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  • Hot Blooded …. Summer Heat and Nascar

    Hot Blooded …. Summer Heat and Nascar

    In Charlotte, Greg Biffle’s driver cooling system failed. It didn’t fail mid race. It failed from the pace laps. Instead of blowing cooler air, it was blowing straight hot air. Biffle stated, “It was literally burning the side of my head.” It was estimated by his crew chief Greg Irwin that the temperature of the air he was breathing was upwards of 120 degrees. “He actually was running with his visor open so it was a little cooler than ambient temperature of the car.”

    Robin Pemberton, director of competition for NASCAR said, “The ambient temperature in the car on race day is in the mid 100’s. Higher on the floor boards. The actual driver environment temperature is less because of cooling devices in the car.”

    To get an idea of the level heat of in the floor board of the car, in 1994, Darrell Waltrip got in his car and threw a sharpie marker on the floor board at Dover Delaware. At the end of the race he tried to pick it up for post race only to find it had melted to the floor board.

    Carl Edwards stated he knew that he was not the only driver that was going down the straight away with his heels up off the floor board because his heels were burning. But he feels that the issue is not so much the effect of the heat on the driver but the effect of the heat on the car and the track surface. He stated that if you have a car that is not driving well or handling well and you are uncomfortable you are less patient with the car and yourself and competitors.

    The floor boards have typically been a problem causing burns to feet and heels. Dale Jarrett and Darrell Waltrip have both reported 3rd degree burns to their feet on hot days in a stock car.  More recently, Brian Vickers burned his foot and his butt at Bristol because of an exhaust problem. In fact, one of the most common injuries in NASCAR is the driver’s feet being burned by the heat coming from the engine and the exhaust system which is right under the cockpit of the race car. Most drivers wear a protective boot over their shoes to help prevent burns to the feet and heels.

    The driver’s cooling system lowers the temperature of the air that the driver’s are breathing by 20 – 30 degrees according to Kurt Busch. “But as the temperature rises in the car, the hoses become heat soaked and that raises the temperature some. I liken it to sitting in a hot tub with just my head sticking out.” Busch said.

    Juan Pablo Montoya is not a big supporter of the cooling system, “We use water bottles with lots of ice and change it out every stop. But it’s just hot, no matter what you do.”

    “The brakes are hot, gears are hot, the transmission is hot and that all transfers to the driver” added Jeff Burton.

    The driver’s Koolbox, as it is aptly named, is a 5.2 lb instrument of relief. The box mounts behind the seat and pulls air in from the outside of the car. Aaron Edwards of CompuTech the manufacturer of the Koolbox that 50 percent of the teams in Sprint Cup use states, “The unit cools the air that goes into the driver’s helmet 30 degrees below the ambient temperature. It has a control box that they can adjust the air flow. The faster the air flow the less cool the air is. On high speed it cools the air about 20 – 25 degrees.” The box is thermal electric and has a filter that protects drivers from the debris that might be sucked in with the outside air that is pushed to the driver by way of fans.

    Decision-making becomes muddled in extreme heat – that can be a deadly game at 200 mph.

    “I had cold chills,” Buddy Baker remembered of the Southern 500 in 1986. “I knew if it was 107 degrees (outside) and 137 in the car and I had cold chills, something was wrong. I was lucky enough to finish the race and after the race I step out and the ‘cold’ air hit me and I went right to the ground.”

    Baker continued, “If you’re really hot and confused, you don’t make great judgment calls.”

    Hydration was an afterthought in the beginning of big-time stock car racing, when men would race in street clothes – maybe with an inadequate helmet – and lean an arm out of an open window. It got hotter inside the cars when tight-fitting cockpits with carbon fiber seats developed. Engine heat accumulated around drivers wearing full face helmets, gloves and multi layer fire suits. Baker, the 1980 Daytona 500 winner who competed at NASCAR’s top level from 1959 to 1992, saw some improvements during his time racing, but nothing like what drivers have now.

    “We had Dixie cups with a little bit of icy water in it and nine out of 10 times when they tried to give it to you, of course the tire man would knock it out of somebody’s hand and you’d go, “I’m going to kill somebody if I don’t get something to drink pretty soon.” You might have to go another 100 miles before you even thought of getting another drink of water,” Baker said.

    “We just kind of had to live with it from pit stop to pit stop, and then of course we had the opportunity to run with just a little bottle behind the seat and what would happen would be water would go down the tube and it would heat up and you’d take a sip of it and it would be like scalding hot water.”

    “You felt pretty crappy going home on Sunday night and Monday you felt pretty bad and about Tuesday afternoon you started feeling really normal again,”  Buddy Baker remembered. “It took its toll on us.”

    Drivers now utilize a hydration system within the car. Called G.I.D.S. (Gatorade In-car Drinking System) More than half of the field utilizes this three-quart insulated bladder which is attached to the frame of the car, allowing a battery-powered pump to supply fluid on demand through a tube with a bite-down nozzle that inserts into the helmet.

    “That thing,” Five time champion Jimmie Johnson stated, “is a life saver.”

    In the hot summer months teams have a hydration officer who keeps fluids iced and available to team and driver. The large trash can is stocked with ice water, Gatorade, and some sodas. “The biggest mover at this point is water and Gatorade. Some guys will drink the soda in the morning to wake up if they don’t drink coffee. But we do everything we can do to make it easy for them to stay hydrated.” stated the hydration officer of the day for the 24 HMS team.

    Its long been known by emergency workers, police, fire and ambulance that as the heat rises, and the longer the heat socks in the more aggressive people become. The more violent crime we see. The lack of judgment becomes evident. The Coca Cola 600 was the longest race of the year. This year it was the hottest thus far. Although, we saw no outbursts the damage that Greg Biffle could have sustained was huge.

    The heat factor would go up again in Kansas, this time with more obvious results. After the truck race a physical altercation took place between Richard Childress and Kyle Busch in the Camping World Truck Garage. The incident was apparently sparked by after race contact between Busch and RCR driver Joey Coulter. The normally mild mannered Childress struck Busch when in his own words, “I let my passion get away from me.”

    Even Dale Earnhardt Jr stated, “I was fine until I got out of the car there.” Earnhardt Jr staggered leaving the car and was helped to the pit wall for a few minutes before heading to the media center for post race interviews. He sat on the end of the dais and did a TV spot with ESPN’s Marty Smith before climbing the stairs to the stage for questions from the media. The flushed Earnhardt stated when asked how long it would take him to recover from the heat,”I will be ok tomorrow afternoon. But I am just going lay around by the pool and enjoy a vodka or two.”

    The physical issues from extreme heat exposure range from heat stroke, to heart damage and lung damage. If you stop and think about what happens if you heat a drinking straw, it gets soft eventually it stretches. In the human body this is called an aneurysm or a bubble in the wall of a blood vessel.  The bubble is caused by a thinning of the vessel wall. The vessel may stay bubbled without issues for years. Or it may rupture. Rupture causes internal bleeding which would be difficult to impossible to control depending on the size of the vessel.

    Heat issues create a lack of focus and attention. The hotter we get, the more uncomfortable we become and we begin to focus on the heat and how uncomfortable we are and it compounds until finally our focus and attention is not on the task at hand but instead how uncomfortable we are in our environment. It’s a natural defense mechanism meant to make us change our environmental conditions.

    Prolonged breathing of extreme hot air can cause drying and damage to the bronchial passage ways. You see evidence of this in children who have asthma that is triggered by extreme cold or extreme hot. People with respiratory conditions such as Emphysema and COPD are advised to avoid extremes in temperature for this reason. Heat dries the passages and can result in cracking or bleeding. Cold can result in hardening and a lack of expansion also making it difficult to breathe.

    The hotter we become the less resistance we have to things like Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a huge risk in any type of motorized racing because of the fumes created by the combustion engine.

    The creators of the KoolBox have added an attachment to the existing unit that filters 95% of the carbon monoxide in the air out. “The catalyst is good for about 3 races before it begins to breakdown,” Aaron Edwards said. At that time it must be replaced with a refill pack provided by CompuTech.

    Rapid cooling procedures such as ice water soaked towels to the back of the neck or ice packs placed over the heart inside uniforms, although necessary can have dire effects as well. Everything from shock to stroke can result. Rapid cooling can also cause Blood clots. One must question how much the extremes in temperature and cooling played in say for example Brian Vickers difficulties last year.

    Newly repaved tracks like Daytona also contribute heavily to the heat factor. The black asphalt holds heat rather than reflects it away like lighter and older pavement. Concrete tracks reflect the most heat but it reflects the heat upwards towards the car and driver.

    Hot summer risks pose more risks to our drivers than just racing accidents. With the risks of heat frustration and exhaustion, carbon monoxide poisoning the drivers in all three of NASCAR’s touring series face huge obstacles that are more dangerous to their future’s and lives than just winning a race.

    Although the solution seems simple enough, run night races in the heat of the summer months, logistically that is not possible. Not all the tracks have lights and the light systems to light tracks like Charlotte and Bristol are prohibitive in cost with out many years of budgeting and planning.

    In 1992 when Charlotte Motor Speedway installed their fixed lighting the price tag was 1.7 million dollars. The 1,200-fixture permanent lighting system developed by MUSCO Lighting of Oskaloosa, Iowa, is a revolutionary lighting process using mirrors to simulate daylight without glare, shadows or obtrusive light poles. Daytona International Speedway reports that it costs 240 dollars an hour to operate their lighting system.

    Many tracks are adding lights including the most recent Kansas Speedway. Although, the lights were not ready to be utilized at the tracks most recent date, the lights are in place and functional. Night races have larger response from fans. Most night races are reported as sell outs by the tracks that host them. The reasons seem obvious; it gives the fans another travel day to be back at work on Monday. It’s cooler. And the lights take us back to the old school racing where the sport got its roots.

    As we head into the hottest part of the summer and tracks that are known to be the hottest on the circuit, drivers and teams will continue to battle the heat. They will test lighter weight uniforms, lighter color uniforms, and bigger and better Koolbox systems. All of which will help them to maintain their health, both physically and mentally in stifling 160 degree heat.

    They will hyper hydrate in preparation for the 10 to 16 lb weight loss, that drivers typically experience on Sunday. They will utilize the assistance of Gatorade’s G.I.D.S. and their teams Hydration officer in order to maintain their focus and cognitive ability.

    All of this will take place under the watchful eye of NASCAR’s medical team and governing officials.

    When the P.A. announcer calls their name from the driver’s introduction stage, there will be no thoughts of heat or its possible effects. There will not be even the slightest of concerns in regards to hydration. The only thoughts on the drivers minds will be crossing the finish line first and racing 42 other guys for that spot. One can only hope that the cheering fans in the stands and those waiting anxiously at home realize the risks their heroes take when the summer sun beats down on the greatest racing series in the world.

    Special Thanks to: Robin Pemberton, Aaron Edwards of CompuTech, and all the drivers that graciously addressed this issue and offered their insights.

  • Landon Cassill Thanks a Teacher, His Lucky Stars at Pocono, and Readies for Michigan Celebration

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”214″][/media-credit]Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 51 Security/Benefit Thank A Teacher Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing, has much for which to be thankful.

    First and foremost, he is thankful that he is competing at the Cup Series level as a driver for an up and coming team, owned by James Finch.

    Cassill, the 2008 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year and former development driver for Hendrick Motorsports, recognizes that he is most fortunate to be behind the wheel of a race car at NASCAR’s highest level.

    Cassill is also thankful to Bill Elliott, who had been in the Phoenix Racing machine prior to his coming aboard. ‘Awesome Bill for Dawsonville’ was able, as a former champion, to shake down the car to prepare it for Cassill’s tenure behind the wheel.

    In order to be on the track, Cassill is incredibly grateful to his new sponsor, Security Benefit, and their special program ‘Thank A Teacher Today.’

    “It’s great,” Cassill said of his sponsor and their program. “Security Benefit has been on board with us and Phoenix Racing and they’ve got this program ‘Thank A Teacher Today.’

    “It’s kind of new and it’s just starting up but I think it speaks for itself,” Cassill continued. “We really need to thank the teachers out there that have gotten us to where we’re at. I know I have a lot of teachers to thank.”

    Top on the list of teachers for which Cassill is grateful is his science teacher, Mr. O’Connor. Cassill graduated from high school in 2007.

    “Mr. O’Connor, my science teacher from high school was my favorite teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,” Cassill said. “He was a good teacher that was a good friend to me.”

    “He taught me a lot about discipline and things like that,” Cassill continued. “Some of what he taught wasn’t even science but he was just an impactful teacher and I think that’s what makes a lot of them special.”

    Cassill believes that his sponsor and their ‘Thank A Teacher Program’ are a perfect match on and off the track.

    “It’s really neat for me to have the opportunity to carry that banner because I’m so young and I just got out of high school a couple of years ago,” Cassill said. “I can remember my teachers and I can go back to my school.”

    “We’re planning to go back once school is back in session,” Cassill continued. “Even outside of school, I’ve had a lot of teachers that have helped mentor me in what I do.  It’s a really neat sponsor and a really fun deal.”

    Cassill’s sponsor is designing a new website where fans will be able to post on the wall and share their favorite teacher stories. Security Benefit will also be providing opportunities for teachers to come to the track, hang out with the young driver, and be a part of the NASCAR experience.

    “I’ve shared a story about my favorite teachers and it’s a place to go to thank your teacher,” Cassill said of his sponsor’s new website. “And then we’ll entertain teachers at the race track.”

    “It’s just a neat deal,” Cassill continued. “A lot of these sponsors in the sport are pushing products, but this one with Security Benefit is taking the initiative to thank our teachers.”

    In addition to his sponsor gratitude, Cassill is thrilled with his run at Pocono Raceway this past weekend. He not only managed to finish the race on the lead lap, which was one of his major goals, but he even had his No. 51 Thank A Teacher race car out at the front of the field for a few laps.

    “It was a great day for the Thank A Teacher Today team,” Cassill said. “For us to go out and finish on the lead lap, and lead the race along the way, says a whole lot about us.”

    “And yeah, it was cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

    Cassill was also grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Pocono, particularly as last year he was only able to start and park there.

    “I learned a lot about the track,” Cassill said. “Seat time is so important and I felt a lot more comfortable by the end of the race. This is just what we needed after a few tough finishes.”

    Although Cassill was thankful for his good run at Pocono, finishing 25th, he paid a bit of a price for his personal accomplishment.

    “I have a nice little blister tomorrow from the shifting,” Cassill said. “There was a lot of shifting going on so it made it interesting. It was fun though.”

    With Pocono in his rear view mirror, Cassill is getting ready to celebrate a major milestone in his young career at this weekend’s race in the Irish Hills of Michigan. Cassill will be marking his one-year anniversary in the Cup Series.

    “I made my first start in the Cup Series with Phoenix Racing last year in the first Michigan race,” Cassill said. “It was a neat opportunity for me at the time because it was my first opportunity in the Cup Series.”

    “And it was kind of a surprise and we didn’t even have the funding to go race,” Cassill continued. “So, we had to qualify for the race. We qualified in and it was just a neat deal for me. It sparked my opportunity to go Cup racing.”

    How will Cassill celebrate his special anniversary at Michigan?

    “I’m just going to be there and race,” Cassill said. “Hopefully we’ll keep this momentum up and capitalize at Michigan.”

    “And hopefully I’ll have a good race and make an even better memory from it.”

  • Pocono….​ No Honeymoon

    Pocono….​ No Honeymoon

    Pocono’s tricky triangle is located in the honeymoon capital of the world. But this race was anything but a honeymoon. Frankly, it was missing something. This race lacked intensity, it lacked excitement, and it lacked intrigue. Frankly, it was boring.

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”223″][/media-credit]Pocono for years has been a lag date on the circuit. It was always known that as a rule it was going to be too hot, too long, and well boring. It did not disappoint. The race itself was totally void of excitement. The new qualifying procedure was long and drawn out. The practices were too short and misplaced.

    Pocono’s seats were sparsely filled. The weather man said rain and the fog was threatening. But the weather man was not to blame for the empty seats. That responsibility fell squarely on NASCAR’s shoulders.

    For several years now drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, and A.J. Allmendinger have said that Pocono needs to be shortened. The race is too long. It leads to monotony. This one was no exception.

    The long, for the most part, uninterrupted 500 mile ordeal drug worse than Carl Edwards sick Kellogg’s car. Thankfully there was only one incident a single car spin by Greg Biffle that didn’t even bring out the caution. The rest of the cautions 3 of them to be exact were for debris.

    The new safety improvements are top notch; the innovation of the new solar power plant admirable. But the racing at Pocono is dull. The scenery is beautiful, the people are awesome. But the competition level at the tricky triangle lacks a lot to be desired.

    This is not new. It has been the case since the 90’s The keys to this race are being able to stroke and stay on the lead lap and close enough to the front for your crew chief and pit crew to put you in a position with enough gas on the last stop to win the race.

    The three vastly different corners create a situation where crew chiefs may hit 2 of the 3 but there is no way to get three of three right. This creates strung out follow the lead type racing in a difficult passing scenario.

    As a disciplined follower of the sport, I watched every lap. And although I was happy for Jeff Gordon’s Network, I felt at the end of the race that I had missed something. Did I doze off? Was the race not live? Was it edited? Surely I didn’t just sit for 3 hours and watch something that gave me no reaction whatsoever.

    I am not a wreck monger. I dislike wrecks a great deal. I hate holding my breath until the driver exits the car or gets it back in gear and pulls away. I am not much for Fuel Mileage races either. Although figuring out fuel strategy is more entertaining than what we saw.

    400 miles at Pocono is plenty. It’s plenty if you are there. It’s plenty if you are watching on TV. It’s probably plenty if you are a broadcaster trying to find a way to fill the constant lull with entertaining color commentary.

    And speaking of the broadcast, I realize that it was TNT’s first of the year but Kyle Petty needs some serious help in the booth. He is basically all by himself up there. Adam Alexander although he was an acceptable Indy Car announcer is poor at best in the NASCAR booth. Wally Dallenbach is as good in the booth as he was in a Roush Ford. Not very.

    The camera work was excellent. The tune in to driver’s radio communication was well done. It was timed well. It was informative. And it was not walked on. Pit Road reporters need some help. Seriously, Jeff Gordon is a four time champion and he has been in the 24 car from the very beginning of his long and illustrous career. Of all the car numbers to get wrong the one that has not changed in an entire career? Then I thought well he does have the new sponsor, and realized he was driving the DuPont Chevrolet. There is never an excuse to put the wrong driver in the wrong car on television.

    The only real excitement at Pocono came in the post race inspection line, when it was determined that the 18 M&M’s Toyota of Kyle Busch was 1/16th of an inch over tolerance too low in the left front corner.

    When asked, Dave Rogers said, “We were 1/16th too low on the left front. They give us a yellow area and we were a 1/16th over that. There are rules for a reason and we were out of tolerance so we broke them. We will wait and see what happens.”

    This couldn’t have come at a worse time for Kyle Busch. After last weeks altercation with Richard Childress and this weeks mind games on the race track with Kevin Harvick, to have the car found to be out of compliance is simply another stone on the board that is lying on his chest. The jokes on social media ran rampant. The accusations were more so and at no time did anyone stop to ask if Kyle Busch had anything to do with building or working on the car. The answer is probably not. In this day and age the drivers drive. They do not work on the cars themselves. They have crew chiefs, car chiefs, mechanics and engineers who do that. They drive. They relay information and they are the “front man” for the effort.

    Those that dislike Kyle had lots to say last week when NASCAR found him to be innocent in the altercation with Richard Childress. They are armed to the teeth with this new developement. You don’t have to be a Kyle Busch fan to feel bad for Rowdy. Between rude fans, boo’s, those that throw things in his direction, Ugly comments about his wife’s choice of shoes and wardrobe, to add this to the pile seems well at the very least unsportsmanlike. If the car was out of tolerance, it was out of tolerance. That doesn’t mean the driver is responsible. It also doesn’t mean they were intentionally cheating.

    Broken parts, failed parts, wall contact, etc all could make a difference in that height. 1/16th of inch is approximately the same length of your little finger fingernail if you have medium size hands.

    Now, granted the team had been warned about this problem before according to Dave Rogers. But for whatever reason they did not correct the problem or attempts to correct it failed.

    Monday morning NASCAR announced that it had fined Dave Rogers, $25,000 and taken 6 points from Kyle Busch. They did not take his finishing position but the point’s deduction would be the equivalent of 25 points under the old system. The point’s deduction does not make Kyle the final car on the lead lap even. Although in a points race as tight as the one currently going on in the Sprint Cup Series those 6 points are going to be hard to make up.

    But the abuse that will come from fans on message boards and twitter may be even more punishment. Kyle Busch is the man people love to hate. Ok, he brought it on himself with some of his antics. But we all tend to forget that he is now 26 years old. If we all think back to when we were kids we all did stupid things. We all did things that we wouldn’t want someone to judge us for as we matured and found out who we were and how to express it appropriately. Kyle Busch however is not given that respect or courtesy. No matter how thrilling his performances on the track are. No matter how talented he is. And he is talented people. Even his co competitors whether they like him or not do not deny his talent.

    As NASCAR prepares to vote for it’s next Hall of Fame class, I would encourage everyone to take a moment and think before you speak. Read what you have just typed into Twitter and ask yourself if the formidable task of making up the 6 points that NASCAR penalized Kyle Busch is not enough punishment. Then ask yourself, if it was being said about me or my younger brother how would I feel. As NASCAR fans remember that we are the basis for how our sport is judged by new fans. With the seats half empty can we afford to lose anymore?

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Congratulations to Clint Bowyer on his victory at the Prelude to The Dream. It was an awesome race for an awesome cause.

    Congratulations to Ron Hornaday and his Kevin Harvick Inc. team on their Camping World Truck Series Win.

    Congratulations to Jeff Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports team on their Sprint Cup Series victory.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Under threatening skies in Long Pond, PA and after the ARCA race was called for fog the previous day, the Cup Series took the green flag for one of the longer races of the season.

    Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Surprising: One of the most surprised at Pocono Raceway was the driver in Victory Lane celebrating his 84th career win, tying the record for third on the all-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series win list, along with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

    Race winner Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, also tied NASCAR Champ Bill Elliott for the most series wins at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It’s so amazing because I was so excited about the win and the hard work that Alan (Gustafson) and his guys have been putting into our speedway program or whatever we call these kinds of race tracks, because we struggled on them and I was just so excited to get that win and see what we’ve been working on,” Gordon said.

    “So, today to see it all come together, I was so caught up in that,” Gordon continued. “Plus my family was here to celebrate it.”

    “I didn’t even think about 84 until they reminded me when I went to do the Speed Channel show Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “And I was like, oh yeah, that’s unbelievable.”

    “I really can’t even express in words what it means because I never thought it would happen for me or for anybody.”

    Not Surprising:  As expected, he new ability to shift, fuel issues, and problems in the pits all played significant roles in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probably most affected was Carl Edwards, the Series point’s leader, who experienced a valve problem that almost caused him to have an engine failure, however, other drivers struggled as well.

    While Edwards was able to turn a lap towards the end of the race, the driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford, finished 37th, narrowly maintaining his points lead over Jimmie Johnson by six points.

    Another driver Tony Stewart complained bitterly throughout the race about the new-found ability to shift. The driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet finished 21st.

    “I just want to thank NASCAR for having us shift about 100 times today,” Stewart said bitterly after losing third gear. “We could have had a good day.”

    Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had fuel issues early in the race, which relegated him to an earlier pit stop strategy than the rest of the field. Harvick was able to redeem himself, however, and finished top-five.

    “It was a total team effort to get our Okuma Chevy up there,” Harvick said. “It was a good solid day for us.”

    The driver most bit by problems in the pits was Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers received a speeding penalty and then to make matters worse, sped again as he was serving his penalty.  Vickers finished 22nd.

    Surprising:  Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, technically finished third, he along with his crew chief Dave Rogers, were surprised during the post-race inspection when their car officially failed.

    “It’s a huge surprise,” Rogers said. “I didn’t present anything to tech that hasn’t been through tech before, several times.”

    “The car was 1/16th low at the end,” Rogers continued. “NASCAR gives you a range to be in and they give us a yellow range and we exceeded the yellow. We were 1/16th in the red so we were wrong.”

    “We have to go back to the shop and figure out why.”

    Not Surprising: Kyle’s big brother Kurt, who scored the pole position in his back up No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger, finished in the runner up position to race winner Gordon.

    “It was a great run,” Busch said. “The old boy Jeff Gordon had it in him today. We ran him strong, we ran him hard.”

    “We were excited with the finish.”

    Surprising:  It was most surprising to see young gun Landon Cassill, behind the wheel of his No. 41 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Chevrolet, lead a few laps towards the end of the race.

    “We were just trying a little pit strategy to see if we could catch a caution or something,” Cassill said. “It’s cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

    Not Surprising:  At least two of Jeff Gordon’s other teammates were pretty happy with their run at Pocono Raceway. Old ‘Five Time’ Jimmie Johnson, piloting the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, finished fourth and NASCAR’S most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, finished sixth.

    “It was a great day,” Johnson said. “Our engine package held up today with the abuse we gave it.”

    “I’m real happy with where I finished,” Dale Jr. said. “The car was pretty good. I was good with the shifting.”

    Surprising:  Yes indeed, most surprising was the fact that Denny Hamlin, who has mastered the ‘Tricky Triangle’ so often, did not win the race. In fact, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry finished an uncharacteristic 19th.

    “We were just coasting there at the beginning and just nothing went really right,” Hamlin said. “We struggled a little bit on pit road, we got a little bit tighter, I felt like the front bump rubbers just gave up, and then when we left pit road, we had a flat tire.”

    “When we did that, it sheared the tire and wrapped it around the housing and broke the brake lines so I had no brakes,” Hamlin continued. “It was just a slew of problems there at the end.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s surprise, newly named crew chief Chad Johnston encouraged his driver, Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, to a top-10 finish.

    “That was a hard fought 10th,” Truex, Jr. said. “Chad did a good job of keeping me calm. We were just missing a little and I hope we can find it soon because we’ll have some fun if we do.”

  • What Went Down In The 5 Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]On a day where one Jacques Debris reigned supreme, Jeff Gordon was able to win the 5 Hour Energy 500 at the Pocono Raceway. It was Gordon’s 84th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, which places him in a tie on the all time wins list with Hall Fame inductee, Bobby Allison, and 2012 class nominee, Darrell Waltrip. It was the second win of the 2011 season for Gordon which just about guarantees him a wild card spot in the chase.

    Denny Hamlin once again looked as though he was going to make the Pocono Raceway his personal playground early on in the race. That all came to an end after the 11 team suffered a flat tire coming off of pit road. Denny was able to nurse the car back to the pits without doing too much damage to his race car. His day was a different story however. Denny was never able to recover from the flat as he then lost his brakes and finished the day in the 19th position. The day wasn’t a total lose though, Denny now moves into the 12th spot in the point standings, which currently qualifies him for the elusive wild card birth.

    For the second straight week, both of the Penske entries were solid. Kurt Busch started on the pole for the second consecutive week and ran strong in his Pennzoil Dodge. Kurt finished in the second position after running up front and leading laps throughout the day. His teammate however, wasn’t as lucky. Brad Keselowski’s day started out well. For a moment, he had his blue deuce just outside of the top ten. The team then had to make an extra pit stop for a vibration thought to be caused by a loose wheel. That was not the case. The problems wound up being much more severe for last weeks winner as he was forced to limp the car around for the remainder of the race and finish in the 23rd position. It may not sound like a good day, but the team is making improvements every week. Look for both Penske machines to be weekly contenders in the coming weeks.

    After how dominant Juan Pablo Montoya has been at Indianapolis, it was only a matter of time before he got his arms around the Pocono Raceway. Montoya ran most of the race in the top 5 and at one point had a lead that wasn’t even worth Denny Hamlin chasing down. The Target team made some interesting calls by taking two tires on numerous pit stops which left a lot of people scratching their heads. When the black flag with white squares flew, Montoya was in the seventh position. It’s only a matter of time before Juan picks up a win on an oval.

    Two drivers that you rarely see run well at Pocono did just that on Sunday. Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is just the run these drivers needed as they further their case as championship contenders. By running good at a “weak track”, they and their team prove that they are “in it to win it”. Look for this to be the case from not only them, but all of our title contenders this season.

    Speaking of Harvick, he and Kyle Busch come of their probation next weekend in Michigan. But in the beginning of the race, they sure didn’t race like it. Harvick was seen running Busch down to the water on the front stretch and beating on his bumper. Harvick said after the race, “He’s got one comin’”. “It says a lot about his character” said Busch when asked about Harvick. I know all you fans, including myself, can not wait to see what transpires between the two in the coming weeks.

    With Pocono now in the books, the eyes of the NASCAR world look towards the Irish Hills of Michigan. Will we see the fuel mileage battle that is so common at MIS and lately in NASCAR? Will the Harvick and Busch fued resume? All these questions and more will be answered next Sunday.

    Next Race- Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400
    Sunday on TNT at 12pm EST. MRN Radio

  • HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: THE MULTIPLE SIDES OF A TRICKY TRIANGLE

    HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: THE MULTIPLE SIDES OF A TRICKY TRIANGLE

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]During the previous NASCAR weekend, at the Pocono Raceway, we saw multiple sides, ie: story lines, from a famed speedway that is known as the tricky triangle because of its unique three turn shape. We watched a four time Sprint Cup champion put on a sterling performance that could very well guarantee his place in the 2011 Chase. We watched an expected Pocono race winner, and Chase contender, experience more bad luck from a bizarre tire and brake incident. We also watched the interesting saga of Childress versus Busch take new twists that ranged from monetary donations from fans to an expensive post race inspection. With those thoughts in mind, let’s begin with:

    HOORAH to Jeff Gordon for winning the 5 Hour Energy 500 at Pocono. Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet cruised under the checkers a full three seconds ahead of runner up Kurt Busch. It also marked the four time champion’s 84th career win which ties him at third, with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison, on NASCAR’s all time win list.

    However, of more importance to the current racing season, the Pocono win moved Gordon to 11th in the standings and only six points away from the coveted top ten which determines the final line up of Chase contenders in September. Gordon also bought himself a Chase insurance policy as well. Pocono was his second win of the season and that may make him eligible for one of the two wild card berths in the Chase system if he falls out of the top ten in points. That wild card system will place the drivers with the most wins, in points positions 11 through 20, into the Chase. Before the season even began there were theories that said any driver with at least two wins was likely going to become a championship contender.

    ************

    WAZZUP with that tough break suffered by Denny Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Hamlin virtually owns the driver stats at Pocono and was heavily favored to finally get his first win of the season there. For that matter Hamlin was also heavily favored to win the 2011 Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship. After a surprisingly slow start to the 2011 season, Hamlin slowly but surely worked his way back to 11th in the points standings prior to the Pocono race.

    But, after leading a race high 76 laps, the high expectations hit a sudden low in the race when a flat tire forced unscheduled time on pit road. This was followed by the flat tire somehow completely shearing off the brake line connected to the left rear wheel. Between the loss of track position in the pits, combined with virtually no brakes on a track like Pocono, the best Hamlin could do was limp home to a 19th place finish and a drop to 12th in the points. In other words: another round of bad luck for this team.

    *************

    On the topic of unexpected problems for Joe Gibbs Racing, WAZZUP with Kyle Busch’s Toyota failing to pass post race inspection? After finishing third at Pocono, NASCAR officials discovered an irregularity with the car and ran it through inspection three time. The final result determined that the the left front of the car was too low but only by a mere one-sixteenth of an inch outside of NASCAR’s accepted tolerances. The car was transported to NASCAR’s Research and Development Center, in Concord-North Carolina, for further inspection.

    On Monday afternoon NASCAR announced that crew chief Dave Rogers had been fined $25,000. They also docked Kyle Busch six championship points and Joe Gibbs six owner’s points.

    Now I’m wondering if any fans of Kyle Busch and/or Joe Gibbs are going to send money to help pay the crew chief’s fine.

    (Oh yeah, you know where I’m going next.)

    *************

    HOORAH to the fans of Richard Childress who actually sent the veteran NASCAR team owner money to help him pay the massive $150,000 levied against him by NASCAR officials last week. This was, of course, the aftermath from the physical altercation between Childress and Kyle Busch following the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas. On Friday Childress announced that he would be paying the fine from his personal account and, as far as he’s concerned, the matter is now a closed issue.

    But Childress did admit that he was completely overwhelmed by the show of fan support. He deserves a HOORAH for announcing that the fan money will be donated to the Childress Institute For Pediatric Trauma. It’s yet another reason why everyone thinks Richard Childress is a class act.

    HOORAH to Kevin Harvick for injecting a little humor into this situation via “Twitter”. Harvick has been taking the credit for teaching his team owner how to use his very own brand new “Twitter” account. Harvick, updating us all on that progress, wrote: “RChildress3 gained almost 2,500 followers in a couple of hours. I had is watch timing it,” a reference to Childress removing his wrist watch prior to the altercation with Busch,

    ***************

    Whether or not this next item is a HOORAH or a WAZZUP I suppose depends on how you feel about the drivers involved and their recent personal dealings with each other. This item is about Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch referencing their pit road altercation following the Darlington race, that resulted in a four race probation period levied on each driver.

    That probation period ended at the conclusion of the Pocono race. But Harvick apparently decided to have some fun and surprise Busch with some early race tactics that included a little pushing while in the process of trying to make a pass. Meanwhile, in the control tower, NASCAR officials were not exactly amused over what they were watching and made quick work of sending radio messages to tell both drivers to settle down and “just race.”

    Kyle Busch wasn’t that amused either and, over the radio, said “apparently he thinks probation is over so he’s back to wrecking me.” After the race Busch said “it seems like he was trying to make it awfully difficult on me. There were a couple of times I had to back off and wait, (to complete a pass), It’s not my fight, he’s trying to turn it into one.”

    With that famous faint half smile on his face, Harvick said “I was just playing with him. He hasn’t seen the last of it yet. He knows he’s got one coming, I just wanted him to think about it.”

    I have to give Harvick a somewhat reluctant WAZZUP for pushing that envelope during the final race of his probation. He had to know NASCAR was watching every time he and Busch got close to each other. In one more week the probation would have been over and he would be fully reinstated in the “have at it boys” club again.

    At the same time I also have to give Harvick a HOORAH for his Pocono prank because I was enjoying watching it way too much.

    A reluctant WAZZUP also goes to Kyle Busch for finding himself in the middle of most NASCAR major stories lately despite trying to behave himself even to the point of seemingly choosing his words very carefully during interviews. Ever since his extreme embarrassment of getting a speeding ticket, for doing 128 MPH in a 45 zone, Busch has had to deal with the backlash of his Darlington incident with Harvick, getting pummeled by a 65 year old team owner in Kansas, the surprise tactics of a race rival during the Pocono race followed by his car’s failure to pass technical inspection. It’s enough to make the leaves of any shrub fall off.

    *************

    The final HOORAH of the week goes to the SPEED Channel’s Kenny Wallace for an on air comment made following the Pocono race. When asked if he felt the Harvick-Busch feud would continue after their probation was over, Wallace replied “they must continue, simply because it’s awesome.”

    There’s two final WAZZUPS for you to consider this week. The first goes to Carl Edwards. Heavily favored as a Pocono race winner, a very rare engine failure, reported to be a faulty valve, sidelined that effort on lap 56. He still maintains his status as the points leader but the 37th place finish has slashed his lead to six points over Jimmie Johnson and ten points over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    The final WAZZUP goes to Johnny Sauter for literally giving away a win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway. Lined up against Ron Hornaday Jr, for a green-white-checker double file restart, Sauter changed lanes prior to crossing the start-finish line. That’s against NASCAR’s restart rules and they made quick work of showing Sauter the black flag. He was regulated to a 22nd place finish while a surprised Hornaday went to victory lane.

  • Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, sporting the familiar No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet colors, scored his second win of the 2011 season, moving ever closer to Chase contention. This is Gordon’s fifth top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth victory in 37 races at Pocono Raceway.

    Gordon also reached another significant milestone with his win in the 5-Hour Energy 500. The victory ties Gordon with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list.

    “It certainly helps us,” Gordon said of his Chase chances. “Our focus has to be the same all the time, try to win races, to lock ourselves in.”

    “I’m just more excited about the momentum coming toward us,” Gordon continued. “The things that we believe in are starting to come true.”

    “You question that at times,” Gordon said. “Days like today show how serious we are. At this point in the season, to get our program turned around, the timing couldn’t be better and hopefully we can keep that going.”

    “This is a tough place to win.”

    Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not agree more with his driver.

    “There are a lot of things at a track like this that are so difficult,” Gustafson said. “We were a little nervous. To win in this sport, you have to have everything on the edge.”

    The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, gave Gordon a run for his money, scoring second and third respectively. Kurt Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish in 21 races and Kyle Busch posted his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It was a great, hard fought battle for us on the No. 22 car today,” pole sitter and second place finisher Kurt Busch. “It was a nice, steady run and we were able to have smooth pit stops and we had a great handling car.”

    “It was a great genuine day for our team to run in the top five all day,” Busch continued. “It’s pleasing to see that result.”

    “I was giving it all I had and I just couldn’t quite close the gap.”

    Busch admitted that there were many things to balance in the race, especially as he engaged in the heated battle with race winner Gordon.

    “It was an interesting day with shifting,” Busch said. “We shifted quite a bit today and had to keep track of the temperatures and the revs on the engine and fuel mileage as well. There was a lot to balance inside the car today.”

    Baby brother Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, was also pleased with his third place finish.

    “For us, we had a long way to come from since we started deep in the field,” Busch said. “We worked our way towards the front steadily and methodically for most of the race.”

    “We had good pit stops all day and the guys did a good job giving me the right adjustments,” Busch continued. “The restarts played in our favor and we passed a few cars there. That last restart is where we got most of our track position.”

    “Kurt was so much faster than I was that last run of the race that it wasn’t going to do me much to hold him up,” Busch said “So, I tried to let him go and see if he couldn’t catch the 24 and make a race out of it.”

    “We just tried to bring home a solid third.”

    Unfortunately, Kyle Busch’s car failed post-race inspection due to a height issue, too high on the left. “Being a parent, it means more to experience that with them,” Gordon said of having daughter Ella in Victory Lane. His car is being transported back to NASCAR’s R&D center for a more-in-depth look.

    In contrast to Gordon and the Busch boys, the point’s leader coming into the race, Carl Edwards had a miserable day. The driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford finished 37th after he broke a valve in the engine.

    Even with that bad finish, Edwards did, however, maintain the points lead with the narrowest of margins. He is now just six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who finished the race in the fourth spot.

    In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Edwards joined the broadcast booth to provide commentary while his team worked furiously on his car in the garage. He was able to turn one last lap to avoid the DNF.

    “I was very careful not to overdrive,” Edwards said. “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost.”

    Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had an eventful day but still managed to finish fifth in the 5-Hour Energy 500. Harvick survived problems early when his crew did not get all the fuel in and he then got off the sequence of pit stops.

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, piloting the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Affliction Clothing Live Fast Ford, Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the of the Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex, Jr., in his No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, rounded out the top ten.

    Unofficial Race Results
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47
    2 1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 43
    3 34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 42
    4 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 41
    5 32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 39
    6 21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 38
    7 16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 38
    8 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 36
    9 8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 35
    10 31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 34
    11 19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 33
    12 17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 32
    13 9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 31
    14 2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 30
    15 5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 29
    16 12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 28
    17 11 6 David Ragan Ford 27
    18 10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 26
    19 4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 27
    20 33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 24
    21 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 24
    22 23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 22
    23 20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 21
    24 25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 0
    25 28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 19
    26 40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 18
    27 37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 17
    28 18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 16
    29 30 34 David Gilliland Ford 15
    30 35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 14
    31 41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 0
    32 24 71 Andy Lally * Ford 12
    33 13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 11
    34 7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 10
    35 26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 0
    36 38 37 Tony Raines Ford 8
    37 6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 7
    38 42 7 Scott Wimmer Dodge 0
    39 43 150 T.J. Bell * Toyota 0
    40 29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    41 36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 4
    42 22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 2
    43 39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 0
  • Lap-by-lap: 5-Hour Energy 500 powers Jeff Gordon for fifth win

    Lap-by-lap: 5-Hour Energy 500 powers Jeff Gordon for fifth win

    Jeff Gordon captured his second win of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Pocono Raceway on Sunday.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”245″][/media-credit]With this win, Gordon closed in on securing a top-10 position in the Chase and is also only 6 points out of 10th place that is held by Tony Stewart and teammate Ryan Newman.

    “This is just an amazing experience, to experience this (Win) with my family,” Gordon said as he celebrated with his wife Ingrid and daughter Ella in victory lane.

    Gordon started third and to lead 39 laps in route to his 84th career Sprint Cup Series win and his fifth top ten finish of the season.

    Gordon also ties Bill Elliott for the most wins at five.

    Carl Edwards had a real tough day as his car engine would fail to see the driver return to the track with 4 to go after sitting in the garage for 141 laps. Leaving this race, Edwards has only a six point advantage of Jimmie Johnson (4th in the race), halfway to the Chase.

    “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost. We broke one valve. We don’t think it is from an over rev or anything, we just think it was a parts failure. This is a great car and a great engine. We were running really well and I was babying the engine a little bit and not shifting too much. It is just one of those things.” Edwards said.

    Pole setter Kurt Busch dropped back in the field during the race but had a resurgence to finish second.

     

    LAP BY LAP breakdown

    GREEN FLAG as Kurt Busch and Paul Menard bring the 43 engines to life. Between turns one and two some of the field spreads out to four wide, but as it quickly grew it shrinks back to two wide as the drivers enter the tunnel turn.

    Denny Hamlin, four time winner at Pocono takes the lead. Lap 3 a few early movers see Juan Pablo Montoya move up three positions from 16th to 13th.

    We see an “Early Move” on the front stretch between Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch as Harvick on the outside of Busch, “Gets Loose” where Harvick’s car “Drifts” down towards Busch’s where the two are almost on the apron all the way to turn one.

    Lap 6 Hamlin in clean air pulls away from Menard by 1.7 seconds and Kurt Busch 2 seconds. Jamie McMurray is an early mover into 9th from his 13th place start. We hear reports that Tony Raines’ car is breaking off the side skirt of his car, but has not fully come off yet.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 8 as the side skirt comes off Raines’ car in turn one, no lucky dog. Rain had hit the track last night, so NASCAR will have a competition caution on lap 20 so the teams will not be allowed to refuel until that time.

    The field splits in half on who is coming in and who stays out. Menard and Hamlin remain in front.

    GREEN FLAG lap 12 as it’s three wide between Menard, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch. Lap 14 Jimmie Johnson started his day 14th where he currently runs 14th. Other movers on the track from the back of the pack see Matt Kenseth running 13th (up 14) from his start of the day.

    Lap 17 the head games between Harvick and Kyle Busch continue where NASCAR asks that they get into the race and have a nice day.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 18 for debris in turn three. No lucky dog yet. This will be also the competition yellow. Scott Riggs takes his car to the garage. Everyone heads to pit road. The first five driver back to the track see Montoya, Brad Keselowski, Brian Vickers, Hamlin and Kasey Kahne. A big move on pit road for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team takes only two tires to move him into sixth.

    Scott Wimmer did not pit and is on the front row.

    GREEN FLAG lap 22 for Montoya and Wimmer. By turn two Hamlin is the leader. With the last stop we have a shakeup in the top ten. Lap 25 your top ten drivers are Hamlin, Montoya, Kurt Busch, Vickers, Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Kahne, Harvick and Johnson.

    Lap 27 Kyle Busch started 34th where is currently scored in 13th. Hamlin is 2.3 seconds in front of the field and Montoya. Jeff Burton started 33rd and is 14th. Lap 33 Jeff Gordon passes Keselowski for 7th. Lap 35 Hamlin is now 3 seconds in front of Montoya, 3.8 in front of 3rd place Kurt Busch, 5.9 in front of 4th place Edwards and 7.9 in front of 5th place Earnhardt Jr.

    Lap 38 we see a 13th place battle between Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch where Newman takes the position. We hear that around ten laps until pit stops, but we are hearing talk of rain or mist in turn 1. Lap 40 Harvick heads to pit road early as the team did not get all the fuel in the car, so he may be in early for the weather as well.

    Lap 41 more talk of rain, but this is Pocono and a usual item is to have red flags for a rain delay, but we usually get the race in. On the lap down list we see Scott Riggs down 24 in the garage, J.J. Yeley in the garage and 19 down, Michael McDowell down 13 along with Joe Nemechek, T.J. Bell down 9, Wimmer down 7, Raines down 6, Sam Hornish Jr. 2 down.

    Lap 44 pit stops begin. Lap 46 leader Hamlin is in for his stop allowing Johnson to take the lead. Johnson has not pitted yet. It looks like Johnson may have run out of fuel as he ran through turn three. Lap 49 pit cycles are complete for the leaders leaving Hamlin in the lead over Montoya by 2.5 seconds.

    Lap 50 your top twenty drivers are Hamlin, Montoya, Edwards, Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Harvick, Kahne, Keselowski, Earnhardt Jr., Johnson, Newman, Burton, Kyle Busch, Vickers, Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer.

    Lap 57 this round of green flag laps Hamlin has not gained the distance on Montoya like his last run. Hamlin is 2.7 seconds in front of Montoya. Johnson moved past Earnhardt Jr. to take 5th a few laps ago.

    Lap 59 some drivers that have fallen off pace are Reutimann down to 20th from his start of 9th, Regan Smith running 22nd from his start of 5th.

    Lap 60 Edwards takes his car to the garage for some reason, this will be a change in points for the overall chase. We hear that Edwards lost a cylinder in his motor. Lap 65 the gap between Hamlin and Montoya has not changed however they both have left the field behind where 3rd place Kurt Busch is 9.2 seconds back, 4th place Jeff Gordon is 9.3 seconds back and challenging for 3rd with 5th place Johnson 13.9 seconds back.

    Lap 67 Jeff Gordon takes third from Kurt Busch. Lap 67 into 68 pit stops begin as Reutimann, Truex Jr. and a few others are in. Lap 69 Ragan, Vickers and Martin are in. This is followed by Stewart, Burton, Biffle and Ambrose are in.

    Lap 70 Newman, Kyle Busch and six others are in. Lap 72 Kahne, Joey Logano are in with Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., Montoya. Trouble for Johnson as the team is hung up on the front right tire. Lap 74 Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch are in.

    Lap 75 Hamlin is getting great fuel mileage and not pitted yet. Lap 77 Hamlin is in with Montoya 36 seconds back. Hamlin’s team has issues with the stop allowing Montoya to take the lead an battle with Jeff Gordon for second place.

    Lap 78 the current top ten see Montoya, Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Kahne, Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Newman and Kyle Busch holding those spots. Lap 81 Keselowski is in with a reported loose rear wheel.

    Lap 87 Montoya leads Hamlin by 3.8 seconds. 27 drivers remain on the lead lap. Paul Menard who started 2nd has fallen 20 positions at this point in the race. On the lap down list we see Keselowski with the reported vibration which has not left his car, Dave Blaney, Landon Cassill, Casey Mears, and David Gilliland.

    Two laps down on lap 90 we see Mike Bliss, 3 laps down is Andy Lally. Raines is 13 laps down.

    Edwards is in the garage 13 laps down, but the team works on tearing apart his engine to get him back in the race.

    Lap 93 trouble for Burton as he drives on the access road in turn three where he reports he may be out of fuel. Seeing this issue Mark Martin, Vickers and a few others are in which kicks off a new round of pit stops.

    Vickers is busted for speeding coming out of pit road.

    Lap 103 (97 to go) after stops are completed, we see as the current top twenty drivers as Montoya back in the lead followed by Hamlin 5 seconds back, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Kahne, Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Kyle Busch, Newman, Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kenseth, Bowyer, Keselowski, Ragan, Reutimann, Logano, Truex Jr. and Smith.

    So far we have seen 9 lead changes among 6 leaders and 2 cautions.

    Lap 106 we are hearing reports that Truex Jr., may have some kind of leak from his car.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 110 and A.J. Allmendinger is the lucky dog. All the leaders head to pit road. Montoya is back in front followed by Jeff Gordon, Hamlin, Kurt Busch and Kahne.

    GREEN FLAG lap 117 as Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon pass Montoya for the lead. By turn three Hamlin passes Montoya for third. Montoya took only two tires while the rest took four.

    Lap 121 Kurt Busch runs a half second in front of Jeff Gordon. Lap 122 battle for 9th as Earnhardt Jr. passes Kahne. Allmendinger passed Smith for 19th. Lap 123 it’s Biffle versus Kenseth for 14th, but while they are working on that, Menard is passed by both drivers.

    Lap 124 Ambrose is having issues as the transmission fails in his car where he makes it to pit road. Lap 125 your top ten drivers are Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Hamlin, Montoya, Stewart, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Newman, Earnhardt Jr. and Harvick.

    Lap 132 Kurt Busch leads Jeff Gordon by 1.2 seconds now. Biffle and Kenseth have moved up 11th and 12th as well as Biffle passing Kenseth. Menard has slipped back to 16th. Lap 133 we hear that Stewart has lost third gear.

    Lap 139 Kurt Busch has gained and additional second on Jeff Gordon to make it 2.1 seconds. Hamlin in third is 4.3 seconds back. Lap 140 pit stops are underway once again.

    Lap 143 as stops are complete Kurt Busch is back in the lead followed by Jeff Gordon 1.8 seconds back in second.

    Lap 145 the drivers are spread out pretty far with the biggest battle on the track is Ragan versus Reutimann for 15th and Logano is now in the mix in between both drivers running 16th.

    Lap 150 your top twenty drivers are Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Hamlin, Montoya, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Newman, Kenseth, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Stewart, Biffle, Truex Jr., Kahne, Ragan, Logano, Reutimann, Menard, Smith and Keselowski.

    Lap 151 the Ragan Logano battle continues as the two jockey back and forth for 15th. Reutimann has dropped out of the picture. In fact on lap 152 Menard may pass Reutimann for 17th.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 155 for debris. Martin is the lucky dog. This was an issue from Hamlin losing a rear tire.

    GREEN FLAG lap 159 (41 to go) as the familiar drivers of Montoya once again with the two tire stop and Jeff Gordon lead the drivers racing into turn one. Gordon has big help from Johnson to take the lead. We almost see three wide as Kurt Busch passes Montoya and Johnson.

    39 to go we see Hamlin smoking from the left rear tire. Someone must have tagged the fender to cause the issue. 38 to go lots of action on the track as Earnhardt Jr. battles with Kahne for 13th and takes the position.

    37 to go Gordon leads Kurt Busch by 1 second and Kyle Busch in third by 2.7 seconds. 36 to go Earnhardt Jr. is challenged by Reutimann who passes Kahne for the 13th spot. Logano is now in the mix after passing both Kahne and Reutimann.

    35 to go Hamlin and Bowyer enter the action by passing Reutimann and closing in on Kahne.

    34 to go as Biffle spins out at the entrance to pit road and out of the racing area where the race remains green. Earnhardt moves up to 12th. 33 to go Earnhardt slips past Smith to take over 11th.

    30 to go as we see the start of green flag stops. 28 to go Montoya is in for a four tire stop. 27 to go Burton and Menard are in. 26 to go Harvick head in along with Logano, Kahne, Ragan, Martin and a few others.

    25 to go Hamlin is in along with Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson. 24 to go Kyle Busch is in along with Newman and Kenseth. Truex Jr. is in.

    24 to go Gordon and Kurt Busch are in. 23 to go we still have Cassill and Keselowski who need to pit, after that Gordon will be the leader with Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch in his tracks. Gordon is three seconds in front of the two brothers.

    20 to go as Gordon passes Keselowski for 2nd place and closes in on Cassill. Your top ten at the moment are Cassill, Gordon, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Keselowski, Montoya, Johnson, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth.

    18 to go Gordon take the lead as Kurt Busch closes in on Cassill to take it in turn two. 17 to go Newman has lost his third gear. We hear the McMurray lost his third gear a while back as well.

    16 to go Gordon in front of Kurt Busch by 1.9 seconds and Kyle Busch by 3.2 seconds.

    13 to go as Cassill heads to pit road Harvick closes in on Montoya for 5th place.

    12 to go Keselowski heads to pit road. Harvick challenges Montoya for 5th on the inside. 11 to go Earnhardt Jr. is in the mix for 5th.

    10 to go Earnhardt Jr. passes Montoya for 6th.

    9 to go Biffle is in for his last stop. Gordon leads Kurt Busch by 2 seconds.

    8 to go Earnhardt Jr. works on Harvick for 5th.

    7 to go Gordon over Kurt Busch by 2.4 seconds and third place Kyle Busch by 6 seconds.

    5 to go as Gordon crosses the stripe. If there are no issues Gordon looks to be the winner.

    4 to go as Edwards is back in the race after helping the TNT broadcast for 30 laps.

    3 to go Gordon over Kurt Busch by 2.6 seconds.

    2 to go for Gordon as Kenseth is challenging Montoya for 7th place.

    WHITE FLAG for Gordon and the race is his unless he makes any mistakes. Turn one looks good. The tunnel turn is clean. The last corner has no issues and chalk up win number 84 for Jeff Gordon.

    CHECKERED FLAG for Jeff Gordon.

    The rest of the top ten is Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Montoya, Kenseth, Newman and Truex Jr.

    The race lasted for three and a half hours. We saw 18 lead changes among 10 leaders. 4 cautions occurred in the race.

    Unofficial Race Results
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47
    2 1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 43
    3 34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 42
    4 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 41
    5 32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 39
    6 21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 38
    7 16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 38
    8 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 36
    9 8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 35
    10 31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 34
    11 19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 33
    12 17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 32
    13 9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 31
    14 2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 30
    15 5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 29
    16 12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 28
    17 11 6 David Ragan Ford 27
    18 10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 26
    19 4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 27
    20 33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 24
    21 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 24
    22 23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 22
    23 20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 21
    24 25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 0
    25 28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 19
    26 40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 18
    27 37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 17
    28 18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 16
    29 30 34 David Gilliland Ford 15
    30 35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 14
    31 41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 0
    32 24 71 Andy Lally * Ford 12
    33 13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 11
    34 7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 10
    35 26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 0
    36 38 37 Tony Raines Ford 8
    37 6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 7
    38 42 7 Scott Wimmer Dodge 0
    39 43 150 T.J. Bell * Toyota 0
    40 29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    41 36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 4
    42 22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 2
    43 39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 0
  • Martin Truex Jr.: Same Old Jersey Boy With Brand New Crew Chief

    Martin Truex Jr.: Same Old Jersey Boy With Brand New Crew Chief

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”235″][/media-credit]Prior to the race at Pocono, one of two tracks closest to his home state of New Jersey, Martin Truex, Jr. got the news that he would have a new crew chief, Chad Johnston, atop his pit box.

    And even though this self-proclaimed Jersey boy is glad to be ‘home’, he is still a bit disconcerted from the news of the change.

    “I mean it’s a tough deal,” Truex said. “It’s a tough situation to be involved in. This is obviously the first time I’ve ever been in this position where we’ve changed crew chiefs during the season.”

    Truex seemed to feel most badly for his former crew chief Pat Tryson, who was relieved of that duty and will be reassigned within the Michael Waltrip Racing organization. Yet after 49 races together, while Truex feels a bit badly about how it all came down, he is still looking forward to working with Tryson in a different capacity.

    “I feel bad for Pat (Tryson) obviously,” Truex said. “Hopefully we can keep Pat and hopefully he will stay around and help us make our race cars better because that’s the things he’s really good at.”

    Truex, Jr. is looking forward to continuing to work with his new crew chief, a 31 year old engineer from Indiana. Truex’s new boss atop the pit box, Chad Johnston, grew up racing himself on the paved and dirt short tracks the heartland, driving open wheel midget cars.

    “It’s not a big transition for the team though because Chad’s had a lot of responsibilities on the team up until now,” Truex said. “He was already in charge of the race car and the changes that went with it.”

    “So far, things haven’t been a whole lot different,” Truex continued. “Most of the interaction about the race car has been between me and him for the past six months. So, that’s not a big transition.”

    Because Johnston is so familiar with the team, the major new responsibilities include tech, taking charge of the team, and calling his first race, the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono, atop the pit box.

    “The biggest things different for him is going through tech and making sure everybody’s doing what they’re supposed to,” Truex said. “And of course his job on Sunday will be different with him calling the race.”

    “Towards the end of last year when we gave Chad more of a responsibility as far as overseeing all of the set up on the car and the interaction on the race car going between me and him, we’d already seen big benefits from doing that,” Truex, Jr. said. “It’s not that Pat wasn’t getting it done but it was more that Chad was really stepping up and it was time to promote him.”

    “He’s really doing a great job and all the things that we’ve given him to do, he’s really taken them on his shoulders and done a great job,” Truex continued. “He’s worked hard for this and he deserves it.”

    Truex, Jr. is also hoping that the crew chief change will position him to somehow get back into Chase contention. He also definitely wants to return to his on-track performance of earlier in the season, especially on the bigger tracks.

    “We’ve had a shot to win a few races and if we just could have closed the deal, we could be in the Chase,” Truex said. “The biggest thing that I’m worried about right now is that our performance hasn’t been as good as earlier in the year.”

    “We were running really strong, leading laps and running up front for a while but the past month, it’s been kind of tough,” Truex continued. “It’s really just the bigger tracks.”

    “Right now some of these races, we’re just going to have to get through and get the best we can until we get our cars better,” Truex said. “If we could go and win a couple races, we could make a deal out of it. So, that would be good.”

    The new driver/crew chief combo will be first tested as they try to get back on track at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ this weekend. The challenges at Pocono Raceway will no doubt include managing the fuel, as well as the challenge of shifting for the first time in many years at the track.

    “It’s quite a bit different,” Truex said. “We were doing a bit of shifting just to see what it would be like and it’s different.”

    “I don’t know how much it will affect the fuel mileage and it usually comes down to a fuel mileage race,” Truex said. “I did shift the whole entire time in Happy Hour just to get a good read on it and see where we stand on it.”

    As the Michael Waltrip team heads into the summer months, the Jersey driver also acknowledged that keeping cool, both in the car physically as well as emotionally, will become more and more important. And no doubt, Truex will lean on his young crew chief to assist in both regards.

    “These cars are hot,” Truex said. “They put a lot of effort into keeping them as cool as possible but at the end of the day, it’s just hot.”

    “You just have to be prepared for it,” Truex continued. “You just have to suck it up.”

    “I started to train this year but I don’t think it’s all it’s cracked up to be, to be honest,” Truex said. “I think it’s a situation that when you do this, you get trained for it. It’s kind of like an experience thing.”

    “You get used to the heat and you don’t worry about it anymore,” Truex continued. “I sometimes don’t know how we do it but we’re able to make it through.”

    With a new face atop the pit box, Martin Truex, Jr. will be looking to his roots for some familiarity. His family is not able to be with him this weekend, however, his girlfriend and dog are keeping him company.

    “Yes, I am a Jersey boy,” Truex said. “I haven’t lived there in a long time and I don’t get back there as much as I’d like to but yeah , I never forgot where I came from.”

    “I still love it there,” Truex continued. “All my friends are there and my family still lives there.”

    “It’s nice to get back there and I’d like to get back more often,” Truex said. “Someday I’ll be able to spend more time there.”

  • Kurt Busch Snags 14th Career Pole at Pocono; Paul Menard Scores Second

    Kurt Busch Snags 14th Career Pole at Pocono; Paul Menard Scores Second

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”209″][/media-credit]After crashing his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge in practice and having to pull out a backup car, Kurt Busch was despondent, especially thinking that if qualifying was rained out, he would start the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway dead last.

    But the racing gods were with him, the weather held, and Busch snagged his 14th career pole, with a speed of 171.579 mph and a time of 52.454 seconds. This was Busch’s first pole in 21 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “There were quite a bit of different emotions out there today, especially after having to bust out the backup car from yesterday’s  mishap,” Busch said. “If it were raining today, we’d be starting last.”

    “Now luckily the weather held out and we’re on the pole,” Busch said. “It’s an amazing swing of events and an honest thank you to my guys. To pull the backup out as a pole winning car is really something you wouldn’t hear about back in the day.”

    Busch’s pole also signified the third straight pole for Penkse Racing and his teammate Brad Keselowski was the winner of last weekend’s event at Kansas Speedway. Busch admitted in the media center after his pole run that Penske Racing has indeed turned a corner.

    “We haven’t changed a lot of things since Richmond and it’s just been some procedures and processes and maybe looking at the data a bit differently,” Busch said. “It’s great to come back out and get on the pole again.”

    Busch also referenced his superstition, feeling that he was stuck on the ‘unlucky 13’ pole.

    “To be number 14 already, really feels good,” Busch said.

    Busch’s crew chief, Steve Addington, echoed his driver’s feelings about the pole run.

    “I want to thank everybody on this Shell/Pennzoil Dodge,” Addington said. “The work they did to get this car ready was awesome.”

    “To lay down a lap like that is pretty impressive,” Addington continued. “And that guy that sits behind the steering wheel isn’t too damn bad either.”

    Paul Menard, driver of the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet, scored the outside pole, with a speed of 171.422 mph and a time of 52.502 seconds. This was Menard’s fifth top-10 start of 2011 and his first such start in nine races at Pocono.

    “We definitely thought it would rain out qualifying today,” Menard said. “So, we tried to post a good time early in practice and felt that would be our qualifying run.”

    “We were hoping for rain, honestly,” Menard continued. “To qualify second and actually put a lap down was pretty cool. It was much more meaningful that way.”

    Four-time champion Jeff Gordon posted his 22nd top-10 start at Pocono Raceway. He qualified third in his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, with a speed of 171.350 mph and a time of 52.524 seconds.

    “I’ll be honest, prior to that run, I was kind of hoping it was going to rain,” Gordon said with a laugh. “We made a couple of qualifying runs yesterday and we weren’t really thrilled with the pace.”

    “The track was definitely a lot different as it was hot and slick,” Gordon continued. “We did our fastest laps in race trim and so we weren’t really sure what to expect today.”

    “We looked at the lap times and seeing just how fast the track was today, it gets you anxious when you ran a 54.10 and guys were running in the 52s,” Gordon said. “It was interesting because right before I left the truck I told Alan (Gustafson), ‘It looks like half a second per corner’ and as a driver, a half a second a corner just isn’t fathomable.”

    “As a driver, to go out there and do that and put up a good lap and be third, I’m thrilled,” Gordon said. “I’m very, very happy.”

    Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota and past master of Pocono Raceway, qualified fourth with a speed of 171.174 mph and a time of 52.578 seconds.

    Regan Smith, behind the wheel of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, continued his hot qualifying hand and rounded out the top five, with a speed of 171.164 mph and a time of 52.581 seconds.

    Starting Lineup
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/qual.php?race=14
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 171.579 52.454
    2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 171.422 52.502
    3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 171.35 52.524
    4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 171.174 52.578
    5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 171.165 52.581
    6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 171.057 52.614
    7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 170.836 52.682
    8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 170.532 52.776
    9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 170.348 52.833
    10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 170.2 52.879
    11 6 David Ragan Ford 170.177 52.886
    12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 170.126 52.902
    13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 169.908 52.97
    14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 169.872 52.981
    15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 169.856 52.986
    16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 169.702 53.034
    17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 169.671 53.044
    18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 169.607 53.064
    19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 169.52 53.091
    20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 169.501 53.097
    21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 169.447 53.114
    22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 169.444 53.115
    23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 169.441 53.116
    24 71 Andy Lally* Ford 169.37 53.138
    25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 169.307 53.158
    26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 169.278 53.167
    27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 169.224 53.184
    28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 169.176 53.199
    29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 169.17 53.201
    30 34 David Gilliland Ford 169.119 53.217
    31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 169.113 53.219
    32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 169.084 53.228
    33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 168.932 53.276
    34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 168.89 53.289
    35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 168.666 53.36
    36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 168.218 53.502
    37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 167.773 53.644
    38 37 Tony Raines Ford 167.395 53.765
    39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 167.264 53.807
    40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 167.057 53.874
    41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 166.867 53.935
    42 7 Scott Wimmer+ Dodge 162.414 55.414
    43 150 T.J. Bell* Toyota 166.633 54.011