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  • Edwards captures the Tech-Net Auto Service 300 pole

    Carl Edwards captured the pole for Saturday’s Nationwide Series race Charlotte Motor Speedway with a lap of 186.922 mph (28.889 secs).

    This is Edwards’ second NNS pole of the season.   Despite eight top-10 finishes in 2010, Edwards is still winless.   Trevor Bayne starts second, series points leader Brad Keselowski third, Ryan Newman fourth and Kasey Kahne starts fifth.   Kyle Busch, second place in the series standings starts seventh.   Starting Lineup Tech-Net Auto Service 300, Charlotte Motor Speedway May 29, 2010 – Race 12 of 35

    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    1 60 Carl Edwards Ford 186.922 28.889
    2 99 Trevor Bayne Toyota 186.188 29.003
    3 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 185.797 29.064
    4 1 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 185.421 29.123
    5 38 Kasey Kahne Toyota 185.363 29.132
    6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 185.281 29.145
    7 7 Steve Arpin Chevrolet 184.925 29.201
    8 11 Brian Scott* Toyota 184.678 29.24
    9 88 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 184.571 29.257
    10 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 184.112 29.33
    11 12 Justin Allgaier Dodge 183.661 29.402
    12 98 Paul Menard Ford 183.318 29.457
    13 20 Joey Logano Toyota 183.094 29.493
    14 5 Willie Allen Chevrolet 182.952 29.516
    15 9 Chad McCumbee Ford 182.927 29.52
    16 27 Greg Biffle Ford 182.896 29.525
    17 15 Michael Annett Toyota 182.84 29.534
    18 33 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 182.692 29.558
    19 43 Scott Lagasse Jr. Ford 182.624 29.569
    20 32 Reed Sorenson Toyota 182.408 29.604
    21 16 Brian Ickler Ford 182.131 29.649
    22 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.* Ford 181.861 29.693
    23 92 Dennis Setzer Dodge 181.739 29.713
    24 90 Danny O’Quinn Jr. Chevrolet 181.678 29.723
    25 70 Mark Green Chevrolet 181.671 29.724
    26 21 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 181.659 29.726
    27 107 Danny Efland Chevrolet 181.616 29.733
    28 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 181.519 29.749
    29 35 Jason Keller Chevrolet 181.36 29.775
    30 91 David Gilliland Chevrolet 181.232 29.796
    31 104 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 181.19 29.803
    32 156 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 181.184 29.804
    33 34 Tony Raines Chevrolet 181.026 29.83
    34 24 Eric McClure Ford 180.935 29.845
    35 81 Michael McDowell Dodge 180.753 29.875
    36 40 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 180.62 29.897
    37 28 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet 180.487 29.919
    38 87 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 180.24 29.96
    39 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 180.096 29.984
    40 10 Jason Leffler Toyota 180.048 29.992
    41 62 Brendan Gaughan+ Toyota 176.488 30.597
    42 23 Robert Richardson Jr.+ Chevrolet 176.24 30.64
    43 61 Josh Wise Ford 180.078 29.987

  • Busch wins the All-Star

    Steve Addington is currently the crew chief for the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, driven by Kurt Busch. It was just a short period ago that Addington was the crew chief for Kurt’s younger Kyle over at Joe Gibbs Racing. Addington is well known for his cool demeanor with the younger Busch but during the Sprint All-Star race Kurt Busch had an ill handling car and a younger brother that was the contender, challenging for the win. Kurt hit the wall a couple of times and Addington made adjustments just prior to the final segment that seemed to bring the Dodge to life.

    In the media center after the race Busch said, “It’s an unbelievable experience. It’s something that you sit there and you look at the greats that have won this race, the ones that have had so many years go by in between the wins, just to have an opportunity to go for it tonight, I felt like our Penske Dodge was right where it needed to be at the end.”

    Busch passed Denny Hamlin for the lead with 7 laps remaining in the 100 lap event and held off a hard charging Martin Truex for the win. Hamlin had clearly aggravated his Joe Gobs Racing team mate Kyle earlier in the race when it appeared that Hamlin blocked his teammate causing him to hit the wall. It was just a few laps later that Kyle’s right front appeared to blow sending him into the wall. Kyle parked his wrecked car directly behind the No. 11 hauler and charged into the truck after the incident.

    Afterwards Hamlin, who finished 4th said, “We talked about it and basically Kyle was just frustrated, he felt like he had a really good car. Me, I just came from the back with no practice and got back to the front where we needed to be and I felt like if I gave up the lead right there then I was going to give up the win. I don’t think Kyle would do anything different if he was in my situation. It’s just when you’re the leader, my feeling is that you’ve got the whole race track. If a guy is to the outside then that’s when you need to hold your line.”

    Joey Logano finished in 3rd place even after contact with Mark Martin during the start of the final ten-lap segment triggering a huge melee that also collected previous winners Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Martin.

    Earlier in the night Truex won the Sprint Showdown which allowed him to be eligible for the race and Gregg Biffle finished second which also qualified him to for the All-Star race. Carl Edwards was the fans choice for the “fan vote”.

    Busch won $ 1 million for his efforts.

    PosStNo.DriverMakeLapsStatus
    112Kurt Busch Dodge100Running
    21956Martin Truex Jr. Toyota100Running
    3220Joey Logano Toyota100Running
    41211Denny Hamlin Toyota100Running
    51114Tony Stewart Chevrolet100Running
    61329Kevin Harvick Chevrolet100Running
    7312Brad Keselowski Dodge100Running
    81417Matt Kenseth Ford100Running
    92016Greg Biffle Ford100Running
    101771Bobby Labonte Chevrolet100Running
    111039Ryan Newman Chevrolet100Running
    121888Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet100Running
    13748Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet100Running
    14518Kyle Busch Toyota98Accident
    15169Kasey Kahne Ford98Accident
    16983Casey Mears Toyota95Accident
    17155Mark Martin Chevrolet90Accident
    1841Jamie McMurray Chevrolet90Accident
    1960David Reutimann Toyota90Accident
    20824Jeff Gordon Chevrolet90Accident
    212199Carl Edwards Ford90Accident

    After the win Addington said, “I have never worked for anybody like him. I tried to figure out his emotions and stuff like that, and I just let it be now. I learned he’s going to get all he can out of a race car.”

  • Busch starts up front for the All-Star race

    CONCORD, NC – Due to rain on Friday, qualifying for Saturday’s All-Star race was cancelled and the field was set by the draw. Kurt Busch pulled the No. 1 position and he will start up front on Saturday night.

    “It feels great. It puts us that much closer to a million dollars. Just to have track position early on in the race and to get a good feel for how the car will handle out front, I’m excited about it. Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good. My boat put the best lap down today.” Busch said.
     
    Juan Montoya had the provisional pole with only four drivers left to qualify when the heavy rains began to come down. NASCAR tried to get the final four spots set but the track drying process too longer than expected and the truck race took precedence. “it’s amazing how the whole team is doing. It was hairy (laughs). You know I went in good and I got committed and then I thought, nah, I’m not that committed and I had to lift a little bit in the middle. But it still was a great lap.” Montoya said.
     
    With limited time on the track due to a blown engine in practice, three time winner Denny Hamlin is concerned with starting in the back. “This is probably one of the worst situations you could probably have. We didn’t get to practice anything. We don’t have scuffed tires. A lot of guys will probably race scuffed tires because they’re a little bit faster. And we got to start in the back, so it’s like a double, triple, quadruple whammy of blowing the motor this early.” Hamlin said.
     
    Saturday’s preliminary Sprint Showdown will allow the top two finishers in that 40-lap race a spot in the premier event, the All-Star. There are 29 drivers trying to make the field. one other entry will be determined through the fan vote.
     
    RACE LINEUP
    Showdown, Charlotte Motor Speedway
    May 22, 2010 – Exhibition
    RAIN OUT Position Based on Owner Points
    Pos.
    No.
    Driver
    Make
    Speed
    Time
    Behind
    1
    6
    David Ragan
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    2
    13
    Max Papis
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    3
    77
    Sam Hornish Jr.
    Dodge
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    4
    37
    Kevin Conway*
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    5
    16
    Greg Biffle
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    6
    132
    Reed Sorenson
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    7
    21
    Bill Elliott
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    8
    43
    A.J. Allmendinger
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    9
    33
    Clint Bowyer
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    10
    7
    Robby Gordon
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    11
    78
    Regan Smith
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    12
    98
    Paul Menard
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    13
    55
    Michael Waltrip
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    14
    42
    Juan Montoya
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    15
    157
    Norm Benning
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    16
    19
    Elliott Sadler
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    17
    31
    Jeff Burton
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    18
    82
    Scott Speed
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    19
    47
    Marcos Ambrose
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    20
    56
    Martin Truex Jr.
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    21
    164
    Todd Bodine
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    22
    192
    Robert Richardson Jr.
    Dodge
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    23
    46
    J.J. Yeley
    Dodge
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    24
    34
    Travis Kvapil
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    25
    87
    Joe Nemechek
    Toyota
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    26
    99
    Carl Edwards
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    27
    36
    Tony Raines
    Chevrolet
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    28
    175
    Derrike Cope
    Dodge
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    29
    38
    David Gilliland
    Ford
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
  • Trevor Bayne – Working Smarter for Success

    Trevor Bayne – Working Smarter for Success

    I had a chance to interview Trevor Bayne at Darlington Raceway on May 7th to talk to him about his first season as a fulltime Nationwide Series regular.

    As soon as we began talking, I was immediately impressed with the maturity and focus that this 19-year old possesses.

    He had just finished qualifying and seemed pleased with his effort. Although Bayne felt he could have pushed a little harder, he explained his strategy.

    It’s our first time here so it’s better to have a car in one piece and still have a potentially qualifying top ten than it is going for a top three.”

    His plan seemed to work and he earned a ninth place starting position for the Royal Purple 200 race later that evening. He finished the race in 16th place and advanced to the 11th position in the Nationwide Series points standings.

    I asked Bayne to grade his season to date and although he was reluctant to do so, he sounded encouraged by what they have been able to accomplish thus far.

    “I think we’re on the right track,” he said. “We’re definitely going in the right direction.”

    Bayne went on to describe this season as a learning process.

    “Diamond Waltrip Racing has always given us the cars we need. We’ve finally figured out how to use that equipment the right way.”

    “On top of that, the chemistry is getting better,” he said. “It just takes time to figure out how I need to relay information.”

    From the outside looking in, there have been some inconsistent performances. But Bayne is quick to point out that for the most parts, their cars have been good.

    “We’ve been fast almost every weekend.”

    He points to two incidents at Daytona and Bristol when he was wrecked after contact with other competitors.  Both accidents resulted in poor finishes for the 99 team.

    Bayne has two goals for his season. The first one is to get the most out of what he calls a “top five team.” His second goal is to use the season as preparation for his future.

    “We’d love to win but what this series is doing is preparing us for the Cup Series later on.”

    Bayne is not alone in his belief that the 99 team is one to watch this year. Hershey Milk and Milkshakes joined him at Dover International Speedway as a new associate sponsor. They also donated $99 to the Autism Speaks Foundation for every lap Bayne completed in the race.

    Bayne had jumped from 17th to 11th in the Nationwide Series points standings in the last four weeks. He hoped to capitalize on that momentum going into Dover.

    “At Darlington, we decided to go back to the basics,” Bayne explained.

    “I focused on driving the race car and Jerry (Crew Chief Jerry Baxter) concentrated on making the adjustments. Our car was really strong during the race and we made adjustments to keep up with the track.  We didn’t get the finish we deserved but we gained a lot of momentum and confidence for this weekend at Dover.”

    Bayne had an outstanding run in Saturday’s Heluva Good 200 at Dover International Speedway.  He started the race in the 23rd position but had worked his way into the top 10 with just under 100 laps to go.  Bayne continued to move forward and got as high as fifth place with 50 laps remaining in the race.

    Unfortunately, with just two laps to go, he got caught up in a nine car accident that began when Denny Hamlin got into the back of Clint Bowyer on a restart. The incident ended Bayne’s day and he finished the event in 29th position.  He is now 14th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship point standings.

    After the end of the race Bayne was sent to a local hospital for X-rays on a bruised left foot. The results were negative.  He is expected to resume his schedule and will be in Daytona on Tuesday and Wednesday to participate in the new car testing.

    Even though he didn’t get the result he was hoping for, Bayne will continue to work towards his goal. He’s confident that God has a plan for him and is committed to doing his part to make it happen.

    His strategy is simple.

    “I think we can get there. All we have to do is work smarter, not harder.”

  • Angie’s Excellent Adventure at Darlington Raceway

    Angie’s Excellent Adventure at Darlington Raceway

    I recently had the opportunity to cover the NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway as a member of the media. Below is a summary of my experience, slightly skewed for entertainment purposes.

    My journey began with a trip to Darlington to pick up my media credentials to cover the upcoming Nationwide and Cup Series races. While I was there, I just had to stop by the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum.

    As I stepped out of my car and looked at the faces adorning the front of the museum, I knew that I was in for a treat. Everywhere I looked, I saw a different piece of stock car racing history. Some things were immediately familiar like the number 43, trademark blue, 1967 Plymouth of Richard Petty.

    And then there were the surprises.

    Over to one side was a 1956 Ford convertible. This particular car won 22 races in a single year racing in the convertible series. One of my favorite parts of the museum was a glass case with an array of confiscated items taken off the competitors cars. I just had to laugh at the ingenuity of these drivers who used every advantage they could find to win…at least until they got caught. It seems like some things never change.

    I also got to see the Dodge Hemi engine that powered Buck Baker’s car when he won the 1964 Southern 500. This same engine was outlawed for the 1965 season. The museum also houses Darrell Waltrip’s 1991 Chevy Lumina, which rolled eight times in the 1991 Pepsi 400. It’s still considered one of the worst crashes in stock car history.

    I could go on and on, but you get the idea. It may not be the biggest or fanciest racing museum out there, but it is well worth the $5.00 price of admission. Besides, bigger is not always better.  This wonderful slice of NASCAR is a perfect complement to the Darlington Raceway.

    Now that I’d had a little preview of Darlington, I could hardly wait for the racing to begin.

    On Friday morning, I was at the racetrack by 9 a.m. and Nationwide Series practice had already begun. I found my seat at the media center and settled in for what would prove to be a wild ride. Press conferences were set to begin about 10:15 am so I took a little walk outside to take a look at the action out on the track while I waited.

    As I stood there watching, I realized that I had a big grin on my face.  I just couldn’t help myself. The pungent smell of exhaust fumes was like the sweet aroma of roses and the roar of the engines was music to my ears. Or maybe the gas fumes were making me delirious. All I know is that I couldn’t stop smiling.

    The driver interviews soon began and I had to keep reminding myself that I was there as part of the media. I had to conduct myself with professionalism at all times. Today I was not a fan; I was a journalist.

    Although I’d seen these drivers interviewed countless times, it gave me an entirely new perspective to see them in person. Their charisma and personalities came through so much more clearly. Everything was going smoothly until Jimmie Johnson’s press conference. He was patiently explaining how the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization was working to perfect their programs.

    Perhaps he should have put more thought into the phrasing of his explanation as he summed it all up by saying, “So we are all kind of massaging our packages.” At this point, I’m biting my tongue to keep from laughing and berating myself for being childish. But then, I look around the room and see the same pained expressions on everyone’s faces as we’re all trying not to laugh out loud.

    I’m not ashamed to admit that it was my favorite quote of the weekend.

    Another highlight of the day was watching the qualifying runs. The media center was situated right in front of pit road and I was able to stand within a few feet of the cars as they waited their turn to qualify.

    Earlier in the week, I had arranged to interview Trevor Bayne after he finished qualifying. I decided I’d walk over to pit road to watch him and was almost side swiped by someone driving a golf cart. Imagine my surprise when Kyle Busch jumped off the cart and ran over to climb into his race car.

    It was time for my interview so I headed to Bayne’s hauler. I’d talked to him a couple of times over the phone but this would be my first time in person. We walked into his hauler and there were about six other guys in there, including a couple who were lying on the floor.  They all continued to talk and go about their business as if I wasn’t there. Not the best setting for an interview, but interesting, to say the least.

    I’m guessing they weren’t too impressed by this journalist but Bayne was completely focused and gave me his full attention as I asked my questions. I headed back to the media center just in time for the next press conference and then it was time for Cup qualifying.

    Did I forget to mention, there’s a race tonight?

    I won’t go into every detail. Just think of yourself as an insignificant piece of debris in the eye of a hurricane. You’re standing still while there’s a whirlwind of activity around you. You just have to hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

    After a great Nationwide Series race, I submitted my race review, finally headed home and climbed into bed about 2:00 am.

    Saturday got off to a little slower start and I arrived at the media center around 1:00 pm. I   took a few notes in preparation for the Cup race and caught up on what I’d missed. I was amazed to learn that while I’d been sleeping, painters had been working all night re-painting the walls of the track.

    I’d like to take a moment and say thanks to the folks at the media center. They kept us constantly updated with transcripts of all the press conferences, race results, points standings and more. If you had a question, chances are you already had the answer at your fingertips.

    By this time, I was almost giddy with excitement. Thanks to a colleague from SpeedwayMedia.com, I was going to take a ride in the pace car. With Brett Bodine at the wheel, we took off in a Camaro for a couple of laps around the track. We only got up to about 122 mph on the straightaway, but what a thrill.

    This was probably the highlight of my weekend and I was ready for more. My shouts of, “Do it again, do it again,” however, fell on deaf ears. Of course, I didn’t really shout out loud but the phrase was certainly bouncing around in my brain.

    Still full of adrenalin, I decided to take a walk and do some more exploring before it was time for another press conference. It was another day full of everything NASCAR and I loved every minute of it.

    It was getting close to race time and I decided to head for the Press Box located in the Sprint Tower. Overlooking the track above turn three, we had a panoramic view of the entire facility. After watching another exciting win by Denny Hamlin, it was time to file my last story. I caught a ride back to the media center where my car was parked and headed home.

    I was exhausted. “The Lady in Black” had welcomed me with open arms and it was an experience that I will never forget.

    In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my “sponsors,” SpeedwayMedia.com, NASCAR, the staff of Darlington Raceway, Showtime and the city of Darlington.

  • Kahne to Hendrick

    Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) has confirmed that Kasey Kahne, who has been with the team since 2004, will be leaving No. 9 Ford at the end of this season.

    Kahne will be joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, possibly in the team’s No. 5 car in 2012 since Mark Martin’s contract ends in 2011.

    2011 is unknown for Kahne at this point. But Hendrick’s satellite team, Stewart-Haas racing could be an option.

    “Kasey is a very talented driver, and I have enjoyed watching him race. We all wish him nothing but the best and hope he succeeds in anything he chooses to do.” team co-owner Richard Petty said in a statement released by RPM.

  • Q & A with Martinsville Speedway

    Speedway Media, is quickly becoming a “one stop shop” for NASCAR fans to find news and stories about NASCAR, NASCAR teams and drivers as well as the facilities that they race at. In order to promote our “Track News” area the editors of the site decided to ask a series of questions about the tracks and programs that they have this season.

    Below are the answers to our questions. If you, the fans, would like to see items added to these track pages please feel free to note these in the comments below…

    1. Can you tell us about the events planned around your race weekends this season both at the track and in the community?

    We have announced plans for an old-school weekend for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 weekend. We will have about a dozen legendary drivers around the entire weekend and will feature them Saturday night in a group discussion and question and answer session on the Speed Stage. They will also be signing autographs throughout the weekend.   Though it’s early in plans for the fall race, we will be doing the green flag program with the fans again.  

    2. With the economy and unemployment issues in many areas of the US how has the track responded with special programs geared towards saving fans money?   We rolled back all of our ticket prices in 2009 and have continued that trend in 2010 with several ticket packages like the Family Four Pack, which includes four Cup tickets, hot dogs and Pepsi products.  

    3. NASCAR announced that races would start at standard times in 2010. How will this effect the way that your facility plans events leading to race time?   We have generally had some of the earlier starting times, so we don’t think we will change anything because of the new times.  

    4. There has also been talk about condensing the race weekend schedules. How does the track feel about this?   We don’t think we will see that here. We have three full days on track as it is now and it would be too difficult to condense to two days.  

     5. Families often travel long distances and incur significant costs just getting to the race. What plans or events are specifically geared towards children and their families?   Children 12 and under are admitted free to qualifying and the Kroger 250 truck race. We also have areas in the grandstands for the Cup races where children 12 and under are admitted for $10.   We also have a Kids Zone in our display area where everything is geared to younger folks. We also have some games and rides in that area.  

    6. What makes your event a better choice for a sports fan compared to other sports?   One word: excitement. There’s nothing like watching a race at Martinsville Speedway. You are on top of the action all day long; you can’t escape the action.   And then of course there’s another word: value. Fans get more bang for their buck here than anywhere they could go in any sport.   And a couple more words: fan friendly. For more than 60 years, that’s been the mantra here and we’re working harder than ever on it today.   

    7. Where can fans find up to date race weekend schedules and special deals for your race(s)?   www.martinsvillespeedway.com

  • Daytona 500 Winner Jamie McMurray Enjoys Victory Tour Through San Francisco

    Daytona 500 Winner Jamie McMurray Enjoys Victory Tour Through San Francisco

    Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray celebrated his victory with a true taste of Northern California in San Francisco on Wednesday, complete with Dungeness crab, world-class chocolates and a bottle of Sonoma Valley wine.

    McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet) took the checkered flag in the Great American Race on Sunday, and arrived in the Bay Area just three days later for a San Francisco Victory Tour onboard a motorized cable car led by a California Highway Patrol escort.

    The appearance also marked the Official Countdown to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Infineon Raceway, June 18-20 (Father’s Day weekend). Race day is just 123 days away.

    McMurray and his wife, Christy, enjoyed a one-of-a-kind tour of San Francisco, crossing the historic Golden Gate Bridge and visiting Grotto #9 at Fisherman’s Wharf. McMurray learned how to crack a Dungeness crab under the guidance of co-owner Anthony Geraldi.

    The tour continued to Ghirardelli Square where the McMurrays received a basket of gourmet chocolates and were treated to ice cream sundaes.

    The cable car ride culminated at Willie Mays Plaza, at the home of the San Francisco Giants, where McMurray greeted race fans and the Northern California media.

    Giants Vice President Russ Stanley presented McMurray with an official team jersey, complete with his name and car number on the back.

    “I have to say, New York was cool, but San Francisco has been awesome,” said McMurray after the tour. “The weather is beautiful and it’s so great to see the fans come out here. As a driver, you can’t imagine what this means to me. It’s been wonderful.”

    Raceway President Steve Page also presented McMurray with a commemorative magnum of Sonoma Valley wine.

    “What great representatives Jamie and Christy are for the sport,” said Page. “It’s terrific to have someone who is a great road racer and has a good history at our track win the Daytona 500. We’re really excited to see him back in Sonoma in June.”

    Fans joined the Victory Tour onboard a fan-only cable car, which followed McMurray’s lead cable car on its celebratory route. The fans purchased seats on the tour as part of a special ticket package offered by the raceway, which included a weekend ticket to the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

    “We’ve been to every race at Infineon Raceway, and my husband loves it,” said Angelina Valdez, from San Francisco. “This is the second year we’ve attended the fan rally at Willie Mays Plaza, and it’s just so cool to see NASCAR in the city.”

  • Q & A with Atlanta Motor Speedway (Race 4 & 25)

    Q & A with Atlanta Motor Speedway (Race 4 & 25)

    Speedway Media, is quickly becoming a “one stop shop” for NASCAR fans to find news and stories about NASCAR, NASCAR teams and drivers as well as the facilities that they race at. In order to promote our “Track News” area the editors of the site decided to ask a series of questions about the tracks and programs that they have this season.

    Below are the answers to our questions. If you, the fans, would like to see items added to these track pages please feel free to note these in the comments below…

    1. Can you tell us about the events planned around your race weekends this season both at the track and in the community?

    Our race weekends center on our Sprint Cup races, the upcoming Kobalt Tools 500 on March 7 and our Labor Day weekend night race on Sept. 5., but each weekend also features an associate race on Saturday – a Camping World Truck Series race in March and a Nationwide Series race on Labor Day weekend – and Georgia Power Qualifying Night this March. In addition we have added a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race to Friday’s schedule this March.   Off the track, our in-house charitable organization, Speedway Children’s Charities, plans a number of events surrounding each race weekend. This March’s events include a Clay Shoot with David Ragan, the Fast Talk in Club One, and a Track Walk prior to the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday, March 7.  

    2. With the economy and unemployment issues in many areas of the US how has the track responded with special programs geared towards saving fans money?   In addition to offering a number of fan- and family-friendly ticket packages, Atlanta Motor Speedway is working with a number of area hotels to provide affordable room rates that do not require a multi-night stay. The complete list can be found here: http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/fans/hotels/  

    3. NASCAR announced that races would start at standard times in 2010. How will this effect the way that your facility plans events leading to race time?   While the standard start times might help facilities in planning events, the fans are best served by this change as they no longer have to check their local listings or favorite website to find the scheduled start time.  

     4. There has also been talk about condensing the race weekend schedules. How does the track feel about this?   You earlier inquired about saving fans money, and one way this can be accomplished is through condensing race schedules. With the success of our first Labor Day weekend night race and from hearing fan comments and reactions, our two-day race weekend was met very positively by fans. By hosting a two-day show, that’s one less ticket and one less night at a hotel fans will be spending their hard-earned money on.  

    5. Families often travel long distances and incur significant costs just getting to the race. What plans or events are specifically geared towards children and their families?   Many of the aforementioned Speedy Children’s Charities events are family friendly, in addition to a number of activities that occur in our Display Lot. Atlanta Motor Speedway also provides a family-friendly, no alcohol and no smoking grandstand during many of our events. In addition, we have also made attending a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway more affordable for families by offering $19 student tickets to our Sprint Cup Series races and kid’s 12 and under will be admitted free of charge on Friday and Saturday with a paid adult.  

    6. What makes your event a better choice for a sports fan compared to other sports? When compared to other sports, a NASCAR race is truly an extravaganza – an event that can span more than a week for the most passionate of fans. The culture and enthusiasm for the sport makes NASCAR more appealing, fun and captivating to many casual fans and the action – high speed on the high banks and a penchant for photo finishes – makes NASCAR racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway unlike any other sport.  

    7. Why should a race fan pick your facility over any other track?   Fans should choose a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway because Atlanta often provides the best, fastest racing our sport has to offer on what is many drivers’ most-popular track. With drivers barreling three, four and occasionally five wide down Atlanta’s frontstretch approaching 200 mph, Atlanta Motor Speedway often features the best of NASCAR’s best drivers.  

    8. Where can fans find up to date race weekend schedules and special deals for your race(s)?   Fans can find information on Atlanta Motor Speedway at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or they call the Ticket Office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX or (770) 946-4211. In addition, fans can follow Atlanta Motor Speedway on Facebook or Twitter (AMSUpdates).     Information provided by Matthew Simmons, Marketing & Promotion Coordinator of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

  • Harvick wins Bud Shootout for second consecutive season

    Daytona, Fla. – Despite not having any practice laps due to illness, Kevin Harvick made the pass for the lead with two laps remaining in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout and went on to win for the second consecutive season.

    Heading into the final lap of the race, Jeff Gordon got into the back of Greg Biffle, setting off a huge crash that ended the race under caution.
    “You don’t expect it because you know that you can wreck anytime at a plate race, but you don’t really expect it. When you’re behind Jeff Gordon, who is one of the sport’s best, and the 16 was on old tires. I don’t know, one of them got into each other and lost it or something.” Kenseth said.
    Kasey Kahne finished second, Jamie McMurray third, Kyle Busch fourth and Denny Hamlin finished fifth.
    Kurt Busch took a wide ride after contact was made with Mark Martin. Busch went through the grass and his hood came up onto the windshield. Unable to see where his was going, he slid back across the track and hit the outside wall.
    “Tough night for our Miller Lite Dodge. I’m not sure what really happened. I’m just making more laps in the ambulance than I am on the track (chuckles). We still have two good bullets. I thought that I was in the outside lane, crossed into the middle; I was just trying to figure out the draft with the big restrictor plate. Man, I’m making a bunch of mistakes I guess.” Busch said. Martin immediately apologized for the contact.

    Race Results

    POS ST NO DRIVER MAKE LAPS STATUS
    1 27 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 78 Running
    2 15 26 Jamie McMurray Ford 78 Running
    3 6 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 78 Running
    4 28 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 78 Running
    5 18 44 A.J. Allmendinger Dodge 78 Running
    6 14 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge 78 Running
    7 11 99 Carl Edwards Ford 78 Running
    8 25 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 78 Running
    9 12 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 78 Running
    10 10 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 78 Running
    11 7 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 78 Running
    12 1 98 Paul Menard Ford 78 Running
    13 5 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 78 Running
    14 21 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 77 Accident
    15 24 7 Casey Mears Chevrolet 77 Accident
    16 20 12 David Stremme Dodge 73 Accident
    17 26 16 Greg Biffle Ford 72 Accident
    18 9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 64 Accident
    19 8 96 Bobby Labonte Ford 63 Accident
    20 22 0 David Reutimann Toyota 56 Accident
    21 2 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge 54 Accident
    22 17 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota 43 Accident
    23 3 43 Reed Sorenson Dodge 36 Engine
    24 23 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 32 Accident
    25 4 82 Scott Speed * Toyota 4 Accident
    26 16 6 David Ragan Ford 3 Accident
    27 13 7 Robby Gordon Dodge 3 Accident
    28 19 20 Joey Logano * Toyota 3 Accident