Kroger 200 Winner: Denny Hamlin

Race Fast Facts
Martinsville Speedway
13th Annual Kroger 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, October 29, 2011 @ 04:03 PM Eastern
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Age: 30
Team : No. 18 - Toyota / Traxxas Toyota
Owner: Kyle Busch
Crew Chief: Eric Phillips
Denny Hamlin won the 13th Annual Kroger 200, his first victory in 12 

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
Hamlin becomes the 23rd driver to win in all three of NASCAR's national series.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2011.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in five races at

Martinsville Speedway.
There were 12 lead changes among eight drivers, both marks 

matching track records.
Ron Hornaday Jr. (second) posted his 13th top-10 finish in 19 races at 

Martinsville Speedway.  It is his 17th top-10 finish in 2011.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at

Martinsville Speedway.

Late charge gives Hamlin first truck series victory

Late charge gives Hamlin first truck series victory

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(October 29, 2011)

 

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—Making excellent use of a fresh set of tires, Denny Hamlin drove through the field after a pit stop on Lap 134 and won Saturday’s Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in his only start this year.

 

Ron Hornaday Jr. ran second to make a small dent in the advantage on series points leader Austin Dillon, who finished third. Johnny Sauter ran fourth, followed by Joey Coulter and Kevin Harvick.

 

The victory was Hamlin’s first in the series in 12 starts, adding the driver of the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to the list those who have won at least one race in each of NASCAR’s top three series.

 

Dillon passed Harvick for the lead on Lap 141 shortly after a restart that followed the sixth caution of the race, caused by contact between Germain Racing teammates Todd Bodine and Max Papis, who battled until Papis spun off Bodine’s front bumper.

 

After Papis spun again to bring out the seventh caution, Dillon led the field to the green flag for a restart on Lap 160 and held the top spot until Ryan Sieg’s spin on Lap 172 caused caution No. 8. Moments before the yellow flew, Hornaday passed Harvick for second, setting up a battle between a four-time champion (Hornaday) and a driver seeking his first title (Dillon).

 

When the field restarted on Lap 179, Dillon and Hornaday held the top two spots, chased by Hamlin and Sauter, both on fresher tires. One caution later, Hamlin powered beneath both Hornaday and Dillon on a Lap 187 restart and pulled away for the win.

Wallace Family Having Banner Season

Wallace Family Having Banner Season

 

Racing on his 32nd wedding anniversary weekend – in a series in which he doesn’t collect championship driver points – was itself out of the ordinary for Mike Wallace. But winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Talladega – marking his first NASCAR national series victory since 2004 – during an open weekend for the NASCAR Nationwide Series made it more unusual.

In a season where the series’ driver and owner championship has taken center stage with two close races separated by 15 and three points, respectively, Wallace has managed to stay in the headlines. Come to think of it, his St. Louis, Mo.-based family has, too.

In his in his second full season with JD Motorsports, an independently owned NASCAR Nationwide Series team, Wallace is 13th in the points with one top-five and two top-10 finishes. In July at Kentucky Speedway, he became just the fourth series driver to make 400 career starts. His younger brother Kenny will break the series starts mark next week at Texas with No. 520. During a 22-year NASCAR career, Mike has 718 starts across all three series.

Older brother Rusty (1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion) and Kenny’s (currently ranked seventh in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings, nine series wins, three-time series’ Most Popular Driver) NASCAR exploits are well-documented. Mike’s nephew Steve is having another solid season, aiming for his third-consecutive finish among the top 10 in the final NASCAR Nationwide Series championship standings. His daughter Chrissy and son Matt are fine racers in their own right. Chrissy and Mike made NASCAR national series history in 2009 at Talladega when they were the first father-daughter duo to start a NASCAR national series race. Earlier this month, Chrissy won the track championship in the Late Model division at Lebanon (Mo.) I-44 Speedway and also became the first female driver to earn the West Region track championship.

“A lot of things that happened this year that have been good for us,” Kenny said of the Wallace family’s 2011 season. “I’m crazy proud of Chrissy for what she’s done and I’m really proud of Steven. I’m not jealous of Mike one ounce, but I told him, ‘You did in that truck race what I want before I’m done. I want to win too.’ Let’s face it. I’m 48 and Mike’s 52. We know things are starting to wind down. We just want people to know we’re worthy.”

Although not family-related, Kenny Wallace cited another major accomplishment this year – his beloved St. Louis Cardinals and their surprising run to the World Series. He draws a parallel to that team and his career. “I made a deal with myself,” he said. “Regardless of what happens with the Cardinals, don’t be disappointed. This season is a surprise, take it for all its worth. Kind of like my season in NASCAR.”

 

Driver Standings Top 10 Still Wide Open With Three Races Till Season’s End

 

Great competition in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season has amassed 12 standings lead changes, among six different standings leaders and 13 different race winners. As the season comes to a close – three races remain – NASCAR Nationwide Series position jockeying will become the name of the game. 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has held the points lead for the last 11 races, since Lucas Oil Raceway (July 30), the longest duration any standings leader has held the top position all year – but just 15 points separate Stenhouse from second-place Elliott Sadler.

Aric Almirola is trying to hang on to his third-place position, but Justin Allgaier and Reed Sorenson are making that lead precarious at best. Allgaier, in fourth, is four points behind Almirola. Sorenson is fifth, three points behind Allgaier and just seven points behind Almirola. Sorenson also has the added difficulty of securing a ride to stay in contention. He was released from Turner Motorsports prior to the Kansas race but has been running with MacDonald Motorsports since. A ride for Sorenson for Texas has yet to be announced.

Almirola has made two starts at Texas posting an average finish of 14.0. His pre-race Driver Rating is 86.8. While Allgaier has made six starts at Texas posting an average finish of 14.3.

Those drivers in slots 8-10 – Brian Scott, Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively – also are maneuvering for better positions. Scott sits in eighth place, but Wallace is lurking seven points behind in ninth. Annett is a manageable 11 points behind his Rusty Wallace Racing teammate Wallace, and Scott also has the opportunity to aim a bit higher as he’s 17 points behind Steve’s uncle, Kenny Wallace, who’s seventh.

Of the four making up 7-10, Michael Annett has the best average finish at Texas with a 17.0, but Brian Scott has the best pre-race Driver Rating with 79.8

 

NASCAR Nationwide Series Etc.

 

Last week, NASCAR industry members, many specific to the NASCAR Nationwide Series garage, traveled to Monterrey, Mexico, to work with former series Motor Racing Outreach (MRO) Chaplain Lonnie Clouse and his “Back 2 Back Ministries” venture. Those volunteers included driver Justin Allgaier and his wife Ashley; Jason Ratcliff, crew chief for the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and his son Dakota; Matt Sauer, tire specialist on the No. 18; Jason Clements, formerly on the No. 18 NNS team but now a mechanic on the No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup crew; Todd Brewer, a mechanic on the No. 18 crew; Hudson Belk, JGR team chaplain; Heath Landis, No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford car chief and his wife Lisa; Matt Dillner, ESPN/NASCAR.com photographer and Ashley Jones, NASCAR’s manager, competition outreach. Working with children’s homes there, the volunteers played with the kids, poured a sidewalk for a children’s home, fed 500 hotdogs to a squatters village and participated in various other work projects. … Elliott Sadler is gearing up for the arrival of the family’s second child this week. Wyatt, 20 months old, will gain a new sister as Amanda Sadler is scheduled to deliver daughter Austyn this week.

 

Martinsville: A Defining Moment For Championship Contenders

Martinsville: A Defining Moment For Championship Contenders

 

Take a good look at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings, and enjoy them while they last. That rundown may look vastly different come Lap 200 on Saturday afternoon.

Austin Dillon and James Buescher, the frontrunners, have little experience at the tiny Martinsville Speedway paper clip, site of Saturday’s Kroger 200. And the races they have run … well, they could’ve been better.

Dillon owns a tenuous three-point advantage over Buescher.

Then there’s Johnny Sauter and Ron Hornaday Jr., 14 and 16 points behind Dillon, respectively. They have combined to win the last two races there.

Don’t be surprised if the chasers become the chased once the checkers fly on Saturday. Here’s a rundown of the four contenders with three races to go.

Dillon: The sophomore driver made a rookie mistake at Talladega, stalling during a late caution. Dillon’s error led to a seventh-place finish that probably should’ve been higher (his Driver Rating ranked third in the race). Now he heads to Martinsville, a track at which he has yet to score a top-five finish. In three starts there, Dillon has two 16th-place finishes and a seventh (last April). It’s the only track where Dillon has three or more starts, yet no top fives. He’ll make his 50th series start on Saturday.

Buescher: Buescher feels Dillon’s pain. Last April, he finished 35th in a 35-truck field thanks to a red-flag-inducing accident on Lap 137. The finish was just another in a string of Martinsville outings that have resulted in results outside the top 10 for the Texas native. Prior to the April DNF, Buescher finished 12th and 11th, twice. Buescher finished third at Talladega to cut his deficit to Dillon from seven points to three.

Sauter: Perseverance is the only thing keeping Sauter alive right now. Typical Talladega tough luck left him with a 15th-place finish and knocked him down to third in the points (but it could have been much worse). Sauter won the April Martinsville race, besting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. If he can win again this weekend, he’ll join Mike Skinner as the only drivers to sweep Martinsville since the series went to two races a year in 2003. Skinner swept in 2007.

Hornaday: With 22 short-track victories, Hornaday is the king of this style of racing. Only one of those wins came at Martinsville – in this race last season. You can almost guarantee a top-five finish out of Hornaday; the four-time champion has finished inside the top five at Martinsville in five consecutive races, including a third in April. Hornaday’s trek up the standings is nothing short of amazing. After race 12, he was 69 points out. In the 10 races since, Hornaday has finished outside the top 10 only once, and has scored more points than any other driver (391).

 

Homecoming Party For Virginia Natives This Weekend

 

This weekend some heavy hitters will enjoy a little home cooking.

Red Horse Racing’s Timothy Peters, a Providence, N.C.. native, grew up 30 miles from Martinsville Speedway. Peters is currently ranked fifth in the series standings after posting a win (Lucas Oil Raceway), seven top fives, 10 top 10s and a Keystone Light pole (Charlotte).

In 2009, Peters captured his first career series victory, at his home track of Martinsville. In addition to his win, Peters has posted three top fives and six top 10s in 11 series starts at famed 0.526-mile.

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contender, Denny Hamlin, a Chesterfield, Va. native will be driving the No. 18 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Hamlin has only made 11 career starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and this weekend will be his series debut this season. Of his 11 career starts four of them have come at Martinsville Speedway, where he has posted two top 10s.

Elliott Sadler, Emporia, Va. native, will make his 19th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this weekend in the Kroger 200. Sadler is returning to drive the No. 24 Joe Dennette Motorsports Chevrolet. The last time he was in that ride: Bristol earlier this season, when he famously tangled with Kyle Busch in yet another layer to the ongoing Busch-Kevin Harvick feud. Sadler drives for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Also, crew chief Jeff Hensley – who calls the shots atop the pit box for Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Nelson Piquet Jr. – hails from nearby Ridgeway, Va. Jeff Hensley swept the Martinsville races with Mike Skinner in 2007, and hopes to have more success with Piquet this weekend. Hensley’s uncle Jimmy Hensley has also won at Martinsville driving for Richard Petty in 1999.

 

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.

 

The No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet can clinch the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owners championship this weekend. If it leaves Martinsville with a 97-point lead over the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports truck, it will clinch the title. The No. 2 currently holds an 81-point advantage. … 75 drivers have made their first series start at Martinsville, most of any track. Only four scored a top 10 in that start. … Josh Richards will run a special paint scheme at Martinsville highlighting artwork by Mooresville, N.C., residents Hunter and Alexandra Vogel. The children created the artwork to honor the Navy SEALs and warriors who gave their lives fighting terrorism in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011. … NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion Max Gresham returns to the series in the No. 66 Chevrolet for Stacy Compton. The 18-year-old Georgian made his series debut in Las Vegas earlier this month where he finished 25th.

 

NCWTS Championship Battle Tightens As Final Short Track Looms

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

 

NCWTS Championship Battle Tightens As Final Short Track Looms

As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season winds down, the championship points gap

continues to shrink.

 

With three races remaining the top-four in the standings are separated by a mere 16 points:

 

Austin Dillon: A preseason championship favorite following last year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year Honors holds a three point lead over his competition heading into Martinsville this weekend.

 

Dillon – who has two finishes outside the top-10 in three starts at the famed short track – is poised to become the youngest champion (21) in series history. 

 

James Buescher: Mr. Consistency could easily be Buescher’s nickname for this season. After failing to qualify for the second race (Phoenix) of the season, his team has rebounded with two poles, 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. He now sits second in points

 

The 21-year-old – who is still searching for his first series victory – will be making his fifth start at

Martinsville.

 

Johnny Sauter: Never give up is the theme of Sauter’s ThorSport Racing team. After having a dominant first half of the season he has battled bad luck since early June, which has resulted in seven finishes outside the top-10.

 

Sauter – who has finished third in points the last two seasons – is 14 points out of the championship lead.

 

The short track ace won at Martinsville earlier this season (April) after leading 71 laps en route to victory. 

 

Ron Hornaday Jr.: The season has not gone as Hornaday planned, but with two victories and a second-place finish this month, the veteran driver finds himself back in championship contention.

 

Hornaday is the defending race champion at Martinsville.

 

Earlier this season he found himself as low as ninth in the standings, but with four series championships, he is the only driver in the top-four to have battled for a title.

 

Hometown Heroes

Timothy Peters – currently ranked fifth in the series standings – heads back to his roots this weekend along with several other competitors.

 

The Providence, NC native grew up approximately 30 miles from Martinsville Speedway.

 

In 2009, Peters captured his first ever series victory at his home track.

In addition to Peters, Virginia natives Denny Hamlin and Elliott Sadler will compete in the Kroger 200.

 

Hamlin will pilot the No. 18 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports with Sadler returning to drive the No.24 Joe Denette Motorsports Chevrolet.

 

It will be Hamlin’s 12th and Sadler’s 19th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start.

 

Jeff Hensley – who calls the shots atop the pit box for Nelson Piquet Jr. - hails from nearby Ridgeway, Virg.

NATIONWIDE SERIES

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

 

Mike’s Feat Latest Addition To A Banner Season For Wallace Family

In a season where the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner championships have taken center stage with the two titles separated by 15 and three points, respectively, veteran Mike Wallace has crafted his own headlines. Come to think of it, his St. Louis, Mo.-based family has, too.

 

• Mike Wallace won last Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega, his first NASCAR national series win since 2004. Earlier in the week – the week of his 32nd wedding anniversary to wife Carla – Kevin Harvick Inc. came calling for the restrictor-plate specialist to run with teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. The two veterans worked the two-truck tandem to perfection with a 1-2 finish.

 

• Kenny Wallace is poised to break the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ all-time starts mark next week at Texas. The youngest Wallace brother currently has 519 starts, tied for first with Jason Keller. When he started at Kentucky this summer, Mike Wallace became only the fourth driver in series history to surpass 400 starts.

 

• Two Wallace family members are ranked in the top 10 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver standings. Kenny is seventh while his nephew Steve is ninth. Steve runs for his father Rusty’s team, and is aiming for his third consecutive top-10 championship finish. Rusty is the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

 

• Mike, who drives full-time for independent owner Johnny Davis, is 13th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver standings. He has registered one top five and two top 10 results this year, his first in each category since 2008.

 

• Mike’s daughter Chrissy and son Matt are fine racers in their own right. Chrissy and Mike made NASCAR national series history in 2009 at Talladega as the first father-daughter duo to start a NASCAR national series race. Earlier this month, Chrissy won the ASA Late Model Division Track Championship at Lebanon (Mo.) I-44 Speedway and also became the first female driver to earn the 2011 West Region ASA Member Track Championship.

 

With Three To Go, Drivers Prepared For Top-10 Tango

With three races to go, jockeying for position within the top 10 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver standings remains wide open.

 

Aric Almirola is trying to hang on to his third-place position, but Justin Allgaier and Reed Sorenson are making that lead precarious at best. Allgaier, in fourth, is four points behind Almirola. Sorenson is fifth, three points behind Allgaier and just seven points behind Almirola. Sorenson also has the added difficulty of securing a ride to stay in contention. He was released from Turner Motorsports prior to the Kansas race but has been running with MacDonald Motorsports since. A ride for Sorenson for Texas has yet to be announced.

 

Those drivers in slots 8-10 – Brian Scott, Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively – also are maneuvering for better positions. Scott sits in eighth place, but Wallace is lurking seven points behind in ninth. Annett is a manageable 11 points behind his Rusty Wallace Racing teammate. Scott can also aim a bit higher as he’s 17 points behind Steve’s uncle, Kenny Wallace, who’s seventh.

Mike Wallace won Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega

In his first Camping World Truck Series start since 2009, Mike Wallace won Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, as Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. pushed him across the finish line.

 

Hornaday ran second, followed by James Buescher, who made a dent in the series points lead of Austin Dillon. Dillon scrambled to a seventh-place finish after he was demoted to 18th for not maintaining pace under the final caution of the race. The recovery enabled Dillon to stay ahead of Buescher in the standings.

 

The victory was the fifth overall for Wallace, who was substituting for Elliott Sadler, whose wife, Amanda, is expecting the couple’s second child. Wallace won in the truck series for the first time since 2000. The victory was his first in any of NASCAR’s top three touring series since he won a Nationwide race at Daytona in July 2004.

 

Wallace had tears in his eyes when he climbed out of his truck in victory lane.

 

“I’m very emotional right now, because a lot of people doubt you,” Wallace said. “They doubt your ability. An opportunity like this just proves, ‘Hey, I can get it done. Give me something good to drive, and I can prove I can do it.’

 

“I’m numb. My son’s at home, my daughters … I wish they were all here. It is my wife (Carla) and my anniversary this weekend. It’s a cool anniversary.”

 

Wallace turned to his wife in victory lane.

 

“This is your exotic weekend, honey,” Wallace said.

 

Johnny Sauter’s championship aspirations suffered a major setback on Lap 35. He and ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton had dropped to the rear of the field to stay out of harm’s way early in the race, but the strategy backfired.

 

The two trucks crashed as they ran together in tandem, after Donnie Neuenberger’s Chevrolet blew a right-front tire in front of them. Sauter, who entered the race second in the standings and five points behind Dillon, lost two laps as his crew made repairs on pit road.

 

With a wave-around and a free pass, Sauter got back on the lead lap and finished 15th, lessening the damage to his title chances.

 

Notes: Buescher trails Dillon by three points with three races left in the season. Sauter is third in the standings, 14 points back of Dillon and two ahead of Hornaday in fourth. … The top two finishers are a combined 105 years old. Wallace is 52, Hornaday 53.

Mike Wallace Wins Talladega With Assist From Hornaday

NCWTS Recap: Mike Wallace Wins Talladega Race With Assist From Hornaday

October 22, 2011

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 22, 2011)

 

TALLADEGA, Ala.—In his first Camping World Truck Series start since 2009, Mike Wallace won Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, as Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. pushed him across the finish line.

 

Hornaday ran second, followed by James Buescher, who made a dent in the series points lead of Austin Dillon. Dillon scrambled to a seventh-place finish after he was demoted to 18th for not maintaining pace under the final caution of the race. The recovery enabled Dillon to stay ahead of Buescher in the standings.

 

The victory was the fifth overall for Wallace, who was substituting for Elliott Sadler, whose wife, Amanda, is expecting the couple’s second child. Wallace won in the truck series for the first time since 2000. The victory was his first in any of NASCAR’s top three touring series since he won a Nationwide race at Daytona in July 2004.

 

Wallace had tears in his eyes when he climbed out of his truck in victory lane.

 

“I’m very emotional right now, because a lot of people doubt you,” Wallace said. “They doubt your ability. An opportunity like this just proves, ‘Hey, I can get it done. Give me something good to drive, and I can prove I can do it.’

 

“I’m numb. My son’s at home, my daughters … I wish they were all here. It is my wife (Carla) and my anniversary this weekend. It’s a cool anniversary.”

 

Wallace turned to his wife in victory lane.

 

“This is your exotic weekend, honey,” Wallace said.

 

Johnny Sauter’s championship aspirations suffered a major setback on Lap 35. He and ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton had dropped to the rear of the field to stay out of harm’s way early in the race, but the strategy backfired.

 

The two trucks crashed as they ran together in tandem, after Donnie Neuenberger’s Chevrolet blew a right-front tire in front of them. Sauter, who entered the race second in the standings and five points behind Dillon, lost two laps as his crew made repairs on pit road.

 

With a wave-around and a free pass, Sauter got back on the lead lap and finished 15th, lessening the damage to his title chances.

 

Notes: Buescher trails Dillon by three points with three races left in the season. Sauter is third in the standings, 14 points back of Dillon and two ahead of Hornaday in fourth. … The top two finishers are a combined 105 years old. Wallace is 52, Hornaday 53.

Mike Wallace wins Talladega race with assist from Hornaday

Mike Wallace wins Talladega race with assist from Hornaday

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(October 22, 2011)

 

TALLADEGA, Ala.—In his first Camping World Truck Series start since 2009, Mike Wallace won Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, as Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. pushed him across the finish line.

 

Hornaday ran second, followed by James Buescher, who made a dent in the series points lead of Austin Dillon. Dillon was demoted to 18th position for not maintaining pace under the final caution of the race, but he recovered to finish seventh to stay ahead of Buescher in the standings.

 

The victory was the fifth overall for Wallace, who was substituting for Elliott Sadler, whose wife, Amanda, is expecting the couple’s second child.

 

Johnny Sauter’s championship aspirations suffered a major setback on Lap 35. He and ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton had dropped to the rear of the field to stay out of harm’s way early in the race, but the strategy backfired.

 

The two trucks crashed as they ran together in tandem, after Donnie Neuenberger’s Chevrolet blew a right-front tire in front of them. Sauter, who entered the race second in the standings and five points behind Dillon, lost two laps as his crew made repairs on pit road.

 

With a wave-around and a free pass, Sauter got back on the lead lap and finished 15th, lessening the damage to his title chances.

Buescher On Pole For Coca-Cola 250

Buescher On Pole For Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred’s

TALLADEGA, Ala. – The points race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is as tight as the action on the track at Talladega Superspeedway. And James Buescher finds himself closely involved in both.

Buescher turned in a fast lap of 177.676 mph on Friday to take the pole position for Saturday’s running of the Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred’s Truck Series race. That will place him on the track directly in front of Austin Dillon, who qualified third and happens to be the points leader.

Dillon holds a slim five-point lead over Johnny Sauter (who qualified 20th) and a seven-point edge over Buescher with four races remaining. So when the green flag flies at 3 p.m. Saturday, Buescher said there will be no points racing, only hard racing.

“You race as hard as you can to get the best possible finish you can, and then the points will work themselves out,” Buescher said. “You don’t gauge yourself off what those other guys are doing. You just try to go out and get the maximum points.”

Nelson Piquet Jr. qualified second, as he continues to compete for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year. Ricky Carmichael qualified fourth, followed by Ron Hornaday Jr. in fifth. Hornaday trails Dillon in the standings by 21 points.

Mike Wallace qualified sixth, Joey Coulter seventh, Johanna Long eighth, Parker Kligerman ninth and Cole Whitt 10th. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch qualified 17th, and Alabama native Grant Enfinger was 18th.

Buescher said he plans to be “patiently aggressive” during Saturday’s race.

“We’re not leading the points, we’re third. So we still have to try to outrun those guys and gain points on them,” said Buescher, who also sat on the pole at Talladega Superspeedway for the 2008 ARCA race. “It’s definitely a tight championship battle.”

Dillon, the grandson of Sprint Cup Series car owner Richard Childress, said he is looking forward to the drafting strategy and close-quarter racing that takes place at Talladega Superspeedway.

“It’s a lot of fun to come here and draft,” Dillon said. “I had a blast today during practice messing around with the two-car tandem and trying to get it to work. It’s like gaining 100 horsepower when you get it to hook up. It’s pretty wild. It’s going to be a crazy race.

“We don’t have a big cushion (in the standings), but at least we have a cushion. This is a tough race. You just don’t know how it’s going to go. Anybody can win it. We’re going to put it all on the line and hopefully we can come out with at least a top-five finish.”

Prior to the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred’s, there will be Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying beginning at 11:15 a.m. Saturday to set the starting lineup for Sunday’s Good Sam Club 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Race fans that want to experience true southern hospitality combined with the most competitive racing in NASCAR should call the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office today at 1-877-Go2-DEGA.  Tickets are available online at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

Coca-Cola 250 Pole Winner: James Buescher

Qualifying Fast Facts
Talladega Superspeedway
6th Annual Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred's
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, October 21, 2011 @ 06:40 PM Eastern
Keystone Light Pole Winner: James Buescher
Age: 21
Team : No. 31 - Bad Boy Mowers Chevrolet
Owner: Steve Turner
Crew Chief: Michael Shelton
James Buescher won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 

6th Annual Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred's with a lap of 538960 seconds,

 177.676 mph.
This is his second pole in 69 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his second pole and 16th top-10 start in 2011.
This is his first pole in three races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Nelson Piquet Jr.  (second) posted his 16th top-10 start of 

2011 and his first in one races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his second top-10 start at Talladega Superspeedway.

  It is his 20th in 22 races this season.
Nelson Piquet Jr.  (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie. 

If Sauter survives Talladega, remaining races set up well for him

If Sauter survives Talladega, remaining races set up well for him

By Jared Turner

Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 20, 2011)

Based on experience and results, the odds are stacked in Johnny Sauter's favor to become the 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion.

Sauter, however, isn't one to make bold predictions.

That's because the very same experience that could give him a leg up over the season's final four races is the same experience that has taught him to make no assumptions.

"I don't think you can ever proclaim yourself to be the odds-on man to win anything," the ThorSport Racing driver said. "I think it's just way to competitive. I've seen the cycles of this sport where you're on top, and technology changes, things just change so fast."

Nowhere can things change faster than at Talladega Superspeedway, site of Saturday's Coca-Cola 250.

Sauter, who jumped up a spot to second in the standings and closed within five points of championship leader Austin Dillon last weekend at Las Vegas, is admittedly a little worried about Talladega—a high-speed 2.66-mile circuit notorious for multicar wrecks.

"Talladega in my opinion is the linchpin that determines a lot of the outcome of what's going to go on in the points," said Sauter, who holds a two-point edge on third-place James Buescher. "The strategy for me is going to be very simple, and that's ride around for 85 laps and see what you can get in the (end). That worked for us last year. When you're racing in that tight of a pack, somebody's going to make a mistake somewhere along the way and it's going to be havoc for everybody else."

If Sauter can escape Talladega without losing much ground, the series' final three stops could play to his favor in the championship battle.

The 33-year-old Wisconsin native's resume is better—and deeper—at the remaining tracks than those of Dillon and Buescher, a pair of 21-year-olds with promising futures but not nearly the seat time of Sauter, who has been around the block in all three of NASCAR's national series.

At Martinsville, the track following Talladega, Sauter won from the pole this spring while Dillon finished seventh and Buescher 35th.

At Texas, this season's penultimate event, Sauter finished second in both of last year's races and led 56 laps in the spring before a late penalty relegated him to 22nd. Dillon, meanwhile, has finished outside the top 20 in two of his three visits to the Lone Star State, while Buescher has finished no better than sixth in five outings at TMS.

As for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sauter also carries the statistical edge, with top 10s in two of four starts, including a third-place run last November.

Dillon's lone Homestead outing yielded a 31st-place finish, while Buescher has been no better than 18th in three starts at the South Florida track.

All this could bode well for Sauter. Or does it?

"A week ago a lot of people would have told you we were out of it (the title hunt), so anything can happen and obviously we know that," Sauter said. "So we've just got to keep going to the racetrack and doing our business."

2011 Drive For Diversity Combine Day 2

2011 Drive For Diversity Combine Day 2: Plenty Of Talent Put To The Test

Combine Concludes With On-Track Showcase At Langley

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 20, 2011) – After a rainy first day, it was all sunshine and fast cars at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., Thursday as the 2011 Drive for Diversity Combine concluded with 26 talented drivers participating in the on-track testing.

The drivers are competing for spots on the 2012 Revolution Racing team as part of Drive for Diversity, one of NASCAR’s most successful initiatives.

“Every year it’s great to see the quality of talent is improving and the word’s getting out,” said Max Siegel, CEO and owner of Revolution Racing. “We had some really talented young drivers here today and we’re just excited to get them on the track.

“It’s going to be tough to fill the spots on the team because we had so many talented drivers here.”

Revolution Racing is in its third year as a partner with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative. In 2011, Revolution Racing drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. and Sergio Pena accounted for six wins in the 12-race NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season.

“It’s exciting to see the evolution in the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “The success on track in 2011 certainly attracted additional talent to the Combine, and based on what we saw today, there are a couple of new standout drivers who are ready to follow in Wallace’s and Pena’s path.”

The drivers who participated in the Combine ranged from ages 16 to 24, and represented 10 U.S. states, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It attracted drivers from various racing disciplines, from open-wheel sprint cars to Legends cars and Bandoleros. The drivers with limited stock car experience impressed with how quickly they adapted to the heavier cars, while the returning participants continued to show improvement.

After waiting out the showers that cancelled Wednesday’s on-track testing, the drivers were looking forward to the chance to get behind the wheel – and they weren’t disappointed.

“We had a really great Combine run; we did really well, I’m proud of my run,” said Jessica Brunelli, 18, from Hayward, Calif., who was trying out for the third time after being part of Revolution Racing for the previous two seasons. “It’s a great opportunity and a great program, and I’m really lucky I get to drive with all these amazing people.”

“Today was really cool, the car was awesome and the people were really great to work with. The car was really good. When the track was really cold it took a while to get the tires heated up, but it was awesome and I hope they were good results,” said Julian Albarracin, from Bogota, Colombia, who then provided a recap of his day in Spanish. “El carro estuvo muy bien, la gente trabajo muy bien, nunca habia visto gente trabajando asi. Nunca habia provado un carro tan bueno como un late model que prove hoy. La pista estaba muy fria, tomo mucho tiempo para calentar las llantas y calentar el motor pero salio muy bien, me senti muy bien y espero buenos resultados.”

“It’s been a great day so far,” said newcomer Ryan Reed, a 17-year-old from Bakersfield, Calif. “I logged some really good laps, I’m really happy with myself, and we’ll see what that has in store for us when they announce the driver lineup for next year.”

The drivers attending the Drive for Diversity Combine will be evaluated by a select committee on multiple fronts including on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness and personality.

2012 Nationwide Series Schedule

2012 Nationwide Series Schedule

Date	Track		Date	Track		Date	Track
2/25	Daytona		6/2	Dover		8/24	Bristol
3/3	Phoenix		6/16	Michigan		9/1	Atlanta
3/10	Las Vegas		6/23	Road America		9/7	Richmond
3/17	Bristol		6/29	Kentucky		9/15	Chicagoland
3/24	Auto Club		7/6	Daytona		9/22	Kentucky
4/13	Texas		7/14	New Hampshire		9/29	Dover
4/27	Richmond		7/22	Chicagoland		10/12	Charlotte
5/5	Talladega		7/28	Indianapolis		10/20	Kansas
5/11	Darlington		8/4	Iowa		11/3	Texas
5/20	Iowa		8/11	Watkins Glen		11/10	Phoenix
5/26	Charlotte		8/18	Montreal		11/17	Homestead

Day 1: Rain Washes Out On-Track Activity

Day 1: Rain Washes Out On-Track Activity

Drivers Will Test At Langley On Thursday

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 19, 2011) – Rain washed out the on-track portion of the 2011 Drive for Diversity Combine at Langley Speedway Wednesday, pushing all Late Model testing to Thursday.

Featuring 26 drivers competing for spots on the 2012 Revolution Racing team as part of Drive for Diversity, the Combine is one of NASCAR’s most successful initiatives.

Drivers of diverse backgrounds ranging from ages 16 to 24 representing 10 U.S. states, Mexico and Puerto Rico, took part in media training Wednesday as they waited out the rain.

Sergio Pena is making his third trip to the Combine. The 18-year-old from Winchester, Va., picked up three wins for Revolution Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this past season.

“I can't thank Revolution Racing, the Drive for Diversity program and NASCAR enough. They've given me such a great opportunity,” Pena said. “Hopefully we can set some fast times tomorrow. There’s going to be some tough competition out here, so it’s going to be hard to make the team. We’ve got some super fast drivers that are going to be looking to impress everyone.”

That list includes drivers like 17-year-old Amber Colvin, from Tallahassee, Fla. She will be making her first appearance at the Drive for Diversity Combine after making the transition from a successful run in Legends cars to Late Models at the end of last year.

“It's so much easier and so much more fun for me,” Colvin said. “It's a very big weight and size difference – you just have to get used to the size of the Late Model. … I’m really excited to be out here at Langley. It looks like a really cool place and I’m looking forward to show how fast I can go on a track I’ve never been to.”

The drivers attending the Drive for Diversity Combine will be evaluated by a select committee on multiple fronts including on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness and personality.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Despite Trouble In Sin City, Dillon Maintains Points Lead

Austin Dillon continues to lead the championship standings with four races to go in his bid, at age 21, to become the series’ youngest champion despite a disappointing 17th-place finish in Las Vegas. His points lead is just five over Johnny Sauter.

However, Dillon cannot get too comfortable with the leading the pack.

The top five in the championship – Dillon, Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters – are separated by just 25 points. All but Hornaday posted top-10 finishes (led by Sauter’s third place) at Talladega in 2010.

Hornaday’s bid for a fifth title, seemingly left in the dust at mid-summer when he trailed then-leader Sauter by 69 points after July’s race at Nashville, is very much alive. He’s just 21 points behind Dillon following his 51st series victory (and first) in Las Vegas.

Rookie Battle Tightens Up; KHI Hold Commanding Lead In Owner’s Standings

Cole Whitt is the new Sunoco Rookie of the Year leader by a single point by previous leader Joey Coulter after finishing eighth in Las Vegas. Nelson Piquet Jr., sixth in Las Vegas and the highest freshman finisher in the race, is four points behind Whitt.

This weekend will mark the first time the Whitt and Piquet has competed at Talladega. Coulter made three starts at the superspeedway in the ARCA series.

Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 2 Chevrolet holds a 73-point lead over Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota in the race for the series owner championship. Busch returns to the series at Talladega where he is the two-time defending winner of the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by Fred.

Former Winner: Bodine Still Searching For 2011 Victory 

Todd Bodine is the only other previous Talladega winner entered. He posted back-to-back victories in 2007-08. He also is the holder of the top Driver Rating (114.8), has led the most laps (85) and has the best average running position (4.5). Bodine continues winless in the series in 2011 after having won at least two races annually beginning in 2004.

Last year’s Talladega race saw the closest finish under electronic timing and scoring in series history as Busch edged Aric Almirola by 0.002 seconds. The widest margin of victory in five previous series races on the 2.66-mile speedway is 0.074 seconds in 2008.

2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Dates

2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Dates Announced For 30th Anniversary Season
Inaugural Brickyard Race, Montreal Return, Star Power Highlight Milestone Year
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 19, 2011) – Highlighted by an inaugural visit to one of the most historic
race tracks in motorsports, a return trip to Montreal and plenty of driver star power, NASCAR announced
today the 2012 schedule for the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Full-time rides for Danica Patrick and Austin Dillon plus the addition of action sports superstar Travis
Pastrana who plans to run the majority of the schedule, give the 2012 season a huge dose of anticipation.
“From the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway to the finale at Homestead-Miami
Speedway, the 2012 schedule has a great mix of tracks that will continue to deliver great racing for our
fans,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “We're excited to bring
the NASCAR Nationwide Series to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, along with the addition of a
second date at Kentucky Speedway.”
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season features 33 race dates,
including the series’ first visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of a companion weekend with the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing. The inaugural Brickyard event will take place
on July 28.
Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – a fan-favorite that has evolved into a “crown jewel” for the series –
returns for a fifth-consecutive season, on Aug. 18. The 14-turn layout is one of three road-course events
on the calendar, joining Road America (June 23) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 11).
Additional 2012 schedule highlights:
• Daytona International Speedway again opens the season, on Feb. 25, a week later than past years.
• Iowa Speedway hosts the series’ first stand-alone event on May 20, with a second date on Aug. 4.
• Homestead-Miami Speedway will once again host the season-finale, on Nov. 17.
• For the first time, Kentucky Speedway will have two NASCAR Nationwide race dates, on June 29
and Sept. 22.
• Chicagoland Speedway also returns with two dates, one a stand-alone affair on July 22.
• Daytona’s summer event and Kentucky Speedway’s race will swap weekends in 2012, as the July
4th holiday falls mid-week next year. Daytona will run on July 6.
• In conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ schedule shift, Kansas Speedway’s date moves
to Oct. 20 to accommodate the track’s repave, scheduled for April of 2012.
The entire 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule is on Main Page 

Anyone Who Counted Hornaday Out Counted Too Soon

Anyone Who Counted Hornaday Out Counted Too Soon

 

Invitations to this year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck championship party came a bit late for four-time champion Ron Hornaday Jr. It remains to be seen if he has time to return an emphatic RSVP for next month’s South Florida championship festivities.

Hornaday stood ninth in late August after finishing 24th at Bristol. He trailed then-leader Johnny Sauter by 69 points – a race and a half – after July’s event at Nashville Superspeedway.

In other words, Hornaday had been left in the dust and all but out of the title picture. Not so fast.

Hornaday’s 51st series victory, and first in Las Vegas, halved a 42-point deficit to 21 heading into the season’s final four races. With two wins and top-10 finishes in eight of the last nine races, the Palmdale, Calif., competitor’s “drive for five” is very much alive.

Las Vegas was Hornaday’s 16th win since turning 50, two shy of Harry Gant’s NASCAR national series record total. Hornaday sat on the Keystone Light Pole for a seventh consecutive season, breaking a record he jointly held with Mike Skinner.

Hornaday’s stay in Kevin Harvick Inc.’s owners championship leading No. 2 Chevrolet was supposed to be brief – two races – but he’ll remain with crew chief Bruce Cook at least for Talladega. Cook also oversaw set-up of the team’s No. 33 truck in which Hornaday finished first, 10th and fourth at Atlanta, Chicago and New Hampshire.

"I'm looking forward to be back in the No. 2 truck this weekend,” said Hornaday, who won the Keystone Light Pole for last year’s race, led the most laps but was knocked out by accident. “With four races to go, Talladega is a track where we will just have to hold our breath all weekend and hope we don't get caught in the big one. We are in the midst of this championship battle and would really like to make it out of Talladega with momentum.”

 

Dillon Holds Serve But Allows Veterans Back In The Game

 

Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway figured to be wild card races – events where the standings leaders rightly worry about losing points and positions with the 2011 season’s finish line in sight.

Surprise: a trap race came a week early for Austin Dillon and James Buescher, who both suffered accidents in the Smith’s 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and in the process let three rivals back into the championship picture.

The good news for Dillon, who at age 21 bids to become the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck champion, is that he’s still the points leader. More concerning, however, is that it’s veteran Johnny Sauter, not fellow “young gun” Buescher, 22, who’s giving chase five points back. Buescher is seven points down in third. Just 25 points are the difference between Dillon and fifth-place Timothy Peters.

“We didn't have a good day but nobody gave up and we battled back to make the most of what we could, that's what makes a championship team," said Dillon, who finished 17th.

Advantage, perhaps, to veteran pursuers Sauter, Hornaday and Peters. All have been there before, battling for championships. Sauter finished third and Peters seventh a year ago at Talladega. Peters also counts a Daytona victory.

This is the first go-round under title pressure for the two youngsters, but each finished among the top 10 at Talladega Superspeedway in 2010, Buescher sixth and Dillon eighth.

 

Bodine Counts On ‘Bama Boost To End Drought

 

Time is not on Todd Bodine’s side. With four races left on the schedule, Bodine’s NASCAR Camping World Truck winning streak – at least two victories a year beginning in 2004 – is very much at risk.

Bodine, however, could replace the goose egg with a “W” beginning this week. The 47-year-old Bodine won consecutive Talladega races in 2007-08, has the Alabama track’s top Driver Rating (114.8), has led the most laps (85) and boasts the best Average Running Position (4.5).

The defending series champion figures to be a favorite in at least three of the last four races with a combined 10 wins at Talladega, Texas and Homestead-Miami speedways. His last win came Sept. 3, 2010, at Kentucky Speedway.

 

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series .

 

Cole Whitt is a single point up on previous Sunoco Rookie of the Year leader Joey Coulter after finishing eighth in Las Vegas. Nelson Piquet Jr., sixth in the race, is four points behind Whitt. … Last year’s Talladega race, in which Kyle Busch edged Aric Almirola by 0.002 seconds, is the series’ closest finish as determined by electronic timing and scoring. … Busch also won the race in 2009 and seeks a third consecutive victory in his 100th series start. … Chevrolet, which leads series manufacturer standings by 11 points over Toyota, continues to be the only manufacturer without a victory at either Talladega or Daytona International Speedway.

Series History At The Doorstep of Season’s End

 10/19/11

Series History At The Doorstep of Season’s End

 

With two weeks off, followed by the final three races, there are two opportunities for history to be made by season’s end – a fourth consecutive owner title for Joe Gibbs Racing, or the driver and owner titles could be split among two teams but won by the same organization – Roush Fenway Racing.

Ever since 2007, when Carl Edwards won the driver championship but was unable to unify it with the owners title, he has wanted to win an owner title for Jack Roush. Richard Childress Racing won the owner title in ’07.

In 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota claimed the owner championship while Clint Bowyer won the driver title for Richard Childress Racing. Then the following year, Kyle Busch unified the championship (2009) in the No. 18 Toyota and last year, the No. 18 again claimed the owner title while Brad Keselowski won the driver championship for Penske Racing.

That 2010 championship tied Joe Gibbs with Bill Baumgardner for most consecutive owner championships – three – in series history.

Only three points separate the top two in the owner standings and if Joe Gibbs Racing is to set the mark with four straight, it will have to overcome the focused No. 60 team, which has gained 47 points over the last three races. Busch and Edwards will face off in two of the final three races (Texas and Homestead-Miami).

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. maintains the driver standings lead over second-place Elliott Sadler. However, Stenhouse has seen his 22-point advantage over Sadler just three weeks ago following Dover shrink to 15 points following last Friday night’s race at Charlotte.

Stenhouse continues to hold the standings lead by being consistent. He posted his sixth consecutive top-10 finish at Charlotte. However, Sadler has countered with two straight top-five efforts, which have resulted in the current deficit, the closest he’s been to Stenhouse since the September race at Chicagoland when he was 14 points out of first.

 

Competition Update: Series Stats Through 31 Races

 

Here is quick glance at the stellar competition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season: 

•           13 different winners, most through 31 races since 2007

•           13 different Coors Light Pole winners

•           An average of 7 different leaders per race

•           An average of 14 lead changes per race, the most through 31 races in series history

•           49 drivers have led at least one lap

•           55 drivers have scored at least one top 10

•           Average margin of victory of 1.161 seconds

•           19 races have had a margin of victory under 1 second

•           An average of 1,467 green-flag passes per race

•           An average of 24 green-flag passes for the lead all around the track per race, most through 31 races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005

 

Rookie Battle Between Three Now; Kenny Wallace To Become All-Time Starts Leader

 

With three races to go, Blake Koch has cut his deficit to one point behind leader Timmy Hill in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award chase. Hill has held serve with a two-point lead over Koch since mid-summer. However, Koch has finished in front of Hill over the last three races, the best such stretch for Koch this season.

One point was the deficit in the closest-ever series rookie battle. In 2006, Danny O’Quinn Jr. edged John Andretti, 235-234.

And look who’s gotten back into contention … Ryan Truex, sitting three points out of the lead. His six-race deal with Joe Gibbs Racing has one event left to go, at Phoenix. A top finish at Phoenix may be enough to propel him into first and perhaps the ROY nod if he doesn’t secure rides for Texas and Homestead-Miami.

In February, Truex had the best result (14th) of the three rookies at Phoenix. Koch finished ahead of Hill at Phoenix and Texas (Truex didn’t run at Texas in April).

As for the veteran Kenny Wallace, assuming he grids the No. 09 RAB Racing Toyota on Nov. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway, he officially will become the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ all-time starts leader.

Wallace tied the record of 519 starts set by his good friend Jason Keller, last Friday night at Charlotte.

Over his 22-year series career, Wallace has posted nine wins, 10 poles, 65 top fives and 170 top 10s. He’s currently seventh in the driver standings and aiming for his first top-10 finish in the points since a seventh in 2005.

 

Mike Wallace will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Talladega driving the No. 33 truck, normally manned by four-time NCWTS champion Ron Hornaday Jr., who will drive the No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. truck. Wallace spent three full-time seasons in the series, collecting three wins and four poles . … With Carl Edwards’ win last weekend at Charlotte, he tied Kevin Harvick for third on the all-time series wins list with 37. He is only 12 wins behind second-place Mark Martin and 14 wins back from all-time series wins leader Kyle Busch.

 

NATIONWIDE SERIES Open Weeks: Championship Boom Or Bust?

NATIONWIDE SERIES

 

Open Weeks: Championship Boom Or Bust?

There are six open weekends on the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. Out of those, two come consecutively – this weekend and next – during the final five weeks of the season which encompasses the last three races of 2011.

 

With two close points battles hanging in the balance, do those open weeks offer time for head-clearing or head cases?

 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. maintains the driver standings lead over his nearest challenger, Elliott Sadler. However Stenhouse has seen his advantage – as robust as 22 points over Sadler just three weeks ago following Dover – shrink to 15 points following last Friday night’s race at Charlotte.

 

Stenhouse is hardly in a slump, as his six consecutive top-10 finishes show. However, Sadler has countered with two straight top-five efforts which have resulted in the current deficit, the closest he’s been to Stenhouse since the September race at Chicagoland when he was 14 points out of first.

 

Could there be some mental anguish on the owner championship side as well? There, the No. 60 Roush Fenway Ford, driven with a purpose by Carl Edwards, now trails the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, manned by numerous drivers in 2011 but led mainly by Kyle Busch, by just three points.

 

After failing to unify the championship in 2007, Edwards, who won the driver title, and Jack Roush are still fuming. That season, Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer drove the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the owner title. In 2008, JGR’s No. 20 Toyota claimed the owner championship while Clint Bowyer won the driver title. Busch unified the championship in 2009 in the No. 18 Toyota and last year, the No. 18 again claimed the owner hardware while Brad Keselowski won the driver championship.

 

That 2010 championship tied JGR with Bill Baumgardner for most consecutive owner championships – three – in series history.

 

If JGR is to set the mark with four straight, it will have to overcome the focused No. 60 team, which has gained 47 points on the No. 18 since being 50 points behind following the August race at Bristol.

Busch and Edwards will face of in two of the final three races, Texas and Homestead-Miami.

 

Rookie Title Shaping Up To Be Closest Ever

With three races to go, Blake Koch has cut his deficit to one point behind leader Timmy Hill in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award chase. Hill has held serve with a two-point lead over Koch since mid-summer. However Koch has finished in front of Hill over the last three races, the best such stretch for Koch this season.

 

One point was the deficit in the closest-ever series rookie battle. In 2006, Danny O’Quinn Jr. edged John Andretti, 235-234.

 

And look who’s gotten back into contention … Ryan Truex, sitting three points out of the lead. His six-race deal with Joe Gibbs Racing has one event left to go, at Phoenix. Truex was able to secure an extra race last week at Charlotte thanks to his old team, Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, as he made his bid to collect the $100,000 NASCAR Nationwide Series “Dash 4 Cash” bonus award. A top finish at Phoenix may be enough to propel him into first and perhaps on to the rookie award in the event he doesn’t secure rides for Texas and Homestead-Miami.

 

In February, Truex had the best result (14th) of the three rookies at Phoenix. Koch finished ahead of Hill at Texas (Truex didn’t run at Texas in April). The season finale at Homestead-Miami, where the rookie winner officially will be declared immediately following the race, is a true wild card for Hill and Koch as both will make their track debuts there. Truex would be in the same boat should he run at HMS.

 

Record Awaits Kenny Wallace

He’ll have to wait two weeks to do it, but assuming he’s brings the No. 09 RAB Racing Toyota to the line as the green flag drops on Nov. 5 at Texas, Kenny Wallace officially will become the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ all-time starts leader.

 

Wallace tied the record of 519 starts set by his good friend Jason Keller, last Friday night at Charlotte.

Over his 22-year series career, Wallace has posted nine wins, 10 poles, 65 top fives and 170 top 10s. He’s currently seventh in the driver standings and is aiming for his first top-10 finish in the points since he also was seventh in 2005.