Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Trevor Bayne: Bayne, in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Motorcraft car, stunned the racing world, becoming the youngest Daytona 500 winner in history. With a momentous push from Bobby Labonte’s No. 47 car, Bayne held off the hard-charging Carl Edwards, taking the victory in only his second Sprint Cup start. Afterwards, the deeply-spiritual Bayne thanked the Lord, who brushed off the comment, saying He was a Junior fan.

    “That’s called ‘using the Lord’s name in Bayne,’” Bayne said, “and then being told you’re ‘using the Lord’s name in vain.’

    But I made history. Not only by becoming the youngest winner in history, but by becoming the first Daytona winner to be eliminated from Cup championship contention before the race. And I can’t think of a better birthday present for my 20th birthday. Hopefully, this win will lead to a long NASCAR career, because I’ll need plenty of time to live up to this.

    As for now, the team and I are trying to make this moment last, and sell as many ‘Got Wood?’ merchandise as possible.”

    2. Kurt Busch: Busch, with wins in the Bud Shootout and Gatorade Duels already under his belt, was in contention in his bid to complete the triple with a Daytona 500 win. But the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge came up a bit short, unable to find a path to the lead, and settled for fourth. Busch lamented that he should have gone low on the back straightaway instead of selecting the middle line.

    “I just couldn’t find the right partner at the right time,” Busch said. “And that’s quite ironic in a race characterized by more coupling than a Tim Richmond key party, circa 1986. And one marked by just as many partner exchanges, as well.”

    3. Carl Edwards: As the green flag waved for the final green-white-checkered finish, Edwards was 10th, seemingly out of position to make a run for the win. But after linking up with David Gilliland’s No. 34 Taco Bell car, Edwards and the No. 99 Aflac Ford surged forward and into second behind Trevor Bayne. Edwards tried a pass for the lead, unsuccessfully, and finished second.

    “How about this new points system?” Edwards said. “I love it. You finish second, and you’re in first. I’m sure Mark Martin could appreciate it as well.

    I really got a strong push from Gilliland. I must say, it’s not the first time I’ve been backed up by Taco Bell. And it’s quite unfortunate that my Roush Fenway teammate David Ragan was black-flagged for passing before the start-finish line on the penultimate restart. I know UPS prides itself on promptness, but this time, they were a bit too early. David learned the hard way that ‘once you get ‘black,’ you can’t go back,’ to the front.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 8th at Daytona, remaining in the hunt until the end after surviving several incidents, early and late in the race, before closing strong. The No. 18 M&M’s Toyota was spun by Michael Waltrip on lap 5, and a lap 198 melee clipped Busch and caused a tire rub that forced a late pit stop. He led 3 laps on the day and led the way in an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing.

    “It’s unfortunate to be wrecked by another driver,” Busch said. “It’s even more unfortunate to be wrecked by another Toyota driver. Sure, these cars are Japanese, but I didn’t order ‘take out.’

    Then, Waltrip triggered another crash, the Big One, on lap 29, by doing the same thing to David Reutimann, another Toyota driver, and Waltrip’s teammate. I think it’s official: when Waltrip trails you, it’s like being followed by the ‘Grim Reaper.’ When it happens again, it’s akin to being stalked by the ‘Grim Reappear.’”

    5. Tony Stewart: Stewart started second on the final restart at Daytona, but the line led by race leader Trevor Bayne got the jump on the restart. Stewart attempted to slide in to the fast lane, but was shuffled back in the scramble, and ended up a disappointing 13th.

    “Trevor Bayne ran a great race,” Stewart said. “It’s a life-changing experience that I hope he’s ready for. He’ll soon be deluged with an onslaught of ‘yes men,’ and, if he’s lucky, even more ‘yes women.’

    As you know, I won the Nationwide race on Saturday, while Michael Waltrip won the Camping World trucks race on Friday night. That means all three Daytona winners are not even eligible for the respective series championships. Brian France was right; the new scoring system is much simpler. There’s a common leader among all three series, because, whether Camping World, Nationwide, or Sprint Cup series, ‘confusion’ reigns.”

    6. Juan Montoya: Montoya led 5 laps and finished sixth in an action-filled Daytona 500 after surviving two skirmishes that slightly damaged the No. 42 Target Dodge. Montoya teamed up early with teammate Jamie McMurray, but when McMurray lost a cylinder, Montoya was forced to look elsewhere for a draft partner.

    “I thought Jamie did well considering he was driving on 7 cylinders,” said Montoya. “He should be used to it. With the exception of Daytona, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, he drove that way in all of 2010.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s defense of his five consecutive Sprint Cup titles started auspiciously with a 27th-place finish, 19 laps off the pace. Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy was sucked into a lap 29 pileup started when Michael Waltrip sent David Reutimann spinning. Johnson nearly escaped danger, but was collected by the spinning No. 00 car.

    “First,” Johnson said, “the good news for all of the anti-Jimmie Johnson factions: I didn’t win the Daytona 500. Now, the bad news: I didn’t win the Daytona 500, in 4 of the last 5 years. And, as everyone is well aware, I’ve got enough Cups to outfit the starting five to any basketball team.

    Daytona boasted a record 74 lead changes. Just don’t expect one at the end of the year.”

    8. Bobby Labonte: Labonte, the 46-year-old 2000 Winston Cup champion, pushed 20-year-old Trevor Bayne to a lead on the final restart the No. 21 Wood Brothers car would never relinquish. Labonte eventually finished fourth, his first top-5 finish since Las Vegas in 2009, and places him third in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “Just call me ‘The Cougar,’” Labonte said. “Because I pushed someone much younger than me into something for which he probably wasn’t quite ready. Does that make me a ‘statutory racer?’ Not in Florida.

    Anyway, I’m proud to give JTG Daugherty Racing such a great finish. They have a great program with great leadership, as well as great ownership. I love working for Brad Daugherty. Among former NBA player/black hillbilly car owners, he’s by far my favorite.”

    9. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: With several notable favorites, including Hendrick teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, as well as the entirety of Richard Childress Racing, nursing battered cars, the stars were aligning for what would have been a historic and sentimental Earnhardt victory. But after surviving one green-white-checkered restart, the No. 88 Amp Energy car was collected in the second, and Earnhardt finished 24th, six laps down.

    “That’s when ‘Junior Nation’ becomes ‘Junior Damn! Nation,’” Earnhardt said. “And that’s the nature of superspeedway racing. Some drivers take the attitude of ‘going for broke’ a bit too literally.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer led 31 laps at Daytona, second only to Ryan Newman’s 37, and was charging with 4 laps to go before being victimized in the final pileup of the day. Bowyer, despite extensive damage, stayed on the lead lap and finished 17th.

    “It was an up-and-down day for Richard Childress Racing,” Bowyer said. “While Paul Menard scored a top-10 finish, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton suffered engine failures. In his first Cup race with the ‘King Of Beers’ on the hood, Harvick’s No. 29 car said ‘This Bud Is Through.’ Burton’s Caterpillar Chevy wasn’t much better, and became ‘heavy equipment’ only for a tow truck when the No. 31’s engine expired on lap 92.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: It’s time to return to ‘regular’ racing

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: It’s time to return to ‘regular’ racing

    Remember last Sunday when 15.6 million television viewers, and 182,000 spectators, watched the Daytona 500 in awe stuck wonder over a form of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing we had never seen before? We all marveled at the two car drafts, the elaborate radio communications to set up driver partnerships and the changes NASCAR had to implement to keep their Sprint Cup cars under the 200 MPH zone.

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Forget about that for the time being. It’s time to return to regular racing. The elite of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be doing some good old fashioned flat track racing at the Phoenix International Raceway this Sunday with the running of the Subway Fresh Fit 500 (K). Sunday’s race is going to be about which team has the best handling, and the best car balance, while negotiating a one mile oval that basically has no banking at all. There’s also the element of passing for position at Phoenix: it’s not that easy and has to be carefully negotiated.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    One of the more obvious story lines will involve the element of redemption. There are a lot of high profile Sprint Cup teams who left Daytona last weekend with disappointing finishes which in turn placed them between a rock and hard place in the early season championship standings. This is especially true of the teams who found themselves caught up in the early race, 17 car, “big one.” It also applies to Richard Childress Racing drivers Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton. Both were considered pre season Chase contenders and both exited the Daytona 500 with uncharacteristic blown engines.

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

    Then there’s the matter of Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne. With winning the great American race comes a media and public relations blitz that would wear out even a healthy 20 year old. Bayne literally spent this week criss crossing the country while doing telephone interviews in between personal appearances.

    Bayne also had a big decision to make this week regarding which NASCAR championship he would be running for in 2011. Recent changes in NASCAR policy states that a driver can only declare to seek just one of their big three national touring titles. Bayne, scheduled to race the full time NASCAR Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing, had originally declared to run for that title. But after the Daytona Cup win he was presented with an offer to change his option for the Chase title.

    In what is considered to be a very wise move, Bayne chose to stick to his original option and seek the Nationwide title. While the sponsorship profile for his Roush Fenway Ford is still rather tentative at this point, the effort is being backed by one of the more powerful teams in NASCAR who will insure the car is entered in every one of the events on the Nationwide schedule.

    On the Sprint Cup side, Bayne’s tenure with Wood Brothers Racing was originally set for a part time schedule of 17 sponsored races. That number was bumped to 18 events after the team decided to use a portion of the Daytona winnings to add the Martinsville race to their schedule. While it’s extremely possible that the team’s Daytona performance could attract new sponsorships, there is no real guarantee the offers will be enough to cover the expenses of all 36 races.

    Again, Bayne made a wise choice that was likely aided by some sage advice from the likes of Jack Roush.

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

    Also this weekend you will hear a lot about the lawsuit issued by former NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner Ray Evernham against his former partner George Gillette Jr. The suit is seeking damages of $19.3 million and was filed this past Tuesday at the North Carolina Superior Court in Mecklenburg County. The specific defendants are the Gillette owned Booth Creek Management and Gillette GEMS LLC.

    Evernham, who created the team, that is now known as Richard Petty Motorsports, sold the majority interest to Gillette back in 2007. After some extreme problems in his financial profile, Gillette sold the operation to a group of businessmen, including Richard Petty, late last year. Evernham claims that he was never paid for his former 20% interest in the team and Gillette is in breach of their contract.

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

    A God bless and welcome goes to the newest member of the NASCAR nation. Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth and his wife Katie welcomed the arrival of their new baby daughter this week. Grace Katherine Kenseth arrived at 3:49 am Tuesday morning weighing seven pounds eight ounces. Mom and daughter are reported to be doing just fine. The new baby joins her sister Kaylin and brother Ross.

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

    Over the past several years we’ve all witnessed Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards do his signature back flip off of his car after winning a race. I’ve often wondered if team owner Jack Roush was a little nervous over this maneuver due to the high possibility of a bad landing and driver injury.

    If a back flip worries Roush then you have to wonder about his feelings regarding what his dare devil driver did on Thursday in Las Vegas. Edwards was in town to help promote the March 6th Sprint Cup race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Apparently he thought it would really cool to visit the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino and take in their “Sky Jump Las Vegas.” This is a controlled free fall plummet of 885 feet at approximately 40 MPH.

    The good news is the fall offers a breath taking, panoramic, view of the Las Vegas Strip. The bad news is it’s a little nerve racking for NASCAR team owners to learn that their driver is the one doing the free fall.

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

    THE VEGAS BREAKDOWN

    The Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE), has placed driver Denny Hamlin on top of their list to win Sunday’s race and they’re backing it with 5 to 1 odds. This is a most interesting proposition. Hamlin is still seeking his first win at Phoenix, but he does have a previous track record of five top five finishes, six top tens along with an average finish of 11.6 at the track.

    Second on the WSE list this week is a wager that makes a lot more sense. It’s Jimmie Johnson who practically rules the important categories at the Phoenix International Raceway. Johnson has a series high four wins there along with ten top five finishes and 13 top tens. He also has a series high average finish ratio of 4.9.

    Next in line, at 13 to 2, is Carl Edwards which is another worthy consideration. Edwards won the second Phoenix event last November in a very dominating fashion. Also bear in mind that there is a huge momentum swing at Roush Fenway Racing and the Roush Yates Engines program, with the Ford FR9 engines, seems to be running at full strength.

    At seven to one you will find former Phoenix winner Kyle Busch who is always a threat to find victory lane on any given weekend. Next is a trio of drivers, led by two time race winner Kevin Harvick, at 12 to 1. Harvick is joined by former Phoenix winners Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon in this category.

    At 18 to 1 you will find drivers Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. Busch is a former Phoenix winner. You also have to factor the Penske Racing operation’s strong presence during Daytona Speedweeks. Biffle is another driver from the Roush Fenway Ford stable and, at 18 to 1, is a wager well worth considering.

    Clint Bowyer, and his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, is rated 20 to 1 this week followed by Roush Fenway Ford driver Matt Kenseth at 21 to 1 odds. But it’s the driver at 22 to 1 odds that could be the strongest consideration for those of you who don’t mind long shot wagers. That would be Mark Martin whose Phoenix stats includes two wins, a series high 12 top fives and 19 top ten finishes. Martin also has a very healthy average finish ratio of 8.5 at Phoenix.

    Also a worthy long shot consideration is two time Phoenix winner Jeff Burton along with Ryan Newman, who won last year’s April race. Both drivers are listed at 23 to 1 odds this week.

    At the bottom half of the WSE listing this week you will find Juan Pablo Montoya at 30 to 1. At 40 to 1 is a quartet of drivers featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr and David Reutimann. Finally the WSE doesn’t seem to have a lot of faith in the Red Bull Racing Toyotas this week. They have their drivers, Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers, listed at 50 and 55 to 1.

    Now for the disclaimer. NASCAR wants us to remind you that these numbers are for information and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage nor condone the placing of wagers on their races. For those of you who may feel guilty about going against their wishes, then send the money to me and I’ll place the bet for you. (Yeah Right !)

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

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Subway Fresh Fit 500 (K) is 312 laps, 312 miles/500 km, around the Phoenix International Raceway’s one mile oval.

    The race has 45 entries vying for the 43 starting berths. Ten of those entries are on the go or go home list. This means these teams do not have a guaranteed start because they are currently outside of the top 35 in NASCAR owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speed to make the race.

    That could pose a problem for the go or go home teams due to the weather. The Saturday forecast calls for rain in the Phoenix area which could wash out qualifying. It could also hamper the running of the NASCAR Nationwide Series scheduled for Saturday evening. Sunday’s forecast calls for clearing skies with some variable high clouds and a daytime high of 65 degrees.

    Opened in 1964, the Phoenix International Raceway complex features a one mile oval connected to a 2.5 mile road course. The track is a prominent challenge to drivers because of its flat nature. There are only 11 degrees banking in turns one and two and nine degrees in turns three and four. The frontstretch, 1,179 feet, only has three degrees banking while the backstretch, 1,551 feet, is banked nine degrees. The pit road speed is 45 MPH. The speedway presently has seating for 76,812 fans.

    The late Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix back in 1988. Since that time the series has raced there 29 times with 21 different drivers parking their cars in victory lane.

    Carl Edwards holds the track qualifying record, 136.389 MPH, set in November of last year.

    The Subway Fresh Fit 500 (K) will be broadcast live by Fox Sports with the pre race show beginning at 230 pm eastern time. The replay will be broadcast by the SPEED Channel on Wednesday, March 2nd, beginning at 12 pm eastern.

  • Landon Cassill Tests For Jimmie Johnson At GMP

    JEFFERSON, GA (February 24, 2011) – Wednesday morning, the weather did not look favorable for the Hendrick Motorsports team as they pulled in the gates at Gresham Motorsports Park.  The clouds rolled by and the sun came out as the No. 48 Chevrolet Impala of Jimmie Johnson’s was being wheeled out of the hauler.

    Landon Cassill, who finished third in the 2011 Nationwide race at Daytona International Speedway, climbed into the driver’s seat and settled in for a long day of testing. 

    “We always love coming to Gresham to test,” said Cassill.  “It gives us an opportunity to make adjustments to the cars and it is a fun track to test on.”

    Cassill is currently the points leader in the Nationwide series after his best career Nationwide finish at Daytona, where he finished behind Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer. 

    The Hendrick Motorsports team had a successful test day at GMP and look forward to returning in 2011 for more testing.

    Please visit our website, www.GreshamMotorsportsPark.com, for information and details about the upcoming year at GMP. Also, join the GMP fan page on facebook or follow GMP on Twitter.

  • Fan Picks Race Winner Correctly in 1st Week of Richmond International Raceway’s $100,000 Contest

    Bayne’s Race Win Is a Win for Minnesotan; Fan Collects Autographed Hat  

    Richmond, VA (February 23, 2011)—Only one of thousands of contestants in week one of Richmond International Raceway’s $100K Top 10 For the Win contest picked Trevor Bayne to win the Daytona 500. That means Joe Winiecki of Forest Lake, MN earns the weekly prize, a Richmond International Raceway hat autographed by a NASCAR driver. Not only did Winiecki pick the correct position for Bayne, but he also correctly predicted Carl Edwards to finish second.  

    In all, Winiecki had five of the top 10 drivers, but only the first two were in the correct order. No contestant had all top 10 drivers in any order.   Richmond International Raceway’s $100K Top 10 For the Win contest is open every week there is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in the 2011 season.

    Contestants are asked to visit www.rir.com/contest and predict the exact finishing order of the top 10 for the upcoming race. Entries are accepted beginning Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. EST prior to the race and the entry cutoff is Friday at noon EST. Should a contestant correctly predict the exact top 10 finishing order of a race, he or she will win $100,000 from Richmond International Raceway.  

    Grab your tickets now for NASCAR’s return to Richmond International Raceway.  The NASCAR Tripleheader April 28-30, is highlighted by the Saturday, April 30 Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400Sprint Cup Series race. Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased online at www.rir.com or by calling 866-455-RACE (7223).  

    Want to catch more of the action? The weekend also features the Friday, April 29 BUBBA burger 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race “under the lights.” Friday’s tickets start at $30 in advance. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East kicks off the weekend on Thursday, April 28, when they debut at America’s Premier Short Track for a race “under the lights.” Thursday’s tickets are general admission and $10. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult in general admission sections on Thursday and Friday. For tickets and information, log on to www.rir.com or call 866-455-RACE (7223).  

    About Richmond International Raceway: Richmond International Raceway, known as America’s Premier Short Track, offers exciting night racing action and a commitment to the fan experience. One of the most popular facilities among drivers and fans in all of motorsports, Richmond International Raceway annually hosts all of its major events—two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two NASCAR Nationwide Series events and one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race—under the lights on its ¾-mile D-Shaped oval. The unique layout consistently produces the thrill of side-by-side racing, coupled with high enough speeds for a superspeedway feel. Combined with first-class amenities (including the state-of-the-art Video Scoring Tower) and a focus on the fans, guests at Richmond International Raceway can expect to experience what “Racing Perfection” truly is.

    For tickets to events at Richmond International Raceway, call 866-455-RACE or visit www.rir.comonline.Find us on Facebookand follow us on Twitter @RIRInsider.

  • Celebrity Poker Tournament to Raise Money for Victory Junction

    NASCAR DRIVERS, CELEBRITIES AND PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYERS JOIN FORCES TO RAISE MONEY FOR VICTORY JUNCTION  

    Celebrity Poker Tournament to Raise Money for Kids with Chronic Illnesses   Denver, CO – Black Ace Clothing is pleased to announce a celebrity charity poker tournament hosted by poker star Tiffany Michelle featuring special NASCAR guests Kyle Petty and Ryan Newman.  Net proceeds from the Black Ace tournament will raise money for Victory Junction, a camp that serves children with chronic medical conditions and serious illness. The tournament will be held March 3, 2011 at 7:30pm at the Hard Rock Casino. This event will be a No Limit Texas Hold’em event with a buy in of $250 and $100 rebuys and is open to the public. 

    An autograph session for fans will be held from 6:30 – 7:15pm.  Players will compete for cash and prizes awarded to the top finishing positions. To participate in the tournament players can register onsite at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino anytime the day of the event.   “We are thrilled that Black Ace Clothing recognizes the value of Victory Junction to children across the country and was willing to create this event to ensure we see as many kids as we can in 2011”, said Kyle Petty co-founder of Victory Junction.

    Scheduled to appear at the tournament are a growing list of NASCAR stars, professional Poker Pros and Hollywood personalities including: Richard Petty, Tiffany Michelle, Kyle Petty, Layne Flack, Vanessa Rousso, David Williams, Antonio Esfandiari, Maria Ho, Ryan Newman, Penn Jillette, David Alen Grier, Shaun Sipos, Bob Guiney, Dave Stewart (MLB), C Thomas Howell, Jennifer Cox, Trishelle Cannatella and more.

      “Black Ace Clothing is very proud to be working with Victory Junction to help make a difference in the lives of these kids,” said Brad McCullough of Black Ace.

    “Bringing together the exhilaration of live poker on the same weekend as the NASCAR race will be a winning formula for both fans and players alike. Tiffany Michelle is one of today’s most exciting poker stars and fans of both the poker and NASCAR worlds can now meet and play with their favorite personalities while supporting this unique and life-changing place.”  

    Check the website at www.blackaceclothing.com for more updates.   About Victory Junction: Victory Junction is a year-round camping environment for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, NC, with a second location opening soon in Kansas City, KS. Victory Junction offers programs for a range of disease groups and maintains strong relationships with more than 30 partner hospitals. Victory Junction’s mission is to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment. As a not-for-profit organization, the camp operates solely through the support of generous individuals, groups and corporations to provide this experience at no charge to children and their families. For more information or to donate, visit www.victoryjunction.org.

  • Donnie Wingo Presented With The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award At 53rd Running Of The Daytona 500

    Donnie Wingo Presented With The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award At 53rd Running Of The Daytona 500

    Roswell, GA (February, 23, 2011) – Donnie Wingo, crew chief for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by rookie Trevor Bayne, has been named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s 53rd running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

     

    Bayne pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in the history of NASCAR. In only his second career start, the 20-year-old captured the checkered flag in the Great American Race, holding off a late charge by fellow Ford driver Carl Edwards and giving the famed Woods Brothers their fifth Daytona 500 victory.

    Wingo and company gave Bayne what he called “a rocket” of a car after overcoming adversity. After qualifying third, Bayne was involved in a last-lap crash during Thursday’s Gatorade Duel (a unique heat-race format that determines the starting order for the Daytona 500), forcing the Wingo-led team to completely rebuild the car.

    When the green flag fell Sunday, it was evident that Wingo and his team made the right repairs. Bayne quickly moved from his 32nd starting position to the top-10, before pulling to the head of the field on the final green-white-checkered-flag finish. The win was the first for the Woods Brothers – a pioneer NASCAR team since the 1950s – in 10 years and their first Daytona 500 triumph since 1976 when Hall of Famer David Pearson took the red and white, gold numeral No. 21 to Victory Lane.

    “With everything the way it worked out last year, the opportunity for me to come over and work with this great group of people, you know, I couldn’t be prouder, couldn’t be happier,” said Wingo, a journeyman crew chief who joined the Woods in 2010.

    “This ‘Cinderella story’ just shows what a leader Donnie really is,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative and FOX/Speed analyst Jeff Hammond. “He showed up for Speedweeks ready to play with the big dogs and they did just that. Despite their setback in the duel, Donnie didn’t give up and led this team to victory with resiliency.”

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Results

    Steve Addington led Kurt Busch’s No. 2 Shell-Pennzoil team to an impressive fifth-place finish. He led 10 times for 19 laps. Busch thought he would have a shot at the victory with his brother Kyle running in tow helping push him to the front, but Kyle had a late-race pit stop just before the final restart of the day.

    It was a solid week for Busch as he won the Budweiser Shootout and the first Gatorade Duel qualifying race on Thursday.

    Paul Wolfe and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge of Brad Keselowski finished in a disappointing 29th following an incident on lap 167 which sent Keselowski into the wall, ending his day. Starting from the 16th position, the Wolfe-led team led nine laps and remained in the top-10 for the first 50 laps.

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Voting Team

    Addington and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Claire B. Lang, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners.

    Each weekly WYPALL Crew Chief Challenge winner will be a guest on Lang’s “Dialed In” program on Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128 at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays throughout the season.

    The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $10,000 check during the weekend of the WYPALL 200 Presented by Kimberly-Clark Professional Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 12, 2011. The winner will also serve as the race’s Grand Marshal.

    About WYPALL Wipers:

    Since 2004, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s WYPALL Wipers brand has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams.  Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provides race teams with a number of products providing strength and durability.  Defeating the toughest of challenges, from absorbing tough grease and oil to wiping down windshields without leaving residue behind, WYPALL Wipers continue to offer performance and versatility. 

    The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2011 season and spotlight the men behind the machines.  For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.

    About Penske Racing

    Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 332 major race wins, 396 pole positions and 23 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

  • Trevor Bayne’s Bandwagon: Custom Made or Mass Produced?

    Trevor Bayne’s Bandwagon: Custom Made or Mass Produced?

    Bandwagons are illus ional mysteries.

    There are no definitive pictures, sketches or photos. Anyone can be a part of the bandwagon.

    The only requirement is that you must jump on.

    During a race weekend the Sprint Cup garage is truly where the action is.

    At any given moment you can stop, look around, and be treated to a panorama of today’s NASCAR.

    A simple check of visual acuity will tell you who the reigning Sprint Cup Champion is, where each driver stacks up in points, and which drivers carry the burden of go-or-go home.

    During speed weeks at Daytona, a trip through the back side of the Sprint Cup garage is where you would find the go-or-go home rides of Derrick Cope, Joe Nemechek, Michael Waltrip, Casey Mears and the car of a young kid named Trevor Bayne.

    Bayne made it clear during qualifying that he wasn’t going home. Running a fast lap of 185.445 mph secured the outside of row 1, until Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped him to third.

    After finishing 19th because of a last lap crash in his Gatorade Duel, Bayne would settle for a 32nd starting position in the Daytona 500.

    By now just about everyone around the world has heard the news about the outcome of the Great American Race.

    Winning the Daytona 500 is the difference between I am here and here I am!

    Construction of the Trevor Bayne bandwagon began right about the time the checkered flag waved.

    It’s quite possible the shape and size was determined by the amount of space occupied by friends, media, sponsors and fans.

    Who, or what, drives the bandwagon can also be considered an anomaly. Those entities driving the positive side are almost certainly jockeying for position with those driving the negative side. For Trevor Bayne, both carriages will carry many occupants.

    No matter which bandwagon carries the majority, it doesn’t mean it’s the right one for the bandwagon namesake.

    In this case, Trevor Bayne, his handlers, or advisors, have many options and many decisions to make in the coming weeks. Those decisions have to be what’s best for him, and may not be what’s popular with the bandwagon construction crew.

    Being thrust into a career change because of one successful event can be very costly and damaging, especially if the one being thrust is not ready, or even worse, not capable of handling it.

    Previous Daytona 500 winner Derrick Cope, and Sprint Cup single event winner Brad Kezelowski had similar bandwagons constructed for them.

    Bandwagons are a dime a dozen, made of opinionated materials and painted with water colors.

    Unfortunately, bandwagons also come without warranties.

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”133″][/media-credit]Winning a single race only proves you can win; it doesn’t make you a proven winner.

    NASCAR will head out to Phoenix in a few short days. Construction on the next bandwagon begins soon.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 as they race at Phoenix

    Hot 20 over the past 10 as they race at Phoenix

    So, who is the hottest driver thus far this season? Well, that would be 20-year old Trevor Bayne. The kid wins the Daytona 500 his first time out, but he is slated to be a Nationwide driver this season, so he got the win but no points. Is that fair? Is it fair to have Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski the junior series champs these past five years? No, so let the young man and those like him have a shot at attaining glory amongst their peers before reaching for the brass ring. Of course, one of them already has one sitting in his pocket.

    As for the hottest driver over the past ten events run in Cup, that would remain five-time champ Jimmie Johnson. As they move on to Phoenix for this Sunday’s event, each driver would need to match his efforts of ten races ago, in Dover, to maintain their pace. For Johnson, that would mean winning.

    Pos – Driver – Points – (Pts at Dover in Sept)

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson 385 pts (48 at Dover)
    “I am the champion, my friends, and I’ll keep on fighting til the end.”

    2 (3) Denny Hamlin -25 (35 at Dover)
    Always a Chaser, never a Champ.

    3 (2) Kevin Harvick -34 (29 at Dover)
    Had one of the best damn engines out there…for 20 laps.

    4 (5) Mark Martin -36 (32 at Dover)
    Has a decent start to his final year with Hendrick

    5 (4) Carl Edwards -39 (40 at Dover)
    With Bayne still in diapers, it is Cousin Carl who leads the standings

    6 (6) Joey Logano -59 (42 at Dover)
    Now has company at the kiddie’s table

    7 (7) Matt Kenseth -82 (29 at Dover)
    Not miffed that he got Biffed at Daytona

    8 (11) Tony Stewart -89 (23 at Dover)
    Where, oh where, can his Junior be?

    9 (9) Jamie McMurray -92 (31 at Dover)
    Eight cylinders beat seven every time.

    10 (14) Paul Menard -95 (37 at Dover)
    Daddy has some money, Sonny has some momentum

    11 (12) A.J. Allmendinger -97 (36 at Dover)
    Sitting in a car fit for a King.

    12 (9) Ryan Newman -104 (36 at Dover)
    Adequate start, unfortunate Daytona finish

    13 (10) Greg Biffle -111 (25 at Dover)
    Daytona? He thought it was Demo Derby.

    14 (16) Kurt Busch -111 (41 at Dover)
    Brother, where art thou?

    15 (15) Kyle Busch -116 (39 at Dover)
    The driver was stable, the car was not.

    16 (18) Juan Pablo Montoya -116 (30 at Dover)
    The march to the top has begun.

    17 (17) Clint Bowyer -121 (19 at Dover)
    Second in the Nationwide race, no points. Knows how Bayne feels.

    18 (13) Jeff Gordon -128 (33 at Dover)
    Winning five titles apparently aint easy.

    19 (19) David Ragan -131 (20 at Dover)
    When you re-start to the right, you need to stay to the right

    20 (20) Regan Smith -132 (18 at Dover)
    The folks at Furniture Row are riding their own Rocky Mountain high.

    Race Talk Radio’s Dennis Michelsen and Lori Munro host a weekly poll of the top 20 drivers, as selected by pundits that include yours truly, Bob Dillner, Monte Dutton, Tom Bowles and a host of others.  Check it out at racetalkradio.com

  • NASCAR’s Savior. Is it Trevor Bayne? Or Is That a Dream?

    NASCAR’s Savior. Is it Trevor Bayne? Or Is That a Dream?

    As Trevor Bayne makes his victory tour this week, the question remains. Is he the savior of NASCAR or will the throngs be disappointed as he struggles through the next few races finding his way? Truth is, Daytona (and Talladega—both restrictor plate tracks) seem to create different kinds of winners. You can go down the list—Cope, Hamilton, Lund, Michael Waltrip, and many others. Guys who are competent drivers, but who didn’t do much outside of the two plate tracks. Yes, there is evidence that Bayne is the real deal, but is he?

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Another factor to consider is the Wood Brothers, or in this case, the Wood cousins. Eddie Wood and Len Wood are the sons of Glen and Leonard Wood. They are old school and as much as I want them to dominate the series once again, that is not likely for various reasons. I listened to Buddy Baker talk about the Woods tonight on Sirius radio. His comment that an owner with a wrench in his pocket (speaking of Eddie Wood) is admirable and what I think the sport is, or at least was, all about may not be realistic in 2011. With all my being, I hope it is relevant, but I have my doubts. And I hate that I have doubts.

    The first hurdle that the Woods have to jump is that Trevor Bayne is contracted to Roush-Fenway Racing. There is no doubt that at some point that Bayne will appear in a RFR car at some point, leaving the Woods high and dry. The agreement the Woods have is similar to the one Richard Petty Motorsports have with RFR. Roush supplies the chassis and engines for their cars and prepare the cars. Part of the deal for 2011 included Bayne for as many races as the Woods could get sponsorship (and you have to wonder what part Roush had in getting those points for the first five races had to do with RFR’s alliance with Richard Petty Motorsports). That said, with David Ragan on shaky ground at RFR and contract negotiations ongoing with Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, who’s to say that Bayne could end up in one of those cars sooner than later? And that would leave the Woods to sign Ragan or another has-been driver. I shudder at the thought.

    The best case scenario is that Bayne continues his brilliance at Phoenix, Las Vegas, Bristol, and Martinsville, and the Woods get enough sponsorship to continue. The Wood Brothers deserve it and the Sprint Cup series could reach a new level.

    For so long I’ve heard the rumbling from fans. Yes, many adore Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, and certainly Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Others like Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer. The same could be said for Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano, as well as Jamie McMurray, but for so long, while Hendrick Motorsports fans, Richard Childress Racing fans, and Joe Gibbs Racing fans have been happy, the great silent majority wants to see someone else win. Trevor Bayne gave everyone a chance to cheer on February 20th, much like Jamie McMurray did in 2010, but it has to continue. If the sport is to flourish like it did in days past, it must happen beyond Roush-Fenway Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Joe Gibbs Racing. The future of NASCAR depends on it.

  • VALUE TICKET DEALS GOING QUICKLY FOR APRIL’S SAMSUNG MOBILE 500

    VALUE TICKET DEALS GOING QUICKLY FOR APRIL’S SAMSUNG MOBILE 500

    . $20 ‘Backstretch Buster’ Seats And ‘2 For $99’ Frontstretch Special Sold Out For Samsung Mobile 500

    . Additional Values Still Available Including ‘Family 4-Pack’ And $40 Backstretch Seats

    . Best Overall Value Remains Season-Ticket Packages Beginning at $270

    FORT WORTH, Texas (February 23, 2011) – Fans are not wasting any time planning for April’s historic Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR weekend at Texas Motor Speedway as the speedway’s two best ticket values – the $20 ‘Backstretch Buster’ seat and “2 for $99” frontstretch ticket special – have sold out.

    Texas Motor Speedway is still offering other great values for the budget-conscious fan yearning to witness the speedway’s first nighttime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday, April 9. Fans can still take advantage of $40 backstretch seats and the $159 “Family 4-Pack,” which includes four backstretch tickets for the Samsung Mobile 500, four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola drinks, while inventory lasts.

    However, the best value remains the season-ticket package for three major race weekends and 10 days of racing action overall that begins as low as $270. Season-ticket holders also receive exclusive perks such as:

    . Admission to the “No Limits” Garage Party held prior to April’s Samsung Mobile 500 and November’s AAA Texas 500

    . 50 percent discount on weekend pit passes

    . Discounts on concessions, apparel, camping and parking

    . Season-ticket packages carrying a savings of 10 to 16 percent (depending on seating selection) compared to 2010 season-ticket pricing.

    The Samsung Mobile 500 concludes a weekend full of nighttime NASCAR racing. The Nationwide Series will compete in the first nighttime race in the speedway’s history with the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 on Friday, April 8. Fans can purchase tickets for the April 7-9 Samsung Mobile 500 weekend by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway.com, or by calling the Texas Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (817) 215-8500.