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Tag: Carl Edwards

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished seventh at Pocono, just days after signing a multi-year contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing, leading two laps on the way to his 13th top-10 result of the year. He remains atop the Sprint Cup point standings, and leads Jimmie Johnson by 11.

    “Jack Roush went ‘all in,’” Edwards said. “Now, he’s ‘all out,’ and I’m a very rich and happy man. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I put my name on the dotted line. That’s called a ‘dollar sign.’”

    [media-credit id=43 align=”alignright” width=”226″][/media-credit]But how about that finish in Saturday’s Nationwide Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway, in which I crashed into and pushed Ricky Stenhouse’s car across the finish line. What a great time for Nationwide insurance to push their ‘accident forgiveness’ promotion.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson posted his seventh top-5 finish of the year, taking fourth in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono. Johnson and Kurt Busch scrapped for third place during the final laps, and after the race, the two exchanged words and had to be separated by their crews. Johnson is second in the point standings, 11 behind Carl Edwards.

    “Kurt Busch is a lot like a cosmetic surgeon’s scalpel,” Johnson said. “He really knows how to get under your skin. Lucky for him, I have compassion for a driver whose personal life is obviously in turmoil. Kurt is just a few weeks removed from marital breakup; I didn’t want him to get ‘dumped’ again, so I held back.”

    It’s true that Kurt and I had to be separated by our crews. And it’s also true that Kurt and I are separated by four Sprint Cup championships.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch chased Brad Keselowski down the stretch at Pocono, but was unable to catch the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, falling short of his fourth win of the year and instead settling for the runner-up spot. Busch improved one spot in the point standings and is now 16 out of first.

    “In a footrace,” Busch said, “the result would have surely been different. But let’s give Keselowski credit for dealing with the pain, and by ‘pain’ I don’t mean his teammate, and my brother, Kurt Busch. Brad puts the ‘Ow!’ in Keselowski.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch outdueled Jimmie Johnson for third at Pocono, banging doors down the stretch in a battle that continued after the race. Busch and Johnson argued vehemently after the race and had to be pulled apart by their respective crews. Busch improved two spots in the point standings to fourth and is now 14 out of first.

    “They say the No. 48 crew is one of NASCAR’s best,” Busch said. “I agree. Not only did they keep Johnson out of trouble, they also did the same for me, because without their intervention, I likely would have been punched.”

    But I refuse to back down from Johnson. And I’ll tell him that. I’ll speak my mind, and say to him the same thing I would say to my most bitter rival, or my car owner, or the former Penske technical director. I have a dirty mind, and I’m not afraid to speak it.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished a mediocre 14th at Pocono, his fourth-consecutive finish outside the top-10. Since winning atCharlotte in late May, Harvick’s best finish is a fifth, and while he’s still considered a championship contender, he needs to rekindle his winning ways before the Chase starts.

    “I’ve got three wins on the year,” Harvick said, “and not much else lately. It’s known around here as the Harvick ‘win or else’ strategy.”

    But if I need a good kick in the behind, recent history tells us that Richard  Childress is probably good for it.”

    6. Jeff Gordon: Gordon overcame a poor qualifying effort, starting 31st, on the way to a solid finish of sixth at Pocono, his tenth top-10 result of the year. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and is 52 out of first.

    “Did you see the size of Brad Keselowski’s broken left ankle?” Gordon said. “With that being said, let me congratulate him on such a ‘swell’ victory.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth faced handling issues and faltering brakes at Pocono, yet recovered late in the race to finish 16th. Kenseth fell one spot in the point standings to sixth, and is now 26 behind Carl Edwards.

    “What’s the significance of Jack Roush’s lucrative offer to Carl Edwards here at Roush Fenway?” Kenseth asked. “Well, it means there’s at least one person who wants Carl around.”

    8. Tony Stewart: Stewart finished 11th in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500, following Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Ryan Newman, who finished fifth, across the line at Pocono. Stewart overcame a flat tire early in the race, falling a lap down, before rallying to nearly crack the top 10.

    “Let’s hear it for Brad Keselowski,” Stewart said. “The guts it must take to not only drive, but win, with a broken foot. It appears nothing can stop young Keselowski, except a wall at Road Atlanta.”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished fifth at Pocono, scoring his seventh top-5 result of the year. He remained eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 62 out of first and a well-cushioned 40 point edge over Denny Hamlin in 11th.

    “I imagine Brad Keselowski had to be gentle with his broken left ankle,” Newman said. “For that kind of courage, Tony Stewart and I commend him. That’s something I think neither Tony nor I would be able to do, because, as our personalities suggest, we’ve never ‘pussy-footed’ around anything.”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took an unlikely victory, winning at Pocono despite a broken left ankle suffered in a scary crash at Road Atlanta on Monday. Keselowski zoomed past Kyle Busch on a lap 185 restart and held off Busch over the final 15 laps. It was Keselowski’s second victory of the year, and placed him in prime position to claim a Chase For The Cup wildcard spot.

    “I guess it’s now a good thing to be called a ‘wildcard,’” Keselowski said. “Sure, my win at Pocono was a surprising one. Surprising not because a driver won with a broken foot. Surprising because a driver was taking legal pain killers.”

  • The Story At Pocono…No Guts No Glory!

    The Story At Pocono…No Guts No Glory!

    Pocono, home of mountains, endangered ducks, heart shaped bath tubs, and the location of the latest victory for a very very gutsy young man named Brad Keselowski.

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”273″][/media-credit]The Good Sam RV Insurance 500 was delayed by rain for 90 minutes. For 90 minutes, Joey Logano and his crew chief Zippy did the rain dance. They would have probably sacrificed small cut out crew chief effigies had they been able to get them for it to continue raining. But it didn’t. And when the green flag fell again it was Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch showing the way.

    A late race caution as a result of contact between Juan Pablo Montoya and Kasey Kahne would set up the final plays of the race. It would be the Blue Deuce up against the M&M’s Toyota of Kyle Busch and the No. 48 of 5 time and reigning Champ Jimmie Johnson. Johnson dove to the bottom of the track making it three wide and challenging for the lead into one. But the Blue Deuce would hold him off and Kyle Busch would hold his ground, leaving the 48 to slip back to 3rd and ultimately 4th. Once the nose of the Miller Lite Dodge Charger cleared into clean air it was smooth sailing. Well as smooth as it can be with a driver with a broken left ankle and multiple bruises lacerations and incredible back pain.

    Brad Keselowski proved he was everything and more that his mentor, Dale Earnhardt Jr., thought he was back in 2007 when he signed him to drive his Nationwide Series Car full time. Keselowski never looked back then and he never looked back today. For that matter even with the painful reminder of the broken ankle that had to be drained of fluid and blood during the red flag, he never looked back to Road Atlanta where he broke the ankle hitting a non safer barrier on Wednesday.

    In victory lane, Keselowski showed he had more than just a lot of guts, he also had humility. “I am no hero. Heroes are those guys that died in Afghanistan yesterday. I just drive race cars. This win is for them.”

    3 Time Champion Darrell Waltrip, tweeted about the young driver, “If you think you can, you will, if you think you can’t, you won’t! Great drivers rise above adversity, matter a fact, they thrive on it!”

    Keselowski earned that victory. Flat out. He and his team worked for it. He claimed it, and he then he dedicated to people he felt were more deserving of hero status than he was.

    But in the celebration something was over looked. Something that perhaps NASCAR was glad was over looked, the failure of the series to protect the drivers in accordance with its Driver Safety First initiative.

    The driver safety first policy has brought us a lot of incredible things that have made the sport safer for the drivers, S.A.F.E.R. barriers for one. As a matter of fact those barriers are so important that Steve O’Donnell of NASCAR told me, “We don’t race on tracks without S.A.F.E.R. barriers.”

    They may not race on tracks without them but teams are forced to test on tracks that don’t have them. Teams are forced to go to these tracks and test because of the no testing rule put in place in 2008 by NASCAR.

    NASCAR said at the time that it was a cost containment measure that was requested by the team owners. Yet the teams continue to test at tracksthat are outside of the watchful eye of NASCAR.

    A lack of testing has lead to a decrease in competition according to Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace. Both of whom are past champions and team owners in the sport.

    With the current situation of empty seats and follow the leader racing one has to ask what is being gained here. There is no cost containment when the teams test anyway. There is no cost containment when they spend millions of dollars on computer programs and engineers to create ways of getting around the testing ban.

    It’s not bad enough that the drivers have an increased chance of getting hurt for the sake of being competitive on the race track. Once they do get injured they put others at risk by driving injured. In the protective boot, Keselowski could not work the brakes and clutch the way he needed to because he couldn’t feel the pedal. It was illustrated when he slid through his pit box on the first pit stop of the day.

    Other situations of drivers hurt but that raced anyway include, Denny Hamlin following Knee surgery during an off week, Kyle Petty with a femur fracture, Mark Martin with an injured leg, Ken Schrader in a flap jacket that impaired movement, and the biggest Dale Earnhardt with a broken vertebra in his neck. These are not the only examples but they are some of the most vivid.

    It’s time for NASCAR to look at the big picture. If you are going to put driver’s safety first that means it’s always first. That means that you can’t look the other direction when teams go to test for Watkins Glen at Road Atlanta and a young rising star hits a concrete steel reinforced wall without a S.A.F.E.R. barrier and then is dependant on two other drivers to assist him from the car because they reached him before the safety team did.

    You can not claim safety first when you allow an injured and obviously impaired driver to compete. You can not claim safety first when teams must test to be competitive and yet you prevent them from testing where the testing would be done at the most up to date tracks with modern safety features. You can not claim safety first when they can not test where the testing would be the most beneficial to all at the track they are going to race at.

    If teams were allowed to test at the track they were going to race at, it would improve the competition on that track. If the competition improved at places like California, Pocono and Sonoma for example, perhaps their ticket sales and TV ratings would go up. It’s a win/win situation.

    If the teams were allowed to test at the track they were going to race on the information from the car’s black box would not be lost for other teams also competing on that same track when there is a serious accident. But because Keselowski’s wreck was not a NASCAR sanctioned track that information is available to the team involved and it’s drivers and engineers only.

    So why is it, NASCAR continues to hold to a policy that is in itself a giant loop hole? Why do they continue to hold to a policy that is at best ineffective at accomplishing the task it was meant to accomplish?

    This is the second safety issue within the last two weeks within NASCAR’s upper echelon of competition. In both cases the drivers were lucky to escape with their lives. It’s time for NASCAR to become proactive and not reactive. It is the policy of wait and see and if it happens to be retired. It is time for NASCAR to live up to the promises and policies they already have in place and to change the outdated ones that don’t work. If for no other reason than the world has lost enough heroes and champions, we don’t need to lose anymore.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Congratulations to Ricky Stenhouse Jr on his Nationwide Victory in Iowa. The quote of the week came from the NNS broadcast when Ken Schrader commented on Stenhouse Jr being upset with team mate Carl Edwards, “We used to get turned over and on fire before we got mad, now it takes a tire donut”.  Which leads us to the reminder that racing is still a full contact sport.

    Congratulations to Kevin Harvick on his Camping World Truck Series Victory in Pocono.

    Congratulations to Brad Keselowski on his victory in the Sprint Cup Series Race at Pocono. It was an inspiring and gutsy show of why fans look at their favorite driver as a hero. It is also the perfect illustration of drivers as athletes.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • Is Edwards’ Team Ready to Be Champions This Year?

    Is Edwards’ Team Ready to Be Champions This Year?

    Carl Edwards did the loyal thing and stayed with the team that took a chance on him when no one else would. His “multi-year” contract with Roush-Fenway Racing was somewhat of a surprise as most media outlets had him going to a fourth team at Joe Gibbs Racing. Whether that was true or not, no one knows and Edwards isn’t talking. One has to wonder, though, how long the contract is and how much money he is making. Also left to ponder is how it will affect his performance on the track. Many thought it would take a burden off his shoulders and start a march toward the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. It didn’t work out that way during today’s race.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”242″][/media-credit]Edwards started fourth and was found mostly hovering around the top 10 all day, but he was outclassed by guys like the Busch Brothers, Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and the winner, arch-rival Brad Keselowski. What’s up with that? At the finish, Edwards finished in the lower half of the top 10 and finds himself only nine points in front of Jimmie Johnson—not exactly a secure position considering both have one win this year. So what happened on Sunday?

    Edwards said his car got loose, but one has to wonder why adjustments were not made to rectify that situation. Remember, Johnson and Knaus are known for those in-race adjustments. That is the reason why I think Johnson is still the man to beat in this championship competition. Today, while Johnson found himself back in the pack all day, just like Edwards, the right moves were made to make him a factor at the end. Edwards seemed to lose positions, gain them back, and stay in the same place. That’s not going to cut it in that horrible aberration that NASCAR calls The Chase. No one doubts Edwards’ ability or desire, but what is in question is if his team is ready to be the champions they are capable of being. After a trip to the road course at Watkins Glen, which could be disastrous for Edwards point-wise, he heads to the friendly confines of Michigan where he shines. The trouble is that Johnson does pretty well on road courses and at Michigan. It should be an interesting sequence. And maybe this is the warm-up for next year’s run. We’ll soon find out.

    ****
    NASCAR sure has a knack for the Cinderella story. Brad Keselowski, seriously injured in a practice accident at Road Atlanta, comes back to win with a broken ankle and a bad back at Pocono, which may be the sanctioning body’s longest race. This ranks right up there with Denny Hamlin’s comeback after surgery, Dale Earnhardt’s win after the death of his father, and Ricky Rudd’s win at Martinsville a few years ago when he had to be carried from his car on a hot October day. It was simply amazing. No doubt the rain delay helped him go the distance, but what will he do on the road course at the Glen?

    Lots of questions will be answered soon. Keselowski put himself in the driver’s seat to make the Chase with the win, his second of the season, but what will the injury mean to his performance in upcoming races? That’s why Watkins Glen is all important to not only to Edwards and Johnson, but Brad Keselowski too. Maybe that’s a reason to tune in next week. Not being a fan of the road courses, where ringers come in and try to spoil the show for the regulars, it may be the only reason for this writer.

  • Joey Logano Makes A Statement By Scoring Pocono Pole

    Joey Logano Makes A Statement By Scoring Pocono Pole

    After weeks of speculation about his future with Joe Gibbs Racing, particularly in light of the Carl Edwards’ contract negotiations, Joey Logano made a statement about his place in this weekend’s race festivities.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”207″][/media-credit]The driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet scored the coveted pole position at Pocono Raceway, with a time of 52.309 seconds and a speed of 172.055 mph.

    This was Logano’s third pole in 96 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and his second pole and 10th top-10 start in 2011. This was his first pole at Pocono and he also took the honors of becoming the youngest pole winner ever at Pocono at the age of 21 years, two months and 13 days.

    “It’s a really big deal,” Logano said of his pole run. “We’ve been doing a good job and building momentum. Confidence in the team is up, especially in me.”

    Logano acknowledged hearing the rumors about Carl Edwards potentially taking his place at Joe Gibbs Racing. In spite of that, he refused to give in, focusing instead on getting all he could out of the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “As far as I knew, they were just rumors,” Logano said of Edwards assuming his ride. “I focused in 100% and tried to make myself the best race car driver I can and it’s been paying off.”

    “It’s in the back of your mind. When you’re watching TV, how do you not think about it,” Logano continued. “But if your owners are behind you, what do you have to worry about really?”

    “I’ve learned a lot through the downs we had this season,” Logano said. “I have become a leader.”

    Starting on the outside pole for the 38th Annual Good Sam RV Insurance 500 is Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 4 Red Bull Toyota. With a lap of 52.433 seconds at a speed of 171.648 seconds, this was Kahne’s 12th top-10 start in 2011 and his 10th in 16 races at Pocono Raceway.

    “It’s definitely good to start up front,” Kahne said. “I felt really good.”

    “Our lap was good but Joey’s was just better.”

    Kahne acknowledged that although he was pleased with the outside pole, there were many more challenges yet to come throughout the lengthy Pocono race.

    “So many things will happen throughout the race and it will be like that here,” Kahne said. “We have to stay on top of it and make good decisions so maybe we will be there at the end.”

    Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, scored the third spot on the starting grid.  At one of the tracks that he considers ‘home’, Truex, Jr. ran a lap of 52.480 seconds and a speed of 171.494.

    “It’s been a while since I’ve qualified up front,” Truex Jr. said. “We had an interesting day yesterday and everyone knows how tricky Pocono is.”

    “We struggled but worked on the car and got it the way we wanted it,” Truex continued. “We went into qualifying with an entirely different package.”

    “It wasn’t a perfect lap but it’s nice to start up front at Pocono.”

    Carl Edwards, driving the No. 99 bug-on-the-side Ortho Home Defense Max Ford, and Kurt Busch in the yellow No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge, rounded out the top five.

     

    Starting Lineup
    Good Sam RV Insurance 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/qual.php?race=21
    ===========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    ===========================================
    1 20 Joey Logano Toyota 172.055 52.309
    2 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 171.648 52.433
    3 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 171.494 52.48
    4 99 Carl Edwards Ford 171.474 52.486
    5 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 171.468 52.488
    6 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 171.448 52.494
    7 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 171.37 52.518
    8 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 171.367 52.519
    9 16 Greg Biffle Ford 171.171 52.579
    10 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 171.122 52.594
    11 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 171.08 52.607
    12 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 170.788 52.697
    13 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 170.652 52.739
    14 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 170.619 52.749
    15 6 David Ragan Ford 170.619 52.749
    16 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 170.59 52.758
    17 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 170.558 52.768
    18 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 170.538 52.774
    19 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 170.506 52.784
    20 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 170.438 52.805
    21 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 170.309 52.845
    22 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 170.28 52.854
    23 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 170.161 52.891
    24 34 David Gilliland Ford 170.068 52.92
    25 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 170.042 52.928
    26 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 169.991 52.944
    27 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 169.875 52.98
    28 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 169.734 53.024
    29 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 169.629 53.057
    30 66 Todd Bodine Toyota 169.393 53.131
    31 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 169.358 53.142
    32 13 Casey Mears Toyota 169.339 53.148
    33 0 David Reutimann Toyota 169.335 53.149
    34 55 J.J. Yeley Ford 168.909 53.283
    35 46 Erik Darnell Ford 168.631 53.371
    36 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 168.508 53.41
    37 30 David Stremme Chevrolet 167.892 53.606
    38 7 Robby Gordon Dodge 167.795 53.637
    39 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 167.604 53.698
    40 37 Scott Speed Ford 167.42 53.757
    41 32 Jason White+ Ford 167.165 53.839
    42 71 Andy Lally+* Ford 166.867 53.935
    43 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 167.268 53.806
  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards took a run through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway grass, damaging the front splitter of the No. 99 car and setting him back in the field with 33 laps to go. Forced to resume in fuel conservation mode, Edwards went the rest of the way without pitting and finished 14th. He remained atop the point standings, and leads Jimmie Johnson by 11.

    [media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”239″][/media-credit]“How is a spin through the infield grass like my free agent negotiations?” Edwards asked. “In both cases, there’s a lot of ‘green’ up ahead. I’ve had more money thrown at me than the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. merchandise trailer.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson raced in the top 5 at Indianapolis for most of Sunday’s Brickyard 400, but like many other drivers, fell victim to cautions that sabotaged pit strategies. After pitting for fuel and four tires late, he crossed the line 19th as Paul Menard posted his first Sprint Cup win.

    “I can certainly relate to the advantages of having the financial backing of a large home improvement chain,” Johnson said. “Paul Menard’s win at Indianapolis was a huge surprise. There are those that say Menard’s win had everything to do with the advantages of having financial backing from his billionaire father, John Menard. I say give Paul some credit, not only for his driving, but also for serving as the impetus to the Menard’s chain of stores’ brand new slogan: “Menard’s: Where You Can Buy Anything.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch survived two incidents, one with Tony Stewart on pit row, the other with the wall, and bounced back to finish 10th at Indianapolis, scoring his 12th top-10 result of the year. Busch is now fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 16 out of first.

    “One thing’s for sure,” Busch said, “the wall at Indy smacks harder than Richard Childress.

    “I can’t help but ponder the possibilities of having Carl Edwards as a teammate here at Joe Gibbs Racing. I could teach Carl a thing or two, and when that goes sour, he could teach me a lesson.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: After struggling with a tight-handling car for much of the race, Harvick and the No. 29 team gambled on pit strategy, coming in for a splash of fuel under green on lap 129, which allowed them to reach the finish without another stop. He finished 11th as Richard Childress teammate Paul Menard took the Brickyard 400 victory.

    “Congratulations to Paul Menard,” Harvick said. “It’s refreshing to hear a driver thank his sponsor and really mean it.”

    5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took the runner-up spot at Indianapolis, finishing second to surprise winner Paul Menard, denying Gordon his fifth Brickyard 400 win. Gordon is seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, 52 behind Carl Edwards.

    “Despite the money trail,” Gordon said, “I still couldn’t catch Menard. “I knew with a few laps to go I wouldn’t be able to catch him. As Brickyard 400’s, as well as Sprint Cup championships, go, I knew I was running out of time to win my fifth.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led the Roush Fenway Racing charge at Indianapolis, finishing fifth at the Brickyard to post his seventh top-5 result of the year. He improved one spot in the point standings to fifth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 16.

    “I may lack style,” Kenseth said, “or a wealthy benefactor, but I don’t lack substance. I haven’t finished out of the top 20 since early May. I’ve got no problem being called ‘Mr. Consistency.’ Heck, I’m just glad that anyone calls me ‘Mister.’”

    7. Tony Stewart: Stewart was up front and in charge with 15 laps to go, but had to pit, knowing the No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet couldn’t make it on fuel. He settled for 6th and moved up two places in the point standings to ninth, 73 out of first.

    “Normally,” Stewart said, “I’m not one to play it conservative, unless it involves an attractive female politician with delusional views on American history and family values. Sadly, the state of American politics requires that the speaker of that statement to ‘be more specific.’

    But there’s no room for politics in NASCAR, although I do love a good party. If I use the term ‘bi-partisan,’ it’s usually to describe punching Kurt Busch with my right and left hands.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge suffered damage when he dove through the infield grass to avoid Landon Cassill’s spinning No. 51 car. The damage bent the splitter upwards into the grill, hindering airflow and causing an overheating problem. Repairs left Busch with serious handling issues, and he eventually finished 20th after a late stop for fuel. He tumbled three spots in the points to sixth and is now 18 out of first.

    “I was not happy with my car,” Busch said. “And as you know, when I’m not happy with my car, I often say a ‘blessing,’ which is often replete with vulgarity. But nothing I’ve ever said is as vulgar as a pre-race blessing containing the words ‘boogity, boogity, boogity’ and ‘smoking hot wife,’ among others. I’m appalled, that I haven’t been attending church all these years.”

    9. Ryan Newman: Knowing a win was unlikely given his circumstances at the Brickyard 400, Newman pitted with 29 laps to go for three seconds of fuel and rallied to post a 12th-place finish. It was another strong showing for Stewart Haas Racing after he and teammate Tony Stewart finished 1-2 at Loudon on July 17th. Newman is now eighth in the point standings, 64 out of first.

    “This is one case,” Newman said, “in which ‘Rocket’ fuel slows you down.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: After an engine change during Friday’s practice, Hamlin started from the rear of the field on Sunday. He worked his way through the field, but like many others, fuel mileage spoiled any chances for the win. After a late stop for fuel, Hamlin crossed the finish line 27th, and now sits 11th in the point standings, 95 out of first.

    “I’m in a very precarious points position,” Hamlin said. “Luckily, the new Chase wildcard spots work in my favor. However, since winning at Michigan on June 19th, I’ve finished 37th, 13th, 11th, 3rd, and 27th. That’s taking the term ‘a win to fall back on’ a bit too literally.”

  • Brad Keselowski Captures Unexpected Win at Lucas Oil Raceway

    Brad Keselowski Captures Unexpected Win at Lucas Oil Raceway

    [media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”245″][/media-credit]After starting on the pole and leading 189 laps of the Kroger 200 Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway Saturday night, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could almost taste the win. But with Brad Keselowski in the picture nothing is certain.

    After a green-white-checkered restart, Keselowski wasted no time in overtaking leader Stenhouse Jr. and blasted across the finish line for his second win this season in the Nationwide Series.

    “It’s a very special win being from Michigan,” Keselowski said. “I’ve been coming to this race track for years. I’ve been to victory lane as a team guy and a mechanic but never a driver. It’s so special to win here and win here in a Dodge.”

    The majority of the race was tame with Roush Fenway Racing teammates, Stehnouse Jr. Carl Edwards and Trevor Bayne leading the pack.  Elliot Sadler who started the race in last position and rookie Austin Dillon were also looking strong as the race began winding down.

    The action became more heated towards the end of the race. Things began to go badly for Carl Edwards after a caution on lap 175 for a wreck involving Steve Wallace, Michael Annett and Tim Andrews. Edwards was penalized for exiting too fast off of pit road. He slowly worked his way back towards the front but the penalty cost him a shot at the win.

    Dillon did not pit and restarted the race in first position, followed by Stenhouse Jr., Bayne, Sadler and McDowell. But Dillon didn’t keep the lead long and was quickly passed by Stehnouse Jr. and Bayne advanced to second place.

    But with only twelve laps to go, Bayne suffered a blown engine, bringing out another caution.

    More chaos ensued when Justin Allgaier, who had made his way into the second position, had a brake fire which forced him off the track.

    Because the drivers had already lined up for the restart, the NASCAR rule which states that drivers must stay in their lanes, went into effect.

    This moved Brad Keselowski, who had been behind Allagaier in fourth, up to the second position.

    Keselowski, who had been mid-pack for much of the race, was now in a position to make something happen.

    On the restart, Keselowski quickly made his move, forcing Stenhouse Jr. high and taking the lead.

    The race was under green for only two laps when Elliot Sadler spun out, collecting his teammate Austin Dillon, and ending their hopes for a top five finish.

    Finally, on lap 202, the race was underway again but Keselowski held onto the lead to capture the victory.

    After the race, Stenhouse Jr. was obviously disappointed saying, “It’s frustrating. I’ve been working on my restarts all year, but it got us tonight. Our car was pretty fast, but you couldn’t say it was dominant since we didn’t win the race.”

    However, Keselowski gave Stenhouse Jr. credit for having the car to beat.

    “I had a great short-run car that could give Ricky a run for his money.  If the race was two or three laps longer, I’m sure Ricky would have drove around us.”

    James Buescher finished in second place with Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola and Carl Edwards rounding out the top five.

    Stenhouse Jr. leads the points standings in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, followed by Reed Sorenson, Elliot Sadler, Justin Allgaier and Aric Almirola.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: New Hampshire Lenox Industrial Tools 301

    After a week of debate on whether or not NASCAR drivers were athletes, thanks to Golden Tate at the EPSYs, as well as which driver was in desperation mode to make the Chase, 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup cars took to the Magic Mile in Loudon, New Hampshire.

    Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the Lenox Industrial Tools 301.

    [media-credit id=43 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Surprising:  Prior to the race, most of the drivers were praising the new tire that Goodyear had brought to the track. Yet, by the end of the race, several drivers had experienced surprisingly significant tire issues. One of those most affected was the point leader coming into the race, Kyle Busch.

    Busch, behind the wheel of the unusually white No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, blew a tire and slammed into the wall at turn 3. Even worse than his 36th place finish was his fall from the top of the Chase standings leader board, from first to fifth.

    “We blew a tire,” Busch said. “There was too much brake heat.”

    “I had a pretty fast car and we were getting there,” Busch continued. “But the tire wouldn’t take it.”

    Not Surprising:  With one driver dominating the race weekend, from winning his third straight Whelen Modified Series race to the Coors Light pole, it was not surprising to find Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 US Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, in Victory Lane.

    And following right behind him, sporting a big smile, was his team owner and teammate Tony Stewart, who brought his No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, to the checkered flag in second place.

    This was the first time that Stewart-Haas Racing had finished 1-2. They had also started the race in the same order in which they finished.

    “I’m just really proud of this US Army team and all the people that help out,” Newman said. “It’s a big deal for us.”

    “We had a great weekend at Stewart-Haas Racing and I’m really proud of everybody’s effort.”

    “It was a perfect day for the organization for sure,” Stewart said. “This is big for everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing.”

    Surprising:  In contrast to their Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch’s problems, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano both had surprisingly good days, even with the beating and banging going on at the Magic Mile.

    Hamlin, driving the No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota, and Logano, behind the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot, came in third and fourth respectively.

    “It was a pretty physical race in the sense that guys were really banging into each other,” Hamlin said. “I was banging into guys.”

    “It was one of those days where you just had to do the best you can to keep four fenders on it by the end of the day,” Hamlin continued. “We had three, but it was good enough to get us through and have a good comeback day finishing third.”

    Not Surprising:  Four-time champion Jeff Gordon, driving the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, proved he had the mettle to face adversity and still salvage a decent day at the track. Gordon battled electrical issues for much of the race, describing his warning lights as “lighting up like a Christmas tree” at one point.

    Because Gordon had to turn his brake blowers off due to the electrical issues, he had a tire failure at the end of the race, rolling slowing across the line to finish 11th.

    “Oh my goodness,” Gordon said. “What didn’t happen today? It was a pretty crazy day for us.”

    “We had a lot of obstacles thrown at us, but certainly we had a lot to smile about with how great our car was.”

    Surprising:  With all the radio communications possible between driver, crew chief and team nowadays, it was surprising to see one team writing out instructions to their driver on a piece of cardboard during the race.

    Jamie McMurray, driving the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 1 Chevrolet, could not hear his crew so they resorted to old school style of communication. Even that did not help, however, and McMurray and company finished a tough 31st.

    Not Surprising:  Similar to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson, in the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet, had a bad day but took it and made it better. Johnson and company had a lug nut issue and then spun, but still recovered to finish fifth.

    “We’ve been working and we’ve been patient as a group trying to mature guys and get stuff ready,” the five-time champion said. “But we can’t have these mistakes anymore.”

    “We are way too close to the Chase and we need to be right.”

    Surprising:  While the Red Bull team has had it troubles, especially with the news that the team would be gone after the season, it was surprising to see teammates Kasey Kahne, in the No. 4 Red Bull Toyota, and Brian Vickers, in the No. 38 Red Bull Toyota, wreck into each other.

    Kahne was able to finish the race in sixth but Vickers, who was most affected by the collision, could only recover to place 34th.

    Not Surprising:  It was not surprising to see the driver of the No. 99 Ortho Home Defense Ford, Carl Edwards, play the fuel mileage game to regain the points lead with his 13th place finish.

    “We had fun,” Edwards said. “It is fitting we have Aflac for a sponsor because I feel like I was buying insurance at the end.”

    “I was letting those guys go by one point at a time thinking that if we had a green-white-checkered, we could win this thing,” Edwards continued. “It is hard to back up like that but it worked.”

  • Kyle Busch Marks 100th Victory in All Three Series With 49th Nationwide Win

    Kyle Busch Marks 100th Victory in All Three Series With 49th Nationwide Win

    Kyle Busch not only won the New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but he also tied Mark Martin as the record holder for Nationwide wins at 49. And for good measure, Busch became just the third driver to score 100 NASCAR national series victories.

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]The 26 year old driver from Las Vegas, Nevada has won 22 times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 49 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and 29 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Busch is now third in the ranking of NASCAR National Series wins, behind Richard Petty, with 200, and David Person with 106.

    Busch has won at 25 different tracks, including achieving an historic first three-race weekend sweep at Bristol. He is ranked 28th with Terry Labonte in NASCAR Sprint Cup victories.

    “It certainly feels good and it means a lot,” Busch said. “To come out here and win for Z-Line Designs and get the 49th win in their car, we couldn’t do it without their support.”

    “To tie Mark Martin’s win is pretty awesome as well.”

    Speaking of Mark Martin, he was one of the first to find Busch in Victory Lane and congratulate him.

    “It’s just incredible,” Martin said of Busch tying his record. “Everybody forgets that he’s 26 years old. There’s so many more out there for him.”

    Busch had to do battle with his nemesis and probation partner Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Heating, Cooling and Water Heating Chevrolet, at the end of the race. Harvick finished in the runner up position and attributed his not winning the race to being warned by NASCAR.

    “I was told a few weeks ago that if we touched the 18 car, we’d be parked,” Harvick said. “I just had to be really careful and that’s just the way NASCAR put it to me.”

    “It would have been a lot easier to win if you didn’t have handcuffs put on you.”

    Even though Harvick did not win the race, he, like Busch, achieved his own record when the checkered flag flew. Harvick scored his 199th top-10 finish, which is an all-time record in the Nationwide Series.

    “We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of fun in this Series since it first started,” Harvick said. “I just came up one short.”

    Kasey Kahne, driving the No. 7 GoDaddy.com/Verisign Chevrolet, followed closely behind Harvick, coming in third. This was Kahne’s third top-10 finish in four races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “We were a seventh or eighth place car,” Kahne said. “My car was bouncing pretty bad throughout the race. But we were able to miss some of those wrecks and got up to third.”

    “It ended up being a pretty good result.”

    After spinning on Lap 33, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. recovered to come in fourth. The driver of the No. 6 Fenway Park 100 Years Ford admitted to having a pretty good run after his early error.

    “I made a mistake there early trying to get by the 31,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “He was holding everybody up and I tried to push the issue too hard.”

    “We got in there and got too tight and spun the car around there,” Stenhouse, Jr. continued. “This Red Sox Fenway Park 100 Year’s edition is a cool looking car and I wish we could have gotten it into victory lane.”

    Aric Almirola, behind the wheel of No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet, rounded out the top five.

    “We were a top ten car off the truck so to come out with a top five has been good,” Almirola said. “Everybody at JR Motorsports has been working their guts out.”

    “So, it’s fun to come and have a good weekend and put it all together and show off some of the hard work the guys have been doing back at the shop.”

    There was plenty of action throughout the race, from Carl Edwards blowing an engine and returning to his seat in the broadcast booth to several on-track altercations involving Rusty Wallace’s son and driver Steve Wallace.

    The driver of the No. 60 Fastenal Ford Mustang blamed a broken value or broken valve spring on his falling out of the race.

    “Something just broke,” Edwards said. “You don’t really know until you get it apart but I did shut it off early so we should be able to troubleshoot and look at it to see what was actually broken.”

    Steve Wallace, driver of the No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, also had an eventful race, but in a different way than Edwards. He was at the heart of several racing incidents and eventually spun out and wrecked at the end.

    “I really like Jason Leffler a lot – I get along with him really, really well,” Wallace said of one of his altercations. “He hit me about five or six different times today and he cut up in front of me and spun himself out.”

    “It’s as simple as that,” Wallace continued. “Got in the back of the 20 (Joey Logano) there and just a lot of things happened today – some were my fault and some were not.”

    Joey Logano, one of those who was caught up with Wallace in one of the incidents, had his own take on the on-track tussle.

    “The 66 (Steve Wallace) just drove in there a little too high and got us,” Logano said. “That was the end of our day.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    New England 200, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=19
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 5 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    2 2 33 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 0
    3 12 7 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 0
    4 14 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 41
    5 4 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 39
    6 13 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 39
    7 18 62 Michael Annett Toyota 37
    8 1 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    9 17 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 35
    10 8 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 34
    11 16 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 33
    12 15 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 32
    13 7 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 32
    14 20 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 30
    15 6 32 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 29
    16 19 30 Mikey Kile Chevrolet 28
    17 9 11 Brian Scott Toyota 27
    18 25 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 26
    19 26 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 25
    20 23 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 24
    21 27 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 23
    22 28 40 Charles Lewandoski * Chevrolet 22
    23 24 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 21
    24 36 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 20
    25 39 44 Angela Cope Chevrolet 0
    26 35 39 Matt Frahm Ford 18
    27 22 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 17
    28 21 167 Andrew Ranger Ford 0
    29 3 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    30 11 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 14
    31 31 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 13
    32 34 70 Dennis Setzer Dodge 12
    33 30 23 David Green Chevrolet 11
    34 10 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    35 42 113 Jennifer Jo Cobb * Dodge 9
    36 40 141 Carl Long Ford 8
    37 29 174 Mike Harmon Chevrolet 7
    38 38 175 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 6
    39 33 146 Chase Miller Chevrolet 5
    40 41 104 Danny Efland Ford 4
    41 32 142 Tim Andrews Chevrolet 0
    42 37 147 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet 2

  • Rachel Gilbert, 100 Year Old NASCAR Fan, Fulfills 100th Birthday Destiny at the Magic Mile

    First it was a party, cake and a fast lap around the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Rachel Gilbert drove the pace car.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]Now, for this race weekend, Gilbert has continued to fulfill her 100th birthday destiny by serving as grand marshal for the Whelen Modified Series race.

    Gilbert’s adventure started several months ago when her daughter emailed the race track, asking if any accommodations could be made for her mother’s 100th birthday, particularly as she could not sit in the grandstands comfortably.

    Jerry Gappens, New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s executive vice president and general manager, and his staff were intrigued by the request. Not only did they accommodate this family’s wish, but also helped Gilbert fulfill her NASCAR destiny, naming her the Speedway’s oldest fan.

    For her 100th celebration, Gappens provided a race car birthday cake at the track, an official LENOX Industrial Tools 301 hat, a NHMS jacket and a birthday card. The Speedway even made arrangements for her to take a few fast laps around the track.

    “Rachel is a true pace setter,” Gappens said. “We wanted to take the opportunity and celebrate this special occasion.

    But Gappens had even more in store for Gilbert. She also got an official crew shirt from her favorite driver Carl Edwards, as well as tickets to Sunday’s Cup race.

    “This all started from the email,” Marie Ann Mills, Gilbert’s daughter said. “It started by having her go around the track and then providing her with tickets to Sunday’s race.”

    “And I also got to drive the car,” Gilbert reminded her daughter. This was especially a treat for Gilbert as she gave up her car once she moved into an independent living facility for seniors.

    And celebrate she has. One of the biggest highlights for her has been serving as the Grand Marshal for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race and giving the command to start engines.

    Gilbert admitted she was slightly nervous prior to giving the command. But armed with a note that read “Drivers Start Your Engines” and surrounded by her family, she delivered the most famous words in motorsports beautifully.

    “I was nervous at the very beginning,” Gilbert said. “But it was a dream come true. This was great.”

    “That was unbelievable,” Gilbert’s daughter shared. “We were so proud of her.”

    Gilbert is a true NASCAR fan and has been for many years, starting in the 1960s when she followed her husband and some of their friends to races at Bryar Motorsports Park in Loudon, New Hampshire. She has also attended the Daytona 500, where she saw legends like Richard Petty and Bobby Allison race.

    Since that time, Gilbert has been hooked, never missing a race on television according to her family. In fact, residents of the facility where she lives have affectionately nicknamed her “Speedy” because of her affection for the sport.

    “I’ve been a fan for so long,” Gilbert said. “I have friends that we would go to the races with and we kept it up every year.”

    Gilbert’s favorite driver during that period of her life was Dale Earnhardt, Sr. She still struggles when she talks about him and cannot believe he has been gone that long.

    Not only has Gilbert been a race fan forever, but she also has a few other secrets to her achieving her centennial birthday. What are her keys to her longevity?

    “Good exercise,” Gilbert said simply. “That and a good gin and tonic when I go out.”

    Gilbert’s other key to her success has been her family, their love as well as their support of her NASCAR dream.

    “She always has a smile on her face,” Gilbert’s daughter shared. “If I could be half the woman that she is, I will be a hell of a woman.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 16 laps and finished seventh in the Coke Zero 400, posting his tenth top-10 result of the year. He overtook Carl Edwards, who struggled in finishing 37th, atop the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Edwards by five.

    “The car says ‘King Of Beers,’” Harvick said. “But the point standings say ‘King Of Peers.’ If this is what a handshake with Kyle Busch gets me, I can only begin to imagine the possibilities, but I’ll try not to for the sake of my manhood. But, the points lead in July is much like an insincere handshake—meaningless.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards No. 99 Ford, paired up with teammate Greg Biffle, got loose in the draft on lap 23, and Edwards spun into the inside retaining wall. The damage to the car’s rear required lengthy repairs, and Edwards finished 37th, 26 laps down. He dropped from first to second in the point standings, and is now five behind Kevin Harvick.

    “The damage to the No. 99 Subway caused exhaust fumes to enter the car,” Edwards said. “That was simply more than I could handle. No, not the temperature, but the jokes about whether or not I wanted it ‘toasted.’

    “But my trouble with the ‘back end’ allowed Kevin Harvick to ‘back in’ to the points lead. That’s fine with me. Now, without the pressure of the points lead, I can concentrate on contract talks. I may have been ‘un-seated;’ now, I can proceed in earnest with getting ‘re-seated.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch fell back from the front after contact from Jeff Gordon damaged the No. 18 JGR Toyota with three laps to go at Daytona. Busch restarted 18th after pitting for repairs, and he picked his way through late-race carnage to deliver a fifth-place finish. Busch improved two spots in the point standings to third, and trails Kevin Harvick by 10.

    “Surprisingly,” Busch said, “I drafted well with Joey Logano. Our cars ran extremely well nose to tail. What do you get when you pair the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota and the No. 18 Interstate Battery car together? ‘Domestic Battery.’

    “And speaking of other ‘unlikely pairs,’ how about the right hands of Kevin Harvick and I? Other unlikely pairs? My brother Kurt and a happy wife. Red Bull crew members and political correctness. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and victory. Richard Childress and a 2011 without probation.”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: As he had in April’s win at Talladega, Johnson hooked up with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the draft at Daytona, and the duo look poised to challenge up front as the laps wound down in the Coke Zero 400. But after Johnson pitted during a caution with two laps to go, and Earnhardt didn’t, the tandem was separated. Instead, Johnson hooked up with Jeff Gordon’s No. 24, but the No. 48 was collected in a last lap crash that dropped him to a finish of 20th.

    “I hear that Earnhardt fans are livid at me for leaving Dale hanging,” Johnson said. “It seems that Junior Nation was unhappy with the state of the ‘union,’ and they let me hear about it. But I fired back on my Twitter account, where I essentially gave Junior Nation the finger. Call it the ‘Tweet-y bird.’

    “But let’s be serious. How is Jimmie Johnson pushing Junior advantageous to me? I’m pushing Junior. That means I’m behind him. That in itself means I have no chance of winning.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge suffered damage on a lap 163 restart, and after repairs, he was 26th in the second green-white-checkered restart on lap 168. On the final turn, a wild crash ensued as the field roared to the checkered. Busch, with the help of his spotter, avoided damage this time, and came home 14th. He remained fourth in the point standings, and is 16 out of first.

    “At Daytona,” Busch said, “as in relationships, it’s all about finding the right partner. And, in both cases, it’s easy to get out of line, which is what happens when you lose a draft partner, for example, or kiss another woman in Victory Lane. Often, it all boils down to timing. Squeezing through a multi-car crash: good timing. Announcing your marriage is ending after publicly kissing another woman: bad timing.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth pushed Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan to the win at Daytona, and Kenseth claimed the runner-up spot, his ninth top-5 finish of the year. Ragan and Kenseth were a formidable tandem all night, combining to lead 29 laps. Kenseth moved up one spot to fifth in the point standings, and is 22 out of first.

    “With apologies to NASCAR’s drug policy,” Kenseth said, “and even more apologies to the great Curtis Mayfield, I’m proud to say to David Ragan, ‘I’m your pusher, man.’ Ragan was driving the UPS car, but I delivered the package.

    “There was a lot of talk at Daytona about drivers leaving their draft partners, but with Crown Royal’s sponsorship leaving the No. 17 car, it appears I’m the one that really was hung out to ‘dry.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt lost drafting partner Jimmie Johnson when Johnson pitted during a caution with three laps to go in regulation at Daytona. On the restart, Earnhardt resumed without Johnson’s push, and, after getting collected in a final-turn crash, Earnhardt finished 19th. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Kevin Harvick by 52.

    “I was enjoying the push from the No. 48,” Earnhardt said. “Then, with little warning, he was gone, causing a great deal of confusion and leaving my race in disarray. It was a case of ‘helper skelter.’

    “As you know, I’m not a big fan of the type of racing prevalent at Daytona now. It’s a lot like a restrictor plate—it sucks.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon survived a spin with three laps to go at Daytona, miraculously keeping his car off the wall, then hooked up in the draft with Kyle Busch for a charge that netted Gordon a sixth. It was Gordon’s seventh top-10 finish of the year, and he advanced one place to eighth in the point standings.

    “The two Red Bull cars checked up,” Gordon said, “leaving me, much like Red Bull drivers themselves, nowhere to go.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin spent most of Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 paired up with Ryan Newman’s No. 39, and the duo was in the mix near the end. But Newman got loose on the final lap, upsetting their two-car draft, and Hamlin fell back before being collected in a multi-car wreck. He finished 13th, and is now 11th in the point standings, 91 out of first.

    “Congratulations to David Ragan for a job well done,” Hamlin said. “That was an unexpected win for the No. 6 car. As the driver of the Fed Ex car, I’m contractually obligated not to mention Ragan’s primary sponsor. So I’ll just say his victory was a huge ‘UPS-et.’”

    10. Tony Stewart: Stewart rebounded from a late-race accident to finish 11th at Daytona, leading one lap for a valuable bonus point. He remained 12th in the Sprint Cup point standings, and is now 92 out of first.

    “I’ve vowed to police NASCAR tracks and take care of anyone who gets out of line,” Stewart said. “In other words, I plan to be judge, jury, and executioner, but not necessarily in that order.”