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  • Hamlin Fastest in First Practice at Indy

    Hamlin Fastest in First Practice at Indy

    Denny Hamlin topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 48.022 and a speed of 187.414 mph. Martin Truex Jr. was second in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota with a time of 48.502 and a speed of 185.559 mph. Matt Kenseth was third in his No. 20 Gibbs Toyota with a time of 48.596 and a speed of 185.200 mph. Kasey Kahne was fourth in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 48.609 and a speed of 185.151 mph. Kyle Larson rounded out the top-five in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 48.648 and a speed of 185.002 mph.

    Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-10.

    Kahne posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 182.792 mph.

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  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. There are 41 drivers entered into the event and with only seven regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin, expect the competition to intensify.

    Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 with a track surface consisting of crushed stone and tar but was repaved with 3.2 million bricks for the first running of the Indy 500 in 1911. By October 1961 the bricks were completely covered with asphalt and now only a one-yard strip of bricks remain at the start/finish line.

    The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 was held on August 6, 1994, and was won by Jeff Gordon. It was the first race, other than the Indianapolis 500, to be held at the track since 1916. But did you know it was NASCAR’s most-attended race of the season with an estimated 250,000 plus fans on hand to watch the event?

    While the track is best known for the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR has made its mark there as well. Did you know that “kissing the bricks” was started by Dale Jarrett? In 1996, after winning the Brickyard 400, Jarrett and his crew chief, Todd Parrott, paid tribute to the track’s history by kneeling down and kissing the “Yard of Bricks.” The entire team quickly joined them, starting a tradition that continues today with winners of both the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400.

    There have been 23 Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile track and 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. Gordon leads all drivers with five wins and Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with four. But did you know that only two drivers have captured consecutive Cup Series wins at Indy? Johnson did so in 2008 and 2009 while Kyle Busch won the last two (2015-2016).

    Johnson leads the way as we head to Indianapolis with four victories, the series-best driver rating (105.7) plus six top fives and one pole. He is one of only four drivers who have won from the pole (2008). Johnson also has the distinction of winning from the deepest in the field, starting in 16th place, for his 2009 triumph.

    But did you know that last year at Indianapolis Busch became the only driver in history to win the XFINITY Series and Cup Series races from the pole in the same weekend? Busch, still seeking his first victory of the season, has the series second-best driver rating (105.5) at the track plus two wins, five top fives, one pole and the second-best average finish of ninth. He also has the series-most quality passes with 356.

    Matt Kenseth is another driver to watch as he looks for his first win of the year to guarantee his spot in the playoffs. He is currently 12th in the standings and has never won at Indy. However, he has the fourth-best driver rating (98.3), eight top fives and 11 top 10s. And did you know that Kenseth leads all active drivers at Indianapolis with three runner-up finishes and eight top-five finishes?

    Qualifying well will be crucial this weekend. The Coors Light Pole has produced four winners while two races have been won from second place. Twelve of the 23 Cup Series events (52.2 percent) have been won from a top five starting position.

    The on-track Cup Series action begins Saturday with the first practice at 9 a.m. ET and concludes with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 6:15 p.m. ET. The Brickyard 400 is set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

    In the meantime, check out the video below to relive a few of the most memorable Brickyard 400 finishes.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • Hendrick Teammates Have Differing Views on Plates at Indy

    Hendrick Teammates Have Differing Views on Plates at Indy

    For the last few years, attendance at The Brickyard for NASCAR events has dwindled and the sanctioning body is looking for any measure to rectify the racing. Their solution, slap restrictor plates on the cars.

    Last week, Michael Knight of The Arizona Republic reported on Twitter that NASCAR would run restrictor plates in the XFINITY Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On Monday, Nate Ryan of NBC Sports confirmed Knight’s story after speaking to an unnamed NASCAR official. Yesterday, NASCAR officially announced that it was, in fact, running restrictor plates in the XFINITY Series race at The Brickyard.

    The XFINITY cars will run a 7/8 inch plate, the same sized plate run at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, a taller rear spoiler and splitter and aeroducts on the lower front bumper area.

    The aero ducts give the trailing car more of an advantage so that they don’t hit a “wall of air” when attempting to pass the leading car.

    It’s the restrictor plates that’s raised most eyebrows, given that NASCAR tried them before at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September of 2000. Jeff Burton led all 300 laps on his way to victory that day, the third and, to date, the last time a driver has led every lap of a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

    The incorporation of plates won’t lead to the big packs that we see at Daytona and Talladega — according to Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR senior vice president of innovation and racing development, but you’ll most likely see groups of five or six cars “and in each of those groupings, we’re hoping to see passing on the straightaways.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., while not sure if restrictor plates at The Brickyard will work, said on Friday at Auto Club Speedway, that he’s open to it.

    “That race is really suffering as far as the show and how entertaining I think it is to watch,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t really know what the answer is to make it more exciting, but I think this is a great opportunity to find out if this is the direction to go. I am all for it. And I like the idea of trying it in the Xfinity Series or the Truck Series or what have you whatever track it is at to try it in that feeder series. That is an opportunity to see if we can get it right without ruining anything for the Cup guys. Hopefully, I think NASCAR watches the Indy 500 and they see those guys drafting and passing and they are competitive. They have to try to put on that type of show if not better at that race track. It is not good in conversation to have the IndyCar race be more exciting to watch than the NASCAR race there. That is just business. I think it’s great for them to be aggressive. We tried something last year in the Cup cars with the big spoilers and all that drag, didn’t work, but I’m good with it.”

    He also touched on how it’s in the best interest of NASCAR to make Indianapolis work for the XFINITY Series, from his perspective as co-owner of JR Motorsports in the XFINITY Series, rather than take it back to Lucas Oil Raceway Park across town.

    “I really think it’s easy to say ‘hey man let’s go back to IRP (Indianapolis Raceway Park, now Lucas Oil Raceway Park) for the Xfinity guys,” he added. “But how do you fix the Cup race? You want to fix the Cup race too. You want to try to improve Cup racing there if you can. We would love to keep the Xfinity Series at Indy if we can. If we can make that exciting that is where they belong. It’s great for our company. It’s great for us as owners to have that big marquee event and it’s a race that is easier to sell than maybe a Road America or something like that for sponsors. It’s a big deal. We want to be there. I would love to race at IRP. I would love to see a race at IRP, but it’s good for owners to be at Indy. If we can make that work that’s great. I’m open to trying anything.”

    His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson isn’t convinced it’s the best idea. Saying on Friday at Auto Club Speedway when he heard the news of plates being used at Indianapolis for the first time that he doesn’t “see really any upside to it.”

    “We are out of the gas so long there and brake for two of the four corners. I don’t see how it’s going to help,” Johnson said. “I guess it would put a bit more of an emphasis on the draft down the straight, but the corners are so challenging. I am not confident we will create the competitive passes that I assume they are looking for. You need multiple lanes to create passes and that track just doesn’t provide that. So, I think taking horsepower away you know if you are held up in the turn the less power the less of an opportunity to run up on somebody and to make the pass on one of those long straightaways. I would fear that it would go the other direction.”

  • The White Zone: It’s time NASCAR leave The Brickyard

    The White Zone: It’s time NASCAR leave The Brickyard

    NASCAR, stop fooling yourself into thinking stock cars at Indianapolis can work.

    Why do we continue this charade of “NASCAR belongs at The Brickyard” and “shares in its prestigious history?”

    We don’t belong.

    Last year’s Brickyard 400 drew an estimated 50,000 people to a venue that holds 250,000 last year. This supposed “crown jewel” race only filled up 20 percent of the seats. Meanwhile, last year’s Indianapolis 500 was run in front of a sold-out crowd.

    The attendance is a joke. We don’t attract sellout crowds to Indianapolis Motor Speedway anymore, and haven’t done so for a number of years.

    The racing is atrocious. The low banking of the turns and lack of horsepower in the cars makes passing another car on track next to impossible. The cars aren’t heavy enough with downforce that they can just slingshot around another like IndyCar drivers do in the Indianapolis 500 and don’t have the throttle response to complement the low downforce on the cars now.

    I can’t think of one standout race that was fantastic through the overall running and didn’t just have a memorable finish. But I can think of awful races over the years. There was the tire-debacle race of 2008 where tires blew out every 10 laps, the high-downforce disaster of 2015 and last year’s snoozer.

    There was talk of putting the cars on the infield road course at Indianapolis, but that was killed about a week ago. Now NASCAR is going with a new gimmick for a sacred venue like The Brickyard, restrictor plates. That’s right, instead of more throttle response, we’re going to try even less. And they’re not even doing it for safety reasons like at Daytona and Talladega, and Loudon in 2000. This is to “enhance” the competition. I’m not a fan of contrived measures to “enhance” the competition.

    They’ll use the XFINITY Series race as a guinea pig to see how it plays out. If it works, it’s coming to the Cup level for Indy next year.

    And since I brought it up, let’s talk about the pathetic joke that is the XFINITY Series at The Brickyard. NASCAR left great short track racing at Lucas Oil Raceway Park right across town and replaced it with follow the leader, unwatchable garbage. Why? Because Indy pays a larger purse and they could afford to pay NASCAR’s expensive sanctioning fees.

    In other words, chasing after the money is what got us here. To hell with what produces great racing, let’s take a series already losing any identity it once had away from yet another short track and to yet another downforce-centric track just because it pays more money.

    Now if this does work, I’ll happily eat my words. Feel free to cc this to Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) when the XFINITY Series race concludes if plates make it better. But past history at Loudon in 2000 and IROC at Indianapolis tells me I’d be safe betting on not likely.

    Bottom line: The attendance is abysmal and the racing is dreadful. NASCAR isn’t adding to the legacy of The Brickyard. If anything, NASCAR is tainting it by putting on such horrendous racing. Let’s cut our losses, leave Indianapolis and find another race track that’s more suited for stock car racing.

    That’s my take for what it’s worth.

  • Restrictor Plates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway May Be Less than Ideal

    Restrictor Plates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway May Be Less than Ideal

    As recently confirmed by Nate Ryan at NBC Sports, NASCAR will be utilizing restrictor plates at Indianapolis for the XFINITY race on July 22. This comes after a test last year with the plates, where NASCAR was reportedly pleased with the results. According to the article, if all goes well, the plates could be used in 2018 for the Brickyard 400. The package is also being considered for Pocono and Michigan as well.

    On one hand, this could be a way to inject life into a series of less than stellar events by slowing the cars down and encouraging more action on the track. NASCAR is doing what they can to bring about parity in these events as well as encourage a better product in an otherwise failing division.

    Yet at the same time, it’s a risky matter. With the restrictor plates being used at another speedway besides Daytona and Talladega since 2000, it could showcase why the plates should only be used on superspeedways where pack racing is prevalent.

    On one hand, recall the Fall 2000 race at New Hampshire where Jeff Burton won after leading all 300 laps. Of course, this was the year that saw two fatalities in a matter of months at the speedway, and the plates were used as a precautionary method. Still, it was one of the most boring, if not the safest, NASCAR race in history. Same goes for the restrictor plates used by IROC at Indianapolis, which were nothing more than high-speed freight trains, with hardly any passing and zero action.

    That’s not to say this experience couldn’t be fruitful, but at the same time, the precedent previously set all those years ago does not bode well now. Sure, many things have changed, and it’s not to say that it isn’t a touch gratifying to see drivers dominate a race every so often.

    But as previously mentioned, there has been a lack of parity in the XFINITY Series, with some drivers dominating more than others. This experiment could be a way to fix the XFINITY Series product and possibly revitalize the division. Time will tell, but although the rules package is different, and stage racing is now a thing, it’d still be wise not to go into July’s race with high hopes regarding the racing product.

     

  • Jeff Gordon: ‘I will be here as long as they need me’

    Jeff Gordon: ‘I will be here as long as they need me’

    Jeff Gordon says he “will be here as long as they need me” for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Speaking in his weekly media availability at Pocono Raceway, the substitute driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was asked how long he’s prepared to fill in for Earnhardt and if there’s a plan in place for next week at Watkins Glen International.

    “Well, we have to cross that bridge when we get there. It seems like… it was great last Friday to see him (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) say ‘hey I feel good today and made some progress.’ We want to just keep going with how he is feeling.  The doctors are evaluating.  I’m not speculating anything at this time.”

    Earnhardt has been sidelined with concussion-like symptoms since the week leading into the New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Last Friday, he took to Twitter to give an update on his status, saying “Today is the 1st day in many that I sensed improvement. Seen small gains during my physical therapy as well. Light at the end of the tunnel.”

    During his absence, his ride has been driven by Alex Bowman at Loudon and Gordon at Indianapolis. Both Earnhardt and Gordon praised Bowman for his drive at Loudon.

    “The result will not show what a great job and the gang did this weekend. Proud of them guys,” Earnhardt said on Twitter following the race at New Hampshire.

    “I thought Alex Bowman did an excellent job at New Hampshire,” Gordon said. “I tell you after going through what I went through at Indy I have a much greater appreciation for him because that was one of the toughest things I ever did. Not just getting in the race car after eight months, but trying to fill-in for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. knowing the kind of attention that it gets. My heart was beating out of my chest because of the pressure and the eyes that were on you as much as just not being in the car. Great job to Alex.”

    He described his role as “a balance between trying to make this transition. First of all, you want Dale to have the comfort of knowing that somebody is there for him. He doesn’t have to worry about that aspect of it through this process. Just get well at the pace that is the right pace to do it. So, nobody is putting any pressure or time frame on that. He may be putting that on himself more than anybody else. Then there is the side of who is the best person to be in the car to get the most points. And then there is the sponsorship side of it as well. So far from what Rick (Hendrick) is telling me that seems to be me. That is why I was at Indy and that is why I’m here.”

  • Four Gears – Indianapolis Edition

    Four Gears – Indianapolis Edition

    This week our staff takes a look at some of the hot topics in the world of NASCAR. We discuss Jeff Gordon’s current status as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart’s chances for another championship in his final season. We also look at possible prospects for the recently announced Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2017 XFINITY team and question NASCAR’s decision that moved the XFINITY Series event from O’Reilly Raceway Park to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    We are joined by guest contributor, James Burton. Burton is a former ARCA pit reporter who covered the Talladega events for three years as well as the first Mobile ARCA 200. He was with WTDR 92.7 FM from 2011-13 and is currently with Jacobs Media Services.

    First Gear: After subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indy, Jeff Gordon’s next (and likely last) race in the No. 88 will be at Pocono. Is this the last we’ve seen of Gordon in a Sprint Cup car? Should Hendrick have put more focus on Alex Bowman in the 88 car instead?

    Given that the race after Pocono is a road course, I’d put my money on Jeff Gordon – the all-time winningest road course racer in NASCAR history – being in the car for Watkins Glen. Although given his track record at The Glen since 2001, I would think it wise to let someone else drive the car.

    I wrote a piece recently explaining why I didn’t want to see Gordon back in the car again, at least not in NASCAR, and I also took to Twitter to say Hendrick Motorsports should’ve put Alex Bowman in the car after his drive at Loudon. So you probably knew where I stood on this. – Tucker White

    I want to say yes. The fact that Gordon has come back to sub for Earnhardt sort of diminishes the impact of his final season. I was sort of hoping he’d go the Rusty Wallace route and be done with it all. Still, I’m holding onto hope that maybe he will be done once and for all after Pocono. Maybe then he’ll be done for good. As for Bowman, Loudon wasn’t enough of a shot for him. On one hand, put him in the car more. He’s a heck of a driver who knows how to take care of his stuff. Then again, as James pointed out in his comments, maybe put him in the car for the shorter, flatter tracks if Earnhardt has to sit out longer. – Joseph Shelton

    I don’t think it’s the last time we’ll see Jeff Gordon drive in a Cup series race. With how few development drivers Hendrick employs (as in none), there’s a good chance Gordon will be called on again if somebody has to miss a race. Because of that, I’d rather keep Gordon in the car over Alex Bowman, who hasn’t really proven himself yet past a couple of great runs in JR Motorsports equipment. – Michael Finley

    I think so, barring more injuries from other Hendrick drivers. Gordon said he kept getting his butt kicked on restarts, so you can tell being out of the seat has changed his perspective a little bit. He’s got one race to go before he goes back into retirement, so you never know if he could go out there and dominate. Three weeks ago when Bowman filled in for Earnhardt the first week, it was mentioned it was the first time that neither an Earnhardt or Gordon had been in a race since Dale Earnhardt Sr. sat out four races in 1979. What they failed to mention was that David Pearson drove the No. 2 car those four races and he qualified on the pole at Michigan and won at Darlington. Is that banking on good omens and superstition? Absolutely, but superstition is pretty commonplace in this sport and Gordon’s no slouch at Pocono.

    As for Bowman, I think Hendrick made the right decision. This is a kid who has thus far had a ‘meh’ Cup career, but honestly deserved a chance to drive for one of the big dogs. Had it been short to mid-sized tracks past New Hampshire, then yes, keep Bowman in the car. Gordon in at Indy and Pocono was and is the right decision. Even if Earnhardt doesn’t get a waiver (which let’s be honest, he will) then the owner points will have the best chance to remain the same. – James Burton

    Second Gear: It’s looking more and more like Tony Stewart is shaping up for the upcoming Chase. With the way that he is running, does he have a chance for the championship?

    I think the jury is still out on this one. He’s starting to post more consistent top-10 runs, but I see him being where Jeff Gordon was a year ago, just cracking the top-10 at the end of the day. With that being said, I think the only track that would hinder a title run is Talladega, which as we all know is its own animal. – Tucker White

    Stewart is building momentum. Obviously, in the past he’s kicked his season into gear during the summer and it’s looking like this could be the case again. It’s not going to be anything like his dominance in 2005, but we could be looking at a repeat of his 2011 season; mildly consistent, something of a sleeper, then once the Chase kicks in, he’s the guy to beat. – Joseph Shelton

    Anything that can happen in the Chase will happen. Jeff Gordon had no momentum at all going into his final Chase last season and ended up making the final four. Stewart is no stranger to coming out of nowhere to compete and win in the Chase- just look at his 2011 season. He went from saying he didn’t deserve to be in the Chase to hoisting the Cup just a few months later. – Michael Finley

    Stewart is in the position he needs to be. Back when he returned he had to win and average a 22nd place finish in order to make the top 30 in points. He’s won and he currently sits 27th in points with six races before the cut off. In five of the last six races he has finished no worse than 11th and even his 26th at Daytona hasn’t caused him to falter much. The momentum seems to be in his favor as he has won at all the upcoming six tracks at least once.
    Does he have a chance at the championship? He’s Tony Stewart. Of course he does. The trick is staying out of trouble at the tracks that will bite you. He has one restrictor plate track left on the schedule that comes at a crucial cut off point. You survive Dega and transfer, then you have a chance at Homestead. – James Burton

    Third Gear: With the announcement of Stewart-Haas Racing fielding an XFINITY Series entry in 2017, who are some likely candidates to fill in the seat?

    The first one that comes to mind right away is Cole Custer. With his father being an executive at Stewart-Haas Racing, he’s probably leaving the JR Motorsports camp at the end of 2016, although I’m not sure if he’s ready to make the jump to the XFINITY Series.

    A more likely candidate would be Jeb Burton. He was in contention for a Chase spot before sponsorship dried up and his ride in the 43 car went the way of the dodo. Of course, depending on contract status, drivers like Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Reed, Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick could fit the bill as well. – Tucker White

    With the Penske ties I could see Reddick or Hemric in the car. Reddick has seniority and a couple of Camping World Truck Series wins under his belt, but Hemric is solidly consistent, sitting third in points with nine top-10s in 11 starts. I see a lot of potential with him if he heads to the XFINITY Series. – Joseph Shelton

    I can see Cole Custer running a partial season while running full time in the trucks for fellow Ford team Brad Keselowski Racing. Clint Bowyer seems to be open to running lower series races, while Harvick has said he is not running in the XFINITY Series after this season. Finally, Tony Stewart has said he is open to running XFINITY races and would help provide the team with some sponsorship. – Michael Finley

    The first people to look at will be the truck drivers for Brad Keselowski Racing. Since SHR is basically replacing Hendrick for Penske as their “parent” team, you’re going to have talent such as Daniel Hemric or Tyler Reddick fighting for that ride. If I had to choose between the two I would go with Reddick as he has seniority with the organization. Another possibility might be to see Bubba Wallace jump to another Ford camp. Wallace has had mild success at Roush but SHR might be the atmosphere he needs to break through to the XFINITY win column. – James Burton

    Fourth Gear: On Saturday we were faced with yet another lackluster XFINITY race at Indy. Did NASCAR make a mistake in moving the division to Indianapolis Motor Speedway instead of leaving them at O’Reilly Raceway Park?

    Alex, I’ll take “Questions that deserve a DUH response” for 1000. I don’t care how big the purse is for the XFINITY Series at the Brickyard. The product we get at the Brickyard does not justify it. The lackluster product is compounded by the fact that the XFINITY Series is at its worst.

    I watched the ARCA race that was held at Indianapolis Raceway Park last Friday and it was a pretty entertaining race. That’s more than I can say for what we got at the Brickyard. I say either move the XFINITY Series onto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course or take it back to Indianapolis Raceway Park or whatever it’s called now. – Tucker White

    Yep. Yep, yep, yep. I don’t understand the logic in bringing Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the XFINITY Series and it hasn’t been fruitful in the slightest. Kyle Busch has won three of the five events there, with Brad Keselowski and Ty Dillon winning the other two. Every race there has been forgettable and I think it was a mistake to leave O’Reilly Raceway Park.

    In trying to make the XFINITY schedule more like the Sprint Cup schedule, they’ve robbed the division not only of good racing but also of its own identity. We didn’t need IMS on the XFINITY schedule. We didn’t need Pocono on the schedule. If anything, if they wanted to create good racing in the series they should have made sure the schedule stood apart from the other divisions and retained its own identity. Simple as that. – Joseph Shelton

    Considering there was much better racing at ORP and just as many if more fans actually in attendance, they made a pretty big mistake. – Michael Finley

    Absolutely. To put it in perspective, let’s compare it to a bowl game. Just because the Dr. Lane’s Bath Salts for Menopause and Spider Bites Bowl is played at the Rose Bowl stadium doesn’t mean it’s going to be as epic as the actual Rose Bowl. It’s just another page in NASCAR’s failed attempts at what equates to “no driver left behind.” You race at the Brickyard when you’re good enough to make it Cup. Plain and simple. – James Burton

    Please join us again next week and become a part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comment section below.

     

  • Kyle Busch puts on clinic at the Brickyard

    Kyle Busch puts on clinic at the Brickyard

    Winning the pole and spanking the field in the previous day’s XFINITY race wasn’t enough for Kyle Busch as he won the pole and spanked the field a second time to score the victory at the Brickyard.

    The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota led a new track record of 149 of 170 laps on his way to winning the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    “I hoped it would be like that and be that good,” Busch said on his dominance. “This Skittles Camry was awesome, I can’t thank everyone from Skittles enough and everyone from M&M’s and their 75th anniversary year this season with us. Of course Interstate Batteries. This Toyota was awesome today, it was just so fast and able to get out front and stay out front. Not even some of my teammates could challenge. This was hooked up and on rails. I can’t say enough about Sprint and everything they’ve done for our sport. Of course the fans – thank everyone for being here and everyone watching on TV – you guys are awesome. We appreciate all of our partners at Joe Gibbs Racing. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and these guys are a phenomenal group and I’m proud to be with them. It’s fun to come out here and have such a dominant piece at Indy. They don’t come along often so I was just hoping I didn’t screw it up.”

    It’s his 38th career victory in 410 Sprint Cup Series starts, fourth of the season, second at the Brickyard, 13th top-10 finish of 2016 and 10th top-10 finish at the track. He’s the second driver to win in back to back years at Indianapolis and the first driver in NASCAR history to win both the pole and the victory in both XFINITY and Cup races on the same weekend.

    Matt Kenseth finished second in his No. 20 JGR Toyota. It’s his ninth top-10 finish of 2016 and 11th in 17 races at Indianapolis.

    “We never got in front of him (Kyle Busch) all day and the clean air is always really big here,” Kenseth said. “It was a great day for our Dollar General Camry. We did not have a good Friday, did not have a good Saturday and pretty respectable Sunday, so I have to thank all my teammates for helping us out. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) made some great changes. We were pretty competitive all day, just never got quite to the lead to see what we had.”

    Jimmie Johnson overcame a speeding penalty to end Hendrick Motorsport’s three-race drought without a top-10 finish by rounding out the podium in his No. 48 HMS Chevrolet.

    He said afterwards that the way he and his team overcame the penalty “says a lot. We’ve been working really hard to get our cars where they need to be. We’re still not happy, but we’re getting closer. I’m very proud of the effort today. Unfortunately a mistake on my part in that second segment, trying to get in the pits I got dinged for speeding and then rallied from like 24th back.

    “We got third but I wish we would have gotten a win.”

    Denny Hamlin overcame a speeding penalty to finish fourth in his No. 11 JGR Toyota.

    “It was great, our FedEx Camry was great it got through traffic well as you saw going back to 20th with that penalty and driving to the front,” Hamlin said of his race. “Proud of the effort by our whole FedEx Camry team. It’s disappointing to just get a top-five. We had aspirations to come here and win. Like I said, you have to be perfect in every part of the race team, especially on race day to win these races, especially track position races and we just had one big mistake on pit road and we at least came back and got a top-five.”

    Kyle Larson rounded out the top-five in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.

    “I don’t know that I was expecting much more than a top-five really,” Larson said. “I didn’t know we’d have that speed in our car. And we were probably a fifth or seventh-place car. But I was able to get some good restarts there at the end.

    “We qualified good for once, and it was just a solid weekend,” he added. “It was a good one.”

    Kevin Harvick finished sixth in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Joey Logano, who restarted second on the final restart, led six laps on his way to a seventh-place finish in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

    “It just was not good,” Logano said of the final restart. “I had a decent restart the first time, and the second one I probably had just as good of a restart, but the 20 got underneath me and I was kind of stuck from that point and kind of fell into the clutches of the tires behind me.  I was trying to stay down and be where I needed to be to get in front of them, but they just kept turning underneath me.  I hate that we finished seventh, but it’s probably where we deserved to finish from a speed point of view.  I thought our execution went very well today to give us an opportunity to win, but we couldn’t quite get it done when it mattered.”

    Martin Truex Jr. finished eighth in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. Austin Dillon finished ninth in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Paul Menard rounded out the top-10 in his No. 27 RCR Chevrolet.

    Brad Keselowski, who led 15 laps, finished 17th.

    Nineteen cars finished the race on the lead lap and 33 were running at the finish.

    The race lasted three hours, 17 minutes and 46 seconds at an average speed of 128.940 mph. There were four lead changes among three different drivers and eight cautions for 34 laps.

    Harvick leaves Indianapolis with a 24-point lead over Keselowski in the points standings.

    Next up for the Sprint Cup Series is the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway next Sunday.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/C1620_UNOFFRES.pdf”]

  • On old rubber, Kyle Busch continues phenomenal roll at Brickyard

    On old rubber, Kyle Busch continues phenomenal roll at Brickyard

    By Reid Spencer

    SPEEDWAY, Ind. – About the only thing Kyle Busch didn’t win on Saturday was the one prize he wasn’t eligible for.

    But the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota won everything else, capping a phenomenal day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a victory in the Lilly Diabetes 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race—and he did so with tires that were 23 laps older than those of his pursuers.

    Busch led 62 of 63 laps but had to hold off Kevin Harvick on a two-lap dash in overtime to win for the third time at the Brickyard, the seventh time in 11 starts this season and the 83rd time in his career, extending his series record.

    The XFINITY race was actually the fourth competition Busch won on Saturday. First, he won the top starting spot for the Lilly Diabetes 250, the 54th pole of his career. Next, he won the pole position for Sunday’s Crown Royal 400 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN), one of the marquee NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events of the season.

    After that Busch led all 20 laps and took the checkered flag in the first heat race under the XFINITY Series’ final Dash 4 Cash event of the season.

    Busch didn’t win the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus, a prize available only to series regulars. That check went to Justin Allgaier, who rolled home in fifth place, the highest finisher among the four drivers who earned eligibility in the heat races.

    Busch, however, has one more mountain to climb. On Sunday, he’ll attempt to complete his second straight weekend sweep at the vaunted Brickyard.

    Busch held off Harvick, third-place finisher Paul Menard and fourth-place Kyle Larson even though Busch had stayed out on old rubber while those behind him pitted for new tires under the first caution on Lap 50.

    “The new tires for those guys were good for them but not so good for us,” Busch said. “I just dug in deep and gave it everything I had. I knew I had to get really good restarts. On the second-to-last one (on Lap 54), I got a really good one, and then the last one (on lap 62 in overtime), it was OK.

    “I got an OK one, and I saw Harvick pull out… but he never got alongside of me. I never felt him close enough that he was going to pull alongside. … It’s a pretty awesome feeling to be able to go back to Victory Lane here this year. We’re sitting on the pole tomorrow, and hopefully, we can have another sweep here.”

    Busch had a lead of more than eight seconds on Lap 48 of a scheduled 60 when JGR teammate Erik Jones, the wire-to-wire winner of the second heat race, blew a right rear tire entering Turn 1 and spun, causing the afternoon’s first caution.

    While Busch and series leader Daniel Suarez stayed out on old tires, the remaining eight lead-lap cars came to pit road. Busch survived the restart on lap 54, but a lap later, ay Black Jr. and Harrison Rhodes wrecked off Turn 2 to bring put the second yellow and force the overtime.

    On the Lap 62 restart, Harvick pushed Larson, then ducked to the inside but was reluctant to take a bad angle into the first corner. As Harvick and Larson battled briefly for second, Busch pulled away and ultimately crossed the finish line .411 seconds ahead of Harvick’s No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

    “I really thought I could beat him down the backstretch if I got off of (Turn) 2 well and could clear the 42 (Larson),” Harvick said. “I got to the inside and kind of hit the chip and decided to hold the line up a little bit and try to get a run, and the 42 got stuck on the outside and that ruined my plan.

    “But our goal was to overachieve today, and we did that and capitalized on some situations and had a couple of good restarts and wound up second. All in all, it wasn’t a bad day.”

    Just nowhere near as good as the one Busch had.

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Lilly Diabetes 250
    Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    Speedway, Indiana
    Saturday, July 23, 2016

    1. (1) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 63.
    2. (4) Kevin Harvick(i), Chevrolet, 63.
    3. (8) Paul Menard(i), Chevrolet, 63.
    4. (3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 63.
    5. (6) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 63.
    6. (9) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 63.
    7. (7) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 63.
    8. (5) Joey Logano(i), Ford, 63.
    9. (12) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 63.
    10. (13) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 63.
    11. (10) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, 63.
    12. (11) Jeb Burton, Ford, 63.
    13. (15) Ryan Reed, Ford, 62.
    14. (14) Darrell Wallace Jr, Ford, 62.
    15. (17) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 62.
    16. (16) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 62.
    17. (19) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 62.
    18. (18) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 62.
    19. (21) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 62.
    20. (20) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 62.
    21. (22) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 62.
    22. (2) Erik Jones #, Toyota, 62.
    23. (25) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, 61.
    24. (30) David Starr, Chevrolet, 61.
    25. (27) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, 61.
    26. (28) BJ McLeod #, Ford, 61.
    27. (26) Brandon Gdovic, Chevrolet, 60.
    28. (38) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 60.
    29. (32) Mario Gosselin, Chevrolet, 60.
    30. (34) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 60.
    31. (31) Stanton Barrett, Chevrolet, 59.
    32. (36) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 58.
    33. (24) Ray Black Jr #, Chevrolet, Accident, 52.
    34. (29) Harrison Rhodes, Toyota, Accident, 51.
    35. (33) Mike Harmon, Dodge, Too Slow, 32.
    36. (23) Jeff Green, Toyota, Rear Gear, 31.
    37. (35) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Handling, 17.
    38. (39) Matt DiBenedetto(i), Toyota, Brakes, 13.
    39. (37) Timmy Hill(i), Dodge, Vibration, 9.
    40. (40) Todd Peck, Ford, Engine, 0.

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  136.298 mph.

    Time of Race:  01 Hrs, 09 Mins, 20 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.411 Seconds.
    Caution Flags:  2 for 10 laps.
    Lead Changes:  2 among 2 drivers.
    Lap Leaders:   K. Busch(i) 1-27; B. Gaughan 28; K. Busch(i) 29-63.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Busch(i) 2 times for 62 laps; B. Gaughan 1 time for 1 lap.

    Top 10 in Points: D. Suarez – 608; E. Sadler – 594; T. Dillon – 558; J. Allgaier – 542; E. Jones # – 539; B. Gaughan – 535; B. Jones # – 520; B. Poole # – 519; D. Wallace Jr – 486; R. Reed – 433.

     

  • The View from my Recliner — Just before the Brickyard

    The View from my Recliner — Just before the Brickyard

    I am writing this in anticipation of missing the Brickyard 400 live because I will be returning home from a wedding. My DVR better not let me down.

    Some thoughts before the green is dropped tomorrow.

    The piece on NBCSN with Tony Stewart reading letters from Robin Miller, Greg Zippadelli, Eddie Jarvis and his dad should be a great piece to watch. If the preview of the story is just a touch of what you will see, it should be a great five minutes on the pre-race show.

    You would think by watching promos for the Brickyard that Jeff Gordon was the only person running at Indy. Smart move on NBCSN to use a Fox Sports commentator as your promo. It should be interesting to see how Gordon fares in the 88 car.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s concussion-like symptoms kept him out of the car at New Hampshire and will keep him out at Indy and Pocono; the future is still to be determined. I think the decision on Earnhardt’s part to skip races to get healthy is the right move. He has a life to live and if he isn’t 100 percent physically in a race car, going 200 mph can cause further issues as he moves forward in life, possibly hurt another driver and cost him more than a chance at a championship. Smart move Jr.

    Richard Childress said this week that he is getting closer to solidifying his driver line-up for next year. My prediction is that he brings the charter that belongs to Circle Sport-Levine Family racing back to RCR and puts Ty Dillon into a fourth RCR entry. I think Childress values what Ryan Newman brings to the team and will keep him in a car. The RCR ride for Paul Menard is the best ride that he and his family can buy and Austin Dillon is going nowhere.

    It is nice to see Roush Fenway Racing getting back to where they were during the days of when Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards ran for them. Jack Roush is a legend of the sport and you weren’t going to keep him and his team down forever. He went young with drivers and will continue to improve as his drivers grow with experience.

    The truck race at Eldora was the best race all season in all three NASCAR national touring series. Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Bobby Pierce put on a great show in the front of the field and throughout the race, you could see three and four wide at times trying to get a position. It was the most exciting race of the season and I am already looking forward to next year’s truck race.

    Five predictions going forward:

    1. Tony Stewart wins the Brickyard 400 to solidify his spot in the Chase and add to his final season.
    2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not make the Chase and because of that, he might not run for an extended period of time.
    3. Ryan Blaney will make the Chase.
    4. William Byron will be announced as a Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY Driver in 2017.
    5. Kevin Harvick’s pit crew will be outstanding going forward. Last week’s public tongue lashing will solidify the over the wall guys because they know their jobs are on the line.

    Enjoy the Brickyard and we’ll talk next time with the View from My Recliner.