Category: Other Series PR

[media-credit name=”hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”400″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West visits the road course in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, June 23.

Sonoma Race Setup
• Dylan Kwasniewski leads the championship standings over his Gene Price Motorsports teammate Greg Pursley, as the series hits the midway point of the 2012 season. Kwasniewski, a 17-year-old from Las Vegas, is in his sophomore season after having a record-setting season as a rookie.
• Drivers entered at Sonoma range in age from 15-year-old series rookie Cameron Hayley to 84-year-old Hershel McGriff, who won the series championship in 1986.
• This race is the third of four road course events on the series schedule this year. Drivers consider Sonoma, with more than 160 feet of elevation change, the “most technical” of the four road courses visited.

Sonoma Data
Race: #8 of 15 (6/23/12)
Track Layout: 1.99-mile road course
Race Length: 64 laps (127.36 miles)

Records
1-lap Qualifying: David Gilliland, 77.887 seconds, 91.979 mph, June 23, 2007
64-lap Race: Andrew Ranger, 1 hour 50 min 30 seconds, 67.595 mph, June 19, 2010

Series Race Winners at Sonoma
Jim Insolo, 3
Hershel McGriff, 3
Bill Schmitt, 3
Jason Bowles, 2
Butch Gilliland, 2
(9 different drivers), 1
Jim Bown, Doug George, David Gilliland, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Andrew Ranger, Jim Robinson, Roy Smith, Brian Vickers.

Series Pole Winners at Sonoma
Hershel McGriff, 3
Jim Bown, 2
Butch Gilliland, 2
Roy Smith, 2
Tim Williamson, 2
(11 different drivers), 1
Bob Bondurant, Jason Bowles, Brandon Davis, Scott Gaylord, David Gilliland, Eric Holmes, Ron Hornaday Jr., Patrick Long, Bill Sedgwick, Glen Steurer, Brian Vickers

NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES WEST AT SONOMA
• Sonoma has hosted 22 series races since 1978. In addition, the series participated in nine combination events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the Northern California road course between 1989 and 1997.
• The Sonoma track, located in Northern California near the intersection of Highways 37 & 121, opened as Sears Point Raceway in 1968, with its inaugural event on Dec. 1, 1968. The road course was initially a 2.52-mile layout, but reconfigurations in 1998 and 2001 resulted in the current 1.99-mile design.
• The road course features more than 160 feet of elevation change from its highest to lowest points. The highest point at Turn 3a reaches 174 feet, while the lowest point at Turn 10 is just 14 feet.
• The berms on the turns of the road course are painted blue and gold in honor of raceway President and General Manager Steve Page, who attended nearby University of California, Berkeley. The University of California Marching Band (CalBand) will perform the national anthem before this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday.
• Fourteen different drivers have visited Victory Lane in series action at Sonoma. Three drivers – Hershel McGriff (1983, 1985, 1987), Jim Insolo (1978, 1979, 1980) and Bill Schmitt (1981, 1988, 1989) – lead the list of winners, with three wins each.
• Other multiple winners at Sonoma include Butch Gilliland, who scored back-to-back wins on the historic road course in 1996 and 1997, and Jason Bowles, who had consecutive wins in 2008 and 2009.
• Sixteen drivers have qualified on the pole. While McGriff leads with three poles at Sonoma – Butch Gilliland, Jim Bown, Roy Smith and Tim Williamson each had won two poles there.
• Bill Schmitt also leads in terms of top-five finishes, with eight, and top-10 finishes, with nine.
• Hershel McGriff has led the most laps, meanwhile, running out front for 142 laps.
• McGriff and Jack Sellers have the most series starts at Sonoma, with 13 each. In addition, Sellers also competed in six combination events.
• The age gap between the youngest and oldest drivers attempting to qualify for this year’s race is 69 years. Hershel McGriff is 84 years old, while Cameron Hayley is just 15.
• The event in 2008 was the only series race at Sonoma that was extended for a green-white-checkered finish since the format was introduced.
• Five of the 22 series races were won from the pole position. Seven were won by the driver who started second on the grid. Jim Insolo came from the furthest back, charging from 19th to win in 1978.
• 255 different drivers have raced in series competition at the Sonoma track.

Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers:

Johnny Borneman (No. 61 Red Line Oil Chevrolet)
• One top five, two top 10s in five starts at Sonoma
• Best Sonoma finish of fifth in 2009
• Has led five laps at Sonoma
• Average finish at Sonoma of 15.6
• Only previous series start this season was at Phoenix
• Three career series wins
• One career series pole
• 100 career series starts

David Gilliland (No. 25 Pick-N-Pull Chevrolet)
• One win, two top fives in four Sonoma starts
• Victory was in 2007
• One Coors Light Pole Award at Sonoma, 2007
• Led 92 laps at Sonoma
• Average finish at Sonoma of 15.75
• Only previous series start this season was at Phoenix
• Three career series wins
• Four career series poles
• 47 career series starts

Jonathon Gomez (No. 22 Century Boatland Chevrolet)
• Finished 11th in only previous start at Sonoma, 2011
• In two previous road course events this season; finished 15th at MMP, seventh at Brainerd
• Best career series finish of second
• 34 career series starts

Daryl Harr (No. 71 iWorld Connect Chevrolet)
• Best finish of 18th in six starts at Sonoma
• Average finish at Sonoma of 27.0
• In two previous road course events this season; finished 21st at MMP, 11th at Brainerd
• Best career series finish of fifth on four occasions
• 98 career series starts

Eric Holmes (No. 20 NAPA Toyota)
• Five top fives in six starts at Sonoma
• Best Sonoma finish of second in 2008
• One Coors Light Pole at Sonoma, 2008
• Has led 11 laps at Sonoma
• Average finish at Sonoma of 6.83
• In two previous road course events this season; finished second at MMP, sixth at Brainerd
• 16 career series wins
• 13 career series poles
• 82 career series starts

Jim Inglebright (No. 1 ESEF Apparel Chevrolet)
• One top five and three top 10s in seven starts at Sonoma
• Best finish of third in 2008
• Led one lap at Sonoma
• Average finish of 15.86
• First series start this year
• Three career series wins
• One career series pole
• 66 career series starts

Scott Ivie (No. 74 MSI Development Ford)
• Four starts at Sonoma, with best finish of 12th in 2010
• Average finish at Sonoma of 19.75
• In only previous road course event this season; finished a career-best sixth at MMP
• 11 career series starts

Dylan Kwasniewski (No. 03 Royal Purple/Rockstat Ford)
• Finished 26th in only previous start at Sonoma, 2011
• In two previous road course events this season; finished fourth at MMP, second at Brainerd
• Four career series wins, two this year
• Four career series poles, two this year
• 20 career series starts

David Mayhew (No. 17 MMI Services Chevrolet)
• One top five in four starts at Sonoma
• Best Sonoma finish of second was in 2009
• Average finish at Sonoma of 20.25
• In two previous road course events this season; finished ninth at MMP, fifth at Brainerd
• Four career series wins, one this year
• Eight career series poles, two this year
• 60 career series starts

Hershel McGriff (No. 04 Park Corporation Chevrolet)
• Three wins and six top 10s in 13 starts at Sonoma
• Wins were in 1983, 1985 and 1987
• Led 142 laps at Sonoma
• Average finish at Sonoma of 12.23
• First series start this year
• 35 career series wins
• 37 career series poles

Ryan Philpott (No. 52 Philpott Race Cars Ford)
• Best finish of 19th (2011) in two starts at Sonoma
• In two previous road course events this season; finished 16th at MMP, 14th at Brainerd
• Best career series finish of seventh
• 24 career series starts

Greg Pursley (No. 26 GPM/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford)
• One top five in four starts at Sonoma
• Best Sonoma finish of fourth in 2011
• Average finish at Sonoma of 22.0
• In two previous road course events this season; won at MMP and finished third at Brainerd
• 11 career series wins, two this year
• 12 career series poles, one this year
• 62 career series starts

Michael Self (No. 21 Rockwell/Golden Gate Meat/RCR Chevrolet)
• One top five in two starts at Sonoma
• Best finish at Sonoma of fifth in 2010
• In two previous road course events this season; finished 18th at MMP and scored his first career series win at Brainerd
• 35 career series starts

Jack Sellers (No. 15 Bay Bio Diesel Chevrolet)
• 13 starts at Sonoma, with a best finish of 11th in 1989
• Average finish at Sonoma of 21.85
• Also competed in six combination events at Sonoma with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
• In two previous road course events this season; finished 24th at MMP, 16th at Brainerd
• Best career series finish of seventh, on four occasions
• 259 career series starts

Stan Silva Jr. (No. 65 A&S Metals/Stan Silva Jr Trucking Chevrolet)
• Three top 10s in six starts at Sonoma
• Best Sonoma finish of eighth on two occasions
• Led one lap at Sonoma (2006)
• Average finish of 14.5
• First series start this year
• Best career series finish of seventh on two occasions
• 29 career series starts

[media-credit name=”iowacorn.org” align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – June 19, 2012 – Coming off their best race of the season where they qualified and finished all three cars in the top-10 on the Milwaukee Mile, KV Racing Technology drivers Tony Kanaan, E.J. Viso and Rubens Barrichello will be looking to continue their strong performances on ovals this weekend at the Iowa Corn Indy 250, June 22-23, on the .875-mile Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

Kanaan, in the No. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS– KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone machine, is coming off a season-high second place showing last weekend in Milwaukee.  The 37-year-old Brazilian will be contesting his sixth race at Iowa where he has qualified in the top-10 in four of his five previous races with a best starting position of third last year.  He has finished on the podium twice at Iowa including a win in 2010 (the 15^thand most recent of his 15-year career) and a second last year.  Kanaan has had his best performances on ovals this season.  In addition to the second place showing in Milwaukee, he finished third in the Indianapolis 500 and was running in third at Texas when he was hit by Will Power damaging his front wing and dropped to 11^th.  Kanaanhas finished seven of the eight races this year falling out only in the season opener at St. Petersburg due to a non-team related component failure.  He has earned four top-six finishes, a sixth in Detroit and a fourth in Long Beach to go with the third at Indy and the second at Milwaukee.  Kanaan is eighth in the championship race with 200 points, just 74 points behind championship leader Will Power and second in the A. J. Foyt Oval Championship with 101 points just seven points behind James Hinchcliffe.

“I am looking forward to going back to Iowa, the track suits me and I have always done well there,” Kanaan said.  “I am not sure about the heat races for qualifying but I need to take advantage of my previous experiences and hope that we can be in contention for another podium finish.”

Viso, driving the No. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone car, also scored his season-best finish at Milwaukee placing fifth.  The fifth place finish was the third top-five performance of Viso’s IndyCar career, his second best showing on an oval (finished a career-high third at Iowa in 2010) and the third best finish in his 74 careerIndyCar starts (placed fourth at St. Petersburg in 2008).  The talented 27-year-old Venezuelan, who has qualified well this season, will be making his fifth appearance at Iowa Speedway.  He has a best starting position of 13^th in 2008 with his best finish being the podium performance in 2010.  Viso has finished seven of the eight races this year.  His only DNF (did not finish) came at Texas where he was running in the top-six and having a very strong race when he suffered a non-team related component failure.  Viso, who has finished in the top-10 three times in the first eight races of the 2012 season (eighth at St. Petersburg and 10^th at Brazil) is 14^th in the standings with 148 points, just 25 points out of 10^th place.

 

“Going to another oval is nice,” Viso said.  “I had a pretty strong run at Milwaukee, finishing fifth and I am looking forward to going back to Iowa where I have had a podium finish in 2010. We tested there a couple of weeks ago and we believe we learned a lot which we can use for the race.  I am sure this weekend will be a continuation of the strongperformances we have had this year.”

Barrichello, in the No. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone entry who contested just his second career oval race (he did not start in Texas because of a non-team related component failure) last weekend at Milwaukee, has also enjoyed success on ovals this year.  He qualified a team-high fifth (started third as a result of penalties) at Milwaukee and was in contention for a top-five, if not podium finish for much of the race before placing 10th.   In his only other oval start, his inaugural Indy 500, the 40-year-old Brazilian and Formula One veteran finished 11^th earning the Chase Rookie of the Year honors.  Barrichello, who picked up his first top-10 finish on an oval at Milwaukee, has earned four top-10 finishes this season (eighth at Barber, ninth at Long Beach and 10^th at Brazil).  He has finished six of the eight races this year with both his DNFs coming as a result of non-team related component failures (Detroit and Texas). Barrichello is now 16^th in the championship standings with 138 points, just 35 points out of 10th.

“After having a competitive weekend at Milwaukee, I hope that the team and I keep up the good form,” Barrichello said.  “In previous years there has been good racing at Iowa and I hope this year will be no different.”

The Iowa Corn 250 will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network Saturday, June 23 starting at 9:00 p.m. ET.

KV Racing Technology was founded in January 2003 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2008.  The Indianapolis based team is owned by successful venture capitalist Kevin Kalkhoven and 1996 IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser.  Veteran Motorsports manager, Mark Johnson, is the team’s General Manager.  Johnson is assisted by Team Manager Tom Wurtz, Technical Director Eric Cowdin and Operations Manager Steve Moore.

For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter:www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology

Firestone Indy Lights
Race Preview: Sukup 100, Iowa Speedway

 

Sebastian Saavedra, Team AFS Racing / Andretti Autosport, No. 27

Saavedra last ran Firestone Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway in 2010, where he started on the pole and led every lap to win the race. He also raced at the short oval last year as part of the IZOD IndyCar Series, but was involved in a crash and did not complete the race.

“After having a good weekend in Milwaukee and shortening the points gap to the leader, I come with a lot of expectations to this race in Iowa. I’ve had good runs around this short oval as well as a win in 2010 and I think it is an important race to start the second half of the season. At this point, it is the guy who makes the least amount of mistakes that will make it happen at the end of the year and capture the championship.”

 

Carlos Muñoz, Team Dialy-Ser, No. 26

Munoz will race at Iowa Speedway for the first time. He is coming off of a fifth-place finish at Milwaukee, which moved him from sixth to fifth in the Firestone Indy Lights championship points standings.

“This will be my first time racing in Iowa, so I am looking forward to getting to the track. The first practice we have on Friday will be important and will allow me to learn a lot. I know that we’ll be competitive because we have done very well the last couple races. We have a strong Andretti Autosport team and good car to get the job done. I hope to continue scoring points and finish at the top.”

Star Mazda Championship Powered by Goodyear
Race Preview: Iowa Speedway Foundation 100, Iowa Speedway

Sage Karam, Team Comfort Revolution, No. 88

Karam was last year’s Star Mazda winner at Iowa Speedway, after starting from the pole and leading every lap. He is currently sixth in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear point standings, after placing second at Lucas Oil Raceway in May.

“It’s exciting to be a part of Andretti Autosport on so many levels, for so many reasons. Congratulations to Michael (Andretti) on promoting the highly successful Milwaukee event and of course on Ryan’s (Hunter-Reay) win. Heading into Iowa, the whole team has momentum and confidence on its side. I know that in USF2000 (2010) and Star Mazda last year, I won at Iowa, but, I also know that those wins don’t give me any advantages this weekend. Last year was awesome with Marco and I winning on the same day, but last year is gone and all that matters to me is what happens this year. The new style rocker component (suspension) makes it a clean sheet for everybody. There is no doubt that the Andretti Autosport/Comfort Revolution No. 88 will be ready for me to ‘stand on it’ right from the start. Iowa Speedway fits my driving style of flat-out fast racing and hopefully we can leave Iowa with some great championship points!”

Zach Veach, Team K12, No. 77

This will be Veach’s first time racing at Iowa Speedway as part of the Star Mazda Series. He raced there for the first time in 2010 with USF2000, where he finished fifth. He is coming off of a third-place finish at Lucas Oil Raceway in May.

“I am really excited to be back in the K12 Star Mazda car, especially going to a track like Iowa. We are going to be full throttle the whole way around, so it’s going to be like a super speedway for our cars. Coming off of a successful ‘Night Before The 500′ race, I feel it’s going to carry a lot of momentum into this weekend. We’ve made new changes with the car and I’ve been working hard off of the track. I know the Andretti Autosport guys have been working extremely hard as well. If things cometogether right, I feel we can give the K12 team their first win!”

[media-credit name=”IZOD IndyCar Series” align=”alignright” width=”360″][/media-credit]Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Technical penalty update -Milwaukee

2. NBC Sports Network expands coverage of Iowa event

3. Kimball honored with Jefferson Award

4. Star Mazda’s Team GDT, Tveter get TV time

1. Technical penalty update: There were no technical penalties issued following the IZOD IndyCar Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.KV Racing Technology has opted to change the engines in the No. 5 car of E.J. Viso and No. 11 car of Tony Kanaan for this weekend’s race at Iowa Speedway and will be subject to a 10 grid-spot penalty.

2. NBC Sports Network expands coverage of Iowa event: NBC Sports Network will expand its coverage of this weekend’s Iowa Corn Indy 250 with more than six hours of coverage of the June 23 IZOD IndyCar Series event.

Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with the latest episode of the all-access series INDYCAR 36.

The NBC Sports Network original series is produced by IMS Productions and gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of an IZOD IndyCar Series driver in the middle of race season. The cameras will follow a driver for 36 hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on- and off-track activities of the stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series. This week the spotlight shines on Charlie Kimball, who races for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing.

Following INDYCAR 36, the network will televise the three heat races that will determine the starting lineup for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 followed by live flag-to-flag coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series race at 9 p.m. (ET).

 

NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the Firestone Indy Lights Sukup 100 will immediately follow the Iowa Corn Indy 250 as the network centers its coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series’ official developmental series closer to IZOD IndyCar Series events.

3. Kimball honored with Jefferson Award: IZOD IndyCar Series driver Charlie Kimball was honored Tuesday as one of 18 national recipients of the JeffersonAward for Public Service.

Kimball, who competes with of Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing, was honored for his role as a spokesperson for diabetics. He accepted his honor – a medal and certificate – in Washington, D.C. during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and at an evening celebration at Constitution Hall.

The award was co-founded nearly 40 years ago by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

“It was an absolute honor to receive the Jefferson Award as recognition for my work with Novo Nordisk in the diabetes community,” Kimball said. “To be included in such an inspirational group of people is truly special. I am very blessed to be able to do what I love and at the same time inspire people to overcome obstacles and live their dreams.”

Kimball is one of three recipients from the world of sports honored with awards, dubbed a “Nobel Prize” for public service.

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly was honored for his foundation’s work to fundresearch for the treating and curing of Krabbe disease and other leukodystrophies. Former NHL Star Pat LaFontaine was lauded for creating a group that pays for “Lion’s Dens” game rooms for kids in hospitals.

Other honorees include retired four-star Army general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus (Greatest public service by an elected or appointed official) and jazz musicians Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. (for the efforts to rebuild New Orleans following 2005′s Hurricane Katrina).

4. Star Mazda’s Team GDT, Tveter get TV time: Star Mazda driver Ryan Tveter and Team GDT will be featured in a documentary filmed during the Honda Indy Toronto June 6-8 race weekend and produced by Rogers TV.

As part of its involvement, Rogers TV is launching a contest on www.RogersTV.com to win a behind-the-scenes experience at the races at Exhibition Place for Ontario residents at least 18-years-old.

The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series race continues with the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 23 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 8 p.m. (ET) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network on SiriusXM (XM 94 and Sirius 212). The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Sukup 100 on June 22 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network immediately following coverage of the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

[media-credit name=”iowacorn.org” align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]DETROIT – June 19, 2012 – One-half of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season is in the record books, and it has been successful for the Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 engine with five victories and 13 podium finishes in eight races. Chevrolet continues to lead the Series’ Manufacturers’ standings, and a Gold Bowtie driver has led the driver’s point standings since the checkered flag flew at race one.

Now up is Iowa Speedway, a .875-mile banked oval.  This will be the third consecutive race on an oval, although none of the three (Texas Motor Speedway, Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway) are similar in configuration or length. Coming off a strong performance for Chevrolet at the Milwaukee Mile with a sweep of the top-six finishing positions and eight of the top-10, the Chevy IndyCar V-6 teams are looking to continue to show their strength at the Newton, Iowa track.

“Congratulations to Ryan Hunter-Reay and Andretti Autosport on their win at Milwaukee,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager, IZOD IndyCar Series.  “Team Chevrolet heads to Iowa Speedway this week with momentum after last weekend’s sweep of the podium by our Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 teams and drivers.  Our technical partners in the Chevy IndyCar program have been working tirelessly with the Chevrolet teams, to continue to maximize the performance of the direct injected twin turbo engine. This collaborative effort has resulted in on-track success.”

Located in The Heartland of America, Iowa Speedway will add several new elements for teams, drivers and fans alike. INDYCAR officials have issued a technical bulletin aimed at putting the race back in the hands of the drivers. Teams have been directed a maximum rear flap angle of 37 degrees with no wicker allowed for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 23. The aero package will be identical to the short track package used at the Milwaukee Mile, closely resembling the road/street course aero package. With less downforce, drivers will beworking closely with their crews to get the perfect setup under their car as handling becomes even more critical.

Another addition adding a completely new dimension to the competition will be a departure from single-car qualifications. Three heat races will be held June 22 to set the starting grid for the 250-lap race. Qualification groups will be determined by lap times recorded by entries in the second (45-minute) practice session earlier in the day.

“Iowa Speedway presents a new set of challenges for the Chevrolet teams and drivers,” Berube concluded. “It is the last in a grueling stretch of five consecutive races. At just under one-mile, with shorter straightaways and wide, sweeping banked corners, Iowa will require the handling needed on a short track and the power to utilize the banking to full advantage. It will be an exciting race. I am looking forward to seeing the Chevy powered drivers up front battling for the win.”

Two current Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers competing this weekend in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 have previously won at Iowa Speedway. Andretti Autosport’s Marco Andretti is the defending race winner.  Tony Kanaan, KV Racing Technology, took the win in 2010.

Chevrolet competed previously in Indy-style competition as an engine manufacturer in 1986-93 and 2002-05 with V-8 engines, winning 105 races, powering six driver champions, and scoring seven Indianapolis 500 victories.

For the fans at Iowa Speedway, the Chevrolet Performance Racing Display featuring the Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 will provide them the opportunity to get up-close to many vehicles from the full Chevrolet line-up. Also on display will be a variety of parts and accessories from Chevrolet Performance that Chevrolet owners can get from their local Chevy dealer. Crate engines will be on display, and interactive games will entertain fans of all ages.  Several of the Chevrolet IndyCar stars will make appearances at the Display throughout the race weekend. Fans should visit the Display for the driver line-up and times. The display will be open Friday from 9:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CT and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT.

The 250-lap Iowa Corn Indy 250 is scheduled to start on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. CT (10:00 p.m. ET) with live television coverage on NBC Sports Network.

Live radio coverage will be on XM Radio Channel 94 and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 212. In addition, IndyCar live timing and scoring with the radio broadcast can be found at www.indy.car.com.

Fans can follow Team Chevy on Team Chevy Facebook, @TeamChevy on Twitter and on Google+.

CHEVROLET INDYCAR V-6

FAST FACTS

IOWA CORN INDY 250

IOWA SPEEDWAY

JUNE 22-23, 2012

• ·        Two (2) current Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers have victories at Iowa Speedway:

o   Tony Kanaan, 2010

o   Marco Andretti, 2011

• ·        After eight (8) races, seven (7) Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers are in the top-10 in the standings:

1.  Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, 274 (3 wins)

2.  James Hinchcliffe, No. 27 Team Go.Daddy.com Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, 243

4.  Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, 233 (1 win)

5.  Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Penske Truck Rental Chevrolet, 231 (1 win)

8.  Tony Kanaan, No. 11 GEICO/MOUSER Electronics KV Racing Technology Chevrolet, 200

9.  Ryan Briscoe, No. 2 PPG Automotive Refinish Team Penske Chevrolet, 193

10. Oriol Servia, No. 22 Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet, 173

• ·        The all-new Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 engine has won five (5) of the eight (8) races to-date in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Season:

o   Streets of St. Petersburg – Helio Castroneves

o   Barber Motorsports Park – Will Power

o   Streets of Long Beach – Will Power

o   Streets of Sao Paulo – Will Power

o   Milwaukee Mile – Ryan Hunter-Reay

CHEVROLET IN THE IZOD INDYCAR SERIES – FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT: 

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – POINTS LEADER: “We are working hard for a good result for the Verizon car this weekend. I think it is a great move by INDYCAR to reduce the downforce, hopefully that makes it so you really have to earn the victory. We want to finish strong now that we are in the second half of the season.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 TEAM GODADDY.COM ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET – 2^ND IN POINTS:  This team has given us good cars at every type of racetrack this year, so having Milwaukee successfully under our belt – the other short oval – we are all excited to get to Iowa. Marco had a good test there last week, and of coursewon there last year, so that gives us a bit of a boost coming into the weekend. We’re just going to try and keep doing what we’ve been doing with the Go Daddy car – stay consistent and run toward the front. Hopefully we can strengthen our lead in the oval race and narrow the gap with Will (Power) in the overall points.

 

“Certainly, there’s a bit of an unknown going into this race and it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. I think it’s cool we’re trying something different and we’ll see if this format is the right way to do it. We won’t know until we get out there and give it a run. It puts a lot of emphasis on practice, especially practice (session) two, which could be unfortunate. You could be quick in practice one and then have a bad second session and be out of luck, which isn’t entirely fair. It does change our focus a bit; in practice we are trying to set up for our race cars and be sure we have the best car over a distance. Now for session two we have to focus on making it quick for at least one lap to get into a good group for the heat races. I think everyone is anxious and excited to see how it plays out.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 28 TEAM DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT – 4^TH IN POINTS: “Marco (Andretti) won there last year, so combined with my win (at Milwaukee), Andretti Autosport really goes in with a lot of momentum. Even though Iowa is a 7/8-mile track, it races a lot more like a mile-and-a-half super speedway than it does a short track. It’s high-banked, so it’s a reset from Milwaukee, which is flat. You really have to have a super speedway mentality to race there.

“I’m interested to see what we have with the new car and new downforce – we don’t know what to expect there (at Iowa). With the qualifying heats, it’s going to be mixed-up but we’ll make the most of it. It’s tough because you’ll really have to take it easy and not hurt your race car in a heat race. Marco tested there and said it would be tough to pass, but it’s always been that way in the past, and then we start the race and it becomes a ‘passfest!’” 

HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – 5^TH POINTS

TONY KANAAN, NO. 11 GEICO/MOUSER ELECTRONICS KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET – 8^TH IN POINTS: “I am looking forward to going back to Iowa.  The track suits me and I have always done well there.  I am not sure about the heat races for qualifying, but I need to take advantage of my previous experiences and hope that we can be in contention for another podium finish.” 

RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 2 PPG AUTOMOTIVE REFINISH TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – 9^TH IN POINTS:

“I am excited to take the No. 2 PPG Team Penske car to Iowa where it should be some great racing. After testing there I think everyone found that it was pretty wide open and we should have plenty of action like we saw in Texas and Milwaukee. I am still searching for my first win this year and hopefully this is it.”

ORIOL SERVIA, NO. 22 PANTHER/DREYER & REINBOLD RACING CHEVROLET – 10^TH IN POINTS 

JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 4 NATIONAL GUARD PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET – 13^TH IN POINTS: “Everybody at Panther is really excited about getting back to Iowa Speedway after we had such a good racecar there last year. That was one of those weekends where we didn’t have a great first practice but the boys worked really hard to help us qualify and run up front all day. This was certainly one of the races we had circled coming into this season. We tested there last week and we felt like it was pretty productive as we were trying to figure out how last year’s setup compared to what we need to put together with the updated car and engine. The qualifying heat races and the low downforce package should make it interesting. Obviously, Milwaukee ended up being a bummer for us, so we’re looking forward to turning that around this weekend.”

E.J. VISO, NO. 5 CITGO/PDVSA KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET – 14^TH IN POINTS: “Going to another oval is nice.  I had a pretty strong run at Milwaukee, finishing fifth and I am looking forward to going back to Iowa where I have had a podium finish in 2010. We tested there a couple of weeks ago and we believe we learned a lot which we can use for the race.  I am sure this weekend will be a continuation of the strong performances we have had this year.”  

RUBENS BARRICHELLO, NO. 8 BMC/EMBRASE KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET – 16^TH IN POINTS:“After having a competitive weekend at Milwaukee, I hope that the team and I keep up the good form.  In previous years there has been good racing at Iowa and I hope this year will be no different.” 

MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 26 TEAM RC COLA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET – 18^TH IN POINTS: “We are coming (to Iowa) ready to win. We did it last year, and we were really strong in the test (last week at the Iowa Speedway). I need a win now more than ever because we’ve been fast almost every week, but we just keep having something go wrong. I’ve been in Iowa a lot lately, doing commercials and traveling across the state promoting E85 ethanol and Iowa Corn, so I’d really love to be able to make it two-in-a-row here Saturday night. It would really mean a lot to me.”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S PREMIUM ULTRA VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET – 20^TH IN POINTS:  “I always enjoy racing in Iowa and this weekend’s events will be a little bit like my sprint car days with the qualifying heat races. We had a very good test last week at Iowa Speedway.  It’s been a tough schedule on the crew with three straight weeks at Indy, then races at Detroit, Texas and Milwaukee and two tests in between there too.  Now, we come to Iowa with a confidence to race for the win.  Our team has been working so hard to get our Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet in the fight for the win.  I think we have a good chance to battle at the front.  I wish we could have qualified better at the ovals because our racing setups have been very good. We haven’t received the results with the good charges through the field, but it shows we can be very competitive with the top teams.  Now, I think we’ll have a strong effort at Iowa.  We’ll bring out our oval chassis for Iowa, as the team has worked overtime to get the crashed car ready to go. It has been a non-stop project to get the oval car ready despite racing each week with the road course car.  That poor car has to be pretty tired.  So we are excited to bring a new car to Iowa and see what it does.”

KATHERINE LEGGE, NO. 6 TRUECAR DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET, 25^TH IN POINTS (RUNNING THE OVAL TRACK RACES IN 2012 FOR DRAGON RACING): “We had two good half-day testing sessions at Iowa Speedway last week and we learned a lot at the Milwaukee race this past weekend. We have a lot of positives going into Iowa with TrueCar and Chevrolet. I am really looking forward to the race and meeting more of the INDYCAR fans in Iowa.”

About Chevrolet: 

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

[media-credit name=”hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”245″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track champion at Waterford Speedbowl, Keith Rocco is banking on his extensive experience at the southeastern Connecticut facility to give him a leg up on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competition in the Mr. Rooter 161 on Saturday, June 23.

From Wallingford, Conn., Rocco has racked up the weekly wins at his home track in the last decade. He has 50 career victories at Waterford between SK Modifieds (42), Sportsmen (4), Late Models (2) and Trucks (2) since 2003. That total constitutes nearly half of his career wins total, now more than 100.

Although he also runs weekly shows at the other two Connecticut tracks – Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway – Waterford figures to provide Rocco with a distinct advantage on the rest of the Whelen Modified Tour field. The Tour annually has between seven and nine races at Stafford and Thompson, but hasn’t visited Waterford since 2006.

Rocco acknowledges that some of the Whelen Modified Tour’s veterans have plenty of laps at Waterford as well, but his recent weekly experience will pay immediate dividends on Saturday.

“I’ve got a lot of track time – a lot of seat time – down there and I know what the track is going to do,” Rocco said. “Hopefully it will play into our advantage.”

In their first season together, Rocco and the No. 3 Boehler Racing Enterprises team recently tested at Waterford, and he was able to provide the local knowledge to get the car dialed in for the Mr. Rooter 161.

“You’ve just got to have a good car down there, and I’m pretty sure we will,” Rocco said of racing at Waterford. “We’ve got a little bit of work to do, but we’ve definitely got a good car for there.”

A top run at Waterford could be a big boost to Rocco, who is looking for his first Whelen Modified Tour win after dominating the northeastern Whelen All-American Series scene the last five years. Rocco has posted three top 10s through the season’s first four races, and has already forged a sizeable lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.

A winning run at Waterford would also invigorate the No. 3 “Ole Blue” team, which last won in 2009, and also seeks its first Whelen Modified Tour victory at the Speedbowl.

“I think we’ve got a car to beat everywhere we go, it’s just hitting the setup right on the head and make sure the tires are right, and pit stops are a major factor that you have to look at,” Rocco said.

“I think things are going good, everybody is working good together, and every week we’re going forward. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Race Notes
Back to the `Bowl:  After a five-year absence, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to Waterford Speedbowl. The Speedbowl first held a Tour race during the circuit’s inaugural season of 1985, and welcomed it back 16 more times through the 2006 season.

Lap Count for a Legend:  At first glance, the race distance of the Mr. Rooter 161 may seem a bit odd, as most Whelen Modified Tour events are run in increments of 100, 150 or 200 laps. There is plenty of significance for 161 at Waterford, however, as the track selected the distance in honor of NASCAR Hall of Fame member and racing legend Richie Evans, who piloted the famed No. 61 Modified. Evans unfortunately never got to celebrate a Whelen Modified Tour win at Waterford as he finished 15th and sixth in two starts there before his untimely passing.

Lia Returns to Waterford with a Pedigree of Success:  Through four races in his return to the Whelen Modified Tour with Mystic Missile Racing, Donny Lia has yet to experience the success that marked his two previous seasons with the team. Waterford might just well be the place to get back in contention to win races, however. Lia won at the `Bowl in 2005 and 2006, and has four podium finishes in seven career starts at the track.

Waterford Win Missing from Stefanik’s Legacy:  Mike Stefanik, hands down the most successful driver in the history of the Whelen Modified Tour, has very few holes in his résumé. His 71 career victories have come at 16 different tracks, but that list is noticeably missing Waterford. In 11 career starts at the Speedbowl, Stefanik has an average finish of fourth – far and away the best of any active driver – but a victory there has proved elusive. His best previous finishes at Waterford are second to Reggie Ruggiero in 2001 and another runner-up effort to Ed Flemke Jr. in 2004.

Tomaino Looks to Keep Mark Intact:  The Whelen Modified Tour’s career leader for starts, Jamie Tomaino is the only active driver to have appeared in each of the Tour’s previous 17 races at Waterford. He finished eighth in the inaugural 1985 event, and had his best career finish at the track of second in the Tour’s second race there that same season. Overall, Tomaino has missed just five of the 550 races in Whelen Modified Tour history.

The Race	Mr. Rooter 161
The Place	Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl
The Date	Saturday, June 23
The Time	9 p.m. ET (approx.)
Broadcast	NASCAR Home Tracks Radio, live at www.nascarhometracks.com
Track Layout	.375-mile asphalt oval
Event Schedule	Practice 1:30-2:30 p.m., Qualifying 4 p.m., 6 p.m. Driver Autograph Session
Track Contact	Brian Darling, (860) 442-1585, bdarling@speedbowl.com
Twitter	@Speedbowl
Event Hashtag	#MrRooter161
NASCAR Contact	Jason Cunningham, (704) 201-6658, jcunningham@nascar.com, Twitter: @NASCAR_NE

EVENT SCHEDULE  |  ENTRY LIST

Fast Facts
The Race:  The Mr. Rooter 161 will be the fifth race on the 2012 schedule and the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Waterford Speedbowl since 2006.

The Procedure:  The starting field is 28 cars, including provisionals. The first 23 cars will have secured starting positions based on two-lap qualifying. The remaining five spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race is scheduled for 161 laps (60.375 miles).

The Track:  A .375-mile banked oval, Waterford Speedbowl opened for auto racing in 1951. A NASCAR Whelen All-American Series-sanctioned facility, Waterford holds weekly racing on Saturday nights, and has previously held 17 Whelen Modified Tour events.

Race Winners:  There have been 13 different race winners in 17 all-time events at Waterford, led by four drivers with two victories. Four active drivers have won at the track: Ed Flemke Jr. (2), Donny Lia (2), Ted Christopher (1) and Todd Szegedy (1).

Pole Winners:  There have been 11 different pole winners at Waterford, led by Tony Hirschman’s four. Active drivers Eric Beers, Christopher and Flemke have each captured a pole at the track. Jerry Marquis set the qualifying record in the Tour’s last event at Waterford in 2006 at 13.618 seconds (99.133 mph).

Home Tracks:  Chadwick Leads Waterford Points
Competition is tight through the first two months of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season at Waterford Speedbowl. Through June 16, Tyler Chadwick was the leader in the track’s headline division – the SK Modifieds – at 415 points. Jeff Pearl trailed by just two points with two-time defending track champion Keith Rocco in third at 401. The Speedbowl’s other current Saturday division leaders include: Paul French (SK Light), Dillon Moltz (Late Model), Christopher Meyer (Street Stock), Ken Cassidy Jr. (Mini Stock) and Paul Kusheba IV (Legend). Waterford also has a weekly “Wild `n Wacky Wednesday” program that includes five divisions.

Last Time Out:  Stafford
The most recent NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race was held at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway on May 25. Here are some highlights from the TSI Harley-Davidson 125:
• In a race that was mostly dominated by polesitter Bobby Santos, Doug Coby made a late-race move for the lead and drove away with his second victory of the season. It was his fourth career win.
• The victory also sent Coby to the top of the standings for the first time in 2012.
• The pole was the eighth of Santos’ career, and his first with the No. 44 team.
• Defending champion and previous points leader Ron Silk finished third, and has top fives in each of the season’s first four races.

Up Next:  New Hampshire
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the first of two races on the “Magic Mile” on Saturday, July 14 with the Town Fair Tire 100. The Tour has held 55 races at the Loudon, N.H., facility since 1990, more than any other track outside of Connecticut. Practice and qualifying with be held on Friday with the Town Fair Tire 100 set to go green on Saturday at 1 p.m.

[media-credit name=”hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”400″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Full-time drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West this year all have something in common when it comes to the road course at Sonoma, Calif. None have ever won.

That is an issue they want to resolve when the series returns to the twisting 1.99-mile track for the Pick-N-Pull Racing to Stop Hunger 200 on Saturday, June 23.

Three-time series champion Eric Holmes has come close to going to Victory Lane on several occasions – registering five straight top-five finishes on the Northern California road course. He won the pole there and finished second in 2008. He also finished third in 2009 and 2011 and fourth in 2007 and 2010.

“It’s been forever the race I want to win and I’ve come so close so many times. It’s been heartbreaking,” said Holmes of Escalon, Calif. – which is about 100 miles from Sonoma. “I’ve been trying for a long time, including in the old (NASCAR) Southwest Tour cars. It’s always been a big race for us in this area.”

For Holmes, who drives the No. 20 NAPA Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing, there has been more to the race strategy than just going for the win.

“You can’t gamble too much when you’re in a points battle,” he said. “For the last six or eight years, including the Southwest Tour, I’ve always been in a points battle. You can’t gamble on that pit stop, on pitting early and running out of gas at the end of the race.”

He and his team may change their approach this year, however.

“The position we’re in this year though, we’ve got to win races to get back in this battle,” said Holmes, who is fifth in the standings. “We’ve got to kind of throw everything out the window and just go for it. So, we’re talking about trying to be aggressive, keep the car up front all day and win like we need to and that will put us back in the points battle.”

Defending series champion Greg Pursley is also hungry for a win at Sonoma. After failing to crack the top 15 in his first three attempts, he finished fourth there last year.

“Winning there would be everything,” said Pursley, who drives the No. 26 GPM/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford. “That’s like one of the top places on my list to win a race. I’ve been going there for so long, with the old Southwest Tour and the West.”

Sonoma presents plenty of challenges for competitors, said Pursley, who raced out of Newhall, Calif., but now lives in Parker, Ariz., where the Gene Price Motorsports team is based.

“Out of all our road courses, it’s the most technical,” he said of the Sonoma track. “It’s the most demanding – physically demanding, because of the heat.”

Pursley, who has two wins this season and is second in the championship standings behind his teammate Dylan Kwasniewski, is also mindful of the points situation.

“My goal last year was to get out of there with a top five for points,” he said. “That place can really hurt you in the points or it can really do you good in the points, because they start so many cars there. You can come out of there with a 40th-place finish and that’s really going to hurt you. You have to really be smart. It’s a long race. You have to keep it on the road. You’ve really got to run the track and not run against other people.”

Teams go through technical inspection at Sonoma on Thursday, with practice and qualifying scheduled for Friday. The Pick-N-Pull Racing To Stop Hunger 200 is set to go green at 12:45 p.m. PT on Saturday.

Race:	Pick-N-Pull Racing To Stop Hunger 200
Place:	Sonoma
Date:	Saturday, June 23
Time:	12:45 p.m. PT
TV Schedule:	SPEED, July 12, 3 p.m. ET
Track Layout:	1.99-mile road course
2011 Winner:	Joey Logano
2011 Polesitter:	Brandon Davis
Event Schedule:	Friday: Practice 8:30-9:30 a.m., 10–11 a.m.; Qualifying 1:50 p.m.
Track PR Contact:	John Cardinale / Diana Brennan (707) 938-8448 jcardinale@sonoma.com / dbrennan@sonoma.com
Twitter:	@racesonoma
NASCAR IMC Contact:	Kevin W. Green (661) 392-8543 kgreen@nascar.com / Shon Sbarra (704) 309-5493 ssbarra@nascar.com

SCHEDULE | ENTRY LIST

Fast Facts
Race: This event is the eighth of 15 events on the 2012 schedule for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Procedure: The starting field is 40 cars, including provisionals. The first 36 cars will qualify through NASCAR Road Racing style (group) qualifying. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 64 laps (127.36 miles).

Track: Sonoma is a winding 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course, with varying elevation. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has visited the track 31 times, since 1969. In addition to the track hosting 22 stand-alone events, drivers and teams competed in nine companion events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series between 1989 and 1997.

Records: Qualifying: David Gilliland, June 23, 2007, 91.979 mph, 77.887 seconds; Race: Brian Vickers, June 24, 2006, 67.595 mph, 1 hour 53 minutes 3 seconds.

Series Champion Returns To Action
Former NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Eric Norris is slated to return to compete in the series at Sonoma. Norris of Dana Point, Calif., will be driving the No. 31 Kickstart Kids Chevrolet for car owner Patti Offenbach.

In his only series start at Sonoma, Norris finished fifth in his rookie season in 1998. He won the series championship four years later in 2002. He last raced in the series in 2004. In addition to the 65 series starts he made, he also competed in 19 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and one NASCAR Nationwide Series event.

Away from the race track, Norris continues to work in the television and film industry. One of his current roles is as stunt coordinator on the television series “Sons of Anarchy” on the FX network.

Racing To Stop Hunger Foundation
Pick-N-Pull, the sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event at Sonoma, established the Racing To Stop Hunger Foundation, enabling its employees to give back to the communities in which they work. Employees volunteer time at local food banks, among other initiatives designed to raise awareness of hunger issues in this country.

The Pick-N-Pull Racing To Stop Hunger 200 will feature a special ticket package where $5 of each ticket will go to the Racing To Stop Hunger Foundation. The package also includes a free T-shirt that can be picked up at the Pick-N-Pull display booth during race weekend.

West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame Induction and Dinner
The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction and dinner at the Napa Smith Brewery near Napa, Calif., on Thursday, June 21.

Those slated for induction include Bill McAnally, a five-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship car owner and event promoter; Butch Gilliland, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion driver; Vic Kurten, car owner; Pat McElreath, crew chief for West Coast Hall of Fame member Hershel McGriff; The Justice brothers, sponsors; B.L Marchbanks, racetrack owner; Bob Phillipi, car and racetrack owner; and Fred Steinbroner, champion driver.

Festivities are set to begin with a no-host cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner. Additional information about the event may be obtained from Dusty Brandel, 818-842-7005 or 925-552-9887,dusty.brandel@gmail.com.

Race Notes
Kwasniewski Out Front: Dylan Kwasniewski leads the championship standings by 12 points. He is the only driver to finish in the top five in all of the first seven races. Kwasniewski, the 2011 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, drives the No. 03 Royal Purple/Rockstar Ford for car owner Gene Price.

Consistent Rookie: Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Austin Dyne has been consistent since making his series debut in the second race of the season. The Malibu, Calif., driver has registered top 10 finishes in all of his six starts – propelling him to second in the rookie points and ninth in the overall championship standings.

Return To Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, David Gilliland, is on the entry list for the Pick-N-Pull Racing To Stop Hunger 200. The second-generation driver, who was the Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in 2004, won the Sonoma event in 2007.

Double Duty: In addition to competing at Sonoma in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, where he is third in the championship standings; David Mayhew is also on the entry list for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

McGriff Returns To Competition: Hershel McGriff is set to make his first start of the season at Sonoma. The 84-year-old legendary driver from Bridal Veil, Ore., has focused on just racing road course events on the circuit since coming out of retirement several years ago. He has three wins in 13 starts at Sonoma.

Midway Point Of Season: As the eighth of 15 races on this year’s schedule, Sonoma marks the midway point of the season. Five different drivers visited Victory Lane in the first seven races.

Third Road Course Event: The Sonoma event is the third of four road course races on this year’s schedule. The series raced at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah on April 28 in an event won for the third consecutive time by Greg Pursley and at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway on May 26 in a race that featured Michael Self scoring his first career series win. The circuit will visit Portland (Ore.) International Raceway on Aug. 26.

Milestone: Sonoma will mark the 260th career series start for Jack Sellers. The Sacramento, Calif., resident – who holds the record for starts in the modern era of the series – made his first series start on the Sonoma road course on April 28, 1985.

Final Notes From Las Vegas
Repeat Winner: Greg Pursley won the Star Nursery 200 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 2, becoming the first repeat winner of the event. It marked his second victory of the season and 11th career series win.

Home Track Pole: Dylan Kwasniewski set the fast mark in qualifying at The Bullring to capture his second 21 Means 21 Pole Award of the season. It was the fourth pole of his career.

Strong Finish By Rookies: Five of the top10 finishers at Las Vegas were series rookies. Cameron Hayley, in fifth, was the top finishing rookie – capturing the Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award. Tim Bell finished sixth in his series debut, followed by Austin Dyne, making his sixth series start. Dylan Hutchison nabbed a career-best finish, coming home in eighth; while Taylor Cuzick also had a career-high finish in ninth.

Near Matching Times: The Time of Race for the Vegas race was within three seconds of last year’s event. This year’s time of 1 hour 23 minutes barely eclipsed the record set last year of 1 hour 23 minutes 3 seconds.

Up Next: Evergreen Speedway
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West next heads to the Pacific Northwest for the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Gene Price Motorsports at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., on July 14. Greg Pursley scored one of his six victories in 2011 when the series visited Monroe last year.

[media-credit name=”hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”350″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Following a season in which he visited Victory Lane three times, including at Langley Speedway, Sergio Peña expected to be a championship contender in 2012. As the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to Langley this week, Peña hopes to repeat his previous success there and get one step closer to title contention.

Peña, from Winchester, Va., had a rookie season of ups and downs in 2010, followed by the breakout campaign a year ago in which he finished fifth in the standings on the strength of wins in his home state at South Boston Speedway and Langley, as well as Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway.

The success he had in 2010-11 as part of Rev Racing and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative afforded Peña the opportunity to land a ride with Hattori Racing Enterprises for 2012.

His third season in the K&N Pro Series East did not get off to the start he had planned, however. Finishes of 20th and 29th in the first two races had him buried in the standings. The season has started to turn around for the driver who recently completed his freshman year at Radford University, however, as he’s posted top 10s in three of the last four races and heads to Langley a season-best 10th in points.

“At the beginning we were having trouble with motors blowing up – we blew a tire at Bristol – just a lot of bad luck,” Peña said. “That’s all starting to fade away now and I think we’re right back on track with where we need to be, up there finishing good like with my teammate Brett [Moffitt] and all the other guys that are running up front every week.”

Peña turned in a dominating performance in the inaugural Visit Hampton VA 175 a year ago when he led a race-high 99 laps for his second career victory. While Peña is with a different team this year, his crew chief, Matt Goslant, made the move over to HRE with him from Rev Racing. The pairing hopes to rekindle their 2011 success at Langley this week as the K&N Pro Series East heads back to the venerable Hampton, Va.

“Hopefully that will be the place we can turn our luck around this year,” Peña said.  “We’ve always been fast in practice and qualifying. We’ve had fast cars, we just can’t seem to put together a finish due to luck, or whatever the case may be. [But] I have a good feeling about Langley for sure.

“We just need to put together a run and finish it off. We practice good and we qualify good, we just need to finish one off.”

Race Notes
Six Races, Six Winners:  Through six races this year, there have been six different winners. That type of parity to start a K&N Pro Series East season was last seen in 2002 before Andy Santerre became that year’s first two-time winner. If a different winner takes checkers at Langley it will be the first time there were seven in seven races since 1995, which also occurred in 1993. The mark to beat is 10 winners in 10 races to start the 1989 campaign. It should be noted that the previously-mentioned 1989, 1993 and 1995 marks apply to stand-alone races only, and not the events run in combination with the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Gdovic Heads to Home Track Following an Impressive Start:  From nearby Yorktown, Va., Brandon Gdovic heads to his home track on a sophomore surge. The 2010 Rookie of the Year in Late Models at Langley, Gdovic moved up to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East last year and recorded four top-10 finishes in 11 starts. In just six starts so far this year Gdovic has posted the same amount of top 10s and sits sixth in the season standings.

Season Points Tighten Up:  As the 2012 campaign reaches its midway point at Langley, the top four drivers in the standings are separated by just 12 points. Following his victory at Iowa Speedway on May 19, Chase Elliott had a season-high lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings of 20 points. Subsequently his finishes of sixth and 14th have reduced his lead to just three tallies entering this week’s event at Langley Speedway.

Race:	Visit Hampton VA 175
Place:	Langley Speedway, Hampton, Va.
Date:	Saturday, June 23
Time:	8:30 p.m. ET
TV Schedule:	SPEED, June 28, 3 p.m. ET
Track Layout:	.396-mile banked asphalt oval
2011 Polesitter:	Coleman Pressley
2011 Winner:	Sergio Peña
Event Schedule:	Practice 12-12:45 p.m., Final Practice 1:15-2 p.m., Qualifying 4:30 p.m., Driver Autograph Session 5:30 p.m.
Track PR Contact:	Chuck Hall, 757-865-7223, chuck@langley-speedway.com
Track Twitter:	@LangleySpeedway
NASCAR IMC Contact:	Jason Christley, 386-301-6094, jchristley@nascar.com, Twitter: @jay_christley

EVENT SCHEDULE  |  ENTRY LIST

Fast Facts
The Race:  The 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule will reach the midway point of the 14-race slate with the Visit Hampton VA 175 at Langley Speedway on June 23 in Hampton, Va.

The Procedure:  The starting field is 30 cars, including provisionals. The first 26 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 175 laps (70 miles).

The Track:  On property that was originally a .8-mile horse track, the racing distance was cut in half and made exclusively an auto racing facility in 1950. The track, which played host to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 1964-70, was converted to asphalt in 1968 and currently runs as a slightly-banked .396-mile oval.

Race Winners:   Sergio Peña was the inaugural Visit Hampton VA 175 winner on June 18, 2011.

Pole Winners:  Coleman Pressley turned a fast lap of 16.439 seconds (86.721 mph) to take the inaugural pole at Langley in 2011.

Home Tracks:  Langley a Charter NWAAS Member
Langley Speedway is one of the oldest weekly racing facilities in the nation, and is one of nine tracks that have been a sanctioned member in each of the 31 years of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Langley has a total of 11 divisions that compete throughout the season on alternating weeks, headlined by the Late Models. C.E. Falk III, the defending track champion, once again led the current season standings through the June 9 races. Between Langley, Motor Mile Speedway and South Boston Speedway, Falk also led the Whelen All-American Series Virginia state standings and ranked second nationally. There are four divisions that will share the race card with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East on June 23.

Last Time Out:  Gresham
The most recent NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race was held on June 9 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. Here are some highlights:
• Kyle Larson passed polesitter Cale Conley on Lap 146 of 150 for his first career victory. It marked the 12th triumph for a Drive for Diversity participant since 2009.
• The pole for Conley was the first of his career. The 145 laps led were also a career-first.
• Points leader Chase Elliott finished 14th and saw his lead in the standings shrink from 16 points to three. Larson also leapfrogged Corey LaJoie into second place in the standings with the win.
• Larson’s performance locked him into the 2013 UNOH Battle at the Beach as well as moved him into the lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
• Akinori Ogata became the first driver from Japan to compete in a K&N Pro Series East. His start also marked the 13th different country to be represented in series’ history of competition.

Up Next:  Raceway Park
For the first time since 1988, and just the third time in series history, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will compete at CNB Bank Raceway Park in Clearfield, Pa., with the Samuel 150 on Saturday, July 14. The recently-renovated .625-mile facility in central Pennsylvania was a half-mile oval when the K&N Pro Series East visited in the late 1980s. The Samuel 150 will be the first race in the Keystone State since 2006 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pa. The one-day show will see early afternoon practice followed by evening qualifying and the green flag at 8 p.m.

[media-credit name=”hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”350″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will see its 2012 schedule reach the halfway point on Saturday, June 23 at Langley Speedway with the Visit Hampton VA 175 in Hampton, Va. Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers in the series:

Select Driver Highlights:
Chase Elliott (No. 9 Aaron’s/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet)
• Has a win and 11 top 10s in 18 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts. First victory came at Iowa Speedway on May 19.
• Is the only driver to complete every lap this year.
• Finished fifth in the inaugural 2011 event at Langley Speedway.

Brandon Gdovic (No. 46 Aquis Communications/ComServe Dodge)
• Has eight top 10s in 17 career NKNPS East starts.
• Had as many top 10s in his first five races this year (four) as he had in 11 races as a rookie in 2011.
• Finished 24th at Langley in 2011.

Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Universal Technical Institute/NTI Toyota)
• Has a pole and 12 top 10s in 30 career NKNPS East starts.
• Has a best finish this year of third at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• Was 23rd last year at Langley.

Ben Kennedy (No. 96 Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet)
• Has six top 10s in 19 career NKNPS East starts, including a best finish of third at Bowman Gray in 2011.
• Ran 18th at Langley in 2011.

Corey LaJoie (No. 07 Direct Wood Products/Sims Metal Ford)
• Has a win, a pole and 14 top 10s in 25 career starts.
• Earned his first victory on June 2 at Bowman Gray Stadium.
• Finished eighth in 2011’s inaugural Langley event.

Kyle Larson (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota)
• Earned his first NKNPS East victory last time out at Gresham Motorsports Park on June 9 and has five top 10s in his first six career races.
• Earned his first pole and led his first laps at Bowman Gray.
• Leads Rev Racing teammate Bryan Ortiz by seven points atop the Sunoco Rookie standings.

Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Grimm Construction Chevrolet)
• Has six wins, two poles and 68 top 10s in 150 career starts.
• Became the 16th driver in series history to reach 150 career starts last time out at Gresham.
• Has five top 10s in six starts this year.
• Finished 13th at Langley in 2011.

Brett Moffitt (No. 11 Universal Technical Institute Toyota)
• Has eight wins, six poles, 18 podiums and 29 total top-10 finishes in 39 career starts.
• Won at Richmond in April, has two poles and is tied for the series lead with four top-five finishes through six races this year.
• Was the runner-up to Sergio Peña at Langley last year. Starting with that race, he has finished on the podium in eight of 12 events since.

Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Toyota)
• Has three of top 10s through his first six NKNPS East races with a best result of third at Bowman Gray.
• Ranks eighth overall and second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.

Travis Pastrana (No. 99 iRacing Toyota)
• Is 16th in points. Did not attend the last race at Gresham.
• Recorded a career-best fourth-place finish at Iowa.
• Has an average finish of 19th in eight career NKNPS East races.
• NASCAR schedule for 2012 includes 11 of 14 NKNPS East events and seven NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
• Has made four NNS starts so far this year with a best result of 17th at Darlington Raceway.

Sergio Peña (No. 1 NASCAR Technical Institute Toyota)
• Has three wins and 13 top 10s in 28 career NKNPS East starts.
• Has a best finish of sixth, at Gresham, through the first six races.
• Was the winner of the series’ inaugural Langley race in 2011. Led twice for 99 laps.

Darrell Wallace Jr. (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
• Has six wins, three poles, 11 podium finishes and 21 total top 10s in 28 career NKNPS East starts.
• Won at Greenville Pickens Speedway earlier this year.
• Finished ninth at Langley in 2011.
• Made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa on May 20 and finished ninth. Next NNS start will be at Iowa in August.

Up to Speed:
• The 2012 season is the 26th for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
• The 2012 schedule features 14 races at 12 different tracks across 10 states.
• The NKNPS East season opened with the inaugural series event Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Nelson Piquet Jr. made a spot-start in the event and won from the pole.
• Darrell Wallace Jr. led all but one lap in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway on March 31. There was no pole winner as qualifying was rained out.
• Brett Moffitt dominated the action at Richmond International Raceway on April 26 as both the pole and race winner.
• Moffitt won his second pole in a row, and was poised for back-to-back wins as well, but Chase Elliott gained his first NKNPS East victory on May 19 at Iowa Speedway.
• Corey LaJoie captured his first NKNPS East victory in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at Bowman Gray Stadium on June 2. Rookie Kyle Larson earned his first pole prior to the event.
• Larson followed his first pole with his first race victory on June 9 at Gresham Motorsports Park. Cale Conley was also a first-time pole winner in the event.
• Following the Visit Hampton VA 175 at Langley Speedway, the NKNPS East will next compete at CNB Bank Raceway Park on Saturday, July 14 in Clearfield, Pa.

At Langley Speedway:
• Originally a .8-mile horse track, the grounds became an auto racing facility in 1950 and cut the distance of the dirt racing surface to .396 miles. It was converted to asphalt in 1968.
• The track held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races from 1964-70 and 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series events from 1982-88.
• The track has played host to the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour since 2010.
• The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debuted at the facility in 2011.

Langley Speedway Data
Race: #7 of 14 (6/23/12)
Track Layout: .396-mile asphalt oval
• Race Length: 175 laps (70 miles)
• Banking–turns: six degrees
• Banking–straights: none

Qualifying/Race Data
2011 race winner: Sergio Peña
2011 pole winner: Coleman Pressley
Track qualifying record: Coleman Pressley (86.721 mph, 16.439 seconds, 6/18/11)

Active Series Career Leaders
Wins
Brett Moffitt … 8
Eddie MacDonald … 6
Dale Quarterley … 6
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 6
Sergio Peña … 3

Poles
Brett Moffitt … 6
Dale Quarterley … 4
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 3
Eddie MacDonald … 2
Four drivers with … 1

Top Fives
Dale Quarterley … 31
Eddie MacDonald … 28
Brett Moffitt … 24
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 12
Corey LaJoie … 11

Top 10s
Eddie MacDonald … 68
Dale Quarterley … 66
Brett Moffitt … 29
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 21
Corey LaJoie … 14

Laps Completed
Eddie MacDonald … 19,213
Dale Quarterley … 18,589
John Salemi … 7,917
Brett Moffitt … 5,208
Ryan Gifford … 4,406

Laps Led
Brett Moffitt … 986
Dale Quarterley … 706
Eddie MacDonald … 668
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 542
Sergio Peña … 215

[media-credit name=”delawarespeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”311″][/media-credit]Winning the championship is every team’s goal, but for J.R. Fitzpatrick and his team this year it’s an obsession. And obsessions aren’t always bad.

The fire has been building since finishing as the runner-up to D.J. Kennington in 2010 and the flames grew higher after finishing third behind Scott Steckly and Kennington in 2011.

“The goal of this team is to win the championship. Period,” Fitzpatrick said at the start of the season.

The first step to reaching that objective came early last offseason when team owner John Fitzpatrick brought Don Thomson Jr. back into the fold. For several years Thomson drove a Fitzpatrick Motorsports entry, but he joined Ed Hakonson Racing for the 2011 season and finished fifth in the final point standings. This year, however, his role is a little different. Thomson wasn’t signed to drive a team car. He was brought back to serve as the crew chief for the No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet.

By virtue of being longtime teammates familiarity is a non-issue for the two, but they must communicate on a different level now.

“We’re still working through some things there,” said Fitzpatrick. “We do need to communicate better during the race in terms of adjustments. I need to be more specific on how the car is handling, so that we can get the right adjustments made.”

Winning a championship is not new to Fitzpatrick. In 2006, he won the final CASCAR Super Series title as an 18-year-old and ended Thomson’s five-year reign at the top of that series. But for a kid raised at the race track watching his father compete, winning a NASCAR crown would be special.

On Saturday, June 23 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway in the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply and McKeough Supply, Fitzpatrick, the owner of seven NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories including a season-opening win this year on the Road Course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, will be looking for his first series win on an oval since July 2007.

Three races into the 2012 season, Fitzpatrick sits atop the point standings, but his lead is just a single point over Kennington while Andrew Ranger lurks six points back.
“We have top-three finishes at every race so far,” said Fitzpatrick. “The consistency is there. We just have to keep it going.”

In the title hunt the last two seasons, Fitzpatrick has had some critical missteps along the way – some self-imposed and others not. Limiting those born from his intensity will be crucial as this season progresses.

“I’m still getting a little frustrated at times in the car. I’ve got to do better at that,” he said.

“J.R. is intense behind the wheel. That’s who he is and you’re not going to get that out of him,” said Kennington, a rival on the track, but a good friend away from it, said. “He’s just got to manage it. So far, it’s working for him.”

EMCO 200 Race Notes
No Place Like Home: D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge) began his racing career at Delaware Speedway and his familiarity with the track is evident. In the first three Canadian Tire Series events on the half-mile track the driver from nearby St. Thomas, Ont., has two victories and one pole win. Last season, he finished third in the race after starting on the outside of the front row.

A Dodge Ball: In the three series races at Delaware Speedway Dodge has been the top performer with three victories and three pole positions. Mark Dilley (No. 02 PartSource/BDI/Leland Ford) and J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet), second and third-place finishers last Saturday at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, will be looking to crash the party.

Four Still Standing: Just four drivers – Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge), Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Vortex/Rockstar Dodge), Kennington and Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge) – have made all 66 starts in series history.

Open Seat: Don Thomson Jr., the reigning race champion, has left the seat vacant as he will not defend his win. He won a year ago in just his third start with Ed Hakonson Racing
Big Weekend: It’s a full weekend of racing at Delaware Speedway. On Friday evening several classifications – Late Model, Super Stocks and Enduro Challenge – will face off in heat races and features. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be joined by the local Truck division on Saturday evening. Special weekend passes are available at select Canadian Tire stores in the London, Ont., area and online at www.delawarespeedway.com is another way.

Pete Shepherd III established a new track record in qualifying for the Clarington 200 at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Matthew Manor/NASCAR

LAST TIME OUT: Clarington 200
Sole Possession: By collecting his 12th NASCAR Canadian Tire Series career victory, D.J. Kennington took over sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list behind Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Dodge/GC Motorsports Dodge), who leads the way with 15 triumphs. Scott Steckly holds down third place with 11 victories. Kennington also moves into a tie with Steckly for the most oval-track wins (11) in series history.

The Place To Be: Dropping to the rear of the field just prior to the start of the race was more of a good luck charm than a penalty in the Clarington 200. Both Kennington and Jeff Lapcevich (No. 23 Tim Hortons Dodge) had to do so because of unapproved adjustments after qualifying, but both found their way to top-five finishes. Kennington claimed the win while Lapcevich produced a fourth-place effort.

Good Results: Steve Côté (No. 99 White Motorsports Chevrolet) and Noel Dowler (No. 5 EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge) each notched their first series-career top-10 finishes. The ninth-place finish by Côté vaulted him to the top of the Rookie of the Year standings – one point in front of Martin Roy (No. 90 Veloce/Gamache Truck Center Dodge).

2K: By virtue of leading a race-high 137 laps, Kennington eclipsed the 2,000 laps-led mark and now has a total of 2,069 circuits at the front. Only Steckly (2,416) has more in series history..

NEXT TIME OUT: A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series kicks off its three-race swing through Western Canada at Motoplex Speedway and Event Park in Vernon, B.C., in the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300. At 300 laps on the half-mile tri-oval, it’s the longest race on the schedule. Defending series champion Scott Steckly has been tough to beat at the westernmost track on the slate of events. He has won the last two races there and finished as the runner-up in the series’ first three visits to the track.