigning and two-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who swept both 2007 events at Richmond, has two Virginians on his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team — engineer Brandon Evans (South Hill) and shock specialist Todd Bosserman (Waynesboro).
J.J. Yeley’s No. 96 DLP HDTV Chevrolet has three Virginians — car chief Todd Brewer (Manassas), rear tire carrier Ben Surface (Pulaski) and engineer Rick McGowan (Reston).
Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet has transporter driver George Kirk (Ararat) and gas man Caleb Hurd (Pulaski).
Others include the No. 2’s front tire changer Jay Hackney (Haysi), the No. 10’s gas man Rodney Rhodes (Hickory), the No. 20’s spotter, Mark Robertston (Richmond) and the No. 42’s pit support person Ryan Quann (Richmond).
Three Points Separate Top Three In Manufacturers Standings
It’s quite a battle in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Manufacturers Standings, where the top three manufacturers are separated by a total of three points.
For now, Chevrolet is first, leading second-place Toyota by one point — 55 to 54 — and third-place Ford (52) by three points.
Fourth-place Dodge needs only 15 points to catch Ford, and only 18 to catch the front-running Chevrolet.
It’s all a reflection of this year ’s mix of winners and close competition.
In the win column, Toyota and Ford are tied for first with three each. Through nine events, Carl Edwards’ (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) has Ford’s three wins while Kyle Busch has Toyota’s three wins. Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) has Dodge’s one win. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton each have one win, giving Chevrolet two for the season.
Chevrolet drivers have won six of the last 10 races at Richmond International Raceway, including the last four in a row.
Johnson swept both 2007 events, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the spring 2006 event and Kevin Harvick won the fall event that year.
Petty Enterprises, which runs Dodges, leads all teams with 15 wins at Richmond. Hendrick Motorsports, which runs Chevrolets, is second with nine Richmond victories.
NASCAR’s 60th Anniversary: The King Leads The Way At Richmond
Rich with NASCAR history, the state of Virginia has long factored in the twists and turns of stock-car racing.
The current venue, Richmond International Raceway, has hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 1953.
There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in Richmond, 103 at what is now known as Richmond International Raceway and four at Southside Speedway (1961-1963).
Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race – at Richmond – on February 23, 1986. Richard posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
The best were their best at Richmond.
Each member of the “70 Wins Club” has multiple wins at Richmond. Richard Petty leads all drivers in Richmond wins with 13. Bobby Allison has seven; David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip have six; Dale Earnhardt has five; Cale Yarborough has three; and Jeff Gordon has two.
The Top 35: Smith And the No. 01 Still 35th; The No. 40 Dodge Jumps To 36th
For the fourth consecutive week, the No. 01 Steak Umm Burgers Chevrolet owned by Teresa Earnhardt and driven by Regan Smith is 35th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner standings.
Each week, the top 35 teams are guaranteed starting spots, with those outside the top 35 required to qualify on time
This week, the No. 40 Kennametal Dodge owned by Felix Sabates jumps three spots to 36th, 61 points behind 35th. Usually driven by Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Dario Franchitti, it will be driver by Ken Schrader at Richmond. Franchitti suffered a broken left ankle in last week’s NASCAR Nationwide event.
The No. 70 Haas Automation Chevrolet owned by Margaret Haas will be driven by Johnny Sauter at Richmond. It climbed one spot, to 37th, after Ken Schrader drove it last week at Talladega.
The No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota owned by Jeffrey Moorad and driven by J.J. Yeley is 38th, a drop of two spots. Yeley trails Sauter by five points in the owner standings.
Behind Yeley, the No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota owned by Bill Davis and driven by Dave Blaney is 39th, a drop of two spots.
The No. 84 Team Red Bull Toyota owned by Dietrich Mateschitz and driven by AJ Allmendinger remains 40th, after Allmendinger returned to his seat at Talladega after a month’s hiatus.
The No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge owned by Roger Penske and driven by Sam Hornish Jr., another Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate is 34th, a drop of four spots. He leads the 35th-place Smith by only four points.
The No. 44 UPS Toyota owned by Michael Waltrip and driven by David Reutimann is 33rd, seven points ahead of Hornish and 11 points ahead of Smith.
NSCS, Etc.
NASCAR Day: The NASCAR Foundation’s fifth annual NASCAR Day will be celebrated on Friday, May 16. Highlighted by a special Five Years of Caring theme, the event combines fundraising efforts of NASCAR fans, partners and companies worldwide. In 2007, NASCAR Day raised more than $1.6 million. The event has raised nearly $5 million since its 2004 inception.
Fans support NASCAR Day by making a $5 donation. In return, they receive a 2008 lapel pin. Fans can call 1-888-MAY16TH (1-888-629-1684). Sprint also is helping fans pledge this year by texting their email addresses to 81714.
Fans should log on to www.nascar.com/nascarday to make their $5 donation.
SAFER Barrier Update: Lowe’s Motor Speedway president H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler announced Tuesday that crews will install 340 feet of additional SAFER barriers across the track’s inside backstretch retaining wall prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 17 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25.
Wheeler said research is ongoing for alternatives to the current opening in the same inside backstretch wall used for emergency crews and vehicles. More than 6,100 linear feet of SAFER barriers were installed at the track in April 2004.
“Competitor safety is like a moving target,” Wheeler said, “and we've got to continue trying to improve our aim. We've always got to be looking at what we can do.”
Who’s Dan Lowry?: Seen here with Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford), he’s the namesake of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Richmond International Raceway.
For the second consecutive season, Crown Royal sponsored a contest inviting fans to submit an essay stating how they enjoyed Crown Royal in a responsible manner.
The winning fan’s name graces the event title, and Lowry, a 29-year-old electrical product engineer from New Waterford, Ohio, is this year’s winner.
Up Next: The Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway
Next on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is the Dodge Challenger 500 on Saturday, May 10 at Darlington Raceway. It’s the 11th of 36 races on the 2008 schedule.
Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon won last May at Darlington, an event that was postponed to Sunday because of inclement weather.
Clint Bowyer is the defending pole winner.
Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Darlington victories. Two-time series champion Bill Elliott, now driving part-time for Wood Brothers Racing, is next with five Darlington wins. Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford) has two.
The Race: Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400
The Place: Richmond International Raceway
The Date: Saturday, May 3
The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
The Track: 0.75-mile oval
The Distance: 300 miles/400 laps
TV: FOX, 7 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2007 Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2007 Polesitter: Jeff Gordon
2008 Points
Rk Driver Points
1 Jeff Burton 1,347
2 Kyle Busch 1,325
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268
4 Denny Hamlin 1,248
5 Jimmie Johnson 1,245
6 Kevin Harvick 1,208
7 Clint Bowyer 1,182
8 Greg Biffle 1,148
9 Tony Stewart 1,137
10 Carl Edwards 1,084
11 Ryan Newman 1,062
12 Juan Pablo Montoya 1,029
Pre-Race Schedule: Friday—Final Practice, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Qualifying, 5:40 p.m.
Track Contact: Aimee Turner, (804) 228-7645; aturner@rir.com
Hamlin A Definite Favorite At His Favorite Track
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Seeks To End 71-Race Win Drought
Richmond A Fixture In 60 Years of NASCAR Racing
There He Goes: Kyle Busch On A Victory Roll
Soon-to-be 23-year-old Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota) — his birthday is Friday — approaches Saturday night’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway seeking the capstone to a personal puzzle.
Fresh off last Sunday’s victory at 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, Busch needs only a short-track win to complete a “series circuit ” — a victory at each size track on NASCAR’s national series schedules.
Busch leads all active drivers with seven wins spread across the three national series — the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (three), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (three) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (one). With NASCAR Sprint Cup his primary focus, he’s also competing on an as-can basis in the other national series.
Last week’s victory took place on a restrictor-plate track. Busch won two weeks ago on a road course (the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Mexico City). He’s also won at a 1.5-mile track (Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway), a 2-mile track (Auto Club Speedway) and a one-mile track (Phoenix International Raceway) so far this year.
Hamlin Hoping For A Hometown Win At Richmond
Kyle Busch and two-time series champion Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) may have grabbed bigger headlines last week at Talladega, but their Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) could usurp them at Richmond.
The .75-mile oval is Hamlin’s home track — he hails from nearby Chesterfield, Va. — and a victory there would punctuate a successful early season.
Currently fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Hamlin trails leader Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) by 99 points and the second-place Busch by 77 points. He’s 20 points behind third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet), plus riding momentum from last Sunday’s third-place finish at Talladega.
Already a 2008 Virginia winner, Hamlin won last month at Martinsville Speedway.
But, like Stewart, an Indiana native whose Holy Grail was winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (he’s done it twice in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series), Hamlin yearns for a Richmond victory. He was runner-up in the May 2006 event there, and is second in pre-race Driver Rating for Richmond (111.3).
“When I do have a good run at Richmond it means just a little bit more there than it does anywhere else,” Hamlin said.
In The Loop: Richmond Stats Spotlight Johnson, Harvick
Attention will be divvied among a number of storylines this weekend at Richmond.
There’s the Denny-Hamlin-returning-home angle. There’s the Dale Earnhardt Jr. returning to the scene of his last victory, two years ago this weekend. There’s the Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) Richmond sweep in 2007. And, of course, there’s the special year Kyle Busch is having.
One driver under the radar, though, is Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet). Harvick, who very quietly is in sixth-place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, is phenomenal at Richmond – and may be the one favorite who few are talking about.
Harvick certainly has the stats to warrant a discussion. He won the fall Richmond race in 2006, and has finished in the top 10 in each of the past six Richmond races.
His numbers during that run are tops in the series. He leads in the following categories:
Driver Rating: 121.2
Average Running Position: 5.6
Fastest Laps Run: 259
Average Green Flag Speed: 118.997 mph
Laps in the Top 15: 2,267 (94.5%)
Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green): 166
But if not Harvick, look for Hamlin to make a run at winning his hometown race.
Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, has come close a few times at Richmond. He finished second in the spring of 2006, and third in last year’s spring race. Hamlin trails only Harvick in Driver Rating (111.3) and Average Running Position (6.0).
Two other numbers are particularly strong. Hamlin has run 98.1% of the Richmond Laps in the Top 15. He also has 58 Fastest Laps Run, which is tied for 10th most since the inception of Loop Data in 2005 – he’s run only four races compared to six for most other drivers during that span.
One other driver to watch is Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who sorely needs a strong finish. Busch, currently 20th in the series standings, won at Richmond in the fall of 2005 and finished in the top 10 in each of the 2007 races. He has a Richmond Driver Rating of 100.8 (fifth-best) and an Average Running Position of 13.3 (eighth).
Two Years Ago: Earnhardt Jr. Hopes Victory Drought Will End At Richmond
Two years between victories, Dale Earnhardt Jr. arrives at Saturday’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway four days shy of the exact anniversary:
May 7, 2006.
That’s when Earnhardt last hoisted a NASCAR Sprint Cup race trophy — a 71-event drought.
But the breakthrough could occur this week.
In third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Earnhardt trails leader Jeff Burton by 79 points. He’s 57 points behind second-place Kyle Busch. Earnhardt also has a series-high seven top-10 finishes in nine events thus far.
And he and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with three series wins each at Richmond.
Aside from those three wins, Earnhardt has seven top fives, nine top 10s and one DNF (did not finish) in 17 career starts there, with an average finish of 11.3
He has a series-high 334 Green Flag Passes there, according to pre-race Loop Data statistics.
Earnhardt also ranks in the top 10 of five other pre-race Richmond Loop Data statistics — Average Running Position (12.9, sixth-best), Driver Rating (89.9, 10th-best), Fastest Laps Run (96, seventh-best), Laps in the Top 15 (1,401, 10th-best) and Quality Passes (124, eighth-best).
“Seems like forever ago but I try not to think about it,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t want to be thinking of how long it’s been since a win, but knowing we have a shot at it every week and something or other happens is a little frustrating.”
Denny Hamlin The Guest On This Week’s NASCAR Teleconference
On The Line: Denny Hamlin, fielded media questions during Tuesday’s weekly session:
On Racing At Richmond: “That is in the woods of my hometown right there, 15 minutes away. And so I'm going to have a lot of friends and family out there. Everyone knows that this is my Indy, I guess you could say.
On Teammate Kyle Busch: “He's definitely pushing hard. We're definitely doing our best to try to keep up with the Hendricks guys from last year. So I think we've definitely taken a couple of leaps as far as the gap's concerned.
And we know with Kyle's speed it's just going to push us to go faster and be better.”
On Maturity: “There are a lot of things in this Cup Series that make you better. A lot of it is patience and the way you race guys and how they race you. The more experience you have, the different they race you. For me, I've gotten better but I think a lot of it has to be with just being out there for track time and getting used to the guys I race against each week.”
For the complete transcript, visit www.nascarmedia.com.
Virginia Natives In The NASCAR Sprint Cup Garage
The state of Virginia contributes a wealth of talent to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage.
Drivers Denny Hamlin (Chesterfield), Jeff Burton (South Boston) are Virginians, as is Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Stanley Tools Dodge), who hails from Emporia and works with jack man Ed Watkins (Richmond) and engineer Kevin Kidd (Tazewell).
Burton’s team boasts four Virginians — engineer Jeff “Jazzy” Curtis (Fairfax), tire specialist Tracey Ramsey (Fredericksburg), transporter driver Franky Nester (Ridgeway) and gas man Curt Bowman (Meadows of Dan).
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 team has car chief David Bryant (Farmville), engineers Darian Grubb (Floyd) and Tom Stewart (Hampton) and mechanic Jim Jenkins (Hampton).
A Kansan, Clint Bowyer (No. 07 BB&T Chevrolet) works with three Virginians — mechanic Tommy Wallace (Richmond), tire specialist Charles Moles (Floyd) and transporter driver Barry Sheppard (Stuart).
Reigning and two-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who swept both 2007 events at Richmond, has two Virginians on his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team — engineer Brandon Evans (South Hill) and shock specialist Todd Bosserman (Waynesboro).
J.J. Yeley’s No. 96 DLP HDTV Chevrolet has three Virginians — car chief Todd Brewer (Manassas), rear tire carrier Ben Surface (Pulaski) and engineer Rick McGowan (Reston).
Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet has transporter driver George Kirk (Ararat) and gas man Caleb Hurd (Pulaski).
Others include the No. 2’s front tire changer Jay Hackney (Haysi), the No. 10’s gas man Rodney Rhodes (Hickory), the No. 20’s spotter, Mark Robertston (Richmond) and the No. 42’s pit support person Ryan Quann (Richmond).
Three Points Separate Top Three In Manufacturers Standings
It’s quite a battle in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Manufacturers Standings, where the top three manufacturers are separated by a total of three points.
For now, Chevrolet is first, leading second-place Toyota by one point — 55 to 54 — and third-place Ford (52) by three points.
Fourth-place Dodge needs only 15 points to catch Ford, and only 18 to catch the front-running Chevrolet.
It’s all a reflection of this year ’s mix of winners and close competition.
In the win column, Toyota and Ford are tied for first with three each. Through nine events, Carl Edwards’ (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) has Ford’s three wins while Kyle Busch has Toyota’s three wins. Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) has Dodge’s one win. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton each have one win, giving Chevrolet two for the season.
Chevrolet drivers have won six of the last 10 races at Richmond International Raceway, including the last four in a row.
Johnson swept both 2007 events, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the spring 2006 event and Kevin Harvick won the fall event that year.
Petty Enterprises, which runs Dodges, leads all teams with 15 wins at Richmond. Hendrick Motorsports, which runs Chevrolets, is second with nine Richmond victories.
NASCAR’s 60th Anniversary: The King Leads The Way At Richmond
Rich with NASCAR history, the state of Virginia has long factored in the twists and turns of stock-car racing.
The current venue, Richmond International Raceway, has hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 1953.
There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in Richmond, 103 at what is now known as Richmond International Raceway and four at Southside Speedway (1961-1963).
Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race – at Richmond – on February 23, 1986. Richard posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
The best were their best at Richmond.
Each member of the “70 Wins Club” has multiple wins at Richmond. Richard Petty leads all drivers in Richmond wins with 13. Bobby Allison has seven; David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip have six; Dale Earnhardt has five; Cale Yarborough has three; and Jeff Gordon has two.
The Top 35: Smith And the No. 01 Still 35th; The No. 40 Dodge Jumps To 36th
For the fourth consecutive week, the No. 01 Steak Umm Burgers Chevrolet owned by Teresa Earnhardt and driven by Regan Smith is 35th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner standings.
Each week, the top 35 teams are guaranteed starting spots, with those outside the top 35 required to qualify on time
This week, the No. 40 Kennametal Dodge owned by Felix Sabates jumps three spots to 36th, 61 points behind 35th. Usually driven by Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Dario Franchitti, it will be driver by Ken Schrader at Richmond. Franchitti suffered a broken left ankle in last week’s NASCAR Nationwide event.
The No. 70 Haas Automation Chevrolet owned by Margaret Haas will be driven by Johnny Sauter at Richmond. It climbed one spot, to 37th, after Ken Schrader drove it last week at Talladega.
The No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota owned by Jeffrey Moorad and driven by J.J. Yeley is 38th, a drop of two spots. Yeley trails Sauter by five points in the owner standings.
Behind Yeley, the No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota owned by Bill Davis and driven by Dave Blaney is 39th, a drop of two spots.
The No. 84 Team Red Bull Toyota owned by Dietrich Mateschitz and driven by AJ Allmendinger remains 40th, after Allmendinger returned to his seat at Talladega after a month’s hiatus.
The No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge owned by Roger Penske and driven by Sam Hornish Jr., another Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate is 34th, a drop of four spots. He leads the 35th-place Smith by only four points.
The No. 44 UPS Toyota owned by Michael Waltrip and driven by David Reutimann is 33rd, seven points ahead of Hornish and 11 points ahead of Smith.
NSCS, Etc.
NASCAR Day: The NASCAR Foundation’s fifth annual NASCAR Day will be celebrated on Friday, May 16. Highlighted by a special Five Years of Caring theme, the event combines fundraising efforts of NASCAR fans, partners and companies worldwide. In 2007, NASCAR Day raised more than $1.6 million. The event has raised nearly $5 million since its 2004 inception.
Fans support NASCAR Day by making a $5 donation. In return, they receive a 2008 lapel pin. Fans can call 1-888-MAY16TH (1-888-629-1684). Sprint also is helping fans pledge this year by texting their email addresses to 81714.
Fans should log on to www.nascar.com/nascarday to make their $5 donation.
SAFER Barrier Update: Lowe’s Motor Speedway president H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler announced Tuesday that crews will install 340 feet of additional SAFER barriers across the track’s inside backstretch retaining wall prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 17 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25.
Wheeler said research is ongoing for alternatives to the current opening in the same inside backstretch wall used for emergency crews and vehicles. More than 6,100 linear feet of SAFER barriers were installed at the track in April 2004.
“Competitor safety is like a moving target,” Wheeler said, “and we've got to continue trying to improve our aim. We've always got to be looking at what we can do.”
Who’s Dan Lowry?: Seen here with Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford), he’s the namesake of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Richmond International Raceway.
For the second consecutive season, Crown Royal sponsored a contest inviting fans to submit an essay stating how they enjoyed Crown Royal in a responsible manner.
The winning fan’s name graces the event title, and Lowry, a 29-year-old electrical product engineer from New Waterford, Ohio, is this year’s winner.
Up Next: The Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway
Next on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is the Dodge Challenger 500 on Saturday, May 10 at Darlington Raceway. It’s the 11th of 36 races on the 2008 schedule.
Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon won last May at Darlington, an event that was postponed to Sunday because of inclement weather.
Clint Bowyer is the defending pole winner.
Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Darlington victories. Two-time series champion Bill Elliott, now driving part-time for Wood Brothers Racing, is next with five Darlington wins. Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford) has two.
The Race: Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400
The Place: Richmond International Raceway
The Date: Saturday, May 3
The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
The Track: 0.75-mile oval
The Distance: 300 miles/400 laps
TV: FOX, 7 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2007 Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2007 Polesitter: Jeff Gordon
2008 Points
Rk Driver Points
1 Jeff Burton 1,347
2 Kyle Busch 1,325
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268
4 Denny Hamlin 1,248
5 Jimmie Johnson 1,245
6 Kevin Harvick 1,208
7 Clint Bowyer 1,182
8 Greg Biffle 1,148
9 Tony Stewart 1,137
10 Carl Edwards 1,084
11 Ryan Newman 1,062
12 Juan Pablo Montoya 1,029
Pre-Race Schedule: Friday—Final Practice, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Qualifying, 5:40 p.m.
Track Contact: Aimee Turner, (804) 228-7645; aturner@rir.com
NASCAR Nationwide News & Notes - Richmond
Defending Richmond Winner Bowyer Arrives Atop Standings
JGR: Crew Chiefs Setting The Organization Apart in 2008
Series-Only Regulars Make Up Half Of Top 10
Bowyer Is Standings Leader, Defending Winner Coming To Richmond
It seems like Clint Bowyer (No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet) is getting all breaks this season.
Despite a 25th-place finish due to an early accident at Talladega Superspeedway — where he went in leading defending series champion Carl Edwards (No. 60 Scotts Ford) by nine points — Bowyer managed to increase that lead to 27 points thanks to Edwards’ first DNF of the season.
Now, Bowyer is looking ahead to the Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway where he is the defending race winner.
It shouldn't come as a surprise if Bowyer builds on that lead at Richmond where he’s posted three of his six finishes in the top 10 including last season’s win.
He’s also been strong during qualifying with five of his six starts in the top 10 at the .75-mile track.
Those numbers have been similar to his 2008 season overall after 11 races. Thus far, Bowyer has posted one win, four top fives and a series-high seven top 10 finishes.
Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chiefs Making All The Right Calls
Joe Gibbs Racing has been almost unstoppable this season and a big part of the organization’s success in the NASCAR Nationwide Series are crew chiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff.
Rogers has been the key crew chief for the No. 20 Toyota leading the team to four wins, five top fives, and six top 10s over the first 10 races.
The two have put drivers Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch in victory lane a total of six times.
(Busch will drive at Richmond on Friday for Braun Racing in the No. 32 Haas Avocadoes from Mexico Toyota.)
Stewart has grabbed three wins with Rogers atop the pit box at Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway and at Talladega.
Busch posted a win with Rogers south of the border in Mexico, his first victory on a road-course in a national series competition.
Denny Hamlin will be behind the wheel this weekend driving the No. 20 Z-Line Designs Toyota. He has three top 10s at Richmond and started on the pole in this event last season.
Ratcliff has been atop the No. 18 pit box for five races with Busch. The two have posted wins at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, along with three top-five finishes.
JGR leads the owner standings with the No. 20 car 55 points ahead of Richard Childress’ No. 2.
Series-Only Regulars Making Moves In The Standings
A pack of cars came steaming off of Turn 4 on the last lap of the Aaron’s 312 last Saturday, and many of the series-only regulars were vying for the top spot — eight of the top-12 finishers were NASCAR Nationwide series regulars.
Four drivers, in particular, made big moves not only on the track, but also in the series standings.
David Stremme (No. 64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet) was a big force in the pack last weekend at Talladega netting a second- place finish. It was his second top-five and fifth top-10 of the season.
Stremme moved up three positions in the rankings from 16th to 13th, and currently is 28 points behind Bobby Hamilton Jr. (No. 25 Peanuts Shop of Wilmington Ford), who is in 10th place. Stremme’s best finish at Richmond was eighth in 2004.
Hamilton kept his car out of trouble on Saturday to post his first top-five and second top-10 of the season.
His third-place finish propelled Hamilton five spots in the standings and into the top 10, a significant move after not running in Mexico. Boris Said was behind the wheel of the No. 25 there.
Hamilton does have two top-five finishes at Richmond in 2003-04, but was 22nd last fall in his last race there.
Mike Bliss (No. 1 Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet) mounted a last-lap effort that resulted in his first to- five and fifth top-10 of the season. He also moved up in the series point standings two spots to fifth.
Bliss has a best finish of fifth at Richmond, recorded last fall. NASCAR’s Loop Data Pre-Race Statistics have Bliss in the top 20 in Driver Rating (86.5) and Average Running Position (16.7).
Jason Leffler (No. 38 Great Clips Toyota) posted his third top-10 start and second top-five finish at the famed facility this past weekend.
Leffler maintained his top-10 ranking (eighth), but his finish at Talladega was his first top-five of the season. His best finish at Richmond was fourth in 2004.
In The Loop: Edwards And Bowyer Projected To Be Up Front
Each week, the NASCAR Nationwide Series points battle between Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer intensifies. Bowyer currently owns a see-sawing lead of 27 points.
Seemingly, their statistics mirror each other at each upcoming track. The same holds true at Richmond, where each have a win.
Edwards’ victory came in 2005, while Bowyer’s came during last season’s spring race. Check out the tale of the tape between the two drivers at Richmond:
Driver Rating: Bowyer edges Edwards, 102.7 to 102.5.
Average Running Position: Edwards leads Bowyer, 9.7 to 12.4.
Fastest Laps Run: Bowyers leads Edwards, 136 to 71.
Laps in the Top 15: Edwards leads Bowyer, 84.7% to 77.1%.
But, of course, this won’t be a two-horse race. Look for series regular Jason Leffler to make a charge to the front. Leffler has been solid at Richmond in his career, posting top fives in the fall race of 2004 and the spring race of 2005. The last time the series raced there, Leffler scored an 11th-place finish.
Since 2005, Leffler has a Driver Rating of 91.1, an Average Running Position of 13.3, 33 Fastest Laps Run, and has run 71.6% of the laps among the top 15.
And, as usual, Kyle Busch should pose a serious threat for a Victory Lane visit. He was brilliant in last year’s Richmond fall race, leading 227 of 252 laps in a win. In the victory, Busch scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 and a race-high 72 Fastest Laps Run.
Overall, Busch, winner of three NASCAR Nationwide Series races already this season, has a Richmond Driver Rating of 96.6 and an Average Running Position of 12.6.
ESPN2 Airs Short-Track Racing From Richmond On Friday Night
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers and fans consider Richmond one of the most competitive tracks in the sport and racing on the .750-mile layout, takes on even more excitement at night under the lights. The telecast also will air in high definition on ESPN2 HD.
ESPN2 coverage will begin on Friday at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race show with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in the ESPN pit studio.
Marty Reid will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by Wallace and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree.
Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center.
The Director’s Take: Friday Night Lights Bring Drivers Back To Racing Roots
“Richmond is one of the more popular tracks on the circuit for the drivers because it brings them back to their racing roots; racing under the lights on a short track,” said Joe Balash, NASCAR Nationwide Series director. “This series was built on short-track racing.
“Over the last month, we’ve run on four different tracks … road course races are about braking and shifting, getting into a rhythm, taking advantage of mistakes or out-braking in the corner. Superspeedways are about finding out what the car can do early in the race and who your friends are as far as the draft; positioning the car to be in the right spot to the finish. The car is either good or not when it comes off the trailer. There’s not a lot you can do to make the car better.
“Short tracks are where everything comes into play … the driver, the crew, the car. Richmond allows for the drivers to really showcase their talents. Even though they have to have a good car every week, this is a track where they use their talent to hustle the car around the race track to make up for small misses in the set up.”
Most Wins: Mark Martin (5)
Most Poles: Tommy Ellis, Michael Waltrip (5)
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings
Rank Driver Points
1 Dario Franchitti 89
2 Bryan Clauson 52
3 Cale Gale 44
4 Brian Keselowski 38
5 Patrick Carpentier 31
6 Landon Cassill 27
7 Chase Miller 20
Results following the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Bill France Performance Cup Standings
Toyota extended its lead on Chevrolet in the Bill France Performance Cup standings following Tony Stewart’s win last week at Talladega.
Chevrolet is the manufacturer to beat at Richmond, however, with 20 wins — and the last five in a row.
NNS Etc.
On Thursday from 4-6 p.m., at Richmond’s Hermitage High School (8301 Hungary Spring Rd.), Nationwide Insurance and series drivers Clint Bowyer and Landon Cassill (No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet) will team up with DRIVE SMART Virginia, a program to encourage motorists to drive safely and stop texting while driving. Students and community members can see firsthand the impact texting has on their driving abilities while racing in a NASCAR Nationwide Series simulator. The event is open to the public and includes a driver autograph session, the Nationwide show car, a photo imaging station, giveaways and a chance to win a VIP race weekend experience at Richmond.
Jeff Green (No. 31 Key Motorsports/JMI Signs Chevrolet) hopes to make his season debut at Richmond driving for Key Motorsports. Green won this race at RIR in 2000. The team has been plying its trade in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series over the past five years.
Two-time series champion Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet) will make his 200th career NASCAR Nationwide Series start Friday. Harvick has compiled 32 wins, 16 poles, 102 top-five and 146 top-10 finishes in his previous 199 starts. His 32 wins are second on the all-time list, 16 behind leader Mark Martin. Harvick, with four wins at RIR, has the opportunity to tie Martin (5) for the most wins at the track.
Morgan Shepherd (No. 89 Victory In Jesus Dodge) posted a 13th-place finish at Talladega last weekend, his highest finish since an 11th-place result also at Talladega in 2003.
Ryan Hackett (No. 76 J&R Supply Ford) aims for his series debut this weekend at Richmond. Hackett has experience on dirt and NASCAR late-model competition before moving up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Brad Keselowski (No. 88 NAVY Chevrolet) was the fastest in the final test session at Richmond last March and will run a Blue Angels paint scheme just like the Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets upon his return Friday. Keselowski flew with the Blue Angels in a two-seater back in February. Also this week Keselowski and his team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make an aircraft carrier trip Thursday off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla.
Up Next: Diamond Plywood 200 At Darlington Raceway
The 12th race on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule is set for May 9 at Darlington Raceway.
Last year, Denny Hamlin became the third driver to win from the pole twice at Darlington - Mark Martin and Geoffrey Bodine were the others to accomplish the feat.
The Race: The Lipton TEA 250
The Place: Richmond Int’l. Raceway
The Date: Friday, May 2
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 187.5 miles/250 laps
TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET
Track Size: 0.750 mile
2007 Winner: Clint Bowyer
2007 Pole: Denny Hamlin
2008 Standings
1 Bowyer 1427
2 Edwards 1400
3 Busch 1388
4 Reutimann 1298
5 Bliss 1282
6 Ragan 1274
7 Keselowski 1252
8 Leffler 1227
9 M. Wallace 1173
10 Hamilton Jr. 1055
Schedule:
Friday-Practice 8:45-10:55 a.m.; Qualifying, 4:05 p.m. (Impound).
Track Contact: Aimee Turner, (804) 228-7645, aturner@rir.com
JGR: Crew Chiefs Setting The Organization Apart in 2008
Series-Only Regulars Make Up Half Of Top 10
Bowyer Is Standings Leader, Defending Winner Coming To Richmond
It seems like Clint Bowyer (No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet) is getting all breaks this season.
Despite a 25th-place finish due to an early accident at Talladega Superspeedway — where he went in leading defending series champion Carl Edwards (No. 60 Scotts Ford) by nine points — Bowyer managed to increase that lead to 27 points thanks to Edwards’ first DNF of the season.
Now, Bowyer is looking ahead to the Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway where he is the defending race winner.
It shouldn't come as a surprise if Bowyer builds on that lead at Richmond where he’s posted three of his six finishes in the top 10 including last season’s win.
He’s also been strong during qualifying with five of his six starts in the top 10 at the .75-mile track.
Those numbers have been similar to his 2008 season overall after 11 races. Thus far, Bowyer has posted one win, four top fives and a series-high seven top 10 finishes.
Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chiefs Making All The Right Calls
Joe Gibbs Racing has been almost unstoppable this season and a big part of the organization’s success in the NASCAR Nationwide Series are crew chiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff.
Rogers has been the key crew chief for the No. 20 Toyota leading the team to four wins, five top fives, and six top 10s over the first 10 races.
The two have put drivers Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch in victory lane a total of six times.
(Busch will drive at Richmond on Friday for Braun Racing in the No. 32 Haas Avocadoes from Mexico Toyota.)
Stewart has grabbed three wins with Rogers atop the pit box at Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway and at Talladega.
Busch posted a win with Rogers south of the border in Mexico, his first victory on a road-course in a national series competition.
Denny Hamlin will be behind the wheel this weekend driving the No. 20 Z-Line Designs Toyota. He has three top 10s at Richmond and started on the pole in this event last season.
Ratcliff has been atop the No. 18 pit box for five races with Busch. The two have posted wins at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, along with three top-five finishes.
JGR leads the owner standings with the No. 20 car 55 points ahead of Richard Childress’ No. 2.
Series-Only Regulars Making Moves In The Standings
A pack of cars came steaming off of Turn 4 on the last lap of the Aaron’s 312 last Saturday, and many of the series-only regulars were vying for the top spot — eight of the top-12 finishers were NASCAR Nationwide series regulars.
Four drivers, in particular, made big moves not only on the track, but also in the series standings.
David Stremme (No. 64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet) was a big force in the pack last weekend at Talladega netting a second- place finish. It was his second top-five and fifth top-10 of the season.
Stremme moved up three positions in the rankings from 16th to 13th, and currently is 28 points behind Bobby Hamilton Jr. (No. 25 Peanuts Shop of Wilmington Ford), who is in 10th place. Stremme’s best finish at Richmond was eighth in 2004.
Hamilton kept his car out of trouble on Saturday to post his first top-five and second top-10 of the season.
His third-place finish propelled Hamilton five spots in the standings and into the top 10, a significant move after not running in Mexico. Boris Said was behind the wheel of the No. 25 there.
Hamilton does have two top-five finishes at Richmond in 2003-04, but was 22nd last fall in his last race there.
Mike Bliss (No. 1 Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet) mounted a last-lap effort that resulted in his first to- five and fifth top-10 of the season. He also moved up in the series point standings two spots to fifth.
Bliss has a best finish of fifth at Richmond, recorded last fall. NASCAR’s Loop Data Pre-Race Statistics have Bliss in the top 20 in Driver Rating (86.5) and Average Running Position (16.7).
Jason Leffler (No. 38 Great Clips Toyota) posted his third top-10 start and second top-five finish at the famed facility this past weekend.
Leffler maintained his top-10 ranking (eighth), but his finish at Talladega was his first top-five of the season. His best finish at Richmond was fourth in 2004.
In The Loop: Edwards And Bowyer Projected To Be Up Front
Each week, the NASCAR Nationwide Series points battle between Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer intensifies. Bowyer currently owns a see-sawing lead of 27 points.
Seemingly, their statistics mirror each other at each upcoming track. The same holds true at Richmond, where each have a win.
Edwards’ victory came in 2005, while Bowyer’s came during last season’s spring race. Check out the tale of the tape between the two drivers at Richmond:
Driver Rating: Bowyer edges Edwards, 102.7 to 102.5.
Average Running Position: Edwards leads Bowyer, 9.7 to 12.4.
Fastest Laps Run: Bowyers leads Edwards, 136 to 71.
Laps in the Top 15: Edwards leads Bowyer, 84.7% to 77.1%.
But, of course, this won’t be a two-horse race. Look for series regular Jason Leffler to make a charge to the front. Leffler has been solid at Richmond in his career, posting top fives in the fall race of 2004 and the spring race of 2005. The last time the series raced there, Leffler scored an 11th-place finish.
Since 2005, Leffler has a Driver Rating of 91.1, an Average Running Position of 13.3, 33 Fastest Laps Run, and has run 71.6% of the laps among the top 15.
And, as usual, Kyle Busch should pose a serious threat for a Victory Lane visit. He was brilliant in last year’s Richmond fall race, leading 227 of 252 laps in a win. In the victory, Busch scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 and a race-high 72 Fastest Laps Run.
Overall, Busch, winner of three NASCAR Nationwide Series races already this season, has a Richmond Driver Rating of 96.6 and an Average Running Position of 12.6.
ESPN2 Airs Short-Track Racing From Richmond On Friday Night
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers and fans consider Richmond one of the most competitive tracks in the sport and racing on the .750-mile layout, takes on even more excitement at night under the lights. The telecast also will air in high definition on ESPN2 HD.
ESPN2 coverage will begin on Friday at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race show with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in the ESPN pit studio.
Marty Reid will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by Wallace and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree.
Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center.
The Director’s Take: Friday Night Lights Bring Drivers Back To Racing Roots
“Richmond is one of the more popular tracks on the circuit for the drivers because it brings them back to their racing roots; racing under the lights on a short track,” said Joe Balash, NASCAR Nationwide Series director. “This series was built on short-track racing.
“Over the last month, we’ve run on four different tracks … road course races are about braking and shifting, getting into a rhythm, taking advantage of mistakes or out-braking in the corner. Superspeedways are about finding out what the car can do early in the race and who your friends are as far as the draft; positioning the car to be in the right spot to the finish. The car is either good or not when it comes off the trailer. There’s not a lot you can do to make the car better.
“Short tracks are where everything comes into play … the driver, the crew, the car. Richmond allows for the drivers to really showcase their talents. Even though they have to have a good car every week, this is a track where they use their talent to hustle the car around the race track to make up for small misses in the set up.”
Most Wins: Mark Martin (5)
Most Poles: Tommy Ellis, Michael Waltrip (5)
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings
Rank Driver Points
1 Dario Franchitti 89
2 Bryan Clauson 52
3 Cale Gale 44
4 Brian Keselowski 38
5 Patrick Carpentier 31
6 Landon Cassill 27
7 Chase Miller 20
Results following the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Bill France Performance Cup Standings
Toyota extended its lead on Chevrolet in the Bill France Performance Cup standings following Tony Stewart’s win last week at Talladega.
Chevrolet is the manufacturer to beat at Richmond, however, with 20 wins — and the last five in a row.
NNS Etc.
On Thursday from 4-6 p.m., at Richmond’s Hermitage High School (8301 Hungary Spring Rd.), Nationwide Insurance and series drivers Clint Bowyer and Landon Cassill (No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet) will team up with DRIVE SMART Virginia, a program to encourage motorists to drive safely and stop texting while driving. Students and community members can see firsthand the impact texting has on their driving abilities while racing in a NASCAR Nationwide Series simulator. The event is open to the public and includes a driver autograph session, the Nationwide show car, a photo imaging station, giveaways and a chance to win a VIP race weekend experience at Richmond.
Jeff Green (No. 31 Key Motorsports/JMI Signs Chevrolet) hopes to make his season debut at Richmond driving for Key Motorsports. Green won this race at RIR in 2000. The team has been plying its trade in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series over the past five years.
Two-time series champion Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet) will make his 200th career NASCAR Nationwide Series start Friday. Harvick has compiled 32 wins, 16 poles, 102 top-five and 146 top-10 finishes in his previous 199 starts. His 32 wins are second on the all-time list, 16 behind leader Mark Martin. Harvick, with four wins at RIR, has the opportunity to tie Martin (5) for the most wins at the track.
Morgan Shepherd (No. 89 Victory In Jesus Dodge) posted a 13th-place finish at Talladega last weekend, his highest finish since an 11th-place result also at Talladega in 2003.
Ryan Hackett (No. 76 J&R Supply Ford) aims for his series debut this weekend at Richmond. Hackett has experience on dirt and NASCAR late-model competition before moving up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Brad Keselowski (No. 88 NAVY Chevrolet) was the fastest in the final test session at Richmond last March and will run a Blue Angels paint scheme just like the Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets upon his return Friday. Keselowski flew with the Blue Angels in a two-seater back in February. Also this week Keselowski and his team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make an aircraft carrier trip Thursday off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla.
Up Next: Diamond Plywood 200 At Darlington Raceway
The 12th race on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule is set for May 9 at Darlington Raceway.
Last year, Denny Hamlin became the third driver to win from the pole twice at Darlington - Mark Martin and Geoffrey Bodine were the others to accomplish the feat.
The Race: The Lipton TEA 250
The Place: Richmond Int’l. Raceway
The Date: Friday, May 2
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 187.5 miles/250 laps
TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET
Track Size: 0.750 mile
2007 Winner: Clint Bowyer
2007 Pole: Denny Hamlin
2008 Standings
1 Bowyer 1427
2 Edwards 1400
3 Busch 1388
4 Reutimann 1298
5 Bliss 1282
6 Ragan 1274
7 Keselowski 1252
8 Leffler 1227
9 M. Wallace 1173
10 Hamilton Jr. 1055
Schedule:
Friday-Practice 8:45-10:55 a.m.; Qualifying, 4:05 p.m. (Impound).
Track Contact: Aimee Turner, (804) 228-7645, aturner@rir.com
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series News And Notes
Series Champion Back In Familiar Territory...Victory Lane
Veterans Control The Top, Leave Little Room For Others
Braun’s Kansas Performance Shakes Up Rookie Standings
Reigning Champ Back In Victory Lane
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 28, 2008) — It’s pretty easy to say Ron Hornaday Jr. had a good weekend.
The reigning series champion kicked things off at Kansas Speedway with one of the fastest trucks in practice. He took qualifying, capturing his second Keystone Light Pole of the season.
The driver of the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet then dominated the race.
After leading 136 of 167 laps — most by a Kansas winner — Hornaday won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. He’s the first driver in eight editions of the race to win from the pole position.
Add another first to the mix. The win was Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren’s first win at the 1.5-mile track.
“I’ve got to thank Chevrolet, Camping World, the VFW, everybody at KHI and this whole Camping World team for giving me this awesome truck,” he said. “I hadn’t won at Kansas before so this is really cool.”
The driver added, “What Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) are doing at KHI, just putting the right people in the right places, it’s an honor to race equipment like this. To sit on the pole and win this race was amazing.”
Ren echoed his driver’s comments. “We unloaded and were fast. We had a really awesome truck,” he said.
While the truck was good, it was a fuel gamble for the team as the cautions fell and the laps dwindled down. “I normally don’t mention saving fuel to him (Ron), but I think he heard it more than ever this race,” Ren said.
Hornaday has led laps in all five races so far this season. His Kansas win brings him to the top of the driver point standings, 61 points over Rick Crawford.
Series Veterans Meeting Challenge Of ‘Young Guns’
It is clear there is up and coming talent in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with young drivers like Roush Fenway Racing’s Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford), Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford) and Germain Racing rookie Justin Marks (No. 9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota) among them.
The almost 23-year-old Kyle Busch (No. 51 Toyota) is throwing his hat in the ring, too, throughout the season. Busch returns to the series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he’s a double winner.
But don’t count out the other competitors. A glance at the driver point standings and race finishes proves the veterans are holding their own.
Defending series champion Hornaday, with a dominating win at Kansas, has taken the points lead from the absent Busch.
Not far behind, Crawford, driver of the No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford, has jumped to second.
Strong performances over the weekend helped other seasoned drivers break into the top of the pack. Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevrolet) weathered a rocky start to the season, but finished second to teammate Hornaday in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 and moved to ninth in the driver point standings.
Sprague is hungry for a win. “I am really proud of this team,” he said. “To be able in just five races to come together and run as strong as we have says a lot about KHI and this team. I know we will get a win soon.”
Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), just shy of the top-10, is a three-time pole sitter at Lowe’s. He finished fifth at Kansas. The former series champion is definitely not out of contention.
Etc. & Quotable
Speed Finding His Way … Scott Speed (No. 22 Red Bull Toyota) is finding his way toward Victory Lane. The driver, who made his debut with Bill Davis Racing in Kansas, won the previous day’s Kansas Lottery $150 Grand ARCA RE/MAX race.
The former Formula One driver started the race from the outside pole position but found himself a lap down after he had to make a pit stop to fix his window net which had fallen down.
Awarded the Aaron’s Lucky Dog, he fought his way back to contention and took the checkered flag.
Speed continued his momentum in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 Saturday with an eighth-place finish.
A Return In Richmond … Key Motorsports for the first time in 10 NASCAR seasons hopes to qualify for this Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
The team, which has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2004, will field the No. 31 Key Motorsports Chevrolet with veteran driver and former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green behind the wheel.
Owner’s Championship Battle Heats Up … Ron Hornaday’s win at Kansas brought a lead change in the Owners’ Championship point standings.
DeLana Harvick and the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet now lead the battle by 21 points over Billy Ballew and his No. 51 Toyota. Not far behind in third, 61 points out from the No. 33 is Tom Mitchell with his No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford team.
Kyle Busch is scheduled to return to the series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where he has two series wins to his credit. Points could swap again.
In The Loop:
It’s hard to have a better day than the one Ron Hornaday Jr. had during Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway.
Statistically speaking, it’s impossible.
Hornaday was perfect. The defending series champion won his first of 2008 in a truly dominating fashion, notching a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0.
He held race-best figures in Laps Led (136), Average Running Position (1.6), Fastest Laps Run (55) and was the only driver to run all 167 laps in the top 15. With the win, Hornaday took the series points lead, and is now 61 points ahead of second-place Rick Crawford.
Also notable during Saturday’s race was the strong performance by rookie Colin Braun. The Roush-Fenway upstart scored a third-place finish and ran up front throughout the 250-mile race. Braun had a Driver Rating of 118.5, an Average Running Position of 5.2, seven Fastest Laps Run and spent 164 of the 167 laps running in the top 15.
Jack Sprague also chimed in with a season-best run. Sprague, finishing second, scored a Driver Rating of 121.0, an Average Running Position of 5.7, 20 Fastest Laps Run and spent 152 of the laps among the top 15.
Chad McCumbee was the only other driver to break the 100.0-point Driver Rating barrier – he tallied a 103.1 Driver Rating in his seventh-place finish. He also earned a fourth-best Average Running Position of 7.4.
This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating – Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories – Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles – Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes – Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes – Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 – Five drivers with five
Rookie Shake Up
The rookie class has experienced a shake-up in points as Colin Braun moves from fourth to first in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle.
The rookie’s third-place finish gives him a five-point advantage over Justin Marks (No. 9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota). Marks posted an 11th-place finish in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.
Braun’s performance is the best by a Raybestos rookie since Roush Fenway Racing teammate Erik Darnell ran third in the 2005 season finale.
Donny Lia (No. 71 Autism Speaks/TRG Chevrolet) and Brian Scott (No. 16 Albertsons Chevrolet), likewise, had strong finishes among the top 15.
Up Next:
Coming off his performance at Kansas Speedway, Ron Hornaday Jr. looks to carry that momentum in defense of his 2007 win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Mike Skinner, who has started from the pole position in the last three races at the track, will aim to visit Victory Lane for the first time this season.
Toyota Strong
Toyota remains on top after five races of the 2008 season. Last Saturday’s victory was the first of the year for Chevrolet. Ford is the only one of the four truck makers without a win in 2008.
2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
Toyota 34
Chevrolet 30
Ford 24
Dodge 22
FAST FACTS
The Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200
The Place: Lowe’s Motor Speedway
The Date: May 16, 2008
The Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 201 miles / 134 laps
TV: SPEED, 7:30 p.m. ET
Track Layout: 1.5-Mile Paved Oval
2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr
2007Pole: Mike Skinner
2008 Standings:
Rk. Driver Points
1 R. Hornaday Jr. 775
2 R. Crawford 714
3 T. Bodine 704
4 D. Setzer 666
5 J. Benson 666
6 Ky. Busch 645
7 M. Crafton 639
8 C. McCumbee 633
9 J. Sprague 629
10 T. Musgrave 627
Schedule: Friday: Practice, 9-10:00 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.-11:50 a.m.; Qualifying, 3:35 p.m.
Track Contact:
Scott Cooper, (704) 455-3209 or scooper@lowesmotorspeedway.com
For more information, contact:
Tiffany Breaux, (386) 681-4197, tbreaux@nascar.com
Veterans Control The Top, Leave Little Room For Others
Braun’s Kansas Performance Shakes Up Rookie Standings
Reigning Champ Back In Victory Lane
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 28, 2008) — It’s pretty easy to say Ron Hornaday Jr. had a good weekend.
The reigning series champion kicked things off at Kansas Speedway with one of the fastest trucks in practice. He took qualifying, capturing his second Keystone Light Pole of the season.
The driver of the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet then dominated the race.
After leading 136 of 167 laps — most by a Kansas winner — Hornaday won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. He’s the first driver in eight editions of the race to win from the pole position.
Add another first to the mix. The win was Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren’s first win at the 1.5-mile track.
“I’ve got to thank Chevrolet, Camping World, the VFW, everybody at KHI and this whole Camping World team for giving me this awesome truck,” he said. “I hadn’t won at Kansas before so this is really cool.”
The driver added, “What Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) are doing at KHI, just putting the right people in the right places, it’s an honor to race equipment like this. To sit on the pole and win this race was amazing.”
Ren echoed his driver’s comments. “We unloaded and were fast. We had a really awesome truck,” he said.
While the truck was good, it was a fuel gamble for the team as the cautions fell and the laps dwindled down. “I normally don’t mention saving fuel to him (Ron), but I think he heard it more than ever this race,” Ren said.
Hornaday has led laps in all five races so far this season. His Kansas win brings him to the top of the driver point standings, 61 points over Rick Crawford.
Series Veterans Meeting Challenge Of ‘Young Guns’
It is clear there is up and coming talent in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with young drivers like Roush Fenway Racing’s Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford), Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford) and Germain Racing rookie Justin Marks (No. 9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota) among them.
The almost 23-year-old Kyle Busch (No. 51 Toyota) is throwing his hat in the ring, too, throughout the season. Busch returns to the series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he’s a double winner.
But don’t count out the other competitors. A glance at the driver point standings and race finishes proves the veterans are holding their own.
Defending series champion Hornaday, with a dominating win at Kansas, has taken the points lead from the absent Busch.
Not far behind, Crawford, driver of the No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford, has jumped to second.
Strong performances over the weekend helped other seasoned drivers break into the top of the pack. Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevrolet) weathered a rocky start to the season, but finished second to teammate Hornaday in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 and moved to ninth in the driver point standings.
Sprague is hungry for a win. “I am really proud of this team,” he said. “To be able in just five races to come together and run as strong as we have says a lot about KHI and this team. I know we will get a win soon.”
Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), just shy of the top-10, is a three-time pole sitter at Lowe’s. He finished fifth at Kansas. The former series champion is definitely not out of contention.
Etc. & Quotable
Speed Finding His Way … Scott Speed (No. 22 Red Bull Toyota) is finding his way toward Victory Lane. The driver, who made his debut with Bill Davis Racing in Kansas, won the previous day’s Kansas Lottery $150 Grand ARCA RE/MAX race.
The former Formula One driver started the race from the outside pole position but found himself a lap down after he had to make a pit stop to fix his window net which had fallen down.
Awarded the Aaron’s Lucky Dog, he fought his way back to contention and took the checkered flag.
Speed continued his momentum in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 Saturday with an eighth-place finish.
A Return In Richmond … Key Motorsports for the first time in 10 NASCAR seasons hopes to qualify for this Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
The team, which has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2004, will field the No. 31 Key Motorsports Chevrolet with veteran driver and former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green behind the wheel.
Owner’s Championship Battle Heats Up … Ron Hornaday’s win at Kansas brought a lead change in the Owners’ Championship point standings.
DeLana Harvick and the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet now lead the battle by 21 points over Billy Ballew and his No. 51 Toyota. Not far behind in third, 61 points out from the No. 33 is Tom Mitchell with his No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford team.
Kyle Busch is scheduled to return to the series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where he has two series wins to his credit. Points could swap again.
In The Loop:
It’s hard to have a better day than the one Ron Hornaday Jr. had during Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway.
Statistically speaking, it’s impossible.
Hornaday was perfect. The defending series champion won his first of 2008 in a truly dominating fashion, notching a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0.
He held race-best figures in Laps Led (136), Average Running Position (1.6), Fastest Laps Run (55) and was the only driver to run all 167 laps in the top 15. With the win, Hornaday took the series points lead, and is now 61 points ahead of second-place Rick Crawford.
Also notable during Saturday’s race was the strong performance by rookie Colin Braun. The Roush-Fenway upstart scored a third-place finish and ran up front throughout the 250-mile race. Braun had a Driver Rating of 118.5, an Average Running Position of 5.2, seven Fastest Laps Run and spent 164 of the 167 laps running in the top 15.
Jack Sprague also chimed in with a season-best run. Sprague, finishing second, scored a Driver Rating of 121.0, an Average Running Position of 5.7, 20 Fastest Laps Run and spent 152 of the laps among the top 15.
Chad McCumbee was the only other driver to break the 100.0-point Driver Rating barrier – he tallied a 103.1 Driver Rating in his seventh-place finish. He also earned a fourth-best Average Running Position of 7.4.
This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating – Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories – Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles – Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes – Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes – Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 – Five drivers with five
Rookie Shake Up
The rookie class has experienced a shake-up in points as Colin Braun moves from fourth to first in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle.
The rookie’s third-place finish gives him a five-point advantage over Justin Marks (No. 9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota). Marks posted an 11th-place finish in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.
Braun’s performance is the best by a Raybestos rookie since Roush Fenway Racing teammate Erik Darnell ran third in the 2005 season finale.
Donny Lia (No. 71 Autism Speaks/TRG Chevrolet) and Brian Scott (No. 16 Albertsons Chevrolet), likewise, had strong finishes among the top 15.
Up Next:
Coming off his performance at Kansas Speedway, Ron Hornaday Jr. looks to carry that momentum in defense of his 2007 win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Mike Skinner, who has started from the pole position in the last three races at the track, will aim to visit Victory Lane for the first time this season.
Toyota Strong
Toyota remains on top after five races of the 2008 season. Last Saturday’s victory was the first of the year for Chevrolet. Ford is the only one of the four truck makers without a win in 2008.
2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
Toyota 34
Chevrolet 30
Ford 24
Dodge 22
FAST FACTS
The Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200
The Place: Lowe’s Motor Speedway
The Date: May 16, 2008
The Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 201 miles / 134 laps
TV: SPEED, 7:30 p.m. ET
Track Layout: 1.5-Mile Paved Oval
2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr
2007Pole: Mike Skinner
2008 Standings:
Rk. Driver Points
1 R. Hornaday Jr. 775
2 R. Crawford 714
3 T. Bodine 704
4 D. Setzer 666
5 J. Benson 666
6 Ky. Busch 645
7 M. Crafton 639
8 C. McCumbee 633
9 J. Sprague 629
10 T. Musgrave 627
Schedule: Friday: Practice, 9-10:00 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.-11:50 a.m.; Qualifying, 3:35 p.m.
Track Contact:
Scott Cooper, (704) 455-3209 or scooper@lowesmotorspeedway.com
For more information, contact:
Tiffany Breaux, (386) 681-4197, tbreaux@nascar.com
Fresh off a record breaking NFL season, New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss announced today the formation of Moss Motorsports, LLC with its
Fresh off a record breaking NFL season, New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss announced today the formation of Moss Motorsports, LLC with its intended participation to begin in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Moss anticipates that the team will debut at some point in the second half of the 2008 season and run selected races through the conclusion of the year. The partial schedule is a prelude to a full-time campaign in 2009. Sponsors and manufacturer alignments will be announced at a later date.
"We don't have all of the details in place just yet, but I am very excited about Moss Motorsports becoming a part of NASCAR," Moss said. "I am by nature a very competitive person and this is an outlet for me to compete at another level. There are some pretty awesome challenges in building a program like this from the ground up, but I am looking forward to it. That's just another aspect of the competition – you want to find the best people available and you're competing with all the other teams out there. We're starting to look at who the best people are and working on getting them to be a part of our team."
Moss is a ten year veteran in the National Football League and was a first-round draft pick in the 1998 draft out of Marshall University. He has been a NASCAR fan for several years including sponsorship of a local dirt track program and recently made the decision to get involved with the ownership of a NASCAR team. He is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Urban Youth Racing School and furthers his youth advocacy while holding the same honor with American Youth Football. A major component of the Moss Motorsports program will be the continued involvement and support of youth programs.
"There are a lot of NASCAR fans in the locker room," Moss said. "We've seen a lot of football players get involved – guys like Dan Marino and Troy Aikman to name a couple. I think it's a good fit and gives some of the companies I am already working with an additional outlet. It's a smart move on the marketing side of things but on the personal side of things I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
Randy has kick started his efforts by contracting with Integrity Sports Marketing, LLC – a leading motorsports marketing company in NASCAR. "We know it takes time to build a team from the ground up, and we have some good people working with us to get that process started," Moss said. "We are talking to the manufacturers, and we're already evaluating some drivers. Eventually I'd like to be able to have our team work with some of the young guys that are working hard to make it up the ladder, but right now it might make more sense to find a driver with a lot of experience to get us started. But we really don't have anyone in mind. We'll look at who is available and find someone that can help us compete and win as quickly as we can."
Moss believes Moss Motorsports will give his current marketing partners another avenue to gain exposure and will open doors for new companies that want to work with him.
"The companies I already work with now have a chance to get some exposure to another group of dedicated sports fans," Moss said. "And we'll have an opportunity to build some relationships with an entirely new group of companies as well. We'll have a chance to do some pretty cool things between the football side and the racing side. That's a part of the equation that most of the other teams don't have, so we already have a competitive advantage over them. Once we get everything in place we look forward to competing on the race track too."
For more information on Moss Motorsports, please contact Integrity Sports Marketing (Brent Bushu @ 704-947-2300 or Ron Linkous @ 800-232-0789).
Moss anticipates that the team will debut at some point in the second half of the 2008 season and run selected races through the conclusion of the year. The partial schedule is a prelude to a full-time campaign in 2009. Sponsors and manufacturer alignments will be announced at a later date.
"We don't have all of the details in place just yet, but I am very excited about Moss Motorsports becoming a part of NASCAR," Moss said. "I am by nature a very competitive person and this is an outlet for me to compete at another level. There are some pretty awesome challenges in building a program like this from the ground up, but I am looking forward to it. That's just another aspect of the competition – you want to find the best people available and you're competing with all the other teams out there. We're starting to look at who the best people are and working on getting them to be a part of our team."
Moss is a ten year veteran in the National Football League and was a first-round draft pick in the 1998 draft out of Marshall University. He has been a NASCAR fan for several years including sponsorship of a local dirt track program and recently made the decision to get involved with the ownership of a NASCAR team. He is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Urban Youth Racing School and furthers his youth advocacy while holding the same honor with American Youth Football. A major component of the Moss Motorsports program will be the continued involvement and support of youth programs.
"There are a lot of NASCAR fans in the locker room," Moss said. "We've seen a lot of football players get involved – guys like Dan Marino and Troy Aikman to name a couple. I think it's a good fit and gives some of the companies I am already working with an additional outlet. It's a smart move on the marketing side of things but on the personal side of things I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
Randy has kick started his efforts by contracting with Integrity Sports Marketing, LLC – a leading motorsports marketing company in NASCAR. "We know it takes time to build a team from the ground up, and we have some good people working with us to get that process started," Moss said. "We are talking to the manufacturers, and we're already evaluating some drivers. Eventually I'd like to be able to have our team work with some of the young guys that are working hard to make it up the ladder, but right now it might make more sense to find a driver with a lot of experience to get us started. But we really don't have anyone in mind. We'll look at who is available and find someone that can help us compete and win as quickly as we can."
Moss believes Moss Motorsports will give his current marketing partners another avenue to gain exposure and will open doors for new companies that want to work with him.
"The companies I already work with now have a chance to get some exposure to another group of dedicated sports fans," Moss said. "And we'll have an opportunity to build some relationships with an entirely new group of companies as well. We'll have a chance to do some pretty cool things between the football side and the racing side. That's a part of the equation that most of the other teams don't have, so we already have a competitive advantage over them. Once we get everything in place we look forward to competing on the race track too."
For more information on Moss Motorsports, please contact Integrity Sports Marketing (Brent Bushu @ 704-947-2300 or Ron Linkous @ 800-232-0789).
Monday, April 28, 2008
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the “Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400” at Richmond International Raceway
The angles are seemingly endless for this weekend’s race at Richmond International Raceway.
Here’s a “by the numbers” look at some of the things to watch for:
1 and 43 – Two finishing positions at Richmond during Jeff Burton’s career. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader, and Virginia native, has experienced both the highs and the lows at Richmond. He finished first in the fall of 1998 and last in the spring race of 2007.
6.5 – Denny Hamlin’s finishing position at Richmond. Richmond is Hamlin’s home track, and would be a most coveted victory. He’s come close a few times, finishing second in 2006 and third last season. Both finishes came in the spring race.
12 – Points position of Juan Pablo Montoya, the first time in the Colombian’s young NASCAR Sprint Cup career he’s been inside the Chase cutoff. His previous best position was 15th after the fourth race of 2007.
23 – The age Kyle Busch will turn on Friday. Busch, a six-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, has won more races by the age of 23 than any driver in history. Busch is charging up the standings, too – only 22 points behind points leader Burton.
26 – This is race No. 10, but race No. 26 is also held at Richmond – and it’s arguably the most important race of the season. This weekend is a preview to the second Richmond race, the cut-off before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
71 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s race winless drought. This weekend’s race is the two-year anniversary of Earnhardt’s last win. It’s been 71 races since that visit to Victory Lane.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2008 Top 12 at Richmond International Raceway
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
1
Jeff Burton
27
1
1
7
12
1
15.5
80.1
2
Kyle Busch
6
0
0
5
5
0
6.7
109.0
3
Dale Earnhardt, Jr
17
0
3
7
9
1
11.3
89.9
4
Denny Hamlin
4
1
0
2
3
0
6.5
111.3
5
Jimmie Johnson
12
2
2
3
3
1
17.8
84.9
6
Kevin Harvick
14
1
1
4
8
0
12.1
121.2
7
Clint Bowyer
4
0
0
0
2
0
10.8
88.8
8
Greg Biffle
11
1
0
2
5
1
16.0
93.2
9
Tony Stewart
18
0
3
6
12
2
11.8
102.2
10
Carl Edwards
7
0
0
0
2
1
20.6
77.2
11
Ryan Newman
12
1
1
4
7
0
11.1
95.4
12
Juan Pablo Montoya
2
0
0
0
0
1
33.5
63.0
Selected Driver Highlights – Richmond International Raceway-specific
Note: All driver statistics that follow are from Richmond International Raceway. The Loop Data statistics – Driver Rating, Average Running Position, etc. – in this release, however, cover the last six races at Richmond. NASCAR’s scoring loops began collecting data for statistical purposes in 2005.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford)
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Average Running Position of 13.9, ninth-best
• Driver Rating of 93.2, eighth-best
• 81 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.612 mph, seventh-fastest
• 1,744 (72.7%) Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most
• 113 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), tied for ninth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 18.1
• Average Running Position of 13.3, eighth-best
• Driver Rating of 100.8, fifth-best
• 187 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.715 mph, fifth-fastest
• 1,574 (65.6%) Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most
• 136 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), tied for third-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota)
• Five top fives
• Average finish of 6.2
• Average Running Position of 7.8, third-best
• Driver Rating of 109.0, third-best
• 163 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.779 mph, third-fastest
• 2,077 (86.5%) Laps in the Top 15, third-most
• 153 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Average Running Position of 12.9, sixth-best
• Driver Rating of 89.9, 10th-best
• 96 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
• Series-high 334 Green Flag Passes
• 1,401 (58.4%) Laps in the Top 15, 10th-most
• 124 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.5
• Average Running Position of 6.0, second -best
• Driver Rating of 111.3, second-best
• 58 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 10th-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.820 mph, second-fastest
• Series-best percentage of Laps in the Top 15 – 98.1% for a total of 1,570
• 104 Quality Passes (average of 26.0 per race), fourth-best average
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Series-best Average Running Position of 5.6
• Series-best Driver Rating of 121.2
• Series-high 259 Fastest Laps Run
• Series-fastest Average Green Flag Speed of 118.997
• Series-high 2,267 (94.5%) Laps in the Top 15
• Series-high 166 Quality Passes
Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 18.2
• Average Running Position of 15.5, 10th-best
• Driver Rating of 97.9, sixth-best
• 216 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
• 1,454 (60.6%) Laps in the Top 15, ninth-most
• 113 Quality Passes, tied for ninth-most
Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Average Running Position of 9.9, fifth-best
• Driver Rating of 95.4, seventh-best
• 2,104 (87.7%) Laps in the Top 15, second-most
• 136 Quality Passes, tied for third-most
Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Average Running Position of 9.6, fourth-best
• Driver Rating of 102.2, fourth-best
• 130 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.775, fourth-fastest
• 1,903 (79.3%) Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most
• 133 Quality Passes, fifth-most
At Richmond International Raceway:
History
• Richmond International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on April 19, 1953.
• The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between spring and fall races in 1968.
• Track was re-measured to 0.542 miles in September 1969.
• The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond was Feb. 20, 1982.
• The track was rebuilt as a 0.750-mile D-shaped oval following the spring race on Feb. 21, 1988.
• The first race under lights was held Sept. 7, 1991.
• The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ran 11 races at Richmond between 1995 and 2005.
• The first season with both races as night races was 1999.
Notebook
• There have been 103 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway since the track opened in 1953.
• Buck Baker won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole in 1953.
• Lee Petty won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race in April 1953.
• Davey Allison won the first race on the 0.75-mile layout from the Coors Light Pole in 1988.
• There have been 46 different pole winners led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty (eight).
• Jeff Gordon (five) leads the active drivers with five poles.
• 44 different drivers have posted victories led by Richard Petty (13).
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart (three) lead the active race winners.
• Petty Enterprises has won 15 races at Richmond, more than any other organization.
• 59 of 103 races have been won from the top-five starting positions, including 21 from the pole. However, only four races on the 0.75-mile configuration have been won from the pole.
• The last 10 races have been won from the top 10.
• The furthest back in the field that a Richmond race winner started was 28th by Richard Petty in the 1971 spring race.
• The furthest back in the field that a race winner has started on the 0.75-mile configuration was 25th by Matt Kenseth in the 2002 fall race.
• Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race – at Richmond – on February 23, 1986. Richard posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
• There has been a different pole winner in each of the past 10 races at Richmond International Raceway.
The Local Flavor
• There have been 259 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia:
• 355 NASCAR drivers have their home state recorded as Virginia.
• There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:
Driver
NSCS
NNS
NCTS
Joe Weatherly
25
0
0
Ricky Rudd
23
1
0
Jeff Burton
20
27
0
Curtis Turner
17
0
0
Ward Burton
5
4
0
Denny Hamlin
4
5
0
Glen Wood
4
0
0
Elliott Sadler
3
5
0
Emanuel Zervakis
2
0
0
Lennie Pond
1
0
0
Wendell Scott
1
0
0
Tommy Ellis
0
22
0
Jimmy Hensley
0
9
2
Rick Mast
0
9
0
Hermie Sadler
0
2
0
Elton Sawyer
0
2
0
Stacy Compton
0
0
2
Jon Wood
0
0
2
Richmond International Raceway Data
Race # 10 of 36 (5-3-08)
Track Size: .75 mile
• Banking/Corners: 14 degrees
• Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
• Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
• Frontstretch: 1,290 feet
• Backstretch: 860 feet
Driver Rating at Richmond
Kevin Harvick 121.2
Denny Hamlin 111.3
Kyle Busch 109.0
Tony Stewart 102.2
Kurt Busch 100.8
Kasey Kahne 97.9
Ryan Newman 95.4
Greg Biffle 93.2
Matt Kenseth 91.4
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 89.9
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2007 races (6 total) at Richmond.
Qualifying/Race Data
2007 pole winner: Jeff Gordon (126.251 mph, 21.386 seconds)
2007 race winner: Jimmie Johnson, 91.270 mph, 9-9-06)
Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers (129.983, 20.772 seconds, 5-14-04)
Track race record: Dale Jarrett (109.047 mph, 9-6-97)
Estimated Pit Window: Every 85-95 laps, based on fuel mileage
Here’s a “by the numbers” look at some of the things to watch for:
1 and 43 – Two finishing positions at Richmond during Jeff Burton’s career. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader, and Virginia native, has experienced both the highs and the lows at Richmond. He finished first in the fall of 1998 and last in the spring race of 2007.
6.5 – Denny Hamlin’s finishing position at Richmond. Richmond is Hamlin’s home track, and would be a most coveted victory. He’s come close a few times, finishing second in 2006 and third last season. Both finishes came in the spring race.
12 – Points position of Juan Pablo Montoya, the first time in the Colombian’s young NASCAR Sprint Cup career he’s been inside the Chase cutoff. His previous best position was 15th after the fourth race of 2007.
23 – The age Kyle Busch will turn on Friday. Busch, a six-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, has won more races by the age of 23 than any driver in history. Busch is charging up the standings, too – only 22 points behind points leader Burton.
26 – This is race No. 10, but race No. 26 is also held at Richmond – and it’s arguably the most important race of the season. This weekend is a preview to the second Richmond race, the cut-off before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
71 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s race winless drought. This weekend’s race is the two-year anniversary of Earnhardt’s last win. It’s been 71 races since that visit to Victory Lane.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2008 Top 12 at Richmond International Raceway
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
1
Jeff Burton
27
1
1
7
12
1
15.5
80.1
2
Kyle Busch
6
0
0
5
5
0
6.7
109.0
3
Dale Earnhardt, Jr
17
0
3
7
9
1
11.3
89.9
4
Denny Hamlin
4
1
0
2
3
0
6.5
111.3
5
Jimmie Johnson
12
2
2
3
3
1
17.8
84.9
6
Kevin Harvick
14
1
1
4
8
0
12.1
121.2
7
Clint Bowyer
4
0
0
0
2
0
10.8
88.8
8
Greg Biffle
11
1
0
2
5
1
16.0
93.2
9
Tony Stewart
18
0
3
6
12
2
11.8
102.2
10
Carl Edwards
7
0
0
0
2
1
20.6
77.2
11
Ryan Newman
12
1
1
4
7
0
11.1
95.4
12
Juan Pablo Montoya
2
0
0
0
0
1
33.5
63.0
Selected Driver Highlights – Richmond International Raceway-specific
Note: All driver statistics that follow are from Richmond International Raceway. The Loop Data statistics – Driver Rating, Average Running Position, etc. – in this release, however, cover the last six races at Richmond. NASCAR’s scoring loops began collecting data for statistical purposes in 2005.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford)
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Average Running Position of 13.9, ninth-best
• Driver Rating of 93.2, eighth-best
• 81 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.612 mph, seventh-fastest
• 1,744 (72.7%) Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most
• 113 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), tied for ninth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 18.1
• Average Running Position of 13.3, eighth-best
• Driver Rating of 100.8, fifth-best
• 187 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.715 mph, fifth-fastest
• 1,574 (65.6%) Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most
• 136 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), tied for third-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota)
• Five top fives
• Average finish of 6.2
• Average Running Position of 7.8, third-best
• Driver Rating of 109.0, third-best
• 163 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.779 mph, third-fastest
• 2,077 (86.5%) Laps in the Top 15, third-most
• 153 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Average Running Position of 12.9, sixth-best
• Driver Rating of 89.9, 10th-best
• 96 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
• Series-high 334 Green Flag Passes
• 1,401 (58.4%) Laps in the Top 15, 10th-most
• 124 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.5
• Average Running Position of 6.0, second -best
• Driver Rating of 111.3, second-best
• 58 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 10th-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.820 mph, second-fastest
• Series-best percentage of Laps in the Top 15 – 98.1% for a total of 1,570
• 104 Quality Passes (average of 26.0 per race), fourth-best average
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Series-best Average Running Position of 5.6
• Series-best Driver Rating of 121.2
• Series-high 259 Fastest Laps Run
• Series-fastest Average Green Flag Speed of 118.997
• Series-high 2,267 (94.5%) Laps in the Top 15
• Series-high 166 Quality Passes
Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 18.2
• Average Running Position of 15.5, 10th-best
• Driver Rating of 97.9, sixth-best
• 216 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
• 1,454 (60.6%) Laps in the Top 15, ninth-most
• 113 Quality Passes, tied for ninth-most
Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Average Running Position of 9.9, fifth-best
• Driver Rating of 95.4, seventh-best
• 2,104 (87.7%) Laps in the Top 15, second-most
• 136 Quality Passes, tied for third-most
Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Average Running Position of 9.6, fourth-best
• Driver Rating of 102.2, fourth-best
• 130 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 118.775, fourth-fastest
• 1,903 (79.3%) Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most
• 133 Quality Passes, fifth-most
At Richmond International Raceway:
History
• Richmond International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on April 19, 1953.
• The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between spring and fall races in 1968.
• Track was re-measured to 0.542 miles in September 1969.
• The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond was Feb. 20, 1982.
• The track was rebuilt as a 0.750-mile D-shaped oval following the spring race on Feb. 21, 1988.
• The first race under lights was held Sept. 7, 1991.
• The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ran 11 races at Richmond between 1995 and 2005.
• The first season with both races as night races was 1999.
Notebook
• There have been 103 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway since the track opened in 1953.
• Buck Baker won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole in 1953.
• Lee Petty won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race in April 1953.
• Davey Allison won the first race on the 0.75-mile layout from the Coors Light Pole in 1988.
• There have been 46 different pole winners led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty (eight).
• Jeff Gordon (five) leads the active drivers with five poles.
• 44 different drivers have posted victories led by Richard Petty (13).
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart (three) lead the active race winners.
• Petty Enterprises has won 15 races at Richmond, more than any other organization.
• 59 of 103 races have been won from the top-five starting positions, including 21 from the pole. However, only four races on the 0.75-mile configuration have been won from the pole.
• The last 10 races have been won from the top 10.
• The furthest back in the field that a Richmond race winner started was 28th by Richard Petty in the 1971 spring race.
• The furthest back in the field that a race winner has started on the 0.75-mile configuration was 25th by Matt Kenseth in the 2002 fall race.
• Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race – at Richmond – on February 23, 1986. Richard posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
• There has been a different pole winner in each of the past 10 races at Richmond International Raceway.
The Local Flavor
• There have been 259 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia:
• 355 NASCAR drivers have their home state recorded as Virginia.
• There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:
Driver
NSCS
NNS
NCTS
Joe Weatherly
25
0
0
Ricky Rudd
23
1
0
Jeff Burton
20
27
0
Curtis Turner
17
0
0
Ward Burton
5
4
0
Denny Hamlin
4
5
0
Glen Wood
4
0
0
Elliott Sadler
3
5
0
Emanuel Zervakis
2
0
0
Lennie Pond
1
0
0
Wendell Scott
1
0
0
Tommy Ellis
0
22
0
Jimmy Hensley
0
9
2
Rick Mast
0
9
0
Hermie Sadler
0
2
0
Elton Sawyer
0
2
0
Stacy Compton
0
0
2
Jon Wood
0
0
2
Richmond International Raceway Data
Race # 10 of 36 (5-3-08)
Track Size: .75 mile
• Banking/Corners: 14 degrees
• Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
• Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
• Frontstretch: 1,290 feet
• Backstretch: 860 feet
Driver Rating at Richmond
Kevin Harvick 121.2
Denny Hamlin 111.3
Kyle Busch 109.0
Tony Stewart 102.2
Kurt Busch 100.8
Kasey Kahne 97.9
Ryan Newman 95.4
Greg Biffle 93.2
Matt Kenseth 91.4
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 89.9
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2007 races (6 total) at Richmond.
Qualifying/Race Data
2007 pole winner: Jeff Gordon (126.251 mph, 21.386 seconds)
2007 race winner: Jimmie Johnson, 91.270 mph, 9-9-06)
Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers (129.983, 20.772 seconds, 5-14-04)
Track race record: Dale Jarrett (109.047 mph, 9-6-97)
Estimated Pit Window: Every 85-95 laps, based on fuel mileage
Week 10: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond
Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway on May 3.
1 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 7.6
• Led six races for 61 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished 18th in September’s Richmond race
• Led nine of 27 races for 899 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,867 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887)
2– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.2
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 9.9
• Led seven races for 398 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Five top fives
• Average finish of 6.2
• Finished 20th in September
• Led four of six races for 292 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.7
3– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.8
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.4
• Led seven races for 401 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished 30th in September
• Led eight of 17 races for 322 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 214 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
4 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 11.1
• Led four races for 249 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.5
• Finished sixth in September
• Led all four of his Richmond races for 67 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 568 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
5 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives
• Average finish of 12.1
• Led seven races for 412 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives; two poles
• Average finish of 17.8
• Swept at Richmond last season
• Led six of 12 races for 337 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,345 Laps in the Top 15 (81.2%), fourth-most
6 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.0
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Led three races for 34 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished seventh in September
• Led eight of 14 races for 646 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,698 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887), second-most
7– Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.1
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led three races for 137 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Finished 12th in September
• Led one of four races for four laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 107 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
8 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led three races for 17 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished 39th in September
• Led four of 11 races for 71 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 105 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
9 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.6
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 350 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished second in September
• Led 10 of 18 races for 792 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,452 Laps in the Top 15 (84.9%)
10 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.9
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 306 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 20.6
• Finished 42nd in September
• Led one of seven races for 15 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 352 Fastest Laps Run
11 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led four races for 53 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Finished 11th in September
• Led eight of 12 races for 388 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 541 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most
12 – Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 74.0
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 16.9
• Led one race for one lap
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Average finish of 33.5 in two Richmond races
• Finished 41st in September
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 959 Green Flag Passes, second-most
14 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 18.9
• Led six races for 184 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished fourth in September
• Led 19 of 30 races for 1,059 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 153 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 9 of 36
Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Jeff Burton 1,347 1 9 1 95.1
2. Kyle Busch 1,325 2 9 2 108.2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268 0 8 3 108.8
4. Denny Hamlin 1,248 1 4 6 101.5
5. Jimmie Johnson 1,245 1 5 4 100.3
6. Kevin Harvick 1,208 0 8 5 93.0
7. Clint Bowyer 1,182 0 5 8 88.1
8. Greg Biffle 1,148 0 9 10 89.2
9. Tony Stewart 1,137 0 9 7 99.6
10. Carl Edwards 1,084 3 4 9 104.9
11. Ryan Newman 1,062 1 9 12 85.4
12. J.P. Montoya 1,029 0 1 17 74.0
___________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Kasey Kahne 1,028
14. Jeff Gordon 1,018
15. David Ragan 994
16. Brian Vickers 994
17. Martin Truex Jr 949
18. David Gilliland 940
19. Matt Kenseth 909
20. Kurt Busch 903
21. Paul Menard 902
22. Bobby Labonte 895
23. Travis Kvapil 893
24. Casey Mears 887
25. Jamie McMurray 839
26. Elliott Sadler 832
27. Robby Gordon 797
28. Scott Riggs 788
29. David Reutimann 764
30. Mark Martin 723
31. Michael Waltrip 708
32. Reed Sorenson 678
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 663
34. Regan Smith 659
35. JJ Yeley 551
36. Dave Blaney 546
37. Jeremy Mayfield 490
38. Dario Franchitti 483
39. Mike Skinner 423
40. Joe Nemechek 397
41. Patrick Carpentier 390
42. Dale Jarrett 367
43. Kyle Petty 363
44 Michael McDowell 295
45. Bill Elliott 277
46. Aric Almirola 243
47. Kan Schrader 234
48. John Andretti 149
49. Sterling Marlin 97
50. David Stremme 84
51. AJ Allmendinger 78
52. Jon Wood 55
53. Johnny Sauter 52
54. Kenny Wallace 34
Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.
1 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 7.6
• Led six races for 61 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished 18th in September’s Richmond race
• Led nine of 27 races for 899 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,867 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887)
2– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.2
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 9.9
• Led seven races for 398 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Five top fives
• Average finish of 6.2
• Finished 20th in September
• Led four of six races for 292 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.7
3– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.8
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.4
• Led seven races for 401 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished 30th in September
• Led eight of 17 races for 322 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 214 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
4 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 11.1
• Led four races for 249 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.5
• Finished sixth in September
• Led all four of his Richmond races for 67 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 568 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
5 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives
• Average finish of 12.1
• Led seven races for 412 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives; two poles
• Average finish of 17.8
• Swept at Richmond last season
• Led six of 12 races for 337 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,345 Laps in the Top 15 (81.2%), fourth-most
6 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.0
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Led three races for 34 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished seventh in September
• Led eight of 14 races for 646 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,698 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887), second-most
7– Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.1
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led three races for 137 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Finished 12th in September
• Led one of four races for four laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 107 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
8 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led three races for 17 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished 39th in September
• Led four of 11 races for 71 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 105 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
9 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.6
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 350 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished second in September
• Led 10 of 18 races for 792 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,452 Laps in the Top 15 (84.9%)
10 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.9
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 306 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 20.6
• Finished 42nd in September
• Led one of seven races for 15 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 352 Fastest Laps Run
11 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led four races for 53 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Finished 11th in September
• Led eight of 12 races for 388 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 541 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most
12 – Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 74.0
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 16.9
• Led one race for one lap
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Average finish of 33.5 in two Richmond races
• Finished 41st in September
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 959 Green Flag Passes, second-most
14 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 18.9
• Led six races for 184 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished fourth in September
• Led 19 of 30 races for 1,059 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 153 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 9 of 36
Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Jeff Burton 1,347 1 9 1 95.1
2. Kyle Busch 1,325 2 9 2 108.2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268 0 8 3 108.8
4. Denny Hamlin 1,248 1 4 6 101.5
5. Jimmie Johnson 1,245 1 5 4 100.3
6. Kevin Harvick 1,208 0 8 5 93.0
7. Clint Bowyer 1,182 0 5 8 88.1
8. Greg Biffle 1,148 0 9 10 89.2
9. Tony Stewart 1,137 0 9 7 99.6
10. Carl Edwards 1,084 3 4 9 104.9
11. Ryan Newman 1,062 1 9 12 85.4
12. J.P. Montoya 1,029 0 1 17 74.0
___________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Kasey Kahne 1,028
14. Jeff Gordon 1,018
15. David Ragan 994
16. Brian Vickers 994
17. Martin Truex Jr 949
18. David Gilliland 940
19. Matt Kenseth 909
20. Kurt Busch 903
21. Paul Menard 902
22. Bobby Labonte 895
23. Travis Kvapil 893
24. Casey Mears 887
25. Jamie McMurray 839
26. Elliott Sadler 832
27. Robby Gordon 797
28. Scott Riggs 788
29. David Reutimann 764
30. Mark Martin 723
31. Michael Waltrip 708
32. Reed Sorenson 678
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 663
34. Regan Smith 659
35. JJ Yeley 551
36. Dave Blaney 546
37. Jeremy Mayfield 490
38. Dario Franchitti 483
39. Mike Skinner 423
40. Joe Nemechek 397
41. Patrick Carpentier 390
42. Dale Jarrett 367
43. Kyle Petty 363
44 Michael McDowell 295
45. Bill Elliott 277
46. Aric Almirola 243
47. Kan Schrader 234
48. John Andretti 149
49. Sterling Marlin 97
50. David Stremme 84
51. AJ Allmendinger 78
52. Jon Wood 55
53. Johnny Sauter 52
54. Kenny Wallace 34
Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.
Restrictor Plate Competition Up…Again
The new car matched – and exceeded – the boom in competition from the last visit to a restrictor plate track (February’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway).
There were 52 lead changes among 20 drivers during Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The Daytona 500 saw similar numbers – 42 lead changes among 16 drivers.
Sunday’s 20 different leaders is tied for eighth all-time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.
The 52 lead changes topped both Talladega races from last season. In the 2007 spring race, there were 42 lead changes; in the fall contest, there were 41.
There was also a jump in Green Flag Passes for the Lead, a Loop Data statistic that accounts for lead changes all around the track (not only at the start/finish line). Sunday’s race saw 84 Green Flag Passes for the Lead, compared to 67 during the last race held at Talladega.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kyle Busch, winner of Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega, will attempt to pull the “season circuit” in next weekend’s races at Richmond International Raceway.
With a win at the .75-mile Richmond short track, Busch would have a win on every style of track in NASCAR.
He currently has a win at two intermediate tracks (Atlanta in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and Texas in the NASCAR Nationwide Series), a restrictor plate track (Talladega in NASCAR Sprint Cup), a road course (Mexico City in the NASCAR Nationwide Series), a one-mile track (Phoenix in the NASCAR Nationwide Series) and a two-mile track (Auto Club Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series).
There were 52 lead changes among 20 drivers during Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The Daytona 500 saw similar numbers – 42 lead changes among 16 drivers.
Sunday’s 20 different leaders is tied for eighth all-time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.
The 52 lead changes topped both Talladega races from last season. In the 2007 spring race, there were 42 lead changes; in the fall contest, there were 41.
There was also a jump in Green Flag Passes for the Lead, a Loop Data statistic that accounts for lead changes all around the track (not only at the start/finish line). Sunday’s race saw 84 Green Flag Passes for the Lead, compared to 67 during the last race held at Talladega.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kyle Busch, winner of Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega, will attempt to pull the “season circuit” in next weekend’s races at Richmond International Raceway.
With a win at the .75-mile Richmond short track, Busch would have a win on every style of track in NASCAR.
He currently has a win at two intermediate tracks (Atlanta in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and Texas in the NASCAR Nationwide Series), a restrictor plate track (Talladega in NASCAR Sprint Cup), a road course (Mexico City in the NASCAR Nationwide Series), a one-mile track (Phoenix in the NASCAR Nationwide Series) and a two-mile track (Auto Club Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series).
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Kyle Busch Wins Wild One at 'Dega
Kyle Busch won racing's biggest crapshoot Sunday after a knuckle-cracking, tension-filled NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
After a multi-car wreck with 25 laps to go ruined Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart's chances, Busch battled his way to the front with some bold moves in the closing laps of a thrilling race.
Juan Pablo Montoya, the former Indy 500 winner and Formula One star, crossed the finish line in second, glued to the bumper of the winner.
The seventh caution flag of the day fell on the final lap, signaling the end of the race, when a gaggle of cars racing for finishing position started spinning behind the leaders.
The race which featured 52 lead changes among 20 drivers was totally unpredictable from start to finish with drivers swapping the lead several times on a single lap.
Denny Hamlin, who raced Stewart and Earnhardt for the lead throughout most of the race, finished third with rookie David Ragan fourth. Ragan also mixed it up with the leaders all day.
Brian Vickers was fifth, followed by Travis Kvapil, Casey Mears, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Earnhardt, who managed a 10th-place finish despite his car being damaged in the wreck.
It was a pins and needles afternoon with just about every driver leading for a spell. On the final restart, two-time champion Jimmie Johnson pushed Michael Waltrip to the front momentarily but the deck shuffled several times by the end. Johnson finished 13th and teammate Jeff Gordon, who challenged up front in the closing moments, wound up 19th.
Points leader Jeff Burton, who also ran with the frontrunners most of the overcast afternoon, was caught up in the last accident and finished 12th.
As heartbreaking as it was for Earnhardt and Stewart, substitute driver David Stremme –filling in for the injured Dario Franchitti – ran strong all day but was also eliminated in the final accident of the day.
Stewart jumped into the lead at the start on a balmy day at Talladega's two and a half mile speed emporium that has produced some of NASCAR's most exciting races.
By lap 10, Talladega favorite Earnhardt had moved from ninth to third.
It was a short day for Chip Ganassi Racing driver Reed Sorensen, who retired to the garage with engine problems after just five laps.
Behind the leaders Stewart, David Ragan and Earnhardt, pole winner Nemechek settled into fourth with veteran Schrader on his bumper.
Four-time series champion Gordon had moved from 20th to eighth by the 19th lap when former champion Matt Kenseth slid into the turn four wall for the first caution of the afternoon.
Nemechek lost valuable time in the pits while his crew switched his car from "qualifying mode" to "race mode," such as reconnecting belts like power steering that might produce a little more speed.
On the restart, Stewart was still leading with Kyle Busch second, Sadler third and Gordon fourth, followed by Brian Vickers, Earnhardt, Ragan, Jamie McMurray, Montoya and Scott Riggs.
Shortly afterwards, McMurray and Hamlin hooked up in the outside groove and streaked past Stewart and the others. After pushing McMurray to the front, Hamlin ducked to the bottom in turn one and took the lead himself on lap 33.
By lap 37, Earnhardt pulled out of line in front of Gordon and roared to the front, much to the delight of the huge, partisan crowd.
Clearly, the outside groove was the place to be. By lap 41, it was Earnhardt, Gordon, Paul Menard, Newman and Kevin Harvick, who started back in 39th position. Stewart and company had faded to 20th.
Hotshoe Carl Edwards brushed the wall and lost the draft during this period of the race.
The racing was just what people expect to see at Talladega with two and three abreast racing keeping the crowd on its feet.
Earnhardt maintained the lead during several skirmishes but Vickers got out front briefly and held on for several laps.
Earnhardt then fell in behind Menard and pushed him into the lead. Montoya got a push from Hamlin and led briefly but Earnhardt took over again on lap 53. Then Hamlin went out front. The lead was changing so fast, it was hard to keep up with who was first, and for how long.
Harvick took a turn in front, then Hamlin again. Then Earnhardt again at 60 laps of this 188-lap nail-biter.
After everyone had pitted under the green flag, Stewart was once again out front.
Vickers, who had been in the thick of things, spun his car exiting pit road and lost a lot of track position, all the way back to 30th spot.
By 70 laps, it was Stewart, Hamlin, Menard, Martin Truex Jr., Kvapil, Johnson, rookie Michael McDowell, Waltrip, Elliott Sadler and Bowyer. Earnhardt had dropped to 11th spot.
On lap 76, Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., scraped the wall slightly and had to make an unscheduled pit stop.
By the 80th lap, Earnhardt was back up to fourth just behind Johnson. Stewart and Hamlin were in front. The next lap, Earnhardt pushed Johnson towards the front but fell back in line, leaving Johnson in a fade-away position, all the way back to 15th.
Stewart and Hamlin were hooked together for several laps and Nemechek had worked his way back into the top 10.
Earnhardt took the lead again on lap 88 with the Stewart-Hamlin duo stuck on his bumper.
At the halfway mark, 94 laps, it was Earnhardt, Stewart, Hamlin, McMurray, Ragan, Menard, Waltrip, Newman, Truex, and Sadler
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Hornaday Conquers Kansas Speedway
Ron Hornaday Jr. won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 in overpowering fashion Saturday at Kansas Speedway,starting from pole and leading 136 of 167 laps.
It was Hornaday's first win of the season and extended his all-time lead in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to 34. He also took the lead in the points by 61 over Rick Crawford.
"This thing was just a rocket ship," Hornaday said. "It's a brand-new truck. You don't have trucks like that, it was awesome."
Hornaday surrendered the lead three times during yellow-flag pit stops and impressively drove the Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet back to the front in a few laps on each occasion. He was fourth following his final pit stop on Lap 108, regaining the lead in five laps and holding it for the final 55 around the 1.5-mile circuit.
KHI teammate Jack Sprague bounced back from a midrace mistake that put his Chevrolet at the back of the field to finish second, one truck length (.149 seconds) behind following a restart with two laps remaining.
Hornaday pulled away to a two-truck length advantage and was in control heading onto the backstraight. Sprague made a strong run going into Turn 3, but wasn't able to get alongside Hornaday and followed him to the checkered flag.
"Coming off the backstretch, all of a sudden he (Sprague) was on my rear end," Hornaday said.
Sprague, also driving a new truck built by KHI, pitted out of sequence on Lap 74 and steadily gained positions. He passed rookie Colin Braun on the outside in Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 155 to take third and moved up to second one lap later when second-running Todd Bodine spun in Turn 3 and hit the outside wall.
"We didn't pit when everybody else did, and we used our stuff up getting back to the front," Sprague said. "We wanted it bad."
Braun, in his Roush Fenway Ford, finished third but angered veterans Sprague and Matt Crafton.
Braun rammed Crafton's Chevrolet in the bumper and turned him into the Turn 4 wall, ruining a strong race. Crafton confronted Braun on pit row after the race, and Braun took responsibility for the mistake.
"I didn't want to get into Matt," Braun said. "I apologize. Hey, I'm a rookie and I make mistakes."
Sprague was attempting to pass Braun on the inside on the frontstretch when the rookie moved to his left.
"He came down on me and I could have let him crash," Sprague said. "I went around him on the outside. I told him, 'That was a gift, but don't mess with me again.' He has to stop running into people. If he wants to win, he has to have respect."
Bill Davis Racing teammates Johnny Benson and Mike Skinner finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in their Toyotas.
Stewart Claims First Talladega Win
Polesitter Tony Stewart held off a last-lap challenge from Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Saturday to claim his first victory at Talladega Superspeedway in any series.
"Boys, we won at Talladega!" Stewart shouted as he crossed the finish line in the Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race .302 second ahead of runner-up David Stremme. It was Stewart's third NASCAR Nationwide win of the season.
Bobby Hamilton Jr. ran third, Jason Leffler fourth and Mark Green fifth, as Earnhardt dropped to sixth after Stewart repelled his last-ditch run on the final lap.
"I didn't think leading was the place to be," said Stewart, who led Earnhardt to the line for a restart with two laps to go in the 117-lap event, after a caution for debris in Turn 4 had slowed the race on Lap 113. "I still don't think, even after winning the race, that being the leader there with two laps to go was the right place to be.
"But we did what we had to do, and they got spread out behind us, and we got the push we needed there at the end."
Earnhardt surged to the front on the final lap but faded on the outside when Stremme stayed with Stewart on the bottom of the track.
"Me and Tony worked great together the whole race," Earnhardt said. It was down to the last lap, and I thought we had it timed good, but my run wasn't as strong as it could have been -- and Tony was just so strong."
The entire complexion of the race changed dramatically in an instant, 12 laps past the halfway point.
Stewart was leading Earnhardt through Turn 1 on Lap 71 when Kevin Lepage pulled onto the track from the pit road into the front of the field and triggered a chain-reaction pileup that collected 15 cars, including the contending vehicles of Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, David Reutimann, Steve Wallace, Reed Sorenson and Kyle Busch.
Casualties of the wreck included six of the top 10 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings entering the race and the other two drivers of the Wallace contingent -- Mike and Kenny -- all of whom were running in the top 10 when the melee occurred. Mike Wallace sustained minimal damage and was able to continue.
Notes: Dario Franchitti, driver of the No. 40 Chip Ganassi Racing entry, was injured during a crash on Lap 11 of Saturday's race. Franchitti blew a tire, hit the outside wall and slid down the track in Turn 3 into the
path of Larry Gunselman, whose No. 91 Ford slammed into the driver's side of Franchitti's Dodge. Conscious and alert, Franchitti was taken to an ambulance on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Gunselman likewise was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
NASCAR announced that Franchitti suffered a fractured left ankle and minor contusions. He was expected to be released from the hospital Saturday evening but will not race in Sunday's Aaron's 499. Stremme, who drove for Ganassi last year, will replace Franchitti. Stremme needed approval from Rusty Wallace Inc., his Nationwide team, and from Penske Racing, whom he recently signed with as a test driver, to have the opportunity.
Clint Bowyer entered the race as the series points leader but was caught in the same wreck that sidelined Franchitti. After repairs to his No. 2 Chevrolet, Bowyer returned to the track and finished 25th, helping him
hold on to the top spot in the standings.
Friday, April 25, 2008
My picks for TALLADGEA! (oh yeah kansas too.
HEY HEY HEY! ITS TALLADEGA! I love thisplace and I got some great picks too. but first off picsk for teh Kansas truck race. I pick Coliun Braun to get his first victory in trucks. Now Nationwide in talladega. Im pick Brad Kelsolowki to grab his first victory with Jr pushing him to the win. In cup its gonna be DALE EARNHARDT JR getting his first win sicne richmond of 2006! Stay tune and whatch for the BIG ONE! In both races
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tony Stewart might leace joe Gibbs racing
Tony Stewart may be looking to leave Joe Gibbs Racing before his contract is up in 2009, but JGR has no desire to accommodate him, according to two online reports.
ESPN.com, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that Stewart has told Gibbs officials he wants to be released from the final year of his driver contract. SI.com, citing its own sources, reported that Stewart was deep in negotiations to move to Haas/CNC Racing for the '09 season. Stewart would drive the No. 66 or No. 70 car and become a part-owner of the racing team.
JGR president J.D. Gibbs told ESPN.com that Stewart wasn't going anywhere right now. "The reality is he's racing here through 2009. There's no ifs, ands or buts about that one. Our stance is he's racing for us through 2009."
Haas officials told ESPN.com and SI.com that the outfit has not made any deals with Stewart but would be interested in talking with him.
Stewart's publicist, Mike Arning, told the website, "Tony's contract is through the 2009 season. When that is up he'll have a lot of options for 2010 and beyond. But in terms of what he's going to do, or might do, for now and in between, as far as JGR is concerned he's their driver for 2009."
Sources also told the websites that Stewart would like to again drive Chevrolet cars; Gibbs Racing switched to Toyotas this season. Haas runs Chevys provided by Hendrick Motorsports, which also fields cars for two-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time Cup winner Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Casey Mears
ESPN.com, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that Stewart has told Gibbs officials he wants to be released from the final year of his driver contract. SI.com, citing its own sources, reported that Stewart was deep in negotiations to move to Haas/CNC Racing for the '09 season. Stewart would drive the No. 66 or No. 70 car and become a part-owner of the racing team.
JGR president J.D. Gibbs told ESPN.com that Stewart wasn't going anywhere right now. "The reality is he's racing here through 2009. There's no ifs, ands or buts about that one. Our stance is he's racing for us through 2009."
Haas officials told ESPN.com and SI.com that the outfit has not made any deals with Stewart but would be interested in talking with him.
Stewart's publicist, Mike Arning, told the website, "Tony's contract is through the 2009 season. When that is up he'll have a lot of options for 2010 and beyond. But in terms of what he's going to do, or might do, for now and in between, as far as JGR is concerned he's their driver for 2009."
Sources also told the websites that Stewart would like to again drive Chevrolet cars; Gibbs Racing switched to Toyotas this season. Haas runs Chevys provided by Hendrick Motorsports, which also fields cars for two-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time Cup winner Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Casey Mears
‘In The Loop’ At Talladega Superspeedway
Bowyer: Jekyll And Hyde At Talladega
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 23, 2008) – Which Clint Bowyer will show up this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway?
Will it be the Bowyer who flourishes at Talladega when racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, or the Bowyer who struggles mightily there in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?
The Bowyer statistical gap from series-to-series at Talladega is a large one. He’s at both ends of the success spectrum.
In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Bowyer has three starts, all with finishes inside the top 20 (including a fifth-place run in 2006).
But in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Bowyer only has one Top-30 run in four races – an 11th the last time the series raced there.
Below are Bowyer’s race logs in the two series at Talladega (all driver race logs can be seen at NASCARMedia.com):
Bowyer at Talladega – NASCAR Nationwide Series
Date Finish ARP FLR LT15 DR
4/05 19 13 2 49.2% 92.5
4/06 5 9 3 88.0% 98.8
4/07 13 10 1 75.8% 90.0
Total 12.3 10.5 6 70.9% 93.8
ARP: Average Running Position
FLR: Fastest Laps Run
LT15: Percentage of Laps in the Top 15
DR: Driver Rating
Bowyer at Talladega – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Date Finish ARP FLR LT15 DR
5/06 40 39 0 .5% 33.9
10/06 35 22 5 29.8% 56.7
4/07 35 31 2 7.8% 46.8
10/07 11 24 9 16.5% 85.8
Total 30.3 29.2 16 13.6% 55.8
The differences in the numbers are stark. While in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Bowyer has never dipped below a 90.0 Driver Rating; in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, he has yet to break 90.0.
In terms of Driver Rating, Talladega is Bowyer’s worst track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:
Bowyer – Worst 5 Tracks in Driver Rating
Avg.
Name Driver Rating
Talladega 55.8
Las Vegas 63.2
Pocono 72.2
Michigan 73.0
Martinsville 75.0
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Through eight races this season, the pre-race Driver Rating continues to be a useful and accurate tool when analyzing the upcoming race. Most recently, Jimmie Johnson won at Phoenix after having the top pre-race Driver Rating.
Overall:
• Six of the eight race winners had a pre-race Driver Rating in the top 10.
• Three of eight race winners had a pre-race Driver Rating in the top five.
• The top-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating finished in the top 10 in six of eight races.
• The top-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating finished in the top five in three of eight races.
All of the above stats could spell success for Jeff Gordon, who leads the series in pre-race Driver Rating at Talladega with a 98.5. The four-time series champion is eight points out of the top 12.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 23, 2008) – Which Clint Bowyer will show up this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway?
Will it be the Bowyer who flourishes at Talladega when racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, or the Bowyer who struggles mightily there in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?
The Bowyer statistical gap from series-to-series at Talladega is a large one. He’s at both ends of the success spectrum.
In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Bowyer has three starts, all with finishes inside the top 20 (including a fifth-place run in 2006).
But in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Bowyer only has one Top-30 run in four races – an 11th the last time the series raced there.
Below are Bowyer’s race logs in the two series at Talladega (all driver race logs can be seen at NASCARMedia.com):
Bowyer at Talladega – NASCAR Nationwide Series
Date Finish ARP FLR LT15 DR
4/05 19 13 2 49.2% 92.5
4/06 5 9 3 88.0% 98.8
4/07 13 10 1 75.8% 90.0
Total 12.3 10.5 6 70.9% 93.8
ARP: Average Running Position
FLR: Fastest Laps Run
LT15: Percentage of Laps in the Top 15
DR: Driver Rating
Bowyer at Talladega – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Date Finish ARP FLR LT15 DR
5/06 40 39 0 .5% 33.9
10/06 35 22 5 29.8% 56.7
4/07 35 31 2 7.8% 46.8
10/07 11 24 9 16.5% 85.8
Total 30.3 29.2 16 13.6% 55.8
The differences in the numbers are stark. While in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Bowyer has never dipped below a 90.0 Driver Rating; in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, he has yet to break 90.0.
In terms of Driver Rating, Talladega is Bowyer’s worst track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:
Bowyer – Worst 5 Tracks in Driver Rating
Avg.
Name Driver Rating
Talladega 55.8
Las Vegas 63.2
Pocono 72.2
Michigan 73.0
Martinsville 75.0
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Through eight races this season, the pre-race Driver Rating continues to be a useful and accurate tool when analyzing the upcoming race. Most recently, Jimmie Johnson won at Phoenix after having the top pre-race Driver Rating.
Overall:
• Six of the eight race winners had a pre-race Driver Rating in the top 10.
• Three of eight race winners had a pre-race Driver Rating in the top five.
• The top-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating finished in the top 10 in six of eight races.
• The top-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating finished in the top five in three of eight races.
All of the above stats could spell success for Jeff Gordon, who leads the series in pre-race Driver Rating at Talladega with a 98.5. The four-time series champion is eight points out of the top 12.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
NASCAR Nationwide Series News And Notes – Talladega
Home (Pressure) Cooking Greets Gale At Talladega
• Busch Aims For Ard’s Four-Straight Series Wins Standard
• Bowyer, Edwards In Closest Title Chase Since 2001
• Aaron’s 312 Second Of Four Series Races On ESPN On ABC
Starring Role: Mobile’s Cale Gale Gets Big Start At Home Track
Daytona Beach, Fla. (April 22, 2008) – Nothing like a little pressure to top off a homecoming.
Cale Gale (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) comes to Talladega Superspeedway as the lone driver for Kevin Harvick Inc., a team owned by the two-time series champion and his wife, DeLana.
Normally at a companion event, Harvick is behind the wheel of one of the team’s two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Only twice this season has Gale competed with Harvick.
But at Talladega, it’s the 23-year-old Mobile, Ala., native all by his lonesome.
Driving for the team that won this race last year.
With its second car in the runner-up position.
In front of his home crowd.
“Obviously I do put a little added pressure on myself since I am from Alabama,” Gale said.
“The last person from Alabama to win at Talladega was Davey Allison, so to be in good equipment and have a shot is pretty cool.
“KHI won this race last year with Bobby (Labonte) and Tony (Stewart) finished second.
“That’s more pressure on me because we’re returning with only one car this time.”
Gale is scheduled to compete in 14 races for KHI this season, sharing time with his boss and also with defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., to gain knowledge and experience.
He’s run three races thus far and his last outing was a successful one. He finished a career-best eighth at Nashville Superspeedway in March.
“This is the same car Kevin ran at Daytona (finishing 21st) and since then, (we’ve) worked hard to improve (it) before heading back to the superspeedways,” Gale said. “The main thing is to stay in line, hang in the draft and hopefully have a shot at the end of the day.”
The Versatile One: Busch Latest To Take Aim At Ard’s Record
What more can Kyle Busch (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) do for an encore?
He’s been pretty successful in his follow-up work since winning three weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway.
Since that victory, Busch has posted two more wins — at Phoenix International Raceway and last Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Not only has Busch — who is in the top 10 in the standings in each of NASCAR’s national series — won three in a row for the first time since Ryan Newman in 2005, but he’s shown his talent and versatility off the same way Newman did.
Like Newman, Busch accumulated his wins on totally different tracks — the intermediate and racy venue at Texas; the one-mile short track at Phoenix and the winding road course in Mexico City.
He has two top fives in four series races at Talladega, but was 39th last year after an early accident.
The only series driver to win four races in succession is Sam Ard. The two-time series champion did so in 1983.
Three of Ard’s four consecutive wins were on short tracks while one was an intermediate-track victory.
Three Degrees Of Dale Jr. At Talladega
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 5 Delphi Chevrolet) has one NASCAR Nationwide Series win (2003) at Talladega but his connections in the series there extend beyond his own results.
His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., won at Talladega in series competition 10 years before his son. Martin Truex Jr., like Earnhardt Jr. a two-time series champion, is the all-time series wins leader at the track with three—all in succession (2004-06). Those came with Chance 2 Motorsports, the team co-owned by Earnhardt Jr. and Teresa Earnhardt.
His current connection is his own JR Motorsports team, led by driver Brad Keselowski (No. 88 U.S NAVY Chevrolet). Keselowski comes to Talladega sixth in the standings, the highest-ranked NASCAR Nationwide Series-only driver in the top 10.
Ambrose, Wallace Back In The Groove?
The collective sigh that emanated Sunday from Mexico City was let loose by two drivers who came into this season with high expectations but thus far hadn’t delivered.
Marcos Ambrose (No. 59 Kingsford Ford) collected a runner-up finish, not a surprise for the veteran of road-course racing. More surprising was the career-best result for the Aussie, his first top 10 since last year’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (10th).
Steve Wallace (No. 66 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet) was due for his breakthrough top-10 finish but few figured it would be on a road course in his 61st start.
Wallace finished 10th in Mexico and moved to 14th in the rankings, tying his career-best standing. He was 26th at Talladega in 2007.
Ambrose, who finished eighth in the final standings last year, had understandably lofty goals for 2008, but it’s been his JTG Racing teammate, Kelly Bires (No. 47 Clorox Ford), who’s been the leader for the organization.
Bires is 10th in the standings and will make his track debut at Talladega. Ambrose was 25th at last year’s race.
Bowyer, Edwards Engaged In Battle
Clint Bowyer (No. 2 Camping World/RVs.com Chevrolet) has a nine-point lead over defending series champion Carl Edwards (No. 60 Save-A-Lot Ford) in the standings.
This is the closest the drivers in first and second have been since 2001 when Greg Biffle (No. 16 CitiFinancial Ford) led Kevin Harvick by three points after nine races.
In The Loop: Bowyer, Edwards Close In Points, Stats At Talladega
Saturday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway looks like a perfect opportunity for Clint Bowyer to put some space between himself and a hard-charging Carl Edwards.
Edwards tightened the gap with a fourth-place finish at Mexico City last weekend, closing to within nine points of the series-leading Bowyer.
Now comes the unpredictable nature of Talladega, where Bowyer has performed well in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (as opposed to his 30.2 average finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series). Bowyer finished fifth there in 2006 and 13th the last time the series raced at Talladega in 2007. Over the last three races, Bowyer has a Driver Rating of 93.8, an Average Running Position of 10.5 and has run 70.9% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Edwards, though solid with two consecutive 10th-place runs at Talladega, hasn’t been as statistically strong as Bowyer. In his NASCAR Nationwide Series career at Talladega, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 87.4, an Average Running Position of 14.8 and has run 67.5% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Also watch for a strong run by David Ragan (No. 6 Discount Tire Ford), who sits fifth in the standings. In his only series start at Talladega, Ragan scored a fourth-place finish, had a Driver Rating of 100.1, an Average Running Position of 10.8 and ran 66.7% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Of the NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars, watch for a solid run from David Stremme (No. 64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet), who returns to the track for the first time since 2005. He finished fourth in that race, earned a Driver Rating of 89.1 and an Average Running Position of 12.5.
NNS Etc.
Brad Coleman (No. 27 USPS Ford) is one driver who is looking forward to returning to Talladega. The 20-year-old Houston, Texas native captured his first career pole at this event last year then went on to finish ninth in the race — his career-best at the time.
Coleman had three top fives and five top 10s in 17 starts last year, but has only one top 10 in his first nine races this season.
Eric McClure (No. 24 Hefty Brand Chevrolet) will reach a milestone at Talladega where he will record his 50th series start. The superspeedway is McClure’s favorite track; he recorded his series-best finish (18th) there in 2007 and made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2004, finishing 26th.
Different team, same solid results. That’s the M.O. of Mike Bliss (No. 1 Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet), who registered his fourth top-10 finish of the season at Mexico City.
Bliss began the season with Fitz Motorsports but moved to Phoenix Racing during the season’s first open week. He had two top 10s for Fitz and after a 24th-place finish at Texas in his first race in the No. 1. Since then he has posted back-to-back top 10s.
In three career series starts at Talladega, Bliss has two — what else? — top 10s.
When he was signed by Richard Childress Racing early this year, Stephen Leicht’s (No. 21 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet) original schedule was two races, sharing time with 1991 series champion Bobby Labonte, who was set for 15 events.
But with two top-10s in three starts this season, Leicht was extended to at least four races with the addition of Talladega.
He’ll drive the chassis that has produced one win (Kevin Harvick — Daytona) and a top-10 (Harvick — Talladega) on superspeedways since 2007.
However, Leicht’s two-race average finish at Talladega is 29.5.
Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings
Rank Driver Points
1. Dario Franchitti 80
2. Bryan Clauson 52
3. Brian Keselowski 38
4. Cale Gale 34
5. Landon Cassill 27
6. Chase Miller 20
7. Patrick Carpentier 17
Results following the Corona Mexico 200 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Bill France Performance Cup Standings
Chevrolet has closed the gap on Toyota in the race for the Bill France Performance Cup and its chances to take the lead in the manufacturers’ race are high at Talladega.
Chevy is the series leader in wins there with 12, including the last five consecutive victories.
2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
Toyota 59
Chevrolet 58
Ford 48
Dodge 33
Up Next: Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway
Friday night short-track racing is up next for the NASCAR Nationwide Series when the Lipton TEA 250 kicks off the month of May at Richmond International Raceway.
Clint Bowyer is the defending winner of the May 2 event and hometown favorite Denny Hamlin is the defending pole winner. Hamlin has yet to win at his home track in NASCAR national series competition.
FAST FACTS
The Race: Aaron’s 312
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Saturday, April 26
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Distance: 311.22 miles/117 laps
TV: ABC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Track Size: 2.66-mile tri-oval
2007 Winner: Bobby Labonte
2007 Pole: Brad Coleman
2008 Standings:
1 Clint Bowyer 1,339
2 Carl Edwards 1,330
3 Kyle Busch 1,273
4 David Reutimann 1,195
5 David Ragan 1,165
6 Brad Keselowski 1,153
7 Mike Bliss 1,136
8 Jason Leffler 1,062
9 Mike Wallace 1,039
10 Kelly Bires 996
Schedule:Thursday–Practice 3-4:45 p.m.; Final Practice 5-6 p.m.; Friday–Qualifying, 4:05 p.m. (Impound)
Track Contact: Andrew Smith, (256) 315-2556, arsmith@talladegasuperspeedway.com
• Busch Aims For Ard’s Four-Straight Series Wins Standard
• Bowyer, Edwards In Closest Title Chase Since 2001
• Aaron’s 312 Second Of Four Series Races On ESPN On ABC
Starring Role: Mobile’s Cale Gale Gets Big Start At Home Track
Daytona Beach, Fla. (April 22, 2008) – Nothing like a little pressure to top off a homecoming.
Cale Gale (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) comes to Talladega Superspeedway as the lone driver for Kevin Harvick Inc., a team owned by the two-time series champion and his wife, DeLana.
Normally at a companion event, Harvick is behind the wheel of one of the team’s two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Only twice this season has Gale competed with Harvick.
But at Talladega, it’s the 23-year-old Mobile, Ala., native all by his lonesome.
Driving for the team that won this race last year.
With its second car in the runner-up position.
In front of his home crowd.
“Obviously I do put a little added pressure on myself since I am from Alabama,” Gale said.
“The last person from Alabama to win at Talladega was Davey Allison, so to be in good equipment and have a shot is pretty cool.
“KHI won this race last year with Bobby (Labonte) and Tony (Stewart) finished second.
“That’s more pressure on me because we’re returning with only one car this time.”
Gale is scheduled to compete in 14 races for KHI this season, sharing time with his boss and also with defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., to gain knowledge and experience.
He’s run three races thus far and his last outing was a successful one. He finished a career-best eighth at Nashville Superspeedway in March.
“This is the same car Kevin ran at Daytona (finishing 21st) and since then, (we’ve) worked hard to improve (it) before heading back to the superspeedways,” Gale said. “The main thing is to stay in line, hang in the draft and hopefully have a shot at the end of the day.”
The Versatile One: Busch Latest To Take Aim At Ard’s Record
What more can Kyle Busch (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) do for an encore?
He’s been pretty successful in his follow-up work since winning three weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway.
Since that victory, Busch has posted two more wins — at Phoenix International Raceway and last Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Not only has Busch — who is in the top 10 in the standings in each of NASCAR’s national series — won three in a row for the first time since Ryan Newman in 2005, but he’s shown his talent and versatility off the same way Newman did.
Like Newman, Busch accumulated his wins on totally different tracks — the intermediate and racy venue at Texas; the one-mile short track at Phoenix and the winding road course in Mexico City.
He has two top fives in four series races at Talladega, but was 39th last year after an early accident.
The only series driver to win four races in succession is Sam Ard. The two-time series champion did so in 1983.
Three of Ard’s four consecutive wins were on short tracks while one was an intermediate-track victory.
Three Degrees Of Dale Jr. At Talladega
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 5 Delphi Chevrolet) has one NASCAR Nationwide Series win (2003) at Talladega but his connections in the series there extend beyond his own results.
His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., won at Talladega in series competition 10 years before his son. Martin Truex Jr., like Earnhardt Jr. a two-time series champion, is the all-time series wins leader at the track with three—all in succession (2004-06). Those came with Chance 2 Motorsports, the team co-owned by Earnhardt Jr. and Teresa Earnhardt.
His current connection is his own JR Motorsports team, led by driver Brad Keselowski (No. 88 U.S NAVY Chevrolet). Keselowski comes to Talladega sixth in the standings, the highest-ranked NASCAR Nationwide Series-only driver in the top 10.
Ambrose, Wallace Back In The Groove?
The collective sigh that emanated Sunday from Mexico City was let loose by two drivers who came into this season with high expectations but thus far hadn’t delivered.
Marcos Ambrose (No. 59 Kingsford Ford) collected a runner-up finish, not a surprise for the veteran of road-course racing. More surprising was the career-best result for the Aussie, his first top 10 since last year’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (10th).
Steve Wallace (No. 66 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet) was due for his breakthrough top-10 finish but few figured it would be on a road course in his 61st start.
Wallace finished 10th in Mexico and moved to 14th in the rankings, tying his career-best standing. He was 26th at Talladega in 2007.
Ambrose, who finished eighth in the final standings last year, had understandably lofty goals for 2008, but it’s been his JTG Racing teammate, Kelly Bires (No. 47 Clorox Ford), who’s been the leader for the organization.
Bires is 10th in the standings and will make his track debut at Talladega. Ambrose was 25th at last year’s race.
Bowyer, Edwards Engaged In Battle
Clint Bowyer (No. 2 Camping World/RVs.com Chevrolet) has a nine-point lead over defending series champion Carl Edwards (No. 60 Save-A-Lot Ford) in the standings.
This is the closest the drivers in first and second have been since 2001 when Greg Biffle (No. 16 CitiFinancial Ford) led Kevin Harvick by three points after nine races.
In The Loop: Bowyer, Edwards Close In Points, Stats At Talladega
Saturday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway looks like a perfect opportunity for Clint Bowyer to put some space between himself and a hard-charging Carl Edwards.
Edwards tightened the gap with a fourth-place finish at Mexico City last weekend, closing to within nine points of the series-leading Bowyer.
Now comes the unpredictable nature of Talladega, where Bowyer has performed well in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (as opposed to his 30.2 average finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series). Bowyer finished fifth there in 2006 and 13th the last time the series raced at Talladega in 2007. Over the last three races, Bowyer has a Driver Rating of 93.8, an Average Running Position of 10.5 and has run 70.9% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Edwards, though solid with two consecutive 10th-place runs at Talladega, hasn’t been as statistically strong as Bowyer. In his NASCAR Nationwide Series career at Talladega, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 87.4, an Average Running Position of 14.8 and has run 67.5% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Also watch for a strong run by David Ragan (No. 6 Discount Tire Ford), who sits fifth in the standings. In his only series start at Talladega, Ragan scored a fourth-place finish, had a Driver Rating of 100.1, an Average Running Position of 10.8 and ran 66.7% of the Laps in the Top 15.
Of the NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars, watch for a solid run from David Stremme (No. 64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet), who returns to the track for the first time since 2005. He finished fourth in that race, earned a Driver Rating of 89.1 and an Average Running Position of 12.5.
NNS Etc.
Brad Coleman (No. 27 USPS Ford) is one driver who is looking forward to returning to Talladega. The 20-year-old Houston, Texas native captured his first career pole at this event last year then went on to finish ninth in the race — his career-best at the time.
Coleman had three top fives and five top 10s in 17 starts last year, but has only one top 10 in his first nine races this season.
Eric McClure (No. 24 Hefty Brand Chevrolet) will reach a milestone at Talladega where he will record his 50th series start. The superspeedway is McClure’s favorite track; he recorded his series-best finish (18th) there in 2007 and made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2004, finishing 26th.
Different team, same solid results. That’s the M.O. of Mike Bliss (No. 1 Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet), who registered his fourth top-10 finish of the season at Mexico City.
Bliss began the season with Fitz Motorsports but moved to Phoenix Racing during the season’s first open week. He had two top 10s for Fitz and after a 24th-place finish at Texas in his first race in the No. 1. Since then he has posted back-to-back top 10s.
In three career series starts at Talladega, Bliss has two — what else? — top 10s.
When he was signed by Richard Childress Racing early this year, Stephen Leicht’s (No. 21 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet) original schedule was two races, sharing time with 1991 series champion Bobby Labonte, who was set for 15 events.
But with two top-10s in three starts this season, Leicht was extended to at least four races with the addition of Talladega.
He’ll drive the chassis that has produced one win (Kevin Harvick — Daytona) and a top-10 (Harvick — Talladega) on superspeedways since 2007.
However, Leicht’s two-race average finish at Talladega is 29.5.
Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings
Rank Driver Points
1. Dario Franchitti 80
2. Bryan Clauson 52
3. Brian Keselowski 38
4. Cale Gale 34
5. Landon Cassill 27
6. Chase Miller 20
7. Patrick Carpentier 17
Results following the Corona Mexico 200 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Bill France Performance Cup Standings
Chevrolet has closed the gap on Toyota in the race for the Bill France Performance Cup and its chances to take the lead in the manufacturers’ race are high at Talladega.
Chevy is the series leader in wins there with 12, including the last five consecutive victories.
2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
Toyota 59
Chevrolet 58
Ford 48
Dodge 33
Up Next: Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway
Friday night short-track racing is up next for the NASCAR Nationwide Series when the Lipton TEA 250 kicks off the month of May at Richmond International Raceway.
Clint Bowyer is the defending winner of the May 2 event and hometown favorite Denny Hamlin is the defending pole winner. Hamlin has yet to win at his home track in NASCAR national series competition.
FAST FACTS
The Race: Aaron’s 312
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Saturday, April 26
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Distance: 311.22 miles/117 laps
TV: ABC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Track Size: 2.66-mile tri-oval
2007 Winner: Bobby Labonte
2007 Pole: Brad Coleman
2008 Standings:
1 Clint Bowyer 1,339
2 Carl Edwards 1,330
3 Kyle Busch 1,273
4 David Reutimann 1,195
5 David Ragan 1,165
6 Brad Keselowski 1,153
7 Mike Bliss 1,136
8 Jason Leffler 1,062
9 Mike Wallace 1,039
10 Kelly Bires 996
Schedule:Thursday–Practice 3-4:45 p.m.; Final Practice 5-6 p.m.; Friday–Qualifying, 4:05 p.m. (Impound)
Track Contact: Andrew Smith, (256) 315-2556, arsmith@talladegasuperspeedway.com
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