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  • Crunching The Numbers: Kentucky

    Crunching The Numbers: Kentucky

    After a weekend of turning left and right at the road courses at Sonoma and Road America, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series, joined by their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series counterparts, head back east to the 1.5 mile Kentucky Speedway for the second tripleheader of the season. This time around all three races will be under the lights of this oval that is a relative newcomer to the schedule, having only hosted all three series for the past two years.

    Sprint Cup Series – Quaker State 400

    As the Sprint Cup Series heads into Kentucky Speedway for a Saturday night showdown under the lights, the series reaches an important milestone for the season. This weekend’s race marks the beginning of the 10 races before the start of the “Chase for the Sprint Cup”. The so-called “Race for the Chase” sets off a mad dash for drivers trying to accumulate wins and rack up points to either make the Chase or improve their position in the standings for a better seed once the Chase starts. There are also a couple of unknowns surrounding this race since the teams have a slim notebook on setups for this track since it has only been on the schedule since 2011 and the Gen6 makes its Kentucky debut this weekend as well.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Brad Keselowski 2 1 1 2 0 147 7.0 4.0
    Jimmie Johnson 2 0 1 2 1 21 3.0 4.5
    Kyle Busch 2 1 1 2 0 243 1.5 5.5
    Matt Kenseth 2 0 0 2 0 0 16.5 6.5
    Denny Hamlin 2 0 1 1 0 63 14.5 7.0
    Kasey Kahne 2 0 1 1 0 1 11.5 7.5
    Jeff Gordon 2 0 1 2 0 0 11.5 7.5
    Carl Edwards 2 0 1 1 0 0 16.0 12.5
    Martin Truex, Jr. 2 0 1 1 0 1 13.0 13.0
    Kevin Harvick 2 0 0 0 0 0 11.5 13.5

    Who To Watch: As one of the only two winners at Kentucky and the defending race winner, Brad Keselowski has found a way to get around the 1.5 mile oval better than anyone else, with his one win, one top five, two top tens, 147 laps led, and an average finish of 4.0. Five-time Sprint Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, comes in right behind Keselowski with one top five, two top tens, one pole, 21 laps led, and an average finish of 4.5. Kyle Busch, the inaugural race winner at Kentucky, falls in just behind Keselowski and Johnson with one win, one top five, two top tens, 243 laps led, and an average finish of 5.5.

    Others who run well at Kentucky include: Matt Kenseth, with two top tens and an average finish of 6.5; Denny Hamlin, who could really use a win to boost his Chase hopes, with one top five, one top ten, 63 laps led, and an average finish of 7.0; Kasey Kahne, with one top five, one top ten, one lap led, and an average finish of 7.5; and Jeff Gordon, with one top five, two top tens, and an average finish of 7.5.

    Nationwide Series – Feed The Children 300

    As the second half of the weekend tripleheader, the Nationwide Series has been running at Kentucky since 2001 and moved to two races per year at the track last season. Only two Sprint Cup Series regulars will be running on Friday night and if the Nationwide Series regulars can get past those two drivers then a Nationwide Series regular should find their way to Victory Lane. For even more incentive for a Nationwide regular to run well in this race, this is the qualifier for the first “Dash 4 Cash” race at Daytona. The top four finishers among Nationwide Series regulars at Kentucky will have a shot at a $100,000 bonus in the race next week at Daytona.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Austin Dillon 2 2 2 2 2 257 1.0 1.0
    Brad Keselowski 5 1 4 5 0 132 11.0 3.6
    Sam Hornish, Jr. 2 0 1 2 0 5 3.5 4.0
    Elliott Sadler 3 0 2 3 1 101 7.0 6.3
    Justin Allgaier 5 0 2 4 0 29 6.2 9.0
    Kyle Busch 5 1 3 3 0 311 12.2 9.8
    Cole Whitt 2 0 0 1 0 0 12.5 10.0
    Trevor Bayne 3 0 0 0 0 0 10.0 11.3
    Michael Annett 5 0 1 4 0 5 13.0 11.8
    Brad Sweet 2 0 0 1 0 0 16.5 13.0

    Who To Watch: Austin Dillon made his first two starts at Kentucky in 2012 and has a perfect record thus far at the track with two wins, two top fives, two top tens, two poles, 257 laps led and an average finish of 1.0 in his two starts. If Dillon can continue his Kentucky magic, the No. 3 Chevrolet will be tough to beat Friday night.

    Others to keep an eye on include Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, who will be running all three races during the weekend, with one win, four top fives, five top tens, 132 laps led, and an average finish of 3.6 in five starts; Sam Hornish, Jr., with one top five, two top tens, five laps led and an average finish of 4.0 in two starts; Elliott Sadler, with two top fives, three top tens, one pole, 101 laps led, and an average finish of 6.3 in three starts; Justin Allgaier, with two top fives, four top tens, 29 laps led, and an average finish of 9.0 in five starts; and Kyle Busch, who is always a threat in these Nationwide Series races, with one win, three top fives, three top tens, 311 laps led, and an average finish of 9.8 in five starts.

    Camping World Truck Series – UNOH 225

    For the first time in three weeks, the Camping World Truck Series heads back to the track to kick off the weekend tripleheader with their race on Thursday night. As in the Nationwide Series race, a couple of Sprint Cup regulars, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, will be running this race to try and complete the tripleheader weekend. With that in play, we will see a battle between the up and comers that are regulars in this series and the Sprint Cup regulars that have reached the upper echelon of the sport. Who will win out between the two? Tune in Thursday to find out.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Kyle Busch 3 1 1 3 0 177 4.7 4.7
    James Buescher 6 2 3 5 0 188 10.5 7.3
    Joey Coulter 4 0 1 3 1 47 8.0 7.8
    Ty Dillon 3 0 2 2 0 3 7.3 8.0
    Ryan Blaney 1 0 0 0 0 13 16.0 11.0
    Ron Hornaday, Jr. 10 3 3 6 1 141 10.9 11.6
    Matt Crafton 14 0 4 9 1 36 11.2 11.6
    Johnny Sauter 6 0 1 3 1 50 6.7 12.3
    Timothy Peters 9 0 2 3 0 13 14.3 15.7
    Brad Keselowski 3 0 1 1 0 4 22.7 16.7

    Who To Watch: Kyle Busch leads all active drivers at Kentucky with one win, one top five, three top tens, 177 laps led and an average finish of 4.7 in three starts at the track. 2012 Truck Series champion James Buescher comes in just behind Busch with two wins, three top fives, five top tens, 188 laps led, and an average finish of 7.3 in six races. Joey Coulter, driver for Kyle Busch Motorsports, is next with one top five, three top tens, one pole, 47 laps led, and an average finish of 7.8 in four starts. Ty Dillon also has a good record with two top fives, two top tens, three laps led, and an average finish of 8.0 in three starts.

    Others to keep an eye on include rookies Jeb Burton and Darrell Wallace, Jr, both of whom have never raced at Kentucky and Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, who will be driving his own team’s truck and trying to capture the Truck Series win that has eluded him thus far in his career.

  • Michael Annett Wishing To Start Season All Over Again

    Michael Annett Wishing To Start Season All Over Again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Max Papis Creates New Role in NASCAR with Dillon Brothers

    Max Papis Creates New Role in NASCAR with Dillon Brothers

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”164″][/media-credit]Massimiliano Papis, best known to NASCAR fans as Max, has a great racing resume, from the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR.

    But for Papis, the best part of his career has just begun as he forges a new role in the sport, that of coach for young up and coming drivers Austin and Ty Dillon.

     “First of all, it’s a great opportunity to be involved with RCR Racing, working with people like Richard Childress and everyone involved there,” Papis said. ““I was talking to Mike Dillon in the winter time about what I could do besides driving for the team.”

    “We were talking about the fact that in every kind of sport, everyone always had a coach, but in racing, for whatever reason, people don’t really have a coach,” Papis continued. “So, I told them I would love to work with both Ty and Austin to develop them, on the road course and on the others.”

    “We started slowly and here we are now being kind of like the big brother/tutor of both of them.”

    One thing that Papis is adamant about, however, is that there really is no such thing as the Dillon brothers. In his eyes, they are two distinct individuals and that is how Papis approaches his work with them.

    “First of all, the things that I tell people that it doesn’t exist, the Dillon brothers,” Papis said. “It’s Ty Dillon, with his own personality, his own goals and his own way of being and the same for Austin Dillon, with his own goals, way of being and personality.”

    “They happen to be that both are race car drivers with RCR but I want, and they want, to be seen like their own individuals,” Papis continued. “That stands on everything I do with them.”

    “We work out on separate times,” Papis said. “We spend time together analyzing the races, all of that in a separate way.”

    “When it’s important to learn from each other, we have time together,” Papis continued. “But obviously I work with them as two different individuals.”

    While many may see the role of coach as more motivational or inspirational, Papis takes a completely analytical approach to his coaching of both Ty and Austin Dillon.

    “I put lots of studies behind it and I really apply myself to this coaching part,” Papis said. “Coaching, first of all, does not mean teaching someone to speak.”

    “What I do with them is helping them to speed up the process of being who they want to be and being the leaders that they want to be,” Papis continued. “That goes from physical training to the mental approach to the races to knowing how to say certain things and how to react to certain situations.”

    “I want them to raise up to 42 years of age because they are competing with people that have that amount of experience.”

    Papis is also analytical when it comes to coaching both Austin and Ty Dillon on their physical fitness, consulting with professionals and utilizing fitness equipment both on and off the track.

    “Obviously fitness is one of the biggest parts of the sport,” Papis said. “Jimmie Johnson didn’t win five championships in a row sitting on the couch.”

    “Austin and Ty are very different individuals with different athletic backgrounds,” Papis continued. “At the beginning of the year, we made a physical fitness test for both Ty and Austin to understand how big their motor is.”

    “Once we learn how big their motor is, then we work a program around that for strength and conditioning and endurance,” Papis said.” We have an agreement with Polar Electronics, a leading company with heart rate monitors.”

    “So, every single training session we do with both Ty and Austin, we record their heart rate in the races at the beginning of the year so we learn how many RPMs their engine works as I like to say,” Papis continued. “And we try to work around that to improve their fitness in general.”

    “This is a very technical, analytical and methodical approach,” Papis said. “It’s not just let’s lift some weights and go.”

    Papis has already seen this regimented physical fitness approach pay off, with increases in stamina and endurance for Austin in particular when he ran two series races in one weekend.

    “This year, when Austin ran Nationwide and Cup in Michigan on the same weekend and he came out of the car and gave me a high-five because he was tired as he was supposed to, but he still had some energy to go,” Papis said. “I feel that even if we’ve been working for months, we are starting to see the results on the physical side.”

    Papis is equally as dedicated, however, to this methodical approach on the mental side of his drivers’ development.

    “I use exactly the same approach both on the mental side as the physical side,” Papis said. “One example is that we’ve been working on the tone of voice we use when we open the radio and talk to the crew chief.”

    “We’ve been working on the importance of what you say, when you say it and what words do you use,” Papis continued. “Not that you don’t be yourself, but I ask if they want to be the guy that opens the radio and everybody laughs at you or do you want to be the guy that opens the radio that inspires pride and motivates the crew to go extra because of the tone of voice and words.”

    Papis fully realized the fruits of his coaching labors when Austin Dillon went to Victory Lane for the first time in the Nationwide race at Kentucky just a few weeks ago.

    “I have never felt in my entire career that I would have been happy to see someone else winning,” Papis said. “I know that people say that I’m emotional, but I very well know how to control myself.”

    “But I really felt that when Austin won that race that a part of me won it too.”

    “The way that Austin made me feel and the appreciation I got made me understand that I’m making a difference,” Papis continued. “I had opportunity to go to Victory Lane by other friends but I never felt I belonged there but this time, I walked there without thinking because I knew that I belonged there.”

    “I had tears in my eyes when I made my Daytona 500 and I had tears in my eyes when I went to the Victory Lane.”

    Papis admits that he is in this new role of coach for the long term. And he has definite goals for his two protégés in the sport.

    “I have a long-term goal with Austin and Ty,” Papis said. “Obviously with Ty, it is a little longer process because he is a younger person and he is in the beginning of his career.”

    “I know everyone looks at them like experts and like they should win all the races,” Papis continued. “But I remember when I was 20 years old and when I was 22 years old and I couldn’t even polish their shoes.”

    “I like to feel that I am the person that can tell them what their father and their grandpa would like to tell them but can’t because they are their parent and grandparent,” Papis said.

    “And I told Austin that I will not be satisfied and I will continue to help him all the way until I will sit in the winner’s circle when he is a Cup champion.”

    “He doesn’t need to prove anything to me but I want to show everyone who says that he is there because he is the son of Mike Dillon or the grandkid of Richard Childress that is not the truth,” Papis continued. “He’s there because he’s a bad ass like Ty.”

    “They really deserve their positions.”

    However satisfying his work has been and will be, Papis is most proud of the new role of coach that he is creating in the world of NASCAR. And his greatest achievement will be continuing to share his vast knowledge with both Austin and Ty Dillon as they forge their own paths in stock car racing.

    “I feel in one way that I’m creating a new position in the sport,” Papis said. “It’s pretty unique and I wish that I had me on my side when I grew up in racing.”

    “I had great people but I had to learn a lot of things on my own skin,” Papis continued. “And that’s why maybe I took a little longer to achieve my own goals and it’s still taking a little bit more of my time.”

    “My happiness will be that we get to see what I learned at 42 years of age into Austin and Ty and 22 and 20 years of age,” Papis said. “I love them like they are the younger brothers to me.”

    “I know that I’m working to keep a certain distance  as their coach, but at the same time I allow myself to give them a hug from time to time because I really love them a lot.”

  • Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 18 Daytona International Speedway – Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola – July 7, 2012

    Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 18 Daytona International Speedway – Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola – July 7, 2012

    The 2012 Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola marks the traditional halfway point in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and this season is shaping up to be nothing less than exciting. Thirteen different drivers have visited Victory Lane in the first 17 points races (Tony Stewart, Brad Kesolowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin being the repeat winners thus far) making this season a complete craps shoot in picking winners. I’ve had a blast watching the drama each week, and am looking forward to what the second half of this 2012 season will bring. It will be a mad dash to The Chase, and an even bigger fiasco to claim the Champion’s trophy.

    The site for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola needs no introduction. It’s the same 2.5 mile superspeedway we’ve grown so accustomed to, but it’s the racing style which has changed the face of Daytona International Speedway (or Juan Montoya if you remember February’s Daytona 500). Sorry but I had to throw a jet-dryer comment in here. The thing that shocks me still about the whole jet-dryer incident in February is Tide received 2-3 hours of free advertising from the jet fuel cleanup, and still they do not show up as a primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series. Come on Tide! Get back into NASCAR!

    That’s my rant for this week, on to Kentucky’s Recap…

    Kentucky Recap

    It was another so so weekend in the Bluegrass State last week, as has been the story of my season here with Matty’s Picks. I guess the only thing to do is keep on trucking towards the top, and eventually I will end up with the 1-2 punch I’ve been searching for all season.

    My Winner Pick was the defending champion of the Quaker State 400, and Kyle Busch looked like he would make it back-to-back wins in Sparta early on. Rowdy wasted no time in showing he was the guy to beat in the No. 18 M&M’s Red, White & Blue Toyota by taking the point position on the opening lap. He was the alpha male for 116 laps in the first half of the race, but minor contact with the wall on lap 130 would cause the No. 18 to slip out of the top 5. The contact was the first of a slew of issues that fell upon the M&M’s camp throughout the remaining 80 laps. During the final third of the Quaker State 400, Kyle Busch would experience a broken rear shock, an empty fuel tank, and a flat tire, but still managed to climb from 18th on the final green flag run to finish 10th.

    A tough night it was for my Dark Horse last week in Kentucky… From the start of the race, Kurt Bush fought a car that was at its worse for the entire weekend. Making the connection from practice to race conditions has been a struggle for the No. 51 Chevrolet all season and this disconnect was violently apparent last week in Kentucky. Busch’s car was so bad in the early stages of the Quaker State 400, he slipped from his 14th-place starting spot to 22nd in just the first 15 laps. The crew continued to throw adjustments to the Phoenix Racing Chevy all night, until the straw that broke the camel’s back fell on lap 206 when Ryan Newman lost an engine and covered the racing surface in oil. Busch fell victim to the oil and slapped the outside wall, successfully ending my hopes of a 1-2 punch by the Busch Brothers. Kurt Busch managed to limp his damaged chariot home in 19th.

    Daytona Picks

    As I glance over practice speeds for the 54th Annual Coke Zero 400, I see one thing… I HAVE NO IDEA WHO TO PICK THIS WEEK! The cars look to be so evenly matched this week, it’s tough to pinpoint two guys who appear to be on the road to victory.

    Winner Pick

    It’s Jamie McMurray that I am rolling the dice with this week. He’s got some history behind him this week in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/NRA Museum Chevrolet, and some solid practice speeds to boot. In the first of two practice sessions at Daytona yesterday, McMurray had the best 10 Consecutive Lap Average at a speed of 196.909mph. He’s also claimed victory 4-times in his career at Daytona or Talladega, but has had a rather ‘lumpy’ start to his 2012 campaign.

    McMurray hasn’t finished better than 7th this year, and you’ve got to look all the way back to March’s Food City 500 to pick up that stat. McMurray sits just inside the top 20 in points and desperately needs a win to have an shot at one of the two ‘Wild Card’ bids for the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Being fastest in final practice will certainly turn some heads around the garage area this weekend.

    Dark Horse Pick

    There aren’t too many dark horses when it comes to racing on Superspeedways because quite honestly, anything can happen. I like the way Chevy’s engines have performed thus far this year, and with temperatures expected to hover around 90 degrees around race time Saturday night, performing well under the heat is pivotal to claiming victory. Having help from teammates is also an important part of taking the checkered at Daytona.

    A guy that has both of these this weekend in Florida is Paul Menard. Looking at his last 3 races at Daytona, he’s finished 6th, 9th, and 8th respectively. Last year’s racing at Daytona and Talladega gave fans the two-car tango, and Menard rode the coat tails of teammate Kevin Harvick to his solid top-10 finishes. This February’s Daytona 500 was a hybrid of the two-car tango and pack racing, and Menard managed to work his way from 37th to finish in the top-10 following ‘the fire heard round the world’. Keep an eye on Menard on Saturday night as he might just have a shot at taking home is second career victory.

    That’s all for this week, so until we hit New England… You Stay Classy NASCAR NATION!

  • Kyle Larson ‘Felt Like a Super Star’ With Top Ten Truck Finish

    Kyle Larson ‘Felt Like a Super Star’ With Top Ten Truck Finish

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: kylelarsonracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”157″][/media-credit]Making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway, one young driver just wanted to learn and finish the race.

    But Kyle Larson, behind the wheel of the No. 4 Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Mobile App, finished top ten and simply “felt like a super star.”

    “That was a big surprise,” Larson said. “I didn’t get much practice there so I didn’t really know how I was going to do.”

    “And with me blowing a motor up and not having much practice, as well as being a go or go homer, I didn’t push it too hard in qualifying,” Larson continued. “I just wanted to spend the first part of the race figuring out how the truck handled and how the air moved around.”

    “Once I learned some stuff, I could really race and I could start picking off people,” Larson said. “And then I found myself in the top ten, so I was really excited about it.”

    “I felt like a super star.”

    With a top-ten in his Truck debut, Larson also garnered a fair amount of attention, particularly from the media. But the young driver took it all in stride.

    “I don’t pay too much attention about it,” Larson said. “The spot light’s been on me for quite a while now.”

    “I just try to go out and race because that’s my job and I love doing it,” Larson continued. “I just want to go out and win. And if I keep winning, the spot light will be even better.”

    Although Larson seemingly sprang onto the NASCAR scene, he has been driving since the age of seven. And he has an extremely impressive racing resume.

    “I started racing outlaw karts when I was seven,” Larson said. “They’re 400 pound go karts with 500 cc engines. So, they have way too much power for how much they weigh.”

    “I did that for about seven or eight years and moved into 360 and 410 sprint cars on dirt when I was 14,” Larson continued. “I won a couple races the first two years and my fourth year I won the championship and last year was my first year racing nationally in USAC in all their divisions.”

    “I also ran some outlaw races and I’m the only other driver besides I think Tony Stewart to win in all the open wheel national touring series all in one year,” Larson said. “I swept the four crown last year at Eldora Speedway and I did it my first try. That was cool to do.”

    “Last year I won a lot of big races so last year stands out to me because of that.”

    Larson has also been part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, running in the K&N Pro Series East under the auspices of Rev Racing. And the young racer credits much of his success so far to that program.

    “It’s helped me a lot,” Larson said. “My mom’s Japanese so that’s how I’m in the diversity program.”

    “I run for Rev Racing and we’ve been pretty good all year,” Larson continued. “We got a win at Gresham a couple weeks ago.”

    “We just got to make the right calls for the race,” Larson said. “That’s our biggest problem we’ve had this year, not keeping up with the race track because it changes so much.”

    “I think if we work on that, we’ll be better and win some more races.”

    While Larson enjoys driving all types of race cars, his favorite being the winged sprint car, he sees himself racing in NASCAR’s highest levels. And ultimately, he would like to own his own race team.

    “Hopefully the route I’m going will take me to the Sprint Cup Series some day,” Larson said. “That’s my goal and that’s what I want to do.”

    “I want to race with Stewart and Gordon and Kahne and all those guys every week,” Larson continued. “And I’d like someday to own my own team like Kahne and Tony do.”

    “That’s my goal is to get to the Sprint Cup Series so I can help young kids coming up.”

    Larson aspires to be like two drivers in the Cup Series currently, but for very different reasons.

    “As far as a driver, I’d like to be like Kyle Busch because he wins, not a whole lot this year, but he’s a talented driver and he always gives 110%,” Larson said. “As far as off the track goes, I think I need to be like Jimmie Johnson.”

    “He’s really good with the fans and really good with the sponsors too,” Larson continued. “I’d like to be a driver like Kyle and like Jimmie off the track.”

    But for now, the young up and comer just hopes he can do some more truck racing, which of course is dependent on sponsorship.

    “Yeah, sponsors mean a lot as far as getting rides,” Larson said. “I’ve been lucky being with Chip Ganassi Racing and he helped out a lot with this year and also with the truck race at Kentucky.”

    “He has been a great help to me and hopefully we can find some more sponsors to get some more races,” Larson continued. “It’s tough to do with the economy being so bad.”

    “They’ve talked about a few more races but it all depends on if we get a sponsor,” Larson said. “If it were up to me, I’d be racing every weekend in that truck.”

    “I had a lot of fun.”

    Larson’s family also had a great time watching him race in his first ever Truck race. Although his parents still live in his native California, they have taken off this summer to watch their son and to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

    “Right now, my mom and dad are with me at these races, hanging out,” Larson said. “My dad just retired so he has some time now to come watch me.”

    “They were really happy after the Truck race,” Larson continued. “My dad’s a crier so he was up in the stands tearing up.”

    “They were really excited and happy that I did good in my first start.”

    For fans who want to get to know the young Larson, he has two surprises to share. The first is his passions off the track and the other is his interesting exercise regimen, or lack thereof.

    “These past few weeks, I raced every day,” Larson said. “I don’t get a lot of free time but when I do, I’m out fishing.”

    “During the winter, I like to go snowboarding when I can,” Larson continued. “I’m not good at it but I like going down the mountain.”

    “I’m also really skinny but I love to eat,” Larson continued. “And no, I don’t work out at all.”

    “I worked out a few times this year with Rev Racing but then I started racing so I didn’t have time,” Larson said. “I don’t get tired though.”

    “That’s what I think people would find surprising about me,” Larson said. “I never get winded. I think it’s just because I stay calm.”

    Finally, the young racer is simply enjoying his time in the sun, especially during his Truck debut.

    “That’s really the first time I’ve ever raced with all that media around,” Larson said. “So that was cool to get interviewed.”

    “I really did feel like a super star.”

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Quaker State 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Quaker State 400

    [media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Racing, rather than traffic, ruled the day at the second annual running of the Quaker State 400. Here is what was surprising and not so surprising from Kentucky Speedway.

    Surprising:  It was surprising the odds that Brad Keselowski played to get to Victory Lane. He finished No. 1 in the Quaker State 400 in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge to score his No.3 win for the 2012 season.

    Keselowski, in a back-up car after a practice accident with Juan Pablo Montoya, scored his first ever win at Kentucky.

    “Who’d have figured my best finish would have came in the hardest race but that just shows the importance of teamwork,” Keselowski said. “The group of guys that I have on this Miller Lite Dodge, they’re just bad asses.”

    “They put together a back-up car from last year in the hundred degree heat in an hour’s time,” Keselowski continued. “And that’s what got us to Victory lane today and I’m proud of these guys for it, damn proud of ‘em.”

    “I think that sums it up.”

    Not Surprising:  Penske Racing’s other car, with A.J. Allmendinger behind the wheel, also beat the odds at Kentucky. The ‘Dinger brought the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge home in the ninth position, in spite of running out of gas on the last lap.

    “I was happy with the way most of the day went, especially around here because I haven’t been good around here,” Allmendinger said. “A lot of the credit goes to Brad helping me out. He’s obviously really good.”

    “But for a track that I’m not very good at, that I really struggle at and tough conditions, running inside the top 10 for pretty much all of the day and getting a ninth out of it, which I’d like to have been a little bit better, but it’s something to build on.”

    Surprising:  Stewart Haas Racing had a surprisingly bad day in the Blue Grass State. Tony Stewart, in the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, had ignition problems early in the race which led to his 32nd place finish.

    With that dismal finish, Smoke became NASCAR’s biggest loser, dropping four positions to ninth position in the point standings.

    Teammate Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet, finished 34th after blowing his engine and careening into the wall. Although Newman was not physically hurt, his psyche took a hit with his second DNF of the season.

    Not Surprising:  On the flip side, Hendrick Motorsports had a fabulous day at Kentucky Speedway, with Kasey Kahne finishing second, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fourth, Jeff Gordon fifth, and Jimmie Johnson sixth.

    This was Kahne’s first top-10 finish in two races at Kentucky and his eighth top-10 finish of the season.

    “Well, we had a really good Quaker State Chevrolet,” Kahne said. “We had to pass a ton of cars and came up a little short.”

    “But the team was awesome.”

    Kahne’s HMS teammate and four time champ Jeff Gordon echoed his sentiments.

    “It was a pretty flawless night for our Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet,” Jeff Gordon said. “I was pretty excited that we came home with a fifth place finish, battling up front like we did.”

    Surprising:  After three straight engine issues in a row and a smack against the wall at Kentucky, Kyle Busch, who was dominant early in the race, finished with a surprising top-10.

    “It was definitely not any fun – not as much fun as we were having early on,” Busch said. “We just had to persevere and try to get through it the best we could.”

    “So, tough night again for these M&M’s guys,” Busch continued. “We salvaged a heck of a finish for what all we had to go through.”

    Not Surprising:   Every race, even in the heart of horse country, has its share of drivers unhappy with one another. And this race was no exception, with drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Newman getting into it.

    “I’m not really sure what’s going on with the boy in that No. 20 car,” Newman said. “He’s got a few things to learn and I’m going to have to be the one who teaches him.”

    Surprising:  Matt Kenseth’s announcement that he would leave Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season for pastures unknown had surprisingly no effect on him on the track. Kenseth, in his No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Fusion finished 7th and maintained his points lead in the Chase standings.

    “It was a huge struggle for us tonight,” Kenseth said. “I am happy to finish seventh for as big of a struggle as it was.”

    Not Surprising:  Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, announced via Twitter prior to the race that he would be staying on with Joe Gibbs Racing and, to no one’s surprise, finished third in the Quaker State 400.

    This was Hamlin’s first top-10 finish in two races at Kentucky Speedway.

    “Our car was really strong,” Hamlin said. “I’m proud of this FedEx team. We needed a finish and that was my first priority on that last run.”

    “Anybody that follows me on Twitter – I like to give them the information first,” Hamlin continued. “A proud moment for us and Joe Gibbs Racing to sign an extension and know where we’re going to be for the foreseeable future.”

    “Hopefully we’ll win a championship together.”

    Surprising:  Forget the consistent points racing, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has a surprising new attitude – he just wants to win. Junior, behind the wheel of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet, finished fourth, however, still had his Michigan win of two weeks ago on his mind.

    “It was really fun,” Junior said of his top-5 at Kentucky. “But we’re just ready to win.”

    “I really had fun winning the other week,” Junior continued. “I’m ready to get back to Victory Lane. I ain’t going to be as patient this time.”

    Not Surprising:  Martin Truex Jr., in the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, continued to fly the flag for Michael Waltrip Racing, finishing eighth.

    “We weren’t very good all night,” Truex Jr. said. “We had a good finish – – I guess.”

    “We were just really tight all night and we couldn’t do anything to fix it.”

    Surprising:  Carl Edwards and company made a rare mistake on pit road, having to come for a splash of gas to finish the race. The No. 99 UPS Ford Fusion took the checkered flag in the 20th position at race end.

    “We had a pretty good car at the end,” Edwards said. “Bob (Osborne) called me onto pit road.”

    “He knew we should have pitted that last time but I was already so far around that cone that I just didn’t feel right cutting across traffic and slamming the splitter down to make it to pit road.”

    “We were put in a box,” Edwards continued. “I am real frustrated. We need to get this in gear.”

    Not Surprising:  After a 21st place finish, it is not surprising to lose positions in the point standings. And Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 American Red Cross Ford Fusion, did just that, falling to the fourth spot in the Chase.

    “We qualified a little better this year than we did last year but the end result was the same,” Biff said. “We were off a little bit and just couldn’t get a handle on it.”

    The Cup Series next travels to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400 for another Saturday night of racing under the lights

     

  • Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 17 Kentucky Speedway – Quaker State 400 – June 30, 2012

    Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 17 Kentucky Speedway – Quaker State 400 – June 30, 2012

    For the second time in Kentucky Speedway’s brief 12-year history, the big guns of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will set their sights on the 1.5-mile, D-shaped demon. My forecast for the weekend, ‘it’s going to be HOT!’ Temperatures are slated to reach triple-digits all weekend in the Bluegrass State, and the heat will only add to the slickness of the racing surface in Sparta.

    It was a year ago that I had the privilege (or punishment) of covering the Inaugural Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, and amidst the traffic issues, inclement weather and irritated race fans, I managed to have a good time. Jerry Carroll and now Bruton Smith have erected an absolutely magnificent facility in Northern Kentucky, and should be extremely proud to have been mentioned atop the list of sold-out races in 2011.

    Sonoma Recap

    I had a decent weekend last week in wine country, but did not have as good of a weekend as I would have liked. I’m supposedly a ‘Road Course Specialist’ so one would assume I could come up with some a decent finish in Sonoma.

    My Winner Pick last week was the guy that 95% of the entire NASCAR community had pegged to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350, but fell short in his effort to win from his second Coors Light Pole in as many weeks. Marcos Ambrose was the guy to beat going into last week’s 110 lap stanza, but Ambrose battled an ill-handling chariot early in his quest to make it two road course victories in a row for the Stanley team. Ambrose shuffled his way back to a race-low 16th position and rallied to start 13th before the green-white-checkered finish.

    Ambrose’s work with just two laps to work with showed me why I made the call to go with him last week. The Aussie was able to rebound from the ill handling racecar he had early on to finish 8th last week, earning me a much-needed top 10 in Sonoma.

    My Dark Horse was another driver with a roller-coaster of a day last week in wine country…

    Jeff Gordon started his day on the outside of the front row and quickly took advantage of Ambrose’s misfortune early on. Gordon snagged the lead on lap 12, and amidst his tenure leading the 2012 Toyota/Save Mart 350, managed to surpass 23,000 career laps led, the most among active drivers and ranking seventh on the all-time list. The No. 24 Chevrolet remained in the top 5 until lap 71 when his Impala sputtered on-track, a telling sign of an empty fuel cell. He was able to limp his car to pit road where he received a full tank of fuel and four tires, arming him for a run for the checkered. As the race shook out, drivers came to pit road, gained positions and following the green-white-checkered, the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet was shown 6th on the final leaderboard, giving me a double top-10 week last Sunday.

    Kentucky Picks

    With just one year of history to pull from in the Bluegrass State, it is tough to identify a guy who is ‘Good at Kentucky’. I’m going to do my best this week and pray for a win…

    Winner Pick

    Kyle Busch is where my money is going this week. He absolutely dominated the weekend last year in Sparta (winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ race after starting dead last, finishing second in the Nationwide race after finishing dead last, and by dominating the Inaugural Quaker State 400 from the pole) and is hungry to solidify his spot in The Chase for the Sprint Cup with a win on Saturday night. As I glance at current practice speeds from Kentucky, he had been shown third fastest in the first hour, but has slipped to 9th currently.

    Here’s what Busch had to say about returning to Kentucky as the Inaugural Race Winner:

    “I think it’s cool. You look at some of the new venues we’ve been to over the years and Jeff Gordon got to win a number of inaugural races, like the Brickyard, Fontana, and Kansas. He was always the guy who was known to figure out places the fastest, but we were able to be the ones to do that last year at Kentucky. There aren’t many opportunities these days to go to a new venue, so for us being able to win the first race there was extra special and, to put that M&M’s car in victory lane. We’d love to be able to come back there with our Red, White, and Blue M&M’s car and still keep us as the only winners there thus far in Sprint Cup.”

    Dark Horse Pick

    Why not make it an all Busch weekend this week and pick the No. 51 Finch Racing Chevy to win or bring home a top-5 this week? His Phoenix Construction Services Impala held together last week to finish 3rd in Sonoma, and barring suspension from NASCAR this week, I think Kurt Busch has a decent shot at a strong finish this week. As a glance at the practice speeds, its looking like KuBu has a decent car and is working on primarily race-trim, with the go-or-go homers soaking up a good portion of positions 10-20 on the practice leader board. He finished 9th last year in the inaugural race at Kentucky Speedway, driving for Penske Racing.

    That’s all for this week, so until we throw the restrictor plates on once again this year…You Stay Classy NASCAR NATION!

  • Hornaday Scores 50th Career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victory

    Hornaday Scores 50th Career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victory

    Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet started from the pole in the Kentucky 225 at a cold Kentucky Speedway. Dillon won the pole with a track record speed of 179.868 mph. Ron Hornaday started second in the No. 2 Hollywood Casino Chevrolet driving for Kevin Harvick, Inc.

    During the first half of the race cautions were frequent, with the race seeing 7 caution flags early on. Josh Richards, driving the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota brought out the first caution when he spun and hit the wall hard on lap 2 of the 150 lap race. On lap 51 the No. 7 of Miguel Paludo spun collecting the No. 29 of of Parker Kligerman and the No. 9 of Max Papis.

    After the half way mark the race settled into a long green flag run and drivers were forced to make  pit stops under green with about 20 laps to go.  Dillon had built up a large lead and it looked as if he would run away with yet another victory. Hornaday and his team had other plans, however, and came out of the green flag pit stop cycle with the lead. Dillon caught Hornaday once in traffic late in the race, but Hornaday was able to hold him off and score the win in his Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet.

    The win was the Hornaday’s 50th career victory and is the most wins, overall, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Hornaday’s victory was his third win of the season. Dillon finished in 2nd , James Buescher finished 3rd in the No. 31, with Nelson Piquet Jr. 4th and Brian Ickler 5th in the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota.

    Dillon’s second place finish helped him retain his lead in the series point standings by three points over James Buescher with five races left to run in the season. Hornaday is now fifth, 42 points out of the lead in the championship standings.

    Drivers trading the lead throughout the night included Hornaday, A. Dillon, Nelson Piquet Jr. in the No. 8, and Timothy Peters in the No. 17. Todd Bodine finished 7th, with Austin Dillon’s brother Ty finishing 18th after running out of fuel late in the race. The race was Ty’s debut in the series also driving a Richard Childress Racing truck.

    Unofficial Race Results
    Kentucky 225, Kentucky Speedway
    ==============================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    ==============================================
    1 2 2 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 48
    2 1 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 43
    3 8 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 42
    4 3 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. * Chevrolet 41
    5 4 18 Brian Ickler Toyota 40
    6 16 4 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 38
    7 12 5 Todd Bodine Toyota 38
    8 10 60 Cole Whitt * Chevrolet 37
    9 20 98 Dakoda Armstrong Chevrolet 35
    10 14 81 David Starr Toyota 34
    11 5 6 Justin Lofton Chevrolet 33
    12 35 32 Blake Feese Chevrolet 32
    13 9 22 Joey Coulter * Chevrolet 31
    14 17 13 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 31
    15 24 33 Cale Gale Chevrolet 29
    16 25 92 Clay Rogers Chevrolet 28
    17 13 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 28
    18 15 121 Ty Dillon Chevrolet 26
    19 18 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota 25
    20 36 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Dodge 0
    21 32 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet 23
    22 23 66 Ross Chastain Chevrolet 22
    23 6 88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 21
    24 19 23 Jason White Chevrolet 20
    25 21 7 Miguel Paludo * Toyota 19
    26 29 93 B.J. McLeod Chevrolet 18
    27 30 7 John King Toyota 18
    28 22 9 Max Papis Toyota 16
    29 7 29 Parker Kligerman * Dodge 15
    30 34 168 Clay Greenfield Dodge 0
    31 28 87 Chris Jones Chevrolet 13
    32 26 138 Mike Garvey Chevrolet 0
    33 27 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 11
    34 11 151 Josh Richards Toyota 10
    35 31 174 Mike Harmon Ford 0
    36 33 127 Brent Raymer Chevrolet 0
  • Smith responds….. ‘Las Vegas, Baby!’

    Smith responds….. ‘Las Vegas, Baby!’

    Just after it had appeared that the animosity from the traffic debacle at Kentucky Speedway had somewhat subsided, Bruton Smith, who is Speedway Motorsports, opened up another can of hard feelings on Friday. He should have hidden from the media.

    [media-credit id=24 align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]After saying he was sorry that he was sorry that fans had to endure the mess that was created when over 100,000 fans tried to enter the speedway, he let loose with some inflammatory comments that may have made things worse. He got some things right and some things terribly wrong, but those of us who admire Smith for his expertise in putting on good shows at his tracks and the general convenience of his properties, had to pause as he made his comments.

    Bruton got some things right. Two two-car drafting at Daytona and Talladega is an abomination. This Restrictor Plate Two-Step is simply not racing. It puts a driver in an unnatural position of settling for second place—pushing the car—instead of racing. It should be fixed. Smith’s comments that he would fix Kentucky’s traffic problems before NASCAR fixed that particular problem at those two tracks were probably spot-on.

    He’s also right about the highway system that goes into the track, but this is a problem at other SMI tracks like Bristol, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and others including the crown jewel, Charlotte Motor Speedway. Put that many people in one area and you will have problems. He has somewhat alleviated the problems at Bristol and Charlotte, two tracks I regularly attend. The secret there is to go early and stay late. It works. Oh yeah, and find a back road. The difference there is a very organized parking and camping situation—something Kentucky did not have.

    What he missed on were his comments about building infrastructure. Sparta, Kentucky has a grand total of 235 residents (according to a 2007 estimate). It is only 42 miles from Cincinnati, OH in the north and about 60 miles from other population centers in the state, Louisville and Lexington. It’s not Charlotte where affluence is noted everywhere. While Smith was able to strong-arm officials in Charlotte, he may have a tough time with Kentucky officials. Building an extra 40,000 seats didn’t help any either.

    He also stated emphatically that there would be no cash refunds because people couldn’t park, and were actually turned away from the track, because, “we don’t want to.” That’s a pretty arrogant statement. The ticket exchange is nice, but how many people can just pick up and go to Charlotte, Bristol, or Atlanta because they missed a race they paid for and sat in traffic for hours waiting to get into the facility.

    More alarming were the stories of poor camping conditions (which are the lifeblood of most SMI tracks. These die-hard race fans are always there) and parking seem to indicate poor planning for the part of the speedway. Clearly as the head of the corporation, these maladies fall right on his shoulders—something he refuses to admit.

    The final insult was the questions asked by Dustin Long, a reporter for Landmark Newspapers and Smith’s answers. When asked what he would discuss with the Kentucky governor next week about improvements to the infrastructure around the track, Smith responded, “Las Vegas, baby.” It was an apparent veiled threat to move the Kentucky date to his track in Nevada, giving that facility two dates. It’s something Smith has wanted for awhile and leaves the impression that the Kentucky debacle was a planned event for that end. Never mind the comments referring to the ISC track in Homestead, Florida, as being in “North Cuba.” Smith would like the season finale to be in Las Vegas instead of Homestead.

    So, what will happen? Your guess is as good as mine. Kentucky officials might give in to Smith, but I doubt it. The track might be better managed next time, but it probably will get better, especially if folks just stay away, which I expect. I only know that Smith will eventually get his way. He always has been able to get things done, but this one will be a little tougher.

    It wouldn’t surprise me to see another date at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a couple of years. Then the good folks of Kentucky will know how fans in Rockingham and North Wilkesboro felt. That’s not good.

  • Clint Bowyer Has One Word for 200th Career Start: Pride

    Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, is set to mark a milestone in his career.  He will make his 200th Sprint Cup career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Lenox Tools 301 this weekend.

    “200 races means a lot to me,” Bowyer said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity just to be in this sport.”

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”201″][/media-credit]Bowyer’s milestone also had him thinking about his first race in the Cup Series in Phoenix.

    “To think back to Phoenix and what that race meant to me and to now,” Bowyer said. “It truly meant a lot to my career.”

    “That race is what led to all of this,” Bowyer continued. “I’m just thankful for all the opportunities along the way and I’m trying to make the most of them.”

    Does the 200th start make the young driver feel just a tad bit old?

    “No, it doesn’t make me feel old”, Bowyer said with a laugh. “But it does make you realize how fast time flies.”

    “200 races, it’s like ‘Holy cow, already?’, Bowyer continued. “It’s just amazing how fast things happen.”

    Bowyer will definitely have to try to make the most of his achievement, especially at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with whom he seems to have a love/hate relationship.

    NHMS was the site of Bowyer’s first ever Cup win, however, it was also be the beginning of the end of his Chase chances last year, when he suffered a lethal penalty that put him dead last in the Chase standings.

    “Probably the best moment in my career was right here in New Hampshire with my first win,” Bowyer said. “And probably the worst was having that penalty right here.”

    Although Bowyer has run well at the track in the past, he is not taking anything for granted for his upcoming race this weekend.

    “We’ve always run well in a short flat-track program,” Bowyer said. “But there’s nothing saying that we’re not going to bring that same recipe back that we did last year and find that same success.”

    “We’re going to have to work hard,” Bowyer continued. “And we’re going to have to find a good balance on our race car.”

    “But it seems like it’s easier to find that balance for us on a track like this.”

    Can the RCR driver put aside the penalty that he suffered the last time he was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

    “It is what it is,” Bowyer said philosophically. “It doesn’t matter. It’s behind me.”

    In fact, Bowyer is more worried about what happened to him last weekend at Kentucky than what he endured the last time he ran a race in New Hampshire. Bowyer had a terrible run in Kentucky, cutting a tire and wrecking in the waning laps of the race, finishing miserably in the 35th position.

    “It’s frustrating to have to come back here and answer questions about last year because I’m worried about last week and overcoming last week; forget about last year,” Bowyer said.

    Yet Bowyer is trying to put his bad week in his rear view mirror, especially in light of his 200th start milestone.

    “It can very easily become a negative and spiral out of control,” Bowyer said. “But there are so many positives about our season. We’ve run well and that’s what has put us in this situation.”

    Bowyer’s situation is that he is now 12th in points and battling mightily to make the Chase to contend for the 2011 NASCAR Cup championship.

    “This is a crucial time for us,” Bowyer said. “We’ve got them breathing down our necks.”

    “But I tell you, with this crazy wildcard thing, this is a good track for us to get a win and solidify ourselves in the Chase,” Bowyer continued. “So, it’s an important weekend for sure.”

    Bowyer is definitely viewing his 200th career start as a chance to redeem himself and his race team. And for Bowyer, he wants to do so not just for himself but also his fans.

    “This is a chance to redeem myself absolutely,” Bowyer said. “You see a guy with a shirt on their back and it’s a sense of pride as well as responsibility for me.”

    “I look to go out there and run well for them and make them proud,” Bowyer continued.

    Bowyer was fastest in practice but could not quite pull off a pole run. He qualified 12th, with a speed of 133.595 mph and a time of 28.540 seconds.

    “New Hampshire has always been a great place for us to come,” Bowyer said. “The best thing is all the fans and all the people I have met over the years.”

    “Those relationships you’ll have with you the rest of your life and will mean the most to you,” Bowyer continued. “It makes me focus on this next race to make sure there is another 200 races after that.”