Monday, August 30, 2010

Franchitti Wins IndyCar Night Race in the Windy City

Photo Credit: Jim Haines
As the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series capped their road racing with Will Power claiming the tour's inaugural Mario Andretti Trophy after scoring the most points this season. With the circle track's AJ Foyt Trophy honours as well as an overall championship still in play, a large contingent of open wheel runners race into the dawn on the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Returning to ovals after more than two months, the IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and teams lead a final thrust to the season finale in Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With Penske Racing's Ryan Briscoe finding the edge over Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti in qualifying for the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300, the #6 of Briscoe retained 1st place. A short-lived green flag period lasted only until lap 5 when the yellow flag was thrown after a turn 2 collision between #2 of Raphael Matos and the #36 driven by Tomas Scheckter. Both the de Ferran/Dragon Racing #2 and the #36 Conquest Racing cars ended their runs way too early at Chicagoland Speedway.

To the delight of the IZOD IndyCar Series fans on attendance at Chicagoland. lead changes on the 1.52 miles oval came fast and furiously. Through the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300, no fewer than 25 lead changes among 11 competitors. With 29 cars entered in this Saturday night race, this meant more than 1/3 of the field had an opportunity to lead at least one lap. However, even as a wide assortment of  IZOD IndyCar Series drivers paraded the field from the front, pole sitter Ryan Briscoe was able to center his #6 Penske Racing Dallara-Honda in the top spot for the lions share of the 200 laps leading 113 circuits.It should be noted that the #26 Andretti Autosport car of Marco Andretti was able to get the better of Briscoe three times in the first half of the event to lead laps. 

At lap 78, Brazilian Ana Beatriz brought out caution after brushing the turn 4 wall as a prelude to a scenario where four cars, including the #24 of Beatriz would be retired through the next 10 laps. As many IZOD IndyCar teams ducked into pit road, the KV Racing Technology teammates added another embarrassing incident to their team this season. The #5 of Takuma Sato and the #8 of EJ Viso made contact with each other on pit lane leading to the retirement of both vehicles. Viso had been running 6th prior to the car being too damaged to continue.

With pit stops completed, the field prepared to be sent back to green only for the restart to be called off by a collision involving the #06 of Hideki Mutoh, the #14 car of Vitor Meira and the #77 driven by Alex Tagliani. Of the three cars, only Tagliani's day was ended. "It's really unfortunate for the whole team; the Bowers and Wilkins/TorcUP car was great. I think we had the car to beat tonight" Tagliani said following his race retirement.


Ryan Briscoe proceeded in the lead of the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300 well past the halfway point of the event making it look certain the Australian driver could could on track for a 2nd IZOD IndyCar win in 2010. The advantage Briscoe utilized through the early stages of the Chicagoland race seems the #6 car from the Penske stable did not have the stamina to over what would be a unfortunate pit stop. So strong at the front, Ryan Briscoe's car just wasn't configured for mastering traffic. Commenting in post-race, Briscoe said "After that last stop, we lost a little track position. I tried everything that I could, but my car was just not as good in traffic". Beyond lap 136, Ryan Briscoe's time at the front was over for the night finishing 11th in the final results.

With Ryan Briscoe out of contention for the rest of the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, the lead of the race was up for grabs with Dan Wheldon, Vitor Meira and even Will Power taking turns in the first place spot. A lap 169 caution for a spinning Alex Lloyd would setup a pit stop which would determine the winner of this IZOD IndyCar race. Winning a fight out of pit road, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew for Dario Franchitti's #10 car sent the Scot out first.

Through the final 24 laps, Franchitti would resist the attacks of Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti to win the Chicagoland Speedway's Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300 by a mere 0.0432 seconds as the #4 attempted to steal the trophy out the final turn. Becoming Dario Franchitti's first win since the 2010 Indianapolis 500, the Chicagoland Speedway race appears to be the pivotal time for the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing driver to mount his charge. As Will Power stumbled to 16th on the oval following a fuel-only stop under green, Franchitti gained 34 points on the #12 Penske Racing driver to bring the two competitors just 23 points apart with three races to go in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season.


Interesting enough, the top-3 for the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300 mirrored the podium of the 2010 Indy 500. After spending part of the next round of the IZOD IndyCar Series upside down, Wheldon's 2nd place finish matches his best performance the major Memorial day race. In post race, Dan Wheldon commented "To be honest at the end, the reason I worked so hard with Dario (Franchitti) and just tried to stay with him was because he was so clean and professional. He is a true gentleman out there and a great driver. I have to take away with the guys on our team. They did an excellent job and it was a strong performance." Marco Andretti also enjoyed a competitive outing leading a strong result for 3 of the 4 Andretti Autosport drivers as Ryan Hunter-Reay and Tony Kanaan followed to round out the top-5.

Next up for the IZOD IndyCar Series will be another night race on September 4th at the Kentucky Speedway. 



2010 IZOD IndyCar Series
Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300
Chicagoland Speedway
Starting Lineup


1. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
2. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing
3. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
4. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
5. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
6. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
7. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
8. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
9. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
10. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
11. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
12. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
13. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
14. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
15. 67 Sarah Fisher/United States/ Sarah Fisher Racing
16. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
17. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
18. 21 Davey Hamilton/United States/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
19. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing
20. 20 Ed Carpenter/United States/ Panther/Vision Racing
21. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
22. 66 Jay Howard/England/ Sarah Fisher Racing
23. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
24. 24 Ana Beatriz/Brazil/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
25. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
26. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
27. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
28. 34 Tomas Scheckter/South Africa/ Conquest Racing
29. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Briscoe Catches the Wind for IZOD IndyCar Pole at Chicagoland

Photo Credit: Steve Swope

For what who be the 2010 IZOD IndyCar season's last race held in the Northernmost corners of the North American continent, the open-wheel stars set sights on the Chicagoland Speedway.  



2010 IZOD IndyCar Series
Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil 300
Chicagoland Speedway
Starting Lineup

1. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
2. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
3. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
4. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing

5. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport

6. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

7. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing
8. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
9. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
10. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology

11. 20 Ed Carpenter/United States/ Panther/Vision Racing
12. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
13. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
14. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing

15. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
16. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology

17. 34 Tomas Scheckter/South Africa/ Conquest Racing
18. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
19. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
20. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing

21. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology

22. 24 Ana Beatriz/Brazil/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing

23. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
24. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
25. 67 Sarah Fisher/United States/ Sarah Fisher Racing
26. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing
27. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
28. 21 Davey Hamilton/United States/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
29. 66 Jay Howard/England/ Sarah Fisher Racing

Monday, August 23, 2010

Kyle Ends Big Race Weekend at Bristol with Sprint Cup Win

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Finding success in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Wednesday night and the Nationwide Series Food City 250, Kyle Busch had turned the victory lane of Bristol Motor Speedway into his own personal parking spot. Starting the NASCAR Sprint Cup Irwin Tools Race Night event, Kyle Busch and the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing team needed to overcome a sub-par qualifying run resulting with only 19th place position to complete a monumental triple-sweep.


Though the slight chance of rain sprinkled the 0.533 mile short oval with a light shower during pre-race, the 500-lap Irwin Tools Night Race started on schedule with Hendrick Motorsports’ #48 Lowes Chevrolet leading the way. Jimmie Johnson has only 1 top-10 finish in the past 6 Sprint Cup races since his last win in June’s New Hampshire. Starting on the pole position, Johnson led 175 of the race’s first 200 laps.

This early run in the Irwin Tools Night Race began with a 57-lap green flag run before the first caution for the #38 Ford of Tony Raines. As the green flag flew again, another 66 lap sprint saw Jimmie Johnson leading over #14 Chevy of Tony Stewart and the #99 Ford piloted by Carl Edwards at the first quarter distance. Unfortunately, two of the top three cars would have their early success scuttled when they the #14 and the #99 were involved the second caution. Entering pit road, the #6 UPS Ford of David Ragan slowed causing a chain reaction bumper-bashing incident between Carl Edwards’ front and Tony Stewart’s rear. Edwards and Stewart endured the race with minor damage but were never a factor for victory through the future laps. Leaders flowed into pit lane under the caution led by Jimmie Johnson who also led the field out of the tight Bristol road. With the race important to determining to 12 drivers who will race for the 2010 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, two competitors hovering around the bottom side of the final transfer spot would be penalized for pit errors.

With many typical players such as Kyle Busch requiring an early rally from weak qualifying runs, several rose to the occasion. On lap 172, the #18 Toyota of Busch moved from 19th on the start to take the lead becoming the first driver to authentically challenge Johnson’s than-dominant #48 Chevy. Other Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr also mounted some wonderful recoveries by the mid-point of the Bristol race. Performing a 16 spot gravitation to the front, Gordon’s #24 Chevy broke into 10th place while Earnhardt Jr’s #88 Chevy was up to 14th evidently learning something after an exciting 4th place run ending the previous night’s Nationwide Series event.

Dropped from the lead but still firmly matched against the #18 Toyota, the #48 of Johnson was running 3rd past lap 200 having also been passed by the #00 Toyota of David Reutimann. Reutimann had been fighting a illness before the race but stuck it out for the entire Bristol race incident. Johnson retook the second place spot prior to the midway point but would come under the charge of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s #42 Chevy of Juan-Pablo Montoya. With the field set up in a double-file restart following a one-car accident with Bobby Labonte, Montoya was allover Johnson’s rear attempting to pass the #48 Chevy on the outside. Exiting turn 2, Montoya turned into the #48 Chevrolet on lap 262 directing Jimmie Johnson’s car into the outer wall. Also in this accident, the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin slid sideway though was not involved in direct contact with Johnson or Montoya. Requiring extended repairs by the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew behind the wall, the #48 Lowes Chevrolet’s oil cooler and suspension damage eventually cost the team 85 laps resulting in a 35th place finishing position. Denny Hamlin finished just one spot better through only 27 laps behind as the Joe Gibbs Racing car needed less time to restore to running condition.

As a primary contender of the Irwin Tools Night Race effectively eliminated from race, the #18 car of Kyle Busch appeared to be sparred with a much improved chance of victory. Leading consecutively for 133 laps, Busch would in fact be challenged through two points of the latter stages of the night race. Jamie McMurray led for 11 laps with his #1 Chevrolet while David Reutimann led 25 circuits during the final 100 lap distance. However, at the end, it was going to be Kyle Busch’s night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Sweeping the weekend, Busch became the first driver to do so in the sporadic period which the three major NASCAR touring series have raced at Bristol.


Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

Just one position short, David Reutimann nonetheless accomplished a fantastic feat to finish in the runner-up spot. As an important ramification for the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup, 13th place in points Jamie McMurray finished 3rd but was unable to make a major move on the coveted 12th place spot held by Clint Bowyer. Despite some early promise for McMurray when Bowyer’s #33 Chevy was penalized, the Richard Childress Racing car recovered to 4th. Driving the #9 Ford that was also nailed by pit road issues, Kasey Kahne also performed a massive pick up to round out the top 5 for the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Finishing 14th, Kevin Harvick lost a few points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship but it was insignificant for denying the #29 team a 2010 berth. 2nd place in points Jeff Gordon also secured his position in the Chase with an 11th place at Bristol. With only 2 races left before the 10-race, 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup, positions 3 through 12 are still in play. Drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin suffered big losses in short track round at Bristol but are still fairly located in locking up Chase spots. Outside looking in, drivers Jamie McMurray, Mark Martin and Ryan Newman are within a mathematically-accessible reach to 12th place Clint Bowyer.

With a week off for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, the labour day weekend race at Atlanta Motor Speedway is next up on September 5th.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Irwin Tools Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway
Race Results

Top-10

1)  18 Kyle Busch Doublemint Toyota
2)  00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
3)  1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
4)  33 Clint Bowyer Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
5)  9 Kasey Kahne Budweiser Ford
6)  39 Ryan Newman Wix Filters Chevrolet
7)  42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
8)  16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
9)  2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite / Vortex Dodge
10)  17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Black Ford

Other Notables

11)  24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
12)  99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
13)  88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet
14)  29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet
27)  14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet
34)  11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
35)  48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Will Power Gets Satisfaction at Sonoma

Photo Credit: Steve Swope

Putting the cap on the road and street course racing presented in the 2010 season of the IZOD IndyCar Series, the Grand Prix of Sonoma provided the last opportunity for some oval racing-challenged drivers to carry momentum into the series' final four races.

Right from the start, top qualifiers in the field shot into a single-file formation even before they reached the start/finish line. The scurry to this single-file pack went routine until after the first dozen cars. In the most terrifying incident of the race, the #4 car of Dan Wheldon was sent upside down after making impact with the #34 piloted by Bertrand Baguette. After the IndyCar safety team returned the car upright, Wheldon was able to step out of this immobile race vehicle thankfully uninjured. 

As the race resumed on lap 4, pole sitter Will Power began to assemble another dominant IndyCar race out front of the Grand Prix of Sonoma. As Power retained the top spot Alex Tagliani, who started this race in a season and IRL career-high 4th place, began to lose the handling early on his FAZZT Race Team #77 car. Starting the Grand Prix of Sonoma on the faster but softer Firestone red tires, Tagliani rapidly ran out of grip causing the French-Canadian to backslide down the running order IZOD IndyCar race. Compounding problems for the #77 machine, Alex Tagliani would suffer a tire puncture after contact with another car. Requiring an earlier than expected pit stop by the FAZZT Race Team crew, Tagliani returned to the race track 1 lap down. Placed back on the lead lap thanks to his opponent's pit stops, Alex Tagliani's once promising start to the Grand Prix of Sonoma changed his race plans into recovering lost positions. The #77 FAZZT Race Team car would finish 14th on the day.

Experiencing a one-time high in the race, J.R. Hildebrand competing in his second IZOD IndyCar Series race for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing #24 car. The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion had been fighting for grip all weekend but found enough speed within the race to collect the Grand Prix's fastest lap time. Unfortunately, Hildebrand's stint in the #24 car would not go the distance at Sonoma as the #26 car of Marco Andretti made contact with the Dreyer and Reinbold Racing machine in the 7th turn on lap 37. Five laps earlier, Justin Wilson's #22 car spun in the exact same part of the Infineon Raceway.

Into the final stages of the Grand Prix of Sonoma, caution flew a last time on lap 66 when a three-car incident collected EJ Viso, Berthand Baguette and Raphael Matos. Transpiring when the #34 of Baguette impacted the #2 de Ferran/Dragon Racing car into turn 11 ruining a top 10 run for Matos. Along with Matos, the #5 KV Racing Technology car of Takuma Sato was also having a good run only to have it derail in the late laps. The #5 KV Racing Technology spun on track costing the hard-fighting Japanese driver a steady top-10 funish.

Leading 72 of the race's 75 laps around the Infineon Raceway, the #12 Verizon Penske Racing car of Power commanded the field uninterrupted for 55 circuits of the 2.33 mile road course. Holding off a determined but just short effort from Scott Dixon, Will Power finished 7/10th of a second out in front. Dario Franchitti, Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves came across the line 3rd through 5th place.

A triumphant performance coming one year after Will Power's career rested in doubt following a practice crash at the Infineon Raceway. In victory lane for the Grand Prix of Sonoma, the Australian road racing warrior was also officially granted the first Mario Andretti Trophy for collecting the most series points on road and street course events. The four-time IndyCar and 1978 Formula 1 championship Mario Andretti was present himself to bestow the honour on Power. 

Without an oval victory in either his Champ Car or IZOD IndyCar Series career, Will Power will be venerable according to past race statistics. Achieving a best finish of 5th twice on the rounded race tracks, Power's Penske Racing team is certainly guided to build some strength into the Australian native.


2010 IZOD IndyCar
Infineon Raceway
Grand Prix of Sonoma
Finishing Results

1. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
2. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
3. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
4. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
5. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
6. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
7. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
8. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
9. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
10. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
11. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
12. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
13. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
14. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
15. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
16. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
17. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
18. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
19. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
20. 34 Francesco Dracone/Italy/ Conquest Racing
21. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
22. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
23. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing
24. 24 J.R. Hildebrand/United States/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
25. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing

Power Play at Sonoma: Penske Driver Takes IZOD IndyCar Pole

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

Under picture perfect racing conditions at Sonoma, California, the IZOD IndyCar Series held the qualifying session for the 2010 Grand Prix of Sonoma. Acclaimed as the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Road Racing Champion, Will Power in the #12 Penske Racing wanted to cap the year by winning the final road course race for this season. As always, a host of open wheel drivers will be mounting a definite battle to assure the Infineon Raceway win will elude Will Power for at least another year.

As cars took to the track, Helio Castroneves and Will Power for Team Penske topped the divided round 1 time trials. Having been bettered by the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon through both practice sessions, Penske Racing reloaded for qualifying preparing to launch one of their bullets for the team's 11th pole of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

Leapfrogging into the Firestone Fast Six match, the contenders for the Grand Prix of Sonoma pole were the trio of Penske Racing cars piloted by Castroneves, Power and Ryan Briscoe as well as the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing bunch of Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon. Completing the grouping was last week's surprise front-runner (well, maybe not entirely a surprise) #77 of Alex Tagliani entered by the FAZZT Race Team. Once the 10-minute timed session began, Will Power laid stake to the pole position with a 1 minute, 16.7998 second time on his first flying lap. One minute later, Helio Castroneves unleashed  an drastically improved pole time of 1 minute, 16.5652 seconds which remained unbeatened until the final moment of the Firestone Fast Six round of qualifying. Team Penske's Will Power sailed his #12 car past the #3 belonging to his corporate affliate Castroneves. Using a 1 minute, 16.5282 second lap time arounf the 2.33 mile of Infineon Raceway, Power scored his 8th pole of the year.

Setting an IRL/IZOD IndyCar record for most poles in the season, Will Power will be partnered with teammate Castroneves on the Grand Prix of Sonoma's front row. "I wasn't sure I was going to pull it off in the second round of qualifying. I was two-tenths off from the Fast Six. I knew it was going to be very close for pole here. I'm really stoked to get the Verizon team a record eight poles this season." Will Power said on the post-race interview while Helio Castroneves positively reflected on the all-Penske Racing front row.

In third, last year's Infineon race pole winner Dario Franchitti will have a slightly uphill fight to repeat ahis 2009 race victory. Confidently, Franchitti uttered "We're definitely going to try to get (Will) tomorrow."

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

Rounding out the top 5 was a magnificant effort from the FAZZT Race Team with Alex Tagliani behind the wheel and the Edmonton race winner Scott Dixon driving the second Target car. Other notable qualifying runs in the final road course time trial of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series included the effort from rookies Simona de Silvestro and Bertrand Baguette. Holding the lead in the rookie points for this IZOD IndyCar season, de Silvestro's qualifying has noticeably improved with an 11th place starting spot after qualifying at Sonoma. As for Baguette (obtaining his familar #34 through a Conquest Racing number swap which sees Dracone taking the #36), he should be praised for his late runs this season considering the fact he wasn't even added to the IZOD IndyCar tour until the 3rd race at Barber Motorsport Park.

The green flag for the Grand Prix of Sonoma is set to fall after 5:45 PM with live television broadcasts on American station Versus and Canada's TSN2


2010 IZOD IndyCar Racing

Honda Indy 200
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Starting Lineup


1. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
2. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
3. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing

4. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team

5. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
6. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
7. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing

8. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
9. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport

10. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing

11. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing

12. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing

13. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
14. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
15. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
16. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

17. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
18. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
19. 24 J.R. Hildebrand/United States/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
20. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
21. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises

22. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
23. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
24. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing

25. 34 Francesco Dracone/Italy/ Conquest Racing

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Franchitti Leads Day 1 Practice at IZOD IndyCar Sonoma Weekend


Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

The IZOD IndyCar Series' California dreaming has turned to reality as 25 top-level open wheel drivers make their way into Sonoma, a town within an area designated as wine country in the United States. Running a 2.305 mile permanent road course inside Infineon Raceway, Indy cars ready for a 75 lap main event on Sunday with a Friday practice.

Defending pole and Grand Prix of Sonoma winner Dario Franchitti showed immediately that he continues to hold the knowledge for getting around Infineon Raceway quickest. Weaving his #10 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing car through the complex California track in 1 minute, 18.2970 seconds, Franchitti top time comes with a stark realization that the rest of the field knows the Scotsman is the benchmark. A little more than 4/100th of a second slower in his fastest time, Penske Racing's #12 car steered by Will Power was 2nd on the time chart. Remembering one year ago, Will Power suffered a horrific practice crash which caused him not only to miss the 2009 Infineon Raceway event but the remaining races Penske Racing had planned last season. Returning to Sonoma as a strong driver in the 2010 series, Power is focused on having the Infineon Raceway compensate him with a big points day.

At the beginning of the season, the well-positioned start for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing had some IZOD IndyCar Series observers bracing to see teams other than the traditional superteams. While Andretti Autosport reunited themselves with victory lane twice in 2010, there has not been a regular presense of teams in outside the superteam's circle. However, in the past IZOD IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio, the FAZZT Race Team were able to work in launching their driver Alex Tagliani up to the front for a sizable portion of the event. Delivering a 4th place finish in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Tagliani's race weekend starts with a 3rd fastest time in practice on Infineon. Speaking of Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, Justin Wilson's #22 car was 45th in the practice session one spot behind Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon. Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Ryan Briscoe, Dan Wheldon and Hideki Mutoh rounded out the top 10 for the Friday practice for the Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

With this being the last road course remaining on the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway is a finale of sorts for the competitors of the American open wheel racing series. In fact, thanks to the Indy Racing League sanctioning body's decision recognize the top point leader on oval and road racing. Will Power has already earned the road racing title bestoving the Mario Andretti Trophy on the Australian's masterful drive through the twists of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series. Still in play and remaining highly valuable to Power and the Penske Racing team, the overall points championship is a contentious battle separated by 41 points after Mid-Ohio.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Kyle Busch Steam Rolls Keselowski to Win Bristol Nationwide Race

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images


Article Sourced from NASCAR

BRISTOL, Tenn.—After spinning his strongest challenger on Lap 219, Kyle Busch held off Jason Leffler and polesitter Elliott Sadler through a spate of cautions in the closing laps to win Friday night’s Food City 250 Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Busch won his 10th Nationwide race of the year, tying the single-season record he already shared with Sam Ard. The victory was Busch’s 40th in the series, but it was not without controversy.
Busch can complete an unprecedented sweep of three races at one track in NASCAR's top three touring series with a victory in Saturday’s Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race. Busch won Bristol’s Camping World Truck Series race Wednesday night.
Keselowski and Busch battled ferociously for the lead during the final quarter of the race, and that heated contest produced the sixth caution of the event. On Lap 219, Busch slid past Keselowski for the lead off Turn 2 but bobbled slightly down the backstretch.
Busch’s No. 18 Toyota clipped the wall after contact from Keselowski’s Dodge, and as the cars rolled through Turn 4, Busch spun his adversary in the corner, forcing Keselowski to pit to repair the damage to his car. Keselowski finished 14th.

“It is what it is,” Keselowski said. “I’m going to go to work—and work on beating his ass.”

Busch admitted he spun Keselowski on purpose.

“I thought I had him cleared on the back, and I moved up in front of him, and instead of him doing an Earnhardt crossover move, he just decided that he would run into the back of me and put me in the fence,” Busch said. “That’s Brad Keselowski. So I went into the next corner and dumped him.

“He does it to everybody else. Why can’t I do it to him?”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. rallied from a lap down to finish fourth behind Leffler and Sadler. Carl Edwards ran fifth. Trevor Bayne, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Parker Kligerman and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Edwards, second in the series standings, trimmed Keselowski’s lead to 313 points. On the strength of his 10 victories in 20 starts, Busch remained third in points, 434 behind Keselowski, despite having competed in four fewer races than either Keselowski or Edwards.
The race featured a wild accident on Lap 83, when contract from Justin Allgaier’s Dodge sent Kasey Kahne’s No. 38 Toyota sliding on its side along the outside wall for approximately 200 yards.

Notes: Busch gave Toyota its 50th Nationwide win. … Busch won in chassis 61, which has accounted for eight victories in 10 starts. … Busch’s 40 wins have come in 193 starts. He is second to Mark Martin, who has 48 wins in 231 starts.
 

Johnson Bottles Up the White Lightning Qualifying at Bristol

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

In preparations for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Friday qualifying saw Jimmie Johnson delivered fastest time with a winning run of 15.540 seconds to eclipse Carl Edward's Ford for the Irwin Tools Night Race. With Johnson taking his 2nd pole of 2010 in the #48 Lowes Chevy, the Hendrick Motorsports driver returns to the track where is he rolled to victory in the spring. As Johnson and Edwards rule the front row, Joey Logano and Tony Stewart ran qualifying efforts tight with each other's time to occupy the second row.

Through the early part of the session several top teams encountered difficulty mounting a significant timed run. Including the #24 Hendrick Motorsports effort of Jeff Gordon who spun during this qualifying run. Another slow effort resulted from the championship point-leading effort of #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick, both cars will start in the high-20s for Saturday's night race. Later qualifying order draws for Jimmie Johnson as well as Carl Edwards apparently could have contributed to their pace-setting runs.

The most antipicated race heading into the final Chase eligibility race at Richmond International Raceway, the short track of Bristol fast speeds within close quarters leaves many drivers and teams on edge. Because of Bristol Motor Speedway's short 0.533 mile distance, under 16 second lap times mean the margin of error would be incredibly narrow. A cut tire or a slow race stint will cost a team several laps to the lead pack. With positions counting for evermore valuable points, one miscue by a Chase contending team could throw a giant Monkey wrench into their 2010 chances for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Irwin Tools Night Race
Qualifying Order

Top-10

1) 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
2) 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
3) 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
4) 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet
5) 00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
6) 39 Ryan Newman Wix Filters Chevrolet
7) 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
8) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
9) 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
10) 43 A J Allmendinger Valvoline Ford


Other Notables

11) 9 Kasey Kahne Budweiser Ford
13) 5 Mark Martin CARQUEST Auto Parts Chevrolet
14) 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Black Ford
16) 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
17) 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
19) 18 Kyle Busch Doublemint Toyota
20) 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite / Vortex Dodge
26) 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
27) 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet
28) 29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet

Andrew Ranger Rolls to Win at Trois Rivieres

Photo Credit: Matthew Murnaghan/ NASCAR
Clinching his second NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship last season, the young Andrew Ranger heard the call of the richer stock car racing scene of the United States. Spliting his time stock car racing between the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the NASCAR K&N Racing Series for 2010, Ranger's open wheel road racing background came in extremely handy south of the 49th parallel taking victories at Infineon Raceway and Lime Rock Park. Returning as reigning champion to Canada when running a handful of NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races with a #27 Dodge, the Roxton Pond, Quebec native had already accomplished a flag-to-flag victory on the Honda Indy Weekend race. By doing so, Andrew Ranger completed an unreached feat of becoming the first driver to win in the both the NASCAR K&N East and West series as well as the Canadian Tire Series in a single year.
The 8th race of the 13 date 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season, Trois Rivieres' GP3R 100 transpires on the oldest running temporary street course race in Canada. With history dating back to 1967, the 1.53 mile track played host to a Canadian whos-who of racing including Gilles Villeneuve, Alex Tagliani and Ron Fellows. Like the Toronto street course, the stock cars would be involved in a practically draining but brief 42-lap event.

Andrew Ranger returns just as the stock car racing tour concluded a two-race Western Canadian oval track stint. Apart from Ranger's appearance, the most concentrated focus has been on the tight 2010 championship fight between DJ Kennington and JR Ftzpatrick. After the Edmonton road race, the #84 Schick Hydro Chevrolet driven by Fitzpatrick held the lead in the points standings but Kennington has since launched himself into the points lead driving the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge. Qualifying 2nd, Fitzpatrick was positioned to make some serious gains on Kennington back on the road courses. In that same qualifying session, Ranger took his 3rd pole piloting the  #27 Jacobs Racing team's limited season.

Well-positioned at the beginning of the GP3R 100 on Circuit de Trois Rivieres, Andrew Ranger's attempt at a second NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory for 2010 was hindered from the start.  Seeing opportunity immediately on lap 2, JR Fitzpatrick dived on Ranger through turn 6 allowing the #84 Chevy to grab the lead. Caught off-guard by the early race pass, Andrew Ranger slipped into the barrier. While suffering only minor damage along the drive side his #27 Dodge, Ranger lost a multitude of positions. By lap 6, Andrew Ranger was resuming the event in 6th place but was out of touch with the lead pack consisting of Fitzpatrick and the #02 Ford of Kerry Micks. The Ford/Chevrolet battle was fought valiantly at the front with leading 26 laps between the Micks and Fitzpatrick. By lap 13, the Dodge of Andrew Ranger continued his recovery emerging to 4th place chasing down Jason Hathaway seeded in 3rd place.

A caution for the stopped #77 vehicle of Isabelle Temblay allowed the teams to regroup on lap 16. With three yellow flags slowing the GP3R 100, the timing for each stop set up some priceless moments for the NSACAR Canadian Tire Series stars a golden opportunity to improve their position. Once the green flag flew following the first caution, Ranger successfully bypassed Hathaway's #3 Dodge for third.

Winding up at the halfway point, the race course challenged the mechanics of certain stock cars. Former Montreal Canadians hockey player Patrice Brisebois and Antony Simone were early race retirements. Also requiring extended service, the #4 Chevrolet of Don Thomson Jr. fell more than 12 laps off the lead. Thomson Jr. has been weathering an extremely tough 2010 season where the Home Hardware Chevrolet seems plagued with troubles.

JR Fitzpatrick led GP3R 100 event when caution fell for the second time for debris. The lap 28 restart would become the single definingmoment for the Trois Rivieres NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race. Three-wide between Fitzpatrick, Micks and Ranger, the fight prevailed in the favour of Andrew Ranger making a full recovery from his early race misadventure. Ranger's retaking of the lead position survived a the 3rd and final caution. Kerry Micks' Ford took second away from Fiztpatrick's Chevrolet.

Finishing 3rd, JR Fitzpatrick's race did not go the way the 2006 CASCAR Super Series champion would has preferred. Souring the podium effort was the knowledge that 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series title leader DJ Kennington finished one position behind Fitzpatrick's #84 car. However, gaining 15 points on Kennington, Fitzpatrick has closed the gap by a single point.

Finishing 3rd through 10th, Jeff Lapcevich, Scott Steckly, J.F. Dumoulin, Jason Hathaway, Peter Klutt and Mark Dilley crossed the Trois Rivieres finish line.



Next on the schedule for the 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is the Dickies 200 at the Mosport Speedway oval this saturday.

Weekend Racing Weather Forecast for August 20 to 22

Sonoma, California
Infineon Raceway
IZOD IndyCar Series: Grand Prix of Sonoma/ Firestone Indy Lights: Carneros 100

Friday: Sunny with clouds. 22 degrees Celsius high.
Saturday: Clear sunny skies and a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius during the afternoon.
Sunday: Partly Cloudly. No chance of rain all day with temperatures slightly warmer than Sunday. Expect the morning running of the Firestone Indy Lights to run within temperatures around 15-17 degrees Celsius while the IZOD IndyCar race will take place within 28 degree weather.


Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol Motor Speedway
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Food City 250/ NASCAR Sprint Cup: Irwin Tools Night Race

Friday: Hot high temperature of 32 degree Celsius. NASCAR Nationwide race likely to run within the mid 20s. No chance of precipitation.
Saturday: 30-60% chance of showers during the Sprint Cup event with possibilities for thunderstorms. Temperature will start at 28 degrees Celsius before dipping to 24 degrees later in the night.


Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Road America
American Le Mans Series: American Le Mans Series powered by eStar

Friday: Rain shower likely with break expected for afternoon practice. Temperature up to 29 degrees Celsius as high for day.
Saturday: Moderate 30% chance of precipitation with thunderstorms through the early morning.Sunny with clouds through practice and qualifying sessions. Temperatures between 24-26  degrees Celsius.
Sunday: Sunshine and 28 degrees Celsius of a daily high with no threat of rain.

Bowmanville, Ontario
Mosport Speedway
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Dickies 200

Saturday:  Temperature 23 degrees Celsius with 30% chance of rain during qualifying. 80% Chance of rain shower during time of race with temperatur residing at 21 degrees Celsius.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Harvick Streaks Past Hamlin for Michigan Sprint Cup Win

Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR


With 22 races in the books, the pressure is weighing heavily on a multitude of NASCAR Sprint Cup teams as the series arrives for their second yearly visit to the Irish Hills of Michigan. As 43 cars were led to the start of the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Kevin Harvick's 2010 season had been the year NASCAR race fans were long expecting from the driver who took over the vehicles of Dale Earnhardt Sr ten seasons ago. Leading the points ahead of Hendrick Motorsports pair of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson as well as the highly-energized Penske Racing lead veteran driver Kurt Busch, Harvick and Richard Childress Racing are riding high heading into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. On the other side of the points, several drivers such as Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jamie McMurray are on the outside of the top-12 Chase positions with Michigan being the 4th to last opportunity to gain valuable ground.


Polesitter Kasey Kahne driving the #9 Budweiser Ford was quickly dethroned from the top spot by a strong start from the #48 Lowes Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson.Surprising in the light of Jimmie Johnson's NASCAR Sprint Cup career, Johnson has been winless in 19 previous races at Michigan International Speedway. Leading the Carfax 400's first 14 laps, Johnson's luck would not change at the race track. By lap 15, Johnson was hunted by the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle and passed for the 1st place position. With a history of good finishes at Michigan, Biffle was a definite presence through the first half of the Carfax 400 race. Returning to the NASCAR Sprint Cup race track for the first time since his private jet crash, Roush-Fenway Racing's founder Jack Roush witnessed first-hand the improving state of his Ford Fusions in competition. 


Calmly, the first 200 miles of the race resulted in two cautions. The initial yellow flag was thrown for oil spewing from the blown engine of Kurt Busch's Dodge. Back-sliding 6 spots in the 2010 driver's point standings, Kurt Busch lost touch with the top half of the Chase but is still holds a 180 point cushion on 12th place Clint Bowyer. Compounded by poor finishes of Busch's teammate, the Carfax 400 was a tough day for Penske Racing. A track Penske Racing team owner Roger Penske within his business portfolio, the best race result from the 3-car team was 32rd for Sam Hornish Jr.   


Ending Greg Biffle's stint in the lead after the #16 Ford led 3 times for 66 laps, Tony Stewart's #14 Chevy took over in front through the midpoint of the Carfax 400. Handing off the lead briefly over a pit stop, Stewart's rear-view mirror filled with the #29 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick. Taking the lead for lap 111, Harvick stayed out in front for the longest consecutive period in the Michigan race. On the latter side of Kevin Harvick's 45-lap stint, a series of two-car incidents occurred to bring out yellows. Both conflicts residing in turn 4, Ryan Newman was first spun out with assistance coming from the Home Depot #20 of Joey Logano. After the race, Newman angrily confronted Logano over the lap 149 contact.


Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

With one Chase contender involved in the lap 149 caution, top 12 drivers Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton wound up with damaged cars just 6 laps later. Running solidly in the top-10 up to that stage in the Carfax 400, Burton ended the race 24th while Gordon would find himself 27th in the final running order.

In a final caution for debris on lap 169, teams had three laps to plan for their final run. Opting for the superior control of new tires, Greg  Biffle led a contingent to pit road while Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and a few others chanced track position being more valuable. While Stewart led off the restart for 11 laps, his fast-moving former teammate Denny Hamlin flew by to lead lap 178. A different circumstance to the dominant (yet arguably boring to watch) performance in the June race, the #11 FedEx Toyota started buried in the back after the Joe Gibbs Racing team elected to switch to a back-up car. Denny Hamlin would lead 12 laps under the hot pursuit of the #29 Chevy. Kevin Harvick ate into the small interval to Hamlin up until he was able to make his winning move on lap 190.   

As the choice to stay out proved to be the winning decision for Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle was able to charge to only 4th place at the end one position behind the #99 Ford driven by teammate Carl Edwards. With Matt Kenseth behind Biffle in 5th, Roush-Fenway Racing delivered 3 cars home in the top-5 motivated by their team owner's presence. Also having inspiring runs at the end was Martin Truex Jr 8th in the #56 NAPA Toyota and Elliott Sadler who brought his #19 Ford across for 9th place. Truex Jr overcome early difficulties having suddenly lost several positions early in the Carfax 400. 

When selecting NASCAR Sprint Cup championship contenders at the beginning of the year, no one mention forwarded the possibility of Kevin Harvick leading the points following 23 races. Thanks to his victory in the Carfax 400, Kevin Harvick now leads by 293 points over Jeff Gordon with a Chase opportunity all-but guaranteed.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Carfax 400
Michigan International Speedway


Race Results


Top-10

1 29 Kevin Harvick Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet
2 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
3 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford 
4 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 
5 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
6 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet
7 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
8 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Toyota
9 19 Elliott Sadler Henry Ford Museum: Racing in America Ford
10 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
 
Other Notables 
 
12 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
13 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
18 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota
19 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard Drive the Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet
20 1 Jamie McMurray Philips Norelco Chevrolet
27 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
28 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 
34 12 Brad Keselowski No. 12 Penske Dodge Dodge
40 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite/Vortex Dodge

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Darlington Truck Race Tamed by Todd Bodine

Mary Ann Chastain/Getty Images for NASCAR


Running a standalone event, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returned to Darlington Raceway after a 6-year absence. Assembling for the Too Tough to Tame 200, the visit to the so-called "Lady in Black" was the first time many of the younger truck series regulars to experience the 1.366 mile South Carolina race track. One of those drivers making the initial laps at Darlington was Timothy Peters piloting the #17 Red Horse Racing-owned Toyota Tundra. Fortunate for Peters, those early laps were fast enough to earn the #17 truck the pole position for the Saturday night event.  

Relishing the reputation for being the track too tough to tame, this race kept the track's slogan intact. In the first 10 laps of 147, the yellow flag flew on two occasions for spins involving the #92 of Dennis Setzer and Jason While in the #23 Dodge. White's truck would be the reason for caution again on lap 58 when the Mopar's engine suffered a terminal failure on-track. With 9 cautions 37 laps overall, a remarkably high number competitors within the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series had their will broken by the infamous oval. Topping the list of 16 vehicles that failed to finish the Too Tough to Tame 200 was Brian Ickler, Ricky Carmichael and Mike Skinner.

Timothy Peters led the first 47 laps, reigning Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday would be the next driver to lead at Darlington. Five leaders would pace the Too Tough to Tame 200 with four of them leading more than 23 laps signifying how important gaining the lead was through the course of the event. The Richard Childress Racing #3 truck handled by Austin Dillon proceeded to lead after Hornaday up until lap 101 once the flag was brought under caution for an incident involving Mario Gosselin and Ricky Carmichael. Through the orchestra of pit road activity, the #30 truck of Todd Bodine was rushed into the lead by his crew. A deciding move for the event, Bodine and his Germain Racing #30 Toyota led the final 46 laps to win the Too Tough to Tame 200 at Darlington Raceway. Starting without intent to run a full Camping World Truck Series schedule, the #30 Germain Racing team were only even originally planning to run the race. However, by their lead positioning in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver's standings the team arrived having to miss other previously-planned engagements including a wedding.

After taking pole, Timothy Peters kept his #17 Toyota at the front for the entire event to score a 2nd place for a 1-2 finish for Toyota. Leading a charge of Chevrolet Silverado race trucks, Ron Hornaday finished 3rd ahead of Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon rounding out the top five.

Keselowski's Challenger Meets the Challenge in Michigan Nationwide Race

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR
 
 
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(August 14, 2010)
 
BROOKLYN, Mich.—Despite clutch problems that plagued him on pit road, Brad Keselowski dominated Saturday’s Carfax 250 Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
 
“I don’t need no stinking clutch,” Keselowski said shortly after crossing the finish line 3.179 seconds ahead of second-place Carl Edwards.
 
No, he didn’t. Clutch or no clutch, Keselowski’s No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge was the class of the field, starting from the pole and leading 89 of the 125 laps, in the first race for NASCAR’s new Nationwide Series car on a downforce track.
 
Keselowski pulled away from Edwards after a Lap 117 restart, necessitated by the second caution of the race. Slow leaving the pits after a green-flag stop on Lap 105, Keselowski was running second, 3.4 seconds behind Edwards and closing, when the caution flag flew.
 
The caution bunched the field and gave Keselowski the opportunity to pass Edwards on the restart. Keselowski now leads second-place Edwards by 347 points in the series standings.
 
“The clutch problems just affect our pit stops, and at the end, it affected my (celebratory) burnout,” Keselowski said. “It still was an awesome racecar. When you’ve got cars this good, man, life is a lot easier.”
 
Kyle Busch finished third, followed by Justin Allgaier and Paul Menard. Joey Logano, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson, rookie Colin Braun and Kevin Harvick completed the top 10. Danica Patrick came home 27th, four laps down, in her sixth race in the series and her first in the new car.
 
The Nationwide Series will use the new car in upcoming races at Richmond and Charlotte before its introduction as the full-time car in 2011. Saturday’s race dramatically increased Keselowski’s comfort level with his new Dodge Challenger.
 
Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR
 
 
“For me, I was nervous about this car for a lot of reasons,” Keselowski said. “I was nervous because, quite honestly, I haven’t run that well on the (Sprint) Cup side, and this chassis is based off the Cup car. I looked at it and thought, ‘Geez, if I haven’t run that well in the Cup car, what am I going to do when they bring it to the Nationwide side?’
 
“I was a little bit nervous about it from that standpoint, and obviously, the reliability of anything that’s new. So to be able to go out and win in that car, knowing it’s the same chassis as the Cup car—with some very subtle differences—is a huge boost of momentum that, hopefully I can carry over to (Sunday’s Cup race) as well.”
 
Edwards was aware that the second caution had deprived him of his best opportunity to win the race.
 
“Until that last caution, I thought, ‘Man, we might win this thing,’ ” Edwards said. “Then we had the caution, and Brad was able to just launch out front on that last run. It was just a battle for second then.
 
“But I could taste victory. I thought, ‘Man, this is going to work out—we’re going to steal one here today.’ But the best car ended up winning. Those guys did a good job.”
 
Keselowski and Edwards have a history of violent confrontations on the racetrack. In fact, both are on probation until the end of the year after a massive wreck on the last lap of a Nationwide race at Gateway International Raceway in July, where Edwards retaliated after Keselowski bumped him.
 
At Michigan, however, they raced hard but without contact. The ingredients were there for another melee, Keselowski said, but on Saturday it didn’t happen.
 
“The cake didn’t bake,” Keselowski said.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Franchitti Flies to Mid-Ohio IZOD IndyCar Victory

Photo Credit: Steve Swope

The 12th race event for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season would be the second to last event on a road course. Collecting just outside of the two of Lexington, Ohio for the Honda Indy 200 on the scenically-located Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 27-car contingent prepared for 85 laps around the 2.258 permanent circuit. Winning all but one of the open wheel tour's races held on street or permanent road course this season prior to Edmonton, the Penske Racing team had been retaining a competitive edge on their rivals which has been led by Target/Chip Ganassi Racing. However, through the infamous actions of Penske Racing driver Helio Castroneves for blocking teammate Will Power on a late restart during the Honda Indy Edmonton, the #9 Target car of Scott Dixon broke through their first road course win of the year.

Showing weakness in Edmonton, the Penske bunch headed for Mid-Ohio determined to prove their on-track blooper was a fluke. Storming to pole, the #12 Verizon Penske car driven by Will Power outran Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti through Saturday Firestone Fast Six qualifying. Power would lead the first 22 laps of the Honda Indy 200 event under green until a yellow flag was thrown. The caution resulted from a coming together of Justin Wilson's #22 car and the #8 of EJ Viso in lap 4. Race-ending contact for both race team cars, each driver accused the other of not showing room during the early 1/3 distance.

As competitors were nearing their initial stops for fuel and tires, the caution was well-placed. While Power and the other front-runners pitted on that cue, one car presently deep in the field scored a major advantage with the timing of the yellow. Short-pitting from 15th place on lap 22, Alex Tagliani brought his #77 race to the attention of FAZZT Race Team mechanics in a team strategy that allowed them past some strong open wheel cars on a circuit notoriously hard find passing opportunities. In virtue of making a pit stop under green three laps earlier, the #77 FAZZT Race Team Indy car was vaulted right up to the race lead.   

Stung by back-to-back retirements due to contact in Toronto and Edmonton, the FAZZT Race Team returned to the United States without a desirable result in front what the team considers their home country. Losing the opportunity for top-10 race runs due to conduct of other drivers, Alex Tagliani was most vocal following through post-race interviews after the Honda Indy Toronto. Prepared to move on at Mid-Ohio, a confident Tagliani commented after Saturday qualifying. "Let's be frank, we have had our share of problems lately on road course, but the radical changes to our suspension packages improved the car".

The Lachenaie, Quebec native would lead the most laps of any individual driver during the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Completing 30 circuits in the top position between lap 26 until lap 56, Tagliani and the #77 FAZZT Race Team would secure a season-best 4th place result. Charging from 14th to just outside of the podium, Tagliani said "It felt good (to lead laps). It is very difficult when you're in the back.  This track is so difficult to pass on, so I'm very pleased that the strategy worked out". Alex Tagliani credited his chief engineer Rob Edwards as well as the other FAZZT Race Team engineering team for setting up the #77 car.

Tagliani's stint out in front of the IZOD IndyCar event was not accompanied by the 25 laps of green flag running Will Power had enjoy in the prior run. With the race field showing more haste, two cautions flew between the lap 28 restart and lap 37. The earlier yellow flag was thrown regrettably for the #5 KV Racing Technology car of Tukuma Sato. Posting a season-best 3rd place qualifying effort, Sato showed again in his rookie IZOD IndyCar Series season the pace to be competitive through the early stage of the Mid-Ohio race. However, on lap 28, Tukuma Sato potentially breakout race weekend ended when the Japanese driver lost grip on a dirty patch of turn 4 resulting in damage to yet another KV Racing Technology-owned car.

On lap 55, Alex Tagliani would relinquish 1st place as the lead drivers who stopped on the first yellow flag eventually gained the upper hand. The new leader became the Target/Chip Ganassi #10 of Dario Franchitti positioned ahead of Penske Racing's Will Power. Surviving Power's charge on two restarts between lap 60-70 for on-track incidents involving IZOD IndyCar newcomer Francesco Dracone, Dario Franchitti finished 1st by 0.5234 seconds. As Power took second, third place car was his Penske Racing teammate Helio Castroneves who once again found themselves close on the timing and scoring charts. Perhaps helped by the Castroneves #3 car finishing more than 3.5 seconds behind Power's #12 machine. Alex Tagliani and the #9 Target/Chip Ganassi car of Scott Dixon finished out the top-5 finishers.

The 3rd and final Penske Racing car of Ryan Briscoe placed 6th on the day ahead of some absolutely terrific runs by Raphael Matos for de Ferran/Dragon Racing as well as the HVM Racing #78 car piloted by Simona de Silvestro

Missing out on a 5th 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series victory, Will Power was able to find a good reason to celebrate with his #12 Penske Racing team. Crossing the Mid-Ohio finish line in 2nd place, the Australian locked up the top spot in the IZOD IndyCar Series' first road course racing championship. Power will be honoured with the first Mario Andretti Trophy holding an 87-point lead ahead of his Mid-Ohio rival Dario Franchitti. Also 1st and 2nd in the IZOD IndyCar Series overall points standings after 12 races in 2010, Franchitti is still well within play for a 3rd championship in 4 years being just 41 points behind the Australian Power.

Providing a finale to the road racing inside the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, the open wheel cars are venturing to California's Infineon Raceway for the next scheduled event.


2010 IZOD IndyCar Racing
Honda Indy 200
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Race Results

1.   10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
2.   12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
3.   3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
4. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
5.   9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
6.   6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
7.   2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
8. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
9.   26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
10.   37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport





11. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology 
12. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
13. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
14. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing
15. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
16. 24 J.R. Hildebrand/United States/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
17. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
18. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
19. 27 Adam Carroll/Northern Ireland/ Andretti Autosport

20. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing  

21. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport22. 34 Francesco Dracone/Italy/ Conquest Racing
23. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing 24. 66 Jay Howard/England/ Sarah Fisher Racing
25.   5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
26.   8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology

27. 22 Justin Wilson/ England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing

 

Montoya Strikes Bulls Eye at the Glen

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/ Getty Images for NASCAR


Taking the grid for the 25th race at the Glen in the NASCAR modern era (28th since the 1957 debut of the stock car series at the New York state road course), the NASCAR Sprint Cup series readies for their final road race of 2010. Tolerating just two events per year, the special driver skills for mastering the 9-turn, 2.45 mile track provides fans with a specific enjoyment seeing their favourite drivers negotiating right turns along with the left turns.

Carl Edwards posted fastest time in qualifying but would find his stint at the from extremely short. Within the first lap, the #99 Ford was immediately displaced from the lead by the #1 Chevy of Jamie McMurray where he would lead the initial 5 laps at Watkins Glen. On the fifth lap, the Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing #1 Chevrolet was hounded his Target-sponsored teammate Juan Pablo Montoya. Conceding to the ultra-fast Colombian native, McMurray gave the #42 car pretty of room to complete the lead change. Montoya would lead through the next 20 laps around Watkins Glen

The first caution came out after a round of green on lap 29 for a stalled #07 Toyota driven by PJ Jones who would retire as result of a fuel pump failure. Unlike the NASCAR Nationwide series race which involved a major 10-car crash, the Sprint Cup event was a more subdued affair when it came to on-track carnage. However, there would be some major incidents of note transpiring deeper into the Heluva Good! Sour Cream at The Glen.

Being the 5th race left before the cut off to the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the finishes at Watkins Glen as well as the remaining rounds prior to New Hampshire are going to be very important to teams contending for the top-12 spots. On the outside of the final Chase spot, Mark Martin and Ryan Newman both made a habit to lead at least one lap for 5 valuable driver points. Both drivers also required some struggles for drivers embedded within the Chase-eligible top-12. The Heluva Good! Sour Cream at The Glen produced the circumstances Martin and Newman were looking for to aid their Chase hopes. The most significant event occurred on lap 62 when the #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Clint Bowyer encountered a driveline problem. Leaving debris on the track which drew a lap 63 caution, behind the wall repairs required of Bowyer's car took 3 laps. Clint Bowyer would gain 2 of those laps back through free passes on subsequent cautions but would ultimately finish 34th on the day. Falling to 13th in Sprint Cup series points, Mark Martin is now in the 12th place spot heading into Michigan next week.

Compacting the field, drivers eagerly fought for positions on the track through the final 1/3 of the Watkins Glen event. A result of the heightened aggression, drivers were less willing to show courtesy contributing to the final two cautions of the Heluva Good! Sour Cream at The Glen. Shortly after the debris caution, the yellow flag fell for a violent impact of the #83 Red Bull Toyota through turn 2. Driven by Boris Said during the weekend, the #83 car was accused of crowding the #14 Chevrolet of Tony Stewart through turn 1 running the Chevy wide. In an incident which had similarities to Leffler's triggering of the big wreck in the Nationwide race, Stewart forced himself back into the race surface bumping into Said. As the #83 Toyota was sent into the Armco, all other cars were able to miss the stopped Red Bull machine. Later in the garage, Boris Said testified to he did not see Stewart.

Following the lap 66 crash, another more high-profile accident collected 2 of the top contenders for the Sprint Cup. Through turn 7, Jimmie Johnson's #48 Chevrolet was sent around on lap 72 into the outside wall. While Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports car suffered minor damage from the wall impact, the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin would quickly get caught within the tire smoke of the #48 car. Colliding with the spun vehicle of Johnson, Hamlin made head-on contact with his #11 FedEx Toyota. Hamlin's day was at Watkins Glen was over but Johnson was able to soldier on to finish 28th. Starting the season as the driver and team to beat winning 3 of the first 5 races, Johnson has only 1 top-20 finish in the past 5 Sprint Cup race events.

Photo Credit: Chris Trotman/ Getty Images


In a similar dominating performance to Ambrose's walk away from the field in the Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide series race the previous day, Juan Pablo Montoya led for 74 of the Heluva Good! Sour Cream at The Glen's 90 laps. Out front through the final 28 laps, Montoya's Chevrolet pushed to over a 4 second interval over second place. It was a triumphant win for Montoya and crew chief Brian Pattie as the pairing his performed a multitude of strong runs with victory still eluding the #42 Chevrolet. Juan Pablo Montoya's 2nd win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series since his first win at Infineon Raceway in 2007. This was Montoya's first win in a Chevrolet.

Chasing the Colombian-born racer through much of the race distance was Marcos Ambrose trying to swap at Watkins Glen. Looking to be a match for the #42 Earnhardt/Ganassi

Rounding out the top-5 at Watkins Glen was the Richard Petty Motorsports driver AJ Allmendinger and pole sitter Carl Edwards who were both driving Ford Fusions.

Next Sunday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series will return to the two-mile race at Michigan International Speedway.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dip At The Glen
Race Results

Top-10

Pos #  | Car # | Driver   | Sponsor/ Car Make

1 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
2 2  Kurt Busch Miller Lite/Vortex Dodge
3 47 Marcos Ambrose Little Debbie Toyota
4 43 A J Allmendinger Insignia HDTV Ford
5 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
6 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
7 14 Tony Stewart Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet
8 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
9 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
10 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
 
 
Other Notable 
 
11 29 Kevin Harvick Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet
12 39 Ryan Newman U.S.Army Chevrolet
13 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
19 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
21 26 Patrick Carpentier Air Guard Ford
26 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet
28 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
40 36 Ron Fellows Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Road Course Ace Ambrose Wins Watkins Glen Nationwide Race

Photo Credit: Chris Trotman/ Getty Images


Providing an opener to the Watkins Glen race weekend for the NASCAR tour, the 2010 Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 warms up the suburb's 2.45 mile road course. An 82 lap event, victory at the NASCAR Nationwide Series event is significant since the Zippo 200 is only 8 laps shorter than the NASCAR Sprint Cup race running Sunday. For this reason and the chance of catching the NASCAR regulars off-guard, the 2010 edition of this race brought out a slew of road racing experts including Ron Fellows, Nelson Piquet Jr, J.R. Fitzpatrick and Jacques Villeneuve.

A road racing ringer with the distinct honour of being a full season NASCAR Sprint Cup driver, the talents of Marcos Ambrose in a stock car was too much for his Sprint Cup JTG Racing team to ignore. Winning the 2 previous Nationwide series events at Watkins Glen, the Tasmanian driver was offered an opportunity to 3-peat at the race track against fierce competition from road ringer and other moonlighting Cup series driver. As the team fields a #47 Zippo-sponsored Toyota, Ambrose still preserved memories of the Sprint Cup race that got away from him at Infineon Raceway (If Marcos was ever able to forget it, someone with the media who be certain to remind him of the Sonoma mishap throughout this weekend). Winning pole for the upcoming race served as effective therapy to setting the past in the past.

On Saturday afternoon, the present effects the Zippo 200 started as 43 cars jockeyed for position off the start. Making contact into the first corner through the drop of the green flag, two Sprint Cup regulars came together for what would be the beginning of an eventful race at the Glen. The #60 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford driven by Carl Edwards brushed the side of the #33 Chevrolet owned and piloted by NASCAR Sprint Cup point leader Kevin Harvick. With minor damage applied to each race car, both cars continued while Marcos Ambrose led what would be the first 18 circuits around the track.

Under the first run, Edwards encountered the worst racing luck as his #60 Ford began to develop an engine issue. While the Roush-Fenway Racing team were determined to keep Edwards in the race, this would eventually prove a losing cause as the Ford was forced out of the Zippo 200 after completing 27 laps. With Carl Edwards out of the Watkins Glen event, this retirement cost the driver a 3rd straight road course win in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition.

A full-course yellow flew on lap 21 for debris following a first round of pit stops. Prior to this, the #33 of Kevin Harvick was served with a speeding penalty which dropped the top 5 car to rear of the NASCAR Nationwide field. Though Harvick would be able to climb back up the running order, he would not be a formidable match for the leading trio of Toyotas.

On the lap 23 restart, for the first caution at Watkins Glen, Joey Logano led for what would be a very short green flag run as a major crash out of turn 1 amounted to a massive 10-car wreck. Started when the #38 of Jason Leffler went wide of the first corner, his attempt to rejoin the pack resulted in contact with the #16 car of Colin Braun setting off a chain reaction within the narrow, guardrail-lined area of track. Trevor Bayne, Justin Allgaier and Brendan Gaughan are only a few participants involved in the melee. As drivers Steven Wallace and Kevin Harvick avoided serious damage through evasive actions on track, Roush-Fenway Racing development driver Billy Johnson's #6 Ford  failed to slow down significantly when he collided with the stalled Chevrolet of Tony Raines. Drilling Raines, Johnson lifted the #34 Chevrolet on top of the #6 Ford.  A 25 minute red flag period was required to remove the derelict race cars and repair the Armco retaining barriers.

Restarting the race after what would prove to be the only multi-car wreck, Joey Logano's #20 Toyota would be passed by teammate Kyle Busch on  lap 27 leading for 14 laps until the #47 of Marcos Ambrose applied pressure on the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Through an aggressive move heading into the inner loop chicane between turn 4 and 5, Ambrose used lapped traffic to his favour. As Busch's #18 Toyota slowed to pass the slower cars, the #47 Toyota practically drove flat-out storming to the lead. Taking the lead back on lap 41 with this move, Ambrose retained the top position for the remaining one-half distance.     

With Marcos Ambrose holding the lead even as two cautions bred for additional double-file restarts, the fight within the top 10 was alive. Losing 2nd to Logano, Kyle Busch was loathing his race car falling to 5th place as he received the checkered flag. Having also passed Busch, Kevin Harvick achieved a hard-fought 3rd place effort as he hustled from deep in the pack and averted the multi-car wreck to gain the podium spot.


Enjoying good days within the NASCAR Nationwide series are several of the part-time road racers. As Ambrose celebrated in Watkins Glen victory lane, Ron Fellows brought the #88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet home 6th while his Canadian teammate J.R. Fitzpatrick would also recover from a late race spin to finish 11th. Former Formula 1 drivers Nelson Piquet Jr as well as Jacques Villeneuve finished inside the top-10 with Piquet finishing 7th and Villeneuve placing in position behind.

A benefactor from Carl Edward's mechanical woes, NASCAR Nationwide series points leader Brad Keselowski would see the gap grow to 327 markers over his closest competitor Edwards.


2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Zippo 200
Watkins Glen International


1 47 Marcos Ambrose Kwik Fill/Red Apple/Zippo Toyota
2 20 Joey Logano GameStop Toyota
3 33 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John's Chevrolet
4 22      Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday/Discount Tire Dodge
5 18 Kyle Busch Combos Toyota
6 88 Ron Fellows GT Vodka Chevrolet
7 27 Nelson Piquet ArcSight/G2 Custom Apparel Ford
8 32 Jacques Villeneuve Dollar General Stores Toyota
9 66 Steve Wallace 5-hour Energy Toyota
10 181 Michael McDowell K-Love Dodge 
 
 
Other Notables 
 
11 7 J R Fitzpatrick Schick Hydro Chevrolet
22 09 Boris Said Zaxby's Ford
33 60 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford 
34 12 Justin Allgaier Verizon Wireless Dodge
35 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota
33 4 60 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford34 20 12 Justin Allgaier Verizon Wireless Dodge