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  • Steve Wallace and Michael Annett See Light at the End of the Tunnel Leading to Iowa

    Steve Wallace and Michael Annett See Light at the End of the Tunnel Leading to Iowa

    As Steve Wallace and Michael Annett put Dover in their rear view mirror and head to the stand alone Nationwide race in Iowa, the teammates of Rusty Wallace Racing agree that they both see the light at the end of the tunnel for Rusty Wallace Racing.

    [media-credit name=”nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]“Well, I’ll tell you the whole deal,” Wallace, driver of the No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota, said.”We thought we were going to start the year pretty good.”

    “We got a new teammate this year and built a bunch of new race cars,” Wallace continued. “We thought we were going to be really fast and felt like we had a pretty good idea going into this year.”

    “But as it turned out we didn’t,” Wallace said. “And we really, really struggled early there in the year.”

    Wallace’s teammate Michael Annett, driver of the No. 62 Pilot Flying J Toyota, could not agree more with the assessment of their early going this season.

    “We went into the season doing a ton of stuff thinking we had the best thing we could bring to the track,” Annett said. “And then we unloaded and realized we had a lot of work to do.”

    Both drivers and teams went back to the drawing board and after multiple meetings and changing up some personnel, they hit on another idea. They signed up one of the Cup drivers, David Reutimann, to help them shake out the problems on their team.

    “We went to Nashville and we ran a third car with David Reutimann,” Wallace said. “He had a completely, way different, odd-ball set up and it ran really, really good.”

    “He ran good and I struggled so we went back to the shop and we mended all the set ups and ever since then our cars have unloaded a lot better,” Wallace continued. “We’re still not where we need to be but we’re definitely going in the right direction.”

    “We’re getting better and better,” Wallace said. “It’s exciting knowing that we’re not so lost as we were before.”

    “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

    Annett used almost identical language regarding the difference the third car of Reutimann has made for both he and his teammate.

    “We started having our Monday morning meetings and we made a list of what we needed to do,” Annett said. “We did all on the list and moved some people around and added the third car.”

    “They went completely different and they were better,” Annett continued. “They just hit on something and from then on we hit on something. Both teams went that direction and from then on, we started running better.”

    “All the hard work is paying off and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Annett said. “For awhile there at the beginning of the season, it was a small light but we knew we had the people, the parts and the cars to get the job done.”

    “We are getting closer and closer to the end of that tunnel and everything’s finally moving in the right direction.”

    While both Rusty Wallace Racing teammates did not have the best of days at last weekend’s race at Dover’s Monster Mile, with Wallace wrecking hard at the end and Annett never quite finding the handling on his car, the duo managed to salvage top-20 finishes when all was said and done.

    Both now go to the track designed by their team owner Rusty Wallace, Iowa Speedway, for this weekend’s stand alone Nationwide race. Again, Annett and Wallace agreed that the John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer might just be their best chance to head to the winner’s circle.

    “I have a big bull’s eye on Iowa,” Wallace said. “That’s my favorite track,”

    “We had a really good shot there to win last year and had a problem in the pits,” Wallace continued. “We’re taking a brand new car, our best most state of the art piece.”

    Interestingly, Wallace will be running for the first time ever the chassis matching his car number, RWR-066, this weekend in Iowa.

    “It’s lighter and better and it’s been in the wind tunnel,” Wallace said.” That’s going to be a good deal.”

    For teammate Annett, Iowa Speedway is coming home. The Des Moines, Iowa native has already scored an 11th and 7th place finish in 2009 and 2010 respectively at his home track.

    “I take a lot of pride in my home track,” Annett said. “With the race just down the road from where I grew up, it’s a fun weekend.”

    The teammates are convinced that the Nationwide race, with only two Cup drivers competing, is also the best chance for a Nationwide-only driver to take the checkered flag. And both are motivated by that opportunity to have that Cinderella finish.

    “It drives me 100% to be the first Nationwide driver to get a win,” Wallace said. “It makes you feel really good when you can run up front with those guys. That’s what I’m excited about.”

    “Trevor Bayne winning that race was amazing because he’s such a young kid and a Nationwide guy,” Annett said. “But Regan Smith winning at Darlington is really something.”

    “Steven and I were talking about it and we agreed,” Annett said. “Him winning that race shows that if you do your job right, you can get the job done.”

    With both Annett and Wallace headed into a track that means so much to the team owner and father respectively, one question that many have asked is if the two feel any added pressure.

    “I get that question a lot,” Wallace said. “Iowa’s a cool track, but not just because my Dad’s involved with it.”

    “As far as I’m concerned, we can’t let any of that change the way we approach the weekend at all,” Wallace continued. “We still have to keep our focus on the race.”

    “We’ve had a real chance to win there the last two years in a row,” Wallace said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to put our team in Victory Lane and win one for the Nationwide guys.”

     

  • Indianapolis 500: Helio Castroneves Tops The Speed Chart on Friday

    While Penske Racing driver Will Power led Thursday’s session, it was his teammate Helio Castroneves taking the top spot today with a speed of 228.611mph on the day before pole qualifying.

    “Anything is possible,” Castroneves said. “Right now Shell V-Power is working really well in not only the race setup but also the qualifying setup. Qualifying tomorrow will be very tight. I can see that my teammates will be strong ones, and there are other guys doing fast times out there, too. It will be interesting to see what happens in the Fast Nine. I think we will see speeds in the 228 range tomorrow. It is going to be similar weather as today, but if it is a little bit humid, we may lose a little bit of power. I think everybody has something more.

    “Today was a fast Friday. Everybody started laying out the wings and going fast. I’m very happy with my boys with the Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra car. It was very smooth, especially in the race trim, so I was very happy. We did a lot of laps today, and I wanted to make sure I was happy with the race car. It will probably be the last chance before we go into the race to run in those kinds of conditions. All of my boys were on the same page. As soon as we felt happy with the race trim, race setup, we decided to change and go for it. We had some moments out there. I’ve got to keep moving forward and have a good lap out there tomorrow and have a good day for the entire Team Penske.”

    If Castroneves can pull off the pole, it’d be his third Indianapolis 500 pole in a row.

    “Just starting pole position would mean a lot,” he said.” This place is fantastic. It’s awesome and tough. It would be great. Records are made to be broke, so I’m not going to focus on that. I’m going to focus on what I need to make it work so we can put the Shell V-Power in the number one spot.”

    Alex Tagliani kept up in the charts as he was second fastest at 228.327mph.

    “Our team continues to rise every weekend,” Tagliani said. “When we are in the window when we roll off the truck, we have a great group of people who make it easy to fine-tune the car. Being a one-car team, when we are off the window, it’s not easy, but this week, the car has been strong. With a few aerodynamic changes from last year, the car has been very consistent. It’s been nice just to fine-tune and not reinvent the wheel on our setup. I need to take my hat off to the guys. They have been very meticulous in preparing the car and on a track with high speed like this, it’s crucial. As a driver, you need to be comfortable in the car, and you need to drive it well, but you need to have the car, but if you don’t there’s nothing you can do.”

    Tagliani feels that he has a little bit left to give Castroneves a run for his money.

    “We have a couple of things left,” he said. “I think we were conservative this afternoon. We made some changes on the car without pushing the limits aerodynamically. I think it’s going be very difficult to do a 228.3 (mph), but it will have to be up there for a one lap go. It’s all about how consistent you can be and what’s your draw. We feel that we are strong, but on the charts, there are a lot of cars that are strong. It’s very difficult to have a good read. We ran very few laps this week, and we tried to run by ourselves to evaluate the right gearing and right downforce and make the right call on ride heights and all of that. I think we can go to bed tonight feeling we have a strong car, but the Ganassis and Penskes look tough. Hopefully when we pull everything out that we think we can, we’ll be right there with them.”

    Scott Dixon, meanwhile, was third (228.181) while Castroneves’ teammate Briscoe was fourth at 228.029.

    “We worked a lot on race setup, and we concentrated the last few hours today on speed,” Dixon said. “I think we’re looking good for tomorrow, and you should see the usual suspects coming to the top soon.”

    “Today was a good day for the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske crew,” Briscoe said. “We completed a lot of laps. We mostly ran race setups, which we needed after all the time we lost earlier in the week. We trimmed out the car at the end of the day and got good speed out of the car, but we haven’t found the limit yet. I’m happy where we finished the day, and we’re excited about tomorrow. It should be a really good day on Saturday for Team Penske.”

    Bertrand Baguette rounded out the top five with a speed of 228.028mph.

    Simona de Silvestro was at the track on hand after her accident yesterday, though has not been cleared to drive after suffering second-degree burns on her right hand and superficial burns on her left hand.

    “Something broke on the rear suspension, and when that happens, you’re just a passenger,” she said. “You can’t really do anything about it, especially when you’re going about 220 mph. I hit the wall and it took forever to land, it seemed, and then it started getting pretty hot out there (because of flames). It was pretty shocking, actually, especially to be on fire. It’s kind of weird because the fuel is splashing on you and you don’t really know what to do. A lot of things go through your head, but you want to get out of the car as quickly as possible. Everyone is working hard to get me back in the car, and I think it’s important for me to get back in the car quickly.

    “It just shows how safe the car is. I don’t think a crash like that in any other car I would be standing here. When I got out of the car, I couldn’t believe it because it was so crazy being along for the ride and being on fire – again. I was pretty shocked, but it was nice to be standing. I don’t think I was a good patient in the infield medical center because I was in a lot of pain and I was screaming for water to cool my hands down. They took good care of me and then we went to the hospital, where they said it was second-degree burns. We took the bandages off (this morning) and they were really blistered, and tonight we’re going to check them again and see what they say. They don’t look pretty, so I don’t want to look. I can say I’m pretty lucky to be here.

    “It is my goal to get back in the car as quickly as I can. It will be (INDYCAR’s medical team) decision and also mine because it’s pretty shocking. I can move my hands, but it is pretty tight because it pulls the skin. We’ll get some gloves that can fit.”

    The day will start tomorrow with a brief practice from 8a.m.-10a.m., followed by qualifying at 11a.m.

    During qualifying tomorrow, the top 24 spots in the 33-car field will be available during the traditional four-lap attempts from 11 a.m.-4p.m. with each car having up to three attempts and bumping will begin when the 24 spots are filled. The times from the top nine drivers will be erased at 4pm, though those drivers are guaranteed to start no worse than ninth. Those nine drivers, dubbed the “Fast Nine”, will be required to make at least one four-lap qualifying attempt from 4:30-6pm to set their exact starting spot on the grid.

    On May 22nd, positions 25-33 will be available on Armed Forces/Bump Day as bumping will begin once 33 cars are qualified.

  • Matty’s Picks – Vol. 2 – Sprint All-Star Race – May 21, 2011

    Matty’s Picks – Vol. 2 – Sprint All-Star Race – May 21, 2011

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”274″][/media-credit]This week, I get the pleasure of submitting picks for two races as well as my ‘Shoe-in’ for a fan-favorite entry into the 2011 Sprint All-Star Race.

    Let’s start with a brief recap of my picks last week. Stepping outside of the recent trend last week, my actual pick to win the race finished higher than my Dark Horse pick. Despite a few critics of my picks last week, I ended up in ‘OK’ shape when the checkered flag flew.

    Dover – ‘Winner’ Pick
    After starting dead last following an engine change prior to the green flag on Sunday, Kyle Busch made the most out of his extremely fast Camry. Busch worked his way from 43rd all the way into the Top-10 by the midway point of the race. It was somewhere around lap 350 that I felt like I had made a really nice pick in KB as he moved into 6th place. Had it not been for a few cars gambling on staying out or taking two tires on their last pit stops, Kyle Busch would have won the race. Finishing third, he was the first car in line that took all four Goodyears on the final stop.

    Dover – ‘Dark Horse’ Pick
    It was a rough day in Delaware for the #27 team. Averaging a running spot of around 22, Paul Menard was nowhere near gaining me points in my own ‘Pick-um’ contest. The end of my hope for double points in my Dark Horse pick came at lap 340 when Menard got into Juan Montoya and subsequently hit the wall. Finishing the race in 24th, three laps down, Menard wouldn’t score me any points at Dover.

    Onto this week’s events…

    Sprint Showdown – ‘Winner’ Pick

    I will stick with the winner of last years Sprint Showdown race for my pick to win this race. Martin Truex Jr. was seventh-quick in practice this afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Truex has been seen starting towards the front of the field at Charlotte, and to me starting towards the front of a sprint is extremely important. Being familiar with the ‘race your way in’ format of the Showdown will also give Truex an advantage on Saturday Night.

    Sprint Showdown – ‘Dark Horse’

    I think it’s time to see a Red Bull driver finish towards the front, and I think that the Showdown Race will be a great time to see it. Brian Vickers is my Dark Horse for the Showdown. He does have two Top-5’s and three Top-10’s at Charlotte to his credit, so watch for the #83 to make the transfer into the All-Star Race.

    Fan-Favorite ‘Shoe-In’
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. – I don’t see Jr racing his way into the All-Star, but I do see Jr Nation voting him into the race.

    Now to the MONEY RACE…

    Sprint All-Star Race – ‘Dark Horse’

    It is fairly difficult to pick an actual Dark Horse in a field of All-Stars, but this driver is just due for a win. Mark Martin has won two All-Star races in his career and he stands a nice shot at following up his second place finish at Dover with a million dollar win on Saturday Night. He was won four times at Charlotte and has scored 18 Top-5’s at the track.

    Sprint All-Star Race – ‘Winner’ Pick

    Fans will be treated Saturday Night to a ‘Million Dollar Backflip’. Charlotte is a track that has eluded a win for Carl Edwards, despite having four Top-5’s in his twelve races. Seventeen of his nineteen Sprint Cup Series wins have come at intermediate tracks, so Edwards is no stranger to Victory Lane at a 1.5 mile. The 99 team has put together a strong car for Saturday Night, finishing practice second on the speed chart. I think this will be Carl’s turn to collect the One-Million-Dollar purse for winning the 2011 NASCAR All-Star Race.

    On a side note; Kudos to the team of the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry for winning the 2011 Pit Crew Challenge.

    Until next week, you stay classy NASCAR NATION!

  • Indianapolis 500 Thursday Practice: Power Tops Chart, de Silvestro Wrecks Hard

    IZOD IndyCar Series Points Leader Will Power topped the charts today with a speed of 227.778 (mph) for the fastest lap of the day and the month so far.

    “I don’t think the speeds are very representative of where anyone is at,” Power said. “You go out and happen to get a really good tow, and you get a big number. That’s what happened at the end. Verizon Team Penske worked on race setup most of the day. I was very comfortable following cars. We haven’t changed much from last year. We had good cars last year and need to rub on them a little bit, and that will do the trick.”

    With the shortened practice time, teams are having to change their strategy.

    “I think tomorrow, early on, we’ll be working on race stuff, and then we’ll start trimming out for qualifying,” Power continued. “We’ll be working on the car. I think it’s pretty important to focus on the race. You could spend a lot of time screwing around with qualifying things, and then it’ll be different conditions the next day. We have to have a good car in the race. That’s what we’ll be focusing on.”

    Alex Tagliani remained near the top of the time sheet as he ranked second with a quick lap of 227.652.

    “We did well today,” Tagliani said. “We learned a lot. We had good track position, and we weren’t in a lot of traffic. That lap (227.652 mph), I was behind Dario Franchitti, so I had a bit of a tow. But it shows that the car is quick and capable of doing it. I think we still have more to come. We just need to make sure that when it comes time to do it, we have the right balance.”

    Tagliani feels that he has a good shot for the pole.

    “The way the car is running right now, for sure it is,” Tagliani added. “I think we would be foolish to think that we couldn’t do it. But the truth is that Penske and Ganassi have really good cars, and they know their way around this place. They have 10 times more experience than us. I’m sure by qualifying they’re going to do something amazing to their cars, and all of a sudden they’re going to be up to the top and we’re going to end up fighting with them. But if that happens, that’s OK. We should be proud that guys like Roger and Chip are looking at us, going, ‘Why are those guys so quick?’ That’s kind of our mindset right now.”

    Power’s Penkse Racing teammate Briscoe was third with 227.217.

    “It was a very good day, overall,” Briscoe said. “We worked on the race setup on the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske car, and I worked a lot with my teammates on track. We made a ton of changes throughout the day, and we were very productive. We trimmed out the car at the end of the session and focused a bit more on speed. All in all, it was a very productive day.”

    Three time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves was fourth (226.927).

    “It was certainly a good and full day for the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra team,” Castroneves said. “We ran a lot of laps and all of them were really about race setup. My teammates, Will and Ryan, did some qualifying runs so we know what we need to do there, but we really just focused on getting our car right for the race. Tomorrow will be all about speed for us. It’s going to be fun!”

    Townsend Bell rounded out the top five with a speed of 226.741mph.

    “We did a good amount of running,” Bell said. “It was good to get out with the Herbalife car after the rain the last two days. We learned a lot and tried several things that were on our list. We’ve very comfortable.”

    The sesson did not go without incident as Simona de Silvestro made heavy contact with the outside wall, before going airborne and catching fire. She was transported to Methodist Hospital to be treated for burns to her hands and released.

    Team owner Keith Wiggins stated that the car de Silvestro was damaged beyond the repair as they’ll have to go to a back-up car.

    “We can build a good car, but it probably won’t be as good as the original car because that was built specifically for here,” Wiggins said. “There are a lot of specialties about building a car for here, and we only had one of those built because that is all our resources will allow. So the question is will this car be as quick as the other one? That’s the challenge.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE INSIDE LINE FROM LAS VEGAS

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE INSIDE LINE FROM LAS VEGAS

    The annual NASCAR Sprint All Star race, this Saturday night at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, is virtually guaranteed to be filled with the excitement of hard racing and possible surprises both on and off the track.

    One would think that predicting possible winners for an event of this nature would be almost impossible. However, the expert number crunchers and trend observers from the “Las Vegas Insider”, (LVI), have once again risen to the occasion and has presented an All Star ratings survey that appears to be rock solid.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]JIMMIE JOHNSON AT 7 TO 2 ODDS. It’s no surprise that Double J is on the top of the LVI’s list this week. His personal stats at the Charlotte Motor Speedway are simply awesome. In nine starts in the Sprint All Star Race Johnson has two wins, 2003 and 2006, along with an average finish ratio, (AFR), of 6.7. His stats during the Sprint Cup points events at Charlotte are equally amazing and includes six wins, ten top five finishes, 14 top tens along with an extremely healthy AFR of 9.8.

    CARL EDWARDS AT 4 TO 1. This driver has ascended to the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship standings based on highly consistent performance levels including an early season win at Las Vegas. One would believe that this level of consistency would make him a strong consideration for winning the one million dollars from Saturday’s All Star Race. Before you place some money on this driver you may want to consider his Sprint Cup stats at Charlotte. He’s still looking for his first win there, but he does have four top fives and seven top tens. However his Charlotte AFR is a little on the high side at 17.6.

    KYLE BUSCH AT 5 TO 1. Already a two time winner this season, here’s a driver that has a strong record of creating new records at nearly every track he races on. His 96 career wins, in NASCAR’s three national touring series, supports that. Surprisingly enough the Charlotte Motor Speedway has not been one of his better performance tracks. He’s still looking for his first win there. He has accumulated five top fives, eight top tens but the Charlotte AFR is a rather high 16.6. Despite that number, he’s still one of the best drivers in the Sprint Cup and always a threat to win a race and always a rock solid wager consideration.

    JEFF GORDON AND KEVIN HARVICK AT 8 TO 1. Jeff Gordon is always going to be a solid wager consideration when the Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte and the LVI 8 to 1 odds could turn out to be lucrative. Gordon is a three time winner of the Sprint All Star Race. He shares the prestige, with the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr, as being the only three time winners in this race’s 26 year history. His regular Sprint Cup stats at Charlotte are also strong with five wins, 16 top fives, 20 top tens and a 15.6 AFR.

    Kevin Harvick is a two time race winner this year and appears to be in position to become a solid contender for the 2011 Chase For The Championship. He understands what it takes to win the difficult Sprint All Star Race and performed that feat back in 2007. If you’re into long shot wagers then Harvick might be worthy of that consideration. But be aware that his regular Sprint Cup numbers at Charlotte indicates that this is not one of his better tracks. He’s still looking for his first win there. He only has one top five finish, four top tens and his AFR is 20.0.

    DENNY HAMLIN, MATT KENSETH AND TONY STEWART AT 10 TO 1. After a somewhat sluggish start to the 2011 season, Hamlin’s team seems to be finally headed in the right direction although the process is probably not as fast as he would like. If numbers still mean a lot, and they often do, then the All Star Race at Charlotte may not be the right time to put your money on this team. Hamlin is still seeking his first win there, he only has one top five finish and a 17.2 AFR.

    On the opposite extreme is Matt Kenseth who, at 10 to 1, is well worth your wager consideration. The combination of this driver and his crew chief, Jimmy Fennig, has already led to two wins this year. Kenseth’s stats in the All Star Race are outstanding. He won this race in 2004 and has a 6.6 AFR in ten starts. The regular season numbers at Charlotte are also very healthy and includes a win, six top fives and a 15.0 AFR. Again, if you’re looking for a long shot driver this might be the go to guy.

    Sadly, the same cannot be said for Tony Stewart. Every major sports team hits a slump every now and then and that seems to be the situation with the flag ship team from Stewart-Haas Racing. When we start hearing radio transmissions from the driver that claims he’s “embarrassed” by the team’s performance or, in the case of last weekend, “I have no @#%&* confidence in our team right now” this is not a time to call “The Las Vegas Insider” and spend some money on this team. On the extreme opposite end of this situation is the fact that Stewart has some good Charlotte numbers. He’s a former All Star Race winner, in 2009, and his regular season numbers show a win, six top fives and a 13.7 AFR. Maybe this is the place and the race where Stewart can turn his recent fortunes around. I just not sure you want to bet any money on it.

    DALE EARNHARDT JR AND KURT BUSCH AT 12 TO 1. Yes, we’re all aware that Dale Earnhardt Jr is fourth in the Sprint Cup points and the team, under the leadership of new crew chief Steve Letarte, seems to be stronger than ever. But if you’re planning to call the “LVI” to bet on this driver be advised you will have to wait to the extreme last minute Saturday evening to determine if Earnhardt is going to make the line up for the Sprint All Star Race. There’s a little snag with the race criteria here. The race rules say that any driver who won a race in 2010 or 2011 is automatically in the line up. We already know that doesn’t apply to this driver. Previous winners of the All Star Race from the past ten years are also automatically in. Earnhardt is a previous race winner but that happened 11 years ago.

    So why is Earnhardt on the “Las Vegas Insider’s” list at 12 to 1? That’s easy. The “LVI”, just like the rest of us, is nearly positive that Earnhardt will make the All Star Race line via the fan vote provisional. It’s a very safe bet that his fan club, aka the Junior Nation, has been very busy punching the buttons on their Sprint applications to insure their favorite guy has enough votes to make this race. While his cool, calm and collected crew chief will likely once again work his magic to get his team another strong finish, I wouldn’t expect the amount of Letarte magic that will be needed for this team to cash that one million dollar check.

    Then there’s Kurt Busch, the defending All Star Race champion. Here’s a guy who understands the go or blow racing style required to win this race. But the problem here is the highly visible state of unhappiness this driver has been displaying of late. At one level there is the importance of a race team keeping the lines of communication open. Then there’s the Kurt Busch approach to communication that comes with tirades that are often abusive. We’ve hearing it in his media interviews and we’re really hearing it from his in car radio comments that are often just plain brutal. If this team is going to achieve the measure of success everyone believes they’re capable of then this driver has to chill out a little and take it down a notch. Busch has the talent and experience to win the All Star Race, but I wouldn’t bet any money on it this year.

    GREG BIFFLE AT 14 TO 1. Slowly but surely Biffle’s Roush Fenway Racing team is making progress in the points standings and has now worked their way up to 12th in the rankings. He’s still looking for his first win of the season and, for that matter, his first ever win at Charlotte. The one positive factor is the horsepower and performance that comes with the Roush Yates Engines. While the possibilities for this team to win the All Star Race is there, the regular season Charlotte numbers aren’t. You may want to think twice about a long shot bet on this team.

    CLINT BOWYER AT 16 TO 1. After a sluggish start to the season, this team has worked their way to eighth in the championship standings. Bowyer is looking terrific on the track these days and would be worthy of your long shot consideration. The only gray area here is the uncontrollable bad luck that sometimes places this driver in middle of someone else’s temper tantrum. Yes, I’m referring to Harvick vs Busch at Darlington.

    JAMIE MC MURRAY AND JUAN PABLO MONTOYA AT 18 TO 1. Considered to be a Chase contender by many during the off season, Mc Murray seems to be in a points hole and is languishing in 22nd. The All Star Race Saturday could turn out to be the venue to turn things in the right direction. His regular season Charlotte numbers are actually good and includes two wins, five top fives, eight top tens and a 15.7 AFR.

    On the other hand his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team mate, Juan Pablo Montoya, has Charlotte racing numbers that are disappointing including a 27.6 AFR. However, the All Star Race features a format that is perfectly suited for his style of driving and he could make things interesting Saturday night. The win potential for both of these drivers are there, but I don’t know if I would be spending any money on it.

    MARK MARTIN AND RYAN NEWMAN AT 22 TO 1. Look at this excellent long shot possibility the “LVI” has presented you this week. Mark Martin at 22 to 1 is worthy of serious consideration. First off, he’s a two time winner of the Sprint All Star Race and has a series 21 starts in this event. That means he has the vast experience needed to handle himself in this unique no holds barred race. His regular season Sprint Cup stats at Charlotte are also quite good and includes four wins, 18 top fives, 23 top tens and a 15.7 AFR. The new relationship with crew chief Lance McGrew seems to be gelling. This team looked very strong last weekend at the Dover race. Don’t get distracted by the age issue here. “The Old Man” of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is actually in better physical shape that young drivers half his age and his mental focus is sharper than ever. If you’re into long shot bets, this is your guy.

    Ryan Newman has a special place in his heart for the Sprint All Star Race. He won the event, in 2002, during his rookie season which clearly proved that he belonged in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While his personal career stats at Charlotte could use a little work, he’s a hard charger who has proven in the past he can run hard, and even hit harder, when it’s necessary. That’s a major plus for an event like the All Star Race.

    Now for the weekly disclaimer. NASCAR wants us to remind you that they consider these posted numbers as a means for both entertainment and information. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their races.

    But if you’re going to do it anyway, and many of you will, then dial up “The Las Vegas Insider’s” official website to get the latest, updated, information.

    Having said that let the buyer beware. This is the Sprint All Star Race that comes with the traditional no holds barred, anything goes, format. There will be no impact on the the championship standings following this race. That means the drivers are free to race hard for the prestige and the million dollars that comes with winning this event. Anything can happen and often does during the course of this race.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THERE ARE A MILLION PLUS REASONS TO WATCH THE ALL STAR RACE

    It’s that time of the year again: the annual break in the traditional NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule for the Sprint All Star weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    [media-credit id=41 align=”alignright” width=”280″][/media-credit]For decades the other major American sports has observed this time honored tradition of creating a special day comprised of their best athletes who passed certain eligibility criteria for the right to play in this game. In 1985 NASCAR decided it was time for them to create their very own All Star exhibition. 26 races later it has turned into one of the most exciting, no holes barred, free for all ever seen by sports fans on national television.

    There are at least one million reasons to watch the NASCAR Sprint All Star Race this Saturday night. That would be the one million dollar paycheck the winner is going to receive at the end of the evening. When it comes to that level of racing purse, there will be no consideration for team mates. There will not be a second’s worth of angst over shoving a friend and colleague out of the way. The truth be known, these competitors would use the bump and run on their grandparents to earn the prestige of winning this event and the money that comes with it.

    You also have to consider the fact that the All Star Race has no impact on the driver’s championship points standings. That means they will be free to race as hard as they want to with virtually no consequences to deal with after the race is over. It’s very possible that this race is going to push NASCAR’s “Have At It Boys” policy over the top.

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    THE ELIGIBILITY BREAKDOWN

    The 2011 NASCAR Sprint All Star Race will have a field of 22 cars Saturday night. There were six different levels of criteria to make this race:

    1. Any driver who won a race during the 2010 season or any event so far in 2011 is automatically in the race.

    2. Any NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion from the past ten years will receive a past champion’s provisional.

    3. Any driver who has won the Sprint All Star Race over the past ten years.

    4. The winner of Saturday night’s preliminary race known as the Sprint Showdown.

    5. The driver who finishes second in the Sprint Showdown.

    6. The winner of the annual fan vote competition.

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    THE ALL STAR FORMAT BREAKDOWN

    The NASCAR Sprint All Star Race will be run in four different segments totaling 100 laps. The initial starting line up will be based on qualifying to be held on Friday, 6 pm eastern time. Even the qualifying format is unique for this race. The drivers will turn three laps around the Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, somewhere in the midst of those three laps, they must come down pit road to complete a four tire pit stop.

    SEGMENT ONE: 50 laps with a mandatory green flag, four tire, pit stop on lap 25. At the conclusion of the segment the yellow flag will be presented and teams will have an option of coming back to pit road if needed.

    SEGMENT TWO: 20 laps. Again, a yellow flag will also conclude this segment and teams will be presented the option of coming to pit road.

    SEGMENT THREE: 20 laps. At the conclusion of this segment there will be a ten minute break to allow teams to make standard adjustments to their cars. The finishing order of this segment will determine the starting line up for the fourth, and final, segment.

    SEGMENT FOUR. The ten lap shootout. At the start of this segment the teams will turn one lap behind the pace car and will then come down pit road for a mandatory, four tire, pit stop. The pit road exit order will determine the line up for this final segment. Segment four will be ten green flag laps, yellow flag laps will not be counted.

    This is the “go time” point of the race where drivers will be laying all of their cards on the table to show what they have and what they’re willing to do in order to win this race.

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    THE SPRINT SHOWDOWN FORMAT BREAKDOWN

    This event is open to NASCAR Sprint teams who did not meet the official criteria for a guaranteed starting berth in the All Star Race. This race is NASCAR’s ultimate B main, or last chance, race. It’s 20 laps with only the top two finishers earning a transfer spot to the All Star Race. This event alone has turned out some exciting racing over the years.

    In last year’s event, driver Martin Truex Jr, #56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, and Greg Biffle, #16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, earned the two coveted transfer spots.

    To be eligible for this race a driver must be ranked withing the top 50 of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship points standings. Additionally a driver must have competed in a Sprint Cup event during the 2010 season or attempted to qualify for last February’s Daytona 500.

    This year 43 teams were eligible to compete in the Sprint Showdown with 28 teams signing entry blanks for Saturday night’s race. That entry list features some impressive names, very capable of winning this race, including: Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Marcus Ambrose, Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Jeff Burton, A J Allmendinger, Bobby Labonte, Martin Truex Jr, Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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    THE FAN VOTE BREAKDOWN

    The final starting berth, for Saturday night’s Sprint All Star Race, will be based on fan voting and driver popularity. The voting process began back on March 23d with a record setting 1.5 million voters plus already participating.

    The top ten drivers in the voting process are: A J Allmendinger, Marcus Ambrose, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Paul Menard, David Ragan and Brian Vickers.

    Before you start reading too much into that, you have to be aware that NASCAR and Sprint released the top ten in alphabetical order based on driver last name. They are protecting the identity of the fan favorite until after the Sprint Showdown race.

    However, there’s another reason for the secrecy: the voting period isn’t over yet. Votes will be taken all the way to Saturday evening, 5 pm eastern time. Fans can continue to vote by using their Sprint Mobile application, “NASCAR Dot Com” or voting at the Sprint Experience display center located in the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s midway area. For Sprint customers, every wireless vote submitted from a Sprint, Nextel, Boost Mobile or Virgin Mobile device counts double in the driver vote totals.

    The fact that the fan favorite will be announced prior to the start of the All Star Race creates a special driver criteria. Those eligible for the fan vote will still have to race in the 20 lap Sprint Showdown, they must finish the race on the lead lap and must still have a raceable car to transfer into the All Star event.

    How viable is this fan vote? Ask driver Kasey Kahne. In 2008, Kahne made the Sprint All Star Race line up based on fan vote and went on to win the race and the million dollars.

    By the way, does anyone else think the fan phenomenon known as the Junior Nation will rise to the occasion and work their cell phones to insure that their favorite guy, Dale Earnhardt Jr, gets to race in the All Star event? Yeah, so do I.

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    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    .

    With that level of prestige and cash on the line Saturday there will be, of course, story lines connected to the Sprint All Star Race. The main story line will be: can we expect to see “Have It Boys” stretched to the breaking point during and especially after the race? That’s highly likely and expect to see it develop during that final ten lap shoot out.

    However, something very unique to “Have At It Boys” developed on Tuesday via a statement from Marcus Smith, President of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. With the next race on the Sprint Cup schedule, the Coca Cola 600, also being at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, it’s definitely in Smith’s best interest to see some “Have At It Boys” match ups this weekend especially after the race. Any form of driver temper tantrums will certainly sell tickets for the Coke 600.

    In a press release, that would make P T Barnum smile, Smith announced that if any driver received a fine from NASCAR for exceeding the limits, whatever they are, of the “Have At It Boys” policy then the Speedway will pay those fines. This is almost tantamount to the “get out of jail free” card from the Monopoly game. It’s also brilliant marketing.

    Smith has also created a special advertising campaign regarding the current feud between drivers Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch that was launched in the aftermath of the Darlington race. The speedway is promoting a poster that displays a picture of their two cars making contact with the caption: “it gets settled in the race for $1 million.”

    However, the general consensus seems to be don’t look for Harvick and Busch to get too close to each other Saturday night. Both drivers are currently serving a four race probation period. However the argument against that states that the probation only applies to the next four points paying Sprint Cup Races. Again, the All Star Race is a non points event. Despite the fact that there has been no real visible effort between these drivers to shake hands and declare a truce, one has to wonder if their thoughts are now returning to making the Chase.

    The other general feeling is Marcus Smith won’t be leaving his speedway disappointed Saturday night. This race is just too famous for bruised egos and wadded up race cars. Someone’s going to get mad Saturday night and someone’s going to try to get even. It’s the nature of the beast.

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    It will also be very interesting to observe the decisions made by the crew chiefs during Saturday night’s race. This is an opportunity for them to experiment with exotic race set ups and subsequent adjustments. If they discover a winning formula then it could turn out to be a gold mine when they return the following weekend for the running of the Coca Cola 600.

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    Over the past several weeks we’ve seen a lot of miscues from teams during pit stops that has proved to be costly in terms of track position. It will be imperative that the pit stops run smoothly Saturday night for a driver to put himself in position to win that million dollars. The most common of these miscues has been pit road speeding and that’s an important area drivers will have to focus on when coming in for service. The pit road speed at the Charlotte Motor Speedway is 45 MPH.

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    The fans of Jimmie Johnson may experience a brief moment of confusion prior to the All Star Race. That’s because Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will have the #5 on it instead of the traditional #48. It also means that Mark Martin, Johnson’s team mate, will temporarily change his number from 5 to 25 Saturday night.

    The change is in conjunction with a special promotion by Johnson’s long time primary sponsor, Lowe’s Home Improvement stores, who are offering five percent discounts on purchases at their stores when using their Lowe’s credit cards.

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    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Sprint All Star Race, as well as the Sprint Showdown, are 100 laps/150 miles and 20 laps/30 miles respectively. around the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile quad oval complete with its steep 24 degrees of banking in the turns.

    There has been 26 Sprint All Star Races in the past. The first was held in 1985, at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, and was won by Bill Elliot. From that point the race was relocated to its present home at Charlotte.

    Those 26 races have sent 18 different winners to victory lane. This highly competitive event has seen seven winners in the last seven races.

    The win list is led by Dale Earnhardt Sr and Jeff Gordon who are the only three time winners of the event. Hendrick Motorsports leads the team win category at six based on three wins from Jeff Gordon, two from Jimmie Johnson and one from Terry Labonte.

    84 different drivers have competed in at least one All Star Race over the 26 years. Mark Martin leads that list with 21 appearances. The race entry has ranged from ten, in 1986, to 27 back in 2002.

    The Sprint All Star Race appears to possibly be somewhat of an omen. Five previous race winners have gone on to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship that same year. That prestigious list includes Darrell Waltrip-1985, Dale Earnhardt Sr-1987-1990-1993, Rusty Wallace-1989, Jeff Gordon-1995-1997-2001 and Jimmie Johnson-2006.

    The Weather appears to be basically good for the weekend. The National Weather Service forecast for the Charlotte area calls for sunny skies Friday and Saturday with daytime highs ranging from 81 to 85 degrees. However, the All Star Race is a night time event and Saturday night’s forecast calls for cloudy conditions with an over night low of 51 degrees. That could present an interesting challenge for crew chiefs.

    The Sprint All Star Race will be presented live by the SPEED Channel beginning at 7 pm eastern time.

  • IndyCar: Red Hot Indianapolis 500 Rookie Pippa Mann

    IndyCar: Red Hot Indianapolis 500 Rookie Pippa Mann

    Pippa Mann may not be a household name as of yet.  However, this British IZOD Indycar Series racer will be the latest woman to attempt qualifying for the prestigious Indianapolis 500 centennial race.

    This year’s rookie hopes to compete with fellow female drivers Danica Patrick, Simona de Silvestro and Ana Beatriz on the starting grid.  If Mann makes the grid, she will make history as the first British woman to race in the Indy 500.

    Mann has teamed up with Conquest Racing as driver of the #36 car for this year’s Indy 500.  She completed the Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by  turning consistent laps at four speed phases: 200-205 mph (five laps) and 10 laps each at 205-210 mph, 210-215 and 215 or more, driving a total of 35 laps on the 2.5 mile oval, with a fastest average speed of 219.116 mph.

    Weather has limited track time for drivers so far this week.  This has allowed Mann to make it out on the track for two of the five practice days.  Mann is hoping to make the most of the two practice days left before Pole Day.

    Mann is the first and only woman to win a pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2010 Freedom 100 race.  During her successful 2010 Firestone Indy Light Series season, Mann secured three poles, a win and finished fifth among the series drivers.

    @BimbolenaSports

  • Indianapolis 500: Rain Cancels Wednesday Practice Session

    For the third time this week, rain has canceled a practice sesson as the Wednesday practice was a no-go due to the steady rain fall.

    The rain has spoiled the plans of practicing for many drivers, including rookie Scott Speed.

    “As a rookie, having less track time is definitely not the best thing in the world,” Speed said. “It definitely makes things a little more difficult. We’ll do our best to take it in stride. I think we’ll be OK with it. We have a lot of resources here. There’s nothing extra you can really do to prepare for the race, but I feel good right now. I think we’re making good moves and going about everything intelligently. I can’t ask for anything more right now. At this point, it’s all about track time. I mean, we’re just waiting.”

    Fellow rookie Pippa Mann says that its just going to make things interesting.

    “We only wanted to get out there and do a couple of runs today, to see if we finally had a handle on this small niggle we’ve got going on, but unfortunately the weather is just not playing ball,” Mann said. “It’s going to make the next few days pretty insane, not just for us but for everyone. the track is going to be extremely busy, and it’s going to be fairly intense. But, to use an American phrase, it is what it is!”

    She says that today she got further than days before as they were almost ready to go.

    “Actually, today wasn’t quite Groundhog day because we did get as far as pit lane, and I actually got as far as being strapped into my car before it started to rain again,” she said. “One minute to green – I’m sitting there, and suddenly the rain started coming down all around me, so we headed back to the garage area.”

    Veteran Townsend Bell is not worried, though.

    “I’m used to it now,” he said. “As long as I’ve driven a little bit this month, I feel fine at least in terms of knowing what I’ve got and knowing that we’re strong. So, the anxiety is much less, especially having done this for a few years. You learn rain is always going to be an issue.”

  • What six points means; Morgan Shepherd and his Faith Motorsports team

    What six points means; Morgan Shepherd and his Faith Motorsports team

    If you thought six points isn’t a big deal, think again. Six points is the amount Nationwide Series driver Morgan Shepherd and his Faith Motorsports team trail owner Mark Smith by, the team that ranks 30th in Nationwide Owner Points. Not only do teams ranked 30th or higher get a guaranteed starting position for the next race, it also provides for bonus money.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]Shepherd finished 26th at Dover after completing 184 laps. Charles Lewandoski finished 42nd after completing just four laps, due to a reported ignition problem. But since Shepherd’s team ranks 31st in owner’s points, he only received a check for $12,700. Lewandoski received $11,950. Even though Shepherd finished 180 more laps, he only received $750 more, or $4.17 more per lap. That $750 doesn’t cover half a set of tires. Had Shepherd been in the top 30, he would have received money similar to Derrike Cope. Cope’s owner, Jay Robinson is 28th in owner points. Cope was befallen by an engine problem, but received $19,518. A safeguard, in effect for a bad race.

    Meanwhile, McDonald Motorsports ran afoul of such a system. Ranked 27th in owner’s standings; Donnie Neuenberger was flagged off the track after 70 laps for failing to maintain race pace after being involved in an accident not of his own making. He received a check for $18,743. The team’s second car, driven by Blake Koch was caught in the same accident and only won $11,892, due to being a part-time team. Even though it appears they had intentions of running a full race, they won the smallest piece of the pie.

    In the confusing world of NASCAR, teams in the top 30 in owner’s standings receive a bonus payout for each race they enter. The posted purse was $1,014,243. Part of that money comes from the TV contracts and part of it comes from the track itself. NASCAR also offers others plans, such as the aforementioned “top 30” money. The purse is rounded out by contingency funds. For example, Coors Light posts a $3,300 for the driver who sits on the pole, so long as qualifying isn’t rained out. Featherlite offers a $2,400 bounty for the driver who improves their finishing position the most, compared to their finish in the previous race. Sunoco, Goodyear…it’s enough to make your head spin.

    An e-mail to NASCAR seeking further clarification on the purse structure wasn’t immediately returned.

    Some owners, such as Shepherd and Smith run a second or third car to help their underfunded operations. That car often parks in a short amount of time. That’s shouldn’t be seen as a problem—these teams aren’t trying to raid the purse—teams use that money to help fund their primary car, not to make money. Even that second car doesn’t help out a lot. “It costs $1200 to enter each race and a set of tires is $1900,” explained Shepherd. “Teams are in survival mode, but it’s all a chance. If there’s a problem…”

    In comparison, teams have existed such as Phil Parson’s MSRP Motorsports. From 2008-2009, Parsons’ two cars completed exactly one race. That one finish came under clout; reportedly, another team was simply using the MSRP name. When Car and Driver’s Bob Zeller attempted to interview Parsons, he brushed off questions regarding MSRP.

    The purse structure is a convoluted mess. NASCAR needs to do more to balance the money situation out, especially in the Nationwide Series. There’s a distinction between teams that actually show up to race, as opposed to those who cheat the system and take purse money from other hard working teams, especially with the Nationwide Car of Tomorrow going full time this season, a move that was supposed to be cost beneficial, according to Shepherd. “That was [NASCAR’s] thinking to get everything alike so we could use the same car everywhere. It came at a hard time with sponsorships and attendance being down. Teams are basically in survival mode,” he concluded.

    Many fans watching the end of Sunday’s FedEx 400 noticed that during the last commercial break, a so-called “side-by-side” telecast aired. This wasn’t an accident, according to Dan Bell, Vice President, Communications for FOX Sports. “The idea [to go “side-by-side] re-surfaced earlier this week and after some discussion it was decided we would experiment with it if we could get enough advertisers to go along with it”, said Bell. “Three ardent NASCAR on FOX supporters, Sprint, Pizza Hut and Fed Ex all…agreed to work with us with the spots they planned to run in the race’s final break. At this point, the fan feedback from we’ve seen via social media has been very positive.”

    FOX deserves kudos for listening to fans and delivering coverage that is enjoyed by many. This weekend’s All-Star Race airs on Speed, while the Coca-Cola 600 and the Kansas Speedway 400 wrap up FOX’s coverage for the year. Coverage then shifts to TNT for the next six races.

    With what could be described as a frustrating season to date, Mark Martin finished strong for his first to five of the year. After a gutsy pit call by crew chief Lance McGrew to take the lead, Martin held pace for six laps before being overtaken by eventual winner Matt Kenseth. Surprisingly, the tires held and Martin was rewarded with his best finish since Martinsville last October. “Well kudos to Lance McGrew and everybody on this GoDaddy.com Chevrolet crew here. We ran good. But we were getting ready to finish 15th again and its been a shame because we have run that well a lot this year and finished 15th,” said Martin.

    While Martin was celebrating his best run of the year, Jimmie Johnson was left wondering what could have been. Johnson dominated the first portion of the race, leading 207 laps in total. However, a four-tire call by crew chief Chad Knaus resulted in Johnson getting buried in traffic. Johnson could only muster a ninth. Many observers were surprised that four tires ended up being the wrong call, making it the second straight week a gutsy crew chief decision help decide the winner.

    Johnson said that “I think the track conditions more affected the balance of the cars, especially as a run went on. There at the end, I really think that it was just dirty air and track position was the issue why the four-tire guys couldn’t get through. You are just going so fast around here, even though it is just a one-mile track, that clean air, just cleaner air towards the front makes a huge difference.”

    Two other drivers had reason to be disappointed; AJ Allmendinger and Darlington winner Regan Smith. Allmendinger led at one point and was consistently in the top ten all race. Despite finishing, Allmendinger ended the race with a driver rating of 95.7; ninth best among all drivers. Smith spent the entire race on the lead lap until a track bar mount broke in the late stages. “What a difference a week makes,” said Smith. “The frustrating thing is that our Furniture Row Chevrolet was coming to life when the track bar mount broke during a caution (Lap 334). Our car really picked up steam during the second half of the green flag run before the caution came out. We were definitely in position to make a late-race charge and get a nice finish out of this race. I think we were running 16th when the mount broke. It hurts because we had a good car and wanted to continue the momentum from last week’s win in Darlington.”

    Mark can be found on Twitter @SpdwyMediaModor.

  • An All-Star Race to Remember: How Frank Stoddard Caused a Rule Change

    An All-Star Race to Remember: How Frank Stoddard Caused a Rule Change

    With the last two Sprint Cup Series races being won because of pit road strategy, it brings to mind another brilliant call made from atop the pit box. Although he’s no longer a crew chief, when Frank Stoddard was atop the pit box for Jeff Burton in the No. 99 CITGO Ford he was one of the best in the business.

    For those in doubt, Stoddard would pull off a memorable call in the 2002 All-Star race. The rules nine years ago are vastly different than what the field will be facing this Saturday night in Charlotte for the 27th annual Sprint All-Star race. The name of the race, how the field is determined and the purse size all are not what they once were.

    In 2002, the race was split up into three segments: the first being 40 laps, the second 30 laps and the final segment 20 laps. There was also a knockout format, called Survival of the Fastest where drivers would be eliminated after each segment. The top-20 advanced to segment two and the top-10 advanced to the final segment.

    The excitement normally doesn’t start until the third segment, when the money is in sight and drivers let it all hang out. But as the laps wound down in segment one on May 18, 2002 it was Burton leading and he was about to stumble.

    Per the NASCAR rules, all drivers are required to make a pit stop, but Burton was still cruising with three laps to go. With the competition having already made their stops, Burton held a 26 second lead over Jimmie Johnson and with two laps to go the broadcast crew featuring Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds, starting to think out loud.

    “We didn’t miss something did we?” asked Waltrip, as Burton headed for turn one with two laps to go. Hanging in the balance the longer he stayed on the track was the risk of being eliminated. Once he came down pit road he would lose his track position and most likely slide outside the top 20 and not advance to segment two.

    How long was Burton and Stoddard going to hold out? As he approached turn four Waltrip thought for sure he would be pitting that time. Burton didn’t and took the white flag as Waltrip could barely croak out, “he’s not coming.”

    Many watched in astonishment. Not pitting would mean not playing by NASCAR rules and possibly being disqualified. There was no going back as the team either lost track of the lap count or were having trouble communicating. Whatever the reason one could come up with there was no denying that Burton had missed his chance to pit.

    Or did he? With excitement and curiosity in his voice Joy suddenly perked up, “What if your pit was before the start finish line, you pitted on the last lap and you only had to jump across the line?”

    That’s exactly what Stoddard was going to have his driver do. “Oh my gosh” exclaimed Joy when Stoddard starting calling Burton to pit road. As the head shaking began Joy stated what many were already thinking, “This is either crazy or brilliant.”

    Brilliant it was as Burton made his stop and only had to go 50 yards to cross the finish line and advance into segment two. Had it not been for a full-speed Johnson and a slow stop, Burton might have even won instead of crossing second.

    Waltrip had no shame in admitting that he was just a little bit confused by what he and thousands of others had just seen. NASCAR officials, while maybe amused at the time and even a little impressed, would mandate after 2002 that green flag pit stops must come during a designated time in the race.

    It removed any chance that a crew chief could repeat Stoddard’s strategy in the future. At the time though, “I have got to tip my hat to Frank Stoddard,” said McReynolds. “I can’t wait to see him after this race because that was a brilliant call.”

    As brilliant and bold the call was, it wasn’t even to win the race. But it was made in hopes of setting his team up to win the most important segment later that night. In big races, such as when Regan Smith won the Southern 500 at Darlington two weeks ago, all the stops are pulled out. More risks are taken and gambles made, just as Stoddard did in exploiting a loophole in NASCAR’s rulebook.

    When asked how he came up with the strategy, Stoddard laughed, “We didn’t have a whole lot of stuff to do today and … we just thought about it and we wanted to come up with something different here, see if we couldn’t get something out of them and almost pulled off a win right there if the clutch wasn’t slipping.”

    Burton’s night would be done in though in segment two because of the aforementioned clutch. He finished 20th as Johnson won his second segment of the night. Now it was onto the final segment for the big prize, which would be won by a driver who benefited from Stoddard’s call in segment one.

    With Burton finishing second it put Ryan Newman in the transfer spot to advance to the second segment. He then advanced to the final segment and would go on to win the Winston by holding off a furious charge on the final lap from Dale Earnhardt Jr. For once though, it wasn’t the finish that people cared about or would remember.

    It was all a crew chief again doing what they do best and outsmarting the competition. Only on that May night Stoddard didn’t just pull off a brilliant move to outsmart the competition, he outsmarted NASCAR too.