Tag: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Crunching The Numbers: Charlotte

When race fans think of Memorial Day weekend in the motorsports world, one thing immediately comes to mind and that is NASCAR taking to the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway for their traditional May race weekend that many consider to be the greatest weekend of motorsports all year long with NASCAR at Charlotte, IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Formula 1 at Monaco.

Sprint Cup Series

The two weeks that Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the Sprint Cup Series in May features two races on the extreme opposite side of the distance scale, with last weekend’s NASCAR Sprint All Star Race being one of the shortest and this weekend’s running of the Coca-Cola 600 as the longest of the season. The 400 lap race, which starts in the daytime and runs into the night can give teams fits when trying to set up the car to run well in both the daytime and nighttime. Look for the team that can keep up with the adjustments as darkness descends on the track to be up front at the end with a chance at the win.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Joey Logano	8	0	2	5	0	3	14.5	10.1
Jimmie Johnson	23	6	11	15	3	1439	7.3	11.4
Carl Edwards	16	0	5	10	0	98	18.2	12.0
Kasey Kahne	18	4	7	10	0	807	10.5	12.4
Tony Stewart	28	1	6	12	1	695	15.8	14.0
Aric Almirola	2	0	0	0	1	3	9.0	14.0
Denny Hamlin	15	0	3	8	0	159	14.1	14.1
Matt Kenseth	27	2	7	14	0	455	17.8	14.2
Kyle Busch	18	0	8	11	1	793	15.0	15.3
Bobby Labonte	40	2	12	17	3	807	15.7	15.5

Who To Watch: Joey Logano, who was at the top of the list with the best average finish heading into last weekend’s All Star Race also finds himself at the top of the list for best average finish in points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway with two top fives, five top tens, and an average finish of 10.1 in eight races at the track. Coming off of a second place finish in the All Star Race last weekend, Logano could find his way to Victory Lane for the first time this season.

Last weekend’s All Star Race winner, Jimmie Johnson, is no slouch at Charlotte as his No. 48 team has seemed to own this place over the years. Johnson has an impressive career at the track with six wins, 11 top fives, 15 top tens, three poles, 1439 laps led, and an average finish of 11.4 in 23 starts. With stats like that, Johnson could very well pull the All Star Race/Coca-Cola 600 sweep 20 years after legendary driver Dale Earnhardt accomplished that same feat.

Others to keep an eye on include All Star Race pole sitter, Carl Edwards, who has five top fives, 10 top tens, 98 laps led, and an average finish of 12.0 in 16 starts; and Kasey Kahne, who gave Jimmie Johnson a run for his money in the opening laps of the final segment of the All Star Race before fading to fourth by the end of the race. Kahne has four wins, seven top fives, 10 top tens, 807 laps led, and an average finish of 12.4 in 18 races.

Nationwide Series

In the lead up to the Coca-Cola 600, the Nationwide Series will have their chance on track in the History 300 on Saturday afternoon. In what seems to be a recurring theme in the Nationwide Series, several Sprint Cup regulars will be running this race in order to learn some information for the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, meaning we’ll see another round of the Nationwide regulars versus the Cup regulars.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Kyle Busch	19	6	14	16	0	903	10.2	6.3
Austin Dillon	2	0	0	1	0	0	2.0	8.5
Joey Logano	9	1	4	5	1	155	6.9	8.6
Brian Vickers	10	0	5	6	1	91	13.2	11.1
Kevin Harvick	22	0	4	13	2	274	11.9	11.5
Trevor Bayne	3	0	1	1	0	0	12.7	12.3
Matt Kenseth	20	3	9	11	4	662	10.0	13.6
Justin Allgaier	9	0	2	4	0	6	14.7	14.3
Mike Bliss	16	2	5	5	0	43	17.9	16.2
Elliott Sadler	12	0	4	5	1	16	12.8	17.2

Who To Watch: The drivers with the best average finishes that will be running in the History 300 seems to be split almost 50/50 between the Cup regulars and Nationwide regulars with Kyle Busch at the top of the heap. Busch has six wins, 14 top fives, 16 top tens, 903 laps led, and an average finish of 6.3 in 19 starts. The top Nationwide regular is Austin Dillon, who only has two starts at Charlotte, but has an average finish of 8.5 with one top ten finish. Others who could find their way to Victory Lane on Saturday include: Joey Logano, with one win, four top fives, five top tens, one pole, 155 laps led, and an average finish of 8.6 in nine starts; Brian Vickers, who has five top fives, six top tens, one pole, 91 laps led, and an average finish of 11.1 in 10 starts; Kevin Harvick, with four top fives, 13 top tens, two poles, 274 laps led, and an average finish of 11.5 in 22 starts; Trevor Bayne, with one top five, one top ten, and an average finish of 12.3 in three starts; and Matt Kenseth, who has three wins, nine top fives, 11 top tens, four poles, 662 laps led, and an average finish of 13.6 in 20 starts.

Although, not on the list, the top two drivers in points, Regan Smith and Sam Hornish, Jr., could also find their way to Victory Lane this weekend to add to their lead on the other drivers in the points.

May 22, 2013

Max Gresham Inspired by Podium Truck Finish at Charlotte

For Max Gresham, 20 year old driver of the Eddie Sharp Racing No. 8 AmWINS Chevrolet, his career-best third place finish was inspirational. The young driver also led three laps for the first time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career and gave Charlotte-based sponsor AmWINS its first top-three finish right in their own backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“For us, the finish is major league justification that we are going down the right path with our technology and all the things we’ve been doing to get better,” Gresham said. “It’s a huge confidence boost for us because we’ve been struggling with having good runs this year.”

“That’s just the run we needed to start something and we have a bunch of rejuvenated energy now,” Gresham continued. “That finish was inspiring for everyone involved with what I’m doing and where I’m trying to get.”

While Gresham could not pin point exactly what has been the spark to get his season going in the right direction, he did acknowledge that he and his crew chief Chris Showalter had hit on a thing or two that seemed to suit the car and the driver.

“We’ve been adding some new spring and shock combinations and we just found one that I really liked in practice,” Gresham said. “We just kept working on it to make it better and better.”

“It just brought the truck alive,” Gresham continued. “And we just had everything go right for once.”

“We didn’t get caught up in any wrecks and it all went right.”

Gresham shared his tremendous respect for his crew chief and credits his years in the Truck Series as a key factor to their success together.

“Chris Showalter is a genius I think,” Gresham said. “He makes all the right calls and continues to work really hard.”

“He is also the only guy to have been to every single NASCAR Truck race,” Gresham continued. “He has not missed one since its initiation in 1995.”

“I think he’s up to 400 something races now,” Gresham said. “No one has more trips to the Truck races than him.”

“He’s seen it all, he’s done it all and he’s been a part of it all.”

Gresham also contributed his podium finish to his race team, Eddie Sharp Racing, with whom the young racer has had a relationship since his ARCA Series days.

“I knew Eddie from when I was running ARCA races,” Gresham said. “Late last season, we went back to him and everything came together.”

“It’s been an awesome start to the season,” Gresham continued. “We’re going to run the full year and we’re going to make the most of it.”

While his third place run in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 moved him up to 17^th in the point standings, the young driver set his next goal as getting into the top ten in points.

“Our goal is to keep building on that success and keep inching our way forward,” Gresham said. “We want to be in the top ten in points.”

“Of course we want to win, but we want to get consistent finishes first.”

Gresham admitted that he had also had an interesting ride with his sponsor AmWINS, a company that absorbed his grandfather’s insurance agency late last year.

“Steve DeCarlo (CIO of AmWINS) is actually a race fan and I’m glad he decided to go racing with us,” Gresham said. “He was at the race and he said he that he has never had so much fun and that it was one of the coolest things he has ever done.”

“When you can make a man like Mr. DeCarlo say something like that, you are doing something special.”

Gresham has already had a very special racing career and is actually in his 12^th full season of racing.

“I started when I was eight in Bandeleros and then went to the Legend car,” Gresham said. “I was running Pro Super Late Models all over the southeast and then in 2010, I moved up to the K&N Series for Joe Gibbs Racing and in 2011, I won the K&N championship for Joe Gibbs.”

“From there, I moved into the Truck Series and now I’m with Eddie Sharp Racing and we’re on the verge of doing some very cool stuff this year.”

Gresham is absolutely enjoying every minute of the Truck Series, from the competition with other young guns to the wise advice and counsel of the veteran drivers.

“The great part about the Truck Series is that everyone is so close and the competition is so tight,” Gresham said. “Even someone like Ron Hornaday or Todd Bodine is willing to tell someone that he’s going to be racing a little secret here and there so that when you’re racing with them, you don’t do something stupid, wreck and take them out.”

“Everyone is willing to help you a little bit to make sure you don’t get them in trouble and that’s how everyone works,” Gresham continued. “I’ve been in other divisions where no one is willing to talk to you because you’re just a rookie and a young kid.”

“But the Truck Series is great, there are a lot of good people and you can constantly learn from everyone.”

While Gresham idolizes many of the Truck Series drivers, he has two racers in particular that have earned his respect as a fan and as an up and coming talent.

“When I was very young, I was a Ricky Rudd fan and watched him until he retired,” Gresham said. “Now, I’ve become a Carl Edwards fan.”

“He’s an awesome guy,” Gresham continued. “He knows how to talk. He knows how to drive. And in my mind, he’s the full package.”

With a top-five finish in his pocket, Gresham cannot wait to get to the next Truck Race at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware. In fact, the youngster feels like he is due at the fast mile race track.

“Dover is just fun,” Gresham said. “I’ve run there twice in the K&N Series and it really owes me one.”

“I should have won the race in 2010 when my motor blew up when I was leading,” Gresham continued. “Then in 2011, I had a loose wheel that didn’t allow me to race in the green, white, checkered finish.”

“So I feel like it owes me,” Gresham said. “It’s a fun track and it’s a fast track. It always leaves the Truck Series with a good finish because we really race hard there.”

Gresham is also thrilled with the new sponsor that he is bringing to that race track as well.

“We will have Trimmers Assist on the Truck at Dover,” Gresham said. “It came about a month and a half ago and we had it on the deck lid at Charlotte but it will be a full truck deal at Dover.”

“We’re ready for Dover in two weeks and we’re really looking forward to what is to come in these next few months,” Gresham said. “It’s inspiring.”

May 21, 2013
Was The New All-Star Race Format a Winner or a Loser?

Now that the All-Star Race is over with, the criticism/praise of NASCAR’s new format begins! After fairly exciting on track action during the first four segments, Jimmie Johnson stole the show in the final 10 lap dash after taking he overtook teammate Kasey Kahne for the lead with eight to go. The Busch brothers dominated the first four segments but came home 3rd and 5th after the Hendrick duo of Kahne and Johnson beat them off pit road. So, did this new format create better racing or does NASCAR have to redo it all again for the 30th running of the All-Star Race in 2014?

The average finish rule worked perfectly in my opinion. The drivers raced hard from the entire race and it didn’t matter if it was for the lead or 12th spot. The final 10 laps were unfortunately anticlimactic courtesy of Jimmie Johnson which left most fans disappointed. A large contingent of people out there decided to just blame the format but that’s unfair to do. The average finish was a good idea and doesn’t need tweaking. On the other hand, how the end of the race is setup definitely need fixing. One of the most riveting moments of the race was when Bowyer, Edwards and Mark Martin stayed out on old tires which caused the field to stack up behind them and cars were all over the place jockeying for position. Prior to the final dash for cash though, everyone in the field was forced to be on the same exact strategy with the mandatory four tire pit stop and that needs to be changed.

NASCAR needs to give these guys more options so we can watch two or three different strategies unfold at the end of the race. Some may opt for four fresh tires, a few will take two and maybe even a team that’s feeling brave stays out. That would make the end of these races insane and chaotic which is the point of the All-Star Race, right? Crew chiefs should be given more leeway and I’m sure if they did Saturday night, somebody deep in the pack like Tony Stewart or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. may have stayed out and gone for broke setting up a wild showdown.

That would be a perfect change and would add some much needed excitement without NASCAR having to manufacturer any of their own with gimmicks like field inversions. Another minor change I’d like to see would be shortening the final sprint to the finish from ten laps to five. It’s not like ten laps is too long but five laps would just raise the intensity level and the sense of urgency that much more. If it was five laps to go when they went green this past weekend, Johnson and Kahne would have been battling door-to-door for the win with just 2 1/2 laps remaining instead of 7 1/2.

Other than that, keep the average finish rule and definitely keep that no pit road speed policy for qualifying! That qualifying session was one of the most enjoyable ones I’ve ever watched and doesn’t need to be touched. Overall, the racing throughout the event was good and kept my interest but the finish didn’t live up to the hype. I’m all for letting races play out on their own but the point of this exhibition event is to entertain the fans so those are my ideas to create the best show possible without compromising the integrity of the race. Overall, I give this race a B-; it’s an improvement from 2011 and 2012 but there’s still some work to do on NASCAR’s part.

May 19, 2013
Matty’s Picks 2013 – Vol. 9 Sprint All-Star Race – Charlotte Motor Speedway – May 18, 2013

We’re 1/3 of the way through the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and it’s onto Speedweeks at Charlotte. A million bucks is up for grabs this week (actually 2 million), and unlike the NHL, the NBA, and the MLB, we’re already on to the All-Star weekend.

There have been 28 previous All-Star races, all but one being held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 1986 event was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and won by Bill Elliott. The first All-Star race was won by Darrell Waltrip back in 1985 amongst a field of 12. This year, 22 cars will take the green flag of the 2013 All-Star race, 19 of those divers have already locked up a spot in the field.

Here’s how the starting field for the drivers that will be making the start in the main event tonight:
– NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race winners in 2012 and 2013
– NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners in the last 10 years
– Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions in the previous 10 years
– The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, the 40-lap race that precedes the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
– The top Sprint Fan Vote driver who finishes the Showdown and whose car is in “raceable” condition.

Like last year, the All-Star race will consist of five segments – four 20-lap segments and a 10-lap shootout. Unlike last year, the running the running order at the completion of the fourth segment (Lap 80) will be repositioned behind the Pace Car, based on the drivers’ average finish for the first four segments – putting a premium on strong finishes throughout the entire event.

The new lineup will be placed directly behind the caution car prior to the opening of pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop, yielding the spotlight from the drivers to the pit crews.
The order of the cars returning to the track will determine the starting order of the final 10-lap shootout. Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment.
I am a fan of the new setup as NASCAR has done a nice job of eliminating the sandbagging factor we’ve seen in previous events, by emphasizing strong finishes in each of the first four 20-lap segments.

Darlington Recap

I will keep this brief this week as the intro section is rather long, and I have little to brag about from last week. I chose Kasey Kahne as the winner last week, a pick that looked like a jackpot throughout the middle to late stages, but with 33 laps to go, my chances went south. Whether Kyle Busch got into Kahne, or if he only got close enough to take the air off the No.5 car, this little rivalry heating up between the two drivers is going to be something to watch over the next few weeks. The incident left Kahne settling with a 17th place finish.
As for my Dark Horse, Ryan Newman, it was the fourth time I picked him this season and he did ok for me for the first time this year. Newman ran a strong race, avoiding trouble throughout and finished 10th.

All-Star Picks

Winner Pick
On Thursday in my preview of tonight’s All-Star race with Greg Depalma on The Prime Sports Network, I picked a guy who is one of the favorites tonight, despite never winning a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

This is a Kyle Busch style race, with nothing to lose and two million bucks at stake, you can bet that the floorboards of the No.18 car are going to be worn out at the end of the race on Saturday Night.

He has never won an all-star event in 7 tries despite starting on the pole three times and never won at Charlotte in 26 tries. In spite of never winning at Charlotte, Kyle has been very strong throughout the course of his career and since 2008, he has finished outside the top 8 just twice in 14 races. Kyle’s Driver Rating has never been less than 100, besides the two accidents in 2010 and 2011 since the spring of 2007.

He has lead laps in 20 of 26 starts at Charlotte, and in the fourth starting spot tonight, Kyle has put himself in position for an early lead. He was close in 2011 to the cool million when he started on the pole for his third time, but Carl Edwards was the guy to beat that night. I still like my pick today.

Dark Horse Pick

He might not be a Dark Horse now, but on Thursday he was a 30 to 1 longshot to win the All-Star race tonight. An important stat to mention with this Dark Horse pick is that Eight of the 28 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races have been won from the front row: four from the pole and four from second-place.

The guy I picked on Thursday as a “quiet pick” to win the million bucks was Kyle’s brother, Kurt. Kurt Busch’s overall All-Star Race record is: 11 starts, one win, four top-fives, six top-10s, one pole and 30 laps led. His average start is 8.1 and average finish 10.8.

He followed his 2010 All-Star Race win with a victory the following week in the Coca-Cola 600 and is one of four active drivers to have won the Charlotte double. The others are Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003) and Kasey Kahne (2008). Busch qualified for this year’s Sprint All-Star Race as both a former winner of the event and as a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion (2004).

Kurt will be starting outside of Carl Edwards on the front row tonight, and is my quiet sleeper pick this week.

That’s all for this week, so until the longest race of the season next week, You Stay Classy NASCAR NATION!

May 18, 2013
Previewing the 29th Running of the NASCAR All-Star Race

NASCAR comes home this weekend to kick off what in my opinion is the best two weeks on the motorsport schedule. $2,000,000 is on the line this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the best stock car drivers in the world will lay it all out on the line hoping to hoist that check when the dust settles. The exhibition event has been around since 1985 and has undergone 11 format changes always keeping the teams and drivers on their toes. The titans of our sport will fight tooth and nail for $2,000,000 Saturday night; the biggest All Star Race payout ever offered. There are no points and no implications on their seasons from this race, just checkers or wreckers.

We’ve seen what these drivers are willing to do to win this season and I’m sure they will take it to the next level in the All-Star Race as they race for a lot money, a trophy and of course bragging rights. If you aren’t one of the lucky 19 to be locked into the race, there is still a way to make it in. The Fans get to vote one driver of their choice into the event and the top vote getters as of May 15th in no particular order are Danica Patrick, Bobby Labonte, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton and Michael Waltrip. The other way is to race your way in via the 40 lap Sprint Showdown that will precede the All-Star Race (ASR). The 1st and 2nd place finishers get to advance to the “main event” and there are 23 racers bidding for those two spots.

My Picks

Fan Vote: Danica Patrick: The Cup rookie is the obvious choice to win the fan vote considering her popularity and all she has to do is bring the car home one piece during the Showdown. That race can get pretty wild though so just in case she does crash out, who will be the fan vote recipient? I say it would go to Bobby Labonte who won it last year and is one of the most respected drivers out there among the fans.

Sprint Showdown: Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola. Truex is always fast when we go to 1.5 mile tracks and he came within a few laps of victory at Charlotte’s sister track (Texas) just a few weeks ago. In the three 1.5 mile tracks we’ve raced on in 2013 so far, he’s finished 8th, 2nd and 4th leading 188 laps making him the obvious favorite in my opinion. Aric Almirola is my pick to take 2nd in the Showdown because of how fast he’s been as of late. In the past five races, he has four top 10 finishes and is sitting comfortably 9th in the standings through 11 races; easily the best season he’s ever had. Other drivers to watch include Stenhouse, Montoya, McMurray, Menard and Burton. As for a possible upset, keep an eye on Casey Mears and Germain Racing. They have been fast all year but have been the victim of crashes not of their doing. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see that GEICO Ford Fusion transfer from the Showdown to the ASR tomorrow night.

All-Star Race: It’s hard to bet against Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth but I’m going to take a chance and and pick the Busch brothers. This is their kind of race – it’s short and fast paced so you have to be aggressive, willing to take risks and put your car in places most wouldn’t dare. If that’s not the definition of Kurt and Kyle Busch then I don’t know what is. Neither Busch has ever won the All-Star Race but they’ve certainly made the highlight reel on more than one occasion. In fact, they took each other out back in 2007 and they refused to talk to each other for months. Kyle is back to being Kyle this year after a dismal 2012. He’s already won two races, he is dominating the Nationwide races again and this is a weekend of redemption for the No.18 after the disappointing end to the Southern 500.

Kurt Busch is sort of an underdog here driving for a one car team that has just one victory in their existence but they have one of the most versatile drivers out there behind the wheel. In the past month, Kurt’s broke the track record at Darlington for the Cup race, nearly won the Nationwide event at Talladega, drove an Indycar at 220mph at Indianapolis and took a Holden V8 Supercar around the Circuit of the Americas. The No.78 has been very competitive this year but has had pit stop issues or mechanical failures late in races a few times hurting their performances. Those two things shouldn’t be much of a problem this weekend considering that it’s a 90 lap sprint race instead of a 500 mile marathon. If they want to win though, they will most likely have to fight their way past Kenseth and Johnson who I think will be in control of the race. Don’t count out Kasey Kahne either who won the All-Star Race back in 2008 and is always solid when we go to the 1.5 mile tracks.

This is the race where teams will bring experimental equipment and setups as they lay it all out on the line for the money and the trophy. We’ve seen people wreck for the win and even crash their brothers or teammates in pursuit of the victory. We’ve seen the unthinkable happen in these races where tempers are high and pedals are through the floor. In the final 10 laps, these guys will go balls to the wall trying to take the win and would rather bring home the steering wheel than a 5th or 6th place finish. What do you think is going to happen when you take 22 of the best stock car racing has to offer, put $2,000,000 in front of them and give them 90 laps to get it done? I think it’s going to be off the wall excitement that will make the finish to the Auto Club 400 look clean compared to what’s going to go down Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway!

May 17, 2013

Crunching The Numbers: Charlotte All Star Weekend

After tackling “The Lady in Black” at Darlington last weekend, NASCAR heads home for a two week home stand at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series taking center stage during All Star Weekend.

Sprint Cup Series

With 11 points paying races behind them, the Sprint Cup Series heads into one of the wildest races of the year as the Sprint All Star Race is upon us once again. The non-points race that is all for the trophy, bragging rights, and a nice payday of a possible two million dollars for the winner, leads to some brash moves by drivers to get to the front and take the checkers. Since the drivers don’t have to worry about points, the phrase “Bring me the trophy or bring me the steering wheel” perfectly explains a driver’s mindset heading into this race. To add to the drama, the race will have a new format that makes running up front an even more important factor and this race should be a great one not to be missed when these drivers strap in and go for the win on Saturday night.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Joey Logano	2	0	1	2	0	11.5	5.5
Matt Kenseth	12	1	5	9	2	9.3	6.3
Jimmie Johnson	11	3	7	7	1	9.1	6.6
Marcos Ambrose	1	0	0	1	0	18.0	7.0
Tony Stewart	14	1	8	9	0	11.1	7.7
Dale Earnhardt Jr	13	1	4	10	0	14.2	8.3
Ryan Newman	11	1	3	7	1	8.8	9.3
Jeff Gordon	19	3	6	9	0	8.6	9.5
Kevin Harvick	12	1	2	3	0	8.6	10.5
Kurt Busch	11	1	4	6	0	8.1	10.8

Who To Watch: While any of the drivers who run the Sprint All Star Race have a chance to win, a few stick out above the rest and the driver with the highest average finish among All Star Race participants may surprise you. That driver is Joey Logano, who has an average finish of 5.5 in two starts. Following close in Logano’s steps are last weekend’s winner at Darlington, Matt Kenseth, and five time Sprint Cup champion, Jimmie Johnson. Kenseth has one win, five top fives, nine top tens, one pole, and an average finish of 6.3 in 12 starts. Johnson is close behind with three wins, seven top fives, seven top tens, one pole, and an average finish of 6.6 in 11 starts.

Although not in the top ten of drivers with the best average finish in the Sprint All Star Race, Kyle Busch is another driver to keep an eye on this weekend. Busch has two top fives, three top tens, three poles, and an average finish of 12.4 in seven starts. However, Busch does have four DNF’s in those seven starts. As long as Busch can keep his car in one piece, he could capture his first win in the Sprint All Star Race this weekend.

Camping World Truck Series

The Camping World Truck Series heads into Charlotte this weekend for Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200, ending a nearly month long hiatus in the schedule. Several Sprint Cup Series regulars will be running the race along with the Truck Series regulars, which driver will come out on top? After 200 miles, we’ll have our answer.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Kyle Busch	7	4	5	6	2	335	5.4	3.6
Ron Hornaday, Jr.	8	2	6	6	0	170	7.6	6.8
Jeb Burton	1	0	0	1	0	0	21.0	8.0
Justin Lofton	3	1	1	1	0	44	17.3	9.7
Matt Crafton	10	1	2	7	0	29	12.6	9.8
Ty Dillon	1	0	1	1	1	25	1.0	10.0
James Buescher	4	0	2	2	0	26	7.8	10.5
Joey Coulter	2	0	0	1	0	0	13.0	11.5
Dakoda Armstrong	1	0	0	0	0	0	24.0	13.0
Todd Bodine	9	0	4	4	0	18	14.4	14.0

Who To Watch: Sprint Cup regular Kyle Busch could have another one of his weekend sweeps if the statistics are to be believed on his career in the Truck Series at Charlotte. In seven starts, Busch has four wins, five top fives, six top tens, two poles, 335 laps led, and an average finish of 3.6. Multi-time Truck Series champion, Ron Hornaday, falls in behind Busch with two wins, six top fives, six top tens, 170 laps led, and an average finish of 6.8 in eight starts. Others to keep an eye on include: Jeb Burton, making his second Charlotte start after finishing in the top ten in his first start last year; Justin Lofton, who has one win, one top five, one top ten, 44 laps led, and an average finish of 9.7 in three starts; and Matt Crafton, who won the last race in the Truck Series before this weekend and has an average finish of 9.8 and one win in 10 starts.

May 15, 2013

2013 NASCAR Season Predictions

Photo Credit: David Yeazell

As we head into the 2013 NASCAR season, here are some predictions of what could take place this year…….

*At the Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 7^th, Jeff Gordon challenges mortal enemy Clint Bowyer not to a duel, but a duet, and the two take the stage for a rendition of Garth Brooks’ 1991 dud “We Bury The Hatchet.”

The following week at Texas, Bowyer and Gordon tangle, and Bowyer, true to his sponsor obligations, first opens up a 2-ounce 5-Hour Energy bottle, then opens a comparable-sized can of whoop ass. True to post-1979 NASCAR fist fights form, no punches are thrown, as Gordon is taken down by four Bowyer crewmen, two of which ask for Gordon’s autograph.

*Juan Montoya’s run of bad luck at Daytona continues, as he trips over his wife’s hair dryer in the couple’s RV parked in the Daytona infield, sparking an electrical fire that wipes out power and delays the start of the Daytona 500.

After a two-hour delay, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. emerges with the win after blowing by Kevin Harvick on the final turn. In a post-race media session, Earnhardt calls his win the “start of something big,” a characterization that turns out to be correct, as Junior then embarks on the longest winless streak of his career.

*After Zac Brown and his band rock the Daytona infield prior to the February 24^th race, NASCAR chief executive officer Brian France, reinforcing his reputation as a clueless leader, tells Brown that “I loved you in The Hangover.” Brown, in turn, tells France, that his “language is offensive.”

Later that year, Brown suggests to France that Zach Galifianakis serve as Grand Marshall at Indianapolis. France takes Browns’ advice, and while at Indy, compliments Galifianakis on his concert at Daytona.

France taps Alabama native Evander Holyfield to serve as Grand Marshall at Talladega in October, where tells the former champ that he loved him in The Hangover, as well.

*Brad Keselowski wins at Bristol in March after leading 298 of 500 laps at the Bullring, passing Jimmie Johnson late for the win. Afterwards in Victory Lane, Keselowski knocks back a six-pack of Miller Lite, and sends Johnson a six-pack of his own with the message “This is the only ‘six’ you’ll see this year.”

Upon leaving the track, the defending champ is stopped by a police officer for erratic driving. Keselowski passes a battery of field sobriety tests, and immediately takes to Twitter, where he tweets 140 dashes, proving that he can Tweet and walk a straight line.

*After two years without a Sprint Cup championship, Jimmie Johnson rededicates himself to capturing the 2013 title. Not one to miss an endorsement opportunity, Lowe’s, in conjunction with Kobalt Tools, introduces a new multi-task implement which hammers, screws, and strikes fear into opponents. The “Attitude Adjustment” retails for $19.95.

Crew chief Chad Knaus is the first to buy the tool, and finds it just as useful in doctoring chassis and rear wings, as well as grooming the head of a middle-aged balding man.

*Kyle Busch wins three of the season’s first ten races, including a win at Talladega on May 5^th, and establishes himself as an early favorite for the 2013 Sprint Cup. The following week at Darlington, the bottom falls out, as the engine in Busch’s No. 18 Toyota blows.

Busch finishes 20^th or worse in his next ten races, and his frustration culminates when he takes a swing at crew chief Dave Rogers at Pocono in August. Busch is suspended by the team, and M&M’s yanks sponsorship. Brad Keselowski taunts Busch on Twitter, tweeting “That’s like taking candy from a baby.”

Busch starts the Chase For The Cup in tenth and finishes in sixth, 46 out of first.

*After blowing a fuse following a poor finish at Darlington, Kurt Busch hires a sports psychologist to help improve his attitude and demeanor. After several weeks in therapy, Busch notices a difference in his state of mind, while Furniture Row sees a spike in sales after introducing the “Kurt Busch Psychiatrist’s Couch” product line.

Busch wins the Toyota/Save Mart 300 at Sonoma on June 23 and credits his psychiatrist, noting that “It’s the first time someone’s encouraged me to tell them how I really feel.”

*Matt Kenseth wins at California on March 24, capturing his first win as a member of Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth thanks Deny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for being great teammates, and gives props to Carl Edwards as well, calling him the best former teammate he could ask for.

Kenseth nabs three wins on the season, and finishes fourth in the Chase.

*In the Fox booth at Dover on a sweltering June 2^nd Sunday, Larry McReynolds is overcome by heat exhaustion and vomits, forcing Darrell Waltrip into quick action to sidestep the mess. Later in the broadcast, Waltrip notes that it was the first time he’s done the “Ickey Shuffle” since winning at Daytona in 1989.

*Jeremy Mayfield’s rotten luck takes a turn for the better when, after a positive screen test, he lands a recurring role on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” as a meth-running courier. Mayfield’s character, “Jeremy Mayfield,” is written out of the show after he is arrested, ironically, for “speeding” on the way to the set in June.

*In July, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un announces plans to field a NASCAR team in 2014. The team, bizarrely title “Yin And Pyong Yang Racing,” never makes it past the planning stages, as Un loses interest and instead turns his attention to developing jet fuel with Michael Waltrip.

*In an interview on national television prior to the Texas 500 on April 13^th, Danica Patrick identifies Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. as her “stiffest competition” for NASCAR’s Rookie Of The Year.

Later in the year, NASCAR’s glamour couple deal with a pregnancy scare, and NASCAR rumor-mongers erroneously report that Patrick’s pregnancy test can be viewed on the website “NoDaddy.com.”

Patrick edges Stenhouse for the ROY award, posting six top-10 finishes to Stenhouse’s four.

*Carl Edwards snaps an 81-race winless streak with a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Edwards customary post-win back flip goes awry when he under-rotates and lands on his head, knocking himself unconscious.

NASCAR’s new concussion testing procedures are put to the test, and Edwards fails, as, for the second straight year, quips, “I forgot what it’s like to win.”

Edwards recovers after sitting out a race, and wins again at Homestead in the season finale, but eschews a celebratory back flip for a simpler fist pump, which, unfortunately and accidentally, connects win the chin of Miss Sprint Cup, knocking her out cold.

Edwards finishes seventh in the Chase For The Cup.

*In an attempt to get into Brad Keselowski’s head, Jimmie Johnson tries on the reigning champ and current points leader’s helmet at a Keselowski promotional appearance at a Ford dealership in Lansing, Michigan in August. The ploy works, as an irate Keselowski later tries unsuccessfully to wreck Johnson at Michigan on August 18^th, taking himself out of the race in the process.

Keselowski loses the points lead two weeks later at Atlanta, and Johnson heads to the Chase as the leader. Johnson clinches the Cup at Phoenix, wining his sixth championship.

February 19, 2013
NASCAR Stars Put Fa La La in the Season

Photo Credit: Action Sports Photography

What’s a NASCAR driver to do in the off season? For many, there are sponsor commitments, testing, and just plain relaxing with family and friends.

But for some of NASCAR’s brightest stars, this time of year is all about putting the ‘fa la la’ in the holiday season, especially for those in need.

Greg Biffle, who usually spends his time behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, decided instead to spread some holiday cheer by serving as chauffeur for one of his fellow RFR employees for the company’s holiday bash.

The colleagues at Roush Fenway Racing took a chance on a ride with the Biff by purchasing raffle tickets, with proceeds benefitting the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program to needy children. The raffle winner got chauffeured to and from the party in Biffle’s 1983 ‘Boss Hogg’ style limo, complete with horns on the front of the car and a horn playing the theme from the ‘Dukes of Hazard.’

“We decided to raffle off a ride for a Roush Fenway employee to the company party this year and use the money to buy gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree program,” Biffle said. “Roush Fenway agreed to match the proceeds.”

“I had wanted to do something for a local family this holiday season and I thought it would be fun to raffle off a ride in this old limo,” Biffle continued. “I saw it at an auto auction and thought it would be fun to drive around.”

The winner of the Biffle ride was Brian Steager, who has worked for RFR for nine years in the paint and body department.

“It was a very good ride,” Steager said. “We got there safe and sound and it was an excellent experience all the way around.”

Photo Credit: USO Photo by Michael Clifton

The holiday ride with the Biff raised over $2,000 for the Salvation Army, which will grant the holiday wishes of several children this year.

“It was a lot of fun,” Biffle said. “It went to a very worthy cause and hopefully we’ll do it again soon.”

Two of NASCAR’s young guns decked the halls with their own version of holiday cheer. Nationwide champ and Cup up and comer Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and new Penske Cup driver Joey Logano put the ‘fa la la’ in the season for troops serving overseas.

Logano and Stenhouse Jr. traveled with the USO to the Middle East and Germany to meet and thank those in uniform. The two drivers visited six bases in all, meeting hundreds of men and women in the military to thank them for their service.

“We had the chance to meet some amazing men and women on our USO tour,” Logano said. “I have so much respect for our troops; they do their jobs day in and day out without complaint and are always giving it their all.”

“We are lucky to have these men and women serving and protecting our country and I can’t thank them enough for all that they do.”

This was Stenhouse’s first holiday tour of USO duty and the young driver thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was an honor to meet our troops and see them in action,” Stenhouse said. “The service and sacrifice of these men and women and their families are inspiring.”

“I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for what they do for our country.”

Michael Waltrip, former driver, Daytona 500 winner and now principal in Michael Waltrip Racing, also granted a few holidays wishes of his own. He and his colleagues participated in ABC’s ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ to help a family in Lincolnton, North Carolina, who had a big heart for foster children but needed an even bigger home.

The Friday family, foster parents to over 30 children took in a teenage boy and his five siblings. Their ranch home, however, needed that bit of a NASCAR makeover in order to have room for the family to celebrate Christmas.

And thanks to Michael Waltrip and his MWR team, the Christmas miracle of a home big enough for all of its children was granted.

Ryan Newman put the final ‘fa la la’ into the holiday season with his annual Ryan Newman Foundation dinner and auction, raising over $340,000 for animal welfare, education and conservation activities. The event also featured a charity fishing tournament, with 148 teams competing.

“Krissie and I appreciate everyone who participated in the fishing tournament,” Newman said. “The weather was perfect.”

While the experts were fishing, Neman actually was schmoozing with sponsors and other fans on a luxury yacht, all in the name of charity.

“I didn’t know what to think of the yacht event,” Newman said. “But it turned out to be a good thing.”

“It was a good way to have some one on one time with me and check out Lake Norman.”

Even the NASCAR race tracks have gotten into the holiday spirit. Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the heart of racing country, has not only been decked out in holiday lights but will also be showing holiday movies throughout the season, all to benefit Speedway Children’s Charities.

The track’s light show, featuring over 800 displays and more than 3 million lights, has been on display, with movies such as ‘A Christmas Story’, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ and ‘Christmas Vacation’ shown through the end of December.

NASCAR driver Ryan Newman, however, best summed up the sentiments of all of the NASCAR community hoping to spread some good cheer and ‘fa la la’ spirit for the holidays.

“It’s something I think we’ll do again next year.”

December 14, 2012
Clint Bowyer ‘Happy to be Second’

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]While it may have been Clint Bowyer’s first season ever with Michael Waltrip Racing, it was the best season of his career.

And the driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota couldn’t be happier, finishing second in the Chase standings, just 39 points behind champion Brad Keselowski and a mere one point ahead of third place finisher and five time champ Jimmie Johnson.

“Can you believe I beat Jimmie Johnson?” Bowyer said in the media session following his runner up speech at the banquet. “It was a whopping one point.”

“That’s like winning.”

Bowyer most likely never dreamed that he would finish the year so strongly, especially after leaving Richard Childress Racing at the end of 2011 and signing with new team Michael Waltrip Racing.

“Those were nerve-racking times in the winter last year,” Bower said. “I had lost my ride at RCR and walked into a new program with a lot of unknowns.”

“But I had a lot of confidence in what was going on,” Bowyer continued. “They paired me with Brian Pattie (crew chief) and a lot of good people and that’s what it takes to be successful.”

Bowyer made the Chase with three victories in the year, including wins at Sonoma, Richmond and Charlotte. He also scored ten top-5 and 23 top-10 finishes for the 2012 season.

Bowyer’s first win was one of his sweetest, coming at the road course of Sonoma, where he had never won before. He dominated that race, leading 71 or the 112 laps.

“It was awesome,” Bowyer said of that first victory for MWR.”I run well at Sonoma.”

“It’s one of those tracks where I’m comfortable from the very first laps I run,” Bowyer continued. “It just came effortless.”

“You’re at the top of the board in practice and, if you’re not, you knew just what kind of adjustment you needed to put you at the top of the board,” Bowyer continued. “I’ve just always been able to find good speed there.”

“I’ve learned to enjoy those road courses.”

Bowyer has also learned to enjoy fuel mileage racing, winning his next two races at Richmond and Charlotte by saving gas and playing that strategy.

At Richmond, Bowyer recovered from a spin midway through the race due to a cut tire in a close encounter with Juan Pablo Montoya, saved fuel at the end, and went on to Victory Lane. This win put Bowyer in the sixth position to start the run for the championship.

“Thank you, Juan Pablo, for wrecking me and then winning me the race,” Bowyer said exuberantly. “It’s a good way to bounce back headed into the Chase after the bad race last weekend in Atlanta.”

Bowyer’s third win, also in fuel conservation mode, came at Charlotte in October. The driver actually ran out of gas during his burnout celebration and walked with team owner Michael Waltrip to Victory Lane.

For Bowyer, these three wins, as well as finishing second in the Chase were the capstones for his successful season.

“My season highlights were all about winning,” Bowyer said. “Winning on my worst race tracks, a mile and a half and a road course.”

“That says a lot about what we’ve got going on as a race team.”

Unfortunately for Bowyer, however, there were also some lowlights of the season that have, according to the driver, almost overshadowed all of the accomplishments. And those lowlights involve fellow competitor and four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

Interestingly, Gordon and Bowyer have had an interesting relationship throughout the season, clashing on the track but yet also having good runs together at the same time.

When Bowyer won at Sonoma, he spied a picture of Jeff Gordon, five-time Sonoma winner, in the media center after the race, and noted how much bigger that made his win there.

“I looked up and Jeff Gordon was there on the wall, won this race many times, he’s a champion of this sport and I just beat him,” Bowyer said. “You have no idea…I’m a young racer from Kansas.”

“You don’t forget stuff like that.”

Bowyer’s Richmond race was also intertwined with Gordon’s in that, while Bowyer stood in Victory Circle, Gordon scored his own brand of victory with Bowyer, beating out Kyle Busch for the final spot in the Chase.

But it was the altercation with Jeff Gordon at Phoenix, the next to the last race of the season and in the Chase, that has consumed all of the attention, much to Bowyer’s chagrin.

At that race, with Gordon intentionally crashing Bowyer late in the race, leading to a melee in the pits, and Bowyer’s now infamous run to catch Gordon, the spotlight shifted from accomplishment and finishing second place to the newest rivalry in the sport.

“It’s a bad thing,” Bowyer said. “I want to get this behind me because I’ve had such a great year.”

“And I hated that happened at the end of the year because that’s all you guys in the media wanted to talk about,” Bowyer continued. “That’s the story, but that’s what sucked for me, knowing how good of a year we had, how much pride we had, and because of a stupid thing there, that’s what we’re talking about, not how we ran in the Chase and in the season.”

Does Bowyer think that the Phoenix altercation with Gordon cost him the championship? Although still smarting from it all, Bowyer definitely acknowledged that there were other factors that led to his second place Chase standing finish.

“No, we got behind at Talladega and never really bounced back,” Bowyer said. “I knew that was going to be a hard one to overcome, especially as hard as Jimmie and Brad were running.”

“But, look at the way we ran in the Chase,” Bowyer continued. “A bad race was sixth, you know.”

“When you’re running like that, it’s pretty rare,” Bowyer said. “And if we can continue to build on that like I think we can, it gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of pride.”

And that pride and sense of accomplishment is what Bowyer fully intends to focus on for the remainder of 2012, the offseason, and into the New Year.

“When we made the Chase, my realistic goal was to be in the top five,” Bowyer said. “To exceed that…you can’t ask for more.”

“I’m with a group that I can really enjoy,” Bowyer continued. “Anytime you’ve had success the way we’ve had success, you’re bound to have fun and build confidence within yourself.”

“I feel like this year I ran the way I was capable of running and it was super-cool to be a part of it.”

December 5, 2012
Surprising and Not Surprising: Charlotte Bank of America 500

[media-credit name=”Greg Arthur” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]In a race now known as one without an Earnhardt and without a North Carolina born driver, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Surprising: At his worst track statistically and on a mile and half track where he has never won, this driver, although thrilled to be in Victory Lane after a fuel mileage battle extraordinaire, seemed also to be strangely depressed.

“I can’t do a burnout,” Clint Bowyer said woefully after having his No. 15 5-Hour Energy/Avon Foundation for Women Toyota pushed to the winner’s circle. “The thing doesn’t have enough fuel in it to do a burnout.”

“I’d like to practice a burnout,” Bowyer continued ruefully. “It’s so much fun burning rubber.”

“Oh hell, I don’t care,” Bowyer then said. “It’s a lot more fun getting handed that trophy – that’s what it’s all about.”

Not Surprising: Although Chaser Clint Bowyer survived on fumes to end the race, it was not surprising that his other Chase contenders, in fact the top three in the points battle, were also challenging their own fuel demons, literally having to slow down in order to finish the race.

“Yeah, you’re just running the race backwards basically,” Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota, said after finishing second. “You’re just seeing how slow you can go and maintain your track position.”

“It’s tough because I’m sitting there thinking I can go by this 15 (Bowyer) or catch him just about any time I want, but Darian (Grubb, crew chief) is screaming at me to back off.”

“We started saving with double the distance to just be cautious,” Jimmie Johnson, who finished third in the No. 48 MyLowe’s Chevrolet, said. “We didn’t want to go up there and chase the No. 11 (Hamlin) and get ourselves in trouble.”

Brad Keselowski, usually known as an excellent fuel-mileage racer, actually sputtered, coasting to pit road after running out of fuel. “I didn’t know what was going on,” the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge said. “I think we probably would have finished fourth or fifth if we didn’t run out of fuel.”

“I had to coast for quite a ways and it wouldn’t start when I got back to pit road.”

This small fuel sputter, along with having to stop for fuel in the waning laps, cost Keselowski a top-5 finish, landing him in the 11^th spot instead when the checkered flag flew.

Yet, in spite of the fuel challenges at Charlotte, Keselowski maintained P1 in the Chase standings but is now just seven points ahead of Jimmie Johnson and fifteen points ahead of Denny Hamlin.

Surprising: Jeff Gordon and team 24 Drive to End Hunger made some surprisingly costly errors in the Bank of America 500. Gordon, fighting an ill-handling race car most of the night, incurred a speeding road penalty and struggled to regain track position from that point on.

“We missed the setup at the beginning, but we worked on it and worked on it and had it driving good there at the end,” Gordon said. “We just couldn’t catch a caution to get us back on the lead lap.”

“It was just one of those nights.”

Gordon finished 18th, his fourth finish of 18^th or worse in his last five races at Charlotte. He also fell three positions, from sixth to ninth in the Chase standings, 50 points back from the Chase leader.

Not Surprising: Pole sitter Greg Biffle had a good enough run to actually swap point’s positions with Jeff Gordon in the Chase standings. The driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion finished fourth, gaining three Chase positions, from ninth to sixth in the standings, 43 points out of the lead.

“We had the fastest car, but couldn’t make it on fuel,” Biffle said. “We had the fastest car at the end, but didn’t quite get there.”

“It hurts to get beat on fuel mileage, but we were the first car behind the three that made it on fuel mileage, so I feel pretty good with fourth.”

Surprising: Stewart Haas Racing faced some surprising challenges at Charlotte Motor Speedway under the lights.

SHR Chase driver Tony Stewart started from deep in the field and got into an accordion-style accident on a restart that damaged the front of his No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet.

“I was following the 2 car (Keselowski) there and he had to check up,” Smoke said. “Man, I drilled him and it screwed up the nose of our race car.”

SHR teammate Ryan Newman forfeited a great starting spot in the front of the field due to an engine change, which forced him to the rear of the field in a race where track position was key.

“We definitely took a hit with the engine change,” Newman said. “We had a really fast car in practice and qualifying and it wasn’t the same in the race.”

“It was a tough night for us.”

Stewart rallied to finish 13th, while Newman, in the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet, finished a disappointing 20^th.

Not Surprising: Kyle Busch, in the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, finally had a good finish, in fact a top-five finish, to show for his efforts in front of the home crowd.

“The car was really good,” Busch said. “I felt like we had a winning car barring circumstances and how they played out.”

“But that just wasn’t there for us at the end with the strategy and everything,” Busch continued. “We came home okay.”

Surprising: With every other driver so fixated on fuel, it was surprising that this driver, who finished seventh, could have cared less.

“We got good fuel mileage, but that wasn’t our focus,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford, said. “Our focus was going as fast as we could and I think we showed a little more promise than we have in a long time.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been this competitive on a mile-and-a-half, so I’m very happy with it.”

Not Surprising: With Dale Earnhardt, Jr. out of the race car due to a concussion, it was no surprise that all eyes were on Regan Smith, substituting for Junior in the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevy, and also on Kurt Busch, who took over Smith’s No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet ride for the first time this season.

Busch finished 21^st while Smith finished 38^th with an engine failure.

“The important part was that we had a really fast race car,” Smith said. “It’s disappointing and it’s a shame.”

“Finishing 21^st might not appear that we made progress,” Busch said. “But the fact of the matter is that we did in our first three days together at the track.”

“It was an uneventful race, but an eventful weekend.”

Surprising: With the shuffling of Kurt Busch to Furniture Row and Regan Smith to Dale Earnhardt Junior’s seat, there was one surprising opening for a driver that needed a second chance.

A.J. Allmendinger, returning from suspension after completing NASCAR’s Road to Recovery program, took the wheel of the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet and finished 24^th at Charlotte under the lights.

“I have a lot of unfinished business,” the ‘Dinger said. “I have a lot of things I want to accomplish still.”

“It’s not going to be easy,” Allmendinger continued. “I’m going to have to do a lot of work for it, but I’m willing to do it.”

Not Surprising: Michael Waltrip Racing had another stellar day at the race track. One MWR driver, Clint Bowyer, was in Victory Lane while the other two MWR drivers both had top-ten runs.

Mark Martin, in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, finished sixth and Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, finished tenth.

“We started racing in 2007 and here we are in 2012 racing for a championship,” Michael Waltrip, team owner, said. “There are a few things that have happened to me over my racing career that are really special and this is one of those.”

October 16, 2012