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Category: NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson increased his points lead over second-place Deny Hamlin with a third in the AutoMax 500 at California. Johnson started the day with an eight point edge over Hamlin; J.J. left with a 36 point cushion.

    “I increased my points lead by 28 points,” Johnson said. “In NASCAR speak, that’s a SAFER barrier.”

    But, there’s a reason they call this the ‘Chase.’ And that’s because the eleven other drivers come ‘after’ me.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished eighth at California, losing ground to points leader Jimmie Johnson, who finished third. Hamlin trails Johnson by 36 with six races left in the Chase, with a pivotal race at Charlotte Motor Speedway next on the schedule.

    “Engine failures have taken their toll on Joe Gibbs Racing cars,” said Hamlin. “Not only this year, but in years past. Apparently, JGR engines come with an expiration date, with that date being ‘during the Chase.’”

    3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon overcame a pit lane speeding penalty late in Sunday’s race which ruined his shot at an elusive win. But he recovered to post a solid ninth-place finish, and moved up to fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings. Gordon now trails Jimmie Johnson by 85.

    “Once again,” Gordon said, “a mistake cost us a chance at winning. It seems that we’ve often been fast, but we’re always slowed down by a mistake, whether by me or my crew. If you’re looking for words to describe this season, I think ‘Whoa is me’ works just fine.”

    4. Tony Stewart: Stewart battled Jimmie Johnson on the final restart in the AutoMax 500, holding the No. 48 at bay while collecting his second win of the year, and one that salvaged his Sprint Cup title hopes. Stewart now trails Johnson by 107 in the point standings.

    “There was ‘Smoke’ in California,” Stewart said, “and, for once, it’s not from a wildfire. We’re hot right now; I just wish our misfortune at New Hampshire hadn’t prevented us from adding fuel to the fire.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Like Gordon, Harvick’s day was offset by a pit road speeding penalty, but he still managed to finish seventh and keep Johnson in view. Harvick is 54 points behind Johnson with six races remaining.

    “A pit road speeding penalty,” Harvick said. “A failed inspection. A denied appeal. A phantom debris caution. NASCAR obviously has a problem with Richard Childress Racing. And NASCAR obviously doesn’t like their decisions questioned. NASCAR touts its insistence that everyone follow the rules, but we here at RCR have found ourselves asking ‘Are they playing fair?’”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards No. 99 Aflac Ford suffered an ignition problem on lap 58 at California and stalled on the track, requiring a push to return to the pits. He finished 13 laps down in 34th, and now trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 162.

    “Let me tell you,” said Edwards, “ignition problems are a real ‘turn off.’ I’ve heard of ‘start and parkers,’ but we might as well have been a ‘starter and parker’ in California.”

    And our chances to win the Sprint Cup are practically gone. They call me ‘Cousin Carl,’ and after the race in California, I’m ready to say ‘uncle.’”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch was running 14th when David Ragan drifted up the track, pinching the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge to the outside wall and causing left-front fender damage and a blown tire. Busch limped to the pits and restarted 29th, and moved up to 21st by races end. Busch is sixth in the point standings, 140 out of first.

    “The No. 6 UPS car left me nowhere to go,” Busch said. “To say I was ‘UPS-et’ would be an understatement. It seems that, whether accidental or on purpose, other drivers can’t stay away from the Busch brothers.

    And speaking of ‘odd attractions,’ can someone explain why Kyle and I have fan clubs?”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch’s engine blew on lap 155 and immediately declared his championship hopes over, ending what earlier had looked like a promising day in the AutoMax 500. He tumbled two spots places in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now faces a 187 point deficit to Jimmie Johnson.

    “Hey, my engine isn’t the only thing that quits,” said Busch.

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer edged by Jimmie Johnson on the final lap at California, taking the runner-up spot in the AutoMax 500. Bowyer was leading with ten laps remaining, but NASCAR spotted debris on the track and through a caution, bunching the field.

    “Just another example,” Bowyer said, “of NASCAR seeing something that wasn’t there. I insist there was no debris on the track, so NASCAR had no right to throw a caution. For that reason, I’d like to file an appeal to ‘reason.’”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle, who won last week at Kansas, saw his chances of back-to-back wins vanish when his engine blew on lap 40, becoming the first of several Chasers to face trouble at California.

    “It was a disastrous day for Roush Fenway Racing,” Biffle said. “There were so many engines letting go, I thought a Cheech and Chong movie might break out.”

  • TUMS-TASTIC MOMENTS IN MARTINSVILLE HISTORY: MARTINSVILLE’S CLAY CAMPBELL REMEMBERS TWO NASCAR LEGENDS

    (This is the third in a series of memorable moments in the 63-year history of Martinsville Speedway.  For track President Clay Campbell, two events stand at the track his grandfather built).

     

    MARTINSVILLE’S CLAY CAMPBELL REMEMBERS TWO NASCAR LEGENDS

     

                MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 13, 2010) – Unlike many race track executives, Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell had the pleasure of growing up around the facility he now oversees.

     

    NOTE:  TUMS is the sponsor of the TUMS Fast Relief 500, the sixth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 24.

                Campbell’s grandfather, H. Clay Earles, founded the family-oriented short track more than 60 years ago. It is not only the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ shortest track, but also the only speedway remaining on the schedule that was with the sanctioning body when it began. Campbell’s long-time relationship with the track has often led people to question him about his special memories surrounding the facility. There are two events that stand out in Campbell’s mind. One involves seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, the other former NASCAR President Bill France Jr.

                The Earnhardt saga began during a test session. At the time, there was a fairly large pond outside turn four, across the street from the speedway’s office. Earnhardt and his Richard Childress Racing team were testing at the 0.526-mile track. Earnhardt walked into the office and asked if there were any fish in the pond.

                “I told him there were bass in it,” Campbell recalled. “He asked if I thought he could go fishing in it. I told him he could if he wanted to. The next day he drives up in his pickup truck and he has all of his fishing rods in the back of it. They tested for half a day and then we went out there and fished for half a day.”

                Campbell’s other special memory came in 1988 when he was elected the track’s president.

                “People thought I got the presidency because my grandfather ran the place, but that wasn’t the case. The France family owned half of it,” Campbell said. “It was in the 1950s when my grandfather and Bill France Sr. partnered up when the other two partners bowed out. The France family has been partners in the track ever since. That’s why when International Speedway Corp. took full ownership, it was not that big of a change. It was like living with someone for many years and then finally marrying them.

                “At a board meeting in 1988, Bill France Jr. nominated me for president of the track. That was very special to me, that he thought enough of me to nominate me for that job.”

                Campbell has served in that position ever since.

                For more information on TUMS, visit www.TUMS.com.                                           

    About TUMS®
    For more than 75 years, TUMS® has been a fast, effective treatment for heartburn and acid indigestion, neutralizing stomach acid on contact. Today, TUMS is the number one antacid in America, used by more people than any other brand to treat heartburn.
    About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
    GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R)and NicoDerm(R)CQ(R), and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples– alli(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R), and TUMS(R) — which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.

  • Fewer ServiceMaster Cautions In 2010

    47 fewer Sprint Cup cautions in 2010 compared to 2009 after 30 races

    21 fewer Nationwide Series cautions in 2010 compared to 2009 after 30 races

    SERVICEMASTER CLEAN ‘BY THE NUMBERS’ FOR CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

    1 – fewest ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (10/14/62)

    6 – number of ServiceMaster Clean jet dryers available at CMS this weekend for track drying

    4 of the 12 drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup have yet to win in 2010 (Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth)

    7 of the 30 Sprint Cup races this season have been extended beyond the scheduled distance following a late ServiceMaster Clean caution

    8 – number of drivers that have swept both Sprint Cup regular-season races at CMS in the same year; no driver has swept both races and the Sprint All Star Race (Kurt Busch has a chance to become the first Saturday night)

    12 different Sprint Cup race winners in 2010

    13 – most ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a Sprint Cup race this season (Martinsville)

    14 of the 103 races at CMS have been won from the pole; 30 of 103 have been won from the front row

    16 different Sprint Cup pole winners in 2010

    22 – most ServiceMaster Clean cautions for a Sprint Cup race at CMS (5/29/05)

    107 points separate the top five in the Chase point standings after the first four races

    105 minutes – approximate time it takes for the ServiceMaster Clean jets to dry the 1.5-mile track

    4,500 ServiceMaster Clean franchise locations around the world

    Sprint Cup

    111 of the 211 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 30 Sprint Cup races this season were for accidents, 40 for debris and 27 for spins

    211 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 30 Sprint Cup events this season; 258 after 30 races last year

    1,071 of 8,843 laps completed in the first 30 Sprint Cup races this year have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,225 of 6,955 after 30 races last year

    1,536.630 of 12,059.928 miles completed this season in the 30 Sprint Cup races have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,719.388 of 11,621.305 after 30 races last year

    Nationwide Series

    187 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 30 Nationwide Series events this season; 208 after 30 races last year

    112 of the 187 ServiceMaster Clean cautions in the first 30 Nationwide events this season have been for accidents, 31 for debris and 26 for spins

    875 of 5,484 laps completed in the first 30 Nationwide Series races this season have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 964 of 5,661 after 30 races last year

    1,193.611 of 7,342.931 miles completed this season in the 30 Nationwide Series races have been under a ServiceMaster Clean caution; 1,285.233 of 7,353.464 after 30 races last year

  • FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS – CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

    RACE INFO:

    Event: Bank of America 500

    Date/Time: Oct. 16, 2010/3 p.m. EST

    2009 winner: Jimmie Johnson

    2009 polesitter: Jimmie Johnson

    Distance: 334 laps/501 miles

    Track Length: 1.5 miles

    Banking: 24 degrees

    Track Shape: Quad Oval

    EXPRESS NOTES:

    Hamlin, FedEx Racing Eighth at Auto Club: Denny Hamlin marched forward from the back of the field to claim an eighth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway last weekend and keep his Championship hopes very much alive through four Chase for the Sprint Cup races. Hamlin battled into the top-ten by the halfway point of the race and looked poised to challenge for the win before late restarts shuffled him back ahead of taking the checkered flag in eighth. Hamlin and team head home to Charlotte trailing current points leader Jimmie Johnson by 36 points.

    Hamlin at Charlotte Motor Speedway: This weekend will mark Hamlin’s 11th Cup start at Charlotte and his 182nd career Cup start. Earlier this season, Hamlin and the #11 team endured early damage to the FedEx Office Camry, making a long race longer as they were forced to work through significant repairs on their way to a 18th place finish in the Coca-Cola 600. As the race moved from day to night, Hamlin maintained his position in the top five, but a spin by Jimmie Johnson on lap 274 forced Hamlin low on the track to avoid contact and, in doing so, he clipped the edge of the infield grass, causing significant damage to the front splitter. The team took advantage of several pit stops to repair what they could on pit road but the damage was enough to keep Hamlin from challenging the leaders at the end. Lucky dog passes kept the #11 on the lead lap and Hamlin charged forward before the checkered flag waved to claim 18th spot on the night. Last fall, Hamlin led 54 laps and looked ready to challenge for the win. Unfortunately, an engine part failure that forced Hamlin from the race and the FedEx Toyota on the transporter on lap 192 saw the team scored 42nd on the night. In the summer of 2009, during a weekend full of weather-interrupted racing, Hamlin posted a well-deserved 11th-place finish in the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600. The #11 team ran in the top-ten throughout the race, only falling outside at the end when pit stops decided the final order. Fall races at Charlotte have been a mixed bag for Hamlin and team. In 2008, Hamlin ran comfortably in the top-ten before a lap 233 incident caused damage to the car and left Hamlin unable to regain the performance he enjoyed up to that point. In 2007, just as Hamlin appeared poised to bring home a top-five finish, transmission issues that had been threatening for much of the race finally crippled the #11 under caution. The ensuing repairs forced Hamlin to ride out the remainder of the race in fourth gear while mired back in the pack. He would ultimately take the checkered flag in 20th place. In 2006, a lap one multi-car wreck caught Hamlin and the ensuing damage sent him immediately to the garage for significant repairs. He returned to the track but wasn’t able to improve beyond a 28th-place finish. Hamlin made his debut at Lowe’s in 2005. In only his second-ever Cup start, Hamlin pushed the #11 forward from a starting position of 39th to claim his first-ever top-ten finish.

    Race Series Date Start Finish Laps (Led)

    Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup May 30, 2010 7 18 400/400 3

    NASCAR Banking 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 17, 2009 17 42 192/334 54

    Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup May. 25, 2009 13 11 227/227

    Bank of America 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 11, 2008 12 16 334/334

    Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup May 25, 2008 16 24 399/400 1

    Bank of America 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 13, 2007 11 20 337/337

    Coca-Cola 600 Nextel Cup May 27, 2007 6 9 400/400 1

    Bank of America 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 14, 2006 22 28 265/334

    Coca-Cola 600 Nextel Cup May 28, 2006 8 9 400/400 25

    UAW-GM Quality 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 15, 2005 39 8 336/336 1

    Averages/Totals 15.1 18.5 93.2% 85

    Charlotte Chassis – JGR 279 and 288: The team will unload JGR 279 at Charlotte this weekend. This car recorded a ninth-place finish at Dover two weeks ago. Chassis JGR 288 will serve as the backup.

    FedEx Ground Ohio Valley District Along for the Ride in Charlotte: The #11 FedEx Ground Camry will carry the letters OHVL on the B-posts this weekend in recognition of the Ohio Valley District team. The team is being recognized for their consistently strong performance in package care. The Ohio Valley district encompasses the Northern Kentucky hub and its satellite facilities in southwestern Ohio, eastern Indiana, and northern Kentucky.

    HAMLIN CONVERSATION – Charlotte:

    You have talked a lot about the importance of staying in the middle of the fight through the first half of the Chase, are you comfortable with your position?: “We knew we that we couldn’t beat ourselves through these first races and we haven’t so we feel pretty good. We would have liked better finishes at a couple of tracks and to be in the lead in points but we’re in good shape heading to some tracks where we think we’ll be competitive. We just want to be racing our races and not worrying about anyone else – if we can do that, it gives us our best chance of success.”

    What has experience here at Charlotte, both in the 600 and in the fall race, taught you?: “For one it really helps to qualify good here. We always feel good about our equipment here but we’ve had some cases where we’ve been caught in traffic and had contact or something happen that has hurt us early. And then we just can’t beat ourselves at this track. We’ve been really good here but we need to make the end and that means good changes, good stops and a smart drive by me.”

    A year ago you had one of the dominant cars before being knocked out of the race – is this a place you’ve improved as much as any other track?: “I would say it is. This is a place I struggled with early on but a place where I have really benefitted from Kyle (Busch). Everyone knows how strong he is on these types of tracks and he’s shared a lot of information with me – I know it’s made me better here and with the improvement in our intermediate program it means we can come to big tracks like this and be right there with any car.”

    2010 FEDEX RACING – TEAM ROSTER

    Crew Chief: Mike Ford – Morristown, Tenn.

    Car Chief: Chris “Spider” Gillin – Smithtown, NY

    Shocks: Tim Sparkman – St. Louis, Mo.

    Engineer: Mike Wheeler – Southholt, NY

    Tire Specialist: Patrick Mullen – Brick, N.J.

    Windshield: Bobby “Spike” Christenson – Spokane, Wash.

    Mechanic: Rick Bray – Placerville, Calif.

    Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess – Lancaster, Pa.

    Mechanic: John Furino – Long Island, NY

    Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel – Blythe, Calif.

    Spotter: Curtis Markham – Fredericksburg, Va.

    Front Tire Changer: Jonathan Sherman – Monroe, La.

    Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks – Salisbury, N.C.

    Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry – Belmont, N.C.

    Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram – Statesville, N.C.

    Jackman: Nate Bolling – Swanton, Ohio

    Motor Specialist: Chris Woodward – Franklin, NH

    Gas can: Scott Wood – Liberty, S.C.

    Catch Can: John Eicher – London, Ky..

    JGR Athletic Director: Michael Lepp – Charlotte, N.C.

  • Scott Miller Named WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Fontana

    Roswell, Ga. (October 12, 2010) – Scott Miller, interim crew chief for the No. 33 Hartford Chevy and driver Clint Bowyer, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
     
    Coming into Kansas, Bowyer and team were a bit distraught following the past couple of weeks where they have been under deep scrutiny. While crew chief Shane Wilson is on a four-race suspension, Richard Childress appointed former crew chief and existing Director of Competition for Richard Childress Racing, Scott Miller to the job.
     
    Miller came with the desire to turn this team around. Although Bowyer remains 12th in the points’ standings, Miller made a critical call towards the end of the race that put them in a position to win.
     
    Leading for 27 laps, Bowyer seemed to be on his way to victory, but the caution flag flew on lap 184, and Miller summoned his driver to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel. Bowyer returned to the track in third, while others chose to only take two tires.  But with fresh rubber, Bowyer was able to slingshot past Jimmie Johnson to take home the 2nd place finish behind winner Tony Stewart.
     
    “Scott called a pretty impressive race after not being in the crew chief’s seat for over a year,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative Jeff Hammond. “To come in and take over the No. 33 team and finish 2nd is remarkable. Despite all of the controversy and stress, he managed to make good calls throughout the weekend and during the race.”
     
    WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Results
    Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy led by Todd Berrier finished 23rd after wrestling with loose-handling conditions, racing between 17th and 28th spots for the better half of the race.
     
    Unfortunately most of the adjustments made in the pits didn’t improve the No. 31 machine resulting in a below par finish.
     
    Marcos Ambrose and the No. 47 Little Debbie Toyota Camry, led by Frank Kerr, finished a disappointing 33rd position after enduring grip issues along with high oil and water temperatures.

    “It just was not our day,” said Ambrose, who completed 193 of 200 and started the race from the 26th position. “We spun out a few times during the race. It was a tough day for us. Fortunately, we were able to soldier on to finish the race.”

    WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Team
    Berrier, Kerr and Hammond, along with representatives from the WYPALL Wipers brand, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners. In addition to the $500 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week.  The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at season’s end.
     
    Former winners of the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge include Tony Eury, Sr. (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), Robbie Reiser (Matt Kenseth), Doug Richert (Greg Biffle), Mike Ford (Denny Hamlin) and Chad Knaus (Johnson).

    About WYPALL Wipers
    WYPALL is a brand of Kimberly-Clark Professional. Since 2004, WYPALL Wipers has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams. Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provide race teams with a number of products that demonstrate 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 2010 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.

  • Roush Fenway Advance – Charlotte

    Bank of America 500

    Sat. 10.16.10, 7:00 p.m. EDT

    ABC TV, PRN, Sirius 128

    David Ragan, No. 6 UPS Ford

    Greg Biffle, No. 16 3M Ford

    Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford

    Carl Edwards, No. 99 Aflac Ford

    Dollar General 300

    Fri. 10.15.10, 7:30 p.m. EDT

    ESPN 2 TV, PRN, Sirius 128

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 Citi Financial Ford

    Colin Braun No. 16 Con-way Freight Ford

    Trevor Bayne, No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford

    Carl Edwards, No. 60 Copart Ford

    Paul Menard, No. 98 Menard’s Ford

    Tough Week Out West, Roush Fenway Returns Home to Charlotte

    After one of the toughest outings in recent history, Roush Fenway hopes to rebound this week at the friendly confines of Charlotte Motor Speedway. They will look to do it at a track where Roush Fenway has won seven times in the Sprint Cup Series and 10 times on the Nationwide Side.

    In the Chase

    Despite occupying one fourth of the field in the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup, Roush Fenway’s championship hopes were dealt a tough blow last weekend in California; with all three teams in the Chase falling victim to mechanical and electrical issues. Still all three remain mathematically eligible for the championship and each will look to bounce back this weekend at one of Roush Fenway’s strongest venues.

    Roush Fenway Best the ‘The Beast’

    Roush Fenway has won seven Cup races at Charlotte, while leading 1,996 laps and bringing home 37 top fives, 62 top 10s and two poles at the ‘Beast of the Southeast.’

    RFR Charlotte Wins

    1992-2 Martin Cup

    1995-2 Martin Cup

    1998-2 Martin Cup

    1999 Burton Cup

    2000 Kenseth Cup

    2001 Burton Cup

    2002 Martin Cup

    1993-2 Martin NNS

    1995-2 Martin NNS

    1996-1 Martin NNS

    1996-2 Martin NNS

    1998-1 Martin NNS

    1999-1 Martin NNS

    2000-1 Burton NNS

    2001-2 Biffle NNS

    2002-2 Burton NNS

    2006-1 Edwards NNS

    In the Nationwide Series at Charlotte

    In 79 starts, Roush Fenway Racing has won 10 times in the Nationwide Series at Charlotte, the second most at any track. Roush Fenway Nationwide Fords have accumulated 27 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes, while running to a company best 12 poles at the 1.5-mile track. Mark Martin earned Roush Fenway’s first Nationwide win at Charlotte in the fall of ‘93. He then went on to win three straight, fall ‘95 and a sweep in ‘96, followed by wins in the spring of ‘98 and ‘99. Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have also won in Roush Fenway Fords at Charlotte in the NNS Series.

    On the Pole

    Roush Fenway swept all four Nationwide poles in 2006 and 2007 between Kenseth, Biffle and Edwards. Roush Fenway’s 11 Nationwide poles break down as follows – Mark Martin (fall ’94, spring ’97), Jeff Burton (fall ’01), Greg Biffle (spring ’04, fall ’07), Matt Kenseth (spring ’06, ’07), Carl Edwards (fall ’06), and Jamie McMurray (fall ’08).

    Overall

    Overall, Roush Fenway Racing has posted 17 NASCAR wins at Charlotte, while earning 66 top-five finishes, 109 top-10 finishes, 13 poles and leading 4,362 laps.

    Chase Races at Charlotte

    This will be the 18th race for Roush Fenway Chase-eligible drivers. During that span Roush Fenway has scored four top-five finishes and seven top 10s, including the 2005 race when four of the five Chase eligible Roush Fenway cars finished top 10, including three in the top five. Roush Fenway Chase cars have also led 91 laps in those races, leading at least one lap in eight of the 17 events.

  • Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser Ford Team Charlotte Advance

    Kasey Kahne

    No. 9 Budweiser Ford Fusion

    Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    • With the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams racing close to home this weekend, Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford, will be logging miles on the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway as well as off the track, through the streets of Uptown Charlotte, N.C.

    • On Saturday night Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser Ford team are scheduled to race 500 miles at the speedway in the Bank of America 500. The following morning, Sunday, Oct. 17, Kahne will host and participate in the Kasey Kahne Foundation “Five Kahne sponsored by Bank of America,” a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) charity run and kids’ dash in Uptown Charlotte. Scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., the run starts at Bank of America Stadium and concludes at the NASCAR Hall of Fame where ESPN reporter Marty Smith will lead a Q&A session with Kahne following the run.

    • The Kasey Kahne Foundation, which has pledged $500,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, aims to raise awareness for next year’s grand opening of the new Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte located on Morehead Street across from Levine Children’s Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center. In addition, proceeds from the event will establish a scholarship fund for advance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education field trips to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for students associated with the NC STEM Community Collaborative.

    • Those that don’t wish to run in the 5K, but still want to contribute to the cause can participate instead in Kasey’s Lead Foot Challenge. To register, or for additional information, visit www.kaseykahnefoundation.org.

    • Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser Ford team enter the weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway fresh off of their seventh top-five finish of the season. The fourth-place run at Auto Club Speedway moved Kahne up two spots in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings to 19th position.

    • In 13 starts at the 1.5-mile track, Kahne has scored three point-paying wins (including the 2006 Bank of America 500), five top fives and seven top-10 finishes. His average starting position at the track is 9.4 and his average finish is 11.6.

    • With six races remaining in the 2010 season, Kahne has earned three pole awards, seven top fives and nine top-10 finishes.

    • Follow along each weekend with Kahne and the team on Twitter. Check out @kaseykahne for behind-the-scenes information straight from the driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford. Get live updates from the track each weekend from @kk9team, the PR team for Kahne. Also, follow @RPMotorsports for additional information about the Richard Petty Motorsports organization.

    • Become a fan of Budweiser on Facebook. Exclusive information on Kasey and the No. 9 Budweiser Ford Team can be found on the Budweiser Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Budweiser.

    • For the online version of the Budweiser Racing media guide, please visit .

    Kasey Kahne discusses racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Five Kahne 5K scheduled for Sunday:

    Are you looking forward to Charlotte race week? “Yeah, I always like Charlotte, especially the racing because it’s a good track for us. Then just being close to home and being able to do some things whether it’s with the fan club, sponsor stuff or with our foundation like this year with our 5K on Sunday morning, I think all of that stuff is kind of exciting and gives you something to look forward to.”

    The track has gone through a lot of changes physically the last couple of years. Has it altered how the cars react? “It hasn’t changed a whole lot. That track is pretty similar every time we go back with the feel. The cars have changed a lot with the setups as far as what we do and what other teams do, so we just need to keep working hard at that. If we hit on it, we’ll be up front this week. That’s just one of our tracks that we’re good at.”

    Are those 1.5-mile tracks the kind you enjoy most? “They’ve always suited me the most. I was able to kind of figure them out a lot quicker than some of the other tracks.”

    Your foundation is hosting a 5K on Sunday. Are you an avid runner? “I like running and staying in shape, and I would say I probably run about 10-12 miles a week. I’ll run three or four miles at a time, it just depends on the day and what I have scheduled.”

    How did the 5K come about? “My trainer at KKR (Ryan Von Reuden) thought it would be neat and my sister (Shanon Adams) started working with him on the foundation side. With the Ronald McDonald House, the Hall of Fame, and Bank of America being in downtown Charlotte, it was a good fit for a lot of the partners we’ve had the last few years, so it all came together and I’m looking forward to it. Budweiser is going to be a part of it, too, so it should be exciting and hopefully a lot of people will come and sign up. It’s going to be a good time.”

    I’m sure you would like that 5K event to be a victory celebration as well, right? “I’d rather be a bit tired going into the race on Sunday morning.”

    Is it true that as the host, you will the lead the pack from start to finish for Sunday’s 5k? “No, that’s not true. I would struggle with that because there are going to be some fast runners participating (laughing).”

  • The Final Word – Smoke wins, others just smoked, while Junior even led (briefly) in California

    The Final Word – Smoke wins, others just smoked, while Junior even led (briefly) in California

    Okay, so did we learn from Fontana?

    Well, we learned that with the palm trees lining the track and the mountains in the background, it can be a picturesque place to watch a race. It could also provide some action that was actually entertaining to watch, even on ESPN! I usually combine watching a race from Fontana with nap time, but that was not the case this time out. See, I can be wrong! Just not often.

    We learned a guy named Smoke would win when during the same race the likes of Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, and maybe even Matt Kenseth saw their engines go up in smoke. Yah, eerie I know! Stewart’s auto came alive in the latter half of the event as he won his first in California, the second of the season and 39th of his Cup career. Now the two-time champ is back in the hunt for a third, just 107 points behind with six to go.  

    We learned that Dale Earnhardt Jr can still lead a few laps. At one time he actually led a three train Hendrick parade for three whole circuits. I’m trying to be a glass half-full type of guy here. Okay, he led because his crew chief tried to scrimp on tires, and Junior paid the price for it. At least he fought back to finish 16th on the day.

    We learned that Jeff Gordon could get tagged for speeding and still manage to recover for a top ten. We learned that Jimmie Johnson could fail to win in California, though finishing third did not seem much of a heart break. Heck, even Mark Martin was sixth to make most of the Hendrick boys feel all warm and fuzzy.

    We learned that if it doesn’t blow up or start to blow up, a Roush car could just up and quit. Carl Edwards had distributor problems and sat in the back for a few laps before coming home 34th. His title hopes took a hit, but the car looked nice.

    We learned that even though Judge Roy Bean grabbed 150 of Clint Bowyer’s points, there is no quit in the boy. He could have won last Sunday, settling for second, though he could use some help digging out of the 247 point hole he finds himself in. Having another of those myterious debris cautions coming out late when Bowyer was in front was not exactly the kind of help he was looking for.

    We learned that David Ragan did not help Kurt Busch when he pinched the Chaser into the wall with a half dozen laps to go. The 21st place finish dropped the contender 140 points out to bruise his title hopes a tic.

    We learned that Jeff Burton can tick off team mate Kevin Harvick. The boys got close early in the event, making Harvick rather unhappy. I’m sure they hugged when it was over and all is now swell. Too bad, as a Burton-Harvick tiff could have been exciting. More so than, say, Harvick-Edwards turned out to be. That was the biggest disappointment since Danny Partridge beat down Greg Brady.

    The next date is at one of my favorite tracks as the boys return home to Charlotte. Half the Chasers have won there, with Johnson and Gordon already boasting rich histories at the venue over the years. As to who will be the big winner this Saturday night, I’m guessing that it will be you and me for tuning it in. Enjoy the week.

  • HOORAHS & WAZZUPS: Fontana Edition

    HOORAHS & WAZZUPS: Fontana Edition

    During the course of the previous NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway, in Fontana-California, we watched “Smoke” elevate his championship status and we watched the status of other championship efforts go up in smoke. We watched another milestone from the Joe Gibbs Racing Series-er excuse me Nationwide Series, and, oh yeah, Danica was there. With those thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

    HOORAH to Tony Stewart and his #14 Stewart-Haas team for winning Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400.. “Smoke” clearly proved that his focus on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship is firmly intact. Sunday’s win moved the team from tenth in the standings to fifth and only 107 points out of first.

     Stewart scored his second win of the season, his 39th career win and he removed the Auto Club Speedway off of the list of tracks he hasn’t won on. Stewart led the Pepsi Max 400 three times during the day for a total of 27 laps including the final 11 circuits around the raceway’s mammoth two mile oval. Stewart shared the front row with Jimmie Johnson during a green-white-checker finish and won the race by a mere margin of 0.466 seconds.

    For Stewart the Pepsi Max 400 was a resurgence from the first Chase race at New Hampshire when his car, on the way to the win, ran out of gas with less that two laps remaining. Had this incident never occurred Stewart would now be second in the Chase standings and only 13 points away from first.

    Stewart gets another HOORAH for spraying that large Pepsi Max can with Coca Cola during the victory lane ceremony. The Pepsi can was part of the beautiful winner’s trophy. Stewart has an endorsement deal with the “other” soft drink company and is a member of the Coca Cola Racing Family.

    A HOORAH goes out to Darien Grubb, the race winning crew chief, who was treated to a nice birthday present. Grubb turned 35 last Saturday.

    ***********

    While Tony “Smoke” Stewart was burning up the competition at the Auto Club Speedway, there were other Chase contenders who spent the day helplessly watching their championship runs going up in smoke. Reluctant WAZZUPS goes to the following:

    Roush Fenway Racing. Despite three cars in the Chase that were considered pre race favorites to win the race, Jack “The Cat in the Hat” Roush had absolutely no reason to smile during his California weekend.

    The California Carnage began on lap 41 when Greg Biffle’s engine blew up. After winning the Kansas race the weekend before, Biffle arrived in California eighth in the standings and 85 points out. He left the “left coast” with a 41st place finish along with tenth in the standings and 241 points out.

    The next blow came on lap 58 when the Roush Ford of Carl Edwards dramatically stalled on the track and had to be escorted to the garage via a wrecker. A faulty distributor turned out to be he culprit and that led to a 34th place finish. Edwards fell from fourth in the standings, 53 points out, and plummeted to seventh and minus 162.

    The hits just kept on coming for Roush Fenway when Matt Kenseth’s engine began smoking during the waning laps of the race. The driver started going backwards through the field and the 30th place finish landed him 11th in the Chase standings at minus 241.

    But wait there’s more. The fourth Roush Fenway Ford, driven by David Ragan, found himself in the middle of a hard crash with only seven laps remaining in the race. The other car involved in this crash belonged to Chase contender Kurt Busch who remains in sixth in the standings but falls from minus 70 to minus 140.

    The news wasn’t any better for the other Busch brother. With 45 laps to go Kyle Busch’s engine blew up with the result being a 35th place finish. The teams slipped from seventh to ninth in the standings and are 187 points out. Busch came over the radio saying “anyone who wasn’t sure that this championship is over, it’s certainly over now.”

    ***********

    A rarely issued HOORAH-WAZZUP-HOORAH combo package goes to Jeff Gordon and his #24 Hendrick Motorsports team. First off the team pulled off a four tire stop in an amazing 11.8 seconds. Sub 12 second stops are a very rare sight these days.

    Unfortunately it turned sour, with 44 laps to go, when Gordon had to serve a penalty for speeding on pit road during another pit stop. Despite the huge loss of track position, Gordon climbed up on the wheel and drove to a ninth place finish. The effort elevates him one position in the Chase standings. He’s now fourth at minus 85.

    HOORAH to Jimmie Johnson, and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team, for again turning up the heat during Chase fever. Their third place finish kept them on top of standings while increasing their points lead to 36 points over Denny Hamlin.

    Speaking of Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing team gets the HOORAH for making chicken salad out of chicken do-do. A sudden need for a transmission change relocated the #11 Toyota to the rear of the starting field prior to the race. Then there were frequent struggles with the restarts following caution flags that hindered maintaining track position. Despite this Hamlin drove his way back to an eighth place finish and remains second in the standings.

    HOORAH to Mark Martin for once again looking like the Mark Martin of old during the Pepsi Max 500. After the season this team has endured, a sixth place finish had to seem like a win. Martin led the race twice for a season high 41 laps and the crowd went crazy.

    WAZZUP with Dale Earnhardt Jr for having to announce that he’s not a “whacko” during the race? Sunday was NASCAR’s most popular driver’s 36th birthday and he was hoping to give himself a special present by generating a strong finish in the race. Unfortunately his afternoon in Fontana was another round of enduring an ill handling race car and a 16th place finish. That’s something we’ve seen too many times this year. After several minutes of listening to his driver’s frustration over the radio, crew chief Lance McGrew said “look, I know it’s your birthday but you’re freaking out of control.” Earnhardt responded with “don’t take it personal, I just want to do better, I’m not being a whacko or anything.”

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

    HOORAH to Kyle Busch for winning Saturday’s Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway. The win was his unbelievable 12th of the season and his fourth at the Fontana track. Interestingly enough, it also marked the third time this season Busch won a Nationwide Series race after having to work his way back from a penalty for speeding on pit road.

    You know that old saying that goes: “if you think you’ve got problems stop and look around’? Well, if you’re feeling a little down then look on the bright side. What is the bright side? You’re not a member of Kevin Harvick’s Nationwide pit crew.

    WAZZUP with the pit road meltdown this crew experienced? One of their pit stops was a whopping 17.7 seconds and that level of performance consistency cost their driver valuable track position. The problem also caused Harvick to completely lose his temper. After the race Harvick said expect to see changes on pit road adding “this is not what we’re about, it’s terrible, if they can’t stand the pressure then they’re going to have to look for something different to do.”

    HOORAH to Danica Patrick and the progress displayed during her ongoing transition from Indy car to NASCAR racing. This accolade is despite the disappointing finish. With ten laps left in the race, Patrick was hit by James Buescher and sent hard into the backstretch wall and her 30th place finish does not reflect how well she performed during this race.

    Her goal was more educational seat time and a top 15 finish. Patrick raised more than a few eyebrows by her fourth place listing on the speed charts following the series’ practice session. She qualified her car with a highly respectable 14th and she was on her way to obtaining that top 15 finish before the late race accident.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this transition is being handled with a great deal of intelligence by both the driver and her team, JR Motorsports. I will again stand behind another observation from the past: if you’re looking for instant gratification then call your local pizza delivery company.

    ***********

    The final HOORAH this week goes to the Auto Club Speedway. Both races during their NASCAR weekend were very exciting. The Pepsi Max 400 Cup event was aptly described as one of the speedway’s best races ever. Driver and fan reaction to this race being shortened from 500 miles was very positive.

    The speedway also deserves a HOORAH for their promotional ideas that often demonstrates a willingness to think and work outside of the box. This was certainly true of the wedding opportunity they presented to their fans. On Sunday morning, marriage and commitment renewal vows were exchanged on the start-finish line. Speedway President Gillian Zucker, adorned in a judicial robe accented with a checkered flag collar, presided over the ceremonies for a reported 69 couples. NASCAR driver/team owner Michael Waltrip was the official best man while Miss Sprint Cup was the matron of honor. This is yet another reason why a NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway is so special.

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

    The final WAZZUP of the week goes to Jim Hill, sports anchor for the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles. He’s another one of these L A based sports authorities who have the stick and ball syndrome. In other words: if it doesn’t have a stick and ball then it’s probably not really a sport.

    Hill was attempting to cover the Auto Club Speedway race, in the shortest amount of time possible, and it was clearly obvious that it was a struggle. During the broadcast he said “Stewart held off Clint Bowyer”, (while totally mispronouncing Clint’s name), and then added “Stewart moved up to fifth but still keeps the overall lead.” WHAT???

    I single out Jim Hill because I happened to be watching the Channel Two late news that night. He’s typical of the stick and ball television sports anchors who often display a lack of knowledge and interest in auto racing unless there’s some death defying accident involved in the race. Anyone who watches a sports segment from a Los Angeles based television station knows exactly what I’m talking about.

  • Team Lowe’s Racing – Jimmie Johnson – Charlotte Motor Speedway Preview

    JIMMIE JOHNSON

    2010 STARTS: 30 WINS: 6 TOP 5: 13 TOP 10: 17

    CURRENT DRIVER POINT STANDING: 1ST

    FINISH IN CALIFORNIA: 3RD OCTOBER 2009 FINISH AT CHARLOTTE: 1ST

    NEWS

    The fourth-annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner Auction, which took place Oct. 5-6 at the Grand Del Mar in San Diego, raised more than $525,000, the fourth-consecutive year that the charity has surpassed the half-million dollar mark.

    All proceeds from the event will stay in the San Diego area to fund the 2010 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grants, which range from $25,000-$100,000. In addition, Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grants will be awarded to schools in North Carolina and Oklahoma – where the Johnsons live and Chandra Johnson’s home state. Funding for those grants will be determined through other foundation initiatives.

    Applications for grants in eligible school districts in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma are being accepted through Fri., Oct. 15. For more information, visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.

    RACE NOTES

    Charlotte Motor Speedway

    • Johnson has made 18 Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he has earned six wins, nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

    • Johnson has completed 96.4% (6087 of 6314) of competition laps at the 1.5-mile venue and has led 1370.

    • He has an average start and finish of 7.5 and 10.2.

    Chassis

    • Johnson will pilot a brand new chassis – No. 623 – in Saturday night’s Sprint Cup Series race.

    • Backup chassis No. 553 was driven to Victory Lane by Johnson at Auto Club Speedway in February.

    QUOTES

    WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS EACH WEEK FOR THE CHASE?: “I think really it’s just don’t squander away a good start to the season and from there, after Talladega, form a strategy. After Talladega, you can finally breathe a little bit, you’re over the halfway point. If you’re behind, you know you need to take chances to catch up. If you’re ahead, you might start thinking about protecting something then and take it from there. I just try to simplify things.”

    SPRINT CUP SERIES CAREER NOTES

    Career Wins

    • Johnson has 53 wins in his Sprint Cup Series career, his most recent coming at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 26, 2010.

    • The El Cajon, Calif.-native is currently 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list, one victory behind Lee Petty.

    • He is second in total wins among active drivers, behind Jeff Gordon (82).

    • Johnson needed only 296 starts to hit the 50 mark. Only three drivers have reached 50 victories quicker – Gordon (232), Darrell Waltrip (278) and David Pearson (293).

    • Johnson has won at least three Cup races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first eight full-time seasons.

    • Johnson has won Sprint Cup Series races at all but four (Michigan, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Homestead) of the 22 tracks on which the series competes.

    • Johnson was the first driver to win three of the first five races in The Chase.

    • Johnson’s 10 wins in 2007 was the highest number recorded in a single season since Jeff Gordon posted 13 victories in 1998.

    • The four-consecutive wins scored by the No. 48 team in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ties a modern-era NASCAR record.

    Career Poles

    • Johnson has collected 25 poles in his Sprint Cup career.

    • The championship driver has earned at least one pole a year since his first full-time season in 2002.

    • He had a career-high six poles in 2008.

    • Johnson’s most recent pole position was at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 24, 2010.

    Career Starts

    • In 30 2010 starts, Johnson has collected six wins, 13 top five and 17 top-10 finishes.

    • Johnson has finished in the top five in the Sprint Cup Series point standings each year since his first full season in 2002.

    • Johnson is the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup every year since the format was adopted in 2004.

    • In 321 Sprint Cup Series starts, Johnson has posted 130 top-five and 197 top-10 finishes.

    • He has a top-five finish at every track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.

    • Johnson has led a total of 10,977 laps (of 92,293) in his Sprint Cup career, covering over 123,779 miles.

    • He has finished on the lead lap 247 times.