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Tag: Daytona International Speedway

  • From Testing to Teammates and Team Changes, Tony Stewart Excited for 2012

    From Testing to Teammates and Team Changes, Tony Stewart Excited for 2012

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”232″][/media-credit]Tony Stewart doesn’t appear ready to descend from cloud nine, where’s he’s been since winning his third career Sprint Cup Series championship in dramatic fashion last November in Homestead.

    Thursday Stewart was among 31 other teams who got a taste of the first on-track action of the year as they began testing for next months Daytona 500. It was there Stewart said he’s really excited about the upcoming NASCAR season because of the many new things ahead for Stewart-Haas Racing.

    “Obviously the end of the year last year was – still almost like a fairy-tale for us, storybook ending,” said Stewart. “But this is our biggest race of the year. It starts today. Well, it started the day after Homestead actually for the crew guys and today is the first day that we get an idea of the rewards for their hard work and see these cars on the racetrack and see what kind of speed they have.”

    Normally a driver to find other things to do with his time instead of test, Stewart acknowledged that he was having fun. Not as much though as the individuals who put their blood, sweat and tears into building brand new racecars. Testing days are their days, when the hard work during the offseason from crew chiefs, car chiefs and engineers is put into motion.

    “Our sport is unique obviously having our biggest race the first race of the year,” Stewart said. “But it’s very fitting at the same time because this race, we have more time during the off season to prepare for this race then we do the others. You bring cars here that you have the extra time to just make them that little bit nicer than you normally have time to do.”

    The work Stewart put into the off season as a team owner he hopes will do its part in winning their first Daytona 500. The Indiana native has won everything in NASCAR except its biggest race. He’s won everything there is to win at Daytona – three July classics, three Budweiser Shootouts, one Gatorade Duel race and six Nationwide Series races – but not February’s Great American Race.

    When the green flag drops on February 26 it’ll be the 14th attempt for Stewart. Now though, coming off another huge accomplishment he’s looking toward racing momentum (he won in other racing series during the off season) as well as a few key pieces at SHR to lead him into Daytona’s hallowed ground.

    First comes new teammate in superstar Danica Patrick. Another drafting partner, one he worked very well with in July during the NNS race, will be there to lend a helping hand to both Stewart and Ryan Newman during Speedweeks. Patrick will attempt to run in the 500 and other Cup races during the 2012 season.

    And while Stewart is certainly happy for Patrick, he’s even happier about who her crew chief will be. Some of the biggest news since Homestead has been the personnel changes around the garage. From drivers to spotters and crew chiefs, this was one of the busiest off seasons in recent memory.

    First, Stewart hired Steve Addington as his crew chief; with the man he won the title with in 2011, Darian Grubb, moving to Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin. As if in return, Greg Zipadelli moves to SHR as their competition director, leaving behind JGR where he and where once upon a time he and Stewart worked together.

    Twelve years ago it was Stewart and Zippy, as he’s known, rolling into the garages at Daytona ready to set the racing world on fire. They won two championships together and over 35 races before Stewart left JGR and formed his own team. Zippy stayed behind but now feels the time is right to make a change and reunite with Stewart.

    According to Stewart it made sense to have Zippy in both roles, competition director and part-time crew chief. His experience with young and often inexperienced drivers will play a major role for Patrick in her learning process. It’s the best of both worlds for SHR.

    It’s also the best certainly for Stewart. During their tenure together the two were very close, fighting like brothers during the bad times and succeeding in big ways during the good times. The two are perfect for each and the reunion has everyone excited, but none more than Stewart to have his best friend back on his side.

    “You know, it’s nice having Zippy back,” Stewart said. “I got to work with him for ten years, so seeing him at the track here today was the first big reminder of kind of going back to what it was like to start with him in ’99. I know we’re excited to have him back and we’re not working in the same capacity together that we did for ten years, but he’s right there next door and it feels like home again. So I’m pretty excited about it.”

  • Year in Review: 10-Years Ago Tragedy Strikes And We Lose Dale Earnhardt Sr.

    Year in Review: 10-Years Ago Tragedy Strikes And We Lose Dale Earnhardt Sr.

    Throughout the years, the world of sports and entertainment has seen its share of fallen heroes, those who in one way or another touched the lives of those around them. Whether in person or watching on our television sets, these legends were the backbone of the culture in which we grew up. Many times, we watched them while thinking what it would be like to walk in their shoes.

    [media-credit name=”By Darryl Moran” align=”alignright” width=”274″][/media-credit]At times, we tried to fulfill our own dreams by mimicking what it was that made them famous. Life has always been about the journey, with the focus being on reaching the final destination knowing that we gave it our best. From time to time, each of one us have experienced life’s many crises from the different changing events and transitions, all unpredictable moments arriving and intruding into our “well groomed” lives.

    We didn’t ask for this interference, and sometimes we find ourselves wondering why it has arrived, bringing with it havoc and confusion. Along with the havoc and confusion, there is one hell of an adventure that is waiting to explode right before our very eyes. The journey that Dale Earnhardt Sr. embarked on is one that, even today, is still one the most talked about subjects whenever the word NASCAR is mentioned.

    Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. was born April 29, 1951. A NASCAR legend to some, but yet to his family, he was a son, father, brother, and also a husband. Earnhardt was the epitome of what NASCAR racing is all about, and whether you loved him or hated him, the legacy he left behind continues to be the topic of discussion when the season begins at Daytona. With a twinkle in his eye, and a devilish grin on his face, Earnhardt pushed and shoved his way into NASCAR super-stardom.

    Call it what you want—passion, infatuation, enthusiasm, or just a plain and simple love for the sport. Our modern dictionary is full of words that can be used to describe the enormous impact—good or bad—that this one driver alone has had in the NASCAR series. His highly aggressive driving style made him a fan favorite, which was how he earned his nicknames, “Old Iron Head,” “The Man in Black,” and of course the most famous of all, “The Intimidator.”

    Excellence and dedication on and off the track were two of his biggest strengths, along with the zeal to be the best driver. He was tenacious when it came to accomplishing the goals that he set before himself, and very seldom did he ever fall short of achieving what most other drivers could only dream of. NASCAR to him was a way of life, as well as a world that he would dominate in his own special way.

    Never has a driver come from such a simple lifestyle to steal hearts—as well as crush a few—on his way to becoming one the sport’s most recognizable figures. His popularity wasn’t constrained to just motorsports alone, and his reputation took him beyond the NASCAR walls and into the limelight of everyday sports. Earnhardt was born a legend, and to this day his name is mentioned amongst some of the greatest sports stars from around the world.

    Throughout his storybook career, he took every advantage, as well as the gifts that were given to him, in order to give back to the sport and the fans who gave him so much. Earnhardt’s love for the sport allowed him to become one of NASCAR’s most popular ambassadors, even to the point that fans from across the country are always trying to compare him to the next up and coming star.

    Earnhardt not only believed in himself, but he also believed in his own abilities by taking many chances other drivers would frown upon. The Intimidator’s greatness was portrayed in those who chose him as their own hero, even though there were fans who couldn’t find it in their hearts to overlook his aggressive driving style. Either way, “The Intimidator” continued to take NASCAR by storm, while catapulting the sport into the homes of motorsports fanatics around the country, because of his uncompromising driving abilities, which were admired by those who witnessed them.

    The word “quit” was never found in his vocabulary, nor could anyone quench the fire that burned deep within his heart to always be the best. Many drivers who come through the series leave some sort of footprint for the next generation driver to follow. These special sets of prints have yet to be followed though because of the legacy hidden deep within the soles, which Earnhardt’s accomplishments made him one of NASCAR’s most decorated drivers. All you had to do is put an ear to them, and almost magically you could listen to history being spoken in a small, still voice.

    On a warm, sunlit day back on Feb. 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr. would buckle himself into his famous black, grey, and red No. 3 Goodwrench sponsored Chevrolet, just as he had done many times during his 22-year legendary career. Earnhardt had the look of a proud father, knowing that his son Dale Jr. would also be in the starting field. The elder Earnhardt’s life had really taken a turn for the better; The Intimidator was ready to make history, but not the kind that he and Teresa ever thought imaginable.

    This would be the last of their customary kiss before each race, because her life too would be changed forever before the end of the day. The green flag waved to start the 43rd running of the Great American race, along with being the biggest audience to ever see a NASCAR race, the fans would also witness one of the biggest blows to a modern day sports hero.

    Who could ever forget the words of Mike Helton: “This has to be one of the toughest announcements that I have personally had to make. After the accident in turn four of the Daytona 500, we have lost Dale Earnhardt.” He was gone in the twinkling of an eye doing what he loved best, driving a race car. We all waited for him to walk away and wave to the crowd that he was alright, but instead to the shock of all who witnessed it, this was one that not even “The Intimidator” and “The Man in Black” would be able to survive.

    Daytona had taken the sport’s biggest hero, on the first race of what was to be the beginning of NASCAR finally making it to the national spotlight. I guess God had better plans for him, or maybe he just wanted Dale all to himself. Earnhardt would go down as one of Daytona’s biggest heroes, while being honored with a statue out front holding his most prized possession.

    His infamous black and red paint scheme with the white No. 3 is still to this day, one of the most famous cars in all of NASCAR history. Death is eminent in any sport, especially when you take into consideration how dangerous NASCAR racing is, because of the high speeds these 3,500-pound cars travel. When the Grim Reaper comes knocking at your door, there is no escaping his deadly grip, since he has no respect for who is next on the list.

    Earnhardt never reached his final destination; instead he continued his journey looking down from the heavens above. Legends never rest in peace, instead they keep giving as long as the fans are willing to remember.

  • Ryan Reed and Venturini Motorsports Lead Day 1 of ARCA Testing at Daytona

    Ryan Reed and Venturini Motorsports Lead Day 1 of ARCA Testing at Daytona

    Testing has officially begun for the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season as they began their three-day test at Daytona International Speedway on December 16th. As prior to years before, ARCA has hosted a three day test to allow teams to prepare for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 next February.

    Also as usual, Venturini Motorsports was strong with Ryan Reed topping the charts with a best lap of 48.857 seconds in the after session. Reed was followed by his four teammtes Brennan Poole, John Stancill and Mark Thompson.

    Reed announced just last week that he had partnered up with Venturini Motorsports for a part-time schedule in 2012. The 18-year-old from Bakersfield, California raced a variety of cars last year, including the Pro Allstars Series, NASCAR Whelen All American and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

    Venturini Motorsports is known for being strong in Daytona qualifying as they won the pole last year and a total of seven Menards Pole Awards over the course of 2011.

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year Joey Coulter rounded out the top five, followed by Chris Windom, Nelson Canache, Sloan Henderson, Damon Lusk and T.J. Duke. Seven-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart in 12th.

    In the morning sesson, it was Venturini driver Brennan Poole topping the charts with a lap of 48.915 seconds, over teammates Stancill and Thompson. Poole made his first start for the Venturini’s last year and scored his first win at Salem in May.

    T.J. Duke, driving for Coulter Motorsports, was fourth with Reed fifth. Rick Clifton, Coulter, Chad Hackenbracht, McReynolds, and Gerhart filled out the top 10.

    Testing will continue tomorrow with two sessions, from 9am-noon and 1-5pm. ARCARacing.com will feature lie timing and scoring on their site.

     

    DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY TEST – FRIDAY AM – 12/16/11  
               
      CAR # DRIVER MFG TIME SPEED
    1 25 Brennan Poole Chevy 48.915 183.993
    2 55 John Stancill Toyota 48.921 183.970
    3 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 48.931 183.932
    4 61 TJ Duke Chevy 49.193 182.953
    5 15 Ryan Reed Toyota 49.328 182.452
    6 11b Rick Clifton Chevy 49.340 182.408
    7 61 Joey Coulter Chevy 49.424 182.098
    8 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 49.552 181.627
    9 4 Brandon McReynolds Chevy 49.553 181.624
    10 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 49.663 181.221
    11 94 Steve Blackburn Dodge 49.790 180.759
    12 1 Alli Owens Ford 49.813 180.676
    13 16 Matt Lofton Chevy 49.820 180.650
    14 12 Jared Marks Dodge 49.879 180.437
    15 99 Buster Graham Ford 49.939 180.220
    16 5b Damon Lusk Chevy 50.029 179.896
    17 82 Sean Corr Ford 50.094 179.662
    18 63 Milka Duno Toyota 50.161 179.422
    19 32 Chris Windom Toyota 50.205 179.265
    20 10b Ryan Glenski Chevy 50.223 179.201
    21 90a Grant Enfinger Ford 50.258 179.076
    22 69 Chris Brown Ford 50.281 178.994
    23 17 Chris Buescher Ford 50.296 178.941
    24 6 Cale Gale Chevy 50.306 178.905
    25 90 Zachary Ralston Ford 50.350 178.749
    26 68 Will Kimmel Ford 50.382 178.635
    27 75a Benny Chastain Chevy 50.461 178.356
    28 14 John Ferrier Ford 50.563 177.996
    29 18 Michael Affarano Chevy 50.592 177.894
    30 35 Nelson Canache Chevy 50.648 177.697
    31 11a Ed Pompa Chevy 50.650 177.690
    32 11 Paul Harraka Chevy 50.798 177.172
    33 08 Ross Chastain Ford 50.840 177.026
    34 13 George Cushman Ford 50.928 176.720
    35 51 Drew Charlson Chevy 50.956 176.623
    36 04c Danny Esposito Dodge 51.089 176.163
    37 04b Nick Tucker Dodge 51.405 175.080
    38 40b Roger Carter Dodge 51.827 173.655
    39 40 Michael Bockler Dodge 51.990 173.110
    40 05a Derrike Cope Chevy 53.027 169.725

     

    DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY TEST – FRIDAY PM – 12/16/11  
               
      CAR # DRIVER MFG TIME SPEED
    1 15 Ryan Reed Toyota 48.857 184.211
    2 25 Brennan Poole Chevy 48.862 184.192
    3 55 John Stancill Toyota 48.943 183.887
    4 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 49.347 182.382
    5 61 Joey Coulter Chevy 49.350 182.371
    6 32 Chris Windom Toyota 49.360 182.334
    7 35 Nelson Canache Chevy 49.439 182.043
    8 29b Sloan Henderson Dodge 49.461 181.962
    9 5b Damon Lusk Chevy 49.469 181.932
    10 61a TJ Duke Chevy 49.471 181.925
    11 82a Sean Corr Ford 49.475 181.910
    12 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 49.502 181.811
    13 99 Buster Graham Ford 49.637 181.316
    14 4 Brandon McReynolds Chevy 49.648 181.276
    15 14 John Ferrier Ford 49.666 181.210
    16 94 Steve Blackburn Dodge 49.717 181.025
    17 16 Matt Lofton Chevy 49.725 180.995
    18 00 Ed Kennedy Chevy 49.761 180.865
    19 12 Jared Marks Dodge 49.772 180.825
    20 63 Milka Duno Toyota 49.787 180.770
    21 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 49.845 180.560
    22 69a Fain Skinner Ford 49.862 180.498
    23 1 Alli Owens Ford 49.905 180.343
    24 68 Will Kimmel Ford 50.016 179.942
    25 6 Cale Gale Chevy 50.034 179.878
    26 17a Chris Buescher Ford 50.035 179.874
    27 90 Zachary Ralston Ford 50.114 179.591
    28 08 Ross Chastain Ford 50.131 179.530
    29 69 Chris Brown Ford 50.133 179.522
    30 00a Ed Kennedy Chevy 50.176 179.369
    31 18 Michael Affarano Chevy 50.207 179.258
    32 5 Bobby Gerhart Chevy 50.262 179.062
    33 75 Ginny Quinones Chevy 50.278 179.005
    34 11 Paul Harraka Chevy 50.403 178.561
    35 82 Sean Corr Ford 50.483 178.278
    36 11a Ed Pompa Chevy 50.579 177.939
    37 11b Rick Clifton Chevy 50.581 177.932
    38 11c Trevor Edwards Chevy 50.681 177.581
    39 04 Scott Edwards Dodge 50.695 177.532
    40 17 Chris Buescher Ford 50.708 177.487
    41 51 Drew Charlson Chevy 50.744 177.361
    42 75a Benny Chastain Chevy 50.787 177.211
    43 05 Spencer Gallagher Chevy 50.903 176.807
    44 13 George Cushman Dodge 50.976 176.554
    45 04a Juan Carlos Blum Dodge 51.029 176.370
    46 11d Bill Coffey Ford 51.162 175.912
    47 06 Ricky Byers Chevy 51.173 175.874
    48 10b Daryl Eustice Ford 51.277 175.517
    49 10 Ryan Glennski Ford 51.417 175.039
    50 40d Larry Barford Dodge 51.511 174.720
    51 04d Josh Watkins Dodge 51.674 174.169
    52 05a Derrike Cope Chevy 52.067 172.854
    53 7 Brent Cross Chevy 52.376 171.834

  • David Ragan Under Pressure In Spite of Daytona Redemption Win

    David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS ‘We Love Logistics’ Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, finally achieved his goal of being a NASCAR Sprint Cup winner, redeeming himself with a victory at Daytona International Speedway.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]Even with that win, however, the 25 year old driver is still feeling pressure all around him as he readies for the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend. And that pressure has been with him since his first day at Roush Fenway Racing.

    “I’ve said it a lot that I’ve had pressure from day one being at Roush Fenway, being a young guy, not having a lot of experience coming in, having a good year my rookie year and an even better year my sophomore year and then really struggling,” Ragan said.

    “Coming into this season, we knew we’d have a lot of pressure to run well,” Ragan continued. “We knew we had to win.”

    While Ragan has definitely gotten one monkey off his back with his Daytona race win, he acknowledged that the pressure to now make the Chase is even more heavily on his mind.

    “Honestly, that win was big,” Ragan said. “And following it up with a top-10 and leading some laps at Kentucky was a Chase caliber run for our team.”

    “Wins are very important to us still and that’s what we come to the race track every weekend to do,” Ragan continued. “But top tens, top fives, and leading laps are what’s going to get us to that top ten in points.”

    “We’ve put ourselves in a position to make the Chase and I think that brings up more pressure,” Ragan said. “Now we’re so close to capitalizing on the progress that we’ve made.”

    “Being right outside that top-10 with the win, it’s like ‘hey, we’ve got to do something with it’,” Ragan continued. “We can’t turn back now.”

    Another major looming pressure for the young driver is his future with Roush Fenway Racing, as well as the team’s continued sponsorship relationship with UPS. And for Ragan, he would like nothing better than to have that pressure relieved with the finalization of both of those deals.

    “I’m really happy at Roush and the Fords are running great,” Ragan said. “I think Jack’s happy with the performance of the 6 team in comparison to his other teams.”

    “A lot of it depends on what UPS does,” Ragan continued. “So, it’s just a matter of the negotiations between Roush and UPS and working out all the details.”

    “I still think we’re four to six weeks out from really having some announcements and look forward to some good runs in between them,” Ragan said. “But you can’t stop with what you’ve done. You’ve got to keep going and that’s what’s important.”

    “I’m encouraged by some of the recent conversations we’ve had,” Ragan continued. “Things look to be on the good side.”

    For this race weekend, Ragan is also feeling the pressure of being good at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a place where he has admittedly struggled at times. Ragan’s best finish in eight appearances at NHMS was 15th during his first ever start at the track in the summer of 2007.

    The driver, however, is hoping to take some of the pressure off as he is bringing the same UPS Ford race car that he raced last at Richmond, earning him his first top-five finish of the season.

    “Coming off our recent success at Martinsville and Richmond, I’m looking forward to another short track.” Ragan said of NHMS. “Our Fords have improved a lot at the flatter short tracks, so I think we’ve got a good shot.”

    “Our Fenway tie to the Boston area means a lot to our team,” Ragan continued. “That gives us extra motivation to get a good finish this weekend in Loudon.”

    One way that Ragan has relieved his sense of pressure is by racing his Legends car. He even had a win this past week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “I raced my Legends car at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday and won,” Ragan said. “This was in preparation for a big race coming up the first week in August.”

    “It’s always fun,” Ragan continued. “I get out there and race three or four times a year and we really enjoy ourselves. So, that win was a good omen for things to come this weekend.”

    Although he has had a bit of a pressure release with his Legends win, Ragan knows full well that the pressure will return in force when he gets behind the wheel of his Cup car for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 this Sunday.

    “There’s a lot of pressure at this Sprint Cup Series level but that’s what we thrive on,” Ragan sad. “So, it affects us in a good way.”

  • Andy Lally: From Daytona Lone Ranger to Inaugural Kentucky Wannabe

    Andy Lally: From Daytona Lone Ranger to Inaugural Kentucky Wannabe

    Andy Lally, rookie driver of the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Interstate Moving Services Ford, is making an interesting transition, from lone wolf without a dance partner at this past weekend’s Daytona race to Kentucky wannabe, having to qualify in on time for this weekend’s inaugural race.

    [media-credit name=”andylally.com” align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]Lally started this journey last weekend with his best qualifying effort to date at Daytona, snagging the seventh starting spot between five time champ Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the sport’s most popular driver.

    “This was just a cool little feather in the cap that a small team had come up here and done this,” Lally said. “That was pretty neat.”

    Yet, in spite of the excellent starting position, Lally was quite the lone wolf, at least in the initial portion of the Coke Zero 400.

    “Yes, I did feel like the ‘Lone Ranger’ a little bit, but it was fairly expected,” Lally said.

    “I had spoken to Geoff Bodine before the race about hooking up and getting together,” Lally continued. “But we were starting in seventh and he was back in 35th or so, so it was going to be a little bit of time before we found him.”

    “We just tried to hold on at the front as long as we could.”

    Lally acknowledged that it was easier to hold on at the front more so when the race started and on the restarts when there was a bit of a pack. But that quickly changed when the tandem racers started the two-by-two pairings, causing Lally to struggle.

    “It was kind of like the old days in the big packs until everybody gets hooked up and single file,” Lally said. “It wasn’t easy to hold on after that happened.”

    “I was fighting tooth and nail to do whatever I could to stay in the draft and side draft guys,” Lally continued. “But it was definitely difficult to get off the gas and try to hook up with somebody.”

    “This was my third restrictor plate race so I’ve seen the benefits of the hook up every time,” Lally said. “We struggled on our own for about 20 laps or so but once we hooked up with other cars, we were pretty decent and were able to move up through the field.”

    Lally had particularly good luck when he teamed up with Terry Labonte, who was driving the No. 32 C&J Energy Ford. The Lally/Labonte tandem was so good together that they were able to push their way forward into the top ten at one point in the race.

    “That was not planned,” Lally said of his liaison with Labonte. “That was almost forced by me.”

    “Terry Labonte and Robby Gordon were running together and on the restart they got split up,” Lally continued. “Terry was on the bottom with a bunch of fast cars linked together. When I saw it, I moved to the bottom and drove up behind Terry, smashed him in the rear and started pushing him, whether he wanted me there or not.”

    “I think Terry was a little hesitant at first but after the first few laps, we started going forward and passing cars,” Lally said. “So, then we got a message over the radio from his spotter that he liked the way I was going and he wanted to stay together.”

    “We did that for the next 130 laps and we stayed together as best we could.”

    The tandem did indeed stay together, that is until mayhem ensued at the end of the race during the two green, white, checkered attempts at a finish.

    “Unfortunately, we weren’t in a position to really capitalize on that mayhem at the end of the race,” Lally said. “We had done a long green flag run but the pit stops weren’t what we needed and we lost the lead draft.”

    “And then we went on a long green flag run and the pack pushed by us to put us a lap down,” Lally continued. “If all that havoc had happened one lap prior, we would have been in decent shape.”

    “Once we took the white flag, we knew there was no more advancing of positions, so we just kind of backed off and tip toed through the minefield on the way to the checkered flag, passing battered car after battered car.”

    After finishing 27th, Lally admitted he was ready to put the superspeedway in his lone wolf rear view mirror and head to the first-ever Cup race, the Quaker State 400, at Kentucky Speedway. At that track, he will not be alone as he was at Daytona.

    “We’ve got a track that I’ve never been to,” Lally said. “But for the first time a number of other guys have never been to it either.”

    “A bunch of these guys have done the Truck race or the Nationwide race but from the information I got from the guys who did the tire test, it was fairly similar to Kansas,” Lally continued. “So, I think everybody will unload with their Kansas set up and go from there.”

    Lally is definitely a Kentucky wannabe as he currently sits 36th in owner points, just one position shy of being locked in.

    “Right now getting in the show will be the biggest thing,” Lally said. “It’s going to be a big challenge.”

    “We actually get a test day so we’ll get some laps on the track on Thursday,” Lally continued. “So, we’ll make some adjustments and see what we got for qualifying. We’ve got 48 cars for 43 spots so that’s a challenge.”

    “You’re never not trying to go hard but we’ll do more mock qualifying runs and do more in qualifying trim than race trim,” Lally said. “So, we’ll see.”

  • Matty’s Picks Vol. 9 – Kentucky – Quaker State 400 – July 9, 2011

    Matty’s Picks Vol. 9 – Kentucky – Quaker State 400 – July 9, 2011

    [media-credit name=”KentuckySpeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to the state known not for stock car racing, but for its horse racing. Yes, each year the Thunder Over Louisville is the opening ceremony for the most prestigious horse race in the world, the Kentucky Derby. Not only does the Kentucky Derby Festival hold the world’s largest fireworks display in the world, but Kentucky holds more gold in storage inside the vaults of Fort Knox, than any other place in the world. Over $6 billion dollars worth of gold calls Kentucky home in the underground storage vaults.

    Enough with the quirky facts about the state and onto the RACING!

    Just 11 years ago, Jerry Carroll’s dream came became a reality when he opened the front gates to Kentucky Speedway on June 16, 2000. It was two years and $153 million dollars that finally got the track opened for its first event, a Slim Jim All Pro Series race. The day following, Greg Biffle won the first NASCAR sanctioned race at Kentucky in the Camping World Truck Series. Since then, Kentucky Speedway has been a stop for the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, IZOD IndyCar Series, and the Firestone Indy Light Series.

    In 2008, the track was purchased from owner Jerry Carroll by Speedway Motorsports Inc with the intent to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2009 racing season. Bruton Smith put an additional $50 million into the track, expanding the seating of the track from 66,000 to 107,000, reconfiguring pit road, and adding an additional 200 acres of camping around the complex. This proved to be enough to land an event at the speedway for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The race Saturday night has officially sold out and should prove to be one of the most memorable nights in the track’s brief history.

    Kentucky Speedway’s layout mocks the layouts of Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway. With 14 degrees of banking in the corners, 8-10 degrees in the Tri-Oval and 4 degrees on the backstretch, Kentucky will prove to be a bit of a challenge to newcomers.

    Daytona Recap

    Because my Kentucky intro being as long-winded as it is, although tough with the excitement of the last 20 laps at Daytona, I will keep my recap of last week fairly brief.

    My winner pick, Jeff Gordon, played the Hendrick game last Saturday night in an effort to steer clear of trouble. Gordon immediately hooked up with drafting partner, Mark Martin in the first few laps of the race, pushing Martin to the point. The tandem of Gordon and Martin would slip out of the top 20 just before lap number 20, and would ride in the middle of the pack until the 300-mile mark. Following their final green flag stops with 25 laps remaining, the duo would make their charge towards the front, moving to 7th and 8th with just 5 laps remaining. Gordon would make one of the best saves of his career, keeping the Pepsi Max Chevy clear of any barriers but would bring out the caution with just 4 to go. The first attempt at a GWC restart would go foul in Turn 2, putting Gordon in 17th on what would become the final restart. Gordon then hooked up with Toyota driver, Kyle Busch, and the tandem sliced through traffic and Busch pulled Gordon to a 6th place finish, netting me a top 10 for my winner pick.

    A.J. Allmendinger would also net me a top 10 for my Dark Horse pick this past weekend in his No. 43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion. Also taking the mid-pack route on Saturday night, Allmendinger hooked up with teammate Marcos Ambrose early, but the tandem would eventually split late in the race after the No. 43 ran out of gas on lap 134. Allmendinger coasted onto pit road and would eventually go one lap down to the leaders. It wasn’t until the caution brought out by my winner pick that Allmendinger would gain the Lucky-Dog and jump back onto the lead lap. Starting at the rear of the field following the final two cautions would prove to be beneficial in the end for the Richard Petty Motorsports Driver. Allmendinger would avoid both cautions in overtime to drive to a 10th place finish, netting me another top ten for my Dark Horse pick.

    Kentucky Picks

    Onto my picks for this week.

    I’m not going to bore you all to death with statistics this week only because THERE AREN’T ANY! I’m also not going to base my predictions on past finishes at Kansas or Chicagoland because the two tracks are rather similar to Kentucky Speedway, but that fact means nothing when it comes to an inaugural race. Each of the 43 drivers starting the race Saturday Night will be foaming at the drop of the green flag in an effort to become the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Kentucky Speedway.

    I’m not sure how legal this is in the eyes of the Matty’s Pick’s rules committee, but I’m picking a guy this week that fans may not always have as a contender to win week in and week out. He has won the past three NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Kentucky, and will use his experiences in the Nationwide cars to give him a bit of an edge on Saturday night. Joey Logano scored his first NASCAR win at Kentucky in 2008, but has not seen victory lane in the Sprint Cup series since his win at Loudon in June 2009. This is my basis for qualifying him as a Dark Horse this weekend, and my guess is he will prove me wrong as a Dark Horse by running in the top 10 on Saturday.

    For my winner pick, I am also picking a driver with some experience at Kentucky Speedway. He won a race in the Nationwide Series at Kentucky in June of 2004. Rowdy Busch is my Winner pick for this week and I am basing this prediction off of desire. I think Kyle Busch has a spot on his mantle open for a trophy with the words “Inaugural Race Winner” inscribed on it, and Joe Gibbs Racing will give him the car he needs to go get it. Look for the No. 18 in Gatorade Victory Lane not only Saturday Night, but Friday in the Nationwide Series, and Thursday in the Camping World Truck Series as well.

    This ends a very long-winded Matty’s picks this week, (including the two hidden Bonus Picks!) I am extremely excited to be joining the other 125,000 folks at Kentucky Speedway this weekend to watch history be made. I will make the journey from Buffalo, NY to be on hand for this epic event, and look forward to sharing some good food, good times, and great RACIN’ in the Bluegrass State!!!

    Until next time…..you stay classy NASCAR NATION!!

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  • 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.”

  • Ten Ways NASCAR Can Improve Tandem Racing

    Ten Ways NASCAR Can Improve Tandem Racing

    Debates started last year about the likability of two by two racing that is now occurring at both Daytona and Talladega on the NASCAR superspeedway circuit. Some tolerate it and others despise it, particularly fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has taken to calling it “foolish racing.”

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”259″][/media-credit]So, what can NASCAR do about this kind of racing? While the sanctioning body could follow Jack Roush’s advice to “fix the front and the back of the car so if they have contact, there is an inclined angle that would drive the rear wheels off the ground to stop it,” there are indeed some other possibilities.

    Here are ten ways that NASCAR could improve the two by two racing that has become the norm at restrictor plate tracks.

    10.  Since some have dubbed the style “Noah’s Ark racing”, with the two by twoing like the animals trudging onto the ark before the flood, NASCAR should definitely have the drivers come out two by two for driver introductions.

    Most drivers acknowledge that they have already paired up prior to the event. But just in case the fans are not aware of the duos, NASCAR could really spice up the driver intros by having them come out in their pairings, one in front and one behind, to build suspense as to who is partnering with whom. Then the drivers could separate for the big ‘tandem reveal.’

    Better yet, instead of some of those cheesy driver intro stagings where drivers come out to wild music or crazy drumming, NASCAR could literally build an ark and have the tandem pairings appear together out of that.

    NASCAR may just have to keep the drumming for that style driver introduction or at least consult with Humpy Wheeler, retired track promoter extraordinaire, for some suitable side effects.

    9.  Since one of the biggest complaints regarding tandem racing is the inability of driver of the push car to see, NASCAR should encourage a new activity for the fans in the Fan Zone, that of making cardboard periscopes.

    The sponsors, such as Home Depot and General Mills, ought to be all over this one.  Home Depot could supply the building materials and General Mills, who has already done a special Wheaties cereal box promo with driver Clint Bowyer, could provide the cardboard boxes (for those old enough to remember the cardboard cereal box periscopes, this one is a no brainer).

    Fans could make the periscopes as a fun-filled race day activity and the best fan concoction could be presented to each pushing driver at driver introductions.

    Just in case NASCAR needs some advice on how to build these cardboard up periscopes, here is a helpful link: http://www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Periscope/.

    8.  Again, since NASCAR is trying to engage new fans in the racing experience, another fan promotion could be encouraged at tandem race tracks, that of honorary pit crew stenciler.

    One of the biggest issues that has now evolved with this form of racing is that the manufacturer’s brand name is being rubbed off the front and back bumpers of the race cars.  To solve that concern, each manufacturer could have a fan contest to select fans that could very quickly, in 13 seconds or less, stencil the names back on the cars during the pit stops.

    This would not only encourage brand identity, but would also get the fans involved in a whole different aspect of the sport.  And there would be no better way than brand stenciling to get up close and personal with the race team.

    7.  Speaking of brand identity, while this may not make the racing any more exciting but to appeal to the adult fans in the crowd, NASCAR may just have to invite one of its primary sponsors, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, back to the track for a special cigarette promotion.  After all, the ‘friends with benefits’ type racing may just necessitate a bit of a short smoke break after the intense on-the-track coupling experiences.

    6.  NASCAR may also need to make a change to address the fact that there is inherently an odd number of cars on the track, with 43 starters.

    So, to increase interest, the last car qualified in should get to select a car from outside the field with whom to partner. Just think how interesting this past weekend’s race could have been if Joe Nemechek had selected say Kyle Petty or Rusty Wallace or even better yet Danica Patrick as his wing person.

    5.  In the interest of interest as well as safety, it would also behoove NASCAR to install the back up beeping devices in every race car. In this way, fans at the track and at home would hear the beep, beep, beeping and immediately know who is backing up in the field to find their tandem partners.

    Not only can fans and announcers alike track the cars going forward, but all could keep track of those purposefully dragging their brakes to find the second half of their particular dynamic duo throughout the race and especially on those fateful restarts.

    4.  Another way to involve the fans that NASCAR should consider for this style of racing is to allow a lucky fan at home to do the spotting for their particular race tandem. This would eliminate the wacky practice of having the pushee driver in the front’s spotter take over the spotting duties for the tandem.

    Heck, most of the drivers were confused anyway about who was in their ears from the perches high above on the spotters’ stand so one more weird voice should not be too disconcerting. And it would most certainly liven up the action for all stuck at home unable to attend the race for whatever reason.

    3.  Since the two car tandem style of racing has also been compared to the tango, NASCAR should insist that the dancing pairs perform at least one dip together below the yellow line at some point during the race.  Additional points toward the Chase may also be awarded for style, control, and degree of difficulty of the dance by visiting NASCAR officials of the day Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Toniolli.

    2.  One of the most intriguing ways that NASCAR could make the tandem racing more interesting is to utilize the now defunct qualifying draw to select a very special surprise.

    Just as in days of old, the driver, crew chief or team designee would need to visit the NASCAR spinning ball area outside of the famed NASCAR hauler to select their number.

    But instead of determining the qualifying order, a random number will be designated for that the one special team that will get super glue instead of Vaseline or Pam on their car on the very last pit stop of the race.

    Won’t that be an interesting twist for whoever decides to hook up with that particular car at the tail end of an upcoming Daytona or Talladega race?

    1.  The final way that NASCAR could make the tandem racing more interesting is to approach it all strictly as the square dance that it truly is. Each tandem racing pair should be instructed prior to the race to carefully monitor the NASCAR channel for their calling instructions.

    Drivers will be instructed to “Circle Left, Come Down the Middle, and Do Sa Do.” But the best part will be when NASCAR, sometime during the race but hopefully in the second green, white, checkered attempt, will call “Partner Trade” and the cars will have to scramble to find a whole new partner for the race finale.

    Oh, but that already happened this past race weekend, didn’t it?

    God bless tandem racing and God bless NASCAR.  See you next in Talladega!

  • From Victory Lane to the Garage: Trevor Bayne Doesn’t Get Chance at Daytona Sweep

    From Victory Lane to the Garage: Trevor Bayne Doesn’t Get Chance at Daytona Sweep

    The hardest part for Trevor Bayne was not being able to show what his No. 21 Motorcraft Ford could do. Standing in the garage area looking at a race car that was just as good if not better than the one sitting just out front in the museum, Bayne was suddenly brought back down to earth.

    “If it was going be a winner, we’ll never know, but I think it could have been for sure,” said Bayne.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”253″][/media-credit]Instead, just five laps after the green flag the team was packing up and heading home, memories of February long gone. After starting on the outside of the front row, Bayne found a drafting partner early in Clint Bowyer before he started to fall through the field. He landed on the front bumper of the No. 2 Dodge of Brad Keselowski but found out that these dancing partners had two left feet.

    “I wanted to be a pusher because I know that these things can happen,” Bayne explained. “He got to us and was pushing us down the frontstretch and I was still kind of lifting a little bit, letting him get to my bumper and then I got back to the gas wide-open. I don’t know if I turned down more getting in or if he kind of came up across our bumper, but either way, our bumpers caught wrong and it sent up spinning.”

    Keselowski turned the No. 21 entering turn one and Bayne starting spinning toward the inside of the track. Bowyer and Jeff Burton who were drafting on the inside of the No. 2 and No. 21 got collected as Bayne clipped Bowyer’s machine and shot back up into the wall head-on.

    “It happens all the time but it’s tough that it is our car,” said Bayne. “I hate tearing up a good race car and they duplicated what we had here in February, which is hard to do, so I’m thankful for the Wood Brothers standing behind me through everything I’ve been through this year.”

    The 20-year-old has been through more than he and the rest of the sport could imagine. Just 24 hours after his birthday in February he won the Daytona 500 for one of the most famous teams and family in the sport. It was just his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and it shot him to super stardom.

    Bayne can no longer walk through the garage or any area for that matter without being recognized. Something that seemed unimaginable a year ago when he saw the likes of Jeff Gordon or Kyle Busch and the swarms of fans around them. Bayne has his own following now and no longer has to think about how cool it would be like Gordon or Busch.

    Yet, for all the good there has been the bad. What started in Daytona in February came full circle Saturday night at the same track.

    “It’s not fun, I can promise you,” said Bayne of his trouble. “It takes about a half-second and you say, ‘Oh, here it goes,’ because you get sideways and you know the point of correction. You know at what point you can still correct and then you know when it’s too far … It’s going to happen again tonight, I’m sure, but it’s just really unfortunate for us. I wanted to back-up what we did here in February, obviously, but we aren’t going to get the chance to do that.”

    He would have given it a valiant try though. On top the speed and qualifying charts, Bayne was storyline “a” entering the weekend. There was never any doubt that he was going to be fast or would have a drafting partner. All eyes were on the red and white Ford that while able to fly under the radar in February was now expected to be at the front of the field on Saturday night.

    Except the fan favorite and fantasy league shoe-in, Bayne finished 41st on Saturday night. And while he was disappointed at the turn of events Bayne left Daytona with the right mindset, something he’d been praised for since he arrived on the NASCAR scene.

    “I can’t explain what I’ve been through this year,” he said. “It’s tough at times and it’s good at times, but I just know that I’ve got really good people behind me and that’s why I say that about Ford and everybody at Wood Brothers and Roush Fenway on the Nationwide side. I’ve got great people behind me, so that gives me confidence. If I didn’t have that and I didn’t have my faith and everything else, right now that would be a pretty bad blow I can promise you that.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Daytona Coke Zero 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Daytona Coke Zero 400

    With firecrackers sparkling, patriotism soaring and flags flying high in celebration of the July 4th holiday weekend, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the Coke Zero 400 run under the lights at Daytona International Speedway.


    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”261″][/media-credit]Surprising: Sentimental favorite Trevor Bayne and points leader Carl Edwards both surprisingly had a world of trouble at the world center of racing.

    Bayne, piloting the famed Wood Brothers No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center Ford, was making his triumphant return to the superspeedway after winning the Daytona 500 and then having to get out of the car for a bit as a result of a never-diagnosed illness.

    The young driver’s high hopes were dashed early, when he was turned by Brad Keselowski, in the No. 2 Blue Deuce for Penske Racing, on Lap 5 of the race. Bayne and team were unable to repair the car and he finished 41st.

    “I don’t know if I turned down more getting in or if he (Keselowski) kind of came up across our bumper, but, either way, our bumpers caught wrong and it sent us spinning,” Bayne said. “You know that can happen here.”

    “It happens all the time, but it’s tough that it was our car,” Bayne continued. “I hate tearing up a good race car. If I didn’t have my faith and everything else right now, that would be a pretty bad blow I can promise you that.”

    Bayne was not the only one that had a tough night. Points leader coming into the race Carl Edwards had his hands full as well behind the wheel of the No. 99 Subway Ford for Roush Fenway Racing.

    Edwards was running third, being pushed by teammate Greg Biffle, when he hit the wall on lap 23. Edwards’ car was severely damaged, allowing fumes to get into the car and sickening the driver.

    While Edwards did get his car back on the track, he finished 37th, losing the points lead to Kevin Harvick.

    “We don’t ever give up and that’s the thing,” Edwards said. “I told my guys to keep their heads up. We’ll take this bad day and keep our pride.”

    “We knew coming here we could come out losing a bunch of points and we lost about as many as we could, but that’s OK,” Edwards continued. “We’re still right there. Hopefully we’ll be leading it after next week.”

    Not Surprising:  There was another Cinderella glass slipper waiting and not surprisingly this one was polished with redemption for one driver who was definitely due one at Daytona.

    David Ragan, who had come so close to winning the Daytona 500 but was penalized for changing lanes in the waning laps, was pushed to his first ever Cup victory by teammate Matt Kenseth.

    This was Ragan’s first victory in 163 Cup races but his fifth top-10 finish in 2011. The driver of the No. 6 UPS “We Love Logistics” Ford for Roush Fenway Racing scored his fourth top-10 finish in ten races at Daytona.

    “It was a tough one in February and coming back here we knew that we’d have a shot to win,” Ragan said. “When we qualified, that’s probably the first time I really felt like we’ve got a car that’s fast enough that we can win this thing, so we made a pact with our teammate Matt Kenseth that we were gonna work together through thick or thin.”

    “I just tried to not make any mistakes, tried to put ourselves in good position and we wound up obviously being in the lead on the last restart and that was the winning moment for us,” Ragan said. “I’m happy about the win.”

    Surprising:  While this year has been one of change on pit road, particularly for the over the wall gang with the new fueling system and the elimination of the catch can man, there was another surprising change on pit road during this race. The gas can man became the grease man as well.

    From rags covered in lard to cans of Pam, greasing the bumpers became a part of the pit crew dance. And another pit road command from atop the boxes became “Right side tires and grease the bumpers.”

    Not Surprising:  With the new style of tandem racing, it was not surprising to see a race record high of 57 lead changes. There was also a track record broken for 25 different leaders, with the previous record being 22 set in this year’s Daytona 500.

    It was also not surprising that after all of the racing, the finale came down to the second attempt at a green, white, checkered finish.

    Clint Bowyer, who had been at the front of the pack in his No. 33 Wheaties Fuel Chevrolet, ended up finishing 36th, thanks to that final green, white, checker attempt.

    “We got some damage in the beginning of the race and laid back in the field with our RCR teammate Jeff Burton until about 30 to go,” Bowyer said. “That last caution came out at the wrong time as we were making a run at the leaders.”

    “Nothing we could have done there at the end,” Bowyer concluded. “That’s just restrictor plate racing for you I guess.”

    Surprising: The surprising tandem dubbed ‘Harvard’, comprised of Kevin Harvick, driving the No. 29 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet, and Paul Menard, behind the wheel of the No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet, finished strong.

    In fact, Harvick’s finish was strong enough to catapult him over Edwards to lead the point standings by five.

    “We had a plan to stick with the No. 27 (Menard) all night and I think we ran every lap with him,” Harvick said. “The first green-white-checkered, we had a great run and the timing was perfect.”

    “The second one, we just didn’t have quite the timing and got a couple of guys underneath us and then we just got a little bit too far behind,” Harvick continued. “But still, everything worked pretty good.”

    Not Surprising: In contrast to the relief of the ‘Harvard’ tandem, it was not surprising to see equal if not more amounts of frustration boil over for many of the traditionally good plate race drivers who did not have the finish they, or their fans, envisioned.

    In addition to Jimmie Johnson, who finished 20th in his No. 48 Lowes Summer Salute, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. also struggled late in the race, finishing 19th in his camouflaged No. 88 National Guard Heritage/Amp Energy Chevrolet.

    “Oh man, I don’t know,” Junior said after the race. “I’m really ticked off. Damnit. I was just trying to get to the finish line.”

    “What kind of move can you make in racing like this?” Junior continued. “There ain’t no move you can make.”

    “You just hold it on the mat and try not to wreck into each other,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “You see how good we are at that.”

    Surprising: In addition to his appearance in the movie ‘Cars 2’, it was a bit surprising to see Jeff Gordon, this week piloting the No. 24 Pepsi Max Chevrolet, starring as the race’s Lucky Dog. Gordon used his veteran skills for an incredible save after a wild spin on lap 157 to finish sixth.

    “Somebody got in the back of the No. 4 (Kasey Kahne) and pushed him up into me and I had nowhere to go,” Gordon said. “Then the car came around and luckily I straightened it out somehow and came back and fixed it.”

    “Miraculously there on those last two restarts we avoided more wrecks,” Gordon continued. “It was awesome and how we finished sixth is unbelievable.”

    Not Surprising:  One other driver benefitted greatly from the Lucky Dog phenomenon. AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 43 Air Force Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports, got the distinction after the first green, white, checkered attempt and went on to power his way to a top-10 finish.

    “I felt kind of bad because Marcos (Ambrose) and I were racing for the lucky dog, but I was happy the yellow came out twice so we both got our laps back,” Allmendinger said. “After that, it was just trying to miss the wreck.”

    “We didn’t quite miss it but I stayed wide open and kind of bulled my way through there and finished 10th.”