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  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Party in the Poconos 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Party in the Poconos 400

    With a picture-perfect race day after a qualifying rainout, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 32nd annual Party in the Poconos 400.

    Surprising:  With good practice times and a decent starting position set on owner’s points, it was most surprising to see the No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet  head to pit road and then to the garage on the first lap of the race.

    “We have no idea what happened with the car yet,” Kasey Kahne said. “The crew and engineers have been looking at things but they’re still unsure.”

    “II know that when I took off, in second gear, I had no power and it was just vibrating like crazy,” Kahne continued. “The faster I went, the worse the vibration was.”

    With the garage time, Kahne finished nineteen laps down in the 36th position. He also lost two positions in the point standings, falling from the fifth to seventh spot.

    Not Surprising:  With the controversy of the Dover restart still ringing in his ears, Jimmie Johnson put it all behind him, leading a record setting 128 laps out of the total 160 at Pocono Raceway.

    And with a lap leading percentage of 80%, there was no surprise that the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet found Victory Lane for the third time of the season and the third time at Pocono.

    “I’m sure we’ve had some other really strong races like that, but not in recent memory,” Johnson said. “What a race car.”

    “There are only so many tricks you have if you play by the rules with those restarts,” Johnson continued. “Fortunately, I was able to get the lead and have clean air again at the end.”

    Surprising:  With all the struggles of team Ford, it was most surprising to see Greg Biffle, in the No. 16 3M Ford, surge at the end to score the runner up position.

    “We had some good restarts and we were lucky with the lane choices and my car ran pretty good on restarts,” Biffle said. “Clearly we’re not celebrating that we finished second quite yet and have our cars figured out, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.”

    “We certainly ran better here than we have been all season and certainly that’s a positive for us going to next week, so hopefully we’ll continue to build on that.”

    Not Surprising:  With a third place finish in the books, NASCAR’s most popular driver pronounced it all good, as well as predicting that the momentum might just carry the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet into Victory Lane soon.

    “We are all right,” Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said. “We know what we need to do.”

    “Confidence is there so all the fans can rest assured we feel like we are on the right track,” Junior continued. “We want to get a win, man.”

    “If we keep getting close, we are going to get one.”

    Surprising:  The announcement of Toyota Racing Development backing down the horsepower to improve reliability surprisingly came at the worst time for Denny Hamlin, who has been battling intently to recover from his injury and make the Chase.

    “We weren’t competitive,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said after finishing eighth. “We’re just trying to do everything we can and grind and finish good when we don’t have a winning car.”

    “And by no means did we have a winning car this weekend.”

    Not Surprising:   Fellow Toyota teammate Kyle Busch was the top Toyota finisher, bringing his No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry home in the sixth position.

    “The car was loose in turn three all day, but we got the car feeling pretty good towards the end,” Busch said. “We probably had a seventh place car all day long.”

    “I just couldn’t get going on that last restart,” Busch continued. “I just didn’t do a good job there and we found ourselves in sixth.”

    “We’ll take that and go on to Michigan.”

    Surprising:  Stewart-Haas Racing had a surprisingly good time at the Party in the Poconos, with Tony Stewart finishing in fourth, Ryan Newman finishing fifth, and Danica Patrick finishing on the lead lap at her first ever try on that tricky track.

    “It’s one thing if one car runs good, but to have two or all three of us running good shows that we are gaining momentum,” Tony Stewart, team owner and driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, said . “Really proud of our group at SHR.”

    Not Surprising:  Kurt Busch, behind the wheel of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, once again faced adversity, this time with a problem on pit road. And not surprisingly, he and his team rallied yet again to finish top-10.

    “We had a fast car again, ran up front but a mistake on my part on pit road stalled our momentum,” Busch said. “But we battled back with a solid finish.”

    “The good news is that we know how to overcome adversity and the more we perform the way we have been, the better we’ll get.”

    Surprising:  Matt Kenseth had an uncharacteristically and surprisingly tough day, doing some synchronized spinning with Juan Pablo Montoya and then wheel-hopping on pit road and having some contact with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    “I mean, disappointing,” the driver of the No. 20 Home Depot/Husky Tools Toyota said. “I thought we had a top-five at the very worst or seventh or eighth-place car.”

    “Whenever you don’t finish where you are running, it’s always disappointing.”

    Not Surprising:  Earnhardt Ganassi Racing just keeps gaining ground, this week with Jamie McMurray finishing thirteenth and Juan Pablo Montoya finishing fourteenth.

    “We just have to execute,” Montoya said. “Each person has got to do its own little thing.”

    “We just have to keep our heads down and keep doing our work and we will be fine.”

    Surprising:  AJ Allmendinger had a surprisingly difficult day in the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet, finishing a disappointing 33rd. The ‘Dinger was responsible for the next to the last race caution after experiencing significant tire troubles.

    In spite of this, Allmendinger was surprisingly chosen to replace Bobby Labonte when the Cup crowd heads to Michigan next weekend. JTG Daugherty Racing’s leadership apparently selected ‘Dinger to shake down the car to see if and how the performance can be enhanced.

    “I have raced for Phoenix Racing some this year and feel confident I’ll be able to provide JTG Daugherty Racing with a good comparison,” Allmendinger said. “I’m thankful for this opportunity to work with the team and Bobby.”

    Not Surprising:  For Chad Knaus, crew chief, and team Jimmie Johnson, the focus still remains on the point standings. And this team not surprisingly knows exactly how important their points lead is, now 51 points ahead of Carl Edwards.

    “As far as points go, it’s always important,” Knaus said. “We’ve got some very tricky race tracks coming up and we want to make sure that we get as many points accumulated as possible.”

    “That’s just the way we roll.”

     

  • Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

    Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

     

    NASCAR Cup competitors Aric Almirola and David Ragan joined together to lend their hands in assembling comfort kits for children whose family members were being deployed through the various branches of the military.

    The event “With You All the Way”, hosted by Pocono Raceway, was sponsored by NASCAR, The NASCAR Foundation, the USO, Comfort Crew for Military Kids, and the Trevor Romain Company.

    “It means a lot to their families and those that wish their loved ones were at home with them,” David Ragan, driver of the No. 32 Taco Bell Ford, said as he packed the comfort kits. “To send a little care package that says, ‘Hey, we’re with you and thinking about you and supporting you’ goes a long way.”

    “It’s great the NASCAR community gets involved at events like this,” Ragan continued. “It means a lot because they are certainly sacrificing a lot.”

    “It’s great to get the fans, the drivers and Miss Sprint Cup involved too,” Ragan said. “It’s the least we can do to say thank you to the military and their families.”

    Ragan shared that he could definitely relate as he has had many family members who have served in the military over the years.

    “I’ve had a lot of family members in service, some in the Air Force and some in the Army,” Ragan said. “My father was a little too young to go to Vietnam but I had a lot of uncles involved.”

    “So I know that it is important to let the military families know we are thinking about them.”

    “Everyone’s enjoying doing this and it puts things in perspective,” Ragan said. “It makes you forget about all those small things that you think are trouble.”

    Richard Petty driver Aric Almirola also participated in the comfort kit assembly line. And for the driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford supporting the military is also very personal.

    “It definitely touches a personal spot for me growing up in a military family,” Almirola said. “My dad was in the Air Force and I was born on Eglin Air Force base.”

    “It means a lot to me to be able to give back to these military families,” Almirola continued. “To do something as simple as pack up some boxes for kids and put a smile on their face means so much.”

    One of Almirola’s major tasks was to assemble and dress the teddy bears, complete with flight caps, goggles and scarves.

    “We had a good team going on with a group building these bears,” Almirola said. “Just looking at those bears; it makes me wonder whose hands they’re going to get in.”

    “Hopefully it makes them happy when they get it,” Almirola continued. “It’s really a cool event and it makes me appreciative of our military and all who support our country.”

    Regan

    Like Ragan, Almirola acknowledged that events like this comfort kit assemblage really helped to put his racing life in perspective.

    “It certainly puts a lot of perspective on life in general,” Almirola said. “Without the military and those that keep us free, we certainly wouldn’t be out here riding around on a race track.”

    “I respect those people tremendously and we owe them a lot to what we get to do on a daily basis and for the protection they provide for us,” Almirola continued. “We’re building bears and giving them gifts because they deserve it.”

    “It puts things into total perspective.”

    This unique packing event came about due to the partnership between the NASCAR Foundation and the USO.

    “The NASCAR Foundation approached us to be a part of their “American Salute” campaign this year and wanted to have a way to give back to military families,” Emily Branch, Account Manager for the USO, said. “So, we thought the “With You All the Way” program was a perfect fit and was a good way to get the drivers and the crews engaged.”

    “We have three military families to support the event today and tomorrow they will have a VIP experience at the track,” Branch continued. “We also have some drivers, crew members and general volunteers from the industry.”

    Branch acknowledged that the comfort kits are lifelines for many of the military children at all ages.

    “These kits mean so much to the military children,” Branch said. “They give comfort and provide support.”

    “There is a DVD in the kit and a journal, as well as a caregiver manual,” Branch continued. “The kits are designed by the Comfort Crew for Military Kids.”

    “The Trevor Romain Company is also a partner and we have multiple kits for the deployed, for children of wounded service members, and kits for children of fallen soldiers.”

    The creator of the comfort kits, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Comfort Crew for Military Kids Ronda Englander, was also on hand for the Pocono packing party.

    “We designed all the elements to be a comprehensive set of resources to help kids with all aspects of deployment,” Englander said. “There is a journal and we feel strongly this is an important way to express their feelings.”

    “It’s an opportunity to document what happens in their lives when their loved one is away,” Englander continued. “One family that received our resources shared that the father who was away cried when he read his daughter’s journal.”

    “That’s how she knew she had gotten her daddy back because he got his feelings back.”

    For Englander, as for the drivers who participated in this packing event, this is also a very personal event and passion.

    “My dad served in Viet Nam so I was a military kid and know a little bit about the sacrifices military families make,” Englander said. “He did not survive his tour.”

    “I was three at the time, Englander continued. “So, this most certainly is a labor of love and most important to me to make sure that this generation of military kids does not feel alone and that they have the support they need to overcome the challenges.”

    “The theme of our deployment kit is “We are with you all the way” and that’s what we want military families to know.”

    Englander also expressed her gratitude to the NASCAR community for their support of the effort.

    “The NASCAR community is such a great fit for our work and for this type of event,” Englander said. “NASCAR fans understand that our military are the true rock stars.”

    “We’re in awe of the drivers here but the NASCAR community is so supportive of the military community,” Englander continued. “It’s a great fit.”

    The other partner in the USO Comfort kit project is one of the most important, the host Pocono Raceway.

    “It’s all about the families and the kids,” Brandon Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, said. “To be able to give back to the troops and to help for all they do is so worth it.”

    “Of everything in these boxes, the one thing that stands out to me are the teddy bears,” Igdalsky continued. “I know they would be most meaningful to my children.”

    “To see these kids here having fun and helping out makes it all worthwhile.

    For more information on the “With You All the Way” comfort kit project, visit www.comfortcrew.org or www.uso.org.

     

     

  • Chase Elliott and Erik Jones Make ARCA History With One, Two Finish at Pocono

    Chase Elliott and Erik Jones Make ARCA History With One, Two Finish at Pocono

    Two seventeen year olds, Chase Elliott and Erik Jones battled royally at the Tricky Triangle to score a one, two finish in the Pocono ARCA 200.

    And in so doing, they made history, becoming the youngest winner and runner up finisher in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

    “It was a lot of fun,” Chase Elliott said of his race win after starting from the 32nd position. “We had to start in the back and had some work to do.”

    “Lance (McGrew, crew chief) made some good calls getting us off sequence,” Elliott continued. “Being able to take advantage of that and get out in front when the cautions fell, I feel worked out to our advantage.”

    “We got out front and stayed there so it worked out.”

    The driver of the No. 9 Aaron’s-Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet admitted that it did not hurt having his father Bill coaching him prior to the race and from atop the hauler, especially with his history of winning at Pocono.

    “I talked to him a lot by phone and then at the track,” Elliott said. “He gave me some good advice about this place.”

    “But the big thing is that he never raced on this surface so a lot of things are different than how they used to be,” Elliott continued. “A lot of things have changed but it is still the same old Pocono and he helped me a lot.”

    What did it mean to have his father with him in Victory Lane at Pocono?

    “It means a ton to me,” Elliott said. “It wasn’t a little over ten years ago that I was in Victory Lane with Dad and I’ve got some pictures from that.”

    “I just think that’s really cool,” Elliott continued. “To come up here to Pocono where Dad raced and to get that opportunity is really cool.”

    “I knew it would mean a lot to win and we were fortunate that it worked out.”

    Proud father Bill Elliott did have some first words for his young race winner in Victory Lane. And Chase Elliott definitely heeded that advice.

    “First thing he said that he was going to keep the champagne because I wasn’t old enough to drink it,” Elliott said. “But I think it meant a lot for dad to go back to Victory Lane with me.”

    “I’m not a dad but I feel like that would be cool,” Chase Elliott said. “I’m glad I could take him there today and hope to do it a lot more this year.”

    Bill Elliott was indeed proud of his young son, who has become the focus of his racing expertise.

    “Someone showed me a picture when I was in Victory Lane in 2002 and here is Chase in Victory Lane now in 2013,” Bill Elliott said. “He did a good job.”

    “Everything came together and he did real well,” Elliott continued. “It’s a dream come true for me.”

    “He’s done a good job in all he’s raced,” Elliott said. “This is just another era.”

    Bill Elliott acknowledged that he was one who pushed the ARCA Series to consider relaxing their rules to allow 16 and 17 year olds to race in the series.

    “The kids today have so much more experience and there was a real void there at age 16 or 17,” Elliott said. “ARCA is giving these kids a little extra time to get their feet wet.”

    Bill Elliott was not the only proud parent with his son’s historic ARCA win.

    “I’m just really thrilled for him,” mom Cindy Elliott said. “They tell me that he is the youngest winner.”

    “So, I’m just thrilled for him and for the team and for Lance McGrew, winning now in every division,” Cindy Elliott continued. “What they’ve accomplished today is just wonderful.”

    Crew chief Lance McGrew was also very proud of his young racer and felt fortunate that he could showcase his skills on the big track of Pocono.

    “Chase is an extremely talented race car driver,” McGrew said. “He is young but he was born and bred that way.”

    “He’s got years and years of experience,” McGrew continued. “We were fortunate enough that ARCA made a rule change this season to where we could run on a bigger race track.”

    “I felt like with the backing we had and Chase’s experience that we could come here and do well,” McGrew said. “And we did.”

    Seventeen year old Erik Jones, behind the wheel of the No. 15 ToyotaCare Toyota, finished runner up to Chase Elliott. And he had to battle his own demons and mistakes before being able to move forward to contend for the lead.

    “We ran ourselves out of fuel right before the first pit stop on Lap 42,” Jones said. “We had the whole field lapped at that time.”

    “We had to start at the tail end and a violation coming off pit road,” We just didn’t have time to run him back down.”

    “We’ll come back in August and see if we can get the win.”

    Veteran driver Frank Kimmel, in the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Toyota, finished third. And he was feeling very good about that finish after just getting a few laps on the track because of the rain.

    “Pretty good day,” Kimmel said. “We were one of the teams that didn’t test so we just had about three laps before the race.”

    “I smacked the wall and I thought I had a flat,” Kimmel continued. “That kind of ruined our day and I couldn’t run with those two.”

    “So, we rode it out.”

    Kimmel had nothing but praise for the youngsters who beat him on the race track. And yes, he acknowledged that they were really young, with both of them combined having less years of life than he had alone.

    “What a remarkable deal these young kids are,” Kimmel said. “I have underwear that old.”

    “Chase is a chip off the old block,” Kimmel continued. “I asked Bill (Elliott) who Chase’s  father was because he’s an awfully nice kid.”

    “These young kids are a lot of fun to race with.”

    Tom Hessert, behind the wheel of the No. 77 Barbera’s Autoland Dodge, and Mason Mitchell, driving the No. 99 Happy Cheeks-BeavEx-Reliance Tool Ford, rounded out the top five finishers in the Pocono ARCA 200.

     

     

     

  • Danica Patrick Acknowledges Learning Curve Continues at Pocono

    Danica Patrick Acknowledges Learning Curve Continues at Pocono

    As Danica Patrick approaches her first race ever at Pocono Raceway, she absolutely acknowledges that she is still very much in learning curve mode. In fact, the rookie Patrick is just the second woman to race at Pocono, following in the steps of Janet Guthrie.

    “I think that people have been really understanding to the fact that this is a learning curve and coming from IndyCar is a totally different place,” Patrick said. “I feel that’s been actually very publicized that there is going to be time needed to see that through.”

    “That doesn’t stop me from getting mad or wanting more,” Patrick continued. “I think that’s just the nature of someone competitive.”

    “There are a lot of times that my crew chief wants to remind me that I’m doing a good job and that this is the first year, not only in Cup, but my second full-time in stock cars,” Patrick said. “But I have high expectation levels.”

    “It keeps me pushing,” Patrick continued. “I think the media has done a good job of education maybe the more casual fan that it’s a big transition.”

    Patrick is definitely in learning mode at Pocono and expressed her gratitude for at least being able to test there recently. She was, however, disappointed not only that practice was rained out but qualifying as well.

    “It’s a good thing we came last week and tested, that’s for sure,” Patrick said. “Obviously it doesn’t look like we’ll get out on the track (because of the rain).”

    “Unfortunately that will leave it up to points to qualify,” Patrick continued. “Oh well, I’ve qualified worse than that on my own.”

    “It’s not in the very back,” Patrick said of her qualifying position in P30. “It will just kind of leave it up to race runs tomorrow, which is not a bad thing when you’re coming to a track for the first time.”

    “To some degree, you just have to learn for yourself what’s going to happen and ultimately what you need,” Patrick continued. “I definitely have good resources with my teammates and am talking with my crew chief about what to expect and what we need to be looking for and what tends to happen in the race here.”

    “So, I’ll be asking those questions.”

    While Patrick expressed her admiration for her boss Tony Stewart, owner/driver for Stewart Haas Racing, she does not necessarily lean on him for advice about the race track, even at one where she has never been like the Tricky Triangle.

    “I don’t necessarily even really talk to Tony or anybody about how to drive it,” Patrick said. “I think that it’s very hard for someone to say well, you need to really carry a lot of speed.”

    “What does that mean?” Patrick continued. “I have to get out on the track and feel what it means and then have a very specific question that I need answered.”

    “Everyone drives differently, so it’s not like someone can just tell you how to drive the track.”

    “I find that I have a lot better results through questions once I’ve actually done something and had a taste of what it is I’m doing,” Patrick said. “It’s very difficult to come to a place that you’ve never seen and ask the right questions.”

    While Patrick may not rely on her boss for tips on how to master the three turns of Pocono, she does want to learn just how he masters the media.

    “I just wish I could do an interview like him,” Patrick said. “He does such a great job.”

    “It’s so funny,” Patrick continued. “He’s not afraid to say what he really thinks at all; even more than me.”

    “And he is much more funny about it,” Patrick said. “He’s so much more adorable about it.”

    “He has a huge drive to be fast and make the team better and make his car better and you feel that, for sure,” Patrick continued. “You also feel that passion.”

    “I love him.”

    One arena that Patrick does not consult in her NASCAR learning curve is the media itself. And she has learned some interesting lessons, especially through social media.

    “Do I read the press?” Patrick was asked. “Only if a have a good weekend.”

    “If I don’t, I don’t,” Patrick continued. “I read it too if there are a lot of pictures; pictures are my favorite.”

    “Social media has given everyone a platform to speak their minds,” Patrick said. “But what that’s done is kind of put your finger on the pulse of what’s going to be written about.”

    “If people don’t like me, they can at least respect my honesty.”

    Most of all, Patrick continues her learning curve in the sport with the support of her incredible fan base. And as she makes her Pocono debut, she is most appreciative of the young ones, both boys and girls, who look up to her and her role in the sport.

    “That’s sometimes the best part of your day is to hear a little kid say that they look up to you,” Patrick admitted. “I never, ever get sick of that.”

    “Some of the kids are very open and they feel like they know you and they come and hug you,” Patrick continued. “It’s a nice feeling.”

    “It makes it all feel kind of worthwhile on days that aren’t good,” Patrick said. “It helps to understand that it’s just one day and that it will pass and they like you because they’ve seen you do well and that they enjoy you as a competitor.”

    “I’m learning about that perspective and it can really brighten up your day.”

  • Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya Still Jawing About Restarts

    Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya Still Jawing About Restarts

    While most have the race at the Monster Mile in their rear view mirrors, with the focus moving to the Tricky Triangle of Pocono, competitors Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya are still jawing about that pesky restart at Dover last weekend.

    In fact, the five-time champion announced during his media availability that he is going to use some of the rain delay time at Pocono to sit down with NASCAR and talk about it some more. And here is what Johnson advised that he wanted to share.

    “I feel that in NASCAR and auto racing there are very few moments where maybe a penalty could be drawn or a foul could be drawn like we would see in the NBA Finals where there is flopping going on,” Johnson said. “I really believe that in the restart zone to the start-finish line that Juan (Pablo Montoya) just didn’t go.”

    “I think he was smart in letting me get out ahead of him and letting NASCAR make the call on me to keep me from having the lead and winning the race.”

    For Johnson, this was all about NASCAR enforcing the restart rules in his opinion.

    “I think we can look at enforcing it differently,” Johnson said. “I think everybody looking at it afterwards can see that Juan just didn’t go.”

    Johnson also opined that these types of calls just should not happen anymore, especially with the data and technology now available.

    “We have the tools to maybe make a better decision,” Johnson said. “The race had been taken away from us, the championship bonus points are gone, and it’s very difficult at that point to do the right thing.”

    “But in today’s world of technology, I hope that we can figure out exactly how does that rule read.”

    Johnson continued to also look at the whole situation as a Juan Pablo Montoya flop.

    “I kind of get it, but from the restart zone to the start-finish line, if a guy breaks or has trouble NASCAR has the ability to make the call and say that they had trouble and it’s fine to go,” Johnson said. “Someone flops, what then?

    “Essentially Juan found a loophole in the officiating and worked it to his advantage,” Johnson continued. “I took the bait clearly.”

    Johnson advised that he was not in favor of getting rid of the restart zone but clearly expressed his desire for further clarification from the sanctioning body.

    “I’m cool with whatever it is, I just want it to be crystal clear what we can and cannot do,” Johnson said. “I’m fine with whatever; I just need to better understand the rule.”

    “If we want the leader to have full advantage, let’s really give them the opportunity to take that restart and if not, then let’s enforce it properly the other way.”

    Johnson said that he bore no ill will against Montoya but remained clearly aggravated about the whole restart situation.

    “I really don’t have anything against Juan for doing it,” Johnson said. “As racers, we need to work any and every angle we can to win a race.”

    “That’s what we do, we race,” Johnson continued. “Sure I’m mad I didn’t win the race, but I’m not mad at him.”

    “I think we need to look at how we officiate and how we can regulate that and keep that from happening again.”

    Johnson also advised that other drivers have come up to him and shared that they too thought there were issues with that restart.

    “All these guys have talked to me and I just saw Clint (Bowyer) and he was like ‘Dude, I was on the brakes, like I stomped on the brakes to stop because I knew you were in trouble.’

    “It is what it is,” Johnson said. “I can’t change it and I can’t do anything about it.”

    “But moving forward, I think we can prevent that situation from happening again.”

    So, what was Juan Pablo Montoya’s take on the restart situation?

    “If I did that on the restart, why only Jimmie passed me in his lane?” Montoya asked.  “Even if I had a bad start and he beat me by a bumper, NASCAR would not have said anything.”

    “But it was Jimmie…….and then the field.”

    “I’m OK with it,” Montoya continued. “He didn’t even want to line up next to me when we came to the cones.”

    “He wanted to dime it and he just mistimed it.”

    While Johnson may need more clarity about the rule, Montoya felt that it was crystal clear, at least from his perspective. And he clarified that he was not taking advantage of any loophole in his opinion.

    “The loophole is that you have to start between the cones and the leader is in charge,” Montoya said. “And that’s what I did.”

    “What’s so hard about that?”

    “I’m the leader,” JPM continued. “I know you (Johnson) dominated the race, but we came to a pit stop and we did a better job than you guys.”

    “We’re the leader not you.”

    For Montoya, the ultimate irony was that Johnson was indeed dominant and most likely would have passed him back had he not received the restart penalty.

    “If he would have backed off and let me go, he would have passed me again,” JPM said. “It would have been all good.”

    “He wanted to time it really well where he didn’t have to deal with me but he mistimed it.”

    “That’s it,” Montoya said. “No drama.”

    What seemed to seal the deal for Montoya in his argument about being right on the restart was that Johnson was the only one that seemed to have gotten snookered.

    “I normally do a good job on restarts,” JPM said. “If I would have restarted and Jimmie passed me and four cars followed Jimmie, I think NASCAR would have said the 42 had a bad start.”

    “But how is it that only Jimmie went away?” Montoya continued. “I don’t know.”

    “He’s probably that good.”

  • Crunching The Numbers: Pocono/Iowa/Texas

    Crunching The Numbers: Pocono/Iowa/Texas

    After last weekend’s triple-header at Dover International Speedway, the three national series go their separate ways this weekend with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series headlining at Pocono Raceway, the NASCAR Nationwide Series heading to the Midwest for a Saturday night showdown at Iowa Speedway, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicking off the weekend in the Lone Star State with their race on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway. This marks the one and only time during the season that all three series are at three different tracks in three different states in one weekend.

    Sprint Cup Series – Party In The Poconos 400 Presented By Walmart

    The Sprint Cup Series makes its first of two trips to Pocono Raceway this weekend to take on one of the most unique tracks on the circuit. With only three turns instead of the usual four and all three of varying banking (14 degrees in Turn 1, 8 degrees in Turn 2, and 6 degrees in Turn 3), this 2.5 mile track is one of the hardest to perfect a setup for and several of the top drivers in the series have yet to master the “Tricky Triangle”.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Jimmie Johnson 22 2 9 15 2 562 9.3 9.0
    Jeff Gordon 40 6 18 28 2 965 11.4 10.2
    Denny Hamlin 14 4 8 9 2 663 5.6 10.7
    Mark Martin 52 0 20 34 3 448 9.3 11.1
    Tony Stewart 28 2 11 20 2 156 12.4 11.3
    Ryan Newman 22 1 7 10 2 163 9.8 12.4
    Carl Edwards 16 2 5 8 0 212 19.0 13.2
    Kevin Harvick 24 0 5 8 0 5 19.8 14.1
    Matt Kenseth 26 0 3 10 0 54 18.5 14.3
    Brad Keselowski 6 1 2 2 0 27 19.5 14.5

    Who To Watch: No surprise with who’s on top of the list this week. Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson heads up the list with the best stats at Pocono with two wins, nine top fives, 15 top tens, two poles, 562 laps led and an average finish of 9.0 in 22 starts.

    While Johnson has the best overall stats, the most wins goes to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, who has six wins, 18 top fives, 28 top tens, two poles, 965 laps led and an average finish of 10.2 in 40 starts. Two of Gordon’s six wins have come in the last four races at the track, and Gordon is the most recent Pocono winner with his win in the rain shortened event last August.

    Many drivers don’t get their first win at a tricky track like Pocono, but Denny Hamlin did just that, sweeping both Pocono races in his rookie season of 2006 and adding two more wins since then to give him a total of four wins, eight top fives, nine top tens, two poles, 663 laps led, and an average finish of 10.7 in 14 races.

    Others to keep an eye on include: Mark Martin, who nearly won this race one year ago before fading late, with 20 top fives, 34 top tens, three poles, 448 laps led, and an average finish of 11.1 in 52 starts; and Tony Stewart, winner of last week’s race at Dover, who has two wins, 11 top fives, 20 top tens, two poles, 156 laps led, and an average finish of 11.3 in 28 starts.

    Nationwide Series – DuPont Pioneer 250 at Iowa

    With only one Sprint Cup Series regular scheduled to make the trip to Iowa from Pocono this weekend, this race will truly be a showcase of the Nationwide Series regulars in what is sure to be great racing at the .875 mile short track in Iowa. Several of the Nationwide regulars have never turned a lap at this track and who comes out on top after 250 miles is anyone’s guess.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Elliott Sadler 4 1 4 4 3 100 2.2 2.8
    Parker Kligerman 1 0 0 1 0 0 10.0 8.0
    Michael Annett 6 0 1 2 0 4 20.7 10.2
    Kenny Wallace 4 0 0 3 0 0 20.2 10.2
    Justin Allgaier 6 0 1 4 0 150 5.8 11.3
    Cole Whitt 2 0 0 1 0 4 12.0 13.0
    Sam Hornish, Jr. 3 0 1 1 0 69 4.0 13.0
    Austin Dillon 4 0 1 2 0 53 7.0 14.2
    Reed Sorenson 3 0 1 2 0 77 16.0 15.3
    Mike Bliss 6 0 0 0 0 3 19.2 17.0

    Who To Watch: As the only driver who will be racing on Saturday that has a win at Iowa, Elliott Sadler comes in far ahead of the other drivers in the field with his one win, four top fives, four top tens, three poles, 100 laps led, and an average finish of 2.8 in four starts.

    Others to keep an eye on that have raced at Iowa before include: Parker Kligerman, Michael Annett, Kenny Wallace, Justin Allgaier, Cole Whitt, Sam Hornish Jr., and Austin Dillon. All of these drivers have average finishes of 14.2 or better.

    While drivers like Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, and points leader Regan Smith have never raced at Iowa, look for these drivers to also be in the running for the win on Saturday night.

    Camping World Truck Series – Winstar World Casino 400 at Texas

    With the Camping World Truck Series race at Texas also being a standalone event, there will be no Sprint Cup regulars making the trip down for Friday night’s race. This means we will get to see a great battle between those that have been in the Truck Series for years and with the young guns that have infiltrated the series this year. Just as we saw a couple of weeks ago at Charlotte, this race should be more of the same with two and three wide racing throughout the field for the entirety of the event.

    Driver Races Win Top 5 Top 10 Pole Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
    Ty Dillon 3 0 2 3 0 23 6.7 5.0
    Joey Coulter 4 0 2 4 0 9 8.0 5.2
    Johnny Sauter 9 2 4 7 1 213 11.8 6.4
    Todd Bodine 17 6 10 11 1 329 11.3 9.7
    Matt Crafton 24 0 6 13 2 42 15.6 11.0
    James Buescher 8 0 0 3 2 129 7.8 12.6
    Ron Hornaday, Jr. 20 3 6 11 0 681 9.2 12.9
    Brendan Gaughan 17 4 7 7 0 163 17.4 13.6
    David Starr 29 0 7 11 0 20 14.1 14.3
    Timothy Peters 10 0 0 2 0 1 16.4 15.4

    Who To Watch: As Truck Series mainstays, drivers to watch at Texas include: Ty Dillon, with two top fives, three top tens, and an average finish of 5.0 in three starts; Joey Coulter, with two top fives, four top tens, and an average finish of 5.2 in four starts; Johnny Sauter, with two wins, four top fives, seven top tens, one pole, 213 laps led, and an average finish of 6.4 in nine starts; and Todd Bodine, with six wins, 10 top fives, 11 top tens, one pole, 329 laps led, and an average finish of 9.7 in 17 starts.

    While the mainstays will have a leg up in Texas, the young guns of the series can’t be overlooked. Drivers who have shown they have real potential in this sport that are making noise in the Truck Series including Darrell Wallace, Jr., Jeb Burton, and Ryan Blaney. One of these rookies have a real shot at the win, especially with no Cup regulars in the field.

  • NASCAR Finding It Is Easy Being Green

    NASCAR Finding It Is Easy Being Green

    In a sport known for gas guzzling, big engine stock car racing, NASCAR has taken very aggressive steps to address its own carbon footprint in the world of racing. As the sport enters its fifth year of environmentally sound initiatives, NASCAR is indeed finding it easy to be green.

    Just two years ago, NASCAR addressed the fuel emissions issue in the sport head on. They forged a partnership with Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR and the American Ethanol industry, using Sunoco Green E15, a renewable fuel grown from corn.

    This new fuel, utilized by all three of NASCAR’s top series, emits 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than unleaded gas. On top of that, the new fuel actually helped the performance of the engines, with teams reporting an increase of up to 10+ horsepower.

    “There was a significant degree of caution from the start,” Dr. Mike Lynch, managing director for NASCAR’s Green Innovation, said. “We had to take all the risk out through hard work, time and careful analysis.”

    “We needed performance without compromise and we’ve ended up with all the good things and no negative trade-offs,” Lynch continued. “We as an industry have made a ton of progress in terms of green practices and initiatives.”

    One of NASCAR’s most exciting green initiatives is the new, energy efficient power at many of its race tracks. Headlining the solar power effort is Pocono Raceway, whose solar farm just hit a major milestone, the production of 10,000,000 kilowatt hours.

    Pocono Raceway’s solar farm is comprised of 39,960 American-made photovoltaic modules that will ultimately produce over 72 million kilowatt hours of energy over the next 20 years. This will generate enough power to not only light up the track, but also provide electricity to over 300 homes in the area.

    “This is another important milestone for Pocono Raceway”, Brandon Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, said. “Pocono Raceway strongly believes in the commitment to operate in a more environmentally responsible way and is proud to be the first race track to power our sport with clean, renewable sunlight.”

    “This project demonstrates real sustainability and proves that any business that truly wants to ‘Go Green’ can do it.”

    From solar power to the power of tree planting, NASCAR and its partner the Arbor Day Foundation are helping the sport go green just in time for Arbor Day, Earth Day and National Tree Planting Day.

    In the spirit of the trees, one of NASCAR’s corporate sponsor partners, the 3M Company, just announced that they have just committed to fund the planting of 2,350 trees, one for every lap of the Cup and Nationwide Series racing in the month of April.

    These trees will also serve a restorative purpose as many are being planted in areas hard hit by hurricanes, such as the northeast after Super Storm Sandy; tornadoes, such as in northern Alabama; and areas damaged by fires, such as in Minnesota and Texas.

    Another one of NASCAR’s most intensive green initiatives has been recycling and, from bottles and cans to tires to electronic devices, the sport has been making great headway in reducing its carbon foot print.

    Beverage producers and NASCAR sponsors Coca-Cola and Coors Light have teamed up to not only get their bottles and cans into recycling bins but also to educate fans at the track about the benefits of recycling. Freightliner even provides a BlueTec equipped clean-Diesel rig to transport the Coca-Cola Portable Processing Center at track, which processes 1,000 containers per minutes at the various venues.

    The official tire supplier of NASCAR, Goodyear, also has a recycling program for all NASCAR stock cars as well as the trucks. After every race weekend, tires are transported to Charlotte, NC and recycled for use in power generation and asphalt mixtures.

    Almost 121,000 tires from the Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series in NASCAR are recycled by Goodyear every year.

    NASCAR also recently announced another tire recycling partnership, this one with Liberty Tire Recycling, now the Official Tire Recycler of NASCAR Green.

    “By recycling more than 140 million tires annually, we reclaim nearly 1.5 billion pounds of rubber for innovative, eco-friendly products,” Thomas Carter, Liberty Tire Recycling Vice President of Alternative Fuels, said. “We look forward to enhancing NASCAR Green’s best-in-class recycling program by keeping its discarded tires out of landfills and transforming them into smart, sustainable products that improve people’s lives.”

    Liberty Tire Recycling will also provide GroundSmart Mulch™ to enhance the landscaping of trees that are donated to areas of need throughout the country. The benefit of this rubber mulch is that it lasts longer and prevents the soil from washing away.

    Finally, Liberty Tire Recycling announced that its products, such as rubberized asphalt, will be used to repave race tracks and parking lots at NASCAR venues across the USA.

    “Adding the nation’s premier tire recycling company to our group of Official NASCAR Green Partners will further enhance NASCAR’s position of leadership in sustainability across all sports,” Jim O’Connell, NASCAR Chief Sales Officer, said. “We are pleased to work towards a common goal of reducing the environmental impact of our sport.”

    Other recycling efforts include Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc., who ensures that all oil and lubricants used in racing are recaptured and re-used. Safety-Kleen re-purposes more than 200,000 gallons of race-used oil annually and also provide absorbent products used for cleaning up fluid spills inside the NASCAR garages.

    Finally, NASCAR’s title sponsor, Sprint, is also a partner in green initiatives with their “Recycle for Victory” program. This wireless recycling effort benefits Victory Junction, one of NASCAR’s important children’s charities.

    Sprint is present at every track, in their now famous ‘Sprint Experience’ providing pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes that fans can use to recycle their old cell phones, batteries and other accessories. Since 2001, Sprint has recycled more than 24 million phones, equaling more than 2,600 metric tons of material.

    One of the most unique green initiatives, however, occurs at Infineon Raceway. At that race track, there are 3,000 sheep living on the property to maintain the grassy areas and the fire lanes around the facility.

    The track also built 15 owl boxes where birds can nest to prey on gophers and other rodents, eliminating the need for pest control.

    While NASCAR as a corporate entity may be finding going green positive and exciting, its drivers and team owners are enthusiastic as well.

    “I think it’s great that we’re looking in these areas on how to make a difference,” Jimmie Johnson, five-time NASCAR champ, said. “Racing is a great proving ground for new technology that can help the country and world to go green.”

    “So, I am excited to see new things coming along and hope there are many more to follow, and really use motorsports as a testing program for that.”

    “The nature of our business is one that we use gas and metals, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the environment,” Jack Roush, team owner, said. “We have an obligation to the global community to give back.”

  • Doc Mattioli, Father of Pocono Raceway, Receives NMPA Hall of Fame Honor

    Doc Mattioli, Father of Pocono Raceway, Receives NMPA Hall of Fame Honor

    Photo Credit: poconoraceway.com
    Photo Credit: poconoraceway.com

    Just one week shy of the one year anniversary of his passing, Joseph ‘Doc’ Mattioli, father of Pocono Raceway, was remembered in a very special way. Mattioli received one of the sport’s highest honors, induction into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.

    “It definitely is a bittersweet moment for our family but it is also a great honor for my grandfather,” Brandon Igdalsky, President of Pocono Raceway, said. “It is a week away from the anniversary of his death and it is a tough week.”

    “We all looked up to and idolized him.” Igdalsky continued. “So, it’s nice to honor him in this way.”

    Mattioli was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame by Deb Williams, a family friend and an award winning journalist who has covered the sport of NASCAR for over 30 years. Doc’s love of his life and wife, Dr. Rose Mattioli, was also on-hand, as were many other family members, to witness the honor.

    “Doctor Joseph Reginald Mattioli Jr. was his formal name,” Williams began as she inducted her friend in front of hundreds of NMPA members and former Hall of Famers. “But we all knew him simply as ‘Doc’.

    “The son of Italian immigrants, he called Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania home, moving there after his parents divorced,” Williams continued. “And like many of his generation, he experienced the atrocities of war serving as a Navy corpsman in the Pacific during WWII.”

    “Doc’s military service provided him with the GI Bill and the opportunity to attend Temple University in Philadelphia,” Williams said. “While obtaining his dentistry degree, he met and fell in love with Rose, a podiatry student. Of course we all know her as Dr. Rose.”

    “After graduation, Doc and Dr. Rose opened their respective practices,” Williams continued. “But he followed a different course with his practice, providing office hours no one else did.”

    “They were more like racer’s hours, from early morning to late evening and, needless to say, this was a tiring schedule.”

    “So in the 1960’s he cut back his practice,” Williams said. “It was during this time that he became involved in real estate development in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, including Pocono Raceway.”

    “During this time, Doc became involved with a group of investors who had an idea to construct a major speedway,” Williams continued. “Doc poured his heart and soul into building one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks.”

    “In fact, he was often found on a bull dozer taking care of business,” Williams said. “His spirit and determination overcame every obstacle he faced and he was a pioneer in NASCAR’s growth in the Northeast.”

    “Today, Pocono Raceway’s Sprint Cup events are among the largest spectator sports events in the state of Pennsylvania,” Williams continued. “At 86 years of age, Doc completed his latest project, a three megawatt solar farm that made Pocono the largest renewable energy sport facility in the world and a leader in NASCAR’s commitment to environmental responsibility.”

    “Today Doc would be described as a workaholic,” Williams said. “But his generation had come through the Great Depression and a World War, so working hard was merely the way you lived your life.”

    “Your word was your bond and you were proud of your family,” Williams continued. “That was a successful life. And Doc was successful not just in business but as a man.”

    “He cared about his family, his employees, his community, race fans, competitors and yes, the media,” Williams said. “Everyone was important.”

    “Doc Mattioli was the father of Pocono Raceway, a compassionate businessman and without him, Pocono Raceway, might not exist.”

    Brandon Igdalsky also remembered his grandfather for his generosity as he, along with his grandmother Dr. Rose, accepted the NMPA honors.

    “His philanthropic side was phenomenal,” Igdalsky said. “For a kid who grew up on a farm, if he had it, he would give it.”

    “He never cared for any recognition for it,” Igdalsky continued. “We had a cousin who thought my grandfather’s name was anonymous because of all he did for charities anonymously.”

    Igdalsky spoke for his entire family when he reflected on the legacy of his grandfather, especially as he followed in his footsteps as President of his beloved race track.

    “I always felt that if I could fill a portion of his heel, let alone his shoe, that I’ve accomplished something in my life,” Igdalsky said. “The man is a legend.”

    “In our family, he is a legend and in our community, he is a legend for what he has done there,” Igdalsky continued. “He had a lot of ideas and sometimes we looked at him like he was out of his mind but growing up in the business and watching him was amazing.”

    “We argued, we agreed to disagree but in the end I understood,” Igdalsky said. “It was his playground and his sand box.”

    “And it’s still his sand box and will always be his sand box,” Igdalsky continued. “That’s why when you roll through the tunnel at Pocono Raceway, the sign says ‘Welcome to Doc’s Place.’

    “My eight year old daughter decided that we needed to put that sign up this year and that sign will be up as long as we’re around.”

    Doc Mattioli joined the other 2013 NMPA Hall of Fame inductees Jim Hunter and Ken Squier. Last year’s inductees included Richard Childress and Ricky Rudd.

  • Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 20 – Straight From The Glen Watkins Glen International – Pennsylvania 400 – August 12, 2012

    Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 20 – Straight From The Glen Watkins Glen International – Pennsylvania 400 – August 12, 2012

    This week we travel back to the place that was the start of my NASCAR days. It’s a track near and dear to my heart, and will no matter where life takes me, it will always have a special place in my heart as my ‘Hometown Track’. Watkins Glen International may not be the most famous stock car track in the world, but it produces some of the best beating and banging NASCAR has to offer.

    If you remember back to 2011’s ‘Monday in the mist’ at Watkins Glen International, the drivers of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series put on one of the most exciting spectacles of the 2011 season. A late-race crash involving David Reutimann forced a revaluation of the safety measures around the 2.45-mile road course. Watkins Glen International has taken tremendous strides in improving driver safety, and the fan experience alike. The towering grandstands erected on the outside of Turn 1 here at Watkins Glen International caught my eye on my way in, and I am excited to check out the new setups around the track. The two road courses on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule often tend to be overlooked by most fans in terms of vacation destinations, but I encourage all race fans to visit a road course and see what these facilities have to offer.

    My first memories of WGI involve standing on a trash can on the inside of Turn 11 while my father tried to time a photo just right in order to capture a snapshot of The Intimidator and one of his biggest fans in the same frame. SpeedwayMedia.com Editor, Ed Coombs taught me the art of obtaining autographs outside the motor-coach lots as a young teenager. Ron Hornaday invited me inside the fences into his motor-coach for a quick autograph and meet and greet, and I learned very quickly during my first trip inside the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Garage that when a NASCAR Official blow their whistle, PAY ATTENTION! I’ve come leaps and bounds as a photo journalist, but still manage to get scolded every now and again in the Media Center for “not paying attention to what you’re doing”.Watkins Glen is truly a weekend I have circled on my calendar each year, and will always bring me back to my first memories as a young NASCAR fan.

    Adding to the excitement of my weekend here at Watkins Glen International is the camaraderie of attending a NASCAR race with thirty to forty of your closest racing friends and family. My family and I will be making our 18th consecutive trip to Watkins Glen International this year, and with a crew larger than ever before. I’m excited to announce my younger brothers, (yes both of them), will be receiving their Eagle Scout Award, the highest honor in Scouting, on Sunday in Gatorade Victory Lane here at Watkins Glen International. As a fellow Eagle Scout, and the second of four in my family, I am truly proud for both Christopher and Nicholas LaFlair in receiving such a great honor in such a great atmosphere. More to follow on this great honor, but I’d like to thank Track-President, Michael Printup, and Elizabeth Mayer, Public Relations Manager, for allowing such a special ceremony to take place amidst the jam-packed competition schedule this weekend here at WGI. You’ve really made a dream come true for my family, Troop 709, and the entire Scouting community.

    Pocono Recap

    First, I’d like to send along my thoughts and prayers to those affected by the tragic lightning strikes last week at Pocono Raceway. I am extremely saddened by this story and pass my condolences on to the families involved, and hope for a speedy recovery to those injured by the fierce storms that wreaked havoc on race fans exiting Pocono Raceway following the Pennsylvania 400.

    I’ll make the recap section short this week as yet again, there’s not much to talk about other than the poor luck I’ve had this season…

    My Winner Pick was Denny Hamlin last week, one of the most decorated drivers to come out of Pocono Raceway with four wins, eight top-fives, and nine top-tens, in just thirteen prior starts at the Tricky Triangle. Completing my picks before last Saturday’s qualifying session, I was excited that my Winner Pick would start the Pennsylvania 400 on the outside of the front row. My glory was short lived after the No. 11 FedEx Toyota quickly slipped through the field after gaining the top spot on just the second lap. Hamlin struggled with the handling of his car for the remainder of the day, and finally met his fate on the lap-91 wreck that brought an early end to the No. 11 team’s day. Hamlin collected points for finishing in the 29th position.

    My Dark Horse pick last week is a seasoned veteran to Pocono Raceway, but in now 52 starts at the Tricky Triangle, he is still winless. Mark Martin used a pit strategy different than the rest of the field to help him finish just outside the top ten in the twelfth position. He appeared in the top five for some of the 91 lap sprint, but the majority of Mark Martin’s day last week was spent in the middle of the pack. Another week of picks, and another week with nothing to show for my efforts.

    Watkins Glen Picks

    Well, it’s been raining here at Watkins Glen International pretty much all day so I have minimal practice speeds or insider info to pass along here from The Glen. With that, I will try and make some picks based off of historical statistics, the possibility of qualifying being rained out, a few speeds , and gut feeling.

    Winner Pick

    There are two guys that are ‘road course specialists’ and everyone will be looking at come Sunday afternoon, but it will not be either Juan Pablo Montoya not Marcos Ambrose that will visit Victory Lane following Sunday’s Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen. My winner pick this week finished in the runner-up spot in last year here at Watkins Glen International, and finished twelfth in this seasons’ other Road Course race at Sonoma. Brad Kesolowski has really come into his own this season as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, and winning a Road Course would only add to his impressive racing resume. His car is shown third on the speed charts so far in this abbreviated practice session today, and he rides a streak of five consecutive top tens into the Finger Lakes dating back to his third win of the season at Kentucky. I love to watch this guy drive, and he’s certain to put on a show Sunday Afternoon.

    Dark Horse Pick

    My Dark Horse this week finds himself fifth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings, and is also coming into Central New York off a season-best finish last week in Pocono. Though he may not be the driver with a hometown closest to Watkins Glen International, Martin Truex Jr. still considers WGI one of his hometown tracks. “I’m just excited to be here. I really enjoy the road course racing, especially here at Watkins Glen.” Said Truex, earlier today here at The Glen. “This is a place that is pretty special to me coming up here as a kid watching my dad race and then running some Busch North races up here. It’s one of the tracks that is kind of special to me, like New Hampshire and Dover. So, I’m looking forward to the race this weekend.” He finished fourth here last year, and is another guy who has really shown he should be mentioned in talks with the series front-runners.

    That’s all for now from Watkins Glen, but be sure to stay tuned all weekend for more updates and live action from my weekend here in the Finger Lakes. For up to the minute action, be sure to follow me on Twitter @ML_B_Lo.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pennsylvania 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pennsylvania 400

    [media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Under stormy skies that unfortunately ultimately proved fatal for one race fan, here is what was surprising and not so surprising from the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway.

    Surprising:  It was surprising just how quickly the NASCAR family came together after several fans were struck by lightning at the track and one was killed. Pocono Raceway has established the Pennsylvania 400 Memorial Fund to benefit the victims of the lightning strike.

    Donations are being accepted at any PNC branch or by mailing checks or money order to the Pennsylvania 400 Memorial Fund, Pocono Raceway, 1234 Long Pond Road, Long Pond, PA 18334.

    Not Surprising:  After a weekend of Heisman honors and birthday celebrations, the winner of the Pennsylvania 400 had just one thought on his mind.

    Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, was grateful to have his family with him to celebrate his first victory of the season.

    “Today was an amazing victory experience, probably one of the best in my career because with the rain, the lightning, wind blowing sideways, everything going on, you know; I was just so excited to be able to have my family here,” Jeff Gordon said. “It’s the first time I’ve had all of them here for a victory.”

    “I didn’t care if it was under the shed or in the garage,” Gordon continued. “Even my wife, she’s not been able to experience all those wins. I want her to feel what it’s like.”

    “Ella is getting to the age where it’s exciting,” Gordon said. “Leo was able to hold up his finger, No. 1, so that was cool.”

    “This is one that I’m not going to forget.”

    Surprising:  It was surprising how verbose and a bit resigned Kyle Busch was after having yet another tough day at the track. The driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota finished a miserable 33rd and fell out of Chase contention, losing four spots to 15th place in the points.

    “We just blew out the rear brake rotors – disintegrated it and then blew out the rear caliper after that,” Busch said. “Getting down into Turn One with a three-wheel brake is about the worst situation you can have as a race car driver.”

    “I just hate it for all of these guys,” Busch continued. “We had a really fast race car today.”

    “It’s just the way it seems to be, but the way our year has gone,” Busch said. “It’s just inevitable to have something every week happen.”

    “We hoped we had shaken it but obviously it’s not to be.”

    Not Surprising:  Big brother Kurt Busch had absolutely nothing to say after his check in at the infield care center post hitting the wall hard at Pocono Raceway on Lap 86.

    The driver of the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet finished 30th. Kurt Busch is now 25th in the point standings.

    Surprising:  The driver who never seems to stop improving, just like his sponsor, had an uncharacteristic moment that changed the course of the race at Pocono.

    Jimmie Johnson, behind the wheel of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, was leading the race when he tangled with competitor Matt Kenseth, taking out the leaders of the pack and allowing teammate Jeff Gordon to drive through for the win.

    “I thought it was just junk on my tires,” Johnson said. “And when I got into Turn 1, I realized quickly that it was a flat and it wasn’t trash on my tires.”

    “I don’t think he had a flat, did he?,” Kenseth said of Johnson. “We went off into Turn 1 and I could hear his pipes (roaring). I’m not sure he has lifted yet.”

    “He just drove in really, really, really, really far and spun out underneath me and I got wrecked.”

    Johnson came in 14th while Kenseth finished 23rd in his No. 17 Zest Ford.

    Not Surprising:   Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing continued his quiet ascension up the Chase standings, up two positions to the fifth spot. Truex Jr., from nearby New Jersey, finished 3rd at Pocono.

    “We had a pretty good car all weekend long,” Truex Jr. said. “We were really fast at the end.”

    “I’m proud of the team for what we’ve done and what we’ve accomplished,” Truex Jr. continued. “To be where we’re at; this is a big deal for us.”

    Surprising:  At a track he has so often mastered and one where he just announced his impending fatherhood, Denny Hamlin had a surprisingly terrible finish at Pocono.

    The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry struggled all day and was caught up in the late race accident with Johnson and Kenseth to finish 29th.

    Hamlin also spent some extended time in the infield care center receiving medical evaluation because of stomach pain. He was treated and eventually released.

    “The leaders got in trouble and next thing you know, one of the cars slid right in front of me and that was about the end of it,” Hamlin said. “We weren’t going to win anyway and at this point, all we’re racing for is wins.”

    “I had some pains in my stomach, but they’ve subsided.”

    Not Surprising:  The impending storm off the track was Kasey Kahne’s friend on the track as he finished second even with a flat tire and a stormy pit stop, where he ran over his air hose and lost precious time in his stall.

    “I felt good about where we were,” Kahne said. “I am a little upset with myself and the way I ran the race, but we definitely had a great Farmers Insurance Chevrolet and ended up with a great result.”

    Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who looked so strong at the start of the race, even taking the lead early, had surprising transmission problems that ended his consecutive laps run streak for the season.

    Even with that 32nd place finish, however, Junior was surprisingly able to hang on to the points lead due to Kenseth’s wreck at the end of the race. He is now just 5 points ahead on the Chase leader board.

    “We don’t ever break parts,” the driver of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet said. “It’s tough.”

    “We had a good run going and I’m sorry for all the guys in the shop.”

    Not Surprising:  The Stewart Haas Racing duo of Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman had a good day at the ‘Tricky Triangle’, finishing fifth and sixth respectively.

    “I’m really proud of Steve Addington (crew chief) and these guys,” the driver of the No. 14 Office Depot Back to School Chevrolet said. “We didn’t necessarily throw a Hail Mary at it, but we kind of went back to where we started and worked from that.”

    “I’m really proud of Steve for finding the package that we ran.”

    “A good solid day,” the driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation/Quicken Loans Chevrolet, said. “We needed that.”

    “And another top-10.”

    Surprising:  Regan Smith, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet, who has had a rough 2012, had a surprisingly good run at Pocono, finishing ninth. This was his first top-10 finish in quite a while at the track.

    “We had a good car this weekend and it got even better as the race went on,” Smith said. “It’s a great feeling in our Furniture Row camp to have the kind of performances we’ve had the last two weekends.”

    “We’re moving along with plenty of enthusiasm right now and feel that we’re in the process of turning things around.”

    Not Surprising:  While Martin Truex Jr. had a great run at Pocono, so too did the rest of the Michael Waltrip Racing team.

    Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry and star of the Pocono tweet-up, finished 8th, and teammate Mark Martin, in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, finished 12th.

    “We’ll take it,” Bowyer said.

    “We had a fast car,” Martin said. “A 12th place finish isn’t too bad.”