Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: joe gibbs racing

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]In the NASCAR season’s longest race of the year, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 53rd running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  Although billed as the sport’s longest race, usually known for the endurance factor moving from day to night, this year’s Coke 600 was the quickest one ever.

    The race took a total of 3 hours, 51 minutes and 14 seconds.

    Prior to 53rd running of the Coca Cola 600, the longest race was in 1995 at 3 hours, 56 minutes and 55 seconds.

    Not Surprising:  After finally scoring his 200th win for the company that bears his name, Rick Hendrick’s prediction of more wins to follow came true. Kasey Kahne, in the No. 5 Quaker State Chevrolet, secured his first win as a Hendrick Motorsport’s driver, which came on his 300th career start.

    The win was also Kahne’s first win of the season. The 32 year old driver has now won in a Dodge, Ford, Toyota and now a Chevrolet.

    “It’s been an exciting three weeks for Hendrick Motorsports,” Kahne said. “It’s exciting to be a part of that.”

    “It’s so special and awesome to drive for Rick and Linda Hendrick,” Kahne continued. “For them to make me a part of their company; this is unbelievable to drive for Hendrick Motorsports and be a part of everything they do.”

    Surprising:  After winning last weekend’s Sprint All-Star Race, it was surprising to see Jimmie Johnson have a rare pit road miscue, especially since he was running the top-5 at that time. Johnson received a stop-and-go penalty for leaving his pits with both the gas man and the gas can on Lap 354.

    “We had a couple little mistakes on pit road tonight,” Johnson said. “It happens.”

    “Last week things couldn’t have gone any better and then this week we had a few little issues.”

    Not Surprising:  As he has been all season, it was not surprising that Greg Biffle, in his No. 16 Fastenal Ford, was a contender all race long. In fact, Biff received the 3M Lap Leader award, leading 204 laps.

    Biffle maintains the points lead, ten points ahead of Matt Kenseth.

    “The car was really, really good,” Biffle said. “But there at the end when the speeds picked up, we would kind of slide across the track.”

    “We gained a little in points, but we really wanted to win.”

    Surprising:  After a most abysmal start to the season, it was surprising to see Jeff Gordon finally get a top ten finish under his belt. Gordon, behind the wheel of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, ran strong, finishing seventh.

    “We had an awesome race car and we showed it right from the drop of the green,” Gordon said. “We drove up through there.”

    “This is a great effort for this team,” Gordon continued. “I’m so proud of them.”

    Not Surprising: HMS teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. continued his consistent streak, scoring his seventh top-10 in eight races.

    “It just says we are consistent and we want to win a race,” Junior said. “That’s all I can tell you.”

    “It feels good to be competitive,” Junior continued. “I don’t want to take our consistency for granted but we would like to improve just a little bit more and we’ll get some wins.”

    Surprising:  It was surprising how badly the Petty Motorsports drivers finished, especially after securing the pole and outside pole respectively.

    Aric Almirola, who started on the pole with his famed No. 43 US Air Force Ford Fusion, finished 16th. Outside pole sitter Marcos Ambrose finished 32nd in his No. 9 Dewalt Ford.

    “When you start on the front row or the pole, you know you’ve got a fast car,” Almirola said. “So, this is tough.”

    “But I can’t reiterate enough that we’re making improvement,” Almirola continued. “We see light at the end of the tunnel and that’s what it’s all about.”

    “I’m proud of everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports.”

    Not Surprising:  Despite the naysayers, Danica Patrick achieved her goal of completing every lap of the race. The driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet finished 30th, five laps down.

    “We had a lot of green-flag running and for me as a driver in general in NASCAR but especially as a new driver in the Cup Series, that hurts me,” Patrick said. “I’m just not great at making the best out of a car that’s not perfect and those runs really show that.”

    “We brought the GoDaddy car home and one of the goals was to finish,” Patrick continued. “I would have liked to have been a little faster overall but I think there were some times in there when it was decent.”

    Surprising:  It was a bit surprising to see Ryan Newman outshine his boss at a track where Tony Stewart is traditionally strong. Newman, driving the No. 39 US Army Chevrolet, finished  14th and his boss and team owner in his No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished 25th .

    Smoke was moving forward after adjusting on his car throughout the race only to have a tussle with Brad Keselowski on pit road. Stewart spun as a result of that contact and had to turn around to reach his pits, putting him two laps down.

    Teammate Danica Patrick acknowledged that her mentor had a tough evening.

    “Tony is a fantastic driver and if he had a tough day, that’s just the way the season goes,” Patrick said. “So this is NASCAR and sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t.”

    Not Surprising:  While he may not have totally lived up to his ‘Closer’ moniker, Kevin Harvick brought his No. 29 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet home in eighth place.

    “We had a solid night,” Harvick said. “We snuck up there in the top-five and got our bonus point for leading a lap.”

    “The pit crew was awesome and we were able to adjust our car,” Harvick continued. “This isn’t our strongest race track, but I feel like we had a solid package to build on.”

    Surprising:  Young Landon Cassill, in his No. 83 Burger King Real Fruit Smoothies Toyota, had a great run in the prestigious Coca Cola 600, finishing 18th. It was his team’s best finish of the season to date and the first time that the team started and finished inside the top-20.

    “Last’ week’s performance at Charlotte was a real confidence booster for us,” Cassill said. “I feel like we’re getting stronger each week and it gets me excited as a driver.”

    Not Surprising:  Two of the principals of Joe Gibbs Racing had a good run as they usually do. Denny Hamlin, in the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota, finished in the runner up spot and teammate Kyle Busch, in his No. 18 M&Ms Red White and Blue Toyota, finished right behind him in third.

    “It’s also good to finish like that,” Busch said. “We just need to carry on that momentum.”

    “This is a good race for us so we can bring back some good notes for when we come back in October.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    [media-credit id=38 align=”alignright” width=”228″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: One week after winning the All-Star Race, Johnson saw a top-5 finish in the Coca Cola 600 slip away after he drug his gas man down pit road. The subsequent stop-and-go penalty left him with an 11th-place finish.

    “Usually,” Johnson said, “when someone gets taken for a ride, it’s NASCAR rules officials, and Chad Knaus is driving. This time, though, it was my fueler. And people thought I was ‘tanking’ in the All-Star Race.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second at Charlotte, posting his second runner-up result in the last three races. He is up one spot to third in the Sprint Cup point standings, 16 behind Greg Biffle.

    “There was no catching Kasey Kahne,” Hamlin said. “He took off like a bat out of hell. At least that’s what Red Bull Racing said when Kahne’s obligations with them were up.

    “Now he’s in the No. 5 car at Hendrick Motorsports. I expect him to be there a long time. Only a fool would give up that ride. And I know fools. In fact, I work with one.”

    3. Greg Biffle: Biffle led 204 of 400 laps in the Coca Cola 600, but slowed late as track conditions cooled and Kasey Kahne took over the race. Biffle still finished fourth, his seventh top 5 of the year, and remained atop the point standings with a 10-point lead over Matt Kenseth.

    “I’ve held the lead in the point standings for months,” Biffle said. “Now, my supporters and my detractors are saying the same thing: ‘Biffle’s not going anywhere.’

    “We were unstoppable in the early stages. Then, like Carl Edwards in last year’s Chase, we couldn’t get t he job done in ‘prime time.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished a solid sixth at Charlotte, earning his  ninth top-10 result of the year. He is now fourth in the point standings, 18 behind points leader Greg Biffle.

    “My winless streak has reached 141 races,” Earnhardt said. “That means it’s been almost four years since I’ve tasted champagne. Junior Nation fans are so loyal, they’re still impressed with my performance, despite my lack of wins. They’re amazed than anyone can go that long without alcohol.

    “Regardless, I’m still the sport’s most popular driver. That makes me NASCAR’s ‘Mr. Congeniality.’ And, here at Hendrick Motorsports, home of ten championships and 201 victories, most of which aren’t mine, well, that makes me ‘Mr. Congratulatory.’”

    5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 10th at Charlotte, joining Roush Fenway teammates Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, who finished fourth and ninth, respectively, in the top 10. Kenseth remained second in the point standings, only 10 behind Biffle.

    “I finished 10th,” Kenseth said, “yet I was a lap down. I’ve been called a ‘non-factor’ before, usually in physical confrontations with other drivers, but this takes the cake.”

    6. Kasey Kahne: Kahne won his third Coca Cola 600, taking charge late and besting his closest pursuers easily to grasp his first win for Hendrick Motorsports. With top-9 finishes in his last six points races, Kahne is arguably the hottest driver in NASCAR.

    “That one win was a long-time coming,” Kahne said. “Mighty Kasey finally struck.

    “The No. 5 team is hot now, with a win to go along with six consecutive top-10 finishes. I think it will behoove people at Hendrick to be a little more specific when they say ‘It’s 5-time.’”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch stayed hot with a third-place finish in the Coca Cola 600, and has now finished no worse than fourth in his last four points races. He improved one place to eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, where he trails Greg Biffle by 62.

    “You can talk about the ‘old’ Kyle Busch and the ‘new’ Kyle Busch,” Busch said. “But really, what’s changed? Competitors are still irritated by my driving—they just don’t want to punch me for it. I think marriage has calmed me. I think it could do the same for my brother Kurt—-if he had 12 wives.

    “But a lot of people have noticed a difference, for the better, in me. Some of my rivals like to call it ‘chump change.’”

    8. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex finished one lap down, in 12th place, at Charlotte, as handling issues exacerbated by changing track conditions spelled trouble. He dropped one spot in the point standings to sixth, 49 out of first.

    “This was the fastest 600 in history,” Truex said. “And that can’t be good for television ratings, because it was the ‘least-watched’ race in history.

    “But it’s off to my favorite track,Dover, which is music to my ears, much like the sweet, soothing voice of Michael Waltrip.”

    9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth in the Coca Cola 600, scoring his sixth top-10 result of the year and second in a row. He is now seventh in the point standings, 55 out of first.

    “We’re by no means where we want to be,” Harvick said, “but that’s two-straight top-10 results. Slowly, but surely, we’re getting there. Even my wife DeLana keeps insisting, ‘Baby steps, Kevin. Baby steps.’”

    10. Tony Stewart: Stewart was knocked off the lead lap when he collided with Brad Keselowski on pit road midway through Sunday’s race. Stewart eventually finished 25th, three laps down.

    “I’m in the pits,” Stewart said, “and the next thing I know, I’m pointed in the wrong direction. Keselowski had an explanation for it, all right—it’s called the ‘Polish Pit Stop.’

    “But I’m not one to point fingers, unless they’re balled into a fist and hurled in the direction of an enemy.”

  • Kyle Busch continues Charlotte success with strong top five

    Kyle Busch continues Charlotte success with strong top five

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]With every lap and every race Kyle Busch runs at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, it becomes one of his better racetracks.

    Good news if Busch plans to contend for the championship since Charlotte is not only in the Chase but several other mile-and-a-half tracks are as well. Busch and his No. 18 M&M’s team continue to improve their program and Sunday night was another step in the right direction.

    After leading 55 laps and spending nearly all 400 laps in the top-10, Busch came home with a third place finish. In the last two Charlotte races Busch hasn’t finished worse than third and has led 166 laps. His last nine races are even more impressive: besides a wreck in the Coke 600 last year, Busch hasn’t finished worse than eighth and has four third place finishes.

    The only thing missing is a win.

    “Man, I want to win at Charlotte so bad,” said Busch when asked about it. “This stinks – second, third, fourth every single time here. It’s a little frustrating being able to finish in the top five like that all the time when you are that close.

    “It’s also good to finish like that. We just need to carry on that momentum. This a good race for us so we can bring back some good notes for when we come back in October.”

    The finish marks the 10th time Busch has finished in the top-10 in his 17 starts at Charlotte. But for all the success that he’s earned there with wins in the Camping World Truck Series (4) and the Nationwide Series (6), it hasn’t carried over – yet.

    He and his team though did many things right during the Coca-Cola 600. His car was one of the few that stayed fast during day and into the dark night, not fading off and needing many adjustments.

    After starting 21st he quickly found a comfortable spot in the top-10 and the only concern for the team was keeping up with the changing track conditions. Every time he came to the attention of his crew on pit road they never flinched and quickly got him back out onto the track.

    With the race going into long green flag runs, that certainly helped. At times it appeared his car was better on shorter runs before losing positions the longer a run went on. According to Busch though, a driver could then search around on track and make a line work where others weren’t.

    “It took so long for the cars to slow down to a certain point that then you could make speed up on the top side,” Busch said. “I could do that but it just took so long in the run to get to that point. If you went up there too early, you’d lose spots.

    “I did that a couple times today. It’s 600 miles here. It’s the Coke 600 – that’s what you get.”

    The finish moves Busch to eighth in points and while he would certainly like to win, he knows getting locked in the Chase is a priority. The way the month of May has been going, he’s hasn’t finished outside the top four, Busch is putting up a strong fight for a Chase spot.

    It’s a good change for a team who found themselves behind when the season started. Not performing to standard and leaving many questioning if something was wrong. Now they’ve moved from 16th to the top-10 in points.

    Busch loves what he sees from behind the wheel. His team is getting stronger, the cars are getting faster and they’re closing in on what they need to win.

    “I think we’re good,” said Busch about his team. “We’re definitely a contender each and every week. We’re just not winners yet. I wish we knew what it was to get us to that point. There’s just a little bit of something lacking – whether it’s speed or whether it’s longevity in the runs.

    “It seems like we can have one or the other and we have to put it all together. The guys did a great job – Denny [Hamlin] finishing second, we run third so that’s really good for us. We’ll move on and go to Dover and see what we can get there.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led with one lap to go at Talladega, but was passed by Brad Keselowski, benefitting from a huge push from Kyle Busch. Kenseth settled for third, and advanced one place in the point standings to second, seven behind Greg Biffle.

    “My first thought was to say ‘Where’s the Biff?’” Kenseth said. “I didn’t mean to leave Biffle. Ask Carl Edwards. He’ll tell you that usually when I run away from a teammate, it’s on purpose.

    “I just got too far out in front. That’s how it goes when you’re leading the field at Talladega. If you check out on the field, you better be ready to check up on the field. I was like my own debris caution.”

    2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished ninth at Talladega, unable to muster the momentum needed for a late-race surge towards the front. He dropped one spot to third in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Greg Biffle by nine. Earnhardt’s winless streak now stands at 139.

    “The No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet was fast,” Earnhardt said, “but not fast enough to win. That’s been a familiar refrain for me lately. I hate to repeat myself, and that’s sad, because I’m getting pretty good at it.”

    3. Greg Biffle: Biffle posted a solid fifth in the Aaron’s 499, leading 15 laps and running near the front for much of the day. On the green-white-checkered finish, Biffle pushed Matt Kenseth to a sizeable lead, but Biffle’s No. 16 couldn’t keep pace with Kenseth’s No. 17. With their draft connection lost, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch passed the Roush Fenway duo.

    “Keselowski and Busch just blew us away,” Biffle said. “The ‘friends with benefits’ were outdone by the ‘enemies with benefits.’

    “But I’m still on top of the Sprint Cup point standings. At least we know one Roush Fenway driver can hold a lead.”

    4. Kyle Busch: With one lap to go in the Aaron’s 499, Busch was in the driver’s seat, in second place, trailing race leader Brad Keselowski. But Busch never got close enough to even attempt a race-winning move, and settled for the runner-up spot. Busch moved up two spots to ninth in the point standings, 70 out of first.

    “I had Keselowski,” Busch said, “right where I wanted him. But he outsmarted me. In other words, he had me. But I’m not upset. This made me a complete driver. Now, I can say I’ve been ‘schooled’ for going too fast, and ‘schooled’ for going too slow.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski, with a strong push from draft partner Kyle Busch, surged into the lead with a lap to go at Talladega, zooming past the Roush Fenway duo of Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. Keselowski held off Busch and won for the second time this year, and second career victory in the Talladega spring race.

    “I got a big push from Kyle,” Keselowski said. “I’ll reiterate what I said at Bristol some years back: ‘Kyle Busch is an ass…..et.’ I’m not sure if Kyle follows me on Twitter, but he definitely follows me on asphalt. That’s two second place finishes for Busch for the weekend. Apparently, M&M’s melt in your hands, and under pressure.

    “It was an extremely satisfying win for me. Not only did I win the race, but I was able to tweet from Victory Lane for the second time this year. Call it a ‘re-Tweet.’”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was fast all day at Talladega, and was prepared to make a charge after a restart on lap 192. Hamlin’s dive to the middle lane was cut off by a block from A.J. Almendinger, and the contact knocked Hamlin out of the race. He finished 23rd, and fell one place in the points to fourth, 27 out of first.

    “I got dinged by the ‘Dinger,’” Hamlin said. “But that’s just the nature of racing at Talladega. You race all day, waiting for the ‘Big One.’ And, when it happens, you can usually blame the ‘Biggest One.’

    “Trust me. I’d like nothing more than to seek revenge. But I can’t afford the penalty that is sure to follow. Therein lies the ‘Catch-22’ of catching 22.”

    7. Tony Stewart: Stewart ended a frustrating day at Talladega with a 24th in the Aaron’s 499, as Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman finished 36th. Newman suffered early engine trouble, while Stewart was KO’d in a nine-car wreck four laps from the finish.

    “You probably heard about my tongue-in-cheek assessment of the racing at Talladega,” Stewart said. “That’s just my way of keeping my ‘tongue-in-check.’ For those too ignorant to understand sarcasm, call it Talladega Spites: The Ballyhoo Of Tony Stewart.”

    8. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex was collected in a lap 142 pileup started when Dave Blaney and Aric Almirola made contact. Truex’s No. 55 Toyota slammed into Jeff Gordon’s No. 24, ending the day for both. Truex fell one spot to sixth in the points, and trails Greg Biffle by 46.

    “The No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota was running well,” Truex said. “Then, it all came crashing down. NAPA ‘know how’ suddenly became NAPA ‘no how.’”

    9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a broken oil pump that sent him to the garage just 61 laps into the Aaron’s 499. He finished 35th and fell two places in the Sprint Cup point standings, 54 out of first.

    “We certainly don’t look like 5-time champions,” Johnson said. “Then again, who does?

    “I watched the rest of the race from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s pit box. It’s quite a view from up there. You can see for miles, and somewhere in the distance, there’s a win on the horizon.”

    10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was caught in a lap 184 wreck that left his No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet unable to continue. He finished a disappointing 25th and is now fifth in the point standings, 45 out of first.

    “We led one lap,” Harvick said, “so the car went from the front of the field to the back of the garage. Appropriately, with Rheem as our primary sponsor, we ran hot and cold.

    “Brad Keselowski drove a heck of a race. He kept Kyle Busch behind him. Last year at Darlington, I couldn’t keep Busch in front of me.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: With a 137-race winless streak still dogging him, Earnhardt nearly broke through at Richmond, finishing second to Kyle Busch in the Capital City 400. Earnhardt now trails points leader Greg Biffle by five points in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “What does Busch have that I don’t, besides a win at Richmond?” Earnhardt said. “A ‘checkered’ past.

    “Anyway, I’ve got two second-place finishes and two thirds so far this year. They may not be wins, but in the eyes of Junior Nation, I lead NASCAR in ‘Little’ victories.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin followed last week’s win at Kansas with a fourth at Richmond, as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch won for the first time this season. Hamlin improved two spots in the point standings to third, nine points out of first.

    “Kyle ran an unbelievable of a race,” Hamlin said. “He was patient, methodical, and in control. And that makes it unbelievable, because he was totally out of character.”

    3. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 18th in the Capital City 400 at Richmond, handicapped by handling issues that proved unresponsive to adjustments. He maintained the top spot in the points, but now leads Dale Earnhardt, Jr. by only five points.

    “Five points isn’t much of a lead,” Biffle said, “but it’s a lead nonetheless. And let’s face it, any lead over Earnhardt is a safe lead.”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson posted his third-straight top-6 finish, and seventh top-10 result of the year, with a sixth in the Capital City 400. He is now sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 24 out of first.

    “I finished sixth,” Johnson said, “to move into sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, on the way to what will surely be my sixth championship. That’s three sixth’s, which is a hell of a lot, and certainly an omen of good things for me.

    “As you may have heard, I was named Forbe’s most influential athlete. That means I can win, and ‘win over.’ That’s two more wins than Dale Junior.”

    5. Tony Stewart: Stewart was sailing towards a win at Richmond, with a comfortable lead over Kyle Busch, when NASCAR flew a debris caution with 12 laps to go. A slow pit stop allowed Busch to exit with the lead, and Stewart settled for third, and later questioned NASCAR’s decision.

    “I understand the ‘debris’ in question was a water bottle,” Stewart said. “That’s garbage. I’m not sure what was in that bottle, but whatever it was, it was ‘full of it.’ And, I guess I’ll have to ‘swallow’ it.

    “Anyway, it’s clear NASCAR doesn’t want to see me run away with the championship. And, as my typical subpar runs that follow strong runs would suggest, neither do I.”

    6. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex finished 25th at Richmond, his worst finish of the year, after an untimely caution on lap 311 cost him two laps. He tumbled three places in the point standings to fifth, and now trails Greg Biffle by 22.

    “After five-straight top-10 finishes,” Truex said, “I was due for a mediocre finish. And I didn’t disappoint. But I hesitate to say I’ll ‘rebound’ at Talladega, because there may be a wall involved.”

    7. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 206 of 400 laps, but lost any chance for his initial 2012 victory when he was penalized for jumping a restart on lap 89. Edwards battled back from the penalty and eventually finished 10th , but was left doubting the veracity of NASCAR’s decision. He is ninth in the point standings, 51 out of first.

    “I was told I was the leader,” Edwards said, “while NASCAR insists that Tony Stewart was the leader. Apparently, they were just blowing ‘Smoke’ up my behind.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 11th at Richmond, just missing his sixth top-10 finish of the year. He holds the fourth spot in the point standings, 10 behind Roush Fenway teammate Greg Biffle.

    “NASCAR said Carl Edwards jumped a restart with 89 laps to go,” Kenseth said. “I know exactly how that feels. ‘That’ being the restart, because I’ve been ‘jumped’ by Edwards myself.”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch took advantage of a late caution and beat Tony Stewart out of the pits, then pulled away to win at Richmond. It was Busch’s fourth-straight Richmond spring win, and first of the year, as he followed Joe Gibbs teammate Denny Hamlin’s win at Kansas last year.

    “Thanks to NASCAR for a timely caution,” Busch said. “Usually, when NASCAR gives me a ‘gift,’ it’s probation instead of a suspension.”

    10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 19th in the Capital City 400, the last car on the lead lap, after starting third. The No. 29 Jimmie John’s Chevy was solid early in the race, but faded late on a tough day for Richard Childress Racing.

    “Right now,” Harvick said, “we don’t look like a true championship contender. We’re struggling, with an average finish of 11th. It seems the last positive I experienced was on a pregnancy test.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Greg Biffle: Biffle posted his sixth top-10 finish of the year with a fifth in the STP 400 at Kansas Motor Speedway. He maintained the lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Martin Truex, Jr. by 15.

    “Whereas I got a cowboy hat and a pair of six-shooters for winning at Texas,” Biffle said, “Denny Hamlin received a pair of ruby red slippers, which I’m sure he tapped together and said ‘There’s no place like Homestead…to blow a points lead and hence the 2010 Sprint Cup title.’”

    2. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex led 173 of 267 laps at Kansas, but lost the lead to Denny Hamlin with 31 to go and held on for second, earning his fifth consecutive top-10 finish. He jumped two places in the point standings to second, and trails Greg Biffle by 15.

    “I made a few desperation moves to pass Hamlin at the end,” Truex said. “But what better time to say ‘banzai’ than while driving a Toyota and attempting to pass another?

    “I’m in negotiations to renew my contract with Michael Waltrip Racing. That means I get to sit at a table and talk numbers with Michael. Therein lies the secret to being around Michael—someone has to pay me to do it.”

    3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson followed up his runner-up finish at Texas with a third in the STP 400 at Kansas, scoring his fourth top 5 of the year. He improved one spot in the point standings to seventh, and now trails Greg Biffle by 37.

    “In the Hendrick Motorsports garage,” Johnson said, “there’s a lot of talk about streaks. Hendrick has been sitting on 199 wins for awhile now. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has a 137-race winless streak. The way things are going, it’s a toss-up as to who gets to 200 first.”

    “As you probably couldn’t help but notice, the Lowe’s No. 48 Chevy sported the ‘Mountain Green’ color. That was a color made popular by two 1960’s iconic products, muscle cars and ugly toilets.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished fourth in the STP 400, taking his fifth top-5 result of the year. He is now third in the point standings, 17 behind Roush Fenway teammate Greg Biffle.

    “After two cautions at Texas,” Kenseth said, “there were only three at Kansas. That means, in both cases, that the winner’s speed was above average, while the racing itself was below average. As such, electronic fuel injection is no longer the hot topic of discussion—instead, it’s cruise control.”

    5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Still seeking his first win in 136 races, Earnhardt came up short but finished with a solid seventh at Kansas. In eight races this year, he hasn’t finished lower than 15th, and is now fourth in the point standings, 21 out of first.

    “You probably heard me profess that I think I’m the best driver in NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “It remains to be seen who’s more motivated by that statement—me, or the ten drivers that actually are better than me.

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin slipped by Martin Truex, Jr. with 31 laps to go and sailed to his second win of the year, taking the STP 400 at Kansas Motor Speedway. Hamlin improved one place to fifth in the point standings, 23 behind Greg Biffle.

    “This No. 11 Fed Ex team has a ton of momentum,” Hamlin said. “You could say we’re like a ‘freight’ train. Let’s just hope our 2011 troubles don’t rear it heads, because we were much like a train then as well, in that it often took more than one engine to get anywhere.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started second at Kansas and powered to a sixth-place finish, leading the charge for Richard Childress Racing. He is now sixth in the point standings, 25 out of first.

    “The No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet was good,” Harvick said, “but not good enough. We were anything but ‘Rheem-arkable.’ As wordplay goes, that one should be ‘pun-ishable by death.

    “But my disappointment with a sixth-place finish is a clear indication that I expect better from myself. I’m the ultimate ‘expectant’ father.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards, in the No. 99 Aflac Ford, joined Roush Fenway teammates Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle in the top 10, with a ninth at Kansas, his fifth top-10 result of the year. Edwards is now ninth in the point standings, 61 out of first.

    “Sunday was a strong day for the Roush Fenway collective,” Edwards said. “All three of us in the top 10? That’s the first time we’ve done anything together in a long time.

    “I must say, it’s tough for me to see myself behind Biffle and Kenseth in the point standings. Kenseth is sponsored by EcoBoost; what I need is an ego boost.”

    9. Tony Stewart: Stewart came home 13th at Kansas, the last car on the lead lap after a long day of handling issues. He is now eighth in the point standings, 47 out of first.

    “That’s two straight finishes outside the top 10,” Stewart said. “Despite our troubles, it’s no time to make any rash decisions, which should come as a relief to my crew chief, Steve Addington.

     

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 10th at Kansas as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin won the STP 400. It was only Busch’s third top-10 result of the year, but it season turnaround could be in order at Richmond, where Busch has three wins.

    “Hamlin’s making headlines,” Busch said, “and, in what’s is a complete mystery to me, for all the right reasons. I just haven’t been the same this year. Joe Gibbs said he wouldn’t mind seeing the ‘old’ Kyle Busch or the ‘new’ Kyle Busch, or, for that matter, ‘any’ Kyle Busch.”

  • Denny Hamlin: No doubt that winning Bristol would be special

    Denny Hamlin: No doubt that winning Bristol would be special

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]After finishing ninth in points last year and struggling at some points, Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team knew they needed to make a change.

    As soon as they learned that 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart had fired crew chief Darian Grubb, JGR jumped at the chance to hire him. The result is Hamlin doing better this year as he is excited to go to the track each week.

    “I’m constantly now going to the track excited about our outlook and instead of counting down the weeks until it’s all over,” he said last weekend. “Obviously, last year not being competitive for most of the year until the very end when we ran some top-10s and top-fives, but it was just kind of go through the motions. Right now, you’re more optimistic about what you’ve got in front of you.”

    So far this season, Hamlin finished fourth at Daytona, won Phoenix and finished 20th last weekend at Las Vegas. This weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway will mark the first short track race of the 2012 season as the Sprint Cup schedule continues. In 12 starts at Bristol, Hamlin has three top fives and six top 10s.

    “Coming so close before has really only made us want to win one of these Bristol races more than ever,” he said in the team preview. “There is no doubt that winning at Bristol would be special and I know I speak for the entire team when I say leaving here with a trophy is something everyone in racing wants to accomplish in their career. We’ve felt like we’ve had the car on a couple of occasions but had some bad luck in terms of parts going bad at the worst possible times.”

    After Bristol, teams head back out west for the 1.5 mile oval in California. Hamlin says he wishes it was organized differently.

    “You kind of wish they had all these three west coast races all in a row,” he said. “Obviously going back to Bristol is a total different mind set then what we’re running this week and then back to a total different mindset when you go to California. I like California, I think the track is aging really well. It’s getting to where that track you can run all over from the bottom to the very top. It takes 10 years to get a surface to do that.”

    He added that with most tracks being repaved, it takes away from the racing as he likes the older surfaces better to run on.

    Hamlin started racing at a young age, winning his first go-kart race at the age of seven. From there, he moved up the ranks before moving into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2005.

    “It’s been such a ride getting to the spot where I am now,” he said. “Sometimes you forget the peaks and the valleys that you go through to get to the point in which you are right now.”

    Hamlin added that he remembers working back at Subway 15 years ago.

    “It’s amazing to me when you look back at it and thinking I was making $4.75 an hour and I was happy,” he continued. “All I did was spend all my money on the truck I had and that’s all I cared about.”

  • Brett Moffitt Heads to Bristol with Former Mentor and New Race Team

    Brett Moffitt Heads to Bristol with Former Mentor and New Race Team

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Young up and coming racer Brett Moffitt has had an interesting journey, from his racing start under the tutelage of four-time K&N Pro Series champion Andy Santerre to racing for some of the biggest teams in the sport, including Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

    But as he kicks off his 2012 K&N Pro Series East season in Bristol, Moffitt is back where he belongs, under the familiar wing of Santerre and with a whole new race team Hattori Racing Enterprises. Moffitt will pilot the No. 11 Toyota Camry and will join teammate Sergio Pena in the Shigeaki Hattori stable.

    “Ever since I drove for Andy (Santerre) in 2009, Andy and my dad have been in constant communication,” Moffitt said. “Andy’s been a big help to my career over the past three years.”

    “So, when this opportunity came up, Andy told Shigeaki Hattori that he knew should drive his second car and luckily that was me.”

    While Moffitt may seem a bit devoted to his old mentor, he knows that Santerre not only has the experience behind him but also has the strength of the new HRE race team with him as well.

    “Working for Andy Santerre is just really great,” Moffitt said. “He’s been there. He’s driven race cars, he’s won races and he’s won championships.”

    “So, he knows what it takes,” Moffitt continued. “Being able to work for him is really great for a driver because he understands everything you say. He’s always looking out for your best interests as a driver.”

    Moffitt has had an eventful three years since debuting as a 16 year old with Andy Santerre in the K&N East Series. Since then, he has had seven wins, four pole positions, 20 top-5 and 25 top-10 finishes and has never finished worse than 3rd in the championship standings.

    “After I left Andy last time, I went to Joe Gibbs Racing for a year,” Moffitt said. “I ran in the K&N East Series for them. We were really competitive for them and ended up second in the points.”

    “After that, I went to Michael Waltrip Racing,” Moffitt continued. “That was a huge step for my career.”

    “MWR made me feel important as a driver,” Moffitt said. “I came in every day and worked on the cars and in the shop.”

    “They put a big emphasis on my physical training and I’m still associated with them,” Moffitt continued. “I still have a trainer with them so I go there every day and still work out. That’s always a good connection to still maintain.”

    With his return to his mentor Andy Santerre, as well as his new assignment with Hattori Racing Enterprises, Moffitt is excited to get his 2012 race season underway. He just recently finished up testing at Bristol, the first race of the season for the K&N Pro Series East.

    “The test went really well,” Moffitt said. “From the first time we unloaded, we had to work on them a little bit but by the end of the day, we were pretty comfortable.”

    “We have a couple things we are working with back at the shop and hopefully when we come back to the track, we will be ready to have a good race,” Moffitt continued. “The car was real fast and I’m really looking forward to the race.”

    Moffitt has been only been guaranteed eight races with HRE Racing. The remainder of the season’s racing will be dependent on sponsorship, as is so often the case.

    “This year Hattori approached me as a driver,” Moffitt said. “They weren’t looking for a driver with a lot of money, just one that they could win races and win championships with.”

    “Right now, I’m only guaranteed eight races, with the first race at Bristol on March 17th,” Moffitt said.” That’s where the sponsorship comes into play.”

    “We’re still out there searching so hopefully we’re able to find something by then,” Moffitt continued. “But we’re just going to take the first eight and try to be the best we can. Hopefully we’ll find a sponsor and be able to finish it out.”

    Moffitt is also looking forward to working with his new teammate at Hattori Racing Enterprises. He will be paired with fellow Santerre protégé Sergio Pena.

    “Me and Sergio have always gotten along real well,” Moffitt said. “So, it’s going to be a really fun year.  We’re both obviously proven race winners so I think it will be a good year for the team this year.”

    In addition to mentor Santerre and teammate Pena, Moffitt is also looking forward to working with Dave McCarty, his new crew chief. McCarty has over 20 years experience in all kinds of racing, from the Nationwide Series to Trucks, ARCA, ASA and the K&N Pro Series East.

    “Me and my new crew chief Dave McCarty have spent time getting to know each other,” Moffitt said. “Dave was Darrell Wallace’s crew chief last year at Revolution Racing. Andy felt like he would be a good match up for me so he brought him over.”

    Moffitt has been working intensely on establishing that all important chemistry with his new crew chief, as well as their bond on and off the track.

    “We’ve just been working together in the shop,” Moffitt said of his new crew chief. “He’s been bossing me around telling me what to do. I say ‘yes sir’ and do it. We have a lot of fun but when it’s time to get things done, we get things done.”

    Owner Shigeaki Hattori, as well as HRE General Manager Andy Santerre are equally as excited about having Moffitt with their team as he is to race with them.

    “People in an organization are the key to the organization’s success,” Hattori said. “If you hire the right people with knowledge and experience, success will follow.”

    “I am excited to have Brett at HRE,” Santerre said. “He is an incredible driving talent and has matured behind the wheel in the last few years. He is more than capable of winning the championship.”

    With the confidence of his owner and manager firmly in his corner, Moffitt simply cannot wait to get back to the race track, beginning at Bristol

    “I feel like I’ve proven myself as being able to win races and be up front,” Moffitt said. “I’m just looking forward to racing. I love racing and being competitive.”

    “That’s what drives me.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • M&M’s Mars NASCAR’s Teaching Sponsor In More Ways Than One

    M&M’s Mars NASCAR’s Teaching Sponsor In More Ways Than One

    M&M’s Mars has been one of NASCAR’s few full-time sponsors, adorning the car of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, usually driven by Kyle Busch. The sponsor, however, has not only succeeded on the track, but has become one of the sport’s newest teaching sponsors, in more ways than one.

    One of the most important ways that M&M’s Mars has been educating through racing is by participating in the NASCAR Kinetics program. Recently, NASCAR expanded this successful program, providing college students with real-world marketing challenges in the sport, from 12 to 20 schools this semester.

    The NASCAR Kinetics program began in 2009 with just four schools participating. But over the past few years, the program has expanded to become NASCAR’s biggest college experience.

    “NASCAR Kinetics is a dynamic initiative that merges educational and experiential tasks,” Steve Phelps, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, said. “We anticipate students will leverage the marketing techniques and lessons in teamwork they learn through the program to successfully position themselves in an increasingly competitive motorsports industry.”

    This year, the program is concentrating on three case studies, including evaluating social media strategies for Michael Waltrip Racing and coming up with sponsorship activation ideas for Dodge. The third case scenario is working with M&M’s Mars to celebrate the colorfulness of the M&M’s characters as the sport’s official chocolate.

    The students have to host one of three viewing parties highlighting the M&M’s brand. Their challenge is to “Make Race Day More Fun” through the use of the candy, as well as attracting casual and avid NASCAR fans.

    You can get TEFL certified and Teach English Abroad and get a life-changing opportunity to travel the world and immerse yourself in new cultures.

    “M&M’s has been involved with the NASCAR Kinetics program since spring 2009 and has been the sponsor of the viewing party case study since spring 2010,” Lauren Nodzak, PR Manager of Mars Chocolate North America, said. “We originally got involved after the Winston-Salem State University team reached out to us on the M&M’s Racing Facebook page and invited us to cover their party.”

    “After being exposed to the program at that level, we decided to become a partner and make the viewing party case study sponsored by M&M’s.”

    Nodzak affirms that M&M’s candy is the “perfect fit” as a snack for NASCAR fans coming together to enjoy the race. “The idea of getting your friends together to watch a NASCAR race while enjoying plenty of M&M’s is a key component,” Nodzak said.” Racing fit perfectly within the brand as we launched an overall brand campaign, ‘M&M’s Makes Race Day More Fun.’

    Nodzak said that the students have been most creative in marketing the M&M’s brand through the viewing parties, from sharing recipes including the brightly-colored candy to having M&M’s race car driver Kyle Busch look-a-like contests.

    “The students have taken some very creative approaches to incorporating M&M’s into their parties,” Nodzak said. “Just as exciting is how the students have taken fun to the next level, from NASCAR simulators to marching bands at these events.”

    “Working with college students through the NASCAR Kinetics program has given us an additional channel to leverage our NASCAR sponsorship,” Nodzak continued. “NASCAR Kinetics brings a new level of engagement and brand advocates into the M&M’s Racing family.”

    Unfortunately, M&M’s Mars has had to involve themselves in another educational endeavor in addition to the NASCAR Kinetics program. The sponsor has had to teach its star driver Kyle Busch a lesson after an on-track incident with Ron Hornaday in the Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Because of the incident, Busch was not only penalized by NASCAR by being forced to sit out the Nationwide and Cup races last weekend, but was also forced to forgo his M&M’s sponsor being on his No. 18 car for the last two races of the season. Mars, Inc. did, however, affirm their sponsorship of Busch for the 2012 season, hopefully after their driver has had time to reflect on lessons learned.

    “As a proud member of the racing community, Mars and M&M’s brand strong support the partnership we have with Joe Gibbs Racing and are committed to NASCAR,” Debra Sandler, Chief Consumer Officer of Mars Chocolate North America, said. “Yet Kyle’s recent actions are unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Mars.”

    “While we do not condone Kyle’s recent actions, we do believe that he has shown remorse and has expressed a desire to change,” Sandler continued. “We believe our decision will have a positive impact on Kyle and will help him return next season ready to win.”

    “There’s remorse from my side and to be apologetic to the M&M’s brand and all the folks that put their heart and soul into this NASCAR program for years,” Busch said. “There is an opportunity for me to become a better person, to grow, to learn from this and I’m looking forward to those days.”

    “Kyle and all of us are committed to learn from this so that we never have to go through this again,” Joe Gibbs, team owner, said simply.

    From the college students participating in the NASCAR Kinetics program to the NASCAR driver sporting the M&M’s brand colors, there is no doubt that Mars, Inc. has become one of the sport’s most important educators as well as sponsors.

    And hopefully, all involved under the tutelage of the colorful candy company, will learn their lessons well.