Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: RC XFINITY

Race Central NASCAR XFINITY Series news and information

  • Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 Lap-By-Lap

    Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 Lap-By-Lap

    [media-credit name=”daytonainternationalspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”272″][/media-credit]After a wreck on the final lap, James Buescher would be crowned the winner of the DRIVE4COPD 300.

    Green flag as Dale Earnhardt Jr. quickly gets on Danica Patrick’s bumper to push her ahead

    Lap 1 – Patrick leads with Earnhardt Jr. as Bayne/Sadler try to run them down

    Lap 2 – Bayne to the lead around the outside with help from Sadler, putting Patrick/Earnhardt Jr. behind them

    Lap 5 – Sadler and Bayne swap so Sadler leads, but Tony Stewart/Sam Hornish Jr. go by them and take the lead

    Lap 7 – Patrick brushes the wall and falls back as her partner Earnhardt Jr. goes looking for.

    Lap 9 – Stewart and Kurt Busch become the newest team as Hornish tried to get his car cool.

    Lap 11 – Kahne/Earnhardt Jr. to the lead as they go to the outside of Stewart/Busch while Bayne/Sadler chase them.

    Lap 13 – Bayne/Sadler leading

    Lap 14 – Hornish/Brad Keselowski takes the lead through turn 4 as Bayne/Sadler fall back

    Lap 18 Hornish/Keselowski, Mike Bliss/Joe Nemechek, Michael Annett/Kurt Busch, Kenny Wallace/Mike Wallace

    Lap 20 Hornish/Keselowski still hold the lead as Bliss/Nemechek try to chase them down. Annett/Busch battle side-by-side with the Wallaces for the next position

    Lap 22 Bliss/Nemechek pass Hornish/Keselowski for the lead

    Lap 26 Earnhardt Jr/Kurt Busch to the lead past Bliss/Nemechek

    Lap 27 Bliss/Nemechek take the lead as Busch/Earnhardt Jr. swap positions in their tandem

    Lap 28 Bliss, Nemechek, Kurt Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kahne, Stewart, Patrick, Hornish Jr., Mike Wallace

    Lap 29 Busch/Earnhardt Jr. back to the lead in the tri-oval, ast Bliss/Nemechek as Logano/Kahne try to chase them down

    Lap 30 Earnhardt Jr./Busch swap as Earnhardt Jr. keeps the lead through the lap traffic

    Caution Lap 31 Debris on the track as Jason Bowles has an engine problem. Pit stops as some take two tires, some take four tires. Kurt Busch leads Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, Cole Whitt and Michael Annett off pit road. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has issues getting into his pit, but solved the problem by using his cup sign for the rest of the day. Kyle Busch had the right rear window vibrating so they sealed it.

    Restart Lap 36 as Kurt Busch pulls slightly ahead through turns ½ with help from Kasey Kahne

    Lap 37 Tony Stewart/Joey Logano side-by-side with Kurt Busch/Kasey Kahne for the lead

    Lap 38 Stewart/Logano pull ahead to the lead with Busch/Kahne in toe followed by Danica Patrick

    Lap 40 Stewart leads Logano, Busch, Kahne and Sam Hornish Jr. as Patrick falls back through the field

    Lap 44 Logano/Stewart make the swap, allowing Busch/Nemechek to take the lead.

    Lap 45 J.J Yeley has smoke trailing from his car, quickly gets outta line.

    Lap 46 Busch/Nemechek lead as Dale Earnhardt Jr./Kyle Busch chase them down, followed by Hornish Jr.

    Lap 48 Richardson Jr. makes a big save in the middle of three-wide to prevent a wreck

    Lap 49 Kurt Busch leads Nemechek, Earnahrdt Jr., Kyle Busch, Hornish Jr., Hamlin, Logano, Ryan Truex, Kenny Wallace

    Caution Lap 49 as Danica Patrick gets into the wall after contact from teammate Cole Whitt. Patrick has enough damage to send her behind the wall. Sadler got some damage after running down off the track to the apron to avoid Patrick, fixed it on pit road. Reed Sorenson gets the lucky dog……Pit stops: Cole Whitt gets turned around backwards on pit road, after contact from Kyle Busch. Cole was coming in as Kyle was going out.

    Restart Lap 54 as Denny Hamlin leads the field to the green, but Kurt Busch quickly goes back to the points with help from Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Lap 55 Busch/Earnhardt Jr. have spaced themselves from the field as Kenny Wallace/Mike Wallace are next in line, followed by Brad Keselowski/Kasey Kahne

    Lap 58 Trevor Bayne has a flat tire as he brings the car to pit road. This came after contact with Brian Scott.

    Lap 59 Busch/Earnhardt Jr. lead Hamlin/Logano as they have separated themselves from the pack

    Caution Lap 60 Mike Bliss has wrecked at the halfway mark. He backed off and Joe Nemechek got into the back of him. Pit stops: Some choose to pit while others stay out. Kurt Busch now leads Earnhardt Jr. as they both stayed on track

    Restart with 56 laps to go as Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. run side-by-side for the lead through turn 2. Earnhardt Jr. is able to get by Busch, but it is Elliott Sadler/Austin Dillon driving by him in a two-car tandem.

    55 to go Sadler/Dillon pull out to a pretty sizable lead as the pack runs three-wide all the way back.

    50 to go Sadler/Dillon continue to lead, in front of Kurt Busch, Nemechek, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Hornish Jr.,

    Caution Lap 75 Brian Scott wrecks in the tri-oval. Michael Annett got into Scott, turning him into James Buescher, and then Scott hit the wall. Kurt Busch leading…..Pit Stops as most can make it from this point: Joe Nemechek leads Hornish Jr. and Mike Wallace off pit road…..Trevor Bayne took the wave around so he’s only one lap down now.

    Restart 42 laps to go as Nemechek and Hornish Jr. are side-by-side through turns 1 and 2.

    41 laps to go Hornish Jr. leads with help from Mike Wallace.

    40 laps to go Hornish Jr. leads Wallace, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch as they’ve separated themselves from the pack

    39 laps to go Hornish Jr. and Wallace get separated, allowing the Busch brothers to go by on the outside.

    38 laps to go Stewart/Sadler go by the Busch brothers for the lead with Stenhouse/Hamlin in toe.

    37 laps to go Stewart/Sadler lead the Busch brothers and then Stenhouse/Hamlin

    30 laps to go Hamlin/Stenhouse to the lead coming across the finish line but its Earnhardt Jr./Austin Dillon taking the lead coming out of turn two.

    29 laps to go Earnhardt Jr./Dillon and Stewart/Sadler are side-by-side for the lead

    28 laps to go Stewart/Sadler surge ahead

    27 laps to go Joey Gase blows the motor, bringing out the caution, which puts Trevor Bayne back on the lead lap…..Pit stops as mostly everyone gets a splash of gas. Hamlin leads Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. off pit road. Timmy Hill stayed out so he’s the leader

    Restart 22 laps to go. Kenny Wallace takes the lead down the back straightaway with help from Robert Richardson Jr.

    21 laps to go three-wide for the lead as Denny Hamlin now leads with help from Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    20 laps to go Hamlin/Earnhardt Jr. have left the field as the rest of the pack battles side-by-side.

    19 laps to go Sam Hornish Jr. brushes the wall, Brian Scott gets into the wall hard – no caution. Tony Stewart takes the lead with Elliott Sadler’s help as Denny Hamlin/Earnhardt Jr. run behind them. This marks lead change no. 36 to break the record for the most lead change.

    17 laps to go big wreck including Robert Richardson Jr., Denny Hamlin, Justin Allgaier, Kenny Wallace, Casey Roderick, Reed Sorenson, Johanna Long, Ryan Truex, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon, Mike Wallace, TJ Bell……Kurt Busch tries to squeeze through a hole that wasn’t there, and everybody started back off – Trevor Bayne got sideways once he slowed up and went up towards the wall, collecting the others…..Red flag…..

    Restart 9 laps to go as Kurt Busch goes to the lead with help from Kyle Busch.

    8 laps to go Stenhouse/Hornish battle three-wide for the race lead with Stewart/Sadler and Busch brother combo.

    Caution with 7 to go as three-wide does not work out as Sam Hornish Jr. goes around, collecting Michael Annett, David Ragan, Joe Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt Jr……Ragan got a push from behind, causing him to get into the back of Hornish and spinning him in front of Earnhardt Jr., collecting others.

    Restart 2 to go as Kurt/Kyle get the run off the top, go to the bottom and lead the field.

    White flag as Kurt/Kyle pull to the lead with Logano/Bayne in toe, trying to pass.

    Coming out of turn 4, Kurt Busch got into Joey Logano, sending him up into Tony Stewart, collecting the rest of the leaders.

    WRECKED: Stewart, Bayne, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Whitt, Logano,

    James Buescher misses the wreck and is scored the winner after coming through turn four in 11th.

  • James Buescher Pulls Off The Upset To Win The DRIVE4COPD 300

    James Buescher Pulls Off The Upset To Win The DRIVE4COPD 300

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”254″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Running in 11th place entering Turn 4 on the final lap, James Buescher was able to maneuver through a multi-car accident and come away with his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win in a green-white-checkered finish in the 54th annual DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway.

    “It’s hard to put into words,” Buescher said of the win. “They all piled up in front of me and we made it through. It’s hard to describe the feeling when you make it through the wreck and you’re the only guy – you don’t see anyone in front of you and you’re coming to the checkered flag. It’s pretty incredible and I’ll definitely never forget it.”

    Buescher, who is driving for Turner Motorsports in both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series this season, led 10 laps before finishing 17th in Friday night’s NextEra Energy Resources 250. He now has two wins at the “World Center of Racing” with the previous triumph coming in the 2009 ARCA season opener.

    “I can’t think of another race track that I would rather this (win) be at,” Buescher said. “Daytona is historical – everybody knows that – and every driver dreams of winning here. My goal as a young driver was to be able to race at Daytona in NASCAR and I’ve done that several times, but now I’ve finally won here. I don’t know how to put it into words.”

    The win was an emotional one for Buescher’s crew chief Trent Owens.

    “This is my first win as a crew chief in Daytona,” Owens said. “It’s bigger than life for me. I don’t think I’ve missed a July Daytona race since I was eight years old or so. This was a really big deal for me.”

    There were a record 38 lead changes by a record 16 different drivers (previous records were 35 and 12, respectively) and Chevrolet has now won the series season-opener 22 times in the last 26 races.

    Pole-sitter Danica Patrick led the first two laps, but her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet sustained damage in an incident while drafting with teammate Cole Whitt on Lap 50 of the 120-lap race. She finished 38th.

    Fourteen drivers in today’s race are pulling double duty this weekend and will be competing in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Brad Keselowski, who is the only driver who will be participating in all three NASCAR sanctioned events during Speedweeks 2012, finished second and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top three.

    Tickets for the 54th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26 can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

    If you are unable to attend in person, be sure to tune in to the Daytona 500 on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. ET.

    Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway) and Twitter ( www.twitter.com/disupdates) and fans can also follow NASCAR (@NASCAR) and hashtags #NASCAR and #DAYTONA500.

  • Keselowski wins; Stenhouse Jr. wins NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship

    Keselowski wins; Stenhouse Jr. wins NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship

    Brad Keselowski held off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carl Edwards on the final laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture his fifth win of the season and the 17th of his NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) career.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”213″][/media-credit]“You couldn’t ask for a better way to end the season. Not being able to win the championship, it’s good to be able to finish on a high note, winning the pole and the race today at Homestead. It’s a great exclamation point to the season for the whole Discount Tire Dodge team.” Keselowski said.

    But the race had a even better ending for Roush Fenway Racing and Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing won the owners’ championship with Edwards’ third place finish and Stenhouse Jr. won the series championship with his second place finish.  This is also the third NNS title for Ford Racing and the 12th driver’s championship.

    “The Blackwell Angus Beef and Cargill Mustang did its job at Ford Championship Weekend – Nationwide Insurance – this is a dream come true.” Stenhouse Jr. said.

    “My family sacrificed everything they had. My sister didn’t quite get everything that she’s ever wanted. We were racing as much as we could and to do that for them, he taught me hard work and to never give up. I wish my granddad was here. He helped us out a lot through the go-kart days and worked on our cars. We had a lot of fun doing that. I wish he was here, but this is an awesome night.” Stenhouse Jr. said.

    Stenhouse Jr. and Edwards celebrated by parking nose to nose on the frontstretch and doing a duel burnout.

    “First, congratulations to Ricky and all the Blackwell Angus Beef folks. Ricky has come so far and I think he’s gonna be a champion in a bunch of levels of this sport. That was huge and my guys have done a great job all year.  Eight wins and we’re so proud to have Fastenal on board.” Edwards said. “Ford has been great. It’s Ford Championship Weekend and we wrapped up the drivers and the owners and that was huge. Valvoline and NextGen, Wiley X and all these fans that are here, this is cool. It did get pretty exciting there at the end. I had to remember, ‘Hey, don’t screw this up,’ and Brad started blocking a little bit and I thought, ‘Well, if he’s gonna block, I’m gonna bump him,’ and then I bumped him and it helped him and hurt me.”

    Jack Roush is looking to become the first owner in NASCAR history to win both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series championships in the same season.

    Clint Bowyer finished fourth and Denny Hamlin finished fifth. Elliott Sadler struggled with two pit stop penalties but battled back to finish sixth and finished second in the series standings, 45 points out.

    Unofficial Race Results
    Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=34
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 1 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    2 4 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 43
    3 3 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    4 6 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 0
    5 7 18 Denny Hamlin Toyota 0
    6 2 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 39
    7 13 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 38
    8 10 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 36
    9 11 11 Brian Scott Toyota 35
    10 9 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    11 8 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 34
    12 14 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 32
    13 5 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 31
    14 19 32 James Buescher Chevrolet 0
    15 21 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 0
    16 22 97 Joe Nemechek Toyota 28
    17 17 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 27
    18 29 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 26
    19 15 62 Michael Annett Toyota 26
    20 31 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 24
    21 33 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 23
    22 37 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 22
    23 18 81 Blake Koch * Chevrolet 21
    24 35 30 Nelson Piquet Jr. Chevrolet 0
    25 23 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 19
    26 36 87 Kevin Conway Toyota 0
    27 20 104 Casey Roderick Ford 17
    28 40 40 T.J. Duke Chevrolet 0
    29 34 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 15
    30 42 28 Derrike Cope Dodge 14
    31 32 141 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet 13
    32 12 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 12
    33 16 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 11
    34 27 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 10
    35 41 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 9
    36 24 167 Andrew Ranger Ford 8
    37 30 103 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 7
    38 43 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 6
    39 25 147 Josh Wise Chevrolet 5
    40 28 171 Matthew Carter Chevrolet 4
    41 26 142 Scott Speed Chevrolet 3
    42 38 39 Fain Skinner Ford 2
    43 39 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 1
  • Sam Hornish Jr. plays strategy to perfection and wins his first Nationwide Series race

    Sam Hornish Jr. plays strategy to perfection and wins his first Nationwide Series race

    We knew Sam Hornish Jr. had a good car all day long, but for the three years he was racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, it seemed like he couldn’t find any luck. Hornish finally found the lucky charm as he played the two tire strategy and held off teammate Brad Keselowski for his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win on the new configuration at the Phoenix International Raceway.

    [media-credit name=”Mike Finnegan” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The first lap proved to be very treacherous for drivers as an eight-car crash ensued on the first lap in Turn 3 when Brian Scott was turned head-on by Reed Sorenson into the outside wall. Jeff Green, Danica Patrick, Johnny Chapman, Ron Hornaday, Matt Frahm, and Tim Andrews all couldn’t avoid the melee.

    Reed Sorenson didn’t receive any damage from the incident despite spinning, but later met karma as he lost a right-front tire and pounded the wall. A fire burst from the hood and NASCAR safety crews were sent to extinguish the fire. This crash doesn’t help Reed’s cause to keep position #5 in the point standings.

    Canadian native D.J. Kennington saw his day come to an end with a cut tire, along with Mike Bliss and Derrike Cope who were both involved in separate incidents.

    The incident between James Buescher and Steve Wallace was avoidable. Going into Turn 3, Wallace gave Buescher a shot. Wallace gave Buescher another shot and wrecked him and while trying to avoid the wreck, Wallace was turned and wrecked himself on the front straightaway. Both drivers were ok.

    Elliott Sadler saw his championship hopes crumble after being wrecked by Jason Leffler going into Turn 3. Sadler had passed Leffler moments before and gave him extra room just to be safe, but Leffler drove into Turn 3 too deep and tapped Sadler. Morgan Shepherd drove into the carnage as this was the second incident he was involved in during the day. This accident caused a red flag as officials were sent in to clean up the mess.

    Sam Hornish Jr. had led 62 laps into the race, but the man of the day was Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who had led 62 laps. When it came to the final pit stops, Hornish took a gamble for two. Many sports analysts on Twitter doubted Hornish and didn’t believe two tires would work on the new configuration. Hornish proved everyone wrong to win the race!

    Will this set Hornish up potentially for a Sprint Cup ride next year? Or is this just considered ‘Beginners Luck’?

    Unofficial Race Results
    Wypall 200, Phoenix International Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=33
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 – 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 47
    2 – 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    3 – 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    4 – 18 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    5 – 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 41
    6 – 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 38
    7 – 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 0
    8 – 20 Ryan Truex * Toyota 36
    9 – 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 35
    10 – 62 Michael Annett Toyota 34
    11 – 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 0
    12 – 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 32
    13 – 32 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 0
    14 – 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 30
    15 – 134 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 0
    16 – 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 28
    17 – 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 27
    18 – 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 26
    19 – 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 25
    20 – 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 24
    21 – 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 23
    22 – 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 22
    23 – 40 T.J. Duke Chevrolet 0
    24 – 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 20
    25 – 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 20
    26 – 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 18
    27 – 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 17
    28 – 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 16
    29 – 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 15
    30 – 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 0
    31 – 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 13
    32 – 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 12
    33 – 180 D.J. Kennington Dodge 11
    34 – 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 10
    35 – 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 9
    36 – 49 Mark Green Chevrolet 8
    37 – 147 Scott Speed Chevrolet 7
    38 – 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 6
    39 – 171 Matthew Carter Chevrolet 5
    40 – 141 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 4
    41 – 11 Brian Scott Toyota 3
    42 – 39 Matt Frahm Ford 2
    43 – 104 Tim Andrews Ford 0
  • Aric Almirola Scores Pole For Wypall 200

    Aric Almirola Scores Pole For Wypall 200

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”244″][/media-credit]Aric Almirola scored the pole for the Wypall 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the newly configured Phoenix International Raceway.

    The new configuration proved to be a struggle for drivers like Daryl Harr who was one of the go or go home cars. Harr lost the car off Turn 4 and pounded it into the inside safer barrier wall.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. qualified his #6 in the 11th position despite flirting dangerously with the wall during his lap. His closest championship competitor Elliott Sadler qualified in 6th.

    It was Almirola’s fifth career pole as he narrowly edged Carl Edwards by 0.001 seconds for the top spot.

    Other NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers entered into the race include: Bayne (3rd), Bowyer (5th), Logano (9th), Keselowski (10th), Nemechek (14th), and Scott Speed (16th).

    And for Danica Patrick fans, she qualified 25th.

     

    Starting Lineup
    Wypall 200, Phoenix International Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/qual.php?race=33
    ===========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    ===========================================
    1 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 132.91 27.086
    2 60 Carl Edwards Ford 132.905 27.087
    3 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 132.758 27.117
    4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 132.734 27.122
    5 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 132.358 27.199
    6 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 132.27 27.217
    7 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 132.265 27.218
    8 20 Ryan Truex* Toyota 132.008 27.271
    9 18 Joey Logano Toyota 131.975 27.278
    10 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 131.965 27.28
    11 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 131.661 27.343
    12 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 131.449 27.387
    13 81 Blake Koch* Dodge 131.43 27.391
    14 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 131.133 27.453
    15 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 131.047 27.471
    16 147 Scott Speed Chevrolet 131.009 27.479
    17 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 130.947 27.492
    18 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 130.766 27.53
    19 62 Michael Annett Toyota 130.416 27.604
    20 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 130.392 27.609
    21 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 130.317 27.625
    22 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 130.241 27.641
    23 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 130.142 27.662
    24 11 Brian Scott Toyota 130.067 27.678
    25 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 129.954 27.702
    26 49 Mark Green Chevrolet 129.58 27.782
    27 134 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 129.566 27.785
    28 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 129.538 27.791
    29 171 Matthew Carter Chevrolet 129.408 27.819
    30 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 129.255 27.852
    31 104 Tim Andrews Ford 129.055 27.895
    32 39 Matt Frahm Ford 129.037 27.899
    33 141 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 128.963 27.915
    34 180 D.J. Kennington Dodge 128.788 27.953
    35 15 Timmy Hill* Ford 128.631 27.987
    36 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 128.438 28.029
    37 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 128.393 28.039
    38 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 128.329 28.053
    39 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 127.918 28.143
    40 40 T.J. Duke Chevrolet 127.244 28.292
    41 28 Derrike Cope+ Chevrolet 125.274 28.737
    42 32 Ron Hornaday+ Chevrolet 124.057 29.019
    43 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 128.659 27.981
  • Bayne holds off Edwards and Hamlin to win his first NNS race at Texas

    Bayne holds off Edwards and Hamlin to win his first NNS race at Texas

    Trevor Bayne captured his career NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) victory on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. Bayne passed teammate Carl Edwards on the final restart with seven laps remaining and pulled away to win his first NNS race in 76 starts.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]“This is just as surreal as the 500. That’s hard to say, but this has been so long. We’ve worked so hard to get our first Nationwide win and I wasn’t sure if it was ever gonna happen. I was thinking maybe the next Cup win would come first, but these guys worked their butts off to get us here and God pulled us through.” Bayne said.

    Bayne’s win was the 13th for Mustang in its inaugural season and is the most among all manufacturers. Bayne also captured Roush Fenway Racing it’s 299th all-time win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series combined.

    This win also secured Ford its third manufacturer championship in the Nationwide Series.

    “We’re thrilled to win the NASCAR Nationwide Manufacturers’ Championship. Not only is it our first since 2002, but, more importantly, it’s the first championship for Mustang in NASCAR. Mustang, as it has for 47 years, continues to be a force in all forms of racing. This has been a great year for Ford and Roush Fenway in Nationwide, with Carl, Ricky and Trevor all providing some great moments and 13 victories. Now, it would be great to add the driver’s championship by Ricky to this special year for Mustang and Ford.” said Jamie Allison, Director, Ford Racing.

    Edwards dominated most of the race and led 157 of the 200 laps. But Edwards had to settle for third place after Denny Hamlin, while subbing for the suspended Kyle Busch, passed him in the final laps for second place.

    “He earned that one. He drove really well. That restart he did a really good job.” Edwards said.

    “We didn’t get the best restart there and those guys on the outside line really had an advantage and they were able to pull us and just took us that long to get back to them. Took a long time to get this car where I felt like I wanted it and at the end we had a car that could contend for a win and that’s all you can ask for.” Hamlin said.

    Ricky Stenhouse finished sixth and holds a 17-point lead over Elliott Sadler with two races remaining.

    “That was fun. We were just a little bit too tight to keep in front of the 22 and run a couple more down, but it was awesome to see Trevor get a win this year in the Nationwide Series. This wraps up a Ford championship for manufacturers, so that’s awesome. It was a good day for the Sam’s Club Members Mark Angus Beef Ford.” Stenhouse said.

    Unofficial Race Results
    O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, Texas Motor Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=32
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 – 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 47
    2 – 20 Denny Hamlin Toyota 0
    3 – 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    4 – 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 0
    5 – 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    6 – 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 38
    7 – 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 37
    8 – 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    9 – 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 36
    10 – 32 Brian Vickers Chevrolet 0
    11 – 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 33
    12 – 11 Brian Scott Toyota 32
    13 – 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 31
    14 – 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 30
    15 – 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 29
    16 – 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 28
    17 – 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 0
    18 – 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 26
    19 – 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 26
    20 – 62 Michael Annett Toyota 25
    21 – 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 23
    22 – 81 Blake Koch * Chevrolet 22
    23 – 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 21
    24 – 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 20
    25 – 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 19
    26 – 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 18
    27 – 103 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 17
    28 – 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 16
    29 – 39 Joey Gase Ford 0
    30 – 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 14
    31 – 52 Jamie Dick Chevrolet 0
    32 – 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 12
    33 – 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 11
    34 – 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 0
    35 – 108 David Ragan Ford 0
    36 – 40 Josh Wise Chevrolet 8
    37 – 175 Carl Long Ford 7
    38 – 127 J.J. Yeley Ford 0
    39 – 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 5
    40 – 104 Tim Andrews Ford 0
    41 – 150 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 0
    42 – 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 2
    43 – 147 Scott Speed Chevrolet 1
  • Carl Edwards Scores Victory at the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage at Charlotte

    Carl Edwards Scores Victory at the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage at Charlotte

    Carl Edwards only led five laps in Friday’s race but they were the ones that mattered. On lap 195, with a little help from teammate Trevor Bayne, Edwards took the lead from Kyle Busch and never looked back, bringing his Roush Fenway Ford into Victory Lane.

    “If Trevor hadn’t given me that push,” said Edwards, “we would have had a really hard time. So [it was] just a really, really good team effort.” This was his 37th victory in the Nationwide Series.

    Kyle Busch finished second followed by Trevor Bayne in third, who scored his first top-five finish in three races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Elliot Sadler in fourth and Brian Scott rounded out the top five.

    Elliot Sadler also claimed the Nationwide Insurance Dash4Cash $100,000 bonus and won $100,000 for NASCAR fan Joe Thornton of New Port riche, Fla.

    “It’s a thrill just to come to the races, but to win the $100,000 I’m speechless,” Thornton said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with it — my wife wants to pay the house off, we’ll see. It’s just unbelievable, you know.”

    Sadler is now only 15 points behind points leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Paul Menard, winner of the Coors Light Pole Award, brought the field to green Friday evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway but only led the first 26 laps.

    Brad Keselowski seemed to have the most dominant car of the night, leading 119 laps. But on lap 170 he suddenly slowed due to a tire going down.

    In the end, it was a battle between Edwards and Kyle Busch with Trevor Bayne making a late charge in the final five laps. But Edwards was able to hold off Busch and the remainder of the field for the win.

    Jack Roush, car owner of the No. 60 Fastenal Ford, was ecstatic and a little amazed after the race.

    “I think I’m gonna lose my mind here,” he said. He continued, “Carl wrecked his car today and the car decided it wouldn’t give up. I’m going to talk to that car and I’m going to give that car a kiss tonight.”

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr retains the points lead followed by Elliot Sadler, Aric Almirola, Justin Allgaier and Reed Sorenson in fifth.

    Unofficial Race Results
    Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage, Charlotte Motor Speedway
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 5 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    2 6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    3 11 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 41
    4 12 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 41
    5 8 11 Brian Scott Toyota 39
    6 3 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    7 10 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 37
    8 1 33 Paul Menard Chevrolet 0
    9 2 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 36
    10 9 32 Brian Vickers Chevrolet 0
    11 17 30 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 33
    12 7 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 32
    13 19 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 31
    14 13 7 Josh Wise Chevrolet 30
    15 14 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 29
    16 20 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 28
    17 22 62 Michael Annett Toyota 27
    18 27 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 26
    19 4 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    20 23 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 24
    21 32 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 24
    22 36 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 22
    23 31 150 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 0
    24 41 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 20
    25 39 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 19
    26 33 39 Joey Gase Ford 18
    27 37 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 17
    28 18 38 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 0
    29 24 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 15
    30 35 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet 14
    31 34 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 13
    32 15 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 12
    33 38 40 Charles Lewandoski * Chevrolet 11
    34 16 99 Ryan Truex * Toyota 0
    35 42 70 Angela Cope Chevrolet 9
    36 40 87 Kevin Conway Toyota 8
    37 28 97 Joe Nemechek Toyota 7
    38 25 104 Tim Andrews Ford 6
    39 26 103 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 5
    40 30 141 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 4
    41 21 147 Scott Speed Chevrolet 3
    42 29 142 Erik Darnell Chevrolet 0
    43 43 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 1
  • Edwards Wins Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage

    Edwards Wins Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage

    courtesy of www.onpitroad.com

    Carl Edwards has won the 30th Annual Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage here at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was a rocky road to the backflip tonight, but in the end it was a restart from hell from Kyle Busch that allowed Edwards the win.
    Bypassing the first 180 laps of tonight’s 200 lap event, it all boiled down to 3 drivers when the checkered flag flew over the hood of the No. 60 Fastenal Ford.
    Paul Menard won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier today in NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying, but led only the first 26laps of tonight’s event when points leader, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. threw his hat in the mix as possible contenders for the win.
    A late race caution was not the issue for then-leader Brad Keselowski, it was slowing down off of Turn number four here at Charlotte Motor Speedway that took Keselowski out of contention for the win tonight. The spin under caution put Kyle Busch to the lead with around 20 laps left, but the incident would not mark the end of the fireworks in the last 30 miles of tonight’s race.
    Fast-forwarding again to the final restart, with just 4 laps left, Kyle Busch chose the outside line as his preferred line of restart. The restart dragged all the way within 30 feet of the pink Start/Finish Line before the throttles were hammered. Busch squandered heading into turn number one, and the fight was on for the win with Stenhouse Jr., Edwards, and Rowdy Busch all in the hunt for the point.
    It was Edwards that flexed his muscles by the time the field may their way back to my vantage point off the end of Pit Road here at Charlotte, and it was a 6 car-length lead that Edwards would take with 3 miles left to run. Kyle Busch made his best efforts to reel in the battered No. 60 Fastenal Ford Ford Mustang (the car was seriously trashed, Jack Roush said he would actually kiss the car later tonight for staying together) but would only manage to sneak a peek under Edwards in the final turn.
    Kyle Busch blamed the Toyota horsepower for the squandered attempt to take the win, but it was the Fastenal parts of Carl Edward’s No. 60 Ford Fusion that held up after he put a “Charlotte Stripe” on his torn racecar.
    Edward’s victory is his 37th in 241 NASCAR Nationwide Series Starts, and his 8th this season. Trevor Bayne finished third as the highest finishing Nationwide Series points contender.
    In the points, Elliott Sadler trimmed Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s lead to just 15 as the Nationwide Series takes a two week break from on-track action.
  • Keselowski Rules the Kansas Lottery 300

    Keselowski Rules the Kansas Lottery 300

    It was a near perfect day for Brad Keselowski, a front row starting spot, a car with an excellent feel from the beginning. When the green flag dropped it became evident that it was a perfect car too.

    [media-credit id=2 align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]As a matter of fact if it hadn’t been for a miscue that caused him to stall the car on pit road and come out of the pits in 14th position; it would have been a perfect day. But  the miscue didn’t slow him down for long, as he made an incredible run from 14th to 1st in 6 laps. He came out of the pits for the last time in 4th spot.

    If Carl Edwards thought on lap 180 on the restart in front of Keselowski that he had the advantage, he didn’t think it for long because before lap 190, Keselowski’s Discount Tower Dodge would again be leading the way.

    When the checker flag waved, Keselowski would claim his first Nationwide Series (NNS) win at Kansas Speedway.

    Keselowski had the dominant car and lead four times for 173 of the 200 laps run. It was his fourth win and 17th top-10 finish in the season.

    Keselowski who compares his commitment to the NNS to helping family keep jobs and be successful, showed why it is he is the current reigning champion of the series and why he as won the last 2 races at Kansas. “Once you win at a track and figure out what you need it makes it easier to go back with a better car everytime. But this was a perfect car. And I was doing everything I could to not screw it up. ” said Keselowski. “It’s just an unbelievable car and unbelievable day and to Nationwide and all the fans, thank you so much. It’s a privilege to get to do this.”

    Edwards, also knew that Keselowski had the perfect car. “I just think he didn’t realize how fast his car was and I think he was maybe trying to just try every little trick he could to make sure he won. It is my opinion he didn’t have to do that.” stated Edwards who posted his fourth top 10 finish in seven races at Kansas, and his 23rd top 10 finish in 2011.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr finished 5th and maintained the series points lead. “It was and up and down day. We didn’t start out very good, not like we wanted to or normally do. We were on the loose side, on the tight side and couldn’t hit it in the middle like we needed to. To battle back from three pit road issues that we had, I stalled it once, got a penalty for speeding and had a slow stop. To still come back and run top five is not too bad. ” stated Stenhouse Jr. after the race.

    All in all the race had it’s moments. There was the side by side race between Edwards and Keselowski that could easily have ended in disaster. Instead the talent of both drivers brought them through to the end. There was the dust up between Aric Almirola and Brian Scott that ended with Scott confronting Almirola on pit road after the race. But for the most part the race was a snoozer.

    From the drop of green flag it was obvious that the Penske Dodge was the dominate car. At one point Keselowski had a four second lead over second place Edwards. Though there was some hard core racing going on in the back of the pack for the most part it was a race of conservation. Conservation of car. Conservation of points. And maybe even conservation of sanity.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    Kansas Lottery 300, Kansas Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=30
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 2 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    2 1 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    3 12 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 41
    4 4 33 Paul Menard Chevrolet 0
    5 9 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 39
    6 19 4 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 0
    7 8 18 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    8 14 32 Brian Vickers Chevrolet 0
    9 17 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 35
    10 3 20 Ryan Truex * Toyota 34
    11 21 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 33
    12 7 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 33
    13 10 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 32
    14 6 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 0
    15 15 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 29
    16 25 62 Michael Annett Toyota 28
    17 5 11 Brian Scott Toyota 27
    18 28 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 0
    19 11 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 25
    20 16 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 24
    21 13 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 23
    22 23 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 22
    23 27 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 22
    24 32 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 20
    25 18 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 19
    26 24 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 18
    27 33 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 17
    28 37 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 16
    29 41 39 Joey Gase Ford 0
    30 39 28 Derrike Cope Dodge 14
    31 36 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 13
    32 42 23 Angela Cope Chevrolet 0
    33 40 40 Josh Wise Chevrolet 11
    34 31 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 10
    35 35 171 Matthew Carter Ford 9
    36 22 103 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 8
    37 38 175 Carl Long Ford 7
    38 34 141 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 6
    39 26 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 5
    40 30 147 Charles Lewandoski * Chevrolet 4
    41 20 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 3
    42 29 150 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 0
    43 43 127 J.J. Yeley Ford 0
  • Edwards grabs the NNS Kansas Lottery 300 pole

    Edwards grabs the NNS Kansas Lottery 300 pole

    Carl Edwards took the pole position for Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Kansas Lottery 300. This was Edwards’ 27th pole award in 240 starts in the series. He is third on the all-time pole list and just one away from second, held by the legendary Tommy Ellis.

    This is Edwards 6th pole and 27th top-10 start in 2011. Previous to today his best start had been 3rd at Kansas.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]Pulling the outside front row was the 22 of Brad Keselowski. This will be Brad’s 19th top ten start of 2011 and his second in six races at Kansas. Keselowski’s lap was 31.527 (171.262 mph).

    Starting third is Ryan Truex in the Joe Gibbs #20. This is Ryan’s first top 10 start at Kansas and his sixth in his 15 races this season. Truex’s lap was a quick 31.566 trip around the mile and half track.

    The NNS field is separated by 1.254 (6.57 mph).

    Dennis Setzer, Tim Andrews, Danny O’Quinn, Jennifer Jo Cobb, and Mark Green failed to make the field.

     

    Starting Lineup
    Kansas Lottery 300, Kansas Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/qual.php?race=30
    ===========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    ===========================================
    1 60 Carl Edwards Ford 171.521 31.483
    2 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 171.282 31.527
    3 20 Ryan Truex* Toyota 171.07 31.566
    4 33 Paul Menard Chevrolet 170.697 31.635
    5 11 Brian Scott Toyota 170.342 31.701
    6 70 David Stremme Chevrolet 170.175 31.732
    7 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 170.132 31.74
    8 18 Joey Logano Toyota 169.593 31.841
    9 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 169.396 31.878
    10 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 169.231 31.909
    11 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 169.141 31.926
    12 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 169.019 31.949
    13 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 168.45 32.057
    14 32 Brian Vickers Chevrolet 168.361 32.074
    15 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 168.34 32.078
    16 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 168.104 32.123
    17 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 167.89 32.164
    18 81 Blake Koch* Dodge 167.884 32.165
    19 4 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 167.874 32.167
    20 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 167.79 32.183
    21 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 167.619 32.216
    22 103 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 167.048 32.326
    23 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 167.022 32.331
    24 182 Reed Sorenson Dodge 166.945 32.346
    25 62 Michael Annett Toyota 166.697 32.394
    26 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 166.589 32.415
    27 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 166.559 32.421
    28 30 James Buescher Chevrolet 166.246 32.482
    29 150 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 166.072 32.516
    30 147 Charles Lewandoski* Chevrolet 165.975 32.535
    31 15 Timmy Hill* Ford 165.904 32.549
    32 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 165.883 32.553
    33 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 165.827 32.564
    34 141 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 165.558 32.617
    35 171 Matthew Carter Ford 165.492 32.63
    36 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 165.365 32.655
    37 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 165.36 32.656
    38 175 Carl Long Ford 165.355 32.657
    39 28 Derrike Cope Dodge 165.239 32.68
    40 40 Josh Wise Chevrolet 164.634 32.8
    41 39 Joey Gase+ Ford 164.288 32.869
    42 23 Angela Cope+ Chevrolet 162.323 33.267
    43 127 J.J. Yeley Ford 164.951 32.737