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  • Dover in the Rear View

    Dover in the Rear View

    It’s time to put a nice little bow on everything that went down at the Monster Mile.

    The Challenger Round came to a conclusion Sunday at Dover International Speedway and it was defending series champion Kevin Harvick who conquered Miles the Monster to punch his ticket to the Contender Round. You couldn’t get any more dominant than “Happy Harvick” with leading 355 of 400 laps and a 149.7 driver rating. If qualifying hadn’t been rained out on Friday, I truly believe he would have led all 400 laps. Harvick wasn’t even passed for the lead on the track under green. The only time he lost the lead was on pit road because his pit stall was behind the start/finish line.

    The finishing bridesmaid was Kyle Busch, who led 19 laps. Afterward, Busch said, “it was a really good day for us. I can’t say enough about this entire Interstate Batteries team. They did a great job today. Adam Stevens gave me a great piece and when you look at the amount of practice time we had, it was pretty hard to figure out what you had. We had a second–place car and we finished second with it; nothing to hang our heads about.”

    Focus on the phrase, “we finished second with it; nothing to hand out head about.” I find it amazing that these words came from the same Busch that not long ago would have responded to a second–place finish with something like, “yeah, but we didn’t finish first.” If you weren’t convinced that “Rowdy” had become a new man after his wreck at Daytona, this should do the trick.

    The biggest shock of the week hands down went to the master of Dover, Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (and yes, his middle name is Kenneth). All he had to do was finish 25th or better and he would  have been racing in the Contender Round. At a track where he has an average finish of 9.1, that should have been easy. Unfortunately, the racing gods were not with him Sunday as he went behind the garage after making an unscheduled stop on lap 103. He would go on to finish 41st and get bounced out of the Challenger Round.

    After making a gutsy outside pass on Jamie McMurray in the closing laps, Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the podium in third place. If he hadn’t won either Daytona or Talladega in the regular season, “June Bug” would’ve been bounced along with Johnson and McMurray would’ve moved on.

    I was also impressed with the silent fifth place performance put on by Aric Almirola.

    After being sent to the rear of the field for an unapproved adjustment, Martin Truex Jr. drove to an 11th place finish. I don’t have much to say on that other than a solid day at a track where passing is at a premium.

    Now that “Big Daddy” Jeff Gordon survived the Challenger Round with a 12th place finish, I believe the Contender Round puts the ball in Gordon’s court. He has historically run great at Kansas Speedway and finished fourth back in May plus he is the all-time points-paying restrictor plate race winner in NASCAR history at the Alabama roulette wheel known as Talladega Superspeedway.

    Overall, this race was a “meh” for me. It was far from the worst race I’ve seen at Dover, but not one of the best.

    Here are some tidbits to nibble on. Matt Kenseth ran the fastest lap on the ninth circuit with a lap of 22.471 and a speed of 160.206 mph, Matt DiBenedetto was the Sunoco Rookie of the Race and Harvick was the Mobil 1 Drive of the Race with a 149.7 driver rating.

    This Saturday, NASCAR races in their backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Coverage of the Bank of America 500 starts at 6:30 p.m. on NBC (if the Navy vs. Notre Dame game doesn’t go into overtime) and the radio broadcast can be heard at 6:00 p.m. on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    I hope you enjoyed reading this piece. It’s my first for Speedway Media and I hope it’s the first of many. Until then, I’ll leave you with this fact. An ounce of platinum can be stretched 10,000 feet.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover and Las Vegas – Updated

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover and Las Vegas – Updated

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series will compete this weekend at Dover International Speedway while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series practices, qualifying sessions and races will be televised on NBC Sports Live Extra. Events for the Camping World Truck Series can be seen on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.

    All times are Eastern. Please note that all times are subject to change due to weather conditions.

    Friday, Oct. 2:

    On Track – Dover:

    11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Practice – NBCSN/Live Extra (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER)
    1:30-3:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN/Live Extra (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER)
    3:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN/Live Extra (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER) (Lineup)

    GarageCam: (Watch live)

    10:30 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER)
    1 p.m.: XFINITY Series (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER)

    Press Conferences – Dover: (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    9:45 a.m.: Joey Logano
    10 a.m.: JRM/One Main Financial announcement
    10:15 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
    10:30 a.m.: Kyle Busch
    12 p.m.: Matt Kenseth
    12:25 p.m.: Clint Bowyer
    1:30 p.m.: Jeff Gordon

    Saturday, Oct. 3:

    On Track – Dover:

    8:35-9:20 a.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – CNBC/Live Extra (CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER)
    11:30-12:15 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series Practice – CNBC/Live Extra
    12:15 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN/Live Extra  – CANCELED –(Lineup)
    2-2:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN/Live Extra
    3:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Hisense 200 (200 laps, 200 miles) – NBCSN/Live Extra

    Press Conferences – Dover: (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    5:15 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race

    On Track – Las Vegas:

    Noon-2:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS2
    7:05 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS2
    10 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Rhino Linings 350 (146 laps, 219 miles) – FS1

    Sunday, Oct. 4:

    On Track – Dover:

    2:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 (400 laps, 400 miles) – NBCSN/Live Extra 

    Press Conferences – Dover: (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    5:45 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series Race

     

  • NASCAR BTS: The Woman Behind the Monster

    NASCAR BTS: The Woman Behind the Monster

    With the Dover, Delaware race weekend up next on the NASCAR schedule, fans are no doubt following Dover International Speedway on Facebook and @MonsterMile on Twitter to catch all the track doings, news and updates.

    So just who is responsible for all the social media coming out of the Monster Mile? This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes reveals just who is behind that ‘monster’ and some may be surprised that it is actually a very talented young woman, Lynn Sudik.

    “I am the Social Media Coordinator – that’s my official title,” Sudik said. “I handle all the social media for the track, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Vine, Reddit, Snap Chat, Periscope and there may be one or two others that I’m missing. But hopefully, I’ve named them all!

    “I create all the content on all of those outlets to promote our races. On race weekend, I’m running around taking pictures and encouraging people to stop by the Fan Zone. I’m tracking driver appearances and everything else that we have going on.

    “I’m also part of the overall Communications Team. So, I help with things like maintaining our website, creating content for our souvenir program, content for our fan guide, media guide and things like that.”

    While Sudik has completed her undergraduate degree and is even pursuing her graduate degree in sports administration from Ohio University, her passion for racing also shone through as she described her background.

    “I have wanted to work in motorsports for a very long time,” Sudik said. “I was born in Indianapolis so I got bitten by the racing bug very early on. What I love most about my job is that I get to do what I love. I’ve been coming to races as a fan for a very long time. And to be able to have that be my day-to-day job makes it feel like it’s not work.

    “I’ve been here a little over a year, starting in April 2014, and I still have days, especially during race weekend where I have to stop and think ‘Do I really get paid to do this?’ It’s so incredible.”

    While Sudik loves her work, she acknowledged some challenges, especially just keeping up with all of the emerging social media.

    “With social media, there are always new things coming up and it’s always figuring out what is the best move for us and for our audience,” Sudik said. “You don’t have to be on every social media channel just because it’s out there. But you have to figure out what makes the most sense.

    “Periscope is a great example. It really took off, thankfully right around our race. So, we were one of the first tracks to adopt it and now everybody jumped at the band wagon. Trying to keep up with trends and figuring out ways to make them work for us in our promotion is probably the biggest challenge in my work.”

    Has anything ever gone viral for Sudik in her Monster role?

    “A lot of the things I post about Dale Earnhardt Jr. get a lot of attention,” Sudik said. “I like to show my sense of humor in our posts. So, I found a picture of a squirrel; it was a meme. He had his arms out and it was right before the Daytona 500. And the caption is ‘NASCAR returns this weekend…can I get an Amen?’ And it got a couple thousand likes and a ton of shares and comments on Facebook.

    “I always love to post things like that so fans say ‘Hey, Dover’s funny.’”

    One of Sudik’s favorite aspects of her role is interacting with the race fans, with whom she closely identifies.

    “I plan a Tweetup every race weekend so that’s a cool way to get out there and meet people,” Sudik said. “If I’m walking around and I see a family that has a cool shirt on, I might take a picture of that. We always have our newlyweds at track. At our spring race, we had a couple wearing a bride and a groom hat with a sign that they were on their honeymoon. And so I got a picture of that and posted it.

    “Actually Periscope has been a really awesome way to interact with fans just because when you’re live, people can ask you questions in real time. So the questions and comments are scrolling through as you are broadcasting. You can verbally respond in the moment so it’s a really cool way to get that interaction.”

    Another fan interaction program that Sudik has helped create and develop is the programming for kids at the track.

    “Monster Mile Youth Nation is our brand new kids’ club,” Sudik said. “It’s for race fans ages 14 and other. It’s a great way to introduce that next generation of fans to the track and to NASCAR itself.

    “On race weekend, we have a designated Monster Mile Youth Nation area in our Monster Fun Zone. That’s where people go to pick up their welcome gift, which every member receives. It includes a water bottle, a die-cast car, a magnet, and a merchandise coupon. You also get a Fan Vision rental for the weekend, which is a $50 value for your $20 membership.

    “This is the first year so we are trying out new things and trying to make it grow. The goal is to have interaction with kids on a regular basis. We are working on a newsletter, a micro-site with games, a NASCAR 101 section, and more information about the Monster Mile. I’d love to have events on non-race weekends as well for the members.”

    From Periscoping all over the track to interacting with the kids, Sudik is most looking forward to this upcoming race weekend at Dover International Speedway.

    “It’s really cool that we have an elimination race,” Sudik said. “That’s a huge draw and is so significant because there are only three tracks that are elimination races. That’s really, really cool.

    “The fall race should be interesting with the Chase and the stakes being really high. How will Kyle Busch do? And will Jeff Gordon get another Monster trophy in his last try at the track?

    “This is my dream job so I just love it when NASCAR is in town,” Sudik said passionately. “I can’t wait for everyone to be back and for cars to be on the track. I love the sound. I love the smell.

    “It should be a really good show.”

  • Jeremy Clements Teams Up with Delaware Office of Highway Safety at Dover

    Jeremy Clements Teams Up with Delaware Office of Highway Safety at Dover

    Jeremy Clements Racing and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) are teaming up at Dover International Speedway in the Hisense 200 Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, to remind fans to Drive Sober and Arrive Alive. The OHS is challenging fans to make smart choices and plan ahead when deciding how to get home after a party or happy hour.

    Jeremy’s No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro SS Team Clements “Drive Sober” car theme and  message will be promoting alternative ways of getting home besides driving after drinking, such as taking a taxi, Uber, Lyft, calling a sober friend or taking public transit. Jeremy has two career Top 10s in 10 career starts at the Monster Mile with the last one coming earlier this year.

    Race weekend at Dover Speedway the OHS will be reminding fans that driving under the influence of alcohol is not only dangerous, it’s illegal. The OHS will have an interactive display in the Monster Mile FanZone where race fans can pledge to either always drive sober or be a designated driver. Fans can test and compare their motor skills against Jeremy in various games such as simulated impaired cornhole and the impaired tricycle track. Jeremy Clements will also make guest appearances at the display to meet with fans and sign autographs. Prizes such as Team Clements Drive Sober T-shirts and lanyards will be given away to those fans who participate in weekend activities.

    The OHS is now in its 15th year. Checkpoint Strikeforce is a six-month statewide enforcement campaign that features an increased number of DUI checkpoints and patrols every weekend from July 1 through Dec. 31. The goal of Checkpoint Strikeforce is to stop impaired driving throughout Delaware. Any driver who fails a field sobriety test and is found to be over Delaware’s Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit of .08; will face severe legal and financial consequences. There is no leniency for first-time offenders. In fact, just one DUI can change your life. The OHS wants everyone to drive safe and Arrive Alive. Visit www.DUIrealtime.com for public information on the campaign.

    Team Clements is scheduled to be on track with the “Drive Sober” No. 51 machine Friday Oct. 2 for final practice from 1:30 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3 for qualifying at 12:15 a.m. and take the Green Flag at 3:46 p.m. in the Hisense 200.

    About Jeremy Clement Racing – Jeremy Clements Racing (www.jeremyclements51.com) is a single car, family owned race team competing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Jeremy Clements driving the No. 51 Chevrolet. The team was founded in 2010 and operates its race shop in Spartanburg, SC. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @JClements51 and the Team @JCR_Clements51 for updates and Like on Facebook at Jeremy Clements Racing.

    Jeremy Clements car for Dover sponsored by Delaware OHS 2015

     

  • Megan Ruger Fulfills National Anthem Dream at Monster Mile

    Megan Ruger Fulfills National Anthem Dream at Monster Mile

    From singing music on the streets of Nashville to participating in The Voice competition, Megan Ruger fulfilled another dream of singing the National Anthem in one of her biggest venues yet, the NASCAR race track at Dover, Delaware.

    “It’s the toughest song to sing as everyone knows,” Ruger said. “So, to sing it in front of thousands of people and viewers, it is very nerve-wracking but it is also an accomplishment when you complete it.

    “When you hit the high notes and there is the intensity of the crowd, it is so neat. And to sing that song is very emotional because I am so respectful of our troops that serve for us.

    “I’ve been singing the National Anthem since I was sixteen years old at Veteran’s memorials, concert venues, before main acts, with honor guards. I’ve always sang it since I was young and that’s just been a part of me.”

    Ruger is a fan of motorsports, especially NASCAR, although this is her first time at an actual race at the uppermost level of the sport. She also had the ability to prepare and warm up for her National Anthem performance for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race by singing it at the XFINITY race on Saturday as well.

    “I love fast cars and speed and danger,” Ruger said. “But this is my actual first NASCAR race and so I’m really excited. I sang the National Anthem in the XFINITY race so I guess that was sort of a warm up of what race day is.

    I’ve always gone to stock car races back home and I have a couple of friends that race but nothing of this magnitude.”

    Ruger’s journey to the Monster Mile race track at Dover, Delaware has been an interesting, one that has taken her from street performances all the way to the national stage of the television show The Voice.

    “I moved to Nashville seven years ago from Wisconsin,” Ruger said. “I had been having a great time playing on Broadway in Nashville, which is the main strip where many singers get their start in Nashville.

    I learned a lot there, but I also learned that making a living there is very tough. There are a lot of great singers in Nashville. So, playing for tips was a very interesting lifestyle. You don’t pay your bills unless you make enough tips.

    So, when The Voice came around, I decided to do the show to try to take my career to the next level and to move from Nashville to a more nationwide audience. I wanted to win The Voice but I really wanted a car!

    But seriously, I wanted a team behind me so that’s why I did the show. It is difficult being a solo artist and having to do everything yourself, like doing my own booking, my social media, being the boss of the band. But now since the show, I have a manager working with me and a booking agent working with me. But I still do a lot on my own, which helps me as a businesswoman and growing artist and an adult.

    It’s definitely not easy. I had to get my band ready to go to Richmond where I’m doing a show after I sing the National Anthem. I’ll drive really fast like a NASCAR driver to get there.  I really wanted to go out on that track today!”

    Ruger is also hoping that her performance will continue to call attention to the cause featured in the NASCAR race at the Monster Mile, the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks.

    “Pretty much ever since I’ve been thirteen years old, I’ve babysat for families and I love kids. There is a family I work with where the child has autism,” Ruger said. “I just love working with him because he is so full of joy.  It’s amazing to see how the family works together and I hope there is more awareness that comes from this to help families like them.”

    “I love working with kids, especially those with special needs. There is a place in my heart for kids like that.”

    Ruger acknowledged that she is as passionate about the strength of young women as she is about those with special needs. And she hopes that by singing the National Anthem in front of such a wide audience that she shows that girls truly can do anything.

    “I think it’s really important for a female to be strong,” Ruger said. “It should be more equal and girls should realize that they can do the same job that any guy can if you just put your heart, soul and mind into it.

    I think with young females today, they just need to find that passion and just go for it. I try to do that with girls in schools and told them to follow their dreams.  Every time I sign my name for a younger fan, I always write ‘Follow your dreams’ and I’m super passionate about that.

    You can show the world that you are more than they imagined. That’s one of my original songs actually.”

    So, what does singing the National Anthem at the NASCAR race in front of one of the biggest crowds, including her family, mean to Ruger?

    “If I could sum up how I feel about singing the anthem it would be blessed and grateful,” Ruger said. “I’m carrying my grandpa’s ashes with me. My grandma is watching me so it will be really cool that she will see that I have him with me.

    I’m just truly grateful and blessed that I can do what I do every day. And I’m hoping that I can make a change in the world somehow.

    I get kind of emotional singing the anthem. It’s just a very powerful song. I try to not over or under sing it.”

    “I hope I make Francis Scott Key happy.”

     

  • Johnson Looking for Number 10 as Gordon, Truex and Stewart Fight for First

    Johnson Looking for Number 10 as Gordon, Truex and Stewart Fight for First

    As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the 13th points race of the season, 30-odd drivers are hoping to get lucky and snare the win that will catapult them into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. But for one driver, the stakes are even higher.

    Jimmie Johnson already has three wins this year, but a win at this particular track would be significant for an entirely different reason. He currently has nine wins at Dover, a track record, but one more victory would place him in an elite group of NASCAR drivers. Only four drivers have won 10 or more races at a single track and they are all members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Richard Petty won 15 races at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, 13 at Richmond, 11 at Rockingham and 10 at Daytona. Darrell Waltrip won 12 events at Bristol, 11 at Martinsville and 10 at North Wilkesboro. Dale Earnhardt had 10 victories at Talladega and David Pearson claimed 10 checkered flags at Darlington.

    Johnson is the defending spring race winner and has the best driver rating of the top 16 at Dover, but he will also have some problems to overcome. On Wednesday NASCAR announced penalties for three Sprint Cup teams, including a written warning for the No. 48 team.

    This marked the second written warning in two consecutive races, making it a P1 penalty. As a result, the team will have one of the last two picks for pit stalls at Dover, regardless of how Johnson qualifies.

    Johnson reflected on racing at Dover, saying, “I’d have to say Dover is probably one of the most technical tracks we go to. Setup is key. Communication between driver and crew chief is key. At Dover, you have such loading characteristics, as you’re on the straightaway and kind of lunge off the corner, that you can draw some similarities between Dover and Charlotte. Dover isn’t easy, but it just suits my driving style and I love it.”

    One of Johnson’s chief competitors will be teammate Jeff Gordon whose last win was at Dover in September, giving him five victories at the Monster Mile, second to Johnson among active drivers. Gordon also joins Hall of Famers Petty (7), Bobby Allison (7) and Pearson (5), with five wins or more at Dover.

    Gordon spoke about the obstacles the 24 team would face this weekend.

    “We won the race in September here last year, but this is a different rules package with reduced horsepower,” he explained. “We’re going to be carrying more speed through the center of the corners this year, and the car will need to ‘rotate’ so you can get back in the gas quickly.”

    Martin Truex Jr. is second in the point standings and it’s hard to imagine there is anyone who wants a win more. He led the most laps in the previous two races at Kansas and Charlotte and has three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes this season, but victory has been elusive. He hopes to change that this weekend.

    Truex considers Dover his home track and it was the site of his first Sprint Cup win in 2007.

    “Dover has always been special to me,” said Truex.  “Even when we went through some hard times last year, we still managed to pull off strong results at Dover. There’s just something about that place that makes me feel both confident and comfortable.”

    Tony Stewart has only one top-10 finish this year and is barely hanging on in 30th place in the point standings, but one win could turn it all around. Although he has been successful at Dover, Stewart and the No. 14 team have found the track to be one of their most challenging venues on the circuit.

    “Dover is probably the track where we have struggled the most,” he said, “which certainly made the 2013 win that much sweeter. It was the one track that we always had to look at and say, ‘This is one that we have to figure out and do better if we’re going to have a shot at this.’ We have to survive there. What we did there that year helped us out for our next two races at Dover but, even with the win, we have some work to do.”

    Stewart has three wins at Dover including his last Sprint Cup victory in June 2013. That win broke a 30 race winless streak. As Stewart rolls into Dover this weekend, it seems only fitting that the three-time champ experience a little déjà vu as he seeks his next checkered flag.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover International Speedway May 28 – May 31

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover International Speedway May 28 – May 31

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series head to Dover International Speedway this weekend. Please check below for the full schedule.

    All times Eastern.

    Thursday, May 28:

    On Track:

    2-4:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series final practice

    TV Schedule:

    5 p.m.: NASCAR America – NBC Sports Network
    6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub – FOX Sports 1

    Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    1:15 p.m.: Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek and Jesse Little

    Friday, May 29:

    On Track:

    10-10:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    11 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    12:45 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FOX Sports 1
    2-3:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series final practice – FOX Sports 1
    3:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FOX Sports 1
    5:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 (200 laps, 200 miles) – FOX Sports 1 (Green Flag 5:48 p.m. approx.)

    TV Schedule:

    5 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Setup – FOX Sports 1

    Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    10 a.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
    10:15 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
    12:25 p.m.: Ty Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr.
    2 p.m.: Jeff Gordon
    2:15 p.m.: Carl Edwards
    3:10 p.m.: Denny Hamlin
    4:45 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series qualifying (time approx.)
    7:15 p.m.: Post-Camping World Truck Series race (time approx.)

    Saturday, May 30:

    On Track:

    10-10:55 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    11:15 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FOX Sports 1
    1-1:50 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series final practice – FOX Sports 1
    2:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket It (200 laps, 200 miles) – FOX (Green Flag 2:46 p.m. approx.)

    TV Schedule:

    Noon: TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – Detroit Belle Isle – FOX Sports 2
    12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub – Weekend Edition – FOX Sports 1

    Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    4:45 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series race (time approx.)

    Sunday, May 31:

    On Track:

    1 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks (400 laps, 400 miles) – FOX Sports 1 (Green Flag 1:15 p.m. approx.)

    TV Schedule:

    11:30 a.m. NASCAR RaceDay – Dover – FOX Sports 1 3 a.m.,

    NASCAR Victory Lane – FOX Sports 1

    Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

    4:15 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series race (time approx.)

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Dover AAA 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Dover AAA 400

    With advancement into the Contender Round for the NASCAR championship on the line, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 45th annual AAA 400 at Dover international Speedway.

    Surprising: After experiencing a tire valve stem issue early in the race, one driver surprisingly seemed to have turned his attention to the upcoming holidays instead.

    “The inner valve stem got knocked out just like the first race here, except this time it was on the left-front,” the driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet said after finishing 13th from the pole. “A lug nut got in between the wheel and the brake rotor and knocked the valve stem out.”

    “So unfortunate, but probably our own fault for not finding a solution for it the first race,” Harvick continued. “Just handing out early Christmas presents to people for winning races that we should be winning.”

    “It’s just unbelievable that it can happen.”

    Not Surprising: As has played out for much for the season to date, the Monster Mile was also two-team dominated. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon won the race, while his usually strong at Dover teammate Jimmie Johnson finished third.

    Team Penske also had a great day at Dover, with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano finished second and fourth respectively.

    “I knew we could compete with the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) car,” Jeff Gordon said in Victory Lane. “The No. 2 was really good on short runs, but we could run him down. Of course he made us work for it there at the end.”

    “Certainly wish we were in Victory Lane, but good solid third-place run,” Hendrick teammate Johnson said. “We had a solid car.”

    “All I could think about was how I wanted to win all three races,” Brad Keselowski said after his runner-up finish. “Three more races and we’ve got to keep our head on straight t and push forward these next three like we have these last three.”

    “It was a hard-fought day, which is pretty normal for here at Dover,” Logano said of his fourth place finish. We got something good out of it and now we’ll start the next round and try to move on to the next one.”

    “We’ve got to focus on what we do to go fast and not what other people are doing or who our competition is,” Logano said about the Team Penske vs. Hendrick battle. “There are 11 other guys right now who are our main competition, so we’ve got to look at them all just like we did going into this round. We look at every one as a contender, no pun intended, and we’ll be able to focus on what we’ve been doing with our race cars and go from there.”

    Surprising: It was surprising to see just how disappointed so many drivers were who actually advanced to the next round of competition after the race at the Monster Mile.

    “It was off a little bit,” Matt Kenseth said, after taking the checkered flag in fifth as the highest finishing Toyota. “I couldn’t do very good on restarts and that really hurt us bad. I’d lose so many spots over the restart and just too hard to get them back.”

    “There were times when the car was better than where we finished and other times when it was worse.”

    “We did what we had to do today with our Interstate Batteries Camry, but I’m not sure what the problem was on the last couple funs of the race,” Kyle Busch said after finishing tenth. “We were tight all day, but it just got worse at the end.”

    “We didn’t run good obviously,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after finishing 17th. “We struggled with our car all day long. We never had a moment during the race where the car was very good and competitive.”

    Not Surprising: Although he did not make it into the Chase race, this rookie driver has big plans for his participation during the remainder of the competition rounds.

    “It was a really good finish for us,” Kyle Larson said after taking the checkered flag in the sixth spot. “Hopefully I can be the guy that wins Kansas and Charlotte so all the Chase guys can be nervous going into Talladega.”

    Surprising: While everyone else who made it to the Contender Round of the Chase had Talladega on their minds, one driver surprisingly indicated that he could not wait to get to the superspeedway.

    “This is built for us,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford said. “We’ve got to capitalize on it and go run well at Kansas and Charlotte.”

    “We know we can win Talladega, so I look forward to that race,” Edwards continued. “That’s the first time I’ve ever looked forward to Talladega in the Chase, but I’m looking forward to it.”

    Not Surprising: At a track that he claims as one of his own close to home, it was not surprising that Martin Truex Jr. had a good run, finishing seventh after starting 26th. Truex scored the second best finish among non-Chase drivers and this was also his second best finish of the season.

    “Dover has always been a special place for me,” Truex said. “I don’t know what it is about this track – maybe it’s just home field advantage for me because it seems like the longer the race goes here the better we get.”

    “Just like last week (New Hampshire) I wish the race was longer. I never thought I would say that.”

    Surprising: While many, including Mr. Hendrick have stated that they are witnessing the rebirth of race winner Jeff Gordon as he drives for his fifth championship, another driver felt surprisingly renewed after squeaking into the next round of competition.

    “I feel great,” Denny Hamlin said after finishing 12th in his No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota. “We’ve got another life.”

    “This is going to be a great comeback story if we can keep going,” Hamlin continued. “This is a new life.”

    Not Surprising: There was no fairy tale ending for the two small Cinderella teams battling for their place in the Chase, as both Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger were eliminated.

    “It just didn’t work out for us,” Aric Almirola said after his 28th place finish. “I hate it. We picked a bad day to run the way we did and we can’t blame anybody but ourselves. I’m sure we’ll be able to look past this another day, but right now it’s pretty disappointing.”

    “It was an awful day,” Allmendinger said after finishing 23rd. “We didn’t give up. We just missed it all weekend.”

    “It’s disappointing to miss it by two points, but we didn’t deserve to be in it with the run that we had,” Dinger continued. “We have to look at it – I’m not going to take a moral victory out of it to miss it by two points, it’s disappointing, but we know we are making steps in the right direction.”

    “We have seven races to go. I will be disappointed tonight, but be ready to go tomorrow morning.”

    Surprising: One driver was surprisingly gracious in defeat, just missing the next round in competition.

    “I felt like we were in good position to advance, but you just can’t expect to advance by running 15th,” Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 HAAS Automation Chevrolet said. “You have to be more competitive. We gave it a good run, you know?”

    “We put this team together pretty late,” Busch continued. “Gene Haas believed in me to come in here and do this and thanks to Haas Automation and Chevrolet and great associate sponsors like Mobil 1 and State Water Heaters and Monster Energy.”

    “We don’t get to advance to the championship, but we can still run for pride and run for wins.”

    Not Surprising: Perhaps with a small nod to fellow racer Michael Waltrip’s stint on Dancing With the Stars, Kasey Kahne, who just squeaked into the next round of competition, told his pit crew that they would have to step it up after some struggles during the Dover race.

    “Well, these guys work hard,” Kahne said. “And we’ve struggled all season with that. But they work hard and I know they’ll keep working hard.”

    “I just told them if you guys want to go further, it’s time to step-up,” Kahne continued. “It’s time to put our best stuff out there. I know they want to. They’ll work hard this week.”

    “I’m going to work hard and we’re going to be prepared when we get to Kansas and hopefully we can keep moving on.”

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover and Las Vegas

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover and Las Vegas

    Your guide to all the NASCAR on-track activities for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Dover International Speedway this weekend plus the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. All times are ET.

    FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26:
    10:00 -10:50 a.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    11:00 a.m.- 12:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    2:00 – 3:20 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice – ESPN2
    3:40 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – ESPN2

    SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27:

    11:00 – 11:50 a.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice – FOX Sports 1
    Noon – 1:15 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
    12:15 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FOX Sports 2
    1:45 – 3:00 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice
    2:00 – 2:50 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice – FOX Sports 2
    3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Dover 200 Race (200 laps-200 miles) – ESPN2
    6:40 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying
    10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rhino Linings 350 Race (146 laps-219 miles) – FOX Sports 1

    SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28:

    Noon: NASCAR RaceDay – FOX Sports 1
    1:00: p.m.: NSCS Countdown – ESPN
    2:00 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 Race (400 laps-400 miles) – ESPN

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson backed up his win at Charlotte with a dominant win in the FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover. Johnson led 272 of 500 laps for his second consecutive win, and guaranteed his spot in the Chase.

    “The race was delayed 20 minutes to repair a pothole,” Johnson said. “Interestingly enough, I ‘cemented’ my status as a Sprint Cup favorite.

    “That’s my ninth win at the Monster Mile. Obviously, that’s one monster that doesn’t scare me. I like to go fast at Dover. Forget Miles The Monster; I’m the ‘Boogie Man’ at Dover.”

    2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was strong early but faded late to finish 15th at Dover, only his fifth finish outside the top 10 this year. As a result, Gordon fell from the top of the Sprint Cup points standings, and now trails Matt Kenseth by two.

    “What a run by Jimmie Johnson,” Gordon said. “He already had the Dover record with eight wins; now it’s nine. That’s even more than what we’ve come to expect from Jimmie at the Monster Mile. I guess that’s what you call ‘Dover-achieving.’”

    “How about that loose piece of track in the Monster Mile track? It really took a chunk out of Jamie McMurray’s car. I’ve heard of tires having ‘bite;’ this time the track did.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth, still in search of his first win of the season, finished third at Dover, earning his series-best tenth top 10 of the year. He assumed the lead in the points standings, and now holds a two-point edge over Jeff Gordon.

    “Sure, we’re disappointed we didn’t win,” Kenseth said. “But that was my third consecutive third-place finish, so our attitude is still upbeat and optimistic. And that’s the morale of the story.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished eighth at Dover, his seventh top 10 of the year, as Penske teammate Brad Keselowski took the runner-up spot behind Jimmie Johnson. Logano is now sixth in the points standings, 49 behind Matt Kenseth.

    “It was a great weekend for Roger Penske,” Logano said. “In addition to our top-10 finishes, Helio Castroneves and Will Power finished 1-2 in Sunday’s Indy Dual In Detroit. Most owners drive themselves crazy in search of the kind of success Roger Penske enjoys. So, while Helio is climbing the fence, competing car owners are climbing the walls.”

    5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt claimed ninth at Dover, posting his ninth top-10 finish of the year. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 34 behind Matt Kenseth.

    “After winning the Daytona 500,” Earnhardt said, “I’m winless in the last 12 races. That pales in comparison to a 55-race winless streak or a 143-race winless streak. And speaking of ‘pails,’I have a bucket list that’s yet to be completed.

    “You’ve probably heard about my race car graveyard. Unfortunately, it’s not open to the public. In other words, it’s a lot like my Sprint Cup championship—no one can see it.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 14th at Dover as Roush Fenway Racing failed to place a car in the top 10. Edwards is currently third in the points standings, 25 out of first.

    “I’m 25 points behind my former teammate Matt Kenseth,” Edwards said. “Once, I had an ‘arm up’ on him; now, he’s got a leg up on me.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick suffered a flat tire while leading on lap 166 and lost two laps, eventually finishing 17th at Dover, one lap down.

    “I’m not sure what caused the flat tire,” Harvick said, “but I’m guessing a piece of the track was the culprit. Do I know this for sure? No, but nevertheless, I have ‘concrete’ evidence.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch’s bid for the Trucks, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup sweep at Dover ended when he slammed the wall on lap 124. Busch was done for the day and finished 42nd.

    “Clint Bowyer just ran me into the wall,” Busch said. “So I chased him around the track. Don’t believe me? Check the race results. You’ll see next to Bowyer’s name, it has ‘running.’

    “I understand Bowyer’s spotter was at fault. So, maybe I jumped the gun a bit when I told Clint to ‘watch where he’s going.’”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Dover and finished second, as Penske teammate Joey Logano took eighth. Keselowski is eighth in the points standings, 59 out of first.

    “I think NASCAR officials did a pretty good job repairing the pothole at Dover,” Keselowski said. “But I think they may have put a little too much cement in the hole. And the No. 2 Miller Lite car agrees when it says ‘less filling.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took two tires during the final caution at Dover and powered to a fifth-place finish, his first top 5 since winning at Talladega. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 84 behind Matt Kenseth,

    “I was the only Joe Gibbs driver who wasn’t ran into by Clint Bowyer,” Hamlin said. “Is there a lesson to be learned from all this? Yes, there is. Don’t say this to Clint: ‘Go ahead. Make my day worse.’”