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  • Lenox Industrial Tools 301; Army Strong for Newman

    Lenox Industrial Tools 301; Army Strong for Newman

    The race at new Hampshire would prove to be yet another shake up in the series points standings as the leader coming in, Kyle Busch, would take a huge hit in the points dropping four spots and Carl Edwards moved into the series lead over Jimmie Johnson by 7 points.

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]Newman moved up from 9th to 8th in the series standings and locked in the treasured win to assist the driver with his chase berth. Teammate Stewart held steadfast in 11th.

    Polesitter Newman led 119 of the 301 laps ran today. Newman’s teammate and boss, Stewart took over the lead on lap 6 and then Newman retook the lead on lap 39.

    The first caution of ten yellows came out on lap 31 for debris.

    Newman restarted next to Kurt Busch who took over the lead on lap 41. Busch drove in clean air for 20 laps until the next caution flew on lap 61 when Kyle Busch blew his right front tire sending him into the outside turn three wall. Busch went to the garage for 77 laps and finished in 36th place.

    Caution number four come out after Brad Keselowski blew a tire in the same corner as Kyle Busch.

    On lap 172 Denny Hamlin spun out in turn two collecting Andy Lally after a chain reaction from Juan Pablo Montoya would go into A.J. Allmendinger, causing Allmendinger to spin Hamlin.

    Lap 185 Mark Martin spun out in turn two after his left rear tire blew.

    The next restart would have Busch leading for six laps until Stewart came on scene for the next 23 laps when the next caution flag came out for debris.

    Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose both led for 4 laps when the ninth caution came out after Brian Vickers and Kahne made contact coming out of turn four.

    In the closing laps several teams were worried about fuel mileage. But it did not worry the Stewart-Hass teammates as they closed out the last ten laps of the race as they started, first and second.

    The win was Newman’s 15th victory in 351 Sprint Cup Series starts. This is also the first time that Stewart-Hass finished first-second.

    Newman is the 13th different race winner this season as well as his first victory and ninth top ten finish this season. Newman is no stranger to winning at New Hampshire with this race being his third win at the track.

    LAP BY LAP COVERAGE

    Welcome to New Hampshire!!

    It seems like the talk is about not only the Chase for the Sprint Cup, but the big talk is the fight for the last treasured transfer positions to make it into the Chase.

    From 11th place Tony Stewart down to 20th place Joey Logano will need to make essential finishes and collect as many points as you can, including the treasured win. We will keep an eye out on not only Stewart and Logano, but will watch Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle, David Ragan, Paul Menard, Kasey Kahne, A.J. Allmendinger and wily veteran Mark Martin.

    Funny enough though Stewart Hass teammates Stewart and pole setter Ryan Newman will lead the 43 drivers into the 301 laps on the track. David Reutimann will start 3rd, Kurt Busch 4th and Brad Keselowski 5th.

    GREEN FLAG as the drivers come jamming into turn one. Newman has a great jump with Stewart as the wingman. Lap 2 sees Kurt Busch taking over second place and the top 5 single file. Montoya started his day 8th passing Jeff Gordon to take 7th. Menard slips down one to 10th.

    Lap 5 Allmendinger started 17th moves up three to 14th. Lap 6 into 7 Stewart is your new leader. The laps click off quickly and we are into lap 15 as Stewart runs 1.3 seconds in front of Newman and 2.3 seconds in front of 3rd place Kurt Busch.

    Lap 19 Allmendinger continues his move to the front into 11th. Lap 21 the start and park list kicks off with Jeff Green and Mike Skinner in the garage.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 29 for debris. Michael McDowell is the lucky dog. The field heads to pit road. Newman is the first out followed by Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Stewart with a slow stop.

    GREEN FLAG lap 34 for McMurray for remaining on track. Lap 38 as the tires come up to proper air pressure for the drivers, Newman takes the lead followed by Kurt Busch. McMurray holds third. Brian Vickers started 21st and a great stop moves him into 14th.

    Lap 40 Kurt Busch is the new leader. Lap 43 Bowyer had a rough stop dropping 9 spots to 23rd from his start of 12th. Lap 45 Jeff Gordon started his day 7th and continues his fight to take 6th. Lap 48 Jeff Burton takes 4th from McMurray.

    Lap 49 we see a few battles on the track between teams as Denny Hamlin battles Logano for 17th and takes it along with Dale Earnhardt Jr. versus Jimmie Johnson to take 22nd.

    Lap 50 your top twenty drivers are Kurt Busch, Newman, Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Burton, Reutimann, McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Menard, Martin Truex Jr., Allmendinger, Regan Smith, Montoya, Vickers, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin, Logano, Biffle, Keselowski and Martin.

    Lap 56 where are the drivers we are watching? Stewart is 3rd, Bowyer down to 28th, Montoya to 14th from 8th, Biffle 17th from 20th, Ragan 23rd from 26th.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 59 as Kyle Busch blows a tire heading into turn three and wrecking into the outside wall. Busch takes it to the garage. It looks like the tire popped after making several contacts with Earnhardt Jr. No lucky dog. The race back is Newman, Stewart, Kahne, McMurray and Truex Jr.

    It looks like Allmendinger has heavy damage on his car as he is back on pit road and the hammers are in use. Bowyer was on pit road.

    GREEN FLAG lap 65 with Martin leading the field for a few moments until turn three not stopping for a pit stop. Lap 65 into 66 Newman is the leader once again. It looks like Kyle Busch will be in the garage for a long time or out of the race today from the damage.

    Lap 71 a bit of movement on the track as Martin holds onto 2nd at the moment from his start of 24th. Kahne started 10th and is 4th after Stewart takes 3rd. Truex Jr. started 13th and is up to 5th, Harvick 6th from 18th, McMurray holds 7th after the last round of stops and his start of 25th.

    Lap 79 Biffle has moved up to 10th from 20th, Ragan 13th from 26th, Vickers 14th from 21st. Lap 80 drivers slipping back are Reutimann from 3rd down to 17th, Montoya 8th to 21st, Keselowski from 5th to 24th and Kyle Busch 19th to 39th and still in the garage.

    Lap 84 Stewart Hass Racing is the front runners as Newman leads Stewart by 1.1 seconds and the rest of the field is 2.7 seconds behind Stewart. Lap 87 in the garage we see Green, Skinner, Nemechek, McDowell, Busch, Darnell and add Casey Mears to the list.

    Lap 90 Mike Bliss, Scott Wimmer, Andy Lally, David Stremme and Landon Cassill could be the next drivers on the lap down list. Lap 94 looks like Burton is all over Harvick for 6th place. Lap 95 the next battle looks like Logano versus Smith for 19th. We also see Montoya, Keselowski and Bobby Labonte fighting for 24th. Smith hangs onto 19th.

    YELLOW FLAG Lap 100 for debris in turn three. No lucky dog. The field is in for the next stop. Newman and Stewart remain as first and second followed by Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Burton. Looks like Johnson remained on track this time to have the lead. The rest of the top twenty are Harvick, Kurt Busch, Menard, Vickers, Hamlin, Smith, Reutimann, Logano, Kenseth, Montoya, Martin, Bowyer, Truex Jr. and Biffle.

    There have been nine lead changes among six leaders so far and three cautions.

    GREEN FLAG lap 105 and a great restart for Johnson and a bit of help from Kahne as a pick to hold back the rest of the field. Stewart slips back to 6th along with Newman down to 3rd with two tire stops while others have taken four or swapped two tires left one stop and right the other.

    Lap 110 Jeff Gordon has an issue with his electrical system and the team has Gordon switch to his back up battery on his car to see if the issue is resolved. Lap 113 Kahne in turn two on the inside of Johnson for the lead but Johnson holds him off. At the same time of the battle Burton has captured both drivers to make it a three way battle for the lead.

    Lap 115 Burton on the inside of Kahne for second. Heading into turn three Burton takes second but is out of shape allowing Kahne to cross over and take the position back. Lap 117 Newman slips back to 5th, Stewart 7th. Lap 118 Kurt Busch takes 5th from Newman who also slips behind Stewart into 7th.

    Lap 121 Johnson has Kahne on his side to take the lead with Burton and newcomer Gordon in his mirror for 2nd and 3rd. Lap 125 your top ten drivers are Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Burton, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Stewart, Newman, Logano, Vickers and Biffle.

    Lap 127 Jeff Gordon takes the lead. Lap 131 as Gordon leads where are the challengers 11th through 20th in the standings prior to the race? Stewart is 5th, Bowyer 12th, Montoya, 13th, Biffle 8th, Ragan 21st, Menard 15th, Kahne 3rd, Allmendinger 23rd, Martin 16th and Logano now 8th Biffle 7th.

    Lap 135 Kyle Busch is back in the race 76 laps down. McMurray and Johnson are one lap down. Gordon could still have an issue as the team may think his alternator is not working correctly. Harvick is on pit road and we hear that Martin may have the same issue as Gordon with the electrical.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 144 as Keselowski pops his tire and slams his car into turn three outside and almost the same place as Busch. Stremme is the lucky dog and the leaders head into pit road. We have a new set of drivers in the front. Kurt Busch is the leader followed by Vickers, Logano, Reutimann and Montoya.

    GREEN FLAG lap 150 (151 to go) as Kurt Busch brings the cars back up to speed. Stewart and Newman are 13th and 14th. Lap 154 was almost dead in turn three and four. Somehow he is able to get going again. He lost all power and by switching to the other battery was able to get going but slips back to 35th.

    Lap 158 Ragan is all over Montoya for 6th place. Martin all over Kahne for 9th and he takes it. Keselowski is in the garage like Busch was earlier.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 161 for debris / fluid in turn three after someone had engine issues. Kyle Busch is the lucky dog. A bit of time for cleanup.

    GREEN FLAG lap 168 as Kurt Busch and Vickers are even into turn one but out of turn two Busch has it. The next lap Carl Edwards started 15th and is up to 3rd.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 170 after a Denny Hamlin spin out in turn one. The drivers bunched up where Hamlin was tapped from behind by Allmendinger who was tapped by Montoya. Gordon fell a lap down from the last pit stop and a battery change, gains it back as the lucky dog this time.

    GREEN FLAG lap 175 as Kurt Busch hops back in front of Vickers. Lap 176 Martin was in the middle of a pack but no damage from it. Lap 177 three wide on fresh tires between Ambrose, Montoya and Earnhardt Jr. for 14th. Ambrose has it.

    Lap 178 Burton takes second from Vickers. Lap 183 Kurt Busch leads and Stewart is making his move forward back to 5th. Newman is 8th.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 184 as Martin blows a left rear tire in turn two.

    GREEN FLAG lap 189 between Kurt Busch and Edwards. Both drivers are neck and neck until turn four where Busch has it. Keselowski is back in the race. Lap 191 Stewart takes over second place. Lap 192 as Stewart closes in on Busch, Newman moves into 4th.

    Lap 194 Stewart for the lead heading into turn three. Lap 196 Earnhardt Jr. has moved into the top ten a few laps back to 8th followed by Johnson in 9th. Lap 197 Johnson passes Earnhardt Jr. for 8th. Harvick closes in on Earnhardt Jr. on the next lap.

    Lap 200 (101 to go) as Stewart leads Kurt Busch by 1 second, the rest of the top twenty drivers are Edwards, Newman, Vickers, Reutimann, Johnson, Montoya, Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bowyer, Allmendinger, Burton, Logano, Ambrose, Hamlin and Biffle.

    So far we have seen 7 cautions that have lasted for 31 laps. 15 lead changes have been seen so far among 10 leaders.

    Lap 207 Johnson passes Reutimann for 6th place. Jeff Gordon has been moving up in the field to grab 8th. Lap 211 Harvick is slipping back in the field down to 15th. Stewart leads by 2.1 seconds over Edwards. Lap 214 Jeff Gordon and Vickers battles for 6th.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 216 for yet more debris. The field heads into pit road. The race back is Bowyer, Montoya, Burton, Biffle and Newman.

    GREEN FLAG lap 222 as Marcos Ambrose and Logano lead the field back to racing as the two remained on track.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 225 as Vickers was on the inside three wide of his teammate Kahne and Dave Blaney, bounces off the left front nose of Kahne and wrecks into the front straight wall.

    GREEN FLAG lap 230 with pole setter Newman on the outside of Bowyer for the lead. Newman takes it by the start finish line. Lap 233 our top ten drivers are Newman, Bowyer, Biffle, Burton, Kurt Busch, Edwards, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Kenseth and Smith.

    Lap 234 Biffle to the inside of Bowyer to take second. Lap 236 Burton and Kurt Busch pass Bowyer for 3rd and 4th.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 240 as Johnson spins out in turn two, breaking free to spin out. Earnhardt Jr. has an issue with a tire getting loose on pit road and falls to the back.

    GREEN FLAG lap 245 with Newman and Kurt Busch lead us into turns one and two. They are followed by Hamlin and Edwards. Lap 247 Kurt Busch on the inside of Newman for the lead but no dice. Lap 248 Edwards on the inside of Hamlin for 3rd and takes it.

    Lap 251 (50 to go) with the top twenty drivers of Newman, Kurt Busch, Edwards, Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, McMurray, Logano, Stewart, Smith, Bobby Labonte, Kahne, Montoya, Cassill, Truex Jr., Ragan, Burton, Johnson, Bliss and Allmendinger.

    45 to go as Newman’s car is all up to tire pressures, pulling away from Kurt Busch by a half second. Stewart is 7th to see where the rest of 11th through 20th are. Bowyer is 23rd, Montoya 12th, Biffle 19th, Ragan 16th, Menard 29th, Kahne 10th, Allmendinger 18th, Martin 27th and Logano 7th.

    38 to go as Hamlin passes Edwards for 3rd. Out of turn four Edwards bangs into the back of Hamlin a bit rough. Gordon passes Edwards as well as Stewart to take over 4th and 5th.

    35 to go Johnson is back on the move to 11th. 34 to go Newman leads Kurt Busch by 1 second. It looks like the leaders might be short on fuel.

    30 to go Johnson works on Kahne for 10th. 28 to go as Edwards and McMurray battle for 7th. 27 to go Smith is falling back to 11th after getting passed by Kahne and Johnson.

    25 to go where Newman leads Kurt Busch by 1.2 seconds. 23 to go where Kurt Busch is under attack by Hamlin and Jeff Gordon. Hamlin takes 2nd. 21 to go Gordon backs off of Kurt Busch just a bit for 3rd, but Stewart closes in.

    20 to go we hear that McMurray (running 7th) has no radio and the team works on making a sign that says, “Save gas.” Stewart takes third, Gordon takes 4th.

    15 to go Newman over Hamlin by 1.4 seconds. 13 to go Johnson is up to 8th. 12 to go Stewart starting to close in on Hamlin.

    10 to go Johnson moves into 7th, Stewart continues to close in on Hamlin. 9 to go into turn three Stewart on the inside of Hamlin to take second. Kahne takes 8th from McMurray.

    6 to go Smith is running out of fuel but makes it to pit road.

    5 to go Newman may be saving on fuel, but Stewart is not and 1 second back.

    4 to go Newman down to a half second and McMurray out of gas but on pit road.

    3 to go Newman pulls back out by a few car lengths

    2 to go it’s the Newman Stewart show.

    WHITE FLAG as Montoya is out of fuel and maybe Edwards too. Newman in turn three and four…

    CHECKERED FLAG for Newman followed by Stewart.

    The rest of the top ten are Hamlin, Logano, Johnson, Kahne, Bobbie Labonte, Truex Jr., Ambrose and Kurt Busch.

    The race lasted for three hours. We saw 21 lead change among 14 leaders and 10 cautions for 44 laps.

  • Crafton nudges Dillon for second career win

    Crafton nudges Dillon for second career win

    [media-credit name=”Kyle Ocker” align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]

    Matt Crafton broke a 79 race winless streak and recorded his second win at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, nudging defending race winner Austin Dillon by two car lengths at the stripe.

    Crafton’s last win came at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 16, 2008. His victory also broke the streak of pole winners going on to win the race at Iowa Speedway’s two races.

    “It’s a huge momentum builder.  It was awesome. It was a long time since 2008.” Crafton said.

    Dillon dominated for most of the night until a bad late pit stop placed him back in eight place on the restart.

    “I don’t know what happened. I saw they stumbled in the front, lost a tire. Never got an explanation. My guys do a great job on pit row, and (Saturday) night wasn’t their night.” Dillon said.

    Pole sitter David Mayhew led a few laps at the beginning of the race, finishing third. Johnny Sauter and Joey Coulter rounded out the top five finishers.

    Dillon fell short of making it a Dillon family sweep after his brother Ty Dillon won the ARCA Series race held before the Truck Series event.

    Dillon now trails Sauter by 22 points in the Camping World Truck Series driver standings.

    “I’m really proud of Matt tonight, he earned this win. ThorSport Racing just moved all its racing operations this week into the new shop, and the guys are all working overtime. To come out here and get a win and a top five finish after a really long week in the shop, that’s pretty amazing. We had more in us on the No. 13 Safe Auto/Karl Chevrolet team tonight, but we’ll take a top five after all that happened to us in this race. It’s a solid finish, and we’ll build on that into Nashville.” Sauter said.

    Unofficial Race Results
    Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee, Iowa Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/truckseries/race.php?race=11
    ==============================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    ==============================================
    1 11 88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 47
    2 5 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 44
    3 1 2 David Mayhew Chevrolet 42
    4 6 13 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 41
    5 2 22 Joey Coulter * Chevrolet 39
    6 14 60 Cole Whitt * Chevrolet 38
    7 3 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 37
    8 10 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. * Chevrolet 36
    9 32 81 David Starr Toyota 35
    10 21 5 Todd Bodine Toyota 35
    11 4 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 33
    12 9 46 Justin Lofton Toyota 32
    13 13 32 Steve Arpin Chevrolet 31
    14 7 18 Brian Ickler Toyota 30
    15 12 7 Miguel Paludo * Toyota 29
    16 19 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota 28
    17 20 92 Clay Rogers Chevrolet 27
    18 23 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 26
    19 18 33 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 25
    20 17 9 Max Papis Toyota 24
    21 25 98 Dakoda Armstrong Chevrolet 23
    22 8 29 Parker Kligerman * Dodge 22
    23 27 102 Jamie Dick Chevrolet 21
    24 28 7 Caleb Roark Chevrolet 20
    25 16 23 Jason White Chevrolet 19
    26 30 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet 18
    27 22 4 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 17
    28 15 66 Justin Marks Chevrolet 15
    29 24 63 Jack Smith Ford 0
    30 26 93 Mike Garvey Chevrolet 14
    31 29 296 Todd Peck Chevrolet 13
    32 31 175 Greg Seevers Chevrolet 0
  • Kyle Busch Marks 100th Victory in All Three Series With 49th Nationwide Win

    Kyle Busch Marks 100th Victory in All Three Series With 49th Nationwide Win

    Kyle Busch not only won the New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but he also tied Mark Martin as the record holder for Nationwide wins at 49. And for good measure, Busch became just the third driver to score 100 NASCAR national series victories.

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]The 26 year old driver from Las Vegas, Nevada has won 22 times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 49 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and 29 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Busch is now third in the ranking of NASCAR National Series wins, behind Richard Petty, with 200, and David Person with 106.

    Busch has won at 25 different tracks, including achieving an historic first three-race weekend sweep at Bristol. He is ranked 28th with Terry Labonte in NASCAR Sprint Cup victories.

    “It certainly feels good and it means a lot,” Busch said. “To come out here and win for Z-Line Designs and get the 49th win in their car, we couldn’t do it without their support.”

    “To tie Mark Martin’s win is pretty awesome as well.”

    Speaking of Mark Martin, he was one of the first to find Busch in Victory Lane and congratulate him.

    “It’s just incredible,” Martin said of Busch tying his record. “Everybody forgets that he’s 26 years old. There’s so many more out there for him.”

    Busch had to do battle with his nemesis and probation partner Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Heating, Cooling and Water Heating Chevrolet, at the end of the race. Harvick finished in the runner up position and attributed his not winning the race to being warned by NASCAR.

    “I was told a few weeks ago that if we touched the 18 car, we’d be parked,” Harvick said. “I just had to be really careful and that’s just the way NASCAR put it to me.”

    “It would have been a lot easier to win if you didn’t have handcuffs put on you.”

    Even though Harvick did not win the race, he, like Busch, achieved his own record when the checkered flag flew. Harvick scored his 199th top-10 finish, which is an all-time record in the Nationwide Series.

    “We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of fun in this Series since it first started,” Harvick said. “I just came up one short.”

    Kasey Kahne, driving the No. 7 GoDaddy.com/Verisign Chevrolet, followed closely behind Harvick, coming in third. This was Kahne’s third top-10 finish in four races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “We were a seventh or eighth place car,” Kahne said. “My car was bouncing pretty bad throughout the race. But we were able to miss some of those wrecks and got up to third.”

    “It ended up being a pretty good result.”

    After spinning on Lap 33, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. recovered to come in fourth. The driver of the No. 6 Fenway Park 100 Years Ford admitted to having a pretty good run after his early error.

    “I made a mistake there early trying to get by the 31,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “He was holding everybody up and I tried to push the issue too hard.”

    “We got in there and got too tight and spun the car around there,” Stenhouse, Jr. continued. “This Red Sox Fenway Park 100 Year’s edition is a cool looking car and I wish we could have gotten it into victory lane.”

    Aric Almirola, behind the wheel of No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet, rounded out the top five.

    “We were a top ten car off the truck so to come out with a top five has been good,” Almirola said. “Everybody at JR Motorsports has been working their guts out.”

    “So, it’s fun to come and have a good weekend and put it all together and show off some of the hard work the guys have been doing back at the shop.”

    There was plenty of action throughout the race, from Carl Edwards blowing an engine and returning to his seat in the broadcast booth to several on-track altercations involving Rusty Wallace’s son and driver Steve Wallace.

    The driver of the No. 60 Fastenal Ford Mustang blamed a broken value or broken valve spring on his falling out of the race.

    “Something just broke,” Edwards said. “You don’t really know until you get it apart but I did shut it off early so we should be able to troubleshoot and look at it to see what was actually broken.”

    Steve Wallace, driver of the No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, also had an eventful race, but in a different way than Edwards. He was at the heart of several racing incidents and eventually spun out and wrecked at the end.

    “I really like Jason Leffler a lot – I get along with him really, really well,” Wallace said of one of his altercations. “He hit me about five or six different times today and he cut up in front of me and spun himself out.”

    “It’s as simple as that,” Wallace continued. “Got in the back of the 20 (Joey Logano) there and just a lot of things happened today – some were my fault and some were not.”

    Joey Logano, one of those who was caught up with Wallace in one of the incidents, had his own take on the on-track tussle.

    “The 66 (Steve Wallace) just drove in there a little too high and got us,” Logano said. “That was the end of our day.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    New England 200, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=19
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 5 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    2 2 33 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 0
    3 12 7 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 0
    4 14 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 41
    5 4 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 39
    6 13 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 39
    7 18 62 Michael Annett Toyota 37
    8 1 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    9 17 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 35
    10 8 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 34
    11 16 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 33
    12 15 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 32
    13 7 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 32
    14 20 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 30
    15 6 32 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 29
    16 19 30 Mikey Kile Chevrolet 28
    17 9 11 Brian Scott Toyota 27
    18 25 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 26
    19 26 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 25
    20 23 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 24
    21 27 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 23
    22 28 40 Charles Lewandoski * Chevrolet 22
    23 24 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 21
    24 36 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 20
    25 39 44 Angela Cope Chevrolet 0
    26 35 39 Matt Frahm Ford 18
    27 22 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 17
    28 21 167 Andrew Ranger Ford 0
    29 3 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    30 11 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 14
    31 31 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 13
    32 34 70 Dennis Setzer Dodge 12
    33 30 23 David Green Chevrolet 11
    34 10 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    35 42 113 Jennifer Jo Cobb * Dodge 9
    36 40 141 Carl Long Ford 8
    37 29 174 Mike Harmon Chevrolet 7
    38 38 175 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 6
    39 33 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 5
    40 41 104 Danny Efland Ford 4
    41 32 142 Tim Andrews Chevrolet 0
    42 37 147 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet 2
  • Smith responds….. ‘Las Vegas, Baby!’

    Smith responds….. ‘Las Vegas, Baby!’

    Just after it had appeared that the animosity from the traffic debacle at Kentucky Speedway had somewhat subsided, Bruton Smith, who is Speedway Motorsports, opened up another can of hard feelings on Friday. He should have hidden from the media.

    [media-credit id=24 align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]After saying he was sorry that he was sorry that fans had to endure the mess that was created when over 100,000 fans tried to enter the speedway, he let loose with some inflammatory comments that may have made things worse. He got some things right and some things terribly wrong, but those of us who admire Smith for his expertise in putting on good shows at his tracks and the general convenience of his properties, had to pause as he made his comments.

    Bruton got some things right. Two two-car drafting at Daytona and Talladega is an abomination. This Restrictor Plate Two-Step is simply not racing. It puts a driver in an unnatural position of settling for second place—pushing the car—instead of racing. It should be fixed. Smith’s comments that he would fix Kentucky’s traffic problems before NASCAR fixed that particular problem at those two tracks were probably spot-on.

    He’s also right about the highway system that goes into the track, but this is a problem at other SMI tracks like Bristol, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and others including the crown jewel, Charlotte Motor Speedway. Put that many people in one area and you will have problems. He has somewhat alleviated the problems at Bristol and Charlotte, two tracks I regularly attend. The secret there is to go early and stay late. It works. Oh yeah, and find a back road. The difference there is a very organized parking and camping situation—something Kentucky did not have.

    What he missed on were his comments about building infrastructure. Sparta, Kentucky has a grand total of 235 residents (according to a 2007 estimate). It is only 42 miles from Cincinnati, OH in the north and about 60 miles from other population centers in the state, Louisville and Lexington. It’s not Charlotte where affluence is noted everywhere. While Smith was able to strong-arm officials in Charlotte, he may have a tough time with Kentucky officials. Building an extra 40,000 seats didn’t help any either.

    He also stated emphatically that there would be no cash refunds because people couldn’t park, and were actually turned away from the track, because, “we don’t want to.” That’s a pretty arrogant statement. The ticket exchange is nice, but how many people can just pick up and go to Charlotte, Bristol, or Atlanta because they missed a race they paid for and sat in traffic for hours waiting to get into the facility.

    More alarming were the stories of poor camping conditions (which are the lifeblood of most SMI tracks. These die-hard race fans are always there) and parking seem to indicate poor planning for the part of the speedway. Clearly as the head of the corporation, these maladies fall right on his shoulders—something he refuses to admit.

    The final insult was the questions asked by Dustin Long, a reporter for Landmark Newspapers and Smith’s answers. When asked what he would discuss with the Kentucky governor next week about improvements to the infrastructure around the track, Smith responded, “Las Vegas, baby.” It was an apparent veiled threat to move the Kentucky date to his track in Nevada, giving that facility two dates. It’s something Smith has wanted for awhile and leaves the impression that the Kentucky debacle was a planned event for that end. Never mind the comments referring to the ISC track in Homestead, Florida, as being in “North Cuba.” Smith would like the season finale to be in Las Vegas instead of Homestead.

    So, what will happen? Your guess is as good as mine. Kentucky officials might give in to Smith, but I doubt it. The track might be better managed next time, but it probably will get better, especially if folks just stay away, which I expect. I only know that Smith will eventually get his way. He always has been able to get things done, but this one will be a little tougher.

    It wouldn’t surprise me to see another date at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a couple of years. Then the good folks of Kentucky will know how fans in Rockingham and North Wilkesboro felt. That’s not good.

  • Rachel Gilbert, 100 Year Old NASCAR Fan, Fulfills 100th Birthday Destiny at the Magic Mile

    First it was a party, cake and a fast lap around the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Rachel Gilbert drove the pace car.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]Now, for this race weekend, Gilbert has continued to fulfill her 100th birthday destiny by serving as grand marshal for the Whelen Modified Series race.

    Gilbert’s adventure started several months ago when her daughter emailed the race track, asking if any accommodations could be made for her mother’s 100th birthday, particularly as she could not sit in the grandstands comfortably.

    Jerry Gappens, New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s executive vice president and general manager, and his staff were intrigued by the request. Not only did they accommodate this family’s wish, but also helped Gilbert fulfill her NASCAR destiny, naming her the Speedway’s oldest fan.

    For her 100th celebration, Gappens provided a race car birthday cake at the track, an official LENOX Industrial Tools 301 hat, a NHMS jacket and a birthday card. The Speedway even made arrangements for her to take a few fast laps around the track.

    “Rachel is a true pace setter,” Gappens said. “We wanted to take the opportunity and celebrate this special occasion.

    But Gappens had even more in store for Gilbert. She also got an official crew shirt from her favorite driver Carl Edwards, as well as tickets to Sunday’s Cup race.

    “This all started from the email,” Marie Ann Mills, Gilbert’s daughter said. “It started by having her go around the track and then providing her with tickets to Sunday’s race.”

    “And I also got to drive the car,” Gilbert reminded her daughter. This was especially a treat for Gilbert as she gave up her car once she moved into an independent living facility for seniors.

    And celebrate she has. One of the biggest highlights for her has been serving as the Grand Marshal for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race and giving the command to start engines.

    Gilbert admitted she was slightly nervous prior to giving the command. But armed with a note that read “Drivers Start Your Engines” and surrounded by her family, she delivered the most famous words in motorsports beautifully.

    “I was nervous at the very beginning,” Gilbert said. “But it was a dream come true. This was great.”

    “That was unbelievable,” Gilbert’s daughter shared. “We were so proud of her.”

    Gilbert is a true NASCAR fan and has been for many years, starting in the 1960s when she followed her husband and some of their friends to races at Bryar Motorsports Park in Loudon, New Hampshire. She has also attended the Daytona 500, where she saw legends like Richard Petty and Bobby Allison race.

    Since that time, Gilbert has been hooked, never missing a race on television according to her family. In fact, residents of the facility where she lives have affectionately nicknamed her “Speedy” because of her affection for the sport.

    “I’ve been a fan for so long,” Gilbert said. “I have friends that we would go to the races with and we kept it up every year.”

    Gilbert’s favorite driver during that period of her life was Dale Earnhardt, Sr. She still struggles when she talks about him and cannot believe he has been gone that long.

    Not only has Gilbert been a race fan forever, but she also has a few other secrets to her achieving her centennial birthday. What are her keys to her longevity?

    “Good exercise,” Gilbert said simply. “That and a good gin and tonic when I go out.”

    Gilbert’s other key to her success has been her family, their love as well as their support of her NASCAR dream.

    “She always has a smile on her face,” Gilbert’s daughter shared. “If I could be half the woman that she is, I will be a hell of a woman.”

  • Ryan Newman Works Magic for Third Consecutive Whelen Modified Series Win

    Ryan Newman worked his magic at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway by winning his third consecutive Whelen Modified race. And Newman did so in style, taking the No. 7 Aggressive Hydraulics/Menards Chevrolet from the pole position to victory lane in the F.W. Webb 100.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”213″][/media-credit]This was Newman’s 8th career Modified Series start and his 4th career win. Three of those victories have come consecutively at the New Hampshire track known as the ‘Magic Mile.’

    “We had a really good car today and I’m proud of this team,” Newman said, holding his daughter in Victory Lane. “We didn’t know what was going to happen if a yellow came out. But it all worked out.”

    “I didn’t really know what to expect with the race and how it was going to unfold,” Newman said. “Typically we have multiple cautions here.”

    “Our car was really loose and I really had to manage the steering wheel,” Newman continued. “It seemed like the track wasn’t like it was in practice and we struggled a little bit with that part.”

    “We were the tightest of the loose guys and that was all it took,” Newman said. “We had a lot of fun.”

    Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion, Newman’s team owner and crew chief, echoed his driver’s thoughts on the historic win.

    “It’s really special,” Manion said. “We won here as a team in the early 90’s and as a kid to come up and race with the Cup guys was really cool.”

    “So, to come back here and learning the aspects of owning a car, it’s really special.”

    Newman and Bono both reiterated their desire to see more Cup and Whelen Modified race combination dates, naming Richmond, Phoenix and Martinsville as just a few possibilities.

    “The one mile tracks for sure fit this car,” Manion said. “I think Richmond would be an incredible Modified track. This is a great Series and they put on a great race.”

    “We just like it when it’s convenient,” Newman said. “And at the same time, it’s good for NASCAR Whelen Modified Racing to have quite a few people sitting in the grandstands. So, it works out good.”

    Runner up Todd Szegedy, driver of the No. 2 Wisk Detergent/A&J Romano Construction Ford, secured his fourth top-five finish in six races of the 2011 season.

    “Second to me was kind of a win,” Szegedy said. “We beat all the regulars.”

    “We’ve had some bad luck here for the last three or four races so this was definitely a good run,” Szegedy continued. “We had a great car.”

    “At the end, I went into fuel conservation mode, so I started backing out of it a little bit,” Szegedy said. “I could run up on Ryan a little bit but I’d get free off so I never could make a good move on him.”

    “Ryan made it interesting,” Szegedy continued. “So, good for him anyways.”

    “I think we’ve got some work to do,” Szegedy said. “We’ve got to drive the track different and set the car up different. He’s not unbeatable. We’ll just have to work harder.”

    Ron Silk, driver of the No. 6 T.S. Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet, scored the third position. This was Silk’s fourth podium finish in six races this year.

    “I was surprised how long it went green,” Silk said. “All my guys did a great job all weekend and we made about a thousand adjustments since we got here.”

    “I got a little bit close to Newman on the last lap but I just got up in the loose stuff,” Silk continued. “And once you get up there, you just can’t get out.”

    Matt Hirschman, driving the No. 3 Cape Cod Copper/Riverview Chevrolet, finished fourth. And Doug Coby, behind the wheel of the No. 52 Reynolds Auto Wrecking Chevrolet, rounded out the top five.

  • Jeff Gordon Tackles Ending Hunger, Congo Refugees and Racing at New Hampshire

    Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR Cup champion, is a busy man this weekend in New Hampshire. Not only will Gordon tackle the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but he is also tackling his philanthropic destiny, both locally and globally.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”235″][/media-credit]Prior to the start of the race weekend, Gordon visited the New Hampshire Food Bank as part of his Drive to End Hunger campaign with the AARP Foundation. He presented a $10,000 check to the Food Bank and toured their distribution facility.

    “Getting to work with the AARP Foundation through Drive to End Hunger has been really inspiring,” Gordon said. “To not only help nationally but to go into these communities and make an impact on those that are suffering from hunger is great.”

    “This was my first time this year visiting one of the food banks that actually is collecting the food, sorting the food, and distributing the food,” Gordon continued. “They really impressed me in how organized they were and how efficient they are with the food that is either donated or purchased through the funds that are donated.”

    “They’re cooking hot meals that are being distributed out to the Boys and Girls Clubs and different organizations,” Gordon said. “It was great to see the dollars that are being donated by fans and companies, being brought together by AARP and the Drive to End Hunger program, and to see it at work.”

    Gordon’s visit to the New Hampshire Food Bank not only had a tremendous impact on the fans who attended to see him and donate food, but it also made the world of difference to the work of the Food Bank.

    “This was a huge opportunity for us to partner with AARP and Jeff Gordon,” Melanie Gosselin, Food Bank Executive Director, said. “Often we don’t get celebrities here in New Hampshire so we’re tremendously thrilled that Jeff and his team are behind the fight against hunger nationally and locally as well.”

    “We’re serving one in ten in the State and one in seven are senior citizens,” Gosselin said of the work of the Food Bank. “So we can turn that $10,000 donation that was made into 70,000 meals. It’s a huge boost to us.”

    In addition to his philanthropy boosting the Food Bank, Jeff Gordon is looking forward to a great race weekend at New Hampshire. He is currently seventh in points with two wins for the season at the halfway point to the Chase.

    “Even though we are half way through the season, we have only a handful of races left before the Chase and the real championship begins,” Gordon said. “We’re pretty pleased with our season to this point and certainly happy about the two wins.”

    “I feel like we’ve been fortunate the last few weeks to get some pretty good finishes to move ourselves up in the points,” Gordon continued. “But I feel like we need to perform a little better than that if we’re really going to not only advance in but also be a real threat for the championship.”

    “So, I think this is a crucial weekend for us and one that I feel confident in,” Gordon said. “At this point you just have to keep taking it one at a time and see and hopefully improve each week.”

    Almost immediately after the race, Gordon will turn his attention to his newest philanthropic work, one that will take him around the world to the Congo.

    “I leave Sunday night after the race,” Gordon said. “I became a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, what they call the lead group, which is a smaller, younger group of philanthropists in all different areas. It’s a very ambitious group and prestigious group to be a part of, led by former President Clinton.”

    “We decided our initiative together was a refugee camp in the Congo,” Gordon continued. “They want to go to the harshest environment to make the biggest impact.”

    “We decided we needed to go and visit the refugee camp as we couldn’t talk about it and make a difference if we had never seen it,” Gordon said. “So, we’ve been planning this trip.”

    “I leave Sunday, get there Tuesday and come back on Thursday,” Gordon continued. “So, it’s a quick trip but there’s a lot packed into a short time.”

    “My expectations are to see some jaw-dropping, eye-opening experiences that are going to change my life forever,” Gordon said. “And hopefully we can do some very good things to try to change that in the future.”

  • NASCAR’s Unsung Heroes; The Research and Development Team Saves Another Life

    NASCAR’s Unsung Heroes; The Research and Development Team Saves Another Life

    [media-credit name=”Freddy Martinez” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The last noise a race car driver never wants to hear when his mind is focused on maneuvering around his favorite track, is the deafening screech of tires, followed by the impact of the car exploding against a retaining wall or tire and foam attenuator.

    After the initial impact, there is usually an eerie moment of silence from the fans as the driver slowly gathers his thoughts, while wondering if it’s an indication he is no longer breathing the air around him.

    For the fans there is nothing more spectacular and exciting than watching some aggressive side by side racing, where each driver pushes the limits of his Sunoco burning race car beyond what is almost abnormal for a 3500 pound motor vehicle. As with all forms motorsports, there is always the high element of danger lurking around lap after lap, as it waits for the driver to make one crucial mistake so it can strike with deceitful intentions.

    Each driver knows ahead of time the risks they take playing a game of cat-and-mouse, which pits man or woman against a highly sophisticated, and extremely dangerous fast moving maze of metal parts. It’s this maze of metal parts coupled together with a high performance power plant that can change a driver’s world in a moment’s notice, because of the high speeds they are racing at.

    NASCAR racing at any level will always be one of most competitive forms of motorsports, when you factor in all the banging and bumping that takes place as each driver fights for the same piece of real estate. So what happens when two, three, or even four drivers are racing for the same piece of track, and within a moment’s notice the cars become entangled with one another?

    Jason Patison, a driver in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Super Late Model series at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, found out first hand as so many driver have in the past just how dangerous this sport can become in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t so much who was at fault, or the circumstances that led up to Patison and fellow driver Dennis Schlarbaum both sliding against the front stretch wall, and hitting the tire and rubber attenuator which is in front of the exit to the track.

    Instead it was the fact that both drivers were able to walk away from yet another spectacular crash, but looking at the cars it would leave one to believe the driver of the No. 17 should have sustained some sort of life threatening injuries. Patison was transported to an area for hospital for precautionary measures after complaining of a headache, and was found to have suffered a mild concussion, but was treated and released after his injuries were found not to be life threatening. “It happened so fast I didn’t have time to back out of it.

    The car carried momentum and pushed me out the exit into the attenuator. I closed my eyes and waited for the hit. Honestly it jarred me it hurt but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I thought it was gonna be a lot worse,” said Patison the next day after the crash. Patison added that, “I think with the way the seats are built and the Hans device, and the cage was built really well. It absorbed a lot of the impact. I commend the car builder Port City Muskegon, MI and Short Track Racecars in Ramona, CA. for building a safe car.”

    The NASCAR research and development team is responsible for every aspect when it comes to driver safety, and the team spends countless hours testing, designing, and carefully looking for any flaws to ensure that each driver has the safest car possible. From the twisted metal steel that makes up the roll cage, to the six-point racing harness, along with the carbon fiber seat that holds the driver snuggly in place, no expense is spared in the construction of these technically advanced racing machines.

    These are just a few of the safety features that are very noticeable, along with the rest of the equipment that goes into building some of the safest race cars that are out on the track today. Track safety also plays a major role, and has always come under fire anytime an incident such as the one that involved Patison this past weekend, with most of  the controversy surrounding the magnitude of the wreck.

    The tracks are continuously evaluated to ensure the safety of the drivers, and also the fans that come out to enjoy this high speed and dangerous sport which pits man against machine. I talked with Bob DeFazio who is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, about their policy on keeping the drivers safe, and giving the fans the comfort of knowing the track is as safe as it can possibly be.

    DeFazio started off by saying that, “There are guidelines we have to follow. We are the poster child for NASCAR in the weekly series, and they look at our race track but also the emergency and safety personal crews.” DeFazio also added that, “There are 50 plus tracks around the country in their weekly family, and we are looked at for all our procedures,” which should give both driver and fan the comfort of knowing that NASCAR does consider TS@I one their safest and a premier facility.

    The speedway has never spared any expense when it comes to driver safety, “We constantly look at safety whether there is an incident or not. Two cars were involved and both drivers walked away because of the steps we take to make sure the race track is safe.”

  • Clint Bowyer Has One Word for 200th Career Start: Pride

    Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, is set to mark a milestone in his career.  He will make his 200th Sprint Cup career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Lenox Tools 301 this weekend.

    “200 races means a lot to me,” Bowyer said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity just to be in this sport.”

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”201″][/media-credit]Bowyer’s milestone also had him thinking about his first race in the Cup Series in Phoenix.

    “To think back to Phoenix and what that race meant to me and to now,” Bowyer said. “It truly meant a lot to my career.”

    “That race is what led to all of this,” Bowyer continued. “I’m just thankful for all the opportunities along the way and I’m trying to make the most of them.”

    Does the 200th start make the young driver feel just a tad bit old?

    “No, it doesn’t make me feel old”, Bowyer said with a laugh. “But it does make you realize how fast time flies.”

    “200 races, it’s like ‘Holy cow, already?’, Bowyer continued. “It’s just amazing how fast things happen.”

    Bowyer will definitely have to try to make the most of his achievement, especially at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with whom he seems to have a love/hate relationship.

    NHMS was the site of Bowyer’s first ever Cup win, however, it was also be the beginning of the end of his Chase chances last year, when he suffered a lethal penalty that put him dead last in the Chase standings.

    “Probably the best moment in my career was right here in New Hampshire with my first win,” Bowyer said. “And probably the worst was having that penalty right here.”

    Although Bowyer has run well at the track in the past, he is not taking anything for granted for his upcoming race this weekend.

    “We’ve always run well in a short flat-track program,” Bowyer said. “But there’s nothing saying that we’re not going to bring that same recipe back that we did last year and find that same success.”

    “We’re going to have to work hard,” Bowyer continued. “And we’re going to have to find a good balance on our race car.”

    “But it seems like it’s easier to find that balance for us on a track like this.”

    Can the RCR driver put aside the penalty that he suffered the last time he was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

    “It is what it is,” Bowyer said philosophically. “It doesn’t matter. It’s behind me.”

    In fact, Bowyer is more worried about what happened to him last weekend at Kentucky than what he endured the last time he ran a race in New Hampshire. Bowyer had a terrible run in Kentucky, cutting a tire and wrecking in the waning laps of the race, finishing miserably in the 35th position.

    “It’s frustrating to have to come back here and answer questions about last year because I’m worried about last week and overcoming last week; forget about last year,” Bowyer said.

    Yet Bowyer is trying to put his bad week in his rear view mirror, especially in light of his 200th start milestone.

    “It can very easily become a negative and spiral out of control,” Bowyer said. “But there are so many positives about our season. We’ve run well and that’s what has put us in this situation.”

    Bowyer’s situation is that he is now 12th in points and battling mightily to make the Chase to contend for the 2011 NASCAR Cup championship.

    “This is a crucial time for us,” Bowyer said. “We’ve got them breathing down our necks.”

    “But I tell you, with this crazy wildcard thing, this is a good track for us to get a win and solidify ourselves in the Chase,” Bowyer continued. “So, it’s an important weekend for sure.”

    Bowyer is definitely viewing his 200th career start as a chance to redeem himself and his race team. And for Bowyer, he wants to do so not just for himself but also his fans.

    “This is a chance to redeem myself absolutely,” Bowyer said. “You see a guy with a shirt on their back and it’s a sense of pride as well as responsibility for me.”

    “I look to go out there and run well for them and make them proud,” Bowyer continued.

    Bowyer was fastest in practice but could not quite pull off a pole run. He qualified 12th, with a speed of 133.595 mph and a time of 28.540 seconds.

    “New Hampshire has always been a great place for us to come,” Bowyer said. “The best thing is all the fans and all the people I have met over the years.”

    “Those relationships you’ll have with you the rest of your life and will mean the most to you,” Bowyer continued. “It makes me focus on this next race to make sure there is another 200 races after that.”

  • David Ragan Under Pressure In Spite of Daytona Redemption Win

    David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS ‘We Love Logistics’ Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, finally achieved his goal of being a NASCAR Sprint Cup winner, redeeming himself with a victory at Daytona International Speedway.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]Even with that win, however, the 25 year old driver is still feeling pressure all around him as he readies for the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend. And that pressure has been with him since his first day at Roush Fenway Racing.

    “I’ve said it a lot that I’ve had pressure from day one being at Roush Fenway, being a young guy, not having a lot of experience coming in, having a good year my rookie year and an even better year my sophomore year and then really struggling,” Ragan said.

    “Coming into this season, we knew we’d have a lot of pressure to run well,” Ragan continued. “We knew we had to win.”

    While Ragan has definitely gotten one monkey off his back with his Daytona race win, he acknowledged that the pressure to now make the Chase is even more heavily on his mind.

    “Honestly, that win was big,” Ragan said. “And following it up with a top-10 and leading some laps at Kentucky was a Chase caliber run for our team.”

    “Wins are very important to us still and that’s what we come to the race track every weekend to do,” Ragan continued. “But top tens, top fives, and leading laps are what’s going to get us to that top ten in points.”

    “We’ve put ourselves in a position to make the Chase and I think that brings up more pressure,” Ragan said. “Now we’re so close to capitalizing on the progress that we’ve made.”

    “Being right outside that top-10 with the win, it’s like ‘hey, we’ve got to do something with it’,” Ragan continued. “We can’t turn back now.”

    Another major looming pressure for the young driver is his future with Roush Fenway Racing, as well as the team’s continued sponsorship relationship with UPS. And for Ragan, he would like nothing better than to have that pressure relieved with the finalization of both of those deals.

    “I’m really happy at Roush and the Fords are running great,” Ragan said. “I think Jack’s happy with the performance of the 6 team in comparison to his other teams.”

    “A lot of it depends on what UPS does,” Ragan continued. “So, it’s just a matter of the negotiations between Roush and UPS and working out all the details.”

    “I still think we’re four to six weeks out from really having some announcements and look forward to some good runs in between them,” Ragan said. “But you can’t stop with what you’ve done. You’ve got to keep going and that’s what’s important.”

    “I’m encouraged by some of the recent conversations we’ve had,” Ragan continued. “Things look to be on the good side.”

    For this race weekend, Ragan is also feeling the pressure of being good at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a place where he has admittedly struggled at times. Ragan’s best finish in eight appearances at NHMS was 15th during his first ever start at the track in the summer of 2007.

    The driver, however, is hoping to take some of the pressure off as he is bringing the same UPS Ford race car that he raced last at Richmond, earning him his first top-five finish of the season.

    “Coming off our recent success at Martinsville and Richmond, I’m looking forward to another short track.” Ragan said of NHMS. “Our Fords have improved a lot at the flatter short tracks, so I think we’ve got a good shot.”

    “Our Fenway tie to the Boston area means a lot to our team,” Ragan continued. “That gives us extra motivation to get a good finish this weekend in Loudon.”

    One way that Ragan has relieved his sense of pressure is by racing his Legends car. He even had a win this past week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “I raced my Legends car at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday and won,” Ragan said. “This was in preparation for a big race coming up the first week in August.”

    “It’s always fun,” Ragan continued. “I get out there and race three or four times a year and we really enjoy ourselves. So, that win was a good omen for things to come this weekend.”

    Although he has had a bit of a pressure release with his Legends win, Ragan knows full well that the pressure will return in force when he gets behind the wheel of his Cup car for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 this Sunday.

    “There’s a lot of pressure at this Sprint Cup Series level but that’s what we thrive on,” Ragan sad. “So, it affects us in a good way.”