Canadian Tire Series 2011 Schedule Set
Season Opens May 28 at Mosport Speedway
Official Release
November 10, 2010 -
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the 2011 schedule for the fifth season of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, which takes the series to some of the top racing facilities throughout Canada.
The schedule features 12 dates at 12 different tracks across five provinces. The slate includes tracks and events familiar to the series, but the addition of another road-course event is new for next season.
The 2011 campaign gets underway on Saturday, May 28 at Mosport Speedway near Bowmanville, Ont. It is the first time the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series opens its season at the half-mile oval. Last season, Don Thomson Jr. earned the victory in an August race. This will be the earliest date the track has hosted Canada’s premier racing series.
The season’s second date takes the Canadian Tire Series to a new venue – Circuit ICAR located on the grounds of Montreal’s Mirabel Airport. The 1.86-mile road course is located on the former passenger terminal’s apron.
The series again will be included in many of Canada’s largest motorsports events. For the fifth consecutive year, the Canadian Tire Series will share Montreal’s legendary Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on IÎe Notre Dame with the NASCAR Nationwide Series. This year’s signature event on the schedule is slated for Saturday, Aug. 20. Additionally, a date at Toronto’s Exhibition Place is set for Saturday, July 9. It is a pairing with the IZOD IndyCar Series at the popular Honda Indy Toronto. Two-time series champion Andrew Ranger picked up wins in both of these races last season.
The annual swing through Western Canada will include stops at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, B.C., and Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, Sask. Both events resulted in standing-room-only crowds with Scott Steckly winning in British Columbia, and eventual series title winner DJ Kennington in Saskatchewan.
Another popular date is the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, which is on tap for Aug. 6-7. Last season, Ranger thrilled the fans of his home province with his third straight victory on the 1.53-mile temporary street course.
In what has become a tradition, the season will close and a new champion crowned at Kawartha Speedway, a .375-mile oval near Peterborough, Ont., on Saturday, Sept. 24. Last year, Pete Shepherd III picked up his first series-career win in the event, while Kennington celebrated his first series championship.
The 2011 calendar of races was revealed to many of the series’ competitors and track operators at the NASCAR Canadian Recognition VIP Reception held Wednesday evening at The Fermenting Cellar inside The Distillery in downtown Toronto. This event recognized the accomplishments of participants in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, as well as competitors participating in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in Canada.
Other 2011 highlights include:
• The 2011 schedule includes races on seven ovals: Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, Barrie Speedway, Delaware Speedway, Kawartha Speedway, Mosport Speedway, Motoplex Speedway and Riverside International Speedway; and five road courses: Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Circuit ICAR, Mosport International Raceway and the temporary street course at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.
• June 11 will be the series’ third consecutive year of competing at Delaware Speedway. Kennington has held serve at his home track by being victorious in each of the first two races there.
• On June 25-26, the series will run at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ont., at the facility’s 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course. The race is part of an eventful weekend at the 750-acre facility. Last year, JR Fitzpatrick out dueled both Ranger and Jason Bowles for his second win at the track.
• The Barrie (Ont.) Speedway date is set for Saturday, Sept. 10. Each of the past four trips to Barrie on this weekend has resulted in overflow crowds. The .333-mile tri-oval always produces one of the most exciting and action-filled events of the season. In 2010, Kennington edged Thomson by just .015 of a second.
• The trip east to the Maritime Province of Nova Scotia for a Saturday, Sept. 17 event at Riverside International Speedway is a popular stop for the competitors. Tackling the high-banked turns of the .333-mile scale version of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway is always a thrill for both competitors and fans. Kennington collected his fifth win of the season in this event.
Monday, November 29, 2010
2011 Southern Mod Schedule Announced
2011 Southern Mod Schedule Announced
Traditional Venues With New Events At Hickory And Thompson
Official Release
November 12, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour schedule that features 14 races at nine different tracks.
The seventh season of Whelen Southern Modified Tour competition will commence at Caraway Speedway on March 13 in the first of six events at the .455-mile oval, which has played host to more all-time Southern Tour events than any other facility.
Bowman Gray Stadium, the hotbed of Modified racing in the south, will once again welcome the Whelen Southern Modified Tour on Aug. 6. Like Caraway, Bowman Gray has been a fixture of the Southern Tour’s schedule since its inception.
Returning to the schedule will be a pair of companion events with NASCAR’s national series. The third edition of the Whelen Modified-Whelen Southern Modified Tour combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway will once again be run as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” on Aug. 24. The season will also conclude for the second year in a row as part of the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the quarter mile on Oct. 13.
A notable addition to the 2011 schedule is the special event at Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway, a staple of Modified racing in the northeast. Slated for Sept. 11, both the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours will contest separate 125-lap, points-paying races, then the top 15 finishers of each race will square off in a 50-lap non-points “dash for the cash” race.
“The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours is a series in demand, as evidenced by the 2011 calendar,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “With a mix of exciting events in premier short tracks in the mid-Atlantic region, the South meeting the North at the new mega-event at Thompson Speedway in September, and the championship finale held in conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte, this is the strongest calendar yet.”
Return trips to Langley Speedway, South Boston Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway also dot the schedule while Hickory Motor Speedway will be welcomed back to the Whelen Southern Modified Tour slate for the first time since 2006.
Additional 2011 schedule notes:
• Ten of the 14 races will be contested in the state of North Carolina.
• Caraway has played host to 32 of the 72 races in Whelen Southern Modified Tour history.
• The South Boston event will be run as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for the second year in a row.
• The lone previous race at Hickory produced the most lead changes in Southern Tour history.
• Tri-County, Langley and the Charlotte quarter mile held races for the first time in 2010.
• The Thompson event will mark the Southern Tour’s first trip outside the southeast region.
Traditional Venues With New Events At Hickory And Thompson
Official Release
November 12, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour schedule that features 14 races at nine different tracks.
The seventh season of Whelen Southern Modified Tour competition will commence at Caraway Speedway on March 13 in the first of six events at the .455-mile oval, which has played host to more all-time Southern Tour events than any other facility.
Bowman Gray Stadium, the hotbed of Modified racing in the south, will once again welcome the Whelen Southern Modified Tour on Aug. 6. Like Caraway, Bowman Gray has been a fixture of the Southern Tour’s schedule since its inception.
Returning to the schedule will be a pair of companion events with NASCAR’s national series. The third edition of the Whelen Modified-Whelen Southern Modified Tour combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway will once again be run as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” on Aug. 24. The season will also conclude for the second year in a row as part of the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the quarter mile on Oct. 13.
A notable addition to the 2011 schedule is the special event at Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway, a staple of Modified racing in the northeast. Slated for Sept. 11, both the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours will contest separate 125-lap, points-paying races, then the top 15 finishers of each race will square off in a 50-lap non-points “dash for the cash” race.
“The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours is a series in demand, as evidenced by the 2011 calendar,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “With a mix of exciting events in premier short tracks in the mid-Atlantic region, the South meeting the North at the new mega-event at Thompson Speedway in September, and the championship finale held in conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte, this is the strongest calendar yet.”
Return trips to Langley Speedway, South Boston Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway also dot the schedule while Hickory Motor Speedway will be welcomed back to the Whelen Southern Modified Tour slate for the first time since 2006.
Additional 2011 schedule notes:
• Ten of the 14 races will be contested in the state of North Carolina.
• Caraway has played host to 32 of the 72 races in Whelen Southern Modified Tour history.
• The South Boston event will be run as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for the second year in a row.
• The lone previous race at Hickory produced the most lead changes in Southern Tour history.
• Tri-County, Langley and the Charlotte quarter mile held races for the first time in 2010.
• The Thompson event will mark the Southern Tour’s first trip outside the southeast region.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule which features 16 races, highlighted by a new special event at a historic New England track, and the inaugural venture to Canada.
The 27th season of the Whelen Modified Tour will see NASCAR’s oldest division return to traditional venues like Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway a combined eight times in 2011. Stafford will retain the four dates it has carried in recent seasons while Thompson has moved its August race to June and added a special event for September.
On Sept. 11, Thompson will bring both the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours to its .625-mile oval for a new event that will feature an exciting format. There will be separate 125-lap, points-paying races for each Tour. The top 15 finishers of each race will then line up for a 50-lap non-points “dash for the cash” race.
The Whelen Modified Tour will also head across the border for the first time in 2011. New to the schedule will be an appearance on Sept. 4 at Delaware (Ontario) Speedway, a half-mile asphalt oval that has held NASCAR Canadian Tire Series events the two previous seasons and is a member track of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Returning to the schedule will be the traditional summer and fall events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during Sprint Cup Series weekends on July 16 and Sept. 24 in Loudon, N.H. The Whelen Modified Tour, which has a history of producing exciting finishes at the “Magic Mile,” will also have a third event in Loudon on Aug. 13 as part of the IZOD IndyCar Series race weekend.
“The 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is built on the strength of traditional venues up and down the East Coast, including some of the nation’s finest short tracks and speedways,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “This year, the Tour gets major boosts with a new mega-event at Thompson where North meets South head-on, the first international event in nearby Ontario, Canada and Saturday feature billing on the new open-wheel weekend at New Hampshire.”
The Whelen Modified Tour will follow its Aug. 13 date at New Hampshire by returning to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the third year in a row with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour for the annual combination race as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Aug. 24.
Returning to the Whelen Modified Tour schedule for the 27th season will be Riverhead Raceway, and after they were successful additions to the 2010 slate, Lime Rock Park and Monadnock Speedway will also remain on the docket.
Additional 2011 schedule notes:
• Thompson held three races the two previous seasons after playing host to at least four events from 2001-2008. It has held 112 races all-time, more than any other facility in Whelen Modified Tour history.
• Stafford will have the traditional Spring Sizzler (May 1) and Fall Final (Oct. 2) events, which will bookmark mid-season dates at the historic half mile on May 27 and Aug. 5. Of note, the late May event will be the 100th trip for the Whelen Modified Tour to Stafford.
• New Hampshire has held three or more Whelen Modified Tour races in a season in seven previous instances. The last time was in 1999.
• Riverhead and Thompson are the only venues to play host to the Whelen Modified Tour in each season of its existence.
• With the new date at Canada’s Delaware Speedway, the Whelen Modified Tour will become the second of NASCAR’s current touring series to compete internationally. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has contested races in both Canada and Japan previously.
The 27th season of the Whelen Modified Tour will see NASCAR’s oldest division return to traditional venues like Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway a combined eight times in 2011. Stafford will retain the four dates it has carried in recent seasons while Thompson has moved its August race to June and added a special event for September.
On Sept. 11, Thompson will bring both the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours to its .625-mile oval for a new event that will feature an exciting format. There will be separate 125-lap, points-paying races for each Tour. The top 15 finishers of each race will then line up for a 50-lap non-points “dash for the cash” race.
The Whelen Modified Tour will also head across the border for the first time in 2011. New to the schedule will be an appearance on Sept. 4 at Delaware (Ontario) Speedway, a half-mile asphalt oval that has held NASCAR Canadian Tire Series events the two previous seasons and is a member track of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Returning to the schedule will be the traditional summer and fall events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during Sprint Cup Series weekends on July 16 and Sept. 24 in Loudon, N.H. The Whelen Modified Tour, which has a history of producing exciting finishes at the “Magic Mile,” will also have a third event in Loudon on Aug. 13 as part of the IZOD IndyCar Series race weekend.
“The 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is built on the strength of traditional venues up and down the East Coast, including some of the nation’s finest short tracks and speedways,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “This year, the Tour gets major boosts with a new mega-event at Thompson where North meets South head-on, the first international event in nearby Ontario, Canada and Saturday feature billing on the new open-wheel weekend at New Hampshire.”
The Whelen Modified Tour will follow its Aug. 13 date at New Hampshire by returning to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the third year in a row with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour for the annual combination race as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Aug. 24.
Returning to the Whelen Modified Tour schedule for the 27th season will be Riverhead Raceway, and after they were successful additions to the 2010 slate, Lime Rock Park and Monadnock Speedway will also remain on the docket.
Additional 2011 schedule notes:
• Thompson held three races the two previous seasons after playing host to at least four events from 2001-2008. It has held 112 races all-time, more than any other facility in Whelen Modified Tour history.
• Stafford will have the traditional Spring Sizzler (May 1) and Fall Final (Oct. 2) events, which will bookmark mid-season dates at the historic half mile on May 27 and Aug. 5. Of note, the late May event will be the 100th trip for the Whelen Modified Tour to Stafford.
• New Hampshire has held three or more Whelen Modified Tour races in a season in seven previous instances. The last time was in 1999.
• Riverhead and Thompson are the only venues to play host to the Whelen Modified Tour in each season of its existence.
• With the new date at Canada’s Delaware Speedway, the Whelen Modified Tour will become the second of NASCAR’s current touring series to compete internationally. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has contested races in both Canada and Japan previously.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
NASCAR Announces Year-End Contingency Awards
NASCAR Announces Year-End Contingency Awards for NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Print Page Email Page
November 23, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 23, 2010) – The 2010 NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program year-end special award winners were announced during last night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet for both national series.
The Awards Banquet, held at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, will be televised on SPEED on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the NASCAR Contingency Program, is administered by the Charlotte, N.C.-based NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end awards. Competitors become eligible for prize money by displaying sponsor decals on the front fender of their race vehicles. In some instances, use of a sponsor’s product also is required.
Official winners of this year’s NNS Prize Money & Decal Program year end special awards include:
- COORS LIGHT 21 Means 21 Pole Award: Joey Logano
- Featherlite Most Improved Driver (presented to the driver who improves their finishing
position the most, compared to their finish in the previous race): Jason Leffler
- GOODYEAR tires award (awarded to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion): Brad Keselowski
- Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the YEAR (awarded to the top engine builder for qualifying and finishing position): No. -8, Mark Cronquist, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the YEAR (awarded to the winner of each race or the next highest finishing eligible competitor): Justin Allgaier
- Raybestos Rookie of the Year: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Sunoco Diamond Performance (presented to the winner or highest-finishing eligible driver in each NASCAR Nationwide Series race): Brad Keselowski
- WIX Filters Lap Leader (awarded to the eligible driver who leads the most laps during the race wins the most WIX Lap Leader Awards): Kyle Busch
Official winners of this year’s NCWTS Prize Money & Decal Program year end special awards include:
- KEYSTONE LIGHT 21 Means 21 POLE AWARD: Austin Dillon
- Featherlite Most Improved Driver (presented to the highest finishing eligible driver who improves their finishing position the most from the previous race): Ron Hornaday
- GOODYEAR tires award (awarded to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion): Todd Bodine
- Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the YEAR (awarded to the top engine builder for qualifying and finishing position):No. 18, John Dysinger, Triad
- Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the YEAR (award is given for a command performance on track to the highest finishing eligible driver):Johnny Sauter
- O'Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award (presented to the eligible driver who improves the most positions from their starting position to their finishing position):David Starr
- Raybestos Rookie of the YEAR: Austin Dillon
- Sunoco Diamond Performance (the winner or highest-finishing eligible driver in each NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race receives this award):Todd Bodine
- WIX Filters Lap Leader (presented to the eligible driver who leads the most laps in each event):Ron Hornaday
November 23, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 23, 2010) – The 2010 NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program year-end special award winners were announced during last night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet for both national series.
The Awards Banquet, held at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, will be televised on SPEED on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the NASCAR Contingency Program, is administered by the Charlotte, N.C.-based NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end awards. Competitors become eligible for prize money by displaying sponsor decals on the front fender of their race vehicles. In some instances, use of a sponsor’s product also is required.
Official winners of this year’s NNS Prize Money & Decal Program year end special awards include:
- COORS LIGHT 21 Means 21 Pole Award: Joey Logano
- Featherlite Most Improved Driver (presented to the driver who improves their finishing
position the most, compared to their finish in the previous race): Jason Leffler
- GOODYEAR tires award (awarded to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion): Brad Keselowski
- Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the YEAR (awarded to the top engine builder for qualifying and finishing position): No. -8, Mark Cronquist, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the YEAR (awarded to the winner of each race or the next highest finishing eligible competitor): Justin Allgaier
- Raybestos Rookie of the Year: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Sunoco Diamond Performance (presented to the winner or highest-finishing eligible driver in each NASCAR Nationwide Series race): Brad Keselowski
- WIX Filters Lap Leader (awarded to the eligible driver who leads the most laps during the race wins the most WIX Lap Leader Awards): Kyle Busch
Official winners of this year’s NCWTS Prize Money & Decal Program year end special awards include:
- KEYSTONE LIGHT 21 Means 21 POLE AWARD: Austin Dillon
- Featherlite Most Improved Driver (presented to the highest finishing eligible driver who improves their finishing position the most from the previous race): Ron Hornaday
- GOODYEAR tires award (awarded to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion): Todd Bodine
- Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the YEAR (awarded to the top engine builder for qualifying and finishing position):No. 18, John Dysinger, Triad
- Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the YEAR (award is given for a command performance on track to the highest finishing eligible driver):Johnny Sauter
- O'Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award (presented to the eligible driver who improves the most positions from their starting position to their finishing position):David Starr
- Raybestos Rookie of the YEAR: Austin Dillon
- Sunoco Diamond Performance (the winner or highest-finishing eligible driver in each NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race receives this award):Todd Bodine
- WIX Filters Lap Leader (presented to the eligible driver who leads the most laps in each event):Ron Hornaday
Four Series Champions Honored
Four Series Champions Honored At Awards Banquet In Miami Beach Print Page Email Page
November 22, 2010
· Brad Keselowski, No. 18 JGR Toyota Are NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver, Owner Champions
· Todd Bodine, No. 18 KBM Toyota Win Driver, Owner Titles in NASCAR Camping World Trucks
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2010) – For the first time in NASCAR national series history, four championships in two different series were awarded simultaneously.
Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine officially were crowned the 2010 driver champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel this evening.
Keselowski was honored with his first NASCAR national series title as champion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Bodine received his second championship ring in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (four) and Jack Sprague (two) as the only drivers in the series with multiple titles.
Also, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota captured a record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series owner championship, while the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota won the owner crown in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a first-year team.
The champions were joined on stage by the drivers who finished in positions 2-5 in the final standings, along with each series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, each series’ Most Popular Driver also was revealed. Keselowski and Narain Karthikeyan were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Keselowski took home the award for the third consecutive year, tying him with Kenny Wallace for the most awards in that category.
Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Justin Allgaier and Paul Menard finished second through fifth and were honored along with Keselowski in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Aric Almirola, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Austin Dillon were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, and joined Bodine on stage.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Dillon claimed the honor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Stenhouse is the fifth rookie winner for Jack Roush.
SPEED personalities Rick Allen and Krista Voda served as hosts of the event. The NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet will air on Dec. 3 from 7-9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.
November 22, 2010
· Brad Keselowski, No. 18 JGR Toyota Are NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver, Owner Champions
· Todd Bodine, No. 18 KBM Toyota Win Driver, Owner Titles in NASCAR Camping World Trucks
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2010) – For the first time in NASCAR national series history, four championships in two different series were awarded simultaneously.
Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine officially were crowned the 2010 driver champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel this evening.
Keselowski was honored with his first NASCAR national series title as champion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Bodine received his second championship ring in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (four) and Jack Sprague (two) as the only drivers in the series with multiple titles.
Also, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota captured a record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series owner championship, while the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota won the owner crown in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a first-year team.
The champions were joined on stage by the drivers who finished in positions 2-5 in the final standings, along with each series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, each series’ Most Popular Driver also was revealed. Keselowski and Narain Karthikeyan were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Keselowski took home the award for the third consecutive year, tying him with Kenny Wallace for the most awards in that category.
Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Justin Allgaier and Paul Menard finished second through fifth and were honored along with Keselowski in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Aric Almirola, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Austin Dillon were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, and joined Bodine on stage.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Dillon claimed the honor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Stenhouse is the fifth rookie winner for Jack Roush.
SPEED personalities Rick Allen and Krista Voda served as hosts of the event. The NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet will air on Dec. 3 from 7-9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Busch wins 13th Nationwide race of the season
Busch wins 13th Nationwide race of the season
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Service
(November 20, 2010)
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Kyle Busch pulled away from Kevin Harvick during a 23-lap run to the finish to win Saturday’s Ford 300 Nationwide Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Harvick ran second, followed by 2010 series champion Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.
With his 13th victory in 29 starts this season, Busch extended his single-season win record. The victory was his 43rd in the Nationwide Series, leaving him five behind all-time leader Mark Martin.
Danica Patrick qualified fifth, pitted early and led four laps—her first of the season—by staying out while others pitted under caution on Lap 24. Soon after a restart on Lap 28, however, she dropped back to 21st in the running order. She finished a career-best 19th in her 13th start in the series.
After winning the owners championship in his own No. 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night, Busch secured the Nationwide owners’ title for Joe Gibbs Racing on Saturday. Stenhouse clinched Raybestos rookie of the year honors.
Notes: Keselowski scored his 26th top-five finish of the year, a single-season record. … The victory was Gibbs’ 49th in the past three seasons. Busch has 31 of those. ... Busch led 153 of 200 laps.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Service
(November 20, 2010)
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Kyle Busch pulled away from Kevin Harvick during a 23-lap run to the finish to win Saturday’s Ford 300 Nationwide Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Harvick ran second, followed by 2010 series champion Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.
With his 13th victory in 29 starts this season, Busch extended his single-season win record. The victory was his 43rd in the Nationwide Series, leaving him five behind all-time leader Mark Martin.
Danica Patrick qualified fifth, pitted early and led four laps—her first of the season—by staying out while others pitted under caution on Lap 24. Soon after a restart on Lap 28, however, she dropped back to 21st in the running order. She finished a career-best 19th in her 13th start in the series.
After winning the owners championship in his own No. 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night, Busch secured the Nationwide owners’ title for Joe Gibbs Racing on Saturday. Stenhouse clinched Raybestos rookie of the year honors.
Notes: Keselowski scored his 26th top-five finish of the year, a single-season record. … The victory was Gibbs’ 49th in the past three seasons. Busch has 31 of those. ... Busch led 153 of 200 laps.
Busch wins at Homestead, clinches truck series owners’ title
Busch wins at Homestead, clinches truck series owners’ title
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Kyle Busch ran away from Ron Hornaday Jr. after a restart with four laps left in Friday night’s Ford 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and won the race by .577 seconds over last year’s series champion.
In winning for the eighth time in 16 starts this season and the 24th time in his career, Busch locked up the owners’ championship for his No. 18 Toyota in his first year as an owner in the series.
“This is so cool, to come out here and win in our last race the way we did,” said Busch, who is still looking for sponsorship to sustain his truck team next year. “(Crew chief) Eric Phillips made some great calls and got my head back in the race.”
Johnny Sauter ran third, followed by 2010 truck series champion Todd Bodine and Aric Almirola, second in the standings this year.
Busch was running in the top five when from Sauter’s No. 13 Toyota pinched him into the outside wall on Lap 102 of the 134-lap race. The right front tire on Busch’s Toyota blew shortly thereafter, causing the fourth caution of the race. That turned out to be a minor hurdle between Busch and the victory.
Busch stayed on the lead lap and restarted 21st on Lap 111. By the time John Jackson’s wild slide into the sand barrels protecting the entrance to pit road brought out caution No. 5 on that same lap, Busch was running 14th. NASCAR red-flagged the race while the barrels were replaced.
Hornaday took the lead after a restart on Lap 115 and held it until Elliott Sadler’s spin off Turn 4 caused the sixth and final caution and set up the decisive four-lap run to the finish.
Kevin Harvick, Hornaday’s owner, urged his driver to take the outside on the final restart. Hornaday tried to hold Busch down to the inside, but to no avail. Hornaday said it wouldn’t have mattered which lane he picked.
“No, it didn’t matter—we were just too tight up through the middle, and his truck was free enough where he kept the momentum going,” Hornaday said. “I just wish Johnny had hit him a little harder when he squeezed him against the fence over there, so he didn’t have such a good truck to come back and beat me.”
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Kyle Busch ran away from Ron Hornaday Jr. after a restart with four laps left in Friday night’s Ford 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and won the race by .577 seconds over last year’s series champion.
In winning for the eighth time in 16 starts this season and the 24th time in his career, Busch locked up the owners’ championship for his No. 18 Toyota in his first year as an owner in the series.
“This is so cool, to come out here and win in our last race the way we did,” said Busch, who is still looking for sponsorship to sustain his truck team next year. “(Crew chief) Eric Phillips made some great calls and got my head back in the race.”
Johnny Sauter ran third, followed by 2010 truck series champion Todd Bodine and Aric Almirola, second in the standings this year.
Busch was running in the top five when from Sauter’s No. 13 Toyota pinched him into the outside wall on Lap 102 of the 134-lap race. The right front tire on Busch’s Toyota blew shortly thereafter, causing the fourth caution of the race. That turned out to be a minor hurdle between Busch and the victory.
Busch stayed on the lead lap and restarted 21st on Lap 111. By the time John Jackson’s wild slide into the sand barrels protecting the entrance to pit road brought out caution No. 5 on that same lap, Busch was running 14th. NASCAR red-flagged the race while the barrels were replaced.
Hornaday took the lead after a restart on Lap 115 and held it until Elliott Sadler’s spin off Turn 4 caused the sixth and final caution and set up the decisive four-lap run to the finish.
Kevin Harvick, Hornaday’s owner, urged his driver to take the outside on the final restart. Hornaday tried to hold Busch down to the inside, but to no avail. Hornaday said it wouldn’t have mattered which lane he picked.
“No, it didn’t matter—we were just too tight up through the middle, and his truck was free enough where he kept the momentum going,” Hornaday said. “I just wish Johnny had hit him a little harder when he squeezed him against the fence over there, so he didn’t have such a good truck to come back and beat me.”
Friday, November 19, 2010
KYLE BUSCH WINS FORD 200
Race Fast Facts
Homestead-Miami Speedway
FORD 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, November 19, 2010 @ 08:26 PM US
Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Age: 25
Team : No. 18 - Toyota Tundra / TRAXXAS Toyota
Owner: Kyle Busch
Crew Chief: Eric Phillips
Kyle Busch won the FORD 200, his 24th victory in 85 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his eighth victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ron Hornaday Jr. (second) posted his 10th top-10 finish in 11 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2010.
Johnny Sauter (third) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Justin Lofton (seventh) was the highest finishing rookie.
Todd Bodine leads the point standings by 207 points over Aric Almirola.
Homestead-Miami Speedway
FORD 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, November 19, 2010 @ 08:26 PM US
Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Age: 25
Team : No. 18 - Toyota Tundra / TRAXXAS Toyota
Owner: Kyle Busch
Crew Chief: Eric Phillips
Kyle Busch won the FORD 200, his 24th victory in 85 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his eighth victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ron Hornaday Jr. (second) posted his 10th top-10 finish in 11 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2010.
Johnny Sauter (third) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Justin Lofton (seventh) was the highest finishing rookie.
Todd Bodine leads the point standings by 207 points over Aric Almirola.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Allgaier knows Homestead will be emotional for him
Allgaier knows Homestead will be emotional for him
By Lee Montgomery
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Service
Justin Allgaier already has a solid ride in place for next season, as he'll join Turner Motorsports for a full NASCAR Nationwide Series season.
But that doesn't mean he's ready to walk away from Penske Racing just yet, not when Penske gave him a chance in NASCAR and enabled him to win the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award in 2009 and win at Bristol earlier this season.
This weekend's Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the final race of the Nationwide season, will be "really bittersweet" for the young driver.
"For me, I'm very appreciative of the opportunity that I've had for the last two years, to have a great sponsor like Verizon and a great team behind me," Allgaier said. "That being said, there's a lot of opportunity moving forward with Turner Motorsports.
"But I've built such a great relationship with the guys (at Penske), and it's going to be hard to just walk away from that. I was in the shop this week and talked to a lot of different people, and it's kind of starting to hit everybody that this is the last one, this is it, this is the final go-round. It's going to be tough. I'm not looking forward to the race being over, but at the same time, I'm excited about the new challenges in front of me."
The weekend itself probably won't be that much different than the other races Allgaier has spent with the No. 12 team. He'll drive as fast as he can and work on getting the car better, both during practice and the race.
But after the race? Allgaier sighs when he thinks about it.
"I've always been kind of a person who's worn my emotions on my sleeve," Allgaier said. "I've tried not to be that way as much. But I know that come Homestead , it's going to be tough. I'm going to have a tough time with it—but probably not until afterward. We're going to give it 100 percent and push it really hard until the race is over, and when it's over, it's going to be interesting. I'm going to have a tough time with it."Does he dare think about celebrating with the team in victory lane? Homestead hasn't been that kind to him, as his best finish there was a 20th last season. Still, he believes the team should be good at the 1.5-mile track.
"As long as we stay within ourselves and don't' have anything stupid happen to us, we've got the opportunity to go win the race," Allgaier said. "That being said, it's going to be tough. I'm not going to lie, I know it's going to be tough. But I think we've got the opportunity to go do that."
Nationwide Series fact box
What: Ford 300
Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway ; Homestead , Fla.
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 200 laps/300 miles
Qualifying: Saturday, 11:35 a.m. ET
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
2009 winner: Kyle Busch
2009 polesitter: Carl Edwards
Points leaders: 1. Brad Keselowski, 5,474; 2. Carl Edwards, 5,044; 3. Kyle Busch, 4,739; 4. Justin Allgaier, 4,544; 5. Paul Menard, 4,329; 6. Kevin Harvick, 4,214; 7. Joey Logano, 3,887; 8. Trevor Bayne, 3,886; 9. Steve Wallace, 3,822; 10. Jason Leffler, 3,807.
By Lee Montgomery
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Service
Justin Allgaier already has a solid ride in place for next season, as he'll join Turner Motorsports for a full NASCAR Nationwide Series season.
But that doesn't mean he's ready to walk away from Penske Racing just yet, not when Penske gave him a chance in NASCAR and enabled him to win the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award in 2009 and win at Bristol earlier this season.
This weekend's Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the final race of the Nationwide season, will be "really bittersweet" for the young driver.
"For me, I'm very appreciative of the opportunity that I've had for the last two years, to have a great sponsor like Verizon and a great team behind me," Allgaier said. "That being said, there's a lot of opportunity moving forward with Turner Motorsports.
"But I've built such a great relationship with the guys (at Penske), and it's going to be hard to just walk away from that. I was in the shop this week and talked to a lot of different people, and it's kind of starting to hit everybody that this is the last one, this is it, this is the final go-round. It's going to be tough. I'm not looking forward to the race being over, but at the same time, I'm excited about the new challenges in front of me."
The weekend itself probably won't be that much different than the other races Allgaier has spent with the No. 12 team. He'll drive as fast as he can and work on getting the car better, both during practice and the race.
But after the race? Allgaier sighs when he thinks about it.
"I've always been kind of a person who's worn my emotions on my sleeve," Allgaier said. "I've tried not to be that way as much. But I know that come Homestead , it's going to be tough. I'm going to have a tough time with it—but probably not until afterward. We're going to give it 100 percent and push it really hard until the race is over, and when it's over, it's going to be interesting. I'm going to have a tough time with it."Does he dare think about celebrating with the team in victory lane? Homestead hasn't been that kind to him, as his best finish there was a 20th last season. Still, he believes the team should be good at the 1.5-mile track.
"As long as we stay within ourselves and don't' have anything stupid happen to us, we've got the opportunity to go win the race," Allgaier said. "That being said, it's going to be tough. I'm not going to lie, I know it's going to be tough. But I think we've got the opportunity to go do that."
Nationwide Series fact box
What: Ford 300
Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway ; Homestead , Fla.
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 200 laps/300 miles
Qualifying: Saturday, 11:35 a.m. ET
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
2009 winner: Kyle Busch
2009 polesitter: Carl Edwards
Points leaders: 1. Brad Keselowski, 5,474; 2. Carl Edwards, 5,044; 3. Kyle Busch, 4,739; 4. Justin Allgaier, 4,544; 5. Paul Menard, 4,329; 6. Kevin Harvick, 4,214; 7. Joey Logano, 3,887; 8. Trevor Bayne, 3,886; 9. Steve Wallace, 3,822; 10. Jason Leffler, 3,807.
OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW
Saturday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami also will be the last race for the current car in the
NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, the new car will be integrated fulltime, starting with the Feb. 19 season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
The new car received rave reviews in its four rollout races earlier this year. Two new models have been introduced – the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang – while the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota
Camry have sportier new looks. The new car is designed to enhance safety and the already-close competition the series is known for, and look more like those fans can purchase straight off the showroom floor.
Two-time series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the historic first new car race at Daytona on July 2 in an Impala. Brad Keselowski put the Challenger in Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway and again at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the last race for the new car before its full introduction. In between,another two-time series champion, Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) won in his own KHI equipment at Richmond International Raceway.
NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, the new car will be integrated fulltime, starting with the Feb. 19 season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
The new car received rave reviews in its four rollout races earlier this year. Two new models have been introduced – the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang – while the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota
Camry have sportier new looks. The new car is designed to enhance safety and the already-close competition the series is known for, and look more like those fans can purchase straight off the showroom floor.
Two-time series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the historic first new car race at Daytona on July 2 in an Impala. Brad Keselowski put the Challenger in Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway and again at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the last race for the new car before its full introduction. In between,another two-time series champion, Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) won in his own KHI equipment at Richmond International Raceway.
Skinner worrying less about Homestead and more about 2011
Skinner worrying less about Homestead and more about 2011
The 2010 Camping World Truck Series season hasn't gone to Mike Skinner's liking.
And that's just putting it mildly.
In danger of going winless for the first time since 2004 as the series prepares for Friday's Ford 200 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Skinner admittedly has enjoyed few highlights over the first 24 events.
In fact, if the 1995 series champ and winner of 28 truck races is in a similar spot one year from now—winless and a non-factor in the championship race—Skinner vows he'll be looking to vacate his ride at Randy Moss Motorsports.
"If I'm sitting here next year and we have not won a race, I won't be re-signing—and they probably wouldn't want me to," said Skinner, whose contract with the team co-owned by NFL Pro Bowl standout Randy Moss runs through the end of 2011. "It'd be time to move along and try something else."
Skinner believes brighter days may be ahead, though. Despite being shut out of victory lane, saddled a distant eighth in points and scoring just two top fives all season, the veteran isn't giving up.
Skinner's team is the same one that helped him to three wins and a third-place points finish in 2009. The key to returning to top form, Skinner says, will be securing the services of a top-notch leader for the team. The departure of 2009 crew chief Eric Phillips to Kyle Busch Motorsports before the season has proven difficult to overcome.
While Skinner commends the effort of Phillips' interim replacement—team engineer Stacy Johnson—the driver sees the absence of a permanent crew chief as the biggest reason for his dip in performance.
"We can bad-mouth people and make excuses and do a lot of things, but that just creates more negativity, so the road we're taking is I am jumping up and down and working with (co-owner) David Dollar to hire some leadership in the deal," Skinner said. "We've got good people, we've got great people—the same people we won races with last year.
"It's just getting that guidance. When Eric Phillips walked out of that building, we didn't realize what a huge loss it was."
The team could name a new crew chief within the next couple of weeks, Skinner said, but the Ontario , Calif. , native meanwhile isn't expecting any miracles at Homestead .
Skinner points out that Homestead is a 1.5-mile track with a layout similar to many of the venues where he's mostly struggled this season.
"Our mile-and-a-half program has been terrible all year," Skinner said. " … More so than worrying about (winning at Homestead ), I'm really more worried about building the program back for next year."
Truck Series fact box
What: Ford 200
Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway ; Homestead , Fla.
When: Friday, 8 p.m. ET
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Speed
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 134 laps/201 miles
Qualifying: Friday, 5:05 p.m. ET
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
2009 winner: Kevin Harvick
2009 polesitter: Colin Braun
Points leaders: 1. Todd Bodine, 3,772; 2. Aric Almirola, 3,570; 3. Johnny Sauter, 3,506; 4. Matt Crafton, 3,397; 5. Austin Dillon, 3,304; 6. Timothy Peters, 3,231; 7. Ron Hornaday, 3,135; 8. Mike Skinner, 3,114; 9. David Starr, 3,040; 10. Jason White, 2,880.
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Service
The 2010 Camping World Truck Series season hasn't gone to Mike Skinner's liking.
And that's just putting it mildly.
In danger of going winless for the first time since 2004 as the series prepares for Friday's Ford 200 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Skinner admittedly has enjoyed few highlights over the first 24 events.
In fact, if the 1995 series champ and winner of 28 truck races is in a similar spot one year from now—winless and a non-factor in the championship race—Skinner vows he'll be looking to vacate his ride at Randy Moss Motorsports.
"If I'm sitting here next year and we have not won a race, I won't be re-signing—and they probably wouldn't want me to," said Skinner, whose contract with the team co-owned by NFL Pro Bowl standout Randy Moss runs through the end of 2011. "It'd be time to move along and try something else."
Skinner believes brighter days may be ahead, though. Despite being shut out of victory lane, saddled a distant eighth in points and scoring just two top fives all season, the veteran isn't giving up.
Skinner's team is the same one that helped him to three wins and a third-place points finish in 2009. The key to returning to top form, Skinner says, will be securing the services of a top-notch leader for the team. The departure of 2009 crew chief Eric Phillips to Kyle Busch Motorsports before the season has proven difficult to overcome.
While Skinner commends the effort of Phillips' interim replacement—team engineer Stacy Johnson—the driver sees the absence of a permanent crew chief as the biggest reason for his dip in performance.
"We can bad-mouth people and make excuses and do a lot of things, but that just creates more negativity, so the road we're taking is I am jumping up and down and working with (co-owner) David Dollar to hire some leadership in the deal," Skinner said. "We've got good people, we've got great people—the same people we won races with last year.
"It's just getting that guidance. When Eric Phillips walked out of that building, we didn't realize what a huge loss it was."
The team could name a new crew chief within the next couple of weeks, Skinner said, but the Ontario , Calif. , native meanwhile isn't expecting any miracles at Homestead .
Skinner points out that Homestead is a 1.5-mile track with a layout similar to many of the venues where he's mostly struggled this season.
"Our mile-and-a-half program has been terrible all year," Skinner said. " … More so than worrying about (winning at Homestead ), I'm really more worried about building the program back for next year."
Truck Series fact box
What: Ford 200
Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway ; Homestead , Fla.
When: Friday, 8 p.m. ET
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Speed
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 134 laps/201 miles
Qualifying: Friday, 5:05 p.m. ET
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
2009 winner: Kevin Harvick
2009 polesitter: Colin Braun
Points leaders: 1. Todd Bodine, 3,772; 2. Aric Almirola, 3,570; 3. Johnny Sauter, 3,506; 4. Matt Crafton, 3,397; 5. Austin Dillon, 3,304; 6. Timothy Peters, 3,231; 7. Ron Hornaday, 3,135; 8. Mike Skinner, 3,114; 9. David Starr, 3,040; 10. Jason White, 2,880.
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Service
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
It’s Time To Own Up
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
It’s Time To Own Up
Brad Keselowski may officially be awarded his 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but the championship chase doesn’t end with that title.
No, there’s still the little matter of the owner’s championship to be considered. And that’s where another season-finale shootout comes in.
Keselowski’s No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge is 41 points behind Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the series owner standings. The lead was 81 points entering Phoenix, but Keselowski’s third-place finish coupled with Busch’s 16th-place result after a cut tire in the final 56 laps trimmed the lead in half.
Busch is trying to split the title for the fourth time in series history (2003, ’07, and ’08.) He’s also hoping to give JGR a tie for most consecutive series owner titles – three – set by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97.
In Busch’s favor is the fact that he’s the defending race winner and has a better average finish at Homestead-Miami than Keselowski, 11.8 to 14.5.
In Keselowski’s favor may be that his rival, Carl Edwards, is on his usual late-season hot streak – and could keep Busch out of Victory Lane. Edwards won his second consecutive race last week at Phoenix. His two straight victories in turn snapped a two-race winning streak by Keselowski. Busch hasn’t won since Oct. 9 at Auto Club Speedway, tying the longest span – three races – he’s gone without a victory in races in which he’s run.
Usual Late-Season Drama At Homestead-Miami
The owner’s championship tug-of-war is one of many recent titles decided on the last day of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
In addition to the owner’s championship, the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award is still in question. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the standings leader by six points over Brian Scott. Stenhouse, who at one point this year was benched by Jack Roush due to inconsistent performance, is aiming to become the fifth Roush Fenway Racing driver to win the award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Since 2005, every season finale except one has had at least one major title or award implication attached to it.
· In 2005, Martin Truex Jr. had to stave off Clint Bowyer’s challenge before claiming his second consecutive series championship. Truex led Bowyer by 64 points entering Homestead.
· In 2006, the closest-ever Rookie of the Year battle in series history came down to the final race. Danny O’Quinn Jr. won the award by one point over John Andretti.
· In 2008, Bowyer hung on to win his first series driver’s championship over Carl Edwards. Edwards had climbed to within 56 points of Bowyer by Homestead after being down by 207 with eight races to go. Edwards won the race, but Bowyer won the title by 21 points over Edwards.
· In 2009, Busch – who had ha commanding lead in the standings all year – still had to start the final race in order to officially claim his first NASCAR national series title at Homestead, once again over the hard-charging Edwards.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Saturday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami also will be the last race for the current car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, the new car will be run on a full-time basis starting with the Feb. 19 season-opener at Daytona.
The new car received rave reviews in its four roll-out races earlier this year. Two new models have been introduced – the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang – while the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Camry have sportier new looks.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the historic first new car race at Daytona on July 2 in an Impala. Brad Keselowski put the Challenger in Victory Lane at Michigan and again at Charlotte, the last race for the new car before its full introduction. In between, Kevin Harvick won in his own KHI Chevrolet at Richmond
It’s Time To Own Up
Brad Keselowski may officially be awarded his 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but the championship chase doesn’t end with that title.
No, there’s still the little matter of the owner’s championship to be considered. And that’s where another season-finale shootout comes in.
Keselowski’s No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge is 41 points behind Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the series owner standings. The lead was 81 points entering Phoenix, but Keselowski’s third-place finish coupled with Busch’s 16th-place result after a cut tire in the final 56 laps trimmed the lead in half.
Busch is trying to split the title for the fourth time in series history (2003, ’07, and ’08.) He’s also hoping to give JGR a tie for most consecutive series owner titles – three – set by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97.
In Busch’s favor is the fact that he’s the defending race winner and has a better average finish at Homestead-Miami than Keselowski, 11.8 to 14.5.
In Keselowski’s favor may be that his rival, Carl Edwards, is on his usual late-season hot streak – and could keep Busch out of Victory Lane. Edwards won his second consecutive race last week at Phoenix. His two straight victories in turn snapped a two-race winning streak by Keselowski. Busch hasn’t won since Oct. 9 at Auto Club Speedway, tying the longest span – three races – he’s gone without a victory in races in which he’s run.
Usual Late-Season Drama At Homestead-Miami
The owner’s championship tug-of-war is one of many recent titles decided on the last day of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
In addition to the owner’s championship, the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award is still in question. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the standings leader by six points over Brian Scott. Stenhouse, who at one point this year was benched by Jack Roush due to inconsistent performance, is aiming to become the fifth Roush Fenway Racing driver to win the award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Since 2005, every season finale except one has had at least one major title or award implication attached to it.
· In 2005, Martin Truex Jr. had to stave off Clint Bowyer’s challenge before claiming his second consecutive series championship. Truex led Bowyer by 64 points entering Homestead.
· In 2006, the closest-ever Rookie of the Year battle in series history came down to the final race. Danny O’Quinn Jr. won the award by one point over John Andretti.
· In 2008, Bowyer hung on to win his first series driver’s championship over Carl Edwards. Edwards had climbed to within 56 points of Bowyer by Homestead after being down by 207 with eight races to go. Edwards won the race, but Bowyer won the title by 21 points over Edwards.
· In 2009, Busch – who had ha commanding lead in the standings all year – still had to start the final race in order to officially claim his first NASCAR national series title at Homestead, once again over the hard-charging Edwards.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Saturday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami also will be the last race for the current car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, the new car will be run on a full-time basis starting with the Feb. 19 season-opener at Daytona.
The new car received rave reviews in its four roll-out races earlier this year. Two new models have been introduced – the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang – while the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Camry have sportier new looks.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the historic first new car race at Daytona on July 2 in an Impala. Brad Keselowski put the Challenger in Victory Lane at Michigan and again at Charlotte, the last race for the new car before its full introduction. In between, Kevin Harvick won in his own KHI Chevrolet at Richmond
Bodine Wraps Up Driver Championship; Owner Title Still On The Line
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
Bodine Wraps Up Driver Championship; Owner Title Still On The Line
Todd Bodine claimed his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Championship in four years, and now owns a 202-point lead over Aric Almirola. Bodine joins Ron Hornaday Jr. and Jack Sprague as the series’ only multiple title winners.
With the driver’s championship already decided, Bodine now heads to Homestead on a quest to claim the series owner title for Germain Racing, but he will need luck on his side.
Kyle Busch currently holds the top spot with a 120-point lead over Germain with one race remaining in the 2010 season.
Busch needs only a 29th-place finish in Friday night’s race to claim the title in the team’s first year of existence.
Four-Way Battle For 10th Position In the Standings
What a difference a year has made for Jason White. After finishing outside the top 15 in the series standings last season, no one would have guessed White would be on the verge of finishing in the top 10 in the standings with one race remaining in 2010.
However, he will have to fight to keep the coveted spot in the standings with positions 10th through 13th separated by only 78 points.
White is followed in the standings by James Buescher, Ricky Carmichael and Justin Lofton. Lofton is the only one who has not competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the past.
Skinner Remains Winless Heading Into Homestead
Mike Skinner remains the only 2009 winner currently competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series still searching for a victory. That might not seem like a big deal, but to the Skinner camp it is huge.
Skinner has secured at least one victory in the series every season since 2005.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is his last chance to keep the streak alive. In eight starts at the speedway, he has two poles, one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Bodine Wraps Up Driver Championship; Owner Title Still On The Line
Todd Bodine claimed his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Championship in four years, and now owns a 202-point lead over Aric Almirola. Bodine joins Ron Hornaday Jr. and Jack Sprague as the series’ only multiple title winners.
With the driver’s championship already decided, Bodine now heads to Homestead on a quest to claim the series owner title for Germain Racing, but he will need luck on his side.
Kyle Busch currently holds the top spot with a 120-point lead over Germain with one race remaining in the 2010 season.
Busch needs only a 29th-place finish in Friday night’s race to claim the title in the team’s first year of existence.
Four-Way Battle For 10th Position In the Standings
What a difference a year has made for Jason White. After finishing outside the top 15 in the series standings last season, no one would have guessed White would be on the verge of finishing in the top 10 in the standings with one race remaining in 2010.
However, he will have to fight to keep the coveted spot in the standings with positions 10th through 13th separated by only 78 points.
White is followed in the standings by James Buescher, Ricky Carmichael and Justin Lofton. Lofton is the only one who has not competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the past.
Skinner Remains Winless Heading Into Homestead
Mike Skinner remains the only 2009 winner currently competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series still searching for a victory. That might not seem like a big deal, but to the Skinner camp it is huge.
Skinner has secured at least one victory in the series every season since 2005.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is his last chance to keep the streak alive. In eight starts at the speedway, he has two poles, one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
BODINE CLINCHES CAMPINGWORLD TITLE
Let the celebration begin.
With a 12th-place finish last Friday night at Phoenix International
Raceway, Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain.com Toyota) became the third driver in history to clinch a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship one race before the season’s final event.
Now, Bodine and his Germain Racing crew will have a extra week to celebrate before trying for a third victory in Friday’s 2010 season finale, the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Then its off to prepare for the Nov. 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
It wasn’t like that in 2006 when the championship race went down to the wire in South Florida and
Bodine prevailed by a 112-point margin over Johnny Benson. This time, Bodine left Phoenix with an insurmountable 202-point cushion over Aric Almirola (No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota).
But Bodine’s 2010 season has been significantly better than four years ago – despite a more competitive
field of rivals.
With one race remaining, Bodine has four wins, a Keystone Light Pole, 16 top fives and 19 top-10 finishes.
In 2006, he had one less victory and four fewer top-five and three fewer top-10 finishes, respectively.
“We have four wins, which is great, but the top fives and consistency of this team and how hard these guys work every week, that’s what got us here to this point,” said Bodine as he praised crew chief Mike
Hillman Jr., Germain Racing General Manager Mike Hillman and his entire team.
The group also accomplished much despite operating on a race-to-race sponsorship basis.
“We didn’t have a sponsor but the Germain brothers (Bob and Steve) decided last winter that wewere going to race this truck no matter what,” said Bodine. “They were going to come out of their pockets to
make this happen knowing we had a team that can win races, run up front and win championships.”
Bodine is the third driver in the series to win multiple titles, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 GeorgiaBoot Chevrolet) and Jack Sprague. Only Hornaday (2009) and Greg Biffle (2000) have been able to
clinch a championship prior to the season finale.
There’s one championship left to decide, however. Seven-time winner Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota/
TRAXXAS Toyota) is on the verge of stealing some of the post-season thunder from Bodine and Germain
Racing. Kyle Busch Motorsports, in its first season, holds a 120-point lead in the owner standings
entering the final race..
By finishing 29th or better at Homestead-Miami, KBM would become the first team in series history to
win the owners’ title without simultaneously holding the driver championship.
“We would have liked to win the race but you take a good truck like this and run second with it and beat the guys (Bodine) you’re here to beat and we’ll look to next week and try for a win there,” said Busch, whose bid to become the series’ second eight-time season winner was blocked by Clint Bowyer, who won at Phoenix. “It’s good to have that little bit of a cushion going into next week. We’ll be looking at the banquet on Monday.”
With a 12th-place finish last Friday night at Phoenix International
Raceway, Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain.com Toyota) became the third driver in history to clinch a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship one race before the season’s final event.
Now, Bodine and his Germain Racing crew will have a extra week to celebrate before trying for a third victory in Friday’s 2010 season finale, the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Then its off to prepare for the Nov. 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
It wasn’t like that in 2006 when the championship race went down to the wire in South Florida and
Bodine prevailed by a 112-point margin over Johnny Benson. This time, Bodine left Phoenix with an insurmountable 202-point cushion over Aric Almirola (No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota).
But Bodine’s 2010 season has been significantly better than four years ago – despite a more competitive
field of rivals.
With one race remaining, Bodine has four wins, a Keystone Light Pole, 16 top fives and 19 top-10 finishes.
In 2006, he had one less victory and four fewer top-five and three fewer top-10 finishes, respectively.
“We have four wins, which is great, but the top fives and consistency of this team and how hard these guys work every week, that’s what got us here to this point,” said Bodine as he praised crew chief Mike
Hillman Jr., Germain Racing General Manager Mike Hillman and his entire team.
The group also accomplished much despite operating on a race-to-race sponsorship basis.
“We didn’t have a sponsor but the Germain brothers (Bob and Steve) decided last winter that wewere going to race this truck no matter what,” said Bodine. “They were going to come out of their pockets to
make this happen knowing we had a team that can win races, run up front and win championships.”
Bodine is the third driver in the series to win multiple titles, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 GeorgiaBoot Chevrolet) and Jack Sprague. Only Hornaday (2009) and Greg Biffle (2000) have been able to
clinch a championship prior to the season finale.
There’s one championship left to decide, however. Seven-time winner Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota/
TRAXXAS Toyota) is on the verge of stealing some of the post-season thunder from Bodine and Germain
Racing. Kyle Busch Motorsports, in its first season, holds a 120-point lead in the owner standings
entering the final race..
By finishing 29th or better at Homestead-Miami, KBM would become the first team in series history to
win the owners’ title without simultaneously holding the driver championship.
“We would have liked to win the race but you take a good truck like this and run second with it and beat the guys (Bodine) you’re here to beat and we’ll look to next week and try for a win there,” said Busch, whose bid to become the series’ second eight-time season winner was blocked by Clint Bowyer, who won at Phoenix. “It’s good to have that little bit of a cushion going into next week. We’ll be looking at the banquet on Monday.”
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Whelen All-American FINALIST: Eight Named 2010 Champions
FINALIST: Eight Named 2010 Champions
Spotlight on top drivers in each Whelen All-American division
Each track in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series designates its top division as its Feature Division, and assigns its remaining divisions a designation of II, III, IV or V. The Finalist Program was established this season to recognize the drivers in those latter divisions.
The four dirt track NASCAR Finalist Division champions for 2010 include:
• Division II: Jesse Sobbing, 28, Glenwood, Iowa, who won the B-Modified division at I-80 Speedway. Sobbing had eight wins, 17 top fives and 18 top 10s in 18 starts. In the NASCAR Division II points race, Sobbing finished 47 points ahead of runner-up Ronald Kline of Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.
• Division III: Brad Derry¬, 23, of New Market, Iowa, earned the championships in the Pro Am division at I-80 in addition to finishing fifth in the Northland Oil Pro Stocks at Adams County. Derry had eight wins, 26 top fives and 30 top 10s in 39 starts. Derry won the Division III championship by 25 points over Greg Miller of Adams County.
• Division IV: Spanel had five wins, 11 top fives and 16 top 10s en route to the Hornet Division championship at I-80. He won the Division IV title over Pat Shiflett, who races at I-80 and Adams County.
• Division V: Andy Wilkinson, 35, of York, Neb., won the Steele Rubber Products Modified Division at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. He had 18 top fives and 18 top 10s in 19 starts. Wilkinson won the Division V title by 22 points over Rich Dzelak Jr. of Superior (Wis.) Speedway, a .375-mile oval.
The four asphalt track NASCAR Finalist Division champions for 2010 include:
• Division II: Danny Johnson, 45, of Lakeville, Minn., who competes in the Figure Eight division at Raceway Park in Shakopee, Minn. Johnson had a late-season surge to dethrone Ricky Martin, who had led most of the season. The Figure Eights are also a special event division at nearby Elko (Minn.) Speedway. Johnson had nine wins, 29 top fives and 41 top 10s in 46 starts, winning the division championships at both tracks.
• Division III: Tommy Barrett Jr., 15, of Millis, Mass., who made good use of his NASCAR Learner’s Permit License – introduced by NASCAR this year to allow 14 and 15-year-olds to compete in select divisions. Barrett had 10 wins, 14 top fives and 14 top 10s in the SK Light Modified Division at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. Barrett holds a six-point lead over Matt Galko heading into the track’s final race weekend Oct. 1-3. Barrett won the Division III title by 81 points over Christopher Lambert, who races at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.
• Division IV: Rob Roush, 26, of Marengo, Ill., won the Road Runner Division at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway with five wins, 13 top fives and 14 top 10s in 18 starts. Roush won the Division IV championship by six points over Tim Hollen of Raceway Park.
• Division V: Brian Adams, 27, of Norwood, Minn., who competes in the Arizonas at Canterbury Inn Mini Stock Division at Raceway Park, nipped fellow Raceway Park driver Doug Schmitz to win the NASCAR Division V title by seven points. The duo entered the weekend tied with 552 points. Adams finished with eight wins, 19 top 5s and 19 top 10s in 22 starts.
The implementation of the NASCAR Finalist Program served to ratchet up the competition at tracks across North America.
Spotlight on top drivers in each Whelen All-American division
Each track in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series designates its top division as its Feature Division, and assigns its remaining divisions a designation of II, III, IV or V. The Finalist Program was established this season to recognize the drivers in those latter divisions.
The four dirt track NASCAR Finalist Division champions for 2010 include:
• Division II: Jesse Sobbing, 28, Glenwood, Iowa, who won the B-Modified division at I-80 Speedway. Sobbing had eight wins, 17 top fives and 18 top 10s in 18 starts. In the NASCAR Division II points race, Sobbing finished 47 points ahead of runner-up Ronald Kline of Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.
• Division III: Brad Derry¬, 23, of New Market, Iowa, earned the championships in the Pro Am division at I-80 in addition to finishing fifth in the Northland Oil Pro Stocks at Adams County. Derry had eight wins, 26 top fives and 30 top 10s in 39 starts. Derry won the Division III championship by 25 points over Greg Miller of Adams County.
• Division IV: Spanel had five wins, 11 top fives and 16 top 10s en route to the Hornet Division championship at I-80. He won the Division IV title over Pat Shiflett, who races at I-80 and Adams County.
• Division V: Andy Wilkinson, 35, of York, Neb., won the Steele Rubber Products Modified Division at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. He had 18 top fives and 18 top 10s in 19 starts. Wilkinson won the Division V title by 22 points over Rich Dzelak Jr. of Superior (Wis.) Speedway, a .375-mile oval.
The four asphalt track NASCAR Finalist Division champions for 2010 include:
• Division II: Danny Johnson, 45, of Lakeville, Minn., who competes in the Figure Eight division at Raceway Park in Shakopee, Minn. Johnson had a late-season surge to dethrone Ricky Martin, who had led most of the season. The Figure Eights are also a special event division at nearby Elko (Minn.) Speedway. Johnson had nine wins, 29 top fives and 41 top 10s in 46 starts, winning the division championships at both tracks.
• Division III: Tommy Barrett Jr., 15, of Millis, Mass., who made good use of his NASCAR Learner’s Permit License – introduced by NASCAR this year to allow 14 and 15-year-olds to compete in select divisions. Barrett had 10 wins, 14 top fives and 14 top 10s in the SK Light Modified Division at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. Barrett holds a six-point lead over Matt Galko heading into the track’s final race weekend Oct. 1-3. Barrett won the Division III title by 81 points over Christopher Lambert, who races at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.
• Division IV: Rob Roush, 26, of Marengo, Ill., won the Road Runner Division at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway with five wins, 13 top fives and 14 top 10s in 18 starts. Roush won the Division IV championship by six points over Tim Hollen of Raceway Park.
• Division V: Brian Adams, 27, of Norwood, Minn., who competes in the Arizonas at Canterbury Inn Mini Stock Division at Raceway Park, nipped fellow Raceway Park driver Doug Schmitz to win the NASCAR Division V title by seven points. The duo entered the weekend tied with 552 points. Adams finished with eight wins, 19 top 5s and 19 top 10s in 22 starts.
The implementation of the NASCAR Finalist Program served to ratchet up the competition at tracks across North America.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Edwards dominates Nationwide race at Phoenix
Edwards dominates Nationwide race at Phoenix
By Reid Spencer
AVONDALE, Ariz. —Carl Edwards continued his dominant weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, winning Saturday's Wypall 200 Nationwide Series race in a cakewalk over runner-up Kevin Harvick.
On Friday, Edwards paced the Sprint Cup practice session and won the pole for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 Cup race. On Saturday, Edwards posted the fastest speed in both Cup practice sessions. The only thing Edwards didn't win was the Nationwide pole.
Edwards started second to Joey Logano but quickly went to the front. He led 153 of 200 laps at the one-mile track en route to his fourth victory of the season and the 29th of his career. The victory was Edwards' fourth at Phoenix .
Logano finished third, followed by 2010 series champion Brad Keselowski and Reed Sorenson. Aric Almirola, Justin Allgaier, Colin Braun, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Steve Wallace completed the top 10. Danica Patrick finished 32nd, seven laps down, in her 12th Nationwide start.
By Reid Spencer
AVONDALE, Ariz. —Carl Edwards continued his dominant weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, winning Saturday's Wypall 200 Nationwide Series race in a cakewalk over runner-up Kevin Harvick.
On Friday, Edwards paced the Sprint Cup practice session and won the pole for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 Cup race. On Saturday, Edwards posted the fastest speed in both Cup practice sessions. The only thing Edwards didn't win was the Nationwide pole.
Edwards started second to Joey Logano but quickly went to the front. He led 153 of 200 laps at the one-mile track en route to his fourth victory of the season and the 29th of his career. The victory was Edwards' fourth at Phoenix .
Logano finished third, followed by 2010 series champion Brad Keselowski and Reed Sorenson. Aric Almirola, Justin Allgaier, Colin Braun, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Steve Wallace completed the top 10. Danica Patrick finished 32nd, seven laps down, in her 12th Nationwide start.
Friday, November 12, 2010
TODD BODINE CAMPINGWORLD CHAMPION
Todd Bodine finished the Lucas Oil 150 in 12th -- good enough to claim his second career
Truck Series Championship as Clint Bowyer held off Kurt Busch to visit Victory Lane.
Bodine joins an elite group in becoming one of only three drivers to win multiple Truck titles. The other two men to accomplish that feat are Jack Sprague (three championships) and Ron Hornaday (four).
Bodine won his 2006 title with Germain Racing and the same crew chief, Mike Hillman Jr. That championship run, much like this one, came with relative ease.11/12/10
Truck Series Championship as Clint Bowyer held off Kurt Busch to visit Victory Lane.
Bodine joins an elite group in becoming one of only three drivers to win multiple Truck titles. The other two men to accomplish that feat are Jack Sprague (three championships) and Ron Hornaday (four).
Bodine won his 2006 title with Germain Racing and the same crew chief, Mike Hillman Jr. That championship run, much like this one, came with relative ease.11/12/10
Leffler enjoys the challenge Phoenix provides
Leffler enjoys the challenge Phoenix provides
By Lee Montgomery
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Jason Leffler considers Phoenix International Speedway a home away from home, as he's run well there and won at the 1-mile track in the past.
But his first on-track experience at PIR—which hosts this Saturday's Wypall 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race—was hardly memorable.
Leffler, a Long Beach , Calif. , native, was entered in a USAC Midget owned by his dad in the Copper World Classic in 1995. The car blew an engine in practice, and a sick Jason and his father spent several hours overnight changing it.
"We had to stay up basically all night and change a motor," Leffler said. "It was just my dad and I, and it took us a long time to change it. At the same time, I had some sort of food poisoning, so I was sick. It was not a good experience my first time there."
Leffler said he finished 10th in that first race but returned to win a Midget race in 1999 and a Silver Crown feature in 2000.
"The first experience there wasn't good, but we came back a couple years after that and ran really well and won some races," Leffler said.
The open-wheel success translated to stock cars, too. In his first appearance in a Nationwide car in 2000 for Joe Gibbs Racing, Leffler won the pole and finished second.
Over 12 starts in the series, he's won two poles and has two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Not bad for a guy who as a kid helped work on Midgets of PJ and Page Jones at Phoenix .
"It's just a place I always liked," Leffler said. "When I started driving here, I figured out some good tips. Tony Stewart helped me a lot. … I've always enjoyed it. It's so unique. You've got to basically give up one end for the other to make your car as fast as you can on the one end and try to get it through the other end. It's a really cool place."
Leffler is referring to the different radius of each end of the track, with Turns 3 and 4 being the fastest end, with a larger radius despite less banking than Turns 1 and 2. Leffler says he tries to set up his car for Turns 3 and 4, if possible, though sometimes tires and the track itself make that difficult.
Leffler has undergone a transition this season, as Eddie Pardue has replaced Scott Zipadelli as his crew chief, and Steve Turner has taken over for Todd Braun as majority owner.
Still, the goal is to win, not look to 2011.
"There's a lot of things going on at the shop," said Leffler, who is eighth in the Nationwide standings. "The next two races, we're trying to win. To beat some of these guys in all-out speed is kind of impossible, but we try to put ourselves in position if something happens that we're able to capitalize. Phoenix is a place we can do that."
Nationwide Series fact box
What: Wypall 200
Where: Phoenix International Raceway; Avondale , Ariz.
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 200 laps/200 miles
Qualifying: Saturday, 12:05 p.m. ET
Track layout: 1-mile oval
2009 winner: Carl Edwards
2009 polesitter: Denny Hamlin
Points leaders: 1. Brad Keselowski, 5,314; 2. Carl Edwards, 4,849; 3. Kyle Busch, 4,619; 4. Justin Allgaier, 4,402; 5. Paul Menard, 4,205; 6. Kevin Harvick, 4,044; 7. Trevor Bayne, 3,765; 8. Jason Leffler, 3,743; 9. Joey Logano, 3,717; 10. Steve Wallace, 3,688.
By Lee Montgomery
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Jason Leffler considers Phoenix International Speedway a home away from home, as he's run well there and won at the 1-mile track in the past.
But his first on-track experience at PIR—which hosts this Saturday's Wypall 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race—was hardly memorable.
Leffler, a Long Beach , Calif. , native, was entered in a USAC Midget owned by his dad in the Copper World Classic in 1995. The car blew an engine in practice, and a sick Jason and his father spent several hours overnight changing it.
"We had to stay up basically all night and change a motor," Leffler said. "It was just my dad and I, and it took us a long time to change it. At the same time, I had some sort of food poisoning, so I was sick. It was not a good experience my first time there."
Leffler said he finished 10th in that first race but returned to win a Midget race in 1999 and a Silver Crown feature in 2000.
"The first experience there wasn't good, but we came back a couple years after that and ran really well and won some races," Leffler said.
The open-wheel success translated to stock cars, too. In his first appearance in a Nationwide car in 2000 for Joe Gibbs Racing, Leffler won the pole and finished second.
Over 12 starts in the series, he's won two poles and has two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Not bad for a guy who as a kid helped work on Midgets of PJ and Page Jones at Phoenix .
"It's just a place I always liked," Leffler said. "When I started driving here, I figured out some good tips. Tony Stewart helped me a lot. … I've always enjoyed it. It's so unique. You've got to basically give up one end for the other to make your car as fast as you can on the one end and try to get it through the other end. It's a really cool place."
Leffler is referring to the different radius of each end of the track, with Turns 3 and 4 being the fastest end, with a larger radius despite less banking than Turns 1 and 2. Leffler says he tries to set up his car for Turns 3 and 4, if possible, though sometimes tires and the track itself make that difficult.
Leffler has undergone a transition this season, as Eddie Pardue has replaced Scott Zipadelli as his crew chief, and Steve Turner has taken over for Todd Braun as majority owner.
Still, the goal is to win, not look to 2011.
"There's a lot of things going on at the shop," said Leffler, who is eighth in the Nationwide standings. "The next two races, we're trying to win. To beat some of these guys in all-out speed is kind of impossible, but we try to put ourselves in position if something happens that we're able to capitalize. Phoenix is a place we can do that."
Nationwide Series fact box
What: Wypall 200
Where: Phoenix International Raceway; Avondale , Ariz.
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 200 laps/200 miles
Qualifying: Saturday, 12:05 p.m. ET
Track layout: 1-mile oval
2009 winner: Carl Edwards
2009 polesitter: Denny Hamlin
Points leaders: 1. Brad Keselowski, 5,314; 2. Carl Edwards, 4,849; 3. Kyle Busch, 4,619; 4. Justin Allgaier, 4,402; 5. Paul Menard, 4,205; 6. Kevin Harvick, 4,044; 7. Trevor Bayne, 3,765; 8. Jason Leffler, 3,743; 9. Joey Logano, 3,717; 10. Steve Wallace, 3,688.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Travis Pastrana to run 20 Nationwide races in 2011
Travis Pastrana to run 20 Nationwide races in 2011
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
International action sports star Travis Pastrana has signed with Michael Waltrip Racing and created a new Nationwide Series team that will feature Pastrana behind the wheel beginning in 2011.
Pastrana, who has won gold medals in the X Games and shattered jump records on both motorcycles and automobiles, will run seven Nationwide races in 2011 for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, a new team owned by Pastrana, MWR and Gary and Blake Bechtel. He plans to run 20 Nationwide races in 2012.
Pastrana, who stars in MTV's "Nitro Circus," is ready to turn his attention to NASCAR. His team will focus on creating programs that expose the action sports world's fans to NASCAR and develop youth marketing initiatives designed to create greater awareness of both sports.
"I've been following NASCAR closely for years as a fan of the sport with competing in the sport a lifelong dream," Pastrana said in a news release from the team. "I decided it was time to try and turn that dream into reality and with the help of the Bechtel family, Michael Waltrip Racing and Wasserman Media Group I'm now one step closer."
Pastrana-Waltrip Racing will field Toyotas out of the MWR shop in Cornelius , N.C.
Waltrip said the youth demographic Pastrana brings to NASCAR could provide a boost for the sport.
"Travis has built an enormous and unique following all over the world," Waltrip said. "As a race team owner, we are always looking for ways to deliver to our partners and engage our fans better. This is an opportunity to showcase our company and our sport to a newgeneration of young fans.
"We're also looking for that next big star. Travis already is one and action sports is full of talented athletes. Having Travis as a part of our program adds another great dimension toour team and NASCAR."
Pastrana is one of the most recognized and celebrated athletes in the world. He has won 16 X Games gold medals along with multiple supercross, motocross and rally championships in his career.
He also created the Nitro Circus empire, which includes a television show, live tours and a soon-to-be-released feature film.
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
International action sports star Travis Pastrana has signed with Michael Waltrip Racing and created a new Nationwide Series team that will feature Pastrana behind the wheel beginning in 2011.
Pastrana, who has won gold medals in the X Games and shattered jump records on both motorcycles and automobiles, will run seven Nationwide races in 2011 for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, a new team owned by Pastrana, MWR and Gary and Blake Bechtel. He plans to run 20 Nationwide races in 2012.
Pastrana, who stars in MTV's "Nitro Circus," is ready to turn his attention to NASCAR. His team will focus on creating programs that expose the action sports world's fans to NASCAR and develop youth marketing initiatives designed to create greater awareness of both sports.
"I've been following NASCAR closely for years as a fan of the sport with competing in the sport a lifelong dream," Pastrana said in a news release from the team. "I decided it was time to try and turn that dream into reality and with the help of the Bechtel family, Michael Waltrip Racing and Wasserman Media Group I'm now one step closer."
Pastrana-Waltrip Racing will field Toyotas out of the MWR shop in Cornelius , N.C.
Waltrip said the youth demographic Pastrana brings to NASCAR could provide a boost for the sport.
"Travis has built an enormous and unique following all over the world," Waltrip said. "As a race team owner, we are always looking for ways to deliver to our partners and engage our fans better. This is an opportunity to showcase our company and our sport to a newgeneration of young fans.
"We're also looking for that next big star. Travis already is one and action sports is full of talented athletes. Having Travis as a part of our program adds another great dimension toour team and NASCAR."
Pastrana is one of the most recognized and celebrated athletes in the world. He has won 16 X Games gold medals along with multiple supercross, motocross and rally championships in his career.
He also created the Nitro Circus empire, which includes a television show, live tours and a soon-to-be-released feature film.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Bodine nearly coasting to second trucks title
Bodine nearly coasting to second trucks title
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
His second Camping World Truck Series title almost a foregone conclusion, Todd Bodine is understandably at peace with two races left in the 2010 season.
Finish fourth or better in Friday night's Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway, and the series veteran will clinch the championship even if Aric Almirola, currently second in points, wins and leads the most laps.
If Bodine places no worse than 19th (without leading a lap) at Phoenix , all he'll need to do is start his engine for the next weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The championship leader has even more wiggle room if he leads a lap, leads the most laps or Almirola doesn't gain the maximum 195 points at Phoenix .
In fact, Bodine could skip one of the final two races and still stand a superb chance of taking the title by a fairly comfortable margin.
That's just how good Bodine has been this season.
"We've just been top-fiving them to death," said the Germain Racing driver, who claimed his first truck crown back in 2006. "If we have a bad race, it's a fifth-place finish, and when you consider that a bad race, that's a pretty darn good year."
Indeed it's been a nearly perfect year for the driver of the No. 30 Toyota. His 2010 portfolio consists of a series-high 19 top 10s, including 16 top fives and four wins.
In 23 starts, Bodine has finished outside the top 20 just once. That's consistency at its finest, and it has enabled Bodine to build a hefty 230-point cushion over Almirola heading into the season's penultimate event.
When Bodine looks back over his 2010 campaign, he has a hard time even citing his toughest challenge.
"Really, it hasn't been very tough. We've had good times. As a driver, the things that make it tough is when you make mistakes," the 46-year-old said. "I take it very personal when I do make a mistake and hurt the team or hurt the finish, and I've made a couple this year that have hurt us and cost us. But as a whole it's been a great year, a lot of fun. The truck series is a great place to be and we make a good living doing what we love to do and there's nothing better than that."
Bodine is about to join an elite group in becoming one of only three drivers to win multiple truck titles. The other two men to accomplish that feat are Jack Sprague (three championships) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (four).
Bodine won his 2006 title with Germain Racing and the same crew chief, Mike Hillman Jr. That championship run, much like this one, came with relative ease.
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
His second Camping World Truck Series title almost a foregone conclusion, Todd Bodine is understandably at peace with two races left in the 2010 season.
Finish fourth or better in Friday night's Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway, and the series veteran will clinch the championship even if Aric Almirola, currently second in points, wins and leads the most laps.
If Bodine places no worse than 19th (without leading a lap) at Phoenix , all he'll need to do is start his engine for the next weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The championship leader has even more wiggle room if he leads a lap, leads the most laps or Almirola doesn't gain the maximum 195 points at Phoenix .
In fact, Bodine could skip one of the final two races and still stand a superb chance of taking the title by a fairly comfortable margin.
That's just how good Bodine has been this season.
"We've just been top-fiving them to death," said the Germain Racing driver, who claimed his first truck crown back in 2006. "If we have a bad race, it's a fifth-place finish, and when you consider that a bad race, that's a pretty darn good year."
Indeed it's been a nearly perfect year for the driver of the No. 30 Toyota. His 2010 portfolio consists of a series-high 19 top 10s, including 16 top fives and four wins.
In 23 starts, Bodine has finished outside the top 20 just once. That's consistency at its finest, and it has enabled Bodine to build a hefty 230-point cushion over Almirola heading into the season's penultimate event.
When Bodine looks back over his 2010 campaign, he has a hard time even citing his toughest challenge.
"Really, it hasn't been very tough. We've had good times. As a driver, the things that make it tough is when you make mistakes," the 46-year-old said. "I take it very personal when I do make a mistake and hurt the team or hurt the finish, and I've made a couple this year that have hurt us and cost us. But as a whole it's been a great year, a lot of fun. The truck series is a great place to be and we make a good living doing what we love to do and there's nothing better than that."
Bodine is about to join an elite group in becoming one of only three drivers to win multiple truck titles. The other two men to accomplish that feat are Jack Sprague (three championships) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (four).
Bodine won his 2006 title with Germain Racing and the same crew chief, Mike Hillman Jr. That championship run, much like this one, came with relative ease.
NATIONWIDE SERIES PHOENIX
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
Home Game For Patrick
Every NASCAR Nationwide Series race is a new experience for Danica Patrick as she navigates the nuances between open-wheel and stock-car racing.
This weekend, however, may bring her the first real feelings of familiarity during her short time in NASCAR. The Illinois-native-turned-Phoenix-resident has a race in her own backyard.
She’s raced at PIR before. She finished 15th in an IndyCar start there in 2005.
Although caught up in an accident last Saturday at Texas, Patrick finished 22nd and was running at the finish. Of her previous 11 starts, Patrick has been called out due to accidents twice (in her first race at Daytona and last month at Auto Club Speedway). Otherwise, she has been running at the finish and has posted her three best results of the year in her last three races – 21st at Charlotte and 22nd at Gateway and Texas.
There’s Still A Championship TBD
The 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship ring may now officially be ready for Brad Keselowski’s finger. But there’s still an elephant in the room at Penske Racing. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team and 2009 series champion Kyle Busch are two races from forcing a split championship, leading the owner standings by 81 points over the No. 22.
A shared 2010 title would mark the fourth time in series history that there’s been a split championship and the first since 2008. JGR is seeking its third consecutive owner title, which would tie the series record held by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97. Those championships all were unified.
An 81-point advantage with two races to go would be the largest deficit overcome in a series owner points battle. In 2007, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet was 54 points down to JGR’s No. 20 Toyota with two races remaining, got to within 28 points after Phoenix and missed catching the No. 20 by 12 points after the season-finale at Homestead-Miami.
The deficit itself is a tall enough order for the No. 22 team. Busch has won three of the last six races at Phoenix, including in April. RFR’s Carl Edwards has to be considered a major threat to Busch’s owner title run. He comes off a win at Texas and is the defending winner of this race.
Who would have thought Edwards may end up helping Keselowski?
Allgaier Aims Higher
Despite the turmoil of his last two months – wondering what team or series he might end up with, or if he’d even have a job driving in NASCAR next year – Justin Allgaier, 24, has put together the best streak of his young career.
Although his 13th-place finish at Texas ended a streak of five consecutive top-10 finishes, tying his career best set at the start of this season, he announced that he’s found a new home for 2011 with an owner from the Lone Star State.
Allgaier’s new full-time deal with Turner Motorsports is just one of the recent announcements that add to an already-anticipated 2011 season for the series, highlighted by the full rollout of the new car.
Two-time series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, co-owners of Kevin Harvick Inc., will add a third NASCAR Nationwide Series team next year. They’ll bring back the iconic No. 2 car with driver Elliott Sadler, who ran two full seasons in NASCAR Nationwide seasons before graduating to NASCAR Sprint Cup. The No. 2 won driver titles in 2001 with Kevin Harvick and 2008 with Clint Bowyer.
Additionally, Brian Scott, 22, second in the Raybestos Rookie standings to Ricky Stenhouse Jr., announced he’ll join Joe Gibbs Racing full-time in 2011.
Home Game For Patrick
Every NASCAR Nationwide Series race is a new experience for Danica Patrick as she navigates the nuances between open-wheel and stock-car racing.
This weekend, however, may bring her the first real feelings of familiarity during her short time in NASCAR. The Illinois-native-turned-Phoenix-resident has a race in her own backyard.
She’s raced at PIR before. She finished 15th in an IndyCar start there in 2005.
Although caught up in an accident last Saturday at Texas, Patrick finished 22nd and was running at the finish. Of her previous 11 starts, Patrick has been called out due to accidents twice (in her first race at Daytona and last month at Auto Club Speedway). Otherwise, she has been running at the finish and has posted her three best results of the year in her last three races – 21st at Charlotte and 22nd at Gateway and Texas.
There’s Still A Championship TBD
The 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship ring may now officially be ready for Brad Keselowski’s finger. But there’s still an elephant in the room at Penske Racing. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team and 2009 series champion Kyle Busch are two races from forcing a split championship, leading the owner standings by 81 points over the No. 22.
A shared 2010 title would mark the fourth time in series history that there’s been a split championship and the first since 2008. JGR is seeking its third consecutive owner title, which would tie the series record held by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97. Those championships all were unified.
An 81-point advantage with two races to go would be the largest deficit overcome in a series owner points battle. In 2007, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet was 54 points down to JGR’s No. 20 Toyota with two races remaining, got to within 28 points after Phoenix and missed catching the No. 20 by 12 points after the season-finale at Homestead-Miami.
The deficit itself is a tall enough order for the No. 22 team. Busch has won three of the last six races at Phoenix, including in April. RFR’s Carl Edwards has to be considered a major threat to Busch’s owner title run. He comes off a win at Texas and is the defending winner of this race.
Who would have thought Edwards may end up helping Keselowski?
Allgaier Aims Higher
Despite the turmoil of his last two months – wondering what team or series he might end up with, or if he’d even have a job driving in NASCAR next year – Justin Allgaier, 24, has put together the best streak of his young career.
Although his 13th-place finish at Texas ended a streak of five consecutive top-10 finishes, tying his career best set at the start of this season, he announced that he’s found a new home for 2011 with an owner from the Lone Star State.
Allgaier’s new full-time deal with Turner Motorsports is just one of the recent announcements that add to an already-anticipated 2011 season for the series, highlighted by the full rollout of the new car.
Two-time series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, co-owners of Kevin Harvick Inc., will add a third NASCAR Nationwide Series team next year. They’ll bring back the iconic No. 2 car with driver Elliott Sadler, who ran two full seasons in NASCAR Nationwide seasons before graduating to NASCAR Sprint Cup. The No. 2 won driver titles in 2001 with Kevin Harvick and 2008 with Clint Bowyer.
Additionally, Brian Scott, 22, second in the Raybestos Rookie standings to Ricky Stenhouse Jr., announced he’ll join Joe Gibbs Racing full-time in 2011.
CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES PHOENIX
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
Can Busch Match Biffle? In 1999, Greg Biffle scored nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins setting a series record for most wins in a single season that still stands today. More than 10 years later, Kyle Busch is on the verge of matching that record.
With two races remaining in the season, Busch has seven wins, and has won three of the last five truck series events. His win Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway increased his hold on the series owner’s standings to 72 points over Germain Racing.
He has one win at Phoenix International Raceway and two top-five finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Bodine Continues To Lead Series Standings Despite Almirola Resurgence
With a 230-point lead over Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings it would appear Todd Bodine has the driver’s championship in the bag with two races remaining on the schedule.
Not so fast says Almirola.
In the last 11 races, Almirola has scored 11 straight top-10 finishes. He has outrun Bodine on four different occasions.
Despite Bodine finishing outside the top-10 on two different occasions in the last 11 races, he has found victory three times.
Expect for the battle to continue to as the series heads to Phoenix International Raceway.
Bodine has one win (2005) to Almirola third-place finish last season
Can Busch Match Biffle? In 1999, Greg Biffle scored nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins setting a series record for most wins in a single season that still stands today. More than 10 years later, Kyle Busch is on the verge of matching that record.
With two races remaining in the season, Busch has seven wins, and has won three of the last five truck series events. His win Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway increased his hold on the series owner’s standings to 72 points over Germain Racing.
He has one win at Phoenix International Raceway and two top-five finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Bodine Continues To Lead Series Standings Despite Almirola Resurgence
With a 230-point lead over Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings it would appear Todd Bodine has the driver’s championship in the bag with two races remaining on the schedule.
Not so fast says Almirola.
In the last 11 races, Almirola has scored 11 straight top-10 finishes. He has outrun Bodine on four different occasions.
Despite Bodine finishing outside the top-10 on two different occasions in the last 11 races, he has found victory three times.
Expect for the battle to continue to as the series heads to Phoenix International Raceway.
Bodine has one win (2005) to Almirola third-place finish last season
Will Edwards Lend A Helping Hand To Keselowski?
Will Edwards Lend A Helping Hand To Keselowski?
Who would have thought Carl Edwards (No. 60 Copart Ford) may end up helping his rival, Brad Ke-selowski (No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge)?
That very well could be the case as the season comes down to its final two races. And the ―assist‖ could begin to play out at Phoenix International Raceway.
Keselowski clinched the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. He also finished third. His chief rival, Edwards, won. Sandwiched in between was 2009 series champion Kyle Busch (No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota), who finished second.
The driver ring may now officially be ready for Keselowski‘s finger, but there‘s still an elephant in the room at Penske Racing. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team, led by Busch, is closer to splitting the champi-onship. The No. 18 team leads the owner standings by 81 points over the No. 22.
Adding to that deficit is that Busch has won three of the last six races at Phoenix, including in April. That victory broke a three-race Phoenix winning streak for Roush Fenway Racing. Two of those wins were by Edwards, the 2007 series champion, and one was by Greg Biffle, who won the series title in 2002.
This is where Edwards re-enters the picture and becomes a major threat to the No. 18‘s title run.
Edwards is hot, coming off the win at Texas. He‘s the defending winner of this race and has the best Driver Rating at Phoenix (120.4) among drivers with more than one start. He also has an average finish of 6.5. Both of those stats usurp Busch (114.4/9.6). Of course, Keselowski must do his job, and do it better than he has in the past at the 1-mile track where his Driver Rating is 93.3 and his average finish is 13.9. Edwards has 11 starts at PIR, Busch 10 and Keselowski seven.
A shared 2010 title would mark the fourth time in series history that the championship has been divided, and the first time since 2008. JGR is seeking its third consecutive owner title, which would tie the series re-cord held by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97. Those championships all were unified.
An 81-point advantage with two races to go would be the largest deficit overcome in a series owner points battle. In 2007, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet was 54 points down to JGR‘s No. 20 Toyota with two races remaining. The No. 2 got to within 28 points after Phoenix and missed catching the No. 20 by 12 points after the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speed
Who would have thought Carl Edwards (No. 60 Copart Ford) may end up helping his rival, Brad Ke-selowski (No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge)?
That very well could be the case as the season comes down to its final two races. And the ―assist‖ could begin to play out at Phoenix International Raceway.
Keselowski clinched the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. He also finished third. His chief rival, Edwards, won. Sandwiched in between was 2009 series champion Kyle Busch (No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota), who finished second.
The driver ring may now officially be ready for Keselowski‘s finger, but there‘s still an elephant in the room at Penske Racing. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team, led by Busch, is closer to splitting the champi-onship. The No. 18 team leads the owner standings by 81 points over the No. 22.
Adding to that deficit is that Busch has won three of the last six races at Phoenix, including in April. That victory broke a three-race Phoenix winning streak for Roush Fenway Racing. Two of those wins were by Edwards, the 2007 series champion, and one was by Greg Biffle, who won the series title in 2002.
This is where Edwards re-enters the picture and becomes a major threat to the No. 18‘s title run.
Edwards is hot, coming off the win at Texas. He‘s the defending winner of this race and has the best Driver Rating at Phoenix (120.4) among drivers with more than one start. He also has an average finish of 6.5. Both of those stats usurp Busch (114.4/9.6). Of course, Keselowski must do his job, and do it better than he has in the past at the 1-mile track where his Driver Rating is 93.3 and his average finish is 13.9. Edwards has 11 starts at PIR, Busch 10 and Keselowski seven.
A shared 2010 title would mark the fourth time in series history that the championship has been divided, and the first time since 2008. JGR is seeking its third consecutive owner title, which would tie the series re-cord held by Bill Baumgardner from 1995-97. Those championships all were unified.
An 81-point advantage with two races to go would be the largest deficit overcome in a series owner points battle. In 2007, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet was 54 points down to JGR‘s No. 20 Toyota with two races remaining. The No. 2 got to within 28 points after Phoenix and missed catching the No. 20 by 12 points after the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speed
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Two races remain in the quest for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship.
Two races remain in the quest for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship.
The series title fight moves front stage and centerto the land of the west at Phoenix International Racewaywith three drivers still in the hunt for the title.
Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain.com Toyota)maintains a 230-point lead over Aric Almirola (No. 51Toyota) and a 304-point lead over Johnny Sauter (No.13 Curb Records Chevrolet).
At first glance it would appear Bodine—with the second-largest lead in series history—has the driver’s
championship in the bag. If Bodine leaves Phoenix with a 195-point lead, he will clinch his second series
championship. To guarantee that, Bodine needs to finish fourth, or fifth with at least one lap led,
or sixth with the most laps led.
But Almirola and Sauter are not going down without a fight.
In the last 11 races, Almirola has scored 11 straight top-10 finishes and has outrun
Bodine on fourdifferent occasions.
And Sauter has finished in the runner-up position three times since Pocono Raceway in July.
Despite Bodine finishing outside the top 10 on two different occasions in the last 11 races, he has
found victory three times (Nashville Superspeedway, Darlington Raceway and Kentucky Speedway), leavinglittle room for the second and third-place contenders to make up ground.
“I think that just shows how good our guys are,” said Bodine on his consistency this season. “I’ve said
quite a few times, the first five races we struggled with making them drive good and then we went to work
and figured it out and they’ve been driving great — that’s what allows you to keep that consistency.”
Out of the three contenders, Bodine is the only one to have visited Victory Lane at Phoenix before,
in2005. In six starts, he has only finished outside the top-10 twice.
The series title fight moves front stage and centerto the land of the west at Phoenix International Racewaywith three drivers still in the hunt for the title.
Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain.com Toyota)maintains a 230-point lead over Aric Almirola (No. 51Toyota) and a 304-point lead over Johnny Sauter (No.13 Curb Records Chevrolet).
At first glance it would appear Bodine—with the second-largest lead in series history—has the driver’s
championship in the bag. If Bodine leaves Phoenix with a 195-point lead, he will clinch his second series
championship. To guarantee that, Bodine needs to finish fourth, or fifth with at least one lap led,
or sixth with the most laps led.
But Almirola and Sauter are not going down without a fight.
In the last 11 races, Almirola has scored 11 straight top-10 finishes and has outrun
Bodine on fourdifferent occasions.
And Sauter has finished in the runner-up position three times since Pocono Raceway in July.
Despite Bodine finishing outside the top 10 on two different occasions in the last 11 races, he has
found victory three times (Nashville Superspeedway, Darlington Raceway and Kentucky Speedway), leavinglittle room for the second and third-place contenders to make up ground.
“I think that just shows how good our guys are,” said Bodine on his consistency this season. “I’ve said
quite a few times, the first five races we struggled with making them drive good and then we went to work
and figured it out and they’ve been driving great — that’s what allows you to keep that consistency.”
Out of the three contenders, Bodine is the only one to have visited Victory Lane at Phoenix before,
in2005. In six starts, he has only finished outside the top-10 twice.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Notebook: Rookie Scott signs two-year Nationwide deal with Gibbs
Notebook: Rookie Scott signs two-year Nationwide deal with Gibbs
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
FORT WORTH, Texas—Rookie Brian Scott will drive a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Nationwide Series for the next two seasons, Scott and team president J.D. Gibbs announced Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.
Having driven for Braun Racing for most of the 2010 season and RAB Racing for the past five events, Scott is second to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Nationwide Series’ Raybestos rookie of the year standings.
Scott, 22, believes the association with Gibbs will make him a contender for the series title.
“I feel like I’m ready to make a run at it, and I think that being with an organization like Joe Gibbs Racing certainly provides me that opportunity,” Scott said. “I think I’m going to continue to learn every race. I’m going to continue to pick up things and hopefully get better as I get more experience.”
Scott joins a driver roster that already includes Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, who together have won 15 of the 33 Nationwide races contested this season.
Many of the details of the deal have to be worked out, such as crew chief, sponsorship and car number.
“On the sponsor side, we have some of that fit and ready to go, and some of it we’re still looking for,” Gibbs said. “So, obviously, part of this announcement is, ‘Hey, we have a great young driver we think could be a good fit for a lot of new partners into the sport.’
“We’re going to hire a crew chief from in-house, but we’re not really ready to announce that yet and then a number we’re still kind of working on. We were 19 in the past. We’re looking at maybe switching that around some. We should announce a lot of that here in the next few weeks.”
New nose gives Dodge sporty look
NASCAR has approved the new nose design submitted by Dodge for the 2011 Sprint Cup Series car. The sportier look of the new Charger results from a collaboration between Dodge and Penske Racing and continues a trend toward greater brand identity in its racecars.
All four manufacturers will sport new noses in 2011.
“With the introduction of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger for the street, we worked closely with Penske Racing to develop the Dodge brand identity while maintaining neutral aerodynamics within the NASCAR rules,” said Dave Bailey, senior manager of Dodge Motorsports Engineering. “Coupled with NASCAR’s new common lower nose for 2011, the revised front end carries the image and character of the Charger forward in true Dodge performance fashion.”
Ragan, Fords show strength at Texas
In Saturday’s final Cup practice session, Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan posted the second-fastest practice speed (187.728 mph), topped only by Kyle Busch’s 188.180 mph in the No. 18 Toyota.
Ragan’s speed should come as no surprise, given the traditional strength of Ford entries at intermediate speedways.
“Our car is fast, and I think the Fords have always excelled at these mile-and-a-half racetracks,” Ragan said. “We always seem to go through a stretch like Martinsville and Talladega (the two most recent Cup races) where we get frustrated and have bad luck and don’t run as well as we should.
“Then we get back to a mile-and-a-half and get back to normal. Our car was very fast today and is really close to being really good.”
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
FORT WORTH, Texas—Rookie Brian Scott will drive a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Nationwide Series for the next two seasons, Scott and team president J.D. Gibbs announced Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.
Having driven for Braun Racing for most of the 2010 season and RAB Racing for the past five events, Scott is second to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Nationwide Series’ Raybestos rookie of the year standings.
Scott, 22, believes the association with Gibbs will make him a contender for the series title.
“I feel like I’m ready to make a run at it, and I think that being with an organization like Joe Gibbs Racing certainly provides me that opportunity,” Scott said. “I think I’m going to continue to learn every race. I’m going to continue to pick up things and hopefully get better as I get more experience.”
Scott joins a driver roster that already includes Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, who together have won 15 of the 33 Nationwide races contested this season.
Many of the details of the deal have to be worked out, such as crew chief, sponsorship and car number.
“On the sponsor side, we have some of that fit and ready to go, and some of it we’re still looking for,” Gibbs said. “So, obviously, part of this announcement is, ‘Hey, we have a great young driver we think could be a good fit for a lot of new partners into the sport.’
“We’re going to hire a crew chief from in-house, but we’re not really ready to announce that yet and then a number we’re still kind of working on. We were 19 in the past. We’re looking at maybe switching that around some. We should announce a lot of that here in the next few weeks.”
New nose gives Dodge sporty look
NASCAR has approved the new nose design submitted by Dodge for the 2011 Sprint Cup Series car. The sportier look of the new Charger results from a collaboration between Dodge and Penske Racing and continues a trend toward greater brand identity in its racecars.
All four manufacturers will sport new noses in 2011.
“With the introduction of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger for the street, we worked closely with Penske Racing to develop the Dodge brand identity while maintaining neutral aerodynamics within the NASCAR rules,” said Dave Bailey, senior manager of Dodge Motorsports Engineering. “Coupled with NASCAR’s new common lower nose for 2011, the revised front end carries the image and character of the Charger forward in true Dodge performance fashion.”
Ragan, Fords show strength at Texas
In Saturday’s final Cup practice session, Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan posted the second-fastest practice speed (187.728 mph), topped only by Kyle Busch’s 188.180 mph in the No. 18 Toyota.
Ragan’s speed should come as no surprise, given the traditional strength of Ford entries at intermediate speedways.
“Our car is fast, and I think the Fords have always excelled at these mile-and-a-half racetracks,” Ragan said. “We always seem to go through a stretch like Martinsville and Talladega (the two most recent Cup races) where we get frustrated and have bad luck and don’t run as well as we should.
“Then we get back to a mile-and-a-half and get back to normal. Our car was very fast today and is really close to being really good.”
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Edwards wins at Texas; Keselowski takes title
Edwards wins at Texas; Keselowski takes title
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Service
FORT WORTH, Texas—Carl Edwards knew he had to get everything he could on a restart with two laps left in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch, who finished second to Edwards, was convinced the race winner got too much.
Nevertheless, after a green-white-checkered-flag finish, it was Edwards who celebrated his third win of the season and the 28th of his career, after thwarting Busch’s attempt to win his record sixth straight NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 1.5-mile track.
Edwards, however couldn’t prevent third-place finisher Brad Keselowski from clinching the Nationwide drivers championship, the first NASCAR title for team owner Roger Penske. With two races left, Keselowski leads second-place Edwards by an insurmountable 465 points.
Edwards held the lead when caution flew for the fifth time on Lap 198 of a scheduled 200, when smoke billowed from Clint Bowyer’s Chevrolet as it sped through the tri-oval. That gave Busch, who led a race-high 107 laps, a final chance to battle Edwards for the lead, but the fight failed to materialize.
Why? Busch contended Edwards hit the gas before the restart zone delineated by red stripes on the outer walls.
“Carl Edwards jumped the restart by about three lengths before the double red marks,” Busch said after the race. “Does it freakin’ matter? The race is over. The guy’s in victory lane. It doesn’t matter.”
Edwards was unapologetic.
“I had to do everything I could,” Edwards said. “Kyle and those guys have a spectacular car, and he does a really good job on restarts. So I just got the best restart I could, and it ended up winning us the race. He’s tough. He raced me really well on the one before that (Lap 191), but I knew if I gave him an inch, he’d beat us.”
Understandably, Keselowski was elated at clinching the championship.
I’m so very fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity with (crew chief) Paul Wolfe and Roger and everybody back at the shop,” Keselowski said. “The guys that are there miss their kids’ Little League games working hard on my car,
“We almost had a win here today. I wanted to win this one, too, but it didn’t work out.”
Edwards made sure of that. He passed Busch on Lap 155 and held the top spot until Parker Kligerman spun off Turn 2 on Lap 185 to cause the fourth caution of the race. Edwards retained the lead after a wild restart on Lap 191 and pulled away from Busch before a caution on Lap 198 slowed the field and sent the race to overtime.
Joey Logano finished fourth, followed by Martin Truex Jr.
Notes: With the victory, Edwards won $75,000 in Nationwide’s Dash4Cash program. Thirteenth-place finisher Justin Allgaier won the $75,000 Dash4Cash season-ending bonus as the eligible driver who scored the most points in the four Dash4Cash races. … Edwards’ victory was his 50th combined in NASCAR’s top three series. … Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Service
FORT WORTH, Texas—Carl Edwards knew he had to get everything he could on a restart with two laps left in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch, who finished second to Edwards, was convinced the race winner got too much.
Nevertheless, after a green-white-checkered-flag finish, it was Edwards who celebrated his third win of the season and the 28th of his career, after thwarting Busch’s attempt to win his record sixth straight NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 1.5-mile track.
Edwards, however couldn’t prevent third-place finisher Brad Keselowski from clinching the Nationwide drivers championship, the first NASCAR title for team owner Roger Penske. With two races left, Keselowski leads second-place Edwards by an insurmountable 465 points.
Edwards held the lead when caution flew for the fifth time on Lap 198 of a scheduled 200, when smoke billowed from Clint Bowyer’s Chevrolet as it sped through the tri-oval. That gave Busch, who led a race-high 107 laps, a final chance to battle Edwards for the lead, but the fight failed to materialize.
Why? Busch contended Edwards hit the gas before the restart zone delineated by red stripes on the outer walls.
“Carl Edwards jumped the restart by about three lengths before the double red marks,” Busch said after the race. “Does it freakin’ matter? The race is over. The guy’s in victory lane. It doesn’t matter.”
Edwards was unapologetic.
“I had to do everything I could,” Edwards said. “Kyle and those guys have a spectacular car, and he does a really good job on restarts. So I just got the best restart I could, and it ended up winning us the race. He’s tough. He raced me really well on the one before that (Lap 191), but I knew if I gave him an inch, he’d beat us.”
Understandably, Keselowski was elated at clinching the championship.
I’m so very fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity with (crew chief) Paul Wolfe and Roger and everybody back at the shop,” Keselowski said. “The guys that are there miss their kids’ Little League games working hard on my car,
“We almost had a win here today. I wanted to win this one, too, but it didn’t work out.”
Edwards made sure of that. He passed Busch on Lap 155 and held the top spot until Parker Kligerman spun off Turn 2 on Lap 185 to cause the fourth caution of the race. Edwards retained the lead after a wild restart on Lap 191 and pulled away from Busch before a caution on Lap 198 slowed the field and sent the race to overtime.
Joey Logano finished fourth, followed by Martin Truex Jr.
Notes: With the victory, Edwards won $75,000 in Nationwide’s Dash4Cash program. Thirteenth-place finisher Justin Allgaier won the $75,000 Dash4Cash season-ending bonus as the eligible driver who scored the most points in the four Dash4Cash races. … Edwards’ victory was his 50th combined in NASCAR’s top three series. … Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas.
CARL EDWARDS WINS OREILLY AUTO PARTS
Race Fast Facts
Texas Motor Speedway
O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, November 06, 2010 @ 02:25 PM Central
Race Winner: Carl Edwards
Age: 31
Team : No. 60 - Copart.com Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Crew Chief: Mike Beam
Carl Edwards won the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, his 28th victory in 209 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. In winning, Edwards will receive the $75,000 Nationwide "Dash for Cash" award.
This is his third victory and 25th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and seventh top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his 24th top-10 finish in 2010.
Brad Keselowski (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in nine races at Texas Motor Speedway. He clinches the 2010 Nationwide Series championship - the first Dodge driver to do so in the series. He also is Roger Penske's first NASCAR champion.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (11th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Brad Keselowski leads the point standings by 465 points over Carl Edwards.
Texas Motor Speedway
O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, November 06, 2010 @ 02:25 PM Central
Race Winner: Carl Edwards
Age: 31
Team : No. 60 - Copart.com Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Crew Chief: Mike Beam
Carl Edwards won the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, his 28th victory in 209 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. In winning, Edwards will receive the $75,000 Nationwide "Dash for Cash" award.
This is his third victory and 25th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and seventh top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 12 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his 24th top-10 finish in 2010.
Brad Keselowski (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in nine races at Texas Motor Speedway. He clinches the 2010 Nationwide Series championship - the first Dodge driver to do so in the series. He also is Roger Penske's first NASCAR champion.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (11th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Brad Keselowski leads the point standings by 465 points over Carl Edwards.
Notebook: Allgaier lands a ride with Turner in 2011
Notebook: Allgaier lands a ride with Turner in 2011
FORT WORT, Texas—Confirming the rumored signing of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, Turner Motorsports announced its Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series lineups Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.
What remains to be seen is which drivers will race which vehicles—and when they’ll race them—but owner Steve Turner said he’ll have three Nationwide drivers (Allgaier, Reed Sorenson and Jason Leffler) competing for the series championship and two drivers (James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael) competing for the truck series title.
Turner will run Chevrolets in both series, with engines supplied by Hendrick Motorsports, bodies and aero support from Kevin Harvick Inc. and drive train and suspension technology assistance from Earnhardt Technology Group.
Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 38 Chevrolet in eight races, with Turner fielding four Nationwide Series cars. Kahne and Leffler will split time in the No. 38; Carmichael, Buescher and Leffler will share the No. 30; Allgaier will drive the No. 31; and Sorenson will drive the No. 32.
In the truck series, Carmichael will drive the No. 4 and Buescher the No. 31. Turner also will field a third truck, the No. 32, with Brad Sweet, Leffler, Allgaier and additional drivers to be named.
Asked to give a specific rundown of his drivers and vehicles, Turner said, “I wish I could. We plan on running three drivers for the (Nationwide) championship. Those drivers may have to float out of a car from time to time. When Kasey’s running his eight races, Jason will float over to our fourth car for a few races. Justin may have to float a little bit on his part, and Reed may have to float a little bit on his part.
“We’ve not got that nailed down yet, but we’re telling you that we’re running three drivers for the championship."
Allgaier, who is fourth in the Nationwide Series standings, comes to Turner Motorsports from Penske Racing, which hasn’t found the sponsorship necessary to keep Allgaier in a car next year.
“Knowing Steve and knowing how he’s put his resources and his time and efforts into the truck team—and the direction he’s put it in—when he came to me and we started talking about what some of the opportunities were for next year, I was excited about the opportunity.
“With the addition of all the things he’s put in place—the engines, the cars—I felt like it was a great opportunity to go to a race team that had great drivers surrounding what I was going to be doing as well as big support from all the people he has around him.”
Sadler signs multiyear deal with KHI
Elliott Sadler, who won the pole for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup race, announced earlier on Friday he’ll drive Kevin Harvick’s No. 2 Nationwide Series Chevrolet starting in 2011, with sponsorship from CitiFinancial.
Sadler, who also will drive selected truck races for KHI, said he and his wife dined on Chinese food Thursday night. In his fortune cookie, Sadler found the prediction, “You are about to embark on a most delightful journey.”
“It’s funny how things work out sometimes,” Sadler said.
Contender in the grass
In Friday’s Nationwide Series practice, Brad Keselowski took evasive action and slid his No. 22 Dodge through the infield grass when Alex Kennedy wrecked in front of him.
In the Cup practice that followed, Keselowski repeated the excursion, sliding sideways through the grass in his No. 12 Dodge. The latter incident forced Keselowski to a backup car for Sunday’s Cup race.
Asked which car made a better lawnmower, Keselowski replied, “That’s easy—the Cup car. It’s got a splitter, so it has a sharper edge.”
Buescher wins Nationwide pole
Buescher, a rookie driver required to qualify on speed, knocked Harvick off the pole for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Nationwide Series race at TMS. Keselowski, who needs a finish of 21st or better to clinch the series championship, will start 16th. Danica Patrick qualified 28th.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
FORT WORT, Texas—Confirming the rumored signing of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, Turner Motorsports announced its Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series lineups Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.
What remains to be seen is which drivers will race which vehicles—and when they’ll race them—but owner Steve Turner said he’ll have three Nationwide drivers (Allgaier, Reed Sorenson and Jason Leffler) competing for the series championship and two drivers (James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael) competing for the truck series title.
Turner will run Chevrolets in both series, with engines supplied by Hendrick Motorsports, bodies and aero support from Kevin Harvick Inc. and drive train and suspension technology assistance from Earnhardt Technology Group.
Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 38 Chevrolet in eight races, with Turner fielding four Nationwide Series cars. Kahne and Leffler will split time in the No. 38; Carmichael, Buescher and Leffler will share the No. 30; Allgaier will drive the No. 31; and Sorenson will drive the No. 32.
In the truck series, Carmichael will drive the No. 4 and Buescher the No. 31. Turner also will field a third truck, the No. 32, with Brad Sweet, Leffler, Allgaier and additional drivers to be named.
Asked to give a specific rundown of his drivers and vehicles, Turner said, “I wish I could. We plan on running three drivers for the (Nationwide) championship. Those drivers may have to float out of a car from time to time. When Kasey’s running his eight races, Jason will float over to our fourth car for a few races. Justin may have to float a little bit on his part, and Reed may have to float a little bit on his part.
“We’ve not got that nailed down yet, but we’re telling you that we’re running three drivers for the championship."
Allgaier, who is fourth in the Nationwide Series standings, comes to Turner Motorsports from Penske Racing, which hasn’t found the sponsorship necessary to keep Allgaier in a car next year.
“Knowing Steve and knowing how he’s put his resources and his time and efforts into the truck team—and the direction he’s put it in—when he came to me and we started talking about what some of the opportunities were for next year, I was excited about the opportunity.
“With the addition of all the things he’s put in place—the engines, the cars—I felt like it was a great opportunity to go to a race team that had great drivers surrounding what I was going to be doing as well as big support from all the people he has around him.”
Sadler signs multiyear deal with KHI
Elliott Sadler, who won the pole for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup race, announced earlier on Friday he’ll drive Kevin Harvick’s No. 2 Nationwide Series Chevrolet starting in 2011, with sponsorship from CitiFinancial.
Sadler, who also will drive selected truck races for KHI, said he and his wife dined on Chinese food Thursday night. In his fortune cookie, Sadler found the prediction, “You are about to embark on a most delightful journey.”
“It’s funny how things work out sometimes,” Sadler said.
Contender in the grass
In Friday’s Nationwide Series practice, Brad Keselowski took evasive action and slid his No. 22 Dodge through the infield grass when Alex Kennedy wrecked in front of him.
In the Cup practice that followed, Keselowski repeated the excursion, sliding sideways through the grass in his No. 12 Dodge. The latter incident forced Keselowski to a backup car for Sunday’s Cup race.
Asked which car made a better lawnmower, Keselowski replied, “That’s easy—the Cup car. It’s got a splitter, so it has a sharper edge.”
Buescher wins Nationwide pole
Buescher, a rookie driver required to qualify on speed, knocked Harvick off the pole for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Nationwide Series race at TMS. Keselowski, who needs a finish of 21st or better to clinch the series championship, will start 16th. Danica Patrick qualified 28th.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Late restart gives Busch truck series win at Texas
Late restart gives Busch truck series win at Texas
FORT WORTH, Texas—Kyle Busch blew past Todd Bodine on a restart on Lap 127 and held off Johnny Sauter over the final 20 laps to win Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Bodine chose the outside lane for the final restart, but Busch cleared Bodine’s No. 30 Toyota through Turns 1 and 2 and held the lead the rest of the way.
Sauter came home second, followed by Matt Crafton and Bodine, the series points leader. Bodine increased his margin to 230 points over seventh-place finisher Aric Almirola with two races left in the season. Bodine can clinch his second series championship by finishing fourth or better next week at Phoenix.
Busch’s seventh win in 14 starts this season gives him 23 career victories in the series.
“On that last restart there I got a good jump,” Busch said. “I got a good jump and didn’t beat Todd to the line and ended up kind of being alongside him into Turn 1, and I don’t know if my lane just had a better draft or what—we pulled away down the backstretch and held on there.”
In retrospect, Bodine felt he made a mistake in choosing the outside lane for the decisive restart. Busch disagreed.
“If I was in Todd’s position, I would have taken the outside lane for the last restart, too,” he said. “When you’re out there on the outside like that, it makes your truck a lot more stable, and the guy on the inside’s at your mercy.”
Instead, everything fell Busch’s way.
“I don’t know whether I got a better push from behind, I had a better lane that we drafted, or what happened there, but he didn’t stay next to me as well as I expected him to,” Busch said. “I got clear of him, and I was like, ‘Man, this right here was fortune.’ I wasn’t expecting to be clear so quick. I figured I’d have to race him.
“(Crew chief) Eric (Phillips) tightened me up on that last stop (on Lap 123) so I’d have a little more side bite to race against him and try not to get sucked around.”
Bodine had assumed the lead on Lap 111, when Bobby Hamilton Jr., who was off-sequence on pits stops, brought his No. 47 truck to pit road from the top spot. At that point Bodine held a lead of 2.198 seconds over Busch.
That advantage reached 3.243 seconds when Lance Fenton spun in Turn 2 to cause the fourth caution of the race on Lap 120. But that lead disappeared with the yellow flag and gave Busch the opportunity he needed on the Lap 127 restart.
Defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. continued his star-crossed season. On Lap 52, Hornaday slowed to avoid Miguel Paludo’s truck, which had slammed into the wall. Tayler Malsam’s Toyota bounced off the outside wall and turned Hornaday, who retaliated by spinning Malsam. Hornaday finished 32nd.
Note: With the victory, Toyota clinched its fifth straight manufacturers’ championship in the series. … Busch, who owns his No. 18 truck, extended his lead to 72 points over the second-place No. 30 truck, fielded by Germain Racing, in the owners standings. … Busch has a record seven wins at Texas across all three of NASCAR’s top series. On Saturday, he starts fourth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, attempting to win his sixth straight Nationwide Series race at the 1.5-mile track. … Parker Kligerman, 20, finished ninth in his truck series debut.
By Reid Spencer
FORT WORTH, Texas—Kyle Busch blew past Todd Bodine on a restart on Lap 127 and held off Johnny Sauter over the final 20 laps to win Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Bodine chose the outside lane for the final restart, but Busch cleared Bodine’s No. 30 Toyota through Turns 1 and 2 and held the lead the rest of the way.
Sauter came home second, followed by Matt Crafton and Bodine, the series points leader. Bodine increased his margin to 230 points over seventh-place finisher Aric Almirola with two races left in the season. Bodine can clinch his second series championship by finishing fourth or better next week at Phoenix.
Busch’s seventh win in 14 starts this season gives him 23 career victories in the series.
“On that last restart there I got a good jump,” Busch said. “I got a good jump and didn’t beat Todd to the line and ended up kind of being alongside him into Turn 1, and I don’t know if my lane just had a better draft or what—we pulled away down the backstretch and held on there.”
In retrospect, Bodine felt he made a mistake in choosing the outside lane for the decisive restart. Busch disagreed.
“If I was in Todd’s position, I would have taken the outside lane for the last restart, too,” he said. “When you’re out there on the outside like that, it makes your truck a lot more stable, and the guy on the inside’s at your mercy.”
Instead, everything fell Busch’s way.
“I don’t know whether I got a better push from behind, I had a better lane that we drafted, or what happened there, but he didn’t stay next to me as well as I expected him to,” Busch said. “I got clear of him, and I was like, ‘Man, this right here was fortune.’ I wasn’t expecting to be clear so quick. I figured I’d have to race him.
“(Crew chief) Eric (Phillips) tightened me up on that last stop (on Lap 123) so I’d have a little more side bite to race against him and try not to get sucked around.”
Bodine had assumed the lead on Lap 111, when Bobby Hamilton Jr., who was off-sequence on pits stops, brought his No. 47 truck to pit road from the top spot. At that point Bodine held a lead of 2.198 seconds over Busch.
That advantage reached 3.243 seconds when Lance Fenton spun in Turn 2 to cause the fourth caution of the race on Lap 120. But that lead disappeared with the yellow flag and gave Busch the opportunity he needed on the Lap 127 restart.
Defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. continued his star-crossed season. On Lap 52, Hornaday slowed to avoid Miguel Paludo’s truck, which had slammed into the wall. Tayler Malsam’s Toyota bounced off the outside wall and turned Hornaday, who retaliated by spinning Malsam. Hornaday finished 32nd.
Note: With the victory, Toyota clinched its fifth straight manufacturers’ championship in the series. … Busch, who owns his No. 18 truck, extended his lead to 72 points over the second-place No. 30 truck, fielded by Germain Racing, in the owners standings. … Busch has a record seven wins at Texas across all three of NASCAR’s top series. On Saturday, he starts fourth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, attempting to win his sixth straight Nationwide Series race at the 1.5-mile track. … Parker Kligerman, 20, finished ninth in his truck series debut.
By Reid Spencer
Friday, November 5, 2010
Keystone Light Pole Winner: Matt Crafton
Keystone Light Pole Winner: Matt Crafton
Age: 34
Team: No. 88 McGuire-Nicholas/Menards Chevrolet
Owner: Rhonda Thorson
Crew Chief: Bud Haefele
Matt Crafton won the won the Keystone Light Pole for the WinStar Casino 350K, his 4th Keystone Light Pole Award in 245 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts with a speed of 180.216/29.964 seconds.
This is Crafton’s first pole of 2010. His last pole came one year ago in this race. He finished second last year.
Elliott Sadler qualified second at 179.904 mph. He is the winner of the inaugural NCWTS race at Pocono Raceway in July.
Kyle Busch qualified third at 179.677 mph. Busch won last year’s WinStar Casino 350K. This is his ninth top-five start of the 2010 season.
Austin Dillon is the top qualifying Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender. Dillon qualified sixth. Dillon started on the pole here in June.
Age: 34
Team: No. 88 McGuire-Nicholas/Menards Chevrolet
Owner: Rhonda Thorson
Crew Chief: Bud Haefele
Matt Crafton won the won the Keystone Light Pole for the WinStar Casino 350K, his 4th Keystone Light Pole Award in 245 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts with a speed of 180.216/29.964 seconds.
This is Crafton’s first pole of 2010. His last pole came one year ago in this race. He finished second last year.
Elliott Sadler qualified second at 179.904 mph. He is the winner of the inaugural NCWTS race at Pocono Raceway in July.
Kyle Busch qualified third at 179.677 mph. Busch won last year’s WinStar Casino 350K. This is his ninth top-five start of the 2010 season.
Austin Dillon is the top qualifying Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender. Dillon qualified sixth. Dillon started on the pole here in June.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Keselowski won't just coast to Nationwide title
Keselowski won't just coast to Nationwide title
Not long after Brad Keselowski signed with Penske Racing late last season, he talked about the desire to win Roger Penske's first NASCAR championship.
It seemed a tall order at the time, given that Keselowski's team in the Nationwide Series didn't even exist.
Yet a little more than a year later, Keselowski is poised to give Penske the Nationwide title as the series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. He leads Carl Edwards by 485 points and only needs to finish 21st or better at Texas to clinch the championship.
"To come out of the box like we have, with a brand-new team, is pretty remarkable," Keselowski said. "I told Mr. Penske when I made the move to Penske Racing that I wanted to run the full Nationwide Series schedule because I thought we could be very competitive. ... We were able to bring in talented people, including my crew chief, Paul Wolfe.
"To be in position to win the first NASCAR championship for Penske Racing is something that I take a tremendous amount of pride in. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people."
Keselowski has had a stellar season, winning six races, five poles and posting 23 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 32 races. He's finished on the lead lap 31 times and posted an average finish of 5.4.
And if you think the No. 22 team simply will coast to the title, think again.
"The way we've approached this season is … winning races," Wolfe said. "Sometimes we've made calls where we haven't gotten good finishes. When we show up, we come here to win."
That was in evidence at the series' last race at Gateway International Raceway, where Wolfe called for four tires on the final pit stop, which put Keselowski back in the running order—but gave him the best chance to win.
Keselowski eventually charged through the field to pull off the victory, a win that moved him closer to the championship—the drivers' championship, that is. The No. 22 team still trails the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team by 71 points in the owners' standings, something Keselowski would like to change.
"We're close, but nothing has been decided yet," Keselowski said of the drivers' title. "Our attitude going into this weekend is that we are behind in points, which we are in the owners' standings. Regardless of how this season turns out, I'm proud of this team."
By Lee Montgomery
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Not long after Brad Keselowski signed with Penske Racing late last season, he talked about the desire to win Roger Penske's first NASCAR championship.
It seemed a tall order at the time, given that Keselowski's team in the Nationwide Series didn't even exist.
Yet a little more than a year later, Keselowski is poised to give Penske the Nationwide title as the series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. He leads Carl Edwards by 485 points and only needs to finish 21st or better at Texas to clinch the championship.
"To come out of the box like we have, with a brand-new team, is pretty remarkable," Keselowski said. "I told Mr. Penske when I made the move to Penske Racing that I wanted to run the full Nationwide Series schedule because I thought we could be very competitive. ... We were able to bring in talented people, including my crew chief, Paul Wolfe.
"To be in position to win the first NASCAR championship for Penske Racing is something that I take a tremendous amount of pride in. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people."
Keselowski has had a stellar season, winning six races, five poles and posting 23 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 32 races. He's finished on the lead lap 31 times and posted an average finish of 5.4.
And if you think the No. 22 team simply will coast to the title, think again.
"The way we've approached this season is … winning races," Wolfe said. "Sometimes we've made calls where we haven't gotten good finishes. When we show up, we come here to win."
That was in evidence at the series' last race at Gateway International Raceway, where Wolfe called for four tires on the final pit stop, which put Keselowski back in the running order—but gave him the best chance to win.
Keselowski eventually charged through the field to pull off the victory, a win that moved him closer to the championship—the drivers' championship, that is. The No. 22 team still trails the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team by 71 points in the owners' standings, something Keselowski would like to change.
"We're close, but nothing has been decided yet," Keselowski said of the drivers' title. "Our attitude going into this weekend is that we are behind in points, which we are in the owners' standings. Regardless of how this season turns out, I'm proud of this team."
By Lee Montgomery
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Almirola in no mood to give up trucks title fight
Almirola in no mood to give up trucks title fight
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCARService
All but written off in his quest for the Camping World Truck Series title, Aric Almirola was already an inspired driver before last weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The way that race ended, with Kyle Busch nipping Almirola by .002 seconds to the finish line with a questionable move, only added more fuel to Almirola's fire.
If the Billy Ballew Motorsports driver's extra motivation carries over into Friday night's WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway, his competitors could be in troubleLooking to keep the championship fight alive at least one more week after cutting into Todd Bodine's sizeable cushion at Talladega , Almirola has every reason to go all out at TMS.
The 26-year-old is also still a little miffed about NASCAR's decision not to penalize Busch for going below the yellow "out of bounds" line as he inched ahead of Almirola coming to the checkered flag at Talladega .
Despite objections from Almirola after the race, NASCAR officials claimed that Busch didn't intend to go below the line but did so while regaining control of his sideways truck. Thus no penalty was rendered and Busch was declared the winner.
Almirola still believes he got robbed.
"My perspective is that I won the race," said Almirola. "NASCAR's perspective is that we ran second. ... I'm disappointed in that because I felt like we had a truck capable of winning. I knew we did all day. I rode around in the back and tried to be smart and take care of my stuff. When it was time to go—I went."
His disappointment with finishing second by the narrowest margin in series history aside, Almirola still managed to shave 66 points off the lead of Bodine, who was involved in an accident at Talladega and finished 18th.
Almirola heads to Texas trailing Bodine by 216 while holding a 98-point advantage on third-place Johnny Sauter. Almirola seemingly has no reason to hold anything back when the engines fire on Friday night.
"Our goal is to go win the race and gain as many points as possible," Almirola said. "We took a bunch of points last weekend from Todd, and hopefully we're in position to do that again this weekend. … I'm going to keep fighting."
The bad news for Almirola is that Texas happens to be Bodine's best track. The Germain Racing driver has been nothing short of spectacular at the 1.5-mile facility, piling up six wins over 12 starts.
Almirola, meanwhile, has posted nary a top 10 in seven starts at TMS. The Tampa , Fla. , native insists he's ready to make some noise this time in the Lone Star State , however.
"Our trucks at the mile-and-a-half tracks have been pretty good," Almirola said. "We've unloaded and been fast all year, and the times we haven't, we've worked on them and have been good during the race.
"I feel confident about this weekend."
By Jared Turner
Special to Sporting News NASCARService
All but written off in his quest for the Camping World Truck Series title, Aric Almirola was already an inspired driver before last weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The way that race ended, with Kyle Busch nipping Almirola by .002 seconds to the finish line with a questionable move, only added more fuel to Almirola's fire.
If the Billy Ballew Motorsports driver's extra motivation carries over into Friday night's WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway, his competitors could be in troubleLooking to keep the championship fight alive at least one more week after cutting into Todd Bodine's sizeable cushion at Talladega , Almirola has every reason to go all out at TMS.
The 26-year-old is also still a little miffed about NASCAR's decision not to penalize Busch for going below the yellow "out of bounds" line as he inched ahead of Almirola coming to the checkered flag at Talladega .
Despite objections from Almirola after the race, NASCAR officials claimed that Busch didn't intend to go below the line but did so while regaining control of his sideways truck. Thus no penalty was rendered and Busch was declared the winner.
Almirola still believes he got robbed.
"My perspective is that I won the race," said Almirola. "NASCAR's perspective is that we ran second. ... I'm disappointed in that because I felt like we had a truck capable of winning. I knew we did all day. I rode around in the back and tried to be smart and take care of my stuff. When it was time to go—I went."
His disappointment with finishing second by the narrowest margin in series history aside, Almirola still managed to shave 66 points off the lead of Bodine, who was involved in an accident at Talladega and finished 18th.
Almirola heads to Texas trailing Bodine by 216 while holding a 98-point advantage on third-place Johnny Sauter. Almirola seemingly has no reason to hold anything back when the engines fire on Friday night.
"Our goal is to go win the race and gain as many points as possible," Almirola said. "We took a bunch of points last weekend from Todd, and hopefully we're in position to do that again this weekend. … I'm going to keep fighting."
The bad news for Almirola is that Texas happens to be Bodine's best track. The Germain Racing driver has been nothing short of spectacular at the 1.5-mile facility, piling up six wins over 12 starts.
Almirola, meanwhile, has posted nary a top 10 in seven starts at TMS. The Tampa , Fla. , native insists he's ready to make some noise this time in the Lone Star State , however.
"Our trucks at the mile-and-a-half tracks have been pretty good," Almirola said. "We've unloaded and been fast all year, and the times we haven't, we've worked on them and have been good during the race.
"I feel confident about this weekend."
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
NATIONWIDE SERIES TEXAS NEWS
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
Could A Clinch Be In the Cards For Keselowski?
In order to capture his first NASCAR Nationwide Series title – and also the first NASCAR national series championship for the legendary Roger Penske – Brad Keselowski has to leave Texas with a 390-point lead over the second-place driver, who happens to be his archrival, Carl Edwards.
If Keselowski finishes 21st or better, 22nd and lead at least one lap, or 24th and leads the most laps, he would clinch no matter what Edwards does. He comes to Texas leading Edwards, the 2007 series champion, by 485 points.
Keselowski’s average finish at Texas in eight career series races is 14.0. He ranks 20th in Driver Rating at the track at 84.1, but has top-five finishes in his last three races. Reigning series champion Kyle Busch leads all drivers with a 125.9 Driver Rating there. Edwards has a 97.4 Driver Rating at TMS, 10th-best among all drivers at Texas. His average finish is 13.0, one spot better than Keselowski.
Busch On A Mission At Texas
Kyle Busch is coming to Texas to spoil Brad Keselowski’s early-clinch party. And his chances of doing so are not only very good, but bordering on guaranteed.
His No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team is attempting to split the driver and owner title for the fourth time in series history. JGR also can tie a series mark with three consecutive owner titles. The No. 18 team has a 71-point lead on Brad Keselowski’s No. 22 Penske Racing team heading to Texas.
Busch has owned recent series races at Texas and Phoenix, two of the final three tracks on the schedule. At Texas, he’ll attempt to break the series record of five consecutive wins at one track that he shares with Dale Earnhardt (Daytona) and Jack Ingram (South Boston).
Busch also has won three times at Phoenix. Another win there would set the all-time series victory mark at PIR. For good measure, in 2009 at Homestead-Miami, he became the second series driver to win the season finale in his championship year.
Bayne Looks To Graduate – Again
It hasn’t been all that long since Trevor Bayne, 19, earned his high school degree. This weekend, he’ll look to graduate again, this time to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series where he’ll attempt to make his series debut at Texas.
Bayne will drive the famed No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers, and will be mentored by one of the sport’s all-time greats, Bill Elliott, in the process.
The 2010 season has been a whirlwind for Bayne, who started the year driving full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Diamond-Waltrip Racing. He had an incredible summer, tying a series record with three consecutive poles and also moving into the top 10 in the points standings. He’s currently seventh.
He moved from Diamond-Waltrip to Roush Fenway Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide operation in September, creating the opportunity for his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut.
Could A Clinch Be In the Cards For Keselowski?
In order to capture his first NASCAR Nationwide Series title – and also the first NASCAR national series championship for the legendary Roger Penske – Brad Keselowski has to leave Texas with a 390-point lead over the second-place driver, who happens to be his archrival, Carl Edwards.
If Keselowski finishes 21st or better, 22nd and lead at least one lap, or 24th and leads the most laps, he would clinch no matter what Edwards does. He comes to Texas leading Edwards, the 2007 series champion, by 485 points.
Keselowski’s average finish at Texas in eight career series races is 14.0. He ranks 20th in Driver Rating at the track at 84.1, but has top-five finishes in his last three races. Reigning series champion Kyle Busch leads all drivers with a 125.9 Driver Rating there. Edwards has a 97.4 Driver Rating at TMS, 10th-best among all drivers at Texas. His average finish is 13.0, one spot better than Keselowski.
Busch On A Mission At Texas
Kyle Busch is coming to Texas to spoil Brad Keselowski’s early-clinch party. And his chances of doing so are not only very good, but bordering on guaranteed.
His No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team is attempting to split the driver and owner title for the fourth time in series history. JGR also can tie a series mark with three consecutive owner titles. The No. 18 team has a 71-point lead on Brad Keselowski’s No. 22 Penske Racing team heading to Texas.
Busch has owned recent series races at Texas and Phoenix, two of the final three tracks on the schedule. At Texas, he’ll attempt to break the series record of five consecutive wins at one track that he shares with Dale Earnhardt (Daytona) and Jack Ingram (South Boston).
Busch also has won three times at Phoenix. Another win there would set the all-time series victory mark at PIR. For good measure, in 2009 at Homestead-Miami, he became the second series driver to win the season finale in his championship year.
Bayne Looks To Graduate – Again
It hasn’t been all that long since Trevor Bayne, 19, earned his high school degree. This weekend, he’ll look to graduate again, this time to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series where he’ll attempt to make his series debut at Texas.
Bayne will drive the famed No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers, and will be mentored by one of the sport’s all-time greats, Bill Elliott, in the process.
The 2010 season has been a whirlwind for Bayne, who started the year driving full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Diamond-Waltrip Racing. He had an incredible summer, tying a series record with three consecutive poles and also moving into the top 10 in the points standings. He’s currently seventh.
He moved from Diamond-Waltrip to Roush Fenway Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide operation in September, creating the opportunity for his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut.
CAMPINGWORLD TEXAS NEWS
Who Will Come Out At On Top At Texas – Busch or Bodine?
Bragging rights are on the line this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine are currently tied for most NASCAR national series victories at the 1.5-mile tri-oval with sixth each.
Busch, who is the defending champion of the WinStar World Casino 350k, has five NASCAR Nationwide Series victories and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Texas.
Bodine, who is the most recent winner at the speedway, has sixth truck series victories in 12 starts at the Fort Worth track.
Talladega Bites Bodine In NCWTS Owner’s Standings
Talladega Superspeedway proved to be the wild-card race series points leader Todd Bodine was hoping to avoid. Bodine sustained damage in a multi-truck accident late in the 94-lap race resulting in an 18th place finish. His series points lead shrunk to 216 over Aric Almirola, who finished second on Saturday with three races remaining in the 2010 season.
Bodine’s biggest hit, however, came in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s standings.
Bodine’s team owner, Steve Germain, came into the event with a 39-point lead over Kyle Busch.
With his victory on Saturday, Busch now leads the owner standings by 42 points.
Skinner Still Searching For Victory Lane In 2010
Mike Skinner remains the only driver currently competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series who won during the 2009 season still searching for a victory.
Texas could be his best chance left to score that 2010 victory.
Skinner has never won at Texas Motor Speedway, but has come extremely close with three runner-up finishes. In 13 starts at the speedway he has five poles, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
Bragging rights are on the line this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine are currently tied for most NASCAR national series victories at the 1.5-mile tri-oval with sixth each.
Busch, who is the defending champion of the WinStar World Casino 350k, has five NASCAR Nationwide Series victories and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Texas.
Bodine, who is the most recent winner at the speedway, has sixth truck series victories in 12 starts at the Fort Worth track.
Talladega Bites Bodine In NCWTS Owner’s Standings
Talladega Superspeedway proved to be the wild-card race series points leader Todd Bodine was hoping to avoid. Bodine sustained damage in a multi-truck accident late in the 94-lap race resulting in an 18th place finish. His series points lead shrunk to 216 over Aric Almirola, who finished second on Saturday with three races remaining in the 2010 season.
Bodine’s biggest hit, however, came in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s standings.
Bodine’s team owner, Steve Germain, came into the event with a 39-point lead over Kyle Busch.
With his victory on Saturday, Busch now leads the owner standings by 42 points.
Skinner Still Searching For Victory Lane In 2010
Mike Skinner remains the only driver currently competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series who won during the 2009 season still searching for a victory.
Texas could be his best chance left to score that 2010 victory.
Skinner has never won at Texas Motor Speedway, but has come extremely close with three runner-up finishes. In 13 starts at the speedway he has five poles, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
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