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Tag: Tony Stewart

  • Stewart Haas Racing – Looking For Less Controversy and a Healthy Tony Stewart

    Stewart Haas Racing – Looking For Less Controversy and a Healthy Tony Stewart

    Charlotte, NC – Kevin Harvick is ready to defend his first Sprint Cup Championship title. The assembled media met with Stewart-Haas Racing drivers on Tuesday afternoon and the defending champion was confident and ready to start the 2015 season. After 13 years of frustration, Harvick can relax, but not too much.

    “The pressure’s definitely off,” Harvick said. “There’s not that pressure of being that guy who was so close to winning championships and had not won one. To be able to accomplish that and take that pressure off is a really good thing because that’s really what we wanted to accomplish in coming over here. So to be fortunate enough to be able to do that is definitely a sense of relief, and now you’ve been through it, you understand it, you know the feelings, the emotions and the things that you’ve been through, and hopefully that leads to that chest full of experience that you carry around with you to just put another tool in that chest to hopefully win more.”

    Harvick came to Stewart-Haas from Richard Childress Racing. Though he is nicknamed “Happy,” the frustration of his last year there reared its ugly head during the 2013 season. At a Camping World Truck race at Martinsville, Harvick got in some on-track beating and banging with Ty Dillon, Childress’ grandson, and made some comments that weren’t complimentary to Dillon. He left RCR on good terms, but wasn’t interested in being comfortable after making the change

    “I didn’t want to be comfortable,” Harvick said. “I wanted to experience what we experienced last year, and sometimes you have to make some bold or hard decisions in order to make things like this happen. So for me, I’m as comfortable as I’ve ever been.”

    Team co-owner Tony Stewart has faced adversity over the last two years. First a sprint car accident that left him with a broken leg and a shortened season, then the poor performance on track and the horrible accident in another sprint car in New York in which a young man died. From the looks of things, Stewart was more himself which has to be good news for the organization.

    “As soon as the calendar flipped to 2015, I put the rest of it behind me and I’m not looking back,” Stewart said. “I’m not looking back at all. I’m looking forward and focused on what we’ve got coming up. Physically, even after the surgery Dec. 1, this is the best I’ve felt since the accident two years ago,” Stewart said.

    The big question for all the drivers, Stewart included, is how the new rules package will feel to them when in the cockpit. Stewart had no answer.

    “I have no idea if it’s going to feel better or worse,” Stewart said. “But you know what? I go back to all the years we’ve raced so many different types of cars. You were always having to adapt to it, anyways. So I don’t think this is going to be any different than what we’ve done in the past. It’s just a matter of finding out that feel that we want in the car right away.”

    Kurt Busch said he was eager to start the season and have the best run of his life. He also wants to get the domestic violence case behind him so he can concentrate on racing.

    “I feel like 2015 can be the best year that I have ever had with the situation with (crew chief) Tony Gibson and being the second year with the team,” Busch said. “My years of experience with teams in the second year have always produced the best result.”

    Whether Busch is allowed to race this season will likely depend on the outcome of the case. Gene Haas, who handpicked Busch to drive a car sponsored by Haas, said he believes Busch’s testimony and that he will be exonerated. Haas said he hasn’t considered suspending his driver.

    “Domestic violence is very serious, but at the same time I do believe in due process,” team co-owner Gene Haas said. “At the same time, I feel there can be abuses to the system, too.”

  • An interview with Rico Abreu – Teleconference Transcript

    An interview with Rico Abreu – Teleconference Transcript

    January 20, 2015

    THE MODERATOR:  Good morning everyone and welcome to today’s teleconference with the newest full-time driver at HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, Rico Abreu. Rico won the 2015 Chili Bowl last weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and as previously mentioned has secured his first full-time ride in NASCAR.

    Congratulations, Rico. Thank you for joining us today.

    RICO ABREU:  Thank you, guys. I’m really excited for what is to come and looking forward to all my new goals and accomplishments.

    1. With this coming a couple days after the Chili Bowl, I would assume that it was signed before or did you sign it after? Did winning the Chili Bowl have any effect on it?

    RICO ABREU:  No, no effect at all. The Chili Bowl is what I look forward to the whole year. Then again, this whole K&N East schedule with Harry and Justin, it’s just been a tremendous 2014, and I’m looking to build off it for 2015.

    1. The kind of alterations to the pedals and seats in a stock car, is it any different than what it would be in the sprint cars that you’ve been driving?

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, the sprint car is a lot different because you sit down like you sit in a chair when you sit in a sprint car. So your legs are underneath you. My sprint car, the pedal location, there are foot blocks that allow my feet to reach the pedals. Then the seat is pushed forward about six inches. So it’s a little different than the stock car where you’re more sat down and your legs are in front of you and the pedals are moved toward you like you sit in a vehicle you drive daily. All the modifications are really simple.  Nothing is way off the radar that they did and it’s really safe. Everyone agreed with every decision and every modification they made. So I’m really excited and really comfortable sitting in a car that I haven’t even raced yet.

    1. Talk about your hopes and dreams of being in NASCAR and how you see your career laying out ahead of you now?

    RICO ABREU:  I think it’s a big step, really, just because I come from the open wheel world where everyone knows everyone. And there are so many more NASCAR fans that don’t follow dirt racing and don’t know what I do, so I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t know. I think the fans will react a lot differently than the average driver — average-looking driver coming to NASCAR. I’m excited to see how it goes. I think it’s going to be just fine.

    I think I’m planning on having a lot of success. The people that I’ve surrounded myself with are phenomenal people, and I think that raises the bar and raises my confidence level and support.

    1. I got a kick out of the picture. I think you tweeted it. Tony Stewart was getting the surface ready and you were talking and obviously he thinks a lot of you. What race car drivers in any division are you friends with? You’ve been around a while and talking to them and hanging out with them.

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, I really got to know Tony through one of my best friends Kyle Larson. Kyle has made a really big impression in the sport over the last year just with all the success he’s had. I’ve known Kyle for the last six years, and I consider him a brother. His parents really could be my mom and dad just how close we are or how close I am to his family and him.

    So Kyle is definitely the one I really look up to and the one I can go to for anything just because our close friendship and relationship we have together. Then the people I’ve met through Kyle like Tony and Kasey, and there are so many other drivers I feel I can go to for support and that will support me. My confidence is so high. I’m just really looking forward to it. I don’t think I’m going to have too many problems to deal with.

    1. Congratulations, Rico on the new opportunity. It came a little faster than we anticipated. But talk about going to New Smyrna this weekend and the challenges that lay ahead there? Because from your conversation with us Saturday night this will be your first opportunity getting in a stock car and actually racing; is that correct?

    RICO ABREU:  Yes, I’ve never even raced one. Like yesterday I just drove it around the parking lot for the first time, a late model. So my whole goal on going to New Smyrna is just getting laps in and making sure I’m comfortable in the race car. I started reading a book yesterday that Ross Bentley has wrote, and he says in it the most important thing is being comfortable in your race car and that is so right. So that’s my whole goal about this weekend is getting comfortable and making sure that everything is right just so I don’t run into problems down the road where I’m not comfortable. Because you have to be a hundred percent in these race cars and you can’t lose concentration when you’re racing about being uncomfortable. So that is my biggest thing about this weekend is just making sure I’m in my comfort zone and making sure everything’s right and getting in as many laps as I can on the track.

    1. Following up, Rico, it was mentioned that the set-up in sprint cars is with the blocks. Is the set-up going to be similar to that in the stock cars do you think?

    RICO ABREU:  It’s somewhat similar, like the spacing behind the seat is really the same. There’s not a big spacer, but there is a decent sized spacer behind my seat to get me closer to the steering wheel because NASCAR has so many rules where you can’t be too far away from the seat — the tubing on the frame of the car. The pedals are mounted right under the dashboard and the dashboard is moved up closer to me where I can reach all the electronics. Everything is correct, and nothing is way far off, like I said, the radar that they did. If you look in my cockpit, it’s hard to tell there is a difference. The only difference is I’m sitting a lot closer and the pedals are closer to me, but the adjustments aren’t that bad.

    1. Have you been working hand-in-hand with NASCAR to get prepared for the modified for the K&N races?

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, NASCAR came and saw all the improvements and they’re fine with it all. So it’s pretty cool that they got it all done in one try, and they didn’t have to really change anything. They’re satisfied with all the adjustments that they did. They said everything is safe and looks safe, and I feel safe in the race car so I think that is the big first step.

    1. You mentioned that a lot of NASCAR fans might not follow the sprint car racing as much and might not know what you do. But I would think over the last three days a lot of them probably do know who you are. Can you talk about what things have been like since Saturday and do you sense that this announcement’s coming at the right time with everybody learning who you are right now?

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Saturday was a big night for me just because of all the coverage that the Chili Bowl has gotten and the people that have attended that event Saturday night. I was watching the race in the infield of the track, and I look over and see Roger Penske. It was his first time at the event, and he came and introduced himself, and I asked him what he thought and he said this is unbelievable. And Kurt Busch was there and Danica and all these people were so intrigued.

    Without testing — NASCAR taking the testing policies away all these drivers are looking for something to do, and I think the Chili Bowl is the event to go to in January. Then let alone me winning it in front of such a big crowd, it’s just been a phenomenal week and weekend. People don’t experience many situations like that, and it’s definitely one I’ll never forget, and I’m so glad that all these people that are associated with me were a part of it all.

    1. Rick, a lot of people on Twitter posted throughout the Chili Bowl weekend that someone should give you a shot in NASCAR. I was just wondering, what was it like for you reading those? Does that give you more confidence going into this deal?

    RICO ABREU:  Definitely humbling, that’s for sure. You know, when I grew up I played sports and I wrestled in middle school, and all my friends and classmates kind of outgrew me. I was limited to the things I could do and I became a big race fan. Well, I didn’t even think I could race until I did it for the first time, let alone be so competitive so quickly in my career.

    It’s just so cool to have the feeling that people really believe in you and would like to see you achieve. Then let alone winning the Chili Bowl and all the prestigious races I got to win last year. I think a lot of people believe in me, and it gives me a lot of confidence and humbles me. So I’m glad that people can really see who I am and they don’t judge me for what I look like or why I’m doing it. I’m doing it because I’m a racer and I love the sport.

    1. Rico, a lot of very good racers have made careers out of racing in sprints. Was the opportunity to compete in NASCAR a goal that you set for yourself?

    RICO ABREU:  Last year it wasn’t. Until I had all my success this year, I set goals last year that I never thought I would achieve and I achieved them. So the end of last year the discussion came up and the opportunity was there, and I said why don’t we give it a shot? Because I can always come back to sprint car racing if NASCAR doesn’t work out or if something happens where I can’t race or you’re not competitive. Which I don’t feel — I feel I will be competitive just with all the experience I’ve already gained racing a hundred times a year.

    You know, I’m on the same path as a lot of these NASCAR standouts were on. So I’m pretty confident about all of it, and I’m really excited to see what happens in the next few months.

    1. Speaking of how often you were racing before, you’re down for, I guess, it’s 14 or whatever K&N races. How will that schedule impact your sprint car schedule? Will there be any big races on the sprint car side that you’ll have to miss or anything because of the K&N schedule?

    RICO ABREU:  A few races. It won’t impact my sprint car schedule at all. The K&N schedule is going to be my priority, and then I’ll race sprint car races and midget races around it. I’m planning on racing 120 times this year and as many as I can get in.

    I was talking to Tony at the Chili Bowl, and I told him there is a conflict where the K&N guys are at Dover, and there are three sprint car races at Williams Grove, and he said don’t worry about that, I’ll get you there. So it’s pretty cool that I have Tony behind me on all this and Kyle. It just allows me to race even more than I was already planning on.

    Next year — my goals this year are pretty high to just finish all these K&N races and be there at the end of them. If I could win some of them, or win one of them I’d be in awe.  I’m really looking forward to racing with Harry and Justin Marks and the whole organization they’ve built together.

    1. Congrats again, the whole dirt community is proud of you. First off we have Keith Kunz coming on Winged Nation today. How much do you attest your quick success so far in the past five years, even the last three years with him on him and Pete Willoughby’s success with midgets?

    RICO ABREU:  Keith and Pete have been a big part of my career. If it wasn’t for those two guys there’s no way I’d be here where I’m at today let alone all the success I’ve had.  Pete and Keith are someone I’ve really looked up to. Over the past few years that I’ve gotten to know them, I’ve stayed at his house, and we do a lot of things outside of racing and just having a great friendship. Let alone the career success they’ve had together, those two, I’m pretty sure they’ve been together for 19 years this year racing midgets, and that is an unbelievable success that they’ve had with the championship and winning the Chili Bowl and winning the Belleville Midget Nationals twice, and all the major midget events. There are so many great drivers that have come out of their camp to NASCAR I’m just honored to be a part of their team still.

    1. You had been in an outlaw car five years ago.  Did you ever dream this day would come?

    RICO ABREU:  No, I had no idea. It’s so cool to see what’s been going on and to be a part of it.  It’s all about the people I’ve surrounded myself by and gotten to know. They’ve all been a part of it, and I’ve had a lot of great opportunities that I’ve taken advantage of, and it’s been so much fun. I’m really looking forward to the future.

    1. When did it sink in for you that you won the Chili Bowl or has it sunk in yet?

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, probably Sunday morning on the way to the airport when I got to the airport and all these fans were wanting pictures and autographs right before we got on the plane. Then I got on the plane and flew to Chicago, and when we landed they announced on the plane that the Chili Bowl National winner is on this flight, Rico Abreu, they actually said Rich Ab Roe, and then they came back and said Rico Abreu.

    So I never thought this day would come, but now that I think about it, it’s so cool to win the Chili Bowl because there are not too many drivers that have. The race has been put on for 29 years in a row, and there have only been 18 different drivers to win it. So it’s pretty cool the car count they get and the fan base they’ve built and the build up around the event, and then let alone win it is unbelievable. It’s definitely one of the biggest wins in my career and one I’ll never forget about.

    1. Based off what we saw on social media, your win was very popular in the motorsports community. Out of all the congratulatory messages you received publicly or privately, was there someone you heard from that you weren’t expecting and meant more than the others?

    RICO ABREU:  No, you know, everyone that usually congratulates me after I win any race was there to congratulate me. Then all the people that I’ve gotten to meet over the last year that are in NASCAR congratulated me that I’m well aware of.  It’s just pretty cool to win and to see all the congrats is very humbling.

    Probably the biggest one was just my family. They don’t get to many races and they were there.  So they got to see me win in front of such a big crowd, I think that was the coolest part of it overall, the congrats. Then my mom and dad were there, and they were just so proud. That’s really the one that means the most to me.

    1. Rico, congratulations on today’s announcement.  Do you have sponsorship ironed out for the 14 NASCAR K&N East races this year?

    RICO ABREU:  They’re still working on it. I’m not sure who the primary sponsor is going to be.  I think they’re going to announce it soon. But as of right now it’s going to be Harry Scott with Justin Marks Racing.

    1. Can you talk about your relationship with Justin Marks?

    RICO ABREU:  Yeah, I’ve gotten to really know Justin over the past few years just being, obviously friends with Kyle and a part of their sprint car team that they built together. I think it’s so cool that he’s become a part of Harry’s K&N East team and co-owner in it, and he’s going to get to run some races this year for their team. So I think Justin’s a big influence on that whole program and he’ll help it even more.

    Justin’s a very smart man, and in all sorts of situations, business, and let alone just being a friend I think he’s going to be really fun to be around all year. He’ll be on the majority of the races and someone I’ll be able to go to and talk about racing or just talk about being friends.

    1. Final question is how is your test going today at Motor Mile?

    RICO ABREU:  It’s in like five minutes when I get off the phone with you guys.

    1. Two questions, one, with racing, and one sort of about a hobby I’ve seen you enjoy doing. The first question is so you’re planning on doing the majority of your outlaw and midget stuff and K&N?

    RICO ABREU:  Correct. The K&N East schedule will be my priority, and then I’ll fill in sprint car and midget races around the schedule and plan on running 110 to 120 races this year like I did last year. I feel like I’m more capable of doing that with all three teams, but I’ll be associated with the midgets and the sprint car and the K&N East cars.

    I think the year Kyle ran the K&N East schedule he raced 130 times, so I think I’m more than capable of running 110 to 120 this year.

    1. I’m seeing a couple pictures. I also write and do photography.  Is photography a hobby of yours? I’ve seen a couple pictures of you shooting at the Chili Bowl.

    RICO ABREU:  Not so much. I do enjoy nice photography pictures, but I’m not into photography or anything. I was just someone took a picture of me taking a picture.

    FastScripts by ASAP Sports

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  • Four Questions for the 2015 NASCAR Season

    Four Questions for the 2015 NASCAR Season

    As the NASCAR season approaches anticipation builds for the endless possibilities that a new year can bring. Will Earnhardt Jr. contend for a title? Will Smoke rise again? Will Kyle Larson finally grab that win? Will Roush Fenway Racing regain its former glory? Please join me as I take a look ahead at the 2015 season.

    1) Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. and new crew chief Greg Ives contend for the championship in 2015?

    The Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte partnership will be a hard act to follow as Greg Ives takes over the crew chief responsibilities for the No. 88 team in 2015. Last year was Earnhardt’s first multiple win season since 2004. It began with the season opener when he joined an elite group of drivers to score his second Daytona 500 win, continued with a sweep at Pocono and culminated with his first victory at Martinsville. Although Earnhardt did not make it through all the championship rounds to contend for the title, 2014 saw an Earnhardt on the cusp of capturing the ultimate prize.

    Will Earnhardt and Ives hit the ground running?

    “I don’t know how long it will take me and him to get on the same page, it may happen overnight, it might take a month, whatever,” Earnhardt said. “We see it happen different for everybody. But I think as the season goes on, we’ll be as strong as we were this year, if not stronger.”

    There will certainly be a period of transition as they develop team rapport and fine-tune the chemistry necessary to duplicate or exceed last year’s success. How quickly they accomplish this will be crucial to achieving their goals.

    2) Will Tony Stewart win in 2015?

    In June 2013, Tony Stewart won at Dover, continuing a 15-years-in-a-row streak of winning at least one race each season of his Sprint Cup career. It would prove to be his last win to date and the streak ended in 2014 as Stewart went winless for the first time in 16 years.

    There were, however, extenuating circumstances. Stewart was sidelined for the last 15 races of the 2013 season after breaking his right leg in August during a sprint car race at Southern Iowa Speedway. He returned full-time in 2014 but was not completely healed; scoring only three top-five finishes over the course of the season.

    Later in the year, controversy surrounded Stewart when Kevin Ward Jr. was struck by a car Stewart was driving at a sprint car race on August 9 at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.  Stewart was cleared by a grand jury of any charges but the ordeal took its toll on Stewart, who, out of respect for the family, sat out three races following the incident.

    Stewart ended the season on a positive note, celebrating the Sprint Cup Championship of Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick.

    “You know, I think more than anything, I’m happy for this organization and happy for this team. It’s not about me right now,” he said, “it’s about us as a group. It’s about everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. You know, you learn when you’re in these situations that it’s about a larger group of people and a bigger picture that’s in play. I’m grateful that I have a co-owner and co-workers and teammates that are such great people that no matter what’s been thrown at us the last year and a half that this organization was able to thrive and continue to prosper and be successful through this.

    “You know, it shows the depth of this organization and what these people are capable of. Nights like tonight are when you sit back and you reflect on everything and you realize how proud you are of your entire group and everybody that you surround yourself with.”

    In December Stewart underwent two more surgeries on his leg and hopes to begin the new season pain-free. With controversy behind him and no more injuries, expect to see the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion back to his winning ways in 2015.

    3) Will Kyle Larson capture his first Sprint Cup win in 2015?

    Larson ended his rookie season with eight top-fives including three runner-up finishes at Fontana, New Hampshire and Kansas. That’s more top-fives than two of the final four championship contenders, Denny Hamlin (7) and Ryan Newman (5). Throw in 17 top-10s and one pole and it’s no surprise that he won the Rookie of the Year award.

    In 2006 Denny Hamlin became the first rookie (and only rookie to date) to make the Chase but Larson came close. He missed making the 16 driver Chase field by only one position, ending the season in 17th place, best among the non-Chasers.

    Larson summed up his season after the last race at Homestead saying, “There are a lot of moments that stand out, a lot of heartbreak moments as well. We will come back next season peel the rookie stripes off and try and go out there and win a race and get into the Chase and do what Kevin Harvick did tonight.”

    If determination and focus are any indicators, you will probably see Larson in victory lane this year.

    4) Will Roush Fenway Racing rebound in 2015?

    The 2014 season for Roush Fenway Racing was one of the most disappointing in recent memory as the team struggled to find speed. Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. combined for a grand total of two wins. The two victories were courtesy of Edwards who left RFR at the end of the year to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015. Edwards and Biffle participated in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, finishing ninth and 14th respectively, but neither was considered a serious contender for the title.

    Trevor Bayne will move up to a full-time ride for RFR in the Cup Series after Edward’s departure. Bayne has driven a partial schedule for the Wood Brothers for the past four years. His most notable accomplishment was the unforgettable 2011 Daytona 500 win, his only victory in 58 starts in the series.

    In an effort to bolster their Sprint Cup and Xfinity programs, RFR has hired Mark McArdle as engineering director and Kevin Kidd as NSCS team manager.

    McArdle is an experienced veteran of IndyCar and NASCAR. He has worked in NASCAR for the past 15 years with various organizations including Roush Yates Engines, Evernham Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing and Richard Childress Racing.

    “I’m confident that having Mark and Kevin in these two key positions will make our organization even stronger next season,” said team co-owner Jack Roush. “Mark has a pedigree in racing that spans multiple platforms and speaks for itself in terms of results. He has a reputation not only for success, but as a great manager and motivator.

    “Kevin is recognized in the garage as one of the brightest minds in our sport,” added Roush. “He has acquired invaluable experience working with both veteran and young drivers, and will be a great asset to our Sprint Cup program week in and week out at the race track. We look forward to bringing both Mark and Kevin on board and welcoming them into the fold.”

    Also noteworthy, was the announcement in July 2014 that veteran Mark Martin has joined the RFR team as a driver development coach.

    Roush Fenway Racing remains one of the premier teams in NASCAR and despite recent struggles, it would be premature to count them out. This may be a year of transition but look for RFR to re-emerge as a leader sooner rather than later.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick’s four-tire pit stop on a caution with 20 laps to go keyed his victory at Homestead, giving him the Sprint Cup championship. Harvick held off Ryan Newman to claim his first title.

    “I’d like to thank everyone who believed in me,” Harvick said. “I’d also like to thank Richard Childress. Do you believe me now, Richard?

    “Sunday’s race was for all the marbles. And that included the ‘marbles’ of Kurt Busch, because it seems he’s lost his.”

    2. Ryan Newman: Newman started 21st on the grid and chased Kevin Harvick to the checkered flag, unable to get close enough to make a move. Newman finished second as Harvick celebrated his first championship.

    “I was looking to become the first Sprint Cup champion without a win,” Newman said. “That would have been a dream come true for me, and a nightmare for NASCAR.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, on old tires, lost the lead to Kevin Harvick with seven laps to go and finished seventh.

    “Michael Jordan was in my pit box cheering me on,” Hamlin said. “Seventh may be good enough for Charlotte Hornets, but not for me. No one was more upset when I lost than Michael. No one was happier than his bookie.”

    4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon started on the pole at Homestead and led a race-high 161 laps on his way to a 10th-place finish at Homestead.

    “Surprisingly,” Gordon said, “there were no punches thrown. Apparently, Homestead isn’t ‘grounds’ for fighting.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano’s chances at the Sprint Cup championship disintegrated when jack problems in the pits dropped him to 21st on the restart. He eventually finished 16th in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

    “Just when we needed a ‘pick-me-up,’” Logano said, “we suffered a ‘letdown’ in the pits.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth won the Nationwide Ford EcoBoost 300 on Saturday and finished sixth in the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday.

    “Congratulations to Kevin Harvick,” Kenseth said. “He wouldn’t be holding that championship trophy had he not won the last two races. I’d say he certainly knows when to ‘push.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished third at Homestead, closing the books on an up-and-down year.

    “It was an up-and-down year for us,” Keselowski said, “as well as a ‘left-and-right’ year.”

    8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 14th in the Ford EcoBoost 400, finishing the year with four wins.

    “It was a historic day at Homestead,” Earnhardt said. “The competition was intense, while Junior Nation was ‘in tents.’ Leave it to my fans to bring the moonshine to the ‘Sunshine State.’

    9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished ninth at Homestead, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

    “I wasn’t able to win my seventh title,” Johnson said, “but I can’t be too upset. “The race was called the ‘Ford EcoBoost 400. Let’s change that ‘Eco’ to ‘Echo,’ because whenever and wherever you say my name, you hear it repeated five times.”

    10. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 13th in the Ford EcoBoost 400, wrapping up what will surely be a Rookie Of The Year campaign.

    “If I don’t win that Rookie Of The Year award,” Larson said., “I’ll be very unhappy. So unhappy, that I could possibly go into ‘ROY’d rage.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    As the Florida sun faded to darkness at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a first-time champion was crowned, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the season’s final race, the Ford EcoBoost 400.

    Surprising: Although Stewart-Haas Racing has always touted its Hendrick Motorsports partnership, it was surprising to learn in more detail just how important that connection has been to the new NASCAR champion and the winning race team.

    Kevin Harvick, winning his first ever NASCAR Cup Championship, specifically and repeatedly paid homage to Hendrick Motorsports six-time champion Jimmie Johnson in his post-race and champion-clinching comments.

    “Jimmie Johnson was a huge help in just helping — he’d show up in the trailer after every practice and called and texted to Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and myself,” Harvick said. “You’ve got to remember, Jimmie and I have — we’ve known each other for a long time. We slept on those same couches at Hornaday’s house adjacent to each other in the game room.”

    “He’d go race his ASA cars, and I’d go race the trucks for the Spears bunch, so we spent a lot of time together as friends and have grown to be better friends as we’ve gone past the last few years for sure.”

    Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, echoed his driver’s comments about the HMS connection.

    “We’ve got a great partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, and like Kevin just mentioned, when you’ve got eight drivers that are sharing information, it’s a lot easier to race seven guys than it is to try to worry about racing 34 or 35 guys.”

    Not Surprising: Although they are three very different drivers, in age, size and style, they all had one thing in common after the final race was run. All three races were visibly despondent, from Ryan Newman, who finished the best of the three contenders in the second spot, to Denny Hamlin who finished seventh and Joey Logano who finished an even more disappointing sixteenth.

    “We had a couple pit stops that kind of put us back,” Newman said. “It is disappointing, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no point in being a sore loser. We came back for the entire season to make our best finish our last finish.”

    “The race did not go too well for us,” Hamlin said. “Obviously we had a championship-type car, championship-type effort, but those last breaks just didn’t go our way. We just struggled with restart speed.”

    “Obviously our race was not too good,” Logano said. “We knew what we had to do, we just didn’t execute from every angle it seems like. I hit the wall a bit early in the race and then we came down pit road, made a mistake and went to the tail end of the lead lap.”

    Surprising: Jeff Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson had a surprisingly testy exchange at the end of the race, all about whether or not to pit from the front of the pack for tires in the latter part of the race.

    Gordon was one of the few drivers who stayed out late in the race and when another caution came, he desperately pleaded for tires. Crew chief Gustafson argued against giving up track position but Gordon was insistent and down pit road he came.

    After starting mid-pack, the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet rallied back to finish tenth.

    Not Surprising: Who knew that Kyle Larson, officially named Sunoco Rookie of the Year, had his own bandwagon?

    “There was a lot of room on the Kyle Larson bandwagon on to start the season,” Larson said. “I think a lot of people chose Austin Dillon to win it, and I was pretty confident in myself and in my team that we could do it.”

    “I knew there would be some ups and downs, but I felt like we would be the top contender once we got halfway through the season, and we definitely were. We’ve gotten better throughout the season, and just is a huge honor to win this title with all the other names that have won it.”

    Surprising: During the race, NASCAR made a surprising announcement that Chad Knaus was called to the NASCAR hauler for disobeying a NASCAR directive. The issue, involving the team’s use of a wheel spacer, turned out to be much ado about nothing as confirmed by Robin Pemberton, Vice President for Competition.

    “We just had a discussion on pit road between our official and Chad and really it was just to discuss it,” Pemberton said. “It was really not a big deal. We were just trying to clarify what went on, that’s all.”

    “Everything is fine.”

    Not Surprising: Greg Biffle ended his difficult year with a blowout, of the unfortunate tire type. He was having a solid run when he blew a tire, hit the outside wall and had to go to the garage for repairs.

    Biffle finished 41st in the season finale and ended 14th in the championship standings.

    Surprising: The crew chiefs, teams and drivers that were racing together for the very last time sadly did not finish on the best of terms.

    “It had gotten dark, and the track was doing just what Trevor and Donnie expected,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said. “The track was coming to us, and Trevor was running some really good lap times. He had gotten in the lucky dog position, which would have gotten us back on the lead lap when the next caution came out.”

    “Unfortunately, that caution flag wound up being for us.”

    Carl Edwards and Jimmy Fennig also parted ways after the season finale, with Edwards going to Joe Gibbs Racing and Fennig ratcheting his time down on the box.

    “Jimmy Fennig is an unsung hero at Roush Racing,” Jack Roush, owner, said. “He doesn’t do things that create a personal image away from the driver or away from the sponsor or away from the team. He’s the trooper that’s back there doing everything that he can every day.”

    Probably one of the most dynamic driver/crew chief duos also did not finish off their relationship in quite the manner that they wanted.

    Dale Jr. and Steve Letarte raced one last time as driver and crew chief, finishing 14th in the Ford EcoBoost 400. The two summed up their feelings on Twitter as Letarte leaves for a television broadcasting career next season.

    “Me and Steve didn’t count on becoming such great friends,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That’s just really been a bonus to the whole thing.”

    “I might not be talking to @DaleJr thru the headset any more but we will still be friends,” Letarte tweeted. “Taught me a bit about racing and a lot about life.”

    Not Surprising: Chevrolet had a big night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with their driver winning the championship, six Chevy drivers in the top-ten, and securing their 12th consecutive manufacturer’s championship.

    “Winning the Manufacturers’ Championship is one of the goals we set at the beginning of every season,” Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, said.

    Surprising: Matt Kenseth had a surprisingly good weekend, as the highest finishing Toyota and also winner of the Nationwide race.

    “It’s been a long time since I won a race in anything, so just happy for Kevin (Kidd, crew chief),” Kenseth said. “He’s been trying to get a win over here for a long time, and he’s going on to something different next year.”

    “Happy to send him off with a win here; that was pretty good.”

    Not Surprising: There was at least one drive ready for Daytona after his third place run in the season finale.

    “Yeah, it was a heck of a season, not just for me but for all of Team Penske,” Brad Keselowski said. “I’m kind of wishing it wasn’t over, but we still have some work to do to continue to work and get better.”

    “In some ways, I hate to see the season come to an end, and honestly I’m ready to be at Daytona next week for the 500. That’s probably not the most popular comment in the world, but sometimes I’m not the most popular guy.”

    Final Note: In a most unusual year with the brand new Chase format, it has been a pleasure to share the surprising and not so surprising moments of the season. So, sit back, enjoy the off-season and as Brad Keselowski said, see you in Daytona!

     

     

     

  • Kevin Harvick Doubles Down as Race Winner and NASCAR Champ

    Kevin Harvick Doubles Down as Race Winner and NASCAR Champ

    It’s not often that a driver can double down in NASCAR but Kevin Harvick did just that, winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 as well as the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. This was Harvick’s 28th victory in 502 Cup races, his fifth victory of the season and his first victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    “Well, I just really don’t know what to even say about how much I appreciate this,” champion Harvick said in Victory Lane. “I’m just really excited. It’s really special for everybody.”

    “Been trying for 13 years,” Harvick continued. “I just have to thank Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson for helping me through this week. Jimmie was in my trailer as much as many of my teammates – doing all the things that it takes to tell me what I needed to do today.”

    For Harvick, the win and championship was indeed a family affair with wife DeLana and son Keelan in Victory Lane.

    “It is surreal,” DeLana Harvick said emotionally. “To come fight for this championship with one of the best group of guys I have ever been around…they did this. They deserve it. They are champions.”

    Harvick, a veteran of all three of NASCAR’s national series, is the third driver to win the Cup and Nationwide crowns, joining Bobby Labonte and Brad Keselowski in that achievement. He is also the 30th champion in the 66-year history of the Cup Series.

    Team owner Tony Stewart was also celebrating his driver’s win, especially significant after the difficult year personally that he has been through. While this was also the second championship for Stewart-Haas Racing, both Kevin Harvick and his crew chief Rodney Childers won championships for the first time ever.

    “It’s great,” Smoke said on ESPN SportsCenter. “That’s why we have a four-car team to make sure we have every opportunity we can to come to Homestead and have a chance to race for a Sprint Cup championship.”

    “This is an awesome night for our whole organization and Gene Haas and Kevin and Rodney Childers and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing.”

    “This is an unbelievable evening.”

    Ryan Newman, who worked his way into the championship contender round with a last lap pass, finished the race in the runner-up position. This was Newman’s fifth top-10 finish at Homestead and his 16th top-10 finish in 2014, again confirming his consistency throughout the season.

    “These guys did a really good job,” Newman said. “We had a couple pit stops that kind of put us back, but the guys stepped it up the last couple pit stops and we gained a few spots; gave ourselves a shot.”

    “Luke (Lambert, crew chief), I thought made a great call on the two-tire stop, and we got some track position,” Newman continued. “And then when Jeff (Gordon) pitted, that kind of caught me by surprise and gave us the front row.”

    “In the end, I’m just so proud of our team. It is disappointing, don’t’ get me wrong, but there’s no point in being a sore loser.”

    Brad Keselowski, who had such a strong season, finished third in his self-proclaimed white deuce. This was his second top-10 finish in seven races at Homestead.

    “Yeah, it was a heck of a season, not just for me but for all of Team Penske,” Keselowski said. “Certainly a year that we’ll look back on with a lot of pride.”

    “I’m kind of wishing it wasn’t over, but we still have some work to do to continue to work and get better. We have to go back and work a little bit harder and find a little more speed and try to keep up with that.”

    Kyle Larson officially claimed the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title, having been in that position most of the season. He finished 13th in the race finale and was yet again the highest finishing rookie of the race.

    “We were really competitive all season long with the Target team and came really, really close to winning a couple of them,” Larson said. “There was a lot of room on the Kyle Larson bandwagon to start the season. I think a lot of people chose Austin Dillon to win it and I was pretty confident in myself and in my team that we could do it.”

    “I knew there would be some ups and downs but I felt like we would be the top contender once we got halfway through the season and we definitely were,” Larson continued. “Really proud of that, proud of the effort everybody has put in on these race cars. We’ve gotten better throughout the season and just is a huge honor to win this title with all the other names that have won it.”

    For Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, who were also contending for the championship in addition to Harvick and Newman, it was all about the difficulties on the restarts and in the pits that led to their respective downfall.

    Hamlin finished seventh and Logano finished fourth, both unable to claim the championship crown.

    “I thought we had a better car than those guys, just I had a bad restart and lost position to the No. 4,” Hamlin said. “Darian (Grubb, crew chief) made the decision to leave us out there on tires trying to do something to get that track position back that I lost on the restart and it just didn’t work out for us.”

    “With all of those cautions, it just allowed all of those guys to close back up and it was kind of all she wrote for us,” Hamlin continued. “Sometimes the cautions fall your way and sometimes they don’t. We definitely gave ourselves a shot and things were looking really good for us, but those cautions just really, really hurt us.”

    “It was a heck of a race up there,” Logano said. “I screwed up and hit the wall early and we were able to recover then had the mistake on pit road, which didn’t give us enough time to recover from that.”

    “It is unfortunate,” Logano continued. “Execution was our strong point all year and we just didn’t do it tonight. For that reason, we finished fourth after I think we scored the most points this whole Chase.”

    Congratulations are also due to Chevrolet, who secured yet another manufacturer’s championship. This was their 12th consecutive championship and the 38th time overall that they have won it.

    “Winning the Manufacturers’ championship is one of the goals we set at the beginning of every season,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “This championship is the result of great teamwork by the owners, drivers, crew chiefs, crews and technical partners. Special thanks to the Chevrolet powertrain team, along with the engine shops at Hendrick Motorsports and Earnhardt-Childress Racing for delivering the right combination of power, fuel economy, and reliability throughout the entire season.”

    “Congratulations to everyone who has made this special achievement possible for Chevrolet.”

  • The Final Word – In Texas, the Racing is Just an Appetizer for the Excitement yet to Come

    The Final Word – In Texas, the Racing is Just an Appetizer for the Excitement yet to Come

    Jimmie Johnson was a factor from beginning to end in Texas, claiming his fourth victory of the season. Okay, enough about the damn race. All the real excitement took place after they waved the checkered flag.

    On a first attempt at a green-white-checkered restart, Johnson and Jeff Gordon started up front. A gap opened between the two and Brad Keselowski tried to punch his way through. There was some separation between the leaders, but not a hole big enough to fit a car, at least to begin with. As Gordon came down, Keselowski was there, but there still was not quite enough of a hole to fit a car through. The two hit, Brad slipped and scraped his way by, while Gordon wound up with a flat tire. Johnson won while Kevin Harvick managed to take the runner-up spot away from the third place Keselowski. As for Gordon, he went from second to finishing a lap down in 29th. Again, enough about the damn race.

    As the boys and girl lined up on pit road to head toward the garage, Gordon pulled up beside Keselowski. As the teams already seemed to be in a scrum, Gordon calmly walked around it all in order to chat with his rival. I say calmly, but appearances can be deceiving. Okay, there was some steam pouring out of Jeff’s helmet as he came around.

    As Keselowski emerged from his car, Gordon began jawing at him while Brad jawed right back, separated by some big boys from his crew. Just when it appeared that One Time might escape from the ruckus, Harvick came in from behind him, apparently said something about fighting his own fight, and pushed Brad back toward the maelstrom. It was enough to allow Gordon to grab Keselowski’s uniform, and the melee ensued. Brad had an escape strategy going for him, but that is when a Gordon crew man came from behind to commit him entirely before collaring the boy. Brad bent backwards and sunk beneath the waves. Both drivers got a little bloodied, but it all proved about as damaging as a pair of toddlers squaring off.
    There were punches thrown, but few if any, really connected. The boys got rough, the boys got loud, and the only person you could really feel sorry for was ESPN’s Jamie Little, who was caught on the fringes of it all. Mind you, a big lug with Paul Menard’s team placed a mitt over the wall to keep her stabilized and upright. Chivalry is alive in NASCAR, as she went on with her job and interviewed Bad Brad post-ruckus. She is a good one, and it is good to see she will be heading over to FOX for next season.

    So, is anyone at fault here? Gordon had every right to be upset as a great finish went into the tank big time. Keselowski tried a maneuver Dale Earnhardt would have attempted in a moment, only the Intimidator would have been in the middle of the expected activities that came afterward. All Harvick did was give Brad a little advice and a gentle push in a direction the boy did not seem eager to face on his own. It was rowdy, not terribly genteel, and totally inappropriate for the conclusion of a chess match, but with these type of personalities in this kind of situation, not overly unexpected. As for violence, it barely matched that of a rugby scrum.

    Yes, there are reports about the supposed mass brawl. No doubt, these folks have never seen a real one, never mind taking in a rough hockey game. Both men were cut up, though scraped up might be a more truthful observation. Brad might have been spitting blood, though it was hard to tell as he was rinsing his mouth out with a red liquid. Harvick’s shove was less aggressive than what I’ve seen DeLana “suffer” at the hands of a teasing Tony Stewart. One writer has stated that throwing a punch, connecting, and giving someone a bloody lip has no place in society. In a conference room, yes, but throw a beanball, spear a hockey player, or drive your car recklessly and you just might face a good, ole fashioned whopping. Even that did not happen in Texas. We saw some boys get rough, some got scraped up a bit, but nobody got whopped. Then again, some scribes obviously chose not to subscribe to the notion of actual facts getting in the way of a good story.

    We have a good storyline heading into Phoenix, where everybody is still in the running, either via a win or on points, and nobody is yet a sure thing. Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman have an edge, but early misfortune can still bite them. While Johnson’s previous four wins and an average finish of 6.3 finish in Arizona makes him the favorite going in, Hamlin, Gordon, Harvick, and Carl Edwards are the best amongst the Chasers.

    It should be one hell of an event, both on and off the track.
    1 – Joey Logano – 4072 Points – 13 Pts to the good
    2 – Denny Hamlin – 4072 – 13 Pts to the good
    3 – Ryan Newman – 4070 – 11 Pts to the good
    4 – Jeff Gordon – 4060 – 1 Pt to the good

    5 – Matt Kenseth – 4059 – 1 Pt out
    6 – Carl Edwards – 4059 – 1 Pt out
    7 – Brad Keselowski – 4055 – 5 Pts out
    8 – Kevin Harvick – 4054 – 6 Pts out

  • Kenseth Wins Pole For AAA Texas 500; Stewart Breaks 200 MPH

    Kenseth Wins Pole For AAA Texas 500; Stewart Breaks 200 MPH

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Martinsville Goody’s 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Martinsville Goody’s 500

    Hosting the first Eliminator race in the Chase, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 66th annual Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

    Surprising: While some tributes were expected, especially with the remembrance of the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash at Martinsville ten years ago, other tributes also abounded, from the race winner’s tribute to his crew chief to the tribute of Front Row Motorsports to Hall of Fame inductee Wendell Scott.

    “He turned my career around,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, paying tribute to his crew chief Steve Letarte after winning his first ever race at Martinsville. “He put a great team together. What he’s accomplished is impressive as hell. I’m overwhelmed with what he’s been able to do.”

    “He put me in Victory Lane,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet continued about his crew chief. “Like I say, the team he’s assembled, incredible group. That’s all Steve. He seems to have evolved into one of the best crew chiefs in the garage.”

    The other major tribute at Sunday’s Martinsville race was to Wendell Scott, the first African American to win in NASCAR competition. Darrell Wallace Jr. carried the tribute paint scheme to Victory Lane in the Truck Series race and David Ragan piloted his Scott tribute No. 34 Front Row Motorsports car to a tenth place finish in the Cup race.

    “Last Sunday was a good day for us,” Ragan said. “To get a top-10 finish was a real shot in the arm for this team and for Front Row Motorsports, and to do it in the Wendell Scott tribute car made it even more special.”

    Not Surprising: It’s not often that the race runner up is embarrassed, but four-time champion driving for five Jeff Gordon was just that, taking his lumps for his mistake speeding on pit road.

    “I’m embarrassed to say this,” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet said. “Completely my fault.”

    “We do two settings, one in first gear, one in second gear. A late sequence for each one. I ran second gear under my light sequence for first gear,” Gordon continued. “I was supposed to run one green light in second gear and one red light in first gear. I ran one red light in second gear. That’s way too fast.”

    “I knew right then I was speeding.”

    Surprising: After no Talladega ‘big one’ the previous race, it was surprising to see a huge, hard wreck at one of the sport’s shortest tracks. The Martinsville ‘big one’ included Kasey Kahne and Casey Mears taking big hits, as well as Danica Patrick, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex and Brian Vickers involved in the melee.

    “I just didn’t really see him (No. 2, Brad Keselowski) slowing down,” Kahne said. “I think my spotter was spotting me and I think he saw it last second. As soon as he said it I hit the brakes, but it was way too late.”

    “It was a pretty good hit.”

    “I was behind the No. 43 (Aric Almirola) and I guess the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) was just backing up on the outside, I don’t know what happened,” Casey Mears said. “I saw the No. 43 go a little bit low and I was just using up all the track and right when I hit the No. 2 my spotter said the No. 2 is backing up. I just plowed him.”

    “I ran into him hard.”

    Not Surprising: Smoke did rise again at Martinsville, albeit with a bit of a gamble staying out on old tires to finish 4th place in his No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet.

    “I don’t even think it was a gutsy call,” Tony Stewart said. “To me it was a no-brainer and if we were in that spot 100 times, that is the choice I want to make. I want to give ourselves a chance to fight for it like that.”

    “This car was pretty good all weekend,” Smoke continued. “I just can’t thank Johnny Morris (Bass Pro Shops) and Rusty Rush and everybody at Mobil 1 and Eric (Bagdikian) from Code 3 Associates and his staff; and most of all, our fans.”

    “They have been plowing a tough road for the last 18 months and this top 5 is for the fans more than anybody.”

    Surprising: Austin Dillon again outscored Kyle Larson in the Rookie of the Race battle, for the second week in a row. RCR driver Dillon finished 12th after starting 19th and Larson, in his No. 42 Target Chevrolet, finished 30th after a crash on Lap 487.

    “I’m really proud of everyone at RCR today,” Dillon said. “I was hoping to pass the No. 34 at the very end there to gain one more position and finish 11th, but a 12th-place finish – hey we’ll take it.”

    “It was a true team effort.”

    “I was terrible all day,” Larson, the other rookie contender said of his Martinsville adventure. “I’m just not very good at this track.”

    “I kept running into the back of people when cars five or six in front of me would check up, then it would get to me and I’d hit them,” Larson continued. “It was a really bad race for me.”

    Not Surprising: Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne proved that three times was a charm in bringing out the yellow flag together. The two drivers mixed it up royally and potentially could have caused four or more cautions had they not been warned by NASCAR to cool it down.

    “He definitely wrecked us on purpose the first time, I mean look at the video,” Vickers said of his incidents with Kahne. “He just hooked us in the bumper and just wrecked us, I don’t know why.”

    “I was actually passing him off of (Turn) 2 and he didn’t give me room and I was going to hit the wall so I lifted a little,” Kahne said in response. “And then he kind of went high into (Turn) 3, and that’s where I was entering so he blocked. So I went low to pass him and then he chopped low across and spun himself out.”

    “He was using up the whole race track so I was going high, then he went high,” Kahne continued. “Then I decided to go low, and he went low and spun himself out on my front end. I was confused as to why he would want to do that. Then later on he crashed me. I don’t know what his deal was he was using up the whole track. You get one lane you don’t get all of them.”

    Surprising: In addition to the wrecking and tempers flaring, there were also actual flames on the track, from Timmy Hill, who went ablaze early, to Kurt Busch, who had a conflagration in his car on Lap 424.

    “I think we ruptured an oil line,” Busch said. “Whether it was the fitting or the line itself, I don’t know.”

    “But we had a really good run. We were in the mix. We were running up front with the Haas Automation Chevy and we were in that spot where we won that race this spring,” the driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet continued. “I was hoping to get off the broom, but instead we’ve got our broom cleaning up our kitty litter.”

    Not Surprising: The winless wonders continued their quiet and calculated consistency at Martinsville, with Ryan Newman finishing third and Matt Kenseth taking the checkered flag in the sixth position.

    “The strategy of two tires there at the end worked out good for us,” Newman said. “Right number of laps with the guys that stayed out, kept the guys behind us that had four tires.”

    “Just a great team effort for the Quicken Loans Chevrolet, everybody at RCR,” Newman continued. “It was fun to have at least our highest running position be the last lap of the race.”

    “We didn’t run the way we wanted to run,” Kenseth said. “We still finished respectably with all the stuff that happened. Like I said, we didn’t run great today, but they made some good calls and did the right things at the end and finished strong.”

    Surprising: AJ Allmendinger continued to surprise with his “little engine that could’ team finishing ninth in his No. 47 Clorox Products Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing.

    “Good day, honestly maybe one of the best days we have had all year just in the sense of not great early on, fighting hard,” ‘Dinger said. “The guys had good pit stops and then a couple of adjustments there.”

    “In a way ninth is a little bit disappointing,” Allmendinger continued. “But overall just really proud of the team that was probably one of the best efforts we have had all year.”

    Not Surprising: Revenge is mine said one Kevin Harvick after the race of his struggles with competitor Matt Kenseth, with whom he tussled on track.

    “The good thing about this format is you have two more weeks and two race tracks that we can win on,” Harvick said after being involved in an early accident and finishing 33rd. “Everybody was so worried about us starting in the back and we wrecked at the front. Unfortunate.”

    And of his Kenseth issues, Harvick had a rather cryptic remark about his competitor to end the race weekend.

    “Yeah, he won’t win this championship. If we don’t, he won’t.”

  • Dale Jr. Takes Home Martinsville Clock

    Dale Jr. Takes Home Martinsville Clock