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Category: Angie’s Spin Zone

Angie’s Spin on NASCAR

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Looking for Three-Peat at Pocono

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Looking for Three-Peat at Pocono

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads to Pocono Raceway with winning on his mind. Last year he swept both NASCAR Sprint Cup events at the 2.5-mile track, becoming only the seventh driver in track history to accomplish this feat. The stakes are even higher this weekend as he attempts to capture a third straight victory. Only two drivers have won three consecutive races at Pocono; Bobby Allison (1982 – 83) and Tim Richmond (1986-87).

    Earnhardt has an average finish of 2.5 over the last four races at Pocono and is hopeful that trend will continue Sunday in the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400.

    “It seems like guys that run well at Pocono can sustain it. I’ve seen guys sweep there and we were able to do it last year. I like the track, and we have run well there since the repave. I anticipate us being competitive again and hopefully getting three in a row,” Earnhardt said.

    If you consider Hendrick Motorsports’’ record at Pocono, Earnhardt has even more reason to be confident, although one of the most significant threats to a three-peat may come from within the organization.

    Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers have won the last five races at Pocono and their 17 victories at the track are the most of any team. Seven different drivers have won for HMS including Tim Richmond, Geoff Bodine, Terry Labonte, Gordon, Kahne, Johnson and Earnhardt Jr.

    Earnhardt has seven top-five finishes this season, one win at Talladega and is currently ranked fifth in the point standings. However, the revamped No. 88 team, with new crew chief Greg Ives, has struggled with inconsistency. Last week at Dover Earnhardt had to start from the rear after replacing a broken gear. He was able to move up through the field, but a penalty for speeding on pit road resulted in a disappointing 14th place finish.

    This weekend at Pocono, Earnhardt’s greatest challenge will be putting last week’s mistakes behind him. A focused driver, crew chief and pit crew could be all that stands between him, his second victory of the season and that coveted three-peat.

    It could also be the beginning of another sweep and the opportunity to add his name to the record books. No driver has ever swept Pocono twice, but Earnhardt will have some competition as Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin compete with him to be the first to do so.

  • The World According to NASCAR

    The World According to NASCAR

    The world of NASCAR exists in its own bubble where the usual rules do not apply. The “winning is everything” motto is considered not only acceptable but trumps everything else. If you buy into it, all the normal rules of society do not apply. Bring up the concept of fairness in racing and you will more likely than not be greeted with laughter. If you complain about a driver roughing up a competitor on the track, you will be met with “rubbing is racing.”

    Not even teammates are off limits when the checkered flag is in sight because everyone knows that “second place is just the first loser.” Whatever you do, never utter the words, “It’s not whether you win or lose it’s how you play the game.” NASCAR fans take their racing seriously.

    Do you have a problem with cheating? Then NASCAR is probably not your preferred weekend entertainment. Cheating is a time-honored tradition in the sport because all racers know that “rules are meant to be broken.” To be fair, there will be penalties if those rules are broken. But the all-important wins are never taken away regardless of the infraction, so it’s really a matter of risk versus reward and as we’ve established, winning is everything.

    If you truly want to understand racing and the concept of fairness in racing, Smokey Yunick has the answer. The renowned mechanic, car owner and crew chief had a knack for thinking outside the lines.

    “Trying to figure out NASCAR’s rule book threw me at first,” he said. “Then, after studying the rules from all sides, I realized I’d made a colossal mistake. I’d been reading the rule book to see what it said. And all along what I should have been doing was finding out what it didn’t say. After I started doing that, racing became fun in a big way.”

    Perhaps, in the end, it’s all about perspective. NASCAR is a sport that throws all of our traditional conventions out the window to entertain us with a “ride on the wild side.” If you’re looking for role models on the track, you’re looking in the wrong place.

  • Johnson Looking for Number 10 as Gordon, Truex and Stewart Fight for First

    Johnson Looking for Number 10 as Gordon, Truex and Stewart Fight for First

    As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the 13th points race of the season, 30-odd drivers are hoping to get lucky and snare the win that will catapult them into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. But for one driver, the stakes are even higher.

    Jimmie Johnson already has three wins this year, but a win at this particular track would be significant for an entirely different reason. He currently has nine wins at Dover, a track record, but one more victory would place him in an elite group of NASCAR drivers. Only four drivers have won 10 or more races at a single track and they are all members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Richard Petty won 15 races at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, 13 at Richmond, 11 at Rockingham and 10 at Daytona. Darrell Waltrip won 12 events at Bristol, 11 at Martinsville and 10 at North Wilkesboro. Dale Earnhardt had 10 victories at Talladega and David Pearson claimed 10 checkered flags at Darlington.

    Johnson is the defending spring race winner and has the best driver rating of the top 16 at Dover, but he will also have some problems to overcome. On Wednesday NASCAR announced penalties for three Sprint Cup teams, including a written warning for the No. 48 team.

    This marked the second written warning in two consecutive races, making it a P1 penalty. As a result, the team will have one of the last two picks for pit stalls at Dover, regardless of how Johnson qualifies.

    Johnson reflected on racing at Dover, saying, “I’d have to say Dover is probably one of the most technical tracks we go to. Setup is key. Communication between driver and crew chief is key. At Dover, you have such loading characteristics, as you’re on the straightaway and kind of lunge off the corner, that you can draw some similarities between Dover and Charlotte. Dover isn’t easy, but it just suits my driving style and I love it.”

    One of Johnson’s chief competitors will be teammate Jeff Gordon whose last win was at Dover in September, giving him five victories at the Monster Mile, second to Johnson among active drivers. Gordon also joins Hall of Famers Petty (7), Bobby Allison (7) and Pearson (5), with five wins or more at Dover.

    Gordon spoke about the obstacles the 24 team would face this weekend.

    “We won the race in September here last year, but this is a different rules package with reduced horsepower,” he explained. “We’re going to be carrying more speed through the center of the corners this year, and the car will need to ‘rotate’ so you can get back in the gas quickly.”

    Martin Truex Jr. is second in the point standings and it’s hard to imagine there is anyone who wants a win more. He led the most laps in the previous two races at Kansas and Charlotte and has three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes this season, but victory has been elusive. He hopes to change that this weekend.

    Truex considers Dover his home track and it was the site of his first Sprint Cup win in 2007.

    “Dover has always been special to me,” said Truex.  “Even when we went through some hard times last year, we still managed to pull off strong results at Dover. There’s just something about that place that makes me feel both confident and comfortable.”

    Tony Stewart has only one top-10 finish this year and is barely hanging on in 30th place in the point standings, but one win could turn it all around. Although he has been successful at Dover, Stewart and the No. 14 team have found the track to be one of their most challenging venues on the circuit.

    “Dover is probably the track where we have struggled the most,” he said, “which certainly made the 2013 win that much sweeter. It was the one track that we always had to look at and say, ‘This is one that we have to figure out and do better if we’re going to have a shot at this.’ We have to survive there. What we did there that year helped us out for our next two races at Dover but, even with the win, we have some work to do.”

    Stewart has three wins at Dover including his last Sprint Cup victory in June 2013. That win broke a 30 race winless streak. As Stewart rolls into Dover this weekend, it seems only fitting that the three-time champ experience a little déjà vu as he seeks his next checkered flag.

  • Darrell Wallace Jr. Claims First Top-Five Finish at Charlotte

    Darrell Wallace Jr. Claims First Top-Five Finish at Charlotte

    Darrell Wallace Jr. finished fifth in the Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and snagged his first career top five in the XFINITY Series. As an added bonus, his fifth place qualifies him for the Dash4Cash competition which begins next week at Dover International Speedway.

    Wallace, along with Regan Smith who finished fourth, Daniel Suarez (sixth) and Ty Dillon (seventh) were the top four XFINITY series regulars in Saturday’s race at Charlotte. The driver with the best finish at Dover will win the Dash4Cash prize of $100,000 and move on to the next round in July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    With four top-10 results this season, including a sixth place at Iowa last week, Wallace hopes to build on their success moving forward.

    “This is a confidence booster for all of my guys,” Wallace said. “We just have to clean up ourselves on pit road. That’s been a struggle for us these last couple races, but we’ve been able to manage a couple spots on restarts and come away with our first top-five in the series.”

    “This is where we need to be,” he continued, “We’re setting up ship for late in the season.”

    Wallace expressed confidence about his chances at Dover based on his two poles at the track, one XFINITY Series pole in 2012 and a Camping World Truck Series pole in 2013.  However, he emphasized that the team has to remain focused.

    “Dover has been a very successful track for me,” he commented. “It would be nice if they paid for the pole there because I’m pretty good at qualifying there. I haven’t got the finishes I wanted, but I’m excited to be in the XFINITY Series and part of the Dash 4 Cash Series, so I’m glad to be one of the four. We just have to keep playing it smart and put ourselves in that position next week to come out on top.

    While looking ahead, Wallace also took time to appreciate his first top five, saying, “That’s the first time I finished a top series race here, so that’s something to be proud of. Clean air is your best friend in these races, so we’ll build off of this. It’s a good top-five, a good momentum boost for our team. We needed this, so sixth, fifth, first sounds good for the next one.”

    Wallace is currently fourth in the XFINITY Series points standings. With $100,000 on the line, next week’s race at Dover promises to deliver not only big rewards but a possible shakeup in the points, as three of the four drivers battling for the prize are among the top five in the standings.

  • NASCAR Drivers Honor Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte – Bowyer, Ragan Share Personal Connections

    NASCAR Drivers Honor Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte – Bowyer, Ragan Share Personal Connections

    Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Furniture Row Racing owner Barney Visser share personal connections to the heroes they will honor this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of NASCAR’s most widely anticipated races. It has the distinction of being the longest race on the Sprint Cup schedule and is considered the home track for many of the NASCAR teams who are based in the area. But what makes it truly unique is its date on Memorial Day weekend.

    This year NASCAR is honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, dubbing the race as the “600 Miles of Remembrance.” As part of that effort, all 43 Sprint Cup drivers will participate in “NASCAR: An American Salute. ™

    The driver’s names that normally appear on their windshields will be replaced by the name of a fallen United States Armed Forces member. Many of the families of those featured soldiers will attend the race and Charlotte Motor Speedway will also host more than 6,000 active military members. In addition, Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue its tradition of honoring these military heroes in their pre-race show.

    Many of the names displayed were chosen by NASCAR but for some drivers, like Clint Bowyer, the name on his windshield has a more personal significance.

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    1st Lt. Dale E. Bowyer

    Dale E. Bowyer is Clint Bowyer’s paternal grandfather. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army and won the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army.

    While leading his platoon under heavy fire in an attack near Sinz, Germany, on Jan. 25, 1945, Lt. Bowyer was severely wounded by an enemy mine. He refused evacuation even though both feet were shattered. His men, inspired by his bravery, continued their advance after moving past the minefield. Only then did Lt. Bowyer allow himself to be evacuated. He eventually lost his leg due to the injuries he sustained. Lt. Bowyer worked in the dairy business after his stint in the Army and passed away in June 1974.

    Sgt. Bryan Brewster
    Sgt. Bryan Brewster

    David Ragan’s No. 55 Toyota will carry a name with close ties to the NASCAR community. Sgt. Bryan Brewster was only 24-years-old when he and nine other soldiers died on May 5, 2006 when their CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter crashed along the Pakistan border. Five children lost their fathers on that fateful day.

    Bryan’s father Louis Brewster is a longtime motorsports reporter and sports columnist for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and a familiar face in the NASCAR garage. Louis Brewster and his wife Linda created the Bryan Brewster Foundation with the motto “Excellence through Leadership.”

    The foundation has delivered 3,000 books to families of military personnel so that soldiers can read to their children while deployed and has offered assistance for veterans at Chaffey College in California through a scholarship fund.

    “There’s nothing in the world that makes me more proud than to do something for the men and women of our military, especially those who have given their lives,” said driver David Ragan.

    “This weekend is the greatest weekend of the year for racing, but I hope by putting Bryan’s name on our car everyone will remember that a lot of people sacrificed their lives for our freedom,” Ragan continued. “On behalf of myself, MWR, Aaron’s, Toyota, NASCAR and all Americans I want to thank Bryan Brewster and his family along with all the other soldiers and their families.”

    Sgt. Edwin A. Penn
    Sgt. Edwin A. Penn

    Furniture Row Racing owner Barney Visser has chosen to honor a brother in arms, Sgt. Edwin Penn. His name will be displayed on the windshield of Martin Truex Jr.’s Chevrolet. Penn was only 20 years-old when he was killed in action on Sept. 6, 1968 in South Vietnam.

    Visser, who also served in Vietnam, met Penn at their induction ceremony and completed basic training with Penn at Fort Bliss.

    “You could tell right away that Ed was a natural leader,” said Visser. “He was strong, fair and had a big heart in his role as our squad leader. He is a true hero and it will be an honor to have Ed’s name on our race car at the Memorial Day weekend race in Charlotte. The last time I saw him was at our basic training graduation. We went on to serve in different units in Vietnam.”

    Penn served in the 101st Airborne Division and started his tour of duty on Aug. 7, 1968. He was killed only 29 days later.

    “Ed was the consummate brother,” said Randy Penn. “He was my teacher, my protector, and my sparring partner at home. He had a quiet tone, strong will and led by example for all who surrounded him. It has been 47 years since his passing, he is still in my mind and heart, he will forever be missed, and has been an important part of my life in all that I have done.”

    These are only a few stories of the brave souls who served our country with honor. Please take a moment to remember all of these fallen heroes by visiting nascar.com for profiles on all 43 honorees.

  • Kyle Busch Will Return to NASCAR Competition at Sprint All-Star Race

    Kyle Busch Will Return to NASCAR Competition at Sprint All-Star Race

    “I’m back.”

    Kyle Busch made the statement on his Twitter page Tuesday morning, announcing his return to NASCAR competition. He included a video (below) which shows him as he gloves up, zips into his M&Ms firesuit and walks out of his hauler in full racing gear. The video ends with the words, #Rowdy Returns May 16.

    The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was sidelined before the Sprint Cup season began after an accident in the season-opening XFINITY event at Daytona International Speedway sent his car into a non-SAFER barrier wall. Busch suffered a compound fracture of his right leg and a fractured right foot.

    Busch has received medical clearance from NASCAR to resume racing, beginning Saturday night in the Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  He addressed the media via a teleconference Tuesday afternoon to discuss his recovery.

    “Today is an exciting day,” he began,”one that not a lot of folks would have thought possible that night in February down in the hospital in Daytona. Thanks to the good Lord, a tremendous medical team both in Daytona and of course Dr. Anderson here in Charlotte, the incredible support of my wife Samantha, my family and friends, everyone in the NASCAR community, and the many fans.

    “I’m happy to say I plan to be back in the No. 18 M&M Toyota Camry for the Sprint All-Star Race this weekend.  I want to thank everybody for their patience. It’s not an easy process and not a process that always has a clear-cut path either.”

    Busch’s preparations for getting back behind the wheel of his No. 18 Toyota included testing in his late model cars.

    “I was cleared to get out of the boot a couple weeks ago and was cleared to test my late model,” he said. “That test went really well. I was able to come back again and test again last week at Hickory. My medical team was there with me and then declared I was cleared to get back in the car again for the All-Star Race in the Sprint Cup Series.”

    Busch commented on the advantages of choosing a shorter, non-points races, such as the All-Star race, for his return. This event will undoubtedly serve as a barometer to gauge his overall level of fitness and pinpoint any areas of concern.

    “I think it’s a great race to come back to,” Busch said. “For one it’s shorter. It’s a non-points event. There’s mandatory cautions after every 25 laps and whatnot, so it gives you an opportunity to take a breather, take a rest, whatever it may be. That will allow me to make adjustments to myself as well as being behind the wheel of the 2015 Camry for the first time because I haven’t had an opportunity to race at all in this aero package and whatnot.”

    Although Busch plans to participate in all on-track activity, Erik Jones will be standing by if needed. Busch and wife, Samantha, are expecting a child and with the due date of May 22 fast approaching, Busch wants to be prepared for any surprises, particularly the non-racing variety.

    “We couldn’t be more excited as we get closer and the anticipation rises here he said. “We’re going hour by hour right now. It could be any hour that he decides he wants to be here.”

    When asked what he had missed most, Busch was quick to answer, “I think the biggest thing I missed is being able to hold up trophies, being in Victory Lane.  That’s probably the biggest thing.”  He went on to say that he has also “really missed my team, just the guys there, being able to be with them each and every weekend; of course, spending the weekend in the motorhome, being there with Samantha and everything else.”

    One of the biggest questions surrounding Busch’s return is his eligibility for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

    “I know there’s been some good dialogue on the subject,” Busch noted, “but I’m not aware that there’s been a decision made at this point. As I mentioned last month, I’d love to race for a win and a spot in the Chase. I think the top 30 rule makes a lot of sense.

    But for me, in my mind,” he continued, “it was intended for someone in my situation that has a car, sponsor and team that was set to run the entire year for a championship.  I think it was set up to keep guys from being able to grab a win at a road course or restrictor plate track or something like that. We’ll see what happens. That’s in their hands. We’ll see what the decision is.”

    NASCAR would have to grant a waiver to disallow the rule that a driver must attempt to qualify for all 26 regular season races to qualify for a Chase berth. That would overcome the first obstacle in Busch’s attempt to make the Chase. A win guarantees a spot in the Chase if that driver is ranked among the top 30 in the points standings; a daunting but not impossible task for Busch. NASCAR has the power to issue a waiver for this requirement, as well.

    At this point, NASCAR has not made any decisions regarding Busch’s status though NASCAR chairman Brian France has indicated that the sanctioning body would like to “accommodate” him.

    *Update May 13: On Wednesday NASCAR granted Busch a waiver from the requirement that a driver must start in every regular season race to be eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. However, he still must be ranked in the top 30 in the Sprint Cup standings to remain eligible.

  • Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup Preview – Milestones, Firsts and Driver Quotes

    Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup Preview – Milestones, Firsts and Driver Quotes

    As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway, eight drivers are locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races. Several prominent drivers are still searching for that elusive victory or the consistency needed to grab one of the eight remaining spots as the Chase approaches.

    Milestones:

    1) Jimmie Johnson is approaching two career milestones as he heads to Kansas Speedway.

    A top-five at Kansas Speedway would give him 200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-five finishes. He is currently tied with Benny Parsons for 12th on the all-time NSCS top fives list and only two top-fives behind Buddy Baker in 11th (201).

    Johnson is also one away from 300 NSCS top-10 finishes. He is 16th on the all-time NSCS top 10s list and only two top-10s behind James Hylton in 15th (301).

    In the 18 NSCS events held at Kansas Speedway, Johnson has finished among the top 10 a total of 14 times. Combine that with two wins, three poles and the Series-best driver rating (112.1) and it’s a safe bet that Johnson will quickly mark these two items off his to-do list.

    2) Reigning champion and current points leader Kevin Harvick is 47 laps away from becoming the 10th driver in NSCS history to lead 1,000 laps or more in the first 11 races of a season.

    He has three consecutive poles at Kansas (October 2013, May 2014, and October 2014), holds the track qualifying record of 197.773 mph and has the sixth best driver rating (100.4). Leading 47 laps is certainly within Harvick’s capabilities and Kansas Speedway may be the perfect track to accomplish yet another milestone in his career.

    3) Matt Kenseth is only one checkered flag away from 33 NSCS wins. Another victory would move him up to 21st on the all-time wins list, tied with Fireball Roberts.

    He has two wins, two poles, six top-fives, 10 top-10s and the second best driver rating at Kansas. After a frustrating finish of 25th at Talladega, Kenseth will be looking for redemption this weekend.

    Firsts – Now and Then:

    Erik Jones will make his first official start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Kansas in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Although he replaced the ailing Denny Hamlin after the rain delay at Bristol, his drive to a 26th place finish is credited to Hamlin. Jones has one XFINITY Series win and four victories in the Camping World Truck Series.

    David Ragan will begin a new chapter in his career at Kansas in his first race driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota. His primary focus will be centered on securing a spot on the Chase Grid.

    “Our expectations are very high,” Ragan emphasized. “At the end of the day, Michael Waltrip Racing has all the tools and resources that Joe Gibbs Racing has or that Hendrick Motorsports or Stewart-Haas Racing has and there’s no reason for us not to be able to win a race and have a shot at making the Chase. Certainly, that is our goal going forward.”

    Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2001. It was his sixth win of his fourth championship season. He made it two-for-two at Kansas with another victory at the track on Sept. 29, 2002.

     Jason Leffler won the inaugural pole at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 mph. He holds the track record as the youngest pole winner, at 26 years, 0 months and 14 days.

    Jim Roper, a Kansas native, won the very first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) race in June, 1949, at Charlotte Speedway. The event was 1,200 miles away from his hometown in Halstead, Kansas, but neither the distance nor lack of a car would deter him.

    He purchased a Lincoln Cosmopolitan and drove it from the showroom all the way to Charlotte to compete for the $2,000 purse. He raced with the best including Curtis Turner, the Flock brothers and Red Byron, the reigning modified champion. Roper finished the race, second to only Glenn Dunaway.

    But Dunaway was quickly disqualified when the post-race inspection revealed modifications to the rear springs, a bootlegger’s trick to improve the car’s handling. Roper was declared the winner even though he only finished 197 of the 200 laps. He only competed in one more NASCAR race, retiring in 1955 after he broke a vertebra in a sprint car accident.

    Noteworthy:

    Jeff Gordon is winless in his last full-time Sprint Cup season, but that could change this weekend at Kansas Speedway where he will defend his 2014 win at the track. The victory secured his place in the Chase and was the first of four wins during the 2014 season. Gordon also holds the track record with three victories and leads the series with10 top-five finishes in 18 starts.

    Martin Truex Jr. continues to impress, coming off a fifth place at Talladega to capture his ninth top-10 finish of the season. He is second in the points standings, 40 points behind leader Kevin Harvick, but needs a win to guarantee a position on the Chase Grid.

    Outside Looking In:

    Some of the biggest names in NASCAR are outside the top 16 and desperately need to make something happen, including Clint Bowyer (17), Carl Edwards (18) and Greg Biffle (22).

    Bowyer and Edwards are winless at Kansas Speedway while Biffle has two victories.  However, Biffle has only one top-5 in his last six outings at Kansas.

    Kyle Larson is 24th in the points standings, partly due to missing the race at Martinsville this season after he fainted following an autograph session. Larson will make his third Cup start at Kansas this weekend. He finished 12th in his first attempt and claimed the runner-up position last year in October. The race will also mark Larson’s 50th career NSCS start.

    Tony Stewart heads to Kansas Speedway in 30th place in the points standings. After a frustrating start to the season, the results of the last few weeks suggest that the team may have turned the corner. Stewart finished in sixth place, his best result of the year, three weeks ago at Bristol and looked to be headed for a top-10 at Richmond until an incident on lap 361 took him out of contention. He has two previous wins at Kansas in 2006 and 2009.

    Driver Quotes:

    Paul Menard is 12th in the point standings and is looking for a win to claim his entry into the Chase. “Kansas is a pretty newly repaved track so it’s extremely fast,” Menard said.  “Since it’s a night race it will be even faster than during the day. I enjoy night racing, I think it adds another level of excitement. You can see flames from the exhaust and sparks from under the car which makes it cool for the fans. The only downside is we have to wait all day for the race and there really isn’t much to do. I enjoy it, but I’ll be there ready to go whether it’s Sunday afternoon or Saturday night.”

    Ty Dillon is looking forward to making his fourth Sprint Cup Series start and his debut at Kansas Speedway. “From all the practices, testing and races I’m starting to get very comfortable in the Chevrolet SS, “he said. “I’m fortunate to be put in the position to race as often as I do and I’m focused on going out and doing the best that I possibly can. Kansas will be a fun race this weekend, not only off the track, but on the track with the high speeds, different racing lines and competition. Our team will be ready.”

    Ryan Newman is 15th on the Chase Grid and looking for a win to solidify his position. He finished in sixth place in his last outing at Kansas Speedway. “Kansas is super fast, I am kind of excited to get back there after it has aged a little bit,” Newman explained. “With the new pavement we’ve had a few years back, it has still maintained its speed. It seems like we keep coming back here with softer tires. In general, the track has maintained the speed and I hope it’s gained some more character.”

    Martin Truex Jr. counts Kansas Speedway as one of his favorite tracks. With four top-five finishes in the last six races at Kansas, Truex is hoping to grab the checkered flag this time around. “I love Kansas Speedway,” Truex says. “I don’t know what it is about the track, it’s not much different than any other mile-and-a-half track, but something about the way the corners are laid out there seems to fit my style. I’ve run well at Kansas, led a lot of laps (251) and feel I should have won a few times there. “We’re enjoying the top-10s this season, but we want to get up there and be fighting for a win,” he continued. “Cole (Pearn, crew chief), the engineering staff and all the guys at the track and at the shop have done an outstanding job. We’re having plenty of fun, but we want that victory really bad.”

    By the Numbers:

    Chase Grid

    The following drivers are locked into the 2015 Chase provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races.

    1) Kevin Harvick – 2 wins
    2) Jimmie Johnson – 2 wins
    3) Joey Logano – 1 win
    4) Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 win
    5) Brad Keselowski – 1 win
    6) Matt Kenseth – 1 win
    7) Denny Hamlin – 1 win
    8) Kurt Busch – 1 win

    The following drivers are currently in the Chase Top 16, but without any wins, are not locked in.

    9) Martin Truex Jr.
    10) Jamie McMurray
    11) Kasey Kahne
    12) Paul Menard
    13) Aric Almirola
    14) Jeff Gordon
    15) Ryan Newman
    16) Danica Patrick

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Kansas

    112.1 Jimmie Johnson
    105.6 Matt Kenseth
    103.9 Kyle Larson
    102.8 Greg Biffle
    100.5 Jeff Gordon
    100.4 Kevin Harvick
    96.8 Carl Edwards
    95.3 Tony Stewart
    92.7 Kasey Kahne
    91.3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Tune in to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Continues the Family Tradition of Winning at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Continues the Family Tradition of Winning at Talladega

    On April 29, I was reminded once again of Dale Earnhardt’s legacy as my timeline was inundated with pictures and memories commemorating his birthday. It has been 14 years since his passing, but his impact on NASCAR and its fans has not faded with time as some things do. Quite the opposite, the passage of time has only magnified his legendary status.

    There is probably no other track where his shadow looms larger than at Talladega Superspeedway. He holds the record for most all-time wins with 10 and his son is honoring that tradition by following in his footsteps.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his sixth win at Talladega Sunday, his first victory since 2004, and the emotion in his voice was palpable as he spoke about his dad.

    “I feel like we have a lot of supporters here because of dad’s success. He won so many races here,” Earnhardt said. “And I love when we go to Victory Lane here because I just feel like I add to his legacy. All I ever wanted to do was make him proud, and I feel like when we win at those tracks where he was successful like Talladega, then that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

    While Earnhardt Jr.’s driving style may often differ greatly from that of his dad, there was no doubt at Talladega that he is his father’s son. His teammates remarked on his unwavering determination.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was driving super-aggressive. You knew that he wanted to win this race badly,” Gordon said. “You certainly know all his fans are enjoying this show here. They love seeing Dale Earnhardt Jr. win this race.”

    Jimmie Johnson, who finished second, also noted how unstoppable Earnhardt Jr. was as the sliced his way through the field, saying, “He was most aggressive in traffic. He was relentless with a run. He didn’t ever choose to push the car in front of him. Every time he had an opportunity to advance, he took it. He created lanes up through the middle, swapping back and forth, trying to find a way past the leader. I was like, wow, go get it.”

    Earnhardt Jr. also spoke about his personal life and his belief that his father’s legacy gave him opportunities that perhaps, he hasn’t always deserved.

    “Everything is just so good for me right now in my personal life and my racing, the team I’m with,” he said. “I don’t know why. I don’t feel like I deserve this. I just feel overcome with a lot of emotion.”

    He went on to explain, “I think the part I feel I don’t think I deserve is the racing side of it. There’s just not many second chances. I feel like if my name wasn’t Earnhardt that I wouldn’t have had the second chance. I feel like I owe my second chance to my dad, his legacy, because the way I ran from ’09 through those years till 2011 or so, I feel I didn’t deserve to be kept around or hung onto”.

    “But I’m glad that it worked out,” Earnhardt continued, “I certainly felt like in the right situation I could have success. But you just don’t know whether you’re going to get that opportunity. I watched a lot of sons follow a lot of fathers, regardless of the profession, and just have a real challenge of it. That is the part I feel like I’m fortunate about.”

    Life is good for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and although he may sometimes question how he got here, his multitude of fans have no doubt that this is exactly where he belongs.

     

  • Talladega Preview – Records, Winning Quotes & Bill Elliott

    Talladega Preview – Records, Winning Quotes & Bill Elliott

    Talladega Superspeedway is known as a track where anyone can win. It is often more about survival than finesse and it’s had it share of underdogs in the winner’s circle.  Drivers such as Richard Brickhouse, Dick Brooks, Lennie Pond and Ron Bouchard visited victory lane at Talladega for their first and only career win in NASCAR’s top series. In 2013, David Ragan gave Front Row Motorsports its first ever Sprint Cup win at Talladega. The only thing predictable about Talladega is its unpredictability.

    However, there are some drivers who have conquered the restrictor-plate track, most notably, Dale Earnhardt, who accumulated 10 victories at Talladega and remains atop the all-time winners list.

    By The Numbers:

    1) Brad Keselowski enters the race as the defending champion. Last season he advanced to the Eliminator Round of the Chase with a win at Talladega in October after taking the lead on a green-white-checkered restart and holding off all challengers. He has made two other trips to victory lane at the track, in 2012 and in 2009, where he led only the last lap to grab his first Cup career win. Keselowski has proven that he knows how to make things happen at Talladega and with one win already under his belt this season, he has nothing to lose.

    2) Jeff Gordon is second on the all-times win list at Talladega with six, the most of any active driver. In addition, he is the all-time restrictor-plate wins leader with 12 and leads all active drivers in top-five finishes, top-10s and laps led at Talladega Superspeedway. (Dale Earnhardt Sr. ranks second with 11).

    Gordon seems to be hitting his stride after a rocky beginning to the season and is currently the only driver to have finished in the top-10 in each of the last six races. The streak has moved him from as low as 36th in the points to his current position of 10th. With a little luck, this could be his chance to secure his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, although his last win was in 2007.

    3) Kurt Busch is coming off a win at Richmond and sits in seventh place on the Chase Grid. This is even more impressive when you consider that he missed three races this season. Also of note, he ranks fourth in fastest laps run (217) and second in laps led (536)

    Busch is fourth in the driver ratings at Talladega and his confidence is growing each week. Look for him to be a contender as he carries that momentum to Talladega.

    4) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s five victories at Talladega put him third on the all-time list and are the most for him at any track. He also set a record for most consecutive wins with four from October 2001 to April 2003. Of additional significance, he has led in all but three of the 30 Cup races he has entered at the superspeedway for a total of 832 laps. The only other track where he has led more laps is Martinsville (972 laps).

    Even though his last win was in 2004, Earnhardt’s statistics are still imposing claiming the series-best average running position (14.5), the second-best driver rating (90.7) and the third- most quality passes (4,478).  Plus, he has led laps in 27 of his 30 Talladega starts. Earnhardt is still searching for his first win and there’s no place better than at one of his favorite tracks on the circuit.

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Talladega Superspeedway:

    95.6 – Kyle Larson
    90.7 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    89.9 – Matt Kenseth
    88.3 – Kurt Busch
    87.5 – Jimmie Johnson
    85.0 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    84.0 – Brian Vickers
    82.9 – Brad Keselowski
    82.2 – Joey Logano
    82.0 – Denny Hamlin

    Winning Quotes:

    Martin Truex Jr. “I’ve been all over the place at Talladega. However, the one place I haven’t been to in the Sprint Cup Series is Talladega’s Victory Lane, and it’s about time that we get there. I am confident that we will have a contending car on Sunday.”

    Jeff Gordon: “Restrictor-plate racing is a white-knuckle experience where we race in big packs while trying to avoid the ‘big one’ – the big wreck that collects a lot of race cars.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “The guy that’s leading the race really is the guy controlling everything. He can block and he can do whatever he needs to do as far as getting in front of the line that’s coming to be able to get the push to maintain his speed. He can do so much more than everyone else in the field. And that’s just the best place to be.”

    Greg Biffle: “I finished second in this race last year and I’m excited to go back.  Talladega is a good opportunity for us to win a race, its pure speed and we have fast Speedway cars, so I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: “I’m looking forward to Talladega after seeing the speed our cars had at Daytona earlier this season. We need a win to make the Chase and I think that Talladega is great opportunity for us to be able to get that win. If we can stay out of trouble and avoid the notorious ‘big one’, I think we can leave Talladega with a solid finish.”

    Denny Hamlin: Last year at Talladega, we finally got our first plate win, and it was big for our team. It obviously gave us a Chase berth and a lot of momentum. This year, hopefully, we can get another win there to get more bonus points. It’s all about winning for us.”

    A Slice of Talladega History:

    Thirty years ago Bill Elliott experienced one of the greatest comebacks in NASCAR history at Talladega. The year was 1985 and although his car had led 25 laps of the 1985 Winston 500, an unscheduled pit stop to fix a broken oil fitting line left Elliott almost two laps down, a five-mile deficit.

    Elliott did what he did best. He put the pedal to the floor and passed the field twice in less than 100 laps. Back on the lead lap, Elliott raced into victory lane. But the story doesn’t end there.

    R.J. Reynolds had offered the “Winston Million” to any driver that could win three of the sport’s four biggest races; the Daytona 500, Winston 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500. Elliott had already won the Daytona 500 and after the victory at Talladega went on to win the Southern 500 at Darlington, earning that “Winston Million.” It catapulted him into the national headlines with a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

    Elliott celebrated the anniversary by re-creating that Talladega win. He strapped into the Ford Thunderbird, put on a helmet, ran five laps and drove to victory lane where he was given a replica trophy. The car hadn’t been cranked since it was put on display at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1986.

    He said being back in the car felt “like a million bucks. I really miss the competitive side of racing week-in and week-out. I ran so many laps around this race track and tested here so many times in my career. It feels like it was yesterday I was racing here.”

    Racing at Talladega Superspeedway is challenging, both physically and mentally. Tune into the Geico 500 Sunday on FOX at 1 p.m. ET to discover who emerges victorious.

     

  • Chase Elliott Meets Expectations in Second Sprint Cup Start but is Looking for More

    Chase Elliott Meets Expectations in Second Sprint Cup Start but is Looking for More

    If never being satisfied is the key to success, Chase Elliott is well on his way to becoming a competitive driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series when he replaces Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports next year.

    The reigning XFINITY Series champion made his second cup start at Richmond International Raceway in the rain-delayed Toyota Owners 400 Sunday, earning an encouraging 16th place finish in his No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet. It was especially satisfying after a 38th place result at Martinsville Speedway in his first Cup start a month ago.

    Elliott raced his way up to 11th twice during the race, but his car struggled on short runs. He acknowledged that he could have done a better job of relaying information to his team.

    “Guys made good adjustments for qualifying to get us in the show,” he said “and our car today had great long-run speed. Unfortunately, these races never ran to the long run. It’s always going to be a short run to the finish, and I didn’t tell them to do the right things for that last stop to run a short run. Lesson learned, and we’ll try to get better for the next one.”

    While Elliott said he was uncertain why the end results of the two races were so dramatically different, he assumed some of the blame for the disappointing finish at Martinsville, saying, “I wish I had an answer for you. I don’t really know. You know, like I said, I felt like at Martinsville, too, we had a good car. I didn’t do my job like I needed to there, and got us in a wreck 60 laps into the race, and that’s not the thing to do.”

    He was able to stay out of harm’s way at Richmond and felt like the team “put together a solid race,” explaining, “Fortunately we were able to run laps today, able to stay on the lead lap and battle really hard, especially towards the end of those long runs, and to race with some good cars.  I think that’s something our team should be proud of.”

    But like all racers, Elliott is searching for more.

    “You always get greedy and want more,” he admitted, “and we certainly had a great car really today, and I thought we were battling right there on the edge of that top 10 there at points, and we had great speed, as I said, on the longer runs.”

    Elliott’s third Sprint Cup Race is scheduled for Charlotte Motor Speedway next month where he hopes to turn lessons learned into even better finishes.