Tag: Dover International Speedway

Corey LaJoie Scores First Monster Mile Win In Wild K&N Pro Series East Race

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]With wrecks aplenty, a torn off bumper, and a green, white checkered finish, Corey LaJoie survived to score the win in the K&N Pro Series East race, the American Real TV 150, at Dover International Speedway.

And in one of the more unique victory celebrations, LaJoie removed his driving shoe, autographed it and handed it to a young race fan in the stands.

This was LaJoie’s fourth career K&N Pro Series East victory, with all four wins in the 2012 season. It was his first win at the Monster Mile, where he finished

“First I just want to start by saying how blessed I am to be in this situation,” the driver of the No. 07 Sims Metal Management Ford, said. “There are a million and a half kids who’d like to be in my spot right here so I’m just lucky enough to have the opportunity.”

“It doesn’t matter how many races I win in my career, I’ll always be second to the Lord.”

LaJoie was also effusive in his praise for third place finisher and good friend Brandon McReynolds.

“Brandon’s my best buddy since we came out of the womb,” LaJoie said. “To get to race for Miles the Monster in one of his one-off races, man it’s something you couldn’t ask for more.”

“I also need to thank Brand Gdovic for pulling that bumper off or we’d be sitting her in tenth place half tore up.”

“All in all, that was an awesome race.”

LaJoie admitted that the car he was driving and won the race in just happened to be borrowed.

“Miguel Paludo drove it last year and we pulled it out of the barn to get it out,” LaJoie said. “We got it a month ago, stripped it, painted it and the first time it hit the track was yesterday.”

LaJoie is also focused on the biggest prize in the series, the championship. And what does he have to do in his opinion to achieve that goal?

“Win the next two races,” LaJoie said simply. “If we win the next two races, no matter what anybody else does, we’re going to win the championship.”

LaJoie also came into the media center shoeless, thanks to his unique victory celebration.

“I give both of my shoes away,” LaJoie said. “I started that at Iowa.”

“I gave one away in the stands and one away in Victory Lane and my socks are soaking wet with Budweiser.”

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. had an incredible comeback to finish second, his second top-2 finish at Dover having won the race last year, but he was none too happy in the media center after the race.

“It’s not even that I’m disappointed that we lost,” the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, said. “We lost the wrong way.”

“If you have to cheat to win and get somebody else to take your rear bumper off, I don’t understand that.”

“I’m frustrated over that but great day for us and a great weekend overall,” Wallace said. “We’ve been struggling all year and to be able to finish second, I’ll take it.”

“That’s how it is,” Wallace continued. “Maybe that will come around to us when our bumper gets ripped off and we get someone else to take it off for us.”

“It is complete awesomeness – sarcasm there – but we’ll take it.”

Brandon McReynolds, son of broadcaster Larry McReynolds, came in third in his No. 28 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet. This was McReynolds best finish in his eighth K&N Pro Series East start and his first race of the season.

“I really believe the 18 or us had the best car to beat,” McReynolds said. “I just didn’t get the pickup full of fuel so our restart was pretty terrible.”

“But it all started when I got a good run on the top and got on the outside of the 07,” McReynolds continued. “He just stuck me in the fence and tore up his bumper.”

“But that’s fine,” McReynolds said. “He’s one of our buddies and we’ll get over it and talk about it sometime.”

“He’ll realize pretty quick when you move up, you ain’t going to go far doing stuff like that,” McReynolds continued. “There’s only so many guys who will cut you breaks.”

“I shouldn’t have cut him a break,” McReynolds said. “I should have put him in the fence.”

“But we’ll move on to the next one,” McReynolds continued. “We were here to spoil the party and everyone knows we were a force to be reckoned with.”

“We made our statement and hopefully Mr. Turner sees that we have a really good thing going here and we can get some more races.”

The rest of the top five finishers were Ben Kennedy in fourth and Kyle Larson in fifth place.

September 28, 2012
Michael Annett Wishing To Start Season All Over Again

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]With his fifth consecutive top-10 finish under his belt as of Kentucky Speedway last weekend, Michael Annett has been very pleased with the consistency of his No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series.

But the young up-and-coming racer also wishes that he could start the season all over again and really compete for that coveted championship with all the momentum he has gained since the start of the season.

“I’ve never run this consistently well so the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how much it takes to win the championship,” Annett said. “It really can be won or lost at Daytona, the first race of the year because if you do have an issue, it takes awhile to bounce back.”

“Now, it’s like I wish I could start the season all over again because I’d be right there with them.”

Although he may wish that he could go back in time, Annett acknowledged that he is most pleased with the progress the team has made and with all the top-10 runs. But he also longs for even more performance and would especially like to get to Victory Lane.

“I think we’re definitely excited with the consistency we’ve had, especially with it being top-10 runs,” Annett said. “But we’re actually to the point now where we’re not satisfied with top-10s and are looking for those top-fives and knocking on the door for that first win.”

“I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do here, especially the second half of the season and now we’re disappointed with a seventh place finish like last weekend.”

Annett acknowledged that his good runs have bred a bit of confidence, so much so that he feels that he can get one more spot in the point standings.

“I think the confidence is there now,” Annett said. “It started with the first time we went to Kentucky early in the season and we just had a really good run there.”

“I knew each time we unloaded, I knew we’d have cars capable of being up front,” Annett continued. “And the more I’ve run in the top-10, I’ve learned a lot more.”

“I’ve learned how difficult it is to take a seventh place car and make it a third place car.”

“Consistency is great, especially since we’re trying to chase down the No. 51 for fifth in points,” Annett said. “The past few weeks, we’ve gained on him, but if we could move those top-10s to top-fives, we could speed up that process of running them down.”

“We keep chipping away at the fifth place in points and that would definitely feel like a championship for us,” Annett continued. “You just have to have a perfect day to win one of these races.”

“I think we’re really close right now and it will just be one of those days where we have a top-three car and hopefully make it a winning race car.”

For Annett, winning will require a perfect mix of mental fortitude, as well as a great handling car.

“Racing really is mental, probably 40% mental and 60% car,” Annett said. “There are times you can get so frustrated and lose time on the race track and the next lap, you make up time.”

“The car didn’t change but the mentality of the driver did,” Annett continued. “It’s how you bring it back so if you can maintain consistency, that’s your job.”

Annett admits that he, like many other drivers including Cup driver Denny Hamlin, has consulted with a sports psychologist. And he also admits to being just a tad bit superstitious as well.

“I’ve done some things like sports psychologists and the biggest thing you learn is that if you do lose focus, there are things you can do to get you back on track and back where you need to be,” Annett said. “Confidence comes with success obviously. Once you get it, it’s hard for other guys to take it away from you.”

“I’m very superstitious actually,” Annett continued. “Not a whole lot to do with racing, but more just stuff in general.”

“I don’t think superstition changes anything because I have the same routine every race and sometimes we finish 28^th and sometime we finish third. And I didn’t do anything different.”

“I think that’s more just stuff in your head that in the long run doesn’t change anything.”

Whether confidence or superstition, Annett also credits his good runs to the alliance that his single car team at Richard Petty Motorsports has with the Roush Fenway organization.

“We have a really good alliance with Roush Fenway, just like our Cup program,” Annett said. “The engineers meet and we share all of our information.”

“There is a lot of communication there,” Annett continued. “I know for a fact we wouldn’t be where we are without this support.”

“That has been a key attribute. You can have an alliance but if you don’t use it, it does not lead to success,” Annett said. “I think we do a pretty good job of it.”

Annett is definitely wishing for a good run this weekend at Dover, a place that he has deemed “just fun to come to.”

“There’s nowhere else like it,” Annett said of the Monster Mile.”You try to say it’s like Bristol but the sensation in the car and what you go through in the corner here is completely different.”

“Obviously, they look a bit alike and you can take some things that you learned at Bristol and apply them at Dover,” Annett continued. “But I think the biggest thing we fight here is how hard the car lands in the corners.”

“That dropping sensation; this is the only place you feel that,” Annett said. “That’s the first thing we fight and start off working on that landing.”

“You’re never going to get a whole lap here comfortable for the driver,” Annett continued. “It’s just getting it comfortable enough so the driver can drive it consistently.”

In addition to the Roush Fenway alliance, Annett also counts himself among the fortunate who have a ride lined up for next year.

“I’m going to definitely be back in this car running for a championship,” Annett said. “When this season ends, I’m going to be really disappointed because we’ve had some of the best momentum in the garage right now.”

“It’s going to be a long off-season and I’ll be itching to get back to Daytona in February,” Annett continued. “And, if things work out, maybe I’ll get a handful of Cup races, but we’ll definitely be focused on that Nationwide championship for the upcoming year.”

September 28, 2012
Aric Almirola Experiencing Opportunities of a Lifetime

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”223″][/media-credit]While Aric Almirola did not have quite the qualifying run that he had hoped for at Pocono Raceway, the young driver of the No. 43 Transportation Impact Ford indeed feels like he is having the opportunities of his lifetime.

He and his team, including crew chief Mike Ford, have been improving steadily, particularly in the last three Cup races. In fact, Almirola brought his famed race car to a sixth place finish at the Monster Mile last weekend.

“I think it’s a team effort,” Almirola said. “Bringing Mike Ford on has certainly helped.”

“But as a whole, as a team, and as an organization, we’ve gotten better,” Almirola continued. “We’re running stronger and our finishes show that.”

“I’m really proud of everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports and all these guys on the No. 43 team,” Almirola said. “At the beginning of the year it wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t what we really wanted either.”

“So, for all of them to keep their heads up and keep working hard and not getting discouraged and to finally see the hard work pay off in the last few weeks have been good.”

Almirola also feels that he is having the experience of a lifetime in working with his crew chief. He is especially impressed with Ford’s leadership abilities and his attention to detail.

“Our relationship has come along really good and really quick,” Almirola said of his crew chief Ford. “It’s always easier when you have fast cars.”

“So, when your cars are driving good and you’ve got speed, everybody’s happy, things are good and everything’s a lot easier.”

“The last few weeks have been great,” Almirola continued. “Me and Mike have hit it off really good. I feel like we understand each other.”

“He leads this team really well,” Almirola said. “I think the experience is huge but his work ethic is great.”

“He’s hands on and out in the shop. He’s been around the sport for a long time and he’s done all these guys’ jobs,” Almirola continued. “So, he knows each aspect of the car and understands what needs to be done.”

“He has a certain way that he wants things done and he is very meticulous,” Almirola said. “I think that with as competitive as our sport is today, the detail is really important and he really focuses on the details.”

Almirola, however, readily admits that he has not had the experience of a lifetime at Pocono so far. In fact, he has found everything and every turn challenging for his first race in a Cup car at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

“It’s a tough track, really tough,” Almirola said. “It takes some learning and getting used to I’m finding out. So, my first time here in a Cup car, I’ve been finding the challenges.”

“The whole place has proven to be a challenge for me so far this weekend.”

Although Almirola qualified 29^th, he feels that he will be able to improve as the racing begins. And he and Mike Ford may have to use some pit or tire strategy to move toward the front of the pack.

“I think in the race everything will happen a lot smoother,” Almirola said. “I’ll be in a pack and be able to judge my speed a lot better off other cars.”

“We’ll have to play some strategy because it’s going to be really tough to drive from the back where we qualified up to the top ten or so,” Almirola continued. “It’s going to take some strategy and some good pit stops, which have to be solid all day.”

Almirola is thrilled with one aspect of coming to Pocono, that of bringing on a new race sponsor. For the Pocono 400 presented by #NASCAR, Almirola has welcomed Transportation Impact to the race car.

“Brian Moffitt and all the marketing guys at RPM have done an outstanding job of bringing on new sponsors,” Almirola said. “These are new sponsors that are coming on that have never even been involved in the sport.”

“We’re bringing new money to the sport which is always good to see,” Almirola continued. “Weekends like this weekend, having Transportation Impact on board, is a huge help.”

“It’s no secret that it takes a lot of money to run these race teams,” Almirola said. “So every race we get sponsored is a big deal.”

Experiencing the opportunities of a lifetime has, however, brought its share of challenges to the up and coming racer. First and foremost are the time demands of the Cup Series, followed closely by the extreme competition on the track.

“The time demand has been most surprising,” Almirola said. “I knew it would take some time to learn and there would be weekends like this weekend.”

“But what I didn’t realize was the time and attention and focus that it would take,” Almirola continued. “I knew it would more than what I was used to running a Nationwide car or a Truck but it is unbelievable how much time I spend focused on this 43 car, whether I’m at the race track or when I’m not doing sponsor meet and greets or meeting with new potential sponsors or just going to the shop for debriefs.”

“All the things that it takes to be successful at this level take time,” Almirola said. “It’s a 24 hour a day, seven day a week job.”

“I think the other challenge is just how competitive this series is,” Almirola continued. “You can’t be off just a little bit and you’ll be 30^th.”

“You look at guys like Jeff Gordon and even Jamie McMurray and they have had their struggles,” Almirola said. “That’s what I’m talking about. That’s how competitive our sport is.”

“From week to week, you have to be on your game all the time.”

In spite of the challenges, Almirola acknowledges two of the biggest opportunities of a lifetime that he is experiencing and will experience soon.

“It’s amazing to race for Richard Petty,” Almirola said. “Just the experience and the knowledge he has and to be able to drive the No. 43 car is so special.”

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Almirola continued. “I remember when I was a kid and watching him race.”

“So, to have the opportunity to drive that 43 car is very special,” Almirola said. “I’m very thankful for it.”

“I think the biggest opportunity that I will have and the thing that people would be surprised to know about me is that I’m getting ready to be a dad,” Almirola revealed with a grin. “That’s a big surprise.”

“He’s due in September and we’re really excited about it,” Almirola continued. “I’ll have a whole new role as a human on this planet.”

“For the past 28 years, it’s been all about me and I’m getting ready to experience something totally different,” Almirola said. “And I’m looking forward to it.”

June 9, 2012
Travis Kvapil All About Building

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”182″][/media-credit]For Travis Kvapil, whose No. 93 Burger King Toyota team came together in February of this year, the focus, as a driver and a team member, is all about building. And building they are, both on the track and in the point standings.

“Everything is new, my crew chief, the team, everything,” Kvapil said. “So, it takes a little while to build that notebook and build those relationships.”

“I think overall for the season, our goal is to scratch our way into the top 25 in points,” Kvapil, who currently sits in the 32^nd points position, continued. “That would be a good goal for us.”

“It will be tough to get there because if you look at who is around us in points, there are no slouches,” Kvapil said. “We’re going to have to perform better.”

“Our goals are to finish in the top-20,” Kvapil continued. “That’s where we set our standard and for the most part, we’ve been able to achieve that.”

“I just believe as the season goes, we’ll continue to building and get better and better.”

Kvapil also had to do some character building, particularly after the tough run he had in Dover. He and his team were involved in the early ‘big one’ at the Monster Mile and, to make matters worse, his teammate Landon Cassill was also involved in the wreck.

“To finish 23^rd with a car all torn up and 50 laps down, I didn’t really expect that,” Kvapil said. “It’s just one of those things that Dover, you’re going so fast there.”

“So when they wreck in front of you there coming off Turn Two, you can’t see,” Kvapil continued. “When I came around the corner I saw Landon (Cassill) sideways.”

“Immediately I’m on the brakes but you’re just going too fast and there’s nowhere to go,” Kvapil said. “I saw him and I kind of made the move I thought would help, but Landon was sitting here parked.”

“And I thought ‘perfect, just perfect, of all the guys.’

“I tried my best to avoid him but I just really couldn’t,” Kvapil said. “There’s going to be days when we’re going to race each other and days where we’re going to be in the same wreck.”

“And it just happened to be one of those days last weekend at Dover.”

Kvapil definitely felt that the Dover experience was not only a gut check and character building experience him as a driver, but also for his race team. He was especially with the resilience of his team in the face of such adversity.

“I was really proud of the guys,” Kvapil said. “We’re obviously a brand new team.”

“I feel like some of the things, like crash repair and having fenders ready, I didn’t think we were quite prepared for all that,” Kvapil continued. “We have enough to worry about getting cars to the track and getting caught up..”

“So, a lot of times, those kinds of things get pushed to the side but I was very impressed with our team,” Kvapil said. “They did a great job.”

“They got the fenders cut off and got the car rolling and we didn’t have to go to the garage so that saved us a bunch of time,” Kvapil continued. “I’m really proud of them and they did a great job and gained us a bunch of points last week.”

Kvapil is also anticipating continuation of the building process as he and his team tackle the ‘Tricky Triangle.’ And he has high hopes for his race at the newly repaved Pocono Raceway, especially after the days of testing this past week.

“It was a good opportunity to get up here and test,” Kvapil said. “It’s been a long week but we don’t get many opportunities to get real information at the real track with the real tire and have data acquisition telemetry on the car.”

“So, we have really good feedback when we make a change,” Kvapil continued. “We can go look at the computer and see what it really did to the shock travels or where the splitter’s at on the race track or whatever.”

“It’s been invaluable for us to get that information,” Kvapil said. “For us it was a lot about making changes and collecting data so that when we go to tracks down the road, we can maybe pull that out of our memory bank and apply it and have more of an educated knowledge of what it does to the race car.”

Kvapil, like many of his fellow competitors, had nothing but praise for the repave at the Pocono Raceway. Unlike some of the other drivers, however, Kvapil feels that we might just see another groove come into the track, especially as the racing continues over the weekend.

“The track is great,” Kvapil said. “It’s got a lot of grip.”

“When we first got on the track on Wednesday, the groove was pretty narrow but it’s widening out,” Kvapil continued. “I’d say it’s one and three quarters of a groove right now.”

“So, the more the weekend goes, the more the groove will widen out,” Kvapil said. “It’s just a matter of getting out there in race conditions and forcing that second lane. I think the racing will be great.”

Kvapil is also looking forward to building his racing notebook about Pocono, especially as it pertains to track position and tire strategies.

“Tires are one thing we have been looking at,” Kvapil said. “It doesn’t seem like the left side tire wear was too bad so there might be opportunities to do two tires and pick up some spots or maybe even fuel only.”

“The tires that Goodyear brought are holding up real well and it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of fall off,” Kvapil continued. “So, anytime there is something new, it will take a while to figure things out and what the best strategy will be.”

“Track position is always important, especially when you’re running 170 miles an hour,” Kvapil said. “Track position is important but I think with the long straight-aways, you should be able to make the passes if you have a good handling car. Hopefully we can do that Sunday.”

In addition to building his on-track performance, Kvapil is also working hard to build a solid relationship with his teammate as well as between the two teams. And he thinks the world of his new teammate Landon Cassill.

“I really have a lot of respect for Landon,” Kvapil said. “Being as young as he is, he’s very mature. He’s got a lot of experience and he’s great with sponsors, owners, and the media.”

“He’s a really good kid and a really good race car driver,” Kvapil said. “We share information, our thoughts, and what’s happening at the track. I’m happy and I couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”

“Me and him both are trying to build BK Racing and take it to the next level,” Kvapil continued. “I think we have a great relationship so we can do that together.”

Whether on or off the track, Kvapil feels there is just one thing needed to continue to build his own team and his BK Racing team, perseverance.

“I think the lesson is hard work, dedication and perseverance through the hard times,” Kvapil said. “I think back in my career in racing and my days growing up in Wisconsin, working on my car all hours of the night to get to the race track just to race for a couple hours on a Saturday night.”

“It was something I loved but it was a lot of hard work and dedication,” Kvapil continued. “There’s always bumps in the road but you have to figure out a way how to get through them.”

“You just keep fighting and if it’s something that you have your heart set on and enjoy, you always find a way,” Kvapil said. “You build by being dedicated and believing in yourself.”

June 9, 2012
Jeff Burton Shares Life Lessons From the Track

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”223″][/media-credit]After a great run at Dover International Speedway went bad due to engine problems, it is no wonder that Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 Armed Forces Foundation Chevrolet, might be just a bit philosophical.

But, according to Burton, every lesson is a life lesson when it comes to NASCAR racing.

Burton’s first lesson is that persistence and never giving up is critical to success both on and off the track. And he most certainly feels that his team is starting to turn it around because of their persistence and willingness to work together.

“I feel like we’re starting to turn the corner,” Burton said. “Our performances are starting to be much better.”

“The better you run, the better your luck gets,” Burton continued. “When you teeter on not running well, little things are big things.”

“Fortunately the last couple weeks, we did have fast cars,” Burton said. “So, that’s what really feels good to me. We’re making gains on the types of tracks we’ve been struggling on.”

Burton also credits learning lessons together with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer, who came over toward the end of last season from Roush Fenway Racing.

“I feel like we’re starting to learn each other,” Burton said. “Whenever you bring somebody new in like Drew, there’s a period of time it takes to get acclimated.”

“You hope it’s going to work out quickly, but when we hired Drew we didn’t hire him because of what we thought he could do today but what we thought he could do for us long-term,” Burton continued. “We didn’t believe that he was going to bring stuff over from Roush and make us better because we’ve been through all that before.”

“Long-term, we felt like that was the right thing to do and given some time, as we’ve had to grow together and him get accustomed to what I’m feeling and what I like to feel, we’re starting to get better and run well.”

Burton said that he has always been optimistic and, even after last weekend’s heartbreak at the Monster Mile, reiterated that he is one that never gives up. One of the prime motivators for the veteran driver is that he fully intends to grab that championship ring before his run is over.

“I’ve always been like that,” Burton said of his tenacity. “I’m not here just to be here.”

“I’m here for a reason,” Burton continued. “I want to win a championship before I get done.”

“That drives me,” Burton said. “I’ve never been a guy that believes that people are out to get more or that there’s some sort of conspiracy for me not to run well. I believe it’s in our hands.”

“I haven’t forgotten how to drive a race car,” Burton continued. “I drive for a really good company.”

“I believe that if we do keep fighting and swinging, we’ll get back to where we want to be.”

But before Burton can score the championship, he has to get into the Chase hunt. And he still feels there is that chance, in spite of the troubles they have had so far this season.

“Unfortunately three of the races where we had engine trouble, we were running the best that we have run,” Burton said. “That’s really hurt us in the points. But barring that, we’d be sitting there twelfth in points with a team that’s improving.”

“So, there’s still a chance for us to make the Chase, although the days are dwindling,” Burton continued. “We’ve got to get it together and start having good finishes.”

“We’re in the growth process,” Burton said. “We’re taking a team that was 20^th in points last year and trying to put it in championship contending form.”

“It takes a little time to do that.”

Along with the rest of his competitors, Burton will be tackling the ‘Tricky Triangle’ this race weekend. Burton feels already that the lesson learned for the newly-repaved Pocono Raceway is all about track position.

“I think, as with any newly paved race track, that track position will be important,” Burton said. “I don’t think we’re going to see multiple grooves this week.”

“Having said that, we really weren’t seeing multiple grooves the other way because it had gotten so slick and it was hard to make things happen,” Burton continued. “The track is definitely an improvement.”

“The first couple of races you’re probably not going to see a second groove develop,” Burton said. “But long-term, the race is going to be better here.”

Burton is also pleased about the shortening of the race at Pocono. In fact, he would like to see some of the other races on the circuit trimmed back a bit as well.

“I’m a proponent of shorter races,” Burton said. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”

“I think we need some 300 mile races,” Burton continued. “Having said that, the Coke 600 has its place. The Southern 500 has its place. The Daytona 500 has its place.”

“I’m not advocating a shorter for every race thing,” Burton said. “I just think on average our races should be just a little bit shorter.”

Burton’s biggest concern about the sport, however, is the number of people coming, or not coming, to the races. And as the unofficial ‘mayor’ of the garage area, Burton thinks this is a critical lesson that NASCAR must tackle.

“The concern I have is the number of people coming to the races,” Burton said. “I think our competition level is really good. Honestly, from a competition standpoint I’m not sure how we could do a whole lot better.”

“The economy is a tough thing,” Burton continued. “And when the economy is bad, we’re not going to have the viewership.”

“We just have to get through this,” Burton said. “I think we’re several years away from being back to whatever ‘normal’ is.”

“There’s a snowball effect to the bad economy that runs through our sport for a long time,” Burton continued. “But all in all, in a down economy, we’re pretty healthy.”

In spite of the struggles and challenges of the sport, Burton credits NASCAR and racing for teaching him most, if not all, of his life lessons.

“Most lessons in my life have been learned through racing, although they might not have been learned on the race track,” Burton said. “They might have been learned by something involved in racing.”

“To me, persistence is a core value,” Burton continued. “These are simple things.”

“When you complicate things, it makes life harder,” Burton said. “When you treat people the way you want to be treated, it may not always be the easiest thing to do but sometimes the right thing is not the easiest.”

Burton shared that his biggest life lesson from the track, however, is to follow you dream and your passion, as well as sinking all you have into that dream.

“Pick something you love and give everything you’ve got to it,” Burton said. “And you may or not be successful.”

“But at the end of the day and if you’ve done it the right way, then you can sleep at night,” Burton continued. “If you’ve given a half effort and you know it, then you’ll never sleep well.”

“You have to give it all,” Burton said. “You have to choose the way you’re going to conduct your life and not waver from that.”

“Those values to me carry through to whatever you’re doing, whether school, marriage, life or whatever you’re doing,” Burton said. “Those lessons will take you a long way.”

June 8, 2012
Surprising and Not Surprising: FedEx 400 Autism Speaks

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]While it was not surprising that the Monster Mile lived up to its reputation, with a major wreck in the early laps of the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks, here are some of the other surprises at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware.

Surprising: It was surprising just how serious race winner Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Madagascar Chevrolet, was able to be about his record-setting run at the Monster Mile as he sported his rainbow-colored Madagascar wig in Victory Lane.

Johnson not only led 289 of the 400 laps for his seventh Monster Mile win, but he also tied the record of Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for most ever career wins at Dover International Speedway.

“I’m just proud of this hair,” Johnson said. “The hair really brought some speed to the team.”

“I’m never one that paid attention to stats,” Johnson said of his record-setting run. “I truthfully never thought I would be a guy that would build up any cool stats and here I am with some pretty cool stats, with legends of our sport and guys that I’ve looked up to.”

“I’m very proud of the effort and I know it’s hard to give you a serious answer with this hair on right now, but am very proud of the seven wins here and to be in that elite company.”

Not Surprising: Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet, was also happy in spite of have some pit road miscues and not quite closing the deal on the race win. Harvick came in second, his 10^th top-10 finish in 23 races at the Monster Mile.

“Yeah, we had a solid race,” Harvick said. “I made a mistake on pit road there and got us back to about 20^th.”

“The car was good enough to be able to drive back through the pack.”

Surprising: It was surprising that the two drivers named Jeff, both Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, had strong race cars but continuing bad luck runs.

Jeff Gordon, who has struggled all year in his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet, was leading the race when he felt a tire going down. Jeff Burton on the other had had an engine fail in his No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet.

“We definitely had a loose left rear,” Jeff Gordon said. “It didn’t go on right to begin with and the left-rear tire-changer knew that.”

“And so when I started to complain about it, we knew that there might be an issue and there was,” Gordon continued. “So, in some ways we got fortunate today. I could have stayed out there and wrecked because it wasn’t really vibrating. It was getting real loose.”

“Well, first of all, we had a good car today,” Jeff Burton said. “We had a solid top-10 car easy.”

“We broke an engine here, but it just is what it is,” Burton continued. “The monkey is on us right now.”

Not Surprising: The equation of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. plus a Hendrick Motorsports race car equals consistency continued at the Monster Mile. The driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet had yet another top five run, finishing fourth and moving to third in the point standings, just ten points out of the top spot.

“We had a good car,” Junior said. “We had good speed.”

“We are getting close and finishing good when we are not winning,” Junior continued. “It was a good day for us, a good points day.”

Surprising: It was surprising to see Kyle Busch out of the race, suffering engine failure in his No. 18 M&M’s Toyota. Busch finished an uncharacteristic 202 of the scheduled 400 laps and finished 29^th.

“Unfortunately, we had a valve spring break in the engine, which hit the pistons,” Busch said. “It’s real unfortunate.”

“I hate it that we give a post-race interview this way, rather than finishing.”

Not Surprising: It was not surprising, however, to see the other Busch, big brother Kurt, self-destruct yet again. Kurt Busch incurred two pit road penalties and then also had an engine failure, finishing 24^th in the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet.

Worse yet, after the race, Busch was suspended for the upcoming race weekend at Pocono due to a verbal altercation with one of the NASCAR media corps, Bob Pockrass of Sporting News. His probation was also extended until the end of the year.

“I accept NASCAR’s decision,” Busch said. “I put them in a box, they had to take action and it’s my fault for putting them in this position.”

“I apologize for the comments I made to Bob Pockrass.”

Surprising: It was surprising that ‘Concrete’ Carl most certainly did not live up to his reputation at the Monster Mile. Edwards, driving the No. 99 Subway Ford, hit the wall on Lap 165, finishing 26^th.

“Our front right tire went flat,” Edwards said. “I don’t know exactly why.”

“This is such a fun race track and the car was so good,” Edwards continued. “I am really frustrated our day got cut short.”

Not Surprising: Teammate Matt Kenseth had another solid run in his No. 17 Best Buy Ford to no one’s surprise. Kenseth finished third, posting his 18^th top-10 finish in 27 races at Dover, and now sits just one point out of the top spot in the point standings.

“Yeah, our finish was really good,” Kenseth said. “Our end result, can’t really complain about that.”

“I am happy to come home third with a car that didn’t drive the way we wanted it to.”

Surprising: For the first time in a Sprint Cup car at the Monster Mile, Aric Almirola had a surprisingly good run. The driver of the No. 43 Jani-King/Smithfield Ford Fusion finished the race in the sixth position.

“I would say that is pretty respectable for our first time here,” Almirola said. “It was a great day for everybody on this Jani-King Smithfield Ford.”

“I am proud of everybody and we had a really good run.”

Not Surprising: It was not surprising that the biggest winners of the Monster Mile weekend were all of the children with autism and their families who got to not only attend the race but do so in a special area of the grandstands conducive to dealing with their challenges and where they could meet some of their NASCAR heroes.

“I know that I really appreciate what Dover International Speedway and the Autism Speaks group does to host all the families for this event,” Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet and an autism spokesman, said. “I am just glad that I can do something to help this cause.”

June 7, 2012
FedEx 400 Review: Predictions and Previews

Self Inflicted Bad Luck for Gordon

Jeff Gordon undoubtedly had the fastest car in the field on Sunday and even led a portion of the FedEx 400. After pit stops with about 150 laps to go, Gordon had to pit again for a loose wheel, forcing him to give up his lead position.

Gordon still had a good chance to win the race, after putting himself in the lead by four seconds, even after the loose wheel. Unfortunately for Gordon, being on a different pit cycle than the rest of the field, he had to pit with 76 laps to go. For Gordon to find the lead again, he needed the rest of the field to pit under green to cycle back around as the leader.

A caution flag waving 16 laps later for debris made it nearly impossible for Gordon to get back to the lead. Gordon did put himself back on the lead lap, but finished a disappointing 13th position.

[media-credit name=”Patrick McDermott/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]”The fastest car doesn’t always win the race,” Gordon said. “And we’re sitting here in 13th, or whatever — it’s silly. It’s always more frustrating when you’ve got a car that can win, and you show it by going up there and taking the lead.

“We don’t care about finishing top-15 or top-10 right now. That does nothing for us. We need wins.”

Gordon did gain one position in points, moving to 21st position, but is still 175 points behind the leader.

My view on Gordon’s bad luck this season is – every driver has an off season. This season is Gordon’s off season. He is a four-time champion of the Cup series and his bad luck can’t continue for long. For Gordon to make the Chase, he has to have wins now. The five upcoming races are tracks that Gordon can and has won at before.

Next week we head to Pocono Raceway where Gordon won just last year and has four previous wins at. He has scored two wins at Michigan International Speedway; five wins at Infineon Raceway; and 6 wins at Daytona International Speedway. He has not won at Kentucky Speedway, where the Cup series just started racing at last season; however, Gordon did finish in 10th position in the Quaker State 400 in 2011.

Earnhardt Improves Stats at Dover

Before the running of Sunday’s FedEx 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had not finished in the Top 10 at Dover International Speedway since September of 2007. Earnhardt Jr’s fourth-place finish on Sunday marks the 10th time in 13 races this season that he has finished in the Top 10. With this finish, Earnhardt has gained one spot in points standings moving to third, only 10 points behind the leader.

After starting in 17th position, Earnhardt reached the Top 10 in less than 100 laps. By the middle of the race, he was in the Top 5, where he ran the rest of the day.

“We are getting close,” Earnhardt said after finishing in fourth position. “We are finishing good when we are not winning. I can’t complain too much about how we are doing. We’ve got some tricky tracks coming up for us. The summer months aren’t really my thing, the tracks at least, but hopefully we can have some more good runs.”

Next weekend at Pocono mark four years and 143 races that Earnhardt has gone without a win. However, this is only his second season working with crew chief Steve Letarte, and we have already seen vast improvement among the team in 2012. With tracks that Earnhardt has won at coming up on the schedule – Daytona and Michigan – I expect Earnhardt to get his first win of the season soon.

Predictions for Pocono

Like I said before, Gordon’s luck will turn around; and what better track for him to do that at than Pocono? Gordon is the reigning winner of last year’s race and has four wins under his belt at this track. He has also scored two pole starting position here in 98’ and 96’.

“Bad” Brad Keselowski, who won last year’s fall race at Pocono can’t ever be counted out to win any race. Keselowski is sitting comfortably in 11th position in points, 86 points behind the leader, and is looking to get his third win of the season.

When NASCAR comes to Pocono, all eyes are on four-time winner, Denny Hamlin. Hamlin is the master of the tricky triangle, where he swept both races here in 2006 starting from the pole. He knows how to get the job done at this track and is eyeing the points lead, sitting in fourth position, just 22 points behind the leader.

[media-credit name=”Doug Pensinger/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”305″][/media-credit]The not-so underdogs of the race would have to be Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne. Biffle is the current point’s leader of the Cup standings and has one win at this track in 2010. Kahne, who won the race from the pole in 2008, is on a role from his win at Charlotte Motor Speedway two weeks ago. He has finally gotten the bad luck off of his shoulders and is ready to gain points and rise from his 14th position in standings.

Last but not least, you can’t count out five-time champ Jimmie Johnson who is still beaming from scoring Hendrick’s 200th win at Darlington. Johnson has won at Pocono twice in his career and has started on the pole twice at this track. He is currently sitting fifth position in points, 33 points behind the leader.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. quote via SPEEDTV.com

June 5, 2012

Jimmie Johnson Masters the Monster Mile; Monster Wreck Dominates Opening Laps

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]Jimmie Johnson, complete with his Madagascar No. 48 car and wig, mastered the Monster Mile for the seventh time, tying Bobby Allison and the King, Richard Petty, for the most career wins at Dover International Speedway.

This was Johnson’s 57^th victory in 376 Cup races and his second victory in 2012.

“I’m just proud of this hair,” Johnson said, still rocking his Madagascar wig. “It brought some speed to the team.”

“It was just a fun day,” Johnson continued. “We had a fast car and amazing pit stops.”

“When you lead the most laps, sometimes it can backfire on a dominant car,” Johnson said. “It was a brand new race car so I’m just proud of the effort.”

“The car was really good,” Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief, said. “Jimmie’s the man here.”

“He understands this race track and enjoys coming here,” Knaus continued. “We enjoy it as well.”

Kevin Harvick, in the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, was not able to live up to his ‘Closer’ moniker, but did finish in the runner up spot, maintaining his seventh position in the point standings. This was Harvick’s 18^th top-10 finish at the Monster Mile.

“The 48 just had us covered today,” Harvick said. “But all in all our Jimmy John’s guys did a good job.”

“I made a mistake on pit road, but we had a car capable of making up positions and drive back through the pack,” Harvick continued. “We were able to keep up with the race track and that was the key to get in position to at least give ourselves a chance.”

“We had a solid race.”

The driver of the No. 17 Best Buy Ford, Matt Kenseth, came in third in the FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks. He remains second in the point standings, just one point behind his Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle.

“We honestly struggled,” Kenseth said of his race. “But I’m happy to come home third in a car that didn’t drive the way we wanted it.”

“I feel good about our points position obviously,” Kenseth continued. “But certainly, we know we have some work to do.”

“I don’t think anyone could run with the 48 so we have some work to do.”

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 88 AMP Energy/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet, and Clint Bowyer, driving the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, rounded out the top five.

“We needed a little more grip in the front end,” Junior said. “We had a good car though.”

“We had a good run and a good points day,” Junior continued, moving up one spot to third in points, just ten back from the leader. “I want to congratulate Jimmie my teammate.”

“It was a solid weekend,” Bowyer said. “I had a tough day on pit road, but we could battle back on restarts.”

“I’m proud of the effort and MWR had good cars all weekend long.”

The race was marred by a monstrous crash early in the race, in fact on Lap 9, involving thirteen cars. This was the most cars in a wreck to date in the 2012 season.

Drivers from Regan Smith to Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Landon Cassill, to name a few, were involved in the melee, which brought out the red flag for 19 min 54 seconds.

“I actually didn’t even feel him (Tony Stewart) touch me,” Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 83 Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota, said. Cassill’s car bore the brunt of the multiple-car pileup.

“I was just passed by the No. 1 (Jamie McMurray) and I was trying to dime in the corner a little bit more,” Cassill continued. “He (Stewart) was just barely there.”

“Tony is one of the most patient drivers and especially in this part of the race,” Cassill said. “It’s just too bad that it tore up that many race cars.”

Regan Smith, behind the wheel of the No. 78 Furniture Row/CSX Play It Safe Chevrolet, took responsibility for the wreck.

“I know I got in the back of the 14 and spun him,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of wrecked race cars here and none of us like that, especially on Lap 9.”

For Tony Stewart’s part, the driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, said that it was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“As far back as we were, I didn’t have the luxury of being patient,” Smoke said. “It’s just a crappy weekend all around.”

The mile was monstrous for the Busch brothers, with Kurt Busch, in the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet, having two pit road penalties and ultimately blowing his engine, and Kyle Busch having engine woes as well, which put him out of the race.

Kurt Busch, who had had an altercation with Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass after the Nationwide race again displayed his anger and frustration, asking his team at one point, “Anybody want to drive?”

Kyle Busch, driving the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota, said that dropping a valve ended their day early in at the Monster Mile.

“It’s real unfortunate,” Busch said. “We had a good car, we were running up front there. We were biding our time trying to see if we couldn’t keep up with the race track.”

“I hate it that we give a post-race interview this way rather than finishing.”

‘Concrete Carl’ also had difficulties at the Monster Mile. Edwards, in his No. 99 Subway Ford, blew a tire and hit the wall hard on Lap 165.

“Our front right tire went flat,” Edwards said. “It is so frustrating to have that good of a car.”

“We will come back and get them in the fall.”

The race at the Monster Mile also sported several engine failures, including Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, David Reutimann and Jeff Burton. This was more engine failures at Dover than in the last three races combined.

“First of all we had a good car today,” Burton said of his No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet, which was running in the ninth position prior to the engine failure. “That’s the good thing.”

“We broke an engine here, but the monkey is on us right now and it will get off one day,” Burton continued. “I’ve never quit anything in my life and I’m not going to quit this.”

The Cup Series next moves from the Monster Mile to the recently repaved ‘Tricky Triangle’ at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, June 10^th.

Unofficial Race Results
FedEx 400, Dover International Speedway
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=13
=========================================
Pos.	St.	No.	Driver	Make	Points
=========================================
1	2	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	48
2	6	29	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	42
3	5	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford	42
4	17	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	41
5	4	15	Clint Bowyer	Toyota	39
6	12	43	Aric Almirola	Ford	38
7	18	56	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	37
8	11	20	Joey Logano	Toyota	36
9	13	5	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet	35
10	21	9	Marcos Ambrose	Ford	34
11	7	16	Greg Biffle	Ford	33
12	16	2	Brad Keselowski	Dodge	32
13	14	24	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	32
14	1	55	Mark Martin	Toyota	31
15	3	39	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	29
16	23	22	AJ Allmendinger	Dodge	28
17	20	27	Paul Menard	Chevrolet	27
18	10	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	27
19	24	1	Jamie McMurray	Chevrolet	25
20	22	47	Bobby Labonte	Toyota	24
21	28	34	David Ragan	Ford	24
22	15	31	Jeff Burton	Chevrolet	22
23	42	93	Travis Kvapil	Toyota	21
24	9	51	Kurt Busch	Chevrolet	20
25	29	14	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	19
26	19	99	Carl Edwards	Ford	18
27	26	78	Regan Smith	Chevrolet	17
28	31	42	Juan Montoya	Chevrolet	16
29	8	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	15
30	38	32	Reed Sorenson	Ford	0
31	39	10	David Reutimann	Chevrolet	13
32	41	36	Dave Blaney	Chevrolet	12
33	32	30	David Stremme	Toyota	11
34	34	249	J.J. Yeley	Toyota	10
35	37	33	Stephen Leicht *	Chevrolet	9
36	36	119	Mike Bliss	Toyota	0
37	43	23	Scott Riggs	Chevrolet	7
38	27	83	Landon Cassill	Toyota	6
39	35	87	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	0
40	30	38	David Gilliland	Ford	4
41	40	13	Casey Mears	Ford	3
42	33	98	Michael McDowell	Ford	2
43	25	179	Scott Speed	Ford	1

June 3, 2012

Monster Mile Makes Monster Smiles with Autism Speaks Day at the Races

[media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]The Monster Mile, otherwise known as Dover International Speedway, has partnered for the past several years with Autism Speaks, a nonprofit organization with the mission of raising funds for and calling attention to this spectrum disorder.

But this weekend, Dover took that partnership to a completely new level, creating an innovative, first of its kind ever autism-friendly NASCAR race track experience.

Families with children along the autism spectrum were provided special race seating in the Monster Mile’s air-conditioned grandstands, with dedicated quiet spaces for children to get away from the frenzy if they became over-stimulated.

“We created an autism-friendly NASCAR experience at the track and that’s never been done before,” Gary Camp, Sr. Director of Communications, Dover International Speedway, said. “For a first-time event, there’s been a lot of planning.”

“There’s a quiet zone where, if the kids get overwhelmed, they can go,” Camp continued. “Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has donated some bean bags and we’ve got toys that Toys R Us donated.”

“It’s just a real fun atmosphere.”

The children and their families were also treated to special appearances by NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson, sporting the No. 48 Lowe’s Madagascar car this weekend, and Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate Chevrolet, whose family has a close connection to the issue of autism.

“It is always a nice feeling to make an appearance like that,” McMurray said. “It is something that is so simple for me to do.”

“To see the excitement on the faces in that room really makes you feel special,” McMurray continued. “I know that I really appreciate what Dover International Speedway and the Autism Speaks group does to host all the families for this event and I am just glad that I can do something to put a smile on someone’s face.”

McMurray has been so committed to this cause because of his family’s involvement that he also has recorded a public service announcement for the cause.

“I have received so much positive feedback from friends and fans on the public service announcement that we did for Autism Speaks, with my niece who has autism,” McMurray said. “It is just a small part to try and promote awareness about autism and to encourage the public to learn the early warning signs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsqXDSJZVMY

“Autism Speaks is the largest and leading science and advocacy organization in the world, founded seven years ago,” Mark Roithmayr, President of Autism Speaks, said. “We are a $60 million organization, funding research, awareness, advocacy and family services, all to combat the fact that one in 88 children in the United States are being diagnosed with autism.”

“First and foremost, Autism Speaks and our autism community are blessed by Dover,” Roithmayr said. “We’re blessed with NASCAR. We’re blessed with FedEx, who for the second year in a row are sponsoring this.”

“It’s been six years ago when NASCAR and Dover first came to us and said they wanted to make us the beneficiaries of that sponsorship and call this the Autism Speaks 400.”

“Denis McGlynn (President and CEO, Dover Motorsports), Mark Rossi (Vice President Sales and Marketing, Dover Motorsports), and Artie Kempner (Executive Producer, NASCAR on FOX) who is involved with Autism Delaware saw that autism was becoming a big issue for their families.
Roithmayr continued. “So, they came to us and said they would like to offer the opportunity for lots of awareness and promotion and that it was important to their fans.”

“NASCAR, of all the sports, has a tremendous heart and soul and came to us.”

“Dover has been incredible,” Roithmayr said. “Since that first year, we always tried to do something to encourage families with autism to come out to the track.”

“So many of the families tell us their children love NASCAR and they wanted to be part of the experience. We tried a couple of different locations but with autism, the noise, the smells and the sensory experiences were overwhelming, Roithmayr continued. “So, to have a grandstand that was air conditioned, price the tickets at $88 for the adults to symbolize one in 88 who have autism and $20 for the children, and an area buffeted from the over-sensory part of NASCAR but still a part of it, has been amazing.”

[media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”186″][/media-credit]“There is a quiet room, where the lights are muted, with toys that are specially designed from our good friends at Toys R Us for kids from autism,” Roithmayr said. “The last piece is that we are going to have a series of special presentations for the families, presenting on science, services, and family support. We even have a young man with autism who graduated from college who will talk about what his life has been like.”

“We are so blessed.”

In addition to Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray, team owners Coach Joe Gibbs and his son J.D. Gibbs also made appearances to interact with the children and their families for the Autism Speaks day at the Monster Mile.

June 3, 2012
Landon Cassill All About Improvement

[media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”125″][/media-credit]Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 83 BK Racing Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota, is all about improvement having come off his best finish of the season last week in Charlotte. The team started 18^th and finished 18^th, starting and finishing inside the top-20 for the first time ever.

“It’s really big for us,” Cassill said. “To run in the top-25 is great for us, but to run in the top-20 is even better.”

“We like that, we keep trying to learn from it, and just keep doing it and being consistent.”

Cassill credits his team as the cause for the improvement as they begin to gel and understand one another. He especially credits the upswing in performance to crew chief Doug Richert.

“We’re a new team, so everybody is learning their place,” Cassill said. “The pit crew has been getting better and the cars have been getting better.”

“Doug (Richert) is knowing what to do with the car now that he is familiar with it and I’m learning my guys better,” Cassill continued. “That’s all a part of how it works.”

“We are working really well together,” Cassill said of his crew chief. “He’s got a positive attitude like I do and we seem to communicate really well on things.”

“So, I’m enjoying it,” Cassill continued. “I think that has a lot to do with our improvement and our success so far.”

Cassill also credits some of the improvement to his versatility and ability to adjust to new teams. But a big factor for improvement, according to the young driver, is his years of experience at Hendrick Motorsports.

“I’m kind of used to it lately because I haven’t had as solid of a ride,” Cassill said of his team changes. “So, it’s something I’ve been a little bit used to, but it’s my first time learning how to build at team.”

“ I’m really proud to be a part of that and really focused on hoping that people can see that I’m capable of being a progressive driver who can build things and be a positive addition to a race team.”

“I’ve also got five years of experience testing with Hendrick Motorsports and working with the 48 team,” Cassill said. “So, that’s where I’ve learned a lot about this sport.”

“I’m not anything special but I’ve absorbed what I’ve learned,” Cassill continued. “I try to apply a lot of those fundamentals to the team that I’m on and there’s a lot of experience over here that applies to that.”

“We’re all coming together.”

Cassill credits one other factor, his physical conditioning, for his improvements so far in the season and his hopeful improvements at Dover. He also credits his mental focus with the upswing in his performance.

“When I’m home, I work out and prepare for the next week and get focused for my job,” Cassill said. “We are professional athletes, so there’s an absolute requirement for strength and conditioning.”

“I don’t think for a second that you could be out of shape and do this,” Cassill continued. “I do a cross fit type training and I work out for about an hour and a half every day.”

“I’ve got a trainer from Iowa and he sends me work outs,” Cassill said. “Him and I communicate daily on the workouts.”

“I have a gym where I live and a full gym at home and I spend a lot of time there.”

“The mental training is something that I’ve dabbled in but mental strength comes naturally,” Cassill said. “It’s something that I feel really confident in, probably more than even my physical strength.”

“I’m pretty competitive so when it comes down to it, you do whatever it takes.”

Another important component of Cassill’s on track performance improvement is his relationship with his teammate Travis Kvapil.

“Travis is a great teammate,” Cassill said. “He’s a good driver and a really good guy.”

“He’s good to work with, gives good feedback and knows what he is talking about because he is familiar with these cars,” Cassill continued. “I’ve learned a lot working with him.”

“I think all four of us, both crew chiefs and both drivers, are very compatible,” Cassill said. “We all communicate very well.”

Cassill is definitely looking for improvement at Dover in the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks. But he acknowledged that the mile track really can be a monster, demanding constant focus and attention.

Cassill has three Cup starts at the Monster Mile, with his best finish of 30^th.

“Dover is one of the most fun race tracks,” Cassill said. “It’s a good one and I have a lot of laps here.”

“You’ve just got to be there all day and outlast the competitors,” Cassill continued. “You’ve got to race the race track for a long time.”

“I’d really like to see us running 25^th or better,” Cassill said. “I think that’s a realistic expectation. Another top-20 finish would be phenomenal.”

June 2, 2012