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  • Will the Brickyard 400 Separate the Contenders from the Pretenders?

    Will the Brickyard 400 Separate the Contenders from the Pretenders?

    I don’t normally put a lot of stock into the notion that statistics can accurately foretell who will win a race. There are far too many variables in a sport where luck, the actions of another driver and even Mother Nature can conjure up the unlikeliest of winners. But some statistics are difficult to ignore.

    There have been 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 15 of those events were won by drivers who were past, future or reigning Cup champions.

    Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994 and captured his first Sprint Cup championship the next year. He followed that victory up with three more in 1998, 2001 and 2004 to go along with three more championships in 1997, 1998 and 2001.

    Gordon likes his chances of putting another win in the books this Sunday.

    “This weekend there’s no doubt I feel like this is the best chance that we’ve had at winning this race legitimately with the speed of the car as we’ve had in a very, very long time,” he said when he spoke with the media Friday.

    “It’s obvious that there’s some competitors out there that are going to be tough, including our teammates,” he continued. “But I think the preparation that we’ve put into it and what we’ve been working on since, you know, the break, and I mean leading into that really are things that we’re really, really excited about seeing what we have here today and during practice and this weekend. But yeah, this is definitely, from an overall strength of the team and speed of the car, this is by far the best chance we’ve had at winning in a long time.”

    Dale Earnhardt won the 1995 Brickyard 400 in 1995 famously saying that he was the first man to win it, an obvious reference to “Wonder Boy” Gordon’s win in the first race. The Intimidator was already a seven-time champ but this would prove to be his only win at Indianapolis.

    In addition to Gordon, today’s active full-time Cup drivers with multiple wins includes Tony Stewart with two (2005, 2007) and Jimmie Johnson with four victories in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. All three of these drivers have won multiple championships. If you take those impressive statistics I mentioned into account, this could be Stewart’s best chance to snag the win that has eluded him all season.

    In a teleconference last week, Stewart was asked his thoughts on the upcoming race.

    “If you can’t win the Daytona 500, this is the perfect second to get your first win for the year,” he responded. “So we were one of the teams that did the Goodyear test a couple weeks ago, and we felt like our car was pretty quick. So I was pretty excited about that. It’s just a matter of going back and trying to keep that speed in the car.”

    You also have to consider those champions who have yet to win the Brickyard 400 like Matt Kenseth who sits in fourth position in the standings but has no wins this season. Then there’s Brad Keselowski who has been on a tear lately with three number one finishes. Kurt Busch, 2004 champ, has one win this year but is 25th in the points standings. Another victory could give him some breathing room.

    Just to make things more interesting, here’s another statistic to bear in mind. The last 11 consecutive Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have been won by Chevrolet, eight of those going to Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

    Whether you put your trust in statistics or Lady Luck, one thing is certain. The Brickyard 400 is one of the toughest races on the schedule and requires the same tenacity and skill that exemplifies a Sprint Cup Champion.

  • Why the Brickyard 400 Could be Just as Boring as Last Year’s Race

    Why the Brickyard 400 Could be Just as Boring as Last Year’s Race

    The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the most coveted race tracks in the world. It has been the host of one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events since 1994. While some great NASCAR races have been held there, many fans, including myself, were frustrated by last year’s “yawn-fest” of a race.

    I am usually quite lenient on the dullness of races and I try to find some exciting aspect to it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any redeeming entertainment value to last year’s Brickyard 400. Sure, there’s prestige for the winner and there’s the mystique of The Brickyard history. However, does that mean the fans were truly entertained? No it doesn’t.

    According to Racing Reference, the race had 20 lead changes which sounds great, except for one major issue; the race truly didn’t have 20 lead changes. In fact, I believe there were no legitimate lead changes at all. In other words, all of the lead changes came during green flag pit stops. And it wasn’t even lead changes that were scarce; passing in general looked to be almost impossible.

    I’d love to tell you that that type of racing at The Brickyard won’t be seen this year, but I don’t see that happening. As you may have noticed, the new-and-improved Generation 6 car is faster than ever, and it wouldn’t surprise too many people if the track record at Indianapolis is broken again.

    Track records are great, but that increase in speed can lead to difficulties in passing, which is why I believe we will see a repeat of 2013. In fact, it would come as no surprise if we saw another Hendrick versus Stewart-Haas battle, only this time it would be either Jeff Gordon versus Kevin Harvick or Jimmie Johnson versus Harvick. It’s quite possible that Brad Keselowski could do very well there. But I believe Hendrick horsepower will shine.

    Beyond the simple fact that the higher speed, the less passing, the track is a general flat track, therefore lending itself to be a one groove surface. As a result, follow the leader racing becomes a common practice due to no second groove to work its way in. The single-groove syndrome is why other tracks, including Phoenix International Raceway, have switched to a progressive banking to therefore offer options across the track.

    NASCAR has tried to improve things with taking away the minimum ride height rule; however that hasn’t changed the racing that much, just added a bonus for the teams. It may be why there will be teams struggling who haven’t in the past, but it won’t help the actual racing product at the end of the day.

    So with that said my advice to you if you’re watching the race is to stock up on energy drinks so you can stay awake during what could be a terribly boring race. Here’s to hoping I’m dead wrong.

     

     

  • He’s Back….Juan Pablo Montoya is Back in NASCAR

    He’s Back….Juan Pablo Montoya is Back in NASCAR

    Juan Pablo Montoya, whose contract was not renewed by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing last year in favor of rookie Kyle Larson, will make his return back to NASCAR with Team Penske for two races this year.

    Montoya will add the NASCAR Cup starts at Michigan and the Brickyard at Indy to his Verizon IndyCar Series full-time schedule. The 38 year old Columbian will pilot the No. 12 SKF Ford at Michigan International Speedway on June 15th and the sponsor-to-be-named No. 12 car for the Brickyard 400 on July 27th.

    Greg Erwin, a veteran NASCAR crew chief, will be atop the pit box of Montoya for both races.

    “Juan is a proven winner in multiple racing disciplines and he is one of the most versatile racecar drivers competing today,” Roger Penske, team owner, said. “Michigan and Indianapolis are two important races for Team Penske. We know Juan has the ability to race for wins in both of those events while still focusing on his full-time program in the Verizon IndyCar Series.”

    Juan Pablo Montoya is also back on the NASCAR circuit with one of the most successful teams to date. Team Penske, whose two drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have both visited Victory Lane this year, will no doubt welcome their newest teammate to the fold.

    “This opportunity is pretty unique,” Montoya said. “This year, it will be nice to be in a Penske car because they are so competitive week in and week out. Both Keselowski and Logano are running up front.”

    One place that Montoya really wants to go back to is the Brickyard, where he has come so close to winning in a stock car. JPM has mastered the Indianapolis Motor Speedway having won the Indy 500 in 2000.

    “It’s one of those places where I feel like I got robbed a few times,” Montoya said. “To be able to come here and be able to close that deal will be really, really nice.”

    Montoya is also back as he is on a mission to get take team owner Roger Penske to Victory Lane for the first time ever at the Brickyard.

    “It’s hard to believe, but Roger Penske has never won the Brickyard 400,” JPM said. “I think that Brad, Joey and I will give Roger and Team Penske a great opportunity to check that off the list and we should be strong at Michigan as well.”

    Montoya is also back with a vengeance to attempt something that no one else has done, winning three feature races at Indy in the same season. He is scheduled for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10th, the Indy 500 a week later, and then the Brickyard 40 in July. So, if JPM qualifies for each one, he would be the first to do so.

    “Three chances gives me a better chance of winning one of them now,” Montoya said.

    So, just how will Montoya get back in shape to get back on the NASCAR Cup tracks?

    “I had a chance to test a car last week at Nashville and I felt like it was a good test,” Montoya said. “I was very happy that I got up to speed very easy. Within five laps I was comfortable in the car.”

    “I think running Michigan and Indy are two tracks where running open wheel helps you, especially Michigan, which is a lot like an open-wheel car because you don’t slow down much but use momentum and a lot of high speed.”

    “To just run the Brickyard would be a pretty big ask of our team and of Juan, without having spent much time in our cars or with having been out of a Cup car for a while,” Tim Cindric, Team Penske President said. “So, we felt like we needed to give him another shot at Michigan prior to the Brickyard so he could get ready for Indy.”

    While Montoya has been enjoying being back in the IndyCar Series, where he is 11th in the point standings currently, he is equally thrilled about this new opportunity back in his old stomping ground of NASCAR where he spent six year.

    “It will be fun to get back behind the wheel of that Cup car,” Montoya said simply.

     

  • NASCAR BTS: Bob Pockrass ‘Humbled’ by NMPA Writer of the Year Honor

    NASCAR BTS: Bob Pockrass ‘Humbled’ by NMPA Writer of the Year Honor

    This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on one of the sports hardest working reporters Bob Pockrass, who received the National Motorsports Press Association’s highest honor this past weekend as Writer of the Year.

    And as is his typical style, Pockrass found the honor to be, in one word, humbling.

    “Well it means a great deal to me,” Pockrass said of the recognition. “When your work is put side by side with some of the other great writers that are in NMPA and that entered that contest, it’s very flattering and very humbling to have people think that you are worthy of that honor.”

    While flattered and humbled, however, Pockrass put the award in perspective, reflecting the real vision of how he approaches his writing and his work in the sport.

    “It’s great to be honored by people in the field but you always know that these decisions are a couple of people’s opinions so you don’t let it go to your head too much,” Pockrass said. “It’s just like the Oscars or the Golden Globes.”

    “You don’t write the stories to win awards,” Pockrass continued. “You write them to inform people.”

    “This is just a validation that you’ve done a good job in performing for the people who read the stories.”

    Pockrass has spent most of his career telling the stories of NASCAR to his readers and his knowledge of racing runs deep, from short tracks to the storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he grew up.

    “I’ve always had an interest in racing,” Pockrass said. “My older brother had done some journalism work for the school paper and was working for the Indianapolis News and so I kind of followed him because I had the same interest in journalism and in sports.”

    “I got my first job at the Daytona Beach newspaper and I worked there covering high school and college sports,” Pockrass continued. “And in January and February, I found myself at the race track helping out to cover NASCAR.”

    “I had some racing experience because at Indiana University I did some stringer work for UPI at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Pockrass said. “I spent one summer working for Gannett at the Speedway too.”

    “I always had an interest in racing and when NASCAR Scene had a job opening in 2003, they knew my work and that’s how my NASCAR-centric career got launched.”

    In addition to his NMPA Writer of the Year award and other accolades, Pockrass is probably most well-known for the time he puts in each and every weekend at the track, from being the first one at the media center to typically being the last one to leave at night.

    So, what drives this passion and dedication to telling the stories of NASCAR racing?

    “It’s really easy,” Pockrass said. “One of the first stories I did at Indiana was on the crop walk for hunger. And so I wrote about that in advance of the event and I had to go cover it.”

    “And when I got to the event, there were a couple of people there who had clipped the paper and signed up to do the walk,” Pockrass continued. “And I think that showed me the power of journalism and the power of being able to have an influence.”

    “And if you keep those people, those readers, in mind and know that you can influence what people do through what you write,” Pockrass said. “They may decide whether to go to a race or they may decide if they’re going to root for Jeff Gordon or boo Jeff Gordon or whether or not they will buy a Dale Earnhardt Jr. T-shirt or never buy one.”

    “I think that responsibility is what makes me want to do everything I can to be knowledgeable, that I’m writing with accuracy and with a passion for it,” Pockrass continued. “If I didn’t care, then I’m doing those people who read me a really big disservice.”

    “If you think about the people that are reading what you’re writing, it’s real easy to be there early and stay late because you owe it to them,” Pockrass said. “You owe it to your readers to give your best effort.”

    While Pockrass has told many stories over his years of covering NASCAR so passionately, there are several that have stood out as ones that touched him deeply.

    “The most memorable story was Dale Earnhardt’s death,” Pockrass said. “That was one day you just don’t forget.”

    “You don’t forget the scene of that evening and everything that surrounded that race,” Pockrass continued. “You don’t often see reporters crying when they’re writing.”

    “I’ll never forget seeing Ken Schrader outside the medical center and you could just tell,” Pockrass said. “His face was so white and his expression was that this was not good.”

    “That was one of those days that you never forget.”

    There are also stories that have been incredibly difficult to tell due to the personal connections that evolve after years of being in the garage area and getting to know the racers and team members on a weekly basis.

    “One of the other hardest stories that I had to write was the day that Rodney Orr died in Daytona,” Pockrass said. “He was from the area and I had talked to him several times.”

    “He had died a couple of days after Neil Bonnett died and we had talked about that in the garage,” Pockrass continued. “That was a pretty tough thing because he was a driver that I had known very well and one of the first drivers that I had known well that died on the race track.”

    With all that history and knowledge, including the highs and lows of the sport, fans might just be hoping that Pockrass would step back a minute and put his musings all in one place and join others in the sport who have written books on the subject.

    “I guess I might have a little bit of a desire to do a book, but I’m so busy with what I’m doing now that I need to give one hundred percent to,” Pockrass said. “So, I’ve never really thought about it very much because I enjoy doing what I’m doing.”

    “As long as I’ve still got the pen and the paper to do what I’m doing, I don’t know that I’d have the time to devote to a book.”

    Pockrass is also enjoying the new and evolving ways to interact with his readers, including social media and the popular ‘tweet ups’ that he hosts at almost every track, sharing the location of the event through Twitter.

    “The great thing about Twitter and the tweet ups is that I talk to more fans now than I ever did and get a better feeling about what the fans are thinking,” Pockrass said. “I embrace that.”

    “Sometimes it’s a juggling act between finding out information in the garage and meeting with the fans,” Pockrass continued. “But I think there are very few people who write and don’t interact with fans because they just don’t even know you or your writing are even there anymore.”

    Pockrass, along with his media brethren, are currently involved with the NASCAR media tour, meeting with all of the teams in preparation for the Daytona 500 and the start of the 2014 season. Looking into this own crystal ball, Pockrass has some predictions about the major story lines that he intends to cover for his readers and followers.

    “I think Tony Stewart coming back is going to be a major story line,” Pockrass said. “The new aero package for the cars and the new qualifying procedures will be story lines.”

    “And the changes to the Chase will be a major story line.”

    As the season gets underway, however, Pockrass took a moment to reflect again on the honor that he received this past weekend from the National Motor Sports Press Association for his work in telling the stories of the sport.

    “That’s what I do,” Pockrass said. “If you have that passion, it’s not hard.”

    “While it’s always good to be recognized, it is also humbling,” Pockrass continued. “But it’s a nice feeling.”

  • Richard Childress Shares Indianapolis Memories As 20th Annual Brickyard 400 Approaches

    Richard Childress Shares Indianapolis Memories As 20th Annual Brickyard 400 Approaches

    This weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marks the 20th running of the Brickyard 400 on the hallowed ground that was only graced by open-wheel cars until 1994, when NASCAR came to town and stock cars began racing on the famed 2.5 mile speedway as well. Since the inaugural running of the race, the Brickyard 400 has become one of the most prestigious races on the circuit, joining the Daytona 500, Southern 500, and Coca-Cola 600 as the “crown jewels” of the schedule.

    Richard Childress has become one of the most successful owners at Indianapolis, winning the Brickyard 400 three separate times and with three different drivers, including Dale Earnhardt in 1995, Kevin Harvick in 2003, and Paul Menard in 2011. Childress is the only owner in the Sprint Cup Series to accomplish that feat.

    Childress shared his thoughts on Indianapolis during a teleconference this week in the lead up to the 20th running of the Brickyard 400 this weekend.

    “You know, when you said 20 years, it kind of reminds me of that old song Bob Seger sings, 20 Years Ago, Where Does It Go? It doesn’t seem 20 years ago when Dale Earnhardt pulled up there to run our first test. I guess that was a year or so before we went up there and raced, just to see how the Cup cars would do.To be able to see that car go around the racetrack in such a historical place as Indy with all the history there, to have Dale go around there, it was pretty amazing.”, Childress said.

    “Then coming back in 2003, we won with Kevin Harvick up there. That was a special win, as well, because we did start from the pole that day. We’ve been right there to win other Brickyards, but unfortunately we didn’t pull them off. One that ranks really high, maybe above the other two, was when Paul Menard won in 2011. What made that so special was knowing that Paul’s family was there. Knowing what John Menard had put into that, I think he had entered like 30 some car over 20 years at Indy, in the Indy 500. To be part of watching his son win that race was such a special day. Riding around the track, that’s the neatest part of Indy, is getting to ride around the track, seeing all the fans hollering.  That’s really a cool thing right there.”

    Childress elaborated further on why he thinks the 2011 Brickyard 400 win by Menard ranks highly among the three Brickyard 400 wins that RCR has. “Not taking anything away from Dale or Kevin’s first win there, but that one was so special I think because of being able to win a race with Paul, being able to win at Indy where that whole family had put so much into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. John Menard played a huge role for many years.  To be able to win that race with him, have his whole family there that day, it was almost like a storybook ending to a great venture in Indy for John Menard.”

    Over time, the Brickyard 400 has lost some luster in the eyes of some in the sport, but Childress still believes that Indianapolis is one of the marquee events in the sport. When asked about that he said, “ If you want to win a race, you want to win the Daytona 500, you want to win the Coke 600, and Indy, the Brickyard 400.  Those are the three, in my opinion, of the biggest crowns you can win”

    Chevrolet has an impressive record at Indianapolis, winning the last 10 and 14 out of the 19 total Sprint Cup Series races at the track. Childress also shared his thoughts on that: “I think the caliber of the teams, the effort that every team puts in to go win at Indy, because we know it’s a big deal for Chevrolet to go up there and win.  I think it’s just that extra motivation for all of us. The other guys have it, too. But I think we know how important that win is for Chevy.”

    Richard Childress Racing will have the opportunity for a fourth win this weekend with four cars out of the RCR stable entered. In addition to regular drivers Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, and Jeff Burton, Austin Dillon will also be making his Cup Series debut at Indianapolis this weekend.

  • Crunching The Numbers: Indianapolis

    Crunching The Numbers: Indianapolis

    After taking their final break of the season last weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400 to begin the 17 race stretch run to finish off the season. The Nationwide Series will also be joining their Sprint Cup brethren at Indianapolis, while the Camping World Truck Series heads to Eldora on Wednesday night for the first NASCAR sanctioned dirt track race in several years.

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com

    Twenty years ago, the Sprint Cup Series had their first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in the 19 races since the inaugural race in 1994, the Brickyard 400 has become one of the crown jewels of the sport. The list of drivers that have won this race is a who’s who of Sprint Cup champions and current and future Hall of Famers. Only four times has a driver won the race and not gone on to win the title. Look for whoever comes out on top on Sunday to be a strong championship contender.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Tony Stewart 14 2 6 10 1 227 16.7 8.2
    Jeff Gordon 19 4 11 15 3 477 12.4 8.8
    Kevin Harvick 12 1 4 7 1 92 15.6 10.2
    Kyle Busch 8 0 2 6 0 42 21.1 11.8
    Greg Biffle 10 0 3 6 0 53 15.3 12.1
    Clint Bowyer 7 0 2 2 0 2 20.4 12.3
    Brad Keselowski 3 0 0 2 0 39 12.7 12.3
    Mark Martin 19 0 6 11 1 67 12.2 12.8
    Carl Edwards 8 0 1 3 0 5 22.0 13.2
    Jamie McMurray 10 1 3 5 0 43 15.4 14.0

    Who To Watch: With the race at Indianapolis, it’s no surprise that an Indiana native tops the list with the best statistics. Tony Stewart, who hails from Columbus, IN, has amassed some impressive numbers at the track with two wins, six top fives, 10 top tens, one pole, 227 laps led, and an average finish of 8.2 in 14 races.

    Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon falls in just behind Stewart with four wins, 11 top fives, 15 top tens, three poles, 477 laps led, and an average finish of 8.8 in 19 starts.

    Others to keep an eye on include: Kevin Harvick, 2003 Brickyard 400 winner, who also has four top fives, seven top tens, one pole, 92 laps led, and an average finish of 10.2 in 12 starts; Kyle Busch, with two top fives, six top tens, 42 laps led, and an average finish of 11.8 in eight starts; and Greg Biffle, with three top fives, six top tens, 53 laps led, and an average finish of 12.1 in 10 starts.

    Defending race winner, Jimmie Johnson, didn’t make the top ten statistically at Indianapolis, but has four wins at the track, along with four top fives, five top tens, one pole and has led 229 laps in 11 starts.

    One last thing to keep in mind for Sunday’s 20th running of the Brickyard 400 is the dominance that Chevrolet has had at the track. Chevrolet has won the last 10 and 14 of the 19 races at Indianapolis. Can Chevrolet win yet another Brickyard 400 or will one of the other two manufacturers finally find their way to Victory Lane?

    NASCAR Nationwide Series – Indiana 250

    After running at the short track across town in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Raceway Park for years, the Nationwide Series made the move to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a companion weekend with the Sprint Cup Series starting last year and will have their second running at the 2.5 mile speedway this weekend.

    Last year, Penske Racing swept the top two spots with Brad Keselowski taking the win and teammate Sam Hornish, Jr. finishing in second. Hornish regained the points lead after a second place finish in last weekend’s race at Chicago and the Indy 500 champion brings his momentum into a track that he is very familiar with.

    Indianapolis also marks the last leg of the Nationwide Insurance “Dash 4 Cash” with Austin Dillon, Hornish, Elliott Sadler, and Brian Vickers eligible for the $100,000 bonus. Dillon will be going for his third “Dash 4 Cash” bonus after winning the bonus last weekend at Chicago and at New Hampshire.

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – 1-800-CARCASH Mudsummer Classic Presented By CNBC Prime’s “The Profit” at Eldora

    For the first time since 1970 at Raleigh, NC, NASCAR returns to dirt racing with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series making their inaugural trip to Eldora Speedway in Ohio for a Wednesday night feature on the half-mile dirt track. The race, which is a sellout, will not only feature points eligible Truck Series drivers, but will also have several dirt racing specialists going for the win. Those specialists include: Dave Blaney, Tracy Hines, Scott Bloomquist, Ken Schrader, Ryan Newman, Kenny Wallace, and former Truck Series champion, Austin Dillon, who will be facing off with his brother and championship contender, Ty Dillon.

    Matt Crafton leads the Truck Series standings by 39 points heading into Eldora, but the points could face a big shakeup after what is sure to be a wild race on Wednesday night in Ohio.

  • Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch in an Indy State of Mind

    Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch in an Indy State of Mind

    While Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch are in the Granite state for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race weekend, they were both in a bit of an Indy state of mind, having watched the IZOD IndyCar Series race the weekend before at Pocono Raceway.

    Both drivers took in the IndyCar race with their loved ones, Busch with his father and Gordon with his son Leo and his nephew. The only difference was that Busch watched from the safety of his couch while Gordon attended in person, watching the start of the race from the Pocono Victory Lane roof top.

    “It was fun to sit on the couch and watch that on Sunday,” Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet, said. “To understand it from the in-car telemetry and to see the pit strategy side of it, it was just fun.”

    “I sat there with my dad and watched the race,” Busch continued. “We were rooting for Marco Andretti and it was just crazy to see how the Ganassi guys came out on top.”

    “I was just thinking of it from a purely entertainment standpoint seeing my son see a different kind of car,” Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, said. “Most of it was for him and my nephew, who was also with me.”

    Even as fast as both drivers go in the Sprint Cup cars, Busch and Gordon were also most impressed with the speeds of the open wheel cars at Pocono, which topped over 220 mph.

    “It was cool to see the speeds,” Busch said. “The speeds are incredible at Pocono and that track now that it’s smoothed out is why the Indy cars went back there.”

    “The track is smooth enough for them to race on and I thought it produced a decent race.”

    “For me it was being amazed at how fast those cars go through the corners, corners that I’m used to going through at much slower speeds,” Gordon said. “I was amazed with just the technology of the cars.”

    Would Busch or Gordon be interested in racing in the IndyCar Series themselves, especially since both have been exposed to open wheel racing?

    “Would I like to drive one of those cars somewhere?” Jeff Gordon asked himself. “Yeah I would.”

    “My biggest thing that holds me back from doing a lot of things is I want to be competitive in whatever it is I’m in and I know if I go run five or ten laps, whether it be a rally car or an IndyCar or whatever car, that’s not enough for me to go be competitive,” Gordon continued. “If I can’t go and be competitive in it then I usually don’t have fun.”

    “That’s just my personality,” Gordon said. “It’s not about just sliding the car sideways or feeling it stick at 220 mph, it’s about can I be as fast as somebody else and so no, honestly watching that race didn’t persuade me to want to go do it.”

    Gordon also expressed some trepidation just based on seeing one of his IndyCar friends James Hinchcliffe wreck hard into the wall on the first turn of the first lap at Pocono Raceway.

    “As a matter of fact, when I was speaking to Hinchcliffe on the grid and then moments later he’s spinning back in the wall, the guy barely flinched and he couldn’t catch it,” Gordon said. “I felt bad for him and also thought I had no desire to get in that car.”

    For Kurt Busch, the interest in another series may just be something on his horizon since he has not yet inked any deal for his 2014 season.

    “It’s been one thing I’ve been trying to answer in my own mind,” Busch said. “There are a lot of irons in the fire.”

    “Contract negotiations and things are in discussion, but you try not to let that weigh any on what’s going on right now,” Busch continued. “Right now is the most important thing.”

    “I’m living in the present.”

    While Gordon and Busch may be in Indy states of mind, they also have to focus on the race at hand at the Magic Mile. And both had good qualifying runs, with Busch moving to the outside pole and Gordon moving to the fifth starting position after Jimmie Johnson’s qualifying time was disallowed due to failing post-race inspection.

    “We tested here,” Gordon said of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “Conditions I think have changed from the test quite a bit on us so it’s pretty challenging.”

    “But it’s always a track I look forward to.”

    “This track if your car is running well, you can go to the low side and make up a lot of time,” Busch said. “You are not stuck in traffic if you have a good car.”

    Busch was especially thrilled with his qualifying run at a time of 28.040 seconds and a speed of 135.835 mph. But he also admitted his time trial lap had some moments that gave him pause.

    “For us, our lap was pretty exciting,” Busch said. “I hit the rev chip so soon that I thought the guys missed the setting.”

    “It was such a weird lap because I thought we were going to be 20th,” Busch continued. “If we can screw up and be that good, I’ll take it.”

    While Busch and Gordon may be in an Indy state of mind, they also have Chase contention on their minds as well. Busch currently sits in the ninth position in points while Gordon is further back in the fourteenth spot.

    “To be in the top ten in points is great,” Busch said. “It’s a nice feather in the cap but there is still a long way to go.”

    “You can lose points real easily, but it’s tough to gain the points,” Busch continued.  “So basically from eighth to 18th, everybody fits in one shoe box right now.”

    Once both Gordon and Busch leave New Hampshire, they will enjoy a rare weekend off and then be in a real Indy state of mind as they prepare for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    For the off weekend, Gordon will be attending a friend’s wedding and Busch will be whisking girlfriend Patricia Driscoll to Argentina for a getaway. But after that, Indy will be totally on their minds and both drivers cannot wait, especially Jeff Gordon.

    “I’m very much looking forward to Indianapolis,” Gordon said. “The same thing kind of applies to Indy as it does here at New Hampshire.”

    “We tested there which is always great and beneficial,” Gordon continued. “All signs of that test and things that we have planned, I’m very excited.”

    “We had a shot of winning that race a couple years ago and I always go to that track with confidence and feeling good,” Gordon said. “When the car and the team are feeling the same way, then that’s a great combination to have.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Brickyard 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Brickyard 400

    [media-credit name=”Dan Sanger” align=”alignright” width=”254″][/media-credit]At one of the most storied tracks on not just the NASCAR schedule but the motor sports circuit overall, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 19th Annual Crown Royal Presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard.

    Surprising:  It was surprising that the emerging points leader after the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway enhanced his proud team owner’s sleep habits.

    Hendrick Motor Sports principal Rick Hendrick had just one thing to say about his driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who assumed the coveted lead by 14 points after a fourth place finish at the Brickyard.

    “I will be able to sleep better tonight,” Mr. H. said simply after the race. His HMS driver has not led the point standings since September of 2004 after the race at New Hampshire.

    Junior echoed his team owner’s sentiments of pride, while reiterating that he not only wants, but needs more wins to keep that top spot.

    “I’m proud of that because it says a lot about our body of work,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “I have felt that way about our position in points all season long.”

    “But we need to win more races,” Junior continued. “If we want to win the championship, we have to.”

    “We’d like to step it up just a little bit more.”

    Not Surprising:  While making history with his fourth Brickyard win and tying teammate Jeff Gordon and idols Al Unser, A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears for four victories, it was not surprising to see this driver’s  little girl Genevieve steal the show during the post-race ceremonies.

    Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, simply could not convince his daughter to kiss those hot, gritty bricks in spite of his intense coaxing.

    “I don’t really think she knew what was going on,” Johnson said. “The asphalt was pretty hot, so she got her hands down on it and I think that scared her.”

    “She’s a very cautious girl and that is going against everything we’re trying to teach her,” Johnson continued. “She just wasn’t in to it.”

    Surprising:  It was most surprising that the second place finisher was so ecstatic about his finish that he wanted to do his own ‘victory’ burnout after the race.

    Kyle Busch, behind the wheel of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota, posted his career best finish at the Brickyard and his best finish of the season since his third place finish at Charlotte in May.

    “It feels so good to actually run well and finish well,” Busch said. “We’ve been needed to do this for so long.”

    “It felt like a win to us,” Busch continued. “I wanted to do a burnout, but I’ll save that for when we really do collect the checkered flag.”

    Not Surprising:  Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford, proved one NASCAR adage true, that loose is fast. Biff came in third, his sixth top-10 finish in ten races at Indy.

    “We were pretty loose all day long,” Biffle said. “It was unfortunate we were that free and we couldn’t fix it.”

    “We were too loose to get it done so we came in third.”

    Surprising:  With a great qualifying run, an outside pole starting position and a brand new crew chief in Chad Norris on the box, it looked like nothing could derail Carl Edwards from finally pulling out a decent finish and a good day in the points race for the Chase.

    But a surprising mechanical problem forced the driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford to go laps down early in the race and finish 29th.

    “We didn’t know what was wrong with the engine and we were kind of points racing but also racing for the win,” Edwards said. “We stayed out there with seven cylinders or so and then got caught up on pit road again and went another lap down.”

    “That was pretty much the death knell for the whole thing.”

    Not Surprising:   As is so often the case, being at the back of the pack leads to trouble. And that’s just what Matt Kenseth experienced on lap 134 when Joey Logano lost control, slid into Trevor Bayne, Bobby Labonte and ultimately Kenseth.

    “The farther that we went back, the dumber people drove,” Kenseth said after exiting his fiery No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford. “You could see it was just a matter of time before the wreck happened.”

    Kenseth finished the race in the 35th position and, not surprisingly as a result, fell to second in the point standings.

    Surprising:  Jeff Gordon surprisingly has not posted a top-3 finish in his last 23 races and he continued the longest stretch of his career in that mode with a fifth place finish at Indy.

    “I’m pretty disappointed really,” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet said. “It’s always nice to finish in the top five but at this point in the season, I feel like it was a little bit of a missed opportunity.”

    Not Surprising:  So much uncertainty continued to reign for the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Penske race team, even at the Brickyard. Although Sam Hornish, Jr. was still behind the wheel, finishing 16th, the cloud of the A.J. Allmendinger indefinite suspension for the failed drug test continued to hang over the proceedings.

    “There are so many questions,” Roger Penske, team owner said after the drivers’ meeting at Indy. “Our phone is ringing off the hook with people who are interested in the ride in the No. 22.”

    Penske has since made the decision to release Allmendinger as their driver and have named Hornish Jr. the driver for the remainder of the 2012 season.

    Surprising:  Only one driver could compare the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway to a junk yard but Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet, did just that, at least when it came to his 13th place car.

    “We were junk all weekend,” Harvick said. “No matter if we were turning left or going straight.”

    “That pretty much summed up today.”

    Not Surprising:  Stewart Haas racers Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman showed their Midwestern pride by scoring top-10 finishes at the Brickyard.

    Stewart, who qualified his No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot in the 28th position, rallied to finish tenth and teammate Newman, in the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet, finished seventh.

    “We just were a little bit tight in the center of the corner and that’s kind of what we fought all day,” Smoke said. “So, I was proud of the gains we made.”

    “I’m from the Midwest and so is Quicken Loans so it was nice to get a top-10 finish,” Newman said. “We just didn’t have quite the speed we needed.”

    This was Newman’s sixth top-10 finish of the season and his second top-10 finish in 12 starts at the Brickyard.

    The Cup Series will next take on the ‘Tricky Triangle’ at Pocono Raceway.

     

  • Johnson dominates the Brickyard, sights locked on 6th Sprint Cup title

    Johnson dominates the Brickyard, sights locked on 6th Sprint Cup title

    Jimmie Johnson had an extremely confident look on his face during pre-race before Sunday afternoon’s running of the Brickyard 400. He went even as far to tweet on Saturday ” I can’t wait for tomorrow, Our car is awesome”. Jimmie Johnson proved beyond all doubt on Sunday afternoon how awesome that car was.

    On a sun splashed afternoon in Indianapolis, Johnson and the No.48 team showed why without doubt they are the favorite to win their 6th NSCS championship. Denny Hamlin set the pace early on leading the first 27 laps in which time Johnson went from 6th to 2nd and then took the lead after a pit stop. He only relinquished it during pit stops. Johnson led 99 of the 160 laps and beat 2nd place Kyle Busch by 4.7 seconds to secure his record tying 4th Brickyard win in a dominating fashion .

    Johnson and the No.48 team are quietly putting together one of their best seasons in NASCAR since his rookie season in the series in 2002, posting 3 wins,10 top 5’s, and 15 top 10’s all which are series best. He also leads the series in laps led, with 912.

    A look deeper inside the numbers tells why Johnson is the favorite heading into the chase. On non restrictor plate tracks in 2012, Jimmie’s numbers have been absolutely mind boggling. In 17 starts on the non plate tracks, he has 3 wins,10 top 5’s, and 15 top 10’s to go along with an average finish of 5.2 in those races which is the best in NSCS.

    There are 6 races to go before the 12 driver cutoff for the Chase for the Sprint Cup and by all appearances the No.48 team is really starting to hit their stride. It wouldn’t surprise this guy if they put a couple of more wins on the board before the chase starts . It seems like they unload fast off the truck every weekend and they have the ultimate X factor in crew chief Chad Knaus calling the shots from the pit box. Today’s win should put the garage on notice that this is indeed the team to beat come chase time starting in Chicago in September.

    The only thing standing in Jimmie’s way of a 6th cup series title is an October visit to Talladega. Where the plate tracks have been unkind to the No.48 team this season, but if they can navigate the treacherous close quarter racing at Talladega and come out of there with a top 10 and judging by the numbers this season on the rest of the chase tracks. NASCAR could have a very familiar face holding the trophy at the end of 400 miles at Homestead in November and that face is Jimmie Johnson. Right now I wouldn’t bet against him.

  • Danica’s chances at Indianapolis

    Danica’s chances at Indianapolis

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignleft” width=”265″]Danica Patrick[/media-credit]Danica may not compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series anymore but she still has a shot to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year.  On July 28th the Nationwide series will take to the famous 2.5 mile track for the first time in history with the running of the Indy 250.

    With the race forthcoming, Danica is excited to get back to a track that she has tremendous past experiences with.

    “Part of me definitely feels it is one of the home tracks for me,” Danica says in speaking to SI.com.  “If anything my love for that track and my feelings about it are what is going to make the big difference because it puts me in a good mood right off the bat.”

    Danica is certainly not the first IndyCar driver to switch to the NASCAR circuit, former open-wheel stars coming to IMS in stock cars have had a variety of success and Danica looks to continue that trend.

    “The amount of laps that I’ve run around there definitely helped me about the small details about the track surface and things like that. I think it will help for those things,” Patrick states.

    The success that other open-wheel racers have had at the Brickyard in a stock car leave great anticipation for what the driver of the #7 GoDaddy Chevrolet Impala can accomplish at the track.  Former 1997 IRL Champion and Indiana native Tony Stewart has won the Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis in 2005 and 2007.

    2000 Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya had the car to beat and dominated the majority of the race in 2009 only to be caught speeding on pit road with just 35 laps to go.  The penalty issued by NASCAR cost him a victory and produced a heated rant on his radio afterwards.  The next year saw Montoya continue his early-race dominance at the track.  Though, in the form of an ill-advised call for four tires in a late race pit stop, Montoya again saw his chance at winning fade fast.

    Contrary to the generality of open-wheel racers converting to stock cars and struggling for many seasons to come, Indianapolis may prove to be an exception to the observed principle.

    With former open-wheel racing stars earning success at Indianapolis in NASCAR, one must wonder the degree of success Patrick can attain at the legendary track.  Will the inaugural race at Indy for the NASCAR Nationwide Series produce another magical moment at the Brickyard?