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Tag: Ryan Newman

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard

    At one of the most historic tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup venue, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 20th running of the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.

    Surprising:  It is not often that Chad Knaus, one of the best crew chiefs in the business, gets outfoxed, however he surprisingly did at the Brickyard by none other than Matt Borland who won his first race since being reunited with driver Ryan Newman.

    Borland made the gutsy two-tire call with just eleven laps left in the race to score the kissing of the bricks for his driver and the team of the No. 39 Quicken Loans/The Smurfs Chevrolet.

    “Matt Borland just made an awesome call,” Newman said. “I have won more races with him on old tires and out of gas than I have with four tires and the best car.”

    This was the first win of the season for soon to be unemployed driver Newman and the first win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his team, Stewart-Haas Racing.

    “It’s just a fantastic day,” Borland said. “This is Ryan’s hometown and the Brickyard is the Brickyard.”

    “We were finally able to get everything right on race day.”

    Not Surprising:  Five-time champ Jimmie Johnson was disappointed but not surprisingly gracious in defeat. And the driver of the No. 48 Lowes/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet did not even throw anyone under the bus in the process.

    “Second is never fun especially at the Brickyard,” Johnson said. “Bummed out with that, but stuff happens.”

    “I believe the No. 39 took two (tires) as well where we took four (tires),” Johnson continued. “I don’t fault the call by any means.”

    “We win as a team we lose as a team, it’s just how it is.”

    Surprising:  Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was the highest finishing Camry, taking the checkered flag in the fifth spot. But even with that good run, Kenseth admitted that he had nothing for the surprisingly fast two-some of Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson.

    “They were way faster than us and they were up there pretty far,” Kenseth said. “Jimmie went by me so quick that I thought he was going to suck the numbers off the doors.”

    “Ryan had a really fast car,” Kenseth continued. “We had a top-10 car most of the day, but I couldn’t run with those guys.”

    Not Surprising:  Hendrick horsepower ruled the day at the Brickyard, with six of the drivers in the top-ten having that power under their hood. One of those drivers, Kasey Kahne even credited team Hendrick power in the engine of his No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet with his third place run.

    “We had a really fast Great Clips Chevrolet,” Kahne said. “Great Hendrick horsepower was key.”

    Not surprisingly and not coincidentally, Hendrick Motorsports also just named engine whiz Doug Duchardt as their new Executive Vice President and General Manager, effective immediately.

    “Doug has led by example from his first day with us,” Mr. H. said “He understands the importance of relationships and has helped promote a culture of teamwork and communication.”

    Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled off a surprisingly good finish, in fact a sixth place finish, in spite of troubles on and off the race track. The driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet battled a loose wheel at the start of the race and troubles with the car running at the end of the race, as well as coping with the loss of his uncle Randy Earnhardt, whose death Junior learned of while at the track.

    “The car was shaking real bad,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Steve (Letarte, crew chief) is a good strategist and we ended up alright.”

    “Randy was always there,” Junior said of his uncle who passed away. “It is just very, very sad but I am glad his suffering is over with.”

    “I loved him dearly and will miss him a lot.”

    Not Surprising:   Kurt Busch has been running so well as of late that, not surprisingly, he was distressed with a top-15 finish. The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Beautyrest Chevrolet finished the race in the 14th position, which was exactly where he stood in the point standings when the race was over.

    “The 14th place finish is unacceptable,” Busch said. “We’ve accomplished a lot thus far this season, but one area we need to improve upon is finishing strong.”

    “No question we have to run better than we did today if we want to get into the top-10,” Busch continued. “We need to have strong finishes in the next six races.”

    Surprising:  Brad Keselowski was the biggest Indy loser, falling four spots in the point standings to 13th with his 21st place finish in his No. 2 Miller Lite Ford.

    “That was definitely not the day we wanted,” Keselowski said. “We weren’t a 21st place car.”

    “It is just the way things worked out,” Keselowski continued. “That has been the story of the year.”

    Not Surprising:  With a hard fought battle, Jeff Gordon bounced back into the top ten in the point standings with his top ten finish in his No. 24 Pepsi Max Chevrolet at the Brickyard.

    “You had to fight extremely hard in this race,” Gordon said. “It was just pit strategy and speed in the car and traffic.”

    “It was not easy I can tell you that.”

    Surprising:  There is a surprisingly tight Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle going on at present, with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. leading by just nine points over Danica Patrick in the ROTY standings.

    Patrick, however, did not help her case with her 30th place finish at the Brickyard, although her ROTY competitor Stenhouse Jr. did not fare much better, finishing 25th.

    “We tried something, it just didn’t work, and that’s that,” Patrick said. “It just was what it was.”

    “It would have been nice to have a better day than this and be able to march forward,” Patrick continued. “We just didn’t and that’s just all there is to it.”

    Not Surprising:  With the lack of passing on the track, it was not surprising that many were calling for some changes, including driver Carl Edwards, who finished 13th in his No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion.

    “When you rely on down force and your car is going 200 mph and everything has to be perfect and there is a car up there in front of you that disrupts that air, it just becomes difficult,” Edwards said. “I don’t know that there is a fundamental problem with the car but I would be really curious to see what no front splitter and a really tiny rear spoiler would do.”

    “I think it would allow Goodyear to make a tire that is softer so it would fall off more and I think you would see those great races.”

     

  • Ryan Newman Makes a Statement With Brickyard 400 Victory

    Ryan Newman Makes a Statement With Brickyard 400 Victory

    After a rare pit mistake by the No.48 team that cost them a shot at history, Indiana race fans rejoiced as they watched native Hoosier, Ryan Newman triumph over all at the Brickyard. Newman and Johnson were the class of the field all day with Jimmie showing the most strength but this is a team sport and a 17 second pit stop with just a handful of laps remaining is nearly impossible to overcome when your rival takes two tires. To me, the prudent decision for the usually cunning Chad Knaus would have been to call an audible and take two tires after the issues on the right side; that would have saved their race. It was a huge win for Newman and considering his situation, one that may ensure the longevity of his NASCAR career.

    Ryan Newman is a very underrated driver in my opinion. A large contingent of fans look at him as that driver who is decent and occasional snags a win here and there but in 424 Cup starts, he’s amassed 50 poles, 90 top five’s, 175 top ten’s and 17 wins which include the Daytona 500 and now the Brickyard 400. He’s won multiple Nationwide races, is serious threat every time he gets behind the wheel of a Modified and in five Camping World Truck Series starts, his worst finish is 5th. Those numbers are Hall of Fame worthy but people still fail to appreciate the natural talent this USAC champion possesses.

    His impressive stats alone were not enough for him to keep his seat at Stewart-Haas Racing. NASCAR is money driven and we have seen too many situations where cash talks and talent walks; Newman being the just the latest driver to get the boot due to that unfortunate policy. The team owners in NASCAR are not ignorant to the fact that Ryan can wheel a racecar and there have been rumors that RCR and Furniture Row were looking at adding him to their roster in 2014. What he did at Indy was substantial in salvaging his career and maintaining a presence at the pinnacle of NASCAR. A ride for next year seemed feasible going into Indy but this win may have launched him to the top of the list for a few owners that were already contemplating him. I’m sure team owner Tony Stewart felt ambivalent about the victory knowing that Ryan will no longer be his driver next year but going out a winner would be the best way for the “Rocket Man” to go.

    He is making it known that the “lame-duck” status that departing drivers are often labeled with does not apply to him. At Loudon, he was informed that his services at Stewart-Haas would no longer be needed after 2013 and just one race later, he’s breaking track records and celebrating in victory lane at Indianapolis. SHR has experienced something similar to this back in 2011 when crew chief Darian Grubb was told he would be released at the end of the season…he and Tony Stewart went on to win the championship. Matt Borland and Ryan Newman have enjoyed great success with one-another in the past and they seem to have one of those rare driver/crew chief combinations that just works much like Johnson/Knaus, Keselowski/Wolfe or Kahne/Francis.

    The No.39 team does not seem beleaguered by the recent announcement regarding their driver’s imminent release; their dedication and hunger to succeed seems unshakable as they set out to make some noise in the final 16 races of the year. An uncertain future has only seemed to motivate Ryan and make him more determined to take 2013 by the horns and leave SHR in a blaze of glory rather than quietly into the night.

  • Why NASCAR NOT penalizing teams is wrong!

    Why NASCAR NOT penalizing teams is wrong!

    I am normally much more timely on these articles than this, and had actually toyed with the idea of scrapping this one completely to move to something more pressing. But, once I re-read what I had started writing I got fired up about the subject again and decided that this article deserved to be posted and hopefully read.

    Let me get this straight, NASCAR decided that it was “O.K.” for teams to play with the spacers, because they deemed that the teams didn’t get a “performance” gain? So if I were Chad Knaus and I arbitrarily decided that it was ok to shave some weight off of the “Newman” bar to relocate that weight to a lower section of the car, it would be ok? The structural integrity of the part be damned? When coupled with the fact that there were so many teams to be in violation of the rule, gives us in the media plenty of fonder to spin this story in plenty of directions.

    This is the spin I personally am going to take on this, when NASCAR decides to allow teams, crew/car chiefs to decide that a part that they purchase from an outside vendor to be used as they deem fit, it is a VERY slippery slope that NASCAR is allowing to be used. My second point is simply this, did NASCAR decide to not move forward with penalties because there were too many teams to be worth the effort of penalizing and then going through the appeals process?

    Let’s stop and think about this for a moment, like I mentioned above; if a team decides to simply “shave” a few grams or ounces off of a component that is part of the structural reliability of the car who is to say that it will simply stop with the roof flaps?

    The “Newman” bar is so named because of the numerous times that Ryan Newman has flipped over at the restrictor plate tracks and NASCAR deemed that supporting the cockpit with this bar would help to ensure the safety of the driver. Now I do not know the exact weight and component break down of this piece, and let’s face it neither does anyone outside the NASCAR garage since as of right now the NASCAR rulebook is clouded in more mystery than the location of the Holy Grail, or for that matter the actual launch codes for the United States missile defense system. But suffice it to say that it isn’t exactly light, and as we all know that any weight that you can move from the top part of the car and can place on a lower portion of the car is a good thing. Since moving the weight lower improves the overall performance and handling of the car.

    So for the sake of argument let’s say that some crew/car chief decides that they could gain some slight advantage by shaving just the slightest little bit from this “Newman bar,” then somehow this information “leaks” out and a few more crew/car chiefs decide to do the same thing. Suddenly we have a garage with let’s say five to ten teams that have done the exact same thing, Does NASCAR again step in and say, “Well since there was no ‘technical’ advantage gained there won’t be any fines in this instance.”

    Let’s continue to break down the above scenario thusly, if, for the sake of argument, Matt Borland decided that by shaving a few ounces off of the “Newman bar” that he could gain no performance enhancement. But instead gained a weight advantage by being able to move a few extra ounces lower on the car, would this be a punishable offense? Let’s go reductio ad absurdumon (the process of taking an argument to the worse possible conclusion, then criticizing the outcome of said argument.) this, if Matt Borland did shave the ounces. Again, building upon Newman’s penchant for flipping his car at a restrictor plate track; Newman flips his car. The shaved ounces on the bar that is supposed to secure the integrity of the cockpit of the car leads to a structural failure and Newman is killed in the wreck, gods forbid of course. Then what happens? Would there be a huge outcry because of yet another death in racing? Would Matt be ultimately tried for manslaughter since he put Newman in an unsafe car?

    I know that you are thinking that I am just being an extremist on this, that there is no way that shaving ounces and grams off of an item will lead to a complete parts failure. Please for a moment stop and think about the number of times that we have heard of someone saying that they were trying “experimental” components in various areas of the car and how it has led to a catastrophic failure of a component leading to devastating results for not only car and team, but also potentially fans as well.

    Again my main argument on this is rather simple. NASCAR has opened the door for the potential abuse of this inaction. What do I feel should have happened in the aftermath of “roof flapgate?” Probation should have been handed out to any team/crew chief not already on probation. For teams that were already on probation, then fines and suspensions needed to be handed out to show the seriousness of messing with anything on the car. Let alone a component on the car that is there to protect not only the driver but the fans as well. (Do I really need to make an argument for keeping cars on the track after the Nationwide Series race at Daytona?) I’m not saying that the penalties needed to be extravagant or over the top; but something needed to be levied against these teams to send a message.

    For teams that were already on probation, a simple three to five point penalty would have been enough to grab the attention of every team in the garage area. Suspension to the car and crew chief of at least one week would have also had the same effect, especially as we get closer to the Chase.

    My honest feeling on this is that NASCAR has taken a beating in the appeals process in recent years, didn’t want to get yet another black eye for penalties/sanctions and simply decided to take the path of less resistance and therefore simply let this incident “slide by” hoping that once Danica took out Stenhouse during a race, ( oh wait she already did that) that the media would move onto that topic and forget that they (NASCAR) are allowing people to play with the safety of not only the drivers but of the fans as well. If they are going to do that then why even bother with the rest of the inspection process?

  • MudSummer Classic Returned NASCAR To Its Roots

    MudSummer Classic Returned NASCAR To Its Roots

    There was wall scrapping, door slamming, dirt flying and not a single fan sitting at Eldora Speedway Wednesday night. NASCAR had finally gone back home to where it all began; they returned to dirt. After a 43 year hiatus, no one knew what to expect but everyone believed that it would be epic and that it was. Race pole-sitter Kenny Schrader called it the most anticipated race since the 1994 Brickyard 400 while others were hailing it as the biggest race ever run in the Camping World Truck Series. People flocked from 48 states and five countries to watch history be made in NASCAR’s field of a dreams; a track in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by cornfields. Despite its desolate location, the place was packed with well over 20,000 screaming fans. It was a race that will be remembered as a turning point in NASCAR history as this sport rediscovered its roots and I believe this is just the beginning of many good things to come.

    The night kicked off with five heat races and a last chance qualifier. I wrote an article a couple weeks ago saying that NASCAR needs to implement heat races in place of single car qualifying and what we all witnessed at Eldora only proved my point that much more. The races put on a heck of a show as drivers battled fiercely for the win and even harder for that coveted transfer spot that would guarantee them a place in the main event. We saw close finishes, tempers flare, battles everywhere and a 61 year old back-marker drive the race of his life to make the MudSummer Classic after a thrilling battle with Clay Greenfield!

    I’m talking about Norm Benning who in 103 CWTS starts, has never finished higher than 15th but nonetheless, he shows up every weekend undeterred and gives it his all. At Eldora, he held the final transfer position in the LCQ and was not about to bow for the hungry young drivers that were harassing him for the position. Clay Greenfield grew very impatient as the laps clicked away and finally went on the attack with the white flag in the air. He bumped and slammed Norm whose truck slid sideways but he stayed in the throttle and kept it pointed in the right direction. In the final corner, Clay door-slammed him and ran the No.57 up into the wall but Benning could see the checkered flag and kept that pedal nailed to the floor as he rode the wall all the way to the finish line. With both sides beat all to hell and the exhaust dragging on the ground, he made the race and gave Greenfield the 1-finger salute on the cool down lap before merging triumphantly from his battered machine.

    The race itself was just as good with trucks fanning out four and even five wide at times as they tried to make some ground on the leaders. Thankfully, the race was not a wreck-fest as many had feared it would be but the lack of cautions actually helped build the drama on track as the leaders cut through lap traffic while still battling for the top spot with remarkable precision. The race ended with three dirt track aces battling it out for the win in the form of 2011 CWTS champion Austin Dillon, 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman and the man considered by many as one of the most versatile drivers out there today; 20 year old Kyle Larson. Larson and Newman were teammates but you couldn’t tell on the final two restarts as they proceeded to slam into each other which allowed Dillon to get a little breathing room. After putting Newman in the wall, Larson tried desperately to hunt down Austin but to no avail as the elder Dillon would win the inaugural MudSummer Classic at Eldora Speedway!

    Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
    Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

    After the race, practically every driver was using the words “fun”, “wild,” and “crazy” to describe their nights. Everyone had a great time and every single driver wanted to do it again. I did a Twitter poll last night asking what everyone thought of the race and 100% of the people that voted said they enjoyed it. Jeff Gluck did a similar poll and 95% of fans said that they loved the race as well. Ratings were some of the highest ever for the truck series with 1.4 million people tuning in and topics such as “Norm Benning,” “Eldora” and “MudSummer Classic” trending nationally on Twitter. With how well-received this race was, the longevity of the MudSummer Classic is all but assured and I think this is just the beginning for dirt racing’s resurgence in NASCAR. I believe we will see more dirt races on the truck schedule in the future, a couple in Nationwide and a Cup race on dirt is not completely out of the question but it would be difficult. The 20th anniversary of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a just a few days away and it might as while not exist because all the talk right now surrounds a truck race at a little dirt track in Ohio.

    If NASCAR does make the very prudent decision to give dirt racing more of a presence in the three national touring series, the next best candidate in the minds of many drivers is Knoxville Raceway and I heard Duqoin being tossed around by a few people too. Then there’s always the possibility of pouring dirt on a track already in use like when they used to cover Bristol Motor Speedway in dirt for some regional races. I would love to see the March event be a dirt race and then have the August race still be on the concrete; that would be awesome to watch. Knowing Bruton Smith, I think he’d be up for that! Steve O’Donnell said it would be feasible to get Nationwide and Cup at Eldora but those conversations haven’t happened…yet. All I know is that this highly anticipated truck race on dirt lived up to the hype and every person was smiling when they left the track.

    You are onto something here NASCAR and please pursue it. If you can get people from across the USA and around the world to show up in the middle of nowhere and pack the house for a standalone truck race, just imagine what you could do for a Cup event!? With the new TV deals taking place in 2015, that could be the perfect opportunity to refine the schedule and add more excitement to the circuit. NASCAR was built on dirt racing and a return to dirt track racing could just be the boost that NASCAR needs to bolster their fan base and regain their former glory.

  • NASCAR Gets it Right at Eldora Speedway

    NASCAR Gets it Right at Eldora Speedway

    The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway Wednesday night was everything a race fan loves. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest, but it showcased the best racing action that NASCAR has to offer.

    The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold-out crowd on their feet. Austin Dillon fought off Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman to win the inaugural race and become the first driver to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race on dirt.

    In an attempt to make stock car racing more mainstream and to attract more fans, NASCAR often hides its past like a closely guarded family secret. Historic tracks are left behind in favor of newer venues. The exploits of bootleggers like Raymond Parks and moonshine runners like Junior Johnson are relegated to the shadows.

    But NASCAR wasn’t always about corporate sponsors and media savvy drivers. It was built on the backs of blue collar drivers who raced for little more than bragging rights. In fact, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Series (now Sprint Cup Series) race was held on a ¾ mile dirt track in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    The race at Eldora was one of the most highly anticipated events of the current NASCAR season and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights at year’s end. Comments from fans on Twitter and Facebook were rich with superlatives such as “beyond awesome and fantastic” and the general consensus was, “I want more.”

    Much like the decision to bring the NCWTS back to the legendary Rockingham Speedway in 2012, this nod to NASCAR’s beginnings should serve as a continued incentive to the powers that be. Change is inevitable, but NASCAR should never forget its roots. This back to basics stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

    Thanks to the vision of NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell, track owner Tony Stewart and General Manager/Promoter Roger Slack for listening to the fans and honoring those traditions at Eldora Speedway.  It was a night to remember.

  • Crunching The Numbers: Indianapolis

    Crunching The Numbers: Indianapolis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    NASCAR Nationwide Series – Indiana 250

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Camping World RV Sales 301

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Camping World RV Sales 301

    On a steamy day in New England where the action on the track was just as hot, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  While usually on target, Chad Knaus’ prediction of his driver motoring through the pack to the front only partially came true. Johnson, who started dead last in his No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet due to failing post qualifying inspection, made his way through the field to finish just shy of the top-five in the sixth spot.

    But although his prediction of a last to first performance was not fulfilled, crew chief Knaus felt that he and team 48 had made the statement they wanted to make in light of their inspection failure.

    “We made the best of a bad situation and that’s all you can do,” Knaus said. “We wanted to make it a non-issue and I think that’s exactly what we did.”

    “We didn’t need to win, but the most important thing is we didn’t need to lose,” Knaus continued. “And I think we came out of here with a solid run.”

    With that top-10 finish, Johnson remains solidly in the points lead as well, 56 points ahead of runner up Clint Bowyer.

    Not Surprising:  Just as the chemistry between Knaus and Johnson led to a decent run after adversity, it was not surprising that the chemistry between Rodney Childers and Brian Vickers achieved their dream of taking the Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine to Victory Lane.

    Vickers, who battled back from life-threatening blood clots to race again, credited his relationship with crew chief Childers, which has spanned almost his entire lifetime, as making the difference in his win at the Magic Mile.

    “I can remember the day Clyde (Vickers, Brian Vickers’ father) walked into our go-kart shop in Cornelius, North Carolina and said he wanted to buy his eight-year-old kid a go kart,” Childers said. “So, we got it together overnight and they came and picked it up the next day and then a good friend of ours helped Brian get started.”

    “This means a lot to me.”

    “I just thank God for the chance and opportunity to come back and this team and Rodney believing in me and giving me a second chance,” Vickers said. “That’s a testament to the whole team and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing.”

    Surprising:  Joey Logano, a former New Hampshire winner, was surprisingly the first caution of the day, blowing a tire and spinning out on Lap 4 of the race. This is the second race in a row where tire failure has contributed to the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford team’s struggles.

    “The left rear tire blew out,” Logano said. “It isn’t like we touched anyone and rubbed it to make it go down, it just blew out.”

    “I am just mad right now.”

    Logano has a right to be mad, as he finished 40th and even more important took a significant hit in the point standings, losing three positions and falling to 18th.

    Not Surprising:  Whether it was the combination of the heat or the grueling schedule as the garage readied for the first weekend off in a very long time, it was not surprising that tempers were flaring on the one-mile track and that there were more cautions in this one race than in the past three New Hampshire races combined.

    The most caustic exchange happened right after the race end when Kyle Busch had some choice words for Ryan Newman and vice versa.

    “Newman is the biggest stupid idiot out here and a big ogre,” Busch said. “I’m glad he’s out of a job.”

    “I’m just afraid if I re-arranged his face I might fix it,” Newman responded. “He’s frustrated finishing third or wherever he was after hitting me.”

    “He’s a heck of a talent but he’s not very bright,” Newman continued. “I’ll leave it at that.”

     Surprising:  Just when it appeared that Stewart-Haas Racing was on the upswing, another surprisingly bad day occurred in New Hampshire.

    Smoke ran out of gas on the final lap to finish 26th, Patrick wrecked into her Rookie of the Year competitor to finish 37th, and Newman had his aforementioned tangles with the Busch brothers and finished 39th.

    “Thought we were about three quarters of a lap to the good,” Smoke said. “Obviously didn’t get as much gas saved as I thought we would.”

    “I feel bad,” Patrick said. “What can I say? We were having a reasonable race and just didn’t mean to do it.”

    “The worst part is that I didn’t want to take anybody with me.”

    Not Surprising:   The unfortunate struggles of Denny Hamlin continued at New Hampshire, with a lug nut issue and a 21st place finish. The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota sits 25th in the point standings, very far out of Chase contention.

    Surprising:  One of the surprises of the race was Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, who finished fifth thanks to some good pit strategy and a great call from atop the box.

    “When everybody else stayed out that gave us the opportunity when everyone else came to pit to make it on fuel,” Almirola said. “And we stayed out.”

    “That was a great call by Todd Parrott (crew chief),” Almirola continued. “It is a great way to go into the off weekend.”

    Not Surprising:  At a track that he loves, Jeff Burton finished top three to no one’s surprise. And with his good finish, Burton pronounced that he was still in Chase contention, contrary to everyone’s perception.

    “We had a really good car,” the driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet said. “A lot of people have given up on this team but we haven’t given up on ourselves.”

    “We are going to keep working,” Burton said. We feel like we have an uphill battle but we feel like we still have a shot at it.”

    Surprising:  Brad Keselowski and company showed his championship caliber by bouncing back at the Magic Mile. The driver of the Blue Deuce finished fourth, in spite of the ‘grueling race.’

    “We fought hard all day and came home with a fourth so that was a decent day,” Keselowski said. “Not the win I wanted for sure.”

    “But it is still a solid day though and something to be proud of.”

    Not Surprising:  While all the drivers complained about the difficulty of the track and race, Carl Edwards not surprisingly termed it a battle field.

    “That was a hell of a battle,” the driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford said. “Everybody fought really hard the whole time and we ended up with a top-10.”

    “We were able to get a good finish out of a crazy day.”

    Surprising:  Even with having to stop in the middle of the race track to avoid the Newman/Kurt Busch crash, Matt Kenseth pulled off a surprisingly good finish. The driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota finished in the ninth position.

    “I had a good car, probably the best car I’ve ever had here,” Kenseth said. “Kind of lost track position when Kurt cleaned out Newman.”

    “I had to stop and miss that wreck.”

    Not Surprising:  After a grueling race and first part of the season, everyone needed to relax according to Jeff Gordon, who managed to salvage a tenth place finish after a challenging race at New Hampshire.

    “Everybody, no matter whether you’re leading the points or running where we are in points or 30th in the points, everybody has to take moments to step away and relax a little bit and regroup,” Gordon said. “And so, this off-weekend will be good for everybody.”

     

  • Newman & Busch Take Jabs At One Another Following New Hampshire Run-In

    Photo Credit: Getty Images
    Photo Credit: Getty Images

    Ryan Newman was told last Wednesday that his services at Stewart-Haas Racing would no longer be needed beyond 2013 and that 2007 Daytona 500 winner, Kevin Harvick would fill the vacated seat. Ryan doesn’t know what he will be doing next year or if he’ll even be racing at the Cup level but at least the next race on the schedule was one of his best; New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, the weekend didn’t go according to plan. The No.39 finished 39th after crashing heavily with Kurt Busch on lap 225. Although both drivers were upset following the untimely end to their days, it’s what happened a few laps earlier involving Newman and another Busch that would make for some animated soundbites that won’t soon be forgotten.

    Ryan Newman found himself racing Kyle Busch hard and the two made contact which infuriated Ryan.  The two slammed doors and Ryan tried to hit him again going into a corner but only managed to trade some paint with bystander Brad Keselowski. After the race, ESPN asked Kyle Busch what happened and this is what he said…

    “Ryan Newman is the biggest, stupid idiot out there….He’s a big ogre and can do whatever he wants because he can probably kick anybody’s butt so no sense getting in a fight with him. Glad he’s out of a job.”

    It’s not often that you hear the word “ogre” used to describe a fellow driver and saying that he’s glad Ryan is out of a job turned some heads. It caught the attention of the whole racing community including Newman himself who held nothing back in his incensed reply to Kyle…

    “I’m just afraid if I rearranged his face, I might fix it. We know he’s not very bright. He’s a heck of a talent, but he’s not very bright and I’ll leave it at that. I admit to goring Kyle down the straightaway after he blasted me into the corner. I didn’t crash him. He didn’t crash me. I don’t know what he’s got to be mad about. Evidently he’s got a bone to pick for some reason. “

    “It seems like after his comments about me not having a ride and all that stuff, seems like he’s got way more to lose than I do, so I think he might check his trap there before he gets too ahead of himself. If he’s going to run his mouth, he better be able to back running his mouth.”

    These two drivers are fierce competitors who both wear their emotions on their sleeves and Ryan Newman is never afraid to throw down. Go talk to Juan Pablo Montoya and Joe Logano if you think otherwise. It seems that we have an intense rivalry or feud shaping up between these two who are both vying for a chase berth and one is looking for a ride. In a tweet today, Kyle Busch actually apologized for the last part of his angry comments…

    “I want to clarify that I was answering what I felt was two separate questions asked to me at the same time in an interview following the race in Loudon. The first was about how fast Kurt was and the second was how I felt about Ryan Newman blaming me for him getting wrecked. 

    First I answered the Kurt part. He was fast… Great to see them running well… Was a shame to see him crashed… Nowhere there did I place blame on who wrecked who. I didn’t see it and I still haven’t seen it. 

    My second answer came from being upset over an incident I had with RN on the track during the race. I answered it in the same response, but it was intended as a completely separate answer. 

    I was upset because I felt RN raced me poorly, making contact and causing damage to my RF fender that affected the handling on my racecar. This isn’t the first time that I’ve been raced poorly by RN either, which added to my frustration. All this built up and allowed my emotions to spill over for how I felt. I’m not sorry for how I feel in those moments, but could have expressed it better and certainly my comments about someone’s livelihood went too far.”

    I doubt Kyle will try to continue this feud but I wouldn’t be too sure about Newman simmering down anytime soon. It will be interesting to see how these two race one another in the future and if anything controversial will unfold. Multiple drivers got angry at each other at Loudon and I believe those instances of intense anger between drivers will only increase as we get closer and closer to Richmond. You will see patience wearing thin and the aggression pick up as some drivers realize that they have to make something happened if they want one of those coveted chase spots and begin taking risks that they wouldn’t normally take.

    Lastly, as long as we are taking about on track feuds; take a look at this wild video from a race at the legendary Bowman Gray Stadium that occurred the other night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2F2iHTNDE8&feature=youtu.be

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished sixth at Loudon as Brian Vickers was the surprise winner in the Camping World RV Sales 301. Johnson qualified second, but started last after failing post-qualifying inspection.

    “According to NASCAR,” Johnson said, “the front-end of the No. 48 was too low, so I was disqualified. You could say it was a ‘front-end suspension.’

    “We dug ourselves a hole with the disqualification. But Chad Knaus is a master of digging out of holes, and even better getting out of those filled with hot water.”

    2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth at New Hampshire, posting his tenth top-10 result of the year. He is now sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 120 out of first.

    “What an amazing run by Brian Vickers,” Kenseth said. “What’s even more amazing? Not only did Vickers’ car pass inspection, he passed inspection.”

    3. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer took 13th as Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Brian Vickers won the Camping World RV Sales 301. Bowyer moved up one spot in the point standings to second, and now trails Jimmie Johnson by 56.

    “It was a banner day for MWR,” Bowyer said. “Unfortunately, Michael Waltrip couldn’t be here to see it. He was in England at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed. Some might say that for just a few days, Michael was the ‘Queen Of England.’”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick registered his ninth consecutive top-10 finish with a seventh at New Hampshire, while Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton finished a season-best third. Harvick is now fourth in the point standings, 74 out of first.

    “Ryan Newman is not returning to Stewart-Haas Racing next year,” Harvick said. “So, according to Kyle Busch, Newman is saying ‘ogre and out’ to Stewart-Haas, and I’ll fill his spot. It’s a good exchange for Stewart; as for an ‘ogre,’ I’ve been called worse. As for Newman, I’ve been called better.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch led 53 laps at Loudon but was overtaken late by Brian Vickers, who held on to win the Camping World RV Sales 301. Busch’s runner-up finish was his fourth top-5 result in the last seven races.

    “The Busch brothers have declared all-out war on Ryan Newman,” Busch said. “I called Newman the ‘biggest, stupid idiot,’ which is almost as bad as calling someone the “stupidest, big idiot.’ But make no mistake. My brother and I don’t back down from fights, we just lose them.

    “I’m sure Newman will come looking for me now. But tell him not to bother; I’m not hiring.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished eighth in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at Loudon. He is third in the point standings, 73 behind Jimmie Johnson.

    “Danica Patrick turned down an offer to pose nude in ESPN’s ‘Body’ issue,” Edwards said. “I understand she replied to ESPN’s request by saying ‘No GoDaddy.’

    “Once again, we’re getting worked up about Danica for nothing. What has she done in NASCAR? Not much. Maybe she should concentrate on appearing in ESPN’s ‘Somebody’ issue first.”

    7. Tony Stewart: Stewart’s fuel mileage gamble fell short, costing him a sure top-10 finish at New Hampshire. He fell all the way to 26th, and tumbled out of the top 10 in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “Danica Patrick won’t get naked,” Stewart said, “but my gas tank sure will, because it petered out.”

    “But how about Morgan Shepherd? At 71, he became the oldest driver to start a NASCAR race. In doing so, he’s redefined ‘late model’ racing.”

    8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 14th in the Camping World RV Sales 301, the lowest finish among Hendrick Motorsports drivers. He remained in fifth in the point standings, 118 out of first.

    “I can appreciate a good RV,” Earnhardt said. “Some of my fans travel to races in them; the others live in them.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski edged Jimmie Johnson for the pole at Loudon and finished fourth, ending a string of five finishes outside the top 10. The defending Sprint Cup champion moved up four spots in the point standings to ninth, 167 out of first.

    “It’s good to be up front,” Keselowski said. “It keeps fans and sponsors alike happy. With fans, it’s a matter of ‘What have you done for me lately?’ With sponsors, one in particular, it’s a case of ‘What have you done for me Lite-ly?’”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 15th in the Camping World RV Sales 301. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 151 out of first.

    “It was not a great day for us,” Biffle said, “nor was it one for Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. He was wrecked by his girlfriend, Danica Patrick. Word is she was fully-clothed when he rebuffed her.”

  • Brian Vickers Becomes New Sheriff in Town with New Hampshire Win

    Brian Vickers Becomes New Sheriff in Town with New Hampshire Win

    Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, proved that there was a new sheriff in town in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Vickers scored his first win of the season, forgoing the traditional burnout to instead claim the checkered flag and celebrate the moment high-fiving the fans.

    “I don’t know if I can put it into words,” Vickers said. “With everything I’ve gone through from the blood clots to are you ever going to race again to now I can race, but I don’t have a job to getting a phone call from Ty (Norris) to run eight races, nothing could be more special to have this win.”

    “I’m grateful to my family and friends who have supported me along the way,” Vickers continued. “When your back’s against the wall, you find out quickly who is willing to vouch for you.”

    “Sitting in Victory Lane is one of the most special events of my life.”

    The last time that Vickers was in Victory Lane was on August 16, 2009 at Michigan. Until now, he has never won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “I’m just thankful that I was able to get back in the car and that there were people that still believed in me,” Vickers said. “That was the biggest emotion that I have and will have going forward.”

    “They took a chance in a lot of ways,” Vickers continued. “I’m just very thankful for all that and that’s the main emotion that I still have.”

    Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, finished in the runner up position, he acknowledged that it was one difficult race, especially contending with race winner Vickers.

    “Well it was certainly a tough one,” Busch said. “Our car was super-fast for the short run of the race and we could run up front and make some ground.”

    “But once we got close to somebody, the aero effect seemed to take over,” Busch continued. “I was just getting tighter and tighter as the run went along.”

    “I’m really proud of the effort and glad we came home second but it was a really tough day for us.”

    Busch had nothing but praise for Brian Vickers, as well as Michael Waltrip Racing, with whom Joe Gibbs Racing has a relationship. And he even learned a little bit that he can take into the next Loudon race during the Chase.

    “Vickers was obviously going to be the car to beat,” Busch said. “But congratulations to them.”

    “It was cool to see an MWR team in Victory Lane with the relationship we have with JGR,” Busch continued. “Certainly, we really wanted to win but we know what we need to do to get our car better for when we come back in the Chase race.”

    This was Busch’s seventh top-10 finish in 17 races at the Magic Mile and his 11th top-10 finish of the season.

    Jeff Burton achieved a milestone at a track that he loves, scoring his best finish of the season in third. The driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet posted his 14th top-10 finish at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “You know, we feel good about what we’re doing,” Burton said. “We are definitely making progress and we feel like we are starting to building on something.

    “And we think we can improve.”

    Brad Keselowski, who sat on the pole, finished fourth in the Blue Deuce. And he echoed what most of the drivers were saying, that the race was one of the toughest he has run.

    “That was a grueling race for sure,” Keselowski said. “We fought hard all day and came home with a fourth, so that was a decent day.”

    “I thought we had a shot at it,” Keselowski continued. “The 18 and 78 were really good and I hadn’t been around the 55 all day until the end.”

    “But man, that last run, he was definitely fast and deserved the win,” Keselowski said. “It was a decent day for the Miller Lite Ford Fusion but we just needed a little bit more to win.”

    One of the bigger surprises of the race was the finish of Aric Almirola, behind the wheel of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, finishing fifth. And he gave all the credit to the man atop his pit box, crew chief Todd Parrott.

    “We really struggled and Todd saw that track position was really important,” Almirola said. “So, we took two tires on one of those cautions and that was really bad so we came back down pit road and took four tires when everybody else stayed out and that gave us the opportunity when everyone else came to pit to make it on fuel and we stayed out.”

    “That was a great pit call by Todd Parrott and these guys on the Smithfield Ford Fusion did a great job and that is nice,” Almirola continued. “It is a great way to go into the off weekend.”

    As with any short, flat track, there were some moments both on and off the track that sparked some rather emotional responses.

    Probably the most disappointed was Kurt Busch, who sat on the outside pole and then got tangled up with Matt Kenseth, sending Ryan Newman spinning as well. The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet finished 31st.

    I just got hit from behind,” Busch said. “There was three-wide action and everybody’s going hard.”

    “Kenseth was in the middle on the back straightaway,” Busch continued. “The car gets light when there is no air on the rear spoiler back there.”

    “We just got whacked by a bunch of guys,” Newman said. “The No. 18 hit me first, the No. 2 hit me next and then I guess it was Kurt (Busch) that went underneath three-wide.”

    “The No. 20 come and clipped us and knocked us into the fence and took himself out,” Newman said. “That was the best I could tell.”

    “We kind of were in a bad spot having a little bit older tire but just a lot of disrespect from a bunch of guys on restarts.”

    The Rookie of the Year contenders Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Danica Patrick also had a moment together, finishing 23rd and 32nd respectively. And for those two drivers, it was all about the brakes that were to blame as they both went crashing.

    “My brakes were going out all race really,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “I was complaining about it all race.”

    “We will take the weekend off and go to Indy.”

    Jimmie Johnson, who came from the rear to finish sixth and maintain the points lead, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top-ten in the 21st Annual Camping World RV Sales 301 at the Magic Mile.